cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modification of symmetrically substituted phthalocyanines using click chemistry: phthalocyanine nanostructures by nanoimprint lithography.

Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are commonly applied to advanced technologies such as optical limiting, photodynamic therapy (PDT), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), and organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, where they are used as the p-type layer. An approach to Pc structural diversity and the incorporation of a functional group that allows fabrication of solvent resistant Pc nanostructures formed by using a newly developed nanoimprint by melt processing (NIMP) technique, a variant of standard nanoimprint lithography (NIL), is reported. Copper(I)-catalyzed azide−alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), a click chemistry reaction, serves as an approach to structural diversity in Pc macrocycles. We have prepared octaalkynyl Pc 1b and have modified this Pc using the CuAAC reaction to yield four Pc derivatives 5a−5d with different peripheral substituents on the macrocycle. One of these derivatives, 5c, has photo-cross-linkable cinnamate residues, and we have demonstrated the fabrication of robust cross-linked photopatterne...
‘Overcompensation’ at an enzyme locus in Drosophila pseudoobscura *

The experiments reported in this paper are primarily addressed to test the hypothesis of overcompensation; i.e. whether polymorphic populations exploit limiting environmental resources better than populations uniform for a single genotype. Overcomposition is an ecological consequence of some models of frequency-dependent selection. Secondarily, the experiments investigate whether overdominance exists at the Mdh-2 locus in Drosophila pseudoobscura . Two types of experimental populations are established: ‘low-variability’ populations, in which all flies in a culture are offspring from only two laboratory strains; ‘high-variability’ populations, in which the flies in a culture are derived from 20 different strains. However, the overall degree of individual heterozygosity is the same in both types of populations. Three kinds of populations with respect to the Mdh-2 locus are established within each type; two are homozygous for either the 100 or the 112 allele, the third is heterozygous. A fourth kind of population exists among the high-variability populations; namely, populations in which all three Mdh-2 genotypes are present. The experiments are done at two densities; one quasi-optimal, the other highly competitive. Populations with high overall levels of genetic variation consistently produce more flies than low-variability populations. The differences are significant at the low, but not at the high, density. Moreover, populations polymorphic for the Mdh-2 locus generally produce more flies than populations having only one Mdh-2 genotype. At high density, the Mdh-2 polymorphic populations have greater productivity than populations with anyone of the three genotypes, and the differences are statistically significant when the polymorphic populations are compared with either one of the two homozygotes or with the average of all three genotypes. In brief, overcompensatory effects – which may account for frequency-dependent selection – are observed in the experiment and may be a common phenomenon in nature. Populations in which all individuals are heterozygous at the Mdh-2 locus produce in every case more flies than populations with only homozygotes for one or the other allele. The superiority of the heterozygotes is statistically significant for all comparisons at low density, but at high density it is statistically significant for the comparison with the homozygote rarer in nature and only in low variability populations.
Personality, Political and Group Process Variables in Foreign Policy Decision-Making: Jimmy Carter's Handling of the Iranian Hostage Crisis

Models of the decision-making process assuming the rationality of the major actors are not apt to explain actual decision making between states when major values are at stake. Situational, domestic political and bureaucratic constraints, as suggested by this case study of the US response to Iran's taking of American hostages, constrain choices. Beyond these factors, the chief executive's own personality is apt to have an impact on policy, especially when he has considerable authority to act independently in the foreign policy arena. His responses may to some extent show good reality testing, as evident in Jimmy Carter's rejections of military sanctions and his initial search for a diplomatic resolution of the hostage issue. But threats to major values can bring out more ego-defensive traits, as evident in Carter's inflation of the hostage issue, his avoidance of questions about the viability of the rescue operation and his difficulties in confronting incompatible policy goals. The result in this instance ...
Ruit Oceano Nox

Night falls on war-weary Troy after a day of celebration, setting the stage for the final agony of the city: uertitur interea caelum et ruit Oceano nox inuoluens umbra magna terramque polumque Myrmidonumque dolos (Virg. Aen . 2.250–2)
On the quasi-decentralized estimation and control of linear stochastic systems

Abstract It is shown that the quasi-decentralized estimation and control of linear stochastic systems have extremely simple and computationally very efficient solutions in the domain of nonoptimal local filters. These solutions reduce both off-line and on-line computation requirements. The optimal global estimate is obtained simply by the addition of nonoptimal local estimates.
Convergence to diffusion waves of solutions to nonlinear viscoelastic model with fading memory

We study the large time behavior inL2 of solutions to a model for the motion of an unbounded, homogeneous, viscoelastic bar with fading memory. Decay rates for the solutions are obtained under the assumption that the initial data and histories are smooth and small. Moreover, convergence of the solutions to diffusion waves, which are solutions of Burgers equations, is proved and rates are obtained. Our method is based on the study of properties of the solutions to the linearized system in the Fourier space.
Singularities in the Fermi-liquid description of a partially filled Landau level and the energy gaps of fractional quantum Hall states

We consider a two-dimensional electron system in an external magnetic field at and near an even denominator Landau level filling fraction. Using a fermionic Chern-Simons approach, we study the description of the system's low energy excitations within an extension of Landau's Fermi-liquid theory. We calculate perturbatively the effective mass and the quasiparticle interaction function characterizing this description. We find that at an even denominator filling fraction the fermion's effective mass diverges logarithmically at the Fermi level, and argue that this divergence allows for an exact calculation of the energy gaps of the fractional quantized Hall states asymptotically approaching these filling fractions. We find that the quasiparticle interaction function approaches a \ensuremath{\delta} function. This singular behavior leads to a cancellation of the diverging effective mass from the long-wavelength low-frequency linear response functions at even denominator filling fractions.
Parametric analysis of chirality families and diameter distributions in single-wall carbon nanotube production by the floating catalyst method

We report a detailed parametric analysis of the production of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by the floating catalyst method in a vertical furnace using an alcohol precursor. From a combined study of Raman and absorption spectroscopies and transmission electron microscopy, we have developed a semi-quantitative way of estimating the diameter and chiral family distribution of the SWCNTs produced. This approach shows that increased residence times and higher concentrations of metal catalyst in the precursor solution (i.e. ferrocene in ethanol) increase the diameter of the tubes produced. Increasing growth temperatures result in the formation of both larger and small diameter SWCNTs, in contrast to previous reports of increasing diameter with temperature. Varying these parameters could be effective in tailoring the size distribution of the SWCNTs to meet the needs of specific applications. Also evidence is presented to show the absence of red shifting of the Raman radial breathing modes, expected due to bundling, of the metallic tubes.
Radioimmunoassay of growth hormone in rats bearing somatotropin producing tumors.

A recently described sensitive radioimmunoassay for rat growth hormone has been used for the study of the growth hormone secretion of the autonomous mammosomatotropic pituitary tumor MtW15 and to determine the effects of the massive hypersomatotropism on the host rat’s pituitary. The tumor produced growth hormone was found to be immunologically identical with purified rat pituitary growth hormone. The onset of visceromegaly and rapid weight gain in the host rats correlated well with the rises noted in plasma growth hormone following implantation of the tumor. Serial determinations of plasma growth hormone from individual rats revealed wide variability of growth hormone production by the tumor in different animals. The tumor stored very little growth hormone when compared to the pituitary of control rats. Pituitary growth hormone was depressed in tumor bearing rats. This depression correlated linearly with increases of the plasma growth hormone concentration. The mean halftime of disappearance of growth ho...
Factors associated with failure in managing pelvic sepsis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA)--a multivariate analysis.

Background. Pelvic sepsis is known to cause a detrimental outcome after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). The aim of this study was to examine potential factors associated with failure in managing pelvic sepsis after IPAA. Methods. We performed univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis on 2518 IPAA patients between 1983 and 2005. Failure was defined as pouch failure, the need for a permanent ileostomy, or mortality as a result of sepsis. There were 157 patients (6.2%) with pelvic sepsis after IPAA. These involved anastomotic leak 34% (54/157) and fistula 25% (40/157). There were 5 mortalities related to sepsis. Mean age at surgery was 38.1 ± 14.4 years and mean follow-up was 5.5 ± 4.7 years. Results. Pouches were saved in 75.8% patients. Univariate analysis identified early sepsis (P = .040), preoperative steroid use (P = .007), and need for percutaneous drainage (P = .004) as significant factors associated with treatment success. Factors associated with failure were hypertension (P = .026), hand-sewn anastomosis (P = .038), associated fistula (P = .0003), need for transanal drainage (P = .0002), need for laparotomy to control septic complications (P <.0001), delayed ileostomy closure (P =.0003), and need for a new diverting ileostomy (P <.0001). By using multivariate analysis with selected covariates, significant factors associated with failure were associated fistula (P =.0013), need for transanal drainage (P =.003), delayed ileostomy closure (P =.022), need for a new ileostomy diversion (P =.004), and hypertension (P =.039). We developed a predictive scoring system for failure to use in management plans and decision-making for the treatment of septic complications of IPAA. Conclusions. Pelvic sepsis after IPAA has a significant impact on pouch failure. This predictive model for failure may play an important role in providing risk estimates for successful outcomes.
Performing Evolution: Role-Play Simulations

By simulating evolution through performance, students become physically, as well as mentally, engaged in thinking about evolutionary concepts. This instructional strategy redirects tension around the subject toward metacognitive reflection. Non-verbal performances like those presented here also avoid the pitfalls of relying on difficult-to-use language. This paper describes a teachable unit including the learning goals and outcomes as well as rubrics to aid assessment. Through two performance-based activities, the unit introduces the fundamental evolutionary concepts that evolution lacks forethought and that natural selection is a sorting process. By reflecting on the performances, students learn other sophisticated evolutionary concepts like hitchhiking, the effects of environmental change, and the extinction of traits. They also become aware of the scientific process, articulating hypotheses about the outcome of the simulations, collecting data, and revising their hypotheses. Discussions and homework about the performances reveal how learning progresses, and detailed rubrics help both instructors and students assess conceptual learning. This unit concludes with the opportunity for students to transfer what they have learned to new concepts: they design new performances to simulate other mechanisms of evolution, such as genetic drift, mutation, and migration.
Genetic linkage analysis of growth factor loci and end-stage renal disease in African Americans

Genetic linkage analysis of growth factor loci and end-stage renal disease in African Americans. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus and chronic glomerular diseases reportedly cause in excess of 80% of the incident cases of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the U.S. The factors that initiate progressive renal failure in patients with these disorders remain unknown. Several investigators have reported enhanced synthesis and activity of cytokines in the kidneys of patients with renal failure. The ensuing inflammation and fibrosis have been postulated to contribute to the development of progressive renal failure. There is also abundant evidence supporting the contribution of genetic factors in ESRD susceptibility based upon the strong familial clustering of ESRD, particularly in African Americans. Therefore, genetic linkage analysis may be useful to evaluate the role of candidate genes in several cytokine cascades that could contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic renal failure. We tested for genetic linkage between eight cytokine candidate genes and chronic renal failure in a collection of African American sibling pairs concordant for ESRD. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor (TGF) β 1, TGF- β 2 and TGF- β 3, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α and TNF- β candidate genes were selected for analysis due to their putative roles in diabetic renal disease and chronic glomerulonephritis. The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN) was also genotyped due to its reported association with diabetic nephropathy. Non-parametric (genetic model independent) affected sib pair linkage analysis was used to evaluate evidence for linkage. In order to genotype TGF- β 3, we identified four closely linked, previously unidentified, highly polymorphic microsatellite loci near the TGF- β 3 gene. Linkage of ESRD and transforming growth factor β 2 polymorphisms on human chromosome 1 approached significance for non-diabetic nephropathy (predominantly chronic glomerular disease, hypertensive nephrosclerosis and unknown etiology) ( P = 0.08), but showed no linkage to diabetic nephropathy. The other candidate loci did not demonstrate linkage to ESRD in the total population or in the subgroups with diabetic or non-diabetic etiologies of ESRD. The IL1RN gene did not show significant evidence for linkage to ESRD; however, we did confirm an association between allele 2 of IL1RN and ESRD (as reported in diabetic nephropathy). Overall, these results suggest that these growth factor loci do not make major contributions to the pathogenesis of ESRD in African Americans.
Study of ( He 3 , d ) and ( He 3 , t ) Reactions in Light Nuclei at 25 Mev

Angular distributions for the ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, d){\mathrm{B}}^{10}$, ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, t){\mathrm{B}}^{9}$, ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, d){\mathrm{N}}^{13}$, and ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, d){\mathrm{Sc}}^{41}$ reactions were measured at 25 Mev and also at 21 Mev for the carbon reaction. It was found that the angular distributions were strongly peaked forward, exhibited diffraction-like structure, and were asymmetric about 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The minimal positions of the angular distributions could be fitted with spherical Bessel functions of the appropriate order $l$, the angular momentum transfer of the ingoing proton. This analysis resulted in the same interaction radius for various levels in each of these reactions. The best-fit interaction radius for each case was 6.17, 5.91, 6.23, and 7.29 fermis, respectively. The Butler stripping theory was also fitted to the angular distributions; however, the average decrease of the angular distributions did not agree with the predicted decrease except in one case. The reactions exhibited the general characteristics of a direct process and could be predicted qualitatively with the simple form of direct interaction theories. The experimental equipment and the method of data analysis, using computer codes, is described. The ground-state $Q$ values were measured for the ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, d){\mathrm{Sc}}^{41}$, ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}(d, n){\mathrm{Sc}}^{41}$, and ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, d){\mathrm{F}}^{17}$ reactions. $Q$ values for levels excited by the ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{40}({\mathrm{He}}^{3}, d){\mathrm{Sc}}^{41}$ reaction were also measured.
The near ultraviolet spectra of some o-hydroxy aromatic Schiff bases—I. Comparison with the protonated and anionic forms☆

Abstract Huckel molecular orbital calaulations have been carried out for N-methyl-salicylal-dimine N-salicylidene-aniline, and N-methoxy-benzylidene o -hydroxyaniline to aid in the interpretation of the spectra of a series of Schiff bases. The long wavelength bands of o -hydroxy aromatic Schiff bases were found to be in the order zwitter ion > cation ≅ anion > enol.
Rotator cuff muscle size and the interpretation of scapular shape in primates

Scapular shape variation among primates is widely viewed as being strongly related to locomotor differences. The relative importance of overhead forelimb elevation in the locomotor repertoire of a species, as reflected in muscular leverage for scapular rotation or in the sizes of attachment areas for muscles involved in glenohumeral elevation, has proven to be a useful organizing principle for understanding this variation. While generally successful in sorting primate scapulae into functional groups, the scapulae of some species do not entirely match predictions based on the perceived importance of forelimb elevation. A recent study has shown that scapular fossa sizes in apes are not as accurate predictors of the sizes of the muscles arising from them as has been assumed. To further explore the degree of correspondence between actual and predicted muscle size based on the perceived importance of forelimb elevation, the current study examines the relative sizes of the rotator cuff muscles in a wider sample of primate taxa using published data on muscle mass and cross-sectional area. The results do not support some of the accepted generalizations about the relative sizes of members of the rotator cuff based on measurements of the sizes of scapular fossae. For example, orthograde apes do not display enlarged supraspinatus muscles compared to pronograde monkeys. Differences in assessments of relative muscle size based on mass compared to those based on cross-sectional area suggest that poor correspondence between muscle size predicted from scapular fossa size and actual muscle size may be related to constraints on scapular form associated with muscular leverage for scapular rotation and with scapular position on the thorax.
Non-hodgkin's lymphoma in children: Correlation of CNS disease with initial presentation

The clinical and histopathological findings in 26 children with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma without initial marrow involvement are reviewed. A marked male predominance similar to that observed in previous series was noted. Biopsy material was classified according to the recommendations of Rappaport in 22 cases. All have diffuse lymphomas, and 16 of 22 patients had diffuse, poorly-differentiated, lymphocytic lymphoma. Twelve of 26 patients had involvement of the mediastinum as part of their initial presentation. Of these 12, 5 developed lymphomatous involvement of the central nervous system prior to the development of leukemic transformation of the bone marrow. This observation suggests that prophylactic therapy against CNS relapse be considered for children with mediastinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, even in the absence of initial marrow involvement.
Manipulation versus Persuasion

(1987). Manipulation versus Persuasion. International Listening Association. Journal: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 15-28.
A biometrical genetic approach to chromosome analysis in Drosophila : Detection of epistatic interactions in geotaxis

Chromosome analysis has been widely used as a first step in eclucidating the genetic architecture of several behaviors ofDrosophila melanogaster. These chromosome studies have generally used incomplete designs or fairly simple statistical analyses. Here I reanalyze two data sets on geotaxis from Pyle (1978) and Ksander (1966) using a biometrical genetic design. Results from the biometrical genetic reanalysis suggest that individual differences in geotaxis might be due to genes on all three major chromosomes which show extensive epistatic interactions.
Action Variables for Toda Lattices

This Letter contains constructions of complex action variables for both the full Kostant-Toda Lattice in sl(n, ℂ) and the generalized nonperiodic tridiagonal Toda lattice associated to an arbitrary complex semisimple Lie algebra g. The main tool is the explicit factorization solution for certain Hamiltonian flows. The Letter also contains a generalization of the standard factorization solution theorem necessary for the analysis of the full Kostant-Toda lattice.
Lifelong physical activity and knee osteoarthritis development in mice

Aim To examine the effect of lifelong physical activity on the development of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Fifteen C57Bl/6J mice (8 male and 7 female) were individually caged with a running wheel, magnetic sensor and digital odometer, and 15 mice (7 male and 8 female) were individually housed without a running wheel. Each mouse was provided with standard chow and water ad libitum. Running wheel distance, duration and speed were recorded daily. A diagnostic ultrasound (SONOS 5500 Ultrasound and 15–6L ultrasound probe) was used to measure medial and lateral knee joint space in both hind limbs every month until the end of the mice's lifespans. Results Right medial (P = 0.002), right lateral (P < 0.0001), left medial (P = 0.01), and left lateral (P = 0.007) knee joint spaces were significantly larger from months 3 to 12 in the physically active C57Bl/6J mice. However, there was no significant difference between all knee joint spaces of the running and sedentary C57Bl/6J mice throughout the remainder of the lifespan. All hindlimb knee joint spaces significantly declined with aging (P < 0.0001). Conclusions During the first 12 months of the lifespan, physical activity seemed to protect the joint from degeneration; however; after that there was no protective benefit. This may be due to the fact that C57Bl/6J mice are genetically known to develop OA at 9 months of age. Physical activity may have no impact on this genetic predisposition. Further study in mice not genetically predisposed to develop OA is needed.
Metabolic Characterization of a Mouse Deficient in All Known Leptin Receptor Isoforms

We have characterized a newly generated mouse model of obesity, a mouse strain deficient in all five previously described leptin receptor isoforms. These transgenic mice, named the db 333/db 333 mice, were identified from an ENU mutagenesis screen and carry a point mutation in the seventh exon of the db gene encoding the leptin receptor, resulting in a premature stop codon (Y333Stop) and gene product that lacks STAT signaling domains. db 333/db 333 mice have a morbidly obese phenotype, with body weights diverging from wild type as early as 4 weeks of age (P < 0.05). To determine the contribution of the short isoforms of the leptin receptor in this metabolic phenotype, we performed an extensive metabolic characterization of the db 333/db 333 mouse in relation to the well-characterized db/db mouse lacking only the long form of the leptin receptor. db 333/db 333 mice have similar endocrine and metabolic parameters as previously described in other leptin receptor transgenic mice including db/db mice that lack only the long isoform of the leptin receptor. However, db 333/db 333 mice show a subtle trend toward higher body weight and insulin levels, lower oxygen, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and temperature than db/db mice suggesting the short isoforms may play an additional role in energy homeostasis.
Do We Have a Theory of Vocational Choice

A schema for the inductive and deductive functions of theory-building is imposed upon the formulations and research of Roe, the Michigan group, Tiedeman and O'Hara, Super, and Holland, with these results: none of the dominant approaches satisfy the established criteria of theory-building. Many of the efforts suffer from their authors' need to continually relate their data to pre-conceived formulations which do not change with the acquisition of data. For the present, the continuing empirical and longitudinal efforts and the lower-level generalizations that they produce seem to offer the greatest promise for a comprehensive model of vocational development and choice.
A numerical determination of the effect of electric fields and charges on the efficiency with which cloud drops and small raindrops collide with aerosol particles

Numerical calculations were carried out to determine the effect of a vertical electric field on the efficiency with which electrically charged or uncharged cloud drops and small raindrops of diameters ranging from 84 μm to 1.248 mm collide with electrically charged or uncharged particles of density 2 gm/cm3 and diameters between 1 and 20 μm. For this purpose, numerical flow fields about spheres of Reynolds numbers ranging from 1 to 400 were used to integrate the trajectory of the particle relative to the drop, and the force between two conducting spheres was used to represent the electrostatic force on the particle. The effect of thunderstorm strength electric charges and field on the collision efficiency was found to be highly significant for the smaller collector drops, and declined to insignificance for the largest collector drop.
The influence of ductile interlayer material on the particle erosion resistance of multilayered TiN based coatings

Abstract The effect of interlayer material on the particle erosion performance of titanium nitride (TiN)-based, magnetron-sputtered, physical vapor deposited (MS-PVD) coatings for the protection of AM355 steel components, subjected to hard particle erosion, was investigated. TiN-based coatings with interlayers of Ti, Zr, Hf, and Nb were compared for hard particle erosion resistance against angular alumina and glass bead mediaat velocities of 75 m/s and 180 m/s. In this study, high values of Vickers microhardness correlated with poor erosion performance. The TiN/Zr multilayer coatings exhibited the worst durability for all erosion conditions, even though they were the hardest coatings and had the lowest erosion rates (mass loss) early in life against glass bead media. The TiN/Nb multilayer coatings provided the best durability in most conditions. Although the TiN/Ti coatings showed best durability against the alumina particles, this difference was small and may be attributed to the relative total thickness of the coatings.
A note on Freeman's measure of association for relating an ordered to an unordered factor

Within the context of a contingency table, this note describes the relationship between Freeman's measure of associationθ and the asymmetric association measures developed by Somers. Theθ coefficient is appropriate for a contingency table in which the levels of one factor are ordered and the levels of the other factor are unordered; the indices defined by Somers are usually used when the levels of both factors are ordered and one is assumed to be the independent factor.
CurveSLAM: An approach for vision-based navigation without point features

Existing approaches to visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) typically utilize points as visual feature primitives to represent landmarks in the environment. Since these techniques mostly use image points from a standard feature point detector, they do not explicitly map objects or regions of interest. Our work is motivated by the need for different SLAM techniques in path and riverine settings, where feature points can be scarce or may not adequately represent the environment. Accordingly, the proposed approach uses cubic Bezier curves as stereo vision primitives and offers a novel SLAM formulation to update the curve parameters and vehicle pose. This method eliminates the need for point-based stereo matching, with an optimization procedure to directly extract the curve information in the world frame from noisy edge measurements. Further, the proposed algorithm enables navigation with fewer feature states than most point-based techniques, and is able to produce a map which only provides detail in key areas. Results in simulation and with vision data validate that the proposed method can be effective in estimating the 6DOF pose of the stereo camera, and can produce structured, uncluttered maps.
Hypertext and “the hyperreal”

As the technology of hypertext matures and becomes widespread, the changes it brings to textuality will affect all fields of writing, including those associated with literature. Using an important recent work of hypertextual fiction as a focal point, this paper offers a perspective on hypertext informed by literary and social criticism. It invokes Jean Baudrillards distinction between technologies of displacement (the robot) and technologies of augmentation (the automaton) to argue for the design of texts and systems that are accessible and enabling rather than opaque and objectifying.
An Evaluation of the Treasury Plan for Banking Reform

The Treasury plan for banking reform--Modernizing the Financial System: Recommendations for Safer More Competitive Banks--was released on February 5, 1991 (U.S. Treasury, 1991), and has a stated purpose of promoting a safe, sound, and competitive banking system. It contains recommendations for the most thorough overhaul of the banking regulatory system since the Great Depression. This paper provides a framework for understanding the U.S. banking regulatory system and how it has produced the current crisis in the banking industry, and uses this analysis to evaluate the Treasury plan.
Mechanisms of hydrovolcanic pyroclast formation: Grain-size, scanning electron microscopy, and experimental studies

Pyroclasts produced by explosive magma/water interactions are of various sizes and shapes. Data from analysis of over 200 samples of hydrovolcanic ash are interpreted by comparison with experimentally produced ash. Grain size and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal information on the formation of hydrovolcanic pyroclasts. Strombolian explosions result from limited water interaction with magma and the pyroclasts produced are dominantly centimeter-sized. With increasing water interaction, hydrovolcanism increases in explosivity to Surtseyan and Vulcanian activity. These eruptions produce millimeter- to micron-sized pyroclasts. The abundance of fine ash (<63 μm diameter) increases from 5 to over 30 percent as water interaction reaches an explosive maximum. This maximum occurs with interactions of virtually equal volumes of melt and water. Five dominant pyroclast shape-types, determined by SEM, result from hydrovolcanic fragmentation: (1) blocky and equant; (2) vesicular and irregular with smooth surfaces; (3) moss-like and convoluted; (4) spherical or drop-like; and (5) plate-like. Types 1 and 2 dominate pyroclasts greater than 100 μm in diameter. Types 3 and 4 are typical of fine ash. Type 5 pyroclasts characterize ash less than 100 μm in diameter resulting from hydrovolcanic fragmentation after strong vesiculation. Fragmentation mechanisms observed in experimental melt/water interactions result from vapor-film generation, expansion, and collapse. Fragments of congealed melt are products of several alternative mechanisms including stress-wave cavitation, detonation waves, and fluid instability mixing. All result in rapid heat transfer. These mechanisms can explain the five observed pyroclast shapes. Stress-wave fracturing (cavitation) of the melt results from high pressure and temperature gradients at the melt/water interface. Simultaneous brittle fracture and quenching produces Type 1 pyroclasts. Type 2 develops smooth fused surfaces due to turbulent mixing with water after fracture and before quenching. Fluid instabilities promote turbulent mixing of melt and water and produce fine ash. This kind of fragmentation occurs during high-energy explosions. The increased melt surface area due to fine fragmentation promotes high-efficiency heat exchange between the melt and water. Shapes of resulting pyroclasts are determined by maximum surface area (Type 3) and surface tension effects (Type 4). Type 5 pyroclasts result from nearly simultaneous vesicle burst and melt/water fragmentation.
939-76 The Antiarrhythmic Effect of Ischemic Preconditioning is not Mediated by Myocardial Glycogen Depletion

Reperfusion arrhythmias, a major cause of morbidity and mortality, can be prevented experimentally by preconditioning the heart with ischemia (“ischemic preconditioning” (IP)). While the mechanism responsible for this antiarrhythmic effect is unknown, a leading hypothesis is that IP depletes myocardial glycogen (G), thus limiting anaerobic glycolysis and lactic acidosis during subsequent ischemia. To test this hypothesis, we compared the incidence of sustained (>30 sec) VT or VF during reperfusion in 3 groups of rats (n = 9 each) subjected to a 6-min left coronary occlusion. A control group (CON) received no pretreatment; a preconditioned group (IP) underwent three 2-min coronary occlusions at 5-min intervals prior to the 6-min occlusion; and a third group (GI + IP) received a 40-min infusion of glucose and insulin, to ‘load’ the heart with G, prior to IF’ Additional rats were used to determine the (G) (μmol/g) of the anterior myocardium just before (PRE-G) and just after (POST-G) the 6-min left coronary occlusion, and their difference (G-consumed). Results PRE-G POST-G G-Consumed VT orVF CON 22 ± 3 8 ± 2 14 ± 3 9/9* IP 15 ± 3* 10 ± 3 5 ± 2* 1/9 GI + IP 26 ± 2 12 ± 2 14 ± 4 1/9 * p < 0,05 vs. other groups Full-size table Table options View in workspace Download as CSV Thus IP rats had lower myocardial [G] prior to the 6–min coronary occlusion than CON rats, consequently consumed less G during the occlusion, and had a lower incidence of VT or VF on reperfusion. GI + IP rats were equally protected from arrhythmias however, despite pre-ischemic (G), and ischemic G-consumption, similar to CON rats. We conclude that neither the [G] of the myocardium prior to ischemia, nor the quantity of G consumed during ischemia, influence the incidence of reperfusion arrhythmias. This suggests the antiarrhythmic protection conferred by IP is not mediated by myocardial G depletion.
Mutational landscape of basal cell carcinomas by whole-exome sequencing.

Recent advances in sequencing technology allow genome-scale approaches to cancer mutation discovery. Such data-intensive methods have been applied to cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and melanomas but have not, to our knowledge, been applied to basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). We used whole-exome sequencing to characterize the mutational landscape of sporadic BCCs. We show that BCCs are the most mutated type of human cancer. Tumors from anatomical regions with chronic UV exposure were associated with higher mutation rates than those with intermittent exposure. The majority of all mutations (75.7%) were UV signature. Using a conventional binomial probability model, several genes were found mutated significantly. However, this model assumes a uniform distribution of mutations throughout the genome. We also used a more stringent approach called InVEx that uses a permutation-based framework to pick drivers from passengers. After correction for multiple hypothesis testing, InVEx identified only PTCH1 (Patched 1) as having a significant functional mutation burden. We also found three genes, STAT5B, CRNKL1, and NEBL, with mutational hot spots at a single base in 3 of 12 tumors sequenced. Our findings support the central role of PTCH1 mutations in BCCgenesis. Moreover, our discovery of the uniquely high number of mutations in this tumor may lend insight into its biological behavior.
Oral Treatment with Rofecoxib Reduces Hippocampal Excitotoxic Neurodegeneration

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor rofecoxib [4-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-3-phenyl-2(5H)-furanone] could effectively prevent hippocampal neuronal injury in an animal model of excitotoxic neurodegeneration. COX-2 protein levels increased between 3 and 6 h, peaked at 12 h, and declined to near baseline levels 24 h after injection of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA; 18 nmol) into the CA1 region of the left hippocampus. Mice that were fed ad libitum a control rodent diet for 4 days before and 3 days after injection of NMDA demonstrated marked neuronal loss in the primary cell layers of the ipsilateral CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (50, 30, and 20% cell loss, respectively). This injury was potently and dose-dependently reduced by feeding animals a diet standardized to deliver 15 or 30 mg/kg rofecoxib per day. Neurodegeneration in the CA1 region was reduced by 30.1 +/- 5.6 and 51.5 +/- 9.0%, respectively; in the CA3 by 64.6 +/- 12.4 and 69.0 +/- 14.1%, respectively; and in the dentate gyrus by 47.8 +/- 15.2 and 58.0 +/- 18.2%, respectively. Moreover, rofecoxib chow slightly but significantly reduced injury-induced brain edema. These findings demonstrate that rofecoxib can ameliorate excitotoxic neuronal injury in vivo and, as such, may be a particularly promising pharmaceutical for the treatment of neurological diseases associated with overactivation of NMDA receptors.
Thermodynamics and Mechanisms of Protonated Diglycine Decomposition: A Guided Ion Beam Study

We present a full molecular description of fragmentation reactions of protonated diglycine (H+GG) by studying their collision-induced dissociation (CID) with Xe using a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer (GIBMS). Analysis of the kinetic energy-dependent CID cross sections provides the 0 K barriers for the sequential H2O+CO and CO+NH3 losses from H+GG as well as for the reactions involved in y1 and a1 ion formation, after accounting for unimolecular decay rates, internal energy of reactant ions, and multiple ion-molecule collisions. Here, seven energetic barriers are measured for the fragmentation processes of H+GG, including the loss of H2O and of CO at ~140 and ~156 kJ/mol, the combined loss of (H2O+CO) and of (CO+NH3) at ~233 and ~185 kJ/mol, and formation of y1 and a1 ions at ~191 and ~212 kJ/mol, respectively, with a second channel for a1 formation opening at ~326 kJ/mol. Theoretical energies from the preceding paper are compared with our experimental energies and found to be in good agreement. This validates the mechanisms explored computationally, including unambiguous identification of the b2 ion as protonated 2-aminomethyl-5-oxazolone, thereby allowing a complete characterization of the elementary steps of H+GG decomposition. These results also demonstrate that all reactive species are available from the ground state conformation, as opposed to involving an initial broad distribution of protonated conformers. This result verifies the utility of the “mobile proton” model for understanding the fragmentation of protonated proteins.
Fluoxetine impairs clearance of alprazolam but not of clonazepam

Volunteer male subjects received single 1.0 mg oral doses of alprazolam and of clonazepam on two occasions, during coadministration of 40 mg/day fluoxetine or of placebo. When the sequence of trials was placebo first and fluoxetine second, fluoxetine coadministration significantly prolonged alprazolam half-life (20 versus 17 hours) and reduced clearance (48 versus 61 ml/min). No effect of fluoxetine was seen when fluoxetine was given first and placebo second, because norfluoxetine persisted into the placebo phase even though fluoxetine had been discontinued 2 weeks earlier. Fluoxetine had no significant effects on clonazepam elimination half-life or clearance regardless of the sequence of fluoxetine and placebo administration. In the fluoxetine-placebo sequence, fluoxetine significantly increased the rate of clonazepam absorption. Thus fluoxetine appears to impair clearance of alprazolam by way of microsomal oxidation but does not alter clearance of clonazepam by way of nitroreduction. The very slow elimination of norfluoxetine should be considered in the design of clinical or pharmacokinetic studies that involve fluoxetine. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1992) 52, 479–486; doi:10.1038/clpt.1992.175
Operating systems and runtime environments on supercomputers

The evolving architecture of high-performance computing nodes poses new challenges to low-level system software components running on the nodes. New multicore and many-core designs put strain on system scalability; the introduction of nonvolatile memory forces a rethink of the memory and storage hierarchy in extreme-scale systems; the overall increase in the component count requires careful consideration of power management and fault tolerance approaches. The International Workshop on Runtime and Operating Systems for Supercomputers (ROSS), held in cooperation with the ACM Special Interest Group on High Performance Computing (SIGHPC), provides a forum for researchers to exchange ideas and discuss research questions that are relevant to low-level system software on current and future-generation supercomputers. This special issue presents significantly extended versions of the best papers from the 2013 edition of the workshop, which was held in conjunction with the ACM International Conference on Supercomputing (ICS) in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on June 10, 2013. In his keynote address Characteristics of Adaptive Runtime Systems in HPC, Sanjay Kale examined the features that are necessary or desirable to empower adaptive runtime systems, using Charm++ and the Adaptive Message Passing interface (MPI) as examples. Nine regular papers and one invited talk were also presented at the workshop in three sessions on exascale and energy, memory and tasking, and big data. Levy et al., in their paper A Study of the Viability of Exploiting Memory Content Similarity to Improve Resilience to Memory Errors, propose a novel runtime for transparently exploiting memory content similarity to reduce the rate of fatal memory errors by examining memory snapshots from HPC operating systems and applications. In Collective I/O under Memory Constraints, Lu et al. introduce a new collective I/O strategy to combat the problem of the decreasing amount of memory available per CPU core, by considering the capacity and bandwidth constraints, restricting aggregation data traffic, coordinating I/O accesses, and choosing aggregators at run time. These research efforts identify major challenges facing OS and runtime system developers and propose promising solutions to address them. We hope that the principles and techniques presented in this special issue will play an important role in the design and development of specialized operating systems for the exascale era.
Promoting Interpersonal Competence and Educational Success Through Extracurricular Activity Participation

This longitudinal study investigated consistent participation in extracurricular activities as a contributor to long-term educational success. Participants were 695 boys and girls who were interviewed annually to the end of high school and again at age 20. Family economic status, interpersonal competence, and educational aspirations during adolescence were used to assess educational status at young adulthood. Consistent extracurricular activity participation across adolescence on the educational attainment process was examined. Consistent extracurricular activity participation was associated with high educational status at young adulthood including college attendance. Educational status was, in turn, linked to reciprocal positive changes between extracurricular activity participation and interpersonal competence, and to educational aspirations across adolescence. Findings were most apparent for students with below-average interpersonal competence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)
Critical Success Factors for E-commerce in Thailand: Cultural and Infrastructural Influences

The main purposes of this paper are to identify critical success factors (CSFs) for electronic commerce (e-commerce) in Thailand and explain the major influences behind these factors. Detailed case studies of nine e-commerce companies from different industries in Thailand were conducted. Results showed that social behavior and national culture, more specifically issues pertaining to trust and shopping behavior, were the major influences for the success of e-commerce in Thailand. The phenomenon could be partly explained by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Thailand’s infrastructure also played an important role in the success of its e-commerce development. The findings provide a framework to guide the development of e-commerce ventures in Thailand and other developing countries with similar cultures and infrastructures.
Vehicle-longitudinal-motion-independent real-time tire-road friction coefficient estimation

Tire-road friction coefficient information is of critical importance for vehicle dynamic control such as yaw stability control, trajectory tracking control, and rollover prevention for both manned and unmanned applications. Existing tire-road friction coefficient estimation approaches often require certain levels of vehicle longitudinal and/or lateral motion excitations (e.g. accelerating, decelerating, and steering) to satisfy the persistence of excitation condition for reliable estimations. Such excitations may undesirably interfere with vehicle motion controls. By utilizing the actuation redundancy, this paper presents a novel, real-time, tire-road friction coefficient estimation method that is independent of vehicle longitudinal motion for ground vehicles with separable control of front and rear wheels. A dynamic LuGre tire model is utilized in this study. An observer is proposed to estimate the internal state in a LuGre tire model. An adaptive control law with a parameter projection mechanism is designed to track the desired vehicle longitudinal motion in the presence of tire-road friction coefficient uncertainties and an actively-injected persistently exciting input signal. An RLS estimator was employed to estimate the tire-road friction coefficient in real-time. Simulation results based on a full-vehicle CarSim® model show that the system can reliably estimate the tire-road friction coefficient independent of vehicle longitudinal motion.
Large-amplitude oscillation dynamics and domain suppression in a superlattice Bloch oscillator

We analyze the current dynamics of a superlattice Bloch oscillator under conditions where, in addition to the dc bias field causing a negative differential ac conductivity, a similarly strong ac field is present, at a frequency somewhat below the Bloch frequency associated with the dc field. The differential conductivity at the ac drive frequency is then negative, but, because of the strong non-linearities of the system, the dc differential conductivity is modified by the ac field. For a sufficiently strong ac field, there will be a dc bias range inside which the dc differential conductivity has turned positive, while the ac conductivity remains negative. The phenomenon should lend itself to the suppression of the domain-like space charge instabilities that are normally associated with a negative dc differential conductivity. 1. Introduction: The problem