cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A risk programming model for farm-raised catfish

Abstract A mixed integer target MOTAD model was developed to assess risk-income trade offs for alternative activities of producers of farm-raised catfish in the Southeastern United States. The target was meeting variable cost and alternatives were fish growth stages—egg, fry, fingerling and food fish. The results indicate that fingerling production is the most profitable on average but also has the greatest potential for losses (risk). Food fish production was intermediate in both average profitability and risk. Egg production had both lowest profitability and risk. Expected net returns and potential for losses (or risk) are both important factors shown to affect production planning.
Matrix metalloproteinases in tumor–host cell communication

The microenvironment or stroma immediately surrounding tumor cells consists of a three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) and stromal cells such as fibroblasts and inflammatory cells. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) constitute a family of over 24 members, which collectively are capable of degrading virtually the entire ECM. Strict regulation of MMP expression is critical in order to maintain proper ECM homeostasis, but in disease states such as cancer there is often a high level of MMP activity at the tumor–stroma interface. Several studies have documented the importance of MMP-mediated ECM destruction in the successful dissemination of several tumor types, but it has become increasingly clear that they are also involved in earlier stages of tumorigenesis. MMPs are implicated in a wide variety of roles that can assist tumor initiation, growth, migration, angiogenesis, the selection of apoptosis-resistant subpopulations, and in invasion and metastasis. Interestingly, the factors responsible for many of these effects are derived from the cell surfaces of the tumor or stromal cells or are embedded in the ECM. Therefore, the MMPs can no longer be thought of solely as ECM destructionists, but as part of an elegant communication system through which the tumor interacts with the stroma.
Surgical treatment of postoperative atrial reentry tachycardia

Abstract Late postoperative reentry tachycardia is a major source of morbidity and mortality after intracardiac repair of congenital heart disease. The incidence is greatest after the Fontan operation, but is significant after repair of other defects. Although medical, pacing, and ablation therapy each play a role in treating these tachyarrhythmias, none are completely effective. In addition, many of these patients require additional surgical procedures to improve hemodynamic abnormalities. We have combined intracardiac electrophysiologic studies with detailed mapping and a direct surgical approach using cryoablation to divide reentry circuits. Permanent atrial pacing is an important part of each surgical procedure. This extensive right atrial maze procedure has been highly effective in eliminating atrial reentry tachycardia.
Structural Growth and Viscoelastic Properties of Adsorbed Alginate Layers in Monovalent and Divalent Salts

The growth and evolution of the viscoelastic properties of an alginate layer as a function of ionic strength and the presence of divalent calcium ions are monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation and atomic force microscopy. The properties of the alginate layer are investigated by combining results of incremental layer thickness or adsorbed areal mass, viscoelastic properties of the film, adhesion forces between adsorbing polysaccharides, and pull-off distances of the adsorbed molecules. In the absence of calcium, alginate adsorption behavior is strongly influenced by charge screening of the negatively charged carboxyl moieties of the alginate molecules. Reduction in alginate layer swelling is observed as ionic strength is increased, most likely due to Donnan equilibrium effects. The presence of calcium ions induces the formation of a thick and fluid gel layer via the complexation of alginate molecules. As the monovalent salt concentration is increased, a displacement of the ion-exchange equilibrium takes place in response to the competition between monovalent (potassium) and divalent (calcium) cations. The resulting impact of this phenomenon on the structure and viscoelastic properties of the alginate layer is discussed.
Vitamin A hepatotoxicity: A cautionary note regarding 25,000 IU supplements

Vitamin A hepatotoxicity has been reported at doses exceeding 50,000 IU/day. At 25,000 IU vitamin A per day, although elevated liver enzymes may be seen, hepatotoxicity is rare. We report a case of severe hepatotoxicity associated with the habitual daily ingestion of 25,000 IU of vitamin A bought as an over-the-counter dietary supplement. With the general availability of high-dose supplements and recent literature emphasizing the importance of vitamin A adequacy, the potential for vitamin A hepatotoxicity may increase. Health professionals should remain aware of the potential for vitamin A hepatotoxicity and elicit a vitamin A history in all patients being evaluated for liver dysfunction.
Net radiation frequency distribution in a corn crop

Net radiation measurements were made with a traversing system in a 250 cm tall (LAI = 4.0) corn crop with east-west oriented rows. Frequency distributions of flux density of net radiation were plotted using 0.075 cal cm-2 min-1 class intervals. These distributions showed a shift from predominantly sunlit to predominantly shaded conditions with depth into the plant canopy. The frequency distributions showed that net radiation in sunflecks in a canopy can exceed that above the canopy, and that negative values of net radiation can exist in shadows. A Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Model (SPAM) also predicted that net radiation in sunflecks in the canopy would exceed net radiation above the canopy. The effects of spots with high radiation load within the plant canopy on leaf temperature and convective heat exchange were investigated theoretically.
Comparative effects of butylated hydroxyanisole on hepatic in vivo DNA binding and in vitro biotransformation of aflatoxin B1 in the rat and mouse

To determine the mechanisms which mediate species- and treatment-related differences in susceptibility to aflatoxin B1 (AFB), we conducted a comparative study of the effects of dietary butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on the hepatic in vivo DNA binding and in vitro biotransformation of AFB in the rat and mouse. Mice are resistant to the hepatocarcinogenic effects of AFB, and BHA pretreatment has been shown to inhibit the carcinogenic effects of AFB in the highly susceptible rat. Rats and mice were fed a control diet or an identical diet containing 0.75% BHA for 10 days. On the 11th day, one-half of the control and BHA animals were administered [3H]AFB (0.25 mg/kg in dimethyl sulfoxide) via intraperitoneal injection. Animals were killed 2 hr later and covalent binding of AFB to hepatic DNA was determined. The remaining animals were killed for preparation of hepatic subcellular fractions used in in vitro assays. BHA treatment resulted in a decrease in in vivo hepatic AFB-DNA adduct formation in mice to 68% of control, but, in rats, treatment decreased AFB-DNA binding to 18% of control. Furthermore, hepatic AFB-DNA binding in control mice was only 1.2% of that measured in control rats. The rate of in vitro activation of AFB to the epoxide was 3.4-fold greater in control mice relative to control rats. BHA pretreatment increased the activation of AFB in mice 3.3-fold, but had no effect on oxidative metabolism in rats. Control mice had 52 times greater glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity toward the AFB-epoxide, but only 2.6 times greater GST activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), compared to that of control rats. In mice, BHA did not significantly increase GST activity toward the AFB-epoxide, but increased GST activity toward CDNB 3.1-fold. In rats, BHA increased GST activity toward the AFB-epoxide and CDNB by 3.2- and 2.1-fold, respectively. Epoxide hydrolase activity toward p-nitrostyrene oxide in mice was only 52% of the activity in rats. BHA increased epoxide hydrolase activity 3.8- and 2.5-fold in mice and rats, respectively. These data indicate that mice have high levels of an AFB-epoxide-specific GST activity relative to that of the rat. The rate of formation of the AFB-epoxide and the activity of epoxide hydrolase appear to be relatively unimportant under conditions of high GST activity, whereas elevated GST activity, and thus inactivation of the AFB-epoxide, appears to be the critical component in species- and BHA-induced differences in AFB-DNA adduct formation and, presumably, AFB hepatocarcinogenicity.
Pinning-induced transition to disordered vortex phase in layered superconductors

Destruction of the vortex lattice by random point pinning is considered as a mechanism of the ``second peak'' transition observed experimentally in weakly coupled layered high-temperature superconductors. The transition field separating the topologically ordered quasilattice from the amorphous vortex configuration is strongly influenced by the layered structure and by the nonlocal nature of the vortex tilt energy due to the magnetic interlayer coupling. We found three different regimes of transition depending on the relative strength of the Josephson and magnetic couplings. The regimes can be distinguished by the dependence of the transition field on the superconductor parameters and pinning strength.
High data throughput VCSELs

VCSELs continue to be widely deployed in data communication networks. The total bandwidth requirements continue to grow, resulting in higher data rates and utilization of both spatial and wavelength multiplexing. This paper will discuss recent results on VCSELs operating at aggregate speeds up to 1000Gbps as well as the prospects and results on extending to higher serial data rates.
Neurosteroids, GABAA receptors, and escalated aggressive behavior

Aggressive behavior can serve important adaptive functions in social species. However, if it exceeds the species-typical pattern, it may become maladaptive. Very high or escalated levels of aggressive behavior can be induced in laboratory rodents by pharmacological (alcohol-heightened aggression), environmental (social instigation), or behavioral (frustration-induced aggression) means. These various forms of escalated aggressive behavior may be useful in further elucidating the neurochemical control over aggression and violence. One neurochemical system most consistently linked with escalated aggression is the GABAergic system, in conjunction with other amines and peptides. Although direct stimulation of GABA receptors generally suppresses aggression, a number of studies have found that positive allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors can cause increases in aggressive behavior. For example, alcohol, benzodiazepines, and many neurosteroids are all positive modulators of the GABAA receptor and all can cause increased levels of aggressive behavior. These effects are dose-dependent and higher doses of these compounds generally shift from heightening aggressive behavior to being sedative and anti-aggressive. In addition, these modulators interact with each other and can have additive effects on the GABAA receptor and on behavior, including aggression. The GABAA receptor is a heteropentameric protein that can be constituted from various subunits. It has been shown that subunit composition can affect sensitivity of the receptor to some modulators and that subunit composition differentially affects the sedative vs anxiolytic actions of benzodiazepines. Initial studies targeting alpha subunits of the GABAA receptor point to their significant role in the aggression-heightening effects of alcohol, benzodiazepines, and neurosteroids.
Immediate early inflammatory gene responses of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to hemorrhagic venom.

Objective and design This report describes a focused immediate early gene response by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) to Echis carinatus snake venom.
Microtubules in soleus muscles of the postnatal and adult rat

Microtubules in adult and neonatal rat soleus muscle have been studied in electron micrographs of longitudinal and cross sections. The number of microtubules per square micrometer cross-sectional area of the soleus in rats aged 1 to 42 days as well as adult were determined. Microtubules are axially oriented between the myofilament bundles. Occasionally however, they are seen to curve from the axial orientation to cross the myofilaments suggesting that some microtubules helically wrap around myofilament bundles. In both the adult and neonatal rats there was a high degree of variability in microtubule number; however, there was a definite decrease in microtubule number after 9 days of age. Though the decrease with age supports the hypothesis that the microtubules are functional during development, their axial orientation and location between the myofilament bundles in both the young developing rats and adults are consistent with cytoskeletal and organizational roles.
The tyranny of the serial: popular geopolitics, the nation and comic book discourse.

: This paper seeks to theorize the structuring of geopolitical worldviews and attitudes by the comic book medium and by serial popular culture more broadly. Evidence of the use of comic books to promote specific discourses by geopolitical actors is presented, and the conventions that govern the limits of comic book narration are outlined. Among the conventions of production discussed are the role of “continuity” as a structuring force and the serial nature of most comic books. The impact of these conventions is viewed through an examination of Watchmen and Captain America comic books. Both series revolve around issues of political legitimacy and the structuring of geopolitical space, but do so in different ways. This leads to insight connecting seriality with the concept of the nation itself. Finally, a theorization of the limits to comic book and other serialized discourse is outlined, and its ultimately conservative political outcome is described as endemic to the genre.
Does the moran process hinder our understanding of cooperation in human populations

Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma games in lattices or regular networks provide a natural framework for studying cooperation in finite populations. The Moran process, coupled with frequency dependent fitness, is widely used to model the evolutionary population dynamics. However, over the past decade there seems to be little progress made in understanding the proliferation of cooperation in human populations. In this paper we will show Moran updating cannot accurately mimic evolutionary dynamics in human populations and its continued use in mathematical models—particularly in spatial games—is unlikely to provide any new insights about human cooperation.
Reformulation of microscopic balance equations for multiscale materials modeling

In this paper we present a new formalism that analytically links atomic variables to continuously distributed local properties and that leads to a concurrent two-level representation of balance laws for atomistic systems with general lattice structure. The new component of this formulation is an explicit decomposition of associated fluxes in multiatomic lattices into components representing the distortions of lattice cells and the rearrangement of atoms within the lattice cells. New formulation of balance laws is obtained in a form that is suitable for a direct atomistic analysis at fine scale to a continuum analysis in coarse scales. The results of this work will provide a new continuum field representation of classical N-body dynamics that can fully reproduce phonon dispersion relations of multiatomic crystalline materials and will enable coupled atomistic and continuum simulations within a single theoretical framework.
Oxidative metabolism of carbon disulfide by isolated rat hepatocytes and microsomes.

Abstract The oxidative metabolism of carbon disulfide (CS 2 ) was investigated in isolated rat hepatocytes and liver microsomes. In microsomes, (CS 2 ) metabolism was increased by phenobarbital pretreatment of the rats and decreased with pretreatment of the rats with cobaltous chloride. In both microsomes and hepatocytes, CS 2 metabolism was inhibited by SKF-525A. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) was the major volatile metabolite of CS 2 in hepatocytes, and carbonyl sulfide (COS) was the major volatile metabolite in microsomal incubations. Addition of cytosol to microsomal incubations shifted the predominant volatile metabolite from COS to CO 2 but did not change total volatile metabolite formation. Acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, significantly decreased COS metabolism but not CS 2 metabolism in isolated hepatocytes or microsomes fortified with dialyzed cytosol. When [ 18 O]H 2 O was included in incubations of microsomes and CS 2 , a substantial portion of the resulting COS was [ 18 O] enriched, indicating that the oxygen atom was derived from water. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that (1) CS 2 is oxidized predominantly by the cytochrome P-450 containing monooxygenase system, and (2) the product of this reaction is an unstable intermediate which reacts with water to form monothiocarbonate and reactive sulfur species. Monothiocarbonate is the hydrated form of COS. In intact hepatocytes, it is metabolized predominantly to CO 2 and hydrogen sulfide. Unmetabolized monothiocarbonate can be dehydrated to COS. The majority of the reactive sulfur species and hydrogen sulfide are oxidized to nonvolatile sulfur compounds, including sulfate, but by different mechanisms.
Relationship between Employees' Attitudes and Error Rates in Public Welfare Programs

The article presents a study that explores the relationships between objective measures of organizational effectiveness and employees' attitudes concerning job satisfaction and employees' role stre...
Some interpolation theorems for polynomials

Abstract Let E = ∥ eij ∥j = 0,…,n−1i = 1,…,k be a given n-incidence matrix and suppose knots x1 ƒ(x) satisfying 1. (i) ƒ (j) (x i ) = 0 when e ij = 1 and 2. (ii) ƒ (p) (x) ≡ g(x) ? Certain functions W1(t),…, Wn−1(t) which do not depend on g are constructed with the result that for almost all choices of the knots xi a solution exists if ∝x1xkg(q)(t) Wq(n−q)(t)dt = 0 for q = p,…, n − 1. This result is applied to the nonhomogenous problem where data yij is prescribed and (i) is replaced with ƒ (j) (x i ) = y ij . Also, the concept of a simple matrix is introduced, and some results on the relation between poised and simple matrices are given.
One-loop matching and next-to-next-to-leading log resummation for all partonic 2→2 processes in QCD

The Wilson coefficients for all 4-parton operators which arise in matching QCD to soft-collinear effective theory (SCET) are computed at 1-loop. Any dijet observable calculated in SCET beyond leading order will require these results. The Wilson coefficients are separated by spin and color, although most applications will involve only the spin-averaged hard functions. The anomalous dimensions for the Wilson coefficients are given to 2-loop order, and the renormalization group equations are solved explicitly. This will allow for analytical resummation of dijet observables to next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. For each channel, there is a natural basis in which the evolution is diagonal in color space. The same basis also diagonalizes the color evolution for the soft function. Even though soft functions required for SCET calculations are observable dependent, it is shown that their renormalization group evolution is almost completely determined by a universal structure. With these results, it will be possible to calculate hadronic event shapes or other dijet observables to next-to-leading order with next-to-next-to-leading log resummation.
Feasibility of incorporating alternative teaching methods into clinical clerkships

Current pressures on medical education mandate a search for more efficient, effective methods of clinical teaching. Most clinical clerkships rely on teaching through patient‐based experience. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using alternative methods, such as computer‐assisted instruction, videodisc, and videotape, to complement patient‐based experience in outpatient clerkships. Seventeen medical students completed modules on diabetes and hypertension using such alternative methods during clinical rotations. Results of a preintervention‐postintervention evaluation included (a) increased interest among students in a more balanced distribution of clerkship time between patients and alternative teaching methods, (b) significantly increased self‐assessments of knowledge, and (c) significant gains on knowledge test. In‐depth interviews with 13 participants revealed positive attitudes toward the alternative curriculum, particularly its capacity to augment teaching by attending physicians and pr...
A client–server framework for 3D remote visualization of radiotherapy treatment space

Radiotherapy is safely employed for treating wide variety of cancers. The radiotherapy workflow includes a precise positioning of the patient in the intended treatment position. While patient positioning is conducted by trained radiation therapists, consultation is occasionally required from other experts, including the radiation oncologist, dosimetrist, or medical physicist. In many circumstances, including rural clinics and developing countries, this expertise is not immediately available, so the patient positioning concerns of the treating therapists may not get addressed. In this paper, we present a framework to enable remotely located experts to virtually collaborate and be present inside the 3D treatment room when necessary. A multi 3D-camera framework was used for acquiring the 3D treatment space. A client server framework enabled the acquired 3D treatment room to be visualized in real-time. The computational tasks that would normally occur on the client side were offloaded to the server side to enable hardware flexibility on the client side. On the server side, a client specific real-time stereo rendering of the 3D treatment room was employed using a scalable multi GPU system. The rendered 3D images were then encoded using a GPU based H.264 encoding for streaming. Results showed that for a stereo-image size of 1280x960 pixels, experts with high-speed gigabit Ethernet connectivity were able to visualize the treatment space at approximately 81 frames per second. For experts remotely located and using a 100 Mega bits per second (Mbps) network, the treatment space visualization occurred at 8-40 frames per second depending upon the network bandwidth. This work demonstrated the feasibility of remote real-time stereoscopic patient setup visualization, enabling expansion of high quality radiation therapy into challenging environments.
Immunobiology of head and neck cancer: Basic concepts

Patients with squamous cancer of the head and neck have unique perturbations of the immune system. These patients have marked depression of cellular immunity even in the early stages of disease. The known facts about the immunobiology and the immunodeficiencies that commonly occur are discussed. Also reviewed are the relationships of the immunologic deficits to stage of disease, to prognosis, and to the suspected etiologic factors of smoking, alcoholism, and malnutrition. Highlights are given of current immunotherapeutic trials. To date, most of the successful efforts in both immunologic research and immunotherapy of head and neck cancer have dealt with general, rather than specific, immune reactions. Further development in the area of specific immune responses may permit more meaningful measurements of tumor-specific reactions, thus yielding useful tools for immunodiagnosis as well as providing more effective and precise methods of immunotherapy.
Four loops of the catalytic domain of factor viia mediate the effect of the first EGF-like domain substitution on factor viia catalytic activity.

The presence of tissue factor is essential for factor VIIa (FVIIa) to reach its full catalytic potential. The previous work in this laboratory demonstrated that substitution of the EGF1 domain of factor VIIa with that of factor IX (FVII((IXegf1))a) results in a substantial decrease in TF-binding affinity and catalytic activity. Supporting simulations of the solution structures of Ca(2+)-bound factor VIIa and FVII((IXegf1))a with tissue factor are provided. Mutants are generated, based on the simulation model, to study the effect of EGF1 substitution on catalytic activity. The simulations show larger Gla-EGF1 and EGF1-EGF2 inter-domain motions for FVII((IXegf1))a than for factor VIIa. The catalytic domain of the chimeric factor VIIa has been disturbed and several surface loops in the catalytic domain of FVII((IXegf1))a (Loop 170s (170-182), Loop 1 (185-188) and Loop 2 (221A-225)) manifest larger position fluctuations than wild-type. The position of Loop 140s (142-152) of FVII((IXegf1))a, near the N terminus insertion site of the catalytic domain, shifts relative to factor VIIa, resulting in a slight alteration of the active site. The results suggest that these four loops mediate the effect of the EGF1 domain substitution on the S1 site and catalytic residues. To test the model, we prepared mutations of these surface loops, including four FVII mutants, D186A, K188A, L144A and R147A, a FVII mutant with multiple mutations (MM3: L144A+R147A+D186A) and a FVII mutant with Loop 170s partially deleted, Loop 170s(del). The catalytic activities towards a small peptidyl substrate decreased 2.4, 4.5 and 9-fold for Loop 170s(del)a (a, activated), L144Aa and D186Aa, respectively, while MM3a lost almost all catalytic activity. The combined results of the simulations and mutants provide insight into the mechanism by which tissue factor enhances factor VIIa catalytic activity.
Learning from the Mars Rover Mission: Scientific Discovery, Learning and Memory

Purpose: Knowledge management for space exploration is part of a multi-generational effort. Each mission builds on knowledge from prior missions, and learning is the first step in knowledge production. This paper uses the Mars Exploration Rover mission as a site to explore this process. Approach: Observational study and analysis of the work of the MER science and engineering team during rover operations, to investigate how learning occurs, how it is recorded, and how these representations might be made available for subsequent missions. Findings: Learning occurred in many areas: planning science strategy, using instrumen?s within the constraints of the martian environment, the Deep Space Network, and the mission requirements; using software tools effectively; and running two teams on Mars time for three months. This learning is preserved in many ways. Primarily it resides in individual s memories. It is also encoded in stories, procedures, programming sequences, published reports, and lessons learned databases. Research implications: Shows the earliest stages of knowledge creation in a scientific mission, and demonstrates that knowledge management must begin with an understanding of knowledge creation. Practical implications: Shows that studying learning and knowledge creation suggests proactive ways to capture and use knowledge across multiple missions and generations. Value: This paper provides a unique analysis of the learning process of a scientific space mission, relevant for knowledge management researchers and designers, as well as demonstrating in detail how new learning occurs in a learning organization.
Ultrasonic Evaluation of Initiation and Development of Oxidation Damage in Ceramic-Matrix Composites

In this paper the authors report on the development of a method for ultrasonic nondestructive characterization of oxidation damage in ceramic-matrix composites. The method is based on ultrasonic measurement of elastic moduli of the composite, which are then used to determine the elastic moduli of the fiber-matrix interphase. Thus the interphasial damage may be estimated quantitatively. As a model system they used, to demonstrate applicability of the method, a unidirectional SiC-fiber-reinforced reaction-bonded silicon nitride matrix composite (SiC/RBSN). The composite samples were oxidized in flowing oxygen for 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 h at 600, 900, 1200, and 1400 C. The ultrasonic phase velocity in the composite was measured at room temperature before and after oxidation; the data were then used to find the composite moduli, which quantify the induced damage. significant changes in ultrasonic velocities and composite moduli, which quantify the induced damage. Significant changes in ultrasonic velocities and composite moduli were found as a result of oxidation. Fiber-matrix interphasial moduli were determined by multiphase micromechanical analysis. They found that oxidation of the carbon interphasial layer is the dominant mechanism in decreasing the elastic moduli of the composite. The critical exposure time for transition from the nondamaged to the damagemore » state of different oxidation temperatures has been determined.« less
Surface chemical analysis of cesium-iodide (CsI) coated carbon (C) fibers and thin films for field emission applications

Carbon (C) fibers with electron emission enhancing cesium iodide (CsI) surface coatings are utilized as field emission cathodes and have been investigated as promising electron sources. Possible applications include not only High Power Microwave (HPM) devices, but also conventional microwave devices, x-ray tubes, and field emission displays [1]. Upon appropriate conditioning of the cathode to remove adsorbed water vapor, stable operation for more than one million pulses, little or no plasma formation, and low turn on E-fields, compared to un-coated C fibers, have been observed.
Totalitarianism: Questions about Catholic Resistance

After the war was over leading Catholic laity and the lower clergy pointed their finger at their bishops, faulting them for not having the backbone and willpower to stand up to Hitler. Was this fair? Bishops said they tempered their criticism of Nazism because Hitler punished their priests rather than them. Were the bishops being candid and forthright with this statement? If so, was this the right strategy? Jesuits urged the bishops to become active in the Kreisau Circle of resistance. They did not. Should they have? Pope Pius XII gave the German bishops freedom to do as they saw fit regarding speaking out about the Holocaust. They spoke only guardedly. Should they have said more? The Concordat, the agreement between the Vatican and the German government, surprised German Catholics who had been warned again and again about Nazism. Was the Concordat a mistake? Once signed, should the church have stuck to it once Nazi racial policy had become manifest? There was an active Catholic resistance circle in Berlin. Were there others? If not, why not? Questions about Catholic resistance run on and on. Are they worth probing, trying to answer? In the end no matter what is said about Catholic resistance, the six million will have perished. And, in the end, no German managed to put an end to Hitler, although the Swabian Catholic, Klaus von Stauffenberg, came close. Is a discussion about Catholic resistance an exercise in futility?
I am what i eat: identity & critical thinking in an online health forum for kids

As kids encounter food advertisements, it is important that they be able to critically evaluate the message's claims, the healthiness of the promoted product and their desire for it. To explore how technology might help kids develop these skills, we created an online forum called TalkBack that encourages children to critically analyze the messaging in food ads and their attitudes towards marketed foods. We evaluated TalkBack with twenty-eight middle school students in a summer camp program. We discuss how participants appeared to project and protect their sense of self through their interaction with TalkBack. We also describe the limited analytic depth of their forum contributions and suggest directions for HCI research that attempts to encourage critical thinking and health promotion in adolescents.
Research on Decision-Making Behavior of Analysts Coverage and Real and Accrual Earnings Management Based on SPSS Software Technology

The paper researches if decision-making behavior of analysts coverage can influence the earnings management of companies. The study selected 3727 samples and used SPSS software regression technology. The results indicate that a higher level of analysts coverage is related to lower accrual earnings management and real earnings management,which suggests that analysts have supervisory function to companies and can play an efficient external governance role to investor protection.The results also indicates that the larger companies eager to adopt real earnings management whereas the smaller companies would like to use accrual earnings management, and the enterprises with higher cash flow volatility are eager to adopt earnings management due to unstable operation .
“Making Them Speak”: Colonialismand the Study of Mythology

The role and importance of mythology, as term and category, in the study of religion and culture is critically examined. The focal example is Baldwin Spencer's study of an Australian aboriginal culture in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Spencer trained in England as a biologist. As an ethnographer he was exemplary of his time in his joining of morphological and evolutionist epistemologies. Mythology, it is argued, is an analytical category that has often invited the inappropriate conjunction of these analytical approaches. As is shown in the case examined, mythology is sometimes concocted in order to meet academic interpretive expectations. This approach characterizes colonialism in demanding that, to have any existence at all, the subjects studied must speak in the terms of received analytical categories such as myth.
Gastric volvulus associated with agenesis of the left lobe of the liver in a child: a case treated by laparoscopic gastropexy

Association of gastric volvulus with agenesis of the left lobe of the liver is very rare and mostly reported in adults. We report a case of gastric volvulus associated with agenesis of the left lobe of the liver in a child, which was successfully treated by laparoscopic gastropexy.
Efficient Inference in Phylogenetic InDel Trees

Accurate and efficient inference in evolutionary trees is a central problem in computational biology. While classical treatments have made unrealistic site independence assumptions, ignoring insertions and deletions, realistic approaches require tracking insertions and deletions along the phylogenetic tree—a challenging and unsolved computational problem. We propose a new ancestry resampling procedure for inference in evolutionary trees. We evaluate our method in two problem domains—multiple sequence alignment and reconstruction of ancestral sequences—and show substantial improvement over the current state of the art.
MAHOWALDEAN FAMILIES OF ELEMENTS IN STABLE HOMOTOPY GROUPS REVISITED

In the mid 1970s Mark Mahowald constructed a new infinite family of elements in the 2-component of the stable homotopy groups of spheres, ηj∈πSj2 (S0)(2) [M]. Using standard Adams spectral sequence terminology (which will be recalled in Section 3 below), ηj is detected by h1hj∈Ext2,*[Ascr ] (Z/2, Z/2). Thus he had found an infinite family of elements all having the same Adams filtration (in this case, 2), thus dooming the so-called Doomsday Conjecture. His constructions were ingenious: his elements were constructed as composites of pairs of maps, with the intermediate spaces having, on one hand, a geometric origin coming from double loopspace theory and, on the other hand, mod2 cohomology making them amenable to Adams Spectral Sequence analysis and suggesting that they were related to the new discovered Brown–Gitler spectra [BG].In the years that followed, various other related 2-primary infinite families were constructed, perhaps most notably (and correctly) Bruner's family detected by h2h2j∈ Ext3,*[Ascr ](Z/2, Z/2) [B]. An odd prime version was studied by Cohen [C], leading to a family in πS∗(S0)(p) detected by h0bj∈ Ext3,*[Ascr ] (Z/p, Z/p) and a filtration 2 family in the stable homotopy groups of the odd prime Moore space. Cohen also initiated the development of odd primary Brown–Gitler spectra, completed in the mid 1980s, using a different approach, by Goerss [G], and given the ultimate ‘modern’ treatment by Goerss, Lannes and Morel in the 1993 paper [GLM]. Various papers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, e.g. [BP, C, BC], related some of these to loopspace constructions.Our project originated with two goals. One was to see if any of the later work on Brown–Gitler spectra led to clarification of the original constructions. The other was to see if taking advantage of post Segal Conjecture knowledge of the stable cohomotopy of the classifying space BZ/p would help in constructing new families at odd primes, in particular a conjectural family detected by h0hj∈ Ext2,*[Ascr ] (Z/p, Z/p). (This followed a paper [K1] by one of us on 2 primary families from this point of view.)
Comparison of connectivity and rigidity percolation

The development of tree models and the use of new algorithms in numerical studies have revolutionized our understanding of the geometry of rigidity percolation. In particular we now know that on triangular lattices, the rigidity transition is second order, but in a different universality class to the connectivity case. In contrast on trees the rigidity transition is first order while the connectivity transition is second order. The geometry of rigidity percolation is different from that of connectivity percolation due to the requirement of multiple connectivity in the rigidity case. However this is clearly not enough to ensure that the transition becomes first order. Perhaps a deeper question is whether the infinite cluster breaks up into two or an infinite number of subclusters when a critical bond is removed. In the connectivity case, the answer is clearly two. In the rigidity case it is infinity on trees and difficult to analyze precisely on triangular lattices. This and a host of other questions remain unanswered in this interesting class of problems.
Quantitative Comparison of Models for Barotropic Response of Homogeneous Basins

Numerous three-dimensional models that solve the shallow water equations have been proposed to describe the processes of circulation and mixing in large bodies of water. The utility of those models is often demonstrated by comparison of computed variables with field observations. However, both the hydrodynamic data and the boundary conditions that drive the model have unknown measure- ment uncertainties and a limited spatial coverage, which limit the validity of this approach. A series of simple benchmark problems with analytical solutions is proposed to evaluate a particular model's suitability to efficiently and accurately reproduce a wide range of characteristic hydrodynamic phenomena in natural lakes. The test problems focus on the representation of free and forced oscillations in homogeneous water bodies ~barotropic response!. This is not intended as a substitute for model validation against field data but, rather, as a necessary step in the initial model testing and selection. To illustrate this approach, the proposed test problems are used to compare a finite-element and a finite-difference free-surface hydrostatic model.
Dietary Fiber and Atherosclerosis

The influence of any treatment on development of atherosclerosis can be assayed directly in animals by obtaining autopsy data after a suitable experimental period. In man the determination of atherosclerotic involvement is indirect and depends upon measurements of serum or plasma lipid or lipoprotein components. Elevated plasma total cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels are generally agreed to be positively correlated with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (Kagan et al., 1962; Gordon et al., 1974). Elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), HDL-choles-terol, or ratio of HDL- to LDL-cholesterol are assumed to be negatively correlated (Barr et al., 1951; Miller and Miller, 1975). Thus, in man alteration of risk may be adduced to follow changes in levels of any of these parameters.
A time-stepping method for stiff multibody dynamics with contact and friction

We define a time-stepping procedure to integrate the equations of motion of stiff multibody dynamics with contact and friction. The friction and non-interpenetration constraints are modelled by complementarity equations. Stiffness is accommodated by a technique motivated by a linearly implicit Euler method. We show that the main subproblem, a linear complementarity problem, is consistent for a sufficiently small time step h. In addition, we prove that for the most common type of stiff forces encountered in rigid body dynamics, where a damping or elastic force is applied between two points of the system, the method is well defined for any time step h. We show that the method is stable in the stiff limit, unconditionally with respect to the damping parameters, near the equilibrium points of the springs. The integration step approaches, in the stiff limit, the integration step for a system where the stiff forces have been replaced by corresponding joint constraints. Simulations for one- and two-dimensional examples demonstrate the stable behaviour of the method.
New Tabu search heuristics for the dynamic facility layout problem

A manufacturing facility is a dynamic system that constantly evolves due to changes such as changes in product demands, product designs, or replacement of production equipment. As a result, the dynamic facility layout problem (DFLP) considers these changes and is defined as the problem of assigning departments to locations during a multi-period planning horizon such that the sum of the material handling and re-arrangement costs is minimised. In this paper, three tabu search (TS) heuristics are presented for this problem. The first heuristic is a simple TS heuristic. The second heuristic adds diversification and intensification strategies to the first, and the third heuristic is a probabilistic TS heuristic. To test the performances of the heuristics, two sets of test problems from the literature are used in the analysis. The results show that the second heuristic out-performs the other proposed heuristics and the heuristics available in the literature.
A Mandelpinski maze for rational maps of the form zn+λ/zd

Abstract In this paper we identify a new type of structure that lies in the parameter plane of the family of maps z n + λ / z d where n ≥ 2 is even but d ≥ 3 is odd. We call this structure a Mandelbrot–Sierpinski maze. Basically, the maze consists at the first level of an infinite string of alternating Mandelbrot sets and Sierpinski holes that lie along an arc in the parameter plane for this family. At the next level, there are infinitely many smaller Mandelbrot sets and Sierpinski holes that alternate on the arc between each Mandelbrot set and Sierpinski hole on the previous level, and then finitely many other Mandelbrot sets and Sierpinski holes that extend away from the given Mandelbrot set in a pair of different directions. And then this structure repeats inductively to produce the “Mandelpinski” maze.
Soot in coal combustion systems

Soot is generated from coal when volatile matter, tar in particular, undergoes secondary reactions at high temperatures. A description of soot in coal flames allows better calculations of radiative transfer and temperatures in near-burner regions, which in turn allows more accurate predictions of NOx formation in coal-fired furnaces. Experiments are reviewed that examine the formation, agglomeration and properties of coal-derived soot, including pyrolysis experiments and combustion experiments. This review includes the types of experiments performed, the soot yields obtained, the size of the soot particles and agglomerates, the optical properties of soot, the relationship between coal-derived soot and soot from simple hydrocarbons, and attempts to model soot in coal flames.
Ligand-Independent Phosphorylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Integrates Cellular Stress Pathways with Nuclear Receptor Signaling

Glucocorticoids are stress hormones that maintain homeostasis through gene regulation mediated by nuclear receptors. We have discovered that other cellular stressors are integrated with glucocorticoid signaling through a new hormone-independent phosphorylation site, Ser134, on the human glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Ser134 phosphorylation is induced by a variety of stress-activating stimuli in a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent manner. Cells expressing a mutant glucocorticoid receptor incapable of phosphorylation at Ser134 (S134A-GR) had significantly altered hormone-dependent genome-wide transcriptional responses and associated hormone-mediated cellular functions. The phosphorylation of Ser134 significantly increased the association of the GR with the zeta isoform of the 14-3-3 class of signaling proteins (14-3-3zeta) on chromatin promoter regions, resulting in a blunted hormone-dependent transcriptional response of select genes. These data argue that the phosphorylation of Ser134 acts as a molecular sensor on the GR, monitoring the level of cellular stress to redirect glucocorticoid-regulated signaling through altered 14-3-3zeta cofactor binding and promoter recruitment. This posttranslational modification allows prior cellular stress signals to dictate the transcriptional response to glucocorticoids.
Managers' perceptions of entry-level job competencies when making hiring decisions for municipal recreation agencies.

Identifying and understanding competencies related to employment in municipal parks and recreation agencies can help guide managers' hiring and employment decisions. Competencies can be described as the â€œessential skills, knowledge, abilities, and personal characteristics needed for effective job performanceâ€ (Hurd, 2005, p. 46). The specific competencies that are used by municipal recreation managers to guide their employment decisions are largely unknown. Identifying which competencies are the most critical to municipal recreation managers is essential to informing human resources practices and individuals entering the workforce. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the competencies that are important to people responsible for making hiring decisions for municipal recreation agencies. Data were collected in partnership with the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) using an electronic survey. Using a modified version of the Entry Level Competency Framework (ELCF), this study asked recreation supervisors, managers, and directors to rate competencies in order of perceived importance when making hiring decisions for entry-level full-time positions in municipal recreation agencies. The revised ELCF was comprised of 68 competencies, categorized into eight competency domains: communication skills, community relations skills, interpersonal skills, leading people, managing organizations, professional practice skills, technology skills, and inclusion skills. Each competency was ranked on a scale that ranged from (1) I would hire someone without this skill to (5) I would never hire someone without this skill . Of these eight domains, the participants in this study rated communication skills ( M = 4.03) and interpersonal skills ( M = 3.99) the highest. However, all domains in the study were rated above a mean of 3.0, which suggests that participants in this study had a preference toward hiring people with all of these skills. Based on the ratings of individual job competencies, the authors list 10 critical competencies that managers of municipal recreation agencies can use to help guide their hiring decisions. The value of a recreation degree was also assessed. According to the participants in this study, a degree in recreation is not an essential requirement when making hiring decisions for entry-level employees. However, municipal parks and recreation agencies can use the ELCF as an evaluation tool to help guide human resource procedures for applicant screening and employment decisions.