cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Victims in Life, Victims in Death - Keeping Burial Rights Out of the Hands of Slayers

Nearly all states have “slayer statutes” to ensure that slayers may not inherit property or receive life insurance benefits as a result of their criminal acts, but many states have not extended this prohibition to the power of slayers to legally dispose of their victims’ bodies. Although all states have enacted statutory guidance concerning the order and priority of persons with the right to control final disposition, nearly half lack forfeiture provisions to account for situations in which one of those individuals is criminally responsible for the decedent’s death. States must ensure that disposition rights are not granted to slayers by virtue of poorly crafted disposition of remains statutes. Instead, these statutes should require forfeiture for any person granted the right to control disposition, whether by designation or by law, who is criminally responsible for the decedent’s death. Forfeiture is essential to protect not only a decedent from being victimized a second time by his or her slayer but also the victim’s grieving survivors from being rendered powerless and unable to control the final resting place of their loved one. This article examines the current state of disposition of remains laws in the United States, identifies the problematic loopholes present in many statutes that permit slayers to control the disposition of their victims’ bodies, and recommends the necessary statutory amendments to keep disposition rights out of the hands of slayers. Part I discusses the evolution of the American slayer rule, as well as its inherent limitation — the victim’s body is not treated as property forming part of the victim’s estate, and thus the slayer rule does not cover the right to control the disposition of a decedent’s body. The slayer’s ability to control the disposition is therefore treated within state statutory regimes governing the disposition of remains. Part II examines current statutory regimes in states without forfeiture provisions and also highlights the deficiencies present in regimes that do call for forfeiture. Part III provides guidance for state legislatures seeking to revise their disposition of remains laws to prevent slayers from potentially having the legal authority to control their victims’ dispositions. In doing so, Part III makes recommendations for determining the proper scope of forfeiture provisions and for safeguarding due process rights. Finally, the Appendix contains a model disposition of remains statute encompassing the statutory provisions necessary to keep disposition rights out of the hands of slayers.
Learning to Decompose and Organize Complex Tasks

People rely on digital task management tools, such as email or to-do apps, to manage their tasks. Some of these tasks are large and complex, leading to action paralysis and feelings of being overwhelmed on the part of the user. The micro-productivity literature has shown that such tasks could benefit from being decomposed and organized, in order to reduce user cognitive load. Thus in this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end pipeline that consumes a complex task and induces a dependency graph from unstructured text to represent sub-tasks and their relationships. Our solution first finds nodes for sub-tasks from multiple ‘how-to’ articles on the web by injecting a neural text generator with three key desiderata – relevance, abstraction, and consensus. Then we resolve and infer edges between these subtask nodes by learning task dependency relations. We collect a new dataset of complex tasks with their sub-task graph to develop and evaluate our solutions. Both components of our graph induction solution are evaluated in experiments, demonstrating that our models outperform a state-of-the-art text generator significantly. Our generalizable and scalable end-to-end solution has important implications for boosting user productivity and assisting with digital task management.
E-cigarette and marijuana use and the attainment of obesity prevention guidelines among U.S. adolescents.

Abstract The study objectives were to examine the associations of exclusive and dual use of e-cigarettes and marijuana and the attainment of the “Let’s Go! 5–2-1–0” obesity prevention guidelines and perceptions of weight status among U.S. adolescents. Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a school-based nationally representative cross-sectional study, were analyzed (N = 12,578). Participants were categorized based on their past 30-day e-cigarette and marijuana use as: non-users, exclusive e-cigarette users, exclusive marijuana users, and dual users. Adjusted logistic regression models were conducted. Of adolescents, 5.2% were exclusive e-cigarette users, 10.3% were exclusive marijuana users, and 7.4% were dual users. Compared to non-users, exclusive e-cigarette users were more likely (aOR = 1.55, 95%CI = 1.16–2.07) to meet the physical activity recommendation. Compared to dual-users, exclusive e-cigarette users were more likely (aOR = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.10–1.97) to meet the screen time recommendation. Compared to non-users, exclusive marijuana users were at increased odds to meet the fruit/vegetable recommendation (aOR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.03–1.71), but were at decreased odds to meet the sugar-sweetened beverages recommendation (aOR = 0.81, 95%CI = 0.65–0.99). Compared to exclusive e-cigarette users, exclusive marijuana users were less likely to meet the screen time (aOR = 0.71, 95%CI = 0.54–0.93) and physical activity recommendations (aOR = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.43–0.84). Compared with dual users, exclusive marijuana users were more likely (aOR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.01–1.88) to perceive themselves as slightly/very overweight. Compared to non-users, dual users were less likely to meet the sugar-sweetened beverages recommendation (aOR = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.46–0.87). Adolescent current marijuana users and dual users were less likely to meet obesity prevention guidelines. Prevention efforts are needed to reduce e-cigarette and marijuana use and increase adherence to these guidelines.
Efficient Access History for Race Detection

While there has been extensive research on race-detection algorithms for task-parallel programs, most of this research has focused on optimizing a particular component, namely, reachability analysis, which checks whether two instructions are logically in parallel. Little attention has been paid to the other important component, the access history, which stores all memory locations previous instructions have accessed. In theory, the access-history component adds no asymptotic overhead; however, in practice, it is often the most expensive component of race detection since it is queried and (possibly) updated at each memory access. We optimize this component based on the observation that, typically, strands within parallel programs access contiguous blocks of memory. Therefore, instead of maintaining the access history at the granularity of individual memory locations, we maintain it at the granularity of these (varying size) intervals. To enable this access history, we propose (1) compiler and runtime mechanisms that allow us to efficiently collect these intervals and (2) a tree-based access-history data structure that allows updates and queries at interval granularity. The resulting tool can race-detect fork-join code with amortized constant overhead, assuming the number of intervals is small compared to the total work of the computation.
Asynchronous telemedicine for clinical genetics consultations in the NICU: a single center's solution.

Many infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have genetic disorders or birth defects. The demand for genetic services is often complicated by a shortage of genetic providers. Our hospital experienced a significant reduction in genetic workforce, leading to insufficient genetic services to meet demand. The Plan-Do-Study-Act method of quality improvement was used to assess available resources, select an intervention plan, and collect patient outcome and provider satisfaction data. An asynchronous telehealth model was deployed for clinical genetics consultations in our NICU utilizing a remote clinical geneticist. The pilot study included 111 asynchronous telehealth consultations; 21% received a genetic diagnosis before discharge. Diagnoses were primarily chromosomal and single gene disorders. Referring NICU providers reported high satisfaction. Asynchronous telehealth for clinical genetics is a feasible and successful alternative to an on-site clinical geneticist and should be considered in areas with a genetic workforce shortage.
Algebraic Combinations of Flows II

There is an important difference between the theory of maxima and minima of members of a family Rep q + (ϕ), and the theory of harmonic sums and sums. In dealing with the maximum or minimum of two members ψ;, π of a family Rep q + (ϕ), we had only to ask when ψ ⋁ π and ψ ⋀ π could exist and how they behaved. The meaning of the symbols ψ ⋁ π and ψ ⋀ π was preassigned by the partial order ≤ in Rep q + (ϕ). However, the harmonic sum and sum need to be defined in such a way that they have the behavior we expect of them. In the case of harmonic sums, the definition given in Section 8.35 was “justified” by the equation $$ (u\, \oplus \,v)\,\varphi \, = \,u\,\varphi \oplus \,v\,\varphi . $$
Zinc, copper, nickel, and arsenic monitoring in natural streams using in-situ iron–manganese oxide coated stream pebbles

Abstract Elements such as zinc, copper, nickel, and arsenic pose a concern for drinking water quality and ecosystem health and tracking these often nonpoint source contaminants in groundwater presents a significant challenge due to the heterogeneous spatial distribution of sources. Developing an approach to help locate the sources of zinc, copper, nickel, and arsenic in ground and surface water sources could potentially provide a rapid, repeatable, and inexpensive technique for environmental assessment. Iron–manganese oxide coated streambed pebbles have a surface affinity for metals and could serve as in-situ monitors. The analysis of pebble coatings and surface water sampled from Pennypack Creek and its tributaries, in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, tests the ability of pebble coatings to reflect in-stream concentrations of zinc, copper, nickel, and arsenic and track the source of higher concentrations upstream and in tributary branches. Quartz pebbles, 5–7 cm in diameter, with brown-red coatings were sampled along the main stem and tributaries of the Pennypack Creek followed by leaching coatings with 4 M nitric acid with 0.03 M hydrochloric acid for 24 h. Quartz pebbles were selected to minimize elemental contamination from metal bearing minerals in the sample. All metals in the leachate are significantly correlated (p
Biosynthesis of the Peptidoglycan of Bacterial Cell Walls IX. PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF GLYCYL TRANSFER RIBONUCLEIC ACID SYNTHETASE FROM STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Abstract Since glycyl transfer RNA (glycyl-tRNA) is utilized for both peptidoglycan and protein synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus, the possible existence of more than one glycyl-tRNA synthetase in this microorganism was investigated. The glycyl-tRNA synthetase has been purified 200-fold from sonic extracts of S. aureus H, and no evidence of a second enzyme has been found. This enzyme can also charge the tRNAs of certain other bacteria and yeast. Some of its properties are reported.
Identification of the Sources of Energy for Nitrogen Fixation and Physiological Characterization of Nitrogen-Fixing Members of a Marine Microbial Mat Community

Experimental manipulations of a microbial mat community were performed to determine sources of energy and reductant used for nitrogen fixation and to physiologically characterize the responsible diazotrophs. The dominant photolithotrophic members of this community were nonheterocystous cyanobacteria, but other potential nitrogen-fixing microorganisms were also present. Pronounced diel variability in rates of acetylene reduction was observed, with nighttime rates a factor of three to four higher than daytime rates. Acetylene reduction measured at night was dependent upon the occurrence of oxygenic photosynthesis the preceding day; mats incubated in the dark during the daytime reduced acetylene at rates comparable to those of light-incubated mats but were not able to reduce acetylene at the normally high rates the following night. The addition of various exogenous carbon compounds to these dark-incubated mats did not elicit nighttime acetylene reduction. Nighttime acetylene reduction apparently proceeds under anoxic conditions in these mats; the highest rates of acetylene reduction occur late at night. Additions of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (an inhibitor of oxygenic photosynthesis) to mats resulted in a pronounced stimulation of acetylene reduction during the day, but acetylene reduction the next night proceeded at greatly reduced rates (relative to untreated mats). This daytime stimulation, under the 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea-induced anoxic conditions in the experimentally treated mats, was light dependent. These results suggest that nitrogen fixation in these mats may be attributed to the activities of nonheterocystous cyanobacteria utilizing storage products of oxygenic photosynthesis under anoxic conditions at night.
AGGREGATE SUPPLY AND THE ECONOMY

This chapter highlights the aggregate supply and the economy. Aggregate supply describes the production side of the economy. Many things affect aggregate supply including investment and capacity, technology, productivity, expectations, and government policies. The shape of the aggregate supply curve depends on the condition of the economy. Aggregate demand and aggregate supply determine the equilibrium price level and real gross national product (RGNP). The inventories are a leading indicator of RGNP. Unintended inventory reductions foretell rising RGNP. Unexpected inventory accumulations are linked with future RGNP decline. Cyclical unemployment is caused by falling aggregate demand or falling aggregate supply. Unemployment caused by falling aggregate demand is worse when prices are sticky. Demand policies, wage and price controls, indexation, and supply-side policies have all been proposed as inflation cures. Each policy has pros and cons; both economic and political factors have to be considered. Rising aggregate demand increases RGNP in a depression but does nothing but boost the price level at full capacity.
Work in progress-using user experience research to develop needs assessment skills of undergraduates

In this paper, a case study of using faculty research as an educational tool for undergraduate students is described. In this case, a preliminary study aimed at developing an integrated understanding of the functional and emotional aspects of user experience with products was conducted. In addition to the primary objectives associated with this aim, the study serves as a educational tool for undergraduate students in industrial engineering and industrial management. The primary objectives of the study are to explore and use a variety of methodologies for developing an integrated understanding of user experience. Undergraduate students in three separate courses participated in the research by: 1) serving as study participants; 2) observing study sessions; and finally, 3) evaluating results. The researchers used the experience to help students improve data analysis skills and to use the results of human factors studies to identify customer needs. Based on the success of this initial endeavor, a variety of follow-up activities are planned.
On the sea level pressure of the southern oscillation

In this paper an analysis of the sea level pressure on the time scale of the Southern Oscillation is carried out over the entire globe utilizing 16 years (1961–1976) of monthly mean sea level pressure. A special data collection based on numerous archives was used in this analysis effort. In addition, a Northern Hemisphere data set from the archives of the National Center for Atmospheric Research for 80 years of data (1900 to 1980) is also used in the present study. The major contribution here is an analysis of the antecedents of the major pressure reversals over the Indian Ocean and the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Functional connectivity in raphé-pontomedullary circuits supports active suppression of breathing during hypocapnic apnea

Hyperventilation is a common feature of disordered breathing. Apnea ensues if CO2 drive is sufficiently reduced. We tested the hypothesis that medullary raphe, ventral respiratory column (VRC), and...
Immunogenicity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Abstract The immunogenicity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae for New Zealand white female rabbits was studied by using an immunization scheme which employed initial intramuscular immunization with vaccine in incomplete Freund adjuvant followed 3 weeks later by a series of five intravenous injections of fluid vaccine. Small doses of immunogen (15 to 150 μg of mycoplasmic protein per rabbit) gave rise to sera which contained antilipid complement-fixing antibody, produced one to three precipitin lines, but gave poor growth-inhibition on agar. Larger doses of immunogen (1.5 to 15 mg per rabbit) gave rise to sera which gave higher antilipid complement-fixing titers, four to eight precipitin lines, and good growth-inhibition. Doses smaller than 15 μg per rabbit failed to give rise to detectable antibody. Growth-inhibiting antibody was produced later than the other antibodies. The number of precipitin lines was controlled more critically by the quality of the antisera, as determined by the amount of immunogen, than by the quantity of serological test antigen. All sera which gave any precipitin lines produced a common precipitin line which stained for lipid.
Liquid cooled approaches for high density avionics

Next-generation aircraft will require avionics that provide greater system performance in a smaller volume. That requires highly developed thermal management techniques. To meet this need, a liquid-cooled approach has been developed to replace the conventional air-cooled approach for high-power applications. Liquid-cooled chassis and flow-through modules have been developed to limit junction temperatures to acceptable levels. Liquid cooling also permits emergency operation after loss of coolant for longer time intervals, which is desirable for flight-critical airborne applications. Activity to data has emphasized the development of chassis and modules that support the US Department of Defense's (DoD) two-level maintenance initiative as governed by the joint Integrated Avionics Working Group (JIAWG). >
Performance analysis of convolutionally coded multicarrier DS/CDMA system in Nakagami fading

In this paper, we present the performance of a multicarrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) system when the data is convolutionally coded before serial-to-parallel conversion. The bit error rate (BER) bound for the decoding metric using the Viterbi algorithm is derived. Two types of performance bounds for the coded system are compared with the uncoded system with respect to bandwidth, bit rate and modulation. Our results indicate that the performance of MC-CDMA is significantly improved when channel coding is applied for the two bounds.
Linear Transformations of Linear Mixed-Effects Models

Abstract A number of articles have discussed the way lower order polynomial and interaction terms should be handled in linear regression models. Only if all lower order terms are included in the model will the regression model be invariant with respect to coding transformations of the variables. If lower order terms are omitted, the regression model will not be well formulated. In this paper, we extend this work to examine the implications of the ordering of variables in the linear mixed-effects model. We demonstrate how linear transformations of the variables affect the model and tests of significance of fixed effects in the model. We show how the transformations modify the random effects in the model, as well as their covariance matrix and the value of the restricted log-likelihood. We suggest a variable selection strategy for the linear mixed-effects model.
Surface characterization and catalytic properties of La1 − xAxMO3 perovskite oxides. Part II. Studies on La1 − xBaxMnO3 (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.2) oxides

Abstract Barium substituted lanthanum manganite perovskite-type oxides were prepared by a liquid precursor method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, oxygen desorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. XPS analysis revealed the significant changes in the doublet characteristics of the Ols peak (∼ 530 eV) resulting from the substitution of Ba in LaMnO 3 . A well defined Ba3d spectra was seen only with more than 10 mol% substitution of Ba in La site. Methane oxidation reaction was carried out in a flow reactor with a feed containing 0.28% CH 4 , 15% oxygen and balance helium. The conversion of methane was followed in the temperature range of 200 to 700 °C. The light-off temperature for 50% methane conversion was found to be the lowest (490 °C) for La 0.9 Ba 0.1 MnO 3 composition. Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD) experiments of oxygen indicate two maxima centered around 320–550 °C and 650–760 °C respectively. In the low temperature oxygen desorption region, the peak maximum was found to shift with Ba substitution which also corresponded to the activity of methane. The results for oxygen chemisorption and surface composition of these samples are related to the methane oxidation properties.
Fourier transformation of electron spin-echo modulation: Application to the solvation shell geometry of O2− in dimethyl sulfoxide

Abstract The solvation structure of O2− in deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was investigated by analyzing the electron spin-echo modulation at 4.2 K. The analysis was carried out by Fourier-transforming the three-pulse echo modulation and by simulating the two-pulse echo modulation. The analysis indicates that each O2− interacts with two different groups of deuterium nuclei, each group containing six nuclei. It is found by simulating the modulation that one group is located at a distance of 0.25 nm from O2− with an isotropic coupling of 0.5 MHz while the second group is located at a distance of 0.35 nm with a negligible isotropic coupling. These results suggest a structure with each O2− solvated by two DMSO molecules arranged asymmetrically about the O2−. The two different distances appear to reflect the solvating molecule orientations with respect to the O2− bond.
Judging the Past: State Practice and the Law of Accountability

As dictatorships of one sort or another around the world give way to nascent democracies, states, international organizations and non-governmental actors are facing head-on the dilemmas inherent in political transitions. For governments, transitions represent both an opportunity and a hazard — an opportunity to judge the evils of the prior regime and the figures behind them, or to decide not to judge them; and a hazard of alienating or angering key constituencies — victims or tormentors — within the polity. The methods used for accounting for past violations of human rights will say much about a new government's commitment to protecting human rights prospectively. At the same time, new regimes will surely be guided by careful political calculations, whether it be for survival against still potent elements of the previous administration, manipulation of the past in order to justify their own prior and current programmes, or advancing a process of national reconciliation among former enemies. For academic observers and advocates, especially legal ones, transitional situations offer their own opportunities and risks. The opportunity for international lawyers is to appraise the actions and attitudes of states and determine (a) if states are complying with existing International legal duties to prosecute certain crimes; and (b) if any new norms have evolved to govern the ways a new government addresses human rights abuses in the prior regime. State practice is obviously important for determining the contemporary meaning of, and state of compliance with, treaties that provide for such duties. When combined with oplnlo juris, state practice Is also critical in gauging the extent of customary law on these questions. The risk, however, which is inherent in all
Phase separation in a grafted polymer layer.

We examine equilibrium phase separation in a grafted polymer layer composed of mutually immiscible chains. Under symmetric melt conditions, we predict that there is a transition to a ``rippled'' phase--a density wave in composition running along the surface. This transition is expected for a molecular weight 2.27 times that for the same species in a simple blend at its demixing threshold. The ripple wavelength is 1.97 times the chain rms end-to-end distance. The lateral rippling is accompanied by a composition oscillation with depth.
Metastatic malignant tumors of the jaws. Report of a case.

Abstract The occurrence of malignant tumors metastatic to the jaws is a more common finding now than in past decades, but that of metastatic germ-cell tumors remains an extremely rare entity. A brief review of metastatic tumors in general is presented, along with a case report of a malignant germ-cell tumor metastatic to the mandible from a primary site in the chest.
The flow of granular material

Abstract The motion of granular material is not readily predicted by the techniques developed for either fluid or solid mechanics. Although there are many industrial applications (i.e. transport of coal, grain, powder, salt etc.), this field still requires more rigorous scientific analysis. Experiments conducted with the flow of several (non-cohesive) granular materials through a slot indicate the existence of three flow regions. These regions may be catalogued into domains described by: (I) soil mechanics; (II) free-particle flow; and (III) frictional flow. It is also observed that a choking phenomenon occurs in which the slot velocity attains a critical maximum value independent of the slot area or height of the material. An analysis of this interdisciplinary topic and an explanation of the experimental observations is presented.
Education and the need for heroes.

O ne of the key features of effective learning is emulation. It is not enough to encourage learners to memorize information or develop motor skills. We cannot simply ‘‘download’’ such abilities. Instead, they need to see what such knowledge and abilities look like in realworld practice and to have an opportunity to develop and practice them under the supervision of a dedicated teacher. Yet many teachers have little theoretical understanding of emulation. To help provide a practical standpoint from which to understand it, we need to explore the phenomenon of heroism, and in particular the important role of heroes as ideals toward which learners can strive. This article focuses on a particular 20th-century hero of the United States Marine Corps. In ancient Greece, heroes were demigods, the product of mortal and divine parents, such as Heracles. With time, the idea evolved to refer to human beings who managed to exhibit great courage and dedication in service to others. At times when discouragement and cynicism seem to hold sway, it is especially important that we reflect on heroes and heroism. More than reviewing policy and procedure manuals or codes of ethics, reflecting on heroes invites us to shift our focus from what we should do to who we should be. Moreover, it is often in the attempt to emulate our heroes that we most enhance our own performance and character. Yet heroes are never perfect, and there are lessons to be learned from their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Lewis ‘‘Chesty’’ Puller is the most decorated of all US Marines, and the only one to be awarded five Navy Crosses. Born in Virginia in 1898, Puller grew up listening to the stories of Civil War veterans who held Stonewall Jackson in high regard. Puller enrolled in the Virginia Military Institute but left after a year to serve as a marine in World War I. He grad-
Face recognition based on 3D ridge images obtained from range data

In this paper, we present an approach for 3D face recognition from frontal range data based on the ridge lines on the surface of the face. We use the principal curvature, k"m"a"x, to represent the face image as a 3D binary image called ridge image. The ridge image shows the locations of the ridge points around the important facial regions on the face (i.e., the eyes, the nose, and the mouth). We utilized the robust Hausdorff distance and the iterative closest points (ICP) for matching the ridge image of a given probe image to the ridge images of the facial images in the gallery. To evaluate the performance of our approach for 3D face recognition, we performed experiments on GavabDB face database (a small size database) and Face Recognition Grand Challenge V2.0 (a large size database). The results of the experiments show that the ridge lines have great capability for 3D face recognition. In addition, we found that as long as the size of the database is small, the performance of the ICP-based matching and the robust Hausdorff matching are comparable. But, when the size of the database increases, ICP-based matching outperforms the robust Hausdorff matching technique.
Influence of underwater exercise on anxiety and body temperature

Comparative research involving cats and research with humans support the hypothesis that anxiety reduction following acute exercise may be caused by elevations in core temperature. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of underwater finning on state anxiety, core temperature, heart rate, respiration rate and the use of compressed air. Certified scuba divers (n= 15) finned underwater at a pace of 0.52 m/s for 20 min. The results indicate that core temperature did not increase during exercise, but heart rate, respiration rate and the consumption of compressed air did increase significantly. State anxiety decreased below baseline levels by 15 min following exercise. Since core temperature did not rise, it is concluded that the anxiolytic effect of underwater exercise may not depend on elevated core temperature.
Diversity and Evolution of Body Size in Fishes

The diversity of body sizes observed among species of a clade is a combined result of microevolutionary processes (i.e. natural selection and genetic drift) that cause size changes within phylogenetic lineages, and macroevolutionary processes (i.e. speciation and extinction) that affect net rates of diversification among lineages. Here we assess trends of size diversity and evolution in fishes (non-tetrapod craniates), employing paleontological, macroecological, and phylogenetic information. Fishes are well suited to studies of size diversity and evolution, as they are highly diverse, representing more than 50% of all living vertebrate species, and many fish taxa are well represented in the fossil record from throughout the Phanerozoic. Further, the frequency distributions of sizes among fish lineages resemble those of most other animal taxa, in being right-skewed, even on a log scale. Using an approach that measures rates of size evolution (in darwins) within a formal phylogenetic framework, we interpret the shape of size distributions as a balance between the competing forces of diversification, pushing taxa away from ancestral values, and of conservation, drawing taxa closer to a central tendency. Within this context we show how non-directional mechanisms of evolution (i.e. passive diffusion processes) can produce an hitherto unperceived bias to larger size, when size is measured on the conventional log scale. These results demonstrate how the interpretation of macroecological datasets can be enriched from an historical perspective, and document the ways in which macroevolutionary and microevolutionary processes may be decoupled in the production of size diversity.
A review of irrigation performance assessment in California

A survey of irrigation performance assessment as conducted in California was performed. Emphasis was placed on the actual procedures employed by the State's major water providers and irrigation districts. Survey results covered the development of innovative irrigation performance assessment parameters as well as the methodologies used to evaluate these parameters. All aspects of California's irrigation infrastructure were considered, from the management of major hydraulic structures, through water delivery, and on-farm consideration. Environmental performance assessment methodologies were also examined.
Abnormal ocular motor function predicts clinical diagnosis of familial ataxia.

Ocular motor performance was significantly impaired in familial ataxia patients as compared with normal controls. Ataxic patients showed prolonged saccadic latencies, longer saccadic refixation times, reduced visual tracking performance, and increased saccadic hypermetria. Cutoff values were derived and applied to 15 subjects at risk for developing familial ataxia. Three of 15 showed abnormal values in three or more of four categories of ocular motor performance. Within 3 years, all three subjects were diagnosed on clinical grounds as having familial ataxia. We conclude that ocular motor performance is impaired in familial ataxia and may prove useful for earlier diagnosis.
Percolation in multi-channel secondary cognitive radio networks under the SINR model

In this paper, we use concepts and results from percolation theory to investigate and characterize the effects of primaries on the connectivity of a secondary cognitive radio network under the SINR model. The SINR requirements of the secondaries along with the interference tolerance of the primaries determine which secondary nodes can communicate and which ones are rendered invisible from each other. Such invisibility is even more pronounced when there are plenty of channels to choose from- a phenomenon which we define as channel abundance. With no node-to-node coordination and a naive channel rendezvous protocol, it becomes difficult for the nodes to select a common channel. Invisibility caused by interference and channel abundance is modeled using Poisson thinning. We study their combined effects on the formation of a communication link between two nodes and also on the overall connectivity of the secondary network. Representing multiple channels as parallel edges in a graph, we use the projection of multiple graphs on R2 and show how the network percolates in continuum R2 by coupling it with a typical discrete lattice percolation. We define and characterize the connectivity of the secondary network in terms of the available number of channels, deployment density, number of transceivers per node and interference cancellation coefficient, both in the presence and absence of primaries. When primaries are absent, we derive the number of channels for which the sub and super-criticality of the secondary network are achieved. When primaries are present, we identify the channel abundance region, the optimal point, and the channel deprivation region. Further, we show how cooperation between primary and secondary networks can increase the connectivity of both.
Self-Assembled Materials for Catalysis

The purpose of this review is to highlight developments in self-assembled nanostructured materials (i.e., mesoporous and nanoparticle-based materials) and their catalytic applications. Since there are many available reviews of metal-based nanoparticles as catalysts, this review will mainly focus on self-assembled oxide-based catalytic materials. The content includes: (1) design and synthetic strategies for self-assembled mesoporous catalysts, (2) polyoxometalate (POM)-based nanocatalysts, (3) dendrimer-based nanocatalysts, and (4) shaped nanomaterials and catalytic applications. We show that controlled assembly of molecules, crystalline seeds, and nano building blocks into organized mesoscopic structures or controlled morphologies is an effective approach for tailoring porosities of heterogeneous catalysts and controlling their catalytic activities.
Letter: Training in internal medicine for primary care.

Excerpt To the editor: Clearly internal medicine is responding to and must continue to respond to the challenge of providing primary care. In doing so, however, internal medicine must be careful to...
Incidence and risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma in Texas Latinos: implications for prevention research.

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in the U.S. despite a decline in cancer overall. Latinos have higher rates of HCC than the general population according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Not included in SEER, Texas Latinos make up one-fifth of the U.S. Latino population. To determine whether HCC incidence differs among U.S. and Texas Latinos, this descriptive study compares HCC incidence from 1995 through 2006 among three Latino populations: U.S. SEER, Texas overall and a South Texas subset. To identify lines of prevention research, we compare prevalence of known HCC risk factors among these Latino groups. Methods Data were collected from the U.S. SEER Program, Texas Cancer Registry and Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS). Annual age-specific and age-adjusted HCC incidence rates, annual percent changes (APCs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated as well as prevalence of obesity, diabetes, heavy alcohol use and cigarette smoking. Results Of the three Latino groups compared, South Texas Latinos had the highest age-adjusted HCC incidence rates and SEER Latinos had the lowest (10.6/100,000 (10.1–11.1) and 7.5/100,000 (7.2–7.7), respectively). HCC incidence significantly increased over time (APCs>0) among Latinos in all three geographic groups. Between 1995 and 2006, there was an increase in obesity among all three populations, and obesity was highest among South Texas Latinos. Diabetes increased among U.S. Latinos, and Latino women in South Texas had significantly higher diabetes prevalence than U.S. Latino women. Cigarette smoking and heavy alcohol use were similar among groups. Conclusions The incidence of HCC among Latinos in South Texas is higher than elsewhere in the United States. Higher rates of HCC among Texas and South Texas Latinos may be associated with greater prevalence of obesity and diabetes, risk factors for HCC that are amenable to intervention.
Just‐in‐time and logistics in global sourcing: an empirical study

Just‐in‐time (JIT) has been written about since the early 1970s. Studies have investigated the growth of JIT sourcing and its implications. However, there has not been as much discussion of the issues faced by companies involved in the pursuit of JIT sourcing in a global supply chain. Undertakes a systematic review of the JIT sourcing and logistics literature and highlights key findings. Notes a number of key problems and best practice issues in the area, followed by an empirical examination of the potential benefits of adopting JIT policies in global sourcing and logistics relative to non‐JIT global buyers. Compares results attained with those of a group of buyers employing JIT sourcing and domestic suppliers. Significant differences in a number of performance areas are found in the sourcing and logistics practices between companies following JIT practices with their global suppliers, as compared to companies not doing so. Finds that some aspects of domestic JIT sourcing and logistics are applicable acro...
Female predominance in intermittent exotropia.

Purpose To evaluate gender differences among children diagnosed with intermittent exotropia. Design Retrospective, population-based cohort study. Methods The medical records of all Olmsted County, Minnesota residents younger than 19 years diagnosed with intermittent exotropia from January 1, 1975, through December 31, 1994, were reviewed. Results One hundred eighteen (64.1%) of the 184 study patients were girls with an age-adjusted incidence rate of 38.3 (95% CI: 31.4–45.2) per 100,000 compared to 20.8 (95% CI: 15.7–25.8) per 100,000 for boys (P Conclusions Intermittent exotropia was nearly twice as common in girls compared with boys in this defined population. There were, however, no significant historical or clinical differences between the genders.
Serum- and Glucocorticoid-inducible Kinase SGK Phosphorylates and Negatively Regulates B-Raf *

Abstract Phosphorylation can both positively and negatively regulate activity of the Raf kinases. Akt has been shown to phosphorylate and inhibit C-Raf activity. We have recently reported that Akt negatively regulates B-Raf kinase activation by phosphorylating multiple residues within its amino-terminal regulatory domain. Here we investigated the regulation of B-Raf byserum and glucocorticoid-induciblekinase, SGK, which shares close sequence identity with the catalytic domain of Akt but lacks the pleckstrin homology domain. We observed that SGK inhibits B-Raf activity. A comparison of substrate specificity between SGK and Akt indicates that SGK is a potent negative regulator of B-Raf. In contrast to Akt, SGK negatively regulates B-Raf kinase activity by phosphorylating only a single Akt consensus site, Ser364. Under similar experimental conditions, SGK displays a measurably stronger inhibitory effect on B-Raf kinase activity than Akt, whereas Akt exhibits a more inhibitory effect on the forkhead transcription factor, FKHR. The selective substrate specificity is correlated with an enhanced association between Akt or SGK and their preferred substrates, FKHR and B-Raf, respectively. These results indicate that B-Raf kinase activity is negatively regulated by Akt and SGK, suggesting that the cross-talk between the B-Raf and other signaling pathways can be mediated by both Akt and SGK.
Men, Media, and Machines: Fabricating Masculinities in American Chopper

Informed by the work of sociology of gender scholar R.W. Connell (1995), this article examines the construction of and relationships among different types of masculinities in the Discovery Channel's “docusoap” American Chopper. The program, set in the shop of custom motorcycle fabricators Orange County Choppers (OCC) “stars” Paul Teutel, Sr., and his two adult sons, Paulie and Mikey, each of whom performs a distinct type of masculinity (hegemonic, subordinated/resistant, and complicit, respectively). Focusing primarily on the relationship between the hegemonic Paul Sr. and the subordinated/resistant Paulie, this article argues that the program's hybrid nature as a docusoap allows for a unique vantage point from which to view mediated constructions of masculinities.
Menin as a hub controlling mixed lineage leukemia

Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) fusion protein (FP)-induced acute leukemia is highly aggressive and often refractory to therapy. Recent progress in the field has unraveled novel mechanisms and targets to combat this disease. Menin, a nuclear protein, interacts with wild-type (WT) MLL, MLL-FPs, and other partners such as the chromatin-associated protein LEDGF and the transcription factor C-Myb to promote leukemogenesis. The newly solved co-crystal structure illustrating the menin-MLL interaction, coupled with the role of menin in recruiting both WT MLL and MLL-FPs to target genes, highlights menin as a scaffold protein and a central hub controlling this type of leukemia. The menin/WT MLL/MLL-FP hub may also cooperate with several signaling pathways, including Wnt, GSK3, and bromodomain-containing Brd4-related pathways to sustain MLL-FP-induced leukemogenesis, revealing new therapeutic targets to improve the treatment of MLL-FP leukemias.
Rehabilitation of the cardiac patient.

Abstract A brief review of some of the problems met in the rehabilitation of the patient with cardiac disease with a discussion of some of the possible solutions to these problems is presented. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the physician-patient relationship, on the education of the patient and the public and on the recent advances in therapeutic and preventive medicine which have real or potential value in the rehabilitation of the cardiac patient.
Reveling in constraints

The Web’s trajectory toward interactivity, which began with humble snippets of JavaScript used to validate HTML forms, has really started to accelerate of late. A new breed of Web applications is s...
INHIBITION OF GLYCOSYLATION INDUCES FORMATION OF OPEN CONNEXIN-43 CELL-TO-CELL CHANNELS AND PHOSPHORYLATION AND TRITON X-100 INSOLUBILITY OF CONNEXIN- 43

We transfected the cDNA for the cell-to-cell channel protein connexin-43 (Cx43) into Morris hepatoma H5123 cells, which express little Cx43 and lack gap junctional communication (open cell-to-cell channels). We found that cells overexpressing Cx43 nonetheless lacked open cell-to-cell channels, but that inhibition of glycosylation by tunicamycin induced open channels in these cells. Tunicamycin also induced biochemical changes in Cx43 protein; the level increased, and a considerable fraction became phosphorylated and Triton X-100 insoluble, in contrast to untreated cells where Cx43 was non-phosphorylated and Triton X-100 soluble. Although tunicamycin caused the formation of open channels, channels were not found aggregated into gap junctional plaques, as they are when they have been induced by elevation of intracellular cAMP. The results suggest that although Cx43 itself is not glycosylated, other glycosylated proteins influence Cx43 posttranslational modification and the formation of Cx43 cell-to-cell channels.
Mercury-Vapor Detector

A simple and inexpensive accessory to an atomic-absorption spectrometer can be built which permits one to determine 1–300-ng quantities of mercury in various types of samples without any prior chemical treatment. The detector has been used with samples of sediments, rocks, coals, tissues, and waters, and is especially suited for mercury pollution studies.
Congenital lymphangiectatic elephantiasis

A case of a child with a rare giant congenital cavernous lymphangioma giving rise to elephantiasis of the left lower extremity is presented. Plain radiographs revealed underlying bone lesions and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging accurately defined extension of the process into the pelvis and retroperitoneum.
STARLITE: a steering autonomous robot's lane investigation and tracking element.

The problem of determining the offset to lane markings is an important one in designing vision-based automotive safety systems that operate on structured road environments. The lane offset information is critical for lateral control of the automobile. In this paper, we investigate the use of this information for an autonomous robot's lane-keeping task. We employ a deformable template-based algorithm for determining the location of lane markings in visual images taken from a side-looking camera. The matching criteria involves a modification of the standard signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio-based matched filtering criteria. A KL-type color transformation is used for transforming the RGB channels of the given image onto a composite color channel, in order to eliminate some of the noise. The standard perspective transformation is used for transforming the offset information from image coordinates onto ground coordinates. The resulting algorithm, named STARLITE is robust to shadows, specular reflections, road cracks, etc. Experimental results are provided to illustrate the performance of STARLITE and compare its performance to the AURORA algorithm, and the SNR-based matched filter.
Ultrastructural development of the chorioallantoic placental barrier in the bat Macrotus waterhousii

The phyllostomid bat, Macrotus waterhousii, undergoes delayed development. Implantation occurs early in the nine-month gestation, but the blastocyst remains relatively dormant until the sixth month when a chorioallantoic, hemodichorial placenta forms and a two and one-half to three-month growth pattern occurs leading to parturition. The barrier in the chorioallantoic placenta at first includes maternal capillary endothelium, but during the early part of the rapid growth phase the endothelium is replaced by blocks of syncytial trophoblast which penetrate the basal lamina. The basal lamina then apparently thickens and remains as the intrasyncytial lamina. Thus, the definitive barrier for maternal nutrients consists in order of passage of syncytial blocks, intrasyncytial lamina, syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast, fetal basal lamina and capillary endothelium.