cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Equilibrium Impact of Agricultural Risk on Intermediate Inputs and Aggregate Productivity

I consider the aggregate impact of low intermediate input intensity in the agricultural sector of developing countries. In a dynamic general equilibrium model with idiosyncratic shocks, incomplete markets, and subsistence requirements, farmers in developing countries use fewer intermediate inputs because it limits their exposure to uninsurable shocks. The calibrated model implies that Indian agricultural productivity would increase by 16% if markets were complete, driven by quantitatively important increases in both the average real intermediate share and measured TFP through lower misallocation. I then extend the results to consider the importance of risk in other contexts. First, the introduction of insurance decreases cross-country differences in agricultural labour productivity by 14%. Second, scaling the introduction of improved seeds to decrease downside risk reduces inequality by reallocating resources from rich to poor farmers via equilibrium effects. This reallocation substantially increases aggregate productivity relative to what would be expected from extrapolating the partial equilibrium impact.
A Study of African Centered Thought on Educational Policy: The Expansion of School Choice Program

The purpose of this research is to explore the implications of policy on education for the expansion of school choice programs (SCP) through the lens of African Centered Thought and how that policy impacts the phenomenon commonly known as the school to prison pipeline (STPP) among Black and Latino male students between the ages 13-18. The question will be answered in two parts. The first question, does the school choice program implement practices of the zero-tolerance policy (ZTP)? The second question, is the expansion of school choice program associated to the school to prison pipeline phenomenon that effects Black and Latino male students between the ages 13-18? The effects are measured by dropouts, suspensions, expulsions, and incarceration rates that impact Black and Latinos male students between the ages 13-18 more greatly than white students and other demographics. The school to prison pipeline is a social phenomenon that impacts the criminal justice system and public policy. The school to prison pipeline is an implemented policy called the zero-tolerance. The policy has disproportionately affected the Blacks and Latinos due to the large numbers reflected in the criminal justice system. The policy was implemented in the United States and Canada in 1994 to prevent firearms in school. If the student was caught with a firearm, they were supposed to be expelled for a year or the school could face losing federal funding. The policy is to prevent any violence and drug abuse in school. The research will focus on the question, how will the school choice program expansion impact the school to prison pipeline (STPP) among K-12 students? School choice is a term used for K-12 public education options in the United States, describing a wide array of programs offering students and their families alternatives to publicly provided schools. Students are usually assigned by the location of their family residence. Vouchers, charter schools, magnet schools are included. The thinkers of African Centered Thought will be analysis to understand the elements of removing Eurocentricity from schools and how schools can be established on African Centered Thought. There must be an understanding of pre-colonial education in Africa, to know the value of education to those of African descent. The history of education for people of African descent must be examined to fully grasp the struggles and obstacles to obtain knowledge and a higher learning. To better understand the impact of the policy, there must be analysis of the charter schools used in states with the highest incarceration, the charter schools can be measured by the dropouts, suspensions, expulsions and incarceration rates. Then, a comparison of the dropouts, suspensions, expulsions and incarcerations rates between the charter school programs and the school to prison pipeline to understand the implications of the policy and phenomenon.
Use of Performance Ratios to Calculate The Economic Impact of Thin Cows in Beef Cattle Herds

Nutrition is the foundation of optimal livestock health and productivity. Veterinarians who provide consultation to beef herds make recommendations on nutrition programs to supply nutrients that meet animal requirements. Ranchers are often reluctant to implement recommendations to feed their cattle properly because feed costs are their greatest annual expense and they are uncertain of the economic outcome of increased feed costs vs improved herd performance. Many studies have been done on the reduced performance of cattle associated with poor body condition due to inadequate intakes of energy and/or protein. Thin cows are less productive than cows in good body condition due to: 1) lower pregnancy rates; 2) lower weaning weights of their calves; and 3) lower survivability of their calves.
Satellite-based precipitation estimates using a dense rain gauge network over the Southwestern Brazilian Amazon: Implication for identifying trends in dry season rainfall

Abstract Accurate long-term estimates of rainfall at fine spatial and temporal resolution are vital for hydrometeorology and climatology studies, but such data are often unavailable in remote regions. We assessed the accuracy of three satellite-based precipitation products that have data from 1981 to 2019 over the state of Rondonia in the Brazilian Amazon: (a) satellite-only, using the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation (CHIRP) product, (b) CHIRP with sparse gauge data (CHIRPS), and (c) CHIRPS calibrated with data from a dense rain gauge network (N = 73) (dnCHIRPS). We evaluated the rainfall products using additional validation gauges (N = 55) at the monthly and seasonal time scales and compared their drought events and temporal trends. Both CHIRP (10.0 mm/month mean error (ME), 23.6% percent bias (PB)) and CHIRPS (−0.08ME, 7.4% PB) underestimate high monthly rainfall in the wet season and overestimate low monthly rainfall during the dry season. dnCHIRPS had a lower error in monthly rainfall (−0.01ME, 1.1%PB) compared with CHIRP and CHIRPS, with the largest percentage difference between dnCHIRPS and the other two datasets in the dry season. dnCHIRPS captured decreasing trends in dry season rainfall over agricultural parts of the state, trends that were missed by the other two products. We conclude that a high density of rain gauges is essential for documenting the spatial pattern and trends in rainfall during the dry season and droughts in this important agricultural region of the Amazon basin.
A comparison of the climate response of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) trees among standardized measures of earlywood, latewood, adjusted latewood, and totalwood radial growth

Longleaf pine radial growth is primarily driven by late summer moisture availability, latewood and adjusted latewood are more sensitive to climate than either earlywood or totalwood, and there is a high level of agreement spatially in growth/climate responses. Our objective was to examine broadly the climate–growth responses of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) on the Coastal Plain province of North and South Carolina to temperature, precipitation, and drought severity. We compared the responses between standardized earlywood, latewood, adjusted latewood, and totalwood radial tree growth. We sampled mature longleaf pine growing in open-canopy savanna environments and developed six tree-ring chronologies using standard dendroecological techniques. We used a combination of Pearson correlation, moving interval correlation, and Fisher r–z tests to determine which monthly and seasonal variables were most closely related to radial growth, the temporal stability of the dominant growth/climate relationship, and whether earlywood and latewood growth provide significantly different climate responses. Our results show that the strongest relationships with climate are with adjusted latewood growth and that rainfall in the later parts of the growing season (i.e., July–September) is the primary control of radial growth. Spatially, we found that growth/climate responses were similar throughout the Coastal Plain region encompassing the six study sites. Temporally, we found that July–September precipitation produced significant (p < 0.05) relationships with radial growth for extended annual intervals, but there were shorter periods when this relationship was non-significant. In general, growth/climate relationships were stronger for latewood compared to earlywood, and these responses were significantly (p < 0.05) different at about half of our study sites. Our findings are congruent with prior research in this region showing that short-duration precipitation events are a critical component for radial growth. Further, these results emphasize the importance of latewood growth—particularly adjusted latewood growth—in capturing interannual climate/growth responses.
Pyrite oxidation and its control

Review of Basic Concepts of Surface Chemistry and Chemistry and Control of Acid Drainage A Review on Solution/Mineral Chemistry Chemical and Electro-Physical Properties of Geologic Material Chemical and Physical Properties of Mine Waste Acid Drainage Production Chemistry and Prediction Acid Drainage Control and Its Limitations Molecular Chemistry of Pyrite Oxidation/Kinetics/Electro-Chemistry Mechanisms and Kinetics of Pyrite Oxidation Electrochemistry of Pyrite Role of Bacteria on Pyrite Oxidation Role of Bacteria on Pyrite Oxidation Advances on Pyrite Microencapsulation Technologies Phosphate Influence on Pyrite Oxidation Influence of pH, Temperature, H2O2 and Phosphate Concentration on Microencapsulating Pyrite Potential Application of Pyrite Microencapsulation in Coal Waste Advancement of Pyrite Microencapsulation in Coal Waste Epilogue Conclusions References
Hoult, D. I.: Biomedical NMR Instrumentation—A Personal Viewpoint

The sections in this article are 1 Introduction 2 Sensitivity and CYCLOPS 3 PostPrandial Serendipity and Slices 4 Imaging 5 Conclusion
Prevalence and Incidence

Prevalence is an epidemiological statistic used for determining how common a disorder is in a particular population at a certain point in time. It is often presented as a percentage of the population, but may also be presented as the number of cases out of 10,000 individuals, or 100,000 for rare disorders. Incidence is a similar metric, but examines only the new cases of a disorder over a certain period of time (often a year). Since incidence only includes new cases, as opposed to prevalence, which accounts for all cases, the incidence for a disorder should never exceed its prevalence. Incidence is useful for determining how quickly new cases of a disorder are being identified, something that is often not apparent from prevalence data alone. Keywords: epidemiology; incidence; measurement in psychology; prevalence; statistical methods in psychology; methodology
C) Means to enhance penetration

Abstract This review examines reported methods for the enhancement of the oral absorption of polar drugs, including polar peptides and proteins. The microstructure of the intestinal brush border is described, and the interactions of various absorption enhancers with this microstructure are examined. For each absorption enhancer class, this review examines the physical properties of the enhancer, its interactions with model membranes, its absorption enhancing effects, and its potential toxicity. The enhancers reviewed are the bile salts, anionic detergents, non-ionic detergents, medium chain glycerides, salicylates, acyl amino acids, acylcarnitines, lysolecithin, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and particulate carriers.
Influence of modified atmosphere packaging on the microflora and quality of fresh bell peppers.

Fresh bell peppers were individually shrink-wrapped in film (SW), sealed in gas-flushed (5% O2, 10% CO2, 85% N2) film (GP) pouches, or stored unpackaged in cardboard packing crates (CN). All samples were stored at 13°C and changes in populations of total aerobic microorganisms, yeasts and molds, members of Enterobacteriaceae, and lactic acid bacteria were determined. In addition, overall sensory quality, color changes, and surface pH were monitored. SW peppers developed higher populations of total aerobic microorganisms, yeasts and molds, and Enterobacteriaceae than did CN peppers, but populations of other groups of microorganisms were similar. Color and surface pH of peppers did not differ in any of the treatments. SW and GP peppers remained unspoiled at least 6 weeks, whereas CN peppers spoiled in 3 weeks.
Amylin challenge test and its correlation with brain imaging for Alzheimer’s disease

1813 Objectives Amylin, a pancreatic peptide, shares a β sheet structure with the amyloid-beta peptides (Aβ) present in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We tested whether amylin (or its analog pramlintide) may affect the homeostasis of Aβ in an animal model of AD, and in humans with cognitive defects. The human data was correlated with 18-FDG and AV-45 brain PET imaging because changes in plasma Aβ after amylin challenge may supplement imaging in the pre-mortem diagnosis of AD. Methods AD transgenic mice were injected intraperitoneally with amylin or pramlintide to study the effects on cognition, Aβ burden in the brain, and Aβ in the blood. A parallel experiment was conducted in human subjects who participated in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study. The human subjects were normal controls, suffered from amnestic mild cognitive impairment, or AD. They received a single subcutaneous injection of pramlintide and blood levels of Aβ were monitored, and correlated with 18-FDG and AV-45 brain PET scans. Results The amylin treatment significantly reduced the amyloid burden in the brain and improved learning and memory in the AD transgenic mouse model. A single injection of the drugs induced a surge of Aβ in serum with a magnitude proportional to the level of Aβ in brain tissue. In humans with cognitive defects the injection led to a drop in serum levels of Aβ, and this was weakly associated with imaging findings of the disease. Conclusions In a transgenic mouse model of AD amylin or pramlintide treatment results in changes in Aβ and cognition. In the few humans tested the blood levels of Aβ decreased, and these drops have a weak association with their abnormal cognition and PET imaging findings. Research Support NIA, AG-022476 and Ignition Award (W.Q.Q) and BU ADC pilot grant (H.Z). Support was also provided through P30 AG13864.
A phase I dose-escalation clinical trial of a peptide-based human papillomavirus therapeutic vaccine with Candida skin test reagent as a novel vaccine adjuvant for treating women with biopsy-proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3.

PURPOSE: Non-surgical treatments for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3 (CIN2/3) are needed as surgical treatments have been shown to double preterm delivery rate. The goal of this study was to demonstrate safety of a human papillomavirus (HPV) therapeutic vaccine called PepCan, which consists of four current good-manufacturing production-grade peptides covering the HPV type 16 E6 protein and Candida skin test reagent as a novel adjuvant. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was a single-arm, single-institution, dose-escalation phase I clinical trial, and the patients (n = 24) were women with biopsy-proven CIN2/3. Four injections were administered intradermally every 3 weeks in limbs. Loop electrical excision procedure (LEEP) was performed 12 weeks after the last injection for treatment and histological analysis. Six subjects each were enrolled (50, 100, 250, and 500 μg per peptide). RESULTS: The most common adverse events (AEs) were injection site reactions, and none of the patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities. The best histological response was seen at the 50 μg dose level with a regression rate of 83% (n = 6), and the overall rate was 52% (n = 23). Vaccine-induced immune responses to E6 were detected in 65% of recipients (significantly in 43%). Systemic T-helper type 1 (Th1) cells were significantly increased after four vaccinations (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that PepCan is safe. A significantly increased systemic level of Th1 cells suggests that Candida, which induces interleukin-12 (IL-12) in vitro, may have a Th1 promoting effect. A phase II clinical trial to assess the full effect of this vaccine is warranted.
Extending Winograd's small convolution algorithm to longer lengths

For short data sequences, Winograd's convolution algorithms attaining the minimum number of multiplications also attain a low number of additions, making them very efficient. However, for longer lengths they require a larger number of additions. Winograd's approach is usually extended to longer lengths by using a nesting approach such as the Agarwal-Cooley (1977) or Split-Nesting algorithms. Although these nesting algorithms are organizationally quite simple, they do not make the greatest use of the factorability of the data sequence length. The algorithm we propose adheres to Winograd's original approach more closely than do the nesting algorithms. By evaluating polynomials over simple matrices we retain, in algorithms for longer lengths, the basic structure and strategy of Winograd's approach, thereby designing computationally refined algorithms. This tactic is arithmetically profitable because Winograd's approach is based on a theory of minimum multiplicative complexity. >
On the stability of the investment function

The view that the investment function is characterized by a stable relationship is subjected to an objective statistical test. The test utilizes a statistic which equals the ratio of the sum of squared residuals of one-period prediction from the k + 1 period to the rth period to the sum of squared residuals of one period predication from the k + 1 to the Tth period, where k is the number of estimated coefficients in the model and T is the sample size. The results for the period 1950 to 1976 suggest that the investment function at the macro level and for the pulp and paper products industry became unstable (at the 10% level) around 1973 while the investment function for the chemicals and allied products industry destabilized about 1966. For the textile mill products industry, the rubber industry and miscellaneous plastics products industry, the results indicate no appreciable (statistically significant) change in the relative importance of the underlying investment determinants.
EARTHQUAKES CAUSED BY UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS ON PAHUTE MESA, NEVADA TEST SITE.

Abstract The underground nuclear explosions BENHAM, PURSE, JORUM, and HANDLEY, detonated on Pahute Mesa, initiated earthquake sequences lasting approximately 70, 10, 20, and 60 days, respectively. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 or larger in these sequences numbered 2012, 24, 159, and 231, respectively; earthquake magnitudes were all less than 5. The explosion PIPKIN, also detonated on Pahute Mesa, had no apparent effect on seismicity. Ninety-four per cent of the earthquakes with well-determined focal depths occurred at depths shallower than 5 km, and 95 per cent of the located earthquakes were within 14 km of ground zero of the preceding explosion. There is no evidence for explosion-stimulated earthquake activity extending outside the area of Pahute Mesa. The spatial distribution of earthquakes seems to be largely controlled by geological structure; however, the epicenter distribution can be correlated with observed fault movement only for aftershocks of HANDLEY. Fault-plane solutions indicate predominant dip-slip movement in the northern part of the Pahute Mesa area for aftershocks of BENHAM, JORUM, and HANDLEY. In the southern part, dextral strike-slip movement was found for aftershocks of BENHAM and HANDLEY. The frequency-magnitude relations are similar for earthquakes following BENHAM, PURSE, JORUM, and HANDLEY.
Multimodal optical spectrometers for remote chemical detection.

We have developed a class of aperture coding schemes for Remote Raman Spectrometers (RRS) that remove the traditional trade-off between throughput and spectral resolution. As a result, the size of the remote interrogation region can be driven by operational, rather than optical considerations. We present theoretical arguments on the performance of these codes and present data from where we have utilized these codes in other spectroscopy efforts.
The associated molecular nature of bituminous coal

Abstract A cross-linked, three-dimensional macromolecular model has been widely accepted for the structure of coal, but there is no direct evidence to prove this model. In this paper, the conventional coal structure model is reinvestigated because of the importance of relatively strong intra- and intermolecular interactions in bituminous coal. It is reasonable to deduce that significant portions are physically associated after a study of multistep extractions, associative equilibria, the irreversibility and the dependence of coal concentration on solvent swelling, and consideration of the monophase concept. A pretreatment in coal liquefaction is also investigated on the basis of this proposed concept.
The Changing Nature of Literary Censorship, 1961-1965

From 1961-1965, the Writers’ Union was transformed from a place where writers debated and primarily made their own decisions about what to publish to an organization under watchful gaze of official censors at Glavlit (the Main Administration for the Protection of Military and State Secrets in the Press). In these years, decision-making authority switched from give and take within the union to censors who had ideological, not literary expertise.Although Glavlit played a secondary role in late Stalinist and early Khrushchev censorship, its power and relevance grew before Khrushchev’s fall. Glavlit began to censor ideological content and remove the decision-making process from the hands of editors. Censorship began to take on the same characteristics as ideological work throughout society in that it became increasingly disconnected from real questions of the moment. The censors strove to reproduce approved ideological formulations with much less attention to actual content. Glavlit’s new approach to censorship and increasing power drove innovative writers away from the official channels of publication. Thus, the internal struggles of the Moscow Writers’ Union and their confrontation with literary censors during the early years of the 1960s were crucial for ushering in a more repressive age.
Neuronal differentiation in cultures of murine neural crest. I. Neurotransmitter expression.

Abstract This study examines the properties of neurons differentiating in cultures of mammalian neural crest cells. The neurons fall into two categories: (1) a population of early differentiating (ED) neurons generated from precursors that are postmitotic at the time of plating; and (2) a late differentiating (LD) population of neurons arising from dividing precursor cells. The ED population of neurons survive for only 2–3 days while the LD neurons survive for many weeks. Both groups of neurons express the neuronal marker, neurofilament, as well as adrenergic and cholinergic characteristics. The latter two traits are evident as immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)/dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), respectively. The LD neurons also contain immunoreactivity for a number of neuropeptides including, substance P (SP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), calcitonin gene related polypeptide (CGRP), and somatostatin (SOM). Immunoreactivity for SP, CGRP, and VIP are found in virtually all of the LD neurons while SOM and NPY are found in a smaller percentage of the neurons.
LIBERALISM, LIBERTARIANISM AND THE CONTROL OF AMERICAN EDUCATION

(1976). LIBERALISM, LIBERTARIANISM AND THE CONTROL OF AMERICAN EDUCATION. The Review of Education: Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 538-541.
Catholicism and Human Rights in Haiti: Past, Present, and Future

This article surveys the relationship between Catholicism and human rights during four periods of Haitian history: (1) the colonial era of plantation slavery; (2) the 'antisuperstitious' campaigns from 1898 to 1943; (3) the dictatorship of Francois Duvalier from 1957–1971; and (4) the rise and fall of liberation theology in Haiti from the mid 1970s to the present. My primary argument is that despite a generally deplorable Catholic track record vis-a-vis human rights, there has also been a consistent ethical tributary of Catholic struggle for social justice in this poor Caribbean nation. Its strongest current fed the church-based activism that helped topple the dynastic Duavlier regime in 1986—a current that has since weakened in part due to the emergence of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Prospects for a liberationist renewal within the Renewal, however, could dictate the future of the Haitain Catholic Church's engagement in the struggle for human rights.
Short Stress State Questionnaire: Relationships with Reading Comprehension and Land Navigation

Stress is an important aspect of operational settings. This article presents the results of a study providing further validation evidence of a short multidimensional self-report measure of stress-state, the Short Stress State Questionnaire (SSSQ; Helton, 2004). We investigated stress changes in two settings. In the first setting, we explored the relationship between the SSSQ and reading comprehension. In the second setting, we explored the relationship between the SSSQ and a real world land navigation task - orienteering. Different task conditions elicited unique patterns of stress-state on the three factors of the SSSQ. Additionally, unique aspects of stress-state were predictive of performance on the two tasks. The 24-item SSSQ appears to be a useful measure of stress-state applicable in a wide variety of settings, including field settings.
Analysis of fission products using capillary electrophoresis with on-line radioactivity detection.

Capillary electrophoresis has been used to separate metal ions characteristically associated with nuclear fission. Indirect UV absorbance and on-line radioactivity detection were used simultaneously to monitor the analytes. The radioactivity detector consists of conical plastic scintillating material with the capillary passing through the center to provide a 4π detection geometry. The wide end of the cone is optically coupled to a photomultiplier tube. Transient isotachophoretic techniques were employed to stack large volumes of samples which had low specific activities. Radioactivity detection of 152Eu and 137Cs was achieved at the nanocurie level for 80−100 nL injections. The detector is approximately 80% efficient, enabling samples resident in the detector window for 0.1 min to be reliably assayed. The separation of 137Cs and 137mBa isotopes, which are in secular equilibrium, was modeled to demonstrate the effects of the rapid decay of 137mBa.
Antenna Effects on Indoor Obstructed Wireless Channels and a Deterministic Image-Based Wide-Band Propagation Model for In-Building Personal Communication Systems

In this paper, the effects of antenna pattern and antenna polarization on indoor obstructed (OBS) wireless channels are investigated experimentally. Our results show that linearly polarized (LP) directional antennas are more effective in combating multipath components than other types of antennas in OBS channels. The measurement results are verified with a deterministic wide-band propagation model based on image theory that takes into account the effects of building geometry, antenna pattern, and antenna polarization. Preliminary prediction results show that the propagation model holds promise for accurate and efficient in-building wireless channel prediction.
Reforming the Corporate Income Tax: The Case for a Hybrid Cash-flow Tax

This paper argues for the adoption of a hybrid cash-flow tax on corporations that, on the one hand, taxes only corporate rents as they accrue, and, on the other hand, treats real and financial transactions neutrally. It is, therefore, a superior tax compared to the conventional corporate income tax – on both economic and administrative grounds. Its design also addresses the usual concerns associated with cash-flow taxation. The base of this hybrid cash-flow tax is the aggregate net cash inflow of combined real and financial transactions excluding capital expenditures, for which conventional depreciation allowances are retained with interest as compensation for the opportunity cost of equity capital. Furthermore, it is argued that it should be implemented on a destination basis that would render transfer pricing and thin capitalization moot.
Dr. Donne and the Image of Christ

Abstract John Donne's sermonizing ethos is a masterful creation, incorporating his individuality as poet and priest into a larger identity consonant with his interpretation of Christian doctrine. The role is also consistent with a dense and complicated style that has both troubled and fascinated readers through the centuries. This essay argues that Donne's ethos , while reflecting a penitential stance that has misled some readers, could have been fashioned to reveal his priestly view of Christ, whose image as “Delegate of the Trinity” extends beyond the Gospel into the whole of Scripture and catholic tradition.
A simple assay for examining the effect of transiently expressed genes on programmed cell death.

Abstract Programmed cell death (PCD) has been observed in a wide variety of cell types in response to physiologic signals or types of stress. How these stimuli trigger PCD, and whether there is a common PCD signal transduction pathway, is not clear. As more genes are described that may participate in or regulate PCD, an assay system in which gene products can easily be introduced and/or modulated would be of great value. To avoid the generation and screening of multiple individual stable cell transfectants, a simple transient transfection death assay has been developed. 2B4.11, a murine T cell hybridoma, was transfected by electroporation with a constitutively active β-galactosidase reporter gene and the cells were incubated in culture medium or with a PCD-inducing stimulus. The amount of β-galactosidase activity remaining in the intact cells at the end of the culture period represented only viable transfected cells. Bcl-2 was chosen to examine whether this system would be useful to study the effect of transiently transfected genes since it blocks PCD in a number of experimental systems. Consistent with data obtained using stable transfectants, transient expression of Bcl-2 in 2B4.11 completely protected cells from glucocorticoid- and cytotoxic agent-induced PCD. This protection from death was confirmed at the individual cell level by the transient co-expression of a class I L d surface antigen and flow cytometric analysis. Some of the advantages of the transient transfection death assay described here are; (1) the simple and sensitive β-galactosidase assay, (2) the rapidity of the assay, (3) the ability to perform conventional viability assays to monitor treatment-induced cytotoxicity, (4) multiple gene products can be tested alone, and in combination, (5) antisense or dominant negative approaches can be used, and (6) the adaptability of this assay system to other cell types, transfection techniques, or reporter and expression vectors. The transient transfection death assay should make it easier to identify and order important steps in the PCD signal transduction pathways.
Chromospheric activity associated with moving photospheric magnetic fields

With the aid of Hα and Ca ii K filtergrams and magnetograms of region McMath 12417 on 3, 4 and 5 July 1973, we have followed the evolution of a moving rim of positive magnetic flux 50″ long in an area dominated by negative flux. Chromospheric activity in the form of brightenings and small surges was associated with this moving flux; a concentration of activity is observed at the locations where magnetic fields of opposite sign meet together. The weakening of the Ca ii K emission along the edges of colliding opposite fields supports evidence from magnetograms that the photospheric magnetic field at that location has decreased strikingly over a period of six hours.
Complementarity, Task Assignment, and Incentives

This paper studies the effect of complementarity on task assignment decisions and the design of optimal incentives for employees in charge of multiple tasks. A principal hires two identical agents. Each agent performs two tasks involving complementarities when the tasks vary in the informativeness of their performance measures. The principal tension governing how tasks are assigned lies between the heterogeneity loss due to aggregate performance measures under broad task assignments and the resulting positive information externalities. Although the aggregate performance measures under broad task assignments preclude tailoring the strength of incentives to the nature of the task, these measures are more informative about agent efforts when tasks are complementary. This enhanced informativeness improves contracting efficiency by mitigating the implicit costs of the heterogeneity loss. The analysis applies not only to the task assignment decisions, but also more broadly to other organizational structure deci...
A Gold- and Platinum-Mineralized Layer in Gabbros of The Kap Edvard Holm Complex: Field, Petrologic, and Geochemical Relations

The Lower Layered Series a cumulates of the Kap Edvard Holm Complex contain a stratiform layer, 1 to 20 m thick and > 6 km long, that is mineralized with gold and platinum-group elements (PGEs). The Lower Layered Series a cumulates (>650 m thick) are dominated by modally layered gabbro with lesser volumes of granular anorthosite and troctolite that together form 2- to 30-m-thick layers that are most abundant above the mineralized layer. Minor volumes of poikilitic wehrlite form a few 1- to 2-m-thick layers throughout the section. Field and petrographic relations as well as cryptic variations in cumulus mineral compositions indicate that the Lower Layered Series a formed in an open system magma chamber from repeated magma injections. Within the mineralized layer, average concentrations over 3 m thickness are 250 ppb Pt, 40 ppb Pd, and 50 ppb Au, with individual samples containing up to 5 ppm Pt and 6 ppm Au. The concentrations of Ir, Os, Ru, and Rh are uniformly low (<20 ppb). Stratigraphic zoning of Pt, Pd, and Au is consistent along strike with peak Au concentrations overlying Pt and Pd peaks. Platinum minerals are primary Pt-Fe alloy, sperrylite, and moncheite, with secondary Pt sulfide overgrowths. Gold occurs as alloys with Ag and Cu. These minerals are found in contact with primary and secondary silicates and oxides and with intercumulus base metal sulfides that consist of the assemblage bornite + chalcopyrite + digenite. Deposition of the mineralized layer is associated in space and time with injections of plagioclase-saturated, primitive magma that mixed with more evolved, resident magma. These events caused efficient partitioning of Au and PGE into sulfides derived from a large volume of magma, deposition of these sulfides to form the mineralized layer, and subsequent deposition of the overlying anorthosite layers. The wehrlite layers, however, were formed by postcumulus reactions between gabbro cumulates and hydrous, intercumulus melts, probably derived from the compacting cumulus pile. Subsolidus reactions between primary minerals and meteoric hydrothermal solutions caused extensive alteration of the mineralized gabbro, oxidation and desulfurization of Cu-Fe sulfides and local recrystallization of PGE minerals.
CONCERNING THE HEREDITARY ADAPTATION OF ORGANISMS TO HIGHER TEMPERATURE

1. Imagos of Drosophila raised at temperatures of from 12-28.5 degrees C. when placed at any temperature from 15-32.5 degrees C. produce eggs which develop normally at these temperatures. 2. Imagos raised at temperatures of from 29-32.5 degrees and then kept permanently within these temperatures produce eggs which do not develop. 3. Imagos raised at from 28.5-32.5 degrees C. and then placed at temperatures of from 12-25 degrees C. produce eggs which develop normally. 4. Imagos raised at from 28.5-32.5 degrees C. placed at 15-25 degrees C. for 24 hours or longer and then put back into a temperature of from 28.5-32.5 degrees C., produce eggs which will develop at the latter temperature. 5. There is no evidence of any hereditary adaptation to higher temperatures.
Fabrication of ultramicroelectrodes using a "teflon-like" coating material.

A new method was developed for the preparation of ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs). In this method, a photocurable fluorinated functionalized perfluoropolyether, a liquid v-like polymer at room temperature, is used as the material for the insulation of metal microwires or carbon fibers. The UMEs prepared by this method were usually conical shaped and could be used both in aqueous solutions and with aprotic solvents. The relatively small thicknesses of the insulating sheath of the “Teflon-like” UME tips make them particularly useful for scanning electrochemical microscopy measurements.
Methodological Issues in Follow‐Up and Replication Studies

Methodological problems in follow-up and replication studies and in using projective tests in research are discussed with particular reference to three fear-of-success studies: the original research by Horner in 1965, a replication in 1972, and a follow-up of the original 1965 subjects carried out in 1974. The importance of each of the following is stressed: obtaining responses from the full original sample in follow-up work; matching the settings in which projective tests are administered; establishing coder reliability between the data sets that are to be compared; and matching the stimulus value of the cue, which may not always mean using the same cue.
A facility for characterizing the steady-state and dynamic thermal performance of microelectromechanical system thermal switches

A facility to characterize microelectromechanical system (MEMS) thermal switches by measuring two pertinent figures of merit is described. The two figures of merit measured are the ratio of thermal resistance of the switch in the off and on states, Roff∕Ron, and the time required to switch from the off to the on state, τswitch. The facility consists of two pieces of equipment. A guard-heated calorimeter is used to measure heat transfer across the thermal switch under steady-state conditions. Measuring heat transfer across a thermal switch in both the off and on states then gives the thermal resistance ratio Roff∕Ron. A thin-film radial heat-flux sensor is used to measure heat transfer across the thermal switch under dynamic conditions. Measuring heat transfer across a thermal switch as the switch changes from the off to the on state gives the thermal switching time τswitch. The test facilities enable the control of the applied force on the thermal switch when the thermal switch is on, the thickness of the...
Unsupervised Disaggregation for Non-intrusive Load Monitoring

A method for unsupervised disaggregation of appliance signatures from smart meter data is presented. The primary feature used for unsupervised learning relates to abrupt transitions or magnitude changes in the power waveform. The method consists of a sequence of procedures for appliance signature identification, and disaggregation using hidden Markov modeling (HMM), and residual analysis. The key contributions are (a) a novel 'segmented' application of the Viterbi algorithm for sequence decoding with the HMM, (b) details of establishing observation and state transition probabilities for the HMM, and (c) procedures for careful handling of low power signatures. Results show that the method is effective for magnitude-based disaggregation, and provide insights for a more complete solution.
Relocation of seismicity preceding the 1984 eruption of Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii: Delineation of a possible failed rift

Abstract Waveform cross-correlation based repicking of P arrival times and subsequent relocation of 187 earthquakes that occurred near the summit of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, prior to the March 1984 eruption has illuminated a previously obscured structure beneath the northwestern flank. Simultaneous inversion for hypocenters and velocity model parameters using the refined arrival times resulted in well-constrained relative earthquake locations with very low arrival time misfits (average RMS 0.041 s). Pre-eruption seismicity from this time period occurred in two groups: a shallow group located near Mauna Loa’s summit, at depths of 1–3 km, and a deeper group (5–10 km) located 4–6 km northwest of the summit. After relocation, we found that most of the northwest flank earthquakes occurred along a 3-km-long planar feature striking about 60° West of North in a thin band about 1 km thick. There is a temporal migration of epicenters from the northwestern edge of the zone migrating towards the summit. Focal mechanisms in this zone reveal a change in faulting from strike-slip in the southeast to a mix of strike-slip and normal faulting in the northwest. This feature we interpret to be related to a rift zone that was stunted by the buttressing of the adjacent volcanoes Hualalai and Mauna Kea. Previous gravity and magnetic studies provide supporting evidence for the existence of a rift zone. There was only a modest increase in clustering of the summit events. After relocation, hypocenters that were previously located within a diffuse zone (4.5 km) were reduced to a 2.5-km-wide zone. They extend from a depth of 6 km to about sea level, trending toward the summit. The focal mechanisms from the summit events are mix of faulting types without a consistent pattern.
TTX-Resistant NMDA Receptor-Mediated Membrane Potential Oscillations in Neonatal Mouse Hb9 Interneurons

Conditional neuronal membrane potential oscillations have been identified as a potential mechanism to help support or generate rhythmogenesis in neural circuits. A genetically identified population of ventromedial interneurons, called Hb9, in the mouse spinal cord has been shown to generate TTX-resistant membrane potential oscillations in the presence of NMDA, serotonin and dopamine, but these oscillatory properties are not well characterized. Hb9 interneurons are rhythmically active during fictive locomotor-like behavior. In this study, we report that exogenous N-Methyl-D-Aspartic acid (NMDA) application is sufficient to produce membrane potential oscillations in Hb9 interneurons. In contrast, exogenous serotonin and dopamine application, alone or in combination, are not sufficient. The properties of NMDA-induced oscillations vary among the Hb9 interneuron population; their frequency and amplitude increase with increasing NMDA concentration. NMDA does not modulate the T-type calcium current (ICa(T)), which is thought to be important in generating locomotor-like activity, in Hb9 neurons. These results suggest that NMDA receptor activation is sufficient for the generation of TTX-resistant NMDA-induced membrane potential oscillations in Hb9 interneurons.
Simultaneous measurement of water diffusion, swelling, and calcium carbonate removal in a latex paint using FTIR–ATR

An in-situ FTIR–ATR method has been used to monitor the sorption processes of water and pH 1.3-sulfurous acid in two latex paints and the base polymer common to both. The sorption kinetics could not be described by a simple Fickian model. The spectra also showed evidence of polymer swelling, which was confirmed in separate swelling measurements. Anomalous behavior was noted for the latex paint containing CaCO3 when exposed to sulfurous acid. The amount of water sorbed by this sample went through a maximum, then decreased to a constant level. This was accompanied by similar variations in the degree of swelling of the sample. These changes are explained by the rapid loss of CaCO3 from this particular paint upon exposure to acidic solutions, followed by structural rearrangement to fill in the voids left by the CaCO3 particles. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Complementation analysis of maple syrup urine disease in heterokaryons derived from cultured human fibroblasts.

MAPLE syrup urine disease (MSUD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by keto acidosis, convulsions, mental retardation and a maple syrup odour in the urine. The clinical phenotype varies among different families, with a severe early onset in the classical form of the disease and milder symptoms with delayed onset in variants. The biochemical defect is an inability to degrade the three branched-chain amino-acids (BCAA), leucine, isoleucine, and valine, as a result of a deficiency in decarboxylation of the branched-chain α-keto acids (BCKA). The enzyme defect is expressed in skin fibroblast cultures derived from affected patients, and the level of residual BCKA decarboxylase activity correlates with the severity of clinical symptoms. The heterogeneity in clinical presentation and the level of residual decarboxylase activity appear to be genetically determined1.
Treatment of multifocal motor neuropathy

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is a treatable immune disorder of the peripheral nerves that is characterized clinically by slowly progressive or stepwise asymmetric distal > proximal, upper > lower limb weakness in multiple motor nerve distributions; electrophysiologically by multifocal motor demyelination, specifically partial motor conduction block; laboratory evidence of high serum anti-GM1 IgM antibodies; and remarkable treatment response to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). IVIG has become the treatment of choice, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gammagard Liquid 10 % [immune globulin infusion (human)] as a treatment for multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). Response to IVIG in MMN is dose- and frequency-dependent, most patients needing high (2 g/kg) and frequent (every 4–8 weeks) doses for several years. Over time, response to IVIG may decrease despite higher and more frequent dosing of IVIG treatment. Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (dose equivalent to IVIG) given in weekly fashion has recently been used with equal efficacy and fewer side effects. There are some case reports and non-randomized trials suggesting variable results from therapeutic or adjunctive use of other immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory agents such as cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, methotrexate, azathioprine, interferon beta-1a, and rituximab. Of these, cyclophosphamide and rituximab are the only immune treatments that have shown some benefits in case reports. One randomized controlled trial of mycophenolate mofetil used as adjunctive agent did not prove efficacious in altering the disease course. Although MMN, like chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), is a chronic immune-mediated demyelinating neuropathy, the use of corticosteroids and plasma exchange – two other therapies used in CIDP – is not beneficial for MMN. Further investigations are warranted to evaluate the immunopathogenesis of MMN and to explore options for dose, frequency, and duration of IVIG treatment as well as the use of alternative immunomodulatory agents either as primary therapeutic or adjunctive agents.
Marine structural integrity programs

Abstract This paper summarizes results from a two-year project sponsored by the Ship Structure Committee to develop a procedure for definition of advanced Marine Structural Integrity Programs (MSIP) for commercial ships that would include more efficient inspection, more economical and safer operation, and more effective maintenance. This procedure was to be based on the recent developments in Airframe Structural Integrity Programs (ASIP) for commercial and military aircraft. The MSIP procedure suggests a sequence of technical and organizational developments to better ensure the integrity and durability of ship structures during their useful lifetimes. Particular emphasis is given to large crude-oil carriers (tankers). Notwithstanding this focus, it is felt that the MSIP procedure is applicable to most commercial ships with few modifications.