cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative stochastic parity games

We study perfect-information stochastic parity games. These are two-player nonterminating games which are played on a graph with turn-based probabilistic transitions. A play results in an infinite path and the conflicting goals of the two players are ω-regular path properties, formalized as parity winning conditions. The qualitative solution of such a game amounts to computing the set of vertices from which a player has a strategy to win with probability 1 (or with positive probability). The quantitative solution amounts to computing the value of the game in every vertex, i.e., the highest probability with which a player can guarantee satisfaction of his own objective in a play that starts from the vertex.For the important special case of one-player stochastic parity games (parity Markov decision processes) we give polynomial-time algorithms both for the qualitative and the quantitative solution. The running time of the qualitative solution is O(d · m3/2) for graphs with m edges and d priorities. The quantitative solution is based on a linear-programming formulation.For the two-player case, we establish the existence of optimal pure memoryless strategies. This has several important ramifications. First, it implies that the values of the games are rational. This is in contrast to the concurrent stochastic parity games of de Alfaro et al.; there, values are in general algebraic numbers, optimal strategies do not exist, and e-optimal strategies have to be mixed and with infinite memory. Second, the existence of optimal pure memoryless strategies together with the polynomial-time solution forone-player case implies that the quantitative two-player stochastic parity game problem is in NP ∩ co-NP. This generalizes a result of Condon for stochastic games with reachability objectives. It also constitutes an exponential improvement over the best previous algorithm, which is based on a doubly exponential procedure of de Alfaro and Majumdar for concurrent stochastic parity games and provides only e-approximations of the values.
Linguistic repertoire and ethnic identity in New York City

Abstract This paper expands on the ethnolinguistic repertoire approach to consider the use of a broad linguistic repertoire by a single speaker in the construction of a multivalent identity. African American speakers in North America are often analyzed from an ethnolectal perspective, and placed in contrast to (white) speakers of regional varieties of American English. A close analysis of three features – one that is traditionally ethnolectal (copula absence as a feature of African American English), one that is traditionally dialectal ( bought -raising as a feature of New York City English), and one that is potentially either (non-rhoticity in the syllable coda) – reveals intersectional identification practices that go beyond ethnicity and regional identity. The results of a variationist analysis of a community sample of speakers from the Lower East Side of Manhattan is contrasted with a micro-analysis of the repertoire of a single speaker, with the repertoire analysis demonstrating the fluid nature of speaker identity and of the boundaries between ethnolect and dialect in New York City.
Evaluating Previous Thermal Treatment of Chicken Patties by Visible/Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy

Cooking history at the center point in chicken patties was quantified in terms of both time-temperature integrated indices (C and F) and endpoint temperature (T max ). Intact cooked patties were scanned for reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy. Reflectance resulted in better calibrations for the indices of thermal history than did transmittance. Three reflectance wavelength ranges, visible (400 to 700 nm), near-infrared (1100 to 2500 nm), and visible/near-infrared (400 to 2500 nm), were evaluated, and visible/near-infrared yielded the highest accuracy. The best calibration resulted in a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 0.11 log 10 (min) for log 10 C, 0.25 log 10 (min) for log 10 F, and 2.54°C for T max on an independent validation sample set.
Coastal Sand Dunes of Guerrero Negro, Baja California, Mexico

A dune field of uniform 6-m-high barchan ridges, about 40 square km in area, has blown inland from a barrier beach and has formed a partition of sand across the lagoon. The partition connects the barrier beach with the Baja California mainland. During 3.5 years of observation, the dunes advanced with a mean velocity of 18 m/year. This is equivalent to a discharge of 23 cu m of sand/m width/year. This discharge acting over the 1800-year life of the barrier beach, as dated by Carbon-14, is shown to be compatible with total volume of sand required to extend the dune field across the lagoon to the mainland. Observed travel rate of dunes was about twice that predicted from wind measurements. During high water accompanying spring tides, the floor of the interdune areas is inundated by water from the lagoons; thus, the windward margins of the dunes are subjected to the action of small waves generated by wind. The waves form miniature barrier beaches that are preserved as the dune migrates and serve as fortnightly and monthly time markers in the sediments. Avalanche bedding is the most common small-scale internal structure in the dune field. Gently sloping laminations associated with wind-blown ripples and with wave swash on the miniature barrier beaches are also common.
Examination of the scaphoid

Scaphoid manipulation is an important part of the examination of the wrist. The "scaphoid shift" is a maneuver that is helpful in assessing scaphoid stability and in identifying scaphoid and periscaphoid pathology. The anatomic basis of the maneuver is explained and its performance and interpretation discussed.
EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS INFUSION MORPHINE SULPHATE (MS) ON SYSTEMIC AND CEREBROVASCULAR PROSTANOIDS IN CONCIOUS NEWBORN PIGLETS † 1082

EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS INFUSION MORPHINE SULPHATE (MS) ON SYSTEMIC AND CEREBROVASCULAR PROSTANOIDS IN CONCIOUS NEWBORN PIGLETS † 1082
An analysis of sources of measurement variation in ELISA and a simple method for identification of outliers among replicate data

Abstract During the acquisition of replicate data in the laboratory, one or more values can sometimes be greatly divergent from the other members of the group. Suspect data can be tested by a variety of means to determine their suitability for inclusion in statistical analyses. Of currently available methods, only the Dixon test is suited for evaluation of small data sets. Mean coefficients of variation (CV) for triplicate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) optical density (OD) values were calculated, taking into account a variety of factors; a grand mean CV was then determined based on these values. We found that the Dixon test was overly restrictive, in that it would exclude OD values which varied by less than this grand mean CV. This laboratory grand mean CV (CV L ), based on a large number of triplicate data sets, provides a more scientifically accurate basis for exclusion and monexclusion of individual OD values. We have produced an algorithm which determines whether an individual replicate differs from the mean of all replicates by a percentage greater than the grand mean CV (+2 sem); this algorithm can be incorporated as conditional ‘If’ statements into commercially available spreadsheet packages for automated analysis of data imported to personal computers from peripheral devices.
Note on the contribution of resonances through pole-diagrams in chiral perturbation theory

Abstract We include resonances in the effective chiral lagrangian of the ground state hadrons in order to examine pole-diagram contributions to the nonleptonic weak decays. We focus on the possibility that these effects may be anomalously large when there are near degeneracies in the mass spectrum, and we consider whether this is of relevance to the observed ΔI = 1 2 enhancement.
Modeling Delivery Delay for Flooding in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) can have widely varying characteristics under different deployments, and previous studies show that the characteristics impact the behavior of routing protocols for MANETs. To deploy applications successfully in MANETs, application developers need to comprehend the potential behavior of any underlying protocol used. In mobile networks, a major component of many of these routing protocols is some form of flooding, which facilitates message delivery over an entire network in a relatively reliable way. Several MANET protocols use flooding to support the distribution of route request messages as well as delivering broadcast packets. Therefore, to developers of applications for MANETs, a major task in understanding MANET protocols is estimating the performance of flooding in a given operating environment. In this work, we develop an analytical model for the delay experienced in flooding a message. We model the one hop delay of a flooding message in MANETs in terms of parameters that can be acquired either from a system configuration or from application designers.
Mining Low-Support Discriminative Patterns from Dense and High-Dimensional Data

Discriminative patterns can provide valuable insights into data sets with class labels, that may not be available from the individual features or the predictive models built using them. Most existing approaches work efficiently for sparse or low-dimensional data sets. However, for dense and high-dimensional data sets, they have to use high thresholds to produce the complete results within limited time, and thus, may miss interesting low-support patterns. In this paper, we address the necessity of trading off the completeness of discriminative pattern discovery with the efficient discovery of low-support discriminative patterns from such data sets. We propose a family of antimonotonic measures named SupMaxKthat organize the set of discriminative patterns into nested layers of subsets, which are progressively more complete in their coverage, but require increasingly more computation. In particular, the member of SupMaxK with K = 2, named SupMaxPair, is suitable for dense and high-dimensional data sets. Experiments on both synthetic data sets and a cancer gene expression data set demonstrate that there are low-support patterns that can be discovered using SupMaxPair but not by existing approaches. Furthermore, we show that the low-support discriminative patterns that are only discovered using SupMaxPair from the cancer gene expression data set are statistically significant and biologically relevant. This illustrates the complementarity of SupMaxPairXo existing approaches for discriminative pattern discovery. The codes and data set for this paper are available at http://vk.cs.umn.edu/SMP/.
Is the laparoscopic approach justified in patients with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis

Abstract Objectives. Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is an atypical form of chronic renal infection. The treatment of choice is open nephrectomy, which is challenging, given the extent of the disease and the not uncommon involvement of the renal hilum and contiguous structures. We compared our experience with laparoscopic nephrectomy for histologically confirmed XGP with the open approach. Methods. Review of all nephrectomy specimens at Washington University School of Medicine from July 1990 to March 1998 disclosed 9 patients with a pathologic diagnosis of unilateral XGP, of whom 5 patients underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy and 4 underwent open nephrectomy. XGP was suspected preoperatively in 56% of the patients. Results. For the laparoscopic group, the average operating room time was 360 minutes, average blood loss was 260 mL, and complications occurred in 60% of patients (1 conversion to open, 1 ileus, 1 pulmonary embolus). For the open group, the average operating room time was 154 minutes, average blood loss was 438 mL, and there were no complications. Both groups were similar regarding time to oral intake, analgesia requirement, hospital stay, and time to complete recovery. Conclusions. Our early experience demonstrates that the benefits of laparoscopic nephrectomy, at present, do not extend to patients with XGP. Conventional open surgery is quicker, associated with fewer complications, and results in a similar use of analgesics, hospital stay, and recovery time.
Crime Waves as Ideology

This study explores how crime waves are constructed in the media and how they contribute to an ideology of crime. I present a case study of a major 1976 “crime wave against the elderly” in New York City. Analyzing data from participant observation, interviews, and content analysis of crime news, I shown that crime waves are heavily reported themes in crime which journalists perceive in selecting news. Crime waves result from processes internal to a news production system involving: a) the overlap of news judgements among media organizations, b) a “crime wave dynamic,” and c) journalists' reliance on police for accounts of crime. Only a restricted class of crime themes—those dealing with street crime—ever become crime waves. Once a crime wave begins to emerge in the media, officials use their newsmaking powers to control its growth.
Isotopic labelling at natural abundance. Photolysis of pentafluoroethyl in the infrared multiphoton decomposition of pentafluoroethyl iodide

Abstract The combination of isotopically selective infrared multiphoton dissociation with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry provides a powerful assessment of reaction mechanisms. In the case of IR MPD of pentafluoroethyl iodide strong evidence for the homogeneous gas-phase photolysis of the transient C 2 F 5 radical is obtained.
cdk6 Can Shorten G1 Phase Dependent upon the N-terminal INK4 Interaction Domain

Deregulated activity of cdk4 or cdk6 can lead to inappropriate cellular proliferation and tumorigenesis accompanied by unchecked inactivation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein. Certain tumor types preferentially activate either cdk4 or cdk6, suggesting that these kinases may not be equivalently oncogenic in all cell types. Although it is clear that cdk4 can act as an oncogene at least in part by evading inhibition by p16INK4a, the role of cdk6 in tumorigenesis is less well understood. To investigate the consequences of aberrant expression of cdk6, the requirements for proliferation caused by cdk6 overexpression were studied. cdk6-transfected U2OS cells displayed an accelerated progression through G1 phase that was dependent on kinase activity and that did not correlate with p27 binding. Furthermore, a mutation that prevents cdk6 interaction with INK4 proteins (cdk6R31C) was found to inactivate the proliferative effect of cdk6 and increase cytoplasmic localization, despite the fact that this mutant could phosphorylate the retinoblastoma protein in vitro. Together, these data suggest a role for the cdk6 INK4 interaction domain in the generation of functional, nuclear cdk6 complexes and demonstrate the importance of elevated cdk6 kinase activity in G1 acceleration.
Does Firm Size Matter Anymore? The New Economy and Firm Size Wage Effects

Researchers have long known that large firms pay higher wages than small firms for workers with similar measured characteristics; however, an agreed-upon explanation for this firm size wage effect (FSWE) has not been reached. Recent changes in the economy provide new leverage for testing competing theories for the effect, while questions about the existence and nature of the “New Economy” provide new motivation for exploring this topic. This study uses the 1988-2003 Current Population Survey and finds that the FSWE has declined by about one third over the study period. Examining the competing explanations for the FSWE, this study finds that while the sorting of workers by traits, unions, and industry factors all contribute to some portion of the effect in cross-section, they fail to explain why it has declined over time. Market power explanations also fail to find support. Shifts in organizational structures, particularly a decline of internal labor markets, appear to best fit the results. These findings ...
Perfect spline solutions of L∞ extremal problems by control methods

Abstract Methods of analyzing linear time-optimal control problems are adapted to the analysis of the extremal problem ∥ L | 0 ∥ ∞ = inf | ϵU ∥ L |∥ ∞ ; L is a linear n th order differential operator and U is a flat in the Sobolev space W n ,∞ [ a , b ]. Existence and uniqueness of solutions are established for particular U determined by interpolation conditions at a and b . Solutions are characterized as perfect splines, enabling one to obtain solutions of perfect-spline interpolation problems. Further, existence of perfect-spline solutions is established for extremal and interpolation problems determined by more general flats U .
Mojave Mars simulant—Characterization of a new geologic Mars analog

We have identified and characterized a basaltic Mars simulant that is available as whole rocks, sand and dust. The source rock for the simulant is a basalt mined from the Tertiary Tropico Group in the western Mojave Desert. The Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS) was chosen for its inert hygroscopic characteristics, its availability in a variety of forms, and its physical and chemical characteristics. The MMS dust and MMS sand are produced by mechanically crushing basaltic boulders. This is a process that more closely resembles the weathering/comminution processes on Mars where impact events and aerodynamic interactions provide comminution in the (relative) absence of water and organics. MMS is among the suite of test rocks and soils that was used in the development of the 2007/8 Phoenix Scout and is being used in the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) missions. The MMS development team is using the simulant for research that centers on sampling tool interactions in icy soils. Herein we describe the physical properties and chemical composition of this new Mars simulant.
Thermionic Emission from Cold Electride Films

Thermionic electron emission from 2000−4000 A thick films of K+(cryptand[2.2.2])e- and Rb+(cryptand[2.2.2])e- was studied as a function of temperature and time. The total charge collected was generally several hundred nanocoulombs with peak currents in the range of 5−100 pA. Although electron emission was not a direct result of thermal decomposition of the films, the peak current correlated with the decomposition rate. At a given temperature, the current increased gradually to a peak value and then decreased to near zero. Interrupting the process by cooling before complete decay, followed by a return to the same temperature, restored the previous current−time behavior. Once the current had decayed to near zero, the only way to restore emission was to raise the temperature above the previous value. The process of growth and decay was then repeated. The origin of emission is unknown, but the behavior suggests the presence of surface defect sites at grain boundaries that are initially empty. Sample decomposi...
Cardiovascular pharmacology of adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors: Therapeutic significance in congestive heart failure

Abstract This review discusses the localization of adrenergic- and dopaminergic-adrenoceptors within the cardiovascular system and describes the cardiovascular and renal changes produced following the activation of these receptors by appropriate agonists. Whereas the role of α and β-adrenergic agents in the treatment of heart failure is well recognized, recent studies with dopamine (DA)-receptor agonists indicate that they offer a novel approach in the therapy of congestive heart failure. DA-adrenoceptor agonists reduce afterload by causing vasodilation and promote sodium excretion via direct activation of DA 1 -adrenoceptors located on renal tubules. Fenoldopam is a selective DA 1 adrenoceptor agonist found to be effective in heart failure. It reduces afterload by causing peripheral vasodilation and produces natriuresis and diuresis. Dopexamine is a DA 1 - and β 2 -adrenoceptor agonist, and its efficacy in heart failure is due to its ability to provide mild inotropic support and cause a reduction in afterload. Ibopamine is a prodrug that is converted into its active metabolite, epinine. This compound activates primarily DA 1 - and DA 2 -adrenoceptors. It is effective in heart failure, and the mechanism progresses via DA 1 - and DA 2 adrenoceptor-mediated reduction in afterload. Agonists of DA 2 -adrenoceptors reduce afterload by decreasing the release of norepinephrine and by reducing the levels of reninangiotensin-aldosterone system. Since both of these systems are active in heart failure, ibopamine offers a rational approach for therapy. The present review addresses the concept of pharmacologic intervention in adrenergic and dopaminergic influence in the cardiovascular and renal systems to produce changes that are desirable for the pharmacotherapy of congestive heart failure.
Does genotypic sex have a direct effect on longevity

Females of the human species live longer than males, and the longevity differential is probably not entirely explained by reasons which are presently obvious. Genotypic sex has long been suspected to affect longevity to the advantage of the female. Several recent findings about the X and Y chromosomes must be reckoned with in considering determinants of longevity which derive from genotypic sex. The advantages of having two X chromosomes are apparent, notwithstanding X-chromosome inactivation. Not only can some cells compensate for biosynthetic deficiencies of others, but also cell selection according to which X chromosome is active can occur during development according to cell viability and proliferative capacity. It has recently been observed that at least some genes on inactive X chromosomes are reactivated late in life. Details of the reactivation process must be studied to determine its significance and the effects of the process on late life survival. The recent mapping of the catalytic polypeptide of DNA-polymerase-alpha to the X chromosome calls attention to a new property of the genotype which could affect the basic ability of cells to proliferate. It is likely that this enzyme, perhaps in concert with DNA-polymerase-delta, is required for DNA replication, suggesting that two alleles for this enzyme and cell selection within the female phenotypic mosaic for DNA replication may provide a sex-linked determinant of cell proliferation which could be advantageous in late life. Much remains to be learned about the Y chromosome, although there are early results consistent with a determinant of longevity on that chromosome which operates to the male disadvantage and probably does not involve sex hormones. The genotype may be a significant determinant of longevity in humans even if it does not appear to be so in non-human animals, because causes of death are different. Determinants of longevity are based on susceptibility or vulnerability to the causes and diseases of mortality, and these differ in different species.
Some polynomials associated with up-down permutations

Abstract Up-down permutations, introduced many years ago by Andre under the name alternating permutations, were studied by Carlitz and coauthors in a series of papers in the 1970s. We return to this class of permutations and discuss several sets of polynomials associated with them. These polynomials allow us to divide up-down permutations into various subclasses, with the aid of the exponential formula. We find explicit, albeit complicated, expressions for the coefficients, and we explain how one set of polynomials counts up-down permutations of even length when evaluated at x =1, and of odd length when evaluated at x =2. We also introduce a new kind of sequence that is equinumerous with the up-down permutations, and we give a bijection.
Distributions of conduction electrons as manifested in MAS NMR of gallium nitride.

A strategy is demonstrated for identifying unambiguously and characterizing quantitatively the effects of distributions of conduction electron concentrations arising from intentional or unintentional dopants in semiconductors by magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR. The 71Ga MAS NMR spectra of a number of chemically synthesized GaN samples with no intentional doping show inhomogeneously broadened absorptions to high frequency of the main peak. These broad signals are shown, from spin−lattice relaxation time measurements as a function of shift position in a single sample, to be due to Knight shifts arising from degenerate conduction electrons. For a GaN sample with Ge as an intentional dopant at the 0.13% (wt) level, the spectrum is dramatically broadened and shifted to high frequency by up to several hundred parts per million. Analysis of the inhomogeneously broadened line shape yields a quantitative probability density function for electron carrier concentration in the bulk sample that reflects significant com...
The incidence of thoracic trauma in dogs with skeletal injury

One hundred dogs with skeletal injury were evaluated for co-existing thoracic abnormalities. Parameters used to assess thoracic trauma were physical examination, thoracic radiographs, electrocardiograms and arterial blood gas PaO2. Thoracic abnormalities were found in 57 per cent of the dogs. Within this group, 77 per cent had abnormal thoracic radiographs, 44 per cent had abnormal low PaO2, and 30 per cent had cardiac arrhythmias. No clinical signs suggestive of thoracic injury were found on physical examination in 79 per cent of the dogs with thoracic lesions.
Modulation of the anti-cancer efficacy of microtubule-targeting agents by cellular growth conditions

Mitotic spindle-disrupting agents target and disrupt microtubule dynamics. These agents include clinically important chemotherapies, including taxanes (paclitaxel (Taxol), docetaxel (Taxotere)) and vinca alkaloids (vincristine (Oncovin), vinblastine). Taxanes are a standard component of treatment for many malignancies, often in conjunction with other cytotoxic agents. However, the optimal sequencing of these treatments and whether efficacy may be influenced by in vitro cellular growth conditions remain incompletely investigated. Yet such preclinical investigations may guide clinical decision making. We therefore studied the effect of cell density on rapid killing by paclitaxel and vincristine. Breast, ovarian and prostate cancer cells were sensitive to rapid killing by either agent when grown at low density, but were markedly resistant when grown at high density, i.e. nearly confluent. The resistance of densely growing cells to rapid killing by these drugs translated to increased clonogenic survival. Pretreatment of densely growing cancer cells with cisplatin followed by paclitaxel, partially reversed the treatment resistance. Gene ontology associations from microarray analyses of cells grown at low and high density, suggested roles for membrane signal transduction and adhesion, but potentially also DNA damage repair and metabolism. Taken together, the treatment resistance at higher cell density may be associated with a lower proportion of active cycling in cells growing at high density as well as transduction of survival signals induced by increased cell-cell adhesion. Collectively these findings suggest mechanisms by which growth conditions may contribute to resistance to rapid killing by microtubule-disrupting drugs.
Molecular Phylogenetic Relationships and Morphological Evolution within the Tribe Phyllodoceae (Ericoideae, Ericaceae)

Abstract The tribe Phyllodoceae is comprised of seven genera (Bejaria, Elliottia, Epigaea, Kalmia, Kalmiopsis, Phyllodoce, and Rhodothamnus). A clade within this tribe, comprised of all genera except Bejaria, was the subject of a phylogenetic study using six molecular markers. The goal of the study was to reconstruct a species-level phylogeny for the purpose of examining the evolution of morphological characters and to provide a framework for future studies in historical biogeography. Twenty-nine of 31 Phyllodoceae species were included in the molecular dataset of sequences from four plastid and two nuclear regions, and the remaining two species were included in a small morphological analysis. Most nodes were strongly supported using combined molecular data and four analytical approaches. Potential morphological synapomorphies were identified for some clades within the group. Evolutionary patterns in some morphological characters are apparent, which provide a basis for future anatomical and developmental ...
A QoS-Based Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation Algorithm for EPONs

Ethernet passive optical network (EPON) has been considered as an attractive solution to next-generation broadband access networks due to its low cost and high throughput. However, designing efficient bandwidth allocation algorithms is a critical issue in EPON. In this paper, a novel dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA) algorithm, called per-slot DBA (PSDBA), is proposed to efficiently and fairly allocate bandwidth among multiple users with different requirements. The PSDBA algorithm is based on the multipoint control protocol (MPCP) and allocates bandwidth on a per-slot basis. It is also combined with queue management to support quality of services (QoS) in the design of an EPON system. The simulation results show that the PSDBA algorithm outperforms a well-known DBA algorithm using a per-frame bandwidth allocation strategy
WEALTH EFFECTS OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS AGAINST FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED BANKS

We examine the stock price reaction for a sample of commercial banks to the signing of cease-and-desist orders, written agreements, and formal agreements with bank regulators. These agreements restrict financially distressed institutions from certain activities that may be perceived by the capital markets as favorable or unfavorable. Our finding of a significantly negative mean signing-day abnormal return suggests that these enforcement actions are not fully anticipated by the market and that, on average, these enforcement actions are perceived as being unfavorable for bank shareholders. Our cross-sectional analysis suggests that at least part of the negative market reaction is caused by a reduction in the moral hazard problem associated with financially distressed federally insured commercial banks. Although these actions are beneficial to both the federal deposit insurer and ultimately taxpayers, we interpret the cross-sectional findings as implying that regulators are not acting in a timely fashion to restore the financial health of these distressed “banks. Even though equity values fall, on average, when banks are faced with an enforcement action, our findings do not support the pre-FIRREA policy not to publicly disclose the signing of enforcement actions because the enforcement action itself is not the source but is merely a reflection of the bank's problems.
Effects of Rural and Urban Population Dynamics and National Development on Deforestation in Less-Developed Countries, 1990-2000*

While prior research and theorization establish connections between population growth and environmental degradation, there is a relative paucity of research on what particular aspects of population dynamics are most closely associated with specific types of degradation. Considering all less-developed countries for which data are available, using Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression we generate quantitative, cross-national models for rates of deforestation in the last decade of the twentieth century. The opposite effects of rural and urban population dynamics are of particular concern. While both influence deforestation rates, the effects of rural population change tend to be more profound and more robust. We discuss these findings in light of theoretical work about circular migration and rural encroachment. In addition, we examine the impact of economic development on deforestation while controlling for political and social welfare variables. Findings suggest a trend toward rapidly increasing rates of deforestation in the least-developed countries. We conclude with a discussion of how rural-urban population dynamics, in combination with other aspects of national development, affect the natural environment, particularly in light of an increasingly interconnected world economy.
An agent based model for evacuation traffic management

In this paper we build an agent based evacuation model and use it to test a novel traffic control strategy called throttling. The evacuee agents travel from a source to a destination taking the dynamic shortest time path (total travel time depends on the distance to destination and the congestion level). Throttling involves closing a road segment temporarily when its congestion level reaches an upper threshold and opening it when congestion level falls below a lower threshold. Experimentation was performed by comparing the total evacuation time obtained with throttling to a base case (non-throttling) using a small test network and the more realistic Sioux Falls network. We found that throttling improves the total evacuation time significantly. To further test the effectiveness of our control strategy we compared it to contraflow on the test network and found the results to be comparable.
A Liberal Defense of Black Nationalism

This article brings together work on liberal political theory and black nationalism in an attempt to both strengthen the case for black nationalism and enrich and extend liberal theory. I begin by arguing that for much of U.S. history, the classical black nationalist case for an independent state finds substantial support in recent liberal theories of secession. In the post–civil rights era, black nationalists in the Black Power movement argued for more limited forms of black autonomy, a position known as “community nationalism.” Community black nationalism makes claims similar to minority nationalist claims for limited self-determination, yet liberal multiculturalists like Will Kymlicka defend the latter while withholding support for black nationalism. I argue that black nationalism raises fundamental issues of justice and that liberal multicultural theory can be extended to support black nationalist claims.
The interaction between compression ratio, boosting and variable valve actuation for high load homogeneous charge compression ignition: A modeling study

This study discusses a novel approach toward homogeneous charge compression ignition operation in the 5 - 10 bar net indicated mean effective pressure range. This approach is based on the combination of boosting and variable valve actuation to maximize engine efficiency. Compression ratio plays a key role and determines low-temperature combustion feasibility in modern gasoline compression ignition concepts. In order to explore the interactions between compression ratio, boosting system and variable valve actuation, multi-cylinder engine models were utilized which employed the University of Michigan combustion model. Valve strategies featured switching from low-lift negative valve overlap to high-lift positive valve overlap, and the switching point was found to be dependent on compression ratio. A recent study by the authors suggested that heating the charge from external compression is more efficient than heating by residual gas retention strategies. Use of non-cooled intake air allows for valve events an...
Arteriographic and pathologic evaluation of two suture-mediated arterial closure devices in a porcine model

PURPOSE To determine the acute and short-term effects the Sutura 8-F SuperStitch and Perclose 6-F Closer devices have on the femoral artery, as determined by angiography and pathologic examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS From a common carotid artery cutdown, eight pigs underwent pelvic angiography (i) before placement of bilateral common femoral artery vascular sheaths, (ii) after sheath insertion, and (iii) after device deployment. Two pigs were immediately killed; six survived 4 weeks for repeat angiography and vessel harvest. RESULTS Average vessel diameter before sheath insertion was 5.9 mm=0.6 and 5.8 mm=0.6 for vessels with Perclose and Sutura devices, respectively. After deployment of the Sutura device, there was a 44.7% ( P = .001) mean diameter reduction from preprocedural diameters, compared to a 59.3% reduction ( P P = .53) versus the diameter immediately after sheath placement. After deployment of the Perclose device, there was a mean vessel diameter reduction of 43.8% ( P = .05) versus the diameter immediately after sheath placement. At 4-week angiography, all vessels returned to their original diameters before sheath insertion. Pathologic examination showed mild adventitial fibrosis creating a "fibrous hood" surrounding the suture and vessel. CONCLUSIONS Despite significant luminal compromise after device deployment, all vessels appeared normal on angiography at 4 weeks. Contrary to the normal angiographic findings, both devices incited periadventitial fibrosis, which created a fibrous hood around the suture and vessel.
Is Obama's Win a Gain for Blacks?: Changes in Implicit Racial Prejudice Following the 2008 Election

Many have questioned what Barack Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential election means for prejudice and intergroup relations in the United States. In this study, we examined both explicit and implicit prejudice toward African Americans prior to and immediately following the election of the first African American to the nation's highest office. Results indicated that implicit prejudice (as measured by an IAT) decreased following Obama's victory, though explicit prejudice remained unchanged. The results are discussed in terms of the malleability of implicit attitudes, race relations, and the impact an Obama presidency and other positive exemplars may have on intergroup relations.
WIISARD: a measurement study of network properties and protocol reliability during an emergency response

This paper describes the design, deployment, and empirical evaluation of WIISARD - a novel emergency response system that provides reliable communication in dynamic wireless environments without extensive communication infrastructure. The main contribution of this paper is an in-depth empirical study of network properties that emerge during a drill in which WIISARD is deployed with minimal infrastructure support. The drill involves 19 first responders and 41 victims. The properties of links established among first responders vary between phases of the drill and depend upon the responder's role in the drill. The rescue phase - in which responders are highly mobile as they triage victims - poses significant challenges to reliable communication. During this phase, the contacts between responders are short-lived; however, they are reestablished within minutes. Once a contact between responders is established, the quality of the link between those responders is usually high. The connectivity graph observed during the rescue phase is usually connected and has a small diameter although there are times when it has a large diameter or it is partitioned. While mobility increases network dynamics, we also observe that the mobility patterns characteristic of the emergency response workflow can be leveraged to disseminate data efficiently through data muling. WIISARD employs a gossip-based protocol and supports data dissemination through local communication and data muling to achieve 98% reliability during the drill exercise. These results indicate the feasibility of providing reliable communication in emergency response with minimal infrastructure in spite of network dynamics.
Adenosine A2A receptor antagonists: blockade of adenosinergic effects and T regulatory cells

The intensity and duration of host responses are determined by protective mechanisms that control tissue injury by dampening down inflammation. Adenosine generation and consequent effects, mediated via A2A adenosine receptors (A2AR) on effector cells, play a critical role in the pathophysiological modulation of these responses in vivo. Adenosine is both released by hypoxic cells/tissues and is also generated from extracellular nucleotides by ecto-enzymes e.g. CD39 (ENTPD1) and CD73 that are expressed by the vasculature and immune cells, in particular by T regulatory cell. In general, these adenosinergic mechanisms minimize the extent of collateral damage to host tissues during the course of inflammatory reactions. However, induction of suppressive pathways might also cause escape of pathogens and permit dissemination. In addition, adenosinergic responses may inhibit immune responses while enhancing vascular angiogenic responses to malignant cells that promote tumor growth. Novel drugs that block A2AR-adenosinergic effects and/or adenosine generation have the potential to boost pathogen destruction and to selectively destroy malignant tissues. In the latter instance, future treatment modalities might include novel 'anti-adenosinergic' approaches that augment immune clearance of malignant cells and block permissive angiogenesis. This review addresses several possible pharmacological modalities to block adenosinergic pathways and speculates on their future application together with impacts on human disease.
A comparison of D1 receptor binding and mRNA in rat brain using receptor autoradiographic and in situ hybridization techniques

D1, a subtype of the dopamine receptors, is widely distributed in the nervous system and has been shown to be positively coupled to adenylate cyclase. Using a combination of in vitro receptor autoradiographic and in situ hybridization techniques, the present study examines the co-distribution of D1 receptor binding sites and D1 receptor mRNA in adjacent rat brain sections. D1 receptor binding sites were labeled using the selective antagonist [3H](R)-(+)-8-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3-benzaz epin- 7-ol (SCH23390) (4.6 nM), in the presence of 1 microM ketanserin, while the D1 receptor mRNA was visualized with a 35S-labeled riboprobe corresponding to a region between transmembrane domains III and VI of the rat D1 receptor (base pairs 383-843). Analysis of serial sections suggested a good agreement between D1 receptor binding and mRNA in several brain regions, including the paleocortex, caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and suprachiasmatic nucleus. Marked discrepancies between D1 receptor binding and mRNA were observed in other brain regions including the entopeduncular and subthalamic nuclei, substantia nigra (pars reticulata), hippocampus, and cerebellum. While technical considerations may contribute to these results, much of the discordance between the distributions is probably due to the differential localization of D1 receptor mRNA in cell bodies and receptor binding sites on fibers and may provide insights into receptor synthesis, transport, and membrane insertion. In the basal ganglia, for instance, D1 receptors are synthesized in the striatum and are either transported to efferent projections in areas such as the substantia nigra, or remain localized in striatal cells bodies. Ibotenic acid lesions in the striatum are consistent with these conclusions and demonstrate a coordinate loss of D1 receptor binding and mRNA in the caudate-putamen that is accompanied by a degeneration of fibers projecting to substantia nigra and a loss of D1 binding in the pars reticulata. Neurons in the dentate gyrus and in the granular layer of the cerebellum, on the other hand, synthesize D1 receptors and transport them entirely to either their dendritic or axonal fields, respectively, in the molecular layer. This analysis provides a better understanding of dopaminergic receptor systems in the CNS and their anatomical organization.
Minimally Invasive Staging of N2 Disease: Endobronchial Ultrasound/Transesophageal Endoscopic Ultrasound, Mediastinoscopy, and Thoracoscopy

Multiple methods of minimally invasive evaluation of the N2 lymph nodes have been developed in hope of providing information similar to that obtained by a lymph node dissection, but with less morbidity. This article details four minimally invasive procedures: endobronchial ultrasound and needle biopsy, endoscopic transesophageal ultrasound and needle biopsy, cervical mediastinoscopy and biopsy, and thoracoscopy and biopsy. It discusses the lymph nodes that can be evaluated by these procedures, the limitations of the procedures, additional information the procedures can yield beyond lymph node staging, the procedures' reliability in determining whether cancer is present in the N2 lymph nodes, and, most importantly, the potential cost to the patient in answering that question.
The transmissible amyloidoses: genetical control of spontaneous generation of infectious amyloid proteins by nucleation of configurational change in host precursors: kuru-CJD-GSS-scrapie-BSE.

Kuru, Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome, scrapie, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy are caused by so-called unconventional viruses which are really replicating proteins which induce by auto nucleation and autopatterning a configurational change in the precursor protein to produce an infectious amyloid form. Crystallography and NMR may eventually determine how amyloid precursor protein is converted to this infectious form by configurational changes in all tertiary and quaternary structure of the normal precursor. Most sporadic cases of CJD arise by de novo spontaneous conversion of the normal precursor to the infectious form, a rare event occurring at the frequency of one per million persons per year (the annual incidence of CJD throughout the world). In the familial forms of CJD and GSS, where the occurrence is an autosomal dominant trait, each family has one of five different mutations causing a single amino acid change or one of five insertions of 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 octapeptide repeats. Each mutation causes a million-fold increased probability of the spontaneous configurational change to an infectious polypeptide, and appears as an autosomal dominant trait. Thus, the behavior of the transmissibile brain amyloidosis parallels completely that of the transthyretin amyloidoses causing familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy, in which there are 19 different point mutations, each one of which increases enormously the likelihood of configurational change of transthyretin prealbumin to amyloid.
Indoor Nitrous Acid Levels. Production of Nitrous Acid from Open-Flame Sources

Abstract The concentrations of HONO in indoor atmospheres are clearly correlated with open flame sources (e.g., hydrocarbon fuel fired heaters, stoves, etc.). Relatively high levels, 20–90 ppbv, were encountered in a number of sampling sites. The half-life of HONO in a typical indoor environment appears to range from 2 to 8 h.
Subwavelength plasmonic resonator

We simulate a novel plasmonic resonator at a center wavelength of lambda=737 nm based on a gold cavity with Q ap 53 and ~40% of the energy in the dielectric. We achieve a normalized mode volume of VCAN/(lambda/2n)3 ap 0.36.
Precautions about ethyl chloride.

To the Editor: I am responding to the excellent article written by Joan G. LaFreniere entitled “Tennis Elbow,” in our June 1979 Journal. My concern is that one of the techniques presented was the use of ethyl chloride spray for treating musculotendinous pathology as espoused by Dr. Hans Kraus.1 It was presented without describing the precautions in the use of ethyl chloride and mentioning that a safe alternative is available. Ethyl chloride is highly flammable and a potential anesthetic so it requires caution when used. Bonica states, “Ethyl chloride vapor is heavier than air, therefore the patient should be so positioned that the vapors gravitate away from his face. Also the room should have adequate ventilation to disperse the vapors, and sources of fires, such as cigarettes, open flame, or electrical motors should be absolutely avoided.”2… Related PubMed Citation: [312505][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/312505