cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tortious Interference with the Expectancy of Entitlement Benefits

This Note proposes a new tort to address employers’ and their agents’ increasing abuse of the Unemployment Insurance appeals process, which interferes with employees’ expectancy of entitlement benefits. Though existi ng state Unemployment Compensation statutes sanction both unemployed workers claiming benefits and employers for making fraudulent statements, these provisions approach the issue of fraud too narrowly to combat this growing problem. Meanwhile, no existing remedy properly compensates victims of this sort of abuse, adequately deters abusive behavior by scaling the penalty to the harm, and is accessible to economically disadvantaged plaintiffs. As well as providing an analysis of the specific problem of abuse of the appeals process in the Unemployment Compensation arena, this Note also aspires to provide the framework for a compelling legal argument that such abuse should trigger tort liability in the hopes of easing the work of any public interest attorney interested in bringing such a suit. Although this Note focuses on Unemployment Insurance claims, the principles discussed are generally applicable to a variety of other entitlement benefit claims.
Energetics of Ligand Binding to Proteins

Publisher Summary The interaction of proteins with small ligands embodies the fundamental physicochemical principles that are operative in the physiological regulation of enzyme activity, the specific interactions among proteins and of proteins with nucleic acids and other macromolecules. This chapter describes the multiple ligand binding by proteins, binding by multimer proteins, extension of the concept of ligand interaction to covalent bond exchange, cooperativity and ligand correlation, and biological specificity and ligand binding. Many parts of the compact protein structure can contribute toward the shift in energy and structure taking place on ligand binding. The energies of ligand–ligand interaction, although small are sufficient to shift the covalent equilibria in which proteins take part, to a significant extent, and this may be found responsible for the interconversion of chemical and osmotic energies in metabolism. While, the ligand correlation because of the existence of free-energy coupling among the bound ligands is a molecular property to be explained by a study of the isolated protein, the enhancement of the effects by the simultaneous changes in ligand concentration is a system property that requires consideration of other entities. The consideration of ligand–protein interactions provides with a model for the relative importance to be assigned to molecules in the organic functions. Thus, study of the interactions of proteins and small ligands provides the basis for the understanding of biological specificity at the molecular level.
SIMULATION-ENHANCED FRACTURE DETECTION: RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION IN U.S. BASINS

Remote detection and characterization of fractured reservoirs is facilitated in this project by developing a revolutionary software system. The Model-Automated Geo-Informatics (MAGI) software integrates basin modeling, seismic data, synthetic seismic wave propagation and well data via information theory. The result is a seismic inversion cast in terms of fracture and other reservoir characteristics. The MAGI software was fully tested on synthetic data to verify program accuracy and robustness to data error. In Phase II, we (1) collected geological information (stratigraphic, structural, thermal, geochemical, fracturing and other information across the study area) (Task 4.1); (2) created a GIS database that is compatible with the input requirements of MAGI (Task 4.1); (3) implemented a web-based interface for user friendly access (Task 4.2); (4) gathered and preprocessed seismic data for input into MAGI; (5) developed two- and three-dimensional wave propagation simulators (in time domain) for fluid saturated porous media and implemented matching layer methodology for absorbing boundary conditions (Task 4.3); (6) developed parallel version of the seismic simulators (Task 4.3); (7) proposed an information theory framework that allows for the integration of multiple data types of a range of quality (Task 4.4); (8) developed and implemented highly efficient, parallel, Gauss-Newton seismic waveform inversion code based on reciprocity theorem (Task 4.5); (9) verified and demonstrated the accuracy and efficiency of the wave propagation and seismic waveform inversion codes (Tasks 4.3 and 4.5); and (10) identified the requirements for seismic data to allow seismic inversion (Task 4.6). With these accomplishments, we are prepared to carry out a demonstration in the Illinois Basin. A database of the proposed study area and the web-based system to facilitate geologic and seismic data input are ready for this demonstration as are mapping tools for comparison and observations.
The Hunt for Gollum: Tracking issues of fandom cultures

The fan-produced film The Hunt for Gollum (Independent Online Cinema, 2009) was released May 3, 2009, for free viewing on the Internet, garnering much interest from The Lord of the Rings fan communities and fan reviewers. Reviews of the film—whether in major science fiction fan communities, on the film's page in the Internet Movie Database, or in individual blogs and LiveJournals—have been positive to glowing. The consensus seems to be that the film is atypical of fan productions because of its professional production values. What the reviewers fail to consider are circumstances of production and reception that relate to gender differences in fan and mainstream culture. To address this lack, I first discuss the film as a fan production, then question how choices made by the creators regarding media and genre and the critical reception can be situated in the broader context of gender.
Chirurgie der Leisten- und Schenkelhernien

Mit ca. 200.000 Neuerkrankungen in Deutschland pro Jahr hat die Versorgung von Leistenhernien eine hohe soziookonomische Bedeutung. Fur Klassifikation und Behandlung der Leistenhernien wurden 2009 von der European Hernia Society Empfehlungen herausgegeben. Primares Ziel der operativen Versorgung ist die Rekonstruktion der Leistenkanalhinterwand. Hier konkurrieren anteriore und posteriore Operationsverfahren, welche in Naht- oder Netztechnik ausgefuhrt werden konnen. Aufgrund niedriger Rezidiv- und Komplikationsraten werden bereits bei primaren Hernien meist leichtgewichtige, grobmaschige Kunststoffnetze implantiert. Laparoskopische Verfahren werden aufgrund niedriger Schmerzen und Arbeitsunfahigkeitsdauer zunehmend angewandt, sind jedoch mit einem spezifischen Eingriffsrisiko verbunden.
Loss of Function of ATXN1 Increases Amyloid β-Protein Levels by Potentiating β-Secretase Processing of β-Amyloid Precursor Protein

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with complex and strong genetic inheritance. Four genes have been established to either cause familial early onset AD (APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2) or to increase susceptibility for late onset AD (APOE). To date ∼80% of the late onset AD genetic variance remains elusive. Recently our genome-wide association screen identified four novel late onset AD candidate genes. Ataxin 1 (ATXN1) is one of these four AD candidate genes and has been indicated to be the disease gene for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, which is also a neurodegenerative disease. Mounting evidence suggests that the excessive accumulation of Aβ, the proteolytic product of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP), is the primary AD pathological event. In this study, we ask whether ATXN1 may lead to AD pathogenesis by affecting Aβ and APP processing utilizing RNA interference in a human neuronal cell model and mouse primary cortical neurons. We show that knock-down of ATXN1 significantly increases the levels of both Aβ40 and Aβ42. This effect could be rescued with concurrent overexpression of ATXN1. Moreover, overexpression of ATXN1 decreased Aβ levels. Regarding the underlying molecular mechanism, we show that the effect of ATXN1 expression on Aβ levels is modulated via β-secretase cleavage of APP. Taken together, ATXN1 functions as a genetic risk modifier that contributes to AD pathogenesis through a loss-of-function mechanism by regulating β-secretase cleavage of APP and Aβ levels.
Persistence of Women in Online Degree-Completion Programs

Although online courses at postsecondary institutions promise adults access, flexibility, and convenience, many barriers to online learning remain. This article presents findings from a qualitative case study, which explored the phenomenon of undergraduate and graduate women learners’ persistence in online degree-completion programs at a college in the Northeast of the United States. Research questions asked why women learners persisted or failed to persist, and how factors supporting or hindering persistence influenced learners. Interviews with a purposeful sample of 20 participants revealed the complexity of variables affecting learners’ persistence to graduation. Findings suggested that multiple responsibilities, insufficient interaction with faculty, technology, and coursework ranked highest as barriers to women’s persistence. Strong motivation to complete degrees, engagement in the learning community, and appreciation for the convenience of an online degree-completion option facilitated persistence.
Size Distributions of Fluid Membrane Vesicles Far From Equilibrium

We investigate nonequilibrium behavior of a polydisperse ensemble of fluid membrane vesicles by means of a diffusive Boltzmann transport equation which, incorporates vesicle diffusion and the reactions between vesicles. This approach is used to study the time evolution of the size distribution of an initially monodisperse vesicle ensemble and its interesting properties such as the internal aqueous, encapsulated volume. We investigate various nonequilibrium paths such ensembles may follow during the equilibration process.
Regulation of production of a platelet-derived growth factor-like protein by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen for cultured cells of mesenchymal origin. Known sources of PDGF or PDGF-like protein are blood platelets, several transformed cell lines, and cultured endothelial cells (EC). We have examined the regulation of production of a PDGF-like protein in cultures of bovine aortic EC using a specific radioreceptor assay for PDGF. EC constitutively secreted PDGF-like protein into serum-containing or serum-free medium. The rate of production of PDGF-like protein was constant for at least 3 weeks and was not due to release of an internal store, since cell lysis by repeated freeze/thaw cycles did not release significant amounts of the protein. Synthesis of PDGF-like protein was sensitive to changes in the pH of the media and was maximal at pH 8.5. Production of PDGF-like protein was independent of EC growth rate: rapidly dividing cells and confluent, quiescent cells produced equal amounts per cell. However, sparse, quiescent EC produced more PDGF-like protein per cell than did confluent, quiescent cells. Several phorbol esters stimulated production of PDGF-like protein. At a concentration of 10(-6) M, a twofold stimulation was observed upon addition of the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and nearly a fourfold stimulation upon addition of the nonpromoting analog, methyl TPA. Incubation of EC with endotoxin (10 micrograms/ml) resulted in a twofold stimulation of PDGF-like protein production. In all experiments with endotoxin and phorbol esters, an increase in the production of PDGF-like protein was accompanied by morphological changes in the EC cultures. The cells appeared elongated and fibroblastic and exhibited low viability. A mathematical model was developed in which PDGF-like protein production was shown to consist of two separate components--production at a constant rate by healthy cells and a large burst of synthesis and secretion by dying cells. These results suggest that injurious agents may be capable of stimulating production of a growth factor by the endothelium.
Cooperative Learning in Statistics

Summary The formal use of cooperative learning techniques developed originally in primary and secondary education proved effective in improving student performance and retention in a college freshman level statistics course. Lectures interspersed with group activities proved effective in increasing conceptual understanding and overall class performance.
Triplet Z(N) model in a triangular lattice

Abstract The phase structure of a class of two-dimensional spin models with three-body interactions defined on a triangular lattice is studied. This class of models, containing the Baxter-Wu model as a special case, is shown to share the duality properties of a wide class of spin theories in two and three dimensions and the Z( N ) gauge theory in four dimensions. Like these models, our theory is shown to possess a massless, Kosterlitz-Thouless-like phase when the number of available spin states exceeds a critical value.
The expression of whirlin and Cav1.3α1 is mutually independent in photoreceptors

Whirlin is a gene responsible for Usher syndrome type II (USH2) and congenital deafness. In photoreceptors, it organizes a protein complex through binding to proteins encoded by other USH2 genes, usherin (USH2A) and G-protein-coupled receptor 98 (GPR98). Recently, Ca(v)1.3α(1) (α(1D)) has been discovered to interact with whirlin in vitro and these two proteins are localized to the same subcellular compartments in photoreceptors. Accordingly, it is proposed that Ca(v)1.3α(1) is in the USH2 protein complex and that the USH2 protein complex is involved in regulating Ca(2+) in photoreceptors. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the interdependence of Ca(v)1.3α(1) and whirlin expression in photoreceptors. We found that lack of Ca(v)1.3α(1) did not change the whirlin distribution or expression level in photoreceptors. In the retina, several Ca(v)1.3α(1) splice variants were found at the RNA level. Among them, the whirlin-interacting Ca(v)1.3α(1) long variant had no change in its protein expression level in the absence of whirlin. The localization of Ca(v)1.3α(1) in photoreceptors, published previously, cannot be confirmed. Therefore, the mutual independence of whirlin and Ca(v)1.3α(1) expressions in photoreceptors suggests that Ca(v)1.3α(1) may not be a key member of the USH2 protein complex at the periciliary membrane complex.
Choledochal cysts and multilocular cysts of the pancreas.

Choledochal cyst is a rare congenital anomaly of the biliary system that may be associated with other abnormalities of the hepatobiliary tract. We report a case of an 11-year-old boy in whom the preoperative evaluation revealed a choledochal cyst and intraoperative cholangiopancreatography showed a cystic mass in the pancreas. Examination of the choledocho-pancreatico-duodenectomy specimen showed a multilocular cyst in the pancreas in addition to a segmental dilation of the common bile duct. The findings in our case adds pancreatic cyst to the spectrum of abnormalities associated with choledochal cyst and may also support the theory that choledochal cyst is the predominant abnormality in a widespread spectrum of the pancreatobiliary duct dysplasia.
Birth region, race and sex may affect the prevalence of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, abdominal wall and neural tube defects among US newborns.

Birth region, race and sex may affect the prevalence of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, abdominal wall and neural tube defects among US newborns
Epileptogenic agents enhance transmission at an identified weak electrical synapse in Aplysia

To examine the possibility that alterations in the effectiveness of electrical synapses might participate in epileptogenesis, the effects of several convulsants on an identified weak electrical synapse in Aplysia were examined. Application of pentylenetetrazole, strychnine, or tetraethylammonium led to a dramatic increase in the size of the electrical postsynaptic potential mediated by the synapse; penicillin was considerably less effective. In a number of animals, the increased electrical synaptic effectiveness led to the abnormal conduction of spikes across the synapse. If convulsants have a similar action in mammalian cortex, enhanced transmission at weak electrical synapses may provide abnormal pathways for the flow of seizure activity and contribute in part to the synchronous firing of neurons characteristic of epileptic activity.
Masiero, Nanopoulos, and Sanda respond.

The authors comment on the effect of a discrete symmetry on their Dirac neutrino mass calculation. (AIP)
Predation risk and prey fish vertical migration in Lake Superior: Insights from an individual based model of siscowet (Salvelinus namaycush)

Abstract Drivers of movement patterns in prey fishes are often multifactorial in nature, but difficult to discern in complex lake ecosystems. Our objectives were to examine interactions between predatory siscowet lake trout and kiyi and deepwater sculpin, under different modeling scenarios to address the ramifications of prey distribution strategies on foraging by siscowet. We built an individual based model (IBM) of free moving siscowet to examine changes in predation rate on prey species given four scenarios of prey distribution. The scenarios included: 1) the nominal scenario where kiyi perform diel vertical movements (DVM) as observed in western Lake Superior; 2) a random distribution scenario where siscowet move randomly; 3) a no DVM scenario where kiyi maintain position near the bottom 24 h a day; and 4) a no DVM scenario where kiyi maintain position near 35-m 24 h a day. In the nominal scenario, there was strong agreement between simulated distribution, growth and diet of siscowets relative to observations in Lake Superior. In scenarios 3 and 4, when kiyi maintained their distribution at 35-m or near the bottom, predation rates by siscowet were approximately 14 times and 2 times higher, respectively, compared to the normal strategy exhibited by kiyi (scenario 1). These findings indicate that the present kiyi DVM strategy significantly reduces predation compared to other evaluated strategies and helps stabilize predator-prey interactions over relatively long timescales. Future analyses examining the supply and demand in the Lake Superior food web may quantify the specific importance of DVM in stabilizing predator-prey interactions.
Rebound Pain Scores as a Function of Femoral Nerve Block Duration After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Retrospective Analysis of a Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives Continuous perineural femoral analgesia has been reported to reduce numeric rating pain scores (NRS, scale 0-10) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). In the current study, we determined rebound pain scores in autograft ACLR outpatients after nerve block analgesia resolved. Methods After standardized spinal anesthesia and perioperative multimodal analgesia, patients received a femoral perineural catheter and 50 hours of saline or levobupivacaine. All patients received levobupivacaine (30 mL of 0.25% as a bolus) before the infusion. Patients completed a pain diary for 6 days, indicating serial NRS scores and perceptions of when nerve block analgesia resolved. Block duration and rebound pain scores were computed. Results Data from 84 participants9 pain diaries were analyzed. Patients receiving saline infusion reported mean nerve block duration of 37 hours versus 59 hours for patients receiving the levobupivacaine infusion (P Conclusions In an anesthesia care protocol consisting of spinal anesthesia and multimodal analgesia during and after autograft ACL reconstruction, approximately 33 hours of additional nerve block duration were required to reduce rebound pain scores by one unit. Further study is required to determine rebound pain score differences when other local anesthetics and anesthetic/analgesic plans are being used and when other surgeries are being performed.
Exploring the boundaries of crisis communication: The case of the 1997 red river valley flood

Based on an analysis of the Red River Valley flood of 1997, this study seeks to explicate the expansive and intricate nature of crisis communication research. Specifically, the crisis is examined from four perspectives: (a) chaos theory, (b) retrospective sensemaking, (c) crisis communication logistics, and (a) apologia. This case serves as evidence that multiple methods are necessary for building a complete understanding of complex crisis events. Furthermore, the authors argue that it is essential for crisis managers to adapt interpretive frameworks during crises in order to ascertain the unique nature of each crisis, regardless of previous experiences with similar aises.
Generalized Koopmans Density Functional Calculations Reveal the Deep Acceptor State of NO in ZnO

Applying a generalized Koopmans condition to recover the linear behavior of the energy with respect to the fractional occupation number, we find that substitutional nitrogen NO in ZnO is a deep acceptor with an ionization energy of 1.6 eV, which is prohibitively large for p-type conductivity. Testing the generalized Koopmans condition in computationally more demanding hybrid-functional calculations, we obtain a very similar result for NO, but find that the simultaneous correction of defect acceptor-level and host band-gap properties remains challenging in hybrid methods. The deep character of anion-site acceptors in ZnO has important consequences for the concept of codoping, as we show that nominally charge-compensated impurity pairs such as NO-GaZn or CO-TiZn have positively charged states in the gap that act as hole traps.
ZnO nanotips grown on Si substrates by metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition

The ZnO nanotips are grown on silicon and silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) substrates using the metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique. The ZnO nanotips are found to be single crystal and vertically aligned along the c-axis. In-situ Ga doping is carried out during the MOCVD growth. The ZnO nanotips display strong near-band edge photoluminescence (PL) emission with negligible deep-level emission. Free excitonic emission dominates the 77-K PL spectrum of the as-grown, undoped ZnO nanotips, indicating good optical properties and a low defect concentration of the nanotips. The increase of PL intensity from Ga doping is attributed to Ga-related impurity band emission. Photoluminescence quenching is also observed because of heavy Ga doping. ZnO nanotips grown on Si can be patterned through photolithography and etching processes, providing the potential for integrating ZnO nanotip arrays with Si devices.
Preventable adverse events in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis.

Objective To determine the incidence of preventable adverse events (AEs) and near misses (NMs) among infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis at a pediatric tertiary care hospital and the impact of these errors on hospital length of stay (LOS). Methods We studied 143 infants with bronchiolitis, ages 0 to 12 months, admitted from December 2002 to April 2003. Using prospective chart review and staff reports, we captured medical errors and AEs. Each event was classified as a (1) preventable AE, (2) nonpreventable AE, (3) intercepted NM, (4) nonintercepted NM, or (5) error with little or no potential for harm. Results Of 143 patients, 15 (10%) suffered an AE or NM. The incidence of preventable AEs was 10 per 100 admissions. We found a higher incidence of preventable AEs and NMs among critically ill patients (CIPs) compared with non-CIPs (68 vs 5 per 100 admissions, respectively), making the absolute risk of an AE or NM 14 times more likely in CIPs. Mean LOS was significantly longer for CIPs with at least 1 AE (9.1 +/- 8.8 days) than for CIPs without AEs (2.9 +/- 1.5 days). Mean LOS was not significantly different between non-CIPs who did (3.8 +/- 2.6 days) and did not (4.2 +/- 5.0 days) experience an AE. Conclusions Preventable AEs occur frequently among patients admitted for bronchiolitis, especially those who are critically ill. CIPs who suffer AEs during their hospitalization have longer hospital LOSs. Future studies should investigate error-prevention strategies with a focus on those patients with severe disease.
The normative foundation of social science in law revisited: A reply to melton

The primary thrust of Melton's argument is that “opposition by organized psychology to the Bork nomination would have been consistent with the jurisprudential philosophy on which social science in law, as a scholarly movement, is based” (p. 317). If APA is to justify opposition to Bork or future Supreme Court nominations (e.g., Souter), there should be a clearly identified normative foundation that directly leads to such advocacy. A stance based partly upon scholarship thatimplies reverence for constitutional values and partly upon preambles and principles of an ethical code is too slender a reed from which to cast APA's institutional support for a Supreme Court candidate. When such a stance is adopted, APA unfortunately becomes one of an increasing number of organizations attempting to influence political decisions by claiming allegiance to values consistent with democracy.
Relationships between the release of acid the cortical reaction and the increase of protein synthesis in sea urchin eggs

Cortical granule discharge has been separated from Na+--dependent acid release and the increase of protein synthesis in sea urchin eggs. When 2% egg suspensions are inseminated or treated with the ionophore A23187 in normal sea water, cortical granule discharge is induced and the pH of the suspensions decrease approximately 0.35 pH units. When a similar suspension is treated with A23187 in Na+-free sea water, cortical granule discharge is induced, but the pH of the suspension decreases only 0.05 pH units, and the rate of protein synthesis remains at the level of the unfertilized egg. When 0.05 M NaCl is added to this suspension, the pH decreases the remaining 0.30 pH units, and the rate of protein synthesis increases to the level of the fertilized egg. Thus, there appear to be two components of acid release from sea urchin eggs at fertilization: (1) a Na+-independent component which correlates with cortical granule discharge; and (2) a Na+-dependent component which correlates with the increase of protein synthesis.
Fos-like immunoreactivity in the brain of homozygous diabetes insipidus Brattleboro and normal Long-Evans rats.

Water deprivation induces the production of the transcription factor Fos in neurons of the neurohypophysial system. These neurons, which are located primarily in the hypothalamic paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei (SON), produce the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin. The present immunocytochemical study has analyzed the distribution of Fos in brain regions involved in osmoregulation and compared the extent of Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) in vasopressin-deficient Brattleboro and normal Long-Evans rats under stimulated and non-stimulated conditions. Rats were osmotically challenged by means of a single intraperitoneal injection of 1.5 M/L NaCl. Since Fos may be induced by the stress of handling of animals, non-injected and isotonic saline-injected rats were used as controls. Faint nuclear Fos immunostaining was found in the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO), subfornical organ (SFO), and SON of non-injected and isotonic saline-injected Brattleboro but not Long-Evans rats. Hypertonic saline injection specifically induced Fos-IR in neurons located in the SFO, OVLT, MnPO, PVN, SON, hypothalamic accessory nuclei (including the nucleus circularis), and arcuate hypothalamic nucleus (Arc) in both Long Evans and Brattleboro rats. No differences in distribution of the induced immunostaining were found between the strains. Stress of handling and (isotonic saline) injection induced Fos-IR in the lateral septal nuclei, central amygdaloid nuclei, medial amygdaloid nucleus, medial preoptic area, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, cingulate- and piriform cortex, the lateral hypothalamic area, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, and the habenular nucleus. The data are consistent with a role for Fos in the regulation of vasopressin gene expression during acute hyperosmotic stimulation. In addition, this study demonstrated that during chronic osmotic stimulation, as experienced by homozygous Brattleboro rats, Fos-IR is limited but apparently present constantly and that it increased in these animals following acute osmotic challenge. Our observations suggest that c-fos regulatory controls in homozygous Brattleboro rats are different from those in Long-Evans rats. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
State-trace analysis of the effects of a visual illusion on saccade amplitudes and perceptual judgments.

Visual illusions often appear to have a larger influence on subjective judgments than on visuomotor behavior. Although this effect has been taken as evidence for multiple estimates of stimulus size in the visual brain, dissociations between subjective judgments and visuomotor measures can frequently be reconciled with a singleestimate model. To circumvent this difficulty, we used state-trace analysis in a pair of experiments to examine the effects of the Muller-Lyer illusion on subjective length estimates, voluntary saccade amplitudes, and reflexive saccade amplitudes. All dependent measures were affected by the illusion. However, state-trace analyses revealed nonmonotonic relationships among all three variables, a pattern inconsistent with the possibility of a single underlying estimate of stimulus size.
The efficiency gains from site value taxes: the Tithe Commutation Act of 1836

Abstract The theoretical efficiency advantages of land site value taxation have been known since at least the writings of Adam Smith. However, the practical gains from switching land taxes to this basis have never, to our knowledge, been measured. The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 in England switched taxation of large areas of farmland from a percentage of gross output to an equivalent lump sum tax on site values. We estimate the rent gains from this reform between 1842 and 1855 using data from 5108 English parishes. We show that converting the tithe to a lump sum raised rents, net of the tithe, by an average of £0.43 for every £1 of tithe collected. Some of these rent gains may have stemmed from increased investment by landlords in fixed capital rented with the land, so that we can only give a range for the possible excess burden of the tithe of 17–43%. Interestingly with a Cobb–Douglass production function the predicted excess burden would be 17%.
Bridging the Gap Between Protein Carboxyl Methylation and Phospholipid Methylation to Understand Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion From the Pancreatic β Cell

Recent findings have implicated post-translational modifications at C-terminal cysteines [e.g., methylation] of specific proteins [e.g., G-proteins] in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion [GSIS]. Furthermore, methylation at the C-terminal leucine of the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A [PP2Ac] has also been shown to be relevant for GSIS. In addition to these two classes of protein methyl transferases, a novel class of glucose-activated phospholipid methyl transferases have also been identified in the beta cell. These enzymes catalyze three successive methylations of phosphatidylethanolamine to yield phosphatidylcholine. The "newly formed" phosphatidylcholine is felt to induce alterations in the membrane fluidity, which might favor vesicular fusion with the plasma membrane for the exocytosis of insulin. The objectives of this commentary are to: (i) review the existing evidence on the regulation, by glucose and other insulin secretagogues, of post-translational carboxylmethylation [CML] of specific proteins in the beta cell; (ii) discuss the experimental evidence, which implicates regulation, by glucose and other insulin secretagogues, of phosphatidylethanolamine methylation in the islet beta cell; (iii) propose a model for potential cross-talk between the protein and lipid methylation pathways in the regulation of GSIS and (iv) highlight potential avenues for future research, including the development of specific pharmacological inhibitors to further decipher regulatory roles for these methylation reactions in islet beta cell function.
Induction of a hypermetabolic state in cultured hepatocytes by glucagon and H2O2.

Abstract Stress hormones and pro-inflammatory cytokines are putative signals triggering increased energy expenditure or “hypermetabolism” commonly observed in inflammatory states. Cytokines also cause the release of reactive oxidants by immune cells resident in tissues in vivo. Therefore, we hypothesized that oxidative stress plays a role in the induction of hypermetabolism. We examined the effect of glucagon (1.0 nM), a catabolic stress hormone, and the oxidant H 2 O 2 (1.0 mM) on the metabolism of stable hepatocyte cultures for 4 days. Combined H 2 O 2 and glucagon treatment, but not H 2 O 2 or glucagon used alone, increased the hepatocyte oxygen uptake rate 25% above control untreated cells after a lag-time of 72 h. The same treatment also increased the expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2). These effects were significantly inhibited by the antioxidant N -acetylcysteine (5 mM) and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) inhibitor dehydroepianderosterone (200 μM). Glucagon alone induced urea synthesis and H 2 O 2 alone induced the PPP. These findings show, for the first time, that oxidative stress, in combination with glucagon, increases metabolic energy expenditure in cultured cells, and that this effect may be mediated by UCP-2. Furthermore, the results implicate the PPP in the induction of the hypermetabolic response.
Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Versatile Supramolecular Reagents Based upon [(Benzimidazol-1-yl)methyl]-benzamides

A new family of supramolecular reagents based upon [(benzimidazol-1-yl)methyl]-benzamides and geared toward the assembly of binary and ternary cocrystals have been synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal structure determinations of four of these compounds demonstrate that the carboxamide moieties engage in either dimeric or catemeric self-complementary hydrogen bonds, as well as in a N−H···N hydrogen bond involving the anti proton of the amide moiety (the hydrogen-bond donor) and a heterocyclic nitrogen atom (the hydrogen-bond acceptor). The crystal structures of two binary cocrystals illustrate that [(benzimidazol-1-yl)methyl]-benzamides are capable of coexisting within a crystalline lattice with a suitable partner, and this fact, coupled with their wide ranging solubility, makes them into versatile and, potentially, very useful supramolecular reagents.
Intracoronary thrombus: Role in coronary occlusion complicating percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Angiograms from 238 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty at the Mayo Clinic were reviewed to determine the presence of Intracoronary thrombus before dilation. Patients with previously occluded vessels and those receiving streptokinase therapy were excluded. Intracoronary thrombus before dilation was present in 15 patients (6%); complete occlusion occurred in 11 (73%) of these during or immediately after dilation. None of these patients had angiographic evidence of major intimal dissection. In contrast, among the 223 patients in whom no intracoronary thrombus was present before dilation, complete occlusion occurred in 18 (8%) and in 12 was associated with major intimal dissection. The difference between the complete occlusion rates for patients with and without prior intracoronary thrombus was highly significant (73 versus 8%, respectively, p Therefore, the presence of Intracoronary thrombus identifies a group of patients who are at increased risk of developing complete occlusion during or after attempted coronary artery dilation.
From colloids to proteases

The present autobiographical review describes my professional experiences as a graduate student in Vienna, Austria, the postdoctoral experiences at the University of London, University of Minnesota, and at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. This was followed by a faculty appointment at Duke University where I rose through the ranks from assistant professor to professor of physical biochemistry from 1938 to 1950. This account includes both scientific and cultural episodes and anecdotes. In 1950 I moved to Seattle to become founding chairman and professor in the Department of Biochemistry as will be described elsewhere.
Steroid excretion by larval frogs.

A chromatographic and colorimetric analysis has been made of the steroid hormone metabolites isolated from the excretory material of untreated and estrogen-treated larval frogs. Hydrocortisone, aldosterone, androsterone, and estradiol-17β have been tentatively indicated by the techniques employed here. Quantitative data are presented for the 17-hydroxycorticosteroid and the 17-keto-steroids. The data for androgenic steroids are discussed in relation to current hypotheses of sex determination, sex reversal, and adrenal hyperplasia in estrogen-treated larvae.
Structure of the BK potassium channel in a lipid membrane from electron cryomicroscopy

A long-sought goal in structural biology has been the imaging of membrane proteins in their membrane environments. This goal has been achieved with electron crystallography in those special cases where a protein forms highly ordered arrays in lipid bilayers. It has also been achieved by NMR methods in proteins up to 50 kilodaltons (kDa) in size, although milligram quantities of protein and isotopic labelling are required. For structural analysis of large soluble proteins in microgram quantities, an increasingly powerful method that does not require crystallization is single-particle reconstruction from electron microscopy of cryogenically cooled samples (electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM)). Here we report the first single-particle cryo-EM study of a membrane protein, the human large-conductance calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channel (BK), in a lipid environment. The new method is called random spherically constrained (RSC) single-particle reconstruction. BK channels, members of the six-transmembrane-segment (6TM) ion channel family, were reconstituted at low density into lipid vesicles (liposomes), and their function was verified by a potassium flux assay. Vesicles were also frozen in vitreous ice and imaged in an electron microscope. From images of 8,400 individual protein particles, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the BK channel and its membrane environment was obtained at a resolution of 1.7-2.0 nm. Not requiring the formation of crystals, the RSC approach promises to be useful in the structural study of many other membrane proteins as well.
Altar-Bound? The Effect of Disability on the Hazard of Entry into a First Marriage

Researchers consistently find that the experience of disability in childhood can influence future life trajectories, particularly with regard to economic and educational outcomes. However, relatively little research has been conducted to explore the effect of disability on other dimensions of the transition to adulthood: namely, its effect on family-formation outcomes. This study uses data from waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health in order to assess the effect of various types of disabilities on the likelihood and timing of entry into a first marriage. Both bivariate and multivariate models show that individuals who have a disabling condition have a lower chance of entry into a first marriage than do individuals who do not have a disability. However, further analysis reveals that not all types of disabilities have the same effect on the chances of marriage-individuals with learning disabilities and those with multiple disabilities are at a significantly lower hazard of entry into a first marriage than are their peers without disabilities.
The microbial nitrogen cycling potential is impacted by polyaromatic hydrocarbon pollution of marine sediments

During hydrocarbon exposure, the composition and functional dynamics of marine microbial communities are altered, favoring bacteria that can utilize this rich carbon source. Initial exposure of high levels of hydrocarbons in aerobic surface sediments can enrich growth of heterotrophic microorganisms having hydrocarbon degradation capacity. As a result, there can be a localized reduction in oxygen potential within the surface layer of marine sediments causing anaerobic zones. We hypothesized that increasing exposure to elevated hydrocarbon concentrations would positively correlate with an increase in denitrification processes and the net accumulation of dinitrogen. This hypothesis was tested by comparing the relative abundance of genes associated with nitrogen metabolism and nitrogen cycling identified in 6 metagenomes from sediments contaminated by polyaromatic hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and 3 metagenomes from sediments associated with natural oil seeps in the Santa Barbara Channel. An additional 8 metagenomes from uncontaminated sediments from the Gulf of Mexico were analyzed for comparison. We predicted relative changes in metabolite turnover as a function of the differential microbial gene abundances, which showed predicted accumulation of metabolites associated with denitrification processes, including anammox, in the contaminated samples compared to uncontaminated sediments, with the magnitude of this change being positively correlated to the hydrocarbon concentration and exposure duration. These data highlight the potential impact of hydrocarbon inputs on N cycling processes in marine sediments and provide information relevant for system scale models of nitrogen metabolism in affected ecosystems.
A Model of Communication in Support of Distributed Anomaly Response and Replanning

This paper proposes a descriptive model of the contents of communication among distributed practitioners engaged in the cognitive work of anomaly response and replanning. The model was used for a re-analysis of data on coordinative activities in response to an anomaly in a past space shuttle mission, and for a new analysis of log-based communication among flight controllers during normal space station operations. The model was found to be useful for supporting the discovery of patterns in communication among practitioners in complex work domains by providing a “coding scheme” that transforms domain-specific data into domain-independent protocols. The results of these model-based analyses have important implications for the design of computer-supported cooperative work.
Procedural bias in forensic science examinations of human hair.

Several forms of expert forensic science evaluations exist that rely at least in part on the subjective opinion of the examiner. Human hair identification is one such examination. This paper considers possible sources of influence or bias that may be responsible for examiner errors. Data are reported of an experiment that compares the conventional examination procedure (known versus questioned samples) against an alternative procedure (a lineup of samples) designed to limit the influence of factors that contribute to error. The altenative procedure produced fewer incorrect conclusions (3.8%) than the conventional procedure (30.4%).
Incidence, presentation, diagnosis, and management of malfunctioning implantable cardioverter-defibrillator rate-sensing leads

Recognition of tachyarrhythmia by an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) requires an intact rate-sensing lead. We retrospectively examined 266 consecutive patients requiring an ICD to characterize the incidence, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of a defective rate-sensing lead. To identify clinical parameters that may contribute to lead complications, we also assessed the effects of age, gender, type of rate-sensing lead, manufacturer of the lead, and surgeon. Over a follow-up period of 30 +/- 22 months (mean +/- standard deviation), a defective lead was found in 9 (3.4%) patients, in 9 (1.7%) of 514 leads over a period of 2 to 39 (mean 17 +/- 15) months after implantation. Except for 1 patient, in whom a lead fracture was incidently found during ICD generator replacement, these patients had multiple inappropriate shocks of recent onset. Clinical parameters were not helpful in identifying patients at risk for lead complication. An abnormal beeping signal obtained while the patients performed various maneuvers was helpful in confirming a defect. All of the defective leads were epicardial. These cases were managed by placement of a transvenous endocardial lead.
An analytical and numerical study of failure waves

Based on recent observations in shock experiments on glasses, a new failure process has been suggested for a certain type of brittle solids, in which a failure wave propagates through a solid at some distance behind the compressive stress wave near but below the Hugoniot elastic limit. Since the failure wave phenomenon is different from the usual inelastic shock waves, a combined analytical and numerical effort is made in this paper to explore the impact failure mechanisms associated with the failure wave. Based on the experimental data available, it appears that the physical picture of failure wave is related to local dilatation due to shear-induced microcracking. A mathematical argument then leads to the conclusion that the failure wave should be described by a diffusion equation instead of a wave equation, which is in line with the bifurcation analysis for localization problems. However, the occurrence of different governing equations in a single computational domain imposes both an analytical and a numerical challenge on the design of an efficient solution scheme. With the use of a partitioned-modeling approach, a simple solution procedure is proposed for failure wave problems, which is verified by the comparison with data.
Autonomous Reconfiguration Of Sensor Systems Using Neural Nets

Neural networks are ideally suited for sensing images and waveforms, processing them into intermediate levels of representation and outputing identification and/or characteristics of the sensed object. These networks can solve problems that conventional algorithms haven't and already in several cases this new technology has performed better than humans (e.g. sonar signal classification). A brief review of where autonomous agents may use neural networks and their learning algorithms is presented. A high yielding area is seen in the self-repair of damaged or faulted components. Architectures are proposed for implementing self-repairing sensor and identification systems aboard autonomous agents. One example is presented for a system which identifies visual objects. This system has four layers of massively connected simple parallel processors. Each connection has a weight attribute and the collected assignment of weights in a layer determines what function the layer will perform. The first layer (the imput layer) is simply the pixel detector layer. The second layer has eight sublayers which are sensitive to short line segments in eight different orientations. The third layer detects elementary combinations of the lower lines such as oriented corners or curve segments. The fourth layer has one sublayer for each macroscopic object to be identified which may be fused with a pinpoint location sensor. The crux of using reconfiguration in this type of sensor is that when one (or several) of the units or detectors become inoperative then neighboring detectors in that layer may be used to reprogram the weights connecting surviving units to restore functionality. This strategy takes advantage of the redundancy of parallel processors present in most types of neural networks. Alternatively a properly functioning agent may teach the injured agent or competitive learning for repairing middle processing layers may be utilized when an operative after-the-fact sensor is available for teaching the output layer.