cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impacts of Farmland Expropriation on Vietnam's Rural Households

The expropriation of agricultural land to provide new land for industrial and urban expansion, referred to as compulsory acquisition, is prevalent in developing countries. Using Vietnam as a laboratory, this study evaluates the impacts of losing farmland through compulsory acquisition on household welfare and reaches the following findings. A 10 percentage point increase in the proportion of land expropriated results in a 2.2% decrease in household welfare proxied by food expenditure. Besides, politically unconnected and ethnic minority households are disproportionately vulnerable. The adverse welfare effect could take up to 10 years to evaporate. The reduction in household welfare is attributable to the decline in agricultural income and the inability to participate in the non-agricultural labor market. Other aspects of household behavior following compulsory acquisition are also explored, such as saving, social capital, labor, and capital allocation.
Characterizing low-temperature aqueous alteration of Mars-analog basalts from Mauna Kea at multiple scales

We performed a multi-scale characterization of aqueous alteration of Mars analog basaltic rock from a Mauna Kea drill core using high-resolution visible and short-wave infrared (VIS-SWIR) spectral imaging, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and point VIS-SWIR spectra. Several types of smectites, zeolites, and primary minerals were identified. Mineral classes were mapped in cut sections extracted from the drill core and used to represent the range of alteration products seen in field data collected over 1000 m depth (Calvin et al. 2020). Ten distinct spectral end-members identified in the cut sections were used to map the field point spectra. Trioctahedral Fe- and Mg-rich smectites were present toward the top of the zone of analysis (972 m below the surface) and increased in abundance toward the bottom of the drill core (1763 m depth). The mineralogy demonstrates a general trend of discontinuous alteration that increases in intensity with depth, with less pervasive phyllosilicate alteration at the top, several zones of different mixtures of zeolites toward the center, followed by more abundant phyllosilicates in the lowest sections. Distinctly absent are Fe-Mg phyllosilicates other than smectites, as well as carbonates, sulfates, and Al phyllosilicates such as kaolinite or illite. Furthermore, hematite was only detected in two of 24 samples. The suite of assemblages points to aqueous alteration at low-to-moderate temperatures at neutral to basic pH in low-oxygen conditions, with little evidence of extensive surface interaction, presenting a possible analog for an early Mars subsurface environment. We also present a library of VIS-SWIR spectra of the analyzed cut sections, including both spatial averages (i.e., unweighted linear mixtures) of spectral images of each cut section and single point spectra of the cut sections. This will allow for consideration of nonlinear mixing effects in point spectra of these assemblages from natural surfaces in future terrestrial or planetary work.
Structure Constants and Conformal Bootstrap in Liouville Field Theory

An analytic expression is proposed for the three-point function of the exponential fields in the Liouville field theory on a sphere. In the classical limit it coincides with what the classical Liouville theory predicts. Using this function as the structure constant of the operator algebra we construct the four-point function of the exponential fields and verify numerically that it satisfies the conformal bootstrap equations, i.e., that the operator algebra thus defined is associative. We consider also the Liouville reflection amplitude which follows explicitly from the structure constants.
Taxation and Earnings Management: Natural Experiment Evidence from Staggered Changes in State Corporate Tax Rates

We provide evidence on how statutory corporate tax rate changes affect income-shifting behavior. Our difference-in-differences identification strategy exploits the 112 staggered changes in corporate income tax rates across the 33 U.S. states during the period 1989-2012. We find that accounting earnings are more likely to be managed upward in response to state tax cuts and more significantly among firms with higher prior-year return on assets. Most firms do not manage earnings downward in response to tax increases, probably because significant tax increases usually occur when states are fiscally constrained and downward smoothing of reported earnings can certainly draw scrutiny from cash-strapped state governments. More importantly, firms had higher ROA but experienced lower stock returns prior to tax cuts do use discretionary accruals to increase earnings in the year of the tax cut and reduce earnings in the year of the tax rise, a strategy that improves returns to shareholders. This evidence suggests that firms often trade off the tax benefits of earnings management to maximize firm value for a lower risk of being detected by the regulators and other market participants.
Effect of formulation and peptide folding on the fibrillar aggregation, gelation, and oxidation of a therapeutic peptide.

Abstract The physical and chemical stability of therapeutic peptides presents challenges in developing robust formulations. The stability of the formulation affects product safety, efficacy and quality. Therefore, an understanding of the effects of formulation variables on the peptide’s conformational structure and on its possible physical and chemical degradation is vital. To this end, computational and experimental analysis were employed to investigate the impact of formulation, peptide folding and product handling on oxidation, fibrillar aggregation and gelation of teriparatide. Teriparatide was used as a model drug due to the correlation of its conformation in solution with its pharmacological activity. Fibrillar aggregation and gelation were monitored using four orthogonal techniques. An innovative, automated platform coupled with ion mobility mass spectrometry was used for profiling chemical degradants. Increases in teriparatide concentration, pH, and ionic strength were found to increase the rate of fibrillar aggregation and gelation. Conversely, an increase in peptide folding and stabilization of the folded structures was found to decrease the rate of fibrillar aggregation and gelation. Moreover, the rate of oxidation was found to be inversely related to its solution concentration and extent of peptide folding. The present study provides an insight into formulation strategies designed to reduce the potential risk of physical and chemical degradation of peptides with a defined conformation.
The Mechanics of the Gig Economy: A System Dynamics Approach

As organizations look to become leaner, more workers find themselves in the role of an independent contractor participating in the gig economy. This research describes the creation of a design science artifact that captures dynamic and systemic relations between the conventional and gig economy. Considering the gig economy’s disruptive impact on the labor market, this research focuses on the role of platform effectiveness and relative pricing in on the dual economies. It seeks to contribute to the extant literature by capturing the complex and dynamic aspects of the two parallel economies. Ongoing work and future plans are outlined and formulated.
Work-in-Progress-Design and Evaluation of Mixed Reality Programs for Cybersecurity Education

With the shortage of cybersecurity professionals, there is a critical need to train more young-generation cybersecurity professionals to fill the gap. In this work, we designed interactive activities that make abstract cybersecurity concepts more tangible by using exciting new mixed reality (MR) technology to teach cybersecurity skills and raise the potential interest in cybersecurity careers for middle school students. We plan to analyze the immersive experience, situational interest, and workload after the experiment to study the participants' learning performance and user experience.
Radiographic pituitary stalk disruption: A rare sequela of secondary empty sella syndrome.

Background This two-patient case series describes a rare sequela of postoperative empty sella syndrome (ESS) following transsphenoidal resection of pituitary macroadenomas. This is characterized by progressive hormone dysfunction, diabetes insipidus (DI), and associated MRI evidence of pituitary stalk disruption. Case Description This phenomenon was retrospectively evaluated in a review of 2000 pituitary tumor resections performed by a single neurosurgeon (KOL). Chart review was retrospectively conducted to gather data on demographics, pituitary hormone status, tumor characteristics, and management. We identified 2 (0.1%) cases of progressive pituitary endocrine dysfunction occurring in the postoperative period associated with MRI evidence of pituitary stalk disruption within 6 weeks of discharge from the hospital. This was felt to be caused by the rapid descent of the residual normal pituitary gland down to the floor of the postoperative empty sella, causing relatively swift stalk stretching. Both patients developed DI, and one patient demonstrated increased pituitary hormone dysfunction. Conclusion This phenomenon is a rare manifestation of postoperative ESS, secondary to surgical resection of a pituitary macroadenoma. We discuss the associated potential risk factors and strategies for avoidance in these two cases. Routine instillation of intrasellar fat in patients at risk is felt to be protective.
The Delimitation of Corporate Social Responsibility: Upstream, Downstream, and Historic CSR

The dissertation abstract and the reflection commentary present the work of Judith Schrempf. The dissertation examines the latest trends in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and advances a social connection approach to CSR to understand and explain those recent trends. The dissertation abstract provides an overview of the research questions and conclusions of the three-article dissertation. The reflection commentary discusses the author’s views of research process as a junior scholar (see Appendix).
Milk Formula Diet Alters Bacterial and Host Protein Profile in Comparison to Human Milk Diet in Neonatal Piglet Model.

The metaproteome profiling of cecal contents collected from neonatal piglets fed pasteurized human milk (HM) or a dairy-based infant formula (MF) from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 21 were assessed. At PND 21, a subset of piglets from each group (n = 11/group) were euthanized, and cecal contents were collected for further metaproteome analysis. Cecal microbiota composition showed predominantly more Firmicutes phyla and Lachnospiraceae family in the lumen of cecum of HM-fed piglets in comparison to the MF-fed group. Ruminococcus gnavus was the most abundant species from the Firmicutes phyla in the cecal contents of the HM-fed piglets at 21 days of age. A greater number of expressed proteins were identified in the cecal contents of the HM-fed piglets relative to the MF-fed piglets. Greater abundances of proteins potentially expressed by Bacteroides spp. such as glycoside enzymes were noted in the cecal lumen of HM-fed piglets relative to the MF. Additionally, lyases associated with Lachnospiraceae family were abundant in the cecum of the HM group relative to the MF group. Overall, our findings indicate that neonatal diet impacts the gut bacterial taxa and microbial proteins prior to weaning. The metaproteomics data were deposited into PRIDE, PXD025432 and 10.6019/PXD025432.
Bacterial Spoilage of Wines with special Reference to California Conditions

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the literature pertaining to the bacteriology of mines and attempts to interpret existing concepts in the light of recent knowledge. It is hoped that such treatment will aid in the reduction of some of the confusion that exists both in the literature and in the industry concerning the bacterial spoilage of wines. It discusses the types of wine spoilage caused by bacteria and tabulates a reasonable approach to the nomenclature of bacterial wine spoilage. The abnormalities are divided into two groups, depending upon whether the chemical reactions induced by the bacteria are aerobic (oxidative) or anaerobic (fermentative) in nature. It is common knowledge among enologists that wines vary widely in their susceptibility to attack by spoilage bacteria. It is not so well-known or widely appreciated how differences in the chemical composition of wines are related to differences in susceptibility and how such differences may, to a degree, be controlled to prevent spoilage. The chapter discusses factors that are known to influence the susceptibility of wines, such as acidity and pH, sugar content, concentration of alcohol, and concentration of tannins.
Ensuring Liberties: Understanding State Restrictions on Religious Freedoms

Promises of religious freedoms have become the standard in national constitutions. Yet, despite these assurances, religious freedoms are routinely denied. Combining new data collections with expanded theoretical explanations, this research explores how dimensions of governance and measures of the religious economy contribute to government restrictions on religion. Consistent with recent work on the judicialization of politics, we find that the absence of an independent judiciary is an important predictor of government restrictions on religious freedoms, whereas free elections and government effectiveness are insignificant in our full models. Consistent with the religious economy theory, we find that social restrictions and government favoritism toward a religion(s) are persistent predictors of the government's restrictions. Although the proportion of the population Muslim holds a strong bivariate association with government restrictions (r = .57), the relationship is reduced to insignificance in our full models. We briefly discuss the implications of these findings.
Target and neurotransmitter specificity of fetal central nervous system transplants: importance for functional reinnervation.

The ability of grafted fetal ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic (DAergic) neuroblasts to reinnervate the unilaterally DA denervated rat striatum and improve motoric asymmetry has been well documented in several laboratories. The importance of host target specificity, and catecholamine (CA) neurotransmitter species, in the ability of grafts to ameliorate rotational responses to apomorphine and to affect electrophysiological characteristics of striatal neurons has not been systematically studied. We unilaterally lesioned Sprague-Dawley rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and verified the lesions using apomorphine (0.05 mg/kg, s.c.)-induced rotational behavior. Some of the animals subsequently received, intrastriatally, either DA neuroblasts from ventral mesencephalon that normally innervate the striatum, or from arcuate nucleus that do not. Additionally, two other groups were included that received either a CAergic graft from the noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus or a graft of cerebral cortex, which normally projects to the striatum but does not contain CAergic neurons. Only the fetal ventral mesencephalic grafts were able to reduce apomorphine-induced rotations and normalize striatal cell firing rates; striatal cell firing rates with ventral mesencephalic grafts were 1.43 Hz +/- 0.22, with arcuate nucleus grafts were 6.03 +/- 0.73, with locus coeruleus grafts were 4.71 +/- 0.74, and with cerebral cortex grafts were 4.36 +/- 0.45. Moreover, only the ventral mesencephalic grafts produced a dense tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive nerve terminal network in the striatum; in contrast, the arcuate nucleus grafts did not reinnervate the striatum. In locus coeruleus grafted striata, few very long TH-positive axons were seen. We thus conclude that target specificity and neurotransmitter type are critically important in the ability of a graft to functionally reinnervate the 6-OHDA denervated striatum.
Studies on experimental diabetes in the Wellesley hybrid mouse. 3. Dietary effects and similar changes in a commercial Swiss-Hauschka strain.

Hybrid mice that develop mild diabetes and pancreatic hyperplasia were fed chow rations at two caloric concentrations. In addition, a strain of commercial laboratory mice were fed these diets in both powdered and pellet form. In all animals, hyperglycemia, increased weight gain, and elevated levels of immunoreactive insulin in serum were correlated with each other and resulted from increased caloric intake. These studies emphasize the critical role of diet in the study of experimental diabetes.
Distinguishing between Net and Global DIF in Polytomous Items

In this article, I address two competing conceptions of differential item functioning (DIF) in polytomously scored items. The first conception, referred to as net DIF, concerns between-group differences in the conditional expected value of the polytomous response variable. The second conception, referred to as global DIF, concerns the conditional dependence of group membership and the polytomous response variable. The distinction between net and global DIF is important because different DIF evaluation methods are appropriate for net and global DIF; no currently available method is universally the best for detecting both net and global DIF. Net and global DIF definitions are presented under two different, yet compatible, modeling frameworks: a traditional item response theory (IRT) framework, and a differential step functioning (DSF) framework. The theoretical relationship between the IRT and DSF frameworks is presented. Available methods for evaluating net and global DIF are described, and an applied example of net and global DIF is presented.
Sequence comparisons of non-allelic late histone genes and their early stage counterparts. Evidence for gene conversion within the sea urchin late stage gene family.

Abstract We have determined the nucleotide sequence of sea urchin ( Lytechinus pictus ) late stage H3 and H4 histone genes contained on the clone pLpH3H4-21 and of the early stage H3 gene contained on the plasmid pLpA. Comparison of these differentially regulated histone genes with each other and with other L. pictus late and early stage histone H3 and H4 genes previously sequenced confirms that members of each histone gene family (early and late) are more homologous to each other than they are to members of other histone gene families. The spacer regions between two late H3–H4 gene pairs on the clones pLpH3H4-19 and pLpH3H4-21 have diverged to the point where they are no longer homologous. However, comparative analysis of the 5′ flanking DNA has identified a sequence 5′C-T-C-A-T-G-T-A-T-T3′ upstream of both late H4 genes and another, 5′A-G-A-T-T-C-A3′, upstream of both H3 genes. Except for a short conserved sequence near the initiation codon, the transcribed 5′ leaders of the late mRNAs differ in length and sequence in the two non-allelic late histone gene pairs. This divergence contrasts with the 95 to 96% conservation found between late histone gene coding sequences. The results suggest that there is intergenic exchange in the germline among members of the late histone gene family and that the unit of exchange is the individual gene rather than the heterotypic dimer which includes the common spacer DNA.
Range-Dependent Acoustic Propagation in Shallow Water with Elastic Bottom Effects

Abstract : The long-range objectives of this research are to develop efficient accurate tools for quantitative forward modeling in range dependent, bottom-interacting acoustic propagation including sediment anisotropy and anelasticity. The specific objectives of this research are to develop practical theoretical and software tools for employing a fully elastic version of two-way coupled modes for modeling seismo-acoustic signals in shallow water with realistic elastic bottom properties, that may extend to elastically anisotropic sediment cover.
Informed monaural source separation of music based on convolutional sparse coding

Monaural source separation is a challenging problem that has many important applications in music information retrieval. In this paper, we focus on the score-informed variant of this problem. While non-negative matrix factorization and some other approaches have been shown effective, few existing approaches have properly taken the phase information into account. There are unnatural sound in the separation result, as the phase of each source signal is considered equivalent to the phase of the mixed signal. To remedy this, we propose to perform source separation directly in the time domain using a convolutional sparse coding (CSC) approach. Evaluation on the Bach10 dataset shows that, when the instrument, pitch and onset/offset time are informed, the source to distortion ratio of the separation result reaches 8.59 dB, which is 2.02 dB higher than a state-of-the-art system called Soundprism.
Cooperative Signalling and Its Application in a Power-Controlled MAC Protocol

In wireless networks utilizing half-duplex transceivers, a mechanism is required to inform a sender of the outcome of its transmission. Traditionally, such feedback comes from the receiver. This approach cannot distinguish between a failure due to a collision at the receiver and a failure due to the receiver moving out of range. To address this problem we propose cooperative signalling , where nodes that overhear the transmission provide feedback to the sender in addition to the feedback from the receiver. Cooperating nodes also provide information to the receiver, allowing it to distinguish between failures which, in turn, enables the sender to respond to each outcome differently. We apply cooperative signalling in a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocol using transmission power control. In simulation, CSMA/PC achieves substantial improvements in throughput per unit energy compared to IEEE 802.11 in both static and mobile ad hoc networks.
Reaction kinetics of photochromic materials and their application to 3D optical memories

Organic molecules have been dispersed in polymers and used in 3D memory devices. The time resolved spectra of their transient species and kinetics of the photoinduced reaction have been studied by means of ultrafast time resolved absorption and emission spectroscopy. The reaction mechanism and rates have been determined and some photochromic materials have been used successfully to store and access information in 3D format.
The Chemistry of Shocked Regions of the Interstellar Gas

Shock waves occur in compressible fluids when the pressure gradients are large enough to generate supersonic motion. Because information about the pressure disturbances cannot propagate upstream faster than the velocity of sound the fluid ahead of the shock does not respond dynamically until the shock arrives. The shock then compresses and heats the fluid. The boundary which separates the hot compressed fluid and the upstream fluid is called the shock front. The shocked material will undergo excitation, dissociation and ionization if the shock is rapid. The subsequent recombinations and emissions produce photons which may dissociate and ionize the fluid constituents ahead of and behind the shock. This precursor radiation modifies the effect of the shock and influences its dynamical and thermal evolution. The shock structure is changed in the presence of a magnetic field and if the fractional ionization is small the shock may be preceeded by a magnetic precursor, compressing and heating the material ahead and behind the shock front (1,2,3).
The politics of South Africa's National Arts Festival: small engagements in the bigger campaign.

PART OF THE STRUGGLE for democracy in South Africa involves mobilizing diverse segments of the progressive population to reform and if possible to revolutionize private as well as public institutions. Progressive in this context refers to all of those individuals and groups that identify with and to some degree work toward an end to minority rule and racial superand sub-ordination, and toward the establishment of a nonracial society founded on the principles of majority rule and opportunity for all. They are a disparate lot that includes radicals and liberals, reformists and revolutionaries. The common theme for all is a determination to end apartheid in all its guises and to establish an order that seeks to further universal economic and social opportunity regardless of birth and provenance. The centrepiece of their struggle is the political systemgovernment, parties, bureaucracies, and the institutions that government controls and manages. But there remains a multiplicity of ostensibly private or 'independent' organizations and institutions, and changing them contributes to the wider political transformation. The annual National Arts Festival (NAF) is one such independent institution. Established in 1966, it has blossomed into a gigantic, multidimensional enterprise. Today it comprises eleven days of theatre, music, film, cabaret, dance, mime, arts and craft exhibitions and shows and a 'winter school' of lectures and readings a veritable feast of the arts. The 1992 NAF included nearly 2,000 perforrnances for which 170,000 tickets were sold. In addition there is a myriad of non-official performances and free activities that coincide with the festival. Altogether over 50,000 people are attracted to Grahamstown for the festival and they pump around R37.6 million into the badly depressed local economy.l It purports to be
Regularity and Axioms

The calculus of integration by parts, developed in Chapter 9 for finite volume theories; extends to the infinite volume measures dµ constructed in Chapter 11. These basic identities generate series which exhibit regularity and other detailed properties of the quantum field models. The integration by parts identities generate the perturbation expansion of Sections 8.4, 9.4 as well as the high and low temperature expansions studied in Part III and in the literature. These tools allow a detailed investigation of the local (ultraviolet) singularities of the models on the one hand and the large distance (infrared) decoupling on the other.
A 60 GHz Beam Waveguide Antenna System for Satellite Crosslinks

This paper describes the design, fabrication and test of a 60 GHz engineering model beam waveguide antenna system for satellite crosslinks.
Rare Case of Adult Undifferentiated (Embryonal) Sarcoma of the Liver Treated with Liver Transplantation: Excellent Long-Term Survival

We present the case of a 54-year-old gentleman who presented with abdominal distension and a CT scan of his abdomen revealed a large (25 cm) left hepatic lobe tumor. He received chemotherapy for over 1.5 years. The CT scans at the completion of this therapy revealed that the tumor had actually slightly grown in size. He underwent orthotopic liver transplantation without any major complications. The explant histopathology revealed an undifferentiated embryonal cell sarcoma (UECS) composed of relatively bland spindled cells arranged in short fascicles. It is now 10 years and 3 months since his last transplant and the patient remains well with no tumor recurrence.
Metric Knowledge and Awareness of College Students in Basic Foods and Nutrition Courses

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify the extent of knowledge and awareness of metrics by college students in basic foods and nutrition courses and implications for teaching and using metric (SI) units in these and other foods and nutrition classes. Metrication is progressing in the United States and the metric terminology used in classes can affect the level of students' understanding of course content on topics such as nutrition labeling, food container sizes, recommended dietary allowances, and body mass index. Thus, the extent of knowledge of metric (SI) units was assessed in three introductory foods and nutrition classes on the first class session in January 1997. A total of 208 students completed the brief survey which assessed knowledge of terms used for mass, volume, distance, and temperature, and ability to utilize metric prefixes and metric equivalents for units expressed in U.S. household measures. Also assessed was awareness by students of where they encounter metrics in their everyday lives. Descriptive statistics of the data were computed using SPSS. Students were uniformly able to identify the metric terms associated with mass, volume, distance and temperature, while fewer than half were able to correctly indicate the portion or multiple of a meter represented by as many as two of the four given prefixes. The mean number of correct responses was 1.4 out of 4.0. Conversion from U.S. household measures to metric-equivalent units was correctly made by no more than 10 percent of the respondents on any one of the four examples, with a mean correct score of 0.1 out of a potential 4.0. Awareness of metrics in everyday settings was limited, with an average of only 1.0 settings mentioned. Most frequently identified places, in decreasing order of mention, were product labels, academic classes, and in cooking. As educators we assume that students are knowledgeable of the terms we use. However, if these study subjects are typical of current college students we will need to teach, or at least review thoroughly, metric prefixes and conversions in order to adequately equip students to comprehend and apply the concepts we teach and ultimately to use them in their professions as the U.S. moves to adopt metrics.
Surface enhanced Raman scattering silica substrate fast fabrication by femtosecond laser pulses

We report the fabrication of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) fused silica glass substrates using fast femtosecond-laser (fs-laser) scan, followed by silver chemical plating. A cross-section enhancement factor (EF) of 2.5×106, evaluated by Rhodamine 6G (10−7 M solution), was obtained. The Raman mapping indicated a good uniformity over the fs-laser scanned area. The dimension and pattern of the SERS activated region can be conveniently controlled by laser 2D scanning, potentially enabling integration of SERS into a high-order optical–chemical analysis system on a glass chip.
Quantitative relationship of catecholamine content and histofluorescence in brain of rats.

Abstract Levels of catecholamine content assayed by a sensitive radiometric technique were compared to semi-quantitative visual estimation of the histofluorescence in different regions of brain after amine depletion by varying doses of reserpine. The range over which fluorescence of varicose terminals appeared to diminish is only about 20–40% of the normal catecholamine content. The level of this range varied with the area examined. The percent of normal catecholamine levels at which fluorescence was first noticed to be decreased from normal, and that at which fluorescence seemed to disappear were relatively close and both appeared to be linearly correlated to the logarithm of the normal catecholamine content. In areas with a normally high catecholamine content, a greater percentage decrease in amine content was required to make a noticeable decrease in fluorescence than was required in areas with a normally lower catecholamine content.
Improving departure taxi time predictions using ASDE-X surveillance data

Flights incur a large percentage of delay on the ground during the departure process; however, predicting the taxi-out time is difficult due to uncertainties associated with the factors influencing it, such as airport surface traffic, downstream traffic restrictions, runway configuration, weather, and human causes. Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X) surveillance data provides high resolution coverage of aircraft surface movement which can be leveraged to address this problem. This paper presents a novel approach which builds an adaptive taxi-out prediction model based on a historical traffic flow database generated using the ASDE-X data. The model correlates taxi-out time and taxi-out delay to a set of explanatory variables such as aircraft queue position, distance to the runway, arrival rates, departure rates and weather. Two prediction models are developed. One treats aircraft movement from starting location to the runway threshold uniformly while the other models aircraft time to get to the runway queue different from the wait time experienced by the aircraft while in the runway queue. The models are evaluated using data from New York's John F Kennedy (JFK) airport during the summer of 2010. Results show significant improvement in taxi-out predictions as compared to predictions from FAA's Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS).
Exploring interaction modes for image retrieval

The number of digital images in use is growing at an increasing rate across a wide array of application domains. That being said, there is an ever-growing need for innovative ways to help endusers gain access to these images quickly and effectively. Moreover, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to manually annotate these images, for example with text labels, to generate useful metadata. One such method for helping users gain access to digital images is content-based image retrieval (CBIR). Practical use of CBIR systems has been limited by several "gaps", including the well-known semantic gap and usability gaps [1]. Innovative designs are needed to bring end users into the loop to bridge these gaps. Our human-centered approaches integrate human perception and multimodal interaction to facilitate more usable and effective image retrieval. Here we show that multi-touch interaction is more usable than gaze based interaction for explicit image region selection.
Ultrastructural events in early calcium oxalate crystal formation in rats

Ultrastructural events in early calcium oxalate crystal formation in rats. A model system is described for the induction of renal calcium oxalate crystals with intraperitoneal injections of sodium oxalate in rats. Early crystals are formed predominantly in cortical areas. Massive amounts of calcium are associated with this process, as demonstrated by potassium pyroantimonate staining. Actual crystal formation appears to be an involved process associated with calcium, oxalate, and cellular membranes. Although overt stone formation was not observed, we feel that the intimate involvement of membranes during crystal formation may be similar to that found in renal stones. Aspects ultrastructuraux au stade precoce de la formation de cristaux d'oxalate de calcium chez le rat. Un modele d'induction de cristaux d'oxalate de calcium au moyen d'injections intra-peritoneales d'oxalate de sodium est decrit chez le rat. Les premiers cristaux sont formes dans les regions corticales. Des quantites importantes de calcium sont impliquees dans ce processus comme le montre la coloration par le pyroantimonate de potassium. La formation de cristaux parait un processus complexe impliquant le calcium, l'oxalate et les membranes cellulaires. Bien qu'il n'ait pas ete observe de formation de calcul il parait possible que l'implication des membranes au cours de la formation de cristaux existe aussi pour les calculs renaux.
Linkage between ζ-potential and electron donicity of charged polar surfaces 1. Implications for the mechanism of flocculation of particle suspensions with plurivalent counterions

Abstract Studies were carried out on the surface properties of montmorillonite (SWy-1), glass and calcite particles by means of parallel measurements of electrophoretic mobilities and contact angles, as a function of the concentration of La3+ or Ca2+ ions. The investigations indicated that with a decrease in ζ-potential a concomitant strong increase in hydrophobicity takes place, for example, in aqueous NaCl solutions (ionic strengthΓ/2 = 0.015, pH 7.5), SWy-1 has a ζ-potential of −66 mV, an electron-acceptor surface tension parameter γ⊕ = 0.2 mJ m−2 and an electron-donor surface tension parameter γ⊖ = 34 mJ m−2, which is higher than that of water. This causes these particles to be very hydrophilic and to form an extremely stable suspension in water, owing to an electrostatic energy (15%) and to a net Lewis acid-base (polar) repulsion energy (85%). However, in the presence of 1.6 mM LaCl3 (Γ/2 = 0.024, pH 7.5), ζ = −13 mV, γ⊕ = 0.15 mJ m−2 and γ⊖ = 5.51 mJ m−2, which makes the particles very hydrophobic and causes them to flocculate: the energies of attraction in this case are caused by hydrophobic interactions (87%) and van der Waals forces (13%).
Statistical analysis of parallel randomized algorithms for VLSI placement and implementation on workstation networks

Abstract A massively parallel optimization approach based on simple neighbourhood search techniques is developed and applied to the problem of VLSI cell placement. Statistical models are developed to analyse the performance of the approach in general, and to derive statistical bounds on the quality of obtainable results. Specific questions addressed are: (1) Given a solution with a known cost, how can we measure its quality? (2) Given a target cost for the solution, how likely is the algorithm to generate a solution with that cost for better? (3) Are there any performance bounds for the solutions obtainable by neighbourhood search methods? (4) How can we measure for quantify the performance of different neighbourhood search methods? The results of these analyses suggest a simple framework for approximate solution of difficult problems. The approach is inherently parallel, and it can be implemented on any type of parallel computer. We implemented it on the PVM environment running on a network of workstations connected by Ethernet. The method is empirically verified by testing its performance on a number of sample problems and by comparing the results found to earlier results reported in the literature.
Coaxing in fatigue of composites

Abstract Experiments on unidirectional glass and graphite fibre-reinforced epoxy resins subjected to cyclic compression show a very strong coaxing effect. By ‘running in’ a specimen at a low compressive stress level for a considerable number of cycles, and subsequently raising the compressive stress to a high level, it is possible to obtain a fatigue life at the high stress level which is as much as five times as great as that found by placing a virgin specimen under the high compressive stress from the outset. This coaxing effect is believed to be caused by differential fatigue crack extension rates in the transfibrile and longitudinal direction at low stress levels. Longitudinal cracking is believed to proceed faster at low stress levels thansfibrile cracking, thus eliminating the cracks and flaws from which the transfibrile cracking, observed to cause compressive fatigue failure of composites, extends. Photographic evidence of this mechanism is offered and practical applications of the coaxing phenomenon suggested.
New Patterns of African Women's Strategic Mobilization

Democracy and the Rise of Women's Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa. By Kathleen M. Fallon. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. 168 pp., $50.00 cloth (ISBN-13: 978-0-8018-9008-6). Recently, Karen Beckwith (2000) put forward a call for scholars of women's movements to shift from the well-established practice of in-depth country studies toward developing more general patterns “to advance the comparative study of women's movements and comparative political research more generally” (p. 431). The field of comparative scholarship on women's movements, particularly research on activism in the “third world” (p. 437), has become the forefront of the women and politics research (p. 431). Yet, wary of tendencies to over-generalize or apply ethnocentric biases, most scholars remained isolated within the confines of their limited, albeit rigorous, empirical research. Beckwith charged scholars to be bolder and more confident that their cases could contribute to the identification of new patterns that were emerging in the field, which in turn could create middle-range theories for the discipline. Kathleen Fallon's Democracy and the Rise of Women's Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa answers this call decidedly and effectively. It is precisely the kind of work that moves the field toward this new level of theorizing. Fallon utilizes rigorous empirical case-study research, yet she demonstrates how her case shapes and challenges the larger field. While Ghana is Fallon's focus in the book, she thoroughly grounds the case in both the African context as well as in the broader women and politics literature. Her rich case study goes on to engage theories of women's political mobilization and contributes to the emergence of a general theory of women's participation. Fallon's book is an important contribution to the growing number of studies of women's social movements (Banaszak, Beckwith, and Rucht 2003) following democratic transitions, particularly in the African context (Goetz and Hassim 2003; Hassim 2006; Tripp, Casimiro, Kwesiga, and Mungwa 2008). It is also a much-needed addition to a field that too often privileges research on social movements …
In Situ Observation of a Phase Transition in a Thin Molecular Film by Optical Second Harmonic Generation

By use of optical second harmonic generation (SHG), an irreversible phase transition from a disordered to an ordered structure is observed in thin pyridine (C5H5N) films dosed on a Ag(111) surface under ultrahigh vacuum. This phase transition occurs when the surface temperature is raised above 125 K. An analytical model of SHG from the annealed pyridine film including optical interference is presented. It is most likely that the annealed films are composed of crystallites randomly oriented on the surface plane with an average length scale comparable to or larger than half a micrometer.
Shyness as a risk factor for adolescent substance use.

: The role of shyness in adolescent substance use was examined in a sample of about 1,300 high school students from 14 senior high schools. Sample members were classified as not-shy, shy, or super-shy based on scores from an established measure of shyness, the Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale. Significant shyness category by gender interaction analysis of variance effects and gender-specific chi-square analyses indicated shy males were more likely to use marijuana or hashish, cocaine, amphetamines, and hallucinogenic substances than not-shy males and females. Further, super-shy males were more likely to report use of most of the substances than shy males. Super-shy females were less likely to drink alcohol than females who were less shy or not-shy. Findings from this study, as well as studies investigating other behavioral problems, suggest shyness may be more a burden for males than for females. Use of certain substances may assist very shy males cope with shyness by reducing psychosocial discomfort and inhibition.
Cellulose catabolism and lipid synthesis by the subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus

Abstract The total lipid content of normally faunated Coptotermes formosanus termites remained about 4 per cent throughout an 8-week peroid, while that of partially defaunated (lacking only Pseudotrichonympha grassii ) and completely defaunated termites decreased to about 2 per cent before the termites died. Incorporation of 14 C into lipids from labelled cellulose occurred readily in normally faunated termites and to a much lesser extent in partially and completely defaunated termites. Triglycerides were the major lipid class present and synthesized in normally faunated termites. They were depleted in partially and completely defaunated termites, which made it appear that phospholipids increased in quantity. Oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid in normally faunated termites, and was depleted in partially and completely defaunated termites. Based on these indirect results, P. grassii appears to be necessary for normal cellulose catabolism, lipid synthesis, and survival in C. formosanus worker termites.
Systems Epidemiology: A New Direction in Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Research

Systems epidemiology applied to the field of nutrition has potential to provide new insight into underlying mechanisms and ways to study the health effects of specific foods more comprehensively. Human intervention and population-based studies have identified i) common genetic factors associated with several nutrition-related traits and ii) dietary factors altering the expression of genes and levels of proteins and metabolites related to inflammation, lipid metabolism, and/or gut microbial metabolism, results of high relevance to metabolic disease. System-level tools applied type 2 diabetes and related conditions have revealed new pathways that are potentially modified by diet and thus offer additional opportunities for nutritional investigations. Moving forward, harnessing the resources of existing large, prospective studies within which biological samples have been archived and diet and lifestyle have been measured repeatedly within individuals will enable systems-level data to be integrated, the outcome of which will be improved personalized optimal nutrition for prevention and treatment of disease.
Mechanistic Study of the Photochemical Hydroxide Ion Release from 9-Hydroxy-10-methyl-9-phenyl-9,10-dihydroacridine

The excited-state behavior of 9-hydroxy-10-methyl-9-phenyl-9,10-dihydroacridine and its derivative, 9-methoxy-10-methyl-9-phenyl-9,10-dihydroacridine (AcrOR, R = H, Me), was studied via femtosecond and nanosecond UV–vis transient absorption spectroscopy. The solvent effects on C–O bond cleavage were clearly identified: a fast heterolytic cleavage (τ = 108 ps) was observed in protic solvents, while intersystem crossing was observed in aprotic solvents. Fast heterolysis generates 10-methyl-9-phenylacridinium (Acr+) and –OH, which have a long recombination lifetime (no signal decay was observed within 100 μs). AcrOH exhibits the characteristic behavior needed for its utilization as a chromophore in the pOH jump experiment.
Microstructure of polybutadiene catalyzed by alkali metal tert-butoxides and n-butylsodium. II.

A polybutadiene of high molecular weight was prepared in hydrocarbon solvent by using n-BuNa–tert-BuOM (M = Li, K) as a polymerization initiator. The microstructure of this polymer varied from 35 to 76% of 1,2 content, depending on the type of modifiers. The kinetics of polymerization was not studied, primarily due to the heterogeneous nature of the catalyst. However, other variables, such as the catalyst concentration and temperature, have been studied. The results and mechanistic implications are discussed.
Effects of calcium chloride on grafted internal mammary artery flow after cardiopulmonary bypass

Abstract Objective: To examine the effects of calcium chloride (CaCl2) administration on blood flow through the grafted left internal mammary artery (IMA) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Design: Single-arm prospective study. Setting: University-affiliated hospital operating room. Participants: Twenty adult patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft surgery with IMA graft. Interventions: IMA flow was measured noninvasively with a laser Doppler flow probe placed around the IMA, and measurements were recorded for 10 seconds and averaged. After separation from CPB under stable hemodynamics, baseline IMA flow was measured. CaCl2, 15 mg/kg, was administered intravenously over 1 minute. Blood pressure, left atrial pressure, heart rate, and IMA flow were then measured at 1, 5, and 10 minutes. Coronary perfusion pressure and IMA vascular resistance were calculated. Measurements and Main Results: After CaCl2 administration, IMA blood flow significantly decreased from baseline at 1,5, and 10 minutes (from 28 ± 9 mL/min to 19 ± 8 mL/min, 22 ± 6 mL/min, and 25 ± 4 mL/min), with gradual return toward baseline over time. Blood pressure, coronary perfusion pressure, and IMA vascular resistance significantly increased at 1 and 5 minutes after CaCl2. Left atrial pressure and heart rate remained unchanged. No systolic regional wall motion abnormalities were detected on transesophageal echocardiography. Conclusions: CaCl2, administered as a bolus dose after separation from CPB, transiently but significantly reduces IMA flow and can potentially trigger vasospasm, increasing the risk for myocardial ischemia or infarction in susceptible patients. Further studies are needed to determine whether this effect also occurs with nitrosodilators or phosphodiesterase inhibitors.