cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reevaluation of things past

The ability of rats to reevaluate previously presented information in light of subsequently provided information was evaluated using a CER (conditioned emotional response) procedure. In Experiment 1, rats suppressed responding to a compound light + tone stimulus that was repeatedly paired with shock. Groups of rats were then presented with only one element of the compound (the tone), either presented alone or paired with shock, for 15 days. During this 15-day period, two control groups received trials with the shock alone or neither stimulus nor shock. All of the rats were then tested with the other element of the compound (the light). Rats that had received the tone paired with shock during the intervening training continued to suppress to the light, whereas rats that had received the tone alone showed rapid extinction of the CER to light. The control groups showed that this effect was not due to the number of shock presentations received. A subsequent experiment also demonstrated that these results were not due to nonspecific stimulus effects. Apparently, a subsequent change in the associative strength of one element results in a similar change to the other element of a previously established compound stimulus.
Cyber-Physical Systems: Overview

Cyber-physical systems combine cyber capabilities with physical capabilities to solve problems that neither part could solve alone. This chapter provides an informal introduction to cyber-physical systems, setting the stage for this textbook. The primary purpose is a lightweight overview of the technical and nontechnical characteristics of cyber-physical systems, an overview of some of their application domains, and a discussion of their prospects and challenges. The chapter also informally outlines and explains the approach taken in this book to address crucial safety challenges in cyber-physical systems.
Automated Extraction of Data from Binary Phase Diagrams for Discovery of Metallic Glasses

We present a study on automated analysis of phase diagrams that attempts to lay the groundwork for a large-scale, indexable, digitized database of phases at different thermodynamic conditions and compositions for a wide variety of materials. For this work, we concentrate on approximately 80 thermodynamic phase diagrams of binary metallic alloy systems which give phase information of multi-component systems at varied temperatures and mixture ratios. We use image processing techniques to isolate phase boundaries and subsequently extract areas of the same phase. Simultaneously, document analysis techniques are employed to recognize and group the text used to label the phases; text present along the axes is identified so as to map image coordinates (x, y) to physical coordinates. Labels of unlabeled phases are inferred using standard rules. Once a phase diagram is thus digitized we are able to providethe phase of all materials present in our database at any given temperature and alloy mixture ratio. Using the digitized data, more complex queries may also be supported in the future. We evaluate our system by measuring the correctness of labeling of phase regions and obtain an accuracy of about 94%. Our work was then used to detect eutectic points and angles on the contour graphs which are important for some material design strategies, which aided in identifying 38 previously unexplored metallic glass forming compounds - an active topic of research in materials sciences.
Worker Training and Foreign Competition: Evidence from the US Manufacturing Sector

Relatively little attention has been paid to the effect of trade on investment in human capital through job training. We examine the relationship between rising imports and the amount of time workers in the US manufacturing sector spend in training events. Using industry level exchange rates as an instrument for import shares, we find that rising imports lead workers to spend more time in training to upgrade their skills, consistent with firms responding to foreign competition by increasing their technology adoption. In contrast, rising imports lead to a lower probability of investing in training for the purpose of career advancement.
Surface kinetics analysis by direct area measurement: Laser assisted dehydration of α-FeOOH

A novel method for surface kinetics analysis based solely on quantitative image analysis technique is proposed, and implemented for evaluating the activation energy, 110 (10) meV, of laser assisted dehydration of goethite. Millisecond radiative heat transfer via 785 nm laser beam, allowed us to elucidate a transient surface dehydration below 200 °C. In addition, the proposed method evaluates the laser threshold Irradiance - 1.2(1) μW/μm2 and its temperature dependence. The complementary contributions of radiative (transient) and conductive (equilibrium) heat transfer to the sample provides viable physical elucidation of the observed phenomenon - dehydrated spot surface area, variations with the laser power and the equilibrium temperature. The method allows effectively to isolate and study surface process and can be efficiently applied for any pulse laser assisted surface transformation, when the initial and final products have visual contrast.
Molecular genetics—the basics of gene expression

Abstract Human beings are complex biological machines and as such require a finely tuned regulation of gene expression. Mutations in genes or alterations in regulatory sequences may alter normal expression and consequently contribute to the development of disease. Therefore, it is important to understand the basics of gene expression along with the mechanisms by which this expression may be regulated to fully understand the development of disease and how these mutations may affect treatment options. In this chapter, we provide a discussion of the basic mechanisms of gene expression, including replication, DNA repair, transcription, RNA processing, and translation. We also discuss different aspects of gene regulation including pre- and posttranscriptional mechanisms. Finally, we describe how individual mutations may alter gene expression and how understanding the basic mechanism of how these mutations alter gene expression may be important for the prescribing of precise therapies for individual patients.
New Findings from the Far Western Puebloan Region: Papers in Honor of Margaret Lyneis

This special issue of the Kiva is published in honor of Margaret Lyneis, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 78, after a long and influential career as a teacher and scholar. These papers develop...
Beta-Decay Matrix Elements in Sb 122

An electronic computer has been used to investigate the six nuclear matrix elements which enter into the ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ to ${2}^{+}$ 1.40-MeV beta transition in the decay of ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{122}$. Data from beta-gamma angular correlation, beta-circularly polarized gamma angular correlation, nuclear orientation, and nuclear resonance experiments were used in this analysis. As a further aid, the Feenberg-Ahrens relations between certain of the nuclear matrix elements were employed to catalog the solutions and to simplify the search problem. In order to discover how the remaining ambiguity of these solutions could most easily be reduced, for each of the solutions calculations were made of the predicted results of all possible experiments on this beta transition. These calculations show how sufficient experimental data can be obtained to determine unambiguously all six nuclear matrix elements. In an appendix all the theoretical formulas which give the experimental observables for a first forbidden ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ to ${2}^{+}$ beta transition in terms of the nuclear matrix elements are summarized.
Indoor Radio Map Construction and Localization With Deep Gaussian Processes

With the increasing demand for location-based service, WiFi-based localization has become one of the most popular methods due to the wide deployment of WiFi and its low cost. To improve this technology, we propose DeepMap, a deep Gaussian process for indoor radio map construction and location estimation. Received signal strength (RSS) samples are used in DeepMap to generate accurate and fine-grained radio maps. A two-layer deep Gaussian process model is designed to determine the relationship between the location and RSS samples, while the model parameters are optimized with an offline Bayesian training method. To identify the location of a mobile device, a Bayesian fusion method is proposed, which leverages RSS samples from multiple access points (APs) to achieve high location estimation accuracy. We conduct comprehensive experiments to verify the performance of DeepMap in two indoor settings. DeepMap’s robustness is validated using limited training data.
A Cautionary Scientific Tale and an Introduction to This Book

The unplanned collection of a small, nondescript rock in Senegal, west Africa leads to a story of how science and the acquisition of new knowledge does not necessarily progress in a series of straightforward steps. This cautionary tale is followed by an introduction that explains the purpose and content of this book, to explain to the general public, politicians, managers and policy makers how our coasts, important to us as places of not only inhabitation and vacation but also of natural resources and industry, are in crisis, in large part due to human activities. The human side of scientific research is emphasized and this book describes how geologists try to understand the workings of our varied coastal systems and what the future will bring for these beautiful and often wild parts of our planet.
Contemporary Practice Patterns of Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in the United States

BACKGROUND Contemporary data on lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is sparse, particularly in regard to utilization and surgical outcomes. In this context, we analyzed the practice patterns and outcomes of LVRS nationally. METHODS We identified all patients (n = 1617) undergoing LVRS at 165 hospitals between 2001 and 2017 from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) General Thoracic Database. Practice patterns were assessed at the hospital and STS regional levels. In addition, we obtained regional chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence data from the Centers for Disease Control. We used hierarchical logistic regression to estimate associations with each outcome of interest and calculate risk- and reliability-adjusted outcome rates. RESULTS Since 2011, national LVRS utilization has been increasing with decreasing mortality rates (3.1% risk-adjusted mortality in 2016). There is wide regional variation in LVRS average caseload that is not congruent with national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence (Pearson correlation coefficient -0.11). On multivariable analysis, only older age (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, P < .001), male sex (adjusted odds ratio 1.5, P = .007), underweight body mass index (adjusted odds ratio 1.94, P = .027), and ECOG score of 4 (adjusted odds ratio 5.17, Z-score 3.91, P = .001) were associated with the occurrence of the composite outcome of major morbidity or mortality. At the hospital level, six hospitals performed 40% of all LVRS nationally with adjusted national 30-day mortality rate of 4.3% and composite outcome rate of 15.8%. Despite this, there was minimal variation in adjusted outcome rates. CONCLUSIONS National utilization of LVRS is increasing and it has become safer overall, even at lower volume hospitals. There is regional variation in LVRS use that does not mirror national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease prevalence, suggesting access disparities. The findings have potential policy implications.
Behaviour modification of intellectual disabled children with psychoneurobics

An intellectual disability is defined as an IQ below 70 and deficits in adaptive behavior or daily living skills (eating, dressing, communication, participate in a group activity). Children with intellectual disabilities learn slowly and have difficulty with abstract concepts. Children with intellectual disabilities have a wide range of needs and most exhibit behavioral problems. Around 7-15% of children with ID have severely challenging behavioral problems. The nature and severity of these behavioral problems vary with the degree of Intellectual Disability. Modification of behavioral problems in children is a great concern for parents in India. In the present study, it will be attempted to analyze the efficacy of Psycho Neurobics, innovative techniques designed by my Guru and guide Dr. Chandrashekhar Tiwari, founder president of SIGFA Institute of Research and Development, Faridabad, Haryana, India, for behavioral modification provided to 12 students with ID in Delhi, India. The results of this study on behavior modification of intellectually disabled students with the help of their parents are very much overwhelming and encouraging.
Transient physical gas absorption in a stirred liquid using the surface renewal model of mass transfer

Abstract This work presents a rigorous surface renewal model for unsteady-state physical gas absorption in a stirred batch cell in which the concentration of dissolved gas in the bulk liquid is a function of time for zero and finite gas-phase mass-transfer resistance. Using experimental parameters from the literature for oxygen and hydrogen absorption in water at 25 °C and atmospheric pressure, predictions of the model reveal that the rates of absorption and dissolved-gas transfer to the bulk liquid exhibit an inverse behavior during the initial moments of absorption after which they merge into a single curve and decline with process time as the water becomes increasingly saturated with the dissolved gas. Predictions for the dissolved oxygen concentration made with the rigorous model compare excellently with those of the standard pseudo steady-state model used in the literature except for short time scales.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) versus cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CBC) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

419Background: Multiple single-arm clinical trials have shown promising pathologic complete response (pCR) rates with neoadjuvant ICIs in MIBC. However, ICIs remain costly. We conducted a cost-effe...
Genome-wide association mapping of the ‘super-soft’ kernel texture in white winter wheat

The novel super-soft kernel phenotype has the potential to improve wheat processing and flour quality. We identified genomic regions associated with this kernel texture in white winter wheat. Grain hardness is a key determinant of wheat milling and baking quality. The recently discovered ‘super-soft’ kernel phenotype has the potential to improve wheat processing and flour quality. However, the genetic basis underlying the super-soft trait in wheat is not yet well understood. In this study, we investigated the phenotypic and genotypic structure of the super-soft trait in a collection of 172 advanced soft white winter wheat breeding lines and cultivars adapted to the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. This collection had a continuous distribution for grain hardness index (single-kernel characterization system). Ten super-soft genotypes showed hardness index ≤ 12 including the cultivar Jasper. Over 98,000 SNP markers from genotyping-by-sequencing were used for association mapping (GWAS). The GWAS identified 20 significant markers associated with grain hardness. These significant SNPs corresponded to seven QTL on chromosomes 2B, 3A, 3B, 5A, 6B,7A, and one unaligned chromosome. Two of these QTL, QSKhard.wql-3A and QSKhard.wql-5A, had large effects and distinguished between the normal soft and the super-soft classes. QSKhard.wql-3A and QSKhard.wql-5A reduced the hardness index by 11.7 and 13.1 on average, respectively. The remaining QTL had small effects and reduced grain hardness within the normal soft range. QSKhard.wql-2B, QSKhard.wql-3A, QSKhard.wql-3B, and QSKhard.wql-6B were not previously reported to be in genomic regions of grain hardness-related genes/QTL. The identified super-soft genotypes as well as the SNPs associated with lower grain hardness will be useful to assist breeding for this grain texture trait.
Design and Performance of Limestone Drains to Increase pH and Remove Metals from Acidic Mine Drainage

Publisher Summary This chapter presents data on the construction characteristics and the composition of influent and effluent at 13 underground, limestone-filled drains in Pennsylvania and Maryland to evaluate the design and performance of limestone drains for the attenuation of acidity and dissolved metals in acidic mine drainage. On the basis of the initial mass of limestone, dimensions of the drains, and average flow rates, the initial porosity and average detention time for each drain are computed. Calculated porosity ranged from 0.12 to 0.50 with corresponding detention times at average flow from 1.3 to 33 h. The effectiveness of treatment was dependent on influent chemistry, detention time, and limestone purity. At two sites where influent contained elevated dissolved Al (>5 mg/liter), drain performance declined rapidly. Elsewhere the drains consistently produced near-neutral effluent, even when influent contained small concentrations of dissolved Fe3+ (<5 mg/liter). Rates of limestone dissolution computed on the basis of average long-term Ca ion flux normalized by initial mass and purity of limestone at each of the drains ranged from 0.008 to 0.079 year–1. Data for alkalinity concentration and flux during 11-day closed-container tests using an initial mass of 4 kg crushed limestone and a solution volume of 2.3 liter yielded dissolution rate constants that were comparable to these long-term field rates. An analytical method is proposed using closed-container test data to evaluate long-term performance (longevity) or to estimate the mass of limestone required for a limestone treatment. This method considers flow rate, influent alkalinity, steady-state maximum alkalinity of eflluent, and desired eflluent alkalinity or detention time, and applies first-order rate laws for limestone dissolution (continuous) and production of alkalinity (bounded).
Overview of Orion Crew Module and Launch Abort Vehicle Dynamic Stability

With the retirement of the Space Shuttle, NASA is designing a new spacecraft, called Orion, to fly astronauts to low earth orbit and beyond. Characterization of the dynamic stability of the Orion spacecraft is important for the design of the spacecraft and trajectory construction. Dynamic stability affects the stability and control of the Orion Crew Module during re-entry, especially below Mach = 2.0 and including flight under the drogues. The Launch Abort Vehicle is affected by dynamic stability as well, especially during the re-orientation and heatshield forward segments of the flight. The dynamic stability was assessed using the forced oscillation technique, free-to-oscillate, ballistic range, and sub-scale free-flight tests. All of the test techniques demonstrated that in heatshield-forward flight the Crew Module and Launch Abort Vehicle are dynamically unstable in a significant portion of their flight trajectory. This paper will provide a brief overview of the Orion dynamic aero program and a high-level summary of the dynamic stability characteristics of the Orion spacecraft.
The interaction of closed circular DNA with intercalative dyes. I. The superhelix density of SV40 DNA in the presence and absence of dye

Abstract The binding of the intercalating dye ethidium bromide to closed circular SV40 DNA causes an unwinding of the duplex structure and a simultaneous and quantitatively equivalent unwinding of the superhelices. The buoyant densities of both intact (I) and singly nicked (II) SV40 DNA's were measured as a function of free dye concentration, and the moles dye bound per mole nucleotide, ν, calculated from the buoyant density shifts. The binding isotherms were determined over a dye concentration range extending from 0 to 600 μg/ml. in 5.8 m -CsCl. At high dye concentrations all of the binding sites in II, but not in I, are saturated. At free dye concentrations less than 5.4 μg/ml., I has a greater affinity for dye than II. At a critical amount of dye bound, ν = νc, I and II have equal affinities, and at higher dye concentration I has a lower affinity than II. At ν = νc, there are 375 molecules of dye bound per molecule of SV40 DNA. The number of superhelical turns, τ, present in I was calculated at each dye concentration using Fuller & Waring's (1964) estimate of the angle of duplex unwinding per intercalation. With this estimate, we have calculated that the duplex has been unwound by 4500 ° at νc, and that SV40 DNA contains about −13 superhelical turns in concentrated salt solutions. The number of superhelical turns in SV40 DNA I has been evaluated as a function of the free dye concentration. The value of τ changes from −13 to zero to +45 as the free dye concentration is increased to 600 μg/ml. dye. The sedimentation coefficient of SV40 I in 1 m -NaCl decreases upon addition of dye at first slowly, and then rapidly, until the sedimentation coefficient becomes equal to that of II at the same dye concentration. At higher dye concentrations the sedimentation coefficient of I rises rapidly and appears to level off. The sedimentation coefficient of II decreases only slightly and linearly over the same dye concentration range. From the free dye concentration at the minimum and the value of the binding constant in 1 m -NaCl given by Le Pecq (1965), we calculate that there are −16.0 ± 3.5 superhelical turns in SV40 I DNA. Our binding results have allowed us to estimate the dependence of the sedimentation coefficient of SV40 I DNA upon the number of superhelical turns in the presence of dye.
Optical Phonon Modes of InP/II‐VI core‐shell Nanoparticles: a Raman and Infrared Study

Crystalline nanoparticles having ∼ 3nm diameter InP cores surrounded by different II‐VI cladding layers have been synthesized by colloidal chemistry. We report studies of the confined optical phonons in InP/ZnSe core‐shell nanocrystals by Raman scattering and far‐infrared (FIR) spectroscopy as a function or temperature. Based on comparison with a dielectric continuum model, the observed features are assigned to the surface optical (SO) modes of the InP core, and to the optical and SO modes of the ZnSe shell. Reasonable agreement is obtained between the Raman and FIR results, as well as with the calculations. Strong temperature dependent resonance Raman effects are observed.
Disclosure Quality and its Effect on Litigation Risk

This paper examines the relationship between the quality of disclosure in companies' 10-K filings and the risk of securities class action litigation. I use a dataset containing 10-K documents filed electronically with the SEC in the period 1996-2005. Using two content analysis software programs that analyze the categories of words used in these filings, I find that firms that use more numbers, past and future words, and other informative words are less likely to be sued, even after controlling for the common determinants of lawsuits. In order to avoid subjective choice of word categories, I use principal components analysis to identify the major components of disclosure in company filings. When these components are used in regressions, one component named 'informativeness' has significant power to explain subsequent lawsuits. Finally, in cross-sectional tests, I find support for the theory that firms with good boards and managers who are not entrenched have better disclosure practices. Further, monitoring by institutional investors, independent boards and analysts appears to induce better corporate disclosure.
Measuring psychosocial functioning in the radiation oncology clinic: a systematic review.

Background This paper aimed to systematically review the (1) prevalence, (2) risk factors, (3) interventions, and (4) measurement instruments associated with psychosocial function decline in radiation therapy (RT) patients. Methods A MEDLINE systematic literature review was performed to identify studies monitoring psychosocial function among RT patients as a primary endpoint. Results Fifty-seven and 22 risk factors for RT-related psychosocial function decline were identified and refuted, respectively, in 93 eligible studies representing 12,808 patients. Median prevalences of psychosocial function decline prior to, during, and following RT were 20%, 36%, and 25%. Prior to RT, anxiety was more prevalent than depression (20% vs 15%), but dropped following completion of RT, whereas median depression levels remained elevated (17% vs. 27%). Of the 79 identified risk factors, 17 were reported as predictive of psychosocial decline by two or more more studies, and five had robust support: (1) physical symptoms, (2) time point during RT, (3) chemotherapy reception, (4) female gender, and (5) younger age. Three interventions were consensually reported to improve psychosocial function: psychotherapy, nursing consultation/patient education, and self-management training. Eighty-six different assessment tools were used to monitor RT-related psychosocial function decline with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (25.8%) and the psychiatric interview (22.6%) being the most utilized. The distress thermometer has been used in 5 studies (5.4%) to date. Conclusion Psychosocial function declines in approximately one-third of RT patients. Anxiety can dissipate after initiation of RT, whereas depression can persist throughout and after RT. Severe physical symptoms and time-related factors most robustly predict psychosocial function decline, which can be improved by psychotherapy and interventions aimed to improve patient education. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evolution of strain-dependent transport properties in ultrathin La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 films

We report on a systematic investigation of strain-induced lattice distortion effects on the crystal structure and transport properties of as-grown and postannealed ultrathin La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 epitaxial films grown on LaAlO3 (001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The resistivity of the as-grown films is critically dependent on the thickness, i.e., 100 A thick films show insulating behavior, 300 A thick films show metal-insulator transitions, and 500 A thick films show metallic behavior. However, all the annealed films show identical metallic behavior. Conventional θ–2θ x-ray scans with momentum transfer (q) along the [001] direction, and θ–2θ scans of the (103) and (113) peaks, with q having a component perpendicular to the growth direction, were used to measure the out-of-plane and in-plane lattice parameters of the sample. Φ scans of the (103) and (113) peaks revealed a fourfold symmetry which is consistent with a tetragonal unit cell. These data conclusively show that significantly elongated tetrag...
A flare sensitive 3 h solar flux radio index for space weather applications

[1] Many space physics models use the F10.7 as their input for solar activity. The F10.7 is a daily index derived from solar radio measurements taken at 2800 MHz, excluding activity from solar flares. In this paper, we compute a 3 h composite index, similar, in part, to the F10.7, using solar radio observations taken at 2695 MHz (11.1 cm) by the United States Air Force's Radio Solar Telescope Network. This index, called the F11.1 index, is similar to the F10.7. But unlike the F10.7 index, which is measured three times each day, at 1700, 2000, and 23 UT, F11.1 consists of eight measurements each day, uniformly distributed over 24 h. These 3 h intervals are aligned in UT with the planetary geomagnetic index Kp's time intervals. Each interval provides an F11.1 value that minimizes solar flare radio emission data. This composite index also provides two additional pieces of quantitative information that the F10.7 does not provide. The first is a factor, ranging from 0 to 1, indicating how representative the single F11.1 value is of this entire 3 h period (representation accuracy parameter). The second is a measure of how much of the 3 h interval can be classified as solar disturbed or as having a flare in progress (duration parameter). These aspects together have relevance for ionospheric modeling/specification for solar conditions in which significant change can occur over a 24 h period.
Barrier Modification in Au/IIb Semiconducting Diamond Contacts

Rectifying contacts on semiconducting type IIb diamond crystals are readily established with any conducting material system including elemental metals, highly doped semiconductors, silicides and carbides. However, for a given surface preparation using oxidizing wet chemicals and in the absence of a surface reaction, barrier heights are observed to be constant regardless of the metal work function. In this report it is demonstrated that an adjustment of the barrier height can be achieved by employing a premetallization low-dose low-energy ion-implantation step.
Use of steroid profiles in determining the cause of adrenal insufficiency

Abstract Hypothesis A cortisol response to adrenocorticotropin injection is the standard test for diagnosing adrenal insufficiency. Multiple steroid hormones can now be accurately measured by tandem mass spectrometry in a single sample. The study objective was to determine whether a steroid profile, created by simultaneous measurement of 10 steroid hormones by tandem mass spectrometry, would help determine the cause of adrenal insufficiency. Design A 10-steroid profile was measured by tandem mass spectrometry during the performance of a standard high dose cortrosyn stimulation test. The steroids were measured at baseline, 30, and 60 min following synthetic adrenocorticotropin injection. Adrenal insufficiency was defined as a peak cortisol level of less than 20 μg/dL. Testing was conducted in the general clinical research center of a university medical center. Normal volunteers, patients suspected of having adrenal insufficiency, and patients with known adrenal insufficiency participated. Results Our results showed that adrenal insufficiency of any cause was adequately diagnosed using the response of 11-deoxycortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, or these analytes combined in a two-steroid profile. A three-steroid profile yielded a test with 100% accuracy for discriminating primary adrenal insufficiency from normal status. Primary adrenal insufficiency was well separated from secondary adrenal insufficiency using only a single aldosterone value. 11-Deoxycortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and a two-steroid profile each provided fair discrimination between secondary adrenal insufficiency and normal status. Conclusions We conclude that stimulated levels of aldosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and a two- or three-steroid profile provided additional discrimination between states of adrenal sufficiency and insufficiency. It is proposed that a steroid profile measuring cortisol, aldosterone, 11-deoxycortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone would potentially improve the ability to determine the cause of adrenal insufficiency.
Community Characteristics and Mortality: The Relative Strength of Association of Different Community Characteristics

Objectives. We compared the strength of association between average 5-year county-level mortality rates and area-level measures, including air quality, sociodemographic characteristics, violence, and economic distress.Methods. We obtained mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System and linked it to socioeconomic and demographic data from the Census Bureau, air quality data, violent crime statistics, and loan delinquency data. We modeled 5-year average mortality rates (1998–2002) for all-cause, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory diseases as a function of county-level characteristics using ordinary least squares regression models. We limited analyses to counties with population of 100 000 or greater (n = 458).Results. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, particularly the percentage older than 65 years and near poor, were top predictors of all-cause and condition-specific mortality, as were a high concentration of construction and service workers. We found weaker associatio...
Characterization of the hepatitis B virus- and nucleocapsid gene transcriptional regulatory elements

The regulatory DNA sequence elements that control the expression of the hepatitis B virus X- and nucleocapsid genes in the differentiated human hepatoma cell lines, Huh7, Hep3B, PLC/PRF/5, and HepG2, the dedifferentiated human hepatoma cell line, HepG2.1, and the human cervical carcinoma cell line, HeLa S3, were analyzed using transient transfection assays. In this system, the hepatitis B virus enhancer I located between coordinates 1071 (-239) and 1238 (-72) increases transcription from the X-gene promoter located between coordinates 1239 (-71) and 1376 (+67) more than 30-fold in the differentiated hepatoma and the HeLa S3 cell lines. In the dedifferentiated hepatoma cell line, HepG2.1, the enhancer I sequence increases the level of transcription from the X-gene promoter approximately 10-fold. The enhancer I subregion between coordinates 1117 (-193) and 1204 (-106) appears to be important for enhancer function only in the differentiated hepatoma cell lines, whereas the enhancer I subregion between coordinates 1222 (-88) and 1238 (-72) is required for enhancer activity in each of the cell lines examined. In all of the cell lines, the X-gene minimal promoter element was within a 138-nucleotide sequence located between coordinates 1239 (-71) and 1376 (+67). The enhancer I sequence increases transcription from the nucleocapsid promoter approximately 3- to 10-fold in the Huh7, Hep3B, PLC/PRF/5, and HeLa S3 cell lines, whereas it had little influence on the level of transcription from this promoter in HepG2 and HepG2.1 cells. The minimal nucleocapsid promoter element was within a 105 nucleotide sequence located between coordinates 1700 (-85) and 1804 (+20). This indicates that the levels of transcription from the X- and nucleocapsid gene promoters are determined in a cell-type-specific manner, in part, by the hepatitis B virus enhancer I and the corresponding minimal promoter sequence.
Also Victims: Understanding and Treating Men Arrested for Spouse Abuse.

The author describes characteristics of men arrested for spouse abuse and a small-group educational format for court-referred treatment of abuse.
Optimal One-Way Random Effects Designs for the Intraclass Correlation Based on Confidence Intervals

ABSTRACT Confidence intervals for the intraclass correlation coefficient (ρ) are used to determine the optimal allocation of experimental material in one-way random effects models. Designs that produce narrow intervals are preferred since they provide greater precision to estimate ρ. Assuming the total cost and the relative cost of the two stages of sampling are fixed, the authors investigate the number of classes and the number of individuals per class required to minimize the expected length of confidence intervals. We obtain results using asymptotic theory and compare these results to those obtained using exact calculations. The best design depends on the unknown value of ρ. Minimizing the maximum expected length of confidence intervals guards against worst-case scenarios. A good overall recommendation based on asymptotic results is to choose a design having classes of size 2 + √4 + 3r, where r is the relative cost of sampling at the class-level compared to the individual-level. If r = 0, then the over...
Salesforce Compensation: Theory and Managerial Implications

This paper discusses recent advances in the study of salesforce motivation and compensation. Special emphasis is given to quantitative approaches from the economics, finance, and marketing literatures. The paper summarizes the findings in this analytical work in the context of some examples of compensation practice in order to illustrate the usefulness of the paradigm for the evaluation and setting of compensation systems. We consider some major issues in setting compensation, such as the firm's own objective; the salesperson's objective; and the nature of the sales response function. Variations in these factors imply significant variation in optimal compensation policy, where “optimal” takes into account the components in the plan, the parameter levels of the components, and whether or not a menu of such plans should be made available to the salesforce. By highlighting the results in the literature in light of some relevant compensation examples, we show the applicability of theory to the practical concerns of salesforce management. We close with a summary of these insights and directions for future research in the area.
Gender differences in the economic, psychological and social effects of plant closings in an expanding economy

Abstract The experiences of women and men workers displaced from jobs in 1989 by three plant closings in Indiana were examined. The focus was on three interrelated hypotheses concerning gender differences in the economic, psychological, and social effects of job loss. Questionnaires were sent to workers shortly after the closings and twelve months after the closings. Findings on economic effects indicated no gender difference in reemployment. When reemployed, both men and women suffered wage loss, but women lost less proportionately, due to their lower absolute wages prior to the closings. No gender differences were found in psychological effects and family relationships. Displaced women workers were somewhat more alienated from social institutions and more likely to support government actions to remedy unemployment.
Using neural networks with jet shapes to identify b jets in e+e− interactions

Abstract A feed-forward neural network trained using backpropagation was used to discriminate between b and light quark jets in e + e − → Z 0 → q q events. The information presented to the network consisted of 25 jet shape variables. Th network successfully identified b jets in two- and three-jet events modeled using a detector simulation. The jet identification efficiency for two-jet events was 61% and the probability to call a light quark jet a b jet equal to 20%.
Derrida's Cat (Who Am I?)

What is it to be seen (naked) by one's cat? In “L'animal que donc je suis” (2006), the first of several lectures that he presented at a conference on the “autobiographical animal,” Jacques Derrida tells of his discomfort when, emerging from his shower one day, he found himself being looked at by his cat. Th experience leads him, by way of reflections on the question of the animal, to what is arguably the question of his philosophy: Who am I? It is not so much that Derrida wants to answer this question as to be free of it. His task here is to determine the sense of it— where it leads, for example, when it comes to the nature of the diff erence between himself and his cat. Unlike animal rights activists (and unlike philosophers Martha Nussbaum and Cora Diamond, who have recently addressed this issue), Derrida does not want to erase this difference but wants to multiply it in order (among other things) to affirm the absolute alterity or singularity of his cat, which cannot be subsumed by any category (such as the animal). His cat is an Other in a way that no human being (supposing there to be such a thing, which Derrida is not prepared to grant) could ever be. And here is where “the question who?” leads as well, namely, to a path of escape from absorption into any identity-machine. As Derrida puts it in A Taste for the Secret: Who am I when I am not one of you? In a hospitable world one would be free not to answer.
The SANT2 Domain of the Murine Tumor Cell DnaJ-like Protein 1 Human Homologue Interacts with α1-Antichymotrypsin and Kinetically Interferes with Its Serpin Inhibitory Activity

The murine tumor cell DnaJ-like protein 1 or MTJ1/ERdj1 is a membrane J-domain protein enriched in microsomal and nuclear fractions. We previously showed that its lumenal J-domain stimulates the ATPase activity of the molecular chaperone BiP/GRP78 (Chevalier, M., Rhee, H., Elguindi, E. C., and Blond, S. Y. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 19620-19627). MTJ1/ERdj1 also contains a large carboxyl-terminal cytosolic extension composed of two tryptophan-mediated repeats or SANT domains for which the function(s) is unknown. Here we describe the cloning of the human homologue HTJ1 and its interaction with alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin (ACT), a member of the serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) family. The interaction was initially identified in a two-hybrid screening and further confirmed in vitro by dot blots, native electrophoresis, and fluorescence studies. The second SANT domain of HTJ1 (SANT2) was found to be sufficient for binding to ACT, both in yeast and in vitro. Single tryptophan-alanine substitutions at two strictly conserved residues significantly (Trp-497) or totally (Trp-520) abolished the interaction with ACT. SANT2 binds to human ACT with an intrinsic affinity equal to 0.5 nm. Preincubation of ACT with nearly stoichiometric concentrations of SANT2 wild-type but not SANT2: W520A results in an apparent loss of ACT inhibitory activity toward chymotrypsin. Kinetic analysis indicates that the formation of the covalent inhibitory complex ACT-chymotrypsin is significantly delayed in the presence of SANT2 with no change on the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. This work demonstrates for the first time that the SANT2 domain of MTJ1/HTJ1/ERdj1 mediates stable and high affinity protein-protein interactions.
The use of XPS for characterisation of glass fibre coatings

We present the results of an investigation of the use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as a tool for the rapid characterisation of glass fibre coatings. XPS data have been obtained from a wide range of commercial and experimental glass fibres using three different XPS instruments. By developing a protocol to plot ratios of appropriate atom concentrations, XPS analysis has been shown to give new insights into the in situ nature of the coating on glass. We show how these plots of atom ratios can be used to estimate the surface coverage of the coating on the glass fibres and obtain information on the chemical composition of the coating. Relationships between the XPS data and coated glass fibre parameters are clarified with the aid of a patchy overlayer model. We discuss the use of the XPS Si peak as a glass reference atom in different coverage regimes, and the effect of different XPS detector exit angles. In comparing data from three XPS instruments excellent correlation was obtained after correcting for differences in spectrometer sensitivity factors.
The trauma of evil and the traumatological conception of forgiveness

In recent years there has been widespread interest in assimilating forgiveness into a rational conception of the moral life. This project usually construes forgiveness as a way of “moving past” evil and resuming the moral narrative it disrupted. But to develop a philosophical sound conception of forgiveness, we must recognize that moral evil is world-shattering and cannot be assimilated into the moral narrative of our lives. It is not an event that happens in one’s world but to one’s world. In this respect it is similar to death as Heidegger has described it. But, contrary to what Heidegger implies, evil is more traumatic than death because, unlike the latter, it shatters moral reasoning and moral narrative. Evil is a monstrosity; it traumatizes historical existence by impossibilizing the future. A philosophical account of forgiveness must therefore be traumatological: recognizing the traumatizing impact that evil has on historicity, it has provide us a heuristic that will help us to imagine the unimaginable possibility of transforming historical horror into good.
Variability in a Starch Isolation Method and Automated Digital Image Analysis System Used for the Study of Starch Size Distributions in Wheat Flour

ABSTRACT A starch isolation method and digital image analysis system were developed to accurately measure size distributions of the starch populations in wheat. The image analysis system was coupled directly to a light microscope equipped with computer controlled step stage and automatic focus. Automation of data acquisition and processing eliminated some of the labor intensive steps previously required for analyzing starch granule size distributions. This system was used to standardize starch isolation methods and compare variation and precision of the system. Operational variations were determined and statistically assessed. The number of fields of view required for low standard errors and acceptable speed of analysis was determined to be fifty. A major advantage of the system has been the increased resolution. The use of higher magnifications and stage automation allowed the analysis of starch granules as small as 0.84 μm in diameter while analyzing thousands of starch granules per sample.
Support Wire Disturbances in Near Viscous Wakes of Slender Supersonic Bodies

W the development of spacecraft and ballistic missiles over the past decade, interest in the complex wake region of these vehicles has significantly increased. Experimental studies have been carried out both to complement and substantiate analytical results before attempting actual flight tests. In addition to simulating the important nondimensional similarity parameters in an experimental facility, a very basic problem in duplicating the flowfield is that of holding the models so that the supporting structure has a negligible effect on the flow in the vicinity of the model. The three most commonly used support systems for wake studies are magnetic suspension, forward mounted stings, and wires. While magnetic suspension systems do not alter the flow, the cost of such systems is beyond many research budgets. Major drawbacks of the front mounted sting include incorrect boundary-layer thickness on the model, inability to test effects of varying nose radii, and an inability to test angle of attack effects. In view of these problems, many investigators have used wires as a means of model support. Disagreement has arisen over the extent of wire-induced flow alteration. The effects of support wires in the nonviscous wake have been fairly well documented, but little has been explicitly said about the effects on the viscous wake. Since it is the viscous boundary layer which dominates the wake characteristics for slender bodies, it is important that these viscous flow-support interactions be understood; it is the purpose of this Note to investigate the viscous wake properties of slender bodies suspended by wires.
A general moodel of crisis intervention

This article presents a general model of crisis intervention designed to be used in most practice settings. The model is a synthesis of what has previously been written about crisis intervention theory and practice along with the author's own contributions. The various definitions of what constitutes a crisis and the stages of a crisis reaction are discussed. In the beginning phases of crisis treatment it is suggested that the clinician should complete six tasks, one of which is identifying with the client and precipitating event that led to the crisis. As the treatment process continues it is suggested that the clinician should complete six tasks, one of which is designing psychological and behavioral tasks that will reduce stress and help the client resolve the crisis. Finally, the termination process is reviewed.
Interfacial viscoelastic response to oscillatory shear deformations

Abstract The theoretical basis for a new frequency response method of determining the material properties of a viscoelastic liquid/gas interface is presented. The method involves measurement, at the surface, of the amplitude change and phase shift of oscillations imposed on a cup of liquid. It is based upon the effect that shear properties of a viscoelastic interface can have on velocities at a liquid/gas surface. The method is most sensitive for geometries where cup radius-to-liquid height ratios are about 0.5. Also, the sensitivity increases with frequency with the upper limit being constrained by the first appearance of secondary motions. A general series solution and computational algorithm are provided. The method is sufficiently sensitive to measure a viscosity ratio, defined as surface shear viscosity bulk shear viscosity cup radius, between 0.1 and 1.0.