cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crossed-Coil Power-Factor Meters

The fundamental relations governing operation of the crossed-coil type of power-factor meter are derived for the particular measurement applications on single-phase, three-wire two-phase, three-wire three-phase, and four-wire three-phase circuits. Emphasis is placed on the usefulness of a graph of either the equilibrium equation or the torque relation in determining the scale distribution.
Thermoelectric power in half-filled bands

We extend the argument of Beni and Coll for the Hubbard model to show that the thermoelectric power of the lattice gas vanishes at concentration \textonehalf{} because of particle-hole symmetry. This result is valid in the presence of phonon coupling, and, unlike the fermion case, is valid on close-packed as well as alternate lattices.
A numerical study of breaking waves in the surf zone

This paper describes the development of a numerical model for studying the evolution of a wave train, shoaling and breaking in the surf zone. The model solves the Reynolds equations for the mean (ensemble average) flow field and the k–e equations for the turbulent kinetic energy, k, and the turbulence dissipation rate, e. A nonlinear Reynolds stress model (Shih, Zhu & Lumley 1996) is employed to relate the Reynolds stresses and the strain rates of the mean flow. To track free-surface movements, the volume of fluid (VOF) method is employed. To ensure the accuracy of each component of the numerical model, several steps have been taken to verify numerical solutions with either analytical solutions or experimental data. For non-breaking waves, very accurate results are obtained for a solitary wave propagating over a long distance in a constant depth. Good agreement between numerical results and experimental data has also been observed for shoaling and breaking cnoidal waves on a sloping beach in terms of free-surface profiles, mean velocities, and turbulent kinetic energy. Based on the numerical results, turbulence transport mechanisms under breaking waves are discussed.
AN ELECTRONIC BROKER FOR BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS ELECTRONIC COMMERCE ON THE INTERNET

Distributed object standards provide a key to building interoperable applications that can run on a range of platforms. The paper describes a CORBA-based research prototype for an electronic broker in business-to-business electronic commerce. High-level IDL specifications are used to achieve interoperability between components of the electronic marketplace. The two key functionalities of the electronic broker are the ability to dynamically gather information from remote electronic catalogs and the support for negotiations through auction mechanisms. The paper discusses the functionality and the design of the electronic broker and gives an overview of current extensions of the prototype. As application-level interoperability is a crucial precondition for many brokerage services, we put special emphasis on electronic commerce protocol standards.
Cretaceous multituberculate skeleton and the early evolution of the mammalian shoulder girdle

A Cretaceous eucosmodont multituberculate mammal skeleton has been found in Mongolia with all of the bony elements of the shoulder girdle in place. This specimen demonstrates a different forelimb stance from that recently hypothesized for another Cretaceous eucosmodont. Primitively, it retains a separate ossified inter-clavicle, as in monotremes and non-mammalian cynodonts. In other respects it shares with therians and their extinct allies key features associated with mobility of the pectoral girdle and shoulder joint during locomotion, and a more parasagittal forelimb posture. This locomotor transformation appears to have evolved just once among the common ancestors of multituberculates and therians, some time before the Late Jurassic.
Ultrasonic Nanostructured Thin Film Transducers for Flooded Member Detection

In this paper, we report a simple and accurate method to detect water in hollow pipes using a nanostructured thin film (NSTF). The NSTF was used as a piezoelectric transducer to mitigate health concerns generated by the current common flooded member detection technique, gamma radiography, and alleviate problems associated with using complex ceramic piezoelectric transducer arrays in flooded member detection. During testing of the NSTF's detection capabilities, discoveries were made which show the NSTF is a more viable candidate for flooded member detection than commercially available ultrasonic transducers due to the unique characteristics of the detected waveforms. Using the NSTF transducer for flooded member detection confers the accuracy and straightforward interpretation of results of radiological detection while avoiding detrimental exposure to the operator without the need of an ultrasonic multi-transducer detection system.
Farming Animals and the Capabilities Approach: Understanding Roles and Responsibilities through Narrative Ethics

In the Proceedings that emerged from the Second International Workshop on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group Level, Sandoe, Christiansen, & Appleby (2003) challenged participants to ponder four fundamental questions: a. What is the baseline standard for morally acceptable animal welfare? b. What is a good animal life? c. What farming purposes are legitimate? d. What kinds of compromises are acceptable in a less-than-perfect world? Continued reflection on those questions warrants examination of the shape of our modern agricultural ethic. It also calls for a reexamination of recent work by Nussbaum (2004) on extending the capabilities approach to animals and the interface of Nussbaum's work with Rollin's scholarship on telos (1995a). The resources of narrative ethics are summoned to navigate the above-mentioned questions and to explore how Nussbaum's approach and Rollin's notion of animals' natures relate to the main storyline associated with developments in agriculture.
Magnetic characteristics of some 1: 1 compounds of the lanthanides with gold and aluminum

Abstract The magnetic susceptibilities of LnAl compounds (with Ln = La, Ce, Pr and Nd) and of LnAu compounds (with Ln = any lanthanide with Gd through Yb) were determined from 2 to 300°K. LaAl is a Pauli paramagnet. The other Al compounds exhibit Curie-Weiss behavior with paramagnetic moments close to that of the corresponding free tripositive lanthanide ion. They order antiferromagnetically at temperatures ranging from 10 (for CeAl) to 25°K (for NdAl). CeAl exhibits metamagnetic behavior with a critical field of about 8 kOe. The susceptibility behavior of YbAu indicates that about 97% of the Yb is dipositive, the remainder tripositive. Neel points are observed only for the compounds of gold with Gd, Tb and Ho. They range from 43 for TbAu to 10°K for HoAu. Except at the lowest temperatures, Curie-Weiss behavior is exhibited by all the Au compounds other than YbAu, with effective moments in good agreement with that of the free tripositive lanthanide ion. Deviations from Curie-Weiss behavior at the lowest temperatures in both series are ascribed to crystal field effects.
Finite-automaton aperiodicity is PSPACE-complete

Abstract In this paper, we solve an open problem raised by Stern (1985) — “Is finite-automaton aperiodicity PSPACE-complete?” — by providing an affirmative answer. We also characterize the exact complexity of two other problems considered by Stern: (1) dot-depth-one language recognition and (2) piecewise testable language recognition. We show that these two problems are logspace- complete for NL (the class of languages accepted by nondeterministic logspace-bounded Turing machines.
CRYPTOCHROME Is a Blue-Light Sensor That Regulates Neuronal Firing Rate

Light-responsive neural activity in central brain neurons is generally conveyed through opsin-based signaling from external photoreceptors. Large lateral ventral arousal neurons (lLNvs) in Drosophila melanogaster increase action potential firing within seconds in response to light in the absence of all opsin-based photoreceptors. Light-evoked changes in membrane resting potential occur in about 100 milliseconds. The light response is selective for blue wavelengths corresponding to the spectral sensitivity of CRYPTOCHROME (CRY). cry-null lines are light-unresponsive, but restored CRY expression in the lLNv rescues responsiveness. Furthermore, expression of CRY in neurons that are normally unresponsive to light confers responsiveness. The CRY-mediated light response requires a flavin redox-based mechanism and depends on potassium channel conductance, but is independent of the classical circadian CRY-TIMELESS interaction.
Cheddar Cheese Flavor. IV. Directed and Accelerated Ripening Process

Abstract A process has been developed by which a liquid cheese product of characteristic Cheddar, Brick, or Romano flavor can be obtained from fresh curd in four or five days. The process appears to have industrial applications, and the products to have commercial uses. Basically, the process involves mixing two parts of 24-hr-old salted, unpressed Cheddar curd with one part of 5.2% sodium chloride solution and storage of the homogenous slurry at 30C. The flavor of the untreated slurry becomes like that of mild Cheddar cheese. Addition of reduced glutathione (10–100ppm) results in fuller Cheddar flavor which, upon prolonged storage, changes to Brick-type flavor. Addition of porcine lipase (100ppm) and reduced glutathione yields a Romano-type flavor. Addition of reduced glutathione to the slurries results in increased formation of free C 4 and longer-chain fatty acids and soluble protein, in particular, and in accelerated bacterial growth. The process has been applied equally successfully to curd manufactured from both grade A and manufacturing grade milk. Maximum control over the flavor quality of the liquid cheese was obtained with curd manufactured from pasteurized milk.
From Markowitz to modern risk management

Nobel Laureate Harry Markowitz is often referred to as the ‘founder of Modern portfolio theory’ and deservedly so given his enormous influence on the money management industry.1 However, it is my contention that he should also be referred to as the ‘founder of Modern Risk Management’ since his contributions to portfolio theory formed the basis for how risk is currently viewed and managed. More specifically, Markowitz argued that a portfolio of securities should be viewed through the lens of statistics where the probability distribution of its rate of return is evaluated in terms of its expected value and standard deviation. Since the ultimate selection of a portfolio involves the evaluation and management of risk as measured by standard deviation, it is clear that Markowitz's process of portfolio selection represents the birth of modern risk management whereby risk is quantified and controlled. In this paper, I will first, introduce value-at-risk as a measure of risk and how it relates to standard deviati...
A folded half-wave resonator for ESR spectroscopy

La forme la plus simple de resonateur est un anneau fendu dont la circonference est λ/2 place au centre d'un ecran exterieur cylindrique
A study of leveraged ETF based on geometric return

Leveraged (inverse) exchange-traded funds (LETFs) seek to deliver multiples (opposite) of the performance of the index or benchmark they track. LETFs typically are designed to achieve their stated performance objectives on a daily basis. Many real-life and hypothetical examples have been given to show that the performance of these ETFs over a period longer than one day can differ from their stated daily performance objectives. Formulae have been found using both continuous method and discrete method. A discrete method was used to find a formula linking the return of a leveraged fund with the corresponding multiple of the return of the unleveraged fund and its realized variance but the method needs to use some assumptions and statistical properties to create the volatility term. A CME report finds a very simple way to include volatility in their formula but fails to link to the return of the corresponding unleveraged product. In this paper, we find a natural way to link a leveraged fund with its correspond...
Expectant fathers and labor epidurals.

Purpose: A qualitative research study was conducted to describe and explain expectant fathers' experiences during labor when their partners receive labor epidurals. Design: Grounded theory. Methods: Seventeen couples were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Results: Two major concepts were identified: "Losing Her" and "She's Back." The men reported that these were the two critical points at which the epidural affected their experience. The theory, "Cruising through Labor," explained the fathers' experiences. Clinical Implications: Childbirth preparation classes that describe and explain women's responses to the increasing pain of labor contractions, the exhaustion of labor, and the effect of epidural analgesia could possibly assist men in preparing for the changes they will witness in their partners during the labor experience. Knowing that these changes are normal responses to the effects of labor might reduce men's levels of anxiety, frustration, and sense of helplessness. The labor nurse is a major support to the expectant fathers. Labor nurses who remain in the room during this phase, explain what is happening, and include the expectant father in their nursing care provide the best support.
Trading costs, investor recognition and market response: An analysis of firms that move from the Amex (Nasdaq) to Nasdaq (Amex)

Abstract We examine 36 firms that moved from the American Stock Exchange (Amex) to Nasdaq and 70 firms that moved from Nasdaq to the Amex after the market reform of Nasdaq. Quoted, effective, and realized spreads increase (decrease) when firms switch from the Amex (Nasdaq) to Nasdaq (Amex). The trade size is smaller but volume is larger when firms are listed on Nasdaq. Quotations on both markets exhibit quote clustering. Unlike previous studies, the Amex-to-Nasdaq (Nasdaq-to-Amex) firms have an average market value higher (lower) than the average of all Amex (Nasdaq) firms. The excess returns are positive (and higher than reported by previous research) when firms announce a move from the Amex to Nasdaq, particularly for high-tech firms, but are insignificant for the reverse. Moreover, we find that institutional ownership and the number of institutional shareholders increase when firms move from the Amex to Nasdaq, but not when firms move from Nasdaq to the Amex. The overall results suggest that firms that move to Nasdaq increase investor recognition and volume at the expense of an increase in trading costs, whereas firms that move to the Amex experience lower trading costs with no apparent change in investor recognition.
Word categorization from distributional information: frames confer more than the sum of their (Bigram) parts.

Grammatical categories, such as noun and verb, are the building blocks of syntactic structure and the components that govern the grammatical patterns of language. However, in many languages words are not explicitly marked with their category information, hence a critical part of acquiring a language is categorizing the words. Computational analyses of child-directed speech have shown that distributional information—information about how words pattern with one another in sentences—could be a useful source of initial category information. Yet questions remain as to whether learners use this kind of information, and if so, what kinds of distributional patterns facilitate categorization. In this paper we investigated how adults exposed to an artificial language use distributional information to categorize words. We compared training situations in which target words occurred in frames (i.e., surrounded by two words that frequently co-occur) against situations in which target words occurred in simpler bigram contexts (where an immediately adjacent word provides the context for categorization). We found that learners categorized words together when they occurred in similar frame contexts, but not when they occurred in similar bigram contexts. These findings are particularly relevant because they accord with computational investigations showing that frame contexts provide accurate category information cross-linguistically. We discuss these findings in the context of prior research on distribution-based categorization and the broader implications for the role of distributional categorization in language acquisition.
Subgrouping Persons with Snoring and/or Apnea by Using Anthropometric and Cephalometric Measures

Craniofacial and anthropometric characteristics are identified risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Phase 1 of this study used cephalometric radiographs to record craniofacial measurements from 60 OSAS subjects with a respiratory disturbances index (RDI) of 20 or greater (group A) and 60 subjects with a history of loud snoring and an RDI less than 20 (group B). From this data set, a craniofacial risk index (CRI) was constructed using age, body mass index (BMI), and 14 cephalometric measures previously reported to be associated with OSAS. A separating boundary (CRIS) was established by using discriminant analysis to differentiate between the two groups. All measurements were determined by an investigator who was blinded to the subjects’ RDI score. Phase 2 used a second sample of 19 group A and 47 group B subjects to test the ability of the CRI derived from the first sample to classify subjects in this second sample into the correct age group. The CRI was able to classify correctly 72.3% (34 of 47) of the group A subjects when all variables were used in the discriminant model. Using only four variables (age, BMI, hyoid mandibular plane distance, and tongue length) selected by the stepwise method, 72.3% (34 of 47) of the group B subjects and 78.7% of group A subjects were classified correctly. These results suggest that a stepwise CRI could be used to classify heterogeneous groups of individuals with increased RDI into subgroups with varying degrees of anatomic risk for disease. Such subgrouping by anatomic risk could be important in determining the pathophysiology of OSAS because it is likely that differences in upper airway anatomy among individuals interacts with a variety of other factors to produce clinical illness.
Thermochemistry of Molecules in the B−N−Cl−H System: Ab Initio Predictions Using the BAC-MP4 Method

A self-consistent set of thermochemical data for 33 molecules in the B-N-Cl-H system are obtained from a combination of ab initio electronic structure calculations and empirical corrections. Calculations were performed for both stable and radical species. Good agreement is found between the calculations and experimental heats of formation for most molecules containing B, H, and Cl. In addition, the BAC-MP4 and experimental heats of formation for H{sub 3}B:NH{sub 3} are also in reasonable agreement, suggesting that the bond additivity parameters chosen for B-N bonds will provide reasonably accurate heats of formation for compounds containing this type of bond. Transition-state energies for two reactions involving BCl{sub 3} and NH{sub 3} are also predicted. Polynomial fits of the predicted thermodynamic data over the 300-4000 K temperature range are included in the Supporting Information. 68 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.
The First Steam Engine in America

In September, 1753, the little snow Irene arrived in New York after a passage of twelve weeks from London with a cargo that included the first Newcomen or Cornish "fire engine" to reach America. Accompanied by a young British engineer, Josiah Hornblower, the primitive steam engine was destined for the famous copper mine owned by Colonel John Schuyler at Second River (now North Arlington) in New Jersey, where it was to be employed in pumping the deep shafts free of water.
Formation of polychlorinated naphthalenes from chlorophenols

Abstract To test the hypothesis that polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) can be formed from chlorinated phenols via cyclopentadienyl radicals in post-combustion gas containing 8% oxygen, the slow combustion of three chlorophenols (CPs) at 600 °C was studied in a laminar flow reactor. Contrary to the a priori hypothesis, different distributions of PCN isomers were produced from each CP. To explain these distributions and the observed correlation between polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) and PCN yields, a mechanism is proposed that builds on published mechanisms of PCDF formation from chlorinated phenols and naphthalene formation from dihydrofulvalene. This mechanism involves phenoxy radical coupling at unsubstituted ortho -carbon sites followed by CO elimination to produce dichloro-9,10-dihydrofulvalene intermediates. Naphthalene products are formed by loss of H and/or Cl atoms and rearrangement. Of the three chlorophenols, 3-CP produced the highest PCN and PCDF yields, as well as the greatest number of PCN and PCDF product; 2-CP produced the lowest PCN and PCDF yields. Phenol, formed by hydrodechlorination of CP, led to the formation of naphthalene and monochloronaphthalene products. This work provides a better understanding of isomer-specific PCN formation in post-combustion gas and may be developed and used as a tool for mechanism attribution in combustion systems.
Opium Alkaloids XV: Isolation of Stepholidine

Abstract A protoberberine alkaloid was isolated from opium and characterized as (–)‐2,10‐dihydroxy‐3,9‐dimethoxytetrahy‐droprotoberberine by spectroscopic methods and by comparison with (–)‐stepholidine.
Positive impact of an intervention by arthritis patient educators on knowledge and satisfaction of patients in a rheumatology practice.

Objective The goal of the study was to determine whether an intervention by a trained arthritis patient educator could have a positive impact on the health status, knowledge, and satisfaction with services of arthritis patients attending an ambulatory rheumatology care clinic by providing education and support. Methods One hundred eight arthritis patients were randomly assigned to have an intervention by an arthritis patient educator as well as standard rheumatologic care (n = 47) or were assigned to the control group receiving only standard rheumatologic care (n = 61). Both groups completed the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 and the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale at baseline arrival to the clinic. After the appointment with the rheumatologist, each patient of the study group met with an arthritis patient educator. This session included educational and social support. A week later this group of patients received a followup telephone call from an arthritis patient educator to determine whether the patient had unanswered questions or needed additional support. Eight weeks later, both groups completed the baseline questionnaire again, a basic arthritis knowledge test, and a satisfaction survey. Results Eight weeks after the interventions, basic knowledge scores, on a scale of 1 to 8, were significantly different for the study group and the control group (6.48 ± 0.31 versus 5.35 ± 0.35, respectively, P = 0.02). A greater percentage of patients who received the intervention by an arthritis patient educator was able to identify two of the educational resources available to them compared with patients in the control group (92.6 ± 0.05% versus 64.50 ± 0.08%, P = 0.015, 77.7 ± 0.08% versus 54.8 ± 0.09%, P = 0.041). A greater percentage of persons in the active intervention group was also able to identify one self-help aid compared with the control group (88.8 ± 0.06% versus 67.74 ± 0.08%, P = 0.028). Overall satisfaction with care was rated “good” or “excellent” more often by the study group when compared with the control group (88.5 ± 0.24% versus 61.3 ± 0.32%, P = 0.01). Of the study group, 69% found the session helpful, and 58% desired further interactions; 16% of the control group also requested future appointments with the arthritis patient educators. Conclusion Arthritis patient educators can provide a meaningful and useful addition to traditional rheumatology care, positively affecting patient knowledge and satisfaction with clinic services.
EVEXED and MEET for mechanical design: testing structural decomposition and constraint propagation

Abstract In previous work we have developed a model of design which can be summarized as structural decomposition plus constraint propagation, and embodied it in VEXED, a system for circuit design. In this paper we report on work we have done to test the generality of this model of design by abstracting VEXED into a domain independent shell, EVEXED, and using EVEXED to implement MEET, a system for mechanical design. This work demonstrates that the basic model of design can be used for some, but not all, areas of mechanical design. In particular, this approach is not appropriate for design involving parameter selection for primitive parts or design involving large searches. This work also demonstrates the importance of combining multiple models of design to handle different aspects of the same artifact. Finally, it demonstrates the importance of testing ideas about design on multiple tasks and domains.
The Coalition Process at Work: Building Care Coordination Models to Control Chronic Disease

Asthma is a highly prevalent and frequently misunderstood chronic disease with significant morbidity. Integrating client services at the patient-centered level and using coalitions to build coordinated, linked systems to affect care may improve outcomes. All seven Allies Against Asthma coalitions identified inefficient, inconsistent, and/or fragmented care as issues for their communities. In response, the coalitions employed a collaborative process to identify and address problems related to system fragmentation and to improve coordination of care. Each coalition developed a variety of interventions related to its specific needs and assets, stakeholders, stage of coalition formation, and the dynamic structure of its community. Despite common barriers in forming alliances with busy providers and their staff, organizing administrative structures among interinstitutional cultures, enhancing patient and/or family involvement, interacting with multiple insurers, and contending with health system inertia, the coalitions demonstrated the ability to produce coordinated improvements to existing systems of care.
Modulation of prostaglandin production by nitric oxide in astroglia

We examined the effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on prostaglandin production in fetal ovine astroglia. Astroglia in secondary culture grown in 12 well plates were exposed to medium alone or medium containing 10 ng/ml interleukin 1α (IL1α), in the presence or absence of 10 and 100 μM sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Sodium nitroprusside is a NO donor. Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay after 4 h of medium and/or drug application. Application of 100 μM SNP reduced basal levels of PGF2α from 530 ± 48 pg/ml (mean ± SEM) (n = 9) to 248 ± 60 pg/ml (n = 8) (P < 0.05). In IL1α treated cells, PGF2α levels were 846 ± 109 pg/ml (n = 9) (P < 0.05, compared to basal levels) in the absence and 567 ± 122 pg/ml (n = 9) in the presence of 100 μM SNP (P < 0.05, compared to IL1α alone). We tested whether effects of exogenous NO on PGF2α levels would be influenced by elimination of endogenously produced NO. Inhibition of NO synthase with 100 μM NG-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (l-NAME) did not affect PGF2α levels during basal conditions, or affect reductions in PGF2α levels during application of 100 μM SNP. In addition, l-NAME application did not affect IL1α-induced increases in PGF2α levels or reductions in PGF2α levels with coapplication of 100 μM SNP. In contrast to the higher dose, application of 10 μM did not significantly affect PGF2α levels. In summary, application of 100 μM SNP reduces basal production of PGF2α and attenuates increases in PGF2α levels with IL1α application.
Early Spinal Cord and Brainstem Involvement in Infantile Leigh Syndrome Possibly Caused by a Novel Variant

Leigh syndrome, due to a dysfunction of mitochondrial energy metabolism, is a genetically heterogeneous and progressive neurologic disorder that usually occurs in infancy and childhood. Its clinical presentation and neuroimaging findings can be variable, especially early in the course of the disease. This report presents a patient with infantile Leigh syndrome who had atypical radiologic findings on serial neuroimaging studies with early and severe involvement of the cervical spinal cord and brainstem and injury to the thalami and basal ganglia occurring only late in the clinical course. Postmortem microscopic examination supported this timing of injury within the central nervous system. In addition, mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing showed a novel homoplasmic variant that could be responsible for this unique lethal form of Leigh syndrome.
Approximate methods for the fast computation of EPR and ST-EPR spectra. II. Gaussian preconvolution followed by Runge-Kutta solution of the master supe

Abstract The inclusion of molecular motion, microwave radiation, and Zeeman modulation effects into the theory of EPR line-shapes results in an algebraic superm
A micromechanical cyclic void growth model for ultra-low cycle fatigue

The influence of stress triaxiality and Lode parameter on microvoid growth phase of ductile fracture under ultra-low cycle fatigue (ULCF) (Nf < 100, Nf = cycles to failure) loading is investigated using micromechanical analyses. A new micromechanical cyclic void growth model (MM-CVGM) to predict the ULCF life of ASTM A992 steels is presented. The MM-CVGM is calibrated and validated from the experiments conducted on axisymmetrically notched specimens. Number of cycles to failure (Nf) and the fracture initiation locations predicted by the model closely matched the experimental observations.
Regulated competition: the time has arrived.

I 5 choice" proposal in a book entitled Health Plan: The 6' Only Practical Solution to the Soaring Cost of Medical k s Care (z). In the meantime, there has been wide acceptance of health care market strategies as well as tremendous growth in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs); but there has been very little done to promote "socially desirable competition" through government regulation (3). Given a choice among (i) direct government delivery of health services, (z) government regulation of private medical prices (rate setting) and the supply of private medical facilities (certificate of need), and (3) competition between private HMOs, as three archetypical methods of rationalizing health services and controlling health care costs, it is our judgment that the last option may be the best for the United States. Competition between HMOs (including staff, group and independent practice models) has a number of features which are very appealing: (i) the delivery of health care remains in the private sector, relatively distanced from bureaucratic and political entanglements; (z) capitation reimbursement provides a financial incentive for cost control; (3) providers of health care have the freedom and flexibility to innovate in services, facilities, equipment and personnel deployment; and (4) consumers have the ability to vote with their feet, keeping the health service delivery system sensitive and responsive to patient concerns. However, all of the potential advantages of HMO competition are for naught if HMOs are geared to maximize profits rather than promoting
Situated action: A symbolic interpretation

The congeries of theoretical views collectively referred to as “situated action” (SA) claim that humans and their interactions with the world cannot be understood using symbol-system models and methodology, but only by observing them within real-world contexts or building nonsymbolic models of them. SA claims also that rapid, real-time interaction with a dynamically changing environment is not amenable to symbolic interpretation of the sort espoused by the cognitive science of recent decades. Planning and representation, central to symbolic theories, are claimed to be irrelevant in everyday human activity. We will contest these claims, as well as their proponents' characterizations of the symbol-system viewpoint. We will show that a number of existing symbolic systems perform well in temporally demanding tasks embedded in complex environments, whereas the systems usually regarded as exemplifying SA are thoroughly symbolic (and representational), and, to the extent that they are limited in these respects, have doubtful prospects for extension to complex tasks. As our title suggests, we propose that the goals set forth by the proponents of SA can be attained only within the framework of symbolic systems. The main body of empirical evidence supporting our view resides in the numerous symbol systems constructed in the past 35 years that have successfully simulated broad areas of human cognition.
On stability of linear switched differential algebraic equations

This paper studies linear switched differential algebraic equations (DAEs), i.e., systems defined by a finite family of linear DAE subsystems and a switching signal that governs the switching between them. We show by examples that switching between stable subsystems may lead to instability, and that the presence of algebraic constraints leads to a larger variety of possible instability mechanisms compared to those observed in switched systems described by ordinary differential equations (ODEs). We prove two sufficient conditions for stability of switched DAEs based on the existence of suitable Lyapunov functions. The first result states that a common Lyapunov function guarantees stability under arbitrary switching when an additional condition involving consistency projectors holds (this extra condition is not needed when there are no jumps, as in the case of switched ODEs). The second result shows that stability is preserved under switching with sufficiently large dwell time.
An unusual distal arthrogryposis

We report on a mother and her dizygotic twin fetuses who were affected with distal arthrogryposis. In addition the mother has cervical vertebral anomalies, scoliosis, short stature, nuchal and axillary pterygia, and unusual facial appearance. The fetuses had a short neck, pterygium colli, retrognathia, and mild apparent scoliosis. We think that these three individuals have a previously undescribed type of distal arthrogryposis.
Nonlinear Instability of an Evaporating Capillary Jet

The temporal instability of an evaporating liquid jet is investigated numerically. Effects of liquid Reynolds number, disturbance wave number, and the surface evaporation rate on the growth rate of the instability are studied. The results are compared with that of the linear analytical solution. For a high evaporation rate the propagation of the disturbance is no longer linear; thus, the linear analysis cannot predict the growth accurately. A modie ed growth rate for the instability of an evaporating jet is dee ned. The breakup mechanism of viscous liquid jets and the formation of satellite drops are described. The results show that the satellite size decreases with decreasing Reynolds number and increasing wave number and evaporation rate. For large evaporation rates the satellite dropsbecomevery small, oreven completely eliminated. The effect of theevaporation rate on the breakup time is also studied.
Gaussian Process for lens distortion modeling

When calibrating a camera, the radial component of lens distortion is the dominant source of image distortion. To model this lens distortion, camera models incorporate a radial distortion model that conforms to a certain parametric form. In practice however, multiple parametric forms can be used to model distortion for a given lens. Ideally, one would choose the best suited parametric form using a model selection procedure.
Revascularization of a Human Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft During the First Two Years of Implantation

The blood supplies of 45 unimpinged, human anterior cruciate ligament grafts were studied during the first 2 years of implantation. Grafts were defined as un impinged by the low signal intensity of the graft ob served on a sagittal proton density magnetic resonance scan. Magnetic resonance imaging with the intravenous contrast agent gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentace tic acid was used to evaluate the blood supply of the hamstring autograft as well as the periligamentous tis sues by assessment of enhancement patterns after ad ministration of the agent. The unimpinged anterior cru ciate ligament graft acquired no discernible blood supply during the 2 years of implantation. The graft re tained the same hypovascular appearance as the nor mal posterior cruciate ligament. In contrast, the periligamentous soft tissues were richly vascularized and covered the graft by 1 month. The viability of an un impinged, human anterior cruciate ligament graft may de pend more on synovial diffusion than on revascularization.
Application of Mg-based alloys for cardiovascular stents

Over 15 million people are living with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the USA currently. The standard treatment for CVD is stent angioplasty for which bare metal stents are widely used; however, they are permanent and often lead to in-stent restenosis. Magnesium (Mg) alloys are perhaps the most clinically-advanced solution to these problems, because they are biodegradable, and their good biocompatibility will decrease restenosis. Two major drawbacks of Mg materials are fast degradation and not enough mechanical strength. These can be improved through alloying with other elements and surface treatments. Here, we summarised the recent developments on Mg-based stents materials, including alloying, manufacturing, surface modification, in vitro/in vivo biocompatibility analysis, and clinical tries.
The utilization of urea by dairy cattle.

Summary Urea and cottonseed meal were of comparable value for milk production when incorporated into the concentrate mixtures at the levels used in this investigation. Addition of 22g. of dl-methionine per cow per day to a ration containing urea did not produce any beneficial effects. Addition of 200lb. of ground corncobs per 1,000lb. of concentrate mixture, so that the crude fiber content was doubled, did not adversely affect milk production or any of the other factors studied. Addition of urea to the corncob-concentrate mixture did not exhibit any beneficial effect on milk production or apparent digestibility of the feed constituents.
Neuroanatomy of autism

Autism spectrum disorder is a heterogeneous, behaviorally defined, neurodevelopmental disorder that occurs in 1 in 150 children. Individuals with autism have deficits in social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication and have restricted or stereotyped patterns of behavior. They might also have co-morbid disorders including intellectual impairment, seizures and anxiety. Postmortem and structural magnetic resonance imaging studies have highlighted the frontal lobes, amygdala and cerebellum as pathological in autism. However, there is no clear and consistent pathology that has emerged for autism. Moreover, recent studies emphasize that the time course of brain development rather than the final product is most disturbed in autism. We suggest that the heterogeneity of both the core and co-morbid features predicts a heterogeneous pattern of neuropathology in autism. Defined phenotypes in larger samples of children and well-characterized brain tissue will be necessary for clarification of the neuroanatomy of autism.
Systemic Metabolic Abnormalities in Adult-onset Acid Maltase Deficiency Beyond Muscle Glycogen Accumulation

Importance The physiological relevance of acid maltase (acid α-glucosidase, an enzyme that degrades lysosomal glycogen) is well recognized in liver and muscle. In late (adult)–onset acid maltase deficiency (glycogen storage disease type II [GSD II]), glycogen accumulates inside muscular lysosomes in the context of reduced enzymatic activity present not only in muscle, but also throughout the organism. Yet, disease manifestations are commonly attributed to lysosomal disruption and autophagic vesicle buildup inside the myofiber due to a lack of obvious hepatic or broader metabolic dysfunction. However, current therapies primarily focused on reducing glycogen deposition by dietary or enzyme replacement have not been consistently beneficial, providing the motivation for a better understanding of disease mechanisms. Objective To provide a systematic overview of metabolism and methylation capacity using widely available analytical methods by evaluating secondary compromise of (1) the citric acid cycle, (2) methylation capacity, and (3) nutrient sensor interaction in as many as 33 patients with GSD II (ie, not all patients were available for all assessments) treated with only a low-carbohydrate/high-protein, calorie-balanced diet. Design, Setting, and Patients Case series including clinical and analytical characterization in an academic setting involving 33 enzymatically proved adults with GSD II treated only with a low-carbohydrate/high-protein, calorie-balanced diet. Main Outcome and Measure Biochemical analysis of blood and urine samples. Results Patients exhibited evidence for disturbed energy metabolism contributing to a chronic catabolic state and those who were studied further also displayed diminished plasma methylation capacity and elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor type 1 and its carrier protein insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3). Conclusions and Relevance The simplest unifying interpretation of these abnormalities is nutrient sensor disturbance with secondary energy failure leading to a chronic catabolic state. Data also provide the framework for the investigation of potentially beneficial interventions, including methylation supplementation, as adjuncts specifically targeted to ameliorate the systemic metabolic abnormalities of this disorder.
When feeling safe isn’t enough Contextualizing models of safety and learning in teams

In working to understand the predictors of experiential learning in teams, researchers have focused on one variable more than any other—psychological safety. In virtually all of this work, psychological safety is viewed as a direct predictor of team learning and, through team learning, of team performance. We suggest that this work has overlooked the critical effect the nature of the task environment has on the capacity of psychological safety to have beneficial effects. To investigate this, we conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis of studies examining the relationships between psychological safety, team learning, and team performance. We find that psychological safety is more strongly associated with learning and performance in studies conducted in knowledge-intensive task settings, that is, settings that involve complexity, creativity, and sensemaking. The results of this study suggest that psychological safety may be insufficient to stimulate learning in groups where the task environment does not requi...
Aging and visual motion discrimination in normal adults and schizophrenia patients

Motion perception is impaired in many neuropathological conditions, including schizophrenia. Motion perception also declines in the course of normal aging. In this study, we ask whether aging is an additive factor in the motion-discrimination deficits of schizophrenia patients. We examined motion perception in schizophrenia patients (n=44) and non-psychiatric controls (n=40) whose ages ranged from 18 to 55. The tasks included velocity discrimination and contrast detection. Thresholds for each of the two tasks were determined for each subject using psychophysical methods. Schizophrenia patients showed significantly increased thresholds (degraded performance) for velocity discrimination compared with the controls. Degraded performance in patients was not related to age. In controls, however, velocity discrimination thresholds were significantly increased beginning by age 45. Performance on a contrast-detection task, which does not require precise discrimination of motion signals, was not significantly affected by age in either group. Aging, even in its early stages, degrades motion discrimination in normal adults. Aging, however, does not adversely affect motion-discrimination deficits in schizophrenia patients through age 55. A similar motion-discrimination deficit in schizophrenia patients and aging normal adults suggests that the mechanisms underlying motion processing in schizophrenia and normal aging may be associated.
Population decline in post-conquest America: the role of disease.

In Conquest and El Dorado, Massimo Livi Bacci turns his eye to a controver sial topic in historical demography: defining the magnitude of the demise of the aboriginal populations of the Western Hemisphere following European contact in 1492 and assessing its causes (Livi Bacci 2008, 2010). This is, of course, well-tilled soil, but Livi Bacci synthesizes past research with his own investigations at the Jesuit Archive (ARSI) in Rome, all infused with his considerable demographic acumen. The focus is on the Western Hemisphere landmass south of the Rio Grande and on the Antilles. The Indios (to use Livi Bacci's term) of North America, tribally more diverse but demographically less numerous, are covered only in passing. El Dorado in the Marshes, which overlaps a little with Conquest, focuses on the Mojos of what is now Bolivia. Conquest is well organized and does not presume prior knowledge of its subject matter. Chapter one discusses the size of the Indio population at contact and the fierce debates about the hazy demography of this popula tion. Chapter two lays out Livi Bacci's multi-pronged explanatory framework for Indio population decline, buttressed by contemporary accounts. Chapter three discusses the role of the introduction of communicable diseases—most famously, smallpox—in the sixteenth-century Indio population; most of my remarks will focus on physiological aspects thereof. Chapter four turns to the hunt for gold and silver and the disruption it wrought on Indio society. The next chapter is a case study of the Tamo population of Hispaniola, the island of Columbus's landing (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Repub lic). Next comes Meso-America and the storied (and infamous) Conquest of Cortes. Chapter seven discusses the Incas, and Chapter eight the Guaranf of the current-day Paraguay/Uruguay region.
New state liability exceptions for agritourism activities and the use of liability releases

Agritourism activities have gained importance as a mechanism for some farmers to broaden their sources of income. As businesses have pursued agritourism activities, they have been concerned about liability for personal injuries of participants. In some states, providers of agritourism activities have presented legislators with ideas for an agritourism statute to limit liability for injuries resulting from inherent risks. Four new agritourism statutes have been enacted, while six other states have adopted alternative liability provisions that may apply to some agritourism providers. The agritourism statutes provide an affirmative defense to providers to eliminate liability for inherent-risk injuries. An analysis of the statutory provisions shows legislatures making choices on the assignment of liability for accident injuries and the ability of providers to obtain releases from negligence. Because the agritourism statutes impose prerequisites and do not stop meritless lawsuits, they do not offer much assistance to agritourism providers. An evaluation of policy issues suggests that legislatures might consider additional options to address agritourism providers’ concerns.