cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Campaign Finance Disclosure and the Legislative Process

This Article analyzes an underappreciated and oft-overlooked method of campaign finance regulation: the use of reporting and disclosure requirements. Although disclosure has long been overshadowed by more prominent forms of campaign finance regulation, disclosure requirements have recently begun to receive new attention as the Supreme Court has signaled an increasingly skeptical attitude toward direct restrictions on the use of campaign funds. This Article demonstrates that both sides of the campaign finance debate have failed to recognize the full range of possible disclosure schemes, and it argues that a particular set of disclosure requirements can have a much more dramatic effect on the legislative process than has previously been recognized. Applying these insights, the Article shows that a carefully crafted disclosure scheme can offer an effective solution to the problem of quid pro quo corruption (i.e., political bribery) and can overcome serious constitutional concerns about retaliation against those who support unpopular views, while at the same time providing public officials with more detailed information about the needs and preferences of the citizens they represent.The argument proceeds in four Parts. Part I examines the two main policy justifications offered in support of campaign finance reform--egalitarian concerns about the distortionary effects of money on politics and bribery concerns about quid pro quo corruption--and shows that these two competing rationales have drastically different implications for the permissible scope of campaign finance regulation.Part II then briefly reviews the Supreme Court’s campaign finance jurisprudence and shows how the Court’s notion of “corruption” as a compelling government interest has shifted between these two different rationales. The result is a doctrine that leaves considerable uncertainty as to how far reformers may go in order to advance egalitarian ends through direct restrictions on campaign funds. The Court’s decisions appear more receptive to the use of reporting and disclosure requirements as an alternative to direct regulation, but the constitutionality of disclosure schemes that identify individual campaign contributors rests on extremely fragile foundations that recently have begun to erode.The final two Parts focus on the issue of disclosure. Part III identifies two model approaches, the full disclosure model and the information-suppressing model, but argues that neither model proves entirely satisfactory. Part IV argues for a more nuanced, selective approach to the disclosure problem. After first showing how the reporting of aggregate, rather than individual-level, disclosure data can both solve the problem of quid pro quo corruption and overcome the First Amendment concerns that threaten current disclosure schemes, it then demonstrates how the proper set of reporting and disclosure requirements should be determined by one’s view of the legislative process and by one’s conception of political “corruption.”
Net energy analysis : handbook for combining process and input-output analysis

Abstract Methods are presented for calculating the energy required, directly and indirectly, to produce all types of goods and services. Procedures for combining process analysis with input-output analysis are described. This enables the analyst to focus data acquisition effects cost-effectively, and to achieve down to some minimum degree a specified accuracy in the results. The report presents sample calculations and provides the tables and charts needed to assess total energy requirements of any technology, including those for producing or conserving energy.
Spherical nearest neighbor classification: application to hyperspectral data

The problem of feature transformation arises in many fields of information processing including machine learning, data compression, computer vision and geoscientific applications. In this paper, we investigate the transformation of hyperspectral data to a coordinate system that preserves geodesic distances on a constant curvature space. The transformation is performed using the recently proposed spherical embedding method. Based on the properties of hyperspherical surfaces and their relationship with local tangent spaces we propose three spherical nearest neighbor metrics for classification. As part of experimental validation, results on modeling multi-class multispectral data using the proposed spherical geodesic nearest neighbor, the spherical mahalanobis nearest neighbor and the spherical discriminant adaptive nearest neighbor rules are presented. The results indicate that the proposed metrics yields better classification accuracies especially for difficult tasks in spaces with complex irregular class boundaries. This promising outcome serves as a motivation for further development of new models to analyze hyperspectral images in spherical manifolds.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder

Part I: Theory and Concepts. Borderline Personality Disorder: Concepts, Controversies, and Definitions. Dialectical and Biosocial Underpinnings of Treatment. Behavioral Patterns: Dialectical Dilemmas in the Treatment of Borderline Patients. Part II: Treatment Overview and Goals. Overview of Treatment: Targets, Strategies, and Assumptions in a Nutshell. Behavioral Targets in Treatment: Behaviors to Increase and Decrease. Structuring Treatment around Target Behaviors: Who Treats What and When. Part III: Basic Treatment Strategies. Dialectical Treatment Strategies. Core Strategies: Validation. Core Strategies: Problem Solving. Change Procedures: Contingency Procedures of Managing Contingencies and Observing Limits. Change Procedures: Skills Training, Exposure, Cognitive Modification. Stylistic Strategies: Balancing Communication. Case Management Strategies: Interacting with the Community. Part IV: Strategies for Specific Tasks. Structural Strategies. Special Treatment Strategies. Appendix: Suggesting Reading. References. Index.
Creating a 21st Century National Innovation System for a 21st Century Latvian Economy

The Latvian economy made great strides in recovering from the economic shock of the early transition and the adverse aftereffects of the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Nevertheless, Latvia faces serious challenges to its future growth and prosperity despite these impressive achievements and the outward appearance of macroeconomic stability and economic progress. A wide variety of recent studies suggest that the Latvian economy is not particularly competitive and, even more worrisome, they indicate that Latvia is not well positioned to gain ground in the race for global competitiveness, prosperity, and rising standards of living. Most of Latvia's growth to date has come from one-off gains generated by structural reforms, privatization, and reallocating resources, not inexhaustible reservoirs of growth. Latvian enterprises will be able to sustain economic growth and create high wage jobs only by becoming internationally competitive, innovating, accumulating new knowledge and technology, and finding a high value added niche in the European and global division of labor. This paper is designed to help Latvian leaders develop a clear diagnosis of the innovation and competitiveness challenges facing Latvia as it prepares to enter the EU and, more important, design and implement policies and programs to ensure that Latvia reaps the maximum possible benefits from EU structural funds. Section II analyzes the current structure of Latvia's production, imports, and exports. Section III uses data from a number of competitiveness reports to benchmark Latvia's current progress against a number of comparator countries and to pinpoint Latvia's strengths and weaknesses as an innovative economy. Section IV offers a detailed list of potential policies and programs that could improve the competitiveness of Latvian enterprises and the efficiency of the Latvian National Innovation System. The recommendations include specific policies and programs to improve (1) the production of knowledge in Latvia, (2) the commercialization of technology produced by Latvian scientists, small companies, and research institutes, and (3) local firms' capacity to absorb, adapt, and adopt existing knowledge produced outside Latvia for use inside Latvia.
Symbol Table Access

During the translation of many programming languages it is necessary to associate each occurrence of an identifier with its collected attributes. This is accomplished by means of a symbol table which holds relevant information about all active identifiers encountered in the source text. Information required for translation, and held in the symbol table, may include the name, type, location, diagnostic information, scope nesting, etc. An entry is made into the symbol table when a new identifier is declared. When an identifier is otherwise used the symbol table is interrogated for the information on which to base translation decisions.
Fast and memory efficient JBIG2 encoder

We propose a fast and memory efficient encoding strategy for text image compression with the JBIG2 standard. The encoder splits up the input image into horizontal stripes and encodes one stripe at a time. Construction of the current dictionary is based on updating dictionaries from previous stripes. We describe separate updating processes for the singleton exclusion dictionary and for the modified-class dictionary. Experiments show that, for both dictionaries, splitting the page into two stripes can save 30% of encoding time and 40% of physical memory with a small loss of about 1.5% in compression. Further gains can be obtained by using more stripes but with diminishing returns. The same updating processes are also applied to compressing multi-page document images and shown to improve compression by 8-10% over coding a multi-page document as a collection of single-page documents.
Clinical decision-Support tool for acute appendicitis

The diagnosis of acute appendicitis is still an issue, even with the availability of medical imaging techniques like ultrasonography or computed tomography, and after the publication and evaluation of many clinical scores. The main part of the decision still uses the clinical experience, often limited since physicians taking care of emergency department patients are usually residents or junior attending physicians. Clinical scores rarely comply with all required standards of quality, and are always used separately. In this project, a new approach was tried, developing a decision-support tool with an expert system development application, and using three clinical scores chosen for their qualities.
Optical network for real-time face recognition

An optical network is described that is capable of recognizing at standard video rates the identity of faces for which it has been trained. The faces are presented under a wide variety of conditions to the system and the classification performance is measured. The system is trained by gradually adapting photorefractive holograms.
Neutron radius in Pb from the analog state

Abstract The energy of the analog state is re-evaluated, taking into account that the neutrons in the outermost shell are converted into protons. The half-density radius of neutrons is found to be 0.2 fm less than that of the protons.
Neonatal hyperthyroidism alters the development of behavioral arousal and inhibition in the mouse

Thyroxine injections of neonatal mice at 1,2, and 3 days of age yielded higher activity levels during the second and third postnatal weeks compared to saline controls, but did not result in an earlier ontogenetic activity peak, which would have been indicative of accelerated development of inhibitory functioning. However, in the second experiment, hyperthyroid mice demonstrated a significant increase in activity following scopolamine injection as early as 15 days of age, whereas controls showed a similar increase at 17 days of age. This finding suggests that neonatal hyperthyroidism results in earlier development of the cholinergic system.
Dark-capacitance transients in MIS tunnel diodes☆

Abstract Dark-capacitance transients in MIS tunnel diodes switched from accumulation to deep depletion depend on the interface state occupancy. This time dependent function is derived and its behavior described for electron emission and electron-hole pair generation with tunneling and thermally controlled occupancies. A new method of determining the tunneling relaxation time constant τ T from the electron emission transient at low temperature is described. Measurements of MIS tunnel diodes with oxide thickness d ox = 17 to 80 A agree with theory and the resultant values of τ T compare with previously reported results from photocapacitance[2].
Elastic wave emission from damage processes

The theory of elastic wave emission (i.e., acoustic emission; AE) from damage processes such as slip and microcracking is discussed. Analogous developments in the literature on earth-quake seismology and dynamic dislocation theory are noted and utilized. A general representation of the displacement field of an AE event is given in terms of the double-couple response to a distribution of “moment density tensor” in the source region. Results are specialized to a point source model and to a general far-field analysis of outgoing elastic waves, and conditions for validity of such representations and their low-frequency specializations are noted. Emitted wave fields are compared for tensile opening and slip events, and procedures which might enable the approximate determination of the size or area increase of tensile microcracks are discussed.
Limb Correction Effects on TIROS-N Microwave Sounding Unit Observations

Abstract Evaluations of limb-corrected brightness temperatures computed by NESDIS from TIROS-N MSU observed brightness temperatures are presented. Observed brightness temperatures both before and after limb correction are compared to simulated brightness temperatures derived from conventional radiosonde measurements. Results suggest a left-to-right bias in the limb-corrected MSU data, with the left side colder than the right side. The uncorrected MSU brightness temperatures can be more accurately simulated than those available after the limb correction technique is applied. Incorporating the actual MSU antenna patterns into the simulations removes most of the scan angle dependence in the bias differences.
A MAC Protocol for QoS Support in MI-UWB based Wireless Network

In this paper we propose a MAC (Medium Access Control) protocol (named MACQUE) that provides QoS support for multimedia applications in the MI- UWB (Multiband Impulse-based Ultra Wideband) based wireless networks. The proposed MAC protocol utilizes the advantages provides by the MI-UWB including multiple non-overlapping frequency channels, simultaneous transmissions in same channel as well as dynamical reconfiguration of transmission parameters. The resource allocation algorithm of the proposed MAC protocol uses a two-phase procedure to provide explicit QoS support and optimize resource utilization in a dense medium-size MI-UWB network. The performance of the proposed MAC protocol is evaluated by extensive simulation study.
Tracheal ligation and mechanical ventilation do not improve the antioxidant enzyme status in the lamb model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Background/Purpose: The antioxidant enzyme (AOE) system is the primary intracellular defense system of the lung against oxygen toxicity. The authors recently demonstrated depressed levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) lambs compared with controls. The aim of this study was to determine whether tracheal ligation (TL) or mechanical ventilation (recently shown to stimulate growth and surfactant metabolism, respectively) could induce an elevation in AOE activity. Methods: Four nonventilated lambs with surgically created CDH and TL and five CDH lambs ventilated for 4 hours were studied. Lung tissue was analyzed for AOE and the results compared with untreated CDH lambs. Results: Both ventilation and TL failed to elevate AOE activity above that of untreated CDH lambs. Conclusions: The dataprovide further evidence that TL does not improve lung metabolism or maturation. Mechanical ventilation, which often involves high oxygen delivery, is a necessary and often beneficial therapeutic modality. In the CDH neonate compromised not only by low baseline levels of the AOE, but also by an inability to induce enzyme synthesis in response to hyperoxia, mechanical ventilation may, by causing lung injury, be contributing to the high morbidity and mortality rate associated with CDH.
Characterization of frequent deletions causing steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Abstract Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is caused by mutations in the CYP21B gene. This gene and a highly homologous pseudogene, CYP21A, alternate with the C4A and C4B genes encoding the fourth component of complement. Classical deficiency alleles are frequently caused by deletions of CYP21B or by gene conversions that transfer deleterious mutations from the CYP21A pseudogene to CYP21B. Gene conversions involving restriction enzyme sites that distinguish CYP21A [e.g., 3.2-kilobase (kb) Taq I fragment] and CYP21B (3.7-kb Taq I fragment) might be confused with actual deletions of CYP21B. To determine the incidence of this type of gene conversion, 15 chromosomes (in 13 families) with absent 3.7-kb Taq I fragments were studied. When hybridized with a 21-hydroxylase probe, all of these chromosomes were associated with absent 2.9-kb Kpn I fragments, 14 of 15 were associated with absent 2.4-kb Bgl II/EcoRI fragments, and 13 of 15 were associated with absent 10-kb Bgl II/EcoRI and 12-kb EcoRI fragments. Thirteen of 15 chromsomes had absent 6.0- or 5.4-kb Taq I fragments when hybridized with a C4 probe. Thus, 2 of 15 chromosomes do not carry deletions and may represent gene conversions; 13 of 15 chromosomes studied have a deletion of approximately equal to 30 kb, leaving behind the C4A gene and a single CYP21A-like gene. Hybridization with specific oligonucleotide probes showed that in all 13 cases this remaining CYP21 gene carried an 8-base-pair deletion, typical of CYP21A, that prevents synthesis of a functional protein. Thus, gene conversions are rarely confused with deletions as a cause of 21-hydroxylase deficiency.
500 GHz GaAs MMIC sampling wafer probe

A 500 GHz bandwidth GaAs MMIC sampling wafer probe is reported which incorporates a mechanical flexure and a micromachined GaAs IC for time domain on-wafer measurements. The GaAs IC incorporates a novel high speed pulse sharpener and a two-diode sampling bridge with a micromachined GaAs tip.
Meaning of the BRS Lagrangian theory

A simplified treatment of the Becchi-Rouet-Stora (BRS) Lagrangian theory is presented. With this treatment we show that the BRS Lagrangian theory in general, and the Feynman-gauge field theory in particular, are effective theories, not the physical theory, and the Feynman gauge is not, strictly speaking, a gauge. The relationship between the quantum states in the BRS Lagrangian theory and those in the physical theory is explicitly given. We also show that one may obtain matrix elements of gauge-invariant operators in the physical theory by calculating corresponding ones in the BRS Lagrangian theory. The formulas which equate such matrix elements are called correspondence formulas. The correspondence formula for the {ital S} matrix enables us to equate the scattering amplitudes in the physical theory with those in the BRS Lagrangian theory, thus a proof of the unitary of the Feynman-gauge (as well as other covariant gauges) Feynman rules is rendered unnecessary. This treatment can be applied to various gauge field theories and the examples of the pure Yang-Mills theory and a gauge field theory with a Higgs field is explicitly worked out.
Nature of inlet turbulence and strut flow disturbances and their effect on turbomachinery rotor noise

Abstract Results of an investigation in which turbomachinery rotor sound spectra were correlated with aerodynamic measurements of the inlet turbulence, strut wake, and vortex flow strengths are reported. Aerodynamic measurements included mean velocity profiles, turbulence intensity, and axial length scales. Inlet turbulence data indicate that the major effect of flow contraction appears to be the elongation of turbulent eddies. Eddies of this size dominate the blade passing frequency (BPF) tones. Decreasing eddy size by use of a grid revealed vortex flow strength to be the second major sound source. A doubling of vortex flow strength produced a 6 dB increase in the SPL of the first BPF. The sound pressure level showed less than a 2 dB change with doubling of strut wake turbulence intensity or velocity defect. A discussion of the relative importance of various sources of noise due to flow non-uniformities at the inlet is given.
Design of a Carpet Cloak to Conceal an Antenna Located Underneath

The “invisible carpet cloak” has recently been created and demonstrated as a novel device that serves to conceal conducting objects from external detections (J. Li and J. B. Pendry, “Hiding under the carpet: A new strategy for cloaking,” Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 101, no. 20, p. 203901, 2008). In this work, we have explored its new function as a new type of stealth radome to protect antennas. A technique called “virtual boundary” is implemented to the carpet cloak to ensure that a conducting antenna element located beneath the carpet can transmit and receive signals, while being undetectable to the external incidences. Meanwhile, the carpet cloak functions as a novel lens to create highly directive beams. Numerical simulations based on finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method have demonstrated the expected performances over the frequency range from 8 GHz to 12 GHz (the X-band).
Theoretical studies of inorganic and organometallic reaction mechanisms. 17. Unprecedented C-C bond activation at rhodium(I) and iridium(I)

Activation of C−C and C−H bonds by the Rh(I) and Ir(I) complexes (PCP)MCl (M = Rh, Ir; PCP = C6H3(CH3)(CH2PH2)2) has been studied by density functional methodology. C−H activation from either of the three-coordinate intermediates 1a and 1b has a high barrier (>25 kcal/mol). Direct C−C activation does not occur from either 1a or 1b because the C−C bond is sterically inaccessible. Plausible C−C and C−H activation mechanisms under mild conditions are related to four-coordinate η1-arene intermediates, 3a or 3b, which are formed prior to the activation processes. Activation energies for the direct C−C oxidative addition at Rh(I) and Ir(I) were calculated to be 14.3 and 12.6 kcal/mol, respectively. The C−C bond activation products form with an exothermicity of −4.4 and −24.1 kcal/mol relative to the η1-arene intermediates 3a and 3b, respectively. The unexpected reactivity for C−C activation in PCP ligand systems can be ascribed to the formation of the η1-arene intermediates and the existence of strong Ar−metal ...
Children's interests in news: on-line opportunities

Children's perspectives on news are presented. The context of the discussion includes computer networks, interest research, and constructionism. Projects are categorized by their relationship to children's interests in news and other topics. Fourth- and fifth-grade children's participation in news-related aspects of the NewsMaker project are presented to demonstrate the possibilities that arise when children are able to create and discuss news on line.
Neurohypophysial function in bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles.

Abstract Bullfrog tadpoles retain water when injected with vasotocin. This response is very small in young tadpoles but increases later, especially just prior to metamorphorsis. Vasotocin also increases the osmotic permeability of the skin in such tadpoles. The quantities of neurohypophysial peptides stored in the tadpoles' pituitary are about one-fifth of those seen in adult bullfrogs.
Hormonal regulation of branching in grasses.

Axillary meristems, which form in the axils of leaves, play an essential role in plant architecture and reproduction. During vegetative development, axillary meristems give rise to branches, called tillers in grasses, while during reproductive development, axillary meristems give rise to flowering
Phylogenetic relationships and biochemical properties of the duplicated cytosolic and mitochondrial isoforms of malate dehydrogenase from a teleost fish, Sphyraena idiastes.

Unlike birds and mammals, teleost fish express two paralogous isoforms (paralogues) of cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (cMDH; EC 1.1.1.37; NAD+: malate oxidoreductase) whose evolutionary relationships to the single cMDH of tetrapods are unknown. We sequenced complementary DNAs for both cMDHs and the mitochondrial isoform (mMDH) of the fish Sphyraena idiastes (south temperate barracuda) and compared the sequences, kinetic properties, and thermal stabilities of the three isoforms with those of mammalian orthologues. Both fish cMDHs comprise 333 residues and have subunit masses of approximately 36 kDa. One cytosolic isoform, cMDH-S, was significantly more heat-stable than either the other cMDH (cMDH-L) or mMDH. In contradiction to the generally accepted model of vertebrate cMDH evolution, our phylogenetic analysis indicates that the duplication of the fish cytosolic paralogues occurred after the divergence of the lineages leading to teleosts and tetrapods. cMDH-L and cMDH-S differed in optimal concentrations of substrates and cofactors and apparent Michaelis–Menten constants, suggesting that the two paralogues may play distinct physiological roles. Differences in intrinsic thermal stability among MDH paralogues may reflect different degrees of stabilization in vivo by extrinsic stabilizers, notably protein concentration in the case of mMDH. Thermal stabilities of porcine mMDH and cMDH-L, but not cMDH-S, were significantly increased when denaturation was measured at a high protein (bovine serum albumin; BSA) concentration, but the BSA-induced stabilization reduced the catalytic activity.
Semiparametric efficiency bounds for the binary choice and sample selection models under conditional symmetry

Abstract We consider a binary choice model and a sample selection model in which the conditional distribution of the error term, given the explanatory variables, has a symmetric form. We show that the semiparametric efficiency bounds are infinity for both models under the symmetry restriction. Hence, it is not possible to obtain a √n consistent and asymptotic normal estimator for the two models under the restriction.
High modal discrimination in a Nd:YAG laser resonator with internal phase gratings

A unique laser resonator containing an internal phase grating and a diffractive mode-selecting mirror provides high modal discrimination in a Nd:YAG laser cavity. Single-spatial-mode lasers with high Fresnel numbers are possible, with negligible loss to the fundamental mode.
Secondary and Postdepositional Redbeds of Duchesne River Formation (Eocene-Oligocene?), Uinta Basin, Utah: ABSTRACT

Clastic sedimentary rocks of the Duchesne River Formation are largely red or reddish brown. Red pigment (hematite) is present as very fine-grained iron oxide, as staining on grain surfaces, and in cement. Apparently most of the pigment was derived originally from red sedimentary source rocks of the Uinta Mountains. Fine-grained red material and red-stained grains survived erosion and transportation from the source area and deposition over large areas of the Uinta basin, but much of the red pigment has been mobilized subsequently and removed from some of the deposits. The types and colors of cements are related to the color of sandstones. Red, reddish-brown, and brown sandstones contain predominantly silica cement. Sandstones of orange or yellowish brown color are cemented with both silica and carbonate cements, and most of the carbonate cement is stained. Green, yellow, and gray sandstones contain mainly carbonate cement, most of which is not stained. Petrographic relations indicate that the earliest cement was silica. Later carbonate cementation in many sandstones mobilized some of the red pigment derived from the source area. Additional red pigment was derived from the partial oxidation of iron-bearing detrital grains. In some sandstones another stage of carbonate cementation again mobilized pigment, reducing or removing most of it. As a result, most of the rocks retain the reddish color inherited from red sedimentary source material, either in its original form or redistributed in cement. Postdepositional red pigment has further stained many of the rocks, but red pigment has been removed from some after deposition. End_of_Article - Last_Page 601------------
Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ1 (PPAR‐γ1) as a major PPAR in a tissue in which estrogen induces peroxisome proliferation

Estradiol administration induces peroxisome proliferation and the production of 3-hydroxy fatty acid pheromones in the uropygial glands of the duck, but not in the goose gland, which does not produce such pheromones. We isolated a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)gamma1 cDNA from a duck uropygial gland cDNA library. Northern blots revealed two transcripts, PPAR gamma1 and gamma2, and showed that PPAR gamma was expressed at higher levels than PPAR alpha in the uropygial gland of the duck. Although PPAR gamma2 was expressed in both duck and goose uropygial gland, PPAR gamma1 was expressed only in the duck gland, which responds to estrogen by peroxisome proliferation. In NIH 3T3 transfected cells, PPAR gamma1 was activated by peroxisome proliferators such as Wy-14643, clofibric acid and Ly-171883 causing induction of the target marker gene. By cotransfection with a plasmid containing alpha-cis-retinoic acid receptor RXR alpha, the induction increased up to 9-fold. These results suggest that PPAR gamma1 may be involved in peroxisome proliferation while PPAR gamma2 may be involved in lipid metabolism.
The Rules of the Game: Forensic Medicine and the Language of Science in the Structuring of Modern Ritual Murder Trials

When ritual murder trials reappeared in central Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, they could not be articulated in pre-Reformation language and symbols. Prosecutors, magistrates, trial judges, and police investigators shared an implicit understanding that a new universe of knowledge was in place in which academic experts and practitioners of science defined the boundaries—linguistic and conceptual—of plausible argument and were to be accorded deference. This does not mean that popular beliefs and understandings of Jewish ritual murder suddenly ceased to be disseminated or no longer influenced courtroom proceedings, or that zealous investigators and prosecutors did not pursue their cases armed with a priori assumptions about likely perpetrators and their motives. But cultural material, psychological predispositions, and even narrative accounts built upon eyewitness testimony could never suffice to move either the state to indict or a jury, or a panel of judges, to convict. Whatever nonrational thinking or prejudices may have accompanied it, the modern ritual murder trial was structured by powerful, if implicit, rules of expression and authority: it could only be articulated through the epistemological categories and idioms of a culture that understood itself to be both rational and scientific. What commands our attention, then, in the Tiszaeszlar, Xanten, and other modern ritual murder trials are the processes whereby ritual murder discourse bent—as it were—to the discipline of modernity, as exemplified by the structures and rules of legal procedure, parliamentary politics, mass-circulation journalism, criminology, medicine, and forensic science.
Effects of various corn distillers by‐products on growth, feed efficiency, and body composition of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

A study was conducted to examine the use of corn distillers’ by-products in diets and the effects of additional dietary fat on channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, performance. Juvenile channel catfish (initial weight: 12.6 g per fish) were stocked in flow-through aquaria and fed one of six practical diets for 9 weeks. Fish fed the control + fat diet consumed more diet and had higher feed efficiency ratio (FER) than fish fed the control diet, but weight gain was not significantly different between fish fed these two diets. Fish fed the diet containing 300 g kg−1 distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) consumed more diet and gained more weight, but had similar FER compared with fish fed the control + fat diet. The diet containing 200 g kg−1 high-protein distillers grains (HPDDG) resulted in similar diet consumption, weight gain and FER as the control + fat diet. Fish fed the diet containing 100 g kg−1 distillers solubles (DS) consumed more diet, but had similar weight gain and FER compared with fish fed the 300 g kg−1 DDGS diet. The presence of distillers solubles in the diet (300 g kg−1 DDGS, 100 g kg−1 DS, 100 g kg−1 EDS diets) appears to increase diet consumption, weight gain, and FER over the control diets with or without additional fat.
Size distributions of manure particles released under simulated rainfall.

Manure and animal waste deposited on cropland and grazing lands serve as a source of microorganisms, some of which may be pathogenic. These microorganisms are released along with particles of dissolved manure during rainfall events. Relatively little if anything is known about the amounts and sizes of manure particles released during rainfall, that subsequently may serve as carriers, abode, and nutritional source for microorganisms. The objective of this work was to obtain and present the first experimental data on sizes of bovine manure particles released to runoff during simulated rainfall and leached through soil during subsequent infiltration. Experiments were conducted using 200 cm long boxes containing turfgrass soil sod; the boxes were designed so that rates of manure dissolution and subsequent infiltration and runoff could be monitored independently. Dairy manure was applied on the upper portion of boxes. Simulated rainfall (ca. 32.4 mm h−1) was applied for 90 min on boxes with stands of either live or dead grass. Electrical conductivity, turbidity, and particle size distributions obtained from laser diffractometry were determined in manure runoff and soil leachate samples. Turbidity of leachates and manure runoff samples decreased exponentially. Turbidity of manure runoff samples was on average 20% less than turbidity of soil leachate samples. Turbidity of leachate samples from boxes with dead grass was on average 30% less than from boxes with live grass. Particle size distributions in manure runoff and leachate suspensions remained remarkably stable after 15 min of runoff initiation, although the turbidity continued to decrease. Particles had the median diameter of 3.8 μm, and 90% of particles were between 0.6 and 17.8 μm. The particle size distributions were not affected by the grass status. Because manure particles are known to affect transport and retention of microbial pathogens in soil, more information needs to be collected about the concurrent release of pathogens and manure particles during rainfall events.
Metabolism of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in the Immediate Postnatal Period of Human Newborns. 1. Developmental Changes in Lipolysis and Glycogen Content

Metabolism of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in the Immediate Postnatal Period of Human Newborns. 1. Developmental Changes in Lipolysis and Glycogen Content
Bone transport, bone destruction, and reverse utility curves

Abstract Density-mediated bone destruction frequently produces negative hyperbolic relationships between Binford's Modified General Utility Index (MGUI) and relative skeletal abundance. Because processes of bone destruction are so diverse and so universal, it is far wiser to assume that such “reverse utility curves” have resulted from differential destruction rather than from any other cause, including bone transport by people. Although statistical analyses can help discover destruction-driven relationships of this sort, it still remains to be demonstrated that density-free MGUI analyses have the human behavioral meaning that has been attributed to them on the basis of single-case ethnoarchaeological studies.
Mechanical stimulation increases intracellular calcium concentration in nodose sensory neurons

Abstract The cellular mechanisms involved in activation of mechanosensitive visceral sensory nerves are poorly understood. The major goal of this study was to determine the effect of mechanical stimulation on intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) using nodose sensory neurons grown in culture. Primary cultures of nodose sensory neurons were prepared by enzymatic dispersion from nodose ganglia of 4–8 week old Sprague-Dawley rats. Whole cell [Ca 2+ ] i was measured by a microscopic digital image analysis system in fura-2 loaded single neurons. Brief mechanical stimulation of individual nodose sensory neurons was achieved by deformation of the cell surface with a glass micropipette. In 31 of 50 neurons (62%), mechanical stimulation increased [Ca 2+ ] i from 125 ± 8 to 763 ± 89 nM measured approximately 10 s after stimulation. [Ca 2+ ] i then declined gradually, returning to near basal levels over a period of minutes. [Ca 2+ ] i failed to increase after mechanical stimulation in the remaining 19 neurons. The mechanically-induced rise in [Ca 2+ ] i was essentially abolished after the neurons were incubated for 5–10 min in zero Ca 2+ buffer ( n = 7 ) or after addition of gadolinium (10 μM), a blocker of stretch-activated ion channels ( n = 5 ). The effect of gadolinium was reversed after removal of gadolinium. The results indicate that: (1) mechanical stretch increases [Ca 2+ ] i in a subpopulation of nodose sensory neurons in culture; and (2) the stretch-induced increase in [Ca 2+ ] i is dependent on influx of Ca 2+ from extracellular fluid and is reversibly blocked by gadolinium. The findings suggest that opening of stretch-activated ion channels in response to mechanical deformation leads to an increase in Ca 2+ concentration in visceral sensory neurons. Stretch-activated channel opening and increased [Ca 2+ ] i may also occur at the sensory endings of these neurons in vivo . These fundamental cellular responses may enable sensing of mechanical deformation in various tissues innervated by nodose neurons, including the heart, aorta, lungs and gastrointestinal tract.
The localization of botulinum A toxin in the mouse.

Abstract Crystalline botulinum A toxin was labelled with fluorescein or rhodamine labels under conditions of high and low ionic strength buffers without loss of toxicity. In vitro binding to various mouse tissues was studied by darkfield fluorescence microscopy. Binding was almost entirely confined to structures in skeletal muscle consistent in size, shape and location with motor endplates. This localization was confirmed by localization of unlabelled botulinum toxin by means of fluorescein-labelled antitoxin. Appropriate control preparations confirmed the selectivity of toxin binding.
A decision-support framework for exploring supply chain tradeoffs

Abstract Producers of retail products continually need to determine how much of a particular product to produce. The difficulty of judging correctly is compounded when the product has a short production–sales interval and is made primarily for sale during the big Winter Shopping Season (e.g. around Christmas holiday). In an effort to minimize production and distribution costs, decision makers would like to produce as early as possible, but doing so would increase the risk of producing the wrong quantity. Good forecasting mitigates this problem, and the use of agile supply chains allows the firm to produce later in the production–sales interval. Both however add to the cost of production. If the external environment is volatile, then there would be increased uncertainty as to a desirable course of action. This paper presents a simulation-based decision-support framework for exploring the tradeoffs in producing different quantities under a variety of supply chain configurations and alternate forecasting options, given uncertain demand environments. We provide an illustrative example to highlight these tradeoffs.
A Case Study for Combining Technologies for the Delivery of Information Literacy and Community to Students at Remote Locations Using Live Synchronous Video-Conferencing

The University of La Verne, a pioneer in the field of adult and distance education, hosts approximately 4,692 traditional undergraduate and graduate students on the main campus, 3,350 adult students, and hundreds of online students throughout California at nine regional campuses. Challenged by limited funding and staffing, the library and Regional Campus Administration collaborated with senior management to pilot a blended technology platform using Adobe Connect for content and live video streaming and Business Skype for audio to deliver real-time, interactive virtual information literacy to distance learners. The initial objective of “Library on Demand” was to supplement existing in-person, e-mail, and telephonic library information literacy instruction with live streaming video and two-way audio. The use of multi-channel instructional technologies would optimize outreach activities, reaching larger numbers of student communities while optimizing student learning modality preferences and differences. The...
The role of sovereign wealth funds in global financial intermediation

Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have experienced tremendous growth lately. Their combined wealth is currently estimated at $3 trillion, and the International Monetary Fund estimates that they will continue to grow to $10 trillion by 2012. SWFs' recent investments in the United States and Europe have been the focus of media and government scrutiny, given that a number of SWFs are not transparent, and emanate from authoritarian regimes, which are not political allies of the West. In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview, along with detailed summary statistics on various aspects of SWFs. We also provide recommendations to facilitate SWFs' role in global financial intermediation
The nucleotide: DNA sequencing and its clinical application.

Information determining cellular structure and function is contained in chromosomal DNA. Genes, regions of DNA encoding this information, are composed of specific sequences of nucleotides. DNA sequencing methods have been developed to identify these sequences. Even subtle alteration (or mutation) of these sequences can lead to many human syndromes and diseases. This article reviews 1) the structure of the nucleotide, 2) the methods of DNA sequencing, and 3) its recent clinical application in analysis of the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.
Styelins, broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptides from the solitary tunicate, Styela clava

Two novel phenylalanine-rich antimicrobial peptides, Styelin A and Styelin B, were purified from the hemocytes of Styela clava. The peptides had very similar masses (Styelin A, 3685.8; Styelin B, 3700.6) and amino acid compositions, and at least 17 of their first 20 N-terminal residues were identical. Both Styelins were effective against a panel of gram negative and gram positive bacterial pathogens of humans, usually acting with minimal inhibitory concentrations < 1.5 microgram/ml (< 0.5 microM), even in the presence of 100 mM NaCl. Styelins also killed marine bacteria, Psychrobacter immobilis and Planococcus citreus, in media containing 0.4 M NaCl. The presence of antimicrobial peptides (Styelins) in tunicate hemocytes is evidence that such molecules are ancient mediators of host defense within the vertebrate lineage. Peptide antibiotics from marine organisms could afford design template for the development of topical microbicides that manifest broad-spectrum antibacterial activity in the presence of physiological or elevated NaCl concentrations.
Studies of the Thermal Volume Transition of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogels by High-Sensitivity Differential Scanning Microcalorimetry. 2. Thermodynamic Functions

We report the first accurate measurements of the partial heat capacity of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels with varying cross-link density. When the cross-link density is increased, the transition broadens and the transition temperature decreases, while the enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity increment of the transition do not practically change. The transition heat capacity increment is negative, Δtcp = −0.63 ± 0.04 J/g/K. This indicates the formation of a hydrophobic core of the gel upon the transition. The partial heat capacity of polymer network in the gel approaches the partial heat capacity of the unfolded linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) at low temperatures, indicating a complete disordering of the gel under these conditions. On the basis of the calorimetric data, thermodynamic functions of the transition were calculated from 0 to 150 °C. They allow one to compare enthalpic and entropic contributions to the stabilization of the collapsed gel. This state is found to be most stable at about 1...
Preparing IEPs for CBVE programmes

Abstract The Congress of the United States passed an amendment to the Education of the Handicapped Act (1975) which required the preparation of an individualised education programme (IEP) for all handicapped students. An IEP provides a written evaluation of the student and lists services and annual programme goals geared toward maximising the educational experience of the student. This paper describes the requirements mandated on educators by the amendment. It also provides three options for instructors who teach, using a competency-based vocational education (CBVE) method, employing specific behavioural activities (competencies) as a part of the instructional design, to use in preparing IEPs for their handicapped students.
Quantitative assay of a human monoclonal IgM antibody (HA-1A) in human serum.

Abstract A rapid, specific and sensitive radiometric assay was developed capable of quantitating serum levels of HA-1A, a human IgM monoclonal antibody to endotoxin. ‘Private’ anti-idiotypic murine monoclonal antibodies were produced and utilized in the assay to avoid cross-reactivity with normal human IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE or IgD. The presence of E. coli or gram-negative lipopolysaccharide in the sera did not affect the ability of the assay to detect HA-1A. The sensitivity of the assay was calculated to be 25 ng/ml with an interassay coefficient of variation of less than 10%. In one patient given 100 mg of HA-1A, peak serum concentration was 101.5% of the predicted value with a mean plasma half life of 24.5 h. This assay will be useful in establishing the pharmacokinetics of HA-1A and in monitoring serum levels during phase II and phase III clinical trials.
On the efficiency of CSMA-CA scheduling in wireless multihop networks

This paper establishes that random access scheduling schemes, and more specifically CSMA-CA, yield exceptionally good performance in the context of wireless multihop networks. While it is believed that CSMA-CA performs significantly worse than optimal, this belief is usually based on experiments that use rate allocation mechanisms that grossly underutilize the available capacity that random access provides. To establish our thesis, we first compare the achievable rate region of CSMA-CA and optimal in a number of carefully constructed multihop topologies and find that CSMA-CA is always within 48% of the optimal. Motivated by this result, we next characterize the worst-case performance of CSMA-CA in neighborhood topologies representing the congested regions of larger multihop topologies by deriving the neighborhood topology that yields the worst-case throughput ratio for CSMA-CA and find that in neighborhood topologies with less than 20 edges: 1) CSMA-CA is never worse than 16% of the optimal when ignoring physical-layer constraints; and 2) in any realistic topology with geometric constraints due to the physical layer, CSMA-CA is never worse than 30% of the optimal. Considering that maximal scheduling achieves much lower bounds than the above, and greedy maximal scheduling, which is one of the best known distributed approximation of an optimal scheduler, achieves similar worst-case bounds, CSMA-CA is surprisingly efficient.