cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retirement against the demographic trend: More older people living longer, working less, and saving less

The American population is aging rapidly and individuals are living longer. Yet Americans are saving less and older workers are leaving the labor force at younger and younger ages. The accelerated drop in labor force participation corresponds roughly to the introduction of Social Security and the adaption of employer-provided pension plans. I have illustrated that Social Security and employer-provided pension plans provide substantial incentive to leave the labor force early. The quantitative effect of this inducement is illustrated by simulating the effects of changes in pension plan and Social Security provisions on the retirement decisions of employees in a large firm, who are covered by a typical defined benefit pension plan. Scheduled Social Security changes would have little effect on the retirement decisions of employees with a typical defined benefit pension plan like the one considered here. But if the pension plan provisions were changed to correspond to the Social Security changes, the effect would be very large. And, although not contemplated by current legislation, it is clear that an increase in the Social Security early retirement age would have a substantial effect on the early retirement rates of the large number of employees not covered by a pension plan.
An Assessment of Japanese Beetle Defoliation on Aphid-Resistant and Aphid-Susceptible Soybean Lines

As public institutions and seed companies incorporate soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) resistance genes into soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars, it is important to retain resistance to defoliators. This study compared Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman) defoliation among rag1b and rag3 aphid-resistant lines (E06901, E06905, and E06906) with a Rag1 aphid-resistant line (LD0516060) and aphid-susceptible lines (DKB27-53, SD01-76R, and Titan RR). Under natural insect pressure, the percentage of leafl ets consumed by Japanese beetle was greater on rag1b and rag3 lines (50–86%) than LD05-16060 (11%) and SD01-76R (5%). Defoliation on the three most damaged trifoliates was higher on rag1b and rag3 lines (49–54%) and its aphid-susceptible parent Titan RR (35%) than on LD05-16060 (5%) and its aphid-susceptible parent, SD01-76R (1%). Similarly in laboratory choice and no-choice tests, greater leaf area was removed from rag1b and rag3 lines. There was more feeding on LD06-16060 under no-choice conditions than under choice conditions, suggesting LD0516060 was more attractive to Japanese beetle in the absence of a preferred line. At present, the differential susceptibility among these lines cannot be attributed to a specifi c compound or compounds until suffi cient genetic and biochemical studies are conducted. This study shows the importance of monitoring Japanese beetle defoliation in breeding programs to determine the severity of threat posed by this insect on new lines.
Effects of Age on Temporal Summation and Habituation of Thermal Pain: Clinical Relevance in Healthy Older and Younger Adults

Abstract Although the effects of aging on the experience of clinical pain seem relatively clear, investigations of age-related changes in pain perception using laboratory-based pain assessment procedures have yielded contradictory findings. One potential source of variability in this literature is the type of experimental noxious stimulus that is used. Although thermal pain thresholds are the most commonly reported measure of pain sensitivity, use of suprathreshold stimuli in pain assessment procedures may yield additional, more clinically relevant information concerning the effects of aging on the experience of pain. The present study examined the effects of age on temporal summation of both the intensity and unpleasantness of thermal pain at multiple stimulus temperatures. Specifically, responses to repetitive thermal stimuli delivered to the volar forearm at 47°C, 50°C, and 53°C were assessed in 34 younger (mean age, 22.4 years) and 34 older (mean age, 62.2 years) healthy volunteers. Results suggested that for the 47°C and 50°C stimulus trains, older adults exhibited higher ratings of the intensity and unpleasantness of thermal pain and enhanced temporal summation of thermal pain relative to younger adults. Moreover, thermal pain sensitivity was inversely related to perceptions of general health and to reports of recent clinical pain among younger, but not older, subjects. Collectively these findings may indicate small, although potentially significant, age-related alterations in the plasticity of the central nervous system or endogenous pain-modulatory capacities. © 2001 by the American Pain Society
Integrating the French peasants into the nation-state: The transformation of electoral participation (1789–1870)

(1992). Integrating the French peasants into the nation-state: The transformation of electoral participation (1789–1870) History of European Ideas: Vol. 15, No. 1-3, pp. 319-326.
Pre-employment screening of police officers: Limitations of the mmpi-2 K-Scale as a useful predictor of performance

The present study sought to clarify the utility of the MMPI-2’s K Scale as a measure of future professional performance by comparing supervisor job performance ratings of law enforcement officers who had been hired with high K Scale scores with those of law enforcement officers who had been hired without elevated K Scale scores on the psychological assessment portion of screening using the MMPI-2. Supervisors were asked to rate each officer’s level of defensiveness, the trait targeted by items on the K-Scale. Results of this study found that officers scoring in the high K group received similar supervisor ratings regarding their overall performance. Results were consistent with past research that indicates a lack of statistically significant support for the utility of the K Scale as a sole criterion for disqualification of an applicant who manifests highly defensive tendencies. This study supports previous research and substantiates the need to look beyond the K-score when screening police personnel.
Continuous Bioaerosol Monitoring Using UV Excitation Fluorescence: Outdoor Test Results

This report describes procedures and results of recent outdoor tests in evaluating a prototype sin- gle particle fluorescence analyzer (SPFA), an instrument that is being developed to simultaneously monitor am- bient concentrations of both biological and nonbiologi- cal aerosols using optical techniques. Recent modifica- tions to the SPFA are also noted and discussed. During recent outdoor tests, aerosols were generated contain- ing four different types of biological material: ova albu- min, MS-2 phage, Erwinia herbicola vegetative cells and Bacillus subtilis spores. Analysis of the SPFA results in- dicates that a probability of detection of at least 87% was achieved for target aerosol concentrations as low as a few (1-5) particles/liter. Moreover, comparison with dif- ferent reference instruments indicate that the SPFA can achieve absolute quantitative detection efficiencies for individual biological aerosols of at least 70% (assuming appropriate alignment and threshold settings are made). During some of the outdoor tests different nonbiological aerosols were also released that generally did not gener- ate any significant fluorescent signals. Although official test scores have not yet been distributed, we provide here the SPFA results for each of the aerosol releases made during the test. Analysis of the relative fluorescent inten- sities in the visible and UV spectral bands suggests that these data can be used in the future to provide an indi- cation of the type of biological aerosol being released as well. C c ∞ 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.⁄This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. and monitor human pathogens or other hazardous biological materials as aerosols. Our research project has focused on using optical techniques to sample and monitor ambient air on a continuous basis, in order to provide essentially a real-time analysis of the biological aerosol concentration.
Kinetics and equilibria in the system Br + t-BuO2H ⇆ HBr + t-BuO2. OH bond dissociation energy in t-BuO2-H

The kinetics and equilibria in the system Br + t-BuO2H ⇆ HBr + t-BuO2· have been measured in the range of 300–350 K using the very low pressure reactor (VLPR) technique. Using an estimated entropy change in reaction (1) ΔS1 = 3.0 ± 0.4 cal/mol·K together with the measured ΔG1, we find ΔH1 = 1.9 ± 0.2 kcal/mol and DHo (t-BuO2-H) = 89.4 ± 0.2 kcal/mol ΔHf·(tBuO2·) = 20.7 kcal/mol and DHo (t-Bu-O2) = 29.1 kcal/mol. The latter values make use of recent values of ΔHf·(t-Bu) = 8.4 ± 0.5 kcal/mol and the known thermochemistry of the other species. The activation energy E1 is found to be 3.3 ± 0.6 kcal/mol, about 1 kcal lower than the value found for Br attack on H2O2. It suggests a bond 1 kcal stronger in H2O2 than in tBuO2H.
Substrate and biomass transport in a porous medium

A model describing the transport of substrate and biomass in porous media is formulated which accounts for the transport, growth and decay of biomass suspended in the water phase and attached to the solid matrix as a biofilm. Interphase transport of biomass between the water phase and attached biofilm phase due to fluid mechanical shear and filtration is considered as well. Special attention is given to changes in the porosity, permeability, and dispersivity resulting from the biofilm altering the microscopic geometry of the pore space. A numerical solution to the governing equations is obtained by the finite element method. The model is calibrated and verified against experimental data. An application is presented which assesses the effects of pulsed substrate loading, flow rate, and flow duration on the clogging of porous media by biomass.
Molecular aspects of the etiology of type I diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Research into the molecular etiology of type I diabetes mellitus is ongoing in several promising areas. The goals of investigation include the identification of the genes responsible for susceptibility to or protection from disease and an enhanced understanding of the targets of the autoimmune response. Investigations into the process by which β cells are destroyed suggest that diverse arms of the immune system are involved and that the autoimmune process is regulated. A model for predicting the time of development of type I diabetes in relatives of patients with diabetes, the reliability of which has permitted trials of preventive therapies to be designed and implemented, is discussed.
The importance of atrial contribution: A case study of dual-chamber pacing in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

Abstract Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are the mainstay of therapy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Recent evidence suggests that dual-chamber pacing may also relieve symptoms in a subset of patients. Proper interval programming is critical to the success of this intervention—as well as maintenance of the atrial contribution to preserve left ventricular diastolic filling. This report illustrates the importance of atrial contribution, as well as the loss of atrial capture, which can lead to hemodynamic deterioration and recurrence of symptoms.
Oxygen consumption and respiratory pigments of mitochondria of the inner medulla of the dog kidney.

Abstract Mitochondria of the inner medulla and of the cortex of the dog kidney were isolated and compared. The oxygen consumption of the medullary mitochondria was found to be inhibited to a greater degree than cortical mitochondria when the osmolality of the medium was raised by addition of sodium chloride. The respiratory pigments of medullary mitochondria have the same general pattern of distribution as is found in cortial mitochondria, but the actual amount of pigments per milligram of mitochondrial protein is less. In addition, kidney cortex contains approx. 15 times as much mitochondrial material per unit weight as does inner medualla. These findings provide further, though indirect, support for the view that the renal medulla relies largely upon anaerobic rather than aerobic pathways for its energy needs.
Sinks for Anthropogenic Carbon

We have learned much about the workings of natural sinks like the oceans and terrestrial plants, but are just beginning to understand how their behavior might change as atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise.
Calcitonin in tissues of thyroidectomized monkey

Immunochemical studies indicate that immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) is present in many tissues of monkey following thyroidectomy (thx) (e.g. liver, thymus, lung). Extrathyroidal iCT may play a role in calcium metabolism.
Metabolism of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-N-2-fluorenylacetamide in germ-free rats.

Abstract The question whether the carcinogen N-hydroxy-N-2-fluorenylacetamide (N-OH-FAA) was affected by the microbial flora in the intestinal tract was investigated by comparing the metabolism of this compound in germ-free and conventional Fischer strain rats, employing isotopic techniques. Although the amounts of total urinary glucosiduronic acids and sulfuric acid esters were similar in axenic and control rats after an i.p. dose of N-OH-FAA, there were important differences among the individual glucosiduronic acids. Germ-free rats excreted considerably larger amounts of the glucuronide of N-OH-FAA and appreciably less of the conjugates from the ring-hydroxylated metabolites. Furthermore, the cecal and fecal metabolites in the conventional rats were mostly free, unconjugated materials, wherease in axenic rats the major fraction was conjugated with sulfuric and glucuronic acid. Injection of N-OH-FAA into the cecum, or intraluminal administration of glucosiduronic acids of N-OH-FAA or of phenolphthalein showed that these materials could be absorbed readily from the gastrointestinal tract. In the cecum of germ-free rats, β-glucuronidase activity was low and had an optimum at a pH characteristic of mammalian enzyme, but in conventional rats it was higher and with a pH optimum more like that of the bacterial enzyme. The data indicate that N-OH-FAA is metabolized differently in germ-free rats: (1) because they lack the bacterial flora of the intestinal tract in conventional rats, which can hydrolyze glucosiduronic acids excreted into the gut by bile; and (2) because N-OH-FAA is a substrate for a bacterial N-dehydroxylase, also absent in axenic rats. In part, the enterohepatic cycle undergone by N-OH-FAA may be related to the liberation in the gut of readily absorbed metabolites, which are then further modified and excreted in urine or in bile.
Statistical analysis of the molecular surface electrostatic potential: an approach to describing noncovalent interactions in condensed phases

Abstract We discuss various means of characterizing the pattern of the electrostatic potential on a molecular surface. These include determination of the most positive and most negative values of the potential, its average deviation, and its variance. The latter, in conjunction with a measure of the degree of balance between the contributions from the positive and negative regions, has proven to be particularly useful in developing analytical representations of condensed phase properties that depend upon noncovalent interactions. Some applications are briefly reviewed.
The Electroencephalogram in the Operating Room

'N THE AWAKE PATIENT, the function of .the central nervous system (CNS) can be tested directly by physical examination, laboratory tests, or both. When abnormalities of the CNS, its supporting structures, or its blood supply require surgical correction, unsuspected neurological injury may occur during the surgery. When general anesthesia is used, direct testing of CNS function is not possible. Intraoperative injury is sometimes undetected and thus uncorrected. Some operations may be performed with local or regional anesthesia while the patient is awake. The parts of the patient' s nervous system not anesthetized may then be monitored during surgery. However, for many of these types of operations, general anesthesia must be used and monitoring of CNS is highly desirable. Over the past several decades, clinicians have begun to use tests, which were previously used only in the diagnostic laboratory, as continuous intraoperafive monitors of some portions of the nervous systems. This article provides a clinical overview of the use of one of these monitors of neurological function in the operating room (OR), the electroencephalogram (EEG). Technical and physiological aspects of the EEG and major intraoperative applications are reviewed.
Liver herniation through an occult diaphragmatic injury presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule: Value of helical computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

We report a case of liver herniation through an occult diaphragmatic injury presenting as a solitary pulmonary nodule. The value of clinical history as well as the utility of helical computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in avoiding this pitfall are discussed.
Deep Drilling into a Mantle Plume Volcano: The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project

Summary The Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project drilled and cored two holes in Hilo, Hawaii, the deeper reaching a depth of 3508 mbsl, and it retrieved a total of 4600 meters of rock core (525 meters from the Mauna Loa volcano and the remainder from the Mauna Kea volcano). The Mauna Loa core extends the continuous lava stratigraphy of that volcano back to 100 ka and reveals major changes in lava geochemistry over that time period. The Mauna Kea core spans an age range from about 200 ka to perhaps 700 ka, and when combined with surface outcrops, it provides a 700-kyr record of the lava output from a single volcano. During the time covered by the lavas from the core, the volcano drifted some 60–80 km across the melting region of the Hawaiian mantle plume, and therefore the HSDP rock core provides the first systematic cross-sectional sampling of a deep mantle plume. The geochemical characterization of the core, which involved an international team of forty scientists over a period of fifteen years provides information about mantle plume structure and ultimately about the deepest parts of the Earth’s mantle. The study of the lava core (which still continues) has provided unprecedented information about the internal structure of a large oceanic volcano and the time scale over which volca-noes grow. The hole also provides an intriguing glimpse of a complex subsurface hydrological regime that differs greatly from the generalized view of ocean island hydrology. Drilling conditions were favorable in the subaerial parts of the volcanic section, where coring was generally fast and efficient. The submarine part of the lava section, made up primarily of volcanogenic sediments and pillow lavas, proved considerably more difficult to drill. Some of the difficulties and considerable additional expense were due to pressurized aquifers at depth and a few critical mistakes made while setting casing. Even with the more difficult conditions, the project retrieved about 2400 meters of nearly continuous core from the submarine section of Mauna Kea. Overall, the HSDP project was highly successful even though the original target depth was about 20% deeper than the final hole depth. As expected, the project results answer several important questions about oceanic volcanoes, mantle plumes, and ocean island water resources, but they raise many more that might be addressed with further moderate-depth drilling in other Hawaiian volcanoes.
Quantitative Analysis Of Sperm Motion Kinematics From Real-Time Video-Edge Images

A new model of sperm swimming kinematics, which uses signal processing methods and multivariate statistical techniques to identify individual cell-motion parameters and unique cell populations, is presented. Swimming paths of individual cells are obtained using real-time, video-edge digitization. Raw paths are adaptively filtered to identify average paths, and measurements of space-time oscillations about average paths are made. Time-dependent frequency information is extracted from spatial variations about average paths using harmonic analysis. Raw-path and average-path measures such as curvature, curve length, and straight-line length, and measures of oscillations about average paths such as time-dependent amplitude and frequency variations, are used in a multivariate, cluster analysis to identify unique cell populations. The entire process, including digitization of sperm video images, is computer-automated. Preliminary results indicate that this method of tracking, digitization, and kinematic analysis accurately identifies unique cell subpopulations, including: the relative numbers of cells in each subpopulation, how subpopulations differ, and the extent and significance of such differences. With appropriate work, this approach may be useful for clinical discrimination between normal and abnormal semen specimens.
Spatial autocorrelation in country-level models of species imperilment

Abstract Modeling the determinants of species' ecological fragility using country-specific data may be complicated by the fact that factors that influence species imperilment may extend or operate beyond arbitrary political boundaries. Following McPherson and Nieswiadomy [McPherson, M.A. and Nieswiadomy, M.L., 2005. Environmental Kuznets curve: threatened species and spatial effects. Ecol. Econ. 55: 395–407.], we confirm the advisability of controlling for spatial autocorrelation in models focusing on imperilment of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and vascular plants. We also compare the performance of different definitions of the spatial dependency. Although our a priori expectation was that measures that more accurately reflect the degree of spatial interaction between countries, such as the percentage of shared border, would be superior to a measure of simple adjacency, in fact we find that the simple adjacency measure outperforms the other measures in most cases.
An empirical study of Asian financial crisis by debt service capacity comparison

Traces China’s foreign debt policy from 1978 to the present and compares its short and long term debt structure with Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Phillippines and Thailand (i.e. five countries suffering from the Asian economic crisis). Points out that in the 1980s, when all six had high growth rates, China had a severe financial crisis while the others did not: a situation reversed in the 1990s. Compares four debt service capacity indicators for the six, using data from 1983‐1990 and 1991‐1997 to explore the factors causing financial crisis and shows that the ratio of short‐term to total debt is the most important indicator. Discusses the implications for the policies of developing countries and warns that “the hot‐bed for...financial crises still exists”.
Reactions of O−· with methyl benzoate: a negative ion chemical ionization and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance study

The reactions of O*- with methyl benzoate have been examined by the measurement of negative ion chemical ionization (NICI) mass spectra using a CI source, with confirmatory studies carried out on a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer. Reaction mechanisms have been elucidated using isotopically labeled esters. Nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon and the aromatic ring were important reaction pathways. Nucleophilic attack at the carbonyl carbon was followed by the production of products (C6HsCO2- and CH3OCO2-) characteristic of radical, beta-fragmentation. Using 18O-labeled methyl benzoate, the SN2 reaction was found to account for a smaller percentage, 21(+/-1)%, of the benzoate product. Aromatic ring attack resulted in formation of [M + O - H]- and [M - 2H]*- ions. Although aryl hydrogens accounted for most H2*+ abstracted by O*-, evidence for abstraction of HarylH*+alkyl and HalkylH*+alkyl was also found. Although present at much lower abundance, dehydrobenzoate, dehydrophenoxy, and C7H6*- ([M - 2H - CO2]*-) radical anions were also observed. An Haryl/Halkyl exchange associated with formation of the benzoate anion was attributed to an Halkyl abstraction that occurred within the methanol/dehydrobenzoate ion-dipole complex. The [M - 2H]*-, dehydrobenzoate, dehydrophenoxy, and [M - 2H - CO2]*- ion signals were quenched by reaction with O2. Conditions required for production of O*- spectra under NICI conditions were also examined.
The trouble with social computing systems research

Social computing has led to an explosion of research in understanding users, and it has the potential to similarly revolutionize systems research. However, the number of papers designing and building new sociotechnical systems has not kept pace. We analyze challenges facing social computing systems research, ranging from misaligned methodological incentives, evaluation expectations, double standards, and relevance compared to industry. We suggest improvements for the community to consider so that we can chart the future of our field.
Masticatory Muscle Silent Periods in Patients with MPD Syndrome Before and After Treatment

Masticatory muscle silent periods were compared in normal subjects and in patients with MPD syndrome before and after a variety of psychological, physiological, and pharmacological forms of therapy. All patients initially showed prolonged silent periods in one or more of the muscles. There was a direct relationship between prolongation and severity of symptoms. The temporalis (90.9%) and masseter (54.5%) were most frequently involved. In almost all instances the silent periods returned to the normal range following treatment.
Surgical "buy-in": the contractual relationship between surgeons and patients that influences decisions regarding life-supporting therapy.

Objective:There is a general consensus by intensivists and nonsurgical providers that surgeons hesitate to withdraw life-sustaining therapy on their operative patients despite a patient's or surrogate's request to do so. The objective of this study was to examine the culture and practice of surgeons
The Liaison Psychiatrist as Busybody

AbstractEditor's Note: We are aware of the controversial nature of this communication and invite responses from psychiatrists in practice as well in academic settings.
Thyroid and Parathyroid Roles in Hypercalcemia: Evidence for a Thyrocalcitonin-Releasing Factor

Extirpation of either the parathyroids or the thyroid in rats acutely impaired their ability to counteract hypercalcemia induced by exogenous parathormone. Thyroidectomy had the greater effect, and in rats subjected to both parathyroidectomy and thyroidectomy the calcium-lowering mechanism was not further impaired, which suggests that the parathyroids secrete a humoral factor that releases calcium-lowering thyrocalcitonin from the thyroid. This hypothesis reconciles previous conflicting reports.
Internal structure and properties of Mars

Theoretical physical models of the Martian interior are presented in the light of recent and revised data and constraints. These models include thermal evolution, densities, and seismic-wave velocities. The interior of Mars appears to be earthlike in many respects. Although thermal models indicate that Mars has passed its peak of evolution, it may still have an asthenosphere and may be moderately active tectonically. Mars has an Fe-FeS core with a radius of 1500-2000 km. The mantle is enriched in FeO with an olivine composition of about Fo75. Theoretically determined seismic-wave velocities are relatively well constrained in the mantle, with upper-mantle P-wave velocities ranging from 7.64 to 7.80 km/sec. However, there are wide variations in P-wave velocity in the core, dependent on composition. The shadow zone due to the core is larger than earth's.
Assessment of Immunization Status in Hospitalized Children Followed by Counseling of Parents and Primary Care Physicians Improves Vaccination Coverage: An Interventional Study

This prospective, intervention-control study in hospitalized, underimmunized children assessed the effect of vaccination reminders to parents during hospitalization and provides postdischarge rates of catch-up immunizations. One month after hospital discharge, significantly more children in the intervention group (27%) than the controls (8%) had received catch-up immunizations ( P
Cosmogenic-nuclide and varve chronologies for the deglaciation of southern New England

Abstract We report new cosmogenic-nuclide exposure ages from the Ledyard and Old Saybrook Moraines in eastern Connecticut, summarize previously published exposure ages from elsewhere in southern New England, and compare the resulting deglaciation chronology with that derived from the New England varve chronology. The geomorphic context of southern New England moraine boulders indicates that postdepositional disturbance of boulders, and consequent scatter in boulder exposure ages, should be negligible. Exposure ages of these boulders reinforce this conclusion: the scatter among boulder ages from each moraine is no more than that expected from the measurement uncertainty of the ages. We therefore conclude that geologic uncertainties in the exposure histories of the boulders are relatively unimportant, and that the precision of the exposure-age chronology for deglaciation of southern New England is limited only by the measurement uncertainty of each exposure age and the number of exposure ages. However, exposure ages for deglaciation are nominally at least 1700 yr younger than deglaciation ages inferred from the New England varve chronology and its associated calibration to the absolute calendar year time scale, which is a significant discrepancy relative to the internal precision of each chronology. This discrepancy is similar in size to the uncertainties in the two independently determined parameters that link the two chronologies to the absolute calendar year time scale, that is, the 10 Be production rate and the varve year–calendar year offset. Taking into account the uncertainty in these two parameters, the two chronologies essentially agree, and present the opportunity to more accurately determine these parameters by enforcing internal consistency between the two chronologies. The combined deglaciation chronology that results from this exercise indicates that southeastern Connecticut was deglaciated 18,500–19,000 yr BP. It suggests that the varve year–calendar year offset has been overestimated by several hundred years and that the local 10 Be production rate has been overestimated by a few percent, and it is consistent with: (a) independent measurements of the varve year–calendar year offset; (b) independent measurements of the 10 Be production rate; (c) relevant limiting radiocarbon ages; and (d) the present understanding of the most likely relationship between the exposure age of major moraines and North Atlantic climate changes. The internal consistency of the two chronologies could be further improved by additional exposure dating of ice-marginal landforms that have direct stratigraphic links to the varve chronology. This, in turn, would also result in improved estimates of both the varve year–calendar year offset and cosmogenic-nuclide production rates.
Periodic orbits for reversible, symplectic mappings

Abstract A 2 N -dimensional symplectic mapping which satisfies the twist condition is obtained from a Lagrangian generating function F ( q , q ′) . The q 's are assumed to be angle variables. Reversible maps of this form have 2 N −1 invariant symmetry sets which are Lagrangian manifolds. We show that such maps have at least 2 N symmetric periodic orbits for each frequency ω=( m ,n) . Furthermore we show there is at least one orbit which minimizes the periodic action for each ω, and generically at least 2 N −1 other “minimax” orbits. There is a “dominant” symmetry plane on which the minimizing orbit is never observed to occur. As a parameter varies, the symmetric orbits are observed to undergo symmetry breaking bifurcations, creating a pair of non-symmetric orbits. A pair of coupled standard maps provides a four-dimensional example. For this case the two-dimensional symmetry planes give a cross section of the resonances and a visualization of the Arnol'd web.
Ceramide mediates age-associated increase in macrophage cyclooxygenase-2 expression.

Previously, we showed that macrophages (MO) from old mice have significantly higher levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production than young mice, due to increased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA levels. The aim of the current study was to determine the underlying mechanisms of age-associated increase in COX-2 gene expression. The results demonstrate that increased COX-2 mRNA expression in the old mice is due to a higher rate of transcription rather than increased stability of COX-2 mRNA. Furthermore, the results show that LPS-induced ceramide levels from the old mice are significantly higher than those of young mice, whereas there is no age-related difference in concentration of its down stream metabolite, sphingosine. The addition of ceramide in the presence or absence of LPS resulted in a significant increase in PGE2 production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Inhibition of ceramide conversion to sphingosine had no effect on this ceramide-induced effect. The ceramide-induced up-regulation in PGE2 production was mediated through increase in COX activity and transcriptional up-regulation of COX-2 mRNA. Collectively, these data suggest that the age-associated increase in MO COX-2 mRNA is due to transcriptional up-regulation. Furthermore, this increase in transcription is mediated by higher cellular ceramide concentration in old MO compared with that of young MO.
Kinetics of Decomposition of Isobutyryl Peroxide and Reactions of Isopropyl Radicals

The kinetics of decomposition of isobutyryl peroxide was investigated in isooctane solution. The decomposition was shown to be unimolecular, the activation energy being 27.3 kcal/mole and the frequency factor 2.8·1014 sec—1. The lower activation energy of this decomposition, as compared with decompositions of other acyl peroxides, suggests that energy is supplied to the O–O bond by the decarboxylation of radicals resulting from the dissociation of this peroxide. The problem of energy supply is taken further in the following publication.The reactions of isopropyl radicals formed in the dissociation process were studied quantitatively.
A review on adherence management in patients on oral cancer therapies.

Abstract Purpose There is currently an ongoing paradigm shift in cancer treatment from intravenous (IV) chemotherapeutics to oral therapies. Additionally, the increased use of long-term maintenance therapy with oral targeted agents or chemotherapy is contributing to a shift toward a chronic-disease model. This shift is creating challenges and responsibilities for health care professionals in patient adherence management. This article will inform health care professionals of current trends and describe ways that they can overcome common barriers to adherence. A comprehensive review of recommendations and evidence derived from oncological studies describing adherence to oral targeted therapies and maintenance chemotherapy will provide guidance for the use of emerging oral maintenance therapies. Methods Articles in the scientific literature were reviewed if published between January 1985 and November 2010. Searches were conducted using the PubMed database—search terms included "oral therapy," "chemotherapy," "cancer," and "adherence" or "compliance." Results The change from IV therapy administered and monitored in hospitals or clinics to self-administered outpatient oral treatments decreases the likelihood of adherence. Methods, such as patient education and monitoring and involvement of family or caretakers, can improve adherence in patients undergoing treatment. Conclusions At treatment onset, oncology nurses can engage patients directly in a collaborative dialogue, and when issues affecting adherence arise, oncology nurses may limit nonadherence by providing individually tailored educational material. A practical approach to patient education, along with building strong health care provider–patient relationships, can help patients overcome nonadherence to new oral anticancer therapies and treatment paradigms.
Owen Keane, Failure and Detective

Dans la serie policiere qui met en scene le detective Owen Keane, Terence Faherty a cree un detective amateur dont l'echec ne se limite pas aux standards sociaux de la classe moyenne du point de vue de la reussite financiere et professionnelle ; il echoue egalement dans sa vie prive. Il echoue spirituellement. Et, plus problematique encore, il echoue en tant que detective. Owen Keane est defini par ce qu'il n'est pas. L'A. decrit non seulement la maniere dont Owen Keane constitue un echec ; il suggere egalement que ce detective est un antiheros dont les investigations ratees exposent les verites reelles et troublantes de la nature humaine.
β-Arrestin1 Knockout Mice Appear Normal but Demonstrate Altered Cardiac Responses to β-Adrenergic Stimulation

Abstract β-Arrestin1 knockout mice were studied to define the physiological role of β-arrestin1 in the regulation of G protein–coupled receptors. β-Arrestin1 is thought to be involved in the desensitization of many G protein–associated cell surface receptors, particularly β-adrenergic receptors. Homozygous knockout mice are overtly normal. Resting cardiovascular parameters modulated by β-adrenergic receptors such as heart rate, blood pressure, and left ventricular ejection fraction are not changed. However, homozygous mutants are more sensitive to β-receptor agonist–stimulated increases in ejection fraction, consistent with a role of β-arrestin1 in β-adrenergic receptor desensitization. We conclude that β-arrestin1 is important for in vivo G protein–coupled receptor desensitization and that this aspect of desensitization represents a mechanism for fine-tuning responses. However, β-arrestin1 does not appear to be required for development or for other essential biological functions.
Persons, organisms, and death: a philosophical critique of the higher-brain approach.

Dans le cadre du debat sur la conceptualisation de la mort et de la determination d'un critere clinique adequat, l'A. critique la these du cerveau superieur qui definit la mort par l'arret irreversible de la capacite consciente. Au-dela des objections fondees sur l'insuffisance des tests cliniques et des considerations politiques de sante publique, l'A. developpe une conception organiste de la mort, fondee sur l'observation biologique de l'arret irreversible du fonctionnement de l'organisme dans son ensemble. Rejetant tout modele base sur la personne humaine et sur l'identite personnelle, ainsi que l'argument de la valeur prudentielle en faveur de la these du cerveau superieur, l'A. montre que sa definition organiste de la mort est compatible avec le critere cardiopulmonaire et le critere de l'arret de tout le cerveau
Communitywide smoking prevention : long-term outcomes of the Minnesota heart health program and the class of 1989 study

OBJECTIVES. The Class of 1989 Study is part of the Minnesota Heart Health Program (MHHP), a populationwide research and demonstration project designed to reduce cardiovascular disease in three educated communities from 1980 to 1993. This paper describes an intensive, school-based behavioral intervention on cigarette smoking, comparing long-term outcomes in one of the intervention communities with those in a matched reference community. METHODS. Beginning in sixth grade (1983), seven annual waves of cohort and cross-sectional behavioral measurements were taken from one MHHP intervention community and its matched pair. All students in each community were eligible to participate (baseline n = 2401). Self-reported data collected at each period described prevalence and intensity of cigarette smoking. RESULTS. There were no differences at baseline for either weekly smoking prevalence or intensity of smoking. Throughout the follow-up period, however, smoking rates as determined by these measures were significant...
Changing Neighborhood Determinants of Housing Price Trends in Southern California, 1960–2009

Research has generally failed to explore whether the effect of neighborhood characteristics on home values has changed over time. We take a long–range view and study decadal changing home values in...
THE PAINS OF R‐GEORGE, ROBOT

In this essay I wish to raise the question of whether it is meaningful to say that a certain sort of robot is in pain. This is, of course, not an empirical question. There exists no robot of the sort I shall describe. But, I shall argue, if such a robot did in fact exist, it would be meaningful to say it is in pain.
Helping students (and ultimately faculty) write an effective recommendation letter

Both undergraduate and graduate students need recommendation letters to help them reach various educational and career objectives. Professors sometimes have difficulty getting sufficient information from students to make each letter unique and persuasive. Students often have trouble writing specific details to substantiate their claims. Without this information, writing a recommendation letter can place unnecessary time demands on the professor. This pilot project is designed to help students provide sufficient specifics for an excellent letter of recommendation and to improve writing skills. The authors have devised a checklist to help students write a recommendation letter. The checklist can also serve as a useful career planning tool, establishing a framework on which to build and a guideline for analyzing the gap between school and work. The authors also suggest a handout to generate the first draft. Using the checklist can empower any student to develop an effective letter of recommendation.
Altering soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in intensively tilled two-year rotations

Information is needed on the ability of different crop management factors to maintain or increase soil C and N pools, especially in intensively tilled short crop rotations. Soil samples from field experiments in Maine were used to assess the effect of cover crop, green manure (GM) crop, and intermittent or annual amendment on soil C and N pools. These field experiments, of 6–13 years’ duration, were all characterized by a 2-year rotation with either sweet corn ( Zea mays L.) or potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), and primary tillage each year. Total, particulate organic matter (POM), and soil microbial biomass (SMB)-C and -N pools were assessed for each experiment. Total C and N stocks were not affected by red clover ( Trifolium pratense L.) cover crop or legume GM, but were increased by 25–53% via a single application of papermill sludge or an annual manure and/or compost amendment. With the exception of continuous potato production which dramatically reduced the SMB-C and SMB-N concentration, SMB-C and -N were minimally affected by changes in cropping sequence, but were quite sensitive to amendments, even those that were primarily C. POM-C and -N, associated with the coarse mineral fraction (53–2,000 µm), were more responsive to management factors compared to total C and N in soil. The change in soil C fractions was a linear function of increasing C supply, across all experiments and treatments. Within these intensively tilled, 2-year crop rotations, substantial C and N inputs from amendments are needed to significantly alter soil C and N pools, although cropping sequence changes can influence more labile pools responsible for nutrient cycling.
Two level cache architectures

The authors discuss the performance measures required in building two-level cache solutions in uniprocessor systems based on more aggressive processors than the Intel486 microprocessor for desktop applications. The performance of serial second level caches is shown to exceed that of parallel caches by 10%-20%. The effect of second-level cache parameters such as cache/line/associativity/sector sizes is examined. It is shown that, as long as one of the two caches in the cache hierarchy is operating in the write back mode, the performance will be close to the case of both functioning in the write back mode. The authors quantify the fact that second-level caches reduce memory latency sensitivities. The performance gain of a full speed interface between the two levels of the cache hierarchy versus a half speed interface is shown to be about 10% for desktop applications. >
Examination and treatment of a patient with hypermobility syndrome.

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this case report is to present the examination, evaluation/diagnosis/prognosis, intervention, and outcome of a patient with hypermobility syndrome (HMS). Hypermobility syndrome has been widely recognized in the rheumatology literature, but it has seldom been discussed in the orthopedic literature and has only recently been described in the physical therapy literature. The signs and symptoms of HMS are common among patients seen in orthopedic physical therapy clinics; however, the HMS may be overlooked while treating individual joints or tissues causing pain. Case Description. The patient was a 28-year-old woman with complaints of chronic, multiple-joint pain. After years without a diagnosis, a rheumatologist had recently diagnosed her as having HMS. Outcomes. Following intervention that emphasized patient education and activity modification, the patient's complaints decreased. Discussion. Recognition of HMS underlying common orthopedic problems may facilitate appropriate patient education and management.
Age-related and regional differences in dopamine transporter mRNA expression in human midbrain.

We assessed the abundance of dopamine transporter messenger RNA (DAT mRNA) in various human midbrain dopamine cell groups using in situ hybridization. The youngest individuals studied (17–23 years of age) exhibited significant regional heterogeneity of DAT expression, both in terms of the number of dopamine neurons expressing DAT mRNA and the abundance of DAT mRNA per cell, with the highest levels of expression evident within the ventral tier of the substantia nigra and lowest expression within the retrorubral field. In the older subjects (65–72 years old) analyzed, DAT mRNA in all regions was reduced to the level seen in the retrorubal field, indicating a positive correlation between initial levels of DAT expression and subsequent age-related reductions, with some regions exhibiting up to a 75% loss of DAT mRNA with age. The age-related decline in DAT mRNA was due to both a decrease in the abundance of DAT mRNA per dopamine cell as well as a decrease in the total number of dopamine cells expressing DAT mRNA, although tyrosine hydroxylase expression was less affected. These results indicate that changes in dopamine neurotransmission seen in normal aging may be related to altered DAT gene expression.
Min(d)ing the small details: discovery of critical knowledge through precision manifold learning, and application to onboard decision support

Fast identification of critical information in a changing environment is difficult yet it is key to dynamical decision support, in general. Finding critical information in large and complex data volumes is a challenge real systems, and systems of systems, pose increasingly. Moreover, many of these real systems are desired to operate highly autonomously, using extracted critical information and discovered and distilled knowledge directly, for decisions. Spacecraft or rover navigation based on scientific findings from continuously collected data by onboard computation, is one example. This highlights the importance of the quality of information extraction. The knowledge discovery process must be intelligent enough to produce useful details; reliable; robust; and fast. This paper focuses on the first three of these quality aspects through precision manifold learning, in an onboard decision making scenario of a space mission.