cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals and the Local Construction of Reliability

Scholars considering how expert testimony will fare under Daubert often apply the four dicta referenced by Justice Blackmun (testing, peer-review, error rate, and general acceptance) to determine whether such testimony will be admissible. In this article I critique this approach, contending that admissibility decisions cannot be adequately predicted by Daubert itself. Daubert has no clear legal rule for judges to apply, has no cognizable position on the degree of scrutiny expert testimony should face, and has no clear stance - even given the dicta - on what constitutes good science. When combined with the relative autonomy trial judges possess in making admissibility decisions, Daubert's essential ambiguity leads to what I call local constructions of reliability, disparate and often competing conceptions of what constitutes reliable expert evidence. What is considered reliable in one area of expert testimony, such as medical causation, will be quite different from what is required for another, such as handwriting expertise. If Daubert leads to such variation among different spheres of expert testimony, how can we generalize or predict judicial decision-making? I argue that admissibility decisions can and should be modeled empirically. Viewing judges as goal-oriented actors, I transform likely goals for judges making Daubert decisions into relevant variables for empirical modeling. These goals include attention to the quality of expert testimony (if not always under the Daubert dicta), maintaining institutional stability and judicial autonomy when faced with controversial scientific claims, and advancing judicial policy preferences. I intend this discussion to serve as a template for further empirical work on Daubert.
The New Cosmology

It was not that astronomy came to a complete standstill during the Middle Ages. Many Arab and Jewish astronomers, working largely in Spain under the Islamic conquest but also in Persia and Turkey, made extensive observations of the stars and planets and used these observations to refine astronomical tables and almanacs. Even more significantly, these scholars rediscovered many of the Greek works in mathematics and astronomy and translated them into Arabic and thence into Latin. It is mainly through these translations that our knowledge of Greek science became possible. But important as these contributions were, they did not change man’s fundamental picture of the universe. This picture was essentially the Aristotelian-Ptolemaic one, according to which the immovable earth is at the center of a finite universe, made up of spherical shells in which the planets and stars are embedded.
Expression of inhibin/activin subunits and their receptors and binding proteins in human preimplantation embryos.

Purpose: Our purpose was to study the role of inhibin/activin during embryogenesis. Methods: Transcripts of inhibin/activin subunits (α, β A , β B ), activin receptors (types I and II), and follistatin were detected by a reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction in human reproductive cells and preembryos cultured alone or co-cultured with human endometrial cells. Results: Transcripts of α, β A , β B subunits were all detected in granulosa luteal cells, but only β A units were detected in endometrial stromal and decidualized cells. In human preimplantation embryos, none of these subunits were detected in embryos from the four-cell to the morula stage and only β A subunits were detectable in blastocyst embryos. Activin receptors were detectable in all of the studied embryos and cells. Transcripts of β A , activin receptors, and follistatin were differentially expressed in human preimplantation embryos cultured in vitro and their expressions were significantly enhanced with the presence of endometrial stromal cells. Conclusions: Our data suggest that there is a possible endometrium–embryo interaction via endometrial activins and preimplantation embryo receptors and that the embryonic expressions of these activins, their receptors, and binding proteins are dependent on embryonic stage.
975-nm high brightness slab-coupled semiconductor lasers and arrays

This paper reports on recent progress in AlGaAs/InGaAs slab-coupled optical waveguide laser (SCOWL) devices. 975-nm and 915-nm SCOWL devices have been operated in single fundamental mode output to > 1-W output power. Further increases in single-mode power at 975 nm have been achieved by scaling the waveguide thickness. Array of SCOWL devices with up to 10 elements have also been constructed. The power scales essentially with the number of elements, and 9.8 W of total cw power has been obtained from a 10-element array.
Measuring Recovery for Non-Contractual Investment

Parties who make investments that generate externalities may sometimes recover from the beneficiaries, even in the absence of contract. Previous scholarship has shown that granting recovery, based on either the cost of the investment or the benefit it confers, can provide optimal incentives to invest. However, this article demonstrates that the law often awards recovery that is neither purely cost-based, nor purely benefit-based, and instead equals either the greater-of or lesser-of the two measures. These hybrid approaches to recovery distort incentives to invest. The article demonstrates the prevalence of these practices, and explores informational and related reasons why they emerge. It argues that they generally are ill-suited to promote rational policies.
The Asian Monsoon: Causes, History and Effects

Foreword 1. The meteorology of monsoons 2. Controls on the Asian monsoon over tectonic timescales 3. Monsoon evolution on tectonic timescales 4. Monsoon evolution on orbital timescales 5. Erosional impact of the Asian monsoon 6. The late Holocene monsoon and human society References Index.
Sensor integration for mobile robot position determination

The objective of the work presented is to determine an accurate position and orientation for mobile robots based on information received from multiple sensors. The approach taken in this paper is to integrate the information from odometry with the inertial system using Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF). The UKF is the newest extension of widely used estimation method, Kalman Filter. The UKF is more accurate and simpler than the extended Kalman filter applied to nonlinear systems.
Fandom and/as labor

Editorial providing an overview of the topic of fan studies and labor; and outlining the special issue's contents.
The Influence of Hearing Aid Use on Outcomes of Children With Mild Hearing Loss.

Purpose This study examined the effects of consistent hearing aid (HA) use on outcomes in children with mild hearing loss (HL). Method Five- or 7-year-old children with mild HL were separated into ...
Abstract 895: Discriminant, identifiable plasma metabolites in pancreatic cancer-associated diabetes - candidate early-detection biomarkers

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Background: Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) has been associated with development of glucose intolerance and dysregulation. Based on our previous report of strong potential for existence of metabolite biomarkers for PDAC detection, in this study, we have pursued initial characterization of plasma metabolites for discriminating PDAC cases among diabetic patients as a means to delineate further subset of patients who may benefit from screening protocol. Methods: IRB-approved prospectively collected database and corresponding plasma from UC Davis Pancreas Registry was searched for appropriate cases: PDAC patients with recent-onset diabetes (≤3yrs prior to the index PDAC diagnosis) (Grp 1) and non-PDAC patients with long history of diabetes mellitus (>3 yrs) (Grp 2). The plasma was processed and non-targeted GC/MS and targeted LC/MS were performed to assay for identifiable plasma metabolites. The data was processed and the peak intensity levels were normalized, scaled and identifiable metabolites were analyzed via metabolomics specific multivariate & bootstrap methods as well as ROC evaluation (Metaboanalyst & ROCCET) for visualization and biomarker development. Results: We have identified 36 patients in Grp 1 and 22 patients for Grp 2. The metabolite specific multivariate and ROC analyses revealed specific features such as elaidic acid, uric acid, 2,3-propanediol, arachidonic acid, docosahexanoic acid, 5-oxo-EET, lysine, LysoPC(18:2), 9(10)-EpOME, LysoPC(16:0), sphingosine-1-phosphate and others as strong discriminators for recent-onset diabetic patients with pancreatic cancer. Such set yielded AUC of 0.964 with 15 features [CI=0.876-1]. Conclusion: We have demonstrated that an identifiable set of plasma metabolite biomarkers exists for discriminating diabetic patients with developing pancreatic cancer. These features could be utilized in a larger set of new-onset diabetic population for further validation in near-future study. Citation Format: Shiro Urayama, Vladimir Tolstikov. Discriminant, identifiable plasma metabolites in pancreatic cancer-associated diabetes - candidate early-detection biomarkers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 895. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-895
Regional Prices and the Conflict between Horizontal and Vertical Equity

This article points up a fundamental conflict between the horizontal and vertical equity of a progressive income tax when prices vary spatially. A model is developed to show that progressive taxes on nominal income—designed to further vertical equity in taxation—create inequalities among people with equal real income before the tax is applied. The magnitude of this effect is illustrated for taxpayers in five U.S. cities in 1975. Earlier work has tied this effect to inflation; here the effect is shown to exist even when prices are stable over time.
ATP: the red blood cell link to NO and local control of the pulmonary circulation

Recently, we reported that rabbit red blood cells (RBCs) were required for the expression of nitric oxide (NO) activity on pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in rabbit lungs. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that RBCs participate in the regulation of PVR via release of ATP in response to mechanical deformation that, in turn, evokes vascular NO synthesis. We found that rabbit and human RBCs, but not dog RBCs, release ATP in response to mechanical deformation. To determine the contribution of this ATP to NO synthesis and PVR, we compared the effects of human and dog RBCs on pressure-flow relationships in isolated rabbit lungs. In the presence of human RBCs, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (100 microM) produced a shift in the pressure-flow relationship consistent with a reduction in vascular caliber. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester had no effect in lungs perfused with dog RBCs. These results suggest a unique mechanism for the control of PVR in rabbits and humans whereby release of ATP by RBCs in response to mechanical deformation leads to stimulation of NO synthesis that, in turn, modulates the PVR.
A Reply to V. A. Tumanov

It is unfortunate that Mr. Tumanov has hinged his criticism of my book on a personal attack on my motivations in writing it. In a letter to the editor of Soviet State and Law, sent in March 1966, I have replied to the charges that the book bears "an openly hostile character," that I am "an adherent of extreme right utterances," that I "did not wish to see anything positive in Soviet law," that I "did not wish to approach Soviet law objectively," that I wrote the book in the interests of war and not of peace, etc., etc. The irony of such an attack will be apparent to those readers who are aware that in the United States some reviewers have accused me of lack of objectivity for just the opposite reasons, claiming that I have exaggerated the positive features of Soviet law. Indeed, the very same theories, presented in the book, that have apparently led Mr. Tumanov to ascribe to it an anti-Soviet bias have led some American reviewers to ascribe to it a pro-Soviet bias.
Nonvanishing of Rankin–Selberg L-functions for Hilbert modular forms

Let F be a totally real number field of degree n over $\mathbb{Q}$ with ring of integers $\mathcal{O}$ and narrow class number one. Let S 2k (Γ) be the vector space of cuspidal Hilbert modular forms of parallel weight 2k for $\varGamma=\mathrm{SL}_{2}(\mathcal{O})$ , and let B 2k be an orthogonal Hecke eigenbasis for this space. For any fixed Hecke eigenform f∈S 2k (Γ) and any e>0, we prove that $$\# \biggl\{ g \in B_{2k}: L \biggl(f \times g, \frac{1}{2} \biggr) \ne0 \biggr\} \gg k^{n- \varepsilon}, $$ where L(f×g,s) is the Rankin–Selberg L–function of f and g.
Teacher Attitudes Toward Educational and Psychological Services for Conduct Problem Children.

Ninety-nine teachers participated in a survey designed to assess teacher attitudes toward and experience with a variety of strategies for dealing with conduct problem children in regular classes. Results indicated that (a) a majority of teachers favored placing conduct problem children in regular rather than special classes; (b) current sources of assistance (school psychologists, clinical psychologists, principals, parents, and other teachers) were uniformly perceived as only slightly effective in helping teachers handle problem children; and (c) of 14 alternative educational and psychological assistance delivery strategies, teachers most frequently preferred smaller classes, teacher aides, increased counseling staff, and resource classrooms.
Nuclear reactions of silver with 25.2 GeVC12ions and 300 GeV protons

Cross sections for the production of approximately 100 radionuclides in the interaction of silver with 25.2 GeV $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ ions and 300 GeV protons have been determined. The results have been parametrized in terms of a 10-parameter equation which accurately reproduces the measured isobaric- and mass-yield curves. The cross sections of products in the $A=40\ensuremath{-}106$ mass range are consistent with the factorization hypothesis. At lower mass numbers, the yields of products formed in reactions induced by $^{12}\mathrm{C}$ ions are enhanced by over a factor-of-2 relative to the ratio of total reaction cross sections. The results are compared with Monte Carlo cascade-evaporation calculations and with the abrasion-ablation model.NUCLEAR REACTIONS Ag($^{12}\mathrm{C}$, spallation) and Ag($p$, spallation) ${E}_{^{12}\mathrm{C}}=25.2$ GeV, ${E}_{P}=300$ GeV. Production cross sections for \ensuremath{\sim} 100 radionuclides; deduced charge dispersions and mass-yield curves. Comparison with cascade-evaporation and abrasion-ablation calculations.
Polarization transfer between oriented metastable helium atoms and neon atoms: A comparison of even and odd isotopes

Abstract Collision-induced polarization transfer from optically pumped helium to excited states of neon is studied using various combination of even and odd isotopes. It is found that, within our experimental accuracy of 10%, the resultant polarization is independent of the isotopic composition of the binary mixture. Possible applications using this mechanism are discussed.
Regulation of T-cell functions by MHC class II self-presentation.

Abstract The role of MHC class II in the control of T-cell responses to self and foreign antigens is still unclear. No unifying principle yet explains how class II molecules repress immunity to self or allogeneic antigens. Our recent data in a model of tolerance to allogeneic grafts, probably induced by allele-specific class II peptides, suggest that it is by presenting themselves [class II peptide(s) docked on self class II, in a complex we have named T–Lo] that class II controls T-cell activity. The engagement of the regulatory T (T-reg)-cell T-cell receptor (TCR) with self T–Lo would explain the beneficial effect of donor–recipient class II matching in clinical transplantation, the correlation between T-cell suppression and class II, and the altered T-reg-cell functions observed in class II-dependent autoimmune pathologies.
Development of a Novel Electro-Hydraulic Laboratory

This paper describes an Electro-Hydraulics Laboratory (EH Lab) at the University of Missouri - Rolla (UMR), which was recently established with a gift from Caterpillar Inc. The goal of this laboratory is to provide students the opportunity for hands-on experience with signal processing, dynamic modeling, and real-time control of industrial-grade electro-hydraulic systems. Unlike most comparable educational laboratories, nearly all of the components used in this laboratory were originally intended for industrial use, yielding a much more real-world experience for students. The laboratory utilizes the xPC Target software for rapid prototyping and execution of real-time data acquisition and control systems using Simulink. Several laboratories, as well as a course project, that utilize the EH Lab are presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Where We Are and Where We Are Going in Mountain Meteorology

Abstract Mountain ranges and high plateaus influence atmospheric circulation patterns on all scales, ranging from ultralong planetary waves to small turbulent eddies. Some of these effects are brought about simply by orographic obstacles acting as barriers to the flow. Of equal importance, however, are the thermal effects of elevated land masses, which can generate considerable baroclinicity. Various time scales have to be considered in the thermal forcing of the atmosphere by large elevated land masses. Diurnal variations of the heating and cooling cycle have been shown to be prominent factors over Tibet. On time scales from days to weeks, the Northern Hemisphere plateaus seem to influence the monsoon circulations. There are strong indications that interseasonal “memory” exists in the beat balance of plateaus that might affect seasonally abnormal monsoon behavior. Such “memory” could be caused by feedback between thermal effects of land masses and “near-resonant” planetary waves. In order to assess the t...
A significant increase in both basal and maximal calcineurin activity following fluid percussion injury in the rat.

Calcineurin, a neuronally enriched, calcium-stimulated phosphatase, is an important modulator of many neuronal processes, including several that are physiologically related to the pathology of traumatic brain injury. This study examined the effects of moderate, central fluid percussion injury on the activity of this important neuronal enzyme. Animals were sacrificed at several time-points postinjury and cortical, hippocampal, and cerebellar homogenates were assayed for calcineurin activity by dephosphorylation of p-nitrophenol phosphate. A significant brain injury-dependent increase was observed in both hippocampal and cortical homogenates under both basal and maximally-stimulated reaction conditions. This increase persisted 2–3 weeks post-injury. Brain injury did not alter substrate affinity, but did induce a significant increase in the apparent maximal dephosphorylation rate. Unlike the other brain regions, no change in calcineurin activity was observed in the cerebellum following brain injury. No brain...
Negative regulation of pulmonary Th17 responses by C3a anaphylatoxin during allergic inflammation in mice.

Activation of complement is one of the earliest immune responses to exogenous threats, resulting in various cleavage products including anaphylatoxin C3a. In addition to its contribution to host defense, C3a has been shown to mediate Th2 responses in animal models of asthma. However, the role of C3a on pulmonary Th17 responses during allergic inflammation remains unclear. Here, we show that mice deficient in C3a receptor (C3aR) exhibited (i) higher percentages of endogenous IL-17-producing CD4+ T cells in the lungs, (ii) higher amounts of IL-17 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and (iii) more neutrophils in the lungs than wild-type mice when challenged with intranasal allergens. Moreover, adoptive transfer experiments showed that the frequencies of antigen-specific IL-17-producing CD4+ T cells were significantly higher in the lungs and bronchial lymph nodes of C3aR-deficient recipients than those of wild-types recipients. Bone-marrow reconstitution study indicated that C3aR-deficiency on hematopoietic cells was required for the increased Th17 responses. Furthermore, C3aR-deficient mice exhibited increased percentages of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells; however, depletion of these cells minimally affected the induction of antigen-specific Th17 cell population in the lungs. Neutralization of IL-17 significantly reduced the number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of C3aR-deficient mice. Our findings demonstrate that C3a signals negatively regulate antigen-specific Th17 responses during allergic lung inflammation and the size of Foxp3+ regulatory T cell population in the periphery.
EROS: a program for quick evaluation of energy recovery systems

Abstract the program EROS (Energy Recovery Optimization System) is a flow-sheeting package for evaluating and optimizing the performance of simple networks of heat exchangers. As a flowsheeting system it represents a prototype for what a really convenient system might be. Using EROS one can set up an arbitrary structure of heat-exchangers, stream splitters and mixers. Stream flow rates and entry and exit temperatures may be specified, free, or bounded above and/or below. Phase changes may be allowed to occur. Requiring no more user input (such as initial guesses), the program gathers together the modeling equations and appropriate inequality constraints. It then develops solution procedures repeatedly in the course of optimizing, initially to locate a feasible point and in the final stages to take advantage of tight inequality constraints to reduce the degrees of freedom.
Novel Luminescent Au(I) Pyrimidinethiolate Dimer Having an Unusual pi-Stacking Structure.

Two new Au(I) dimethylpyrimidinethiolate complexes have been synthesized. The dimer [Au(4,6-Me2pym-2-S)]2 possesses a solid state structure in which π-stacking dominates over intermolecular Au···Au...
The identification of thin amorphous films at grain-boundaries in Al2O3

The presence of amorphous grain-boundary phases in ceramic materials can significantly influence their properties. Such grain-boundary films can be identified by the dark-field diffuse scattering technique, the Fresnel fringe technique, and analytical electron microscopy (energy-dispersive spectroscopy). However, spectrum artefacts can present major problems for the use of such techniques. Specifically, grain-boundary grooving, surface damage of the specimen and silicon contamination are shown experimentally to arise from ion-milling during the preparation of TEM specimens. It is experimentally shown that, with the above techniques, these artefacts can cause grain-boundaries in commercial alumina specimens to appear to contain glassy phases. The ambiguity in interpreting the results from the use of each of these techniques is discussed in detail.
A Bayesian approach for estimating bioterror attacks from patient data.

Terrorist attacks using an aerosolized pathogen have gained credibility as a national security concern after the anthrax attacks of 2001. Inferring some important details of the attack quickly, for example, the number of people infected, the time of infection, and a representative dose received can be crucial to planning a medical response. We use a Bayesian approach, based on a short time series of diagnosed patients, to estimate a joint probability density for these parameters. We first test the formulation with idealized cases and then apply it to realistic scenarios, including the Sverdlovsk anthrax outbreak of 1979. We also use simulated outbreaks to explore the impact of model error, as when the model used for generating simulated epidemic curves does not match the model subsequently used to characterize the attack. We find that in all cases except for the smallest attacks (fewer than 100 infected people), 3-5 days of data are sufficient to characterize the outbreak to a specificity that is useful for directing an emergency response. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Improved Grey Level Ultrasound Display Suitable for Bistable Storage Scope Part I - Clinical Experience in Ccmparison with Conventional Scan Converter Systems

A grey scale display system for ultrasound contact B scanning has been developed that produces six shades of grey on a high resolution storage oscilloscope. Clinical advantages of our system are: (1) the ability to display rapid serial images in full resolution, a technique not readily possible with alternate grey scale display system involving either scan converters or nonstorage oscilloscopes, and (2) the images produced have grey-level rendition and spacial resolution comparable to those of scan converter display systems at a significantly lower equipment cost.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interposer test: Testing PCBs that have shrunk 100x

Silicon Interposer is the new PCB where silicon of different process technologies (like logic, DRAM, analog, etc.) can be bonded onto and integrated into the same package. Silicon interposer has microbumps on one side and flipchip (C4) bumps on the other, and signal on one side are connected to the other with TSV (Through Silicon Vias). Die to die interconnects are just wires from one microbump to another without connecting to any C4 on the bottom side. Essentially, these are tiny PCBs that have their dimensions shrink by 100x. Conceptually PCB essentially are just interconnects so testing really are just open/short and maybe leakage, i.e., ONLY if you can connect (or probe) to the microbumps. However, at 40–50um pitch, they are almost half the pitch of the most advanced flipchip bump technology with tens of thousands of microbumps in a typical application. The tight pitch and mass quantity of microbumps would drive for new probe technologies (read, more expensive) and complex test optimization at the ATE side. There is also no transistors (nor diodes) on this new PCB, so all you learnt about DFT is out the window. At the same time, it is expected to have zero test cost (as yield should be high). Some in the industry have suggested “Pretty Good Interposer”, only testing for systematics and not defects. Is, “pretty good”, good enough to stand in for “known good”? It all depends on what you put on these interposers and potentially yield loss can kill a product's viability. This talk will try to elaborate the challenges and will try to propose new test methods for testing these new, miniature PCB.
Verbal Planning Functions in Children's Speech

MACWHINNEY, BRIAN, and OSSER, HARRY. Verbal Planning Functions in Children's Speech. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1977, 48, 978-985. This study sought to examine the role of communicative explicitness, sex, and social class upon children's utilization of a wide variety of hesitation phenomena. Speech samples were gathered from 20 British 5-year-olds under 3 conditions of elicitation. Occurrences of 13 varieties of hesitation phenomena were tabulated for each corpus and subjected to a multivariate test for equality of mean vectors for the 2 levels of sex and social class. Although there was a significant main effect for sex, there was no significant main effect for social class and only a weak interaction of sex with social class. The verbal planning functions of the several hesitation phenomena were examined by principal components analysis and interpreted in the light of textual relations. It was found that hesitations served 3 major functions: preplanning of verbalization not yet produced, coplanning of verbalization currently being articulated, and avoidance of superfluous verbalization.
Detecting insect infestation with poly3-hexylthiophenethin thin film sensor

The financial losses and destruction of crops due to insect infestation in the United States are estimated by the USDA to exceed 20 billion dollars annually. Much of these losses could be avoided by having a sensor that could effectively identify the early stages of insect infestation. However, traditional detection methods are time consuming, require trained personnel, and are not sufficient for early detection. Several previous research studies showed that emitting organic volatile compounds is a defensive mechanism activated by some plant species after being attacked by herbivores and parasites. Corn, cotton, pine, Brussels sprouts when attacked by Beet army worm, spider mites, bark beetles and caterpillars respectively, emits different blends of plant volatiles including γ-terpinene, α-pinene, p-cymene, farnesene, limonene and cis-hexenyl acetate, with a concentration of about 50 ppm. Therefore, monitoring for these volatile compounds may enable on-site early detection of insect infestations. In this study, a chemical resistor sensor to detect plant volatiles was designed and fabricated. The sensor platform consists of micro electronically fabricated interdigitated electrodes. On to this platform, a poly3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) thin film was deposited, using a spin coater at 8000 rpm for 30 seconds. The sensor was tested and found to be sensitive to a variety of plant volatiles, including γ-terpinene, α-pinene, p-cymene, farnesene, limonene and cis-hexenyl acetate at room temperature. These vapors interacted with the P3HT film causing an increase in the resistance of the sensor by more than one order of magnitude
Electronic Distribution in the Metal-to-Ligand Charge Transfer (MLCT) Excited States of [(4,4‘-(X)2bpy)(CO)3ReI(4,4‘-bpy)ReI(CO)3(4,4‘-(X)2bpy)]2+ (X = H, CH3). Application of Time-Resolved Infrared and Resonance Raman Spectroscopies

Ground- and excited-state resonance Raman and infrared spectra (354.7 nm excitation, in acetonitrile at 298 K) have been measured for [(4,4‘-(X)2bpy)(CO)3ReI(4,4‘-bpy)ReI(CO)3(4,4‘-(X)2bpy)]2+ (bpy is 2,2‘-bipyridine; 4,4‘-bpy is 4,4‘-bipyridine; X = H, CH3). The lowest lying excited states in these molecules are metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) in character. The spectra provide answers to two questions: Is the acceptor ligand for the excited electron 4,4‘-bpy or 4,4‘-(X)2bpy? Are there localized (ReII−ReI) or delocalized (ReI.5−ReI.5) sites in the mixed-valence excited states formed by MLCT excitation? Application of time-resolved resonance Raman (TR3) spectroscopy demonstrates that 4,4‘-bpy is the acceptor in the lowest lying MLCT excited state(s) of [(dmb)(CO)3Re(4,4‘-bpy)Re(CO)3(dmb)]2+* (dmb = 4,4‘-(CH3)2bpy) and that there is an equilibrium between 4,4‘-bpy and bpy as acceptor in [(bpy)(CO)3Re(4,4‘-bpy)Re(CO)3(bpy)]2+*. For both complexes, the appearance of two sets of overlapping ν(CO) bands...
REDUCING TRANSPORT DELAY THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS IN REAL-TIME PROGRAM FLOW

This paper describes the process of measuring and reducing software-transport delays through careful analysis, and modifications of real-time programs. A 737 program is analyzed and modified to improve the simulation overall transport delay by approximately 30 percent. The transport delay was improved through modification to the real-time program flow and the implementation of quaternions in the calculation of the math model.
Interstate Tax Exportation within the United States: An Appraisal of the Literature

This paper evaluates the literature concerning interregional, exportation and importation of state and local taxes. General analytical, principles of tax exportation are described. Major empirical studies, which, show considerable variation of exportation by type of tax and by state, are, reviewed critically. Extensions of previous empirical findings are discussed, in order to consider the long-run effects of state tax policy on regional, growth and resource allocation. The assessment of long-run impacts is shown, to be an important area for future research.
Generation of species-specific antihemoglobin antibodies by immunization with synthetic peptides of human hemoglobin.

Four peptides (7–16 residues) representing nonconserved regions of human hemoglobin (Hb) were selected for synthesis by comparison of the amino acid sequence of human Hb with those of the most common domesticated animals. Mouse antisera resulting from immunization with the synthetic peptides were investigated for binding to a panel of animal Hbs using solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA). One of the peptides elicited antibodies which bound specifically to human Hb, but not to any Hb of the nonprimate animals tested. The results show that the peptide immunogen chosen on the basis of dissimilarity between regions of different species is useful for the generation of species-specific antibodies. Such antibodies could serve as valuable tools for clinical screening of fecal occult blood trait and for forensic identification of bloodstains of human origin.
A reliability index for presence-absence data

The Jaccard index has long been used as an indicator of agreement or similarity between two individuals regarding the presence or absence of attributes, but there has been no formal development of such an index for more than two individuals. A more general index would be useful in various kinds of reliability studies involving presence-absence data. This paper develops a special case of a generalization of Gower's index as an index of reliability. The index involves weights to be assigned to attributes which are present on varying proportions of the individuals. Possible weighting systems are discussed. Also, a theoretical basis for the index is investigated using a binomial distribution composited with a continuous attribute appearance probability distribution. The index is calculated for molecular biological data on repeated RAPD analyses of the DNA of 23 strains of a fungus.
The Concept of a ‘Networked Common School’

The current educational arrangements of advanced liberal democracies continue to isolate various ethnic and racial groups. Disadvantaged minority students attend inferior schools. The overreliance on the curriculum as a design for teaching and learning renders school learning less relevant for 'knowledge work' jobs in network societies. The concept of a 'networked common school' addresses these problems. It envisions linking local schools in a social network mediated by networked computers. Teaching and learning will continue to take place at local sites, but significant face-to-face, inter-group learning will take place at regional learning centers, to be followed up by virtual group learning at distributed local sites. In this article I offer a reconstructive proposal for metropolitan education in the computer network era.(1) I focus on the growing isolation of poor racial and ethnic minority students in many metropolitan regions, and the potential of computer networks to alleviate it. I introduce a philosophical framework for engendering in-person, inter-group learning activities at regional sites, and sustaining them in 'virtual groups' at distributed local school sites.(2)
The role of particle size and polymer molecular weight in the formation and properties of an organo-ceramic composite

The role of particle size and polymer molecular weight in the formation and properties of a calcium aluminate cement-poly(vinyl alcohol) composite was investigated. Banbury mixing studies, in combination with poly(vinyl alcohol) solution rheology, showed paste formation to be dependent on the polymer degree of polymerization and concentration. Both polymer molecular weight and cement particle size have an effect on the mechanochemistry, the “window of processibility”, and mechanical properties of the hardened matrix. Increasing the polymer chain length appears to accelerate the mechanically induced crosslinking reactions between the polymer and cement hydration phases, thereby diminishing the processing window. Decreasing the cement mean particle size has a similar effect. Polymer degree of polymerization and cement particle size distribution are shown to be important factors in the mechanical properties of the hardened composite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs show that wide polydispersity in the grain phase is important in attaining a macro-defect-free microstructure.
Student and Instructor Satisfaction with E-learning Tools in Online Learning Environments

This study utilized Expectancy Confirmation Theory ECT and Technology Acceptance Model TAM to examine satisfaction of students and instructors toward online learning tools and resources in online learning environments. The study findings indicate that student expectation was the most important factor that helped the instructors to design and provide appropriate and efficient technology tools and resources to enhance student learning. Further, the instructors were satisfied with the technology tools and resources that were provided, as these helped them to achieve their instructional expectations. These findings could help to stimulate reflections on ways to improve and design useful e-learning tools and resources that could enhance effective teaching and learning in online environments.
A multiscale model for tropical intraseasonal oscillations

The tropical intraseasonal 40- to 50-day oscillation (TIO) is the dominant component of variability in the tropical atmosphere with remarkable planetary-scale circulation generated as envelopes of complex multiscale processes. A new multiscale model is developed here that clearly demonstrates the fashion in which planetary-scale circulations sharing many features in common with the observational record for the TIO are generated on intraseasonal time scales through the upscale transfer of kinetic and thermal energy generated by wave trains of organized synoptic-scale circulations having features in common with observed superclusters. The appeal of the multiscale models developed below is their firm mathematical underpinnings, simplicity, and analytic tractability while remaining self-consistent with key features of the observational record. The results below demonstrate, in a transparent fashion, the central role of organized vertically tilted synoptic-scale circulations in generating a planetary circulation resembling the TIO.
State Regulation of Resale Price Maintenanceon the Internet: The Constitutional Problemswith the 2009 Amendment to theMaryland Antitrust Act

Table of ContentsI. Introduction 1112II. Background 1114A. Resale Price Maintenance Generally 11141. Resale Price Maintenance Defined 11142. The Incentive to Use Resale Price Maintenance 1115B. Resale Price Maintenance Under the Law 11161. The Per Se Rule Versus the Rule of Reason 11162. Resale Price Maintenance from Dr. Miles to Leegin 11183. The State Response to Leegin....... 1123III. Resale Price Maintenance Under the Rule of Reason 1124IV. Federal Preemption 1126V. The Commerce Clause 1133A. In Defense of the Maryland RPM Prohibition 11341. Impossibility of Compliance 11362. The Use of a Vertical Nonprice Restraint in Furtherance of a Price Restraint 11393. The Benefit to In-State Dealers 1140B. The Extraterritoriality Principle 11411. The Extraterritorial Reach 11422. The Intent of the Legislature 11453. Complying with Inconsistent Regulations 1145VI. Towards a Uniform Standard 1147VII. Conclusion.. 11491. IntroductionFor nearly a century, minimum resale price maintenance (RPM) was considered per se illegal1 under § 1 of the Sherman Act.2 Minimum RPM results from an agreement between a manufacturer and a dealer to set a price below which the dealer cannot resell the manufacturer's product.3 In 2007, the United States Supreme Court, in Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. PSKS, Inc.,4 decided that the per se rule would no longer apply, and that RPM would be subject to the rule of reason.5 In contrast to the per se rule, the rule of reason requires the fact finder to weigh all aspects of the challenged practice to determine if it is "an unreasonable restraint on competition."6 In response to Leegin, the Maryland General Assembly amended the Maryland Antitrust Act7 in 2009, hereinafter referred to as the "Maryland RPM prohibition," to prohibit per se the use of RPM.8 The Maryland RPM prohibition is the first and so far only state legislation "expressly rejecting the application ofLeegin to state law."9Circumstances will likely arise where RPM would be found lawful in every state - except Maryland. Because virtually all courts consult federal antitrust precedent when interpreting state antitrust laws,10 courts will interpret state antitrust laws in accordance with Leegin and adopt the rule of reason as the standard applicable to RPM. Because the burden of proof under the rule of reason for an antitrust plaintiff is very high, uses of RPM analyzed under the rule of reason post-Leegin will likely be upheld in all or almost all cases.11This Note demonstrates that although federal law does not preempt the Maryland RPM prohibition, the Maryland statute regulates commerce occurring wholly outside the state in violation of the dormant Commerce Clause. It begins by examining a hypothetical but nonetheless probable situation in which an internet dealer located outside Maryland sells a product subject to manufacturer-imposed RPM to a Maryland consumer over the Internet. …
Anomalous right coronary artery: Case series and review of literature

Anomalous right coronary arteries (ARCA) are extremely rare in general population. Although mostly asymptomatic and recognized incidentally on cardiac catheterizations, they can be catastrophic and can cause sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac deaths are more common when the anomalous vessel runs an inter-arterial course between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. Asymptomatic patients with malignant course of anomalous coronaries can pose clinical dilemmas. Based on prior experience, management of asymptomatic ARCA with malignant course should be subjected to a risk-benefit analysis. This case series begins with a brief description of four separate cases of ARCA. They had their origin in the left coronary sinus or off left anterior descending artery (LAD). Three of them had anterior course between aorta and pulmonary trunk, confirmed by coronary CT angiography (CTA). Whereas two of our patients presented with chronic symptoms, two presented as acute cases with electrocardiographically proven STEMI. These cases were managed differently; by conservative, surgical or interventional approaches. All four cases had good final outcomes. This goes to show how different treatment options can be employed in management of complications associated with anomalous coronary arteries. It is also interesting to note that the radial access provides better guide support that is needed to tackle complex lesions. Many operators have been using radial approach for anomalous coronary interventions. We have successfully employed radial technique after failed trans-femoral attempts and also in STEMI situations. Based on our experience, right radial approach appears to be safer and quicker.
ZoomQuant: An application for the quantitation of stable isotope labeled peptides

The main goal of comparative proteomics is the quantitation of the differences in abundance of many proteins between two different biological samples in a single experiment. By differentially labeling the peptides from the two samples and combining them in a single analysis, relative ratios of protein abundance can be accurately determined. Protease catalyzed 18O exchange is a simple method to differentially label peptides, but the lack of robust software tools to analyze the data from mass spectra of 18O labeled peptides generated by common ion trap mass spectrometers has been a limitation. ZoomQuant is a stand-alone computational tool that analyzes the mass spectra of 18O labeled peptides from ion trap instruments and determines relative abundance ratios between two samples. Starting with a filtered list of candidate peptides that have been successfully identified by Sequest, ZoomQuant analyzes the isotopic forms of the peptides using high-resolution zoom scan spectrum data. The theoretical isotope distribution is determined from the peptide sequence and is used to deconvolute the peak areas associated with the unlabeled, partially labeled, and fully labeled species. The ratio between the labeled and unlabeled peptides is then calculated using several different methods. ZoomQuant’s graphical user interface allows the user to view and adjust the parameters for peak calling and quantitation and select which peptides should contribute to the overall abundance ratio calculation. Finally, ZoomQuant generates a summary report of the relative abundance of the peptides identified in the two samples.
“Omics” of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

HER2/neu amplification/overexpression is the only somatic mutation widely considered to be a marker of disease outcome and response to treatment in breast cancer. Pathologists have made large efforts to achieve accuracy in characterizing HER2/neu status. The introduction of transtuzumab contributed to development of additional measures to identify sensitive and resistant subclasses of HER2/neu-positive tumors. In this article, we describe the latest advances in HER2/neu status diagnostic assessment and the most relevant research emerging from "Omics" (genomics, epigenetics, transcriptomics, and proteomics) studies on HER2/neu-positive breast cancer. A large quantity of biomarkers from different studies highlighted HER2/neu-positive specific proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis mechanisms, as well as immunological and metabolic behavior. Major driver genes of tumor progression have had a candidate status (GRB7, MYC, CCND1, EGFR, etc.), even though the main role for HER2/neu is largely recognized. Nonetheless, existing omics data and HER2/neu-positive molecular profiles seem to suggest that few proteogenomic alterations in HER2, EGFR, and PI3K networks could significantly affect the effectiveness of transtuzumab. The systematic search of molecular alterations in and across these pathways can help to select the most appropriate drug for a given patient based on in-depth understanding of complexity in tumor biology.
Membrane structure in isolated and intact myelins

The biochemical composition of myelin and the topology of its constituent lipids and proteins are typically studied using membranes that have been isolated from whole, intact tissue using procedures involving hypotonic shock and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. To what extent, however, are the structure and intermembrane interactions of isolated myelin similar to those of intact myelin? We have previously reported that intact and isolated myelins do not always show identical myelin periods, indicating a difference in membrane-membrane interactions. The present study addresses the possibility that this is due to altered membrane structure. Because x-ray scattering from isolated myelin sometimes consists of overlapping Bragg reflections or is continuous, we developed nonlinear least squares procedures for analyzing the total intensity distribution after film scaling, background subtraction, and Lorentz correction. We calculated electron density profiles of isolated myelin for comparison with membrane profiles from intact myelin. The change in the width of the extracellular space and the relative invariance of the cytoplasmic space as a function of pH and ionic strength that we previously found for intact nerve was largely paralleled by isolated myelin. There were two exceptions: isolated CNS myelin was resistant to swelling under all conditions, and isolated PNS myelin in hypotonic saline showed indefinite swelling at the extracellular apposition. However, electron density profiles of isolated myelins, calculated to 30 A resolution, did not show any major change in structure compared with intact myelin that could account for the differences in interactions.