cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of the Question on Survey Responses: A Review

(Read before the ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY at a meeting organized by the SOCIAL STATISTICS SECTION Oll Wednesday, September 30th, 1981, Professor G. HOINVILLE in the Chair) SUMMARY The paper reviews the effects of the precise wording, form and placement of questions in a survey questionnaire on the responses obtained. Topics discussed include: randomized response; respondent instructions; feedback and commitment; question length; the treatment of "don't knows"; open and closed questions; the use of balanced questions; acquiescence; the offer of a middle alternative; the order of alternatives; and question order and context effects. THE survey literature abounds with examples demonstrating that survey responses may be sensitive to the precise wording, format and placement of the questions asked. A useful start to examining these effects is to classify questions according to the type of information sought. A widely-used distinction is that between factual and opinion questions. Questions like "What was your regular hourly rate of pay on this job as of September 30?" clearly fall in the former category, while questions like "As you know, many older people share a home with their grown children. Do you think this is generally a good idea or a bad idea?" clearly fall in the latter. However, not all survey questions can be classified as either factual or opinion ones: other types of question include questions testing respondents' knowledge, questions asking for reasons, hypothetical questions and preference questions. One further type of question, widely used in survey practice, deserves special comment. These questions, which have a factual component overlaid with an evaluation, may be termed judgement or perceptual questions. Examples are: "Do you have street (highway) noise in this neighbourhood?" and "Would you say your health now is excellent, good, fair or poor?" In many cases the intent of such questions is to obtain factual information, but the approach adopted seeks respondents' evaluations of the facts rather than their measurement according to objective criteria. The use of perceptual questions for this purpose probably results from the questionnaire designer's decision that he could not ask sufficient questions or take the measurements necessary to determine the information objectively; hence he has respondents make the assessments for him. The often low levels of correlation found between perceptions and facts make this use of perceptual questions, although widespread, a dubious one. A different use of perceptual questions is indeed to obtain respondents' perceptions of their situations; in this case the questions are similar to opinion questions. For present purposes, it will be sufficient to divide questions into factual and non-factual ones (including as factual questions those perceptual questions seeking to ascertain factual information). An important difference between these two types of question is that with factual questions there are individual true values for the information sought which can-at least in
Modeling of filtration and mudcake buildup: An experimental investigation

Abstract This paper presents an experimental investigation and modeling of filtration and mudcake buildup during wellbore drilling. Extensive studies have been performed on this topic over the past seven decades and their general findings are summarized. In particular, the filtration model proposed in Dewan and Chenevert (2001) is discussed along with recommended methods for determining the model's parameters. New static filtration data were obtained using permeable filter discs manufactured from sand-cement mixtures to generate controlled formation material. The experimental results, consisting of fluid loss vs. time, mudcake porosity, and thickness at the end of the test, were used to evaluate the validity of the proposed methods and investigate the model's ability to predict the actual mudcake properties. Using the experimental results, some limitations of this model were identified. Therefore, modifications to Dewan and Chenevert's model were suggested to allow it to better capture the measured data, leading to the development of a new Wider Windows Filtration Model. Last, the effects of differential pressure, solids content of the mud, and filtration control agent on filtration and mudcake properties are presented and discussed.
Neuromuscular ultrasound for evaluation of scapular winging

Introduction Clinicians who treat nerve and muscle disorders may be asked to evaluate patients who have unilateral or bilateral scapular winging. Traditionally, this evaluation has relied upon a thorough history, physical examination, and electrodiagnostic testing to localize the cause of winging and detect the underlying neuromuscular pathology. Neuromuscular ultrasound has emerged as a non-invasive technique that can be used for structural evaluation of nerve and muscle abnormalities. Methods Previous studies of imaging in scapular winging and experiences from our diagnostic laboratory are reviewed. Results Four standard and 4 ancillary ultrasound views are described for evaluation of scapular winging. Conclusion Ultrasound is a non-invasive, painless, and radiation-free technology that can be used to evaluate scapular winging. Muscle Nerve 56: 7-14, 2017.
Are oral and maxillofacial surgery residents being adequately trained to care for pediatric patients

Objective To evaluate whether current oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) residents are receiving adequate training and experience to perform specific surgical procedures and anesthesia for pediatric patients. Study Design A 17-question survey was sent electronically to fellows of the American Academy of Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons. Descriptive data for individual surgeons, their associated residency programs, and the quantity of specific pediatric procedures they performed were collected. Resident case load for inpatient and outpatient procedures and overall experience in medical, surgical, and anesthetic management of pediatric OMS patients were explored. Results Surveys were sent to 110 active fellows; 64 completed the questionnaire (58%). There were 59 male fellows and 5 female fellows, with a mean age of 50.4 years. Of those, 68.8% practice in an academic setting. Specifically, 93.8% take after-hours emergency calls covering adult and pediatric patients and 98.4% have admitting privileges at a children's hospital or a pediatric unit in an adult hospital. Their affiliated residency programs include required rotations in pediatrics or pediatric subspecialties. In their opinion, >90% of graduating OMS residents have the appropriate skill set to perform dentoalveolar procedures, outpatient anesthesia, orthognathic procedures, and alveolar bone grafts. However, residents have limited ability to reconstruct pediatric ramus-condyle unit with a costochondral graft. Conclusions Results of this study indicate that, in the opinion of the respondents, graduates of OMS residency programs have adequate training to perform dentoalveolar procedures, outpatient anesthesia, orthognathic surgery, and alveolar bone grafts in pediatric procedures, but have limited experience with reconstruction of pediatric ramus-condyle unit via costochondral graft.
A rapid entry into thioflavanones via conjugate additions of diarylcuprates to thiochromones

Abstract Thiochromone undergo conjugate addition reactions with arylcuprates to afford 2-substituted thioflavanones, providing an efficient synthetic approach to privileged sulfur-containing structural motifs and valuable precursor for many pharmaceuticals. Excellent yields of substituted thioflavanones are achieved with lithium diarylcuprates, lithium arylcyanocuprates and Grignard reagents with copper catalysis. This method provides a rapid entry to a variety of thioflavanones in excellent yields (up to 92%). The use of commercially available or easily prepared organometallic reagents will expedite the synthesis of a large library of thioflavanones for further synthetic applications and biological studies.
Improving estimation of kinetic parameters in dynamic force spectroscopy using cluster analysis

Dynamic Force Spectroscopy (DFS) is a widely used technique to characterize the dissociation kinetics and interaction energy landscape of receptor-ligand complexes with single-molecule resolution. In an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)-based DFS experiment, receptor-ligand complexes, sandwiched between an AFM tip and substrate, are ruptured at different stress rates by varying the speed at which the AFM-tip and substrate are pulled away from each other. The rupture events are grouped according to their pulling speeds, and the mean force and loading rate of each group are calculated. These data are subsequently fit to established models, and energy landscape parameters such as the intrinsic off-rate (koff) and the width of the potential energy barrier (xβ) are extracted. However, due to large uncertainties in determining mean forces and loading rates of the groups, errors in the estimated koff and xβ can be substantial. Here, we demonstrate that the accuracy of fitted parameters in a DFS experiment can be dramatically improved by sorting rupture events into groups using cluster analysis instead of sorting them according to their pulling speeds. We test different clustering algorithms including Gaussian mixture, logistic regression, and K-means clustering, under conditions that closely mimic DFS experiments. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we benchmark the performance of these clustering algorithms over a wide range of koff and xβ, under different levels of thermal noise, and as a function of both the number of unbinding events and the number of pulling speeds. Our results demonstrate that cluster analysis, particularly K-means clustering, is very effective in improving the accuracy of parameter estimation, particularly when the number of unbinding events are limited and not well separated into distinct groups. Cluster analysis is easy to implement, and our performance benchmarks serve as a guide in choosing an appropriate method for DFS data analysis.
Inside the ‘House of Ill Fame’: Brothel Prostitution, Feminization of Poverty, and Lagos Life in Nollywood’s The Prostitute

This chapter engages the filmic representation of brothel prostitution in a Nigerian video film, titled The Prostitute. It takes a close look at the intersections of urbanization, gendered violence, poverty, and popular culture in the film. The Prostitute renders an interesting insight into unlocking the contradictory depiction of prostitution as a form of violence against women and as a solution to their social and economic marginalization in Nigeria. Moreover, the film clearly portrays the sexual economies of brothel prostitution and the central place it takes in everyday urban life. Straddling the fields of history, gender and sexuality, and urban and Nollywood studies, this chapter demonstrates that prostitution cannot be dissociated from the postcolonial discourse of underdevelopment and bad leadership in Nigeria, as elsewhere in many African countries.
Teaching a Person with Memory Impairment Smartphone Use for Emergencies during Outdoors Walking: Case Report

Safety issues arise during the performance of activities as dementia advances. Occupational therapists collaborate with dementia clients and their caregivers to find solutions and strategies to prolong safe activity participation. Additionally, occupational therapists teach through demonstration showing engagement in specific activities may no longer be safe. We present the case of a 70-year-old male with mild dementia. His caregiver believes he needs to use a smartphone for safety during outdoors walking; the client’s enjoyed and valued occupation. This case report illustrates smartphone use may be difficult to learn for a person with mild dementia. It highlights the need for the caregiver and person with dementia to receive education together for best understanding. New technologies for community mobility such as outdoors walking are considered.
Continuous Dynamical Systems

This chapter uses the ideas of continuous dynamics of single populations from Chapter 5 and the techniques of matrix algebra from Chapter 6 to develop the mathematics of continuous dynamical systems. Only autonomous systems are considered. After two sections that introduce a lead poisoning model and Michaelis–Menten kinetics as examples and study them with a combination of nondimensionalization and asymptotic ideas, the heart of the chapter consists of a section on nullcline analysis and two sections on linearized stability analysis. The problem sets consist largely of case studies for models in epidemiology, ecology, environmental science, and physiology, broken into components to fit into the various sections. The chapter concludes with a finished case study that presents a well-known model for HIV interaction with the immune system and uses methods from the chapter to analyze and improve the model.
Consumers’ Perceptions of Risks from Pesticide Residues and Demand for Certification of Residue-Free Produce

Recent surveys have found that worries about pesticide residues are topping the list of food safety concerns among consumers. In the Packer’s Fresh Trend 1990 survey, 86 percent of the respondents expressed concern about chemical residues on fresh produce (Zind 1990). The Food Marketing Institute (FMI 1989) in its 1989 survey found similar results with 82 percent of the respondents being concerned about pesticide residues on food. A national study conducted by the Economic Research Service and the University of Florida also found that 59 percent of consumers rated pesticide residues as a high concern and another 24 percent as a medium concern (Zellner and Degner 1989).
From Clinician to Supervisor: Essential Ingredients for Training

The author presents a rationale for and overview of a complete course on supervision for clinical practitioners who are assuming a supervisory role. Supervision is discussed from the vantage point ...
Data Center Demand Response With On-Site Renewable Generation: A Bargaining Approach

The rapid growth of cloud computing and data centers with skyrocketing energy consumption, together with the accelerating penetration of renewable energy sources, is creating both severe challenges and tremendous opportunities. Data centers offering large flexible loads in the grid, opens up a unique opportunity to smooth out the significant fluctuation and uncertainty of renewable generation and hence enable seamless integration. To take the market power of data centers into consideration, this paper proposes a bargaining solution to the market program for data center demand response when the load serving entity (LSE) has power supply deficiency. Specifically, due to the uncertainty of load flexibility of data centers incurred by the intermittent on-site renewable generation and dynamic service requests, there exists information asymmetry between the LSE and the data center, which complicates the design of the bargaining solution. Making use of the log-concavity of the (expected) utility functions, a computationally efficient method to implement the best response updates in the bargaining procedure is presented. Furthermore, it is shown analytically that the bid sequences of the LSE and the data center are guaranteed to converge and the final price clinched by the bargaining algorithm is indeed the Nash bargaining solution, which is proportionally fair. In addition, the proposed bargaining solution is compared with two other schemes, namely the Stackelberg game and the social welfare maximization schemes. Finally, extensive numerical experiments are conducted to validate the theoretical guarantees of the bargaining and to examine the impact of various model parameters. Empirical comparison indicates the fairness advantage of the bargaining approach over the other two schemes, especially when the load of the data center is not very flexible, highlighting the importance of information feedback embodied by the bargaining procedure.
Examining the effectiveness of risk elicitations: comparing a deliberative risk ranking to a nationally representative survey on homeland security risk

AbstractComparing homeland security risks is a challenging example of comparative risk assessment. One methodology designed for comparing diverse risks of this sort is the Deliberative Method of Ra...
Targeted Rediscovery and Biosynthesis of the Farnesyl-Transferase Inhibitor Pepticinnamin E

The natural product pepticinnamin E potently inhibits protein farnesyl transferases and has potential applications in treating cancer and malaria. Pepticinnamin E contains a rare N-terminal cinnamoyl moiety as well as several nonproteinogenic amino acids, including the unusual 2-chloro-3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-N-methyl-L-phenylalanine. The biosynthesis of pepticinnamin E has remained uncharacterized because its original producing strain is no longer available. Here we identified a gene cluster (pcm) for this natural product in a new producer, Actinobacteria bacterium OK006, by means of a targeted rediscovery strategy. We demonstrated that the pcm cluster is responsible for the biosynthesis of pepticinnamin E, a nonribosomal peptide/polyketide hybrid. We also characterized a key O-methyltransferase that modifies 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine. Our work has identified the gene cluster for pepticinnamins for the first time and sets the stage for elucidating the unique chemistry required for biosynthesis.
APPENDIX 4E Purification and Concentration of DNA from Aqueous Solutions

This unit presents basic procedures for manipulating solutions of single- or double-stranded DNA through purification and concentration steps. These techniques are useful when proteins or solute molecules need to be removed from aqueous solutions, or when DNA solutions need to be concentrated for reasons of convenience. The Basic Protocol, using phenol extraction and ethanol (or isopropanol) precipitation, is appropriate for the purification of DNA from small volumes (<0.4 ml) at concentrations lower than 1 mg/ml. Three support protocols outline methods to buffer the phenol used in extractions, concentrate DNA using butanol, and extract residual organic solvents with ether. An alternative to these methods is nucleic acid purification using glass beads and this is also presented. These protocols may also be used for purifying RNA. The final two alternate protocols provide modifications to the basic protocol that are used for concentrating RNA and extracting and precipitating DNA from larger volumes and from dilute solutions, and for removing low-molecular-weight oligonucleotides and triphosphates.
An innovative graduate course in engineering education research: How well does it meet course goals?

This Innovative Practice, Full Paper describes a graduate course we developed to introduce students to the field of engineering education research (EER). The 3-credit course – EER 601: Foundations of Engineering Education Research – is the first required course of a brand new EER graduate program at the University of Michigan. The graduate program is part of a unique initiative that includes five tenured/tenure-track EER faculty who are embedded in traditional engineering departments. The primary area of scholarship for these faculty is EER, but they teach courses in and support the goals and mission of both their home engineering departments and the EER program. EER 601 is designed as a required course for students in the EER program, for other students supported by the EER faculty, and for interested students across the university. In this paper, we provide details of the course content, assignments, structure, and logistics for EER 601. We also present several sources of evidence to demonstrate how the course achieved two key course goals. Finally, we describe revisions we plan to make to the course.
Investigating a self-reference effect in musical aesthetics

Previous work on aesthetic experience suggests that aesthetic judgments are self-referential. The self-reference effect (SRE) is the tendency for individuals to show improved memory for items that are judged in relation to themselves. The current study sought to understand if the SRE exists for aesthetic judgments of music. Participants heard musical excerpts (classical, jazz, and electronic) and rated either a) how much they liked the music (Self condition), b) how much a close relative or friend would like the music (Other condition), or c) the genre of the music (Genre condition). After a retention interval, participants completed a recognition memory task for the musical excerpts. Participants did not show improved memory for musical excerpts encoded in the Self condition. These results extend the concept of the SRE into the domain of aesthetic judgments, but do not provide support for a memory advantage when making aesthetic judgments in relation to the self.
Delayed Acute Granulomatous Anterior Uveitis after Inadvertent Intraocular Injection of Tattoo Ink from a Scleral Tattoo Procedure

To improve awareness of delayed onset uveitis in patients with a history of intraocular tattoo ink injection. A 47-year-old man underwent a scleral tattoo procedure during which there was inadverte...
Exploration of Parameter Spaces in a Virtual Observatory

Like every other field of intellectual endeavor, astronomy is being revolutionised by the advances in information technology. There is an ongoing exponential growth in the volume, quality, and complexity of astronomical data sets, mainly through large digital sky surveys and archives. The Virtual Observatory (VO) concept represents a scientific and technological framework needed to cope with this data flood. Systematic exploration of the observable parameter spaces, covered by large digital sky surveys spanning a range of wavelengths, will be one of the primary modes of research with a VO. This is where the truly new discoveries will be made, and new insights be gained about the already known astronomical objects and phenomena. We review some of the methodological challenges posed by the analysis of large and complex data sets expected in the VO-based research. The challenges are driven both by the size and the complexity of the data sets (billions of data vectors in parameter spaces of tens or hundreds of dimensions), by the heterogeneity of the data and measurement errors, including differences in basic survey parameters for the federated data sets (e.g., in the positional accuracy and resolution, wavelength coverage, time baseline, etc.), various selection effects, as well as the intrinsic clustering properties (functional form, topology) of the data distributions in the parameter spaces of observed attributes. Answering these challenges will require substantial collaborative efforts and partnerships between astronomers, computer scientists, and statisticians.
Repurposed/recycled discontinuous carbon fiber organosheet development and composite properties

Abstract The high cost of carbon fiber composites often limits their use in automotive applications. This paper describes the study of an emerging class of materials, chopped fiber reinforced thermoplastic (polyphenylene sulfide) organosheets that provide mechanical properties exceeding sheet molding compounds at low material and manufacturing cost with long shelf life at room temperature. The tensile and shear properties were found to be directionally-dependent, while the impact of void content on these properties was small. It was shown that tensile testing of the dry preforms can serve as a method of screening the degree of anisotropy, reducing the need for extensive processing trials. Due to the anisotropy and microstructure variance of these materials, designs must encompass laminate stacking sequence and the variability in mechanical properties. Monte Carlo simulations of composite lamination theory utilizing stochastic mechanical properties conservatively predict the mechanical properties of organosheet laminates. This paper offers one of the first in-depth evaluations of this novel new class of composite materials made of repurposed/recycled carbon fiber.
Hölder conditions and $$\tau $$ τ -spikes for analytic Lipschitz functions

Let U be an open subset of $$\mathbb {C}$$ with boundary point $$x_0$$ and let $$A_{\alpha }(U)$$ be the space of functions analytic on U that belong to lip $$\alpha (U)$$ , the “little Lipschitz class”. We consider the condition $$S= \sum _{n=1}^{\infty }2^{(t+\lambda +1)n}M_*^{1+\alpha }(A_n \setminus U)< \infty ,$$ where t is a non-negative integer, $$0<\lambda <1$$ , $$M_*^{1+\alpha }$$ is the lower $$1+\alpha $$ dimensional Hausdorff content, and $$A_n = \{z: 2^{-n-1}<|z-x_0|<2^{-n}$$ . This is similar to a necessary and sufficient condition for bounded point derivations on $$A_{\alpha }(U)$$ at $$x_0$$ . We show that $$S= \infty $$ implies that $$x_0$$ is a $$(t+\lambda )$$ -spike for $$A_{\alpha }(U)$$ and that if $$S<\infty $$ and U satisfies a cone condition, then the t-th derivatives of functions in $$A_{\alpha }(U)$$ satisfy a Holder condition at $$x_0$$ for a non-tangential approach.
Circular Sustainability of Sugarcane: Natural, Nutritious, and Functional Unrefined Sweeteners That Meet New Consumer Demands

Sucrose has been greatly scrutinized in the past decade mainly for its calories, even though sales have increased globally and it still remains sustainable as the gold standard of sweeteners as well as the most widely used sweetener. Ironically, the present and accelerating consumer-driven trend toward healthier, sustainably produced, and more natural foods and ingredients has started to further redeem sucrose and less refined sugars from sugarcane as natural sweeteners. Natural sweeteners, as compared to artificial and highly processed calorie sweeteners, are the least processed and contain a greater range and higher quantity of nutrients, including antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Unrefined, brown sugars from sugarcane are having huge growth as natural sweeteners. They include centrifuged and non-centrifuged cane sugars that are markedly less expensive yet equally if not more nutritious than other natural sweeteners, including solid sugars from coconut palm, honey, maple, date, stevia, and monk fruit. In response to these new consumer demands, the sugarcane industry is increasingly implementing sustainable practices to supply natural cane sugars, following a circular (evergreen or 360-degree) approach which spans the entire product life cycle.
Catch the tweet to fight the flu: Using Twitter to promote flu shots on a college campus.

Over the 2018–2019 flu season we conducted a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of a Twitter campaign on vaccination rates. Concurrently we investigated potential interactions betwe...
Flexible fibre optic bronchoscopy as angioscope to ascertain completeness of pulmonary embolectomy: surgery for pulmonary embolism—how I do it

Rarely pulmonary embolectomy has also been used as a salvage procedure for acute right ventricle (RV) dysfunction following acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Complete surgical removal of thromboembolus in acute pulmonary thromboembolism is an essential pre-requisite for good outcome. Complete clearance of thromboembolic load from pulmonary arterial tree is difficult to assess intraoperatively. We hereby describe the use of flexible fibre optic bronchoscope (FFB) as angioscope to visualise the pulmonary arterial tree intraoperatively. Angioscopy ascertains the complete clearance up to subsegmental level after thromboembolectomy and aids in the removal of residual thrombus or embolus. Herein, we describe a case series of two patients, where FFB was used as angioscope during surgery for APE.
N th roots of pitch-class inversion

In this study, we investigate the square, cubic, and other nth roots of inversion in discrete pitch-class spaces. We examine the group-theoretical structures that they inhabit, as well as various multi-dimensional regular polytopes whose symmetries model those structures. Moreover, we determine which nth roots of inversion occur in pitch-class spaces of various sizes, and their multiplicities. Because of their relevance to the majority of music in the Western canon, as well as to the transformational theories that engage this repertoire, we focus largely on inversions and their nth roots in mod-7 diatonic space and in mod-12 chromatic space. Our objective is to further the understanding of pitch-class inversion as a gesture, through an exploration of its nth roots in discrete transformational music theory.
The mass spectrometer as a chlorine-selective chromatographic detector. II: Applications to chemical systems

Abstract A chlorine-selective chromatographic detector based on the computer analysis of gas chromatographic—mass spectrometric data was described in the previous paper. The presence of chlorine is inferred from isotope cluster patterns in the mass spectra; the computer is insturcted to locate these patterns and indicate which spectra are most likely to arise from chlorinated compounds. The application of this detector to a drug metabolism study and the analysis of chlorinated species in an environmental matrix are presented. The performance of the detector in these systems is quite good, even for compounds of low abundance in a mixture.
Studies of adrenal steroid hydroxylation: I. Purification of the microsomal 21-hydroxylase system

Abstract A steroid 21-hydroxylase has been isolated from steer adrenal microsomes and purified seven to ten fold. The microsomal enzyme initially catalyzes the 21-hydroxylation of Δ5-pregnenolone, progesterone, and 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone to a similar degree, but progressively loses the ability to hydroxylate Δ5-pregnenolone and progesterone at different stages of the purification procedure. The results suggest that a single enzyme system catalyzes the hydroxylation of the three steroids, but that some of the mechanisms of the enzymic reaction differ for each of the three steroid substrates.
Patent Races with No Entrants

It is generally said that patent races cause overinvestment, because when several entities are racing to create and patent an invention, only one can win the race and acquire the patent. As a result, the investments of the losers in the race are wasted. In this article, I address the opposite problem: underinvestment in patent races. Underinvestment can occur, I show, when a participant that would ultimately win a patent race has reason to believe that it will lose the race, and therefore drops out. This can occur when the participant suffers some early setbacks in its research, but does not know whether its competitors have had similar problems. In such circumstances, the participant may believe that it has fallen behind and quit the race, when it would have won if it had continued. In some circumstances, all the participants in a race can believe that they will lose the race, and all may abandon the race. Both overinvestment and underinvestment are caused by a lack of information. Overinvestment occurs when a participant incorrectly chooses to continue its research because it does not know that it will ultimately lose the race. Underinvestment occurs when a participant incorrectly chooses to discontinue its research because it does not know that it will ultimately win the race. Most previous commentators on patent races have focused on overinvestment because they have assumed that participants have complete information about their competitors' progress. Under that assumption, a participant that encounters early difficulties in its research knows if its competitors have encountered similar difficulties, and therefore knows that it continues to have a chance to win the race. In fact, though, participants in patent races rarely have knowledge of their competitors' progress. I propose several possible approaches to dealing with this information problem. Although I show in the article that the underinvestment problem could occur with different numbers of race participants and different likelihoods of research success, it is difficult to know how significant the problem is in practice. I am in the process of seeking the relevant information on how, specifically, these decisions are made in research enterprises, and this information may shed some light on that question. Tentative information suggests that the problem could be a significant one in the pharmaceutical industry.
Immunomodulatory role of IL-4 on the secretion of Ig by human B cells.

The effect of IL-4 on the production of Ig by human B cells was examined. Highly purified B cells were stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and IL-4 alone or in combination with various other cytokines and the supernatants assayed for Ig by isotype-specific ELISA. IL-4 (10 to 100 U/ml) did not support Ig secretion by SA-stimulated blood, spleen, or lymph node B cells, whereas IL-2 supported the production of all isotypes including IgE. Moreover, IL-4 suppressed the production of all isotypes of Ig by B cells stimulated with SA and IL-2 including IgG1, IgG2, and IgE. IL-4-mediated suppression was partially reversed by IFN-gamma or -alpha and low m.w. B cell growth factor. TNF-alpha and IL-6 did not reverse the IL-4-induced suppression of Ig production. The inhibitory action of IL-4 on Ig production appeared to depend on the polyclonal activator used to stimulate the B cells. Thus, Ig secretion by B cells activated by LPS and supported by IL-2 was not inhibited by IL-4. Whereas IL-4 alone supported minimal Ig production by LPS-activated B cells, it augmented production of all Ig isotypes in cultures stimulated with LPS and supported by IL-2. IFN-gamma further enhanced production of Ig in these cultures. When the effect of IL-4 on the responsiveness of B cells preactivated with SA and IL-2 was examined, it was found not to inhibit but rather to promote Ig production modestly. A direct effect of IL-4 on the terminal differentiation of B cells was demonstrated using B lymphoblastoid cell lines. IL-4 was able to enhance the Ig secreted by an IgA-secreting hybridoma, 219 and by SKW6-CL-4, an IL-6-responsive IgM-secreting EBV transformed B cell line. These results indicate that IL-4 exerts a number of immunoregulatory actions on human B cell differentiation. It interferes with the activation of B cells by SA and IL-2, but promotes the differentiation of preactivated B cells, B cell lines, and B cells activated by LPS without apparent isotype specificity.
Effectiveness of Severance Tax Incentives in the U.S. Oil Industry

This paper develops a dynamic empirical framework that can be used to test the effectiveness of state-level severance tax incentives in the U.S. oil industry. The framework embeds U.S. state-level panel data estimates into Pindyck's (1978) widely received theoretical model of exhaustible resource supply and can be applied to any of 20 states that produce significant quantities of oil. The model allows for interactions between taxes levied by different levels of government and for the first time addresses potential interstate differences in exploration costs, extraction costs, and reserve additions. In general, results show that severance tax incentives (in the form of tax rate reductions) substantially reduce state tax revenue collected, but yield moderate to little change in oil drilling and production activity. This outcome suggests that states should be wary of arguments asserting that large swings in oil field activity can be obtained from changes in severance tax rates.
If a Baby Doe Case Reached the Supreme Court Today: Legal Rights for Disabled and Premature Infants

This paper puts forth principles to solidify the theory that if a Baby Doe case were to appear before the Supreme Court today, the decision would indeed establish legal protections for disabled and very premature newborns. It begins by describing the early Baby Doe cases and subsequent enacted federal regulations, (often referred to as the “Baby Doe regulations”), and elucidate why the approach taken was truly a backwards approach, rather than a “rights-first approach”, the latter of which would successfully address the same problems it sought to solve, while being more acceptable by the legal and medical communities. Next, this paper analyzes the constitutional basis which exists for establishing legal protections for infants and an application of factors from prior disability cases. It explains the problem of the inaccurate use of the term “parental autonomy”, which would be rectified by instilling infant rights and applying an altered best interests approach. It then examines the states’ ability to uphold those rights and regulate parental choice. A tort theory basis is also provided to establish infant legal protections. The paper also explicitly distinguishes the sole case advanced as the best argument against newborn rights; affirms the importance of the massive Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (hereinafter, NICU), technology, and advancements in neonatal medicine since that case; and uses two actual and current NICU cases to do so. Lastly, the paper details additional dangers if infant rights are not legally protected.
Prevalencia de factores de riesgo de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad de Valparaíso

Introduction : The origin of non-transmissible diseases is associated with risk factors related to harmful life styles. It is interesting to observe these factors in medical students. Objectives : To quantify the prevalence of risk factors of chronicnon-transmissible diseases in medical students. Patients and methods : A cross sectional study was carried out on 242 medical students, in yearly groups, 1st to 5th year attending the School of Medicine of the University of Valparaiso. Risk factors quantified were: physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, tabacco addiction and hypertension. Results : After statistical analysis, the risk factor with the highest prevalence (88%) was physical inactivity, with no sex or year difference. Over weight and obesity (31.8%) was higher in males but with no year difference. In relation to tabacco abuse (22.7%) it was higher in females, but smoking intensity was higher in males, with no differences between early groups. Finally, normal high arterial pressure (4.6%) was higher in males. Conclusion : The prevalence of risk factors is high and preventive strategies are recommended.
Shared risk: who engages in substance use with American homeless youth?

AIMS: To identify characteristics of social network members with whom homeless youth engage in drinking and drug use. DESIGN: A multi-stage probability sample of homeless youth completed a social network survey. SETTING: Forty-one shelters, drop-in centers and known street hangouts in Los Angeles County. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 419 homeless youth, aged 13-24 years (mean age = 20.09, standard deviation = 2.80). MEASUREMENTS: Respondents described 20 individuals in their networks, including their substance use and demographics, and the characteristics of the relationships they shared, including with whom they drank and used drugs. Dyadic, multi-level regressions identified predictors of shared substance use. FINDINGS: Shared drinking was more likely to occur with recent sex partners [odds ratio (OR) = 2.64, confidence interval (CI): 1.67, 4.18], drug users (OR = 4.57, CI: 3.21, 6.49), sexual risk takers (OR = 1.71, CI: 1.25, 2.33), opinion leaders (OR = 1.69, CI: 1.42, 2.00), support providers (OR = 1.41, CI: 1.03, 1.93) and popular people (those with high degree scores in the network) (OR = 1.07, CI: 1.01, 1.14). Shared drug use was more likely to occur with recent sex partners (OR = 2.44, CI: 1.57, 3.80), drinkers (OR = 4.53, CI: 3.05, 6.74), sexual risk takers (OR = 1.51, CI: 1.06, 2.17), opinion leaders (OR = 1.24, CI: 1.03, 1.50), support providers (OR = 1.83, CI: 1.29, 2.60) and popular people (OR = 1.16, CI: 1.08, 1.24). CONCLUSIONS: Homeless youth in the United States are more likely to drink or use drugs with those who engage in multiple risk behaviors and who occupy influential social roles (popular, opinion leaders, support providers, sex partners). Understanding these social networks may be helpful in designing interventions to combat substance misuse. Language: en
Frequency distribution of several trace metals in 72 corn plants grown together in contaminated soil in a glasshouse

Abstract A 9‐kg quantity of Yolo loam soil was contaminated in sequence with (In μg/g soil) 100 Cd, 100 Zn, 100 Co, 12.5 Li, and 100 Ni. Corn (Zea mays L. C. V. Golden Cross N. C. ) was grown together in the soil for 22 days from seed. Seventy‐two harvested plants were assayed separately. Several different trace metals were tested for normal and loge frequency distribution patterns. Some followed loge normal distribution more closely than a normal distribution as indicated by kurtosis values. Two followed normal distribution more closely than loge normal distribution. Some negative skewness was observed with the loge normal distribution, but only that for Co was significant. The yields of the plants were significantly and negatively correlated with the concentrations of Ni, Co, Cu, and Cd in shoots. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that it was reasonably Possible to determine which of the trace metals of the mixture caused phytotoxicity. Some pairs of trace metals were highly and positively correlat...
Activation energies for the coarsening of compound precipitates

The theory of diffusion-controlled coarsening is extended to the case of compound precipitates of the typeA αBβ growing in a matrix of a third elementM. The bulk of the existing theory for coarsening in binary systems is found to apply in this case as well. The rate constant for coarsening is conveniently expressed as a preexponential term and an activation energy. Although the activation energy is dependent on the activation energy for diffusion of one or the other components, other terms are involved. In general, the activation energy for coarsening is considerably greater than the activation energy for diffusion. Rules are presented for deducing the coarsening rate from atomic mobilities, thermo-chemical data, alloy composition, and coarsening atmosphere.
Parthenogenetic reproduction in the neotropical unisexual lizard, Gymnophthalmus underwoodi (Reptilia: Teiidae).

All adult specimens known for Gymnophthalmus underwoodi are females, and their mode of reproduction has been a mystery. In order to rule out the possibility of a bisexual mode of reproduction by means of mating with undiscovered males, hermaphroditism, or sex reversal during ontogeny, we examined hundreds of serial histological sections of complete reproductive tracts from juveniles and adults representing two generations of a lineage raised in captivity. In addition, comparative dissections were performed on other individuals and other species, and reproduction to the F5 generation was documented in laboratory colonies of G. underwoodi established from Trinidad and Surinam stocks. A lineage of three successive generations was produced entirely by individuals that were maintained in isolation from the moment of hatching. All specimens of G. underwoodi proved to be female, with reproductive anatomy identical to that of females of closely related, bisexual species of Gymnophthalmus: G. pleei and G. speciosus. Thus, G. underwoodi is an all-female species that reproduces by means of strict parthenogenesis, in the absence of sperm. As in the macroteiids of the genus Cnemidophorus studied previously, Gymnophthalmus has functional mesonephric kidneys throughout life. G. underwoodi ranks among the smallest amniotes, adults weighing about 1.2 gm and having a body length of 36–43 mm. Data from the laboratory colonies indicate the following: clutch size, 1–4 (X = 2); mean egg size about 9.4 × 6.5 mm (weight, 0.23 gm); development time, up to 61 days or more; hatchling body length, 16–19 mm (X = 18); hatchling tail length, 18–25 mm (X = 22); hatchling weight, 0.09–0.14 gm (X = 0.115); reproduction continuous year round with individuals able to produce successive clutches in less than a month but quiescent periods following reproductive sessions; maturity attainable seven mo after hatching; longevity at least 4 yr and 5 mo; and a dramatic decline occurred in egg viability in successive generations in the laboratory.
Ontogeny of epidermal growth factor receptor and lipocortin-1 in fetal and neonatal human lungs

The ontogeny and distribution of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor and lipocortin-1, a major cellular substrate of the EGF receptor, were evaluated in a developmental series of fetal and neonatal human lungs (8 to 41 weeks' gestation and stillborn to 16 days' postnatal age). The peroxidase anti-peroxidase technique with two polyclonal antibodies recognizing the EGF receptor and one polyclonal antibody recognizing lipocortin-1 were used for immunohistochemical localization. Extensive or scattered bronchiolar EGF receptor immunoreactivity appeared in the entire series of frozen lung specimens from 15 to 32 weeks' gestation. Bronchial glands exhibited EGF receptor immunostaining from 19 weeks onward, and immunoreactivity in bronchial epithelium was detected from 23 weeks onward. Most tracheas showed extensive lipocortin-1 immunoreactivity in the epithelium beginning at 10 weeks' gestation. Immunostaining was also seen in cells lining the ducts of submucosal glands after 15 weeks' gestation and in nonmucous acinar cells of tracheal glands after their appearance at 18 weeks' gestation. Bronchial epithelium exhibited lipocortin-1 immunoreactivity from 12 weeks' gestation onward. Bronchial gland necks became immunostained from 16 weeks' gestation onward, followed by acinar immunostaining as they subsequently developed. Bronchiolar epithelium was immunostained as early as 12 weeks, beginning with the largest airways, and by 24 weeks extending distally to the bronchioloalveolar portals. Lipocortin-1 immunostaining of larger conducting airway epithelium was primarily confined to ciliated cells. Neither EGF receptor nor lipocortin-1 immunoreactivity was detected in alveolar type I or type II cells, fibrocytes, chondrocytes, or smooth muscle cells at any gestational age. These developmental patterns suggest that the EGF receptor and lipocortin-1 may participate in normal growth factor-induced proliferation of the conducting airways and their glands in the human fetal lung and trachea.
Courts Across Borders: The Implications of Judicial Agency for Human Rights and Democracy

The global expansion of human rights has shifted modes of political engagement in significant ways. This article analyzes this shift as one towards "judicial agency," where an increasingly dense web of legal rights mediated by judicial and administrative bodies enables the individual to bypass traditional democratic forms of political mobilization. Through this new mode of political engagement, litigants challenge legislative and executive authority as they cross organizational and even national boundaries through a "nesting process," seeking judicial ways through which they can restructure rules and norms over a range of issues. This development is particularly marked in the European Union.
Prediction of raw produce surface area from weight measurement

Abstract Determination or estimation of the surface area of various foods can have a wide variety of applications for food producers and processors. The objective of this study was to develop a computer vision technique to rapidly determine the surface area of objects with irregular shape. The imaging system developed acquires and stores images of multiple projections of an object. Surface fitting and approximation of a 3-D wire-frame model were used to calculate object surface area for apples, cantaloupes, strawberries and tomatoes. Weight and surface area measurements of each fruit set were used to develop equations to predict fruit surface area (cm2) from raw fruit weight. One application of these equations can be for food microbiologists to obtain more accurate determination of surface microbial populations. Analysts can gravimetrically sample whole produce to estimate product surface area and, therefore, report microbial concentrations per area.