cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Through the Looking Glass of Theory

Words are such amorphous things, with contextual and shifting meanings, and yet they shape how we think about everything, which, in turn, shapes most everything else. Those who control words control the world. The pen (or maybe the digital post) is, indeed, mightier than the sword.When I accepted the challenge of responding to a forum on the mean-ing of the word “theory,” it was with enthusiasm. But as I wrestled with the contradictions, assumptions, subthemes, and circles within circles, I began to wonder if I could say anything “meaningful” (understanding the irony of even saying that).We know that conventional scientists use the term “theory” for generalizing across contexts, searching for absolutes that help predict events. We know that normative theorists make claims to ideal or desired behaviors or results.Most theorists, traditional or otherwise, would probably agree that theory is something of import within the general intellectual community, and is something that normally (but not always) is a call to some kind of action, even if only implicitly. What “meaning” is there to theoretical knowledge or understanding if there is no action that results from it? To describe or interpret how something causes pain or suffering or exclusion or oppression or blind-ness, or misunderstanding is to implicitly state that things really should be different. It is making some kind of truth or moral claim.
Sedimentation dynamics in the Santa Monica-San Pedro Basin off Los Angeles: radiochemical, sediment trap and transmissometer studies

Abstract A large number of sediment cores and sediment trap samples collected from different parts of the Santa Monica-San Pedro (SM-SP) Basin during 1985–1988 were studied for radionuclides, trace metals and other sedimentary components. The radiochemical data are presented here to give a basin-wide view of the sedimentation dynamics.210Pb stratigraphy indicated that sedimentation rates were higher and more variable (30–80 mg cm−2y−1) in the more dynamic slope region, but were uniformly low (13.4–18.8 mg cm−2y−1) in the flat, deep basin. From the sediment record, it was suggested that sedimentation rates were decreasing and the area of anoxia had been expanding, at least during the past one to two centuries. Turbidite layers found in the sediment cores suggested higher frequency and more recent occurrence toward the basin margins.210Pb geochronologies indicated that the recent turbidites might be related to major storms which occurred during the past two decades. Sediment traps deployed in the basin recorded very large short-term spatial and temporal variabilities of mass flux, with unusually high fluxes corresponding to recorded large wave events. Trap-measured near-bottom mass fluxes averaged over all collection periods (622 days) were consistent with210Pb-based sediment accumulation rates. With few exceptions, trap-measured fluxes decreased offshore but increased with depth at any location, strongly suggesting lateral input of materials. Transmissometer data demonstrated the existence of nepheloid plumes off the eastern slope of the SM-SP Basin. The offshore decrease of sedimentation rate in the eastern part of the SM Basin was consistent with the fact that nepheloid plumes were confined to the basin slopes and that the major transport pathway of suspended particles, as indicated via progressive vector analysis, was alongshore from the SP Basin toward the SM Basin. Concentrations and fluxes of radionuclides measured in the near-bottom trap in the deep basin compared favorably with those registered in bottom sediments. Based on water column, sediment trap and sediment core data, self-consistent flux balances can be constructed for228Th and210Pb. Flux balances for234Th were less well defined. The cyclic pattern of uranium profiles in deep basin sediments appeared to be in phase with the sedimentary record of CaCO3 and the historical record of primary production and anchovy biomass. It is suggested that the removal of uranium from the water might be regulated by longterm regional changes in biological processes and sedimentation environments.
The Myth of Social Investing: A Critique of its Practice and Consequences for Corporate Social Performance Research

L'investissement social egalement qualifie d'ethique ou socialement responsable, est cense contribuer au financement d'entreprises respectant des engagements ethiques ou sociaux. Le present article tente de mettre en evidence les faiblesses methodologiques de l'elaboration des criteres utilises en particulier par Kinder, Lydenberg et Domini pour definir l'investissement social
Early life factors and risk of inflammatory bowel disease in adulthood.

Background Early life factors have been postulated to play a role in development of immune tolerance and intestinal microbiome, which in turn may influence the risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 60,186 U.S. women enrolled since 1976 in the Nurses Health Study (NHS) I and 86,495 women enrolled since 1989 in the NHS II with no history of ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD). Information about breastfeeding, birth weight, and preterm birth were collected in 1992 in NHS I and 1991 in NHS II. Diagnoses of CD and UC were confirmed through review of medical records. We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Among 146,681 women over 3,373,726 person-years of follow-up, we documented 248 cases of CD and 304 cases of UC through 2007 in NHS II and 2008 in NHS I. The median age of diagnosis was 51 for CD and 49 for UC. Compared with women who were not breastfed, women who were breastfed had multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios of 0.99 (95% confidence interval, 0.76-1.30) for CD and 1.03 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.32) for UC. Similarly, low or high birth weight and preterm birth were not significantly associated with risk of UC or CD. Conclusions In 2 large prospective cohorts of U.S. women, we did not observe a significant association between early life factors including having been breastfed, birth weight, preterm birth, and risk of adult-onset UC and CD.
A Social Semiotics Framework for Conceptualizing Content Area Literacies

The author outlines ways in which conceptions of texts and literacy may be distinctive across academic disciplines. Framed in theories of social semiotics, she asserts that each discipline is recreated through a series of texts, defined broadly to include any instances of communication. Texts in each content area not only instantiate a particular body of content, but also instantiate social practices and roles in relation to that content. After outlining how content and social roles may vary according to each discipline, the author concludes that content area literacy instruction can include encouraging students to recognize and reflect on these differences in texts and the practices surrounding them, thereby helping students to develop metadiscursive frameworks for navigating content area literacies.
The determination of stability and similarity of Markovian land use change processes: A theoretical and empirical analysis

Abstract This paper examines the process of land use change as a Markov process. The model as developed in this paper ateempts to specify criteria to determine the stability and similarity of the process of land use change before it reaches the equilibrium state which may take an infinite number of time periods. It is shown that the model is capable of identifying the time horizon during which the system shows sufficient stability since prediction with respect to future pattern is more likely to conform to the actual pattern if the system in question is stable.
Testing a BEIR-VI suggestion for explaining the lung cancer vs. radon relationship for U. S. counties

The BEIR-VI Report suggests that the large discrepancy between the observed lung cancer rate vs. radon exposure relationship for U.S. counties, and the predictions of linear no-threshold theory, may be explained by a strong negative correlation between smoking intensity and radon exposure. It proposes a model for testing that suggestion. We apply that model to the detailed data for U.S. counties; analysis shows that even a perfect negative correlation explains little more than half of the discrepancy, and the largest not-implausible correlation can explain less than a quarter of the discrepancy. We then extend the BEIR-VI suggestion to include a strong negative correlation between both the prevalence of smoking and the intensity of smoking. The largest not-implausible correlations can explain no more than 30% of the discrepancy. It is concluded that the previous interpretation of these data, that linear no-threshold theory fails this test, is sustained.
On the Use of Wavelets for the Implementation of High Order Mesh Refinement in Time Domain Simulations

Employing high order wavelets for the formulation of time domain schemes via the Method of Moments offers a rather straightforward way to implement high order mesh refinement. However, utmost care is necessary for the correct and computationally efficient formulation of arbitrary order wavelet schemes, especially when geometrically involved devices are to be modeled. This paper outlines the steps towards such formulations and provides numerical examples to evaluate their efficiency and applicability to practical microwave problems.
Children's perceptions of parental behaviors

Children's perceptions of positive and negative parental behaviors were assessed using a newly-developed scale, the Parent Perception Inventory (PPI). Reliability and validity were examined across a sample of 75 children aged 5 to 13 using additional measures administered to the children and measures completed by their parents. The scale showed acceptable levels of internal consistency. No effects of children's age were apparent, but effects of the child's and parent's gender were found. Boys reported more positive parental behaviors, particularly for fathers, and children reported more negative (disciplinary) behaviors by mothers. PPI scores were predictably related to child's self-concept and behavior problems (convergent validity) and generally unrelated to measures of child's achievement (discriminant validity). As predicted by family systems theory, children from nondistressed families viewed their parents as behaving more similarly on the PPI than did children from distressed families.
Current-mode detector for neutron time-of-flight studies

Abstract A system for the detection of high-intensity neutron bursts with instantaneous rates as high as 10 11 Hz is presented. This system uses a transient digitizer to sample the output voltage of a high-current photomultiplier tube as a function of time. The output voltage is proportional to the number of neutrons striking the detector. This detector is used at the Los Alamos Neutron Scattering Center to study fundamental symmetries. Design considerations, construction details and performance benchmarks are presented.
The Development and Behavior of an Active Region on/near the Photosphere of the B2e Star μ Centauri

An unusual mass-loss event observed in the B2e star μ Centauri during the course of 5 days in 1994 April is described and discussed within the framework of contemporary ideas on the Be phenomenon. The onset of the activity occurred in less than 1 day and was characterized by variable emission in He I λ6678 that displayed a distinctive character. Unlike the transient microemission in He I that frequently occurs in μ Cen and other Be stars, the emission-line variations seen in this event took place more slowly in three discrete velocity intervals. On two occasions, violet (v)- and red (r)-shifted emission components declined on a timescale of 2 hr, while the emission at/near the line center increased. The short timescale and observed velocity behavior suggest that the site of the activity was near the photosphere. The possible importance of nonradial pulsations and magnetic fields in precipitating the event is discussed. A scenario is suggested to explain the observations in which material originating from an active site on the photosphere is injected into a slab. Layers in the active region become visible in He I λ6678 as the prevailing density builds to values favorable for the production of this emission line. It is estimated that the slab covered ~30% of the star. A 22% increase in the Hα emission strength by the final day of the observations indicates that the activity did indeed add material to the circumstellar disk.
Control of Cyclin D1 and Breast Tumorigenesis by the EglN2 Prolyl Hydroxylase

2-Oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases, including the EglN prolyl hydroxylases that regulate HIF, can be inhibited with drug-like molecules. EglN2 is estrogen inducible in breast carcinoma cells and the lone Drosophila EglN interacts genetically with Cyclin D1. Although EglN2 is a nonessential gene, we found that EglN2 inactivation decreases Cyclin D1 levels and suppresses mammary gland proliferation in vivo. Regulation of Cyclin D1 is a specific attribute of EglN2 among the EglN proteins and is HIF independent. Loss of EglN2 catalytic activity inhibits estrogen-dependent breast cancer tumorigenesis and can be rescued by exogenous Cyclin D1. EglN2 depletion also impairs the fitness of lung, brain, and hematopoietic cancer lines. These findings support the exploration of EglN2 inhibitors as therapeutics for estrogen-dependent breast cancer and other malignancies.
Anti-islanding protection in three-phase converters using grid synchronization small-signal stability

This paper presents the islanding detection algorithms for three-phase (3Ф) grid-interface converters based on the grid synchronization small-signal stability. To study the grid synchronization behavior at the islanded condition, a low-frequency small-signal phase-locked-loop (PLL) model is proposed by considering the converter interaction with the system impedances. Many of the frequency-related behaviors can be well explained and the crucial system parameters which impact the PLL stability are quantified by the proposed model as well. Based on the model, two islanding detection algorithms based on the small-signal stability theory are proposed to effectively detect the islanding event under the worst loading condition. The proposed algorithms feature a small impact to the converter system operation as well as an easy implementation. Multi-disciplinenary comparison and the detailed design procedures are given.
Resistance to toxin-mediated fungal infection: role of lignins, isoflavones, other seed phenolics, sugars, and boron in the mechanism of resistance to charcoal rot disease in soybean

Charcoal rot disease in soybean is caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina, which is believed to infect plants from soil through the roots by a toxin-mediated mechanism. Soybean genotypes exist which are susceptible (S) or moderately resistant (MR) to charcoal rot, but the mechanism of resistance is not known. Significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher levels of phenolics, seed coat lignin, isoflavones, sugars, and total boron were observed in MR genotype than in S genotype seeds under irrigated and nonirrigated and under experimental M. phaseolina infested and noninfested conditions, indicating a possible association of these substances with resistance to toxin-mediated infection.
Determination of Scaling Parameter and Dynamical Resonances in Complex-Rotated Hamiltonian I: Theory

In this paper we present a theoretical analysis on the determination of the scaling parameter in the complex-rotated Hamiltonian, which has served as a basis for successful applications of the rigged Hilbert space theory for resonances. Based on the complex energy eigenvalue, E(θ) = ER(θ) - iΓ(θ)/2, as a function of the scaling parameter θ, we find that for potential barrier scattering, the condition dΓ(θI)/dθ = 0 uniquely determines the scaling parameter θ. The condition dER(θR)/dθ = 0 is merely a consequence of the Virial theorem and θI = θR is not a necessary condition for a resonance state. We also provide a harmonic approximation formalism for resonances in scattering over a potential barrier.
Origin of Lherzolite Inclusions in the Malapai Hill Basalt, Joshua Tree National Monument, California

Alkali olivine basalt at Malapai Hill, California, occurs as a late Cenozoic stock that has intruded the Cretaceous White Tank Monzonite. The basalt is chemically and mineralogically similar to other alkaline basalts in the Mojave Desert, although it is devoid of zeolites. The strontium isotopic composition of the basalt (Sr 87 /Sr 86 = 0.7030 ± 0.0006) suggests that it is derived from a mantle that has already experienced one period of partial melting. Olivine-rich Iherzolite nodules in the basalt are high in Mg and low in Si, Al, Ca, Na, and K. The nodules are xenomorphic granular with a tectonite fabric and forsteritic olivine (Fo 94–88 ). The Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratio of the nodules is 0.7043 ± 0.0008. Olivine xenocrysts and corroded xenolith margins suggest that reaction between the nodules and basalt has occurred. Similar Sr 87 /Sr 86 ratios of Iherzolite nodules and alkali olivine basalt hosts at Malapai Hill are consistent with a related origin for the two rocks. The tectonite fabric and olivine composition of the nodules rule out a cognate origin by fractional crystallization of the basalt. Instead, the nodules are mantle materials that have been depleted in the most easily fusible elements by one or more periods of partial melting. The nodules may represent refractory residue from the area of partial melting or depleted mantle material, unrelated to the basalt but accidentally incorporated into it. Interpretation of the nodules as refractory residue from the site of melting is favored due to the similarity of the nodules and host rocks in strontium isotopic composition, the extreme chemical and petrologic uniformity of the inclusions, and chemical evidence that the nodules could be the end product of more than one partial melting.
Studies of the renal component of the hypertension in rats with aortic constriction. Role of angiotensin II

The object of this study was to investigate the renal component of hypertension in aortic constriction. In 40-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats the aorta were constricted either proximal (PAC) or distal (DAC) to the renal arteries. The rats were examined 3 weeks later together with control rats. The arterial pressure proximal to the constriction was elevated in the PAC group but not in the DAC group. In PAC rats the arterial pressure was also elevated distal to the constriction. There was a significant pressure gradient across the constriction in both PAC and DAC rats. The PAC rats had a significant decrease of renal blood flow, a significant increase in renal vascular resistance and a numerical but not significant decrease of glomerular filtration rate. Serum levels of angiotensin II were not significantly different in PAC and control rats. The pressor effect of a bolus dose of angiotensin II was significantly increased in PAC rats. Captopril, a converting enzyme inhibitor, decreased the arterial pressures and renal vascular resistance in PAC rats. The pressure elevating effects of angiotensin II and pressure lowering effect of captopril were more pronounced distal than proximal to the constriction. We conclude that the kidneys play a major role in the development of hypertension in PAC, and that the local effect of angiotensin II on the renal vascular bed is an important contributor to the renal component of the hypertension.
A wide angle propagation technique using an explicit finite difference scheme

A wide angle propagation technique is developed by explicitly solving a Taylor-series-expanded form of the scalar Helmholtz wave equation. The wave equation is numerically solved using a central explicit finite difference scheme. In this new wide angle propagation technique only a sparse matrix multiplication is needed to propagate an optical wave at each propagation step. The accuracy of the explicit finite difference wide angle beam propagation method is confirmed by analyzing the guided-wave devices which involve highly tilted waveguides and etched turning mirrors. >
Real-Time 3-D Ladar Imaging

A prototype image processing system has recently been developed which generates, displays and analyzes three-dimensional ladar data in real-time. It is based upon a suite of novel algorithms that transform raw ladar data into cleaned 3-D images. These algorithms perform noise reduction, ground plane identification, detector response, deconvolution and illumination pattern renormalization. The system also discriminates static from dynamic objects in a scene. In order to achieve real-time throughput, we have parallelized these algorithms on a Linux cluster. We demonstrate that multiprocessor software plus Blade hardware result in a compact, real-time imagery generation adjunct to an operating ladar. Finally, we discuss interesting directions for future work like automatic recognition of moving people and real-time reconnaissance from mobile platforms. Such enhancements of our prototype imaging system can lead to multiple military and civilian applications of national importance.
Thermodynamic considerations in the analysis of phase stability: The role of interfacial equilibrium in the determination of phase diagrams by X-ray microanalytical techniques

Although the time required for full equilibration may be too long to attain experimentally, equilibrium tie lines between coexisting phases can be determined from unequilibrated alloys and multiphase diffusion couples if the compositions of the two phases coexisting at the interface can be resolved, assuming that the interface is in “local equilibrium”. The capability to examine elemental segregation on a fine spatial scale allows for more rigorous testing of the assumption of local equilibrium at phase interfaces and for the determination of phase equilibria at temperatures below those accessible with more conventional techniques.
Geomagnetic field models incorporating frozen‐flux constraints

An algorithm is developed for constructing plausible field models satisfying the frozen-flux hypothesis of Roberts and Scott (1965), which supposes that, for short time intervals, diffusion can be neglected. The algorithm is based on a new parameterization of the field in terms of its radial component B(r) at the core-mantle boundary (CMB). The model consists of values of B(r) at a finite set of points on the CMB, together with a rule for interpolating the values to other points. The parameterization of the B(r) is used to construct field models satisfying the frozen-flux hypothesis for the epochs 1945.5 and 1980.
INFLUENCE OF GROWTH REGULATORS ON THE QUALITY OF FRESH AND PROCESSED ‘BING’ CHERRIES

Gibberellic acid increased ascorbic acid content of fresh cherries and increased size and weight of both fresh and processed cherries. Daminozide and ethephon reduced size and weight of fresh and processed cherries. Daminozide significantly increased drained weight losses in the canned product. Reflectance red, anthocyanins and absorbance of the processed syrup were increased by daminozide. Gibberellic acid and ethephon tended to reduce or delay red color development. High correlations were obtained among red reflectance (fresh and canned cherries), anthocyanin content (fresh and canned), and absorbance of the syrup. Therefore, color of the processed product could be predicted from the red reflectance or anthocyanin content of the fresh cherries.
C5b-9-activated, Kv1.3 channels mediate oligodendrocyte cell cycle activation and dedifferentiation

Voltage-gated potassium (K(v)) channels play an important role in the regulation of growth factor-induced cell proliferation. We have previously shown that cell cycle activation is induced in oligodendrocytes (OLGs) by complement C5b-9, but the role of K(v) channels in these cells had not been investigated. Differentiated OLGs were found to express K(v)1.4 channels, but little K(v)1.3. Exposure of OLGs to C5b-9 modulated K(v)1.3 functional channels and increased protein expression, whereas C5b6 had no effect. Pretreatment with the recombinant scorpion toxin rOsK-1, a highly selective K(v)1.3 inhibitor, blocked the expression of K(v)1.3 induced by C5b-9. rOsK-1 inhibited Akt phosphorylation and activation by C5b-9 but had no effect on ERK1 activation. These data strongly suggest a role for K(v)1.3 in controlling the Akt activation induced by C5b-9. Since Akt plays a major role in C5b-9-induced cell cycle activation, we also investigated the effect of inhibiting K(v)1.3 channels on DNA synthesis. rOsK-1 significantly inhibited the DNA synthesis induced by C5b-9 in OLG, indicating that K(v)1.3 plays an important role in the C5b-9-induced cell cycle. In addition, C5b-9-mediated myelin basic protein and proteolipid protein mRNA decay was completely abrogated by inhibition of K(v)1.3 expression. In the brains of multiple sclerosis patients, C5b-9 co-localized with NG2(+) OLG progenitor cells that expressed K(v)1.3 channels. Taken together, these data suggest that K(v)1.3 channels play an important role in controlling C5b-9-induced cell cycle activation and OLG dedifferentiation, both in vitro and in vivo.
Performance evaluation of safety applications over DSRC vehicular ad hoc networks

In this paper we conduct a feasibility study of delay-critical safety applications over vehicular ad hoc networks based on the emerging dedicated short range communications (DSRC) standard. In particular, we quantify the bit error rate, throughput and latency associated with vehicle collision avoidance applications running on top of mobile ad hoc networks employing the physical and MAC layers of DSRC. Towards this objective, the study goes through two phases. First, we conduct a detailed simulation study of the DSRC physical layer in order to judge the link bit error rate performance under a wide variety of vehicles speeds and multi-path delay spreads. We observe that the physical layer is highly immune to large delay spreads that might arise in the highway environment whereas performance degrades considerably at high speeds in a multi-path environment. Second, we develop a simulation testbed for a DSRC vehicular ad hoc network executing vehicle collision avoidance applications in an attempt to gauge the level of support the DSRC standard provides for this type of applications. Initial results reveal that DSRC achieves promising latency performance, yet, the throughput performance needs further improvement.
A Technical Note on Seismic Microzonation in the Central United States

Microzonation is an effort to evaluate and map potential hazards found in an area, urban area in particular, that could be induced by strong ground shaking during an earthquake. These hazards include: ground motion amplification, liquefaction, and slope failure. The microzonation maps, depicting ground-motion amplification, liquefaction, and landslide potentials, can be produced if the ground motion on bedrock (input) and the site conditions are known. These maps, in combination with ground-motion hazard maps (on bedrock), can be used to develop a variety of hazard mitigation strategies such as seismic risk assessment, emergency response and preparedness, and land-use planning. However, these maps have certain limitations that result from the nature of regional mapping, data limitations, generalization, and computer modeling. These microzonations show that when strong ground shaking occurs, damage is more likely to occur, or be more severe, in the higher hazard areas. The zones shown on the hazard maps should not serve as a substitute for site-specific evaluations.
Student Participation, Interaction, and Regulation in a Computer-Mediated Communication Environment: A Qualitative Study:

This case study provides a description of student interaction and participation within a computer-mediated environment in an experimental offering of a plant science lab course. Based on structured classroom observation, interviews, and surveys with students and teachers this study examines 1) how a CMC pattern of discourse differs from a face-to-face pattern of discussion in a class setting; 2) whether students participating in a CMC activity produce a discourse that reflects the level of thinking and sharing of ideas desired by the instructor; and 3) how the computer-based interface facilitates and/or inhibits communication between students. This study shows that the CMC-based activities offers an alternative pattern of interaction which differs from the face-to-face pattern in some, but not all ways. The CMC discourse encourages experimentation, sharing of early ideas, increased and more distributed participation, and collaborative thinking. However, for some students the CMC activities are confusing a...
Two-sided Network Effects and Competitive Balance in Professional Team Sports

This paper analyzes issues associated with network effects and two-sidedness in the market for professional team sports. Teams in professional sports leagues have to compete both for players (inputs) and fans (consumers). In this setting, we construct a theoretical framework where fans are more attracted to a team with a large portion of talented players from a fixed talent pool, at the same time that players want to show their ability in front of a large number of fans. We observe that either perfect imbalance or alleviated imbalance will prevail as an equilibrium. The outcome depends upon the relative magnitude of two opposite effects, the product differentiation effect and the wage reduction effect caused by externalities from the size of talented players and fans respectively. Furthermore, we incorporate asymmetric relative quality effects into consumers’ utility in order to analyze its impact on competitive balance. This is shown to either exacerbate or improve the imbalanced distribution of talented players, depending on fans’ sensitivity to the relative quality between teams. The policy implications of revenue sharing on competitive balance and the level of wage offers under the condition of two-sided network effects are analyzed.
Incidence and Predictors of Myocardial Infarction after Kidney Transplantation

The risk and predictors of post-kidney transplantation myocardial infarction (PTMI) are not well described. Registry data collected by the United States Renal Data System were used to investigate retrospectively PTMI among adult first renal allograft recipients who received a transplant in 1995 to 2000 and had Medicare as the primary payer. PTMI events were ascertained from billing and death records, and participants were followed for up to 3 yr after transplant or until the end of observation (December 31, 2000). Extended Cox's hazards analysis was used to identify independent clinical correlates of PTMI (hazard ratio [HR]) and to examine PTMI as an outcomes predictor. Among 35,847 eligible participants, the cumulative incidence of PTMI was 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1 to 4.5%), 5.6% (95% CI, 5.3 to 5.8%), and 11.1% (95% CI, 10.7 to 11.5%) at 6, 12, and 36 mo, respectively. Risk factors for PTMI included older recipient age, pretransplantation comorbidities (diabetes, angina, peripheral vascular disease, and MI), transplantation from older donors and deceased donors, and delayed graft function. Women, blacks, Hispanics, and employed recipients experienced reduced risk. The hazard of PTMI rose after a diagnosis of posttransplantation diabetes (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.35 to 1.88) and markedly increased after graft failure (HR, 2.78; 95% CI, 2.41 to 3.19). In separate analyses, PTMI predicted death-censored graft failure (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.63 to 2.20) and strongly predicted death in a manner that declined with time after PTMI. Risk factors for PTMI include potentially modifiable posttransplantation complications. Because PTMI in turn predicts graft failure and death, reducing the risk for PTMI may improve outcomes after kidney transplantation.
Titan under a red giant sun: a new kind of "habitable" moon.

We explore the response of Titan's surface and massive atmosphere to the change in solar spectrum and intensity as the sun evolves into a red giant. Titan's surface temperature is insensitive to insolation increases as the haze-laden atmosphere “puffs up” and blocks more sunlight. However, we find a window of several hundred Myr exists, roughly 6 Gyr from now, when liquid water-ammonia can form oceans on the surface and react with the abundant organic compounds there. The window opens due to a drop in haze production as the ultraviolet flux from the reddening sun plummets. The duration of such a window exceeds the time necessary for life to have begun on Earth. Similar environments, with ∼200K water-ammonia oceans warmed by methane greenhouses under red stars, are an alternative to the ∼300K water-CO2 environments considered the classic “habitable” planet.
Geographic Variation in the Community Structure of Lice on Western Scrub-Jays

Abstract Parasites are incredibly diverse. An important factor in the evolution of this diversity is the fact that many parasite species are restricted to 1, or just a few, host species. In addition, some parasites exhibit geographic specificity that is nested within their specificity to a particular species of host. The environmental factors that restrict parasites to particular regions within the host's range are poorly understood, and it is often difficult to know whether such patterns of geographic specificity are real, or merely artifacts of uneven host sampling. For over a decade, we sampled communities of ectoparasitic lice (Phthiraptera) from western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) throughout their range in the United States, and found 3 common species of lice. Philopterus crassipes was found throughout the host range, whereas the other 2 species of lice had more restricted distributions. Brueelia deficiens was found only on the woodhouseii host subspecies group, and Myrsidea sp. was found lar...
Signal Strength Determines the Nature of the Relationship Between Perception and Working Memory

Neurophysiological and behavioral studies have shown that perception and memory share neural substrates and functional properties. But are perception and the active working memory of a stimulus one and the same? To address this question in the spatial domain, we compared the percept and the working memory of the position of a target stimulus embedded within a surround of moving dots. Motion in a particular direction after the target's offset biased the memory of target location in the same direction. However, motion simultaneous with a high-contrast, perceptually strong target biased the percept of target location in the opposite direction. Thus, perception and working memory can be modified by motion in qualitatively different ways. Manipulations to strengthen the memory trace had no effect on the direction of the memory bias, indicating that memory signal strength can never equal that of the percept of a strong stimulus. However, the percept of a weak stimulus was biased in the direction of motion. Thus, although perception and working memory are not inherently different, they can differ behaviorally depending on the strength of the perceptual signal. Understanding how a changing surround biases neural representations in general, and postsensory processes in particular, can help one understand past reports of spatial mislocalization.
Geometry of unsteady fluid transport during fluid–structure interactions

We describe the application of tools from dynamical systems to define and quantify the unsteady fluid transport that occurs during fluid–structure interactions and in unsteady recirculating flows. The properties of Lagrangian coherent structures (LCS) are used to enable analysis of flows with arbitrary time-dependence, thereby extending previous analytical results for steady and time-periodic flows. The LCS kinematics are used to formulate a unique, physically motivated definition for fluid exchange surfaces and transport lobes in the flow. The methods are applied to numerical simulations of two-dimensional flow past a circular cylinder at a Reynolds number of 200; and to measurements of a freely swimming organism, the Aurelia aurita jellyfish. The former flow provides a canonical system in which to compare the present geometrical analysis with classical, Eulerian (e.g. vortex shedding) perspectives of fluid–structure interactions. The latter flow is used to deduce the physical coupling that exists between mass and momentum transport during self-propulsion. In both cases, the present methods reveal a well-defined, unsteady recirculation zone that is not apparent in the corresponding velocity or vorticity fields. Transport rates between the ambient flow and the recirculation zone are computed for both flows. Comparison of fluid transport geometry for the cylinder crossflow and the self-propelled swimmer within the context of existing theory for two-dimensional lobe dynamics enables qualitative localization of flow three-dimensionality based on the planar measurements. Benefits and limitations of the implemented methods are discussed, and some potential applications for flow control, unsteady propulsion, and biological fluid dynamics are proposed.
Greedy optimal control

For discrete-time control-affine systems on an infinite interval, an analytical solution of the greedy optimal control problem is presented. The "greedy" formulation of the optimal control problem calls for minimization of the instantaneous cost function, rather than the cumulative one, as in the conventional optimal control. For a class of linear discrete-time systems a relation between greedy and conventional optimal controls is established. For nonlinear control-affine systems, sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability under the greedy optimal control are given.
Methods for designing low-leakage power supply clamps

Low power semiconductor components require minimizing leakage currents including those from ESD protection circuits. Here, MOSFET ESD power clamps with substantial leakage reduction over previous approaches are presented. Designs are described for core logic circuits and for I/O applications where supply voltages exceed what single gate oxides can reliably sustain.
Maryland Alcohol Sales Tax and Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Natural Experiment.

INTRODUCTION: Sexually transmitted infections are common causes of morbidity and mortality, including infertility and certain types of cancer. Alcohol tax increases may decrease sexually transmitted infection rates overall and differentially across population subgroups by decreasing alcohol consumption in general and prior to sex, thus decreasing sexual risk taking and sexually transmitted infection acquisition. This study investigated the effects of a Maryland increase in alcohol beverage sales tax on statewide gonorrhea and chlamydia rates overall and within age, gender, and race/ethnicity subpopulations. METHODS: This study used an interrupted time series design, including multiple cross-state comparisons, to examine the effects of the 2011 alcohol tax increase in Maryland on chlamydia and gonorrhea cases reported to the U.S. National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System for January 2003 to December 2012 (N=120 repeated monthly observations, analyzed in 2015). Effects were assessed with Box-Jenkins autoregressive moving average models with structural parameters. RESULTS: After the alcohol-specific sales tax increase, gonorrhea rates decreased 24% (95% CI=11%, 37%), resulting in 1,600 fewer statewide gonorrhea cases annually. Cohen's d indicated a substantial effect of the tax increase on gonorrhea rates (range across control group models, -1.25 to -1.42). The study did not find evidence of an effect on chlamydia or differential effects across age, race/ethnicity, or gender subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Results strengthen the evidence from prior studies of alcohol taxes influencing gonorrhea rates and extend health prevention effects from alcohol excise to sales taxes. Alcohol tax increases may be an efficient strategy for reducing sexually transmitted infections. Language: en
Large body mass index does not predict short-term survival in peritoneal dialysis patients.

♦ ObjectiveHigher than normal body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of death in the general population. We examined the effect of higher than normal BMI on patient and techniqu...
Health and the Environment: Shaping Policy and Place through Community Academic Partnerships

Innovative pedagogical models in architectural education can educate practitioners, policymakers, and the public about the crucial relationship between public health and the built environment. This paper describes an interdisciplinary design research methodology that works with community partners to identify opportunities, design sustainable projects that inspire environmental stewardship, and develop implementation strategies. Civic engagement to influence public policy is an essential aspect of this approach to academic research. In collaboration with the City of Portsmouth, non-profit environmental groups, Portsmouth public schools and community partners, University of Virginia faculty and students from architecture, art and medicine investigated the complex relationship between human health, environmental restoration, and sustainability education through the design of a forty-acre wetland park. The Paradise Creek Nature Park will co-exist with contaminated industrial sites and an economically challenged and racially diverse neighborhood. Students designed the Park and its Wetland Learning Lab and Rainwater Filtration Pavilion to engage urban kids in hands-on learning. There were several research goals: create a place that increases the sense of well-being, economic vitality and opportunity for outdoor exploration for all ages; design green pavilions that educate visitors about sustainability; make a place where citizens may rediscover the healing respite of a healthy river; and create strategies for industry and natural ecosystem to co-exist in harmony. The research considered complex social, economic, ecological and architectural issues across scales. The design manifests an inventive educational agenda that teaches about sustainabledwelling, environmental restoration and human health. This design research project establishes a model for university and community collaboration that is capable of changing public policies, while fostering a commitment to environmental ethics and sustainable practices by connecting academic learning with the students’ desire to make a positive difference in the world.
Study on the Annealing Process of a Cu-Zn-Al-Ni Alloy

Aluminum brass possesses an attractive combination of properties including high strength, high thermal and electrical conductivity, good mechanical workability, excellent corrosion resistance, low susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking. This make it a preferred choice for bimetal strips. The materials for preparing bimetal strips with cold roll bonding should have a good plasticity. In the present work, a Cu-Zn-Al-Ni alloy was proposed and the annealing process for this aluminium brass alloy was studied. The effect of annealing temperature and annealing time on the microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated. The proper annealing parameters were obtained.
Drug and Device Promotion: Charting a Course for Policy Reform

This White Paper addresses the conflicts of interest that arise from the variety of compensated relationships between the medical profession and the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, and calls for more aggressive management or elimination of those relationships in the areas of product promotion, CME and research.
OBSERVATIONS PLATFORMS | Rockets

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 4, pp 1449–1454, © 2003, Elsevier Ltd.
On the Selection of Competing Technologies - a Prediction Market Approach

Selecting competing technologies is a costly process, particularly for new technologies where little historical precedent exists in terms of development cost and effort, schedule, and probability of success. Convening a board of “experts” is the standard practice, with the individuals being the aggregators of all data, information, and knowledge that diffuse up from the ranks below. Information aggregation for each individual becomes a very inefficient process: information is incomplete and filtered; data must be collected, compiled, evaluated and communicated; information overload taxes a person’s limited time and bandwidth; and individuals cannot be expected to be versed in all subject matter disciplines needed for a complete systems analysis. The hope is that the group as a whole though limited in its number and imperfect in its aggregate knowledge will adequately and equitably cover the entire evaluation and selection criteria trade space. Tall order. Prediction markets can be used as an effective and efficient means for aggregating the collective wisdom of all individuals. Prediction markets are futures markets where options are written on future events. The price of the option at any time is indicative of the probability that the event will be true at the option expiration date. Markets, being a very efficient means of quantifying value, can thus be used to assess relative importance, that is, the relative probability of success between competing technologies. It is a “Wisdom of Crowds” approach that addresses the notion that no one knows everything, everyone knows something. Prediction markets put into practice a means to quantify the collective belief carried by the idea that everyone knows something. This paper examines the use of prediction markets for use in selecting competing technologies.
Metabolism of Amines. II: Mitochondrial Localization of Monoamine Oxidase:

Summary(1) The monoamine oxidase activity of rat liver cells is localized predominantly, and perhaps exclusively, in the mitochondria. (2) In this respect it conforms to a precedent since other aerobic processes have been shown to have a mitochondrial localization.
BURDEN OF ARRHYTHMIAS IN PATIENTS WITH ALCOHOLIC CARDIOMYOPATHY: FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONWIDE INPATIENT SAMPLE 2003-2011

Arrhythmias are a well-known complication of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACMP); however, there are limited data on the burden of arrhythmias and their association with outcomes in ACMP patients. We used the 2003-2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample Databases to identify all patients aged ≥ 18 years
Lipid rafts and insulin action

Insulin works by encouraging muscle and fat cells to take up glucose from blood. One intracellular signalling pathway that is stimulated by insulin is known. Another has now been identified.
Planning, not playing: Training through simulation design

New research into use of simulations for educational purposes shows that as beneficial as this method is for participants, people designing these simulations learn more than the role-players themselves.This chapter introduces trainers to the benefits of simulation design as well as providing a guide to how these advantages might be harnessed for training purposes. Sample instructions are provided for conducting simulation-design exercises as part of a workshop, training or course.
Are state laws granting pharmacists authority to vaccinate associated with HPV vaccination rates among adolescents

Objectives We explored whether state laws allowing pharmacists to administer human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations to adolescents are associated with a higher likelihood of HPV vaccine uptake.
Analysis of Optimal Test Function Methods for Advection-Dominated Flows

Many physical processes are dominated by advective transport. In such cases, standard numerical simulators exhibit chronic problems of nonphysical oscillations or artificial diffusion. This paper presents a general methodology that naturally accommodates varying degrees of advection domination. The method is based on a weak form of the governing equation, with test functions chosen in a judicious, systematic, and, we believe, optimal way. The special choice of test functions leads to the name Optimal Test Function method.