cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Religion, Religiosity, and Corruption

High levels of corruption in a country could be detrimental to the overall well-being of the economy. Although legal enforcement mechanisms are in place for most countries, corruption still exists, even in the most developed countries. Researchers have tried to identify the correlates of corruption across different countries in the world. One major finding is that religious affiliation in a country tends to matter for the corruption level of that country. However, previous research has rarely focused explicitly on differentiating between religion and religiosity. In this study, we test if the level of devotion to religion (religiosity) is more important than the specific type of religious denomination. We use data from multiple countries over different time periods and experiment with different measures of ‘religiosity’. The empirical evidence indicates that religiosity, rather than religious affiliation, impacts corruption levels. The more religious a society is, the higher the corruption, regardless of religious affiliation.
Analytical modeling of laminar annular flow condensation in an arbitrarily shaped microchannel

Abstract A model for laminar annular film condensation in micro- and mini- channels is developed. The model is first derived for a circular cross section, and then extended to an arbitrarily shaped microchannel using the local radii of curvature and the wall curvilinear coordinate. The film governing equation is applied to a channel with a general wall distribution rw = rw (φ). Using this model, condensation of R134a in square and circular channels with hydraulic diameters of 1 mm at a saturation temperature of 50 °C, a wall subcooling of 6 °C, and mass flux of 500 kg m−2 s−1 is analyzed. Based on the local film distribution, it is shown that in the laminar flow regime, square channels have higher condensation heat transfer coefficients than circular channels. Good agreement is obtained between the predictions of this model and experimental studies in the literature for the condensation of R134a and FC-72 in square microchannels, and R134a and Propane in circular microchannels. The model is also used to predict condensation in channels with elliptical, rectangular, triangular and inverted triangular and trapezoidal cross sections. In addition, a study of the condensation of ammonia in a photochemically etched rectangular microchannel with fillets in the corners due to manufacturing tolerances showed heat transfer coefficients similar to those of an ideal rectangular channel.
Sex-Based Brain Differences and Emotional Harm

Technological advances have allowed neuroscientists to identify brain differences between women and men, which may lead to explanations for sex-biased population differences in behavior and brain-based disorders. Although the research is at its early stages, this is an appropriate time to examine some of the potential legal implications of these findings. This Article examines that question in the context of tort law, especially how scientific findings may affect the use of the reasonable person standard in emotional injury claims. Specifically, studies suggest that there may be distinct sex-based mechanisms involved in reactions to extreme stress, raising the question of whether women experience and process stress and trauma differently than men. This Article argues that these studies may eventually inform the use of the reasonableness standard for freestanding emotional harm claims. As science further develops, courts may either apply a reasonable woman standard in limited contexts or at least allow jurors to consider evidence of sex-based differences in applying a reasonable person standard. Recognizing these differences, courts have already begun to apply the reasonable woman standard to hostile workplace environment claims, and science may support broader use of that standard, especially for negligent and intentional infliction of emotional harm claims.
Paying for the Past: Redressing the Legacy of Land Dispossession in South Africa

The constitution of South Africa mandates equitable redress for individuals and communities evicted from their properties during colonialism and apartheid. The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights’ institution-wide assumption is that the financial awards given as equitable redress had no long-term economic impact on recipients because the money is gone and they are still in poverty, whereas if people had received land, the economic impact would have been lasting. Consequently, in recent years, the commission has adopted a policy of using its soft power to force claimants to choose land restitution instead of financial awards. However, the interviews I conducted with financial award recipients show that in 30 percent of the cases, the award did produce a long-term economic benefit because respondents invested in their homes. This empirical evidence suggests that the commission should rethink its recent shift in policy and not totally discount the potential of financial awards to produce a lasting economic benefit.
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Cognitive and Affective Outcomes Using Virtual Stimuli: A Systematic Review

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive form of brain stimulation used to influence neural activity. While early tDCS studies primarily used static stimuli, there is growing interest in dynamic stimulus presentations using virtual environments (VEs). This review attempts to convey the state of the field. This is not a quantitative meta-analysis as there are not yet enough studies following consistent protocols and/or reporting adequate data. In addition to reviewing the state of the literature, this review includes an exploratory analysis of the available data. Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, studies were culled from several databases. Results from this review reveal differences between online and offline stimulation. While offline stimulation did not influence affective and cognitive outcomes, online stimulation led to small changes in affect and cognition. Future studies should include randomized controlled trials with larger samples. Furthermore, greater care needs to be applied to full data reporting (e.g., means, standard deviations, and data for their nonsignificant findings) to improve our understanding of the combined effects of virtual stimuli with tDCS.
Interplay of Switching Characteristics, Cycling Endurance and Multilevel Retention of Ferroelectric Capacitor

Recent research has extensively investigated the ferroelectric Hf 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 (HZO) thin film as a key enabler for emerging non-volatile memory (eNVM) and synaptic device for neuro-inspired computing. However, the reliability of HZO is not systematically characterized yet. For example, 1) post-cycling retention is rarely reported, 2) intermediate state retention is largely unexplored; 3) activation energy (E a ) of the retention degradation with respect to the device failure time is unrevealed. Herein, we experimentally characterized 10 nm-thick plasma-enhanced atomic-layer-deposited (PEALD) HZO capacitors at the pristine, woken-up and fatigued states. The interplay of polarization switching speed, pulse cycling and multilevel retention is explored under variables such as device size and electric field. Woken-up state is found to be the most vulnerable to retention degradation with approximately E a =0.37 eV extracted.
Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) Screencasts: a Randomized Controlled Trial of Asynchronous Learning on an Inpatient Hematology-Oncology Teaching Service.

The efficacy of just-in-time teaching (JiTT) screencasts for graduate medical education on an inpatient adult hematology-oncology service (HOS) setting is not known. Our preceding pilot data identified six high-yield topics for this setting. The study objective was to evaluate screencast educational efficacy. Internal medicine residents scheduled to start a rotation on the primary HOS of an academic medical center were eligible for this parallel, unblinded, randomized controlled trial with concealed allocation. Participants underwent block randomization to the usual educational curriculum either with or without access to a series of novel screencasts; all participants received an anonymous online end-of-rotation survey and a $20 gift certificate upon completion. The primary outcome was the change in attitude among learners, measured as their self-reported confidence for managing the clinical topics. From 12/9/2019 through 6/15/2020, accrual was completed with 67 of 78 eligible residents (86%) enrolled and randomized. Analysis was by intention-to-treat and participant response rate was 91%. Sixty-four percent of residents in the treatment arm rated their clinical management comfort level as “comfortable” or “very comfortable” versus 21% of residents in the usual education arm (p = 0.001), estimated difference = 43% (95% CI: 21–66%), using a prespecified cumulative cutoff score. Treatment arm participants reported that the screencasts improved medical oncology knowledge base (100%), would improve their care for cancer patients (92%), and had an enjoyable format (96%). Residents on a busy inpatient HOS found that a JiTT screencast increased clinical comfort level in the management of HOS-specific patient problems.
MassExplorer: a computational tool for analyzing desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry data

Summary In the last few years, desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) has been increasingly used for simultaneous detection of thousands of metabolites and lipids from human tissues and biofluids. To successfully find the most significant differences between two sets of DESI-MSI data (e.g., healthy vs disease) requires the application of accurate computational and statistical methods that can pre-process the data under various normalization settings and help identify these changes among thousands of detected metabolites. Here, we report MassExplorer, a novel computational tool, to help pre-process DESI-MSI data, visualize raw data, build predictive models using the statistical lasso approach to select for a sparse set of significant molecular changes, and interpret selected metabolites. This tool, which is available for both online and offline use, is flexible for both chemists and biologists and statisticians as it helps in visualizing structure of DESI-MSI data and in analyzing the statistically significant metabolites that are differentially expressed across both sample types. Based on the modules in MassExplorer, we expect it to be immediately useful for various biological and chemical applications in mass spectrometry. Availability and implementation MassExplorer is available as an online R-Shiny application or Mac OS X compatible standalone application. The application, sample performance, source code and corresponding guide can be found at: https://zarelab.com/research/massexplorer-a-tool-to-help-guide-analysis-of-mass-spectrometry-samples/. Supplementary informationMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Chapter 1 G proteins and transmembrane signalling

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses G proteins and transmembrane signaling. G proteins are involved in the transduction of the signal generated by occupancy of cell-membrane receptors by their specific ligands—neurotransmitters, hormones, para- and autocrine factors—into activation of membrane-effector systems. They bind guanine nucleotides, share a common heterotrimeric subunit structure of the αβγ -type, are activated by GTP and possess GTPase activity which confers to them a molecular clocking capacity. This clocking capacity impedes persistent activation of the G proteins and regulates the steady state-activity level of effector functions. In addition to factors, hormones, and neurotransmitters, known to act through receptors that couple to G proteins, various effector systems may also be affected directly by activated G. G s is responsible for mediation of hormonal stimulation of adenylyl cyclases and is established to be the stimulatory regulatory component of adenylyl cyclase. The activation of G s has been reported extensively both in native membranes and with purified G s in solution.
The dynamic organizer.

The organizer is a region in gastrulating embryos that induces and patterns the body axis. New research shows that induction of organizer formation is regulated by interplay of inducing and inhibiting ligands that affect the cells as they migrate through the organizer.
Reduced Mammographic Screening May Explain Declines in Breast Carcinoma in Older Women

Objectives: To examine whether declines in breast cancer in the oldest-old women correspond with declines in the use of cancer testing. Design: Cross-sectional evaluation of three databases. Setting: Public access data. Participants: Cases recorded in the California Registry and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program between 1988 and 1997. The study also included respondents to the 2002 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Measurements: Cancer incidence and self-reported mammography within the previous 2 years. Results: Most previous analyses have combined all individuals aged 75, 80, or 85 and older. Creating separate categories for age ranges 85 to 89, 90 to 94, 95 to 99, and 100 and older suggests different incidence patterns for a variety of cancers, including mammary carcinoma in situ (CIS). Between the ages of 40 and 74, there is a significant rise in CIS. Beginning at age 75, there is a significant decline in CIS through the highest age categories. The use of mammographic screening increases between the ages of 40 and 60. Beginning at age 75, there is a significant decline in the use of mammography that parallels the decline in incident cases of CIS. Conclusion: There may be a substantial reservoir of undiagnosed CIS in the population. Surveillance bias might explain the decreasing incidence of CIS with advancing age in the oldest age groups. Autopsy studies are needed to estimate the true prevalence of CIS in older women.
Semiclassical Theory of Electronically Nonadiabatic Transitions in Molecular Collision Processes

An introductory account of the semiclassical theory of the S-matrix for molecular collision processes is presented, with special emphasis on electronically nonadiabatic transitions. This theory is based on the incorporation of classical mechanics with quantum superposition, and in practice makes use of the analytic continuation of classical mechanics into the complex space or time domain. After a brief discussion of the relevant concepts of molecular scattering theory and related dynamical models, the formalism is developed and illustrated with simple examples - collinear collision of the A+BC type. The theory is then extended to include the effects of laser-induced nonadiabatic transitions. The lecture concludes with a discussion of two bound continuum processes - collisional ionization and collision-induced emission - also amenable to the same general semiclassical treatment.
Lecture + Interaction = Effective Teaching

(1974). Lecture + Interaction = Effective Teaching. The Journal of Business Education: Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 70-72.
Spanish as an Economic Resource in Metropolitan Miami

This article is a case study of Miami as a linguistic marketplace; its purpose is to inform educational policymakers of the economic and cultural advantage of developing a multilingual workforce. T...
Continuous versus Summative Evaluations of Musical Intensity: A Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring Overall Effect:

The primary purpose of the present study was to compare two different methods of measuring subjects' perceptions of overall effect: (1) a record of subjects' ongoing evaluation that is averaged to ...
Production of chromium base alloys by ball milling in hydrogen iodide

The effects of processing variables on the tensile properties and ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of Cr + 4 vol% ThO2 alloys and of pure Cr produced by ball milling in hydrogen iodide were investigated. Hot rolled Cr + ThO2 was stronger than either hot pressed Cr + ThO2 or pure Cr at temperatures up to 1540 C. Hot pressed Cr + ThO2 had a DBTT of 500 C as compared with -8 to 24 C for the hot rolled Cr + ThO2 and with 140 C for pure Cr. It is postulated that the dispersoid in the hot rolled alloys lowers the DBTT by inhibiting recovery and recrystallization of the strained structure.
Shoulder swelling in rheumatoid arthritis secondary to subacromial bursitis

A patient with rheumatoid arthritis was seen whose main complaint was marked swelling of the shoulders. Surgical exploration revealed the swelling to be secondary to subacromial bursitis; the glenohumeral joint appeared normal.
Red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus L., stock enhancement in Biscayne Bay, FL, USA: assessment of releasing unmarked early juveniles

The State of Florida's practice of releasing unmarked early juvenile red drum Sciaenops ocellatus L. to create a recreational fishery in Biscayne Bay, FL. USA, was assessed. Cohorts were reared in ponds to an early juvenile size of approximately equal to 50 mm total length. Fish were then harvested and transported immediately to release locations within 24 h. Substantial mortality often resulted after harvesting and immediate transport of early juveniles. Weak correlations between post-transport mortality, transport conditions and fish characteristics (i.e. age, size and condition) suggested that stressors operating before or during pond harvest were predetermining toleration of transport. Seine sampling 1-6 days after cohorts were released indicated that fish disappeared from release sites faster than the rates of mortality observed for their siblings monitored in food-rich, predator-free tanks. Visual and immunological analyses of gut contents suggested that juvenile great barracuda Sphyraena barracuda (Walbaum) and adult redfin needlefish Strongylura notata (Poey) were the major predators. Strategies for reducing pre- and post-release mortality and directions for future research are suggested. Discontinuing the release of unmarked organisms of any type is strongly recommended.
Diphenylmethylchlorocarbene: comparison of experiment and theory

Abstract Diphenylmethylchlorocarbene (5) exhibits minimal 1,2-Ph migration (kPh=1.5×106 s−1); 1,2-H migration (kH=2.1×107 s−1) is 14 times faster in pentane at 25°C.
Remembering versus knowing: Issues in buyers’ processing of price information

A traditional assumption concerning how prices influence buyers’ purchasing behaviors has been that buyers know the prices of the products and services that they consider for purchase. However, empirical research during the past four decades repeatedly has discovered that buyers often are not able to remember the prices of items they had recently purchased. One conclusion that has been drawn is that buyers often do not attend to price information in purchase decisions. The authors argue that this conclusion may be incorrect in that what consumers can explicitly remember is not always a good indicator of what they implicitly know. Price information not consciously remembered can still influence internal reference prices and product evaluations. In this article, the authors discuss the conceptual and methodological ramifications of the distinction between remembering and knowing to reassess and refine our understanding of how buyers process and use price information.
Quantum and many-body effects on the capacitance of a spherical-shell quantum dot

We calculate exactly, using finite-size techniques, the quantum mechanical and many-body effects to the self-capacitance of a spherical-shell quantum dot, i.e., the motion of electrons is confined to the surface of the dot, in the regime of extreme confinement, where the radius of the sphere is much smaller than the effective Bohr radius. We find that the self-capacitance oscillates as a function of the number of electrons close to its classical value. We also find that the electrostatic energy as a function of the number of electrons extrapolates to zero when N=1, suggesting that the energy scales like ${\mathit{e}}^{2}$N(N-1) instead of (Ne${)}^{2}$. We also provide evidence that the main deviations from the semiclassical description are due to the exchange interaction between electrons. This establishes, at least for this configuration, that the semiclassical description of Coulomb charging effects in terms of capacitances holds to a good approximation even at very small scales.
Tissue plasminogen activator: why the backlash?

In recent months since the approval of intravenous thrombolytic agents in the United States, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) has been under fire in many peer review medical journal articles (l-4). At issue is whether rt-PA, an expensive, elegant product of the molecular biology revolution, is really better than streptokinase, an inexpensive bacterial protein produced by routine laboratory methods. The cumulative data base from 13 angiographic studies (5-17) indicates that infarct vessel patency at 60 to 120 min was achieved approximately 50% more frequently with r&PA compared with streptokinase (75% versus 48%, respectively) for 1,738 patients treated at 2.9 h from symptom onset. However, a definite “catch-up” phenomenon for streptokinase has been documented (17) by serial angiography performed up to 24 h after symptom onset. By the time of late follow-up cardiac catheterization, the patency rate of arteries treated with agents lacking fibrin selectivity is similar to that of patients treated with rt-PA. Thus, although rt-PA holds promise for improved earfy coronary thrombolytic action, it has not yet been demonstrated whether this effect translates into superior preservation of left ventricular function or a reduction of mortality. Left ventricular function. In this issue of the Journal, Armstrong et al. (18), from 10 Toronto hospitals (TPAT), report a placebo-controlled trial of rt-PA in left ventricular function. It is the first study of the predominantly two chain Burroughs-Wellcome preparation of rt-PA, which has demonstrated efficacy beyond coronary thrombolysis. The dosing in megaunits per kilogram, is, however, quite different from that of most previous trials (5-8) of this fibrinolytic agent, although weight-adjusted dosing has previously been associated with improved infarct vessel patency, less reoc-
Influence on Performance of Three to Six-Week-Old Broilers of Varying Dietary Protein Contents with Supplementation of Essential Amino Acid Requirements

Abstract Effects were evaluated of feeding diets differing in CP content but formulated to be adequate in essential amino acids (EAA) on performance and certain plasma metabolites of female broilers from 21 to 42 days of age. In Experiment 1, isocaloric diets containing either 22.6, 18.2, 15.7, 14.2, or 12.3% CP were used. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 but included three additional diets, which consisted of the three lowest CP diets supplemented with L-glutamic acid (GLU) to increase formulated CP levels to 18%. Protein efficiency ratio and abdominal fat deposition (AFD) decreased linearly as CP increased in both experiments. Increasing CP increased plasma thyroxine in Experiment 1 but not in Experiment 2. Plasma triiodothyronine and triglycerides were not significantly influenced by treatment. A positive curvilinear relationship existed between CP level and body weight gain in both experiments. The calculated CP requirement for growth 95% of maximum ranged from 16.0 ± 1.8 (Experiment 1) to 17.5 ± 1.8% (Experiment 2). Feed efficiency (FE) increased in a curvilinear manner as CP increased in Experiment 1, and the calculated CP requirement for FE 95% of maximum was 18.9 ± 2.5%. In Experiment 2, however, improvements in FE were obtained with each increase in CP. The calculated requirement levels of CP for optimal growth were low compared to conventionally fed levels. However, obtaining optimal growth consistently with the former levels appeared unlikely because of the magnitude of associated standard errors. The CP level required for optimal FE was clearly higher than that for optimal growth.
The congested lung.

Abstract 1. 1. The performance of lung in pulmonary congestion has been considered in terms of anatomic and physiologic abnormalities. 2. 2. The characteristic breathing pattern of pulmonary congestion is one of tachypnea and hyperventilation. This is interpreted as a device to minimize the work and energy cost of breathing. 3. 3. The major impairment to gas exchange is one of maldistribution of inspired air in relation to pulmonary capillary blood. Diffusion is relatively unaffected, even in the face of interstitial edema. 4. 4. Dyspnea is considered as a consequence of the abnormally high work of breathing, and as a mechanism for adjusting the ventilatory pattern so as to minimize the work of breathing.
Naloxone infusion increases pulsatile luteinizing hormone release in postpartum beef cows

The limiting factor in the return to cyclicity in the postpartum cow appears to be the lack of pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. To test the role of endogenous opioids in regulating pulsatile LH release, naloxone, an opioid antagonist, was infused into postpartum cows. Eight cows (39.3 ± 2.1 d postpartum) received either a constant infusion of saline or 50 mg/hr of naloxone dissolved in saline for eight hr. Blood samples were taken at 15 min intervals for determination of serum LH concentrations and to determine frequency and amplitude of the LH pulses. Frequency of LH pulses was greater (P .05). Mean serum LH concentrations were greater (P<.01) in the naloxone infused group (2.7 ± .3 ng/ml) compared to the saline infused group (1.9 ± .4 ng/ml). These data indicate that endogenous opioids inhibit pulsatile LH secretion in the anestrous postpartum beef cow and that naloxone infusion increases mean serum LH concentrations by increasing the frequency of LH pulses.
Low Renin-Aldosterone in “Prehypertensive” Young Adults

PRA is suppressed in approximately 25% of patients with essential hypertension. To determine if renin suppression precedes the onset of hypertension, PRA and plasma aldosterone were measured before and after treadmill exercise in 129 young adults with relatively high, intermediate, or relatively low blood pressures sustained over 5 yr. PRA and aldosterone responses to exercise were lower (P < 0.01) in the high blood pressure group. In contrast, plasma renin substrate was lower (P < 0.01) in the low blood pressure group. Unrelated to blood pressure, PRA, but not aldosterone, was lower in black than in white subjects both before and after exercise. In conclusion, renin suppression precedes the onset of hypertension and may be an appropriate response to higher levels of arterial pressure.
A critical analysis of the resource-based relative value scale.

Background. —There is a general perception that procedural medical services are reimbursed at an inappropriately greater rate than cognitive services. By congressional mandate, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has been directed to establish a Medicare fee schedule to shift funding under a budgetneutral assumption from procedural to cognitive services. To provide a rational basis for this change, Hsiao et al (Harvard-Hsiao) developed a resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) that equates the value of a service to the resources necessary to generate the service. Methods. —Instead of focusing on relative values and fee schedules ("price-per-unit-service"), the present study employs the standard commercial/industrial method of determining reimbursement rate (income divided by hours of labor) for 15 medical and surgical specialties. Data from independent sources are used to determine income and hours of professional effort for each of the specialties studied. Harvard-Hsiao and HCFA predicted the percent change in income for each of the specialties under the initial RBRVS and the HCFA fee schedule. The predicted income was then employed in this study to recompute reimbursement rates under the newly proposed payment systems. Results: Current Payment System. —Average annual incomes for medical and surgical specialties are $124500 and $176600, respectively, a 42% difference (P=.03). Average weekly work hours (nominal hours, as adjusted for overtime) for medical and surgical specialties are 70.6 and 87.8, respectively (P=.005). Average hourly reimbursement rates for medical ($33.90) and surgical ($38.80) specialties are not substantially different (P, not significant). The difference in annual income is explained by the 17.2 hours per week of additional work hours by surgeons. The erroneous perception that procedurists are reimbursed at a higher rate than cognitive practitioners likely arises from differences in billing methods by which surgeons shift charges for cognitive work hours to the 18% of their time spent in the operating room. Results: Proposed RBRVS and HCFA Payment System. —The income of all specialties is equalized about a mean of $132 500 (±$21 400 [1 SD]) by varying reimbursement rates in such a way that the effect of working hours is fully discounted. Reimbursement rates under the proposed payment system make no recognition of the hours of professional effort, postgraduate specialty training, or putative differences in the nature of the physician's work. Conclusion. —The RBRVS, and the HCFA fee schedule to the extent that it is based on that scale, are inappropriate bases for the reform of the physician reimbursement system. (JAMA. 1991;266:3453-3458)
GT3F: AN IMPLICIT FINITE-DIFFERENCE COMPUTER CODE FOR TRANSIENT THREE-DIMENSIONAL THREE-PHASE FLOW, PART II: APPLICATIONS

GT3F is a computer code developed for the numerical solution of transient, three-dimensional continuum mechanical conservation equations for a three-phase flow. The continuum mechanical conservation equations and the method for their numerical solution were presented in Part I. In this part, closure relations and results obtained from the application of the code to a stream explosion transient are presented.
A note on a stochastic model for the incubation of transfusion-associated AIDS

Abstract The model-based approach of Lui, Peterman, Lawrence and Allen (1988) to the transfusion- associated incubation period of AIDS, and the mechanism of HIV infectivity outlined by Margolick, Bowen, Lane and Fauci (1986), and Fauci (1988), suggest that a stochastic process may account for the depletion of the T-lymphocytes before AIDS symptoms aredetected. This paper considers a simple death process as an example. After estimating the relevant parameters, the fit of this process to the given data proves to be satisfactory.
Joint Inventory and Pricing Decisions for an Assortment.

We seek optimal inventory levels and prices of multiple products in a given assortment in a newsvendor model (single period, stochastic demand) under price-based substitution, but not stockout-based substitution. We address a demand model involving multiplicative uncertainty, motivated by market share models often used in marketing. The pricing problem that arises is known not to be well behaved in the sense that, in its deterministic version, the objective function is not jointly quasi-concave in prices. However, we find that the objective function is still reasonably well behaved in the sense that there is a unique solution to the first-order conditions, and this solution is optimal for our problem.
The effect of approach direction on damage in MgO due to spherical particle impact

The damage produced by spherical particle impact against {1 0 0} surfaces of MgO has been investigated over a range of impact angles for a fixed particle velocity and over a range of particle velocities for a fixed impact angle. The mass of material removed by each impact was determined gravimetrically, and the crater and surrounding damage were studied by means of surface profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. A numerical computer model of the crater formation process was developed which was able to predict crater geometries in close agreement with those observed experimentally. This same model also provided estimates of the dynamic hardness, the contact time and the energy transmitted to the surface during the impact. The mean dynamic hardness was ~ 25% less than that measured in previous normal impact studies [1] on MgO of similar static hardness. The contact time and energy calculations give some insight into the reasons why the energy balance model, which successfully describes the velocity dependence of mass loss under normal impact conditions, breaks down for oblique impact.
The superconductivity of Sc5T4Si10 (T = Co, Rh, Ir) and isomorphous compounds☆

Abstract Superconductivity is reported for a new class of ternary compounds of general formula R 5 T 4 X 10 where R is Sc, Y or a rare earth, T a transition metal of the platinum or iron groups and X either Si or Ge. Critical temperatures up to 8.6 K are observed. The relationship with non-superconducting compounds of similar composition and structure is discussed.
A MIMO sliding control with a first-order plus integral sliding condition

Abstract A straight sliding control for nonlinear time-varying MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) systems is developed in which matrix norm techniques are utilized to tune the controlling parameters. The sliding control provides a straight tuning procedure to obtain the desired system response. A first-order plus integral s dynamics is derived from a first-order plus integral sliding condition. The integral in the s dynamics guarantees zero steady-state value of s and therefore zero steady-state error is warranted. The equivalent spring constant and the thickness of the boundary layer enable the separate control of the robustness to unmodeled dynamics and the tracking accuracy. To reject high-frequency unmodeled dynamics, the bandwidth of the s dynamics is limited by tuning the equivalent spring constant. The thickness of the boundary layer is adjusted within the sliding condition to fine tune the s dynamics and reduce the tracking error.
Conductivity and Water Uptake of Aromatic‐Based Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolytes

Water uptake and proton conductivity as a function of temperature were determined for three aromatic-based, sulfonic acid-bearing polymers, plus the perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid Nafion{reg_sign} 117. Water uptake of submerged, equilibrated samples ranged from less than five water molecules per acid group for a high equivalent weight, sulfonated polyethersulfone to almost fifty waters per acid for a low equivalent weight, sulfonated polyetheretherketone. The most conductive aromatic-based polymer, sulfonated polyphenylquinoxaline (S-PPQ), had a room temperature conductivity of 9.8 x 10{sup {minus}3} S/cm, about an order of magnitude less than that of a perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid under identical conditions. The slope of the S-PPQ Arrhenius conductivity plot was sufficiently steep that at 180 C, the proton conductivity, 1.3 x 10{sup {minus}1} S/cm, was only a factor of two lower than that of Nafion under similar conditions. The lower conductivity of the aromatic-based sulfonic acid polymers can be attributed to chain rigidity, lack of ion channels, and lower acidity.
Selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with hydrogen over Pd based catalysts

Abstract Catalytic reduction of NO with hydrogen in the presence of excess oxygen was studied using Pd-based catalysts. High steady-state conversion of NO ( > 80 % ) is achieved, using 1%Pd/TiO2/Al2O3 as the catalyst and at temperatures ranging from 140 to 180 °C. The addition of V2O5 to this catalyst not only increases NO conversion, but also widens the reaction temperature window to 250 °C. The effects of CO, O2, and H2 concentrations on the NO conversion were also investigated. It was found that the reaction order is nearly first order with respect to NO, 0.6 with respect to H2 and −0.18 with respect to CO. Increasing the O2 concentration from 2 to 10% produced only a slight decrease in NO conversion. FTIR studies showed that a significant amount of NH 4 + was formed over the V2O5-containing catalyst, during the reaction, at temperatures > 200 °C , compared with almost no NH 4 + formation over the V2O5-free sample. The higher activity of 1%Pd–5%V2O5/TiO2–Al2O3 is partly attributed to the in situ formation of NH 4 + .
Postmortem long QT syndrome genetic testing for sudden unexplained death in the young.

Objectives This study sought to determine the spectrum and prevalence of long QT syndrome (LQTS)-associated mutations in a large cohort of autopsy-negative sudden unexplained death (SUD). Background Potentially heritable arrhythmia syndromes may explain a significant proportion of SUD in the young. Here, comprehensive postmortem LQTS genetic testing was performed in a cohort of SUD cases. Methods From September 1998 to March 2004, 49 cases of SUD (30 male patients, average age at death 14.2 ± 10.9 years) were referred by medical examiners/coroners to Mayo Clinic’s Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory. Using polymerase chain reaction, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography, and direct DNA sequencing, open reading frame/splice site mutational analysis was conducted for all 8 genes implicated in the pathogenesis of either LQTS (LQT1 to LQT6) or multisystem disorders involving either QT or QU prolongation. Results Ten LQTS-associated mutations (4 novel) were discovered in 10 SUD cases (20%, 8 female patients, average age at death 18.0 ± 11.8 years). The LQTS susceptibility mutations LQT1 (5), LQT2 (3), and LQT3 (2) were far more common among women (8 of 18, 44%) than men (2 of 30, 6.7%, p Conclusions In this cardiac channel-focused molecular autopsy investigation of SUD, over one-third of decedents harbored a putative cardiac channel mutation: 7 previously reported to host mutations in the RyR2-encoded calcium release channel and now 10 with LQTS susceptibility mutations. Accordingly, postmortem cardiac channel genetic testing should be pursued in the evaluation of autopsy-negative SUD.
A high-mobility electron-transport polymer with broad absorption and its use in field-effect transistors and all-polymer solar cells.

An electron-transport polymer with good solution processibility, excellent thermal stability, and high electron affinity based on alternating perylene diimide and dithienothiophene units has been synthesized. Electron mobilities as high as 1.3 × 10-2 cm2 V-1 s-1 have been measured in field-effect transistor geometry. The polymer shows broad absorptions throughout the visible and extending into the near-IR. A power conversion efficiency of over 1%, under simulated AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm2, was measured for a single-layer solar cell using this polymer as an acceptor and a polythiophene derivative as a donor.
Techniques for determining the chemical composition of aerosol sulfur compounds

Abstract An extensive critical review is given of the methods presently available for the determination of the chemical composition of aerosol sulfur compounds. Some recent typical results employing the methods are presented. The advantages, limitations and future promises of the techniques are discussed. Potential problems associated with the alteration of chemical composition during sampling are illustrated. The utility of general analytical and wet chemical identification techniques are demonstrated. A sequential selective solvent separation scheme and the use of thermal volatilization for the determination of various sulfates are described and illustrative results given. The application of thermometric titrimetry and electron spectroscopy for the identification of oxidation states is presented and evaluated. A discussion is given for the use and utility of i.r. and laser Raman spectroscopic techniques for the identification of sulfate species. A diffusion battery processor technique for sampling suboptical particles is described and its utility in conjunction with chemical analysis of these size separated particles evaluated.
Area-efficient multichannel oversampled PCM voice-band coder

The authors describe the design of a four-channel oversampled A/D (analog/digital) converter with transmit filter for voice-band application. The decimator filter is timeshared between the four channels and the architecture of the sigma-delta coder is selected on the basis of minimizing the chip area. The analog front-end loop is fully differential to minimize the channel-to-channel crosstalk. The key issues in designing a multichannel oversampled A/D converter for area efficiency are addressed. It is concluded that for the multichannel telephony voice-band application implemented in CMOS technology, a first-order loop is most area-efficient. The performance of the coder has been evaluated and it is shown to have a dynamic range of 79 dB, to occupy a total active area of 33000 mils/sup 2/ or 8250 mils/sup 2/ per channel, and to meet the D3 specifications for the transmit filter. It runs on a 5-V supply and consumes 50 mW per channel. >
Spontaneous firing and myelination of very small axons

In this article the question of what evolutionary factors guided acquisition of myelin in the nervous system is addressed. The conclusion that conduction velocity of action potentials along the axon has been the only motive force needs reformulation, as other factors may have played a central role as well. In particular, protection against firing of spontaneous action potentials which may result from the simultaneous opening of only few (less than 10) sodium channels at the nodes of small (
EVIDENCE FOR SEPARATE SYSTEMS FOR THE TRANSPORT OF NEUTRAL AND BASIC AMINO ACIDS ACROSS THE BLOOD‐BRAIN BARRIER

— The effects of high circulating concentrations of several amino acids on the free amino acids of rat brain were measured, to see whether or not the results followed any consistent pattern. High circulating concentrations of large, neutral amino acids (phenylalanine, valine or isoleucine) caused significantly decreased values only of other large, neutral amino acids in the brains. High circulating concentrations of the basic amino acids lysine or arginine caused significantly decreased values only of each other. The data suggest that there are separate systems for the transport of neutral and basic amino acids across the blood-brain barrier. The effects of valine and lysine on the uptake by brain and the con-vulsant action of allylglycine (a neutral amino acid) were consistent with the concept of separate systems for the transport of amino acids across the blood-brain barrier. Valine inhibited the uptake by brain and the convulsant action of allylglycine in mice, but lysine did not. The data suggest that allylglycine and valine are transported into the brain by a common mechanism that does not transport lysine.
New insights on thrombolytic treatment of acute ischemic stroke

In 1995, a two-part randomized trial showed the efficacy of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) when given within 3 hours of onset of symptoms of acute ischemic stroke. Two subsequent trials were unable to extend the therapeutic window of intravenous tPA beyond 3 hours. A phase IV study performed by experienced stroke centers showed an acceptably low symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage rate for intravenous tPA of only 3%, whereas a review of the Cleveland area experience showed a disturbingly high rate of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage of 15.7%. The Prolyse in Acute Cerebral Thromboembolism (PROACT) II study showed efficacy of intra-arterial pro-urokinase and intravenous heparin over intravenous heparin alone when given within 6 hours of onset of symptoms to patients with thrombotic occlusion of the proximal middle cerebral artery. Additional controlled investigations of intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy are needed. Neuroprotectants in combination with intravenous tPA have yet to show improved efficacy over the use of tPA alone.
Inter-annual and spatial variability of Hamon potential evapotranspiration model coefficients

Summary Monthly calibrated values of the Hamon PET coefficient (C) are determined for 109,951 hydrologic response units (HRUs) across the conterminous United States (U.S.). The calibrated coefficient values are determined by matching calculated mean monthly Hamon PET to mean monthly free-water surface evaporation. For most locations and months the calibrated coefficients are larger than the standard value reported by Hamon. The largest changes in the coefficients were for the late winter/early spring and fall months, whereas the smallest changes were for the summer months. Comparisons of PET computed using the standard value of C and computed using calibrated values of C indicate that for most of the conterminous U.S. PET is underestimated using the standard Hamon PET coefficient, except for the southeastern U.S.
Acute and Genetic Toxicity of Municipal Landfill Leachate

The large number of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills and the many hazardous materials which they contain pose a serious environmental threat to our groundwater reserves. The present study was conducted to assess the environmental hazards that four MSW landfill leachates pose to the groundwater. Genetic toxicities of the landfill leachate and groundwater samples were assessed using the Salmonella/microsome (Ames test) mutagenicity bioassay, the Bacillus subtilis DNA repair bioassay, and the diploid Aspergillus nidulans chromosome damage bioassay. Acute toxicities of the leachate samples were assessed using the Microtox test. The leachate and groundwater samples were also analyzed for organic constituents using gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The chemical data were used to calculate the estimated cumulative cancer risk for each sample. All leachate samples were acutely toxic, and three of the four leachate samples were genetically toxic. Two of the four leachate samples and the groundwater sample contained concentrations of USEPA priority pollutants in excess of promulgated standards for potable water. Two of the leachates had mean estimated cumulative cancer risks on the same order of magnitude (10−4) as leachates from co-disposal and hazardous waste landfills. The use of a battery of acute and genetic toxicity bioassays, chemical analysis, and an estimated cancer risk calculation resulted in evidence that MSW landfill leachates are as acutely and chronically toxic as co-disposal and hazardous waste landfill leachates.
Local translation of TC10 is required for membrane expansion during axon outgrowth

Axon growth requires exocyst-dependent membrane expansion, however it is unclear how this process is spatially regulated. Gracias et al. show that axonal translation of the exocyst regulator TC10 is necessary for stimulated membrane growth, and propose that local translation coordinates membrane and cytoskeletal enlargement.
Dopamine modulates a Ca2+-activated potassium conductance in mammalian hippocampal pyramidal cells.

Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system which has proven or potential importance in such neurological disorders as parkinsonism, Huntington's chorea and epilepsy. Most of the electrophysiological data concerning the actions of DA in the brain have been obtained from studies in the caudate nucleus where DA produces neuronal depolarization and increased spike discharge1, slow depolarization with decreased spike discharge2,3 and an increase in apparent input resistance3 and hyperpolarization with reduced firing rate3. The mechanisms underlying these effects have not been examined. The evidence suggests that the hippocampus receives a dopaminergic projection4–6 and that DA inhibits most hippocampal neurones7,8. We have studied the effects of DA on CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells (HPCs) in vitro and report here that DA causes prolonged inhibition associated with hyperpolarization and increased conductance. These effects seem to derive from induction of a Ca2+-activated K+ conductance, and would make DA effective in modulating the high frequency firing and burst generation which occurs normally in some neurones9,10, and pathologically in HPCs during epileptogenesis11.