cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why Two Metals Are Better Than One for Heterodinuclear Cobalt–Zirconium-Catalyzed Kumada Coupling

Heterodinuclear transition metal complexes with a direct metal–metal interaction offer the potential of unique reactivity compared with mononuclear catalysts. Heterodinuclear Co–Zr complexes with phosphinoamide ligands bridging Co and Zr metal centers are effective precatalysts for Kumada C–C bond coupling reactions between alkyl halides and alkyl Grignards. In contrast, the analogous mononuclear Co tris(phosphinoamine) complex without Zr provides very inefficient catalysis. Here we describe density functional theory calculations that reveal the mechanistic and reactivity impact of the Co–Zr metal–metal interaction and phosphinoamide ligands on alkyl halide–alkyl Grignard Kumada coupling catalysis. The Co–Zr interaction enables two-electron reduction of the precatalyst to form an active catalyst, which then promotes a low-energy electron-transfer alkyl halide oxidative addition mechanism. The Co–Zr interaction and the phosphinoamide ligands bridging the metal centers provide a dialkyl intermediate with a ...
Characterization of an anatomic safe zone surrounding the lower subscapular nerve during an open deltopectoral approach

Background Due to anatomic variance in subscapular nerve innervation patterns, it is theorized that the dysfunction of the subscapularis could be the result of iatrogenic denervation during mobilization of the subscapularis while exposing the anterior glenohumeral joint in anterior surgical approaches. The purpose of this study was to describe innervation patterns of the subscapularis and to characterize a safe zone when conducting an anterior surgical approach. Methods The study used 6 human cadaveric shoulder specimens (12 shoulders total). A deltopectoral approach was used to expose the axillary nerve back to the posterior cord of the brachial plexus and reveal the origins of the upper and lower subscapularis nerves. An anatomic safe zone was characterized by measuring distances from both the upper and lower subscapularis nerve insertions with respect to that of the lateral border of the conjoint tendon, the bicipital groove, superior border of the subscapularis, and the axillary nerve (for the lower subscapular nerve only) with the arm in 30° abduction. Results The anatomic safe zone of the subscapular nerves medial to the conjoint tendon is less than 32 mm. In relation to the axillary nerve, the safe zone is less than 10 mm inferiorly and 15 mm medially. Conclusions This described safe zone with respect to the lateral border of the conjoint tendon and axillary nerve is aimed to provide guidance to reduce iatrogenic injury of the subscapular nerves during anterior shoulder exposure. Extra care should be undertaken while dissecting past this safe zone to prevent iatrogenic subscapular nerve injury.
Privatizing War: A Moral Theory

This book offers a comprehensive moral theory of privatization in war. It examines the kind of wars that private actors might wage separate from the state and the kind of wars that private actors might wage as functionaries of the state. The first type of war serves to probe the ad bellum question of whether private actors can justifiably authorize war, while the second type of war serves to probe the in bello question of whether private actors can justifiably participate in war. The cases that drive the analysis are drawn from the rich and complicated history of private military action, stretching back centuries to the Italian city-states whose mercenaries were reviled by Machiavelli. The book also takes up the hypothetical examples conjured by philosophers—the private protective agencies of Robert Nozick’s Anarchy, State, and Utopia, for example, and the private armies of Thomas More’s Utopia. The aim of this book is to propose a theory of privatization that retains currency not only in assessing current military engagements, but past and future ones as well. In doing so, it also raises a set of important questions about the very enterprise of war. This book will be of much interest to students of ethics, political philosophy, military studies, international relations, war and conflict studies, and security studies.
First Report of the Peach Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne floridensis Infecting Almond on Root-Knot Nematode Resistant 'Hansen 536' and 'Bright's Hybrid 5' Rootstocks in California, USA.

In April-August 2018, samples of galled roots with rhizosphere soil were collected from almond orchards in Atwater, Merced County and Bakersfield, Kern County, California. Almond trees (Prunus dulcis) grafted on 'Hansen 536' and 'Brights Hybrid®5' (peach-almond hybrid) rootstocks showed strong symptoms of growth decline. Extracted root-knot nematodes were identified by both morphological and molecular methods as M. floridensis. Meloidogyne floridensis was initially found in Florida, USA, and has not been reported from any other states and countries. This is a first report of M. floridensis in California and outside of Florida. In April-August 2018, samples of galled roots with rhizosphere soil were collected from almond orchards in Atwater, Merced County and Bakersfield, Kern County, California. Almond trees (Prunus dulcis) grafted on ‘Hansen 536’ and ‘Brights Hybrid®5’ (peach-almond hybrid) rootstocks showed strong symptoms of growth decline. Extracted root-knot nematodes were identified by both morphological and molecular methods as M. floridensis. Meloidogyne floridensis was initially found in Florida, USA, and has not been reported from any other states and countries. This is a first report of M. floridensis in California and outside of Florida.
Method for low frequency sound reflection coefficient measurements in a compact space

Here, we present a method to measure the quasi-normal reflection coefficients of sound absorbing materials in a compact space. A short incident sound pulse (length < 3ms) is generated by a deconvolution method with the source speaker. Then, a stage-mounted microphone moves across the material surface and records the total (incident + scattered) sound field. By comparing the sound field with and without the presence of the sound absorbing material, the frequency-dependent reflection coefficients can be derived by extracting the corresponding frequency components from the sound pulse. Using this method, we can calculate the reflection coefficients of a 2 ft. by2 ft acoustic panel from 300 Hz to 2500 Hz within a 2 m by2 m by3 m lab space without anechoic coatings. Moreover, this method enables us to investigate the spatial inhomogeneity of the sound absorbing material by studying the amplitude/phase variation of reflection coefficients across the material surface. Compared with conventional measurement techniques for reflection/absorption coefficients, our method has the advantages of low cost, minimal requirements for the measurement environment and the ability to measure the reflection coefficients at different locations. The proposed method can be favorable for measuring reflection coefficients of two-dimensional acoustic panels/metamaterials at low frequencies.
Beyond Meta-Analysis: Secondary Uses of Meta-Analytic Data

Secondary uses of meta-analytic data (SUMAD) represent advanced analyses and applications of first-order meta-analytic results for theoretical (e.g., theory testing) and practical (e.g., evidence-b...
Peroxisomal footprint in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Abstract Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a form of fatty liver disease where benign hepatic steatosis leads to chronic inflammation in the steatotic liver of a patient without any history of alcohol abuse. Mechanisms underlying the progression of hepatic steatosis to NASH have long been investigated. This review outlines the potential role of peroxisomal dysfunctions in exacerbating the disease in NASH. Loss of peroxisomes as well as impaired peroxisomal functions have been demonstrated to occur in inflammatory conditions including NASH. Because peroxisomes and mitochondria co-operatively perform many metabolic functions including O2 and lipid metabolisms, a compromised peroxisomal biogenesis and function can potentially contribute to defective lipid and reactive oxygen species metabolism which in turn can lead the progression of disease in NASH. Impaired peroxisomal biogenesis and function may be due to the decreased expression of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α), the major transcription factor of peroxisomal biogenesis. Recent studies indicate that the reduced expression of PPAR-α in NASH is correlated with the activation of the toll-like receptor-4 pathway (TLR-4). Further investigations are required to establish the mechanistic connection between the TLR-4 pathway and PPAR-α-dependent impaired biogenesis/function of peroxisomes in NASH.
The use of curvilinear fiber format in composite structure design

This paper investigates the gains in structural efficiency that can be achieved by aligning the fibers in some or all of the layers in a laminate with the principal stress directions in those layers. The name curvilinear fiber format is given to this idea. The problem studied is a plate with a central circular hole subjected to a uniaxial tensile load. An iteration scheme is used to find the fiber directions at each point in the laminate. Two failure criteria are used to evaluate the tensile load capacity of the plates with a curvilinear format, and for comparison, counterpart plates with a conventional straightline fiber format. The curvilinear designs for improved tensile capacity are then checked for buckling resistance. It is concluded that gains in efficiency can be realized with the curvilinear format.
Family Planning Practices in Appalachia: Focus Group Perspectives on Service Needs in the Context of Regional Substance Abuse

Reproductive health disparities in the Appalachian region may be driven by barriers to healthcare access. However, the barriers specific to accessing family planning services in Appalachia have not yet been identified from the perspectives of Appalachian community members. Moreover, it is unclear how community members might perceive elevated levels of opioid use in the region to impact family planning practices. To fill this gap in knowledge, the current qualitative study explored community perspectives about family planning in Appalachia in the context of the opioid epidemic for the purpose of developing a survey instrument based on these responses. We conducted three video call focus group interviews with community stakeholders, those who live, work and are invested in Appalachia (N = 16), and analyzed the responses using Levesque, Harris, and Russell's (2013) five pillars of healthcare access as a framework to categorize family planning practices and perceptions of service needs in the context of regional substance abuse: (1) approachability, (2) acceptability, (3) availability and accommodation, (4) affordability, and (5) appropriateness. Subthemes within each of these five categories were also identified. Our findings highlight stakeholder concerns around a lack of knowledge about and access to family planning services in Appalachia. Community members also expressed concern around the lack of availability of substance use treatment services, which may negatively impact family planning use and access in the region.
Low-cost grain sorting technologies to reduce mycotoxin contamination in maize and groundnut

Abstract The widespread contamination of foods by mycotoxins continues to be a public health hazard in sub-Saharan Africa, with maize and groundnut being major sources of contamination. This study was undertaken to assess the hypothesis that grain sorting can be used to reduce mycotoxin contamination in grain lots by removing toxic kernels. We tested a set of sorting principles and methods for reducing mycotoxin levels in maize and groundnut from a variety of genotypes and environments. We found that kernel bulk density (KBD) and 100-kernel weight (HKW) were associated with the levels of aflatoxins (AF) and fumonisins (FUM) in maize grain. A low-cost sorter prototype (the ‘DropSort’ device) that separated maize grain based on KBD and HKW was more effective in reducing FUM than AF. We then evaluated the effectiveness of DropSorting when combined with either size or visual sorting. Size sorting followed by DropSorting was the fastest method for reducing FUM to under 2 ppm, but was not effective in reducing AF levels in maize grain to under 20 ppb, especially for heavily AF-contaminated grain. Analysis of individual kernels showed that high -AF maize kernels had lower weight, volume, density, length, and width and higher sphericity than those with low AF. Single kernel weight was the most significant predictor of AF concentration. The DropSort excluded kernels with lower single kernel weight, volume, width, depth, and sphericity. We also found that visual sorting and bright greenish-yellow fluorescence sorting of maize single kernels were successful in separating kernels based on AF levels. For groundnut, the DropSort grouped grain based on HKW and did not significantly reduce AF concentrations, whereas size sorting and visual sorting were much more effective.
Modular Medium Voltage AC to Low Voltage DC Converter for Extreme Fast Charging Applications.

A modular and scalable converter for medium voltage (MV) AC to low voltage (LV) DC power conversion is proposed; single-phase-modules (SPMs), each consisting of an active-front-end (AFE) stage and an isolated DC-DC stage, are connected in input-series-output-parallel (ISOP) configuration to reach desired voltage and power capacity. In prior art, high-speed bidirectional communication among modules and a centralized controller is required to ensure module-level voltage and power balancing, which severely limits the scalability and practical realization of higher voltage and higher power systems. Moreover, large capacitors are used to suppress double-line-frequency voltage variations on the common MV DC bus shared by the AFE and the DC-DC stage originating from AC power pulsations through the SPMs. We propose a comprehensive controller which achieves voltage and power balancing using complete decentralized control of the DC-DC stages based on only local sensor feedback and the AFE stages are controlled using feedback of only the LV DC output. Furthermore, reduced capacitor requirement on the MV DC bus is achieved through design and control. The proposed method is validated through simulation and experimental results.
The Human Flourishing Theory

The justification for private property is, of course, and has long been a contested topic. Historically, there have been several rival accounts of the moral foundation of property, including Locke’s labor theory and Hegel’s personality theory. Today, two are especially prominent, the libertarian, including rights-based, and utilitarian, including law-and-economics, theories. Both of these theories have long historical pedigrees, and in their modern incarnations each has generated several variations. Over the past decade or so, I, both individually and with Eduardo Penalver, have developed an alternative to these two dominant accounts of property, which I have called the human flourishing theory. The human flourishing theory of property provides the best account of the value constitution that underpins the structure of modern property law. It is also the most morally attractive account of property, both as a concept and as an institution. It draws inspiration from Aristotle, but significant differences exist between the human flourishing theory that I shall describe here and Aristotle’s account of human flourishing in the Nicomachean Ethics.
Pharmacokinetics and adverse reactions to fentanyl transdermal patches in healthy and hospitalized calves

Fentanyl is a mu opioid receptor agonist that has been used for analgesia in multiple species. One of the more common routes of administration of fentanyl is the transdermal route. There have been multiple reports ofthe use of Fentanyl Transdermal Patches (FTP) in large animal practice as a longer-term method of analgesia. The use of the patches has been described for analgesia in horses, sheep, goats, pigs, and llamas, but there is no data available for the use of this extended-release formulation in cattle.
Analysis of Reapplications to Integrated and Independent Plastic Surgery Residency.

Background Plastic surgery is one of the most competitive specialties to match, with integrated plastic surgery having the highest rate of unmatched applicants in all categorical specialties. Unmatched applicants face difficult challenges, especially because there is a lack of data to help inform and guide both reapplicants and their advisors. Method A national survey targeting plastic surgery applicants to both integrated and independent tracks from 2014 to 2020 was conducted in August 2020 to identify reapplicants, their application characteristics, and their outcomes. Results Eighteen of the 54 (33.3%) integrated reapplicants responded to the survey, as well as 7 of the 42 (16.7%) independent reapplicants. Fifty percent of integrated reapplicants and 43% of independent reapplicants successfully eventually matched. For integrated reapplicants, the mean (SD) number of first cycle invites was the greatest predictor of eventual match success, 9.00 (5.93) invites for reapplicants that eventually successfully matched compared with 2.89 (2.89) for those that remained unmatched, P = 0.025. Integrated reapplicants obtained on average 2.47 less invites during the reapplicant cycle compared with the initial cycle, P = 0.046. A Fisher exact test revealed no differences in match outcomes of those integrated reapplicants who spent time in between cycles pursuing research compared with a preliminary surgical year, P = 0.99. Conclusions Reapplication to both integrated and independent plastic surgery may result in worse matching outcomes compared with the initial match. Applicants should attempt to preemptively address potential initial application weaknesses as reapplication after a failed initial attempt may carry disadvantages.
“Natural” Disasters, Cultural Framings, and Resilience in Indonesia: Transdisciplinary Engagements in an Immersion Program

In this paper, we will discuss a two-week experiential learning trip to Indonesia, ranging from the design phase to a module course and in-country implementation with two institutional partners in country. The trip involved four faculty and eight students from disciplines ranging from Geology, Anthropology, Environmental Studies to Chemistry and Music. Comparison was at the heart of the project. Our team explored the cultural and functional responses to the 2004 tsunami in Banda Aceh and volcanic eruptions of Mount Merapi in Central Java. Contrasting views of cause and recovery proved especially enlightening. Acehnese responses were tightly woven with immediate pre-tsunami political upheaval along with Islamic framings of the disaster. In comparison, we found responses to volcanic eruptions on Java were quite different because the community affected was more multicultural. We will pepper our account of this pedagogical experience with personal outcomes, cultural interactions, and the trip’s engagement with moving beyond interdisciplinarity to collaborative, transdisciplinary engagement.
Predictive data locality optimization for higher-order tensor computations

Automating locality optimization is still an open problem for compiler writers. Compiler-based approaches, guided by analytical cost models have achieved some success in matching high performance libraries on a restricted set of computations such as general matrix multiply (GEMM). On the other hand, library-based approaches may present some open scalability concerns. Recent developments in convolutional neural networks has seen an explosion of models, each with differing combinations of parameters. Manually tuning each of these configurations can take many development months. Further, these operations are called multiple times during machine learning training, which necessitates highly optimized implementations. 2D convolutional operators are unique in that they consist of 7-deep loop nests with different loops carrying reuse for different tensors, making the problem of identifying an optimal loop ordering hard. We devise a machine learning-based compiler which learns a regression model, correlating performance with the loop order. We integrate this model with other traditional compiler analysis for transformations such as loop unrolling and vectorization, relying on the MultiLevel Intermediate Representation (MLIR) compiler framework. We achieve an average speedup of 1.67x and 1.41x against oneDNN for 2D convolution forward and weight update kernels respectively. We are also at 0.88x and 0.96x the performance of oneDNN’s best performing implementation which applies additional data layout transformations.
Stimulated Emission with Evanescent Gain in the Total Internal Reflection Geometry

We demonstrated amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) enabled by evanescent gain at an interface between two adjacent dielectrics. The ASE wave is outcoupled to the high-index medium at the critical angle, enabling observation of spectacular emission rings.
Sociable Robots: Technology, Automation, and Human Relationships in Postmodern Society

One of the challenges in thinking about sex robots is that the use of automation in sexual relationships does not line up neatly into moral and social categories. Instead, one finds themes of friendship and dignity, empathy, and socialization as important human and moral issues tied to sexual practices. However, such themes are always understood within the context of the particular language and framework of a specific moral community. This means that fully to explore many of the questions raised by sex robots, such themes will need to be situated within the context of a particular moral community and its assumptions, values, and moral commitments. The challenge, however, is that in a secular, postmodern society, one will find quite different views expressed in various moral communities. We know, for example, that different religious communities have differing views on appropriate and inappropriate sexual behavior depending on the broader context of a community’s vision and its moral commitments. As a result, it should come as no surprise that various moral and religious communities are likely to come to rather different conclusions regarding the ethical permissibility, implications for personal virtue or vice, or cultural harms and benefits of sex robots. Confronted by such a pluralism of moralities, rather than a single moral narrative, the only defensible moral position in the secular context, as I argue, is the libertarian position. Since one cannot assume that others will share the same moral values, rankings, and premises in resolving moral controversies (since reason cannot discover a content-full moral vision that all rational agents are compelled to accept), then one will have to rely on the moral authority of individual moral agents. Controversies surrounding the ownership and use of the human body (e.g., use and sale of blood products, participation in human experimentation, sex robots) can only be resolved on a secular level by the agreement of the parties involved.
Gendered Innovations in Orthopaedic Science: Women (and Men) Who Rock.

Music is a performing art that, on its surface, has little to do with science. Art is creative and emotional; science is (or should be) rational and objective—feminine versus masculine, to use the language of polarizing stereotypes. Important disciplines and discussions however, have at their heart both art and science, with yin and yang—feminine and masculine—duality.
H 2 in the Galaxy

Molecular clouds are the active, star forming component of the interstellar medium. In this article, we review the theoretical and empirical basis for using the 2.6 mm CO emission line as a tracer of H2 and we summarize the galactic distribution and properties of the molecular clouds. [All quantitative estimates are reduced to the recent IAU adopted value of Ro=8.5 kpc.]
A Critical Role for IL-4 in Regulating Disease Severity in Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis as Demonstrated in IL-4-Deficient C57BL/6 Mice and BALB/c Mice

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that has served as the principal experimental model for multiple sclerosis (MS). Susceptibility to disease is thought to correlate with the ability to generate a Th1-type cytokine profile in myelin-responsive T cells, whereas T cells producing a Th2 cytokine pattern, in particular IL-4, are thought to be nonencephalitogenic and also to confer protection against a Th1-type response. However, recent studies using a variety of genetically engineered animals in which the genes for Th1-type cytokines and/or their receptors have been inactivated have called into question the Th1-Th2 paradigm in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. In this report we have addressed the contribution of IL-4 to disease expression by studying two strains of mice, C57BL/6 and BALB/c, in which the gene for IL-4 has been inactivated. The IL-4-deficient C57BL/6 mice, and to a lesser extent the IL-4-deficient BALB/c mice, developed a more severe form of clinical disease, a more extensive pathologic involvement of the spinal cord, and an increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the CNS than their wild-type littermates. BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice showed a slightly different cytokine profile in the CNS. Both groups of animals recovered from the acute clinical episode in a time frame that was essentially identical to that found in the wild-type controls. We conclude that IL-4 plays an important role in modulating the severity of the encephalitogenic process, but does not by itself contribute to spontaneous remission from the disease.
Rapid assessment of fetal pulmonary maturity

Abstract The absorbance of amniotic fluid at 650 nm has been measured in 300 specimens and found to have a significant correlation with the L/S ratio. Then 118 patients were further evaluated for neonatal outcome. RDS was absent in 99% of patients with mature absorbance values. This determination has the advantage of rapid performance without specialized equipment or training and represents a significant contribution to the assessment of fetal pulmonary maturity.
The National Laboratory Gene Library Project

The two National Laboratories at Livermore and Los Alamos have played a prominent role in the development and application of flow cytometry and sorting to chromosome classification and purification. Both laboratories began to receive numerous requests for specific human chromosomal types purified by flow sorting for gene library construction, but these requests were difficult to satisfy due to time and personnel constraints. The Department of Energy, through its Office of Health and Environmental Research, has a long-standing interest in the human genome in general and in the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of energy-related environmental pollutants in particular. Hence, it was decided in 1983 to use the flow construct chromosome-specific gene libraries to be made available to the genetic research community. The National Laboratory Gene Library Project was envisioned as a practical way to deal with requests for sorted chromosomes, and also as a way to promote increased understanding of the human genome and the effects of mutagens and carcinogens on it. The strategy for the project was developed with the help of an advisory committee as well as suggestions and advice from many other geneticists. 4 refs., 2 tabs.
Diagnosis of acute pulmonary toxoplasmosis by visualization of invasive and intracellular tachyzoites in Giemsa-stained smears of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Abstract Two patients with AIDS presented with pulmonary toxoplasmosis. Diagnosis was achieved by the visualization, in Giemsa-stained smears of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, of tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii that were extracellular and in the process of invading or within pneumocytes. The intracellular localization of tachyzoites facilitated diagnosis by obviating potential confusion of extracellular tachyzoites with cellular debris or platelets.
The Association of Preaudit Engagement Risk with Discretionary Accruals

In an archival study of audits by multiple offices of three international audit firms, we examine whether preaudit engagement risk assessments made by the auditor are associated with estimated postaudit discretionary accruals. We find that preaudit engagement risk is significantly and positively associated with the estimated level of discretionary accruals reported in audited financial statements. As higher levels of discretionary accruals have been shown to be associated with higher risk of post-audit litigation, it appears that rather than taking actions that result in higher-risk clients reporting less aggressive discretionary accruals, auditors instead are accepting a higher postaudit risk for these clients.
Neurobiology of Interpreting and Responding to Stressful Events: Paradigmatic Role of the Hippocampus

The sections in this article are: 1 Physiological Stress Responses 1.1 What Systems Respond to Stressors? 1.2 Habituation and Sensitization 1.3 Psychosocial Stressors 2 Plasticity and Adaptation in the Central Nervous System: Hippocampus 2.1 Role of the Hippocampus in Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Adaptation 2.2 Plasticity of the Hippocampus 3 Hippocampal Neuronal Morphology is Altered by Hibernation, Chronic Stress, and Aging 3.1 Pharmacological Manipulations of Dendritic Atrophy 3.2 Mechanism of Dendritic Atrophy and Role of Adrenal Steroids 3.3 Hippocampal Neuronal Damage Resulting from Chronic Stress and Aging 3.4 Structural Changes in the Human Hippocampus 3.5 Stress Effects on Cognitive Performance in Rodents and Humans 3.6 Life-Long Implications of Stressful Experiences 4 The Price of Adaptation: Allostasis and Allostatic Load 4.1 Definitions 4.2 Anticipation and Behavior in Allostatic Load 4.3 Four Types of Allostatic Load 4.4 Individuals versus Groups 4.5 Measurement of Allostatic Load 5 Conclusions
ISx: A Scalable Integer Sort for Co-design in the Exascale Era

This paper introduces a new scalable integer sort application inspired by the NAS Parallel Benchmark integer sort. We provide a detailed analysis of the NPB integer sort to motivate the development of ISx---a new integer sort for co-design. ISx is a highly modular application implemented in the OpenSHMEM parallel programming model and supports both strong and weak scaling studies.
Enhancing case-based regression with automatically-generated ensembles of adaptations

Instance-based methods have been successfully applied to numerical prediction (regression) tasks in many domains. Such methods often rely on a simple combination function to generate a prediction from past instances. Case-based reasoning for regression adds a richer case adaptation step to adjust prior solutions to fit new problems. This article presents a new approach to case adaptation for case-based regression systems, based on applying an ensemble of case adaptation rules generated automatically from pairs of cases in the case base, using the case difference heuristic. It evaluates the method's performance, considering in particular the effects of using local versus global case information to generate adaptation rules from the case base. Experimental results support that the proposed method generally outperforms baselines and that the accuracy of adaptation based on locally-generated rules is highly competitive with that of global rule-generation methods considering many more cases.
Incentive compatible mechanism design and firm growth: Experiences from telecommunications sector regulation

**: This article evaluates the impact of the introduction of incentive regulation on firm growth among the population of local exchange carriers in the US telecommunications industry between 1988 and 2001. The results show that the rate of return method and other intermediate incentive schemes have had a negative impact on firm growth. Conversely, the introduction of pure price caps schemes had a positive and significant impact on firms’ growth. These results highlight the importance of proper and appropriate incentive compatible mechanism design in motivating firms to strive for superior performance.
Streptozocin-induced diabetes decreases formation of prostacyclin from arachidonic acid in intact rat lungs.

Abstract Diminished vascular prostacyclin (PGI 2 ), as well as elevated platelet thromboxane (TXA 2 ) generation is known to occur in diabetes and may be involved in the thrombotic and atherosclerotic complications of this disease. Pulmonary tissue synthesizes both PGI 2 and TXA 2 ; however, alterations in the generation of these substances in diabetic lungs has not been reported. We determined PGI 2 and TXA 2 generation from 14 C arachidonic acid in isolated perfused lungs obtained from male rats 1 and 14 days after a 50 mg/kg i.v. dose of streptozocin or the citrate-buffer vehicle. Compared to controls, lungs from rats made diabetic for 14 days showed a 30% decrease in PGI 2 generation with no change in TXA 2 . A direct inverse relationship of pulmonary PGI 2 TXA 2 ratios to plasma glucose levels for the 14-day diabetic rats occurred ( r 2 = −0.886). The 1-day study showed no difference between control and diabetic rats which suggests that alterations in arachidonic acid metabolism observed after 14 days are the result of the diabetic condition and not streptozocin. These data indicate that pulmonary PGI 2 synthesis is altered by diabetes of short duration in a manner similar to vascular tissue.
Adverse reactions to radiographic contrast material

Abstract Adverse reactions are common in patients who receive radiographic contrast media (RCM) for diagnostic procedures. The agents used are iodinated, aromatic compounds that are administered as a salt with varying amounts of sodium or methylglucamine. The incidence of such adverse reactions, according to various sources in the literature, 1–4 varies from 5% to 8%. These adverse reactions are anaphylactoid in l–2%. 3–6 The incidence of fatality appears to be about 1:40,000, 7 although various studies have reported mortality rates as high as 1:10,000 1 and as low as 1:116,000. 8 Types of adverse reactions to RCM vary and the etiologies are unclear; thus, the approaches to prevention and treatment require an understanding of the diversity. It is useful to classify adverse RCM reactions into one of four types—chemotoxic, hemodynamic, vagal, or anaphylactoid—each of which has different clinical manifestations. Very importantly, the underlying physiology and the appropriate therapeutic and preventive interventions also vary. Anaphylactoid reactions are the most serious adverse RCM reactions.
ACC synthase and its cognate E3 ligase are inversely regulated by light

1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS) is the key enzyme in ethylene biosynthesis, catalyzing the conversion of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to ACC, which is the immediate precursor of ethylene. The regulation of ACS protein stability plays an important role in controlling ethylene biosynthesis. We have recently shown that 14-3-3 positively regulates ACS protein stability by both a direct effect and via downregulation of the stability of the E3 ligases regulating its turnover, Ethylene Overproducer1 (ETO1)/ETO1-like (EOL). Here, we report that treatment of etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings with light rapidly increases the stability of ACS5 protein. In contrast, light destabilizes the ETO1/EOLs proteins, suggesting that light acts to increase ethylene biosynthesis in part through a decrease in the level of the ETO1/EOL proteins. This demonstrates that the ETO1/EOLs are regulated in response to at least one environmental cue and that their regulated degradation may represent a novel input controlling ethylene biosynthesis.
Does alcohol increase breast cancer risk in African-American women? Findings from a case–control study

Does alcohol increase breast cancer risk in African-American women? Findings from a case–control study
Aristotle’s ethics in the business classroom

How some of Aristotle’s ideas can be incorporated into an introductory course in business is discussed. In particular, these are aspects of human development and business ethics addressed in the Nicomachean Ethics, where Aristotle’s view of the good life and his doctrine of the golden mean are elaborated.
Visualization of trans-Homolog Enhancer-Promoter Interactions at the Abd-B Hox Locus in the Drosophila Embryo

Abstract The Hox gene Abdominal-B ( Abd-B ) controls the morphogenesis of posterior abdominal segments in Drosophila . Expression is regulated by a series of 3′ enhancers that are themselves transcribed. RNA FISH was used to visualize nascent transcripts associated with coding and noncoding regions of Abd-B in developing embryos. Confocal imaging suggests that distal enhancers often loop to the Abd-B promoter region. Surprisingly, enhancers located on one chromosome frequently associate with the Abd-B transcription unit located on the other homolog. These trans -homolog interactions can be interpreted as the direct visualization of a genetic phenomenon known as transvection, whereby certain mutations in Abd-B can be rescued in trans by the other copy of the gene. A 10 kb sequence in the 3′ flanking region mediates tight pairing of Abd-B alleles, thereby facilitating trans looping of distal enhancers. Such trans -homolog interactions might be a common mechanism of gene regulation in higher metazoans.
Real-time holography for optical processing using photorefractive crystals

In this paper, we describe different schemes of phase conjugation during formation of the self-organized hexagonal spot array in the photorefractive crystal KNbO 3 . Both forward and backward phase-conjugated beams are observed in the two-beam coupling geometry. We present also theoretical description of this multiplexed phase conjugation, introducing concept of the scattering wave-vector diagrams that visualize contributions from the transmission and reflection gratings.
Offsets are not add-ons: The place of addictions treatment in American Health Care Reform

Addictions treatment is often viewed by policymakers as a costly and inefficient “add-on” to an already overburdened system. This view contradicts a large literature on addictions treatment cost-offsets, which shows that treatment for addictive disorders drives down the demand for health care and promotes more efficient use by both patients and their families.
Tri-n-butyltin hydride reduction of the end group of a polyphenylene ether

A method using tri-n-butyltin hydride to reduce the 2-methyl-6-(N,N-di-n-butylamino)methyl phenol end group on PPO®(4) was developed. It generated a polyphenylene ether (PPE) with 2,6-xylenol as the only phenolic end group without causing any significant increase in molecular weight.
Lexical activation during sentence comprehension in adolescents with history of Specific Language Impairment.

Abstract One remarkable characteristic of speech comprehension in typically developing (TD) children and adults is the speed with which the listener can integrate information across multiple lexical items to anticipate upcoming referents. Although children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) show lexical deficits ( Sheng & McGregor, 2010 ) and slower speed of processing ( Leonard et al., 2007 ), relatively little is known about how these deficits manifest in real-time sentence comprehension. In this study, we examine lexical activation in the comprehension of simple transitive sentences in adolescents with a history of SLI and age-matched, TD peers. Participants listened to sentences that consisted of the form, Article-Agent-Action-Article-Theme, (e.g., The pirate chases the ship ) while viewing pictures of four objects that varied in their relationship to the Agent and Action of the sentence (e.g., Target, Agent-Related, Action-Related, and Unrelated). Adolescents with SLI were as fast as their TD peers to fixate on the sentence's final item (the Target) but differed in their post-action onset visual fixations to the Action-Related item. Additional exploratory analyses of the spatial distribution of their visual fixations revealed that the SLI group had a qualitatively different pattern of fixations to object images than did the control group. The findings indicate that adolescents with SLI integrate lexical information across words to anticipate likely or expected meanings with the same relative fluency and speed as do their TD peers. However, the failure of the SLI group to show increased fixations to Action-Related items after the onset of the action suggests lexical integration deficits that result in failure to consider alternate sentence interpretations. Learning outcomes: As a result of this paper, the reader will be able to describe several benefits of using eye-tracking methods to study populations with language disorders. They should also recognize several potential explanations for lexical deficits in SLI, including possible reduced speed of processing, and degraded lexical representations. Finally, they should recall the main outcomes of this study, including that adolescents with SLI show different timing and location of eye-fixations while interpreting sentences than their age-matched peers.
Design of three-component kinetically controlled reactive distillation columns using fixed-points methods

Abstract There is an increasing interest in reactive distillation, which has led to the development of several good simulation algorithms for modelling these systems. In this paper we present a procedure for the design of three-component kinetically controlled reactive distillation columns based on fixed-points methods. Using these methods we have developed an algorithm for calculating the minimum flows in a reactive distillation column. For the examples studied we show that the minimum reflux ratio in a kinetically controlled distillation is equal to that for an equilibrium reaction. We also show how to choose specifications that will lead to feasible reactive distillation columns. We tested our design results against column simulations and found them to be in good agreement.
Unconditionally stable implicit-explicit algorithms for coupled thermal stress waves

An unconditionally stable implicit-explicit method is proposed for the analysis of transient coupled thermal stress waves, and the computer-implementation aspects of the method are discussed. In the method proposed here, the mechanical displacement and temperature are used as independent variables. The resulting coupled finite element matrix equations are symmetric.
Mass-spectrometric sampling of 1-ATM flames

As part of a program aimed at mass-spectrometric sampling of the burned gas region of 1-atm flames for thermochemical studies, we have investigated the phenomena occurring in forming molecular beams from high-pressure sources. A simple picture of beam formation involving isentropic expansion of gas through the first orifice and into a supersonic molecular beam is justified. Two effects observed in high-pressure beam formation, mass separation, and polymer formation, are consistent with this picture, and their pertinence to the interpretation of high-pressure sampling results is discussed. A semiquantitative description of the time, temperature, and pressure history of a typical sampling situation is given showing that conversion to molecular flow occurs in several microseconds. Our sampling system, which gives molecular beam intensities of 1017 molecules/cm2/sec at 10 cm from the first orifice, was tested by measuring the stable products in CH4−O2−Ar flames and the dissociation of Cl2 in CO−O2−Ar flames. Satisfactory agreement with calculated composition was obtained in both cases. The condensable species HBO2 was successfully quenched from a H2−O2−BCl3 flame.
Dry Fractionation Methods to Produce Barley Meals Varying in Protein, Beta-Glucan, and Starch Contents

: Barley contains several valuable nutrients including beta-glucan (BG), protein, and starch. Each has additional value when concentrated. Dehulled and hulless barleys were sequentially pearled for 1 to 6 cycles, each with 8% removal. The 6 pearled kernels and the initial kernel were subjected to impact or abrasive milling, followed by sieving with a series of U.S. standard sieves. Results of pearling fines show that protein was most concentrated in the outer area, and decreased all the way toward the core area (near 100% surface removal). Starch showed an opposite trend. BG followed the starch trend, but reached a peak at about 60% surface removal. Upon milling and sieving of kernel samples, genotype and particle size had significant effects on nutrient contents in sieved fractions. The pearling cycle had significant effects on protein and starch contents but little effect on BG content, while the milling method had significant effects on protein and BG contents but little on starch content. Abrasive milling produced sieved fractions with much higher variation in protein content than impact milling, but the opposite effect was observed for shifting BG content. Mass frequency influenced more on recovery rates of nutrients than their concentrations in individual fractions. When the recovery rate was also taken into consideration, pearling alone was found to be the most effective way to enrich protein in barley kernels. However, a combination of pearling with the method of milling and sieving was needed for maximally shifting BG and starch contents. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Although dry fractionation is the method of choice for separating barley into fractions with varying levels of protein, BG, and/or starch, selection of a specific single or combined method is needed for achieving maximum shifts of a particular nutrient. Such information is significant to those who use dry fractionation methods to enrich protein, BG, and/or starch.
The role of scientific information in the restoration and protection of polluted estuaries

Questions about the adequacy of the scientific basis for pollution control in estuaries have been a prominent part of the debate over national pollution control policy since the 1960s. The efforts of the marine scientific community to assist in solving the problems of estuarine water pollution appear to have been thwarted in the 1970s by the decision to separate water pollution control from coastal zone management. The recent history of Rhode Island's efforts to control pollution in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island's coastal lagoons illustrate the weaknesses of the current case by case approach to regulation and point to the potential value of using special area planning to develop integrated pollution control plans which have a chance of being implemented at the state and local level. Policy changes are needed which recognize the value of acheiving consensus on pollution control goals, followed by research to evaluate the best means to those goals. Otherwise, the study of polluted estuaries will continue to have little relevance to public decision making.
Integration of Non-Destructive Testing In Concrete Education

With the growing rate of deterioration in the nation's infrastructure, the necessity for including non-destructive testing (NDT) and field instrumentation in engineering curriculum has become more apparent than ever before. Implementation of a National Science Foundation project for enhancing concrete laboratory with NDT and instrumentation modules is discussed. The new laboratory significantly increased student's interest in, and learning from the course. A national survey of civil engineering programs showed that less than 1 out 12 schools include NDT methods in their labs.