cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PLANE STRAIN FRACTURE IN PLATE IMPACT

Plate impact of a plate containing a mid-plane fatigue fracture that has propagated half-way through the diameter is used to subject the crack to a square tensile pulse under conditions of plane strain. Motion of the rear surface is monitored at four points using a laser interferometer system. A sharp spike in particle velocity is recorded at times corresponding to the arrival of wavefronts emanating from the crack tip during fracture initiation. This spike, which is not predicted for the inverse square root singular stress fields of linear elastic fracture mechanics, is modelled as a ductile rupture instability in which a hole forms suddenly at the crack tip. By excluding the hole, a dynamic stress field with a stronger singularity (~ r−3/2) is allowed. The corresponding velocity field provides good agreement with the observed spikes.
Cubine, a Quasi Two-Dimensional Copper–Bismuth Nanosheet

We report on the discovery of a quasi two-dimensional copper–bismuth nano sheet from ab initio calculations, which we call cubine. According to our predictions, single layers of cubine can be isolated from the recently reported high-pressure CuBi bulk material at an energetic cost of merely ≈20 meV/A2, comparable to values to separate single layers of graphene from graphite. Our calculations suggest that cubine has remarkable electronic and electrochemical properties: It is a superconductor with a moderate electron–phonon coupling λ = 0.5, leading to Tc ≈ 1 K, and can be readily intercalated with lithium with a high diffusibility, rendering it a promising candidate material to boost the rate capacity of current electrodes in lithium-ion batteries.
Traffic-light labels and financial incentives to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage purchases by low-income Latino families: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective The objective of the present study was to test the effectiveness of financial incentives and traffic-light labels to reduce purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages in a community supermarket. Design In this randomized controlled trial, after a 2-month baseline period (February-March 2014), in-store traffic-light labels were posted to indicate healthy (green), less healthy (yellow) or unhealthy (red) beverages. During the subsequent five months (April-August 2014), participants in the intervention arm were eligible to earn a $US 25 in-store gift card each month they refrained from purchasing red-labelled beverages. Setting Urban supermarket in Chelsea, MA, USA, a low-income Latino community. Subjects Participants were customers of this supermarket who had at least one child living at home. A total of 148 customers (n 77 in the intervention group and n 71 in the control group) were included in the final analyses. Results Outcomes were monthly in-store purchases tracked using a store loyalty card and self-reported consumption of red-labelled beverages. Compared with control participants, the proportion of intervention participants who purchased any red-labelled beverages decreased by 9 % more per month (P=0·002). More intervention than control participants reduced their consumption of red-labelled beverages (-23 % v. -2 % for consuming ≥1 red beverage/week, P=0·01). Conclusions Overall, financial incentives paired with in-store traffic-light labels modestly reduced purchase and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by customers of a community supermarket.
Dangerous Liaisons: Metonymic Effects between School and Education.

This paper considers the ways in which the words “school” and “education” are conflated in the social imaginary, and what the effects of this conflation in meaning and purpose are both theoreticall...
Assessing the cytotoxicity of ambient particulate matter (PM) using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and its relationship with the PM chemical composition and oxidative potential

Abstract We assessed mammalian cell cytotoxicity of ambient PM2.5 and investigated its association with the oxidative potential (OP) and chemical composition of the particles. Sixteen PM samples spanning in various seasons (fall, winter, spring and summer) were collected from an urban site in central Illinois. Cytotoxicity (LC50) in terms of the volume of air that kills 50% of the cells were calculated, which varied from 4.3 to 7.2 m3 of air. The OP was measured by two assays – the dithiothreitol (DTT) and the surrogate lung fluid (SLF) assay. In DTT assay, we measured two endpoints – hydroxyl radicals (•OH) generation and DTT consumption (the conventionally measured endpoint), while only •OH generation was measured in the SLF assay. Although, all three endpoints in the OP assays correlated significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with LC50, the correlation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in DTT and SLF assays was much higher (r > 0.80 for •OH generation versus LC50) than the DTT consumption (r = 0.58). To further understand the components in PM that drive cytotoxicity and OP, concentration of water-soluble metals (Fe, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, Hg, and Zn), organic carbon (OC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and elemental carbon (EC) were measured. Among all the chemical components, Fe, Cu and WSOC correlated most (r > 0.70; P ≤ 0.01) with the cytotoxicity. DTT consumption correlated only with OC and WSOC (r > 0.80; P ≤ 0.01), while •OH generation in DTT and SLF assay correlated with both WSOC (r > 0.70; P ≤ 0.01) and metals (i.e. Fe and Cu; r > 0.75; P ≤ 0.01). Our results suggest a strong link between the PM2.5 OP and its cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the synergistic interactions among the organic compounds (i.e. WSOC) and metals (Fe and Cu) to enhance the ROS generation, which are more effectively captured in •OH generation endpoints in DTT and SLF assay than the DTT consumption, appear to be largely responsible for the observed mammalian cell cytotoxicity of PM2.5.
A Budding Topic: Modeling Aging and Longevity in Yeast

Abstract Aging is a nearly universal phenomenon exemplified by progressive deterioration, reduced fitness, and an increasing likelihood of death. In attempts to better understand longevity, researchers have turned to model organisms such as yeast to uncover and dissect the mechanism involved in aging. In so doing, exciting observations have revealed the existence of molecular processes, genetic pathways, and environmental conditions that impact longevity. Importantly, the foundation behind many of these breakthroughs and discoveries in yeast is broadly conserved in a wide range of eukaryotic organisms.
Progressive myocardial injury is associated with mortality in the acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract Purpose Myocardial injury connotes worse prognosis in the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), however the prognostic connotation of changes in cardiac troponin (cTn) levels in ARDS patients is not known. Methods We performed a study of 908 ARDS patients enrolled in two previously completed ARDS Network trials. We obtained plasma samples via the NIH BIOLINCC repository and measured cTn using the ARCHITECT STAT high sensitivity troponin-I assay (Abbott Laboratories) at trial day 0 and 3. We constructed Cox proportional hazard models to determine the association between 60-day mortality and quintiles of percentage change in high-sensitivity troponin (ΔhsTnI). Results The median percent change in hsTnI (%ΔhsTnI) from day 0 to day 3 was −58.2% (IQR -79.0 to 0%). After multivariable adjustment, participants with a 32.1% or greater increase in hsTnI between day 0 and day 3 (highest quintile) had a 2.27 fold increased risk for mortality (95% CI 1.29 – 3.99, p = 0.002) as well as fewer ventilator-free and ICU-free days compared to the lowest quintile. Conclusion Progressive myocardial injury in ARDS patients is associated with worse outcome, independent of severity of critical illness. Investigation of the mechanisms underlying this relationship is warranted to guide possible strategies to mitigate myocardial injury in ARDS.
Balancing Quality Healthcare Services and Costs Through Collaborative Leadership.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This review assesses the effectiveness of collaborative leadership strategies in balancing quality healthcare services and costs. Quantitative analysis of 39 studies answered research questions to identify collaborative leadership strategies employed by healthcare managers to address the cost of care, determine the most effective strategies for managing this cost, and evaluate how collaborative leadership's cost-reduction strategies affect quality of care. The intrahospital collaboration strategy was noted to be the most frequently used strategy (53.8%). The other strategies included patient-based collaboration (41.0%) and interorganizational collaboration (17.9%). The patient-based collaborative strategy offered significantly higher cost-reduction effectiveness (31.9% ± 6.005). The cost effectiveness of the intrahospital collaboration (25.3% ± 2.014) and interorganizational collaboration strategy (20.2% ± 4.229) were also significant. The adoption of the patient-based collaboration strategy was associated with enhanced quality of healthcare (62.5%), while the interorganizational collaboration strategy had a greater proportion of noneffect on quality of services (71.4%). Therefore, healthcare leaders should facilitate the adoption of patient-based and interorganizational collaboration strategies to manage healthcare costs.
Access to Computing Education for Students with Disabilities

Approximately 10% of computer science and engineering majors have a disability. Students with disabilities face a variety of challenges including those related to stigma around disability, inaccessible tools and instruction, disability disclosure, and a lack of mentors. This BOF will bring together individuals who are interested in increasing the representation of students with disabilities in computing and improving their success. Participants will share strategies to help each other do a better job of including these students in our classes and research projects. Resources related to accessible tools and instruction, universal design of learning, opportunities for students, and more will be shared.
Hamas, the Gaza War, and Accountability Under International Law

The closest precedent to the Israeli position on the Gaza war is justification, an international law doctrine that has been a dead letter since the end of World War II and the adoption of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Role of Mentors in Dr. Tanya Gachovska's Journey From Bulgaria to Canada [Women in Engineering]

The IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) is continuing its tradition of inviting a guest speaker to the Women in Engineering (WIE) breakfast reception at major PELS-sponsored technical conferences to enhance networking among women engineers, scientists, and faculty around the world. This year, PELS invited Dr. Tanya Kirilova Gachovska of Solantro Semiconductor, Ontario, Canada, to share her career experiences, both achievements and struggles, at the 2019 IEEE Energy Convergence Congress and Exposition (ECCE 2019) in Baltimore, Maryland, on 1 October. She was introduced to the audience by PELS WIE Chair Prof. Katherine Kim of Taiwan University. Before inviting Dr. Gachovska to give her talk, Prof. Kim presented some statistics on the women engineers who are PELS members. According to a survey conducted by PELS, there are 79 IEEE PELS women members, which includes 29 IEEE Student Members, 29 Members, 18 Senior Members, one Fellow, one Life Fellow, and one with no response. Only a small percentage is currently involved with PELS as volunteers, but the interest to serve on PELS technical committees and volunteer for other services is growing rapidly.
Plastic Flow of AA6013-T6 at Elevated Temperatures and Subsequent Reaging to Regain Full Strength

Combining a retrogression heat treatment with simultaneous warm forming can increase the formability of peak-aged, high-strength aluminum alloys while allowing peak-aged strength to be recovered through a single reaging heat treatment after forming. This process is termed retrogression-forming-and-reaging (RFRA). This study investigates the applicability of RFRA to AA6013-T6 sheet material. Elevated-temperature tensile tests were performed at temperatures from 230 to 250 °C and strain rates from 3.2 × 10−3 to 10−1 s−1. Tensile tests were followed by reaging with a simulated paint-bake heat treatment. Flow stress at a true strain of 0.10 ranges from 230 MPa (250 °C and 3.2 × 10−3 s−1) to 290 MPa (230 °C and 10−1 s−1), significantly lower than the room-temperature yield strength of 360 MPa in the T6 condition. The average elongation to rupture and reduction in area from elevated-temperature tests are 22% and 56%, respectively, which are similar to the room-temperature values for the T4 condition. Elevated-temperature testing reduced material hardness compared to the original T6 condition. Subsequent reaging with a simulated paint-bake raised hardness to 96% of the T6 condition in un-deformed material, but slightly decreased the hardness of the deformed material. Recommendations for implementing RFRA of AA6013-T6 are presented.
17 – Noncuprate superconductors

This chapter presents an overview of unconventional superconductors starting with heavy fermion compounds. It is followed by a multiband MgB2 and borocarbides and boronitrides. Borocarbides also exhibit coexistence of superconductivity and long-range magnetism. Noncuprate perovskites are also discussed. A part of the chapter is devoted to a discussion of organic superconductors and fullerenes. A common theme of unconventional superconductivity is unconventional superconducting pairing and structure of the order parameter. Various experimental techniques revealing this unconventional behavior are discussed. A separate part is devoted to a discussion of the coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity.
Molecularly engineered nanocomposites: layer-by-layer assembly of cellulose nanocrystals.

Cellulose nanocrystals are promising as a new class of reinforcing material for the preparation of nanostructured composites. We report here the preparation of cellulose nanocrystal multilayer composites with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) using layer-by-layer assembly (LBL) technique. The LBL assembly was characterized with UV−Vis spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The average thickness of a single bilayer was found to be 11 nm. AFM and SEM characterization revealed uniform coverage and densely packed cellulose crystal surface.
Stereotyped Behavior: Effects of d-Amphetamine and Methylphenidate in the Young Rat

The proclivity of d-amphetamine and methylphenidate to induce perseverative motoric and vocal side effects detracts from the clinical efficacy of these stimulants in the treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In an attempt to develop a model for these deleterious treatment effects, this study explored the behavioral influences exerted by d-amphetamine and methylphenidate in the young laboratory rat. This experiment revealed that doses of these stimulants that typically induce stereotypy provoke diverging behavioral profiles: while animals given 5 mg/kg d-amphetamine exhibited repetitive sniffing activity, rats treated with 30 mg/kg methyl-phenidate displayed perseverative gnawing behaviors. Although pretreatment with the serotonin synthesis inhibitor p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) significantly attenuated both stimulant-induced stereotypies, the effect of PCPA on d-amphetamine-induced sniffing was more profound than on methylphenidate-induced gnawing. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of monoamine levels in the striatum, frontal cortex, and thalamus indicated that PCPA induced an overall 89% depletion of serotonin across all conditions. These findings shed some light on the neurochemical mechanisms that underlie the differential effects of d-amphetamine and methylphenidate on stereotyped motor activity in the rat, and suggest future experiments for understanding the role of serotonin in such effects. Further, these results have implications for the differential side effects observed from each of these stimulants when used clinically in children with ADHD.
Evidence for dawsonite in Hanford high-level nuclear waste tanks

Gibbsite [Al(OH)3] and boehmite (AlOOH) have long been assumed to be the most prevalent aluminum-bearing minerals in Hanford high-level nuclear waste sludge. The present study shows that dawsonite [NaAl(OH)2CO3] is also a common aluminum-bearing phase in tanks containing high total inorganic carbon (TIC) concentrations and (relatively) low dissolved free hydroxide concentrations. Tank samples were probed for dawsonite by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and Polarized Light Optical Microscopy. Dawsonite was conclusively identified in four of six tanks studied. In a fifth tank (AN-102), the dawsonite identification was less conclusive because it was only observed as a Na–Al bearing phase with SEM-EDS. Four of the five tank samples with dawsonite also had solid phase Na2CO3·H2O. The one tank without observable dawsonite (Tank C-103) had the lowest TIC content of any of the six tanks. The amount of TIC in Tank C-103 was insufficient to convert most of the aluminum to dawsonite (Al:TIC mol ratio of 20:1). The rest of the tank samples had much lower Al:TIC ratios (between 2:1 and 0.5:1) than Tank C-103. One tank (AZ-102) initially had dawsonite, but dawsonite was not observed in samples taken 15 months after NaOH was added to the tank surface. When NaOH was added to a laboratory sample of waste from Tank AZ-102, the ratio of aluminum to TIC in solution was consistent with the dissolution of dawsonite. The presence of dawsonite in these tanks is of significance because of the large amount of OH− consumed by dawsonite dissolution, an effect confirmed with AZ-102 samples.
Combined radiographic, manometric, and histologic localization of the canine lower esophageal sphincter.

Abstract The localization of the lower esophageal sphincter at the canine esophagogastric junction was investigated by employing radiopaque sutures as reference points for a combined radiographic, manometric, and histologic study. The three reference points were: the junction of squamous and columnar epithelium, the point where the tubular esophagus joins the saccular stomach, and the inferior margin of the diaphragmatic erura which separates the peritoneal cavity from the erural canal. Radiographically, the squamocolumnar epithelial junction was midway between the esophagogastric junction and the abdominal margin of the esophageal hiatus. Manometrically, the high-pressure zone (HPZ) extended above, as well as below the squamocolumnar epithelial junction. The manometric limits of the HPZ correspond to the thickened band of circular smooth muscle comprising the upper circular fibers of the gastric sling (sling of Willis). These fibers constitute the lower esophageal sphincter and lie between the esophagogastric junction and the abdominal margin of the esophageal hiatus.
Towards a global IP anycast service

IP anycast, with its innate ability to find nearby resources in a robust and efficient fashion, has long been considered an important means of service discovery. The growth of P2P applications presents appealing new uses for IP anycast. Unfortunately, IP anycast suffers from serious problems: it is very hard to deploy globally, it scales poorly by the number of anycast groups, and it lacks important features like load-balancing. As a result, its use is limited to a few critical infrastructure services such as DNS root servers. The primary contribution of this paper is a new IP anycast architecture, PIAS, that overcomes these problems while largely maintaining the strengths of IP anycast. PIAS makes use of a proxy overlay that advertises IP anycast addresses on behalf of group members and tunnels anycast packets to those members. The paper presents a detailed design of PIAS and evaluates its scalability and efficiency through simulation. We also present preliminary measurement results on anycasted DNS root servers that suggest that IP anycast provides good affinity. Finally, we describe how PIAS supports two important P2P and overlay applications.
The boundary lubrication of chemically grafted and cross-linked hyaluronic acid in phosphate buffered saline and lipid solutions measured by the surface forces apparatus.

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) is present in articular joints and synovial fluid at high concentrations; yet despite numerous studies, the role of HA in joint lubrication is still not clear. Free HA in solution does not appear to be a good lubricant, being negatively charged and therefore repelled from most biological, including cartilage, surfaces. Recent enzymatic experiments suggested that mechanically or physically (rather than chemically) trapped HA could function as an “adaptive” or “emergency” boundary lubricant to eliminate wear damage in shearing cartilage surfaces. In this work, HA was chemically grafted to a layer of self-assembled amino-propyl-triethoxy-silane (APTES) on mica and then cross-linked. The boundary lubrication behavior of APTES and of chemically grafted and cross-linked HA in both electrolyte and lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) solutions was tested with a surface forces apparatus (SFA). Despite the high coefficient of friction (COF) of μ ≈ 0.50, t...
Efficacy and safety of upper endoscopy procedures during pregnancy

The risks of performing endoscopy become more complex when the patient is pregnant. The endoscopist has to consider all the factors that affect the health of both the patient and the fetus. Although pregnant patients are generally healthy, they may have changes in blood pressure and volume status as well as alterations in tolerance of anesthesia and luminal distention. Maternal complications will impact the health of the fetus. In addition, the fetus can be directly affected by procedural medications, mechanical factors, and therapeutic interventions. The endoscopist must be able to minimize the risks to the fetus and provide the pregnant patient with a safe and comfortable procedure. This review focuses on the risks of upper endoscopy as they relate to the health of a pregnant woman and the fetus.
Abnormal glutamatergic neurotransmission and neuronal-glial interactions in acute mania.

Background At excitatory synapses, glutamate released from neurons is taken up by glial cells and converted to glutamine, which is cycled back to neurons. Alterations in this system are believed to play a role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder, but they have not been characterized in vivo. We examined the glutamine/glutamate ratio and levels of other metabolites in acute mania and schizophrenia in this exploratory study. Methods Data were obtained from 2 × 2 × 2 cm voxels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and parieto-occipital cortex (POC) using two-dimensional J -resolved proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 4 Tesla and analyzed using LCModel. Fifteen bipolar disorder patients with acute mania and 17 schizophrenia patients with acute psychosis were recruited from an inpatient unit; 21 matched healthy control subjects were also studied. Glutamine/glutamate ratio and N-acetylaspartate, creatine, choline, and myo-inositol levels were evaluated in a repeated measures design. Medication effects and relationship to demographic and clinical variables were analyzed. Results Glutamine/glutamate ratio was significantly higher in ACC and POC in bipolar disorder, but not schizophrenia, compared with healthy control subjects. N-acetylaspartate was significantly lower in the ACC in schizophrenia. Patients on and off lithium, anticonvulsants, or benzodiazepines had similar glutamine/glutamate ratios. Conclusions The elevated glutamine/glutamate ratio is consistent with glutamatergic overactivity and/or defective neuronal-glial coupling in acute mania, although medication effects cannot be ruled out. Abnormalities in glutamatergic neurotransmission and glial cell function in bipolar disorder may represent targets for novel therapeutic interventions.
Building Authenticity in Social Media Tools to Recruit Postsecondary Students

An increasing number of institutions utilize social media tools, including student-written blogs, on their admission websites in an effort to enhance authenticity in their recruitment marketing materials. This study offers a framework for understanding what contributes to prospective college students’ perceptions of social media authenticity and how their perceptions shape expectations of the college experience. The results of the study are based on qualitative data comprising 16 in-depth interviews, 165 journal entries, and an eight-member focus group interview with college-bound students. Prospective college students perceived student-written blogs to be authentic when student bloggers disclosed personal details and feelings about campus life, even when the topic of the blog was contrived to focus on admission and college-related activities. Recognizing a blog as authentic occurred through the process of internalizing the experience described in the blog post and identifying with the blogger.
A New Estimate for the Vector Valued Corona Problem

Abstract We improve an estimate of Fuhrmann and Vasyunin in the vector valued corona theorem.
Constraint Dominance Methods Applied to the Design of a Linear Motor

Reasoning about relationships among design constraints can facilitate objective and effective decision making at various stages of engineering design. Exploiting dominance among constraints is one particularly strong approach to simplifying design problems and to focusing designers’ attention on critical design issues. Three distinct approaches to constraint dominance identification have been reported in the literature. We lay down the basic principles of these approaches with simple examples and we apply these methods to a practical linear electric actuator design problem. The identification of dominance along with the use of Interval Propagation and Monotonicity Analysis leads to an optimal solution for a particular design configuration of the linear actuator. Identification of dominance also provides insight into the design of linear actuators, which may lead to effective decisions at the conceptual stage of the design.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Exposure to Pb, Cd, and As mixtures potentiates the production of oxidative stress precursors: 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day drinking water studies in rats

Exposure to chemical mixtures is a common and important determinant of toxicity and is of particular concern due to their appearance in sources of drinking water. Despite this, few in vivo mixture studies have been conducted to date to understand the health impact of chemical mixtures compared to single chemicals. Interactive effects of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) were evaluated in 30-, 90-, and 180-day factorial design drinking water studies in rats designed to test the hypothesis that ingestion of such mixtures at individual component Lowest-Observed-Effect-Levels (LOELs) results in increased levels of the pro-oxidant delta aminolevulinic acid (ALA), iron, and copper. LOEL levels of Pb, Cd, and As mixtures resulted in the increased presence of mediators of oxidative stress such as ALA, copper, and iron. ALA increases were followed by statistically significant increases in kidney copper in the 90- and 180-day studies. Statistical evidence of interaction was identified for six biologically relevant variables: blood delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), kidney ALAD, urinary ALA, urinary iron, kidney iron, and kidney copper. The current investigations underscore the importance of considering interactive effects that common toxic agents such as Pb, Cd, and As may have upon one another at low-dose levels. The interactions between known toxic trace elements at biologically relevant concentrations shown here demonstrate a clear need to rigorously review methods by which national/international agencies assess health risks of chemicals, since exposures may commonly occur as complex mixtures.
Alcohol and anxiety.

The most remarkable feature of the tension reduction theory of alcohol use and abuse is how widely it is believed. The notion that alcohol reduces tension and that people drink in order to obtain this effect appears to make common sense and is deeply ingrained in folklore and clinical experience. Literary allusions to this effect abound, a particularly notable instance being Keats’s expression in his Ode to a Nightingale: O, for a draught of vintage!. . . . Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene, That I might drink, and leave the world unseen, Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget The weariness, the fever, and the fret. . . .
Numerical Methods in Atmospheric and Oceanic Modelling: The Andre J. Robert Memorial Volume

Most people, even including some in the scientific community, do not realize how much the weather forecasts they use to guide the activities of their daily lives depend on very complex mathematics and numerical methods that are the basis of modern numerical weather prediction (NWP). Andre Robert (1929–1993), to whom Numerical Methods in Atmospheric and Oceanic Modelling is dedicated, had a career that contributed greatly to the growth of NWP and the role that the atmospheric computer models of NWP play in our society. There are probably no NWP models running anywhere in the world today that do not use numerical methods introduced by Robert, and those of us who work with and use these models everyday are indebted to him. The first two chapters of the volume are chronicles of Robert's life and career. The first is a 1987 interview by Harold Ritchie, one of Robert's many proteges and colleagues at the Canadian Atmospheric Environment Service. The interview traces Robert's life from his birth in New York to French Canadian parents, to his emigration to Quebec at an early age, his education and early employment, and his rise in stature as one of the preeminent research meteorologists of our time. An amusing anecdote he relates is his impression of weather forecasts while he was considering his first job as a meteorologist in the early 1950s. A newspaper of the time placed the weather forecast and daily horoscope side by side, and Robert regarded each to have a similar scientific basis. Thankfully he soon realized there was a difference between the two, and his subsequent career certainly confirmed the distinction.
Lucky agents, big and little: should size really matter?

This essay critically examines Alfred R. Mele’s attempt to solve a problem for libertarianism that he calls the problem of present luck. Many have thought that the traditional libertarian belief in basically free acts (where the latter are any free A-ings that occur at times at which the past up to that time and the laws of nature are consistent with the agent’s not A-ing at that time) entail that the acts are due to luck at the time of the act (present luck) rather than to the kind of agent control required for genuinely free, morally responsible action. While libertarians frequently have tried to rebut the claim that basically free acts are due to present luck, Mele argues for the daring thesis that they should embrace present luck rather than try to explain it away. His strategy is to argue that the assumption of present luck in the decisions of very young children (or “little agents”) does not preclude us from attributing to them a small amount of moral responsibility and that this makes it possible to conceive of moral development as a gradual process in which as the frequency of the indeterministically caused free actions increases, the agents take on greater and greater moral responsibility. In this paper I give several possible reconstructions of Mele’s argument and analyze in detail why none of them succeeds.
Olfactory bulb glycogen metabolism: noradrenergic modulation in the young rat

The olfactory bulb exhibits high glycogen phosphorylase activity, the rate-limiting enzyme in the mobilization of glycogen. The bulb also receives dense noradrenergic innervation and noradrenaline is known to stimulate glycogen breakdown. We determined the levels of glycogen in the bulb over the course of development and then determined the ability of noradrenaline to mobilize bulb glycogen. At birth, olfactory bulbs have very high levels of glycogen, with levels declining as the pups develop. Picomolar levels of noradrenaline mobilize glycogen in the bulb,. Initially, beta-adrenergic receptors mediate teh glycogenolysis and subsequently, the alpha-noradrenergic receptors in the bulb stimulate the breakdown of glycogen. Carnosine is involved in the repletion of bulb glycogen levels. The stimulation of glycogen breakdown by noradrenaline may play a role in allowing the increased activity that accompanies early olfactory stimulation.
Rapid and Simple Determination of Homovanillic Acid in Plasma Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection

: A rapid, yet highly reliable, procedure for determination of homovanillic acid (HVA) in plasma is described. After precipitation of proteins with perchloric acid, separation of sample components is directly achieved with high performance liquid chromatography on a reversed-phase column (C8), followed by quantitation based on electrochemical detection. The sensitivity of this method is 0.5 pmol/injection. Detector response is linear from the limit of detection to at least 0.5 nmol/injection. The intra-assay coefficient of variation is 2.2% in the concentration range of 50–150 pmol/ml plasma. The inter-assay coefficient of variation is 6.3%, based on determinations on 30 working days. A comparison of the present method and a specific gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay showed good agreement between the two procedures. One chromatographic run requires less than 16 min. for plasma and 10 min. for a standard.
An Empiricist Criterion of Meaning

The meaning of scientific propositions is not always expressible in terms of observable phenomena. Such propositions involve generalizations, and also terms that are theoretical constructs. I study here how to assess the meaning of scientific propositions, that is, the specific import of theoretical terms. Empiricists have expressed a concern that scientific propositions, and theoretical terms, should always be, to some degree, related to observable consequences. We can see that the former empiricist criterion of meaning only implies for theoretical terms not to be definable in terms of observable, but that their use put a constraint on the observable consequences of a theory. To that effect, Ramsey's method of formal elimination of theoretical terms can be an interesting tool. It has faced important logical objections, which have mostly been addressed with respect to the problem of the ontological commitment of the second-order quantification they imply. I show here that these criticisms can be overcome, and that there can be a successful Ramsey elimination of theoretical terms with first order sentences, making Ramsey's method a relevant tool to assess the empirical meaning of scientific propositions.
Fresh Produce Procurement Strategies in a Constrained Supply Environment: Case Study of Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição*

Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao is Brazil's largest retailer. Fresh produce is both a profitable and strategically key sector for the firm; however they have trouble obtaining adequate supplies of fresh produce to meet their merchandising needs. This case study addresses their fresh produce procurement strategy. Following an introduction to the firm and the market environment, their specific procurement challenges are explored. The case concludes with a discussion of the strategic decision that the firm recently faced regarding its procurement strategy. Discussion questions encourage critical analysis of the case by students.
Childhood temperament: Dimensions or types?

Abstract In the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY-C), mothers rated their 12–23 month old toddlers on 11 temperament items. Three sets of items (three items per set) – one clustered around fearfulness, one clustered around positive affect, and one clustered around difficultness – were subjected to taxometric analysis using mean above minus below a cut (MAMBAC), maximum covariance (MAXCOV), and latent-mode factor analysis (L-Mode). The results for all three sets of items showed consistent support for dimensional latent structure. When all nine items were simultaneously analyzed with finite mixture modeling the results were inconsistent with a categorical solution. The results of this study indicate that individual differences in childhood temperament – as measured by maternal ratings of children 12–23 months of age – are quantitative (difference in degree) rather than qualitative (difference of kind). The implications of these results for understanding and assessing childhood temperament are discussed.
Vibrational Spectra of Benzene Derivatives. II. Frequency Assignments in the CsBr Region

Frequency assignments in the CsBr spectral region (650 to 285 cm−1) have been made from the spectra of 279 benzene derivatives. The Raman Spectra of 119 of these compounds were also used as aids in making the assignments. The assigned frequencies include several benzene-like ring-deformations and some vibrations that are either internal vibrations of the substituent group or involve the ring-substituent bond. A variation in frequency with symmetry or substitution type (ortho, meta, para, etc.) was found for the ring-deformations. Within a given substitution type certain of the ring-deformation vibrations were found to be sensitive to substituent effects. The assigned frequencies involving the substituent group can be classified as characteristic frequencies of benzene compounds with a particular substituent.
Atypical Shigella boydii 13 encodes virulence factors seen in attaching and effacing Escherichia coli

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a foodborne pathogen that causes watery diarrhea and hemorrhagic colitis. In this study, we identified StcE, a secreted zinc metalloprotease that contributes to intimate adherence of EHEC to host cells, in culture supernatants of atypical Shigella boydii 13 (Shigella B13) strains. Further examination of the Shigella B13 strains revealed that this cluster of pathogens does not invade but forms pedestals on HEp-2 cells similar to EHEC and enteropathogenic E. coli. This study also demonstrates that atypical Shigella B13 strains are more closely related to attaching and effacing E. coli and that their evolution recapitulates the progression from ancestral E. coli to EHEC.
The calorigenic action of catecholamines in warm acclimated and cold acclimated non-shivering cats

Summary Cats acclimated to a warm environment of 20–25°C and acclimated to a cold environment of 0–4°C have been investigated for the non-shivering metabolic response to cold. After light barbiturate anesthesia the cats were cooled with their muscles paralyzed by succinylcholine. Succinylcholine was found to have a calorigenic action, raising oxygen consumption rate +25 to +35 per cent. Epinephrine infusion, 3 μ/kg/min, raised oxygen consumption rate an additional +15 to 22 per cent. Norepinephrine infusion, 3 μ gm/kg/min, was approximately three times more calorigenic than epinephrine.
Lifetime prevalence of gender-based violence in US women: Associations with mood/anxiety and substance use disorders

No population-representative US study has examined how lifetime exposure to gender-based violence (GBV) is related to a broad range of mood/anxiety and substance use disorders. The current study advances the literature by examining the relative contributions of developmental timing of earliest GBV exposure and amount of lifetime GBV exposure on risk for eight mood/anxiety and ten substance use disorders. Participants were 20,089 women from wave 2 (2004–2005) of the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions. Women reporting lifetime GBV (25%; n = 5284) had 3.6 and 2.5 times the odds of meeting lifetime mood/anxiety and substance use disorder criteria, respectively. Number of types and number of incidents of GBV were associated with risk for both types of disorders in a dose–response fashion; when examined simultaneously, number of types of GBV was the stronger predictor of mood/anxiety and substance use disorders. Relative to those who first experienced GBV during adulthood, first exposure during childhood and adolescence was associated with increased risk for mood/anxiety and substance use disorders. One in four women reported lifetime GBV, which had pernicious effects on mood/anxiety and substance use disorders, particularly for women who had experienced multiple types of GBV. The GBV effect varied by developmental period of exposure. Prevention of GBV is critical to reducing its burden. Among those exposed to GBV, clinicians should consider assessing a range of disorders and providing integrated treatment targeting multiple outcomes.
Will Russia pass the democratic test in 2000

A calm, honest, undisputed election in Russia should not be excluded as a potential scenario in the future, but in 2000 the chances for smooth transition and honest elections are slim. Corrupt officials and “businesspeople” will not hesitate to trample on democratic values to win.
Wavelet-based texture analysis of EEG signal for prediction of epileptic seizure

Electroencephalographic (EEG) signal texture content analysis has been proposed for early warning of an epileptic seizure. This approach was evaluated by investigating the interrelationship between texture features and basic signal informational characteristics, such as Kolmogorov complexity and fractal dimension. The comparison of several traditional techniques, including higher-order FIR digital filtering, chaos, autoregressive and FFT time- frequency analysis was also carried out on the same epileptic EEG recording. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether wavelet transform can be used to further enhance the developed methods for prediction of epileptic seizures. The combined consideration of texture and entropy characteristics extracted from subsignals decomposed by wavelet transform are explored for that purpose. Yet, the novel neuro-fuzzy clustering algorithm is performed on wavelet coefficients to segment given EEG recording into different stages prior to an actual seizure onset.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Enumeration of viable and non-viable larvated Ascaris eggs with quantitative PCR.

The goal of this study was to further develop an incubation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for quantifying viable Ascaris eggs by characterizing the detection limit and number of template copies per egg, determining the specificity of the method, and testing the method with viable and inactivated larvated eggs. The number of template copies per cell was determined by amplifying DNA from known numbers of eggs at different development stages; the value was estimated to be 32 copies. The specificity of the method was tested against a panel of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and helminths, and no amplification was found with non-target DNA. Finally, fully larvated eggs were inactivated by four different treatments: 254 nm ultraviolet light, 2,000 ppm NH 3 -N at pH 9, moderate heat (48 °C) and high heat (70 °C). Concentrations of treated eggs were measured by direct microscopy and incubation-qPCR. The qPCR signal decreased following all four treatments, and was in general agreement with the decrease in viable eggs determined by microscopy. The incubation-qPCR method for enumerating viable Ascaris eggs is a promising approach that can produce results faster than direct microscopy, and may have benefits for applications such as assessing biosolids.
CP violating neutral leptonic currents and KL,So → μμ decays☆

On the basis of a CP violating model with strong self-interaction among the intermediate vector mesons, we predict the existence of CP violating neutral leptonic currents. This model can explain the puzzling decay modes KL,So → μμ. We also discuss various rare decay modes such as KLo → πoee, KLo → π+πoeνand π+π−ee as well as K+ → π+eeand π+ νν.
Biomonitoring method for bisphenol A in human urine by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the measurement of total bisphenol A in human urine was developed and validated. The method utilized liquid/liquid extraction with 1-chlorobutane and a human urine aliquot size of 800 μL. Chromatography was performed on an Acquity UPLC ® system with a Kinetex ® Phenyl-Hexyl column. Mass spectrometric analysis was with negative electrospray ionization on a Quattro Premier XE™. The surrogate matrix method was used for the preparation of calibration standards in synthetic urine due to the presence of BPA in control human urine. The validated calibration range was 0.75–20 ng/mL with a limit of detection of 0.1 ng/mL. The internal standard was d 16 -bisphenol A. Method validation utilized quality control samples at three concentrations in both synthetic urine and human urine. Bisphenol A mono-glucuronide was fortified in synthetic urine in each analytical run to monitor the enzymatic conversion of the glucuronide conjugate to BPA by β-glucuronidase. Validated method parameters included linearity, accuracy, precision, integrity of dilution, selectivity, re-injection reproducibility, recovery/matrix effect, solution stability, and matrix stability in human urine. Acceptance criteria for analytical standards and QCs were ±20% of nominal concentration. Matrix stability in human urine was validated after 24 h at ambient temperature, after three freeze/thaw cycles, and after frozen storage at −20 °C and −80 °C for up to 218 days. The method has been applied to the analysis of over 1750 human urine samples from a biomonitoring study. The median and mean urine BPA concentrations were 2.71 ng/mL and 4.75 ng/mL, respectively.
Outflow of chromospheric emission features from the rim of a sunspot

In viewing a 16 mm movie made from a time sequence of spectroheliograms, some of these emission features are found to move outward from the rim of the sunspot until they are eventually lost in the small plage. There are two interpretations for the streaming of the magnetic features. It is possible that kinks in the line of force propagate along a horizontal extension of the penumbral magnetic field. Alternatively, fragments of the sunspot magnetic field are carried away by the photospheric velocity field.
Emotional arousal and ‘objective’ judgment

This study investigated the effects of emotionally arousing stimuli on later ‘objective’ judgments by using a brief summary of a personal injury case either with or without color slides of the victim. Information contained in such pictures is in principle extraneous to the objective facts in the case, and some courts do bar such material. An assessment was made of the actual effect of such material on judgments. Could subjects ignore it and base their decisions on objective information alone, or would their emotional arousal actually sway their opinions? Results showed that, indeed, even in the context of an objective legal setting, the slides caused a significant effect on judgments.