cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy and charge transfer dynamics in fully decorated benzyl ether dendrimers and their disubstituted analogues.

We examine the photophysics of a series of molecules consisting of a benzthiadiazole core surrounded by a network of benzyl ether arms terminated by aminopyrene chromophores, which function as both energy and electron donors. Three classes of molecules are studied: dendrimers whose peripheries are fully decorated with aminopyrene donors (F), disubstituted dendrimers whose peripheries contain only two donors (D), and linear analogues in which a pair of benzyl ether arms link two donors to the central core (L). The electronic energy transfer (EET) and charge transfer (CT) rates are determined by fluorescence lifetime measurements on the energy donors and electron acceptors, respectively. In all three types of molecules, the EET time scales as the square root of the generation number G, consistent with the flexible nature of the benzyl ether framework. Transient anisotropy measurements confirm that donor−donor energy hopping does not play a major role in determining the EET times. The CT dynamics occur on t...
Flexible support for trauma management through goal-directed reasoning and planning

We describe a system, TRAUMAID, which has been designed to provide decision support throughout the initial definitive management of severely injured patients (i.e. after their initial evaluation, resuscitation, and stabilization). Over the course of initial definitive management, TraumAID recommends appropriate procedures to be carried out, based on currently available evidence and on the complexity and urgency of the situation. TraumAID's ability to deal flexibly with complex and often urgent situations comes from its ability to reason separately about the management goals that should be achieved and about the means that are situationally appropriate for achieving them. In this paper, we describe TraumAID's approach to trauma management in more detail, showing in particular how it enables TraumAID to adapt its reasoning and recommendations to the urgency with which a patient's condition must be addressed.
Anionic dicyanamide frameworks as possible components of multifunctional materials

The dicyanamide anion, [N(CN) 2 ] - (hereafter abbreviated dca), has been shown to be a versatile building block for the assembly of coordination polymers which are components of molecular superconductors, magnets and conducting/magnetic hybrid materials. Significantly different anion topologies have been observed. We report the first study of the use of alkylammonium cations as templates for [M(dca) 3 ] - (M = Mn and Ni) anionic networks, including a novel three-dimensional anionic structure in the (Bu 3 NH) 4 [Mn 3 (dca) 10 ] salt. The molecular superconductors with the highest superconducting transition temperature, κ-(ET) 2 [Cu(dca)X] [X = Cl, Br; ET, commonly abbreviated as BEDT-TTF, is bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene] contain chains of diamagnetic Cu(I) ions linked by dca anions. The successful introduction of magnetically active transition metals into the charge-compensating dca layer will also be discussed. Specifically, we have synthesized and characterized the (ET) 2 [Mn(dca) 3 ] salt that contain a novel triangular, spin frustrated, anion lattice separated by conducting layers of ET radical cations.
Ion implantation and secondary ion mass spectrometry of compound semiconductors

Abstract Recent results for the complementary techniques of ion implantation and secondary ion mass spectrometry are discussed for III–V and II–VI materials and device structures.
Repercussions of occult malignancy – An etiologic basis for rheumatic disease

Paraneoplastic syndromes and infection are known causes of autoimmunity, but the etiology of most autoimmune syndromes remains unknown. If the immune system can effectively fight malignant cell lines, it is likely that many potential tumors are controlled before becoming clinically apparent. This phenomenon is a potential explanation for all non-infectious auto-immunity including many rheumatic diseases. The presented discussion argues that all auto-immune disease is secondary to infection or neoplasia, and occult neoplasia is responsible for rheumatic diseases. Detecting occult neoplasia is inherently not possible, but if this theory bears truth, induced autoimmune disease could become a powerful treatment of malignancy.
9th Transgenic Technology Meeting (TT2010) in Berlin, Germany: a meeting report.

The first Transgenic Technology (TT) Meeting was organized in 1999 by Johannes Wilbertz, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden as a regional meeting. The TT Meetings continued in this way, constantly gathering additional practitioners of transgenic methodologies until the breakthrough in 2005 when the 6th TT Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, hosted by Lluis Montoliu (Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia, Madrid, Spain), generated the momentum to establish the International Society for Transgenic Technologies (ISTT). Since 2006, the ISTT has continued to promote the TT Meetings and provide its membership with a forum to discuss best practices and new methods in the field. The TT2010 Meeting was held at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine (Berlin, Germany). Participation at the TT2010 Meeting exceeded the registration capacity and set a new attendance record. Session topics included methods for the generation of rat and mouse models of human disease, fundamental and advanced topics in rodent embryonic stem cells, and the newest transgenic technologies. Short presentations from selected abstracts were of especial interest. Roundtable discussions on transgenic facility establishment and cryoarchiving of mouse lines were favorably received. Students, technical staff, and professors participated in numerous discussions and came away with practical methods and new ideas for research.
Limiting factors, competitive exclusion, and a more expansive view of species coexistence.

When I began graduate school in the 1980s, species interactions were viewed predominantly through the prism of resource competition. Species found together were largely understood to coexist because of how they segregated their use of the available spectrum of local resources. I entered this world of ideas wholeheartedly, but I was fascinated by why prey species are able to coexist with some predators and not others. Consequently, the central concept of my scientific discipline, Hutchinson’s niche, seemed to have no bearing on my ecological fascinations. Predation was understood largely as a species interaction that ameliorated the effects of resource competition among the prey, and so its main consequence was to prevent competitive exclusion (Paine 1966). In struggling to make sense of all this, I came across an article by Simon A. Levin in The American Naturalist (Levin 1970) that was a revelation to me. In it, Levin articulated many of my own misgivings about having resource competition as the sole basis for understanding species coexistence, and he offered a new vantage from which community organization could be understood. The article begins with a presentation of the ideas underlying Gause’s principle of competitive exclusion—the conceptual basis of Hutchinson’s definition of the niche (1957, “Concluding remarks,” Cold Spring Harbor Symposium of Quantitative Biology 22:415–427). The article is the epitome of scholarship, using many quotes from the relevant articles to build his argument. The motivation for the argument is Slobodkin’s 1961 analysis of Gause’s competitive exclusion principle and his evaluation of its test-
A tale of two conformally invariant metrics

The Harnack metric is a conformally invariant metric defined in quite general domains that coincides with the hyperbolic metric in the disk. We prove that the Harnack distance is never greater than the hyperbolic distance and if the two distances agree for one pair of distinct points, then either the domain is simply connected or it is conformally equivalent to the punctured disk.
Energy transfer processes in CH A 2 Δ and B 2 Σ − in an atmospheric pressure flame

Laser-induced fluorescence studies have been made of the CH radical in atmospheric pressure flames of methane, oxygen, and nitrogen. Individual rotational levels within the υ′ = 0 and 1 vibrational levels of the A2Δ and B2Σ− states are excited by a dye laser operating in the 380–440-nm region. Studies were made of collisional energy transfer pathways within and between the states, using rotationally resolved fluorescence scans. Rotational transfer occurred at a rate, dependent on rotational level, 2–5 times that of quenching. Vibrational transfer was slow but transfer between A(υ′ = 1) and B(υ′ = 0) took place at rates ~0.2 that of quenching.
Beyond the operant analysis of behavior

Current behavior technology is closely linked to the specific operant formulation of B. F. Skinner, largely because of his great influence in popularizing behaviorism. However, behaviorism is a point of view which is independent of specific methods; it is certainly not synonymous with the operant/reinforcement approach. Problems inherent in the operant approach (but not in the general behavioral approach) suggest that some alternative is needed. A survey of current behavior modification methods shows that reliance on the operant/reinforcement paradigm is probably misplaced and that Guthrie's behavioral account better describes current practices. A thoughtful application of Guthrie's principles could suggest new procedures and increase our understanding of those now in use.
Oil Recovery by Sequential Waterflooding of Mixed-Wet Sandstone and Limestone

Duplicate tests on mixed-wet sandstone cores have been shown to give closely reproducible results. For studies with reservoir cores, duplicate tests are often precluded because of the limited availability of cores and their heterogeneity. In repeat flooding tests for recovery of crude oil, it has been found that each test affects the outcome of a subsequent test. Some consistent trends of increase in recovery have been observed. In this paper, results are presented for up to four cycles of flooding between initial water saturation and residual oil for reservoir sandstone, outcrop sandstone, and outcrop oolitic limestone. A single crude oil was used for most of the tests. Sequential flooding was also tested for low- and high-viscosity mineral oils. The brine was synthetic seawater for all but one of the floods. Each consecutive flood for the sandstones resulted in a systematic increase in the recovery of crude oil. Crude oil was sometimes produced as an emulsion of about 2% water. Trends for carbonate core...
Relationships between sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and aortic pulse wave velocity over 18 years: the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort.

The purpose of this study is to determine if apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) severity predicts future aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort. Applanation tonometry was used to derive carotid-to-femoral PWV a mean of 18 years (standard deviation 4) after overnight polysomnography. Multivariable regression models were created to describe prospective associations between baseline AHI and future PWV. The 618 adults were mean 65 (7) years old (55 % male) with a mean body mass index of 31 (7) kg/m2 at the tonometry visit. Mean baseline AHI was 4.6 (9.7) events/h. In multiple linear regression models adjusted for age (β = 0.13/year, standard error [SE] = 0.01, p < 0.001) and sex, higher log10AHI (β = 0.43/events/h, SE = 0.18, p = 0.02) was associated with PWV. After adjustment for waist circumference (β = 0.01/cm, SE = 0.01, p = 0.05) and height, the association between baseline log10AHI and future PWV was not statistically significant (p = 0.11), although the association with age persisted unchanged. Addition of covariates such as smoking status (current smoker β = 0.66, SE = 0.22, p = 0.002), diabetes mellitus status (β = 2.89, SE = 0.59, p < 0.001), and systolic blood pressure (BP, β = 0.03/mmHg, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001) did not change the association. AHI did not interact with age or smoking status to predict PWV. A secondary analysis of nocturnal oxygen saturation parameters in 517 participants, 9 (2) years prior also did not show any significant relationships with future PWV. The prospective association between AHI and PWV is confounded by body size and influenced by smoking, diabetes mellitus, and BP. Weight management, BP control, and smoking cessation may help prevent arterial stiffening associated with obstructive sleep apnea.
Functional roles of VASP phosphorylation in the regulation of chemotaxis and osmotic stress response

Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) plays crucial roles in controlling F-actin-driven processes and growing evidence indicates that VASP function is modulated by phosphorylation at multiple sites. However, the complexity of mammalian system prevents the clear understanding of the role of VASP phosphorylation. In this study, we took advantage of Dictyostelium which possesses only one member of the Ena/VASP family to investigate the functional roles of VASP phosphorylation. Our results demonstrated that hyperosmotic stress and cAMP stimulation cause VASP phosphorylation. VASP phosphorylation plays a negative role for the early steps of filopodia/microspikes formation. VASP phosphorylation appears to modulate VASP localization at the membrane cortex and its interactions with WASP and WIPa. Analysis of chemotaxis of cells expressing VASP mutants showed that VASP phosphorylation is required for the establishment of cell polarity under a cAMP gradient. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
New class of Hopfield neural networks

Neural network models of the Hopfield type have drawn intensive attention in past years, however, the information capacity of the Hopfield model is limited. Theoretically, the number of arbitrary state vectors that can be made stable in a Hopfield network of N neurons is bounded above by N (Abu-Mostafa and Jacques theorem). In this paper, we study third order Hopfield neural networks.
Excitation wavelength dependence of enhanced Raman bands of aggregated molecules

Abstract An expression for aggregated molecules is developed for the wavelength dependence of the intensity of Raman bands that gain there intensity from the Franck-Condon term of the polarizability alone. A Raman excitation spectrum resonance is identified for such bands, which can be used to determine dipole-dipole interaction energies and structural information for certain types of aggregates. In addition, it is discussed how such bands can serve as internal standards to isolate the dependency of Raman intensities on the energy separation between the single molecule energy level and the substrate energy state.
Re-evaluation of microelectrode methodology for the in vitro determination of pH and bicarbonate concentration.

Re-evaluation of microelectrode methodology for the in vitro determination of pH and bicarbonate concentration. The behavior of glass, antimony and quinhydrone microelectrodes was evaluated in an in vitro system in which the pH of 25- to 35-nl droplets of standard bicarbonate solutions (equilibrated with various concentrations of CO 2 gas) and of proximal tubular fluid samples was determined. Whereas measurements with both the glass and quinhydrone microelectrodes closely approximated the theoretical pH, the antimony microelectrodes provided readings from 0.13 to 0.18 pH units below the theoretical values in solutions of 10- to 50-mM bicarbonate gassed with 5% CO 2 . While the antimony microelectrode pH was also invariably lower than glass at 10 and 15% CO 2 , the magnitude of the difference was smallest when the absolute pH of the solution was lowest (low bicarbonate concentration and high P CO 2 ). The relative performances of the electrodes was not altered by the addition of physiological amounts of phosphate to the solution, and similar results to those observed in standard solution were obtained in tubular fluid samples. The failure of the antimony electrode to provide accurate in vitro data raises questions as to its suitability for in vivo application. Reevaluation de la methode de la microelectrode pour la determination in vitro du pH et de la concentration de bicarbonate. Le comportement de microelectrodes de verre, d'antimoine et de quinhydrone at ete evalue dans un systeme in vitro dans lequel le pH de gouttes de 25 a 35 nl de solutions standard de bicarbonate (equilibrees avec des concentrations variables de CO 2 ) et d'echantillons tubulaires proximaux a ete determine. Alors que les determinations obtenues avec les microelectrodes de verre et les microelectrodes a la quinhydrone sont tres proches du pH theorique, les electrodes a l'antimoine donnent des lectures inferieures aux valeurs theoriques de 0,13 a 0,18 unites pH dans des solutions de 10 a 50 mM equilibrees avec du CO 2 5%. Alors que le pH donne par la microelectrode a l'antimoine est toujours inferieur a celui donne par l'electrode de verre a 10 et 15% de CO 2 , l'importance de la difference diminue quand la valeur absolue du pH de la solution est plus faible (concentration basse de bicarbonate et P CO 2 elevee). Les performances relatives des electrodes ne sont pas modifiees par l'addition de quantites physiologiques de phosphate a la solution et des resultats semblables a ceux observes dans les solutions standards sont obtenus pour les echantillons tubulaires. L'impossibilite d'obtenir des valeurs precises in vitro avec l'electrode a l'antimoine pose le probleme de son adequation a des applications in vivo .
Diblock copolymers under confinement

The confinement of symmetric, diblock copolymers of perdeuterated polystyrene, d-PS, and poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, was investigated by neutron reflectivity. For the cases studied, where there is a strong interaction of one of the blocks with the interfaces, a multilayered structure comprised of alternating layers of d-PS and PMMA was found. The constraint placed on the copolymer by the film thickness was relieved by either compressing or expanding the fundamental repeat period of the copolymer. This corresponds to a contraction or expansion of the copolymer chains normal to the interfacial planes.
Development of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge east of the Lesser Antilles Island Arc

The entire Cainozoic magnetic anomaly lineation sequence has been identified east of the Lesser Antilles Island Arc, indicating that the evolution of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the area was essentially similar to the rest of the North Atlantic.
DEFLATIONARY TRUTH AND THE LIAR

The topic of this paper lies at the intersection of two contemporary debates about truth. One debate is concerned with the nature of truth, and its protagonists are the correspondence theorist and the deflationist. The focus of the other debate is the Liar, where the challenge is to provide a theory of truth that adequately addresses semantical paradox. There has been surprinsigly little contact between this two debates, despite their common interest in the concept of truth. Yet I think that they do bear on one another, and that is what I shall be arguing here. I shall argue that the deflationary conception of truth is severely compromised by the Liar in ways that the correspondence conception is not
Metallic liquid hydrogen and likely Al2O3 metallic glass

Dynamic compression has been used to synthesize liquid metallic hydrogen at 140 GPa (1.4 million bar) and experimental data and theory predict Al2O3 might be a metallic glass at ∼ 300 GPa. The mechanism of metallization in both cases is probably a Mott-like transition. The strength of sapphire causes shock dissipation to be split differently in the strong solid and soft fluid. Once the 4.5-eV H-H and Al-O bonds are broken at sufficiently high pressures in liquid H2 and in sapphire (single-crystal Al2O3), electrons are delocalized, which leads to formation of energy bands in fluid H and probably in amorphous Al2O3. The high strength of sapphire causes shock dissipation to be absorbed primarily in entropy up to ∼400 GPa, which also causes the 300-K isotherm and Hugoniot to be virtually coincident in this pressure range. Above ∼400 GPa shock dissipation must go primarily into temperature, which is observed experimentally as a rapid increase in shock pressure above ∼400 GPa. The metallization of glassy Al2O3, if verified, is expected to be general in strong oxide insulators. Implications for Super Earths are discussed.
Flaws Responsible for Slow Cracking in the Delayed Fracture of Alumina

The early stages of crack extension from inherent flaws were observed directly in order to identify flaws responsible for crack initiation. The specimen surface was immersed in fluorescent dye penetrant while cracks were forming; this procedure allowed the dye to penetrate into the fine cracks. Once the cracking sites were located, scanning electron microscopy was used to identify the flaws. An eccentrically loaded column testing system was used to produce a number of crack initiations on a surface of a specimen without causing catastrophic failure of the specimen. There were many inherent flaws which, either by themselves or as an assembly, became potential crack origins. The initial stage of delayed fracture was shown to involve the interaction and coalescence of nearby flaws with intergranular cracking. It was also found that the crack origins were multiple in delayed fracture.
Application of a Continent Fecal Reservoir in Patients With Cloacal Exstrophy

Purpose: Initial enteric diversion in cloacal exstrophy is achieved by ileostomy or end colostomy with formal reconstruction in the form of hindgut pull-through performed in select patients. Those who are not candidates for a pull-through procedure are often left with a permanent incontinent stoma. Additionally due to congenitally deficient intestinal length, some patients with cloacal exstrophy experience short bowel syndrome. We present our surgical technique and clinical experience in 2 patients who were successfully treated with a novel continent cutaneous fecal reservoir.Materials and Methods: We devised a fecal reservoir in 2 patients with end ileostomies who were deemed poor candidates for pull-through of the hindgut segment. One of the patients exhibited short bowel syndrome before undergoing reconstruction. A continent cutaneous fecal reservoir was created from all available hindgut and a segment of ileum. A flap valve mechanism was used to create a continent catheterizable channel.Results: Seven...
Intractable Epilepsy in Children

Summary: Although most children with epilepsy have a good prognosis, a small but significant minority have seizures that either do not respond to conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) or have significant adverse reactions to AEDs. Many children may benefit from epilepsy surgery. Surgical treatment of epilepsy is becoming a well-established therapy for infants and young children with severe, medically intractable seizures. As in older children and adults, the presurgical evaluations of possible surgical candidates typically consist of a detailed history, neurologic and neuropsychologic examination, and anatomic and functional neuroimaging. The “gold standard” test, however, is the recording of ictal events by using simultaneous EEG and videomonitoring. Although temporal lobe resection is the most commonly performed surgery in older children and adults, nontemporal lobe resection, corpus callosotomy, and hemispherectomy are commonly performed in younger children. Efficacy of surgery in children compares favorably with results from adult patients. In addition, because the immature brain is more plastic than the mature brain, recovery of function is often greater after surgery in children than in adults. Early surgery in children with intractable epilepsy is recommended.
Covalent Immobilization of Ultrathin Polymer Films by Thermal Activation of Perfluorophenyl Azide

The attachment of thin films on solid materials is an effective way to tailor the chemical and physical properties of the surface layer. In this article, we report an alternative approach to the covalent immobilization of ultrathin polymer films. The immobilization chemistry is based on the C-H/N-H insertion reaction of perfluorophenyl nitrenes that were generated by the thermal activation of perfluorophenyl azides (PFPAs). In the process, a silicon wafer was treated with PFPA-silane 1 to give a monolayer of azido groups on the surface. A polymer was then spin coated on the functionalized wafer and the sample was heated. Thermolysis produced perfluorophenyl nitrenes which underwent insertion reactions with the neighboring polymer chains. Removal of the excess polymer by solvent extraction resulted in nanometer-thick polymer thin films covalently attached to the wafer surface. Using polystyrene and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) as examples, covalently immobilized thin films with thicknesses ranging from a few to over a hundred A were obtained. The thickness of the film could be controlled by the type and the molecular weight of the polymer. Patterned polymer films were also fabricated using this method.
An Institutional Theory of Sanctions Onset and Success

Why do economic sanctions sometimes succeed, but often fail, to produce a policy change? The authors argue that the effect of economic punishment is conditional on a state's political institutions....
Rate of convergence in limit theorems for Brownian excursions

Abstract The local time of a Brownian motion can be constructed from its excursions. The normalised excursion processes converge to a limiting process. We study the rates of convergence in these weak convergence results.
Indium-copper multilayer composites for fluxless oxidation-free bonding

Abstract A 200 °C fluxless process is developed to produce InCu joints. The fluxless feature is achieved by preventing indium oxidation during composite fabrication and the subsequent bonding process. Indium and copper are deposited on an object in high vacuum to inhibit indium oxidation. Copper interacts with indium to form a CuIn intermetallic that further protects the inner indium from oxidation. For the specific design of this study, the resulting joints consist of CuIn intermetallic grains surrounded by pure indium as revealed by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Scanning acoustic microscope examination indicates that the joints are nearly void free. This technology enables versatile control of alloy composition, thus leading to several remelting temperatures and various physical properties. The CuIn compound was clearly identified in this study even though it was not shown in two published CuIn phase diagrams.
Die schätzung der preisresponsefunktion aus paarvergleichsdaten

Das von Kaas im Jahr 1977 vorgeschlagene Verfahren zur Schatzung von Preisresponsefunktionen hat trotz seiner Spezialisierung auf den Bereich homogener, geringpreisiger Guter einen werten Anwendungsbereich und weist daruber hinaus den Vorzug auf, das als Inputdaten lediglich einfach zu erhebende Paarvergieichsdaten notig sind. In diesem Beitrag wird gezeigt, das die Qualitat der Ergebnisse des Verfahrens erhoht wird, wenn die Verteilungsparameter numerisch geschatzt werden. Weiterhin wird dargelegt, wie sich die Parameter einer aggregierten Preisresponsefunktion bestimmen lassen. Das Verfahren ermoglicht nach den Erfahrungen der Autoren mit dessen Anwendung auch eine empirisch fundierte Preisfestsetzung fur Neuprodukte.
The relationship of parathion concentration, exposure time, cholinesterase inhibition and symptoms of toxicity in midge larvae (chironomidae: Diptera)

Larvae of Chironomus riparius were used to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between four variables: parathion concentration in water (nominally 20 to 500 μg/L), duration of exposure, symptoms of toxicity, and in vivo cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition. The symptoms of toxicity were a series of swimming behaviors that were categorized and assigned numerical values according to intensity of poisoning. These values were correlated with ChE inhibition by a polynomial regression. Therefore, symptoms of poisoning could be mathematically estimated from measurements of percent ChE inhibition. A three-dimensional relationship between ChE inhibition, the logarithm of exposure time, and the logarithm of parathion concentration was established. This permits the characterization of the range of conditions for the onset of a given toxicity symptom and also predicts the symptom for which values for at least two of these variables are provided.
Direct metal pattern technic for full-crown restorations

A search for a material which would enable all dentists to produce full-crown restorations with greater ease and simplic­ ity has resulted in the development and fabrication of cadmium, a low-fusing metal, into crown form for such use. By using pure cadmium, one company has constructed the desired sizes and shapes needed for clinical application. They are sufficiently durable for handling, yet suffi­ ciently ductile for correction and adapta­ tion. A technic for the construction of full-cast crowns using cadmium pre­ formed crown shapes is presented as an adjunct to conventional current proce­ dures used in the construction of full-cast crowns.
Using Online Methods and Designs to Conduct Research on Personal Relationships

In recent years the Internet has become a useful tool for carrying out research. The authors provide information specific to relationship research regarding qualitative and quantitative research methods, the advantages and disadvantages of online research, and practical concerns researchers may have regarding data quality and validity, sampling issues, and ethical considerations. They conclude with an empirical example of how the Internet can be used to carry out longitudinal, daily diary, self-report, and relationship research.
A reinforcement learning algorithm for obtaining the Nash equilibrium of multi-player matrix games

With the advent of e-commerce, the contemporary marketplace has evolved significantly toward competition-based trading of goods and services. Competition in many such market scenarios can be modeled as matrix games. This paper presents a computational algorithm to obtain the Nash equilibrium of n-player matrix games. The algorithm uses a stochastic-approximation-based Reinforcement Learning (RL) approach and has the potential to solve n-player matrix games with large player–action spaces. The proposed RL algorithm uses a value-iteration-based approach, which is well established in the Markov decision processes/semi-Markov decision processes literature. To emphasize the broader impact of our solution approach for matrix games, we discuss the established connection of matrix games with discounted and average reward stochastic games, which model a much larger class of problems. The solutions from the RL algorithm are extensively benchmarked with those obtained from an openly available software (GAMBIT). This...
Who's Educating the Psychologist-Manager?

This article challenges the premises of the academic model that has traditionally been used to prepare psychologist-manager practitioners. It also explores some of the underlying assumptions of our profession and looks at what's currently working and what's not. In addition, it reviews some of the problems and opportunities of being a hyphenated profession. An alternative model for educating professionals in the field is proposed along with a discussion of what may be next.
Cortisol 2i-acetate: apparently abnormal plasma levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Cortisol acetate has been isolated from pooled plasma from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its identity confirmed by I-R spectroscopy. On the assumption that the difference between the total Porter-Silber chromogens and the enzymatically determined corticosteroid level represents cortisol 21-acetate, an average of 63% of the total consisted of the acetylated compound in the rheumatoid arthritis patients, but only 8% in the control group. Evidence in support of this assumption is presented and the results suggest a metabolic abnormality of clinical significance since acetylation may affect the availability at tissue sites and delay or inhibit biological activity.
Combinatorial biosynthesis of polyketides — a perspective

Since their discovery, polyketide synthases have been attractive targets of biosynthetic engineering to make 'unnatural' natural products. Although combinatorial biosynthesis has made encouraging advances over the past two decades, the field remains in its infancy. In this enzyme-centric perspective, we discuss the scientific and technological challenges that could accelerate the adoption of combinatorial biosynthesis as a method of choice for the preparation of encoded libraries of bioactive small molecules. Borrowing a page from the protein structure prediction community, we propose a periodic challenge program to vet the most promising methods in the field, and to foster the collective development of useful tools and algorithms.
HALL EFFECT OF LA2/3(CA, PB)1/3MNO3 SINGLE CRYSTALS NEAR THE CRITICAL TEMPERATURE

The Hall resistivity {rho}{sub xy} of a La{sub 2/3}(Ca,Pb){sub 1/3}MnO{sub 3} single crystal has been measured as a function of temperature and field. The overall behavior is similar to that observed previously in thin films. At 5 K, {rho}{sub xy} is positive and linear in field, indicating that the anomalous contribution R{sub S} is negligible. However, the effective carrier density in a free electron model is n{sub eff}=2.4 holes/Mn, even larger than the 0.85{endash}1.9 holes/Mn reported for thin films and far larger than the 0.33 holes/Mn expected from the doping level. As temperature increases, a strong, negative contribution to {rho}{sub xy} appears, that we ascribe to R{sub S}. Using detailed magnetization data, we separate the ordinary ({proportional_to}B) and anomalous ({proportional_to}M) contributions. Below T{sub c}, {vert_bar}R{sub S}{vert_bar}{proportional_to}{rho}{sub xx}, indicating that magnetic skew scattering is the dominant mechanism in the metallic ferromagnetic regime. At and above the resistivity-peak temperature, we find that {rho}{sub xy}/{rho}{sub xx}M is a constant, independent of temperature and field. This implies that the anomalous Hall coefficient is proportional to the magnetoresistance. A different explanation based on the two-fluid model is also presented. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
The hypoxic response and aging.

Cells, tissues, and organisms need to adapt to varying oxygen availability in order to survive. As a consequence, most organisms have evolved a response to low-oxygen environments, dubbed the hypoxic response. In mammals and most multicellular eukaryotes, the primary transcription factors responsible for this response are the hypoxia-inducible factors. Activation of these hypoxia-inducible factors protects from the damage associated with low oxygen and leads to changes in metabolism, vasculature, and cell survival. Recent work also suggests that the hypoxic response pathway can play an important role in aging. This chapter discusses the role of the hypoxic response pathway in protecting cells and organisms from low oxygen and how this pathway can act to affect aging and disease. We will also discuss the interactions between the hypoxic response and other aging-related pathways and how these pathways fit into aging research as a whole.
Circle-valued momentum maps for symplectic periodic flows

We give a detailed proof of the well-known classical fact that every symplectic circle action on a compact manifold admits a circle valued momentum map relative to some symplectic form. This momentum map is Morse-Bott-Novikov and each connected component of the fixed point set has even index. These proofs do not appear to be written elsewhere.
Coupled substitutions in the tourmaline group

Statistical analysis of 136 natural tourmaline compositions from the literature reveals the presence and extent of coupled substitutions involving several cations and structural sites. In schorls and dravites these are a dehydroxylation type substitution (1) (OH)−+R2+ = R3++O2− and an alkali-defect type substitution (2) R++R2+ = R3++□, Al3+ being the predominant R3+ action. Substitution (1) which represents solid solution towards a proton-deficient end-member, R+ R 3 3+ R 6 3+ (BO3)3 Si6O18O3(OH), accounts for three times as much of the observed compositional variability as does (2) which represents substitution toward a hypothetical alkali-free end-member, □(R 2 2+ R3+) R 6 3+ (BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. The occurrence of both of these substituions produces intermediates between end-member schorl/ dravite, R+ R 3 2+ R 6 3+ (BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4, and a new series within the tourmaline group, R 1−x + R 3 3+ R 6 3+ (BO3)3Si6O18O3−x (OH)1+x. In addition to dehydroxylation type, 2(OH)−+Li+ = R3++202−, and possibly alkali-defect type, 2R++Li+ = R3++2□, substitutions, a third type Li++O2− = (OH)−+□, occurs in the elbaites giving rise to Li-poor, proton-rich species. All three substitutions serve to reduce the Li-content of natural elbaite which, as a result, does not attain the composition of the ideal end-member, Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH)4. Substitution from elbaite and schorl/dravite toward R 1−x + R 3 3+ R 6 3+ (BO3)3Si6O18O3−x(OH)1+x is very extensive and may be complete. Substitution toward R 1−x + R 3 3+ R 6 3+ (BO3)3Si6O18O3−x(OH)1+x results in improved local charge balance. The mean deviation $${\Delta \zeta \left( {\text{O}} \right)}$$ from oxygen charge saturation $$\left( {\zeta \left( {\text{O}} \right) = 2.0} \right)$$ is at a maximum in end-member schorl, dravite and elbaite. Substitutions (1) and (2) progressively decrease $${\Delta \zeta \left( {\text{O}} \right)}$$ but substitution (1) does so more effectively, which may explain its predominance in nature. However, alkali-defective end-members appear to be unstable regardless of $${\Delta \zeta \left( {\text{O}} \right)}$$ . Substitution (3) in the elbaites cannot be discussed on the basis of charge balance considerations at present due to the lack of structural information on proton-rich species.
Axsiymmetric crack problem in bonded materials with a graded interfacial region

Abstract The problem of a penny-shaped crack in homogeneous dissimilar materials bonded through an interfacial region with graded mechanical properties is considered. The applied loads are assumed to be axisymmetric but otherwise arbitrary. The shear modulus of the interfacial region is assumed to be μ2(z) = μ1exp (αz) and that of the adherents μ1, and μ3 = μ1, μ1exp(αh), h being the thickness of the region. A crack of radius α is located at the z = 0 plane. The axisymmetric mode III torsion problem is separated and treated elsewhere. Because of material nonhomogeneity, the deformation modes I and II considered in this study are always coupled. The related mixed boundary value problem is reduced to a system of singular integral equations. The asymptotic behavior of the stress state near the crack tip is examined, and the influence of the thickness ratio h a and the material nonhomogeneity parameter α on the stress intensity factors and the strain energy release rate is investigated. The results show that the stress state near the crack tip would always have standard square-root singularity provided h > 0 or the material properties are continuous but not necessarily differentiable functions of z.
The Current Status of Multiple Sclerosis Intra‐Blood‐Brain‐Barrier IgG Synthesis

The status of the central nervous system as an immunologic organ synthesizing IgG in several neurological diseases has been established convincingly in the past two decades. The measurement of intra-BBB IgG synthesis has been accomplished. It has been demonstrated that this synthesis is a potential marker for an abnormal immunologic process within the CNS which if manipulated may be a quantifiable aspect of disease modulation. Modulation of intra-BBB IgG synthesis is feasible, but there is no evidence yet that modulation of this synthesis is an index of effective disease control in MS. Only ACTH and corticosteroids lead to a significant and lasting depression of intra-BBB IgG synthesis, even though clonal eradication is not achieved. Based on our immunopharmacologic studies in MS we have proposed an immunokinetic model. The qualitative analysis of the specificity of IgG synthesized intra-BBB in MS has not led to the etiology of MS, but utilization of quantitative methods may. Questions raised by this review with suggested experiments to advance further our understanding of intra-BBB IgG synthesis as it relates to the etiopathogenesis of MS are included.
Biomedical science in supermarket tabloids

Supermarket tabloids present, as truthful, stories about biomedical science that are greatly exaggerated and often fictitious. Apparently a sizable portion of their large readership accepts these stories as correct. This is "scientific journalism" at its worst, but its standards are not wholly different from those of the mainline press.
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia in a Multiethnic Urban Outpatient Clinic: Initial Presentation and Treatment Outcome

Abstract Few studies examine the effectiveness of panic control treatment across diverse ethnic groups. In this paper we present data on 40 patients (African American, n = 24; Caucasian, n = 16) with panic disorder and comorbid agoraphobia who presented at an anxiety disorder clinic in an inner-city area. On initial assessment both groups were similar on psychometric measures, and both groups moderately improved with treatment though significant residual symptoms remained. We illustrate, through case examples, a variety of clinical issues that need to be addressed when providing treatment to multiethnic African American clients with panic disorder and agoraphobia.
Cobalt-60 Plaque Radiotherapy vs Enucleation for Posterior Uveal Melanoma

We compared the survival of 302 patients with a primary choroidal or ciliary body melanoma treated by cobalt-60 plaque radiotherapy between 1976 and 1982 with the survival of 134 patients treated by enucleation during the same period. Tumor size, location of the anterior margin of the tumor, and patient age at the time of treatment were identified as simultaneous significant clinical variables for predicting melanoma-specific mortality by multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling. We computed a prognostic index for each patient based on this model and found that patients in the enucleation group had slightly higher values of this index than did patients in the cobalt-60 plaque radiotherapy group. Risk ratios for the treatment effect computed from a Cox model incorporating prognostic index and the treatment variable were found to be approximately equal to 1, both for analysis of melanoma-specific mortality and total mortality. These results indicate that when one controls for differences in prognostic index between the groups, cobalt-60 plaque therapy and enucleation are essentially equivalent in their effect on survival.
Solution Structure of the Proapoptotic Molecule BID: A Structural Basis for Apoptotic Agonists and Antagonists

Members of the BCL2 family of proteins are key regulators of programmed cell death, acting either as apoptotic agonists or antagonists. Here we describe the solution structure of BID, presenting the structure of a proapoptotic BCL2 family member. An analysis of sequence/structure of BCL2 family members allows us to define a structural superfamily, which has implications for general mechanisms for regulating proapoptotic activity. It appears two criteria must be met for proapoptotic function within the BCL2 family: targeting of molecules to intracellular membranes, and exposure of the BH3 death domain. BID's activity is regulated by a Caspase 8-mediated cleavage event, exposing the BH3 domain and significantly changing the surface charge and hydrophobicity, resulting in a change of cellular localization.
The onset of cortisol synthesis and the stress response is independent of changes in CYP11B or CYP21 mRNA levels in larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)

Although cortisol plays an important role in teleost development, the onset of cortisol production and the cortisol stress response in teleosts remain poorly understood. Here we have reported basal cortisol levels and the development of the cortisol stress response in larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). We isolated partial nucleic acid sequences encoding two key corticosteroidogenic enzymes, CYP11B and CYP21 and assessed ontogenetic patterns of their mRNA levels relative to basal and stress-induced cortisol production. Basal cortisol was first detected 3 days post-hatch (DPH) and reached a maximum at 9 DPH. Cortisol did not increase in response to an acute stressor prior to 6 DPH. From 6 DPH forward, stress caused significant increases in larval cortisol content. Stress-induced cortisol levels in 6-9 DPH larvae were highest 1h post-stress. In larvae 11 DPH and older, the highest cortisol measurements occurred 0.5h post-stress. Elevated cortisol was still evident after 3h in 6 DPH larvae. From 11 DPH onward, basal cortisol levels were reestablished in larvae by 1h post-stress. CYP11B and CYP21 transcripts were detected in red drum 12h prior to hatching and in all post-hatch larvae examined. Changes in CYP11B and CYP21 mRNA levels did not occur in association with the ontogenetic appearance of cortisol, or the onset of the stress response. As larvae developed, the dynamics of the cortisol stress response matured from a low magnitude, slow recovery response, to a response similar to that observed in juvenile and adult fish.
Environmental Volatility, Development Decisions, and Software Volatility: A Longitudinal Analysis

Although product development research often focuses on activities prior to product launch, for long-lived, adaptable products like software, development can continue over the entire product life cycle. For managers of these products the challenges are to predict when and how much the products will change and to understand how their development decisions influence the timing and magnitude of future change activities. We develop a two-stage model that relates environmental volatility to product development decisions and product development decisions to software volatility. The model is evaluated using a data archive that captures changes over 20 years to a firms environment, its managers development choices, and its software products. In Stage 1 we find that higher environmental volatility leads to greater use of process technology and standard component designs but less team member rotation. Earlier development decisions strongly influence current development choices, especially for product design and process technology. In Stage 2 we find that increased use of standard component designs dampens future software volatility by decreasing the average rate and magnitude of change. Adding new team members increases product enhancements at a faster pace than more intense use of process technology but adds repairs at almost the same rate as enhancements.
La nación y lo doméstico: una performance sobre feminismo y práctica en los Andes chilenos

In mid-2011, the performance "The Nation and the Domestic," was born as part of a reflexive process of gender relations in the context of the mining conflict in the Choapa Valley, which for years has been held between the company Los Pelambres and the local communities. This performance was conceived in the first instance from the impotence caused by watching the marginalization of women living in this territory; marginalization that directly impacts their knowledge about mining and the decisions that affect the future of the Valley. The following year, the performance was shared with the community, opening a space for conversation that made visible the issue of gender relations and how they also affect this research. This paper, through the narration of the previous experience of the researcher, a performance, and the analysis of reactions, looks to establish a reflection on methodological practices of those researching and the need to recognize the "I" as part of the process of knowledge creation.