cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ranking abstraction of recursive programs

We present a method for model-checking of safety and liveness properties over procedural programs, by combining state and ranking abstractions with procedure summarization. Our abstraction is an augmented finitary abstraction [KP00,BPZ05], meaning that a concrete procedural program is first augmented with a well founded ranking function, and then abstracted by a finitary state abstraction. This results in a procedural abstract program with strong fairness requirements which is then reduced to a finite-state fair discrete system (fds) using procedure summarization. This fds is then model checked for the property.
From legumes to leukocytes: biological roles for sulfated carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates attached to proteins and lipids characteristically display complex and heterogeneous structures. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that carbohydrates with definite biological functions also exhibit unique structural features. A number of glycoproteins and glycolipids have been shown to bear oligosaccharides containing sulfate. Often, addition of a sulfate moiety turns a relatively common structural motif into a unique carbohydrate with the potential to be recognized by a specific receptor or lectin. This is clearly the case in three systems in which sulfated oligosaccharides have been shown to play a well-defined biological role: 1) control of the circulatory half-life of luteinizing hormone, 2) symbiotic interactions between leguminous plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and 3) homing of lymphocytes to lymph nodes. The rapidly growing list of glycoproteins and glycolipids identified as bearing sulfated oligosaccharides suggests that sulfated carbohydrates play important biological...
112 Structurally distinct ubiquitin- and SUMO-modified PCNA: implications for their distinct roles in the DNA damage response

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a pivotal replication protein, which also controls cellular responses to DNA damage. PCNA binds core replisomal constituents, numerous repair and cell c...
Heat of Vaporization

The thermodynamic basis for the Clausius–Claypeyron equation for liquid to vapor transition is developed and discussed with specific reference to the heat of vaporization (Lv) for water. Examples using the Clausius–Clapeyron, Antoine, and Richards equations for calculating Lv are presented. Keywords: Clapeyron Emile; Clausius–Clapeyron equation; specific enthalpy water; antoine equation water
Fear and Loathing in American Literature: Freedom, the American Dream, and Hunter S. Thompson

iii Chapter 1: Introduction to Fear and Loathing in American Literature 1 Chapter 2: Journalistic Theory, Ethics, and the Tao of Gonzo. 4 Chapter 3: Literary Analysis and the Gonzo Lens. 18 Chapter 4: Realism, Surrealism, and the World Between 31 in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Chapter 5: Question Everything – Thompson’s Brutal Analysis of the 46 1972 Presidential Campaign. Chapter 6: Fear and Loathing in American Literature 75 and the Modern Literary Canon Works Cited 85 Acknowledgements 90
Contribution of Inherited Mutations in the BRCA2-Interacting Protein PALB2 to Familial Breast Cancer

Inherited mutations in the BRCA2-interacting protein PALB2 are known to be associated with increased risks of developing breast cancer. To evaluate the contribution of PALB2 to familial breast cancer in the United States, we sequenced the coding sequences and flanking regulatory regions of the gene from constitutional genomic DNA of 1,144 familial breast cancer patients with wild-type sequences at BRCA1 and BRCA2. Overall, 3.4% (33/972) of patients not selected by ancestry and 0% (0/172) of patients specifically of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry were heterozygous for a nonsense, frameshift, or frameshift-associated splice mutation in PALB2. Mutations were detected in both male and female breast cancer patients. All mutations were individually rare: the 33 heterozygotes harbored 13 different mutations, 5 previously reported and 8 novel mutations. PALB2 heterozygotes were 4-fold more likely to have a male relative with breast cancer (P = 0.0003), 6-fold more likely to have a relative with pancreatic cancer (P = 0.002), and 1.3-fold more likely to have a relative with ovarian cancer (P = 0.18). Compared with their female relatives without mutations, increased risk of developing breast cancer for female PALB2 heterozygotes was 2.3-fold (95% CI: 1.5-4.2) by age 55 and 3.4-fold (95% CI: 2.4-5.9) by age 85. Loss of the wild-type PALB2 allele was observed in laser-dissected tumor specimens from heterozygous patients. Given this mutation prevalence and risk, consideration might be given to clinical testing of PALB2 by complete genomic sequencing for familial breast cancer patients with wild-type sequences at BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Ultrafast thermoelasticity for short-pulse laser heating

Abstract Thermoelastic stress waves in a solid medium caused by subpicosecond-pulse laser heating are investigated with three different approaches: ultrafast thermoelasticity, Lord–Shulman theory, and the classical thermoelasticity. Both the conditions of uniaxial strain and uniaxial stress are considered. A combined finite difference/finite element algorithm is developed for solving the coupled, nonlinear, transient differential equations. It is shown that the thermomechanical results obtained from the ultrafast thermoelasticity are significantly different from those obtained from Lord–Shulman theory and the classical thermoelasticity. The other finding is that in contrast to long pulse and continuous-wave laser heating, thermal stresses in a free-expansion medium induced by an ultrashort, uniform volumetric heat source could be pronounced.
Writing in History Narrating the Subject of Time

Student writing in history courses, graded evaluation of that writing, and faculty interviews all reveal a contradiction between the stated and implicit aims of historical discourse. The explicit d...
Comparison of motional Stark effect diagnostic approaches for equilibrium reconstruction

The motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostic has been successfully applied to many tokamak plasmas to yield internal magnetic field measurements which contribute significant information to equilibrium reconstruction. As commonly implemented, the diagnostic measures the line polarization of a single component of the Stark spectrum and returns a spatially resolved profile of the magnetic field pitch angle. The line shifts in the Stark spectrum contain information about the magnetic field magnitude which is not typically exploited, and has not previously been used in equilibrium reconstruction. In this paper, we examine the utility of the MSE line shift (LS) measurement as compared with the MSE line polarization (LP) by analysis with the equilibrium and stability code (ESC)–equilibrium reconstruction variance (ERV) code system, a program which employs the theory of variances to evaluate the relationship between specified diagnostics and equilibrium reconstruction. Comparisons of the code results are made for an analytic solution of a toroidal plasma with circular cross-section and high aspect ratio, and for previous experimental results of q-profile reconstruction using VMEC on TFTR. ESC–ERV is then used to evaluate MSE-LS and MSE-LP in conditions like those expected in ITER, and for a configuration similar to the National Spherical Torus experiment. The analysis suggests that both the MSE-LP and the MSE-LS approaches, given sufficient measurement accuracy, can be used for reconstruction of q-profiles and pressure profiles.
A Multilevel Approach to Trust in Joint Ventures

This article examines issues of level in the study of joint venture trust. In particular, we explain how international joint venture (IJV) trust can be conceptualized and measured at the person, group, and firm levels. To do this, we (1) provide a definition of IJV trust applicable to persons, groups, and firms, (2) promote alignment of levels of theory and measurement through the use of a 3×3 approach to guide researchers in identifying the level at which they are theorizing and the proper level of measurement, and (3) propose operational measures of IJV trust across levels and dimensions in order to lay a solid foundation for theory testing.
Bounds for Inverses of Triangular Toeplitz Matrices

This short note provides an improvement on a recent result of Vecchio on a norm bound for the inverse of a lower triangular Toeplitz matrix with nonnegative entries. A sharper asymptotic bound is obtained in addition to a version for matrices of finite order. The results are shown to be nearly best possible under the given constraints.
NADP+-linked malic enzymes from pig heart mitochondria--apparent selective inhibition of one enzyme form.

Abstract NADP + -linked malic enzyme activity was fractionated from mitochondria using sonication, freeze-thawing, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and calcium phosphate gel elution. Three bands of activity could be shown on disc gel electrophoresis using a stain specific for the enzyme. An inhibitor extracted from the calcium phosphate elution fraction was partially effective against freshly prepared enzyme but not against enzyme preparations stored for five days. During the five days there was a drop in enzyme activity nearly equal to the amount of original inhibition observed, and one of the fractions was no longer demonstrable by gel electrophoresis.
The Study of Civil-Military Relations in New Democracies

The study of civil-military relations is the perfect research field for engaging in structure vs. agency debate. Generations of scholars have thought about the conditions under which civilian leaders can or cannot establish effective control over their armed forces. From the origins of modern civil-military studies in comparative politics to the present, this question has formed the main theme of the research field. This article discusses pertinent questions in the study of civil-military relations in democratizing East and Southeast Asia from the perspective of Latin American research about civilian control. Thereby it aims to introduce the theme of this special issue and, at the same time, attempts to build an intellectual bridge, connecting research on two regions of the world by pointing to common theoretical and methodological questions.
Obstetric clinical pharmacology: coming of age.

Little is known about changes in drug disposition and effect during pregnancy. In this issue, which is devoted to maternal and child health, Andrew and colleagues1 from the University of Washington present research describing significant changes in the disposition of amoxicillin during pregnancy. The clinical significance is the potential for inadequate dosing during pregnancy of compounds that are renally cleared. Further research is needed to guide the appropriate, safe, and effective medical treatment of pregnant women. In 2003, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) formed the Obstetric Pharmacology Research Units Network. This network serves in part as a proof-of-concept platform, to demonstrate that clinical investigations can be performed in pregnant women. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2007) 81, 481–482. doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100136
Changes in amino acid metabolism and protein synthesis during spontaneous metamrphosis in the bullfrog tadpole liver

Abstract 1. 1. The changes in the free pool, in the uptake and incorporation of leucine and p -fluorophenylalanine and their relationship to the rate of protein synthesis have been studied in Rana catesbeiana tadpole liver during spontaneous metamorphosis. 2. 2. The amino acid concentrations in the liver during metamorphosis showed a transient increase of all detectable amino acids at stage XXIV. 3. 3. The total amino acid concentration was between 4.7 and 9.8 μmol per g liver and glutamic acid showed the highest concentration at all stages (20–41% of the total amino acids). The leucine content was between 2.0 and 4.9% with lower relative amounts at prometamorphic stages. 4. 4. The uptake into the free pool of leucine and p -fluorophenylalanine decreased during spontaneous metamorphosis. A similar decrease was observed with the model amino acid cycloleucine, whereas α-aminoisobutyric acid uptake at stage XXII was 56% above and, at stage XXV 31% below the stage XII value. 5. 5. The incorporation of leucine and p -fluorophenylalanine into liver protein decreased during spontaneous metamorphosis. 6. 6. However, corrected for the changes in specific activity of leucine the rate of protein synthesis was increased from 20 to 75% between stages XVIII and XXIV but was depressed by 41% at stage XXV compared with stage X to XII.
Industry Self-Regulation: An Economic, Organizational, and Political Analysis

Researchers generally have viewed nonmarket regulation of firm behavior as synonymous with direct regulation by the government. This paper highlights industry self-regulation as an alternative form of nonmarket regulation that, depending on the context, may supplement or complement direct regulation by the government. Further, on the basis of exploratory economic, organizational, and political analysis, it advances, for possible future research, propositions relating to the existence, operation, and outcome of industry self-regulation.
Cyclical fluctuations in the levels of blood calcium, pH and pCO 2 in Japanese quail.

Abstract 1. 1. Mature female Japanese quail exhibit a cyclical metabolic acidosis accompanied by changes in the blood total and ionic calcium levels. Male birds show none of these changes. 2. 2. The metabolic acidosis can occur independently of the ovulation cycle; it is seen in non-laying females, but is inconsistent. 3. 3. In contrast to chickens, blood pH in quail does not continue to fall during eggshell formation stages. 4. 4. The blood calcium changes appear to be related to the ovulation cycle, as they are generally only exhibited by female birds which have previously ovulated.
TARIFF RATES AS ESTIMATES OF ACTUAL FREIGHT CHARGES

A number of research problems, particularly those involving the location theory or interregional competition require information on prices charged for transport services. This paper deals with a practical problem of discovering these prices and the extent to which tariff rates approximate the actual freight charges. It compares freight rates obtained from tariffs of individual carriers with actual freight charges for the same sample of shipments. The results show that for truckload shipments of large shippers the tariff bureau rates exceeded actual freight charges by some 30 percent but that freight rates obtained from individual carrier tariffs approximated actual charges very closely.
Health monitoring of FRP bridge decks

Statistics released in the fall 1989 show that 238,357 (41%) of the nation's 577,710 bridges are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. New materials are being explored for use in bridge systems to solve this problem. These materials are less affected by corrosive environmental conditions than conventional civil engineering materials and thus, require less maintenance and potentially provide a longer life span. A material being considered for these applications is glass fiber reinforced vinyl ester matrix composites. Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite deck systems made of this material are favorable potential replacements for deteriorating conventional bridge decks. The decreased specific weight of the FRP greatly reduces the dead load of the superstructure helping avoid load posting of bridges. However there is a lack of long-term durability data concerning this material system in typical bridge environments. Thus, an efficient and effective method must be devised to monitor the health of an FRP structure in-situ. This paper will discuss the use of Infrared Thermography as a means of detecting structural imperfections -- delaminations, disbonds, voids -- caused by conditions encountered both in fabrication and in the field. As forced convection hot air is circulated through the bridge deck, delaminations and disbonds in the top of the deck appear cold while defects in the bottom of the deck give rise to areas with higher temperatures. The discontinuities in thermal propagation patterns are detected with a thermal imaging system and indicate present and possible future structural deficiencies. Laboratory results revealing fabrication/installation problems and those from field tests will be presented.
Inelasticity and nonlinearity in mesoscopic transport.

The conductance of a one-dimensional mesoscopic system is calculated using a scattering-theory approach in the number representation of the conduction electrons. With the weak-scattering limit imposed within a current-conserving formalism, the blocking effect due to Pauli exclusion principle arises naturally. For the case of a single impurity in a mesoscopic structure, the derivative of the conductance with respect to the measured potential difference is given in terms of the dynamical structure factor of the scatterer; hence, a close link between inelasticity and nonlinearity is established. Our results are generalized to higher-dimensional mesoscopic systems.
A three-dimensional self-consistent computer simulation of a geomagnetic field reversal

A three-dimensional, self-consistent numerical model of the geodynamo is described, that maintains a magnetic field for over 40,000 years. The model, which incorporates a finitely conducting inner core, undergoes several polarity excursions and then, near the end of the simulation, a successful reversal of the dipole moment. This simulated magnetic field reversal shares some features with real reversals of the geomagnetic field, and may provide insight into the geomagnetic reversal mechanism.
Physical studies of tyrosine and tryptophan residues in mammalian A1 heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein. Support for a segmented structure.

Abstract The mammalian heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1 and its constituent N-terminal domain, termed UP1, have been studied by steady-state and dynamic fluorimetry, as well as phosphorescence and optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures. The results of these diverse techniques coincide in assigning the site of the single tryptophan residue of A1, located in the UP1 domain, to a partially solvent-exposed site distal to the protein's nucleic acid binding surface. In contrast, tyrosine fluorescence is significantly perturbed when either protein associates with single-stranded polynucleotides. Tyr to Trp energy transfer at the singlet level is found for both UP1 and A1 proteins. Single-stranded polynucleotide binding induces a quenching of their intrinsic fluorescence emission, which can be attributed to a significant reduction (>50%) of the Tyr contribution, while Trp emission is only quenched by ∼ 15%. Tyrosine quenching effects of similar magnitude are seen upon polynucleotide binding by either UP1 (1 Trp, 4 Tyr) or A1 (1 Trp, 12 Tyr), strongly suggesting that Tyr residues in both the N-terminal and C-terminal domain of A1 are involved in the binding process. Tyr phosphorescence emission was strongly quenched in the complexes of UP1 with various polynucleotides, and was attributed to triplet state energy transfer to nucleic acid bases located in the close vicinity of the fluorophore. These results are consistent with stacking of the tyrosine residues with the nucleic acid bases. While the UP1 Tyr phosphorescence lifetime is drastically shortened in the polynucleotide complex, no change of phosphorescence emission maximum, phosphorescence decay lifetime or ODMR transition frequencies were observed for the single Trp residue. The results of dynamic anisotropy measurements of the Trp fluorescence have been interpreted as indicative of significant internal flexibility in both UP1 and A1, suggesting a flexible linkage connecting the two sub-domains in UP1. Theoretical calculations based on amino acid sequence for chain flexibility and other secondary structural parameters are consistent with this observation, and suggest that flexible linkages between sub-domains may exist in other RNA binding proteins. While the dynamic anisotropy data are consistent with simultaneous binding of both the C-terminal and the N-terminal domains to the nucleic acid lattice, no evidence for simultaneous binding of both UP1 sub-domains was found.
Effects of the D1 Dopamine Receptor Agonist Dihydrexidine (DAR-0100A) on Working Memory in Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Pharmacological enhancement of prefrontal D1 dopamine receptor function remains a promising therapeutic approach to ameliorate schizophrenia-spectrum working memory deficits, but has yet to be rigorously evaluated clinically. This proof-of-principle study sought to determine whether the active enantiomer of the selective and full D1 receptor agonist dihydrexidine (DAR-0100A) could attenuate working memory impairments in unmedicated patients with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of DAR-0100A (15 mg/150 ml of normal saline administered intravenously over 30 min) in medication-free patients with SPD (n=16) who met the criteria for cognitive impairment (ie, scoring below the 25th percentile on tests of working memory). We employed two measures of verbal working memory that are salient to schizophrenia-spectrum cognitive deficits, and that clinical data implicate as being associated with prefrontal D1 availability: (1) the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT); and (2) the N-back test (ratio of 2-back:0-back scores). Study procedures occurred over four consecutive days, with working memory testing on Days 1 and 4, and DAR-0100A/placebo administration on Days 2–4. Treatment with DAR-0100A was associated with significantly improved PASAT performance relative to placebo, with a very large effect size (Cohen’s d=1.14). Performance on the N-back ratio was also significantly improved; however, this effect rested on both a non-significant enhancement and diminution of 2-back and 0-back performance, respectively; therefore interpretation of this finding is more complicated. DAR-0100A was generally well tolerated, with no serious medical or psychiatric adverse events; common side effects were mild to moderate and transient, consisting mainly of sedation, lightheadedness, tachycardia, and hypotension; however, we were able to minimize these effects, without altering the dose, with supportive measures, eg, co-administered normal saline. Although preliminary, these findings lend further clinical support to the potential of D1 receptor agonists to treat schizophrenia-spectrum working memory impairments. These data suggest a need for further studies with larger group sizes, serum DAR-0100A levels, and a more comprehensive neuropsychological battery.
Isolation and Characterization of the Human Tissue Transglutaminase Gene Promoter

Tissue transglutaminase belongs to a family of calcium-dependent enzymes, the transglutaminases that catalyze the covalent cross-linking of specific proteins by the formation of ∊(γ-glutamyl)lysine isopeptide bonds. The goal of this study has been the isolation and characterization of the human tissue transglutaminase gene promoter. Genomic DNA clones, spanning the 5′ region of the gene, were isolated and the structure of the 5′-end of the human tissue transglutaminase gene was determined. 1.74 kilobases of flanking DNA were sequenced and were found to contain a TATA box element (TATAA), a CAAT box element (GGACAAT), a series of potential transcription factor-binding sites (AP1, SP1, interleukin-6 response element), and a glucocorticoid response elements. Transient transfection experiments showed that this DNA fragment included a functional promoter, which is constitutively active in multiple cell types.
Asymptomatic Hypertension in the Emergency Department: A Matter of Critical Public Health Importance

Asymptomatic hypertension (HTN) is commonly encountered in the emergency department (ED), but in most circumstances little is done about it. While many factors may contribute to this, the failure to recognize asymptomatic HTN as a public health problem is particularly important. Given the established long-term consequences of elevated blood pressure (BP), a reconsideration of methods that could enhance surveillance and intervention in the ED is needed. In this article, we discuss the relevant epidemiology of asymptomatic HTN and present a novel approach using a modified version of the Haddon's matrix to systematically address the challenges that contribute to ineffective screening and suboptimal outcomes.
Isolation of a mixture of hydrocarbons from beef brains.

Abstract Following the removal of cholesterol from acetone extracts of fresh beef brains, a concentrate was obtained which upon saponification yielded a fragrant neutral fraction. From this complex mixture two hydrocarbons were isolated as trace constituents of the original brain tissue. Tentative formulas for these substances are C9H16 (two double bonds) and C27H54 (one double bond).
Gastric mesenchymal lesions other than gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Abstract Interpretation of gastrointestinal mesenchymal lesions involving the stomach and the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract is daunting but can be simplified somewhat merely by knowing in which layer they are usually found. For example, gastric Kaposi sarcoma is detected in mucosal biopsies whereas inflammatory fibroid polyp is nearly always in the submucosa. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (discussed elsewhere in this issue) are generally centered in the muscularis propria. Gastric schwannomas are essentially always in the muscularis propria. Mesenteric lesions are usually found in the small bowel mesentery but the gastric mesentery is not immune. Knowledge of the favored layer is even more important in interpreting colon biopsies, since many mesenschymal polyps are encountered in the colon, but the same principle applies in the stomach. Herein we discuss several gastric mesenchymal lesions.
Immunopathogenesis of tuberculosis: Implications for vaccine development

Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading infectious disease worldwide despite the availability of Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine and chemotherapy. A better understanding of how immune system controls TB and latent TB is critical for understanding disease pathogenesis and for devising immune-mediated strategies for prevention and treatment of disease. A brief update on the immunopathogenesis of TB will be provided, and how this knowledge can be used for rational vaccine design will be briefly addressed. Due to poor BCG protective efficacy in humans, there is currently a great deal of activity in new vaccine development. Various vaccine candidates; BCG replacement vaccines including recombinant BCG; live-attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis; and booster vaccines such as vaccinia virus overexpressing antigen 85, nucleic acid vaccines, and subunit protein vaccines with novel adjuvants, are at different stages of development. There is significant interest in using a prime-boost strategy for improved vaccine efficacy. However, the optimal dose, route, frequency and timing of the booster vaccines remain to be determined, and the potential side effects of booster vaccines in causing increased pathology needs to be tested. The recent genome sequencing of avirulent strain M. tuberculosis H37Ra provides a rational approach for reconstructing a new live-attenuated vaccine that could be even more attenuated than BCG and useful for HIV-positive and HIV-negative settings. The challenges of TB vaccine development such as lack of immune markers for protection in humans, shortage of clinical trial sites, lengthy time required for vaccine evaluation, and the high cost will also be briefly discussed.
Cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with thalamic, hippocampal, and basal ganglia volumes in multiple sclerosis.

Background There is little known about cardiorespiratory fitness and its association with volumes of the thalamus, hippocampus, and basal ganglia in multiple sclerosis (MS). Such inquiry is important for identifying a possible behavioral approach (e.g., aerobic exercise training) that might change volumes of deep gray matter (DGM) structures associated with cognitive and motor functions in MS.
Culture, Civilization, and Demarcation at the Northwest Borders of Greece

The collapse of the Communist regime in Albania after 1990 led to overt tensions between Greece and Albania as a result, on the one hand, of massive illegal Albanian immigration to Greece and, on the other, new questions concerning the status and security of the Greek minority in southern Albania. During the 20th century, nation-construction across the Greek-Albanian border involved the reciprocal differentiation of heterogeneous populations into bipolar Greek and Albanian nationalities. In this article, I consider the public rhetoric and diplomatic processes involved in distinguishing Greek and Albanian populations. I suggest that through attention to border history, segmentary models of cultural identity can be usefully married to the theory of nationalism at the scale of the state. The Greek-Albanian case demonstrates both the centra lily of the border to the legitimation of the state and the marginality of actual border populations who persistently generate conditions of social heterogeneity. [Greece, Albania, nationalism, ethnicity, border, stereotype]
Utilizing complementarity of active/passive microwave observations at L-band for soil moisture studies in sandy soils

In this study, sensitivity of active and passive (AP) observations at L-band to near-surface SM was analyzed for bare sandy soils. The complementarity of AP microwave observations was used to obtain realistic SM profile that matched well with both AP observations during dynamic moisture conditions. Active observations exhibit less sensitivity to SM changes and higher sensitivity to surface roughness than passive observations. Based upon these findings, the observed brightness temperatures (TBs) were used to estimate a SM profile using an emission model. The backscatter (σ°) observations were used to estimate root mean square height (s) and correlation length (cl) using a backscatter model. The estimated SM profile, s, and cl resulted in RMSDs of 4.55K and 0.81dB between the observed and modeled TB and σ° values, respectively, for the rough surface. This study demonstrates the integrated use of AP to improve SM estimates.
A critical review of Internet sites as a research source for Shakespeare

The role of Web sites in literary research is indicated and their evaluation is discussed. The discussion identifies a number of criteria for evaluating literary research Web sites, including relevancy, credibility and documentation. Twenty of the leading Shakespeare research Web sites are identified and each is evaluated against the criteria with discussion of good features and bad. The sites are ranked by their scores against the criteria and conclusions are drawn.
Zeolite-Supported Palladium Tetramer and Its Reactivity toward H2 Molecules: Computational Studies

Effects of zeolite support on reactivity of Pd4 cluster toward dihydrogen molecules were studied at the DFT level using T6 (six-ring) and T24 (sodalite cage) clusters as models of zeolite FAU. It has been found that Pd4 cluster binds to O-centers of T6 cluster via η3 and η2 coordination modes, leading to three different T6/Pd4 clusters. For the energetically most stable triplet state T6/Pd4 structures, the energy of interaction between Pd4 and the constrained T6 ring is calculated to be ca. −5 kcal/mol. Encapsulating Pd4 in a sodalite cage (T24) with the full relaxation of cluster geometry resulted in the Pd4−zeolite interaction energy of −7.4 kcal/mol after correcting for basis set superposition error. The H−H bond activation barrier associated with the first H2 addition to the triplet state T6/Pd4 clusters (ΔE0/ΔH, kcal/mol) varies from (2.2/0.7) to (3.2/2.0) to (4.8/3.5), depending on the path. Comparison of the calculated H2 addition barriers for the T6-supported and gas-phase Pd4 indicates that embed...
The Amending Power of the Canadian Parliament.

The enactment by the Imperial Parliament at Westminster of the British North America (No. 2) Act, 1949,1 raises again the complex and difficult problem of the nature of the amending process in the eldest of the British dominions. From the beginning this process has been surrounded with a certain mysterious imprecision, deriving from the fact that Canada's basic constitutional statutethe British North America Act, 18672-contained no provision for its own amendment. In other words, until 1949 there was no clause in the constitution setting out a procedure whereby its own provisions might be legally changed.3 Hence through the long years all amendments have had to be made by the Parliament at Westminster which enacted the original statute-a necessity that has produced all sorts of difficult problems for students of constitutional law in both Canada and the United Kingdom.4 It has long been settled practice that the Imperial Parliament will enact whatever amendments are requested by the appropriate authorities in Canada, but a question remains as to which are the appropriate authorities. It seems now to be settled, after considerable controversy, that the executive government, acting alone, may not make such a request; practice requires a joint address by the two houses of Parliament. But is it necessary for the Dominion authorities to consult with the provinces before going to London with this request or may the Dominion do this by itself? If consultation is conceived to be necessary, must all the provinces be consulted? And if so, is it necessary that they all consent to the amendment before it is requested? If all need not consent, what part is necessary? These questions and other similar ones have plagued Canadians for years, and there is not yet any accepted solution either in precedent or in law. But these are questions of politics and of constitutional practice; they can
Steroid epoxide cleavage by Cylindrocarpon radicicola

Abstract When 16α,17α-oxido-pregn-4-ene-3,0-dione (I) was incubated with Cylindrocarpon radicicola four products were obtained. These have been characterized as 20α-hydroxy-16α,17α-oxido-pregn-4-ene-3-one (II), 20α-hydroxy-16α,17α-oxido-pregna-1,4-diene-3-one (III), 16α-hydroxy-17a-oxa-androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (IV) and 16α,17α-dihydroxy-androsta-1,4-diene-3-one (V). When II was exposed to this organism it was readily transformed into III which in turen was converted into IV and V. V was resistant to further attack by this organism. 16α-hydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione (XVI) was converted into V by C. radicicola but no IV was detected. The relative rates of metabolism of I and II were found to be similar whereas 16α-hydroxy-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (XV) was metabolized at a much slower rate into IV and V. A possible mechanism of epoxide opening by C. radicicola has been proposed.
Identifying Tiers of Influence in Expert Systems Research: II

In the first part of this study we described an objective, multifaceted, citation-based methodology for assessing journal influence. We applied it to the field of artificial intelligence (AI) to gauge the most influential journals for AI research. In this paper we apply the same methodology to a broadened citation base drawn from journals devoted to expert systems (ES), as well as those with a broader AI editorial scope. The result is a pair of journal tiers that reflect the special emphasis that expert system research has among AI researchers in business schools. Taken together, the AI/ES findings reported here coupled with the general AI tiers identified in Part I provide a fairly complete and insightful picture of the most influential journals impacting AI in general, and AI/ES in particular. © 1996 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spam Detection: Increasing Accuracy with A Hybrid Solution

Abstract A significant increase in the amount of e-mail spam has become a major concern to both organizations and employees. This article identifies and compares three different types of spam-detection approaches: list-based, content-scanning, and forged-e-mail detection. Because none of these approaches provides a comprehensive solution, a hybrid solution, which maximizes their collective strengths and minimizes their individual weaknesses, is proposed and tested with a prototype tool developed by the authors.
Is behaviorism false because there is no such thing as conditioning? Popper and skinner on learning

Abstract Sir Karl Popper has claimed that behaviorism is misguided because it holds that conditioning occurs through repetition. According to Popper, there is no such thing as learning through repetition. To the limited extent that philosophers of science have concerned themselves with behaviorism, this attack is one of the most direct and unique in that the battleground is not over the value of mentalism/cognitivism but a bold claim that conditioning—the heart and soul of behaviorism—is fictitious. This paper examines the soundness of Popper's argument against behaviorism by examining whether operant and classical conditioning rely on learning through repetition and suffer from other problems Popper attributes to the notion of conditioning. Although Popper correctly attributes certain properties to classical conditioning, he fails to undermine the empirical evidence that such conditioning occurs. Second, we claim that although B. F. Skinner is never entirely clear, operant conditioning does not rely on repetition nor does it suffer from the other problems Popper attributes to conditioning. Thus, Popper's argument also fails because of his assumption that all conditioning is classical conditioning and therefore his misattributing properties of classical conditioning to operant conditioning. We conjecture that the earlier polemics of John Watson and Watson's sole reliance on classical conditioning probably contributed to Popper's confusion on this point.
DEVELOPMENT OF SYMPATHETIC REGULATION OF PHOSPHOLIPID SECRETION IN FETAL RABBIT LUNG

42 litters of newborn rabbits were killed and a tracheostomy tube inserted. All pups had 8 saline lavages, but alternate pups had 10−3 molar propranolol added. Samples were analysed for phospholipid (mg/g dry lung wt) as a reflection of lavage-induced secretion. Some litters then had 6 lavages after 3 or 15 minutes, followed by a further 6 lavages after total interval of 18 minutes. The phospholipid yield after 15 minutes was used to calculate the basal secretion index (SI). Other litters had constant air inflation and were again lavaged to calculate post-inflation secretion. Results expressed as mean ± standard error; C = saline controls; P = propranolol treated. At 29.5 d, but not at 27.5 d, propranolol inhibited basal, lavage-induced and inflation-stimulated secretion. At 2.5 d post-term secretion was greatly increased, but propranolol inhibition was still detected. Present data suggest that sympathetic regulation develops near term in the rabbit and persists after birth.
Triphala inhibits both in vitro and in vivo xenograft growth of pancreatic tumor cells by inducing apoptosis.

Background Triphala is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat variety of diseases; however its mechanism of action remains unexplored. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism of Triphala against human pancreatic cancer in the cellular and in vivo model.
Continuity effects with alternately sounding tones under dichotic presentation

An experiment is reported in which 10 Ss possessing normal hearing were required to make discriminations of continuity or interruption in a longer less intense signal (Tone A) which alternated in time with a shorter more intense signal (Tone B). The signals were presented dichotically with Tone A at the right ear. Three Tone B frequencies of 300, 1000, and 4000 cps and five Tone A frequencies somewhat near each of the Tone B frequencies were employed. The results demonstrated that as Tone A was nearer to Tone B in frequency, continuity thresholds in Tone A occurred at longer durations of Tone B. The results are discussed in terms of a central neural model.
Characterization Of Stepper - Lens Aberrations And Critical Dimension Control

Demands for higher resolution and larger field size are pushing the limits of optical design and manufacturing technology. A simple method of characterizing lens aberrations is proposed in this paper. The effects of astigmatism, field curvature and other aberrations are analyzed. A method of estimating the variation in focal depth for a given resist process and device technology is also proposed. The combined results can be used to determine the minimum feature size and maximum field size to be used with adequate linewidth control. In addition, the lens characterization method can be used for detecting problems with the lens quality and image orthogonality.
Synchronous spawning : When timing is everything

Some corals release their gametes all at once, dramatically increasing the chances of any one gamete being fertilized. In a report in this issue, Clifton et al. (1116) demonstrate that a seaweed, Halimeda, also engages in synchronous spawning. Hay9s Perspective discusses the natural history of these seaweeds and their efficient use of time in their growth and reproduction.
Planktonic microbes: Tiny cells at the base of the ocean's food webs.

Phytoplankton in the size range 5-100 μm was originally thought to be the primary source of food for most life in the sea. However, smaller planktonic microbes, down to 0.2 μm in size, have been the focus of intensive investigation by marine scientists during the past two decades. These microbes attain high abundance and biomass in all parts of the world ocean. They include non-photosynthesizing bacteria, at least two types of photosynthesizing prokaryotes, and eukaryotic phototrophs. The new information has resulted in a greatly revised concept of how pelagic ecosystems in both marine and freshwater environments function. The original idea of a basically linear food chain from diatoms to copepods to fish has given way to an extremely complex model of trophic interactions within a microbial food web, which supports metazoan food webs via biomass production of both heterotrophic and autotrophic cells.
Social influence on physics and mathematics: local or attributive?

The article is devoted to the nature of science. To what extent are science and mathematics affected by the society in which they are developed? Philosophy of science has accepted the social influence on science, but limits it only to the context of discovery (a “locational” approach). An opposite “attributive” approach states that any part of science may be so influenced. L. Graham is sure that even the mathematical equations at the core of fundamental physical theories may display social attributes. He has used the investigations of the famous Soviet physicist V. Fock on the General Theory of Relativity which were under the influence of Marxism. The Goal of the article is to demonstrate: 1) Why Soviet science is not an appropriate subject-matter for testing the thesis of social constructivism, 2) That differnt levels of science and different stages in the development of science undergo social influences in different degrees ranging from very significant and unavoidable to absolutely trivial and easy eliminated.
Russian Resources: Curse or Rents?

A prominent specialist on the Russian economy discusses two preceding papers entitled "Resource Rents and the Russian Economy" by Clifford Gaddy and Barry Ickes and "Can Russia Break the ‘Resource Curse’?" by Rudiger Ahrend. Focusing on Russia's oil and gas sector, the author comments on the five components of resource rents, the ownership and efficiency of the oil and gas companies, the Yukos affair, the forms of state intervention in the affairs of the sector, symptoms of Dutch disease precipitated by resource abundance, and the shift from the Anglo-American to the OPEC model. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: E60, O13, O17, Q43. 3 figures, 19 references.
Comparison of three staining methods to identify eosinophils in formalin-fixed canine skin.

BACKGROUND Studies comparing the ability of staining methods to detect eosinophils in formalin-fixed canine skin are lacking. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of eosinophil peroxidase monoclonal antibody (EPXmAb), Luna and haematoxylin and eosin (HE (ii) extracellular eosinophil granule staining; (iii) tissue background staining; (iv) contrast between eosinophil and surrounding tissue staining; and (v) differences in the number of eosinophils detected by each stain. METHODS Three serial sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of predominantly eosinophilic skin diseases (n = 8), noneosinophilic skin diseases (n = 7) and normal canine skin (n = 1) were stained with the three stains. Each parameter was independently assessed and scored by two investigators. RESULTS Luna and EPXmAb were specific in detecting eosinophils. The EPXmAb was significantly more effective than Luna (P < 0.001) and H&E (P < 0.001) in its ability to detect extracellular eosinophil granules (i.e. to detect intact and released eosinophil granules). The EPXmAb showed significantly less background staining compared with Luna (P = 0.0005). Moreover, significantly more stain contrast was noted with EPXmAb compared with Luna (P = 0.003) and H&E (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the mean eosinophil counts among the three stains. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE The three stains were shown to be useful to detect and quantify eosinophils in fixed canine skin. The EPXmAb-based immunohistochemical stain proved to be a novel tool to detect eosinophils in canine skin.
Bayesian Network and Mechanistic Hierarchical Structure Modeling of Increased likelihood of Developing Intractable Childhood Epilepsy from the Combined Effect of mtDNA Variants, Oxidative Damage, and Copy Number

Despite that mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been associated with major epilepsy syndromes, the role of mtDNA instability and mitochondrial dysfunction in epileptogenesis has not been comprehensively examined. In the present study, we investigated the role of mtDNA copy number, oxidative damage, and mtDNA variants as independent or combined risk factors for the development of intractable childhood epilepsy. We analyzed mtDNA copy number and oxidative damage by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and mtDNA variants by dot blot in brain tissue specimens collected from 21 pediatric intractable epilepsy patients and 11 non-epileptic patients. Bayesian network and mechanistic hierarchical structure Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) modeling were used to analyze the relationship between these variables. The combined effects of oxidative mtDNA damages and mtDNA copy number produced more significant correlation with epilepsy than that of mtDNA copy number alone with epilepsy. Epilepsy patients showed significant correlations with mtDNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) — A1555G, G3196A, T3197C, G9952A, A10006G, A10398G, cortical dysplasia status, oxidative mtDNA damage and relative mtDNA copy number. Comparison of 12 mechanistic structure models suggested that female children who have the wild type allele 10398A and variant allele 9952A, and high mtDNA copy number and oxidative stress have increased probability of developing intractable epilepsy. Estimation of nuclear genes controlling mitochondrial biogenesis, cortical dysplasia, and the effect of the environment using MCMC method showed that these latent variables had a very significant contribution in the development of intractable epilepsy. These data suggest that mitochondrial genetics play a significant role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy in children, and findings of this study may guide the prospects for targeting mitochondria for therapeutic treatment of childhood intractable epilepsy.