cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconstructing Rights: Courts, Parties, and Equality Rights in India, South Africa, and the United States

Judges often behave in surprising ways when they re-interpret laws and constitutions. Contrary to existing expectations, judges regularly abandon their own established interpretations in favor of new understandings. In Reconstructing Rights, Stephan Stohler offers a new theory of judicial behavior which demonstrates that judges do not act alone. Instead, Stohler shows that judges work in a deliberative fashion with aligned partisans in the elected branches to articulate evolving interpretations of major statutes and constitutions. Reconstructing Rights draws on legislative debates, legal briefs, and hundreds of judicial opinions issued from high courts in India, South Africa, and the United States in the area of discrimination and affirmative action. These materials demonstrate judges' willingness to provide interpretative leadership. But they also demonstrate how judges relinquish their leadership roles when their aligned counterparts disagree. This pattern of behavior indicates that judges do not exercise exclusive authority over constitutional interpretation. Rather, that task is subject to greater democratic influence than is often acknowledged.
Are Gasoline Taxes in Britain Too High

It may make sense to reduce gasoline taxes in Britain and substitute higher income taxes to raise revenue. But this must be weighed against other benefits of high gasoline taxes in reduced pollutio...
Does socioeconomic status moderate the political divide on climate change? The roles of education, income, and individualism

Abstract Previous research documents that U.S. conservatives, and conservative white males in particular, tend to dismiss the threat of climate change more than others in the U.S. public. Other research indicates that higher education and income can each exacerbate the dismissive tendencies of the political Right. Bridging these lines of research, the present study examines the extent to which higher education and/or income moderate the ideological divide and the “conservative white male effect” on several climate change opinions, and whether these effects are mediated by an individualistic worldview (e.g., valuing individual liberty and limited government). Using nationally representative survey data of U.S. adults from 2008 to 2017 (N = 20,024), we find that across all beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy preferences examined, the ideological divide strengthens with both higher education and higher income. However, educational attainment plays a stronger role than income in polarizing the views of conservative white males. Further analyses support the hypothesis that differences in individualism partially explain the increased political polarization among more educated and higher-income adults, as well as greater dismissiveness among conservative white males relative to other demographic groups. These results highlight key moderators of opinion polarization, as well as ideological differences among conservatives, that are often overlooked in public discourse about climate change. Implications for climate change education and communication across demographic groups are considered.
Dehydration synthesis and crystal structure of terbium oxychloride, TbOCl.

Terbium oxychloride, TbOCl, was synthesized via the simple heat-treatment of TbCl3·6H2O and its structure was determined by refinement against X-ray powder diffraction data. TbOCl crystallizes with the matlockite (PbFCl) structure in the tetra­gonal space group P4/nmm and is composed of alternating (001) layers of (TbO)n and n Cl−. The unit-cell parameters, unit-cell volume, and density were compared to the literature data of other isostructural rare-earth oxychlorides in the same space group and showed good agreement when compared to the calculated trendlines.
Investing in U.S. Sectors: Mutual Funds vs. ETFs

This paper examines performance of 95 actively managed U.S. sector equity mutual funds from 29 fund families relative to their peer exchange-traded funds, SPDR sector ETFs, in the period of 2008 to 2017. Our results do not show considerable evidence that actively managed sector mutual funds outperform their passive counterparties. None of the mutual fund portfolios produces a significant positive alpha through factor models or delivers a significant positive alpha against their peer ETFs. When focusing on the 9 oldest actively managed Fidelity sector mutual funds, outperformance in the period of 1999-2010, which is reported in literature, appears to fade away during the period of 2011-2017. Alpha analyses of a larger sample of 60 sector mutual funds show similar performance deterioration in the same 19-year period. The results indicate that U.S. sector equity market has become more efficient in the past decade.
MILR: Mathematically Induced Layer Recovery for Plaintext Space Error Correction of CNNs

The increased use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) in mission critical systems has increased the need for robust and resilient networks in the face of both naturally occurring faults as well as security attacks. The lack of robustness and resiliency can lead to unreliable inference results. Current methods that address CNN robustness require hardware modification, network modification, or network duplication. This paper proposes MILR a software based CNN error detection and error correction system that enables self-healing of the network from single and multi bit errors. The self-healing capabilities are based on mathematical relationships between the inputs,outputs, and parameters(weights) of a layers, exploiting these relationships allow the recovery of erroneous parameters (weights) throughout a layer and the network. MILR is suitable for plaintext-space error correction (PSEC) given its ability to correct whole-weight and even whole-layer errors in CNNs.
Chance and Litigation

Is the litigation game as random as a coin toss? In this paper, the author presents the results of his preliminary research regarding the randomness of litigation. Specifically, the author formulates and then tests his “random litigation hypothesis” -- the conjecture that the litigation game is a random process with just two possible outcomes, like a coin toss, and that the litigants to a dispute are essentially playing a game of chance when they submit their dispute to a court for resolution.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and governor mandated stay at home order on emergency department super utilizers.

Abstract Background Despite the trend of rising Emergency Department (ED) visits over the past decade, researchers have observed drastic declines in number of ED visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and governor mandated Stay at Home Order on ED super utilizers. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of patients presenting to the 12 emergency departments of the Franciscan Mission of Our Lady Hospital System in Louisiana between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020. Patients who were 18 years of age or older and had four ED visits within a one-year period (2018, 2019, or 2020) were classified as super-utilizers. We examined number and category of visits for the baseline period (January 2018 – March 2020), the governor's Stay at Home Order, and the subsequent Reopening Phases through December 31, 2020. Results The number of visits by super utilizers decreased by over 16% when the Stay at Home Order was issued. The average number of visits per week rose from 1010.63 during the Stay at Home Order to 1198.09 after the Stay at Home Order was lifted, but they did not return to Pre-COVID levels of approximately 1400 visits per week in 2018 and 2019. When categories of visits were examined, this trend was found for emergent visits (p Conclusions Significant declines in emergent visits raise concerns that individuals who needed ED treatment did not seek it due to COVID-19. However, the finding that super utilizers with non-emergent visits continued to visit the ED less after the Stay at Home Order was lifted raises questions for future research that may inform policy and interventions for inappropriate ED use.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Use of High-Quality Hospitals Among Thyroid Cancer Patients.

This study examined racial/ethnic differences in use of high-quality hospitals among thyroid cancer patients. The study included adult patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 identified in the California Cancer Registry linked with hospital discharge records. Hospital quality was defined using a composite thyroid cancer-specific hospital quality score. Black (risk ratio [RR] 0.75, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.80), Hispanic (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.75), and Asian/Pacific Islander patients (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.89) were less likely to be treated in high-quality hospitals than non-Hispanic White patients. This disparity persisted after adjusting for insurance status and socioeconomic status.
Preoperative Calcium and Parathyroid Hormone Values Are Poor Predictors of Gland Volume and Multigland Disease in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Review of 2000 Consecutive Patients

OBJECTIVE Calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) values are believed to have a linear relationship in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and correlate with parathyroid gland size, with higher values predicting single-gland disease. In this modern series, these preoperative values were correlated with operative findings to determine their utility in predicting the gland involvement at parathyroid exploration. METHODS Two thousand consecutive patients who underwent initial surgery for sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism from 2000 to 2014 were reviewed. All patients underwent a 4-gland exploration. Relationships between preoperative calcium and PTH values with the total gland volume of each patient were examined and stratified using the number of involved glands: single adenoma (SA), double adenoma (DA), and hyperplasia (H). RESULTS There were 1274 (64%) SA, 359 (18%) DA, and 367 (18%) H cases. There was a poor correlation between preoperative calcium and PTH values (R = 0.37) and both poorly correlated with the total gland volume (R < 0.40). Similarly, subgroup analysis using the number of involved glands showed poor correlation. The mean total gland volume was similar among all subgroups (SA = 1.28 cm3, DA = 1.43 cm3, and H = 1.27 cm3; P = .52), implying that individual glands were smaller in multigland disease. SA was found in 271 (53%) of patients with calcium levels of ≤10.5 mg/dL and 122 (78%) with levels of ≥12 mg/dL (P < .001). CONCLUSION This is the largest series correlating preoperative calcium and PTH values with operative findings of gland size and number of diseased glands. Although a lower calcium value predicts somewhat more multigland disease, the overall poor correlation should make the parathyroid surgeon aware that gland size and multigland disease cannot be predicted by preoperative laboratory testing.
The Evolving Classification of Diffuse Gliomas: World Health Organization Updates for 2021.

Purpose of review The upcoming 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System will feature numerous changes in classification, diagnostic criteria, nomenclature, and grading of diffuse gliomas. This article reviews these changes and the clinical and molecular findings underlying them. Recent findings Since the publication of the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System, research has led to new insights into how molecular changes impact both the classification and grading of CNS tumors. The continued integration of molecular and histopathological features has led to changes in diagnostic criteria and grading for various tumors. In the new 2021 WHO CNS tumor classification scheme, diffuse gliomas will be classified as either adult-type diffuse gliomas, pediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas, or pediatric-type diffuse low-grade gliomas. The upcoming changes in the classification of adult-type and pediatric-type diffuse gliomas allow for more effective communication of both diagnostic and prognostic information, and-particularly in the case of pediatric-type diffuse gliomas-may suggest possible targeted strategies for therapeutic intervention.
Tariffs and the Expansion of the American Pig Iron Industry, 1870-1940

This study quantifies dynamic learning effects behind the tariff wall in the American pig iron industry in 1870-1940. First, we present new datasets to argue that imported and domestic pig iron were close substitutes. Next, we provide evidence for dynamic learning effects. Finally, we use the estimated learning rate to simulate the hypothetical free trade regime starting in 1870. Despite substantial learning at the early stage of development, free trade would have wiped out the domestic industry by 1881. This would be caused by unfavorable shocks on demand, input costs and transport costs.
E*Trade Financial Services

The electronic age continues to grow and to offer new and more efficient forms of electronic trade and electronic commerce. As this evolution continues, it is no surprise that the online financial services industry is seeing both significant changes and new revenue potential. One of the players in the online financial services industry is E*Trade Financial Services. Launched in 1992, the company was a pioneer in online brokerage services. At its inception, E*Trade’s focus was on becoming America’s dominant deep-discount brokerage firm by fully automating the front and back-office trade processing function and maintaining its position as the low-cost provider. Today, E*Trade offers a diverse and integrated portfolio of services including deep-discount brokerage services, traditional banking services like checking and savings, and mortgage and equity services. E*Trade strives to provide a range of services that are consolidated under one website, to provide convenience, and to be accessible 24/7. E*Trade also provides the tools necessary to guide clients through their financial needs. E*Trade faces growing competition as the industry is facing self-destructive price-war and, thus to reduce the costs, undergoing huge consolidations. While the competition is tough, E*Trade has a strong presence and percentage of marketshare in the industry. The company has proven that it can attract customers and provide the information and tools that they require to manage their own portfolio. The self-directed investors and the individuals who want control of and access to their finances are the core customers of E*Trade, and the company caters to them in terms of products and services. Where will E*Trade go from here? Should the company continue to slash the fee and commission charges like others do, or should it diversify its services and focus on core revenue generator of brokerage services? These questions are addressed in this paper as well as the current market position and the types of services that are offered. The paper provides a snapshot of what E*Trade is, what it does, and where it is going.
Company Valuation in Mergers and Acquisitions: How Is Discounted Cash Flow Applied by Leading Practitioners?

Based on interviews with major investment banks, we report how these leading practitioners apply discounted cash flow (DCF) techniques to value business enterprises. We find considerable alignment among the advisors and between practice and academic advice on major themes, including assessments of risk informed by data from financial markets and on the use of comparable company data. Our conversations reveal a complex set of judgments on valuation. While leading practitioners routinely use DCF methods in mergers and acquisitions (MA it requires art and judgment in the face of inherently uncertain business forecasts such as those surrounding merger synergies. Our results serve as yet another reminder that analytic techniques such as DCF do not make decisions but only inform them.
Drying of a partially saturated rock matrix by fracture ventilation: experiments and modeling in a single fracture-matrix system.

[1] We present an efficient approach for modeling drying resulting from airflow through fractures embedded within a rock matrix by coupling a nonlinear diffusion equation for moisture transport in the matrix with a depth-averaged quasi steady state advection-dispersion equation for the vapor transport in the fracture. Coupling between the moisture transport equation in the fracture and matrix is achieved by applying Kelvin's equation at the fracture-matrix interface. The proposed modeling approach was then validated based on a single fracture-matrix drying experiment involving airflow through a fracture sandwiched between two matrix blocks. The moisture diffusivity for the rock matrix was first estimated in a one-dimensional matrix drying experiment using a mass balance method. Numerical simulations based on our coupled modeling approach captured the important characteristics of the drying behavior in the single fracture-matrix experiment. Additional numerical simulations are presented to clarify the factors controlling drying behavior. The important features of drying in a single fracture-matrix system are as follows: (1) The total evaporation rate exhibits an initial constant value at early time, followed by a 1/t decrease with time. (2) At early time a “drying toe” forms near the fracture entrance and propagates along the fracture length as the fracture-matrix interface becomes progressively drier. During this period, the moisture content distributions in the rock matrix are two-dimensional, with gradients both parallel and perpendicular to the fracture. (3) At late time, after the drying toe reaches the end of the fracture, a “drying front” forms and propagates away from the fracture-matrix interface, leading to a largely one-dimensional (perpendicular to the fracture) variation of moisture content in the rock matrix. The experimental measurements could not fully resolve the early time two-dimensional moisture content variations due to the coarse resolution, precluding a rigorous comparison with simulated behavior. However, the later-time one-dimensional moisture content variation observed in the experimental data was reasonably reproduced in the numerical simulations.
Expression of the Adaptor Protein Hematopoietic Src Homology 2 is Up-Regulated in Response to Stimuli That Promote Survival and Differentiation of B Cells

Analysis of hematopoietic Src homology 2 (HSH2) protein expression in mouse immune cells demonstrated that it is expressed at low levels in resting B cells but not T cells or macrophages. However, HSH2 expression is up-regulated within 6–12 h in response to multiple stimuli that promote activation, differentiation, and survival of splenic B cells. HSH2 expression is increased in response to anti-CD40 mAb, the TLR ligands LPS and CpG DNA, and B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS), a key regulator of peripheral B cell survival and homeostasis. Stimulation of B cells with anti-CD40 mAb, LPS, CpG DNA, or BLyS has previously been shown to induce activation of NF-κB. In agreement with this finding, up-regulation of HSH2 expression in response to these stimuli is blocked by inhibitors of NF-κB activation and is potentiated by stimulation with PMA, suggesting that HSH2 expression is dependent on NF-κB activation. In contrast to CD40, BAFF receptor, TLR4, and TLR9 mediated signaling, stimulation of splenic B cells via the BCR was not observed to induce expression of HSH2 unless the cells had been stimulated previously through CD40. Finally, HSH2 expression is down-regulated in splenic B cells in response to stimulation with IL-21, which has been shown to induce apoptosis, even in the presence of anti-CD40 mAb, LPS, or CpG DNA. IL-21 stimulation also results in down-regulation of antiapoptotic proteins such as Bcl-xL and up-regulation of proapoptotic proteins like Bim. Therefore, HSH2 expression is coordinately up-regulated with known antiapoptotic molecules and directly correlates with B cell survival.
Half-lives of messenger RNA species during growth and differentiation of Dictyostelium discoideum.

Abstract The half-lives of functional messenger RNAs were determined by a method employing the drugs actinomycin D and daunomycin for the inhibition of mRNA synthesis; the activity of extracted mRNAs was determined by an in vitro translation assay. Several controls indicated that this method yielded reliable values for mRNA half-lives; in particular, the declining rate of protein synthesis in the presence of the drugs is due predominantly to the decay of translatable mRNA. This method was used to determine the half-lives of two specific mRNAs—encoding actin and a protein of MW 51,000—as well as that of total cytoplasmic mRNA activity during growth and at several times in differentiation. The half-lives of at least these two mRNAs were shown to be distinctly different from that of the total mRNA population—about 4 hr. However, no significant change in any of these half-lives was observed between growing and developing cells. Therefore wholesale alterations in the degradation rates of total and at least specific messages do not appear to play a role in the regulation of gene expression during Dictyostelium development.
Inhibition of Hyperreflexia by Vaginally Administered Oxybutynin: A Novel Rabbit Model

ABSTRACTPurpose: The rabbit has proved to be an excellent model in which to study lower urinary tract function and pathological mechanisms involved in specific forms of lower urinary tract dysfunctions, including those involved with partial outlet obstruction (benign prostatic hyperplasia), erectile dysfunction, bladder instability and ischemic bladder disease. The current study describes a model of bladder instability induced in female rabbits and its use in developing a novel form of vaginal treatment for this instability.Materials and Methods: A total of 18 female New Zealand White rabbits were used for this experiment. Each rabbit was anesthetized and the carotid artery was cannulated for blood pressure monitoring. The bladder dome was catheterized for monitoring bladder pressure and for cystometry. A ligature was placed around the urethra just distal to the bladder neck to prevent leakage through the urethra and generate unstable bladder contractions. After initial cystometry the bladder was emptied ...
Blockade of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor α-Induced but Not Estrogen-Induced Growth of Hormone-Dependent Human Breast Cancer

Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), a polypeptide that binds to the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, is expressed and secreted by human breast cancer cells and has been proposed as an autocrine growth factor and as a mediator of the mitogenic effect of estrogen. We investigated the potential importance of secreted TGF alpha in estrogen-responsive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells using monoclonal (528ab and 225ab) and polyclonal antibodies that block the EGF/TGF alpha receptor. Confirming other studies, these MCF-7 cells expressed TGF alpha with mRNA transcripts of 4.8 kilobases identified by Northern analysis, and they secreted TGF alpha activity measured by normal rat kidney colony-forming assay and an EGF RRA of conditioned medium. This activity was increased 3-fold by 1 nM 17 beta-estradiol and decreased by 1 microM tamoxifen. 528ab and 225ab bound to EGF receptors in MCF-7 cells with high affinity [dissociation constant (Kd) 0.1-0.5 nM] and blocked the binding of EGF/TGF alpha. These antibodies failed to inhibit baseline DNA synthesis or growth of MCF-7 cells although they were potent inhibitors of EGF/TGF alpha-induced growth of these cells. We hypothesized that if secreted TGF alpha mediates estrogen-induced growth, then EGF/TGF alpha receptor blockade should inhibit estrogen stimulation. MCF-7 cells were first treated with tamoxifen to inhibit growth and to reduce TGF alpha expression. Under these conditions, estrogen replenishment induced a marked dose-dependent rescue of TGF alpha secretion, DNA synthesis, and cell proliferation. Exogenous TGF alpha also partially restored growth of tamoxifen-inhibited cells. Although the simultaneous addition of 528ab or 225ab blocked TGF alpha-induced rescue of MCF-7 cells, it had no effect on rescue by estradiol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Gene 0.3 of bacteriophage T7 acts to overcome the DNA restriction system of the host

Abstract Wild-type bacteriophage T7 is not subject to restriction by the Escherichia coli B and K restriction systems, but T7 mutants that are susceptible to such restriction have been isolated. These mutants are all defective in gene 0.3, the first T7 gene to be expressed after infection. The gene 0.3 protein apparently acts to prevent modification as well as restriction, suggesting that it may interact with a component of the host restriction-modification system that is required for both processes. Mutants in which gene 0.3 is completely deleted are only partially modified by growth on hosts with an active restriction-modification system, presumably because the conditions of T7 infection overload the modifying capacity of the cells. This is in contrast to phages such as lambda that are completely modified during growth. Since gene 0.3 is not essential for growth in non-restricting hosts, it has been possible to isolate deletions which extend to the left of gene 0.3 into the region where E. coli RNA polymerase initiates the synthesis of T7 early RNA. Two of the three strong initiators from which E. coli RNA polymerase transcribes the early region can be deleted. In the course of searching for T7 mutants that are unable to overcome restriction, it was discovered that mutants defective in gene 2 are able to plate on E. coli C with essentially normal efficiency, and most gene 7 mutants are able to plate on both C and K strains. It has not been determined why genes 2 and 7 seem to be needed for growth in some E. coli strains but not in others.
Vaccines and animal models for arboviral encephalitides.

Arthropod-borne viruses ("arboviruses") cause significant human illness ranging from mild, asymptomatic infection to fatal encephalitis or hemorrhagic fever. The most significant arboviruses causing human illness belong to genera in three viral families, Togaviridae, Flaviviridae, and Bunyaviridae. These viruses represent a significant public health threat to many parts of the world, and, as evidenced by the recent introduction of the West Nile virus (WNV) to the Western Hemisphere, they can no longer be considered specific to any one country or region of the world. Like most viral diseases, there are no specific therapies for the arboviral encephalitides; therefore, effective vaccines remain the front line of defense for these diseases. With this in mind, the development of new, more effective vaccines and the appropriate animal models in which to test them become paramount. In fact, for many important arboviruses (e.g. California serogroup and St. Louis encephalitis viruses), there are currently no approved vaccines available for human use. For others, such as the alphaviruses, human vaccines are available only as Investigational New Drugs, and thus are not in widespread use. On the other hand, safe and effective vaccines against tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) have been in use for decades. New challenges in vaccine development have been met with new technologies in vaccine research. Many of the newer vaccines are now being developed by recombinant DNA technology. For example, chimeric virus vaccines have been developed using infectious clone technology for many of the arboviruses including, WNV, JEV, and TBEV. Other successful approaches have involved the use of naked DNA encoding and subsequently expressing the desired protective epitopes. Naked DNA vaccines have been used for TBEV and JEV and are currently under development for use against WNV. The development of less expensive, more authentic animal models to evaluate new vaccines against arboviral diseases will become increasingly important as these new approaches in vaccine research are realized. This article reviews the current status of vaccines, both approved for use and those in developmental stages, against the major arboviral encephalitides causing human disease. In addition, research on animal models, both past and present, for these diseases are discussed.
Orbiting effects in the inelastic scattering of protons to the continuum

Abstract The persistent positive analyzing powers in the backward hemisphere for moderate energy ( p , p' ) reactions to the continuum are found to be reproduced by one-step DWBA calculations. An analysis of these calculations shows that the effect arises from protons incident on one side of the nucleus and leaving on the other.
The least constraint principle for learning in neurodynamics

An adaptive neural network for auto-associative memories operating in continuous time is considered. A new learning algorithm for the weight matrix defined by explicit locations of desirable equilibrium points is introduced. The approach is based upon the minimum 'strength energy' of the weight matrix for each prescribed performance of the neural network.
Effect of dietary state on hepatocyte size

In order to calculate cellular metabolite concentrations, it is necessary to determine accurately the cellular volume. The purpose of the experiments reported here was to determine the effect of dietary state on the volume of hepatocytes isolated from livers of fed, fasted (48 h) or fasted (48 h)-refed (48 h) male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cellular volumes of the essentially spherical hepatocytes were calculated from the diameters of the cells obtained easily and rapidly by using an optical micrometer. Fasting resulted in approximately a two-fold reduction in hepatocyte volume, and refeeding resulted in a return to 83% of the control value. The protein content/1000 cells also dropped two-fold upon fasting but returned to 70% of the control value upon refeeding. This rapid, simple method for determining hepatocyte volumes agrees well with data obtained by more laborious means.
Building an autonomous vehicle by integrating lego mindstorms and a web cam

There are many possible ways to integrate Lego Mindstorms robots into the standard computer science curriculum. This paper presents a way to use these robots to teach image processing or vision by building an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle uses an off-the-shelf web cam for all of its navigation. Integration of the camera, robot, and controlling computer is discussed, as are the image processing units used, the structure of a state machine controlling them, and the cross-cutting concern of reducing both input and output noise throughout all aspects of the project.
Thermodynamics of microstructure evolution: Grain growth

Abstract It is gradually getting clear that the macroscopic description of microstructure evolution requires additional thermodynamic parameters, entropy of microstructure and temperature of microstructure. It was claimed that there is “one more law of thermodynamics”: entropy of microstructure must decay in isolated thermodynamically stable systems. Such behavior is opposite to that of thermodynamic entropy. This paper aims to illustrate the concept of microstructure entropy by one example, the grain growth in polycrystals. The grain growth is treated within the framework of a theory which is a modification of Hillert theory. The modification is made in order to reach simultaneously two goals: to get a coincidence of theoretical predictions with experimentally observed results and to obtain the equations that admit analytical solutions. Due to these features, the modified theory is of independent interest. In the modified Hillert theory one observes the decay of total microstructure entropy when the system approaches the self-similar regime. The microstructure entropy per one grain grows indicating a chaotization of grain sizes. It is shown also that there exits an equation of state of grain boundary microstructure that links entropy of microstructure, energy of microstructure, average grain size and a characteristic of the inhomogeneity of the large grain distribution.
Networks, dynamics, and the small-world phenomenon

The small‐world phenomenon formalized in this article as the coincidence of high local clustering and short global separation, is shown to be a general feature of sparse, decentralized networks that are neither completely ordered nor completely random. Networks of this kind have received little attention, yet they appear to be widespread in the social and natural sciences, as is indicated here by three distinct examples. Furthermore, small admixtures of randomness to an otherwise ordered network can have a dramatic impact on its dynamical, as well as structural, properties‐a feature illustrated by a simple model of disease transmission.
The Role of Career and Technical Education in Facilitating Student Transitions to Postsecondary Education.

This [article] examines recent attempts to promote students' transitions into postsecondary education. In particular, it focuses on the evolution of career and technical education (CTE) to promote student transition by coupling more rigorous academic preparation with CTE programs.
Reviews of the Literature

We hope that the rejuvenation of this journal will make itself felt, among other ways, by increased interest in and cooperation with this department. In conducting this department, we do not intend to be inhibited by any traditional academic barriers or form or medium of publication in our search for material suitable for review. We shall look to all academic, professional or other disciplines for books, articles or other materials. We shall, however, limit the reviews here to materials on human relations in which practical application is emphasized and which advance the objective observation of social behavior. We hope eventually to be able to review all material meeting these requirements—summarizing facts, presenting techniques employed and conclusions reached, together with our critical comments. If this hope is attained, this department should be of great value in giving you a quick reference to sources of information as to observed uniformities of behavior and methods of description and analysis use...
Optimizing the strength and ductility of fine structured 2024 Al alloy by nano-precipitation

Abstract Alloys with grain or subgrain structures refined down to 1 μm or below usually have high strength, but often inadequate tensile ductility. Past efforts in improving their ductility have usually led to a sacrifice of strength. We have developed an effective approach in achieving both high strength and high ductility in a 2024 Al alloy. The approach involves solution-treatment to partially dissolve T-phase particles, cryo-rolling to produce a fine-structure containing a high density of dislocations and submicrometer subgrains and aging to generate highly dispersed nano-precipitates. It was found that the remnant T-phase particles made it very effective in accumulating dislocations during cryo-rolling, which in turn promoted the precipitation of nanosized S′ precipitates with an interparticle spacing of only 10–20 nm. Such a high density of S′ precipitates enabled effective dislocation pinning and accumulation, leading to simultaneous increases in strength, work-hardening ability and ductility.
Prospective and retrospective analyses under logistic regression models

In logistic case-control studies, Prentice and Pyke (Biometrika 66 (1979) 403-411) showed that valid point estimators of the odds-ratio parameters and their standard errors may be obtained by fitting the prospective logistic regression model to case-control data. Wang and Carroll (Biometrika 80 (1993) 237-241; J. Statist. Plann. Inference 43 (1995) 331-340) generalized Prentice and Pyke's (Biometrika 66 (1979) 403-411) results to robust logistic case-control studies. In this paper, we extend the results of Prentice and Pyke (Biometrika 66 (1979) 403-411) and Wang and Carroll (Biometrika 80 (1993) 237-241; J. Statist. Plann. Inference 43 (1995) 331-340) to a class of statistics and a class of unbiased estimating equations. We present some results on simulation and on the analysis of two real datasets.
Interview with Dr Peter Siegel

Dr. Peter H. Siegel is Faculty Associate in Electrical Engineering, Senior Scientist in Biology at Caltech, and Senior Research Scientist and Technical Group Supervisor for Submillimeter Wave Advanced Technology at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA. He has been working in the areas of millimetre- and submillimetre-wave technology and applications for 35 years. At JPL, he develops terahertz technology for NASA’s near- and long-term space science missions, and at Caltech, Dr. Siegel is involved in new biological and medical applications of terahertz radiation.
PROGRESSIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE AND ENGLISH

Esse artigo discute diferencas no licenciamento de construcoes progressivas em portugues brasileiro (PB) e ingles. Minha proposta central e que a variacao translinguistica pode ser explicada por um unico requerimento universal: o operador de progressivo (no sentido de Landman, 1992) deve ter escopo sobre algum elemento que possua o traco [+ stage]. Stage, sob este ponto de vista, e um traco semântico relacionado a propriedade de "ser dinâmico em um intervalo de tempo". Os dados discutidos neste artigo mostram que o significado basico das classes verbais e o significado das construcoes progressivas e o mesmo em PB e ingles. A variacao translinguistica e explicada a partir das propriedades especificas dos verbos auxiliares usados em construcoes progressivas; em outras palavras, o verbo auxiliar em PB possui o traco [+ stage], mas o verbo auxiliar em ingles nao o possui.
Differential effects of training on the control of skeletal muscle perfusion

Endurance and high-intensity sprint training have been shown to alter skeletal muscle blood flow and factors that govern muscle perfusion under various conditions. Neither endurance nor sprint training alter skeletal muscle perfusion at rest but can result in an increase in muscle blood flow during the anticipation of exercise. The magnitude of the anticipatory increases in muscle blood flow is dependent on the intensity and duration of the prior training bouts and results from elevations in mean arterial pressure and decreases in vascular resistance in skeletal muscle. The decrements in skeletal muscle vascular resistance appear to be mediated through increases in muscle sympathetic cholinergic nerve activity or decreases in muscle sympathetic adrenergic nerve activity. During submaximal exercise, total muscle blood flow is either unchanged or slightly lower. However, a redistribution of muscle blood flow may occur following aerobic training, resulting in an enhanced perfusion of high-oxidative skeletal muscles and less flow going to low-oxidative muscles. The increased perfusion of the high-oxidative muscles may result from various factors including: a) increased recruitment of high-oxidative motor units, b) increased local release of metabolic vasodilator substances, c) qualitative changes in the metabolic substances released, d) decreased muscle sympathetic nerve activity, e) diminished sensitivity of the arterial vasculature to norepinephrine or other vasoconstrictor agents, f) enhanced endothelium-mediated dilation in the resistance vasculature, and g) an increased effectiveness of the skeletal muscle pump. Conversely, the decreases in blood flow to low-oxidative muscles may result from an enhanced autoregulatory responsiveness of the resistance vasculature. Endurance and sprint training increase muscle perfusion during exercise at VO2max: this primarily appears to be the result of an enhanced pumping capacity of the heart to increase in maximal cardiac output. Many of the training-induced alterations in muscle blood flow and vascular structure are localized in the muscles that are most active during the training bouts. Therefore, differences in muscle recruitment patterns that occur with low-intensity endurance exercise and high-intensity sprint exercise may account for differences observed between these two training regimens.
Did Hurricane Sandy influence the 2012 US presidential election

Despite drawing on a common pool of data, observers of the 2012 presidential campaign came to different conclusions about whether, how, and to what extent "October surprise" Hurricane Sandy influenced the election. The present study used a mixed correlational and experimental design to assess the relation between, and effect of, the salience of Hurricane Sandy on attitudes and voting intentions regarding President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in a large sample of voting-aged adults. Results suggest that immediately following positive news coverage of Obama's handling of the storm's aftermath, Sandy's salience positively influenced attitudes toward Obama, but that by election day, reminders of the hurricane became a drag instead of a boon for the President. In addition to theoretical implications, this study provides an example of how to combine methodological approaches to help answer questions about the impact of unpredictable, large-scale events as they unfold.
Conservation and Specialization: The Role of the Exocyst in Neuronal Exocytosis

The exocyst is an octameric complex mediating vesicle targeting and tethering at the plasma membrane for exocytosis. The role of exocyst in nervous system is unclear. In this issue of Neuron, Murthy et al. provide important insights: defects in the exocyst inhibit neurite outgrowth and neuromuscular junction formation; however, synaptic transmission persists.
Selected health and behavioral effects related to the use of caffeine

This paper reviews the research literature concerning health and selected behavioral effects of caffeine. Epidemiological and laboratory findings are reviewed to determine the health risks associated with both acute and chronic caffeine exposure. Common sources of caffeine, its properties, and physiological effects are considered. The relationships between caffeine and various health conditions are examined including caffeine's association with heart disease, cancer, and benign breast disease. Caffeine's possible contribution to enhanced exercise performance is discussed along with a brief overview of caffeine's effects on mental and emotional health. Over 100 references cited in this review were part of a more extensive literature base obtained from several on-line services including MEDLINE and LEXIS/NEXIS medical data bases. Other sources of relevant literature included manual searches of research journals and the use of selected references from appropriate articles. The relationship between caffeine consumption and various illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and cancer remains equivocal. Prudence might dictate that pregnant women and chronically ill individuals exercise restraint in their use of caffeine, although research suggests relatively low or nonexistent levels of risk associated with moderate caffeine consumption.
Association of the T-cell Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase with Nuclear Import Factor p97

Alternative splicing of the T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) transcript generates two forms of the enzyme that differ at their extreme C termini: a 48-kDa endoplasmic reticulum-associated form and a 45-kDa nuclear form. By affinity chromatography, using GST-TCPTP fusion proteins, we have isolated three cytoplasmic proteins of 120, 116, and 97 kDa that interact with TCPTP. The p120 protein associated with residues 377–415 from the C terminus of the 48-kDa form of TCPTP, whereas the recognition site for p97 and p116 was mapped to residues 350–381 encompassing the TCPTP nuclear localization sequence (NLS). The TCPTP NLS was shown to be bipartite, requiring basic residues 350–358 (basic cluster I) and 377–381 (basic cluster II), the sites of interaction with p97 and p116, for efficient nuclear translocation. The interaction between p97, p116, and the TCPTP NLS appeared unique in that these proteins did not form a stable interaction with the classical NLS of SV40 large T antigen or the standard bipartite NLS of nucleoplasmin. Sequence analysis of p97 identified it as the nuclear import factor p97 (importin-β), which is an essential component of the nuclear import machinery. In assaysin vitro in permeabilized cells, p97 was necessary but not sufficient for optimal nuclear import of TCPTP. We found that TCPTP co-immunoprecipitated with the nuclear import factor p97 from cell lysates and that purified recombinant p97 and TCPTP interacted directlyin vitro. These results indicate selectivity in the binding of p97 and p116 to the TCPTP NLS and suggest that p97 may mediate events that are distinct from the classical nuclear import process. Moreover, these results demonstrate that the C-terminal segment of TCPTP contains docking sites for interaction with proteins that may function to target the enzyme to defined intracellular locations and in the process regulate TCPTP function.
An Automatic Alignment System For A Multibeam Laser System

Raytheon Company, under contract to the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics, has performed a preliminary Systems Engineering Analysis of the Omega-Ten System with particular emphasis on the Optical Adjustment and Control Subsystem (OACS). This paper describes the elements of the Omega-Ten Laser Subsystem, the OACS used to align the Laser Subsystem and the error budget for this alignment subsystem.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Numerical simulation of unsteady flow about cambered plates

Reported herein is a theoretical and experimental investigation of a nonimpulsively-started steady ambient flow, subsequently decelerating to rest at prescribed rates, about two-dimensional cambered plates (circular arcs with included angles of 120,180, and 240 deg) for the purpose of understanding the consequences of wake return and secondary separation on impermeable rigid surfaces. The numerical simulations are based on computational methods with vortices. Experiments are carried out in a vertical water tunnel. The results of the physical and numerical experiments are found to be in good agreement.
The regulation of fear: the contribution of inhibition and emotion socialisation

In this study, we investigated the contribution of inhibition and maternal socialisation of children's fear to observed emotion regulation during a fear induction. Fifty-three parent–child dyads (Mage = 3.76 years) participated. Parents completed a series of questionnaires, and parent–child dyads were observed during a fear induction. Children's behaviour was coded for latency to approach the fear stimulus, expressions of fear, and regulation of emotion during the fear episode. Inhibition positively predicted orientation to mother and negatively predicted task orientation during the fear episode. In addition, the interaction between inhibition and supportive reactions to fear predicted children's engagement in distraction during the fear episode; the relation between inhibition and distraction was significant when mothers reported high levels of support to children's fear. The results indicated that mothers’ supportive reactions to children's fear bolster their emotion regulatory skills.
Photometric and potentio metric study of metal com-plexes of 2-(3'-sulfobenzoyl)pyridine-2-pyridylhydrazone

Abstract The composition, formation conditions and stability constants of metal complexes of 2-(3'-sulfobenzoyl)pyridine-2-pyridylhydrazone are reported. Two types of complexes are formed having net charges of 0 and 2 - with divalent cations. The anionic form of the complex is quantitatively retained by anion-exchange resins and can be recovered by acid solution.
ACTION OF SPLEEN EXTRACTS ON STORED PRE-COOKED FREEZE-DRIED BEEF

Weight changes in stored freeze-dried meat samples following rehydration indicated a greater H2O uptake by enzyme-treated samples. Although sarcomere length measurements and Instron testing demonstrated that enzyme-treated samples (at all sampling periods) were significantly more tender and more uniform in texture than the control samples, protein extractability was not changed significantly.