cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Writhing Dynamics of Cables with Self-contact

Marine cables under low tension and torsion on the sea floor can form highly contorted three-dimensional geometries that include loops (e.g. hockles) and tangles. These geometries arise from the conversion of torsional strain energy to bending strain energy or, kinematically, a conversion of twist to writhe. A dynamic form of Kirchhoff rod theory is reviewed herein that captures these nonlinear dynamic processes. The resulting theory is discretized using the generalized-alpha method for finite differencing in both space and time. Numerical solutions are presented for an example system of a cable subjected to increasing twist at one end. The solutions show the dynamic evolution of the cable from an initially straight element, through a buckled element in the approximate form of a helix, through the dynamic collapse of this helix into a loop, and subsequent intertwining of the loop with multiple sites of self-contact.
Minimum Regret Approach to Network Management under Uncertainty with Application to Connection Admission Control and Routing

This paper proposes a framework for network management intended to balance network performance under normal steady operational conditions with robustness under non-steady, and/or adverse conditions. Working in conjunction with anomaly and/or intrusion detection, the proposed framework allows the network to develop a set of measured responses to possible anomalies and external threats by minimizing the average maximum network losses, i.e., regrets or risks, due to uncertainty. Loss maximization guards against uncertainty within each scenario. Averaging of the maximum losses reflects an available information on the likelihood of different scenarios. The proposed framework includes Bayesian and minimax approaches as particular cases. The paper demonstrates how the proposed framework can alleviate high sensitivity of a cost-based admission and routing scheme to uncertain resource costs and possible presence of excessive and/or adversarial traffic. Specific examples include competitive and minimum interference admission and routing schemes.
Non‐reactor Micro‐component Development

This book chapter will appear in a book being published by Wiley VCH, titled "Micro-Instrumentation for High Throughput Experimentation and Process Intensification." It represents a summary of microchannel-based research in all areas of non-reactive process development, such as heat exchange, mixing, emulsification, phase separation, distillation, mass-transfer, and biological applications.
Attenuation of lightning-produced sferics in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide and low-latitude ionosphere

[1] We compare radio atmospherics (sferics) detected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) to very low frequency (VLF) whistler waves observed in the low-latitude ionosphere by the Vector Electric Field Instrument of the Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite. We also model the propagation of these sferics through the Earth-ionosphere waveguide to the subsatellite point using the Long-Wavelength Propagation Capability software and compare this result to the same C/NOFS data set. This unprecedentedly expansive data set allows comparison to theory and prior observation of VLF radio wave propagation in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide and low-latitude ionosphere. We show that WWLLN and C/NOFS observe the well-known effect of variable attenuation with direction within the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. Propagation within the ionosphere is also examined, and a lack of attenuation above 400 km is observed. Finally, in comparison to recent works using Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER) data by Fiser et al. and Chum et al., we find that C/NOFS successfully detects whistlers with comparable amplitudes at much greater distances, compared to those reported for DEMETER.
Correlation Between Clear Air Turbulence and Aircraft Electrical Activity

Abstract : The results of a cooperative effort by Stanford Research Institute, United Air Lines, and Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories to determine the correlation between regions of clear-air turbulence (CAT) and aircraft electrical activity are described. Corona discharges from precipitation static dischargers on DC-8 aircraft were monitored and correlated with CAT encounters. A significant correlation was found to exist between CAT encounters and periods of electrical discharge. It is suggested that these electrical discharges may be caused by electric fields in the region of clear-air turbulence, particulate matter in the region that charges the aircraft, or a combination of both. A meteorological analysis was made of the regions where turbulence associated with electrical activity was observed. This analysis indicated that the CAT incidents were associated with jet streams. (Author)
Activity of the reduced zymogen of streptococcal proteinase.

Abstract Reduction of the protein—S—S—R bond in the zymogen of streptococcal proteinase leads to an enzymatically active molecule without any proteolysis being required. This conclusion is based upon experiments in which the zymogen has been reduced in very dilute solution where the rate of bimolecular autodigestion is at a minimum. Under these conditions, even in the presence of 3.5 m guanidinium chloride, the rate of activation depends upon the concentration of reducing agent and does not depend upon the protein concentration; also, the amino acid composition of the activated zymogen is indistinguishable from that of the starting material. In the more concentrated solutions that have usually been employed for autodigestion, reduced zymogen molecules can initiate the autodigestion that leads to removal of about 100 amino acid residues. The end product in that case has been shown earlier to be similar to that obtained when the conversion is accomplished by controlled proteolysis with trypsin followed by reduction of the protein—S—S—R bond. In aqueous solution, the rate of reduction of the disulfide bond in the zymogen is slow relative to the rate of its reduction in the molecule obtained after proteolysis. The slowness of reduction contributes to the stability of the zymogen in dilute solutions under mildly reducing conditions such as may exist in bacterial cultures in the early stages of growth. The rate of reduction can be accelerated in vitro by the partial unfolding of the molecule induced by the addition of guanidinium chloride. The reduced zymogen and the reduced proteolyzed zymogen possess similar specific activities. The nature of the zymogen-enzyme relationship for this enzyme of bacterial origin differs from that which has been established for the zymogens of pancreatic proteinases where proteolysis is a prerequisite for activity.
On compressing encrypted data without the encryption key

When it is desired to transmit redundant data over an insecure and bandwidth-constrained channel, it is customary to first compress the redundant data and then encrypt it for security reasons. In this paper, we investigate the novelty of reversing the order of these steps, i.e. first encrypting and then compressing. Although counter-intuitive, we show surprisingly that through the use of coding with side information principles, this reversal in order is indeed possible. In fact, for lossless compression, we show that the theoretical compression gain is unchanged by performing encryption before compression. We show that the cryptographic security of the reversed system is directly related to the strength of the key generator.
Pregnancy-induced changes in cell-fate in the mammary gland

The protective effect of an early full-term pregnancy is a well established phenomenon; in contrast, the molecular and cell-specific mechanisms that govern parity-specific changes in the mammary gland have not been well described. Recent studies signify a dramatic advance in our understanding of this phenomenon, and indicate a 'cell fate' model for parity-related changes that lead to protection against breast cancer.
Frequency-independent beamforming

The beamwidth of a linear array decreases as frequency increases. For broadband beamformers such as microphone arrays for teleconferencing, this frequency dependence implies that signals incident on the outer portions of the main beam are subject to an undesirable lowpass filtering process. In the paper several ways of attaining beamwidth constancy are discussed, including a novel method based on superimposing several marginally steered beams to form a constant beamwidth multi-beam. This method provides an analytically tractable framework for designing realizable constant beamwidth beamformers. >
Herbal supplements and skin testing: the lack of effect of commonly used herbal supplements on histamine skin prick testing.

Background: The use of herbal supplements is common, yet little is known about their pharmacologic properties. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of 23 commonly used herbal supplements on histamine skin prick testing (SPT). Methods: Fifteen healthy volunteers participated in a double-blind, placebocontrolled, single-dose, crossover study. Wheal and flare responses to SPT with histamine phosphate (1 mg/ml)were measured before and 4 h after administration of each of the 23 popular herbal supplements, fexofenadine (60 mg)and placebo. Wheal and flare areas were recorded with tracings performed 10 min after the prick test and measured with a PC-digitizer using stereometric software. Results: Fexofenadine significantly suppressed the wheal (P 0.10). Conclusion: When taken in single-doses, the popular herbal supplements tested did not significantly affect the histamine skin response. Therefore, it seems unnecessary for clinicians to ask patients to discontinue these herbal supplements prior to allergy skin testing.
Human γ enolase: isolation of a cDNA clone and expression in normal and tumor tissues of human origin

We have isolated and sequenced a cDNA clone encoding the human gamma enolase. Comparison of our cDNA sequence and the rat gamma enolase sequence revealed 97% homology at the level of amino acid sequence. The two coding regions were 91% homologous on the nucleotide level, whereas the 3' noncoding regions were much less homologous (32%). Further comparison of our cDNA sequence with the human alpha enolase revealed an 82% homology at the amino acid level and a 75% homology at the nucleotide level for the two coding regions, whereas the 3' nontranslated regions were only 30% homologous. Using a portion of the 3' nontranslated region of our cDNA, shown to be specific for human gamma enolase, a single 2.5 kb mRNA was detected in human brain tissue. This same gamma enolase message was also found in a number of human normal nonneuronal tissues, and in several human tumor-derived cell lines. Expression of the mRNA for the gamma enolase subunit should thus be used with caution when identifying the cells of neuronal or neuroendocrine origin.
Seeking effective dyes for a mediated glucose–air alkaline battery/fuel cell

Abstract A significant level of power generation from an abiotic, air breathing, mediated reducing sugar–air alkaline battery/fuel cell has been achieved in our laboratories at room temperature without complicated catalysis or membrane separation in the reaction chamber. Our prior studies suggested that mass transport limitation by the mediator is a limiting factor in power generation. New and effective mediators were sought here to improve charge transfer and power density. Forty-five redox dyes were studied to identify if any can facilitate mass transport in alkaline electrolyte solution; namely, by increasing the solubility and mobility of the dye, and the valence charge carried per molecule. Indigo dyes were studied more closely to understand the complexity involved in mass transport. The viability of water-miscible co-solvents was also explored to understand their effect on solubility and mass transport of the dyes. Using a 2.0 mL solution, 20% methanol by volume, with 100 mM indigo carmine, 1.0 M glucose and 2.5 M sodium hydroxide, the glucose–air alkaline battery/fuel cell attained 8 mA cm–2 at short-circuit and 800 μW cm–2 at the maximum power point. This work shall aid future optimization of mediated charge transfer mechanism in batteries or fuel cells.
The stability of methane hydrate intercalates of montmorillonite and nontronite: Implications for carbon storage in ocean-floor environments

Sodium-rich montmorillonite, Na-exchanged montmorillonite, and Na-exchanged nontronite form intercalate complexes with methane hydrate, identified by a characteristic d (001) value of ~2.2 nm. The upper stability of both Na-rich montmorillonite–methane-hydrate complexes is nearly identical to that of methane hydrate, whereas that of Na-exchanged nontronite–methane-hydrate complex is ~1 °C lower. The low-temperature stability of these complexes is controlled by dehydration reactions of the montmorillonite and nontronite. At temperatures of 2 °C, the d (001) value of the montmorillonite complex decreases step-wise with decreasing temperature from ~2.2 nm at 2 °C to 1.6 nm at ≤ − 5 °C, indicating that H 2 O is progressively expelled from the interlayer. All methane is probably expelled at ~0 °C. The d (001) value of the nontronite complex did not show a similar step-wise reduction and, consequently, the lower stability of this complex is not well established. We conclude that under conditions of reduced salinity, smectite may sufficiently swell and intercalate with methane hydrate in an intermediate to deep-ocean floor environment. Consequently, these smectite–methane-hydrate complexes in the sub-ocean-floor surface may store substantial quantities of carbon.
Semantic Variance in Recommendations of Student Potential

This study investigates clarity of communication among high school counselors and university admissions officers in their use of selected terminology to describe three types of scholars: potentially low-, average-, and exceptional-achieving scholars. A “Descriptive Word Scale” was designed to investigate the degree to which semantic variance was present in the selected terminology used to describe these three types of scholars among counselors, among admissions officers, and between the two groups. A sample of 300 counselors and admissions officers was drawn. Basic theoretical assumptions were drawn from the theories of Miller, Hackett, et al., and Schramm. Major findings included significant variability among counselors and among admissions officers and between the groups for certain terminology. It was possible to distinguish which of the terminology might be more dependable for attaining clarity of communication.
What does our genome encode

In its first production phase, The ENCODE Project Consortium (ENCODE) has generated thousands of genome-scale data sets, resulting in a genomic “parts list” that encompasses transcripts, sites of transcription factor binding, and other functional features that now number in the millions of distinct elements. These data are reshaping many long-held beliefs concerning the information content of the human and other complex genomes, including the very definition of the gene. Here I discuss and place in context many of the leading findings of ENCODE, as well as trends that are shaping the generation and interpretation of ENCODE data. Finally, I consider prospects for the future, including maximizing the accuracy, completeness, and utility of ENCODE data for the community.
Dynamic overlay routing based on available bandwidth estimation: A simulation study

Dynamic overlay routing has been proposed as a way to enhance the reliability and performance of IP networks. The major premise is that overlay routing can bypass congestion, transient outages, or suboptimal paths, by forwarding traffic through one or more intermediate overlay nodes. In this paper, we perform an extensive simulation study to investigate the performance of dynamic overlay routing. In particular, we leverage recent work on available bandwidth (avail-bw) estimation, and focus on overlay routing that selects paths based on avail-bw measurements between adjacent overlay nodes. First, we compare two overlay routing algorithms, reactive and proactive, with shortest-path native routing. We show that reactive routing has significant benefits in terms of throughput and path stability, while proactive routing is better in providing flows with a larger safety margin (''headroom''), and propose a hybrid routing scheme that combines the best features of the previous two algorithms. We then examine the effect of several factors, including network load, traffic variability, link-state staleness, number of overlay hops, measurement errors, and native sharing effects. Some of our results are rather surprising. For instance, we show that a significant measurement error, even up to 100% of the actual avail-bw value, has a negligible impact on the efficiency of overlay routing.
The Relationship Between Instrumental Music Participation And Standardized Assessment Achievement Of Middle School Students

This study attempted to investigate and better clarify the relationship between instrumental music participation and academic achievement through the use of multiple regression analysis. The resear...
General solutions and scaling violation for fragmentation with mass loss

Explicit solutions of a linear rate equation lead to improved understanding of fragmenlatian with discrete and continuous mass loss. Discrete mass loss provides a general expression for the overall mass 10% rate which accounts for mass loss in the shattering regime, where runaway fragmentation for small panicles producer a phase of zero-mass panicles. An explicit solution far the recession regime, where small panicles lose large fractionsoftheir mass to surface recession,shows that the total number ofpaniclesincreases with time until the typical panicles become small enough to lose all of their mass (and disappear) rather than to break. A general series solution is presented for fragmentation with continuous and discrete mass loss. A proof that continuous mass loss precludes dynamic scaling is presented.
Stationary and time-dependent indoor tracer-gas concentration profiles measured by OP-FTIR remote sensing and SBFM-computed tomography

Measurement of gas concentrations in indoor air using optical remote sensing (ORS) and computed tomography (CT) has been suggested but not thoroughly investigated. We present experiments in which one time-varying and 11 different steady-state tracer-gas concentration profiles were generated in a ventilated chamber and sampled in a horizontal plane by an open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectrometer for subsequent CT inversion. CT reconstructions were performed using the recently developed smooth basis function minimization (SBFM) technique. The CT reconstructions were compared with simultaneously gathered point-sample concentration measurements. Agreement between the two sampling methods was qualitatively very good, with concentration profiles generated by both methods showing the same features of peak location and shape. Quantitative agreement was generally good to within 50%. We discuss the sources of discrepancy and suggest directions for future research, especially with regard to monitoring time-dependent processes. With further refinements in the SBFM algorithm and improvements in optical remote sensing hardware, this technique promises to yield rapid and accurate measurements of the spatial distribution of gases in indoor environments.
The impact of provider volume on the outcomes after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND Investigation into the provider volume-outcomes association for patients undergoing spine surgery has been limited. OBJECTIVE To examine the impact of surgeon and hospital volume on the outcomes after decompression with or without fusion for lumbar spinal stenosis. METHODS Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2005-2008) were retrospectively extracted. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate the adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality and the development of a postoperative complication with increasing surgeon or hospital volume. Provider volume was evaluated continuously and categorically, divided by percentiles into quintiles. Very-low-volume surgeons performed < 15 procedures over 4 years. All analyses were adjusted for differences in patient age, sex, comorbidities, and primary payer, as well as hospital bed size, teaching status, and location (urban vs rural). RESULTS A total of 48,971 admissions were examined. In-hospital mortality did not differ significantly with increasing provider volume. When examined continuously, greater surgeon volume was associated with a significantly lower adjusted odds of developing a complication (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.78; P < .001). Patients who underwent surgery by very-low-volume surgeons (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.60; P = .001), but not those treated by low-, medium-, or high-volume surgeons, had a significantly higher complication rate compared with those who underwent surgery by very high-volume surgeons. After adjustment for surgeon volume, hospital volume was not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality or complications. CONCLUSION In this nationwide study, patients treated by very-low-volume surgeons had a significantly higher complication rate compared with those treated by very high-volume surgeons.
Trackability in complex situations and environments

The concept of trackability is intimately related to the establishment of optimal trade-offs between the nosiness of the environment, due to poor sensing, and the randomness of the kinematics of the phenomena being examined, due to poor knowledge of their behaviors. Classically, a sensor system receives low level data in the form of numerical or analog signals and then through signal processing produces a high level observation suitable for a higher level state estimation process. These two phases may be further refined into a hierarchical chain of "tiers", where observations at each level are obtained through the computation of a set of properties of the system's estimated state at the lower level. An important factor that seems to have an impact on the overall ability to track high level phenomena in real time is the computational complexity of deciding those properties when generating observations between the tiers. And this complexity characterizes the accuracy of what can be computed within a bounded time frame. In this paper we intend to investigate the "real time" trackability of phenomena through the analysis of the complexity of individual models in relation to the computational complexity of computing observations in any multi-tiered tracking system.
Inference from Rossi traces

We present an uncertainty analysis of data taken using the Rossi technique in which the horizontal oscilloscope sweep is driven sinusoidally in time while the vertical axis follows the signal amplitude. The analysis is aimed at determining the logarithmic derivative of the amplitude as a function of time. Within the Bayesian framework used, inferences are obtained with the Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique, which produces random samples from the posterior probability distribution expressed in terms of the parameters.
The Effect of Hydrogen on the Molecular-Beam-Epitaxy Growth of GaN on Sapphire Under Ga-Rich Conditions

Nucleation and growth of GaN under Ga-rich conditions by molecular beam epitaxy using a nitrogen rf plasma source is shown to result in both a smoother GaN surface and a reduced inversion domain content. In addition, preliminary results of the dramatic effect of atomic hydrogen on growth kinetics for Ga-rich growth are presented.
Immunological confirmation of elevated levels of CuZn superoxide dismutase protein in an artificially selected long-lived strain of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract Oxidative stress-induced damage is a major causal factor leading to the loss of function characteristic of the aging process. Various antioxidant defenses are marshalled by the organism so as to combat this oxidative damage and delay the onset of senscence. CuZnSOD is one of the major antioxidant enzymes and has been shown to play an important role in the extended longevity of Drosophila melanogaster. Although assays exist with which to measure the CuZnSOD RNA prevalence and enzyme activity, there existed no antibodies that permited the measurement of the actual amount of Drosophila enzyme protein present. Development of such a tool would enhance our ability to understand mechanisms of antioxidant gene expression in this organism. We have developed a polyclonal antibody against synthetic SOD peptides that is specific for Drosophila CuZnSOD as shown by Western blots. It is very sensitive when tested against the synthetic peptides used in its genesis and moderately sensitive when tested against native Drosophila CuZnSOD protein. Its use in our experimental system confirms the prior RNA and enzyme activity measurements that indicate that our genetically selected long-lived strain has significantly higher levels of CuZnSOD protein than does the appropriate control strain.
Inhibition of rabbit neutrophil lysosomal enzyme secretion, non-stimulated and chemotactic factor stimulated locomotion by nordihydroguaiaretic acid

Abstract Nordihydroguaiaretic acid irreversibly inhibits both Ca ++ dependent and independent lysosomal enzyme release from rabbit peritoneal neutrophils induced by the chemotactic factors, formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine and C5a in the presence of cytochalasin B. The inhibition is both concentration and time dependent. In addition, the cytochalasin B dependent release induced by arachidonic acid and the Ca ++ ionophore A23187 is similarly inhibited. Similar concentrations of NDGA also inhibit neutrophil locomotion and chemotactic factor enhanced locomotion, as measured using modified Boyden chambers. As nordihydroguaiaretic acid has been shown to be an inhibitor of lipoxygenase activity, it is possible that this pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism is important in neutrophil locomotion and in cytochalasin B dependent lysosomal enzyme release induced by secretagogues.
Feasibility Study: Home Telemonitoring for Patients With Lung Cancer in a Mountainous Rural Area

Purpose/objectives To explore the feasibility of rural home telemonitoring for patients with lung cancer. Design Exploratory, descriptive, observational. Setting Patient homes within a 75-mile radius of the study hospital in West Virginia. Sample 10 patients hospitalized with lung cancer as a primary or secondary-related diagnosis. Methods Data included referral and demographics, chart reviews, and clinical data collected using a HomMed telemonitor. Five patients received usual care after discharge; five had telemonitors set up at home for 14 days with daily phone calls for nurse coaching; mid- and end-study data were collected by phone and in homes through two months. Main research variables Enrollment and retention characteristics, physiologic (e.g., temperature, pulse, blood pressure, weight, O2 saturation) and 10 symptom datapoints, patient and family telemonitor satisfaction. Findings Of 45 referred patients, only 10 consented; 1 of 5 usual care and 3 of 5 monitored patients completed the entire study. Telemonitored data transmission was feasible in rural areas with high satisfaction; symptom data and physiologic data were inconsistent but characteristic of lung cancer. Conclusions Challenges included environment, culture, technology, and overall enrollment and retention. Physiologic and symptom changes were important data for nurse coaching on risks, symptom management, and clinician contact. Implications for nursing Enrollment and retention in cancer research warrants additional study. Daily monitoring is feasible and important in risk assessment, but length of time to monitor signs and symptoms, which changed rapidly, is unclear. Symptom changes were useful as proxy indicators for physiologic changes, so risk outcomes may be assessable by phone for patient self-management coaching by nurses.
Manganese(II) chemistry of a new N3O-donor chelate ligand: synthesis, X-ray structures, and magnetic properties of solvent- and oxalate-bound complexes

The synthesis and characterization of a new N3O donor ligand N-benzyl-N-((6-pivaloylamido-2-pyridyl)methyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (bpppa) is reported. Treatment of bpppa with Mn(II)(ClO4)2·6H2O in acetonitrile solution yielded the mononuclear [(bpppa)Mn(CH3CN)(H2O)](ClO4)2 (1) which was characterized by X-ray crystallography, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and a solution magnetic moment measurement. Admixture of equimolar equivalents of bpppa and Mn(II)(ClO4)2·6H2O in methanol solution, followed by addition of 0.5 or 1 equivalents of sodium oxalate, yielded the binuclear complex [{(bpppa)Mn}2(μ-C2O4)](ClO4)2 (2), which was characterized by X-ray crystallography, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and solid-state magnetic measurements. While 1 is mononuclear, the formation of the binuclear oxalate derivative 2 indicates that use of the bpppa ligand does not enable isolation of a complex that is structurally relevant to a proposed 1 ∶ 1 Mn(II)–oxalate adduct in the catalytic cycle of the oxalate degrading enzyme oxalate decarboxylase.
Using Multiple Measures to Address Perverse Incentives and Score Inflation

The principle that important decisions should not be based on a single measure is axiomatic, if widelu ignored in practice. The traditional rationale is the risk of incorrect decisions from incomplete and error-prone data. The current high-stakes uses of test scores increase the need for multiple measures for two distinct reasons: the risk of score inflation and the potential for perverse incentives for educators and students. Addressing these two issues may require focusing accountability on measures of schooling as well as a much wider range of measures of student outcomes. The difficulties of pursuing this approach are described, and some possible directions for research and development are noted.
Constraining population synthesis models via empirical binary compact object merger and supernova rates

The observed samples of supernovae (SNe) and double compact objects (DCOs) provide several critical constraints on population synthesis models. The parameters of these models must be carefully chosen to reproduce, among other factors, (1) the formation rates of double neutron star (NS-NS) binaries and white dwarf-neutron star (WD-NS) binaries, estimated from binary samples, and (2) the Type II and Ib/c SN rates. Even allowing for extremely conservative accounting of the uncertainties in observational and theoretical predictions, we find that only a few plausible population synthesis models (roughly 9%) are consistent with DCO and SN rates empirically determined from observations. As a proof of concept, we describe the information that can be extracted about population synthesis models given these observational tests, including surprisingly good agreement with the neutron star kick distributions inferred from pulsar proper-motion measurements. In the present study, we find that the current observational constraints favor kicks described by a single Maxwellian with a characteristic velocity of about 350 km s−1 (i.e., at maximum likelihood; kick velocities between 100 and 700 km s−1 remain within the 90% confidence interval of unimodal distributions), mass-loss fractions during nonconservative but stable mass transfer episodes of about 90%, and common envelope parameters of about 0.15-0.5. Finally, we use the subset of astrophysically consistent models to predict the rates at which black hole-neutron star (BH-NS) and NS-NS binaries merge in the Milky Way and the nearby universe, assuming that Milky Way-like galaxies dominate. Inevitably, the resulting probability distributions for merger rates depend on our assumed priors for the population model input parameters. In this study we adopt relatively conservative priors (flat) for all model parameters covering a rather wide range of values. However, as we gain confidence in our knowledge of these inputs, the range of merger rates consistent with our knowledge should shift and narrow.
Winners and Losers in Colombia's Economic Growth of the 1970s

Colombia experienced substantial economic growth during the decade of the 1970s, but the question of who has benefited from this growth is the subject of some discussion. The weight of opinion is that the growth in the 1970s did not help the poor or improve the distribution of income. This study examines a wide array of data and arrives at a different conclusion--namely, that the income distribution did not deteriorate and that the real incomes of the poorest workers did, in fact, improve significantly during the decade. The reason the results of this study differ so much from the opinion of many observers is that the most commonly available statistics suggest a process of income concentration. National income data on salaries and statistics on real industrial wages show little improvement in an economy with rapidly growing per capita income. This seems to suggest a worsening of the relative income position of labor. The main finding of this study is that in the decade and a half after 1964, income distribution in the country did not deteriorate, and the real income of the poorest families increased significantly. Many people have criticized the economic policies followed in the 1970s, asserting that they led to a worsening of the income distribution and did not benefit the poor. The data collected here suggest the contrary: that if economic policy had an impact on distribution, it was to favor the poor.
Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA-binding protein alters the structure of intramolecular triplexes in plasmids.

The ability of the Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) to recognize structural features associated with intramolecular triplex formation in oligopurine · oligopyrimidine (pur · pyr) inserts in recombinant plasmids was evaluated. The SSB protein binds to supercoiled plasmids and causes a site-preferential increase in OsO4 reactivity of the pyrimidine strand involved in the formation of the Hy-3 isomer of the triplex structure. The E. coli RecA protein showed no reaction with triplexes in similar studies. This behavior is consistent with SSB-mediated unpairing of the H-DNA-forming region.
THE PROTON MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTRA OF TRIS-PARACHLOROPHENYLTIN CHLORIDE ADDUCTS

Abstract The 1:1 addition compounds formed between tris-para-chlorophenytin chloride and the Lewis bases, acetone and dimethyl sulfoxide, have been investigated. It is observed that as the base strength increases, there is a shift of electron density towards the tin atom as measured via the phenyl ring coupling constants. The results support the previous suggestion that long range coupling constants may be used to determine qualitatively the extenct of dπpπ interaction in aryltin compounds. A method for calculating the chemical shifts and coupling constants of the aromatic patrons without the aid of computerized pmr analyses is also described.
Bovine thrombin complexed with an uncleavable analog of residues 7-19 of fibrinogen A alpha: geometry of the catalytic triad and interactions of the P1', P2', and P3' substrate residues.

The crystal structure of the noncovalent complex of bovine thrombin and a fibrinogen-Aα tridecapeptide substrate analog, G17ψ, in which the scissile bond amide nitrogen of Gly-17f has been replaced by a methylene carbon, has been determined at 2.3 A resolution with an R factor of 17.1%. The geometry of the active site indicates that the crystal structure is a close model of the true Michaelis complex. The three independently determined thrombin/G17ψ complexes in the crystal asymmetric unit reveal novel interactions for the P2‘ and P3‘ residuesPro-18f and Arg-19f, respectivelyon the carboxyl-terminal side of the scissile bond and confirm previously observed interactions of the P1 (Arg-16f) through P10 (Asp-7f) positions on the amino-terminal side. The thrombin S2‘ binding site for Pro-18f, as observed in all three complexes, differs from that predicted by modeling studies and is notable for including two carbonyl oxygens of the thrombin main chain. Arg-19f occupies two binding sites on thrombin, S3‘A and S...
ISCT, Hypernorms, and Business: A Reinterpretation.

Numerous universal standards have been proposed to provide ethical guidance for the actions of business. The result has been a confusing mix of standards and their defenses. Thus, there is widespread recognition that business requires a common framework to provide ethical guidance. One of the most prominent conceptual frameworks recently offered, which addresses issues of international business ethics, is that of integrative social contracts theory (ISCT) developed by Thomas Donaldson and Thomas Dunfee. By integrating normative and empirical matters, and drawing on the concepts of social contracts and hypernorms, ISCT seeks to provide a workable, comprehensive theory of business ethics. In this article I argue that, in fact, ISCT offers two different views of hypernorms and the theoretical structure surrounding them. A Principlist View that understands hypernorms as the most general, universal moral principles that hold moral sway over all microsocial contracts. A Contextualist View is that hypernorms are not special, additional norms, but refer to a certain status that the most general norms or principles of each community achieve that are part of a convergence with the norms of other societies. I maintain that the Contextualist View offers a plausible view of ISCT while avoiding many of the criticisms that have been made against the Principlist interpretation of ISCT. Further, the Contextualist View suggests other areas in which ISCT needs further development, such as in the area of human rights which I also briefly explore.
Osteopontin: a bridge between bone and the immune system

The molecular mechanisms underlying the putative role of osteopontin in the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis are unclear. A study in a murine model of arthritis now demonstrates that a specific antibody directed against the exposed osteopontin epitope SLAYGLR is capable of preventing inflammatory cell infiltration in arthritic joints.
Two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography separation and tandem mass spectrometry detection of atrazine and its metabolic and hydrolysis products in urine.

Abstract Atrazine [6-chloro-N-ethyl-N′-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine] is the most widely used herbicide in the United States. In recent years, there has been controversy about atrazine's potential endocrine/reproductive and neurological adverse effects in wildlife and humans. The controversy triggered several environmental and epidemiologic studies, and it generated needs for sensitive and selective analytical methods for the quantification of atrazine, atrazine metabolites, and degradation or hydrolysis products. We developed a two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) method with isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry detection to measure atrazine in urine, along with 11 atrazine metabolites and hydrolysis products, including 6-chloro (Cl), 6-mercapto (Mer) and 6-hydroxy (OH) derivatives, and their desethyl, desisopropyl and diamino atrazine analogs (DEA, DIA and DAA, respectively). The 2D-HPLC system incorporated strong cation exchange and reversed phase separation modes. This versatile approach can be used for the quantitative determination of all 12 compounds in experimental animals for toxicological studies. The method requires only 10 μL of urine, and the limits of detection (LODs) range from 10 to 50 μg/L. The method can also be applied to assess atrazine exposure in occupational settings by measurement of 6-Cl and 6-Mer analogs, which requires only 100 μL of urine with LODs of 1–5 μg/L. Finally, in combination with automated off-line solid phase extraction before 2D-HPLC, the method can also be applied in non-occupational environmental exposure studies for the determination of −6-Cl and 6-Mer metabolites, using 500 μL of urine and LODs of 0.1–0.5 μg/L.
Dawning of agriculture

Domestication of Plants in the Old World. Second Edition. By Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf Oxford University Press (Clarendon Press): 1993. Pp. 278. & pound;35, $52.50
Some Thoughts on Sociology Journal Publishing In The 21st Century

The recent shift toward electronic publishing fundamentally changed the production and economics of scholarly journal production—and rapidly changing technology makes this an open-ended dynamic. Simultaneously, professional societies, faculties and university administrators, increasingly exposed to the hyper-competitive world of emerging “neo-liberalism,” are increasingly reluctant to adequate support editorial offices and contribute to journal peer review. This is creating a “crisis” for journals, illustrated here in reference to sociology. The essay concludes with some suggestions for how a regional journal like Sociological Perspectives might be able to adapt and stay relevant in the 21st century.
Practical landmine detector using forward-looking ground penetrating radar

A practical landmine detector using forward-looking ground penetrating radar is presented. The detector uses a wavelet packet transform and the sequential feature selection algorithm to extract the most discriminant information distributed in the joint time-frequency domain for detecting landmines. A cascade training method that allows the detector to continue learning from errors made on unseen environments to improve its detection performance is also proposed. The testing results based on a recently conducted blind test are presented.
The current role of calcineurin inhibitors in posttransplant immunosuppression

It is important to determine when to use and when to avoid calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). CNIs are associated with kidney dysfunction in some, but not all, transplant recipients. CNI-sparing protocols have their own drug-specific limitations. Two major clinical series suggest the benefit of routine CNI-sparing approaches, but our review suggests weaknesses in both. Ongoing studies are needed to determine which subgroups of recipients will benefit from CNIs.
Technical efficiency in telecommunications in the United States and the impact of incentive regulation

Abstract Incentive regulation has become an important regulatory tool in the telecommunications industry in the United States. The issue explored here is whether incentive regulation has resulted in an increase in technical efficiency. After providing an overview of the nature of incentive regulation, a methodology for measuring technical efficiency and its change is introduced. This is a multiple-output/multiple-input distance function approach to measuring technical efficiency. The results of implementing this approach for 19 local exchange carriers for the 1988–1999 period indicate that in the production of local service, intrastate toll/access service, and interstate access to local loops, there was no change in technical efficiency between the 1988–1990 period and the 1991–1999 period, something that incentive regulation was specifically designed to promote.
Preparative isoelectric focusing with Pevikon as supporting medium.

Abstract A preparative isoelectric focusing method is described in detail that uses Pevikon instead of Sephadex as a supporting medium. Separation is demonstrated in a human serum protein preparation that contained α 1 -antitrypsin, transferrin and α 2 -macroglobulin. Pevikon has some advantages over Sephadex in this type of isoelectric focusing.
Rationality and Deterrence

This essay explores the relationship between deterrence theory and two distinct notions of rationality associated with it. The author argues that the concept of procedural irrationality, which is the basis of many critiques of contemporary deterrence theory, is not necessarily inconsistent with the instrumental definition of rationality implicit in many models of deterrence. He also argues that some recent rational choice models of deterrence are, nonetheless, deficient in their application of the rationality postulate. Finally, he provides an outline of a possible resolution of the paradox of deterrence.
GIS analysis of the biogeography of beetles of the subgenus Anisodactylus (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae: genus Anisodactylus)

Summary The advent of GIS technology and the World Wide Web, respectively, facilitate analysing geographical relationships and electronically storing and exchanging biogeographic data. This paper illustrates GIS technology with a study of the subgenus Anisodactylus Dejean (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae: genus Anisodactylus). Species are concentrated in three centres of biodiversity in North America and in four in lands near the western Mediterranean. These centres largely correspond to current areas of wetlands. Eurasia has fewer species than expected based on its area, probably because large portions have habitats unfavourable for the subgenus and/or are poorly collected for Carabidae. Members of the subgenus are primarily adapted to areas with January temperatures between −10 and 10 °C, July temperatures from 10 to 30 °C and mean annual precipitation from 20 to 200 mm. Cold is apparently a major limiting factor because it typically occurs during several consecutive months of winter and is difficult to escape except by hibernation. Heat is less of a stress when moisture is sufficient. The size of geographical ranges is often larger in the North than in the South and correlates with the latitude of the centre of ranges at r =0.42 (level of significance=0.05). Geographic ranges are often smaller in western North America and in the western Mediterranean than elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Explanations for the smaller sizes include portions of western North America having unfavourable desert or montane habitats, the Rocky Mountains and deserts barring eastward dispersal of species, and the smaller size and more patchy distribution of climatic zones and habitats. In North America geographical ranges west of the Rocky Mountains are north–south elongated because they track primarily north–south orientated climatic zones and because mountains and deserts bar eastward extension. Ranges in north-eastern and north-central North America tend to extend east–west along temperature isotherms. In Eurasia many ranges are stretched east–west because of the shape of the continent and because many northern and southern areas lack suitable habitats. Species with relatively high numbers of apomorphic character states cluster in western Eurasia and to a lesser extent in western North America. The North American centres of biodiversity are post-Wisconsin phenomena while those near the western Mediterranean probably date from the Oligocene or Miocene.
Some effects on newly emerged mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) resulting from food deprivation during larval development

Abstract Lowering food consumption by larvae has been shown to (1) prolong the duration of development in Aedes aegypti , (2) increase the time elapsed between emergence of males and females, (3) produce smaller mosquitoes with a reduced lipid content per milligram of body weight, and (4) bring about a significant decrease in the percentage composition of 18:0 and 18:2 fatty acids.