cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On simultaneously optimal decentralized performance

This work focuses on the simultaneously optimal decentralized performance problem. Specifically, a method that quantifies the best (in an l/sup 1/-l/sup /spl infin// sense) dynamic performance achievable by one decentralized dynamic feedback compensator, for a finite family of process models, is presented. To achieve this goal, necessary and sufficient conditions for decentralized simultaneous stabilization are introduced. These conditions are realized through a set of quadratic equality constraints. Consequently, the decentralized simultaneous performance problem is formulated as a quadratically constrained minimax problem that is nondifferentiable and infinite dimensional. This problem is solved through iterative solution of appropriately constructed finite dimensional nonlinear programming problems. For small horizons, /spl epsi/-globally optimal solutions of these NLP's can be achieved. These concepts are employed in the solution of an illustrative example. >
Combined heart-lung transplantation: a perspective on the past and the future.

During the last 20 years, there has been a shift away from combined heart–lung transplantation (HLT) in favor of bilateral lung transplantation. This paradigm shift allowed for the donor heart to be transplanted to another patient. However, HLT remains to be the definitive surgical treatment for certain congenital heart disorders and Eisenmenger’s syndrome. With a growing population of adult patients with congenital heart disease, there remains a need for HLT. This article provides a perspective on the past and the future of HLT.
Particle Size of Encapsulated Sodium Bicarbonates: Effect on Refrigerated Batter and Muffins Baked in Conventional and Microwave Ovens

Refrigerated muffin batter containing encapsulated sodium bicarbonates (ESB) differing in encapsulate melt points (EMP) and muffins baked from the batters in conventional and microwave ovens were evaluated. Muffin batter was prepared with ESB of 3 EMP (43, 52 and 60 o C) and tested after 1 day (0 wk) and 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk. Batter pH increased from 0 wk to 1 wk. Specific volumes of microwave-baked muffins containing EMP 43 or 60 o C increased with storage and were highest; the EMP 52 o C microwave-baked muffins had the lowest specific volumes. Conventionally baked muffins were darker than microwave-baked muffins. Panelists evaluated microwave-baked muffins as flatter than conventionally baked muffins
Characterization of a unique protein produced by influenza A virus recovered from a long-term persistent infection.

Abstract Virus isolated from a persistent infection initiated in BHK cells with influenza A/WSN/33 (H1 N1) produced an unusual pattern of protein synthesis in productive infections of BHK cells: The levels of NP and M1 proteins were slightly reduced compared to an infection with wild-type WSN, while the other proteins (Pb1, Pb2, Pa, HA, NS1, and NS2) were synthesized at very low or undetectable levels. In addition, a new viral protein with an approximate molecular weight of 11 kDa (Pi protein) is made ( Frielle et al., Virology 138,103–117,1984). When viral RNA was analyzed by the Northern blot technique, a deletion was found in the NS gene segment and in NS1 mRNA; all other RNAs were full-sized. Immunoprecipitation of in vitro translation products demonstrated that the Pi protein reacts specifically with anti-NS1 serum. In addition, the Pi protein, like the NS1 of the parental wild-type virus, accumulated in the nucleus of infected cells. These results indicate that the Pi protein is a mutated form of the NS1 protein encoded by a deleted NS segment and suggest that this mutation may be involved in the expression of the persistent virus phenotype.
Analytical models of Doppler data signatures

A primary indicator of the accuracy of orbit determination based on Doppler tracking is the graph of residuals vs time. Parameter errors in the orbit determination model produce characteristic signatures in the residuals plot. A systematic method of modeling the signature due to a parameter error by means of first and second partial derivative approximations is presented. Signatures due to errors in station location, solar pressure, relativistic clock, and the Earth's troposphere are compared with residual plots from a spacecraft mission, corresponding to the introduction of the same parametric error into orbit determination software. A comparison of postfit residuals with and without the introduction of known modeling errors demonstrates that some errors can be masked by apparent convergence, resulting in erroneous estimates.
Effect of Enzyme-Inducing and Enzyme-Inhibiting Agents on Drug Absorption I: 3-O-Methylglucose Transport in Rats

The influence of preadministration of phenobarbital, benzo[a]p yrene, and proadifen hydrochloride on 3-O-methylglucose transfer across the everted rat small intestine was examined. The active and passive components of the sugar transport mechanism were evaluated using phlorizin, a potent inhibitor of active transport of sugars. Pretreatment of the animals with phenobarbital did not alter 3-O-methylglucose transfer characteristics. Pretreatment with intraperitoneally administered benzo[a]pyrene increased mucosal to serosal transfer of the sugar at low (0.1 mM) sugar concentrations. Enhancement of the active transfer of 3-O-methylglucose by pretreatment with proadifen hydrochloride was noted at low sugar concentrations. The passive transfer of the sugar was reduced after pretreatment with proadifen hydrochloride.
The effect of abiotic factors on asymbiotic nitrogen fixation in dead roots from the Pacific Northwest

High rates of asymbiotic nitrogen fixation have been observed in dead roots. However, little is known about how biotic and abiotic factors influence asymbiotic nitrogen fixation in dead roots. The objective of this study was to examine how nitrogen fixation in dead roots responded to three abiotic factors: temperature, oxygen concentration, and moisture content by measuring acetylene reduction rates in dead roots. For measuring the response to temperature and oxygen, we collected dead roots of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) from one site in western Oregon, while the effect of moisture content was tested with samples from three species including Douglas-fir, western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) from three sites in western Oregon. We measured acetylene reduction rates at 5, 13, 20, 30, and 40°C and at oxygen concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 21% in dead root samples that had been previously wetted. Unaltered root samples with different moisture contents were used to measure the effect of moisture content on acetylene reduction. The optimal temperature for acetylene reduction in roots was 20°C with an acetylene reduction rate of 9.6 nmol/g/d and a standard error of 3.2 nmol/g/d. Asymbiotic nitrogen fixation was greatly reduced above and below this temperature with acetylene reduction rates of 1.2 ± 0.6 nmol/g/d at 5°C and 0.2 ± 0.2 nmol/g/d at 40°C. The highest acetylene reduction rates (13.8 ± 4.2 nmol/g/d) occurred at an oxygen concentration of 2%. Rates dropped sharply under no oxygen condition (3.0 ± 2.8 nmol/g/d) and at an oxygen concentration of 21% (3.0 ± 0.8 nmol/g/d). Optimal acetylene reduction activity occurred above 60% root moisture content and activity was near zero below 60%. These abiotic factors have a similar influence on asymbiotic nitrogen fixation activity in other substrates like dead wood. In the Pacific Northwest, annual nitrogen fixation activity in dead roots tends to be primarily controlled by temperature while above-ground substrates like dead wood can have reduced activity during the dry summer months when lower moisture contents and higher oxygen concentrations can reduce activity.
CROSS-LINKING OF THE HUMAN DNA REPAIR PROTEIN O6-ALKYLGUANINE DNA ALKYLTRANSFERASE TO DNA IN THE PRESENCE OF 1,2,3,4-DIEPOXYBUTANE

1,2,3,4-Diepoxybutane (DEB) is a key carcinogenic metabolite of the important industrial chemical 1,3-butadiene. DEB is a bifunctional alkylating agent capable of reacting with DNA and proteins. In...
Pd-Co-Mo electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

The catalytic activity of carbon supported Pd−Co−Mo for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a single cell proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been investigated at 60 °C and compared with data from commercial Pt catalyst and our previously reported Pd−Co−Au and Pd−Ti catalysts. The Pd−Co−Mo catalyst with a Pd:Co:Mo atomic ratio of 70:20:10 exhibits slightly higher catalytic activity like the Pd−Co−Au catalyst than the commercial Pt catalyst, but with excellent chemical stability unlike the Pd−Co−Au catalyst. The Pd−Co−Mo catalyst also exhibits better tolerance to methanol poisoning than Pt. Investigation of the catalytic activity of the Pd−Co−Mo system with varying composition and heat treatment temperature reveals that a Pd:Co:Mo atomic ratio of 70:20:10 with a heat treatment temperature of 500 °C exhibits the highest catalytic activity. Although the degree of alloying increases with increasing temperature from 500 to 900 °C as indicated by the X-ray diffraction data, the catalytic activity ...
High energy phosphate concentrations and AMPK phosphorylation in skeletal muscle from mice with inherited differences in hypoxic exercise tolerance.

Abstract The effect of chronic hypobaric hypoxia (1/2 atmospheric pressure) on high energy phosphate (HEP) compounds was investigated in slow (soleus; SOL) and fast twitch (extensor digitorum longus; EDL) muscle from 3 strains of mice with large differences in hypoxic exercise tolerance (HET). Phosphocreatine concentration ([PCr]) decreased 16–29% following hypoxia in EDL and SOL in all strains, while [ADP] and [AMP] increased. In the EDL, HET was negatively correlated with the PCr/ATP ratio and positively correlated with the ATP/Pi ratio. The free energy of ATP hydrolysis (ΔGobs) remained constant despite the substantial changes that occurred in HEP profiles. The alteration of HEP set points and preservation of ΔGobs are consistent with the notion that (1) maximal rates of steady-state ATP turnover are reduced under hypoxia, and (2) HEP perturbations during rest to work transitions are reduced in skeletal muscle from hypoxia acclimated animals. We therefore expected a lower phosphorylation ratio of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK-P/AMPK) during stimulation in hypoxic acclimated animals. However, neither the resting nor stimulated AMPK-P/AMPK was influenced by hypoxia, although there were significant differences among strains.
Demonstration of photonically assisted RF waveform generation with 1-nanosecond update time

Photonically assisted RF arbitrary waveform generation with 1-ns update time is demonstrated utilizing a commercial tunable DBR laser to affect frequency modulation of the optical frequency comb carrier in conjunction with line-by-line pulse shaping.
Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas: an unexpected finding after minor abdominal trauma.

A 20-year-old female college student presented to the emergency department with epigastric pain and vomiting several hours after being struck in the abdomen with a soccer ball. She had no significant past medical or surgical history. On examination the patient was afebrile and hemodynamically stable. Her abdominal examination was significant for epigastric and right upper quadrant tenderness. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis was obtained to rule out traumatic intra-abdominal injury. CT revealed a multi-septated cystic mass at the pancreatic neck measuring 6.1 9 6.6 cm, with associated mural nodules and rim enhancement (Fig. 1). The mass appeared to invade the posterior wall of the stomach and compress the portal vein near the confluence of the superior mesenteric vein and splenic vein. Lymphadenopathy of the celiac axis and greater curvature of the stomach was noted. The patient was admitted and underwent endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration of the cystic pancreatic mass. Cytology from this procedure showed clusters of polygonal cells with abundant cytoplasm, surrounding fibrovascular structures in a background of blood and necrotic debris. Mitotic figures were not apparent. The findings were interpreted as consistent with solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas. The patient was taken for surgical resection at which time there was noted to be extensive inflammatory change surrounding the tumor, involving the duodenum and transverse mesocolon, with adherence of the tumor to the SMV, portal vein and hepatic artery. The patient ultimately required total pancreatectomy, duodenectomy, splenectomy, partial gastrectomy and right hemicolectomy for complete resection. Final pathology revealed a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm with borderline malignant potential, 6.5 cm in greatest dimension, with negative lymph nodes (0/25). There was submucosal inflammation and necrosis of the adjacent posterior wall of the stomach, but microscopic examination showed no evidence of tumor invasion into any adjacent structures. The patient recovered from surgery and received an insulin pump for insulin replacement. With three-year follow up with CT surveillance, she has no evidence of tumor recurrence.
Type of Inserted Question and the Study-Posttest Delay.

Several studies have found that application questions inserted in text lead to a better ability to apply concepts to new situations than do inserted factual level questions. Other studies have fail...
CORTICOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE ASTHMA

Corticosteroids are highly effective anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of asthma. The clinical efficacy of these drugs is thought to result from a combination of effects on lung inflammation. 18 , 64 These include immunosuppressive effects on inflammatory cell trafficking into the lung, reduction of inflammatory cell survival, diminished airway mucus production, an inhibitory effect on inflammatory cytokines, and other anti-inflammatory mechanisms, including the increased gene transcription of anti-inflammatory proteins. Asthmatic patients, however, vary in their responses to corticosteroids. Although most patients respond to regular inhaled corticosteroid therapy, a small proportion of asthmatic patients have poorly controlled asthma even when treated with high doses of oral prednisone or its equivalent. These patients account for a large proportion of the hospitalizations and emergency room visits caused by asthma. Therefore, a disproportionate amount of health care resources is spent on this small subset of patients. This article reviews the current understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying corticosteroid-insensitive asthma. The mechanisms that give rise to corticosteroid insensitivity have important clinical implications for the management of severe asthma and other allergic disorders characterized by tissue inflammation. It is important to evaluate these patients carefully to confirm the diagnosis of asthma and to identify potentially correctable concomitant conditions that may confound their asthma. Once a diagnosis of corticosteroid-insensitive asthma has been made, alternative anti-inflammatory approaches must be considered.
Location, Location, Location: Altered Transcription Factor Trafficking in Neurodegeneration

Neurons may be particularly sensitive to disruptions in transcription factor trafficking. Survival and injury signals must traverse dendrites or axons, in addition to soma, to affect nuclear transcriptional responses. Transcription factors exhibit continued nucleocytoplasmic shuttling; the predominant localization is regulated by binding to anchoring proteins that mask nuclear localization/export signals and/or target the factor for degradation. Two functional groups of karyopherins, importins and exportins, mediate RanGTPase-dependent transport through the nuclear pore. A growing number of recent studies, in Alzheimer, Parkinson, and Lewy body diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and human immunodeficiency virus encephalitis, implicate aberrant cytoplasmic localization of transcription factors and their regulatory kinases in degenerating neurons. Potential mechanisms include impaired nuclear import, enhanced export, suppression of degradation, and sequestration in protein aggregates or organelles and may reflect unmasking of alternative cytoplasmic functions, both physiologic and pathologic. Some "nuclear" factors also function in mitochondria, and importins are also involved in axonal protein trafficking. Detrimental consequences of a decreased nuclear to cytoplasmic balance include suppression of neuroprotective transcription mediated by cAMP- and electrophile/antioxidant-response elements and gain of toxic cytoplasmic effects. Studying the pathophysiologic mechanisms regulating transcription factor localization should facilitate strategies to bypass deficits and restore adaptive neuroprotective transcriptional responses.
Unraveling the mysteries of B-Raf: the clot thickens!

Comment on Kamata et al, page [833][1] Both B-Raf and Raf-1 have overlapping functions and B-Raf–specific functions are unknown. Leavitt and colleagues provide evidence of a role for B-Raf in normal hematopoiesis and megakaryocyte differentiation. B-Raf has recently been identified as a novel
Diffusion coefficients of the ternary system water-tetrabutylammonium bromide-potassium bromide as a function of tetrabutylammonium bromide concentration

Sets of four diffusion coefficients were obtained for the water-tetrabutylammonium bromide-potassium bromide system at 25°C as a function of tetrabutylammonium bromide concentration with the mean concentration of potassiumbromide fixed at 0.1 mole-liter−1. The experiments were performed at tetrabutylammonium bromide concentrations of 0.075, 0.15, 0.3, and 0.45 mole-liter−1. The results are compared with the binary diffusion coefficients of these components and also with the calculated diffusion coefficients using the first approximation theory.
Characterization of aPY-like peptides in anglerfish brain using a novel radioimmunoassay for aPY-Gly

Anglerfish peptide YG (aPY) was isolated from pancreatic islets of the anglerfish. Subsequent immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses demonstrated that anglerfish islet cells synthesize aPY. We have now developed and characterized a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for aPY and have examined extracts of anglerfish brain for aPY-like peptides. Brain extracts were subjected to gel filtration and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fractions from HPLC eluates were analyzed in the aPY RIA and also in a neuropeptide Y (NPY) RIA. A single peak of aPY-like immunoreactivity eluted from HPLC columns. The elution position of this aPY-like peptide coincided exactly with the aPY-Gly marker under several gradient conditions. Results from the NPY RIA confirmed the presence of several molecular forms of NPY-like immunoreactive peptides in the anglerfish brain. These results demonstrate the utility of the newly developed aPY RIA for studies of anglerfish brain peptides and extend our previous immunohistochemical demonstration of aPY-like staining in the anglerfish brain.
Issues in computer graphics education

In spite of a booming industry, most 3D graduates have tremendous difficulty getting even entry-level jobs. Animation programs, the most common source of 3D education, are analyzed to reveal why their students compete less successfully with computer science, design, and other bachelors degree students. The solution is to distinguish 3D from animation by creating a new discipline. This 3D discipline should retain the artistic components of animation but place greater emphasis on problem solving, 3D expression, and computer programming. A new approach would not only strengthen chances of employment for graduates within the entertainment industry but also better enable them to get jobs in other fields like visualization and education. Doing so will empower graduates, broaden societal perceptions of 3D, and provide the next generation of leadership in the digital age.
Decomposition of simple goal-seeking automata☆

Abstract A simple automaton model for goal-seeking and adaptive systems is given. It is shown that under certain conditions a goal-seeking automaton can be decomposed, by applying the structural theory of automata, into serial and parallel connections of simpler goal-seeking automata such that in the serial decomposition the goal of the tail automaton depends on the goal of the front automaton. Thus, a complex goal-seeking automaton may be reduced into a simpler automaton which is similar in structure to the “multi-level multi-goal systems” discussed by Mesarovic ( 1 ).
Processing of alumina low-density xerogels by ambient pressure drying

Abstract Alumina is utilized as a catalyst and catalyst support, applications that can benefit from a high surface area and significant mesopore volume. Such characteristics can be achieved through ambient pressure drying (APD) using a methodology similar to that which has proven successful with silica. Alumina gels were synthesized using aluminum tri-sec-butoxide (AltsB) and ethyl acetoacetate (EtAc). Azeotropic distillation with toluene was then used to reduce the surface tension of the solvent and to create `poor wettability' (non-polar solvent, polar oxide network surface) in the gel. The latter factor reduces the capillary stresses that arise at the liquid–vapor interface, which in turn limits shrinkage during APD. The opposite poor wettability condition (non-polar surface in contact with a polar solvent), created by reacting the gel with silylating reagents in the mother liquor (primarily ethanol and water), did not provide significant porosity. Adding more water during sol–gel processing aided the preservation of mesopores during APD.
Outcomes of patients with clinical CIS-only disease treated with radical cystectomy.

To report the long-term oncological efficacy of radical cystectomy for patients with presumed clinical CIS only disease, to characterize the likelihood of clinical understaging, and to characterize the pattern of recurrence. One thousand six hundred patients have undergone radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection with intent to cure from August 1971 to December 2005 at the University of Southern California; 27 patients from this cohort who satisfied both the inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified. Relevant clinical and pathological data at time of cystectomy and during follow-up were reported. Overall and recurrence-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. At time of cystectomy, 33% of patients were found to be clinically understaged. Median follow-up was 94 months. Estimated 5- and 10-year overall survival was 87 and 56%, respectively. Estimated 5- and 10-year recurrence-free survival was 100 and 83%, respectively. Excellent long-term survival outcomes can be achieved with radical cystectomy. Radical cystectomy should be strongly considered for patients who have failed prior intravesical therapy. Long-term surveillance of the retained urethra and of the upper tract is essential, as recurrence can occur years following cystectomy. Patients who recur are at high risk of dying from disease.
On the height of digital trees and related problems

This paper studies in a probabilistic framework some topics concerning the way words (strings) can overlap, and relationship of this to the height of digital trees associated with this set of words. A word is defined as a random sequence of (possibly infinite) symbols over a finite alphabet. A key notion of analignment matrix {Cij}i,j=1n is introduced whereCij is the length of the longest string that is a prefix of theith and thejth word. It is proved that the height of an associated digital tree is simply related to the alignment matrix through some order statistics. In particular, using this observation and proving some inequalities for order statistics, we establish that the height of adigital trie under anindependent model (i.e., all words are statistically independent) is asymptotically equal to 2 logźn wheren is the number of words stored in the trie and ź is a parameter of the probabilistic model. This result is generalized in three directions, namely we considerb-tries,Markovian model (i.e., dependency among letters in a word), and adependent model (i.e., dependency among words). In particular, when consecutive letters in a word are Markov dependent (Markovian model), then we demonstrate that the height converges in probability to 2 logźn where ź is a parameter of the underlying Markov chain. On the other hand, for suffix trees which fall into the dependent model, we show that the height does not exceed 2 logźn, where ź is a parameter of the probabilistic model. These results find plenty of applications in the analysis of data structures built over digital words.
Oxidation of metals

Abstract The understanding of the nature of oxidation behaviour has increased markedly in recent years, owing to the contributions of a large number of investigators who have provided a large body of factual information in all facets of this complex subject. It is the object of this report to review the scientific background of metal oxidation in a very brief manner, and to review some of the more significant recent contributions leading toward an understanding of the mechanisms of oxidation. Finally, some suggestions are made relating to needed research in this field. It seems an appropriate time for a review of this kind, because interest in this subject has been growing rather rapidly, judging from the number of publications of scientific investigations in metal oxidation published during the past few years. This is another report in the series being prepared by members of the Metallurgy and Ceramics Research Department that will review the ‘state of the art’ in different technical fields.
Implications of the Census for Agricultural Statistics (abstract)

E CCONOMISTS have a responsibility to provide a relevant theoretical framework for data collection by public statistical services. Agricultural statistics users agree changes are needed in farm definition, criteria for economic classification, and especially in the conceptual framework to comprehend interrelationships among the several sectors in the agricultural economy. The consensus deteriorates rapidly, however, in consideration of specific proposals. The present farm definition is all-inclusive. Taeuber's proposal for a cutoff at $5,000 gross sales would have a major impact on USDA's statistical series and also on program operations. The consequences need thorough evaluation. With SRS's shift to probability sampling, use of census data for benchmarks is no longer essential for current estimates of major crop and livestock items. Continued dependence is placed on
Airway pressure release ventilation: a pediatric case series.

Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) is a relatively new mode of mechanical ventilation (MV) first described in animal studies in 1987 and in humans in 1988. It is a time-triggered, time-cycled, pressure-limited mode where a high level of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is maintained with brief regular releases in pressure, and spontaneous breathing is allowed throughout the cycle. In theory, it is consistent with a lung protective approach while having some hypothetical advantages over HFOV. The use of this mode of ventilation in pediatrics has been limited. The authors describe their experience with this mode of ventilation in a series of pediatric patients. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:83–88. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Evocation of a biphasic febrile response in the rhesus monkey by intracerebral injection of bacterial endotoxins.

Abstract Intravenous injection of 2.0 ml of a suspension of killed E . coli cell bodies produced a robust biphasic febrile response in the rhesus monkey. Intracerebral injection of the same pyrogen at 1/4000 of the intravenous dose produced a quite similar biphasic febrile effect. When administered i.v., this low dose had no effect on body temperature. Thirteen of the 16 sites (81 %) whose stimulation with endotoxin evoked a biphasic fever were located within 4 mm of the midpoint between the optic chiasm and the decussation of the anterior commissure. The second peak of the biphasic response to i.v. administered endotoxin is generally considered to be due to an endogenous pyrogen, released from leukocytes in the periphery, which penetrates the blood-brain barrier to act directly upon central thermoregulatory mechanisms. The present findings indicate that the entire biphasic response can be reproduced by an action of endotoxin within the CNS. Thus, it is possible that a portion of the second phase of a fever evoked by endotoxin injected i.v. may be due to a release of endogenous pyrogen within the brain, rather than within the bloodstream.
GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND RACE- AND SEX-BASED EARNINGS INEQUALITY*

Recent studies of the effects of the structure of local labor markets on individual earnings have failed to consider how earnings are affected by government participation in local labor and product markets. This study merges SMSA-specific data (including measures of government participation in the local economy) Into the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and regresses individual (log) earnings within race and sex groups on human capital, structural, and local labor market variables. I find that black women have higher earnings in metropolitan areas with greater government employment. Both black men and women receive higher earnings in areas where a large proportion of industrial output is consumed by the public sector. The earnings of white men are mainly predicted by human capital variables, while white women's earnings are most strongly affected by total hours worked. Race and Sex differences in earnings have been a fundamental concern of economists and sociologists for well over three decades. Within this time span, however, the dominant theoretical perspective on earnings and status attainment processes has shifted. In the mid sixties the human capital approach enjoyed great popularity in labor economics. This theory holds that people are paid according to the quantity and quality of the skills they bring to the market. Formal schooling and a long, continuous record of labor force experience are two critical factors in determining a person's wage (Mincer, 1974; Thurow, 1969). While the emphasis in sociology was on explaining a person's socioeconomic status, the approach was similar. Individual characteristics such as educational attainment and family socioeconomic background governed the allocation of individuals into occupational roles from which they derived status (Blau and Duncan, 1967). When the wider U.S. society became concerned with earnings inequality in the mid sixties, academics employed human capital theory to explain the existence of race and sex earnings disparities. Policy-makers designed programs based on the empirical work within the human capital perspective to eliminate such inequality. For example, research showed that the lower earnings of blacks are due in part to the fact that their level of schooling is lower than that of white men (Thurow, 1969). Based on this research, programs were designed to keep blacks in school and to upgrade the skills that they brought to the market in order to bring about earnings parity with white men (Aaron, 1978:Chapter 3)'
Microstructure of sleep in depressed patients according to the cyclic alternating pattern

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microstructure of the EEG sleep of depressed subjects by cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) analysis. Methods: 78 patients affected by major depression and 18 control subjects matched for age and sex underwent a full night polysomnographic study. Results: A significant increase in CAP rate (60 versus 35%) was found in the patients group compared to controls while no significant difference was found with the traditional analysis. Conclusion: In depressed subjects CAP analysis is able to show a microstructural sleep impairment, which is not evident at the macrostructural level, providing an objective measure of sleep disturbance in those patients.
1994 All over again? Public opinion and health care

Lawrence Jacobs writes that the current moment in U.S. health care reform is eerily reminiscent of the lead-up to the 1992 election. Despite unusually broad agreement that health care arrangements need reform, there is no convergence on proposals for reform.
Modelling knowledge for a natural language: understanding system

In the field of knowledge based systems for natural language processing, one of the most challenging aims is to use parts of an existing knowledge base for different domains and/or different tasks. We support the point that this problem can only be solved by using adequate metainformation about the content and structuring principles of the representational systems concerned. One of the prerequisites in this respect is the transparency of modelling decisions.After a short introduction to our scenario, we will propose general dimensions for characterizing knowledge in knowledge based systems. These dimensions will be differentiated according to linguistic levels of investigation in order to deduce structuring principles for the modelling process. The resulting criteria will be evaluated in a detailed example taken from our prototypical implementation.We hope to contribute some promising steps towards a methodology of knowledge engineering with natural language and common sense orientation.
What's the fear of? Using implosion to explore the bodily-injury fear complex

The present study utilized implosive therapy scenes to assess fear reactions to cues hypothesized to be instrumental in the development and maintenance of bodily-injury phobia. In addition to a bodily mutilation stimulus, the cue areas targeted were loss of control and death fears. Twenty-six high-fear subjects and 24 low-fear subjects rated their fear while imagining that they were the woman depicted in four audiotaped scenes. A repeated measures analysis of variance detected significant group differences for the fear ratings, with the high-fear group reporting more fear than the low-fear group. Also, the high-fear group's skin conductance response amplitudes averaged across the four scenes were significantly higher than those of the low-fear group. Finally, the high-fear group's more pathological questionnaire scores were significantly different from the low-fear group's for both the Self-Control Schedule and the Lester Attitude Toward Death Scale. This study is the first to assess various components of bodily injury fear through the use of imagery while measuring across two response-modes.
Response to Dr. Talwalkar

TO THE EDITOR: We thank Dr. Talwalker for his comments on our article. He correctly noted that we could not determine the overall severity of liver disease from the administrative database we used, and that unknown variation in severity of liver disease may account for the observed differences in mortality and length of stay. Although we attempted to adjust for liver disease severity by looking for diagnosis codes associated with liver disease complications, we could not capture all the clinical data necessary to adequately characterize disease severity. However, he also notes that the observation of increased variceal bleeding and upper endoscopy use among nonspecialist physicians is unclear without knowing liver disease severity. We believe that these differences may reflect factors in addition to liver disease severity, such as variation in the outpatient care given to these patients or necessary differences in referral patterns due to insurance coverage. For example, patients cared for by nonspecialists in conjunction with a gastroenterology consultation had higher degrees of comorbidity than those cared for primarily by gastroenterologists. These patients may have been admitted to nonspecialist physicians who provided outpatient care for their comorbid conditions. Unfortunately, our database was limited in being able to characterize such differences.
The quantum interest conjecture

Although quantum field theory allows local negative energy densities and fluxes, it also places severe restrictions upon the magnitude and extent of the negative energy. The restrictions take the form of quantum inequalities. These inequalities imply that a pulse of negative energy must not only be followed by a compensating pulse of positive energy, but that the temporal separation between the pulses is inversely proportional to their amplitude. In an earlier paper we conjectured that there is a further constraint upon a negative and positive energy $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function pulse pair. This conjecture (the quantum interest conjecture) states that a positive energy pulse must overcompensate the negative energy pulse by an amount which is a monotonically increasing function of the pulse separation. In the present paper we prove the conjecture for massless quantized scalar fields in two- and four-dimensional flat spacetime, and show that it is implied by the quantum inequalities.
Corrigendum: Analysis pipeline for the epistasis search – statistical versus biological filtering.

My name was misspelled as Shubhabrata Mukheerjee. The correct spelling is Shubhabrata Mukherjee. The original article has been updated.
From Demos to Demoi: Democracy across Borders

Abstract. The paper discusses a needed double transformation of democracy, of its institutional form and its normative ideal, in three steps. First, the Author takes for granted that the empirical fact of the increasing scope and intensity of global interaction and interdependence are not sufficient to decide the issue between gradualists and transformationalists. Indeed, gradualists and transformationalists share an underlying conception that leads to a particular emphasis in modern theories on legal institutions. This same set of problems emerges in contemporary conceptions of cosmopolitan democracy, especially those formulated by Held and Habermas. Second, he considers the more decentered alternatives, which make contestation through global networks the central feature of democracy beyond the state. Third, he develops an alternative, plural, and decentered conception based on an account of democratization outside the nation state, not on a particular version of the democratic ideal.*
Big five personality variables and relationship constructs

Abstract Associations between the personality variables of the five-factor model and close relationship variables (love styles, relationship satisfaction, and intimacy) were explored. Participants (N=196) from committed relationships were administered the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised, the Love Attitudes Scale-Short Form, the Relationship Assessment Scale, the Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationships, and a demographic questionnaire. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that neuroticism was negatively associated with and predictive of satisfaction and intimacy. The association between neuroticism and relationship satisfaction was completely mediated by possessive, dependent love for females. Extraversion and agreeableness were positively associated with relationship satisfaction and intimacy, especially for males. Conscientiousness was positively correlated with intimacy for males. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Atomic layer deposition of CdO and CdxZn1−xO films

Abstract Growth of Cd x Zn 1− x O by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is demonstrated at 150 °C using diethylzinc (DEZn), dimethylcadmium (DMCd), and water as the precursors. The relative ratio of the DMCd and DEZn pulses is varied to achieve different compositions ranging from pure CdO to pure ZnO. The crystal structure of CdO is rock salt cubic and that of ZnO is hexagonal, and the alloy from ZnO to at least Cd 0.56 Zn 0.44 O has a hexagonal crystal structure. Transmission electron microscopy confirms polycrystalline grain features and a growth rate of ∼2.0 A cycle −1 , while selected area diffraction provides crystallographic information indicating that {111} type planes of the pure CdO ALD film are preferentially oriented to the film surface. Using spectroscopic ellipsometry, the film's optical constants are correlated with elemental composition and crystal structure. Control of these properties allows for tuning of the optical bandgap and index of refraction.
Material-Model-Based Determination of the Shock-Hugoniot Relations in Nanosegregated Polyurea

Previous experimental investigations reported in the open literature have indicated that applying polyurea external coatings and/or internal linings can substantially improve ballistic penetration resistance and blast survivability of buildings, vehicles, and laboratory/field test-plates, as well as the blast-mitigation capacity of combat helmets. The protective role of polyurea coatings/linings has been linked to polyurea microstructure, which consists of discrete hard-domains distributed randomly within a compliant/soft matrix. When this protective role is investigated computationally, the availability of reliable, high-fidelity constitutive models for polyurea is vitally important. In the present work, a comprehensive overview and a critical assessment of a polyurea material constitutive model, recently proposed by Shim and Mohr (Int J Plast 27:868-886, 2011), are carried out. The review revealed that this model can accurately account for the experimentally measured uniaxial-stress versus strain data obtained under monotonic and multistep compressive loading/unloading conditions, as well as under stress relaxation conditions. On the other hand, by combining analytical and finite-element procedures with the material model in order to define the basic shock-Hugoniot relations for this material, it was found that the computed shock-Hugoniot relations differ significantly from their experimental counterparts. Potential reasons for the disagreement between the computed and experimental shock-Hugoniot relations are identified.
Immunoneutralization of substance P attenuates the reflex pressor response to muscular contraction

We previously reported that subarachnoid injection of a peptide antagonist to substance P attenuated by half the reflex pressor response to static muscular contraction. Subsequently, some of the peptide antagonists to substance P have been found to possess local anesthetic effects. Therefore, we have repeated our experiments using a substance P antiserum, which was shown to be without local anesthetic effect. We found that intrathecal injection of the antiserum attenuated by more than half the reflex pressor response to static contraction of the triceps surae muscles of cats.
What does research on nicotine and tobacco use have to offer alcohol reseachers

What does research on nicotine and tobacco use have to offer that is relevant and possibly useful to an alcohol researcher? First and foremost, nicotine and tobacco research may provide some helpful insights into addiction processes and substance use treatment in general. Smoking can be seen as a model disorder, not only because of its prevalence and its importance as a public health problem, but because the consistency of smoking behavior and the frequency of dosing (nicotine has a short addictive cycle) allow human experimentation in the laboratory without compromising relevance.' Recent technological developments in the topographical analysis of smoking behavior and in the assay of nicotine in biological substrates have facilitated both laboratory and field research, and comprehensive biobehavioral explanations of smoking/nicotine dependence have been proposed.^ Increasingly sophisticated public health campaigns have produced a dramatic decrease in smoking, with the level of smoking in the United States down from over 60% of the adult population in the early 196O's to fewer than 30% in the late 198O's. Over the same time period, therapeutic innovations have resulted in improved treatment strategies, with sustained abstinence rates of up to 50% reported for pharmacological interventions such as nicotine replacement in combination with behavior-change procedures.' The twentieth
Treatment of Vulvar Varicosities by Injection-Compression Sclerotherapy

background Techniques of injection-compression sclerotherapy of lower extremity varicosities can be applied to treat patients with symptomatic vulvar varicosities. objective To effectively use injection-compression sclerotherapy to treat patients with symptomatic vulvar varicosities. methods Injection of vulvar varicosities with a 1% solution of sodium tetradecyl sulfate and subsequent compression therapy with the V2-Supporter was used to treat seven patients with symptoms of vaginal pressure, swelling, and pain. results Three of the seven patients were premenstrual and four others were approximately 8 weeks post-vaginal delivery. Physical examination was performed in the upright as well as the dorsal lithotomy positions and injection was administered in the supine position. All patients noticed marked improvement in symptoms after treatment. conclusion We conclude that this technique has potential as a simple, effective way to treat symptomatic vulvar varicosities.
Effects of an enzyme additive on composition of corn silage ensiled at various stages of maturity

Corn forage at the milk, soft dough, and black layer stages of maturity (22, 28, and 44% DM, respectively) was treated with an enzyme additive at 1, 10, or 100 times the recommended dose and ensiled in laboratory silos at 26 degrees C. By in vitro assay, the additive contained a full complement of cellulase and hemicellulase activities. The pH and temperature optima for cellulase and hemicellulase activities were 4.8 and 50 degrees C, respectively. Regardless of dose, the additive had no effect on fermentation acids or nitrogenous compounds in silage at any maturity; however, high doses increased the glucose content of silage at the milk stage of maturity and increased ethanol content at the soft dough stage. Across maturities, addition of the enzyme additive resulted in a linear decrease in ADF, NDF, and hemicellulose content of corn silage but decreased the acid detergent lignin content of silage only at the milk and black layer stages of maturity. The enzyme additive had no consistent effect on in vitro NDF digestion.
Histone H2B ubiquitination and beyond: Regulation of nucleosome stability, chromatin dynamics and the trans-histone H3 methylation

Regulation of Set1-COMPASS-mediated H3K4 methylation and Dot1-mediated H3K79 methylation by H2BK123 ubiquitination (H2Bub1) is an evolutionarily conserved trans-histone crosstalk mechanism. How H2Bub1 impacts chromatin structure and affects Set1-COMPASS/Dot1 functions has not been fully defined. Ubiquitin was proposed to bind proteins to physically bridge H2Bub1 with Set1-COMPASS/Dot1. Alternatively, the bulky ubiquitin was thought to be a “wedge” that loosens the nucleosome for factor access. Contrary to the latter possibility, recent discoveries provide evidence for nucleosome stabilization by H2Bub1 via preventing the constant H2A–H2B eviction. Recent data has also uncovered a “docking-site” on H2B for Set1-COMPASS. Collectively, these findings invoke a model, where ubiquitin acts as a “glue” to bind the nucleosome together for supporting Set1-COMPASS/Dot1 functions. This review provides an overview of these novel findings. Additionally, how H2Bub1 and its deubiquitination might alter the chromatin dynamics during transcription is discussed. Possible models for nucleosome stabilization by ubiquitin are also provided.