cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Defense of Plea Bargaining: Answering Critics' Objections

Unfortunately, even many advocates for plea bargaining view the practice as something that should merely be tolerated as the lesser of two evils. While plea bargaining has its flaws, the practice rarely receives the credit it deserves for the benefits it provides to the criminal justice system. This Article presents the case in favor of plea bargaining. Reading abolitionist literature, it quickly becomes apparent that their distaste for plea bargaining is rooted in numerous misconceptions. These include a distorted view of innocence, the belief in a fictional “right to leniency,” a revisionist view of previous attempts at abolishment, and the ignoring of how plea bargaining benefits the defendant and the rehabilitation process. This Article provides a brief history of plea bargaining, followed by rebuttals to the arguments against the practice, and finally positive arguments in support of plea bargaining.
Behind the wheels with autism and ADHD: Brain networks involved in driving hazard detection

Abstract Driving is a cognitively challenging task, and many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle to drive safely and effectively. Previous evidence suggests that core neuropsychological deficits in executive functioning (EF) and theory of mind (ToM) may impact driving in ASD and ADHD. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study compares the brain mechanisms underlying ToM and EF during a hazard perception driving task. Forty-six licensed drivers (14 ASD, 17 ADHD, 15 typically developing (TD)), ages 16–27 years, viewed a driving scenario in the MRI scanner and were instructed to respond to driving hazards that were either “social” (contained a human component such as a pedestrian) or “nonsocial” (physical objects such as a barrel). All groups of participants recruited regions part of the “social brain” (anterior insula, angular gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, right cuneus/precuneus, and right inferior frontal gyrus) when processing social hazards, and regions associated with motor planning and object recognition (postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus, and supplementary motor area) when processing nonsocial hazards. While there were no group differences in brain activation during the driving task, years licensed was predictive of greater prefrontal and temporal activation to social hazards in all participants. Findings of the current study suggest that high-functioning ASD and ADHD licensed drivers may be utilizing similar cognitive resources as TD controls for decisions related to driving-related hazard detection.
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia after Ad26.COV2.S Vaccination.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia after Ad26.COV2.S Vaccine A 48-year-old woman presented with a 3-day history of fatigue and abdominal pain 2 weeks after receiving the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine. She had a low...
Thumb reconstruction by "on-top-plasty" of the long finger.

A 61 year old man sustained electrical burns to hands requiring amputation of the right thumb and index finger at the metacarpophalangeal level. The thumb was reconstructed by means of on-top-plasty of the long finger. This is a reliable and safe technique in selected patients with severe, traumatic hand injuries.
Puberty as a Developmental Context of Risk for Psychopathology

Puberty is a formative transition, marked by a confluence of biological, psychological, and social challenges. During this stage, youth experience dramatic physical transformations that signal their passage into adulthood. Moreover, this period is typified by extensive brain remodeling and alterations in hormonal systems involved in sexual maturation (Susman & Dorn, 2009) and stress reactivity (Gunnar, Wewerka, Frenn, Long, & Griggs, 2009). Beyond these physical and biological changes, youth undergo psychological and social reorganization reflected in changing self-perception and self-regulation (Hyde, Mezulis, & Abramson, 2008), shifts in the dynamics of interpersonal relationships (Rudolph, 2009), and contextual changes such as school transitions (Eccles, Lord, Roeser, Barber, & Hernandez Jozefowicz, 1997). Although this period of rapid development provides an opportunity for positive growth, unfortunately it also represents a backdrop for the development of psychopathology (Gunnar et al., 2009). In particular, research documents striking increases in multiple forms of psychopathology, including anxiety (Hayward et al., 1997), depression (Rudolph, Hammen, & Daley, 2006), antisocial behavior (Lahey et al., 2006), and substance use (Patton et al., 2004) across the pubertal transition.
The Graduation Efficiency Index: Validity and Use as an Accountability and Research Measure

Legislatures and coordinating boards are looking for efficiency measures as greater numbers of students wish access to higher education. We propose the Graduation Efficiency Index (GEI) as an efficiency measure that is more valid and useful than elapsed time from matriculation to degree (time to degree). The index is computed by subtracting the number of transfer credits from the minimum credits required for the degree, then dividing the remainder by the sum of the enrollment census day credits in which the given student has enrolled while in college. Research is reported in which this index is applied to data from 1993–94 University of Washington bachelor-degree recipients. Among the results, nontransfers were found to graduate with more efficiency than transfers and B.A.-degree recipients with more efficiency that B.S. recipients. The GEI correlated only modestly with time to degree and part-time vs. full-time enrollment status, and correlations with admissions data were quite small.
DNA Profiling in Ecology

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiling uses various molecular biological techniques to identify, classify, and study the ecology and evolution of organisms based on differences in DNA sequence. These differences in DNA sequence are known as polymorphisms, which may be as simple as a single nucleotide at a given nucleotide position within the genome or as complex as variant numbers of tandem repeat sequences or the presence of an interspersed repetitive element. Individuals, populations or species-specific DNA polymorphisms are used as targets to generate fingerprint patterns suitable for the differentiation of individuals and populations. Data generated by DNA profiling methods are used to provide quantitative or qualitative information for population genetics, human diseases, diversity, phylogeny, epidemiological, forensics and conservation management purposes. Key Concepts: DNA profiling methodologies allow for the classification of organisms based on polymorphisms in DNA sequences at a given loci. DNA profiling methods that can be used to detect single nucleotide and repetitive element polymorphisms include: amplified and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP/RFLP), multilocus fingerprinting using hybridisation, random amplified polymorphic DNA and denaturing gradient and pulse field gel electrophoresis (DGGE/PFGE). DNA profiling patterns can be used to identify individuals, determine kinship and genealogy, examine inbreeding, and bottlenecks and differentiate populations. Keywords: DNA profiling; DNA fingerprinting; ecology; repetitive DNA; microsatellite; minisatellite; VNTR; RAPD; AFLP; Rep-PCR
Biochemical basis for the differential sensitivity of human T- and B-lymphocyte lines to 5-fluorouracil.

The metabolism of 5-fluorouracil (FUra) was examined in two human lymphocyte cell lines, CCRF-CEM (T-leukemic) and LAZ-007 (Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B), which have widely differing FUra sensitivities. CEM cells have orotate phosphoribosyltransferase but no uridine or thymidine phosphorylase activity. Consistent with this, the FUra growth inhibition and the synthesis of fluorouridine triphosphate (FUTP) and fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate (FdUMP) in CEM cells was substantially reduced by hypoxanthine and allopurinol. FUra growth inhibition of CEM cells was due to inhibition of both DNA and RNA synthesis, since thymidine only partially restored growth. Growth inhibition of LAZ cells, which possess all of the above FUra-activating enzymes, occurred at a lower FUra concentration than for CEM cells and was due (at FUra concentrations giving 95% growth inhibition) to inhibition of thymidylate synthesis, since thymidine completely restored growth. Consistent with this, the LAZ cells synthesize FdUMP at much higher rates than do CEM cells. FdUMP synthesis was not significantly inhibited by hypoxanthine but was activated by deoxyinosine and strongly inhibited by thymidine, leading us to conclude that LAZ cells synthesize FdUMP predominantly via thymidine phosphorylase. At higher (> 10-6 m) FUra concentrations, thymidine only partially restored LAZ cell growth, indicating impairment of RNA metabolism apparently due to FUTP synthesized via orotate phosphoribosyltransferase since ( a ) substantial protection was obtained by addition of hypoxanthine to FUra plus thymidine and ( b FUTP synthesis in LAZ cells was strongly inhibited by hypoxanthine. Thus, the increased FUra sensitivity of LAZ cells is due primarily to their greater rate of FdUMP synthesis via thymidine phosphorylase. Impairment of RNA metabolism occurred in both cell lines at similar FUra concentrations and was due to FUTP synthesis via orotate phosphoribosyltransferase, the activity of which is similar in LAZ and CEM cells.
Accelerated MR parameter mapping with low-rank and sparsity constraints.

Purpose To enable accurate magnetic resonance (MR) parameter mapping with accelerated data acquisition, utilizing recent advances in constrained imaging with sparse sampling. Theory and Methods A new constrained reconstruction method based on low-rank and sparsity constraints is proposed to accelerate MR parameter mapping. More specifically, the proposed method simultaneously imposes low-rank and joint sparse structures on contrast-weighted image sequences within a unified mathematical formulation. With a pre-estimated subspace, this formulation results in a convex optimization problem, which is solved using an efficient numerical algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers. Results To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, two application examples were considered: (i) T2 mapping of the human brain and (ii) T1 mapping of the rat brain. For each application, the proposed method was evaluated at both moderate and high acceleration levels. Additionally, the proposed method was compared with two state-of-the-art methods that only use a single low-rank or joint sparsity constraint. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve accurate parameter estimation with both moderately and highly undersampled data. Although all methods performed fairly well with moderately undersampled data, the proposed method achieved much better performance (e.g., more accurate parameter values) than the other two methods with highly undersampled data. Conclusions Simultaneously imposing low-rank and sparsity constraints can effectively improve the accuracy of fast MR parameter mapping with sparse sampling. Magn Reson Med 74:489–498, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Is Quantitative Ultrasound Dependent on Bone Structure? A Reflection

Trabecular bone plays a significant role in maintaining bone structural integrity. Its density is a significant determinant of bone strength and fracture risk, but there is still unexplained variance. It has been suggested that the ability to measure structural information will improve the estimation of bone strength and fracture risk. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a mechanical wave that can be influenced by bone structure, in addition to bone mineral density (BMD). This article reviews the evidence in the literature supporting or refuting this assumption. Theoretically, the propagation of QUS is influenced by both structure and density of the medium. QUS measurement in vivo shows weak but significant association with axial BMD. However, the association becomes stronger when measured in vitro. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) exhibits a nonlinear relationship with density over a large density range. When cubes of cancellous bone are measured in the three orthogonal directions, both BUA and speed of sound (SOS) show significant anisotropy which mirrors mechanical anisotropy. QUS has also been shown to correlate significantly with structural parameters measured by histomorphometry. However, structure remains a significant predictor after adjustment for BMD mainly in bovine samples. Other studies using phantoms of bone samples have also demonstrated that QUS is dependent on structure. There is preliminary indication that fractal dimensions are significantly associated with QUS. The ultimate usefulness of structural dependence of QUS will be in its ability to improve bone strength estimation above and beyond density. There is ample evidence documenting the ability of QUS to predict bone strength in vitro. BMD is a significant predictor of bone strength and the additive value of structure in estimating bone strength is variable. Clinically, ultrasound of the calcaneus is measured in one direction (medio-lateral) and the structural variation in this direction may be limited. Nevertheless, QUS can provide useful additional information to that provided by axial BMD due in part to different precision and accuracy errors and to biological discordance. On the whole one could conclude that ultrasound attenuation is due to structural parameters and these variables are also dependent on density.
Space and Social Theory in Geography

Social theory and the analysis of spatiality have a long and rich history. Building on earlier traditions such as Marxism, feminism, and humanistic geography, this article addresses the major lines of conceptual thought in human geography in the early twenty-first century. It encompasses the discipline's major theoretical constructs under the broad umbrella of social constructivism and political economy, largely based on the work of Foucault. These precepts serve as a guide to the role and impacts of various forms of social theory in the analysis of multiple topics, including cultural geography, critical political geography, economic geography, the geographies of cyberspace, critical cartography, and GIS, and the social construction of nature.
Formal Instruction in Dental Professional Ethics.

Programs in professional ethics are still in their infancy in American dental schools. Enough has been learned, however, to know that formal instruction in dental professional ethics is essential to such a program and that arguments against this approach cannot withstand careful examination. We have developed a set of aims and a sense of the kinds of subject matter that will enable us to achieve these aims. We are beginning to identify the kinds of individuals and teams needed to teach these courses. We have learned that these courses will not succeed unless they are taken seriously by the dental school community and actively supported by the faculty. What is needed for the teaching of dental professional ethics has become clear. It is time to proceed in earnest.
Applying compressive sensing to TEM video: a substantial frame rate increase on any camera

One of the main limitations of imaging at high spatial and temporal resolution during in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments is the frame rate of the camera being used to image the dynamic process. While the recent development of direct detectors has provided the hardware to achieve frame rates approaching 0.1 ms, the cameras are expensive and must replace existing detectors. In this paper, we examine the use of coded aperture compressive sensing (CS) methods to increase the frame rate of any camera with simple, low-cost hardware modifications. The coded aperture approach allows multiple sub-frames to be coded and integrated into a single camera frame during the acquisition process, and then extracted upon readout using statistical CS inversion. Here we describe the background of CS and statistical methods in depth and simulate the frame rates and efficiencies for in-situ TEM experiments. Depending on the resolution and signal/noise of the image, it should be possible to increase the speed of any camera by more than an order of magnitude using this approach.
Depth Sensing for Improved Control of Lower Limb Prostheses

Powered lower limb prostheses have potential to improve the quality of life of individuals with amputations by enabling all daily activities. However, seamless ambulation mode recognition is necessary to achieve this goal and is not yet a clinical reality. Current intent recognition systems use mechanical and EMG sensors to estimate prosthesis and user status. We propose to complement these systems by integrating information about the environment obtained through the depth sensing. This paper presents the design, characterization, and the early validation of a novel stair segmentation system based on Microsoft Kinect. Static and dynamic tests were performed. A first experiment showed how the resolution of the depth camera affects the speed and the accuracy of segmentation. A second test proved the robustness of the algorithm to different staircases. Finally, we performed an online walking test with the stair segmentation and related measures recorded online at >5 frames/s. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm allows for an accurate estimate of distance, angle of intersection, number of steps, stair height, and stair depth for a set of stairs in the environment. The online test produced an estimate of whether the individual was approaching stairs in real time with approximately 98.8% accuracy.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: Correlation of portal vein velocity measurements and portosystemic pressure gradients

Abstract To assess the relationship between portal vein velocity measurements and portosystemic gradients, color Doppler sonography was performed on 12 patients before and after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement. An additional patient was examined before and after shunt modification. The average maximum portal vein velocity increased from 15.7 cm s −1 before shunt placement to 43.5 cm s −1 after shunt placement, while the average portosystemic gradient decreased from 22.0 mm Hg before shunt placement to 7.9 mm Hg after shunt placement. Flow was observed within the shunt in 11 of the 12 cases. Shunt velocity was measurable in nine patients, with an average value of 115.7 cm s −1 . Reversal of intrahepatic portal vein flow was observed in 10 cases following shunt placement. Color Doppler sonography is a useful non-invasive tool in the evaluation of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, and changes in portal vein velocity correlate well with changes in the portosystemic gradient.
The Form and Function of Attachment Behavior in the Daily Lives of Young Adults.

Central to attachment theory is the postulation of an inborn system to regulate attachment behavior. This system has been well studied in infancy and childhood, but much less is known about its functioning at later ages. The goal of this study was to explore the form and function of attachment behavior in the daily lives of young adults. Twenty eight days of online diary data were collected from a sample of 60 undergraduates. In addition to providing descriptive data on routine attachment behavior, the study tests the theorized function of attachment behavior—that is, affect regulation. With the exception of safe haven behaviors, results indicate that age-appropriate attachment behaviors are readily observable during this phase of development, tend to be preferentially directed toward attachment figures, and regulate affect in a theory consistent manner. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for normative developmental change and normative attachment processes.
Heparin-binding (fibroblast) growth factors type one and two genes are co-expressed in proliferating normal human vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells in culture.

Complimentary ribonucleic acid (cRNA) probes were used to detect expression of the genes for heparin binding (fibroblast) growth factor type one (HBGF-1) and two (HBGF-2) in cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells from normal human blood vessels. Hybridizationin situ revealed that transcripts for both HBGF-1 and HBGF-2 are expressed in endothelial cells from both umbilical vein and aorta. Relative intensity of radioactive grains suggest that HBGF-1 gene expression may exceed HBGF-2 expression in aortic smooth muscle cells. Collective expression of both HBGF-1 and HBGF-2 in smooth muscle cells may exceed that in endothelial cells.
Tumor growth kinetics versus RECIST to assess response to locoregional therapy in breast cancer liver metastases.

Rationale and Objectives The aim of our study was to evaluate changes in growth kinetics of breast cancer liver metastasis in response to locoregional therapy and compare them to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Materials and Methods This Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant retrospective study was Institutional Review Board approved. Thirty-four chemorefractory breast cancer liver metastases from 21 patients treated with yttrium-90 (90Y) were evaluated. Pre- and posttreatment computed tomography (CT) scans were used to calculate tumor growth kinetics. The growth parameter analyzed was reciprocal of doubling time (RDT). RDT range for stable disease (SD) was defined by the measurement error rate. A negative RDT below the SD range defined response and was categorized as either partial response (PR) or complete response, whereas a positive RDT value above the SD range indicated progressive disease (PD). Comparison was made to tumor response classification according to percentage change in the lesion's maximal diameter per RECIST. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, Bland–Altman plot, Wilcoxon signed rank test, and Student t test were used for analysis. Significance was set at 0.05. Results RDT range for SD ranged from −0.46 to +2.17. Six lesions with PR based on RECIST showed PR based on their volumetric growth rate (mean RDT of −17.3 ± 2.6). Similarly, one lesion with PD according to RECIST was categorized as PD based on its growth kinetics (RDT of 10.2). However, 14 (51.85%) lesions classified as SD by RECIST had PR according to growth kinetics (mean RDT of −7.8), six (22.22%) lesions were categorized as SD (mean RDT of 0.8), whereas seven (25.93%) lesions showed PD (mean RDT of 4.5). Growth kinetic parameters were significantly different for lesions with PR when compared to lesions with PD (P < .0001). Conclusions In patients with breast cancer liver metastases undergoing locoregional therapy, RECIST categorization may not be an accurate reflection of treatment response.
Ocular dominance development revisited

New approaches to the study of ocular dominance development, a model system for the development of neural architecture, indicate that eye-specific columns in primary visual cortex emerge substantially before the onset of the critical period, during which neural connections can be altered by visual experience. The timing, speed and specificity of column emergence implicate molecular patterning mechanisms, along with patterns of neural activity, in the generation of this columnar architecture.
Genetics of Food Intake Self-Regulation in Childhood: Literature Review and Research Opportunities

Pediatric obesity results from a daily energy imbalance between intake and expenditure, an imbalance potentially as slight as ~30-50 kcal/day (e.g., a few extra sips of cola or bites of a cookie). That an 'energy gap' so small may be so powerful suggests the importance of understanding mechanisms of food intake self-regulation (FISR). This review focuses on 4 behavioral indices of FISR in childhood: (1) eating in the absence of hunger; (2) eating rate; (3) caloric compensation and satiety responsiveness, and (4) food responsiveness. Evidence from pediatric samples around the world indicates that these traits are associated with body mass index, are heritable, and are linked to polymorphisms in the FTO gene. We review these data, also discussing their relevance to practical issues of parental feeding styles, portion sizes, and health literacy and numeracy. Research gaps and opportunities for future investigation are discussed. Multidisciplinary approaches and study designs that can address gene-environment interactions are needed to advance the science of FISR and stimulate new avenues for childhood obesity prevention.
The Irreducible Complexity of Objectivity

The terms ``objectivity'' and ``objective'' are among the mostused yet ill-defined terms in the philosophy of science and epistemology. Common to all thevarious usages is the rhetorical force of ``I endorse this and you should too'', orto put it more mildly, that one should trust the outcome of the objectivity-producing process.The persuasive endorsement and call to trust provide some conceptual coherenceto objectivity, but the reference to objectivity is hopefully not merely an attemptat persuasive endorsement. What, in addition to epistemological endorsement,does objectivity carry with it? Drawing on recent historical and philosophical work,I articulate eight operationally accessible and distinct senses of objectivity.While there are links among these senses, providing cohesion to the concept, I argue thatnone of the eight senses is strictly reducible to the others, giving objectivity itsirreducible complexity.
A Visual Illustration of Induction in Multilevel Methods: The Problem of Leaders Awarding Countervailing Merit Components

The purpose of this study is to illustrate the use of a multilevel technique, Within and Between Analysis (WABA), for inductively investigating the impact of how supervisory groups influence the process of awarding merit raises (permanent) and performance bonuses (temporary). From a levels of analysis perspective, is this relationship best modeled at the individual subordinate, the whole supervisory-group, or the within-group level? Archival merit pay data for 2 years were obtained for 71 managers and professionals nested within 21 supervisory groups who encompassed the entire management hierarchy of a 500+ person-manufacturing plant. What appeared to be a countervailing relationship at the individual level (r total = −.64***), in which raises and bonuses were negatively correlated, was found to be a countervailing relationship at the whole supervisory-group level (r between = −.79*** vs. r within = −.36*). Given the statistically significant differences between supervisory groups, an induction toward a whole-group effect was made. These countervailing findings were replicated at the group level in the subsequent year’s data. The whole-group effect indicates that managers were attempting to create some type of within-group equity by (1) minimizing variability within their groups, and (2), at the same time, trading off raises for bonuses at the whole-group level. The application of WABA focuses on testing entities as well as variables, and it can provide a generalizable method for investigating levels of analysis issues in merit pay programs without necessarily advocating that only one level of analysis is universally potent. WABA also allows for the inductive investigation of additional levels of analysis as well as a variety of boundary conditions.
Differential Rhizosphere Establishment and Cyanide Production by Alginate-Formulated Weed-Deleterious Rhizobacteria

The effects of Pseudomonas putida ATH2-1RI/9 and Acidovorax delafieldii ATH2-2RS/1 on rhizosphere colonization, cyanide production, and growth of velvetleaf and corn was examined. When formulated in alginate beads and inoculated onto velvetleaf and corn plants (10(9) CFU/plant), only P. putida ATH2-1RI/9 consistently reduced velvetleaf growth. Neither isolate inhibited corn growth. Interestingly the levels of P. putida ATH2-1RI/9 in the velvetleaf rhizosphere were 1000-fold higher (7 x 10(7) CFU/g root) than the A. delafieldii ATH2-2RS/1 populations. Cyanide (53-68 mM/g root) was recovered from the P. putida ATH2-1RI/9-inoculated velvetleaf plants. In contrast both A. delafieldii ATH2-2RS/1 and P. putida ATH2-1RI/9 colonized the corn rhizosphere to the same extent (1-5 x 10(7) CFU/g root), producing 1 mM and 14 mM/g root respectively. These results suggest that bacterial formulation methods can influence the effectiveness of deleterious rhizobacteria in reducing weed growth.
Ability of Qatar’s native plant species to phytoremediate industrial wastewater in an engineered wetland treatment system for beneficial water re-use

Engineered wetland (EWL) is a land treatment system that utilizes natural processes to improve water quality. The EWL system consists of vegetation, aquatic organisms, soils and the associated microbes designed to assist in improving water quality through phytoremediation. Engineered wetlands are commonly utilized to improve municipal wastewater quality however, such technology is not common in treating industrial wastewater (IWW) from oil and gas operations and further, EWL technology has not been tested or implemented in Qatar. EWL technology is promising for Qatar due to land availability, hardy native plant species and suitable climate. The efficiency and sustainability of EWL is highly influenced by its treatment media. A joint project between ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ) and the Environmental Studies Center of Qatar University (ESC) is carried out to investigate the abilities of native and/or cultivated plant species to improve IWW quality through phytoremediation. Experiments using selected pla...
Inheritance of White Mold Resistance in Phaseolus vulgaris × P. coccineus Crosses.

Schwartz, H. F., Otto, K., Teran, H., Lema, M., and Singh, S. P. 2006. Inheritance of white mold resistance in Phaseolus vulgaris × P. coccineus crosses. Plant Dis. 90:1167-1170. The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, cause of white mold, is known to attack >400 plant species. It is a widespread problem in dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in the United States, causing >30% average yield losses. Low to moderate levels of resistance are found in dry bean. However, some accessions of P. coccineus (commonly known as scarlet runner bean) possess a relatively higher level of resistance. Our objective was to verify the reaction of 13 known white mold-resistant P. coccineus germ plasms and determine inheritance of resistance in accessions PI 433246 and PI 439534. Pinto Othello was crossed with PI 433246, and the resulting interspecific F1 was backcrossed onto Othello and allowed to produce F2 seed. Similarly, pinto UI 320 was crossed with PI 439534. The F1 was backcrossed onto UI 320 and allowed to produce F2 seed. The two parents, F1, F2, and backcross to dry bean of each set were evaluated in the greenhouse using the straw test at Fort Collins, CO in 2004. All 13 P. coccineus accessions and the two F2 also were evaluated using the modified petiole test at Kimberly, ID in 2005. All 13 P. coccineus accessions were variable in a 2002 straw test when rated for white mold reaction on a 1-to-9 scale, because the mean disease score ranged from 1.9 for PI 433246 to 4.4 for PI 189023 and 8.8 for the susceptible check Bill Z. For the petiole test, when rated on a 1-to-9 scale, the accessions exhibited an intermediate white mold score of 4 or 5 in 2005. In 2004, the susceptible check Othello exhibited a mean score of 7.9 compared with 3.4, 3.2, and 2.1 for PI 433246, UI 320, and PI 439534, respectively. The white mold reaction of PI 433246 and PI 439534 was dominant in their respective F1. The F2 segregation further indicated that white mold resistance in PI 433246 and PI 439534 was controlled by a single dominant gene. These two and other white moldresistant P. coccineus accessions and selected breeding lines from the interspecific crosses should be useful for future improvement of white mold resistance of pinto and other market classes of dry and green or snap bean.
Hard Luck: How Luck Undermines Free Will and Moral Responsibility

Levy, Neil, Hard Luck: How Luck Undermines Free Will and Moral Responsibility, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011, pp. viii + 229, £32 (hardback). http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048402.2012.714390 ...
HIGH-PRESSURE BORON HYDRIDE PHASES

The stability of boron-hydrogen compounds (boranes) under pressure is studied from a theoretical point of view using total-energy methods. We find that the molecular forms of boranes known to be stable at ambient pressure become unstable at high pressure, while structures with extended networks of bonds or metallic bonding are energetically favored at high pressures. If such structures are metastable on return to ambient pressure, they would be energetic as well as dense hydrogen storage media. An AlH{sub 3}-like structure of BH{sub 3} is particularly interesting in that it may be accessible by high-pressure diamond anvil experiments, and should exhibit both second-order structural and metal-insulator transitions at lower pressures. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Biochemical composition of particles and dissolved organic matter along an estuarine gradient : Sources and implications for DOM reactivity

The chemical composition of high molecular weight dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) was examined along the salinity gradient of the Delaware Estuary. DOM was collected and fractionated by tangential-flow ultrafiltration into 1‐30 kDa (HDOM; high molecular weight) and 30 kDa to 0.2 mm (VHDOM; very high molecular weight) and compared to particles collected in parallel. Polysaccharides comprised 12‐43% of particulate organic carbon (POC), 30‐56% of VHDOM carbon, and 7.5‐19% of HDOM carbon. Hydrolyzable amino acids comprised 17‐38% of POC, 5.4‐12% of VHDOM carbon, and 1.5‐4.2% of HDOM carbon. Only 7‐43% of dissolved organic nitrogen in VHDOM and HDOM consisted of amino acids, indicating that organic nitrogen is highly modified within the dissolved pool or an unidentified pool of dissolved organic nitrogen exists. The composition of amino acids and distribution of polysaccharides are consistent with enrichment of structural biopolymers from algae and vascular plants within DOM. Proteinaceous matter released during the growth of an axenic diatom culture contains similar amino acid distributions across size fractions as in Delaware Bay samples. The source of organic matter appears to be as important as microbial processing in determining amino acid content and composition of DOM. Shifts in amino acid composition point to contrasting sources and extent of degradation for organic matter along the estuarine gradient and among size fractions. The lower amino acid and carbohydrate content and higher b-alanine content in HDOM suggests that this fraction is more highly degraded relative to POM and VHDOM and provides geochemical evidence in support of the size-reactivity continuum hypothesis. Spatial patterns in reactivity of organic constituents were also evident with more degraded organic matter in the turbid middle estuary and the release of fresh DOM from diatoms in the lower estuary.
Binocular shape constancy from novel views: The role of a priori constraints

We tested shape constancy from novel views in the case of binocular viewing, using a variety of stimuli, including polyhedra, polygonal lines, and points in 3-D. The results of the psychophysical experiments show that constraints such as planarity of surface contours and symmetry are critical for reliable shape constancy. These results are consistent with the results obtained in our previous psychophysical experiments on shape constancy from novel views in the presence of a kinetic depth effect (Pizlo & Stevenson, 1999). On the basis of these results, we developed a new model of binocular shape reconstruction. The model is based on the assumption that binocular reconstruction is a difficult inverse problem, whose solution requires imposing a priori constraints on the family of possible interpretations. In the model, binocular disparity is used to correct monocularly reconstructed shape. The new model was tested on the same shapes as those used in the psychophysical experiments. The reconstructions produced by this model are substantially more reliable than the reconstructions produced by models that do not use constraints. Interestingly, monocular (but not binocular) reconstructions produced by this model correlate well with both monocular and binocular performance of human subjects. This fact suggests that binocular and monocular reconstructions of shapes in the human visual system involve similar mechanisms based on monocular shape constraints.
State and Local Taxation Following TRA86: Introduction and Summary

The extraordinary political changes of the past two years in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, the move in western Europe toward a new economic integration, and the search for more responsive, more efficient fiscal policies in the United States have each pushed the task of designing appropriate federalist fiscal institutions onto center stage. The important questions of which levels of government-central, state or province, local-can best finance and best provide each public service is now being addressed anew. Not only must we be concerned about what services are to be provided by governments and at what level of inclusiveness, we must also consider carefully how those services are to be financed. User fees, new borrowing, and taxes are all possible revenue instruments, but which of these instruments should be used, for what services, and by which levels of government are also important questions that must be answered by any society wishing to design a federalist public sector. The NBER-Ford Foundation Conference on State and Local Taxation Fol-
Generating, growing and transforming skeletal shape: insights from amphibian pharyngeal arch cartilages

Amphibians that undergo a metamorphosis provide an unparalleled opportunity to investigate how skeletal shape is generated, preserved, and transformed in development. Their pharyngeal arch (PA) cartilages, which support breathing and feeding behaviors, form embryonically from cranial neural crest cells, grow isometrically at larval stages, and abruptly change shape during metamorphosis. Further, the shape changes occur in three different ways: some adult cartilages form de novo, others emerge from within resorbing larval cartilages and some larval cartilages reshape themselves at the cellular level. Isometric growth followed by abrupt shape change is unique to amphibian PA cartilages, which suggests that the origin and evolution of amphibian metamorphosis has been influenced by the tissue properties of cartilage. This essay reviews the functional role of the PA skeleton in frogs and salamanders and presents a mechanistic framework for understanding how its shape is generated, preserved, and transformed at the levels of cell behavior and specification mechanisms.
Platelet-activating factor mediates trinitrobenzene induced colitis.

Abstract Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an endogenous phospholipid which may be an important mediator of shock and inflammation. Recent evidence suggests that PAF plays a role in the development of ischemic colitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Its effects are mediated by second messengers, including the arachidonic acid metabolites. Using an ex vivo isolated left colon rabbit perfusion model, our aims were to determine whether exogenously administered trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNB), which produces experimental colitis, stimulates both PAF and eicosanoid release in the colon, and if so, whether this effect can be blocked by a PAF antagonist. Colonic inflammation was induced by the intracolonic administration of 0.25 ml of 50% ethanol containing 30 mg of TNB. Tissue and perfusate concentrations of the eicosanoids, [prostaglandin E (PGE 2 ), 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α (6-keto-PGF 1α) and thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2 ), leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 )] and the autocoid PAF were measured by ELISA. During TNB infusion there was a significant increase in tissue levels of PAF compared to control colons. Additional studies performed pretreating the colons with the PAF receptor antagonist WEB-2170 prior to TNB infusion blocked PAF release. TNB stimulated release of luminal eicosanoids except LTB 4 and suppressed release of tissue prostanoids. Pretreatment with WEB-2170 prior to TNB inhibited luminal eicosanoids, and inhibited PGE 2 and prostacyclin, but not TX tissue suppression. Inhibition of TNB-stimulated PAF release by WEB-2170 suggests that PAF may play a role in TNB-induced colitis and this phenomenon may mediate tissue injury.
Seasonal Mortality and Survival of Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) in Missouri and the Effect of Introducing an Egg Parasite, Trichogramma evanescens

Populations of P. rapae (L.) at Columbia, Missouri, were very low at the onset of spring. Abundant host plants, lack of effective parasites and predators, and the high biotic potential of the host permitted the population to explode during the first 3 generations. By the 4th generation many wild host plants became unsuitable for larval development and parasite-predator populations rose sufficiently to check the increase. The introduced egg parasite, Trichogramma evanescens Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), was found to be effective; parasitism ranged between 20 and 75% per host generation on plots where this parasite had been released. Apanteles glomeratus (L.) was not an effective parasite of the larva during the spring because of asynchronization, encapsulation, and hyperparasitism. After egg-larval mortality reached 96% the host population declined. Biotic agents associated with this host and the stages they attack are diagramed.
Don't be afraid to reorganize

One thing we understand in the computer business, if nothing else, is that things change. Manufacturers produce new versions of software and new models of hardware, computer center employees come and go, faculty develop new interests, and even more students want to use the public labs!So why are we surprised when things change in user services? New workshops need to be taught or they need to be offered at different times. For every software package that goes out of use, two or three become popular and need consultant support. One year we obtain funding for a graduate assistant; another year we loose it.Maybe it is not so much that we are surprised that things change in user services. Rather we don't like to admit that when our clientele changes or the college as a whole changes or the whole world changes, we have to change our user services organization to reflect the new reality.Reorganization is work. Hard work. But it has to be done. It is less painful when it can be done incrementally. If we are lucky enough to have our world change slowly and even luckier to see those changes for what they are, we can make the necessary adjustments without having to go through a more extensive reorganization.But that is not our focus here. We are going to deal with broader range changes, the kind that go on over several months in a planned and organized fashion, the kind of reorganization in which everyone is all too painfully aware of what they are going through.This account is based in large part on a personal odyssey. It is told from the point of view of an assistant director for user services and applies best to a smaller school, say 2000 to 4000 full-time students. This is one way to go about reorganizing a user services operation. Some of the recommendations and procedures will apply to your operation; others may serve to give you other ideas. Hopefully many of the observations and recommendations will apply to schools of other sizes but the reader must be the judge of that.
Meniscal pathology in children: differences and similarities with the adult meniscus

The normal meniscus undergoes typical developmental changes during childhood, reaching a mature adult appearance by approximately 10 years of age. In addition to recognizing normal meniscal appearances in children, identifying abnormalities - such as tears and the different types of discoid meniscus and meniscal cysts, as well as the surgical implications of these abnormalities - is vital in pediatric imaging. The reported incidence of meniscal tears in adolescents and young adults has increased because of increased sports participation and more widespread use of MRI. This review discusses the normal appearance of the pediatric meniscus, meniscal abnormalities, associated injuries, and prognostic indicators for repair.
THE 3‐METHYLINDOLE/n‐BUTANOL EXCIPLEXES: EVIDENCE FOR TWO EXCIPLEX SITES IN INDOLE COMPOUNDS

— The 1-butanol concentration dependence of fluorescence emission intensities and spectra from 3-methylindole/1-butanol exciplexes in 1-heptane reveals a 1:1 stoichimetry near the isoemissive point increasing to 1:2 at higher concentrations. The large increase in stability of the 1:1 complex relative to indole itself is attributed to its relatively low dissociation rate with an activation energy of 36.8 kJ/mol. Each step of exciplex formation shifts the emission maximum about 15 nm to the red. The stronger combining site is the negative C-3. The weaker site is the positive N-1. Stabilization due to charge transfer between excited indole and electrophilic or nucleophilic partners is small relative to dipole-dipole interactions. There is no indication of significant orbital-overlap. The detection of both positive and negative centers for exciplex formation on indole, 1-methyl indole and electronically similar derivatives resolves some long-standing problems and extends the basis of knowledge necessary to use tryptophanyl-residue fluorescence as a quantitative probe for protein conformational character and its changes.
Radiocarbon Geochemistry of Modern and Ancient Arctic Lake Systems, Baffin Island, Canada

The accuracy of Arctic lake chronologies has been assessed by measuring the14C activities of modern carbon sources and applying these isotopic mass balances to dating fossil lake materials. Small (<1 km2) shallow (<25 m) Arctic lakes with watersheds <12 km2have soil and peat stratigraphic sections with14C activities ranging from 98 to 51% Modern. The14C activity of particulate organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, and dissolved inorganic carbon from lake and stream waters ranges from 121 to 95% Modern. The sediment–water interface of the studied lakes shows consistent14C ages of ∼100014C yr, although the14C activity of living aquatic vegetation is 115% Modern. Radiocarbon measurements of components of the lacustrine carbon pool imply that the ∼100014C yr age of the sediment–water interface results from deposition of14C-depleted organic matter derived from the watershed.