cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methods of evaluating forest fire history

Forest fire history can be reconstructed over past centuries across a wide variety of forest types. Fire scars on living tress, and age classes of forest stands, are the two sources of information for these reconstructions. Point and area frequencies are used to reconstruct fire history. Point frequencies are useful in forest types that burn with frequent, low intensity fire so that many fire-scarred residual trees exist. A true point is a single tree, but more often point estimates are made by combining fire scar records from several adjacent trees. Area frequences are applied where fires are infrequent but of moderate to high intensity, so that stand ages are used across wide areas to estimate fire return interals. Proper selection and application of fire history methods are essential to deriving useful ecological implications from fire history studies.
Derogation without words: On the power of non-verbal pejoratives

While a large body of literature on pejorative language has emerged recently, derogatory communication is a broader phenomenon that need not constitutively involve the use of words. This paper delineates the class of non-verbal pejoratives (NVPs) and sketches an account of the derogatory power of a subset of NVPs, namely those whose effectiveness crucially relies on iconicity. Along the way, I point out some ways in which iconic NVPs differ from wholly arbitrary NVPs and ritualized threat signals in the animal kingdom, such as the wolf’s snarl, which do not threaten or demean targets by virtue of any kind of iconographic depiction. An iconic portrayal such as a racist caricature disparages its target by inviting recipients to entertain an unflattering image of the target. “Blackface” performers in the nineteenth-century, for example, promulgated an unflattering image of African-Americans by means of make-up, costumes, and vocal impersonations.
Measurement of A and A/sub nn/ in p + p. -->. p + p at 6 GeV/c

Previous measurements of the 6 GeV/c p - p elastic scattering rates have been extended with beam and target polarizations normal to the scattering plane. Improvements to the measuring technique include additional momentum resolution added to the recoil arm and increased solid angle resulting from two-element hodoscopes. Beam intensity was increased by a factor of 3 and additional shielding was installed. Along with the usual statistical uncertainty and errors in measurement of the target polarization, a term was added in quadrature due to a systematic difference between target and beam asymmetries (A/sub T/ and A/sub B/). (GHT)
Prescription and Usage Pattern of Opioids after Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.

ObjectiveWe seek to characterize the prescribing patterns of opioids, opioid consumption, and pain severity after thyroid and parathyroid surgery. We also aim to determine if a relationship exists ...
Simulated juvenile salmon growth and phenology respond to altered thermal regimes and stream network shape

It is generally accepted that climate change will stress coldwater species like Pacific salmon. However, it is unclear what aspect of altered thermal regimes (e.g., warmer winters, springs, summers, or increased variability) will have the greatest effect, and what role the spatial properties of river networks play. Thermally diverse habitats may afford protection from climate change by providing opportunities for aquatic organisms to find and use habitats with optimal conditions for growth. We hypothesized that climate-altered thermal regimes will change growth and timing of life history events such as emergence or migration but that changes will be moderated in topologically complex stream networks where opportunities to thermoregulate are more readily available to mobile animals. Because climate change effects on populations are spatially variable and contingent upon physiological optima, assessments of risk must take a spatially explicit approach. We developed a spatially-structured individual based model for Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in which movement decisions and growth were governed by water temperature and conspecific density. We evaluated growth and phenology (timing of egg emergence and smolting) under a variety of thermal regimes (each having a different minimum, rate of warming, maximum, and variability) and in three network shapes of increasing spatial complexity. Across networks, fish generally grew faster and were capable of smolting earlier in warmer scenarios where water temperatures experienced by fish were closer to optimal; however, growth decreased for some fish. We found that salmon size and smolt date responded more strongly to warmer springs and summers than to warmer winters or increased variability. Fish in the least complex network grew faster and were ready to smolt earlier than fish in the more spatially complex network shapes in the contemporary thermal regime; patterns were similar but less clear in warmer thermal regimes. Our results demonstrate that network topology may influence how fish respond to thermal landscapes, and this information will be useful for incorporating a spatiotemporal context into conservation decisions that promote long-term viability of salmon in a changing climate.
Abstract P223: Cardiometabolic Disease Costs Associated With an Unhealthy Diet in the United States

Introduction: Despite the clear association between poor diet and cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) and the overall economic burden of such conditions, the costs of an unhealthy diet pattern have not been assessed for the US population. Aim: Estimate the costs of CMD related to suboptimal intakes of 10 specific dietary factors in the US adult population. Methods: A validated microsimulation model (CVD PREDICT) was populated by weighted sampling (with replacement) of individuals aged 35–85y from the 2009-2010 and 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), in order to create an US representative model population. Consumption of 10 foods/nutrients associated with CMD were assessed: fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, unprocessed red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, polyunsaturated fats, seafood omega-3 fats, and sodium. Cardiovascular disease progression and events were simulated and annual healthcare costs estimations were calculated. The model compared reported consumption of the 10 food/nutrients in the NHANES surveys to a hypothetical situation in which the consumption level of these nutrients were optimal. Each food/nutrient was assessed individually and combined. Estimates were stratified by gender, age, race and insurance. Results: The 2012 annual cost of an unhealthy diet was $USD 280 (Acute $USD 236, Chronic $USD 40 and Drug $USD 4) per adult. Individually the food/nutrient consumed below optimal levels that imposed the highest CMD economic burden was nuts/seeds ($USD 75) while non-optimal red meat consumption was associated with the lowest cost per person ($USD 3). Unhealthy diet costs of CMD by gender, age group, race and insurance are provided in table 1. The annual unhealthy diet cost of CMD in the US was $USD 44.9bn in 2012. Acute care costs represent 84.3% of this total ($USD 37.9bn). Conclusions: Suboptimal diet accounts for substantial CMD costs in the US, highlighting the need for timely implementation of diet policies to address these burdens.
Touching Racialized Bases: Ethnicity in Major League Baseball Broadcasts at the Local and National Levels

This study analyzed the manner in which Major League Baseball broadcasters describe players and whether such dialogues deviated by race of athlete. Audience to which the game was being broadcast (l...
Congenital Hip Dislocation

Hip pathology is frequently encountered by pediatric orthopedists and represents a wide spectrum of disease. Treatment of congenital hip pathology is graduated depending on the extent of involvement and can involve harness application, bracing, casting, closed reductions, open reductions, and reconstructive procedures.
Soft-x-ray spectroscopy of Delta n=0, n=3 transitions in highly stripped lead.

We report on n=3 to n=3 soft-x-ray transitions from the highest nuclear charge (Z=82) Na-like ions yet obtained. The results are tied to accurate calculations including screened QED contributions and confirm theoretical trends observed by Kim et al. [Phys. Rev. A 44, 148 (1991)]. Weak Ne-like and Mg-like lines are observed in an accelerator-based experiment in the energy range near 800 eV and compared to multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculations.
Dabrafenib and trametinib for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: BRAFV600E mutations occur in 1–2% of lung adenocarcinomas and act as oncogenic drivers via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. These mutations are mutually exclusive ...
“Did I Just Get Caught Being Stupid?” Experiencing and Managing the Emotional Labor of Fieldwork

Ethnographic fieldwork can come with many risks for the ethnographer. This is especially true for researchers who study drug using populations. It is easy to see the potential legal and physical risks associated with such studies. However, there are also emotional risks involved. In this chapter, I tell a story about my experiences studying people in rural Alabama who use methamphetamine. I describe how I “got caught being stupid” by failing to recognize the intense emotional labor that came with the project. I describe some of the tragic events I witnessed and how this shaped my perceptions of those around me. While the events made me want to quit the project, I decided to stay and to become more emotionally open to people (both participants and others in my life). Ultimately, I believe doing so allowed me to collect authentic and emotionally meaningful data and to give me better insights into the lives of those I studied.
Implementation of a novel two port four element rectangular patch array antenna with tunable circular polarization

Design of a circularly polarized four element patch array antenna is discussed. The proposed design consists of two ports each of them placed on either sides of the radiating elements. Due to the presence of two ports, the idea of using the antenna also as a filter element is explained. The concept of encrypted polarization is introduced where circularly polarized radiated waves can be left-handed or right-handed at a particular instant in time. This shift in polarization state is controllable and switchable dynamically. Simulated results successfully validate this idea.
Polarization-based quantum entanglement for enhanced resolution

A quantum LIDAR for improving resolution using quantum entanglement in the polarization degree of freedom is described. A thorough mathematical analysis of this device is provided. A mathematical discussion of how to generate other more robust entangled states is developed. Internal loss within the entanglement generator and external loss due to atmosphere, detectors, and targets are modeled. A method using these approaches for imaging is provided giving N times classical resolution, where N is the number of photons entangled with explicit results exhibited for N = 3. Closed form expressions for the wave function, normalization, density matrix, reduced density matrix, visibility, and probabilities of detection of one through three photons using detectors with general polarization characteristics are provided. An explicit entanglement generator and detector designs are provided in terms of linear and nonlinear photonics devices. The fundamental role of postselection measurement for generating entanglement is included. Discussions of entanglement devices that will produce general M&M states at near-visible frequencies are given. A discussion of a bearing measurement device that exhibits both super sensitivity and resolution is provided. Computational results are provided that compare probabilities of detection for three single photon detectors with −45-deg, 45-deg, and 45-deg linear polarization. Results for detecting one to three photons or the vacuum state are compared. Computational results for detecting three photons with these detectors for various values of internal and atmospheric loss are provided. Resolution improvements born of quantum entanglement are shown not to degrade with loss. Loss degrades probability of detection not resolution.
Expressing and Managing Network Policies for Emerging HPC Systems

Traditional high performance computing (HPC) centers that operate a single large supercomputer cluster have not required sophisticated mechanisms to manage and enforce network policies. Recently, HPC centers have expanded to support a wide range of computational infrastructure, such as OpenStack-based private clouds and Ceph object stores, each with its own unique characteristics and network security requirements. Network security policies are becoming more complex and harder to manage. To address the challenge, this paper explores ways to define and manage the new network policies required by emerging HPC systems. As the first step, we identify the new types of policies that are required and the technical capabilities needed to support them. We present example policies and discuss ways to implement those policies using emerging programmable networks and intent-based networks. We describe our initial work toward automatically converting human readable network policies into network configurations and programmable network controllers that implement those policies using business rule management systems.
Biological energy transformations by plants

Abstract The major source of chemical energy for living systems is derived from the oxidation of organic, carbon-based compounds. The principal method of production of these organic compounds is the utilization of radiant energy by chlorophyll-bearing green plants to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water. There are many strategies used by plants (C3, C4, and CAM) to either minimize or increase the absorption of the incident radiation flux. Photosynthetic efficiency is typically between 1% and 2%. Energy-rich molecules are formed by the oxidation of photosynthetic substrates which are liberated from these molecules by hydrolysis. Thus, radiant energy is converted to chemical energy through metabolic processes to perform work by the organism.
Assessing Welfare in Models with Heterogeneous Beliefs

In models with heterogeneous beliefs, we cannot analyze policy interventions using standard methods of welfare economics. We develop a novel way of assessing welfare in such models, building on risk sharing rather than the Pareto property as the concept of efficiency. Differences of opinion engender speculative motives that frustrate risk sharing and encourage self-destructive betting. In particular, unregulated competitive equilibria in the presence of belief heterogeneity cause excessive risk-taking and insufficient risk sharing in terms of social welfare. Our analysis calls for strict regulations of fi nancial markets cursed by belief divergences, such as the controversial naked credit default swaps.
Fostering Inclusive Clinical Learning Environments Using a Psychological Safety Lens

Abstract Nursing programs across the United States (US) attempt to address the current nursing shortage by enrolling, retaining, and graduating students that are prepared to practice nursing in a variety of roles and settings. Clinical learning experiences serve as the cornerstone of nursing education impacting learning and program outcomes and ensuring students are ready for future practice. As graduates enter practice, they must be prepared to interact with others and deliver care to diverse populations. Nurse educators can ensure that students are ready for their roles by moving from intention to creation of inclusive clinical learning environments. Using the lens of psychological safety, this article provides strategies for nurse educators to intentionally foster inclusive clinical learning environments. It suggests approaches and associated tasks while also considering needs of students from underrepresented minority groups (UMGs). Lastly, suggestions for future study are outlined.
Simultaneous State and Unknown Input Set-Valued Observers for Some Classes of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems

In this paper, we propose fixed-order set-valued (in the form of l2-norm hyperballs) observers for some classes of nonlinear bounded-error dynamical systems with unknown input signals that simultaneously find bounded hyperballs of states and unknown inputs that include the true states and inputs. Necessary and sufficient conditions in the form of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) for the stability (in the sense of quadratic stability) of the proposed observers are derived for ($\mathcal{M},\gamma$)- Quadratically Constrained (($\mathcal{M},\gamma$)-QC) systems, which includes several classes of nonlinear systems: (I) Lipschitz continuous, (II) ($\mathcal{A},\gamma$)-QC* and (III) Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) systems. This new quadratic constraint property is at least as general as the incremental quadratic constraint property for nonlinear systems and is proven in the paper to embody a broad range of nonlinearities. In addition, we design the optimal $\mathcal{H}_{\infty}$ observer among those that satisfy the quadratic stability conditions and show that the design results in Uniformly Bounded-Input Bounded-State (UBIBS) estimate radii/error dynamics and uniformly bounded sequences of the estimate radii. Furthermore, we provide closed-form upper bound sequences for the estimate radii and sufficient condition for their convergence to steady state. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed set-valued observers is demonstrated through illustrative examples, where we compare the performance of our observers with some existing observers.
Prostaglandin I2 and T Regulatory Cell Function: Broader Impacts.

T regulatory cells (Tregs) are an important member of the adaptive immune system and function to reduce and resolve inflammation. Prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) is a lipid mediator that has potent anti-in...
Tensile and cyclic loading of fiber bundles

This paper investigated the characteristics of fiber bundles which are used for fibrous composite materials. Unembedded or dry fiber bundles were tested under monotonically increasing tensile loading. A statistical model was developed based on the slack fibers to explain the test results of the unembedded fiber bundles. Then, the behavior of the unembedded fiber bundles was compared to the fiber bundles embedded in composite materials, i.e., fiber bundles present in a matrix material. Next, unembedded fibers under tensile cyclic loadings with the displacement control mode were examined. The cyclic test results were also predicted using the statistical slack model. Finally, the residual strength and stiffness of fiber bundles were determined after undergoing different numbers of cyclic loads. Tensile tests were conducted for the same fiber bundles until failure after they were subjected to the specified cyclic loading. These tests provided data for the reduction in strength and stiffness of the fiber bundles resulting from the cyclic loading. These results would then be used in generating a cyclic fatigue failure model based on the multiscale approach that uses the cyclic test data of fibers and matrix materials instead of those of composite specimens.
Entropy-based metrics for predicting choice behavior based on local response to reward

For decades, behavioral scientists have used the matching law to quantify how animals distribute their choices between multiple options in response to reinforcement they receive. More recently, many reinforcement learning (RL) models have been developed to explain choice by integrating reward feedback over time. Despite reasonable success of RL models in capturing choice on a trial-by-trial basis, these models cannot capture variability in matching behavior. To address this, we developed metrics based on information theory and applied them to choice data from dynamic learning tasks in mice and monkeys. We found that a single entropy-based metric can explain 50% and 41% of variance in matching in mice and monkeys, respectively. We then used limitations of existing RL models in capturing entropy-based metrics to construct more accurate models of choice. Together, our entropy-based metrics provide a model-free tool to predict adaptive choice behavior and reveal underlying neural mechanisms. Animals distribute their choices between alternative options according to relative reinforcement they receive from those options (matching law). Here, the authors propose metrics based on information theory that can predict this global behavioral rule based on local response to reward feedback.
OP47 – 2274: Brain MRI patterns of disease progression in Sanfilippo syndrome type A (MPS IIIA)

Objective MPS IIIA is a progressive neurological disease. Quantitative MRI and neurocognitive function testing may provide understanding of MPS IIIA disease progression. From the natural history of MPS IIIA (NCT01047306), we previously reported that baseline cognition is significantly associated with age and gray matter volumes. Here, we present longitudinal data regarding regional changes in MRI-measured brain volumes in MPS IIIA patients, and estimates of the rate of decline in both cognition and brain volumes over 24 months. Methods Longitudinal cognitive and quantitative MRI data were collected from 24 children with documented MPS IIIA. Brain volumetric analysis and developmental quotient (DQ) were obtained by automated MRI segmentation and cognitive assessment, respectively. Results For a subset of 19 patients with classic disease diagnosed prior to age six, volume decreases were noted in cortex (-7.5%/year)*, amygdalae (-15%/year)*, hippocampi (-4.9%/year)*, and very slightly in white matter (-2.2%/year). Cortical thickness narrowed with a rate of 5.9% per year*. Subcortical gray matter and cortical cerebellar volumes remained stable. Ventricular volume increased (+23.5%/year)*, presumably reflecting the brain loss. A strong correlation was found between DQ and cortical volume and similarly between DQ and cortical thickness. Other specific data will be reported (e.g., rate of decline for individual lobes of the brain). For patients diagnosed after age six, patterns were variable. *p Conclusion In this natural history study, loss of cortical and amygdalar volumes with substantial ventricular enlargement were the primary MRI patterns linked to decline in cognitive function in patients with the classical form of MPS IIIA. We have demonstrated that both DQ and Cortical Volume are markers of disease progression in MPS IIIA, and that they are closely associated. White matter, cerebellum and subcortical gray matter remained stable or declined slightly. MPS IIIA appears to be mainly a disease of cerebral cortical gray matter.
INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB (AVASTIN) AS TREATMENT FOR SUBFOVEAL CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION SECONDARY TO PATHOLOGIC MYOPIA

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) as treatment for subfoveal choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) due to pathological myopia. Methods: Consecutive series of primary or recurrent subfoveal CNV secondary to myopia treated with intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25 mg between August 2005 and January 2006 at the New England Eye Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, were reviewed retrospectively. Data from clinical examination, fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography and visual acuity were collected. Results: There were 11 eyes of 9 patients. 5 of 11 eyes had been treated previously with photodynamic therapy. Pre-injection visual acuity measured 20/50 to 20/100 in 6 eyes and 20/200 or worse in 5 eyes. After a mean follow-up of 153 (range 35–224) days, post-injection visual acuity measured 20/20 to 20/40 in 7 eyes, 20/50 to 20/100 in 1 eye and 20/200 or worse in 3 eyes. Three eyes received two bevacizumab injections and eight eyes received one injection. Visual acuity improved by a mean of +3.5 (range 21 to +8 lines) lines, and 8 of 11 eyes achieved 20/50 or better at the last follow-up. Central foveal thickness improved from 340 (range 253–664) mm to 234 (range 142–308) mm, representing an average reduction of 103 (range +4 to 2356) mm. No injection complications or drug-related side effects were observed. Conclusions: In this small series of eyes with limited follow-up, intravitreal bevacizumab seems to be safe and potentially efficacious in eyes with subfoveal CNV secondary to pathological myopia.
Effect of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) on the menstrual cycle in women.

The effect of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) on the menstrual cycle of eumenorrheic women was investigated. It was reported previously that TRH therapy in baboons blocked ovulation when administered early in the menstrual cycle and produced luteolysis when given during the luteal phase of the cycle. Whether these antifertility effects were associated with elevation in prolactin (PRL) secretion or produced by another mechanism was not apparent. It has been suggested that PRL probably decreases ovarian sensitivity to gonadotropins and thereby acts as an antifertility agent during the period of puerperal lactation. In the experiment described TRH was given to 6 women for 8 consecutive days beginning Days 8 and 9 of the menstrual cycle. Daily serum samples were obtained for radioimmunoassay for LH FSH and PRL secretory response. TRH was ineffective in interfering with ovulation and failed to show significant effects on cycle lengths. Moreover the length of the luteal phase was not affected by TRH as demonstrated by basal body temperature endometrial biopsy and pregnanediol excretion. These findings are in disagreement with the recent findings in baboons receiving TRH. The study also demosntrated that TRH administration induces a PRL secretory response which blocks neither the LH surge nor the ovarian responsiveness to endogenous gonadotropins in women who menstruate normally.
The Censoring of Menstruation in Adolescent Literature: A Growing Problem

Despite the recent popularity of adolescent literature amongst readers of all ages and the fact that adolescent literature continues to cover (or uncover) topics like rape, abuse, and addiction for young people, it repeatedly fails to cover menstruation. The reason why? Censorship. While other “sensitive” topics of the past aren't being censored in schools today, menstruation still is in many cases. For instance, one of the most widely read books in middle schools today, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, is oftern censored, not for its descriptions of the Holocaust but because of the author's discussion of menstruation. Judy Blume's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret has been censored for the same discussion, and continues to be censored today. This essay will look at the themes of menstruation and censorship in both of these books as well as menstruation's mention in more recent pieces of adolescent/crossover literature, Megan McCafferty's Sloppy Firsts and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's Lovingly Alice...
Rejecting the Myth of Popular Sovereignty and Applying an Agency Model to Direct Democracy

Successful ballot measures are commonly perceived as a pure reflection of "the will of the people." Yet initiatives do not appear magically on election ballots or in statute books as a result of the electorate's wishes. Rather, such measures are conceived, drafted, and vigorously promoted by identifiable initiative proponents, who often represent particular special interests and may not even live in the communities in which their measures are proposed. The myth of popular sovereignty in direct democracy should be rejected. Instead, initiative measures should be characterized as lawmaking by initiative proponents, whose general objective is either ratified or rejected by the voters. Rejecting the myth of popular sovereignty in direct democracy would alleviate many of the problems of judicial review that commentators have identified. By treating the initiative proponents as the relevant lawmakers, courts would be able to identify impermissible motives underlying a measure's enactment and continue using an intentionalist methodology of statutory interpretation without resorting to a counterproductive fiction of "voter intent." On the other hand, express recognition that direct democracy involves lawmaking by initiative proponents intensifies the tension between direct democracy and representative government, the problems associated with the delegation of lawmaking authority to unelected actors, and the absence of safeguards to encourage careful deliberation and reasoned decisionmaking in the initiative process. Initiative proponents are not the only unelected lawmakers in our democracy. Administrative agencies have freely enacted binding rules based on broad delegations of authority since the New Deal. This development has always been considered constitutionally suspect, but courts have allowed it to continue unabated largely because administrative law has developed alternative safeguards to replace those provided in the legislative process by representation and the requirements of Article I, Section 7. Specifically, administrative agencies must comply with the notice-and-comment procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act, and their final rules must withstand hard-look judicial review. Those safeguards ensure that agency officials engage in careful deliberation and reasoned decision-making and have thereby legitimized agency lawmaking. A similar model is needed to constrain the proponents of ballot measures and thereby legitimize the use of direct democracy. This Article therefore draws on the agency model to propose amending state laws that regulate direct democracy to subject the proponents of initiatives to the requirements of public deliberation and reasoned decisionmaking that presently constrain administrative agencies. The Article argues that unlike previous proposals, such reforms would promote careful deliberation, improve the legislative product, and provide a heightened standard of judicial review that is well established and directly responsive to the serious structural shortcomings of the current method of lawmaking by "the people."
Life-Cycle Funds

This paper reviews recent advances in academic models of asset allocation for long-term investors, and explores their implications for the design of investment products that help investors save for retirement, particularly life-cycle funds and life-style (or balanced) funds. The paper argues that modern portfolio theory provides scientific foundation for the "risk-based" asset allocation strategies and the "age-based" asset allocation strategies that characterize life-style and life-cycle funds. Risk-based allocation strategies can be optimal in an environment where investors face real interest rate (or reinvestment risk), while human wealth considerations give rise to horizon effects in asset allocation. However, this theory also makes a number of suggestions about how life-style and life-cycle funds should be structured, and shows for which types of investors these funds are appropriate investment choices. Thus, modern portfolio theory provides only qualified support for these funds. Nevertheless, the paper argues that properly designed life-cycle funds are better default investment choices than money market funds in defined-contribution pension plans. The paper also argues for the creation of life-cycle funds that allow for heterogeneity in risk tolerance, and for the creation of life-cycle funds specific to defined-contribution plans that can better account for the correlation between human capital and stock returns. It also suggests that investors who expect to receive Social Security benefits and pension income after retirement should choose a target retirement date for their funds based on their life-expectancy, not their expected retirement date.
Experimental studies of group decision support systems: an assessment of variables studied and methodology

By early 1996, approximately 140 different controlled experiments had been published in 164 articles in refereed journals or conference proceedings, which examined processes and outcomes in computer-supported group decision making. This paper is a concise overview of what has been studied and how: the systems, independent and intervening variables manipulated or measured, and experimental procedures employed. A subsequent paper will examine the dependent variables and findings of the experiments. The purpose is not only to provide a comprehensive summary of past research, but also to critically assess what has been studied little or inadequately, in order to inform design choices for future experiments.
Dialkylborane, Poly(ethylene glycol)‐supported

(MW ∼10 000) (soluble polymer-supported reagent for capture of amino alcohols) Alternate Name: PEG-dialkylborane. Solubility: soluble in CHCl3, CH2Cl2, benzene, toluene, DMF, DMSO, CH3CN, CH3OH, H2O, and acetone; insoluble in diethyl ether, t-butyl methyl ether, and iso-propanol. Form Supplied in: solution (1 M) in toluene. Preparative Methods: by multistep synthesis from monometh-oxy poly(ethylene glycol) methane sulfonate MW ∼5000.2 Purification: dissolve in a minimum of CH2Cl2 and precipitate in a cold anhydrous diethyl ether solution. Recover the precipitate by filtration and wash with anhydrous diethyl ether. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: as a solid, the reagent is very moisture sensitive and must be stored under argon in a desicator. As a solution in toluene, storage in a sealed bottle under argon at room temperature will ensure stability for many months.
Orchestrating policy ideas: philanthropies and think tanks in US education policy advocacy networks

While think tanks are a global phenomenon, their role in shaping US policy offers an instructive example of think tank influence on policymaking due to the immensity of resources directed towards those ends, with education policy serving as a prime example. Focusing on a distinct set of “incentivist” education policies, this analysis describes the think tank-philanthropy linkage in US education policymaking. We offer examples of how philanthropists provide financial, empirical and political resources to advance think tanks’ policy ideas through advocacy networks; describe the multiple functions performed through advocacy networks of intermediary organisations, noting the diffusion of form and function around tasks such as knowledge production, political and media support; and we highlight the ways in which US venture philanthropists and think tanks connect around “idea orchestration” in order to advance ideas in policy processes. We suggest that, especially in the realm of incentivist policies, think tanks do not appear to produce or incubate but rather promote ideas, and actually often only a single idea. The concluding discussion considers advantages evident in idea orchestration and the implications of private control of public policymaking.
The deposition of gold and other metals: Pressure-induced fluid immiscibility and associated stable isotope signatures

Abstract It is often proposed that the onset of fluid immiscibility may be a direct cause of ore deposition, with evidence cited from fluid inclusions associated with the ore minerals. A reaction-path model is used here to calculate fluid speciation, including pH, and mineral precipitation or dissolution as a function of volatile loss from a fluid undergoing phase separation. A modified Redlich-Kwong equation of state is used to model the H2O-CO2 miscibility gap and calculate activity coefficients of H2O and CO2. This procedure is incorporated into the EQ3/6 chemical speciation and mass transfer computer codes to simulate the response of a mineral-fluid system to fluid immiscibility. Calculations for systems including Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, and Au show that fluid immiscibility may induce metal deposition under a variety of conditions, but that simplistic assumptions regarding fluid response to volatile loss are not always correct because they may ignore the buffering capacity of a fluid-rock system.
Specular-reflection-based flatness tester

The inspection of plastic film flatness is approached by utilizing the light specular reflection off the film. A grating image formed by the reflection provides the slope information of the film surface. The wedge test shows the specular reflection-based flatness tester can achieve the slope accuracy of 0.01°. The film test shows the capability of the tester on the surface with a variety of slopes resulting in RMS and PV values of the slope. The film appearance in terms of the amount of interference rings is correlated to the RMS value of slope derivative.
Displacing metaphorical analysis: Reading with and against metaphors

Metaphorical analysis within a poststructuralist perspective displaces the assumed meanings of metaphors, especially if one expects those metaphors to provide stable epistemological connections. The analysis presented in this article produces alternative readings of participants’metaphors and illustrates how knowledge and truth are displaced once they are detached from positivism, intended meanings, or predetermined uses. Metaphor data from the interviews of successful, international scientists are used to show the dynamics of a poststructural analysis that rethinks the narratives of progress within Academia. The article concludes that more important than the stability of any methodological labels or academic ownership of a particular method is the way in which a specific analytic technique is used as well as how an individual researcher’s epistemology changes data and possible interpretations.
Securing Multimedia Content Using Joint Compression and Encryption

Algorithmic parameterization and hardware architectures can ensure secure transmission of multimedia data in resource-constrained environments such as wireless video surveillance networks, telemedicine frameworks for distant health care support in rural areas, and Internet video streaming. Joint multimedia compression and encryption techniques can significantly reduce the computational requirements of video processing systems. The authors present an approach to reduce the computational cost of multimedia encryption while also preserving the properties of compressed video. A hardware-amenable design of the proposed algorithms makes them suitable for real-time embedded multimedia systems. This approach alleviates the need for additional hardware for encryption in resource-constrained scenarios and can be otherwise used to augment existing encryption methods used for content delivery on the Internet or in other applications. This work shows how two compression blocks for video coding--a modified frequency transform (called a secure wavelet transform or SWT) and a modified entropy coding scheme (called a chaotic arithmetic coding or CAC)--can be used for video encryption. Experimental results are shown for selective encryption using the proposed schemes.
Crystal growth of AIIBIVC2V chalcopyrites

Abstract Crystal growth techniques were investigated for the synthesis of A II B IV C 2 V chalcopyrites. High quality single crystals of ZnGeP 2 were grown by a Bridgman technique; samples showed near-theoretical transmission in the 3 to 8 μm range. The Bridgman technique was also applied to the growth of ZnSiAs 2 and CdGeAs 2 . A controlled reaction process was developed for synthesis of compounds containing volatile constituents, and demonstrated for ZnP 2 , an intermediate in the preparation of ZnSiP 2 and ZnGeP 2 . A single-stage procedure in which the constituent elements are reacted and crystal growth ensues by vapor transport under a controlled overpressure of phosphorus was also pursued for ZnSiP 2 .
A Discourse Analysis of Online Dialogs in Social Work Diversity Courses: Topical Themes, Depth, and Tone.

Abstract Online discussions can extend learning experiences beyond the time and space of the classroom, allowing students more time to process information, and an additional mode of expression for those who are less active in open classroom discussions. They may be especially appropriate for teaching sensitive or controversial subject matter such as oppression and diversity, which is required by the Council on Social Work Education. This study investigated topical themes, depth, and tone of online dialogs in social work diversity courses at two universities in the mid-Atlantic area. Discourse analysis-a type of content analysis-is employed to gain a deeper understanding of the learning experience, and to compare the impact of anonymous and identified participation in the dialogs.
Improving in vitro to in vivo extrapolation by incorporating toxicokinetic measurements: A case study of lindane-induced neurotoxicity

Approaches for extrapolating in vitro toxicity testing results for prediction of human in vivo outcomes are needed. The purpose of this case study was to employ in vitro toxicokinetics and PBPK modeling to perform in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) of lindane neurotoxicity. Lindane cell and media concentrations in vitro, together with in vitro concentration-response data for lindane effects on neuronal network firing rates, were compared to in vivo data and model simulations as an exercise in extrapolation for chemical-induced neurotoxicity in rodents and humans. Time- and concentration-dependent lindane dosimetry was determined in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons in vitro using “faux” (without electrodes) microelectrode arrays (MEAs). In vivo data were derived from literature values, and physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling was used to extrapolate from rat to human. The previously determined EC{sub 50} for increased firing rates in primary cultures of cortical neurons was 0.6 μg/ml. Media and cell lindane concentrations at the EC{sub 50} were 0.4 μg/ml and 7.1 μg/ml, respectively, and cellular lindane accumulation was time- and concentration-dependent. Rat blood and brain lindane levels during seizures were 1.7–1.9 μg/ml and 5–11 μg/ml, respectively. Brain lindane levels associated with seizures in rats and those predicted formore » humans (average = 7 μg/ml) by PBPK modeling were very similar to in vitro concentrations detected in cortical cells at the EC{sub 50} dose. PBPK model predictions matched literature data and timing. These findings indicate that in vitro MEA results are predictive of in vivo responses to lindane and demonstrate a successful modeling approach for IVIVE of rat and human neurotoxicity. - Highlights: • In vitro to in vivo extrapolation for lindane neurotoxicity was performed. • Dosimetry of lindane in a micro-electrode array (MEA) test system was assessed. • Cell concentrations at the MEA EC{sub 50} equaled rat brain levels associated with seizure. • PBPK-predicted human brain levels at seizure also equaled EC{sub 50} cell concentrations. • In vitro MEA results are predictive of lindane in vivo dose–response in rats/humans.« less
Solitons in Cyclic Symmetric Field Theories

Abstract One-dimensional solitons are found in a model of Z(2) and Z(3) cyclic symmetric vector field theories, as functions of the scalar x 4 -kink solution.
Autoimmunity Key: Following Bolton's Cues.

This has been a brilliant composite of talks, representing an almost Gordon conference matrix, and I am honored to be a part of it. I am not personally acquainted with you, Nancy Bolton, but my congratulations for keeping your husband on the straight-and-narrow for these many years. I am sure it has been a challenge, and I praise your stalwart efforts. I do not honestly cast myself in the personal lineage of the Lewis-Bolton-Couser-Salant era, but I have been greatly influenced by the intellectual insights you fathered, and have tried to learn from you and follow your lead. Since this is a Bolton Festschrift, I will concentrate on some of the keys that illuminated my own career path. I would be remiss if I omitted Roger Wiggins, for I tried to follow his advice on becoming a division chief, only to fail dismally at the task. Roger initially told me that I was to go home for lunch with my wife every day. Unfortunately, in that I have absolutely not succeeded. Figure 1 comes from an era slightly earlier than that of Kline Bolton or Ed Lewis. This is a depiction of the Aristotelian world of medicine – relying on the four basic elements of earth, wind, fire, and water, a variety of good and evil humors, and continuous or discontinuous fevers. There is something very insightful about this cycle today, simply because ancient thinkers never tried to segregate these phenomena; rather, they considered all disease to be in balance. Today, we try to dissect these elements as Published online: May 6, 2009
Self-contained microelectrochemical immunoassay for small volumes using mouse IgG as a model system.

A self-contained, microelectrochemical immunoassay on the smallest volumes reported to date (1 μL for the antigen, 1 μL for the secondary antibody−enzyme conjugate, and 200 nL for the electrochemically detected species) has been developed using mouse IgG as a model system in a sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, which takes less than 30 min to both complete the assembly of immunoassay components onto the antibody-modified surface and detect enzymatically generated species (excluding time for electrochemical cleaning of electrodes). These studies demonstrate the advantage of the close proximity of electrodes to modified surfaces and their application in the analysis of small volumes. Using a 50 μm diameter × 8 μm deep cavity with individually addressable electrodes on a microfabricated chip, the primary antibody was selectively and covalently attached at a gold, recessed microdisk (RMD) at the bottom of the microcavity to the free end of SAMs of either 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid or 11-mercapto...
NSF puts on a brave new face

Abstract During the fall of 1981 the Behavioral and Neural Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation began an experiment which may lead to a five neuroscience program format instead of the three programs it currently possesses. The purpose of this reorganization is to give more emphasis to the neurosciences and hopefully to allow more growth in this burgeoning field. In light of harsh budget cuts to the federal sector this is a difficult task to undertake at the present time. However, the possible long-term gains make this move almost manditory if the NSF is to keep abreast of the tremendous growth in the neurosciences and maintain the ability to foster new opportunities in this field.
7Li NMR study of Li+ complexes with convulsant polymethylenetetrazoles and glutarimides in nitromethane solutions

Abstract Formation constants of lithium ion complexes with 1,5-polymethylenetetrazoles and 3,3-disubstituted glutarimides have been determined in nitromethane solutions by 7 Li NMR. Concentration dependence of the obtained values are explained by the competitive ion pair formation. Glutarimide complexes were found to be somewhat more stable than the pentamethylenetetrazole complexes.
RESPONSE TO SYSTEMIC ACIDOSIS IN FETAL PRIMATES

The response of the fetus to systemic acidosis has been studied in 8 fetal baboons age 160 gestation. Lactic acid 4meq/kg fetal weight) was infused over a 15 min. period. pH, pCO2, HCO3, base excess and lactate were measured in fetal blood and urine, amniotic fluid and maternal blood and urine. TA and NH4 were measured in amniotic fluid and in fetal and maternal urine Fetal femoral artery blood pH fell from 7.22 to 7.16 after lactic acid infusion. After 18 min., the fetal blood pH had returned to control values. Fetal UpH did not significantly change from the mean control value and there was no increase in TA or NH4. The infused acid was distributed as follows during 75 min. following the infusion. These data support our hypothesis that fetal acid-base balance is primarily maintained by placental clearance of H+ as more than 82% of the infused acid is rapidly cleared by this organ. Fetal-amniotic fluid exchange is also an important homeostatic mechanism. The clearance of only 0.2% of the infused acid by the kidneys indicates no significant participation in acid-base homeostasis in utero by these organs. This is not inconsistent with our previous demonstration of a mature H+ secretory capacity for the fetal kidney.