cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Fluid Mechanics of Astrophysics and Geophysics: Stellar and Planetary Magnetism

Stellar and Planetary Magnetism represents the proceedings of the Workshop on Planetary and Stellar Magnetism held in Budapest, Hungary, August 25–29, 1980. It is the second volume in a series on the fluid mechanics of astrophysics and geophysics, edited by P.H. Roberts. The first volume is Solar Flare Magnetohydrodynamics, with Eric Priest as volume editor. It is clear from reading both volumes that the overall editorial policy is one of exposition for an audience much broader than the experts that contributed the papers. Stellar and Planetary Magnetism, like its predecessor, is as much a textbook as it is a topical review of the latest developments. The successive sections are devoted to dynamo theory, high conductivity dynamos and flux expulsion, solar magnetism, stellar magnetism, geomagnetism, and compositional convection, the last topic referring to the forces that drive the convection in the core of earth. In that respect there has been a question for years whether there is enough thermal energy released in the liquid core to drive convection and power the geomagnetic dynamo. It now appears that the slow cooling and solidification of the liquid core, to form a growing solid dendritic core at the center, is the most effective means for driving the convection. The basic thermodynamics and hydrodynamics of this effect are presented with gratifying clarity and directness.
Chemically skinned mammalian skeletal muscle I. The structure of skinned rabbit psoas

We studied the morphology of rabbit psoas muscle fixed at increasing intervals of time in a chemical skinning solution (Wood et al., 1975), or after skinning and storage for times up to 1 week. The storage solution, in which the chemically skinned muscled fibers were kept at -20 degrees C, had the same ionic composition as the skinning solution but was made with 50% (v/v) glycerol. Progressive structural changes occurred in fibers exposed to skinning solution. The structural changes were essentially complete after 24-48 hr in skinning solution and no further changes were detected in fibers stored for periods up to 1 week. Structural changes were: (i) holes or gaps in the plasma membrane; (ii) swelling of mitochondria and disorganization of their internal structure; (iii) slight swelling of the sarcoplasmic reticulum; (iv) disappearance of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) feet from triadic gaps. Other changes included loss of glycogen between fibrils and extraction of myoplasm, or the change of its staining properties. All architectural elements of the SR, except "feet", remained during skinning and storage, and the SR remained able to accumulate calcium. The morphology of the myofilaments during chemical skinning and during storage did not differ from control fibers. We conclude that chemical skinning alters the gross structure of the plasma membrane and mitochondria, but produces minimal changes in the sarcoplasmic reticulum and contractile proteins.
An APL program for q-analysis

This program provides the barest essentials of a q-analysis, in Atkin's sense. It accepts an incidence matrix, A, and finds the q-connected components for all relevant q-values and for both conjugate complexes. It prints these components by referring to the rows (or cols) by number, rather than by a name (string), and lists the structure vector Q.
SU‐E‐I‐124: Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Sciatic Nerve at 3T

Purpose: To use diffusiontensorimaging (DTI) to visualize and evaluate normal fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of the sciatic nerve in four volunteers at 3T.Methods: Initially, T1‐ weighted axial anatomic reference images were performed for anatomic reference (TR/TE, 641/10; flip angle 90 degrees; field of view, 128 mm; number of signal averages(NSA) of 2. Next, single‐shot spin‐echo echo‐ planar DTI sequences were performed with parameters: TR/TE, 5300/69; flip angle 90 degrees; field of view 16 cm; matrix size 128 × 128; 2 NSA ; slice thickness 4 mm; number of slices, 40. Diffusion weighting with a b value of 1,000 s/mm2 was applied in 32 different directions. Total required imaging time was approximately 15 minutes. Image data was transferred to a workstation and fiber tracking was performed with Philips advanced tractography software available on the scanner and workstation. Color coded maps demonstrating the sciatic nerve were used to place circular regions‐of interest were then drawn over the nerve location demonstrated on the color coded maps to determine FA and ADCResults: In four volunteers (all males, average age = 40) the sciatic nerve was well visualized and had an average +/− SD FA of 0.52+/−0.20and ADC of ACD of 0.78+/−0.38 Conclusions: Normal FA and ADC values of the sciatic nerve could be measured using DTI and fiber tracking. Further studies are needed but these results suggest that FA and ADC can potentially be used to evaluate peripheral neuropathy and be used in patient follow‐up.
Diaphragms and lubricant gel for prevention of HIV – Authors' reply

Both James Shelton and Zena Stein question whether our trial, which assessed provision of a latex diaphragm used with a non-contraceptive lubricant and condoms, had any demonstrable effect on underlying HIV incidence. We cannot answer this directly because we had neither an “observational-only” control group, nor access to data estimating concurrent background incidence in the trial communities. We compared the age-specific (18–35 years) incidence among Zimbabwean women in both our study and a cohort study 1 that had similar condom promotion, although less reported use. The cohort study reported a yearly incidence of 4.07% whereas we noted an incidence of 3.08%. Shelton and Stein also ask for a disentanglement of the separate effects of condom and diaphragm use on incidence of HIV infection in the trial, part of which necessarily involves an estimation of the independent effect of condom use. We agree that such analyses are important additions to basic intention-to-treat results, and in fact, we prespecified appropriate methods to address these issues in our analytical plan and included results in the submitted paper. Regrettably, we were directed not to include these findings by both a referee and an editor of the original article. To examine whether decreased condom use in the intervention group cancelled out a possible, although modest, protective effect of diaphragms in that group, we did a direct-effects analysis. 2,3 This approach estimates what infection rates would have been in each group had all participants been constrained to condom use at certain prespecified levels. Although the full details of the statistical methods and analysis are being submitted to another journal, 4 we provide a brief synopsis of the findings. The estimated relative risk of HIV infection for assignment to the intervention versus control group, had all participants been constrained to always use condoms, was 0.96 (95% CI 0.59– 1.45). By contrast, the estimated analogous relative risk of HIV infection had all participants never used condoms was 0.59 (0.26–4.56). In both these scenarios, point estimates are in the direction of assignment to the intervention group as being protective; however, neither is close to significance. Although the second result is tantalising, the scarcity of women who consistently reported non-condom use does not permit a level of precision sufficient enough to draw meaningful conclusions. Thus, the variability in these results neither supports nor refutes the bolder assertions regarding the effectiveness of diaphragms.
Hyperfine interaction on 5 s-p solutes in ferromagnetic gadolinium

Abstract Mossbauer-effect measurements on 125 Te and 129 I impurities in gadolinium yield values of hyperfine fields H hf = -229 kOe and H hf = -42 kOe respectively. These values are in excellent agreement with Campbell's prediction of the systematics of H hf for s-p solutes in Gd.
Labor geographies in a time of early globalization: Strikes against Singer in Scotland and Russia in the early 20th century

Abstract This essay provides analyses of labor strikes at two early sites (first quarter of the 20th century) of the global production line – Singer Manufacturing Company’s factories at Clydebank, Scotland and Podolsk, Russia – and the labor management strategies that led to and resulted from these particular enactments of power. I focus on the degree to which Singer and its employees were embedded in local, regional and national contexts, and how and why workers’ agency mattered to the course of early globalization. I also suggest that such analyses provide significant understanding of how and why early global production was both different from and similar to contemporary globalization. By so doing, this analysis contributes to theoretical discussions concerning degrees of territorial embeddedness of transnational corporations, particularly in regard to changes over time as well as geographic scale, and adds historical nuance to theoretical questions concerning labor geographies under conditions of globalization.
Assessment of the interoceptive effects of alcohol in rats using short-term training procedures

In the present study, we sought to determine whether the interoceptive effects of alcohol (1 g/kg, IG) could be assessed using a Pavlovian discrimination method, in which the alcohol drug state sets the occasion for which an environmental stimulus (e.g., light) will be followed by a sucrose reward. This procedure takes advantage of a naturally occurring behavior (i.e., food-seeking) which can be trained rapidly prior to the initiation of discrimination training. Given that the interoceptive effects of alcohol are routinely assessed using operant drug discrimination methods, another group of rats was trained using standard two-lever operant drug discrimination procedures in an effort to compare the Pavlovian procedure to a known behavioral benchmark. The results from this work show that, in addition to operant discrimination procedures, a Pavlovian discrimination task can be used to evaluate the interoceptive effects of alcohol. In addition to the brief behavioral sucrose access training (3 days) required prior to the initiation of the Pavlovian discrimination, the alcohol discrimination was acquired relatively rapidly (i.e., 8 training sessions), shortening the overall duration of the experiment. These features of the Pavlovian procedure make it a valuable method by which to assess the interoceptive effects of alcohol if a short experimental time frame is required, such as assessing the interoceptive effects of alcohol during a brief developmental window (e.g., adolescence) or determining the effects of a pretreatment (i.e., chronic stress, chronic drug pretreatment) on the acquisition of the alcohol discrimination. As such, this initial characterization confirms the feasibility of using this Pavlovian discrimination training method as an additional tool by which to assess the interoceptive effects of alcohol, as there may be experimental situations that necessitate short term discrimination training.
Implementation of AN Optimization Model for Operation of a Metropolitan Reservoir System

: A deterministic dynamic programming optimization model with a refining sectioning search procedure is developed and implemented to find least cost withdrawal and release patterns for water supple from a multiple reservoir system serving a metropolitan area. Applications are made to teh four reservoir system operated by the city of Dallas, Texas. A realistic cost structure, including nonlinear power consumption, block rate unit power costs, and flow dependent power consumption for intracity water distribution, is utilized. Applications are made to find least cost operating patterns and, as well, by inclusion of a water loss penalty function, supply patterns which will reduce evaporation water losses for the Dallas system.
Abstract 2958: The novel protein kinase STK17A is a direct p53 target gene that mediates response to genotoxic and nutritional stress in a cancer cell context-dependent manner

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL STK17A (DRAK1) is a largely uncharacterized serine/threonine kinase that belongs to the death-associated protein kinase family. Prior microarray studies demonstrated that STK17A is induced with cisplatin in testicular cancer-derived human embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells. We now demonstrate the STK17A in a novel p53 target gene that is induced by a variety of DNA damaging agents in a p53-dependent manner in a number of different cell contexts. A consensus and functional p53 response element was found upstream of the STK17A promoter and endogenous p53 was shown to bind to this site in a cisplatin-dependent manner. Knockdown of STK17A conferred resistance to cisplatin-induced growth suppression and apoptotic cell death in EC cells. This was associated with up-regulation of detoxifying and antioxidant genes and reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas overexpression of STK17A increased ROS levels in EC cells. Interestingly, we found that STK17A is highly overexpressed in clinical glioblastoma (GBM) and cell lines compared to its expression in normal brain tissue and other cancers. High STK17A expression in GBM patients correlated with poor clinical outcome and decreased survival. STK17A knockdown in GBM cells decreased clonagenic cell growth, soft agar tumorigenicity, and survival in response to genotoxic and nutritional stress. Preliminary data will be presented implicating STK17A in the regulation of autophagy and the proximal autophagy component, ULK1. These findings indicate that STK17A may be added to a growing list of direct p53 target genes involved in autophagy that includes TIGAR, Sestrins, DAPK1 and DRAM and that by impacting autophagy STK17A may modulate response to genotoxic and nutritional stress in a cell context-depend manner. This study also suggests that STK17A is a potential novel prognostic maker and therapeutic target for GBM. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2958. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2958
Contextualized Learning May Redefine Remedial Education.

Paul Fain (2011), cited community college leaders who overwhelmingly voted at the Reimagining Community Colleges invitation-only conference held September 23, 2011 in New York City, for team teaching and other innovations as the most important fix for remedial education in community colleges. Team teaching is not common in postsecondary education and is difficult to do well. This paper presents the argument that it is the contextualized material that leads to team teaching success. Contextualized learning has not been rigorously researched, and it is far from having enough research for most community colleges to learn from and adapt. Although Perin (2011) found that contextualized learning had been used in various ways in educational literature, this paper focuses on the integration of remedial education materials into a community college career technical skills coursework.
A Survivable Social Network

The impact that widespread disasters have on communications systems has evolved over time - fueled by advancements in technology and cemented by societal adoption. As the use of IP-based communications systems, both wired and wireless, has become ubiquitous, we as a society have become dangerously dependent. We vest our banking and healthcare records in cloud-based services, and we have systematically shifted our preferred ways of staying in touch with friends and family away from voice communications toward online social networks. Outages of these systems that occur as a consequence of man-made or natural disasters leave us in communications darkness and without the local means to reconstruct our communications tools. In this paper, we propose a Survivable Social Network (SSN) that seeks to put the means of rebuilding familiar-feeling, modern communications tools into the hands of members of neighborhoods, schools, organizations and communities and demonstrate how such a system can be architected and replicated.
The bleeding diathesis in human glycogen storage disease type I: In vitro identification of a naturally occurring inhibitor of ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation

Abstract Platelet aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), epinephrine and ristocetin was studied in six patients with glycogen storage disease type I (GSD-I), five of whom had Ivy bleeding times in excess of six minutes. As has been previously reported, these patients demonstrated impaired platelet aggregation in response to ADP and epinephrine. We now report impaired ristocetin dependent platelet aggregation in those patients having an abnormal bleeding time. The impaired platelet aggregation was not corrected by the addition of purified factor VIII/von Willebrand's factor to platelet rich plasma from these patients. Normal ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation was observed when GSD-I platelets were suspended in buffer and factor VIII/von Willebrand's factor was added. Moreover, in the presence of GSD-I serum, the response to ristocetin was normal. When washed platelets from normal subjects were suspended in GSD-I plasma, abnormal ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation was observed. These data indicate the presence of an inhibitor(s) in GSD-I plasma which may be responsible for impaired ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation in patients with glycogen storage disease type I. This conclusion.is further supported by the finding of a parallel inhibition in the binding of 125 I-factor VIII/von Willebrand's factor to platelets by various fractions of GSD-I plasma separated by gel filtration. The elution position of the inhibitor and its absence from serum suggest that fibrinogen may be the inhibitor. Plasma from four patients with glycogen storage disease type III showed no evidence of a similar inhibitor(s).
Appendix 1: Report of study group on flow regimes in multifluid flow ☆

Abstract Pattern formation is identified as the principal scientific issue permeating essentially every aspect of multifluid flow. An overall strategy for addressing the issue is proposed, and subsidiary scientific issues of high priority are identified. This summary is written in the spirit that it will be read in conjunction with the study group member contributions identified by the list of references.
An axially averaged-radial transport model of tokamak edge plasmas

Abstract A two-zone axially averaged-radial transport model for edge plasmas is described that incorporates parallel electron and ion conduction, localized recycling, parallel electron pressure gradient effects and sheath losses. Results for high recycling show that the radial electron temperature profile is determined by parallel electron conduction over short radial distances ( ~ 3 cm). At larger radius where T c has fallen appreciably, convective transport becomes equally important. The downstream density and ion temperature profiles are very flat over the region where electron conduction dominates. This is seen to result from a sharply decaying velocity profile that follows the radial electron temperature. A one-dimensional analytical recycling model shows that at high neutral pumping rates, the plasma density at the plate, n ia , scales linearly with the unperturbed background density, n io . When ionization dominates n ia /n 10 ~ exp( n 10 ) while in the intermediate regime n ia /n i0 ~ exp( ~ n i0 ). Such behavior is qualitatively in accord with experimental observations.
Redolence and Land Use on Nosy Be, Madagascar

Odor, or the "smellscape," is an intriguing dimension of place ignored by geographers. A small island in the Indian Ocean provides an empirical example oj a smell-defined space. The central odor there is a mixture of redolent ingredients dominated by the fragrant blossoms of ylang-ylang. Horticultural specialization on this plant provides an essential oil made from the flowers and exported for use in perfume. Olfaction, the most subtle yet enduring of human senses, can transmit geographical information in plate characterization, landscape reconstruction and atmospheric quality.
Color and psychological functioning: a review of theoretical and empirical work

In the past decade there has been increased interest in research on color and psychological functioning. Important advances have been made in theoretical work and empirical work, but there are also important weaknesses in both areas that must be addressed for the literature to continue to develop apace. In this article, I provide brief theoretical and empirical overviews of research in this area, in each instance beginning with a historical background and recent advancements, and proceeding to an evaluation focused on weaknesses that provide guidelines for future research. I conclude by reiterating that the literature on color and psychological functioning is at a nascent stage of development, and by recommending patience and prudence regarding conclusions about theory, findings, and real-world application.
Novel phenylamino acetamide derivatives as potent and selective κ opioid receptor agonists

A novel series of phenylamino acetamide derivatives was synthesized. These amides were shown to be potent and selective κ opioid receptor agonists.
Dibenzotetraphenylperiflanthene: Synthesis, photophysical properties, and electrogenerated chemiluminescence

Fissure coupling of the fluoranthene adduct (7,12-diphenyl)benzo[k]fluoranthene (3) using AlCl3/NaCl, CoF3/TFA, or Tl(OCOCF3) gave the new polyaromatic hydrocarbon dibenzo{[f,f’]-4,4’,7,7’-tetraphenyl}diindeno[1,2,3-cd:1‘,2‘,3‘-lm]perylene (4). Crystal data for 4: triclinic space group P1, a = 10.569(2) A, b = 11.565(4) A, c = 13.001(3) A, α = 95.05(2)°, β = 111.24(1)°, γ = 100.53(1)°, Z = 1, RF = 0.075%. Compounds 3 and 4 are both highly fluorescent in solution and display relative fluorescence quantum yields of φF = 1.0 and 0.85, respectively. The electrochemistry and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of each compound has been investigated. The cyclic voltammogram of 3 in benzene−acetonitrile (9:1) shows that the compound undergoes a reversible reduction and an irreversible oxidation, whereas the cyclic voltammogram of 4 displays the reversible formation of both singly and doubly charged cations and anions. Compounds 3 and 4 undergo ECL to yield blue and orange-red light, respectively, with an ...
Multiuser receiver aware multicast protocols for wireless ad-hoc networks

Most existing multicast protocols for wireless ad-hoc networks operate at the network layer and make no assumption about the underlying link and physical layer protocols. This results in inefficiency in the usage of bandwidth and power. In this paper, we assume a DS-CDMA based wireless ad-hoc network and propose two schemes, Centralized-Tree Distributed-Power (CTDP) and Distributed-Tree Distributed-Power (DTDP), tailored to the link and physical layer protocols. Both schemes seek to construct a multicast tree and determine the power levels at which the nodes should transmit to satisfy the SINR requirements of all receiving nodes with the least total transmit power. Empirical evaluation shows that CTDP is more efficient than DTDP in terms of consumed transmit power but at significantly higher computation cost. On the other hand, DTDP is fully distributed and thus may be better suited for mobile wireless ad-hoc networks.
Race condition in Ajax-based web application

The atomicity is an important issue in asynchronous based data communication. In the modern web application today, asynchronous introduces hazardous effect causing unexpected results. This paper discusses the race condition occurred between the user request and server response due to the asynchronous nature of the web application using Ajax. A race condition occurs when multiple threads in a process try to modify the critical section data at the same time. The data will depend on which thread arrived last. Concurrent requests will be running asynchronously and it is impossible to predict which will return first. The locking mechanism is not a very effective way but may avoid race condition. Our future project develops a more effective way to detect the race conditions while parsing.
1H spectroscopy without solvent suppression: characterization of signal modulations at short echo times.

Abstract While most proton (1H) spectra acquired in vivo utilize selective suppression of the solvent signal for more sensitive detection of signals from the dilute metabolites, recent reports have demonstrated the feasibility and advantages of collecting in vivo data without solvent attenuation. When these acquisitions are performed at short echo times, the presence of frequency modulations of the water resonance may become an obstacle to the identification and quantitation of metabolite resonances. The present report addresses the characteristics, origin, and elimination of these sidebands. Sideband amplitudes were measured as a function of delay time between gradient pulse and data collection, as a function of gradient pulse amplitude, and as a function of spatial location of the sample for each of the three orthogonal gradient sets. Acoustic acquisitions were performed to demonstrate the correlation between mechanical vibration resonances and the frequencies of MR sidebands. A mathematical framework is developed and compared with the experimental results. This derivation is based on the theory that these frequency modulations are induced by magnetic field fluctuations generated by the transient oscillations of gradient coils.
A Novel Battery Charger for Automotive Applications

In this paper, a new power electronics topology is introduced for battery pulse charging. The topology is based on a bidirectional isolated Cuk converter. The charging method provides positive and negative current and resting periods. This charging method results in less generated heat and longer battery life cycle. Different operating modes of the system and its small signal analysis are presented. The small signal system has been modeled using MATLAB. Simulation results are also provided to validate the mathematical analysis.
Axoplasmic transport of calcitonin gene-related peptide in rat peripheral nerve as a function of age.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been implicated in the trophic regulation of acetylcholine receptors and G4 acetylcholinesterase at the rat neuromuscular junction. Since these latter molecules exhibit significant changes with advancing age, we examined the possibility that certain aspects of CGRP transport are also influenced by aging. Double nerve ligations and CGRP radioimmunoassay of 3-mm nerve segments permitted the assessment of the peptide's apparent transport rates in sciatic nerves from 3-, 12-, and 24-month-old Fischer 344 rats. Results confirm that CGRP is conveyed by anterograde axoplasmic transport; more importantly, they suggest that CGRP is also transported retrogradely, but in smaller amounts and at slower rates. In addition, our findings indicate that the apparent rates of CGRP transport in both directions significantly decline with advancing age. These data are consistent with the notion that changes in CGRP delivery may contribute to age-related changes in junctional acetylcholine receptors and acetylcholinesterase.
Ultrasound-guided posterolateral approach for midline calcified thoracic disc herniation.

Objective Symptomatic thoracic disc herniation often requires prompt surgical treatment to prevent neurological deterioration and permanent deficits. Anterior approaches offer direct visualization and access to the herniated disc and anterior dura but require access surgeons and are often associated with considerable postoperative pain and pulmonary complications. A disadvantage with using posterior approaches in the setting of central calcified thoracic disc herniation however, has been the limited visualization of anterior dura and difficulty to accurately assess the extent of decompression. Methods We report our experience with intraoperative ultrasound (US) guidance during a modified posterior transpedicular approach for removal of a central calcified thoracic disc herniation with a review of pertinent literature. Results The herniated thoracic disc was successfully removed with posterior approach with the aid of intraoperative US. The patient had significant neurological improvement at three months follow-up. Conclusion Intraoperative ultrasound is a simple yet valuable tool for real-time imaging during transpedicular thoracic discectomy. Visualization provided by intraoperative US increases the safety profile of posterior approaches and may make thoracotomy unnecessary in a selected group of patients, especially when a patient has existing pulmonary disease or is otherwise not medically fit for the transthoracic approach.
Fatty liver, hypertension, and the metabolic syndrome.

The prevalence of fatty liver in non-obese non-diabetic hypertensive patients is at least twice that of the general population and may be related to increases in insulin resistance and body weight The clinical significance of hepatic steatosis remains controversial. Long known to be common,1,2 fatty liver was once dismissed as an innocuous condition, particularly when discovered incidentally in individuals with normal serum aminotransferases.3–5 However, as discussed subsequently, emerging evidence challenges this old assumption by demonstrating strong associations between hepatic steatosis and other potentially life threatening diseases. Reports that some alcohol abusers and non-alcoholic individuals with fatty livers eventually develop cirrhosis and succumb to “typical” complications of advanced liver disease are certainly concerning.3,4,6–11 Moreover, evidence suggests a detrimental interaction between hepatic steatosis and other types of chronic hepatitis because several studies have identified fatty liver as an independent predictor of progressive liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C,12–14 and at least one study demonstrated that hepatic steatosis conveys an independent risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in this population.15 Hepatic steatosis is also associated with a poor response to antiviral therapy13 although this may be because it is strongly associated with obesity, which independently decreases the efficacy of hepatitis C treatment.16 In any case, there is no longer any doubt that having a fatty liver increases an individual’s risk for advanced liver disease. In addition, fatty liver is …
The economics of energy conservation policy

Energy conservation proponents have recently attempted to provide a more rigorous economics justification for both energy appliance standards and utility energy conservation programmes. A tenable case cannot however, be made: market failures do not produce a consistent bias towards energy use; conservation programmes do not reduce the cause of the market failure, and more typically exacerbate market or regulatory failures; and there is no evidence that such programmes make consumers better off in the relevant sense that consumers are willing to pay for them. The development of competitive electricity and gas commodity markets at the end-use level will produce an efficient disposition of utility sponsored programmes.
Characterization of Failure Behavior of Brittle Matrix Composites; at Room and Elevated Temperatures

Abstract In this study, a systematic tensile testing scheme was carried out on specimens made of unidirectional Nicalon/CAS II ceramic matrix composite with 30% and 40% fiber volume fractions to characterize the tensile failure behavior of brittle matrix composites at room and elevated temperatures. The tests were conducted inside the chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Utilizing an innovative in-situ tensile testing technique (1), the whole damage history of the specimen under continuous tensile loading was monitored through SEM and hardcopies showing the continuous damage accumulations in the specimens were captured using a video processor through a computer equipped with an Imaging Advanced Frame Grabber (AFG) digital imaging analyzer system. Finally, an analytical model which incorporates the observed damage progression and is based on the microstructure of the composite was developed.
Promoting Child Survival in Honduras: Factors for Program Sustainability

Child mortality has been a problem in developing countries for many years. This article summarizes the factors that were identified as contributing to the sustainability of a community‐based growth‐monitoring program for the prevention of child mortality in Honduras. The program used community volunteers to measure children's growth from birth until they reached two years of age. Honduras received support from the USAID to implement the program. The authors conducted an evaluation of the program that included responses from 32 health care workers, 45 weight monitors, 96 participating mothers and 32 non‐participating mothers. Individual, community, environmental and institutional factors that contribute to the sustainability of the program are summarized. The implications for program replication are discussed.
The median voter didn't show up: Costly meetings and insider rents

Abstract How does changing from an assembly to a town-council form of government affect the way in which cities are run? Previous empirical research on this question has not found much of an impact of assemblies on aggregate outcomes such as local public expenditures or taxation. Nevertheless, the specific role of organized insiders may be important to understand how cities and towns governed by citizens' assemblies work. Existing surveys point to local workers as an important pressure group in local assemblies. Using data from local governments in New England I find that municipalities governed by assemblies pay around 4% to 10% higher salaries to their employees. This wage premium is bigger in assemblies with lower attendance, and increasing with the employees' voting power. I prove my results robust to the inclusion of an exogenous representative-government comparison group: municipalities in New York State that lie within 40 miles of the border with New England. The results demonstrate how insider groups derive some advantages from an assembly form of government. More broadly, the potential capture of assemblies by insider groups can be an important risk faced by municipalities with low citizen participation, which provides a rationale for the widespread adoption of representative government at the local level.
Comparison of solute fluxes during concurrent size and shape coarsening of plate shaped precipitates

On examine les contributions relatives des flux de solute intraparticule et interparticules pendant le grossissement d'un ensemble de precipites en forme de plaquettes qui tous devient par rapport a leur forme d'equilibre. Cas de Al-4% Cu
Suppression of basal spontaneous gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal activity during lactation: role of inhibitory effects of neuropeptide Y.

Increased neuropeptide Y (NPY) activity drives the chronic hyperphagia of lactation and may contribute to the suppression of GnRH activity. The majority of GnRH neurons are contacted by NPY fibers, and GnRH cells express NPY Y5 receptor (Y5R). Therefore, NPY provides a neurocircuitry for information about food intake/energy balance to be directly transmitted to GnRH neurons. To investigate the effects of lactation on GnRH neuronal activity, hypothalamic slices were prepared from green fluorescent protein-GnRH transgenic rats. Extracellular loose-patch recordings determined basal GnRH neuronal activity from slices of ovariectomized control and lactating rats. Compared with controls, hypothalamic slices from lactating rats had double the number of quiescent GnRH neurons (14.51 ± 2.86 vs. 7.04 ± 2.84%) and significantly lower firing rates of active GnRH neurons (0.25 ± 0.02 vs. 0.37 ± 0.03 Hz). To study the NPY-postsynaptic Y5R system, whole-cell current-clamp recordings were performed in hypothalamic slices...
Engagement of the CD4 molecule influences cell surface expression of the T-cell receptor on thymocytes

The intrathymic differentiation process by which precursor cells derived from the bone marrow develop into immune-competent T lymphocytes is poorly understood. Most thymocytes express both CD4 and CDS accessory molecules1, yet little is known about either the function of these molecules or the responsiveness of the CD4+8+ double positive thymocytes that bear them2–7. Here, we address the possibility that CD4 engagement influences T-cell receptor (TCR) expression on developing thymocytes. We engaged CD4 molecules on murine thymocytes by in vivo injection of an anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody, which reduced the surface expression of CD4 on CD4+ thymocytes. More importantly, CD4 engagement also affected TCR expression on CD4+ thymocytes, but the effect on CD4+8+ double positive and CD4+8- single positive thymocytes was very different. CD4+8+ thymocytes responded to CD4 engagement by dramatically increasing surface expression of TCR, whereas CD4+8- thymocytes decreased surface expression of TCR. These results demonstrate that the effect of CD4 engagement on TCR expression is dependent upon the developmental state of the responding thymocyte, and, most interestingly, results in increased TCR expression by double positive thymocytes.
EUS-guided Celiac Plexus Neurolysis for Pain Due to Chronic Pancreatitis or Pancreatic Cancer Pain: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of EUS-guided CPN for pain relief in patients with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. An initial search identified 1,439 reference articles, of which 130 relevant articles were selected and reviewed. Data was extracted from 8 studies (N = 283) for EUS-guided CPN for pain due to pancreatic cancer and nine studies for chronic pancreatitis (N = 376) which met the inclusion criteria. With EUS-guided CPN, the pooled proportion of patients with pancreatic cancer that showed pain relief was 80.12% (95% CI = 74.47-85.22). In patients with pain due to chronic pancreatitis, EUS-guided CPN provided pain relief in 59.45% (95% CI = 54.51-64.30). In conclusion, EUS-guided CPN offers a safe alternative technique for pain relief in patients with chronic pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. In patients with pain due to chronic pancreatitis, better techniques or injected materials are needed to improve the response.
Report of the Editors of the American Political Science Review , 2011–2012

We report here the journal's operations during the year from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, (when the Review was headed by the UCLA editorial team) and the period July 1, 2012 to January 1, 2013, or the first six months when the University of North Texas team has been at the helm. In this report, we also summarize the transition process from UCLA to the University of North Texas (UNT).
Separable binding proteins for retinoic acid and retinol in bovine retina.

Binding proteins for retinoic acid and retinol were separated from a supernatant prepared from bovine retina. Fraction IV from DEAE-cellulose chromatography bound exogenous [3H] retinoic acid which could not be effectively displayed by retinol, retinal, retinyl acetate or palmitate, but which was readily displaced with excess retinoic acid. [3H] Retinol was bound by fraction V from DEAE-cellulose chromatography and was not displaced by retinal, retinoic acid, retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate, but was readily displaced by excess retinol. Unlike bovine serum retinol-binding protein, neither intracellular binding protein formed a complex with purified human serum prealbumin. The supernatant from bovine retinas was estimated to contain five times more retinoic acid binding than retinol binder.
Experimental and numerical study of an incinerator- and furnace-related flow☆☆☆

Abstract The results of an experimental and computational study of the flow over a separation-inducing corner formed by a surface-mounted, triangular obstacle located close to a 90° turn are presented. The study was undertaken as part of a process to develop and validate numerical simulation methods for predicting incinerator and furnace flows, and the flow configuration studied is characteristic of such devices. The predictions from FEM simulations based on the standard k -ϵ turbulence model are compared with results from two-component LDV measurements from a water tunnel experiment. In the numerical simulations, two different outflow boundary conditions are used, one being the stress-free outflow condition and the other making use of special outflow elements. The results from the numerical simulation with the special outflow elements are in better agreement with the experimental results than those from the simulation with the stress-free outflow boundary condition. With the special outflow elements, the mean velocities and the gradients of the mean vertical velocity are well predicted. In the region separating the recirculation zone from the freestream where turbulent transport is most important, good agreement between the experiment and the special outflow elements simulation is achieved for the turbulent kinetic energy.
Nocturnal pulsatile growth hormone releasing hormone treatment in growth hormone deficiency.

SUMMARY We have treated five GH-deficient prepubertal children (4 M, 1 F) with GH releasing hormone1–40 (GHRH1–40) in two dosage regimens over 9 months. Profiles of serum GH concentrations were obtained over 24 hours before treatment and nocturnal profiles were obtained serially throughout the study. GHRH was administered subcutaneously at night for four pulses using 1 μg/kg/pulse in the first 3 months and 2 μg/kg/pulse for a further 6 months. All subjects demonstrated pituitary responsiveness to i.v. GHRH before treatment and at 3 and 6 months. GH secretion was induced in a pulsatile fashion in response to subcutaneous GHRH in three children from the first night of treatment. A self priming effect to successive GHRH pulses was evident and the response augmented with time and with the higher dose regimen. The growth velocity of these three children increased from a mean of 3.7 cm/year (range 3.7–3.8) before treatment to 5.5 cm/year (range 4.1–7.2) over the first 3 months and to 7.2 cm/ year (range 4.8–9.2) over the following 6 months. In one subject entrainment of GH secretion to GHRH did not occur until the higher dose regimen and this was associated with a modest increase in growth velocity. One subject did not respond to treatment. Pulsatile administration of GHRH1–40 is effective in inducing GH secretion and promoting growth acceleration in some children with idiopathic GH deficiency. The optimal dose and mode of administration of GHRH have yet to be established.
Hamiltonian connectivity of 2-tree-generated networks

In this paper we consider a class of Cayley graphs that are generated by certain 3-cycles on the alternating group A"n. These graphs are generalizations of the alternating group graph AG"n. We look at the case when the 3-cycles form a ''tree-like structure'', and analyze the Hamiltonian connectivity of such graphs. We prove that even with 2n-7 vertices deleted, the remaining graph is Hamiltonian connected, i.e. there is a Hamiltonian path between every pair of vertices.
Photoemission spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy investigation of vapor-phase codeposited silver/poly(3-hexylthiophene) composites.

Nanocomposite matrices of silver/poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were prepared in ultrahigh vacuum through vapor-phase codeposition. Change in microstructure, chemical nature, and electronic properties with increasing filler (Ag) content were investigated using in situ XPS and UPS, and ambient AFM. At least two chemical binding states occur between Ag nanoparticles and sulfur in P3HT at the immediate contact layer, but no evidence of interaction between Ag and carbon (in P3HT) was found. AFM images reveal a change in Ag nanoparticles size with concentration which modifies the microstructure and the average roughness of the surface. Under codeposition, P3HT largely retains its conjugated structures, which is evidenced by the similar XPS and UPS spectra to those of P3HT films deposited on other substrates. We demonstrate here that the magnitude of the barrier height for hole injection (evF) and the position of the highest occupied band edge (HOB) with respect to the Fermi level of Ag may be controlled and cha...
Operational thinking at adolescence in relation to psychosomatic disorder

This article represents an attempt from a developmental point of view to construct theoretical links between psychic and somatic functioning as they are manifest in psychosomatic illness and to relate this process to the types of thinking — preoperational and operational — that determine the insights into disease available to the adolescent mind.
The N-degron protein degradation strategy for investigating the function of essential genes: requirement for replication protein A and proliferating cell nuclear antigen proteins for nucleotide excision repair in yeast extracts

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) of DNA in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in human cells has been shown to be a biochemically complex process involving multiple gene products. In yeast, the involvement of the DNA replication accessory proteins, replication protein A (RPA1) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in NER has not been demonstrated genetically. In this study we have generated temperature-degradable rfa1 and pcna mutants and show that these mutants are defective in NER in vitro under conditions that promote degradation of the RFA1 and PCNA gene products. We also demonstrate a physical interaction between RPA1 protein and subunits of the RNA polymerase II basal transcription factor IIH (TFIIH).
What Wikipedia deletes: characterizing dangerous collaborative content

Collaborative environments, such as Wikipedia, often have low barriers-to-entry in order to encourage participation. This accessibility is frequently abused (e.g., vandalism and spam). However, certain inappropriate behaviors are more threatening than others. In this work, we study contributions which are not simply "undone" -- but deleted from revision histories and public view. Such treatment is generally reserved for edits which: (1) present a legal liability to the host (e.g., copyright issues, defamation), or (2) present privacy threats to individuals (i.e., contact information).Herein, we analyze one year of Wikipedia's public deletion log and use brute-force strategies to learn about privately handled redactions. This permits insight about the prevalence of deletion, the reasons that induce it, and the extent of end-user exposure to dangerous content. While Wikipedia's approach is generally quite reactive, we find that copyright issues prove most problematic of those behaviors studied.
Comparison of GMRES and ORTHOMIN for the black oil model on unstructured grids

This paper addresses an application of ORTHOMIN and GMRES to petroleum reservoir simulation using the black oil model on unstructured grids. Comparisons between these two algorithms are presented in terms of storage and total flops per restart step. Numerical results indicate that GMRES is faster than ORTHOMIN for all tested petroleum reservoir problems, particularly for large scale problems. The control volume function approximation method is utilized in the discretization of the governing equations of the black oil model. This method can accurately approximate both the pressure and velocity in the simulation of multiphase flow in porous media, effectively reduce grid orientation effects, and be easily applied to arbitrarily shaped control volumes. It is particularly suitable for hybrid grid reservoir simulation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.