cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Taxation and Public Finance: A Philosophical and Ethical Approach

This paper applies philosophical and ethical concepts to the disciplines of taxation and public finance. It discusses various characteristics and attributes of the various forms of taxation, including whether taxation is voluntary or coercive, whether high rates or low rates are preferable from a variety of perspectives, the ability to pay and the cost benefit principles, uniform and discriminatory rates, tax administration, whether taxes should be visible or hidden, whether taxes should be earmarked or placed into the general fund, distortions to the economy that result from taxation, the effect of taxation on competitiveness and economic growth, tax complexity, vagueness, stability and frequently changing rules, the effect of taxation on behavior and incentives, and the effects on social harmony. Section III discusses the pros and cons of the various forms of taxation. There are separate discussions of the individual income tax, the corporate income tax, property taxation, the value added tax, retail consumption taxes, excise taxes, estate, inheritance and gift taxes, the social security tax, tariffs, inflation as a form of taxation, user fees, lotteries, and capital gains taxation. Part IV discusses the need to limit taxation and discusses various methods that have been advocated to achieve this goal, including a balanced budget amendment, the line-item veto, a supermajority requirement, the referendum, sunset provisions, stating an upper limit in the constitution and privatization.
Subjective optimization

An effective way to build a gesture generator is to apply machine learning algorithms to derive a model. In building such a gesture generator, a common approach involves collecting a set of human conversation data and training the model to fit the data. However, after training the gesture generator, what we are looking for is whether the generated gestures are natural instead of whether the generated gestures actually fit the training data. Thus, there is a gap between the training objective and the actual goal of the gesture generator. In this work we propose an approach that use human judgment of naturalness to optimize gesture generators. We take an important step towards our goal by performing a numerical experiment to assess the optimality of the proposed framework, and the experimental results show that the framework can effectively improve the generated gestures based on the simulated naturalness criterion.
Revisiting AJCC TNM staging for renal cell carcinoma: quest for improvement

Cancer staging is the process of determining the magnitude of the primary tumor and extent of its spread. It predicts prognosis, guides management and treatment decisions including enrollment in clinical trials, and helps formulate follow-up and surveillance plans.
The Influence of Mental Models of Customer Service on Employee Engagement

This research examines how three different mental models of what constitutes good customer service among frontline service employee have differential effects on employee engagement.
Obesity-Associated Extracellular Matrix Remodeling Promotes a Macrophage Phenotype Similar to Tumor-Associated Macrophages.

Obesity is associated with adipose inflammation, defined by macrophages encircling dead adipocytes, as well as extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and increased risk of breast cancer. Whether ECM affects macrophage phenotype in obesity is uncertain. A better understanding of this relationship could be strategically important to reduce cancer risk or improve outcomes in the obese. Using clinical samples, computational approaches, and in vitro decellularized ECM models, this study quantified the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages in human breast adipose tissue, determined molecular similarities between obesity and tumor-associated macrophages, and assessed the regulatory effect of obese versus lean ECM on macrophage phenotype. Our results suggest that breast adipose tissue contains more M2- than M1-biased macrophages across all body mass index categories. Obesity further increased M2-biased macrophages but did not affect M1-biased macrophage density. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis suggested that breast tissue macrophages from obese versus lean women are more similar to tumor-associated macrophages. These changes positively correlated with adipose tissue interstitial fibrosis, and in vitro experiments indicated that obese ECM directly stimulates M2-biased macrophage functions. However, mammographic density cannot be used as a clinical indicator of these changes. Collectively, these data suggest that obesity-associated interstitial fibrosis promotes a macrophage phenotype similar to tumor-associated macrophages, which may contribute to the link between obesity and breast cancer.
Gate-tunable memristors from monolayer MoS 2

We report here gate-tunable memristors based on monolayer MoS2 grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). These memristors are fabricated in a field-effect geometry with the channel consisting of polycrystalline MoS2 films with grain sizes of 3–5 p.m. The device characteristics show switching ratios up to ∼500, with the resistance in individual states being continuously gate-tunable by over three orders of magnitude. The resistive switching results from dynamically varying threshold voltage and Schottky barrier heights, whose underlying physical mechanism appears to be vacancy migration and/or charge trapping. Top-gated devices achieve reversible tuning of threshold voltage, with potential utility in non-volatile memory or neuromorphic architectures.
Falco: high-speed FastQC emulation for quality control of sequencing data.

Quality control is an essential first step in sequencing data analysis, and software tools for quality control are deeply entrenched in standard pipelines at most sequencing centers. Although the associated computations are straightforward, in many settings the total computing effort required for quality control is appreciable and warrants optimization. We present Falco, an emulation of the popular FastQC tool that runs on average three times faster while generating equivalent results. Compared to FastQC, Falco also requires less memory to run and provides more flexible visualization of HTML reports.
Rational Synthesis of a Hierarchical Supramolecular Porous Material Created via Self-Assembly of Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheets

Hierarchically porous materials with high stability and tailorable pore characters have potential for mass transfer applications, including bulky molecule capture and separation, heterogeneous catalysis, and drug delivery. The scope of functionalities can be notably broadened by employing metal-organic framework (MOF) sheets with tunable thickness as giant molecular building blocks for self-assembly into hierarchical supramolecular porous coordination materials. However, synthesizing MOF sheets with controllable bulkiness has proved challenging for scientists. We present a rational yet unprecedented bottom-up strategy to prepare a novel two-dimensional MOF sheet [Zn(BPDI)(Py)2] (BPDI = N,N'-bis(glycinyl)pyromellitic diimide; Py = pyridine) with unusual and highly desired tunable thickness. These sheets self-organize into a unique three-dimensional supramolecular coordination material (NEU-1) with tailorable porosity. To assess its technological relevance, NEU-1c is tested as a support of amine sorbent for CO2 capture. Multichannel porous NEU-1c solves the conventional trade-off suffered by supported amine carbon dioxide adsorbents between increasing amine content and decreasing access to amine sites. Our synthesis process opens the door to novel MOF nanosheets and unique hierarchical supramolecular porous materials with tailorable porosity.
The Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in a Pediatric Healthcare Network in the United States.

Background Understanding the prevalence and clinical presentation of coronavirus disease 2019 in pediatric patients can help healthcare providers and systems prepare and respond to this emerging pandemic. Methods This was a retrospective case series of patients tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) across a pediatric healthcare network, including clinical features and outcomes of those with positive test results. Results Of 7256 unique children tested for SARS-CoV-2, 424 (5.8%) tested positive. Patients aged 18-21 years had the highest test positive rate (11.2%), while those aged 1-5 years had the lowest (3.9%). By race, 10.6% (226/2132) of black children tested positive vs 3.3% (117/3592) of white children. By indication for testing, 21.1% (371/1756) of patients with reported exposures or clinical symptoms tested positive vs 3.8% (53/1410) of those undergoing preprocedural or preadmission testing. Of 424 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 182 (42.9%) had no comorbidities, 87 (20.5%) had asthma, and 55 (13.0%) were obese. Overall, 52.1% had cough, 51.2% fever, and 14.6% shortness of breath. Seventy-seven (18.2%) SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were hospitalized, of whom 24 (31.2%) required respiratory support. SARS-CoV-2-targeted antiviral therapy was given to 9 patients, and immunomodulatory therapy to 18 patients. Twelve (2.8%) SARS-CoV-2-positive patients required mechanical ventilation, and 2 patients required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Two patients died. Conclusions In this large cohort of pediatric patients tested for SARS-CoV-2, the rate of infection was low but varied by testing indication. The majority of cases were mild and few children had critical illness.
Advanced Introduction to U.S. Criminal Procedure

This 282-page book covers every significant aspect of U.S. criminal procedure. Focusing on Supreme Court cases and the most important statutory rules that provide the framework for the criminal justice system, the book illuminates the nuances of American criminal procedure doctrine and offers factual examples of how it it is applied. Provided here are the table of contents and Chapter 1, which discusses the goals of criminal procedure law and its primary sources.
Functional boundaries within human subcortex

Abrupt spatial changes in anatomic and functional properties of the brain demarcate boundaries between discrete functional areas. While previous work has identified these boundaries in cortex, a new study by Tian et al. applies this approach for the first time to subcortical structures within the in vivo human brain.
Primary prostatic squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract Primary prostate squamous cell malignancies are rare and very aggressive. A 65-year-old man presented to our institution with clinical and radiographic findings concerning for advanced prostatic malignancy. Surgical pathology of the tumor revealed poorly differentiated carcinoma with squamous differentiation, and histopathological markers were positive for markers of squamous differentiation negative for all urothelial and prostatic markers.
Treatment and Prognosis After Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury

This review summarizes current and emerging treatments for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI). Guidance on neuroprognostication after HIBI is also presented. After two 2002 studies demonstrated cooling improved neurologic outcome after HIBI, a 2013 trial found targeting 36 °C was non-inferior to targeting 33 °C. Research is ongoing, but there is no other definitive human data on therapies to prevent secondary brain injury after HIBI. Guideline-recommended treatment of HIBI includes early, optimal cardiopulmonary resuscitation to prevent primary brain injury, and targeted temperature management to mitigate secondary brain injury. Multiple novel treatment options, including anti-inflammatory agents, anesthetics, and neuroprotective cocktails, are currently being investigated. Additionally, neurostimulants may help promote wakefulness after HIBI. Neuroprognostication after HIBI requires a multimodal approach using the neurologic exam, electroencephalography, somatosensory evoked potentials, neuroimaging, and serum biomarkers. It is important to avoid premature prognostication and nihilism.
Comparison of clinical characteristics of a patient with Epstein-Barr virus-associated seizure and patients with COVID-19-associated seizure.

the case we report: mildly elevated INR, arterial hypoxemia with normal chest radiograph, and dilated inferior vena cava suggestive of elevated right atrial pressure, possibly due to elevated pulmonary arterial pressure from thrombosis or hyperviscosity-induced obstruction. These features are eerily similar to COVID-19 suggesting the possibility that EBV infection could cause seizures with pathophysiology similar to COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Transforming Conflict Narratives

Narratives, both personal and social, guide how we live and how we are acculturated into our social worlds. As we make changes in our lives, our personal stories change and, in turn, have the poten...
The Development of the Postural and Voluntary Motor Control Systems in Down'S Syndrome Children

Publisher Summary When motor development of a Down's syndrome child is compared to that of a normal child, a consistent delay is observed in the acquisition of both postural and voluntary components of motor control. Molnar studied motor control in a population of mentally retarded children and found both a delay in emergence of postural adjustments and increased variability in the age of onset of postural adjustments. In tests of gross motor skills, Down's syndrome children perform consistently below their normal peers, with their worst performance in the area of static and dynamic balance. Neuromuscular abnormalities in Down's syndrome children that have been observed to be coincident with developmental delays include: generalized muscular hypotonus, hyper extensibility of joints, decreased deep tendon reflexes, increased persistence of primitive reflexes, delay in the emergence of higher level balance and equilibrium reactions and slowed reaction times during voluntary movement.
Illustrating Feminist Theory: Power and Psychopathology

Feminist theory holds that many of the pathological behaviors observed in patients result from their position in the social hierarchy. The goals of the demonstration detailed in this article are to show the impact of current gender roles on the psychological well-being of women and men and to generate understanding and discussion of the problems that relative status can create in the therapeutic relationship. This teaching demonstration draws parallels between the Zimbardo (1971) prison experiment and the impact that assignment to low- and high-power roles can have on the psychological health of women and men. Students are asked to rate men and women on some of the diagnostic criteria that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) associates with Axis I and II diagnoses. The students watch a video of Zimbardo's prison study and then rate the prisoners and guards. This demonstration provides another explanation for gender patterns in psychopathology ...
Two Modes of In Vivo Transcription for Genes 43 and 45 of Phage T4

Sensitivities of the expression of early genes of phage T4 to UV light were determined at various stages of intracellular development of T4 wild type, a DNA-negative mutant (T4 DO), and T4 tsG1, (a mutant that exhibits delayed expression of some T4 early genes). Whereas the sensitivities of some genes in the T4 wild type and T4 DO remain constant, genes 43 and 45 exhibit greatly reduced sensitivities several minutes after the onset of phage development. Since UV sensitivities are a measure of the distance of a gene from its promotor, these observations indicate a switch from distal, “immediate early” promotors to proximal, “delayed early” promotors for genes 43 and 45. In the tsG1 mutant this decrease in UV sensitivities of genes 43 and 45 does not occur at 42 C, suggesting that at high temperature this mutant does not utilize the delayed early promotors.
Isolation and Characterization of 2-Keto-3-Deoxyoctonate-Lipid A from a Heptose-Deficient Mutant of Escherichia coli

A heptose-deficient mutant of Escherichia coli has been isolated and from it a glycolipid, consisting of lipid A and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate (KDO), has been extracted with diisobutylketone-acetic acid-water. Based on beta-hydroxymyristic acid, the extractable glycolipid accounts for a major portion of the total lipid A in this mutant. A glycolipid, purified from the lipid extract by a combination of silicic acid and Sephadex LH-60 chromatography, contains glucosamine, phosphate, KDO, acetyl groups, and fatty acids in the following molar ratios: 1:2:2:1.7:5. These components account for over 80% of the lipid by weight. The fatty acid pattern of the glycolipid is typical of lipid A, the major component being beta-hydroxymyristic acid. The lipid also contains an amino sugar which appears to be 4-amino-4-deoxyarabinose. With the use of an ion-exchange paper chromatographic technique, gram-negative bacteria can be rapidly screened for the presence of this glycolipid. The mutant is believed to have a leaky defect in either biosynthesis of heptose or its incorporation into lipopolysaccharide. The lipopolysaccharide from the mutant contains only about a third as much heptose, glucose, and galactose as the parent CR34, a K-12 derivative. Chemical analysis and phage typing suggest that CR34 contains an incomplete core polysaccharide devoid of glucosamine.
EFFECTIVE LIKE- AND UNLIKE-PAIR INTERACTIONS AT HIGH PRESSURE AND HIGH TEMPERATURE

We describe how information on effective interactions of chemical species involving C, O, and N atoms at high pressure and high temperature may be inferred from available shock wave data of NO and CO. Our approach uses a modern statistical mechanical theory and a detailed EOS model for the condensed phases of carbon.
Climate Change in the Arctic – Permafrost, Thermokarst, and Why They Matter to the Non‐Arctic World

Thermokarst terrain develops when some forms of permafrost – or so-called frozen ground – thaw and the soil subsides under its own mass. The processes that create thermokarst terrain alter the Arctic landscape substantially. The formation of thermokarst terrain is a natural phenomenon that increases or decreases as the climate warms or cools. There is now strong evidence that permafrost has been warming for several decades and that the rate of thermokarst formation has accelerated in many parts of the Arctic. Based on predictions of future climate in Arctic regions, a substantial portion of the permafrost that exists today will disappear in the next 50–100 years. The increase in thermokarst activity observed recently is likely to be an early indicator of permafrost retreat. Taken individually a particular thermokarst feature is perhaps merely an interesting oddity. However, taking a longer temporal and larger spatial perspective, it is reasonable to conclude that thermokarst formation has important impacts on the hydrology, geomorphology, biogeochemistry and ecology of the Arctic landscape. If the rate of thermokarst formation increases as expected, then it is possible that important aspects of the structure and function of the Arctic landscape will change rapidly as well. It is of particular concern that permafrost contains more total carbon than is currently in circulation in the modern atmosphere. New experimental evidence suggests that when permafrost thaws, the carbon it contains will become available for microbial processing and much of the carbon may end up as carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere. It is important that we understand these interacting process to better understand how climate change will affect the Arctic environment as well as the global climate, in the future.
Finite Element Method

Due to the limitations of the reluctance method, engineers have long sought more accurate ways to calculate magnetic fields. This chapter is devoted to the finite-element method, the most general and accurate method for calculation of magnetic fields. The finite-element method can be derived using the basic principle of conservation of energy. The Law of Energy Conservation requires the functional to be zero. Besides the energy functional, the second main requirement of finite-element analysis is to discretize (break up) the volume analyzed into small pieces called finite elements. The most basic finite element is the triangle. Making a finite-element model consists of four steps; the four steps are often called preprocessing, because they must be accomplished in order for the matrix equation to be set up and solved for the magnetic vector potential distribution throughout an analyzed device.
Ultrafast autonomous solid state circuit breakers for shipboard DC power distribution

Short circuit protection remains one of the major technical barriers in DC power systems. This paper introduces a new concept of ultrafast autonomous SSCBs. The new SSCB comprises one or more normally-on WBG transistor as the main static switch and a fast-starting isolated DC/DC converter as the protection driver. It detects short circuit faults by sensing its drain-source voltage rise, and draws power from the fault condition itself to turn and hold off the switch. Prototypes experimentally demonstrate repeated interruption of fault currents up to 180 amperes at a DC bus voltage of 400 volts within 0.8 μs. A method to extend this concept to higher bus voltages is also proposed and verified with PSPICE simulation. A hybrid protection strategy, which combines protective power converters, autonomous SSCBs, and networked SSCBs, is proposed for shipboard DC power architectures.
Effects of Animal Alimentary Passage on the Heat Resistance of Clostridium perfringens

The resistance to heat, as measured by D values and phantom thermal death time curves, was observed to increase for one of three strains of Clostridium perfringens type A subsequent to animal passage. Animal passage was accomplished by the force-feeding of germ-free mice with bacterial suspensions of the organism, followed by the force-feeding of additional gnotobiotic mice with the contaminated feces. For the one strain in which an increase in heat resistance was noted, the result could not be attributed to mouse feces per se, since the presence of sterile germ-free mouse feces in a suspending medium did not protect C. perfringens spores from elevated temperature destruction.
Applications of Ion Induction Accelerators

As discussed in Chap. 9, the physics of ion induction accelerators has many commonalities with the physics of electron induction accelerators. However, there are important differences, arising because of the different missions of ion machines relative to electron machines and also because the velocity of the ions is usually non-relativistic in these applications. The basic architectures and layout reflects these differences. In Chaps. 6, 7, and 8 a number of examples of electron accelerators and their applications were given, including machines that have already been constructed. In this chapter, we give several examples of potential uses for ion induction accelerators. Although, as of this writing, none of these applications have come to fruition, in the case of heavy ion fusion (HIF) , small scale experiments have been carried out and a sizable effort has been made in laying the groundwork for such an accelerator. A second application, using ion beams for study of High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) or Warm Dense Matter (WDM) physics will soon be realized and the requirements for this machine will be discussed in detail. Also, a concept for a spallation neutron source is discussed in lesser detail.
Ensemble Classifiers: AdaBoost and Orthogonal Evolution of Teams

AdaBoost is one of the most commonly used and most successful approaches for generating ensemble classifiers. However, AdaBoost is limited in that it requires independent training cases and can only use voting as a cooperation mechanism. This paper compares AdaBoost to Orthogonal Evolution of Teams (OET), an approach for generating ensembles that allows for a much wider range of problems and cooperation mechanisms. The set of test problems includes problems with significant amounts of noise in the form of erroneous training cases and problems with adjustable levels of epistasis. The results demonstrate that OET is a suitable alternative to AdaBoost for generating ensembles. Over the set of all tested problems OET with a hierarchical cooperation mechanism, rather than voting, is slightly more likely to produce better results. This is most apparent on the problems with very high levels of noise - suggesting that the hierarchical approach is less subject to over-fitting than voting techniques. The results also suggest that there are specific problems and features of problems that make thembetter suited for different training algorithms and different cooperation mechanisms.
Inheritance of Resistance to Pea Mosaic Virus in Pisum sativum

The high level of resistance to pea mosaic virus in the pea cultivar Bonneville is conferred by a single recessive gene. This factor, tentatively designated pmv, is closely linked to mo, cyv, and sbm-2
Rotation and molecular distortion in the condensed phases of hexafluoride molecules

The symmetrical structure found for these molecules in the vapor phase is distorted in the condensed phases. This octahedron structural alteration hns a significant effect on the equilibrium thermodynamic properties. The metal to fluorine distances for six molecules are presented, and the entropy of fusion and triple point temperature is shown for UF/sub 6/, NpF/sub 6/, and FuF/sub 6/. (N.W.R.) was analyzed, as well as sorption on styrene and divinylprocess. A considerable reaction of polonium with basic
Cognitive and sensory influence on the perception of complex auditory signals

Using positron emission tomography (PET), we have been studying the relationship between psychophysical performance and cortical activation during auditory discrimination tasks. In one experiment, we studied normal hearing listeners who had markedly different perceptual performance on a battery of auditory discrimination tasks. Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were measured while subjects discriminated changes in a tonal sequence or a temporally analogous syllable sequence. The results showed that behavioral performance was correlated with cortical activation in auditory sensory areas as well as cognitive areas related to attention and memory, depending on the demands of the task. To evaluate further whether attention to specific features of complex auditory signals influences the recruitment of cognitive processing areas of the cortex, we studied changes in rCBF when subjects attended to different features of a 1‐octave band signal that varied in spectral envelope frequency (i.e., ripple fr...
Trends in Acute Myocardial Infarction Hospitalization Rates for US States in the CDC Tracking Network

Objectives We examined temporal trends, spatial variation, and gender differences in rates of hospitalization due to acute myocardial infarction. Methods We used data from the Centers for Disease Control National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network to evaluate temporal trends, geographic variation, and gender differences in 20 Environmental Public Health Tracking Network states from 2000 to 2008. A longitudinal linear mixed effects model was fitted to the acute myocardial infarction hospitalization rates for the states and counties within each state to examine the overall temporal trend. Results There was a significant overall decrease in age-adjusted acute myocardial infarction hospitalization rates between 2000 and 2008, with most states showing over a 20% decline during the period. The ratio of male/female rates for acute myocardial infarction hospitalization rates remained relatively consistent over time, approximately two-fold higher in men compared to women. A large geographic variability was found for age-adjusted acute myocardial infarction hospitalization rates, with the highest rates found in the Northeastern states. Results of two ecological analyses revealed that the NE region remained significantly associated with increased AMI hospitalization rates after adjustment for socio-demographic factors. Conclusions This investigation is one of the first to explore geographic differences in AMI age adjusted hospital rates in individuals 35+ years of age for 2000–2008. We showed a decreasing trend in AMI hospitalization rates in men and women. A large geographic variability in rates was found with particularly higher rates in the New England/Mid-Atlantic region of the US and lower rates in the mountain and Pacific states of the tracking network. It appeared that over time this disparity in rates became less notable.
Interaction of Light Beam with its Second Harmonic in a Square-Law Nonlinear Guide

Abstract We discuss the role of the transverse degrees of freedom in the quadratically nonlinear interaction of two beams (second harmonic generation) in a guiding medium with a parabolic refractive index profile. Discussion of perturbative approach based on solutions of the linear inhomogeneous initial value problem is presented together with numerical results concerning a fully non-linear problem. We argue, that due to the existing self phase modulation of the pumping field the resonance (phase matching) condition cannot be described well in terms of the quasi linear model. The phase matching condition can be satisfied in a fully nonperturbative regime and coincides with the condition of good spatial overlap leading to an efficient coupling between the beams.
''What?'' and ''where?'' versus ''what is where?'': The impact of task on coding of object form and position in the lateral occipital complex

Fast and accurate recognition of both the identities and positions of objects in visual space is critical to deciphering visual environments. Studies in both humans and nonhuman primates have demonstrated that neural populations in ventral temporal visual areas are jointly tuned to both the form and position of objects, allowing information about the identities of objects to be "tagged" with their positions. Because not all behaviors demand that the identities of objects be associated with position information with equal precision, however, the present study asked whether the spatial tuning of form-encoding populations in the human lateral occipital complex (LOC) is sculpted by task demands. Subjects were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing matches of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors played with exemplar pairs from those categories. Subjects first performed a repetition-detection task that depended on object form but not position; subsequently, subjects viewed the same stimuli while determining the position of each pair's "winner," a task that depended upon the conjunction of object form and position. Compared to data from the initial scan, multivoxel activity patterns evoked in the lateral occipital (LO) subdivision of LOC while subjects judged winners showed enhanced sensitivity to the relative positions of objects in pairs. Although superficially consistent with dynamic position tuning, this effect appears to be attributable to an accompanying task-dependent improvement in the sensitivity of LO populations to object form. The results thus suggest that the spatial tuning of form-encoding populations in LO does not depend upon the precision of spatial information demanded by a task.
Freezing in Ising ferromagnets.

We investigate the final state of zero-temperature Ising ferromagnets that are endowed with single-spin-flip Glauber dynamics. Surprisingly, the ground state is generally not reached for zero initial magnetization. In two dimensions, the system reaches either a frozen stripe state with probability $\ensuremath{\approx}1/3$ or the ground state with probability $\ensuremath{\approx}2/3.$ In greater than two dimensions, the probability of reaching the ground state or a frozen state rapidly vanishes as the system size increases; instead the system wanders forever in an isoenergy set of metastable states. An external magnetic field changes the situation drastically---in two dimensions the favorable ground state is always reached, while in three dimensions the field must exceed a threshold value to reach the ground state. For small but nonzero temperature, relaxation to the final state proceeds first by formation of very long-lived metastable states, as in the zero-temperature case, before equilibrium is reached.
Gastric tube as the primary procedure for pure esophageal atresia

Long gap esophageal atresia occurs in approximately 5% of patients with tracheoesophageal anomalies. A small group of such patients have a rudimentary or diverticular distal esophagus that is not amenable to primary repair. These children usually require staged procedures and esophageal replacement using other parts of the intestinal tract. To circumvent the morbidity and delayed repair associated with cervical esophagostomy, colon interposition, or delayed gastric tube interposition, the authors propose the use of a primary gastric tube for early establishment of esophageal continuity in the neonate. Three cases of early esophageal replacement using a gastric tube are described. All three patients were born prematurely, with comorbid conditions, and had a rudimentary distal esophagus. The results of the operation were successful. The authors believe that primary repair of the esophagus, when possible, is the gold standard.
High Resolution Spectrum of Xenon Ions at 13.4 nm

The spectrum of xenon excited in a low-inductance vacuum spark was photographed at high resolution in the region of 9.5-15.5 nm. The observed transitions were identified as belonging to ions from Xe8+ to Xe13+. In the region of importance for extreme-ultraviolet lithography around 13.4 nm, the strongest lines were identified as 4d8-4d7 5p transitions in Xe10+. The identifications were made by use of energy parameters extrapolated along the isoelectronic sequence.
MATTER, MODEL AND MODERNISM

Painting as Model by Yves-Alain Bois, Cambridge, Mass and London: MIT Press 1990, 327 pp., 88 b. & w. illus., £35.95
Secure group management in large distributed systems: what is a group and what does it do?

The secure management of groups containing thousands or possibly hundreds of thousands of members with very high rates of membership turnover is claimed to be a critical need for high confidence networking. Among the needs mentioned are the ability to ensure that former group members can no longer obtain access to group materials and to prevent new members from accessing material distributed to the group prior to their entry. Suggestions made in this area exhibit a strong bias towards cryptographic techniques and key management to realize these goals, pointing out the weaknesses in currently available techniques. The purpose of the present paper is to examine some of the assumptions that appear to be implicit in these suggestions. An examination of group function and behavior might indicate alternative ways to manage large groups securely. We note that the call for ever more complex technological solutions to problems that may be sociological in nature continues a disturbing (and largely unsuccessful) trend that began in the pre-TCSEC days and that continues into the present.
Centrifugal methods and devices for rapid in-gel digestion of proteins.

Modern proteomic research frequently relies upon separation of proteins in a polyacrylamide gel matrix followed by in-gel enzymatic digestion and extraction of peptides for subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry. In this work, we propose a novel semi-automated method of mechanical processing of gel bands by passing these bands through a specially designed centrifugal device termed a Gel Shredder prior to digestion and extraction of peptides. Such a device allows integrated washing, destaining and shredding of gel bands into uniform blocks of controlled size, approximately 150–300 μm, prior to the enzymatic digestion and extraction of peptides. Shredding into uniform blocks increases the surface area of the gel pieces and promotes improved gel rehydration, allowing the proteolytic enzymes and solvent with improved penetration of the gel lattice. We demonstrate that the new method substantially reduces the time spent on tedious manual handling of gel bands, while minimizing the risk of sample contamination. The performance of the Gel Shredder has been compared to a conventional in-gel digestion protocol using several standard proteins and a complex proteomic sample in terms of relative quantitation by either MALDI-TOF/TOF or nanoLC-ESI ion trap-FTICR mass spectrometry. It is shown that significant time savings and improved peptide recovery can be obtained for many proteins using the Gel Shredder as compared to the traditional in-gel digestion protocol.
Influence of self-assembled monolayer binding group on graphene transistors

Graphene transistors on self-assembled monolayer (SAM) modified dielectric substrates were fabricated and characterized in order to determine the influence SAM binding group has on device properties. It was found that silane based alkyl SAMs had little to no influence in doping graphene transistors, while phosphonic acid based ones caused n-type doping of graphene transistors with a charge neutrality point shift of over 10 V. It was also discovered that alkyl SAM packing density influenced the doping magnitude. Due to substrate surface charge trap quenching, these SAMs independent of binding group enhanced charge mobility of graphene transistors compared to ones on bare oxide substrates.
Estimating the physicochemical properties of polyhalogenated aromatic and aliphatic compounds using UPPER: Part 1. Boiling point and melting point

The UPPER (Unified Physicochemical Property Estimation Relationships) model uses enthalpic and entropic parameters to estimate 20 biologically relevant properties of organic compounds. The model has been validated by Lian and Yalkowsky on a data set of 700 hydrocarbons. The aim of this work is to expand the UPPER model to estimate the boiling and melting points of polyhalogenated compounds. In this work, 19 new group descriptors are defined and used to predict the transition temperatures of an additional 1288 compounds. The boiling points of 808 and the melting points of 742 polyhalogenated compounds are predicted with average absolute errors of 13.56 K and 25.85 K, respectively.
The Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale: Assessing a proposed cognitive component of social anxiety

Cognitive-behavioral models propose that fear of negative evaluation is the core feature of social anxiety disorder. However, it may be that fear of evaluation in general is important in social anxiety, including fears of positive as well as negative evaluation. To test this hypothesis, we developed the Fear of Positive Evaluation Scale (FPES) and conducted analyses to examine the psychometric properties of the FPES, as well as test hypotheses regarding the construct of fear of positive evaluation (FPE). Responses from a large (n = 1711) undergraduate sample were utilized. The reliability, construct validity, and factorial validity of the FPES were examined; the distinction of FPE from fear of negative evaluation was evaluated utilizing confirmatory factor analysis; and the ability of FPE to predict social interaction anxiety above and beyond fear of negative evaluation was assessed. Results provide preliminary support for the psychometric properties of the FPES and the validity of the construct of FPE. The implications of FPE with respect to the study and treatment of social anxiety disorder are discussed.
Carrying the height of the world on your ankles: Encumbering observers reduces estimates of how high an actor can jump

The authors investigated how changes in action capabilities affect estimation of affordances for another actor. Observers estimated maximum jumping-reach height for themselves and another actor. Half of the observers wore ankle weights that reduced their jumping ability. The ankle weights reduced estimates of maximum jumping-reach height that observers made for themselves and for the other actor, but only after observers had the opportunity to walk while wearing the weights. Changes in estimates closely matched changes in actual jumping-reach ability. Results confirm and extend recent investigations that indicate that perception of the spatial layout of surfaces in the environment is scaled to an observer's capacity to act, and they link that approach to another embodied cognition perspective that posits a link between one's own action capabilities and perception of the actions of other agents.
Annual and Perennial Grass Growth on Nitrogen‐Depleted Decomposed Granite

Decomposed granite (DG) is often difficult to revegetate because of its low nitrogen (N) content and poor physical properties. Use of soluble fertilizers on DG sites increases plant-available N but may encourage invasive annuals to grow rapidly and exclude perennial species. This study evaluates the effect of N availability on two potential DG revegetation species: an invasive, exotic annual grass (Bromus mollis) and a native perennial grass (Elymus glaucus). Plants in 10-L pots filled with DG were irrigated with all essential elements except N, which was provided in treatments ranging from zero to 1000 μM NO 3 -N. Shoot biomass and root distribution were measured in monocultures and'in mixtures of annual and perennial plants, both when the two species were seeded simultaneously and when the perennials were seeded 50 days prior to the annuals. At the higher N treatments, growth of annuals exceeded that of perennials. At solution N concentrations lower then the 50-100 μM treatments, however, growth of the perennial grasses equaled or exceeded that of the annuals. When seeded simultaneously, both species showed reduced biomass in mixtures to an extent similar to that when each species grew alone. When the perennials were already established, the biomass of annuals was reduced proportionately more than that of perennials, even at the highest N treatment. At low and medium N treatments, root placement of the perennial was deeper than that of the annual. At high N treatments, however, root distribution of both species was similar, and the deep rooting characteristic of the perennial was no longer observed.
Diagnostic Pneumopericardium: Its Clinical Application

1. Diagnostic pneumopericardium has been an overlooked diagnostic “tool” that can give valuable preoperative information regarding the precise origin of paracardiac, cardiac, pericardial and contiguous diaphragmatic lesions. 2. The preoperative information obtained by diagnostic pneumopericardium permits a direct, accurate, and less time consuming surgical approach to lesions in and about the heart, pericardium and mediastinum.
On the Vertical and Adiabatic Excitation Energies of the 21Ag State of trans-1,3-Butadiene

The excitation energy to the 21Ag state of trans-1,3-butadiene is examined using a variety of ab initio electronic structure techniques. While analogous states have been shown to be the lowest singlet excited states for all longer polyenes, for butadiene the position of the 21Ag state relative to the HOMO → LUMO excitation (11Bu) has been difficult to establish theoretically. We employ a variety of methods (CASSCF, CASPT2, MRSDCI, QDVPT) to examine both the vertical and adiabatic excitation energies for this state. At the ground-state geometry, the vertical excitation energies obtained by CASPT2 and Davidson-corrected MRSDCI for the 21Ag state differ by approximately 0.15 eV, but all of the methods predict that the 21Ag state has a lower 0−0 excitation energy than the 11Bu state. Possible reasons for the discrepancies between the various methods for the vertical excitation energy are discussed.
Parallel synthesis of 4,5-dihydro-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,3-diones

Abstract An efficient strategy for the parallel solid-phase synthesis of 4,5-dihydro-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,3-diones is described. The reductive alkylation of resin-bound primary amine with different substituted o-nitrobenzaldehydes generated a secondary amine, which was treated further with methyl chlorooxoacetate. The nitro group was reduced with tin(II) chloride. During the overnight reduction, an in situ intramolecular cyclization occurred to provide, following HF cleavage, the desired 4,5-dihydro-1H-1,4-benzodiazepine-2,3-dione.
Nucleotide sequence of the thymidine kinase gene region of monkeypox and variola viruses

Among the orthopoxviruses variola virus induces in cells a characteristic thymidine kinase (TK) activity that can be feedback inhibited in reactions with thymidine triphosphate. Northern blot analyses of variola and monkeypox virus-infected cell extracts showed RNAs of the same molecular weight as the major (590-base) and minor (2380-base) TK transcripts described for vaccinia virus. The nucleotide sequences of 1275 bp in the TK gene region of variola and monkeypox viruses have been determined. When these sequences were compared with such sequences reported for vaccinia virus, differences were observed at 41 nucleotide positions. Examination of the putative encoded TK polypeptide for the three viruses revealed variation at eight amino acid positions. Two major differences in the amino acid composition of the variola virus TK were identified that might play a role in alteration of its kinetic properties.
Geology and geotechnical characteristics of sediments in east bay area, Mississippi delta

Abstract Deltaic sedimentation has produced an accumulation of clay and silt with a maximum thickness of 90 m in East Bay area. Sediments in the upper 50 m grade from interbedded sand, silt, and clay near South Pass and Southwest Pass to predominantly clay in the central part of the area. The variation in the types of sediments and rates of deposition greatly affected the engineering properties of these deposits. Sediments from boreholes in the central part of the area have shear strengths of less than 10 kPa to a depth of at least 50 m. Near the distributaries, shear strength increases with depth; values as high as 43 kPa were measured in sediments in the upper 50 m. These sediments are generally stronger and coarser, and have a lower water content and liquid limit than do sediments at comparable depths in the central part of the area.
Tλ depression in 4He by a heat current along the λ-line

Abstract We report measurements of the depression of the superfluid transition temperature by a heat current ( 1⩽Q⩽100 μW / cm 2 ) along the λ -line (SVP⩽ P ⩽21.6 bar). Experimental data can be represented by Δ T λ / T λ =( Q / Q 0 ) x . The exponent, x , is universal and pressure independent as expected, but its value (about 0.9) is higher than the theoretical prediction (0.745) and the earlier experimental value (0.813) at SVP. The amplitude, Q 0 , shows a pressure dependence that is in qualitative agreement with the theoretical prediction, but its value is lower than the predicted and earlier experimental values at SVP. At P =21.6 bar, measurements were also performed in a reduced effective gravity (0.2 g ), and these results show that the gravity effect in our measurements is small.
Die ReiheIndices Verborum zum Altdeutschen Schrifttum: Ein Forschungsbericht

TheIndices Verborum zum altdeutschen Schrifttum is a series of word indices, rhyme concordances and retrograde word lists of German medieval texts. In providing basic reference tools for these documents, the series will make much of the material written in the high and late middle Ages more readily accessible to scholars. The Indices Verborum are divided into groups of five volumes, each group supplemented by a reference volume, in which all of the word forms appearing in the preceding five volumes are listed (in both alphabetical and retrograde order) with appropriate references. Most of the work on the first group of five volumes has been completed and the first three volumes of this group have been published.