cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Jury verdicts, settlement behavior and expected trial outcomes

Abstract The expectations that litigants hold about what would happen if they took their case to trial drive settlement behavior. Jury verdicts from previous trials provide information that could be used to help set beliefs about the potential damage award that would be granted in a dispute if it were to go to trial. But if past jury verdicts do have an impact on litigant beliefs then growth in observed awards could alter behavior in ways that change which cases ultimately get resolved at trial. In other words, the average jury award today could influence the set of cases we see at trial in the future. This paper derives and tests some empirical predictions about how past verdicts change the number of future trials and the expected trial outcomes. The findings suggest that recent verdicts alter the settlement behavior of litigants, making them more likely to proceed to trial with lower value cases.
A putative functional role for oligodendrocytes in mood regulation

Altered glial structure and function is implicated in several major mental illnesses and increasing evidence specifically links changes in oligodendrocytes with disrupted mood regulation. Low density and reduced expression of oligodendrocyte-specific gene transcripts in postmortem human subjects points toward decreased oligodendrocyte function in most of the major mental illnesses. Similar features are observed in rodent models of stress-induced depressive-like phenotypes, such as the unpredictable chronic mild stress and chronic corticosterone exposure, suggesting an effect downstream from stress. However, whether oligodendrocyte changes are a causal component of psychiatric phenotypes is not known. Traditional views that identify oligodendrocytes solely as nonfunctional support cells are being challenged, and recent studies suggest a more dynamic role for oligodendrocytes in neuronal functioning than previously considered, with the region adjacent to the node of Ranvier (i.e., paranode) considered a critical region of glial–neuronal interaction. Here, we briefly review the current knowledge regarding oligodendrocyte disruptions in psychiatric disorders and related animal models, with a focus on major depression. We then highlight several rodent studies, which suggest that alterations in oligodendrocyte structure and function can produce behavioral changes that are informative of mood regulatory mechanisms. Together, these studies suggest a model, whereby impaired oligodendrocyte and possibly paranode structure and function can impact neural circuitry, leading to downstream effects related to emotionality in rodents, and potentially to mood regulation in human psychiatric disorders.
Internet Security Readiness: The Influence of Internet Usage Level and Awareness on Internet Security Readiness Capital, Skill, and Actual Uptake/Use of Infrastructure

In this paper we applied our previously developed assessment framework to the data collected from an internet security readiness survey targeted at households. We used the assessment framework to compute an Internet Security Readiness index for each household, which was in turn derived from Internet Security Readiness capital, skill, and actual uptake/use of infrastructure indices. We then examined the relationships among overall Internet Security Readiness, and the capital, skill, and actual uptake/use of infrastructure related to Internet Security Readiness. In addition, we explored the influence of Internet usage level and experience on Internet Security Readiness.
The national park system in the United States: An overview with a survey of selected government documents and archival materials

Abstract The idea of national parks originated in the United States over a century ago. This article examines the evolution of the unique concept and suggests selected research aids, government documents, and archival holdings useful for further study of the national park system.
Management of pseudophakic cystoid macular edema

Pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME) is a common complication following cataract surgery. Acute PCME may resolve spontaneously, but some patients will develop chronic macular edema that affects vision and is difficult to treat. This disease was described more than 50 years ago, and there are multiple options for clinical management. We discuss mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and adverse effects of these treatment modalities. Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and corticosteroids are widely used and, when combined, may have a synergistic effect. Intravitreal corticosteroids and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents have shown promise when topical medications either fail or have had limited effects. Randomized clinical studies evaluating anti-VEGF agents are needed to fully evaluate benefits and risks. When PCME is either refractory to medical therapy or is associated with significant vitreous involvement, pars plana vitrectomy has been shown to improve outcomes, though it is associated with additional risks.
Limits to critical heat flux enhancement in a liquid film falling over a structured surface that simulates a microelectronic chip

The combination of increasing power densities and stringent surface temperature constraints for microelectric components has stimulated interest in cooling by means of pool boiling in a dielectric liquid. However, although dielectric fluorocarbons are highly compatible with electronic components, small thermal conductivities and latent heats make them poor heat transfer fluids. Moreover, pool boiling studies concerned with critical heat flux (CHF) enhancement have shown that significant hysteresis (temperature overshoot) at the inception of boiling may violate component temperature limitations. More recently, the falling liquid film has been considered as a means of enhancing the performance of dielectric coolants by controlling boiling hysteresis and increasing the critical heat flux (CHF). From experimental studies performed for a gravity-driven liquid (FC-72) film flowing over a smooth surface (Mudawwar et al., 1987), the ability to suppress hysteresis was demonstrated, and the trend of increasing CHF with decreasing heater length was determined. However, even for the smallest heater length of the study (L = 12.7 mm), CHF values were not much higher than those associated with pool boiling. It is known that CHF in a falling liquid film may be enhanced by reducing the length of the heated surface, machining longitudinal grooves in the surface, shroudingmore » the surface with a louvered flow deflector, or subcooling the liquid. However, experiments have yet to be performed in which these effects are considered collectively in order to establish upper limits for CHF enhancement. Hence, the purpose of this study has been to determine boiling characteristics for a subcooled film falling over a short microfinned surface with an attached flow deflector. Experiments have been performed for a 12.7-mm-long by 25.4-mm-wide microfinned surface and for subcooling in the range from 0 to 14C. The length of the heater is representative of microelectronic chip sizes.« less
Evaluating topology-based metrics for GO term similarity measures

Defining semantic functional similarity measures provides effective means to validate protein function prediction methods and to retrieve biologically relevant information from big biological data. It also improves understanding of interrelationship between genes and gene products (GPs). Currently, one of the most commonly used tools for functionally annotating genes and GPs is the Gene Ontology (GO), which describes genes/GPs using a machine-readable language. To measure the semantic similarity between two GO terms, many studies that are based on GO topology have recently been reported. However, a comprehensive assessment and general guidelines for validating these methods are lacking. In this paper, we collect a large dataset to evaluate five often-used semantic similarity measure methods by estimating sequence similarity, phylogenetic profile similarity, and structural similarity. We further compare the measures in terms of their clustering performance using domains extracted from SCOP database. We describe some key aspects of these measure methods and discuss how the limitations may be addressed as well as some open problems.
Canonical projector techniques for analyzing descriptor systems

Physical systems are often naturally formulated as descriptor systems (DSs) which form a superset of the more restrictive standard state spaces. The analysis of a DS, however, is complicated by the algebraic coupling between its proper and improper subsystems. The recently emerging canonical projector technique, stemming from iterative matrix chain construction, provides a theoretically sound and numerically effective way to completely decouple these subsystems and largely facilitates the reuse or adaptation of standard state space techniques for DS analysis. Nonetheless, results concerning canonical projectors are scattered and their potential use is currently less appreciated. The objectives of this paper are twofold: i) It serves as a tutorial that collects distributed results about canonical projectors and presents them in a coherent manner; and more than just a tutorial, it elaborates and provides new/elegant/corrected proofs to some fundamental properties of canonical projectors. An iterative procedure for canonical projector construction, lacking in the literature, is also described. ii) Obvious applications, including some latest development, of projector techniques in practical circuit design problems are succinctly illustrated. By creating a self-contained repository of important canonical projector theories, it is hoped that more interest will be drawn and efficient numerical implementations will follow.
Defoliation Effects on Seasonal Production and Growth Rate of Cool-Season Grasses

Knowledge of seasonal distribution of herbage growth is essential for design of pasture management schemes that optimize season-long herbage productivity and nutrients for grazing livestock. Current knowledge of cool-season grass growth is derived largely from either hay production or high-input systems. A 3-yr field study was conducted to determine the productivity and growth rates of cool-season grasses defoliated according to sward height criteria in a marginal-soil environment. Defoliation regimes included hay harvest, lenient (50%) removal of short (10 cm) canopies, and both lenient and intensive (75%) removal of tall (20 cm) canopies [...]
An examination of surface waving on mercury film electrodes using scanning tunneling microscopy

Mercury film electrodes (mfe) have been prepared on several substrates and examined using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Surface waving was found to be at least one order of magnitude smaller in amplitude than that observed on bulk mercury drops. A solid/liquid/gaseous interface was observed, as was the amplitude of surface waves under various imaging conditions. No resonance condition was observed in these systems. A simple system for exciting surface waves was developed, and used to investigate surface waving of mercury during exposure to various conditions. The source of these waves remains unknown.
Application of shrink induced three-dimensional structures to biosensor systems integrated with flexible solar cells

It is desirable to develop self-powered biosensor systems with better performance and lower cost by integrating a solar cell. A simple, controllable, and low-cost approach is showed to create three-dimensional microstructures in both biosensors and solar cells. This three-dimensional microstructure can enhance the performance of both biosensors and solar cells. The entire system was connected to a computer through a USB control unit. This self-powered biosensor system integrated with communication technology will have a great impact on point-to-care medical applications. It is anticipated that the controllable shrink induced micro structures will represent a general low-cost approach to accelerate the development of biosensors and photovoltaic devices.
Understanding the redox coupling between quantum dots and the neurotransmitter dopamine in hybrid self-assemblies

Interactions between luminescent fluorophores and redox active molecules often involve complex charge transfer processes, and have great ramifications in biology. Dopamine is a redox active neurotransmitter involved in a range of brain activities. We used steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence along with transient absorption bleach measurements, to probe the effects of changing the QD size and valence on the rate of photoluminescence quenching in QD-dopamine conjugates, when the pH of the medium was varied. In particular, we measured substantially larger quenching efficiencies, combined with more pronounced shortening in the PL lifetime decay when smaller size QDs and/or alkaline pH were used. Moreover, we found that changes in the nanocrystal size alter both the electron and hole relaxation of photoexcited QDs but with very different extents. For instance, a more pronounced change in the hole relaxation was recorded in alkaline buffers and for green-emitting QDs compared to their red-emitting counterparts. We attributed these results to the more favorable electron transfer pathway from the reduced form of the complex to the valence band of the QD. This process benefits from the combination of lower oxidation potential and larger energy mismatch in alkaline buffers and for green-emitting QDs. In comparison, the effects on the rate of electron transfer from excited QDs to dopamine are less affected by QD size. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms that drive charge transfer interactions and the ensuing quenching of QD emission in such assemblies.
Topological characterization of the c, c', and c" subunits of the vacuolar ATPase from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) is a multisubunit enzyme that acidifies intracellular organelles in eukaryotes. Similar to the F-type ATP synthase (FATPase), the V-ATPase is composed of two subcomplexes, V1 and V0. Hydrolysis of ATP in the V1 subcomplex is tightly coupled to proton translocation accomplished by the V0 subcomplex, which is composed of five unique subunits (a, d, c, c′, and c″). Three of the subunits, subunit c (Vma3p), c′ (Vma11p), and c″ (Vma16p), are small highly hydrophobic integral membrane proteins called “proteolipids” that share sequence similarity to the F-ATPase subunit c. Whereas subunit c from the F-ATPase spans the membrane bilayer twice, the V-ATPase proteolipids have been modeled to have at least four transmembrane-spanning helices. Limited proteolysis experiments with epitope-tagged copies of the proteolipids have revealed that the N and the C termini of c (Vma3p) and c′ (Vma11p) were in the lumen of the vacuole. Limited proteolysis of epitope-tagged c″ (Vma16p) indicated that the N terminus is located on the cytoplasmic face of the vacuole, whereas the C terminus is located within the vacuole. Furthermore, a chimeric fusion between Vma16p and Vma3p, Vma16-Vma3p, was found to assemble into a fully functional V-ATPase complex, further supporting the conclusion that the C terminus of Vma16p resides within the lumen of the vacuole. These results indicate that subunits c and c′ have four transmembrane segments with their N and C termini in the lumen and that c″ has five transmembrane segments, with the N terminus exposed to the cytosol and the C terminus lumenal.
Retrieving a Participatory Teaching "Office": A Comparative and Ecumenical Analysis of Magisterium in the Service of Moral Discernment

This essay explores how it might be possible to recover a more pluralistic and therefore participatory understanding and exercise of the teaching office in the Christian Church by, first, briefly reflecting upon the historical backdrop to the emergence and development of the role of authoritative ecclesial teacher. Second, I identify some of the ecclesial fault lines and tensions that emerged in the modern and contemporary periods pertaining to teaching authority. Third, I raise the issue of the impact of such developments upon the manner in which Christian churches have sought to offer teachings on ethical issues in recent times. Fourth, I explore, via an ecclesiological analysis that is both a comparative and ecumenical in nature, three visions for retrieving a more participatory and life-giving understanding of the teaching office and practice of the teaching function for our times. The visions explored come from a Reformed, Roman Catholic, and ecumenical standpoint: respectively, those of Richard Robert Osmer, Richard R. Gaillardetz, and Willem Visser ’t Hooft. The final section offers some brief conclusions about the potential for truly ecumenical collaboration in moral discernment in the light of such considerations.
Molecular cloning, genomic organization, chromosomal mapping and subcellular localization of mouse PAP7: a PBR and PKA-RIα associated protein

Abstract A mouse protein that interacts with the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) regulatory subunit RIα (PKA-RIα), named PBR and PKA associated protein 7 (PAP7) was identified and shown to be involved in hormone-induced steroid biosynthesis in testicular Leydig cells. In the present study, mouse PAP7 cDNA was extended by 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends; and a 3432 bp sequence, encoding a 525-amino-acid protein with a calculated molecular weight of 60 kDa, was re-assembled. Mouse and human PAP7 share an 85% amino acid identity and contain a conserved acyl-CoA-binding protein/diazepam binding inhibitor (ACBP/DBI) motif. ACBP/DBI has been identified as the endogenous PBR ligand able to stimulate mitochondrial steroid formation in all steroidogenic cells. The full-length mouse PAP7 gene was cloned and assembled by screening a BAC clone, polymerase chain reaction and searching the mouse genome database. The gene is approximately 29 kb in length and includes eight exons and seven introns. Although it is shorter than the human PAP7 gene, all exons are conserved between the mouse and human. The mouse PAP7 gene was mapped to chromosome 1H3-5 by fluorescence in situ hybridization in agreement with in silico search of the mouse genome database that mapped the PAP7 cDNA sequence to the 1H4 area. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy demonstrated that PAP7 is mainly localized in the trans-Golgi apparatus and mitochondria in mouse tumor Leydig cells, in agreement with its proposed function in targeting the PKA isoenzyme to organelles rich in PBR, i.e. mitochondria, where phosphorylation of specific protein substrates mediates the hormone-induced steroid formation.
Practical Guide for Three-Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography Using a Fully Sampled Matrix Array Transducer

Continuing Medical Education Activity for "Practical Guide for Three-Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography Using a Fully-Sampled Matrix Array Transducer" Accreditation and Disclosure The American Society of Echocardiography is accredited by the Accreditation Council for continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Society of Echocardiography designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™ . Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. ARDMS and CCI recognize ASE's certificates and have agreed to honor the credit hours towards their registry requirements for sonographers. The American Society of Echocardiography is committed to resolving all conflict of interest issues, and its mandate is to retain only those authors with financial interests that can be reconciled with the goals and educational integrity of the educational activity. Disclosure of faculty and commercial support sponsor relationships, if any, will be made known before the activity. Target Audience Participation should include clinicians and sonographers involved in echocardiography. Objectives Upon completing the reading of this article the participant should be able to (1) recognize the basic terminology and technology of 3D echo using a fully-sampled matrix array transducer, (2) assess the practical steps of 3D data acquisition and analysis, and (3) understand clinical applications to effectively use the 3D TTE technology. Estimated time to complete this activity: 1 hour Real-time three-dimensional (3D) echocardiography is a major innovation in the history of cardiovascular ultrasound. Advances in computer and transducer technologies, especially the fully-sampled matrix array transducer, have permitted real-time 3D image acquisition and display. Several vendors provide 3D imaging but use different terminology for similar functions, creating confusion for consumers. This article provides a practical guide on how to acquire and analyze 3D images on-cart using currently available ultrasound systems (iE33, Philips Medical System, Andover, MA; Vivid7, GE Healthcare, Wauwatosa, WI) in daily clinical practice.
Recent developments in the pharmacotherapy of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder typically first identified in childhood that has been demonstrated to persist into adulthood. Core symptoms of the disorder include inattention (e.g., difficulty sustaining attention and effort in the classroom), overactivity (e.g., fidgets, difficulty remaining seated during meals), impulsivity (e.g., blurts out answers), and frequent shifts from one activity to another (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994). For the purpose of making a diagnosis, at least six symptoms must be identified, and the severity of symptoms must render a child as functionally impaired (APA, 1994). Onset of symptoms must be prior to 7 years of age, and symptoms must persist for a minimum of 6 months. Initial symptoms of ADHD typically appear at preschool, but the diagnosis is frequently made in elementary school when there is increased demand for modulating behavior and following directions. Symptoms during the elementary years are often more apparent due to greater demands for sustaining attention, particularly at school. There has been compelling data to suggest that the core symptoms of ADHD persist into adolescence and well into adulthood, with up to one half of ADHD children reporting problems as adults (see Brown et al., 2001). The prevalence of the disorder is estimated to range from 4% to 12% in general primary care settings (American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2000), whereas the estimate is even higher in referred populations. The gender ratio is estimated to range from four to nine boys for every girl. The etiology of the disorder has been posited to be both neurological (i.e., differences in brain morphology between children with ADHD relative to their normally developing peers; Zametkin et al., 1990) and genetic, with approximately 65% of children with ADHD having at least one relative with ADHD, compared with 15% of normally developing peers (Barkley, 2001; Biederman, Farone, Keenan, Knee, & Tsuang, 1990). ADHD is frequently comorbid with other disorders, including mood, anxiety, learning disabilities, and disruptive behavior disorders (Brown et al., 2001). Co-occurring psychiatric conditions are believed to range from 9% to nearly one third of the children identified with ADHD within the primary care setting. Among referred populations, the prevalence of comorbidity is estimated to be about 33%. Proper assessment in addition to a comprehensive diagnostic interview must include data from collateral sources (i.e., parents and teachers), often collected by incorporating teacher and parent rating scales. In particular, the Conners Rating Scales (Conners, 1997) and the SNAP Checklist (Atkins, Pelham, & Licht, 1989) have been noted to perform well in the identification of children with ADHD. Contrary to popular lore, there is no specific psychometric assessment instrument, laboratory test, or diagnostic procedure (e.g., electronencephalogram, magnetic resonance imaging) that has demonstrated validity in the identification of the disorder.
Science meets public service in Washington, D.C.

Same planet, different worlds—that's how many scientists see the relationship between science and government. Yet science and technology have become so infused into society that those worlds are colliding. Today, a number of national issues share a strong connection to science, from stem cells to climate change and energy to bioterrorism. For scientists who can adapt to the culture of politics, working in the collision zone can be an exciting and rewarding way to spend a year or even a career. This past year, I was one of 35 scientists in Washington serving as Congressional Science and Technology Fellows, sponsored by a number of scientific societies, including AGU. The Fellows vary widely in age and carry resumes listing Ph.D.s in not only physics, biology, and chemistry but also in Earth science, food safety, psychology, and veterinary medicine. With a group like that, weekly lunches and happy hours become the kind of broadening experience that one rarely gets in focused academic departments. And then there's the politics.
New Perspectives On Experimental Archaeology: Surface Treatments and Thermal Response of the Clay Cooking Pot

This paper examines pottery technology and change through the eyes of the experimental archaeologist. A new vision is presented of experimental archaeology and the role its findings can play in archaeological explanation. It is argued that the most useful results of experimental archaeology are best obtained with long-term research programs. This perspective is illustrated by a case study of the relations between surface treatments (interior and exterior) and thermal performance in cooking pots. The experiments indicate that surface treatments like texturing, organic coatings, and smudging have marked impacts on thermal shock cracking and on thermal spalling in simulated cooking. It is emphasized that the findings of experimental archaeology, expressed as correlates, can be employed in explanations of prehistoric technological change, but only when embedded in more inclusive correlate theories and coupled with the requisite contextual information.
Happiness and meaning: Two aspects of the good life

The topic of self-interest raises large and intractable philosophical questions–most obviously, the question “In what does self-interest consist?” The concept, as opposed to the content of self-interest, however, seems clear enough. Self-interest is interest in one's own good. To act self-interestedly is to act on the motive of advancing one's own good. Whether what one does actually is in one's self-interest depends on whether it actually does advance, or at least, minimize the decline of, one's own good. Though it may be difficult to tell whether a person is motivated by self-interest in a particular instance, and difficult also to determine whether a given act or decision really is in one's self-interest, the meaning of the claims in question seems unproblematic.My main concern in this essay is to make a point about the content of self-interest. Specifically I shall put forward the view that meaningfulness, in a sense I shall elaborate, is an important element of a good life. It follows, then, that it is part of an enlightened self-interest that one wants to secure meaning in one's life, or, at any rate, to allow and promote meaningful activity within it. Accepting this substantial conception of self-interest, however, carries with it a curious consequence: the concept of self-interest which formerly seemed so clear begins to grow fuzzy. Fortunately, it comes to seem less important as well.In Reasons and Persons, Derek Parfit distinguishes three sorts of theories about self-interest–hedonistic theories, preference theories, and what he calls “objective-list theories." Hedonistic theories hold that one's good is a matter of the felt quality of one's experiences.
The Recurrent Coronary Prevention Project. Some Preliminary Findings

. The Recurrent Coronary Prevention Project (RCPP) was established as a 5–year clinical trial to examine two basic questions: – 1 Can the recurrence rate of post–coronary subjects be substantially reduced over a 5–year period by means of a programme of behavioural change, in comparison with treatment by cardiologists focussing on medication, diet, exercise and cardiovascular issues, and with subjects who only receive regular care from their own physician? 2 Can the Type A behaviour pattern (TABP) be changed and do such changes correspond to reduced recurrences of coronary heart disease (CHD) over a 5 year period? To answer these questions, four major treatment groups are currently being compared: – 1 A small group treatment programme (Section I) led by cardiologists emphasizing adherence to medication, diet and exercise, and giving cardiovascular and cardiological information. 1 A behavioural change treatment programme (Section II) based primarily on a cognitive social learning model and attempting to alter TABP. 1 A control group of subjects assessed annually and receiving private medical care from their own physicians. 1 A dropout comparison group composed of subjects voluntarily discontinuing participation in groups led by cardiologists or in behavioural change groups. Results to date show a significantly reduced rate of recurrence for subjects in the behavioural change group, compared to those in the groups led by cardiologists as well as control and dropout groups. These significantly lower recurrence rates are accompanied by data suggesting that subjects in the behavioural change programme are also altering their TABP as measured by both behavioural questionnaires and videotaped Type A structured interviews. Clinical impressions suggest that treatment programmes to alter TABP should consider the primary importance of the personal meaning of the TABP and other behaviours to the individual concerned, particularly how basic underlying beliefs set the stage for the TABP. The central role of hostility as a pervasive orientation towards self and others is emphasized, as are issues of excessive controllability related to extreme competitiveness and hyper–arousal. The multiple roles of group leaders, especially as social models for coping, and the impact of the small groups settings, is also discussed. The data generally demonstrate the emerging advantage of a behavioural change treatment programme with respect to the observed reduction in recurrence rates and provide preliminary evidence of reduced levels of the TABP in subjects receiving such treatment. Whether these findings will be substantiated and maintained over the full 5–year period and thereafter remains to be established.
Evolving intelligent interexchange network-an SS7 perspective

The role of common channel signaling, referred to as Signaling System No.7 (SS7), in the evolution of services in an interexchange carrier environment is discussed. The importance of SS7 in evolving the intelligent network necessary to support these services is addressed. Interworking with virtual private networks via the out-of-band ISDN messaging channel (D-channel) to extend the capabilities of SS7 network signaling to customer networks is also discussed. For ubiquitous support of ISDN, CLASS, and future services, the interworking of interexchange SS7 with domestic local exchange carriers as well as foreign administrations is critical. This service and intelligent network evolution is described. Emphasis is placed on services and the anticipated migration to those types of services which demand an intelligent interaction and close coupling of both virtual private networks and local public switched networks to the interexchange network. >
Timing and warmth of the Last Interglacial period: New U-series evidence from Hawaii and Bermuda and a new fossil compilation for North America

Abstract The timing and duration of the Last Interglacial period have been controversial, with some studies suggesting a relatively short duration that is orbitally forced and others suggesting a long duration that is at most only partly related to orbital forcing. New, high-precison thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) U-series ages of Last Interglacial corals from Hawaii and Bermuda test these competing hypotheses. Waimanalo Formation corals from slowly uplifting Oahu, Hawaii range in age from ∼134 to ∼113 ka, with most ages between ∼125 and ∼115 ka. Combined with published U-series ages from nearby Lanai, the data suggest a long Last Interglacial period that may have occurred from ∼136 to at least 115 ka. The results indicate that orbital forcing may not have been the only control on ice sheet growth and decay, because sea level would have been high at times of relatively low Northern Hemisphere summer insolation. On tectonically stable Bermuda, deposits from the ∼200 ka (penultimate interglacial period), ∼120 ka (peak Last Interglacial period) and ∼80 ka (late Last Interglacial period) high sea stands have been newly dated. Fossil corals on Bermuda are derived from patch reefs that likely were “catch-up” responses to sea level rise. It is expected that U-series ages of Last-Interglacial corals on Bermuda should overlap with, but not be as old as the range of corals on Oahu. Last-Interglacial corals on Bermuda give a range of ∼125–113 ka, which supports this hypothesis. A large number of emergent marine deposits on Hawaii, Bermuda and along coastal North America have now been dated to the Last Interglacial period. Both Oahu and Bermuda have marine invertebrate faunas with a number of extralimital southern species of mollusks, suggesting warmer-than-present waters during the Last Interglacial period. Warmer waters are also suggested for Last-Interglacial localities around most of North America, from Florida to Canada and Greenland and Baja California to Alaska. These observations are consistent with similar warm-water faunas of Last-Interglacial age reported from Japan, the Mediterranean basin and Western Australia. It is likely that significant changes in ocean currents took place during the Last Interglacial period, with a movement of relatively warm waters to higher latitudes than is the case today.
Episodic absorption in the outflow of the old nova V603 Aquilae

We report on the time-dependent behaviour of ultraviolet spectral lines in Hubble Space Telescope Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph data of the classical nova V603 Aql. In particular, episodic blueshifted absorption (extending to similar to -2500 km s(-1)) is present, with a variability time-scale down to similar to1 min. The data provide a rare opportunity to study the rapid evolution of absorption structures that may be associated with accretion-disc winds in cataclysmic variables. At least three absorption events are recorded (at blueward velocities only) over similar to5 h, each lasting similar to 10-15 min. The derived velocity, acceleration and optical depth properties provide an empirical picture of stochastically variable structures in the outflow, with no evidence for short-term (less than similar to 1h) cyclic or modulated behaviour in the overall absorption properties. In contrast, the emission components of the ultraviolet resonance lines are very stable in velocity and strength in this low-inclination system. On at least two occasions there is an intriguing short-term 'flare' in the ultraviolet continuum flux (of up to similar to 40 per cent). Though there is no clear one-to-one relation in these data between the continuum fluctuations and the occurrence of the absorption events, the time-scales for the two variable phenomena are essentially the same. The irregular absorption episodes in the ultraviolet data of V603 Aql presently defy a clear physical interpretation. Their overall characteristics are discussed in the context of instabilities in radiation-pressure-driven disc winds.
Decoherence and Decay of Motional Quantum States of a Trapped Atom Coupled to Engineered Reservoirs

We present results from an experimental study of the decoherence and decay of quantum states of a trapped atomic ion’s harmonic motion interacting with several types of engineered reservoirs. We experimentally simulate three types of reservoirs: a high-temperature amplitude reservoir, a zero-temperature amplitude reservoir, and a high-temperature phase reservoir. Interaction with these environments causes the ion’s motional state to decay or heat, and in the case of superposition states, to lose coherence. We report measurements of the decoherence of superpositions of coherent states and two-Fock-state superpositions into these reservoirs, as well as the decay and heating of Fock states. We confirm the theoretically well-known scaling laws that predict that the decoherence rate of superposition states scales with the square of the ‘‘size’’ of the state.
The effects of predation risk on female silk deposition and male response to predator-cued conspecifics in the wolf spider, Pardosa milvina (Araneae: Lycosidae)

Female Pardosa milvina (Hentz 1844) wolf spiders advertise sexual receptivity toward males via silk draglines, and male P. milvina exhibit conspicuous courtship behavior when encountering silk from females. Previous studies suggest that female P. milvina may benefit by limiting silk advertisements and excreta deposition when encountering silk from the predator, H. helluo, and male P. milvina may exhibit corresponding reductions in courtship when encountering silk from conspecific females previously exposed to H. helluo silk. We tested these predictions by comparing the amount of silk and excreta deposited by unmated female P. milvina exposed or not exposed to predator cues (silk and excreta) from H. helluo. We also measured and compared male P. milvina courtship latency and intensity in the presence of silk from females previously exposed or not exposed to predator silk from H. helluo. Contrary to predictions, we found a significant increase in excreta, dragline, and attachment disk deposition after females were exposed to H. helluo cues. Male P. milvina courtship latency did not vary among treatments despite increases in female silk deposition, but males significantly decreased courtship intensity when exposed to silk from females under predation risk. Vertical climbing to escape the predator cues may cause an increase in female silk deposition.
Genetically engineered antibodies for direct antineoplastic treatment and systematic delivery of various therapeutic agents to cancer cells.

Classical antineoplastic therapeutic modalities such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy not only fail to cure the great majority of neoplasms, but their employment often leads to severe and debilitating side effects associated with severe neoplasm-related morbidity. Immunotherapy as a fourth modality of anti-cancer therapy has already been proven to be quite effective. The astonishing immunophenotypic (IP) heterogeneity of neoplastic cells, the different cytotoxic activity associated with the moiety linked to given monoclonal antibodies (mAb), and mostly the impressive genetic modulation capabilities of cancer cells still remain as yet unsolved difficulties in the present immunotherapy of human neoplasms. The advances in mAb production have revitalised the initial concept of use of cancer cell specific "magic bullets." Antibodies represent new approaches to anti-cancer therapy: they are neoplastic cell-specific and lethal to neoplastically transformed cells via immune effector mechanisms with no toxi...
Passively Shunted Piezoelectric Damping of Centrifugally -Loaded Plates

Researchers at NASA Glenn Research Center have been investigating shunted piezoelectric circuits as potential damping treatments for turbomachinery rotor blades. This effort seeks to determine the effects of centrifugal loading on passively-shunted piezoelectric - damped plates. Passive shunt circuit parameters are optimized for the plate's third bending mode. Tests are performed both non-spinning and in the Dynamic Spin Facility to verify the analysis, and to determine the effectiveness of the damping under centrifugal loading. Results show that a resistive shunt circuit will reduce resonant vibration for this configuration. However, a tuned shunt circuit will be required to achieve the desired damping level. The analysis and testing address several issues with passive shunt circuit implementation in a rotating system, including piezoelectric material integrity under centrifugal loading, shunt circuit implementation, and tip mode damping.
Observations of Confined Spray-Driven Air Vortices

A series of experiments was conducted in a right circular cylinder to determine the flow pattern that develops when air circulates from the drag induced by falling water sprays. Two different flow patterns were visually observed and recorded by the distribution of spray mass flux. In one pattern, the airflow took the form of a single three-dimensional toroidal vortex with the air flowing up the sides of the container and down the center thereby concentrating the water sprays in the center of the container. The toroidal vortex was an unstable flow pattern unless the water spray was uniformly distributed along the ceiling. The second pattern was stable and took the form of a single nearly two-dimensional stationary roll with the air flowing up one side of the container and down the other thereby concentrating the water sprays along the downflow side. As the water pressure in the nozzles was increased, the roll did not remain stationary but rotated slowly about the central vertical axis of the container.
Some Bioterrorism Issues of Quantitative Biosafety

67 Abstract With the increased recognition of a bioterrorism threat, the realm of biosafety is substantially expanding and merging with biosecurity. Two issues pertinent to bioterrorism and biosecurity, or biosafety in its new broader sense, are dis- cussed in this article. The first concerns airborne exposure limits (AEL) for biological threat agents (including biowarfare (BW) agents) and a possible approach to determine these limits in the absence of precise data on infectious doses for most of these agents. The second issue concerns the sensitiv- ity limits for the real-time biosensors that should detect BW agents and the significance of these limits for biosafety and biosecurity. To what levels of infection would the different sensitivity limits correspond and how is sensitivity related to the ability to manage the consequence of an airborne threat? These issues were addressed recently in a model study on de- tection limits of real-time biosensors (Sabelnikov et al., 2005) but because of their significance for biosafety and biosecurity deserve a much wider scope of discussion.
The utility of cone beam volume CT in the evaluation of thrombosed intracranial aneurysms in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Thrombosed aneurysms are difficult to visualize with digital subtraction angiography. We report a case of subarachnoid hemorrhage from a thrombosed ruptured aneurysm which was undetected on digital subtraction angiography but was visualized with cone beam volume CT. To our knowledge, this is the first report highlighting the utility of cone beam volume CT in identifying such aneurysms.
Environmental causes and consequences of forest clearance and agricultural abandonment in central New York, USA

Aim Climate, topography and soils drive many patterns of plant distribution and abundance across landscapes, but current plant communities may also reflect a legacy of past disturbance such as agricultural land use. To assess the relative influences of environmental conditions and disturbance history on vegetation, it is important to understand how these forces interact. This study relates the geographical distribution of land uses to variation in topography and soils; evaluates the consequences of land-use decisions for current forests; and examines the effects of agricultural land use on the chemical properties of forest soils. Location Tompkins County occupies 1250 km 2 in central New York’s Finger Lakes region. Like much of eastern North America, this area underwent forest clearance for agriculture during the 1800s and widespread field abandonment and forest recovery during the 1900s. The current landscape consists of a patchwork of forests that were never cleared, forests that developed on old fields and active agricultural lands.
Temporal orientation and perceived control as determinants of risk-taking.

Abstract It was hypothesized that subjects would show greater restraint in risk-taking behavior when forced to wager after the outcome-determining physical event as compared with subjects who wagered in the normal (before the event) sequence. It was also expected that subjects defined as internally controlled would take greater risks than those defined as externally controlled. The former hypothesis was supported, as was the latter under the normal betting sequence. The findings were discussed in the context of Cohen's (1960) consideration of the preference for chance vs. skill in risk-taking contexts and in relation to the importance of the ages of the subjects used in risk-taking studies.
Tumor–Stroma Interaction and Cancer Progression

The understanding of how normal cells transform into tumor cells and progress to invasive cancer and metastases continues to evolve. The tumor mass is comprised of a heterogeneous population of cells that include recruited host immune cells, stromal cells, matrix components, and endothelial cells. This tumor microenvironment plays a fundamental role in the acquisition of hallmark traits, and has been the intense focus of current research. A key regulatory mechanism triggered by these tumor–stroma interactions includes processes that resemble epithelial–mesenchymal transition, a physiologic program that allows a polarized epithelial cell to undergo biochemical and cellular changes and adopt mesenchymal cell characteristics. These cellular adaptations facilitate enhanced migratory capacity, invasiveness, elevated resistance to apoptosis, and greatly increased production of ECM components. Indeed, it has been postulated that cancer cells undergo epithelial–mesenchymal transition to invade and metastasize.
Contribution of single-nucleon transfer reactions to 40Ar(τ, t)40K

Abstract An analysis of the 40 Ar (τ, t ) 40 K reactions populating the 0 + analog state at 4.38 MeV and the 0 + antianalog state at 1.65 MeV with incident 3 He energies of 35 and 18 MeV is made, including contributions from a pickup-stripping reaction mechanism as well as a conventional direct reaction mechanism. Agreement in magnitude and shape between calculated and experimental cross sections is best when both mechanisms are allowed to contribute.
Focus groups in small communities

Qualitative research methods have gained increasing acceptance as valuable tools for gathering information on attitudes, beliefs, and sociocultural factors that influence health behaviors. Conducting focus groups is a commonly used qualitative method. Existing guidelines for conducting focus groups do not address the challenges presented by the social familiarity of small communities and do not highlight the advantages of using the technique as part of a community-based participatory research (CBPR) effort. In small communities, researchers must consider characteristics of the facilitator and recorder, recruitment strategies, the importance of stressing confidentiality even when discussing seemingly nonsensitive topics, and the effect of disseminating results. Addressing these elements as part of a CBPR approach is advantageous because community partners know the ways in which the community talks about an issue and understand the subtle social impact of asking, answering, and interpreting locally specific questions.