cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct alpha spectrometry as a screening method for assaying thick, highly-radioactive materials

Single-crystal (sc) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) prepared diamond semiconductor detectors have been used as alpha spectrometers to analyze untreated, thick-matrix materials with high beta radiation emission rates. Tests using a scCVD diamond detector to assay alpha emissions from high burn-up irradiated nuclear fuel show the ability to produce reasonable thick-matrix alpha spectra when the beta radiation field exceeds the alpha radiation field by up to six orders of magnitude. Simple semi-quantitative analyses of thick matrix spectra have been used to confirm the presence of higher-energy alpha-emitting actinides (plutonium and curium) when in the presence of lower-energy alpha emitting actinides (uranium).
Sustainability implications of electricity outages in sub-Saharan Africa

Many with access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are subject to frequent outages due to insufficient generation capacities and/or poor transmission and distribution infrastructure. These outages result in increased use of backup diesel generators. We use a Monte Carlo Analysis framework to estimate changes in net air emissions, consumer costs and fossil energy consumption that result from the use of backup diesel generators in SSA. We show that reliance on backup diesel generators can lead to increased air emissions in all countries. Use of backup diesel generators also increases fossil fuel energy consumption by a factor of 1.5–1,000 compared with current grid levels throughout SSA. Finally, we estimate that the costs of generating diesel backup power are millions of dollars higher than the costs of grid electricity in all countries. These results suggest that increasing power system reliability for those with existing electricity access is a key component of meeting sustainable electricity access goals. Provision of electricity in sub-Saharan Africa is often affected by outages leading to increased use of backup diesel generators. In this study, the authors estimate the air emissions, consumer costs and fossil energy consumption resulting from the use of such generators.
Dramatic Recrystallization During CdCl 2 Treatment of Evaporated CdTe Thin Filmsa

In this work, we report the different effects of CdCl2 treatment on CdTe films deposited by thermal evaporation onto CdS and MgZnO (MZO) buffer layers. The main finding, which is relevant for understanding recent advances in CdTe device efficiency, is that few- ${\mu}$m thick CdTe films deposited on MZO can be induced to completely recrystallize forming a film consisting of grains that span the film thickness and are up to 30 $\mu$m laterally. On CdS buffer layers, the changes in microstructure with Cl treatment are much less pronounced and the final microstructure is less ideal for thin film photovoltaics. We propose a thermodynamic framework for understanding the microstructural changes during CdCl 2 treatment which can assist in understanding the wide range of behaviors observed across the many CdTe thin film solar cell fabrication procedures.
Preoperative quality-of-life measures predict acute postoperative pain in endoscopic sinus surgery.

OBJECTIVES Recent increases in opioid-related mortality have prompted a critical evaluation of postoperative pain management across all specialties. However, successfully limiting narcotic overprescription requires perioperative identification of patients who are at risk for high postoperative pain. Unfortunately, quality data to guide practice patterns are lacking. We therefore prospectively investigated several possible predictive factors of postoperative pain after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). METHODS Sixty-four consecutive patients undergoing ESS were enrolled. Baseline 22-item SinoNasal Outcomes Test (SNOT-22) and Short-Form 8 (SF-8) scores were obtained. Pain scores were collected postoperatively using a numeric rating scale. Spearman correlations and univariate linear regression models were used to investigate relationships between postoperative pain, patient factors, and SNOT-22/SF-8 domain scores. Multivariate linear regression was then performed to control for potential confounding variables. RESULTS Day-of-surgery pain scores were significantly correlated with the SF-8 role-physical domain (Rs = 0.32, P = 0.04). Whereas SF-8 pain scores were initially nonsignificant, at postoperative day 3 (POD3) the preoperative SF-8 pain score became correlated with self-reported pain (Rs = 0.39, P = 0.02). SNOT-22 total and subdomain scores were not associated with pain scores at any time point. Multivariate linear regression modelling identified baseline SF-8 role-physical and pain scores, smoking status, and undergoing a modified Lothrop procedure as significant independent predictors of POD3 pain (adjusted R2 = 0.359, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Baseline patient-reported global quality-of-life measures are associated with postoperative pain after ESS. Large multicenter studies are necessary to validate these findings and investigate additional factors associated with postoperative pain following ESS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2c Laryngoscope, 129:1274-1279, 2019.
Financial Literacy of High School Graduates: Long- and Short-Term Financial Behavior by Age Group

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between financial literacy and long- and short-term financial behaviors by age group for those without a college degree. Financial literacy was measured and discussed in the context of three components: objective financial knowledge, confidence in financial knowledge, and financial ability. Financial ability was significant in each age group and had the highest odds ratios of the three components of the financial literacy construct for the short-term index. Both confidence in financial knowledge and financial ability were significant in each age group for budgeting while objective financial knowledge was not. The results suggest that confidence in both knowledge and ability are important influences on positive financial behaviors for those without a college degree.
Proposal for a credentials-based clinical trials system.

e13012 Background: Molecular subtyping has identified drugable targets in many cancers; yet, often only a small proportion of cancers are affected by any specific alteration. This results in small ...
Fungal communities associated with Heterodera glycines and their potential in biological control: A current update

The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most important pest on soybean, a major crop worldwide. The SCN is considered both parasitic and pathogenic as it derives nutrition from the host and manipulates host physiology to do so. Currently, there are no commercially available chemicals that are specific, environmentally safe and cost effective to control SCN levels. Crop rotation, use of host resistance and other cultural practices remain the main management strategies. The need for bioprospecting other methods of controlling SCN is paramount, and fungi show promise in that respect. Several studies have evaluated fungi and fungal products as biocontrol options against plant-parasitic nematodes. This review discusses fungal genera isolated from the SCN with potential for use as biocontrol agents and the effects of their secondary metabolites on various stages of SCN development. The review also summarizes efforts to control SCN using soil amendments that could potentially impact fungal communities in the soil. The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most important pest on soybean, a major crop worldwide. The SCN is considered both parasitic and pathogenic as it derives nutrition from the host and manipulates host physiology to do so. Currently, there are no commercially available chemicals that are specific, environmentally safe and cost effective to control SCN levels. Crop rotation, use of host resistance and other cultural practices remain the main management strategies. The need for bioprospecting other methods of controlling SCN is paramount, and fungi show promise in that respect. Several studies have evaluated fungi and fungal products as biocontrol options against plant-parasitic nematodes. This review discusses fungal genera isolated from the SCN with potential for use as biocontrol agents and the effects of their secondary metabolites on various stages of SCN development. The review also summarizes efforts to control SCN using soil amendments that could potentially impact fungal communities in the soil.
Integrating Discussion and Summarization in Collaborative Writing

In many instances of collaborative writing, ideation and deliberation about what to write happen in a separate space from the actual document writing. However, having discussion and writing separated may result in a final document that has little connection to the discussion that came before. In this work, I build upon a hybrid discussion and document-writing tool called Wikum+ to allow groups to mix having discussions and summarizing those discussions in real-time, until the process results in a final document that incorporates and links all discussion points. I conduct a pilot study where a group used Wikum+ to collaboratively write a proposal, while a control group used a messaging platform along with Google Docs. From analyzing survey and interview results, I found preliminary evidence that Wikum+'s integration of discussion and summarization helped users be more organized as well as more inclusive of ideas in the final document. Wikum+ allowed for more light-weight coordination and iterative improvements through the incorporation of new ideas.
Nonclosedness of sets of neural networks in Sobolev spaces.

Abstract We examine the closedness of sets of realized neural networks of a fixed architecture in Sobolev spaces. For an exactly m -times differentiable activation function ρ , we construct a sequence of neural networks ( Φ n ) n ∈ N whose realizations converge in order- ( m − 1 ) Sobolev norm to a function that cannot be realized exactly by a neural network. Thus, sets of realized neural networks are not closed in order- ( m − 1 ) Sobolev spaces W m − 1 , p for p ∈ [ 1 , ∞ ) . We further show that these sets are not closed in W m , p under slightly stronger conditions on the m th derivative of ρ . For a real analytic activation function, we show that sets of realized neural networks are not closed in W k , p for any k ∈ N . The nonclosedness allows for approximation of non-network target functions with unbounded parameter growth. We partially characterize the rate of parameter growth for most activation functions by showing that a specific sequence of realized neural networks can approximate the activation function’s derivative with weights increasing inversely proportional to the L p approximation error. Finally, we present experimental results showing that networks are capable of closely approximating non-network target functions with increasing parameters via training.
Effects of algorithmic simulation parameters on the prediction of extreme value fatigue indicator parameters in duplex Ti-6Al-4V

Abstract Fatigue Indicator Parameters (FIPs) serve as surrogate measures of the driving force to form and grow transgranular fatigue cracks in metals and alloys. FIPs are volume averaged over sub-grain regions using a crystal plasticity finite element method (CPFEM) model of polycrystalline microstructures. Questions naturally arise regarding the ability to computationally simulate a sufficient volume of microstructure samples to objectively build a converged estimate of the distribution of maximum FIPs above some threshold, referred to as an Extreme Value Distribution (EVD). A reliable EVD can be estimated by considering FIPs computed from samples comprised of a sufficient number of grains. A recently developed statistical technique is exploited in this work to predict the maximum FIPs in a large volume of duplex Ti-6Al-4V. Effects of several crucial algorithmic parameters in the CPFEM simulations are explored, including the sub-grain FIP averaging volume, the statistical volume element (SVE) size of each microstructure instantiation, number of SVEs necessary to project extreme value FIPs for larger volumes, and finite element mesh density. The SVE size defines the number of grains in a single simulation and therefore controls the number of nearest and second nearest neighbor grain interactions that dominate FIP EVDs. This interplays closely with the number of SVEs needed to establish reliable estimates of FIP EVDs for larger volumes of microstructure. We demonstrate that the number of grains sampled is a critical consideration in these types of CPFEM simulations aimed at EVDs. The statistical technique for estimation of EVD FIPs is relatively insensitive to both the SVE size and mesh density of a single simulation, provided a sufficient number of individual grains are sampled to capture dominant effects of microstructure heterogeneity. Furthermore, averaging FIPs over different sub-grain volumes results in consistent predictions of the maximum FIPs.
Metric-based, goal-oriented mesh adaptation using machine learning

Abstract This paper presents a machine-learning approach for determining the optimal anisotropy in a computational mesh, in the context of an output-based adaptive solution procedure. Artificial neural networks are used to predict the desired element aspect ratio from readily accessible features of the primal and adjoint solutions. Whereas the sizing of the element is still based on an adjoint-weighted residual error estimate, the network augments this information with element stretching magnitude and direction, at lower computational and implementation costs compared to a more rigorous approach: mesh optimization through error sampling and synthesis (MOESS). The network is trained to provide anisotropy information in the form of a normalized metric field, computed from primal, adjoint, and error indicator features. MOESS-optimized meshes for a variety of steady aerodynamic flows governed by the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions provide data for training several multi-layer perceptron networks, which differ in size and inputs. The networks are then deployed and tested by driving complete mesh adaptation sequences, and the results show improvements in mesh efficiency compared to pure primal Hessian-based anisotropy detection and in many cases to MOESS itself.
Polymorphism in metal halide perovskites

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are frontrunners among solution-processable materials for lightweight, large-area and flexible optoelectronics. These materials, with the general chemical formula AMX3, are structurally complex, undergoing multiple polymorph transitions as a function of temperature and pressure. In this review, we provide a detailed overview of polymorphism in three-dimensional MHPs as a function of composition, with A = Cs+, MA+, or FA+, M = Pb2+ or Sn2+, and X = Cl−, Br−, or I−. In general, perovskites adopt a highly symmetric cubic structure at elevated temperatures. With decreasing temperatures, the corner-sharing MX6 octahedra tilt with respect to one another, resulting in multiple polymorph transitions to lower-symmetry tetragonal and orthorhombic structures. The temperatures at which these phase transitions occur can be tuned via different strategies, including crystal size reduction, confinement in scaffolds and (de-)pressurization. As discussed in the final section of this review, these solid-state phase transformations can significantly affect optoelectronic properties. Understanding factors governing these transitions is thus critical to the development of high-performance, stable devices.
The rachis cannot hold, plants fall apart. A commentary on: 'The unique disarticulation layer formed in the rachis of Aegilops longissima likely results from the spatial co-expression of Btr1 and Btr2'.

This article comments on:Xiaoxue Zeng, Gang Chen, Lei Wang, Akemi Tagiri, Shinji Kikuchi, Hidenori Sassa and Takao Komatsuda, The unique disarticulation layer formed in the rachis of Aegilops longissima probably results from the spatial co-expression of Btr1 and Btr2, Annals of Botany, Volume 127, Issue 3, 16 February 2021, Pages 297–304, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcaa147
Insiders' Sales Under Rule 10b5-1 Plans and Meeting or Beating Earnings Expectations

We find that firms with insider sales executed under Rule 10b5-1 plans exhibit a higher likelihood of meeting or beating analysts' earnings expectations (MBE). This relation between MBE and plan sales is more pronounced for the plan sales of chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) and is nonexistent for other key insiders. The market reactions to firms that successfully meet or beat expectations are relatively positive compared with their peers that fail to do so. One interpretation of our results is that CEOs and CFOs who sell under these plans may be more likely to engage in strategic behavior to meet or beat expectations in an effort to maximize their proceeds from plan sales. However, readers should exercise caution in making inferences, because the potential presence of limit order transactions makes it difficult to unambiguously determine the direction of causality of the relation we document.
Factors associated with open access publishing costs in oncology journals.

11032Background: The open access (OA) publishing model represents an exciting opportunity to facilitate dissemination of scientific information to global audiences. In contrast to many traditional ...
Spatiotemporal analyses illuminate the competitive advantage of a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern over a variant of interest

The emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants in late 2020 and early 2021 raised alarm worldwide and prompted reassessment of the management, surveillance, and projected future of COVID-19. Mutations that confer competitive advantages by increasing transmissibility or immune evasion have been associated with the localized dominance of single variants. Thus, elucidating the evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics among novel variants is essential for understanding the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we show the interplay between B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.526 (Iota) in New York (NY) from December 2020 to April 2021 through phylogeographic analyses, space-time scan statistics, and cartographic visualization. Our results indicate that B.1.526 likely evolved in the Bronx in late 2020, providing opportunity for an initial foothold in the heavily interconnected New York City (NYC) region, as evidenced by numerous exportations to surrounding locations. In contrast, B.1.1.7 became dominant in regions of upstate NY where B.1.526 had limited presence, suggesting that B.1.1.7 was able to spread more efficiently in the absence of B.1.526. Clusters discovered from the spatial-time scan analysis supported the role of competition between B.1.526 and B.1.1.7 in NYC in March 2021 and the outsized presence of B.1.1.7 in upstate NY in April 2021. Although B.1.526 likely delayed the rise of B.1.1.7 in NYC, B.1.1.7 became the dominant variant in the Metro region by the end of the study period. These results reveal the advantages endemicity may grant to a variant (founder effect), despite the higher fitness of an introduced lineage. Our research highlights the dynamics of inter-variant competition at a time when B.1.617.2 (Delta) is overtaking B.1.1.7 as the dominant lineage worldwide. We believe our combined spatiotemporal methodologies can disentangle the complexities of shifting SARS-CoV-2 variant landscapes at a time when the evolution of variants with additional fitness advantages is impending.
Abstract P094: Gender Difference of Left Ventricular Geometry and Prolonged QRS Duration on Electrocardiogram: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)

Backgrounds: Prolonged QRS duration (QRSd) on electrocardiogram (ECG) is commonly found in otherwise healthy individuals. However, geometrical factors of the ventricles that determine QRSd are poorly defined. T1 time by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is good parameter to estimate extracellular expansion (ECE). Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between QRSd and CMR measures of tissue composition in a large community-based multiethnic population. Methods: A total of 1,615 participants (52% women; age range 44 to 84 years) of the MESA cohort were evaluated with T1 mapping by using 1.5-T CMR scanners. We excluded the participants with focal scar on delayed enhancement CMR and bundle branch block. Midventricular short-axis T1 maps were acquired before and at 12- and 25-min after administration of gadolinium contrast using Modified Look-Locker Inversion Recovery sequence. Results: Longer QRSd was associated with greater LV end diastolic volume (LVEDV) index (p <0.001), LV mass index (p <0....
'We Don't Follow, We Lead': How New York City Will Save Mortgage Loans by Condemning Them

This brief invited essay lays out in summary form the eminent domain plan for securitized underwater mortgage loans that the author has been advocating and helping to implement for some years now. It does so with particular attention in this case to New York City, which is now actively considering the plan. The essay's first part addresses the plan's necessity. Its second part lays out the plan's basic mechanics. The third part then systematically addresses and dispatches the battery of remarkably weak legal and policy arguments commonly proffered by opponents of the plan.
Sunitinib and sorafenib exert direct effects on neuroblastoma cells and inhibit hypoxia-induced increases in HIF-1α and VEGF

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4404 Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to improve long-term survival of patients with neuroblastoma. Because expansive tumor growth is dependent on an adequate supply of oxygen, therapeutic regimens with direct activity against tumor cells as well as the associated vasculature and the will likely provide the greatest clinical benefit. Small-molecule inhibitors sunitinb, which has activity against VEGFR-1,2,3, PDGFR, Kit, RET, and sorafenib, which inhibits VEGFR-2,3, PDGFR, RET, and Kit have been shown to restrict tumor angiogenesis in multiple tumor models. We investigated whether these receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKIs) have direct effects against neuroblastoma cells. We evaluated 7 neuroblastoma cell lines for expression of receptor tyrosine kinases. While neuroblastoma cell lines were heterogeneous in the expression of VEGFR-1, cKit, and RET, the majority of tumor cells expressed PDGFR-α and PDGFR-β. In vitro cell viability studies revealed that sunitinib and sorafenib have direct anti-tumor cell activity with IC50s below 1μM and 10μM respectively. In contrast, the majority of neuroblastoma cell lines were resistant to imatinib with IC50 values above 10μM. Flow cytometry was utilized to evaluate the effect of sunitinib and sorafenib on cell cycle progression and apoptosis on three neuroblastoma cell lines, SH-EP, CHP-134, and SK-N-AS. Both sunitinib and sorafenib effectively decreased the number of cycling cells, whereas only sunitinib induced apoptosis in all cell lines tested. Additionally, sunitinib significantly inhibited VEGFB-mediated migration of SK-N-AS cells while sorafenib did not, suggesting that the effect of sunitinib on cell migration is mediated through inhibition of VEGFR-1. Recently, RTKs such as VEGFR-1 have been shown to be part of a hypoxia-driven autocrine loop involving HIF-1α. To determine the effect of RTKIs on tumor cell response to hypoxia, neuroblastoma cells were incubated in hypoxic conditions with or without sunitinib or sorafinib, and HIF-1α expression was evaluated. Our results indicate that sunitinib and sorafenib diminish hypoxia-induced elevation of HIF-1α. Moreover, sunitinib and sorafenib significantly reduced hypoxia-induced VEGF expression in SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. These findings suggest that these agents may exert antiangiogenic effects by blockade of VEGF signaling as well as by inhibition of hypoxia-induced upregulation of proangiogenic factors in tumors.
The Enzymatic Conversion of 5-Formyluracil to Uracil 5-Carboxylic Acid

Abstract The enzymatic conversion of 5-formyluracil to uracil 5-carboxylic acid has been shown with a cell-free system prepared from Neurospora crassa. This reaction was stimulated by Fe2+, ascorbate, and α-ketoglutarate.
Personality, Motivation, and College Readiness: A Prospectus for Assessment and Development

This article concerns how noncognitive constructs—personality and motivation—can be assessed and developed to increase students' readiness for college. We propose a general framework to account for personality and motivational differences between students. We review numerous studies showing that personality and motivational factors are related to educational outcomes, from early childhood to adulthood. We discuss various methods for assessing noncognitive factors, ranging from self-assessments to performance tests. We consider data showing that personality and motivation change over time and find that particular interventions have proven successful in changing particular personality facets, leading to increased achievement. In a final section we propose a strategy for implementing a comprehensive psychosocial skills assessment in middle and high school, which would include setting proficiency standards and providing remedial instruction.
An automatic tuning scheme for high frequency bandpass filters

An automatic tuning scheme for continuous-time bandpass filters based on a frequency synthesizer and a peak detector is proposed. A g/sub m/-C second-order filter is designed to demonstrate the proposed tuning scheme. The circuit is designed in AMI 0.5/spl mu/m process. The measured frequency tuning error is 0.25%, and the Q tuning error is 3% for a 200 MHz filter with desired Q of 28.6.
An Object-Oriented Implementation of the Xpress Transfer Protocol

Object-oriented design principles map well onto protocol implementations because protocols essentially manipulate two structures-packets and the states of the endpoints. In this paper we describe an implementation of the Xpress Transfer Protocol as a user-space daemon written in C++. The object-oriented model forces the programmer to properly place functionality and information ownership. The model facilitates porting to various platforms and greatly eases the task of building data delivery services.
An Introduction to SNePS 3

This paper provides an introduction to SNePS 3, the latest entry in the SNePS family of knowledge representation and reasoning (KRR) systems. The emphasis is on SNePS 3 as an example of a logic-based network KRR system.
Paradoxical increase in lumen size during progression of coronary atherosclerosis: Observations from the REVERSAL trial

Relative changes in lumen size during progression and regression of coronary atherosclerosis remain largely unknown. We assessed these changes using serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). From the baseline IVUS interrogations of the Reversal of Atherosclerosis with Aggressive Lipid Lowering (REVERSAL) trial, 210 focal coronary lesions with <50% angiographic stenosis were identified. Lesions were matched to the follow-up IVUS, performed after 18 months of treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg/day or pravastatin 40 mg/day. Changes in external elastic membrane (EEM) and lumen areas of lesions demonstrating progression and regression (i.e. increased and decreased atheroma area) were examined. In progressors (n=128), there was 1.34 mm(2) increase in EEM area for every 1mm(2) increase in atheroma area (r=0.72, p<0.0001). This resulted in 0.34 mm(2) increase in lumen area for every 1mm(2) increase in atheroma area (r=0.25, p=0.004). In contrast, there was no significant change in lumen area with regression of disease (n=82, r=-0.06, p=0.59). Progression of coronary atherosclerosis can be associated with a paradoxical increase in lumen cross-sectional area, whereas regression is not associated with any change in lumen area. Measurement of changes in lumen size may not be an accurate method to study progression and regression of atherosclerotic lesions with <50% stenosis.
Evidence from earliest known erinaceomorph basicranium that insectivorans and primates are not closely related

The erinaceomorph insectivorans, which include the living hedgehog and a diversity of archaic taxa1–3, have long been considered to be close relatives or direct ancestors of primates and a variety of other placental mammal orders4–6. We report here on the oldest known erinaceomorph basicranium which provides new evidence against the view that primates and erinaceomorphs share a close common ancestry.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRODUCTION INNOVATION

In a study of the implementation of production innovation using a social learning theory focus, four organizations were monitored with a real-time study design. The following propositions were strongly supported: (1) During the initial implementation period (3–4 months), the stress felt by personnel in new user organizations was significantly higher (p < .01) than for organizations previously experienced with technology; (2) Firms experienced with the new technology obtain early success when compared with inexperienced firms (p < .01). Moderate support was found for the proposition that new users rely heavily on original equipment manufacturers for demonstration to acquire new skills, but gradually models within the user organization emerge as the dominant influence. The proposition that new users have significantly higher imitation scores than users experienced with the technology was only weakly supported. No substantive or significant changes in the attitudes of users toward the innovation were found during the first three to four months of the implementation period. These and other results suggest that longitudinal studies of this type ought to be carried out over periods in excess of 2 1/2 years. Implications for the management of change are presented.
What's mine is mine; what's yours is mine: private ownership of ICTs as a threat to transparency

In the face of ubiquitous information communication technology, the presence of blogs, personal websites, and public message boards give the illusion of uncensored criticism and discussion of the ethical implications of business activities. However, little attention has been paid to the limitations on free speech posed by the control of access to the Internet by private entities, enabling them to censor content that is deemed critical of corporate or public policy. The premise of this research is that transparency alone will not achieve the desired results if ICT is used in a one way system, controlled by the provider of information. Stakeholders must have an avenue using the same technology to respond to and interact with the information. We propose a model that imposes on corporations a public trust, requiring these gatekeepers of communication technology to preserve individual rights to criticism and review.
Ion Transport in Guinea Pig Cochlea:I. Potassium and Sodium Transport

The scala vestibuli and/or tympani in anesthetized guinea pigs was perfused with artificial perilymph containing 42K and 22Na for periods ranging from 5 to 60 minutes. Sound-evoked responses were recorded during the perfusion. The activities of 42K and 22Na in perilymph and endolymph were determined with a germanium detector in conjunction with a multichannel analyser. The perfusion of scala vestibuli and/or tympani did not result in appreciable changes in electrical responses. The introduction of 42K and 22Na into the scala tympani resulted in the rapid appearance of these radioisotopes in perilymph of the scala vestibuli. The activities of 42K and 22Na in perilymph of the scala tympani remained low with perfusion of scala vestibuli. This is in agreement with our Findings that the clearance of these radioisotopes was faster in scala tympani than in scala vestibuli. Our results further indicate that the endolymph took up 42K and extruded 22Na against the concentration gradients. The transport of 42K and 2...
Monte Carlo Renormalization Group and Ising Models with n>=2

We suggest that the Monte Carlo renormalization group, when combined with the type of cell-spin transformation introduced by van Leeuwen, should be a powerful tool in the study of Ising models with n > or = 2. Numerical results are presented for the Baxter model and the Ising model with nearest-- and next-nearest--neighbor interactions on a square lattice.
Vertical spatio-temporal patterns of phytoplankton due to migration behaviors in two shallow, microtidal estuaries: Influence on phytoplankton function and structure

Abstract Vertical patterns of phytoplankton biomass driven by phytoflagellate migration constitute a natural, short-term process with potentially important impacts on estuarine primary production and community composition. Although often considered well-mixed, phytoflagellate vertical migration patterns have been observed in shallow estuaries. We investigated vertical migration patterns in two shallow estuaries to determine how often and under what environmental conditions vertical migration patterns occurred, and to understand the potential impacts of vertical migration on phytoplankton composition and productivity. Vertical migration patterns were determined from circumannual records of decimeter-scale, semihourly, vertical profiles of chlorophyll fluorescence in two shallow, microtidal estuaries, the New River Estuary and Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA. Observed migration patterns were compared with coincident measures of temperature, salinity, light, turbidity, nutrients, vertical stratification, and wind speed. A simple light × biomass model was used to estimate the influence of vertical migration patterns on total water column primary production. Collectively, between two sites in each estuary, diel vertical migration (DVM) patterns were detected on about half of the days. A secondary migration pattern reflecting a midday descent was also observed and was attributed to avoidance of intense midday surface irradiance. The likelihood of detectable DVM patterns increased under warmer conditions and lower incident irradiance, and at two of the stations was lessened by elevated wind speeds or reduced stratification intensity. Even weak stratification may be sufficient to reduce vertical mixing to levels that allow effective depth regulation by directed swimming. Modeled depth-integrated primary production was increased modestly (
Early failure of a cross-linked polyethylene acetabular liner. A case report.

The use of highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in total hip arthroplasty has become a popular alternative to the use of conventional polyethylene. Evaluations with use of hip simulator tests1-4 and clinical evaluations of total hip replacements5-10 have independently shown that polyethylene materials processed with gamma irradiation followed by melting or annealing have extremely low wear rates. However, it also has been demonstrated that such cross-linking processes may reduce the fracture toughness and resistance to fatigue crack propagation of polyethylene11-16. Bradford et al.14 found that retrieved cross-linked polyethylene acetabular liners exhibited surface cracking that had not been predicted by in vitro hip simulator studies. Tower et al.17 observed fatigue failure at the superior aspect of the rim of four retrieved highly cross-linked acetabular bearings. They concluded that the factors contributing to these failures included thin polyethylene at the cup rim, a relatively vertical cup alignment, and compromised material properties of the cross-linked polyethylene in comparison with conventional polyethylene. In the current case report, we describe the failure of a highly cross-linked polyethylene acetabular liner less than three years after implantation. We believe that the mechanisms of failure were fracture of the cross-linked polyethylene where it was thin along the locking groove and abnormal loading of the cup because of improper seating of the liner in the shell at the time of the original procedure. This study was conducted with institutional review board approval and in compliance with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements at our institution. A seventy-four-year-old woman underwent a primary right total hip replacement through a posterior minimally invasive approach. The femoral component was a VerSys Advocate cemented stem (Zimmer, Warsaw, Indiana) with a satin surface finish, a 34-mm neck length, and a …
Radiation-enhanced differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells and its relation to reproductive cell death

Terminally differentiated cells usually do not divide and are, thus, reproductively dead. To elucidate the significance of radiation-enhanced differentiation to reproductive cell death, murine erythroid progenitor cells were gamma-irradiated in plasma clot cultures and the development of haemoglobinized clones was studied thereafter. If irradiation occurred when the cells had resumed proliferation, the total numbers of haemoglobinized clones and, in parallel, the numbers of newly haemoglobinized clones were elevated above control levels 6-24 h after 10-30 Gy and 24-48 h after 1 Gy respectively. Thereafter, clone numbers decreased below controls. This decrease was faster with the newly haemoglobinized clones, indicating that both the accumulation of haemoglobinized clones and fast exhaustion of the pool of more primitive precursors in the cultures are due to accelerated differentiation. The haemoglobinized clones appearing after irradiation were reduced in size without indication of direct cell death. We c...
Irradiation effects on precipitation in NiAl alloys

Abstract Nickel-ion irradiation of two-phase γ γ′ NiAl alloys is used to investigate morphological developments in an irradiation environment. The results of irradiations at temperatures from 300 to 700°C are observed using transmission-electron microscopy. The irradiation accelerates coarsening at low doses and causes spatially nonuniform dispersions of γ′ It is shown that the latter results from interaction of γ′ with the dislocation structure that develops during the irradiation. Contrast analysis is used to establish that the dislocation structure consists of interstitial Frank loops, which are centered at regions devoid of γ′. At low doses the γ′ shape is cuboidal, consistent with its shape in samples aged without irradiation, but with higher doses γ is fragmented. Observations of irradiated samples as well as mechanically deformed and aged samples show that this fragmentation is caused by dislocations passing through γ′ particles. Fragmentation leads to a limiting mean γ′ size of ∼85 A for irradiation at 550°C. The fact that the most frequently observed γ′ size is not constant at the higher doses suggests that a true steady state in γ′ size is not achieved. Theoretical considerations relating to this fragmentation are presented and discussed.
Secondary scanning electron microscopy of cells infected with murine oncornaviruses.

Abstract The surfaces of cells infected with murine oncornaviruses were examined by secondary scanning electron microscopy (SSEM). Virions were found budding at the plasma membrane of productively infected cells, attached to newly infected cells, and adsorbed to the glass substrate between virus-producing cells. Virions were not observed on control uninfected, mock-infected, or nonproducer cultures. The surface of virions was composed of symmetrically arrayed globular units 20–28 nm in diameter. The distribution of budding Kirsten murine sarcoma virus on individual cells appeared random over the cell surface.
Violence and Urban Order in Nairobi, Kenya and Lagos, Nigeria

This article examines the interaction between politics and informal institutions of order in two of Africa’s most violent and crime-ridden cities, Nairobi, Kenya and Lagos, Nigeria. In both cities, governments have failed to provide basic public services and security to citizens, especially to those who reside in informal settlements or slums. A variety of informal institutions, including ethnic militia and block-level vigilante groups, fulfill security and enforcement roles in these relatively ungoverned urban spaces. This article examines the differences in the character and organization of these “specialists in violence,” and it argues that these differences are often integrally linked to the political strategies and aims of elites. The article makes two primary contributions to existing understandings of informal order in violent cities in the developing world. First, I find that organizations seemingly organically linked to local communities, such as ethnic militia, are strongly influenced by national-level political struggles. Violent organizations can gain a foothold and degree of legitimacy by appealing to traditional loyalties, including ethnicity, but organizations with these advantages are also attractive targets for cooptation by political actors. Secondly, both direct state repression and electoral use of militia lead to more predatory forms of interaction between these groups and local communities.
In vivo MRI of neural cell migration dynamics in the mouse brain

Multipotent neuroblasts (NBs) are produced throughout life by neural stem cells in the forebrain subventricular zone (SVZ), and are able to travel long distances to the olfactory bulb. On arrival in the bulb, migrating NBs normally replace olfactory neurons, raising interest in their potential for novel cell replacement therapies in various disease conditions. An understanding of the migratory capabilities of NBs is therefore important, but as yet quantitative in vivo measurement of cell migration has not been possible. In this study, targeted intracerebral injections of iron-oxide particles to the mouse SVZ were used to label resident NBs in situ, and their migration was tracked noninvasively over time with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Quantitative intensity metrics were employed to identify labeled cells and to show that cells are able to travel at speeds up to 100 microm/h en route to the olfactory bulb, but that distribution through the olfactory bulb occurs at a much slower rate. In addition, comparison of histological and MRI measures of iron-oxide particle distribution were in excellent agreement. Immunohistochemistry analysis 1-3 weeks after labeling revealed that the majority of labeled cells in the olfactory bulb were immature neurons, although iron-oxide particles were also found in astrocytes and microglia. This work indicates that dynamic measurements of endogenous cell migration can be made with MRI and represents the first in vivo measurement of NB migration rates. The use of MRI in future studies tracking endogenous NB cells will permit a more complete evaluation of their role during homeostasis at various developmental stages and during disease progression.
Integrating the Nursing Process into a Nursing Quality Improvement Program

In 1991, the Joint Commission's nursing services standards scoring guidelines went into effect. Nancy Claflin discusses the changes in the nursing process needed to meet these revised standards under the rubrics of assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation. She then presents an extensive implementation plan for integrating this revised nursing process into a nursing QI program. The focus of this article is both on the principles of quality improvement and the exigencies of aspects of care, standards of nursing practice, and indicators.
Capturing Demand for Functional Foods: A Case Study from the Tart Cherry Industry

Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is an industry support organization funded by North American tart cherry growers and processors. In the mid-2000s, the president of CMI was contemplating the future of the U.S. tart cherry industry and how CMI could contribute to industry success in the new century. The year 2002 had been a bell-weather in terms of production (a weather event resulted in an 80% crop loss across North America) and market competition (significant level of imports from outside North America for the first time in history). Changes in consumer preferences for food and food ingredients were putting significant downward pressure on demand for the industry's traditional products and creating incentives for new product development. The tart cherry industry had already proven willing to undertake major changes (e.g., transition to mechanical harvest in the 1970s, along with adjustments in orchard design and processing capacity, processing advances in the 1990s that significantly decreased the risk of cherry pits in the finished product). Would the existing policy and marketing support activities provided by CMI, although successful in the past, be able to move the industry forward? Was it time for another major change in this industry? Or were there marginal adjustments that could be made for survival? Copyright 2012, Oxford University Press.
Determination of in situ stress from anelastic strain recovery measurements of oriented core: comparison to hydraulic fracture stress measurements in the Rollins Sandstone, Piceance Basin, Colorado

A method to determine in situ stress directions and magnitudes from anelastic strain recovery measurements of oriented core has been used to determine the principal horizontal in situ stresses in the Rollins Sandstone in a deep well near Rifle, Colorado. The principal horizontal stress directions were determined directly from the principal horizontal strain recovery directions. The principal horizontal stress magnitudes were calculated from the principal strain recovery magnitudes, overburden stress, and Poisson's ratio of the rock using a viscoelastic model. The accuracy of the in situ stress directions and magnitudes determined from anelastic strain recovery measurements was substantiated by a direct comparison with open-hole hydraulic fracture stress measurements. The anelastic strain recovery method predicted the magnitudes of the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stresses to be 54.5 MPa and 51.9 MPa, respectively; with an azimuth of N63/sup 0/W +- 8/sup 0/ for the maximum horizontal stress. The hydraulic fracture stress measurements yielded maximum and minimum horizontal principal stress magnitudes of 49.6 MPa and 46.8 MPa, respectively. The azimuth of the maximum horizontal stress ranged from N50/sup 0/W to N70/sup 0/W. 17 references, 2 figures, 4 tables.
[131I]Triiodothyronine transport into rat cerebral cortex slices

Abstract As a result of a previous investigation where X-irradiation depressed T 3 accumulation into the rat CNS in a manner which suggested an effect on an enzyme transport system for the hormone, this series of experiments was initiated to determine if there might be any specific evidence for active transport of the hormone into tissue. All the results obtained on increased T 3 accumulation into cortex slices with increasing periods of incubation, the effects of altering substrate concentration or of changing pH could as well be said to relate to active as to the commonly accepted passive mode of transport. However, the inhibition of hormone uptake in the presence of CN − , ouabain and 2,4-DNP suggested an energy-dependent system in which ATP and cytochrome oxidase are involved. Further, the dependence of hormone accumulation in brain slices on Na + is comparable to that observed for amino-acids, which are known to be actively transported. Finally, the slight inhibition of T 3 accumulation in the presence of tyrosine or when slices were incubated in an unoxygenated media or at 0°C strongly suggest that at least a part of the accumulation of [ 131 ]T 3 into rat cerebral cortex slices in vitro is activity mediated. Anatomical studies on incubated rat cerebral cortex slices indicate that marked structural changes in neurons occur very quickly with disruption of membranes occurring after 60 min incubation. Thus, if transport mechanisms are to be studied by such in vitro procedures, they should be limited to the shorter periods (30 min) wherein the neuronal cell membranes remain intact.