cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Map Reference Systems

Abstract One of the main purposes of a map is to illustrate where on Earth the landscape or water body being portrayed is located. Global coordinate systems such as latitude and longitude or the Universal Transverse Mercator system help us in this regard. In addition to local coordinate systems, these contribute to our knowledge of orientation (direction), distance, area, and angular relationships among landscape features or across water bodies. Coordinate systems are also beneficial in describing the boundaries of land parcels, and can be associated with legal instruments (deeds) in representing the official plats of land. Map projections are also necessary when converting landscape or water body features found on an irregular surface to a flat surface such as a piece of paper or the screen of a digital device. This conversion is complicated by the fact that the Earth is not a perfect sphere. The transformation of a rather large, irregular area to a flat surface can lead to error, and these errors may manifest themselves in changes to the shapes of landscapes or water bodies, the area represented by these shapes, the distances between places on a map, and the angular relationship among places of interest. Therefore, the choice of map projection system may not only be based on map aesthetics, but also on the manner in which landscapes or water bodies become distorted.
Lessons and tools from teaching a blind student

This paper relates the experience of teaching a blind computer science major in three courses and part of a fourth. For programming, a header file (pcspeak.h) was created that connects the standard C++ iostreams to eSpeak, an open source text-to-speech system. Braille handouts were created using a Braille printer that embosses Word documents.
Timing of adjuvant chemotherapy and overall survival following radical cystectomy.

Abstract Background We investigated the relationship between timing of adjuvant chemotherapy on overall survival following radical cystectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the National Cancer Data Base for patients with newly diagnosed pT2-T4, N0, M0 urothelial cell carcinoma who received no treatment prior to radical cystectomy. Patients who received no adjuvant chemotherapy or who received adjuvant chemotherapy more than 45 days after radical cystectomy were propensity matched to patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy within 45 days of radical cystectomy. Selection bias was assessed by comparing the length of stay, readmission rate, and surgical approach between groups. Median survival was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated from a multivariable Cox regression model to examine factors affecting overall survival. Results From 2004 to 2014, 284 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer met inclusion criteria. Patients receiving chemotherapy within 45 days had the best 5-year overall survival (47.0%, 95%CI: 40.6%–53.2%) compared to those receiving chemotherapy after 45 days (37.5%, 95%CI: 31.4%–43.7%). Chemotherapy after 45 days and no adjuvant chemotherapy were significant predictors of worse overall survival compared to chemotherapy within 45 days (1.27, 1.02–1.59, P = 0.033 and 1.41, 1.12–1.78, P = 0.003). Receiving no adjuvant chemotherapy was not significantly different than chemotherapy after 45 days (1.11, 0.89–1.38, P = 0.348). Significant predictors of poorer overall survival were female sex (1.37, 1.04–1.81, P = 0.028), Medicare (1.37, 1.06–1.76, P = 0.016), pT3 stage (1.79, 1.35–2.38, P Conclusions Initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy within 45 days of radical cystectomy for patients with pT2-4 bladder cancer was associated with an overall survival benefit compared to patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy after 45 days or no adjuvant chemotherapy.
Can good governance lower bank intermediation costs

This paper argues that better governance practices can reduce the costs, risks and uncertainty of financial intermediation. Our sample covers 100 high-, middle- and low-income countries during 1996...
Marangoni flows drive the alignment of fibrillar cell-laden hydrogels

When a sessile droplet containing a solute in a volatile solvent evaporates, flow in the droplet can transport and assemble solute particles into complex patterns. Transport in evaporating sessile droplets has largely been examined in solvents that undergo complete evaporation. Here, we demonstrate that flow in evaporating aqueous sessile droplets containing type I collagen—a self-assembling polymer—can be harnessed to engineer hydrated networks of aligned collagen fibers. We find that Marangoni flows direct collagen fiber assembly over millimeter-scale areas in a manner that depends on the rate of self-assembly, the relative humidity of the surrounding environment, and the geometry of the droplet. Skeletal muscle cells that are incorporated into and cultured within these evaporating droplets collectively orient and subsequently differentiate into myotubes in response to aligned networks of collagen. Our findings demonstrate a simple, tunable, and high-throughput approach to engineer aligned fibrillar hydrogels and cell-laden biomimetic materials.
Tribology of single crystal nickel: Interplay of crystallography, microstructural evolution, and friction

Abstract This paper describes the evolution of friction-induced microstructures underneath the wear surfaces of nickel single crystals, and their role in influencing the steady state coefficient of friction. Using a custom built tribometer, friction measurements were made on {001} and {011} crystal faces along several crystallographic directions in unidirectional linear mode with a Si3N4 ball. Cross-sections of wear scars were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy, and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the evolution of crystallographic texture and recrystallization. The formation of a thin (10–15 nm) ultra-nanocrystalline layer in the {011} orientation resulted in significant reductions in the coefficient of friction for that configuration, from the initial maximum of 0.64 to a steady state value of 0.32, after approximately 500 cycles of linear, unidirectional sliding. Crystal plasticity theory was used to describe the evolution of dislocation content in the worn material, which in turn provides an estimate of the characteristic grain size as a function of the imposed strain. An analysis of grain boundary sliding in ultra-fine-grained material suggests a mechanism for friction reduction. Model predictions of the contribution of grain boundary sliding (relative to plastic deformation) to friction provide a phenomenological description of the lubrication due to ultra-nanocrystalline surface microstructures.
Evaluation of a trough-only extrapolated area under the curve vancomycin dosing method on clinical outcomes

Background Vancomycin dosing strategies targeting trough concentrations of 15–20 mg/L are no longer supported due to lack of efficacy evidence and increased risk of nephrotoxicity. Area-under-the-curve (AUC24) nomograms have demonstrated adequate attainment of AUC24 goals ≥ 400 mg h/L with more conservative troughs (10–15 mg/L). Objective The purpose of this study is to clinically validate a vancomycin AUC24 dosing nomogram compared to conventional dosing methods with regards to therapeutic failure and rates of acute kidney injury. Setting This study was conducted at a tertiary, community, teaching hospital in the United States. Method This retrospective, cohort study compared the rates of therapeutic failures between AUC24-extrapolated dosing and conventional dosing methods. Main outcome measure Primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as all-cause mortality within 30 days, persistent positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus blood culture, or clinical failure. Rates of acute kidney injury in non-dialysis patients was a secondary endpoint. Results There were 96 participants in the extrapolated-AUC24 cohort and 60 participants in the conventional cohort. Baseline characteristics were similar between cohorts. Failure rates were 11.5% (11/96) in the extrapolated-AUC24 group compared to 18.3% (11/60) in the conventional group (p = 0.245). Reasons for failure were 6 deaths and 5 clinical failures in the extrapolated-AUC24 cohort and 10 deaths and 1 clinical failure in the conventional group. Acute kidney injury rates were 2.7% (2/73) and 16.4% (9/55) in the extrapolated-AUC24 and conventional cohorts, respectively (p = 0.009). Conclusion Extrapolated-AUC24 dosing was associated with less nephrotoxicity without an increase in treatment failures for bloodstream infections compared to conventional dosing. Further investigation is warranted to determine the relationship between extrapolated-AUC24 dosing and clinical failures.
Digital Duty to Deal, Data Portability, and Interoperability

In this chapter, we discuss the development of the duty to deal doctrine in antitrust law, its application to the digital economy, and proposals for specific duties to deal, such as data portability and interoperability. Part I outlines the development of the duty to deal doctrine in antitrust law. The development of the doctrine in the United States will be compared to that in the European Union. Popular economic justifications for the doctrine and key cases will be explored. Part II then situates this doctrine within the digital economy, focusing on the importance of getting the contours of the doctrine right in that economy. As we shall see, the law and economics of the duty to deal caution against its application to dynamic, digital markets. This will be illustrated by looking at cases where it has been applied. Part III focuses on two specific categories of duties to deal: data portability and interoperability.
Considering Social Determinants of Health: A Case for the Just Treatment of Vulnerable Adolescent Mental Health Inpatients

The goal of this paper is to consider the case of a vulnerable adolescent inpatient who received the standard of care, and then to propose a harm reduction approach that reflects the patient's lived-reality and better fulfills the ethics of care. For certain vulner- able adolescent mental health inpatients, the idealized treatment they receive in hospital does not align with their lived-reality upon discharge. These adolescents experience unfavorable social determinants of health (SDH). They may live in families who experience poverty, trauma, unmanaged mental illness, and lack the capacity to navigate the healthcare system. The difference between the supports these adolescents receive as inpatients and those familiar to them before admission can negatively impact their ability to get and stay well upon return to their communities. As inpatients, interdisciplinary teams can provide medication management, therapy, emotional support, proper nutrition, education, recreation, and a daily routine that promotes sleep hy- giene, positive coping, and safety. These are the evidence-based ingredients that offer the best chance for recovery and management of mental illness in adolescents. If these cannot be sustained in the community, there exists an additional obligation for healthcare providers to act in the role of advocate, to ensure that the best interests of the patient are promoted through a harm reduction ap- proach. This approach entails providing treatment options and follow-up plans that reflect and respect the patients’ lived-realities even when in conflict with standard practices or hospital operating procedures. It is an approach rooted in beneficence, respect for autonomy and justice. The values of respect and compassion for the patient are promoted when healthcare providers broaden their concept of harm reduction to include bridging the gulf between idealized treatment and lived-reality outside of the hospital. Conclusion − A harm reduction approach that considers and responds to the effects of social determinants of health can better fulfill the ethics of care for vulnerable adolescent mental health inpatients.
A Unified Strategy for the Asymmetric Synthesis of Highly Substituted 1,2-Amino Alcohols Leading to Highly Substituted Bisoxazoline Ligands.

A general procedure for the asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted 1,2-amino alcohols in high yield and diastereoselectivity is described that uses organometallic additions of a wide range of n...
Measuring heterogeneous preferences for residential amenities

Abstract This study reports on estimates of heterogeneous preferences for residential amenities among households in the Mountain West region of the US. The estimates are derived from a choice experiment funded by the Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Transit Authority—an experiment based upon large samples of both homeowners and renters who participated in a larger, statewide transportation study. The choice experiment and transportation study allow us to control for a rich set of household-level demographic and lifestyle characteristics, which in turn permits identification of a host of factors contributing to heterogeneity in residential preferences. We leverage a percentage-change housing cost attribute included in the experiment to obtain measures of marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for the various residential attributes and attribute levels in our study. Our method of converting the percentage-change cost attribute to dollar-denominated MWTP results in theoretically plausible estimates of a household's MWTP. We find that preferences for residential amenities differ across homeowners and renters with respect to intensity rather than direction—homeowners are generally willing to pay more for these amenities, in some cases up to seven times more. Our quantitative estimates of these preferences and the extent to which we control for heterogeneity across households provide urban and regional planners with precise monetary welfare measures for a sizable majority of the region's residents.
Metlife Meets Insurtech App to App

This case examines the key issues facing MetLife, a major company in life and annuity (L&A) andto a lesser extentproperty and casualty (P&C) insurance. The case provides an opportunity to analyze the business models of insurance companies, the main risks they face, and the broad investment strategies they pursue. The case also discusses how technology (including insurtech), regulation, and risk affect MetLife and insurance companies in general, and describes MetLife's history and recent developments. Finally, the case presents an opportunity for a simple valuation of an insurance company using multiples. Excerpt UVA-F-1947 Rev. Jan. 27, 2021 MetLife Meets Insurtech App to App It was February 2020, and Nika Pradesh, a pension fund manager, was walking to her office in New York City. She passed Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), a major provider of insurance and financial services, at 200 Park Avenue, and began wondering how its business model might change in response to technological innovation and market competition. Pradesh knew MetLife was among the world's largest providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, and had 48,000 employees and almost 100million customers in nearly 50countries, including the United States and parts of Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East (with leading positions in Chile, Japan, Mexico, and South Korea, among other countries). Founded in 1868, the company was 44th by revenue in the 2019 Fortune 500 of US corporations, earning $ 68 billion on nearly $ 600 billion in combined managed assets. In 2019, MetLife was the largest life insurance company in Latin America and the United States. MetLife had made its initial public offering (IPO) in 2000, shifting from a mutual insurance company run for the benefit of its policyholders to a for-profit public company. In 2016, the company announced it would be spinning off a large portion of its US retail businessincluding individual life and annuities insurance for retail customersinto a separate company, Brighthouse Financial (Brighthouse). The spinoff was seen as an effort to provide MetLife with less volatile earnings, among other goals. Brighthouse started operations in 2017. Pradesh was curious how a company the size of MetLife managed its revenues from life insurance, dental insurance, disability insurance, annuities, automobile insurance, health insurance, and other products. She was interested in the future of insurance companies generally and MetLife specifically. How would the industry and company respond to trends in technology and regulation? How would they assess and respond to existing and emerging risks? Moreover, how might their value (see Appendix 1) be affected as they managed their general accounts (see Appendix 2)? . . .
Innovative friction stir additive manufacturing of cast 2050 Al–Cu–Li aluminum alloy

The process of friction stir welding (FSW) can be applied not only to the conventional sense of materials joining, but also as a method of solid-state processing and additive manufacturing with the use of lap joints. Two stacked lap weld builds with cast and wrought AA2050 were explored in this study for hardness and fracture behavior of the friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) process. It was also to be determined if cast feedstock material had potential to be a less expensive alternative to that of wrought processed feedstock. Testing revealed mechanical properties of the processed material to be notably different than those of the parent alloys—with inhomogeneous hardness distributions and fracture tests that indicated mechanical behavior relationships of crack propagation direction with respect to welding direction. However, cast material was not found to have a significant impact on the mechanical performance of friction stir additive manufacturing relative to use of wrought plate.
An examination of pickleball participation, social connections, and psychological well-being among seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the physical activity, social connections, and psychological well-being of seniors who participate in the sport of pickleball. A total of 3...
Malignant Neoplasms of the Heart in the United States

Malignant cardiac neoplasms (MCN) are uncommon tumors, and there are few data-driven studies that examine the trends and characteristics of the numerous subtypes. This retrospective study aims to illuminate, summarize, and discuss trends surrounding MCN and associated co-occurrences by leveraging a larger dataset than previous studies. The HCUS-NIS database was utilized for this study and consisted of 482,872,274 weighted discharges, of which 5,610 included a diagnosis for an MCN. This diagnosis was found to be more common in males (53%), and the median age was 51.96 years old. The most common cardiovascular co-occurrences in patients with diagnosed MCN were tachyarrhythmias (19.94%). The most common co-occurring neoplasms were found to be lung (23.11%), bone (10.42%) and unspecified (7.9%). Weighted in-hospital mortality was determined to be 10.12%, and the most prevalent procedures were chemotherapy (20.65%) and cardiac surgery (15.03%). Overall, this study demonstrated a low prevalence (<0.01%) of malignant cardiac neoplasms in US hospitalizations during the 13-year study period. Our study found important data that quantified and reinforced high in-hospital mortality, large numbers of procedures, and high cost incurred by patients with this rare diagnosis.
Evaluation of growth, viability, and structural integrity of equine endometrial organoids following cryopreservation.

Abstract Reproductive diseases in mares are a significant cause of subfertility and profound economic loss in the equine industry. Utilizing a 3D in vitro cell culture system that recapitulates the in vivo physiology will reduce time, cost, and welfare concerns associated with in vivo reproductive research in mares. If this 3D model is combined with effective cryopreservation, reproductive research on mares can occur year-round, which is not currently possible in this seasonal species. Endometrial organoids, 3D in vitro cell clusters that exhibit in vivo uterine physiology, have been established in mice, women, and mares. Here we report the first comprehensive assessment of cryopreservation of endometrial organoids in the domestic mare. Organoid growth rate was not affected by the type of freezing media. However, growth rate varied among non-cryopreserved controls, organoids cryopreserved at passage 0 (P0), and organoids cryopreserved at passage 3 (P3). Additionally, there was no difference in organoid viability among freezing media or freezing timepoint (passages). Furthermore, fresh and frozen-thawed organoids displayed positive immunohistochemical staining for ZO-1, which is a marker for intercellular tight junctions, and for periodic acid-Schiff staining as marker for organoid function through mucin production. Results demonstrate that equine endometrial organoids can be cryopreserved with 10% dimethyl sulfoxide with minimal detrimental effects while maintaining intercellular tight junctions (ZO-1) and secretory function. Availability of cryopreserved endometrial organoids may permit expanded research on uterine pathologies that negatively affect mare fertility and improve efficiency, reduce cost, and minimize animal welfare concerns associated with in vivo research in the domestic mare.
Governance Reform, Share Concentration and Financial Reporting Transparency in Mexico

We examine how financial reporting transparency and quality of Mexican firms vary with corporate governance. We utilize compliance data from the Code of 'Best' Corporate Practices, disclosed annually by public firms in Mexico. We document a significant increase in compliance over the 2000-2004 time period along with improvements in earnings associations with both contemporaneous market returns and future cash flows. These results suggest improved governance characteristics may have led to improved financial reporting and transparency. We directly assess this by designating firms with greater compliance as better governed on an annual basis. The results indicate better governed firms do not exhibit statistically less earnings management behavior. Further, these same firms do not exhibit higher earnings persistence nor does the market place greater weights on the reported earnings relative to less well governed firms. We conclude greater compliance does not lead to improved financial reporting transparency or quality because of the concentrated founding family ownership structure predominant in Mexico. Further, improvements in corporate governance and financial reporting requirements are not likely to lead to corresponding improvements in transparency and reporting without adjusting the requirements to accommodate the ownership structure.
Distributions of spontaneous chromosomal aberrations and of spontaneous and induced SCE and micronuclei in peripheral lymphocytes from a human population

Biomonitoring of human populations for exposure to genotoxic/clastogenic agents in the environment or the workplace must depend upon statistical tests for elevations in the frequencies of the biological endpoints being monitored, usually chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronuclei (MN), or sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in periphal blood lymphocytes. Statistical tests are based, in turn, upon certain assumptions regarding the nature of variation of the test endpoint. They are often not recognized as such, as pointed out by Auerbach (1970) in connection with mutagenesis assays, but, to the extent that they are not met, tests of signifiance can be in error, and the conclusion that there is or is not a statistically significant difference between one population sample and another can thus be erroneous. In population monitoring either false negatives or false positives can result; it is hard to know which is worse. Furthermore, even the intelligent design of studies whose object is to test for an elevated level in an “exposed” population must depend upon prior knowledge of the nature of both “spontaneous” and induced response; if variance is large enough, a given-sized study might be inconclusive, and an adequate study simply too large to be practical.
Sound power radiated from rectangular plates

An equation for calculating the sound power radiated from a rectangular plate with arbitrary boundary conditions is derived, in which the sound power radiated from the plate is represented in terms of the normal velocity distribution on the plate and a coupling matrix. The velocity distribution on the plate is expressed in terms of the modal amplitudes and normal modes. The coupling matrix for arbitrary boundary conditions is developed mathematically using the Rayleigh integral. Finally, an approach to compute the radiation efficiency for modes of vibration is presented and the radiation efficiency of the first four most efficient vibration modes for six different boundary conditions is presented.
Professional development that considers teachers' attitudes toward an innovation

This study investigated the extent to which teachers' motivation and attitudes for professional development training facilitated their willingness to implement reform strategies. Teachers completed surveys prior to training and after receiving training. Analysis compared the responses of beginning teachers (new to the process) and advanced teachers (receiving advanced training). Advanced teachers showed that their instructional strategies and goals corresponded to the innovations at the start. At the end of the training, Beginning teachers gave positive ratings for the training and their emotions toward implementing the training.
An external mandibular fenestra and other archosauriform characters in basal pterosaurs re-examined

It was claimed that pterosaurs had external mandibular fenestrae, antorbital fossae and muscle scars homologous with the femoral fourth trochanter of archosauriforms, and that those characters sugg...
Locations of selected small earthquakes in the Zagros mountains

The Zagros mountains of southern Iran are marked by a zone of high seismicity and accommodate a significant portion of the convergence between Arabia and Eurasia. Due to the lack of dense local seismic or geodetic networks, the inferred kinematics of the collision in Iran is mainly based on catalogs of teleseismically determined earthquake locations. We surveyed all Mw > 4.5 earthquakes in the Harvard Centroid Moment Tensor (HCMT) and International Seismological Centre (ISC) catalogs that occurred in the Zagros mountains during the period 1992–2002 and that were spanned by Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images from the ERS 1 and 2 satellites. We invert the observed deformation for the best fitting point source, single fault plane, and distributed fault slip for four earthquakes and one unexplained deformation event. We find that we can precisely locate earthquakes that are too small to be well-located by either the HCMT or ISC catalogs, allowing us to tie specific earthquakes to active geologic structures.
Multiple Discourses, Multiple Identities: Investment and Agency in Second-Language Learning among Chinese Adolescent Immigrant Students.

In this article, Sandra McKay and Sau-Ling Wong argue for a revision of code-based and individual learner-based views of second-language learning. Their position is based on a two-year qualitative study of adolescent Chinese-immigrant students conducted in California in the early 1990s, in which the authors and their research associates followed four Mandarin-speaking students through seventh and eighth grades, periodically interviewing them and assessing their English-language development. In discussing their findings, McKay and Wong establish a contextualist perspective that foregrounds interrelations of discourse and power in the learner's social environment. The authors identify mutually interacting multiple discourses to which the students were subjected, but of which they were also subjects, and trace the students' negotiations of dynamic, sometimes contradictory, multiple identities. Adopting B. N. Peirce's concept of investment, McKay and Wong relate these discourses and identities to the students...
Evolution in fine-grained environments. I. Environmental runs and the evolution of homeostasis.

In this paper we discuss the problem of evolution when individual organisms are subjected to heterogeneous environments within their own lifetimes. We first develop a model of environmental heterogeneity in which there are two discrete environmental states. Transitions between states are governed by a stochastic matrix. Next, we examine how an organism responds to this heterogeneity. We assume that L consecutive time units of the environmental process are sampled during the normal life span of the organism, and that the individual’s fitness is determined in part by a component unrelated to this heterogeneity and by other components that describe the fitness response to the heterogeneity. The fitness responses are functions of the environmental state and of how long the organism has been previously exposed to that state; i.e., fitness response is dependent upon the environmental context. We then discuss how this individually experienced heterogeneity is translated to the populational level. Finally, genetic constraints are overlaid so that the tools of population genetics may be used to make evolutionary predictions.
Vessel behavior following a through-wall crack☆

Abstract A fracture mechanics model has been developed to predict the behavior of a reactor pressure vessel following the occurrence of a through-wall crack during a pressurized thermal shock event. This study has been coordinated with the Integrated Pressurized Thermal Shock (IPTS) Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The fracture mechanics model uses as inputs the critical transients and probabilities of through-wall cracks from the IPTS Program. The model has been applied to predict the modes of failure for plant specific vessel characteristics. A Monte Carlo type of computer code has been written to predict the probabilities of alternate failure modes. This code treats the fracture mechanics properties of the various welds and plates of a vessel as random variables. The computer code also calculates the crack driving force as a function of the crack length and the internal pressure for critical times during the transient. The fracture mechanics model has been applied in calculations that simulate the Oconee-1 reactor pressure vessel. The model predicted that about 50% of the through-wall axial cracks will turn and follow a circumferential weld giving a potential for missiles. Missile arrest calculations predict that vertical as well as all potential horizontal missiles will be arrested and will be confined to the vessel enclosure cavity. In future work, plant specific analyses will be continued with calculations that simulate Calvert Cliff-1 and H.B. Robinson-2 reactor vessels.
Forbidden pitches: causes, source optimization, and their role in design rules

Forbidden pitches are the result of unwanted, non-linear effects that limit yield and not always well understood. Yet, as approximations, they are implicitly deployed through design rules. Many believe they result as a consequence of more complicated light sources. We develop an analytical model of aerial image quality as a function of light source. We show the effect is most pronounced for a point light source, the simplest of all. We develop a method to improve print image quality by illumination source optimization, and show promising first results. Additionally, it is shown how design rules capture forbidden pitches unsatisfactorily.
Infrared galaxies - Evolutionary stages of massive star formation

We cite evidence which indicates that infrared galaxies may represent evolutionary stages during which a large number of massive stars are being formed. The lifetimes of these stars would be rather short (1-10 million years), and the resulting supernova explosions could account for the level of nonthermal activity which often accompanies the thermal infrared emission.
Abstract 2766: YM155 inhibits survivin-mediated survival, migration, and tumor growth in neuroblastoma.

Background: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, with poor prognosis in children diagnosed after 12-15 months of age. Even with current multimodal therapies, the 5-year event-free survival is below 50%, necessitating the development of new, targeted therapies. Survivin is a developmentally regulated gene that is highly up-regulated in many cancers. In neuroblastoma, survivin is up-regulated by PI3Kinase-AKT signaling and its expression correlates with poor prognosis. Survivin is a member of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis family of proteins and is involved in cell survival through caspase dependent and independent pathways. Knockdown of survivin in melanoma cells reduces cell migration in vitro and its expression correlates with metastasis in Ewing9s Sarcoma and Schwann cell tumors. YM155 is a transcriptional suppressor of survivin and has shown efficacy in several cancer model systems both in vivo and in vitro and is currently under clinical investigation for adult cancers. In this study, we investigate the effects of YM155 on neuroblastoma cell apoptosis and migration in vitro and on tumor growth in vivo. Methods: Four neuroblastoma cell lines were treated with YM155 and subject to cell viability and migration assays. Gene expression was investigated by microarray and signaling by Western Blotting. In vivo, effects on tumor volume were determined by xenograft implant of neuroblastoma cell lines followed by YM155 treatment and measurement by calipers. Results: Treatment with YM155 caused a dose-dependent decrease in survivin expression and reduced cell viability in neuroblastoma cell lines; however IC 50 values vary by cell line. Cells treated with YM155 near the respective IC 50 showed increased cleavage of Caspase 3 and PARP indicating apoptosis. Gene and protein expression changes include reduced CXCR4 and Mcl-1. Low levels of YM155 reduced cell migration by 30-50%; cytotoxicity was not observed at the lower concentrations. Treatment with YM155 reduced tumor growth in vivo by 25-70% and depended on cell line. Conclusions: YM155 inhibits survivin expression, reduces cell viability, induces apoptosis, and migration in vitro, and reduces tumor volume in vivo. Further investigation is warranted in characterization of YM155 as a possible therapeutic agent for neuroblastoma. Citation Format: Heather M. McClung, Ping Zhao, Lauren Smith, Alexandra Eckardt, Giselle L. Sholler. YM155 inhibits survivin-mediated survival, migration, and tumor growth in neuroblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2766. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2766
Fractal metamorphosis: A brief student tutorial

Abstract This paper provides a brief tutorial on the simple iterative function systems technique and shows some resulting fractals arising from minor alterations of the input parameters.
In-flight calibration verification of spaceborne remote sensing instruments

The need to verify the pei1ormaixc of untended instrumentation has been recognized since scientists began sending thnse instrumems into hostile environments to quire data. The sea floor and the stratosphere have been explored, and the quality and cury of the data obtained vified by calibrating the instrumentalion in the laboratoiy, both jxior and subsequent to deployment The inability to make the lau measurements on deep-space missions make the calibration vthficatkin of these insiruments a uniclue problem.
Next-generation human genetics

The field of human genetics is being reshaped by exome and genome sequencing. Several lessons are evident from observing the rapid development of this area over the past 2 years, and these may be instructive with respect to what we should expect from 'next-generation human genetics' in the next few years.
The Relation of Force to Sample Dimensions in Objective Measurement of Tenderness of Poultry Meat

SUMMARY: Relations between maximum shear resistance and cross-sectional dimensions were established for cooked turkey meat samples of various shapes and sizes with a Warner-Bratzler type shearing device mounted in an lnstron tensile tester. The resistance to shear was proportional to the equivalent diameter raised to a power of about 1.2, over a wide range of sizes, shapes and intrinsic toughness. Degree of compaction before shearing was significantly correlated (r= 0.65, significant at 0.1% level) with the force at first failure per unit of equivalent diameter, and the compaction naturally increased with increasing intrinsic toughness. These data will permit comparison of shear force measurements from meat samples of different sizes and shapes.
A framework for effective retrieval

The aim of an effective retrieval system is to yield high recall and precision (retrieval effectiveness). The nonbinary independence model, which takes into consideration the number of occurrences of terms in documents, is introduced. It is shown to be optimal under the assumption that terms are independent. It is verified by experiments to yield significant improvement over the binary independence model. The nonbinary model is extended to normalized vectors and is applicable to more general queries.Various ways to alleviate the consequences of the term independence assumption are discussed. Estimation of parameters required for the nonbinary independence model is provided, taking into consideration that a term may have different meanings.
The Time-Dependent Reduction of Sliding Cohesion due to Rock Bridges Along Discontinuities: A Fracture Mechanics Approach

In this paper, a fracture mechanics model is developed to illustrate the importance of time-dependence for brittle fractured rock. In particular a model is developed for the time-dependent degradation of rock joint cohesion. Degradation of joint cohesion is modeled as the time-dependent breaking of intact patches or rock bridges along the joint surface. A fracture mechanics model is developed utilizing subcritical crack growth, which results in a closed-form solution for joint cohesion as a function of time. As an example, a rock block containing rock bridges subjected to plane sliding is analyzed. The cohesion is found to continually decrease, at first slowly and then more rapidly. At a particular value of time the cohesion reduces to value that results in slope instability. A second example is given where variations in some of the material parameters are assumed. A probabilistic slope analysis is conducted, and the probability of failure as a function of time is predicted. The probability of failure is found to increase with time, from an initial value of 5% to a value at 100 years of over 40%. These examples show the importance of being able to predict the time-dependent behavior of a rock mass containing discontinuities, even for relatively short-term rock structures.
Hydraulic compensation in northern Rocky Mountain conifers: does successional position and life history matter?

As trees grow tall and the resistance of the hydraulic pathway increases, water supply to foliage may decrease forcing stomata to close and CO2 uptake to decline. Several structural (e.g. biomass allocation) and physiological adjustments, however, may partially or fully compensate for such hydraulic constraints and prevent limitations on CO2 uptake and growth. The degree to which trees compensate for hydraulic constraints as they grow tall may depend on the costs and benefits associated with hydraulic compensation according to their ecology and life history. Because later successional Rocky Mountain conifers are more shade tolerant, optimization of CO2 uptake as trees grow tall and shade increases may confer greater benefits than in earlier successional species. If so, higher compensation for hydraulic constraints is expected in later successional species relative to co-occurring earlier successional species. I have examined height-related changes of crown stomatal conductance on a leaf area basis (G LA) and leaf to sapwood ratios (A L:A S) for five conifer species in the northern Rocky Mountains. Species were arranged in pairs, each pair consisting of an early and late successional species. For high elevations I used, respectively, whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa); for mid-elevations, western larch (Larix occidentalis) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); for lower elevations, ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Douglas-fir. A L:A S either decreased (subalpine fir, ponderosa pine), remained constant (Douglas-fir, western larch) or increased (whitebark pine) with tree height. As hypothesized, earlier successional species (ponderosa pine, whitebark pine and western larch) exhibited significantly stronger decreases of G LA with tree height relative to their later successional pairs (Douglas-fir and subalpine fir), which fully compensated for height-related hydraulic constraints on G LA. A life history approach that takes into account the optimization of size- and species-specific ecological functions may also help researchers better understand biomass allocation and hydraulic function in trees.
Calcium uptake in the gorgonian Leptogorgia virgulata. The effects of atpase inhibitors

Abstract 1. 1. Longitudinally split or completely regenerated branch tips from Leplogorgia virgulata show no differences in calcium uptake between control and ouabain treatments. This indicates that there is no ouabain sensitive Na + , K + -ATPase involved in calcium uptake. 2. 2. The tissue fractions of both regenerated and split branch tips show, at certain times, higher calcium uptake than control fractions. In the spicule fractions of these tips calcium uptake decreases in vandate treated specimens. 3. 3. Pulse-chase experiments show an initial rapid release of calcium from the tips into surrounding seawater. 4. 4. The results may suggest the presence of outwardly directed calcium pumps on the basal/lateral and apical plasma membranes of the epithelial cells. Outwardly directed calcium pumps may also be envisaged on the cell membranes of scleroblasts. In addition, pumps may move calcium into specific organelles of the scleroblasts en route to the spicule forming vacuoles. 5. 5. These pumps are likely to be Ca 2+ -ATPase.
High Dose 131I Therapy for the Treatment of Hyperthyroidism Caused by Graves’ Disease

Radioactive iodine (131I) has become the most widely used therapy for patients with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease in the United States. There remains, however, significant variability among 131I dosing regimens, and it is clear that most patients ultimately develop hypothyroidism after therapy. To avoid persistent hyperthyroidism, we adopted a high dose 131I therapy protocol based on measurement of 24-h thyroid 123I uptake designed to deliver 8 mCi (296 MBq) to the thyroid gland 24 h after 131I administration. To evaluate the efficacy of this protocol, we reviewed our clinical experience over a 7-yr period. We treated 261 patients (219 women and 42 men) with hyperthyroidism caused by Graves’ disease with 131I [mean dose, 14.6 mCi (540 MBq)] between 1993 and 1999. Before treatment, 207 (79%) had received an antithyroid drug (109 propylthiouracil and 98 methimazole). We determined their thyroid status 1 yr after treatment in relation to age, pretreatment with an antithyroid drug, pretreatment th...
Comparative Analysis of Induced vs. Spontaneous Models of Autoimmune Uveitis Targeting the Interphotoreceptor Retinoid Binding Protein

Animal models of autoimmunity to the retina mimic specific features of human uveitis, but no model by itself reproduces the full spectrum of human disease. We compared three mouse models of uveitis that target the interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP): (i) the “classical” model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) induced by immunization with IRBP; (ii) spontaneous uveitis in IRBP T cell receptor transgenic mice (R161H) and (iii) spontaneous uveitis in Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE)−/− mice. Disease course and severity, pathology and changes in visual function were studied using fundus imaging and histological examinations, optical coherence tomography and electroretinography. All models were on the B10.RIII background. Unlike previously reported, IRBP-induced EAU in B10.RIII mice exhibited two distinct patterns of disease depending on clinical scores developed after onset: severe monophasic with extensive destruction of the retina and rapid loss of visual signal, or lower grade with a prolonged chronic phase culminating after several months in retinal degeneration and loss of vision. R161H and AIRE−/− mice spontaneously developed chronic progressive inflammation; visual function declined gradually as retinal degeneration developed. Spontaneous uveitis in R161H mice was characterized by persistent cellular infiltrates and lymphoid aggregation, whereas AIRE−/− mice characteristically developed multi-focal infiltrates and severe choroidal inflammation. These data demonstrate variability and unique distinguishing features in the different models of uveitis, suggesting that each one can represent distinct aspects of uveitis in humans.
Ocean monitoring in support of fisheries research and management

Monitoring of fluctuations of ocean conditions in time and space is vital for understanding fluctuations of marine populations. Three scales of temporal and spatial resolution are desired: 1) global, long term annual and monthly mean data for planning surveys and for understanding distributions of populations, 2) regional, monthly data to understand and predict annual recruitment and catches, and 3) mesoscale, daily data for research on biological processes and as tactical support for fishing vessels. Due to high costs of operation, monitoring on the largest two scales is not feasible with research vessels. Monitoring is possible, however, using a mix of surface weather and XBT observations from ships of opportunity, tide gauge data, observations from moored and drifting buoys, and remote sensing images from satellites.
Two-dimensional cross-sectional doping profiling of boron-based low energy high dose ion implantations using Electron Holography technique

Electron holography, as a powerful method for two-dimensional (2D) doping profiling, is used to study 2D cross-sectional doping profiles of low energy high dose ion implantations including conventional beam-line 11B implant and B 2 H 6 plasma doping (PLAD). It has been found that B 2 H 6 PLAD with −6kV voltage and 2×1016/cm2 dose shows slightly deeper junction depth x j , both of the vertical x j (V), and lateral x j (L) and with slightly larger x j (L)/x j (V) ratio, than beam-line 11B implant with 2keV energy and 5×1015/cm2 dose. RTP process with 995°C/20s condition demonstrates higher thermal budget than 1015°C/spike condition — cause deeper x j , but with a similar x j (L)/x j (V) ratio. Good correlations among 2D Electron Holography dopant profiles, 2D dopant profile simulations, and 1D SIMS/ARXPS B profiles have been demonstrated. Very good correlation between 2D Electron Holography doping profiles and device parameters has been demonstrated.
Legal hermeneutics : history, theory, and practice

Hermeneutics and the Rule of Law, Fred Dallmyr Law and Language, Gerald L. Bruns Ars Bablativa, Peter Goodrich The Americanization of Hermeneutics, James Farr Christian Praxis as Reflective Action, Jerry H. Stone Constitutional Interpretation and Conceptual Change, Terence Ball From the Lighthouse, Drucilla Cornell Intentions and the Law, David Couzens Hoy Intention, Identity, and the Constitution, Steven Knapp and Walter Benn Michaels Legal Indeterminacy and Legitimacy, Ken Kress How Trial Judges Talk, Lief H. Carter Why Constitutional Theory Matters to Constitutional Practice (And Vice Versa), Michael J. Perry Legal Education and the Public Life, Gregory Leyh Play of Surfaces, Stanley Fish