cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
UN-based biotechnology regulation: scientific and economic havoc for the 21st century.

iotechnology is the immediate target of half a dozen United Nations (UN) programs or agencies, which have proposed a sweeping variety of new and unnecessary regulations. The two major regulatory initiatives are a code of conduct promulgated by the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on behalf of three other UN agencies and a biosafety protocol being drafted under the mandate of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which is under the control of the UN Environment Program (UNEP). These regulations have already severely compromised the potential of the new technology. Vastly increased paperwork and costs for field testing will be potent disincentives to RD in contrast to other biotechnology sectors, there are actually fewer agbiotech companies now than a decade ago. Ultimately, consumers will pay inflated prices for overregulated products and higher taxes to support bloated bureaucracies, and they will have fewer options in the marketplace. Agricultural biotechnology, touted in the 1970s as promising to increase food productivity in the developing world, will increasingly become a boutique technology applied to high-value-added products for affluent consumers in industrialized countries. Biotechnology and the UN: new challenges, new failures Two regulatory instruments are of particular concern for the future of agricultural biotechnology: UNIDO’s 1992 ‘code of conduct’ 2 for field trials and the 1992 CBD3 (informally, the ‘Biodiversity Treaty’). The CBD’s goals are crafted to sound universally appealing, but the agreement has become the UN’s Trojan horse, surreptitiously delivering biotechnology-averse regulatory policies to the developing world. The UNIDO code of conduct shares all the disadvantages of the CBD but offers none of the latter’s ostensible benefits. The UNIDO code of conduct
Carbon-13 chemical shift tensors for acylium ions: A combined solid state NMR and ab initio molecular orbital study

We report the principal components of the 13C chemical shift tensors for seven acylium ions, determined by both slow speed magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and theoretical methods. Experimentally, the acylium ions were prepared either by direct reaction of the parent acyl halides with metal halide powders, including frozen antimony pentafluoride, or by the reaction of alkyl halides with carbon monoxide on aluminum chloride (AlCl3). The generalization of our recent observation of the acetylium ion on AlCl3 to other cations is direct proof of free acylium ion intermediates in Friedel−Crafts acylation reactions. 13C CP MAS NMR spectra of the acylium ions were acquired at temperatures ranging from 83 to 298 K, and the principal components of the 13C chemical shift tensors were extracted by fitting the side band intensities of the MAS spectra. With the exception of the chloroacetylium ion, the acylium ions studied have isotropic 13C1 chemical shifts of 154 ± 1 ppm, but clear variatio...
Model of Civic Community: Conceptualizing Community for Democratic Practice

Community has been recognized as necessary unit for democracy. The contemporary configuration of our communities requires us to develop a comprehensive model of community, through which we can assess its internal and external dynamics. Moreover, the community model should embrace potential to enhance civic engagement and democratic practices in order to improve local communities’ strategies for addressing many emerging issues. For this, I develop a model of civic community based on a critical review and synthesis of three influential modern social thinkers’ theories: Talcott Parsons’s system theory, Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory and Jurgen Habermas’s theories of communicative action. [Article copies available for a fee from The Transformative Studies Institute. E-mail address: journal@transformativestudies.org Website: http://www.transformativestudies.org ©2008 by The Transformative Studies Institute. All rights reserved.]
Microwave absorption in substances that form hydration layers with water

The microwave absorption of certain water soluble polymers (polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, proteins, and DNA) in solution is composed of three parts: absorption in the free water, absorption in the substance, and absorption in the hydration layer. Ethanol, sucrose, glycerol, and sodium acetate, which form weak hydrogen bonds or have an ionic nature in aqueous solutions, also have microwave absorption signatures similar to polymers that form hydration layers. The frequency-dependent absorption of the free water and of the hydration layer water is described by a simple Debye relaxation model. The absorption per unit sample volume attributable to the hydration layer is solute concentration dependent, and a simple model is used to describe the dependence. The hydration-layer relaxation time was found to vary from substance to substance and with solute concentration. The relaxation time was also found to be independent of solute length.
INFLUENCE OF PREGNANCY ON THE RENAL CORTEX OF MICE AS INDICATED BY THE STRUCTURE OF BOWMAN'S CAPSULE1

AS MENTIONED in a previous paper (1) the renal cortex of normal mice (of both sexes (2, 3), and normal and gonadectomized rats (4, 5) responds to the administration of several of the steroid sex hormones by an increase in absolute and relative weight. In certain mammals, including mice but not rats, the parietal lamina of some of the Bowman's capsules is normally composed of cuboidal cells instead of the squamous epithelium generally described in textbooks of mammalian histology. Selye (2) and Pfeiffer, Emmel and Gardner (3) noted the presence of large numbers of these cuboidal cell capsules in addition to renal enlargement in their treated animals. Crabtree (6) has demonstrated that in both sexes the percentage of cuboidal cell capsules in the normal mouse kidney increases with age, but at all times after puberty the renal cortex of the normal male contains a relatively greater number of cuboidal cell capsules than the cortex of a normal female of the same age.
Diagnostic strategies in osteomyelitis

Abstract Technetium-99 ( 99 Tc) pyrophosphate bone scanning often identifies patients with osteomyelitis before roentgenographic findings appear. However, recent studies have shown that 99 Tc bone scanning often gives false-negative results, especially in neonates. The accuracy of computed tomographic scanning and indium-111 leukocyte scanning for diagnosis of early osteomyelitis has not been established. 99 Tc bone scanning often gives false-positive results in patients with other conditions leading to bone injury and repair, such as trauma or recent surgery, further limiting the usefulness of this Imaging procedure. Newer Imaging techniques have not been adequately evaluated to establish their specificity. Because of their high cost and unproved accuracy, these new Imaging procedures should not be routinely applied until their usefulness has been established. Bone biopsy remains the procedure of choice for establishing the diagnosis in patients suspected clinically to have osteomyelitis with negative findings on roentgenography and 99 Tc bone scanning. Although Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of osteomyelitis, other pathogens cause 30 to 40 percent of cases. Aspiration or biopsy of the involved bone is usually required to choose appropriate antibiotic therapy. Bone biopsy is essential in chronic osteomyelitis, since cultures of sinus drainage are unreliable. Osteomyelitis in diabetics With foot infection and in association with decubitus ulcers presents special problems. Radionuclide scanning often give false-positive results in these patients. Proper diagnosis usually requires careful assessment of clinical and roentgenographic findings. Although bone biopsy seems useful in diagnosing osteomyelitis underlying decubitus ulcers, its role In diabetic patients with foot Infections is not established. I do not recommend biopsy of foot bones in diabetic patients, since culture of bone biopsy specimens often give unreliable results in these situations because of contamination with ulcer organisms.
The Efficacy of Victim Services Programs: Alleviating the Psychological Suffering of Crime Victims?

With the movement of the victim to the forefront of the criminal justice system, more and more services have been developed to alleviate the pain and suffering caused by the victimization experience. Some services seek to alleviate the psychological suffering of crime victims and include such programs as crisis intervention, individual and group counseling, and so forth. Several studies have examined to what extent such programming can actually improve the psychological functioning of crime victims. The present study examines that question through a quasi-experimental design in which victims who used services and victims who did not use services participated in a statewide telephone survey. The major finding of the study adds to those of previous studies: There is no significant difference between service and nonservice users when it comes to improvement in the psychological functioning of crime victims.
Modeling the performance of large-scale CO2 storage systems: A comparison of different sensitivity analysis methods

Abstract In this study, we perform sensitivity analyses using a high-resolution basin-scale reservoir model developed for a hypothetical carbon sequestration project located in the Southern San Joaquin Basin in California, USA. We use the massively parallel version of the multiphase multicomponent simulator TOUGH2 to simulate CO2/brine migration and pressure buildup within the CO2 storage formation and overlying/underlying formations. We evaluate the impact of parameter uncertainty on risk-related performance measures, i.e., CO2 saturation and pressure buildup at multiple locations, and the extent of the CO2 plume and overpressure zone. We compare three sensitivity analysis methods: a local sensitivity method and the global Morris and Sobol’/Saltelli methods. The uncertainty of sensitivity indices in the global methods is evaluated so that we can interpret the results even when we have a limitation in the computational resources. Results show that the three methods provide complementary information for identifying important parameters and system understanding. All three methods give consistent interpretations and importance rankings, except when a parameter has a significant non-linear effect and/or strong interaction with some other parameters. In addition to the magnitude of parameter sensitivity, our analysis emphasizes the direction (i.e., favorable or adverse in the risk perspective), non-linearity and/or interaction effects, and physical interpretation of each parameter sensitivity trend. Parameter importance varies with time and space, and also depends on the CO2 plume or pressure behaviors. In this study, the reservoir permeability is among the most important parameters for all measures, although it has a large trade-off effect in risk such that a higher permeability would tend to reduce reservoir pressure but, at the same time, increase the size of the CO2 plume footprint.
Synthesis of Ln(III) chloride tetraphenylporphyrin complexes

The isolation and identification of the first examples of anhydrous lanthanide chloride tetraphenylporphyrin complexes have been described. The purple complexes were generated by the reaction of dilithiotetraphenylporphyrin bis(dimethoxyethane) with lanthanide trichloride tris(tetrahydrofuran) salts to yield the products in up to 85% yield. The crystal structures for the holmium and ytterbium complexes are also presented.
ANALYSIS OF IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS FOR STATE SCENIC RIVER SYSTEM FORMULATION1

: Efforts to protect free flowing streams of state significance have met with limited success. Some states established large numbers of “instant” scenic rivers through legislation, then have worked out procedures to add new streams. Other have inadequate current funding and staff to implement the law. The chief barriers to growth of the systems are: lack of program staffing and funding and support in some states, slowness of the study and planning process, landowner uncertainties about the effects on their property and rights, and legal complexities. There are few difficulties experienced in evaluation criteria, but a lack of objective rating systems may cause future problems. The state systems which have grown require careful planning, thorough communications with landowners, flexible land use control programs, and systematic education of community leaders about the values and operation of the program. State systems now protect about four times the river mileage of the federal wild and scenic rivers program. This gap is likely to widen even more, if state programs can achieve their growth potential. No state appears to be yet near to achieving the full purpose of the policy makers who designed and instituted the scenic rivers programs.
Thermodynamics and kinetics of the electrochemical insertion of lithium into tungsten bronzes

Abstract The electrical insertion of lithium into cubic and hexagonal tungsten bronzes has been investigated using equilibrium and transient galvanic cell measurements. The thermodynamic properties (chemical potential and partial molar entropy) of the mixed bronzes have been determined. Lithium may be readily inserted into the cubic phase as long as the sodium concentration is less than about 2 3 . The chemical diffusion coefficient of lithium is very high in both the structures, being approximately 10−7cm2/s for low lithium concentrations. The shape of the coulometric titration curves for the cubic case is due to the contribution to the chemical potential from a degenerate electron gas and the configurational entropy of the ions.
Sensitive assay for pimozide in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection: application to pharmacokinetic studies

Abstract A method is described for the measurement of pimozide in human plasma using HPLC with fluorescence detection. The method is specific and sensitive in the range of concentrations seen in human plasma after conventional dosing (1–15 ng/ml) with a limit of quantification of 1 ng/ml. The calibration curves are linear for concentrations between 1 and 50 ng/ml. Within-day and inter-day coefficients of variation are less than 7.4% and 15.5%, respectively, at three concentrations of pimozide (2, 10 and 20 ng/ml). Intra-day and inter-day bias are less than 18.5% and 12.5%, respectively. A pharmacokinetic study conducted in a healthy volunteer administered 6 mg of pimozide orally demonstrates the utility of this method.
Evaluation of Utility of Pharmacokinetic Studies in Phase I Trials of Two Oncology Drugs

Purpose: There are many phase I trials of oncology drug combinations, very few of which report clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions. We hypothesized that the utility of such pharmacokinetic drug–drug interaction (DDI) studies is low in the absence of a mechanistic hypothesis. Experimental Design: We retrospectively reviewed 152 phase I (two drug) combination studies published between 2007 and 2011. Results: Only 28 (18%) studies had an implicit or explicit rationale, either inhibition/induction of a drug-metabolizing enzyme or transporter, cosubstrates for the same enzyme or transporter, potential for end-organ toxicity, or protein binding. Only 12 (8%) studies demonstrated a statistically significant DDI, on the basis of change in clearance (or area under the curve) of parent drug and/or active metabolite. There was a strong association between a rationale and a demonstrable drug interaction, as only 2% of studies without a rationale demonstrated a DDI, compared with 32% of studies with a rationale (Fisher exact test; P −6 ). Conclusion: DDI studies should not be routinely performed as part of phase I trials of oncology combinations. Clin Cancer Res; 19(21); 6039–43. ©2013 AACR .
Measurement Scales in Clinical Research of the Upper Extremity, Part 1: General Principles, Measures of General Health, Pain, and Patient Satisfaction

Measurement is a fundamental cornerstone in all aspects of scientific discovery, including clinical research. To be useful, measurement instruments must meet several key criteria, the most important of which are satisfactory reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Part 1 of this article reviews the general concepts of measurement instruments and describes the measurement of general health, pain, and patient satisfaction.
Anaylsis of Ductile Fracture Initiation in Corroded Plates

Corrosion of marine structures often compromises structural integrity by reducing fracture elongation and strength, yield and ultimate strength, and fatigue life. When localized or pitting corrosion occurs, strength reduction can be difficult to establish because the effects of uneven surfaces affect the stress fields and failure modes of the structure. We examine in this paper the effects of corrosion on the ductile fracture of steel plating. Defects in material are known to affect the strain-to-failure of ductile metals. Such effects are included in the analyses presented for thin plates subjected to axial stress with local geometric defects caused by corrosion. A strain-to-failure criterion is used for predicting ductile fracture of the plating. Results of fracture strain reduction for particular corrosion states are presented for common ship hull steel. The reduction in strain to failure is shown to be dependent on the size of the elements considered as well as the pitted plate geometry.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Dual Quarter-Wave Retardation Based Polarization Beam Splitting in Photonic Crystal Slabs

We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that a photonic crystal slab with form birefringence can act as a dual quarter-wave retarder based polarizing beamsplitter, which separates an incoming wave into two orthogonal polarizations.
Behavioral and physiological effects of an aziridinium analog of oxotremorine (BM130).

When injected IV BM130, a mustard analog of oxotremorine, acts initially as a cholinergic agonist and thereafter produces a sustained resistance to muscarinic agonists. Control subjects were injected with saline or with BM130A, the active aziridinium intermediate of BM130. Acute injections of BM130 were followed initially by effects that were characteristically cholinomimetic in nature: e.g., tremor, chromodacryorrhea, salivation, hypothermia. The effects were dose-dependent and of limited duration. They were not seen in behavioral variables measured 30 min after drug treatment. Injection of BM130A produced peripheral, but not central effects; saline had no effects. The prediction that initial cholinomimetic effects should be followed by sustained resistance to cholinergic agonists was tested by subjecting animals to oxotremorine challenges at weekly intervals following single injections of BM130. In none of the measures taken did animals injected with BM130A or saline show resistance to the muscarinic challenges. Those administered BM130 showed resistance, which in some variables was sustained for 3–4 weeks. The resistance was statistically significant at high BM130 doses and appeared to be dose dependent over the range studied.
Interaction of half-cycle radiation pulse with Rydberg states of atomic hydrogen.

We describe the results of our solutions of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for Rydberg states of atomic hydrogen exposed to a short pulse of ``half-cycle'' long-wavelength radiation. By ``short'' we mean that the duration of the pulse is much less than the Kepler period of the Rydberg state being irradiated. Comparison is made with the results of experiments which have been reported recently [R. Jones, D. You, and P. Bucksbaum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 1236 (1993)].
Energy dependence of oxidation-reduction potentials of the b and c cytochromes in beef heart submitochondrial particles☆

Abstract In coupled beef heart submitochondrial particles (Mg-ATP) the addition of ATP causes the measured oxidation-reduction midpoint potential of about 35–40% of the total b -cytochrome complement to assume a value more positive by at least 70 mV. There is no significant effect on the midpoint potentials of cytochromes c + c 1 . Hence, submitochondrial particles which many consider to be “inside out” display qualitatively the same behavior as the intact mitochondrion: under the experimental conditions the location of the membrane-bound carriers with respect to the bulk aqueous phase would appear not to be relevant to the chemical events of the energy conserving mechanism.
On neutrality of preferences on acts with respect to use of proxy outcomes

Construing acts as functions on a set of states to the set of lotteries on ultimate outcomes, this partly expository paper cautions that, in non-Savage choice theories, the popular technique of replacing multiattributed ultimate outcomes by equally desirable and crisper proxies may misguide the choice of act, in that preferences between the induced proxy acts may not mirror preferences between their original counterparts. When this pathology cannot occur, preferences and the associated choice theory are said to beneutral as regards proxy substitution. Sufficient conditions for neutrality include Monotone Dominance, Transitivity, and a restricted form of Linearity. The Linearity property can be circumvented by direct assignment of proxy “certainty equivalents” to outcome lotteries rather than to ultimate outcomes; then preferences are said to besemineutral if the corresponding proxy acts mirror preferences between their original counterparts. Relationships of these problem transformations are noted and certain normative choice theories are examined as to neutrality of preference with respect to use of arbitrary proxies.
Citizenship and Community: Civic Republicanism and the Modern World

1. Introduction Part I Citizenship and Community: An Analytical Statement 2. The Citizen in the Political Community Part II Citizenship and Community in the Civic-Republican Tradition 3. Machiavelli: Citizenship and Glory 4. Rousseau: Freedom, Virtue and Happiness 5. Hegel: Rational Freedom in the Ethical Community 6. Toqueville: Citizenship in Town and State Part III Citizenship and Community in the Modern World 7. The Modern Relevance of the Civic-Republican Tradition 8. Citizenship in Modern Democratic Theory
Activation of nitrite ion by biomimetic iron(III) complexes

The rate of reaction of NO 2 − ion with various FeIII porphyrins in the presence of PPh3 is shown to depend on the redox potential of the FeIII center. There is a linear relationship between the ease of reduction of the FeIII to FeII and the kinetics for the formation of the FeII porphyrin nitrosyl adduct, with concomitant oxidation of PPh3 to PPh3O. Cyclic voltammograms show reversible one-electron reductions that can be ascribed to the FeIII/FeII couple ranging from E1/2 = −343 to −145 mV (versus Ag/AgCl). The order of increasing half-wave reduction potentials for the FeIII/FeII porphyrin redox centers studied is octaethylporphyrin > etioporphyrin I > deuteroporphyrin IX dimethyl ester > protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester > α,β,γ,δ-tetraphenylporphyrin. This sequence of redox potentials complements the pseudo first-order kinetics ( ${k_{\rm obs}=2.2\times10^{-3}}$ to ${13\times10^{-3}}$ m s −1) for the oxidation of PPh3 and subsequent FeII porphyrin nitrosyl adduct formation. The rates of reaction of biomimetic FeIII porphyrins with NO 2 − ion demonstrate how metal center redox properties are influenced by the surrounding ligand. In this paper we have elucidated a possible mechanistic control for the rate of this reaction.
Electrospun carbon nanofibrous mats surface-decorated with Pd nanoparticles via the supercritical CO2 method for sensing of H2

Carbon nanofibers (in the form of an overlaid mat) were prepared by electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile followed by stabilization in air and carbonization in argon. Pd nanoparticles were then deposited on the surface of nanofibers by using Pd(acac)2 as the precursor via the supercritical CO2 method followed by pyrolysis at 600 °C. Structural characterizations indicated that the Pd nanoparticles were composed of single-crystalline clusters with sizes of a few nanometers. The hydrogen sensing properties of electrospun carbon nanofibrous mats surface decorated with Pd nanoparticles were investigated. The results indicated that the resistivity of Pd-decorated nanofibrous mats decreased linearly with the increase of H2 volume fraction from 0 to 0.7 in H2/N2 mixture gas, and the response showed excellent reversibility.
Early Metabolic Effects of Human Growth Hormone.

SummaryHuman growth hormone, 8 mg, has been administered intravenously to 6 normal volunteers, and blood samples have been obtained before and from 10 to 240 minutes after injection of the hormone. The growth hormone preparation used exhibited a definite early insulin-like effect both in terms of blood glucose and plasma free fatty acid levels. This was not associated with a change in serum insulin-like activity, as measured with rat epididymal adipose tissue. Four hours after growth hormone had been given, there was a mild hyperglycemic effect, and a marked increase in plasma free fatty acids, together with a small but significant elevation in insulin-like activity of serum. These observations are interpreted as compatible with an intrinsic in vivo insulin-like activity of the growth hormone preparation used, which could be either a property of the growth hormone molecule itself, or represent the activity of unrelated substances present in the preparation.
Military Contractors & the American Way of War

Contractors are deeply intertwined with the American military and U.S. foreign policy. Over half of the personnel the United States has deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003 have been con- tractors. Their relationship with the U.S. government, the public, and domestic and international law differs from that of military personnel, and these differences pose both bene½ts and risks. America's use of private military and security companies (PMSCs) can provide or enhance forces for global gover- nance. Yet PMSCs can also be used to pursue agendas that do not have the support of American, inter- national, or local publics. Thus far, the use of PMSCs has proved a mixed bag in terms of effectiveness, accountability, and American values. Moving forward in a way that maximizes the bene½ts of contrac- tors and minimizes their risks will require careful management of the uncomfortable trade-offs these forces present.
An algorithm for lower eigenvalues of symmetric structures under group Cn

Abstract The minimum (maximum), smallest (largest) eigen-subspaces and characteristics matrix are defined in this paper. The conditions for determining the minimum and smallest eigen-subspaces of structures which are symmetric under group Cn are obtained by using the minimax principle of eigenvalues of three symmetric matrices C = A + B and an algorithm for calculating lower order eigenvalues and their spectrum of symmetric structure. It is found that the positiveness, negativeness or indefiniteness of the characteristic matrix plays an important role in determining the subspaces in which the minimum (smallest) eigenvalues are contained.
Cytochrome c biogenesis: the Ccm system

Cytochromes of c-type contain covalently attached hemes that are formed via thioether bonds between the vinyls of heme b and cysteines within C1XXC2H motifs of apocytochromes. In diverse organisms this post-translational modification relies on membrane-associated specific biogenesis proteins, referred to as cytochrome c maturation (Ccm) systems. A highly complex version of these systems, Ccm or System I, is found in Gram-negative bacteria, archaea and plant mitochondria. We describe emerging functional interactions between the Ccm components categorized into three conserved modules, and present a mechanistic view of the molecular basis of ubiquitous vinyl-2∼Cys1 and vinyl-4∼Cys2 heme b–apocytochrome thioether bonds in c-type cytochromes.
Optimizing the protein switch: Altering nuclear import and export signals, and ligand binding domain

Ligand regulated localization controllable protein constructs were optimized in this study. Several constructs were made from a classical nuclear export signal (HIV-rev, MAPKK, or progesterone receptor) in combination with a SV40 T-antigen type nuclear import signal. Different ligand binding domains (LBDs from glucocorticoid receptor or progesterone receptor) were also tested for their ability to impart control over localization of proteins. This study was designed to create constructs which are cytoplasmic in the absence of ligand and nuclear in the presence of ligand, and also to regulate the amount of protein translocating to the nucleus on ligand induction. The balance between the strengths of import and export signals was critical for overall localization of proteins. The amount of protein entering the nucleus was also affected by the dose of ligand (10-100 nM). However, the overall import characteristics were determined by the strengths of localization signals and the inherent localization properties of the LBD used. This study established that the amount of protein present in a particular compartment can be regulated by the use of localization signals of various strengths. These optimized localization controllable protein constructs can be used to correct for diseases due to aberrant localization of proteins.
An Analysis of the Short-Term Cloud Feedback Using MODIS Data

The cloud feedback in response to short-term climate variations is estimated from cloud measurements combined with offline radiative transfer calculations. The cloud measurements are made by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite and cover the period 2000‐10. Low clouds provide a strong negative cloud feedback, mainly because of their impact in the shortwave (SW) portion of the spectrum. Midlevel clouds provide a positive net cloud feedback that is a combination of a positive SW feedback partially canceled by a negative feedback in the longwave (LW). High clouds have onlyasmallimpactonthenetcloudfeedbackbecauseofaclosecancellationbetweenlargeLWandSWcloud feedbacks. Segregating the clouds by optical depth, it is found that the net cloud feedback is set by a positive cloud feedbackdue to reductions in thethickest clouds(mainlyin the SW) anda cancellingnegativefeedback from increases in clouds with moderate optical depths (also mainly in the SW). The global average SW, LW, and net cloud feedbacks are 10.30 61.10, 20.46 60.74, and 20.16 60.83 W m 22 K 21 , respectively. The SW feedback is consistent with previous work; the MODIS LW feedback is lower than previous calculations and there are reasons to suspect it may be biased low. Finally, it is shown that the apparently small control that globalmeansurfacetemperatureexertsonclouds,whichleadstothelargeuncertaintyintheshort-termcloud feedback, arises from statistically significant but offsetting relationships between individual cloud types and global mean surface temperature.
Are Returns to Schooling Concentrated Among the Most Able? A Semiparametric Analysis of the Ability-earnings Relationships

In this paper I explore the relationship between ability and log waves using flexible estimation techniques. I find evidence of nonlinearities in these relationships that vary across levels of schooling, and argue that ability-sorting into higher education creates problems for accurately identifying the return to schooling over the entire ability support. Over an ability support that is “common” to those with and without a college education, I find that the college log wage premium is incerasing for the more able, and this premium grew during the period 1984–1994 for individuals at all points in the ability distribution. The growth of this wage premium over time also appears to have followed a “smoother” linear path for high-ability individuals than individuals of lower ability.
Estimators for Inductive-Coupling Based Batteryless Wireless High-Frequency Sensing

This paper develops estimation algorithms for inductively coupled batteryless wireless sensors. In such sensors, the objective is to estimate the capacitance of the embedded sensor by the measuring the influence of the sensor on an inductively coupled interrogator. The primary challenge in capacitance-estimation is the need for an accurate knowledge of the mutual inductance between the sensor and interrogator, which, varies with the location and alignment of the interrogator. Existing estimation methods that overcome this challenge are too slow for high-frequency sensing applications like microphones. This paper develops solutions designed to address the above limitation. A nonlinear adaptive observer and a cascaded filter are developed and evaluated for high-frequency capacitance estimation. Results show that the cascaded filter can accurately estimate high frequency capacitance changes with varying mutual inductance.
Discovering Work as "Experimental Demonstration" in School Science Labs

What gets discovered in school science laboratory work? A canonical answer, available in the professional education literature, would be that scientific concepts get uncovered and learned, along with (possibly) some technical skill in operating experimental equipment and even some elementary philosophical understanding of the practice of science. It is no accident that in school science, the use of laboratory-type activities became known widely during the 1960s and 1970s as “discovery learning,” where students were to infer principles about how the natural world operates from manipulating everyday and scientific materials in particular ways.
Mutation buffering capabilities of the hypernetwork model

The hypernetwork is a molecular interaction-based model that has learning capabilities. The adaptive algorithm randomly changes the molecular structures and selects the best individual. Experiments with the hypernetwork show the importance for evolution of the mutation buffering capabilities of the system. Mutation buffering allows the system to improve its search for peaks in the fitness landscape.
Font Regularity Constraints on the Process of Letter Recognition

Strings of four unrelated letters were presented for subjects to identify, followed by a patterned mask and then a forced choice test of each letter position. In Experiment 1 , the type style in the regular conditions was consistent—all of the letters were of a single type font—whereas in the mixed condition, each string contained letters from two type fonts. Compared with the mixed condition, accuracy in the regular conditions was higher overall and increased at a faster rate as a function of processing time. This held across four sessions. In Experiment 2, the font in the mixed condition was varied either between or within letter strings; sizeable advantages for the regular conditions were found with both mix-methods. The results are consistent with the idea of a schemalike perceptual system that becomes tuned to the regularities of a particular font in order to process visual information efficiently .
Rates of Protein Evolution Are Positively Correlated with Developmental Timing of Expression During Mouse Spermatogenesis

Male reproductive genes often evolve very rapidly, and sexual selection is thought to be a primary force driving this divergence. We investigated the molecular evolution of 987 genes expressed at different times during mouse spermatogenesis to determine if the rate of evolution and the intensity of positive selection vary across stages of male gamete development. Using mouse-rat orthologs, we found that rates of protein evolution were positively correlated with the developmental timing of expression. Genes expressed early in spermatogenesis had rates of divergence similar to the genome median, while genes expressed after the onset of meiosis were found to evolve much more quickly. Rates of protein evolution were fastest for genes expressed during the dramatic morphogenesis of round spermatids into spermatozoa. Late-expressed genes were also more likely to be specific to the male germline. To test for evidence of positive selection, we analyzed the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous changes using a maximum likelihood framework in comparisons among mouse, rat, and human. Many genes showed evidence of positive selection, and most of these genes were expressed late in spermatogenesis and were testis specific. Overall, these data suggest that the intensity of positive selection associated with the evolution of male gametes varies considerably across development and acts primarily on phenotypes that develop late in spermatogenesis.
Resilience in the Face of Potential Trauma

Until recently, resilience among adults exposed to potentially traumatic events was thought to occur rarely and in either pathological or exceptionally healthy individuals. Recent research indicates, however, that the most common reaction among adults exposed to such events is a relatively stable pattern of healthy functioning coupled with the enduring capacity for positive emotion and generative experiences. A surprising finding is that there is no single resilient type. Rather, there appear to be multiple and sometimes unexpected ways to be resilient, and sometimes resilience is achieved by means that are not fully adaptive under normal circumstances. For example, people who characteristically use self-enhancing biases often incur social liabilities but show resilient outcomes when confronted with extreme adversity. Directions for further research are considered.
Explicit solution of an optimal design problem with non-affine displacement boundary conditions

Structural optimization problems with non-affine boundary conditions must usually be solved numerically. Here we present an example of such a problem which can be solved analytically. Our method utilizes extremal composites as structural components, and makes use of the explicit form of a certain optimal energy bound.
Hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection in fetal sheep blocks the peripartum increases in adrenal responsiveness and adrenal ACTH receptor expression.

Although it has been recognized for over a decade that hypothalamic-pituitary disconnection (HPD) in fetal sheep prevents the late gestation rise in plasma cortisol concentrations, the underlying m...
Elasticity and Composition of the Upper Mantle

Summary This paper is concerned with the elasticity and composition of the upper mantle as inferred from recent laboratory ultra-sonic and phase-stability data. The seismically-determined compressional and shear velocity structure of the upper mantle, as well as the density distribution, is initially discussed in terms of homogeneous olivine models of variable fayalite content. The elastic properties of the olivine solid solution series are defined by a least squares linear fit to existing acoustic and static compression data from several single-crystal and polycrystal specimens of forsterite and fayalite. Compressional and shear velocity profiles are calculated for olivine models of 0, 10 and 20 mol per cent fayalite using geothermal models defined by requiring a satisfactory fit between the model Vp profile and a standard seismic compressional wave profile. The significance of the calculated velocity curves is discussed in terms of the estimated uncertainties in the ultra-sonic input data. On a basis of the elastic and density requirements alone, the 10 mol per cent fayalite model appears to be most satisfactory. In addition to consideration of the elastic requirements, the stability relations of the olivine-spinel phase transformation provide an additional constraint on the proportion of fayalite fraction. At the 370-km seismic discontinuity, assumed to be the change in velocity associated with the olivine-spinel transition, the combined elastic, density, and geochemical requirements are satisfied with an olivine model of composition Fo88 Fa12. Assuming that the olivine approximation is reasonably valid, the Mg/Mg+Fe ratio at the top of the 370-km discontinuity is 0.88 ± 0.03, and the temperature is 1450±120°C. Lastly, the effects of other mineral phases such as pyroxene and garnet are assessed. It is concluded that the addition of relatively minor fractions of other phases, for example, an assemblage of garnet pyrolite, would not significantly alter the present results in terms of presently available data. That is, the elasticity, density, and structure of the upper mantle below the low-velocity zone, are satisfied self-consistently by a peridotite model.
Elastic modulus of in - situ composites of a liquid crystalline polymer and polycarbonate

In this paper, we model the elastic modulus of in-situ composite fibers from polymer blends where a fibrous liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) phase is induced by drawing. We propose a composite model to account for the change of the elastic moduli of the reinforcing LCP phase with the draw ratio of the composite fibers. We envisage the LCP phase as a composite of a perfectly oriented chain aggregate and a randomly oriented chain aggregate which are connected in series. We then derive equations for the longitudinal and the transverse elastic moduli of the composite fibers based on the well-known Halpin-Tsai equation and the composite model of the reinforcing LCP phase. Using this approach, we are able to make a number of predictions including the transverse elastic modulus and mechanical anisotropy. Our results show that theoretical predictions of the longitudinal elastic modulus agree fairly well with experimental results for polycarbonate/Vectra composites. The proposed modulus equations will be useful in providing guidelines for fabrication and applications of this new class of polymeric materials.
The Seventeenth Century Doctrine of Plastic Nature

FEW ERAS are more interesting and profitable to study than those in which the basic ideas of mankind change under the impact of new discoveries and ideas. Our own appears to be such a period; of previous ages perhaps only the ebullient Renaissance can equal it. At its English beginnings in the sixteenth century men reached avidly for new experiences; in the course of time they tried to codify them into theories which would do justice to the observed facts and at the same time harmonize as far as possible with the dicta transmitted from the past. These early efforts resulted in the foundation of the modern methods of science, not to mention permanent and still unchallenged achievements like Harvey's discovery of the circulation of the blood or Boyle's theory of gases. Such is the seventeenth century: the first great age of scientific generalization in English history. Not the least striking fact of the intellectual milieu of these years is its varied conceptions of matter. Since the basic premises of modern science were being laid, men were trying to dissociate matter from the various occult phenomena with which it had been invested in the past. Only thus could it be isolated from, say, demonology and be investigated as to its inherent properties. Some of the philosophers who made the attempt like Hobbes were roundly damned for their pains; but witchcraft persecutions rapidly dwindled in seventeenth century England, and the growth of the knowledge of physics must have contributed to their decline. These scientific predecessors of ours or at least such of them as hoped to escape the damaging charge of atheism had, however, a basic tenet which they dared not overlook: all wanted to believe that matter is not utterly separated by a pure dualism from God or from the soul. Such a separation was indeed implied by the theories of Rene Descartes, who was attempting to establish a clear-cut division between mind and matter.
School Rankings, Department Rankings, and Individual Accomplishments: What Factors Predict Obtaining Employment After the PhD?

The outcome of a graduate student’s hunt for employment is often attributed to the student’s own accomplishments, the reputation of the department, and the reputation of the university. In 2007, a ...
Nonfatal injury incidence and risk factors among middle school students from four Polynesian countries: The Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga

INTRODUCTION: The burden of injuries in Pacific Island countries is understudied despite the known challenges associated with many residents having limited access to advanced medical and surgical care when they sustain a serious injury. This paper examines nonfatal injuries among early adolescent schoolchildren (those primarily ages 13-15 years) from four Polynesian countries. METHODS: Self-reported data from the 5507 middle school students who were randomly sampled for participation in the nationwide Global School-based Student Health Surveys (GSHS) in the Cook Islands (in the year 2009), Niue (2010), Samoa (2011), and Tonga (2010) were analysed with various statistical methods including regression models. Injuries were defined by the GSHS questionnaire as serious if they resulted in a full day of missed school or other usual activities or required medical treatment. RESULTS: The proportion of students reporting a serious injury in the past year was 43.1% in the Cook Islands, 40.8% in Niue, 73.8% in Samoa, and 49.1% in Tonga. In the Cook Islands and Samoa, boys reported more injuries than girls (pCONCLUSIONS: School-based health education programs targeting prevention of intentional and unintentional injuries may benefit from emphasising Polynesian values and promoting personal mental and physical health, healthy behaviours, and healthy family and community relationships. Language: en
Cloning and characterization of a naturally occurring soluble form of TGF-β type I receptor

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) has been implicated to play an important role both in the process of normal development and in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disease processes, including those of the kidney. TGF-beta1 regulates diverse cellular functions via a heteromeric signaling complex of two transmembrane serine/threonine kinase receptors (types I and II). Several distinct type I receptors have been described and are thought to determine specificity of the TGF-beta response and confer multifunctionality. This report reveals the cloning of a novel, naturally occurring soluble form of TGF-beta type I receptor, designated sTbetaR-I, from a rat kidney cDNA library. In vivo expression of a mRNA transcript encoding the sTbetaR-I, which lacks the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains, is confirmed by RT-PCR followed by Southern blot analysis and by RNase protection assay. The sTbetaR-I mRNA abundance is greater in the neonatal rat kidney compared with the adult rat kidney. Furthermore, sTbetaR-I is a functional protein capable of binding TGF-beta1 ligands in the presence of a TGF-beta type II receptor on the cell surface, as determined by affinity cross-linking with 125I-labeled TGF-beta1. Studies using p3TP-Lux reporter construct reveal that this novel protein may function as a potentiator of TGF-beta signaling. The discovery of a sTbetaR-I provides an additional level of complexity to the TGF-beta receptor system.
Orthopaedic Surgery Essentials: Hand and Wrist

James R. Doyle. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2006. 259 pages. $99.00. This book, which is one in a series of eight monographs, is designed to present a basic fund of knowledge for managing common hand and wrist problems that may be encountered in the emergency department or outpatient clinic. The target audience is the junior resident physician who is rotating on the subspecialty services for the first time. The text does not delve into the complex scenarios of advanced topics, such as reconstruction of the rheumatoid hand or arthroplasty of the basilar joint of the thumb, as these subjects are in the realm of senior residents and fellows. The author's goal is to equip the reader with enough knowledge to provide effective primary care and to recognize major injuries and those that need immediate help, such as …