cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A learning controller model for on-line optimization of a class of stochastic control systems

In this paper, a learning controller model is applied to the on-line optimization of a general class of discrete stochastic control systems. Stochastic properties of the plant are unknown to the designer. Using the plant's output, the controller iteratively applys a reinforcement learning algorithm to learn the optimum control policy while minimizing an expected performance index. A technique that accelerates learning and improves performance is discussed. Computer simulation results of the successful application of the learning controller model to several different cases are presented.
Detrital-Zircon Mixing and Partitioning In Fluvial To Deep Marine Systems, Central California, U.S.A.

The increasing use of detailed detrital-zircon provenance data calls for an understanding of the controls that sedimentary processes exert on changing detrital-zircon provenance signatures in time and space in addition to the well-established influence of tectonics. Our U-Pb detrital-zircon data from seventeen samples taken across a series of modern second-order rivers to deep-marine depositional systems in central California show that marine mixing processes and sediment pathway partitioning exert important controls on detrital-zircon provenance signatures. The second-order rivers that input sediment into this system produce differentiable detrital-zircon provenance signatures as a function of the unique geology of their drainage areas. The mixing of sediment through the marine realm can be traced through the evolution of distinct detrital-zircon signatures as sediment is transported from rivers down system through longshore drift into submarine canyons. Sediment input from second-order streams is mixed in the littoral and upper submarine-canyon environments, yielding provenance signatures that are not thoroughly mixed until the lower reaches of submarine canyons. Sediment partitioning in these dispersal systems results in distinct detrital-zircon provenance signatures for different dispersal systems over short length scales (< 50 km). These data suggest that sediment mixing in the marine realm is likely an important control on detrital-zircon provenance signatures in any system in which sediment is transported through longshore drift and sediment pathways are distinctly partitioned. Changes in the way sediment pathways are partitioned through time has the potential to create heterogeneous detrital-zircon provenance signatures in stratigraphic successions through time and between closely spaced deposits of the same age. When seen in an ancient system, this heterogeneity may be mistakenly attributed to tectonic controls without the recognition of the influence of sedimentary process.
ENaC activity in the cortical collecting duct of HKα1 H+,K+-ATPase knockout mice is uncoupled from Na+ intake

Modulation of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) activity in the collecting duct (CD) is an important mechanism for normal Na+ homeostasis. ENaC activity is inversely related to dietary Na+ intake, ...
Bloom and bust: toxic algae's impact on nearby property values.

Abstract Over the past decade harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become a nationwide environmental concern. HABs are likely to increase in frequency and intensity due to rising summer temperatures caused by climate change and higher nutrient enrichment from increased urbanization. Policymakers need information on the economic costs of HABs to design optimal management policies in the face of limited budgets. Using a detailed, multi-lake hedonic analysis across 6 Ohio counties between 2009 and 2015 we show capitalization losses associated with near lake homes between 11% and 17% rising to above 22% for lake adjacent homes. In the case of Grand Lake Saint Marys, we find one-time capitalization losses exceeding $51 million for near lake homes which dwarfs the State of Ohio's cleanup expenditure of $26 million.
Expression of mRNA for the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDAR1) receptor by the enteric neurons of the rat.

Abstract In this study, in situ hybridization techniques were employed to map the distribution of enteric neurons which express mRNA for the glutamate N- methyl- d -aspartate receptor 1 (NMDAR1). We hybridized tissue sections from the stomach, duodenum, ileum and descending colon of adult rats with a 1.43-kB riboprobe cleaved from a clone of the NMDA receptor. Enteric neurons expressing the mRNA were found in both myenteric and submucosal ganglia at each of the sampling sites. Possible functions of NMDA receptors on enteric neurons are discussed.
Asymptotic behavior of non-autonomous fractional stochastic reaction–diffusion equations

Abstract We first apply the Galerkin method to prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a class of non-autonomous fractional reaction–diffusion equations driven by multiplicative noise. We then establish the existence and uniqueness of tempered pullback random attractors for the equations in an appropriate Hilbert space. The upper semicontinuity of random attractors is also obtained when the intensity of noise approaches zero.
Executive functions and approaches to learning in predicting school readiness.

• Associations between different aspects of self-regulation, and how they relate to learning, are unclear.
Extraction of a recombinant full-length NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase from bacterial membranes: effect of detergents and additives

NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is a membrane protein in the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotic cells. POR is as a key reducing partner for a number of cytochrome P450 proteins involved in different metabolic degradation and signaling pathways. Preparation of the full-length recombinant POR expressed in bacteria has been reported and, typically, involved the use of Triton X-100 detergent for extraction of the overexpressed POR from bacterial membranes. However, extraction efficiency is always relatively low hindering structural studies, particularly-the NMR spectroscopy requiring isotopic enrichment. In this paper, we assessed the effect of a variety of detergents and additives on the efficiency of the membrane-extraction step in POR preparation protocol. We evaluated non-ionic detergents with the variable hydrophobicity (Triton X-100, X-114, and X-405) and structure (Triton X-100, TWEEN-20, Brij-35), a zwitterionic/non-ionic detergent combination (Triton X-100 and CHAPS), as well as a range of alkylamines and polyamines as additives to the conventional extraction buffer containing Triton X-100. None of the detergents or detergent-additive combinations yielded better extraction efficiency than the conventional protocol with the Triton X-100. Lack of variation of the extraction yield allows to hypothesize that the conventional protocol extracts all of the available natively-folded monomeric POR while the remaining fraction is possibly an unfolded aggregated POR, which did not insert in the membranes during expression. We propose that the yield of soluble POR may be increased by a careful optimization of expression conditions while monitoring the distribution of POR between soluble and insoluble fractions in the detergent extraction step.
Co-Release of Norepinephrine and Acetylcholine by Mammalian Sympathetic Neurons: Regulation by Target-Derived Signaling

Neurotransmitter expression has long been thought of as a defining phenotypic property of adult neurons. However, it has now been shown that most neurons co-release multiple signaling molecules. Many examples of neurons that co-release a classical transmitter (e.g., acetylcholine, norepinephrine or glutamate) and neuromodulators have been demonstrated, but neurons can also co-release more than one classical transmitter. Defining the mechanisms that determine released transmitter(s) is important for understanding neural function since this largely determines the influence of neural activity. This chapter details evidence showing that mammalian sympathetic neurons co-release acetylcholine (ACh) and norepinephrine (NE). Sympathetic neurons project to body tissues including blood vessels and heart to control functions such as regulation of blood pressure and cardiac output. Transmitter choice in sympathetic neurons is controlled by target-derived, soluble growth factors. Current data suggests that these factors may operate to regulate the relative amounts of ACh and NE released by sympathetic neurons, which may play an important role in homeostatic regulation of essential physiological processes.
Racializing Mental Illness

All multiracial societies have to grapple with the benefits versus the costs of the integration of minorities into majority communities. Indeed, in relation to the costs of integration, it could be argued that integration and assimilation increases non-White people’s exposure to racialized experiences and racism, which in turn predisposes them to mental illness. As such, it is worth considering the case of the UK, where Black integration and assimilation is particularly intense, and where the high rates of schizophrenia in the African-Caribbean population have been an area of concern for over three decades. This paper argues that the interplay between racial minority status stress, racism-induced stress, and racial bias in diagnosis may be significant factors influencing the high Black incidence rate of schizophrenia in the UK.
Reforming Juvenile Detention for Youth with Developmental Disabilities: I.T. v. Los Angeles County

Alleged violations of disability laws regarding youth with developmental disabilities in juvenile detention led to a Settlement Agreement in I.T. v. Los Angeles County and subsequent reforms. Using...
Fighting Deactivation: Classical and Emerging Strategies for Efficient Stabilization of Molecular Electrocatalysts

Development of highly active molecular electrocatalysts for fuel-forming reactions has relied heavily on understanding mechanistic aspects of the electrochemical transformations. Careful fine-tuning of the ligand environment oriented mechanistic pathways towards higher activity and optimal product distribution for several catalysts. Unfortunately, many catalysts deactivate in bulk electrolysis conditions, diminishing the impact of the plethora of highly tuned molecular electrocatalytic systems. This Minireview covers classical and emerging methods developed to circumvent catalyst deactivation and degradation, with an emphasis on successes with molecular electrocatalysts.
Children’s mu suppression is sensitive to witnessing others’ social victimization

Empathy has been a key focus of social, developmental, and affective neuroscience for some time. However, research using neural measures to study empathy in response to social victimization is sparse, particularly for young children. In the present study, 58 children's (White, non-Hispanic; five to nine years old) mu suppression was measured using electroencephalogram methods (EEG) as they viewed video scenarios depicting social injustices toward White and Black children. We found evidence of increased mu suppression in response to social victimization; however, contrary to well-documented findings of ingroup racial bias in empathic responses among adults, we found no evidence of racial bias in mu suppression in young children. Implications of these findings for neuroscience research on empathy and the development of ingroup bias are discussed.
New Applications of Self-Control Theory to Computer-Focused Cyber Deviance and Victimization: A Comparison of Cognitive and Behavioral Measures of Self-Control and Test of Peer Cyber Deviance and Gender as Moderators:

This study tests the effects of behavioral and cognitive measures of self-control on computer-focused cyber deviance and cyber victimization with survey data from 1,036 adult employees. We examine ...
YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 24 YEARS ON THE LABOUR MARKET IN A SMALL SLOVAK TOWN

Social pedagogy offers a wide multidisciplinary range to prevent and tackle youth unemployment. In this paper, we want to broaden the knowledge for social pedagogues in the areas of young people in the labour market and youth unemployment. The aim of the research is to identify the experience of respondents in the labour market in the district of Ruzomberok. It is a district in Slovakia far from the capital and regional centres. Most of the district´s inhabitants live in villages, fewer inhabitants in a town of Ružomberok. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 100 respondents. There are 50 young people up to 24 years old, who are currently active in the labour market. Furthermore, there are persons unemployed, registered at the Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in Ružomberok, with an age limit of up to 24 years, representing the same number of 50 respondents. We explored the social context; we set two hypotheses: There is a statistically significant difference in the status of the labour market with respect to the respondents' residence. There is a statistically significant difference in the status of the labour market relative to the gender of respondents. To verify the hypotheses, we used the Chi-Square-2 variable test. The hypotheses were not confirmed.
Host membrane lipids are trafficked to membranes of intravacuolar bacterium Ehrlichia chaffeensis.

Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-dependent obligate intracellular bacterium, partially lacks genes for glycerophospholipid biosynthesis. We found here that E. chaffeensis is dependent on host glycerolipid biosynthesis, as an inhibitor of host long-chain acyl CoA synthetases, key enzymes for glycerolipid biosynthesis, significantly reduced bacterial proliferation. E. chaffeensis cannot synthesize phosphatidylcholine or cholesterol but encodes enzymes for phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) biosynthesis; however, exogenous NBD-phosphatidylcholine, Bodipy-PE, and TopFluor-cholesterol were rapidly trafficked to ehrlichiae in infected cells. DiI (3,3′-dioctadecylindocarbocyanine)-prelabeled host-cell membranes were unidirectionally trafficked to Ehrlichia inclusion and bacterial membranes, but DiI-prelabeled Ehrlichia membranes were not trafficked to host-cell membranes. The trafficking of host-cell membranes to Ehrlichia inclusions was dependent on both host endocytic and autophagic pathways, and bacterial protein synthesis, as the respective inhibitors blocked both infection and trafficking of DiI-labeled host membranes to Ehrlichia. In addition, DiI-labeled host-cell membranes were trafficked to autophagosomes induced by the E. chaffeensis type IV secretion system effector Etf-1, which traffic to and fuse with Ehrlichia inclusions. Cryosections of infected cells revealed numerous membranous vesicles inside inclusions, as well as multivesicular bodies docked on the inclusion surface, both of which were immunogold-labeled by a GFP-tagged 2×FYVE protein that binds to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate. Focused ion-beam scanning electron microscopy of infected cells validated numerous membranous structures inside bacteria-containing inclusions. Our results support the notion that Ehrlichia inclusions are amphisomes formed through fusion of early endosomes, multivesicular bodies, and early autophagosomes induced by Etf-1, and they provide host-cell glycerophospholipids and cholesterol that are necessary for bacterial proliferation.
Structural and syndemic barriers to PrEP adoption among Black women at high risk for HIV: a qualitative exploration.

In the USA, Black women are at disproportionately higher risk for HIV compared to women of other races/ethnicities, which can be explained by the Substance Abuse, Violence and AIDS (SAVA) syndemic....
Eye trauma in falls presenting to the emergency department from 2006 through 2015

Aims To characterise the epidemiology of eye trauma in the event of falls presenting to the emergency departments (ED) in the USA. Method Retrospective cohort study. Nationwide Emergency Department Sample was used to analyse fall encounters presenting to the ED with eye trauma from 2006 to 2015. National estimates of the leading diagnoses were determined, and multivariable regression was used to determine the relationship between factors involved in fall encounters presenting with eye trauma. Results From 2006 to 2015, an estimated 87 991 036 fall encounters presented to the ED, of which 952 781 encounters had eye trauma as either a primary or secondary diagnosis. The overall incidence of fall encounters with eye trauma per 100 000 US population increased from 30.7 encounters in 2006 to 33.8 encounters per 100 000 population in 2014 with a decrease seen in 2015. Eye trauma, including vision-threatening type, was highest in females (n=500 520, 52.5%), elderly (n=400 209, 42%) and children (n=2 06 741, 21.7%). Elderly were more likely to have eye trauma in the setting of falls (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.06, 95% CI 2.02 to 2.11) and be admitted (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.86 to 1.91) than adults (reference). The leading types of eye trauma were contusion of orbital tissues (n=174 292, 18.3%), laceration of eyelid and periocular area (n=172 361, 18.1%) and orbital fractures (n=151 013, 15.8%). Conclusions Falls are preventable, yet the incidence of falls and resulting eye trauma are increasing despite our best efforts. As ophthalmologists, we should not only develop guidelines to recognise and counsel at-risk groups under our care but also strategies for prevention of eye trauma secondary to falls.
An emergency medicine-focused review of malignant otitis externa.

Abstract Introduction Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is a progressive infection of the external auditory canal (EAC). This disease is rare but has severe morbidity and mortality. Objective This narrative review provides an overview of malignant otitis externa for emergency clinicians. Discussion MOE is an invasive external ear infection that spreads to the temporal bone and can further progress to affect intracranial structures. Complications of advanced MOE include cranial nerve involvement, most commonly the facial nerve, and intracranial infections such as abscess and meningitis. The most common causative agent of MOE is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but others include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and fungi. Major risk factors for MOE include diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, and advanced age. Red flags for MOE include severe otalgia (pain out of proportion to exam) or severe otorrhea, neurologic deficits (especially facial nerve involvement), previously diagnosed otitis externa not responsive to therapy, and patients with major risk factors for MOE. Examination may show purulent otorrhea or granulation tissue in the EAC, and culture of EAC drainage should be performed. Diagnosis is aided by computed tomography (CT) with intravenous contrast, which may demonstrate bony destruction of the temporal bone or skull base. When suspecting MOE, early consultation with an otolaryngologist is recommended and antibiotics with pseudomonal coverage are needed. Most patients with MOE will require admission to the hospital. Conclusions MOE is a rare, yet deadly diagnosis that must be suspected when patients with immunocompromise, diabetes, or advanced age present with severe otalgia. Rapid diagnosis and treatment may prevent complications and improve outcomes.
Cutaneous Reactions to Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Devices in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background:Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) are the standard of care for type 1 diabetes in children. There is little reported on device-relat...
Intelligent Contingency Management for Urban Air Mobility

The advent of third aviation revolution that is seeking to enable transportation where users have access to immediate and flexible air travel. The users dictate trip origin, destination and timing. One of the major components of this vision is urban air mobility (UAM) for the masses. UAM means a safe and efficient system for vehicles to move passengers and cargo within a city. In order to reach UAM’s full market potential the vehicle will have to be autonomous. One of the primary challenges of autonomous flight is dealing with off-nominal events, both common and unforeseen; thus, intelligent contingency management (ICM) is one of the enabling technologies. In this context, the vehicle has to be aware of its internal state and external environment at all times, ascertain its capability and make decisions about mission completion or modification. All of these functions require data to model and assess the environment and then take actions based on these models. Necessarily, there is uncertainty associated with the data and the models generated from it. Since we are dealing with safety-critical systems, one of the main challenges of ICM is to generate sufficient data and to minimize its uncertainty to enable practical and safe decision making. We propose an overall architecture that incorporates deterministic and learning algorithm together to assess vehicle capabilities, project these into the future and make decision on mission management level. A layered approach allows for mature parts and technologies to be integrated into early highly automated vehicle before the final state of autonomy is reached.
Catching Insider Trading

This Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog post on insider trading analyzes shares from NASDAQ, AMEX, the New York Stock Exchange, and over the counter (OTC) markets, which allows for an examination of insider behavior within different market structures. We find that trades are different from surrounding trades in both trade to trade price impact and trade lot volume, information that should aid the government in identifying and prosecuting insider trading.
Radiological and clinical outcomes of pituitary apoplexy: comparison of conservative management versus early surgical intervention.

OBJECTIVE Early surgical intervention for patients with pituitary apoplexy (PA) is thought to improve visual outcomes and decrease mortality. However, some patients may have good clinical outcomes without surgery. The authors sought to compare the radiological and clinical outcomes of patients with PA who were managed conservatively versus those who underwent early surgery. METHODS Patients with symptomatic PA were identified. Radiological, endocrinological, and ophthalmological data were reviewed. Patients with progressive visual deterioration or ophthalmoplegia were candidates for early surgery (within 7 days). Patients without visual symptoms or whose symptoms improved on high-dose steroids were treated conservatively. Log-rank and univariate analysis compared clinical and radiological outcomes between those receiving early surgery and those who underwent intended conservative management. RESULTS Sixty-four patients with PA were identified: 47 (73.4%) underwent intended conservative management, while 17 (26.6%) had early surgery. Patients receiving early surgery had increased rates of impaired visual acuity (VA; 64.7% vs 27.7%, p = 0.009); visual field (VF) deficits (64.7% vs 19.2%, p = 0.002); and cranial neuropathies (58.8% vs 29.8%, p 0.9). The median time to VA improvement (2.0 vs 3.0 months, p = 0.9; HR 0.9, 95% CI 0.3-3.5) and the median time to VF improvement (2.0 vs 1.5 months; HR 0.8, 95% CI 0.3-2.6, p = 0.8) were similar across both cohorts. Cranial neuropathy improvement was more common in conservatively managed patients (HR 4.8, 95% CI 1.5-15.4, p < 0.01). Conservative management failed in 7 patients (14.9%) and required surgery. PA volumes spontaneously regressed in 95.0% of patients (38/40) with successful conservative management, with a 6-month regression rate of 66.2%. Twenty-seven patients (19 in the conservative and 8 in the early surgical cohorts) responded to a prospectively administered Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25). VFQ-25 scores were similar across both cohorts (conservative 95.5 ± 3.8, surgery 93.2 ± 5.1, p = 0.3). Younger age, female sex, and patients with VF deficits or chiasmal compression were more likely to experience unsuccessful conservative management. Surgical outcomes were similar for patients receiving early versus delayed surgery. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that a majority of patients with PA can be successfully managed without surgical intervention assuming close neurosurgical, radiological, and ophthalmological follow-up is available.
Olympism for humanity theory and praxis: A call for peace and democracy champions of change

The Olympic Games, the biggest international event, with participants that exceed the number of United Nations’ member states, were initiated as a peace education platform for embracing internationalism, global solidarity, and humanity. The Olympic idea, however, throughout history, was used as a vehicle for militarism, inter-group hatred, propaganda, and supremacy (Lyras, 2020). Despite this paradox, Sport, enriched with the humanistic intentionality of the Olympic idea, combined with established peace and conflict theory, can serve as a peace and democracy platform. The first condition necessary to achieve such objectives is to engage peace psychology researchers and practitioners in evidence-based programs and initiatives that foster internationalism and collective change. In other words, moving away from reductionism and individualism, an alarming trend of contemporary psychology (Moghadam, 2021) and Sport and Olympic Studies mainstream. The aim of this article is to highlight the robust connections and prospects between Sport and Olympism with peace research and practice. This study provides an overview of the most established Sport for Peace theories derived from 30 years of research-based interventions and evidence provided across countries with a long history of conflict. Through this manuscript, peace and social psychology researchers and practitioners will enrich their understanding and perspective of Olympism for Humanity, the integration of peace education, sport, and cultural enrichment as an unconventional tool and an effective democracy actualization and peacebuilding platform. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) © 2021 American Psychological Association
What Went Wrong? Learning From Three Decades of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Pilot and Demonstration Projects

The delivery of operational clean energy projects at scales, is essential for addressing climate change. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is among the most important clean technology, however, most CCS projects initiated in the past three decades have failed. This study statistically evaluates the reasons for this unfavourable outcome by estimating a hazard model for 263 CCS projects undertaken between 1995 and 2018. The results indicate that larger plant sizes increase the risk of CCS projects being terminated or put on hold; increasing capacity by 1Mt CO2/y increases the risk of failure by nearly 50%. We also examined the impact of technology push and market pull policies and found that existing support mechanisms have not been sufficient in mitigating the risks associated with project upscaling. CCS deployment at the gigaton scale depends on substantially reducing project risk while increasing expectations of financial returns. Gradual upscaling, increased policy support, particularly for demonstrations of the viability of CCS, while also building a market through carbon pricing would help remedy the current imbalance between risk and return. Increasing the expected payoffs for CCS so that hundreds of real projects are brought on-line will require the co-evolution of technology innovation, institutions, investment, and deployment strategy for CCS technology.
Intention, Response Selection, and Executive-Attention

As we discussed in previous chapters, attention was considered to be linked to sensory and processes in most early cognitive theories. When we attend, some information is selected for further processing, and other information is ignored. Because attentional selection involves choosing one stimulus from a set of possible stimuli, it is easy to see why sensory selection has been emphasized in most theories of attention. However, attentional selection is also a “behavioral act,” one that depends on motor activity or at least on response execution and control. As we attend to stimuli in our environment, we direct our focus by looking, orienting our bodies, or preparing to respond either overtly or covertly. Furthermore, response preparation and selection are effortful and are subject to fatigue. In this chapter, influence of response selection and control on attention will be discussed.
The Role of Healthcare Providers in Medication Adherence

Findings from a recent review suggest that adherence interventions using a team approach with nonphysician healthcare professionals are effective in improving cardiovascular medication [152]. This is particularly important considering the high cost of physician time as compared to some other healthcare professionals. There is also a growing body of literature supporting a team approach, whether nurse/physician [153] or pharmacist/physician [153, 154], to improve medication adherence.
IMPACTS AND RESPONSES: GOODS MOVEMENT AFTER THE NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE

The 1994 Northridge earthquake disrupted goods movement on four major highway routes in Southern California. This paper examines the impacts of the earthquake on Los Angeles County trucking firms, and finds that impact was initially widespred but relatively short-lived. Congestion delay and circuitous routing were the most common impacts. Rerouting and rescheduling strategies were ad hoc, rather than part of prearranged earthquake responses. The financial impacts of the earthquake were modest: mean first quarter revenues declined 0.2% while mean first quarter costs increased 3.5%. These impacts were smaller than expected because of quick restoration of highway access, made possible by redundancy in the road network and quick action by public agencies.
The Virgin's Kiss: Gender, Leprosy, and Romance in the Life of St. Frideswide

The Virgin’s Kiss: Gender, Leprosy, and Romance in the Life of St. Frideswide Gary S. Fuller Department of English, BYU Master of Arts The longer thirteenth-century Middle English verse life of Saint Frideswide found in the collection of saints’ lives known as the South English Legendary (SEL) narrates an event unique to medieval hagiography. In the poem, a leper asks the virgin saint to kiss him with her “sweet mouth,” which she does in spite of her feelings of considerable shame, and the leper is healed. The erotic nature of the leper’s request, Frideswide’s reluctance to grant it, and her shame throughout the incident represent a significant departure from the twelfth-century Latin texts on which the SEL version of the saint’s life is based. In this paper, I provide a deeper critical analysis of the text than has previously been attempted, exploring the SEL version of the leper’s healing from medieval perspectives on leprosy, gender, religious authority, and genre. By the thirteenth century, leprosy in hagiographic texts had come to symbolize the abject condition of Christ himself, and saints’ lives invariably portrayed their protagonists as eager to embrace and kiss lepers as a means of serving Christ. Frideswide’s shame and reluctance to kiss the leper greatly contrast with generic convention and cause her gender to emerge as a defining holy attribute inexplicably demanded by the leper’s exigency. The SEL-poet’s portrayal of Frideswide’s gender as a vital component of her healing power is consistent with medieval conceptions of personhood, from which gender could not be separated. The poet crafts the scene of the leper’s healing using conventions not only of hagiography but of romance as well; this hybridization of genres creates tension between sanctity and eroticism in the scene. The poet’s depiction of the saint as simultaneously exceptional and human may have been a reaction against the contemporary ecclesiastical landscape, in which female authority and influence were limited. Moreover, the romantic language used by the poet to create tension also makes Frideswide’s story more accessible to lay readers by transforming the relationship between supplicant and saint into an interaction between a courtly lover and his lady.
Romance in the Workplace: When "Love" Becomes Litigation

Numerous studies have shown that many people meet their prospective mates in the workplace. As more and more hours are spent working, there is less time for people to meet their mate, other than at work. Since time immemorial, “love” in the workplace has been a fact of working life. However, as the laws and regulations governing workplace conduct become more and more restrictive, the dangers inherent in workplace romances become more evident. Employees now expect that they will not be forced into coerced relationships. Indeed, it appears that quid pro quo claims generally are
Relevance of Western Theories

Perhaps the most revolutionary change in the modern civilization started with the so-called Industrial Revolution which got underway in the western world and is now spreading to the “underdeveloped countries” of Asia, Africa, and South America which by any definition still comprise about \({3 \over 4}\) of the world’s population. “Technology” can be regarded as the main outcome of the Industrial Revolution.1 In an anthropological sense “technology” can be construed as a vital aspect of culture. Then of all aspects of culture such as social organization, religion, art, and philosophy, it has been technology from which elements have been most readily diffused from one country to another or from one society to another. This diffusion has been facilitated by at least three factors. The first is the conducive “environment” or set of values (or the scientific or sociological basis); the second is the fact that technological elements are more amenable to objective, comparative evaluations than are the elements from other aspects of culture. Thus in a society which has been exposed to a new tool, technique, or knowhow, people can make reasonably fair evaluations of the advantages of adopting it. Such is not the case, for instance, when a new art style or motif has been introduced in an alien society.
Beautiful, Self‐Absorbed, and Shallow: People of Color Perceive White Women as an Ethnically Marked Category

Non-Whites’ stereotypes of White women were examined, comparing three perspectives: (1) White women are perceived similarly to ethnically “generic” stereotypes of women; (2) stereotypes are opposite of stereotypes of participants’ own ethnic group; and (3) stereotypes are derived from media images of White women. In Study 1, participants listed stereotypes of White women in an open-ended fashion. In Study 2, those stereotypes were developed into a close-ended questionnaire, completed by a second set of participants. White women were perceived as attractive, blonde, ditsy, shallow, privileged, sexually available, and appearance focused. We concluded that White women are ethnically marked. Stereotypes of White women are consistent with media images of White women. White women often think of their ethnic identity as generic and think of themselves as “unraced” (Frankenburg, 1993), but do people of color believe White women are race absent or race neutral? In the current research, we identified stereotypes that several ethnic groups hold about White women, examined ethnic and gender differences in those perceptions, and considered the origins of these images.
Methanol Emission from Leaves (Enzymatic Detection of Gas-Phase Methanol and Relation of Methanol Fluxes to Stomatal Conductance and Leaf Development)

We recently reported the detection of methanol emissions from leaves (R. MacDonald, R. Fall [1993] Atmos Environ 27A: 1709–1713). This could represent a substantial flux of methanol to the atmosphere. Leaf methanol production and emission have not been investigated in detail, in part because of difficulties in sampling and analyzing methanol. In this study we used an enzymatic method to convert methanol to a fluorescent product and verified that leaves from several species emit methanol. Methanol was emitted almost exclusively from the abaxial surfaces of hypostomatous leaves but from both surfaces of amphistomatous leaves, suggesting that methanol exits leaves via stomates. The role of stomatal conductance was verified in experiments in which stomates were induced to close, resulting in reduced methanol. Free methanol was detected in bean leaf extracts, ranging from 26.8 [mu]g g-1 fresh weight in young leaves to 10.0 [mu]g g-1 fresh weight in older leaves. Methanol emission was related to leaf development, generally declining with increasing leaf age after leaf expansion; this is consistent with volatilization from a cellular pool that declines in older leaves. It is possible that leaf emission could be a major source of methanol found in the atmosphere of forests.
Defining, Assessing, and Promoting E-Learning Success: An Information Systems Perspective*

This research advances the understanding of how to define, evaluate, and promote e-learning success from an information systems perspective. It introduces the E-Learning Success Model, which posits that the overall success of an e-learning initiative depends on the attainment of success at each of the three stages of e-learning systems development: system design, system delivery, and system outcome. To study this model, an online version of an undergraduate quantitative methods core course for business students is developed using a prototyping strategy. Four cycles of development are traced, each comprised analysis, design, implementation, testing, and enhancement. Findings from the study confirm the validity of using the proposed success model for e-learning success assessment. In addition, an action research methodology is also found to be a valuable impetus for promoting e-learning success through an iterative process of diagnosing, action planning, action taking, evaluating, and learning.
Sub-threshold near-UV radiation effects on aphakic guinea pig retinas.

Monocularly aphakic guinea pigs (Cavia porcellis), prepared by removing the lens by phacoemulsification, were maintained under near-UV lighting conditions for several months. Exposure to near-UV energy was at much lower irradiance levels than that of sunlight, and was at lower than the threshold level for near-UV damage to the aphakic monkey retina as reported by Ham, et al (1). In some aphakic eyes, regenerated lens-like structures formed which scattered light appreciably. After increasing light exposure periods, the eyes of control and irradiated animals were studied histologically. Other animals were periodically examined by electroretinographic (ERG) techniques. While there was no observable histopathological damage, aphakic-UV irradiated eyes with little or no lens regrowth exhibited depressed b-waves, late time constants and altered wave forms when compared with control eyes. The results demonstrate that ambient near-UV light exposure can adversely influence retinal electrical activity in aphakic ey...
Racial prejudice and racial residential segregation in an urban model

Abstract In this paper, racial prejudice is introduced into an urban model and results about racial discrimination and residential segregation are derived. To be specific, a household maximization problem is used to determine the market rent-distance function that gives no household an incentive to move. Prejudice is introduced by assuming that the racial composition of a location affects a household's utility and by deriving, for both blacks and whites, rent-distance functions that reflect racial composition. These rent-distance functions imply that if whites prefer segregation and some blacks prefer integration, no stable locational equilibrium exists for both races without discrimination.
Further evaluating the conditional decision rule for comparing two independent means

Many books on statistical methods advocate a 'conditional decision rule' when comparing two independent group means. This rule states that the decision as to whether to use a 'pooled variance' test that assumes equality of variance or a 'separate variance' Welch t test that does not should be based on the outcome of a variance equality test. In this paper, we empirically examine the Type I error rate of the conditional decision rule using four variance equality tests and compare this error rate to the unconditional use of either of the t tests (i.e. irrespective of the outcome of a variance homogeneity test) as well as several resampling-based alternatives when sampling from 49 distributions varying in skewness and kurtosis. Several unconditional tests including the separate variance test performed as well as or better than the conditional decision rule across situations. These results extend and generalize the findings of previous researchers who have argued that the conditional decision rule should be abandoned.
Four syntheses incorporating carbon‐14 or tritium into trans‐1‐methyl‐1,4,5,6‐tetrahydro‐2‐[2‐(2‐thienyl)vinyl]pyrimidine (pyrantel, banminth®)

Labelled pyrantel, an anthelmintic agent, was required for metabolism studies in several animal species. Four labelled syntheses are described incorporating carbon-14 or tritium into selected sites of the pyrantel molecule. The ultimate location of the marker in each synthesis was chosen in order to yield information about the metabolic breakdown patterns of pyrantel.
Gas—solid chromatography and virial analysis of hydrocarbon adsorption on 13X zeolite

Abstract Gas-solid chromatography was used to determine the second gas-solid virial coefficients in the temperature range 343–597 K for ethane, propane, n-butane, 2-methylpropane, n-pentane, 2-methylbutane, 2,2-dimethylpropane, n-hexane, 2,2-dimethylbutane, and cyclohexane with 13X zeolite. The temperature dependence of the second gas-solid virial coefficients of these 10 hydrocarbons along with the available methane data was used in conjunction with a Lennard-Jones and Devonshire cell model to determine the 13X zeolite structural parameters of cavity radius and number of cavities per gram of adsorbent, as well as gas-cavity interaction energies. The 13X structural parameters were compared to X-ray crystallographic values. The interaction energies were found to be linearly dependent on the number of carbon atoms in the adsorbate hydrocarbon with the more highly branched molecules having somewhat lower energies. The interaction energies were correlated with hydrocarbon boiling points and energetic additivity rules on the basis of molecular structure.
Optical Fibre Sensors For Industrial Applications

This paper reviews optical fibre sensors for industrial measurements, and covers mechanical, temperature, electrical, magnetic, nuclear and chemical sensors. It discusses industrial applications, operating problems, new sensor types and future needs.
Medicus Petrus Hispanus (c1205-77 Peter of Spain): a XIII century Pope and Author of a Medieval Sex Guide

Petrus Hispanus was the only practicing physician ever to become Pope (1276-77). By all accounts he was an interim choice when rival French and Italian Cardinals could not elect one of their own nationality. Although not clearly responsible for any major political actions by the Church, Petrus was famous for several centuries after his death because of his secular writings - a text on logic (Summulae logicales) and a handbook on medicine (Thesaurus pauperum). The latter is noteworthy because it contains two sections on coitus - how to enhance the sexual act and how to subdue sexual urges. Promoting coitus seems an odd topic for a medieval Catholic cleric-writer and raises the question as to whether the first section may have been added by a later copyist or editor, but an examination of a very early manuscript of the Thesaurus gives assurance that the two sexual sections were written by Petrus, probably around 1270.
Quantifying physician teaching productivity using clinical relative value units.

OBJECTIVE: To design and test a customizable system for calculating physician teaching productivity based on clinical relative value units (RVUs).
Phenotypic instability of Arabidopsis alleles affecting a disease Resistance gene cluster

Background Three mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana strain Columbia – cpr1, snc1, and bal – map to the RPP5 locus, which contains a cluster of disease Resistance genes. The similar phenotypes, gene expression patterns, and genetic interactions observed in these mutants are related to constitutive activation of pathogen defense signaling. However, these mutant alleles respond differently to various conditions. Exposure to mutagens, such as ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and γ-irradiation, induce high frequency phenotypic instability of the bal allele. In addition, a fraction of the bal and cpr1 alleles segregated from bal × cpr1 F1 hybrids also show signs of phenotypic instability. To gain more insight into the mechanism of phenotypic instability of the bal and cpr1 mutations, we systematically compared the behavior of these unusual alleles with that of the missense gain-of-function snc1 allele in response to DNA damage or passage through F1 hybrids.
Magnetic resonance imaging in obstetrics and gynecology

Magnetic resonance imaging of the female pelvis permits visualization of soft tissue structure previously unseen with other radiological techniques. The internal architecture of the corpus uterus, cervix and vagina are directly visualized in any plane. Furthermore, the hormonal environment of the female can be indirectly determined via assessment of the MR appearance of the uterus. Similarly, the complex changes which occur during pregnancy, such as cervical effacement and the relationship of internal os, fetal part and placenta, are easily documented. MR pelvimetry enables fast, safe depiction of the birth canal. Finally, the demonstrated fetal anatomy may prove particularly useful in the evaluation of intrauterine growth retardation and anomalies indeterminate by ultrasound.
SOI substrate solutions for recent advanced device applications

SOI substrate technology for recent advanced device applications is reviewed from a standpoint of a dedicated wafer supplier. A structure of Si thin film on sapphire (SOS) has been used for device development and manufacturing from 1970's. Currently a SOI substrate of Si/SiO2/Si structure is widely used for industrial applications.
CPT constraints on KS,L→μμ decays

Abstract Discussion of the constraints on K S,L →μ μ decays following from CPT invariance alone. The results have interesting bearing on the problem of unitarity saturation, in particular reference to possible anomalously large intermediate state contributions from known or hitherto unknown particles.
Vitamin E Supplementation of Holstein Steer Diets Improves Sirloin Steak Color

Colorimetric measurements were recorded for sirloin steaks from control and vitamin E-supplemented (370 I.U./animal/day) Holstein steers. Chroma and Hunter ‘a’ values of steaks from the supplemented group were significantly greater (P&0.01) on days 2, 4, 6, and 8 of 4°C storage. Color difference (ΔE) between the two treatment groups increased from days 0 to 6 and decreased between days 6 and 8.