cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of early Eocene water-vapor transport and paleoelevation using oxygen isotope data from geographically widespread mammal remains

The oxygen isotope composition (δ 18 O) of apatite from mammalian tooth enamel can be used to infer the δ 18 O value of ingested water, which is in turn related to that of precipitation stored in surface reservoirs. Therefore, the δ 18 O value of phosphate from fossil tooth enamel can be used to infer the δ 18 O value of these reservoirs in the past. In this paper, tooth enamel from a semiaquatic mammal taxon ( Coryphodon ) collected from five early Eocene localities in North America is used to construct patterns in δ 18 O values of river water for this time period. At all localities, the δ 18 O value of river water (δ 18 O r ) is estimated to have been higher during the early Eocene relative to present-day North American rivers, although the δ 18 O vs. latitude gradient was shallower during the Eocene. Higher δ 18 O r values are consistent with warmer Eocene air masses being able to hold more water vapor and with an increase in the poleward transport of both moisture and latent heat. The regular decrease in δ 18 O r with latitude indicates that global atmospheric circulation patterns and hydrological transport were not much different from those of the present, although the shallower δ 18 O vs. latitude gradient during the Eocene may reflect regional differences in precipitation, evaporation, and river recharge. At a more regional scale, the δ 18 O value of river water can provide insight into topographic relief during the early Eocene. In the case of intermontane basins of Wyoming, differences in average δ 18 O r values between basins indicate that Laramide mountain relief was on the order of 475 m. It is suggested that anomalously low δ 18 O r values reported previously do not provide unambiguous evidence for permanent snow at higher elevations and may instead reflect brief episodes of cooler winters and/or altered atmospheric circulation patterns.
Star Simulator Design

Aerospace applications require artificial stars in the laboratory testing of star sensors or trackers. The precise angular testing of these instruments requires that the star simulators or simulacrums provide nearly plane wavefronts and infinitesimal diametral angular subtense of the source. The paper presents performance requirements for the simulator to be used on an advanced space systems program. The paper discusses the parametric and tradeoff studies leading to the pinhole size, radiometric requirements, and collimation tolerance and traces the design of the illumination system. The major lens design aim is to provide a diffraction-limited, long-focal-length objective. Spherical and chromatic aberration and related secondary aberrations such as zonal spherical, secondary color, and spherochromatism need to be corrected to a degree that permits diffraction-limited performance. The paper also outlines procedures followed in the lens design and reviews aspects of mechanical, electrical, and thermal design.
Resolution of Hepatic Hydrothorax After Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) Placement

A 59-year-old woman underwent chest tube placement, repeated pleurodesis, and pleuroperitoneal shunt implantation for unsuccessful treatment of a large refractory hepatic hydrothorax. Two days after placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt for treatment of variceal hemorrhage, her pleural effusion resolved. At 10 months' follow-up, only minimal fluid remains.
Ethylene-linked bis(phenol) ligands: efficient synthesis, Ti(IV) coordination chemistry, and Lewis acid catalysis

Abstract We report herein an efficient synthesis of a series of chelating bis(aryloxide) ligands that can be diverged at a late stage to generate a variety of structures. Based on structural differences between linked and unlinked analogs of six-coordinate acid–base adducts of (ArO)2TiCl2(dmpe), a hypothesis predicted that a difference between the two structure types would be apparent when the compounds shuttled between four- and six-coordinate structures. Comparing their efficiencies in the Lewis acid accelerated Diels–Alder reaction, however, did not support this notion.
Contraction abnormalities of the esophageal body in patients referred to manometry. A new approach to manometric classification.

A method is proposed for classifying conventional esophageal manometry findings according to the features observed in the esophageal body rather than by disease name. Patients who demonstrate increases in mean distal wave amplitude, mean distal wave duration, or number of abnormal motor responses (repetitive or simultaneous contractions) or the presence of triple-peaked waves are classified as having distal contraction abnormalities. Severity is scored by the cumulative number of these abnormalities. Of the 210 patients referred for esophageal manometry over a 23-month period, 119 (57%) were found to have one or more of the contraction abnormalities, making this the most common esophageal body manometric classification. The presence of one or two abnormalities was most common. Patients with all four abnormalities represented <5% of the referred population and, as a group, would satisfy usual manometric criteria for diffuse esophageal spasm. The proposed system allows for recognition of patients with only one or several of the manometric features typically seen in diffuse esophageal spasm and provides a method for intra- and interstudy comparison of patients with these common findings.
High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Erythromycin

Abstract Liquid chromatographic analysis can provide a simpler and superior alternative to microbial assay of antibiotics. A number of liquid chromatographic methods for the analysis of erythromycin have been published in the past 17 years. However, many of these methods are complex and lack the selectivity needed for the assay of erythromycin in the presence of erythromycin derivatives and impurities. We examined several C18 based stationary phase columns and developed a significantly improved C18 liquid chromatographic method for the assay of erythromycin. In comparison to a recently published polymer (poly(styrene-divinylbenzene)) stationary phase LC method, our method is simpler, more rugged, faster, and more sensitive. The developed method has been successfully used for the analysis of erythromycin in commercial bulk samples. The chromatographic assay results correlate with microbiological assay.
Neonatal brachial plexus palsy: Incidence, prevalence, and temporal trends

Epidemiological knowledge of the incidence, prevalence, and temporal changes of neonatal brachial plexuses palsy (NBPP) should assist the clinician, avert unnecessary interventions, and help formulate evidence-based health policies. A summary of 63 publications in the English language with over 17 million births and 24,000 NBPPs is notable for six things. First, the rate of NBPP in the US and other countries is comparable: 1.5 vs. 1.3 per 1000 total births, respectively. Second, the rate of NBPP may be decreasing: 0.9, 1.0 and 0.5 per 1,000 births for publications before 1990, 1990–2000, and after 2000, respectively. Third, the likelihood of not having concomitant shoulder dystocia with NBPP was 76% overall, though it varied by whether the publication was from the US (78%) vs. other countries (47%). Fourth, the likelihood of NBPP being permanent (lasting at least 12 months) was 10–18% in the US-based reports and 19–23% in other countries. Fifth, in studies from the US, the rate of permanent NBPP is 1.1–2.2 per 10,000 births and 2.9–3.7 per 10,000 births in other nations. Sixth, we estimate that approximately 5000 NBPPs occur every year in the US, of which over 580–1050 are permanent, and that since birth, 63,000 adults have been afflicted with persistent paresis of their brachial plexus. The exceedingly infrequent nature of permanent NBPP necessitates a multi-center study to improve our understanding of the antecedent factors and to abate the long-term sequela.
Coupled-resonator optical waveguide:?a proposal and analysis

We propose a new type of optical waveguide that consists of a sequence of coupled high- Q resonators. Unlike other types of optical waveguide, waveguiding in the coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW) is achieved through weak coupling between otherwise localized high- Q optical cavities. Employing a formalism similar to the tight-binding method in solid-state physics, we obtain the relations for the dispersion and the group velocity of the photonic band of the CROW's and find that they are solely characterized by coupling factor k 1 . We also demonstrate the possibility of highly efficient nonlinear optical frequency conversion and perfect transmission through bends in CROW's.
Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON) Architecture: system overview

This paper serves as an introduction to a wholly new IBM data processing interconnection system called Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON™) Architecture™. Utilizing state-of-the-art fiber optic technology, the ESCON system introduces a unique concept to computer interconnection topology, the dynamic switched point-to-point connection. A comprehensive solution to the interconnection of data processing equipment and systems, the ESCON system offers superior connectivity, bandwidth, distance, and ease of installation. The ESCON architecture is directed toward the structuring of large dispersed multisystem data processing centers with campus distributed user communities, but it is equally well suited to the needs of small processing configurations. The paper first reviews the objectives of the ESCON development and then gives a more detailed discussion of the system design alternatives and choices which were made. Topics discussed are the fiber optic technology, the interconnection topology, the ESCON architecture, and the design of the major system elements.
The nine-hour mathematics sequence for the general preservice elementary teacher at Texas Tech University

ABSTRACT At Texas Tech University all students seeking elementary teacher certification must complete a 9-hour, three-course sequence of mathematics courses designed especially to address the standards called for in the Mathematical Association of America's Call for Change [9] and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Standards. [10,11] In this paper we discuss the development, philosophy, design, and implementation of the sequence.
ANALYZING MODULAR RNA STRUCTURE REVEALS LOW GLOBAL STRUCTURAL ENTROPY IN MICRORNA SEQUENCE

Secondary structure remains the most exploitable feature for noncoding RNA (ncRNA) gene finding in genomes. However, methods based on secondary structure prediction may generate superfluous amount of candidates for validation and have yet to deliver the desired performance that can complement experimental efforts in ncRNA gene finding. This paper investigates a novel method, unpaired structural entropy (USE) as a measurement for the structure fold stability of ncRNAs. USE proves to be effective in identifying from the genome background a class of ncRNAs, such as precursor microRNAs (pre-miRNAs) that contains a long stem hairpin loop. USE correlates well and performs better than other measures on pre-miRNAs, including the previously formulated structural entropy. As an SVM classifier, USE outperforms existing pre-miRNA classifiers. A long stem hairpin loop is common for a number of other functional RNAs including introns splicing hairpins loops and intrinsic termination hairpin loops. We believe USE can be further applied in developing ab initio prediction programs for a larger class of ncRNAs.
Automatic deep structure analysis using an approximate formalism

The automatic sentence structure analysis procedure described earlier has been programmed. The formalism is not transformational, but is sufficiently general to permit the expression of a wide variety of structural models. It is now being used to obtain automatic structural descriptions which are very close to the "deep structure" structural descriptions of transformational theory.The formalism will be described, and its use for various structural models will be illustrated. A detailed description of the reformulation of a transformational grammar of English in terms of the approximate formalism will be given.The salient features of the computer program which operates on the formalism will be described, and samples of output will be presented.
Development of a brain tumor model for investigating the effects of photodynamic and anti-angiogenic therapies

An in vivo shell-less chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) brain tumor model has been developed to investigate the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and anti-antiogenic treatments. Multicellular human glioma spheroids were placed on the CAM at day 7 of embryonic development. Angiogenesis was observed four days post implantation. Significant damage to the CAM vasculature was observed immediately following 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) mediated PDT.
Effects of long‐range electrostatic forces on simulated protein folding kinetics

Molecular dynamics simulations are a useful tool for characterizing protein folding pathways. There are several methods of treating electrostatic forces in these simulations with varying degrees of physical fidelity and computational efficiency. In this article, we compare the reaction field (RF) algorithm, particle-mesh Ewald (PME), and tapered cutoffs with increasing cutoff radii to address the impact of the electrostatics method employed on the folding kinetics. We quantitatively compare different methods by a correlation of quantitative measures of protein folding kinetics. The results of these comparisons show that for protein folding kinetics, the RF algorithm can quantitatively reproduce the kinetics of the more costly PME algorithm. These results not only assist the selection of appropriate algorithms for future simulations, but also give insight on the role that long-range electrostatic forces have in protein folding. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008
Neutron scattering study of the effect of a random field on the three-dimensional dilute Ising antiferromagnet Fe 0.6 Zn 0.4 F 2

We report a comprehensive neutron scattering study of random-field effects in the three-dimensional Ising antiferromagnet ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.6}$${\mathrm{Zn}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$. The sample is the same one used in high-precision birefringence studies. The scattering is dependent on the prior history of the sample at all temperatures below a well-defined temperature which agrees with the phase boundary reported in the birefringence studies to within 0.2 K. When the sample is cooled in a field (FC), long-range order is not established and the scattering has a Lorentzian-squared profile with a width K\ensuremath{\approxeq}${H}^{2}$, as found in the three-dimensional samples studied earlier with neutron scattering techniques. On the other hand, when the sample is cooled in zero field into the N\'eel state, the field raised and the temperature then increased (ZFC), the scattering close to the phase boundary consists of an antiferromagnetic Bragg component superimposed on scattering which is characteristic of the FC procedure. The Bragg component is absent when the crystal is heated above the phase boundary. In addition, if after field cooling the system is heated, the width of the scattering is unchanged until the phase boundary is reached. None of the existing ${d}_{l}$=2 low-temperature theories explains such behavior in the vicinity of the phase boundary. Above the phase boundary ZFC and FC results agree, indicating that the system is always in equilibrium. We have studied the critical behavior in this region and the scattering is very different from that with H=0. Specifically, the scattering profiles show a large Lorentzian-squared component and over a limited temperature range the inverse correlation length varies linearly with temperature.
A comparison of CMA-ES with other real-coded strategies used in electromagnetics design

The covariance matrix adaptation evolutionary strategy (CMA-ES) is applied to several electromagnetics design problems alongside particle swarm optimization (PSO) and differential evolution (DE) to observe the variations in performance between the different algorithms. The three algorithms are applied to the design of aperiodic Sievenpiper surfaces, planar ultrawideband arrays, and a tri-band stacked patch antenna integrated with lumped elements.
Efficient circuit clustering for area and power reduction in FPGAs

We present a routability-driven bottom-up clustering technique for area and power reduction in clustered FPGAs. This technique uses a cell connectivity metric to identify seeds for efficient clustering. Effective seed selection, coupled with an interconnect-resource aware clustering and placement, can have a favorable impact on circuit routability. It leads to better device utilization, savings in area, and reduction in power consumption. Routing area reduction of 35% is achieved over previously published results. Power dissipation simulations using a buffered pass-transistor-based FPGA interconnect model are presented. They show that our clustering technique can reduce the overall device power dissipation by an average of 13%.
Rheological behaviour of binary mixtures of polystyrene-block-polyisoprene copolymers in the disordered state

Abstract The rheological behaviour of binary mixtures of polystyrene-block-polyisoprene (SI diblock) copolymers in the disordered state was investigated. For this study, two SI diblock copolymers having different molecular weights and block length ratios were synthesized via anionic polymerization, and then binary mixtures were prepared to measure their linear viscoelastic properties (namely, dynamic storage and loss moduli, G′ and G″, as functions of angular frequency ω) at various temperatures. The disordered state of the block copolymers and their mixtures was determined by observing a critical temperature, often referred to as the order-disorder transition temperature (TODT), at and above which logarithmic plots of log G′ versus log G″ become independent of temperature and have a slope of 2 in the terminal region. We found that log G′ versus log G″ plots for the binary mixtures lie between those of the constituent components, and at a fixed value of G″ the value of G′ increases monotonically with increasing blend composition. The composition dependence of the linear viscoelastic properties of the binary mixtures was investigated by preparing reduced plots using two different methods of determining reference temperature T0: (i) at an equal distance from the glass transition temperature of the polystyrene block (Tg,PS + 55°C) in the respective block copolymer and also (ii) at an equal distance from the TODT of the respective block copolymer (T0 = TODT + 10°C). We found that the two different methods of yielded very different composition dependence of the linear viscoelastic properties of the binary mixtures of SI diblock copolymers.
Effect of the Sun's gravity on the distribution and detection of dark matter near the Earth.

The effect of the Sun's gravity on the distribution of dark-matter (DM) particles in the vicinity of the Earth is considered. The event rate in a cryogenic detector is found and the annual modulation of the signal due to this effect is compared to the annual modulation due to the relative velocities of the Sun and Earth. The effect is order 1% and probably too small to be seen experimentally. The effect of this distribution function on the capture rate of DM particles into the Earth is also considered. The rate could be suppressed for DM particles not well matched in mass to common elements in the Earth. Finally, the density of DM particles in bound orbits around the Sun is estimated and, contrary to earlier work, no way of generating an enhancement over ``equilibrium'' density is found; in fact, a general argument shows the density to be very nearly the ``equilibrium'' density. The inclusion of an ``equilibrium'' density of bound particles has negligible effect on direct detection, but removes the capture rate suppression.
Finite Element and Experimental Study of Impedance Matching Layer Optimization

An important part of ultrasonic transducer design is the optimization of the acoustic impedance matchinglayer. Since there is a large acoustic impedance mismatch between piezoceramic and human tissue themajority of the acoustic energy from the transducer would be reflected without the use of an intermediatematching layer[fl. This matching layer can improve transducer performance; particularly thetransmit/receive sensitivity[1][2]. We report here a study of the optimum matching layer thickness of atransducer using both experimental results and a finite element model. For reliable input parameters wehave made a set of 0-3 alumina-epoxy composites and measured the material properties. The methodused to make the composite is similar to that described by Grewe[3}.Keywords: Finite element, impedance matching layer, optimization, medical ultrasound
Expedient set-up of tangential breast fields with a simple gantry attachment

A novel technique for setting up tangential fields is described. The technique uses a simple device (Breast Aligner) which attaches to the collimator of the treatment unit. The function of the Breast Aligner is similar to conventional front and back pointers except that the beam edge rather than central ray is defined. By delineating beam entrance and exit points at the posterior field edge, the device greatly simplifies and expedites set-up, and enhances precision of port alignment. Additional advantageous features include: (a) the ability to compensate for small inadvertent variations from the initial set-up position or for patient movement between the set-up of opposing ports, (b) the ability to visually check port alignment in the treatment position immediately before irradiation, and (c) decreased chance of human and equipment error by eliminating the need for measurements and calculations at the time of treatment. Our method can be used for SSD or SAD techniques and, with minor adjustment, is applicable for establishment of coplanar cephalad field borders as required at the junction of a supraclavicular field.
Do not go gentle into that twilight: Rod Serling's challenge to 1960s' television production

The Twilight Zone (1959–64) appeared after the American television industry completed a shift in the way it produced drama that transferred creative authority of the storytelling process from writers to producers. Rod Serling, a decorated dramatic writer from the 1950s, tried to control the situation by becoming a producer in order to protect his interests and those of writers around him from the onslaught of powerful producers. Serling allowed writers to mix fantasy with a variety of genres on The Twilight Zone in a way that enabled them to customize the level of character development, the narrative point of view, and the generic identity of episodes on a script‐by‐script basis. These choices were reserved for producers in the 1960s. This paper offers a production history of The Twilight Zone through an analysis of unpublished correspondence between Serling, CBS, and the Ashley‐Steiner Famous Artist talent agency housed in the Rod Serling Archive at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison; the...
Subtypes of frontonasal dysplasia are useful in determining clinical prognosis

Frontonasal dysplasia [FND; OMIM 136760] results from abnormal morphogenesis of the frontonasal process with disruption of the formation of the facial midline. Craniofacial anomalies in FND include anterior cranium bifidum, ocular hypertelorism, orofacial clefting and notching or clefting of the alae nasi. The majority of FND cases are sporadic and discordance has been demonstrated in monozygotic twin pairs, arguing against a strong inherited component in pathogenesis. However, pedigrees with Mendelian inheritance and non-recurrent chromosome aberrations in FND patients demonstrate that gene mutations or cytogenetic imbalance can also be important in the etiology of this phenotype. We classified 101 reported cases of FND from the medical literature and three new cases into seven separate FND phenotypic subtypes in addition to isolated FND. Our aim was to evaluate FND patients for distinct phenotypes within the FND spectrum and to determine the evidence for a genetic etiology in each of the different subtypes. Our analysis showed significant differences in the severity of the accompanying malformations and the rates of learning disabilities in the FND subtypes, although the small patient numbers and method of patient ascertainment may have influenced the data. The results suggest that cases with FND should be evaluated for additional anomalies, as these may help to determine prognosis.
Separation of experiments in time and space using dual-cell fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry☆

Abstract Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICRMS) has emerged as an ideal technique for synthesizing and studying interesting oinic species in the gas phase. Recent advances involving the development and application of dual-cell FTICR mass spectrometers have extended the utility of the instrument by providing separation of experiments in space as well as time. This paper describes several recent examples from this laboratory which highlight the application of the dual-cell geometry.
Eolian erosion of the Martian surface, part 1: Erosion rate similitude

A similitude parameter is derived which is based on theoretical considerations of erosion due to sand in saltation. This parameter has been used to correlate wind tunnel experiments of particle flow over model craters. The characteristics of the flow field in the vicinity and downstream of a crater are discussed and it is shown that erosion is initiated in areas lying under a pair of trailing vortices. The erosion rate parameter is used to calculate erosion rates on Mars, reported in Part 2, to be published later.
"Multidimensionally impaired disorder": is it a variant of very early-onset schizophrenia?

Objective To examine the validity of diagnostic criteria for a subgroup of children with atypical psychosis (n = 19), designated here as "multidimensionally impaired." These children are characterized by poor attention and impulse control, psychotic symptoms, and poor affective control. Method Children and adolescents (n = 19) meeting our criteria for multidimensionally impaired syndrome with onset of psychotic symptoms at or before age 12 years were identified from a total of 150 in-person screenings for very early-onset schizophrenia between 1990 and 1996. We compared the premorbid adjustment, family history, follow-up status, and laboratory measures for a subgroup of these children with those of (1) a rigorously defined group of 29 children with DSM-III-R schizophrenia and (2) 19 children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results Patients with multidimensionally impaired syndrome and patients with very early-onset schizophrenia shared a similar pattern of early transient autistic features, postpsychotic cognitive decline, and an elevated risk of schizophrenic-spectrum disorders among their first-degree relatives. This pattern was not seen in the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder group. In contrast to very early-onset schizophrenia, the multidimensionally impaired group had significantly poorer scores on the Freedom From Distractibility factor on the WISC-R, a less deviant pattern of autonomic reactivity, and no progression to schizophrenia. Conclusions The findings support the distinction of the multidimensionally impaired cases as separate from those with other psychiatric disorders, and there is somewhat greater evidence to suggest that this disorder belongs in the schizophrenia spectrum.
Experimental Study of a Low Reynolds Number Tandem Airfoil Configuration

Experiments were concluded with two identical Wortmann FX63-137 airfoils in closely coupled tandem configurations at a Reynolds number of 8.5 x 10 4. For the data presented here, the values of the stagger and gap were 1.5 and 0, respectively. The decalage angles were 0 and ±10 deg. Direct measurement of lift, drag, and 1/4-chord pitching moment, as well as static pressure distributions, were acquired for each airfoil. Flow visualization using kerosene smoke was performed to complement the experimental data. The total drag reduction and lift increase resulted in a significant increase in the lift-to-drag ratio for a number of configurations. Nomenclature Aw = wing area Cd = section drag coefficient, D/(Awqx) Ci = section lift coefficient, L/(AwqJ) Cm = section 1/4-chord moment coefficient, Cp = pressure coefficient, l-q/qx c = chord length D = drag force G = gap, \y\lc L = lift force M = 1/4-chord pitching moment q = dynamic pressure, \pU2 Rc = Reynolds number based on chord, Uxc/v St = stagger, x/c (positive when upstream airfoil is above the downstream airfoil) U = flow velocity x = distance in streamwise direction y - distance normal to streamwise directions a = angle of attack 8 = decalage, aua - ada
Assessing Data Quality of Peptide Mass Spectra Obtained by Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

An algorithm is introduced to assess spectral quality for peptide CID spectra acquired by a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The method employs a quadratic discriminant function calibrated with manually classified ‘bad' and ‘good' quality spectra, producing a single ‘spectral quality' score. Many spectra examined that do not have significant matches are assessed to have good spectral quality, indicating that advances in search methods may yield substantial improvements in results. Keywords: shotgun proteomics • mass spectral quality • peptide sequence • CID • quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry
The role of factor analysis in the development and evaluation of personality scales

The purpose of this paper is to examine the usefulness of factor analysis in developing and evaluating personality scales that measure limited domain constructs The approach advocated follows from several assumptions that a single scale ought to measure a single construct, that factor analysis ought to be applied routinely to new personality scales, and that the factors of a scale are important if it can be demonstrated that they are differentially related to other measures A detailed study of the Self-Monitoring Scale illustrates how factor analysis can help us to understand what a scale measures A second example uses the self-esteem literature to illustrate how factor analysis can clarify the proliferation of scales within a single content domain Both examples show how factor analysis can be used to identify important conceptual distinctions Confirmatory techniques are also introduced as a means for testing specific hypotheses It is concluded that factor analysis can make an important contribution to programmatic research in personality psychology
Designing carrier of last resort obligations

Abstract Public utilities are generally subject to a carrier of last resort (COLR) obligation which in part requires that they stand by with capacity in place to serve consumers on demand, including consumers of the competitive fringe. We find that a partial COLR obligation is optimal when the competitive fringe chooses its reliability strategically. Moreover, the regulator employs the COLR obligation not only as a back-up source of supply for fringe consumers but as a policy instrument to induce the competitive fringe to supply the first-best level of reliability.
Long-time behaviour of magnetic field in two dimensions

As noted by Zel'dovich in 1957, geometric constraints restrict the behaviour of magnetic field in two dimensions. Here, tight longtime bounds and decay limits of magnetic field in two dimensions wi...
Simian virus 40 crystals

Small (10 to 150 micrometers) cubic crystals of simian virus 40 have been grown by ammonium sulfate precipitation. Electron micrographs of thin sections from these crystals reveal ordered arrays of virus particles.
Exploring risk attenuation and crisis communication after a plague death in Grand Canyon

In 2007, a US National Park Service (NPS) biologist working in Grand Canyon National Park in the state of Arizona died from pneumonic plague contracted from a mountain lion, prompting NPS, in partnership with local and federal agencies, to inform publics about plague risk within park contexts. Overall, the incident attracted limited media attention and public concern about an increased risk of plague. Drawing on the Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF), the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication model (CERC) and the related literature outlining ‘best practices’ in crisis communication, we explore how characteristics of this incident may have attenuated, rather than amplified, plague risk. Results are drawn from the data collected at a workshop with NPS employees and in-depth interviews with these and other individuals. Theoretical and practical implications of this research, including future directions for pairing CERC and SARF in organizational risk and crisis communication research are discussed.
Techniques in the demonstration of reliability attainment

Abstract This paper describes the analytical techniques which are being utilized in the demonstration of equipment reliability in a re-entry vehicle system development program. Analytical techniques have been established to provide equipment reliability predictions at periodic intervals as functional and environmental test data are compiled. A mathematical model has been developed which allows for a realistic and sound approach to the problem. The equations allow for the calculation of equipment reliability, at several confidence levels, in both the individual and combined operational environments. These expressions have been programmed on the IBM 704 computer to provide a completely mechanized reliability data handling and processing system. Equipment reliability status reports are issued periodically to provide management with a quantitative measure of equipment reliability, and offer the design engineer an opportunity for any needed redesign early in the program.
Mobilizing Pasadena Democrats: Measuring the Effects of Partisan Campaign Contacts

This paper examines the effect of an entire campaign using a randomized field experiment where the treatment consists of campaign decisions made by a campaign manager. In contrast to the majority of the field experiments found in the contemporary get-out-the-vote literature, this paper studies the actual behavior of a campaign within a particular election as opposed to studying particular mobilization tactics. Thus, the campaign itself chooses the method used to contact each individual within the randomly assigned treatment group. Contacts are made via face-to-face canvassing, phone calls, e-mails, and door hangers and consist of experienced volunteers making partisan appeals. We observe a large treatment effect of campaign contact despite a small number of face-to-face contacts, suggesting that the targeting strategy of the campaign manager is particularly effective.
Acculturation, social support, and quality of life for Korean immigrant breast and gynecological cancer survivors

Objectives. This study examines the direct and/or indirect pathways among acculturation, social support, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) for Korean immigrant breast and gynecological cancer survivors. Design. The QOL-Cancer Survivor measure was translated and then administered to 51 survivors. This tool measured acculturation by assessing westernization, language barriers, and length of stay. In addition, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 was used to assess depressive symptoms. Social support components were conceptualized as comprising both functional social support and social network structures. Results. Structural equation modeling identified significant relationships among acculturation, social support, depressive symptoms, and QOL. Higher acculturation was associated with positive network structures (larger network size, diversity, and closer social ties) and lower depressive symptoms, which in turn contributed to better QOL. Simultaneously, positive social network structures strongly cor...
Beware of charitable souls: contagion, roguish ghosts and the poison(s) of Hindu alms

Les Bhats sont une caste d'artistes de bas etage de l'Etat indien du Rajasthan. A la suite de deces dans leurs familles, les patrons des Bhat distribuent des aumones (dan) aux Bhats qui travaillent pour eux comme genealogistes et chanteurs d'eloges. Bien que leurs patrons soient genereux lors de telles occasions, les Bhats, de facon typique, doivent etre forces a accepter ces offrandes, qu'ils considerent dangereuses et memes mortelles. Le poison de telles transactions hindoues est generalement attribue a la peur que des substances impures ou defavorables soient transmises entre les personnes au cours de l'echange. Les explications que donnent les Bhats revelent cependant un danger lie aux ambiguites creees par la mort, en relation avec les droits de propriete et les obligations d'echange. Ces ambiguites, selon les Bhats, font eclater des disputes entre les patrons, les intermediaires rituels et les esprits. De tels conflits se traduisent par une perception de danger personnel. En s'appuyant sur les temoignages des Bhats, l'A. suggere qu'il existe une diversite de poisons distinctifs associes aux aumones hindoues. En outre, il soutient que le sens du danger ressenti par les Bhats, en tant qu'il emerge des concessions mutuelles fluides dans les rapports sociaux plutot que d'une peur de la contagion, est exacerbe par la position sociale de cette communaute de bardes marginalises.
Induction of prenatal toxicity in the rat by diethylstilbestrol, zeranol, 3,4,3′,4′,-tetrachlorobiphenyl, cadmium, and lead

A teratological study was conducted in pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats dosed orally with diethylstilbestrol (DES), zeranol (ZN), 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (4CB), cadmium, or lead on days 6-18 of gestation. Fetuses were examined on day 19 for growth retardation, resorption, gross malformations, and organ-level anomalies. Synthesis of protein, DNA, and proteoglycan in fetal limb cartilage was also studied by measuring the incorporation of labeled precursors in vitro. DES, ZN, and 4CB produced a dose-dependent increase in embryolethality. Treatment with DES caused an increase in cryptorchidism and edema, and reduced average fetal weight. Zeranol also decreased fetal weight, but was not teratogenic nor did it alter rates of synthesis of macromolecules in cartilage. 4CB caused severe intestinal lesions that were associated with accumulation of blood in the digestive tract and amniotic fluid. 4CB also decreased overall fetal size and total and ossified tibia lengths. Cadmium produced no malformations although incorporation of [3H]amino acids by limb cartilage was slightly increased. Lead was not teratogenic.
Space-time evolution of electron-beam driven electron holes and their effects on the plasma

Abstract. We report here further results from the three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of the electron-beam driven electron holes. We focus here on (i) the transformation of oscillatory waves driven by the electron-beam instability into electron holes, (ii) the continued evolution and propagation of electron holes after their formation, including merging of electron holes, and (iii) the effects of the evolution on the plasma density and ion velocity distribution function. We find that initially electron-beam modes with perpendicular wave numbers k ^ = 0 and as well as k ^ ≠ 0 are driven resonantly below the electron plasma frequency of the target plasma. The modes interact nonlinearly and modulate each other both in space and time, producing wave structures with finite perpendicular scale lengths. Nonlinear evolution of such wave structures generates the electron holes in the simulations. Initially, a large number of electron holes form in the plasma. Their merging yields continuously a decreasing number of electron holes. The propagation velocity of the electron holes evolves dynamically and is affected by their merging. At late times only a few electron holes are left in the simulation and they decay by emitting low-frequency electrostatic whistler waves just above the lower hybrid (LH) frequency v lh . These waves, which are long structures parallel to the ambient magnetic field B0 and quite short transverse to B0, are associated with similar structures in the plasma density, producing density filaments. It turns out that electron-beam driven plasmas, in general, develop such filaments at some stage of the evolution of the beam-driven waves. In view of the excitation of the LH waves near v lh, which could resonate with the ions, an analysis shows that it is possible to heat transversely the ions in a time scale of a few seconds in the auroral return current plasma, in which electron holes and transversely heated ions have been simultaneously observed.
Milk of Dairy Cows Frequently Contains a Leukemogenic Virus

Milk or viable milk cells collected from 24 dairy cattle naturally infected with bovine leukemia virus were inoculated into lambs, which were subsequently examined for the development of infection. With this bioassay, infectious virus was demonstrated in the milk of 17 of the cows. Bovine leukemia virus is leukemogenic in at least two mammalian species, is widespread in commercial dairy herds, and can infect a wide range of hosts in vivo and cells, including human cells, in vitro.
Differential aspects of conceptual processing in the Category Test and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

Abstract Ninety-six veterans from neuropsychiatric wards were administered the Category Test (CT), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and a series of concept formation tests assessing attribute identification and rule learning. The CT and WCST shared only 30% common variance, and related to different facets of concept formation. The WCST was associated with attribute identification, which entails discrimination of relevant features, while the CT was more related to rule learning, which assesses the deduction of classification rules. The CT and WCST should not be regarded as similar measures of one construct such as “abstraction”. Use of discrete scores from each test can help assess different aspects of concept formation.
Sharing my journey and opening spaces: spirituality in the classroom

Drawing on past experiences and understandings of children’s spirituality, as well as research regarding in-service teacher’s views on facilitating spirituality in the classroom, this article explores teacher candidates’ thoughts on spirituality, their position as it having a place or not in the classroom and how, if so, would they incorporate it to facilitate spirituality for the children they teach. Methods for gathering data include exposing teacher candidates to definitions of spirituality, theory, research and different views on children’s spirituality, as well as using prompt questions to facilitate an online discussion on perceptions of spirituality in the classroom. The findings gathered show teacher candidates deem spirituality as important, and as having a place in early childhood education. Appreciation of nature, reflection and pondering, meditation practices and yoga were the suggested strategies made by teacher candidates, in order to incorporate and nourish children’s spirituality in the cl...
Quantifying the deployment of TCP options - a comparative study

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) performance evaluation studies need to use protocol configurations representative of real networks. However, the actual deployment of TCP options has not yet been quantified on a large scale. After analyzing a large set of traffic traces collected at 12 different monitoring points, we find that TCP segment sizes have a bimodal distribution, not a trimodal one as reported in recent studies. We show that the overwhelming majority of senders employ the maximum segment size option, large windows do not accompany SACK deployment, and explicit congestion notification (ECN) usage is negligible.
Stratification of Activity and Bacterial Community Structure in Biofilms Grown on Membranes Transferring Oxygen

Previous studies have shown that membrane-aerated biofilm (MAB) reactors can simultaneously remove carbonaceous and nitrogenous pollutants from wastewater in a single reactor. Oxygen is provided to MABs through gas-permeable membranes such that the region nearest the membrane is rich in oxygen but low in organic carbon, whereas the outer region of the biofilm is void of oxygen but rich in organic carbon. In this study, MABs were grown under similar conditions but at two different fluid velocities (2 and 14 cm s−1) across the biofilm. MABs were analyzed for changes in biomass density, respiratory activity, and bacterial community structure as functions of biofilm depth. Biomass density was generally highest near the membrane and declined with distance from the membrane. Respiratory activity exhibited a hump-shaped profile, with the highest activity occurring in the middle of the biofilm. Community analysis by PCR cloning and PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA genes demonstrated substantial stratification of the community structure across the biofilm. Population profiles were also generated by competitive quantitative PCR of gene fragments specific for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) (amoA) and denitrifying bacteria (nirK and nirS). At a flow velocity of 14 cm s−1, AOB were found only near the membrane, whereas denitrifying bacteria proliferated in the anoxic outer regions of the biofilm. In contrast, at a flow velocity of 2 cm s−1, AOB were either not detected or detected at a concentration near the detection limit. This study suggests that, under the appropriate conditions, both AOB and denitrifying bacteria can coexist within an MAB.
Extravascular lung water in the exercising horse

Seven standardbred horses were exercised on a treadmill at speeds (∼12 m/s) producing maximal heart rate, hypoxemia, and a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of ∼75 mmHg. Extravascular lung water was measured by using transients in temperature and electrical impedance of the blood caused by a bolus injection of cold saline solution. Lung water was ∼3 ml/kg body wt when standing but did not increase significantly with exertion. We conclude that any increase in fluid extravasation from the pulmonary hypertension accumulates in the lung at a level that is less than that detectable by this method. At maximal exertion, the volume of blood measured between the jugular vein and the carotid artery increased by ∼8 ml/kg, and the actively circulating component of the systemic blood volume increased by ∼17 ml/kg with respect to corresponding values obtained when walking before exertion. These volume increases, reflecting recruitment and dilatation of capillaries, increase the area for respiratory gas exchange and offset the reduced transit times that would otherwise be imposed by the approximately eightfold increase in cardiac output at maximal exertion.
Is There a Culture War? Conflicting Value Structures in American Public Opinion

This article examines the “culture war” hypothesis by focusing on American citizens’ choices among a set of core values. A geometric model is developed to represent differences in the ways that individuals rank-order seven important values: freedom, equality, economic security, social order, morality, individualism, and patriotism. The model is fitted to data on value choices from the 2006 Cooperative Congressional Election Study. The empirical results show that there is an enormous amount of heterogeneity among individual value choices; the model estimates contradict any notion that there is a consensus on fundamental principles within the mass public. Further, the differences break down along political lines, providing strong evidence that there is a culture war generating fundamental divisions within twenty-first century American society.