cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Premium rates and selection in specialty crop insurance markets: Evidence from the catastrophic coverage participation

Abstract Catastrophic coverage, fully-subsidized insurance that provides indemnities when yields fall below 50% of historical averages, has been the most widely used crop insurance product among specialty crop growers in the United States. Patterns in catastrophic coverage across a variety of fruit, vegetable, tree nut and horticultural crops and indicate that expected returns to “investing” in subsidized crop insurance affect the use of insurance. Our simple model shows that smaller net returns from higher coverages, imply more catastrophic and free coverage participations. Our econometric estimation uses observations of insured acreage, liabilities, indemnities, and premiums across 20 major crops and more than one thousand counties, over all the 23 years since catastrophic coverage became available. We find that a 10% reduction in the ratio of the indemnities to the premiums of non-catastrophic coverages, which implies a 4% reduction in expected returns to growers, leads to larger catastrophic coverage shares by almost one percent. Panel quantile regressions show that the result is robust to distributional assumptions. Estimation using subsamples and alternative specifications further confirm the robustness of our results. The conceptual and empirical results demonstrate the degree to which farms self-select into crop insurance products that provide greater expected payouts. Our empirical results also indicate that catastrophic coverage generates greater underwriting gains, which affects the reinsurance fund allocation of private insurers.
Unconstrained slip mechanics and stepping reactions depend on slip onset timing.

Abstract Slips can occur at any time during stance. Accordingly, time-dependent tangential ground reaction forces likely produce a diverse range of slipping foot mechanics when traction is lost, thus requiring flexible recovery strategies to prevent falls. However, previous research has focused on slip onset in early stance, often with experimental anteroposterior constraints on the slipping foot, despite the diversity of environmental slips and falls. This study aimed to determine the effects of slip onset time on slip direction, severity (distance and velocity), and compensatory stepping responses. Ten young adults received slipping perturbations at different times during the stance phase of walking via a wearable device that reduces available friction while allowing the slipping foot to slide freely within the horizontal plane. Slip direction, distance, and peak velocity, compensatory step direction and distance, and upper body angular momentum magnitude and plane of rotation were derived from kinematic data. All outcome measurements significantly correlated with the time of slip onset. Slip direction and the plane of rotation of angular momentum deviated widely from the sagittal plane, exhibiting laterally-directed components exceeding those in the anteroposterior direction. As slip onset occurred later in stance, slip severity decreased while compensatory steps became longer and progressed from a posterior to anterior placement. These results provide insight into critical times within stance when slips are most severe, and into the diversity of slipping mechanics caused by changes in slip onset time.
Transformational Processes in Organizational Life: Symbolic Imprinting and Symbolic Triggers

Organizational life is multi-focused symbolic reality today, new and existing employees learn, transfer and transform in working experience. Managerial actions give both real and symbolic results. Symbolic contexts, like influence, commitment, shared values, mission clearance in project teams and others, create challenges. The paper discusses symbolic imprinting and symbolic triggers in organizational life, and shares the first cut results of the study through the metaphoric mechanics among business school students with fresh working experience. Symbolic imprinting constitutes stamping in memory some transferring values and meaning interpretations, and symbolic triggers are the external environment signs and images, which make imprints work out in specific thinking, behavioral, and communication mechanisms. Transformational processes – learning, growing, development, – are realized within the symbolic context. Symbolic imprints and triggers transfer specific concept of the organizational life, freeing up the meanings and important orientations for ‘homo symbolicus’.
Metabolic syndrome and clinical outcomes in patients infected with COVID-19: Does age, sex, and race of the patient with metabolic syndrome matter?

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent worldwide, and its individual components obesity, diabetes, and hypertension have been identified as risk factors to develop severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, data on MetS and clinical outcomes in COVID-19 are scarce. This study aims to determine association between MetS and severe disease outcomes, that is, mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit (ICU) requirement among patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This is a retrospective multihospital cohort study on 1871 patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Patient data including demographics, comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), smoking, laboratory data, and the clinical course of hospitalization were collected. Multivariable regression was performed adjusting for age, sex, race, insurance, smoking, and comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 1871 patients (median age 66 [interquartile range, IQR 54-75]; 965 (51.6%) males; 1494 (80%) African Americans; median BMI 29.4 kg/m2 [IQR 25-35.8]; 573 (30.6%) patients with MetS) were included. Patients with MetS had increased mortality (odds ratio [OR], 1.40; 95% CI, 1.11-1.75; P = .004), higher ICU admission (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.36-2.08; P < .001), and increased need for mechanical ventilation (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.52-2.37; P < .001). Among individual comorbidities, diabetes had significant association with mortality (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.05-1.63; P = 0.02), ICU admission (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.27-1.93; P < .001), and need for mechanical ventilation (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.30-2.03; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: MetS is a better prognostic indicator for severe disease outcomes in patients with COVID-19 than its individual components. Patients with MetS had significantly higher mortality, increased ICU admissions, and need for mechanical ventilation.
Invited Talk: The Coming AI Hackers

Hacking is generally thought of as something done to computer systems, but this conceptualization can be extended to any system of rules. The tax code, financial markets, and any system of laws can be hacked. This essay considers a world where AIs can be hackers. This is a generalization of specification gaming, where vulnerabilities and exploits of our social, economic, and political systems are discovered and exploited at computer speeds and scale.
Leadership succession planning for today’s digital transformation economy: Key factors to build for competency and innovation

Abstract Digital transformation is rapidly changing the competitive landscape and the war on talent for today’s organizations. As part of this economy, organizations and their HR units must continuously reevaluate leadership structures and practices that exploit core competencies while allowing for innovation (i.e., leadership ambidexterity) and incorporate big data with predictive analytics. In this vein, understanding how HR executives can create better solutions around this problem remains sparse. Specifically, what frameworks can HR executives apply to identify potential alignment failures in leadership succession planning in light of newer emerging markets? What internal decision-making traps need to be recognized? Finally, what specific forms of data and evidence must test these plans for relevance and recharge and renew the talent-to-strategy pipeline? In this article, we examine these questions by reviewing the gaps in the literature and identifying through our four-step model how organizations can incorporate ambidexterity-building as a leadership succession planning practice.
WASHEK PFEFFER November 14, 1936 — January 3, 2021

This obituary in memory of Washek F. Pfeffer describes his life and character. It also touches on his work in topological measure theory, but other aspects of his research are treated in the adjoining articles by De Pauw, Gruenhage, and Moonens.
Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Apple Polyphenol Phloretin on Respiratory Pathogens Associated With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Bacterial infections contribute to accelerated progression and severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Apples have been associated with reduced symptoms of COPD and disease development due to their polyphenolic content. We examined if phloretin, an apple polyphenol, could inhibit bacterial growth and inflammation induced by the main pathogens associated with COPD. Phloretin displayed bacteriostatic and anti-biofilm activity against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), Moraxella catarrhalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and to a lesser extent, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro, phloretin inhibited NTHi adherence to NCI-H292 cells, a respiratory epithelial cell line. Phloretin also exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in COPD pathogen-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and human bronchial epithelial cells derived from normal and COPD diseased lungs. In mice, NTHi bacterial load and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1), a neutrophil chemoattractant, was attenuated by a diet supplemented with phloretin. Our data suggests that phloretin is a promising antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory nutraceutical for reducing bacterial-induced injury in COPD.
Detection of paroxysmal EEG discharges using multitaper blind signal source separation

The routine electroencephalogram (rEEG) is a useful diagnostic test for neurologists. But this test is frequently misinterpreted by neurologists due to a lack of systematic understanding of paroxysmal electroencephalographic discharges (PEDs), one of the most important features of EEG. A heuristic algorithm is described which uses conventional blind signal source separation (BSSS) algorithms to detect PEDs in a routine EEG recording. This algorithm treats BSSS as a 'black box' and applies it in a computationally-intensive multitaper algorithm in order to detect PEDs without a pre-specification of signal morphology or scalp distribution. The algorithm also attempts to overcome some of the limitations of conventional BSSS as applied to the study of neurophysiology datasets, specifically the 'over-completeness problem' and the 'non-stationarity problem'.
On Causal Loops in the Quantum Realm

It is frequently argued that there is a tension between quantum theory and the special theory of relativity, but there are no conclusive arguments for their incompatibility. In this paper I consider two recent arguments for the impossibility of certain types of relativistic quantum theory on the grounds of causal paradoxes, due to Frank Arntzenius and Tim Maudlin. The structure of both arguments is (in eifect) similar: if these alleged relativistic theories were true, closed causal loops could easily be constructed, but such loops would exclude the very possibility of these theories. I argue that Arntzenius’s and Maudlin’s lines of reasoning fail because they are based on untenable assumptions about probabilities in causal loops. I also argue that the consistency of the quantum theories under consideration depends on the interpretation of the probabilities they prescribe, and the question of their empirical adequacy requires metaphysical and empirical investigation into the nature of chances and frequencies in causal loops.
HAVING KNOW-HOW: INTELLECT, ACTION, AND RECENT WORK ON RYLE'S DISTINCTION BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE-HOW AND KNOWLEDGE-THAT

Stanley and Williamson reject Ryle's knowing-how/knowing-that distinction charging that it obstructs our understanding of human action. Incorrectly interpreting the distinction to imply that knowledge-how is non-propositional, they object that Ryle's argument for it is unsound and linguistic theory contradicts it. I show that they (and their interlocutors) misconstrue the distinction and Ryle's argument. Consequently, their objections fail. On my reading, Ryle's distinction pertains to, not knowledge, but an explanatory gap between explicit and implicit content, and his argument for it is sound. I defend the distinction's necessity in explaining human action and show that it propels a fruitful explanatory program.
MEASURE PRESERVING CONTINUOUS STRAIGHTENING OF FRACTIONAL DIMENSIONAL SETS

An \(s\)-set in Euclidean space is a set of finite, non-zero, Hausdorff \(s\)-dimensional measure. Call an \(s\)-set straight if its \(s\)-measure agrees with its Method I \(s\)-outer measure. Examples are given where there is a continuous, one-to-one function \(f\) on \(\mathbb{R}^n\) which is measure preserving on \( E\) so that \(f(E)\) is straight (such an \(f\) will be called a straightening of \(E\)). It is shown that any \(s\)-set can be written as a countable union of sets for which there are straightenings.
Effect of a rotor wake on the local heat transfer on the forward half of a circular cylinder

Turbine rotor-stator wake dynamics was simulated by a spoked wheel rotating in annular flow, generating rotor wakes. Spanwise averaged circumferentially local heat transfer in the circular cylindrical leading edge region of a turbine airfoil was obtained. Reynolds numbers ranged from 35,000 to 175,000. Strouhal numbers ranged from 0.63 to 2.50. Wakes were generated by 2 sets of circular cylindrical bars, 1.59 and 3.18 mm in diameter. The rotor could be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise. Grid turbulence was introduced upstream yielding freestream turbulence of 1.0 to 2.5% at the stator. Data represented an extensive body of local heat transfer coefficients, which can be used to model the leading edge region of a turbine airfoil. In the presence of rotor wakes, an asymmetry from the leeward to windward side was noted. Windward side levels were 30 to 40% higher than the corresponding leeward side.
On the use of wavelet transforms in testing for the DNL of ADCs

This paper evaluates the use of wavelet transforms in testing for the differential non-linearity (DNL) of ADCs. A MATLAB algorithm is developed to implement the Haar wavelet transform to perform the test. A comparison is then made between the wavelet and the histogram-based tests.
Untaming the Frontier in Anthropology, Archaeology, and History

Untaming the Frontier in Anthropology, Archaeology, and History. Bradley J. Parker and Lars Rodseth, eds. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2005. 294 pp.
Hepatic stiffness in the bidirectional cavopulmonary circulation: The Liver Adult-Pediatric-Congenital-Heart-Disease Dysfunction Study group

Abstract Objectives We hypothesized that hepatic injury in single-ventricle CHD has origins that predate the Fontan operation. We aimed to measure hepatic stiffness using ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE) in a bidirectional cavopulmonary connection (BCPC) cohort. Methods Subjects were prospectively recruited for real-time, hepatic, ultrasound-SWE for hepatic stiffness (kPa) and echocardiography. Doppler velocities, a velocity-time integral, flow volume, and resistive index, pulsatility index, and acceleration index were measured in celiac and superior mesenteric arteries, and in the main portal vein (MPV). Comparisons were made among subjects who had BCPC, subjects who were healthy, and a cohort of patients who had undergone the Fontan procedure. Results Forty subjects (20 patients who had BCPC; 20 age- and gender-matched control subjects) were studied. The hepatic stiffness in BCPC was elevated, compared with that in control subjects (7.2 vs 5.7 kPa; P = .039). Patients who had BCPC had significantly higher celiac artery resistive index (0.9 vs 0.8; P = .002); pulsatility index (2.2 vs 1.7; P = .002); and systolic-diastolic flow ratio (10.1 vs 5.9; P = .002), whereas the superior mesenteric artery acceleration index (796 vs 1419 mL/min in control subjects; P = .04) was lower. An elevated resistive index (0.42 vs 0.29; P = .002) and pulsatility index (0.55 vs 0.35; P = .001) were seen in MPV, whereas MPV flow was reduced (137.3 vs 215.7 mL/min in control subjects; P = .036). A significant correlation was found for hepatic stiffness with right atrial pressure obtained at catheterization ( P = .002). Comparison with patients who underwent the Fontan procedure showed patients who had BCPC had lower hepatic stiffness (7.2 vs 15.6 kPa; P Conclusions Hepatic stiffness is increased with BCPC physiology, and this finding raises concerns that hepatopathology in palliated, single-ventricle CHD is not exclusively attributable to Fontan physiology. Hepatic stiffness measurements using SWE are feasible in this young population, and the technique shows promise as a means for monitoring disease progression.
An improved V-Lambda solution of the matrix Riccati equation

The authors present an improved algorithm for computing the V-Lambda solution of the matrix Riccati equation. The improvement is in the reduction of the computational load, results from the orthogonality of the eigenvector matrix that has to be solved. The orthogonality constraint reduces the number of independent parameters which define the matrix from n/sup 2/ to n (n-1)/2. The authors show how to specify the parameters, how to solve for them and how to form from them the needed eigenvector matrix. In the search for suitable parameters, the analogy between the present problem and the problem of attitude determination is exploited, resulting in the choice of Rodrigues parameters. >
Challenges and experiences in deploying enterprise crowdsourcing service

The value of crowdsourcing, arising from an instant access to a scalable expert network on-line, has been demonstrated by many success stories, such as GoldCorp, Netflix, and TopCoder. For enterprises, crowdsourcing promises significant cost-savings, quicker task completion times, and formation of expert communities (both within and outside the enterprise). Many aspects of the vision of enterprise crowdsourcing are under vigorous refinement. The reasons for this lack of progress, beyond the isolated and purpose-specific crowdsourcing efforts, are manifold. In this paper, we present our experience in deploying an enterprise crowdsourcing service in the IT Inventory Management domain. We focus on the technical and sociological challenges of creating enterprise crowdsourcing service that are generalpurpose, and that extend beyond mere specific-purpose, run-once prototypes. Such systems are deployed to the extent that they become an integrated part of business processes. Only when such degree of integration is achieved, the enteprises can fully adopt crowdsourcing and reap its benefits. We discuss the challenges in creating and deploying the enterprise crowdsourcing platform, and articulate current technical, governance and sociological issues towards defining a research agenda.
Evaluation of three disk tests for identification of enterococci, leuconostocs, and pediococci.

Simple rapid tests for presumptive identification of catalase-negative non-beta-hemolytic cocci (i.e., enterococci, leuconostocs, and pediococci) have not previously been available. Seven hundred thirty-four strains of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic, catalase-negative, non-beta-hemolytic gram-positive cocci were tested for susceptibility to vancomycin (Vans) by a screening procedure and production of leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase) and pyrrolidonylarylamidase (PYRase) in disk tests. Three unique patterns of activity in response to the three disks (30 micrograms of vancomycin, PYRase, and LAPase) can be used to presumptively identify the vancomycin-resistant (Vanr) enterococci (Vanr and PYRase and LAPase positive), leuconostocs (Vanr and PYRase and LAPase negative), and pediococci (Vanr, PYRase negative, and LAPase positive). The results indicate that, together with Gram stain characteristics and the catalase test, the vancomycin, LAPase, and PYRase disk tests can be used to presumptively identify Vanr strains of enterococci as well as Leuconostoc and Pediococcus strains from human infections.
Non-linear dynamics of a shallow arch under periodic excitation. II: 1:1 Internal resonance

Abstract In this paper the work presented in Tien et al. [Int. J. Non-Linear Mech.29, 349–366 (1994)] is extended to study the dynamics of a shallow arch subjected to harmonic excitation in the presence of both external and 1:1 internal resonance. The method of averaging is used to yield a set of autonomous equations of the second-order approximations to the response of the system. The averaged equations are numerically examined to study the bifurcation behavior of the shallow arch system. In order to study the system with resonant fixed points, a new global perturbation technique developed by Kovacic and Wiggins [Physica D57, 185–225 (1992)] is used. This technique provides analytical results for the critical parameter values at which the dynamical system, through the Silnikov's type of homoclinic orbits, possesses a Smale horseshoe type of chaos.
Equipment grounding for industrial plants

After pointing out what an important factor no grounding or inadequate grounding has been in electrical work injuries, the components of an equipment grounding system are discussed. Then the grounding of power station and distribution equipment, stationary utilization equipment, and portable equipment are considered.
Effect of Heat Preconditioning on the Uptake and Permeability of R123 in Brain Microvessel Endothelial Cells during Mild Heat Treatment

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of mild heat and heat preconditioning on the uptake and permeability of a P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) substrate, rhodamine 123 (R123), in a cell culture model of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). An immediate goal was to determine whether prior mild heat treatment could render brain microvessel endothelial cells more resistant to future heat stress and affect BBB drug permeation by future ultrasound‐induced mild heat (USMH) treatment. To address this issue, the expression level of two proteins, P‐gp and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), and their effects on uptake of R123 and permeability of R123 and [ 14 C]‐sucrose in combination with mild heat and P‐gp modulator PSC833 during and after mild heat treatment in heat‐preconditioned and heat‐unconditioned bovine brain microvessel endothelial cell (BBMEC) monolayers were studied. Mild heat caused a significant increase in BBB permeability of R123 and [ 14 C]‐sucrose when compared with control and PSC833. Exposure of BBMECs to heat preconditioning caused a slight but insignificant decrease in cellular uptake of R123 both during and immediately after mild heat treatment. Heat preconditioning also caused a slight but insignificant decrease in permeability of R123 and [ 14 C]‐sucrose in BBMEC monolayers during mild heat treatment. Because exposure of BBMEC monolayers to mild heat did not affect P‐gp expression but slightly affected Hsp70 expression, a heat preconditioning that results in a reinforcement of the BBB other than increased expression of P‐gp is suggested. However, heat preconditioning is not sufficient to override the permeation‐enhancing effects of mild heat because mild heat caused a significant increase in R123 uptake and permeability of R123 and [ 14 C]‐sucrose in both heat‐preconditioned and heat‐unconditioned cells. Because Hsp70 is known to play a major role in cellular repair and protective mechanisms, our results would imply a relative benign nature of mild heat treatment. Because heating produced by ultrasonic waves can be controlled and localized to a small volume within the tissue, the present results also suggest that USMH could play a pivotal role in the treatment of brain tumors and other brain‐related diseases.
Inhibitors of guanylate cyclase inhibit phototransduction in limulus ventral photoreceptors.

The second messenger systems involved in the final stages of the phototransduction cascade in Limulus photoreceptors remain unclear. Excised patches of transducing membrane contain cGMP-gated channels, suggesting the involvement of cGMP in the excitation process. To further explore this possibility, we tested the effects of inhibitors and agonists of guanylate cyclase. The active site cyclase inhibitors guanosine 5′-tetraphosphate and adenosine 5′-tetraphosphate produced a reversible reduction of the response to light without affecting resting membrane properties. The cyclase inhibitor Rp-GTPαS produced a similar reduction, but the effect was only slightly reversible. The reduction in the response produced by these inhibitors was robust, often producing over a 95% decrease in the amplitude of the light response. Previous work had shown that an end-product cyclase inhibitor, imidodiphosphate, also inhibited the response. The consistent results with four different guanylate cyclase inhibitors strongly support the involvement of this enzyme in the phototransduction cascade. To determine whether the guanylate cyclase involved is the NO-dependent soluble form, we applied inhibitors and activators of the nitric oxide synthase/guanylate cyclase pathway such as L-N5-(1-iminoethyl) ornithine, sodium nitroprusside, and carboxy-PTIO. None of these agents had any substantial effect on phototransduction. Taken together, these results support a role for a particulate guanylate cyclase in Limulus photoreceptor excitation.
Andreev resonances in the current-voltage characteristics of a normal-metal–superconductor junction

We calculate the current-voltage characteristic of a normal-metal--superconductor (NS) junction having a one-, two-, or three-dimensional electron emitter. An additional tunneling barrier is also placed in the junction, allowing the formation of quasibound Andreev energy levels. The resulting conductance resonances are strongest for a normal-metal--insulator--normal-metal--superconductor (NINS) junction, and are identical to the Rowell-McMillan oscillations in the three-dimensional case. Andreev resonances in the conductance of a NS junction generally become stronger when the electronic motion is confined to one dimension.
Viscoelastic properties of concentrated aqueous ethanol suspensions of α-zein

Abstract Viscoelastic properties of α-zein dispersed in aqueous ethanol were studied using oscillatory strain rheometry. In 55–80% v/v aqueous ethanol, zein was only partially soluble, forming a gel at a sufficiently high zein concentration. The strain dependence of the storage modulus and the loss modulus of gelled systems exhibited features characteristic to closely-packed swollen particles. Close-packing was found to occur at a lower zein concentration with increasing ethanol concentration as the threshold for gelation decreased from a zein concentration of ca. 29 to 20% w/v with increasing ethanol concentration from 55 to 80% v/v. A contrasting trend in the effect of the solvent quality was revealed at a constant zein concentration of 30% w/v, at which the storage modulus decreased from ca. 12,000–700 Pa with increasing ethanol concentration from 55 to 80% v/v. The two major factors determining viscoelastic properties of the partially solvated zein systems were identified to be: (1) the degree of dissolution of zein into the continuous phase that was negatively correlated with the volume fraction of the dispersed phase and positively correlated with the osmotic pressure of the continuous phase; and (2) the degree of swelling of partially solvated zein particles that was positively and negatively correlated with the volume fraction and the storage modulus of the dispersed phase, respectively.
Elimination of limit cycles due to two's complement quantization in normal form digital filters

Normal form digital filters are attractive due to their desirable properties when implemented in finite wordlength arithmetic. These filters are free from all overflow limit cycles and quantization limit cycles when magnitude truncation is used, However, when two's complement truncation (TCT) quantization is used, limit cycles can still exist. In this paper, it is shown that when block structures are used, normal form digital filters can be made free of limit cycles due to TCT quantization. It is shown that this can be done with a small block size. An algorithm is also presented to find the minimum block size required for a given filter. Some examples are given to illustrate the results.
Transition metal complexes with radical ligands: pyridyliminonitroxide radicals with copper and vanadium

Abstract We have synthesized a series of complexes of pyridyliminonitroxide radicals with Cu(HFAA)2 and VO(HFAA)2 (HFAA = hexafluoroacetylacetonate). The odd electron of the radical pairs with that of the metal to yield ground singlet states in each case. The triplet states of some of the complexes are thermally accessible and EPR spectroscopy has been used to determine singlet-triplet splittings, hyperfine coupling constants, and dipolar splittings. The ground singlet states of the complexes can be explained by charge transfer from the metals to the radical ligands.
Does Travel Time to Stores Matter? The Role of Merchandise Availability

Retailers generally attract consumers to further locations by offering discounted merchandise. We suggest an alternative strategy is to increase the availability (or certainty) of finding the merchandise at their store (i.e., reduce stock-outs). We conduct three experiments to highlight that consumers view travel time more adversely when there is uncertainty about merchandise availability. We also demonstrate that the negative effects associated with uncertainty around merchandise availability and travel time can be mitigated through the use of in-stock guarantees.
Monitoring volcanism and transient processes with the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER)

9 days and every 1-2 days, respectively) although at much lower spatial resolution (250mor l000m), should be effective in documenting a particular event (e.g., volcanic eruptions). Standard ASTER data productswill include (among others) surface radiance in all wavelength regions, surface kinetic temperature, surface emissivity, anda limited number of Digital Elevation MOdelS (DEMs).Jnstrument and spacecraft resources are allocated to support an 8% average duty cycle for ASTER. Data will be accpiiredand processed according to specific user requirements identifying acquisition time, gain, wavelength region, and data product
Mechanism for far infrared absorption of small metallic particles

Abstract A mechanism for far infrared absorption of small particles of noble metals is described. The electric double layer formed at the particle surface allows excitation of the resonant low frequency mode in which the metal core oscillates rigidly with respect to the shellof adsorbed atoms. The model is capable of explaining the large magnitude and the anomalous frequency dependence recently reported for Pt particles.
Internal tides and sediment movement on Horizon Guyot, Mid-Pacific Mountains

Internal tidal currents are the likely cause of erosional features such as current ripples, sand waves, and truncated bedding horizons on the sediment cap of Horizon Guyot. Current meter data obtained over a 9 month period in 1983–1984 at about 213 m above the guyot show that the tidal currents are anomalously strong for mid-oceanic depths, probably the result of topographically induced generation of internal tidal waves. An analysis of the initiation of motion of the foraminiferal sand by the internal tidal currents indicates that these currents, particularly during the months of March–May, are likely to transport the surficial sediment and generate the observed bedforms.
Plainfield Burning: Black Rebellion in the Suburban North

Through an examination of the riot in Plainfield, New Jersey, in July 1967, this article explores the history of race relations, violence, and conflict in the suburban north. Nearly half of the upr...
Efficient conditional failure analysis: application to an aircraft engine component

Although many engineering systems and components have a very low probability of failure, the consequences of failures can be catastrophic. The low failure probability precludes the safety certification of such systems or components on the basis of repeated experiments. Therefore the certification must necessarily be done on the basis of adequately validated computational models. Conditional failure analysis (CFA) can be used to provide insight into the failure of a component and the most likely range of values of the input random variables associated with failure. It not only provides valuable information to the engineer for improvement of component design, but also helps to validate the mathematical models and probabilistic input distributions associated with reliability computations. The CFA technique outlined in this paper is based on generation of conditional failure samples obtained during computation of component reliability. It provides a graphical description of the failure region that can be used...
Point cloud attribute compression with graph transform

Compressing attributes on 3D point clouds such as colors or normal directions has been a challenging problem, since these attribute signals are unstructured. In this paper, we propose to compress such attributes with graph transform. We construct graphs on small neighborhoods of the point cloud by connecting nearby points, and treat the attributes as signals over the graph. The graph transform, which is equivalent to Karhunen-Loeve Transform on such graphs, is then adopted to decorrelate the signal. Experimental results on a number of point clouds representing human upper bodies demonstrate that our method is much more efficient than traditional schemes such as octree-based methods.
Molecular dynamics simulations of energetic cluster impacts on Al, Cu and Au targets

Energy, number-density, confinement-time and ejected-atom properties of cluster impacts on metallic surfaces for the Al_(63)−Al, Cu_(63)-Cu, Al_(32)-Au and Al_(63)-Au systems with incident cluster energies of 1 keV/atom have been investigated by molecular-dynamics simulation. Similar simulations have been carried out for composite clusters (38 Al atoms, 25 Au atoms) impacting gold targets. Inertial confinement of the incoming clusters leads to number-density increases of ∼ 2 for very short time periods (< 20 fs) in the primary impact zone. Multiple collision processes occasionally increase the potential energy of a particle to several times the value allowed in isolated two-body collisions. However, these effects are not sufficient to explain recent cluster impact fusion data. Significant numbers of aluminum atoms are found to eject from incoming clusters upon impact with the target for the Al_(63)-Au, Al_(63)-Au and composite cluster-Au systems. Energy- and angle-distributions of sputtered target-atoms are consistent with relatively rapid amorphization of the single crystal targets used in the simulations.
Three-Dimensional Structure of a Purple Lipoxygenase

Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism is governed primarily by two enzymes, prostaglandin H synthase and lipoxygenase. The crystal structure of the metastable product-oxidized purple form of soybean lipoxygenase-3 was determined at 2.0 A resolution. The data reveal that the chromophore corresponds to an iron-peroxide complex, a potential intermediate in the catalyzed reaction. A significant alteration of the iron site accompanies the formation of the complex. The structure, the first for a fatty acid-lipoxygenase complex, also reveals an unexpected mode of binding, and identifies amino acid residues that may play significant roles in catalysis, regio- and stereoselectivity.
768 HEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE b (HIB) INFECTION IN A DAY CARE CENTER (DCC): ERADICATION OF CARRIER STATE BY RIFAMPIN

Two cases of invasive Hib disease (meningitis and cellulitis) occurred among 66 children attending a DCC (median age 20 mos). Nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization rates for Hib were 49% in the children, 8.8% in family contacts of culture-positive children, and 0% in staff. NP cultures were also obtained in two control populations: 62 children (median age 33 mos) attending a second DCC, and 58 children (median age 18 mos) attending Health Supervision Clinic (HSC). None of the children attending DCC-2 (0%) and 4 of the children attending HSC (6.9%) were positive for Hib. The isolates from DCC-1 were sensitive in vitro to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Nevertheless, therapy with this combination (8 and 40 mg/kg/day, respectively) for 7-10 days was ineffective in eliminating Hib carriage among 19 of 26 children (73%) attending DCC-1. In contrast, in a second clinical trial, treatment for 4 days with rifampin (10-20 mg/kg/day) eradicated Hib carriage in 19 of 22 culture-positive persons (86%). All 3 of the rifampin failures were associated with poor compliance. Rifampin was well tolerated with no serious side effects reported. When systemic Hib infection occurs in an enclosed population of young children, the risk of serious illness among contacts may be appreciably higher than in similar age children in the general population. Our data indicate that rifampin is effective in this clinical setting, and support the need for a controlled clinical trial.
Static Versus Dynamic Disposition: The Role of GeoGebra in Representing Polynomial-Rational Inequalities and Exponential-Logarithmic Functions

This study investigates prospective secondary mathematics teachers’ visual representations of polynomial and rational inequalities, and graphs of exponential and logarithmic functions with GeoGebra Dynamic Software. Five prospective teachers in a university in the United States participated in this research study, which was situated within a framework of productive disposition and visual representations in pre-calculus. The main result was that the role of GeoGebra as a cognitive tool fostered the research participants’ productive disposition, despite recurrent mismatches between the algebraic and visualized formalisms. Moreover, participants exhibiting dynamic productive disposition seemed to understand and make better sense of the conceptual underpinnings of the mathematical content they explored in contrast to those embracing static productive disposition.
Editorial: Next Steps

Welcome to the inaugural issue of the e-only Library Resources and Technical Services ( LRTS )! We are starting the year with a new publication model for LRTS . The content and quality of the journal will remain constant, as will the submission criteria and review process. The difference is that you will no longer receive a print copy of the journal, and it will instead be delivered directly to your e-mail. Transitioning to e-only provides new opportunities. It removes page limits required for print and will enable full color copy (perfect for viewing LRTS covers and illustrative matter that accompanies papers). It will also enable us to explore new publication models used by other e-only scholarly journals. I am confident things will proceed smoothly under the watch of Tim Clifford of ALA Production Services, LRTS ’s production editor, and Christine McConnell of ALCTS, LRTS ’s manager. Tim has handled other ALA journals’ transition to e-only, and Christine has addressed issues related to subscriptions and publicity. I rest assured it will be a seamless transition.
The blue scrotum sign of Bryant: A diagnostic clue to ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

A 73-year-old man presented to the emergency department twice with nonspecific abdominal pain. He was diagnosed as having mild diverticulitis and was discharged. Four days later he presented to the emergency department in severe abdominal pain with scrotal and penile ecchymoses. After an initial urologic consultation the correct diagnosis of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm was made. We discuss the pathogenesis of the genital discoloration and make the correct historical attribution of this sign to John Henry Bryant, a turn-of-the-century physician at Guy's Hospital.
Mutational Analysis of Escherichia coliTopoisomerase IV: III. IDENTIFICATION OF A REGION OF ParE INVOLVED IN COVALENT CATALYSIS

The products of three dominant-negative alleles of parE, encoding the ATP-binding subunit of topoisomerase IV (Topo IV), were purified and their activities characterized when reconstituted with ParC to form Topo IV. The ability of the ParE E418K, ParE G419D, and ParE G442D mutant Topo IVs to bind DNA, hydrolyze ATP, and close their ATP-dependent clamp was relatively unaffected. However, their ability to relax negatively supercoiled DNA was compromised significantly. This could be attributed to severe defects in covalent complex formation between ParC and DNA. Thus, these residues, which are far from the active site Tyr of ParC, contribute to covalent catalysis. This indicates that a dramatic conformational rearrangement of the protein likely occurs subsequent to the binding of the G segment at the DNA gate and prior to its opening.
Fine structure of the scolopidia in the johnston's organ of male Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae)☆

Abstract The 2 antennal Johnston's organs of male Aedes aegypti contain 25,000–30,000 scolopophorous sense cells grouped into about half that many scolopidia (7000–7500 per pedicel). There are 4 different types of scolopidia in terms of structure and location. Type A represents more than 97% of the total number of scolopidia and occupies most of the space within the pedicel; type B is represented by 200–230 scolopidia located around the tip of the pedicel; type C is represented by 2 scolopidia located centrally and ventrally under the edge of the basal plate; and type D is represented by a single scolopidium located under the flagellar flange (Fig. 1). Types A and B are similar except for location and for the fact that type A has 2 sense cells whereas type B has 3 sense cells which are of 2 types. In both, the sensory cells are surrounded by 2 satellite cells (a scolopale cell and an envelope cell) and 2 extracellular structures (a long tubular cap and a set of third sheaths). The terminal filament of the cap fuses with a prong which is a microapodeme from the basal plate. Types C and D consist of 2 sensory cells, a scolopale cell with an intracellular scolopale, a microtubular cap cell and a short extracellular cap. The type C scolopidia have in addition 2 accessory cells packed with microtubules; one of these accessory cells connects the scolopidium to the antennal blood vessel. In all 4 types of scolopidia the sensory cells are of similar structure: bipolar, with a single dendrite whose terminal part is transformed into a 9-doublet ciliary structure. At the base of each ciliary structure there is a root and a root-apparatus of 9 triplets. The basal part of the ciliary structure has 9 Y-shaped struts called “alar spokes” extending from the ring of doublets to the plasma membrane. The ciliary structures have dilations with electron-dense material shortly before the cap. There is one exception: the third sensory cell of the type B scolopidium does not have the usual ciliary structure; it has become transformed into a packet of many microtubules. Interpretation of this complex organ is discussed.
Taylor expansions in Hartree-Fock and isoscalar nuclear shifts

Abstract We consider changes in the bulk properties of a nucleus when a particle is added to an even system. The main thing we show is that one can determine these changes by doing a Hartree-Fock calculation on the even system only. We must, however, also examine what happens away from equilibrium, or at least get derivates at equilibrium, in the even system. We get expressions for E0 isoscalar effective charges which involve, but do not determine, the nuclear compressibility, likewise expressions for E2 effective charges which involve but do not determine the quadrupolarizability. Illustrative examples using simple interactions are presented. E0 effective charge corrections in a major shell are larger by roughly a factor of two in orbits with high radial quantum number and E2 effective charge corrections are near unity. Finally, we consider simultaneous changes in the radial and quadrupole shapes.
Polymer-ITO nanocomposite template for the optoelectronic application

Polymer–ITO (PI) nanocomposite templates with various ITO concentrations have been fabricated by electrospinning. These templates look like a mat with tangled nanofibers, and are optically transparent (85–90%) in the visible region of the solar spectrum (400–700 nm). The electronic properties of those transparent films were studied. The highest conductivity achieved is 1.04 × 103 S cm−1. The promising optoelectronic properties present the great promise of PI nanocomposites to be the top layer of the next generation flexible photo devices, like solar cells and light emitting diodes (LED).
Spatial discordance in fish, coral, and sponge assemblages across a Caribbean atoll reef gradient

Certain biodiversity patterns on coral reefs are generally consistent but we still lack fundamental insight into how assemblages vary across spatially heterogeneous reef systems. We compared fish, coral, and sponge assemblages across a symmetrical physiographical gradient (windward forereef, lagoon patch reef, leeward forereef) of the Glover’s Reef atoll, Belize. Species richness of fishes and corals was highest in the deep habitat (15 m) on the windward forereef. Sponges were diverse and abundant on both deep windward and leeward forereefs but not on the exposed shallow (5 m) windward forereef. Fish and benthic assemblages were relatively distinct in each reef zone, with the lagoon patch reef communities consisting of a combination of leeward and windward species. Nevertheless, there were no clear patterns in community similarity matrices of fish and benthic assemblages, suggesting that overall coral and sponge assemblages had weak or no direct association with patterns in fish assemblages. A closer examination of fish trophic groups indicated that planktivores and predators were predictably associated with depth, whereas herbivores were associated with shallow protected reefs. None was specifically associated with spatial location along the atoll gradient. These patterns of diversity distribution are important for identifying spatial conservation priorities. A Marine Protected Area (MPA) at Glover’s Reef encompasses substantial windward forereef and patch reef habitats. A much lesser extent of protection is afforded the leeward forereef that supports faunal assemblages that are unique and productive, if not as diverse as the windward forereef. Isolated coral atolls can serve as ideal systems to study spatial heterogeneity and biodiversity patterns, but more experimental studies are needed to reveal the mechanistic processes underlying these patterns.
Impact of left ventricular volume and mass indexation method on the influence of obesity in a free-living population

Introduction Increased left ventricular (LV) volume and mass are risk factors for increased cardiovascular disease. To account for differences in body size, LV parameters are generally indexed to height (HT) or body surface area (BSA). Increased body mass index (BMI), a measure of obesity, seems associated with increased LV volume and mass, but obesity is also associated with hypertension, potentially confounding relationships between BMI and LV volume and mass.