cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Santa Barbara Oil Spill: A Retrospective

The year was 1969, a momentous year for the nation and the world. At the movie theater, Easy Rider and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were playing. A new generation converged on Yasgur’s farm in New York for Woodstock. From the moon, we heard “Houston ...Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” In the fall, the Amazin’ Mets won the World Series, and in Vietnam, the war raged on. Early in that same year, a new attitude toward the environment was born in Santa Barbara, California. At 10:45 am on Tuesday morning, January 28, 1969, about five miles off the coast from the aptly named small coastal community of Summerland, all hell broke loose. Like most catastrophes, there was not one point of failure but many acting in concert. The problems began on an offshore drilling rig operated by Union Oil called platform Alpha, where pipe was being extracted from a 3,500 foot deep well. The pressure difference created by the extraction of the pipe was not sufficiently compensated for by the pumping of drilling mud back down the well, which caused a disastrous pressure increase. As the pressure built up and started to strain the casing on the upper part of the well, an emergency attempt was made to cap it, but this action only succeeded in further increasing the pressure inside the well. The consequence was that under extreme pressure a burst of natural gas blew out all of the drilling mud, split the casing and caused cracks to form in the seafloor surrounding the well. A simple solution to the problem was now impossible; due to the immense pressure involved and the large volume of oil and natural gas being released a “blowout” occurred and the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill was under way.
Quantification of the thermal signature of a melanoma lesion

Abstract Melanomas are cancerous skin lesions that are notorious for their ability to metastasize at a relatively early stage of development. The key to improved survival in all affected individuals remains early diagnosis and treatment. We have recently developed a transient thermal (infrared – IR) imaging system that allows for accurate measurement of temperature differences on the skin surface to aid the detection and diagnosis of metabolically active or malignant skin lesions. The existence of a simple, quantitative, objective, and noninvasive in vivo screening and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of pigmented lesions would be invaluable for the early detection of melanoma in a variety of clinical settings. Therefore, we are currently conducting a patient study to verify the feasibility of the described IR imaging tool in distinguishing benign pigmented lesions from malignant ones and quantifying the malignant potential of lesions. In this paper, we compare data obtained by imaging benign and malignant pigmented lesions. Measured surface temperature distributions for characteristic time instants as well as temperatures of selected points on the surface of healthy skin are compared as a function of time. The results show a distinct difference in the thermal responses between healthy tissue and the malignant lesion for the cases considered in the paper. The thermal response of benign lesions was found to be similar to that of healthy skin tissue. This difference can be used to identify malignant lesions and quantify their malignant potential. Experimental data from the clinical study are compared with results obtained by simulating the thermal behavior of the skin lesion numerically using a computational model developed for this purpose. The computed results showed that the lesion parameters and properties can be estimated and the influence of malignant lesion on the transient thermal response can be quantified with our computational model.
When the mayor speaks . . . mayoral crime control rhetoric in the top U.S. cities symbolic or tangible

Past research on presidential and gubernatorial rhetoric related to crime shows that both presidents and governors use symbolic statements in their crime rhetoric. To date, no research has analyzed how mayors employ political language related to crime. As mayors are politically closer to the people and have a greater impact on local crime policy, it is important to understand the nature of how mayors use symbolic language about crime. The current study draws on hypotheses derived from research related to presidents and governors and applies them to the top 50 city executives. A content analysis of 6 years (2005-2010) of mayors’ State of the City speeches was conducted to assess how mayors employ the issue of crime in their political communication. Overall, the results suggest that mayors employ crime rhetoric in a different manner from other executives when speaking to their constituents about crime.
Seabed Minerals and the Law of the Sea

If, as seems likely, a comprehensive law-of-the-sea treaty is successfully concluded, minerals of the continental margins would be almost entirely controlled by coastal nations, and the right to produce minerals of the deep ocean floor would be licensed by an International Seabed Authority. Mineral production from the continental margins is likely to increase and diversify with time. The only minerals from the deep ocean floor for which there are reasonably good prospects of production within the next decade are the metalliferous muds from some of the deeps in the Red Sea (which lie within what is likely to be the jurisdiction of Saudi Arabia and Sudan) and nodules in the northeastern equatorial Pacific that contain recoverable metals, namely nickel, copper, cobalt, and possibly manganese, molybdenum, and vanadium.
Application of a General Polytomous Testlet Model to the Reading Section of a Large-Scale English Language Assessment

Many standardized educational tests include groups of items based on a common stimulus, known as testlets. Standard unidimensional item response theory (IRT) models are commonly used to model examinees' responses to testlet items. However, it is known that local dependence among testlet items can lead to biased item parameter estimates when using standard IRT models, and to overestimated reliability. In this study, a general polytomous testlet model was proposed to account for local dependence in testlet-based tests that contain both dichotomously and polytomously scored items. The proposed model and a standard IRT model were fit to simulated data and several real data sets from the reading sections of a large-scale English-language test, and model fit was evaluated. Item parameters and test information obtained from the two models were compared to check the impact of local item dependence. In addition, a multidimensional IRT model with simple structure was also fit to the real data sets. Results based on both simulated and real data suggested that local dependence had a small impact on item parameter estimates and a relatively larger impact on test information and reliability. It was also found that the multidimensional IRT model with simple structure fit the real data sets better than the general polytomous testlet model and the standard IRT model did.
Design for H∞ almost disturbance decoupling problem with internal stability via state or measurement feedback―singular perturbation approach

An almost disturbance decoupling technique guaranteeing internal stability of a linear system while using either state feedback or only measurement feedback is considered. Under a set of necessary and sufficient conditions, a state feedback controller is explicitly constructed. Similarly, a full or reduced order observer-based measurement feedback controller is explicitly constructed under a set of necessary and sufficient conditions. All the developed controllers guarantee the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system in the absence of disturbances. Furthermore, they can reduce H ∞ norm of the transfer function from the external disturbance to the controlled output to any arbitrarily specified value. Unlike other methods which merely give the solvability conditions, our method explictly constructs them. Also our controllers are parametrized in terms of tuning parameters, by the tuning of which the disturbance reflected in the output can be attenuated to any desired degree of accuracy
Does Primary Language Influence the Receipt of Influenza and Pneumococcal Immunizations Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults?

Objectives: To examine (a) the influence of primary language on the receipt of influenza and pneumococcal immunizations and (b) the feasibility of being immunized in a nontraditional setting. Method: The population was multiethnic, linguistically diverse, community-dwelling, low income, older adults in California. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 164 participants (response rate 82%). Questions from BRFSS and CHIS were used.The questionnaire was implemented in six languages. Results: Influenza vaccination within the past 12 months was reported by 75.3%, but only 50.6% reported ever receiving the pneumococcal vaccine. Immunization predictors: Influenza—insurance through MediMedi, rating one’s health as excellent/good, living with another person, and English as a primary language; pneumococcal—insurance through MediMedi and English as a primary language. Majority were willing to be immunized in nontraditional setting, especially those with limited English proficiency. Discussion: Need exists for c...
Psychosocial Factors Among Chinese American Women Dementia Caregivers and their Association with Salivary Cortisol: Results of an Exploratory Study

Little is known about Chinese American dementia caregivers’ psychological and physical response to caregiving. In the present study, descriptive information is presented for a sample of 47 Chinese American dementia caregivers on a variety of psychosocial measures, including measures of depressive symptoms, overall perceived stress, stress specific to caregiving, coping, positive aspects of caregiving, caregiving self-efficacy, and belief in Asian values. Additionally, the association between these psychosocial factors and diurnal cortisol patterns is examined. Generally speaking, these caregivers were found to report significant levels of distress (e.g., depressive symptoms) but also showed indications of resiliency, as suggested by their high levels of self-efficacy, positive caregiving experiences, and problem solving. Stronger beliefs in Asian values were associated with more normal cortisol patterns, less depressive symptoms, and greater self-efficacy, highlighting the salience of culture in shaping the caregiving experience of Chinese Americans.
Serial sub-threshold circuits for ultra-low-power systems

This paper explores the use of serial circuits for ultra-low-power sub-threshold systems. A serial system leads to a smaller design and higher utilization, yielding 40% active energy, 15x active power, and 32x leakage power benefits. Further, we show that using a serial system in the sub-threshold regime decreases both active energy and leakage power even at the same speed as a parallel system. This is in sharp contrast to strong inversion, where larger bit widths give lower energy and power for the same delay. We identify the unique properties of sub-threshold operation that creates these differences.
Protective effect of N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists after focal cerebral ischemia in rabbits.

We studied the efficacy of postischemic, systemic treatment with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists dextromethorphan and dextrorphan in a rabbit model of transient focal cerebral ischemia. Twenty-two rabbits underwent 1-hour occlusion of the left internal carotid and anterior cerebral arteries followed by 4.5 hours of reperfusion before sacrifice. One hour after the onset of ischemia, immediately after removing the arterial clips, the rabbits were blindly assigned to treatment with dextromethorphan (20 mg/kg i.v. loading dose followed by 10 mg/kg/hr maintenance infusion, n = 7), dextrorphan (15 mg/kg i.v. loading dose followed by 15 mg/kg/hr maintenance infusion, n = 7), or an equivalent volume of normal saline alone (n = 8). The maintenance infusion of drugs or saline was continued for the duration of the experiment. The formalin-fixed brains were analyzed with magnetic resonance imaging using coronal T2-weighted images, and ischemic neuronal damage was assessed on standard coronal hematoxylin-and- eosin-stained sections. The area of neocortical ischemic neuronal damage was significantly reduced in the groups treated with dextromethorphan (4.2%, p less than 0.01) and dextrorphan (6.1%, p less than 0.01) compared with the controls (36.2%). Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated significantly smaller areas of cortical edema in the groups treated with dextromethorphan (14.6%, p less than 0.01) and dextrorphan (8.0%, p less than 0.01) compared with the controls (32.9%). These clinically tested antitussives with NMDA-antagonist properties may have therapeutic value in the treatment of human cerebrovascular disease.
Characterization of 16 microsatellite loci for a common coral reef fish, the fierce shrimpgoby Ctenogobiops feroculus

AbstractWe developed 16 pairs of primers for microsatellite loci of the fierce shrimpgoby, Ctenogobiopsferoculus . Analysis of 35–40 gobies per locus from five islands in French Polynesia indicatedthat allele frequency varied from two to 30 per locus, while observed heterozygosity rangedbetween 0.05 and 0.98. These microsatellites should provide insight into patterns of dis-persal and connectivity among populations of this common coral reef fish. Keywords : coral reef fish, dispersal, goby, microsatellite Received 23 February 2006; revision accepted 17 March 2006 Dispersal can influence greatly the population dynamics ofmany species (Pulliam 1988). Because it is difficult to measuredirectly the movement of aquatic species with pelagic larvae,genetic tools are often used to provide insight intopatterns of dispersal (Hellberg et al . 2002). Due to therelatively fast rates of mutation of microsatellite genesrelative to mitochondrial DNA and allozymes, microsatelliteshold the potential to elucidate patterns of movement onecologically relevant time scales (10
Whole life satisfaction concepts of happiness

The most popular concepts of happiness among psychologists and philosophers nowadays are concepts of happiness according to which happiness is defined as "satisfaction with life as a whole". Such concepts are "Whole Life Satisfaction" (WLS) concepts of happiness. I show tha t there are hundreds of non- equivalent ways in which a WLS conception of happiness can be developed. However, every precise conception either requires actual satisfaction with life as a whole or requires hypothetical satisfaction with life as a whole. I show that a person can be "happy" (in any familiar sense that might be relevant to eudaimonism) at a time even though he is not actually satisfied with his life as a whole at that time. I also show that a person can be "happy" at a time even though it is not correct to say that if he were to think about his life at that time, he would be satisfied with it as a whole. My thesis is that if you think that happiness is the Good, you should avoid defining happiness as whole life satisfaction.
The Cushing-Dandy conflict - Two powerful personalities that were best not to collide!

he long-standing antagonism between Harvey Cushing and Walter Dandy remains still a most interesting subject T of discussion. Going through archival letters, previously unpublished, Patz et al. provided some quite provocative insights into the personalities of these two giants. Cushing’s history and contributions have been well documented by two historians— Michael Bliss and John F. Fulton—along with a smaller contribution by Elizabeth Thomson. I have read all three and learned a great deal about Harvey Cushing and having said that, I was totally unprepared for what appeared in this article. In reviewing these letters between Dandy and his parents one develops a most remarkable view of this neurosurgeon named Walter Dandy. It is totally astonishing to think that a young petulant house office with only 1 to 2 years of training would take a senior neurosurgeon’s patients to the operating room and remove tumors while he was away traveling. As Dandy notes in a letter to his mother “as you see the big men do not always do the best work ”—a bravado comment being made by a clinical assistant with just 1 year of training! In 1910e1912 neurosurgery was in its infancy with very few people around the world practicing this type of surgery. Yet here we find out that a young and impetuous student takes it upon his own devices to select complex cases and take these patients to the operating room and get surprisingly good results. Dandy goes onto note to hismother—“Geewon’t he (Cushing) be sore to think a young sprout is stealing his thunder. I won’t tell him much about themwhen he comes back I am not at all boastful. It is more the attitude of disdain towards him and the reproval of his self
Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in the Introductory Accounting Information Systems Course Using the AICPA's Core Competency Framework.

This paper describes a unique learning outcome process for the assessment of an undergraduate course in AIS. Learning expectations targeted for assessment are the “functional competencies” promulgated in the AICPA's Core Competency Framework for Entry into the Accounting Profession (Framework) (1999). This paper first frames the importance of assessment for motivating faculty to foster “continuous improvement” in student learning, as well as demonstrating accountability to public officials, accreditation bodies, and university administrators. The paper then focuses on a specific example (case study) of AIS course assessment. Evidence of student learning is observed, albeit imperfectly, through triangulation of multiple direct measurements, supplemented by indirect measures such as student self‐assessments. Results indicate that students became more competent in certain functional competencies and also reflect that the expected emphasis on certain competencies to be gained in the AIS course required modifi...
Problems and Issues for Short-Haul Air Transportation

The problems of developing an efficient short-haul air system are not primarily technical, but economic and political. The key issues are whether the community will accept new and expanded air facilities, what standards of service the passengers will demand and how the system will evolve. The solutions recommended are national in scope and require the federal government to take a leading role.
An analysis of the amount of global level redundant computation in the SPEC 95 and SPEC 2000 benchmarks

This paper analyzes the amount of global level redundant computation within selected benchmarks of the SPEC 95 and SPEC 2000 benchmark suites. Local level redundant computations are redundant computations that are the result of a single static instruction (i.e. PC dependent) while global level redundant computations are redundant computations that are the result of multiple static instructions (i.e. PC independent). The results show that for all benchmarks more than 90% of the unique computations account for only 1.2% to 31.5% of the total number of instructions. In fact, less than 1000 (0.14%) of the most frequently occurring unique computations accounted for 19.4%-95.5% of the dynamic instructions. Furthermore, more redundant computation exists at the global level as compared to the traditional local level. For an equal number of unique computations-approximately 100 for each benchmark at both the global and local levels, the global level unique computations accounted for an additional 1.5% to 12.6% of the total number of dynamic instructions as compared to the local level unique computations. As a result, exploiting redundant computations through value reuse at the global level should yield a significant performance improvement as compared to exploiting redundant computations only at the local level. 7.
A verifiable SSA program representation for aggressive compiler optimization

We present a verifiable low-level program representation to embed, propagate, and preserve safety information in high perfor-mance compilers for safe languages such as Java and C#. Our representation precisely encodes safety information via static single-assignment (SSA) [11, 3] proof variables that are first-class constructs in the program.We argue that our representation allows a compiler to both (1) express aggressively optimized machine-independent code and (2) leverage existing compiler infrastructure to preserve safety information during optimization. We demonstrate that this approach supports standard compiler optimizations, requires minimal changes to the implementation of those optimizations, and does not artificially impede those optimizations to preserve safety. We also describe a simple type system that formalizes type safety in an SSA-style control-flow graph program representation. Through the types of proof variables, our system enables compositional verification of memory safety in optimized code. Finally, we discuss experiences integrating this representation into the machine-independent global optimizer of STARJIT, a high-performance just-in-time compiler that performs aggressive control-flow, data-flow, and algebraic optimizations and is competitive with top production systems.
Does Spatial Assimilation Work for Black Immigrants in the US

This paper uses the following theoretical perspectives to explain the segregation patterns of foreign Blacks in the US: the spatial assimilation model, which posits that immigrants will achieve gre...
A multipath contention model for analyzing job interactions in 2-D mesh multicomputers

The heterogeneous multipath contention model is a representation of arbitrarily overlapped communication paths of jobs that have different message injection rates. Based on this model, we analyze the degradation of communication performance due to multiple interacting jobs in a 2D mesh wormhole-routed multicomputer system. One problem we address is computing the real contention delay seen by a message on a path in the model. A divide-and-conquer strategy divides the problem into several manageable problems of computing the real contention delay for the heterogeneous 2-path contention model. In order to verify the analysis of our model, we compared our analytic results with a simulation model. >
Complexation Between 1,3,5-Trinitrobenzene and Several Local Anesthetic Compounds

The color-producing molecular reactions of local anesthetic compounds with 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene have been studied to determine the stoichiometry of the complexes formed and to elucidate the nature of the reaction. The resulting complexes appear to be characterized by the amine groups in the local anesthetic moiety. In general, 1:1 complexes were formed in dilute solutions.
Advancing systems engineering in support of the bid and proposal process

Qualifying strategic opportunities to pursue and capitalizing on those opportunities is key to the very survival of an organization. Successful organizations that thrive on contract work capture contracts and earn a profit executing those contracts. Systems engineers are generally the “cradle to grave” technical points of contact for projects and are charged with guiding the definition of the technical solutions in the early lifecycle stages. This paper examines existing research that may guide systems engineering in support of bid and proposal pursuits. Systems engineering, software engineering, bid management, economics, finance, game theory, and cognitive psychology literature are all mined for areas related to bidding. As a result, a number of research opportunities are identified. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng 14
Alzheimer Disease–like Phenotype Associated With the c.154delA Mutation in Progranulin

Objective To characterize a kindred with a familial neurodegenerative disorder associated with a mutation in progranulin ( PGRN ), with emphasis on the unique clinical features in this kindred. Design Antemortem and postmortem characterization of a kindred with a familial neurodegenerative disorder. Setting Multispecialty group academic medical center. Patients Affected members of a kindred with dementia with or without parkinsonism associated with a unique mutation in PGRN . Main Outcome Measure Genotype-phenotype correlation. Results Of 10 affected individuals identified, 6 presented with early amnestic symptoms which resulted in initial diagnoses of Alzheimer disease or amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Some individuals presented with features characteristic of frontotemporal dementia. Mean age at onset was substantially younger in generation III (75.8 years; range, 69-80 years) than in generation II (60.7 years; range, 55-66 years). The pattern of cerebral atrophy varied widely in the affected individuals. Neuropathologic features in 6 individuals included frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive neuronal cytoplasmic and intranuclear inclusions (FTLD-U with NII). PGRN analysis revealed a single base pair deletion in exon 2 (c.154delA), which caused a frameshift (p.Thr52HisfsX2) and, therefore, creation of a premature termination codon and a likely null allele. Conclusions In this large kindred, most affected individuals had clinical presentations that resembled Alzheimer disease or amnestic mild cognitive impairment associated with a mutation in PGRN and underlying FTLD-U with NII neuropathologic abnormalities. This finding is in distinct contrast to previously reported kindreds, in which clinical presentations have typically been within the spectrum of FTLD. The basis for the large difference in age at onset between generations requires further study.
Foresight: a graphically based approach to modeling construction processes

Modeling is an essential part of construction project planning and control. Most modeling exercises use the Critical Path Method (CPM) since it is simple to use and versatile, despite its lack of versatility. Almost all other modeling techniques are aimed at specialized types of construction work, such as linear scheduling which is used for modeling work that progresses along a line. Discrete-event simulation, while extremely versatile, lacks the simplicity in use of CPM and so has not been widely adopted within the industry. This paper goes back to first principles, identifying the needs of construction project planning and how existing tools meet (or fail to meet) these requirements. Based on this, it proposes a new modeling paradigm, Foresight, better suited to contemporary construction project planning. The principles of the method and its relative merits are demonstrated relative to conventional simulation in a series of construction case studies.
Growing Resource Scarcity and Global Farmland Investment

Recent strong commodity prices have led to increased investor interest in farmland. Global analysis indicates that suitable land to bring into cultivation is available but concentrated in a limited number of land-abundant countries in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. In a much larger number of countries, productivity on currently cultivated land is significantly below potential. Higher returns to farming and relatively cheap land have contributed to a wave of investments into farming, mostly through very large ventures in land-rich countries. If land and other markets work well and a regulatory framework is in place, there are opportunities to generate considerable benefits by providing access to capital, technology, and new markets. However, investments have often been controversial because poor land governance and weak institutional capacity have made many of these ventures economically, socially, or environmentally unsustainable. Strengthening land governance and institutions and increasing p...
Associations among perceived and objective disease knowledge and satisfaction with physician communication in patients with chronic kidney disease

It is likely that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have a limited understanding of their illness. Here we studied the relationships between objective and perceived knowledge in CKD using the Kidney Disease Knowledge Survey and the Perceived Kidney Disease Knowledge Survey. We quantified perceived and objective knowledge in 399 patients at all stages of non-dialysis-dependent CKD. Demographically, the patient median age was 58 years, 47% were women, 77% had stages 3–5 CKD, and 83% were Caucasians. The overall median score of the perceived knowledge survey was 2.56 (range: 1–4), and this new measure exhibited excellent reliability and construct validity. In unadjusted analysis, perceived knowledge was associated with patient characteristics defined a priori , including objective knowledge and patient satisfaction with physician communication. In adjusted analysis, older age, male gender, and limited health literacy were associated with lower perceived knowledge. Additional analysis revealed that perceived knowledge was associated with significantly higher odds (2.13), and objective knowledge with lower odds (0.91), of patient satisfaction with physician communication. Thus, our results present a mechanism to evaluate distinct forms of patient kidney knowledge and identify specific opportunities for education tailored to patients with CKD.
A parsimonious model of tax avoidance and distortions in petroleum exploration and development

Abstract We present a simple model of petroleum exploration and development that can be applied to study the performance of alternative tax systems and identify potential distortions. Although the model is highly simplified, it incorporates many factors and some of the key tradeoffs that would influence an investor's investment behavior. The model recognizes the role of enhanced oil recovery and treats the impact of taxation on exploration and development in an integrated manner consistent with an investor's joint optimization of investments at both stages of the process. The model is simple and user-friendly, which facilitates application to a broad range of problems.
Epitaxial crystal silicon absorber layers and solar cells grown at 1.8 microns per minute

We have grown device-quality epitaxial silicon thin films at growth rates up to 1.85 μm/min, using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition from silane, at substrate temperatures below 750°C. At these rates, which are more than 30 times faster than those used by the amorphous and nanocrystalline Si industry, capital costs for large-scale solar cell production would be dramatically reduced, even for cell absorber layers up to 10 μm thick. We achieved high growth rates by optimizing the three key parameters: silane flow, depletion, and filament geometry, based on our model developed earlier. Hydrogen coverage of the filament surface likely limits silane decomposition and growth rate at high system pressures. No considerable deterioration in PV device performance is observed when grown at high rate, provided that the epitaxial growth is initiated at low rate. A simple mesa device structure (wafer/epi Si/a-Si(i)/a-Si:H(p)/ITO) with a 2.3 μm thick epitaxial silicon absorber layer was grown at 0.7 μm/min. The finished device had an open-circuit voltage of 0.424 V without hydrogenation treatment.
Comparing a recursive digital filter with the moving-average and sequential probability-ratio detection methods for SNM portal monitors

A recursive digital filter proposed as a detection method for French special nuclear material monitors is compared with detection methods that employ a moving-average scaler or a sequential probability-ratio test. Each of the nine test subjects repeatedly carried a test source through a walk-through portal monitor that had the same nuisance-alarm rate with each method. It is shown that the average detection probability for the test source is also the same for each method. The recursive digital filter may have one drawback: its exponentially decreasing response to past radiation intensity prolongs the impact of any interference from radiation sources or radiation-producing machinery. The influence of each test subject on the monitor's operation was examined by measuring individual attenuation factors for background and source radiation. The subjects' attenuation factors are ranked against their individual probabilities for detecting the test source. The one inconsistent ranking is attributed to the subject's unusually long stride. >
NMDA receptors mediate peripheral chemoreceptor afferent input in the conscious rat

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors mediate critical components of cardiorespiratory control in anesthetized animals. The role of NMDA receptors in the ventilatory responses to peripher...
Kronecker’s approximation theorem

Abstract We review the various proofs of Kronecker’s theorem concerning inhomogeneous Diophantine approximation, we discuss in detail the quantitative approaches of Turan (1960) and Chen (2000), and we derive strong localized versions of these theorems.
The Progressive Foundations of the Negative Income Tax (Online Appendix)

This is the Online Appendix to "The Progressive Foundations of the Negative Income Tax,"which is available online at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2614997
A Research Note on the Impact of Interparty Competition on Congressional Voting in a Competitive Era

In the modern House of Representatives party competition for seats is not strongly correlated with or predictive of party voting behavior. The most plausible explanation for this weak relationship is that less than 20 per cent of House seats are competitive from one census to the next. In this study the Hasbrouck-Jones Fluidity Index was applied to House elections in the 1890—1900 period, and almost 50 per cent of House seats in this era were found to have been competitive at that time. From the 1892—1900 period the 55th and 56th U.S. Houses were selected for analysis. A varimax factor analysis was run on the party votes in these Congresses, and the resultant factor scores formed a unidimensional measure of the number of times a member voted with a party majority. A multiple regression analysis was run, with these party support scores used as the dependent variable and with party competition and occupational composition of the district used as the independent variables. The results showed that in both houses party competition was strongly correlated with and predictive of party support scores. The same analysis on the 89th House yielded much weaker correlations and showed little predictive ability.
Response of Physiological Properties and Crop Water Productivity of Young Apple Tree to Water and Fertilizer

In order to explore the accurate management mode of water and fertilizer supply for young apple tree in semi-arid region,the bucket cultivation experiment was conducted to study the response mechanism of physiological properties and crop water productivity of two-year-old young apple tree to different water and fertilizer treatments.The treatments consisted of four irrigation levels: 75% ~ 85%(W1),65% ~ 75%(W2),55% ~ 65%(W3) and 45% ~ 55%(W4) of field capacity,and three fertilization(N-P2O5-K2O) levels: 0.6-0.6-0.2(F1),0.4-0.4-0.2(F2) and 0.2-0.2-0.2 g /kg(F3)water-free soil.The results showed that relative and saturated water contents and SPAD value of young apple trees' leaves all can reflect the deficit status of soil moisture.The highest and lowest proline were found in F1W4 and F3W1treatments(that in F1W4 was increased by 440.8% compared with F3W1),and the highest and lowest malonaldehyde were found in F3W4 and F1W1 treatments(that in F3W4 was increased by 167% compared with F1W1),respectively.The highest water use efficiency of leaf(WUE)and crop water productivity(CWP) both appeared in the treatment of F2W2 of which the net photosynthetic rate Pn,transpiration rate Trand stomatal conductance Gswere decreased by 18.8%,29.1% and 23.2%,respectively,while WUE was increased by 14.2%,dry mass was decreased by5.2%,water consumption was also decreased by 16.4% and CWP was increased by 13.4%.WUE can reflect the CWP to some degree and the treatment of F2W2 reached the best water and fertilizer coupling mode.
Modulation of osteoblast function by prostaglandins

The naturally occurring prostaglandins (PGs) were studied with respect to their abilities to change free cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i), adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels, and cell proliferation in the osteoblastic cell line, UMR-106-01, and primary cultures of osteoblasts prepared from neonatal rat calvariae. All PGs tested stimulated an increase in [Ca2+]i, which was mainly due to Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. Measurements of the 50% effective concentration for the different PGs show that the potency ranking for PG-evoked [Ca2+]i increase in these cells is F2 alpha greater than D2 much greater than E2 greater than TxB2 greater than E1 greater than I2 much greater than A2. The PGs also increase cAMP levels in osteoblasts. At the highest concentrations tested (10-25 microM), dose-response saturation of cAMP production was observed only by PGE2 and PGE1. The potency rank for PG-stimulated cAMP increase was E2 greater than E1 much greater than A2 greater than I2 greater than F2 alpha greater than D2 greater than TxB2. Measurements of the effect of the PGs on thymidine uptake showed that low concentrations of PGF2 alpha and PGD2 had either no effect or stimulated proliferation of osteoblast-like cells. Relatively low concentration of PGE2, PGE1, and PGA2 inhibited proliferation. The potency ranking for PG-mediated inhibition of cell proliferation was identical to that found for PG-stimulated cAMP production. We conclude that all the naturally occurring PGs tested can activate the two signal transduction systems in osteoblasts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Neurobiology of social phobia

Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are the most advanced technologies available for the functional imaging of the brain, surpassing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scanners in potential clinical and research applications in neuropsychiatry. PET deals with a small number of radionuclides with short physical half-lives and an exclusive energy of 511 keV; SPECT utilizes an ensemble of radionuclides that exhibit moderate physical half-lives, each with its own characteristic spectrum of energy. PET imaging instrumentation requires substantial refinements to enable utilization with high-energy photons, larger data sets, and a high magnitude of information flow per unit of time
Molecular Dynamics Modeling of the Molecular Transport Through a Nanpore

Introduction There is growing interest in and potential important applications of fluidic devices with nanoscale cross-sectional dimensions [1], where the size of molecules (e.g., polyelectrolytes) and the electrical double layer can be comparable to the pore dimension, and interfacial interaction between the channel wall and fluid may have important impact on the fluid and solute molecule transport. The transport of fluids and samples has traditionally been analyzed using continuum models based on the Poisson-Boltzmann equation and the Navier-Stokes equation [2]. Studies have also been carried out using primitive (charged hard sphere) models for ions in which the solvent is treated as a continuum [3]. The surface charges are treated as being uniformly distributed on the surface. These treatments are appropriate when the cross-section of the pore is much larger than the size of the molecules. The neglect of excluded volume of the solvent, ion hydration, and the discreteness of the surface charges, raises many questions about the ability of such methods to predict the distribution of the ions inside nanoscale pores, however. The predicted flow behavior of the fluid under an electric field and hence sample transport in nanoscale pores, under such assumptions, may be unreliable.
Addition of buprenorphine to local anesthetic in adductor canal blocks after total knee arthroplasty improves postoperative pain relief: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Background and Objectives For the hundreds of thousands of patients who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the United States each year, early mobilization has been demonstrated to improve functional outcomes and reduce complications. Management of postoperative pain is a critical factor in achieving early mobilization. Recent studies have shown that the use of an adductor canal block (ACB) after TKA results in increased preservation of quadriceps muscle strength, without significant difference in postoperative pain when compared to femoral nerve block. This increased preservation of quadriceps muscle strength leads to earlier mobilization. Studies have also demonstrated a prolongation of analgesia with the addition of buprenorphine to local anesthetic for regional block placement. This study examined the effect on postoperative opioid consumption when adding buprenorphine to an ACB vs an ACB with local anesthetic alone, for postoperative analgesia after unilateral TKA. Methods A total of 100 patients scheduled for TKA were randomized to receive postoperative ACB with local anesthetic alone or with local anesthetic and buprenorphine. The primary outcome examined was total opioid analgesic (milligrams of hydrocodone equivalent) consumption in the first 24 hours postsurgery. The secondary outcomes examined were the reported incidence of the opioid side effects nausea, vomiting, and pruritis. Results Postoperative opioid consumption decreased significantly in the group that received an ACB with local anesthetic and buprenorphine compared to an ACB with local anesthetic only (25.34±2.62 vs 35.84±2.86; P =.0076). Secondary outcomes showed no statistical difference between the 2 groups in terms of the incidence of nausea, vomiting, or pruritus. Conclusion The addition of buprenorphine to an adductor canal block decreases postoperative opioid consumption when compared to an ACB with local anesthetic alone. This reduction in opioid consumption, without significant increase in side effects, makes this an attractive anesthetic adjunct for TKA.
The hierarchy of microstructures for low density materials

Low density materials (LDM) are emerging as an interesting branch of the materials family with a variety of applications. Beyond this applicational area, however, LDM have an intrinsic use in revealing the effect of microstructure upon properties. Probably LDM provide the most transparent connection between microstructure and properties. The present work explores some of the ramifications of the property-microstructure relation for LDM.
Dependency, Self-Interest, and Relationship Marketing: A View of the Nature of Exchange

Self-interest and discrete transactions have been widely assumed in the literature on marketing exchanges and may limit understanding of marketing’s core concept. An alternative explanation involves behavior governing some types of exchange and their context. The concept of exchange occurring along a continuum ranging from discrete events to relationships is utilized to improve understanding and is discussed with respect to the extent self-interest and dependency prevail in marketing exchanges. Historical and modem views of the marketing concept indicate some possible inconsistencies in the way exchange has been viewed and suggest possible implications for research of relationship marketing.
Epidemiology and Urban Health Research

“Epidemiology” is derived from the Medieval Latin term “epidemia,” meaning an epidemic, and reflects the origins of epidemiology as the discipline concerned with tracking and controlling disease epidemics. Modern epidemiology has expanded its scope and many definitions for epidemiology have been suggested, some at odds with one another (Swinton, 2004). Most epidemiologists might characterize their discipline as the study of the distribution of disease and of the causes (or determinants) of that distribution (Lilienfeld, 1978). Congruent with this definition, the American Heritage Dictionary defines epidemiology as “The branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations” (American Heritage Dictionary, 2000). Therefore epidemiology provides the empiric tools that inform both medicine and public health and epidemiologic method are critical to the study of disease distribution, cause, and subsequently control. Broadly speaking, we can think of two principal roles for epidemiology. First is a descriptive role, often referred to as disease surveillance. Here epidemiology helps to describe the frequency of disease, both overall, but also in different groups, including, for example, gender, race/ethnicity, geographic groups, or over time. Description of disease is a critical function epidemiology plays to inform public health policy and practice. For example, the recent documentation of the growing prevalence of obesity throughout the U.S. has fuelled national interest in the obesity epidemic and the development of national and regional initiatives aimed at reducing obesity and associated morbidity (Katz, 2003; Wang, et al., 2002). In local public health departments, epidemiologic surveillance of infectious diseases serves to identify infectious disease outbreaks, a core function of both local and federal public health agencies.
Variation Over Time in Grooming Kin Bias Among Cayo Santiago Rhesus Macaques Supports Time Constraints

In the early days of primatology, studies of rhesus ( Macaca mulatta ) and Japanese macaques ( M. fuscata ) launched the topic of kinship by describing the central importance of strong female kin preferences (kin bias) in shaping affi liation, aggression, dominance, maternal behavior, and other aspects of social structure (e.g., Kawai 1958 ; Kawamura 1958 ; Sade 1965, 1967 ) . Although studies of additional primate taxa have expanded, modifi ed, and refi ned our knowledge of kinrelated behavior (Chapais and Berman 2004 ; Silk 2006 ; Strier 2008 ; Berman 2010 ), macaques remain central to efforts to understand the nature and origins of kin bias in female philopatric species.
A compatibilist theory of alternative possibilities

Dans le cadre du debat sur les possibilites de l'action qui oppose les partisans du compatibilisme fort et ceux du compatibilisme faible concernant la liberte et le determinisme causal, l'A. montre que les exemples appportes par H. Frankfurt dans le sens d'une responsabilite morale de l'agent sans alternatives de l'action, ne permet pas d'etablir un compatibilisme faible. L'A. defend la theorie traditionnelle de la volonte libre fondee sur l'existence de possibilites alternatives de l'action, d'une part, et sur une approche compatibiliste du il aurait pu agir autrement
Psychology at the Crossroads: Sustainable Development or Status Quo?

The author argues that if psychologists are to contribute meaningfully to the United Nations’ agenda for sustainable development (SD) 2030, they will need to shift from a model that is biologically...
Rayleigh-Wave H/V via Noise Cross Correlation in Southern California

We study the crustal structure of southern California by inverting horizontal‐to‐vertical (H/V) amplitudes of Rayleigh waves observed in noise cross‐correlation signals. This study constitutes a useful addition to traditional phase‐velocity‐based tomographic inversions due to the localized sensitivity of H/V measurements to the near surface of the measurement station site. The continuous data of 222 permanent broadband stations of the Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN) were used in production of noise cross‐correlation waveforms, resulting in a spatially dense set of measurements for the southern California region in the 1–15 s period band. The fine interstation spacing of the SCSN allows retrieval of high signal‐to‐noise ratio Rayleigh waves at periods as low as 1 s, significantly improving the vertical resolution of the resulting tomographic image, compared to previous studies with minimum periods of 5–10 s. In addition, horizontal resolution is naturally improved by increased station density. Tectonic subregions including the Los Angeles basin and Salton trough are clearly visible due to their high short‐period H/V ratios, whereas the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges exhibit low H/V at all periods.