cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calculation of the heat capacity of linear macromolecules from theta-temperatures and group vibrations

An automated computer program is presented for the calculation of heat capacity of macromolecules from skeletal vibration frequencies described by the Tarasov equation and group vibration frequencies. The heat capacities calculated for crystalline polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene fit well with the experimental data from our ATHAS data bank. The program will be part of the planned ATHAS Computation Center.
A 6 h microslide immunodiffusion assay for confirmed detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins

Use of appropriately balanced immunological reagents and incubation of microslides at 45 degrees C resulted in confirmed assay results in 6 h for staphylococcal enterotoxins. The sensitivity of the 45 degrees C-6 h assay was comparable to the 37 degrees C-24 h assay: 0.1 micrograms of staphylococcal enterotoxin A/ml.
Passive scalar flux footprint analysis over horizontally inhomogeneous plant canopy using large-eddy simulation

Abstract The large-eddy simulation (LES) method has been used to simulate passive scalar such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) flux and its footprint or source weight function over a horizontally inhomogeneous canopy, in which half of the physical domain is patched soil or clearcut upwind. A step change of aerodynamic roughness length ( z 01 / z 02 =20) across a clearcut–canopy interface, which simulates the forest edge, is examined. In order to simulate the transport and dispersion of CO 2 within and above the canopy, a constant crosswind line source (tracer) is placed at the upwind boundary. This study investigates the influence of the clearcut interface on the scalar flux and its footprint at a downwind measurement tower. The study reports the contribution of all sources to a point flux measurement. The footprint function demonstrates a large platform effect, which is due to the clearcut–forest interface. The numerical results demonstrate an influence region from 3 to 5 tree heights upwind of the interface to more than 15 tree heights downwind the interface. It is observed that the rate of adjustment for a passive scalar is much slower than that of vectors, such as momentum. Thus, a much larger fetch is required than the one demanded in otherwise homogeneous conditions for the tower flux measurements to be robust and representative of the underlying forest and not of the clearcut. The results from this study provide useful information on the examination of the measurement uncertainties associated with the net ecosystem–atmosphere exchange (NEE) of CO 2 under neutral conditions. The numerical results are also compared with a set of experimental data and analytical methods such as the Lagrangian stochastic (LS) simulation. The study shows that LES as an effective tool can be used to simulate atmospheric flows over heterogeneous canopies.
Reference and Response

A standard view of reference holds that a speaker's use of a name refers to a certain thing in virtue of the speaker's associating a condition with that use that singles the referent out. This view has been criticized by Saul Kripke as empirically inadequate. Recently, however, it has been argued that a version of the standard view, a response-based theory of reference, survives the charge of empirical inadequacy by allowing that associated conditions may be largely or even entirely implicit. This paper argues that response-based theories of reference are prey to a variant of the empirical inadequacy objection, because they are ill-suited to accommodate the successful use of proper names by pre-school children. Further, I argue that there is reason to believe that normal adults are, by and large, no different from children with respect to how the referents of their names are determined. I conclude that speakers typically refer positionally: the referent of a use of a proper name is typically determined by...
The virtues of vice: The Lowell mill girl debate and contemporary feminist ethics

Virtue and vice remain at the margins of feminist conceptual analysis although both establish a dualism that denies women full citizenship. To make this argument, this analysis explores the histori...
Mandatory Counseling: Clinical Beneficence or Malevolence?

Mandatory counseling is a widespread and commonly accepted practice on college campuses throughout the nation. This practice bestirs heated controversy and ethical challenges when college administrators require students to undergo counseling in instances of misconduct that pose little danger to self or others. Apparently many counselors actively and approvingly undertake mandatory therapy with students; others take exception and decline to undertake involuntary counseling; and still others acquiesce by undertaking mandatory counseling with students despite their ethical objections to this coercive clinical practice. This article will highlight the rationales for ethical objections to mandatory counseling.
Evaluating multiple sign change and mixed projects using the return on invested capital model

Abstract While the NPV and IRR models usually lead to correct and intuitively clear long-term investment decisions, there is a class of ‘mixed’ projects with both investment and financing phases in which the possibility of multiple rates of return and intuitive inconsistencies can arise. Because of the increased frequency of leveraged leases, these issues have taken on added importance. Practitioners are known to prefer a rate of return measure (usually the IRR) to the NPV model. However, the IRR model can result in analytical problems (e.g. multiple IRRs, no IRR, etc.) when used to evaluate the above mentioned types of projects. This paper illustrates the use of the return on invested capital (RIC) model, a generalization of the IRR, for evaluating investment projects. The RIC solves a number of analytical difficulties which can arise when using the IRR model. Seven examples, suitable for classroom use, are presented to illustrate the usefulness of the RIC model.
Exploring the Gating Mechanism of the Glutamate Transporter GltPh

Glutamate acts as the primary neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. Clearance of this neurotransmitter from the synapse is accomplished by a family of glutamate transporters known as EAATs. These proteins move synaptic glutamate across the cell membrane into the cell against its concentration gradient. It has long been speculated that the mechanism for transport involves the movement of extracellular and intracellular gates, providing “alternating access” to a substrate binding site. Recently, the crystal structure of a related bacterial transporter, GltPh, was solved, revealing two helical hairpins (HP1 and HP2) which have been proposed to contribute to these gates. HP2 lies on the extracellular face of the transporter, and a number of studies have shown that this hairpin can adopt multiple conformations that either provide or restrict access to the substrate binding site. However, to date there is no structural information regarding the conformational changes that must occur within HP1 in order to provide the substrate a path to the intracellular solution. Here we use the technique of site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to explore the structure of HP1 (residues 258-290) in purified GltPh reconstituted into proteoliposomes. This technique provides an opportunity to probe the dynamic structure of HP1 in a functional protein embedded in a physiological lipid environment.
DEVELOPMENT OF OBESITY IN FORCE FED YOUNG THYROIDECTOMIZED RATS

RETARDED growth is a well-known effect of thyroid deficiency in the young animal (Simpson, 1913; Salmon, 1938; Scow and Simpson, 1945). Daily food consumption is also subnormal (Persike, 1948) to which the reduced growth rate might be attributed. The present experiments were conducted to ascertain the effect of increased food intake upon the athyroid dwarf. Body weight gain was found to be greater in thyroidectomized rats receiving increased daily rations than in those fed ad libitum. The chief chemical composition of their carcass weight gains have been determined and compared with that in normal animals.
False Consensus Effect for attitudes related to body shape in normal weight women concerned with body shape

This study investigated the presence of the False Consensus Effect (FCE) with body and shape-related attitudes in 30 normal weight women who scored high or low on a measure of concern with body shape. The participants were asked to rate depressive, positive, neutral, and body shape self-statements for relevance to self and to others. They also estimated the percentage of individuals that would agree with each attitudinal statement. Women with high body shape concerns rated themselves and others as significantly more likely to agree with the statements expressing such concerns than those with low concerns. They also believed that a significantly higher percentage of others would favor those attitudes. This pattern of findings is supportive of the presence of a FCE in normal weight women preoccupied with body shape and size.
Structural changes during annealing and during acceptor doping of oriented poly(p-phenylene sulfide)

Abstract Thermally-annealed, melt-formed poly( p -phenylene sulfide), PPS, has a folded-chain, lamellar structure with a repeat period varying from 90 A to 160 A, depending upon the annealing temperature. Local crystalline order develops in the polymer before the onset of extensive lamellar ordering. On doping oriented PPS with AsF 5 , the polymer swells and loses both crystallinity and chain orientation. The absence of crystalline and lamellar reflections in doped PPS probably results from dopant-induced structural disorder and chemical reactions (formation of dibenzothiophene linkages and crosslinking). These structural changes may explain the relative insensitivity of the conductivity of the doped polymer to the degree of crystallinity and orientation in the precursor polymer.
Decompressive Hemicraniectomy for the Treatment of Intractable Intracranial Hypertension After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— Decompressive hemicraniectomy and duroplasty (DHCD) can improve survival in patients with severe cerebral edema. We present our clinical experience with DHCD for the treatment of refractory elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods— DHCD was performed in 16 patients (11 female; median age, 49.5 years) with aSAH (11 Hunt-Hess grade 4 to 5) for sustained ICP >250 mm H2O refractory to maximal medical treatment and cerebrospinal fluid drainage at a median of 2 days from admission. Half of the patients were treated with endovascular coiling and the other half with surgical clipping. Results— DHCD (mean flap size, 8536 mm2) reduced ICP from 350±157 to 147±124 mm H2O. Eleven patients survived (69%), and at latest follow-up (median, 450 days), 7 (64%) had a modified Rankin score of 0 to 3 and 4 (36%) a score of 4 to 5. Peak herniated brain volume was inversely associated with good outcome (P<0.005). Early craniectomy performed ...
Generation and Modulation of a Millimeter-Wave Subcarrier on an Optical Frequency Generated via Optical Injection

A highly tunable millimeter-wave subcarrier signal is generated by optically injecting a Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser. The optically injected light, which enables microwave subcarrier frequencies well beyond the injected laser's free-running relaxation-oscillation frequency, is then on-off keyed by direct-current (dc) modulation of the injected slave laser. Adjustment of the subcarrier frequency is easily accomplished by changing either the dc bias current and/or junction temperature of the injected slave or the injecting master laser. In this paper, we theoretically and experimentally investigate the purity of the modulated microwave subcarrier. The generated microwave signal was then transmitted over 50 km of single-mode fiber, demonstrating the applicability of a directly modulated slave laser optically injected into the period-one state for radio-over-fiber applications.
Regulation of heart insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity by magnesium and spermine.

Insulin action and aspects of the insulin-signaling pathway have been studied in the heart although the direct regulation of the heart’s insulin receptor has not been explored. This study describes the first purification and characterization of the mammalian (rabbit, rat and bovine) heart insulin receptor. The rabbit heart IR showed maximum insulin binding of 18 μg/mg (~1 mole insulin/mole (α2β2) receptor) and a curvilinear Scatchard plot with a high affinity K D for insulin binding of ~4 nM at optimal pH (7.8) and NaCl concentration (150 mM). The insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity was stimulated by insulin, Mg2+ (half-maximum response at ~5.6–10.6 nM and ~8.5 mM, respectively) and by the physiological polyamines, spermine and spermidine. The stimulation by Mg2+ and the polyamines occurred with and without insulin. These characteristics of the heart insulin receptor provide a mechanism for regulating the activity of the receptor’s tyrosine kinase activity by the intracellular free Mg2+ concentration and the polyamines in the absence and presence of insulin.
Seismic velocity decrement ratios for regions of partial melt in the lower mantle

For regions of partial melt in the lower mantle, both compressional and shear wave velocities decrease monotonically with increasing melt volume fraction. Those regions close to the core-mantle boundary thought to contain partial melt have a velocity decrement ratio (relative change in shear velocity over relative change of compressional velocity) of about 3. Arguments based on effective medium theories have been given to show that such high values of this ratio are predicted for partial melt systems. The present work confirms the value of 3 near the core-mantle boundary. It is shown, furthermore, that this velocity decrement ratio can be estimated without detailed knowledge of, or assumptions about, the microstructure of the partial melt system by using Gassmann‧s equation of poroelasticity together with some reasonable assumptions about the change (or lack of change) of the density and bulk modulus for lower mantle pressure and temperature conditions.
Toxicity due to the use of tyzine hydrochloride.

Summary 1. Three cases manifesting extreme drowsiness as a toxic effect of Tyzine hydrochloride, a new nasal decongestant, are presented. 2. Results of the administration ofthis preparation to nineteen infants are recorded. Twenty-five experimental courses of the medication were given, and in four cases marked drowsiness was noted. 3. The recommendation is made that the use of Tyzine, and similar pressor amines, which have been shown to cause marked toxicity on occasions, be attended with caution.
SU-GG-I-150: Voxel Location Dependence of Brain Metabolites as Determined by Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Purpose: To quantify the spatial variation of absolute metabolite concentration in the human brain as determined by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Method and Materials: Multivoxel (PRESS) magnetic resonance spectroscopy data has been analyzed in an attempt to map out brainanatomy. Phantom data, along with spectra from a healthy volunteer and protocol patients were compared in order to detect trends that can be correlated with anatomy and/or disease. A 7×7 voxel grid was utilized, with a 2×2cm voxel size along with a 1cm slice thickness for all MRS scans. Phantom metabolites concentrations were similar to a healthy human brain: 3.0, 10.0 and 12.5mM for Cho, Cr and NAA respectively. Gaussian fits were used to estimate peak area. Results: The phantom absolute voxel metabolite concentration variation is fit by a second degree polynomial, ax2 + bx +c. Average R2 (Pearson product) for the six different fits (three metabolites × two directions) varied from 0.93±0.08 (st. dev.) for the left‐right fit for NAA to 0.98±0.02 for the anterior — posterior fit for Cr . Absolute metabolite concentration from the healthy volunteer show a consistent trend when plotted in the left right direction with the most medial voxel having a low value of metabolite concentration, followed by a relative maximum in the mid — lateral cerebrum, with a relative minima on the most lateral voxels. This minimum is likely the result of low metabolite concentrations near the mid‐hemisphere/ventricle region of the cerebrum. NAA concentrations from a protocol patient show roughly consistent functional spatial dependence for three anterior rows, with a posterior row distinct. Lactate/lipid contamination is likely the cause of this differentiation. Conclusion: Determining the functional spatial dependence of metabolite concentrations can aid in the deciding the value of diagnostic clinical MRS scans. Acknowledgment: This work was funded by the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission.
Dorsomedial thalamic lesions and amphetamine: Acquisition and retention of a visual pattern discrimination escape task

Two experiments were conducted to examine the performance of DMT-lesioned rats in a water-filled maze, a task on which it was expected that the freezing often manifested by such animals in aversive situations would be eliminated as a possible explanation of deficit. The lesioned animals showed both acquisition and retention deficits, but freezinglike behaviors were not eliminated as a possible interpretation. A third experiment effectively used amphetamine dosage to break up freezing-like responses, but no accompanying reduction in deficit was demonstrated.
Bounce precession fishbones in the national spherical torus experiment

Bursting modes, which are identified as bounce precession frequency fishbone modes, are observed on a low aspect ratio tokamak, the national spherical torus experiment (Ono M. et al 2000 Nucl. Fusion 40 557). They are predicted to be important in high current, low shear discharges with a significant population of trapped particles with a large mean bounce angle, such as produced by near tangential beam injection into a small aspect ratio device. Such a distribution is often stable to the usual precession-resonance fishbone mode. These modes could be important in ignited plasmas, driven by the trapped alpha particle population.
Optimal control of partitioned hybrid systems via discrete-time Hamilton-Jacobi theory

Abstract Computational framework for optimal control of hybrid systems with a partitioned state space is presented. It is shown that necessary conditions for optimality for a discrete-time dynamic system can be solved concurrently for various boundary conditions, according to the recent development of discrete-time Hamilton–Jacobi theory. This unique property is utilized to construct computationally efficient numerical optimization of hybrid systems where discrete switching dynamics occurs at the boundary between partitions of the configuration space. A benchmark example shows that the proposed approach has substantial computational advantages compared with the existing ones.
Galactorrhea in the adolescent

Inappropriate lactation--that which occurs beyond the usual postpartum or breast-feeding period or in the male--has been of medical interest for centuries. There is a suggestion that the first recorded case occurred in the Bible in the Book of Esther wherein Mordecai may have breast-fed his niece Esther [1,2]. The Talmud describes a man who nursed his infant after his wife's death during childbirth [3]. Lactation in virgin women was noted by the early Greeks [4], and Aristotle observed lactation in men [5]. The phenomenon of "witch's milk," seen in the newborn, was described as early as 1684 by Bonetus [6]. The first alleged pediatric case of nonpuerperal lactation was of an 8-year-old girl who was able to suckle her baby brother as reported in the 18th Century by Baudelocque [7]. Subsequently, many other cases of abnormal lactation were described in the 19th and early 20th centuries [7-10]. In the past 15 years, there has been a vast proliferation of cases and studies concerning galactorrhea of both sexes [11]. The advent of the prolactin radioimmunoassay was the single most important factor behind the profusion of these investigations [11-14]. Most recently, attention has focused on the high incidence of pituitary tumors--specifically the prolactinoma--in women and to some degree in men [13,15]. The occurrence of such tumors in children and adolescents is also receiving more attention [16,17]. The purpose of this review is to update the reader on galactorrhea with a specific emphasis on: 1) outlining the various causes of galactorrhea that may be seen in adolescent patients; 2) describing the work-up and management of both the male and female adolescent patient with galactorrhea; and 3) describing what is known about the natural history of galactorrhea. A brief description of the physiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-breast axis and lactation is also presented.
Assembly sequence planning using case-based reasoning techniques

Future computer aided design (CAD) systems will be not only smart, but also efficient in terms of solution strategies as well as time costs. This paper presents a problem-solving paradigm, namely case-based reasoning (CBR), and shows how it solves some constraint-oriented design problems efficiently. CBR solves a new problem by retrieving from its case library a solution which has solved a similar problem in the past and then adapting the solution to the new problem. The efficiency of such a system relies on the completeness and compactness (small size) of such a case library. These two characteristics of a case library in turn rely on an indexing scheme for the set of cases in the library. How these issues can be solved and how a case-based reasoning system can be designed for such problems is illustrated here, and the authors' theory is presented as it is applied to the area of assembly sequence planning.
Green power marketing: increasing customer demand for renewable energy

Abstract As electricity restructuring has progressed, the debate over appropriate mechanisms for the promotion of renewable energy has intensified. Green power marketing seeks to develop an emerging, customer-driven market for renewables. Because demand for green power is analogous to the voluntary provision of public goods, however, some believe that green marketing will not, on its own, provide a large market for renewables. After all, individuals have strong incentives to `free-ride' and therefore not contribute to the provision of public goods. This paper describes green power marketing activities, reviews aspects of the extensive literature on public goods, free-riders, and collective action problems, and explores some of the implications of this literature for the green marketing of renewable energy. The author recommends four strategies that may be used by marketers to boost participation in green power programs.
Asymmetric aging of clock networks in power efficient designs

Circuit aging due to Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) has become one of the major reliability concerns in digital integrated circuits. In this paper, we analyze the impact of asymmetrical aging due to BTI in the clock tree segments of power efficient designs. The non-uniform aging of launch and capture clock segments not only could violate the setup timing but also could result in gross hold violations. Aging in clock networks also results in pulse width compression which impacts the half-cycle paths' timing adversely. We show that the conventional static timing analysis (STA) have limitations in detecting these violations and; thus propose a Static Asymmetric Aging Analysis (S3A) algorithm. The S3A is based on the Asymmetric Aging model that is developed and validated using 45nm test-chip data and reliability simulations.
Growth of InGaN HBTs by MOCVD

The design and growth of GaN/InGaN heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are studied. Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) images of p+InGaN base layers (∼100 nm) deposited under various growth conditions indicate that the optimal growth temperature is limited to the range between 810 and 830°C due to a trade-off between surface roughness and indium incorporation. At these temperatures, the growth pressure must be kept above 300 Torr in order to keep surface pit density under control. An InGaN graded-composition emitter is adopted in order to reduce the number of V-shaped defects, which appear at the interface between GaN emitter and InGaN base and render an abrupt emitter-base heterojunction nearly impossible. However, the device performance is severely limited by the high p-type base contact resistance due to surface etching damage, which resulted from the emitter mesa etch.
Cutaneous histopathology of Conradi-Hunermann syndrome

The histopathology of the skin in the ichthyosiform erythroderma associated with classical Conradi-Hunermann syndrome has been rarely described. Skin biopsies from 2 infants with the classical features of Conradi-Hunermann syndrome including ichthyosiform erythroderma contained hyperkeratosis, dilated ostia of pilosebaceous structures, and calcium salts in the stratum corneum detectable with special stains. An unusual feature of one case was dilatation of acrosyringeal structures. We hypothesize that dilatation of acrosyringeal structures is analogous to the plugging noted in pilosebaceous units. Taken together, the ichthyosiform erythroderma of Conradi-Hunermann has a distinctive histologic appearance.
Surface chemistry of electrodeposited Cu2O films studied by XPS

Abstract The surfaces of electrodeposited Cu 2 O films grown using a variety of solution conditions have been examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Sodium and carbon are identified as impurities in certain films. Cu 2 O films deposited from basic solutions using lactate or citrate ligands contain more impurities than films deposited from acidic lactate or acetate solutions. Depth profiling reveals that sodium is located as deep as 100 nm below the surface of one film in the form of Na O Cu bonds. Sodium content can be correlated with preferred orientation of the polycrystalline films, with strongly 〈1 1 1〉 orientated films containing the largest amounts of sodium. Prior to ion sputtering, Cu 2 O/eutectic gallium–indium junctions display rectifying current–voltage behavior, with films containing larger amounts of impurities displaying lower photocurrent and open circuit voltage values. After sputtering the Cu 2 O surface to remove the impurities, symmetric current–voltage behavior is observed.
Cross-genotypic polyclonal anti-HCV antibodies from human ascitic fluid

Many anti-HCV antibodies are available, but more are needed for research and clinical applications. This study examines whether ascitic fluid from cirrhotic patients could be a source of reagent-grade antibodies. Ascitic fluid from 29 HCV patients was screened by ELISA for anti-HCV antibodies against three viral proteins: core, NS4B, and NS5A. Significant patient-to-patient variability in anti-HCV antibody titers was observed. Total ascitic fluid IgG purified by Protein-A chromatography reacted with HCV proteins in immunoblots, cell extracts, and replicon-expressing cells. Affinity-purification using synthetic peptides as bait allowed the preparation of cross-genotypic antibodies directed against pre-selected regions of HCV core, NS4B, and NS5A proteins. The performance of the polyclonal antibodies was comparable to that of monoclonal antibodies. Anti-NS4B antibody preparations reacted with genotype 1a, 1b, and 2a NS4B proteins in immunoblots and allowed NS4B to be localized in replicon-expressing cells. Ascitic fluid is an abundant source of human polyclonal cross-genotypic antibodies that can be used as an alternative to blood. This study shows the utility of selectively purifying human polyclonal antibodies from ascitic fluid. Affinity purification allows antibodies to be selected that are comparable to monoclonal antibodies in their ability to react with targeted regions of viral proteins.
A new assay for l-asparagine synthetase

Abstract A fast, relatively inexpensive method of measuring the enzymatic formation of l -asparagine from l -aspartate is presented. This radiochemical assay requires simple manipulations making it ideal for working with large numbers of samples, while maintaining high sensitivity and reproducibility. A mechanism similar to the enzymatic β-decarboxylation of aspartate is utilized but in a nonenzymatic reaction. In the presence of pyridoxal and Al 3+ ions, the 14 C of l -[4- 14 C]aspartate is decarboxylatd while l -[4- 14 C]asparagine remains intact. This assay is shown to be suitable for measuring mammalian l -asparagine synthetase activity, while not requiring the isolation of assay enzymes.
Bex1 knock out mice show altered skeletal muscle regeneration.

Bex1 and Calmodulin (CaM) are upregulated during skeletal muscle regeneration. We confirm this finding and demonstrate the novel finding that they interact in a calcium-dependent manner. To study the role of Bex1 and its interaction with CaM in skeletal muscle regeneration, we generated Bex1 knock out (Bex1-KO) mice. These mice appeared to develop normally and are fertile, but displayed a functional deficit in exercise performance compared to wild type (WT) mice. After intramuscular injection of cardiotoxin, which causes extensive and reproducible myotrauma followed by recovery, regenerating muscles of Bex1-KO mice exhibited elevated and prolonged cell proliferation, as well as delayed cell differentiation, compared to WT mice. Thus, our results provide the first evidence that Bex1-KO mice show altered muscle regeneration, and allow us to propose that the interaction of Bex1 with Ca2+/CaM may be involved in skeletal muscle regeneration.
THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS IN THE REVIVAL OF TRADE: THE LAW MERCHANT, PRIVATE JUDGES, AND THE CHAMPAGNE FAIRS

A good reputation can be an effective bond for honest behavior in a community of traders if members of the community know how others have behaved in the past – even if any particular pair of traders meets only infrequently. In a large community, it would be impossibly costly for traders to be perfectly informed about each other's behavior, but there exist institutions that can restore the effectiveness of a reputation system using much less extensive information. The system of judges used to enforce commercial law before the rise of the state was such an institution, and it successfully encouraged merchants (1) to behave honestly, (2) to impose sanctions on violators, (3) to become adequately informed about how others had behaved, (4) to provide evidence against violators of the code, and (5) to pay any judgments assessed against them, even though each of these behaviors might be personally costly.
Biological criteria, environmental health and estuarine macrobenthic community structure

Abstract Biological criteria for defining water quality and the presence of acceptable levels of benthic resources are evaluated for estuarine macrobenthic communities of the lower Chesapeake Bay, USA. Models of expected community values as a function of salinity are presented for community biomass, numbers of individuals, species richness, percent biomass of deep-dwelling species, percent biomass of equilibrium species, and percent biomass of opportunistic species. The models presented may serve as, or be used to develop, biological criteria for estuaries. Tidal freshwater and oligohaline regions had the highest variability in model parameters due to patchily distributed, large-sized bivalve species. In the absence of data from pristine habitats, the models were developed from a 5 year data set (1985–1989) for stations considered to be minimally impacted. The models produced were used to evaluate benthic communities of two regions of the Chesapeake Bay—one exposed to summer low dissolved oxygen events (hypoxia/anoxia) and the other characterized by sediments contaminated with heavy metals and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Stations exposed to stress from either low dissolved oxygen events or contaminated sediments were characterized by 1. reduced community biomass, 2. reduced species richness, 3. less biomass consisting of deep-dwelling species and equilibrium species and 4. more biomass consisting of opportunistic species. Some unstressed habitats can be highly dominated by shallow-dwelling long-lived species, thus dominance of deep-dwelling species in biomass must be used with caution as a biological criterion. The number of individuals per m2 was highly variable for some stressed stations and this parameter is probably of limited value as a biological criterion characterizing the quality of estuarine habitats. No single method or analysis is likely to produce stress classifications without unacceptable misclassifications. Ecological stress, from any source, is best measured by multiple methods or analyses with different assumptions. The consistency of classification between different approaches would provide the robustness necessary to judge the reliability of a stress classification.
Electron density profiles in metal particles dispersed in metallic media

Abstract We consider the calculation of electron densities associated with metal clusters dispersed in a metallic host. The usual cluster techniques are inapplicable or intractable in this case. However, by introducing a zeroth order jellium-cluster approximation for the metal cluster we treat the zeroth order model exactly within density functional methods. The difference between the true cluster and the jellium cluster is suitable fortreatment by pertubation theory. Illustrative calculations for Au clusters in Li host, Li in Au host and Cu in Li host have been carried out, for clusters of up to about 100 atoms. The onset of bound states associated with the cluster as a whole (cluster-orbitals), and their significance, are discussed.
Real time harmonic elimination using a modified carrier

The paper proposes a harmonic elimination technique that is based on comparison modulation with a modified carrier. Typically, selective harmonic elimination method calculates the switching angles offline using iterative computations and programmed into a digital processor. Here we are advancing a modulation-based harmonic elimination technique to remove the unwanted harmonics. It is a novel PWM method where a reference sinusoid with the desired signal frequency is compared against a modified carrier signal with the same time period as the reference. Simulation and laboratory studies are included.
DEFY: A Deniable, Encrypted File System for Log-Structured Storage

While solutions for file system encryption can pre- vent an adversary from determining the contents of files, in situations where a user wishes to hide the existence of data, encryption alone is not sufficient. Indeed, encryption may draw attention to those files, as they may likely contain information the user wishes to keep secret. Consequently, adversarial coercion may motivate the owner to surrender their encryption keys, under duress. This paper presents DEFY, a deniable file system following a log-structured design. Maintaining a log-structure is motivated by the technical constraints imposed by solid-state drives, such as those found in mobile devices. These devices have consequential properties that previous work largely ignores. Further, DEFY provides features not offered by prior work, including: authenticated encryption, fast secure deletion, and support for multiple layers of deniability. We consider security against a snapshot adversary, the strongest deniable filesystem adversary considered by prior literature. We have implemented a prototype based on YAFFS and an evaluation shows DEFY exhibits performance degradation comparable to the encrypted file system for flash, WhisperYAFFS.
Supply chain sustainability assessment of the U.S. food manufacturing sectors: A life cycle-based frontier approach

Due to the fact that food manufacturing is one of the major drivers of the global environmental issues, there is a strong need to focus on sustainable manufacturing toward achieving long-term sustainability goals in food production of the United States. In this regard, current study assessed the direct and indirect environmental footprint of 33 U.S. food manufacturing sectors by using the Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIO-LCA) model. Then, a non-parametric mathematical optimization tool, namely Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), is utilized to benchmark the sustainability performance of food manufacturing sectors by using the results of the EIO-LCA model. Next, sustainability performance indices (SPIs), rankings, target improvements, and sensitivity of environmental impact indicators are presented. The average SPI score of U.S. food manufacturing sectors is found as 0.76. In addition, 19 out of 33 food sectors are found as inefficient where an average of 45–71% reduction is indicated for various environmental impact categories. Analysis results also indicate that supply chains of food manufacturing sectors are heavily responsible for the impacts with over 80% shares for energy, water and carbon footprint, fishery and grazing categories. Especially, animal (except poultry) slaughtering, rendering and processing sector is found as the most dominant sector in most of the impact categories (ranked as 2nd in fishery and forest land). Sensitivity analysis indicated that forest land footprint is found to be the most sensitive environmental indicator on the overall sustainability performance of food manufacturing sectors.
Online reviews, pediatricians, and the democratization of the parental voice.

While physician reviews have represented a long-standing piece of the health care landscape, their role in the surrogate selection of the pediatrician has been less clear. The study by Hanauer et al1 published in Pediatrics this month establishes the fact that review sites play an increasing role in how parent consumers choose providers. What might pediatricians keep in mind after reading this study? It used to be that what parents understood about a pediatrician was based on face-to-face interactions and dialogue within a close personal network. Our communication was limited to the dialogue that happened in an examination room or the controlled sharing that happened in peer-to-peer journals. Our identity was defined by how we … Address correspondence to Bryan Vartabedian, MD, FAAP, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, 17198 St Luke’s Way, Suite 300, The Woodlands, TX 77384. E-mail: bsv{at}bcm.edu
CD28 Costimulation Regulates Genome-Wide Effects on Alternative Splicing

CD28 is the major costimulatory receptor required for activation of naive T cells, yet CD28 costimulation affects the expression level of surprisingly few genes over those altered by TCR stimulation alone. Alternate splicing of genes adds diversity to the proteome and contributes to tissue-specific regulation of genes. Here we demonstrate that CD28 costimulation leads to major changes in alternative splicing during activation of naive T cells, beyond the effects of TCR alone. CD28 costimulation affected many more genes through modulation of alternate splicing than by modulation of transcription. Different families of biological processes are over-represented among genes alternatively spliced in response to CD28 costimulation compared to those genes whose transcription is altered, suggesting that alternative splicing regulates distinct biological effects. Moreover, genes dependent upon hnRNPLL, a global regulator of splicing in activated T cells, were enriched in T cells activated through TCR plus CD28 as compared to TCR alone. We show that hnRNPLL expression is dependent on CD28 signaling, providing a mechanism by which CD28 can regulate splicing in T cells and insight into how hnRNPLL can influence signal-induced alternative splicing in T cells. The effects of CD28 on alternative splicing provide a newly appreciated means by which CD28 can regulate T cell responses.
Frequency of tropical precipitating clouds as observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Precipitation Radar and ICESat/Geoscience Laser Altimeter System

[1] Convective clouds in the tropics can be grouped into three categories: shallow clouds with cloud top heights near 2 km above the surface, midlevel congestus clouds with tops near the 0°C level, and deep convective clouds capped by the tropopause. This trimodal distribution is visible in cloud data from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), carried aboard the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), as well as in precipitation data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR). Fractional areal coverage (FAC) data is calculated at each of the three levels to describe how often optically thick clouds or precipitation are seen at each level. By dividing the FAC of TRMM PR-observed precipitation by the FAC of thick GLAS/ICESat-observed clouds, we derive the fraction of clouds that are precipitating. We find that the tropical mean precipitating cloud fraction is low: 3.7% for shallow clouds, 6.5% for midlevel clouds, and 24.1% for deep clouds.
Work incentives in the age of automation.

Freud says work is a major link to reality. But automation further alienates man from work. Marx believed that capitalism causes alienation. But the cause is industrialization, regardless of its economic form. In automated society, work incentives will reflect interdependence and offer the satisfactions of community life rather than the independence of pioneer days.
Identification of vaccine candidate peptides in the NcSRS2 surface protein of Neospora caninum by using CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and gamma interferon-secreting T lymphocytes of infected holstein cattle.

Previously, our laboratory showed that Holstein cattle experimentally infected with Neospora caninum develop parasite-specific CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that lyse infected, autologous target cells through a perforin-granzyme pathway. To identify specific parasite antigens inducing bovine CTL and helper T-lymphocyte responses for vaccine development against bovine neosporosis, the tachyzoite major surface proteins NcSAG1 and NcSRS2 were targeted. In whole tachyzoite antigen-expanded bovine T-lymphocyte lines, recombinant NcSRS2 induced potent memory CD4+- and CD8+-T-lymphocyte activation, as indicated by proliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) secretion, while recombinant NcSAG1 induced a minimal memory response. Subsequently, T-lymphocyte epitope-bearing peptides of NcSRS2 were mapped by using overlapping peptides covering the entire NcSRS2 sequence. Four experimentally infected cattle with six different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II haplotypes were the source of immune cells used to identify NcSRS2 peptides presented by Holstein MHC haplotypes. NcSRS2 peptides were mapped by using IFN-γ secretion by rNcSRS2-stimulated, short-term T-lymphocyte cell lines, IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and 51Cr release cytotoxicity assay of rNcSRS2-stimulated effector cells. Four N. caninum-infected Holstein cattle developed NcSRS2 peptide-specific T lymphocytes detected ex vivo in peripheral blood by IFN-γ ELISPOT and in vitro by measuring T-lymphocyte IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity. An immunodominant region of NcSRS2 spanning amino acids 133 to 155 was recognized by CD4+ T lymphocytes from the four cattle. These findings support investigation of subunit N. caninum vaccines incorporating NcSRS2 gene sequences or peptides for induction of NcSRS2 peptide-specific CTL and IFN-γ-secreting T lymphocytes in cattle with varied MHC genotypes.
Spinal muscular atrophy: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder and a leading genetic cause of infantile mortality. SMA is caused by mutation or deletion of Survival Motor Neuron-1 (SMN1). The clinical features of the disease are caused by specific degeneration of alpha-motor neurons in the spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, atrophy and, in the majority of cases, premature death. A highly homologous copy gene (SMN2) is retained in almost all SMA patients but fails to generate adequate levels of SMN protein due to its defective splicing pattern. The severity of the SMA phenotype is inversely correlated with SMN2 copy number and the level of full-length SMN protein produced by SMN2 ( approximately 10-15% compared with SMN1). The natural history of SMA has been altered over the past several decades, primarily through supportive care measures, but an effective treatment does not presently exist. However, the common genetic etiology and recent progress in pre-clinical models suggest that SMA is well-suited for the development of therapeutic regimens. We summarize recent advances in translational research that hold promise for the progression towards clinical trials.
Early initiation of dialysis in patients with chronic progressive kidney failure does not confer a mortality advantage when compared with an approach of late initiation combined with appearance of symptoms or signs of uraemia

Commentary on: BA Cooper, P Branley, L Bulfone, et al..; IDEAL Study. A randomized, controlled trial of early versus late initiation of dialysis.N Engl J Med2010;363:609–19.
Childhood physical abuse predicts stressor-evoked activity within central visceral control regions

Early life experience differentially shapes later stress reactivity, as evidenced by both animal and human studies. However, early experience-related changes in the function of central visceral neural circuits that control stress responses have not been well characterized, particularly in humans. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), amygdala (Amyg) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) form a core visceral stress-responsive circuit. The goal of this study is to examine how childhood emotional and physical abuse relates to adulthood stressor-evoked activity within these visceral brain regions. To evoke acute states of mental stress, participants (n = 155) performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-adapted versions of the multi-source interference task (MSIT) and the Stroop task with simultaneous monitoring of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate. Regression analyses revealed that childhood physical abuse correlated positively with stressor-evoked changes in MAP, and negatively with unbiased, a priori extractions of fMRI blood-oxygen level-dependent signal change values within the sgACC, BNST, PVN and Amyg (n = 138). Abuse-related changes in the function of visceral neural circuits may reflect neurobiological vulnerability to adverse health outcomes conferred by early adversity.
Single-threaded polymorphic lambda calculus

The primary goal of this study is to devise a method to express mutations to state in a modern (higher order, polymorphic, nonstrict) functional language, without sacrificing referential transparency, and with a simple, easy-to-reason-about semantics. Although collectively these properties seem contradictory, a satisfactory solution is found. Aside from the fundamental property of referential transparency, the two key properties that the authors maximize are simplicity and expressiveness. The system must be easy to use: expressing mutations to state should be natural, and the resulting behavior should be easy to reason about. >
Interplay of fiber nonlinearity and optical filtering in ultradense WDM

Reports an experimental study on the interplay between fiber nonlinearity and optical filtering in ultradense wavelength-division-multiplexing (UDWDM) transmission systems. It is found that fiber nonlinearity-induced spectral distortion of 10-Gb/s signals has a profound effect on the performance of optical demultiplexing filters, becoming especially pronounced as channel spacing approaches UDWDM dimensions of 25 GHz. The characteristics of the interaction between fiber nonlinearity and optical filtering are found to be different for self-phase modulation compared to cross-phase modulation limited systems.