cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eg5 Inhibitors have Contrasting Effects on Microtubule Stability and Spindle Integrity Depending on their Modes of Action

The goal of this work was to investigate the mechanisms underlying different Eg5 (kinesin-5) inhibitors and to assess their effects on Eg5-mediated stabilization of dynamic microtubules. Antimitotic Eg5 inhibitors were grouped into those that bind Loop-5 and produce an ADP-like state (monastrol, STLC, ispinesib and filanesib) and those that produce a rigor-like state (BRD9876). To understand their contrasting effects on Eg5 mechanics, inhibitors were analyzed in mixed-motor gliding assays consisting of different ratios of kinesin-1 and Eg5 motors, in which Eg5 “braking” dominates motility. Loop-5 inhibitors increased gliding speeds, consistent with the compounds inducing a weak-binding state in Eg5, whereas BRD9876 slowed gliding, consistent with Eg5 being locked in a rigor state. Quantitative critical detachment force analysis (Arpag et al. Biophys J. 2014) indicates that L5 inhibitors enhance Eg5 detachment whereas the rigor inhibitor BRD9876 generates an Eg5 species with decreased susceptibility of detachment. Biochemical and single-molecule assays demonstrated that BRD9876 acts as an ATP- and ADP-competitive inhibitor with a KI of 4 nM. Consistent with its recently reported microtubule polymerase activity (Chen and Hancock, Nature Comm. 2015:8160) and its dominant two-head-bound strong-binding population (Chen et al., JBC 2016:M116), Eg5 was shown to stabilize microtubules against depolymerization in vitro following taxol washout. This stabilization was eliminated in monastrol but was enhanced by BRD9876, consistent with strong binding of Eg5 to microtubules enhancing microtubule stability. Finally, in metaphase-arrested RPE-1 cells, STLC promoted spindle collapse, whereas BRD9876 did not. Thus, different Eg5 inhibitors inhibit spindle formation through contrasting mechanisms and rigor inhibitors are predicted to paradoxically stabilize microtubule arrays in cells.
Color and depth data fusion using an RGB‐D sensor for inexpensive and contactless dynamic displacement‐field measurement

Summary There are numerous applications in the field of structural dynamics that require the accurate measurement of evolving deformation fields. Although there are several sensors for direct displacement measurements at a specific point in a uniaxial direction or multicomponent deformations, there are only very limited, and relatively quite expensive, methodologies for obtaining the 3-dimensional components of a displacement of a dynamically evolving (i.e., not pseudostatically) deformation field. This paper reports the results of a comprehensive experimental study to assess the accuracy and performance of a class of inexpensive vision-based sensors (i.e., RGB-D sensors) to acquire dynamic measurements of the displacement field of a test structure. The sensor was subjected to a broad variety of different dynamic motions of varying amplitude and spectral characteristics and with varying configurations of the position and orientation of the sensor with respect to the target structure. Particular attention was devoted to quantifying the influence of various test conditions, such as amplitude, frequency, sampling rate, spatial distortion, and relationships between the RGB pixel-based measurements and the depth measurements. It is shown that the class of sensors under discussion, when operated under the performance envelope discussed in this paper, can provide, with acceptable accuracy, a very convenient and simple means of quantifying 3-dimensional displacement fields that are dynamically changing at relatively low-frequency rates typically encountered in the structural dynamics field.
Introductory lecture: atmospheric chemistry in the Anthropocene

The term “Anthropocene” was coined by Professor Paul Crutzen in 2000 to describe an unprecedented era in which anthropogenic activities are impacting planet Earth on a global scale. Greatly increased emissions into the atmosphere, reflecting the advent of the Industrial Revolution, have caused significant changes in both the lower and upper atmosphere. Atmospheric reactions of the anthropogenic emissions and of those with biogenic compounds have significant impacts on human health, visibility, climate and weather. Two activities that have had particularly large impacts on the troposphere are fossil fuel combustion and agriculture, both associated with a burgeoning population. Emissions are also changing due to alterations in land use. This paper describes some of the tropospheric chemistry associated with the Anthropocene, with emphasis on areas having large uncertainties. These include heterogeneous chemistry such as those of oxides of nitrogen and the neonicotinoid pesticides, reactions at liquid interfaces, organic oxidations and particle formation, the role of sulfur compounds in the Anthropocene and biogenic–anthropogenic interactions. A clear and quantitative understanding of the connections between emissions, reactions, deposition and atmospheric composition is central to developing appropriate cost-effective strategies for minimizing the impacts of anthropogenic activities. The evolving nature of emissions in the Anthropocene places atmospheric chemistry at the fulcrum of determining human health and welfare in the future.
Partial Hydrolysis of Lipopolysaccharide With Ion Exchanger

Strongly acidic cation exchangers, such as sulfonated resins, act as insoluble acids on dissolved substances which come into prolonged contact with them. The use of ion exchangers for hydrolysis of natural polymers has been described, but the practical advantages of this procedure have not been fully exploited. The method given in this exercise has been elaborated and used for the partial hydrolysis of endotoxic bacterial lipopolysaccharide preparations (Nowotny, 1957, unpublished).
Tapping Into Alumni as a Source of Authentic Information and Advice on Careers in Psychology

This article describes how my psychology department utilizes our alumni to educate current and prospective students about careers in psychology. I explain how we developed an alumni careers website...
Racial/ethnic disparities among Asian Americans in inpatient acute myocardial infarction mortality in the United States.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common high-risk disease with inpatient mortality of 5% nationally. But little is known about this outcome among Asian Americans (Asians), a fast growing racial/ethnic minority in the country. The objectives of the study are to obtain near-national estimates of differences in AMI inpatient mortality between minorities (including Asians) and non-Hispanic Whites and identify comorbidities and sociodemographic characteristics associated with these differences. This is a retrospective analysis of 2010–2011 state inpatient discharge data from 10 states with the largest share of Asian population. We identified hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of AMI using the ICD-9 code and used self-reported race/ethnicity to identify White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian. We performed descriptive analysis of sociodemographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, type of AMI, and receipt of cardiac procedures. Next, we examined overall inpatient AMI mortality rate based on patients’ race/ethnicity. We also examined the types of AMI and a receipt of invasive cardiac procedures by race/ethnicity. Lastly, we used sequential multivariate logistic regression models to study inpatient mortality for each minority group compared to Whites, adjusting for covariates. Over 70% of the national Asian population resides in the 10 states. There were 496,472 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of AMI; 75% of all cases were Whites, 10% were Blacks, 12% were Hispanics, and 3% were Asians. Asians had a higher prevalence of cardiac comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes, and kidney failure compared to Whites (p-value< 0.01). There were 158,623 STEMI (ST-elevation AMI), and the proportion of hospitalizations for STEMI was the highest for Asians (35.2% for Asians, 32.7% for Whites, 25.3% for Blacks, and 32.1% for Hispanics). Asians had the highest rates of inpatient AMI mortality: 7.2% for Asians, 6.3% for Whites, 5.4% for Blacks, and 5.9% for Hispanics (ANOVA p-value < 0.01). In adjusted analyses, Asians (OR = 1.11 [95% CI: 1.04–1.19]) and Hispanics (OR = 1.14 [1.09–1.19]) had a higher likelihood of inpatient mortality compared to Whites. Asians had a higher risk-adjusted likelihood of inpatient AMI mortality compared to Whites. Further research is needed to identify the underlying reasons for this finding to improve AMI disparities for Asians.
A Youth Participatory Project to Address STIs and HIV among Homeless Youth.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a youth participatory action research project to address the disparities in sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV rates among homeless youth. Four yo...
Clinical Investigations in Developing Countries: Legal and Regulatory Issues in the Promotion of Research and the Protection of Human Rights

An essay of this sort presents a problem of scope. Legal systems are essentially parochial. Each relates to a particular country and its jurisdiction, and each is based in the history and culture of a particular nation. When considering issues of legal regulation of clinical medical and behavioral research, a thorough survey would require detailed review of the laws and administrative regulations (or ministerial decrees, departmental decrees, legislative delegative instruments, etc.) in each developing country under consideration.
Give or Take on the Internet: An Examinationof the Disclosure Practices of Insurance Firm Web Innovators

Theories of corporate social responsibility suggest that there ought to be a balance between what business takes from society and what it gives back in return. Recently, the practice literature within the insurance industry has been heavily pushing for the development of the Internet as a tool for commerce while virtually ignoring the role it could play in terms of information disclosure to stakeholders. This study examines whether insurance firms themselves reflect this emphasis, or whether companies that are industry leaders with respect to web innovation for product marketing are also leaders in using the web for information disclosure. A study of the web pages for 40 property and casualty firms drawn from Franzis (2000), shows that financial disclosure for the overall sample is at best moderate. The disclosure of social responsibility information on these web pages is quite low, on average. Further, and importantly from a social balance perspective, the web innovators in terms of product marketing are not industry leaders in terms of information disclosure.
Probing Perovskite Inhomogeneity beyond the Surface: TOF-SIMS Analysis of Halide Perovskite Photovoltaic Devices.

Understanding the origins and evolution of inhomogeneity in halide perovskite solar cells appears to be a key to advancing the technology. Time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one of the few techniques that can obtain chemical information from all components of halide organic–inorganic perovskite photovoltaics in one-dimension (standard depth profiling), two-dimensions (high-resolution 100 nm imaging), as well as three-dimensions (tomography combining high-resolution imaging with depth profiling). TOF-SIMS has been used to analyze perovskite photovoltaics made by a variety of methods, and the breadth of insight that can be gained from this technique is illustrated here including: cation uniformity (depth and lateral), changes in chemistry upon alternate processing, changes in chemistry upon degradation (including at interfaces), and lateral distribution of passivating additives. Using TOF-SIMS on multiple perovskite compositions, we show that the information regarding halide perovs...
Abstract TP96: MiR-34a Targets Cytochrome c and Shapes Stroke Outcomes

Background: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a crucial interface between the central nervous system (CNS) and the circulatory system that maintains cerebral homeostasis by selectively allowing entr...
The use and characteristics of component auditors: Implications from U.S. Form AP filings

This paper investigates the common, yet previously opaque, practice of using foreign audit firms (component auditors) to conduct portions of audit work for U.S. public companies. U.S. regulators have expressed concern for the transparency and quality of audits using component auditors. Employing data disclosed in the newly-mandated PCAOB Form AP, we find that component auditor use is largely structural, determined by the size and complexity of clients’ multinational operations. We do not find the mere use of component auditors is detrimental to audit outcomes, rather, the amount of work conducted by component auditors is associated with lower audit quality (i.e., higher likelihood of misstatement), higher likelihood of non-timely reporting, and higher audit fees, which collectively suggest that component auditor engagements are associated with adverse outcomes. Further, we find that only work performed by less competent component auditors and those facing geographic and cultural/language barriers, including significant geographic and cultural distance, weak rule of law, and low English language proficiency, are associated with adverse audit outcomes. Overall, these findings provide initial archival evidence that the use of certain component auditors on U.S. multinational audits is associated with audit coordination issues, which suggests that PCAOB Form AP disclosures provide relevant information.
Developing a Warning System for Inbound Tsunamis from the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Real-time tsunami warning in the nearfield is considerably more difficult than producing warnings for distant events. Although in some cases strong shaking will provide the only warning, there are several situations in which better early tsunami warning systems could be critical. We discuss some of the issues that arise, particularly the difficulty of interpreting ocean bottom pressure recordings in the near source region, and make some recommendations for future research and first steps toward a better warning system for the Pacific Northwest.
Deep-learning based automated instrument tracking and adaptive-sampling of intraoperative OCT for video-rate volumetric imaging of ophthalmic surgical maneuvers

Intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) enables volumetric imaging of surgical maneuvers. While previous studies have demonstrated the utility of iOCT for verifying completion of surgical goals, images were acquired over static field-of-views (FOVs) or required manual tracking of regions-of-interest (ROIs). The lack of automated instrument-tracking remains a critical barrier to real-time surgical feedback and iOCT-guided surgery. Previously presented approaches to address this include active stereo-vision based instrument tracking, which was limited to imaging in the anterior segment; and instrument-tracking using volumetric OCT data, which was limited by OCT acquisition speeds and fundamental trade-offs between sampling density and FOV. We previously presented spectrally-encoded coherence tomography and reflectometry (SECTR), which provides simultaneous imaging of spatiotemporally coregistered orthogonal imaging planes (en face and cross-sectional) at several gigapixels-persecond. Here, we demonstrate automated surgical instrument-tracking and adaptive-sampling of OCT using a combination of deep-learning and SECTR. A GPU-accelerated deep neural network was trained using SER images for detection and localization of 25G internal limiting membrane (ILM) forceps at up to 50 Hz. Positional information was used for acquisition of adaptivelysampled SER frames and OCT volumes, which were densely-sampled at the instrument tip and sparsely-sampled elsewhere to retain tracking features over a large field-of-view. We believe this method overcomes critical barriers to clinical translation of iOCT and offers advantages over previous approaches by 1) reducing the instrument-tracking problem to 2D space, which is more efficient than 3D tracking or pose-estimation, and allows direct leveraging of the recent advances in computer-vision software and hardware; and 2) decoupling tracking speed and performance from OCT system and acquisition parameters.
The Band Around a Convex Body

SummaryWe give elementary proofs of formulas for the area and perimeter of a planar convex body surrounded by a band of uniform thickness. The primary tool is an integral formula for the perimeter of a convex body which describes the perimeter in terms of the projections of the body onto lines in the plane.
Do Shocks to Personal Wealth Affect Risk Taking in Delegated Portfolios

Using exogenous wealth shocks stemming from the collapse of the housing market, we show that managers who experience substantial losses in their home values subsequently reduce the risk in their funds. The decline in fund risk is seen in total risk, idiosyncratic risk, systematic risk, and in tracking error. Our paper provides evidence that the idiosyncratic personal preferences of mutual fund managers affect their professional decisions and offers a methodology for testing for manager idiosyncratic style effects that is not subject to the "selected" style critique of Fee, Hadlock, and Pierce (2013).
Generation & Evaluation of Adversarial Examples for Malware Obfuscation

There has been an increased interest in the application of convolutional neural networks for image based malware classification, but the susceptibility of neural networks to adversarial examples allows malicious actors to evade classifiers. Adversarial examples are usually generated by adding small perturbations to the input that are unrecognizable to humans, but the same approach is not effective with malware. In general, these perturbations cause changes in the byte sequences that change the initial functionality or result in un-executable binaries. We present a generative model for executable adversarial malware examples using obfuscation that achieves a high misclassification rate, up to 100% and 98% in white-box and black-box settings respectively, and demonstrates transferability. We further evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method by reporting insignificant change in the evasion rate of our adversarial examples against popular defense strategies.
OOD Case Study: Text-Based User Interface

Options for a text-based user interface are discussed for both the Address Book Application (ABA) and Personal Finances case studies. These user interface designs are evaluated using the HCI criteria described in Chap. 17. The objective of this chapter is to apply the human–computer interaction (HCI) design concepts discussed in Chap. 17 to develop a better text-based HCI.
Microsoft Academic Graph: When experts are not enough

An ongoing project explores the extent to which artificial intelligence (AI), specifically in the areas of natural language processing and semantic reasoning, can be exploited to facilitate the stu...
Analysis of Mortality in Traumatically Injured Patients Based on Body Mass Index and Mechanism Reveals Highest Mortality among the Underweight in Comparison with the Ideal Weight Patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of body mass index (BMI) on mortality after traumatic injury. The records of patients from 2012 to 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were stratified into the following groups based on admission BMI (kg/m2): underweight (UW) (BMI 40). The groups were well matched with no significant differences in demographics and Injury Severity Score. Morality for the IW group was compared with the remaining BMI groups. A total of 6049 patients were identified. In comparison with IW group, the UW mortality was significantly higher (IW vs UW, 4.1% vs 8.8%, P = 0.001); however, the there was no significant difference with remaining groups. There was also no significant difference in mortality between IW and the remaining groups for patients that went directly to the operating room or for patients that had penetrating trauma (stab wounds and gunshot wounds). However, for blunt trauma, the mortality was significantly higher for UW (IW vs UW, 4.3% vs 9.4%, P = 0.001), no different for IW vs OW (4.3% vs 3.7%, P = 0.3), and significantly lower for IW vs OB (4.3% vs 2.8%, P = 0.04) and for IW vs MO (4.3% vs 1.0%, P = 0.03). After traumatic injuries, it is the underweight patients (BMI <19) and not the obese, that are at a significantly higher risk for overall mortality; this difference is especially evident after blunt trauma where obesity may actually confer a protective role.
The evolution of cyber-insurance industry and market: An institutional analysis

Abstract The cyber-insurance (CI) market is at a nascent stage. This paper investigates how the contexts provided by formal and informal institutions affect the development of the CI industry. It highlights the nature, origin, and implications of CI-related institutions and provides insights into the mechanisms and forces that can lead to institutional changes. It offers an explanation as to how different institutional pillars related to CI progressively evolve and reinforce one another. Such a mechanism is likely to influence a range of demand and supply side factors and create a system that can accelerate the growth of the CI industry and market. The paper also investigates how contradictions generated by CI, the formation of dense networks and changing power dynamics can trigger regulative normative and cognitive changes. Since the current analysis of the causes and consequences of institutions and institutional change is mainly concerned with more established economic sectors, this paper is expected to provide insights into institutions surrounding to this new and rapidly evolving industry.
A sport-specific optimization approach to mental wellness for youth in low-income neighborhoods:

Psychiatric disorders, particularly substance use disorders, are an impactful and highly prevalent public health concern in youth from low-income neighborhoods (YLINs). Indeed, prevention and inter...
Implementing Large Enterprise Resource Planning Systems with Agile Methods

Agile methods, when applied to the implementation of large enterprise resource planning (ERP) system projects, present several benefits over traditional non-agile approaches. This study presents several established models for applying Agile to large projects, and then it shows in details how to apply Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to a large ERP implementation. This study also discusses the critical success factors required for maximizing success in ERP implementation. The study utilizes a multi-vocal literature review to develop a scholar-practitioner view of an ERP system, and then it combines that perspective with our own experience in implementing large ERP projects using SAFe. To the best of our knowledge, this study is a first in establishing SAFe for the implementation of large ERP projects.
Synthesis of aza-quaternary centers via Pictet-Spengler reactions of ketonitrones.

Despite the array of advances that have been made in Pictet–Spengler chemistry, particularly as it relates to the synthesis of β-carboline derivatives of both natural and designed origin, the ability to use such reactions to generate aza-quaternary centers remains limited. Herein, we report a simple procedure that enables the synthesis of a variety of such products by harnessing the distinct reactivity profiles of ketonitrones as activated by commercially available acyl chlorides. Notably, the reaction process is mild, fast, and high-yielding (54–97%) for a diverse collection of substrates, including some typically challenging ones, such as indole cores with electron-deficient substituents. In addition, by deploying an acyl bromide in combination with a thiourea promoter, a catalytic, asymmetric version has been established, leading to good levels of enantioselectivity (up to 83% ee) for several ketonitrones. Finally, the resultant N–O bonds within the products can also be functionalized in several unique ways, affording valuable complementarity to existing Pictet–Spengler variants based on the use of imines.
Mediastinal Mass with Unusual Etiology

1. Sneha Butala, MD* 2. Saloni Sheth, MD* 3. Keval Parikh, MD† 4. Connie Piccone, MD‡,§ 1. *Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH 2. †Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 3. ‡Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland, OH 4. §Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH A 15-year-old previously healthy female presents to an emergency department with chest pain. The chest pain developed acutely 1 day prior to presentation without an identifiable trigger. It was initially mild but progressed to a level of 7 out of 10 over 24 hours and radiated to her shoulders. She further developed associated dyspnea with deep inspiration, prompting her to seek care. She reports no history of fever, cough, headache, chills, night sweats, or weight loss. She has had no recent illness or known sick contacts. She moved from northern California to Ohio 2 years prior but reports no other recent travel. Her immunizations are up to date. Her past medical history is significant for 2 previous episodes of community-acquired pneumonia of unknown etiology. These infections occurred when she was a young child, but neither required hospitalization. She is not on any medications and has no known allergies. She reports no sexual activity or recreational drug use. She is hemodynamically stable and well-appearing. Her physical examination is pertinent for mild tenderness to palpation over the sternum. An electrocardiogram demonstrates sinus tachycardia. Her complete blood cell count reveals mild leukopenia of 1.6 × 109/L. The complete metabolic panel is normal. Her D-Dimer is elevated to 562 ng/mL fibrinogen equivalent unit (normal ≤ 500 ng/mL fibrinogen equivalent unit). A chest radiograph demonstrates asymmetric fullness of the right hilar region (Fig 1). A computed tomography (CT) pulmonary angiogram demonstrates no pulmonary embolism; however, a 2.8 × 3.1 × 3.8 cm (anteroposterior × transverse × craniocaudal dimensions) anterior mediastinal soft tissue mass is seen exerting minimal mass effect with effacement of the distal trachea and anterior displacement of the left brachiocephalic vein (Fig 2). Additionally, a 2.0-cm right hilar mass (Fig 3) and 3 pulmonary nodules measuring up to 0.8 cm are …
Scenario Surveillance Analysis: USAID/UKRAINE Monitoring and Learning Support Contract

Ukraine is a land of bright possibilities and bitter realities. Its recent past has been marked by an array of contrary events and trends, such as civil re-awakening and persistent corruption, democratic reform and constitutional crises, societal reconciliation and violent conflict. In light of these counter-balancing phenomena, it can be difficult to assess whether optimism, pessimism, or some degree of a middling realism is warranted when one is attempting to determine where Ukraine is plausibly headed next. Whither Ukraine? This report attempts to answer this question through a scenario surveillance analysis, where four plausible future development paths are juxtaposed and analyzed to determine what trends and events could lead Ukraine toward each. Through this exercise we find that Ukraine’s future is far from forgone. Should the Government of Ukraine fail in achieving many of its recently-set targets—including those for enhanced agricultural yields, attraction of foreign direct investment, increased spending on research and development, improved health outcomes, gender parity, and reduced corruption—its failure will come with a cost. This cost is expected to multiply as fewer objectives are met and more time passes. However, should the government succeed, the compounding benefits for economic growth and society more broadly will be manifold.
Advanced Transport Operating Systems Program

NASA-Langley's Advanced Transport Operating Systems Program employs a heavily instrumented, B 737-100 as its Transport Systems Research Vehicle (TRSV). The TRSV has been used during the demonstration trials of the Time Reference Scanning Beam Microwave Landing System (TRSB MLS), the '4D flight-management' concept, ATC data links, and airborne windshear sensors. The credibility obtainable from successful flight test experiments is often a critical factor in the granting of substantial commitments for commercial implementation by the FAA and industry. In the case of the TRSB MLS, flight test demonstrations were decisive to its selection as the standard landing system by the ICAO.
Chapter 13 Narcolepsy

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Narcolepsy. The term narcolepsy was first coined by Gelineau in 1880 with the complete description of a patient with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), sleep attacks and episodes of muscle weakness triggered by emotions. In the current international classification, narcolepsy is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness that is typically associated with cataplexy and abnormal REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep phenomena such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological condition, but is not a progressive disorder. Narcolepsy is mainly treated with pharmacological compounds. EDS is typically treated using central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and/or modafinil. These compounds are effective in reducing daytime sleepiness but have little effect on cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, or sleep paralysis. Antidepressants (one of the most commonly used anticataplectic treatments) alleviate cataplexy and REM sleep abnormalities but have little effect on daytime sleepiness. Sodium oxybate, a newly approved hypnotic (or novel compound), effectively controls cataplexy while also helping relieve daytime sleepiness.
The Use and Limits of Deductive Logic in Legal Reasoning

At one time law was considered to be a science; this belief was associated with the concept of “natural law.” And just as law was considered a science, legal reasoning was considered to be a species of deductive logic. However, it is now recognized that the purpose of legal reasoning is not to prove to others the truth of a statement of fact, but is rather to persuade others about how the law ought to be interpreted and applied. Although legal reasoning is logical in form, in substance it is evaluative. There are two types of hard cases: cases where a rule of law is ambiguous, and cases where the validity of a rule is in question. Questions of ambiguity arise when the minor premise of a proposition of law is challenged, while questions of validity arise when the major premise of a proposition of law is challenged. Hard cases are cases where two or more valid legal arguments lead to contradictory conclusions. The brief of a case is not a single syllogism of deductive logic; rather, it consists of strands or chains of syllogisms - "polysyllogisms." The polysyllogistic approach is a useful means for describing the underlying structure of legal reasoning. This approach reveals that the base minor premises of legal arguments consist of items of evidence of what the law is, while the base major premises are the categories of legal arguments that may be legitimately made. Deductive logic plays a central role in legal reasoning, but logic alone cannot solve hard cases. When we attempt to reduce the decision of a case to an argument of deductive logic, the aspects of legal reasoning that are not deductive are exposed. A system of pure logic works only in easy cases, i.e. cases where the validity of the rule of law is unchallenged and the terms of rule are unambiguous. Hard cases are resolved by a complex balancing of intramodal and intermodal arguments, in which the court evaluates not only the strength of individual arguments, but also the relative weight of the values that support our legal system, as implicated in the particular case.
Genetic optimization of NN topologies for the task of natural language processing

Several researchers have successfully used artificial neural networks (NN) to process natural languages. The way in which the neurons of these networks were connected to each other was based on notions of how it was that the NN should attack the problem at hand. How to connect neurons in order to guarantee optimal performance for any one task is still an open question. At the same time, researchers have found that this question can affect performance. This paper presents details of how I have configured a genetic algorithm (GA) to search for good NN topologies for a particular natural language task. This GA makes no assumptions of how the task should it be attacked. Results obtained by the system are also presented.
3,4-Dinitro-3-Hexene

3,4-Dinitro-3-hexene reactant: 247 g. (205 ml., 2.0 moles) of 1-chloro-1-nitropropane product: 3,4-dinitro-3-hexene byproduct: potassium 1-nitropropylnitronate product: 2,3-Dinitro-2-butene Keywords: alkylation, C-alkylation; elimination, dehydrohalogenation; addition funnels, Buchner, cooling jacket for
EVALUATION OF A NEW METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF HOMOGENEOUS MYCELIAL SUSPENSIONS

Abstract Guidry, D. J. (Louisiana State University, New Orleans) and G. H. Trelles. Evaluation of a new method for the preparation of homogeneous mycelial suspensions. J. Bacteriol. 83:53–60. 1962.—An all-glass tissue homogenizer (providing both conical and cylindrical grinding surfaces) was employed in the preparation of homogeneous mycelial suspensions. Pellets of mycelium from constant shake liquid culture were submitted to grinding for various periods of time. The effect of grinding time on optical density of the homogenate, hyphal fragment size, and viability of the fungus was determined. A grinding time of 4 min was found to yield suspensions of mycelium in which 89% of the hyphal fragments contained four or less than four cells. Optical density was used as the basis for both preparation of standard samples of inoculum and measurement of growth. Preparation of a light transmittance curve facilitates the preparation of suspensions of any desired concentration. Although plate colony counts on samples from the same flask showed satisfactory agreement, there was appreciable variation in counts on samples from different flasks. The variation in growth from flasks receiving equal samples of inoculum was also determined. Results indicate that, at concentrations of mycelium equal to an optical density of 0.301, a difference of 15% or more in the optical density of two samples (10 flasks per sample) can be accepted as significant. Some of the factors influencing variation in viability of inoculum as well as variation in flask growth have been determined. Ways in which experimental errors can be kept to a minimum are discussed.
Disease Mongering in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and the Expansion of the Antidepressant Market*

The recent trend toward health care consumerism is largely the product of market practices, which have instilled the notion of health care as a product to be purchased by informed, empowered consumers, rather than a service bestowed upon a patient by a paternalistic provider. In recent years, health care consumerism has been facilitated by direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of pharmaceutical products. In this paper, we use the case of DTCA for antidepressant medications to examine medicalization techniques used to promote consumerism and establish and expand the antidepressant market. We used content analysis of DTCA from the 1997–2006 issues of a broad sample of women’s, men’s, and common readership magazines to identify techniques of medicalization, and we analyzed in-depth interviews with magazine readers and antidepressant users to examine how such messages are received. Findings are presented within a framework of economic sociology, which allowed us to unveil the links between emotions and social action that undergird responses to medicalization techniques and consumption of advertised products.
Methodological issues in the study of mild head injury

This article identifies and clarifies some of the methodological issues responsible for inconsistencies in the literature regarding outcome of mild head injury. These issues include classification of head injury severity, biases in selection of patients with mild head injury, and use of controls to
Atmospheric general circulation model simulations with an interactive ocean: Effects of sea surface temperature anomalies in the arabian sea

Abstract Three different simulations using an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) with a 65‐m deep interactive ocean have been analysed for a 4‐month period (April‐July) in the Arabian Sea area. Although the ocean model contains no dynamics, it accounts indirectly for the transport of heat due to dynamic processes such as upwelling and horizontal advection. The first simulation does not include ocean heat transport, and the SST increases too much during the 4‐month period. The second simulation includes oceanic heat transport, and the final SST field is within a few per cent of the climatological SST field. The ocean transports are obtained by assuming that they are the differences between the vertical heat fluxes across the air‐sea interface as calculated from the GCM and the change in heat content of a 65‐m deep interactive ocean. The third simulation incorporates an initial negative SST anomaly into the ocean model with transport and analyses the effect of this anomaly on the ocean and the atmo...
How do glucocorticoids compare to oligo decoys as inhibitors of collagen synthesis and potential toxicity of these therapeutics

This article demonstrates how glucocorticoids decrease collagen synthesis. The parameters used to assess procollagen synthesis in our laboratory will be compared to those used by others. This article will note all the pertinent literature on the molecular mechanisms of this down regulation of procollagen synthesis. For example, what are the effects of glucocorticoids at the levels of transcription and translation of collagen mRNAs? Finally, we will define a molecular mechanism to inhibit Type I collagen synthesis by decreasing the binding of the TGF-beta activator protein complex to the TGF-beta element in the distal promoter of the proalpha1 Type I collagen gene, preventing the 2:1 ratio of alpha1 to alpha2 chains in the processed Type I collagen molecule. We will next ask "How do sense oligo decoys decrease Type I collagen synthesis at the in vivo and at the cell levels?" In primary fibrotic cell culture, the double-stranded phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide decoys were more effective than their sense single-stranded counterparts. The molecular mechanism for the decrease in Type I collagen synthesis is the same as glucocorticoids, that is by decreasing the binding of the TGF-beta activator protein complex to the TGF-beta element in the distal promoter of the proalpha1 Type I collagen gene for the transcription of the proalpha1 mRNAs. The reason for using sense oligo decoys as anti-fibrotic agents as compared to the anti-fibrotic glucocorticoids, is that presently marketed and FDA approved glucocorticoids have many untoward side effects which the sense oligo decoys do not have.
Lasers in chemical analysis: preface

Some of the papers presented at the OSA Topical Meeting on Laser Applications to Chemical Analysis (January 1987) have been grouped together, and this preface introduces them.
GUM, TANNIN, AND RESIN IN RELATION TO SPECIFICITY, ENVIRONMENT, AND FUNCTION

The object of this paper is to show the taxonomic and climatic distribution of plants containing relatively large amounts of gum, tannin, and resin, and to determine the bearing of such facts on the functional importance of these substances. The chemical composition of gum, tannin, and resin leads one to consider a possible mutual association between them in the plant, for gums may be compounds of sugars, as is the case of pentosans; tannins may have sugar combined in their molecules, as is the case of tannin glucosides; and resins may contain tannin as well as gum in their aggregates, as is probably the case of gambir, gamboge, galbanum, and kino. It was thought worth while to investigate the occurrence of gum, tannin, and resin in plant families, genera, and species to determine a possible taxonomic relation between these constituents. A study of the distribution of these substances in plants is also of nterest in connection with their possible function. Gum is said to serve as a reserve food or to check excessive transpiration; tannin to protect against frost, animals, and fungi; and resin as protection in case of injury, and against animals and excessive transpiration. Protection against excessive transpiration is evidently most advantageous in desert plants and in evergreen plants in cold climates, so that agents useful in checking transpiration should be more common in these plants. Gum and resin should therefore be more abundant in plants subjected to excessive transpiration. Likewise a substance functioning as a protection against frost, as tannin is supposed to do, should be more abundant in temperate than in tropical regions. For these ecological reasons, therefore, a consideration of the distribution of plants containing gum, tannin, and resin is of interest. It is quite probable that most, if not nearly all, plants contain small amounts of gum, tannin, resin, and oil, and it is well known that a smaller number contain comparatively large amounts of these substances. It is widely known that some plants may have large amounts of one of these [The Journal for February (I7: I17-i85) was issued March I, 1930.] I87 13
Development of a scalable model for predicting arsenic transport coupled with oxidation and adsorption reactions

Understanding the fundamentals of arsenic adsorption and oxidation reactions is critical for predicting its transport dynamics in groundwater systems. We completed batch experiments to study the interactions of arsenic with a common MnO 2 (s) mineral, pyrolusite. The reaction kinetics and adsorption isotherm developed from the batch experiments were integrated into a scalable reactive transport model to facilitate column-scale transport predictions. We then completed a set of column experiments to test the predictive capability of the reactive transport model. Our batch results indicated that the commonly used pseudo-first order kinetics for As(III) oxidation reaction neglects the scaling effects with respect to the MnO 2 (s) concentration. A second order kinetic equation that explicitly includes MnO 2 (s) concentration dependence is a more appropriate kinetic model to describe arsenic oxidation by MnO 2 (s) minerals. The arsenic adsorption reaction follows the Langmuir isotherm with the adsorption capacity of 0.053μmol of As(V)/g of MnO 2 (s) at the tested conditions. The knowledge gained from the batch experiments was used to develop a conceptual model for describing arsenic reactive transport at a column scale. The proposed conceptual model was integrated within a reactive transport code that accurately predicted the breakthrough profiles observed in multiple column experiments. The kinetic and adsorption process details obtained from the batch experiments were valuable data for scaling to predict the column-scale reactive transport of arsenic in MnO 2 (s)-containing sand columns.
Imaging of unsteady separated flows: global interpretation with particle image velocimetry

Quantitative characterization of unsteady, separated flows is central to understanding the physics of flow-structure interactions, which can give rise to vibration and noise generation. Global, instantaneous representations, obtained from high-image-density particle image velocimetry, can provide a basis for identification and classification of flow patterns. Moreover, these representations allow direct links to established theoretical concepts, which can be expressed in terms of vorticity. Case studies of vortex-dominated flows are addressed using these approaches, with the aim of defining challenges and future prospects.
Louisiana: Crossroads of the Atlantic World

Louisiana: Crossroads of the Atlantic World is one book that should not be judged by its cover, a late seventeenth-century map of America and the Caribbean that depicts lower Louisiana as blank spa...
Backward bifurcations and strong Allee effects in matrix models for the dynamics of structured populations

In nonlinear matrix models, strong Allee effects typically arise when the fundamental bifurcation of positive equilibria from the extinction equilibrium at r=1 (or R0=1) is backward. This occurs when positive feedback (component Allee) effects are dominant at low densities and negative feedback effects are dominant at high densities. This scenario allows population survival when r (or equivalently R0) is less than 1, provided population densities are sufficiently high. For r>1 (or equivalently R0>1) the extinction equilibrium is unstable and a strong Allee effect cannot occur. We give criteria sufficient for a strong Allee effect to occur in a general nonlinear matrix model. A juvenile–adult example model illustrates the criteria as well as some other possible phenomena concerning strong Allee effects (such as positive cycles instead of equilibria).
The distributed practice effect and list length in paired-associate learning

The hypothesis that distributed practice would facilitate paired associate learning for short lists but not for long lists was investigated. Ss were run on lists containing 3, 6, or 9 pairs, with intertrial intervals of 0, 4, or 10 sec. The results did not confirm the hypothesis. The question of why Ss did not appear to benefit from the rehearsal possible over longer intertrial intervals was raised. A tentative hypothesis, related to trial to trial variation in order of pairs was offered as a possible answer.
The immediate-early gene product MAD-3/EDG-3/IκBα is an endogenous modulator of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) dependent human endothelial cell growth

The tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristic 13-acetate inhibits the growth of human endothelial cells and induces the formation of capillary-like, tubular structures. We report the novel growth regulatory function of the immediate-early gene, edg-3, which is identical to the IkappaB alpha/MAD-3 gene. We employed phosphothioate oligonucleotides (PTO) directed against the translation initiation site of IkappaB alpha to inhibit its expression. The antisense IkappaB alpha PTO-treated cells exhibited an exaggerated growth response to fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1). In contrast, IL-1-induced growth arrest response was not modulated. These data suggest that the early response gene IkappaB alpha is an endogenous regulator of endothelial cell growth in vitro.
Quantum griffiths effects in metallic systems

Elementary analytical extremal statistics arguments are used to analyze the possibility of quantum Griffiths effects in nearly critical systems with overdamped dynamics, such as arise in conventional theories of metallic quantum criticality. The overdamping is found to strongly suppress quantum tunneling of rare regions, leading to superparamagnetic rather than quantum Griffiths behavior. Implications for theories of non-Fermi-liquid behavior in heavy-fermion materials are discussed.