cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insider trading and shareholder investment horizons

Abstract This paper examines the effects of shareholder investment horizons on insider trading. We find that insiders are less likely to trade on private information and the profitability of insider trades is lower when shareholder investment horizons are longer. We further examine two channels through which shareholders with longer investment horizons can impede insider trading: direct monitoring and better information environment. Consistent with the direct monitoring channel, we show that insiders in firms with longer shareholder investment horizons are more likely to shift trades from the month right before earnings announcements to the month right after earnings announcements. Moreover, the impact of investment horizons are stronger in firms with higher ex ante litigation risk, with lower corporate governance quality, and that are not targets of hedge fund activists. Consistent with the information environment channel, we show that longer shareholder investment horizons increase the frequencies of information disclosure and insiders in firms with longer shareholder investment horizons are more likely to trade in an isolated manner rather than in sequences.
Human rotavirus diarrhea is associated with altered trafficking and expression of apical membrane transport proteins

Background: Rotavirus (RV) is the 5th leading cause of death in children <5 years old but the leading cause of diarrhea related deaths in this age group. The mechanism of RV diarrhea involves decreased activity of Na+-dependent solute transporters with increased luminal secretion of Cl- in the absence of significant histologic damage. While our understanding of RV diarrhea has come from studies in animal models and cancer cell lines, the mechanism of the diarrhea and the transport proteins affected in human RV disease remains only partially understood. This understanding is likely to impact drug development therapy for RV diarrhea. Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded small intestinal specimens from patients diagnosed with RV diarrhea (confirmed by anti-RV antibodies) were analyzed by immunofluorescence for changes in apical/basolateral ion/nutrient transporters/channels as well as tight junctional and cytoskeletal proteins. Proximal small intestinal enteroids generated from biopsies obtained from healthy human subjects were grown as monolayers, differentiated to resemble villus epithelial cells, and infected with human RV. Results: RV diarrhea was associated with reduced expression and intracellular localization of transport proteins normally found in the brush border membranes, including SGLT1, NHE3, NHE2, the Na+-dependent amino acid transporter SLC6A19, and CFTR. In contrast, basolateral proteins, including Na+/K+-ATPase, NKCC1, and β-catenin, the brush border marker ezrin, as well as the tight junction protein, ZO-1, were expressed and localized normally. RV-induced mislocalization of NHE3, SGLT1, SLC6A19 and CFTR was also seen when human small intestinal enteroids were infected with RV. Conclusions: These data demonstrate a new pathophysiologic mechanism of acute diarrhea in which expression of multiple apical transport proteins are reduced. This acute diarrhea is likely to be caused by an effect on a common apical trafficking pathway, as exemplified by RV diarrhea, and its contribution to other enteric pathogen-induced diarrheal diseases should be determined.
The brain-placental axis: Therapeutic and pharmacological relevancy to pregnancy

The placenta plays a critical role in mammalian reproduction. Although it is a transient organ, its function is indispensable to communication between the mother and fetus, and supply of nutrients and oxygen to the growing fetus. During pregnancy, the placenta is vulnerable to various intrinsic and extrinsic conditions which can result in increased risk of fetal neurodevelopmental disorders as well as fetal death. The placenta controls the neuroendocrine secretion in the brain as a means of adaptive processes to safeguard the fetus from adverse programs, to optimize fetal development and other physiological changes necessary for reproductive success. Although a wealth of information is available on neuroendocrine functions in pregnancy, they are largely limited to the regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal/gonad (HPA/ HPG) axis, particularly the oxytocin and prolactin system. There is a major gap in knowledge on systems-level functional interaction between the brain and placenta. In this review, we aim to outline the current state of knowledge about the brain-placental axis with description of the functional interactions between the placenta and the maternal and fetal brain. While describing the brain-placental interactions, a special emphasis has been given on the therapeutics and pharmacology of the placental receptors to neuroligands expressed in the brain during gestation. As a key feature of this review, we outline the prospects of integrated pharmacogenomics, single-cell sequencing and organ-on-chip systems to foster priority areas in this field of research. Finally, we remark on the application of precision genomics approaches to study the brain-placental axis in order to accelerate personalized medicine and therapeutics to treat placental and fetal brain disorders.
Working with Acs.R

Notes to accompany the acs package in the R statistical programing language, used for working with ACS data from the U.S. Census.
On the sum of $k$-th powers in terms of earlier sums

For $k$ a positive integer let $S_k(n) = 1^k + 2^k + \cdots + n^k$, i.e., $S_k(n)$ is the sum of the first $k$-th powers. Faulhaber conjectured (later proved by Jacobi) that for $k$ odd, $S_k(n)$ could be written as a polynomial of $S_1(n)$; for example $S_3(n) = S_1(n)^2$. We extend this result and prove that for any $k$ there is a polynomial $g_k(x,y)$ such that $S_k(n) = g(S_1(n), S_2(n))$. The proof yields a recursive formula to evaluate $S_k(n)$ as a polynomial of $n$ that has roughly half the number of terms as the classical one.
Function of a novel nasal protrusion for oral-shelling within an adaptive radiation of pupfishes

Abstract Dietary specialization on hard prey items, such as mollusks and crustaceans, is commonly observed in a diverse array of fish species. Many fish consume these types of prey by crushing the shell to consume the soft tissue within, but a few fishes extricate the soft tissue without breaking the shell using a method known as oral shelling. Oral shelling involves pulling a mollusk from its shell and may be a way to subvert an otherwise insurmountable shell defense. However, the biomechanical requirements and potential adaptations for oral shelling are unknown. Here, we test the hypothesis that a novel nasal protrusion is an adaptation for oral shelling in a durophagous pupfish (Cyprinodon brontotheroides). We first demonstrate oral shelling in this species and then predicted that a larger nasal protrusion would allow pupfish to consume larger snails. Durophagous pupfish are found within an endemic radiation of pupfish on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We took advantage of closely related sympatric species and outgroups to test: 1) whether durophagous pupfish shell and consume more snails than other species, 2) if F1 and F2 durophagous hybrids consume similar amounts of snails as purebred durophagous pupfish, and 3) to determine if nasal protrusion size in parental and hybrid populations increases the maximum diameter snail consumed. We found that durophagous pupfish and their hybrids consumed the most snails, but did not find a strong association between nasal protrusion size and maximum snail size consumed within the parental or F2 hybrid population, suggesting that the size of their novel nasal protrusion does not provide a major benefit in oral shelling. Instead, we suggest that nasal protrusion may increase feeding efficiency, act as a sensory organ, or is a sexually selected trait, and that a strong feeding preference may be most important for oral shelling. Significance Statement Specialization on hard-shell prey items (i.e. durophagy) is a common dietary niche among fishes. Oral shelling is a rare technique used by some durophagous fish to consume prey items like snails; however, adaptations for oral shelling are still unknown. Here, we document the first evidence of oral shelling in a cyprinodontiform fish, the durophagous pupfish (Cyprinodon brontotheroides), and experimentally test whether its novel nasal protrusion is an adaptation for oral shelling using hybrid feeding trials.
Portable Instrument for Paper-Based Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests

This paper demonstrates a paper-based nucleic acid amplification test with a portable instrument. The paper-based sensor provides the functions of reagent storage, sample transportation, and DNA amplification. The compact and low-cost fluorescence detector can quantify the amplicons in real-time. The results show that the sensor can detect multiple target genes with the concentration as low as 2 × 104 copies/μL.
Drug Dosing Considerations in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

Acute kidney injury is very common in critically ill patients requiring renal replacement therapy. Despite the advancement in medicine, the mortality rate from septic shock can be as high as 60%. This manuscript describes drug-dosing considerations and challenges for clinicians. For instance, drugs’ pharmacokinetic changes (e.g., decreased protein binding and increased volume of distribution) and drug property changes in critical illness affecting solute or drug clearance during renal replacement therapy. Moreover, different types of renal replacement therapy (intermittent hemodialysis, prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy or sustained low-efficiency dialysis, and continuous renal replacement therapy) are discussed to describe how to optimize the drug administration strategies. With updated literature, pharmacodynamic targets and empirical dosing recommendations for commonly used antibiotics in critically ill patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy are outlined. It is vital to utilize local epidemiology and resistance patterns to select appropriate antibiotics to optimize clinical outcomes. Therapeutic drug monitoring should be used, when possible. This review should be used as a guide to develop a patient-specific antibiotic therapy plan.
Additive manufacturing embraces big data

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a relatively novel method to fabricate 3D objects by adding layer-upon-layer materials. As one of the most anticipated techniques in recent years, AM already made advances in design, production, and supply chain process of the manufacturing industry. AM is a digital manufacturing technology in which a massive amount of data is generated during the process. Accordingly, obtaining useful information from these data to improve current AM technology becomes a challenge. Meanwhile, Big Data research provides an ideal solution for dealing with the massive data obtained from AM processes. Besides the contributions in the AM research and production, Big Data analysis methods can also be used to help designers and engineers by collecting valuable information from clients and customers. From a business perspective, the manufacturing sector will benefit from the established Big Data sharing platform to promote and popularize new products. On the other hand, customers will obtain desired commodities with the help of a new-type 3D printing service system. The goal of this article is to summarize the contributions from the existing literature in the AM and Big Data field and prospect how Big Data methods can offer a better future for AM technology. It also introduces recent developments in AM technology combined with the internet of things (IoT), cloud, and cybersecurity. Future directions in AM and Big Data, which include AM data unification, completed AM data-sharing platform, and smart AM production process is pointed out as well.
Teacher quality around the world: what’s currently happening and how can the present inform the future?

What is good teaching? Is both a perennial and a vexing question. It’s perennial because, ever since the beginning of education, we have wanted to understand and articulate the components, knowledg...
Intrinsic OXPHOS limitations underlie cellular bioenergetics in leukemia.

Currently there is great interest in targeting mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in cancer. However, notwithstanding the targeting of mutant dehydrogenases, nearly all hopeful ‘mito-therapeutics’ cannot discriminate cancerous from non-cancerous OXPHOS and thus suffer from a limited therapeutic index. Using acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a model, herein, we leveraged an in-house diagnostic biochemical workflow to identify ‘actionable’ bioenergetic vulnerabilities intrinsic to cancerous mitochondria. Consistent with prior reports, AML growth and proliferation was associated with a hyper-metabolic phenotype which included increases in basal and maximal respiration. However, despite having nearly 2-fold more mitochondria per cell, clonally expanding hematopoietic stem cells, leukemic blasts, as well as chemoresistant AML were all consistently hallmarked by intrinsic OXPHOS limitations. Remarkably, by performing experiments across a physiological span of ATP free energy, we provide direct evidence that leukemic mitochondria are particularly poised to consume ATP. Relevant to AML biology, acute restoration of oxidative ATP synthesis proved highly cytotoxic to leukemic blasts, suggesting that active OXPHOS repression supports aggressive disease dissemination in AML. Together, these findings argue against ATP being the primary output of leukemic mitochondria and provide proof-of-principle that restoring, rather than disrupting, OXPHOS may represent an untapped therapeutic avenue for combatting hematological malignancy and chemoresistance.
Physical Theories are Prescriptions, not Descriptions

Virtually all philosophers of science have construed fundamental theories as descriptions of entities, properties, and/or structures. Call this the “descriptive-ontological” view. I argue that this view is incorrect, at least insofar as physical theories are concerned. I propose a novel construal of theories that I call the “prescriptive-dynamical” view. The central tenet of this view, roughly put, is that the essential content of fundamental physical theories is a prescription for interfacing with natural systems and translating local data into compact theoretical language. The descriptive-ontological aspects of theories, if any, are taken as inessential content on this view: they do not contribute to the predictive success of the theory. Rather than describing what is there, the essence of a physical theory is to tell us what to do when interfacing with a physical system.
A Postmodern Present and President: Postmodernity, Political Science and the Trump Presidency

What is a good working definition of Postmodernity for the undergraduate in Political Science? Postmodernism? What are the differences? This article provides a number of definitions designed to hel...
Industry Payments to Adult Reconstruction-Trained Orthopedic Surgeons: An Analysis of the Open Payments Database From 2014 to 2019.

Abstract Background In recent time, there has been an increased push toward transparency in industry funding toward physicians. The Physician Payments Sunshine Act called for the creation of the Open Payments Database managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. To our knowledge, there have been no studies evaluating the trends in payments among adult reconstruction fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons. The purpose of this study is to investigate trends in all payments to adult reconstruction-trained orthopedic surgeons from 2014 to 2019. Secondary outcomes included evaluating trends in yearly subpayment categories, regional variations, as well as characterizing the top 5 industry companies. Methods A review of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments Database was performed to identify all payments to adult reconstruction-trained orthopedic surgeons. A total of 94,265 payments were made to 4911 surgeons accounting for a total of $258,865,231.20 during the study period. Our primary outcome was to assess the trend in median payment per year to individual surgeons. Secondary outcomes included evaluating payment trends with respect to subtype, location as defined by United States Census regions, as well as specifics concerning the top 5 companies. Results Over the study period, there was a nonsignificant increasing trend in median payment per surgeon (r = 0.49, P = .096). However, there was also a significantly increasing trend in the number of payments per year (r = 0.83, P = .014), as well as the number of surgeons receiving payments (r = 0.88, P = .019). With respect to subcategory payments, there were significantly increasing trends in the median payment per surgeon for education (1054%, r = 0.942, P Conclusion In this study, we found a nonsignificant increasing trend in payments to adult reconstruction-trained surgeons as well as an increasing number of surgeons receiving payments. There were increasing trends in median payment per surgeon for education and entertainment expenses, but a decreasing trend for honoraria payments. No significant regional trends were identified. The majority of the top 5 companies had nonsignificant trends in their payments. Further studies are needed to characterize the disclosure of payments and the impact of industry payments on clinical outcomes. Level of Evidence IV.
Accessibility in Online Courses: a Review of National and Statewide Evaluation Instruments

Accessible online courses enable learning and promote equity. This paper reviews seven national and statewide online course design instruments and identifies 14 recurrent accessibility themes that occur in two to six instruments. This paper then discusses how these recurrent themes address the accessibility guidelines from the Office of Civil Rights, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and the framework of Universal Design for Learning. This paper outlines research-supported design practices that promote accessibility and, in turn, increase learning, engagement, and equity.
A Study on Altruism and Subjective Well-Being among Emerging Adults

Being altruistic is one of the basic human traits but not exhibited by all, it has the capacity to transform the life of the people. The study aimed to explore whether being altruistic and perceived subjective well-being of emerging adults are related and also to find whether gender difference exist in the research variables. The participants consisted of 200 male and female undergraduate College students. Data were analysed using Karl Pearson’s correlation. Results of the study indicated that there exists a significant relationship between altruism and Subjective Well-being. The study also revealed that the emerging adult did not differ based on gender on Subjective Well-being. Also, they differ based on gender on altruism.
An Austrian Re-assement of the Theory of ‘Public Goods’: What Is Left (and Right)?

This chapter is motivated by the following questions: what are the implications of an Austrian reassessment of the theory of public goods? What would be left to say that’s right about public goods? The implicit assumption in the theory of public goods being utilized is to frame it in terms of an outcome of its emergence, and neglects to address the process by which so-called “public goods” emerge. By redirecting our focus on this cumulative process, this sheds light on two important points: the non-rivalrous aspect of public goods are a by-product of overcoming rivalry in the first place, via the endogenous formation of excludability mechanisms. Secondly, and therefore, an Austrian reassessment of the theory of public goods completely transcends the inherent distinction between public and private goods, and with it, negates the economic justification of the state.
Extracellular Histones Bind Vascular Glycosaminoglycans and Inhibit the Anti-Inflammatory Function of Antithrombin.

Background/aims Binding of histones to molecular pattern recognition receptors on endothelial cells and leukocytes provokes proinflammatory responses and promotes activation of coagulation. Histones also bind therapeutic heparins, thereby neutralizing their anticoagulant functions. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that histones can interact with the antithrombin (AT)-binding vascular glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) to induce inflammation and inhibit the anti-inflammatory function of AT. Methods We evaluated the heparin-binding function of histones by an AT-dependent protease-inhibition assay. Furthermore, we treated endothelial cells with histones in the absence and presence of AT and monitored cellular phenotypes employing established signaling assays. Results Histones neutralized AT-dependent anticoagulant function of heparin in both purified protease-inhibition and plasma-based assays. Histones also disrupted endothelial cell barrier-permeability function by a GAG-dependent mechanism as evidenced by the GAG-antagonist, surfen, abrogating their disruptive effects. Further studies revealed histones and AT compete for overlapping binding-sites on GAGs, thus increasing concentrations of one protein abrogated effects of the other. Histones elicited proapoptotic effects by inducing nuclear localization of PKC-δ in endothelial cells and barrier-disruptive effects by destabilizing VE-cadherin, which were inhibited by AT, but not by a D-helix mutant of AT incapable of interacting with GAGs. Finally, histones induced release of Weibel-Palade body contents, VWF and angiopoietin-2, and promoted expression of cell adhesion molecules on endothelial cells, which were all downregulated by AT but not by D-helix mutant of AT. Conclusion We conclude that histones and AT compete for overlapping binding sites on vascular GAGs to modulate coagulation and inflammation.
A Twelve Vertex Theorem for 3-Connected Claw-Free Graphs

The cyclability of a graph H, denoted by C(H), is the largest integer r such that H has a cycle through any r vertices. For a claw-free graph H, by Ryjaa?ek (J Comb Theory Ser B 70:217---224, 1997) closure concept, there is a $$K_3$$K3-free graph G such that the closure $$cl(H)=L(G)$$cl(H)=L(G). In this note, we prove that for a 3-connected claw-free graph H with its closure $$cl(H)=L(G)$$cl(H)=L(G), $$C(H)\ge 12$$C(H)?12 if and only if G can not be contracted to the Petersen graph in such a way that each vertex in P is obtained by contracting a nontrivial connected $$K_3$$K3-free subgraph. This is an improvement of the main result in Gyori and Plummer (Stud Sci Math Hung 38:233---244, 2001).
The Berkeley view: a new framework and a new platform for parallel research

The recent switch to parallel microprocessors is a milestone in history of computing. Industry has laid out a roadmap for multicore designs that preserve the programming paradigm of the past via binary-compatibility and cache-coherence. Conventional wisdom is now to double the number of cores on a chip with each silicon generation. A multidisciplinary group of Berkeley researchers met for 18 months to discuss this change. Our investigations into the future opportunities in led to the follow recommendations which are more revolutionary what industry plans to do: - The target should be 1000s of cores per chip, as this hardware is the most efficient in MIPS per watt, MIPS per area of silicon, and MIPS per development dollar. - To maximize application efficiency, programming models should support a wide range of data types and successful models of parallelism: data-level parallelism, independent task parallelism, and instruction-level parallelism. - Should play a larger role than conventional compilers in translating parallel programs. The conventional path to architecture innovation is to study a benchmark suite like SPEC or Splash to guide and evaluate innovation. A problem for innovation in parallelism iit best. Hence, it seems unwise to let a set of old programs from the past drive an investigation into parallel computing of the future.
Linguistic properties based on American Sign Language isolated word recognition with artificial neural networks using a sensory glove and motion tracker

Sign language (SL), which is a highly visual-spatial, linguistically complete, and natural language, is the main mode of communication among deaf people. Described in this paper are two different American Sign Language (ASL) word recognition systems developed using artificial neural networks (ANN) to translate the ASL words into English. Feature vectors of signing words taken at five time instants were used in the first system, while histograms of feature vectors of signing words were used in the second system. The systems use a sensory glove, Cyberglove(TM), and a Flock of Birds^(R) 3-D motion tracker to extract the gesture features. The finger joint angle data obtained from strain gauges in the sensory glove define the hand shape, and the data from the tracker describe the trajectory of hand movement. In both systems, the data from these devices were processed by two neural networks: a velocity network and a word recognition network. The velocity network uses hand speed to determine the duration of words. Signs are defined by feature vectors such as hand shape, hand location, orientation, movement, bounding box, and distance. The second network was used as a classifier to convert ASL signs into words based on features or histograms of these features. We trained and tested our ANN models with 60 ASL words for a different number of samples. These methods were compared with each other. Our test results show that the accuracy of recognition of these two systems is 92% and 95%, respectively.
Standing With and Speaking as Faith: A Feminist-Indigenous Approach to Inquiry

This research note is part of the thematic section, Giving Back in Solidarity, in the special issue titled “Giving Back in Field Research,” published as Volume 10, Issue 2 in the Journal of Research Practice.
Thermal design and analysis of DIII-D advanced divertor

The DIII-D tokamak uses divertor plasma configurations to obtain enhanced plasma confinement. To further develop the divertor capability, a combined divertor baffle and electrically isolated toroidal-ring electrode will be installed. The high heat flux and elevated temperatures pose challenging design problems, especially for the insulating materials. The toroidal-ring support structure for the divertor is described. It must withstand a peak heat flux of 600 W/cm/sup 2/ for a period of 5 s. The results of a system analysis are presented. During operation, the advanced divertor is electrically biased relative to the vessel. To provide cross field electrical insulation between the divertor and the vessel, parts of the shelf and the floor tiles will be fabricated from nonconducting materials which will be subjected to both high heat flux and a high-temperature environment. To obtain an acceptable design, thermal analyses were performed to calculate the temperature differences between the divertor structure and the vessel wall during periods of bakeout and during plasma operation. A number of finite-element thermal stress analyses of individual components were done to ensure acceptable temperatures and stresses. >
Improving the Transparency and Accountability of EU Institutions: The Impact of the Office of the European Ombudsman

This research focuses on the inquiries into alleged maladministration by EU institutions completed by the Office of the European Ombudsman (EO) during the period 1996–2012, seeking to highlight the ways in which the Ombudsman advances democracy in the European Union (EU). The article analyses the content of an original dataset consisting of 515 critical remarks and 113 follow-up inquiries issued by the EO. The study shows that concerns about transparency and accountability dominate citizens’ complaints to the Ombudsman. Further, the analysis concludes that, when EU institutions were subject to critical remarks, in the majority of instances they adopted the EO's recommendation to increase the transparency and/or accountability of their practices. The EO's impact is observable both during the inquiry process and after it issues critical remarks. The article links these conclusions to a broader discussion of the democratic dilemmas in the EU.
Enterocytozoon bieneusi as a cause of proliferative serositis in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected immunodeficient macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Abstract Context.—Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most frequent microsporidian parasite of human patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and is a significant cause of diarrhea and wasting. Recently, this organism has also been recognized as a spontaneous infection of several species of captive macaques. As in humans, E bieneusi frequently causes enteropathy and cholangiohepatitis in immunodeficient simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)–infected macaques. Objective.—To examine E bieneusi as an etiologic agent of nonsuppurative proliferative serositis in immunodeficient rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Design.—Retrospective analysis of necropsy material obtained from immunodeficient SIV-infected rhesus macaques. Results.—Examination of SIV-infected rhesus macaques (n = 225) revealed E bieneusi proliferative serositis in 7 of 16 cases of peritonitis of unknown origin. The organism could be identified by in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction in sections of pleura and peritoneum obtained a...
The Intertwined Fates of Affirmative Action and the Military

This Article explores the deep connections between the crises facing the military and affirmative action. The military struggles with a sexual assault epidemic and a related failure to achieve gender and racial equality, both of which undermine its ability to effectively carry out its mission. Affirmative action faces growing skepticism from the American public and from the courts, which have been gradually eliminating the ground on which gender- and race-conscious measures can be constitutionally justified.In this time of crisis for both, the military and affirmative action need each other like never before. Affirmative action needs the military to tell the American public and the courts, once again, the story of how race- and gender-conscious measures permitted it to endure earlier crises and emerge as a stronger, highly respected institution. And the military needs affirmative action because it cannot hope to eliminate the damaging gender hostility within its ranks unless it uses gender-conscious measures to rapidly integrate its leadership — especially by assigning women to the combat positions from which they were unfairly excluded.If the military can once more lead by example, it may persuade a conservative Court to accept that there is still a place for affirmative action in American life. But the military must be willing to act and to use all of the available constitutional arguments in defense of its own policies, as well as those in civilian institutions. If affirmative action cannot survive in the military, it probably cannot survive anywhere in public life. Its fate and that of the military are inextricably intertwined.
First calculation of cosmic-ray muon spallation backgrounds for MeV astrophysical neutrino signals in Super-Kamiokande

When muons travel through matter, their energy losses lead to nuclear breakup (``spallation'') processes. The delayed decays of unstable daughter nuclei produced by cosmic-ray muons are important backgrounds for low-energy astrophysical neutrino experiments, e.g., those seeking to detect solar neutrino or diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) signals. Even though Super-Kamiokande has strong general cuts to reduce these spallation-induced backgrounds, the remaining rate before additional cuts for specific signals is much larger than the signal rates for kinetic energies of about 6--18 MeV. Surprisingly, there is no published calculation of the production and properties of these backgrounds in water, though there are such studies for scintillator. Using the simulation code fluka and theoretical insights, we detail how muons lose energy in water, produce secondary particles, how and where these secondaries produce isotopes, and the properties of the backgrounds from their decays. We reproduce Super-Kamiokande measurements of the total background to within a factor of 2, which is good given that the isotope yields vary by orders of magnitude and that some details of the experiment are unknown to us at this level. Our results break aggregate data into component isotopes, reveal their separate production mechanisms, and preserve correlations between them. We outline how to implement more effective background rejection techniques using this information. Reducing backgrounds in solar and DSNB studies by even a factor of a few could help lead to important new discoveries.
Co-ordinated synthesis of some ribosomal proteins and ribosomal RNA in embryos of Xenopus laevis.

The synthesis of ribosomal proteins has been studied in embryos of Xenopus laevis in order to determine whether they are synthesized co-ordinately with ribosomal RNA. A method was devised for isolating ten proteins of the large ribosomal subunit from protein extracts of whole cell homogenates and this method was used to assay for ribosomal protein synthesis in embryos. Cleaving embryos which do not synthesize ribosomal RNA or assemble new ribosomes were found to synthesize or accumulate less than 0.05% of their newly synthesized protein as ribosomal proteins. Mutant anucleolate (0-nu) embryos which are deleted of their genes for 28 and 18 s ribosomal RNA synthesize or accumulate less than 4% as much of these ribosomal proteins as do normal embryos at the same developmental stages. It is concluded that at least these ten ribosomal proteins are synthesized and accumulated co-ordinately with ribosomal RNA.
Diffusing‐wave spectroscopy and interferometry

Diffusing-wave spectroscopy and interferometry, the extensions of dynamic light scattering to materials which exhibit a very high degree of multiple scattering, have been used to measure the early-time, short length scale motion of Brownian particles. The transition from “ballistic” to “diffusive” motion is observed. In very dilute samples, this transition is described very well by theories which explicitly account for the time-dependent hydrodynamic interaction between a Brownian particle and the surrounding fluid. For particle volume fractions exceeding a few per cent, the data deviate from the theory for dilute suspensions, but exhibit a remarkable scaling with the suspension viscosity.
Fabrication of alumina/zirconia functionally graded material : From optimization of processing parameters to phenomenological constitutive models

Abstract Cracks and camber are prevalent when co-sintering multi-layered functionally graded material (FGM) due to the residual stress caused by the mismatches in thermal expansion and sintering between successive layers. This paper describes a novel processing technique to relieve the residual stress in such co-sintering process. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was demonstrated by fabricating a three-layered Al2O3/ZrO2 FGM. Various processing parameters, such as the powder characteristics, compaction load, interface profile, and temperature ramp/soak profiles, were varied in order to determine the optimum parameters for eliminating cracks and decreasing camber. The optimum processing parameters include low compaction load, higher ramp rate, a proper mixing of multiple powders with distinct powder characteristics and the modification of interface profile in producing undamaged and undistorted samples. In addition, the thermomechanical analysis (TMA) on various powder mixtures with the determined optimized parameters was carried out, which indicates: (1) the shrinkage rate–sintering temperature curves of each layer are almost identical and (2) the shape of the densification rate–relative density curves are very similar, yielding a common term in the phenomenological constitutive models of all three layers.
Enhancing Quality Improvements in Cancer Care Through CME Activities at a Nationally Recognized Cancer Center

Changing healthcare policy will undoubtedly affect the healthcare environment in which providers function. The current Fee for Service reimbursement model will be replaced by Value-Based Purchasing, where higher quality and more efficient care will be emphasized. Because of this, large healthcare organizations and individual providers must adapt to incorporate performance outcomes into patient care. Here, we present a Continuing Medical Education (CME)-based initiative at the City of Hope National Cancer Center that we believe can serve as a model for using CME as a value added component to achieving such a goal.
Reactivity of aluminum nanopowders with metal oxides

Abstract During the past few years, significant progress has been made in research of the formation of nanopowders and their application in both civilian and military sectors. One example of such an application is the development of nanoscale energetic materials. This paper presents the recent experimental studies of ultra-fast reactions between nanosized aluminum and various metal oxides, including WO3, MoO3, CuO, and Fe2O3 under unconfined conditions. Combustion front velocity in Al–CuO system is strongly affected by the presence of surface functional coating, which significantly improves dispersion and mixing of nanoreactants and, in low concentration, increases the combustion front velocity. Measurements of dynamic pressure responses in Al–CuO reacting system have shown that ignition delay time is a function of the amount and type of functional surface coating.
Minimum-Time Path Planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Steady Uniform Winds

This paper is concerned with time-optimal path planning for a constant-speed unmanned aerial vehicle flying at constant altitude in steady uniform winds. The unmanned aerial vehicle is modeled as a particle moving at a constant air-relative speed and with symmetric bounds on turn rate. It is known from the necessary conditions for optimality that extremal paths comprise only straight segments and maximum-rate turns. An essential observation is that maximum-rate turns correspond to trochoidal path segments, as observed from an Earth-fixed inertial frame. The path-planning problem therefore reduces to identifying the switching points at which straight and trochoidal path segments join to form a feasible path and choosing the true minimum-time solution from the resulting set of candidate extremals. The paper's primary contribution is a simple analytical solution for a subset of candidate extremal paths: those for which an initial maximum-rate turn is followed by a straight segment and then a second maximum-rate turn in the same direction as the first. The solution is easy to compute and is suitable for real-time implementation onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle with limited computational power. The remaining candidate extremal paths may be found using a simple numerical root-finding routine. The paper also shows that, for some candidate extremal paths, no corresponding Dubins path exists in the (moving) air-relative frame.
Ditching the chaperone

Comment on Mitsiades et al, page [1092][1] Rapid development of preclinical findings brings renewed hope to clinical practice in the fight against multiple myeloma. In this issue, Mitsiades and colleagues report on yet another compound with potential therapeutic effectiveness in multiple myeloma.
Nucleophilic ring-opening and grob fragmentation in the tricyclo[2.1.0.02,5]pentan-3-one series

Abstract Nucleophilic attack on the carbonyl group in the tricyclo[2.1.0.02,5]pentan-3-one series leads to straightforward addition or to deep-seated rearrangement depending on the nature of leaving groups six atomic centers removed from the site of reactivity. When the tricyclopentanone nucleus carries two ester groups, stereospecific ring-opening to triethyl endo -bicyclo[1.1.0]butane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate (II) occurs.
Modeling nonlinearly transient zero-order bioreduction and transport of Cr(VI) in groundwater

Cr(VI) contamination of soil and groundwater is considered a major environmental concern. Bioreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) can be considered a potentially effective technology in remediating Cr(VI) contaminated sites. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (MR-1) is one of the bacteria capable of reducing Cr(VI) to Cr(III) under anaerobic conditions. The kinetics of Cr(VI) reduction by MR-1 is defined by the dual-enzyme kinetic model which is nonlinear, transient, and zero-order. Existing transport models are not designed to simulate such reaction kinetics. The objective of this paper is to present a Petrov–Galerkin finite element model (PGFEM) to simulate transport and bioreduction of Cr(VI), by MR-1, in groundwater. The model developed is unconditionally stable and provides oscillation free accurate results for a wide range of Peclet number (Pn) and Courant number (Cn).
Arylamidase and amidohydrolases in soils as affected by liming and tillage systems

Abstract This study investigated the long-term effect of lime application and tillage systems (no-till, ridge-till and chisel plow) on the activities of arylamidase and amidohydrolases involved in N cycling in soils at four long-term research sites in Iowa, USA. The activities of the following enzymes were assayed: arylamidase, l -asparaginase, l -glutaminase, amidase, urease, and l -aspartase at their optimal pH values. The activities of the enzymes were significantly ( P r values ranging from 0.42 ∗ to 0.99 ∗∗∗ for arylamidase, 0.81 ∗∗∗ to 0.97 ∗∗∗ for l -asparaginase, 0.62 ∗∗∗ to 0.97 ∗∗∗ for l -glutaminase, 0.61 ∗∗∗ to 0.98 ∗∗∗ for amidase, 0.66 ∗∗ to 0.96 ∗∗∗ for urease, and 0.80 ∗∗∗ to 0.99 ∗∗∗ for l -aspartase. The Δactivity/ΔpH values were calculated to assess the sensitivity of the enzymes to changes in soil pH. The order of the sensitivity of enzymes was as follows: l - glutaminase > l - asparaginase > amidase > arylamidase > urease > l -aspartase. The enzyme activities were greater in the samples of the 0–5 cm depth than those of the 0–15 cm samples under no-till treatment. Most of the enzyme activities were significantly ( P mic ) and N (N mic ). Lime application significantly affected the specific activities of the six enzymes studied. Results showed that soil management practices, including liming and type of tillage significantly affect soil biological and biochemical properties, which may lead to changes in nitrogen cycling, including N mineralization in soils.
Speckle Reduction Using Correlated Mixed-Integration Techniques

Abstract In this work the effects of averaging (compounding) theintensities from partially correlated phased array anten-nas are studied as a means of speckle reduction. Corn- pounding intensities from subarrays is often referred toas mixed -integration in the radar literature. Correlatedsubarrays are obtained from a large coherent phasedarray by division into subarrays after coherent signaldetection. Overlapping subarrays share common ele-ments. Model calculations of the covariance matrix are made for both synthetic aperture and fixed phased array systems. These results are then used to calculate the speckle contrast reductions for multiple compoundedpartially correlated arrays for these differentconfigurations. The results are applicable to a variety ofcoherent systems such as microwave radars, laser radars, sonars, and ultrasound.I. IntroductionSpeckle (random phase noise) in coherent images is due to interference effects arising from phase varia-tions of the signals accumulated in the imaging process
Beneficial Effects of Nitrogen Atomization on an Austenitic Stainless Steel

Fully dense nitrogenated austenitic stainless steels were produced by gas atomization and HIP consolidation. The base alloy, 304L, contained about 0.15 wt pct nitrogen when melted under a nitrogen atmosphere, and a modified version of 304L with 23 wt pct Cr contained 0.21 wt pct nitrogen. A series of experiments using various combinations of N2 and Ar as the melt chamber backfill gas and atomizing gas demonstrated that the nitrogen content of the powder was largely controlled by the backfill gas and that the fraction of hollow particles was determined by the atomization gas. The hollow powder particles, which are common in inert-gas atomized materials, were virtually eliminated in the nitrogen atomized powders. Additional atomizing experiments using copper and a nickel-base superalloy indicate that low gas solubility in the metal leads to gas entrapment. Hardness and compression behavior (yield strength and flow stress) are substantially improved with the addition of nitrogen. The results of this study suggest that the properties of nitrogenated stainless steels fabricated in this manner are comparable to other high nitrogen austenitic alloys.
Prognostic significance of ischemic electrocardiographic changes during vasodilator stress testing in patients with normal SPECT images.

Background. Patients with ischemic electrocardiographic (ECG) findings during exercise stress testing but normal perfusion images generally have a low risk of cardiac death or myocardial infarction (>1% per year). During vasodilator stress testing, however, the prognostic significance of the combination of normal perfusion images and ischemic ECG changes is unknown.
Comparison of Electron-Transfer Dynamics from Coumarin 343 to TiO2, SnO2, and ZnO Nanocrystalline Thin Films: Role of Interface-Bound Charge-Separated Pairs

The role of the interface-bound charge-separated pair (IBCSP) in electron transfer at molecule/inorganic semiconductor interface remains poorly understood despite the importance of its counterpart in the solution-phase charge-separation process. To probe their role, we have compared the dynamics of electron transfer from C343 to TiO2, SnO2, and ZnO nanocrystalline thin films. The decay of the C343 excited state and the formation of oxidized C343 are measured by transient visible absorption to follow the rate of charge separation across the interface to form the IBCSPs. The dissociation of IBCSPs to form free electrons in semiconductor is probed by the free-carrier absorption in the mid-IR. For C343 on TiO2 and SnO2, the rate of the overall electron-transfer process is determined by the rate of the initial charge separation across the interface to form the IBCSP, which dissociates with negligible lifetime. The charge-separation rates are instrument-response-function limited (<150 fs) and ∼1 ps for C343 on ...
Constitutive activation of the shh-ptc1 pathway by a patched1 mutation identified in BCC.

Mutations in the transmembrane receptor patched1 (ptc1) are responsible for the majority of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) cases. Many of these mutations, including ptc1-Q688X, result in premature truncation of the ptc1 protein. ptc1-Q688X has been identified in patients with both BCC and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, an inheritable disorder causing a predisposition to cancer susceptibility. Here we describe a mechanism by which ptc1-Q688X causes constitutive cellular signaling. Cells expressing ptc1-Q688X demonstrate an increase in cell cycle progression and induce cell transformation. The ptc1-Q688X mutant enhances Gli1 activity, a downstream reporter of sonic hedgehog (shh)–ptc1 signaling, independent of shh stimulation. In contrast to wild-type ptc1, ptc1-Q688X fails to associate with endogenous cyclin B1. Expression of nuclear-targeted cyclin B1 derivatives promotes Gli1-dependent transcription, which correlates temporally with cyclin B1–cdk1 kinase activity. Coexpression of wild-type ptc1 with a nuclear-targeted cyclin B1 derivative, mutated to mimic constitutive phosphorylation, dramatically decreases Gli1 activity. In addition, the coexpression of this constitutively nuclear cyclin B1 derivative with ptc1-Q688X substantially enhances foci formation. These studies therefore describe a molecular mechanism for the aberrant activity of ptc1-Q688X that includes the premature activation of the transcription factor Gli1.