cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Limits of market-based strategies for slowing global warming: The case of tradeable permits

Concern over an enhanced greenhouse effect has yielded interest in an international effort to control rising concentrations of greenhouse gases. Among the possible mechanisms for doing this is a comprehensive marked-based approach. This approach would establish a global system of tradeable permits for the sources and sinks of the major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and tropospheric ozone (O3). (Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are not closely considered here because they are already controlled under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.) The main finding is that - with the possible exception of CO2 - not enough is currently known about these gases to accurately monitor such a system of tradeable permits. The main argument is made on the basis that the anthropogenic sources and sinks of non-CO2 gases are quite uncertain, making nation-by-nation monitoring very difficult. Also, monitoring many of the sources and sinks for these non-CO2 gases will be very complicated - the administrative costs of the endeavor may be much larger than benefits of including these gases in a global system of tradeable permits. One alternative to the proposed comprehensive marked-based approach is a more limited system that includes only CO2. This finding has broader application to all greenhouse control mechanisms, not just tradeable permits. In addition to these natural science-related issues, the paper also briefly raises several other issues such as fear that markets will allow firms to ‘buy up the environment.’
Enhanced Carbonate Formation on Gold

We report the enhanced formation and decomposition of carbonate (CO3 ↔ CO2 + Oa) from the reaction of C18O2 preadsorbed on Au(111) with an 16O atomic beam. The amount of formed carbonate increases significantly (by a factor of ∼4) compared to thermally accommodated C18O2 and 16Oa coadsorbed on the Au(111) surface. The results suggest that the reaction occurs prior to the accommodation of the incident atomic oxygen via a precursor-mediated mechanism.
Phonon scattering and thermal conductivity of pillared graphene structures with carbon nanotube-graphene intramolecular junctions

We present results of a reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics study of thermal transport in single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-graphene junctions comprised of carbon-carbon (C-C) bonds with either sp2 or mixed sp2/sp3 hybridization. In both cases, a finite interfacial thermal resistance is observed at the SWCNT-graphene junctions for thermal transport in the out-of-plane direction. The interfacial thermal resistance at the junctions is attributed to the combined effects of scattering of the phonons at the SWCNT-graphene junctions due to the presence of distorted sp2 bonds in the junction region and the change in dimensionality of the medium along the phonon transport path as the phonons propagate from SWCNT pillars (quasi-1D) to graphene sheet (2D) and then again to SWCNTs. Moreover, the thermal resistance is found to depend on the C-C bond hybridization at the intramolecular junctions with mixed sp2/sp3 hybridization showing a higher interfacial resistance when compared to pure sp2 bonding. Thermal conductivity of typical SWCNT-graphene unit cells was observed to increase nearly linearly with an increase in cell dimensions, and then reaches a plateau as the pillar height and the inter-pillar distance approach the critical length for ballistic thermal transport in SWCNT and single layer graphene. These results indicate that the thermal transport characteristics of the three-dimensional SWCNT-graphene (hybrid) structures can be tuned by controlling the unit cell size.
Statistically significant differences between subtest scaled scores for the WPPSI

Abstract Differences between the subtest scaled scores and IQs for the different age levels on the WPPSI necessary for the 5% and 1% levels of confidence are presented.
The Tension between Data Confidentiality and National Security in Higher Education.

This chapter briefly reviews the history of statistical confidentiality in the U.S. Census Bureau, the tension between statistical confidentiality and the need for information in the current national security environment, and the importance of institutional researchers' awareness and active participation in the debate surrounding confidentiality.
Novel Computing Architectures

Although transistors are becoming smaller, they're not getting faster. Yet, the demand for computing power grows. This challenge has led to a renewed interest in novel computing architectures that can exploit the shrinking transistor size.
Electrical Conduction Anomaly in Samarium-Doped Barium Titanate

Studies of both single crystals and ceramics of samarium-doped BaTiO3 having identical compositions show that the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) electrical resistivity anomaly originates at the grain boundaries of the ceramic. The grain-boundary region is visualized as an electron exhaustion layer, 102 to 104 A thick, of much higher electrical resistivity than the interior of the grain. These findings are compatible with Heywang's barrier layer model, with possible tunneling or electron wave scattering models, and with elements of Saburi's local fields mechanism. Sufficient information to point to any one model is, however, not yet available.
Administration of thrombolytic therapy in the community hospital: established principles and unresolved issues.

Abstract In patients with acute myocardial infarction presenting to community hospitals, thrombolytic therapy should be initiated as rapidly as possible under the supervision of a physician. Paramedic or nurse-initiated pre-hospital therapy is currently investigational. Each hospital must have a detailed evaluation and treatment protocol for acute myocardial infarction that specifies the timetable for patient evaluation, who should or should not receive thrombolytic therapy and the proper dose and mode of administration of the agent or agents to be used. Monitoring after the administration of thrombolytic therapy should focus on arrhythmias, hemodynamic problems, recurrent ischemia and bleeding. The role of early cardiac catheterization to detect patients who have unsuccessful thrombolysis or who require mechanical revascularization procedures is under active investigation. The design of the Thrombolysis and Angioplasty in Acute Myocardial Infarction (TAMI) 5 study, which addresses the role of acute interventional catheterization in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction, is described.
Rotating Neutron Stars as the Origin of the Pulsating Radio Sources

The constancy of frequency in the recently discovered pulsed radio sources can be accounted for by the rotation of a neutron star. Because of the strong magnetic fields and high rotation speeds, relativistic velocities will be set up in any plasma in the surrounding magnetosphere, leading to radiation in the pattern of a rotating beacon.
Preparation, Characterization, and Chemical Stability of Gold Nanoparticles Coated with Mono-, Bis-, and Tris-Chelating Alkanethiols

A systematically varying series of monolayer-protected clusters (MPCs) was prepared by exposing small gold nanoparticles ( approximately 2 nm in diameter) to the following four adsorbates: n-octadecanethiol ( n - C18), 2-hexadecylpropane-1,3-dithiol ( C18C2), 2-hexadecyl-2-methylpropane-1,3-dithiol ( C18C3), and 1,1,1-tris(mercaptomethyl)heptadecane ( t - C18). The resultant MPCs were characterized by solubility studies, UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). All of the MPCs were soluble in common organic solvents; moreover, analysis by TEM showed that the core dimensions were unaffected by exposure to any of the adsorbates. Separate studies by XPS revealed that the sulfur atoms in all MPCs were predominantly bound to the surface of gold (i.e., approximately 85% or better). Analysis by FT-IR showed that MPCs functionalized with n - C18 possessed alkyl chains having the greatest conformational order in both the solid-state and dispersed in solution; in contrast, those generated from the other three adsorbates were more liquid-like with reduced conformational order (or crystallinity). The rate of nanoparticle decomposition induced by cyanide ions was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy. While MPCs functionalized with n - C18 showed the fastest rate of decomposition, those functionalized with C18C3 were the most resistant to decomposition. Overall, the following trend in chemical stability was observed, C18C3 >> C18C2 > t - C18 >> n - C18.
A computational approach to body mass index prediction from face images

Human faces encode plenty of useful information. Recent studies in psychology and human perception have found that facial features have relations to human weight or body mass index (BMI). These studies focus on finding the correlations between facial features and the BMI. Motivated by the recent psychology studies, we develop a computational method to predict the BMI from face images automatically. We formulate the BMI prediction from facial features as a machine vision problem, and evaluate our approach on a large database with more than 14,500 face images. A promising result has been obtained, which demonstrates the feasibility of developing a computational system for BMI prediction from face images at a large scale.
Monoclonal antibody-targeted radiotherapy of renal cell carcinoma using a nude mouse model

Radiation dosimetry and monoclonal antibody (MAB)-targeted radiotherapy studies were performed to evaluate the feasibility of using tumor-preferential MAB as targeting agents for internal radiotherapy of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Two human RCC xenograft lines, TK-177G and TK-82, were established in nude mice and studied using MAB A6H as a targeting agent. This MAB has previously demonstrated excellent in vivo localization to RCC xenografts. Two doses of A6H (13 to 19 micrograms) labeled with iodine 131 (110 to 130 microCi) caused the tumor to regress or arrested the tumor growth in both xenografts. Similar doses (18 to 43 micrograms; 120 microCi) of 131I-labeled control MAB AFP-22 or of unlabeled A6H did not inhibit tumor growth. While most mice in the control groups had tumors greater than 250 mg in weight by day 43, none of the tumors in mice treated with 131I-labeled A6H grew to that size during the 3-month observation period. Sequential computerized scintigraphy was used to calculate the amount of radioisotope localized in tumor versus normal mouse tissue. Therapeutic doses of 131I-labeled A6H delivered a median calculated radiation dose of 38 cGy/microCi (range, 28 to 57) injected dose to RCC xenografts, and a median of 0.9 cGy/microCi to normal mouse tissues. These findings suggest that A6H is able to target radioisotopes highly specifically to RCC and achieve a therapeutic effect in the experimental setting.
Polymorphic transformations and particle coarsening in nanocrystalline titania ceramic powders and membranes

X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen gas adsorption were used to characterize the phase composition, particle size, and aggregation state of nanocrystalline...
On joint probability density functions of discrete time iterative processes

In this work, we develop an algorithm for determining the marginal probability density function of the solution processes of a nonlinear non-stationary discrete time iterative process with random parameters. The results include the case of degenerate random initial states. As a by-product of our study, the special case when the initial state is non-degenerate is addressed.
Misvotes, undervotes and overvotes: The 2000 presidential election in Florida

The 2000 presidential election was the most controversial U.S. election in recent history, mainly due to the disputed outcome of the election in Florida. Elsewhere in this issue, Richard Smith analyzes the high vote for Pat Buchanan in Palm Beach county. As background for his article, we summarize this and other voting-related issues that may have affected the outcome of the election in Florida, such as the undervote in counties that used a punch-card ballot and the overvote in counties that used multicolumn and multipage ballots.
Carrier detection in childhood: a need for policy reform

Current policy statements discourage identification of disease carrier status in minors on the grounds that carrier information is of mainly reproductive significance. Such policies fail to consider that the carrier state may have important health implications for minors. They also fail to consider that carrier status of newborns is routinely discovered as an incidental finding in newborn screening programs. Finally, such policies fail to take into account that it may not be parents but adolescents who are seeking out this information and that adolescence may be a valid time to learn about one's reproductive risks. Here, I consider the issues that need to be addressed in revising current policies about the carrier detection of minors.
Restriction of vitamin A and D in beef cattle finishing diets on feedlot performance and adipose accretion

Feedlot producers often exceed NRC recommendations for vitamin A and D supplementation; however, increased concentrations of these vitamins have been shown to limit adipocyte differentiation in vitro. A feedlot trial was conducted using 168 Angus crossbred steers (BW = 284 ± 0.4 kg) allotted to 24 pens. The experiment had a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments: no supplemental vitamin A or D (NAND), 3,750 IU vitamin A/kg dietary DM with no supplemental vitamin D (SAND), no supplemental vitamin A and 1,860 IU vitamin D/kg dietary DM (NASD), and 3,750 IU and 1,860 IU vitamin A and D/ kg dietary DM (SASD), respectively. Serum, liver, and intramuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissue retinol concentrations were decreased in (P 0.10) through d 184. Serum and liver 25(OH)D(3) concentrations increased (P 0.10) by dietary concentration of vitamin A or D. There were vitamin A and D interactions (P < 0.03) for backfat thickness and USDA Yield grade. Cattle fed the NAND diet had greater (P < 0.03) Yield grades than other treatments because of greater (P < 0.005) 12th rib backfat thickness in NAND steers than the NASD and SAND steers. Vitamin D concentrations were attenuated and minimal carcass adiposity responses to vitamin D supplementation were observed. Feeding a diet without supplemental vitamin A increased (P < 0.05) Quality grades and marbling scores and tended (P = 0.06) to increase ether extractable lipid of the LM. As retinol and 25(OH)D(3) concentrations in feedlot cattle declined as a result of a lack of dietary supplementation, adipose accretion increased, resulting in elevated Quality and Yield grades. Withdrawal of supplemental vitamin A, D, or both from the finishing diet of feedlot beef cattle had minimal impact carcass composition.
Computational science in drug metabolism and toxicology

Computational scientific tools involving construction and testing of models, screening and data mining for drug and chemical induced toxicities and metabolism have significantly grown in experimental use to help guide product development and assist by enhancing certain areas of regulatory decision making. This themed issue of the journal entitled Computational Science in Drug Metabolism & Toxicology contains state-of-the-art review articles and perspectives covering a diversity of in silico approaches. Computational science tools have a strong potential for expediting our further understanding of drug metabolism and toxicity and are continually being developed and validated. The reader will gain an understanding of the current state of in silico tools and modeling approaches aimed at reducing these liabilities. In addition, how these tools are tested and developed for use in drug safety to support drug development efforts and a review of how they are used to predict genotoxic liabilities are covered in th...
Polarization cancellation in the two-component winds from Wolf-Rayet stars

In this paper we explore the possibility that there can be at least partial cancellation of the equatorial disk polarization as a result of scattering from the electrons that are present in the strong polar wind of WR stars. In order to achieve the cancellation necessary to explain the wavelength-dependent polarization, the polar wind must have a mass-loss rate that is near the maximum that is supported by radiation-driven wind theory. In addition, we find that it is possible to derive important new information regarding the relative column masses of the polar and equatorial winds.
Gastric nutrient content signals satiety.

Rats were fitted with inflatable pyloric cuffs and stomach tubes, and their intake of a liquid, high caloric density diet was examined. When saline was injected into the stomach as they drank, no decrease in volume of nutrient drunk occurred. When nutrient was siphoned out of the stomach during drinking, accurate compensation for lost nutrient was made. Similar compensation occurred when siphoning was done while the pyloric cuff was inflated. At low volumes of intake, gastric nutrient content and not volume determines satiety, and no duodenal or oropharyngeal factors appear to operate.
Abnormality of smooth pursuit eye movement initiation: Specificity to the schizophrenia spectrum?

Schizophrenia patients have a deficiency of smooth pursuit eye movement initiation. We addressed whether this deficit is specifically related to a predisposition for schizophrenia. Thirty-two relatives of schizophrenia patients, eight schizotypals, 13 psychiatric comparison, and 33 nonpsychiatric subjects were assessed on smooth pursuit initiation. The nonpsychiatric subjects had significantly higher eye accelerations than did subjects in the other three groups, who did not significantly differ. The relatives were subdivided into three groups: (a) those with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (n = 4) performed similarly to the schizotypals; (b) those with a major depression history (n = 7) were similar to the psychiatric comparison subjects; and (c) those with no psychiatric history differed from the nonpsychiatric subjects only on 30 degrees/s targets. There was also a significant relationship between offspring and parent eye accelerations to 30 degrees/s targets (r = .476). These results suggest that pursuit initiation deficits may be associated with a nonspecific, genetically transmitted neurological abnormality among schizophrenia spectrum disorder subjects.
Pausing of DNA Synthesis in Vitro at Specific Loci in CTG and CGG Triplet Repeats from Human Hereditary Disease Genes

Several human hereditary neuromuscular disease genes are associated with the expansion of CTG or CGG triplet repeats. The DNA syntheses of CTG triplets ranging from 17 to 180 and CGG repeats from 9 to 160 repeats in length were studied in vitro. Primer extensions using the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, the modified T7 DNA polymerase (Sequenase), or the human DNA polymerase β paused strongly at specific loci in the CTG repeats. The pausings were abolished by heating at 70°C. As the length of the triplet repeats in duplex DNA, but not in single-stranded DNA, was increased, the magnitude of pausings increased. The location of the pause sites was determined by the distance between the site of primer hybridization and the beginning of the triplet repeats. CGG triplet repeats also showed similar, but not identical, patterns of pausings. These results indicate that appropriate lengths of the triplets adopt a non-B conformation(s) that blocks DNA polymerase progression; the resultant idling polymerase may catalyze slippages to give expanded sequences and hence provide the molecular basis for this non-Mendelian genetic process. These mechanisms, if present in human cells, may be related to the etiology of certain neuromuscular diseases such as myotonic dystrophy and Fragile X syndrome.
Theory of Lepton g – 2: Improvement of QED Terms

This paper reports the current status of evaluation of QED terms of lepton g – 2. All terms of order α 4 contributing to a μ − a e have been evaluated by at least two independent methods. Leading terms of order α 5 contributing to a μ have been evaluated.
Early cascade development of energetic electrons

Electron pairs have been materialized in emulsion, and 294 individual pair tracks with energies g5 GeV and visible path length g20 mm were closely examined. Cascade multiplication along each track is evaluated in terms of the conversion distance $y$ for the initial secondary pair, and the resultant $y$ distribution is compared with a theoretical prediction. Over the initial time interval ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ sec, cascade development appears to occur at a rate (30\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10)% less than expected. This result is considered critically.
On the measurement of airborne, angular-dependent sound transmission through supercritical bars

The coincidence effect is manifested by maximal sound transmission at angles at which trace wave number matching occurs. Coincidence effect theory is well-defined for unbounded thin plates using plane-wave excitation. However, experimental results for finite bars are known to diverge from theory near grazing angles. Prior experimental work has focused on pulse excitation. An experimental setup has been developed to observe coincidence using continuous- wave excitation and phased-array methods. Experimental results with an aluminum bar exhibit maxima at the predicted angles, showing that coincidence is observable using continuous waves. Transmission near grazing angles is seen to diverge from infinite plate theory.
Proton-detected 2D radio frequency driven recoupling solid-state NMR studies on micelle-associated cytochrome-b5

Abstract Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is increasingly used in the high-resolution structural studies of membrane-associated proteins and peptides. Most such studies necessitate isotopically labeled ( 13 C, 15 N and 2 H) proteins/peptides, which is a limiting factor for some of the exciting membrane-bound proteins and aggregating peptides. In this study, we report the use of a proton-based slow magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR experiment that exploits the unaveraged 1 H– 1 H dipolar couplings from a membrane-bound protein. We have shown that the difference in the buildup rates of cross-peak intensities against the mixing time – obtained from 2D 1 H– 1 H radio frequency-driven recoupling (RFDR) and nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) experiments on a 16.7-kDa micelle-associated full-length rabbit cytochrome-b 5 (cytb 5 ) – can provide insights into protein dynamics and could be useful to measure 1 H– 1 H dipolar couplings. The experimental buildup curves compare well with theoretical simulations and are used to extract relaxation parameters. Our results show that due to fast exchange of amide protons with water in the soluble heme-containing domain of cyb 5 , coherent 1 H– 1 H dipolar interactions are averaged out for these protons while alpha and side chain protons show residual dipolar couplings that can be obtained from 1 H– 1 H RFDR experiments. The appearance of resonances with distinct chemical shift values in 1 H– 1 H RFDR spectra enabled the identification of residues (mostly from the transmembrane region) of cytb 5 that interact with micelles.
Unintended? The Effects of Adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Nonprofit Organizations

This article investigates the benefits and costs to nonprofit organizations emanating from the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002). The act was intended to stem financial malfeasance in the for-profit sector; nevertheless the article finds that about half the surveyed nonprofits adopted provisions of the act and experienced effects in proportion to the level of adoption. About one in four of the nonprofits attributed benefits of better financial controls and reduced risk of accounting fraud to the adoption of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. More than one-third of the nonprofit organizations reported increased fees for external audit, and about 15 percent cited “reallocation of resources from program to administrative expenses.” This article discusses the unintended positive and negative effects of public policy on nonprofit organizations.
Biophysics: Enzymes surf the heat wave

Molecular diffusion of some enzymes is enhanced when they catalyse reactions, but the reason for this was obscure. Dissipation of heat generated by catalysis through the protein is now thought to propel the molecules. See Letter p.227
Pedagogic Metaphors and the Nature of Accounting Signification

Abstract This paper concerns three metaphors for financial statements associated with accounting education: lenses, photographs, and the board game, Scrabble. These metaphors not only describe financial statements but also affect our interpretations of them and our behavior towards them. The lens metaphor has many implications that accounting cannot live up to; however, that does not mean that it is an inappropriate metaphor to express our aspirations for accounting and to inspire our students. The Scrabble metaphor is a somewhat pejorative metaphor that we may cynically apply to accounting, but it may also be an effective means of criticizing mindless manipulation of financial statement elements. The photographic metaphor, occupying a middle ground, might be the most intriguing of the three. At an elementary level, it captures some simple truths about accounting, or at least some simple statements we would like to be true. But as the complexities of the metaphor are explored, they reveal a variety of intriguing ontological issues that concern financial statements.
Meter any wire, anywhere by virtualizing the voltage channel

AC power meters require both voltage and current to be sampled concurrently to obtain real, reactive, and apparent power. Typically, the two measurements are taken in close physical proximity and fed into a single power metering device. In this paper, we explore the viability of decoupling the voltage and current channels, and placing them in physically disparate locations. Such decoupling could ease the installation of metering infrastructure and enable new sensing scenarios. However, decoupling the voltage and current channels raises a new question: how should they be recombined? Of the various approaches, we propose the voltage channel be virtualized: a voltage sensor measures the voltage magnitude, frequency, and phase, typically near the root of a circuit branch. The extracted phase is time-stamped relative to a global clock and disseminated wirelessly, along with the magnitude and frequency measurements, to power meters throughout the network. The power meters synthesize a suitably scaled replica of the voltage waveform locally, based on the parameters reported by the voltage sensor, and combine it with locally-measured current readings. This paper demonstrates - through empirical characterization of the line voltages, a proof-of-concept power meter implementation, and house-scale evaluation - that the design holds promise and offers substantially lower measurement errors than other distributed power metering approaches for non-resistive loads.
Meso-β Scale Features Observed in Surface Network and Satellite Data

Abstract Examination of National Hail Research Experiment (NHRE) mesoscale data taken on 31 July 1976 revealed significant fluctuations with time in the temperature, dewpoint temperature and wind speed. These variations displayed characteristics typical of summertime frontal passages. However, GOES-1 imagery revealed meso-β (weather systems having wavelengths of 20–200 km) scale features that were likely responsible for the observed phenomena. It is shown that geosynchronous satellite data can be of significant value in the analysis and interpretation of mesonetwork data.
North American blastomycosis in Iowa review of 34 cases

Abstract We have reviewed 34 patients with blastomycosis seen from 1937–1971 at the University of Iowa Hospitals, 29 men and 5 women, ages 19–78; 86 per cent of our patients were followed to death or for 5 or more years after hospitalization. Thirty-six per cent had a probable occupational soil exposure. A majority of patients had symptoms for 4–12 months before diagnosis. Fever was unusual and symptoms varied according to the anatomical site involved. The disease has been analyzed in patients with cutaneous, pulmonary, osseous, genito-urinary and disseminated blastomycosis. The disease should be diagnosed by culture, but the presence of round, thick-walled, single-budding yeast in KOH skin scraping preparations is highly suggestive. Treatment with dihydroxystilbamidine or Amphotericin B has reduced the recurrence rate from 20 per cent to 9 per cent and the death rate from 8 per cent to zero. Surgical treatment by lobectomy was done in 3 patients.
Heat and water migration through normal skin: part 2--unsteady state.

An analytical model is developed to predict temperature variations in regional skin and subcutaneous tissues and the resulting heat and water losses in response to the changing environments. Consideration is given to heat conduction, molecular diffusion of water, capillary blood circulation, metabolic heat and water production, insensible perspiration, sweat secretion, and heat and water exchange with the environment through convection, radiation and evaporation. The resulting skin temperature and heat and water losses in the new environment are in good agreement with previous findings in the steady state. The effect of temperature change ΔT, the difference in final and initial temperatures, and relative humidity on time required to reach a new steady state are also studied. The time required to reach a new steady state increases sharply at small ΔT and then tapers off as ΔT increases. A relative humidity of 40% is found most desirable for human body to adjust to the new environment.
Principles and procedures of the LRAM approach to information systems risk analysis and management

Risk assessment methods vary in nature and depth. Their application to the evaluation of information security issues should be decided on the basis of their capability to provide answers to the fundamental questions concerning the design and implementation of security controls in specific information systems. Information systems risk analysis is discussed as a means of providing an objectively based approach for assessing and managing risk. As a decision making and risk assessment tool, rigorous risk analysis is not only capable of identifying potential losses that could be unacceptable for a given system, but it can be used to determine which specific security controls and counter measures can be effective and justifiable by management-set criteria. The Livermore Risk Analysis Methodology (LRAM) was developed in accord with these principles. Its model and procedures, from the identification of valuable assets to the prioritization and budgeting of proposed controls, are examined and discussed both from the technical and from the decision making/risk management perspectives.
A model for instructional design case materials

A conceptual model for focused, fictional instructional design and development case materials is presented in this article. The author suggests that the scarcity of suitable case materials for use in instructional design and development courses may be due to the lack of a suitable model for their construction. After presenting a definition of the case method of instruction and an overview of the use of case studies in other fields, the author identifies types of case materials and provides a description and rationale for the use of fictional case materials in instructional design courses. A model consisting of five steps or parts is outlined, with a description of each part included. An abbreviated, sample case study is also included. The author concludes with a call for the establishment of an Instructional Design Case Materials Clearinghouse.
Critical ethnography and subjective experience

I began this essay by advancing three claims with respect to conducting ethnographic research: the analyst should be disposed to engage Other in a genuinely dialogic fashion so as to produce shared understanding; provision should be made for the analyst to disengage from the dialogue for purposes of self-reflection; and there should be some justificatory grounds for ideology critique. At the same time, I noted the problematic status of these claims on conceptual and methodological grounds and pointed to a need for taking account of the analyst as a subject whose being in the world impinges upon the analysis at each stage of research. This awareness, it seems to me, calls for an ethnography which is phenomenologically instigated. This is to say that the ethnographer needs to be no less sensitive to his or her own subjectivity than to the meanings of Other.
Plasmid construction by homologous recombination in yeast

We describe a convenient method for constructing new plasmids that relies on interchanging parts of plasmids by homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A circular recombinant plasmid of a desired structure is regenerated after transformation of yeast with a linearized plasmid and a DNA restriction fragment containing appropriate homology to serve as a substrate for recombinational repair. The free ends of the input DNA molecules need not be homologous in order for efficient recombination between internal homologous regions to occur. The method is particularly useful for incorporating into or removing from plasmids selectable markers, centromere or replication elements, or particular alleles of a gene of interest. Plasmids constructed in yeast can subsequently be recovered in an Escherichia coli host. Using this method, we have constructed an extended series of new yeast centromere, episomal and replicating (YCp, YEp, and YRp) plasmids containing, in various combinations, the selectable yeast markers LEU2, HIS3, LYS2, URA3 and TRP1.
The Impact of Increased Tax Subsidies on the Insurance Coverage of Self-Employed Families: Evidence from the 1996-2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

The share of health insurance premiums that self-employed workers can deduct when computing federal income taxes rose from 30 percent in 1996 to 100 percent in 2003. Data from the 1996-2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey are used to show that the increased tax subsidy was associated with substantial increases in private coverage among self-employed workers and their spouses. Estimated effects on public coverage and the coverage of children were smaller in magnitude and less precisely estimated. Simulation results show that much of the post-1996 subsidy increase represented an inframarginal transfer to persons who would have had held private insurance anyway. Nevertheless, increased subsidization expanded private coverage by 1.1 to 1.7 million persons, at a cost per newly insured person less than $2,300 in all simulations—a cost below that found in simulations of more broadly based subsidies.
Patterns of obstetric infection rates in a large sample of US hospitals.

Objective Maternal infection is a common complication of childbirth, yet little is known about the extent to which infection rates vary among hospitals. We estimated hospital-level risk-adjusted maternal infection rates (RAIR) in a large sample of US hospitals and explored associations between RAIR and select hospital features. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included hospitals in the Perspective database with >100 deliveries over 2 years. Using a composite measure of infection, we estimated and compared RAIR across hospitals using hierarchical generalized linear models. We then estimated the amount of variation in RAIR attributable to hospital features. Results Of the 1,001,189 deliveries at 355 hospitals, 4.1% were complicated by infection. Patients aged 15-19 years were 50% more likely to experience infection than those aged 25-29 years. Rupture of membranes >24 hours (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.24−3.5), unengaged fetal head (OR, 3.11; 95% CI, 2.97−3.27), and blood loss anemia (OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 2.34−2.49) had the highest OR among comorbidities commonly found in patients with infection. RAIR ranged from 1.0−14.4% (median, 4.0%; interquartile range, 2.8−5.7%). Hospital features such as geographic region, teaching status, urban setting, and higher number of obstetric beds were associated with higher infection rates, accounting for 14.8% of the variation observed. Conclusion Obstetric RAIR vary among hospitals, suggesting an opportunity to improve obstetric quality of care. Hospital features such as region, number of obstetric beds, and teaching status account for only a small portion of the observed variation in infection rates.
Lung stem cells in the balance.

Wnt ligands are secreted glycoproteins with critical roles in organogenesis, cancer initiation and progression, and maintenance of stem cell pluripotency. A new study strengthens considerably our understanding of the role of Wnt signaling in progenitor cells of the lung epithelium during development and injury.
PLANT-ANIMAL INTERACTIONS IN RANDOM ENVIRONMENTS: HABITAT-STAGE ELASTICITY, SEED PREDATORS, AND HURRICANES

When environments change stochastically, the question arises how to eval- uate the effects of a plant-animal interaction on the fitness of the plant, where plant fitness is measured by the stochastic growth rate. We develop the concept of habitat-stage elasticity, , which gives the proportional sensitivity of the stochastic growth rate to perturbations S E b of stage transition rates in each state ( b) of the habitat. We employ it to understand why a specialist gall-making seed predator has relatively low impact on the fitness of a sub- tropical shrub. The plant lives in a forest characterized by patchy, recurrent disturbances caused by hurricanes. Both predation rate and plant demography vary with canopy openness. In the most closed-canopy state, the seed predator destroys 90% of the fruits, and demo- graphic quality, the dominant eigenvalue of that state's matrix, is low, while in the most open-canopy state, predation is negligible and demographic quality high. The seed predator is locally extirpated by strong hurricanes, recolonization taking several years. The effect of the predator on the stochastic growth rate is negligible at both low and high hurricane frequency. Its effect peaks (6%) at an intermediate hurricane frequency. The stochastic growth rate varies in its sensitivity to the predator in different states of the habitat due to a product of two factors: the frequency of the state in the environment and the contribution of fecundity to its elasticity. The latter factor encapsulates the expected se- quence of future states of the habitat. In our system, the contribution of fecundity to elasticity of the darkest state increases with hurricane frequency, even though the probability of encountering that state decreases, because today's dark habitats are more likely to become lighter ones. The contribution of fecundity to the two lightest states does not vary with hurricane frequency. In contrast, its contribution in intermediate states at intermediate hurricane frequencies is most dynamic, since uncolonized states may become colonized states and insensitive states may become sensitive states. The effects of an animal on plant fitness is determined by the disturbance regime in addition to its impact on vital rates in each environmental state.
Arabidopsis MutS Homologs—AtMSH2, AtMSH3, AtMSH6, and a Novel AtMSH7—Form Three Distinct Protein Heterodimers with Different Specificities for Mismatched DNA

Arabidopsis mismatch repair genes predict MutS-like proteins remarkably similar to eukaryotic MutS homologs— MSH2, MSH3, and MSH6. A novel feature in Arabidopsis is the presence of two MSH6-like proteins, designated AtMSH6 and AtMSH7. Combinations of Arabidopsis AtMSH2 with AtMSH3, AtMSH6, or AtMSH7 proteins—products of in vitro transcription and translation—were analyzed for interactions by analytical gel filtration chromatography. The AtMSH2 protein formed heterodimers with AtMSH3, AtMSH6, and AtMSH7, but no single proteins formed homodimers. The abilities of the various heterodimers to bind to mismatched 51-mer duplexes were measured by electrophoretic mobility-shift assays. Similar to the behavior of the corresponding human proteins, AtMSH2·AtMSH3 heterodimers bound “insertion–deletion” DNA with three nucleotides (+AAG) or one nucleotide (+T) looped out much better than they bound DNA with a base/base mispair (T/G), whereas AtMSH2·AtMSH6 bound the (+T) substrate strongly, (T/G) well, and (+AAG) no better than it did a (T/A) homoduplex. However, AtMSH2·AtMSH7 showed a different specificity: moderate affinity for a (T/G) substrate and weak binding of (+T). Thus, AtMSH2·AtMSH7 may be specialized for lesions/base mispairs not tested or for (T/G) mispairs in special contexts.
Quantitative interpretation of vortices from a cylinder oscillating in quiescent fluid

The instantaneous, quantitative patterns of vortices arising from sinusoidal oscillation of a cylinder in quiescent fluid are experimentally characterized for the first time using high-image-density particle image velocimetry. The near-wake does not indicate a separated layer of distributed vorticity leading to a single, large-scale vortex. Rather, for sufficiently high Reynolds number, a sequence of small-scale vorticity concentrations is formed. Agglomeration of only a fraction of the adjacent concentrations forms a larger-scale vortex. Simultaneously, vorticity concentrations of opposite sense are formed along the base (rear) of the cylinder. Streamline patterns typically indicate, however, only the larger-scale vortex; it has a circulation smaller than the total circulation of all vorticity concentrations that are not revealed by the streamlines. These observations are interpreted in the context of the effective resolution of the flow images.
Child abuse potential in parents with histories of substance use disorder.

Abstract Objective: To examine the relationship between parental history of substances use disorders (SUDs) and abuse potential. Method: Milner’s (1986) Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) was administered to fathers and mothers (with and without histories of SUDs) of 10- to 12-year-old boys. Results: Fathers and mothers with lifetime histories of SUDs had higher Abuse Scale scores and were more likely to score in the Elevated range (as determined by clinically significant cutoff scores) than parents without such histories. No differences were found between parents with current diagnoses of SUD and those with past (but not current) histories of SUD. Fathers and mothers with a partner who had a history of SUD were more likely to score in the Elevated range, regardless of their own SUD histories. Separate regression models revealed that, for both fathers and mothers, emotional dysregulation (positive and negative affectivity) predicted Abuse Scale scores. Additional contributors to Abuse Scale scores were SUD status in fathers, and lack of involvement with the child in mothers. Conclusions: History of SUDs in both fathers and mothers increases abuse potential. Contributors to abuse potential differed in fathers and mothers, underscoring the importance of examining parents separately in child maltreatment research.
Slurs against masculinity: masculine honor beliefs and men's reactions to slurs

Abstract We examined the manifestation and effects of slurs against men and masculinity. In Study 1, we created a taxonomy of slurs against men and masculinity. In Study 2, we established that men may respond with physical aggression when targeted by these slurs. In Study 3, we demonstrated that slurs in different categories of our taxonomy produce varying levels of perceived offensiveness and likelihoods of aggressive responses. Finally, in Study 4, we showed that men's masculine honor beliefs are associated with their perceptions of slurs as offensive and the ratings of their likelihood of responding physically, especially for slurs that directly challenge their masculinity. These findings extend the extant literature that has examined the content of and reactions to slurs and physically aggressive responses to provocation, as well as that which has examined conceptualizations of masculine honor from both cultural and individual difference perspectives.
New Accurate Oscillator Strengths and Electron Excitation Collision Strengths for N I

The nonorthogonal orbitals technique in a multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock approach is used to calculate oscillator strengths and transition probabilities of N(I) lines. The relativistic effects are allowed by means of Breit-Pauli operators. The length and velocity forms of oscillator strengths show good agreement for most transitions. The B-spline R-matrix with pseudostates approach has been used to calculate electron excitation collision strengths and rates. The nonorthogonal orbitals are used for an accurate description of both target wave functions and the R-matrix basis functions. The 24 spectroscopic bound and autoionizing states together with 15 pseudostates are included in the close-coupling expansion. The collision strengths for transitions between fine-structure levels are calculated by transforming the LS-coupled K-matrices to K-matrices in an intermediate coupling scheme. Thermally averaged collision strengths have been determined by integrating collision strength over a Maxwellian distribution of electron energies over a temperature range suitable for the modeling of astrophysical plasmas. The oscillator strengths and thermally averaged collision strengths are presented for transitions between the fine-structure levels of the 2s(sup 2)p(sup 3) (sup 4)S(sup 0), (sup 2)D(sup 0), (sup 2)P(sup 0), 2s2p(sup 4) (sup 4)P, 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 2)3s (sup 4)P, and (sup 2)P terms and from these levels to the levels of the 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 2)3p (sup 2)S(sup 0), (sup 4)D(sup 0), (sup 4)P(sup 0), (sup 4)S(sup 0), (sup 2)D(sup 0), (sup 2)P(sup 0),2s(sup 2)2p(sup 2)3s(sup 2)D, 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 2)4s(sup 4)P, (sup 2)P, 2s(sup 2)2p(sup 2)3d(sup 2)P, (sup 4)F,(sup 2)F,(sup 4)P, (sup 4)D, and (sup 2)D terms. Thermally averaged collision strengths are tabulated over a temperature range from 500 to 50,000 K.