cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychoacoustical Studies of the Sense of Hearing in the Goldfish using Conditioned Respiratory Suppression

The methods used and some illustrative data from studies on hearing in the goldfish using classical conditioning of respiratory suppression are presented. Three psychophysical methods, and numerous psychoacoustical experimental designs are discussed. Presented in detail are: 1) A psychophysical study on level discrimination using the magnitude of respiratory suppression as if it were a confidence rating, and 2) A study of the perception of temporal acoustic patterns using a respiratory suppression in a stimulus generalization paradigm.
An informal introduction to basic concepts of aerodynamics: part I: incompressible two-dimensional flows

The main concepts to understand and to evaluate aerodynamic forces and moments are examined using as simple mathematical tools as possible. The lifting and thickness problems for 2-D incompressible flows are discussed. In particular, Magnus effect in flow over a rotating cylinder is analysed together with Joukowski transformation and Joukowski airfoils. Viscous effects are also briefly examined.
Comparison of pediatric motor vehicle collision injury outcomes at Level I trauma centers

Abstract Objective Examine the association of American College of Surgeons Level I pediatric trauma center designation with outcomes of pediatric motor vehicle collision-related injuries. Methods Observational study of the 2009–2012 National Trauma Data Bank, including n =28,145 patients Results Analyses included n =16,643 children n =11,502 adolescents 15–17years. Among children, odds of laparotomy (OR=1.88, 95% CI 1.28–2.74) and pneumonia (OR=2.13, 95% CI 1.32–3.46) were greater at ATCs vs. freestanding PTCs. Adolescents treated at ATC+PTCs or ATCs experienced greater odds of death (OR=2.18, 95% CI 1.30–3.67; OR=1.98, 95% CI 1.37–2.85, respectively) and laparotomy (OR=4.33, 95% CI 1.56–12.02; OR=5.11, 95% CI 1.92–13.61, respectively). Conclusions Compared with freestanding PTCs, children treated at general ATCs experienced more complications; adolescents treated at ATC+PTCs or general ATCs had greater odds of death. Identification and sharing of best practices among Level I trauma centers may reduce variation in care and improve outcomes for children.
Non-intrusive model derivation: automated modeling of residential electrical loads

A variety of energy management and analytics techniques rely on models of the power usage of a device over time. Unfortunately, the models employed by these techniques are often highly simplistic, such as modeling devices as simply being on with a fixed power usage or off and consuming little power. As we show, even the power usage of relatively simple devices exhibits much more complexity than a simple on and off state. To address the problem, we present a Non-Intrusive Model Derivation (NIMD) algorithm to automate modeling of residential electric loads using concepts from power systems, statistics, and machine learning. NIMD automatically derives a compact representation of the time-varying power usage of any residential electrical load, including both the device's energy usage and its pattern of usage over time. Such models are useful for a variety of analytics techniques, such as Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring, that have relied on simple on-off models in the past. We evaluate the accuracy of our models by comparing them with both actual ground truth data, and against models that have been designed manually by human experts. We show that models derived via NIMD are comparable in accuracy to models built by experts and closely approximate the ground truth data.
Cocaine Addiction and EEG in Infants

Thirty-five consecutive infants of cocaine-addicted mothers hospitalized for a comprehensive health assessment and 51 healthy, age-matched infants were studied with electroencephalography at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA.
The Beginning of Wisdom: On the Postliberal Interpretation of Scripture

This essay sketches a postliberal account of scriptural interpretation as a process of formation in wisdom. Building on Lindbeck's claim that scripture constitutes exemplary utterances of Christian language, it argues that the sort of theological hermeneutics that results from this model depends upon one's philosophy of language. Against the conventionalist assumption that a community's norms for using language are distinct from the rules of rationality, it argues that linguistic and rational norms are intertwined, exemplified by the Biblical wisdom tradition and developed by contemporary philosophers like Peter Ochs and Robert Brandom. It suggests that reading scripture forms wisdom by correcting common sense. To make this process explicit, it examines how the book of Proverbs trains its readers, as beginners in the pursuit of wisdom, to learn to use proverbs by performing a reading of the proverb as “wounds from a friend can be trusted” and reflecting on the role of reasoning implicit in that process. It then draws on Brandom's inferential semantics and Grice's pragmatic theory of implicature to make this reasoning process explicit. Finally, it suggests that for theological readers of scripture, there can be no bounds to the process of reasoning: the full meaning of scripture can only be exhausted by one with complete knowledge and a perfect capacity to draw inferences.
Codon Bias and the Context Dependency of Nucleotide Substitutions in the Evolution of Plastid DNA

A great deal of the work in plant molecular evolution to date has focused on the chloroplast genome. This is due partially to certain advantages, such as very low levels of polymorphism and a lack of recombination, which simplify data manipulation, but also to the technical ease of working with chloroplast DNA (cpDNA). A bias towards studying cpDNA is most apparent in plant molecular systematics where it has long been the molecule of choice (e.g., Chase et al., 1993; Clegg, 1993), but it has also been utilized in analyses of variation in evolutionary rates between land plant lineages (Gaut et al., 1992), between loci (Muse and Gaut, 1997) and among different genomes (Gaut et al.,1996; Eyre-Walker and Gaut,1997). In addition, the chloroplast genome has been the subject of comparative genome organization studies (Downie and Palmer, 1992) and analyses of evolutionary processes at the molecular level (Curtis and Clegg, 1984; Ritland and Clegg, 1987; Delwiche and Palmer, 1996).
Engineering of Ocean Outfalls

The criteria and design philosophy for ocean outfalls are reviewed with particular emphasis on hydraulic and sanitary aspects. It is argued that the outfall and treatment plant must be regarded as an interrelated system whose characteristics depend on what receiving standards are to be maintained. Three case studies of ocean and estuarine outfalls for disposal of combined sewage, urban runoff, and industrial waste are discussed with particular emphasis on the design criteria used for each, the options considered, and reasons for final choices made.
The diffusion of phospholipids in membranes

Two kinds of self-diffusion are possible for phospholipids in a bilayer membrane: phospholipids may move parallel to the surface of the membrane, remaining within one monolayer (lateral diffusion), and they may move perpendicular to the surface of the membrane, passing from one monolayer to the other (flip-flop). We have determined the rates of both processes by magnetic resonance measurements on spin-labeled phosphatidylcholine bilayers. We find that lateral diffusion is greater than eight orders of magnitude more rapid than flip-flop. Flip-flop is so slow that it is possible for a membrane to be asymmetric in the distribution of phospholipids between its two sides. We have investigated transmembrane electrical potential differences as possible sources of membrane asymmetry. For this purpose we developed a spectroscopic method of measuring transmembrane electrical potential differences in microscopic phospholipid vesicles.
Gender-related stereotypes of transformational and transactional leadership

This study investigated gender differences in transformational and transactional leadership, and gender-related stereotypes for these forms of leadership. Results indicated that there were no differences in the way the primarily Caucasian subordinates evaluated their actual male and female managers. There were, however, differences in ratings of stereotypic male versus stereotypic female leaders on transformational and transactional leadership, but only by female respondents. Finally, congruence between ratings of actual managers and ratings of stereotypic managers was found primarily for male respondents. Results suggest that stereotypes may be one explanation for gender differences found in prior research on transformational and transactional leadership.
What's in a name?: An analysis of the strategic behavior of family firms

Abstract Family firms play a significant role in the U.S. economy. Not all family firms, however, use their family name as part of their firm name. For example, while Dell Inc. and Gap Inc. are both family firms, Dell Inc.'s name includes the name of the founding Dell family, but Gap Inc.'s name does not include the name of the founding Fisher family. This research explores differences in strategic behavior between family firms that use their family name as part of their firm name (termed family-named firms, or FN firms) and those that do not (termed non-family-named firms, or NFN firms). The authors also investigate whether FN firms perform better than NFN firms, and whether or not their superior performance is mediated by differences in their strategic behavior. Findings based on a multi-industry sample of 130 publicly listed U.S. family firms over a five-year period (2002–2006) show that, compared to NFN firms, FN firms have significantly higher levels of corporate citizenship and representation of their customers' voice (i.e., presence of a chief marketing officer) in the top management team. FN firms also have a higher strategic emphasis (i.e., a greater emphasis on value appropriation relative to value creation) compared to NFN firms. Furthermore, FN firms perform better (i.e., have a higher ROA) than NFN firms, and their superior performance is partially mediated by their higher corporate citizenship levels and higher strategic emphasis. The authors highlight the significance of these findings for both theory and practice.
Tomographic Evaluation of Sound Fields from Acousto-Optic Data

The principles of computerized transverse tomography can be applied to the acousto-optic reconstruction of the local sound pressure of an ultrasonic field. For sufficiently narrow beams of ultrasound in the low megahertz region, the total optical phase retardation of an interrogating light beam can be considered as a projection of the sound field pressure. (Fourier techniques for the numerical reconstruction of the pressure field yield as intermediate steps a Fourier domain associated with the angular spectrum of plane waves comprising the sound field.) Consequently the sound field can be reconstructed in other regions than the plane of interrogation. In this work we discuss two alternative methods for acquiring data. One method builds the Fourier domain along radial spokes which is inconvenient for numerical processing by DFFT algorithms. The other procedure builds the Fourier domain in a nearly rectangular format compatible with two-dimensional DFFT algorithms. With this latter method, it is possible to evaluate the pressure along a line with limited data and a one-dimensional DFFT.
Growth and Characterization of TlBaCaCuO Thin Films

We discuss two methods tor the ex-situ furnace growth of pure TIBaCaCuO superconducting thin films on LaAlO3(100) substrates. The traditional approach of “crucible processing” is used to grow high-quality films of several of the TIBaCaCuO phases. “Two-zone processing” promises greater thermodynamic control, yet film properties from optimized films are not as good as those grown from crucibles. The transport kinetics of Tl-oxide vapor from a source to the film surface appears to be a dominant factor. The best results are from single-phase Tl-1212 and Tl-2212 thin films. Tc's are high and sharp, Jc's > 1 × 107 A/cm2 at 5 K, and surface morphologies are relatively smooth.
Diasporic Returns in the Jet Age: The First World Festival of Negro Arts and the Promise of Air Travel

The First World Festival of Negro Arts (FESMAN) was decidedly a product of African independence, reflecting cultural and political aspirations of an emergent world order. It was also decidedly a pr...
Interrogation of genes controlling biofilm formation using CRISPR interference in Pseudomonas fluorescens

Bacterial biofilm formation involves multigenic signaling and regulatory pathways that control the transition from motile to sessile lifestyle, production of extracellular polymeric matrix, and maturation of the biofilm complex 3D structure. Biofilms are extensively studied because of their importance in biomedical, ecological and industrial settings. Genetic approaches based on gene inactivation are powerful for mechanistic studies but often are labor intensive, limiting systematic gene surveys to the most tractable bacterial hosts. Here, we adapted the CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system for use in P. fluorescens. We found that CRISPRi is applicable to three genetically and physiologically diverse species, SBW25, WH6 and Pf0-1 and affords extended periods of time to study complex phenotypes such as cell morphology, motility and biofilm formation. In SBW25, CRISPRi-mediated silencing of the GacA/S two-component system and genes regulated by cylic-di-GMP produced phenotypes similar to those previously described after gene inactivation in various Pseudomonas. Combined with detailed confocal microscopy of biofilms, our study also revealed novel phenotypes associated with biofilm architecture and extracellular matrix biosynthesis as well as the potent inhibition of SBW25 biofilm formation mediated by the PFLU1114 protein. Thus, CRISPRi is a reliable and scalable approach to interrogate gene networks in the diverse P. fluorescens group.
Collecting the Revolution: The New York Public Library

ABSTRACTThe author examines some of the unique features of the New York Public Library’s Slavonic Division, including an “ecumenical” collecting ethos, urban location, emigre staff, and large, politically diverse clientele, which help explain the richness of its Russian revolutionary era holdings.
Inhibition of hypoxia inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α) by an RNA antagonist, EZN-2968, in vitro and in vivo.

1570 Inhibition of hypoxia inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α) by an RNA antagonist, EZN-2968, in vitro and in vivo. 1Enzon Pharmaceuticals, 20 Kingsbridge Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, 2Santaris Pharma, Boge Alle 3, DK-2970 Horsholm, Denmark HIF-1α is a transcription factor that plays a critical role in angiogenesis, survival, metastasis, drug resistance, and glucose metabolism. Elevated expression of HIF-1α is associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients; it can be elevated in response to hypoxia (due to reduced protein degradation), or when growth factor pathways are hyperactivated. Therefore, down-regulation of HIF1-α by RNA antagonists may have broad therapeutic application. EZN-2968 is a locked nucleic acid (LNA) RNA antagonist that specifically inhibits the expression of HIF-1α. Unlike other RNA antagonists, in LNAs the ribose sugar ring in each monomer is fixed in a RNA-like conformation by the introduction of a methylene bridge, linking the 2′-oxygen and 4′-carbon. This imparts LNA RNA antagonists with higher affinity and resistance against degradation compared with other oligonucleotides. In vitro, in human prostate (15PC3, PC3, DU145) and glioblastoma (U373) cells, EZN-2968 induced a potent, selective, and durable antagonism of HIF-1α expression (IC50 1 to 5 nM), both under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Additionally, down-regulation of HIF-1α by EZN-2968 led to reduction of its transcriptional targets (VEGF and matrix metalloproteinase 2 proteins) and significant reduction of HUVEC tube formation. In DU145, A549, and U373 cancer cell lines, treatment with EZN-2968 led to apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation. In vivo, administration of EZN-2968 to normal mice led to specific, dose-dependent, and highly potent down-regulation of endogenous HIF-1α and VEGF in liver. The effect of a single dose of EZN-2968 (50 mg/kg) lasted at least 4 days but less than 8 days, with a maximum effect of 75% reduction of HIF-1α and 60% reduction of VEGF mRNA 5 days after dosing. In efficacy studies, tumor reduction was found in mice implanted with DU145 cells that were transfected with EZN-2968 prior to implantation and given systemic treatment with EZN-2968 post tumor implantation. In conclusion, EZN-2968 is a potent and selective inhibitor of HIF-1α in vitro and in vivo. Ongoing Phase I studies will determine the optimal dose and schedule of EZN-2968 for the treatment of cancer.
Materials and the Environment: Eco-Informed Material Choice

The author Dr. Michael F. Ashby brings forth this bound volume in response to the action and interaction of complex systems. The primary objective of the author is to cut through some of the over-s...
How to build a digital river

Abstract There has been an increasing practice of creating Earth-like, realistic synthetic landscapes by Earth scientists and computer scientists for a variety of applications. While together these two fields have made significant scientific and social contributions to creating synthetic landscapes, it is presently infeasible to build artificial digital rivers that represent the diversity found on Earth. To understand and summarize the state of the science of rendering artificial river topography, we reviewed >225 scientific articles and produced a road map for artificial synthesis of digital river topography. We broadly classify methods of digital river synthesis by whether they are driven by expert-based decisions or are strategic in the use of rules for objective rendering, with some rules being physics-based theories of river morphogenesis. Expert approaches include map, brush, geometric and interactive design. Strategic approaches include deterministic equilibrium models, morphodynamic models, and stochastic approaches. For each approach we discuss the conceptual basis for each method and how they can be applied. Readers can then identify what methods can create different types of digital riverscapes. We close by discussing how cross pollination can serve geomorphology and computer science, the role of digital rivers in furthering geoscience progress, and future directions in digital river synthesis.
Cholinergic Receptor Blockade in the VTA Attenuates Cue-Induced Cocaine-Seeking and Reverses the Anxiogenic Effects of Forced Abstinence.

Abstract Drug relapse after periods of abstinence is a common feature of substance abuse. Moreover, anxiety and other mood disorders are often co-morbid with substance abuse. Cholinergic receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are known to mediate drug-seeking and anxiety-related behavior in rodent models. However, it is unclear if overlapping VTA cholinergic mechanisms mediate drug relapse and anxiety-related behaviors associated with drug abstinence. We examined the effects of VTA cholinergic receptor blockade on cue-induced cocaine seeking and anxiety during cocaine abstinence. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were trained to self-administer intravenous cocaine (~ 0.5 mg/kg/infusion, FR1 schedule) for 10 days, followed by 14 days of forced abstinence. VTA infusion of the non-selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist mecamylamine (0, 10, and 30 μg/side) or the non-selective muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (0, 2.4 and 24 μg /side) significantly decreased cue-induced cocaine seeking. In cocaine naive rats, VTA mecamylamine or scopolamine also led to dose-dependent increases in open arm time in the elevated plus maze (EPM). In contrast, rats that received I.V. cocaine, compared to received I.V. saline rats, displayed an anxiogenic response on day 14 of abstinence as reflected by decreased open arm time in the EPM. Furthermore, low doses of VTA mecamylamine (10 μg /side) or scopolamine (2.4 μg /side), that did not alter EPM behavior in cocaine naive rats, were sufficient to reverse the anxiogenic effects of cocaine abstinence. Together, these data point to an overlapping role of VTA cholinergic mechanisms to regulate relapse and mood disorder-related responses during cocaine abstinence.
Catalysts for fuel cell transportation and hydrogen related uses

The global energy and transportation landscapes are changing rapidly, and that brings with it evolving opportunities and catalyst research needs for hydrogen and fuel cells.
Long-term sublingual immunotherapy for peanut allergy in children: Clinical and immunologic evidence of desensitization.

Background Peanut sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for 1 year has been shown to induce modest clinical desensitization in allergic children. Studies of oral immunotherapy, epicutaneous immunotherapy, and SLIT have suggested additional benefit with extended treatment. Objective We sought to investigate the safety, clinical effectiveness, and immunologic changes with long-term SLIT in children with peanut allergy. Methods Children with peanut allergy aged 1 to 11 years underwent extended maintenance SLIT with 2 mg/d peanut protein for up to 5 years. Subjects with peanut skin test wheals of less than 5 mm and peanut-specific IgE levels of less than 15 kU/L were allowed to discontinue therapy early. Desensitization was assessed through a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) with up to 5000 mg of peanut protein after completion of SLIT dosing. Sustained unresponsiveness was further assessed by using identical DBPCFCs after 2 to 4 weeks without peanut exposure. Results Thirty-seven of 48 subjects completed 3 to 5 years of peanut SLIT, with 67% (32/48) successfully consuming 750 mg or more during DBPCFCs. Furthermore, 25% (12/48) passed the 5000-mg DBPCFC without clinical symptoms, with 10 of these 12 demonstrating sustained unresponsiveness after 2 to 4 weeks. Side effects were reported with 4.8% of doses, with transient oropharyngeal itching reported most commonly. Side effects requiring antihistamine treatment were uncommon (0.21%), and no epinephrine was administered. Peanut skin test wheals, peanut-specific IgE levels, and basophil activation decreased significantly, and peanut-specific IgG4 levels increased significantly after peanut SLIT. Conclusion Extended-therapy peanut SLIT provided clinically meaningful desensitization in the majority of children with peanut allergy that was balanced with ease of administration and a favorable safety profile.
Advances in bioprinting: a toolbox for tissue engineering

In a relatively short time, 3D printing has evolved from its initial use as a tool for “rapid prototyping” to the generation of commercial products by “additive manufacturing”. This rapidly develop...
Siniperca ikikoku, a New Species of Freshwater Percoid Fish from the Miocene of Iki Island, Nagasaki, Japan

A percoid fish from the middle Miocene freshwater beds of Iki Island, Nagasaki, Japan is described as a new species, Siniperca ikikoku of the family Sinipercidae based on three specimens. It is characterized by having 11 abdominal and 16 caudal vertebrae; 11 dorsal fin spines and 12 soft rays; three anal fin spines and eight soft rays; four large spines on the ventral arm and several short processes on the posterior margin of the preopercle; the first spine of the dorsal fin longer than half the second spine of the dorsal fin. This is the third known fossil species of the genus Siniperca and the second Miocene species of the genus. After the Miocene, fishes of Siniperca went extinct in Japan, because the large lakes and rivers disappeared in Japan. They were adapted to and dispersed in large rivers and lakes in China and Korea.
Sensitive periods in human development: charting a course for the future

Sensitive periods neurobiologically encode environmental experiences to facilitate plasticity and learning in human development. Knowledge of human sensitive periods has largely come from methods developed in animal models and remains limited in many domains. We provide a framework and suite of approaches to study these phenomena in humans to stimulate progress in understanding human sensitive periods. To do so, we evaluate how current research approaches can shed light on different aspects of human sensitive period processes. These approaches comprise environmental manipulations like deprivation and substitution paradigms, pharmacological manipulations, and computational modeling. Finally, we propose three novel approaches rooted in human neuroscience—including impoverished environments, enriched environmental interventions, and individual differences in stress—to motivate future research on sensitive period mechanisms.
Optimization and characterization of novel injection molding process for metal matrix syntactic foams

Metal matrix syntactic foams are particulate composites comprised of hollow or porous particles embedded in a metal matrix. These composites are difficult to manufacture due primarily to the lightweight, relatively fragile filler material. In this work, an injection molding process was developed for metal matrix syntactic foams. First, an aqueous binder was optimized for low-pressure injection molding. A mixture model was used to optimize the composition of the binder to achieve the highest relative density. The model predicted the maximum relative density was at a binder composition (in vol.%) of 7% agar, 4% glycerin, and 89% water. Second, this binder was used to manufacture copper matrix syntactic foams with 0, 5, 10, and 15 vol.% porous silica as the filler material. The solids loading for these compositions decreased with increasing filler material from 55 to 44 vol.%, likely due to binder filling the pores in the porous silica particles. Finally, the sample quality after injection molding was characterized. Only 0.11 ± 0.06 vol.% carbon remained in the samples. Silica particles were well-dispersed in the samples after sintering, and they did not appear to be fractured. The specific strength of the copper matrix material increased with increasing porous silica additions.
Coping with Discrimination from Peers and Adults: Implications for Adolescents’ School Belonging

School belonging is a key indicator of students' academic well-being that is threatened by adults' and peers' transgressions of discrimination. Moreover, the hierarchical power structure at school enables adults and peers to enact ethnic-racial discrimination differently, which is also more or less salient among Black, Asian American, and Latinx youth. Therefore, this study aimed to disentangle the links between adult and peer-perpetrated racial discrimination at school, five distinct coping strategies, and school belonging across ethnic-racial groups. Participants were 1686 students in grades 9-12. These results indicated that adolescents who reported peer discrimination also reported greater proactive and aggressive coping. Black youth who reported more adult discrimination also reported more proactive coping, whereas Asian and Latinx youth who reported more peer discrimination reported more proactive coping. Peer discrimination was indirectly associated with greater school belonging via proactive coping, whereas adult discrimination was directly and negatively related to belonging. These findings suggest that adolescents may be selecting to proactively cope when faced with the discrimination source they most often navigate.
Maternal environmental exposure to bisphenols and epigenome-wide DNA methylation in infant cord blood.

Maternal prenatal exposures, including bisphenol A (BPA), are associated with offspring's risk of disease later in life. Alterations in DNA methylation may be a mechanism through which altered prenatal conditions (e.g. maternal exposure to environmental toxicants) elicit this disease risk. In the Michigan Mother and Infant Pairs Cohort, maternal first-trimester urinary BPA, bisphenol F, and bisphenol S concentrations were tested for association with DNA methylation patterns in infant umbilical cord blood leukocytes (N = 69). We used the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip to quantitatively evaluate DNA methylation across the epigenome; 822 020 probes passed pre-processing and quality checks. Single-site DNA methylation and bisphenol models were adjusted for infant sex, estimated cell-type proportions (determined using cell-type estimation algorithm), and batch as covariates. Thirty-eight CpG sites [false discovery rate (FDR) <0.05] were significantly associated with maternal BPA exposure. Increasing BPA concentrations were associated with lower DNA methylation at 87% of significant sites. BPA exposure associated DNA methylation sites were enriched for 38 pathways significant at FDR <0.05. The pathway or gene-set with the greatest odds of enrichment for differential methylation (FDR <0.05) was type I interferon receptor binding. This study provides a novel understanding of fetal response to maternal bisphenol exposure through epigenetic change.
Wind tunnel-based testing of a photoelectrochemical oxidative filter-based air purification unit in coronavirus and influenza aerosol removal and inactivation.

Recirculating air purification technologies are employed as potential means of reducing exposure to aerosol particles and airborne viruses. Toward improved testing of recirculating air purification units, we developed and applied a medium-scale single-pass wind tunnel test to examine the size-dependent collection of particles and the collection and inactivation of viable bovine coronavirus (BCoV, a betacoronavirus), porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV, an alphacoronavirus), and influenza A virus (IAV), by a commercial air purification unit. The tested unit, the Molekule Air Mini, incorporates a MERV 16 filter as well as a photoelectrochemical oxidating layer. It was found to have a collection efficiency above 95.8% for all tested particle diameters and flow rates, with collection efficiencies above 99% for supermicrometer particles with the minimum collection efficiency for particles smaller than 100 nm. For all three tested viruses, the physical tracer-based log reduction was near 2.0 (99% removal). Conversely, the viable virus log reductions were found to be near 4.0 for IAV, 3.0 for BCoV, and 2.5 for PRCV, suggesting additional inactivation in a virus family- and genus-specific manner. In total, this work describes a suite of test methods which can be used to rigorously evaluate the efficacy of recirculating air purification technologies.
Dielectric relaxation affected by a monotonically decreasing driving force: An energy perspective

The response of a dielectric to an applied oscillating or step function electric field is widely used to characterize the permittivity of materials from biological samples to integrated circuits. A generic method to measure the permittivity and energy associated with different dielectric relaxation mechanisms as the driving force decreases monotonically with time is illustrated using electrolytic and ceramic capacitors. The free energy available from the dielectric is measured as the driving force changes. The results from this technique yield constraints on microscopic models of dielectric relaxation that differ from those obtained using the standard techniques.
Electoral College: Emergent Battlegrounds An Agent-Based Model of Campaign Behavior Change with District Allocation of Electors

The model presented in this paper explores whether reforming the Electoral College to a district model would have an impact on campaign activity in so-called “battleground” states. Using an agent-based model to estimate election behavior of both voters and campaigns, results are analyzed for net change in frequency of states being targeted based on expected gains from very slight perturbation of election results in battleground states where margin of winning between parties is very small. Using data from the 2016 United States presidential election as a baseline and allowing for the configuration of empirical voter demographics and competitiveness thresholds for targeted campaign activity, the model explores the possible net change in battleground priorities, with the results indicating familiar state targets of focus such as Iowa, New Hampshire and Ohio, may lose prominence to larger traditionally “safe” states such as California, Texas, and Virginia where large numbers of electoral votes previously unavailable to one party or the other would come into play.
Managing Coprovision: Using Expectancy Theory to Overcome the Free-Rider Problem

The production of public services does not depend only on the behavior of public officials. Time, effort, and skills contributed by citizens are often critical to the provision, production, and delivery of public services. Indeed some public services can be produced only when citizens and public officials jointly contribute to their production. This article shows how to design and organize the delivery of public services to promote the kinds of coproduction needed to make public efforts effective and productive. Based on standard expectancy models of employee motivation found in the human resources management literature, it emphasizes the importance of providing citizens with an understanding of what is expected of them if they are to contribute to service production and delivery, the capacity to meet those expectations, and an incentive to do so. Second, it specifies human resource management practices that foster an inclination on the part of public employees to encourage citizens to contribute their attention and efforts to the production and delivery of social services. Last, it outlines the kind of institutional arrangements that are needed to capitalize on the voluntary behavior of citizens.
Targeted therapy of gynecological tumors with cytotoxic peptide analogs

3082 A high percentage of gynecological tumors express receptors for luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), bombesin and somatostatin. 2-Pyrrolinodoxorubicin, a highly potent derivative of doxorubicin, was coupled to peptide analogs of these hormones. These hybrid molecules can be used for the targeted therapy of gynecological cancers. Human breast (MX-1, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-468, DU-4475, endometrial (HEC-1-A, RL-95-2, AN3CA) and ovarian cancer (ES-2, UCI-107, OV-1063) cell lines were tested for the presence of LHRH, bombesin and somatostatin recepetors. Anti-tumor activity and toxicity of targeted cytotoxic analogs of LHRH (AN-207), bombesin (AN-215) and somatostatin (AN-238) was evaluated in nude mouse models of these tumors and compared with the non-targeted cytoxic radical 2-pyrrolinodoxorubicin. Induction of MDR proteins MDR-1, MRP-1 and BCRP of targeted and non-targeted therapy were evaluated by real-time PCR. Growth of human MX-1, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-468 and DU-4475 breast cancers were signifcantly inhibited by AN-215. Growth of ES-2, UCI-107 and OV-1063 ovarian cancers was significantly reduced by AN-215. UCI-107 tumors were also signifcantly inhibited by AN-238 or an equimolar mixture of AN-215 and AN-238. Significant tumor inhibition of HEC-1-A, RL-95-2 and AN3CA human endometrial cancers was achieved by targeted therapy with AN-207, AN-215 and AN-238. Tumor inhibition in these models ranged between 40-68%. The cytotoxic radical 2-pyrrolinodoxorubicin alone did not significantly affect tumor growth in any experiment. White blood cell count in nude mice was significantly affected by 2-pyrrolinodoxorubicin, but not by targeted therapy. Low or no induction of MDR-1, MRP-1 and BCRP occurred after targeted therapy with AN-215 and AN-238. Targeted therapy of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer with cytotoxic peptide analogs AN-207, AN-215 and AN-238 is more effective and less toxic than non-targeted chemotherapy. AN-215 and AN-238 do not induce MDR proteins MDR-1, MRP and BCRP. Targeted therapy with cytotoxic peptide analogs should be a novel and effective treatment approach for gynecological cancers.
Obama's Antitrust Agenda

The new administration has made a splash over antitrust, with a high-profile withdrawal of the Bush Administration’s report on monopolistic offenses, the suggestion that lax antitrust enforcement may have contributed to the economic crisis, and an announcement of a more vigorous attitude toward antitrust enforcement. Yet Obama’s antitrust ambitions face at least three serious obstacles. First, the federal courts continue to be dominated by Chicago School and Harvard School judges who, in combination, regularly hand down defeats to antitrust plaintiffs. Second, history teaches that during times of economic crisis antitrust enforcement almost invariably moves to the back burner, whatever the administration in office. Finally, the post-Chicago theories that would ostensibly support an antitrust reinvigoration remain largely unproven and untested. In order to be successful in their antitrust ambitions, Obama’s antitrust enforcers will need to overcome the institutional concerns that animate both the Chicago and Harvard Schools, buck the trends of history, and provide more robust support for post-Chicago theories.
La Interpretación De Los Derechos Humanos Para La Protección Del Medio Ambiente En La Corte Europea De Derechos Humanos (Interpretation of Human Rights for Environmental Protection in the European Court of Human Rights)

Spanish Abstract: En un grado notable, las cortes Europeas han reconocido que los derechos humanos engloban los derechos ambientales – un desarrollo jurisprudencial que permanece por ahora poco reconocido en Estados Unidos y en muchos otros paises. Una cantidad sustancial de decisiones judiciales de tribunales transnacionales ha expandido dramaticamente el alcance de los derechos humanos, ofreciendo la proteccion del derecho internacional contra los danos ambientales. Este articulo describira las decisiones de la Corte Europea de Derechos Humanos durante las ultimas dos decadas (incluyendo los antecedentes de hecho de cada caso, esenciales para entender las sentencias), propone algunas areas para profundizar la investigacion y describira algunos problemas que aun deben ser tratados. Nuestra sugerencia es que las cortes alrededor del mundo deberian atender estos desarrollos y argumentamos que, dentro de Europa, las cortes nacionales deberian poner mayor atencion a los principios ambientales enunciados por la Corte Europea de Derechos Humanos. Al hacer esto, las cortes nacionales asegurarian el reconocimiento de estos principios como parte integral de su jurisprudencia nacional. Los abogados pueden desempenar un papel importante en la consecucion de estos fines, a traves del uso de la litigacion estrategica. Spanish Abstract: To a remarkable degree, European courts have come to recognize that human rights include environmental rights – a development in jurisprudence that remains little known in the United States and in many other countries. A substantial body of transnational court decisions has dramatically expanded the scope of human rights, offering the protections of international law against environmental harms. This Article will describe the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights over the past two decades (including the factual backgrounds of the cases, which are essential to understand the rulings), suggest some areas for further research, and describe some problems that have yet to be thoroughly addressed. We suggest that courts around the world should pay attention to these developments and argue that, within Europe, national courts should pay closer attention to the environmental principles enunciated by the European Court of Human Rights. By doing so, national courts will ensure recognition of these principles as an integral part of their national jurisprudence. Lawyers can play a role in advancing these goals through the use of strategic litigation.
Learning the parameters for a gradient-based approach to image segmentation from the results of a region growing approach using cultural algorithms

There are two basic approaches to image segmentation, region based and neighborhood based. Region based approaches require less a priori knowledge about the scene than neighborhood based approaches but are computationally more expensive. In cases where there is little prior knowledge about properties of the image, one is often forced to use region growing approaches. We use cultural algorithms, a form of evolutionary computation based upon principles of cultural evolution, as the basis for learning the parameters for a neighborhood based approach to image segmentation from the results of a region growing approach. Specifically, parameters for a differential gradient method utilizing the Sobel operator are learned from the results of a region growing approach. The prototype is applied to a sequence of real world images, taken from archaeological excavations of a prehistoric site in order to extract spatial activity areas in the site. A region growing approach is applied first to the images, and then a cultural algorithm is used to extract the parameters for use by a gradient method for those images. The resulting performance of the gradient method produced a correspondence of over 95% with that of the original.
Legislator Turnout and the Calculus of Voting: The Determinants of Abstention in the U.S. Congress

The belief that turnout and abstention depend on theinteraction of the benefits and costs of voting is oneof the longest held in public choice. The interplaybetween benefits and costs has typically been studiedwithin the context of voter turnout in elections, butthese results are confounded by the fact thatparticipation in such elections is a low-cost, low-benefit activity. Analysis of voting in legislatures,where the potential returns and costs to participantsare greater, is more promising.
Alcohol's effects on sleep in alcoholics

Sleep problems, which can have significant clinical and economic consequences, are more common among alcoholics than among nonalcoholics. During both drinking periods and withdrawal, alcoholics commonly experience problems falling asleep and decreased total sleep time. Other measures of sleep are also disturbed. Even alcoholics who have been abstinent for short periods of time (i.e., several weeks) or extended periods of time (i.e., several years) may experience persistent sleep abnormalities. Researchers also found that alcoholics are more likely to suffer from certain sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. Conversely, sleep problems may predispose some people to developing alcohol problems. Furthermore, sleep problems may increase the risk of relapse among abstinent alcoholics.
Stability of infinite slopes under transient partially saturated seepage conditions

[1] Prediction of the location and timing of rainfall-induced shallow landslides is desired by organizations responsible for hazard management and warnings. However, hydrologic and mechanical processes in the vadose zone complicate such predictions. Infiltrating rainfall must typically pass through an unsaturated layer before reaching the irregular and usually discontinuous shallow water table. This process is dynamic and a function of precipitation intensity and duration, the initial moisture conditions and hydrologic properties of the hillside materials, and the geometry, stratigraphy, and vegetation of the hillslope. As a result, pore water pressures, volumetric water content, effective stress, and thus the propensity for landsliding vary over seasonal and shorter time scales. We apply a general framework for assessing the stability of infinite slopes under transient variably saturated conditions. The framework includes profiles of pressure head and volumetric water content combined with a general effective stress for slope stability analysis. The general effective stress, or suction stress, provides a means for rigorous quantification of stress changes due to rainfall and infiltration and thus the analysis of slope stability over the range of volumetric water contents and pressure heads relevant to shallow landslide initiation. We present results using an analytical solution for transient infiltration for a range of soil texture and hydrological properties typical of landslide-prone hillslopes and show the effect of these properties on the timing and depth of slope failure. We follow by analyzing field-monitoring data acquired prior to shallow landslide failure of a hillside near Seattle, Washington, and show that the timing of the slide was predictable using measured pressure head and volumetric water content and show how the approach can be used in a forward manner using a numerical model for transient infiltration.
Arc spaces of cA_1 singularities

Let p be a singular point of a complex hypersurface whose tangent cone is a quadric of rank at least 3. We show that the space of arcs through p is irreducible. Using a method of de Fernex, this shows that the Nash problem has a negative answer for x^2+y^2+z^2+t^5=0. Version 2: Several small corrections.
Spurious elevation of amniotic fluid bilirubin in acute hydramnios with fetal intestinal obstruction.

lated pupils, frequently noted after lightning injury, and unlike other causes, should not be taken as an indication of cerebral death. Can a fetus in utero be affected in such manner as well (after the mother had been struck b’y lightning)? Is it possible to resuscitate such a fetus in utero? Perhaps cardiac arrest can be produced experimentally in a fetus in utero by electric shock, followed by an attempt to resuscitate that fetus. If successful, this resuscitation procedure could be made applicable to the human fetus in utero. This could be an exciting field to study and much knowledge might be added to perinatology. The following preventive measures are recommended when lightning threatens: if outdoors, remove all metal pieces from the head; lie flat or crouch down; move to a safer place-if possible, to a building in the immediate vicinity or to a grove of trees but never a lone tree (lightning bolts frequently strike tall lone trees). Do not remain in water if swimming or boating. If in a car, other than a convertible, stay inside. In a building, the :safest place is in the basement; stay away from open doors, windows, telephone, radiators, fireplace, TV, radio, lamps, and other electric equipment; avoid washing dishes or taking showers or baths.
Multidrug resistance to HIV-1 protease inhibition requires cooperative coupling between distal mutations.

The appearance of viral strains that are resistant to protease inhibitors is one of the most serious problems in the chemotherapy of HIV-1/AIDS. The most pervasive drug-resistant mutants are those that affect all inhibitors in clinical use. In this paper, we have characterized a multiple-drug-resistant mutant of the HIV-1 protease that affects indinavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, ritonavir, amprenavir, and lopinavir. This mutant (MDR-HM) contains six amino acid mutations (L10I/M46I/I54V/V82A/I84V/L90M) located within and outside the active site of the enzyme. Microcalorimetric and enzyme kinetic measurements indicate that this mutant lowers the affinity of all inhibitors by 2−3 orders of magnitude. By comparison, the multiiple-drug-resistant mutant only increased the Km of the substrate by a factor of 2, indicating that the substrate is able to adapt to the changes caused by the mutations and maintain its binding affinity. To understand the origin of resistance, three submutants containing mutations in spec...