cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase diagram of the large N Gross-Neveu model in a finite periodic box

We analyze the Gross-Neveu model in the limit of large number of flavors of massless fermions. We study the phase diagram in a two and three dimensional periodic box at a fixed thermal to spatial aspect ratio, $\frac{\ensuremath{\beta}}{\ensuremath{\ell}}$, with a flavor independent chemical potential. We assume the bilinear condensate, when one exists, has a specific momentum in the spatial direction(s). The main known features of the phase diagram in the $\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ limit of the two dimensional model are also seen on a finite $\ensuremath{\ell}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\ensuremath{\beta}$ torus---a phase with a homogeneous (zero momentum) condensate; a phase with an inhomogeneous (nonzero momentum) condensate and a phase with no condensate. We observe that the inhomogeneous phase contains several subphases characterized by a specific spatial momentum. Unlike the two dimensional model, we do not find evidence for a phase with a inhomogeneous condensate in the three dimensional model.
The periphery in the making of globalization: the China Lobby and the Reversal of Clinton’s China Trade Policy, 1993–1994

Many studies suggest that globalization is a process initiated by corporations and states in advanced countries that pressures or encourages developing countries to open themselves to the globalize...
New insights in the clastic binding hypothesis for opiate-receptor interactions I: Electron-transfer mechanism.

Abstract A clastic binding hypothesis for opiate—receptor interactions, in which the key step in eliciting the opiate response is an electron transfer from the opiate nitrogen to the receptor, is analyzed from a chemical point of view and is found to be chemically feasible. An extended form of this hypothesis is proposed in order to accommodate recent observations about the N‐demethylation of morphines in the brain. An in vitro model system for studying the electron‐transfer reactions of morphines is proposed, and the initial experiments in this system are reported.
Motor Neuron Disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is an adult onset, fatal neurodegenerative disorder, involving the large motor neurons of the brain and the spinal cord. It is characterized clinically by progressive paralysis and eventual death from respiratory failure in three to five years. Although ALS is mainly a sporadic disease, about 10% of ALS cases are familial. To date at least 10 genes have been identified that cause familial ALS with SOD1 being the first to be discovered. These genes have allowed animal modeling of familial ALS, which has been instrumental in understanding disease pathogenesis and in testing different therapies. More recently, the tools of modern genetics have also been applied to sporadic ALS in an attempt to decipher the complex genetic and environmental interactions that cause this fatal disease.
Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from immature embryos of saw palmetto, an important landscape and medicinal plant

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from immature zygotic embryos was achieved for saw palmetto (Serenoa repens (Bartr.) Small). Embryos, isolated from immature fruit of native-grown plants, were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium plus 0.15% (w/v) activated charcoal and supplemented with 452 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 14.7 μM N6-(2-isopentenyl)adenine (2iP). Clusters of somatic embryos developed from all immature zygotic embryos 5 weeks after culture initiation. After 12 weeks, explants were transferred to the same medium with the amount of 2,4-D reduced to 90.4 μM which resulted in somatic embryo proliferation. Somatic embryos were then transferred to the basal medium containing 0.9, 9 μM thidiazuron (TDZ), or no growth regulator for conversion into plantlets. The 9 μM TDZ treatment was ineffective for plant regeneration. However, 12% of the embryos subcultured on 0.9 μM TDZ were able to produce complete plantlets. Shoot production was obtained from 35% of the embryos subcultured in the absence of growth regulators. Rooting (100%) was achieved when these shoots were transferred onto medium containing 22.2 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA).
A Trace-Based Study of SMB Network File System Workloads in an Academic Enterprise

Storage system traces are important for examining real-world applications, studying potential bottlenecks, as well as driving benchmarks in the evaluation of new system designs. While file system traces have been well-studied in earlier work, it has been some time since the last examination of the SMB network file system. The purpose of this work is to continue previous SMB studies to better understand the use of the protocol in a real-world production system in use at the University of Connecticut. The main contribution of our work is the exploration of I/O behavior in modern file system workloads as well as new examinations of the inter-arrival times and run times for I/O events. We further investigate if the recent standard models for traffic remain accurate. Our findings reveal interesting data relating to the number of read and write events. We notice that the number of read and write events is significantly less than creates and the average number of bytes exchanged per I/O is much smaller than what has been seen in previous studies. Furthermore, we find an increase in the use of metadata for overall network communication that can be taken advantage of through the use of smart storage devices.
Instrumentation and Extension of reduced, simulated Single Cycle MIPS architecture to improve Student Comprehension

This Innovative Practice Work in Progress Paper presents results of efforts to improve student comprehension of computer architecture. Students majoring in Computer Science at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) are typically enrolled in the department’s Computer Architecture course during the spring of their sophomore year. These students traditionally struggled to understand exactly what was occurring in the Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer and demonstrated poor performance on assignments, tests, and the final exam regarding how these components are used in a processor. Other institutions have had success giving their students a series of assignments which culminate in their implementing a complete CPU architecture in a logic simulator. However, this fairly time consuming assignment was not deemed feasible at USAFA where student time is divided between various required duties, academics, and athletics. Instead, a reduced version of the MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipelined Stages) single cycle architecture (SCA) as described in Harris and Harris was implemented in Logisim and provided to the students. The students then modified the given circuit to support additional instructions and added logic probes to observe internal values. They then ran assembly language code containing the new instructions through the augmented architecture. Throughout each step, the students could observe the processor’s behavior using the previously installed probes, which substantially increased their understanding. The improvements in performance on the CPU questions have been significant and lasting. These results are especially noteworthy due to the minor additional work the students had to perform to increase their understanding.
A Case Series of Delayed Proximal Ureteral Strictures After Nephron-Sparing Treatment of Renal Masses.

Background: Delayed proximal ureteral stricture (DPUS) after nephron-sparing treatment (partial nephrectomy [PN] and image-guided percutaneous ablation) of renal masses is a rare complication that ...
Female-directed aggression by adolescent male chimpanzees primarily constitutes dominance striving, not sexual coercion

OBJECTIVES Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are notable for exhibiting high levels of male-to-female aggression. Much of this aggression from adult males serves sexually coercive functions. Despite being smaller and lower-ranking than adult males, adolescent males also engage in regular aggression against adult females. Here, we test whether the primary function of this aggression is sexual coercion, as in adult males, or, alternatively, whether adolescent males use aggression to establish social dominance over females. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed 1771 copulations and 1812 instances of male-initiated aggression between adolescent males (aged nine through 14 years) and adult females across 21 years of observation of the Kanyawara chimpanzee community in Kibale National Park, Uganda. RESULTS Our test of the sexual coercion hypothesis revealed that adolescent males did not selectively target cycling females for aggression, nor did aggression against cycling females predict rates of copulation with those females. Our test of the social dominance hypothesis showed that males succeeded in dominating all adult females before, or soon after, dominating their first adult male. Additionally, we found that adolescent males dominated females approximately in the order of the females' own ranks, from the bottom to the top of the female hierarchy. DISCUSSION Our data illustrate that the establishment of social dominance was more important than sexual coercion in explaining patterns of adolescent male aggression toward females. In comparison, evidence for sexual coercion was clear and compelling in adult males. These findings highlight that the primary function of male-to-female aggression differs between adolescent and adult males.
Work-related traumatic stress spillover in first responder families: A systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the current review was to examine the impact of trauma exposure on first responder families, particularly, in terms of their relationships, family roles and obligations, and engagement in risk factors. METHOD Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRIMSA) guidelines, 3,213 articles were screened, and 16 studies met inclusion for the current review. A risk of bias assessment was conducted to determine the methodological rigor of included studies and data was extracted to highlight the research questions, targeted populations, study design, measurement instruments, and outcomes of the included studies. RESULTS The majority of research questions were asked to understand the experience of being a spouse to a first responder and to identify the stressors, supports, and resources of first responders and their families. Additionally, studies in this area were determined to be conducted primarily with spouses or partners of first responders, utilizing predominantley cross-sectional methodologies and measurement instruments with good psychometric properties. CONCLUSIONS A discussion of the limitations and gaps in the literature was included and generally highlighted a lack of diversity in sample demographic characteristics and study design. Five concrete recommendations for future research were made to address limitations and strengthen research in this area. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Association of Mental Health Disorders and Aortic Dissection.

Introduction Mental health disorders (MHD), including substance abuse, have been associated with aortic dissection (AD). Aneurysmal degeneration in the residual untreated aorta after both open and endovascular treatment is not uncommon in AD. Thus, diligent long-term follow-up is necessary and MHD may play a role in treatment plan and surveillance. The impact of MHD on management, outcomes and follow-up after AD treatment is unknown and here we sought to evaluate these associations. Methods A retrospective review was performed on all patients diagnosed with Stanford Type A and B dissections from 2008 to 2018 at a tertiary referral center. MHD was defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). Patient demographics, procedural characteristics, and outcomes were analyzed. Results A total of 649 non-traumatic aortic dissections were identified in the study timeframe. The cohort consisted of 51% Type A (n = 334) dissection and 49% Type B (n = 315) dissection. Mental health disorders were present in 49.3% of the cohort. Notably, the timing of MHD diagnosis relative to development of AD is unknown in the majority of patients. Within the Type A population, a MHD was present in 50.6% (N = 162) of patients, of which the most common indication for MHD was the presence of antidepressant or antipsychotic medication (28.6%). In patients with Type A dissections, the presence of a MHD did not significantly affect the rate of index hospitalization intervention (68%) or long-term mortality (12.5% in patients with a MHD). Within the Type B population, a MHD was present in 49.4% (n = 158) of patients, of which the most common indication for MHD was the presence of antidepressant or antipsychotic medication (30.5%). In patients with Type B dissections, the presence of a MHD did not significantly affect the rate of index hospitalization intervention (50.3% in patients with a MHD) or long-term mortality (10.1% in patients with a MHD). The overall participation in follow-up care was not significantly decreased based on the presence of a MHD compared to those without a MHD (1.66 ± 2.16 years vs. 1.68 ± 2.20 years, P = 0.93). Conclusion MHD is more prevalent in AD patients than in the general population, but demonstrating a causal relationship between MHD and development/progression of AD is challenging. Despite a high prevalence of MHD in AD patients, in-hospital mortality and follow-up compliance was similar to non-MHD patients.
Dimensionality reduction of the many-body problem using coupled-cluster subsystem flow equations: Classical and quantum computing perspective

We discuss reduced-scaling strategies employing the recently introduced subsystem embedding subalgebra (SES) coupled-cluster (CC) formalism to describe quantum many-body systems. These strategies utilize properties of the SES CC formulations where the equations describing certain classes of subsystems can be integrated into computational flows composed of coupled eigenvalue problems of reduced dimensionality. Additionally, these flows can be determined at the level of the CC ansatz by the inclusion of selected classes of cluster amplitudes, which define the wave-function ``memory'' of possible partitioning of the many-body system into constituent subsystems. One of the possible ways of solving these coupled problems is through implementing procedures where the information is passed between the subsystems in a self-consistent manner. As a special case we consider local flow formulations where the local character of correlation effects can be closely related to the properties of subsystem embedding subalgebras employing a localized molecular basis. We also generalize flow equations to the time domain and to downfolding methods utilizing a double-exponential unitary CC ansatz, where the reduced dimensionality of constituent subproblems offers a possibility of efficient utilization of limited quantum resources in modeling realistic systems.
Intracellular Ca2+ Signaling and Preimplantation Development

The key, versatile role of intracellular Ca2+ signaling during egg activation after fertilization has been appreciated for several decades. More recently, evidence has accumulated supporting the concept that cytoplasmic Ca2+ is also a major signaling nexus during subsequent development of the fertilized ovum. This chapter will review the molecular reactions that regulate intracellular Ca2+ levels and cell function, the role of Ca2+ signaling during egg activation and specific examples of repetitive Ca2+ signaling found throughout pre- and peri-implantation development. Many of the upstream and downstream pathways utilized during egg activation are also critical for specific processes that take place during embryonic development. Much remains to be done to elucidate the full complexity of Ca2+ signaling mechanisms in preimplantation embryos to the level of detail accomplished for egg activation. However, an emerging concept is that because this second messenger can be modulated downstream of numerous receptors and is able to bind and activate multiple cytoplasmic signaling proteins, it can help the coordination of development through up- and downstream pathways that change with each embryonic stage.
Ecotoxicity of Nitroaromatics to Aquatic and Terrestrial Species at Army Superfund Sites

Nitroaromatic compounds, including 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, RDX, HMX, tetryl, and associated degradation products, are released into the environment during the manufacturing, loading, packing, and assembling of munitions atU.S. Army Ammunition Plants. With the exception of 2A46DNT, nitroaromatic compounds are more toxic to freshwater fishes (LC 5 0 s ranging from 0.4-32 mg/L) than to freshwater invertebrates (EC 5 0 s ranging from 3-100 mg/L). Rainbow trout are the most sensitive test species with LC 5 0 values ranging from 0.43 to 6.4 mg/L for TNT, RDX, and HMX. These compounds produce negative effects on reproductive endpoints in terrestrial mammals at doses >1 mg/kg/day. Limited data indicate that nitroaromatics are not toxic to terrestrial plants (LOECs ranging from 25-100 μg/g in soil) and soil invertebrates (LOEC of 200 μg/g). Additional studies need to be undertaken to completely characterize the toxicity of these compounds; however, the criteria and screening benchmarks presented in this paper can be used to assess the risks to indigenous flora and fauna at Army Superfund sites.
Quantisation and Gauge Invariance

Recent developments concerning canonical quantisation and gauge invariant quantum mechanical systems and quantum field theories are briefly discussed. On the one hand, it is shown how diffeomorphic covariant representations of the Heisenberg algebra over curved manifolds of non trivial topology involve topology classes of flat U(1) bundles. On the other hand, through some examples, the recently proposed physical projector approach to the quantisation of general gauge invariant systems is shown to avoid the necessity of any gauge fixing - hence also avoiding the possibility of Gribov problems which usually ensue any gauge fixing procedure - and is also capable to provide the adequate description of the physical content of gauge invariant systems.
Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Uridine Diphosphate Galactose 4-Epimerase II. SUBSTRATE-DEPENDENT REDUCTION BY SODIUM BOROHYDRIDE

Abstract Esherichia coli UDP-galactose 4-epimerase is inactivated by NaBH4 in a substrate-dependent reaction. Experiments with NaB3H4 show that this reaction produces enzyme-bound tritiated DPNH but little or no tritiated nucleotide sugars, which could be expected if a nucleotide ketosugar intermediate had been reduced. Upon prolonged incubation of this enzyme with substrates the catalytic activity decreases and the amount of enzymebound DPNH increases, both at the same rate. This process approaches equilibrium in about 2 hours in the presence of 3.5 x 10-3 m UDP-glucose + UDP-galactose at pH 8.5 and 27°. Under these conditions the catalytic activity has decreased by about 67% and the system exhibits the following two properties not characteristic of native enzyme. Reduction with NaB3H4 produces tritiated UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose, and intermolecular hydrogen transfer between substrates can be detected. The data establish that under these special conditions a detectable part of substrate epimerization proceeds via free UDP-4-ketosugar intermediates.
Reopening Russian Conversations: The Discourse Particle –to and the Negotiation of Interpersonal Accountability in Closings

The article examines how the goals of maintaining and reaffirming interpersonal relationships are accomplished through the details of talk during closing sections of social encounters. On the basis of Russian language telephone conversations between close familiars, the article explicates ways in which interactions may be reopened and, more specifically, the role of the Russian discourse particle –to on utterances that raise new issues in closing environments. The analysis shows that although many kinds of new matters are commonly raised in conversation closings, only those that deal with the addressee—and only those raised by the person who initiated the closing—are marked so as to indicate the speaker’s accountability for raising the matter late. This suggests that ways in which new topics are introduced in conversation closings reflect the speaker’s orientation to displaying concern for and interest in the addressee.
The Stochastic Recovery Rate in CDS: Empirical Test and Structural Model

Recovery rates have been treated as a constant for credit default swaps (CDS) pricing model while empirical findings suggest otherwise. This paper uses the unique characteristics of ex post (physical) recovery rates to capture ex ante (risk-neutral) recovery rates in CDS spreads. Recovery rates fluctuate depending on the industry condition at default. I empirically show that this information is priced ex ante in CDS spreads. I derive a first-passage-time structural model with stochastic recovery rates linked to industry conditions. Empirical analysis and modified model suggest that risk-neutral recovery rates during industry distress drop by twice as much as the drop under the physical measure. Recovery risk is systematic and carries a risk premium.
How much war will we see? Estimating the incidence of civil war in 161 countries

Quantitative studies of civil war have focused either on war's onset, or its termination, producing important insights into these end points of the process. The authors complement these studies by studying how much war we are likely to observe in any given period. To answer this question, they combine recent advances in the theory of civil war initiation, and duration, and, develop the concept of war incidence, denoting th probability of observing an event of civil war in any given period. They test theories of war initiation, and duration against this new concept, using a five-year panel data set for 161 countries. Their analysis of the incidence of war corroborates most of the results of earlier studies, enriching those results by highlighting the significance of socio-ppolitical variables as determinants of the risk of civil war. Their findings: 1) Steps toward advancing political liberalization, or economic development reduce the risk of civil war, whatever the degree of ethno-linguistic fractionalization in a society. 2) This effect is amplified in polarized societies. The probability of civil war is lower in very homogeneous societies, and (less so) in more diverse societies. 3) In polarized societies, the risk of civil war can be reduced by political, rather than economic liberalization. At high levels of political freedom, ethnic diversity - even polarization - has a minimal impact on the risk of civil war. 4) Economic diversification that would reduce a country's reliance on primary exports would also reduce the risk of civil wars, especially in polarized societies. 5) In strategies for preventing civil war, political liberalization should be a higher priority than economic development, but the best possible results would combine political reform, economic diversification, and poverty reduction.
Metastatic Uterine Leiomyosarcoma Involving Bilateral Ovarian Stroma without Capsular Involvement Implies a Local Route of Hematogenous Dissemination

Uterine sarcomas spread via lymphatic and hematogenous dissemination, direct extension, or transtubal transport. Distant metastasis often involves the lungs. Ovarian metastasis is uncommon. Here we present an unusual case of a large, high-grade uLMS with metastatic disease internal to both ovaries without capsular involvement or other abdominal diseases, and discovered in a patient with distant metastases to the lungs, suggesting likely hematogenous dissemination of uLMS to the ovaries in this case. Knowledge of usual uLMS metastases may influence surgical management in select cases.
Best Practices in Recruiting and Retaining International Students in the U.S.

The number of international students on U.S. campuses is steadily increasing, and the prospect of the numbers increasing is in the forecast. According to Open Doors report (2012) the number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 5% to 764,495 during the 2011/12 academic year. Altbach (1991) argued that international students are “among the most important and visible elements of internationalism” (p. 305). This research intended to identify the best practices in recruiting and retaining international students through learning the best practices of the select U.S. institutions with the largest number of international students on their campuses. Findings indicated that the key when recruiting and retaining international students is the ability “to relate and communicate effectively when individuals involved in the interaction do not share the same culture, ethnicity, language, or other salient variables” (Hains, Lynch, & Winton, 2000, p. 2). Presence of international students on U.S. campuses is significant and the institutions surveyed are providing the best services that they can to make these students feel welcome. However, international students are not simply recipients of services provided to them by these institutions but rather are partners both benefiting from this exchange.
Boys' and girls' weight status and math performance from kindergarten entry through fifth grade: a mediated analysis.

This study tests a mediated model of boys’ and girls’ weight status and math performance with 6,250 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Five data points spanning kindergarten entry (mean age = 68.46 months) through fifth grade (mean age = 134.60 months) were analyzed. Three weight status groups were identified: persistent obesity, later onset obesity, and never obese. Multilevel models tested relations between weight status and math performance, weight status and interpersonal skills and internalizing behaviors, and interpersonal skills and internalizing behaviors and math performance. Interpersonal skills mediated the association between weight status and math performance for girls, and internalizing behaviors mediated the association between weight status and math performance for both sexes, with effects varying by group and time.
Chinese Music as a Narrative Model: The Aesthetics of Liu Liu and Metafiction in Samuel Beckett's Dream of Fair to Middling Women

This article freshly reveals that Beckett's experiment with metafiction began with his first novel and was inspired by his knowledge of Chinese music, which he obtained from Laloy. From the ways in which Chinese music developed from obeying formula to gaining freedom of expression, Beckett ingeniously perceived a narrative model: just as Chinese music must break free of the theory of liu liu to embrace the freedom of expression, English fiction must reinvent the nineteenth-century realist formula, in which authors like Balzac and Austen exercised rigid control over their plots and characters. The outcome of Beckett's appropriation of Chinese music is a metafictional novel that is usually seen as belonging to postmodern fiction. Yet, Beckett's attack on literary realism does not result in the total negation of the real, but in viewing the real as fundamentally mystic. In this sense, Beckett may be called a “mystic realist”. Thus Beckett's own aesthetics emerges in his simultaneous negotiations with realism...
A Continuous Bivariate Exponential Distribution

Abstract Among many bivariate exponential distributions proposed in the statistical literature, the BVE of Marshall and Olkin (1967) is widely accepted. An important property of the BVE is that if X and Y are BVE, then X = Y with positive probability, which makes the BVE inappropriate in many practical situations. For example, in certain types of diseases where the occurrence of simultaneous failure of a pair of organs is rare, an appropriate bivariate exponential distribution to describe the failure of these paired organs should be one that is absolutely continuous. The BVE, however, possesses some other properties that have useful physical interpretations. Therefore, the derivation of an absolutely continuous bivariate exponential distribution retaining the desirable properties of the BVE appears to be a worthwhile objective. To this end, we consider a characterization property of the BVE and modify it suitably to derive an absolutely continuous bivariate distribution. The important characterization pro...
Observed emotional involvement and overinvolvement in families of patients with bipolar disorder

Many studies have examined the construct validity of the criticism component of expressed emotion, but little work has been done on clarifying the emotional overinvolvement (EOI) construct. In a sample of 115 recently episodic patients with bipolar disorder, the authors of the present study examined the construct validity of an observational coding system for both appropriate and inappropriate emotional involvement that permitted separate ratings for relatives' intrusiveness, self-sacrificing behaviors, and distress related to the patient's well-being. Findings support the measure's reliability and convergent validity and are moderately supportive of the measure's discriminant validity. Results also suggest that Camberwell Family Interview (C. E. Vaughn & J. P. Leff, 1976) EOI ratings do not discriminate among the different dimensions of the emotional involvement construct (or their appropriateness or inappropriateness) as revealed in laboratory-based interactions. The findings suggest that clinicians working with such families might consider differentiating among the various ways in which family members are involved with the patient and helping them learn to judge under what circumstances such involvement is appropriate and inappropriate.
Corporatism and income inequality in the global economy: A panel study of 17 OECD countries

Abstract. The conventional wisdom of domestic politics in the global economy holds that that the globalization of the market economy has spelled the imminent collapse of corporatist bargaining institutions and the corporatist goal of economic equality. This conventional wisdom, however, highlights an interesting puzzle: it was the process of internationalization and economic openness itself that generated corporatist institutions. This study examines whether corporatist institutions are still effective in ensuring the corporatist goal of equality in the ‘global’ economy. Income inequality from the early 1980s to the middle 1990s is used as a measure of institutional effectiveness. It is argued that corporatism, as a form of interest mediation, is a path-dependent institution that generates increasing returns in terms of equality in the most internationalized economies. Results of a panel study of 17 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries indicate that corporatism reduces income inequality and, contrary to the conventional wisdom, income inequality is lowest in the most ‘global’ national economies.
The synthesis of guanosine 5'-diphosphate D-glucose by enzyme extracts of mung beans (Phaseolus aureus) and other higher plants

Abstract In response to a statement in the recent literature that the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of guanosine 5'-diphosphate D-glucose had been found only in pea seeds, enzyme extracts were prepared from a variety of higher plants. When incubated with guanosine 5'-triphosphate, α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate and MnCI 2 , they were all shown to catalyze the synthesis of a compound characterized as guanosine 5'phate D-glucose. The most active fractions from maize and mung bean extracts were obtained by consecutive precipitation of protein with monomethyl polyethylene glycol and ammonium sulfate. Based upon these results, it seems likely that the synthesis of GDP-D-glucose is ubiquitous in higher plants. GDP-D-glucose Phaseolus aureus β-1,4-Glucan
A comparison of human and machine-based predictions of successful weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Purpose. To evaluate the ability of an appropriately trained neural network to correctly interpret a set of weaning parameters to predict the liberation of a patient from mechanical ventilation, and to contrast these predictions with those of human experts restricted to the same limited set of physiologic data. Methods. For each set of weaning parameters, a prediction was made by multiple realizations of a neural network and six expert volunteers. Results. The percentage of correct predictions made by the neural network when the decision threshold was set to 0.5 (range 0-1) was 83.3 ± 4.2 (mean ± SD) and that for the experts was 83.3 ± 4.7. Predictions by the network when the threshold was 0.5 had a sensitivity of 0.83 and a specificity of 0.84, compared with 0.90 and 0.77, respectively, for the experts. However, sensitivity and specificity comparable to those of the human experts could be obtained by adjusting the decision threshold of the network predictor so that only the most clearly ventilator-depend...
The New NIE: National Institute for the Environment

Abstract In this report, the author describes the newly proposed federal agency called the National Institute for the Environment (NIE). The NIE would focus on environmental science as no other currently existing agency does or can. The author discusses the history of the NIE concept, NIE goals—particularly in the areas of education and training and proposed organization—and ways in which environmental educators can assist the NIE effort.
Managing and Understanding Activist Demonstration

An activist demonstration on company property can be extremely disruptive to normal business operations and cause a negative public relations situation. The role of the security/police department is critical in the control of this situation. The dilemma exists in the need to balance the right of free speech and assembly with the right of a company to conduct business. In order to manage a demonstration effectively, it is essential to have psychological knowledge of the purpose and stages of this action. Understanding the dynamics and functions of an activist group provides a security/law enforcement agency with an opportunity to prepare and manage the demonstration. This psychological knowledge will enhance security preparation and will increase the probability of a successful outcome.
Use of 24Na as a γ-ray calibration source above 3 MeV

Abstract We have reexamined the decay of 24 Na to reduce the uncertainty in the intensity of the 3866-keV γ-ray and to demonstrate the use of the nuclide in extending energy and efficiency calibrations of high-resolution Ge detectors beyond 2754 keV. We find 3866.22(15) keV and 0.067(2)% for the energy and intensity, respectively, of the γ-ray deexciting the 5235.20(8)-keV level in 24 Mg. For sources placed close to the detector, the 4122.66(2) sum peak is equivalent in statistical precision to a γ-ray of 5–10% intensity. The sum peak at 5234.9(2) keV is sufficiently well-resolved to confirm an energy calibration to ∼0.5 keV.
Novel Concepts in High-Energy Femtosecond Fiber Lasers

Fiber lasers offer major practical advantages as sources of ultrashort pulses. The average powers of fiber sources now reach, and exceed, those of solid-state femtosecond lasers. However, the pulse energy is chronically limited by excessive nonlinearity. New concepts such as self-similar pulse evolution in a laser and chirped-pulse fiber oscillators are explained. Finally, a new kind of femtosecond laser, which requires no intracavity anomalous dispersion, can be implemented in fiber. The behavior and performance of all-normal-dispersion ytterbium fiber lasers will be described.
Effects of lovastatin on cognitive function and psychological well-being ∗

Abstract PURPOSE: Animal research and cross-sectional studies suggest that serum lipid concentrations may influence cognitive function, mood, and behavior, but few clinical trials have studied these effects. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this double-blind investigation, 209 generally healthy adults with a serum low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level of 160 mg/dL or higher were randomly assigned to 6-month treatment with lovastatin (20 mg) or placebo. Assessments of neuropsychological performance, depression, hostility, and quality of life were conducted at baseline and at the end of the treatment period. Summary effect sizes were estimated as z scores on a standard deviation (SD) scale. RESULTS: Placebo-treated subjects improved between baseline and posttreatment periods on neuropsychological tests in all five performance domains, consistent with the effects of practice on test performance (all P P = 0.03). Comparisons of the changes in performance between placebo- and lovastatin-treated subjects revealed small, but statistically significant, differences for tests of attention ( z score=0.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.06 to 0.31; P = 0.005) and psychomotor speed ( z score=0.17; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.28; P = 0.004) that were consistent with greater improvement in the placebo group. Psychological well-being, as measured several ways, was not affected by lovastatin. CONCLUSION: Treatment of hypercholesterolemia with lovastatin did not cause psychological distress or substantially alter cognitive function. Treatment did result in small performance decrements on neuropsychological tests of attention and psychomotor speed, the clinical importance of which is uncertain.
Minimizing false positive diagnoses in newborn screening for galactosemia

Heat and humidity, rather than summertime heat alone, cause extensive loss of galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase activity in mailed blood spots and seem to account for false positive diagnoses of galactosemia. The spots are partially protected from the effects of atmospheric humidity if they are allowed to dry and then are sealed in a plastic freezer bag before being exposed to higher humidity. Conversely, extensive loss of transferase activity occurs if the samples are sealed in the bags before the spots are dry. The fluorescence from transferase activity can be monitored with greater sensitivity fluorometrically than visually. A simultaneous fluorometric determination of phosphoglucomutase activity reveals whether decreased transferase activity represents sample deterioration or galactosemia. Mg2+ and a sulfhydryl agent, such as dithiothreitol, are needed for activity of phosphoglucomutase, an enzyme in the sequence leading to the fluorescent substance (NADPH). They must be added in certain modifications of the assay.
Capital Heterogeneity, Aggregation, and the Two-Sector Model

I. Consistent aggregation of a multisectoral economy to a two-sector model, 106. — II. The Sato technology frontier, 110. — III. The neoclassical model, 111. — IV. Implications and extensions, 112. — Appendix: a simple empirical test for reswitching, 114.
High-resolution imaging of the immunological synapse and T-cell receptor microclustering through microfabricated substrates.

T-cell activation via antigen presentation is associated with the formation of a macromolecular membrane assembly termed the immunological synapse (IS). The genesis of the IS and the onset of juxtacrine signalling is characterized by the formation of cell membrane microclusters and the organization of such into segregated microdomains. A central zone rich in T-cell receptor (TCR)–major histocompatibility complex microclusters termed the central supramolecular activation cluster (cSMAC) forms the bullseye of this structure, while the cellular interface surrounding the cSMAC is characterized by regions enriched in adhesion and co-stimulatory molecules. In vitro, the study of dynamic TCR microcluster coalescence and IS genesis in T-cell populations is hampered by cell migration within the culture system and resolution constraints resulting from lateral cell–cell contact. Here, we detail a novel system describing the fabrication of micropit arrays designed to sequester single T-cell–antigen presenting cell (APC) conjugates and promote IS formation in the horizontal imaging plane for high-resolution studies of microcluster dynamics. We subsequently use this system to describe the formation of the cSMAC in T-cell populations and to investigate the morphology of the interfacial APC membrane.
A digital radiography readout system for low dose and high resolution amplified pixel sensor

A novel amplified pixel sensor (APS) with 50-um pixel size is proposed for x-ray detector applications. Moreover, the readout system is demonstrated to detect image with the APS detector panel. The specification of the readout system is 14-bit grayscale resolution and 160us integration time per scanning channel. As a result, the 160 × 160 array image is shown on LCD, proving the ability to detect the x-ray image with the APS detector panel and the corresponding readout system. Consequently, the APS device and the readout system show the potential to overcome the drawbacks, such as limited resolution and sensitivity, of the digital radiography sensor with conventional architecture.
Investigating the influence of the institutional organisation of agri-environmental schemes on scheme adoption

Abstract In this paper, the objective is to assess the influence of the institutional organisation of AESs on farmers’ participation in the schemes. The literature reveals that the institutional organisation of AESs can influence participation in the schemes and that this participation rate is an important indicator of the schemes’ eventual environmental effectiveness. The paper describes several alternative ways to design and implement AESs, and two study regions were chosen in which several of these alternatives have been applied in practice: the region of Flanders, in Belgium; and the state of Arkansas, in the US. On the basis of the results obtained one could argue that farmers are generally more in favour of a flexible approach towards AESs, in which they have the freedom to decide on contract terms and the related payment. However, although this could have a positive effect on the environmental effectiveness of the schemes, it could also significantly increase the transaction costs.
The northwestern margin of the Basin-and-Range Province, part 1: Reflection profiling of the moderate-angle (~ 30°) Surprise Valley Fault

Abstract Seismic reflection profiling demonstrates that the active, significant-offset Surprise Valley Fault that marks the western boundary of the Basin-and-Range Province in northernmost California dips at a moderate angle, only ~ 30° to ~ 2 km depth. A nearby seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profile, albeit of lower-resolution, shows the fault-plane remains approximately planar to at least 7 km depth. Variably-tilted volcanic strata of known ages within the Surprise Valley basin demonstrate that ≥ 7 km of normal slip occurred along the Surprise Valley Fault within the past 8–4 Myr at a time-averaged slip rate of ~ 1–2 mm/yr, and that the fault rotated from an initial dip of as much as 60° to its present dip of 30°. The rotation of this isolated fault was not accomplished by domino-style rotation as seen elsewhere in the Basin-and-Range province, but rather by flexural rift-shoulder uplift aided by mid-crustal flow.
On the difficulties and remedies in enforcing the div = 0 condition in the finite element analysis of thermal plumes with strongly temperature‐dependent viscosity

A finite element (FE) analysis of experimentally observed creeping thermal plumes in a medium whose viscosity is strongly temperature-dependent is performed. Such plumes are considered to play an important role in numerous geological processes and numerical modelling is often the only option to study their physics. Initial simulations by means of the general-purpose Galerkin finite element package NACHOS-II demonstrated serious deficiencies of the method in modelling plumes with large viscosity contrasts, in spite of several options for the solution (mixed or penalty formulation) and the elements (continuous or discontinous pressure). In agreement with observations from FE simulations of isothermal Stokes flow in other studies, we have isolated the violation of the div = 0 or incompressibility constraint as the major culprit in the failure of the FE method. It is demonstrated that the a posteriori computed discrete divergence (DDIV) can be used as a diagnostic tool to evaluate the reliability of the FE solution and to rank the solution and element options provided in the NACHOS code. On the basis of these considerations, the combination of the mixed method with a Q2-P1 (discontinuous pressure) element turns out to be the most suitable for the present plume problem but is still unable to sufficiently enforce the div = 0 condition. With a goal to remedy this detrimental behaviour, several FE modifications and new approaches have been taken. These include: (i) use of a new scaling option for the governing equations which has the effect of equilbrating the stiffness matrices and thus improving their condition; (ii) implementation of several iterative solution techniques such as the iterated penalty and the Uzawa algorithm for the augmented Langrangian to better accommodate the dual role of the pressure; (iii) use of a multistep Newton method to better handle the high non-linearity of the coupled flow/transport problem. Although each of these options (or a combination of them) is able to improve on the quality of FE solution, the most startling amelioration has been gained with option (iii). Use of the latter resulted in very satisfactory modelling of the experimentally observed plumes.
Return Rates of Aluminum Versus Plastic Leg Bands from Electrocuted Harris's Hawks (Parabuteo unicinctus)

Resumen En estudios de aves rapaces, la habilidad para identificar individuos correctamente es facilitada por la utilizacion de anillas de aluminio. Debido a que las aves rapaces generalmente descansan sobre lineas electricas, las anillas de aluminio pueden contribuir al riesgo de electrocucion, o pueden servir como indicadoras de electrocucion en cadaveres intactos. Para comprobar estas posibilidades, marcamos 89 individuos de Parabuteo unicintus en Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. con anillas de aluminio o de plastico y comparamos las heridas y causas de muerte en 23 individuos recogidos. No encontramos diferencia en la tasa de electrocucion en 41 individuos marcados con anillas de aluminio y 38 individuos marcados con anillas de plastico, y no encontramos quemaduras en las anillas o en las patas alrededor de las anillas. En general, las hembras y los adultos fueron mas propensos a ser encontrados muertos por electrocucion. Nuestros datos no apoyan la hipotesis de que las anillas de aluminio aumentan el riesgo d...
Thrombin: implications for intratumor therapy against metastasis

The effect of an intratumor injection of thrombin as a potential cancer therapeutic agent was examined in two transplantable solid tumor models: a renal adenocarcinoma implanted beneath the kidney capsule in Wistar-Lewis rats and a rhabdomyosarcoma implanted similarly in Wag-Rij rats. For each tumor type, a group of test animals received a single dose of thrombin injected directly into the central tumor mass 6 weeks following tumor implantation. Corresponding groups of tumor-implanted controls consisted of animals that received an equal volume injection of saline instead of thrombin and animals that were not injected. The tumor-implanted animals receiving thrombin, saline, or no injected and noninjected control animals died of metastasis to the lung within the same well-defined period of time. All animals receiving thrombin showed significantly increased longevity, and the degree of increase was related to variations in tumor size at the time of injection. In every case, animal death was due to pulmonary metastasis verified at autopsy, but animals receiving thrombin therapy lived about 85% longer following tumor implantation than animals not receiving therapy.