cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Age Discrimination Legislation On the Labor Force Participation of Aged Men A Time-Series Analysis

The 1978 Amendments to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (PL 90-902) outlawed mandatory retirement for most categories of workers between the ages of 65 and 70. This study examines labor force participation rates of men aged 65 years and over to determine if the legislation had any discernible impact. An intervention model based on an autoregressive moving average representation of the laborforceparticipation of aged men fails to find any evidence that the amendments led to a change in their employment behavior.
Role for a 2 -macroglobulin in haemostatic balance.

THERE are two plasma proteins in human blood which account for most of the natural antithrombin activity, antithrombin III and a2-macroglobulin, which both react slowly with thrombin and are called progressive antithrombins. The predominant component, antithrombin III, has been purified recently and is an a2-globulin1–4; the minor inhibitor, a2-macroglobulin (a2-M), which accounts for about 25% of the antithrombin activity of plasma, has some unusual properties. According to Lanchantin5 and Steinbuch6, it abolishes the clotting activity of thrombin in the fibrinogen test, but does not impair its esterase activity with synthetic substrates such as N-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester. Thus, the a2-M-thrombin complex is similar to conjugates of a2-M with other proteases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin and elastase, which are active against synthetic low-molecular substrates7,8, but show little or no proteolytic activity7,9.
A rapid in situ method for determining the ages of uranium oxide minerals: Evolution of the Cigar Lake deposit, Athabasca Basin

We present a rapid and accurate technique for making in situ U-Pb isotopic measurements of uranium oxide minerals that utilizes both electron and ion microprobes. U and Pb concentrations are determined using an electron microprobe, whereas the isotopic composition of Pb for the same area is measured using a high-resolution ion microprobe. The advantages of this approach are: mineral separation and chemical digestion are unnecessary; homogenous uranium oxide standards, which are difficult to obtain, are not required; and precise and accurate U-Pb ages on ∼10 μm spots can be obtained in a matter of hours. We have applied our method to study the distribution of U-Pb ages in complexly intergrown uranium oxides from the unconformity-type Cigar Lake uranium deposit, Saskatchewan, Canada. In situ U-Pb results from early formed uraninite define a well-correlated array on concordia with upper and lower intercepts of 1467 ± 63 Ma and 443 ± 96 Ma (±lσ), respectively. The 1467 Ma age is interpreted as the minimum age...
Probing the structure of multilayer molecular adsorbates on metal by second harmonic generation

The second harmonic generation from pyridine multilayers adsorbed on Ag(111) has been studied for the elucidating the structure of the adsorbed layers. An irreversible phase transition in the pyridine overlayers was observed when the pyridine film/Ag crystal is annealed above approximately 145 K. The phase transition is speculated to be from the formation of ordered domains in the pyridine multilayers.
A natural language interface for task oriented activities

A natural language interface built for a task-oriented activity is described. The activity is operator control of equipment as required by a multi-robot experiment. TODUS, a Task-Oriented Discourse Understanding System, is an utterance-based natural language understanding system with extensive linguistic coverage. It is compact, efficient, runs on a popular PC chip and accepts spoken language. TODUS' novel architecture, an annotated session transcript and implementation data are provided. Various mechanisms which support natural language task dialog are discussed and future plans are presented.
Does Full-Duplex Double the Capacity of Wireless Networks?

Full-duplex has emerged as a new communication paradigm and is anticipated to double wireless capacity. Existing studies of full-duplex mainly focused on its PHY layer design, which enables bidirectional transmission between a single pair of nodes. In this paper, we establish an analytical framework to quantify the network-level capacity gain of full-duplex over halfduplex. Our analysis reveals that inter-link interference and spatial reuse substantially reduces full-duplex gain, rendering it well below 2 in common cases. More remarkably, the asymptotic gain approaches 1 when interference range approaches transmission range. Through a comparison between optimal halfand fullduplex MAC algorithms, we find that full-duplex’s gain is further reduced when it is applied to CSMA based wireless networks. Our analysis provides important guidelines for designing full-duplex networks. In particular, network-level mechanisms such as spatial reuse and asynchronous contention must be carefully addressed in full-duplex based protocols, in order to translate full-duplex’s PHY layer capacity gain into network throughput improvement.
Review: Dopamine agonists are effective for the restless legs syndrome but may be discontinued due to adverse events

Source Citation Scholz H, Trenkwalder C, Kohnen R, et al. Dopamine agonists for restless legs syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011(3):CD006009. 21412893
Impact of proximity model inaccuracy on patterning in electron beam lithography

Electron beam lithography is a promising technology for next generation lithography. Compared to optical lithography, it has better pattern fidelity and larger process window. However, the proximity effect caused by the electron forward scattering and backscattering in the resist and the underlying substrate materials has a severe influence on the pattern fidelity when the required critical dimensions (CD) are comparable to the electron beam blur size. Therefore, an accurate electron scattering model and a proper proximity correction play a vital role in electron beam lithography. In this paper, we describe the model accuracy of electron scattering in terms of multiple Gaussian kernels with an in-house proximity error correction to reduce proximity error with much better accuracy and more self-consistency than the double Gaussian kernel on the 100-keV electron energies. The impact of various Gaussian kernels used in the proximity correction on the lineation of typical patterns is also addressed.
AMBROSia: An Overview and Recent Results

Observing systems facilitate scientific studies by instrumenting the real world and collecting corresponding measurements, with the aim of detecting and tracking phenomena of interest. A wide range of critical environmental monitoring objectives in resource management, environmental protection, and public health all require distributed observing systems. The goal of such systems is to help scientists verify or falsify hypotheses with useful samples taken by the stationary and mobile units, as well as to analyze data autonomously to discover interesting trends or alarming conditions. In our AMBROSia project, we focus on a class of observing systems which are embedded into the environment, consist of stationary and mobile sensors, and react to collected observations by reconfiguring the system and adapting which observations are collected next. In this paper, we give an overview of AMBROSia.
Solution of Eshelby's inclusion problem with a bounded domain and Eshelby's tensor for a spherical inclusion in a finite spherical matrix based on a simplified strain gradient elasticity theory

A solution for Eshelby's inclusion problem of a finite homogeneous isotropic elastic body containing an inclusion prescribed with a uniform eigenstrain and a uniform eigenstrain gradient is derived in a general form using a simplified strain gradient elasticity theory (SSGET). An extended Betti's reciprocal theorem and an extended Somigliana's identity based on the SSGET are proposed and utilized to solve the finite-domain inclusion problem. The solution for the disturbed displacement field is expressed in terms of the Green's function for an infinite three-dimensional elastic body in the SSGET. It contains a volume integral term and a surface integral term. The former is the same as that for the infinite-domain inclusion problem based on the SSGET, while the latter represents the boundary effect. The solution reduces to that of the infinite-domain inclusion problem when the boundary effect is not considered. The problem of a spherical inclusion embedded concentrically in a finite spherical elastic body is analytically solved by applying the general solution, with the Eshelby tensor and its volume average obtained in closed forms. This Eshelby tensor depends on the position, inclusion size, matrix size, and material length scale parameter, and, as a result, can capture the inclusion size and boundary effects, unlike existing Eshelby tensors. It reduces to the classical Eshelby tensor for the spherical inclusion in an infinite matrix if both the strain gradient and boundary effects are suppressed. Numerical results quantitatively show that the inclusion size effect can be quite large when the inclusion is very small and that the boundary effect can dominate when the inclusion volume fraction is very high. However, the inclusion size effect is diminishing as the inclusion becomes large enough, and the boundary effect is vanishing as the inclusion volume fraction gets sufficiently low.
Mobile and home-based vendors' contributions to the retail food environment in rural South Texas Mexican-origin settlements.

Abstract A growing concern with high rates of obesity and overweight among immigrant minority populations in the US has focused attention on the availability and accessibility to healthy foods in such communities. Small-scale vending in rural, impoverished and underserved areas, however, is generally overlooked; yet, this type of informal activity and source for food is particularly important in such environs, or “food desserts,” where traditional forms of work and mainstream food outlets are limited or even absent. This exploratory study investigates two types of small-scale food vending that take place in rural colonias , or Mexican-origin settlements along the South Texas border with Mexico: mobile and home-based. Using a convenience sample of 23 vendors who live and work in Texas colonias , this study identifies the characteristics associated with mobile and home-based food vendors and their businesses and its contributions to the rural food environment. Findings reveal that mobile and home-based vending provides a variety of food and beverage options to colonia residents, and suggests that home-based vendors contribute a greater assortment of food options, including some healthier food items, than mobile food vendors, which offer and sell a limited range of products. Findings may contribute to the development of innovative policy solutions and interventions aimed at increasing healthy food options or reducing health disparities in immigrant communities.
Control of grade transitions in distributed chemical reactor networks—An agent-based approach

Supervision of distributed manufacturing processes producing different grades of a product requires intelligent reconfiguration strategies during grade transition phases to minimize off-spec production. Agent-based approaches are ideal for such problems and they provide flexible, robust, and emergent solutions during dynamically changing process conditions. Three different multi-layered, multi-agent frameworks are proposed for the supervision of grade transitions in autocatalytic reactor networks. The first framework is the centralized framework and it is useful for small-scale grade transitions where only a small region of the network needs to be reconfigured. Alternatively, the other two frameworks use a decentralized approach. The first decentralized framework implements genetic algorithms and the second one uses self-organizing heuristics and auctions for large-scale grade transitions. The case studies demonstrate that as the complexity of the reconfiguration problem increases, decentralized solutions perform more efficiently.
Review of the theory of electrolytic conductance

The Ostwald dilution law, based on the Arrhenius hypothesis of electrolytic dissociation, was the first theoretical formulation of the dependence of conductance on concentration. While it adequately described the conductance of weak electrolytes, it could not account for the observation by Kohlrausch that, at low concentrations, the equivalent conductance Λ of strong electrolytes approached linearity inc 1/2, the square root of concentration. Debye and Huckel (1923) assumed complete dissociation and calculated the theoretical behavior of rigid charged spheres moving in a continuum (the primitive model); the result was prediction of the Kohlrausch result. Onsager (1927) predicted the exact numerical value of the limiting slope for the Λ vs.c 1/2 curves. Bjerrum (1926) suggested association of ions to pairs which would not contribute to the long-range interionic effects considered by Debye and Huckel. Fuoss and Kraus (1933) corrected the Ostwald dilution law for the DHO square-root terms and obtained a Λ(c) function which satisfactorily accounted for conductance curves which lay below the limiting tangent. Investigations of the effects of higher terms which had been neglected in the classical DHO treatment of the primitive model led to Λ(c) functions which lay above the limiting tangent for completely dissociated electrolytes. By combining these higher-term equations with Bjerrum pairing, a generally useful conductance function was obtained (Fuoss-Hsia, 1957). In order to eliminate a number of inconsistencies between the properties of real systems and those of the primitive model, a new model (Fuoss, 1975) was proposed: Ion pairs are defined as those whose center-to-center distance lies in the rangea≤r≤R, whereR is the diameter of the Gurney cosphere. Later (1977) the paired ions were divided into two categories: ions which have only solvent molecules as nearest neighbors, and ions which have one ion of opposite charge as a member of the inner shell. The latter contribute only to charging current.
Complete Genome Sequence of Mycoplasma haemocanis Strain Illinois

ABSTRACT Mycoplasma haemocanis is a blood pathogen that may cause acute disease in immunosuppressed or splenectomized dogs. The genome of the strain Illinois is a single circular chromosome with 919,992 bp and a GC content of 35%. Analyses of the M. haemocanis genome will provide insights into its biology and in vitro cultivation requirements.
Current Epidemiology and Emerging Interventions for People With Co-occurring Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

This issue of the Journal features several excellent examples of dual diagnosis research. These include four studies of rates and clinical characteristics in specific populations, two pilot studies...
The logical foundations of ideology

College students' assignments of probabilities to a set of 15 interrelated propositions are shown to be highly consistent with a formal model of belief systems which satisfies the axioms of probability theory and propositional logic and which is based on the operation of symmetric difference. The model allows us to impute subjectively perceived truth functional relationships between propositions in a belief system to actors on the basis of their subjective probability assignments to these propositions and their pairwise conjunctions. The model also enables us to derive measures of the distance between sets of beliefs; of the congruence and consistency of belief systems; and of the degree of polarization of belief systems.
Cost Efficient Wireless Camera Sensor Deployment Strategy for Environment Monitoring Applications

Availability of low cost low power camera sensors is likely to make possible applications that may otherwise have been unimaginable. In this paper we investigate a cost efficient camera sensor deployment strategy based on random deployment of sensors to monitor and/or surveillance a region of interest. We assume that there are costs associated with the sensors as well as with the deployments and our goal is to minimize the total cost while satisfying the desired coverage requirement. We develop analytical methods to derive the expected coverage of a single sensor as well as the joint coverage for a given number of homogenous and heterogenous camera sensors. Following this we propose an adaptive sensor deployment strategy based on our analytical method. We then evaluate the expected cost of our deployment strategy by deriving expressions for the number of deployments and the number of sensors deployed during each deployment as a function of the probability distributions of joint coverage by sensors. Finally, we carry out simulation studies to validate the analytical results and to demonstrate that our strategy leads to near optimal numbers of sensors and deployments and hence the overall cost of deployment.
Human speaker recognition performance of LPC voice processors

Immediate identification of speakers' voices can be highly important to efficient communication in certain applications. This correspondence describes an experimental investigation to determine the human speaker recognition performance of LPC voice processors. A small group of coworkers were used as the test subjects. The test results indicate the importance of high-frequency data bandwidth for speaker recognition.
Mass spectrometric observations of gaseous phosphorus sulfides and oxysulfides

Abstract Vapor species produced by heating solid samples of stoichiometric P4S3, P4S5, P4S5, P4S7, P4S10, and mixtures P4S10 S and P4S10 B were identified with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The parent gaseous molecules believed to be present form a series of phosphorus sulfides P4Sx(g), x=1−10. Oxysulfides such P4S9O (g) are also observed as products from oxygen impurities.
An information flow control meta-model

In this paper a meta-model for information flow control is defined using the foundation of Barker's access control meta-model. The purposes for defining this meta-model is to achieve a more principled understanding of information flow control, to compare information flow control and access control at an abstract level, and to explore how information flow control and access control might be composed to yield a rich new set of ideas and systems for controlling the dissemination of sensitive information. It is shown that it is possible to define a meta-model for information flow control, that such a model is more complex compared to the access control meta-model, and that the meta-models for information flow control and access control can be composed in a conceptually straightforward way.
Automatic patent classification using citation network information: an experimental study in nanotechnology

Classifying and organizing documents in repositories is an active research topic in digital library studies. Manually classifying the large volume of patents and patent applications managed by patent offices is a labor-intensive task. Many previous studies have employed patent contents for patent classification with the aim of automating this process. In this research we propose to use patent citation information, especially the citation network structure information, to address the patent classification problem. We adopt a kernel-based approach and design kernel functions to capture content information and various citation-related information in patents. These kernels. performances are evaluated on a testbed of patents related to nanotechnology. Evaluation results show that our proposed labeled citation graph kernel, which utilized citation network structures, significantly outperforms the kernels that use no citation information or only direct citation information.
On forward recursive estimation for bivariate Markov chains

A bivariate Markov chain comprises a pair of finite-alphabet continuous-time random processes, which are jointly, but not necessarily individually, Markov. Forward recursive conditional mean estimators are developed for the state, the number of jumps from one state to another, and the total sojourn time of the process in each state. The recursions are implemented using Clark's transformation and tested in estimating the parameter of the bivariate Markov chain using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. 1
Interactions between cortical and subcortical visual areas: evidence from human commissurotomy patients.

Abstract Two commissurotomy patients performed an oculomotor task that required integrating visual information from the two hemifields. In marked contrast to previous “split-brain” findings, visual information from both hemifields was available for oculomotor control and perceptual function, provided that accurate performance depended on relatively crude visual discriminations. When finer spatial resolution was required, interfield performance declined to chance levels. The failure of a subject with occipital damage to accurately localize comparable stimuli in her blind field implies that cross-integration of the visual fields in commissurotomy patients requires interactions between cortical and subcortical visual areas.
A Medical Unit for the Acute Care of the Elderly

Older patients often experience a loss of independent physical functioning during the course of an acute illness requiring hospitalization. This functional decline is associated with serious sequelae including prolonged hospital stay, nursing home placement, and mortality. Elements of hospitalization may contribute to the progression or persistence of functional decline. The Unit for Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE Unit) at University Hospitals of Cleveland is an acute care general medical service that is designed to foster the independent functioning of patients. The Prehab Program of Patient Centered Care on the ACE Unit is a multifaceted intervention that integrates geriatric assessment into the optimal medical and nursing care of patients in an interdisciplinary environment. The Prehab Program has several key elements tailored to each individual patient's needs: a prepared environment, patient-centered care, multidimensional assessment and nonpharmacologic prescriptions, medical care review, and home planning. Standards of care serve to reduce the risk of iatrogenic illness resulting from polypharmacy, use of physical restraints, and diagnostic procedures. Nurse-initiated guidelines contribute to prevention of functional decline and to restoration of independent patient functioning. The effectiveness of the ACE Unit is being evaluated in a randomized clinical trial.
Histogenetic Phenotypes of B Cells in Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders by Immunohistochemical Analysis Correlate With Transplant Type

We immunohistochemically defined the histogenesis of posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs; B-cell phenotype) occurring after allogeneic T cell–depleted hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT; n = 15) or solid organ transplantation (SOT; n = 11) to determine whether transplantation type or morphologic subtype of PTLD affected the histogenetic subtype. Immunohistochemical stains using histogenetic markers for germinal center (GC) B cells, late GC and post-GC B cells, and post-GC B cells were performed on paraffin-embedded samples. Morphologically, 14 cases were polymorphic; 12 were monomorphic. Histogenetic marker expression was as follows: 1 monomorphic case (4%), GC phenotype expressing bcl-6 and CD10; 17 cases (65%; polymorphic, 9; monomorphic, 8), late GC–early post-GC phenotype expressing MUM1/IRF4; 8 cases (31%; polymorphic, 5; monomorphic, 3), post-GC phenotype expressing MUM1/IRF4 and CD138 but not bcl-6. PTLD cases after HSCT more frequently were post-GC phenotype than after SOT (7/15 vs 1/11, respectively; P = .040) and were independent of morphologic subclassification. Results suggest that most PTLDs are late GC–early post-GC phenotype with a minor group of post-GC phenotype and rare cases of GC phenotype. Findings also suggest a correlation between histogenetic phenotype of B-cell PTLD and type of transplantation.
Modeling of Residual Stress in Grinding of Nodular Cast Iron

In grinding operations, the high specific energy generates high temperatures in the grinding zone, and therefore causes various types of thermal damage on the workpiece surface such as burn or high tensile residual stresses. High tensile residual stresses attract significant attention because they may initiate cracks on the surface, either immediately after grinding or under in-service loading. Cracking will significantly reduce component life. Thus, avoidance of surface damage in general, and residual stresses in particular, dominates any discussion of quality/productivity trade-offs in grinding. By increasing the material removal rate (MRR) productivity is enhanced but the temperature and temperature gradient in the grinding zone are increased as is the likelihood and severity of surface damage. Currently there is no analytic or numerical tool for predicting residual stresses in ground parts. Thus developing a robust grinding process while minimizing residual stress is a lengthy trial and error process. This report proposes an analytic model, based on the temperature profile in the workpiece, for predicting the severity of the residual stress under various grinding cycles. Further, the model also comprehends the cumulative effects of multiple grinding passes (which are routinely employed in any production grinding environment) and predicts the final residual stress after the complete process cycle has been completed. In addition to achieving excellent correlation with measured residual stresses, the validity of the model assumptions was evaluated and independently verified.
Novel Contact-Plug Process with Low-Resistance Nucleation Layer Using Diborane-Reduction Tungsten Atomic-Layer-Deposition Method for 32 nm Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor Devices and Beyond

The effect of employing diborane (B2H6) instead of silane (SiH4) in a tungsten (W) atomic layer deposition (ALD) nucleation layer on contact resistance is studied. A low resistance of 50–70 Ω in a 32-nm-node contact with a diameter of about 50 nm is achieved with optimized barrier and nucleation processes. This result indicates that the resistance required for 32 nm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) devices can successfully be satisfied without employing a copper plug process. It is revealed that a W film with a B2H6-reduced nucleation layer has a larger grain size and a lower fluorine concentration in nucleation W and barrier metal layers, resulting in a lower resistivity than that with a SiH4-reduced nucleation W layer. On the other hand, the B2H6-reduced nucleation process still shows a poorer crystallization and a higher fluorine concentration in the filling W layer than the SiH4-reduced nucleation process. We revealed that a further decrease in the resistivity of a W film with the B2H6 nucleation process is achieved by improving these issues.
Theory of sedimentation for antigen-antibody reactions: effect of antibody heterogeneity on the shape of the pattern.

A phenomenological theory of sedimentation for univalent antigen-antibody and bivalent hapten-antibody reactions predicts analytical sedimentation patterns whose shapes qualitatively simulate those of experiment patterns, provided the antibody is assumed to be heterogeneous with respect to the intrinsic association constant. In the case of the univalent antigen-antibody system, a discrete bimodal distribution of binding affinities predicts patterns, for low to moderate molar excess of antigen, which show a boundary of pure antigen and a more rapidly sedimenting, bimodal reaction boundary as observed with the BSA-S-R1:anti-R system. Model calculations for a discrete trimodal distribution of antibody affinities indicate that either a continuous distribution skewed towards high affinity or a continuous bimodal distribution can give rise to bimodal reaction boundaries, but that a distribution skewed towards low affinity or a bell-shaped distribution would probably not do so. The pattern computed for a heuristic system approximating the cardinal features of the reaction of a bivalent hapten with its heterogenous antibody shows three peaks like the trimodal patterns observed for the T:anti-R system. The peaks do not correspond to separated macromolecular species but to different equilibrium compositions each, in its turn, rich in what is essentially the monomer, dimer or trimer of the antibody. Resolution of this trimodal reaction boundary is dependent upon production of gradients of unbound hapten along the centrifuge cell by reequilibration during differential transport of the monomer, dimer and trimer.
Economic Fluctuations and Statistical Physics: The Puzzle of Large Fluctuations

We present an overview of recent research joining ideas of economic theory and statistical physics to try to better understand puzzles regarding economic fluctuations. One of these puzzles is how to describe outliers, phenomena that lie outside of patterns of statistical regularity. We review evidence consistent with the possibility that such outliers may not exist. This possibility is supported by recent analysis by Plerou et al of a database containing the sale price of each trade of every stock. Further, the data support the picture of economic fluctuations, due to Plerou et al., in which a financial market alternates between being in an “equilibrium phase” where market behavior is split roughly equally between buying and selling, and an “out-of-equilibrium phase” where the market is mainly either buying or selling.
Electro-thermally induced structural failure actuator (ETISFA) for implantable controlled drug delivery devices based on micro-electro-mechanical-systems.

A new electro-thermally induced structural failure actuator (ETISFA) is introduced as an activation mechanism for on demand controlled drug delivery from a Micro-Electro-Mechanical-System (MEMS). The device architecture is based on a reservoir that is sealed by a silicon nitride membrane. The release mechanism consists of an electrical fuse constructed on the membrane. Activation causes thermal shock of the suspended membrane allowing the drugs inside of the reservoir to diffuse out into the region of interest. The effects of fuse width and thickness were explored by observing the extent to which the membrane was ruptured and the required energy input. Device design and optimization simulations of the opening mechanism are presented, as well as experimental data showing optimal energy consumption per fuse geometry. In vitro release experiments demonstrated repeatable release curves of mannitol-C14 that precisely follow ideal first order release kinetics. Thermally induced structural failure was demonstrated as a feasible activation mechanism that holds great promise for controlled release in biomedical microdevices.
Potential coastal impacts of contemporary changing climate on South Asian seas states

The threat of man-induced global change on the nations of the South Asian seas region varies from place to place because of differences in exposure to monsoons and stoms, differences in local tectonics and subsidence, and variations in air and sea climates. Because several nations are involved, some having subsistence budgets, and given the cost of deriving independently a comprehensive response to global change, the similarities and differences between national settings must be identified soon. These comparisons will form the basis for local response strategies: the similarities provide a basis for responses similar to that of other nations and the differences provide for local adaptation. That climate change on the South Asian coastal region will have an impact is certain: its economics, environment, and coastal land uses are dominated to a certain extent by this marine influence. The extent of these impacts, however, is uncertain. Accompanying global change will be changes in sea level, differences in storm climate, and altered precipitation patterns; science cannot define today what pattern these changes will take. Because global change is inevitable—although its magnitude, timing, and geographic distribution are unknown—the South Asian seas region should begin the appropriate research and planning studies to set forth a reasoned response to global change, for implementation when scientific evidence for global change is more quantitative.
Practical Cache Design Techniques For Today's RISC And CISC CPUS

Cache memories are moving into the forefront of popularity. Most microprocessor system designers can now expect to be called upon to design or implement a cache at some time in their carreers. It is somewhat difficult deciding where to start when first confronted with the task of designing a cache from scratch. This paper will focus on techniques which can be used in microprocessor cache designs to improve system throughput. Examples are shown using Intel's i486 processor, and the P3000 RISC processor.
Muscle-specific deletion of exons 2 and 3 of the IL15RA gene in mice: effects on contractile properties of fast and slow muscles

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a putative myokine hypothesized to induce an oxidative skeletal muscle phenotype. The specific IL-15 receptor alpha subunit (IL-15Rα) has also been implicated in specifyin...
Mechanisms of olfactory toxicity of the herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile: essential roles of CYP2A5 and target-tissue metabolic activation.

The herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitril (DCBN) is a potent and tissue-specific toxicant to the olfactory mucosa (OM). The toxicity of DCBN is mediated by cytochrome P450 (P450)-catalyzed bioactivation; however, it is not known whether target-tissue metabolic activation is essential for toxicity. CYP2A5, expressed abundantly in both liver and OM, was previously found to be one of the P450 enzymes active in DCBN bioactivation in vitro. The aims of this study were to determine the role of CYP2A5 in DCBN toxicity in vivo, by comparing the extents of DCBN toxicity between Cyp2a5-null and wild-type (WT) mice, and to determine whether hepatic microsomal P450 enzymes (including CYP2A5) are essential for the DCBN toxicity, by comparing the extents of DCBN toxicity between liver-Cpr-null (LCN) mice, which have little P450 activity in hepatocytes, and WT mice. We show that the loss of CYP2A5 expression did not alter systemic clearance of DCBN (at 25 mg/kg); but it did inhibit DCBN-induced non-protein thiol depletion and cytotoxicity in the OM. Thus, CYP2A5 plays an essential role in mediating DCBN toxicity in the OM. In contrast to the results seen in the Cyp2a5-null mice, the rates of systemic DCBN clearance were substantially reduced, while the extents of DCBN-induced nasal toxicitymore » were increased, rather than decreased, in the LCN mice, compared to WT mice. Therefore, hepatic P450 enzymes, although essential for DCBN clearance, are not necessary for DCBN-induced OM toxicity. Our findings form the basis for a mechanism-based approach to assessing the potential risks of DCBN nasal toxicity in humans.« less
Protection against free radical formation by protein bound iron

Naturally occurring protein-bound and artificially chelated iron have been evaluated for their catalytic effect in promoting hydroxyl radical (· OH) formation from H2O2 decomposition and on epinephrine autooxidation. Iron bound to ferritin and transferrin did not increase ·OH formation or epinephrine autooxidation, whereas iron equivalents of Fe-EDTA considerably augmented those processes. After rigorous removal of contaminating trace iron, ·OH can be detected at concentrations of 1.0 μM Fe3 + or 2–5 μM H2O2. Although other forms of iron found physiologically might cause considerable oxidative damage through mechanisms similar to that of Fe-EDTA, our studies indicate considerable mitigation of such toxieity in ferritin and transferrin, which constitute major forms of transport and storage of iron in vivo.
Organizational change: themes and issues

Organizational change: themes and issues, by J. Grieves, New York, Oxford University Press, 2010, 424 pp., $59.95/£34.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-19-921488-4 Organizational change as a concept or fi...
Mixed-integer dynamic optimization I: problem formulation

A rigorous decomposition approach is presented for mixed-integer dynamic optimization problems. The approach combines dynamic optimization with insight based targeting techniques to decompose the optimization into subproblems providing rigorous upper and lower bounds on the objective. This approach has the potential to eliminate total enumeration of the discrete space, assures termination in a finite number of iterations and yields a rigorous bound on the distance between the solution found and the global solution.
Matrix Metalloproteinases and Vascular Endothelium-Mononuclear Cell Close Encounters

Interactions between circulating mononuclear cells and vascular endothelium are key events in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Leukocyte adhesion to endothelial cells or to components of the endothelial basement membrane can trigger the synthesis and secretion of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrix. Secretion of MMPs is likely to facilitate leukocyte transmigration into the vascular wall, but may serve other functions as well, which could include providing negative feedback regulation of the inflammatory response.
Aging Is Associated with Endothelial Dysfunction in the Human Forearm Vasculature

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the role of the endothelium in maintaining vascular tone in the basal as well as in the contracted state during aging. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: Responses to brachial artery infusion of acetylcholine in presence and absence of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and to angiotensin II were studied in 11 young and 12 old white subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Strain gauge plethysmography was used to measure forearm vascular resistance (FVR). The dose of acetylcholine at 50% maximal observed decrease in forearm vascular resistance (EC50) was significantly higher (11.0 ± 1.59 vs 7.07 ± .65 μg/min, respectively; mean ± SEM; P < .05) and the FVR at maximal acetylcholine effect (Emax) remained greater (12.6 ± 1.75 vs 7.15 ± 1.25 mm Hg/100 mL tissue volume/min; P < .02) in old compared with young subjects. Acetylcholine effect was significantly reversed by concomitant administration of L-NAME, as indicated by the increase in EC50 (old, 20.2 ± 3.69; young, 11.9 ± 1.68 μg/min). RESULTS: There was no age-related difference in sodium nitroprusside-induced decrease in FVR. The EC50 and Emax for angiotensin II-mediated increase in FVR were 7.87 ± 1.15 and 8.36 ± 1.00 ng/min (EC50) and 5.30 ± .67 vs 6.56 ± 1.25 mm Hg/100 mL tissue volume/min (Emax), and these were not different in old and young subjects, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that aging is associated with impaired endothelial- dependent vascular relaxation and that this is selective, with no age-related change in endothelial-independent vascular relaxation or angiotensin II-mediated vascular contraction. J Am Geriatr Soc 48: 193–198, 2000.
Using simple data experiments to explore the influence of non-temperature controls on maize yields in the mid-West and Great Plains

Several recent papers have suggested that high temperatures are associated with reduced maize yields. To better understand the conditions under which this association may occur, we conduct two analyses on maize yields from 1981 to 2011 for 100 U.S. counties with large areas planted to maize in the mid-West and Great Plains. First, we compare statistical yield models in non-irrigated and extensively irrigated counties, after carefully evaluating the degree of crop irrigation in a county and selecting only counties with no irrigation or extensive irrigation. We find that yields in extensively irrigated counties have minimal dependency on temperature factors in the regression model. Second, we compare statistical yield models across non-irrigated counties using data sets with and without years with known extreme moisture anomalies. We find that for Minnesota, Central Iowa, and Northern Illinois, the sufficiency of yield models based only on temperature factors are highly leveraged by the few years with extreme moisture anomalies. In western Iowa and much of Illinois, temperature factors consistently explain a moderate amount of yield variability, even when extreme moisture anomalies are removed. In general, these findings suggest that in many regions maize yields are not solely dependent on temperature and that other factors (e.g. humidity, soil moisture, flooding) likely need to be accounted for to improve statistical yield models and to make accurate projections of maize yield in a changing climate.
A hypermorphic mouse Gli3 allele results in a polydactylous limb phenotype

Gli3 protein processing to generate the Gli3 repressor is mediated by proteasome and inhibited by Hedgehog signaling. The Gli3 repressor concentration is graded along the anterior-posterior axis of the developing vertebrate limb due to posteriorly restricted Sonic hedgehog expression. In this study, we created a small deletion at the Gli3 locus (Gli3(Delta68)), which causes a half reduction in the Gli3 repressor levels and a slightly increased activity of full-length mutant protein in the limb. Mice homozygous for Gli3(Delta68) develop one to two extra partial digits in the anterior of the limb, while mice carrying one copy of the Gli3(Delta68) allele die soon after birth and display seven digits. These phenotypes are more severe than those found in mice lacking one wild-type Gli3 allele. The expression of dHand, Hoxd12, and Hoxd13 is anteriorly expanded in the limb, even though no up-regulation of Gli1 and Ptc RNA expression is detected. These findings suggest that a decrease in the Gli3 repressor level in combination with an increase in Gli3 full-length activity results in more severe digit patterning abnormalities than those caused by a loss of one wild-type Gli3 allele.
Chemical and microbiological assessment of pendimethalin-contaminated soil after treatment with Fenton's reagent

This study assessed chemical effects and microbial response after Fenton's treatment of pendimethalin contaminated soils. The efficiency of the rapid chemical transformation of pendimethalin varied from 25% to greater than 90%. The highest efficiency was associated with a soil having comparatively low organic matter and low acid neutralizing capacity. This is consistent with the role of organic matter as a free radical scavenger and the optimum formation of free radicals at low pH. Potential heterotrophic activity, as measured by glucose mineralization, decreased with increasing pendimethalin concentration, but this inhibitory effect was removed after Fenton's treatment. Treatment also released BOD, COD, TOC, and nitrate into solution. The organic matter released into solution was biodegradable and served as a substrate for subsequent microbial growth. Analysis of the microbial population growing in the Fenton's treated soil leachates showed an overall decrease in (culturable) heterotrophic diversity, but an increase in the concentration of Pseudomonas species. These results suggest that Fenton's treatment of pendimethalin contaminated soil created favorable conditions for microorganisms desirable for bioremediation.
Excited-state cesium photoionization cross sections

Abstract Photoionization cross sections of excited-state cesium atoms Cs (6 2 P 1/2 ) and Cs (6 2 P 3/2 ) are computed at incident photon wavelengths greater than 1500 A. Both the spin-orbit perturbation of the valence-electron orbital and the polarization interaction between the valence-electron and the core are included in the calculations. Coefficients for the rate of radiative recombination to each (6 2 P j ) fine-structure level are determined for temperatures below 3500°K.
Recent Advances and Applications of Statistical Associating Fluid Theory

This review presents recent advances and applications of statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT), which has been extended in the past few years, conceptually and practically, to improve its performance and to represent thermodynamic properties of complex systems, such as associating polymers, polydispersed polymers, aqueous electrolytes, dipolar and quadrupolar systems, ionic liquids, near-critical systems, interfacial phenomena, crystallizable copolymers, gas hydrates, liquid crystals, biomaterials, and oil reservoir fluids, as well as dynamic properties such as viscosity.
Curvilinearity, covariance, and regularity in perceptual groups

A curvilinear pattern among a series of visual items (e.g., dots) can be regarded as a kind of probabilistic inference, in which each consecutive angle, regarded independently, is more nearly collinear than would be expected by chance alone. This paper investigates judgments of curvilinearity as a function of the joint distribution of successive inter-dot angles. Subjects were asked to classify 4- and 5-dot configurations as having been generated by a curvilinear generating process, vs independently. Their results are distributed as a gaussian over the inter-dot angles with mean 0 deg (collinear), with a negative correlation between successive angles, but negligible correlation between non-successive angles. This suggests that curvilinearity is evaluated in a 4-dot window moving along the chain of dots, evaluating collinearity and smoothness but ignoring higher-order relationships. Moreover, the probabilistic model provides a remarkably precise numeric prediction of the magnitude of the correlation. Subjects also showed a reliable preference for equal spacing of dots along the virtual curve.
Day-to-day variability in equatorial spread F: Is there some physics missing?

[1] Attempts continue to be made, without notable success, to identify the source of day-to-day variability in occurrence of equatorial spread F (ESF). Most seek to uncover a controlling factor in one of the parameters that describe the linear growth rate of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability. It is possible, however, that some physics is still missing in that description of ESF generation. Consideration is given here to an F-region response to a large-scale polarization electric field that is generated by a sporadic-E layer instability (Cosgrove and Tsunoda, 2002) and mapped to the bottomside of the F2 layer. Results indicate that the large-scale wave structure, the most reliable precursor for ESF, may be initiated by this process at the base of the F2 layer, where plasma drift is westward.