cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Membranes of block copolymer-poly(divinylbenzene) blends for the pervaporation of alcohol/water mixtures

Abstract Two hydrophobic ABA three block thermoplastic elastomers, namely styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS) and styrene/ethylene—butylene/styrene (SEBS), have been employed to prepare membranes by their casting from toluene solutions. While they were expected to be permselective to alcohols from water—alcohol mixtures, they did not display the expected permselectivity. Their modification, by the inclusion of divinylbenzene (DVB) into the casting solutions followed by polymerization, generated increased alcohol permselectivity and permeation rate. There exists an optimum proportion of DVB for which the separation factor and the permeation rate became maximal. The permeation rate became higher with increasing operating temperature, whereas the separation factor decreased moderately. As expected, the pervaporation performance for alcohols from water—alcohol mixtures increases with an increase in the hydrophobicity of the alcohol.
Estimating relative luminosity for RHIC spin physics

Abstract Relative luminosities for different beam spin states must be determined to better than 10−4–10−3 in order to measure spin asymmetries to the desired accuracy at RHIC. It is demonstrated that biases due to high rates in luminosity monitors can be kept acceptably small for anticipated RHIC operating conditions. Additionally, the distribution of the estimates is shown to be approximately Gaussian (normal) with known mean and standard error, permitting the construction of confidence intervals for the true spin asymmetry.
Simultaneous tuberculosis and coccidioidomycosis in end stage renal disease

During a ten year period, tuberculosis and coccidioidomycosis occurred in less than one and three percent respectively of 380 patients who had received dialysis and renal transplants in Southern Arizona. In two patients, who were immunosuppressed by diabetes, renal failure, and inanition, these infections were concurrent and diagnosis was delayed. Because the occurrence of both illnesses in two patients is unlikely by chance alone and because both infections were present when symptoms developed, potentiation of one infection by the other may have occurred.
Bond making and bond breaking in molecular dynamics

The theoretical concept of a potential energy surface, so important for the accepted pictures of molecular structure and bonding, plays a key role in most current methods of molecular reaction dynamics. However, the lack of quality potential energy surfaces for anything but the smallest of systems and the great expense and difficulty in producing several surfaces and their nonadiabatic coupling terms with sufficient accuracy is becoming a hindrance to accurate reaction dynamics. The electron nuclear dynamics (END) theory provides a new way to address this problem by circumventing the use of potential energy surfaces while accounting fully for nonadiabatic couplings. Preliminary results for the prototypical low-energy reactive collision between the hydrogen molecular ion and the hydrogen molecule are given for both electron transfer and chemical exchange. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Dicer-microRNA pathway is critical for peripheral nerve regeneration and functional recovery in vivo and regenerative axonogenesis in vitro

Both central and peripheral axons contain pivotal microRNA (miRNA) proteins. While recent observations demonstrated that miRNA biosynthetic machinery responds to peripheral nerve lesion in an injury-regulated pattern, the physiological significance of this phenomenon remains to be elucidated. In the current paper we hypothesized that deletion of Dicer would disrupt production of Dicer-dependent miRNAs and would negatively impact regenerative axon growth. Taking advantage of tamoxifen-inducible CAG-CreERt:Dicer(fl/fl) knockout (Dicer KO), we investigated the results of Dicer deletion on sciatic nerve regeneration in vivo and regenerative axon growth in vitro. Here we show that the sciatic functional index, an indicator of functional recovery, was significantly lower in Dicer KO mice in comparison to wild-type animals. Restoration of mechanical sensitivity recorded in the von Frey test was also markedly impaired in Dicer mutants. Further, Dicer deletion impeded the recovery of nerve conduction velocity and amplitude of evoked compound action potentials in vitro. Histologically, both total number of regenerating nerve fibers and mean axonal area were notably smaller in the Dicer KO mice. In addition, Dicer-deficient neurons failed to regenerate axons in dissociated dorsal root ganglia (DRG) cultures. Taken together, our results demonstrate that knockout of Dicer clearly impedes regenerative axon growth as well as anatomical, physiological and functional recovery. Our data suggest that the intact Dicer-dependent miRNA pathway is critical for the successful peripheral nerve regeneration after injury.
Charitable Giving by Married Couples Revisited

Abstract:This paper investigates the effect of gender differences and household bargaining on charitable giving. I replicate the study of Andreoni, Brown, and Rischall (2003) using a different data set—the recently available Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) supplement on charitable giving—and test the sensitivity of their results to inclusion of additional control variables and the endogeneity of the tax price of giving. First, focusing on singles, I find that males and females have significantly different tendencies toward giving to different areas of charitable activity. Next, comparing households in which husband and wife make a joint decision on donations with those in which couples separately decide or assign a sole decisionmaker, I show that bargaining over giving increases the amount of charitable contributions by almost 7 percent.
Tripelennamine and pentazocine alone and in combination: Effects on interresponse-time-greater-than-t responding of rats

The effects of tripelennamine (3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 mg/kg) and pentazocine (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg/kg), given alone and in selected combinations, were determined in rats performing under an interresponse-time-greater-than-15-sec schedule of food delivery. Each drug alone produced statistically insignificant increases in response rates and statistically significant decreases in reinforcement rates. Combinations produced effects identical in direction to, and significantly greater than, those predicted by a simple additive model.
Hydrogen production at hydro-power plants

Abstract Hydroelectric power has the advantage of being a clean resource that is perpetually renewable. Alternative sources of energy such as thermal plants are becoming less attractive because of public opposition, spiraling costs, and excessive delays. Many utilities have actively explored the possibilities of increasing output at existing hydroplants by replacing or supplementing existing generating units. But hydroelectric plants are still utilizing only a portion of the river's hydraulic energy due to hydrologic and economic restraints. One possibility for increasing the efficiency of hydropower plants is the conversion of water to hydrogen through electrolysis by using the excess energy or wasted energy not yet utilized, and then conversion of hydrogen to electricity via a gas turbine or fuel cells. The electricity produced in the off-peak or no-demand time, or at the time of huge river flows in the spring can be stored in the form of hydrogen, and later, when the peak energy is needed, the hydrogen converted to electricity. One of the advantages of the proposed system is that the resource for production of hydrogen (the water) is available directly at the site. It appears that the conversion of electricity at hydro-power plants to hydrogen, and its utilization via a gas turbine, is technically and economically feasible. It is desirable to locate the electrolyzer near the hydro-plant if hydrogen is used only to generate electricity. The concept described in this paper would improve the economy of the project and generate additional revenues to the owner.
Paradoxical pulmonary vasoconstriction induced by nitroglycerin in idiopathic pulmonary hypertension

Administration of intravenous nitroglycerin in a patient with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension resulted in an increase in pulmonary artery pressure associated with a decrease in blood flow that is best explained by an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. This observation highlights the need for hemodynamic monitoring when potent vasodilators are used in this disorder.
The role of lipopolysaccharide in T-cell responses following DNA vaccination

Abstract Bacterial products, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), are potential impurities in plasmid DNA vaccines. LPS has immunostimulatory properties even at exceedingly low concentrations through activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The potency of T-cell responses after vaccination was tested with DNA containing high LPS or depleted of LPS in TLR4-competent and TLR4-deficient mice. CD8 + T-cell responses were readily induced in TLR4-deficient mice immunized with DNA depleted of LPS. LPS in DNA vaccines is not required for CD8 + T-cell responses.
Diagnosis and management of afferent limb syndrome in patients with ileal pouch‐anal anastomosis

Background: Distal small bowel obstruction following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) can occur secondary to acute angulation or prolapse of the afferent limb at the pouch inlet, namely, afferent limb syndrome (ALS). The aim of this study is to report our experience in diagnosis and management of ALS in patients with IPAA. Methods: All patients with ALS after IPAA were identified from prospectively maintained databases. Demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and radiographic features together with its management and outcome were studied. Results: Eighteen patients (12 female) were included. The mean age was 35.6 ± 14.3 years. Most patients presented with intermittent obstructive symptoms. Fifteen patients were diagnosed by pouch endoscopy with features of angulation of the pouch inlet and difficulty in intubating the afferent limb; 12 patients had kinking or narrowing of the pouch inlet identified with abdominal imaging. The median follow-up was 1.3 (range, 0.14–16.1) years. Nine patients underwent empiric balloon dilatation of the afferent limb/pouch inlet. Of nine, four needed repeat dilatations. One patient with repeat dilatation ultimately had pouch excision; another has been scheduled for surgery after failed repeat dilatations. Eight patients underwent surgery, resection of angulated bowel (n = 3), pouchopexy (n = 2), pouch mobilization with small bowel fixation (n = 1), and pouch excision (n = 2). One patient without symptoms did not receive any therapy despite the finding of ALS on pouchoscopy. Conclusions: ALS was characterized by clinical presentation of partial small bowel obstruction, which can be diagnosed by careful pouchoscopy and/or abdominal imaging. Endoscopic or surgical intervention is often needed and surgical therapy appears to be more definitive. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;)
Snoring in Preschoolers: Associations with Sleepiness, Ethnicity, and Learning

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children is associated with poor school performance, with minority children being at increased risk for both conditions. The latter have been attributable to low socio-economic status (SES). To further study these relationships, the contribution of SES to SDB and learning was examined in 1,010 validated questionnaires collected from parents of both white and African-American low-SES preschoolers. Twenty-two percent of disadvantaged preschoolers were reported to be at risk for SDB. These children were more likely to be African American, and had a higher incidence of daytime sleepiness, lower academic performance, and hyperactivity. Maternal education level did not account for these differences.
Global stingless bee phylogeny supports ancient divergence, vicariance, and long distance dispersal

Stingless bees (Meliponini) are one of only two highly eusocial bees, the other being the well studied honey bee (Apini). Unlike Apini, with only 11 species in the single genus Apis, stingless bees are a large and diverse taxon comprising some 60 genera, many of which are poorly known. This is the first attempt to infer a phylogeny of the group that includes the world fauna and extensive molecular data. Understanding the evolutionary relationships of these bees would provide a basis for behavioural studies within an evolutionary framework, illuminating the origins of complex social behaviour, such as the employment of dance and sound to communicate the location of food or shelter. In addition to a global phylogeny, we also provide estimates of divergence times and ancestral biogeograhic distributions of the major groups. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses strongly support a principal division of Meliponini into Old and New World groups, with the Afrotropical+Indo-Malay/Australian clades comprising the sister group to the large Neotropical clade. The meliponine crown clade is inferred to be of late Gondwanan origin (approximately 80 Mya), undergoing radiations in the Afrotropical and Indo-Malayan/ Australasian regions, approximately 50‐60 Mya. In the New World, major diversifications occurred approximately 30‐40 Mya. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99, 206‐232. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: Apidae ‐ biogeography ‐ corbiculate bees ‐ fossils ‐ Gondwana ‐ Hymenoptera ‐ molecular phylogenetics.
Exploring surface characteristics with interactive Gaussian images (a case study)

The Gauss map projects surface normals to a unit sphere, providing a powerful visualization of the geometry of a graphical object. it can be used to predict visual events caused by changes in lighting, shading, and camera control. We present an interactive technique for portraying the Gauss map of polygonal models, mapping surface normals and the magnitudes of surface curvature using a spherical projection. Unlike other visualizations of surface curvature, we create our Gauss map directly from polygonal meshes without requiring any complex intermediate calculations of differential geometry. For anything other than simple shapes, surface information is densely mapped into the Gaussian normal image, inviting the use of visualization techniques to amplify and emphasize details hidden within the wealth of data. We present the use of interactive visualization tools such as brushing and linking to explore the surface properties of solid shapes. The Gauss map is shown to be simple to compute, easy to view dynamically, and effective at portraying important features of polygonal models.
Multilayer shells: Geometrically-exact formulation of equations of motion

We present here a formulation for geometrically-exact multilayer shells, where the number of layers is completely arbitrary and not necessarily restricted to three as in the case of sandwich shells. Based entirely in terms of stress resultants, the formulation accommodates finite deformation in membrane, bending, and shear deformation. Typical of geometrically-exact formulation, the kinematics of the shell is referred directly to an inertial frame, and not by means of a floating frame. The motion of a transverse fiber of an N-layer shell is exactly that of a chain of N rigid links connected by universal joints, in three-dimensional space. The kinematics of deformation in each layer is expressed in terms of the deformation of an arbitrary layer chosen as a reference layer. The thickness and side dimensions of each layer are also arbitrary. These features allow a convenient modeling of multilayer shells with ply drop-offs. We also show that the present formulation reduces exactly to the case of multilayer beams.
Frequency shaping compensator design for sliding mode

In this paper, compensator dynamics are introduced in sliding mode through a new class of switching surfaces which has the interpretation of linear operators. Two design methods are presented, the first is based on pole placement, whereas the second is based on frequency-shaped quadratic optimal control formulation. The compensators are designed to attenuate the frequency contents of the sliding mode dynamics such that unmodelled dynamics are minimally excited. The design method using frequency shaping is applied to the control of a flexible link robot arm. Simulation results show that the excitation of the link deformations are minimized while preserving the insensitivity of the sliding mode.
Energy harvesting in an OSTBC based amplify-and-forward MIMO relay system

This paper investigates performance limits of a two-hop multi-antenna amplify-and-forward (AF) relay system in the presence of a multi-antenna energy harvesting receiver. The source and relay nodes of the two-hop AF system employ orthogonal space-time block codes for data transmission. We derive joint optimal source and relay precoders to achieve different tradeoffs between the energy transfer capability and the information rate, which are characterized by the boundary of the so-called rate-energy (R-E) region. Numerical results demonstrate the effect of different parameters on the boundary of the R-E region.
Normal state of the copper oxide high-temperature superconductors

Superconductivity in the copper oxide ceramics stands as a grand challenge problem as its solution is fundamentally rooted in the physics of strong coupling. In such problems, traditional calculational schemes based on the properties of single particles fail. Rather, the physics of strong coupling
Release of gastric somatostatin-like immunoreactivity during acidification of the duodenal bulb.

This study was designed to determine if gastric somatostatin is released during the acidification of the duodenal bulb or distal duodenum. A proximal duodenal pouch was per f used with HCl in normal laparotomized anesthetized dogs during an intravenous infusion of saline, pentagastrin (5 µg/kg/hr), or histamine (20 µg/kg/hr). Bulb acidification during i.v. saline was accompanied by a slight increase in antral vein somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SLI), but no change in fundic vein SLI or inferior vena caval SLI levels occurred. Acidification of the bulb during i.v. pentagastrin elicited an increase in fundic vein SLI from a baseline level of 593 ± 205 pg/ml to a peak level of 1,554 ± 510 pg/ml (P
Analyzing GeoSentinel Surveillance Data: A Comparison of Methods to Explore Acute Gastrointestinal Illness Among International Travelers

GeoSentinel is a global surveillance network of travel medicine clinics that collect data from ill international travelers. Analyses have relied on proportionate morbidity calculations, but proportionate morbidity cannot estimate disease risk because healthy travelers are not included in the denominator. The authors evaluated the use of a case-control design, controlling for GeoSentinel site and date of clinic visit, to calculate a reporting odds ratio (ROR). The association between region of travel and acute gastrointestinal illness was evaluated. All analyses found that the association with acute gastrointestinal illness was greatest among those who traveled to North Africa and South-Central Asia. There was consistency in the magnitude of the ROR and proportionate morbidity ratio (PMR) in regions such as the Caribbean. However, in other regions, the matched ROR was noticeably different than the PMR. The case-control ROR may be preferred for single-disease/syndrome analytical studies using GeoSentinel surveillance data or other surveillance data.
Economics of Malignant Gliomas: A Critical Review

With increased chemotherapy use for malignant glioma, the paradigm for treatment and associated out-of-pocket and total medical costs continue to evolve.
Effect of Added Oil on Soy Beverage Quality

Soy beverages, differing significantly in chalkiness, were formulated to contain one of three partially hydrogenated oils. Taste panel studies indicate that beverages containing 2% added oil were less chalky than control samples. In all beverages no single oil was overwhelmingly preferred. All products containing oil supplements were judged to be whiter than control samples and this finding was supported by objective color determinations. Addition of corn oil to sterilized soy beverages that were significantly different regarding chalkiness tended to reduce differences, and in some cases the quality difference in the various products became statistically indistinguishable.
The Sphingolipid Pathway Regulates Pkc1 through the Formation of Diacylglycerol in Cryptococcus neoformans

The sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway generates bioactive molecules crucial to the regulation of mammalian and fungal physiological and pathobiological processes. In previous studies (Luberto, C., Toffaletti, D. L., Wills, E. A., Tucker, S. C., Casadevall, A., Perfect, J. R., Hannun, Y. A., and Del Poeta, M. (2001) Genes Dev. 15, 201–212), we demonstrated that an enzyme of the fungal sphingolipid pathway, Ipc1 (inositol-phosphorylceramide synthase-1), regulates melanin, a pigment required for the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans to cause disease. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which Ipc1 regulates melanin production. Because Ipc1 also catalyzes the production of diacylglycerol (DAG), a physiological activator of the classical and novel isoforms of mammalian protein kinase C (PKC), and because it has been suggested that PKC is required for melanogenesis in mammalian cells, we investigated whether Ipc1 regulates melanin in C. neoformans through the production of DAG and the subsequent activation of Pkc1, the fungal homolog of mammalian PKC. The results show that modulation of Ipc1 regulates the levels of DAG in C. neoformans cells. Next, we demonstrated that C. neoformans Pkc1 is a DAG-activated serine/threonine kinase and that the C1 domain of Pkc1 is necessary for this activation. Finally, through both pharmacological and genetic approaches, we found that inhibition of Pkc1 abolishes melanin formation in C. neoformans. This study identifies a novel signaling pathway in which C. neoformans Ipc1 plays a key role in the activation of Pkc1 through the formation of DAG. Importantly, this pathway is essential for melanin production with implications for the pathogenicity of C. neoformans.
Age-specific natural mortality rates in stock assessments: size-based vs. density-dependent

Natural mortality (M) rates are difficult to measure empirically and are often specified in stock assessments based on life history characteristics. More recently, these specifications have included M as a function of the size or age of a fish. However, natural mortality is a dynamic parameter that will change with the suite of predators and, thus, indirectly with cohort size and age. As an alternative, a density-dependent M rate function is derived and compared with the commonly used Lorenzen model, where M at age forms an allometric relationship with weight-at-age. The density-dependent model expresses M as a function of two parameters: one density dependent and one density independent. Properties of the two models (size-based vs. density-dependent) were explored to indicate conditions where the results are and are not similar. Associated catch equations, equilibrium analyses, and non-linear replacement lines in stock– recruitment theory are examined. Just as with density-independent values of M, most assessment data are not sufficient to provide precise estimates of density-dependent M parameters. However, the density-dependent model provides a basis for incorporating ecological variability into single-species assessments, noting the differing dynamics between short- and long-lived species. The incorporation of dynamic natural mortality has implications when estimating abundance trends and stock status, and ultimately setting management reference points.
Organic grain cropping systems to enhance ecosystem services

Organic grain cropping systems can enhance a number of ecosystem services compared with conventional tilled (CT) systems. Recent results from a limited number of long-term agricultural research (LTAR) studies suggest that organic grain cropping systems can also increase several ecosystem services relative to conventional no-till (NT) cropping systems: soil C sequestration and soil N fertility (N mineralization potential) can be greater while global warming potential (GWP) can be lower in organic systems that use animal manures and cover crops compared with conventional NT systems. However, soil erosion from organic systems and nitrous oxide (N2O, a greenhouse gas) emissions from manure-based organic systems appear to be greater than from conventional NT systems, though data are limited. Also, crop yields, on average, continue to be lower and labor requirements greater in organic than in both tilled and NT conventional systems. Ecosystem services provided by organic systems may be improved by expanding crop rotations to include greater crop phenological diversity, improving nutrient management, and reducing tillage intensity and frequency. More diverse crop rotations, especially those that include perennial forages, can reduce weed pressure, economic risk, soil erosion, N2O emissions, animal manure inputs, and soil P loading, while increasing grain yield and soil fertility. Side-dressing animal manures in organic systems may increase corn nitrogen use efficiency and also minimize animal manure inputs. Management practices that reduce tillage frequency and intensity in organic systems are being developed to reduce soil erosion and labor and energy needs. On-going research promises to further augment ecosystem services provided by organic grain cropping systems.
The abundances of Li, Se, Sr, Ba and Zr in chondrites and some ultramaflc rocks

Abstract Quantitative spectrochemical determinations of Li, Sc, Sr, Ba and Zr in 21 specimens of chondrite, 7 other silicate meteorites and 13 ultramafic rocks are presented and discussed. Abundances in chondrites have been determined as: Li (2.7 ppm), Sc (6 ppm), Sr (11 ppm), Ba (8 ppm) and Zr (33 ppm). Each element shows a high degree of uniformity of abundance; distribution is possibly lognormal. β-activity of Rb87 is calculated to generate ~13% of total Sr87 in chondrites.
Surgical management of colorectal cancer metastases to the liver: multimodality approach and a single institutional experience

SUMMARY Over the past 30 years, the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer to the liver has undergone major changes. Once considered terminal and incurable, the prognosis of patients with colorectal hepatic metastases has seen dramatic improvements using modern multimodality therapy and now long-term survival and even cure are possible in some patients. Despite the advances seen in systemic therapy, hepatic resection offers the longest survival potential and remains the only curative option. Based on long-term outcomes and the improved safety of hepatic resection using modern operative techniques and critical care support, an aggressive locoregional approach to colorectal hepatic metastasis has become the standard of care. This article focuses on the management of colorectal hepatic metastases and highlights the importance of multimodality therapy. We also report our 18-year experience treating patients with hepatic resection for colorectal metastases.
Alteration of the serum follicle-stimulating hormone to luteinizing hormone ratio in the cyclic hamster treated with antiluteinizing hormone: relationship to serum estradiol, free antiluteinizing hormone, and superovulation.

The serum concentrations of unbound LH, FSH, estradiol (E2), and free antibovine LH serum (anti-LH) were determined by RIA in hamsters destined to superovulate (∼32 ova) after a single sc injection of 0.1 ml equine anti-LH at 0900 h on day 1 of the cycle (morning of ovulation). As a control, another group of hamsters was injected with normal horse serum (NHS) at 0900 h on day 1. Animals injected with anti-LH or NHS were decapitated at various times over the next 6 days. Interfering LH antibodies were removed by column chromatography in order to determine the serum concentrations of free FSH and LH by RIA. Serum concentrations of unbound FSH were similar throughout the cycle in animals treated with anti-LH or NHS. On day 2 of the cycle (24 h after anti-LH), free LH levels were less than 6 ng/ml (the lower limit of sensitivity of the RIA on the volume of serum assayed), free anti-LH titers were extremely high, and E2 levels were less than 10 pg/ml. The absence of detectable unbound LH and normal FSH in sera...
Coverage control by robotic networks with limited-range anisotropic sensory

This paper considers the deployment of a network of robotic agents with limited-range communication and anisotropic sensing capabilities. We encode the environment coverage provided by the network by means of an expected- value objective function. This function has a gradient which is not amenable to distributed computation. We provide a constant-factor approximation of this measure via an alternative aggregate objective function whose gradient is spatially distributed over the limited-range Delaunay proximity graph. We characterize the smoothness properties of the aggregate expected-value function and propose a distributed deployment algorithm to optimize it. Simulations illustrate the results.
Relaxation in nonlinear systems, nonconvergent infinite continued fractions and sensitive relaxation processes

Abstract The Mori–Lee treatment of linear response theory demonstrates that the Laplace transform of any relaxation function of a dynamical variable can be expressed as a continued fraction. For certain simple nonlinear systems, the continued fraction representation of the relaxation functions cannot be evaluated perturbatively. It turns out that many body systems with even a single on-site nonlinearity can dramatically alter the relaxation behavior in such systems. We argue that nonperturbative continued fractions in the Mori–Lee formalism are necessarily associated with systems that exhibit relaxation that is sensitive to the presence of nonlinearities.
A Primer on Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting and Marginal Structural Models

Emerging adulthood researchers are often interested in the effects of developmental tasks. The majority of transitions that occur during the period of early/emerging adulthood are not randomized; t...
CDT & EFF Brief in FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide Corporation

In June 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued Wyndham Worldwide Corporation for unfair and deceptive trade practices as a result of a series of security breaches the company suffered in 2008-2009. Wyndham moved to dismiss the lawsuit but failed at the district court, and then filed an interlocutory appeal concerning the FTC’s authority to police data security. At Wyndham’s prayer, the Third Circuit considered, “whether the FTC has authority to regulate cybersecurity under the unfairness prong of § 45(a); and, if so, whether Wyndham had fair notice its specific cybersecurity practices could fall short of that provision.”In this brief submitted to the Third Circuit, students and faculty of the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic wrote on behalf of clients the Center for Democracy & Technology and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and argued that 1) Wyndham provided no principled reason why data security should be excluded from the FTC’s general powers to prevent unfair or deceptive trade practices; 2) Wyndham’s arguments would upset a variety of laws that use “unfairness” authority to address emerging consumer protection problems; 3) that unfairness authority has given the FTC flexibility to address the nuanced and evolving challenges presented by data security problems.On August 24, 2015, the Third Circuit affirmed the district court (No. 14-3514), answering both questions in the affirmative. The Third Circuit concluded that Wyndham’s activities fell within the plain meaning of unfair practices, that Congress had not excluded data security from the FTC’s ambit, and that Wyndham had fair notice that its practices surrounding handling of data could be subject to FTC authority.
Spiritual intelligence Developing higher consciousness revisited

This article will share the intellectual journey E. Paul Torrance and I traveled in 2001, in which we explored psychology, science and ancient wisdom and traditions, including Native American and i...
Immunogenicity of toxic and detoxified endotoxin preparations.

SummarySeveral-times repeated injections of heat-killed cells, toxic endotoxins, or CH3OK detoxified derivative thereof (endo-toxid-2) result in a comparable antibody titer after 8-10 injections. The antibody titer produced by toxic preparations shows a rapid initial increase, while endotoxoid-2 produces a lower titer of circulating antibodies in the first 10 days. While toxic preparations produce both 2-Me resistant and sensitive antibodies from the beginning of the immunization, endotoxoid-2 produces almost exclusively 2-Me sensitive antibodies in the first 10 days. Simultaneous with the appearance of 2-Me resistant antibodies, the level of total antibodies rises rapidly. A single injection of toxic endotoxin produces a rapid antibody production which starts to decline after approximately 2 weeks. Booster injections bring this antibody level back to previous highs, but hardly any additional effect can be observed. A single injection of endotoxoid-2 gives a very slow output of antibodies, which seems to ...
A Class of Mean Value Functions

The harmonic, geometric, and arithmetic means are the special cases t=-1, 0, +1, respectively. We have 9)_t(a) = 1/19t(1/a), and, for positive constants k, 9t(ka) =kWxt(a). As is well known, 9St(a) is a continuous strictly increasing function of t -oo 1, the sign of equality holding for + oo > t> 1 if and only if (a) and (b) are proportional; the inequality sign in (2)is reversed for t < 1.
An effect of x-rays on crossingover in drosophila:

In Drosophila melanogaster when a white-eyed, long-winged female is crossed with an eosin-eyed, miniature-winged male, the daughters are all heterozygous and may be represented by the formula , indicating that one of the × chromosomes carries the determiners for white eye-color (w) and long wings (M) while the other carries the determiners for eosin eye-color (We) and miniature wings (m). If such a heterozygous female is bred she will have four kinds of regular sons irrespective of the male with which she is crossed, since the regular sons obtain their × chromosomes from their mother only. In two of the kinds of sons the characters will appear as they entered in the original cross, i. e., one kind will be white-eyed and long-winged and the other eosin-eyed and miniature-winged; these make up the noncrossover classes. In the other two kinds of sons the characters will be interchanged, i. e., one kind will be white-eyed and miniature-winged and the other eosin-eyed and long-winged; these make up the crossov...
Old Progressives and the Cold War

At the end of World War II, the United States was unquestionably the most powerful nation in the world. Its navies and air force circled the globe; its economy was untouched by the ravages of war; its political power and prestige were never greater. Most American leaders, sensing this great power and recognizing that the old European-dominated system of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries had been irrevocably destroyed, believed that it was now the responsibility of the United States to take the leadership in creating a new world order. While not all of them would have endorsed Henry Luce's glowing forecast of "an American century," most of them nevertheless thought of a future in which the interests of Americans would be intimately linked with the interests and security of people everywhere. Some, like former Vice President Henry Wallace, couched these aspirations in the humanitarian language of a "people's century" or a world New Deal. Some, like Assistant Secretary of State Will Clayton, seemed haunted by the specter of a recurring depression, a calamity that he and others hoped to avoid through the expansion of America's international trade. Still others worried over the strategic problems produced by the wartime revolution in weapons technology and over the decline of Great Britain whose power in the past helped to maintain American security. Almost all of them were stirred by the memory of World War I and the failure of the peacemakers, and most now agreed that the United States should play a major role in "winning the peace. " What made this task especially difficult was that American goals and leadership were not universally accepted; they were challenged by the growing power of the Soviet Union and by the struggles of third-world peoples for selfdetermination and economic development. In response to these challenges, the Truman administration created a new diplomacy designed to contain such challenges and to defend America's newly achieved global supremacy. As
Quantitative measurement of vitamin D in diabetic plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Objective: To establish a quantitative method for determining human plasma vitamin D level by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry,and investigate vitamin D difference between diabetic and healthy participant. Methods: Proteins in plasma were precipitated by adding 2 folds of methanol / acetonitrile( 80 /20,v / v),the supernatant after centrifugation was extracted with tert-butyl methyl ether,the upper phase after centrifugation was dried by N2,and the dryness was dealt with pre-column derivatization with PTAD or re-dissolved in mobile phase directly for LC-MS / MS analysis. Results: The limitation of detection( LOD) of 25( OH)-D2 and 25( OH)-D3 before and after derivatiation were 0. 2 and 0. 3 ng,0. 05 and 0. 07 ng,respectively; 25( OH)-D3 levels in 15 type II diabetic and 18 healthy participant were 12. 1 ± 1. 9 and 20. 8 ± 4. 8 ng / mL,respectively. Conclusion: Pre-column derivatization with PTAD could improve the LOD of 25( OH)-D2 and 25( OH)-D3 about 3 fold,respectively; 25( OH)-D3 level is significantly lower in diabetic than that in healthy participant( P 0. 05).
What Is the Media

The concept of media as a communications and cultural resource is introduced in this chapter, discussing the background of media. It will feature further examination of what the mass media are and their role in American politics. The important functions of the media and their impact on a changing American society conclude the chapter. Introduction of ideas for following sections, including the following questions: Why are citizens dependent on media for political information in a democracy? What is the political role of the media in America today? How much influence do the media have on the citizen in a democracy? Why is media literacy important for a citizen?
Tsunami Warning Message Interpretation and Sense Making: Focus Group Insights

AbstractHazard warning messages are intended to shift people from a sense of safety to a sense of risk, while providing guidance for protective action. Message features, such as the content elements that are included and the style in which a message is written or delivered, can strengthen or weaken a recipient’s ability to make sense of and act on the message. Under conditions of heightened uncertainty or imminent threat the strategies that people apply to interpret warning messages may make a difference in the protective actions that they choose to take. Importantly, when a hazard is unfamiliar and the threat is imminent, adequate mental models and clearly articulated messages become vital to one’s ability to make decisions about life safety. To better understand the message interpretation and the effects of message sense making on individual risk information processing, this article assesses warnings for an infrequently experienced threat: tsunamis. Using data from four focus groups this research finds ...
The Class Basis of Congressional Liberalism

So far our analysis has been of mass public opinion and certain important political elites. With this analysis we turn to elite office holders: members of Congress. The question is: What is the social basis of elite liberal and elite conservative politics? More particularly: What are the occupational backgrounds of liberals and conservatives in the US Congress? The theory of the New Class holds that liberal-voting members of Congress will have social backgrounds quite different from conservative-voting members. Further, roll-call voting will reflect these social backgrounds.
Peer influence as a potential magnifier of ADHD diagnosis

The prevalence of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is growing in America, but its cause is unclear. Scholars have identified many environmental factors that can cause or confound ADHD diagnosis, but epidemiological studies that try to control for confounding factors still find evidence that rates of ADHD diagnosis are increasing. As a preliminary explanation to ADHD's increasing prevalence, this article examines whether core ADHD diagnostic traits are subject to peer influence. If ADHD diagnosis can be confounded by peer influence, there are several mechanisms that could have caused increased rates of diagnosis. With data drawn from two schools across three waves in the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (n = 2193), the author uses a stochastic actor oriented model to estimate the effect of peer influence on inattention, controlling for alternative network and behavioral causes. Results indicate that respondents have a strong likelihood to modify their self-reports of inattention, a core ADHD trait, to resemble that of their friends.
Prestige-Seeking by Business Schools

The nature of prestige-seeking is that it is competitive. A business school must move ahead of competitors if it is to increase its prestige. Therefore, although academics have general disdain for rankings published by BusinessWeek and many others, the needs of prestige-seeking are such a perfect match to competitive rankings that business schools are co-opted into participating in the ratings game.
Lessons learned from dependency usage in HERA: Implications for THERP-related HRA methods

Dependency occurs when the probability of success or failure on one action changes the probability of success or failure on a subsequent action. Dependency may serve as a modifier on the human error probabilities (HEPs) for successive actions in human reliability analysis (HRA) models. Discretion should be employed when determining whether or not a dependency calculation is warranted: dependency should not be assigned without strongly grounded reasons. Human reliability analysts may sometimes assign dependency in cases where it is unwarranted. This inappropriate assignment is attributed to a lack of clear guidance to encompass the range of scenarios human reliability analysts are addressing. Inappropriate assignment of dependency produces inappropriately elevated HEP values. Lessons learned about dependency usage in the Human Event Repository and Analysis (HERA) system may provide clarification and guidance for analysts using THERP-based dependency models. This paper presents the HERA approach to dependency assessment and discusses considerations for dependency usage in HRA, including the cognitive basis for dependency, direction for determining when dependency should be assessed, considerations for determining the dependency level, temporal issues to consider when assessing dependency, (e.g., considering task sequence versus overall event sequence, and dependency over long periods of time), and diagnosis and action influences on dependency.
Diel rhythms and sex differences in the locomotor activity of hawkmoths

Circadian patterns of activity are considered ubiquitous and adaptive, and are often invoked as a mechanism for temporal niche partitioning. Yet, comparisons of rhythmic behavior in related animal species are uncommon. This is particularly true of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), in which studies of whole-animal patterns of behavior are far outweighed by examinations of tissue-specific molecular clocks. Here, we used a comparative approach to examine the circadian patterns of flight behavior in Manduca sexta and Hyles lineata [two distantly related species of hawkmoth (Sphingidae)]. By filming isolated, individual animals, we were able to examine rhythmic locomotor (flight) activity at the species level, as well as at the level of the individual sexes, and in the absence of interference from social interaction. Our results confirmed classic descriptions of strictly nocturnal behavior in M. sexta and demonstrated a dramatically different activity pattern in H. lineata Furthermore, we showed distinct species and sex-specific differences in the maintenance of the endogenous rhythm under conditions of constant darkness. In both species, female activity peaked in advance of males whereas male activity coincided with periods of female sexual receptivity. This suggests a role for circadian patterns of locomotor activity in synchronizing periods of sexual receptivity between the sexes.
Optimized approach for Ion Proton RNA sequencing reveals details of RNA splicing and editing features of the transcriptome

RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) has become the standard method for unbiased analysis of gene expression but also provides access to more complex transcriptome features, including alternative RNA splicing, RNA editing, and even detection of fusion transcripts formed through chromosomal translocations. However, differences in library methods can adversely affect the ability to recover these different types of transcriptome data. For example, some methods have bias for one end of transcripts or rely on low-efficiency steps that limit the complexity of the resulting library, making detection of rare transcripts less likely. We tested several commonly used methods of RNA-seq library preparation and found vast differences in the detection of advanced transcriptome features, such as alternatively spliced isoforms and RNA editing sites. By comparing several different protocols available for the Ion Proton sequencer and by utilizing detailed bioinformatics analysis tools, we were able to develop an optimized random primer based RNA-seq technique that is reliable at uncovering rare transcript isoforms and RNA editing features, as well as fusion reads from oncogenic chromosome rearrangements. The combination of optimized libraries and rapid Ion Proton sequencing provides a powerful platform for the transcriptome analysis of research and clinical samples.
Monetary coordination among the gulf cooperation council countries

Abstract This paper assesses the desirability of coordinating monetary policies, both in general for a currency area and with particular reference to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. It discusses a number of important aspects of the functioning of the GCC economies, with a particular focus on factors that influence the money supplies of these economies. Some regression results are presented that provide insights on the transmission mechanism of monetary policy in the GCC countries and on the degree of similarity between their inflation and output tradeoffs, which is relevant to the successful functioning of a currency area.
A Benefit-Risk Analysis Approach to Capture Regulatory Decision-Making: Multiple Myeloma

Drug regulators around the world make decisions about drug approvability based on qualitative benefit-risk analysis. In this work, a quantitative benefit-risk analysis approach captures regulatory decision-making about new drugs to treat multiple myeloma (MM). MM assessments have been based on endpoints such as time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) which are different than benefit-risk analysis based on overall survival (OS). Twenty-three FDA decisions on MM drugs submitted to FDA between 2003 and 2016 were identified and analyzed. The benefits and risks were quantified relative to comparators (typically the control arm of the clinical trial) to estimate whether the median benefit-risk was positive or negative. A sensitivity analysis was demonstrated using ixazomib to explore the magnitude of uncertainty. FDA approval decision outcomes were consistent and logical using this benefit-risk framework.