cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of chemotherapy in the management of olfactory neuroblastoma: A 40-year surveillance, epidemiology, and end results registry study.

Background In this retrospective surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) registry analysis, we investigated the role of chemotherapy (CT) in the treatment of olfactory neuroblastoma (ON), an exceedingly rare sino-nasal tumor typically treated with surgery and/or radiation therapy (RT). Methods We analyzed all patients in the SEER registry diagnosed with a single primary malignancy of ON, a primary tumor site within the nasal cavity or surrounding sinuses, sufficient staging information to derive Kadish staging, and >0 days of survival, ensuring follow-up data. Receipt of CT in the SEER registry was documented as either Yes or No/Unknown. Results Six hundred and thirty-six patients were identified. One hundred and ninety-five patients received CT as part of their treatment for ON. Following propensity score matching and inverse probability of treatment weighting, there was inferior overall survival (OS) (HR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.2, P = .001) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 1.8, 95% CI: 1.3-2.4, P < .001) for patients who received CT compared to those who were not treated with CT or had unknown CT status. On subgroup analysis, the only patient population that derived benefit from CT were patients who did not receive surgery and were treated with CT and/or RT (HR 0.3, 95% CI: 0.14-0.61, P < .001). Conclusions Based on this retrospective SEER registry analysis, the use of CT in the management of ON is associated with decreased OS. Our analysis suggests that patients who are considered nonsurgical candidates may benefit from the addition of CT.
A Pilot Study on the Use of Changes in Facial Features to Assess Physical Workload in Real-Time

An understanding of the level of physical workload experienced by an operator is important for designing workplace interventions that reduce injury risk. Existing methods for physical workload assessment can be disruptive to workers, are highly sensitive to the environment, and may not be feasible to implement in real-time on the manufacturing shop floor. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential of using changes in facial features as a method for real-time physical workload assessment. Four participants performed an assembly task during two sessions completed on different days, while measures of ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), performance and changes of facial features were collected. Results showed that facial features, such as head movement, left and right inner eyebrow point and bottom point of the lip had significant changes over time. Future work should investigate these changes further for the potential to assess physical workload in real-time onsite manufacturing.
Study of some biochemical materials parameters in patients with angina pectoris

Abstract In this study, some biochemical data were evaluated in the blood serum of patients with angina pectoris, their ages ranged from (40 to 49) years, and the results were compared with healthy people. Cholesterol and serum enzymatic activity of Aspartate amino transferase AST; Alanine amino transferase ALT; Creatin Kinase Isoenzyme was estimated. Results can be summarized as follow A significant increment (p
Super-resolution from PSF width

We provide a simple technique to super-resolve two mutually incoherent point sources beyond the Rayleigh limit by measuring the width of the point spread function. We demonstrate the method experimentally at nearly 8 times the Rayleigh limit.
Computing the real solutions of Fleishman's equations for simulating non-normal data

Fleishman's power method is frequently used to simulate non-normal data with a desired skewness and kurtosis. Fleishman's method requires solving a system of nonlinear equations to find the third-order polynomial weights that transform a standard normal variable into a non-normal variable with desired moments. Most users of the power method seem unaware that Fleishman's equations have multiple solutions for typical combinations of skewness and kurtosis. Furthermore, researchers lack a simple method for exploring the multiple solutions of Fleishman's equations, so most applications only consider a single solution. In this paper, we propose novel methods for finding all real-valued solutions of Fleishman's equations. Additionally, we characterize the solutions in terms of differences in higher order moments. Our theoretical analysis of the power method reveals that there typically exists two solutions of Fleishman's equations that have noteworthy differences in higher order moments. Using simulated examples, we demonstrate that these differences can have remarkable effects on the shape of the non-normal distribution, as well as the sampling distributions of statistics calculated from the data. Some considerations for choosing a solution are discussed, and some recommendations for improved reporting standards are provided.
Extending the Good Faith Exception to the Fourth Amendment's Exlcusionary Rule to Warrantless Seizures that Serve as the Basis for the Search Warrant

This Article proposes an extension of the good faith exception to the Fourth Amendment's exclusionary rule. This extension would cover situations where the police, notwithstanding their efforts to conform to the law, illegally seize and detain persons or their effects, such as luggage, thereafter fully disclose the facts surrounding the seizure and detention to a magistrate in an application for a search warrant, and then recover evidence as a result of the warrant's execution.Part I of this Article discusses the Supreme Court's current view of the purpose of the Fourth Amendment's exclusionary rule and reviews the good faith exception to that rule. The Supreme Court has not had occasion to decide whether to extend the good faith exception to warrantless seizures that serve as the basis for a subsequent application for a search warrant. The lower court cases that have addressed the issue, however, have reached conflicting results. This Article then examines the application of the good faith exception to those prior warrantless seizures. Part II distinguishes United States v. Leon, the case in which the Supreme Court announced the good faith exception, from the circumstances that are the subject of this Article. Part III explores the policies supporting the preference for a warrant. That Part concludes that extension of good faith to the situations detailed above is justified, premised on two important considerations, which are detailed in Parts III and IV: First, there must be a recognition that a magistrate may deny the warrant if illegal activity is disclosed in the application. Second, the affidavit must accurately and fully detail the circumstances that gave rise to the illegal seizure. These Parts argue that such a rule would bring about two socially valuable consequences. First, recourse to warrants would be encouraged, resulting in early intervention and review by the judiciary of police actions, thereby placing the judiciary between the citizen and the police. Second, the need for the ultimate sanction of exclusion, with its high costs to society, would be reduced. Part V illustrates the application of the proposed extension of the good faith exception, and Part VI contains some concluding remarks.
E.P. Thompsom: De la historia social a la irenología

Edward Palmer Thompson fue uno de los mas destacados historiadores sociales de la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Al mismo tiempo, llevo a cabo una destacada labor como lider del movimiento pacifista antinuclear durante la Guerra Fria. Pese a que Thompson no participara directamente en la consolidacion de la irenologia como disciplina academica, sus aportaciones en este campo, hasta ahora poco estudiadas, sin duda merecen rescatarse y considerarse. Ese es el objetivo de este articulo.
Thioredoxin Superfamily and Its Effects on Cardiac Physiology and Pathology

A precise control of oxidation/reduction of protein thiols is essential for intact cardiac physiology. Irreversible oxidative modifications have been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. An imbalance of redox homeostasis with diminution of antioxidant capacities predisposes the heart to oxidant injury. There is growing interest in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the cardiovascular field, since perturbation of redox homeostasis in the ER is sufficient to cause ER stress. Because a number of human diseases are related to altered redox homeostasis and defects in protein folding, many research efforts have been devoted in recent years to understanding the structure and enzymatic properties of the thioredoxin superfamily. The thioredoxin superfamily has been well documented as thiol oxidoreductases to exert a role in various cell signaling pathways. The redox properties of the thioredoxin motif account for the different functions of several members of the thioredoxin superfamily. While thioredoxin and glutaredoxin primarily act as antioxidants by reducing protein disulfides and mixed disulfide, another member of the superfamily, protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), can act as an oxidant by forming intrachain disulfide bonds that contribute to proper protein folding. Increasing evidence suggests a pivotal role of PDI in the survival pathway that promotes cardiomyocyte survival and leads to more favorable cardiac remodeling. Thus, the thiol redox state is important for cellular redox signaling and survival pathway in the heart. This review summarizes the key features of major members of the thioredoxin superfamily directly involved in cardiac physiology and pathology.
Mapping of the Hepatitis B Virus Reverse Transcriptase TP and RT Domains by Transcomplementation for Nucleotide Priming and by Protein-Protein Interaction

Hepadnavirus polymerases initiate reverse transcription in a protein-primed reaction. We previously described a complementation assay for analysis of the roles of the TP and RT domains of HBV reverse transcriptase (pol) in the priming reaction. Independently expressed TP and RT domains form a complex functional for in vitro priming reactions. To map the minimal functional TP and RT domains, we prepared baculoviruses expressing amino- and carboxyl-terminal deletions of both the TP and RT domains and analyzed the proteins for the ability to participate in transcomplementation for the priming reaction. The minimal TP domain spanned amino acids 20 to 175; however, very little activity was observed without a TP domain spanning amino acids 1 to 199. The minimal RT domain spanned amino acids 300 to 775; however, little activity was observed unless the carboxyl end of the RT domain extended to amino acid 800. Thus, most of the RNase H domain was required. In previous studies, we observed a TP inhibitory domain between amino acids 199 and 344. The current analysis narrowed this domain to residues 300 to 334, which is a portion of the minimal RT domain. In addition, the ability of TP and RT deletion mutants to form stable TP-RT complexes was examined in coimmunoprecipitation assays. The minimal TP and RT domains capable of protein-protein interaction were considerably smaller than the domains required for functional interaction in the transcomplementation assays, and unlike priming activity, TP-RT interaction did not require the epsilon RNA stem-loop. These studies help to further define the complex protein-protein interactions required in HBV genome replication.
Customizable multi-well plates for high-throughput 2D and 3D laser direct-write

Laser direct-write (LDW) is a forward transfer deposition technique that has recently been adapted for 2D/3D printing of biological materials. LDW is built upon a CAD/CAM platform and scalable technologies, making it an attractive biofabrication tool for many applications, such as high-throughput in vitro testing. To truly realize these capabilities, LDW must be able to print into multi-well plates, (e.g., 24-, 48-, 96-well plates), for analysis of multiple samples in parallel (e.g., spectrophotometry, microscopy, RT-PCR), as such applications demand for high throughput. However, the geometries of standard multi-well plates interfere with the LDW print ribbon, requiring a much greater transfer distance (> 10mm between ribbon and receiving substrate). This large ribbon-substrate distance compromises print quality significantly (e.g., loss of print registry, generation of satellite beads, scattered print spots/droplets). Moreover, the wells cannot be spin-coated evenly, leading to non-uniform substrates. To overcome these hurdles, we developed a novel method to produce customizable multi-well substrates that can be spin-coated, and do not restrict ribbon-substrate spacing. This technique can be used to create LDW-compatible substrates with custom multi-well geometries, to greatly improve the flexibility, utility, and throughput of LDW.
Simulator evaluation of incident detection by transponder-equipped vehicles

This paper explores the efficacy of the driver-based incident detection using the vehicle-to-roadside communication (VRC) system. The proliferation of vehicle tags in the US for automatic toll collection, traffic monitoring, and vehicle navigation and information systems has created an infrastructure capable of supporting a driver-based incident detection system. The research reported herein investigated the use of "activatable" vehicle tags by drivers to send an incident signal to the Traffic Management Center through VRC reader stations spaced uniformly on a highway. The simulation results showed that good detection performance was achieved even at lower levels of market penetration of vehicle tags. The results further showed that detection performance is significantly affected by the severity of the incident in terms of number of lanes closed, the spacing of the VRC reader stations, traffic volume at the time of the incident, and the reporting propensity of the traveling public.The performance of the VRC-based incident reporting system was compared to the performance of two incident detection algorithms that rely on traffic data collected through the automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system. The comparison showed that the VRC-based incident reporting system attained shorter detection times and higher detection rates under fairly similar simulated conditions. The paper also discusses issues that need further study through simulation and field experimentation of the VRC-based incident reporting system.
Size-Exclusion Chromatography for the Analysis of Protein Biotherapeutics and their Aggregates

In recent years, the use and number of biotherapeutics has increased significantly. For these largely protein-based therapies, the quantitation of aggregates is of particular concern given their potential effect on efficacy and immunogenicity. This need has renewed interest in size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). In the following review we will outline the history and background of SEC for the analysis of proteins. We will also discuss the instrumentation for these analyses, including the use of different types of detectors. Method development for protein analysis by SEC will also be outlined, including the effect of mobile phase and column parameters (column length, pore size). We will also review some of the applications of this mode of separation that are of particular importance to protein biopharmaceutical development and highlight some considerations in their implementation.
Sharing private information with customers: Strategic default and lender learning

I use a unique data set of loans to small business owners to examine whether lenders face negative externalities when they share private information with borrowers. When lenders grant debt forgiveness to borrowers, borrowers communicate that information to other borrowers, who are then more likely to strategically default on their own obligations. This strategic default contagion is economically large. When the lender doubles debt forgiveness, contagion causes the default rate to increase by 10.9% on average. Using an exogenous shock to the lender’s forgiveness policy, I further show that as the lender learns about the extent of borrower communication it tightens its debt forgiveness and origination policies to reduce information spillovers and mitigate the default contagion. Collectively, these results provide new evidence on the strategic interactions between a firm and its customers in a dynamic information environment.
Multidisciplinary Inquiry-Based Investigation Learning Using an Ex Ovo Chicken Culture Platform: Role of Vitamin A on Embryonic Morphogenesis

Embryonic development offers a unique perspective on the function of many biological processes because of embryos’ heightened sensitivity to environmental factors. This hands-on lesson investigates the effects of elevated vitamin A on the morphogenesis of chicken embryos. The active form of vitamin A (retinoic acid) is applied to shell-less (ex ovo) cultured chick embryos, which are highly accessible and intrinsically spawn inquiry. The student activities mirror the scientific research process, including review of scientific literature, hypothesis formation, experimental design, interpretation of data, and re-evaluation of the initial hypothesis. This exercise supports instruction on developmental biology, biophysics, animal research, and experimental design and is motivated by a clinically relevant health issue.
Isolation and partial characterization of uric acid spherules obtained from cockroach tissues (Dictyoptera)

Abstract 1. 1. Urate spherules obtained from three cockroach species have been isolated, purified and examined by scanning electron microscopy, atomic absorption, i.r. and Kjeldahl analysis. 2. 2. Purified spherules exposed to ionic environments may change from a smooth to a textured form. 3. 3. Ion analysis confirmed that the spherules are high in K+ and low in Na+. 4. 4. All preparations from the cockroach tissues diaplayed similar i.r. spectra, but were dissimilar to those of uric acid and urate salt standards. 5. 5. It appears that there is a distinct pattern or mechanism by which the cockroach urates are deposited in the spherule matrix.
A strategic model of public–private partnerships in transportation: Effect of taxes and cost structure on investment viability

Abstract We formulate a game-theoretic model of a concession agreement between a government and a private party, a concessionaire, who has to engage a set of service providers as part of the operating responsibilities. We use the model to examine the importance of a government's tax policy to induce private investments in transportation infrastructure. Our analysis brings to fore insights that are useful in the design of partnership agreements, such as the importance of early and binding government commitments to ensure stable partnerships, and thus, successful projects. Our analysis shows that these strong commitments are even more critical in situations where the success of the partnership requires participation of additional, self-interested parties, such as specialized service providers. Finally, we consider variations of the model where government preferences are explicitly captured, and where the returns from the fixed cost portion of the concessionaire's investment are exempt from taxes. We show that both variations can lead to outcomes where the concessionaire's tax burden is shifted to the service providers. This flexibility can be critical in the design of partnership agreements for (high-risk or highly specialized transportation) projects where additional incentives may be needed to induce private party participation.
Pattern-Based Disambiguation for Natural Language Processing

A wide range of natural language problems can be viewed as disambiguating between a small set of alternatives based upon the string context surrounding the ambiguity site. In this paper we demonstrate that classification accuracy can be improved by invoking a more descriptive feature set than what is typically used. We present a technique that disambiguates by learning regular expressions describing the string contexts in which the ambiguity sites appear.
Driven to Achieve: First-Generation Students' Narrated Experience at a Private Christian College

This qualitative study examined the narrated experiences around the college choice and persistence of junior and senior first-generation students attending a private Christian college. Using interviews and focus groups, the author identified three key factors that emerged from the data: faculty, faith, and family. Faculty involvement was critical in the decision both to attend and to persist at the college; family support also was a consistently salient theme that emerged. Surprisingly, the faith factor was important to some in their decisions to attend, but for religious minority members it was actually a detracting factor, largely overcome by the strength of the professional programs and faculty involvement. For the students in this study, first-generation status did not emerge as an important part of their identify-formation.
Bringing the homosexual patient out: teaching the doctor's role

Little attention is given in the medical school curriculum to providing care for the 5-10% of the population that is homosexual. An elective course was developed to promote more positive attitudes among doctors-in-training towards homosexual patients. The format was primarily small group discussion between students and articulate homosexual people around societal biases towards homosexuals and issues of health care delivery. Students from this seminar and a control group from another elective completed an attitude questionnaire before and after the course. The study group became more accepting towards homosexual lifestyles significantly in 12 of 15 measures while no difference was found in the control group. Students' reaction to this learning experience was highly positive: they appreciated the opportunity to learn about same-sex life-styles in a personal and nonthreatening way, thus enabling them to accept and better care for homosexual people.
Evolution and growth of ZnO thin films on GaN(0001) epilayers via metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract Zinc oxide thin films have been grown via metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy at 450°C and 250 Torr total pressure on O-terminated areas and micro-regions of native oxide formed on GaN(0 0 0 1) epilayers during exposure to the oxygen reactant. Analyses of the Ga3d core level spectra acquired from films grown for progressively longer times and comparisons of these data with both thermodynamic models of growth processes and associated atomic force micrographs revealed that the ZnO nucleated and grew via the Stranski–Krastanov mode. Considerations of (1) differences in surface energetics of the polar (0 0 0 1) surfaces of ZnO and GaN and that of the Ga-based oxide as well as (2) the relatively low stress generated by the moderate lattice mismatches in the a -axis lattice parameters of these compounds supported the observed growth mode. The shifts in the position of the Ga3d core level with increasing deposition time and decreasing peak intensity were caused by surface charging and increasing sampling volumes of the Ga-based oxide as well as the growing ZnO layer. The island/ocean morphology of the Ga-based oxide controlled the morphology of the initial ZnO layer, which, in turn controlled the locations and the morphologies of the subsequently nucleated ZnO islands. Scanning electron microscopy of thicker ZnO films revealed a highly textured microstructure.
Coexistence Analysis Involving 3GPP Long Term Evolution

As the standardization of Evolved-UTRA or LTE is ongoing in 3GPP, it is important to ensure the coexistence between two LTE systems or between LTE and legacy UMTS systems sharing the same frequency band. This paper is aimed at presenting a complete view of the status and challenges of the coexistence issue. The high-level methodology, UL power control, and ACLR modeling, etc. are discussed in detail. To ensure coexistence without tightening the RF requirements and hence increasing the cost for LTE, mitigation techniques like interference-aware resource allocation are proposed and shown to be effective by simulation results.
A Validation Study of an Automated Concept Generator Design Tool

The current version of the Concept Generator, an automated mathematically-based design tool, is studied in an effort to validate its general approach and establish research goals for further development. As part of the study, four undergraduate engineering researchers from the University of Missouri-Rolla and University of Texas at Austin execute a qualitative study of the software’s effectiveness at producing useful design solutions. The students engage in several activities designed to test the capabilities of this early version of the software. A report of their results and analyses identifies the benefits and disadvantages of the software (and underlying method) as viewed at this stage of development. Furthermore, the design solution data collected by the undergraduate researchers is analyzed more quantitatively during a post-study investigation. Both the qualitative and quantitative studies indicate that the Concept Generator is a promising first step toward the creation of an effective design tool for the conceptual phase of design. Furthermore, the student reports on their hands-on experiences with the software identify strengths and weaknesses of this early version of the Concept Generator and help establish many avenues for further development of the design tool.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Size distribution and rate of dust generated during grain elevator handling.

Dust generated during grain handling can pose a safety and health hazard and is an air pollutant. This study was conducted to characterize the particle size distribution (PSD) of dust generated during handling of wheat and shelled corn in the research elevator of the USDA Grain Marketing and Production Research Center and determine the effects of grain lot, repeated transfer, and grain types on the PSD. Dust samples were collected on glass fiber filters with high volume samplers from the lower and upper ducts upstream of the cyclone dust collectors. A laser diffraction analyzer was used to measure the PSD of the collected dust. For wheat, the size distribution of dust from the upper and lower ducts showed similar trends among grain lots but differed between the two ducts. The percentages of particulate matter (PM)-2.5, PM-4, and PM-10 were 5.19%, 9.81%, and 34.1% of the total wheat dust, respectively. The total dust mass flow rate was 0.94 g/s (equivalent to 64.6 g/t of wheat handled). For shelled corn, the size distributions of the dust samples from the upper and lower ducts also showed similar trends among transfers but differed between the two ducts. The percentages of PM-2.5, PM-4, and PM-10 were 7.45%, 9.98%, and 28.8% of the total shelled corn dust, respectively. The total dust mass flow rate was 2.91 g/s (equivalent to 185.1 g/t of corn handled). Overall, the corn and wheat differed significantly in the size distribution and the rate of total dust generated.
Halloysitic Underclay and Amorphous Inorganic Matter in Hawaii

Plastic clay deposits underlie peat beds in several swamps on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. These underclays are appreciably different in mineralogical and chemical composition from the associated well-drained weathered rocks (saprolite). The underclay is much higher in silica and lower in iron oxide than the saprolite. The underclay is composed chiefly of halloysite minerals, with minor amounts of gibbsite, anatase, quartz, goethite, and illite. The saprolite is predominately gibbsite, goethite, and hematite, with minor amounts of titaniferous magnetite, anatase, and halloysite minerals. Apparently both the clay and saprolite have formed by weathering from the same type of parent rock and have undergone similar geologic histories; therefore, differences in drainage and the presence or absence of an overlying peat layer appear to be the principal genetic variables.
Requirement for Cdk2 in cytostatic factor-mediated metaphase II arrest

The unfertilized eggs of vertebrates are arrested in metaphase of meiosis II because of the activity of cytostatic factor (CSF). Xenopus CSF is thought to contain the product of the Mos proto-oncogene, but other proteins synthesized during meiosis II are also required for arrest induced by CSF. In Xenopus oocytes, ablation of synthesis of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) during meiosis resulted in absence of the metaphase II block, even though the Mosxe protein kinase was fully active at metaphase. Introduction of purified Cdk2 restored metaphase II arrest, and increasing the amount of Cdk2 during meiosis I (when Mosxe is present) led to metaphase arrest at meiosis I. These data indicate that metaphase arrest is a result of cooperation between a proto-oncogene kinase and a cyclin-dependent kinase and illustrate the interaction of a cell growth regulator with a cell cycle control element.
SearchLight: asynchronous neighbor discovery using systematic probing

The usefulness of proximity-based social networking applications is limited by the lack of effective and energy efficient neighbor discovery protocols. While probabilistic approaches perform well for the average case, they exhibit long tails resulting in high upper bounds on neighbor discovery latency. On the other hand, recent deterministic protocols like Disco and U-Connect improve on the worst case bound, but do so by sacrificing average case performance. In response to these limitations, we present Searchlight, an asynchronous neighbor discovery protocol that combines both deterministic and probabilistic components, and thereby achieves an average case performance comparable to the probabilistic approaches while improving on the deterministic worst case bounds.
Fixation and mobilization of antimony in sediments

Abstract The mobility of sediment antimony (Sb) during sediment-water interactions was studied. Emphasis was placed on the fixation of native and added Sb by sediment, long-term (6 months) releases of Sb and sediment properties that affect the mobilization of Sb. Sequential selective extraction procedures revealed that most native and added sediment Sb was associated with relatively immobile iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) compounds. In sediments amended with Sb, concentrations of interstitial water and exchangeable phase Sb were also high. Initial and long-term releases of Sb were much higher from Sb-amended sediments than from sediments containing no added Sb, apparently a result of Sb concentrations in more mobile sediment phases. In most sediments, the largest amount of Sb release occurred early in the leaching experiment. These results suggest that Sb release from contaminated sediments is more likely to occur during the first few months of sediment-water interaction. During aerobic leaching, Sb moved into a more unavailable sediment phase, decreasing the potential for further releases. Sediment Fe and CaCO3 equivalent concentrations were found to affect releases of added Sb. Evolution of volatile Sb compounds was also noted from sediments under anaerobic conditions.
SELECTIVE ACTIVATION OF CALCINEURIN BY DIPICOLINIC ACID

Calcineurin was activated at 30 degrees C by incubation with dipicolinic acid, a metal chelator, in the absence of activating, exogenous Mn2+. The activation reached a plateau after 90 min with 8- to 12-fold higher activity. Inclusion of the activating metal Mn2+ (1.0 mM) in the incubation mixture slightly lessened the activation induced by dipicolinic acid. The chelator 1,10-phenanthroline had no effect on the activity of calcineurin in concurrent experiments. Activation by dipicolinic acid was reversed by the addition of Zn2+ or Fe3+. The reversal occurred within 30 min after the addition of either metal and returned the activity of calcineurin to its initial level. Atomic absorption spectrometry analysis showed no loss of iron or zinc from calcineurin after activation (2 h) by dipicolinic acid. Because there seemed to be no interaction between dipicolinic acid and exogenous metal, the effect of dipicolinic acid was concluded to result from masking of at least one intrinsic metal. Calcineurin incubated with 1.0 mM Mn2+ (saturating levels) also did not show any loss of intrinsic metal by atomic absorption analysis. The consequences of these data concerning the role(s) of intrinsic metals in calcineurin catalysis are discussed.
Flight insurance pricing and the theory of choice

Abstract The conclusion of Eisner and Strotz that the purchase of air-travel insurance is inconsistent with the von Neumann-Morgenstern theory of choice is shown to depend critically upon their specific pricing formula. An alternative pricing scheme eliminates this inconsistency.
Molecular characterization of a wound-inducible inhibitor I gene from potato and the processing of its mRNA and protein.

Genomic blotting of restriction fragments of Russet Burbank DNA indicated that at least 6 copies of Inhibitor I are present in the tetraploid potato genome. A library of potato genes in bacteriophage λ was screened for the presence of Inhibitor I genes using a wound-inducible tomato Inhibitor I cDNA as a hybridization probe. One phage with an insert of 13.1 kb was isolated that hybridized most strongly with the probe. A 4.2 kb Eco RI fragment containing the gene was isolated from the clone and 2.2 kb region was sequenced that included about 800 bp of both the 5′ and 3′ regions. The gene contained two introns of 479 and 417 bp respectively, and the splice junctions were typical of other eukaryotic genes. Putative TATAA and CAAT boxes were identified. The nucleotide sequence, when compared with a wound-inducible tomato Inhibitor I cDNA, exhibited over 90% identity. The gene codes for a prepro-Inhibitor I protein of 96 amino acids. The putative pre-sequence of 19 amino acids, differs in only one residue from that of tomato Inhibitor I. The potato pro-sequence, however, is lacking a tetrapeptide that is found in the tomato pro-sequence in the region of pro-peptide processing. This deletion, together with a substitution of a Gln for a Leu (4 residues toward the N terminus) provides an explanation for the differences at the N-termini between tomato and potato Inhibitor I natural proteins by providing different processing sites in the two pro-inhibitors. Thus, amino acid sequence differences between the N termini of tomato and potato Inhibitor I are easily explained by the mutational events. The different proposed pro-processing sites of the tomato and potato inhibitors suggest that a processing protease may be present in the vacuole with a specificity for Asn-X and Gln-X bonds.
Methodological problems with the concepts of corporation, corporate social grouping, and cognatic descent group

The classic methodology for the analysis of corporations and corporate social groupings produces culturally contaminated data. An alternative methodology is described in which abstract analytical concepts are used to determine whether a social isolate has the capacity to enter into jural relations and where the exact social locus of ownership lies. This approach is tested against Gilbert's ethnography of the Peruvian cognatic descent isolate. It delineates more faithfully the indigenous distinctions and shows that the Peruvian descent isolate is not a corporate grouping in the realm of property relations. [corporations, corporate social groupings, property ownership, cognatic descent groupings, methodology, social organization]
Take home tests: An experimental study

The take home test was compared with the conventional closed and open book tests at the college level. It was found that scores on knowledge items were significantly higher with the take home test, and that additional time spent looking up answers was important. An additional factor was the level of anxiety, perceived by students to be less with the take home test. Rampant cheating does not appear to be a problem with take home tests.
Optimal predictive control of continuous nonlinear systems

A new approach for the design of nonlinear feedback tracking controllers is presented in this paper. The response of a nonlinear, continuous-time system is first predicted by appropriate functional expansions. Then, a control law is developed by minimizing the local difference between the predicted and desired responses. Closed-loop stability and robustness of the controller are discussed. Some relations and distinctions between the current predictive controller and geometric control approach are explored. The uniqueness of the current control law is demonstrated by successfully solving a class of tracked vehicle motion control problems for which some major existing nonlinear control methods are not applicable.
The nucleide 50Sc

Abstract The energy levels and wave functions of 50 Sc have been calculated within the framework of the nuclear shell model using two-body matrix elements of both Soper and Rosenfeld mixture. The log ft for the β-decay of both 50 Ca and 50 Sc have been computed. The agreement with experiment appears good.
An approximate factorization/least squares solution method for a mixed finite element approximation of the Cahn-Hilliard equation

We discuss in this article the numerical solution of the Cahn-Hilliard equation modelling the spinodal decomposition of binary alloys. The numerical methodology combines a second-order finite difference time discretization with a mixed finite element space approximation and a least squares formulation based on an approximate factorization of a fourth-order elliptic operator which appears in the numerical model. The least squares problem—which is linear—is solved by a preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm. The results of numerical experiments illustrate the possibilities of the methods discussed in this article.
Public and private cooperation in the National Park Service

Abstract A major function of the US National Park Service—protecting the parks—requires information that will influence visitor patterns to be disseminated to the public. The private sector is helping in this in many ways. Pooling public and private expertise is also helping in eg collecting more useful statistics, in training tour escorts, and in encouraging travel writers to familiarize themselves with the parks and their needs.
Bioaccumulation and histopathological effects of oil on a stony coral

Abstract Colonies of the shallow-water Caribbean coral Manicina areolata incorporated petroleum hydrocarbons into their tissues during exposure to water accommodated fractions of No. 2 fuel oil for three months. This contamination was not removed after depuration periods of up to two weeks. Although these corals remained alive, evidence of pathological responses was found which included impaired development of reproductive tissues, degeneration and loss of symbiotic zooxanthellae, and atrophy of mucous secretory cells and muscle bundles.
Electrochemical Measurements of Single H2 Nanobubble Nucleation and Stability at Pt Nanoelectrodes.

Single H2 nanobubble nucleation is studied at Pt nanodisk electrodes of radii less than 50 nm, where H2 is produced through electrochemical reduction of protons in a strong acid solution. The critical concentration of dissolved H2 required for nanobubble nucleation is measured to be ∼0.25 M. This value is ∼310 times larger than the saturation concentration at room temperature and pressure and was found to be independent of acid type (e.g., H2SO4, HCl, and H3PO4) and nanoelectrode size. The effects of different surfactants on H2 nanobubble nucleation are consistent with the classic nucleation theory. As the surfactant concentration in H2SO4 solution increases, the solution surface tension decreases, resulting in a lower nucleation energy barrier and consequently a lower supersaturation concentration required for H2 nanobubble nucleation. Furthermore, amphiphilic surfactant molecules accumulate at the H2/solution interface, hindering interfacial H2 transfer from the nanobubble into the solution; consequentl...
Diel periodicity of spawning activity in a permanently territorial damselfish: a test of adult feeding hypotheses

Among species of damselfish in which both sexes defend individual feeding territories, spawning nearly always begins at first light and is completed within 2 h. According to the anti-competitor hypothesis, such dawn spawning occurs because it minimizes the rate of intrusion by diurnally active food competitors while the female is away from her territory. An alternative hypothesis pertaining to adult feeding biology is that dawn spawning minimizes interference with the female's own feeding activity. Diel patterns of spawning and mate-searching activity were documented for a population of garibaldi damselfish, Hypsypops rubicundus, and compared with their diel feeding patterns and those of their food competitors. Female garibaldi spawned at approximately constant levels from dawn through late afternoon and showed peaks in mate-searching activity in the late morning or in the afternoon. However, feeding activity of both female garibaldi and their food competitors increased significantly from dawn to early afternoon. Thus, there was no inverse relationship between garibaldi spawning activity and feeding activity as predicted by these hypotheses.
The sampling window (Corresp.)

The concept of the sampling window is introduced for the central interpolation of finite energy band-limited functions. The sampling window does not increase the rate of convergence of the truncation error series, as do various convergence factors, but does significantly reduce the truncation-error bound.
Analysis of Catchable Trout Fisheries Management by Computer Simulation

Abstract Although strategies to meet most management objectives are relatively clearcut in single-species, catchable trout programs, strategies become much more complex when two or more species are involved. A difficult problem that must be faced in evaluating catchable trout fisheries management strategies is defining management objectives. One approach to testing alternative management strategies in complex resource systems, such as catchable trout fisheries, is systems simulation. A computer-implemented CAtchable Trout Fishery Simulator (CATS) was developed to evaluate fishery response under various management strategies in a multispecies stocking program. The user of CATS can select alternative management strategies and functions which generate predictions of fishing pressure in a particular fishery. To evaluate the effect of each system component, CATS was exercised over a wide range of potential, although entirely hypothetical, system component alternations. Predominant stocking of brook trout appre...
The effects of knee brace hinge design and placement on joint mechanics

A computer model of 23 knees was obtained by embedding, slicing and digitizing the bone outlines and ligament co-ordinates. Using co-ordinate transformations, various three-dimensional motions were imposed on the knees, and calculations made of femoral-tibial contact error, contact point locations and ligament lengths. Significant deviations in these parameters were noted for abnormal motions including the elimination of internal-external rotation and a-p displacement and the misplacement of a hinge producing correct motion. The resulting mismatch could result in shear in soft tissues, cuff-to-skin slippage and inaccurate ligament length patterns.
Comments on Einstein's Explanation of Electrons, Photons, and the Photo-Electric Effect

According to an entropy approach and by reviewing the similarity between laws characterizing the flow of heat and electric charges, electric charges were defined as electromagnetic waves that possess an electrical potential or simply as ionized photons. Accordingly, the flow of electrons was defined as a simultaneous flow of particulate energy and wave energy. Such definitions led to clear the confusions of duality properties of electrons and light waves, conflicts in the SI system of units and to explain the difference between the calculated drift speed of electrons and the speed of electricity or charges in conductors. However, Einstein considered the electron to be a negative charge of unknown nature during his analysis of the photoelectric effect. Einstein presented his hypothesis that light may behave as a particle to find a plausible explanation of the photoelectric effect. He found the measured cutoff frequency of light below which light might not eject electrons from metal-surfaces in photocells regardless of how much light is shone on the surface as a proof of truth of his hypothesis. Such frequency may be explained also, according to the previously introduced definitions, as the minimum energy quanta that may gain a quantized potential in photocells. This explanation may find plausible explanations of the found measurements of the photoelectric effects for different metal surfaces, stopping voltages into photocells and the photoelectric effect of X-rays. Einstein’s hypothesis of the photoelectric effect failed to find plausible explanations of such measurement results. According to the principles of conservation of momentum, there is a minimum quantity of photons that may lead to bouncing an atomic electron out of its orbit. So, considering Einstein’s theory as a perfect hypothesis that explains the photoelectric effect may be a misconception.
State Impediments to Transit-Centered Planning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1916–1928

In 1916, a national planning expert strongly advised Milwaukee city and county planners to integrate electric railway transit into any comprehensive metropolitan plan. In that same year, a great proponent of publicly owned transit, socialist Daniel W. Hoan, became mayor of Milwaukee. Twelve years later—while Hoan was still mayor—a national engineering firm made the same recommendation. During the interim, however, it became apparent to city leaders, including Hoan, that they did not have either the legal or financial tools necessary to effectively implement any plan that involved altering and improving transit routes and service. Although Wisconsin adopted municipal “home rule” in 1924, the provision was in reality “too little too late” in that it did not grant cities authority to take over the privately owned for-profit transit companies holding monopolies over their streets. Nor was an option to establish a regional transit authority available until after World War II. This article explores the intersec...
Precocene II-induced changes in the anatomy of midgut goblet cells of last-instar larvae of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract Midgut goblet cells of last-instar larvae of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) that were fed precocene II, appear smaller in diameter and have cavities that are elongated when compared with the goblet cells of larvae fed on normal diet. These precocene-induced changes may account for some of the decrease in growth and the delayed development observed in the last-instar larvae that were fed diet containing precocene II.
Target site bioactivation of the neurotoxic organophosphorus insecticide parathion in partially hepatectomized rats.

Target organ bioactivation of phosphorothionate insecticides to their potent anticholinesterase oxon metabolites (for example, parathion to paraoxon) may be extremely important in toxicity because liver and blood provide so much potential protection by a variety of mechanisms, such as the aliesterases which serve as alternate phosphorylation sites. To determine whether the brain can produce sufficient oxon in vivo to contribute to toxicity, male rats were partially hepatectomized and injected i.v. with 1.5 mg/kg parathion. After 30 minutes, brain AChE was inhibited 68% whereas liver and plasma aliesterases were unaffected. Because aliesterases are far more sensitive to paraoxon inhibition than is brain AChE, these results indicate that neither the liver nor extra-hepatic tissues were contributing oxon into the blood stream. Thus target site activation of parathion occurred in vivo at sufficient levels to contribute substantially to toxicity.