cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Collaborating to Train the Next Generation of Pilots: Exploring Partnerships between Higher Education and the Airline Industry.

The airline industry is experiencing a pilot supply problem that has dominated headlines across the world. Boeing estimates over 790,000 pilots are needed worldwide in the next 20 years to accommod...
On a synthesis of crystal population dynamics and trace element partitioning models: A mechanism for zoning in minerals

Abstract Crystal zoning is considered in the context of the evolution of a population of crystals. Crystal size distribution (CSD) theory provides an important framework and constraints that are applied in a numerical model of crystal nucleation and growth in an infinite half-sheet which proxies for a sill. The CSD/crystal population approach is combined with a relatively simple principle of trace element (TE) partitioning for batch crystallization. A model of crystal nucleation and growth that is applied to a constrained volume of magma is modified by the addition of a co-precipitating phase and TE modeling. The coprecipitating phase does not consume the TE and so the TE's concentration in the residual liquid increases. Thus the primary phase for which the TE is compatible incorporates more as it grows. A single partition coefficient value is used and is held constant. One crystal in the much larger, evolving population of crystals is tracked and TE concentration in the crystal vs. time is recorded as the crystal grows. In general, TE concentration within the crystal initially decreases while only the primary phase is present and then begins to increase in that crystal when the second/coprecipitating phase appears. For the relatively short solidification interval utilized in the modeling, one half-cycle of oscillation: high concentration to low to high, or normal to reverse zoning, is demonstrated. Beyond the TE's partition coefficient, the presence and magnitude of zoning is dependent upon the time the second phase begins within the solidification interval and the mass proportion of crystallization of primary phase to second phase—which is held constant throughout the remainder of solidification once the second phase appears. The model, as currently implemented, is based solely on thermal and mass balances. A multi-faceted crystallization history, one involving, e.g., more complicated phase equilibria, crystal fractionation, convection, and magma mixing would expose the tracked crystal to changing surroundings such that the mass balance mechanism that yielded the half-cycle of zoning obtained here would perhaps continue to yield oscillatory zoning.
Impact of age and sex on neural cardiovascular responsiveness to cold pressor test in humans

Prior longitudinal work suggests that blood pressure (BP) reactivity to the cold pressor test (CPT) helps predict hypertension; yet the impact of age and sex on hemodynamic and neural responsivenes...
Sequoia: enabling quality-of-service in serverless computing

Serverless computing is a rapidly growing paradigm that easily harnesses the power of the cloud. With serverless computing, developers simply provide an event-driven function to cloud providers, and the provider seamlessly scales function invocations to meet demands as event-triggers occur. As current and future serverless offerings support a wide variety of serverless applications, effective techniques to manage serverless workloads becomes an important issue. This work examines current management and scheduling practices in cloud providers, uncovering many issues including inflated application run times, function drops, inefficient allocations, and other undocumented and unexpected behavior. To fix these issues, a new quality-of-service function scheduling and allocation framework, called Sequoia, is designed. Sequoia allows developers or administrators to easily def ne how serverless functions and applications should be deployed, capped, prioritized, or altered based on easily configured, flexible policies. Results with controlled and realistic workloads show Sequoia seamlessly adapts to policies, eliminates mid-chain drops, reduces queuing times by up to 6.4X, enforces tight chain-level fairness, and improves run-time performance up to 25X.
Who provides what care? An analysis of clinical focus among the national emergency care workforce.

Abstract Objective Clinician expertise has been associated with improved patient outcomes, yet ED clinicians often work in various clinical settings beyond the ED and, therefore, may risk expertise by having less clinical focus. We sought to describe clinical focus among the emergency care workforce nationally. Methods Using the 2017 Medicare Public Use Files (PUF), we performed a cross-sectional analysis of clinicians receiving reimbursement for emergency care Evaluation & Management (E/M) services from Medicare fee-for-service Part B. Clinicians were categorized by type as EM physicians, non-EM physicians, and advanced practice providers (APPs). The primary outcome was the clinical focus of the individual clinician, defined as the proportion of E/M services within the ED setting relative to a clinician's total E/M services across all practice settings. Results Of 65,710 unique clinicians providing care to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries in the ED setting, 39,016 (59.4%) were classified as EM physicians, 8123 (12.4%) as non-EM physicians, and 18,571 (28.5%) as APPs. The individual clinician median focus was 92.8% (interquartile range [IQR]: 87.0, 100.0) for EM physicians, 45.2% (IQR: 5.1, 97.0) for non-EM physicians, and 100.0% (IQR: 96.3, 100.0) for APPs. Conclusion EM physicians have twice as much clinical focus in comparison to non-EM physicians providing emergency care to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. These findings underscore the importance of diverse training and certification programs to ensure access to clinically focused ED clinicians.
A Student approach to using Educational Memes as an outlet to enhance learning.

Memes are visual images, or video clips, often humorous in nature that can be easily (and rapidly) shared via social media. Having defined memes and their potential within the context of learning environments, this submission is developed from a ‘snap shot’ presentation at the Social Media for learning in Higher education Conference (2019) at Edge Hill University. The work presents a reflective account of the lived experiences of an ex-sixth form (now a first year undergraduate) student on the educational use of ‘memes’ to engage learners and enhance learning.
Mesoscopic and multiscale modelling in materials

The concept of multiscale modelling has emerged over the last few decades to describe procedures that seek to simulate continuum-scale behaviour using information gleaned from computational models of finer scales in the system, rather than resorting to empirical constitutive models. A large number of such methods have been developed, taking a range of approaches to bridging across multiple length and time scales. Here we introduce some of the key concepts of multiscale modelling and present a sampling of methods from across several categories of models, including techniques developed in recent years that integrate new fields such as machine learning and material design. Multiscale modelling is a powerful tool to simulate materials behaviour, which has important features across multiple length and time scales. This Review provides an overview of multiscale computation methods and discusses their development for use in material design.
The use of cryoablation to overcome resistance to PD-1 blockade in unresectable melanoma.

9538Background: Percutaneous image-guided cryoablation (cryo) is an established minimally invasive oncologic treatment that modulates the immune microenvironment. We hypothesized that cryo can augm...
A Method of Partial Inductances to Evaluate and Optimize Switching Cells

Advances in wide-bandgap devices have enabled increased switching frequencies in modern power converters. As a result, the parasitic inductance arising from switching cell layout has become critical to converter performance and operation. This inductance not only reduces slew rate, which degrades efficiency, but can also cause electromagnetic interference and destructive voltage overshoot. This paper presents a method for estimating the inductance of printed circuit board (PCB) commutation loops, targeted for rapid iteration by the power electronics designer. Based on partial inductances, the computationally efficient approach is amenable to fast parametric sweeps. The proposed technique is also platform-independent, such that it may be scripted into existing optimization tools. To validate the accuracy of the technique, a detailed quantitative comparison is performed with commercial simulation tools as well as experimental measurements on a number of hardware prototypes.
18 – MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES (Lepidoptera)

Abstract Most moths and butterflies of medical-veterinary importance are members of the following four superfamilies: Bombycoidea, Noctuoidea, Papilionoidea, and Zygaenoidea. At least 14 families, representing more than 100 species worldwide, have caterpillars (larvae) with stinging hairs or spines than can cause dermatitis (urticaria) upon contact with the skin. Adult moths also can pose health concerns by irritating eye tissues while feeding at night on tears (lachrymal secretions) of domestic and wild animals; feeding on fluids associated with open wounds; and in some cases actually piercing the skin with their proboscis to feed on blood. Air-borne wing scales of adults can cause inhalation allergies, in addition to the cocoon silk of certain moths causing silk-induced allergies. Among the more important veterinary problems are caterpillar-induced equine abortion and mare reproductive loss syndrome (equine amnionitis and fetal loss) following ingestion of certain species of caterpillars infesting pastures and browse areas.
Building an evidence-base for the training of evidence-based treatments in community settings: Use of an expert-informed approach

In order to make EBTs available to a large number of children and families, developers and expert therapists have used their experience and expertise to train community-based therapists in EBTs. Understanding current training practices of treatment experts may be one method for establishing best practices for training community-based therapists prior to comprehensive empirical examinations of training practices. A qualitative study was conducted using surveys and phone interviews to identify the specific procedures used by treatment experts to train and implement an evidence-based treatment in community settings. Twenty-three doctoral-level, clinical psychologists were identified to participate because of their expertise in conducting and training Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were completed by phone, later transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic coding. The de-identified data were coded by two independent qualitative data researchers and then compared for consistency of interpretation. The themes that emerged following the final coding were used to construct a training protocol to be empirically tested. The goal of this paper is to not only understand the current state of training practices for training therapists in a particular EBT, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, but to illustrate the use of expert opinion as the best available evidence in preparation for empirical evaluation.
Quine’s “predilection” for finitism

Rudolf Carnap’s notes of conversations he had in 1940–1941 with Alfred Tarski and W. V. Quine (a German transcription and English translation of which are now available in Frost-Arnold 2013) are packed with fascinating and sometimes puzzling clues about these logicians’ views. I shall focus here on just one of these clues: Quine’s commitment in the conversations to an austere sort of ontological finitism. Greg Frost-Arnold suggests that Quine’s interest in finitism in 1940–1941 was rooted in an epistemological foundationalism that he later recanted (FrostArnold 2013, 35–36). I shall try to show, on the contrary, that Quine’s interest in finitism in 1940–1941 was an early expression of an attitude toward ontological questions that was integral to his philosophy from the late 1930s on. Tarski is clearly the leader in the 1940–1941 conversations about finitism. He announces that he ‘‘truly understand[s] only a finite language S1; only individual variables, whose values are things; whose number is not claimed to be infinite (but perhaps also not the opposite).’’ On this view, a number is just one of a finite progression of concrete things. It follows that ‘‘many arithmetical sentences cannot be proved here, since we do not know how many numbers there are’’ (January 31, 1941; 156–157). Tarski rejects Carnap’s proposal that we view infinitary mathematics as analytic (March 6, 1940, 139–140) and says he ‘‘understands’’ the language of classical infinitary arithmetic—S2 for short—only insofar as he knows the formal rules (logical syntax) of S2; to ‘‘truly’’ understand S2, according to Tarski, a knowledge of its logical syntax is not enough (January 31, 1941; 157). Carnap’s notes record Quine as saying, in the weeks before Tarski introduces his finitism, that mathematics, like physics, involves ‘‘hypostases’’ that are underdetermined by experience. Quine also stresses that the paradoxes of set theory show that ‘‘familiar common sense results for finite classes’’ do not determine a general
Security and International Relations: Realism, neorealism and liberal institutionalism

THE MANY FACES OF REALISM: PESSIMISTIC AND OPTIMISTIC VIEWPOINTS Pessimistic realism The triumvirate of chapter 2 comprises the classical school of realism. As realist theory has progressed over the years, notably since World War II with the 1948 publication of Hans Morgenthau's seminal Politics among Nations , the assumptions of traditional theory have undergone substantial reformulation. These revisions have been induced by massive changes in world politics during and especially after the Cold War. These fundamental shifts in power and the rise of new and influential actors on the world stage have been the products of the disintegration of Europe's empires, the expansion of the nation-state to include all peoples of what is now a world society of diverse and divided peoples, the relentless growth and extension of capitalist markets, the rapid diffusion of technology, real-time worldwide communications, the progressive march of democratization, and the rising demands of populations everywhere for a greater say in their government, the protection of civil liberties, and basic human rights. As international relations have changed so also have realists attempted to keep pace with these “realties,” while asserting the relevance of their core concepts as timeless and true. This school of thought embraces a wide range of scholars who often differ, sharply and seriously, among themselves. They are loosely held together and distinguishable from other schools of thought by several key assumptions they share about international relations and security.
Chapter 1 Plant Systematics and Alkaloids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses several studies related to plant systematics and alkaloids and examines current scenario of this field. Several new ideas, concerning the placement of selected plant groups within taxonomic systems, are discussed in the chapter, and in addition, certain enigmatic problems that cannot be clearly resolved are posed as subjects for future investigation. As background to these discussions, the chapter describes the nature and goals of plant systematics. The system proposed by Cronquist is used as a basis for discussion, although frequent reference is made to a number of other contemporary systems. The principal goals of plant systematics are the following: (1) provide a convenient method of identifying, naming, and describing plant taxa, (2) provide an inventory of plant taxa via local, regional, and continental floras, and (3) provide a classification scheme that attempts to express natural or phylogenetic relationships, and (4) provide an understanding of the evolutionary processes and relationships. The chapter presents and discusses ways in which chemical data, and in particular alkaloid chemical data can be utilized in meeting these goals.
The effect of copper, acid, and temperature on the diffusion coefficient of cupric ions in simulated electrorefining electrolytes

Abstract Deposition and dissolution processes involved in copper electrorefining are significantly affected by the diffusion coefficient of copper within an electrolyte. It is believed that the diffusion coefficient of cupric ions under conditions similar to those encountered in commercial electrolytes is not precisely known. The effects of copper, acid, and temperature on copper diffusivity were measured for simulated industrial electrolytes. Copper and acid concentrations tested were 35–70 and 160–250 g L−1, respectively. Temperature was varied from 40°C to 65°C. Increasing the copper and acid concentrations slightly decreased the diffusivity of copper. The diffusion coefficient of cupric ions increased with increasing temperature according to the Arrhenius relationship. An activation energy of 19.2 kJ mol−1 was calculated from the data. The diffusivity data was utilized in a simple one-dimensional finite difference model. The model indicates that saturation of copper sulfate occurs very rapidly at the high current densities (3820 A m−2) used in accelerated passivation experiments.
Activation of the Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 Induces Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 Associated with Osteoarthritis in Mice

Human genetic studies indicate that mutations in type IX and XI collagens result in early-onset osteoarthritis (OA) with a wide spectrum of osteochondrodysplasia. However, a convincing causal chain of events underlying the role of these collagen mutations in the pathogenesis of OA has not been elucidated. Here we show that the expression of a cell surface collagen receptor, discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2), is increased in chondrocytes of the articular cartilage of knee joints in mice that develop OA as a result of a heterozygous mutation in type XI collagen. At the same time point, 6 months, we also found increased expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13) in the mutant mouse knee cartilage. The expression of both DDR2 and MMP-13 was increased in chondrocytes cultured on plates coated with native type II collagen but not on gelatin, and overexpression of DDR2, but not of a truncated form, was found to induce the expression of MMP-13 when chondrocytes were cultured on type II collagen but not on plastic. The DDR2-induced expression of MMP-13 appears to be specific, since we did not observe induction of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-8, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5, and IL-1 transcripts in human chondrocytes or Mmp-3, Mmp-8, Adamts-4, Adamts-5, and Il-1 in mouse chondrocytes. Our data suggest that the defect in the cartilage matrix of mice that are heterozygous for a type XI collagen mutation (cho/+) permits activation and up-regulation of DDR2 in chondrocytes. This could be due to increased exposure of chondrocytes to type II collagen as a result of the decreased amount of type XI collagen in the mutant cartilage. The specific induction of MMP-13 by DDR2 in response to its cartilage-specific ligand, type II collagen, may contribute to cartilage damage in hereditary OA.
Thermal Diffusivity of Dispersed Materials

Measurements have been made of the effective thermal diffusivity at room temperature of composites consisting of one phase randomly dispersed in a second phase. The method is based on the flash technique. Data are presented for four types of composites ranging in particle-to-matrix diffusivity ratios from 0.48 to 1137; in volume specific heat ratios 0.04 to 1.16 and in volume fraction of dispersed particle from zero up to 34%. The results show that the limitations of the concept of an effective thermal diffusivity are far beyond the stiuations to which it is currently applied in the transient state heat conduction problems. Values of effective diffusivities derived from values of the effective thermal conductivity calculated from the Bruggeman variable-dispersion equation are found to agree well with the measured diffusivity values.
A STRATEGY FOR INTEGRATING QUANTITATIVE TECHNIQUES INTO THE BUSINESS CURRICULUM

Quantitative methods courses play an increasingly significant role in the programs of Schools of Business. However, maximum utilization of the concepts can occur only when these quantitative techniques have been integrated into the various functional areas via a faculty knowledgeable with such techniques and their applications. Lacking sufficient stimuli, this integrative process is observed to be one of an evolutionary nature. This article presents a strategy for stimulation of this process.
A Critical Look at the Reform of Swiss Arbitration Law

The new Swiss law on international arbitration, contained principally in Chapter 12 of the Private International Law Act (‘LDIP’), which entered into force on 1st January 1989, has been widely publicized and marketed by Swiss Lawyers. Its contents have, however, not been the subject of much critical analysis from abroad. This article is intended to redress that imbalance. Some of the provisions are an improvement on the law applicable to all international arbitrations taking place in Switzerland prior to 1989. Much of what was good in the old law has been re-enacted. Nevertheless, like most modern arbitration statutes, the new law can be criticized on a number of grounds, essentially lack of clarity, incompleteness and the inappropriateness of some of its rules. Examples of lack of clarity can be seen from the considerable disagreements already generated on the meaning of the new provisions.1 While clarity is subjective, it seems that a provision lacks adequate definition where diametrically opposed interpretations of it have been given by reputable authors. An example of incompleteness is the way in which the grounds for setting aside awards appear not to correspond to all breaches of the mandatory provisions for arbitrations taking place in Switzerland.2 If the arbitrator's decision is affected by a breach of some of these provisions, it can be annulled only on the basis of public policy3 which may not be sufficiently broad to cover the case.4 Finally, the best example of an inappropriate rule is the possibility given to arbitrators to avoid the application of any system of municipal law where the parties have not agreed on the law applicable to the merits of the case and the arbitral tribunal concludes that some other collection of rules is more closely connected to the dispute.5 Similar criticism can …
Intraoperative registration of the liver for image-guided surgery using laser range scanning and deformable models

The development of image-guided surgical systems (IGS) has had a significant impact on clinical neurosurgery and the desire to extend these principles to other surgical endeavors is the next step in IGS evolution. An impediment to its widespread adoption is the realization that the organ of interest often deforms due to common surgical loading conditions. As a result, alignment degradation between patient and the MR/CT image volume can occur which can compromise guidance fidelity. Recently, computational approaches to correct alignment have been proposed within neurosurgery. In this work, these approaches are extended for use within image-guided liver surgery and demonstrate this framework's adaptability. Results from the registration of the preoperative segmented liver surface and the intraoperative liver, as acquired by a laser range scanner, demonstrate accurate visual alignment in regions that deform minimally while in other regions misalignment due to deformations on the order of 1 cm are apparent. A model-updating strategy is employed which uses the closest point operator to compensate for deformations within the patient-specific image volume. The framework presented is an approach whereby laser range scanning coupled to a computational model of soft tissue deformation provide the necessary information to extend IGS principles to intra-abdominal explorative surgery applications.
Graphical microcontroller programming

Graphical programming techniques developed in an academic setting enable engineers to quickly iterate their robotic algorithms. In a constrained undergraduate environment mechanical engineering students at West Point are not allotted sufficient time in their curriculum to master text-based programming languages. In studying mechatronics, it is desirable for them to program robots to demonstrate useful behavior, and a method that simplifies the programming is necessary. Graphical programming in lieu of text-based programming was used at the Academy and was shown to reduce the time for the students to learn to program without limiting the functional capability of the programming language. The method uses Simulink with a third-party chip-specific Simulink blockset that allow programmers to automatically generate executable code for inputs, outputs, and internal functions of the microcontroller chip. PIC32 microcontrollers were used. It is shown that it is easier to convey the algorithm in the Simulink implementation than it is to convey the traditional C-language implementation of the same algorithm. It is quicker to develop algorithms using the Simulink-based method. It is found that these benefits outweigh the disadvantages associate with the higher level of programming abstraction. The method is relevant as a software development tool in that it allows an engineer to move quickly from theory to proof-of-concept and into prototyping. The method is scalable to military and industrial applications outside of academia although it is not yet widely used there.
Evidence of Cross-Frontal Exchange Processes in the Gulf Stream Based on Isopycnal RAFOS Float Data

Abstract A unique set of Lagrangian observations has recently been collected in the Gulf Stream using the newly developed isopycnal RAFOS float. Between January, 1984 and October, 1985, thirty-seven of these drifters were launched in the main thermocline of the current off Cape Hatteras and lacked acoustically downstream for 30 or 45 days. Temperature and pressure were also recorded along each float trajectory. The isopycnal capability of this drifter allows it to follow fluid parcel pathways quite accurately along the sloping density surfaces of the Gulf Stream. The RAFOS drifters revealed a striking pattern of vertical and cross-stream motion in Gulf Stream meanders. Floats were consistently observed to upwell (downwell) and move onshore (offshore) as they approached anticyclonic (cyclonic) meander crests (troughs). The rms vertical velocity in the center of the stream was observed to be 0.08 cm s−1 on the 12°C surface. No mean vertical motion was detected in the main thermocline of the Gulf Stream betw...
The enzyme specificity of acth stimulation of rabbit adrenal microsomal 17α-hydroxylase activity

Adrenal microsomes were prepared from control rabbits and from rabbits that had been injected intramuscularly with 25 IU ACTH twice daily for three days prior to sacrifice. ACTH stimulation resulted in a 20-fold increase in microsomal 17α-hydroxylase specific activity and a 12% decrease in 21-hydroxylase specific activity. Microsomal cytochrome P-450 specific activity decreased about 7%. When the amount per adrenal was calculated, 17α-hydroxylase, 21-hydroxylase and cytochrome P-450 increased 2200, 4 and 11%, respectively, showing a marked specificity of ACTH for stimulating 17α-hydroxylation. The specific activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-Δ5-isomerase (3β-HSD) was also decreased slightly after ACTH stimulation in experiments which increased 17α-hydroxylase specific activity from 3-10-fold. The total 3β-HSD activity per adrenal gland remained unchanged or increased up to a maximum of 32%, while total 17α-hydroxylase activity in the same microsome preparations increased 300–1320%. ACTH stimulation resulted in no change of 3β-HSD substrate specificity. The Km value of rabbit adrenal 3β-HSD for 17α-hydroxypregnenolone was estimated to be 2.1 × 10−5 M and 2.3 × 10−5M for microsome preparations from control and ACTH-stimulated tissues. These values compare with a previously reported value of 6.5 × 10−6M for pregnenolone substrate. For 3β-HSD assays there was no consistent difference in estimated enzyme activity whether the assays were performed either with labeled substrates and the products quantified by determination of radioactivity, or with non-labeled substrates and the products quantified by radioimmunoassay. These experiments demonstrate that ACTH stimulation of rabbit adrenal microsomes results in a specific stimulation of 17α-hydroxylase on a per milligram of protein basis when compared with other steroid metabolizing microsomal enzymes, 21-hydroxylase and 3β-HSD.
Fibrillogenesis of synthetic amyloid-β peptides is dependent on their initial secondary structure

Synthetic peptides containing the sequence of Alzheimer's amyloid-beta peptide (A beta) spontaneously form amyloid-like fibrils in vitro, and have been extensively used to study the factors that modulate fibrillogenesis. Contradictory observations have been reported regarding the neurotoxicity of A beta and the influence of some A beta-binding proteins on in vitro A beta amyloid formation. In this study, we show that A beta 1-40 synthetic peptides obtained from different suppliers, have significantly distinct fibrillogenic properties. No differences were detected in the chemical structure or in the initial assembly state by mass spectroscopy, reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and denaturing or non-denaturing gel electrophoresis. However, there was a direct correlation between the ability of soluble peptides to form amyloid and their percentage of beta-sheet structure, as determined by electron microscopy, fluorescence associated to thioflavine T bound to amyloid, and circular dichroism. The data suggest that the determinant factor of A beta fibrillogenesis is the secondary structure adopted by the peptide in its soluble state.
Protection by antioxidants against arterial sclerosis of chronic choline-deficiency.

Abstract Severe, medial, arterial sclerosis developed in 60% of the rats fed a choline-deficient diet for 240 days but not in animals fed the same diet supplemented with 0.1% of butylated hydroxyanisole and of 0.1% butylated hydroxytoluene. Supplementation of the basal diet with 1.0% α-tocopherol did not prevent the vascular lesions. All animals fed the choline-deficient diets developed equally fatty livers, but supplementation with either the synthetic antioxidants or vitamin E decreased hepatic fibrous proliferation. Neither diene conjugation products in hepatic lipids nor thiobarbituric acid-reactive material in hepatic homogenates were related directly to the incidence and severity of vascular lesions.
Link formation analysis in microblogs

Unlike a traditional social network service, a microblogging network like Twitter is a hybrid network, combining aspects of both social networks and information networks. Understanding the structure of such hybrid networks and to predict new links are important for many tasks such as friend recommendation, community detection, and network growth models. In this paper, by analyzing data collected over time, we find that 90% of new links are to people just two hops away and dynamics of friend acquisition are also related to users' account age. Finally, we compare two popular sampling methods which are widely used for network analysis and find that ForestFire does not preserve properties required for the link prediction task.
Nontoxic nerve guide tubes support neovascular growth in transected rat optic nerve

Abstract Nontoxic, bioresorbable “nerve guide” tubes were used to bridge the transected optic nerves of adult rats. Nerve guides were fabricated as polymers of synthetic poly d,l -lactates with 2% triethyl citrate added as a plasticizer. The local environment was manipulated further by the addition of the proteins collagen, fibrinogen, and anti-Thy-1 antibody to the nerve guide lumens at the time of operation. Neovascular growth through the nerve guide lumens was quantified with the aid of a computer-controlled microscope. Neovascular growth was greater in the nerve guides to which proteins had been added, compared with initially empty nerve guides. These experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of these nerve guide tubes in supporting and directing neovascular growth in the mammalian central nervous system, and suggested that specific alterations of the local environment within the nerve guide lumen can affect the extent of neovascular growth.
The Impact of Strategic Persistence on Executive Compensation

This study investigates whether different participants in corporate governance reward strategic persistence through executive compensation. Internal participants (inside directors, CEOs/ chairs, and corporate officers who own a significant proportion of company stock) are expected to favor stability and therefore reward persistence, whereas external participants (large block shareholders) are predicted to favor change and therefore penalize persistence. Results suggest that the presence of CEOs/chairs leads to rewarding strategic persistence with total compensation. Inside directors also appear to reward persistence with fixed compensation. Large external shareholders,contrary to expectations, seem to reward persistence with higher levels of fixed compensation.
Ethnicity and Helping Behavior

Summary The extent to which ethnicity of persons needing help influences helping behavior in others of the same or a different ethnic group where all participants were of the same social class was investigated. Telephone calls were made by an E assuming either an Irish or Italian surname to respondents with either an Irish or Italian surname. Ss were asked to help by filling out a questionnaire, which would be mailed to them, about the problems of living in New York City. There were no significant differences among the groups of Ss, indicating that social class, not ethnicity, of caller and respondents may account for earlier group differences found in helping behavior.
Modification of adenoviral vectors with polyethylene glycol modulates in vivo tissue tropism and gene expression.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a hydrophilic polymer that has been used to coat adenoviral (Ad) vectors to improve their pharmacology. To analyze the effects of PEG on Ad5 tropism, Ad5 was covalently modified with different sizes of PEG and in vitro and in vivo transduction was analyzed. All tested PEGs ablated in vitro transduction. When protein C (PC) and factors VII, IX, and X were added, only factors IX and X increased transduction by the PEGylated vectors with the largest effect by X. Inactivation of these factors with warfarin drastically reduced liver transduction in mice by the PEGylated vectors after intravenous (IV) injection. Ad5 conjugated with 5 kd PEG maintained normal liver transduction while conjugation with larger 20 and 35 kd PEGs significantly reduced liver transduction. When intraperitoneal (IP) injection was tested, Ad transduced the peritoneum efficiently with only low level liver transduction. When Ad5 was modified with 5 kd PEG, peritoneal transduction was reduced and the virus preferentially transduced the liver. These data demonstrate the effects of different sizes of PEG on in vivo Ad tropism and suggest that this approach may be useful in retargeting and detargeting Ad in vivo.
Development of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in the conscious canine during the recovery phase of experimental ischemic injury: effect of bethanidine administration.

The antiarrhythmic and antifibrillatory actions of bethanidine were evaluated in two conscious canine models which are capable of developing ventricular tachyarrhythmias during the recovery phase of myocardial infarction. In the first model, nonsustained (n = 3) or sustained (n = 12) ventricular tachycardia (cycle length, 165 +/- 6 ms; mean +/- SD) was initiated by programmed electrical stimulation, 4-9 days after experimental myocardial infarction. Bethanidine was administered in cumulative doses of 2, 4, 8, and 16 mg/kg and programmed stimulation repeated. Bethanidine, in doses of 4, 8, and 16 mg/kg, slowed the cycle length of the tachycardia and allowed slower rates of ventricular pacing to produce equivalent delays at epicardial sites in the ischemic zone. Despite these changes, induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia was prevented in only two of 13 animals. Bethanidine (8 mg/kg i.v. every 8 h, n = 4; 16 mg/kg i.v. every 8 h, n = 5) failed to prevent the development of premature ventricular beats, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation which developed in response to a transient ischemic episode superimposed on the heart that had a previous acute myocardial infarction. No differences in survival at 24 h were observed between saline- (10%, n = 10) and bethanidine-treated (0%, n = 9) groups. These results suggest that bethanidine acts to increase the refractory period and depresses conduction velocity in ischemically injured tissue, slowing the rate of ventricular tachycardia. However, the drug fails to suppress the development of ventricular arrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation in both canine models.
The activation of papain by arylamides of mercaptoacetic acid.

Summary o 1. A new series of thiols, N -mercaptoacetyl derivatives of substituted anilines, have been found to be activators of papain. 2. Mass-action expressions have been derived on the basis of a modification of a previously proposed mechanism for the activation of inactive papain by thiols. 3. The derived mass-action expressions are consistent with the data obtained by activating inactive papain in the presence of disulfide.
Renormalization in the Hénon family, II: the heteroclinic web

We study highly dissipative Henon maps $$F_{c,b}: (x,y) \mapsto (c-x^2-by, x)$$ with zero entropy. They form a region Π in the parameter plane bounded on the left by the curve W of infinitely renormalizable maps. We prove that Morse-Smale maps are dense in Π, but there exist infinitely many different topological types of such maps (even away from W). We also prove that in the infinitely renormalizable case, the average Jacobian bF on the attracting Cantor set \({\mathcal{O}}_{F}\) is a topological invariant. These results come from the analysis of the heteroclinic web of the saddle periodic points based on the renormalization theory. Along these lines, we show that the unstable manifolds of the periodic points form a lamination outside \({\mathcal{O}}_{F}\) if and only if there are no heteroclinic tangencies.
Multiple paraneoplastic diseases associated with thymoma

Here we report a patient with a lymphoepithelial thymoma who developed in chronological sequence limbic encephalitis, neuromyotonia and myasthenia gravis. The patient presented with limbic encephalitis associated with an invasive thymoma and improved after surgery and cytotoxic therapy. Two months after thymectomy, neuromyotonia associated with hyperhidrosis and mild motor neuropathy occurred and the patient was given plasma-exchange and prednisone therapy. Five months later he developed mild generalised myasthenia gravis. Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies, previously repeatedly negative, were found positive at the onset of clinical signs of myasthenia gravis.
Intersystem crossing in methylene

Abstract Singlet-triplet intersystem crossing in methylene is considered as a two step process: (a) reversible intramolecular equilibration of singlet and triplet species, and (b) collisional deactivation of the vibrationally excited triplet state. The overall process is predicted to be bimolecular, in agreement with the experimental observation of Eder et al.
Helmet Mounted Display For Tank Applications

A prototype remote helmet mounted display (HMD) has been demonstrated on a combat vehicle as a display for the tank commander. Preliminary tests indicated that the HMD did improve communications and coordination with the other crewmen, providing the tank commander with more control over the tank. In addition, several new options are now available to the combat vehicle community which were not possible in the past. If the HMD were utilized with a stabilized platform, the expanded capability could enhance and change the role of combat vehicles.
Supplier/customer considerations in corporate financial decisions

Abstract Earlier research focussed on firm characteristics and the interests of financial stakeholders (shareholders and bondholders) as determinants of corporate policies. Subsequent research recognized that corporate policies are determined in a broader environment that includes nonfinancial stakeholders such as suppliers, customers, labour etc. In this paper, we summarize the theoretical and empirical research that includes supplier/customer considerations in the determination of corporate policies such as capital structure, dividends, takeovers, earnings management, and product quality. We highlight the significant effect that the inclusion of supplier/customer interests has on these corporate policies.
Boosting I/O performance of internet servers with user-level custom file systems

Previous studies have shown that disk I/O times are one of the major performance bottlenecks of Internet servers such as proxy cache servers. Most conventional file systems do not work well for such systems because of their very high overheads. Although Special-purpose operating systems may achieve high performance, it is very difficult and expensive to design and maintain. They also have very poor portability. In this paper we propose to built user-space, customized file systems for Internet servers so as to achieve high-performance, low-implementation-cost and good portability at the same time. To provide an example of such systems, we presented a novel scheme called WPSFS that can drastically improve I/O performance of proxy servers and other applications. WPSFS is an application-level software component of a proxy server which manages data on a raw disk or disk partition. Since the entire system runs in the user space, it is easy and inexpensive to implement. It also has good portability and maintainability. With efficient in-memory meta-data data structures and a novel file system called Page-structured file system(PFS), WPSFS achieves 9-20 times better I/O performance than the state-of-the-art SQUID server running on a Unix Fast File System, and 4-10 times better than the improved SQUIDML.
Ego Identity and Perception of Parents among Female College Students

Based on Erikson's theory of ego development, this study investigated the relationship between ego identity achievement among female college students and their feelings toward and perceptions of their parents. The analysis showed that identity achievers viewed their mothers rather negatively and their fathers somewhat more positively, suggesting that contemporary female college students may find it necessary to break “same-sex identification” bonds in order to learn the appropriate female sex role.
A comparison of electronic monitoring vs. clinician rating of antipsychotic adherence in outpatients with schizophrenia

Antipsychotic non-adherence rates of outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder was assessed by electronic monitoring and clinician rating. Antipsychotic adherence was determined monthly over 3 consecutive months with (1) the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) cap and (2) the Clinician Rating Scale. Non-adherence was defined as daily adherence of <70% during any one of three monthly evaluations for MEMS and ratings of <or=4 (scale of 1-7) on the Clinician Rating Scale. Non-adherence was detected in 12 of 25 patients (48%) by MEMS and 0% by the Clinician Rating Scale. Clinician assessment dramatically underestimated antipsychotic non-adherence.
Crystalline and Electrical Properties of ITO Semiconductive Films deposited by Atmospheric RF Plasma Technique

Indium tin oxide (ITO) semiconductive films were deposited by an atmospheric RF plasma technique. Indium-to-tin (In:Sn) ratios varied from 10:0 to 0:10. A small amount of antimony was doped into some ITO samples for comparative studies. Substrate materials were soda-lime-silicate (SLS) float glass and fused silica glass. Structural, electrical, and optical properties were dependent on the In:Sn ratio, precursor material feeding rate, oxygen feeding rate, and other deposition conditions.
Enhancement of superconductivity by quasiparticle tunneling

Abstract Increases of the superconducting energy gap Δ have been measured using an entirely new mechanism of enhancement. Instead of microwave or phonon irradiation, the new mechanism uses quasiparticle tunneling between two identical superconductors at voltages less than 2Δ. A decrease in the quasiparticle density accompanies the increase in Δ. This mechanism has important advantages in making quantitative comparisons with theory.
Self-consistent molecular field theory for packing in classical liquids

Building on a quasichemical formulation of solution theory, this paper proposes a self-consistent molecular field theory for packing problems in classical liquids, and tests the theoretical predictions for the excess chemical potential of the hard sphere fluid. Results are given for the self-consistent molecular fields obtained, and for the probabilities of occupancy of a molecular observation volume. For this system, the excess chemical potential predicted is nearly as accurate as the most accurate prior theories, specifically the scaled particle (Percus-Yevick compressibility) theory. A compact formula is obtained to throw light on the variation of the chemical potential with the radius of a distinguished hard sphere solute in general solvents. It is argued that the present approach is particularly simple, permits a natural description of possibilities for multiphasic behavior of the solution, and should provide a basis for a molecular-scale description of more complex solutions.
Systematic relationships among the emberizid sparrows

We developed a phylogeny for 34 taxa (species, species groups, or genera) in the Emberizidae, including all of those placed in the "first group" of the Emberizidae by Paynter and Storer (1970). Structural, plumage-related, behavioral, oological, and allozymic characters were employed. The lateroventral process of the laterosphenoid, a skeletal feature not previously used in comparative anatomy among passerines, also was included. Majority- rule, strict-consensus, and bootstrapped maximum-parsimony trees were constructed. Phy- logenies uncovered were in fairly close agreement with previously published work that used molecular data, although the Old World bunting clade (Emberiza, Melophus, Plectrophenax, Calcarius, etc.) was basal to all other emberizid sparrows examined. The majority-rule and strict-consensus phylogenies supported the monophyly of all currently accepted genera (e.g. Aimophila, Ammodramus, Spizella, and Zonotrichia), provided that "Amphispiza" quinquestriata is placed in the genus Aimophila. In some cases, however, the monophyly was weak (e.g. Melospiza, especially M. melodia vs. Passerella), and for others (e.g. Ammodramus) more work is needed to establish fully the intrageneric relationships. Received 11 March 1997, accepted 3