cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The polypeptides of stacked and unstacked Chlamydomonas reinhardi chloroplast membranes and their relation to photosystem II activity

When cells of the ac-5 mutant strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardi are cultured mixotrophically, their chloroplast membranes are unstacked and they lack a group of membrane polypeptides that have been reported to be associated with a membrane fraction enriched for Photosystem II activity. On the other hand, the chloroplast membranes of cells grown phototrophically are stacked and they possess the membrane polypeptides. Since the unstacked membranes possess Photosystem II activity, we suggest that the polypeptides must be present in the chloroplast membrane if stacking is to occur.
Linear Photonic Crystal Microcavities in Zero-Change SOI CMOS

Linear photonic crystal microcavities are demonstrated in 45 nm SOI CMOS with no process changes in foundry. Side-coupled waveguide excitation decouples cavity and coupling design. A loss Q on the order of 100,000 is demonstrated.
Gender, Status, Writing, and the Resolution of Kindergarten Girls' Social Tensions.

Abstract Based on data from a year-long study, this article examines conversations among a group of kindergarten girls who used the school-defined task of writing to maintain social cohesion in their peer social interactions. Because of the genres and form of their writing, they were also able to use the writing to further individual status aspirations, which created tensions within the group. However, the girls developed strategies and rules that allowed them to resolve these tensions and to satisfy both group and individual needs, supporting research that claims girls practice “cooperative competition” in their group interactions.
Auditory Brainstem Response in Infants Recovering From Bacterial Meningitis: Neurologic Assessment

• Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was used to assess possible brainstem damage in 60 patients recovering from bacterial meningitis. Clear evidence of brainstem abnormalities was evident in 10% of the patients tested. Another 15% had ABRs classified as borderline normal. We evaluated various clinial and demographic factors to determine their predictive value with regard to neurologic abnormalities. Brainstem involvement was most likely when meningitis was complicated by seizures, hydrocephalus, nerve palsies (not including the eighth nerve), and a hemoglobin level of less than 11 g/dL, and when pretreatment symptoms persisted for longer than three days. Instances of partial and complete reversibility of brainstem damage were documented, indicating that reorganization of brainstem structures persisted after patients were discharged from the hospital.
High-resolution chemical imaging with scanning ion probe SIMS

Abstract Scanning ion microprobes, in conjunction with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) provide, at high spatial resolution, chemical, isotopic and morphological information about materials. A powerful analytical microscopy technique, scanning probe SIMS offers, in the best cases, 20 nm spatial resolution, with nanometer-scale depth resolution and parts per billion concentration sensitivity. By employing different measurement strategies, either the uppermost monolayer, the top few monolayers, or the bulk of a solid can be studied. It is well known that, because of trade-offs imposed by the finite volume of matter being studied, it is impossible to combine high spatial resolution with ultimate spectrometric sensitivity. In this paper, we briefly review the history of the scanning probe SIMS technique. Then we describe several recent developments in the field: improvements conceived to improve simultaneously spatial resolution and sensitivity. The technique has found applications in many diverse areas, from biology to semiconductors, from cosmochemistry to superconductors. Highlighting these applications, we present results from the study of dynamic processes on the surface of liquids, and the analysis of engineered ceramics and photoemulsion microcrystals.
Dietary choline deficiency causes DNA strand breaks and alters epigenetic marks on DNA and histones

Dietary choline is an important modulator of gene expression (via epigenetic marks) and of DNA integrity. Choline was discovered to be an essential nutrient for some humans approximately one decade ago. This requirement is diminished in young women because estrogen drives endogenous synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, from which choline can be derived. Almost half of women have a single nucleotide polymorphism that abrogates estrogen-induction of endogenous synthesis, and these women require dietary choline just as do men. In the US, dietary intake of choline is marginal. Choline deficiency in people is associated with liver and muscle dysfunction and damage, with apoptosis, and with increased DNA strand breaks. Several mechanisms explain these modifications to DNA. Choline deficiency increases leakage of reactive oxygen species from mitochondria consequent to altered mitochondrial membrane composition and enhanced fatty acid oxidation. Choline deficiency impairs folate metabolism, resulting in decreased thymidylate synthesis and increased uracil misincorporation into DNA, with strand breaks resulting during error-prone repair attempts. Choline deficiency alters DNA methylation, which alters gene expression for critical genes involved in DNA mismatch repair, resulting in increased mutation rates. Any dietary deficiency which increases mutation rates should be associated with increased risk of cancers, and this is the case for choline deficiency. In rodent models, diets low in choline and methyl-groups result in spontaneous hepatocarcinomas. In human epidemiological studies, there are interesting data that suggest that this also may be the case for humans, especially those with SNPs that increase the dietary requirement for choline.
Topological Effects in Electron Transfer: Applications to Dendrimers and Branched Molecules

Dendrimers belong to a class of complex hyperbranched structures through which electron transfer has been observed; in this work, we study the effect of the bridge topology on long-range transfer. Electron-transfer rates for bridge-mediated electron transfer are calculated by solving the steady-state Liouville equation with phenomenological corrections for solvent interaction. While the behavior of linear bridge groups is well-known, branched structures display interesting electron transport properties. Addition of a small side group with nodes equivalent to the bridge nodes increases the steady-state rate, and this effect is amplified by increasing the site−site couplings in the side group. The effect for a single side group is small, but increases with each additional side group producing a noticeable increase in electron transfer rates for structures with several side groups such as dendrimers. Addition of an electron withdrawing side group at the acceptor end of the bridge creates a structure that can...
Beating heart aortic valve replacement using real-time MRI guidance.

ObjectiveThe principal limitations of percutaneous techniques to replace the aortic valve are detailed visualization and durable prostheses. We report the feasibility of using real-time magnetic re...
Effect of okadaic acid on apo B and apo A-I secretion by CaCo-2 cells

Abstract The effect of protein phosphorylation on the synthesis and secretion of apo B and apo A-I by CaCo-2 cells was investigated. Okadaic acid, a potent inhibitor of protein serine/threonine phosphatases 1 and 2A, caused a significant increase in total cellular protein phosphorylation. Apo B-48 was phosphorylated in control cells and this was increased significantly in the presence of okadaic acid. Under the experimental conditions, the phosphorylation of apo B-100 or apo A-I was not observed. No evidence of tyrosine phosphorylation of apo B-100, B-48, or apo A-I was found. Okadaic acid did not change the amount of apo B mass within cells but apo B mass secreted into the basolateral medium was decreased by 40%. Apo A-I mass within cells or in the basolateral medium was unaffected by okadaic acid. Despite causing an 18% decrease in total protein synthesis, okadaic acid did not alter the rate of synthesis of apo B-100, apo B-48, or apo A-I. Cellular turnover of labeled apo B-100 in cells incubated with okadaic acid was similar to controls, whereas apo B-48 and apo A-I turnover were slowed by okadaic acid. Compared to controls, however, 1 μM okadaic acid caused a 75% and 50% decrease in the secretion of newly synthesized apo B-100 and apo B-48, respectively, while decreasing labeled apo A-I secretion by 35%. In contrast to apo A-I mRNA levels, which were not altered by okadaic acid, apo B mRNA levels were significantly decreased by the polyether fatty acid. Despite differences observed in the phosphorylation state of apo B-100 and apo B-48, okadaic acid decreased the secretion of both forms of apo B without altering their synthesis. Okadaic acid, by increasing cellular protein phosphorylation, significantly disrupts the secretory processing of apo B by CaCo-2 cells.
Blockage diagnostics for nuclear power plant pressure transmitter sensing lines

Blockages occur in pressure sensing lines in nuclear power plants due to solidification of boron, sludge, and accumulation of other contaminants. This paper investigates the impact of sensing line blockages on the pressure system transfer function based on an equivalent pi model. For both whole-length and localized blockage scenarios, the first resonant peak tends to shift toward a lower frequency while reducing the peak magnitude. Higher frequency resonant peaks may move to either higher or lower frequencies depending on the blockage type. The lower frequency peaks start to vanish when the impulse line cross-sectional area shrinks. Operational steam pressure noise data from a nuclear power plant are analyzed and are found to compare well to simulation results from the sensing line model. Utilization of the resonant peak frequency and peak interval deviations in the operational data power spectral density is introduced in this paper. This work can be employed to achieve predictive maintenance of sensing lines so that plant operation is not disturbed.
Native Ultrastructure of the Red Cell Cytoskeleton by Cryo-Electron Tomography

Erythrocytes possess a spectrin-based cytoskeleton that provides elasticity and mechanical stability necessary to survive the shear forces within the microvasculature. The architecture of this membrane skeleton and the nature of its intermolecular contacts determine the mechanical properties of the skeleton and confer the characteristic biconcave shape of red cells. We have used cryo-electron tomography to evaluate the three-dimensional topology in intact, unexpanded membrane skeletons from mouse erythrocytes frozen in physiological buffer. The tomograms reveal a complex network of spectrin filaments converging at actin-based nodes and a gradual decrease in both the density and the thickness of the network from the center to the edge of the cell. The average contour length of spectrin filaments connecting junctional complexes is 46 ± 15 nm, indicating that the spectrin heterotetramer in the native membrane skeleton is a fraction of its fully extended length (∼190 nm). Higher-order oligomers of spectrin were prevalent, with hexamers and octamers seen between virtually every junctional complex in the network. Based on comparisons with expanded skeletons, we propose that the oligomeric state of spectrin is in a dynamic equilibrium that facilitates remodeling of the network as the cell changes shape in response to shear stress.
H 2 O storage capacity of MgSiO 3 clinoenstatite at 8–13 GPa, 1,100–1,400°C

We present H2O analyses of MgSiO3 pyroxene crystals quenched from hydrous conditions in the presence of olivine or wadsleyite at 8–13.4 GPa and 1,100–1,400°C. Raman spectroscopy shows that all pyroxenes have low clinoenstatite structure, which we infer to indicate that the crystals were high clinoenstatite (C2/c) during conditions of synthesis. H2O analyses were performed by secondary ion mass spectrometry and confirmed by unpolarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on randomly oriented crystals. Measured H2O concentrations increase with pressure and range from 0.08 wt.% H2O at 8 GPa and 1,300°C up to 0.67 wt.% at 13.4 GPa and 1,300°C. At fixed pressure, H2O storage capacity diminishes with increasing temperature and the magnitude of this effect increases with pressure. This trend, which we attribute to diminishing activity of H2O in coexisting fluids as the proportion of dissolved silicate increases, is opposite to that observed previously at low pressure. We observe clinoenstatite 1.4 GPa below the pressure stability of clinoenstatite under nominally dry conditions. This stabilization of clinoenstatite relative to orthoenstatite under hydrous conditions is likely owing to preferential substitution of H2O into the high clinoenstatite polymorph. At 8–11 GPa and 1,200–1,400°C, observed H2O partitioning between olivine and clinoenstatite gives values of D ol/CEn between 0.65 and 0.87. At 13 GPa and 1,300°C, partitioning between wadsleyite and clinoenstatite, D wd/CEn, gives a value of 2.8 ± 0.4.
The manufacturing process cycle and the industrialization of the United States-Mexico borderlands

This article introduces the concept of the manufacturing process cycle and provides a general analysis of the developmental dynamics of industrialization, comparing U.S. industrial heartland regions with the United States-Mexico border area. The manufacturing process cycle focuses on corporate organizational behavior as a major factor influencing industry shifts and relocations. It assumes that the strategic priorities of corporate decision-making will vary according to the temporal stage of development of each industry's production process. Seven indexes and selected 3- and 4-digit industry data from U.S. regions and border states (1947–1977) and from Mexico's Border Industrialization Program (1974–1981) are analyzed to provide indications of temporal changes and phases of process development in selected border industries. The analysis concludes that, within general parameters, the performances of the majority of the various industries surveyed conform to the assumptions of the manufacturing process cycle.
The ciliary rootlet interacts with kinesin light chains and may provide a scaffold for kinesin-1 vesicular cargos

The ciliary rootlet is a large striated fibrous network originating from basal bodies in ciliated cells. To explore its postulated role in intracellular transport, we investigated the interaction between kinesin light chains (KLCs) and rootletin, the structural component of ciliary rootlets. We show here that KLCs directly interact with rootletin and are located along ciliary rootlets. Their interactions are mediated by the heptad repeats of KLCs. Further studies found that these interactions tethered kinesin heavy chains along ciliary rootlets. However, the ciliary rootlet-bound kinesin-1 did not recruit microtubules or move along ciliary rootlets. Additionally, amyloid precursor protein (APP; a kinesin-1 vesicular cargo receptor) and presenilin 1 (a presumed cargo of APP/kinesin-1) were found to be enriched along the rootletin fibers, suggesting that the interaction between ciliary rootlets and kinesin-1 recruits APP and presenilin 1 along ciliary rootlets. These findings indicate that ciliary rootlets may provide a scaffold for kinesin-1 vesicular cargos and, thus, play a role in the intracellular transport in ciliated cells.
Oral administration of a decaffeinated green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract did not alter urinary 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α, a biomarker for in-vivo lipid peroxidation

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of numerous chronic human diseases. The objective of this study was to determine whether administration of a decaffeinated green tea extract providing 844 mg flavonoids daily reduced the urinary excretion of 8-epi-prostaglandin F(2 alpha) (8-epi-PGF(2 alpha)), a product of lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes and of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Nine healthy male and female subjects were studied at baseline and after 14 days of green tea supplementation. Analysis of urinary 8-epi-PGF(2 alpha) was performed using immunoaffinity extraction-gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (GC-NICI-MS). Urinary 8-epi-PGF(2 alpha) concentrations were 0.286+/-0.120 nmol (mmol creatinine)(-1) at baseline and 0.244+/-0.177 nmol mmol(-1) creatinine after green tea supplementation. There were no significant differences in the excretion of urinary 8-epi-PGF(2 alpha) after treatment with green tea. We conclude that 14 days of green tea supplementation did not significantly alter in-vivo lipid peroxidation.
A composite medium approximation for unsaturated flow in layered sediments.

Abstract Saturated–unsaturated flow in strictly layered sediments proceeds via conductors in parallel in the direction parallel to bedding, and via resistors in series in the direction perpendicular to bedding. On sufficiently small scales of space and time, flow in such media will be subject to approximate capillary equilibrium locally, which provides a basis for approximating the effective hydraulic conductivity of a composite multi-layer medium in terms of the conductivities of the individual layers. Equations for the hydraulic conductivity tensor in “composite medium approximation” (COMA) are given in a coordinate system aligned with bedding. Hydraulic conductivity parallel to bedding is generally larger than in the perpendicular direction. The anisotropy depends on the spread of the conductivity distribution, and tends to increase for dryer conditions. The COMA model was implemented in a multi-phase flow simulator and tested by comparison with high-resolution simulations in which all layering heterogeneity is resolved explicitly. Under favorable conditions, COMA is found to accurately represent sub-grid scale flow and transport processes, providing a practical method for simulating field-scale flow and transport in layered media. The approximation improves when layers are thinner, and when flow rates are smaller.
Understanding online groups through social media

Multiple fields including sociology, anthropology, and business are interested in understanding group behavior. Applying data mining techniques to social media can help provide insights into group behavior and divulge a group's characteristics by identifying a group, developing a profile for a group, revealing the sentiment of a group, and detailing a group's composition. The ability to accomplish these tasks has practical business and scientific applications such as understanding customers better and providing new insights into influence propagation, as well as the ability to accurately categorize groups over time. This paper highlights some ongoing research efforts aiming at understanding groups through social media. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2011 1 330–338 DOI: 10.1002/widm.37
The reality of the higher taxonomic categories

Summary A higher category is the result of a population's breaking-throuh into a new adaptive zone (attaining a new grade), and the subsequent adaptive radiation tiere. The taxonomic level of the new group is determined by the amount (quantitative and ualitative) of radiation that occurs; and tgis amount in turn is determined by the number of open sub-zones in the new zone and by the genetic plasticity of the new population. The more the new adaptive zone differs from the old one, the less likely a new population can survive in it. Should such survival occur, however, adaptations of the new population to the new zone will appear quickly. The new population will rapidly become quite different from the old one, minimizing the likelihood of finding intermediate forms, i. e., “missing links.” In addition, the intermediate population – the early entrants into the new zone – will be less well adapted to it than their descendents, and will become extinct. The combination of rapid extinction and an ephemeral transitional population explains the apparent gaps between higher-category taxa. These ideas do not help in solving such dilemmas of taxonomists as equivalence of taxa in different groups, and the taxonomic level at which to place a given group of species. But a higher taxonomic category itself is the result of a very real biological phenomenon, and that fact must influence systematicists.
Testable Design for Adaptive Linear Equalizer in High-Speed Serial Links

This paper describes a novel DfT solution to the adaptive linear equalizer in the receiver of a high-speed serial link. We first summarize various equalization architectures, adaptive algorithms, circuit implementations, and their variations to which the proposed solution can be applied. The solution addresses the observability problem of the equalizer and results in a testable design that can be easily characterized and cost-effectively tested in the production line. To validate the proposed method, we conducted experiments for examples with various injected faults, for which the conventional approach of examining the eye opening at the output of the equalizer results in poor fault coverage. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method has a significantly higher coverage for those hard-to-detect faults.
Could the number of CT angiograms be reduced in emergency department patients suspected of pulmonary embolism

RESULTS: A total of 778 patients (560 females) with mean age of 50 years (range 18-98 years) were enrolled (98.3% underwent chest CTA and 1.7% underwent V/Q scan). A total of 69 patients had PE, rendering an overall prevalence of 8.9% (95%CI, 7.1% to 11.1%) for PE. We calculated that 132 CTA's per year could be avoided in our institution, without compromising safe exclusions of PE (keeping post-test probability of PE below 2%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in our patient populations and /or study designs, the prevalence of PE in our institution is about average compared to other institutions. Our proposed model for calculating redundant chest CTA is simple and can be used by institutions to identify overuse of CTA.
Stigmatized Spaces: Gender and Mobility under crisis in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

The economic downturn in Indonesia (1997‐99) has changed the context of gendered spatial mobility in South Sulawesi. For low-income migrants in the region, the monetary crisis has not only reorganized the labor market, but it has also brought about an intensification of the stigma placed on young women's independent residence in an export processing zone. Household surveys and in-depth interviews with migrants and members of their origin and destination site neighborhoods, both before and during the economic retrenchment, illustrate that ideas about women's sexual morality are a key part of the context within which migration decisions are gendered. The article situates survey and interview findings within an overview of Indonesia's recent development history, economic crisis, and official state gender ideology. The article argues that migrants and their communities have identified the ‘prostitute’ as a female-gendered metaphor for the crisis, and finds that post-1997 narratives of women's mobility increas...
Performance prediction and tuning on a multiprocessor

This paper presents a methodology for modeling the behavior of a given class of applications executing in real workloads on a particular machine. The methodology is illustrated by modeling the execution of computationally bound, parallel applications running in real workloads on an Alliant FX/80. me model is constructed from real measured data obtained during normal machine operation and is capable of capturing intricate multiple job interactions, such as contention for shared resources. The model is a finitestate, discrete-time Markov model with rewards and costs associated with each state. The model is capable of predicting the distribution of completion times in real workloads for a given application. The predictions are useful in gauging how quickly an application will execute, or in predicting the performance impact of a system change. The model constructed in this study is validated with three separate sets of empirical data. In one validation, the model successfully predicts the effects of operating the machine with one less processor.
Temporal analysis of capillary jet breakup

The temporal instability of a cylindrical capillary jet is analysed numerically for different liquid Reynolds numbers Re, disturbance wavenumbers k, and amplitudes e 0 . The breakup mechanism of viscous liquid jets and the formation of satellite drops are described. The results show that the satellite size decreases with decreasing Re, and increasing k and e 0 . Marginal Reynolds numbers below which no satellite drops are formed are obtained for a large range of wavenumbers. The growth rates of the disturbances are calculated and compared with those from the linear theory. These results match for low-Re jets, however as Re is increased the results from the linear theory slightly overpredict those from the nonlinear analysis. (At the wavenumber of k=0.9, the linear theory underpredicts the nonlinear results.) The breakup time is shown to decrease exponentially with increasing the amplitude of the disturbance. The cut-off wavenumber is shown to be strongly dependent on the amplitude of the initial disturbance for amplitudes larger than approximately 1/3 of the initial jet radius. The stable oscillations of liquid jets are also investigated. The results indicate that liquid jets with Re ∼O(1) do not oscillate, and the disturbances are overdamped. However, liquid jets with higher Re oscillate with a period which depends on Re and e 0 . The period of the oscillation decreases with increasing Re at small e 0 ; however, it increases with increasing Re at large e 0 . Marginal Reynolds numbers below which the disturbances are overdamped are obtained for a wide range of wavenumbers and e 0 =0.05
Neomycin is an agonist at a polyamine site on the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor.

: Neomycin appears as a full agonist and spermidine as a partial agonist at the site where polyamines enhance 1-[1-(2-thienyl)cyclohexyl][3H]piperidine ([3H]TCP) binding on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Other aminoglycosides also enhance [3H]TCP binding with efficacies roughly proportional to the number of primary amine groups. The polyamine antagonists ifenprodil and arcaine inhibit enhancement of [3H]TCP binding by spermidine or neomycin. The inhibition of [3H]TCP binding by arcaine is apparently competitively reduced by neomycin and spermidine, supporting a common site. Diethylenetriamine (previously described as a polyamine antagonist) may be a partial agonist. Enhancement by neomycin or spermidine is not additive to that of Mg2+, consistent with competition of Mg2+ and spermidine or neomycin at the site where these compounds enhance [3H]TCP binding. Polyamines also enhance the binding of the competitive antagonist 2 - (2 - carboxypiperazin - 4 - yl)[3H]propyl - 1 - phosphonic acid ([3H]CPP). Neomycin, which does not enhance [3H]CPP binding, inhibits the enhancement by spermidine. That this site is distinct from the site where spermidine and neomycin increase [3H]TCP binding is supported by different pharmacology. Arcaine and diethylenetriamine do not inhibit spermidine enhancement of [3H]CPP binding. Mg2+ also does not compete with the spermidine enhancement of [3H]CPP binding. Ifenprodil inhibits the spermidine enhancement of [3H]CPP binding. The data suggest two or more polyamine sites, with arcaine selective for the site that enhances [3H]TCP binding. Neomycin is an agonist at one polyamine site and an antagonist to the second.
End-of-life Care Planning and Fragility Fractures of the Hip: Are We Missing a Valuable Opportunity?

Background Approximately 20% of all geriatric patients who sustain low-energy hip fractures will die within 1 year of the injury, and approximately 3% will die during the initial inpatient hospital stay. Accordingly, the event of a geriatric hip fracture might be an apt prompt for discussing end-of-life care: in light of the risk of death after this injury, the topic of mortality certainly is germane. However, it is not clear to what degree physicians and patients engage in end-of-life planning even when faced with a hospital admission for this potentially life-threatening condition.
The Impact of Modifying the Exclusion of Employee Contributions for Retirement Savings Plans from Taxable Income: Results from the 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey

In recent years proposals have surfaced to reform the 401(k) system based on the assumption that higher-income individuals receive more tax-related benefits from these programs than do individuals in lower marginal tax brackets (as well as those who may pay no federal income taxes in a particular year). Some of these proposals have included modifications of the current federal income taxation treatment that excludes some or all of the contributions employees make to tax-qualified defined contribution plans. This paper provides some stylized examples of how the total tax advantage of some defined contribution plans varies by marginal tax rate and contrasts these values with the potential reduction in defined contribution balances if contributions were no longer “deductible.” This is followed by an analysis of two new questions from the 21st wave of the Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) showing how workers would likely react if they were no longer allowed to deduct retirement savings plan contributions from taxable income. Results from EBRI modeling from the 2011 RCS find that these proposals may have unintended consequences. Instead of reducing the contribution levels of those with larger taxable incomes (and hence higher marginal tax rates), the RCS results suggest that the categories of full-time workers most likely to reduce (in some cases completely) their contributions are those with the lowest household income; the lowest current amounts in savings and investments (not including the value of their primary residence or the value of defined benefit plans); the lowest educational levels; those who are single, never married or not married, or living with a partner; and those who work for small private organizations. The PDF for the above title, published in the March 2011 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another March 2011 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Employer and Worker Contributions to Account-Based Health Plans, 2006-2010.”
Designing and using games to teach ethics and ethical thinking

Instead of focusing only on how games can teach specific values, we may also want to think about how they could teach skills associated with ethical thinking. There are a number of frameworks and case studies that suggest the potential of ethics practice through games, but few of them have been empirically tested or assessed. Some best practices include making consequences and feedback on choices clear, allowing more time for players to form relationships with characters in the game, and using authentic scenarios and contexts. These should be further tested.
Georeferencing of mobile ground-based hyperspectral digital single-lens reflex imagery

The georeferencing accuracy of a ground-based mobile mapping system designated for agricultural applications is tested. The system integrates a hyperspectral sensor, digital camera, global navigation satellite system receivers, and an inertial navigation system. Acquired imagery was synchronized with GPS time using custom hardware and software solutions developed in-house. The imaging platform was mounted on a forklift and used to conduct three imaging missions along a paved road segment and agricultural beds. Sixteen ground control points were established in each site and used to calibrate the system and test the positional accuracy. The control point coordinates were determined using GNSS and total station observations independent from the imaging data. The navigation data were postprocessed to extract sensor positions and attitude along the imaging trajectories. The pushbroom hyperspectral images were georeferenced using ReSe Parge software, while the digital camera images were analyzed using Agisoft PhotoScan software. Control point coordinates extracted from the georeferenced imagery were compared to corresponding ground-surveyed coordinates. The maximum root mean square errors obtained for the hyperspectral images in all experiments were 2.4 and 3.1 cm in the easting and northing directions, respectively. These results were achieved using only two control points at both ends of the scan line to estimate the boresight offsets. The RMSE values of the orthorectified image constructed using the digital camera images and two control points at each end of the agricultural site were 1.6 and 2.6 cm in the easting and northing directions.
Pricing the Product Line during Periods of Scarcity

This paper discusses the inadequacy of the gross margin criterion for pricing a product line during times of resource scarcity. A decision criterion called the contribution-per-resource unit is dev...
Computers: Developing Web-Based Instruction for the Clinical Laboratory

The Internet, especially the World Wide Web (the Web), is becoming an increasingly powerful tool for providing information. As the role ofthe medical technologist changes and increased cross-training of personnel continues, a cost-effective method of delivering instruction to increased numbers of professionals is needed. The ease with which Web-based instructional modules can be developed facilitates offering continuing education and refresher courses to laboratory professionals. In addition, the potential use ofthe Web and Web-based instruction to assess the competency of laboratory personnel is being explored. This article reviews issues and offers examples related to the design, development, and implementation of Web-based instruction and competency assessment.
The Tourist Spot as a Textile Made from Its Image

Many of us are travelling more than ever before. Tourism is becoming an increasingly prominent feature of contemporary life, and is deeply related to many aspects of modern society. In particular, most tourist spots are constructed after their image, which are constantly reproduced through media such as brochures, magazines, television, and movies. This paper studies the relationship between tourism and image in Nara, one of the most famous Japanese tourist spots. By doing so, I will show that tourism cannot be analyzed without considering the power of image, and that the media play an essential role in reproducing the image of tourist spots. This is a very important theme in the sociology of tourism, which Daniel J. Boorstin's works are well known for. According to Boorstin, tourists do no more than see media-created images. He argues that tourists' experiences are only the “pseudo-events” that media create, and therefore these experiences are contrived and superficial in nature. Tourists, however, do not simply accept media-created images passively. Going beyond the scope of Boorstin's analysis, I will also argue that tourists use “bricolage”, and subjectively “read” tourist spots as textiles made from their image. This “reading” is considered equivalent to the “negotiated reading” that Stuart Hall discusses in his cultural studies. In conclusion, I will suggest that tourists transform the structure of the media-created images, despite being strongly influenced by the media that reproduces the image of tourist spots. Thus, they are able to escape from the web of media power that makes the image look natural. In this way, this paper is an attempt to demonstrate the “bricolage” practices of tourists and provide new insight into theories on the relationship between tourism and image.
Putting pressure on Paschen's Law

In the past few years the major concentration of research on electric breakdown is gases has been on identification of the basic processes of ionization in the electric field leading to the spark-over. Townsend1 presented the model initially in 1900 and introduced several coefficients, characteristic of the ionization potential and the many secondary processes that contribute to ionization of the gas between electrodes. A review of the fundamental considerations of breakdown was given by Berg at the previous EI Conference.2 This paper is intended to delve less into the mathematical derivations of the breakdown phenomena and limit discussion to the considerations of Paschen's Law as observed experimentally at pressure well above the minimum.
Thermally Stable Nanocatalyst for High Temperature Reactions: Pt-Mesoporous Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticles

Thermally Stable Pt-Mesoporous Silica Core-Shell Nanocatalysts for High Temperature Reactions Sang Hoon Joo, Jeong Young Park, Chia-Kuang Tsung, Yusuke Yamada, Peidong Yang and Gabor A. Somorjai* Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, and Chemical Sciences and Materials Sciences Divisions, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. * e-mail: somorjai@berkeley.edu Recent advances in colloidal synthesis enabled the precise control of size, shape and composition of catalytic metal nanoparticles, allowing their use as model catalysts for systematic investigations of the atomic-scale properties affecting catalytic activity and selectivity. The organic capping agents stabilizing colloidal nanoparticles, however, often limit their application in high-temperature catalytic reactions. Here we report the design of a high-temperature stable model catalytic system that consists of Pt metal core coated with a mesoporous silica shell (Pt@mSiO 2 ). While inorganic silica shells encaged the Pt cores up to 750 o C in air, the mesopores directly accessible to Pt cores made the Pt@mSiO 2 nanoparticles as catalytically active as bare Pt metal for ethylene hydrogenation and CO oxidation. The high thermal stability of Pt@mSiO 2 nanoparticles permitted high-temperature CO oxidation studies, including ignition behavior, which was not possible for bare
A Multilevel Analysis of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Transactional Sex with Casual Partners Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men Living in Metro Detroit

The role of structural factors when evaluating the vulnerability of human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) risks among young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men is an important area of focus for HIV prevention. Using cross-sectional data from young men living in Metro Detroit (N = 319; aged 18-29 years; 50% black, 25% white, 15% Latino, 9% other race/ethnicity; 9% HIV-positive), we examined whether transactional sex with casual partners was associated with neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage and individual-level factors (race/ethnicity and sexual identity, socioeconomic status, HIV/STI diagnoses, and substance use). Youth living in greater socioeconomic disadvantage reported more transactional sex (b = 0.11; SE = 0.04; p ≤ 0.01). This relationship was mitigated once individual-level correlates were entered into the model. Multilevel efforts to counteract socioeconomic deficits through community and individual level strategies may alleviate youth's exposure to transactional sex and reduce their vulnerability to HIV/STI risks.
Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation in a Weak Ligand Field: Leveraging Open-Shell First-Row Transition-Metal Catalysts

Unique features of earth-abundant transition-metal catalysts are reviewed in the context of catalytic carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions. Aryl-substituted bis(imino)pyridine iron and cobalt dihalide compounds, when activated with alkyl aluminum reagents, form highly active catalysts for the polymerization of ethylene. Open-shell iron and cobalt alkyl complexes have been synthesized that serve as single-component olefin polymerization catalysts. Reduced bis(imino)pyridine iron and cobalt dinitrogen compounds have also been discovered that promote the unique [2+2] cycloaddition of unactivated terminal alkenes. Studies of the electronic structure support open-shell intermediates, a deviation from traditional strong-field organometallic compounds that promote catalytic C−C bond formation.
Continental igneous rock composition: A major control of past global chemical weathering

The composition of igneous rocks in the continental crust has changed throughout Earth’s history. However, the impact of these compositional variations on chemical weathering, and by extension on seawater and atmosphere evolution, is largely unknown. We use the strontium isotope ratio in seawater [( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) seawater ] as a proxy for chemical weathering, and we test the sensitivity of ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) seawater variations to the strontium isotopic composition ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) in igneous rocks generated through time. We demonstrate that the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio in igneous rocks is correlated to the epsilon hafnium (eHf) of their hosted zircon grains, and we use the detrital zircon record to reconstruct the evolution of the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratio in zircon-bearing igneous rocks. The reconstructed 87 Sr/ 86 Sr variations in igneous rocks are strongly correlated with the ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) seawater variations over the last 1000 million years, suggesting a direct control of the isotopic composition of silicic magmatism on ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) seawater variations. The correlation decreases during several time periods, likely reflecting changes in the chemical weathering rate associated with paleogeographic, climatic, or tectonic events. We argue that for most of the last 1000 million years, the ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) seawater variations are responding to changes in the isotopic composition of silicic magmatism rather than to changes in the global chemical weathering rate. We conclude that the ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) seawater variations are of limited utility to reconstruct changes in the global chemical weathering rate in deep times.
The global existence of Yang-Mills-Higgs fields in $4$-dimensional Minkowski space. II. Completion of proof

In this paper we complete the proof of global existence of Yang-Mills-Higgs fields in 4-dimensional Minkowski space by showing that an appropriate norm of the solutions cannot blow up in a finite time. A key step in the proof is the demonstration that theL∞ norm of the curvature is boundeda priori. Our results apply to any compact guage group and to any invariant Higgs self-coupling which is positive and of no higher than quartic degree.
Nanoapertures for 60 nm Resolution of Membrane Organization and Dynamics

Dynamic nanoscale domains in the plasma membrane may be responsible for a variety of cellular signaling processes via membrane receptor clustering and lipid phase partitioning. However, current experimental approaches are limited in spatial and/or temporal resolution to address many membrane domain hypotheses. We have developed a new approach utilizing an array of nanoapertures to examine membrane organization and dynamics with near-field optical fluorescence microscopy without incorporating a scanning probe or disturbing the membrane. These nanoapertures are glass-filled, cylindrical pores (> 50 nm diameter) in a thin aluminum film on a fused silica support, and they provide a planar surface for unperturbed cell adherence and growth. A nanoaperture confines the transmitted excitation light to a sub-diffraction limited spot directly above aperture, providing a 40-fold decrease in the illuminated area as compared to diffraction-limited illumination of the plasma membrane. Otherwise conventional microscopy excitation sources and fluorescent probes are used to enable fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) with 60 nm and 1 μs resolution. Further, these apertures provide two key benefits for FCS in addition to improved resolution: ensured alignment of numerous illumination spots for cross-correlations and ensured focusing of illumination on the cellular membrane as opposed to focusing within the cytoplasm. Chromatic aberrations and slight laser misalignment that may complicate far-field, two-color FCS are less of concern with nanoapertures because the illumination profile is determined by the aperture directly. This technique has been applied to both model and living cell membranes to examine the diffusion of lipids and proteins in nanoscale dimensions. In particular, we will present results demonstrating the effectiveness of this technique to observe diffusion and interactions of membrane proteins and lipids that change in response to cross-linking-mediated activation of a selected component with consequent changes in the membrane environment.
Interfaces in Public and Semi-public Space

In the late 1980s, a Berlin based group of designers and artists from Berlin’s University of Arts teamed up with hackers and programmers coming from the ChaosComputerClub environment. Together, they founded ART+COM. Up to that time, everyone from this group had used computers only as a tool. At the same time, all of them knew that this technology was on the verge of turning from a tool to a (mass)medium used not only to process and edit information but also to spread and to convey it. The quality most important to this new medium was and still is its potential for interaction (generating a mutual dialog between the users and the application) that distinguishes it from the classic mass media like print, radio, TV and the traditional fine arts like painting and sculpture.
Practices, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Palliative Care Physicians Regarding the Use of Methadone and Other Long-Acting Opioids in Children with Advanced Cancer.

Abstract Background: Palliative care physicians often assist with pain management in children with cancer, but little is known about how they use long-acting opioids for chronic pain with these pat...
Simultaneous Emission of Multiple Electrons from Atoms and Molecules Using Synchrotron Radiation

Abstract The removal of two (or more) electrons by a single photon from an atom or molecule is a fundamentally important process as it is a direct probe of electron correlation. Synchrotron radiation provides photons over a wide range of energies from infrared to X-rays to photoexcite or -ionize gaseous samples. With the help of a monochromator the energy of the photons can be tuned to study the photon-energy dependence of the double-photoionization process in which two electrons are emitted by a single photon. In this chapter, I will discuss the photon-energy dependence of the double-photoionization cross sections and the associated double-to-single photoionization ratios for some atoms from threshold to high photon energies. I will also present recent experimental results on the triple-photoionization process, particularly for the text book example of lithium. Furthermore, recent results on multiple ionization by a single photon for selected molecules will be presented. In contrast to atoms, not only ionization but also fragmentation plays an important role in the double-photoionization experiments.
CONSTITUTIVE BEHAVIOR OF EPON 828/T-403 AT VARIOUS STRAIN RATES

The uniaxial compressive mechanical response of an epoxy, Epon 828/T-403, was experimentally, measured over a strain-rate range of 1.1 × 10-4 to 5.2 × 103 s-1. A modified split Hopkinson pressure bar was employed to apply dynamic compressive loading over a very short time of ∼ 0.2 millisecond, whereas an MTS was used to conduct quasi-static experiments at a duration of 0.2 to 2,000 seconds to determine strain-rate sensitivity. The experimental results show that the compressive strength of the epoxy increases with increasing strain rate until adiabatic heating offsets the strain-rate hardening. A constitutive model based on the Johnson–Cook model was constructed to describe the stress-strain behavior of the epoxy at the strain rates tested. A Ludwig equation was modified to model the stress-strain behavior at a reference strain rate, which included elastic deformation, a yield-like peak, and a strain-softening region. A hyperbolic tangent function provided a good description of the strain-rate effect. The material constants in this proposed model were determined using the experimental results.