cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demonstration of a slowly dissociating form of bovine hippocampal synaptic membrane opiate receptors.

Abstract We studied the binding characteristics of opiate receptors in synaptic plasma membranes isolated from bovine hippocampus. On the basis of kinetic binding studies the interaction of [3H][D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADL) with its receptor was an extremely slow process. Rates of association and dissociation were determined and a pseudo-first order rate constant for association calculated to be 5.68 × 105 1/mol·s at 25°C. The rate of dissociation ( t 1 2 =70 min ) was accelerated by GTP and changed from linear to biphasic. The kinetically derived equilibrium dissociation constant (0.29 nM) was considerably lower than the KD obtained from Scatchard and Hill plots (1.24 nM). Measurement of DADL association as a function of temperature yielded a linear Arrhenius plot. Finally, competition binding assays revealed that δ-specific agonists exhibited relatively high potency in displacing [3H]DADL from synaptic plasma membranes receptors whereas μ-specific agonists and antagonists were less effective. These results with bovine hippocampus may be explained by the formation of a slow-dissociating, high-affinity agonist conformation of the δ-opiate receptor which has been predicted for the system by the cyclic-allosteric and ternary complex models.
Bismuth selenide iodide

BiSeI crystals obtained by a chemical-transport reaction are orthorhombic (space group Pnma) with a = 8.6967 (17) A, b = 4.2205 (8) A and c = 10.574 (2) A. It could be confimed that BiSeI crystallizes in the centrosymmetric SbSI structure type.
Framing Public Life: Perspectives on Media and Our Understanding of the Social World, edited by Stephen D. Reese, Oscar H. Gandy, Jr., and August E. Grant. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001. 416 pp. $42.50 cloth.

This anthology marks an important coming of age for framing research. Almost all of its contributions have something new and useful to tell us about framing, which has in recent years become one of...
Fine Grid Asteroseismology Of G117-B15A And R548

We now have a good measurement of the cooling rate of G117-B15A. In the near future, we will have equally well determined cooling rates for other pulsating white dwarfs, including R548. The ability to measure their cooling rates offers us a unique way to study weakly interacting particles that would contribute to their cooling. Working toward that goal, we perform a careful asteroseismological analysis of G117-B15A and R548. We study them side by side because they have similar observed properties. We carry out a systematic, fine grid search for best-fit models to the observed period spectra of those stars. We freely vary four parameters: the effective temperature, the stellar mass, the helium layer mass, and the hydrogen layer mass. We identify and quantify a number of uncertainties associated with our models. Based on the results of that analysis and fits to the periods observed in R548 and G117-B15A, we clearly define the regions of the four-dimensional parameter space occupied by the best-fit models.
"American values"--a smoke screen in the debate on health care reform.

Amid all the rhetoric about health care reform, one claim has emerged as a trump card designed to preserve the current patchwork of private and public insurance and to stop discussion of a government-sponsored single-payer system in its tracks: the claim that single-payer health care — a Canadian-style Medicare-for-all system — is antithetical to “American values.” The idea that American values dictate a particular approach to health care reform is often stated explicitly, and it is implicit in the generalization that “Americans want” a particular system. The underlying premise is that an identifiable set of American values point incontrovertibly to . . .
Severe hemolysis following partial coil‐occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus

Severe hemolysis occurred in a one-year-old boy following partial coil occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus with a small but high-velocity residual shunt. Hemolysis abated rapidly and completely after placement of a second coil fully occluded the ductus.
Social modeling influences and alcohol consumption during the first semester of college: a natural history study.

ABSTRACT The authors examine both the alcohol consumption pattern of freshmen students during their first semester and the degree to which social modeling of peer behavior impacts consumption. A total of 534 students, residing on campus, were prospectively examined at four 30-day intervals. Data were evaluated on the basis of age, gender, and the effects of time using generalized estimating equations (GEEs). Results reflected nonsignificant increases in the amount of alcohol consumed; however, affiliations with alcohol-consuming peer groups was significantly associated with increased alcohol consumption. The mean number of drinks consumed in the past 30 days remained the same for whites (χ2 = 3.35, 3 df, P = .3411) but increased slightly for blacks (χ2 = 7.99, 3 df, P = .0462). Prevention programs should include screening for growth in alcohol consumption among first-year university students, and such screenings should include the extent and nature of affiliation with peers who consume alcohol.
Point of care ultrasound for assisting in needle aspiration of spontaneous pneumothorax in the pediatric emergency department: a case series

Background There is controversy regarding needle aspiration for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), with contradictory recommendations between the American College of Chest Physicians consensus statement (2001) which suggests that needle aspiration has little place in the management of PSP, and the British Thoracic Society guidelines (2010) which recommend that needle aspiration be attempted first for all cases of PSP where drainage is deemed necessary. Studies have shown that there is no significant difference between needle aspiration and tube thoracostomy with regard to safety, rates of immediate success and early failure and has the advantages of decreasing pain, reducing rates of hospital admission and duration of hospital stay compared to tube thoracostomy. Point-of-care ultrasound can facilitate needle aspiration by decreasing the risk of complications and detect pneumothorax resolution during or reexpansion after the procedure.
Feasability of adaptive vibration control of a space truss using modal filters and a neural network

An adaptive algorithm is proposed for the control of a large space truss structure which uses modal filters for independent modal space control and a simple neural network that provides an on-line system identification capability. The modal filters are computed off-line using measured frequency response functions and estimated pole values for the modes of interest, and provide a coordinate transformation that yields modal coordinates from physical response measurements. The time histories for the modal coordinates are then processed in real time by the neural network, which models a single degree of freedom system transfer function and provides estimates of modal parameters, namely, frequency, damping ratio and modal gain. The modal filters are used to implement independent modal space control on a 3.74 meter space truss using a single reaction-mass actuator and 32 accelerometers. The performance of the modal filter based controller is compared to that of a local rate feedback controller using the same actuator. The applicability of the adaptive filter to adaptive control is demonstrated by real time estimation of the modal parameters of the truss with and without control. Because the modal filter control gain can be adjusted to maintain a desired closed loop damping ratio, which is tracked by the adaptive filter, adaptive control of individual modes in a time-varying system is possible. The goal of this work is to field a control system which can maintain desired closed loop damping ratios for mode frequency variations as high as 10%.
The incentives for pre-electoral coalitions in non-democratic elections

What are the incentives of opposition parties to coordinate their electoral strategies to challenge authoritarian incumbents? Are these incentives the same in non-democracies as in democracies? A well-formed literature on party competition in established democracies points to the importance of mostly institutional factors in determining whether parties form pre-electoral coalitions. We find, however, that many of these institutional factors have only modest effects on the formation of opposition coalitions in authoritarian elections. As a consequence, we discuss the ways in which authoritarian elections differ from democratic ones, focusing on how these differences affect the incentives of parties to form coalitions. Analysing original data on party competition in legislative elections in all non-democracies from 1946 to 2006, we find that electoral repression and the stability of parties influence the emergence of pre-electoral coalitions among opposition parties.
ATP-binding Cassette Transporters Are Required for Efficient RNA Interference in Caenorhabditis elegans

RNA interference (RNAi) is a conserved gene-silencing phenomenon that can be triggered by delivery of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to cells and is a widely exploited technology in analyses of gene function. Although a number of proteins that facilitate RNAi have been identified, current descriptions of RNAi and interrelated mechanisms are far from complete. Here, we report that the Caenorhabditis elegans gene haf-6 is required for efficient RNAi. HAF-6 is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter gene superfamily. ABC transporters use ATP to translocate small molecule substrates across the membranes in which they reside, often against a steep concentration gradient. Collectively, ABC transporters are involved in a variety of activities, including protective or barrier mechanisms that export drugs or toxins from cells, organellar biogenesis, and mechanisms that protect against viral infection. HAF-6 is expressed predominantly in the intestine and germline and is localized to intracellular reticular organelles. We further demonstrate that eight additional ABC genes from diverse subfamilies are each required for efficient RNAi in C. elegans. Thus, the ability to mount a robust RNAi response to dsRNA depends upon the deployment of two ancient systems that respond to environmental assaults: RNAi mechanisms and membrane transport systems that use ABC proteins.
A response to John Taffe's commentary on an evaluation of the SCQ and DBC-ASA

We thank the editor for giving us an opportunity to respond to Dr Taffe's commentary on our study. As stated in the manuscript, emphasis should be placed on sensitivity, and both tools performed we...
Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Anthracyclines, particularly conventional doxorubicin, play an important role in the treatment of breast cancer, both in the adjuvant and metastatic settings. However, the benefits of conventional doxorubicin in terms of antitumor activity are limited by its therapeutic index. Liposomal formulations were developed to increase the therapeutic index of conventional doxorubicin. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, the most widely studied liposomal doxorubicin formulation in breast cancer, has been evaluated in > 20 clinical trials. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin provides tumor-targeted efficacy without many of the toxicities associated with conventional doxorubicin, including myelosuppression, alopecia, nausea and vomiting, and most importantly, cardiac toxicity. As a single agent, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin has demonstrated similar efficacy to that of conventional doxorubicin in patients with metastatic breast cancer. It has also demonstrated efficacy in combination with other agents or modalities, including cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and hyperthermia. Response rates in patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving pegylated liposomal doxorubicin either alone or in combination regimens range from 27% to 83%, with median survival estimated at 7-20 months. Small studies also suggest a role for pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer. Preliminary results suggest that pegylated liposomal doxorubicin may be safely administered in combination with docetaxel and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive disease. Owing to its comparable efficacy and favorable safety profile, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin may be a useful alternative to conventional doxorubicin, as well as other agents commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer.
Silence and Silencing: Their Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces in Legal Communication, Pedagogy and Discourse

This article uses Critical Race Theory and LatCrit Theory in its analysis, methodologies, and purpose. I seek to disrupt silences around race and to provide the knowledge and skills for effective work on racial equity and justice.Language and voice have been subjects of great interest to scholars working in the areas of Critical Race Theory and Latina/o Critical Legal Theory. Silence, a counterpart of voice, has not, however, been well theorized. This Article is an invitation to attend to silence and silencing. The first part of the Article argues that one's use of silence is an aspect of communication that, like accents, is related to one's culture and may correlate with one's racial identity. The second part of the Article posits that silence can be a force that disrupts the dominant discourse within the law school classroom, creating I.earning spaces where deeper dialogue from different points of view can occur. The third part of the Article focuses on the silencing of racial issues within legal discourse and public policy debates, a silencing that is a mechanism for racial control and hegemony. The Article uses the work and imagery of Mikhail Bakhtin, a Russian literary critic, to analyze how silence can have centering and de-centering linguistic force, offering performative and communicative choices that affect racial identities.
Lightweight security mechanisms for wireless video transmission

The paper introduces lightweight video encryption algorithms for transmission over wireless networks. The objective of these encryption algorithms is to reduce the total amount of data encrypted (while providing reasonable privacy and security) and to use multiple FEC codes to reduce the expected number of bit errors left in the data after decoding. The goal of this work is to provide encryption of video data while increasing the decodeability of the stream in the presence of network bit error. The first algorithm uses multi-layer video coding (which also helps to increase PSNR) for security and encrypts only a base layer. The second algorithm extends video encryption algorithms to deduce the amount of data encrypted and uses different BCH codes for each level.
Trans-cranial opening of the blood-brain barrier in targeted regions using astereotaxic brain atlas and focused ultrasound energy

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain by preventing the entry of largemolecules; this poses a major obstacle for the delivery of drugs to the brain. Anovel technique using focused ultrasound (FUS) energy combined with microbubblecontrast agents has been widely used for non-invasive trans-cranial BBB opening.Traditionally, FUS research is conducted with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)guidance, which is expensive and poses physical limitations due to the magneticfield. A system that could allow researchers to test brain therapies without MRintervention could facilitate and accelerate translational research. In this study, we present a novel FUS system that uses a custom-built FUSgenerator mounted on a motorized stereotaxic apparatus with embedded brain atlasto locally open the BBB in rodents. The system was initially characterized using atissue-mimicking phantom. Rodent studies were also performed to evaluate whethernon-invasive, localized BBB opening could be achieved using brain atlas-basedtargeting. Brains were exposed to pulsed focused ultrasound energy at1.06 MHz in rats and 3.23 MHz in mice, with the focal pressure estimatedto be 0.5–0.6 MPa through the skull. BBB opening was confirmed in grosstissue sections by the presence of Evans blue leakage in the exposed region of thebrain and by histological assessment. The targeting accuracy of the stereotaxic system was better than 0.5 mm inthe tissue-mimicking phantom. Reproducible localized BBB opening was verified withEvans blue dye leakage in 32/33 rats and had a targeting accuracy of±0.3 mm. The use of higher frequency exposures in mice enabled a similarprecision of localized BBB opening as was observed with the low frequency in therat model. With this dedicated small-animal motorized stereotaxic-FUS system, we achievedaccurate targeting of focused ultrasound exposures in the brain for non-invasiveopening of the BBB. This system can be used as an alternative to MR-guided FUS andoffers researchers the ability to perform efficient studies (30 min perexperiment including preparation) at a reduced cost in a conventional laboratoryenvironment.
Soil Water Heat of Transport

Competing theories used to describe coupled transport of heat and water in soil are irreversible thermodynamics (IT) and the Philip–de Vries (PD) theory. In practice, PD has dominated the field and advanced understanding through models used to predict the thermal status of soil and soil-atmosphere interaction. However, the principle of Onsager reciprocity in IT has also found considerable acceptance in thermal physics. The applicability of IT reciprocity to soil physics has been extensively scrutinized without substantial agreement being reached. Examination of PD equations reveals that they do not satisfy Onsager reciprocity. One coefficient is missing from PD that would produce equations consistent with reciprocity. The coefficient is associated with the thermal water flux, but it fails to appear a second time in the heat flux equation as expected with reciprocity. This missing coefficient can be readily calculated for inclusion in models based on PD. The value of the coefficient varies with temperature...
Introducing medical students to medication noncompliance

Medical students were introduced to issues relating to medication noncompliance in a simulated clinical setting. Compliance with either a twice-a-day or a three-times-a-day regimen was monitored with use of electronic monitoring devices for a 2-week interval. Compliance with the twice-a-day regimen was higher than compliance with the three-times-a-day regimen, although the difference was not significantly different. Overall, 71% of the prescribed doses were taken by the medical student participants; however, only 46.5% of the doses were taken at the prescribed dosing frequency and 28.5% were taken at the prescribed intervals. The majority of students linked dose taking with routine daily activities and reported that their hectic lifestyles adversely influenced compliance. Similar factors might be expected to influence compliance in patient populations. The goal of this exercise was to demonstrate to future physicians the difficulties that patients have with compliance to prescribed medications.
EFFICIENT 4x4 PROPAGATION MATRIX METHOD USING A FOURTH-ORDER SYMPLECTIC INTEGRATOR FOR THE OPTICS OF ONE-DIMENSIONAL CONTINUOUS INHOMOGENEOUS MATERIALS

Understanding the propagation of light in continuous inhomogeneous materials is important to design optical structures and devices. To have accurately numerical calculations Berreman's 4 £ 4 propagation matrix method is generally used, and layer approximation, i.e., the whole one-dimensional continuous inhomogeneous material is divided into many small homogeneous layers, is assumed. However, this layer approximation is only correct up to the second-order of the layer thickness. To e-ciently solve Berreman's flrst-order difierential equation, a simple fourth-order symplectic integrator is presented. The e-ciency of the fourth-order symplectic integrator was studied for a cholesteric liquid crystal. Numerical results of re∞ectance spectra show that the fourth-order symplectic integrator is highly e-cient in contrast to the extensively used fast 4 £ 4 propagation matrix.
Go-With-The-Winner: Client-Side Server Selection for Content Delivery

Content delivery networks deliver much of the web and video content in the world by deploying a large distributed network of servers. We model and analyze a simple paradigm for client-side server selection that is commonly used in practice where each user independently measures the performance of a set of candidate servers and selects the one that performs the best. For web (resp., video) delivery, we propose and analyze a simple algorithm where each user randomly chooses two or more candidate servers and selects the server that provided the best hit rate (resp., bit rate). We prove that the algorithm converges quickly to an optimal state where all users receive the best hit rate (resp., bit rate), with high probability. We also show that if each user chose just one random server instead of two, some users receive a hit rate (resp., bit rate) that tends to zero. We simulate our algorithm and evaluate its performance with varying choices of parameters, system load, and content popularity.
Antimicrobial-resistant Bacteria: An Unrecognized Work-related Risk in Food Animal Production

The occupations involved in food animal production have long been recognized to carry significant health risks for workers, with special attention to injuries. However, risk of pathogen exposure in these occupations has been less extensively considered. Pathogens are a food safety issue and are known to be present throughout the food animal production chain. Workers employed at farms and slaughterhouses are at risk of pathogen exposure and bacterial infections. The industrialization of animal farming and the use of antimicrobials in animal feed to promote growth have increased the development of antimicrobial resistance. The changed nature of these pathogens exposes workers in this industry to new strains, thus modifying the risks and health consequences for these workers. These risks are not yet recognized by any work-related health and safety agency in the world.
Effect of Dynamic Sector Boundary Changes on Air Traffic Controllers

The effect of dynamic sector boundary changes on air traffic controller workload was investigated with data from a human-in-the-loop simulation. Multiple boundary changes were made during simulated operations, and controller rating of workload was recorded. Analysis of these data showed an increase of 16.9% in controller workload due to boundary changes. This increased workload was correlated with the number of aircraft handoffs and change in sector volume. There was also a 12.7% increase in average workload due to the changed sector design after boundary changes. This increase was correlated to traffic flow crossing points getting closer to sector boundaries and an increase in the number of flights with short dwell time in a sector. This study has identified some of the factors that affect controller workload when sector boundaries are changed, but more research is needed to better understand their relationships.
The Unrealism of Contemporary Realism: The Tension between Realist Theory and Realists' Practice

Realist International Relations thinkers often intervene in political debates and criticize their governments’ policies even as they pride themselves on theorizing politics as it “really” is. They rarely reflect on the following contradictions between their theory and their practice: if there is a “real world” impervious to political thought, why bother to try to influence it? And, is realist theory not putatively disconfirmed by the fact that realist thinkers have so often opposed existing foreign policies (e.g., the wars in Vietnam and Iraq)? I argue that these contradictions are not inherent in realism per se so much as in the commitment of contemporary realists to naturalistic methodological and epistemological postulates. I show that Hans Morgenthau and especially E. H. Carr, far from being naive “traditionalists,” have grappled with these questions in a sophisticated manner; they have adopted non-naturalistic methodological and epistemological stances that minimize the tension between realist theory and the realities of realists’ public activism. I conclude with a call for contemporary realists to adjust their theory to their practice by trading the dualism underlying their approach— subject-object; science-politics; purpose-analysis—for E. H. Carr’s dictum that “political thought is itself a form of political action.”
Latanoprost for the treatment of pediatric glaucoma.

Abstract Latanoprost is a prostaglandin F 2α analog that reduces intraocular pressure (IOP) by 20–40% in adults with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The efficacy and safety of latanoprost in children has not been widely reported, but there are at least three peer-reviewed publications involving the use of this drug in the treatment of pediatric patients with glaucoma. Most of the patients in these studies showed disappointingly little IOP effect from this drug, but some children, particularly older children and those with juvenile-onset open-angle glaucoma, do have a significant ocular hypotensive effect with latanoprost. Systemic and ocular side effects in children on latanoprost are infrequent and mild.
Biophysics of Energy Converting Model Proteins

The biophysics of energy converting model proteins is presented as a general set of three postulates with fifteen corollaries for fifteen subtypes of molecular machines. All of the molecular machines utilize a common structural transition, an inverse temperature transition characterized by increased hydrophobic folding and/or assembly as the temperature is increased through a transition temperature range identified by Tt. These molecular machines, which can be polymers (e.g., proteins or protein-based polymers), are capable of interconverting the free energies involving the six intensive variables of mechanical force, temperature, pressure, chemical potential, electrochemical potential, and electromagnetic radiation. First-order molecular machines of the Tt.type are molecular engines which, with the appropriate energy input, can result in the production of useful mechanical motion. Postulate I is for the thermally-driven molecular engine. Postulate II with four corollaries is for the four cases where the energy inputs drive hydrophobic folding by lowering the temperature, Tt, at which the inverse temperature transition occurs. This is called the ΔTt-mechanism. The four energy inputs that have been shown to change the value of Ttare due to changes (1) in concentrations of chemicals, (2) in oxidative state of attached prosthetic groups, (3) in pressure, and (4) resulting from the absorption of light by attached chromophores. Postulate III with ten corollaries are for the ten pairwise energy conversions involving the intensive variables listed above exclusive of mechanical force. These energy conversions utilize the hydrophobic association transition but do not result in the motion implicit in the folding or assembly process. These are second-order molecular machines of the Tt-type. The physical basis for the ΔTt-mechanism of energy conversion of Postulates II and III is proposed to arise due to competition for hydration between apolar (hydrophobic) and polar moieties. This competition is capable of effecting large changes in pKa values of Glu, Asp, Lys and His residues. This mechanism is proposed to be a dominant process in protein folding, assembly, and function.
Secrets for managing materials budget allocations: A brief guide for collection managers

Much of the collection development literature focuses on selection and management of collection content, but little focuses on the art of managing individual funds within the context of an institution's library materials budget. Taking into account the differences in the monographic book trade worldwide and the challenges of managing serials and standing order budgets, the authors unveil the relationship between encumbrances and expenditures. Looking at some specific collection areas, the authors reveal the secrets of order timing and management that allow collection managers to meet expenditure targets without overspending their allocations. Managing the on-going commitments of subscriptions and the sporadic expenditures for standing orders differs from one-time monograph purchases. The authors address the various strategies for managing all order categories. This article addresses both concepts and processes for managing individual collection funds whether they are monograph, serial, or series.
Prospective Determination of T-Cell Responses to S-Antigen in Behçet’s Disease Patients and Controls

PURPOSE. To prospectively determine, using two different assays, the lymphocyte proliferative response to a retinal autoantigen (S-antigen) in patients with Behcet's disease who are under treatment for ocular inflammation. METHODS. Patients were evaluated at each visit for signs of ocular inflammation. Peripheral blood leukocytes were harvested and cultured in the presence of bovine S-antigen in a standard culture assay, as well as by limiting dilution using multiple short-term T-cell lines. RESULTS. Five patients were observed for 2 to 10 months. During follow-up, three patients had episodes of ocular inflammation. No consistent change in proliferative response was observed in standard proliferation assays. However, an increase in established T-cell lines was correlated to the presence of ocular inflammation in all three patients. Ocular activity was associated with an increase of 9- to 30-fold in the frequency of short-term T-cell lines. This increase returned to baseline within 1 to 3 months. CONCLUSIONS. An increase in S-antigen-responsive lymphocytes is found in the peripheral blood of patients with Behcet's disease during episodes of ocular inflammation. This increase cannot be measured using standard proliferation assays but requires the use of techniques exploiting the principles of limiting dilution analysis.
Boundary Correction Factors for Elliptical Surface Cracks Emanating from Countersunk Rivet Holes

To predict the crack growth and residual strength of riveted joints subjected to widespread fatigue damage, accurate stress and fracture analyses of corner and surface cracks at a rivet hole are needed. The results presented focus on the calculation of stress-intensity factor (SIF) solutions for cracks at countersunk rivet holes for tension, bending, and wedge load conditions. A wide range of configuration parameters were varied, including the crack size, crack shape, crack location, and length of the straight shank hole. A finite-element-based global-intermediatelocal hierarchical approach was used. The results are expressed as boundary correction factors (BCFs), which are nondimensional representations of the SIF. The BCFs were determined along the crack front in terms of the physical angle, which was measured from the inner surface of the plate to a point on the hole boundary or on the outer surface of the plate. In general, the values of BCFs increased along the crack front, moving from the inner surface of the plate toward the hole boundary or the outer surface. The values of the BCFs were highest for the crack fronts closest to the hole boundary. The trends in the solutions were the same for the three loading conditions.
Service Constrained s, S Inventory Systems with Priority Demand Classes and Lost Sales

This paper presents a model of an s, S inventory system in which there are two priority classes of customers. The model treats excess demands as lost sales and can accommodate an arbitrary deterministic lead time. After considering the associated Markov-chain model, an approximate, renewal-based model is derived. This approximation is used to develop a greedy heuristic which minimizes expected costs subject to a fill-rate service constraint. The paper concludes with the results of an extensive numerical test of both the accuracy of the approximation and the performance of the heuristic with respect to the true optimal solution. Results indicate good performance which deteriorates as the fill rate requirement and lead time increase.
Magnitudes of Soviet tests

To augment my article “Soviet Test Yields” (Eos, November 28, p. 1524) I would like to make available additional mb (Lg) magnitudes from NORSAR, the Norwegian Seismic Array, for four of the events listed in Table 1 (with permission from Frode Ringdal and Roger A. Hansen, from their paper “NORSAR Yield Estimation Studies” presented to the DARPA/AFTAC Seismic Research Symposium held November 28–29 at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida).
The Jesus Tradition in 1 Thess 4.13–5.11

The Thessalonians' grief about the dead believers and their anxiety about the date of the parousia arose mainly out of their inadequate understanding of the eschatological sayings of Jesus which Paul had delivered to them. Therefore, in 1 Thess 4.13–5.11 Paul seeks to resolve the problems by helping them understand those sayings properly in the light of the fundamental saving event of Christ's death and resurrection.
Accounting for the short term substitution effects of walking and cycling in sustainable transportation

The environmental benefits of bicycling and walking depend on the degree to which their use substitutes for car driving. Assuming that every walking and bicycling trip replaces a driving trip is likely to produce overestimates of the potential for such modes to reduce vehicle travel and city-scale greenhouse gas emissions. Measuring this “substitution effect” is not straightforward. There are many dimensions of the substitution effect, including trip type, substituting mode, extent, time horizon, and activity patterns. Previously used approaches to measure substitution include indirect inference and direct questioning. This study piloted an intercept survey using the direct questioning approach at five locations in two metropolitan areas. The rate at which utilitarian walking or cycling trips substituted for auto trips ranged between 25% and 86%. Logistic regression models demonstrate that disparate factors explain walking substitution and bicycling substitution behavior; age is significantly correlated with substitutive walking behavior while number of car trips per week and helmet use are each significant predictors of bicycle substitution. This research represents a valuable first step toward developing a method to estimate the substitution effect that is useful for practitioners. Better estimates of the substitution effect will in turn lead to better estimates of the environmental impacts of bicycling and walking.
Cookie Lover's Crash

A 35-year-old man was brought by ambulance to the emergency department after a single-vehicle collision; he was eating cookies while being extricated from the car. Upon arrival, his face was covered with purple icing. He was not oriented to time or place, his speech was garbled, and he could not follow commands. Vital signs demonstrated tachycardia and hypertension. He …
Adequacy of the In Situ Observing System in the Satellite Era for Climate SST

Abstract A method is presented to evaluate the adequacy of the recent in situ network for climate sea surface temperature (SST) analyses using both in situ and satellite observations. Satellite observations provide superior spatiotemporal coverage, but with biases; in situ data are needed to correct the satellite biases. Recent NOAA/U.S. Navy operational Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite SST biases were analyzed to extract typical bias patterns and scales. Occasional biases of 2°C were found during large volcano eruptions and near the end of the satellite instruments’ lifetime. Because future biases could not be predicted, the in situ network was designed to reduce the large biases that have occurred to a required accuracy. Simulations with different buoy density were used to examine their ability to correct the satellite biases and to define the residual bias as a potential satellite bias error (PSBE). The PSBE and buoy density (BD) relationship was found to be nearly exponential...
First-order superfluid to valence-bond solid phase transitions in easy-plane SU ( N ) magnets for small N

We consider the easy-plane limit of bipartite $\mathrm{SU}(N$) Heisenberg Hamiltonians, which have a fundamental representation on one sublattice and the conjugate to fundamental on the other sublattice. For $N=2$ the easy plane limit of the SU(2) Heisenberg model is the well-known quantum $XY$ model of a lattice superfluid. We introduce a logical method to generalize the quantum $XY$ model to arbitrary $N$, which keeps the Hamiltonian sign-free. We show that these quantum Hamiltonians have a world-line representation as the statistical mechanics of certain tightly packed loop models of $N$ colors in which neighboring loops are disallowed from having the same color. In this loop representation we design an efficient Monte Carlo cluster algorithm for our model. We present extensive numerical results for these models on the two dimensional square lattice, where we find the nearest neighbor model has superfluid order for $N\ensuremath{\le}5$ and valence-bond order for $Ng5$. By introducing $\mathrm{SU}(N$) easy-plane symmetric four-spin couplings we are able to tune across the superfluid-VBS phase boundary for all $N\ensuremath{\le}5$. We present clear evidence that this quantum phase transition is first order for $N=2$ and $N=5$, suggesting that easy-plane deconfined criticality runs away generically to a first-order transition for small $N$.
Many-To-Many Distribution

Of all the chapters in this monograph, this is perhaps the one which is least related to the existing literature. Sections 6.2, 6.4.2 and 6.5.1 — considering respectively distribution with 0, 1, and 2 transshipments — are based on Daganzo (1987c). The results in this reference, however, are not presented literally; a more refined routing scheme, developed in the chapter, is used here. The discussion on detailed asymmetric strategies for distribution with only one terminal, at the end of Sec. 6.3.2, is based on Blumenfeld et.at. (1985a) and Hall (1987).
Outside the machine learning blackbox: supporting analysts before and after the learning algorithm

Applying machine learning to real problems is non-trivial because many important steps are needed to prepare for learning and to interpret the results after learning. This dissertation investigates four problems that arise before and after applying learning algorithms. First, how can we verify a dataset contains “good” information? I propose cross-data validation for quantifying the quality of a dataset relative to a benchmark dataset and define a data efficiency ratio that measures how efficiently the dataset in question collects information (relative to the benchmark). Using these methods I demonstrate the quality of bird observations collected by the eBird citizen science project which has few quality controls. Second, can off-the-shelf algorithms learn a model with good task-specific performance, or must the user have expertise both in the domain and in machine learning? In many applications, standard performance metrics are inappropriate, and most analysts lack the expertise or time to customize algorithms to optimize task-specific metrics. Ensemble selection offers a potential solution: build an ensemble to optimize the desired metric. I evaluate ensemble selection’s ability to optimize for domain-specific metrics on natural language processing tasks and show that ensemble selection usually improves performance but sometimes overfits. Third, how can we understand complex models? Understanding a model often is as important its accuracy. I propose and evaluate statistics for measuring the importance of inputs used by a decision tree ensemble. The statistics agree with sensitivity analysis and, in an application to bird distribution models, are 500 times faster to compute. The statistics have been used to study hundreds of bird distribution models. Fourth, how should data be pre-processed when learning a high-performing ensemble? I examine the behavior of variable selection and bagging using a bias-variance analysis of error. The results show that the most accurate variable subset corresponds to the best bias-variance trade-off point. Often, this is not the point separating relevant from irrelevant inputs. Variable selection should be viewed as a variance reduction method and thus is often redundant for low variance methods like bagging. The best bagged model performance usually is obtained using all available inputs.
Spider Mites: Population Suppression by Interspecific Hybridization

Crosses between female Tetranychus urticae Koch and males of 7 other tetranychid species showed that the cross with T. cinnabarinus (Boisduval) was the only one that resulted in sterile hybrids. Moreover, any production of progeny from subsequent matings was blocked by the initial interspecific mating. When T. urticae and T. cinnabarinus males were placed with T. urticae females in a 1:1 ratio, the T. urticae males mated first 70.6% of the time. All interspecific mating resulted in a reduction in egg deposition. Four inundative releases of T. cinnabarinus males at 4-day intervals into an established population of T. urticae produced marked suppressive results.
A Modular Approach to Fuel Cell Modeling: Analysis of a SOFC Cathode

A modular modeling strategy is outlined for fuel cells. As a stepping stone towards this modeling paradigm, the cathode-oxidizer assembly of a typical solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has been modeled. Various cases were simulated, and the spatial distributions of electric-potential, current, temperature and oxygen concentration have been calculated. An assessment of the results showed some surprising consequences. Detailed resolution of the current density distribution within the cathode has revealed highly non-uniform electrical field thin cathodes. This may have significant consequences concerning distribution of thermal stresses and structural integrity of the fuel cell.© 2002 ASME
Antifeeding Effect of DDT on Bollworm and Tobacco Budworm larvae

In studies of the nuclear polyhedral virus residue, we observed that the larvae of Hellothis spp. did little feeding on leaf disks made from cotton leaves (cultivar Stoneville 7A) that had been sprayed with a mixture of toxaphene and DDT. Our observations suggested that this mixture deterred larval feeding. A mixture of toxaphene and DDT has been evaluated as a toxicant against larvae of the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and the tobacco budworm, H. virescens (F.), in the laboratory (Adkisson 1967, Adkisson and Nemec 1967) and in the field (McGarr and Chapman 1963, McGarr 1968). Young and Hamm (1966) tested the polyhedral virus separately and in combination with DDT as a control for bollworms (corn earworms) on sweet corn. They found the control of bollworm larvae did not usually increase appreciably when 100 larval equivalents of virus were used in combination with DDT at 2 lb/acre compared with the control achieved when DDT was used alone. However, in 1 test, the virus with DDT did give a significant difference in yield over virus alone. We therefore tested toxaphene and DDT separately and in combination in the laboratory to corroborate the apparent antifeeding effect observed in the field.
Total synthesis of (-)-leuconicine A and B.

Concise asymmetric total syntheses of Strychnos alkaloids (−)-leuconicine A (14 steps, 9% overall yield) and B (13 steps, 10% overall yield) have been accomplished. Key steps include (1) our sequential one-pot spiro-cyclization/intramolecular aza-Baylis-Hillman method to prepare the ABCE framework; (2) a novel domino acylation/Knoevenagel cyclization to prepare the F-ring; and (3) a Heck cyclization to access the D-ring.
Impact of an Institutional Change in Prothrombin Time Methodology on INR and MELD Scores in Liver Transplant Evaluations.

Background Allocation of liver grafts based on the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) has been questioned because the prothrombin time (PT) measurement in cirrhosis patients changes with different commercially available thromboplastin reagents due to variations in the international sensitivity index (ISI). Our hospital laboratory electively changed the thromboplastin used in the PT/INR from PT-HS (ISI of 1.464) to Recombiplastin (ISI of 0.870). Theoretically, this change may yield lower INR and MELD scores in cirrhosis patients at our institution and thus impact access to organs. Methods 27 patients listed for liver transplant prior to change in thromboplastin (Cohort A) were compared to 36 patients listed after the change (Cohort B). Results Patients in Cohort A had a mean INR of 1.41 and mean MELD of 13.9 compared to Cohort B with a mean INR of 1.39 and mean MELD of 13.8. Student's t-tests showed no statistically significant difference in INR (p = 0.799) or MELD (p = 0.955) between cohorts. Conclusion We expected overall INR and MELD scores to decrease following the change to a thromboplastin with a lower ISI. On the contrary, we found no evidence of a major trend in these values supporting the relative robustness of the MELD.
Solvent Control of Surface Plasmon-Mediated Chemical Deposition of Au Nanoparticles from Alkylgold Phosphine Complexes.

Bottom-up approaches to nanofabrication are of great interest because they can enable structural control while minimizing material waste and fabrication time. One new bottom-up nanofabrication method involves excitation of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of a Ag surface to drive deposition of sub-15 nm Au nanoparticles from MeAuPPh3. In this work we used density functional theory to investigate the role of the PPh3 ligands of the Au precursor and the effect of adsorbed solvent on the deposition process, and to elucidate the mechanism of Au nanoparticle deposition. In the absence of solvent, the calculated barrier to MeAuPPh3 dissociation on the bare surface is <20 kcal/mol, making it facile at room temperature. Once adsorbed on the surface, neighboring MeAu fragments undergo ethane elimination to produce Au adatoms that cluster into Au nanoparticles. However, if the sample is immersed in benzene, we predict that the monolayer of adsorbed solvent blocks the adsorption of MeAuPPh3 onto the Ag surface be...
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly

Background Few studies have examined the results of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in the elderly. We reviewed our experience with the procedure in 194 patients age 65 and older.
First order mechanical sizing equations for the electromagnetic optimization of spoke IPM machines

The dovetailed spoke interior permanent magnet (IPM) electric machine rotor has gained popularity over the past few years. The first machine prototype of this type was a design with NdFeB magnets. This rotor topology limits the magnet leakage flux associated with IPM designs that use the lamination structure to mechanically support the magnets and rotor structure by eliminating the need for magnetic bridges and posts. The price and sustainability of rare earth elements has driven a concern of the long term availability of rare earth magnets like NdFeB that use both neodymium (Nd) as well as the heavy rare-earth dysprosium (Dy) used to stabilize the demagnetization of these magnets at higher temperature. There has been a focused global effort to reduce or eliminate the need for rare-earth materials. This paper will cover the first order mechanical sizing equations that have been developed and used in the power density optimization of a non-rare earth magnet ferrite spoke design.