cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomous Weapon Systems: Managing the Inevitability of 'Taking the Man out of the Loop'

This essay considers how the development and fielding of autonomous weapon systems will implicate compliance with the law of armed conflict (LOAC). It argues that assessing the legality of such weapon systems will be facilitated by analogy to the human soldier. Specifically, the essay considers how inherent human cognitive autonomy is managed through the process of training and responsible command to ensure the soldier functions consistent with the requirements of the LOAC. It then suggests that because fielding commanders will have little opportunity to influence the artificial intelligence based judgments of future autonomous weapon systems, they must undergo a 'compliance validation' process that produces a higher degree of confidence in LOAC compliance than that expected of the human soldier. This leads to consideration of the relationship between the traditional doctrine of command responsibility and the expectation of LOAC compliance for the human soldier, and why this doctrine cannot be expected to produce the same effect with regard to autonomous weapons. Accordingly, the essay proposes that the focal point of 'responsibility' must be reconsidered in relation to autonomous weapons, recasting the doctrine to one more focused on 'procurement responsibility.' The essay closes by raising and answering several theoretical questions related to the development and employment of autonomous weapons.
NMR as a unique tool in assessment and complex determination of weak protein-protein interactions.

Protein–protein interactions are crucial for a wide variety of biological processes. These interactions range from high affinity (K d mM). While much is known about the nature of high affinity protein complexes, our knowledge about structural characteristics of weak protein–protein interactions (wPPIs) remains limited: in addition to the technical difficulties associated with their investigation, historically wPPIs used to be considered physiologically irrelevant. However, emerging evidence suggests that wPPIs, either in the form of intact protein complexes or as part of large molecular machineries, are fundamentally important for promoting rapid on/off switches of signal transduction, reversible cell–cell contacts, transient assembly/disassembly of signaling complexes, and enzyme–substrate recognition. Therefore an atomic-level elucidation of wPPIs is vital to understanding a cornucopia of diverse cellular events. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is famous for its unique abilities to study wPPIs and, by utilization of the new technical developments combined with sparse data based computational analysis, it now allows rapid identification and structural characterization of wPPIs. Here we present our perspective on the NMR methods employed.
Postcardiac Arrest Management

Cardiac arrest afflicts more than 300,000 persons annually in North America alone. Advances in systematic, regimented postresuscitation care have lowered mortality and improved neurologic outcomes in select cohorts of patients over the last decade. Postcardiac arrest care now comprises its own link in the chain of survival. For most patients, high-quality postcardiac arrest care begins in the Emergency Department. This article reviews the evidence and offers treatment strategies for the key components of postcardiac arrest care.
Observation of topological order in a superconducting doped topological insulator

When doped with copper, the topological insulator Bi2Se3 becomes superconducting. But for new physics and applications the search is not for just any superconductor; the material must retain its topological character. And indeed that is the case with doped Bi2Se3.
A novel high-order Nystrom scheme for 3D boundary integral equations

The traditional Nystrom method is designed to treat regular integral kernels, whereas our boundary integral equations (BIE) present singular or hyper-singular kernels associated with the Green's functions. This problem has been solved by using the local corrections with a high-order accuracy for the singular or near-interaction terms. Although these local corrections are easy and efficient for simple cases, they may not be convenient to implement for 3D cases with curvilinear geometries. We develop a novel high-order Nystrom scheme based on the Lagrange interpolation for the unknown function. The scheme is easy to implement and the resulting error is controllable.
Extraauditory Effects of Acoustic Stimulation

The sections in this article are: 1 Neurophysiological Basis for Extraauditory Effects 2 Specific Extraauditory Effects 2.1 Aspects of Sensory Interaction 2.2 Reflex Response to Sound 3 General Extraauditory Effects 3.1 Effects of Sound Stimulation on Psychological State 3.2 Effects of Sound Stimulation on Physiological State 4 Special Considerations Regarding Extraauditory Response to Sound 4.1 Exposure to Infrasound and Ultrasound 4.2 Stress-Sensitive Groups
Explaining the Negative Returns to VIX Futures and ETNs: An Equilibrium Approach

We study the returns to investing in VIX futures and VIX Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs). We document a substantial negative return premium for both ETNs and the futures. For example, the a constant maturity portfolio of one-month VIX futures loses about 30% per year over our sample period (2006-2013). We propose an equilibrium model to explain these negative returns. In this model, increases in volatility endogenously lead to decreasing stock prices. Our model explains the negative expected returns to VIX futures and ETNs as well as several other stylized facts about the returns to VIX futures and VIX futures ETNs.
2,2′,3,3′,6-Penta­chloro­biphenyl (PCB 84)

The dihedral angle between the benzene rings in the title compound, C12H5Cl5, is 81.5 (2)°.
The Cognitive Dissonance of the New Originalism

The new originalism is the latest de riguer theory of constitutional interpretation. No longer concerned with the majoritarianism or judicial restraint that were the hallmarks of Borkian/Bergerian originalism, the new originalists blithely dismiss precedent as having little, if any, constraining force and contend that the countermajoritarian difficulty is of little concern (though they are not alone in this regard). Parallel to this, there is little concern in the new originalist camp with judicial activism. Suffice it to say, it is not a modest theory. The thesis of this short paper is that perhaps that the new originalists suffer from a form of cognitive dissonance. That is to say, one wonders if the new originalists are not dealing in constitutional reality and are instead rationalizing a constitutional vision that does not square with history or the empirical evidence. It is well-documented that originalists on the bench are far from consistent in their application of originalism. Worse yet, when the justices (both liberal and conservative) utilize originalists arguments, ideological cherry-picking inevitably follows. More than that, the new originalists seem uniformly resistant to recognizing that constitutional law does not happen - and cannot happen - in the original public meaning vacuum they advocate. It is more profitable to understand decisions as the result of the historical and cultural zeitgeist the justices find themselves in. In fact, it is ironic that originalism itself is rather plainly a product of the (partial) triumph of the New Right political movement! If I am right about this, I think it is time for the new originalists to explain how their constitutional vision fits into our historical and empirical reality. If they cannot reconcile their theory with this, perhaps it is time that the new originalists admitted their dissonance and developed some intellectual modesty.
Lateral fungal spore movement inside a simulated wall

Moisture inside walls can facilitate mold growth if left untreated. Once spores become airborne they may interact with pressures inside walls. Two laboratory experiments were conducted to determine if airborne spores have the potential to migrate laterally inside walls with and without wiring instal- lations. A simulated wall was fabricated, and Penicillium chrysogenum spores were aerosolized into a distant stud bay and an adjacent stud bay. The wall was subjected to a typical indoor pressure. Spore levels inside the bays were sampled, and a total of 36 trials (n = 36) were conducted. Results of Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed that spore levels inside the sampling bay and the distant bay with wiring installations were not significantly different. Spore levels inside the sampling bay were significantly lower than the adjacent bay without wiring installa- tions (P \ 0.05). The findings of the study suggest airborne fungal spores have the potential to move laterally inside walls.
Distribution and hypothalamic projection of tyrosine‐hydroxylase containing neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract in the pigeon

The avian nucleus of the solitary tract has an extensive subnuclear organization. Several subnuclear cell groups can be distinguished on the basis of cytoarchitectonic criteria. In general, the subnuclei of the medial division of the nucleus of the solitary tract receive gastrointestinal afferents, whereas the subnuclei of the lateral division of the nucleus of the solitary tract receive cardiopulmonary afferents. Forebrain afferents to the nucleus of the solitary tract are segregated to medial and lateral subnuclei, which are located at the periphery of the nucleus. These peripheral subnuclei of the nucleus of the solitary tract are also the source of ascending axonal projections to the forebrain. In this study, the tyrosine hydroxylase (initial enzyme for catecholamine synthesis) content of the anteromedial hypothalamic projecting neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract is determined by use of a combined retrograde fluorescent dye-immunofluorescence method. Fast Blue implanted into the anteromedial hypothalamus (in the region of the nucleus periventricularis magnocellularis) resulted in the retrograde labeling of neurons in the caudal two-thirds of the nucleus of the solitary tract. At levels rostral to the obex, dye-labeled cells were mostly observed in the dorsally located subnuclei medialis superficialis pars posterior and lateralis dorsalis pars posterior and in the ventrally located subnucleus medialis ventralis pars posterior. More centrally located subnuclei contained few labeled cells, if any. For example, subnucleus medialis intermedius pars posterior only had a few retrogradely labeled cells, whereas the centrally located subnucleus medialis dorsalis pars posterior was almost devoid of labeled cells. At levels caudal to the obex, many retrogradely labeled neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract were observed. Neurons immunoreactively labeled for tyrosine hydroxylase were mostly found within subnuclei, which contain anteromedial hypothalamic projection neurons. In subnuclei medialis superficialis pars posterior and lateralis dorsalis pars posterior, 87% of the retrogradely dye-labeled cells were also immunoreactively labeled, whereas in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (at levels caudal to the obex), 68% of the retrogradely labeled cells were immunoreactively labeled. Not all tyrosine hydroxylase containing cells had projections to the implantation site in the anteromedial hypothalamus since only 40% of the immunoreactive cells in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract and 59% of the immunoreactive cells in the subnucleus medialis superficialis pars posterior were retrogradely labeled with Fast Blue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Temporal Trend in Relative Risk of Second Primary Colorectal Cancer

Background Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are at a higher risk for developing a second primary. Factors (such as survival rate, rate of receipt of surveillance procedures, and the overall incidence of CRC) with potential impact on the risk for second primary CRC have changed over the last three decades. Thus, it is likely that the risk for second primary CRC also has changed over the years. Objectives We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results public-use database to assess whether the relative risk of second primary CRC has changed in patients with initial primary CRC. Methods The temporal trend in the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for a second primary CRC was estimated. Also, the clinical features of the second primary CRC were compared in two subgroups based on the year of diagnosis of the first primary CRC: Group A (1973-1977) and Group B (1988-1992). Results During the period of 1973 to 2002, 216,751 patients developed a primary CRC and over a follow-up period of 1,250,687 person-years, 5,595 of these patients developed a second primary CRC, with an SIR of 1.36 (95% CI 1.32-1.39). In a Cox regression model, the period of diagnosis of the first primary CRC was an independent risk factor for a subsequent primary CRC, with a relative hazard of second colon cancer in Group B compared with Group A being 1.18 (95% CI 1.06-1.31), after controlling for age at diagnosis, site, stage of first primary, gender, and race. Conclusion The relative risk of the second primary CRC has increased since early 1990s. These subsequent cancers are being diagnosed at an earlier stage. Increased surveillance may be one of the factors contributing to this temporal difference.
Naturalistic Language Teaching Procedures for Children at Risk for Language Delays

Delays in language acquisition can have serious deleterious effects on the education and social development of children. A number of related language intervention procedures have been developed for use in natural settings. These procedures include incidental teaching, modeling, manding, time-delay, and milieu language teaching. The present paper reviews the literature regarding naturalistic language teaching procedures, distinguishes them from discrete trial training, and discusses how these procedures might facilitate the generalization of children’s acquired language skills. Problems in achieving generalization are also discussed. Recommendations for future research are made.
Noninvasive Neurovascular Tests for Carotid Artery Disease

Indirect noninvasive neurovascular tests provide information on hemodynamic changes cephalad to the carotid bifurcation, whereas direct tests measure anatomic or physiologic changes at the bifurcation itself. Batteries of tests are often done and should combine both indirect and direct methods. Results with two ultrasonic techniques and digital subtraction intravenous angiography suggest a larger role for these methods. Carotid arteriography is the definitive procedure for evaluating the carotid artery, although it should only be done when carotid endarterectomy is contemplated. The relative risks and benefits of other diagnostic and therapeutic management strategies should guide the decision to do noninvasive neurovascular tests, or to proceed directly to arteriography.
Communication in a Fund-Raising Marathon Group

A bona fide group perspective (Putnam & Stohl, 1990) suggests that participation in a particular group is influenced by members' simultaneous affiliation with other groups. Based on this premise, this study examined the communication in a temporary group dedicated to raising money for a nonprofit diabetes organization by participating in a marathon. Using ethnographic methods, it examined how participants formed a temporary group through communication, how internal and external communication supported and energized members in their training and fund-raising efforts, how members maintained multiple group memberships and responded to changing membership of the group, and whether communication contributed to the group and to its members achieving their goals. Overall, the findings suggest that participation in multiple groups actually assisted successful members in reaching goals.
Speeding Up PEEC Partial Inductance Computations Using a QR-Based Algorithm

The partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) approach has been used in different forms for the computation of equivalent circuit elements for quasi-static and full-wave electromagnetic models. In this paper, we focus on the topic of large scale inductance computations. For many problems as part of PEEC modeling, partial inductances need to be computed to model interactions between a large numbers of objects. These computations can be very time and memory consuming. To date, several techniques have been devised to reduce the memory and time required to compute the partial inductance entities, as well as the time required to use them in a circuit analysis compute step. Some of the existing methods use hierarchical compression while some others are based on issues like properties of the inverse of the partial inductance matrix. However, because of inherent limitations, most of these methods are less suitable for PEEC applications. In this paper, we present an approach which is based on the compression of the partial inductance matrix utilizing the QR decomposition of the far coefficients submatrices. The QR-decomposed form is represented as a compressed SPICE-compatible circuit. This yields an efficient and mathematically consistent approach for reducing the storage and time requirements
Fabric at granodiorite-schist contact, Bear Island, Maryland

The essential difference between the granodiorite and its wall rock fabric consists in the two well-defined deformation plans. The wall rock is a B-tectonite, the granodiorite an S-tectonite. Transport in the former was rotational and monoclinic, in the latter possibly by laminar flow parallel with the contact.
Gravitational-radiation production using nuclear explosions

It is shown that it may be possible to produce gavitational-radiation powers in excess of 1 erg/sec with modest-sized nuclear explosions. The gravitational-radiation intensity near the explosion may be sufficiently high to be detectable, permitting general-relativity experiments to be conducted in terrestrial environments.
The effects on comodulation masking release of systematic variations in on- and off-frequency masker modulation patterns

Detection thresholds were obtained for a 500‐Hz tone added to a masker comprised of an amplitude‐modulated tone centered at the signal frequency (on‐frequency masker) and an array of amplitude modulated tones centered at 300, 700, 800, 900, 1000, and 1100 Hz (off‐frequency maskers). The shapes of the amplitude modulation patterns of the on‐ and off‐frequency maskers were either matched or mismatched. In the shape‐matched conditions the on‐ and off‐frequency masker modulation patterns were the same, either sinusoidally or square‐wave amplitude modulated. In the shape‐mismatched conditions, the on‐frequency masker was sinusoidally amplitude modulated and the off‐frequency maskers were square‐wave amplitude modulated. The rate of modulation was either 10 or 20 Hz, and the duty cycle of square‐wave modulation was systematically varied. The relative phases of the on‐ and off‐frequency modulators were either in‐phase, out‐of‐phase, or random‐phase. Comodulation masking release (CMR) was defined as the difference between thresholds in the in‐phase and random‐phase conditions. CMRs as large as 12 dB were obtained for the shape‐matched as well as the shape‐mismatched conditions. Thresholds in the out‐of‐phase condition were on average 2.6 dB higher than those in the random‐phase condition. Results are consistent with a cued listening model where off‐frequency modulation minima trigger sampling at the output of the auditory filter centered on the signal frequency.
Images of bottomside irregularities observed at topside altitudes

We analyzed plasma and field measurements acquired by the Communication/ Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite during an eight-hour period on 13-14 January 2010 when strong to moderate 250 MHz scintillation activity was observed at nearby Scintillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) ground stations. C/NOFS consistently detected relatively small-scale density and electric field irregularities embedded within large-scale (approx 100 km) structures at topside altitudes. Significant spectral power measured at the Fresnel (approx 1 km) scale size suggests that C/NOFS was magnetically conjugate to bottomside irregularities similar to those directly responsible for the observed scintillations. Simultaneous ion drift and plasma density measurements indicate three distinct types of large-scale irregularities: (1) upward moving depletions, (2) downward moving depletions, and (3) upward moving density enhancements. The first type has the characteristics of equatorial plasma bubbles; the second and third do not. The data suggest that both downward moving depletions and upward moving density enhancements and the embedded small-scale irregularities may be regarded as Alfvenic images of bottomside irregularities. This interpretation is consistent with predictions of previously reported theoretical modeling and with satellite observations of upward-directed Poynting flux in the low-latitude ionosphere.
On the algebras of symmetries (groups of collineations) of designs from finite Desarguesian planes with applications in statistics

Abstract Decomposition into a direct sum of irreducible representations of the representation of the full collineation group of a finite Desarguesian plane, as a group of matrices permuting the flags of the plane and the simple components of the corresponding commutant algebra, have been worked out here for the projective plane PG(2, 2) and the affine plane EG(2, 3). The dimension and the components of the covariance matrix of the observations from a design derived from such a plane, which commutes with such a permutation representation of the full collineation group of the plane, are thus determined. This paper is in the spirit of earlier works by, James (1957) , Mann (1960) , 6. , 7. , McLaren (1963) , and Sysoev and Shaikan (1976) . A. T. James, Ann. Math. Statist. 28 (1957), 993–1002, H. B. Mann, Ann. Math. Statist. 31 (1960), 1–15, E. J. Hannan, Research Report (Part. (I)), Summer Research Institute, Australian Math. Soc. and Methuen's Monographs on Applied Probability and Statistics, Supplementary Review Series in Applied Probability, Vol. 3, A. D. McLaren, Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc. 59 (1963), 431–450, and L. P. Sysoev and M. E. Shaikin, Avtomat. i Telemekh. 5 (1976), 64–73.
Application of the Law of Additive Reaction Times to Fluid–Solid Reactions in Porous Pellets with Changing Effective Diffusivity

An approximate closed-form solution, which is based on the Law of Additive Reaction Times for a fluid–solid reaction formulated previously, is presented for the reaction of a fluid with a porous solid in which there is a change of porosity and, thus, effective diffusivity during the reaction. The proposed solution was compared with exact solutions reported in the literature in terms of the effects of various parameters on the fractional conversion. The closed-form expression was found to give satisfactory results and, thus, makes it unnecessary to use a numerical solution. This study represents another of many examples in which Sohn’s Law has provided useful closed-form solutions.
A decision support system for container design in production systems

Describes a user‐friendly decision support tool to select near optimal containers for specific manufacturing scenarios relative to all the constraints associated with the use of the container. Guides the user through a dialogue to input constraints and scenario‐specific information. Shows how the decision support tool iterates between an expert system and a simulation model, to produce a near optimal container with respect to internal and external dimensional requirements. Explains the methods by which the system is tested and validated in a realistic environment. Discusses future research directions.
Induction of Helical Arrays of Ribosomes by Vinblastine Sulfate in Escherichia coli

Physiological concentrations of vinblastine sulfate elicited ribosomal helices in large numbers in growing cultures of the osmotically sensitive mutant sud 24 and, after treatment with ethylenediaminetetraacetate, also in the K-12 strain. The helices were usually seen at the division plane and were often connected to the membrane. This method of induction of ribosomal helices offers a unique system for studying in vivo structure and function of the translational apparatus in relation to other cell components.
Cost-effectiveness of screening for asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors.

In this issue, 2 articles examine the cost-effectiveness of routine screening to detect asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and reduce risks for congestive heart failure in childhood cancer s...
A path analytic study of determinants of information system usage

Abstract Acceptance and voluntary use of information technology by employees are considered by many to be necessary for organizational success. This may be facilitated by careful planning and implementation of computer user training as part of the systems development process. Although much research has focused on user involvement in the development of applications and the impact of this involvement on user satisfaction and system usage, little research has been done on the relationships between computer user training and user involvement, user satisfaction, or system usage. Using 282 survey responses, this article explores the relationships of computer user training to user involvement, user satisfaction, user confidence, and system usage. The results of a path analysis suggest that computer user training impacts system usage through user satisfaction and user confidence. Further research questions in this domain are discussed.
Toward an Understanding of the Role of Water-Soluble Oligomers in the Emulsion Polymerization of Styrene−Butadiene−Acrylic Acid. Separation and Characterization of the Water-Soluble Oligomers

A series of techniques were developed to quantitatively characterize the free water-soluble oligomers found in the aqueous phase in a model styrene/butadiene/acrylic acid (St/Bu/AA) batch emulsion terpolymerization process. Particular attention was paid to the early stages of the polymerization. Ultracentrifugation was used to accomplish the separation of the aqueous phase from the particle phase. 1H NMR, aqueous phase GPC, and GC techniques were used to determine the oligomer concentration as well as their composition and the surfactant concentration in the aqueous phase, the oligomer molecular weight, and the acrylic acid monomer conversion, respectively. The results were related to the overall conversion and the number of particles as a function of conversion. The oligomer concentration vs conversion curves for the model system show a maximum at around 12% conversion. However, the position of this maximum with respect to conversion is related to the surfactant concentration. The sharp decrease in the o...
Elaboration of a tricyclic gibberellic acid intermediate

Abstract The synthesis of an important tricyclic intermediate for gibberellic acid synthesis is described.
A generalized patched-grid algorithm with application to the F-18 forebody with actuated control strake

Analysis of complex configurations using structured grids virtually demands multiple blocks of grids. To facilitate calculations involving multiple blocks, a geneal grid-block patching algorithm based on generalized coordinate inerpolation has been developed. The computational grid may contain as many arbirarily shaped blocks as required to make the grid generation problem tractable and to accurately model the fow features. Results are presented for several test cases as well as for the F-18 forebody control strake. The methodology developed has application to overlapped or embedded grids.
Abstract 515: Interaction of CD44 with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is crucial to maintain adhesion, migration and invasion in glioblastoma xenograft cells

CD44, a transmembrane receptor for hyaluronic acid, is comprised of an extracellular domain (ECD) and intracellular domain (ICD). CD44 is implicated in various adhesion-dependent cellular processes, including cell migration, tumor cell metastasis and invasion. Here, we have generated constructs for knockdown of CD44 corresponding to ECD and ICD as well as to selectively overexpress either ECD or ICD. CD44 knockdown resulted in a more than 50% reduction in cellular adhesion, migration, and invasion as determined by MTT, wound closure and Matrigel assays in glioblastoma xenograft cell lines (4910 and 5310). Zymography analysis of conditioned medium from CD44 knocked down 4910 and 5310 cells showed decreased gelatinolytic activity of MMP-9; however, western blot analysis of cell lysates did not show any change in MMP-9 expression. Based on these results, we sought to further determine the relationship of CD44 with MMP-9, which is known to play an important role in cellular adhesion, migration and invasion. Immunoprecipitation analysis of cell lysates from 4910 and 5310 cells revealed an interaction between CD44 and MMP-9. Of note, siRNA-mediated knockdown of MMP-9 resulted in inhibition of CD44 cleavage. Selective overexpression of ECD or ICD with downregulation of endogenous CD44 showed that ECD expression was able to recover cellular adhesion and gelatinolytic activity of MMP-9. In contrast, as seen in the MTT assay results, ICD overexpression recovered cell growth but not adhesion or MMP-9 gelatinolytic activity. Taken together, our results suggest the interaction between CD44 and MMP-9 plays an important role in maintaining cellular growth, adhesion, invasion and migration in the glioblastoma xenograft cell lines 4910 and 5310. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 515.
Optimal regulation policies for a multipurpose reservoir with seasonal input and return function

Optimal regulation policies for a multipurpose reservoir are characterized analytically for the case where the input and return functions are subject to seasonal variations and the return function is piecewise linear, concave, and separable in reservoir volume and discharge. Efficient upper and lower bounds on optimal policies are derived for two important special cases. Necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for a finite-time horizon optimal policy to be also optimal for the infinite-time horizon.
A Generative Model for Translating from Ordinary Language into Symbolic Notation

A key issue for 20th century logical theory has been the thesis that one can design a symbolic language which expresses all that is cognitively significant within a conversational language. This paper will examine this contention of the ‘Carnapian’ school of philosophy in the light of recent findings in the field of linguistics. It is impossible in this space to consider all the aspects of the problem,1 so what we want to do here is consider the type of linguistic system required for the task of translating from conversational language (CL) into a symbolic language (SL) and then make a judgment as to the efficacy of the translations.
Witnesses for the Revolution

The Republican Revolution reshaped many congressional practices, including the mix of interest groups testifying before House committees, in ways that promote partisan responsiveness. A comparison of the 104th and 103rd Congresses reveals significantly more testimony in 1995 by groups sympathetic to the Revolution, less testimony by other groups. Comparisons of individual committees, although more ambiguous, also reveal differences between traditionally partisan and traditionally bipartisan committees.
Sugar-Driven Prebiotic Synthesis of 3,5(6)-Dimethylpyrazin-2-one: A Possible Nucleobase of a Primitive Replication Process

Reaction of glyceraldehyde with alanine amide (or ammonia) under anaerobic aqueous conditions yielded 3,5(6)-dimethylpyrazin-2-one that is considered a possible complementary residue of a primitive replicating molecule that preceded RNA. Synthesis of the dimethylpyrazin-2-one isomers under mild aqueous conditions (65°C, pH 5.5) from 100 mM glyceraldehyde and alanine amide (or ammonia) was complete in about 5 days. This synthesis using 25 mM glyceraldehyde and alanine amide gave a total pyrazinone yield of 9.3% consisting of 42% of the 3,5-dimethylprazin-2-one isomer and 58% of the 3,6-dimethylpyrazin-2-one isomer. The related synthesis of the dimethylpyrazin-2-one isomers from glyceraldehyde and ammonia was about 200-fold less efficient than the alanine amide reaction. This synthetic process is considered a reasonable model of origin-of-life chemistry because it uses plausible prebiotic substrates, and resembles modern biosynthesis by employing the energized carbon groups of sugars to drive the synthesis of small organic molecules. Possible sugar-driven pathways for the prebiotic synthesis of polymerizable 2-pyrazinone monomers are discussed.
Computing Now: Peer-Review Rigor Meets Social Networks

The IEEE Computer Society (CS) recently launched Computing Now (CN; http://computingnow.computer.org), a single portal for all 14 CS magazines, that attempts to expose the traditional peer-reviewed content in CS magazines to a more collaborative style of social networks and Web 2.0. CN hopes to build a Web site that merges all the tradition and rigor of peer reviewing with social networks' scale and dynamics.
RNA∶DNA Hybrids Initiate Quasi-Palindrome-Associated Mutations in Highly Transcribed Yeast DNA

RNase H enzymes promote genetic stability by degrading aberrant RNA:DNA hybrids and by removing ribonucleotide monophosphates (rNMPs) that are present in duplex DNA. Here, we report that loss of RNase H2 in yeast is associated with mutations that extend identity between the arms of imperfect inverted repeats (quasi-palindromes or QPs), a mutation type generally attributed to a template switch during DNA synthesis. QP events were detected using frameshift-reversion assays and were only observed under conditions of high transcription. In striking contrast to transcription-associated short deletions that also are detected by these assays, QP events do not require Top1 activity. QP mutation rates are strongly affected by the direction of DNA replication and, in contrast to their elevation in the absence of RNase H2, are reduced when RNase H1 is additionally eliminated. Finally, transcription-associated QP events are limited by components of the nucleotide excision repair pathway and are promoted by translesion synthesis DNA polymerases. We suggest that QP mutations reflect either a transcription-associated perturbation of Okazaki-fragment processing, or the use of a nascent transcript to resume replication following a transcription-replication conflict.
Martinez-Frias syndrome: Evidence of linkage to RFX6 mutation

Abstract Martinez-Frias Syndrome (MFS) is a rare disorder characterized as an autosomal recessive disease. It has been described as a disorder of duodenal atresia, extrahepatic biliary atresia, hypoplastic pancreas, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and initially described with tracheoesophageal fistula. We present a case report of a preterm infant with a diagnosis of MFS, and a review of the literature. The constellation of symptoms described varies between the limited number of cases reported; this case presented is rare as the patient's course was complicated by cerebral ischemia something not previously described.
Effects of aldose reductase inhibitor sorbinil on neuroaxonal dystrophy and levels of myo-inositol and sorbitol in sympathetic autonomic ganglia of streptozocin-induced diabetic rats.

Biochemical and ultrastructural effects of the aldose reductase inhibitor sorbinil were examined in two experimental rat models of chronic diabetic neuropathy: rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes (STZ-D) and rats fed a galactose-enriched diet. The frequency of neuroaxonal dystrophy in the superior mesenteric sympathetic ganglia of rats with untreated 8-mo STZ-D increased sevenfold compared with that in age-matched controls. Animals chronically maintained on a diet containing 50% galactose, however, did not develop neuroaxonal dystrophy in excess of that found in untreated age-matched control rats. Institution of sorbinil therapy at the time of induction of STZ-D decreased, but did not completely normalize, the frequency of neuroaxonal dystrophy without altering the severity of diabetes; this finding is based on measurements of plasma glucose, body weight, food consumption, 24-h urine volume, and levels of glycosylated hemoglobin. Sorbitol levels in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglia (SCG) of untreated 8-mo-diabetic animals increased three- to fourfold compared with levels in controls. The increase in sorbitol content of diabetic SCG was completely prevented by early institution of dietary sorbinil therapy. The myo -inositol content of 8-mo-diabetic SCG was modestly decreased compared with controls. Sorbinil administration improved but did not completely normalize diabetic SCG myo -inositol. The sorbitol content of the SCG, superior mesenteric and celiac sympathetic ganglia, and a major trunk of the superior mesenteric nerve xof short-term (2.5-mo)-diabetic rats increased comparably, but only the diabetic SCG showed a decrease in myo -inositol.
A study of equilibrium isotope effects of tertiary amines by nmr and potentiometry

Abstract A comparative study of solvent isotope effects on the dissociation constant of amine salts, by means of potentiometric and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques lias been performed. Agreement of the results of the two techniques was generally good. The magnetic resonance technique offers an advantage in cases in which the amine is insoluble in neutral or basic solutions. An observed correlation between the isotopic shift of N-methyl proton chemical shift and the spin coupling between the methyl protons and the N-H proton is mentioned.
D2-Symmetric Dimer of 1,1‘-Binaphthyl and Its Chiral π-Conjugated Carbodianion

The synthesis of a chiral, nonracemic π-conjugated system with D2 point group of symmetry and the corresponding chiral carbodianion is described. Cu(II)-mediated oxidation of (R)-2,2‘-dilithio-1,1‘-binaphthyl (prepared from (R)(+)- 2,2‘-dibromo-1,1‘-binaphthyl) gives the corresponding dimer, (R)(+)-3, which is a chiral π-conjugated derivative of o-tetraphenylene, a saddle shaped molecule. When partially resolved 2,2‘-dibromo-1,1‘-binaphthyl is used, amplification of the enantiomeric excess (ee) is observed in the coupling product (3). The dihedral angles between the naphthalene moieties in (R)(+)-3 are about 70 °, as determined by the X-ray crystallography. However, CD and UV spectra, and cyclic voltammetric data of (R)(+)-3 are consistent with small, but far from negligible, conjugation (or homoconjugation) between the naphthalene moieties. The melting points of (R)(+)-3 and its racemate differ by more than 200 °C. Reaction of (R)(+)-3 with Li or Na in tetrahydrofuran (THF) gives the corresponding chiral...
Poisonous Plants and Plant Toxins that are Likely to Contaminate Hay and Other Prepared Feeds in the Western United States

L ivestock poisoning by toxic plants is a relatively common problem in pastures and rangelands and it is estimated to annually cost the livestock 1 industry more than $ 200 million. However, these estimates are for grazing animals and the total cost is prob- ably much greater because many animals are poisoned by contaminated feeds. Many poisonous plants are accessible to grazing livestock, but they are generally avoided and are not eaten, or they are eaten at doses that they do not produce detectable disease. In such cases toxic plants may not be more than a problem of displacing desirable nutritious plants. However, this is not always the case, especially when toxic plants contaminate prepared feeds. Poisonous plants incorporated in preserved forages, such as hay and silage, are much more likely to be eaten. This may occur because of increased competition from herd mates or by increased feeding pressure as prepared feeds are most often used in winter when alternative food sources are exhausted. Alternatively, the plants may become more palatable as they are diluted with palatable feed or the previously distasteful plant components are altered during forage preparation or storage. In addition, normally safe forages, under certain conditions, can produce and accumulate toxins. Identifying these toxic contaminates and understanding when forages may be toxic is critical in reducing poisoning and ensuring quality animal products. Our objectives of this review are to present basic principles of identifying contaminated feeds and sampling forages, introduce several common forages that under certain conditions can be toxic, present a brief description of plants that we have found contaminating feed in the western United States, and review how to treat or avoid such poisonings. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i2_s tegelmeier
Peripheral Temperature Monitoring during Cardiopulmonary Bypass Operation

Almost one-third of 24 adult patients undergoing hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for elective cardiac operation were found to have upper extremity skin and muscle temperatures of 30.0°C or less at termination of CPB despite the return of nasopharyngeal temperature to normal values. Within 45 minutes, the mean nasopharyngeal temperature of these patients fell spontaneously from 37.1° ± 0.3°C (± standard deviation) to 35.1° ± 0.4°C, a significantly greater fall (p < 0.005) than was observed for patients with extremity temperatures greater than 30.0°C. Persistent hypothermia of the upper extremities correlated statistically with large body mass; it appears that these patients incur disproportionately large caloric debts during hypothermic CPB. Inadvertent hypothermia after CPB can be minimized if both core and extremity temperatures are utilized to provide an assessment of the adequacy of warming prior to return to spontaneous circulation.
Stereoselective ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐lactide with a single‐site, racemic aluminum alkoxide catalyst: Synthesis of stereoblock poly(lactic acid)

The polymerization of racemic lactide with a racemic aluminum alkoxide catalyst is reported. Microstructural analysis of the polymer produced with 1 H NMR spectroscopy revealed that an isotactic stereoblock poly(lactic acid) formed, where each enantiomerically pure block contained an average of 11 lactide monomer units. The melting point of this polymer, 179°C, was higher than that of the enantiomerically pure polymer, consistent with the cocrystallization of the enantiomeric blocks of the polymer. The mechanism of the polymer formation is currently unknown, although a polymer exchange pathway, where living chain ends switch between metal centers to produce diastereomeric active species, is proposed.
Remembering Henri Langlois

Richard Roud. A Passion for Films: Henri Langlois and the Cinematheque Francaise. Foreword by Francois Truffaut. New York: The Viking Press, 1983. 218 pp. $16.95 cloth.
Interaction between age of irradiation and age of testing in the disruption of operant performance using a ground-based model for exposure to cosmic rays.

Previous research has shown a progressive deterioration in cognitive performance in rats exposed to 56Fe particles as a function of age. The present experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of age of irradiation independently of the age of testing. Male Fischer-344 rats, 2, 7, 12, and 16 months of age, were exposed to 25–200 cGy of 56Fe particles (1,000 MeV/n). Following irradiation, the rats were trained to make an operant response on an ascending fixed-ratio reinforcement schedule. When performance was evaluated as a function of both age of irradiation and testing, the results showed a significant effect of age on the dose needed to produce a performance decrement, such that older rats exposed to lower doses of 56Fe particles showed a performance decrement compared to younger rats. When performance was evaluated as a function of age of irradiation with the age of testing held constant, the results indicated that age of irradiation was a significant factor influencing operant responding, such that older rats tested at similar ages and exposed to similar doses of 56Fe particles showed similar performance decrements. The results are interpreted as indicating that the performance decrement is not a function of age per se, but instead is dependent upon an interaction between the age of irradiation, the age of testing, and exposure to HZE particles. The nature of these effects and how age of irradiation affects cognitive performance after an interval of 15 to 16 months remains to be established.
Cyclin D1 and retinoblastoma protein expression in Kaposi's sarcoma

Cyclins are implicated in the induction and control of the cell cycle. Cyclin D1 regulates G1-phase progression by phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRb). The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV) contains and transcribes an open reading frame with sequence similarities to cellular D-type cyclins. The KSHV-cyclin protein is associated with kinase activity capable of phosphorylating pRb in vitro. Here, we study for the first time the endogenous cyclin D1 and Rb protein expression in Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) tissue. Twenty-four consecutive biopsies of AIDS-related (n=21) and classical (n=3) KS were studied by immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies against cyclin D1 and pRb. We detected cyclin D1 in 1 of 13 patch/plaque stage, in 4 of 5 nodular stage and in 3 of 6 visceral KS lesions. By Western blot analysis, this cellular cyclin D1 monoclonal antibody did not cross-react with the purified KSHV-cyclin protein. The pRb was consistently detected in 24 of 24 KS lesions. In summary, early KS lesions rarely have detectable expression of endogenous cyclin D1. Advanced and disseminated KS lesions tend to have overexpression of endogenous cyclin D1. Therefore, cellular cyclin D1 expression appears to correlate with tumor progression in KS. The endogenous cyclin D1 is antigenically distinct from the KSHV-cyclin homolog. The pRb, which may serve as a substrate for KSHV-cyclin, is found in all KS lesions examined.
Spoken Tutorial Dialogue and the Feeling of Another's Knowing

We hypothesize that monitoring the accuracy of the "feeling of another's knowing" (FOAK) is a useful predictor of tutorial dialogue system performance. We test this hypothesis in the context of a wizarded spoken dialogue tutoring system, where student learning is the primary performance metric. We first present our corpus, which has been annotated with respect to student correctness and uncertainty. We then discuss the derivation of FOAK measures from these annotations, for use in building predictive performance models. Our results show that monitoring the accuracy of FOAK is indeed predictive of student learning, both in isolation and in conjunction with other predictors.
110 fs Fourier-transform limited gaussian pulses from a Cr: LiSAF regenerative amplifier

Abstract We report stable operation of a flashlamp-pumped LiSrAlF 6 : Cr 3+ regenerative amplifier for femtosecond pulses using chirped pulse amplification. We achieve Fourier-transform limited pulses of 100 fs duration with a time-bandwidth product of 0.44 and a pulse energy of 1.2 mJ.