cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The maintenance of certification exam: who cares?

AJR:195, July 2010 Balfe, then Board trustee for gastrointestinal radiology, filled the committee with members of varied backgrounds: Dave Ott from Wake Forest University; Peter Buetow of Northwest Radiologists, Bellingham, WA; and Desiree Morgan from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Each brought a track record of expertise in gastrointestinal radiology plus the willingness to donate many hours. In October 2006, we met in Tucson to learn how to make a fair examination. ABR education experts drilled us on how to write clear, unambiguous questions that would test the readers’ skills in radiology, not syntax. Writing a good question turned out to be a lot tougher than, “Here’s an image. What’s the diagnosis?” Next, we went through every gastrointestinal case in the oral board examination larder, scavenging what might translate well to our computer-based examination. Because hundreds of cases that typify current practice had to be gathered, there weren’t nearly enough in the Board’s stockpile. So we turned to our committee members, and each spun dozens of cases into examination questions. The whole committee vetted each of the 370 case submissions, with plenty of images and questions becoming casualties. We assiduously avoided “eye tests,” so cases were tossed if the key findings just weren’t evident enough (Figs. 1 and 2). We jettisoned others because the question was unclear (Fig. 3). In March 2008, we gathered the cases that had made it through the committee’s winnowing process and reviewed them question-by-question with Dennis Balfe, assistant executive director of the ABR—more tweaking, more toss-outs. We favored cases that covered material from the broad array of available self-assessment modules. Finally, from the survivors we fashioned four tests, each with 45 questions spanning the gamut from plain films to MRI, mouth to anus, right upper quadrant to left lower. The Maintenance of Certification Exam: Who Cares?
SkateBase, an elasmobranch genome project and collection of molecular resources for chondrichthyan fishes.

Chondrichthyan fishes are a diverse class of gnathostomes that provide a valuable perspective on fundamental characteristics shared by all jawed and limbed vertebrates. Studies of phylogeny, species diversity, population structure, conservation, and physiology are accelerated by genomic, transcriptomic and protein sequence data. These data are widely available for many sarcopterygii (coelacanth, lungfish and tetrapods) and actinoptergii (ray-finned fish including teleosts) taxa, but limited for chondrichthyan fishes. In this study, we summarize available data for chondrichthyes and describe resources for one of the largest projects to characterize one of these fish, Leucoraja erinacea, the little skate. SkateBase ( http://skatebase.org) serves as the skate genome project portal linking data, research tools, and teaching resources.
Induction of cell-cycle arrest in cervical cancer cells by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral protein R.

Abstract Objective: To determine the ability of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gene vpr to induce cell-cycle arrest in cervical cancer cells with or without human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 E6 or E7 expression. Methods: High- and low-level expression vectors for vpr (designated pVPR HIGH and pVPR LOW , respectively) were used in conjunction with HPV-16 E6 or E7 vectors to transfect HPV-negative C33A cervical cancer cells. Vpr expression vectors encode a cell surface marker gene, murine Thy-1 , for specific detection of transfected cells. Dual staining for the surface molecule Thy-1 and DNA content was used to determine cell-cycle profile and G 2 -phase arrest. Results: C33A cells not expressing HPV-16 E6 showed some but not maximal G 2 -phase arrest when transfected with pVPR HIGH alone (43.2% of cells in the G 2 phase). Addition of HPV-16 E6 or E6 plus E7 to pVPR HIGH substantially increased the percentages of cells in the G2 phase (51.3% and 53.0%, respectively). Cotransfection with pVPR HIGH and HPV-16 E7 did not increase significantly the percentage of cells in the G 2 phase compared with pVPR HIGH alone (40.6% versus 43.2%). In transfections involving pVPR LOW , a slight degree of G 2 -phase arrest was observed when Vpr was expressed alone (29.0% of cells in the G 2 phase) or in cotransfection with HPV-16 E7 (33.2% of cells), and G 2 -phase arrest was augmented with the addition of HPV-16 E6 (41.7%) or E6 plus E7 (45.7%). Conclusion: Cervical cancer cells are susceptible to cell-cycle arrest induced by HIV-1 vpr . This effect is exacerbated by coexpression of HPV-16 E6, although E6 alone is incapable of inducing any detectable G 2 -phase arrest, suggesting that E6 and VPR share links in cell-cycle signaling pathways.
Storage Stability of Dehydrated and Soy‐Fortified Fermented Maize Meal

Dehydrated fermented maize meal samples fortified with soy flour at 0, 10, and 20% replacement concentrations were stored at 25, 35, 45 and 60°C. Selected samples were analyzed for nonenzymatic browning, lipid oxidation, available lysine loss, and change in pasting properties during storage. Production of browning pigments followed zero order kinetics with activation energies of 125-150 KJ/mole. Multi-phase loss of available lysine was observed in soy fortified maize meal but not in unfortified samples. Total carbonyl content of the samples increased during storage. Considerable changes in pasting properties of the samples occurred during the first 2 months of storage at 25 and 35°C. Nineteen weeks of storage at 35°C caused adverse changes in sensory quality of the 10% soy fortified sample, but not in the unfortified sample.
Temperature characteristics of a combusting droplet stream

This study presents coherent-anti Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) temperature measurements in a combusting droplet stream. The experiment uses a 50 μm diameter nozzle vibrated by a piezoelectric crystal to generate a monodisperse droplet stream with a droplet diameter of about 150 μm and droplet-to-droplet spacing of 10 droplet diameters. The objectives of this study are: (1) to demonstrate CARS thermometry for droplet combustion applications, (2) to describe the flame structure around interacting droplets using the CARS measured temperature field, and (3) to provide experimental data for numerical model comparison. The results show that there is a small thermal wake behind each droplet in the stream. The temperature profile measured radially outward from a droplet has a local minimum near the droplet surface, rises to a maximum about 6.5 droplet diameters away, and then falls to room temperature at a radial distance of 15 mm (100 droplet diameters). The temperature profile measured between two adjacent droplets on the stream axis reveals a thermal boundary layer of 1.5 droplet diameters near the droplet surface. The profile is nearly flat, suggesting that individual flames do not surround each droplet. The local effects due to the presence of individual droplets completely disappear about 15 droplet diameters away from the droplet stream centerline. Temperature contours constructed from the measurements of several radial profiles around two adjacent droplets show a cylindrical flame structure. The local heat transfer Nusselt numbers calculated from CARS measured temperatures agree qualitatively with numerical model predictions.
Vacancy concentrations in binary rare-earth disilicides with the aluminum diboride structure

Recent success in growing sub-10-nm rare-earth disilicide nanowires on Si(001) by Chen et al. has stimulated great interest in understanding the point defects in these silicides that may affect their properties. These disilicides exhibiting the AlB2 structure (C32, hP3) have the formula of RESi1.67, suggesting the existence of vacancies on the Si sublattice sites. In the present study, we obtain the vacancy concentrations by simultaneously measuring their lattice parameters and bulk densities. The results show 11.1% vacancies expressed in terms of one mole of RESi2. This means that in a unit cell of nine sites, one of the six sites occupied by the Si atoms is vacant.
Illumination partly reverses the postsynaptic blockade of the frog neuromuscular junction by the styryl pyridinium dye RH414

The styryl pyridinium dye RH414, which we have used recently for optical monitoring of synaptic vesicle membrane trafficking in frog motor nerve terminals, reversibly inhibited contractions in the frog nerve-muscle preparations used for those studies. We report here the results of experiments into the basis of this inhibition and how the blocking effects can be modulated by incident light, by using conventional intracellular recording and iontophoretic techniques. Bath application of 5-42.5 $\mu $M RH414 blocked nerve-evoked twitches in frog cutaneus pectoris muscles, although subthreshold endplate potentials and miniature endplate potentials could still be recorded. In the presence of the dye, illumination of the recording area with light from a mercury arc lamp over a wide range of wavelengths (340-560 nm) potentiated the amplitude of endplate potentials, miniature endplate potentials, and depolarizations resulting from iontophoretic application of acetylcholine. The magnitude of both the light-induced disinhibition of endplate and iontophoretic potentials increased with the intensity of the illumination and developed exponentially with a time constant of several hundred milliseconds. Both the dye-induced inhibition and the light-induced disinhibition disappeared after washing in dye-free physiological saline. Muscle fibre resting membrane potential, input conductance and miniature endplate potential frequency, however, were not affected by these manipulations. These data are consistent with a specific, curare-like interaction of the dye with acetylcholine receptors which can be modulated by light.
The festival in light of the theory of the three milieus. A critique of Girard's theory of ritual scapegoating

L'A. propose de modifier l'hypothese de Rene Girard selon laquelle l'origine du rituel et de la culture elle-meme reside dans le desir mimetique et dans l'institution d'un bouc-emissaire, a la lumiere de la theorie des trois milieux d'Ellul. Selon lui, la theorie de Girard ne s'applique qu'a une partie de l'histoire; en outre la realisation du meurtre rituel est due moins a la revelation biblique qu'aux changements radicaux de l'histoire. Pour etayer sa these, l'A. s'appuie sur la theorie dialectique d'Ellul. Les notions de desir et de sacre sont mieux comprises dans le contexte d'une fete ritualisee
792-5.Three Year Follow-up After Intracoronary Stent Implantation

To identify predictors of long-term success following intracoronary stenting, we analyzed clinical outcome in 65 consecutive patients who electively received Palmaz-Schatz stents at least 3 years prior to analysis. 83 stents were successfully inserted in 63 of 65 patients (97%), of whom 49 (75%) were men and 16 (25%) were women, with a mean age (±SD) of 59 ± 9 years, 18 patients (28%) were diabetic. 16 patients (24%) required more than one stent. Indications for stenting included restenosis following prior PTCA (52%) and lesion complexity (43%). 10 patients (15%) received stents in saphenous vein grafts. Demographic, clinical, and procedural predictors of survival and event-free survival at a mean follow-up of 39 ± 17 months were analyzed. Event-free survival was defined as survival without MI, CABG, PTCA at the stent site, or recurrent target vessel ischemia. Survival and event-free survival at 3 years were 86% and 54%, respectively. Predictors of decreased long term survival (p l 0.05) included diabetes, and a high angina score (Canadian Heart Class 3–4) at 6 and 12 months following stenting. Predictors of decreased event-free survival (p l 0.05) included smaller balloon size at implantation, greater number of stents at the primary lesion, and high angina score at each follow-up interval. Freedom from adverse events by 6 months following stenting correlated with long term success. 35 of 44 patients (80%) with event-free survival at 6 months remained event-free at follow-up. During follow-up, 17 patients (27%) developed symptomatic stent restenosis, requiring primarily early revascularization; 18 patients (28%) developed symptomatic stenoses in other vessels, requiring primarily late revascularization. We conclude that (1) long term survival after stenting is excellent; (2) the need for late revascularization is dictated primarily by disease progression in non-stented vessels; and (3) long-term success of stenting is predicted by freedom from adverse events at 6 months.
State of public relations education in the United States: 2006 report on a national survey of executives and academics

Abstract A survey of 312 public relations executives and educators examined how well practitioners and instructors perceive public relations students to be prepared for the practice, the content and value of public relations curricula and, the future of public relations education in the United States. Results are largely consistent with those from a slightly smaller 1998 survey, suggesting that the views of both groups are consistent over time and providing the first two data points in what it is hoped will develop into a longitudinal line of research addressing public relations education. Judgments regarding the desired characteristics among job applicants and essential curriculum content were extremely similar between the practitioner and educator groups with both wanting more emphasis on research, ethics and strategic planning as the field moves from a low-paid technical emphasis toward a much better paid strategic planning and research emphasis.
Polymorphous fabric-based systems: model, tools, applications

A polymorphous fabric-based systems is a parameterized cellular architecture in which an array of computing cells communicates with an embedded processor through a global memory. This architecture is customizable to different classes of applications by functional unit, interconnect, and memory parameters, and can be instantiated efficiently on platform FPGAs. In previous work [IEEE Micro 22(5) (2002)], we have demonstrated the advantage of reconfigurable fabrics for image and signal processing applications. Recently, we have build a fabric generator (FG), a Java-based toolset that greatly accelerates construction of the fabrics. A module-generation library is used to define, instantiate, and interconnect cells' datapaths. FG also generates customized sequencers for individual cells or collections of cells. We describe the fabric-based system model, the FG toolset, and concrete realizations of fabric architectures generated by FG on the Altera Excalibur ARM that can deliver 4.5 GigaMACs/s (8/16 bit data, multiply-accumulate).
Ultrafast deep UV lithography using excimer lasers

Various excimer laser wavelengths have been used, both in mid- and deep-UV regions—308 nanometers (nm) from XeCl, 249 nm from KrF and 222 nm from KrCl–to delineate images in a number of resists. The quality of the images obtained with the laser exposures, the absence of speckle, and the insignificant loss of resist reciprocity make excimer laser lithography an attractive technique. The ultrafast exposures possible with this method significantly lessen the sensitivity requirements on deep UV resists, making the choice of the resist more flexible.
Purification and Kinetic Characterization of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase rVH6

The dual specificity protein-tyrosine phosphatase rVH6 belongs to a subfamily of enzymes that have in vivo and in vitro catalytic activity against mitogen-activated protein kinases. A method was developed for the expression and efficient purification of recombinant rVH6 in quantities sufficient for physical and kinetic characterization of the enzyme. Matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry verified the mass of purified rVH6 to be 43,500 ± 150, and NH2-terminal sequence analysis confirmed the predicted amino acid sequence. Kinetic characterization of full-length rVH6 identified the critical ionizations involved in the kcat/Km parameter (apparent pKa values 5.1 and 6.6) and revealed a pH-independent kcat value of 0.014 s−1. In an attempt to define the essential catalytic core of this enzyme, amino acids 134-381 of rVH6 were expressed, purified, and characterized enzymatically. Kinetic analysis revealed that the truncated enzyme exhibited a turnover value similar to that of the full-length enzyme (kcat = 0.017 s−1), with p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. Secondary structure prediction and molecular modeling of rVH6 based on the x-ray structure of the dual specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase, VHR, further supported the assignment of residues 134-381 to the core catalytic domain of rVH6. These results demonstrate that the NH2 terminus of rVH6 (residues 1-133) is not required for full enzyme activity and comprises a separate domain that may play a distinct physiological function.
Advances in Laser Cooling of Thulium-Doped Glass

Recent developments in cooling thulium-doped heavy-metal fluoride glass are presented. Thulium-doped fluorozirconate (ZBLANP) is cooled to 19 K below ambient with a multiple-pass pump scheme. This represents over an order of magnitude increase from the previously reported single-pass geometry. The results agree with a simple model for anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling that includes considerations of quantum efficiency and parasitic heating mechanisms. Issues relating to a practical optical refrigerator are examined, including a general model for the effects of multiple pump passes.
Indigenous knowledge and education from the Quechua community to school: beyond the formal/non-formal dichotomy

In this article, we propose to approach Indigenous education beyond the formal/non-formal dichotomy. We argue that there is a critical need to conscientiously include Indigenous knowledge in education processes from the school to the community; particularly, when formal systems exclude Indigenous cultures and languages. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Quechua schools and communities, our examination of policy and teachers in the formal setting reveals overall contradictions towards practice, where the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge, language, and community participation remains largely symbolic, despite genuine efforts from those who support Indigenous revitalization. Further, an exploration of Wanka Quechua community educational practices focused on local ecology demonstrates that community education exhibits a structure that is culturally inclusive, intergenerational and values-driven, and rigorous and complex.
A Review of Coronavirus Infection in the Central Nervous System of Cats and Mice

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a common cause of death in cats. Management of this disease has been hampered by difficulties identifying the infection and determining the immunological status of affected cats and by high variability in the clinical, pathological, and immunological characteristics of affected cats. Neurological FIP, which is much more homogeneous than systemic effusive or noneffusive FIP, appears to be a good model for establishing the basic features of FIP immunopathogenesis. Very little information is available about the immunopathogenesis of neurologic FIP, and it is reasonable to use research from the well-characterized mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) immune-mediated encephalitis system, as a template for FIP investigation, and to contrast findings from the MHV model with those of FIP. It is expected that the immunopathogenic mechanisms will have important similarities. Such comparative research may lead to better understanding of FIP immunopathogenesis and rational prospects for management of this frustrating disease.
Something Wicked This Way Comes: A Historical Account of Black Gangsterism Offers Wisdom and Warning for African American Leadership

Black Americans who exist outside of the American Dream have historically had a direct relationship with street revolutionaries and ghetto superstars more than the appointed Black leadership. Hence, it continues to be an unfair criticism for any “integrated” Black leader to suggest that another Black leader is not authentic enough to have universal appeal, particularly when there is a noticeable social distance between the majority of Black leaders (past and present) who emerge from the middle class and the Black underclass. The gang has traditionally been a significant socialization agent in gangland areas; thus, Black leadership should access the wisdom of the gang when looking for answers to the tough life course conditions of the urban underclass resident. This article provides a brief history about Black gangs in an attempt to provide some insight relative to just how significant the Black gang has been to the Black experience in America.
Cuando cualquiera escribe. Procesos democratizadores de la cultura escrita en la crisis de la Cultura de la Transición española

ResumenLa fuerte crisis economica y social que atraviesa Espana esta erosionando el marco cultural imperante desde la epoca de la transicion a la democracia. En el ambito de la produccion escrita, la “Cultura de la Transicion” (CT) se apoya principalmente sobre dos bases: el prestigio de la creacion estetica o intelectual entendida como algo que sucede cuando un autor se separa de los saberes comunes y la exigencia de beneficios empresariales marcada por la mercantilizacion neoliberal de las industrias culturales. Frente a estos “limites de lo posible”, han aparecido una serie de proyectos en la estela del movimiento por la “Cultura Libre” que entienden la creacion cultural como un flujo dinamico y necesariamente colectivo, tanto mas fecundo cuanto mas accesible. Estos proyectos estan produciendo cierta democratizacion de las letras espanolas porque, mientras la CT tiende a crear la sensacion de que la cultura es producto de individuos excepcionales, el ecosistema de la “Cultura Libre” fomenta la particip...
The pyrophosphorylysis of adenosine diphosphate glucose and adenosine diphosphate mannose

Abstract 1. 1. The biosynthesis of adenosine diphosphate glucose and adenosine diphosphate mannose from adenosine triphosphate and respectively glucose 1-phosphate and mannose 1-phosphate has been observed in extracts from mammalian tissues. The reaction is reversible in the presence of the nucleoside diphosphate sugar and pyrophosphate. 2. 2. Two different enzymes are probably responsible for the reactions with either adenosine diphosphate glucose or adenosine diphosphate mannose. 3. 3. Adenosine diphosphate mannose may be synthesized by the same enzyme which catalyzes the biosynthesis of guanosine diphosphate mannose and inosine diphosphate mannose. 4. 4. Evidence is presented that adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (ATP: α- d -glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase) may be a specific enzyme. 5. 5. The relative levels of nucleoside diphosphate hexose pyrophosphorylases have been measured in different extracts from mammals, plants or yeast. From these data the possible significance of adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase in mammals is discussed.
Indian agricultural policy: An applied general equilibrium model

Abstract A ten-sector, sequential applied general equilibrium model is formulated, estimated, and stimulated for analyzing agricultural policy choices for India until year 2000. Ten groups of consumers (five of them rural), each with its own preferences and claims on output are recognized in the model, the groups distinguished by the range of their per capita household (real) consumption expenditure. The simulations compare: four policies with respect to the compulsory purchase and subsidized distribution to consumers of a limited amount of foodgrains and four foreign trade and aid scenarios. Procuring and freely distributing 100 kgs of grain per capita per year and financing the cost through additional taxation improves income distribution with no reduction in growth. On the other hand, the same distributional policy financed by reducing investment has a negative impact on growth.
Theme issue: suicidal behaviors in older adults.

Faced with the great many social and physical challenges that come with advanced age, older adults and their families must make critical, and, at times, gutwrenching decisions. Some involve life and death. One decision that is made all too often by elderly persons is the organizing theme of this month’s issue—suicide. Over the course of the 20th century, suicide rates in older adults in the United States dropped precipitously. The Social Security and Medicare programs may have contributed to the decline by improving the older person’s social, financial, and healthcare resources. Also, the lower rates may have resulted from steady improvements in not only access to but also effectiveness of treatments for depressive disorders. Despite these improvements, there is still far to go. The declining rates of suicide in later life have leveled off; some suggest they may even be on the rise again. 1 In 1999, the suicide rate for men and women age 65 years and over was 15.9 per 100,000, higher than in any other age-group. 2 Whereas elderly persons constituted 12.7% of the population in the United States, they accounted for 18.8% of all suicides. The higher rates in later life in this country are accounted for by men, whose risk continues to increase with age, to 55 per 100,000 in the oldest-old. In contrast, rates for women tend to peak at mid-life and remain stable, or even decrease somewhat, thereafter. The United States represents a rather unusual pattern in this regard, because, in most countries that report suicide statistics to the World Health Organization, later life is the time of highest risk for suicide in both men and women. 3
Outcomes of transoral robotic surgery: a preliminary clinical experience.

Objective. To report a single institution’s experience with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and its clinical outcomes.Study Design. Preliminary clinical data from a prospective TORS study.Setting. University tertiary care facility.Subjects and Methods. Patients who underwent TORS at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Demographic, intraoperative, clinicopathological, and follow-up functional data were collected.Results. Sixty-four patients underwent TORS with a median age of 56.9 years. A total of 113 TORS procedures were performed. Fifty-four patients with squamous cell cancer (SCCA) were included in the final analysis. Mean follow-up time was 11.8 months (range, 2-29). There was a trend toward longer TORS setup time, operative time, estimated blood loss, and hospital length of stay with advanced (T3) compared with early-stage tumors (T1-2). There were no major intraoperative complications, and none of the procedures were aborted because of inability to remove the tumor. Negative resection margins...
Existence and nature of the chloride pump.

Abstract Seven widely documented mechanisms of chloride transport across plasma membranes are: anion-coupled antiport, sodium symport, sodium-potassium-chloride symport, potassium chloride symport, proton-coupled symport, an electrochemical coupling process and chloride channels. No direct genetic evidence has yet been provided for primary active chloride transport despite numerous reports of cellular Cl−- stimulated ATPases coexisting, in the same tissue, with uphill chloride transport that could not be accounted for by the four common chloride transport processes. Cl−-stimulated ATPases are a common property of practically all biological cells with the major location being of mitochondrial origin. It also appears that plasma membranes are sites of Cl−-stimulated ATPase activity. Recent studies of Cl−-stimulated ATPase activity and chloride transport in the same membrane system, including liposomes, suggest a mediation by the ATPase in net movement of chloride up its electrochemical gradient across plasma membranes. Further studies, especially from a molecular biological perspective, are required to confirm a direct transport role to plasma membrane-localized Cl−-stimulated ATPases.
The lesbian family life cycle: a contextual approach

A recent broadening of family life cycle theory to include the various family norms deriving from ethnic differences, single parenting, divorce, and remarriage has not extended to the lesbian family experience. The need to articulate a lesbian family life cycle is underscored here with particular attention to the specific challenges and coping mechanisms of this particular family experience.
Problems of waste chemical handling at a large biomedical research facility

Abstract Present handling and disposal methods for the chemical wastes arising at a large U.S. biomedical laboratory complex are described, with emphasis on the operational and management problems posed by these wastes. A study of incinerators which may be suitable for dealing with a large proportion of the wastes is described, which has led to a more detailed investigation of one of the most promising units. The effects of recent legislation are indicated. It is concluded that improvements are desirable, and these are now being implemented.
Theism, natural evil, and superior possible worlds

The cluster of problems created by evil and suffering are widely regarded as comprising the most intractable set of objections there are to the consistency and the truth of theism. Over the past thirty years, a great deal of attention has been devoted, in philosophical literature, to the issue of whether or not the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient and perfectly good God could be shown to be compatible with the existence of any moral or natural evil at all or with various amounts, kinds, and distributions of moral or natural evil.1 Moral evil or "sin" refers to the intentional wrong actions of free creatures and the foreseen consequences of those acts. For example, cruelty, lies, theft, and murder are all instances of moral evil. Natural evil or "pain" includes every other event which issues in diminished lives, suffering, and death. Disease, famine, earthquakes, genetic malfunctions and their bad consequences are all instances of natural evil. More recently, however, a general consensus has emerged among philosophers of religion that the objection against the compatibility of God and evil is at best inconclusive and at worst has been refuted.2 But such an admission on the part of sceptics has not dampened their enthusiasm for problems raised by evil and suffering which are thought to count significantly against the truth value of theistic beliefs. This world's quantities, types and distributions of moral and natural evils have been used to formulate inductive and cumulative case objections to the theoretical credibility of theism.3 In addition to that, the practical problem of how to cope with the bad consequences of evil and suffering has called into question the existential adequacy of theistic religions such as Judaism and Christianity.4 So, the problems raised by
The magma ocean as an impediment to lunar plate tectonics

The primary impediment to plate tectonics on the moon was probably the great thickness of its crust and particularly its high crust/lithosphere thickness ratio. This in turn can be attributed to the preponderance of low-density feldspar over all other Al-compatible phases in the lunar interior. During the magma ocean epoch, the moon's crust/lithosphere thickness ratio was at the maximum theoretical value, approximately 1, and it remained high for a long time afterwards. A few large regions of thin crust were produced by basin-scale cratering approximately contemporaneous with the demise of the magma ocean. However, these regions probably also tend to have uncommonly thin lithosphere, since they were directly heated and indirectly enriched in K, Th, and U by the same cratering process. Thus, plate tectonics on the moon in the form of systematic lithosphere subduction was impeded by the magma ocean.
Using 'smart' bilingual projection to feature-tag a monolingual dictionary

We describe an approach to tagging a monolingual dictionary with linguistic features. In particular, we annotate the dictionary entries with parts of speech, number, and tense information. The algorithm uses a bilingual corpus as well as a statistical lexicon to find candidate training examples for specific feature values (e.g. plural). Then a similarity measure in the space defined by the training data serves to define a classifier for unseen data. We report evaluation results for a French dictionary, while the approach is general enough to be applied to any language pair.In a further step, we show that the proposed framework can be used to assign linguistic roles to extracted morphemes, e.g. noun plural markers. While the morphemes can be extracted using any algorithm, we present a simple algorithm for doing so. The emphasis hereby is not on the algorithm itself, but on the power of the framework to assign roles, which are ultimately indispensable for tasks such as Machine Translation.
ANNEXINS : WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR?

Annexins comprise a unique family of calcium- and phospholipid-binding proteins. At least one of the twenty members thus far described from this family can be found expressed in nearly every eukaryotic cell type. As common as these proteins may be, no one clear function for all has been established. Historically, individual members of this family have been given various names describing their ability to associate with a host of intra- and extracellular proteins and with cellular lipid membranes. The collection of reviews in this issue of CMLS represents an effort to offer a coordinated view of the research activities in the field and to extract structural and functional commonalities.
Optimal isosteric heat of adsorption for hydrogen storage and delivery using metal-organic frameworks

Abstract Hydrogen storage and delivery in eight representative metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) was investigated using grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. The simulations demonstrate that the optimal isosteric heat of adsorption ( Q st ) for maximum hydrogen delivery using MOFs is approximately 20 kJ/mol. The results also suggest that increasing the Q st for MOFs with large surface areas (>4800 m 2 /g) is required to attain current hydrogen storage targets in terms of deliverable capacity.
A language measure for supervisory control

This paper formulates a signed real measure for sublanguages of regular languages based on the principles of automata theory and real analysis. The measure provides total ordering on the controlled behavior of a finite-state automaton plant under different supervisors. Total variation of the measure serves as a metric for the infinite-dimensional vector space of the sublanguages of a regular language over the finite field GF(2). The computational complexity of the language measure is of polynomial order in the number of plant states.
Cardiovascular actions of an experimental antitumor agent, homoharringtonine, in anesthetized dogs

Cardiovascular actions of homoharringtonine, a plant extract currently being tested for clinical efficacy as an antitumor agent, were investigated in anesthetized mongrel dogs. Intravenous administration of homoharringtonine (4 mg/M2) produced significant reductions in heart rate, cardiac output, and arterial blood pressure, while myocardial contractility or total peripheral resistance were not altered. These results suggest that the bradycardia could account for decreases in both cardiac output and blood pressure. In additional experiments performed to evaluate the actions of homoharringtonine on cardiac sympathetic neurotransmission it was discovered that this compound caused significant impairment of the tachycardia elicited during stimulation of cardiac sympathetic nerves. The positive chronotropic effects of either norepinephrine or isoproterenol were not altered by homoharringtonine. In these animals in which both vagi and the right cardioaccelerator nerve were sectioned, the hypotensive and bradycardiac effects were of lesser magnitude than that seen in neurally intact animals. These results show that a dose of homoharringtonine comparable to that used in clinical trials produces hypotension and bradycardia which may result from inhibition of sympathetic nerve function caused by the compound.
Spectrum of operative childhood intra-articular shoulder pathology

Purpose With increased sports participation and medical community awareness, there appears to be an increase in pediatric musculoskeletal injuries. Our purpose was to identify the intra-articular injury pattern seen within the pediatric shoulder.
Cross talks between the immune and lymphatic endothelial cells regulate inflammatory lymph node lymphangiogenesis: defining a new therapeutic approach.

Meeting abstracts The lymphatic system serves as the primary route for the metastasis of many cancers and the extent of lymphangiogenesis involvement is the most important indicator of tumor aggressiveness. Despite the apparent importance of the lymphatic vessels for tumor dissemination, it has
Durable electrochromic films of nickel hydroxide via chemical modifications

Abstract Nickel hydroxide films prepared by electrodeposition methods exhibit intense electrochromic behavior which deteriorates during repeated coloration/bleaching cycles. The durability of electrochromic nickel hydroxide films has been markedly improved by either the simultaneous incorporation of coprecipitated cobalt and lanthanum ions into the nickel hydroxide lattice or by the introduction of trace quantities of ferricyanide into the alkaline electrolyte. With either of these methods, nickel hydroxide films could be switched for at least several thousand cycles versus less than 500 cycles in systems without these chemical modifications.
Diatom Model Affinity (DMA), a New Index for Water Quality Assessment

A new index, diatom model affinity (DMA) was erected as a reference-based community metric, derived from generic and species composition. DMA provides an assessment of water quality by the calculation of percent similarity to a model community, which can be viewed as a reference standard. High similarity to the model indicates communities that are minimally disturbed, while lower similarity suggests water quality problems. The index is similar to that developed for macroinvertebrate communities by Novak & Bode (1992, Journal of the North American Benthological Society 11: 80-85). The index correlated well with environmental factors operating on hierarchical scales. Compared to other commonly used diatom indices, DMA-based community assessments demonstrated high correspondence to patterns derived from multivariate statistics.
An interactive micro-computer implementation of craft with multiple objectives and side constraints

Abstract The interactive program, MOCRAFT, differs from other micro-computer versions of CRAFT in several respects. Unlike some versions which are written in BASIC and are slow to execute, or have limited size, or lack the features of the original, MOCRAFT is a full implementation of the SHARE Library FORTRAN code. MOCRAFT also contains many features not found in any other versions of the well known and powerful facilities layout program, CRAFT (for Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities Technique by Armour and Buffa). For example, MOCRAFT can utilize both cost-flow and REL data at the sme times, and is therefore a true multiple objective method. It can also accomodate constraints between arbitraty points and departments in the layout. Originally developed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for control panel layouts, the source code for MOCRAFT has been extensively edited and enhanced at Cleveland State University. The code was originally implemented on CSU's VAX network by the author in 1985 and the first PC version was compiled by D'Souze and Mohanty, in 1987. This version of MOCRAFT, by the author, is an improvement over the first PC version, and runs on a standard configured IBM PC, XT or AT, with at least 256K bytes of RAM.
Using neural networks to study concept formation in a sonar discrimination task

Behavioral data show that echolocating bats can discriminate between different speeds of a moving object. A neural network system presented with echoes of simulated bat sounds recorded from targets moving at different speeds exhibits similar performance. In both cases, discriminations were successfully made between targets moving at 30 Hz and a slower variable speed (5, 10, and 20 Hz). However, in both cases, it is not clear what underlying concept was learned and used to perform the task. In other words, did the bat and the neural network perform the tasks based on a relative concept of faster (and thus learned to recognize `this is the faster speed') or did they perform the task based on an absolute concept of 30 Hz speed (and thus learned to recognize `this is the 30 Hz speed')? Both concepts would produce the observed performance of the bat and the neural networks. In this paper, we developed an approach for using neural networks to explore which concept was used to perform the task, and what factors may influence which type of concept is developed. First, we observed the behavior of the neural network when presented with a novel speed of 40 Hz. Its behavior on the novel 40 Hz speed suggested what underlying concept was implemented in the system (if it classified the novel 40 Hz as `30 Hz,' then it used a relative concept of faster; if it classified the novel 40 Hz speed as `not-30 Hz,' then it used an absolute concept, specifically quantifying the 30 Hz speed). Second, we examined what factors influenced the formation of the concept. Our computer simulations of neural networks that discriminated between 30 Hz and the slower variable speeds of 5, 10, and 20 Hz showed that the formation of a concept depends on the magnitude of the difference between the speeds used in training, i.e., the difficulty of the task. Specifically, when the difference between the speeds in the training set was large, the system formulated a relative concept of fast and slow. However, when the difference was small, the system formulated an absolute concept. Our neural network simulation of a system that learns to discriminate between a variety of speeds (i.e., 5, 10, and 20 Hz vs. 30 Hz speeds) demonstrated that the network developed the simplest concept that allowed it to perform the task correctly. Taken together, our results show that the development of concepts is influenced by the underlying computational demands of the task, and that neural networks can be used to explore the processes involved in concept formation. © (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Habituation of skin conductance responses and flexor withdrawal activity mediated by the functionally transected human spinal cord.

Abstract Changes in segmentally mediated sympathetic reactions and lower extremity flexor responses to repetitive afferent stimulation of a peripheral nerve were studied in 9 patients with a functionally complete transection of the cervical spinal cord. The sympathetic reactions were recorded in terms of skin conductance responses from the palms, and the flexor responses were monitored in terms of the integrated EMG activity of the tibialis anterior muscle. The stimuli were comprised of pulse trains applied percutaneously to the posterior tibial nerve of the limb from which the EMG was recorded. The same intensity was used for the series of repetitive stimuli and for the test stimuli which preceded and followed repetitive stimulation. The manner in which both the sympathetic and flexor reactions were affected by different rates and by different numbers of stimuli was consistent with the parametric characteristics which have been ascribed to the habituation process. For both modalities of responses, repetitive stimulation at the rate of 120/min resulted in a much greater decrement of responding to test stimuli than did stimulation at the rate of 12/min. When the number of stimuli at the rate of 120/min was reduced from 360 to 90, the magnitude of responses to test stimuli was less depressed and the rate of spontaneous recovery was faster. The recovery rate of both skin conductance responses and flexor EMG activity was progressively slowed by applying successive series of 120/min repetitive stimuli, separated by sets of test stimuli. The influence of effector fatigue in accounting for the effects of repetitive stimulation was investigated by applying test stimuli to two different sites, only one of which was submitted to prolonged repetitive stimulation. Both for skin conductance responses and flexor EMG activity, the only responses to decrease in magnitude were those elicited from the site which had been stimulated repetitively. Similarities in the habituation of sympathetic and flexor reactions were considered from the standpoint of reflex pathway components which the two systems share.
Infrared All-Optical Information Processing In Semiconductors

This paper discusses the feasibility of all-optical information processing using the nonlinear refractive index at the band gap in direct band semiconductors. Comparison is made of the nonlinearities due to dynamic state filling, also known as the dynamic Burstein-Moss shift, and excitonic nonlinearities. It will be shown that the lowest possible intensity thresholds for nonlinear processes such as optical bistability and degenerate four-wave mixing occur from the dynamic state filling nonlinearity. The wavelengths around 3 µm in mate-rials such as InAs appear to be an excellent choice for parallel processing of a large amount of information.
Quality of Life Among Obese Patients Seeking Weight Loss Surgery: The Importance of Obesity-Related Social Stigma and Functional Status

BACKGROUND Obesity is a stigmatizing condition associated with adverse psychosocial consequences. The relative importance of weight stigma in reducing health utility or the value a person places on their current health state is unknown.
Generic model for current collapse in spin-blockaded transport

A decrease in current with increasing voltage, often referred to as negative differential resistance (NDR), has been observed in many electronic devices and can usually be understood within a one-electron picture. However, NDR has recently been reported in nanoscale devices with large single-electron charging energies which require a many-electron picture in Fock space. This paper presents a generic model in this transport regime leading to a simple criterion for the conditions required to observe NDR and shows that this model describes the recent observation of multiple NDR's in spin-blockaded transport through weakly coupled-double quantum dots quite well. This model clearly shows how a delicate interplay of orbital energy offset, delocalization, and Coulomb interaction leads to the observed NDR under the right conditions, and also aids in obtaining a good match with experimentally observed features. We believe that the basic model could be useful in understanding other experiments in this transport regime as well.
Structure and Dynamics of a Benzenedithiol Monolayer on a Au(111) Surface

We use the universal force field (UFF) developed by Rappe et al. (Rappe, A. K.; Casewit, C. J.; Colwell, K. S.; Goddard, W. A.; Skiff, W. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 10024) and the specific classical potentials developed from ab initio calculations for Au−benzenedithiol (BDT) molecule interaction to perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a BDT monolayer on an extended Au(111) surface. The simulation system consists of 100 BDT molecules and three rigid Au layers in a simulation box that is rhombic in the plane of the Au surface. A multiple time scale algorithm, the double-reversible reference system propagator algorithm (double RESPA) based on the Nose−Hoover dynamics scheme, and the Ewald summation with a boundary correction term for the treatment of long-range electrostatic interactions in a 2-D slab have been incorporated into the simulation technique. We investigate the local bonding properties of Au−BDT contacts and molecular orientation distributions of BDT molecules. These results show t...