cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tax evasion and optimal commodity taxation

Abstract This paper incorporates tax evasion into Ramsey's optimal taxation problem. It provides (i) a precise and intuitive characterization of the tradeoff between optimal tax rates and audit probabilities, and (ii) a modified version of the ‘Ramsey equation’. It also proves that in the presence of tax evasion: (a) the well-known requirement of ‘proportional reduction in compensated demands’, (b) the traditional result on the optimality of uniform taxation when income is exogenous, and (c) the equivalence of wage and uniform commodity taxes are no longer valid.
A rapid, direct assay to measure degranulation of primary granules in neutrophils from kidney of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, 1820)

A direct, rapid, quantitative colorimetric assay to determine neutrophil primary granule degranulation was adapted for use with fathead minnow kidney neutrophils. The assay measures the exocytosis of myeloperoxidase (MPO) using 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine as a substrate. The assay was validated by comparing the total myeloperoxidase content of neutrophil populations obtained from adult cattle, as a known positive, and fish; evaluating the effects of calcium ionophore (CaI), phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), aqueous solution of beta-glucan (MGAQ) and zymosan (Z) with and without cytochalasin B (cyto B) as stimulants of degranulation; determining the kinetics of primary granule exocytosis and detecting changes in degranulation when fish were exposed to stress and anaesthesia with MS-222. The MPO assay detected MPO activity in fathead minnow neutrophils that correlated to neutrophil numbers, confirmed that degranulation was increased when CaI was used compared to other stimulants, determined degranulation peak at 60 min and confirmed decreased degranulation after exposure to handling and crowding stress, with and without MS-222. Therefore, the MPO assay is capable of detecting important differences that may occur in degranulation of fathead minnow kidney neutrophil primary granules and in total neutrophil myeloperoxidase content.
uPA and uPAR shRNA inhibit angiogenesis via enhanced secretion of SVEGFR1 independent of GM-CSF but dependent on TIMP-1 in endothelial and glioblastoma cells

The uPA/uPAR system is known to play a critical role in angiogenesis of glioblastoma. Previously, we have shown that shRNA against uPA and uPAR attenuates angiogenesis by blocking nuclear translocation of angiogenin, inhibition of angiopoietin/Tie2 signaling, and regulating several other pro-angiogenic, angiostatic and anti-angiogenic molecules. Further analysis revealed that GM-CSF, a pleiotropic cytokine, was significantly inhibited in U87MG and 4910 co-cultures with endothelial cells transfected with shRNA against uPA and uPAR. The role of the uPA/uPAR system in this process is not completely understood. Analysis of tumor conditioned medium of U87MG, 4910 and HMECs transfected with shRNA against uPA or uPAR alone or in combination (pU2) revealed inhibition of GM-CSF-enhanced secretion of SVEGFR1 as shown by Western blotting and ELISA. Moreover, phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT5, the downstream effectors of GM-CSF signaling, was also inhibited in all three cell lines. Phosphorylation at Tyr 166 position of the GM-CSFRβ subunit, the signal activating subunit of the GM-CSF receptor, was inhibited in HMEC, U87MG and 4910 cells. Further analysis revealed that shRNA against uPA and/or uPAR increased secretion of TIMP-1, which is known to enhance SVEGFR1 secretion in endothelial cells. Moreover, addition of purified uPA (with and without GM-CSF) activated JAK2/STAT5 signaling in HMEC. Exogenous addition of SVEGFR1 to pU2 tumor conditioned medium enhanced inhibition of VEGF-induced endothelial capillary tube formation as assessed by an in vitro angiogenesis assay. To determine the significance of these events in vivo, nude mice with pre-established tumors treated with shRNA against uPA and/or uPAR showed decreased levels of GM-CSF and increased levels of SVEGFR1 and TIMP-1 when compared with controls. Enhanced secretion of SVEGFR1 by puPA, puPAR and pU2 in endothelial and GBM cells was mediated indirectly by MMP-7 and augmented by ectodomain shedding of VEGFr1 by tyrosine phosphorylation at the 1213 position. Taken together, these results suggest that the uPA/uPAR system could prove beneficial as an indirect target for inhibition of angiogenesis in glioblastoma.
Methods for Tabulating Indices of Child Well-Being and Context: An Illustration and Comparison of Performance in 13 American States

The purpose of child well-being indices is to distill large amounts of data on children in ways that can be easily communicated to and used by policy makers and the public. Several major methods for creating indices exist: (1) a standard score method that assesses differences across geographic areas, (2) a micro-data tally method that assesses the number of problems children have, and (3) an average percentage change method that assesses change from year to year (compared either to a base year or a “model” year). We review each type of index and discuss some cross-cutting issues, including the use of micro- versus macro-data, the measurement of absolute versus relative levels of well-being, and the constructs of well-being and context. We then use data from a single source, the National Survey of America’s Families, to demonstrate the usage of indices, comparing the relative performance of 13 American states. We find that states tend to be ranked similarly with regard to well-being and to the combination of well-being and context, regardless of whether one is examining the average concentration of problems per child, relative status of children across states, or change over time. We find that the states with relatively lower levels of well-being, as well as states whose children have the highest average number of problems, tend to show the greatest improvement over time in well-being. We also find that states in which children are more likely to experience multiple problems tend to be the same states in which the overall levels of well-being and the condition of children are relatively poorer. Despite the fact that the literature has referred to different types of indices commonly as “child well-being indices,” the differences both in the purpose and in the results across tabulation methods illustrate the importance of balancing the simplicity of the presentation of index results with sufficient information to enable people to understand exactly what the index is assessing. Furthermore, our results highlight the value of using multiple types of indices to contextualize findings across the indices.
Lipolysis in isolated cow adipose cells.

Abstract In vitro, lipolytic activities of isolated adipose cells from dairy cows are sensitive to adrenalins. Glucose, insulin, and nicotinic acid depressed and β -hydroxybutyrate increased fatty acid release rate stimulated by epinephrine. Long term insulin injection and high concentrate feeding depressed lipolytic activities of adipose cells from lactating cows. Lipolytic activities of adipose cells from lactating cows were higher than those from nonlactating cows. High free fatty acid: glycerol release ratios suggested that intense partial hydrolysis of triglycerides occurs in bovine adipose tissue.
Fast dynamo action in unsteady flows and maps in three dimensions.

Unsteady fast-dynamo action is obtained in a family of stretch-fold-shear maps applied to a spatially periodic magnetic field in three dimensions. Exponential growth of a mean field in the limit of vanishing diffusivity is demonstrated by a numerical method which alternates instantaneous deformations with molecular diffusion over a finite time interval. Analysis indicates that the dynamo is a coherent feature of the large scales, essentially independent of the cascade of structure to small scales.
Forcebalance: a Systematic, Reproducible, Statistically Driven Approach to More Accurate Molecular Dynamics Models

I will present our first application of the ForceBalance method for systematically parameterizing force fields: the iAMOEBA water model. Force balance uses a combination of experimental data and high-level theoretical calculations, combined with statistical methods to avoid overfitting and efficient schemes for optimizing in parameter space. We will describe our choice of reference data and provide a brief overview of the parameterization method. The accuracy of the direct polarization water model is demonstrated using a published, comprehensive benchmark of water properties across a wide range of phases and thermodynamic conditions. This suggests a new way to systemically create force fields, with both greater accuracy as well as reproducibility and transparency.
Radiosynthesis and in Vivo Evaluation of Two PET Radioligands for Imaging α-Synuclein.

Two α-synuclein ligands, 3-methoxy-7-nitro-10H-phenothiazine (2a, Ki = 32.1 ± 1.3 nM) and 3-(2-fluoroethoxy)-7-nitro-10H-phenothiazine (2b, Ki = 49.0 ± 4.9 nM), were radiolabeled as potential PET imaging agents by respectively introducing 11C and 18F. The syntheses of [11C]2a and [18F]2b were accomplished in a good yield with high specific activity. Ex vivo biodistribution studies in rats revealed that both [11C]2a and [18F]2b crossed the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and demonstrated good brain uptake 5 min post-injection. MicroPET imaging of [11C]2a in a non-human primate (NHP) confirmed that the tracer was able to cross the BBB with rapid washout kinetics from brain regions of a healthy macaque. The initial studies suggested that further structural optimization of [11C]2a and [18F]2b is necessary in order to identify a highly specific positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand for in vivo imaging of α-synuclein aggregation in the central nervous system (CNS).
Harmonic-Current-Restrained Relays for Transformer Differential Protection

Differential protection, employing percentage-differential relays, has1 long been the accepted method of fault protection for large power transformers. This method, illustrated by the schematic diagram, figure 1, is quite satisfactory in most respects but is subject to false tripping on the transient magnetizing-inrush current which flows when the transformer is energized. This current, since it flows in only one winding of the transformer, causes a differential current to flow which, to an ordinary relay, “looks” the same as the current due to an internal fault. One method of preventing operation on magnetizing inrush in the past has been to use slow-speed induction-type relays with long time and high current settings. This is undesirable because of the slow-speed, insensitive protection it affords on internal faults. Other methods, applied to high-speed relays, involve desensitizing the relay during a time period covering the maximum inrush transient controlled by auxiliary relays operating on the transformer voltage.2 These methods have the disadvantage that they usually require the purchase of additional potential transformers, involve one or more auxiliary relays with the attendant circuit complication, and seriously reduce the sensitivity of the protection against faults present when the transformer is energized or which occur during the inrush period. In this paper a new type relay is described which, using the principle of harmonic-current restraint,3 is able to distinguish between the differential current due to an internal fault and that due to magnetizing inrush by their difference in wave form, operating with high speed on the fault current and being restrained from operating by the magnetizing-inrush current. Being entirely current-operated, this relay does not require the purchase of potential transformers. It is entirely self-contained and the only moving part is the single relay armature which operates the tripping contacts. Minimum desensitization during the inrush period is obtained, depending on the relative magnitudes of the inrush and the fault currents.
RSQSim Earthquake Simulator

As discussed in Tullis et al. (2012b), a promising avenue for improving seismic hazard estimation and reducing the large uncertainties in current assessments is to incorporate more accurate and region‐specific characterizations of the interactions and physical processes that control earthquake occurrence in fault systems. Earthquake simulators are computer models that can contribute to this by carrying out large‐scale simulations of earthquake occurrence to characterize system‐level response of fault systems including processes that control time, place, and extent of earthquake slip. Such simulators were pioneered by work such as Rundle (1988), Robinson and Benites (1995), and Ward (1996). Four such simulators are discussed in the November/December 2012 Seismological Research Letters issue, and their general features are described in Tullis et al. (2012a). This paper describes features specific to one of those four, RSQSim. It also presents results that are relevant to particularly unique features of RSQSim: comparisons with fully dynamic single‐event simulations and the spatial‐temporal clustering of seismicity due to RSQSim’s use of rate‐ and state‐dependent friction (RSF). RSQSim is based on a scheme initially developed by Dieterich (1995) with several enhancements to extend its use in a number of directions including allowing fully general fault system geometries and the attendant normal stress variations, better validation of the quasi‐dynamic part of the seismic cycle against fully dynamic models, and the inclusion of creeping parts of the fault system. Ziv (2003) and Ziv and Rubin (2003) used some elements of the original method to study clustering processes and frequency statistics. RSQSim itself has been used by Dieterich and Richards‐Dinger (2010) to study the effects of both small‐ and large‐scale fault system geometry on recurrence statistics in a idealized but complex fault system. We do not discuss it further here, but RSQSim has also been used successfully to model slow …
Operating experience with unit for sulfuric acid alkylation of isobutane by butylenes

The operation of units for the sulfuric acid alkylation of isobutanes by butylenes have been performed. The reaction was carried out in a KSG-3 horizontal sulfuric acid contractor. A butane-butylene fraction from catalytic cracking and an isobutane fraction from the central gas fractionating unit were used as a feedstock. The studies have shown that the unit will give a high-quality product under various conditions of operation. The specific consumption of sulfuric acid in processing different types of feed remains within acceptable limits.
Electroweak corrections to the true muonium hyperfine splitting

In contrast to other atomic systems, in true muonium (${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) the leading-order $Z$ boson corrections to the hyperfine splitting are shown to be experimentally accessible in the near future. This contribution ($\ensuremath{-}109\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MHz}$) constitutes a necessary contribution to a full $\mathcal{O}(m{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{7})$ calculation of the true muonium hyperfine splitting. This calculation would enable a number of possible solutions to the muon problem to be constrained. Additionally, we compute the general expression for a pseudovector coupling to particle-antiparticle bound states at leading order, including the annihilation channel.
Cross-linked polypentapeptide of elastin as a calcifiable matrix: Molecular weight dependence

The polypentapeptide, (L·Val1-L·Pro2-Gly3-L·Val4-Gly5) n , when cross-linked by γ-irradiation was shown to calcify when exposed to dialyzates of calcium and phosphate augmented fetal bovine sera and the molecular weight dependence of this calcification is investigated. Five molecular weight fractions, labeled I to V in order of increasing polymer size from under 12,000 dalton (I), that is, $$\bar n$$ < 30, to over 100,000 daltons (V), that is, $$\bar n$$ > 240, were γ-irradiation cross-linked at 10–12 MRAD to form matrices I–V. Calcium-45 was used to follow the time course and relative amount of calcium uptake from the sera. Scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis were used to characterize the extent of matrix calcification. All matrices took up calcium-45 from the sera; however, only matrices formed from polypentapeptide with $$\bar n$$ greater than 100 calcified, that is, matrices III, IV, and V. Matrix V with $$\bar n$$ > 240 calcified massively and in a manner comparable to chemically cross-linked polypentapeptide with $$\bar n$$ ∼ 40 using nonaugmented sera. Presumably, γ-irradiation results in chain breakage. The γ-irradiation cross-linked matrices with values of $$\bar n$$ ranging from under 30 to greater than 240 establish the molecular weight dependence of matrix calcification.
Electrochemically grown rough-textured nanowires

Nanowires with a rough surface texture show unusual electronic, optical, and chemical properties; however, there are only a few existing methods for producing these nanowires. Here, we describe two methods for growing both free standing and lithographically patterned gold (Au) nanowires with a rough surface texture. The first strategy is based on the deposition of nanowires from a silver (Ag)–Au plating solution mixture that precipitates an Ag–Au cyanide complex during electrodeposition at low current densities. This complex disperses in the plating solution, thereby altering the nanowire growth to yield a rough surface texture. These nanowires are mass produced in alumina membranes. The second strategy produces long and rough Au nanowires on lithographically patternable nickel edge templates with corrugations formed by partial etching. These rough nanowires can be easily arrayed and integrated with microscale devices.
A flexible forward simulator for populations subject to selection and demography

Summary: This article introduces a new forward population genetic simulation program that can efficiently generate samples from populations with complex demographic histories under various models of natural selection. The program (SFS_CODE) is highly flexible, allowing the user to simulate realistic genomic regions with several loci evolving according to a variety of mutation models (from simple to context-dependent), and allows for insertions and deletions. Each locus can be annotated as either coding or non-coding, sex-linked or autosomal, selected or neutral, and have an arbitrary linkage structure (from completely linked to independent). Availability: The source code (written in the C programming language) is available at http://sfscode.sourceforge.net, and a web server (http://cbsuapps.tc.cornell.edu/sfscode.aspx) allows the user to perform simulations using the high-performance computing cluster hosted by the Cornell University Computational Biology Service Unit. Contact: rhernandez@uchicago.edu Supplementary information: An extensive user's manual, perfor-mance statistics, and comparisons of patterns of genetic variation generated by SFS_CODE to theoretical expectations under various non-stationary demographic histories and models of natural selection are available on the project website: http://sfscode.sourceforge.net.
Surface enrichment of Pt-Rh alloy particles by oxidation-reduction cycling

Abstract X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to examine the surface composition of 50 to 200-A Pt, Rh, and Pt-Rh particles on planar amorphous SiO2 following heat treatment at various temperatures in air or H2. It has been shown previously by transmission electron microscopy that this treatment produces an expansion of oxidized particles parallel to the surface and the splitting of particles upon reduction. In this study, the composition of the surface layer is measured directly by examining the Rh, Pt, and O XPS signals from the particles. It is found that for a 50-50 alloy the Rh Pt ratio increases by a factor of at least 3 upon oxidation and that the ratio remains above 2 upon heating in H2 to above 500 °C. Surface oxidation of Rh can be detected in both Rh and O signals just above room temperature, while much higher temperatures are required for oxides to be detected by electron diffraction. The enhanced Rh signal persists to much higher temperature for composition near 50% Pt than for either excess Rh or excess Pt. Oxidation-reduction cycling can produce nonequilibrium surface compositions for any alloy systems in which only one species is oxidized, and this configuration may be retained in the catalyst at temperatures below those where bulk diffusion of metal occurs. Other compound formation and decomposition cycles could be used to prepare enriched surfaces for many catalyst systems.
100-nm gate lithography for double-gate transistors

The double gate field effect transistor (FET) is an exploratory device that promises certain performance advantages compared to traditional CMOS FETs. It can be scaled down further than the traditional devices because of the greater electrostatic control by the gates on the channel (about twice as short a channel length for the same gate oxide thickness), has steeper sub-threshold slope and about double the current for the same width. This paper presents lithographic results for double gate FET's developed at IBM's T. J. Watson Research Center. The device is built on bonded wafers with top and bottom gates self-aligned to each other. The channel is sandwiched between the top and bottom polysilicon gates and the gate length is defined using DUV lithography. An alternating phase shift mask was used to pattern gates with critical dimensions of 75 nm, 100 nm and 125 nm in photoresist. 50 nm gates in photoresist have also been patterned by 20% over-exposure of nominal 100 nm lines. No trim mask was needed because of a specific way the device was laid out. UV110 photoresist from Shipley on AR-3 antireflective layer were used. Process windows, developed and etched patterns are presented.
Extending Arc Heater Operating Pressure Range for Improved Reentry Simulation

Arc-heated facilities play an important role in discriminating between materials, validating designs, and gathering data for the validation and tuning of material models used in the design of hypersonic reentry vehicle flight tests. Information gathered from experiments in arc heaters is critical in reducing risk to flight programs and ensuring range safety. In addition, ground testing can aid in the down-select of heat-shield materials, allowing flight-testing resources to be used for only the most viable materials. Finally, the carefully controlled conditions afforded by ground testing allow instrumentation and data collection that are not possible in flight testing. In this paper, the methodology used in planning and executing a reentry material ground-test program is discussed with an emphasis placed on arc-heater testing and the use of results from such testing in support of follow-on flight-tests. Plans for the expansion of high-pressure arc-heater capabilities to provide conditions even closer to flight, and thereby to expose material features currently seen only in flight tests, are then presented. Progress on the technology development needed for fielding such a capability is then discussed, and the results from recent AEDC heater runs at elevated pressures are presented. It is demonstrated that large-scale heater operation well in excess of the current operating range is possible with proper design changes, and would provide a powerful capability in support of material model development and flight testing. Technical challenges that still remain are then discussed.
Design concepts for a wideband HF ale capability

The recently promulgated US military standard MIL-STD-188-110C contains an appendix (Appendix D) defining a new family of wideband HF data waveforms supporting bandwidths from 3 kHz to 24 kHz in increments of 3 kHz. This family of waveforms extends the high performance serial tone modem technology of the MIL-STD-188-110B standard to wider bandwidths and much higher data rates, allowing users the option of selecting the bandwidth and modulation so as to optimize modem performance under the prevailing HF channel characteristics. However, fully realizing the potential of these new waveforms will require enhanced capabilities in other elements of an HF communications system, notably including a new `Fourth Generation' (`4G') Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) capability. This paper discusses requirements and design objectives for such a 4G-ALE technique, sketches some candidate 4G-ALE design concepts, and reports early results from on-air testing aimed at verifying the suitability and feasibility of these design concepts.
Valvular heart disease: Patient needs and practice guidelines

Major advances in the evaluation and management of valvular heart disease, occurring principally over the past four decades, have resulted in marked improvement in the outcomes of patients with these conditions throughout the world. These advances have developed on several fronts, including development of imaging modalities (most notable ultrasound) that have provided essential data on natural history and predictors of outcome after operative intervention. This information provides cardiologists with the necessary clinical data, along with symptomatic status, to make informed decisions regarding frequency of repeat evaluations and ultimately timing of surgery. At that same time, the steady significant advances in cardiac surgery, including improved prosthetic valve design, evolution of valve repair and valve-sparing techniques, and enhanced methods for intraoperative myocardial preservation, have expanded operative windows to include surgery on both older patients and younger patients, and even patients who are asymptomatic. Rather than waiting to operate on patients when they are severely symptomatic and have impaired left ventricular function, which was the paradigm 50 years ago, the current clinical strategies are now moving toward earlier intervention before the onset of severe symptoms, left ventricular dysfunction and other adverse endpoints such as atrial fibrillation and pulmonary hypertension.
Regulation of JAK/STAT signalling by SOCS in the myocardium

This editorial refers to ‘SOCS1 gene transfer accelerates the transition to heart failure through the inhibition of the gp130/JAK/STAT pathway’ by A. Cittadini et al ., pp. 381–390, this issue. In the myocardium, cytokines are activated in response to acute and chronic cardiac stresses. Some of them, including the interleukin (IL)-6 family of cytokines, have been implicated in cardioprotection, cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation, and heart failure via activation of the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway ( Figure 1 ).1–3 Much effort has been made to explore the physiological/pathophysiological functions and mechanisms of positive regulation of the JAK/STAT signalling pathway in cardiac disease. Recent research has placed increasing emphasis on the termination of the signals by suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins.4 In the current issue of Cardiovascular Research , Cittadini et al .5 describe a possible role of SOCS1 in the transition from hypertrophy to heart failure in a chronic pressure-overload cardiac rat model. These authors report that SOCS1 is up-regulated in the decompensated phase of pressure overload. Interestingly, enhanced SOCS1 expression in cardiomyocytes through adeno-associated gene transfer accelerates the transition from hypertrophy to failure associated with sustained inhibition of the glycoprotein 130 (gp130) pathway. These findings support an involvement of SOCS1 in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Figure 1 Schematic diagram of structure and function of SOCS1 and SOCS3. ( A ) Domain organization of SOCS1 and SOCS3. All SOCS family proteins contain a central SH2 domain and a carboxyl-terminal conserved SOCS box. Both SOCS1 and SOCS3 also have a unique amino-terminal KIR domain. ( B ) Negative feedback regulation of the IL-6/gp130/JAK/STAT system by SOCS in the myocardium (red arrow). IL-6 …
Solution of transient transport equation using an upstream finite element scheme

Abstract An upstream finite element scheme is presented for overcoming the problem of numerical oscillations associated with the transient transport equation for convective dominated or purely convective flow. This scheme differs from the standard Galerkin scheme in that spatial discretization is performed via a general weighted residual technique which employs asymmetric weighting functions and yields upstream weighting of the convective term in the transport equation. The time derivative term of this equation is weighted using the standard basis functions which lead to a consistent mass matrix. The proposed finite element scheme is compared with the conventional upstream finite difference scheme both in one and two dimensions. Numerical results indicate that the new scheme is superior to its finite difference counterpart and is capable of producing reliable solutions for cases which cannot be handled satisfactorily by the standard Galerkin technique.
Depth perception in cats after cerebral hemispherectomy: comparisons between neonatal- and adult-lesioned animals.

Depth perception was studied in adult cats following removal of the left cerebral hemisphere as a neonate or as an adult. Both mnocular and binocular thresholds were determined using a visual cliff. Although both age-at-lesion groups showed depth perception deficits, the neonatal-lesioned animals performed much worse under binocular conditions on the visual cliff than either adult-lesioned or intact animals. This was primarily due to the lack of a binocular advantage in the neonatal-lesioned cats since their monocular thresholds were similar to that of adult-lesioned animals. Both lesioned groups showed higher monocular thresholds compared to intact animals but this effect reached significance only for the right eye. In addition, the neonatal-lesioned cats showed ocular misalignment which may have contributed to their lack of binocular depth perception. Regardless of these deficits neonatal-lesioned cats were more like intact controls regarding the types of errors made on the visual cliff. Neonatallesioned animals and intact controls made random errors, whereas adult-lesioned animals made most of their errors when the shallow shelf was presented on the animals' right side. This may indicate that the adult-lesioned animals have greater motor and/or visual field biases than do neonatal-lesioned cats.
Fixed points of some ordering-based filters

The median filter is a nonlinear filter that preserves edges and eliminates impulses. The initial papers on the median filter, by Tyan and Gallagher and Wise, concentrated on the development of their impulse rejection properties, the set of fixed points, and convergence. It was shown that the fixed points of the median filter are the class of LOMO (locally monotone) signals, that they converge within a finite number of iterations, and that they would reject burst of up to n aberrant values in each nonoverlapping segment of length 2n + 1. Their initial work has led to many research papers in robust signal processing in the presence of edges. The order-statistic (OS) filter is very similar to the FIR filter with the exception that it orders the values in each window before weighing them. The WMMRc filters weight the c ordered values in the window with minimum range. If more than one set of values in the window have the minimum range, the average of the possible outputs is taken. If c is not specified it is assumed to be N + 1 for a window of length 2N + 1. For OS and WMMR filters with convex (sum to one and are nonnegative) weights, fixed point results are derived similar to those of Gallagher and Wise for the median filter, i.e., the fixed points are completely classified under the assumption of a finite length signal with constant boundaries.
Flipping the Classroom Applications to Curriculum Redesign for an Introduction to Management Course: Impact on Grades.

The authors discuss the application of the flipped classroom model to the redesign of an introduction to management course at a highly diverse, urban, Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business–accredited U.S. university. The author assessed the impact of a flipped classroom versus a lecture class on grades. Compared to the prior lecture class taught by the same instructor using the same text and tests, results indicate that grades on all three exams were higher, and grades on two of three exams were significantly higher.
Universal material property in conductivity of planar random microstructures

We study scatter involved in finite-size scaling of the conductivity and resistivity tensors resulting, respectively, from uniform essential and natural boundary conditions applied to domains that are finite relative to the size of a heterogeneity. For various types of planar microstructures generated from Poisson processes (multiphase Voronoi mosaics, composites with circular or needlelike inclusions, etc.) we report a universal property: the coefficient of variation of the second invariant stays practically constant at about $0.55\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1,$ irrespective of the domain size, the boundary conditions applied to it, the contrast, and the volume fraction of either phase.
Organ weights and serum total cholesterol in the kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami)

Abstract 1. 1. In a group of twenty-seven kangaroo rats (eleven males and sixteen females) no correlation could be found, either on a linear or on a log-log basis, between the total body weight and the weights of the heart, liver, kidney or lung. 2. 2. The total serum cholesterol of a group of sixteen kangaroo rats (eight male and eight female) averaged 236 mg/100 ml as compared to 87 mg/100 ml in the same size group of young albino rats. 3. 3. No relationship was found between the cholesterol levels of individual kangaroo rats and their body weight or linear measurements.
Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale for Healthy Behaviors: Scale Development and Assessment of the Relation Between Targeted Social Support and Body Size Dissatisfaction

Understanding the relationship among weight status, body dissatisfaction, and social support is essential to addressing childhood obesity. To address the lack of reliable and valid measurement tools to assess social support specifically for healthy behaviors pertaining to childhood obesity, a new measure was developed, the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale for Healthy Behaviors (CASSS-HB). The study sample included 121 third- through fifth-grade students. Results indicated that the CASSS-HB showed preliminary evidence of reliability and validity as a measure of targeted social support for healthy behaviors in children. Youth who were categorized as obese scored higher on a score of body dissatisfaction than healthy weight or overweight youth. Social support for healthy behaviors was significantly related to body size dissatisfaction for males, with parent support a significant unique predictor. The assessment of targeted social support and body size dissatisfaction at early ages is essential to ch...
Isolation and Function of Allophycocyanin B of Porphyridium cruentum

Allophycocyanin B was purified to homogeneity from the eukaryotic red alga Porphyridium cruentum. This biliprotein is distinct from the allophycocyanin of P. cruentum with respect to subunit molecular weights, and spectroscopic and immunological properties. The purified allophycocyanin B has a long wavelength absorption maximum at 669 nm at room temperature and at 675 nm at −196 C while the fluorescence emission maximum is at 673 nm at room temperature and 679 nm at −196 C. The emission spectrum of allophycocyanin shifted only 1 nm, from 659 to 660 nm, on cooling to −196 C, and was the same with allophycocyanin crystals as it was with pure solutions of the pigment. Phycobilisomes from P. cruentum have a major fluorescence emission band at 680 nm at −196 C which emanates from the small amount of allophycocyanin B present in the phycobilisomes. Light energy absorbed by the bulk of the biliprotein pigments is transferred to allophycocyanin B with high efficiency.
Retinoic acid binding protein: occurrence in human tumors

Extracts of human carcinomas from lung and breast contain a protein which binds retinoic acid (vitamin A acid) with high specificity. The binding protein was not detected in normal lung or breast t...
Single Repeat Deletion in ApoA-I Blocks Cholesterol Esterification and Results in Rapid Catabolism of Δ6 and Wild-type ApoA-I in Transgenic Mice

The deletion mutation Delta6 apolipoprotein A-I lacks residues 143-164 or repeat 6 in the mature apoA-I protein. In vitro studies show this mutation dramatically reduces the rate of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) catalyzed cholesterol esterification. The present study was initiated to investigate the effect of this mutation on in vivo high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol esterification and metabolism. Transgenic mice expressing human Delta6 apoA-I (TgDelta6 +/+) were created and then crossed with apoA-I knockout mice (-/-) to generate mice expressing only human Delta6 apoA-I (TgDelta6 -/-). Human Delta6 apoA-I was associated with homogeneous sized alpha-HDL, when wild-type mouse apoA-I was present (in TgDelta6 +/+ and +/- mice). However, in the absence of endogenous mouse apoA-I, Delta6 apoA-I was found exclusively in cholesterol ester-poor HDL, and lipid-free HDL fractions. This observation coincides with the 6-fold lower cholesterol ester mass in TgDelta6 -/- mouse plasma compared with control. Structural studies show that despite the structural perturbation of a domain extending from repeat 5 to repeat 8 (137-178), Delta6 apoA-I binds to spherical unilamellar vesicles with only 2-fold less binding affinity. In summary, these data show a domain corresponding to apoA-I repeat 6 is responsible for providing an essential conformation for LCAT catalyzed generation of cholesterol esters. Deletion of apoA-I repeat 6 not only blocks normal levels of cholesterol esterification but also exerts a dominant inhibition on the ability of wild-type apoA-I to activate LCAT in vivo.
Antibiotic therapy and the anesthesiologist

The anesthesiologist is frequently responsible for administering antibiotics in the immediate preoperative and intraoperative periods. Anesthesiologists often are not trained in the administration of antibiotics, which can be associated with both acute and long-term complications including potentiation of neuromuscular blocking agents, allergic reactions, and end-organ toxicity. The indications for perioperative antibiotics, proper method of administration, and occurrence and treatment of major side effects of the more commonly recommended prophylactic antibiotics are discussed.
Elastic constants of single crystal Cr3Si and Cr–Cr3Si lamellar eutectic composites: a comparison of ultrasonic and nanoindentation measurements

Abstract The elastic constants of high quality single crystals of Cr 3 Si (cubic A15 crystal structure) grown in an optical floating zone furnace were measured by ultrasonic methods and compared to the indentation modulus determined by nanoindentation techniques. The measured indentation moduli are within 5% of the Vlassak–Nix predictions for elastically anisotropic materials provided a correction is made for the triangular cross-section of the Berkovich indenter. The indentation moduli of individual lamellae in a directionally solidified Cr–Cr 3 Si lamellar eutectic composite were also measured to examine how well the procedures apply to small microstructural features.
IDENTIFICATION AND RECONSTITUTION OF AN ISOFORM OF THE 116-KDA SUBUNIT OF THE VACUOLAR PROTON TRANSLOCATING ATPASE

We have identified a cDNA encoding an isoform of the 116-kDa subunit of the bovine vacuolar proton translocating ATPase. The predicted protein sequence of the new isoform, designated a2, consists of 854 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 98,010 Da; it has approximately 50% identity to the original isoform (a1) we described (Peng, S.-B., Crider, B. P., Xie, X.-S., and Stone, D.K. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 17262-17266). Sequence comparison indicates that the a2 isoform is the bovine homologue of a 116-kDa polypeptide identified in mouse as an immune regulatory factor (Lee, C.-K., Ghoshal, K., and Beaman, K.D. (1990) Mol. Immunol. 27, 1137-1144). The bovine a1 and a2 isoforms share strikingly similar structures with hydrophilic amino-terminal halves that are composed of more than 30% charged residues and hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal halves that contain 6-8 transmembrane regions. Northern blot analysis demonstrates that isoform a2 is highly expressed in lung, kidney, and spleen. To determine the possible role of the a2 isoform in vacuolar proton pump function, we purified from bovine lung a vacuolar pump proton channel (VO) containing isoform a2. This VO conducts bafilomycin-sensitive proton flow after reconstitution and acid activation, and supports proton pumping activity after assembly with the catalytic sector (V1) of vacuolar-type proton translocating ATPase (V-ATPase) and sub-58-kDa doublet, a 50-57-kDa polypeptide heterodimer required for V-ATPase function. These data indicate that the a2 isoform of the 116-kDa polypeptide functions as part of the proton channel of V-ATPases.
Electron localization in quasicrystals.

The question of whether scattering by the almost-periodic lattice potentials of recently discovered metallic quasicrystals is able to explain the recently observed short mean free paths (about 1 \AA{}) in these materials is discussed. It is shown that scattering by a three-dimensional, almost-periodic potential cannot account for such resistivities, but a model which includes structural defects in the three-dimensional Penrose tiling and large scattering of electrons due to $s\ensuremath{-}d$ resonant scattering can account for the experimental observations.
The deformation of flat connections and affine manifolds

Geodesically complete affine manifolds are quotients of the Euclidean space through a properly discontinuous action of a subgroup of affine Euclidean transformations. An equivalent definition is that the tangent bundle of such a manifold admits a flat, symmetric and complete connection. If the completeness assumption is dropped, the manifold is not necessarily obtained as the quotient of the Euclidean space through a properly discontinuous group of affine transformations. In fact the universal cover may no longer be the Euclidean space. The main result of this paper states that if a flat connection of a bundle can be properly deformed into a metric connection then its Euler class vanishes. This is a partial result toward an old question of Chern.
Analysis of Schizosaccharomyces pombe mitochondrial DNA replication by two dimensional gel electrophoresis

The entire mitochondrial genome of Schizosaccharomyces pombe ura4-294h-was analyzed by the 2D pulsed field gel electrophoresis technique developed by Brewer and Fangman. The genome consists of multimers with an average size of 100 kb and analysis of the overlapping restriction fragments of the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome resulted in simply Y 2D gel patterns. Large single-stranded DNA molecules or double-stranded DNA molecules containing large or numerous single-stranded regions were found in the S. pombe mtDNA preparation. The replication of mtDNA monomers was found to occur in either direction. On the basis of these results, a replication mechanism for S. pombe mtDNA that is most consistent with a rolling circle model is suggested.
Comparison of microstructural evolution in Ti-Mo-Zr-Fe and Ti-15Mo biocompatible alloys

The microstructural evolution and attendant strengthening mechanisms in two biocompatible alloy systems, the binary Ti-15Mo and the quaternary Ti-13Mo-7Zr-3Fe (TMZF), have been compared and contrasted in this paper. In the homogenized condition, while the Ti-15Mo alloy exhibited a single phase microstructure consisting of large beta grains, the TMZF alloy exhibited a microstructure consisting primarily of a beta matrix with grain boundary alpha precipitates and a low volume fraction of intra-granular alpha precipitates. On ageing the homogenized alloys at 600 degrees C for 4 h, both alloys exhibited the precipitation of refined scale secondary alpha precipitates homogeneously in the beta matrix. However, while the hardness of the TMZF alloy marginally increased, that of the Ti-15Mo alloy decreased substantially as a result of the ageing treatment. In order to understand this difference in the mechanical properties after ageing, TEM studies have been carried out on both alloys in the homogenized and homogenized plus aged conditions. The results indicate that the omega precipitates dissolve on ageing in case of the Ti-15Mo alloy, consequently leading to a substantial decrease in the hardness. In contrast, the omega precipitates do not dissolve on ageing in the TMZF alloy and the precipitation of the fine scale secondary alpha leads to increased hardness.
Combinational feature optimization for classification of lung tissue images

A novel approach to feature optimization for classification of lung carcinoma using tissue images is presented. The methodology uses a combination of three characteristics of computational features: F-measure, which is a representation of each feature towards classification, inter-correlation between features and pathology based information. The metadata provided from pathological parameters is used for mapping between computational features and biological information. Multiple regression analysis maps each category of features based on how pathology information is correlated with the size and location of cancer. Relatively the computational features represented the tumor size better than the location of the cancer. Based on the three criteria associated with the features, three sets of feature subsets with individual validation are evaluated to select the optimum feature subset. Based on the results from the three stages, the knowledgebase produces the best subset of features. An improvement of 5.5% was observed for normal Vs all abnormal cases with Az value of 0.731 and 74/114 correctly classified. The best Az value of 0.804 with 66/84 correct classification and improvement of 21.6% was observed for normal Vs adenocarcinoma.
The Lunar Dust Pendulum

Abstract An analytic model for the motion of a positively charged lunar dust grain in the presence of a shadowed crater at a negative potential in vacuum is presented. It is shown that the dust grain executes oscillatory trajectories, and an expression is derived for the period of oscillation. Simulations used to verify the analytic expression also show that because the trajectories are unstable, dust grains are either ejected from the crater’s vicinity or deposited into the crater forming “dust ponds.” The model also applies to other airless bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids, and predicts that under certain conditions, particularly near lunar sunset, oscillating dust “canopies” or “swarms” will form over negatively charged craters.
Structural basis of profactor D activation: from a highly flexible zymogen to a novel self-inhibited serine protease, complement factor D

The crystal structure of profactor D, determined at 2.1 A resolution with an Rfree and an R-factor of 25.1 and 20.4%, respectively, displays highly flexible or disordered conformation for five regions: N-22, 71-76, 143-152, 187-193 and 215-223. A comparison with the structure of its mature serine protease, complement factor D, revealed major conformational changes in the similar regions. Comparisons with the zymogen-active enzyme pairs of chymotrypsinogen, trypsinogen and prethrombin-2 showed a similar distribution of the flexible regions. However, profactor D is the most flexible of the four, and its mature enzyme displays inactive, self-inhibited active site conformation. Examination of the surface properties of the N-terminus-binding pocket indicates that Ile16 may play the initial positioning role for the N-terminus, and Leu17 probably also helps in inducing the required conformational changes. This process, perhaps shared by most chymotrypsinogen-like zymogens, is followed by a factor D-unique step, the re-orientation of an external Arg218 to an internal position for salt-bridging with Asp189, leading to the generation of the self-inhibited factor D.