cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crafting a beer brand: An intersectionality of logo aesthetic and representation

Sexist labels and commercials highlight women as a rare specimen in craft beer. Being a woman in the industry induces stress and anxiety, while also promoting barriers for female consumers. Moreover, logos and labels inform consumers on the brand and allows for inferences on the brand’s preferences. Informed by symbolic interaction, critical perspectives, and feminist perspectives framework, this study aims to explore: (1) What is images are represented on craft beer logos and; (2) In what ways do brand logos address the inclusion and diversity initiatives of the Brewers Association? We pulled 8,001 beer labels from the BA’s website and used an inductive approach and analyzed the logos following a grounded theory method. Preliminary interpretation of the data (n=621) identified four themes; (1) nature, (2) traditional male jobs, (3) the occult, and (4) facial hair. This project aims to add to the toolkit for best practices provided by the BA.
Analyzing Infrastructure as Code to Prevent Intra-update Sniping Vulnerabilities

Infrastructure as Code is a new approach to computing infrastructure management that allows users to leverage tools such as version control, automatic deployments, and program analysis for infrastructure configurations. This approach allows for faster and more homogeneous configuration of a complete infrastructure. Infrastructure as Code languages, such as CloudFormation or TerraForm, use a declarative model so that users only need to describe the desired state of the infrastructure. However, in practice, these languages are not processed atomically. During an upgrade, the infrastructure goes through a series of intermediate states. We identify a security vulnerability that occurs during an upgrade even when the initial and final states of the infrastructure are secure, and we show that those vulnerability are possible in Amazon’s AWS and Google Cloud. We call such attacks intra-update sniping vulnerabilities. In order to mitigate this shortcoming, we present a technique that detects such vulnerabilities and pinpoints the root causes of insecure deployment migrations. We implement this technique in a tool, Hayha, that uses dataflow graph analysis. We evaluate our tool on a set of open-source CloudFormation templates and find that it is scalable and could be used as part of a deployment workflow.
Implementing explicit pronunciation instruction: The case of a nonnative English-speaking teacher

Studies in second language teacher cognition (SLTC) of pronunciation teachers have increased in the last 10 years, due mainly to the fact that the decisions teachers make about explicit instruction...
Energetic context determines the effects of multiple upwelling-associated stressors on sea urchin performance

Globally, kelp forests are threatened by multiple stressors, including increasing grazing by sea urchins. With coastal upwelling predicted to increase in intensity and duration in the future, understanding whether kelp forest and urchin barren urchins are differentially affected by upwelling-related stressors will give insight into how future conditions may affect the transition between kelp forests and barrens. We assessed how current and future-predicted changes in the duration and magnitude of upwelling-associated stressors (low pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature) affected the performance of purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) sourced from rapidly-declining bull kelp (Nereocystis leutkeana) forests and nearby barrens and maintained on habitat-specific diets. Kelp forest urchins were of superior condition to barrens urchins, with ~ 6–9 times more gonad per body mass. Grazing and condition in kelp forest urchins were more negatively affected by distant-future and extreme upwelling conditions, whereas grazing and survival in urchins from barrens were sensitive to both current-day and all future-predicted upwelling, and to increases in acidity, hypoxia, and temperature regardless of upwelling. We conclude that urchin barren urchins are more susceptible to increases in the magnitude and duration of upwelling-related stressors than kelp forest urchins. These findings have important implications for urchin population dynamics and their interaction with kelp.
Ethics and the A Priori: Selected Essays on Moral Psychology and Meta-Ethics

Michael Smith has written a series of seminal essays about the nature of belief and desire, the status of normative judgment, and the relevance of the views we take on both these topics to the accounts we give of our nature as free and responsible agents. This long awaited collection comprises some of the most influential of Smith's essays. Among the topics covered are: the Humean theory of motivating reasons, the nature of normative reasons, Williams and Korsgaard on internal and external reasons, the nature of self-control, weakness of will, compulsion, freedom, responsibility, the analysis of our rational capacities, moral realism, the dispositional theory of value, the supervenience of the normative on the non-normative, the error theory, rationalist treatments of moral judgment, the practicality requirement on moral judgment and non-cognivist. This collection will be of interest to students in philosophy and psychology.
The necessity of experience

In this controversial book, Edward S. Reed warns that first-hand experience as a way of understanding the world and ourselves is endangered, because our culture favors indirect, second-hand knowledge that is selected, modified, packaged, and presented to us by others. Reed offers a spirited defense of unmediated experience against both modernist and postmodernist critics and outlines how to foster this vision of meaningful learning. "Reed sets about the task of overturning three hundred years' tradition of inquiry and creates a book that is beautifully written, uncluttered, and precise. To read this work is a professional and personal joy."-William Kessen, Yale University "Reed indicts much of modern thought for ignoring everyday experience...This excellent book is highly recommended."-Library Journal "Reed's slim, readable volume presents a strong argument for the primacy of direct, firsthand experience."-Choice "I believe...the text would be especially welcomed within university education departments where substantial philosophical support is needed to sustain the movement toward adopting more innovative, practical, and relevant approaches to pedagogy." -Stephen Pattee, Bridges
Chapter 7. Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the platelet aggregation inhibitors. The therapeutic approach to thromboembolic disease is based on the inhibition of platelet aggregation. The use of fibrinolytic agents for the dissolution of thrombi and the prophylactic use of anticoagulants for their prevention has been known for some time, but success with these agents has been significant only in the management of venous thrombosis in which coagulation factors, not platelets, play an important role. Arterial thrombi, which are essentially composed of aggregated platelets and are not blood clots, are not affected by anticoagulants. The activities of prostaglandins as inhibitors of platelet aggregation have been reviewed. The most conspicuously active member of this group of compounds is PGE l , which is at least 100 times more potent as an inhibitor of human platelet aggregation than the next most active member, PGE 2 . The platelet inhibitory properties of aspirin appear to be due to its ability to acetylate proteins and thereby cause an irreversible change in the platelet membrane that inhibits aggregation. Therefore, the duration of inhibitory action roughly parallels platelet survival time and is much longer than expected, based on the short serum half-life of this drug.
Mutational analysis of protein stability

Abstract The ability to obtain mutant proteins almost at will, and to subject such variants to detailed structural, thermodynamic and theoretical analyses, is now making it possible to test, in a systematic way, the many longstanding beliefs and prejudices concerning the folding and stability of proteins.
Transfusion therapy in solid organ transplantation

Numerous transfusion issues arise in the support of solid organ transplantation. ABO and HLA can cause graft rejection immunity or problems in transfusion support. Blood usage has been reduced by the use of erythropoietin in renal failure and aprotinin during liver transplants. Multifactorial coagulopathy during liver transplant surgery continues to be a challenge requiring close monitoring, however. The beneficial effect of transfusions on graft survival has lessened in recent years, but remains an area of active research.
The Preparation of Indazoles Via Metal Free Intramolecular Electrophilic Amination of 2‐Aminophenyl Ketoximes

2’-Aminoacetophenone Hydroxylamine hydrochloride Triethylamine Methanesulfonyl chloride 3-Methyl-1H-indazole (E)-1-(2-Aminophenyl)ethanone oxime Keywords: 1H-indazoles; metal-free intramolecular electrophilic amination; 2-aminophenyl ketoximes; heterocycles; aminobenzoximes
On Obtaining Upper Bounds on the Complexity of Matrix Multiplication

For each matrix-matrix product AB there is an equivalent matrix-vector product Xy, with X of a special form. If the set of matrices of the form X is contained in a module generated by t matrices, each expressible as a column-row product cr, then t multiplications are sufficient to compute AB. The search for better algorithms for AB is reduced to the decomposition of X, thus circumventing the manipulation of products which appear in the final algorithm for AB.
Some Laws and Problems of Classical Probability and How Cardano Anticipated Them

In the history of probability, the sixteen–century physician and mathematician Gerolamo Cardano (1501–1575) was among the first to attempt a systematic study of the calculus of probabilities. Like ...
Scalable reconfigurable computing leveraging latency-insensitive channels

Traditionally, FPGAs have been confined to the limited role of small, low-vohm1e ASIC replacements and as circuit emulators. However, continued Moore's law scaling has given FPGAs new life as accelerators for applications that map well to fine-grained parallel substrates. Examples of such applications include processor modelling, compression, and digital signal processing. Although FPGAs continue to increase in size, some interesting designs still fail to fit in to a single FPGA. Many tools exist that partition RTL descriptions across FPGAs. Unfortunately, existing tools have low performance due to the inefficiency of maintaining the cycle-by-cycle behavior of RTL among discrete FPGAs. These tools are unsuitable for use in FPGA program acceleration, as the purpose of an accelerator is to make applications run faster. This thesis presents latency-insensitive channels, a language-level mechanism by which programmers express points in their design at which the cycle-by-cycle behavior of the design may be modified by the compiler. By decoupling the timing of portions of the RTL from the high-level function of the program, designs may be mapped to multiple FPGAs without suffering the performance degradation observed in existing tools. This thesis demonstrates, using a diverse set of large designs, that FPGA programs described in terms of latency-insensitive channels obtain significant gains in design feasibility, compilation time, and run-time when mapped to multiple FPGAs. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - [email protected])
The Road Not Taken: Analyticism and Configurational Analysis in IR

There has been a lot of ink spilled in recent years over the issue of “qualitative methods” in Political Science in general, and in International Relations and Comparative Politics in particular. Unfortunately, much of the work seeking to define some kind of autonomous qualitative way of conducting social and political research has remained almost exclusively at the level of method — technique — and not really gotten into the much more important issues that only emerge at the level of methodology, or logic of inquiry (on this distinction, see, among others, Sartori 1970, 1033; and Schwartz-Shea and Yanow 2002, 459-460). Further, most of the innovative work on qualitative methods has remained almost exclusively within the very methodological commitment — neopositivism — characteristic of the large-n statistical studies of which the qualitative methods movement seems so critical. That neopositivist logic of inquiry, which seeks to elucidate cross-case generalizations through the successive testing of hypothetical propositions, is fairly clearly spelled out in the (in)famous method manual Designing Social Inquiry (1994), and successive modifications and specifications by Collier and Brady and their colleagues (2004), George and Bennett (2005), Mahoney (2008; Mahoney and Goertz 2004; Mahoney, Kimball, and Koivu 2009), and various other scholars have not changed that basic commitment one iota.
Circumventing Adversity: Executive Orders and Divided Government

Scholars of the unilateral presidency are left with an empirical puzzle regarding whether and how divided government influences presidential use of executive orders. While the strategic model suggests that presidents should issue more executive orders when faced with an adverse situation vis-a-vis Congress, most of the research finds just the opposite. We offer a more appropriate test of the strategic model by examining how presidential-congressional adversity influences presidential decisions to issue symbolic, routine, and major policy executive orders. We find support for the strategic model and present new findings to demonstrate that presidents behave differently with respect to distinct types of executive orders during periods of unified and divided government.
A 1.8 V CMOS DAC cell with ultra high gain op-amp in 0.0143 mm/sup 2/

This paper presents a novel 1.8 V digital-to-analog converter (DAC) which is designed to operate at DC for a wide variety of circuit calibration techniques. To achieve 10-bit performance at 1.8 V, an ultra high gain op-amp is introduced for servoing. In order to minimize area consumption while maximizing performance, a segmented plus binary plus R-2R architecture is used. The DAC was designed in a standard digital 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process. The DAC occupies 0.0143 mm/sup 2/ (110 /spl mu/m/spl times/130 /spl mu/m), and consumes 2.8 mW of power. The 5 stage cascaded op-amp with feedforward compensation achieves 130 dB of gain with 81/spl deg/ phase margin while consuming only 60 /spl mu/W.
3D imaging in volumetric scattering media using phase-space measurements

We demonstrate the use of phase-space imaging for 3D localization of multiple point sources inside scattering material. The effect of scattering is to spread angular (spatial frequency) information, which can be measured by phase space imaging. We derive a multi-slice forward model for homogenous volumetric scattering, then develop a reconstruction algorithm that exploits sparsity in order to further constrain the problem. By using 4D measurements for 3D reconstruction, the dimensionality mismatch provides significant robustness to multiple scattering, with either static or dynamic diffusers. Experimentally, our high-resolution 4D phase-space data is collected by a spectrogram setup, with results successfully recovering the 3D positions of multiple LEDs embedded in turbid scattering media.
Teaching Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities to Recruit Positive Teacher Attention

Four middle school students with learning disabilities were taught to recruit teacher attention while they worked on assignments in two inclusive general education classrooms. The students were taught to show their work to the teacher two to three times per session and make statements such as: “How am I doing?” Training was conducted in the special education classroom and consisted of modeling, role-playing, corrective feedback, and praise. A multiple baseline across students design showed that recruitment training increased (a) the rate of recruiting by the students, (b) the rate of teacher praise received by the students, (c) the rate of instructional feedback received by the students, and (d) the accuracy with which students completed their workbook assignments.
Metal carbonyl complexes of adenine-like ligands

Abstract The ligands 8-aminoquinoline(I), 7-azaindole(II), and pyrido[2,3-b] pyrazine(III), all of which have structural features of adenine, react with Mn(CO) 5 Cl and Re(CO) 5 Cl to give complexes of the types M(CO) 3 (L)Cl or M(CO) 3 (L) 2 Cl. Elemental analyses and infrared data show that I chelates to M through both nitrogen atoms, but only the pyridine nitrogen of II coordinates. Ligand III appears to act as a bidentate ligand dentate in Re(CO) 2 (III) 2 Cl. The relative stabilities of these complexes toward ligand displacement decrease with the ligand as I > II > III, and the Re complexes are more stable than their Mn analogs.
Free lysine compartments in rat liver cells

Abstract The distribution and metabolism of lysine in rat liver cell fractions were investigated. Nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytoplasmic preparations were extracted with trichloroacetic acid and the distribution and amount of free lysine in each pool were determined. Rats were also infused with [ 14 C]lysine for up to 180 min in vivo , and the specific activity of lysine in each cell fraction was determined by column chromatography. The amount of lysine in the mitochondria and other cell organelles is considerably less than in the cytoplas. The free lysine in the particles was not completely exchangeable with the cytoplasmic lysine. In addition, the intramitochondrial free lysine specific activity after 60 min of infusion was only about 60% of the specific activity for cytoplasmic lysine. The data suggest a physical basis for the heterogenous metabolism of lysine in rat liver cells. There is an apparent division of the total lysine pool of the tissue into at least two smaller compartments, one in the cytoplasm and another in the mitochondrial fraction.
Multiple mating and kin recognition by self-inspection

,uitipie mating by females with different males is widespread M in nature (e.g., among birds: Westneat et al. 1990; mammals: Ginsberg and Huck 1989; insects: Page 1986) and paternity ,exciusion analyses using genetic markers have revealed that broods are often sired by more than one male. Do individuals favor full siblings over maternal half siblings and, if so, how do they discriminate between them? These issues have been the subject of numerous investigations and considerable debate. In a recent issue of this journal, Alexander (1990) summarized the data and discussed (p. 273) “the extent to which social learning, especially without self-reference, can account for the kin recognition findings of different investigators with different organisms.” He argued that current information is most consistent with the hypothesis that direct recognition of kin occurs by a process of learning the physical attributes (phenotypes) of other family members and then comparing the phenotypes of individuals being discriminated to the remembered “template.” An alternative is that individuals learn their own phenotype and compare others to themselves. The latter mechanism was called the “armpit effect” by Dawkins (1982, p. 146) because an animal might conceivably obtain recognition cues by sniffing its own armpits, and “self-referent phenotype matching” by Holmes and Sherman (1982, 1983). Why is this apparently arcane issue interesting? As Hamilton (1987, p.
Disordered Nanomaterials for Chemielectric Vapor Sensing: A Review

Although robust chemical vapor detection by chemielectric point sensors remains as a largely unmet challenge at present, the best performance to date and the most likely avenue for future progress is with sensor designs in which the transductive element is a disordered nanostructured material. We here review the evidence for this claim, with illustrations drawn from recent work on sensors made from gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and reduced graphene oxide nanoplatelets. These examples can be regarded as being prototypical of disordered nanostructured films formed of primitive objects that are nanoscopic in 3-D, 2-D, and 1-D, respectively.
Detrusor overactivity does not predict outcome of sacral neuromodulation test stimulation

The aim of this study is to determine if urodynamic findings in patients with urge incontinence predicts response to sacral neuromodulation test stimulation. One hundred four patients with refractory urinary urge incontinence who had undergone sacral neuromodulation test stimulation were retrospectively reviewed. Pre- and post-test stimulation incontinence parameters and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction strength was documented. Urodynamics were reviewed on all patients, and the presence or absence of detrusor overactivity (DO) was noted. Patients were then divided into two groups: responders to the test stimulation and non-responders. A positive response was considered to be a ≥50% improvement in the number of incontinent episodes per day (IE/day) and/or pad weight with test stimulation. Of the 104 patients evaluated, 64% (N = 67) responded to the test stimulation, while 36% (N = 37) were non-responders. The mean age was 59.7 and 67.0 among responders and non-responders (p = .01). There was a significant difference in the number of IE/day between non-responders and responders (p = .02). There was no relationship found between the presence or absence of DO and the likelihood for test stimulation success, patient demographics or pre test stimulation incontinence variables. Our study provides no statistically significant evidence that the presence or absence of DO on urodynamics predicts a response to sacral neuromodulation test stimulation. An important finding, however, was that patients without demonstrable DO on urodynamics may still have a positive response to sacral neuromodulation.
Remote sensing/GIS integration to identify potential low-income housing sites

Abstract Perhaps the most notable problem in the rapid pace of urbanization in the developing world is the need for housing and the provision of related services. The quality of planning and decision making processes can be substantially improved when suitable data are appropriately and efficiently handled. This study reviews the development of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques for urban analysis. It then applies these techniques to evaluate several types of planning related information in a raster based (GIS) to identify potential low income housing sites in the eastern portion of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. This work demonstrates how satellite imagery can provide both site specific information on land cover for mapping urban residential land use, and also act as a medium to generate a variety of GIS coverages.
On-line recording of diffraction pattern changes from single muscle fibers subjected to quick stretch and release.

Abstract Transient diffraction pattern parameter and tension responses were recorded from isolated frog semitendinosus muscle fibers subjected to quick stretches and release with an on-line digital acquisition system. The sarcomere length was determined from the zero to first order diffraction line spacing detected with a charge-coupled device photosensing array. Diffraction data was digitized and sequentially stored every 18 ms by a PDP-8 machine language program for later analysis. Sarcomere length, diffraction line intensity, and sarcomere length dispersion were determined with an 8080A microcomputer program incorporating extended math and floating point software packages. Tension records were simultaneously photographed from a storage oscilloscope. Quick stretches and release on tetanically stimulated single skeletal muscle fibers indicated that the transient sarcomere length change occurred in less than 18 ms. Transient tension responses demonstrated a long (150–200 ms) tension recovery phase with no corresponding sarcomere length change. There were no significant alterations in the diffraction line intensity or dispersion following the length perturbations.
Quantum measurements and supertasks

This article addresses the question whether supertasks are possible within the context of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. The supertask under consideration consists of performing an infinite number of quantum mechanical measurements in a finite amount of time. Recent arguments in the physics literature claim to show that continuous measurements, understood as N discrete measurements in the limit where N goes to infinity, are impossible. I show that there are certain kinds of measurements in quantum mechanics for which these arguments break down. This suggests that there is a new context in which quantum mechanics, in principle, permits the performance of a supertask.
Corn Silage and Grain Yield Responses to Plant Densities

Many corn (Zea mays L.) producers in New York harvest fields for either silage or grain, depending upon growing conditions, storage space, and grain prices. Corn producers, who plant corn for dual purposes require more information on silage and grain yield responses of modern hybrids to plant density. Silage and grain yield responses of seven commercial hybrids were evaluated at harvest densities from 12 000 to 36 000 plants/acre on a well-drained soil in a wet (1992) and dry (1993) year to compare optimum plant densities among hybrids with recommendations by seed companies and Cornell Cooperative Extension. When averaged across hybrids, optimum densities for corn silage exceeded 36 000 plants/acre in 1992 and averaged 35 231 in 1993. When averaged across hybrids, optimum densities for grain exceeded 36 000 plants/acre in 1992 and averaged 30 452 in 1993. Apparently, plant densities should average about 7.5% higher for silage than for grain on well-drained soils in New York. Hybrid responses to plant density varied most in the dry year when optimum silage and grain densities ranged from about 27 500 to above 36 000 plants/acre. Optimum silage and grain yield densities did not vary much among hybrids with fixed, flex, and semi-prolific ear types. Optimum grain densities in this study exceeded the 1992 recommendations of seed companies and Cornell Cooperative Extension by more than 6000 plants/acre. Seed companies and Cooperative Extension should periodically evaluate plant density responses of newly released hybrids in specific growing regions to accurately adjust plant density recommendations.
On free actions on Λ-trees

In this paper we show that if a group generated by two elements acts freely and without phantom inversions on a Λ-tree, then it is either free or free abelian.
MAIMONIDES ON WARS AND THEIR JUSTIFICATION

Abstract This essay examines the conditions under which the great medieval Jewish rabbinic figure Moses Maimonides (1138–1204) took war to be justified. In particular, it argues that Maimonides did not hold that universal belief in one deity, on the model of a (Christian or Almohad) holy war or religious crusade, is a sufficient condition to justify the pursuit of a war. At most a war is justified if it enables the creation of a monotheistic environment for the Jewish people within their own boundaries or national territory. Among other topics, the essay also analyzes Maimonides' distinction between ‘commanded’ wars and ‘optional wars’, his concept of idolatry, and his account of jus in bellum.
Comparative study of 1-D and 2-D metamaterial lens for microwave nondestructive evaluation of dielectric materials

Abstract A novel microwave nondestructive evaluation (NDE) sensor was developed in an attempt to increase the sensitivity of the microwave NDE method for detection of material defects small relative to a wavelength. The sensor was designed on the basis of a negative index material (NIM) lens. Transmission at the resonant frequency through the 1-D lens was determined to be about 10 times higher than that with the 2-D lens. However, the focusing ability of the 1-D lens was found to be slightly lower to the 2-D lens (focus spot size for the 1-D lens was determined to be 0.7 λ vs. 0.48 λ for the 2-D lens). A fiberglass material sample with a 3 mm (0.037 λ ) diameter through hole (perpendicular to the propagation direction of the wave) was tested with both lenses. The hole was successfully detected with an 8.2 cm wavelength electromagnetic wave with both lenses, but the image obtained with a 2-D lens was much sharper. Therefore, the choice of the lens to be used in a sensor is prescribed by the specific requirements of the testing system. For example, a 1-D lens should be considered when the simplicity of the testing system is deemed more important than the quality of the image obtained from a defect. A 1-D lens also allows for a longer sample standoff distance and higher transmission.
In-situ x-ray scattering studies of a unique toughening mechanism in surface-modified carbon nanofiber/UHMWPE nanocomposite films

The toughening mechanism of nanocomposite films comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and modified carbon nanofiber (MCNF) was investigated by in-situ synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) techniques during uniaxial stretching. Surface modification of carbon nanofibers included oxidation and subsequent chemical reaction with octadecylamine. At room temperature, the toughness of melt-pressed nanocomposite films was found to increase over 10 times by addition of 0.2 and 5 wt % of MCNF compared to that of pure UHMWPE. WAXD and SAXS results indicated that MCNF acted as a solvent carrier in the stiff UHMWPE matrix, whereby the grafted short hydrocarbon chains (n = 18) plasticized the surrounding UHMWPE chains in the nanoscale vicinity (10−20 nm) and induced interfacial flow under stretching, resulting in a large elongation-to-break ratio (>500%). A martensitic crystal transformation in UHMWPE was detected in all samples during deformation,...
A computational method for eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a matrix with real eigenvalues

This paper describes a new computational procedure for calculating eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a square matrix. The method is based on a matrix function, the sign of a matrix. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors of matrices with distinct eigenvalues and nondefective matrices with repeated roots can be determined in a straightforward manner. Defective matrices require additional calculations.
On-line removal of Ca, Na and Mg from iminodiacetate resin for the determination of trace elements in seawater and fish otoliths by flow injection ICP-MS

Abstract A method is presented for the determination of trace elements in seawater and fish otoliths by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with flow injection (FI) on-line separation and pre-concentration. Optimum separation and removal of Ca, Na and Mg from a typical seawater sample (NASS-5) was studied by variation of the sample loading time, loading pH, selective pH washing of the iminodiacetate-based resin and configuration of an extra valve in the FI system. These steps were necessary in order to minimize the interferents and permit calibration using the isotope dilution technique. The improved procedure was also validated by analysis of a certified seawater reference material CASS-3. A cod fish otolith, consisting of a calcium carbonate matrix was analyzed. Solution limits of detection (3s) were 3.0, 11, 12, 0.1, 1.0, 5.5 and 11 ng l −1 for Cu, Ni, Zn, Co, Pb, Cd and Fe, respectively, in the dissolved otolith sample. Precision was generally better than 3% R.S.D. ( n =7) for all the elements at 1.0 μg l −1 .
Optimum design of variable composite flywheel

A composite flywheel is designed using a composite of low density and high strength for the center portion, with constant stress as the design criteria and a constant thickness outer portion using a high density composite attached at the boundary of the constant stress disk. This combination produces the maximum energy density for a flywheel energy storage system. 6 references.
Efficient Yellow Electroluminescence from a Single Layer of a Cyclometalated Iridium Complex

We report on the spectroscopic, electrochemical, and electroluminescent properties of [Ir(ppy)(2)(dtb-bpy)](+)(PF(6))(-) (ppy: 2-phenylpyridine, dtb-bpy: 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-dipyridyl). Single-layer devices were fabricated and found to emit yellow light with a brightness that exceeds 300 cd/m(2) and a luminous power efficiency that exceeds 10 Lm/W at just 3 V. The PF(6)(-) space charge was found to dominate the device characteristics.
Retinoic acid and α-galactosylceramide regulate the expression of costimulatory receptors and transcription factors responsible for B cell activation and differentiation.

Mature naive B cells possess a number of BCR coreceptors and other antigen receptors, including the MHC class I-like molecule CD1d, but little is known of the response of B cells to stimulation by the CD1d ligand, α-galactosylceramide (αGalCer). Previously, we showed that all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) increases the expression of CD1d and the magnitude of CD1d-mediated antibody production in vivo. Potential mechanisms could include changes in the expression of costimulatory molecules and transcription factors that regulate plasma cell formation. In the present study, we have used isolated purified B cells and in vivo studies to demonstrate that αGalCer and RA initiate a regulated expression of several genes essential for B cell activation and differentiation, such as Pax-5, Blimp-1, IRF-4 and activation-induced cytidine deaminase (Aid). Moreover, whereas αGalCer mainly increased the expression of Pax-5, CD40 and CD86 that are critical for B cell activation, RA predominantly increased CD138⁺ and Fas⁺-PNA⁺ B cells, which represent more advanced B cell differentiation. It is also noteworthy that αGalCer enriched a CD19hi subset of B cells, which represent B cells with more differentiated phenotype and higher potential for antibody production. In vivo, treatment with αGalCer enriched the CD19hi population, which, after sorting, produced more anti-TT IgG by ELISPOT assay. Together, our data demonstrate that RA and αGalCer can regulate B cell activation and differentiation at multiple levels in a complementary manner, facilitating the progress of B cells towards antibody secreting cells.
Determination of peplomycin in mouse tissues and biofluids by radioimmunoassay

Abstract Peplomycin, an antitumour antibiotic analogue of bleomycin, was measured in mouse tissues using a rapid radioimmunoassay. Antiserum, obtained by immunizing rabbits with peplomycin-bovine serum albumin conjugate, showed no significant cross-reactivity with the closely related peplomycin analogues bleomycin and liblomycin, nor with a number of other structurally unrelated antitumour drugs. The assay is sensitive and can detect peplomycin levels as low as 2 ng ml −1 . The relative intra- and inter-assay standard deviation is ≤5%, indicating good assay reproducibility. Peplomycin levels in mouse tissues were easily determined without extraction. Fifteen minutes after administration of a single intraperitoneal dose of peplomycin at 8.5 mg kg −1 ( 1 10 of LD 50 ), high drug levels were found in plasma (46 μg ml −1 ), kidneys (38 μg g −1 ), urine and bladder (32 μg ml −1 ), followed by gastrointestinal tract (13 μg g −1 ), lung (8 μg g −1 ), spleen (3.7 μg g −1 ), heart (3.6 μg g −1 ). gall bladder (2.7 μg g −1 ), liver (2 μg g −1 ), and brain (0.6 μg g −1 ). The total amount of drug in all these organs accounted for more than 80% of the dose administered. We conclude that the radioimmunoassay is sensitive and reproducibile and is an ideal tool for measuring peplomycin in tissues and biofluids for pharmacological studies.
The effect of punishment duration of trigger strategies and quasifinite continuation probabilities for Prisoners' Dilemmas

Limiting inspection to publicly correlated strategies linearizes the problem of finding subgame perfect equilibria for indefinitely repeated Prisoners' Dilemmas. Equilibrium strategies satisfy a matrix inequality; the matrix depends on the duration of the punishment mechanism. The existence of subgame perfect equilibria is determined by comparing a parameter of the stage game to the spectral radius of the matrix. The spectral radii are found for the matrices associated with every possible duration of punishment.
Quantum criticality in NbFe 2 induced by zero carrier velocity

The transition-metal intermetallic compound NbFe${}_{2}$ displays a magnetic quantum critical point very near stoichiometry, unlike other Fe-based intermetallics, and no field or pressure tuning is required. In this compound we obtain an obvious candidate for the origin of quantum criticality: an accidental Fermi surface ``hot stripe'' centered on a point of vanishing quasiparticle velocity on the Fermi surface at an unconventional band critical point (uBCP) of NbFe${}_{2}$. Around this uBCP the dispersion is cubic (${\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{k}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}_{F}\ensuremath{\propto}{k}_{x}^{3}$) in one direction in the hexagonal basal plane and has a saddle-point character in the orthogonal ${k}_{y},{k}_{z}$ plane; both aspects have significant consequences. At such a uBCP, Moriya's theory of weak magnetism breaks down due to divergent contributions to the dynamic bare susceptibility from the uBCP, both at $Q\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ and at momenta spanning the uBCPs. These results are reminiscent of an earlier suggestion that anomalously low Fermi velocities are in essential aspect of the incipient or weak ferromagnetism of TiBe${}_{2}$, and strongly support the viewpoint that, for some quantum critical points, the mechanism may be identifiable in the underlying (mean-field) electronic structure.
Freshwater Turtle Conservation in Texas: Harvest Effects and Efficacy of the Current Management Regime

ABSTRACT The collapse of Asian turtle populations led to the creation of a worldwide freshwater turtle market in the 1990s. Texas is one of several states in the United States that has capitalized on this market. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recently instituted regulations designed to protect turtles from commercial harvest in public waters. Two counties in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) accounted for 66.1% of known wild turtle harvest in 1999, with no reported harvest in subsequent years. We sampled 60 sites in the LRGV to determine if we could detect harvest effects. We also investigated the potential for sustainable harvest under the new harvest guidelines using source-sink dynamics implemented in a Geographic Information System (GIS) approach. We detected differences congruent with harvest effects for red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta) and Texas spiny softshells (Apalone spinifera). Based on a GIS analysis of water bodies throughout the entire state, we estimated that only 2.2...
MANAGEMENT OF A POSITIVE SURGICAL MARGIN AFTER RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: DECISION ANALYSIS

Purpose: We created and tested a decision analysis model to help determine the preferred management of a positive surgical margin(s) after radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: We constructed a decision tree modeling surveillance versus immediate prophylactic adjuvant radiation in patients with a positive surgical margin(s) after radical prostatectomy. Literature and institution based estimates were determined for certain factors, including the probability of undetectable prostate specific antigen (PSA) in patients followed expectantly postoperatively and those treated with immediate adjuvant radiotherapy, complications of radiotherapy after prostatectomy and probability of undetectable PSA in those treated with therapeutic radiation for detectable PSA postoperatively. A panel of experts assigned utilities to the various outcomes. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine threshold values required to change the model outcome.Results: Using average probability estimates from a literature revie...
Randomized, controlled pilot trial of bupropion for pregnant smokers: challenges and future directions

Objective The aim of the study is to conduct an initial pilot trial evaluating the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of bupropion for smoking cessation in pregnancy. Study Design A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group pilot study of bupropion versus placebo with 50 pregnant smokers was planned. Eligibility criteria were restrictive (e.g., 14–26 weeks' gestation; no psychiatric conditions or medications) due to the unknown safety, tolerability, and side effect profile of bupropion in pregnancy. Bayesian analyses were planned to provide probability of benefit. Results Significant challenges were encountered with regard to trial feasibility. Of 820 women screened, 112 were current smokers, but only 11 women were eligible and consented to participate in the study. Excluded women most often had a psychiatric disorder (23%); were outside the gestational range (14%); or declined to participate (11%). Conclusions This initial attempt to evaluate bupropion for smoking cessation during pregnancy will inform future trial methodology. Because of the unknown safety profile, conservative eligibility criteria were used and resulted in a large portion of this high-risk, low-income smoker population being excluded from the trial, raising questions regarding broad applicability, and highlighting the need to balance patient safety and trial feasibility. Large multisite studies will likely be needed to conduct definitive pharmacotherapy studies.
Dynamic cluster-size distribution in cluster-cluster aggregation: Effects of cluster diffusivity

The dynamics of the diffusion-limited model of cluster-cluster aggregation is investigated in two and three dimensions by studying the temporal evolution of the cluster-size distribution ${n}_{s}$(t), which is the number of clusters of size s at time t. In a recent study it was shown that the results of the two-dimensional simulations for mass-independent diffusivity can be well represented by a dynamic-scaling function of the form ${n}_{s}$(t)\ensuremath{\sim}${s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$f(s/${t}^{z}$), where f(x) is a scaling function with a power-law behavior for small x, namely f(x)\ensuremath{\sim}${x}^{\ensuremath{\delta}}$ for x\ensuremath{\ll}1 and f(x)\ensuremath{\ll}1 for x\ensuremath{\gg}1. In this paper we extend the calculations of the cluster-size distribution to three dimensions and to the case of the cluster diffusivity depending on the size of the clusters. The diffusion constant of a cluster of size s is assumed to be proportional to ${s}^{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$. The overall behavior of ${n}_{s}$(t) and the exponents \ensuremath{\delta} and z have been determined for a set of values of \ensuremath{\gamma}. We find that the results are consistent with the scaling theory, and the exponents in ${n}_{s}$(t) depend continuously on \ensuremath{\gamma}. Moreover, there is a critical value of \ensuremath{\gamma} [${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$(d=2)\ensuremath{\simeq}-(1/4), ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{c}$(d=3)\ensuremath{\simeq}-1/2] at which the shape of the cluster-size distribution crosses over from a monotonically decreasing function to a bell-shaped curve which can be described by the above scaling form for ${n}_{s}$(t), but with a scaling function f\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}(x) different from f(x).
An 18-month-old girl with a liver mass

An 18-month-old girl presented with an abdominal mass, detected by her mother. Seven days later, the child was admitted to University Hospital, State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse; her other medical history was noncontributory. On physical examination a firm, irregular, nontender, fist-sized mass was palpable in the right upper abdominal quadrant just below the costal margin. The remainder of the abdomen was soft and nontender, with normal bowel sounds. The physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Laboratory data included a serum a-fetoprotein level of 20,800 ng/ml (normal < 30 ng/ml). The CBC, SMA12, and liver function tests were normal.
Single-stranded regions in regenerating rat liver DNA.

SEVERAL groups have identified single-stranded regions in actively replicating eukaryote DNA1–5. We have used isopycnic caesium sulphate gradients containing silver ion, and a single-strand-specific endonuclease to determine the single strandedness of DNA from actively regenerating rat liver, and from ‘control’ liver of partially hepatectomised rats that had been allowed to regenerate their normal liver mass. More single-stranded DNA was observed in regenerating liver than in control livers.
Quantum effects of gravity

The effects of gravity and quantum mechanics rarely overlap because of the different scales involved. An experiment with ultracold neutrons has now been able to probe both simultaneously.
A NOTE ON THE SPECIFIC AGGLUTINATION OF PNEUMOCOCCUS TYPES I, II AND III.

1. Type-specific agglutination of Pneumococcus Types I, II and III has been demonstrated in antisera largely deprived of the carbohydrate antibody. 2. The type-specific agglutinogens in Pneumococcus I and II responsible for agglutination in such antisera are inactivated by heating in alkaline solution at 100°C. The specific carbohydrate remains unaltered under these conditions. 3. The relationship of the type-specific agglutinogen in Pneurmococcus I to the type-specific A substance has been discussed. 4. The possible application of these results to the standardization of therapeutic antisera by agglutinin titre has been discussed. 5. On the basis of the experiments recorded a tentative explanation is offered for the failure of Pneumococcus Type II to absorb the agglutinins from anti- B. friedlaenderi Type B serum.
Frequency Switching in Dual-Resonance Oscillators

An oscillator with a high-order (>2) resonator has multiple stable modes of oscillations. The stable modes for one such oscillator, having a fourth-order resonator, are found using a nonlinear analysis. By using a proper nonlinear active topology and tank component values, the fourth-order oscillator can generate either of the two distinct frequencies f1 or f2. A method is introduced to dynamically switch between the stable modes of oscillations. It is shown that the phase noise of this fourth-order oscillator, when generating only one of its resonant frequencies, is comparable to the phase noise of a second-order oscillator using the same active topology and resonator quality factor. Furthermore, the fourth-order oscillator has better phase noise and/or higher tuning range in VCO implementations compared to the commonly used switched resonator oscillators. The claims have been verified experimentally through an integrated oscillator prototype with f1 = 2.4 GHz and f2 = 4.7 GHz fabricated in a standard 0.18 mum CMOS technology. The oscillator draws 1.89 mA current of 1.8 V supply. The 1 MHz offset phase noises of the fourth-order oscillator for f1 = 2.4 GHz and f2 = 4.7 GHz are -122.4 dBc/Hz and -123.4 dBc/Hz, respectively.
Parts Presentation and Feeding for Robot Assembly

Summary One barrier to the introduction of robots in automatic assembly is the lack of inexpensive programmable devices for the feeding of parts to a robot workstation. This paper first describes the basic requirements of such devices and then describes the results of research into the development of a programmable belt feeder for rectangular parts. The feeder is microprocessor controlled and senses part orientation by means of fiber optic probes. It is felt that the basic techniques employed in this work will find applications in a wide range of feeding and orienting problems - particularly those problems that are not amenable to solution by conventional means.