cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Legal Control Over the Supply of Handguns: An Analysis of the Issues, With Particular Attention to the Law and Economics of the Hamilton v. Beretta Suit Against Handgun Manufacturers

One of the most influential schools of thought in evaluating the legal process is law and economics. Although this discipline has been in existence for over thirty years, no one has attempted to evaluate whether, and to what extent, it affects the court's decision in a case. The issues we consider in this paper are how economic testimony affected the decision in an actual case and the role afforded by the court to economic analysis as contrasted with the law in crafting a decision. This presentation also provides readers with a review of the issues and evidence on the important public policy issue of handgun control. Our methodology was to examine the trial and appeal of Hamilton v. Beretta from both a legal and an economic perspective. Handguns (and cigarettes) are perhaps the most controversial of all products sold in the United States. Between 1962 and 1994, 667,000 of the more than 1,000,000 firearm-related deaths involved handguns. Handguns are identified as having been used in an overwhelming number of crimes. The debate surrounding the Second Amendment is considered. An issue we analyzed in the paper was whether the gun manufacturer's economic argument had an impact on the court's decision. A study by the Department of Justice, resting on 648 ATF illegal gun trafficking investigations, involving youth ages 18-24 and juveniles ages 17 and under, revealed that 78% of the investigations involved new guns, while 55% involved used guns. This suggests that, at least in regard to the ATF investigations, new guns were fairly-often used in crimes. This implies that requiring gun manufacturers to exercise care in marketing may indeed have a meaningful impact upon the violence generated by new guns.
Dtermination of Visual Binary Orbits

The problem of computing orbital elements of a binary from a set of observed positions is formally analogous to the case of orbits in the planetary system, yet in practice there is little resemblance between the methods. The motion of the earth is insignificant (or easily allowed for in the spectroscopic and photometric cases) which greatly simplifies the formalism. On the other hand, the measuring errors are much larger, compared with the quantities to be determined, in the binary-star case, so that an orbit needs to be based on a much larger number of observations.
Taxation and Inequality

The author shows that a progressive income tax has had little effect on after-tax income inequality. Social programs, however, do create a more equal society. He proposes a national sales tax—a value-added tax—to finance more such social programs as America's best route to a more equal society.
Recent Advances in Computerized High Temperature Differential Thermal Analysis

It was in 1887 when Le Chatelier,1 published heating curves of clays (including kaolinite and halloysite) using a photographic recording of the reflection of a galvonometer mirror which was activated by a thermocouple in the sample. Although this study was not conducted in a differential fashion, DTA originated twelve years later in 1899,2 and the study of clays and silicate minerals propagated the technique for the next 40 years. According to Wendlandt,3 with few exceptions, DTA was used exclusively for the studies of clay materials by geologists, ceramicists, soil scientists and mineralogists until the late 1940’s and early 1950’s.
What Can Stutterers Learn from the Neurodiversity Movement

Neurodiversity is both an empowerment movement and a way of thinking about disability. Rather than focusing on pathology and impairment, neurodiversity emphasizes natural variation and the unique skills, experiences, and traits of neurodivergent individuals. People who stutter are beginning to work with and derive value from these concepts. In this article, we look at the history of neurodiversity and its key ideas. We discuss the conventional view of disability, the medical model, which situates disability within the individual as pathology. We also take up social and relation models of disability, which situate disability in social oppression or mismatches between individuals and their environment. Neurodiversity has not been without controversy. We look at some of the disagreements surrounding issues of intervention and cure. The ideas of neurodiversity are applied to stuttering, and a case example illustrating therapy using these ideas is given. We conclude that therapy should focus on subject's well-being and not normalization of superficial behaviors.
Measuring disease activity in SLE is an ongoing struggle

New disease activity measures are needed for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Is the new SLE-DAS better than existing measures or are other instruments, or combined scoring methods, required to manage the spectrum of SLE?
Potential influence of IDH1 mutation and MGMT gene promoter methylation on glioma-related preoperative seizures and postoperative seizure control

Abstract Purpose To examine the occurrence of glioma-related preoperative seizures (GPS) and post-operative seizure control (PSC) with respect to patients characteristics including five commonly tested tumor molecular markers (TMMs). Methods A single-center retrospective cohort study of patients with glioma evaluated at the Mayo Clinic, Florida between 2016 and 2018. Results 68 adult patients (mean age = 51-years, 45-males) were included. 46 patients had GPS. 57 patients underwent intra-operative electrocorticography during awake craniotomy-assisted glioma resection. All patients underwent glioma resection (53, gross-total resection) with histologies of pilocytic astrocytoma (n = 2), diffuse astrocytoma (n = 4), oligodendroglioma (n = 14), anaplastic astrocytoma (n = 16), anaplastic oligodendroglioma (n = 1), and glioblastoma (n = 31). 31 (67%) patients had PSC (median follow-up = 14.5 months; IQR = 7–16.5 months). IDH1 mutation (IDH1mut) was present in 32, ARTX retention in 53, MGMT gene promotor methylation in 15, 1p/19q co-deletion in 15, and over-expression of p53 in 19 patients. Patients with IDH1mut were more likely to have GPS (p = 0.037) and PSC (p = 0.035) compared to patients with IDH1 wild-type. Patients with MGMT gene promoter methylation were also likely to have PSC (p = 0.032). GPS or PSC did not differ by age, sex, extent of surgery, glioma grade, location, and histopathological subtype, p53 expression, ARTX retention, or 1p/19q co-deletion status. Conclusions GPS and PSC may be associated with IDH1 mutation and MGMT gene promoter methylation status but not other glioma characteristics including tumor grade, location, or histopathology. Prospective studies with larger sample size are needed to clarify the exact mechanisms of GPS and PSC by the various TMMs to identify new treatment targets.
Contraceptive Practices and Reproductive Health Considerations for Adolescent and Adult Women with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

Whereas progress has been made on increasing access to comprehensive healthcare for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), disparities continue in health outcomes, including those related to the reproductive health of adolescent and adult women with I/DD. This review summarizes reproductive care considerations for adolescent and adult women with I/DD and current practices regarding the delivery of contraceptive services to these women. Forty-seven (47) articles based on research conducted in the US between 1999 and 2019 were selected for inclusion in the review. Primary themes discussed include (1) common reproductive health concerns for adolescent and adult women with I/DD, other than pregnancy prevention; (2) contraceptive methods and disability-related concerns; (3) informed consent and reproductive decision-making; and (4) provider knowledge and education. The management of menses and hormonal dysregulation were identified as concerns that providers encounter among patients with I/DD and their families. Disability-related concerns with regard to use of contraception in general and considerations regarding certain methods in particular include challenges with prescription adherence, physical effects of hormonal therapies, drug interactions for individuals with additional health conditions, and legal and ethical concerns involved with decision-making and consent. The results of this review also suggest that focused efforts in partnership with health care providers may be needed to address barriers that adolescent and adult women with I/DD face when trying to obtain quality reproductive health services and contraceptive guidance.
Modern antenna measurements and diagnostics including phaseless techniques

Microwave antenna imaging techniques are a practical and popular method for antenna diagnostic analysis. Phase retrieval methods, however, are just beginning to emerge as an alternative mircowave antenna measurements technique when phase cannot be directly measured. This article focuses on recent advances in microwave antenna imaging, diagnostic techniques, and phase retrieval methods for bi-polar planar near-field antenna measurements. An overview of the bi-polar planar near-field technique is included. The application of optimal sampling interpolation, holographic imaging and diagnostics, and iterative Fourier phase retrieval for the bi-polar planar near-field modality is explored in detail. Experimental results for a waveguide-fed slot array antenna are presented to illustrate these methods.
Population genomics for the management of wild vertebrate populations

Management of genetic variation in natural populations is necessary to mitigate the effects of environmental change and biodiversity loss. While traditional genetics techniques have aided management of biodiversity, the rapid advancement of genomics technology has provided advancements for the field of biodiversity conservation including increased resolution and identification of adaptive loci corresponding to ecologically relevant phenotypes. In this chapter, we explore how population genomics has been implemented into wildlife management via a literature review and discussions with management and conservation agencies. We discuss the future prospects of population genomics applications in biodiversity conservation and management of wild populations. Overall, we see the potential for population genomics to improve our understanding of wild populations of fish and wildlife and have several important examples that are paving the way for the adoption of these technologies into management. However, there has been a severe lag in the implementation of population genomics data into management decisions, likely due to the length of the research cycle and the slow absorption into regulation and policy.
Correlates of Academic Overachievement, Nondiscrepant Achievement, and Learning Disability in ADHD, Autism, and General Population Samples

Little is known about the characteristics of academic overachievers, children whose achievement significantly exceeds IQ. Correlates of overachievement (achievement test scores ≥ 1 SD above IQ), no...
Isoreticular Three-Dimensional Kagome Metal–Organic Frameworks with Open-Nitrogen-Donor Pillars for Selective Gas Adsorption

Here, we report a double-bent-ligand strategy which addresses a commonly encountered challenge in the construction of pillar-layered structures with corrugated layers which are common for nonlinear...
P584 Factors predicting lifetime sexual experience among rural, reservation-based native american youth

Background Early sexual initiation is a risk factor for sexually transmitted infection and unintended pregnancy. Native American youth initiate sex earlier than other U.S. youth contributing to current inequalities in sexual health. Identifying factors that predict lifetime sexual experience among Native youth can inform the development of primary prevention programming to delay sexual initiation and improve sexual health outcomes in this population. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data from 558 Native youth ages 11–19 from a rural, reservation-based community. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between lifetime sexual experience (vaginal and/or anal sex) and independent variables across eight categories: sociodemographic, knowledge, attitudes/perceptions, beliefs, intentions, skills, behaviors, and theoretical constructs. Results The sample was 51.6% female, mean age 13.4 years (SD=1.9); and 8.0% were sexually experienced. In our final model, older age (OR=2.04; p Conclusion Results provide direction for future programming. Programs focusing on intentions to have sex while cultivating skills to promote condom use, in addition to being delivered stratified by age, may have the greatest impact. Substance use was a driving factor in sexual initiation; thus, sexual health education programs should simultaneously target substance use prevention. That identifying as transgendered predicted sexual experience is notable: despite research indicating transgendered youth of other ethnicities have heightened risk for negative sexual health outcomes, little research has been conducted with transgendered Native youth. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Constructing a Validity Map for a Workplace-Based Assessment System: Cross-Walking Messick and Kane.

Problem Health professions education has shifted to a competency-based paradigm in which many programs rely heavily on workplace-based assessment (WBA) to produce data for summative decisions about learners. However, WBAs are complex and require validity evidence beyond psychometric analysis. Here, the authors describe their use of a rhetorical argumentation process to develop a map of validity evidence for summative decisions in an entrustment-based WBA system. Approach To organize evidence, the authors cross-walked 2 contemporary validity frameworks, one that emphasizes sources of evidence (Messick) and another that stresses inferences in an argument (Kane). They constructed a validity map using 4 steps: (1) Asking critical questions about the stated interpretation and use, (2) Seeking validity evidence as a response, (3) Categorizing evidence using both Messick's and Kane's frameworks, and (4) Building a visual representation of the collected and organized evidence. The authors used an iterative approach, adding new critical questions and evidence over time. Outcomes The first map draft produced 25 boxes of evidence that included all 5 sources of evidence detailed by Messick and spread across all 4 inferences described by Kane. The rhetorical question-response process allowed for structured critical appraisal of the WBA system, leading to the identification of evidentiary gaps. Next steps Future map iterations will integrate evidence quality indicators and allow for deeper dives into the evidence. The authors intend to share their map with graduate medical education stakeholders (e.g., accreditors, institutional leaders, learners, patients) to understand if it adds value for evaluating their WBA programs' validity arguments.
Limits to ductility set by plastic flow localization

The theory of strain localization is reviewed with reference both to local necking in sheet metal forming processes and to more general three dimensional shear band localizations that sometimes mark the onset of ductile rupture. Both bifurcation behavior and the growth of initial imperfections are considered. In addition to analyses based on classical Mises-like constitutive laws, we discuss approaches to localization based on constitutive models that may more accurately model processes of slip and progressive rupturing on the microscale in structural alloys. Among these non-classical constitutive features are the destabilizing roles of yield surface vertices and of non-normality effects, arising, for example, from slight pressure sensitivity of yield. We also discuss analyses based on a constitutive model of a progressively cavitating dila- tional plastic material which is intended to model the process of ductile void growth in metals. A variety of numerical results are presented. In the context of the three dimensional theory of localization, we show that a simple vertex model predicts ratios of ductility in plane strain tension to ductility in axisymmetric tension qualitatively consistent with experiment.. We also illustrate the destabilizing influence of a hydrostatic stress dependent void nucleation criterion. In the sheet necking context, and focussing on positive biaxial stretching, it is shown that forming limit curves based on a simple vertex model and those based on a simple void growth model are qualitatively in accord, although attributing instability to very different physical mechanisms. These forming limit curves are compared with those obtained from the Mises material model and employing various material and geometric imperfections.
EU Competition Policy

This article provides a foundation for understanding antitrust (competition) policy within the European Union. The two prevailing statutes, Article 101 and 102 of the Treaty of Lisbon, are each examined and evidence as to how various aspects of each law has been interpreted in recent years is provided. Also detailed are the EU's rules of implementation, which provide for the distribution of authority between the EU and its member nations to investigate possible violations and enforce the laws. The European Commission's special powers of investigation and the remedial options available to the commission for providing relief from a violation are presented. Also included is a description of the EU corporate amnesty program and its conditions. A comparison is drawn with US antitrust policy regarding several aspects of the law and its enforcement. In addition, UK competition law and some areas of conflict and convergence with that of the EU are explored. Keywords: antitrust; competition policy; European Union; monopoly; market power
Fuel cell transit bus testing and development at Georgetown University

Fourteen years ago, Georgetown University (GU), USA, perceived the need for clean, efficient power systems for transportation that could operate on nonpetroleum based fuels. The transit bus application was selected to begin system development. GU recognized the range and recharge constraints of a pure battery-powered transit bus. A fuel cell power system would circumvent these limitations and, with an onboard reformer, accommodate liquid fuel for rapid refueling. A feasibility study of fuel cell power systems for transit buses was conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory beginning in 1983. Successful results of this investigation resulted in the DOT/DOE Fuel Cell transit bus development program. The first task of this program was to prove that small fuel cell power plants were possible. This was achieved with the Phase I development of two, 25 kW phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) brassboard systems. A liquid cooled version was selected for the Phase II activity in which three, 30-foot fuel cell-powered test bed buses (TBBs) were fabricated. This paper presents test results gained from the TBB testing program and how these are being applied to guide the design and development of the next-generation, Federal Transit Administration sponsored, 40-foot fuel cell-powered transit buses.
Flirting with Disaster: Public Management in Crisis Situations

Now updated with examples through 2010, this classic study examines the disruptive effects of disasters on patterns of human behavior and the operations of government, and the conditions under which even relatively minor crises can lead to system breakdown.
Simulation study for the design of an EIT system for cardiac output monitoring

This simulation study explores system design requirements needed for an EIT system that will be capable of accurately monitoring cadiac output. The 4D XCAT model is used to construct a realastic time-depedent conductivity profile of the chest. Forward and inverse simulations are calculated using Dartmouth's NDRM EIT software package. Error analysis revealed that an SNR of 85–91 dB is preferred to confidently measure cardiac output.
Production of Nivalenol and Fusarenone-X by Fusarium tricinctum Fn-2B on a Rice Substrate

Fusarium tricinctum Fn-2B was grown on a rice substrate at room temperature (22 to 26°C) for 2 weeks followed by growth at a low temperature (10 to 12°C) for an additional 2 weeks. A total of 1.5 g of nivalenol and 80 mg of fusarenone-X were obtained from 2 kg of rice culture. The methods of production, extraction, and purification are described.
Establishment and Culture of Human Skin Fibroblasts

The establishment of skin fibroblast strains provides a vehicle by which biochemical and genetic studies may be applied. In addition to providing genetic material to study the basis of disease, fibroblast cell lines established from skin biopsies may provide the investigator with a model in which to study specific disease states or normal physiology. This unit provides methods for the biopsy, establishment, and culture maintenance of skin fibroblasts to be used in further scientific study.
Only One Place of Redress: African Americans, Labor Regulations, and the Courts from Reconstruction to the New Deal . By David E. Bernstein. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2001. Pp. xiii, 191. $39.95.

In the 1905 case Lochner v. New York, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a maximum-hours rule was a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. At first glance a rule limiting work hours for New York City bakers might appear to have little to do with the African American former slaves that the Fourteenth Amendment was designed to protect. However, in Only One Place of Redress David Bernstein argues that Lochner was very relevant to the former slaves and that the courts' subsequent rejection of its doctrine caused African Americans significant economic harm.
Mechanism of mutation at the adenine phosphoribosyltransferase locus in CHO cells.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mechanism of mutation at the adenine phosphoribosyltransferase locus in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The frequency of mutation to resistance to 2,6-diaminopurine occurs at a much higher frequency than that expected for a diploid autosomal locus. Spontaneous 2,6-diaminopurine-resistant mutants occur at the frequencies of 3 x 10-6 in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and as high as 1 x 10-3 in mouse L cells (2). Such mutants appeared to arise in a single step; all were defective in the enzyme adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) and resistant to high concentrations (20-40 μg/ml) of 2,6-diaminopurine. Others have observed cells resistant to low concentrations of 2,6-diaminopurine or 8-azaadenine that had the characteristics of heterozygotes and that could give rise to mutants resistant to high concentrations of 2,6-diaminopurine or 8-azaadenine. Two distinct classes of heterozygotes have been found: those that give rise to fully resistant cells at a low frequency and those that give rise to such mutants at a high frequency.
U.S. and EU Legislation on Cybercrime

The advent of Internet technologies has created global cyber crime problems. Cyber crimes affect all of us at the time when online transactions are in billions of dollars per year and cyber criminals are costing e-commerce billions of dollars in damages [1]. These are the components of cyber crime through which cyber criminals have perpetrated these areas: hacking, distributed denial-of-service, phishing, spoofing, identity theft and credit card fraud which have increased in frequency over time. As e-commerce and online businesses are dominating today's business world and as new technologies emerges cyber crime has a bigger impact on the global economy. The U.S. legal systems and law enforcement agencies seem to be lagging behind in their efforts to capture and prosecute cyber criminals. This paper reviews both U.S. and EU cyber legislations and how effective they are in controlling cyber crimes. The factors affecting U.S. from taking a leadership role in fighting cyber crime is reviewed. EU legislations are compared to see if U.S. can benefit from EU Convention approach.
Hyperspectral performance prediction of the adaptive cosine estimator

The adaptive cosine estimator is a popular and effective algorithm for detecting materials in hyperspectral images. To predict the performance of this algorithm in real hyperspectral scenes, a statistical model using a mixture of multivariate t-distributions for the background and a Gaussian distribution for the target is utilized. In this paper, two methods for finding the response of the adaptive cosine estimator (ACE) and Beta-detector when applied to a statistical model. To verify that the proposed techniques work as expected, t-distribution and F-distribution quantiles are computed and compared to standard values. Finally, a preliminary validation with Monte Carlo simulation based on real hyperspectral data is presented. We build on previous work for the matched filter and extends it to use two more detectors.
Interconversion of the Ligand Arrays in the CD and EF Sites of Oncomodulin. Influence on Ca2+-Binding Affinity†

The parvalbumin metal ion-binding sites differ at the +z and −x residues: Whereas the CD site employs serine and glutamate (or aspartate), respectively, the EF site employs aspartate and glycine. ...
Reproduction in urodeles II. Observations on the spermatheca.

Die Spermatheca des Weibchens zeigt bei den untersuchten Urodelen eine innige Beziehung zu den Spermien, so dass eine Ernahrungsfunktion der Spermatheca wahrscheinlich gemacht werden kann. Es wird auf die Sertoli-Zellen der Mammalia verwiesen.
Fequency-specific color adaptation in the human visual system

Following prolonged exposure to two vertical grating patterns differing in spatial frequency—one pattern illuminated in green light alternated with the other pattern illuminated in red light—human observers will sometimes report seeing desaturated complementary colors when presented with a neutrally illuminated test field consisting of adjacent halves of the two adapting gratings. The number of such color reports increases as the difference between the spatial frequencies of the adapting gratings increases. This frequency-specific chromatic aftereffect is similar to that obtained with orientation-specific color adaptation and may be mediated by neural “channels,” sensitive to both color and frequency input, which are similar to units known to exist in the visual systems of lower organisms.
Peer education: The untapped potential

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide a rationale for making broader educational use of peer learning principles as explicated in developmental theory and research. The paper argues that peer learning brings with it unique motivational and cognitive benefits for participating peers. Research has shown that peer learning can bolster children's self-esteem, awaken their interest in challenging tasks, enhance scholarly achievement, and foster prosocial behavior. In particular, it is an effective means of enabling children to grasp basic concepts that underlie school curricula. Two different forms of peer learning, “peer tutoring” and “peer collaboration,” are distinguished. Each has its potential use: peer tutoring for transmitting information and drilling special skills; peer collaboration for facilitating intellectual discovery and the acquisition of basic knowledge. Some general guidelines for the integration of peer tutoring and peer collaboration in the classroom are offered. It is recognized that specific curriculum plans implementing these guidelines must be formulated with a view to the overall cultural context of the school system. Such plans must be molded in context to suit the needs of each particular site. It is concluded, however, that the general principles of peer education set forth in this position paper would enhance all varieties of schooling. As explicated in this article, peer education complements rather than supplants adult teaching, freeing up teachers' time and attention and enabling them to focus more directly and effectively on individual children's learning needs.
Friction predictions for piston ring-cylinder liner lubrication

This paper presents two piston ring and cylinder liner lubrication models and compares the friction predictions against the experimental results from a corresponding bench test. The first model aims to solve the average Reynolds equation with corrective flow factors, which describe the influence of surface irregularities on the lubricant flow under mixed lubrication condition. The second model takes account of the lubricant film rupture and cavitation. Meanwhile, a stochastic rough contact sub-model quantifies the relation between contact pressure and mean surface separation in both cases. Numerical results on the top compression ring simulation show that both models capture hydrodynamic, mixed, and boundary lubrication regimes, which depend on the real surface topographies of the piston ring and the cylinder liner. Whenever hydrodynamic action is insufficient to maintain the equilibrium position of the ring, the restoring force will be augmented by multi-asperity contacts lubricated by a thin boundary film. Total friction will originate mainly from shearing of viscous lubricant and shearing of asperity conjunctions. The purpose of this modeling effort is to compare both lubrication models to data from an experimental test-rig. This test rig eliminates many of the factors that can make analysis of predictions for real engine operating conditions difficult.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Measurement of urinary 3-methylhistidine with cationic-exchange resin

A simple method is presented for measurement of urinary 3-methylhistidine (3MH) using a cationic exchange resin treatment followed by colorimetric analysis. Equations are given to correct for the interference by histidine (4.3% by mole) in the colorimetric analysis. This correction is especially important for measurement of urinary 3MH in pregnant women or in other subjects with elevated histidine excretion. Good recovery of added standard and good reproducibility of results are documented. Preliminary data from a study of pregnant women are reported, suggesting an increased excretion of 3MH during pregnancy. Large day-to-day variability of 3MH excretion was observed within subjects. It is recommended that repeated measurements be done on each subject when determining 3MH excretion.
ADRENOMEDULLIN IS A PULMONARY VASODILATOR IN THE FETAL LAMB. • 1981

Adrenomedullin (AM), a peptide recently isolated from human blood and pheochromocytoma tissue, has been shown to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance in perfused lungs of cats and rats, pretreated with vasoconstrictors. The effect was not influenced by prostaglandin or nitric oxide inhibitors. We assessed the effect of AM on the pulmonary circulation in 8 chronically instrumented fetal lambs (gest. age 128-135 d). Fetal blood gases and pH were within the normal range. We recorded heart rate, systemic(SAP) and pulmonary (PAP) arterial blood pressures, and left pulmonary arterial blood flow (LPAQ) continuously. Acetylcholine (ACh), 2 μg, or AM, 5 μg boluses, were injected into the superior vena cava or LPA. Both ACh and AM increased LPAQ to a similar extent (Table), but whereas mean SAP and PAP fell significantly with ACh, they fell insignificantly with AM. With ACh, LPAQ returned to baseline within 30 sec, even with repeated boluses. However, AM had a more prolonged effect, increasing with repeated injections. The effects of both ACh and AM were almost completely abolished after N-nitro-L-arginine administration. AM is thus a potent pulmonary vasodilator in the fetus, with a prolonged effect after repeated bolus injections. Its effect is largely mediated by nitric oxide mechanisms.
Familial Disclosure in Defiance of Nonconsent

This work was supported in part by grants from the Greenwall Foundation, the Charles E. Culpeper Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Energy, and Veterans Administration Consortium on Informed Consent Research (all to P.S. and J.F.M.) and from the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute, Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Branch (to M.K.C. and P.S.). The opinions expressed are solely those of the authors. The authors thank Arthur Caplan, Sheri Alpert, Barbara Weber, and an anonymous referee for comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.
Enhancing the attenuation of explosives in surface soils at military facilities: Combined sorption and biodegradation

This research evaluated soil amendments designed to enhance the adsorption and biodegradation of explosives at military training facilities, thus minimizing their potential for transport to subsurface environments. Several carbon cosubstrates were tested in soil slurries for their ability to stimulate the biodegradation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (royal demolition exposive [RDX]), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (high-melting explosive [HMX]) by indigenous soil microorganisms. Crude soybean oil and molasses stimulated mineralization of RDX (30-40%) and HMX (approximately 10%). The TNT was not significantly mineralized in any of the treatments, but high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated extensive transformation of TNT to amino-containing compounds. The biodegradation of explosives was then examined in unsaturated soil microcosms amended with crude soybean oil and molasses combined with sphagnum peat moss and sawdust. Minimal TNT mineralization was observed, and HMX mineralization was only observed with molasses addition. In contrast, RDX mineralization was extensive in microcosms amended with soybean oil or molasses. The presence of peat moss decreased soybean oil-stimulated RDX mineralization by approximately 5%, but resulted in about 5% greater RDX mineralization compared with molasses only. Sawdust markedly decreased mineralization regardless of cosubstrate type. Mass balance results indicated that the formation of bound residues likely was occurring, especially for TNT. These results indicate that the application of inexpensive adsorbents and cosubstrates to soils may significantly improve the protection of groundwater resources underlying live fire ranges.
Rules of lease auditing and dispute resolution

This paper gives an overview of a very topical and specialised area in commercial leasing and also generally presents methods in which a corporate tenant or user may bring an action (or the theories of such an action) against its landlord. The paper first tells the reader what a lease audit is and what it is intended to achieve. Then the piece attempts to give a number of possible ways in which a corporate user could assert its rights against a landlord in order to recover monies that may be owed to the tenant under a miscalculated or erroneous rent clause. The paper also discusses the pitfalls that a tenant may face in trying to conduct a lease audit and successfully bring a legal action to recover monies for which the tenant has been allegedly overbilled or overcharged.
Pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of Tl2Ba2CuO6+δ for δ→0

Abstract We report studies of Tl2Ba2CuO6+δ for material where δ→0. This results in the highest Tc (near 93 K) yet achieved in system and a relatively large positive value of dTc/dP to be contrasted with material with δ∼0.2 where Tc is near 40 K dTc/ dP is large and negative.
Some physiological and pharmalogical characteristics of the stimulus induced release of norepinephrine from the rabbit superior cervical ganglion.

The cervical sympathetic nerve stimulated release of norepinephrine (NE) from the rabbit superior cervical ganglion (SCG) was characterized. The quantity of NE released per impulse declined with increasing stimulation frequency over the range of 3/sec to 15/sec. Nerve stimulated NE release was potentiated by 1 micromolar desmethylimipramine and 25 micromolar phenoxybenzamine and inhibited by 1 micromolar bretylium, 25 micromolar methoxamine and 1 micromolar prostaglandin E1. These results suggest that nerve stimulated NE release in the rabbit SCG occurs from sympathetic fibers which are subject to the same neuro-secretory control mechanisms as sympathetic fibers elsewhere in the autonomic nervous system.
Phase II evaluation of gemcitabine monotherapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate safety and efficacy of gemcitabine monotherapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Patients and Methods Twenty-five patients with CTCL on a phase II open-label trial and 8 patients off study received intravenous gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2) on day 1, 8, and 15 for ≥ 6 cycles. Physicians' global assessment was based on body surface area involvement in skin, measurement of lymph nodes, and blood by flow cytometry. Results Two patients with CD30+ anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma and 31 with mycosis fungoides (stage IB [T2, n=2], stage IIA [T2, n=1], stage IIB [T3, n=13], stage IVA [T3 N3, n=3; T4b2, n=2; T4b2 N3, n=2], and stage IVB [T4b2 N1, n=6; T4 N3b2 M1, n=1; T3 N3 M1, n=1]) had received a median of 5 previous therapies (range, 1-13 therapies). Responses were seen in 17 of 25 (68%) study patients (2 complete responses [8%]) and 4 of 8 patients (1 complete response) off protocol. Seven of 13 patients with mycosis fungoides (T3) responded, 10 had tumor burden reductions, and 8 of 11 patients with Sezary syndrome responded. Gemcitabine was well tolerated. Myelosuppression (n = 14; grade 3, n=8), hemolytic uremic syndrome (in 2 elderly patients with Sezary syndrome), pulmonary embolism (n = 2), and 1 episode each of congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and stable angina were observed. Increased hepatic transaminases (n = 4), mucositis (n = 3), lethargy (n = 7), fever (n = 8), cutaneous hyperpigmentation (n = 6), infusion-related maculopapular rash (n = 1), and radiation recall (n = 1) were also seen. Conclusion Gemcitabine is an effective monotherapy with a 68% overall response rate in patients with advanced, heavily pretreated CTCL.
Stereo-vision-based perception capabilities developed during the Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliances program

The Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliances (RCTA) program, which ran from 2001 to 2009, was funded by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and managed by General Dynamics Robotic Systems. The alliance brought together a team of government, industrial, and academic institutions to address research and development required to enable the deployment of future military unmanned ground vehicle systems ranging in size from man-portables to ground combat vehicles. Under RCTA, three technology areas critical to the development of future autonomous unmanned systems were addressed: advanced perception, intelligent control architectures and tactical behaviors, and human-robot interaction. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) participated as a member for the entire program, working four tasks in the advanced perception technology area: stereo improvements, terrain classification, pedestrian detection in dynamic environments, and long range terrain classification. Under the stereo task, significant improvements were made to the quality of stereo range data used as a front end to the other three tasks. Under the terrain classification task, a multi-cue water detector was developed that fuses cues from color, texture, and stereo range data, and three standalone water detectors were developed based on sky reflections, object reflections (such as trees), and color variation. In addition, a multi-sensor mud detector was developed that fuses cues from color stereo and polarization sensors. Under the long range terrain classification task, a classifier was implemented that uses unsupervised and self-supervised learning of traversability to extend the classification of terrain over which the vehicle drives to the far-field. Under the pedestrian detection task, stereo vision was used to identify regions-of-interest in an image, classify those regions based on shape, and track detected pedestrians in three-dimensional world coordinates. To improve the detectability of partially occluded pedestrians and reduce pedestrian false alarms, a vehicle detection algorithm was developed. This paper summarizes JPL's stereo-vision based perception contributions to the RCTA program.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans’ Experiences Living with their Parents after Separation from the Military

When military service members separate from the military, many return to their families of origin, living with their parents for a period of several weeks to years. While research with veterans and their spouses has documented the particular strain of this reintegration period on veterans and their partners, little research to date has examined veterans’ experiences living with their parents. The present study sought to fill this research gap by investigating veterans’ experiences living with their parents using qualitative, in-depth interviews with Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in California. Overall, veterans appreciated the instrumental and emotional support their parents provided when they separated. However, in some cases, living with parents also produced conflict and strain. In situations where adult veteran children had difficulty with the transition to civilian life or returned with mental health problems, parents were often the first to identify these problems and to support their children in accessing appropriate care. We analyze these findings in light of family systems theory, identifying ways in which adult veteran children continue a process of differentiation while living with their parents and maintaining emotional connectedness. We suggest ways that clinicians can better support veterans and their parents through the reintegration period and recommend that programming for military families explicitly include parents of service members in addition to conjugal families.
Utilitarianism and Moral Rights

(1984). Utilitarianism and Moral Rights. Canadian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 1-19.
The effect of intruded events on peak time: The role of reinforcement history during the intruded event

Pigeons were studied in an extension of a study by Aum et al. [Aum, S., Brown, B.L., Hemmes, N.S. 2004. The effects of concurrent task and gap events on peak time in the peak procedure. Behav. Process. 65, 43-56] on timing behavior under a discrete-trial fixed-interval (FI) procedure during which 6-s intruded events were superimposed on peak-interval (PI) test trials. In Aum et al., one event consisted in termination of the timing cue (gap trial); the other was a stimulus in the presence of which subjects had been trained to respond under an independent random-interval (RI) schedule of reinforcement (concurrent task trial). Aum et al. found a disruption of timing on concurrent task trials that was greater than that on gap trials. The present study investigated history of reinforcement associated with intruded events as a possible explanation of this earlier finding. After training to peck a side key on a 30-s PI procedure, discrimination training was conducted on the center key in separate sessions; red or green 6-s stimuli were associated with RI 24s or EXT (extinction) schedules. During testing under the PI procedure, three types of intruded events were presented during probe trials--the stimulus associated with the RI (S+) or EXT (S-) schedule during discrimination training, or a gap (termination of the side-keylight). Intruded events occurred 3, 9, or 15s after PI trial onset. Effects of reinforcement history were revealed as substantial disruption of timing during the S+ event and relatively little disruption during the S- event. Intermediate effects were found for the gap event. Results indicate that postcue effects are at least partially responsible for the disruptive effects of the S+ event.
Sire selection with multiple objectives

Abstract The principal objective of any dairy breeding program is to increase the profitability of the herd. One way to achieve this objective is through the selection of sires that increase the genetic potential of the herd. However, selecting sires this way is likely expensive and almost surely induces inbreeding problems which may erode future profitability. A decision model for optimal dairy sire selection is developed and solved using American Jersey Association sire data. The model is an integer compromise programming model with three objectives: maximizing net merit, minimizing semen cost, and minimizing inbreeding depression. The results suggest that compromise programming may offer substantial benefits over single objective models given the ability of the technique to quantify the trade-offs associated with multiple, conflicting objectives.
Physiologic compliance in engineered small-diameter arterial constructs based on an elastomeric substrate

Compliance mismatch is a significant challenge to long-term patency in small-diameter bypass grafts because it causes intimal hyperplasia and ultimately graft occlusion. Current engineered grafts are typically stiff with high burst pressure but low compliance and low elastin expression. We postulated that engineering small arteries on elastomeric scaffolds under dynamic mechanical stimulation would result in strong and compliant arterial constructs. This study compares properties of engineered arterial constructs based on biodegradable polyester scaffolds composed of either rigid poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) or elastomeric poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS). Adult baboon arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were cultured in vitro for 10 days in tubular, porous scaffolds. Scaffolds were significantly stronger after culture regardless of material, but the elastic modulus of PLGA constructs was an order of magnitude greater than that of porcine carotid arteries and PGS constructs. Deformation was elastic in PGS constructs and carotid arteries but plastic in PLGA constructs. Compliance of arteries and PGS constructs were equivalent at pressures tested. Altering scaffold material from PLGA to PGS significantly decreased collagen content and significantly increased insoluble elastin content in constructs without affecting soluble elastin concentration in the culture medium. PLGA constructs contained no appreciable insoluble elastin. This research demonstrates that: (1) substrate stiffness directly affects in vitro tissue development and mechanical properties; (2) rigid materials likely inhibit elastin incorporation into the extracellular matrix of engineered arterial tissues; and (3) grafts with physiologic compliance and significant elastin content can be engineered in vitro after only days of cell culture.
Speech Recognition Moves from Software to Hardware

Speech recognition has long promised a natural way to improve user interaction with computers, cars, and other devices. During the past 30 years, researchers have gradually upgraded the technology to the point that it is used in a number of these settings. However, because of limitations in processing power and other factors, the applications typically have been relatively simple, and speech recognition has not been widely used, despite the growing desire to implement it in PCs, cell phones, applications that automate home utilities and entertainment devices, and other systems. Researchers have been working on implementing speech recognition in dedicated processors for about 20 years, but the chips still have limited capabilities and work with only relatively small vocabularies. As such, few companies sell speech chips. Now, though, scientists are interested in developing high-end speech chips that work with large vocabularies of words and that recognize continuous speech. Despite its promise, speech-chip technology faces technical and marketplace challenges