cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A domain specific language for usage management

In this paper we describe the development of a domain specific language (DSL) for expressing usage management policies and associating those policies with managed artifacts. We begin by framing a model for the language, including generalized use cases, a domain model, a general supported life-cycle, and specific extension requirements. We then develop the language from that model, demonstrating key syntactic elements and highlighting the technology behind the language while tracing features back to the initial model. We then demonstrate how the DSL supports common usage management and DRM-centric environments, including creative commons, the extensible rights markup language (XrML), and the open digital rights language (ODRL).
Confirmation and quantitation of hydroxymethanesulfonate in precipitation by electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract We used the novel technique of electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to definitively detect and quantitate hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) in five selected precipitation samples. These results confirm the presence of a species previously postulated to exist, but for which only indirect evidence could be advanced owing to the limitations of current analytical methods. Concentrations of HMS in the five samples ranged 0.6 to 8.6 μ M , with contributions to total sulfur ranging from 3.4 to 22%. Other precipitation anions, such as SO42− and NO3−, were also easily identified in the ESI-MS analyses. The ESI-MS technique appears to be suitable for broad-spectrum analyses of many compounds of atmospheric interest.
Using IR thermography as a manufacturing tool to analyze and repair defects in printed circuit boards

The cost of printed circuit boards with multi-layered voltage planes has created the need for an easy to use tool that can detect, locate, verify and analyze hidden defects causing shorts. The use of a Thermal Image Analyzer (TIA) in conjunction with a hipot test and high voltage stress give manufacturing such a tool. This tool, controlled by a personal computer, directs the operator in the correct analysis procedures needed to safely detect, with thermal image analysis, the defective area of the product. The tool is capable of applying a high-voltage test and low- current stress to leakage defects. The tester can then apply constant power to the defect using low voltage (less than 24 VDC), enabling detection with the TIA. The entire operation is transparent to the manufacturing operator who when trained in the use of the TIA, can detect, isolate, categorize and repair internal and/or surface defects related to multi-layered printed circuit boards. This paper deals with the infrared detection and repair of defects in printed circuit boards as a manufacturing process.
Successful Nonoperative Treatment of Isolated Popliteus Tendon Avulsion Fractures in Two Adolescents

Isolated popliteal tendon avulsion fractures are relatively uncommon in the pediatric population as other posterolateral lateral structures are often involved. This report describes two skeletally immature male patients who presented with knee injuries without ligamentous instability and were subsequently diagnosed with isolated popliteus tendon avulsion fractures. Both of these patients were managed nonoperatively and had subjectively full recoveries. As the treatment for isolated popliteal tendon avulsion fractures is still unclear, the report here may contribute to strategies regarding conservative treatment of these injuries.
Treatment of achalasia with the Witzel pneumatic dilator.

1. Thompson JJ. Esophageal cancer and the premalignant changes of esophageal diseases. In: Cohen S, Soloway RD, eds. Diseases of the esophagus. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1982:23976. 2. Bozymski EM. Barrett's esophagus. Ann Intern Med 1982;97:103-7. 3. Sjogren RW, Johnson LF. Barrett's esophagus: a review. Am J Med 1983;74:313-21. 4. Northmann BJ, WrightJR, Schuster MM. In vivo vital staining as an aid to identification of esophagogastric mucosal junction in man. Am J Dig Dis 1972;17:919-24.
Improving the topological resilience of mobile ad hoc networks

In order to effectively deploy survivability techniques to improve the resilience of mobile ad hoc networks, one must be able to identify all the weak points of the network topology. The weak or critical points of the topology are those links and nodes whose failure results in partitioning of the network. Here we propose a new algorithm based on results from algebraic graph theory, that can find the critical points in the network for single and multiple failure cases. Utilizing this algorithm we present numerical results that examine how the number of critical points varies with nodal density. Secondly, we propose three localized topological control schemes to improve the network connectivity around critical points to lessen their importance and improve the network resilience. Numerical studies to evaluate the proposed schemes under node and link failure network conditions are presented.
Real-time CT fluoroscopy: usefulness in thoracic drainage.

The purpose of our study was to review the application of real-time CT fluoroscopy in the drainage of localized pleural and mediastinal collections.Between July 1996 and August 1997, 20 patients with 10 loculated pleural effusions, two mediastinal fluid collections, and 12 focal pneumothoraces were treated using CT fluoroscopy. The patient population was 25-77 years old and included 14 men and six women. Methods of drainage included using a modified Seldinger technique with a guidewire and serial dilators in 10 patients and a single-stick trocar technique in the remaining 14. Total room time, procedure time, and CT fluoroscopy time were recorded.All 24 collections were successfully evacuated using either real-time or interrupted real-time CT fluoroscopy. The real-time capability of CT fluoroscopy proved particularly useful for rapid placement of drainage tubes in patients who were unable to cooperate with breathing instructions and in patients who had a narrow window of access. Average total room time was...
Employee absenteeism: A multivariate analysis with replication

Abstract Most empirical work on the correlates of employee absenteeism considers few predictors simultaneously or fails to distinguish among different types of, or reasons for, absences. In addition there have been few attempts to assess the stability of findings over time. The current study assesses a multivariate model of absence behavior generated from the literature and distinguishes among excused and unexcused absences and absences attributed to illness. It also assesses the model at two different points in time. Results indicate that predictors are associated differently with different absence types. While there are consistencies, there also is a discomforting lack of stability in the results over time. Although some of the instability may have been due to changes in economic conditions over time, it is concluded that other factors must be taken into account if we are to develop a stable model of absence behavior.
A new model for the structure of the centriolar satellite complex in spermatozoa

The ultrastructure of the centriolar satellite complex in the spermatozoon of the hydroid, Pennaria, is presented. The complex consists of nine spoke-like arms which emanate from the distal centriole and of nine wedgeshaped connectives which extend into the flagellum joining each of the alpha doublets and the flagellar plasmalemma. Based upon these observations a new model for the structure of the centriolar satellite complex is proposed. In addition, similar centriolar satellite complexes are reported in the spermatozoa of two echinoderms, Ctenodiscus crispatus and Thyone briareus, in support of the proposed model.
The shape of soteriology and the pistis Christou debate

A historic debate with great implications for theology has resurfaced in New Testament circles; however, it has not received the attention it should by theologians. It concerns how to translate and interpret approximately ten instances of the Greek phrase pistis Christou and its near equivalents in the letters of Paul. This phrase occurs within theologically crucial sections of Romans and Galatians, which have provided the foundation for the Reformation understanding of ‘justification by grace through faith’. The question is whether ‘faith’ in these phrases refers principally to the believer's ‘faith in Christ’, as traditionally understood, or should be translated and understood as ‘the faith of Christ’. In this article, I hope to introduce theologians to this debate and make a contribution to it from a theological angle, by describing the two primary ‘patterns of soteriology’ which are in play, and then examining how easily these different patterns of soteriology can be read onto what Paul writes concerning three crucial issues in his letters: salvation, the Law and the ‘righteousness of God’. I argue that the overall theological vision which includes three facets – a christologically centred understanding of the pistis Christou passages, a broader understanding of pistis, and the centring of soteriology around the concept of ‘participation in Christ’ – provides the most convincing interpretational matrix for reading Paul. I also point out implications this has for contemporary theology.
Dietary Risk Factors and Colonic pH and Mineral Concentrations in Horses with Enterolithiasis

A prospective, unmatched case control study was performed to identify dietary and environmental risk factors for enterolithiasis in horses in California and to determine whether colonic ingesta analyses differed between horses with and without enteroliths. Forty-three horses with enterolithiasis were compared with 19 horses with surgical colic attributable to nonstrangulating obstruction of the colon without enteroliths. Colonic ingesta samples were collected at surgery from horses with enteroliths and control horses. Colonic pH and colonic concentrations of magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, calcium, potassium, and nitrogen were measured. Questionnaires were distributed to owners to determine diet and management practices. Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney tests were used to evaluate differences in pH, dry matter content, percent nitrogen, and mineral content. Associations between dietary and management risk factors and enterolith occurrence were quantified by odds ratios. Mean pH of colonic contents from horses with enterolithiasis was significantly higher than for control horses. Horses with enterolithiasis had significantly lower percent dry matter in colonic fecal samples and higher mean mineral concentrations than controls. On the basis of reported feeding and management practices, horses with enterolithiasis were fed a significantly higher proportion of alfalfa in their diet and were less likely to have daily access to pasture grass than horses without enteroliths. Results suggest that decreasing alfalfa consumption and allowing daily access to pasture grazing might reduce the risk of enterolithiasis. Dietary modifications promoting acidification of colonic contents and dilution of minerals might be beneficial as preventive measures for enterolithiasis in horses.
Self-Reported Sexual Assault in Convicted Sex Offenders and Community Men

Although self-reported sexual assault perpetrated by men against women has been well documented among college men, less is known about self-reported perpetration among convicted sex offenders and community men. This study provides unique descriptive and comparative information on sexual assaults in these understudied populations. Participants were 40 convicted sex offenders and 49 demographically comparable community men who completed the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES; Abbey, Parkhill, & Koss, 2005; Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987) and other surveys to capture the promiscuous sex and hostile masculinity pathways posited by the confluence model (Malamuth, 2003). We found notably few differences between sex offenders and community men in the rate and severity of sexual assault perpetration and the tactics used to obtain unwanted sexual contact. Specifically, 68% of sex offenders and 59% of community men acknowledged they had perpetrated sexual assault. Both groups used guilt and anger as the most frequent...
Organization within the cranial IX–X complex in ranid frogs: A horseradish peroxidase transport study

Cranial nerves IX and X in frogs have been described as originating from a nuclear group referred to as the IX-X complex. We studied the central nervous system components of this complex in Rana pipiens and R. catesbiana by labeling peripheral branches of cranial nerves IX and X and identifying the central nervous system contributions of these branches. Various peripheral nerves (IX and the cardiac, gastric, pulmonary, and laryngeal branches of X) were identified and soaked in horseradish peroxidase (HRP). One to 2 weeks later, the frogs were killed and processed for HRP by the tetramethylbenzidine method. Glossopharyngeal efferents originated from a small ventrolateral cell group found at the level of IX root exit. Vagal efferents formed a single column of cells in a ventrolateral position from the level of the brainstem exist of the vagus nerve (approximately 2,000 micrometers above the obex) to 200 micrometers below the obex (values given are for an 80-g frog). This cell group was separate from and just caudal to efferent cells of the glossopharyngeal nerve. Within the vagal portion of the column, cells projecting through the gastric branch were found throughout the rostral-caudal extent of the nucleus. "Cardiac" cells tended to be more rostral than "pulmonary" cells, and both groups of cells were located in the middle of the nucleus. "Laryngeal" cells were located more caudally in the nucleus. This peripheral representation within the vagal nucleus corresponds more closely to the organization found in the mammalian nucleus ambiguus, rather than to the apparent lack of organization found in the mammalian dorsal motor nucleus. Afferents of IX and X entered slightly rostral to the ventral roots of their respective nerves and descended in two tracts. The majority entered the tractus solitarius and descended in a medial position to cervical spinal cord. A portion of the afferents from the vagus nerve crossed the midline in the lower myelencephalon just dorsal to the central canal and ascended a short distance on the contralateral side. Within the solitary tract, vagal afferents were located in a ventrolateral position as they descended to below the obex. Glossopharyngeal afferents filled the remainder of the tract. A smaller portion of afferents from both IX and X did not enter the solitary tract but descended in the spinal tract of V and the dorsolateral funiculus of the spinal cord (Lissauer's tract) to thoracic levels. Afferents of IX also formed a rostral bundle which extended in the solitary tract to the caudal metencephalon.
Probability-based codified design for earthquakes

Abstract Current trends in code development in North America and Western Europe are toward the implementation of probability-based limit states design methods. Structural design of buildings and other facilities to withstand the effects of strong earthquake ground motion requires special considerations that are not normally a part of design for other occupancy, service and environmental loads. This paper reviews some of these special considerations specifically as they pertain to probability-based codified design. The role of structural reliability methods in providing an improved basis for design provisions that are suitable for code implementation is evaluated, and the treatment of uncertainty in code safety checking is described. Difficulties experienced in implementing structural reliability principles in the first-generation probability-based limit states codes are summarized. Prospects for improving current earthquake-resistant design procedures based on a more rational probability-based treatment of uncertainty are assessed.
Effect of sodium chloride on growth of heterotrophic marine bacteria.

The effect of NaCl on the growth rates and yields of 31 gram-negative, heterotrophic, marine bacteria was determined. The strains used were representative of aerobic genera (Alteromonas, Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Bdellovibrio) as well as genera comprised of facultative anaerobes (Beneckea, Photobacterium). Two media were used-the first, a medium designed for the cultivation of marine bacteria and, the second, a medium used for the cultivation of terrestrial strains. These two media differed in the concentrations of divalent cations; the terrestrial medium (TM) contained 2 mM Mg++ and 0.55 mM Ca++ while the marine medium (MM) contained 50 mM Mg++ and 10 mM Ca++. The amount of NaCl necessary for optimal growth varied in different strains and was usually considerably higher in TM (100 to 460 mM) than in MM (70 to 300 mM). Many strains which grew in MM and TM had a shorter generation time in the former than in the latter medium. In addition, four strains which grew well in MM usually failed to grow in TM. These results show that higher levels of divalent cations are either essential for growth or stimulate growth rate, indicating that for many marine strains a terrestrial medium modified by the addition of NaCl cannot support optimal growth. Fourteen terrestrial strains of the genera Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Acinetobacter, Salmonella, Aeromonas, and Vibrio did not have ionic requirements comparable to those of the marine strains. All of the terrestrial organisms grew in TM without added NaCl (0.068 mM Na+ was present as a contaminant). In some terrestrial organisms, growth was stimulated by the addition of NaCl, the highest stimulation being found in Vibrio cholerae. The optimal growth rates and yields for four strains of this species were observed at 2.5 to 5.0 mM NaCl while the growth rates and yields in TM with no added NaCl were 40 to 50% of the optimum.
Development and reliability of the comprehensive crisis plan checklist

It is of vital importance that children are educated in a safe environment. Every school needs to have a well-developed crisis management document containing plans for prevention, intervention, and postvention. We developed the Comprehensive Crisis Plan Checklist (CCPC) to serve as a valuable tool that can be used to assist practitioners with evaluation of their school crisis management plans. To use the CCPC, school personnel should match the items on the checklist to elements in their developing or existing crisis plan to determine missing elements. By comparing a school or district crisis plan to the CCPC, practitioners or school personnel will be able to determine strengths and weaknesses of the plan as well as provide feedback for making their plans more complete and comprehensive. In this study, we describe the development of the CCPC and report on reliability data using this checklist. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ensuring IC Reliability by Automated Design Checks

This paper describes a schematic tool for verification of voltage levels of the signal and power nets to ensure the reliability of devices in the complex designs. The tool traces voltage levels of all nets/devices from the primary I/O pins of full chip and flags wrong voltage levels for power and signal nets in IC designs. The checker increases the efficiency of designers while creating/verifying the schematic.
Effect of a Targeted Women's Health Intervention in an Inner-City Emergency Department

Objective. To evaluate the effect of an Emergency Department (ED) based, educational intervention for at-risk health behaviors. Methods. A randomized trial over a one-year period. African American women, aged 21–55, presenting to the ED waiting room were eligible. Each participant took a computer-based survey on health risk behaviors. Participants who screened positive on any of four validated scales (for IPV, nicotine, alcohol, or drug dependence) were randomized to standard information about community resources (control) or to targeted educational handouts based upon their screening results (intervention). Participants were surveyed at 3 months regarding contacts with community resources and harm-reduction actions. Results. 610 women were initially surveyed; 326 screened positive (13.7% for IPV, 40.1% for nicotine addiction, 26.6% for alcohol abuse, and 14.4% for drug abuse). 157 women were randomized to intervention and 169 to control. Among women who completed follow-up (n = 71), women in the Intervention Group were significantly more likely to have contacted local resources (37% versus 9%, P = 0.04) and were more likely to have taken risk-reducing action (97% versus 79%, P = 0.04). Conclusion. Targeted, brief educational interventions may be an effective method for targeting risk behaviors among vulnerable ED populations.
A Numerical Study of Turbulent Heat Transfer in Unconfined Impinging Slot Jets

This paper presents a numerical study on the prediction of turbulent heat transfer in an unconfined single slot jet impingement on an isoflux flat plate. Governing equations are solved with a finite-volume approach in which the k–e model and Reynolds-Stress Model (RSM) with enhanced wall functions are employed for the turbulence closure. Computations are performed at four jet Reynolds number based on the hydraulic diameter of the nozzle, Rej = 15000, 22500, 30000 and 40000, where the non-dimensional nozzle-to-plate spacing, H/W varies between 2 and 8. Local Nusselt number, Nu predictions are compared with the corresponding experimental data of Singer et al. [6]. It was shown that the magnitude and distribution of Nusselt number is significantly affected by the shape of velocity profiles at the nozzle exit, therefore the profiles obtained from nozzle flow simulations are imposed as inlet boundary conditions. Off-center peaks occurring at low nozzle-to-plate spacings exhibited by the experiments are not fully captured by the computations. These secondary peaks are more pronounced at high Rej . The center-line jet velocity, and therefore the potential core length plays an important role on the stagnation Nusselt number, yielding an optimum nozzle-to-plate spacing for the given Rej range. It is show that there is a significant discrepancy between the experimental data and the predictions from the k–e model with standard wall functions, while the k–e model and RSM with enhanced wall functions demonstrated significantly better agreement with the experiments.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Statistical mechanics of worm-like polymers from a new generating function

We present a mathematical approach to the worm-like chain model of semiflexible polymers. Our method is built on a novel generating function from which all the properties of the model can be derived. Moreover, this approach satisfies the local inextensibility constraint exactly. In this paper, we focus on the lowest order contribution to the generating function and derive explicit analytical expressions for the characteristic function, polymer propagator, single chain structure factor, and mean square end-to-end distance. These analytical expressions are valid for polymers with any degree of stiffness and contour length. We find that our calculations are able to capture the fully flexible and infinitely stiff limits of the aforementioned quantities exactly while providing a smooth and approximate crossover behavior for intermediate values of the stiffness of the polymer backbone. In addition, our results are in very good quantitative agreement with the exact and approximate results of five other treatments of semiflexible polymers.
Brief detection and co-occurrence of violence, depression and alcohol risk in prenatal care settings

The purpose of the study was to examine the rates and inter-relationships among violence receipt, alcohol use problems, and depression in women seeking prenatal care. While waiting for their prenatal care appointment, women (n = 1054) completed measures of past year partner and non-partner violence receipt, alcohol misuse (TWEAK and quantity and frequency of alcohol use in past year), and depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale - CESD and prior history of depression). Over 30% of women reported either violence receipt, alcohol use problems or depression risk. Significant inter-relationships among all measured risk variables were found. Although violence receipt was significantly related to alcohol misuse, cigarette use, less education, and scoring above the cutoff on the CESD (>/= 16) was most strongly associated with violence. Practitioners should be well-equipped to provide assessment, interventions, or referrals as needed to the high numbers of women encountered in prenatal care settings experiencing psychosocial and behavioral problems that may affect their pregnancy.
Asymmetric post-flutter oscillations of a cantilever due to a dynamic follower force

Abstract Flutter instability of a cantilever beam subjected to a follower force of constant magnitude is well understood: the beam oscillates with increasing amplitude when the force is larger than the critical load. Post-flutter analysis, similar to previous efforts, shows that the addition of damping results in steady-state oscillations. These oscillations are symmetric, but addition of a slope-dependent term to the magnitude of the follower force results in asymmetry. These asymmetric oscillations are investigated in this paper: the Ritz–Galerkin method is used to obtain a finite degree-of-freedom model of the cantilever and the method of multiple scales is used to analytically predict the amplitude and asymmetry of the oscillations. Numerical simulation results indicate a close match with analytically predicted results.
Long-Run Performance of Penny Stock IPOs

This article examines short- and long-run performance of one special class of penny stocks. It examines initial public offerings (IPOs) filed for and issued as penny stocks, as defined by the amended SEC Act of 1990. Short- and long-run performance analysis reveals that, in general, penny stocks show high performance with raw returns of 18% to 20% in the first year of issue, but the returns decline sharply after the initial 13-month period. The study find an 11-month optimal holding period over which an investor could maximize returns in a portfolio of penny stocks. It further shows that a passive buy-and-hold investment in penny stocks with an investment horizon beyond the optimal period of 13-months can be a poor investment, but an actively managed penny stock portfolio can outperform comparable benchmark portfolios of various market indices on both a raw and a risk-adjusted basis.
Buyer Seller Productivity and Economic Development

Concepts of buyer productivity and seller productivity have not received much attention in previous macromarketing literature. This article focuses on how the relative productivity of the buyer and the seller shifts with the changing economic environment. The authors advocate a series of normative implications discussing how the concept of consumer productivity can be operationalized by policymakers and multinational firms in less developed countries.
Diagnosis of Radiosonde Vertical Temperature Trend Profiles: Comparing the Influence of Data Homogenization versus Model Forcings

Abstract Measurements from radiosonde temperatures have been used in studies that seek to identify the human influence on climate. However, such measurements are known to be contaminated by artificial inhomogeneities introduced by changes in instruments and recording practices that have occurred over time. Some simple diagnostics are used to compare vertical profiles of temperature trends from the observed data with simulations from a GCM driven by several different sets of forcings. Unlike most earlier studies of this type, both raw (i.e., fully contaminated) as well as adjusted observations (i.e., treated to remove some of the contamination) are utilized. The comparisons demonstrate that the effect of observational data adjustment can be as important as the inclusion of some major climate forcings in the model simulations. The effects of major volcanic eruptions critically influence temperature trends, even over a time period nearly four decades in length. In addition, it is seen that the adjusted data ...
Ilex paraguariensis extracts are potent inhibitors of nitrosative stress: A comparative study with green tea and wines using a protein nitration model and mammalian cell cytotoxicity

Due to the increasing importance of nitrosative stress in pathology and the efficacy displayed by flavonoids in canceling the effects of peroxynitrite, we decided to conduct a comparative study of three commonly used beverages with the highest polyphenol contents and proven antioxidant properties: mate (Ilex paraguariensis); green tea (Camelia sinensis) extracts and white and red wines of the main varietals. We directly evaluated and compared the extracts and wines as protein nitration inhibitors using 3-nitrotyrosine as a biomarker, we studied the extracts as protectors from OONO-induced cytotoxicity in two mammalian cell lines. Both green tea and mate extracts have a high polyphenol content, in the case of Ip, its higher concentration and higher free radical quenching activity on the DPPH assay may be mainly due to the sui generis extraction procedure. When BSA was incubated in the presence of SIN-1, a time and dose dependent nitration of the protein is clearly shown. Co-incubation of BSA with Ip, green tea or red wines led to a dose dependent inhibition of the effect. Ip displayed the highest inhibitory activity, followed by red wines and the green tea. Dilutions as low as 1/1500 produced more than 80% inhibition of albumin nitration. When we studied peroxynitrite-induced cytotoxicity in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages and 31EG4 mammary cells., we found a potent, dose-dependent protective effect that was Ilex paraguariensis > red wines > green tea. Taken together, our results indicate that when the herbal preparations studied here are prepared the way they are usually drunk, Ip displays the highest inhibition of protein nitration, and the highest promotion of cell survival, whereas green tea or red wines display significant but lesser effects at the same concentrations. Further studies aiming at isolation of the active principles and assessment of their bioavailability are warranted.
Evaluation of Absolute and Relative Reinforcer Value Using Progressive-Ratio Schedules.

We evaluated behavior exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities using progressive-ratio (PR) schedules. High- and low-preference stimuli were determined based on the results of a paired-stimulus preference assessment and were evaluated in subsequent reinforcer and PR assessments using concurrent and single schedules of presentation. In Experiment 1, results showed that for 2 of 3 participants, stimuli determined to be low-preference functioned as reinforcers when evaluated independent of high-preference stimuli. Further, the results from Experiment 2 showed that low-preference stimuli also functioned as reinforcers under gradually increasing PR requirements. Results suggest that for cases in which a high-preference stimulus is unavailable or impractical, the contingent delivery of relatively less preferred stimuli may maintain appropriate behavior, even as schedule requirements increase.
Correlation of Queen Sperm Content with Colony Size in Yellowjackets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

The sperm content of the spermatheca was examined in eleven species of yellowjacket queens collected in the spring of 1987–1989. The sperm count data were highly correlated ( r = 0.84) with total cell numbers of mature nests reported for 10 species. Sperm content varied within and among species with mean numbers of sperm ranging from a low of 3,200 ± 600 in Vespula consobrina in 1988, to a high of 176,000 ± 46,200 in Vespula squamosa , the same year. The implications of mating success and initial sperm quantity variability are discussed.
Design for circuit quality: yield maximization, minimax, and Taguchi approach

A relationship between yield optimization, deterministic minimax design, and the Taguchi 'on-target' design with variability reduction is established. It is shown that all these and other design approaches can be combined into one coherent methodology, using the same statistical optimization algorithms and the same generic gradient evaluation formulas. A specific choice is controlled by the selection of the generalized membership function w(.) of the acceptability region, and a sequence of the values of the smoothing parameter beta . Moreover, any 'intermediate' approach between the basic types introduced can be defined in a sense similar to the one used in Zadeh's (1968) fuzzy set theory. As a result, circuit quality can be optimized within the same basic methodology, using different design strategies and investigating different trade-offs, e.g., between the performance and yield. Test examples, as well as a practical CMOS circuit are investigated. Convolution smoothing techniques, and the stochastic approximation approach to statistical optimization are utilized. >
A Three-Layer Model for Software Engineering Metrics

This paper presents a three-layer model that captures the fundamentals of software metrics within a unifying framework. The model readily lends itself for use in both instructional and practitioner environments. The first (lowest) layer of the model consists of the three primitive software engineering metrics: person-months (PM), function-points (FP), and lines of code (LOC). They are presented as "primary" metrics from which other metrics are computed. Time is also included as a fundamental (not necessarily software) primary metric. The second layer consists of general-purpose metrics such as productivity measures, which are computed from the primary metrics, and the third layer consists of special-purpose metrics such as reliability and quality measures. This third layer is inherently extensible.
Congressional Responses to the Rehnquist Court's Federalism Decisions

Scholars who have sought to assess the consequences of the Rehnquist Court's federalism decisions have identified various means by which Congress can overcome the effects of these rulings, but there have been few efforts to investigate the degree to which Congress has employed these means. This study finds that Congress has enjoyed limited success in responding to the Court's rulings. Significantly, though, the failure to overcome the effects of these decisions is rarely attributable to the fact that the Court's constitutional doctrines have erected insurmountable barriers to congressional action. Rather, the Court's decisions have forced congressional supporters of the invalidated statutory provisions to build and hold political coalitions in support of the repassage of these laws, and this has frequently proved to be difficult to accomplish, whether due to a lack of enthusiasm for such efforts, conflicts with other policy goals, or opposition from other groups. Copyright 2002, Oxford University Press.
Efficient parallel algorithms for solvent accessible surface area of proteins

We present faster sequential and parallel algorithms for computing the solvent accessible surface area (ASA) of protein molecules. The ASA is computed by finding the exposed surface areas of the spheres obtained by increasing the van der Waals radii of the atoms with the van der Waals radius of the solvent. Using domain specific knowledge, we show that the number of sphere intersections is only O(n), where n is the number of atoms in the protein molecule. For computing sphere intersections, we present hash-based algorithms that run in O(n) expected sequential time and O(n/p) expected parallel time and sort-based algorithms that run in worst-case O(n log n) sequential time and O(n log n/p) parallel time. These are significant improvements over previously known algorithms which take O(n/sup 2/) time sequentially and O(n/sup 2//p) time in parallel. We present a Monte Carlo algorithm for computing the solvent accessible surface area. The basic idea is to generate points uniformly at random on the surface of spheres obtained by increasing the van der Waals radii of the atoms with the van der Waals radius of the solvent molecule and to test the points for accessibility. We also provide error bounds as a function of the sample size. Experimental verification of the algorithms is carried out using an IBM SP-2.
The role of scientists in the environmental policy process: a case study from the American west

Abstract Recently, there have been calls among decision makers, interest groups, citizens, and scientists alike for more science-based environmental policy. The assumption is that including scientists and scientific information will improve the quality of complex policy decisions. Others have argued, however, that science and scientists are just one source of expertise concerning natural resource management and increasing involvement will not necessarily lead to better policy. We report on a study examining attitudes of scientists, natural resource managers, interest groups, and the public concerning the role of science and scientists in environmental and natural resource policy. In interviews and surveys with members of the four groups from the Pacific Northwest, we found that there are significant differences among groups about what constitutes science, including the acceptability of positivism; a preference among many respondents for research scientists to work closely with managers to interpret and integrate scientific findings into management decisions; and, for those respondents with positivist orientations, some interest in scientific advocacy and decision-making by ecological scientists. Ecological scientists, on the other hand, are more doubtful of their ability to provide scientific answers and also more reluctant to engage directly in policy processes than others would prefer them to be.
Alcohol exacerbates murine pulmonary tuberculosis.

Alcohol consumption has been described as a risk factor for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but its contribution to tuberculosis has been difficult to isolate from other adverse socioeconomic factors. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of alcohol consumption on pulmonary infection with M. tuberculosis in a murine model. BALB/c mice were maintained on the Lieber-DeCarli liquid ethanol diet or a liquid control diet and infected intratracheally with low-dose M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Lung organism burdens, lung and lung-associated lymph node CD4+- and CD8+- lymphocyte numbers and rates of proliferation, and CD4+-lymphocyte cytokine production levels were compared between the groups. The alcohol-consuming mice had significantly higher lung organism burdens than the control mice, and the CD4+- and CD8+-lymphocyte responses to pulmonary infection with M. tuberculosis were blunted in the alcohol group. Lymphocyte proliferation and production of gamma interferon were decreased in the CD4+ lymphocytes from the alcohol-consuming mice. Additionally, lung granulomas were significantly smaller in the alcohol-consuming mice. In conclusion, murine alcohol consumption is associated with decreased control of pulmonary infection with M. tuberculosis, which is accompanied by alterations in the region-specific CD4+- and CD8+-lymphocyte responses and defective lung granuloma formation.
Estimating Future Costs for Alaska Public Infrastructure At Risk from Climate Change

This analysis reports on the projected cost of Alaska’s public infrastructure at risk from rapid climate change. Specifically, we coupled projections of future climate with engineering rules of thumb to estimate how thawing permafrost, increased flooding, and increased coastal erosion affect annualized replacement costs for nearly 16,000 structures. We conclude that climate change could add $3.6–$6.1 billion (+10% to +20% above normal wear and tear) to future costs for public infrastructure from now to 2030 and $5.6–$7.6 billion (+10% to +12%) from now to 2080. These estimates take into account different possible levels of climate change and assume agencies strategically adapt infrastructure to changing conditions. In addition to implementing a risk-based economic analysis of climate change impacts, this research effort demonstrates that implementing plausible adaptation strategies could offset impacts by up to 45% over the long-run. & 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Role of C, O and H in III-V Nitrides

The light ion impurities C, 0 and H have been implanted or diffused into GaN and related compounds and their effect on the electrical properties of these materials measured by Hall, C-V and SIMS as a function of annealing temperatures from 300--11OO{degree}C. While C in as-grown GaN appears to create an acceptor under MOMBE conditions, implanted C shows no measurable activity. Similarly, implanted 0 does not show any shallow donor activity after annealing at {le}700{degree}C, but can create high resistivity regions (10{sup 6} {Omega}/{open_square}) in GaN, AlInN and InGaN for device isolation when annealed at 500--70O{degree}C. Finally, hydrogen is found to passivate shallow donor and acceptor states in GaN, InN. InAlN and InGaN, with dissociation of the neutral complexes at >450{degree}C. The liberated hydrogen does not leave the nitride films until much higher annealing temperatures (>800{degree}C). Typical reactivation energies are {approximately}2.0 eV for impurity-hydrogen complexes.
Interferometric Wavelength Measurements of Germanium Lines of a Hollow Cathode Discharge

Interferometric wavelength measurements of forty-three germanium arc lines in the region from 4685 A to 2019 A have been performed. The light source used was a hollow cathode Schuler tube of special design employing a cast germanium cathode provided with a slot. The precision measurements carried out by means of a Fabry-Perot interferometer equipped with 6, 20, 36, and 49 mm spacers show that the germanium lines emitted by this source are of superior quality and merit use as secondary standards.The measurements were employed for the establishment of precision values for one even energy level and for eighteen odd levels. Furthermore, by application of Ritz’s combination principle and by using the term analysis of the spectrum it was possible to calculate precisely the wavelength values of twenty-nine germanium lines in the vacuum region between λ1998 A and λ1691 A. These lines can be recommended as reliable standards in this wavelength region.
Adsorption of methane and several mixtures of methane and carbon dioxide at elevated pressures and near ambient temperatures on 5A and 13X molecular sieves by tracer perturbation chromatography

The principles of tracer perturbation chromatography were applied to measure the sorption of pure methane and several methane-carbon dioxide mixtures on 5A and 13X molecular sieves at near ambient temperatures to pressures in excess of 7 MPa (1 000 lb/in.2abs). The molecular sieves studied were industrial grade zeolite crystals pelleted with 20 wt % clay binder. The statistical mechanical model of Ruthven was applied to both pure methane and to several mixtures of methane rich, methane-carbon dioxide mixtures from a few MPa (50 lb/in.2abs) to pressures as high as 10.34 MPa (1 500 lb/in.2abs) at near ambient temperature. While the theory appears to correlate the data well even at high pressures, some limitations of the theory begin to appear for the mixtures of higher dioxide concentrations.
A Symposium on the Politics of Same-Sex Marriage—An Introduction and Commentary

The morning of November 3, 2004, was an extremely difficult time for gay and lesbian Americans. The reelection of President George W. Bush, and the simultaneous passage of anti-gay marriage amendments in 11 states, was as resounding a defeat as any social group is likely to experience in American politics. Worse, the emergence of the analytically vague phrase “moral values” from the exit polls and some arm-chair analysis by the pundits had already raised to the level of conventional wisdom the assertion that Senator John Kerry had lost because of the issue of same-sex marriage. Even Democrats, trying to extract some meaning and direction from the disappointing outcomes, appeared to conclude that the marriage issue had played an important and costly role. To gay and lesbian Americans, the headlines that morning might as well have read, “We lost. And it's your fault!”
TCR-like Biomolecules Target Peptide/MHC Class I Complexes on the Surface of Infected and Cancerous Cells

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA; also called major histocompatibility, or MHC) class I system presents peptides that distinguish healthy from diseased cells. Therefore, the discovery of peptide/MHC class I markers can provide highly specific targets for immunotherapy. Over the course of almost two decades, various strategies have been used, with mixed success, to produce antibodies that have recognition specificity for unique peptide/MHC class I complexes that mark infected and cancerous cells. Using these antibody reagents, novel peptide/MHC class I targets have been directly validated on diseased cells and new insight has been gained into the mechanisms of antigen presentation. More recently, these antibodies have shown promise for clinical applications such as therapeutic targeting of cancerous and infected cells and diagnosis and imaging of diseased cells. In this review, the authors comprehensively describe the methods used to identify disease-specific peptide/MHC class I epitopes and generate antibodies to these markers. Finally, they offer several examples that illustrate the promise of using these antibodies as anti-cancer agents.
FATP1 Is an Insulin-Sensitive Fatty Acid Transporter Involved in Diet-Induced Obesity

Fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1), a member of the FATP/Slc27 protein family, enhances the cellular uptake of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and is expressed in several insulin-sensitive tissues. In adipocytes and skeletal muscle, FATP1 translocates from an intracellular compartment to the plasma membrane in response to insulin. Here we show that insulin-stimulated fatty acid uptake is completely abolished in FATP1-null adipocytes and greatly reduced in skeletal muscle of FATP1-knockout animals while basal LCFA uptake by both tissues was unaffected. Moreover, loss of FATP1 function altered regulation of postprandial serum LCFA, causing a redistribution of lipids from adipocyte tissue and muscle to the liver, and led to a complete protection from diet-induced obesity and insulin desensitization. This is the first in vivo evidence that insulin can regulate the uptake of LCFA by tissues via FATP1 activation and that FATPs determine the tissue distribution of dietary lipids. The strong protection against diet-induced obesity and insulin desensitization observed in FATP1-null animals suggests FATP1 as a novel antidiabetic target.
'Unlicensed' natural killer cells dominate the response to cytomegalovirus infection

Natural killer (NK) cells expressing inhibitory receptors that bind to self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I are 'licensed', or rendered functionally more responsive to stimulation, whereas 'unlicensed' NK cells lacking receptors for self MHC class I are hyporesponsive. Here we show that contrary to the licensing hypothesis, unlicensed NK cells were the main mediators of NK cell-mediated control of mouse cytomegalovirus infection in vivo. Depletion of unlicensed NK cells impaired control of viral titers, but depletion of licensed NK cells did not. The transfer of unlicensed NK cells was more protective than was the transfer of licensed NK cells. Signaling by the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 limited the proliferation of licensed NK cells but not that of unlicensed NK cells during infection. Thus, unlicensed NK cells are critical for protection against viral infection.
Binaphthol-titanium-promoted, highly enantiocontrolled, Diels-Alder cycloadditions of electronically matched 2-pyrones and vinyl ethers: Streamlined asymmetric synthesis of an A-ring precursor to physiologically active 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 steroids

Abstract Bicyclic lactones 4, A-ring precursors to diverse physiologically active 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 analogs, were prepared in excellent yields and enantiomeric purities via chiral, non-racemic Lewis acid-promoted, mild, inverse-electron-demand 4+2-cycloadditions.