cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Nexus of Eternity Clauses, Proportional Representation, and Banned Political Parties

Constitutional democracies do not usually tie their choice of proportional election with the need to counterbalance this choice by adopting either bans on extremist political parties or the “unconstitutional constitutional amendment” doctrine. Nor do scholars offer countries a “menu” from which they may choose between majoritarian election systems or a system combining proportional representation with either bans on extremist political parties or absolutely entrenched values. This article argues that such a nexus exists empirically and may be justified normatively. This article also argues that when a country has one of the mechanisms — either a ban on extremist political parties or an eternity clause — it may legitimately infer the implicit existence of the other, as both are complementary and intended to protect the same constitutional values. The article explains the benefits that may arise from treating the two tools as mirror images of one another. While it may be easy to criticize countries for using militant democratic tools, majoritarian democratic countries should examine the implications of their own election methods. Some may be surprised to discover that they too compromise democratic ideals to sustain long-term democratic ends.
Dietary Inflammatory Index Scores and C-Reactive Protein Concentrations among Older Adults

Background: The dietary inflammatory index (DII) is a literature-derived population based index that has been devised to assess the inflammatory potential of one's diet. It has been previously vali...
Evaluation of Stroke: A Review

A comprehensive review of evaluation issues related to stroke would require more than a short chapter. However, the subject is of great importance. Stroke is the most frequent cause of death in the United States. Health care and lost productivity costs associated with stroke reached an estimated 15.6 billion dollars in the United States in 1991. Despite these significant impacts, clinicians in the United States often treat similar stroke patients quite differently. This suggests that greater uniformity in evaluation and treatment could result in better clinical outcomes and economic efficiency. To accomplish these goals, evaluation of stroke patients requires the development of a patient database that includes information categorized as in the International Classification of Impairment, Disability, and Handicap. Additionally it should include medical and quality-of-life information. Information regarding these conceptually different categories permits the development of appropriate strategies for their treatment and the framework to evaluate their outcomes. These categories also permit facilities to compare their results against others. Although clinicians focus primarily on medical and functional outcomes, organizations responsible for health care increasingly include patient and family satisfaction and cost efficiency as measures of effectiveness. Those performing evaluations select their measurement instruments on the basis of sensibility, validity, reliability, and sensitivity. A number of examinations, instruments, and scales provide appropriate information regarding the pathology, impairment, disability, handicap, and quality of life of stroke patients. This will increasingly become the foundation of clinical practice as outcome analysis influences which treatments may be utilized in the treatment of stroke.
Commentary: Using Tax Policy To Curb Speculative Short-Term Trading

Professor Stiglitz doesn’t seem to have much use for stock markets. He seems to think that they are legalized casinos, and whatever uses they might have for the discovery and display of information and the allocation of ownership claims shouldn’t mislead us into recognizing sin for what it is. Like cigarette smoking and other forms of substance abuse, if society doesn’t have the courage to ban it outright, the least it can do is tax it. Hence the transfer tax.
An evaluation of high-risk maternity care in a community hospital

Abstract A unique program of high-risk maternity care was established in 1967, in a community hospital. The program was devised to meet the medical and psychosocial needs of this patients group. In this program, 504 patients have been cared for with the resultant perinatal loss approaching that of the surrounding metropolitan area. A critical analysis of each perinatal death is presented.
Technological Effects on Aesthetic Evaluation: Vermeer and the Camera Obscura.

The question of whether an artist’s use of technology to create art results in a detectable aesthetic difference was investigated in the case of Dutch realist painter Johannes Vermeer and his use of the camera obscura. In Experiment 1, participants evaluated 20 Vermeer paintings on 6 aesthetic dimensions and preferred paintings created with the aid of the camera obscura. In Experiment 2, participants evaluated 4 Vermeer paintings on 6 aesthetic dimensions after they either read about camera obscura technology or read in general about methods of creating art in the Dutch realist school of painting. Knowledge of technology use did not affect aesthetic evaluation. In Vermeer’s case, technology was used to enhance rather than substitute for artistic talent and did not decrease but rather enhanced the viewer’s aesthetic experience. The painter stood Before her work She looked around everywhere She saw the pictures and she painted them She picked the colors from the air “Painter,” Neil Young (2005) Aesthetics, an appreciation of the beautiful and the sublime, is used to evaluate technology (Norman, 2004) and behavioral interventions (Hineline, 2005), but technology’s role in creating beauty is less explored. With the ready availability of technology that can be used in aesthetic creation, such as a digital camera to take photographs, a computer program to create graphic art, or a synthesizer to compose music, the role of technology as a contextual factor in the evaluation of art deserves further scrutiny. Art criticism has moved away from considering only the technical and aesthetic qualities of a work to explicit assessments of its social and contextual implications, including the means used to create art (Dickie, 1997; Shusterman, 1997). However, aesthetic assessment from the perspective of the art viewer may be less concerned with contextual criticism and more concerned with an Portions of these data are derived from an honors thesis submitted to Temple University by
Chapter 1. Recent Progress in Serotonin (5-HT)1A Receptor Modulators

Publisher Summary Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is a biogenic indolamine found in the blood, the girstro-intestinal tract, and the central nervous system (CNS). In the blood, 5-HT plays a role in the vascular tone and platelet function, while in the gastro-intestinal system it has strong effects on the intestinal motility and gastric-acid secretion. In the brain, 5-HT is synthesized and released as a neurotransmitter from specific cells that form a discrete brain system. 5-HT has been hypothesized to play a role in a myriad number of physiological processes, behaviors, and disease states. The many actions of 5-HT in the body are mediated through at least fourteen different receptor subtypes. Except for the 5-HT 3 receptor, which is a ligand-gated ion channel, all 5-HT receptor subtypes interact with G-proteins. One of these receptor subtypes, the 5-HT 1A receptor, is found in high concentrations in the limbic system where it is thought to play a role in emotional processes. 5-HT has also been hypothesized to play a role in anxiety. This has been supported, in part, by the clinical efficacy of compounds that alter serotonergic transmission. For example, the 5-HT 1A partial agonist buspirone has anxiolytic effects in generalized anxiety disorder and 5-HT reuptake blockers are effective treatments for panic disorder. Recently, the 5-HT 1A full agonists flesinoxan and S 20499 have been reported to display anxiolytic-like activity in several animal models of anxiety. Indeed, preliminary clinical trials indicate that flesinoxan is effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder but not panic disorder, in human. Indirect modulation of serotonergic neurotransmission, with selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors (SSRls) (for example, fluoxetine), has important therapeutic effects in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. Selective 5-HT 1A agonists and antagonists shows efficacy for anxiety and depression and are beneficial in depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, and prostate cancer. The progression of 5-HT 1A agonists and antagonists through preclinical trials, and ultimately to the clinical tests is anticipated that leads to a greater understanding of the basic working of the brain and potentially to an important class of therapeutics.
Design challenges for system-in-package vs system-on-chip

System-in-package (SiP) or multi-technology designs, as seen from a semiconductor industry point of view, have created a new set of design challenges. SiP designs are typically only attempted when a wall is reached -such as size or performance constraints and conventional system-on-chip (SoC) solutions are too expensive to implement. SoC involves accessing and working with one design/technology library and partitioning decisions are highly dependent on the library construction and routing capabilities that are identified within the software. The higher integration capacity of SiP reduces the number of components in the system and reduces the size and routing complexity of the printed circuit board. SiP design challenges arise due to the lack of similar design infrastructure between semiconductor technologies and the multitude of layout possibilities. Packaging concepts include chip stacked on chip, flip chip stacked on chip, chips placed side by side in a package, among other concepts which complicate the design partitioning process. This paper discusses these challenges to optimizing system design.
Rapid design of testable, high-performance/capacity associative memories

VLSI technology has created the opportunity for designers to develop special-purpose application-specific architectures based on associative processing techniques. However the diversity of these applications creates a need for a generalized methodology to quickly produce high-capacity associative chips with different functionalities. The paper introduces such a scheme for designing special-purpose content-addressable memories (CAMs). An overall CAM organization suitable for most special-purpose associative chips is presented and the design, layout, and performance of its modular components is discussed. An example CAM is examined to show the performance and area efficiency of CAMs designed using the proposed scheme. The paper also introduces an improved, highly compact theta -search associative cell. Finally, the testing of CAMs using this organization is discussed. >
Does individual-stock skewness/coskewness reflect portfolio risk?

Abstract Many asset pricing studies assume that a stock's coskewness or idiosyncratic skewness is priced because of the characteristic's influence on portfolio skewness. From empirical returns, we show that the number of stocks in a portfolio is the most important determinant of portfolio skewness, while component stocks' coskewness or idiosyncratic skewness has marginal effects. This result indicates that individual stock skewness does not well represent portfolio skewness.
Understanding the Performance of Active Surveillance Selection Criteria in Diverse Urology Practices

Purpose: We used data from MUSIC (Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative) to evaluate the performance of published selection criteria for active surveillance in diverse urology practice settings.Materials and Methods: For several active surveillance guidelines we calculated the proportion of men meeting each set of selection criteria who actually entered active surveillance, defined as the sensitivity of the guideline. After identifying the most sensitive guideline for the entire cohort we compared demographic and tumor characteristics between patients who met this guideline and entered active surveillance, and those who received initial definitive therapy.Results: Of 4,882 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer 18% underwent active surveillance. When applied to the entire cohort, the sensitivity of published guidelines ranged from 49% in Toronto to 62% at Johns Hopkins. At a practice level the sensitivity of Johns Hopkins criteria varied widely from 27% to 84% (p <0.001). Compared with m...
INFORMANT EFFECTS ON BEHAVIORAL AND ACADEMIC ASSOCIATIONS: A LATENT VARIABLE LONGITUDINAL EXAMINATION

Discrepancies among informants’ ratings of a given child's behavior complicate the study of linkages between child behavior and academic achievement. In the current study, we examined the potential moderating effect of informant type on associations between behavior and two types of achievement in a longitudinal growth model that captured children's development from 54 months of age through fifth grade. Latent internalizing and externalizing behavioral constructs, as separately measured by mothers and teachers, were modeled as time-varying predictors of achievements to capture changes that occur as children progress through different developmental stages. Behavioral ratings obtained by both informants explained largely equivalent levels of reading achievement variance, and teachers’ ratings of child behavior explained more variance in analytic type achievements than did those of mothers.
The effects of dopamine agonists on fixed interval schedule-controlled behavior are selectively altered by low-level lead exposure

A previous report of differential effects of catecholaminergic compounds, but not other classes of compounds, on FI (fixed interval) response rates of lead (Pb)-treated pigeons suggests that catecholamine system disturbances might play a role in lead (Pb)-induced changes in FI performance. The current study sought to extend those findings using more selective dopaminergic (DA) D1 and D2-like receptor agonists, Pb-treated rats, and additional classes of compounds. Drug-induced changes in FI performance of rats exposed chronically from weaning to 0, 50, or 150 ppm Pb acetate in drinking water were compared following the administration of drugs known to impact various neurotransmitter systems altered by Pb exposure, including the selective D2-like agonist quinpirole, the D1 agonists SKF38393 and SKF82958, the mu-opioid agonist morphine, the muscarinic cholinergic agonist arecoline, the glutamate agonist NMDA, and the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist MK-801. All drugs except NMDA significantly altered FI performance, but only the effects of DA agonists differed in control and Pb-exposed rats. Pb exposure attenuated the decrements in rates produced by D1 agonists and at 150 ppm modestly altered the rate changes associated with low doses of quinpirole. These data demonstrate functional DA alterations in response to Pb exposure and provide further evidence for the selective involvement of such effects in FI performance.
Contributions of hydrophobic domain interface interactions to the folding and stability of human γD-crystallin

Human γD-crystallin (HγD-Crys) is a monomeric eye lens protein composed of two highly homologous β-sheet domains. The domains interact through interdomain side chain contacts forming two structurally distinct regions, a central hydrophobic cluster and peripheral residues. The hydrophobic cluster contains Met43, Phe56, and Ile81 from the N-terminal domain (N-td) and Val132, Leu145, and Val170 from the C-terminal domain (C-td). Equilibrium unfolding/refolding of wild-type HγD-Crys in guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) was best fit to a three-state model with transition midpoints of 2.2 and 2.8 M GuHCl. The two transitions likely corresponded to sequential unfolding/refolding of the N-td and the C-td. Previous kinetic experiments revealed that the C-td refolds more rapidly than the N-td. We constructed alanine substitutions of the hydrophobic interface residues to analyze their roles in folding and stability. After purification from E. coli, all mutant proteins adopted a native-like structure similar to wild type. The mutants F56A, I81A, V132A, and L145A had a destabilized N-td, causing greater population of the single folded domain intermediate. Compared to wild type, these mutants also had reduced rates for productive refolding of the N-td but not the C-td. These data suggest a refolding pathway where the domain interface residues of the refolded C-td act as a nucleating center for refolding of the N-td. Specificity of domain interface interactions is likely important for preventing incorrect associations in the high protein concentrations of the lens nucleus.
Excited state properties of mixed phosphine 2-(2'-pyridyl)quinoline complexes of ruthenium(II).

Mixed ligand complexes of the type Ru(pq) 2 (PP) 2 + (pq = 2,2'-pyridylquinoline and PP = one bidentate or two monodentate phosphine ligands) have been prepared from the appropriate phosphine and Ru(pq) 2 Cl 2 . The room temperature absorption spectra and low temperature (77 K) emission spectra, emission lifetimes, and quantum yields have been measured for the series of complexes and compared with those of Ru(pq) 3 2+ and analogous Ru(bpy) 2 (PP) 2 + complexes (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) where possible. Emission spectra have been fit using a single mode Franck-Condon analysis. The visible absorption bands and emission bands are assigned to MLCT transitions that are blue shifted relative to Ru(pq) 3 2+, while the emission lifetimes and quantum yields are increased. The trends in the nonradiative rate constants, k n r , are described in terms of the energy gap, E 0 , and the Huang-Rhys factor, S M , which were obtained from the spectral fittings, and are correlated with the phosphine ligand structures.
APPLICATIONS OF A RISK AVERSION CONCEPT

In decision theory the concept denoted variously as “risk aversion increment” or “risk premium” has not been fully exploited, although it is neither new nor complex. In this paper we will show how the concept of the risk aversion increment can be used for developing an alternative to the explicit use of the utility function. For most people the use of a risk aversion increment provides a better conceptual reference than does the use of a utility function. To illustrate the usefulness of the concept as a basis for gaining insight into problem statements and their analysis, the following applications are developed: 1) general results for the exponential utility function. 2) estimation of utility functions. 3) general results for various combinations of utility functions and probability distributions. 4) use in sequential decisions. 5) application in the theory of incentives.
Engaging science in a climate of values: Tools for animal scientists tasked with addressing ethical problems

In the United States, escalating concerns about current farm animal science and production methods have resulted not only in increased food animal protection policies, but also in animal welfare legislation. Animal scientists and industry leaders are apprehensive that such policies may be driven primarily by emotion and a lack of scientific understanding, and thus may have unforeseen consequences. However, decisions about animal care, and particularly animal welfare, cannot be made solely on the basis of science because the potential effects on producers, animals, and concerned citizens and the implications for the environment and on food prices must also be considered. Balancing the interests and values of all stakeholders in regard to animal welfare problems has presented a considerable challenge. Ethical accounting processes, such as the Ethical Matrix and the ethics assessment process by Campbell, offer models to combine socioethical concerns with relevant factual information, thereby facilitating decision making that is ethically responsible and that offers viable solutions. A case study is used to illustrate application of the ethics assessment process by Campbell that includes identification of the ethical problems, the embedded values, the relevant facts, and moral tests that can be applied. Awareness of these emerging ways of examining ethics that offer real solutions to conflicts of interests and not merely "one size fits all" answers should be an asset to animal and poultry scientists.
The effects of invisible watermarking on satellite image classification

Remotely sensed satellite images are an important source of geographical data commonly used as input for various types of classification algorithms. For example, these algorithms are commonly used to classify earth land cover, analyze crop conditions, assess mineral and petroleum deposits, and quantify urban growth. Many vendors of digital images are using or are considering the use of invisible watermarking as a means of protecting their images from theft or unauthorized usage. Indeed, the use of invisible watermarking is routinely considered for use in emerging digital rights management~(DRM) systems that may be deployed to manage and protect the rights associated with satellite imagery, or types of "scientific" imagery~(e.g., in the medical field) that routinely have mathematical analyses applied to them. The concern then is how this watermarking impacts subsequent analyses. Specifically, the invisible watermarking process involves making imperceptible modifications to the pixel values of an image. However, even though these changes may be imperceptible to the human observer, they must be of sufficient magnitude to allow for watermark detection. Because of this, the use of invisible watermarking can also impact the performance of image classification algorithms. This paper is concerned with quantifying the impact that invisible watermarks have on satellite image classification. In particular, Landsat satellite images were watermarked using a number of well-known techniques, and the misclassification that resulted from this watermarking was measured. Experimental results show that even weak watermarking can lead to significant misclassification when common image classification algorithms are applied. Thus, the use of watermarking within DRM systems needs to be carefully considered, with particular attention given to the type of content that the watermarking will be applied to.
Structure and pharmacology of proton-linked peptide transporters

Abstract The cellular uptake of small peptides such as di-, tri- and tetrapeptides and peptidomimetic drugs proceeds via specialized proton-coupled transporters (Refs. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ). The cDNA clones encoding the oligopeptide transporters PepT1 and PepT2 were recently isolated and were found to constitute a new family of membrane transport proteins. These transporters play important roles in tissues responsible for solute recovery such as epithelial cells of the small intestine and the proximal tubule of the kidney. New insights into the structure and pharmacology of these transporters have been recently obtained based on studies involving Xenopus oocyte expression, electrophysiology and capillary electrophoresis.
Cellular signaling by neural cell adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin superfamily.

Neural cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) of the immunoglobulin superfamily nucleate and maintain groups of cells at key sites during early development and in the adult. In addition to their adhesive properties, binding of CAMs can affect intracellular signaling. Their ability to influence developmental events, including cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation can therefore result both from their adhesive as well as their signaling properties. This review focuses on the two CAMs for which the most information is known, the neural CAM, N-CAM, and L1. N-CAM was the first CAM to be characterized and, therefore, has been studied extensively. The binding of N-CAM to cells leads to a number of signaling events, some of which result in changes in gene expression. Interest in L1 derives from the fact that mutations in its gene lead to human genetic diseases including mental retardation. Much is known about modifications of the L1 cytoplasmic domain and its interaction with cytoskeletal molecules. The study of CAM signaling mechanisms has been assay-dependent rather than molecule-dependent, with particular emphasis on assays of neurite outgrowth and gene expression, an emphasis that is maintained throughout the review. The signals generated following CAM binding that lead to alterations in cell morphology and gene expression have been linked directly in only a few cases. We also review information on other CAMs, giving special consideration to those that are anchored in the membrane by a phospholipid anchor. These proteins, including a form of N-CAM, are presumed to be localized in lipid rafts, membrane substructures that include distinctive subsets of cytoplasmic signaling molecules such as members of the src-family of nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases. In the end, these studies may reveal that what CAMs do after they bind cells together may have as profound consequences for the cells as the adhesive interactions themselves. This area will therefore remain a rich ground for future studies. Dev Dyn;218:260–279. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comments on ``Monitoring and Understanding Trends in Extreme Storms: State of Knowledge''

1175 JULY 2015 AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY | DOI:10.1175/BAMS-D-13-00211.1 K unkel et al. (2013) reviewed the state of the science with regards to long-term changes and trends of various extreme storms that impact the continental United States. In particular, they addressed severe convective storms, precipitation, snowstorms, and—of interest to this comment— hurricanes. All of the analyses presented in Kunkel et al. (2013) (their Figs. 1–7 and Tables 1 and 2) were focused on observations taken over the continental United States, with the notable exception of hurr icanes. Instead, their F i g . 5 pr o v i d e d d a t a (updated from Kossin et al. 2007) for the entire North Atlantic and northwestern Pacific basins going back only to 1970 in the form of power dissipation index (PDI). They did reference one study on U.S. hurricane activity (Landsea 2 0 05) a nd ment ione d that it indicated no significant long-term trends. That paper, however, is now dated because of the passing of a decade of new observations as well as revisions being made to the first half of the twentieth century U.S. hurricane record through the Atlantic hurricane database project (Landsea et al. 2008, 2012, 2014; Hagen et al. 2012). Given that Kunkel et al.’s (2013) goal was to “present a clear record . . . about what is known and unknown and why about . . . extreme weather and climate types affecting the United States” (p. 499), this comment examines the most up-to-date record of U.S. hurricanes and the associated century timescale trends. Hurricanes striking the continental United States compose a sizable percentage (23%) of all Atlantic basin hurricanes since 1972, the first year for reliable all Atlantic basin hurricane frequency owing to the invention of Dvorak satellite intensity technique (Dvorak 1975) coupled with available satellite imagery for the basin. The rather lengthy coastline of the United States tends to experience more hurricane strikes in busy seasons, but not
Drug interactions with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension.

Sildenafil and tadalafil were the 32nd and 74th, respectively, most popular prescription drugs dispensed in the United States in 2006. Erectile dysfunction (ED) currently affects >30 million men in the United States and >150 million men worldwide and will become more prevalent as the population ages.1 Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors (PDE5Is) (sildenafil [Viagra],2 vardenafil [Levitra],3 and tadalafil [Cialis]4) are first-line therapy for ED. Use of PDE5Is will increase because sildenafil (Revatio)5 and tadalafil (Adcirca)6 are now prescribed as first-line therapy for many patients with pulmonary hypertension (PHT).5–8 Several pooled analyses comprising dozens of trials and thousands of patients, including patients with coronary artery disease and on antihypertensive medications, reported that PDE5Is did not significantly affect the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events.9–12 However, PDE5 is distributed in many tissues, including platelets, veins, and arterial smooth muscle (pulmonary, coronary, and systemic arteries).13 Thus, PDE5Is affect the cardiovascular system, mostly via vasodilation, and often cause small decreases in blood pressure (BP). When PDE5Is are coadministered with nitrates or α-blockers, pronounced systemic vasodilation and severe hypotension are possible. Many patients with ED are elderly and have the same risk factors as patients with coronary artery disease, so these drug combinations are commonly considered or encountered in clinical practice.1 This article covers the important PDE5I drug interactions, including antihypertensive agents, nitrates, α-blockers, PHT agents, cytochrome P450 inhibitors, and other miscellaneous drugs. Sildenafil is metabolized mainly by the cytochrome P450 3A4 pathway (79%) and to a lesser extent by 2C9 (20%).14,15 Vardenafil is metabolized in a similar manner, mainly by 3A4 with a smaller contribution by 2C9.15 Tadalafil is metabolized almost solely by 3A4.15 Therefore, drugs that inhibit the 3A4 pathway decrease the metabolism and increase the plasma concentrations of PDE5Is (Table 1). Area …
Promoting Language Acquisitions: Technology and English Language Learners

(2004). Technology in the Classroom: Promoting Language Acquisitions: Technology and English Language Learners. Childhood Education: Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 113-115.
The New (Old) Case for the Ethics of Business

In this paper, I argue for the ethics of business based on the way that business activity may embody a vocation to partake in “the Good.” Following a Platonist framework for ethics and recent work on vocations by Robert M. Adams, I argue that understanding the ethics of vocations allows us to avoid the charges that business persons have to do something more for others—often couched in terms of social responsibility, sustainability, or consideration of stakeholders—in order to legitimize their careers ethically. Rather, I claim, the ethics of a business vocation, as in any vocation, rests first and foremost in the way that a person pursues projects that answer an invitation to partake in the good things of this world. Thus, the promotion of the well-being of others, while ethically admirable and constitutive of some vocations, is not fundamental for understanding the ethics of vocations themselves, even in business. There are important implications for the ethics of markets, and I also consider a recent challenge to my approach that claims that true business vocations demand a more direct promotion of the well-being of others.
A modification of the Warren shunt

A technical modification of the Warren distal splenorenal shunt is described. A segment of internal jugular vein is utilized to connect the distal splenic vein to the renal vein. This technical modification results in significant reduction in operating time and intraoperative blood loss and is technically easier to perform. These benefits accrue primarily by avoiding extensive mobilization of the splenic vein, a step otherwise necessary in performing the original Warren shunt. The modified shunt was successfully carried out in 10 patients. There was a single in-hospital death following the procedure. In a follow-up period ranging from 3 months to 5 years and 6 months, shunt patency was demonstrated to be excellent.
Modeling the midlatitude F-region ionospheric storm using east-west drift and a meridional wind

Abstract Under magnetically quiet conditions, ionospheric plasma in the midlatitude F-region corotates with the Earth and relative east-west drifts are small compared to the corotation velocity. During magnetic storms, however, the enhanced dawn-to-dusk magnetospheric convection electric field often penetrates into the midlatitude region, where it maps into the ionosphere as a poleward electric field in the 18:00 LT sector, producing a strong westward plasma drift. To evaluate the ionospheric response to this east-west drift, the time-dependent O+ continuity equation is solved numerically, including the effects of production by photoionization, loss by charge exchange and transport by diffusion, neutral wind and E × B drift. In this investigation only the neutral wind's meridional component and east-west E × B drift are included. It is found that an enhanced equatorward wind coupled with westward drift produces an enhancement in the peak electron density (NMAX(F2)) and in the electron content (up to 1000 km) in the afternoon sector and a subsequent greater-than-normal decay in ionization after 18:00 LT. These results agree in general with midlatitude F-region ionospheric storm observations of NMAX(F2) and electron content which show an afternoon enhancement over quiet-time values followed by an abrupt transition to lower-than-normal values. Westward drift appears to be a sufficient mechanism in bringing about this sharp transition.
Results of a Simplified Technique for Buried Penis Repair

ABSTRACTPurpose: The buried penis can cause secondary phimosis, recurrent balanitis and social embarrassment. We report our results using a simplified technique for repair.Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review of 83 consecutive patients undergoing buried penis repair between March 1995 and March 2001 was performed. Indications for surgery included recurrent balanitis, secondary phimosis, difficulty holding the penis during voiding, spraying of the urinary stream, or parental or patient concern for social embarrassment. The technique involves fixation of the subcutaneous penile skin at the base of the degloved penis to Buck's fascia of the penile shaft at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions.Results: For the 79 patients included in the study average followup was 4.4 years. Group 1 consisted of 26 patients who underwent circumcision at the time of buried penis repair. Six patients had hypospadias and 13 had penoscrotal webbing that was repaired simultaneously. Three patients (11.5%) had recurrent bur...
The corrosion of some metals in sulfur-polysulfide melts

Abstract Molybdenum, chromium and chromium-iron alloy disks were exposed to sulfur and sodium-polysulfide melts at 350°C, and sulfur and lithium polysulfide melts at 400°C. The corrosion behavior of these metals was evaluated by examining the structure, composition and growth rate of the protective scale that forms on these metals. Molybdenum exhibited the greatest resistance to corrosion, and lithium polysulfides were observed to be more aggressive than either sulfur or sodium polysulfides.
The complicated duodenal diverticulum: retrospective analysis of 11 cases

Abstract Aim A series of rare complicated duodenal diverticula were reported with emphasis on causes for misdiagnosis. Material and methods Patients with a discharge diagnosis of complicated duodenal diverticulum were retrospectively obtained. Computed tomographic (CT) reports and findings were reviewed. Results Complications consisted of diverticulitis ( n =2), perforation ( n =7), or obstructive cholangitis ( n =2). CT imaging demonstrated a duodenal diverticular structure with findings due to the kind of complications. At the time of CT interpretation, a complicated duodenal diverticulum was suspected in 5 out of 11 patients. Conclusion Awareness of the duodenal diverticulum and complications may improve the diagnostic value of CT in this setting.
Prediction of significant cancer in men with stage Tic adenocarcinoma of the prostate

Widespread prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing results in detection of prostate cancer 4–6 years earlier than possible with digital rectal examination. Twenty to thirty percent of prostate cancers detected with PSA testing (non-palpable disease) are small tumors (< 0.5cc) that may be unimportant in some men. Pre-treatment criteria that include PSA density and prostate biopsy findings provide the means to assess the significance of prostate cancer after diagnosis. This in formation is useful when counseling men regarding management options for non-palpable, PSA detected prostate cancer.
Relation between Distance Transferred from Natal Stream and Recovery Rate for Hatchery Coho Salmon

Abstract Distance transferred from the natal stream was negatively related to recovery rate (recruits per gram of juveniles released) for hatchery-reared coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch. This relation, which reflects the important influence of genetic adaptation and genetic differences among stocks on recovery rates and survival, should be useful in deciding whether or not to transfer fish.
Creating, Sustaining, or Dispelling Misconceptions: Discourse Analysis of Mainstream Print Media's Coverage of Obama's Religious Identity

This study considered the role the mainstream print media has played in creating, sustaining, or dispelling the confusion among some Americans regarding President Barack Obama's religious identity. Employing a qualitative discourse analysis of coverage of Obama's religious identity, the study noted several distinct themes, including current faith practices, connections to history, blame game, otherness, politicization, and Muslim connections. A number of articles failed to capture the social, political, and historical contexts of the issue. This failure resulted in coverage that implicitly accepted the questions' legitimacy surrounding the President's religion and delegitimized his beliefs. Other coverage legitimated the confusion over his religious identity by focusing on Obama's “nontraditional” path to Christianity. Such coverage accentuated Obama's otherness, and created the potential for distrust and doubt. The study concluded that the coverage Obama received from the mainstream print media played an...
Computational approach to equilibrium relaxation in central force systems

Abstract The equilibrium configurations of low index surfaces in materials subject to central force laws and the behavior of adatoms on such surfaces were investigated using pairwise interaction theory. A direct search optimization code utilizing trial solutions with both a one-variable-at-a-time search and a vector search to scan the variables for energy optimization was applied. It was found that the interplanar spacings adjacent to a planar free surface are larger than equivalent bulk spacings and that the degree of interplanar expansion diminishes rapidly with increasing depth below the surface. The magnitude of surface expansion depends strongly on the characteristics of the potential chosen to represent the crystal forces. Surfaces which terminate with a monatomic step show non-linear structures at the step edge. Adsorption energies for adatoms on such surfaces are large on (111) surfaces and smaller on (110) and (100) surfaces. They decrease with decreasing adatom mismatch and increase with less convergent binding potentials. The activation energy for adatom surface diffusion was found to be largest on the (110) surface and smaller on the (100) and (111) surfaces; it decreases with increasing adatom mismatch and increases with more convergent binding potentials. The clustering characteristics of adatoms on (100) surfaces were investigated and applied to the system silver on nickel. The results show that both (111) and (100) oriented silver films could grow simultaneously on (100) nickel surfaces. No special attempt is made to compare the computed results with other published data. The primary purpose is to indicate a novel computational approach to surface investigations.
Effectiveness of interventions to prevent work-related eye injuries

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to describe the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent work-related eye injuries in construction, manufacturing, and agricultural industries. Two types of interventions were of interest: (1) effectiveness of different types of eye protection and/or environmental controls in the workplace, and (2) evaluation of behavioral interventions focused on increasing the use of eye protection among at-risk workers. METHODS: Cochrane Collaboration search strategies were used to identify reports of the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent eye injuries. To be included, a measurable outcome (change in eye injury rates, use of eye protection or costs for eye injury care) had to be reported. Studies that focused on exposures to lasers, radiation or microwaves were not included. RESULTS: Seven reports met inclusion criteria-all from industrial settings. None of the studies was a controlled trial and only one involved a comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is some evidence that policy changes are effective in changing behaviors and reducing eye injuries in manufacturing settings either in conjunction with a broader program focused on eye safety or by policy alone, there is limited scientific literature about the effectiveness of eye injury prevention interventions. There is a need for systematic evaluation of interventions designed to prevent eye injuries and to change the overall safety culture.
Temporal Dynamics of Microbial Rhodopsin Fluorescence Reports Absolute Membrane Voltage

Plasma membrane voltage is a fundamentally important property of a living cell; its value is tightly coupled to membrane transport, the dynamics of transmembrane proteins, and to intercellular communication. Accurate measurement of the membrane voltage could elucidate subtle changes in cellular physiology, but existing genetically encoded fluorescent voltage reporters are better at reporting relative changes than absolute numbers. We developed an Archaerhodopsin-based fluorescent voltage sensor whose time-domain response to a stepwise change in illumination encodes the absolute membrane voltage. We validated this sensor in human embryonic kidney cells. Measurements were robust to variation in imaging parameters and in gene expression levels, and reported voltage with an absolute accuracy of 10 mV. With further improvements in membrane trafficking and signal amplitude, time-domain encoding of absolute voltage could be applied to investigate many important and previously intractable bioelectric phenomena.
Response of sarcomas of bone and of soft tissue to neutron beam therapy.

Abstract A total of 51 patients were treated at Fermilab for sarcoma of bone (25 patients) and soft tissue (26 patients). Neutrons were delivered in twice weekly fractions over 6–7 weeks to total doses between 18 and 26 Gy. Longterm local control (greater than 2 years) was achieved in 24 patients (47%). Overall local control rates were 44% in the bone sarcomas and 50% in the soft tissue tumors. Chondrosarcoma appeared relatively more responsive with 9 out of 16 (56%) controlled, compared to osteogenic sarcoma with 2 out of 9 (22%) controlled. Among the soft tissue tumors, liposarcoma (57 controlled) and neurogenic sarcoma (33 controlled) appear to be more responsive than other tumors. The overall survival rate was 40% in the entire series. These results are comparable with international experience in neutron therapy of sarcomas of bone and soft tissues. Out of 263 soft tissue sarcomas treated with neutrons only to full dosage throughout the world, 152 (58%) were locally controlled. Similarly out of 74 sarcomas of bone so treated, 44 (60%) were controlled.
Cycling-induced degradation of LiCoO2 thin-film cathodes at elevated temperature

Abstract The cycle life of LiCoO 2 -based all solid-state thin-film cells has been studied at room temperature, and at elevated temperatures of 50, 100, and 150 °C. X-ray diffraction, as well as Raman analysis, has been used to complement the electrochemical data in examining structural and chemical changes. XRD and Raman spectroscopy data indicate that elevated temperature soaks of the thin-film batteries in the quiescent state causes no discernable changes in the LiCoO 2 cathode layer. However, when the thin-film batteries are cycled at elevated temperatures, decreases in average grain size of the LiCoO 2 film occur with dramatic concomitant charge and discharge capacity loss.
The Argument Laughs at Socrates and Protagoras

George Barton has been in the habit of teaching Plato by asking his students to find the place in a given dialogue where the philosophizing begins, and then showing them that nothing said in that dialogue is merely introductory. Rather, he makes them see that all of the conversation is germane to Plato’s purpose in the dialogue
Interaction of the Betapapillomavirus E2 Tethering Protein with Mitotic Chromosomes

During persistent papillomavirus infection, the viral E2 protein tethers the viral genome to the host cell chromosomes, ensuring maintenance and segregation of the viral genome during cell division. However, E2 proteins from different papillomaviruses interact with distinct chromosomal regions and targets. The tethering mechanism has been best characterized for bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1), where the E2 protein tethers the viral genome to mitotic chromosomes in complex with the cellular bromodomain protein, Brd4. In contrast, the betapapillomavirus human papillomavirus type 8 (HPV8) E2 protein binds to the repeated ribosomal DNA genes that are found on the short arm of human acrocentric chromosomes. In this study, we show that a short 16-amino-acid peptide from the hinge region and the C-terminal DNA binding domain of HPV8 E2 are necessary and sufficient for interaction with mitotic chromosomes. This 16-amino-acid region contains an RXXS motif that is highly conserved among betapapillomaviruses, and both arginine 250 and serine 253 residues within this motif are required for mitotic chromosome binding. The HPV8 E2 proteins are highly phosphorylated, and serine 253 is a site of phosphorylation. The HPV8 E2 chromosome binding sequence also has sequence similarity with chromosome binding regions in the gammaherpesvirus EBNA and LANA tethering proteins.
PASSENGER RIDE QUALITY IN TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

Quantitative relationships are presented which can be used to account for passenger ride quality in transport aircraft. These relations can be used to predict passenger comfort and satisfaction under a variety of flight conditions. Several applications are detailed, including evaluation of use of spoilers to attenuate trailing vortices, identifying key elements in a complex maneuver which leads to discomfort, determining noise/motion tradeoffs, evaluating changes in wing loading, and others. Variables included in the models presented are motion, noise, temperature, pressure, and seating.
RF-Plasma Edge Interactions and their Impact on ICRF Antenna Performance in Alcator C-Mod

In Alcator C-Mod, we have investigated the compatibility of high power ion cyclotron range of frequencies antenna with high performance plasmas and all high-Z plasma facing components, to provide operational information for future devices such as ITER. Boronization appears to be critical achieving low radiated power plasmas but it can be quickly eroded particularly in the presence of ICRF. Here we present circumstantial evidence that suggests RF-enhanced sheaths on flux tubes connected from the antennas to the top of the outer divertor are the most likely erosion mechanism. In addition, antenna operation without a Faraday screen was found to degrade antenna performance through increased impurity sources.
Performance analysis of fault-tolerant beacon vector routing for wireless sensor networks

This paper presents a performance analysis for an improved Beacon Vector Routing (BVR) protocol. BVR algorithms are useful for point-to-point routing in wireless sensor networks. The original BVR algorithm is compared through performance analysis to improved three-phase fault-tolerant BVR, known as FBVR-Opt. Finally, FBVR-Opt is compared against an existing fault-tolerant routing technique, known as LRR.The simulator assumptions and performance analysis are discussed. Performance metrics include throughput, latency, overhead, and routing success rate in the presence of multiple node failures. FBVR-Opt is found to significantly improve routing success and throughput in the presence of multiple simultaneous node failures.