cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Congress's Anti-Removal Power

Statutory restrictions on presidential removal of agency leadership enable agencies to act independently from the White House. Yet since 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court has held two times that such restrictions are unconstitutional precisely because they prevent the president from controlling policymaking within the executive branch. Recognizing that a supermajority of the justices now appear to reject the principle from Humphrey’s Executor that Congress may prevent the president from removing agency officials based on policy disagreement, scholars increasingly predict that the Court will soon jettison agency independence altogether. This Article challenges that conventional wisdom. True, the Court is skeptical of statutory restrictions on the president’s removal power. But statutory removal restrictions are not the only tool to achieve agency independence. Instead, the Constitution provides Congress with what we dub the anti-removal power—i.e., the power to discourage the White House from using its removal power. For example, because the Senate has plenary authority under the Appointments Clause to withhold its consent for executive branch nominees there is no guarantee that the Senate will confirm a replacement if the president removes the incumbent for a poor reason. As Alexander Hamilton explained, the “silent operation” of that uncertainty often allows Congress to prevent removal in the first place. Similarly, James Madison acknowledged during the Decision of 1789 that although the Constitution (in his view) forbids statutory removal restrictions, Congress has means to make removal costly for the president, which prospect should “excite serious reflections beforehand in the mind of any man who may fill the presidential chair.” Importantly, moreover, Congress can strengthen its anti-removal power by, among other things, enacting reason-giving requirements, raising cloture thresholds, and preventing presidential evasion of the Appointments Clause. Using history, real-world examples, and game theory, we demonstrate how Congress can create a level of agency independence without the use of statutory removal restrictions. We also explain why Congress’s anti-removal power has advantages over statutory removal restrictions, including a surer constitutional footing and enhanced accountability: both the president and Congress face political consequences for how they exercise their removal and anti-removal powers. Finally, we offer Congress a path forward to restore some agency independence, strengthen perceived decisional independence in agency adjudication, and limit judicial challenges to agency structures.
Status of white pine blister rust in the Intermountain West

During 1995-1997 we conducted a white pine blister rust (WPBR) disease survey in white pines of the Intermountain West. Incidence of WPBR in white pines was 59% overall, 73% in the northern Rocky Mountains, 55% in the middle Rocky Mountains, and 67% in the Sierra Nevada sample stands. Intensity within infected stands averaged 35% and ranged from 2% to 100%. Southward spread of the disease along the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains appears to have slowed or stopped, and the disease was found at the northern and western edges of, but not within, the Great Basin region. Smaller-diameter trees infected with WPBR sustained more severe damage than larger-diameter trees. Mortality and top kill caused by WPBR were very low across the entire study area, but incidence and intensity of the disease appear to have increased substantially in the northern and middle Rocky Mountains since the 1960s.
Diseases of the Colon and Rectum: CT Colonography

The public health need for colorectal cancer screening is compelling. Colorectal cancer is common, accounting for approximately 50,000 deaths yearly in the USA [1]. The benign precursor, adenoma, can be detected by several different imaging techniques and removal can prevent malignant transformation. The approximately 10-year polyp dwell time allows ample opportunity for patients to be screened and polyps detected and removed. Potentially, under ideal screening circumstances, an entire class of cancers could be prevented. However, barriers exist to ideal screening, including suboptimal performance of many existing colorectal screening tests, reluctant compliance by patients to follow recommended screening guidelines, and variable insurance coverage of examination charges. In many ways, computed tomography colonography (CTC) approaches an ideal screening test by addressing issues and problems inherent with other techniques. This syllabus highlights many key issues for CTC.
Optimal analysis of resistive superconducting fault current limiters applied to a variable speed wind turbine system

This paper describes the effective study in optimal design of a combinatorial resistive superconducting fault current limiter (RSFCL) and a wind turbine (WT) system. In the proposed scheme, the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) based on coordinated control strategy is also considered to provide a reactive power support as well as retaining the active power production during and after the fault condition according to the certain grid code requirements. The comprehensive electro-thermal model demonstrating the RSFCL damping performance is applied as additional self-healing support outside the WPP to attenuate exceed current in faulty conditions. The results show that the optimal selection of RSFCL can increase the active power generation capacity of the WT, thereby enhancing the dc-link voltage smoothness as well as the low voltage ride-through (LVRT) capability of the wind farm. However, any alteration in the dimensions of the superconducting wires as well as fault durations can influence both the voltage reduction and the reactive power supplied by the WT at the point of common coupling (PCC). Thus, the numerical analysis is implemented to show the pros and cons of variation of RSFCL parameters on the optimal performance of WT system.
Waste Land in Faulkner's Go Down, Moses

In William Faulkner's "The Bear," Isaac McCaslin's Uncle Hubert Beauchamp intends to bequeath his nephew a silver cup filled with gold coins. But over the years Hubert pilfers from his own bequest, and Ike finally inherits only a bright tin coffeepot containing a handful of coppers muffled in a rat's nest of formal I.O.U.'s. Critics usually compare the silver cup to Keats's Grecian urn, mentioning Ike's empty heritage or alleging his "arrested motion." I would like to see the devalued cup as a grail and Ike as a quester in a traditional waste land.
A critical scale in plankton aggregations across coastal ecosystems

[1] We examined the characteristics of biological patches at four different locations to assess the relationship of patch vertical scale, amplitude, and persistence. In contrast to patches of larger animals, we found that the majority of coherent aggregations of plankton at each site were vertically compressed, with most smaller than 5 m vertically. A subset of these layers, often referred to as “thin layers” in the literature, was distinguished by high intensity and greater persistence but not thickness. Our results suggest that ~5 m is a critical vertical scale below which aggregations of plankton frequently occur, pointing toward a controlling characteristic or a process common to a variety of regions and organism types. Given the commonality of this scale, insights into physical-biological dynamics gleaned from previous studies of the most intense and persistent of these patches may be applied more generally, leading to a better understanding of the ecosystem effects of heterogeneous plankton distributions.
Performance Evaluation in Industry: A Personal Perspective

Performance is one of the fundamental factors in the design, development and configuration of computer and communication systems. Performance evaluation therefore has been and continues to be of great practical importance in the computer industry. Of the two main approaches to performance evaluation, namely measurement and modeling, modeling has received the greatest research attention, both in industry and in universities. Hence, performance modeling is the subject of this paper. The paper is not intended to be a survey of performance modeling in industry. Rather we present our personal perspectives based on the development and application of performance modeling in IBM over the past 30 years.
A Real Options Reasoning Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Integrating Real Option Sensemaking and CSR Orientation

In this article we explore the conceptual relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) orientation and real option reasoning. We argue that the firm's attitude, communication, and behavior toward CSR will act as significant determinants to the firm's sensemaking approach to real options; that is, if and how it (the firm) acknowledges, receives, and manages strategic real options. Integrating the previous work of Basu and Palazzo with Barnett, we propose a new model that extends the influence of CSR orientation/character to general strategic decision making while simultaneously developing the attention-based view to real options.
RNA interference-mediated knockdown of p21 WAF1 enhances anti-tumor cell activity of oncolytic adenoviruses

The ability of oncolytic adenoviruses to replicate in and lyse cancer cells offers a potential therapeutic approach. However, selectivity and efficacy of adenovirus replication need to be improved. In this study, we present that loss of p21WAF1 promotes adenovirus replication and more effective cell killing. To test our hypothesis, we took HCT116 colon cancer cell lines carrying deletions of either p21WAF1 or p53, and infected these cell lines with wild-type adenovirus (WtD) or the oncolytic adenoviruses, ONYX-015 and Delta-24. We found that WtD, ONYX-015 and Delta-24 induced stronger cytopathic effects in HCT116 p21−/− cells compared with HCT116-WT cells. This was accompanied by increased virus production. siRNA-mediated knockdown of p21WAF1, and similarly of p27KIP1, in HCT116-WT cells also enhanced replication of and cell killing by these viruses. Furthermore, we found that TE7, an esophageal carcinoma cell line, also showed a strong cell-killing effect and virus production when p21WAF1 expression was suppressed by RNA interference before adenoviruses infection. Also, H1299 and DU-145 cells transfected with p21WAF1 siRNA showed higher virus production after ONYX-015 and Delta-24 infections. These observations suggest that p21WAF1 plays a role in mediating replication of oncolytic viruses with potential implications for adenoviral therapy of cancer.
Multi-colored quadtrees for GIS: exploiting bit-parallelism for rapid Boolean overlay

Abstract A number of tesselation based GIS using quadtrees as the underlying data structure have been constructed in recent years. At present there is an almost universal trend towards the representation of a thematic layer as a collection of binary, linear quadtrees, one for each color (value) in the layer. In such a scheme set operations are carried out by taking unions and intersections of binary quadtrees. This paper presents an alternative database scheme where a layer is stored as a single multicolored quadtree, using a bit-list to store values at higher nodes in the tree. This allows the union of any set of values within a layer to be carried out by a single top down traversal of the tree, using parallel bit-masking operations. Experimental evidence is presented to show that these Bit-Mapped Multi-Colored quadtrees lead to faster colour selection and boolean overlay between layers in a GIS. Furthermore, the recent development of One-To-Four and Autumnal quadtrees have meant that it is now possible to exploit the hierarchical structure of regular quadtrees in GIS without paying an associated storage penalty. Experimental results using these developments are presented to show that representing a layer using a Bit-Mapped Multi-Colored quadtree is more space and time efficient for set operations in comparison to the use of a collection of binary quadtrees, one for each value in the layer.
Transepidermal Water Loss as a Function of Skin Surface Temperature

Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) was measured as a function of skin temperature, using human cadaver skin in modified skin diffusion chambers. A formula was derived to allow conversion of TEWL at any skin temperature to a standard reference temperature. This formula permits more accurate comparison of TEWL within and between subjects.
Prediction of protein-peptide interactions: application of the XPairIt API to anthrax lethal factor and substrates

As software and methodology develop, key aspects of molecular interactions such as detailed energetics and flexibility are continuously better represented in docking simulations. In the latest iteration of the XPairIt API and Docking Protocol, we perform a blind dock of a peptide into the cleavage site of the Anthrax lethal factor (LF) metalloprotein. Molecular structures are prepared from RCSB:1JKY and we demonstrate a reasonably accurate docked peptide through analysis of protein motion and, using NCI Plot, visualize and characterize the forces leading to binding. We compare our docked structure to the 1JKY crystal structure and the more recent 1PWV structure, and discuss both captured and overlooked interactions. Our results offer a more detailed look at secondary contact and show that both van der Waals and electrostatic interactions from peptide residues further from the enzyme's catalytic site are significant.
The reliability and validity of two Ambulatory Monitoring actigraphs

Evidence for the reliability and validity of two models of Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc. actigraphs was obtained by testing four instruments of each kind 10 times each on a precision pendulum. Correlation and coefficient of variation methods were used to analyze the data. Reliability coefficients of .98 were obtained for both models. Coefficient of variation methods yielded reliability coefficients of 92% for the MotionLogger model and 97% for the BuzzBee model. Validity coefficients of .99 were obtained for both models. However, MotionLogger means were found to differ by up to 36% from one instrument to another, whereas BuzzBee means differed by 10% at most. Issues of standardization and measurement units were discussed.
Native oxide consumption during the atomic layer deposition of TiO2 films on GaAs (100) surfaces

Abstract The consumption of the surface native oxides is studied during the atomic layer deposition of TiO2 films on GaAs (100) surfaces. Films are deposited at 200 °C from tetrakis dimethyl amido titanium and H2O. Transmission electron microscopy data show that the starting surface consists of ~2.6 nm of native oxide and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicates a gradual reduction in the thickness of the oxide layer as the thickness of the TiO2 film increases. Approximately 0.1–0.2 nm of arsenic and gallium suboxide is detected at the interface after 250 process cycles. For depositions on etched GaAs surfaces no interfacial oxidation is observed.
Structure and decomposition pathways of D-(−)-tartaric acid on Pd(111)

Abstract The adsorption of chiral D-(−)-tartaric acid is studied on a Pd(111) substrate using a combination of temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). It is found that reaction at room temperature occurs predominantly via deprotonation of the carboxylic acid groups. Bitartrate species form at ~ 300 K at low coverages while monotartrate species predominate at higher coverages since the removal of the second proton is inhibited by surface crowding. It also appears that the bitartrate can rehydrogenate on heating to reform some monotartrate species. The hydrogens deriving from the carboxylate group desorbs at ~ 315 K, and the mono- and bitartrate species are stable to ~ 390 K where they decompose to evolve hydrogen, carbon dioxide and some water. Carbon monoxide is also formed and evolves in a desorption-rate limited state at ~ 450 K. Biacidic, second-layer D-(−)-tartaric acid adsorbs at higher coverages and initially desorbs in a state at ~ 329 K shifting to higher temperatures as the second-layer coverage increases, indicative of attractive interactions between adsorbates. A decomposition intermediate is detected by dosing D-(−)-tartaric acid at low temperatures (~ 100 K) and heating to ~ 300 K or by dosing at ~ 300 K and heating to ~ 320 K, and is characterized by modes at ~ 1313, 1261, 1202 and 1116 cm − 1 assigned to δ CH modes and a ν CO alc vibration suggesting that the intermediate may form by the removal of the COO group.
HUMAN ONCOPROTEIN MDM2 INTERACTS WITH THE TATA-BINDING PROTEIN IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO

Human oncoprotein MDM2 inhibits p53-induced transcriptional activation of promoters containing p53-binding sites. In this report we show that MDM2 interacts with the human TATA binding protein (TBP), in vivo and in. vitro, in the absence of p53. The C-terminal boundary of the TBP-binding domain on MDM2 resides between amino acids 221 and 276, whereas the N-terminal boundary is beyond amino acid 120. Thus, the acidic domain of MDM2 overlaps with the TBP binding domain and is needed for the interaction. The C-terminal conserved domain of TBP is required for MDM2 binding. MDM2-TBP interaction suggests a p53-independent, transcription regulatory role of MDM2.
The role of the endoscopic extraperitoneal approach in large inguinal scrotal hernias

The role of endoscopic extraperitoneal herniorrhaphy (EEPH) in the management of giant scrotal hernias has not been well defined, and the technical details relating to operations on such hernias have not been described. We present our experience with 17 patients undergoing repair of giant scrotal hernias. Foley catheter bladder decompression was routinely employed. The Retzius space was developed early in the procedure and hernia sac contents were reduced in all cases. The inferior epigastric vessels were likewise divided in all patients. The average operative time was 76 min and all patients were discharged home the same day. There have been no recurrences on follow-up. There was no mortality, and morbidity was limited to seroma formation in two patients. We conclude that with certain technical modifications, EEPH can be safely employed for the treatment of giant scrotal hernias.
Test and Evaluation of Refreshed Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) Buoy System

NOAA's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) operates the 55 Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) buoy sites near the Pacific Equator arranged in a grid from latitude 8N to 8S and longitude 65E to 95W. Many of the existing TAO components are obsolete or no longer available or supported by the manufacturers. So to ensure the future of TAO, NDBC designed and developed a refreshed TAO buoy system to ensure sustained and smooth operations of the TAO array. To make sure that the refreshed TAO system can provide equal or better data quality from the refreshed TAO buoy system, various lab and field tests were conducted so far: (1) A lab test was conducted at NDBC by comparing the existing TAO and the refreshed TAO systems; (2) Two refreshed TAO buoys were deployed in the Gulf of Mexico for field testing; and (3) Two refreshed TAO buoys were deployed in the Pacific Ocean next to two existing TAO buoys for inter-comparison testing in the field. This paper describes these tests and presents some results.
Age at intracranial aneurysm rupture among generations Familial Intracranial Aneurysm Study

Background: Previous studies have reported intracranial aneurysm (IA) occurring at young ages in subsequent generations. These studies did not correct for duration of follow-up. Second-generation members who would have their ruptured IA late in life may not be detected due to shorter follow-up time than the first generation. We examined families in which ruptured IA occurred in two consecutive generations for the hypothesis that the second generation (F1) was more likely to have a rupture at a younger age than the older generation (F0). Methods: The Familial Intracranial Aneurysm (FIA) Study is a multicenter, international study recruiting families of ruptured and unruptured IA. All available family members are interviewed. Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to examine differences by generation. Results: Although we found that the F1 generation was more likely to have an aneurysm rupture at a younger age than the F0 generation, we found that this was largely because of a lack of follow-up time in the F1 generation. The F1 generation had 50% the rupture rate of the prior generation. When analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves, we found a tendency to have a slightly later rupture rate in the F1 generation once time to follow-up was included in the analysis model. Conclusions: Families of ruptured intracranial aneurysm (IA) do not appear to demonstrate “anticipation.” Our finding suggests that genetic epidemiology of ruptured IA should examine all types of variations such as single base-pair changes, deletions, insertions, and other variations that do not demonstrate anticipation. FIA = familial intracranial aneurysm; IA = intracranial aneurysm; SAH = subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Balancing Act: The Adaptation of Traditional Judicial Roles in Reentry Court

While research has confirmed their role adaptation and importance in reducing recidivism in drug courts, little research has documented the role of the judge in reentry courts. Based on interviews with participants and the workgroup, court observations, and a document analysis, this study revealed that judges in a federal reentry court program balance informal, supportive relationships with participants with more traditional, authoritative, disciplinarian roles. The implications of this balancing act for participants' perceptions and other reentry court programs are also discussed.
Thermal environment shapes cuticle melanism and melanin-based immunity in the ground cricket Allonemobius socius

The thermal melanin hypothesis posits that ectothermic individuals of larger size or from colder environments exhibit darker cuticles due to melanin's efficacy in absorbing solar radiation. However, melanin is also a crucial component of arthropod immunity. Thus, thermal selection for increased cuticle darkness may profoundly influence melanin-based immune function. In this study, we address the relationships between the thermal environment (season length), cuticular melanism and two aspects of melanin-based immunity across nine thermally distinct populations of the cricket Allonemobiussocius .W e found that season length (i.e. degree days) and body size had a positive association with cuticle melanism in both sexes across populations, supporting the thermal melanism hypothesis. Despite their smaller size, males were found to have darker cuticles and superior melanin-based immunity. This pattern may be the result of additional selection on males due to sex-specific temperature-dependent activities, such as male calling song. Perhaps most interestingly, we found that short season length populations (i.e. colder) exhibited a greater phenoloxidase activity (aspect of the melanin-based immune system) in addition to darker cuticles in both sexes. This pattern is consistent with direct thermal selection on cuticular color, coupled with indirect selection on melanin-based immunity due to pleiotropy. Thus, thermal selection on cuticle darkness appears to indirectly shape the evolution of pathogen resistance in this system, and potentially for other terrestrial arthropod systems whose ranges encompass a significant thermal gradient.
Confinement of non-Abelian monopoles in the MIT bag model

Using topological arguments it is shown that in the context of the MIT bag model single non-Abelian monopoles are impossible and that the total magnetic flux of the bag must be Abelian. The size of the color-singlet bag containing three monopoles is estimated and found to be of the same order as a hadron bag, which may cause a problem for the conventional discussion of monopole catalysis of baryon decay.
A new procedure for refining force constants in normal coordinate calculations on large molecules

We develop a force-constant refinement procedure which we believe capable of being used in problems of large molecules and biopolymers. The procedure is based on a Green-function expression which relates changes in frequency to changes in force constants. The method does not require that assignments be made before refinment (although they may be). An expansion of this expression gives rise to a set of linear algebraic equations for the force-constant corrections, rather than an equation involving residuals to minimize. The resulting calculations are considerably simpler. This approximate is iterated to find the final refined force-constants. We discuss several methods of improving the convergence of the procedure which take into account the experimental information which may be available. Of particular interest is a scheme to select the force constants to be refined by imposing a criterion for selecting those which will fit the experimental data with the smallest changes of the force constants from their expected values. We discuss some limitations which occur for all methods of refinement applied to large molecules.
Large-Scale Association Analysis Identifies 13 New Susceptibility Loci for Coronary Artery Disease

1. The CARDIoGRAM Consortium. Large-scale association analysis identifies 13 new susceptibility loci for coronary artery disease. Nature Genetics. 2011;43:333–338. ### Study Hypothesis Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several common variants that are associated with risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and myocardial infarction (MI). The authors state that the current loci discovered in CAD and MI GWAS explain only a small fraction of the heritability of this complex disease. The authors hypothesized that a larger study would provide more power to discover common variants with modest effect sizes. Therefore, they formed the Coronary ARtery DIsease Genome-wide Replication And Meta-analysis (CARDIoGRAM) consortium, which consisted of data from 14 GWAS of CAD and MI.1 ### How Was the Hypothesis Tested? The authors performed a meta-analysis of 14 GWAS of CAD comprising 22 233 cases and 64 762 control subjects, all of European ancestry. CAD was defined angiographically in a subset (n=7364) and by history in the entire sample. Presence of MI ranged from 48.1% to 100% of each cohort. After the meta-analysis, they genotyped the lead single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the most promising (defined a priori as P 90% power to detect effect sizes observed in the GWAS meta-analysis. Finally, to understand potential mechanisms and intermediate pathways by which novel loci may mediate risk, the authors interrogated 3 genome-wide studies that also assessed gene expression in multiple tissues, using human cell lines, a genome-wide map of allelic expression imbalance, and other human disease traits. ### Principal Findings The analysis of approximately 135 000 individuals more than doubled the number of loci with CAD association, yielding 13 previously unidentified loci and confirming at …
Comorbid Conditions Do Not Differ in Children and Young Adults with Functional Disorders with or without Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Objective To determine if several multisystem comorbid conditions occur more frequently in subjects with tilt-table defined postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) compared with those without. Study design Retrospective chart review of 67 subjects aged 6-24 years, referred to a tertiary care neurogastroenterology and autonomic disorders clinic for a constellation of functional gastrointestinal, chronic pain, and autonomic complaints. All patients underwent formal autonomic testing, Beighton scores assessment for joint hypermobility (0-9), and fibromyalgia tender points (0-18) (43 subjects). Results Twenty-five subjects (37%) met tilt table criteria for POTS. The median age of 16 years (range, 12-24 years) in the POTS group differed from 15 years (range, 6-21 years) in the no-POTS group ( P = .03). Comorbidities including chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, dizziness, syncope, migraines, functional gastrointestinal disorders, chronic nausea, fibromyalgia, and joint hypermobility did not differ between groups. All subjects with fibromyalgia by tender point-examination had a Beighton score ≥4 ( P = .002). Conclusions Comorbid conditions are equally prevalent in children and young adults with and without tilt-table defined POTS, suggesting that POTS itself is not a cause of the other comorbidities. Instead, POTS likely reflects another comorbid condition in children with functional disorders. Dizziness and syncope, classically associated with POTS, are not predictive of a diagnosis of POTS by tilt table, a test that is still required for formal diagnosis. These results suggest a paradigm shift in the concept of POTS as the physiological basis of many functional symptoms.
The HPA axis response to stress in women: effects of aging and fitness

This study tested the hypotheses that aging is associated with greater hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity to psychological stress, and whether aerobic fitness is associated with a lower HPA axis response to psychological stress. Three groups, consisting of young-unfit women (27.9+/-2.5 yr, n=10), older-unfit women (66.3+/-1.4 yr, n=14), and older-fit women (66.6+/-2.0 yr, n=12), underwent the Matt Stress Reactivity Protocol (MSRP). The MSRP is a stress test battery that combines mental challenges, a physical challenge, and a psychosocial stressor. Definition of fitness was based on maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)) where unfit was defined as having VO(2max) average for the respective age group. The MSRP elicited increases in heart rate, blood pressure, ACTH, and cortisol (P<0.001). The older-unfit women had significantly greater cortisol responses to the challenge than both the young-unfit and the older-fit women (P<0.05), who did not differ from each other. ACTH levels were significantly higher in the older-unfit women at baseline and throughout the trial, compared to both young-unfit and the older-fit (P<0.01). The ACTH response was not different between any of the groups. The young-unfit women had greater heart rate responses than the older-unfit (P<0.01), while the latter had greater systolic blood pressure responses (P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the older-unfit and older-fit in terms of heart rate or blood pressure responses. Our result shows that among unfit women, aging is associated with greater HPA axis reactivity to psychological stress, and that higher aerobic fitness among older women can attenuate these age-related changes as indicated by a blunted cortisol response to psychological stress. These findings suggest that exercise training may be an effective way of modifying some of the neuroendocrine changes associated with aging.
A neuronal network switch for approach/avoidance toggled by appetitive state.

Summary Concrete examples of computation and implementation of cost/benefit decisions at the level of neuronal circuits are largely lacking. Such decisions are based on appetitive state, which is the integration of sensation, internal state, and memory. Value-based decisions are accessible in neuronal circuitry of simple systems [1]. In one such system, the predatory sea slug Pleurobranchaea , appetite is readily quantified in behavior [2] and related to approach/avoidance decision [3]. Moreover, motor aspects of feeding and turning can be observed as fictive motor output in the isolated central nervous system (CNS) [4, 5]. Here we found that the excitation state of the feeding motor network both manifested appetitive state and controlled expression of orienting versus avoidance. In isolated CNSs, spontaneous feeding network activity varied proportionally to donor feeding thresholds. CNSs from low- and high-feeding-threshold donors expressed fictive orienting or avoidance, respectively, in response to brief stimulation of sensory nerves. Artificially exciting the feeding network converted fictive avoidance to orienting. Thus, the feeding network embodied appetitive state and toggled approach/avoidance decision by configuring response symmetry of the premotor turn network. A resulting model suggests a basic cost/benefit decision module from which to consider evolutionary elaboration of the circuitry to serve more intricate valuation processes in complex animals.
A 1-Mbit MRAM based on 1T1MTJ bit cell integrated with copper interconnects

A low-power 1-Mb magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) based on a one-transistor and one-magnetic tunnel junction (1T1MTJ) bit cell is demonstrated. This is the largest MRAM memory demonstration to date. In this circuit, the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) elements are integrated with CMOS using copper interconnect technology. The copper interconnects are cladded with a high-permeability layer which is used to focus magnetic flux generated by current flowing through the lines toward the MTJ devices and reduce the power needed for programming. The 25-mm/sup 2/ 1-Mb MRAM circuit operates with address access times of less than 50 ns, consuming 24 mW at 3.0 V and 20 MHz. The 1-Mb MRAM circuit is fabricated in a 0.6-/spl mu/m CMOS process utilizing five layers of metal and two layers of poly.
Evaluating the special needs of functional neuromuscular stimulation Research candidates

A psychological screening protocol for individuals with paraplegia who, through functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS), might develop stance and gait control is described. The efficacy of criteria to maximize the appropriate involvement of research candidates is reported. Accurate assessment of special needs for all participants, including persons referred prior to application of the screening protocol, was made based on histories of research involvement. Test and interview data identified two candidates who were inappropriate. Continued monitoring is planned to assess the relationship between FNS utilization, personal and environmental characteristics of participants, and consequences of research involvement. The value of providing social-environmental resources to maximize research outcome is emphasized.
A tool to assess student performance in a Clostridium difficile infection simulation scenario.

Objective. To develop and validate an evaluation tool to assess student pharmacists' performance in a simulation scenario involving a patient with Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Methods. The authors used an expert panel review process to establish content validity of the tool. Four faculty members used the tool to evaluate student pharmacist groups during 2011 and tested a modified version of the tool in 2012. The authors analyzed the results for each year to determine internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Results. The 2011 tool demonstrated sound internal consistency, but several items had poor inter-rater agreement. The revised 2012 tool demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and good to excellent inter-rater agreement for all items except one. Conclusions. The tool facilitated reliable assessment of student pharmacists' clinical decision-making during simulation performance involving a patient with CDI.
The Embodied Mind: Building on Wacquant’s Carnal Sociology

This essay responds to Wacquant’s call for a “Carnal Sociology”—an approach best realized through a method Wacquant calls “enactive ethnography.” In this essay, I explore the ways in which certain aspects of Wacquant’s carnal sociology—specifically the sentient, the sedimented and the situated—can enhance our understanding of cognition and meaning-making. I reference an ongoing research project on the deciphering of olfactory messages to make my case.
Reduced Transit-Time Sensitivity in Noninvasive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Human Cerebral Blood Flow

Herein, we present a theoretical framework and experimental methods to more accurately account for transit effects in quantitative human perfusion imaging using endogenous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast. The theoretical transit time sensitivities of both continuous and pulsed inversion spin tagging experiments are demonstrated. We propose introducing a delay following continuous labeling, and demonstrate theoretically that introduction of a delay dramatically reduces the transit time sensitivity of perfusion imaging. The effects of magnetization transfer saturation on this modified continuous labeling experiment are also derived, and the assumption that the perfusion signal resides entirely within tissue rather than the arterial microvasculature is examined. We present results demonstrating the implementation of the continuous tagging experiment with delay on an echoplanar scanner for measuring cerebral blood flow (CBF) in normal volunteers. By varying the delay, we estimate transit times in the arterial system, values that are necessary for assessing the accuracy of our quantification. The effect of uncertainties in the transit time from the tagging plane to the arterial microvasculature and the transit time to the tissue itself on the accuracy of perfusion quantification is discussed and found to be small in gray matter but still potentially significant in white matter. A novel method for measuring T1, which is fast, insensitive to contamination by cerebrospinal fluid, and compatible with the application of magnetization transfer saturation, is also presented. The methods are combined to produce quantitative maps of resting and hypercarbic CBF.
Methane-deuterium exchange over platinum-rhodium alloys

The rate of exchange between methane and deuterium has been studied on a series of unsupported platinum-rhodium alloys in the temperature range 80 ° to 150 °. Stepwise exchange, leading to the successive formation of deuteromethanes, was the most important mechanism on all the alloy samples at the lower temperatures. The initial rates of formation of the species CHD3 and CD4 arising from multiple exchange increased with increasing temperature. The specific activity of the alloys reached a maximum at a composition of 60–70 wt % rhodium, corresponding to one unpaired d electron per metal atom. Factors which may influence the mechanism of exchange on the platinum group metals are discussed.
The Dilemma of Dominance

The concept of dominance poses several dilemmas. First, while entrenched in genetics education, the metaphor of dominance promotes several misconceptions and misleading cultural perspectives. Second, the metaphors of power, prevalence and competition extend into science, shaping assumptions and default concepts. Third, because genetic causality is complex, the simplified concepts of dominance found in practice are highly contingent or inconsistent. The conceptual problems are illustrated in the history of studies on the evolution of dominance. Conceptual clarity may be fostered, I claim, by viewing diploid organisms as diphenic and by framing genetic causality modestly through individual alleles and their corresponding haplophenotypes.
Evaluation of the binding of Acanthamoeba profilin to pyrene-labeled actin by fluorescence enhancement.

Abstract We have used a fluorescence assay to measure the binding of Acanthamoeba profilin to monomeric Acanthamoeba and rabbit skeletal muscle actin labeled on cysteine-374 with pyrene iodacetamide. The wavelengths of the pyrene excitation and emission maxima are constant at 346 and 386 nm, but the fluorescence is enchanced up to 50% by profilin. The higher fluorescence is largely due to higher absorbance in the presence of profilin. The fluorescence enhancement has a hyperbolic dependence on the concentration of profilin, suggesting a single class of binding sites. Linear Scatchard plots yield an estimate of the dissociation constant, Kd, of the complex of profilin with pyrenyl-actin. In low-ionic-strength buffers with 2 to 6 m m imidazole (pH 7.0) and 0.1 m m CaCl2 the Kd is 9 μ m for both muscle and Acanthamoeba actin. In 50 m m KCl the Kd for the complex with Acanthamoeba actin is 16 μ m , while the Kd for the complex with muscle actin is greater than 50 μ m .
Review of the studies on fundamental issues in LBE corrosion

Lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) technology is being developed for applications in advanced nuclear systems and high-power spallation neutron targets. In this paper, the current understanding of corrosion and the fundamental issues relevant to corrosion when using LBE as a heavy liquid metal nuclear coolant are reviewed. Corrosion mechanisms and processes in LBE are examined. Prospective methods to mitigate corrosion are briefly surveyed. We then discuss the oxygen control technique for corrosion mitigation in detail, including the range of oxygen concentrations in LBE, oxygen sensors, and the surface oxidation kinetics. Existing experimental results are summarized and reviewed. Theoretical corrosion models for non-isothermal liquid metal loops are refined and compared each other. The applications of these models to a few practical lead-alloy systems are used to illustrate the corrosion mechanisms and the parameter dependency, and to benchmark. Based on the current state of knowledge, a number of R&D tasks are proposed to fill the gaps and firmly establish the scientific underpinning before LBE nuclear coolant technology is ready for programmatic and industrial applications.
Machaut's motet 15 and the Roman de la rose: the literary context of Amours qui a le pouoir/Faus Samblant m'a deceü/Vidi Dominum*

Guillaume de Machaut's motet no. 15 is structured, from a literary point of view, around an opposition fundamental to the late medieval courtly tradition: that between two key personification characters, Amours and Faux Semblant. This opposition is introduced as the first words of the triplum (‘Amours qui a le pouoir’) are sung against those of the motetus (‘Faus Samblant m'a deceu’).
Fast spectroscopic imaging of water and fat resonances to improve the quality of MR images

Rationale and Objectives. The authors evaluated whether fast spectroscopic imaging of water and fat resonances can produce high-quality anatomic magnetic resonance (MR) images of rodent tumors and human breast. Materials and Methods. Fast MR spectroscopic images of eight rats with mammary tumors were acquired by using a 4.7-T MR unit equipped with self-shielded gradient coils. MR spectroscopic images of four human breasts were acquired with a 1.5-T MR unit. Results. Artifacts due to eddy currents were minimal. Images synthesized from MR spectroscopic data, in which intensity was proportional to water signal peak height, were similar to T2-weighted MR images. Boundaries of rodent mammary tumors are similar but not identical on peak height—weighted and T2-weighted images. MR spectroscopic images of human breast showed improved detail compared to gradient-echo MR images. Conclusion. Preliminary results suggest that incorporation of fast MR spectroscopic imaging methods into many standard clinical MR imaging procedures may substantially improve image quality.
Regular and singular perturbation solutions for bending and torsion of beams

Abstract For the bending of a beam under axial forces and for the warping of a shaft in torsion, a perturbation solution of the governing differential equation is derived. The beam or shaft may have variable cross sections, variable loading and general end conditions. For both cases—the singular and regular one—the perturbation solutions are explicitly carried out up to (and including) the first perturbation term. For the singular case in addition a solution uniformly valid over the entire beams length is constructed. Two examples illustrating the application are given at the end of this paper.
Damage testing of partial reflectors for 157-nm laser calorimeters

We determined the damage thresholds and lifetimes of several materials using 157- and 193-nm excimer lasers and a beam profile technique similar to that described in ISO 11254-2. We made these measurements to select an appropriate absorbing material for use in our primary standard laser calorimeter for 157-nm excimer laser energy measurements. The materials we tested were nickel-plated sapphire, chemically-vapor-deposited silicon carbide (CVD SiC), nickel-plated copper, and polished copper. Applied pulse energy densities (or dose) ranged from 80 to 840 mJ/cm2. We determined the applied dose from a series of laser beam profile measurements. Silicon carbide had the highest damage threshold: 730 mJ/cm2 per pulse. For this reason, and because of its high thermal and electrical conductivities, we have chosen silicon carbide as the absorber material for the 157-nm calorimeter. We also conducted long-term exposure studies in cooperation with MIT Lincoln Laboratory at a pulse energy density of 5 mJ/cm2 to simulate typical calorimeter operating conditions. No aging effects or other surface changes were observed at these dose levels after 500 million pulses, corresponding to a projected calorimeter lifetime of 50 years.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Annual cycle of sperm storage in spermathecae of the red-spotted newt, Notophthalmus viridescens (Amphibia: Salamandridae).

Female sperm storage was studied in a population of Notophthalmus viridescens from South Carolina. Spermathecae initiate production of a glycoprotein secretory product in October. At this time ovarian follicles are immature (0.5-0.9 mm dia), and mating does not occur despite spermiation in males. Six of the 10 females collected in December had sperm in their spermathecae, indicating onset of mating. Unmated females collected in October and sacrificed in February and March possessed mature ovarian follicles (1.3-1.4 mm dia), and the spermathecae contained large secretory vacuoles 2-3 μm dia. Release of secretory product is concomitant with the appearance of sperm in the spermathecae. Thus mated females lack secretory vacuoles in the spermathecal epithelium, and additional synthesis of secretory product does not occur. All females collected in February and March have mated. Sperm are embedded in the spermathecal epithelium and are undergoing degradation in February. Degradation of sperm in the lumen and epithelium is evident in specimens examined from May and June. Atresia of ovarian follicles begins in April in captive specimens, and specimens captured from the bay in May are spent. A general postbreeding emigration from the pond occurs in summer. Fourteen females collected 7 March were injected with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on 9 March and laid fertile eggs 10-18 March. Two of these females were sacrificed each month from April-September; all retained some sperm in their spermathecae, but further oviposition did not occur. Four females were kept 1 year after oviposition of fertile eggs, and oviposition again was induced with hCG; these eggs were infertile, and spermathecae lacked sperm. Spermathecae are inactive from June-September in captive and wild-caught specimens. Sperm may be stored effectively up to 6 months (December-May), and no evidence was found for retention of viable sperm from one breeding season to the next. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.