cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Real Cost of Fake News: Smartmatic’s $2.7 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News

On February 4, 2021, voting machine company Smartmatic filed a defamation lawsuit against Rudolph Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Fox News, and Fox News personalities Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, and Jeanine Pirro. The complaint seeks $2.7 billion in compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees. The 285-page complaint alleges the damages were incurred from the defendants’ false claims that Smartmatic was actively involved in rigging the 2020 U.S. presidential election in favor of Joe Biden. This is similar to the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, Inc., (Dominion) against Sidney Powell on January 8, 2021. Part II of this Article addresses the complaint generally. Part III considers the allegation that the defendants actively colluded together. Part IV analyzes the case against Giuliani and Powell, including false statements, intent, their failed election fraud lawsuits, actual malice, and potential immunity as attorneys for Donald Trump. Part V considers the case against Fox News, including issues of potential motivations, what was known when, ambiguities in coverage, and the accessibility of accurate information. Part VI considers Smartmatic’s various damages claims, including the ability to sue on behalf of employees and receive compensation for future, reputational harm. Part VII compares the present lawsuit to the earlier Dominion lawsuit against Sidney Powell. Part VIII uses the plaintiffs’ attorney’s former “pink slime” defamation lawsuit as a comparison. Part IX concludes by predicting the trial outcome and ramifications this case may have on the political process and defamation precedent. The outcome of the Smartmatic lawsuit could have significant consequences not just for the defendants but also for the political landscape. For example, the discovery process has the potential to uncover damaging communications implicating high-profile players. There is even evidence to suggest that future litigation could include former President Trump. The Smartmatic lawsuit could also have a long-term effect on defamation case law if it reaches the Supreme Court. The Court could use it as an opportunity to revisit Sullivan, as recently advocated for by Justice Thomas.
A Sociocultural Explanation of Internet-Enabled Work in Rural Regions

This article draws on ethnographic research in three rural places in the Western United States to understand how rural workers incorporate the Internet into their work practices. We find two key, divergent types of work in rural areas that leverage the Internet: (1) telework and (2) work to market and sell goods and services online. We consider why these two forms of Internet-enabled work are pursued by different segments of the rural population, attending to the socio-demographic variation within and between these two broad categories. Some key differences include whether workers are urban transplants or rural-originating, in “white-collar” or “blue-collar” occupations, and whether they are men or women. We argue that deficit framings that focus on inadequate infrastructure or absent skills are insufficient to understand such patterns of differentiated use. Instead a sociocultural explanation is needed: one that draws connections between work cultures, occupational values, skills, and practices.
Specific Labelling of Phagosome-Derived Vesicles in Macrophages with a Membrane Dye Delivered with Microfabricated Microparticles

Phagocytosis performed by a macrophage is a cellular process characterized by complex membrane trafficking and reorganization involving phagosomes and various other cellular membranous structures. The present work reports on development of a novel technique for characterizing this process. The technique is based on the use of microfabricated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microparticles to deliver a membrane dye into a macrophage phagosome and consequently label membranous vesicles derived from the phagosome. By using this technique, it has been found that the phagosome-derived vesicles can be formed from a phagosome without undergoing resolution and possess properties of the lysosomes. This technique is applicable to another common membrane dye and promises to have wide applications.
Delivery of electronic journal content to personal digital assistants (PDAs) : Seven free options for health care professionals

The use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) to read electronic journal content is introduced and seven software programs that provide electronic journal content are reviewed: JournalToGo, High-Wire Press, MobileMerck Medicus, Wiley Interscience Mobile Edition, BioMed Central, PubMed for Handhelds, and MEDLINE Database on Tap. Advice on choosing the right program based on content and technical considerations is offered.
A derivation of Bell's inequalities in Wigner form from the fundamental assumption of statistical mechanics

Bell's inequalities in the form given by Wigner are derived from the so-called fundamental assumption of statistical mechanics. I then demonstrate the possible relationship between these inequalities and the second law, particularly if assuming the Pauli exclusion principle dictates the expected outcomes.
MEASURING THE EFFECT OF POLICY INTERVENTIONS AT THE POPULATION LEVEL: SOME METHODOLOGICAL CONCERNS

Health policy evaluations estimate the response of population aggregate outcomes to interventions. However, clarity on the form of the expected causal relationship, the parameter identification strategy, and the mode of hypothesis testing is required to overcome a number of conceptual and methodological problems. We use the New Jersey statewide smoking ban as an example. We examine statewide admission rates for acute myocardial infarctions, strokes and lower limb fractures, and emergency room encounter rates for asthma exacerbations before and after the smoking ban. We discuss the identification options and show the sensitivity of estimates of the response function to different specifications of the stochastic and intervention components and to different modes of inference. Model misspecification is demonstrated by rolling Chow tests for structural breaks in repeated observations.
Applications of modern optimal control theory to environmental control of confined spaces and life support systems: Part 4—control of systems with inequality constraints imposed on state variables☆

Abstract The necessary conditions for optimum of a dynamic system whose state variables are constrained by certain inequality conditions are derived by applying a variational technique. The conditions are employed to determine the optimal policy for the room or cabin temperature control of a life support system. The system consisting of an air-conditioned cabin subject to an inpulse heat disturbance and a heat exchanger acting as a control element is again studied. The flow of air in the cabin is characterized by the two completely stirred tanks-in-series (2 CST's-in-series) model. A constraint is imposed on the room temperature which has to be higher than a certain value for some physical or biological reasons.
Performance and scalability analysis of cray x1 vectorization and multistreaming optimization

Cray X1 Fortran and C/C++ compilers provide a number of loop transformations, notably vectorization and multistreaming, in order to exploit the multistreaming processor (MSP) hardware resources and its high memory bandwidth. A Cray X1 node is composed of four MSPs, which in turn are composed of four single streaming processors (SSP). Each SSP contains a superscalar processing unit and two vector processing units. Compiler vectorization provides loop level parallelization and uses the vector processing hardware. Multistreaming code generation by the compiler permits execution across the SSPs of an MSP on a block of code. In this paper, we analyze overall impact of loop-level compiler optimization on a scientific application called Parallel Ocean Program (POP). POP has been extensively optimized for X1 by instrumenting the code using X1 compiler directives. We compare and contrast automatic and manual optimization schemes available on X1 and analyze their impact on the code performance and scalability. Our results show that the addition of compiler directives increases the average vector length, thereby improving the single node performance significantly. However, this code scales at a slower rate as the local workload volume decreases and the communication costs increase.
The EM Algorithm

In the previous chapters, we examined various methods which are applied directly to the likelihood or to the posterior density. In this and the following chapters, we examine the data augmentation algorithms, including the EM algorithm, the data augmentation algorithm and the Gibbs sampler. All of these data augmentation algorithms share a common approach to problems: rather than performing a complicated maximization or simulation, one augments the observed data with “stuff” (latent data) which simplifies the calculation and subsequently performs a series of simple maximizations or simulations. This “stuff” can be the “missing” data or parameter values. The principle of data augmentation can then be stated as follows: Augment the observed data Y with latent data Z so that the augmented posterior distribution p(θ|Y, Z) is “simple”. Make use of this simplicity in maximizing/marginalizing/calculating/sampling the observed posterior p(θ|Y).
Distributed algorithms for load balancing in very large homogeneous systems

In order to improve the performance of a system it is necessary to balance the loads among the processors in the system. We propose distributed load balancing algorithms for very large systems with possibly thousands of processors. The proposed algorithms are truly distributed, i.e., there does not exist any central controller to provide control, coordination, or mediation among the processors. Processors, with the use of local knowledge and interaction with their neighbors, maintain global balance in the system. The way processors are paired to exchange their loads will have an impact on the performance of the system. We have shown that an effective pairing of processors is possible with the use of the concepts of edge-coloring and node-coloring from graph theory. The proposed algorithms are truly dynamic and adaptable to instantaneous changes in the system. Their correct operation does not depend on any fixed-threshold level. They provide a fair service to every job regardless of its source of delivery to the system.
VITAMIN A AND HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS TYPE 1(HIV-1) IN VITRO INFECTION IN CORD BLOOD LYMPHOCYTES AND MONOCYTES. • 1760

Vitamin A deficiency maybe a risk factor for perinatal transmission of HIV-1 (Lancet. 1994;343:1593). Vitamin A enhances T-cell function and leukocyte phagocytic activity in vitro. Levels of vitamin A are decreased in newborns and infected HIV-1 pregnant mothers. Our hypothesis is that vitamin A may effect HIV-1 infection in cord blood lymphocytes and monocyte derived macrophages. We studied the effect of different concentrations of vitamin A and HIV-1 infection in cord blood lymphocytes and monocytes from 4 healthy(HIV negative) term infants. Lymphocytes and monocytes were isolated and cultured separately, then infected with HIV-1 (BAL strain). Supernatant was collected in triplicate on successive days for reverse transcriptase(RT) and p24 antigen analysis by radioimmunoassay and ELISA(Coulter, Miami, FL) respectively. Vitamin A significantly inhibited p24 viral replication by 50% at concentrations greater than 34.9 μmol/L in cord lymphocytes(101.1± 30.1 vs 219.4 ± 39.2, pg/ml, M±SD, p<0.0001, n=2) and 75% in monocytes(117.6 ±63.4 vs 507.0 ± 8.5 pg/ml p24, M±SD, p<0.025, n=2). Monocyte RT activity was decreased by 60%(3632± 1206 vs 9096 ± 1670 cpm/5μl, M±SEM, p<0.025, n=2). At concentrations less than 7.0 μmol/L p24 viral replication in lymphocytes was increased twofold(457.5 ± 77.2 vs 219.4 ± 39.2 pg/ml, M±SD, p<0.0001, n=2). In macrophages, RT was stimulated nearly threefold at concentrations less than 34.9 μmol/L (26078 ± 4757 vs 9096 ± 1670 cpm/5μl, M±SEM, p<0.025, n=2), but p24 antigen levels were unchanged. There was no cytotoxicity at 139.6 μmol/L. In summary, vitamin A significantly suppresses HIV-1 expression in both cord blood lymphocytes and macrophages at concentrations greater than 34.9μmol/L in a concentration dependent fashion. However, at concentrations less than 7.0 μmol/L vitamin A significantly stimulates viral replication. Thus, these observations may indicate that at high concentrations vitamin A may have the potential to inhibit HIV-1 replication in lymphocytes and monocytes in vivo and prevent perinatal transmission.
Labor market institutions and income inequality: an empirical exploration

This paper presents evidence on the impact of labor regulations on income inequality using a recently published database on labor institutions and outcomes as well as different panel data analysis techniques for a large sample of countries for 1970–2000. When applying our preferred technique we find that both de jure and de facto regulations improve the distribution of income although the former appear to be non-robustly associated with improving income inequality. This result partly reflects the fact that regulations are endogenous and, more interestingly, that different regulation yield distinct effects.
A response surface approach to improving traffic signal settings in a street network

THE PROBLEM OF DETERMINING THE SETTINGS FOR THE CONTROLLABLE PARAMETERS OF A NUMBER OF PRETIMED TRAFFIC SIGNALS LOCATED THROUGHOUT A GENERAL STREET NETWORK IS CONSIDERED. A TECHNIQUE BASED ON RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY IS PRESENTED THAT COMBINES A SEARCH PROCEDURE AND A TIME-ORIENTED SIMULATION MODEL OF THE SYSTEM UNDER STUDY. ANY MEASURABLE OBJECTIVE FUNCTION MAY BE OPTIMIZED OR IMPROVED UTILIZING THIS METHODOLOGY. AN EXAMPLE SITUATION IS PRESENTED IN WHICH A LINEAR COMBINATION OF VEHICLE STOPS AND DELAYS FOR A SIX-SIGNAL NETWORK IS LOCALLY MINIMIZED FOR VARIOUS SETS OF CONTROLLABLE PARAMETERS AND FOR THREE DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS. IN ALL CASES THE TECHNIQUE GENERATED PARAMETER SETTINGS THAT WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED WITH RESPECT TO THE INITIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS FOR THE SIX SIGNALS. STATISTICAL VERIFICATION OF THE RESULT IS GIVEN. /AUTHOR/
Performance of Thermoelectric Based Regenerative Adsorption Cooling System for Harsh Environment

Performance of a cooling system designed for thermal management of harsh environment electronics has been presented. The system is based on regenerative adsorption-desorption cycle and mainly comprises of two beds with zeolite-water as adsorbent-adsorbate pair, a condenser and an evaporator. Heat regeneration was achieved by a thermoelectric (TE) device placed in between the zeolite beds. Use of a thermoelectric device for heat transfer in between beds allows for miniaturization of usually bulky adsorption cooling systems. This also provides a cooling system with nearly no moving parts, hence suitable for harsh environment electronic cooling applications. Zeolite beds alternately carry out adsorption and desorption depending on the direction of heat flow in between them. Direction of heat flow is governed by the polarity of voltage applied across the TE device. Polarity is switched at fixed time intervals that determine the cycle time. Tests were carried out during which the condenser temperature hovered around 165 °C, heat load was up to 5W, the cycle time kept close to 12 minutes and the targeted evaporator temperature was 140 °C. System was analyzed in terms of the extent of cooling below the heat rejection ambient temperature of 160 °C and coefficient of performance. A COP of 0.2 was obtained. The study could be used to extend the working envelopes of existing electronics towards hotter surroundings. A mathematical model was also prepared and the experimental results have been compared with the simulations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
PERSONALITY IMPRESSIONS OF SELF-PUNITIVE AND EXTRAPUNITIVE STIMULUS PERSONS.

(1965). Personality Impressions of Self-Punitive and Extrapunitive Stimulus Persons. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 67-83.
Convergence semigroup categories

Properties of the category consisting of all objects of the form (X, S, λ) are investigated, where X is a convergence space, S is a commutative semigroup, and λ: X × S → X is a continuous action. A “generalized quotient” of each object is defined without making the usual assumption that for each fixed g ∈ S, λ(., g) : X → X is an injection.
Investigation of nickel oxide on alumina aerogel catalysts promoted with magnesia or iron oxide for nitroxidation of propylene into acrylo- and acetonitriles

Abstract Nickel oxide on alumina aerogel catalysts are known to convert propylene into acrylonitrile through the interaction with nitric oxide (nitroxidation). For a NiO/Al 2 O 3 aerogel catalyst, with Ni:Al ratio 1:1, the activity decreases by about 20% over a 3-h run. Simultaneously, a carbon deposit is observed on the catalyst which results from the cracking of hydrocarbons and from the Boudouard reaction of generated carbon monoxide. Addition of water vapor into the feed slows down the deactivation process by promoting the water—gas shift reaction without affecting the activity. Addition of a basic component like magnesia (0.2 Mg:0.8 Ni) to the NiO/Al 2 O 3 aerogel catalyst also enhances the stability by retarding the cracking reactions. Addition of iron oxide (0.2 Fe:0.8 Ni) to the NiO/Al 2 O 3 aerogel catalyst, in order to favor the water-gas shift reaction, results in a catalyst which is inactive for nitroxidation but promotes cracking and steam-reforming reactions, providing thus more insight into the deactivation process.
Comparative metabolism and disposition of acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile in rats

Aliphatic nitriles are a class of chemicals used in high volumes in the production of plastics and elastomers, in organic synthesis, and in production of a number of food packaging containers. Toxicity and metabolism of acrylonitrile (AN) are well characterized. On the other hand, minimal information is available on the toxicity or fate of structurally related, methacrylonitrile (MAN). In an attempt to predict the toxicity of MAN, the present studies were designed to compare the disposition of both nitriles in rats. After gavage administration of equimolar doses (0.87 mmol/kg) of 2-14C-MAN or 2-14C-AN to male F344 rats, both chemicals were well absorbed from the GI tract and distributed to all major tissues. However, major differences in the disposition of the two nitriles were observed. While approximately 39% of the administered MAN dose was eliminated as CO2 in 24 h after dosing, only 11% of an equimolar dose of AN was eliminated as such. In addition, 31% of the MAN dose was exhaled as organic volatiles in 24 h compared to less than 2% of an equivalent AN dose. MAN and acetone were identified by HPLC analysis of expired organic volatiles from MAN-treated rats. HPLC analysis showed that AN is the only organic volatile exhaled by AN-treated rats. Urinary excretion of MAN was 22% compared to 67% of an equivalent dose of AN. The major urinary metabolite from AN results from direct conjugation with GSH, whereas the major urinary metabolite from MAN results from conjugation of the epoxide with GSH. Pretreatment with phenobarbital (PB) or SKF 525A (SKF) resulted in quantitative changes in the disposition of both nitriles. The most striking effect of these pretreatments was the increase in AN-derived radioactivity in tissues following SKF pretreatment. PB pretreatment resulted in decreased amounts of unchanged MAN elimination in expired air. In summary, the results of current work indicate that there are major quantitative differences in the metabolism and disposition of MAN and AN; however, it remains to be established if these differences reflect a different spectrum of toxicity.
Local periods and binary partial words: an algorithm

The study of the combinatorial properties of strings of symbols from a finite alphabet (also referred to as words) is profoundly connected to numerous fields such as biology, computer science, mathematics, and physics. Research in combinatorics on words goes back roughly a century. There is a renewed interest in combinatorics on words as a result of emerging new application areas such as molecular biology. Partial words were recently introduced in this context. The motivation behind the notion of a partial word is the comparison of genes (or proteins). Alignment of two genes (or two proteins) can be viewed as a construction of partial words that are said to be compatible. While a word can be described by a total function, a partial word can be described by a partial function. More precisely, a partial word of length n over a finite alphabet A is a partial function from {1,...,n} into A. Elements of {1,...,n} without an image are called holes. A word is just a partial word without holes. The notion of period of a word is central in combinatorics on words. In the case of partial words, there arc two notions: one is that of period, the other is that of local period. This paper extends to partial words with one hole the well known result of Guibas and Odlyzko which states that for every word u, there exists a word v of same length as u over the alphabet {0, 1} such that the set of all periods of u coincides with the set of all periods of v. Our result states that for every partial word u with one hole, there exists a partial word v of same length as u with at most one hole over the alphabet {0, 1} such that the set of all periods of u coincides with the set of all periods of v and the set of all local periods of u coincides with the set of all local periods of v. To prove our result, we use the technique of Halava, Harju and Ilie which they used to characterize constructively the set of periods of a given word. As a consequence of our constructive proof, we obtain a linear time algorithm which, given a partial word with one hole, computes a partial word with at most one hole over the alphabet {0, 1} with the same length and the same sets of periods and local periods. A World Wide Web server interface at http://www.uncg.edu/mat/AlgBin/ has been established for automated use of the program.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and patients with carcinoid tumor.

Received Oct. 1, 2004; revision received Nov. 13, 2004; accepted Dec. 16, 2004. From the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Williams, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St., SW, Rochester, MN 55905; williams.mark@ mayo.edu (e-mail). Copyright 2005 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Serotonin is targeted in the treatment of depression with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In the patient with carcinoid tumor, tumor cells manufacture serotonin. What direction does the psychiatrist take in treating a patient with both depression and carcinoid tumor? A recent review of the literature provided very little guidance. In a 1997 case report, Noyer and Schwartz described a patient who developed carcinoid syndrome with pellagra and psychiatric disturbance while receiving an SSRI (sertraline). The authors recommended SSRIs as provocative agents in patients suspected of having carcinoid syndrome without overt or typical features. We review the cases of five patients with carcinoid tumor seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who received SSRIs for mood disorders, with specific attention to side effects and symptoms of carcinoid syndrome elicited by the medications.
Complete integrability of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation

Abstract The total hierarchy of the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) equation is transformed to the system of linear partial differential equations with constant coefficients. The complete integrability of the KP equation is proved by using this linear system. The existence and uniqueness theorem of the Cauchy problem of the KP hierarchy is obtained.
Studying quality beyond technical rationality: political and symbolic perspectives

The underlying paradigms that influence research on quality have remained alarmingly under-researched; this article analyses the constraints that a technical-rational approach for the study of quality in higher education imposes. Technical rationality has been the dominant paradigm that shapes research on quality in higher education. Alternatively, political and symbolic perspectives are discussed in order to conceptualise and frame future research in the study of higher education quality. This article concludes with a discussion of the implications of different approaches. It is argued that the study of quality in higher education needs to be revitalised by new conceptual perspectives that go beyond technical-rational assumptions.
TU‐C‐BRB‐04: Enhanced Modeling of Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers with Probabilistic Outcomes Using Mixed Predictors

Purpose: To develop a probabilistic model of outcomes of radiation therapy which includes both dosimetric and non‐dosimetric predictors, and includes a decision‐making component to quantify the balance between disease cure and radiation‐induced side‐effects. This model was implemented to assess IMRTtreatment plans for individual patients for head and neck cancer.Materials and Methods: Physicians have available many resources that may not be easily reconcilable to predict patient outcomes. Dosimetric indicators, such as the EUD and NTCP are probabilistic in nature, without explicit representation of the underlying biology. Clinical trials focus on patient and disease characteristics, such as disease location, T‐stage, nodal involvement, Karnofsky performance status, and often include one treatment variable, such as DVH‐cutpoints or chemotherapy regimes. Newly recognized factors, such as HPV positivity, may affect outcome, however, without definitive clinical data, integrating such factors into clinical decision‐making is not straightforward. Finally, experience‐driven beliefs affect treatment choices and may vary between physicians. We combine all of the aforementioned resources using a Bayesian network in order to make an outcome prediction for each IMRT plan. Outcome predictions highlight the stark trade‐off between preventing recurrent disease that generally has a fatal prognosis and preventing radiation‐induced side effects that range from xerostemia to blindness to paralysis. We use a MarkovModel to compute a quality‐adjusted life expectancy using patient preferences for health states. Results: Probabilities of local and distant control matched published values well, as did life expectancies. The trade‐offs between quality of life and quantity of life are explored. Sensitivity analysis highlighted physician beliefs that affected treatment choices. Conclusions:Modeling of radiation therapy has grown progressively more sophisticated. We present a method by which probabilities and expected values of clinically relevant outcomes, based on a range of variables, are calculated.
Groundwater flushing of solutes at wetland and hillslope positions during storm events in a small glaciated catchment in western New York, USA

While the role of groundwater in flushing of solutes has long been recognized, few studies have explicitly studied the within-event changes in groundwater chemistry. We compared the changes in groundwater chemistry during storm events for a wetland and hillslope position in a small (1·5 ha) glaciated, forested catchment in western New York. Flushing responses for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), nitrate (NO3) and sulfate (SO4) in wetland and hillslope groundwaters were also compared against the corresponding responses in stream water. Eight storm events with varying intensity, amount, and antecedent moisture conditions were evaluated. Solute flushing patterns for wetland and hillslope groundwaters differed dramatically. While DOC concentrations in wetland groundwater followed a dilution trend, corresponding values for hillslope groundwater showed a slight increase. Concentrations for NO3 in wetland groundwater were below detection limits, but hillslope groundwaters displayed high NO3 concentrations with a pronounced increase during storm events. Flushing responses at all positions were also influenced by the size of the event and the time between events. We attributed the differences in flushing to the differences in hydrologic flow paths and biogeochemical conditions. Flushing of the wetland did appear to influence storm-event stream chemistry but the same could not be said for hillslope groundwaters. This suggests that while a variety of flushing responses may be observed in a catchment, only a subset of these responses affect the discharge chemistry at the catchment outlet. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is the susceptibility minimum of glass-forming liquids due to the β-relaxation of the mode coupling theory or caused by the ubiquitous constant loss?

Abstract Observation of a minimum in the susceptibility spectra of glass-forming liquids has often been used as evidence of the fast β-relaxation in the mode coupling theory (MCT). However, recent experiments showing the absence of the knee predicted by MCT and the presence of the fast relaxation in crystalline as well as in glassy and supercooled ortho -terphenyl has cast doubt on the cause of the fast relaxation. A constant (approximately frequency independent) loss contribution to the dielectric susceptibility also can generate a minimum. The constant loss contribution is ubiquitous. I show that it is related to the fast process observed by light and neutron scattering and is possibly the cause of the susceptibility minimum. The properties of the constant loss have led to the suggestion that it originates from vibrational relaxation, a conclusion reached also by recent work on crystalline ortho -terphenyl. This suggestion is made plausible by theoretical results from studies of relaxation of non-linear (anharmonic) vibrations. Finally I show that if the constant loss contribution is the cause of the susceptibility minimum, then an explanation of the entire spectrum including the structural relaxation at all temperatures can be obtained by simply incorporating the constant loss into the coupling model of the author.
The role of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated neurotransmission in the pathophysiology and therapeutics of psychiatric syndromes

The study of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) has recently resulted in new and fundamental concepts in neuroscience. This progress has led to a growing awareness of the crucial role that brain EAAs systems play in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, presently the most well understood subtype of EAAs receptors, has been implicated in crucial physiological processes such as synaptogenesis, learning and memory. Dysfunctions of NMDA receptors seem to play a crucial role in the neurobiology of disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and ischemic stroke. This paper is a review of emerging data indicating that alterations of NMDA receptor function may be pivotal to the pathophysiology of four common psychiatric syndromes: schizophrenia, major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcoholism. Special emphasis is placed on the current state of development of pharmacological strategies aiming at the modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission in these disorders.
Convection in a concentric annulus with heat generating porous media and a permeable inner boundary

Abstract The effects of a permeable inner boundary on the maximum temperature and the convective flows were investigated numerically for a two-dimensional horizontal annulus containing a uniformly heat generating porous media. The time-dependent governing equations were nondimensionalized and put into an explicit finite difference numerical form. The finite difference equations were obtained from truncated Taylor series expansions using a central differencing scheme. Nondimensional temperatures and streamlines were obtained for heat generation rates ranging from 20 to 1,500 W/m 3 corresponding to a range of modified Rayleigh numbers of 324 to 24,340 and for several combinations of isothermally heated wall conditions for annuli of radius ratio of 2. It was found that multi-cellular flows occur at the highest Rayleigh numbers investigated.
Development of autoimmune hepatitis in primary biliary cirrhosis

Aim/Background: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown aetiology. Up to 10% of patients with typical features of PBC will have additional features of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). A subset, however, have no such features but go on to develop a ‘sequential’ AIH overlap syndrome. Objectives: Describe our experience with eight patients who developed AIH after the diagnosis of PBC was made. Methods: We reviewed the charts of all PBC patients over a 9-year period (from 1996 to 2005). Only PBC patients with no features of AIH were included. Results: There were 1476 patients with PBC. Of these, eight patients developed features of AIH overlap syndrome based on biochemical and histological parameters. Treatment included prednisone and azathioprine for 24 or more months. The majority of patients remained on ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) throughout treatment. Response to therapy was defined by improvement in enzymes, and was rapid for all patients. One patient was able to discontinue treatment with prednisone and azathioprine, while seven have continued on therapy to date. Conclusions: A ‘sequential’ overlap syndrome of AIH with PBC can occur. Treatment with prednisone and azathioprine may lead to a rapid improvement in aminotransferase levels.
Unconventional distribution of facies in a continental rift basin: the Pliocene–Pleistocene Mangas Basin, south-western New Mexico, USA

The Pliocene–Early Pleistocene Mangas Basin in SW New Mexico, USA, was a N–NW-trending full graben that changed southward to an eastward-tilted half graben. Unlike the facies distribution predicted in existing models, the half-graben part of the Mangas Basin was characterized by broad alluvial fans derived from the footwall scarp, smaller hangingwall-derived alluvial fans, and a shallow, closed lake (Lake Buckhorn) that locally lapped onto the hangingwall hills. The distribution of facies within the full-graben part of the Mangas Basin was also unlike that predicted in current models, primarily because of a broad belt of alluvial-fan sediment derived from the eastern footwall scarp and a narrow belt of axial-fluvial sediment adjacent to the western footwall scarp. The distribution of facies in the Mangas Basin does not appear to have been controlled by the eastward tilt of the floor of the half graben or ‘see-saw’ motion of the floor of the full graben, as predicted by existing models, but rather by the large size of the alluvial fans on the eastern side of the basin. These fans were derived from large, high-relief catchments on the footwall scarp of the Mogollon Mountains, the uplift of which began during Early Miocene. This example illustrates how earlier uplift and drainage development in a mountain range may influence facies distribution in a younger extensional basin.
A Multidimensional Visualization Interface to Aid in Trade-off Decisions During the Solution of Coupled Subsystems Under Uncertainty

In this paper, the application of visualization to aid in trade-off decisions when solving multi-objective optimisation problems involving coupled subsystems under uncertainty is presented. The developed visualization method is an abstract way of representing these problems for use in a solution process where multiple resultant design points may exist. In these cases, a designer must consider potentially complex trade-off decisions in order to choose a point with which to proceed. Designers can examine the coupled subsystem design space under different uncertainty conditions through three-dimensional visual representations. Promising solution regions can be determined and explored down to a specific design point. As a result, the time to locate a trade-off solution for all subsystems has the potential to substantially decrease. This paper presents background into the type of problems being addressed as well as other visualization methods used in design. The method development is presented along with the results and discussion of a test case to illustrate the method's viability.
Dispatching intermittent wind resources for ancillary services via wind control and its impact on power system economics

Abstract This paper focuses on assessing the effectiveness of wind control methods used to address the economic issues associated with higher penetration of variable (wind) generation. Two different wind control methods were implemented, namely maximum power limitation and delta control. Production costing simulations were done on IEEE 24 bus system with three wind farms, across different wind penetration levels to evaluate the impacts of wind control methods. Wind farms were allowed to participate in the ancillary service market while implementing the variable delta control. Results showed that these control methods have the potential to allow wind farm provide regulation or significantly lower regulation requirements, and reduce the overall production cost of the power system.
Lack of cytochrome involvement in long-range electron transport through conductive biofilms and nanowires of Geobacter sulfurreducens

Two competing models for long-range electron transport through the conductive biofilms and nanowires of Geobacter sulfurreducens exist. In one model electrons are transported via pili that possess delocalized electronic states to function as protein wires with metallic-like conductivity. In the other model electrons are transported by more traditional electron transfer via electron hopping/tunneling between the c-type cytochromes in G. sulfurreducens biofilms and pili. The cytochrome hypothesis was further examined. Quantifying c-type cytochromes in G. sulfurreducens biofilms and pili indicated that there are insufficient cytochromes to account for electron transport through the bulk of the biofilm or pili and demonstrated that there is a negative correlation between cytochrome abundance and biofilm conductivity. Direct imaging using atomic force microscopy revealed that cytochromes were not packed close enough on pili to permit electron hopping/tunneling along the pili. Inactivating cytochromes had no impact on biofilm conductivity. The results of electrochemical gating studies were inconsistent with electron transport via cytochromes. Theoretical considerations suggest that a cytochrome model cannot explain the previously reported response of biofilm conductivity to temperature changes. These multiple lines of evidence, which rely on approaches with different sets of assumptions, demonstrate that the hypothesis that long-range electron transport through G. sulfurreducens biofilms and nanowires can be attributed to electron hopping/tunneling between c-type cytochromes is incorrect. In contrast, these multiple lines of evidence are consistent with long-range electron transport through the biofilms via networks of pili that possess metallic-like conductivity.
Attributions for Success and Failure of Men and Women in Leadership Positions

Attributions for the success and failure of men and women in leadership positions were examined as a function of the subjects' attitudes towards women in leadership roles (as measured by the Women As Managers Scale of Peters, Terborg, and Taynor. 80 men and 80 women were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in which a leader's performance was described, i.e., male leader—success, male leader—failure, female leader—success, female leader—failure. Subjects then rated the importance they believed each of four factors had in determining the leader's performance (ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck). A general reluctance of subjects to make external attributions and to distinguish between male and female leaders was found.
Cardiovascular risk in obese diabetic patients is significantly reduced one year after gastric bypass compared to one year of diabetes support and education

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) reduces most of the obesity-related comorbidities known to increase the cardiovascular risk in obese subjects. The Framingham risk score (FRS) is designed to be independent of body weight and estimates the 10-year risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular disease (CVD), death from CHD, and death from CVD. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of RYGB on improving the FRS when compared to a matched control group who underwent diabetes support and education program (DSE). In a prospective cohort study, we evaluated preoperatively and at 12 months, 61 morbidly obese subjects with diabetes. Thirty underwent laparoscopic RYGB, and 31 received 1 year of DSE, consisting of educational sessions on diet, nutrition, and exercise. Groups were matched for gender, age, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Strict gender-specific FRS was used to assess the cardiovascular risk. Excess weight-loss percentages (%EWL) were 55.6 ± 15.1 in the RYGB group and 1.2 ± 10.8 in the DSE group (P < 0.001). The two groups were matched for baseline FRS. RYGB patients experienced a significant decrease in all FRS, whereas control subjects did not show a significant decrease for the 10-year risk for CHD, CVD and death from CVD. The between-group differences for changes from baseline to 12 months in all FRS were significant. The 10-year risk reductions for CHD, MI, stroke, CVD, death from CHD, and death from CVD in the RYGB group relative to the DSE group were, respectively, 42, 48, 30, 39, 50, and 50 %. No correlations between reduction in FRS and %EWL were found after RYGB. A significant improvement in the 10 year estimated cardiovascular risk is observed in patients undergoing RYGB, but not in those who were offered usual medical therapy plus DSE. However, the effects of RYGB on FRS are independent of weight loss.
A novel class of unit in the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cat.

Abstract Using platinum-tipped microelectrodes, 34 units of a kind not previously reported were found in the substantia gelatinosa of spinal, unanesthetized cats. Units were inhibited by innocuous mechanical stimuli, but after the withdrawal of such stimuli, a burst of activity lasting 5 to 20 s appeared with an initial delay (latent period) of 50 to 200 ms. In the absence of background activity, noxious stimuli had no immediate effect. However, in a period of about 20 min, units tested with noxious stimuli displayed a gradual increase in regular background firing and in the occurrence of unevoked bursts. Noxious stimuli were excitatory when applied to the units with this background activity. An approximately 1-s period of diminished activity followed withdrawal of noxious stimuli. Consecutive identical stimuli produced bursts of activity with considerable variability; latency and burst length fluctuated. Also the probability of bursts fluctuated in units with low background activity. Poststimulus time histograms showed, under some conditions, a decrease in the average number of impulses in the first 200 ms which roughly corresponded in time course to the negative dorsal root potential. It is argued that the initial latency and the decrease in activity in the histograms are temporal prolongations of the inhibitory process produced by innocuous stimuli. Moreover, based on these data, a mechanism for the generation of the negative dorsal root potential is proposed, involving dendroaxonic synaptic transmission from the substantia gelatinosa units to primary afferent terminals.
Effect of Abrasion on Stress-Strain Properties of Two Polyester/ Cotton Fabrics in Low-Level Laboratory Abrasion and Wear Trials

The effect of laboratory flex abrasion at low levels on two 65/35 and 50/50 polyester/cotton fabrics, as well as the effect of wearing of shirts made from the same fabrics, as mirrored in stress- strain properties, were investigated. Abrasive damage was monitored by measuring percent reten tion of breaking load, yield point, elastic limits, and elongation at rupture after varying levels of laboratory flex abrasion and wear plus laundering. Subjective evaluations by microscopic analysis of fabrics and yarns were also made, as well as evaluations by a panel of judges in regard to surface appearance, whiteness retention, and hand of the in-service shirts.A quantitative relationship could not be established between laboratory abrasion and in-service wear, because the stresses imposed during in-service wear were not high enough to produce the nature and extent of damage observed in laboratory abrasion. However, the two types of abrasion were similar enough that the properties being monitored changed in a simil...
High frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) study of a high spin Co(II) complex

Abstract Variable high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance data were collected for a single crystal of [Zn(hmp)(dmb)Cl]4 (1) doped with a small quantity of high spin Co(II), where dmb is 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol and hmp- is the monoanion of 2-hydroxy-methylpyridine. The lack of solvent in the lattice of complex 1 results in very little disorder. Consequently, the EPR spectra are extremely sharp, enabling precise comparisons with theoretical simulations. We find the ground state of the Co(II) ions to be an effective spin S′ = 1/2 Kramers’ doublet with a highly anisotropic g-tensor. The anisotropy is found to be of the easy-axis type, with the single-ion easy axis directions tilted away from the crystallographic c direction by 58°.
Empirical correlation equations for heat transfer by forced convection from cylinders embedded in porous media that account for the wall effect and dispersion

Abstract Empirical correlation equations for the Nusselt number have been determined that represent an extensive body of new and previously published experimental data for the geometry under consideration with a level of accuracy that is deemed to be sufficient to render the correlations acceptable for design purposes. The equations cover the Darcy, Forchheimer and turbulent regimes of flow. The empirical correlation equations are based upon a hypothesis that regards the flow in a porous medium to be the superposition of a 'fine' component upon a 'coarse' component and takes into account the wall effect and dispersion.