cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A stress analysis method for molecular dynamics systems

Abstract As the development of micro/nanoelectromechanical devices continues at a fast pace, there is a growing need to bridge the gap between material behavior at the atomic and molecular levels and material behavior at length scales relevant to most engineering and industrial applications. Since stress is one of the most fundamental quantities in continuum mechanics (CM), it is desirable to introduce stress methods that are applicable to both continuum and discrete systems, such as those modeled by molecular dynamics (MD). Thus, the objective of this study was to demonstrate how a traction vector-based stress method that is compatible with CM can be used to examine MD systems of crystalline solids undergoing small lattice distortion. In the bulk of face-centered-cubic (FCC) and body-centered-cubic solids, the traction vector-based atomic stress definition used in this study is shown to be equivalent to the classical energy-based virial stress that is commonly used for small deformations and low temperatures, i.e., negligible thermal vibration. However, contrary to the virial stress, the components of the present atomic stress diminish in the region close to a free surface, consistent with the traction-free boundary condition. The validity of the stress method developed herein is demonstrated by MD results of the bulk modulus of FCC copper, the surface tension of an FCC solid, and the subsurface stress field of an FCC half-space indented by a rigid flat punch.
Airborne validation of the general image quality equation 5

The general image quality equation (GIQE) maps imaging system parameters to performance in terms of common detection and recognition tasks. Changes to the National Imagery Interpretation Rating Scale led to the development of GIQE version 5 in 2015. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of GIQE 5 applications in the literature, a tutorial on its use, and, for the first time , an independent validation of the new model along with comparisons to GIQEs 3 and 4.
Topological Boundary Floppy Modes in Quasicrystals

A theoretical analysis extends concepts of topological mechanics to quasicrystals---structures that are ordered but not periodic---and finds rich new physics with potential applications to problems in condensed matter and engineering.
Thematic expansion: A new strategy for theory development.

We developed and applied metasynthesis methods to expand previously reported thematic descriptions of parents’ internal definition of “being a good parent to my seriously ill child” as part of a la...
Spillovers of U.S. market volatility and monetary policy uncertainty to global stock markets

Abstract This study investigates the impact of unexpected monetary growth ( U Δ M) and changes in U.S. monetary policy uncertainty ( Δ MPU) on international stock returns while controlling for a change in equity market volatility ( Δ E M V ) and dividend yield (DY). Testing of North American stock market indices consistently shows that both U Δ M and Δ MPU have significant negative impacts on stock returns, which extend the effects to one month lag. Further testing of Europe, Latin America and Asia market indices yields comparable qualitative results. The evidence confirms that an increase in the U.S. MPU is transmitted to international stock markets. This finding supports the international risk/uncertainty premium hypothesis. However, a rise in U.S. unexpected monetary growth as measured by U Δ M has a less consistent effect in Latin American and Asian stock markets.
Divesting in Socially (Ir)responsible Internet Service Providers

Divesting in a company based on their social practices is one tactic for encouraging a company to alter their behavior. Individuals and institutions can divest in "socially irresponsible" ISPs directly by refusing to peer with or purchase transit from these ISPs, or indirectly by avoiding paths through these ISPs. While the economics of divesting in ISPs and mechanisms for exerting more control over Internet paths have been previously studied, a major challenge remains: how do individuals and institutions assess whether an ISP is socially responsible? Large institutions may have the resources to research which ISPs are socially (ir)responsible, but most individuals and institutions lack these resources, thereby limiting their ability to effect social change. We address this challenge by designing a system for automatically assessing ISPs along various dimensions of social responsibility---e.g., environmental stewardship, censorship actions, or net neutrality practices. In particular, we gather publicly accessible web pages which discuss a particular ISP and social issue and apply stance detection---a natural language processing technique for determining a subject's attitude or commitment toward an object---to compute a "socially responsibility" score for individual ISPs and dimensions of social responsibility. We construct a data set over 600 web pages relating to net neutrality and 13 ISPs of varying sizes, and show our framework achieves 71% accuracy in determining an ISP's stance.
Coordinated Perimeter Flow and Variable Speed Limit Control for Mixed Freeway and Urban Networks

Recent studies have leveraged the existence of network macroscopic fundamental diagrams (MFD) to develop regional control strategies for urban traffic networks. Existing MFD-based control strategie...
Discovery of ancestral L-ornithine and L-lysine decarboxylases reveals parallel, pseudoconvergent evolution of polyamine biosynthesis.

Polyamines are fundamental molecules of life, and their deep evolutionary history is reflected in extensive biosynthetic diversification. The polyamines putrescine, agmatine, and cadaverine are produced by pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-dependent L-ornithine, L-arginine, and L-lysine decarboxylases (ODC, ADC, LDC), respectively, from both the alanine racemase (AR) and aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) folds. Two homologous forms of AAT-fold decarboxylase are present in bacteria: an ancestral form and a derived, acid-inducible extended form containing an N-terminal fusion to the receiver-like domain of a bacterial response regulator. Only ADC was known from the ancestral form and limited to the Firmicutes phylum, whereas extended forms of ADC, ODC, and LDC are present in Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Here, we report the discovery of ancestral form ODC, LDC, and bifunctional O/LDC and extend the phylogenetic diversity of functionally characterized ancestral ADC, ODC, and LDC to include phyla Fusobacteria, Caldiserica, Nitrospirae, and Euryarchaeota. Using purified recombinant enzymes, we show that these ancestral forms have a nascent ability to decarboxylate kinetically less preferred amino acid substrates with low efficiency, and that product inhibition primarily affects preferred substrates. We also note a correlation between the presence of ancestral ODC and ornithine/arginine auxotrophy and link this with a known symbiotic dependence on exogenous ornithine produced by species using the arginine deiminase system. Finally, we show that ADC, ODC, and LDC activities emerged independently, in parallel, in the homologous AAT-fold ancestral and extended forms. The emergence of the same ODC, ADC, and LDC activities in the nonhomologous AR-fold suggests that polyamine biosynthesis may be inevitable.
Database Tuning using Natural Language Processing

Introduction. We have seen significant advances in the state of the art in natural language processing (NLP) over the past few years [20]. These advances have been driven by new neural network architectures, in particular the Transformer model [19], as well as the successful application of transfer learning approaches to NLP [13]. Typically, training for specific NLP tasks starts from large language models that have been pre-trained on generic tasks (e.g., predicting obfuscated words in text [5]) for which large amounts of training data are available. Using such models as a starting point reduces task-specific training cost as well as the number of required training samples by orders of magnitude [7]. These advances motivate new use cases for NLP methods in the context of databases.
Apparent Kinetics of Histamine Dose-Responsive Gastric Water and Electrolyte Secretion in the Dog

Summary The kinetics of the dose-responsive gastric secretion of water, H + , Cl - , K + , and Na + in 10 conscious gastric fistula dogs with eight doses of histamine (2 to 125 /Ag per kg per hr) given intravenously for 4.5 hr to each at different times, may be described by the simple linear equation S/V = aS + b where S = dose of histamine and V = output of water, H + , etc. This indicates that histamine stimulates electrolyte secretion by a first-order kinetic reaction or series of such reactions. Also it was found that a threshold dose of histamine of about 2.5 μg per kg per hr did not directly participate in the secretion stimulation of water, H + , Cl - , and K + while the stimulation of Na + (also first order) was nonthreshold. From the equation can be calculated V max or theoretical maximal output which was 10% above observed maximum, and also the dose of histamine which provided 50% of calculated maximal secretion. This dose was 14.2 to 15.3 μg per kg per hr for water, H + , Cl - , and K + and 9.4 μg for Na + . Pepsin fell progressily in a mirror image to the acid secretion with increasing doses of histamine. These findings and calculations allow quantitative comparisons bestomachs and between various stimuli and inhibitors of gastric secretion as to mechanism of action, potency, and specificity.
Systems Engineering Methods for Enhancing the Value Stream in Public Health Preparedness: The Role of Markov Models, Simulation, and Optimization

OBJECTIVES: Large-scale incidents such as the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, the 2011 European Escherichia coli outbreak, and Hurricane Sandy demonstrate the need for continuous improvement in emergency preparation, alert, and response systems globally. As questions relating to emergency preparedness and response continue to rise to the forefront, the field of industrial and systems engineering (ISE) emerges, as it provides sophisticated techniques that have the ability to model the system, simulate, and optimize complex systems, even under uncertainty. METHODS: We applied three ISE techniques-Markov modeling, operations research (OR) or optimization, and computer simulation-to public health emergency preparedness. RESULTS: We present three models developed through a four-year partnership with stakeholders from state and local public health for effectively, efficiently, and appropriately responding to potential public health threats: (1) an OR model for optimal alerting in response to a public health event, (2) simulation models developed to respond to communicable disease events from the perspective of public health, and (3) simulation models for implementing pandemic influenza vaccination clinics representative of clinics in operation for the 2009-2010 H1N1 vaccinations in North Carolina. CONCLUSIONS: The methods employed by the ISE discipline offer powerful new insights to understand and improve public health emergency preparedness and response systems. The models can be used by public health practitioners not only to inform their planning decisions but also to provide a quantitative argument to support public health decision making and investment. Language: en
Crude Oil Imports and National Security

The authors demonstrate that the United States profits handsomely in all circumstances by imposing an embargo on imports of foreign crude oil. The US removes its exposure to foreign oil supply shocks and recovers deadweight lost producers surplus. The embargo plan will lead to greater domestic production of crude oil and alternative fuels without the tax and subsidy schemes heretofore employed.
Binary nonlinear kernels of maximum exponents of polar codes of dimensions up to sixteen

Polar codes proposed by Arikan are based on a linear kernel of dimension two with exponent 0.5. In this paper, binary kernels of maximum exponents of dimensions up to 16 are presented except for the case of dimension 12 where the maximum exponent is shown to be attained by either a constructed linear kernel or a possible nonlinear kernel with a specified partial distance sequence. The results show that the minimum dimension for which there exists a kernel with exponent greater than 0.5, i.e., exceeds the exponent of the linear kernel proposed by Arikan, is 14. For dimensions 14, 15, 16, discussed by Presman et al., along with 13, there are nonlinear kernels with exponents larger than any of that of a linear kernel. The kernels of these dimensions that have maximum exponent, although nonlinear over GF(2), are ℤ 4 -linear or ℤ 2 ℤ 4 -linear.
Pulse compression techniques to improve modulated pulsed laser line scan systems

A modulated pulse laser imaging system has been developed which utilizes coded/chirped RF modulation to mitigate the adverse effects of optical scattering in degraded visual underwater environments. Current laser imaging techniques employ either short pulses or single frequency modulated pulses to obtain both intensity and range images. Systems using short pulses have high range resolution but are susceptible to scattering due to the wide bandwidth nature of the pulse. Range gating can be used to limit the effects of backscatter, but this can lead to blind spots in the range image. Modulated pulse systems can help suppress the contribution from scattered light in generated imagery without gating the receiver. However, the use of narrowband, single tone modulation results in limited range resolution where small targets are camouflaged within the background. This drives the need for systems which have high range resolution while still suppressing the effects of scattering caused by the environment. Coded/chirped modulated pulses enable the use of radar pulse compression techniques to substantially increase range resolution while also providing a way to discriminate the object of interest from the light scattered from the environment. Linearly frequency chirped waveforms and phase shift keyed barker codes were experimentally investigated to determine the effects that pulse compression would have on intensity/range data. The effect of modulation frequency on the data produced with both wideband and narrowband modulation was also investigated. The results from laboratory experiments will be presented and compared to model predictions.
Caring for children and working: dilemmas of contemporary womanhood.

American women are entering the labor force in increasing numbers; currently 53% of women in intact families are in paid employment as are 41% of those with children under 18; this despite the fact that women earn less than 60% of the wages paid men in similar occupations. Women are responding to the pressures of an inflationary economy, to the costs of higher education for their children, to opportunities for personal fulfillment, and to a growing market for service occupations. Yet married women continue to carry 70% to 80% of child care and household duties when both parents work. Conventional stereotypes of feminine passivity, formalized in the last century, grossly misperceive women9s roles and abilities and constitute a psychological barrier to self-realization for both men and women. Social innovations in child care will be necessary if we are to provide optimal conditions for child development at a time when family roles are in sharp transition. The pediatrician, as family counselor, can help to support mothers and fathers seeking to fulfill parental, occupational and personal needs in a rapidly changing society.
Changing Gubernatorial Power: the Measure Vs. Reality

VER the years, social scientists have become very adept at quantifying and measuring the attributes of our subject matter. We recognize that human institutions and behavior are changeable, not immutable. Nevertheless, we sometimes forget that as the objects we study change, the measurements we use for our studies must also change. This paper examines one case where our measures have not kept pace with our subject Schlesinger's index of gubernatorial power. Schlesinger introduced his well-known "Index of the Formal Powers of the Governors" two decades ago (Schlesinger 1965). The index, plus its separate appointment, budget, tenure and veto power components, has appeared repeatedly in studies of state politics and the governorship. It has shown amazing resilience use of the index has continued despite qualms about its construction (Dometrius 1979), proposed additions (Beyle 1983), and Schlesinger's own warning not to equate formal power with actual influence (Schlesinger 1965). The index, however, has become a victim of its own subject. The last quarter century has seen widespread increases in the formal powers of governors (Sabato 1978; Beyle 1983; Mueller 1985). Changes in the states have reduced the validity of the appointment power component and have weakened the ability of the summary index to identify differences between governors. Consequently, it is problematic to include the index, or any of its components, in analyses of the contemporary governorship. The following section reviews the general problems involved in applying Schlesinger's index to the 1980s. Additionally, these problems will be illustrated through a review of Mueller's recent study (1985) of gubernatorial power. As both the most recent work in the field, and a longitudinal analysis, Mueller's work crystallizes many of the index's temporal problems. Mueller sought to uncover the determinants of formal power by examining changes in Schlesinger's formal power index between 1960 and 1982. He concluded that innovative states and wealthy states enhanced the power of their governors substantially during this 22-year period; however, a professional legislature in the state hindered increases in formal gubernatorial power. Unfortunately, Mueller's conclusions stem as much from weaknesses in Schlesinger's index as from any real relationships.
Mammalian Motor Units: Physiological-Histochemical Correlation in Three Types in Cat Gastrocnemius

The correlation among a variety of physiological properties and the histochemical characteristics of muscle fibers belonging to single motor units in a mixed mammalian muscle is directly demonstrated. The population of motor units making up the cat gastrocnemius was classified into three nonoverlapping groups on the basis of a combination of physiological parameters. The muscle fibers belonging to motor units of each physiological type exhibited a distinctive histochemical profile, such that the three basic histochemical "fiber types" exactly matched the three physiologically defined groups. Within each individual motor unit, the muscle fibers were histochemically uniform.
The uncertain future of the community college workforce development mission

This chapter describes the evolution of the workforce development mission and its current crisis in the face of changing training demands, shriveling government support, and rising competition. Two alternative future paths are outlined: a baccalaureate degree-oriented new vocationalism and a renewed emphasis on serving the training needs of low-income adults.
On the number of partitions into primes

There is, apparently, a persistent belief that in the current state of knowledge it is not possible to obtain an asymptotic formula for the number of partitions of a number n into primes when n is large. In this paper such a formula is obtained. Since the distribution of primes can only be described accurately by the use of the logarithmic integral and a sum over zeros of the Riemann zeta-function one cannot expect the main term to involve only elementary functions. However the formula obtained, when n is replaced by a real variable, is in ${\mathcal{C}}^{\infty}$ and is readily seen to be monotonic.
Pre-transplant MELD and sodium MELD scores are poor predictors of graft failure and mortality after liver transplantation.

Incorporating serum sodium concentrations into the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score may increase its sensitivity for identifying priority patients for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We, therefore, evaluated and compared the ability of the sodium MELD and MELD scores to predict graft and patient survival after OLT. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry includes all US adult OLTs performed between January 2000 and August 2008. For 15,156 patients who met inclusion criteria, MELD score was calculated; for 6,193 patients whose serum sodium concentrations was between 120 and 135 mEq/dl, immediately before OLT, sodium MELD score was calculated. The corresponding hazard ratios (HR) for MELD and sodium MELD on graft and patient survival were assessed using the Cox proportional hazards regression models. The concordance probability estimate (CPE) was used to evaluate predictive ability of each time-to-event model. MELD and sodium MELD scores were both significant predictors in univariable Cox regression models for graft failure [HR (95% CI) for every 10 units increase in the predictor: 1.10 (1.04, 1.17), P = 0.001, and 1.05 (1.00, 1.10), P = 0.03, respectively], and for mortality (1.14 (1.07, 1.21), P < 0.001, and 1.07 (1.02, 1.12), P = 0.01, respectively), with CPE of 0.52–0.53. While MELD and sodium MELD were each significantly associated with survival after OLT, their predictive abilities were poor. The sodium MELD score does not improve prediction accuracy over the MELD score. Weak prediction may result from unaccounted variability in recipient and donor status, as well as surgical and postoperative factors.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic dissection of the brachial plexus: cadaveric study and illustrative case.

Objective Standard surgical approaches to the brachial plexus require an open operative technique with extensive soft tissue dissection. A transthoracic endoscopic approach using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was studied as an alternative direct operative corridor to the proximal inferior brachial plexus. Methods VATS was used in cadaveric dissections to study the anatomic details of the brachial plexus at the thoracic apex. After placement of standard thoracoscopic ports, the thoracic apex was systematically dissected. The limitations of the VATS approach were defined before and after removal of the first rib. The technique was applied in a 22-year-old man with neurofibromatosis who presented with a large neurofibroma of the left T1 nerve root. Results The cadaveric study demonstrated that VATS allowed for a direct cephalad approach to the inferior brachial plexus. The C8 and T1 nerve roots as well as the lower trunk of the brachial plexus were safely identified and dissected. Removal of the first rib provided exposure of the entire lower trunk and proximal divisions. After the fundamental steps to the dissection were identified, the patient underwent a successful gross total resection of a left T1 neurofibroma with VATS. Conclusion VATS provided an alternative surgical corridor to the proximal inferior brachial plexus and obviated the need for the extensive soft tissue dissection associated with the anterior supraclavicular and posterior subscapular approaches.
A normalized ladder form of the residual energy ratio algorithm for PARCOR estimation via projections

In this paper, we give a square-root normalized ladder algorithm for the residual energy ratio (RER) method of PARCOR coefficient estimation. The derivation uses a Hilbert space projection approach similar to that of Lee and Morf, but requires an additional related Hilbert space and its corresponding projection operators. The resulting partial correlation estimates guarantee a stable synthesis filter. In addition, we show how the algorithm may be cast in a form suitable for implementation by a CORDIC processor. Finally, we show how the normalized covariance form corresponds to an RER formulation where the prediction error energies used are chosen properly.
A simple conductimetric CO2 analyzer with automatic recalibration. I: Design, implementation, and functionality

Controlled-environment plant growth cabinets may be used to investigate the long-term effect of elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) on plant growth. Infrared gas analyzers (IRGAs) are normally used to monitor and control [CO 2 ] in plant cabinets. With many cabinets in use, however, it soon becomes impractical to purchase an individual IRGA for each cabinet. A more economical method of monitoring and controlling [CO 2 ] relies on the change in electrical conductivity when CO 2 is dissolved in demineralized water. This work describes the design, implementation, and functionality of an inexpensive conductimetric system for controlling [CO 2 ] in plant growth cabinets. Regressing electrical conductivity against [CO 2 ] over the range 0 to 1000 μL L -1 yields a quadratic response. Calibration drift inherent in the conductimetric CO 2 analyzer requires that each analyzer be recalibrated periodically. Automatically recalibrating with an IRGA every 900 s gave control of the [CO 2 ] within the plant enclosures to within 10 to 15 μL L -1 of the set point. The [CO 2 ] control system is robust enough to maintain this accuracy'regardless of the desired [CO 2 ] set point or the mass of plant material within the plant growth cabinet. In this approach, only one IRGA is required to control [CO 2 ] in many plant growth cabinets if each cabinet has a dedicated conductimetric CO 2 analyzer
The hoiamides, structurally intriguing neurotoxic lipopeptides from Papua New Guinea marine cyanobacteria.

Two related peptide metabolites, one a cyclic depsipeptide, hoiamide B (2), and the other a linear lipopeptide, hoiamide C (3), were isolated from two different collections of marine cyanobacteria obtained in Papua New Guinea. Their structures were elucidated by combining various techniques in spectroscopy, chromatography, and synthetic chemistry. Both metabolites belong to the unique hoiamide structural class, characterized by possessing an acetate extended and S-adenosyl methionine modified isoleucine unit, a central triheterocyclic system comprised of two α-methylated thiazolines and one thiazole, and a highly oxygenated and methylated C-15 polyketide unit. In neocortical neurons, the cyclic depsipeptide 2 stimulated sodium influx and suppressed spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations with EC50 values of 3.9 μM and 79.8 nM, respectively, while 3 had no significant effects in these assays.
Health, well-being, and measuring the burden of disease

This essay asks whether the global burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors (GBD) should be measured in terms of their consequences for health, as maintained by most of those who are attempting to measure the GBD, or in terms of their consequences for well-being, as argued by John Broome. It answers that the burden of disease should be understood in terms of the consequences of disease for health, and it defends the wider efforts to measure health by those who are in other ways skeptical of the project of measuring the GBD.
Reforestation practice for enhancement of ecosystem services on a compacted surface mine: Path toward ecosystem recovery

Abstract Re-establishment of trees on surface mine-lands is difficult and their growth is often slow. Compacted spoil and existing vegetation may hinder forest restoration and reduce or delay ecosystem service delivery. We used brush removal, deep tillage, planting native trees, fertilizer, and herbicide applications to speed restoration of 35 ha of previously reclaimed and abandoned surface mine-lands in southwestern Virginia, USA. Intermediate measures of success (tree stocking and volume, species richness and evenness) were assessed 2, 3, and 4 years after planting. After two plantings and 3 years of herbicide application, survival of planted trees was 31% (639 trees ha −1 ). Volunteer trees such as black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia ), sourwood ( Oxydendrum arboretum ), ash ( Fraxinus sp.), and red maple ( Acer rubrum ) provide additional stocking (539 trees ha −1 ), 65% of the total tree volume, and contribute to species richness, indicating that they aid in the recovery of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity support. Annual volume growth rates are increasing for planted and volunteer trees. However, autumn olive ( Elaeagnus umbellata ), an exotic invasive shrub, covered 27% (±5.6) of the sampled area and produced greater volume than native trees. Autumn olive and herbaceous vegetation had potentially antagonistic relationships with planted and volunteer trees. Results indicate that the re-establishment of forest cover, comprised of a mix of planted and volunteer trees, is likely across much of the site. Early-successional species will likely dominate in the near term but planted, mid-successional species such as tulip poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera ) and oaks ( Quercus spp.) will likely remain as components of the new forest.
The problem of problems

Abstract Problems of generating and evaluating problems are discussed and the subjective nature of these processes highlighted. Criteria for problem evaluation are presented as a means to minimize this subjectivity. Areas of continuing ignorance concerning problem generation and evaluation are defined and suggestions made for investigating them.
Path dependence, time lags and the birth of globalisation: A critique of O'Rourke and Williamson

In a recent issue of the European Review of Economic History (vol. 6, 2002, pp. 23–50), Kevin O'Rourke and Jeffrey Williamson dismiss claims by ‘World historians…[who] argue that globalisation is a phenomenon which stretches back several centuries, or even several millennia’ (p. 23). Rather, O'Rourke and Williamson insist that ‘[g]lobalisation did not begin 5,000 years ago, or even 500 years ago. It began in the early nineteenth century. In that sense, it is a very modern phenomenon’ (p. 47). O'Rourke and Williamson offer an explicit model of world trade that predicts specific outcomes; and they marshal empirical evidence to support their contention that there was no global economy until the early decades of the nineteenth century.
Liquid hydrogen: Potential, problems, and a proposed research program

Hydrogen may be stored in gaseous, liquid, slush and solid forms (metal hydrides). Every mode of storage has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, stability, convenience of usage, and energy density. Liquid hydrogen has several advantages over other storage modes, especially in terms of energy density and convenience of utilization. However, several problems stand in the way of its large-scale production and long-term storage. This includes problems associated with energy consumed in liquefaction as well as boil-off losses during storage and handling. Boil-off losses occur due to a variety of mechanisms such as ortho-para conversion, thermal stratification and self pressurization, heat leaks, sloshing, and flashing. This paper will review some of the aforementioned problems and discuss some of the prospects of large-scale liquid hydrogen production and utilization. The paper will also outline a research program that can address some of the areas where knowledge is a little deficient.
SCMEH-MO CALCULATIONS ON LANTHANIDE SYSTEMS. III. LN(CO)6. LN(OC)6 (LN = ND, SM)

The SCMEH-MO method with average relativistic and spin-orbit effects has recently been applied to study the electronic structure and bonding in samarium pentamethylcyclopentadienyls. In this report the same approach has been utilized in studying the electronic structures of Nd and Sm hexacarbonyls. In contrast to the stable transition metal d-block carbonyls, these lanthanide carbonyls are found to be quite unstable. These findings are based on calculated electronic structures and bond energies. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
DEXAMETHASONE-INDUCED HYPERTROPHY IN RAT NEONATAL CARDIAC MYOCYTES INVOLVES AN ELEVATED L-TYPE CA2+ CURRENT

Abstract The mechanism responsible for dexamethasone-induced hypertrophy in infants has not been defined. In this study, we have investigated the role of l -type Ca2+currents in the development of dexamethasone-induced hypertrophy in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes. Using cytoplasmic membrane capacitance measurements, we have shown that the size of the cells treated with dexamethasone were larger than those of the control cells. In addition, treating the cells with 1μmdexamethasone for 48 h increased l -type Ca2+current density significantly, without affecting the voltage-dependent activation and steady state inactivation of the current. The increase in current density was associated with an elevation of the mRNA transcript encoding the l -type Ca2+channel subunitα1C. Dexamethasone treatment also resulted in an increase in the peak amplitude of the intracellular Ca2+transient measured by fura-2/epifluorescence. Finally, we have demonstrated that the hypertrophic effect of dexamethasone, characterized by the ratio of protein content per cell, was blocked by the l -type specific antagonist, nifedipine. In conclusion, an elevation of l -type Ca2+current is involved in the process of dexamethasone-induced cardiac myocyte hypertrophy in neonatal rats.
Nuclease detection in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Abstract Nucleases can be revealed, following their electrophoretic separation in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels containing DNA or RNA, by incubating the gels in buffer to remove SDS and to allow renaturation and enzymatic activity. Apparently, the acrylamide gel-nucleic acid combination provides an ideal environment for the removal of SDS and protein renaturation. The enzymes appear as sharp dark bands on a fluorescent background of ethidium bromide bound to unhydrolyzed nucleic acid. Several purified DNases and RNases, including basic proteins, have been detected. The major endonuclease of Diplococcus pneumoniae , a hydrophobic membrane protein, and the major exonuclease have been identified in gels upon electrophoresis of crude extracts of pneumococcal cells. Crude extracts prepared by lysis with SDS of Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Bacillus subtilis , and HeLa cells have also revealed multiple bands of DNases and RNases. This demonstrates the wide applicability of the technique.
Changes in Paternal Responsiveness of Prairie Voles ( Microtus ochrogaster) in Response to Olfactory Cues and Continuous Physical Contact with a Female

In mammals, paternal care is rarely displayed, and we know little about the mechanisms regulating this behavior. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are ideal mammals for the study of paternal behavior because they are a monogamous, bi-parental species that is easily raised in the laboratory. Paternal responsiveness occurs at moderate levels in sexually-naive voles and is heightened following a short cohabitation period of 72 h with a female. To determine how increased levels of paternal care are maintained after the initial cohabitation period, we tested the paternal behavior of males that were housed in isolation, were in physical contact with a female, or were exposed to various olfactory cues. The results indicate that the absence of odor cues from a female did not diminish the male’s motivation to care for infants following the initial cohabitation period. In contrast, odor cues from a male appeared to negatively influence the male’s paternal tendencies. The data also show that males that had continuous physical contact with a female spent more time responding paternally and more time hovering over the young compared to males that were housed alone. Together, these results suggest that although paternal behavior is maximized in response to continuous physical contact with females, olfactory cues may not be necessary for the maintenance of heightened paternal behavior.
RETHINKING RISK MANAGEMENT

This paper presents a theory of corporate risk management that attempts to go beyond the “variance-minimization” model that dominates most academic discussions of the subject. It argues that the primary goal of risk management is not to dampen swings in corporate cash flows or value, but rather to provide protection against the possibility of costly lower-tail outcomes–situations that would cause financial distress or make a company unable to carry out its investment strategy. (In the jargon of finance specialists, risk management can be viewed as the purchase of well-out-of-the-money put options designed to limit downside risk.) By eliminating downside risk and reducing the expected costs of financial trouble, risk management can also help a company to achieve both its optimal capital structure and its optimal ownership structure. For, besides increasing corporate debt capacity, the reduction of downside risk also encourages larger equity stakes for managers by shielding their investments from “uncontrollables.” The paper also departs from standard finance theory in suggesting that some companies may have a comparative advantage in bearing certain financial market risks–an advantage that derives from information acquired through their normal business activities. Although such specialized information may lead some companies to take speculative positions in commodities or currencies, it is more likely to encourage “selective” hedging, a practice in which the risk manager's “view” of future price movements influences the percentage of the exposure that is hedged. But, to the extent that such view-taking becomes an accepted part of a company's risk management program, it is important to evaluate managers' bets on a risk-adjusted basis and relative to the market. If risk managers want to behave like money managers, they should be evaluated like money managers.
Intraoperative transfusion of packed red blood cells in microvascular free tissue transfer patients: assessment of 30-day morbidity using the NSQIP dataset.

Although often a life-saving therapeutic maneuver, there is minimal data available that details the effects of intraoperative packed red blood cell transfusion (IOT) after microvascular free tissue transfer. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify all patients who underwent microvascular free tissue transfer between 2006 and 2010. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine the association between intraoperative transfusion and outcomes. Upon bivariate and multivariate analyses, IOT was significantly associated with higher rates of overall complications (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–3.63), medical complications (OR, 3.35; 95% CI, 1.75–6.42), postoperative transfusion (OR, 6.02; 95% CI, 2.02–17.97), and reoperation (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.24–4.04). IOT was not associated with either surgical complications or free flap loss. IOT significantly increases risk for adverse overall and medical complications. However, IOT was not associated with surgical complications or free flap loss. Transfusion practices in the operating room should be reevaluated to improve overall outcomes.
Another look at mass migration and unions in Western Europe

Abstract The paper analyses implications of unions' strategy for employment in western European countries that are baffled with mass migration of unskilled workers from neighboring poor countries. Unions' strategy in this paper includes bargaining for non-wage benefits together with monetary compensation for workers. It is shown that unions' strategy generates employment, raises the ratio of skilled to unskilled workers and raises national income. This suggests that even when migration acts as a competitive fringe, instead of using controversial migration policy as a covert anti-union tool, policy makers should encourage this type of bargaining which will have both economically and politically favorable effects.
A New Algorithm for Locating Sources Among Destinations

The problem considered is the location of m sources among n locations m <n and the assignment of the location requirements to the sources in order that the total transportation cost is minimized. A branch and bound algorithm is developed to achieve an optimal solution. Two lower bounds are developed for the algorithm; one is efficient for small problems while the other is more efficient for larger problems. An illustrative example is given, and a detailed application of the algorithm to the thirty largest metropolitan centers in the United States is presented for various numbers of destination 10, 20 and 30 and sources 2, 4 and 6. The branch and bound algorithm was coded in Fortran IV and tested on a number of problems. Some of the example problems that were tested are included in this paper.
Matter Matters: Metaphysics and Methodology in the Early Modern Period

Kurt Smith: Matter Matters: Metaphysics and Methodology in the Early Modern Period. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010, pp. x + 299. £42.00 (hb.). ISBN 978-0-19-958365-2. Matter Matters is an im...
Why Gold is Necessarily a Yellow Metal

At least Kant thinks it's a part of the concept that gold is to be a yellow metal. He thinks that we know this a priori , and that we could not discover it to be empirically false … Is Kant right about this? (Saul Kripke) Gold [is] … a yellow malleable ductile high density metallic element resistant to chemical reaction. (Oxford English Dictionary) Nature considered materially is the totality of all objects of experience. (Immanuel Kant, P , Ak. 4:295) Kant's joke . Kant wanted to prove in a way that would dumbfound the common man that the common man was right: that was the secret joke of this soul. (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Comparison of CLASS and ITK-SNAP in segmentation of urinary bladder in CT urography

We are developing a computerized method for bladder segmentation in CT urography (CTU) for computeraided diagnosis of bladder cancer. We have developed a Conjoint Level set Analysis and Segmentation System (CLASS) consisting of four stages: preprocessing and initial segmentation, 3D and 2D level set segmentation, and post-processing. In case the bladder contains regions filled with intravenous (IV) contrast and without contrast, CLASS segments the noncontrast (NC) region and the contrast (C) filled region separately and conjoins the contours. In this study, we compared the performance of CLASS to ITK-SNAP 2.4, which is a publicly available software application for segmentation of structures in 3D medical images. ITK-SNAP performs segmentation by using the edge-based level set on preprocessed images. The level set were initialized by manually placing a sphere at the boundary between the C and NC parts of the bladders with C and NC regions, and in the middle of the bladders that had only C or NC region. Level set parameters and the number of iterations were chosen after experimentation with bladder cases. Segmentation performances were compared using 30 randomly selected bladders. 3D hand-segmented contours were obtained as reference standard, and computerized segmentation accuracy was evaluated in terms of the average volume intersection %, average % volume error, average absolute % volume error, average minimum distance, and average Jaccard index. For CLASS, the values for these performance metrics were 79.0±8.2%, 16.1±16.3%, 19.9±11.1%, 3.5±1.3 mm, 75.7±8.4%, respectively. For ITK-SNAP, the corresponding values were 78.8±8.2%, 8.3±33.1%, 24.2±23.7%, 5.2±2.6 mm, 71.0±15.4%, respectively. CLASS on average performed better and exhibited less variations than ITK-SNAP for bladder segmentation.
A new splenic artery Doppler velocimetric index for prediction of severe fetal anemia associated with Rh alloimmunization

Abstract Objective: We developed a new Doppler index for the noninvasive prediction of severe fetal anemia by means of Doppler velocimetry of the main splenic artery. Study Design: Doppler velocimetry of the main splenic artery was performed in 85 healthy fetuses and in 22 nonhydropic study case patients (41 measurements) at risk for anemia from Rh sensitization. The deceleration angle between the line describing the average slope during the diastolic phase of the cycle and the vertical axis was measured and expressed in multiples of the median (MoM) for gestational age. Severe anemia was defined as a hemoglobin deficit (mean hemoglobin for gestational age minus measured hemoglobin) ≥5 g/dL. Anemia overall was defined as a hemoglobin deficit ≥2 g/dL. Results: Mean gestational age at cordocentesis was 28.6 weeks. Severe anemia was noted on 7 occasions (12.6%) and anemia was noted on 21 (51.2%) occasions. There was a significant correlation between deceleration angle and hemoglobin deficit ≥2 g/dL ( r = 0.5763, P r = 0.6418, P Conclusion: We report a new and sensitive Doppler velocimetric technique for predicting severe anemia. By means of splenic artery velocimetry, all cases of severe anemia could be identified before the development of hydrops, with a >91% reduction in the rate of cordocentesis. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:49-54.)
A Design Procedure for Fault-Locatable Switching Circuits

A technique to design fault-locatable combinational switching circuits is given. The networks resulting from the application of the proposed technique have at most three levels of gates.
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HOSTILITY GUILT AND SEVERAL MEASURES OF HOSTILITY

Scores on Mosher's forced-choice Hostility Guilt Scale for females were related to a projective and an objective measure of hostility. The projective measure was the extent to which 70 female undergraduates used the hostile alternative in making up sentences to a list of homonyms with hostile and neutral meanings. The objective measure was the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. Hostility guilt correlated negatively and significantly with the projective measure and with the following Buss-Durkee scales: Assault, Negativism, Resentment, Suspicion, Verbal and Total Hostility, summing over all subscales except Guilt. The projective measure correlated positively and significantly with the Assault and Suspicion Scales, as well as the Total Hostility Score.
Localized One-Electron States in Perfect Crystals as a Consequence of the Thermal Single-Determinant Approximation

A new extension of Hartree-Fock (HF) theory to nonzero temperature $T$, namely, the thermal single-determinant approximation (TSDA)---based on the variational principle of statistical mechanics---is applied to a model of a crystal of widely separated atoms. It is shown that, in this TSDA, one type of solution to the equations of stationarity of the free energy (TSD equations) consists of one-electron functions that are extended throughout the crystal (like Bloch functions), and another type of solution consists of localized one-electron states (particular Wannier functions), whereas it appears that in the usual, or standard, thermal HF approximation (THFA), only extended solutions are possible at finite atomic separation. (A previous argument that led to results contradictory to the latter statement is shown to be invalid.) Further, in the TSDA at $Tg0$, the localized solutions give a lower free energy than that corresponding to the extended solutions, as well as a lower free energy than that obtained in the THFA. As far as we know, this is the first calculation in which a strictly variational requirement has rejected this class of spatially extended one-electron functions in favor of localized functions in a perfect crystal (i.e., in a system with translational symmetry).