cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survival of the most foolish of fools: The limits of evolutionary selection theory

The paper investigates whether evolutionary selection, in nature or the market, ensures the survival of rational agents. It argues that once rationality appears, evolutionary selection can account for its diffusion—but cannot account for its appearance in the first place. This issue differs from the investigation of whether history matters. The issue of history or path-dependency focuses on whether evolutionary selection can favor the survival of the potentially most productive apparatus (in the biological or technological sense). To show this, the paper commences with the much-neglected difference between efficiency and productivity.
Otto Schmitt: a father of biomedical engineering and master Gadgeteer

Otto Schmitt was one of the early fathers of biomedical engineering. Besides inventing the Schmitt trigger, which most electrical engineers are familiar with, he developed many other instruments and made significant contributions to electrophysiology. He created an excellent vector cardiographic lead system (SVEC III). He conducted experiments on the effect of electromagnetic fields on the body. He chaired and served on many of the early committees involved with developing biomedical engineering and on the safety of electromagnetic fields. In his later years, biomimetics was a very strong interest. Schmitt gave many talks outlining what future activities the field should undertake.
Electron backscatter in X-ray tubes: experiment and analysis

X-ray medical imaging techniques use 80-140 kV X-ray tubes running at increasingly high power levels (52 kW instantaneous) to generate high quality images with low exposure times. X-rays are generated at <1% efficiency in the anode, with the balance of the input power converted to heat. In addition to radiative and conduction heat transport, it is necessary to explicitly consider electron backscatter (EBS) as an independent heat transfer mechanism for design of the highest power X-ray tubes. Here we discuss EBS physics and X-ray tube aspects, describe experimental measurement of spatially resolved EBS current in a high power demountable X-ray tube system and obtain a good comparison with numerical analysis of EBS current distribution.
Inactivation of HDAC1 or HDAC2 induces gamma globin expression without altering cell cycle or proliferation

Other than hydroxyurea, no pharmacologic agents are clinically available for fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction in sickle cell disease (SCD). An optimal candidate would induce HbF without causing cell cycle inhibition and would act independently of hydroxyurea in order to yield additional HbF induction when combined. We explored whether inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 or HDAC2 could achieve these goals. In human erythroid progenitor cells, shRNA knockdown of the HDAC1 or HDAC2 genes induced gamma globin, without altering cellular proliferation in vitro, and without altering cell cycle phase. Treatment with hydroxyurea in combination with HDAC2 knockdown yielded a further increase in gamma globin expression. Additionally, when CD34+ cells were treated with both hydroxyurea and MS-275 (an inhibitor of HDAC 1, 2, and 3), an additive induction of relative gamma globin expression was achieved. Our findings support further clinical investigation of HDAC inhibitors in combination with hydroxyurea in SCD patients.
Inhibition of Clostridium perfringens by Naphthoquinones

The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of several naphthoquinones (NQ) were determined in the presence or absence of nitrite (NO2−) against various strains of Clostridium perfringens. In fluid thioglycollate medium, MICs ranged from 70–100 ppm for 2-methyl-1,4-NQ (menadione), 200–280 ppm for 1,4-NQ, 180–250 ppm for 1,2-NQ, >500 ppm for several water-soluble derivatives and 100–300 ppm for NO2−. Using a type B strain in homogenized meat medium, MICs were 670 ppm for menadione, 620 ppm for 1,4-NQ and 770 ppm for NO2−. Nitrite, menadione and 1,4-NQ exhibited comparable and additive rather than synergistic inhibition. Some NQ compounds may have potential as partial nitrite substitutes subject to safety evaluation.
Teacher quality and student performance: the case of Pennsylvania

In this article, alternative proxies for teacher quality and student performance were developed for an empirical analysis. Both education-level elasticity of teacher-quality and teaching-years elasticity of teacher-quality were estimated. The analysis showed a positive and significant relationship between teacher quality and student performance.
Managed care penetration in outpatient substance abuse treatment units.

The authors present the first nationally representative data on managed care penetration in the outpatient substance abuse treatment (OSAT) sector. Thirty-eight percent of all OSAT units were involved in some form of managed care in 1995, with 22 percent of their client base covered by managed care. There is also variation in managed care penetration and activity across different types of treatment units. Private for-profit units are involved in managed care to a greater extent than are public and private, not-for-profit organizations. Units affiliated with a hospital have greater participation and penetration than other units. Smaller OSAT facilities have a disproportionately large percentage of their client base in managed care arrangements. Finally, private managed care arrangements are more prevalent, more evenly distributed across organizational types, and represented in larger numbers than are public sources of managed care.
The electronic spectrum of BF

Abstract The emission spectrum of BF has been excited and photographed with moderate resolution between 9500 and 28,000 cm −1 . Seven new band systems have been found involving four old states and what are believed to be four new ones. All are assigned as singlets. A probable interpretation leads to the conclusion that all singlet states except the previously known A 1 Π and X 1 Σ involve excitation of one electron from the same orbital into extra-valenceshell orbitals. The first ionization potential is estimated to be 88,500 cm −1 .
SUPERRADIANT SELF-DIFFRACTION

We calculate the far-field intensity pattern of superradiant emission from an optically thin ensemble of atomic oscillators excited by a spatially nonuniform laser pulse of large Rabi area. As the excitation intensity is increased, the superradiant field develops ring structure and expands due to self-diffraction. This effect is made manifest by a two-pulse photon echo experiment where the second pulse is spatially much broader than the first and has a small Rabi area. As a function of the intensity of the first excitation pulse, we measure the on-axis and off-axis echo intensity and find, in agreement with our calculations, that the two behave differently. We also show that for a random, sufficiently smooth excitation profile, the total power of cooperative emission is proportional to the integral, over the excited volume, of the induced dipole moment squared.
Generation and Characterization of a Distonic Biradical Anion Formed from an Enediynone Prodrug in the Gas Phase

A negatively charged biradical intermediate was successfully generated in the gas phase via cyclization of the deprotonated bicyclo[8.3.0]trideca-12-ene-2,7-diyn-1-one precursor. The inherent negative charge of this biradical allows its characterization via collision-activated dissociation and reactions with a variety of neutral substrates in an FT-ICR mass spectrometer. Although the biradical is unreactive toward reagents that usually react rapidly with positively charged biradicals, such as dimethyl disulfide, it reacts with the halogen-containing substrates carbon tetrachloride, carbon tetrabromide, and bromotrichloromethane via bromine or chlorine atom abstraction, which supports its biradical structure. The results presented in this study indicate that cyclizations commonly used in solution to form biradical intermediates from enediyne compounds may also occur in the gas phase.
Occupational case‐control studies: II. Recommendations for exposure assessment

Obtaining valid and reliable quantitative exposure estimates is a significant challenge in community-based case-control studies in part, because industrial hygiene monitoring data are usually not available and detailed information on the job and work environment is usually not systematically obtained or assessed. To improve the quality and credibility of disease risk information obtained from occupational case-control studies, we recommend that standardized exposure assessment methods be used to derive quantitative exposure estimates. We identify sources of variation inherent to the assessment process, including: the quality of the information reported on the job, industry, activities, and materials; the industrial hygienist's familiarity with the reported job/industry; the probability that the job/industry was exposed, which depends on plant preferences for particular substances, on process technology, and on customer specifications; and variability in workplace characteristics. To improve the reliability of estimating job-related exposures both within and between studies, we recommend that the epidemiologic analyses be conducted with and without data rated to be of poor quality; that contact be made with experts when the study industrial hygienist is unfamiliar with the manufacturing process in question; that existing data bases be used to estimate the probability of exposure; that a data base be developed that describes manufacturing processes; and that explicit criteria based on industrial hygiene principles be used to evaluate workplace characteristics. In addition, a procedure is described for deriving quantitative exposure estimates by using a reference scale of frequently monitored jobs with their associated mean exposure levels. Areas of research are identified to improve exposure assessment in community-based case-control studies.
Access to Healthful Foods among an Urban Food Insecure Population: Perceptions versus Reality

The influence of local food environments on the risk for obesity is important overall, but may be particularly important for food insecure populations in urban settings. Access to healthful foods is most limited among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income populations; these same populations experience the highest rates of obesity and food insecurity. Few valid and reliable measures have been developed to assess the quality of local food environments. This research addresses this gap by introducing an inventory for measuring self-reported perceptions of food access and then compares the perceptions measure to objective assessments of local food environments. Data are focused on an urban population experiencing disproportionate rates of food insecurity. The four-item perceptions of food access inventory had high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.80). Participants' perceptions of access to healthful foods mirrored the reality of their food environment; however, perceptions of access to alcohol and tobacco were less accurate. Findings suggest that people living in low-income, urban, minority, and food insecure communities can validly assess (in)access to healthful foods. Future research is needed to further validate the perceptions of food access measure introduced and, more importantly, to develop strategies for increasing access to healthful foods in food insecure contexts.
A complex rearrangement of chromosome 7 in human astrocytoma

Chromosome 7 is a frequent site of cytogenetic aberrations in human astrocytomas. One region that is often targeted in human astrocytomas is on 7p. The U251 human glioblastoma cell line has a region of gain of genetic material on 7p similar to that seen in human astrocytomas. We used several cytogenetic techniques to study chromosome 7 in U251 cells and identified a complex rearrangement that accounts for gain of chromosome 7 genetic material in the cell line. The characteristic rearrangement suggests a mechanism leading to 7p gain in primary grade IV astrocytomas.
An Application of a Flow Pattern Coefficient in Two-Phase Flow of Air-Water Mixture in Minichannels

Concerning the two-phase gas-liquid mixtures, the present understanding of even fully developed turbulent flow of a single-phase component in close channels is not completely satisfactory. In the two-phase or multiphase flow of such heterogeneous mixture like gas-liquid many more independent parameters are involved, thereby making this process more complicated and less transparent for understanding, mathematical modeling and simulating or calculating of such parameter like the length pressure gradient. In those mathematical models for calculations and simulations, as well as for interpretation of experimental results, there is a very complicated and random phenomenon of flow patterns, which needs to be quantitatively and accurately, incorporated producing higher accuracy in calculation and description. Unfortunately, nowadays, a method of how to measure flow patterns is not available. Recognizing these challenges this paper will present an approach to incorporate flow pattern phenomenon into the two-phase flow calculation model by (1) developing a mathematical model for pressure losses in two-phase flow based on in-situ parameters, (2) developing and defining a flow pattern coefficient, which incorporates the flow pattern phenomena, and (3) present the developed mathematical model with the incorporation of flow patterns, which demonstrated significant increase of accuracy of calculations based on conducted experimental research on air-water two-phase mixture flow in a horizontal small square channel.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The Influences of Goal-Related Action and Goal Information on Children's Perceptions of Trying and Wanting: An Action—Perception Approach

The influences of goal-related actions and goal information on children's try-and-want perceptions were investigated with an action-perception approach (i.e., Heider, 1958). Kindergartners, second graders, and fifth graders heard stories that depicted actors engaged in one action, that same action three times, or three equifinal actions to attain a positive or negative goal. The children rated how much actors tried and wanted to attain the goal. The findings indicate that the actors who engaged in only one action were perceived to have tried and wanted the least, and the actors who engaged in equifinal actions were perceived to have tried and wanted the most. The actors who engaged in one action were not significantly differentiated from those who engaged in repetitive actions. However, the actors who engaged in repetitive actions were significantly differentiated from those who engaged in equifinal actions. For try ratings only, the children made all expected differentiations of actors by goal-related action in negative goal conditions, whereas fewer differentiations were made of actors in positive goal conditions. Age-related findings indicate that only younger children perceived that the actors who pursued positive goals tried and wanted more than those who pursued negative goals.
Calcium transport and the secretory ameloblast.

The distribution of calcium in the enamel organ of the rat incisor was investigated using potassium pyroantimonate for ultrastructural localization of calcium. Substantial amounts of precipitate occurred in the intercellular compartment of the enamel organ and modest deposits were observed in specific organelles of the secretory ameloblast. Mitochondria, nuclei, granular endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi vesicles and secretory granules consistently contained small deposits of pyroantimonate. Complexing of calcium by the pyroantimonate was confirmed by EGTA decalcification and scanning electron microscope energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The observed distribution is discussed in light of potential for an intercellular pathway of calcium transport as well as controlled movement of the ion along the synthetic and secretory route followed by organic components of enamel.
The Impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on the Economy of Western New York

This article examines the economic impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on western New York (WNY). A variety of theoretical perspectives are reviewed, notably impact assessment. Evidence from a survey of local industrial firms suggests that NAFTA has not played an especially important role in the various upswings and downswings that have affected the WNY area in the 1990s. In contrast to a number of inquiries that have appeared in the recent literature, the authors find little evidence to support the view that WNY has been negatively affected by NAFTA. Instead, the authors’ evidence suggests that NAFTA has had a positive impact in terms of new export development, job creation, input sourcing, and sales growth. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the empirical and theoretical difficulties that confront researchers who wish to explore the effects of trade agreements upon regional economies.
Clinical characteristics and medical complications of pathologic skin picking.

Abstract Objective This study sought to detail the phenomenology and medical consequences of pathologic skin picking (PSP). Method Sixty subjects (11.7% males) with PSP (mean±S.D.=33.7±11.6 years) were assessed. Subjects seen in a pharmacological study as well as those from an ongoing outpatient longitudinal study comprised this sample. Subjects were assessed for current and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity (using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders), clinical severity (using the Clinical Global Impression — Severity scale) and psychosocial interference due to picking (using the Sheehan Disability Scale). Clinical characteristic data, including time spent picking per day, sites picked and medical complications directly resulting from skin picking behavior, as well as family history, were also obtained. Results The mean age (±S.D.) of onset for PSP was 12.3±9.6 years. The face was the most common area picked. Subjects reported picking a mean of 107.6 min each day. Scarring, ulcerations and infections were common. Few had ever sought psychiatric treatment for their behavior. Current comorbid Axis I psychiatric conditions were found in 38.3% of the sample. Trichotillomania (36.7%), compulsive nail biting (26.7%), depressive disorder (16.7%) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (15%) were the most common current comorbid conditions. Conclusion PSP appears to be time consuming and frequently associated with medical complications. Research is needed to optimize patient care for individuals with this behavior.
Adaptive compensation of atmospheric turbulence utilizing an interferometric wavefront sensor and a high-resolution MEMS-based spatial light modulator

Horizontal path correction of optical beam propagation presents a severe challenge to adaptive optics systems due to the short transverse coherence length and the high degree of scintillation incurred by propagation along these paths. The system presented operates with nearly monochromatic light. It does not require a global reconstruction of the phase, thereby eliminating issues with branch points and making its performance relatively unaffected by scintillation. The systems pixel count, 1024, and relatively high correction speed, in excess of 800 Hz, enable its use for correction of horizontal path beam propagation. We present results from laboratory and field tests of the system in which we have achieved Strehl ratios greater than 0.5.
Disputing the myth of the sexual dysfunction of circumcised women: An interview with Fuambai S. Ahmadu by Richard A. Shweder

Fuambai S. Ahmadu is both a professional anthropologist and an initiated member of the Bondo society of Sierra Leone. This interview with Ahmadu by Richard A. Shweder on the subject of female genital cutting serves to contextualize a submission by Carlos D. Londono Sulkin, who describes the changes of perception he and other members of the audience experienced after a lecture by Fuambai Ahmadu on this subject at the University of Regina on 19 March 2009. The title of Ahmadu's talk was ‘Disputing the myth of the sexual dysfunction of circumcised women’. In order to make sense of Londono Sulkin's reactions to her account, Fuambai Ahmadu was invited to set out her case, which she does in the form of a question-and-answer session with Richard Shweder.
Antimicrobial resistant Salmonella in dairy cattle in the United States

Increased frequency of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella isolated from humans over the last quarter century in the United States has led to concern about the contribution animal production systems have played in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella. In order to better understand the potential role of dairy cattle as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistant Salmonella, it is important to understand methods currently used to measure the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella from human and animal populations. This review describes the biology of Salmonella and antimicrobial resistance, methods used to monitor antimicrobial resistance, and studies that have measured the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella among human and dairy cattle populations in the U.S. Although the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella from healthy dairy cattle is low, similar trends in the prevalence of resistance among Salmonella from clinically ill human and dairy cattle populations were observed in the literature.
Subcutaneous Lymphatic Drainage (Lymphcentesis) for Palliation of Severe Refractory Lymphedema in Cancer Patients

Subcutaneous lymphatic drainage has been reported to be an effective treatment for severe refractory lymphedema in patients with lymphatic accumulation because of obstructive cancer. We review published techniques for lymphatic drainage and describe two cases where these techniques were modified with good results.
Synthesis of peptidosialosides and peptidosaccharides

Abstract Synthesis of a sialoside and neutral sugars connected to a galactose uronic acid by a peptide bond is described.
Nutritional ecology of yellow‐bellied marmots in the White Mountains of California

This study examined the basis of diet preference in a mammalian hibernator, the yellow-bellied marmot Marmota flaviventris, in the White Mountains of California. Preference indices calculated from dietary data and food plant availability in the habitat indicated that forb species were preferred over graminoids, particularly in the spring and early summer. Chemical analysis of food plant species suggested that marmots preferred forbs over graminoids because of their lower fiber (cellulose) content and higher concentrations of phosphorus, sodium and possibly protein. Inclusion of graminoids in the diets was probably due to their greater availability in the habitat coupled with the need to maximize the rate of nutrient intake during the short (4-5 month) active season. Seasonal changes in diet composition were noted which may reflect, in part, temporal changes in nutrient demands.
Diagnostic Techniques in Thoracic Trauma

Diagnosis of thoracic injury begins with a history of events and examination of the patient. Appropriate radiographic studies will be dictated by the findings on history and physical. Procedural examinations, such as endoscopy or angiography, may also be needed for accurate diagnosis.
The Celtic Tiger and home leaving among Irish young adults

This paper examines the effect of local economic growth on whether young adults move out of the parental home to form new households—an important milestone in the transition to adulthood. I use the placement of foreign direct investment during the Celtic Tiger, the large economic expansion in Ireland during the 1990s, to estimate the impact of local job growth on the likelihood that young adults leave home. This paper contributes to the literature by exploiting an exogenous shock to the local labor market to identify the main effect of employment growth on home leaving behavior. The results show that local economic growth increases the probability that young adults leave home particularly for the well-educated young adults most likely to be employed in the factories that opened during the period.
Red Hot: The Crossmodal Effect of Color Intensity on Perceived Piquancy

Color cues can influence the experience of flavor, both by influencing identification and perceived intensity of foods. Previous research has largely focused on the crossmodal influence of vision upon taste or olfactory cues. It is plausible that color cues could also affect perceived trigeminal sensation; these studies demonstrate a crossmodal influence of color on piquancy. In our first two experiments, participants rated the spiciness of images of salsas that were adjusted to vary in color and intensity. We found that red was associated with significantly higher ratings of expected spice than blue, and that darker reds were expected to be spicier than lighter reds. In our third experiment, participants tasted and then rated the spiciness of each of four salsas (with two levels of color and of piquancy) when sighted and when blindfolded. Spiciness ratings were unaffected by differing colors when the salsa was mild, but when the piquancy was increased, a lack of increase in color corresponded to a depressed spiciness. These results can be explained using a model of assimilation and contrast. Taken together, our findings show that in our US sample, there is a crossmodal correspondence between visual and trigeminal senses that can influence perception of spiciness.
Metopic craniosynostosis due to mutations in GLI3: A novel association.

We report on the novel association of trigonocephaly and polysyndactyly in two unrelated patients due to mutations within the last third (exon 14) and first third (exon 6) of the GLI3 gene, respectively. GLI3 acts as a downstream mediator of the Sonic hedgehog signal-transduction pathway which is essential for early development; and plays a role in cell growth, specialization, and patterning of structures such as the brain and limbs. GLI3 mutations have been identified in patients with Pallister–Hall, Grieg cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome (GCPS), postaxial polydactyly type A1, preaxial polydactyly type IV, and in one patient with acrocallosal syndrome (ACLS). Furthermore, deletions including the GLI3 gene have been reported in patients with features of GCPS and ACLS. To date, trigonocephaly has not been associated with abnormalities of GLI3 and craniosynostosis is not a feature of GCPS. However, Hootnick and Holmes reported on a father with polysyndactyly and son with trigonocephaly, polysyndactyly, and agenesis of the corpus callosum, considered GCPS thereafter. Guzzetta et al. subsequently described a patient with trigonocephaly, polysyndactyly, and agenesis of the corpus callosum postulating a diagnosis of GCPS, later considered ACLS. In retrospect, these two patients, evaluated prior to mutational analysis, and our patients, with confirmed mutations, likely fall within the GLI3 morphopathy spectrum and may provide a bridge to better understanding those patients with overlapping features of GCPS and ACLS. Based on this observation, we suggest GLI3 studies in patients presenting with this constellation of findings, specifically metopic craniosynostosis with polysyndactyly, in order to provide appropriate medical management and genetic counseling. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Opposite medical thalamic unit responses to rewarding and aversive brain stimulation

Abstract Medial thalamus receives fibers from both medial forebrain bundle (MFB) and hindbrain and midbrain reticular formation (RET). The MFB and RET stimulations are rewarding and aversive respectively. In 32 unanesthetized cerveau isole rats, 158 units were recorded. The MFB and RET effects converge on two thirds of the units recorded in the dorsal medial and paracentral nuclei of thalamus and are opposite in the following ways: post-stimulus pattern of unit discharge during 7 Hz stimulation; slow-wave recruiting with MFB, but not RET, 7 Hz stimulation; and at a “desynchronization” stimulus frequency (20 Hz), MFB elicits decreased unit discharge and RET elicits increased unit discharge, compared to the 7 Hz rates. In the intralaminar and parafasicular nuclei, post-train (60 Hz, 0.2 sec) decreases and increases in unit firing lasting seconds are often elicited with MFB and RET trains respectively. Stimulation of hypothalamic sites outside MFB did not elicit these MFB effects; parafasicular stimulation did not elicit the RET effects. The MFB effects were not seen in habenula or ventral basal thalamus. Hippocampal, habenular, and ventral medial thalamic units did not show opposite MFB and RET effects. Threshold currents for the opposite MFB and RET effects are similar to those eliciting self-stimulation and escape respectively in several operated rats tested both behaviorally and neurophysiologically.
From extortion to generosity, evolution in the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma

Recent work has revealed a new class of “zero-determinant” (ZD) strategies for iterated, two-player games. ZD strategies allow a player to unilaterally enforce a linear relationship between her score and her opponent’s score, and thus to achieve an unusual degree of control over both players’ long-term payoffs. Although originally conceived in the context of classical two-player game theory, ZD strategies also have consequences in evolving populations of players. Here, we explore the evolutionary prospects for ZD strategies in the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma (IPD). Several recent studies have focused on the evolution of “extortion strategies,” a subset of ZD strategies, and have found them to be unsuccessful in populations. Nevertheless, we identify a different subset of ZD strategies, called “generous ZD strategies,” that forgive defecting opponents but nonetheless dominate in evolving populations. For all but the smallest population sizes, generous ZD strategies are not only robust to being replaced by other strategies but can selectively replace any noncooperative ZD strategy. Generous strategies can be generalized beyond the space of ZD strategies, and they remain robust to invasion. When evolution occurs on the full set of all IPD strategies, selection disproportionately favors these generous strategies. In some regimes, generous strategies outperform even the most successful of the well-known IPD strategies, including win-stay-lose-shift.
Social Capital Theory: Implications for Women's Networking and Learning.

This chapter describes social capital theory as a framework for exploring women's networking and social capital resources. It presents the foundational assumptions of the theory, the benefits and risks of social capital engagement, a feminist critique of social capital, and the role of social capital in adult learning.
Resonant frequency calculation for inhomogeneous dielectric resonators using volume integral equations and face-centered node points

The face-centered node-point technique, developed earlier for scattering applications, is applied to the calculation of resonance frequencies of inhomogeneous dielectric resonators. The described method leads to a well-conditioned matrix system suitable for numerical solution, which is not the case when the permittivity is high and conventional solution techniques (e.g., pulse functions with cell-centered point matching) are employed. In this work, we concentrate on resonators having the shape of a parallelepiped, for which there are relatively few computational results in the literature, although the method can accommodate arbitrarily shaped structures. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 32: 356–359, 2002.
Cyclical sensitivity of union/nonunion relative wage effects

The empirical work of this paper indicates that union wage premiums varied significantly from year-to-year in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, but not as widely as in the 1920 to 1960 period. White-collar union wage premiums varied more widely than blue-collar premiums, but in most cases were not statistically significant. Using highly aggregative measures of unemployment and inflation, we were unable to detect any relationship between annual union wage premiums and cyclical forces. When we switched to industry rather than national measures of unemployment, however, we found a number of interesting patterns between union real wage premiums and cyclical forces. We found that economy wide the following groups of workers tend to exhibit countercyclical patterns of real wage variation if nonunionized—white workers, black workers, blue-collar workers, and workers in non-manufacturing industries. In contrast, union and nonunion manufacturing workers and union white-collar workers followed rigid wage patterns over the business cycle. Only white-collar workers, among nonunionized workers followed a countercyclical pattern of real wage changes. All of this implies that one must be careful in estimating union wage premiums from cross-section data at a single point in time because some estimates are likely to reflect the underlying economic conditions as well as the “pure” wage effect of unions.
A Viral Nuclear Noncoding RNA Binds Re-localized Poly(A) Binding Protein and Is Required for Late KSHV Gene Expression

During the lytic phase of infection, the gamma herpesvirus Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) expresses a highly abundant, 1.1 kb nuclear noncoding RNA of unknown function. We observe that this polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA avidly binds host poly(A)-binding protein C1 (PABPC1), which normally functions in the cytoplasm to bind the poly(A) tails of mRNAs, regulating mRNA stability and translation efficiency. During the lytic phase of KSHV infection, PABPC1 is re-localized to the nucleus as a consequence of expression of the viral shutoff exonuclease (SOX) protein; SOX also mediates the host shutoff effect in which host mRNAs are downregulated while viral mRNAs are selectively expressed. We show that whereas PAN RNA is not required for the host shutoff effect or for PABPC1 re-localization, SOX strongly upregulates the levels of PAN RNA in transient transfection experiments. This upregulation is destroyed by the same SOX mutation that ablates the host shutoff effect and PABPC1 nuclear re-localization or by removal of the poly(A) tail of PAN. In cells induced into the KSHV lytic phase, depletion of PAN RNA using RNase H-targeting antisense oligonucleotides reveals that it is necessary for the production of late viral proteins from mRNAs that are themselves polyadenylated. Our results add to the repertoire of functions ascribed to long noncoding RNAs and suggest a mechanism of action for nuclear noncoding RNAs in gamma herpesvirus infection.
Kinematics Simulation of Grinding Process Based on Virtual Wheel Model and Micro-Cutting Analysis

Grinding is a special machining process with large number of parameters influencing each other. Any grinding process involves six basic microscopic wheel-workpiece interaction modes in terms of grain cutting, plowing, and sliding, as well as bond-workpiece friction, chip-workpiece friction, and chipbond friction. And quantification of all the 6 modes immensely enhances understanding and managing of the grinding processes. In this paper, the kinematics simulation is presented to imitate the grinding wheel surface moving against the workpiece under specified grinding conditions. The grinding wheel surface is imported from the fabrication analysis based grinding wheel model of previous work. During each simulation iteration step, it provides the number of contacting grains, contact cross-section area for each grain, and resultant workpiece surface condition. Through retrieving the specific force value from the single grain cutting simulation, the cutting force and plowing force can be calculated. This model can also be potentially used in the time dependent behavior and thermal analysis of grinding processes.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A comparative analysis of compartmentation of metabolism in the dorsal root ganglion and ventral spinal cord gray using [U-14C]glucose, [2-14C]glucose, [6-14C]glucose, [3,4-14C]glucose, NaH14CO3, and [2-14C]pyruvate

Abstract A detailed temporal comparison of glucose metabolism, in the production of glutamate and glutamine as well as aspartate and alamine, was conducted in order to further define the uniqueness of the dorsal root ganglion compared to the ventral spinal cord gray. Experiments with injected labeled NaHCO 3 and pyruvate were used in an attempt to clarify certain aspects of the above results with different [ 14 C]glucose precursors. The glutamine/glutamate relative specific activity ratio (RSA) was consistently lower in the ganglion than in the ventral spinal cord gray, as was also true for glutamate specific activity from the same amount of injected [ 14 C]glucose. The ganglion is characterized by a high level of alanine production from glucose and pyruvate. The NaH 14 CO 3 experiments suggest that CO 2 fixation from [3,4- 14 C]glucose in the dorsal root ganglion results in a higher glutamine/glutamate RSA when compared to results using either [6- 14 C] or [2- 14 C]glucose.
Durability and degradation mechanism of titanium nitride based electrocatalysts for PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell applications

Abstract Titanium nitride (TiN) is a promising material that has a higher potential for increasing electrocatalyst durability in PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cells. In this report we provide an explanation for the higher catalytic performance of titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NP) based electrocatalyst (Pt/TiN) when compared to that of Pt/C, using XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy). We also compare its durability with that of the conventional Pt/C electrocatalyst and explain its degradation mechanism under fuel cell conditions. Unlike Pt/C which degrades significantly via the Pt agglomeration and carbon support corrosion mechanisms, we show that Pt/TiN degrades predominantly via Pt agglomeration mechanism. TiN has a higher resistance to corrosion than carbon (C) under electrochemical conditions; as a result catalyst support corrosion mechanism plays a minor role in the degradation of Pt/TiN. For a given mass and particle diameter, TiN has higher no. of catalyst support particles than C due its higher material density. As a result it is hypothesized that, for the same amount of catalyst loading on both supports, the Pt/TiN has a higher Pt particle density on its surface compared to Pt/C and can result in a faster rate of Pt particle agglomeration during the electrocatalyst degradation. This hypothesis is tested theoretically by calculating the support to catalyst particle ratio. It is observed that the support to catalyst particle ratio is 1: 21 for 20 wt% Pt/C and 1: 60 for 20 wt% Pt/TiN. The hypothesis is also tested experimentally by two different methods, the first of which is by measuring and comparing the Pt particle sizes after subjecting the Pt/TiN and Pt/C to accelerated durability tests (ADT: 0–1.3 V RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode), 1100 cyc). Secondly, the Pt particle density on the electrocatalysts is changed by varying the amount of Pt loading (10 wt% and 30 wt%) and the Pt particle size is measured at the end of ADT. Both methods lead to the same conclusion that Pt/TiN has a significantly higher Pt particle size at the end of ADT (compared to Pt/C) indicating towards its increased rate of Pt agglomeration mechanism. Furthermore, a new approach is suggested where the oxynitride layer is grown on Pt/TiN resulting in partial encapsulation of Pt particles on the surface of TiN catalyst support thereby reducing the Pt agglomeration during fuel cell operation.
Rigorous conductor modeling of signal integrity in integrated circuits

Summary form only given. The accurate simulation of geometrically complicated electromagnetic (EM) problems with many degrees of freedom is of vital importance in many engineering applications. We present herein a frequency-domain multi-solver domain decomposition method (MS-DDM), and apply it to accurately analyze signal integrity in multi-scale product-level ICs. Instead of using impedance boundary condition to approximate the conductor loss effect, we consider a surface integral equation domain decomposition method (SIE-DDM) for finite conductors modeling in integrated circuits (ICs). In particular, we propose a novel formulation to rigorously account for the conductor loss due to finite conductivities in metals. The fundamental strategy of the MS-DDM is to decompose the entire computational domain into many subregions based on the local material properties and geometrical features. For the IC application, it is natural to decompose the model into dielectric subregion and conductor subregion. Subsequently, we employ the most suitable computational electromagnetic (CEM) technique for each of the subregions. For the dielectric subregion, finite element (FE) based non-overlapping DDM method is efficient to solve the complex multi-scale EM problem and account for the non-uniform material properties in this subregion. For the conductor region, the skin and proximity effects are significant at high frequencies and the FE method shall require considerable dense volumetric mesh for the high-density subregion. Thus, SIE-DDM is desirable to solve the conductor sub-domains. Each local conductor sub-domain is enclosed by a closed surface and solved individually through the generalized combined field integral equation (GCFIE) with excitations that include radiations coming from all the other sub-domains. The continuities of tangential electric and magnetic fields on the interfaces between touching sub-domains are implicitly enforced via the optimized Robin type transmission conditions (TCs). To further accelerate the performance of the GCFIE method, a hierarchical multi-level fast multipole method (H-MLFMM) is adopted to accelerate the matrix vector-multiplication (MVP) and reduce memory consumption for the SIE methods, especially for the low frequency and multi-scale problems. We shall present numerical results of IC package problems, and demonstrate the accuracy and flexibility of the proposed MS-DDM.
APPROACHING ISLAM: Comparative Ethics through Human Rights

A dialogical approach to understanding Islamic ethics rejects objectivist methods in favor of a conversational model in which participants accept each other as rational moral agents. Hans-Georg Gadamer asserts the importance of agreement upon a subject matter through conversation as a means to gaining insight into other persons and cultures, and Jurgen Habermas stresses the importance of fairness in dialogue. Using human rights as a subject matter for engaging in dialogue with Islamic scholars, Muslim perspectives on issues such as democracy, toleration, and freedom of conscience emerge. A capabilities approach to human rights, such as that developed by Martha Nussbaum, enables the coexistence of multiple religious ethical visions while insisting upon the need to protect and nurture essential human abilities.
Total synthesis of a potent thromboxane A2 antagonist

Abstract The synthesis of the powerful thromboxane A2 antagonist 3 (EC50 3 nM) is reported.
DEPLETION OF NATURAL KILLER CELLS DOES NOT RESULT IN NEUROLOGIC DISEASE DUE TO SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA IN MICE WITH SEVERE COMBINED IMMUNODEFICIENCY

Sarcocystis neurona is an apicomplexan parasite that is the primary etiologic agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in horses. Protective immune responses in horses have not been determined, but interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is considered critical for protection from neurologic disease in mice. The role of adaptive and innate immune responses in control of parasites was explored by infecting BALB/c, IFN-γ knockout (GKO), and severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice with S. neurona (104 sporocysts/mouse). Immune competent BALB/c mice eliminated parasites within 30 days, with no sign of neurologic disease, whereas GKO mice developed fulminant neurologic disease. In contrast, SCID mice remained healthy throughout the experimental period despite the persistence of parasite at low levels in some mice. Treatment with anti–IFN-γ antibody resulted in neurologic disease in infected SCID mice. Although SCID mice lack adaptive immune responses, they have natural killer (NK) cells capable of producing significant qu...
Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in children with osteopenia or osteoporosis.

To the Editor .— In the study by Bowden et al,1 vitamin D status was reported for 85 children referred to a pediatric metabolic bone clinic. The authors concluded that “vitamin D insufficiency is common even in children with recognized osteopenia and osteoporosis caused by primary metabolic bone disease or secondary to chronic illnesses.” Although interesting and provocative, several methodologic flaws raise concerns about the validity of their findings and conclusions. One major concern is their use of the terms osteopenia and osteoporosis. Despite acknowledgment from the authors that there are no …
Canadian Library Association Meeting: Pre‐conference on Collections 2006: Collections, Communities, and the Future

Purpose – To celebrate the enhanced role collections has in libraries, to promote and build user communities and the challenges they present with a range of new digital formats. To recap trends in collection development including some predictions for the immediate future.Design/methodology/approach – Anecdotal and theory are incorporated to demonstrate how collections have migrated from a ownership and proprietorship investment into a service model.Findings – Technology is driving some of the decisions and activities in user, collection and service centered libraries regarding the role collections have.Originality/value – This paper is useful for information management professionals who seek greater understanding of the RSS feeds, uses in libraries and how to get started.
Evidence for aposematism in the plant bug Lopidea nigridea Uhler (Hemiptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae)

The biology of the plant bug Lopidea nigridea is described, with particular focus on whether this red and black species can be considered aposematic. Lopidea individuals were rejected after attack in 92 of 112 feeding trials involving three of their five most common arthropod predator species. Compared to another syntopic plant bug species, L. nigridea is aggregated in distribution, and individuals are sedentary in their basic daily habits. These life-history features, coupled with the ability to survive most attacks by arthropod predators in the feeding trials, suggest that L. nigridea is protected to some degree by an aposematic defence. How L. nigridea may acquire its distastefulness is discussed, with special attention to host plant relations in L. nigridea and in the genus Lopidea as a whole.