cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The QCD phase transition with 2, 3, and 4 flavors of dynamical quarks

Abstract Recent results from the 256-node Columbia machine are presented on 16 3 × N t lattices for N t = 4 and 6 using Kogut-Susskind fermions with quark masses ranging between 0.01 and 1.0 lattice units. It is argued that for four flavors the region for small quark mass where the transition is first order shrinks more rapidly than suggested by naive scaling as N t increases from 4 to 6. For N t = 4 and three degenerate flavors of quarks the transition remains first order at m = 0.025 however it is weaker than for four flavors. For 2 flavors no first order signal is seen even when the quark mass is decreased to 0.01. Finally, the location and nature of the transition as the strange quark mass is varied (interpolating between the cases of 2 and 3 degenerate flavors) is discussed.
Phase 1 study of an oxaliplatin and etoposide regimen in pediatric patients with recurrent solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: The combination of a platinating agent and etoposide has induced responses in various pediatric tumors. The study estimated the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of an oxaliplatin and etoposide regimen in children with recurrent solid tumors. METHODS: Oxaliplatin was administered on Day 1 and etoposide on Days 1 to 3 of each 21-day course. Cohorts of 3 to 6 patients were enrolled at 3 dose levels: 1) oxaliplatin at a dose of 130 mg/m2 and etoposide at a dose of 75 mg/m2, 2) oxaliplatin at a dose of 130 mg/m2 and etoposide at a dose of 100 mg/m2, and 3) oxaliplatin at a dose of 145 mg/m2 and etoposide at a dose of 100 mg/m2. Calcium and magnesium infusions were used at dose level 3 in an attempt to escalate the oxaliplatin dose past the single-agent MTD. RESULTS: The 16 patients received a total of 63 courses. At dose level 1, dose-limiting epistaxis, neuropathy, and neutropenia occurred in 1 of 6 patients. No dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) occurred at dose level 2 (n = 6). At dose level 3, 2 of 4 patients experienced dose-limiting neutropenia; none experienced grade 3 or 4 acute neuropathy. Six patients required prolongation of the oxaliplatin infusion because of acute sensory neuropathy. Responses were observed in patients with medulloblastoma (1 complete response) and pineoblastoma (1 partial response); 3 others with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, ependymoma, and soft tissue sarcoma had prolonged disease stabilization. CONCLUSIONS: The MTD of this regimen was found to be oxaliplatin at a dose of 130 mg/m2 given on Day 1 and etoposide at a dose of 100 mg/m2/d given on Days 1 to 3. Neutropenia was found to be the DLT. Calcium and magnesium infusions did not allow escalation of the oxaliplatin dose. The combination was well-tolerated and demonstrated antitumor activity. Cancer 2009. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Mechanically driven grain boundary relaxation: a mechanism for cyclic hardening in nanocrystalline Ni

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to show that cyclic mechanical loading can relax the non-equilibrium grain boundary (GB) structures of nanocrystalline metals by dissipating energy and reducing the average atomic energy of the system, leading to higher strengths. The GB processes that dominate deformation in these materials allow low-energy boundary configurations to be found through kinematically irreversible structural changes during cycling, which increases the subsequent resistance to plastic deformation.
Olive-oil-derived oleocanthal enhances β-amyloid clearance as a potential neuroprotective mechanism against Alzheimer's disease: in vitro and in vivo studies.

Oleocanthal, a phenolic component of extra-virgin olive oil, has been recently linked to reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins in the brain. However, the mechanism by which oleocanthal exerts its neuroprotective effect is still incompletely understood. Here, we provide in vitro and in vivo evidence for the potential of oleocanthal to enhance Aβ clearance from the brain via up-regulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and LDL lipoprotein receptor related protein-1 (LRP1), major Aβ transport proteins, at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Results from in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated similar and consistent pattern of oleocanthal in controlling Aβ levels. In cultured mice brain endothelial cells, oleocanthal treatment increased P-gp and LRP1 expression and activity. Brain efflux index (BEI%) studies of 125I-Aβ40 showed that administration of oleocanthal extracted from extra-virgin olive oil to C57BL/6 wild...
Revisiting Multinational firms' Tolerance for Joint Ventures: A Trust-Based approach

In spite of the increasing popularity of international joint ventures, managers express a high level of dissatisfaction with them. This paper argues that overemphasis on the outcome has resulted in a neglect of the social processes underlying the outcome. The paper elaborates upon the rationale for a cooperative approach towards interorganizational collaborative relationships based on trust, and discusses it in the context of joint ventures. This is then applied towards understanding multinational ownership preferences and tolerance for joint ventures. It is argued that trust-centered logic is largely consistent with approaches that emphasize the issue of ownership, and deepens and enriches the insights provided by the latter. A shift in focus from ownership to relational dynamics is encouraged.
Evening Chats in Beijing: Probing China's Predicament . By Perry Link. New York: W. W. Norton. xii, 321 pp. $24.95 (cloth); $13.00 (paper).

Chinese intellectuals have a traditional duty, for which there is no equivalent in the West: to worry, to "take responsibility for all under heaven", to argue the question "What can we do with China?" The Spring 1989 demonstrations in Tiananmen Square climaxed a year of animated, despairing, idealistic worry - a year in which writers, journalists, scientists, professors and officials were able to gather in private to trade views on the corruption permeating Chinese society and the political repression exercised by the Communist Party. This pastime of "chatting" always turned to questions of responsibility: Should one resist - how? Follow an independent path? Flee the country? Perry Link was present at many evening chats involving China's most prominent intellectuals. In conveying their worries here, he allows the Chinese themselves to tell us why Beijing took to the streets in spring 1989 and why China's crisis remains unresolved.
The Role of Self in the False Consensus Effect

Abstract The "false consensus effect" refers to the tendency to overestimate consensus for one′s attitudes and behaviors. This overestimation may occur because people are biased in viewing their own positions as normative, or simply because they over generalize from case information, with their own positions representing one salient item of case information. Four studies were conducted to demonstrate that people overestimate concensus for their own performance outcomes and to show that this overestimation occurs independently of the influence of case information about the performance of others. Subjects in each study received either personal information about their success or failure on a bogus test of social sensitivity or case information about the success or failure of others. Control subjects received no performance feedback. The results of each study showed that subjects overestimated, on the basis of their own performance outcome, the number of their peers who would succeed or fail at the task, but did not overestimate on the basis of case information alone. These findings support the assumption that has guided research on the false consensus effect, namely, that people are biased in perceiving their own attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes as normative. These findings also show that the false consensus effect is not simply a product of the overgeneralization from case information.
Oxytocin and vasopressin as candidate genes for psychiatric disorders: Lessons from animal models

Multiple approaches should be taken to investigate the genetic bases of psychiatric disorders, including the consideration of candidate genes. Studies in animal models suggest that the genes encoding oxytocin, vasopressin, and their respective receptors should be considered in a candidate gene approach for psychiatric disorders involving social deficits, such as autism or social phobias. These neuropeptide hormones may mediate the rewarding nature of social interactions and have been implicated in social attachment and social recognition in several animal models. Mutations in genes unrelated to oxytocin and vasopressin have been shown to have secondary effects on neuropeptide function and subsequent behavioral phenotypes. Genetic analysis of polymorphisms and expression analysis of candidate genes implicated in animal models may prove useful for determining the molecular mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders, particularly in cases where other techniques proven difficult.
Phase behavior of lipid mixtures

Biological membranes are two-dimensional mixtures of an enormous number of different components. Modeling cell membranes as simple bilayer mixtures reveals rich phase behavior, but how can we use the observed phase behavior to understand the real membranes?
Injection of chemical amendments into compacted subsoils. I. Sorghum

Abstract A tillage system, ‘slit‐till’, has been developed that modifies plowpans and permits root penetration and proliferation into subsoil horizons. Slit‐till also provides a means of placing nutrients into subsoil zones where roots are concentrated. Greenhouse studies determined the effects of calcium nitrate, calcium phosphate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, and dolomitic limestone on grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] shoot and root development in a compacted layer of acid subsoil (pH 4.3), subject to a slit‐till treatment, and on chemical properties of soil adjacent to the injection site. Cylinders were prepared by layering A and B horizons of a Marvyn loamy sand (fine‐loamy, siliceous, thermic, Typic Hapludult) to form 56 cm of subsoil and 10 cm of topsoil in polyvinylchloride (PVC) tubing (20 × 66 cm). A 6‐cm‐thick hardpan (bulk density 1760 Mg.m‐3) was created at the top of the subsoil layer. The amendments, 500 μg/g of dolomitic limestone and 15 μg/g each of the other amendments...
Improving measurement of functional connectivity through decreasing partial volume effects at 7 T.

Abstract Several applications of fMRI at high field have taken advantage of the increased BOLD contrast to increase spatial resolution, but the potential benefits of higher fields for detecting and analyzing functional connectivity have largely been unexplored. We measured the influence of spatial resolution at 7 T on estimates of functional connectivity through decreased partial volume averaging. Ten subjects were imaged at 7 T with a range of spatial resolutions (1 × 1 × 2 mm to 3 × 3 × 2 mm) during performance of a finger tapping task and in the resting state. We found that resting state correlations within the sensory-motor system increase as voxel dimensions decreased from 3 × 3 × 2 mm to 1 × 1 × 2 mm, whereas connectivity to other brain regions was unaffected. This improvement occurred even as overall signal to noise ratios decrease. Our data suggest that this increase may be due to decreased partial volume averaging, and that functional connectivity within the primary seed region is heterogeneous on the scale of single voxels.
Cytokine measurement techniques for assessing hypersensitivity.

One of the most potentially useful tools in immunotoxicology is the assessment of cytokines, the molecules responsible for regulating a variety of processes including immunity, inflammation, apoptosis, and hematopoiesis. The particular profile of cytokine production may provide important information regarding the nature of an immunotoxic response such as hypersensitivity (i.e. TH(1) vs. TH(2) response). Proper evaluation of the role of cytokines in understanding hypersensitivity reactions requires attention to a multitude of technical details. Some of the details discussed in this review include the source of the sample to be tested (circulating, local, or ex vivo isolated cells), the potential effects of collection, processing, and storage on the results of the assays, potential variables associated with the source material (matrix effects, relevance, inhibitory substances), and factors influencing the choice of assay used (bioassay, immunoassay, molecular biology technique, flow cytometry). Other often-overlooked issues are discussed, including species considerations and quality control issues such as the use of reference standards and the expression of results.
Poverty and undernutrition in South Asia.

Abstract Most of the world's poor reside in South Asia and, within South Asia, a majority reside in rural areas. Policies of South Asian governments have not been cost-effective, nor have they been effective in meeting the needs of the rural poor. Only a development strategy that generates rapid and widely shared growth will eliminate poverty. It is suggested that such a growth strategy will need to emphasize investment in education and health, and ensure that human and physical capital are efficiently utilized. Promoting competition within the economy and with the rest of the world through liberal foreign trade and investment regimes are keys to achieving these results.
Design of a model generator for simulation in SLAM

Abstract A menu-driven model generator for simulation of job shop-like systems such as the flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is presented. The model generator creates a “combined discretenetwork” model which can be run directly on the IBM-PC version of SLAM II. The model traces the flow of materials in a closed network of resources. A data file for the discrete-event elements of the SLAM model enhances the flexibility of the model generator. The resulting model has the capability to incorporate various types of work stations (machining centers, loading and unloading stations, inspection stations, heat treatment and cleaning stations, temporary storage stations, etc.), various material handling systems (such as conveyors, robots, carts, automated guided vehicles, etc.), tooling and pallets/fixtures, and manpower, etc. Machine breakdown, traffic interferences, and various control variables (such as alternative sequencing rules, various part routing, input control, and part launching strategies) can be analyzed.
Metabolism of leatherback turtles, gigantothermy, and thermoregulation of dinosaurs

LEATHERBACKS (Dermochelys coriacea) are among the largest living reptiles (>900 kg)1, 2 and range from the tropics to north of the Arctic Circle3, 4. They maintain elevated body temperatures (25.5 °C) in cold seawater (7.5 °C)5, 6 and heat up on land7. Metabolic and thermoregulatory mechanisms of leatherbacks have important implications for considerations of size and function in animal biology8–10 and for speculation on the endothermic capacities of dinosaurs11–18. Here we report that metabolic rates of adults at rest and while nesting are intermediate to those predicted by allometric relationships for reptiles and mammals. Mathematical modelling indicates that leatherbacks can use large body size, peripheral tissues as insulation, and circulatory changes, to maintain warm temperatures in the North Atlantic and to avoid overheating in the tropics. This 'gigantothermy' probably allowed large dinosaurs to live in varied habitats, including Cretaceous polar regions.
Metal-on-metal thin-film growth: Au/Ni(001) and Ni/Au(001).

Growth modes and dynamics of vapor-deposited thin metal films on metal substrates are studied by means of molecular-dynamics simulations using embedded-atom interactions. Gold films deposited on a room-temperature Ni(001) substrate exhibit Stranski-Krastanov growth of Au(111) films, and growth of nickel films on Au(001) involves interspecies mixing and three-dimensional growth of strained films pseudomorphic to the substrate.
For Parents Only: A Strategic Family Therapy Approach in School Counseling

Schools are excellent resources for families whose children are experiencing behavioral problems at home and at school. School counselors who have training in systems theory are situated to help families make lasting positive changes in family structure and to avoid costly interventions that may or may not be helpful. According to Selvini-Palazzoli (1986), the problems between parents and children can be addressed using a universal set of directives that immediately restore the proper authority to the parents so that the parents can, in effect, help the child give up the symptomatic behavior. This article presents a technique based on Selvini-Palazzoli’s “invariable prescription” (p. 342) for professional school counselors working with families and their acting-out children.
The relationship of sleep and anxiety in anxious subjects.

Abstract The present study provided polysomnographic corroboration of the frequently reported rela- tionship between anxiety and subjective sleep disturbance. When compared to normals, anxious individuals were found to have significantly less sleep period time, total sleep time, percent stage REM and percent stage 4; shorter latency to stage REM; and greater percent stage 1. Partial correlations (holding depression constant) showed significant positive relationships between anxiety rating and number of awakenings, latency to stage 1, and percent stage 2. A significant negative relationship was found between anxiety and percent stage 4, and a nonsignificant negative trend was found between anxiety and latency to stage REM. Overall there was a tendency toward less sleep and lighter sleep in subjects with anxiety, thus validating subjective reports. The decreased latency to stage REM and its negative relation to anxiety, raised the possibility that this variable may not be specifically indicative of depression.
A facile hydrothermal route to iron(III) oxide with conductive additives as composite anode for lithium ion batteries

We report a facile hydrothermal route for the synthesis of Fe2O3 nanoparticles and their composites with conductive additives, reduced graphite oxide (rGO) and conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS, as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The addition of conductive polymer layer on Fe2O3 nanoparticles may facilitate the electron transport but hinders the Li+ ion insertion at higher current density. On the other hand, Fe2O3@rGO prepared by growing Fe2O3 nanoparticles directly on rGO sheets shows the best electrochemical behavior due to a beneficial combination of the rGO nanosheets partially wrapped around Fe2O3 which facilitates both the electron transport and the Li+ ion insertion. The enhanced conductivity of the composites was proved. The high specific capacity and stable rate performance of Fe2O3@rGO composites encourages their further study to be potential candidate for the anode materials in LIBs. These results will be helpful in further elucidation of the role of conductive additives in improving the electrochemical performance of Fe2O3 based composite anodes and this simple synthetic strategy can be applied for the large scale production of metal oxides with conductive additives for LIBs.
Revealed reader preference for marketing journals

In this paper we assess the reading preference for marketing journals by deriving a journal utility scale based on click responses to table of contents postings to the ELMAR virtual community. Use of ELMAR data provides a unique window into journal importance, allowing us to look at table of contents reading behavior rather than citing behavior or attitudinal constructs as has been the case in previous studies. At the time of the study, there were more than 5,100 ELMAR subscribers, easily making this the largest journal ranking study ever undertaken. The external validity of our sample is high since ELMAR subscribers include a high percentage of the population of those interested in scholarly research in marketing. Our results are based on actual choice behavior of subscribers as they simply decide what tables of contents to read. The list of journals included in the study contains 165 different titles posted during the study period, which spanned a year. During that period there were multiple issues posted of these 165 journals, resulting in a replicated field study with high reliability. In fact, our journal reading utility measurement yielded a model with an R2 value of .95. We use this model to suggest ways that researchers might come to a richer understanding of the journal consumption process.
Seminal vesicle involvement in patients with D1 disease predicts early prostate specific antigen recurrence and metastasis after radical prostatectomy and early androgen ablation.

BACKGROUND Controversy persists regarding the management of patients who present with locally advanced metastatic prostate carcinoma. Although radical prostatectomy is not curative, there is growing evidence that survival may be prolonged when the surgery is combined with early androgen ablation. In the current study, the authors present data with which to evaluate and define factors for disease progression in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy with lymph node positive disease who are treated with early endocrine ablation. METHODS Data from 40 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and early androgen ablation between 1987–1998, all of whom had lymph node positive disease, were analyzed. Age, preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, clinical and pathologic Gleason score, surgical margin, seminal vesicle involvement (SVI), and the number and percentage of involved positive lymph nodes were analyzed to predict PSA progression, metastasis, and death using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. RESULTS Univariate analysis identified only SVI as a statistically significant predictor of PSA progression and metastasis. Twenty-seven patients (67.5%) were found to have SVI. Multivariate analysis failed to identify other factors that added significantly to the predictive ability of SVI. Kaplan–Meier estimates of time to PSA recurrence and metastasis demonstrated that SVI was highly predictive of disease progression. The median time to PSA progression for the 27 patients with SVI was 7.5 years compared with no progression reported in the 13 patients without SVI (P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS VI is a very powerful predictor of disease progression in patients with lymph node positive disease who undergo radical prostatectomy and early androgen ablation. In the current study, preoperative PSA, clinical or pathologic Gleason scores, and other clinical factors were not found to be predictive of disease outcome. Cancer 2002;94:1648–53. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10378
Development of a Practical Synthesis of DPP IV Inhibitor LY2497282

A new synthetic route to LY2497282 (1), a potent and selective DPP IV inhibitor for the potential treatment of diabetes, suitable for the preparation of multikilogram quantities is described. The key step involved a stereoselective addition of the dianion of nicotinamide 8 to N-dibenzyl-protected α-amino aldehyde 12, which was derived from N-acetyl-protected amino ester 14 without epimerization. The desired Felkin-Anh nonchelation controlled anti-amino alcohol 11 was isolated with >99% HPLC area and >99% ee by crystallization. After removing the dibenzyl protecting group under transfer hydrogenation conditions, LY2497282 (1) was finally obtained in 39% overall yield with a six-step longest linear sequence starting from N-acetyl-protected amino ester 14.
Why do people factor

This is a very simple explanation of factor analysis primarily for the “factorial layman.” The interpretation of factors and the comparisons of various factor solutions are illustrated with a hypothetical example so designed that the reader can visualize all the relationships in a two-dimensional graph.
OPEN HEART SURGERY IN JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES.

Abstract Open heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass has not been used for Jehovah's Witnesses because of their religious convictions and a church law forbidding blood transfusion. Development of bypass technics which utilize only blood substitutes for priming have made such procedures acceptable to these patients. More than 450 patients have been operated upon by using 5% dextrose in water prime, disposable oxygenators and normothermia. Seven Jehovah's Witnesses were operated upon without administration of blood before, during or after operation with one death from postoperative hemorrhage. The 6 surviving patients had a satisfactory recovery. The hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit one week after operation revealed no change in 1 patient, approximately 25 per cent fall in 4, and severe anemia in 1 after aortic valvulotomy.
The end of innocence

Global Air Pollution: Problems for the 1990s. ByHoward Bridgman. Pinter: 1990. Pp. 261. Hbk £30, $49; pbk £12.95, $25. The Changing Atmosphere: A Global Challenge. ByJohn Firor. Yale University Press: 1990. Pp. 145. $19.95, £12.95.
Pathology Working Group review of selected upper respiratory tract lesions in rats and mice.

Abstract The collected comments and pathologic diagnoses of several pathologists are summarized for 18 cases in which lesions were induced in the upper respiratory tract of rats and mice. Specific neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions of the nose and trachea are described and discussed, and opinions regarding pathogenesis and biologic significance of the lesions are presented. The anatomic and pathophysiologic complexities of the rodent nose in relation to lesion development following inhalation or systemic exposure to xenobiotics are important considerations in the genesis of pathologic changes in this organ.
Social hierarchy in monkeys (Macaca mulatta) modified by chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride

Abstract The effects of intramuscular injection of chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride (Librium) on individual and social behaviour was tested on a colony formed by four rhesus monkeys. Spontaneous mobility of each animal was continuously recorded by telemetry. Behaviour was quantified during three periods of 15 min each: first control (C I), delivery of pellets to an elevated feeder (CP) and second control (C II). Results were as follows: Administration of 5 mg/kg to the dominant monkey produced a 50 % reduction of spontaneous mobility which lasted for several hours. In addition there was some decrease of walking, a reduction of feeding, increase in lying and complete absence of grooming. The number of attacks increased significantly during C I, was not modified during CP and diminished during C II. It is postulated that chlordiazepoxide produced a decrease of normal signs of dominance and increased the challenge and replacement of the non-drugged animal against the authority of the leader of the group. Increasing the dose injected into the dominant animal to 10 mg/kg produced a greater and more lasting reduction of spontaneous mobility, with some cumulative effects, a reduction of walking during C I and C II, an absence of mounting and grooming and an increase of lying. Attacks also increased during C I and CP. while disappearing during C II. After the fifth injection there was a change in the hierarchical structure of the colony, with the dominant drugged animal dropping position, and the leadership of the group being taken by the monkey which was number 2. Injection of 10 mg/kg of chlordiazepoxide into the lowest ranking monkey, did not modify his hierarchical position, nor did it produce any signs of hostility. His behaviour was. however, modilied, decreasing spontaneous mobility and walking, abolishing grooming and increasing lying down. In the investigation of psychoactive drugs the social status of the experimental animal should be taken into consideration as an important factor in the interpretation of results.
Perceived criticism from family members as a predictor of the one-year course of bipolar disorder

Few studies have examined the prognostic value of family factors in the course of bipolar affective disorder. The current study examined a self-report measure of expressed emotion as a predictor of the 1-year course of the illness. Patients with bipolar disorder (N=360) filled out the four-item Perceived Criticism Scale concerning one or more relatives or close friends. Independent evaluators followed patients over 1 year and rated them on measures of depressive and manic symptoms and the percentage of days in recovery status. Patients' ratings of the severity of criticisms from relatives did not predict patients' mood disorder symptoms at follow-up. However, patients who were more distressed by their relatives' criticisms had more severe depressive and manic symptoms and proportionately fewer days well during the study year than patients who were less distressed by criticisms. Patients who reported that their relatives became more upset by the patients' criticisms had less severe depressive symptoms at follow-up. Results indicate that a brief rating of subjective distress in response to familial criticism is a useful prognostic device and may aid in planning psychosocial interventions for patients with bipolar disorder.
The impact of self-appraisals on reactions to feedback from others: the role of self-enhancement and self-consistency concerns

This study examined the usefulness of self-appraisal (SA) as a technique designed to enhance the motivational and developmental impact of feedback from others. Drawing from research on self-enhancement and self-consistency motives, it was hypothesized that individuals would agree with and incorporate feedback that is consistent with their SA, whereas they would be more satisfied and perform better if feedback is more favorable than their SA. A field study was conducted with 122 MBA students as participants. On average, students were 25 years old and had 1.8 years of work experience. Seventy per cent of students were male and 82 per cent were white. The findings supported all of the hypotheses except the hypothesis concerning satisfaction. Implications for improving the impact of performance appraisal feedback are discussed.
Stakeholder ranking of watershed goals with the vector analytic hierarchy process: Effects of participant grouping scenarios

More effective methods of eliciting and summarizing stakeholders' goals can assist in improving watershed management. This paper discusses the process of summarizing the goals that were generated during a workshop of watershed stakeholders in Virginia by using the Vector Analytic Hierarchy Process, and then grouping them into homogeneous subgroups by using two different methods: 1) assigning subgroups based on individuals' stated affiliations from a participant bio-sheet; and 2) assigning subgroups based on the similarity of individuals' actual preferences between the goals. Several different clustering approaches are considered for creating the preference-based subgroups, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed. The process of combining the subgroups to generate a single overall preference structure for the group as a whole is also considered, and the final results are compared based on both the resulting rankings and the coherence, or variability of opinion, that they reflect. Determining the ''best'' set of subgroups can be valuable not only in exploring the underlying nature of the population's preferences, but also in supporting additional discussion and analysis of the results. As such, it can ultimately lead to much stronger and better informed decision-making by the stakeholders.
Multifunctional, Catalytic Nanowire Membranes and the Membrane-Based 3D Devices

Making large-scale, multifunctional, paper-like, free-standing membranes (FSM) and the FSM-based 3D macroscopic devices purely from long inorganic functional nanowires is challenging in many nanomaterials systems. Here we report synthesis of long nanowires of the catalytic titanate for direct fabrications of the FSM and the FSM-based 3D devices that are among the first to show unusual potentials in photocatalysis, write−erase−rewrite, microfiltration, and controlled release.
Spinodal decomposition during bulk copolymerization: reaction injection moulding

Abstract Phase separation in segmented copolyureas and copoly(urethane-urea)s formed by reaction injection moulding (RIM) has been investigated by studies of the formation of model polyurea-polyether blends with no covalent bonds between the phases. The polyblends have similar thermal and small-strain mechanical properties to the analogous copolymers. Removal of 80% of the polyether by selective solvent extraction indicates the continuity of the polyether phase. Electron micrographs of the isolated polyurea show a random-continuous polyurea structure with a wavelength of ≈ 200 nm. The experimental data are interpreted in terms of the polymerization being equivalent to a thermodynamic quench from one-phase space into two-phase space. Thus the co-continuity of the phases is characteristic of the early stages of spinodal decomposition and has been retained by vitrification of the polyurea.
Cyclic Nucleotide Binding GAF Domains from Phosphodiesterases – Structural and Mechanistic Insights

GAF domains regulate the catalytic activity of certain vertebrate cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) by allosteric, noncatalytic binding of cyclic nucleotides. GAF domains arranged in tandem are found in PDE2, -5, -6, -10, and -11, all of which regulate the cellular concentrations of the second messengers cAMP and/or cGMP. Nucleotide binding to GAF domains affects the overall conformation and the catalytic activity of full-length PDEs. The cyclic nucleotide-bound GAF domains from PDE2, -5, -6, and -10 all adopt a conserved fold but show subtle differences within the binding pocket architecture that account for a large range of nucleotide affinities and selectivity. NMR data and details from the structure of full-length nucleotide-free PDE2A reveal the dynamic nature and magnitude of the conformational change that accompanies nucleotide binding. The discussed GAF domain structures further reveal differences in dimerization properties and highlight the structural diversity within GAF domain-containing PDEs.
Tag, You're It: Enhancing Access to Graphic Novels

Current users of academic libraries are avid readers of graphic novels. These thought-provoking materials are used for leisure reading, in instruction, and for research purposes. Libraries need to take care in providing access to these resources. This study analyzed the cataloging practices and social tagging of a specific list of graphic novel titles in the academic libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Results found that of the 668 graphic novel records 68 (10.17 percent) used the genre heading “graphic novel” and 99 (14.8 percent) were tagged. This limited access could be improved by using social tagging and genre heading.
A helping hand for cytochrome p450 enzymes.

In this issue of Cell Metabolism , Espenshade and colleagues (Hughes et al., 2007) show that the hemoprotein Dap1/PGRMC1 forms a stable complex with several members of the cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes and positively regulates their activities. This action indicates an important role for Dap1/PGRMC1 in P450-catalyzed reactions, some of which are involved in the metabolism of sterols and pharmaceutical compounds.
CFD analysis of broaching for a model surface combatant with explicit simulation of moving rudders and rotating propellers

Abstract The mechanisms of broaching in following regular waves are studied by analysis of free model computations. Simulations of the fully appended ONR Tumblehome model DTMB 5613 are performed with the ship hydrodynamics code CFDShip-Iowa v4.5 and validated against experiments of an auto-piloted, self propelled model ship. Appendages include bilge keels, skeg, shafts and struts, moving rudders to control heading, and rotating propellers for self-propulsion. Proportional and proportional–integral autopilots are used. Once validated against experimental data for the proportional controller, the flow field and forces and moments on the hull and individual appendages are analyzed in detail to identify the mechanisms leading to the broaching event. It was found that several reasons contribute to the inability of the ship to overcome the hydrostatic yaw moment caused by the approaching wave. However, it is shown that the use of a slightly better autopilot prevents broaching under identical operating conditions, presenting an opportunity to extend the safe operating envelope of the ship.
Historical science, experimental science, and the scientific method: Comment and Reply

Carol E. Cleland tackles an important issue in her analysis of the alleged inferiority of historical science compared to experimental science. Yet, her method of analysis and the conclusions she draws deserve comment. First, the asymmetry between past and future is intriguing, but what significance
Virus-associated down-regulation of the gene encoding cryparin, an abundant cell-surface protein from the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica

We report here the cloning and analysis of the gene (Crp) encoding cryparin (CRP) and the suppression of the accumulation of its mRNA by a double-stranded RNA virus. CRP belongs to a group of fungal hydrophobic cell surface proteins and has sequence similarity to cerato-ulmin, a phytotoxin produced by Ophiostoma ulmi, the Dutch elm disease pathogen. Transcripts of the Crp gene represent almost 25% of the mRNA of the fungal cell during the peak of CRP production.
Androgen biosynthesis from cholesterol to DHEA.

Androgens and estrogens are made from dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is made from cholesterol via four steps. First, cholesterol enters the mitochondria with the assistance of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). Mutations in the StAR gene cause congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia. Second, within the mitochondria, cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone by the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme, P450scc. Third, pregnenolone undergoes 17alpha-hydroxylation by microsomal P450c17. Finally, 17-OH pregnenolone is converted to DHEA by the 17,20 lyase activity of P450c17. The ratio of the 17,20 lyase to 17alpha-hydroxylase activity of P450c17 determines the ratio of C21 to C19 steroids produced. This ratio is regulated post-translationally by at least three factors: the abundance of the electron-donating protein P450 oxidoreductase, the presence of cytochrome b(5), and the serine phosphorylation of P450c17. Study of these and related factors may yield important information about the pathophysiology of adrenarche and the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Demand analysis of the Pacific Coast pear industry

Demand for Pacific Coast pears is analyzed by means of a simultaneous equation model which separately identifies Bartlett and winter pears in fresh and processed uses. The model is applied to annual data for the 1960–1989 period and is used to determine optimal allocations for historical periods and to forecast price effects under alternative future scenarios. Demand shifts have been favorable for fresh winter pears, but unfavorable for processed winter pears and for both fresh and processed Bartlett pears. Expected increases in production may threaten the profitability of the industry without prompt remedial action.© 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Revisiting the End of the Soviet Union

Both Boris Yeltsin and the United States failed to take full advantage of the window of opportunity between the August 1991 putsch and the collapse of the Soviet Union four months later. Bolder political action, greater economic reform, and more generous Western assistance might have precluded Russian resentment.
Mutants of chinese hamster cells deficient in thymidylate synthetase

Stable mutants of Chinese hamster V79 cells deficient in thymidylate synthetase (TS; E.C. 2.1.1.45) have been selected from cultures grown in medium supplemented with folinic acid, aminopterin, and thymidine (FAT). After chemical mutagenesis, the frequency of colonies resistant to the "FAT" medium increased more than 100-fold over the spontaneous frequency. The optimal expression time of the mutant phenotype was 5-7 days after mutagen treatment. The recovery of FAT-resistant colonies in the selective medium was not affected by the presence of wild-type cells at a density below 9,000 cells per cm2. All 21 mutants tested exhibited thymidine auxotrophy; neither folinic acid nor deoxyuridine could support mutant cell growth. There was no detectable TS activity in all 11 mutants so far examined and only about 50% of wild-type activity in three prototrophic revertants, as measured by whole-cell and cell-free enzyme assays. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) for deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate and inhibition constant (Ki) for 5-fluoro-deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate, measured by whole-cell enzyme assay, appear to be similar for the wild-type and revertant cell lines. Using 5-fluoro-[6-3H]-2'-deoxyuridine 5'-monophosphate as active site titrant, the relative amounts of TS in crude cell extract from the parental, revertant, and mutant cells were shown to exist in a 1:0.5:0 ratio. Furthermore, the enzymes from two revertants were more heat labile than that of V79 cells. These properties, taken together, suggest that the FAT-resistant, thymidine auxotrophic phenotype may be the result of a structural gene mutation at the TS locus. The availability of such a mutant facilitates studies on thymidylate stress in relation to DNA metabolism, cell growth, and mutagenesis.
Spherically symmetric solutions of a reaction-diffusion equation☆

Abstract Two theorems are proved for the spherically symmetric solutions of the “bistable” reaction-diffusion equation u t = Δ x u + ƒ(u) , where ƒ is cubic-like and x ∈ R n . The first theorem says that, for a suitable class of initial data, there are only two types of asymptotic behavior, u ( x , t ) tends to an equilibrium solution as t → + ∞ or u ( x , t ) → 1 uniformly on compact sets. The second theorem says that in the latter case, if the solution is followed out along any ray, it approaches, in shape, the one-dimensional travelling wave.
Endophthalmitis After Penetrating Keratoplasty

Of 445 eyes (305 of which were aphakic) that underwent penetrating keratoplasty, 11 developed endophthalmitis, three immediately after surgery, two after subsequent secondary surgery, and six after late ulceration of the transplanted cornea. The diagnosis was based clinically on the loss of the red reflex and vitreous opacification, and was confirmed by culture of vitreous aspirate. All patients who developed endophthalmitis were aphakic and had received corticosteroids at the time of infection; most had undergone previous ocular surgery. These patients differed from those previously described with this condition because neither the donor tissue nor the storage medium was the source of infection. Treatment included intracameral, systemic, and topical administration of antibiotics. When the endophthalmitis originated from a corneal ulcer in a graft, the infected tissue was replaced with a new transplant. Despite treatment, the final visual outcomes were not good. One eye had a final visual acuity of 20/200 and one eye had a final visual acuity of 20/400. Three eyes had light perception and six eyes had no light perception. One eye was eventually enucleated.
Indoor Concentrations of Hg Vapor Following Various Spill Scenarios

Hg vapor concentrations were measured in an indoor full-scale test environment representative of homes in the rural highlands of Peru, the location of an Hg spill in June 2000. We tested several scenarios of liquid Hg spilled onto a compacted dirt floor in a test room to determine the effect of various parameters, including liquid Hg surface area, temperature, air change rate, and Hg oxidation on room vapor concentrations. The measurements demonstrated that an increase in surface area and/or temperature significantly increased the evaporation rate, whereas oxidation (or age of the Hg) reduced the evaporation rate. We also verified that the Hg vapor analyzers used to test indoor air were capable of detecting very small spills.
Multilayer printing of embroidered RF circuits on polymer composites

This paper presents embroidered conductive fibers (E-fiber) on polymer composites for conformal and light-weight RF circuits and antennas. A polydimethylsiloxane, namely PDMS, is adapted. Our earlier studies showed that it had a remarkable RF performance with a tangent loss of less 0.02 at RF frequencies. In this paper, an embroidered E-fiber microstrip line sample was fabricated with conductive fibers on a polymer substrate, and its RF characteristics were measured. The S-parameters were compared with those of copper microstrip lines. Measurements indicated that the insertion loss of the E-fiber microstrip line was only 0.04dB/cm higher than that of the copper. A multilayer microstrip line using similar fabrication techniques was also printed and measurements were conducted. All results clearly demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed embroidered conductive fiber technique for flexible and conformal RF applications.
The use of sedimentary algal pigments to infer historic algal communities in Lake Apopka, Florida

The primary producer community of Lake Apopka, a large (125 km2), shallow (mean depth, 1.7 m), polymictic Florida lake, shifted from macrophyte dominance to phytoplankton dominance in the 1940s. Today, frequent wind resuspension of highly organic, unconsolidated sediments supports a meroplanktonic community that is predominantly diatoms, but during calm periods the algal community is dominated by planktonic cyanobacteria. Sedimentary algal pigments (chlorophyll derivatives and carotenoids) and chemical proxies for nutrient enrichment (polyphosphate, total phosphorus and biogenic silica) in three sediment cores were used to investigate historic changes in primary producers. Sediments were separated into three stratigraphic zones using multivariate statistical techniques. Stratigraphic zonation was established in each core although sediment deposition at one site was insufficient to adequately resolve temporal changes. These results show the importance of selecting suitable sites for paleolimnological studies. The oldest zone represents macrophyte-derived sediments, and the two overlying zones represent phytoplankton-derived sediments deposited since the 1940s. Algal pigments in the most recent sediment zone show little degradation, which might be due to the presence of viable meroplankton in the sediment. After the initial primary producer shift from macrophytes to phytoplankton, the lake experienced a short period of cyanobacterial dominance followed by a period of benthic diatom abundance before being replaced by the present algal community consisting of cyanobacteria and meroplanktonic diatoms. Chlorophyll derivatives and carotenoids were highly correlated with total phosphorus. Historic trends inferred from the data include algal and cyanobacterial productivity that increased with increased phosphorus loading. The study demonstrates that valid paleolimnological proxies for historic eutrophication are available in loosely consolidated sediments of shallow, subtropical lakes.