cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reptiles, Biodiversity of

Most of the 9300 extant species of non-avian reptiles are squamates (lizards and snakes); there are only 315 extant species of turtles, 23 crocodilians, and one rhynchocephalian. Although the diversity of reptiles is greatest in the tropics, many species occur in the temperate regions and a few have geographic ranges that extend north of the Arctic Circle. Antarctica is the only continent with no extant reptiles. Ectothermy, an ancestral character, is central to the biology of reptiles, and is responsible for their low metabolic rates and their high efficiency of secondary production. Temperature-dependent sex-determination is universal in crocodilians, widespread among turtles, and present in some lineages of squamates. Among lizards, the mode of predation – sit-and-wait, cruising forager, or widely foraging – has a strong phylogenetic component and correlates with many elements of their ecology, morphology, physiology, and behavior. Lizards typically eat daily and consume many small prey items, whereas snakes eat less frequently and consume larger prey items relative to their body size. Most species of reptiles are small, inconspicuous, and have little obvious economic value, and as a consequence we lack information about the viability of their populations. Climate change, habitat loss, and pollution (including the feminizing effects of estrogen analogs) affect many species, and nearly three million lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodilians are consumed by trade in hides and pets annually. The life histories of most large species of turtles, lizards, snakes, and crocodilians depend on prolonged adult survival and reproduction, and it is unlikely that these species will long withstand the current rate of commercial exploitation.
Frontier spaces of vulnerability: Regional change, urbanization, drought and fire hazard in Santarem, Para, Brazil

Fire hazard is a mounting concern in tropical rainforests of the Brazilian Amazon and has raised awareness within the science community of the links between agricultural fire use, drought and accidental fire. As a result, fire is being addressed as a crisis event with mitigation focused on those who light fires, particularly smallholder agriculturalists. Little attention is paid to the historical and ongoing ways in which Amazon landscapes and peoples have been made more susceptible to fire. Frontier regions of the Brazilian Amazon serve a variety of functions within the larger Brazilian society, including as extractive reserves for economic development, as social safety valves to reduce population pressures, and as areas to support urban regional integration. Each of these functions has impacted frontier environments in ways that create more flammable landscapes and/or shape the vulnerability of people to fire hazard. This paper uses a case study inthe Brazilian Lower Amazon to understand how vulnerability to fire hazard develops. It argues that if fire mitigation remains centered on fire as a crisis event, an understanding of what constitutes frontier spaces of vulnerability, both in landscape and in populations, will be limited.
The thermo-responsive behavior in molecular crystals of naphthalene diimides and their 3D printed thermochromic composites

Herein, we communicate that altering the number of carbon atoms on the alkoxyphenyl substituent in naphthalene diimides results in tunable thermo-salient behavior across a variety of temperatures. Additionally, these compounds were found to display reversible thermochromic behavior in the single crystalline state. We analyzed this behavior using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD), powder XRD (PXRD), and hot-stage microscopy. The heptoxyphenyl-, octoxyphenyl-, and nonoxyphenyl-derivatives exhibited “acrobatic” behavior—namely, bending, jumping, and splitting—upon an irreversible phase transition. This study contributes to a developing paradigm in the understanding of certain naphthalene diimide single crystals that the energy associated with irreversible phase transitions has the potential to perform mechanical work, and that the temperature at which this energy can be fine-tuned by selecting an appropriate alkoxyphenyl substituent. Furthermore, we show that these thermochromic NDI derivatives can be incorporated into commercially-available, polymeric 3D printing materials and the resulting printed mixed polymer-crystalline objects still exhibit thermochromic behavior after incorporation.
Socially responsible Millennial consumers: Debunking the myth of the "It" generation

Social responsibility has rapidly gained popularity among consumers specifically among Millennials born 1980 to 2000. Millennials are characterized by their willingness to get involved with social and political initiatives and a high affinity for technology. Literature has examined psychological antecedents and demographic characteristics of socially responsible (SR) consumers. To date, no research has explored the commitment to an identity as an underlying factor in understanding Millennials decision to engage in routes of SR consumption behavior. The purpose of this study is to explore the socio-cognitive process Millennials engage in when making SR consumption decisions. Using Identity theory and Symbolic Self-Completion theory as a conceptual framework, this research aims to contribute to the body of literature pertaining to Millennials and social responsibility. Structural equation modeling revealed a positive relationship between SR identity commitment and SR private and public consumption behavior, which was completely mediated by SR personal identity salience.
Enabling Critical Self-Reflection through Roleplay with Chimeria: Grayscale

The human-computer interaction (HCI) field includes a long-standing community interested in designing systems to enable user reflection. In this work, we present our findings on how interactive narratives and roleplaying can effectively support reflection. To pursue this line of inquiry, we conducted an exploratory, cross-sectional study evaluating an interactive narrative we created, Chimeria:Grayscale. To address issues present in prior HCI studies on the topic of reflection, we grounded our system design methodology and evaluations in theories drawn from clinical psychology and education. The results of our study indicate that Chimeria:Grayscale, the interactive narrative we created by operationalizing our system design methodology, enabled our study participants to critically self-reflect.
Donor incentives improve cardiovascular disease risk profile and donation rates.

BACKGROUND Blood centers may offer point-based reward systems or cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening to incentivize donors. However, combining these incentives to improve CVD risk and blood donation rates has not been studied. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Study was a three-arm prospective controlled trial: Group 1, control (routine points, no CVD screening); Group 2, CVD screening with routine points; and Group 3, CVD screening plus incentive double points. The primary objective was to determine if double versus routine incentive points led to improvement or maintenance of CVD risk profile assessed using self-reported changes in 1) reading food labels for calorie and fat content, 2) exercising daily, 3) reduced fat intake, and 4) increase in eating fruits and vegetables. Outcomes were compared at first and final (2-year) follow-up visits. As secondary outcome, median blood donation rates before enrollment and during study were compared. RESULTS A total of 570 donors (290 in Group 1, 134 in Group 2, 146 Group 3) were selected. At first follow-up visit, 71.4% in Group 3 versus 62.0% in Group 2 subjects reported at least one of four positive behavioral changes (p < 0.001). Increase in reading food labels for calorie and fat content was the most common change and higher in Group 3 (Group 3 from 60.9% to 79.1%; Group 2 from 67.6% to 77.5%; p < 0.001). Final evaluation showed significant increase in self-reported exercise in Group 3 only (from baseline 52.9% to 68.3%; p < 0.05). Group 3 reported higher increase in median number of donations/year during study enrollment (6.8 [IQR, 4.3-12] vs. baseline 4.6 [IQR, 3.2-7.1] donations/year) than Group 2 (5.6 [IQR, 4.2-10.5] vs. baseline 4.9 [IQR, 3.5-10.2]) and Group 1 (4.4 [IQR, 2.7-8.0] vs. baseline 4.4 [IQR, 2.5-6.0] donations/year; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Positive donor reinforcement (double vs. routine points) resulted in better self-reported health maintenance behavior and increased donation rates.
Increasing Undergraduate Psychology Major’s Workforce Readiness Through Courses in Applied Behavior Analysis:

The American Psychological Association’s 2013 guidelines recommend that psychology undergraduate programs make workforce preparation a central feature in undergraduate psychology programs. The addi...
Correction: Empowering mechanochemistry with multi-mechanophore polymer architectures

Correction for ‘Empowering mechanochemistry with multi-mechanophore polymer architectures’ by Brandon H. Bowser et al., Polym. Chem., 2018, 9, 3583–3593.
Do depressive symptoms and subjective well-being influence the valence or visual perspective of autobiographical memories in young adults?

The present study examines predictors of autobiographical memory valence and visual perspective. Participants (N = 144) between the ages of 18–35 years completed an online survey assessing depressi...
Universal Design for Learning

The concept of ‘universal design for learning’ is relatively new in education although it has mature roots in other fields. The application of universal design to education has the same general purpose as in other fields: to create environments that are designed, from the outset, to be open and accessible to all. However, the additional demands of learning environments require the compilation of evidence-based guidelines that are focused on teaching and learning rather than information. In this article those guidelines are summarized along with the current status of their research and application.
Chapter 6 – Standards, Platforms, and Applications

With the sequencing of the human genome, it has become apparent that systems biology (the understanding of cellular networks through dynamical analysis) is becoming an important part of research for mainstream biologists. One of the indicative trends to emerge in recent years is the development of model interchange standards that permit biologists to easily exchange dynamical models between different software tools. In this chapter, two chief model exchange standards (SBML and CellML) are described. In addition, the development of extensible software frameworks (including SBW, BioSPICE, and BioUML) and the role they might play in stimulating the development of new tools and approaches are examined. Finally, the range of possible computational applications is described, highlighting the rich set of tools emerging as systems biology becomes a mainstream science.
Thermodynamic Excess Properties and Intermolecular Interaction Using Fourier Transform Infrared for the Dodecylbenzenesulfonic Acid-Acetone Binary Liquid Mixture

Density, viscosity, and surface tension for the DBSA-Acetone system at the temperatures (293.15, 298.15, 301.15 K) have been investigated experimentally. Excess molar volume, viscosity deviation, surface tension deviation, and molar excess Gibbs free energy deviation are calculated at (293.15, 298.15, 301.15 K). All the non-ideal properties calculated are fitted to Redlich-Kister (RK) equation. FTIR spectrum of the DBSA-Acetone mixture have been characterized for studying the intermolecular interaction. The result of molar excess Gibbs free energy deviation and FTIR studies showed a weak hydrogen bonding for the mixture solution. While, the intramolecular interaction is strong in the case of pure DBSA and acetone due to the self-association of DBSA molecule or decreasing the dipole-dipole of acetone molecule. The result of FTIR supported the result of thermodynamic excess where the excess molar volumes were positive. The calculated values of excess molar volume are positive for all the temperatures ranging from (293.15 - 301.15 K). while, the values of viscosity deviation, surface tension deviation, and molar excess Gibbs free energy deviation are negative for all the temperatures studied.
Liquidating Real Estate Assets Quickly: What Affects the Probability of a Quick Sale?

This study empirically examines what factors increase the probability of a quick sale, an event where a property sells quicker than what is considered a normal marketing duration. This investigatio...
The Impact of Workload on Operational Risk: Evidence from a Commercial Bank

Operational risk has been among the three most significant types of risks in the financial services industry, and its management is mandated by Basel II regulations. To inform better labor decision...
Evaluating Palliative Opportunities Across the Age Spectrum in Children and Adolescent Patients with Cancer

Purpose: Adolescent patients with cancer experience unique stressors due to their developmental stage, with increased physical, emotional, and social distress. Palliative care (PC) serves an import...
Modeling and Simulating Prescribed Fire Ignition Techniques

Prescribed fire ignition techniques have significant impact on prescribed fires' growth behavior. This paper presents a systematic way of modeling and simulating prescribed fire ignition techniques. An ignition plan specification is developed to formally specify the ignition activities and schedules of prescribed burning events. The ignition plan specification is used by ignition agents, which transform an ignition plan into detailed tasks and carry out the ignition tasks while coupling with a fire spread simulation model. Simulation results of six ignition scenarios corresponding to six basic ignition techniques are provided. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed modeling approach and show that different ignition techniques can result in different fire growth patterns for prescribed fires.
Resolving Intrastate Conflicts of Laws: The Example of the Federal Arbitration Act

Choice-of-law analysis is typically thought of as confined to the multistate setting. This is a mistake. To the contrary, conflicts often appear between statutes of a single state. Unfortunately, courts do not see these cases as “choice-of-law” cases. They see them only as problems of statutory interpretation and ignore conflicts of laws instead of resolving them, either by construing the conflicting statutes independently or applying a canon of construction. Here, I examine the benefits of importing choice-of-law tools—particularly the tools of governmentalinterest analysis—into the resolution of intrastate conflicts of laws. When two laws promulgated by the same sovereign clash, governmental-interest analysis is a promising approach to resolve the conflict. It is promising not only because it offers a path toward more rational results, but also because it highlights conflicts, requires courts to make explicit their policy preferences, and potentially prompts legislative dialogue. After suggesting how interest analysis might work to resolve intrastate conflicts of laws, I turn to a specific example of such a conflict: the Supreme Court’s decision last term in American Express Co. v. Italian Colors Restaurant, in which the Court held, 5–4, that the Federal Arbitration Act commanded enforcement of an arbitration clause that rendered the defendant’s alleged antitrust violations practically unenforceable. Although the Court did not say so, Italian Colors was a choice-of-law case. Use of choice-of-law methodology would have laid bare the conflict and provided a more direct path to its resolution. Italian Colors, therefore, provides an example of the opportunities available in using choice-of-law analysis to resolve intrastate conflicts.  Assistant Professor of Law, University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall). Many thanks to Hiro Aragaki, Stephen Bundy, Tom Donnelly, Mark Gergen, Herma Hill Kay, Martin Kurzweil, Judith Resnik, Teddy Rave, Erin Sheley, Joseph Singer, Allan Stein, Karen Tani, Susannah Barton Tobin, and Jan Vetter for valuable comments and suggestions. I’d also like to express my appreciation to participants in the Junior Federal Courts Faculty Workshop, held at Brooklyn Law School, who provided exceptional feedback. Washington University Open Scholarship 604 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW [VOL. 92:603
Coherent effects in nonlinear metamaterial-based devices

Metamaterials enable the control of electromagnetic fields over sub-wavelength scales. In addition to field enhancement effects, metamaterials offer an unprecedented control over the phase of electromagnetic fields, which is of paramount importance in coherent nonlinear optical processes. Here we explore frequency conversion effects in nanostructured media. The coherent interactions arising in ensembles of nanostructures lead to a very rich phenomenology and a unique set of degrees of freedom with which to engineer the overall nonlinear response of the system. In particular we here discuss novel phase-matching schemes in ensembles of discrete nonlinear scatterers. Keywords: Metamaterials, Plasmonics, Nonlinear Optics.
Proapoptotic Chemotherapeutic Drugs Induce Noncanonical Processing and Release of IL-1β via Caspase-8 in Dendritic Cells

The identification of noncanonical (caspase-1-independent) pathways for IL-1β production has unveiled an intricate interplay between inflammatory and death-inducing signaling platforms. We found a heretofore unappreciated role for caspase-8 as a major pathway for IL-1β processing and release in murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) costimulated with TLR4 agonists and proapoptotic chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin (Dox) or staurosporine (STS). The ability of Dox to stimulate release of mature (17-kDa) IL-1β was nearly equivalent in wild-type (WT) BMDC, Casp1(-/-)Casp11(-/-) BMDC, WT BMDC treated with the caspase-1 inhibitor YVAD, and BMDC lacking the inflammasome regulators ASC, NLRP3, or NLRC4. Notably, Dox-induced production of mature IL-1β was temporally correlated with caspase-8 activation in WT cells and greatly suppressed in Casp8(-/-)Rip3(-/-) or Trif(-/-) BMDC, as well as in WT BMDC treated with the caspase-8 inhibitor, IETD. Similarly, STS stimulated robust IL-1β processing and release in Casp1(-/-)Casp11(-/-) BMDC that was IETD sensitive. These data suggest that TLR4 induces assembly of caspase-8-based signaling complexes that become licensed as IL-1β-converting enzymes in response to Dox and STS. The responses were temporally correlated with downregulation of cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1, suggesting suppressive roles for this and likely other inhibitor of apoptosis proteins on the stability and/or proteolytic activity of the caspase-8 platforms. Thus, proapoptotic chemotherapeutic agents stimulate the caspase-8-mediated processing and release of IL-1β, implicating direct effects of such drugs on a noncanonical inflammatory cascade that may modulate immune responses in tumor microenvironments.
Semantic query optimization in deductive object-oriented databases

This paper addresses the problem of semantic query reformulation in the context of object-oriented deductive databases. It extends the declarative object-oriented specifications of F-logic proposed by Kifer and Lausen using the semantic query optimization technique developed by Chakravarthy, Grant, and Minker. In general, query processing in object-oriented databases is expensive when a query incorporates declarative rules, methods and inherited properties. We introduce the technique of semantic query reformulation for F-logic queries which transforms the original query into an equivalent, semantically-rich query that is more efficiently processed. We also discuss the issues of conflict resolution strategies and query evaluation priorities for queries involving the upper bounds of objects in the F-logic “type” lattice.
Coordination chemistry of new sulfur containing ligands—XIX: Tetrathiafulvalene salts of the Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II) and Pt(IV) complexes of the cyclopentadienedithiocarboxylate (fulvenedithiolate) anion

Abstract Mixing of tetrathiafulvalene tetrafluoroborate (TTF) 3 (BF 4 ) 2 with tetrabutylammonium salts of Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II), and Pt(IV) complexes of the cyclopentadienedithiocarboxylate ligand in acetonitrile resulted in a metathesis reaction to yield tetrathiafulvalene salts of the metal complexes. The stoichiometry which resulted was that of three TTF units with each dinegative complex, i.e. TTF 3 ML 2 [M = Ni(II), Pd(II), Pt(II)] or TTF 3 ML 3 [M = Pt(IV)]. The room temperature conductivities of these complexes indicate that they are insulators. Details of the preparations as well as a discussion of the implications of the conductivity study are presented.
Internet Pharmacy: Issues of Access, Quality, Costs, and Regulation

Internet pharmacy has been the focus of heightened interest over the past 3 years since the first major Web site was introduced in the United States. This paper addresses issues pertaining to Internet pharmacies that sell prescriptions and other products to consumers at the retail level. The Internet pharmacy industry has shifted rapidly in the short time span. This paper begins with a summary of historical considerations and the shifting organization of Internet pharmacy. The advantages and disadvantages of online pharmacy practice are listed. Issues of access, quality, and cost are described. The challenges in regulation at the state and federal levels are presented. Advice to consumers is offered regarding the use of Internet pharmacy sites for purchasing prescription drug products.
A reply to Calomiris' comment on : ‘Commercial paper, bank reserve requirements and the informational role of loan commitments’

Abstract Calomiris' discussion presents a misinterpretation of my results as well as of the financial instrument that is the focus of my paper.
Optimal Evaluation of Algebraic Expressions

Algebraic computation systems produce results for either human or machine consumption. In the latter case, numerical evaluation of the resulting expressions is often the goal. In either case, it is important to produce results in an appropriately optimal form. In this paper, we consider some of the methods available for doing this. In particular, we shall see that several of our techniques mirror the methods used by human experts. In addition, we shall mention some new algorithms that promise to make the whole problem more tractable mathematically.
User Experience Design: Beyond User Interface Design and Usability

User-centered design has been widely practiced by user experience (UX) professionals for many years, and a variety of methods have been used to facilitate UCD practices (Nielsen, 1993; see Chapter X of this book). UX professionals herein refers to the people who are practicing UCD, including human factors engineers, UX designers, human-computer interaction (HCI) specialists, usability specialists, and the like. The philosophy of UCD places emphasis on the end users when developing usable products (e.g., applications, services). It focuses on users by understanding the users, learning their environments and contexts of their usages, and realizing their needs in usable products.
CMTreeMiner: Mining Both Closed and Maximal Frequent Subtrees

Tree structures are used extensively in domains such as computational biology, pattern recognition, XML databases, computer networks, and so on. One important problem in mining databases of trees is to find frequently occurring subtrees. However, because of the combinatorial explosion, the number of frequent subtrees usually grows exponentially with the size of the subtrees. In this paper, we present CMTreeMiner, a computationally efficient algorithm that discovers all closed and maximal frequent subtrees in a database of rooted unordered trees. The algorithm mines both closed and maximal frequent subtrees by traversing an enumeration tree that systematically enumerates all subtrees, while using an enumeration DAG to prune the branches of the enumeration tree that do not correspond to closed or maximal frequent subtrees. The enumeration tree and the enumeration DAG are defined based on a canonical form for rooted unordered trees–the depth-first canonical form (DFCF). We compare the performance of our algorithm with that of PathJoin, a recently published algorithm that mines maximal frequent subtrees.
When Do Fathers Care? Mothers' Economic Contribution and Fathers' Involvement in Child Care.

Previous literature suggests a tenuous link between fathers’ care of children and maternal employment and earnings. This study shows that the link is stronger when measures of caregiving capture fathers’ increased responsibility for children. The analysis of time diary data from 6,572 married fathers and 7,376 married mothers with children under age 13 indicates that fathers (1) engage in more “solo” care of children when their wives are employed, (2) are more likely to do the kind of child care associated with responsibility for their children when their wives spend more time in the labor market, and (3) participate more in routine care when their wives contribute a greater share of the couple’s earnings. In addition, the “father care” to “mother care” ratio rises when mothers contribute a greater share of household earnings.
A tale of two plaques: convergent mechanisms of T‐cell‐mediated inflammation in psoriasis and atherosclerosis

Psoriasis and atherosclerosis are diseases in which effector T lymphocytes such as Helper T cells type 1 (Th1) and 17 (Th17) play integral roles in disease pathogenesis and progression. Regulatory T cells (Treg) also exert clinically important anti-inflammatory effects that are pathologically altered in psoriasis and atherosclerosis. We review the immunological pathways involving Th1, Th17 and Treg cells that are common to psoriasis and atherosclerosis. These shared pathways provide the basis for mechanisms that may explain the epidemiologic observation that patients with psoriasis have an increased risk of heart disease. Improved understanding of these pathways will guide future experiments and may lead to the development of therapeutics that prevent or treat cardiovascular complications in patients with psoriasis.
Goal systems: An organizing framework for clinical assessment and treatment planning.

It is proposed that psychodiagnostic data gathering could be made more relevant to the ongoing process of intervention through the use of a goal systems conceptual framework and a goal-centered assessment program. An overview of the emergent conceptual model and a flexible approach to measurement preceded a clinical case illustration and a brief discussion of how the goal systems perspective can help the assessor (a) gather key information concerning client motivation and (b) integrate diverse and even conflicting data deriving from multimodal input sources
Investigation of the extraction of a kerosene-gasoline fraction with furfural using the method of a planned experiment

In a study of the process of a kerosene-gasoline fraction from Arlanskii petroleum using furfural, it was found that: a) the temperature in the upper part of the extraction system, with a constant temperature in the extraction stage, has an optimum. Taking account of the effect of this parameter on the results of the extraction, maintaining the temperature conditions, it is expedient to change the temperature in the extraction stage. b) the greatest reduction in the number of solvent treatments, maintaining the yield (quality) of the raffinate, is achieved by reducing the water content and by an increase in the number of contact stages. The optimal number of contact stages is 8–9. A further increase in the number of stages does not yield a positive effect.
PHASE-II EVALUATION OF SINGLE-AGENT CARBOPLATIN IN ADVANCED THYROID-CARCINOMA

Single agent carboplatin was used in a phase II trial to treat patients with metastatic thyroid cancer who had failed surgery, radiation therapy, or radioactive iodine. Carboplatin was administered at a dose of 400 mg/m(2) every 28 days on an outpatient basis. Eight patients with a variety of tumor histologies were enrolled. No patient had a response to treatment and the average time to disease progression while on treatment was 5.4 months. Toxicity was mild and included hearing loss in one patient. There have been few studies using newer agents in patients with metastatic thyroid cancer who failed surgery and radioactive iodine. These results underline the need for larger intergroup trials with newer agents.
Parafoveal processing of prefixed words during eye fixations in reading: Evidence against morphological influences on parafoveal preprocessing

Two eye movement experiments were conducted to investigate whether the morphological constituents of a prefixed word influenced early word processing when English was read. Participants read sentences containing free-stem, bound-stem, or pseudoprefixed words, and the availability of the prefixed word morphemes in the parafovea was manipulated. Although preview benefit was greatest for the entire word, there was evidence that subsequent word processing was facilitated in both the prefix-only and the stem-only conditions. This effect was not influenced by word type. There was no evidence that morphological preprocessing occurred when morphological information was available in the parafovea. In addition, reading times for the target word did not differ for the different word types. Thus, there was no evidence to suggest that morphological constituents influence early word processing during reading. It is possible that morphological effects tend to be obscured when examined within a sentence context (although this phenomenon may be specific to English).
Estimating Derivatives of Noisy Simulations

We employ recent work on computational noise to obtain near-optimal difference estimates of the derivative of a noisy function. Our analysis relies on a stochastic model of the noise without assuming a specific form of distribution. We use this model to derive theoretical bounds for the errors in the difference estimates and obtain an easily computable difference parameter that is provably near-optimal. Numerical results closely resemble the theory and show that we obtain accurate derivative estimates even when the noisy function is deterministic.
Studies on the haemolymph proteins of the blowfly Phormia regina. I. Changes in ontogenetic patterns.

Detailed analyses of the haemolymph during development of blowfly Phormia regina have demonstrated a 12-fold increase in haemolymph volume during the 2nd to 5th day of larval life. Within the same period the total concentration of proteins increases about 24-fold, and reaches a maximum value of about 20 per cent (w/v) shortly before pupation. During metamorphosis both haemolymph volume and haemolymph protein concentration fall distinctly, the most rapid decline occurring during the time of transformation from larva to white pupa and at adult emergence. In the newly emerged flies the total protein concentration amounts to 3·5 per cent (w/v) which is only about one-sixth of that in the mature larva. Acrylamide gel electrophoresis indicates the presence of at least 19 protein bands in haemolymph. Characteristic changes in the ontogenetic patterns have been observed during development, including the appearance of new protein fractions and the disappearance of others in both pupal and adult stages. Furthermore, the distinct difference in the electrophoretic patterns between haemolymph and moulting fluid is indicative of the different origin of the respective protein components.
Inducibility of spawning and reproductive success of female english sole (parophrys vetulus) from urban and nonurban areas of puget sound, Washington

Abstract Vitellogenic female English sole were sampled from four areas in Puget Sound that varied in the nature and degree of chemical contamination. The fish were then injected with an analogue of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) in the laboratory to induce spawning. Ability to spawn, time to spawn, larval viability, and initial concentrations of plasma estradiol and vitellogenin [measured as alkaline-labile protein associated phosphate (ALP)] were assessed. In general, low initial plasma estradiol and ALP concentrations and subsequent reproductive impairment were most common in English sole from sites where levels of sediment contaminants [e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)] and measures of contaminant exposure in fish (hepatic PCB concentrations and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity) were highest, and where pollution-associated liver lesions in fish (i.e. neoplasms, foci of cellular alterations, specific degeneration/necrosis, and storage disorders) were most prevalent. Additionally, the time to spawn was found to be inversely correlated with initial plasma estradiol concentrations. Spawning success was found to be positively correlated with initial plasma estradiol and ALP concentrations as determined by logistic regression analysis; nearly 62% of the variability in the spawning response could be accounted for by these factors. Fertilization success was also found to be positively correlated with initial ALP concentrations, whereas fish captured from contaminated sites produced lower proportions of normal larvae. Overall, these findings suggest that contaminant exposure may result in poor reproductive success of female English sole. This may be related to a hormone imbalance or to slower ovarian development (non-synchronous timing) of female English sole from contaminated sites.
Federal Land, Western Anger: The Sagebrush Rebellion and Environmental Politics

In 1979 the Nevada state legislature passed a bill providing for state control of certain lands within the state boundaries under the administration of the Bureau of Land Management. Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming immediately followed suit. Public land users reacted swiftly and the Sagebrush Rebellion was on. Westerners, driven by the sheer size of the federal estate (99 percent of BLM lands are located in twelve western states) and angered by what they perceived as undue influence by the environmental movement on federal policies, sought to protect and control the resource and recreational use of public lands that they deemed essential to their state economies. In this book, R. McGreggor Cawley objectively investigates the Rebellion, looking at the driving force behind the movement, the strategies used by the Rebels, and the consequences of the controversy. He examines how the definitions of key federal land management concepts, such as conservation, influenced policymaking and explores tensions that pitted the West against other regions and the federal government. In the process, he analyzes James Watt's beleaguered tenure as secretary of the interior and the Reagan administration's proposal to sell federal lands and shows how the conflict created an unexpected division within the environmental movement. Going beyond the Rebellion, Cawley offers provocative interpretation of events in federal land policy from the 1960s to the 1990s and establishes a framework for assessing future developments in federal land policy.
Is early anticoagulation with warfarin necessary after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement

Objectives Freedom from anticoagulation is the principal advantage of bioprosthesis; however, the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology and the American College of Chest Physicians guidelines recommend early anticoagulation with heparin, followed by warfarin for 3 months after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement. We examined neurologic events within 90 days of bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement at our institution. Methods Between 1993 and 2000, 1151 patients underwent bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement with (641) or without (510) associated coronary artery bypass. By surgeon preference, 624 had early postoperative anticoagulation (AC+) and 527 did not (AC−). In the AC− group, 410 patients (78%) received antiplatelet therapy. Groups were similar with respect to gender (female, 36% AC+ vs 40% AC−, P = .21), hypertension (64% AC+ vs 61%, P = .27), and prior stroke (7.6% AC+ vs 8.5% AC−, P = .54). The AC+ group was slightly younger than the AC− group (median, 76 years vs 78 years, P = .006). Results Operative mortality was 4.1% with 43 (3.7%) cerebrovascular events within 90 days. Excluding 18 deficits apparent upon emergence from anesthesia, we found that postoperative cerebrovascular accident occurred in 2.4% of AC+ and 1.9% AC− patients. By multivariable analysis, the only predictor of operative mortality was hypertension ( P P = .32). The incidence of mediastinal bleeding requiring reexploration was similar (5.0% vs 7.4%), as were other bleeding complications in the first 90 days (1.1% vs 0.8%). No variables were predictive of bleeding by multivariate analysis. Conclusions Although these data do not address the role of antiplatelet agents, early anticoagulation with warfarin after bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement did not appear to protect against neurologic events.
ALARM: A highly efficient eigenvalue extraction routine for very large matrixes

A highly efficient computer program, called ALARM, for the determination of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of large symmetric matrices (over 10,000 degrees of freedom), was described. As such, it is highly useful for analyzing complex finite element and finite difference idealizations encountered in structural dynamics and acoustic probelms. The program is based upon a scheme which reduces a large matrix to an equivalent tridiagonal one of much smaller size. The main strength of the algorithm lies in its ability to retain all the information required to obtain the eigenvalues at either end of the original matrix spectrum.
Urinary acidification and carbonic anhydrase distribution in bladders of Dominican and Colombian toads

A comparative analysis of the acidifying capacity and distribution of carbonic anhydrase was made in isolated bladders of toads,Bufo marinus, obtained from the Dominican Republic (D) and Colombia (C). In the absence of exogenous CO2 and HCO3−, mucosal acidification was observed in 10 of the 18 C toad bladders examined and in only one of 18 D toad bladders. In approximately half of the C toad bladders the rate of acidification was measurable by means of the pH stat method; the average rate in this group was 0.22±0.03 μmoles/hour in the absence of exogenous CO2 and 0.35±0.04 μmoles/hour in the presence of 1% CO2. Rates were not measurable in D toad bladders with or without CO2. Staining of whole stretched bladders for carbonic anhydrase revealed a population of enzyme-containing mucosal cells accounting for 4.6% of the surface area in C toad bladders and 0.8% in D toad bladders. Electron histochemistry of both bladders identified the carbonic anhydrase-containing cells as mitochondria-rich cells.
No Silver Bullet: Identifying Security Vulnerabilities in Anonymization Protocols for Hospital Databases

In accordance with HIPAA regulations, patientsâ€™ personal information is typically removed or generalized prior to being released as public data files. However, it is not known if the standard method of de-identification is sufficient to prevent re-identification by an intruder. The authors conducted analytical processing to identify security vulnerabilities in the protocols to de-identify hospital data. Their techniques for discovering privacy leakage utilized three disclosure channels: (1) data inter-dependency, (2) biomedical domain knowledge, and (3) suppression algorithms and partial suppression results. One stateâ€™s inpatient discharge data set was used to represent the current practice of de-identification of health care data, where a systematic approach had been employed to suppress certain elements of the patientâ€™s record. Of the 1,098 records for which the hospital ID was suppressed, the original hospital ID was recovered for 616 records, leading to a nullification rate of 56.1%. Utilizing domain knowledge based on the patientâ€™s Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) code, the authors recovered the real age of 64 patients, the gender of 83 male patients and 713 female patients. They also successfully identified the ZIP code of 1,219 patients. The procedure used to de-identify hospital records was found to be inadequate to prevent disclosure of patient information. As the masking procedure described was found to be reversible, this increases the risk that an intruder could use this information to re-identify individual patients.
Transactions methods among US wholesale nurseries

Change of product ownership in competitive agricultural industries is a critical event, yet little research has examined the transaction methods used by firms and the corresponding factors that influence the choice of transaction method. A sample of landscape plant nurseries across the United States provided data to model this decision. Transaction methods included sales by telephone, personal visits, mail order, and at trade shows. In addition, factors that influenced negotiated sales were investigated. Influential factors included age of the business, size (as measured by gross sales), location, market channel use, ownership structure, and perspective on competitive situation. Using a tobit estimation procedure, profiles of nursery firms more likely to use a particular transaction method were developed. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The polarization sensitivity of optical absorption in tensile strained GaAs/InAlAs double quantum wells

The electric field dependence of the polarization sensitivity of optical absorption in tensile-strained GaAs/InAlAs double quantum wells (DQWs) was investigated theoretically. The coupling effects and electric-field-induced change of eigenstates in various DQW structures were analysed within the framework of the Bastard envelope function approximation using the transfer matrix method (TMM). The absorption coefficient was calculated with excitonic effects included. The simulation results show that it is possible to change the polarization characteristics in the DQW structures by adjusting the applied electric field.
The Problem with Programs: Multiple Perspectives on Program Structures in Program‐Based Performance‐Oriented Budgets

Often the transition to performance-based budgeting requires the initial development of a program structure. While a substantial body of literature is available to assist governments in developing performance measures, program development has received little recent attention in the scholarly literature. This research draws on a case study of the State of Georgia's effort to develop a program structure. The problems encountered by Georgia provide the foundation for an analysis that explains how programs interact with competing budgetary purposes and agendas. The analysis in turn suggests ways that budget structures might be adjusted to better balance competing purposes.
Artificial convolution neural network with wavelet kernels for disease pattern recognition

A two-dimensional convolution neural network (CNN) with wavelet kernels (WK) has been developed for image pattern recognition. The structure of the CNN is a simplified version of the neocognitron. We used only a two-level structure and eliminated all complex-cell layers. Nets between two adjacent layers in the feature selection level of the CNN are selectively interconnected across groups. In this part of the CNN signals processing, each group in the receiving layer receives signals from a group of weights (i.e., kernels). For the forward signal propagation, the product obtained from the kernel convoluting the front layer is collected onto the corresponding matrix element of the receiving layer. In this paper, the convolution kernels of the CNN (CNN/WK) are wavelet based and are trained by a supervised manner. In the development of the CNN/WK, we forced each updated convolution kernel to be orthonormal. Therefore, features (transformed coefficients) selected on the transform domain are linearly independent. Hence, the fully connected layers in the classification level of the CNN can perform more effectively. The applications of the CNN for disease pattern recognition have been very successful. When isolated patterns were further processed by internal filtering and classification layers were built into the neural network structure, the disease patterns were more easily recognized. Although, we did not receive substantial improvement of the ROC performance using the CNN/WK, this method may assist us in the analysis of the trained kernels and eventually lead to the optimization of feature extraction in a course of disease pattern recognition.
HIV/hepatitis C coinfection natural history and disease progression

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Up to one-third of HIV-infected patients is infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). It is now widely accepted that HIV accelerates the course of HCV-related chronic liver disease. The improved survival of HIV patients after successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to a significant decline in HIV-related morbidity, and liver disease caused by HCV infection has emerged as a major threat to the survival of HIV patients. HIV/HCV coinfected patients have a more rapid progression to cirrhosis and its complications than HCV monoinfected patients. Even though the effect of HCV on HIV infection and disease progression is less clear, most advocate early anti-HCV treatment to reduce the risk of chronic liver disease. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies support current recommendations to begin ART early in the course of HIV infection in order to limit progression of liver disease in coinfected patients. HIV coinfection has a negative impact on HCV pathogenesis, and despite increased risk of drug-related hepatotoxicity, successful response to ART might lessen progression of chronic liver disease and improve response to anti-HCV therapy. SUMMARY HIV infection affects rate of liver disease progression in those with HCV coinfection. Treatment of HIV may result in slower rates of progression and liver mortality.
Optical, photoluminescent, and photoconductive properties of functionalized anthradithiophene and benzothiophene derivatives

We present optical, photoluminescent (PL), and photoconductive properties of functionalized anthradithiophene (ADT) and benzothiophene (BTBTB) derivatives and their composites. Solution-deposited ADT films exhibit charge carrier mobilities of over 1.5 cm2/Vs, high PL quantum yields, and high photoconductivity at room temperature. We show molecular arrangement and intermolecular interactions significantly contribute to the (opto)electronic properties of thin films of these pi-stacked materials. In addition, these properties can be effectively manipulated through the addition of guest molecules to a host material. In particular, exciton and charge carrier dynamics can be varied using a competition between photoinduced charge and energy transfer in a guest-host system. To better understand these processes at a molecular level, we apply single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (SMFS) to probe the effects of intermolecular interactions on the molecular properties. Specifically, we demonstrate that ADT molecules exhibit high enough quantum yields and photostability to be imaged on a single-molecule level at room temperature. Moreover, we show that stability of single ADT molecules immobilized in a solid-state matrix are comparable to those of the best fluorophores utilized in SMFS.