cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dynamics of US Foreign Policy: Exceptionalism and Providentialism

This chapter follows the same structure as Chapter 2, with an overview of US foreign policy regarding Europe, France, NATO, the Warsaw Pact, and the Middle East from the end of World War II to the present. Following this is presented an analysis of concrete cases (such as the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts), describing various approaches employed by the United States to address international issues, and the perceptions and opinions of US political leaders, with particular emphasis on the 1980s to the present. There is overall agreement on the continuity of the major directions of US foreign policy from the 1950s to the present. However, there are some differences with regard to what should be the approach to reach the main objectives of US foreign policy. The interviews and documents show agreement among the a large majority of the Republican Party, but the Democratic Party is more divided on the specific approaches to deal with US intervention in the world.
The Life and Death of Psychoanalysis

Webster's volume, The Life and Death of Psychoanalysis, is a meditation that invites the reader to delve deeply alongside her into the layers of meaning made manifest through the psychoanalytic inq...
In-field sensing for crop protection: Efficacy of air-blast sprayer generated crosswind in rainwater removal from cherry canopies

Abstract Rainwater-induced fruit cracking leads to serious economic loss to fresh market sweet cherry growers. To prevent fruit cracking, the key is timely and effective removal of rainwater from canopies during and after rain events. Current rainwater removal methods include use of orchard air-blast crosswind and manned helicopter downwash based on empirical judgement of growers. The goal of this study was to develop an in-field sensing system to monitor canopy wetness and micro-climate, which will help growers to decide upon when and how much rainwater needs to be removed from canopies. The developed sensing system was tested to evaluate the efficacy of an air-blast orchard sprayer in rainwater removal from cherry trees with Y-trellised (Skeena) and vertical (Selah) architectures. Results show that the sensing system could capture the wetness threshold rainfall level that may cause fruit cracking (2.5 mm). Crosswind generated by the orchard sprayer was unevenly distributed on tree canopies, especially in vertical architecture, where crosswind velocity in bottom-section of canopies (1.1 m above ground) was significantly higher than that in middle- (1.9 m) and top-sections (2.7 m). Overall, orchard sprayer crosswind had the highest rainwater removal than natural drying (control) in both architectures. Rainwater removal was significantly affected by rainfall levels studied, with significantly higher in lower rain level (2.5 mm) than those of medium (5.0 mm) and high level (10 mm) from vertical tree canopies. Also, in vertical architecture, the interaction effect of travel speed and location was significant on rainwater removal, and the rainwater removal due to crosswind at any travel seed was significantly higher than that of control at middle section of vertical tree canopies.
Insights into the Ring-Opening of Biomass-Derived Furanics over Carbon-Supported Ruthenium

The selective ring-opening of cellulose-derived furanic molecules is a promising pathway for the production of industrially relevant linear oxygenates, such as 1,6-hexanediol. 2,5-Dimethylfuran (DMF) is employed as a model compound in a combined experimental and computational investigation to provide insights into the metal-catalyzed ring-opening. Ring-opening to 2-hexanol and 2-hexanone and ring-saturation to 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran (DMTHF) are identified as two main parallel pathways. DFT calculations and microkinetic modeling indicate that DMF adsorbs on Ru in an open-ring configuration, which is potentially a common surface intermediate that leads to both ring-opening and ring-saturation products. Although the activation barriers for the two pathways are comparable, the formation of DMTHF is more thermodynamically favorable. In addition, steric interactions with co-adsorbed 2-propoxyl, derived from the solvent, and the oxophilic nature of Ru play key roles to determine the product distribution: the former favors less bulky, that is, ring-closed, intermediates, and the latter retards O-H bond formation. Finally, we show that the hydrodeoxygenation of oxygenated furanics, such as 5-methylfurfural and (5-methyl-2-furyl)methanol, on Ru occurs preferentially at oxygen-containing side groups to form DMF, followed by either ring-opening or ring-saturation.
Clinical Technology Designed to Unite

As clinical trials go global and companies continue to outsource critical functions, technology becomes more important in optimizing stakeholder communications and data management processes throughout the drug development lifecycle.
Terbium Ion Doping in Ca 3 Co 4 O 9 : A Step towards High-Performance Thermoelectric Materials

The potential of thermoelectric materials to generate electricity from the waste heat can play a key role in achieving a global sustainable energy future. In order to proceed in this direction, it is essential to have thermoelectric materials that are environmentally friendly and exhibit high figure of merit, ZT. Oxide thermoelectric materials are considered ideal for such applications. High thermoelectric performance has been reported in single crystals of Ca3Co4O9. However, for large scale applications single crystals are not suitable and it is essential to develop high-performance polycrystalline thermoelectric materials. In polycrystalline form, Ca3Co4O9 is known to exhibit much weaker thermoelectric response than in single crystal form. Here, we report the observation of enhanced thermoelectric response in polycrystalline Ca3Co4O9 on doping Tb ions in the material. Polycrystalline Ca3−xTbxCo4O9 (x = 0.0–0.7) samples were prepared by a solid-state reaction technique. Samples were thoroughly characterized using several state of the art techniques including XRD, TEM, SEM and XPS. Temperature dependent Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity measurements were performed. A record ZT of 0.74 at 800 K was observed for Tb doped Ca3Co4O9 which is the highest value observed till date in any polycrystalline sample of this system.
Perovskite ink with wide processing window for scalable high-efficiency solar cells

Perovskite solar cells have made tremendous progress using laboratory-scale spin-coating methods in the past few years owing to advances in controls of perovskite film deposition. However, devices made via scalable methods are still lagging behind state-of-the-art spin-coated devices because of the complicated nature of perovskite crystallization from a precursor state. Here we demonstrate a chlorine-containing methylammonium lead iodide precursor formulation along with solvent tuning to enable a wide precursor-processing window (up to ∼8 min) and a rapid grain growth rate (as short as ∼1 min). Coupled with antisolvent extraction, this precursor ink delivers high-quality perovskite films with large-scale uniformity. The ink can be used by both spin-coating and blade-coating methods with indistinguishable film morphology and device performance. Using a blade-coated absorber, devices with 0.12-cm2 and 1.2-cm2 areas yield average efficiencies of 18.55% and 17.33%, respectively. We further demonstrate a 12.6-cm2 four-cell module (88% geometric fill factor) with 13.3% stabilized active-area efficiency output. Perovskite-based solar cells are often fabricated by methods that are not industrially scalable. Here, Yang et al. develop an ink formulation which gives similar devices by spin coating, the lab-scale standard, and blade coating, which is a more scalable, industry-relevant deposition method.
The rise of food banks and the challenge of matching food assistance with potential need: towards a spatially specific, rapid assessment approach

In the United States, food banks served an estimated 46 million people in 2015. A combination of government policy reforms and political economic trends contributed to the rising numbers of individuals relying on private food assistance in the US, the United Kingdom and other high-income countries. Although researchers frequently map urban food environments, this project is one of the first to map private food assistance and potential need at the census-tract scale. We utilize Geographic Information Systems, demographic data, and food assistance locations to develop a rapid assessment tool that could support food banks, pantries, soup kitchens, and government agencies that seek to answer the question of whether people with the greatest need have food distribution sites in close proximity. We define access based on distance and then calculate potential food insecurity using either poverty rates or a food insecurity index. We apply these methods in a case study analysis of Santa Clara County, California. Our findings suggest that food assistance distribution locations match the areas of potential need in more than 80% of urban census tracts. However, there are several potentially underserved locations and populations that could benefit from new food assistance operations. The poverty and index-based approaches show significant spatial overlap in mapped areas of high food insecurity and low access. The poverty only approach produces a higher estimate of food insecurity rates, is easier to calculate, and draws attention to the need to address poverty as a root cause of hunger.
Effect of Dietary Copper on Adjuvant Arthritis in the Rat

Three week old Sprague-Dawley derived NCTR-CD-23 strain male rats were divided into three groups of thirteen each. All animals were kept on copper-deficient diet (0.5 ppm copper). Group I received distilled-deionized water while groups II and III received distilled-deionized water containing 0.75 and 4.5 µg/ml of copper respectively. After 6 weeks on diet, 3 animals from each group were sacrificed to monitor their copper status. Paw volumes of the rest of the animals were measured and six animals in each group were injected with 0.5 mg of heat-killed M. tuberculosis finely suspended in 50 µl of Freund’s complete adjuvant (GIBCO #17-5721). The rest were used as controls. Paw volumes were again measured 7, 14 and 21 days later. Animals were found to grow normally and there were no significant differences in their hematological status. Copper concentrations on the day of injection were as follows in groups I, II and III, respectively: in plasma-0.07, 0.73 and 1.10 µg/ml; in liver-0.91, 2.76 and 4.15 µg/g; in brain-1.66, 2.13 and 2.63 µg/g. Paw swelling was maximum on day 14. On day 21 groups II and III had significant reduction of paw edema while group I showed no change (table I).
Neuroimaging of Alzheimer’s Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Other Dementias

The goal of the present chapter is to provide an overview of the major findings from studies of neuroimaging in dementia, particularly from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The major emphasis is on findings from a variety of imaging modalities and the use of these measures for early diagnosis and as biomarkers of disease progression. In this chapter, we first describe the basic neurobiological changes and clinical symptoms associated with AD and related cognitive decline. Next, we discuss results from studies in AD utilizing structural neuroimaging techniques, including computerized tomography (CT), traditional structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other MRI techniques [diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), perfusion MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)]. Next, we explore findings from functional MRI studies, including task-related activation studies and resting and functional connectivity research. We, then, discuss results from the use of nuclear medicine techniques in AD, including single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) studies. Neuroimaging in other dementias is also briefly discussed, with particular emphasis on differential diagnosis of dementia type. Finally, we explore future directions for neuroimaging of early AD and dementia.
Low-Rank/Sparse-Inverse Decomposition via Woodbury

Based on the Woodbury matrix identity, we present a heuristic and a test-problem generation method for decomposing an invertible input matrix into a low-rank component and a component having a sparse inverse.
Communism, Capitalism, and Images of Class: Effects of Reference Groups, Reality, and Regime in 43 Nations and 110,000 Individuals, 1987-2009:

People differ vastly in perceptions of inequality, some seeing a small elite at the top of their society with a vast impoverished mass at the bottom, others a prosperous society with most people in the middle. This was found first for two nations, Australia and Communist-era Hungary. We extend these results to 43 nations and to the post-Communist era. The results support our original middle-range “reference group and reality blend” hypothesis. We extend the original findings to show that, for analogous reasons, socioeconomic development makes societies seem more egalitarian, that societies’ actual income inequality shapes perceptions, and that the collapse of Communism dramatically increased perceptions of inequality. In sharp contrast to these diverse perceptions, ideals are shared, almost everyone preferring prosperous egalitarian societies. Data are from 92 large representative national samples in 43 nations with more than 100,000 respondents, analyzed by multilevel generalized least squares (GLS) methods.
Protein Translation and Signaling in Human Eosinophils.

We have recently reported that unlike IL-5 and GM-CSF, IL-3 induces increased translation of a subset of mRNAs. In addition, we have demonstrated that Pin1 controls the activity of mRNA binding proteins, leading to enhanced mRNA stability, GM-CSF protein production and prolonged EOS survival. In this review, discussion will include an overview of cap-dependent protein translation and its regulation by intracellular signaling pathways. We will address the more general process of mRNA post-transcriptional regulation, especially regarding mRNA binding proteins, which are critical effectors of protein translation. Furthermore, we will focus on 1) the roles of IL-3-driven sustained signaling on enhanced protein translation in EOS, 2) the mechanisms regulating mRNA binding proteins activity in EOS, and 3) the potential targeting of IL-3 signaling and the signaling leading to mRNA binding activity changes to identify therapeutic targets to treat EOS-associated diseases.
High p T Harmonics in PbPb Collisions at 5.02 TeV

Abstract Studies of azimuthal anisotropies for very high p T particles in relativistic heavy ion collisions provide crucial information on the path length dependence of the parton energy loss mechanism in the quark-gluon plasma. Final high-precision data on the elliptic ( v 2 ) and triangular ( v 3 ) anisotropy harmonics of charged particles, obtained with the scalar product method, are presented up to p T ∼ 100 GeV/c in PbPb collisions at s N N = 5.02 TeV , using data recorded during the LHC run 2 with the CMS detector. In particular, the v 3 harmonic is explored to a very high p T regime for the first time, allowing for an improved understanding of the effect of initial-state fluctuations on the parton energy loss. The v 2 values reaching up p T ∼ 100 GeV/c are also determined using 4-, 6- and 8-particle cumulants, shedding new light on the origin of the observed high- p T azimuthal anisotropies. These new results are compared to theoretical calculations and provide stringent constraints on the parton energy loss mechanisms and the influence of initial-state fluctuations.
Geometric Regularity, Symmetry and the Perceived Beauty of Simple Shapes:

Geometric regularity is introduced as a simplicity metric for understanding the esthetics of basic polygons. In Experiment 1, undergraduates rated the perceived beauty of triangles varying in geome...
Unique strong and $${ \mathbb {V} }$$ V -attractor of a three-dimensional globally modified two-phase flow model

In this article, we study a globally modified Allen–Cahn–Navier–Stokes system in a three-dimensional domain. The model consists of the globally modified Navier–Stokes equations proposed in Caraballo et al. (Adv Nonlinear Stud 6(3):411–436, 2006) for the velocity, coupled with an Allen–Cahn model for the order (phase) parameter. We prove the existence and uniqueness of strong solutions. Using the flattening property, we also prove the existence of global $${ \mathbb {V} }$$ -attractors for the model. Using a limiting argument, we derive the existence of bounded entire weak solutions for the three-dimensional coupled Allen–Cahn–Navier–Stokes system with time-independent forcing.
Foreword to the special issue of the Cray User Group (CUG 2017)

Summary The 10 best papers from 77 submissions to the Cray User Group (CUG) 2017 conference, held in Redmond, Washington, are presented in this issue. Several themes of the conference are highlighted in this group of articles, including the Knight's Landing Architecture, Optimization of I/O, and data analytics.
Speckle noise reduction for high-frame-rate imaging

The high-frame-rate (HFR) imaging method was developed in the 1990s. Recently, this method has found many applications such as supersonic imaging, elasticity imaging, velocity vector imaging, strain and strain rate imaging, cardiac imaging, and functional imaging. To increase image field of view and resolutions, the original HFR imaging method was extended using steered plane wave (SPW) or limited-diffraction beam (LDB) of different parameters. In the previous studies, images were reconstructed with a coherent superposition of sub-images obtained with plane waves steered at different angles or with LDB of different parameters. In this paper, instead of the coherent superposition, an incoherent superposition is used to reduce speckle noise of both SPW and LDB imaging. To evaluate the efficacy of the method, experiments with a homemade HFR imaging system were performed to obtain radio-frequency (RF) echo data from an ATS539 tissue-mimicking phantom. The data were acquired using a 128-element, 2.5-MHz center frequency, broadband, 9.6 mm by 14 mm phased array transducer. Images were reconstructed with the Fourier-based method and have a field of view of 90 degrees. The results show that the improvements of the SNR of the LDB and the SPW methods are 95.58% and 31.31%, respectively, using incoherent superposition with 91 sub-images (or 91 transmissions). When using 11 sub-images (or 11 transmissions), the improvements are 54.39% and 29.32% for the LDB and SPW methods, respectively. This demonstrates that the incoherent superposition method reduces speckle noise and the LDB method is more effective than the SPW method in terms of the SNR improvement or speckle noise reduction.
Incidence of Acute Kidney Injury Among Patients Receiving the Combination of Vancomycin with Piperacillin-Tazobactam or Meropenem

Introduction Vancomycin (VAN) is associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). Evidence is conflicting regarding the risk of AKI when VAN is combined with an antipseudomonal β-lactam. Objectives To determine the comparative incidence of AKI when VAN is combined with piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) or meropenem (MER). Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of acutely ill adults receiving the combination of VAN and PTZ or MER for at least 48 hours between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2016, in a tertiary care hospital. Critically ill patients and those with baseline renal dysfunction were excluded. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI during or within 72 hours of completing antibiotic therapy, defined as an absolute increase in serum creatinine (Scr ) of 0.5 mg/dl or higher or a 50% or more increase in Scr from baseline. Secondary outcomes included time to AKI development, duration of AKI, and length of hospitalization. Continuous variables were assessed using the Wilcoxon rank sum or the Student t test; categorical variables were assessed using χ2 or Fisher exact tests. Independent risk factors for the development of AKI were also examined. Results A total of 169 patients were evaluated. A significantly higher incidence of AKI was observed in the PTZ group compared with MER (16.5% vs 3.6%; p=0.009). The median time to AKI onset was significantly shorter with PTZ compared with MER (3 vs 7 days; p=0.009). After adjusting for baseline differences, VAN/PTZ was associated with a 6.8-fold increased risk of developing AKI (odds ratio [OR] 6.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-30.9) compared with VAN/MER. VAN doses higher than 4 g/day and trough levels higher than 20 μg/ml were independent risk factors for developing AKI (OR 8.7, 95% CI 1.04-72.94, and OR 9.01, 95% CI 1.44-56.21, respectively). Conclusion The combination of VAN/PTZ increases the risk of AKI when compared with VAN/MER in acutely ill adults.
Survivorship care plans: Recommended vs delivered care.

10076Background: The Committee on Cancer set a benchmark for the provision of survivorship care plans (SCP) to ≥50% of early cancer patients by the end of 2017 despite limited data indicating benef...
ZnO-Templated Synthesis and Metal-Insulator Transition of VO2 Nanostructures

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) exhibits a metal-insulator transition (MIT) that is accompanied by steep changes in electrical and optical properties, making it an important component of device architectures that require facile switching between metal and insulating states. VO2 nanostructures are particularly useful components of such devices, given their unique size-dependent properties and processing capabilities. Here, we show that VO2 nanostructures can be synthesized by chemical transformation of ZnO nanoparticles, which are readily available and serve as morphological templates. Commercially available and colloidally synthesized ZnO nanoparticles react with VOSO4 in water at room temperature to form amorphous VO2, which can be crystallized to the switchable M1 phase of VO2 upon thermal annealing. Experiments probing various particle dimensions, shapes, surface ligands, and reaction parameters suggest that the reaction occurs by depositing VO2 on the ZnO particles, which serve as a sacrificial template. The Z...
The impact of exposure therapy on stigma and mental health treatment attitudes among active duty U.S. soldiers with combat related PTSD.

Abstract Although cognitive behavioral interventions improve attitudes toward mental health treatment and reduce stigma, little is known about which types of attitudes change, or how this change occurs. Active duty soldiers with PTSD (N = 162) were randomized to 10 sessions of exposure therapy or a waitlist. Soldiers were assessed for PTSD and completed measures of stigma and attitudes towards mental health services before randomization and after 5- and 10- sessions of therapy. At post-treatment, soldiers in exposure therapy demonstrated significant improvements in openness to talking about mental health problems and concerns about what others may think if they knew they were seeking mental health treatment, relative to those in the waitlist. There were significant indirect effects from treatment to changes in stigma and attitudes towards mental health treatment through changes in PTSD symptoms at post-treatment. There was also a significant indirect effect from treatment to changes in stigma at post-treatment through changes in attitudes towards mental health treatment at mid-treatment, suggesting attitude change may occur first. Baseline characteristics did not moderate treatment's change in stigma or attitudes. Improvements in PTSD symptoms and positive changes in attitudes towards mental health treatment appear to separately predict later reductions in stigma.
Effective Monitoring of Non-Chromate Chemical Treatment Programs for Refinery Cooling Systems Using Sewage Water as Make-Up

Treated sewage water as make-up to the cooling tower requires novel approaches to control potential cooling water problems common to refineries besides meeting environmental regulations. An intensive field study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of non-chromate treatment programs. On-line cleaning of the exchangers occurred prior to instituting the new chemical treatment program. Low carbon steel corrosion rates with minimal deposition was achieved. Microbiological fouling was controlled with chlorination and non-oxidizing biocide program. Field results are presented which compare the efficacy of these proprietary treatments to control corrosion and inhibit scale and fouling. Analytical results which provide a comprehensive performance evaluation of a new non-chromate chemical treatment program are presented.
Hepatitis B virus cccDNA is formed through distinct repair processes of each strand.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a highly contagious pathogen that afflicts over a third of the world’s population, resulting in close to a million deaths annually. The formation and persistence of the HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is the root cause of HBV chronicity. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of cccDNA formation from relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) remains opaque. Here we show that the minus and plus-strand lesions of HBV rcDNA require different sets of human repair factors in biochemical repair systems. We demonstrate that the plus-strand repair resembles DNA lagging strand synthesis, and requires proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), the replication factor C (RFC) complex, DNA polymerase delta (POLδ), flap endonuclease 1 (FEN-1), and DNA ligase 1 (LIG1). Only FEN-1 and LIG1 are required for the repair of the minus strand. Our findings provide a detailed mechanistic view of how HBV rcDNA is repaired to form cccDNA in biochemical repair systems. HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) enables and persists in chronic infection, but the molecular mechanism of its formation is unclear. Here, Wei and Ploss elucidate the detailed kinetics and biochemical steps by which the relaxed circular DNA is converted into cccDNA.
A Quantum Advantage for a Natural Streaming Problem.

Data streaming, in which a large dataset is received as a "stream" of updates, is an important model in the study of space-bounded computation. Starting with the work of Le Gall [SPAA `06], it has been known that quantum streaming algorithms can use asymptotically less space than their classical counterparts for certain problems. However, so far, all known examples of quantum advantages in streaming are for problems that are either specially constructed for that purpose, or require many streaming passes over the input. We give a one-pass quantum streaming algorithm for one of the best studied problems in classical graph streaming - the triangle counting problem. Almost-tight parametrized upper and lower bounds are known for this problem in the classical setting; our algorithm uses polynomially less space in certain regions of the parameter space, resolving a question posed by Jain and Nayak in 2014 on achieving quantum advantages for natural streaming problems.
Success of endoscopic ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation of pancreatic cysts: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided ethanol ablation has emerged as an efficacious and safe alternative management option for pancreatic cysts. We undertook a meta-analysis and systematic review to assess the overall safety and efficacy of EUS-guided ethanol ablation of pancreatic cysts. EUS-guided ethanol ablation of pancreatic cysts. Articles were searched in Medline, Pubmed, and Ovid journals. Fixed and random effects models were used to calculate the pooled proportions. Initial search identified 1,319 reference articles, in which 120 relevant articles were selected and reviewed. Data was extracted from seven studies (n = 152) of EUS-guided ethanol ablation of pancreatic cysts, which met the inclusion criteria. With EUS-guided ethanol ablation, the pooled proportion of patients with complete cyst resolution was 56.20 % (95 % CI = 48.16 to 64.08) and partial cyst resolution was 23.72 % (95 % CI = 17.24 to 30.89). Postprocedural complications after ablation were significant for abdominal pain in 6.51 % (95 % CI = 3.12 to 11.04) and pancreatitis in 3.90 % (95 % CI = 1.39 to 7.60) of the pooled percentage of patients. Publication bias calculated using Harbord-Egger bias indicator gave a value of -1.09 (95 % CI = 10.21 to 8.03, p = 0.77). The Begg-Mazumdar indicator gave a Kendall’s tau b value of 0.05 (p ≥ 0.99). EUS-guided ethanol ablation may be a safe alternative treatment modality for pancreatic cysts, with acceptable intraprocedural and postprocedural complications. However, due to the limited data available, prospective randomized controlled trials with a long follow up period are required in this area.
Attacked from Both Sides: A Dynamic Model of Multinational Corporations' Strategies for Protection of Their Property Rights

Multinationals operating in site-specific industries face two types of opportunistic behavior. If they vertically integrate, host governments have incentives to change existing legislation challenging the firms' property rights. If they do not, they can be held up by business partners or lose control over the production process. These conflicting problems are reflected in the contradictory assessment made by the obsolescing bargaining power and transaction costs economics theories. Drawing on property rights theory, we introduce political integration as a strategy to address the two conflicting problems. It involves the integration of the host country's polities within the multinational's structure to avoid government opportunism, while still benefiting from the advantages of vertical integration. However, this strategy can backfire after institutional changes in the host country.
Effects of Terrain on Excessive Travel Distance by Snow Avalanches

Abstract This ;,lud:- was ulIlkrlakcll lo ddermine tht" characteri:;.tics of ~1l0W avalanches most likt"ly 10 IraH~1 {'xecs~i\(· dislarU'c~ acro;,;, 101'0-angle run()ut ~ont"s and perhaps onto opposite ,;lope5. "Exee55ive" travel attained by ~now avalanches i;, relal(>d to 1m' equivalt"nl uwffieients of friction and large snow yolume. In thi~ 5tudy. wet-sno\,' anllanchf.'S Iran'ling down d('cply inci~('(L "hoek.(»-~tick pro­file" a\alanche paths exhibited exce~si\-e trayel. The equiHllent coeffi('ient~ or rrielion eal('ulaled i()r tlws(' a\alandw.', Wl're .~iJllilar lo lhos(> dekrmineo for far-traveling avalanches elsewhere. Conditions in the runoul zone i.llso ailed eVTS;, lra\d. hC('all~(~ carll' ;,ut'r'c;,;,ional vegetation i" 1 coefficients or rrinion resulting in excessive travel into the low-angle portions or the runoul mnc>' wlwrt'
Role of B cell antigen processing and presentation in the humoral immune response.

In the 25 years since it was first indicated that lymphocyte subpopulations must interact during the generation of a humoral immune response, there has been an explosion of data on the molecular mechanism of this interaction. It has been demonstrated that T cells recognize a processed antigen fragment presented by a major histocompatibility complex molecule on the surface of an antigen-presenting cell. The minimal peptides required for T cell recognition of several proteins have been determined, the molecular genetics of many of the cell surface molecules involved have been defined, and the three-dimensional structure of the T cell receptor and the major histocompatibility antigens have been deduced. Several cell types have been found to act as antigen-presenting cells, although the roles of these populations in vivo remain unclear. However, it is clear that there must be a physical interaction between a B cell and a T cell before the B cell can respond to a T-dependent antigen. This interaction requires ...
Capillary Limit in a Loop Heat Pipe with Dual Evaporators

This paper describes a study on the capillary limit of a loop heat pipe (LHP) with two evaporators and two condensers. Both theoretical analysis and experimental investigation are conducted. Tests include heat load to one evaporator only, even heat loads to both evaporators and uneven heat load to both evaporators. Results show that after the capillary limit is exceeded, vapor will penetrate through the wick of the weaker evaporator and the compensation chamber (CC) of that evaporator will control the loop operating temperature regardless of which CC has been in control prior to the event Because the evaporator can tolerate vapor bubbles, the loop may continue to work and reach a new steady state at a higher operating temperature. The loop may even function with a modest increase in the heat load past the capillary limit With a heat load to only one evaporator, the capillary limit can be identified by rapid increases in the operating temperature and in the temperature difference between the evaporator and the CC. However, it is more difficult to tell when the capillary limit is exceeded if heat loads are applied to both evaporators. In all cases, the loop can recover by reducing the heat load to the loop.
Hepadnavirus envelope proteins regulate covalently closed circular DNA amplification.

Abstract Primary duck hepatocytes were infected with a mutant duck hepatitis B virus defective in envelope protein but competent for viral DNA synthesis. Cells infected by this mutant accumulated higher levels of viral covalently closed, circular DNA (cccDNA) than those infected by wild-type virus. The accumulation of high levels of cccDNA was due to a failure of the mutant-infected cells to suppress de novo cccDNA synthesis compared with suppression by cells infected by the wild type. The envelope-defective virus failed to establish a persistent infection in vitro, possibly because of a virus-mediated cell death. Therefore, one or both viral envelope proteins are required for regulation of cccDNA synthesis and for maintenance of persistent infection in vitro.
A Joint Genomewide Linkage Analysis of Symptoms of Alcohol Dependence and Conduct Disorder

Background: A large linkage peak for alcohol dependence (AD) was detected on chromosome 4q in the Irish Affected Sib Pair Study of Alcohol Dependence (IASPSAD). Are the susceptibility genes underlying this peak specific for AD or do they increase risk for externalizing disorders more generally? Can we, in the IASPSAD, replicate prior evidence for linkage to conduct disorder (CD)? Methods: The 733 all possible sibling pairs in IASPSAD were typed for 1,020 short-tandem-repeat genetic markers. Univariate and bivariate linkage analyses were conducted by the program sequential oligogenic linkage analysis routines (SOLAR), for both the raw and the transformed number of symptoms of AD (ADsx) and number of symptoms of CD (CDsx). In the bivariate analyses, specificity was assessed by the ratio of the variance accounted for in ADsx and CDsx by the quantitative trait locus. Results: In the univariate linkage analyses, no evidence for linkage to CDsx was found under the 4q peak for ADsx and the largest peaks for CDsx were seen on chromosomes 1q (LOD=3.16) and 14p (LOD=2.36). In the bivariate linkage analysis, the 4q peak had high specificity for AD (AD/CD ratio of 39.9). Several smaller peaks, on chromosomes 1, 7, and 10, had moderate specificity for CD but also impacted on risk for AD, with AD/CD ratios of 0.18 to 0.32. Conclusions: Genes under the 4q linkage peak for AD in the IASPSAD impact specifically on risk for AD rather than more broadly on risk for externalizing syndromes. Suggestive linkages were found in several locations for CD, 2 of which broadly replicate prior findings. The bivariate analyses identified genomic locations containing susceptibility loci that impacted on risk for both CDsx and ADsx.
Urban Heat Islands and Social Work: Opportunities for Intervention

The urban heat island (UHI), formed by surface modification of soil and vegetation, increases minimum nighttime temperatures within cities and causes heat-stress among dwellers. Children, elders and low-income persons are disproportionately burdened by the UHI. These populations often lack the necessary biological, economic and social resources to cope with or prevent heat stress. Because UHI’s are expected to increase with climate change, more social workers will be expected to serve the populations most affected by UHI. This paper addresses how the social work profession can play a role in efforts to address the effects of UHI’s on vulnerable populations.
Referring to Space: Studies in Austronesian and Papuan Languages

Referring to Space: Studies in Austronesian and Papuan Languages. Gunter Senft. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.324 pp.
Design and Validation of a Novel Bioreactor to Expose Aortic Valve Leaflets to Side-Specific Shear Stress

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD), the most common aortic valve disorder, is characterized by an accumulation of calcium on the valve leaflets that contributes to the obstruction of the left ventricular outflow and progressive heart failure. CAVD follows an active process presumably triggered by atherogenic risk factors and hemodynamic cues1,2. Resulting from the relative motion between the deforming leaflets and the surrounding blood flow, fluid shear stress is an important component of the valve hemodynamic environment. The ventricular surface of the leaflets is exposed to a unidirectional pulsatile shear stress, while the aortic surface experiences a bidirectional oscillatory shear stress3. The characterization of the effects of shear stress on valvular pathogenesis, which requires the replication of the native valvular shear stress in the laboratory setting, has been hampered by this hemodynamic complexity. In an effort to address this challenge, the goal of this study was to design and validate a novel apparatus capable of exposing simultaneously but independently both surfaces of aortic valve leaflets to native side-specific shear stress. The device based on a cone-and-plate geometry was validated with respect to its ability to expose each surface of aortic valve leaflets to its native, time-varying shear stress waveform, while maintaining the tissue under sterile conditions for 96 hours.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Studies of the Optics of Neutrons. I. Measurement of the Neutron-Proton Coherent Scattering Amplitude by Mirror Reflection

Measurements were made of the ratio, $\frac{{a}_{\mathrm{C}}}{|{a}_{\mathrm{H}}|}$, of the carbon to the hydrogen coherent scattering amplitudes, using liquid hydrocarbon mirrors with various ratios of hydrogen to carbon atoms. In two of these measurements the reflected neutron intensity from different liquids was compared for a fixed angle of reflection. In two other measurements the angles were determined for which the same reflected intensity was obtained.Our most accurate value for the ratio of the nuclear amplitudes, after various corrections, is $(\frac{{a}_{\mathrm{C}}}{|{a}_{\mathrm{H}}|})(\mathrm{nuclear})=1.775\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.004$. Combining this value with the presently accepted value of the carbon nuclear scattering amplitude, ${a}_{\mathrm{C}}=(6.64\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm, we find the best value for the proton scattering amplitude is ${a}_{\mathrm{H}}=(\ensuremath{-}3.74\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$ cm.
English language teaching in China: new approaches, perspectives, and standards

English language teaching in China: new approaches, perspectives, and standards, edited by Jun Liu, New York, Continuum, 2008, xvi + 340 pp., $150.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-08264-9036-0; $49.95 (pape...
Three-Phase Isolated High-Power-Factor Rectifier Using Soft-Switched Two-Switch Forward Converter

A three-phase, high-power-factor (HPF), soft-switched isolated rectifier is introduced. The proposed circuit employs a discontinuous-voltage-mode (DVM) resonant input rectifier followed by a two-switch forward converter. In addition to achieving HPF rectification, the circuit also offers soft switching of the forward converter switches. The operation and performance of the proposed topology were verified on a 3-kW prototype operating from a three-phase line-to-line voltage of 220 V ± 10%. The experimental results show that the input-current-shaping using the proposed rectifier can be performed with a THD less than 6% over the entire line range and in the load range from full load down to less than 10% of full load. The measured efficiency of the experimental prototype at full load and nominal line was approximately 90%.
Loss of Correlated Motor Neuron Activity during Synaptic Competition at Developing Neuromuscular Synapses

During late stages of neural development, synaptic circuitry is edited by neural activity. At neuromuscular synapses, the transition from multiple to single innervation is modulated by the relative pattern of activity among inputs competing for innervation of the same muscle fiber. While experimental perturbations of activity result in marked changes in the timing of neuromuscular synaptic competition, little is known about the patterns of activity present during normal development. Here, we report the temporal patterning of motor unit activity in the soleus muscle of awake, behaving neonatal mice, and that patterning is modulated by gap-junctional coupling. Our work suggests that neuromuscular synaptic competition is modulated by surprisingly low levels of activity and may be triggered by the disappearance of temporally correlated activity among inputs competing for innervation of the same muscle fiber.
Internet Expansion, Refinement, and Churn

We analyze the evolution of the global Internet interdomain routing system on AS, prefix and IP address level granularities, using snapshots of Route Views BGP tables from 1997 to 2001. We introduce the notion of semiglob-ally routed prefixes, those present in the majority of backbone tables, and classify them into standalone - those which have no subsets, no supersets; root — have subsets, but no supersets; and subset, or more specific, which are subsets of other blocks. Using these distinctions we find that from 1999 to 2001 many measures of routing system complexity demonstrated stability in the form of slow growth, dynamic equilibrium, and occasional contraction. We find that many net change measures reflect contributions of opposite sign, and that true measure of variation, or chum, is the sum of their absolute magnitudes rather than the difference. Appearance and disappearance of prefixes, ASes and Route Views peers, as well as status changes (an AS changing from transit to non-transit, or a prefix shifting from a standalone prefix to a root prefix) are instances of routing system churn. One advantage of using our notion of semiglobal prefixes is that they exhibit less chum than global prefixes (those prefixes common to all backbone tables) and as such allow for derivation of more robust macroscopic statistics about the routing system. We study route prefix instability at a medium time granularity for late 2001 using 2-hour snapshots of BGP tables, and find that half of all prefix reannouncements (flips) are contributed by 1% of all ASes, with government networks, telecoms in developing countries and major backbone ISPs at the top of the list of instability contributors. Small ASes (those who originate only a few prefixes into the global routing system) do not contribute more than their fair share of either route entries or churn to the global routing system. We conclude that during 1999-2001 many Internet metrics were stable, and that the routing system's growth and instability are mostly caused by large and medium-sized ISPs.
Incremental Lifecycle Validation of Knowledge-Based Systems Through CommonKADS

This paper introduces an incremental validation method for knowledge-based systems (KBSs) based on a lifecycle model of system development. Although many validation methods have been proposed for KBSs, there remains a need for an incremental validation method based on a lifecycle model. Lifecycle models provide a formal framework for the developer that can be highly beneficial for the validation process. CommonKADS is the most commonly accepted of such lifecycle models. It offers a de facto standard for building KBSs. Moreover, the incremental validation method introduced in this paper is based on case testing and provides strict guidelines to selecting a set of test cases to validate the system. Most importantly, this validation method makes use of results of prior test cases to guide the use of later test cases in subsequent development iterations. This facilitates the definition of an efficient set of test cases that provides effective system coverage. The proposed incremental validation method is evaluated, and the results are reported.
SURROGATE DECISION MAKING AT END OF LIFE: SOURCES OF BURDEN AND RELIEF

In order to gain insight into the process of end-of-life decision making, 9 surrogates were interviewed about the sources of their decision-making burden. Surrogates talked most about a category labeled "background story." It was hypothesized that this involved an "account making process." Surrogates defined their decision-making task as needing to understand what their patient would have wanted and then acting accordingly. Decision-making burden was reduced by (a) helpful information from professionals and compassionate care, (b) agreeable and supportive family members, and (c) knowledge of patients' quality of life. Suggested interventions for professionals include being an audience for surrogates' stories.
Configurational thermodynamics of aluminous pyroxenes: A generalized pair approximation

A pair approximation is used to estimate the effects of short-range order on the thermodynamic properties of aluminous clinopyroxenes on the joins diopside (CaMg-Si2O6)-jadeite (NaAlSi2O6) and diopside-CaTs (CaAl2SiO6). The generalized pair approximation is the simplest model for concentrated solutions which includes short-range order. Short-range order is expected to be especially significant in coupled solid solutions, such as aluminous pyroxenes, since atoms of different valence substitute for each other.
Biochemical mechanisms of generation of bradykinin by endotoxin.

The vasodilatory properties of bradykinin are compatible with a pathogenetic role in man and subhuman primates during endotoxemia. The peptide is generated during endotoxemia when peripheral vascular resistance is decreased. A number of mechanisms of kinin generation can be recruited by endotoxin. In plasma containing complement and 19S antibody to endotoxin, the polysaccharide moiety of endotoxin activates plasma kallikreins. Similar quantities of bradykinin are generated in all species tested. Therefore, species-related variation in production of the peptide in vivo depends on the interaction of endotoxin with other tissues. Granulocytes of primates (as opposed to those of rabbits) contain a cytoplasmic kallikrein or kallikrein activator. Granulocytes release their cytoplasmic enzymes (and presumably kallikreins) when phagocytizing endotoxin. In-vitro phagocytosis requires complement and lipid-rich endotoxin. Polysaccharide fractions of endotoxin do not produce effects on granulocytes, their kinin generation, or the cardiovascular system. We suggest that differences in endotoxin effect among species are largely related to effects of the lipid moiety of endotoxin and the chemical machinery of the cells this moiety penetrates.
Chronic effects of nicotine on gastric secretion in vagotomized rats.

La secretion gastrique a ete mesuree dans des rats mâles avec ligature pylorique de deux heures, apres 14 jours d'injections sous-cutanees de nicotine ou de NaCl. Les resultats de l'administration de nicotine furent une augmentation du volume du suc gastrique, de la production d'acide et de la production de pepsine. La vagotomie abdominale bilaterale a prevenu la stimulation gastrique secreteuse, provoquee par la nicotine.