cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolution time and energy uncertainty

Often one needs to calculate the evolution time of a state under a Hamiltonian with no explicit time dependence when only numerical methods are available. In cases such as this, the usual application of Fermi's golden rule and first-order perturbation theory is inadequate as well as being computationally inconvenient. Instead, what one needs are conditions under which the evolution time may be obtained from the easily calculated energy uncertainty. This work derives some general conditions for obtaining the evolution time from the energy uncertainty.
Microelectromechanical force probe array

The largest array (12 X 12) of microelectromechanical probe tips with integrated actuators and capacitive sensors for scanning probe microscopy has been designed, fabricated, and characterized. Each array element consists of a single crystal silicon tip on a torsional cantilever with out-of- plane interdigitated electrode capacitors. In addition, the size of each array element is about 150 micrometers by 150 micrometers with a tip-to-tip spacing in the array of 200 micrometers . Give these dimensions, the packing density of the devices is about 2500 units/cm2. The out-of-plane torsional design allows for significant improvement in performance (larger tip displacement and increased sense capacitance) and a higher density of devices per unit area as the minimum feature size decreases. Applications such as information storage, molecular manipulation, and nanolithography require high density, parallel arrays for reasonable throughput.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
High-Efficiency Solvating Gas Chromatography Using Packed Capillaries

In this study, column efficiency in packed capillary column solvating gas chromatography (SGC) was investigated. Long (>3 m) fused silica capillaries with an inner diameter of 250 μm were packed with 10 and 15 μm spherical porous (300 A) octadecyl bonded silica particles using a CO2 slurry packing method. A 336 cm × 250 μm i.d. fused silica capillary containing 10 μm particles provided a total column efficiency of 264 000 plates (k = 0.41), corresponding to a reduced plate height of 1.27, using CO2 as the mobile phase at a column inlet pressure of 260 atm. A minimum plate height of 12.7 μm and a maximum plate number per unit time of 813 plates/s were obtained using packed capillary SGC. Retention factors were dependent on the column inlet pressure but independent of the pressure gradient along the column. Gasoline and diesel samples were separated under SGC conditions, and the results were comparable to those obtained using typical open tubular column gas chromatography.
Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Dietary Fiber in Gastrointestinal Disease

Microecology of the gastrointestinal tract is the physiologic basis for the effect of dietary fiber, prebiotics and probiotics on the host. The ecology consists of the gastrointestinal tract, primarily the intestines, the foods that are fed into the tract, and the flora living within. Within this ecology, normal flora and probiotics, ferment dietary fiber and prebiotics to produce short chain fatty acids and substances that are absorbed and effect the host at the intestinal level and systemically. In this review, we will discuss the effects of prebiotics, probiotics and dietary fiber in gastrointestinal disorders and diseases.
Comments on: The Maxwell-Vlasov equations as a continuous hamiltonian system

Abstract The Poisson structure previously introduced by Morrison for the Maxwell-Vlasov equations does not satisfy the Jacobi identity. The corrected Poisson structure has been found by Marsden and Weinstein. It is derived by standard constructions in symplectic geometry and therefore satisfies the Jacobi identity.
Quadrupolar Echoes in Solids

In a classic paper, Solomon showed that the presence of inhomogeneous, first-order quadrupolar interactions leads to the formation of extra "allowed" spin echoes in nuclei for which the spin $I=\frac{5}{2}$. We demonstrate (both theoretically and experimentally) that shifting the rf phase of the second pulse by 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} (in a spin-$\frac{5}{2}$ system) enhances the extra allowed echoes by a factor of almost 5 in amplitude over the unshifted case. Using the density-matrix formulation (and assuming no magnetic inhomogeneities), we have derived, for a 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} phase shift, the amplitude and shape dependence on the second-pulse turning angle of the $\frac{3}{2}\ensuremath{\tau}$, $2\ensuremath{\tau}$, and $3\ensuremath{\tau}$ echoes. Experimental echo amplitudes and shapes (for both 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} phase shifts) were obtained, at room temperature, on $^{127}\mathrm{I}$ in a fused sample of KI, and these show good agreement with the calculations. Because of the enhancement, this technique affords a much easier separation of the respective distributions arising from the $\frac{3}{2}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\frac{5}{2}$ and from the $\frac{1}{2}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}\frac{3}{2}$ satellite transitions than is possible in the unshifted case. Another feature of the phase-shifted case is that, in favorable circumstances, the $3\ensuremath{\tau}$ echo may be observed although the $2\ensuremath{\tau}$ echo is obscured by the receiver recovery time. Preliminary data on quadrupole distributions at Al sites in NiAl and Au${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$ intermetallic compounds are presented. Spin-spin relaxation of the satellite transitions is noted. Results expected for systems which have spin values other than $I=\frac{5}{2}$ (both integral and half-integral) are mentioned.
A novel apolipoprotein A-1 variant, Arg173Pro, associated with cardiac and cutaneous amyloidosis.

An American kindred was found to have hereditary amyloidosis with cutaneous and cardiac involvement. Characterization of fibrils isolated from skin identified the amyloid protein as the N-terminal 90 to 100 residues of apolipoprotein A-1. Sequence of the apolipoprotein A-1 gene was normal except for a G/C transversion at position 1638 which predicts an Arg to Pro substitution at residue 173. This mutation, unlike previously described amyloidogenic mutations is not in the N-terminal fragment which is incorporated into the fibril. The mutation is at the same residue as in apolipoprotein A-1 Milano (Arg173Cys) which does not result in amyloid formation. Decreased plasma HDL cholesterol levels in carriers of the Arg173Pro mutation suggest an increased rate of catabolism as has been shown for the amyloidogenic Gly26Arg mutation. This suggests that altered metabolism caused by the mutation may be a significant factor in apolipoprotein A-1 fibrillogenesis.
As facções cariocas em perspectiva comparativa

Entre os especialistas em seguranca publica, tornou-se lugar-comum a ideia de que a guerra do trafico no Rio de Janeiro e totalmente unica no Brasil. Porem, essa afirmacao e imprecisa. Organizacoes de narcotrafico em muitos aspectos comparaveis as faccoes cariocas existem em outros contextos urbanos. O que as diferencia e menos a capacidade de estabelecer o monopolio local sobre o comercio de drogas do que a resiliencia da sua estrutura interna e, portanto, a duracao da sua existencia e dominacao. Durante uma pesquisa de campo em nove comunidades de periferia de tres cidades, observei nao apenas uma alta variacao nos graus de concentracao entre os mercados locais de drogas, mas tambem de variacao com o tempo dentro da mesma comunidade. Desta perspectiva, a estabilidade do mercado de drogas altamente concentrado do Rio de Janeiro pode ser visto como um equilibrio unico, no qual as forcas de fragmentacao operantes em outras cidades sao neutralizadas por caracteristicas especificas das faccoes cariocas. O meu argumento e o de que tais caracteristicas decorrem do dominio exercido pelas faccoes sobre o sistema penitenciario desde antes do inicio da sua expansao para o comercio de drogas.
Ocean Observing Systems: Vision and Details

A new generation of integrated ocean observing research systems are moving along the path from visionary concept to detailed design with many systems being commissioned now and in the near future. This paper will present an overview of the unprecedented capabilities these observatories can provide emphasizing some of the less obvious but still crucial system elements required to achieve the full potential these systems can deliver.
R. A. Fisher, Lancelot Hogben, and the origin(s) of genotype-environment interaction.

This essay examines the origin(s) of genotype–environment interaction, or G × E. “Origin(s)” and not “the origin” because the thesis is that there were actually two distinct concepts of G × E at this beginning: a biometric concept, or G × EB, and a developmental concept, or G × ED. R. A. Fisher, one of the founders of population genetics and the creator of the statistical analysis of variance, introduced the biometric concept as he attempted to resolve one of the main problems in the biometric tradition of biology – partitioning the relative contributions of nature and nurture responsible for variation in a population. Lancelot Hogben, an experimental embryologist and also a statistician, introduced the developmental concept as he attempted to resolve one of the main problems in the developmental tradition of biology – determining the role that developmental relationships between genotype and environment played in the generation of variation. To argue for this thesis, I outline Fisher and Hogben’s separate routes to their respective concepts of G × E; then these separate interpretations of G × E are drawn on to explicate a debate between Fisher and Hogben over the importance of G × E, the first installment of a persistent controversy. Finally, Fisher’s G × EB and Hogben’s G × ED are traced beyond their own work into mid-20th century population and developmental genetics, and then into the infamous IQ Controversy of the 1970s.
The impact of principal leadership behaviors on instructional practice and student engagement

For decades educators have espoused the importance of the principal as the instructional leader of the school. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between principal leadership behaviors and teacher instructional practice descriptors. This relationship was observed among schools participating in a systemic school improvement process. The study included eight elementary, eight middle, and eight high schools in the USA. Teachers in each school were surveyed on the principal’s instructional leadership abilities. Student and teacher engagement data were collected through school‐wide observations using the instructional practices inventory. Instructional leadership dimensions were found to correlate highly with instructional practice descriptors. This study confirms the significance of instructional leadership and provides specific insight into the nature of that leadership.
The Fukushima Disaster and Japan’s Nuclear Plant Vulnerability in Comparative Perspective

We consider the vulnerability of nuclear power plants to a disaster like the one that occurred at Fukushima Daiichi. Examination of Japanese nuclear plants affected by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 shows that three variables were crucial at the early stages of the crisis: plant elevation, sea wall elevation, and location and status of backup generators. Higher elevations for these variables, or waterproof protection of backup generators, could have mitigated or prevented the disaster. We collected information on these variables, along with historical data on run-up heights, for 89 coastal nuclear power plants in the world. The data shows that 1. Japanese plants were relatively unprotected against potential inundation in international comparison, but there was considerable variation for power plants within and outside of Japan; 2. Older power plants and plants owned by the largest utility companies appear to have been particularly unprotected.
Quantum information processing in a system of trapped ions

Atomic ions in interconnected traps represent a potentially scalable approach to quantum information processing. Scaling the system to many qubits while minimizing errors requires extremely challenging technological improvements, but no fundamental roadblocks are currently foreseen.
Rising lake threatens area

The Great Salt Lake may have become too great for Salt Lake City's good: The lake has risen more than 2 m in the last 2 years, causing millions of dollars in damage to the surrounding area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Officials in Utah are now contemplating drastic measures—including pumping water from the lake into the desert some 48 km away—to bring the lake down to size.
Intellectual Ability and Performance of Hyperactive Children.

Intelligence, school achievement, and perceptual-motor performance were studied in 32 children with the hyperactive child syndrome, behaviorally defined, and 34 matched controls. Patients had significantly lower WISC IQs, but scores on school achievement and perceptual-motor tests did not differ from those of controls when adjusted for WISC Full-Scale IQ. Results indicate that hyperactive children have an intellectual as well as behavioral handicap, but that they do learn schoolwork at the rate normal for their level of intelligence.
WIDTH OF ADRENAL CORTEX IN LYMPHATIC LEUKEMIA, LYMPHOSARCOMA AND HYPERTHYROIDISM

THE recent work of Dougherty and White (1), indicating that the adrenal cortex has an important regulatory effect on lymphoid tissue, the demonstration (2, 3, 4) that cortical hormones may influence the course of experimental leukemia and lymphosarcoma, and the finding of a lowered excretion of 17-ketosteroids in lymphatic leukemia (5), raise questions concerning a possible role of the adrenals in human neoplastic disease involving lymphoid tissues. The well-known hyperplasia of thymus and lymphoid tissue in hyperthyroidism, emphasized by Marine et al. (6), Warthin (7) and Friedgood (8, 9), and the suspicion on other grounds that the adrenals may be implicated in hyperthyroidism (10, 11, 12) suggest a possible interrelation of the thyroid and adrenals. With these facts in mind, measurements of the width of the adrenal cortex were made in a series of autopsies from the files of the New England Deaconess Hospital. This was done on the assumption that the width of the adrenal cortex is correlated with its fu...
Sterically Hindered Esters of Vitamin A II: Vitamin A α,α-Dimethylpalmitate

A previous study showed that short-chain sterically hindered esters of vitamin A demonstrated better stability in solution than the commercial plamitate. The oxidative stability of the short-chain sterically hindered esters, however, was poor. This work indicated that a long aliphatic chain with steric hindrance in the α-position was necessary for maximal stability. A compound of this type, vitamin A α,α-dimethylpalmitate, was prepared and evaluated.
Use of Emergency Contraception by US Teens: Effect of Access on Promptness of Use and Satisfaction

Abstract Study Objective To examine the effect of policies regarding access to emergency contraception (EC) on teens' promptness of EC use and satisfaction with EC access experience. Setting Online survey. Participants Females, ages 14 to 19, who had engaged in unprotected intercourse at a time when they were aware of EC. Main Outcome Measures Outcomes included promptness of EC use and satisfaction with EC access experience. Outcomes were compared according to method of obtaining EC and state policies regarding EC access. Results Surveys were completed by 531 teens from 49 states; 58% were Caucasian and 14% were African American. Only 48% of participants reported ever using EC. Teens who obtained EC without a prescription were more likely to use EC within 24 hours of unprotected intercourse (odds ratio = 2.17; 95% confidence interval: 1.06-4.44). Minors who obtained EC in pharmacist-access states were more likely to be satisfied with their EC access experience (odds ratio = 3.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.11-8.35). Conclusion Fewer than half of participants had used EC, despite being aware of EC at the time of unprotected intercourse. Policies allowing minors to access EC without a prescription may increase timely use of EC.
Humans, animals and computers: Minding machines?

?Hay maquinas pensantes? En este articulo consulto material historico, filosofico y empirico, tratando de responder esta intrigante pregunta. Mi discusion historica y filosofica revisa el pensamiento de cinco famosos franceses (Michele de Montaigne, Rene Descartes, Salomon de Caus, Julien Offray de La Mettrie y Jacques Vaucanson) y de un famoso americano (William James). Mi revision de investigaciones empiricas se focaliza en cuatro temas contemporaneos en cognicion comparada: aprendizaje asociativo/causal, memoria de corto plazo, discriminacion numerica, y metacognicion. Concluyo que existen maquinas pensantes, ellas son los humanos y los animales. El acto de pensar, podria ser dicho, media los complejos cambios en el comportamiento que muestran humanos y animales. Sin embargo, computadores y otros dispositivos mecanicos son palidas replicas que estan construidas con "el material equivocado". Nunca lograran el estatus de maquinas pensantes.
Computational approach to radiogenomics of breast cancer: Luminal A and luminal B molecular subtypes are associated with imaging features on routine breast MRI extracted using computer vision algorithms.

Purpose To identify associations between semiautomatically extracted MRI features and breast cancer molecular subtypes. Methods We analyzed routine clinical pre-operative breast MRIs from 275 breast cancer patients at a single institution in this retrospective, Institutional Review Board-approved study. Six fellowship-trained breast imagers reviewed the MRIs and annotated the cancers. Computer vision algorithms were then used to extract 56 imaging features from the cancers including morphologic, texture, and dynamic features. Surrogate markers (estrogen receptor [ER], progesterone receptor [PR], human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 [HER2]) were used to categorize tumors by molecular subtype: ER/PR+, HER2− (luminal A); ER/PR+, HER2+ (luminal B); ER/PR−, HER2+ (HER2); ER/PR/HER2− (basal). A multivariate analysis was used to determine associations between the imaging features and molecular subtype. Results The imaging features were associated with both luminal A (P = 0.0007) and luminal B (P = 0.0063) molecular subtypes. No association was found for either HER2 (P = 0.2465) or basal (P = 0.1014) molecular subtype and the imaging features. A P-value of 0.0125 (0.05/4) was considered significant. Conclusion Luminal A and luminal B molecular subtype breast cancer are associated with semiautomatically extracted features from routine contrast enhanced breast MRI. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:902–907.
Rapid simulation of multiple radially growing hydraulic fractures using an energy-based approach

Summary The goal of hydraulic fracturing stimulation of horizontal wells is typically to generate uniform, simultaneously growing hydraulic fractures from 3 to 6 initiation/entry sites that are spaced within a certain interval of the wellbore comprising a so-called stage. Because of the stress interaction among growing hydraulic fractures, however, it is hard to attain simultaneous growth of all hydraulic fractures. While models have been proven useful for devising mitigation strategies of these so-called stress-shadow effects, the required simulations are so computationally expensive that optimization is possible only in the simplest cases. Here, we present an approximate (energy-based) model capable of running an entire simulation in 1–2s, which is about one million times faster than the benchmark model. The approach is built on asymptotic solutions to approximate growth of radial hydraulic fractures, a far field approximation for the stress shadow interactions among growing hydraulic fractures, and coupling the effect of the stress shadow to fracture growth via a global energy balance equation. We show very close agreement in predictions of the lengths of each fracture in the array between the approximate model and the benchmark model, thus verifying that the new approximate model is useful for optimization of hydraulic fracture design. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photorefractoriness and energy availability interact to permit facultative timing of spring breeding

In seasonally breeding mammals, vernal reproductive development is not directly triggered by increases in day length, rather, an endogenous program of photorefractoriness to short winter days initiates spontaneous development in advance of spring. The transition to the reproductive phenotype is energetically demanding. How food availability in late winter and early spring impacts the onset and expression of photorefractoriness is not known. In this study, male Siberian hamsters were born into a simulated natural photoperiod, and at the winter solstice, they were subjected to a restricted feeding protocol in which a daily food ration was provided in an amount equal to ad libitum (AL) intake during the weeks preceding the solstice. Over the next several months, AL–fed control hamsters exhibited spontaneous recrudescence or spontaneous development. In contrast, vernal reproductive development was abolished in most food-rationed hamsters. In food-rationed hamsters that did exhibit recrudescence, conspicuous delays in the onset of gonadal development and decreases in the magnitude of growth were evident. In all hamsters, the termination of food rationing triggered rapid gonadal development. The data indicate that late winter/early spring increases in environmental food availability are required for the normal manifestation of photorefractoriness-induced reproductive development and suggest that a function of photorefractoriness may be merely to disinhibit the reproductive axis from photoperiodic suppression. Vernal gonadal development or recrudescence appears to be strongly affected by proximate energy
Rent‐Based Exploitation: Top, Bottom and Horizontal

Summary In this essay we argue that current emphasis on economic rents captured by the wealthy produces an incomplete representation of exploitative incomes and propose to expand the analysis by including in it economic rents accruing to segments of the poor and the working population.
The sublaminar organization of corticogeniculate neurons in layer 6 of macaque striate cortex

We examined the laminar distribution of corticogeniculate neurons in the macaque striate cortex labeled by axonal transport following injections of retrograde tracers into the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Large injections of retrograde tracers involving all layers of the LGN resulted in a distinctive bilaminar distribution of labeled cells in cortical layer 6. One tier of labeled neurons was located along the layer 5-6 border and a second was located near the bottom of the layer, leaving the middle of layer 6 largely free of labeled neurons. Following injections of tracers that were restricted to the magnocellular layers of the LGN, almost all of the labeled neurons were located in the lower tier. In contrast, following injections of retrograde tracers confined to the parvocellular layers of the LGN, labeled cells were found in both tiers, with the greatest number in the upper tier. Thus, layer 6 of macaque striate cortex consists of three distinct sublayers only two of which are the source of descending projections to the LGN: an upper tier that projects exclusively to the parvocellular layers and a lower tier that projects to both magnocellular and parvocellular layers.
Developmental types of shallow-water asteroids of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

The mode of development was ascertained for 14 of the 16 species of sea stars known to occur in shallow waters of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica (77°51′S; 166°40′E). The species were collected between September 1984 and December 1985. Females of three species,Odontaster validus, O. meridionalis andPorania antarctica, spawn small to moderate eggs (0.17 to 0.55 mm), have a high fecundity, and produce feeding larvae. Females of an undescribedPorania species spawn a few eggs (150 to 310) that are 0.55 mm in diameter and develop into demersal non-feeding larvae. Females ofDiplasterias brucei andNotasterias armata produce a few (<300) large eggs (2.8 to 3.5 mm) and brood their young. Females of the remaining eight species have moderate fecundity and produce pelagic non-feeding larvae, as determined from egg type (buoyant, 0.54 to 1.28 mm diam) and direct observations of spawning and development. The high incidence (11 out of 14 species; 79%) of non-feeding development is consistent with predictions that environmental conditions in high-latitude regions are unfavorable for planktotrophic development. Nonetheless, most of the species surveyed (11 out of 14) had pelagic larvae, which contradicts inferences of unusual selection for benthic development in the Antarctic.
The intracellular translocation of the components of the fibroblast growth factor 1 release complex precedes their assembly prior to export

The release of signal peptideless proteins occurs through nonclassical export pathways and the release of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)1 in response to cellular stress is well documented. Although biochemical evidence suggests that the formation of a multiprotein complex containing S100A13 and Synaptotagmin (Syt)1 is important for the release of FGF1, it is unclear where this intracellular complex is assembled. As a result, we employed real-time analysis using confocal fluorescence microscopy to study the spatio-temporal aspects of this nonclassical export pathway and demonstrate that heat shock stimulates the redistribution of FGF1 from a diffuse cytosolic pattern to a locale near the inner surface of the plasma membrane where it colocalized with S100A13 and Syt1. In addition, coexpression of dominant-negative mutant forms of S100A13 and Syt1, which both repress the release of FGF1, failed to inhibit the stress-induced peripheral redistribution of intracellular FGF1. However, amlexanox, a compound that is known to attenuate actin stress fiber formation and FGF1 release, was able to repress this process. These data suggest that the assembly of the intracellular complex involved in the release of FGF1 occurs near the inner surface of the plasma membrane and is dependent on the F-actin cytoskeleton.
Field TesTs oF The RosenbeRg-blancheR MeThod FoR conveRTing PoinT counTs To abundance esTiMaTes

Abstract The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provides a widely used source of information on changes in bird population abundance based on data obtained for >50 years by 3-min point counts (Sauer et al. 2005). Rosenberg and Blancher (2005) provided a method that purports to convert BBS data into estimates of absolute abundance. To test this method, we compiled detection efficiencies using BBS protocol at five stations in southern New York where territories of most breeding birds were known. Following the Rosenberg-Blancher method, we assigned species to distance categories, within which it is assumed that the equivalent of 100% of a species will be detected. Field results show that individual detection efficiencies varied from 3% to 49% among 29 species. These values are similar to results from other field studies. Most males did not sing within a 3-min count during June, and the detection distances assumed by the method are much too high. We recommend that conservation priorities of the Landbir...
The use of unidimensional parameter estimates of multidimensional items in adaptive testing

This study investigated the effect of using multidimensional items in a computerized adaptive test (CAT) setting which assumes that all items are unidimensional. Previous research has suggested that the composite of multidimensional abilities being estimated by a unidimensional IRT model is not constant throughout the entire unidimensional ability scale (Reckase, Carlson, Ackerman, & Spray, 1986). Results of this study suggest that unidimensional calibration of multidimensional data tends to "filter out" the multidimensionality. Items that measured a θ 1,θ2 composite similar to the composite of the calibrated unidimensional θ scale had larger estimated unidimensional discrimination values. These items thus had a greater probability of being administered in a CAT where only the most informative items are selected. Results also suggest that if a CAT item pool contains items from several content areas measuring dissimilar θ1,θ2 composites, different unidimensional abilities may receive disparate proportions ...
The Study of Politics: What Does Replicability Have to Do with It?

The purpose of this rejoinder is twofold. The first is to question the call to extend a “replication standard” for qualitative research in political science. (See Golden, 1995a). The second is to question how useful the focus on “replicability” is for research in political science in general (see King, 1995a, and the debate on “Verification/Replication” in PS, 1995 28(3): 443–99).What underlies a replication standard for qualitative research? I believe that the call for a replication standard for qualitative research is applicable to only certain kinds of research, and that, even within its own limitations, is probably misguided. For the most part, when proponents of a replication standard have anticipated dissension over the requirement of replication for qualitative research, they have pointed to logistical, pragmatic, and privacy burdens that such a requirement may impose on researchers.In contrast, my main contention concerns the very conceptualization of research as replicable. I argue that the assumptions underlying a replication standard are strongly and narrowly positivist. The replication standard itself is reductionist, and its use would marginalize a portion of the qualitative research now being conducted in political science.
“He’s a Real Dude”: Tributes to Tom Jones

Researchers often fail to honor luminaries in their fields of inquiry, at least while they are still alive. What follows is one such tribute, to Dr. Thomas M. Jones, the Boeing Company endowed professor in business management at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. Business & Society represents an appropriate outlet for this tribute, given that Tom was the first editor of the journal when the International Association for Business and Society (IABS) assumed editorial control of the Sage Publications journal in 1993.
Enhanced particle swarm optimizer for power system applications

Power system networks are complex systems that are highly nonlinear and non-stationary, and therefore, their performance is difficult to optimize using traditional optimization techniques. This paper presents an enhanced particle swarm optimizer for solving constrained optimization problems for power system applications, in particular, the optimal allocation of multiple STATCOM units. The study focuses on the capability of the algorithm to find feasible solutions in a highly restricted hyperspace. The performance of the enhanced particle swarm optimizer is compared with the classical particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, genetic algorithm (GA) and bacterial foraging algorithm (BFA). Results show that the enhanced PSO is able to find feasible solutions faster and converge to feasible regions more often as compared with other algorithms. Additionally, the enhanced PSO is capable of finding the global optimum without getting trapped in local minima.
Comparative Study of Susceptibilities of Germinated and Ungerminated Conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus to Various Antifungal Agents

Conidia are used as inocula for the in vitro susceptibility testing of Aspergillus fumigatus. Since the MIC is defined on the basis of visible mycelial growth, conidia should germinate and produce sporelings (germinated conidia) for monitoring of the growth inhibition and fungicidal activity of a drug. If a compound is capable of inhibiting germination of conidia while affecting or not affecting the growth of the organism, the MIC obtained will be the concentration of the drug required for the inhibition of conidial germination but not necessarily that required for inhibition of the growth of the organism. We investigated the susceptibility of germinated and ungerminated conidia to amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, and SCH56592. The MICs of various antifungal agents for germinated conidia were almost identical to those obtained for ungerminated conidia. In addition, both the germinated and ungerminated conidia were killed with almost equal efficiency by all of the compounds tested when exposed to the drugs for 24 h. These results suggest that either germinated or ungerminated conidia could be used as inocula for in vitro susceptibility studies of A. fumigatus with identical results.
Administration of magnesium sulphate before rocuronium: effects on speed of onset and duration of neuromuscular block.

The speeds of onset of pancuronium, atracurium and vecuronium are increased by prior administration of magnesium sulphate. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled, clinical study was performed to examine the effects of prior i.v. administration of magnesium sulphate 60 mg kg-1 on the neuromuscular blocking effects of rocuronium 0.6 mg kg-1 during isoflurane anaesthesia. Neuromuscular function was measured electromyographically (Relaxograph) in 30 patients who received either magnesium sulphate 60 mg kg-1 or normal saline, 1-min before rocuronium 0.6 mg kg-1. Mean onset times were similar in the two groups (magnesium sulphate 71 (SD 20) s; normal saline 75 (23) s), but times to initial, 10% and 25% recovery from neuromuscular block were significantly longer in the magnesium sulphate group (42.1 (16.3), 49.0 (12.4) and 56.5 (13.2) min, respectively) than in the saline group (25.1 (9.1), 33.0 (11.1) and 35.6 (13.2) min, respectively) (P < 0.05 in all three cases). Administration of magnesium sulphate was not associated with adverse haemodynamic effects. Prior administration of magnesium sulphate, under the study conditions described, prolonged rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block but did not increase speed of onset.
A depth-averaged debris-flow model that includes the effects of evolving dilatancy. II. Numerical predictions and experimental tests

We evaluate a new depth-averaged mathematical model that is designed to simulate all stages of debris-flow motion, from initiation to deposition. A companion paper shows how the model9s five governing equations describe simultaneous evolution of flow thickness, solid volume fraction, basal pore-fluid pressure and two components of flow momentum. Each equation contains a source term that represents the influence of state-dependent granular dilatancy. Here, we recapitulate the equations and analyse their eigenstructure to show that they form a hyperbolic system with desirable stability properties. To solve the equations, we use a shock-capturing numerical scheme with adaptive mesh refinement, implemented in an open-source software package we call D-Claw. As tests of D-Claw, we compare model output with results from two sets of large-scale debris-flow experiments. One set focuses on flow initiation from landslides triggered by rising pore-water pressures, and the other focuses on downstream flow dynamics, runout and deposition. D-Claw performs well in predicting evolution of flow speeds, thicknesses and basal pore-fluid pressures measured in each type of experiment. Computational results illustrate the critical role of dilatancy in linking coevolution of the solid volume fraction and pore-fluid pressure, which mediates basal Coulomb friction and thereby regulates debris-flow dynamics.
Dose-dependent response of serum lutein and macular pigment optical density to supplementation with lutein esters

We conducted a study to determine the effect of different doses of a lutein supplement on serum lutein concentration and macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Lutein is one of the major components of human macular pigment. Eighty-seven subjects received daily doses of 5, 10, or 20 mg of lutein, or a placebo, over a 140 day period. Serum lutein concentration was determined by HPLC and MPOD by heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP). Serum lutein responded positively, except in the placebo group, reaching a plateau that, averaged for each dosage group, was linearly dependent on dose. Likewise MPOD, on average, increased at a rate that varied linearly with dose. For subjects deemed more proficient at HFP, approximately 29% of the variability in MPOD response could be attributed to a linear dependence on the fractional change in serum lutein concentration. We did not detect any significant influence of age on serum lutein uptake or MPOD response.
Flexible material handling system using smart-carriers and powerline communication

A novel material transport and handling system utilizing simultaneous information and power delivery is proposed. This system provides a convenient and unobtrusive method of sending documents, specimens, and material to multiple locations within a single building. It consists of a fixed track, central controller, central power supply, and multiple 'smart-carriers'. By using a fixed track, the system can be placed out of the way of normal ground level activity. The system allows for horizontal, as well as vertical travel. The 'smart-carriers' carry parcels along the tracks to and from various locations at the user's command. The 'smart-carriers' each have their own onboard micro-modem and controller. The track itself delivers the power and information signals to the smart-carriers. This design allows for a very simple and flexible system. Equation reduction was used to model a generic system with "n" smart carriers. Next, a powerline communication system was built and tested to evaluate the characteristics of the track. Protocols for communicating between the centralized controller and the carriers are introduced. Finally, a preliminary design of the proposed system is presented.
A New Isospora Species of Passerines in the Family Turdidae from Costa Rica

abstract: Seven thrush species (Turdidae) from Costa Rica were examined for intestinal parasites; 21 of the 84 (25%) birds sampled were positive for a new species of Isospora. Oocysts of Isospora zorzali n. sp. have thin, smooth, double, and colorless walls; they measure 19.7 ± 1.5 µm × 18.6 ± 1.4 µm (16–24 µm × 15–21 µm), with an average length–width ratio of 1.1 µm. Sporocysts are ovoid, measure 8.5 ± 1.1 µm × 14.5 ± 1.7 µm (7–11 µm × 11–18 µm) with an average length–width ratio of 1.7 µm. A nipple-like stieda body continuous with the sporocyst wall is present, but no substieda body was observed. A sporocyst residuum consisting of large equal sized granules was observed either clumped together or diffusely. The sporocysts fill the entire oocysts with little to no open space observed. This is the first report of Isospora species from any of the sampled host species and also the first report from any species of thrush in Costa Rica.
Profiles of cytokine production in recipients of transfer factors

Transfer factors (TF) are proteins that transfer the ability to express cell-mediated immunity from immune donors to non-immune recipients. The mechanisms of these effects have not been defined. The experiments described in this report were undertaken to test the hypothesis that a mechanism through which the beneficial effects of TF are expressed in clinical situation is through "education" of the immune system to produce certain cytokines in response to antigenic stimulation. BALB/c mice were sensitized to Herpes simplexvirus (HSV) either by sublethal systemic or cutaneous infections by administration of a HSV-specific TF. One week later their spleen cells were collected and single cell suspensions were stimulated in vitro with irradiated HSV or concanavalin. A Culture supernatants were collected and assayed for content of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-g. Spleen cells from infected mice responded to concanavalin A and to HSV by secreting large amounts of IL-2 and IFN-g, modest amounts of IL-10, and no IL-4. Transfer factor recipients produced similar cytokine profiles in response to concavalin A. These mice, however, responded to HSV by secreting IFN-g, but no IL-2. Thus, TF treatment selectively affects cytokine production in response to antigenic stimulation.
A cross reactive sensor array to probe divalent metal ions

A simple sensing ensemble was designed to discriminate structurally similar divalent metal chlorides utilizing multivariate data analysis. The system features the binding of four synthesized coumarin-enamine probes to a series of ten metal chlorides. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) achieves what univariate data analysis alone cannot i.e., full analyte discrimination and differentiation.
TS and MTHFR gene polymorphisms in patients (pts) with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head or neck (SCCHN) treated with pemetrexed (P) and bevacizumab (B)

e17011 Background: P inhibits multiple enzymes in folate metabolism. We examined polymorphisms in thymidylate synthase (TS) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) in patients with SCCHN tr...
Noblese Oblige as an Alternate Career Strategy

In this Comment to Professor Wilkins' article "Doing Well by Doing Good? The Role of Public Service in the Careers of Black Corporate Lawyers," Professor Garth cautions that the market for the kind of public service opportunities that are likely to benefit a lawyer's career in private practice may be nearly as closed as the market for law firm partnerships. As the size of the bar increases, leadership positions in public service have become increasingly scarce. Moreover, the black lawyers who were tapped for these positions in the 1980s and 1990s are likely, as their predecessors in the elite bar before them, to hold on to these prestigious positions, thus leaving little room for the expanding number of black lawyers coming behind them. At the same time, the "demand" by corporate clients for lawyers with public service credentials may be different from what most black lawyers pursuing this strategy are able to supply - and when companies do want black lawyers, it is likely to be in areas that end up limiting the ability of these aspiring lawyer-statespersons to become partners with power in elite firms. Finally, even in the best of circumstances, only certain lawyers will be able to use public service as a springboard to success in private practice. Specifically, lawyers who do not have the kind of elite credentials prized by those dispensing prestigious public service opportunities, and women, who are likely to find the extra hours associated with combining public service and private practice particularly onerous, will have much greater difficulty pursuing a nobles oblige approach to building successful careers in private practice. Nevertheless, Professor Garth concludes that public service remains an important avenue for obtaining career advantages in private practice, although paradoxically, primarily for those lawyers who pursue public opportunities for their intrinsic (as opposed to their instrumental) value.
The statin diabetes conundrum: short-term gain, long-term risk or inconvenient truth?

Statin drugs have become the mainstay of many cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines and are recommended for most adult patients with diabetes. A careful review of the evidence, however, suggests that the clinical benefits of statins in diabetes may have been overstated by relying on meta-analyses that incorporate randomised controlled trials (RCTs) neither designed nor powered to assess the effects of statins in diabetes. Multiple RCTs specifically designed and powered to study the effects of statins in diabetes have demonstrated inconsistent clinical benefits and no mortality benefit. The conclusions of these meta-analyses should not supersede the results of these large, well-conducted RCTs. Reports that conclude that the benefits of statins outweigh the risks have probably underestimated the long-term risks of statin exposure and the deleterious consequences of long-term diabetes.
Trends in ownership and usage of food thermometers in the United States, 1998 through 2010.

Food safety research has shown that the use of a food thermometer is the best way to ensure that meat, poultry, and other foods reach an internal temperature sufficient to destroy foodborne pathogens. The 1998, 2001, 2006, and 2010 Food Safety Surveys were used to analyze changes in food thermometer ownership and usage for roasts, chicken parts, and hamburgers in the United States. A probit regression model was used to evaluate differing trends in ownership across demographic subgroups, and probit models with sample selection were used to evaluate differing trends in food thermometer usage for roasts, chicken parts, and hamburgers. The Food Safety Surveys are nationally representative telephone surveys tracking consumers' food safety attitudes and behaviors. Findings from these surveys indicate that the percentage of consumers who own food thermometers has increased from 49% in 1998 to 70% in 2010 (P < 0.05). The use of food thermometers has also increased over this time period but varies by food type. Of...
Case study of municipal air pollution policies: Houston's Air Toxic Control Strategy under the White Administration, 2004-2009.

Local government has traditionally played only a minor role in regulating airborne toxic pollutants. However, from 2004 to 2009, the City of Houston implemented a novel, municipality-based air toxi...
Psychological Empowerment and Job Satisfaction: An Analysis of Interactive Effects

This research investigates the interactive effects of the psychological empowerment dimensions on job satisfaction. Using data collected from employees of multiple organizations, the authors find i...
Evaluation of Uncertainty in Measuring Sodium in Tap Water

[Objective]To establish the method for uncertainty evaluation in measuring sodium in tap water.[Methods]Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was adopted to measure the concentration of sodium in tap water under the 589.6nm wavelength,then the uncertainty was calculated.[Results]The concentration of sodium in tap water was(48.6070±0.5736)mg/L.The analysis showed that standard solution and standard curve preparation process contributed to the uncertainty in measuring sodium in tap water.[Conclusion]The established analysis and calculation method are suitable for uncertainty evaluation of sodium in tap water.The main links of uncertainty generation should be controlled in the measurement.
From Interface to Interspace Conceptual Framework for Multimodal Flight Deck Controls

Pilots’ awareness of the flight deck as a shared space is intrinsic and they interact with each other freely and naturally in it. However, these pilot-to-pilot interactions bear little resemblance to the pilot-aircraft interactions which are constrained within instrument panel areas where the majority of pilot interfaces currently reside. The inherent spatial characteristics of the flight deck afford the notion of an interspace. The interspace can be an environment where: (a) the pilots interact with technology in a multimodal fashion such that the actions in one modality complement, and collaborate the input from the others, producing a well-choreographed user experience; and (b) the spatial organization, temporal synchronization, and semantic collaboration of control input devices reflect the integration patterns characterizing people’s use of different modalities. Thus, the key to an effective design paradigm shift is contingent on successfully emulating these naturally occurring modality communication and cooperation patterns within the intended interspace.