cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness of government spending on education and health care in developing and transition economies

Abstract Recent studies show that corruption is associated with higher military spending [Eur. J. Polit. Econ. 17 (2001) 794] and lower government spending on education and health care [J. Publ. Econ. 69 (1998) 263]. This suggests that policies aimed at reducing corruption may lead to changes in the composition of government outlays toward more productive spending. However, little empirical evidence has been presented to support the claim that public spending improves education and health indicators in developing and transition countries. This paper uses cross-sectional data for 50 such countries to show that increased public expenditure on education and health care is associated with improvements in both access to and attainment in schools, and reduces mortality rates for infants and children. The education regressions are robust to different specifications, but the relationship between health care spending and mortality rates is weaker.
Radio Communication by Scattering from Meteoric Ionization

By a consideration of the amplitude and duration of echoes forward-scattered from individual meteor ionization trails, and of the probability of detecting randomly oriented trails over an oblique radio propagation path, an estimate of the contribution of meteoric ionization to extended range hf and vhf radio transmission has been obtained. It has been concluded that meteoric ionization alone would give a virtually continuous signal for a transmission path of about 1,000 km at frequencies near 15 mc. For the very high frequencies, scattering from meteor trails has been found to be at least an important contributing factor to the propagation of a signal over an oblique path. A precise evaluation of the role of this process must await a better determination of the number of trails as a function of their ionization density.
Latent Demand for Urban Housing in the People's Republic of China

Abstract A new micro-data set demonstrates that, in urban China, own-built dwellings are 75% larger than state-owned dwellings. A switching regression with endogenous switching demonstrates that families with less privileged positions in the Chinese economy are more likely to inhabit own-built housing. The relationships between family characteristics and dwelling sizes in the own-built and state-owned sectors differ dramatically. However, unobserved characteristics, probably includingguanxi, play crucial roles in both. Depending on these characteristics, families in state-owned dwellings might have two-thirds more living space were they to choose own-built dwellings.
Temperature Dependence of the Lateral Diffusion of Acridine Orange at Water/Hydrocarbon Interfaces

The temperature dependence was investigated for the lateral diffusion of acridine orange at the interface of water and an octadecylsiloxane (C18) monolayer on silica and at the interface of water and liquid n-dodecane. Fluorescence recovery after pattern photobleaching was used to measure the lateral diffusion coefficient. The data revealed very different activation parameters for lateral diffusion at the two interfaces. For the water/dodecane interface, the activation enthalpy for lateral diffusion is consistent with stronger ordering of water at the interface compared to bulk water. For the water/C18 interface, a large entropic barrier is observed, indicating that the path for diffusion is restricted by high-energy adsorption sites. Further, the activation enthalpy is 5-fold lower than that of the water/dodecane case, indicating that transport to the unfavorable sites is not rate-limiting.
Comparison of electroanatomic voltage mapping with late gadolinium enhancement CMR

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with atrial remodeling, including atrial cellular pathology [1,2], left atrial enlargement [3], and low voltage on electroanatomic mapping (EAM)[4]. Recent studies have identified late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in AF subjects pre-PVI as novel evidence of LA remodeling [5]. One study compared voltage by EAM obtained prior to a pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedure with the extent of atrial fibrosis using LGE [6]. Our goal was to further correlate EAM voltages with LGE.
Developmental changes in seizure susceptibility in carbonic anhydrase II-deficient mice and normal littermates

Mice deficient in carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) were tested along with their normal littermates for susceptibility to seizures induced by flurothyl and loud sound at ages 10-180 days. In the flurothyl seizure model, CA II-deficient mice displayed increased resistance to clonic seizures from 32 to 90 days of age, whereas tonic-clonic seizures were suppressed at all ages. The mortality of CA II-deficient mice was significantly decreased at ages 19-40 days. The incidence of sound-induced seizures was very low and no difference between CA II-deficient and normal mice was found. The anticonvulsant effect of CA II deficiency appears to be dependent on seizure model and seizure type and to have age-specific characteristics.
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in children: An 11-year retrospective endoscopic investigation

Background Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) may present as hematemesis, coffee-ground emesis, or melena requiring esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for diagnosis and/or therapy. Worldwide, differences exist for the etiology of UGIB reflecting geographical differences in common disease states. In the past 25 years, there have been improvements in endoscopic optics. This study was undertaken to determine: 1) if identifying a bleeding source in UGIB have improved with better endoscopic optics, 2) geographic differences in causes of UGIB, 3) differences in severity of UGIB based on clinical factors, and 4) the likelihood of fi nding a bleeding source based on symptom duration and time to endoscopy.
Stepwise Reassembly of the Nuclear Envelope at the End of Mitosis

The nuclear envelope consists of three distinct membrane domains: the outer membrane with the bound ribosomes, the inner membrane with the bound lamina, and the pore membrane with the bound pore complexes. Using biochemical and morphological methods, we observed that the nuclear membranes of HeLa cells undergoing mitosis are disassembled in a domain-specific manner, i.e., integral membrane proteins representing the inner nuclear membrane (the lamin B receptor) and the nuclear pore membrane (gp210) are segregated into different populations of mitotic vesicles. At the completion of mitosis, the inner nuclear membrane-derived vesicles associate with chromatin first, beginning in anaphase, whereas the pore membranes and the lamina assemble later, during telophase and cytokinesis. Our data suggest that the ordered reassembly of the nuclear envelope is triggered by the early attachment of inner nuclear membrane-derived vesicles to the chromatin.
Biocompatibility testing of polymers: in vivo implantation studies

An in vivo method is described for screening polymeric materials for biocompatibility. The test is based on grading acute and subacute tissue reactions at 7 and 28 days, respectively, following implantation in rats. The methods is reproducible and reliable. It is designed to provide uniform test criteria for biocompatibility assessment in the early phases of the development of surgical implant materials.
Increased mutations in Env and Pol suggest greater HIV-1 replication in sputum-derived viruses compared with blood-derived viruses.

Objective: Low-level HIV-1 replication may occur during antiretroviral therapy (ART) that suppresses plasma HIV-1 RNA to less than 50 copies/ml (suppressive ART). Antiretroviral drugs appear less effective in macrophages and monocytes compared with lymphocytes, both in vitro and as implied in vivo by greater viral evolution observed during suppressive ART. Our objective was to examine sputum, which is rich in macrophages, for evidence of increased HIV-1 replication compared with that in the blood during suppressive ART. Design: A cross-sectional study during suppressive ART was performed, and HIV-1 DNA sequences derived from induced sputa and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared. Methods: Multiple sequences encoding HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, protease, and envelope were generated using single-genome sequencing. Reverse transcriptase and protease sequences were analyzed for genotypic drug resistance. The evolutionary distances of env sequences from the inferred most recent common ancestor of infection were calculated, and CXCR4 usage was predicted. Results: Nine hundred seventy bidirectional sequences from 11 individuals were analyzed. HIV-1 env and pol derived from sputa had greater frequency of drug-resistance mutations (P = 0.05), evolutionary divergence (P = 0.004), and tendency for CXCR4 usage (P = 0.1) compared with viruses derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Conclusion: The greater frequency of HIV-1 drug-resistance mutations and divergence of HIV-1 env in sputa-derived viruses compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived viruses suggests greater HIV-1 replication in the respiratory tract compared with the blood. Characterization of viral evolution over time and by cell-type could identify cells that provide a sanctuary for low-level viral replication in the respiratory tract during suppressive ART.
Validation of Robinson's trust scale for use in Mexico

Studies have shown a direct and significant relationship between the level of employees' trust toward management and desirable outcomes (e.g., organisational effectiveness, continuous and collaborative improvement, organisational citizenship behaviours, and favourable leader-member exchange). This study translated the Thompson Trust Scale into Spanish and validated it for use in Mexico. This scale assesses employees' trust toward their supervisor and their organisation. The Spanish version was shown to have linguistic and empirical validity and is useful in assessing employee trust level. The implications of using the Spanish version of this scale for research in Mexico are discussed and directions for future research identified.
Nilpotent Ranks of Semigroups of Partial Transformations

A subset U of a semigroup S is a generating set for S if every element of S may be written as a finite product of elements of U. The rank of a finite semigroup S is the size of a minimal generating set of S, and the nilpotent rank of S is the size of a minimal generating set of S consisting of nilpotents in S. A partition of a q-element subset of the set Xn = {1,2,..., n} is said to be of type τ if the sizes of its classes form the partition τ of the positive integer q ≤ n. A non-trivial partition τ of q consists of k < q elements. For a non-trivial partition τ of q < n, the semigroup S(τ), generated by all the transformations with kernels of type τ, is nilpotent-generated. We prove that if τ is a non-trivial partition of q < n, then the rank and the nilpotent rank of S(τ) are both equal to the number of partitions Xn of type τ.
Strengthening Science Vocabulary through the Use of Imagery Interventions with College Students

This study was an extension of previous work designed to examine the effect of imagery on science vocabulary learning. One hundred students enrolled in a private college in Brooklyn, New York were randomly assigned to four different interventions: Word Only, Picture Presentation, Image Creation—No Picture, and Image Creation—Picture. These interventions were developed taking into account the ability of images to facilitate vocabulary learning, the dual coding theory, and depth of processing. Results demonstrated that students in the imagery creation groups (Image Creation—No Picture and Image Creation—Picture) scored higher on the outcome measures than students placed in the Word Only intervention at immediate recall. However, there were no significant differences shown among the imagery treatments or at delayed recall. The outcome scores from each group also followed the pattern predicted in that the deeper the students processed the “to be learned” vocabulary words, the more words they were able to acquire and retain. This work extends the previous research and highlights the benefits of vocabulary instruction using imagery at all instructional levels.
Persistent organochlorine pesticides and their metabolites in alligator livers from Lakes Apopka and Woodruff, Florida, USA

Reproductive disorders in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) inhabiting Lake Apopka, Florida, have been observed for several years. Such disorders are hypothesised to be caused by endocrine disrupting contaminants occurring in the lake due to pesticide spills and runoff from bordering agricultural lands. Various studies have resulted in identification of several persistent chlorinated organic pollutants, some of them known endocrine disrupters, in various alligator tissues and fluids. In this report, livers from 12 juvenile alligators inhabiting Lake Apopka and 10 from Lake Woodruff, a control lake, were extracted and analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with chiral GC columns for identification of both chiral and non-chiral organochlorine pesticides (OCPs, including their metabolites); in so doing, the enantiomer fractions of any chiral OCPs identified were also measured. In Lake Apopka, p,p′-DDE was the most prominent OCP identified, being found in all samples at concentrati...
Symmetry influence on interlayer coupling in epitaxial Co/Cr trilayers grown on MgO (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) substrates

Abstract Trilayers of Co(15 A)/Cr(x)/Co(17 A) have been epitaxially sputtered onto MgO (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) substrates coated with Cr(1 0 0) and (2 1 1) buffer layers, respectively. The Cr thickness x is varied from 6 to 50 A. Both sample sets have the Co c -axis lying in the plane of the film, however, due to the four-fold symmetry of MgO (1 0 0), the Co layers form bicrystals with perpendicularly oriented c -axis. Ferromagnetic resonance measurements clearly show large two-fold and four-fold magnetic in-plane anisotropy for MgO (1 1 0) and MgO (1 0 0) samples, respectively. Magnetization measurements reveal interlayer coupling strengths peaked at a Cr thickness of approximately 10 A for both symmetries, but the strength decreases more slowly with increasing t Cr in the MgO(1 0 0) system.
HO-1 upregulation suppresses type 1 IFN pathway in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Abstract Upregulation of heme oxygenase (HO)-1, a heat shock protein 32, protects against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Activation of “innate” toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 system triggers the I/R injury cascade. This study explores cytoprotective functions of HO-1 overexpression following exogenous administration of cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), and its relationship with the TLR4 pathway in a model of mouse partial hepatic warm I/R injury. CoPP treatment markedly improved hepatic function and histology, and suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine elaboration profile, as compared with untreated controls. Although administration of CoPP did not affect intrahepatic TLR4, it downregulated IFN-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) expression. As IP-10 is the major product of type-1 IFN pathway downstream of TLR4, we then infused recombinant IFN-β (rIFN-β) directly into mouse livers. Interestingly, infusion of rIFN-β upregulated hepatic IP-10 expression. In contrast, adjunctive CoPP treatment decreased IP-10 levels in mouse livers infused with rIFN-β. Thus, CoPP-induced HO-1 upregulation suppresses type-1 IFN pathway downstream of TLR4 system in hepatic warm I/R injury model.
Applications of radioactive tracer technology in the real-time measurement of wear and corrosion

Abstract Radioactive tracer technology has been used for many years as a tool to make highly sensitive real-time measurements of wear and corrosion. With this technique, the material of interest is tagged with radioactive isotopes through either direct activation of a relatively small number of atoms in the component itself, or implantation of radioactive isotopes. As the component wears or corrodes under test, radioactive atoms are transported from the surface in the form of wear particles or corrosion products. Wear or corrosion is measured in real-time through either interrogation of the buildup of radioactivity in the transport fluid, or by the reduction in activity of the labeled wear component. The process involves selection of an appropriate labeling technique, labeling of a component or components of interest, calibration, testing and data reduction and analysis. Although the majority of the work performed has been in the automotive engine and lubricant industry, Southwest Research Institute® has recently extended the application into other fields, such as hydraulic pump wear, prosthetic hip joint wear, wear in marine engines and crude oil corrosivity. This paper discusses the various techniques employed to label components of interest, the advantages of the techniques, and gives several examples of current applications of this technology.
Etching three-dimensional photonic crystals in GaAs

We present an efficient method for the fabrication of three-dimensional photonic crystals in GaAs-based materials. The method exploits the dependence of the oxidation rate of AlGaAs on the aluminum content in the alloy. As a result, a wide range of oxidation profiles is possible. The oxidation profiles are determined by the Al concentration profiles in a GaAs/AlGaAs stack grown by molecular beam epitaxy, and the resulting three-dimensional structure depends on the initial two-dimensional pattern defined by standard lithography. We detail the process and present preliminary results showing the viability of the method to realize three-dimensional photonic crystals of various geometries.
How do you manage dermatitis after exposure to the causative agent has ceased

Contact dermatitis may not clear completely when the cause of the problem is removed, and in some cases continues long after the causal occupation has been given up. This paper outlines some methods of managing the problem.
High schools in Missouri prior to 1870

The first high schools in Missouri were established as private schools, and were owned, controlled, and financed privately. These early high schools resembled the private academy in their organization, faculty, and curricula. They were in no way public schools, but were granted charters by the legislature and circuit courts of the state. It was approximately in 1870 that the public high school be--, gan to develop in the state. The first schools were chartered by the territorial legislature prior to 1817.' These schools were called "academies:" they were established at Ste. Genevieve and Potosi. The schools of this period were variously called "high schools," "academies," "institutes," and "seminaries;" but, so far as can be ascertained, there seems to have been no appreciable difference in them. They filled the place of what is now called the "high school," and also reached up into the college curriculum and provided some of the higher education. The first legal provision that made possible the existence of a high school in the state was a charter granted by the Missouri legislature in 1849 to the Arcadia High School.2 Soon after this, legal acts provided for other high schools, of which Weston,3 Tipton,4 and Dover5 high schools are representative. The first high schools were controlled by boards of directors designated in the charter. These directors were named by members of a corporation or by some church and consisted of from three to fifty members, the most common number being seven. Comparable to the academy, the high schools were, in some cases, controlled by churches which helped to finance them and to formulate their curricula. Sometimes an institution would be organized and controlled by some one individual, who financed it with his own private funds and secured whatever profits there might be from the tuition. In other cases a group of people would form a corporation to establish and control a
Sunset and the orientation of a nocturnal bird migrant: A mirror experiment

If savannah sparrows, (Passerculus sandwichensis), a North American night migrant, select a migratory heading based upon the setting sun, a shift in the position of that cue should produce a predictable shift in the migrant's nocturnal orientation. I tested this hypothesis by shifting the sunst position with mirrors and by recording the bird's orientation in Emlen funnels. The control group displayed directionality appropriate for spring migration (ā=342°). The mean heading of experimentals (ā=272°), which were exposed to a cue-shifted situation, was in the expected westerly direction relative to the control mean (P<0.05, V-test). The setting sun appears to be a sufficient source of directional information for this avian migrant.
Developmental regulation of expression of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A in Syrian hamsters.

Developmental Regulation of Expression of C-Reactive Protein and Serum Amyloid A in Syrian Hamsters
Electrical and thermal transport in perovskite manganites

Experimental data on the temperature, magnetic field, and pressure dependencies of charge and heat transport in perovskite manganites, A 1−x A′ x MnO3, are reviewed. The transport mechanisms in the paramagnetic, ferromagnetic and charge-ordered states are discussed and the role of double-exchange interactions and lattice-distortions emphasized.
Agency as a Sociological Variable: A Preliminary Model of Individuals, Situations, and the Life Course

This paper reviews social psychological measures that might usefully be employed within sociological treatments of human agency. Sociologists have engaged both (a) the structural constraints and opportunities that channel individual action and (b) the subjective sense individuals develop reflecting beliefs about their ability to affect those structures and their life courses. We briefly spell out the well-trod agency vs. structure debate before exploring six concepts that have or could be used in organizing and theorizing empirical research on the subjective version of agency: self-efficacy, locus of control, personal control, mastery, planful competence, and ego-depletion/self-control. For each concept, we provide brief descriptions and representative findings. Taking a life course perspective, we briefly sketch out a series of concerns that scholars engaging in the agency concept should take into account.
Formal verification of parametric multiplicative division implementations

Back in the 60's Goldschmidt presented a variation of Newton-Raphson iterations for division that is well suited for pipelining. The problem in using Goldschmidt's division algorithm is to verify that the implementation meets the precision required for the quotient and provides correct rounding, in particular if hardware resources are to be used judiciously. Previous implementations relied on error analysis that were not quite tight and that were specific to one parameter setting and target precision. Our formal verification effort focuses on a parametric division implementation based on Goldschmidt's algorithm for different parameter settings and target precisions. We formalize a tight and parametric error analysis of Goldschmidt's division algorithm in PVS and prove its correctness. On this basis we propose formally verified parametric division implementations.
Transfer matrix method for optimizing quasioptical EPR cavities

We present a convenient method for characterizing and optimizing the performance of quasioptical electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) sample cavities. The formalism is based on the transfer matrix method used in transmission line analysis. Transfer matrix representations are defined for each of the essential components of an open resonator, and the method is demonstrated by application to selected practical examples. Emphasis is given to optimization of quasioptical EPR for aqueous biological samples.
Precoding for blocking signalling and shaped signal sets

Even on channels with severe intersymbol interference, the decision feedback equalizer (DFE) performs within 9 dB of channel capacity (at error rates of 10/sup -6/) if one assumes no errors in the feedback path (ideal DFE). Using coset codes, with gains in the range of 5 dB, the ideal DFE promises transmission at rates within 4 dB of channel capacity. But this again is subject to the assumption of no errors in the feedback path of the DFE. In any actual implementation of the DFE, errors do occur in the feedback path, and these errors tend to propagate. Forney and Calderbank (1989) suggest the use of a modulo arithmetic precoder (Tomlinson precoder) at the transmitter to replace the DFE at the receiver and avoid DFE error propagation. Their precoder avoids error propagation, but it increases the average power of any shaped signal constellation fed into it. This increase in power negates the shaping gain that the constellation has at the input to the precoder. The precoder is extended to multidimensional systems, and how it can be designed to preserve shaping gains of shaped signal constellations is shown. >
Do volcanic eruptions enhance or diminish net primary production? Evidence from tree rings

[1] Low growth rates of atmospheric CO2 were observed following the 1991 Pinatubo (Luzon) volcanic eruption. One hypothesis for this CO2 anomaly is that since diffuse light is more efficiently used by forests than direct light, the increase in the diffuse fraction of sunlight due to scattering by volcanic sulfur aerosol in the years following the eruption substantially increased forest net primary production (NPP). However, other observations suggest a decrease in northern forest NPP because of the cooler conditions following the eruption. Here we used a global database of dated tree ring widths (which correlate with forest NPP) to test this hypothesis. Ice core records of sulfur deposition allowed us to identify the timing and magnitude of 23 Pinatubo-scale eruptions since 1000 CE. We found a significant decrease in ring width for trees in middle to high northern latitudes (north of 45°N) following eruption sulfur peaks. Decreases in tree ring widths were in the range of 2–8% and persisted for ∼8 years following sulfur peaks, with minima at around 4–6 years. Ring width changes at lower latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere (30°N to 45°N) and in the Southern Hemisphere (30°S to 56°S) were not significant. In the tropics (30°N to 30°S) the paucity of tree ring records did not permit the evaluation of NPP changes. Given that elevated aerosol levels and summer cooling last only ∼2–3 years after an eruption, the persistence of declines in northern tree growth for up to 8 years after eruptions implies some additional mechanism that links these shorter-lived global eruption effects to sustained changes in tree physiology, biogeochemistry, or microclimate. At least for this sample of trees, the beneficial effect of aerosol light scattering appears to be entirely offset by the deleterious effect of eruption-induced climate change.
CS education re-kindles creativity in public schools

Creativity is an important aspect of industry and education. The lack of creativity in current students has become a concern for educators. Through the process of implementing the Scalable Game Design project to teach computer science through game authoring, fostered/increased creativity occurred in public middle schools. Despite some structural limitations of the US educational system, creativity among the participating students was recognized. This paper describes a unique solution to fostering creativity while teaching game design in the limiting public school environment.
Comparison of Four Different Shields for Birdcage-Type Coils with Experiments and Numerical Calculations.

Four 12-rung linear birdcage-type coils were built to experimentally examine the effects of the end-ring/shield configuration on radiofrequency magnetic field (B1) homogeneity and SNR at 125 MHz. The coil configurations include (a) a cylindrical shield (conventional), (b) a shield with annular extensions to closely shield the end-rings (surrounding shield), (c) a shield with annular extensions connected to the rungs (solid connection), and (d) a shield with radially oriented conductors connected to the rungs (radial connection). These coils were also modeled closely with finite difference time domain (FDTD) methods to corroborate experimental findings. Images of a human head were acquired, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was measured on the central axial, sagittal, and coronal slices. B1 field homogeneity in the unloaded coils was assessed on images of an oil phantom. Among the four configurations, the solid connection configuration has a lower SNR than the conventional configuration and the surrounding shield configuration but a higher SNR than the radial connection. Although there is no significant difference between the overall SNR of the conventional configuration and the surrounding shield configuration, the surrounding shield configuration has the potential to be tuned to higher frequencies than the conventional configuration. The conventional birdcage coil results in the most homogeneous B1 field in the oil phantom. Numerical results are also compared with the experimental results. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson 29B: 176–184, 2006.
Blacksburg instrumented city traffic signal data acquisition system

This paper describes one of the major components of the Blacksburg prototype instrumented city, namely the traffic signal data acquisition system (TSDAS). The TSDAS gathers traffic signal, traffic volume, and measure of effectiveness data from over 20 signalized intersections within the Blacksburg area. The TSDAS is designed in a modular fashion in order to facilitate system expansion. The TSDAS provides a unique real-life environment for testing alternative advanced traffic management system (ATMS) applications including adaptive traffic signal control and transit priority strategies.
The Incidence and Structure of Conflict on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

In 1982, Congress established the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a specialized court, with the objective of reducing judicial conflict and harmonizing circuit law in specific policy areas of special complexity. This article examines the incidence and determinants of judicial conflict on the U.S. courts of appeals, focusing specifically on the Federal Circuit. Using international trade and customs regulation cases decided during the 1982 to 1995 terms, the analysis reviews three possible explanations of judicial conflict: policy-oriented, sociolegal, and organizational. The analysis shows that conflict appears in 8.4 percent of the trade and customs regulation decisions rendered by the Federal Circuit during the period of study. The policy direction of Federal Circuit decisions and the court’s hierarchical relationship with lower specialized courts provide the strongest explanation for the emergence of conflict on the court. Organizational factors such as panel composition evinced rather anemic explanatory capacity. The results raise an important functional similarity between the Federal Circuit and the generalist courts of appeals. Contrary to the laments of legal practitioners that conflict on the Federal Circuit is excessive relative to conflict on the generalist circuit courts, this analysis finds little support for that claim. Rather, the level of overt conflict on the court is actually low and corroborates conflict levels that have been reported for other U.S. courts of appeals.
Activation of p75NTR by proBDNF facilitates hippocampal long-term depression

Pro- and mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) activate two distinct receptors: p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) and TrkB. Mature BDNF facilitates hippocampal synaptic potentiation through TrkB. Here we report that proBDNF, by activating p75(NTR), facilitates hippocampal long-term depression (LTD). Electron microscopy showed that p75(NTR) localized in dendritic spines, in addition to afferent terminals, of CA1 neurons. Deletion of p75(NTR) in mice selectively impaired the NMDA receptor-dependent LTD, without affecting other forms of synaptic plasticity. p75(NTR-/-) mice also showed a decrease in the expression of NR2B, an NMDA receptor subunit uniquely involved in LTD. Activation of p75(NTR) by proBDNF enhanced NR2B-dependent LTD and NR2B-mediated synaptic currents. These results show a crucial role for proBDNF-p75(NTR) signaling in LTD and its potential mechanism, and together with the finding that mature BDNF promotes synaptic potentiation, suggest a bidirectional regulation of synaptic plasticity by proBDNF and mature BDNF.
A Phase I trial of samarium-153-lexidronam complex for treatment of clinically nonmetastatic high-risk prostate cancer: first report of a completed study.

Purpose We completed a Phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose of samarium-153 EDTMP ( 153 Sm) with hormonal therapy (HT) and radiation therapy (RT) in high-risk clinically nonmetastatic prostate cancer. Methods and Materials High-risk M0 prostate cancer patients (prostate-specific antigen >20 ng/mL, Gleason score >7, or >T3) were eligible for this prospective trial of dose-escalated radioactive 153 Sm-EDTMP (.25–2.0 mCi/kg) as primary or postoperative therapy. After 1 month of HT, we administered 153 Sm-EDTMP followed by 4 more months of HT, 46.8 Gy to the pelvic region and 23.4 Gy to the prostate target (TD = 70.2 Gy). The primary endpoint was Grade III toxicity or higher by the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. Results Twenty-nine patients enrolled (median prostate-specific antigen=8.2 ng/mL, 27/29 (93%) T stage ≥T2b, 24/29 (83%) had Gleason >7) and received 153 Sm-EDTMP (.25 mCi/kg, 4 patients; 0.5 mCi/kg, 4 patients; 0.75 mCi/kg, 6 patients; 1.0 mCi/kg, 6 patients; 1.5 mCi/kg, 5 patients; 2.0mCi/kg, 4 patients). Twenty-eight patients underwent all planned therapy without delays (1 patient required surgery before the start of RT). With a median follow-up time of 23 months, there were 2 patients (7 %) experiencing Grade III hematologic toxicity. There were no other Grade III or IV side effects. Conclusions Our trial demonstrates that 2 mCi/kg 153 Sm -EDTMP with HT and RT was safe and feasible in men with high-risk M0 prostate cancer. A Phase II study to test this treatment is currently underway by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.
The hospital environment--a crossroads for infection.

(1970). The Hospital Environment-A Crossroads for Infection. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 678-688.
Reproduction in Mammals: General Overview

Reproduction in mammals is sexual and, with rare exceptions, fetal nutrition is provided via a placenta. The reproductive and developmental processes are similar in most mammalian species although the time of events can differ greatly. Keywords: oestrus; menstrual cycle; placentation; seasonality; fetal development
The Rising Cost of Social Security Disability Insurance

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is one of the largest federal programs, and it is one of the most troubled. The program’s expenditures have doubled over the last decade, reaching an estimated $144 billion this year. Spending has risen so rapidly that SSDI’s trust fund is projected to be depleted just three years from now. SSDI was originally created as a modest safety net aimed at severely disabled workers who were close to retirement age. But Congress has expanded benefit levels over the decades, and eligibility standards have been greatly liberalized. The result is that people capable of working are instead opting for the disability rolls when confronted with employment challenges. Once on the disability rolls, experience shows that individuals are likely to remain there, which is bad for the individuals, taxpayers, and the economy. Instead of providing a wage-replacement backstop for the disabled workers who are permanently incapable of working, disability insurance has become more like permanent unemployment insurance or a general welfare program. SSDI has become financially unsustainable and economically damaging, and policymakers should pursue major spending cuts to the program. They should also explore the potential to transition responsibility for disability insurance from the government to the private sector.
Cumulant minimization and robust control

The use of higher order spectral information has recently attracted a great deal of attention in the estimation literature. Emphasis there has been placed upon the cumulants of the random variable in question. A related development in the stochastic control literature has to do with risk sensitive optimal control. Glover has pointed out the connections between the risk sensitive control problem and H ∞ methods. In this paper we show the relation between a natural approximation to the risk-sensitive problem, by means of series expansion, and the problem of minimizing linear combinations of cumulants of the performance function. Special attention is given to the linear combination of cumulants one and two, the mean and variance respectively. Using the theory for this minimal cost variance formulation, we present numerical results for a single degree-of-freedom building excited by an earthquake process.
Ten-year response of the herbaceous layer to an operational herbicide-shelterwood treatment in a northern hardwood forest

Shelterwood seed cutting in conjunction with herbicide site preparation has proven effective at regenerating Allegheny hardwood forests, but the long-term impact of this silvicultural system on herbaceous vegetation has not been determined. From 1994 to 2004, we studied the impacts of operational herbicide site preparation using glyphosate plus sulfometuron methyl herbicides in the context of a shelterwood seed cut. Our study took place on 10 partially cut sites on the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania. Half of each site received herbicide and half did not in a split-plot design with repeated measures. Fences were erected after year six because deer impact had increased. Resilience of individual species and the community were determined using measures of percent cover by species or species groups and indices of diversity and similarity comparing post-treatment to pre-treatment conditions and controls. In the short term, abundance of all species was reduced and there were four fewer species on average in treated areas. No species was eliminated by herbicide across all sites in the long term. Graminoids were more abundant on treated plots after year six. Targeted ferns remained less abundant on treated than control plots after 10 years. Species richness recovered within 4 years following treatment. Shannon Diversity and Shannon Evenness were greater in treated than in control plots over the full study period, but the differences were not significant in any single year. The richness-based Jaccard index of similarity did not differ between control and treatment plots after year two, while relative abundance influenced indices showed significant differences through year eight. Results suggest that herbaceous layer vegetation is resilient to the disturbance created by herbicide-shelterwood treatments. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Injector Cavities Fabrication, Vertical Test Performance and Primary Cryomodule Design

After the electromagnetic design and the mechanical design of a β=0.6, 2-cell elliptical SRF cavity, the cavity has been fabricated. Then both 2-cell and 7-cell cavities have been bench tuned to the target values of frequency, coupling external Q and field flatness. After buffer chemistry polishing (BCP) and high pressure rinses (HPR), Vertical 2K cavity test results have been satisfied the specifications and ready for the string assembly. We will report the cavity performance including Lorenz Force Detuning (LFD) and Higher Order Modes (HOM) damping data. Its integration with cavity tuners to the cryomodule design will be reported.
MOBILIZAÇÃO POLÍTICA NEGRA NO BRASIL, 1975-1990

A maioria dos estudos academicos sobre a redemocratizacao presta atencao consideravel aos movimentos organizados de oposicao que emergiram nestes anos; nenhum deles, no entanto, faz qualquer mencao ao movimento negro. Este artigo examina o movimento politico negro que emergiu durante a abertura, um processo de onze anos (1974-1985) em que o Brasil fez a transicao gradual da ditadura militar para uma democracia civil.
Maximizing The Benefits Of Corporate Social Responsibility. How Companies Can Derive Benefits From Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility can be used as a business strategy by firms to improve many different areas of their business. Research has shown that, if implemented correctly, the benefits of CSR tend to outweigh the costs.
Consultant pharmacist drug therapy recommendations from monthly drug regimen reviews in a geriatric nursing facility: a two-year study and cost analysis.

PURPOSE To analyze drug therapy recommendations acceptance or rejection costs in a nursing facility practice over 2 years. METHODS Admission patient assessment, problem list and monthly problem-oriented drug regimen review (DRR) and assessment , with written report and mandated response by attending physician and follow-up on subsequent months DRR. Descriptive statistics of patient demographics and recommendation acceptance and types. Cost calculation of consequences of acceptance or rejection. SUMMARY OF RESULTS In 204 predominantly female patients (age 83.7 +/- 7.8 years), with 4.5 +/- 1.3 active problems per patient, 4,008 monthly drug regimen reviews resulted in 374 recommendations (9.3% of reviews). In decreasing rank order, recommendations were for adverse drug reaction and interaction detection and resolution (156), discontinue medications (74), buspirone conversion from other psychotropic(s) (60), change medications (33), needed nutritional or drug therapy (26), change dose, dosing interval, dosage form, or administration technique (25). The cost savings from recommendation acceptance was $223,218; rejection $224,593. CONCLUSION Geriatric long-term care patients appear to have numerous drug-related problems (DRPs) requiring unsolicited consultations, especially adverse drug reactions. Acceptance of consultant pharmacist recommendations may influence cost of overall care.
Laplacian based image fusion

A fundamental goal in multispectral image fusion is to combine relevant information from multiple spectral ranges while displaying a constant amount of data as a single channel. Because we expect synergy between the views afforded by different parts of the spectrum, producing output imagery with increased information beyond any of the individual imagery sounds simple. While fusion algorithms achieve synergy under specific scenarios, it is often the case that they produce imagery with less information than any single band of imagery. Losses can arise from any number of problems including poor imagery in one band degrading the fusion result, loss of details from intrinsic smoothing, artifacts or discontinuities from discrete mixing, and distracting colors from unnatural color mapping. We have been developing and testing fusion algorithms with the goal of achieving synergy under a wider range of scenarios. This technique has been very successful in the worlds of image blending, mosaics, and image compositing for visible band imagery. The algorithm presented in this paper is based on direct pixel-wise fusion that merges the directional discrete laplacian content of individual imagery bands rather than the intensities directly. The laplacian captures the local difference in the four-connected neighborhood. The laplacian of each image is then mixed based on the premise that image edges contain the most pertinent information from each input image. This information is then reformed into an image by solving the two-dimensional Poisson equation. The preliminary results are promising and consistent. When fusing multiple continuous visible channels, the resulting image is similar to grayscale imaging over all of the visible channels. When fusing discontinuous and/or non-visible channels, the resulting image is subtly mixed and intuitive to understand.
Detector upgrade R&D of the CMS Hadronic Endcap and Forward calorimeters

The CMS Hadronic Endcap (HE) and Hadronic Forward (HF) calorimeters cover the pseudorapidity range of from 1.4 to 5 on both sides of the CMS detector, contributing to superior jet and missing transverse energy resolutions. Here we discuss possible upgrade scenarios for both calorimeters. Recent studies revealed abnormally high amplitude signals due to punch through charged particles, mostly muons, producing Cherenkov photons at the HF calorimeter PMT window. Our studies show that these events can be eliminated either by using the timing properties, or replacing the HF PMTs with new generation four anode PMTs. As the integrated luminosity of the LHC increases, the scintillator tiles used in the CMS Hadronic Endcap calorimeter will lose their efficiency. This report outlines two possible radiation hard upgrade scenarios based on replacing the HE scintillators with quartz plates.
Silicon micromachined terahertz spectrometer instruments

Using newly developed silicon micromachining technology that enables low-mass and highly integrated receivers, we are developing state-of-the-art terahertz spectrometer instruments for space-based planetary and astrophysics orbiter missions. Our flexible receiver with integrated antenna architecture provides a powerful instrument capability in a light-weight, low-power consuming compact package which offer unprecedented sensitivity performance, spectral coverage, and scalability to meet the scientific requirements of multiple missions.
A MODIS-Derived Value-Added Climatology of Maritime Cloud Liquid Water Path That Conserves Solar Reflectance

AbstractA dataset is generated from a method to retrieve distributions of cloud liquid water path over partially cloudy scenes. The method was introduced in a 2011 paper by Foster and coauthors that described the theory and provided test cases. Here it has been applied to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) collection-5 and collection-6 cloud products, resulting in a value-added dataset that contains adjusted distributions of cloud liquid water path for more than 10 years for marine liquid cloud for both Aqua and Terra. This method adjusts horizontal distributions of cloud optical properties to be more consistent with observed visible reflectance and is especially useful in areas where cloud optical retrievals fail or are considered to be of low quality. Potential uses of this dataset include validation of climate and radiative transfer models and facilitation of studies that intercompare satellite records. Results show that the fit method is able to reduce bias between observed visible ...
Economic Development in the United States

In this final chapter, Gabe revisits some of the key results from earlier in the book. New findings discussed in the chapter show how the “personality traits” of US regions contribute to the growth of good jobs. For US metropolitan areas, a combination of human capital (e.g., percentage of the workforce in creative occupations) and technology-based companies is especially important to economic development. These regional characteristics are less predictive of the performance of states, however, because human capital and technology need close physical proximity for their impacts to benefit others. Gabe concludes the book with an observation that economic development presents quite a challenge to states and US metropolitan areas.
European Integration of Ukraine: Tool for Internal Reform, Source of Problems or Pass Ticket to EU Membership?

Despite the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, there would seem to be no alternative to the European choice for Ukraine, given the current Russian aggression; there are different views on the objectives and results of the European integration of Ukraine. This article examines three of the most common points of view related to this process: European integration as a tool for internal transformation in Ukraine; European integration as a pass ticket to the EU membership; European integration as a source of problems in Ukraine.