cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Creating Win-Win Trade Promotions: Theory and Empirical Analysis of Scan-Back Trade Deals

Manufacturer trade promotion spending is second only to cost of goods sold as a profit-and-loss item, yet manufacturers often lose money on these deals as a result of forward-buying by retailers. The search for more effective forms of trade promotion and the availability of scanners at cash registers has led to the emergence of a new type of trade deal-the scan-back-that gives retailers a discount on unitssoldduring the promotion rather than on unitsbought. We develop a theory to compare retailer pricing decisions and profitability under scan-back and traditional off-invoice trade deals. We show that, when the terms of the trade deal are identical, retailers prefer off-invoice trade deals and manufacturers prefer scan-backs. Manufacturers can, however, redesign the scan-back to leave the retailer weakly better off and leave themselves strictly better off. Using proprietary data from the beverage category, we conduct an empirical analysis and find that during the promotion period scan-back trade deals, relative to off-invoice deals: 1 Do not cause excess ordering and 2 generate higher retail sales through lower retail prices. Implications for researchers and managers are discussed.
Transition-State Interactions Revealed in Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase by Binding Isotope Effects

The binding of [5‘-3H]inosine to human purine nucleoside phosphorylase results in an equilibrium binding isotope effect (BIE) of 1.5%, and transition state formation causes an intrinsic KIE of 4.7%. These values reflect atomic vibrational distortions in the 5‘-C−H bonds upon formation of the Michaelis complex and transition state. The degree of atomic distortion for catalysis is compared to that for binding of transition state analogues. Similar radiolabeled forms of the transition-state analogues ImmH and DADMe-ImmH gave large 5‘-3H BIEs of 12.6% and 29.2%, respectively. Greater bond distortions occur upon complex formation with transition-state analogues, supporting weaker distortional forces at the transition state than in the formation of complexes with transition-state analogues.
Status of the SLC Damping Rings

Electron beams of full design energy 1.21 GeV and nearly full design intensity 4×1010 particles/pulse (design 5×1010) have been extracted from the Stanford Linac and successfully stored in the electron damping ring. Beams of less intensity have been extracted from the ring and reinjected into the Linac. The present intensity limits are not thought to be fundamental. The operating experience with the electron ring and the status of the construction of the positron ring will be discussed.
Emotional Resonance, Social Location, and Strategic Framing

Abstract This paper examines a much-neglected and complex area of social movement research, the relationship between emotional resonance, social location, and strategic framing. Through an analysis of the 1960s civil rights movement organization, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, this paper examines two framing attempt outcomes, one that succeeded and one that failed. In doing so, it clarifies (1) the processes through which ideological practices (or practices that emerge from ideology) develop into frames; (2) the importance of emotional resonance to the development of a frame; and (3) the socially located nature of emotional resonance. The paper argues that ideological practices produce varied collective meanings, which are mediated by socially located emotions. Framing collective meanings requires emotional resonance. This lends insight into the emotional dimensions of Snow and Benford's (1988) conceptualization of salience because social location strongly influences emotional resonance a...
The present and future of human factors

In view of the problems facing human factors specialists, how do they feel about the present status of their profession and its future prospects? A small number of highly qualified practitioners were asked their opinions about various questions which have been discussed in two previous articles in this series. In a 1979 survey they agreed that designers rarely solicit human engineering assistance and resist human engineering inputs; that the behavioural research reported in the literature is of relatively little value in system development work; that government does not monitor human engineering in system development very effectively. In a survey performed for this article, specialists were generally optimistic about the future of their discipline but concerned about government funding and job support under the Reagan administration; felt that engineering and public acceptance of human factors is increasing slowly; were ambivalent about any significant improvement in methodology; and considered that the scope of human factors work would expand in the future. The need for human factors should increase in the future and the future looks reasonably promising if specialists learn to deal with a rapidly changing technological environment.
A context-aware reflective middleware framework for distributed real-time and embedded systems

Context-aware reflective middleware (CARM), which supports application reconfiguration, has been an appealing technique for building distributed real-time and embedded (DRE) systems as it can adapt their behaviors to changing environments at run time. However, existing CARM frameworks impose dependence restrictions and reconfiguration overhead, which makes the reconfiguration time of these frameworks too long (normally in the range of seconds or more) to satisfy the stringent real-time requirements of DRE systems. To improve the reconfiguration efficiency for supporting DRE systems, we have designed a new CARM framework - MARCHES (Middleware for Adaptive Robust Collaborations across Heterogeneous Environments and Systems), which offers an original structure of multiple component chains to reduce local behavior change time and a novel synchronization protocol using active messages to reduce distributed behavior synchronization time. MARCHES uses a layered architecture and provides both component-level and system-level reflection to incorporate standard components, a hierarchical event notification model to evaluate contexts, and a lightweight XML-based script language to describe and manage adaptation policies. The MARCHES framework and supported applications have been implemented on PC and PDA platforms. Based on a novel theoretical model, we have analyzed the reconfiguration efficiency of MARCHES and compared it with those of peer CARM frameworks: MobiPADS and CARISMA. Quantitative empirical results show that the reconfiguration time of MARCHES is reduced from seconds to hundreds of microseconds. Evaluations demonstrate that MARCHES is robust, scalable and generates a small memory footprint, which makes it suitable for supporting DRE systems.
Fresh Thickets of Trouble: Unresolved Ethical Issues of Research in the Urban Public Domain, a Commentary

THE ARTICLES REVIEWED here revisit old quandaries of anthropological research—the terms and conditions of access, protocols of confidentiality, routine (if inadvertent) betrayals of informants, complicity in embedding structures of power, and ambiguities of reciprocity—hand explore new variations of these and other problems. Informed consent raises distinctive problems in field settings not adequately addressed by IRB prescriptions or conventional tradecraft. Informants who read, figure in and sometimes collaborate on ethnographies introduce further complexities. The applicability of shield laws to field notes ought to be investigated. Ethnographic findings themselves remain vulnerable to misuse that only vigilance and engaged response can hope to counter.
Factor Xa induces tissue factor expression in endothelial cells by P44/42 MAPK and NF-κB-dependent pathways.

Background Tissue factor (TF) is an initiator of coagulation. The serine protease factor Xa (FXa) is the convergence point of the extrinsic and intrinsic components of the coagulation cascade. In addition to its hemostatic function, FXa elicits inflammatory responses in endothelial cells that may be important in surgical procedures in which inflammation is triggered. This study tested the hypothesis that FXa can up-regulate TF on vascular endothelial cells by a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)- and NF-κB-dependent pathway. Methods and Results Incubation of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with FXa increased TF protein expression and activity in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-incubation of HUVECs with the serine protease inhibitor antithrombin, which targets not only thrombin but also FXa and FIXa, inhibited FXa-induced TF expression, but the selective thrombin inhibitor hirudin did not inhibit FXa-induced TF expression, ruling out a thrombin-mediated pathway. After 10 min incubation with HUVECs, FXa rapidly induced P44/42 MAPK activation (immunoblotting of phosphorylated P44/42 MAPK) with a peak at 30 min. The MEK 1/2 inhibitor PD98059 partially reduced FXa-induced TF expression and activity (3.82 ± 0.11 vs 6.54 ± 0.08 fmol/min/cm 2 , P versus 6.54 ± 0.08 fmol/min/cm 2 , P Conclusions (1) FXa up-regulates TF protein expression and activity in HUVECs, (2) FXa-induced up-regulation of TF is independent of the thrombin-PAR1 pathway, and (3) the MAPK and NF-κB pathways, but not PI3 kinase pathway, are involved in FXa-induced TF expression on human umbilical endothelial cells. FXa may be a feed-forward alternative mechanism of activating TF expression and activity, thereby increasing a procoagulant state or inflammation. This mechanism may be important in the pro-inflammatory state initiated by cardiac surgical procedures.
Missile-tracking algorithm using target-adapted spatiotemporal wavelets

This paper presents new results on the tracking of ballistic missiles warheads using spatio-temporal wavelets. Here we focus our attention on handling more general classes of motion, such as acceleration. To accomplish this task the spatio-temporal wavelet transform is adapted to the motion parameters on a frame-by-frame basis. Three different energy densities, associated with velocity, location, and size, have been defined to determine motion parameters. We pointed out that maximizing these energy densities is equivalent to a minimum squared error estimation. Tracking results on synthetically generated image sequences demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed algorithm.
Television Viewing and Risk of Sexual Initiation by Young Adolescents

Objective To determine if television viewing is associated with the risk of initiating sexual intercourse in young adolescents. Design Secondary analysis of data obtained from 1994 through 1996. Setting The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Participants The 4808 students younger than 16 years who had not initiated intercourse before baseline interview. Exposures Primary exposure was self-reported daily television watching, categorized as low ( Main Outcome Measure Odds ratio for initiating intercourse by 1-year follow-up, adjusted for potential confounders. Results At baseline, 2414 (48.8%) subjects watched television 2 or more hours per day. By 1-year follow-up, 791 (15.6%) subjects had initiated intercourse. Sexual initiation was associated with high television use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.79) and lack of parental regulation of television programming (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.80). Most subjects (73.8%) reported strong parental disapproval of sex; their overall rate of initiation was 12.5%, and their risk was independently associated with high television use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-2.40) and lack of parental regulation of television programming (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.81). Among adolescents who did not report strong parental disapproval, the rate of sexual initiation was higher (24.1%) but unrelated to television use. Conclusion Among young adolescents who reported strong parental disapproval of sex, watching television 2 or more hours per day and lack of parental regulation of television programming were each associated with increased risk of initiating sexual intercourse within a year.
Whom Does Service Learning Really Serve? Community-Based Organizations' Perspectives on Service Learning

One of the major selling points of service-learning courses is their potential to mutually benefit communities, universities, and students. Although a great deal of research reports numerous pedagogical and personal benefits for students—from improved grades and increased civic engagement to increased understanding and appreciation of diversity—there is relatively little research on the impact of service learning on the community. To understand when and how service-learning courses benefit the community, we conducted in-depth interviews with representatives of local community-based organizations that have worked with service learners. We report on the primary benefits and costs associated with service-learning courses. We identify three types of obstacles to successful service-learning courses: issues related to student conduct, poor fit between course and organizational objectives, and lack of communication between instructors and organizations. We develop practical guidelines for addressing these obstac...
TU‐C‐BRA‐02: Radiotherapy Plan Integrity Verification with Dynamic Pinnacle Scripts

Purposes: The purpose of this study was to automate elements of the quality control (QC) necessary for IMRT plan generation process. Physicists often review all dosimetrist‐generatedIMRT plans prior to physician approval with the aim of detecting sub‐optimal or technically undeliverable plans. We report here an automated suite of QC tools designed to carry out a majority of these laborious physics verification tasks efficiently and accurately within the Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS). Method: The IMRT plan integrity verification tool is implemented as a combination of Pinnacle scripting routines and Perl programs which collect/derive the plan data, compare the data against pre‐defined physical and dosimetric rules, and report the results of the logical comparisons to the user. Important technical details include (a) a unique Perl program library which has been created to allow easier processing of Pinnacle data and (b) a dynamic script generation method which was developed to allow features and flexibilities of Perl programming for plan data processing inside Pinnacle. This QC tool is able to check many rules in the categories of patient setup, contouring, beams, dose calculation, IMRT optimization and dose distribution. Results and conclusion: This tool has been in routine clinical use for several months, and initial results have shown that it improves both the efficiency and accuracy of physicists and dosimetrists, virtually eliminating some errors commonly encountered prior to the tools introduction. While this technique cannot be extended to all elements of the IMRT QC process, it has been adapted to include elements such as IMRT objective conflict analysis and IMRT cost function ranking which would be time‐consuming, if not impossible, for a human to manually verify. Further, the dynamic Pinnacle script method which facilitated the IMRT QC could also be expanded to other radiotherapy QC including 2D, 3D conformal, and brachytherapy planning.
Neurohumoral and endocrine control of feeding.

Abstract (1) Centrally acting substances which have been found to facilitate feeding are norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine, endorphins and benzodiazepine receptor ligands. (2) Those which have been found to inhibit feeding include norepinephrine, acetylcholine, serotonin, GABA, glycine, alanine, glutamine and several polypeptides which have recently been found to reside in the brain. (3) The specific behavioral functions of these various factors have not been identified. (4) The major endocrine effects on feeding are generally a facilitation of food intake by anabolic hormones and a reduction of food intake by catabolic hormones. (5) Whether central neurohumoral feeding effects are controlled by endocrine changes is not known except for the fact that norepinephrine-induced feeding requires an intact pituitary. (6) Hypothalamic lesions which modify feeding may operate partially through hormonal changes. For example, medial hypothalamic lesions may induce overeating via hyperinsulinemia, and part of the aphagia produced by lateral hypothalamic lesions may be a shift in body metabolism to catabolic endocrine patterns. (7) Appetite disorders such as ‘anorexia nervosa’ and the Kleine-Levin syndrome may be precipitated by imbalanced activity in medial and lateral hypothalamic circuitry which may result from aberrent sensitivities to sex steroids. (8) The extensive empirical findings in this area have not yet led to a coherent theory.
How Radiation Oncologists Evaluate and Incorporate Life Expectancy Estimates Into the Palliative Treatment of Cancer Patients: A Survey-Based Study

Purpose/Objective(s): Fatigue is frequently experienced in patients with brain metastases (BM) and can impair quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study is to examine the change in fatigue scores over time in patients receiving whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) with different assessment tools. Materials/Methods: QOL scores were prospectively collected in patients with BM treated with WBRT. Items relating to fatigue in the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS), Brain Symptom and Impact Questionnaire (BASIQ), Spitzer Questionnaire, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), EORTC brain module (EORTC QLQ-BN20+2), EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT-G) were included this study. Questionnaires were organized and analyzed based on scales used: 0-10, 1-4, and 0-4 at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 months follow-up. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to determine whether fatigue scores changed over time compared to baseline prior to WBRT. Results: Three hundred seventy-one patients with follow-up data were available for analysis. Three hundred nine patients completed at least one follow-up using a questionnaire with a scale of 1-4 (Spitzer, PAL15, BN20+2, QLQ-C30) and 0-4 (FACT-G). The median KPS was 80 and median age was 64 years. There was significant fatigue score increases at months 1 and 2 compared to baseline fatigue score (p < 0.0001, p Z 0.0008), respectively. No significant increase (p Z 0.13) was detected at month 3. There was an increase in fatigue score in patients without dexamethasone (Dx) at month 1 (p Z 0.015) but no differences were observed in subsequent follow-ups. Sixty-two patients completed at least one follow-up using a questionnaire with a scale of 0-10 (ESAS, BASIQ). The median KPS was 70 and median age was 64 years. There was fatigue score increases at month 1 compared to baseline (p Z 0.009). Other two months had no significant changes. There was no difference on fatigue changes between patients with and without Dx treatment (p Z 0.2). Conclusions: There was an increase in fatigue in the first two months following WBRT, but no difference in fatigue scores between patients treated with and without Dx in majority of patients. Fatigue is an important symptom outcome that needs to be addressed in patients treated with WBRT. Author Disclosure: L. Khan: None. M. Tsao: None. N. Pulenzas: None. L. Zhang: None. N. Thavarajah: None. B. Lechner: None. E. Barnes: None. C. Danjoux: None. E. Chow: None.
Structural Requirements of Heparin Binding to Chlamydia trachomatis

Heparin is a functional and structural analog of the Chlamydia trachomatis heparan sulfate-like attachment ligand that mediates infectivity by bridging chlamydiae to eukaryotic cells. The binding of heparin to the Chlamydia organism's surface was characterized by a direct binding assay. Although for two C. trachomatis biovars the binding by heparin was saturable, trachoma biovar organisms bound twice the amount of heparin than lymphogranuloma venereum biovar organisms. To prove the structural nature of the heparan sulfate-like ligand interactions, a range of heparin-derived oligosaccharides and sulfation-modified species of heparin were compared for their ability to compete with [3H]heparin for binding to chlamydial organisms and for inhibition of chlamydial attachment and infection of eukaryotic host cells. The assays revealed that a decasaccharide was the minimal chain length required to effectively bind C. trachomatis organisms, compete with the host cell receptor and rescue infectivity. In addition, a moderately sulfated adhesin analog, N-desulfated, N-acetylated heparin, was able to compete with chlamydial organisms for host cell receptors, whereas this derivative could not compete with [3H]heparin for binding to chlamydial organisms. These results indicate that the specificity of the eukaryotic cell receptor and the chlamydial surface acceptor differ in their fine-structure requirements of ligand binding, and that the size and sulfation density of the heparan sulfate-like ligand each contribute to its ability to bind and bridge chlamydiae to eukaryotic cells.
Immunoreactivity of MIC2 (CD99) in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Related Diseases

MIC2 is characteristically expressed in lymphoblastic lesions and Ewing's/primitive neuroectodermal tumor sarcomas. Although MIC2 has recently been reported in chloroma and rare terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-positive acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the incidence and the significance of MIC2 (CD99) immunoreactivity in myeloid lesions is not clear. In this study, we evaluated MIC2 positivity in a variety of myeloid diseases and normal marrow to determine its incidence and distribution in myeloid diseases; its correlation with flow cytometric and cytogenetic data in AML; and its association with leukemic transformation, relapse, and chloroma formation. Paraffin sections of 11 chloromas and 94 bone marrow core biopsies from 66 patients were stained with CD99 monoclonal antibody 12E7. Of 94 bone marrow core biopsies, there were 30 AML (fragment antigen binding M0 to M6), 23 remissions, 5 relapses, 12 myeloproliferative disorders, 13 myelodysplastic syndromes, and 11 normal marrows from patients who did not have leukemia. CD99 immunoreactivity was evaluated with light microscopy. MIC2 expression was seen in leukemic blasts in 6 of 11 chloromas (55%) and 13 of 30 AML (43%) but rarely in myeloproliferative disorders, myelodysplastic syndromes, remission, and normal marrow. CD99 tended to be positive in M1-, M3-, and HLA-Dr-negative AML and negative in AML with relapse. MIC2 expression did not correlate with the karyotype independent of French-American-British Cooperative Group classification and the disease remission or occurrence of chloroma in AML. We concluded that MIC2 is commonly expressed in leukemic blasts of AML and is not predictive of leukemic transformation from myeloproliferative disorders and myelodysplastic syndromes or chloroma formation. Caution should be taken when using MIC2 as a marker for Ewing's sarcoma/ primitive neuroectodermal tumor or lymphoblastic lymphoma on paraffin sections of either soft tissue or bone marrow specimens.
Persistent elderly poverty in rural Appalachia

This article focuses on the persistence of poverty among the elderly of rural Appalachia. A case study of current poverty levels in the 49 counties of Appalachian eastern Kentucky indicates continu...
Proteomic tools for quantitation by mass spectrometry.

I. Introduction 182 II. Relative Quantitation 184 A. 2-D Gel Electrophoresis 184 B. Metabolic Isotopic Labeling 185 1. 15N 185 2. 13C Enrichment and Depletion 185 3. Select Isotopic Amino Acid Incorporation 186 C. Chemical Labeling 186 1. Labeling During Proteolysis: 18O Incorporation During Enzymatic Cleavage 186 2. Isotopic Tags—Isotope-Codes Affinity Tag Reagents (ICAT) 187 3. Isotopic Tags—Acid-Labile Isotope-Coded Extractants (ALICE) 188 4. Lysine-Specific Labeling 189 5. Phosphoserine- and Phosphothreonine-Specific Labeling 189 6. N-Terminus Labeling 189 a. Nicotinyl-N-hyxroxysuccinimide 189 b. Acylation 189 c. Amidination-quantitation using enhanced signal tags (QUEST) 190 d. C-terminusu labeling 190 D. Differential Mass Mapping 190 III. Absolute Quantitation 191 IV. Choice of Instrumentation 191 V. Overview, Discussion, and Future Directions 191 References 192 Techniques for the quantitation of proteins and peptides by mass spectrometry (MS) are reviewed. A range of labeling processes is discussed, including metabolic, enzymatic, and chemical labeling, and techniques that can be employed for comparative and absolute quantitation are presented. Advantages and drawbacks of the techniques are discussed, and suggestions for the appropriate uses of the methodologies are explained. Overall, the metabolic incorporation of isotopic labels provides the most accurate labeling strategy, and is most useful when an internal standard for comparative quantitation is needed. However, that technique is limited to research that uses cultured cells. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 22:182–194, 2003; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mas.10048
Influence of Size, Loss of Tail, and Burst Speed on Risk of Predation in the Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)

We investigated the importance of size, loss of tail, and running speed of banded geckos (Coleonyx variegatus) in encounters with a predatory snake (Hypsiglena chlorophaea) in experimental arenas. We discovered, contrary to previously reported results and our own hypotheses based on observations in the field, that none of these factors influenced risk of predation, and that autotomy was not used commonly as a tactic to escape predators. Based on these results and observed behavior during predation trials, we question whether tail autotomy in this species is an effective anti-predator adaptation.
Lumbar transplant of neurons genetically modified to secrete brain-derived neurotrophic factor attenuates allodynia and hyperalgesia after sciatic nerve constriction

Chronic delivery of anti-nociceptive molecules by means of cell grafts near the pain processing centers of the spinal cord is a newly developing technique for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The rat neuronal cell line, RN33B, derived from E13 rat brainstem raphe and immortalized with the SV40 temperature-sensitive allele of large T antigen (tsTag), was transfected with rat brain-derived neurotrophic factor cDNA (BDNF), and the BDNF-synthesizing cell line, 33BDNF.4, was isolated. The 33BDNF.4 cells synthesized mature BDNF protein at permissive temperature (33 degrees C), when the cells were proliferating, and during differentiation at non-permissive temperature (39 degrees C) in vitro. The bio-active BDNF protein was also secreted by the cells during both growth conditions, as measured by ELISA analysis of BDNF content and secretion. The bio-activity of the BDNF in 33BDNF.4 cell conditioned media was assessed by neurite outgrowth from E15 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cultures. A control cell line, 33V1, transfected with the vector alone, did not synthesize or secrete any significant BDNF at either growth condition. Both cell lines were used as grafts in a model of chronic neuropathic pain induced by unilateral chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Pain-related behaviors, including cold and tactile allodynia and thermal and tactile hyperalgesia, were evaluated after CCI in the affected hindpaw. When 33BDNF.4 and 33V1 cells were transplanted in the lumbar subarachnoid space of the spinal cord 1 week after CCI, they survived greater than 7 weeks on the pia mater around the spinal cord and the 33BDNF.4 cells continued to synthesize BDNF in vivo. Furthermore, the tactile and cold allodynia and tactile and thermal hyperalgesia induced by CCI was significantly reduced during the 2-7 week period after grafts of 33BDNF.4 cells. The maximal effect on chronic pain behaviors with the BDNF grafts occurred 2-3 weeks after transplant and the anti-nociceptive effects of the BDNF cell grafts was permanent. Transplants of the control 33V1 cells had no effect on the allodynia and hyperalgesia induced by CCI and these cells did not synthesize BDNF in vivo. These data suggest that a chronically applied, low local dose of BDNF supplied by transplanted cells near the spinal dorsal horn was able to reverse the development of chronic neuropathic pain following CCI. The use of neural cell lines that are able to deliver anti-nociceptive molecules, such as BDNF, in a model of chronic pain offers a novel approach to pain management and such 'biologic minipumps' can be developed for safe use in humans.
The long-haul low-cost carrier: A unique business model

While many industries reach a point of maturation, the airline industry is evolving to incorporate flexible strategies for business models that adapt to the changing economic environment. New business opportunities have emerged as a result of a variety of internal and external forces. This paper discusses opportunities for long-haul low-cost airlines by looking at the evolution of the model and defining three types of new business models.
Theory of chirped gratings in broad band filters

Abstract Closed form expressions for the reflection of light in a dielectric waveguide incident on a grating with a nonlinear chirp are presented. The method is based on a direct integration of the coupled mode equations using the method of stationary phase.
Real-time assessment of value-at-risk and volatility accuracy

Abstract An important question for corporate finance officers is whether risk assessments, such as Value at Risk (VaR), are currently accurate. In contrast to past research on assessing the accuracy of VaR, volatility, and related density estimates, which has focused on backtesting using large samples of fixed size, we develop a class of sequential testing tools for on-line, real-time assessment, based on time windows that vary adaptively with the data. The VaR is determined by a single point of the estimated distribution of the portfolio “gain” and may be positive (profit) or negative (loss). Previous literature has dichotomically tested the sequence of VaR forecasts or the sequence of estimated distributions. A pure test is obtained by converting each observed gain into a binary value indicating whether it was covered by the corresponding VaR forecast or not. A more powerful test results from using the entire distribution, by transforming the observed gain to a random variable that has a known distribution when the forecast is accurate. This, however, also detects errors unrelated to the accuracy of estimating VaR and other measures of risk. We propose an adjustable, continuous compromise between detection power and purity , where “power” refers to quick detection of systematic bias and “purity” refers to insensitivity to errors not relevant to VaR estimation accuracy. Previous approaches focused on either extreme of this continuum. However, we point out that there are few practical situations for which the choice of either extreme would be optimal. Instead, we suggest a compromise that would be much better and very useful in most practical applications.
Sorption of Viruses during Flow through Saturated Sand Columns

Viruses pathogenic to humans have been found in wells and drinking water due to the improper placement of wastewater disposal operations (e.g., septic tanks, wastewater infiltration basins) and ina...
Robotics in Nuclear Materials Processing at LANL: Capabilities and Needs

Nuclear material processing operations present numerous challenges for effective automation. Confined spaces, hazardous materials and processes, particulate contamination, radiation sources, and corrosive chemical operations are but a few of the significant hazards. However, automated systems represent a significant safety advance when deployed in place of manual tasks performed by human workers. The replacement of manual operations with automated systems has been desirable for nearly 40 years, yet only recently are automated systems becoming increasingly common for nuclear materials handling applications. This paper reviews several automation systems which are deployed or about to be deployed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for nuclear material handling operations. The needs that resulted in the development of these systems can be found throughout the nuclear industry. Highlighted are the current social and technological challenges faced in deploying automated systems into hazardous material handling environments and the opportunities for future innovations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
The synthesis of some phenothiazinyl ketones and their derivatives

The synthesis of a number of 2-chloro-8-acylphenothiazines via the Friedel-Crafts reaction has been reported. A series of dialkylaminoalkyl ketones have been derived from 2-chloroacetyl- and 2-chloro-8-chloroacetylphenothiazines. A number of dialkylaminoalkyl esters of 2-phenothiazinecarboxylic acid have also been synthesized.
A Woman on the Hill: A Front-Row Seat to Women's Impact in Congress

It was May 2012, and we heard rumblings about a Senate vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill long-sponsored by my boss, Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), that would end pay secrecy, strengthen workers' ability to challenge discrimination, and bring equal pay law into line with other civil rights laws. As the lead sponsor in the House of Representatives, the congresswoman immediately mobilized her staff and advocates to ensure that we did all we could to highlight the importance of the legislation, secure the strongest Senate support possible, and—assuming it would not pass in the current political climate—protect the integrity of the legislation for future Congresses and eventual passage. That is where I came in.
Fate of lower Mississippi river habitats associated with river training dikes

1 Regions of reduced velocity adjacent to spur dikes along the Lower Mississippi River are valuable aquatic habitats. Similar zones along other large rivers have been converted to terrestrial habitats by sediment deposition. 2 Repetitive hydrographic surveys of 26 representative groups of dikes are examined to determine the direction and rates of change. 3 Since the dikes were constructed, the aquatic volume and area of associated low-velocity habitats have been reduced by 38% and 17%, respectively. Examination of time series shows that most changes occur shortly after construction, and after initial adjustment, habitat area and volume fluctuate about a condition of dynamic equilibrium. 4 Sedimentation rates were most rapid for dike fields constructed on the inside of bends to prevent chute development. Dike fields built to force or maintain thalweg crossings exhibited erosion rather than deposition.
Effect of low temperature irradiation on the mechanical properties of ternary V–Cr–Ti alloys as determined by tensile tests and shear punch tests

Abstract Tensile tests and shear punch tests were performed on a variety of vanadium alloys that were irradiated in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at temperatures between 200°C and 300°C to doses between 3 and 5 dpa. Tests were performed at room temperature and the irradiation temperature. The results of both the tensile tests and the shear punch tests show that following low temperature irradiation, the yield strength (YS) increased by a factor of 3–4 while the ultimate strength increased by a factor of approximately 3. Uniform elongation (UE) and tensile reduction in area show that the ductility diminishes following irradiation. The correlation between uniaxial ultimate strength and effective shear maximum strength was in excellent agreement with previous studies on other materials. Using the room temperature test data, the correlation between uniaxial YS and effective shear YS was in excellent agreement with previous studies on other materials.
Electro-Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Silicon Carbide

In an effort to improve the silicon carbide (SiC) substrate surface, a new electro-chemical mechanical polishing (ECMP) technique was developed. This work focused on the Si-terminated 4H-SiC (0001) substrates cut 8° off-axis toward 〈1120〉. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) were used as the electrolytes while using colloidal silica slurry as the polishing medium for removal of the oxide. The current density during the polishing was varied from 10 µA/cm2 to over 20 mA/cm2. Even though a high polishing rate can be achieved using high current density, the oxidation rate and the oxide removal rate need to be properly balanced to get a smooth surface after polishing. A two-step ECMP process was developed, which allows us to separately control the anodic oxidation and removal of formed oxide. The optimum surface can be achieved by properly controlling the anodic oxidation current as well as the polishing rate. At higher current flow (>20 mA/cm2), the final surface was rough, whereas a smoother surface was obtained when the current density was in the vicinity of 1 mA/cm2. The surface morphology of the as-received wafer, fine diamond slurry (0.1 µm) polished wafer, and EMCP polished wafer were studied by high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Orientation dependent oxygen exchange kinetics on single crystal SrTiO3 surfaces

The perovskite SrTiO3 is arguably one of the most important oxide systems in condensed matter research. In this study, we report measurement of the orientation dependence of oxygen exchange on SrTiO3 single crystal surfaces by dynamic conductivity measurements under electrochemical perturbations. Activation energy for electrical conduction in the 923–1223 K range at an oxygen partial pressure of ∼10−11 Pa of (100), (111), and (110) single crystals was found to be 2.6 eV, 2.7 eV, and 3.1 eV, respectively. The equilibration kinetics show profound dependence on the surface orientation and are modelled using a heterogeneous relaxation process. All surfaces show similar cationic sub-lattice limited rate behavior with (111), (100), and (110) having the fastest, intermediate, and slowest rates, respectively. We discuss the orientation dependence and its relation to local atomic structure in light of previous experimental and theoretical studies.
The changing neighborhood contexts of the immigrant metropolis

To understand the impacts of large-scale immigration on neighborhood contexts, we employ locational-attainment models, in which two characteristics of a neighborhood, its average household income and the majority group's percentage among its residents, are taken as the dependent variables and a number of individual and household characteristics, such as race/ethnicity and household composition, form the vector of independent variables. Models are estimated separately for major racial/ethnic populations - whites, blacks, Asians, and Latinos - in five different metropolitan regions of immigrant concentration - Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco. In the cross section, thefindings largely uphold the well-known model of spatial assimilation, in that socioeconomic status, assimilation level, and suburban residence are all strongly linked to residence in neighborhoods displaying greater affluence and with a greater number of non-Hispanic whites. Yet when the results are considered longitudinally, by comparing them with previously estimated models for 1980, the consistency with spatial-assimilation theory is no longer so striking. The impact of immigration is evident in the changing racial/ethnic composition of the neighborhoods of all groups, but especially for those where Asians and Latinos reside.
Mediastinal seminoma with florid follicular lymphoid hyperplasia: a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study of six cases

Seminomas are unusual primary tumors of the anterior mediastinum. Morphologically, they are indistinguishable from their testicular counterparts; however, in the mediastinum, the occurrence of secondary changes such as cyst formation is not uncommon. We now describe six cases associated with florid follicular hyperplasia. The patients were male with an age range from 24 to 31 years. Clinically, symptoms included cough, dyspnea, and chest pain. Anterior mediastinal masses were detected on imaging and all patients underwent thymectomy. Macroscopically, all tumors had a fleshy, lobulated cut surface. Histologically, the tumors were composed of round to polygonal cells with indistinct cell borders, clear cytoplasm, and prominent nucleoli. Striking follicular hyperplasia was evident in all cases to a degree whereby the tumor component was nearly obscured. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that the germinal centers were largely composed of B lymphocytes, and T cells were the predominant component of the interfollicular areas. Scattered Langerhans cells were noted in between tumor cells, and dendritic cells were seen in the mantle zones. All cases failed to show light chain restriction. Follow-up showed that five patients were alive and well 1–5 years after diagnosis, while one was lost to follow-up. Thymic seminomas can be associated with striking lymphoid follicular hyperplasia, likely as a response to specific tumor antigens. Familiarity with this variant of thymic seminoma is important in order not to misdiagnose these cases for reactive conditions or other tumors such as lymphoproliferative neoplasms which may require a different treatment approach.
COCOON: creator of concurrent object-oriented systems

The software engineering techniques of reuse, encapsulation and information hiding are increasingly being employed in the construction of large, concurrent software systems. Simultaneously, hardware platforms continue to increase in sophistication, particularly in the area of concurrency. Thus, systems engineers are confronted with the problem of bridging the gap between (1) large computer-based software systems composed of tasks and ADTs/objects and (2) parallel and distributed computer platforms. Thus, this paper describes the COCOON (Creator Of Concurrent Object-OrieNted Systems) toolset. COCOON bridges the gap between object-oriented Ada software and distributed architectures. It partitions tasks, packages and subprograms, and assigns partitions to physical processors. The toolset automatically produces a distribution specification.
Making Anarchy Work: International Legal Institutions and Trade Cooperation

Do international institutions matter? If so, why? International relations theory offers three broad answers to these questions. First, institutions do not matter because the international system is anarchic. Second, institutions matter because they supplant anarchy with hierarchy. Third, institutions matter because they remedy market failures that impede cooperation under anarchy. I evaluate these rival claims by examining the impact of international dispute settlement mechanisms (DSMs) on preferential trade liberalization. I find that, although the existence of dispute settlement panels promotes trade liberalization, more legalistic DSM features do not. This suggests that, while institutions matter, they do not formally constrain states. Rather, they promote cooperation by facilitating government' reciprocal strategies and raising the reputational costs of noncompliance. In other words, institutions do not change the anarchic nature of international politics but rather make the anarchic system work better.
A general approach of damping torsional resonance modes in multi-megawatt applications

In large drive applications load-commutated inverters (LCIs) are one of the most used technologies, mainly because of their excellent reliability records. However, LCIs are known to generate interharmonics. They can interact with the mechanical system at torsional natural torsional frequencies of the rotating train, both on the inverter and on rectifier side in weakly connected power systems, such as offshore oil and gas platforms. These interactions can lead to accelerated shaft fatigue, lifetime reduction, gear damage and system blackouts.
Toxicity for Dogs of a Bactericidal Substance Derived from a Soil Bacillus

SummaryA study has been made of the toxicity for dogs of a protein-free preparation of the bactericidal substance described by Dubos when injected by the intravenous route. Seven of the 8 animals which received 0.4 mg/kg or more daily died as a result of the injections, and in 6 of these death occurred before the course of 10 daily injections was completed. All animals receiving 0.3 mg/kg or more snowed well-marked acute or chronic changes in the liver, spleen, kidneys, heart and lungs. Animals which received daily 0.2 mg/kg or less for 10 days showed only minor evidence of toxicity.
Genetic Analysis of the Mechanisms Controlling Target Selection: Complementary and Combinatorial Functions of Netrins, Semaphorins, and IgCAMs

The molecular mechanisms controlling the ability of motor axons to recognize their appropriate muscle targets were dissected using Drosophila genetics to add or subtract Netrin A, Netrin B, Semaphorin II, and Fasciclin II alone or in combination. Fas II and Sema II are expressed by all muscles where they promote (Fas II) or inhibit (Sema II) promiscuous synaptogenesis. NetB is expressed by a subset of muscles where it attracts some axons and repels others. However, growth cones in this system apparently do not rely solely on single molecular labels on individual targets. Rather, these growth cones assess the relative balance of attractive and repulsive forces and select their targets based on the combinatorial and simultaneous input of multiple cues.
Maximum likelihood combining for MC-CDMA

This paper proposes a novel maximum likelihood combining (MLC) scheme for MC-CDMA systems. Currently, minimized mean square error combining (MMSEC) is widely considered the best combining scheme for MC-CDMA. The MLC proposed in this paper is optimal from the standpoint of minimizing the probability of error performance. It is shown that MLC is very close to MMSEC in a fully loaded system, justifying the selection of MMSEC over other combining schemes. Moreover, when the load is small (as measured by number of users), MLC is shown to outperform MMSEC (and, other combining schemes).
Seismic wave resonances in 3-D sedimentary basins

SUMMARY The resonant eigenfrequencies of three-dimensional models of sedimentary basins are calculated through the use of high-frequency asymptotics. The results are valid for the areas near the geometrical centre of the basin, where the thickness of sediments is greatest. By analogy with the theory of electromagnetic resonators it is shown that the modes of oscillation of trapped seismic waves can be easily computed from simple formulas that relate the geometry of the basin to the type of resonant mode and to the eigenfrequencies. All results are approximations based on WKB solutions to the wave equation whose phase function satisfy resonant or ‘quantum’ conditions inside the basin. Comparison with published numerical data indicates that the analytical approach here described .may be of more general application than the empirical formulations that have been proposed previously for two-dimensional basins.
Smooth and continuous human gait phase detection based on foot pressure patterns

Measurement of ground contact forces (GCF) provides necessary information to detect human gait phases. In this paper, a new analysis method of the GCF signals is discussed for detection of the gait phases. Human gaits are complicated, and the gait phases can not be exactly distinguished by comparing sensor outputs to a threshold. This paper mainly discusses how to detect the gait phases continuously and smoothly. The proposed analysis method is intended for applications to power assistive devices for patients, as well as diagnostics of pathological gait. Smooth and continuous detection of the gait phases enables a full use of information obtained from GCF sensors. For experimental verification, smart shoes have been developed. Each smart shoe has four GCF sensors embedded between the cushion pad and the sole. The performances are experimentally verified for both normal and abnormal gaits, and a means for quantification of abnormalities in the gait is also introduced in this paper.