cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consequences and Institutional Determinants of Unregulated Corporate Financial Statements: Evidence from Embedded Value Reporting: unregulated corporate financial statements

I analyze Embedded Value (EV) reporting by firms with life insurance operations to assess the impact of unregulated financial reporting on transparency and to examine the institutional characteristics that promote unregulated reporting. Under EV accounting, the present value of future cash flows from in-force contracts is included in shareholders’ equity, and profit is calculated as the change in equity between two periods. In contrast to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), this approach produces higher shareholder's equity and recognizes income at contract inception. I find firms that adopt EV reporting exhibit a decline in information asymmetry, with the decline increasing as EV reporting evolves to address methodological deficiencies and to permit more comparability across firms. The decrease in information asymmetry is contingent on providing an audit certification, and larger for firms that commit to providing EV reports. Moreover, I document that EV reporting is more widespread in countries with more hostile takeovers, managers that do not avoid volatile income measures, regulators that are less likely to intervene in the product market, and analysts that believe EV disclosure increases the value of their information intermediation function.
Comparison of Enrollees and Decliners of Parkinson Disease Sham Surgery Trials

Concerns have been raised that persons with serious illnesses participating in high-risk research, such as PD patients in sham surgery trials, have unrealistic expectations and are vulnerable to exploitation. A comparison of enrollees and decliners of such research may provide insights about the adequacy of decision making by potential subjects. We compared 61 enrollees and 10 decliners of two phase II neurosurgical intervention (i.e., cellular and gene transfer) trials for PD regarding their demographic and clinical status, perceptions and attitudes regarding research risks, potential direct benefit, and societal benefit, and perspectives on the various potential reasons for and against participation. In addition to bivariate analyses, a logistic regression model examined variables regarding risks and benefits as predictors of participation status. Enrollees perceived lower risk of harm while tolerating higher risk of harm and were more action oriented, but did not have more advanced disease. Both groups rated hope for benefit as a strong reason to participate, whereas the fact that the study's purpose was not solely to benefit them was rated as "not a reason" against participation. Hope for benefit and altruism were rated higher than expectation of benefit as reasons in favor of participation for both groups. Enrollees and decliners are different in their views and attitudes toward risk. Although both are attracted to research because of hopes of personal benefit, this hope is clearly distinguishable from an expectation of benefit and does not imply a failure to understand the main purpose of research.
Prostate Cancer Characteristics and Outcomes after Prostatectomy in Asian-American Men.

Abstract Background Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men, with striking differences between ethnic groups. Given the potential for lifestyle or genetic variations between subsets of Asian-American men to impact prostate cancer behavior, we sought to define the outcomes after radical prostatectomy among various Asian groups treated at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Methods The City of Hope IRB-approved prostatectomy database was searched from 2003 to 2015 to identify Asian-American men. Clinical and pathologic features were collected and analyzed for association with biochemical recurrence-free survival and overall survival (OS). Categorical data were evaluated using χ2and Fisher's exact tests. Survival curves were compared between groups using log-rank testing. Results Three hundred and eighty-three Asian-American men were included in the dataset. While Asian men as a group had lower BMI than African-American and white men in the database, there was a wide range between ethnic sub-groups. Chinese men more commonly presented with D'Amico low risk disease features (P= .04) compared to other Asian men. Pacific Islander men had the lowest rate of ≥T3 stage and the highest biochemical recurrence-free survival. OS for Chinese men was better than for all Asian patients combined (P= .046). After controlling for D'Amico risk and in multivariate analysis, Chinese men still had improved OS than other Asian men after prostatectomy (P= .03). Conclusions Asian-American men have differing prostate cancer characteristics. Future efforts to delineate and impact upon prostate cancer outcomes should categorize Asian men by subgroup in order to better elucidate biology, lifestyle factors and/or treatment preferences that may contribute to observed differences.
Obtaining Causal Information by Merging Datasets with MAXENT

The investigation of the question "which treatment has a causal effect on a target variable?" is of particular relevance in a large number of scientific disciplines. This challenging task becomes even more difficult if not all treatment variables were or even cannot be observed jointly with the target variable. Another similarly important and challenging task is to quantify the causal influence of a treatment on a target in the presence of confounders. In this paper, we discuss how causal knowledge can be obtained without having observed all variables jointly, but by merging the statistical information from different datasets. We first show how the maximum entropy principle can be used to identify edges among random variables when assuming causal sufficiency and an extended version of faithfulness. Additionally, we derive bounds on the interventional distribution and the average causal effect of a treatment on a target variable in the presence of confounders. In both cases we assume that only subsets of the variables have been observed jointly.
Effects of electronic structure of catalytic nanoparticles on carbon nanotube growth

Abstract The electronic model of the kinetics of carbon nanotube growth catalyzed by metal nanoparticles has been presented in this study using the electron theory of catalysis and the d-band model. This electron model takes into account weak and strong chemisorption of carbon species on the surface of the catalysts, determined by the position of the Fermi level of the catalysts with respect to the antibonding states of the carbon intermediates. The fractions of ‘weak’ and ‘strong’ chemisorbed carbon species participating in adsorption, decomposition, diffusion, and incorporation processes are shown to define the carbon nanotube growth rate as a function of the Fermi level of the metal catalyst. The role of chemical nature and size of catalytic nanoparticles in carbon nanotube growth are discussed within this model. This model can be used for the optimization of the nanotube growth rate based on the chemical nature, size, shape or alloying of nanocatalysts.
A Novel Dataset for Keypoint Detection of quadruped Animals from Images.

In this paper, we studied the problem of localizing a generic set of keypoints across multiple quadruped or four-legged animal species from images. Due to the lack of large scale animal keypoint dataset with ground truth annotations, we developed a novel dataset, AwA Pose, for keypoint detection of quadruped animals from images. Our dataset contains significantly more keypoints per animal and has much more diverse animals than the existing datasets for animal keypoint detection. We benchmarked the dataset with a state-of-the-art deep learning model for different keypoint detection tasks, including both seen and unseen animal cases. Experimental results showed the effectiveness of the dataset. We believe that this dataset will help the computer vision community in the design and evaluation of improved models for the generalized quadruped animal keypoint detection problem.
Queering student perspectives: gender, sexuality and activism in school

This paper examines the work of a gay-straight alliance and the ways in which members use elements of queer theory to understand their own and others' identities, both to make sense of their experiences and to support their activist efforts. The analysis identifies queer perspectives on gender and sexual identity as useful tools for supporting student activism. It also illustrates the complexity of this process within the school context, the challenges associated with student-led school change, and the forces, both institutional and cultural, that can hamper this potential.
Where are the racial and ethnic minorities in hotel management? Exploring the relationship between race and position in hotels

Abstract Ethnic minorities are underrepresented in hotel management. Ethnic minorities are not excluded from all management positions, just those that are considered crucial to the business. With inclusionary closure, ethnic minorities are given access to management positions in peripheral departments instead of those with key financial responsibilities. Demographic and career history data from 5549 hotel managers in 552 properties are used to access inclusionary closure as a process of new-racism and the creation of racialized jobs. Ethnic minorities had the least representation in positions that are critical in hotel operations, and we found evidence that job racialization, or the channeling of minorities into peripheral management positions, may be occurring in hotel management. This study's findings challenge the perceived progress of ethnic minorities in hotel management in the post-Civil Rights era in the specific context of hotel management.
The Birds and the Bees and the Black Boxes: Presidential Power and the Formulation of Executive Orders

Where do executive orders come from? Using archival data drawn from the Kennedy and Reagan administrations, this pilot study of the provenance of executive orders paper breaks open the black box of orders’ issuance to argue that unilateral directives are frequently a less-than-perfect representation of presidential preferences, as much recent work on unilateral power assumes. That is, the issuance of executive orders often involves wide consultation across the executive branch and, frequently, White House ratification of what agencies wanted to do in the first place. This has important implications for how we assess unilateral tactics and their contribution to presidential power in a less-than-unitary executive branch.
Hemodynamic effects of isoxsuprine and terbutaline in pregnant and nonpregnant sheep

Abstract Nonpregnant and pregnant sheep at 110 to 140 days' gestation were chronically instrumented for measurement of mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, common internal iliac artery blood flow, and middle uterine artery blood flow. Systemic and regional vascular resistances were calculated from pressure/flow data. Either isoxsuprine, 10 μg/kg/min, or terbutaline, 0.40 μg/kg/min, was infused continuously for a period of one hour. The above-mentioned parameters were monitored during control, infusion, and postinfusion periods. The findings show that: (a) isoxsuprine had greater effects on the mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output than did terbutaline; (b) both agents had minimal effects on the common internal iliac artery blood flow of pregnant ewes, but isoxsuprine decreased the middle uterine artery blood flow significantly; and (c) with isoxsuprine, a marked vasodilatation occurred in the common internal iliac vascular bed of nonpregnant ewes, in contrast to the insignificant changes in the pregnant ewes. The conclusions drawn were that: (1) the more pronounced effects of isoxsuprine are most probably related to a greater β 1 stimulation; (2) contiguous regional vascular beds respond differently to pharmacologic stimuli; and (3) the state of a given vascular bed during the resting state determines its response to vasoactive agents.
Globalization and Top Income Shares

How does globalization affect the income gaps between the rich and the poor? This paper presents a new piece of empirical evidence showing that access to the global market, either through exporting or through multinational production, is associated with a higher executive-to-worker pay ratio within the firm. It then builds a model with heterogeneous firms, occupational choice, and executive compensation to model analytically and assess quantitatively the impact of globalization on the income gaps between the rich and the poor. The key mechanism is that the “gains from trade” are not distributed evenly within the same firm. The compensation of an executive is positively linked to the size of the firm, while the wage paid to the workers is determined in a country-wide labor market. Any extra profit earned in the foreign markets benefits the executives more than the average worker. Counterfactual exercises suggest that this new channel is quantitatively important for the observed surge in top income shares in the data. Using the changes in the volume of trade and multinational firm sales, the model can explain around 33 percent of the surge in top income shares over the past two decades in the United States.
Quantification of brain endocannabinoid levels: methods, interpretations and pitfalls

Endocannabinoids play an important role in a diverse range of neurophysiological processes including neural development, neuroimmune function, synaptic plasticity, pain, reward and affective state. This breadth of influence and evidence for altered endocannabinoid signalling in a variety of neuropathologies has fuelled interest in the accurate quantification of these lipids in brain tissue. Established methods for endocannabinoid quantification primarily employ solvent-based lipid extraction with further sample purification by solid phase extraction. In recent years in vivo microdialysis methods have also been developed for endocannabinoid sampling from the brain interstitial space. However, considerable variability in estimates of endocannabinoid content has led to debate regarding the physiological range of concentrations present in various brain regions. This paper provides a critical review of factors that influence the quantification of brain endocannabinoid content as determined by lipid extraction from bulk tissue and by in vivo microdialysis. A variety of methodological issues are discussed including analytical approaches, endocannabinoid extraction and purification, post-mortem changes in brain endocannabinoid content, cellular reactions to microdialysis probe implantation and caveats related to lipid sampling from the extracellular space. The application of these methods for estimating brain endocannabinoid content and the effects of endocannabinoid clearance inhibition are discussed. The benefits, limitations and pitfalls associated with each approach are emphasized, with an eye toward the appropriate interpretation of data gathered by each method. This article is part of a themed issue on Cannabinoids. To view the editorial for this themed issue visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.00831.x
14.1% CuIn1 − x Ga x Se2‐Based Photovoltaic Cells from Electrodeposited Precursors

The authors have fabricated 14.1% efficient CuIn{sub 1{minus}x}Ga{sub x}Se{sub 2} (CIGS) based devices from electrodeposited precursors. As-deposited precursors are Cu-rich films and are polycrystalline in nature. Additional In, Ga, and Se were added to the precursor films by physical evaporation to adjust the final composition to CuIn{sub 1{minus}x}Ga{sub x}Se{sub 2}. Addition of In and Ga and also selenization at high temperature are very crucial for obtaining high-efficiency devices. The X-ray analysis of the as-deposited precursor film indicates the presence of CIGS and Cu{sub 2}Se phases. The X-ray analysis of the film after adjusting the composition of the final film shows only the CIGS phase. The films/devices have been characterized by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron-probe microanalysis, current-voltage characteristics, capacitance-voltage, and spectral response.
Phase II trial of paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin in patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSETo assess the activity and toxicity profile of combined taxol (paclitaxel), ifosfamide, and platinum (cisplatin) (TIP) in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck.PATIENTS AND METHODSRecurrent or metastatic head and neck SCC patients received paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 in a 3-hour infusion on day 1; ifosfamide 1,000 mg/m2 in a 2-hour infusion on days 1 through 3; mesna 600 mg/m2 on days 1 through 3; and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1, repeated every 3 to 4 weeks. All were premedicated with dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, and cimetidine. Prophylactic hematopoietic growth factors were not permitted.RESULTSFifty-two patients were assessable for response and toxicity; 53 for survival (local-regional recurrence alone in 57% and distant metastasis with or without local-regional recurrence in 43%). Overall response rate was 58% (30 of 52) of patients; complete response rate was 17% (nine of 52) of patients, with six complete responses that continued for a median 15.7...
Crystalluria Following Cephalexin Overdose

Crystalline forms of certain drugs can appear in the urine, especially when the specimen is concentrated. Most often they are of little clinical significance,1 but the unexpected finding of crystals of an unknown etiology can be disconcerting. This is a case of a child with hematuria and crystalluria following a cephalexin overdose. CASE REPORT A 3-year-old boy weighing 24 kg was brought to the emergency department by his mother; the chief complaint was hematuria. His mother stated that the child had been asymptomatic and his urine had been normal prior to the day of presentation. Five hours earlier, she had
The neighborhood energy balance equation: does neighborhood food retail environment + physical activity environment = obesity? The CARDIA study.

Background Recent obesity prevention initiatives focus on healthy neighborhood design, but most research examines neighborhood food retail and physical activity (PA) environments in isolation. We estimated joint, interactive, and cumulative impacts of neighborhood food retail and PA environment characteristics on body mass index (BMI) throughout early adulthood. Methods and findings We used cohort data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study [n=4,092; Year 7 (24-42 years, 1992-1993) followed over 5 exams through Year 25 (2010-2011); 12,921 person-exam observations], with linked time-varying geographic information system-derived neighborhood environment measures. Using regression with fixed effects for individuals, we modeled time-lagged BMI as a function of food and PA resource density (counts per population) and neighborhood development intensity (a composite density score). We controlled for neighborhood poverty, individual-level sociodemographics, and BMI in the prior exam; and included significant interactions between neighborhood measures and by sex. Using model coefficients, we simulated BMI reductions in response to single and combined neighborhood improvements. Simulated increase in supermarket density (from 25(th) to 75(th) percentile) predicted inter-exam reduction in BMI of 0.09 kg/m(2) [estimate (95% CI): -0.09 (-0.16, -0.02)]. Increasing commercial PA facility density predicted BMI reductions up to 0.22 kg/m(2) in men, with variation across other neighborhood features [estimate (95% CI) range: -0.14 (-0.29, 0.01) to -0.22 (-0.37, -0.08)]. Simultaneous increases in supermarket and commercial PA facility density predicted inter-exam BMI reductions up to 0.31 kg/m(2) in men [estimate (95% CI) range: -0.23 (-0.39, -0.06) to -0.31 (-0.47, -0.15)] but not women. Reduced fast food restaurant and convenience store density and increased public PA facility density and neighborhood development intensity did not predict reductions in BMI. Conclusions Findings suggest that improvements in neighborhood food retail or PA environments may accumulate to reduce BMI, but some neighborhood changes may be less beneficial to women.
Phonetic Correlates of Graphic Recall.

A previous paper (Locke & Fehr, in press a) reported analyses of EMG recordings from a chin-lip sire of 24 adults during their perception and rehearsal of word lists, with the general finding that lip activity was substantially greater when Ss processed lip-articulated compared to nonlabial words. This paper reports a subsequent analysis of phonetic activity during Ss' recall of the word lists, which was effected orally or graphically, with the finding that Ss' written reports were accompanied by as much motor-phonetic activity as spoken recall. The primary difference between overt and covert forms of speech appears not to lie in the nature of labial-nonlabial tracing relationships but in the absolute magnitude of EMG values.
An automated approach to cloud storage service selection

We present a new, automated approach to selecting the cloud storage service that best matches each dataset of a given application. Our approach relies on a machine readable description of the capabilities (features, performance, cost, etc.) of each storage system, which is processed together with the user's specified requirements. The result is an assignment of datasets to storage systems, that has multiple advantages: the resulting match meets performance requirements and estimates cost; users express their storage needs using high-level concepts rather than reading the documentation from different cloud providers and manually calculating or estimating a solution. Together with our storage capabilities XML schema we present different use cases for our system that evaluate the Amazon, Azure and local clouds under several scenarios: choosing cloud storage services for a new application, estimating cost savings by switching storage services, estimating the evolution over time of cost and performance and providing information in an Amazon EC2 to Eucalyptus migration. Our application is able to process each use case in under 70 ms; it is also possible to easily expand it to account for new features and data requirements.
Pattern recognition and quantitative political theory

Group decision-making has been a favorite topic of discussion among economists, political scientists, philosophers and even theologians! Two opposite views of social decision problems have emerged from these discussions: the collectivist view which holds that the group exists apart from its individual members; and the pluralistic approach which emphasizes that the group is equivalent to its members, when they are taken in toto. This view, of course, leads to a natural question viz the form or procedure which the decision process is to take. The problem is one of aggregation of a number of divergent opinion patterns --e.g., total orderings of a finite set of options available to society--into a group pattern which somehow strikes a balance between all parties involved. In contrast to the precision of the concept of individual preference as expressed by a definite choice of one alternative over another, the concept of social preference appears rather elusive. Social choices are made everyday but it is seldom the case that a clear-cut social preference can be recognized behind them. In brief, fuzziness is of the very essence of this concept.
An Objective Test to Demonstrate the Circulatory Abnormality in Intermittent Claudication

The exercise test as described in this study gives graphic evidence of the deficit in muscle blood flow during exercise in patients with intermittent claudication. It is easy to perform and can be done on an outpatient basis. The equipment cost is reasonable, NaI 131 is available in most hospitals, and the amount of radioactive material received by the patient is very small. Two people can perform the test on both legs of a patient in 45 minutes. Records are easy to interpret; if the isotope disappearance stops, the counts need not even be plotted to determine if the test is abnormal. The exercise test can be used in the diagnosis of leg pain of uncertain etiology, to study the effects of medical or surgical treatment, and in the clinical investigation of the symptoms of intermittent claudication.
Compound Identification in Organic Aerosols Using Temperature-Programmed Thermal Desorption Particle Beam Mass Spectrometry

Identification of organic compounds in multicomponent organic aerosols is demonstrated using temperature-programmed thermal desorption particle beam mass spectrometry. Aerosol particles are efficiently sampled into a high-vacuum chamber using aerodynamic focusing techniques followed by impaction onto a cold metal foil. The sample is then slowly heated to achieve temporal separation of components according to their vapor pressures, while evaporating compounds are continuously mass-analyzed using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Mass spectra of the individual components are then extracted from time-dependent spectra. Measurements made using aerosols containing equal-mass mixtures of various carboxylic acids and dioctyl sebacate indicate that, using this setup and a temperature ramp rate of ∼1 °C/min, useful separation can be achieved for compounds having a factor of 5 or more difference in vapor pressures. The technique is demonstrated for use in laboratory environmental chamber studies of aerosol chemistry ...
The “integrated library system”

This article is concerned with the issue that should be uppermost in the minds of those who are in a position to select the computer system for a library that desires to enter the information age, system architecture and capacity. With ten years' experience as the principal architect for Maggie's Place I feel that I am qualified to give some advice to the library manager who is just entering the wonderful world of automated library systems, or those who entered the fray some time ago by purchasing an early turnkey system that now is demonstrating its limitations.
HUMAN MILK MERCURY—A HAZARD FOR A NEONATE?

Total mercury levels were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry in early breast-milk obtained from 93 healthy mothers inhabiting three regions of Poland e.g. the Lublin region, the Podlasie region and the Chorzow region; the last being one of the greatest heavy-industry centers in Europe. The estimated daily mercury ingestion by a 4-days-old neonate via mothers milk was the highest in the Chorzow region (0.62 ± 0.27 μg/kg b.wt.), where in one third of the cases the ADI treshold of WHO was exceeded. The study documents the efficient transfer of environmental mercury to nursing neonate. Due to the considerable develomental toxicity of this metal, lactating women with known, high mercury exposure should be warned.
Pharmacophore elements of the TIPP class of delta opioid receptor antagonists

SUMMARY A series of tri- and tetrapeptides sharing the amino-terminal dipeptide unit Tyr-Tic, found in the high-affinity delta opioid receptor antagonist Tyr-Tic-Phe-Phe (TIPP), was prepared and evaluated in receptor binding assays to explore the role(s) of the phenylalanine residues in positions 3 and 4. It was found that aromaticity of residues 3 and 4 is not required for high affinity, a lipophilic side chain in either location being sufficient, as evidenced by the high delta receptor binding affinities observed for the tetrapeptide Tyr-Tic-Ala-Leu and the tripeptide Tyr-TicLeu. These results support the suggestion of Temussi et al. [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 198 (1994) 933] that the aromatic side chain of the Tic residue corresponds to the aromatic side chain found in residues 3 or 4 in other delta-selective peptide series.
In Situ, Real-Time Raman Microscopy of Embedded Single Particle Graphite Electrodes

Dynamic aspects of Li + intercalation-deintercalation into single KS-44 carbon particles (8-50 μm in diameter) embedded in thermally annealed Ni foils were examined in 1 M LiClO 4 , ethylene carbonate (EC) diethyl carbonate (DEC) (1:1 v/v) solutions by in situ, time-resolved Raman microscopy. A direct correlation was found between the position of the prominent G band, in the range 1581-1590 cm -1 , and the amount of Li + in KS-44 within the so-called dilute stage I phase. This information was used to determine spectroscopically and in real time the average concentration of Li + within the volume of the particle probed by the laser beam following application of a potential step between 0.05 V vs. Li/Li + , i.e., nominally full Li + intercalation and 0.7 V vs. Li/Li + , i.e., full Li + deintercalation. Quantitative analysis of these transient data based on a spherical diffusion model yielded a time constant for Li + deintercalation for dilute stage I phase consistent with reported values of Li + diffusion coefficients within graphitic materials and the size of the particles probed. Single KS-44 particles cycled repeatedly into the deep Li + -intercalation region recorded at high potentials E > 0.5 V vs. Li/Li + , displayed a new Raman hand attributed to bounding graphite layers not observed for pristine KS-44 carbon under otherwise identical conditions. This new spectral feature has been tentatively associated with chemical modifications of the carbon itself which may be at least partially responsible for irreversible capacity losses.
Association between a transposed alpha-globin pseudogene and retrovirus-like elements in the BALB/c mouse genome.

Mice have three functional α-globin genes and two closely related pseudogenes1–5. In BALB/c mice, the functional genes are known to be clustered on chromosome 11, but the pseudo-genes, designated αψ3 and αψ4, are located on chromosomes 15 and 17, respectively5. One of the pseudogenes, αψ3, has precisely lost the intervening sequences characteristic of the functional genes3,4, as if it had been generated from a processed RNA intermediate. It has been suggested that retroviral functions could have been instrumental in the formation of this ‘spliceless’ pseudogene6 and its integration at a novel chromosomal locus5. We report here that retrovirus-like elements are located on both sides of the αψ3 gene.
Tetanus toxin production in soy-based medium: nutritional studies and scale-up into small fermentors

Aims: To further improve the soy-based medium, devoid of animal and dairy products, for a production of tetanus toxin by nutritional studies and to scale-up the Clostridium tetani process into small fermentors. Methods and Results: Optimum production of tetanus toxin did not require addition of pantothenic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, biotin and uracil, growth factors used by previous investigators. Furthermore, l-tyrosine and l-cysteine could be eliminated from our soy-based medium without effect. Seven carbon sources were compared with glucose in the soy-based medium, but none was found to be superior to glucose. The process was successfully scaled-up into 250-ml bottles, 1-l bottles and 1-l fermentors. Conclusions: Quite remarkably, when comparing the tetanus production process in our soy-based medium with the traditional animal/dairy-containing media, our medium does not require addition of expensive vitamins, uracil or carbon sources other than glucose. Furthermore, the l-tyrosine and l-cysteine components could be eliminated, making the medium (Hy-Soy, glucose, powdered iron and inorganic salts) much more simple and economical. The successful scale-up from test tubes into 1-l fermentors allows us to predict that further scale-up into large fermentors will be successful. Significance and Impact of the Study: Toxoid preparations made from toxin produced with animal and dairy products can contain undesirable contaminants such as the prion causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE; mad cow’s disease) or antigenic peptides that stimulate anaphylactic reactions and other undesirable immune reactions in immunized hosts. Our vegetable-based process avoids such unfortunate possibilities. The medium, having been made simpler and less expensive, and shown to be scaleable from test tubes into small fermentors, should be excellent for large scale production of tetanus toxin.
Olivocochlear neurons in the squirrel monkey brainstem.

Centrifugal projections from the brain to the cochlea have been well described in rodents and cats. In order to gain a better understanding of the general mammalian features of this efferent projection system—the olivocochlear (OC) system—we have begun to extend its description to other mammalian orders, particularly primates. This report describes the origin, cellular morphology, and cholinergic nature of OC neurons in squirrel monkey. Olivocochlear neurons were identified after cochlear injection and subsequent retrograde transport of one of the tracers, horseradish peroxidase, True Blue, or Diamidino Yellow. One series of sections was processed to demonstrate the tracer and an adjacent series was processed to demonstrate acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In some cases, a series of sections was immunohistochemically processed to identify the presence of choline acetyltransferase (CAT), the synthesizing enzyme for acetylcholine. Approximately 1,700–1,800 OC neurons were contained in five distinct regions surrounding the major nuclei of the superior olivary complex (SOC), namely: (1) dorsal to medial superior olive (MSO); (2) between MSO and lateral superior olive (LSO); (3) lateral to LSO; (4) medial to SOC; and (5) in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body (VTB). These neurons were larger in the regions dorsal to MSO, lateral to LSO, and within VTB; they tended to be smaller in the regions between MSO and LSO and medial to SOC. Neuronal shapes varied among regions and included oval, elongate, round, and multipolar cells. In further support of their cholinergic nature as implied by AChE reactivity, OC neurons also stained positively for the cholinergic marker, CAT.
Orbital‐based direct inversion in the iterative subspace for the generalized valence bond method

We present an algorithm that is a new combination of the direct inversion in the iterative subspace (DIIS) and the generalized valence bond (GVB) methods. The proposed algorithm is based on applying the DIIS directly to the orbitals updated via the GVB scheme as opposed to the conventional approach of applying DIIS to a series of composite Fock matrices (CFMs). The new method results in GVB convergence in situations where the CFM‐based GVB‐DIIS cannot be applied at all, e.g., when the original GVB method diverges. When both the new and the conventional methods converge, the former achieves the same reduction in the number of self‐consistent field (SCF) iterations as the latter, but using considerably less storage and DIIS‐related CPU time. Also, the orbital‐based GVB‐DIIS is less sensitive to the proximity of an initial guess to the exact wave function, and it does not depend on empirical criteria used in the CFM‐based GVB‐DIIS. Finally, the orbital‐based DIIS formulation is not limited to GVB; it can be easily incorporated into any SCF approach that involves an iterative updating of the orbitals, such as, e.g., multiconfiguration SCF or Kohn–Sham density‐functional theory.
Variation in Spatial Patterns of the Russian Wheat Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) Among Small Grains in the Northwestern United States

Field sampling of the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), infesting spring wheat, spring barley, and winter wheat in the northwestern United States from 1988 to 1991 generated a data set of 117 mean aphid density (m) and variance (S2) estimates, based on individual tillers, with an average sampling error level of 0.172. This provided a data set desired for use in spatial analysis and the development of sampling plans. Three regression models-ln( s 2) = ln( a ) + b ln( m ) (Taylor's power law), m* = α + βm (Iwao's model), and k = c + dm [ k = m 2/( s 2 − m ) (a parameter for the negative binomial distribution)—were fit to the data pooled by crop type or growing season. Taylor's power law generally fit the data better than Iwao's model. Taylor's b and Iwao's β were significantly ≤1 for all cases (single crop, season, or pooled together), indicating that D. noxia populations were aggregated. The slope d for the summer populations on winter wheat was indistinguishable from 0, indicating the existence of a common k (estimated as 0.003). However, a common k was not detected for the summer populations on spring wheat and barley and the fall populations on winter wheat because their d values were Significantly ≤0, indicating the dependence of k on m . Based on comparisons of intercepts and slopes from the three models, the counts of the summer populations on all three grains could be pooled effectively to generate a more representative data set covering a wide range of variation. However, the fall populations on winter wheat should be treated separately because their spatial pattern apparently is distinct from those of the summer populations. Finally, temporal changes in spatial pattern (represented by the estimates of 1/k ) on spring and winter grains are discussed with respect to crop stages and aphid densities.
Securitization of Senior Life Settlements: Managing Extension Risk

Securitization has been an extremely important technique for managing exposure to a variety of financial risks. It allows the undesired risk to be concentrated in a small proportion of the newly created securities while largely eliminating its impact for most investors. Securitization had its very successful debut with mortgages, as a way to tap into funding from the bond market with mortgage-backed securities that were largely insulated from the inherent exposure of the underlying mortgages to prepayment risk. Since then, it has been extended to a wide range of securities and categories of risk. In this issue9s Innovations section, Stone and Zissu describe a new kind of securitization, in which the risk to be managed is the risk of death. Or the opposite, actually: It is “longevity risk,” the risk that an insured person will live too long, i.e., longer than their actuarial expected life span. A senior life settlement contract provides a way for a terminally ill, or very old, holder of a life insurance policy to liquidate it and obtain cash prior to death. The article describes how a portfolio of life settlement contracts may be securitized and tranched, and discusses pricing and risk management for the new securities.
Data base analysis for treatment of industrial wastewaters by biotechnology and incineration

Abstract A computer model, which combines a data base and a software application package, was developed to help decision makers choose between biological treatment and incineration for handling high strength wastewaters. Results of the analysis predict the fate of individual compounds and the economic feasibility for treatment by combined biodegradation/adsorption as compared to incineration. The data base used for analysis contains details on the biodegradability, biological inhibitory levels, and adsorption coefficients. Results will help the user decide the feasibility of biological treatment systems such as the widely used activated sludge/powdered activated carbon system or expanded-bed granular activated carbon reactors. A wide variety of industrial wastewaters were analyzed and the model predicted general trends for biological treatment. Results were generally in agreement with reported results.
Presence of nonprotein trypsin inhibitor in soy and winged beans.

The total trypsin inhibitor was determined in extracts of 11 cultivars of soybeans and 11 strains of winged beans. The proteins in the extracts were precipitated by 16% trichloroacetic acid (w/v), and nonprotein trypsin inhibitor activities were determined in the protein-free supernatants. The nonprotein trypsin inhibitor activities varied between 10.32 ± 1.39 and 24.41 ± 1.04 units/mg defatted soybean samples and in winged beans ranged between 2.65 ± 0.62 and 6.79 ± 0.27 units/mg defatted samples. The nonprotein trypsin inhibitor composed 27–55% of the total trypsin inhibitor activity in the soybeans, and 5–14% of the total activity in winged beans.
Investigation of Aquo and Chloro Complexes of UO22+, NpO2+, Np4+, and Pu3+ by X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy

U, Np, and Pu LII,III-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra were collected for the UO22+, NpO2+, Np4+, and Pu3+ ions as a function of chloride concentration in aqueous solution. At low chloride concentration, the hydration numbers and corresponding bond lengths for the different ions are as follows: UO22+, N = 5.3, R = 2.41 A; NpO2+, N = 5.0, R = 2.50 A; Np4+, N = 11.2, R = 2.40 A; Pu3+, N = 10.2, R = 2.51 A. As the Cl- concentration increases, inner-sphere Cl- complexation occurs, resulting in a decrease in the hydration numbers and an expansion of the actinide−oxygen (water) bond lengths. The Pu3+ ion shows only a decrease in hydration number (40%) and no inner-sphere Cl- complexation for [Cl-] < 14 M. For concentrations up to 10−14 M Cl-, the average Cl- coordination numbers and bond lengths are as follows: UO22+, N = 2.6, R = 2.73 A; NpO2+, N = 1.0, R = 2.84 A; Np4+, N = 2.0, R = 2.61 A. Structural changes are observed in the near-edge spectral region as shown by significant changes in...
Mesoscopic coherence phenomena in semiconductor devices

Semiconductor devices have several attractive properties which make them useful in the study of electronic coherence phenomena such as universal conductance fluctuations. The use of gated devices allows the Fermi level, and thus the electronic wavelength, to be adjusted in order to study energy correlation effects. The two-dimensional electron gas formed beneath the gate can be tilted with respect to the magnetic field to reveal that the field correlation length of the fluctuations obeys a cosine law. This strongly suggests that the fluctuations are caused by quantum interference in the same way that the Aharonov-Bohm effect arises in metallic rings. The energy range over which electrons are correlated in these materials is generally larger than in metals. This allows one to study these conductance fluctuations at much higher temperatures than are feasible in metallic conductors. For the same reason, substantially larger source-drain voltages can be applied to observe asymmetry and nonlinear effects in the conductance.
Chemistry of 2-hydroxy-2-(dimethylaminomethyl)-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-1,4-diazonia-2,5-diboratacyclohexane

Abstract Reactions at OH and NMe 2 functionalities of 2-hydroxy-2-(dimethylaminomethyl)-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-1,4-diazonia-2,5-diboratacyclohexane produce acetyl, alkyl, and borane derivatives, some of which have a structural analogy to choline and acetylcholine. The BOH function generally is not hydrogen bonded when the amine is quadrivalent. Notable kinetic stability towards air and aqueous environments is observed for acetyl derivatives.
Ultrasonic distance measurement for linear and angular position control

A robot-arm positioning control is described. It makes use of a microprocessor-based ultrasonic system and of a novel time-of-flight measurement technique. The experimental system consists of a three aligned ultrasonic transducers mounted on a rod. Two transducers work as receivers, while the third works both as a transmitter and a receiver. The system achieves a positioning accuracy of +or-0.1 degrees in the field of +or-10 degrees of misalignment for a distance ranging from a few centimeters up to 200 mm. For a higher distance range up to 300 mm, the position accuracy is +or-0.4 degrees . The system also performs distance measurement, using the same group of transducers. The system can be used in robotic applications in industrial environments, such as for orientation control or object grasping. >
Modeling fluid–structure interaction in a direct write manufacturing process

Abstract This paper investigates the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) within a direct write manufacturing process. The interaction of three fields namely: electrostatic, structural, and fluidic in a continuous inkjet (CIJ) print head used for direct write manufacturing is captured with a multiphysics model. A FSI algorithm was used to capture the interaction of the piezoelectric (PZT) disc with different fluid media. The effects of input parameters such as fluid pressure, frequency, and voltage on the PZT disc displacement were studied. Further, their effects on the transient pattern of the PZT displacement are explained with respect to fluid type. The multiphysics model developed was validated by an ultra-high speed photography experimental setup. The outcome of this research concludes that fluids with higher viscosities display increased PZT disc displacements. Substantial rise in PZT disc displacements were observed with a proportional increase in the frequency of excitation. An increase in the density of the fluid resulted in higher PZT disc displacements. Thus, fluid density and rheology play an important role in the dampening behavior of the PZT disc as captured by the multiphysics model. For a particular fluid type, a minimal level of PZT displacement threshold is required for drop breakup from the fluid stream. Based on the findings of this research the input process parameters can be controlled to optimize microdrop formations that are critical toward direct write manufacturing.
The incremental information content of cash-flow components

Abstract This study examines whether components of operating, financing, and investing cash flows are differentially associated with annual security returns, as predicted by theoretical models in finance and economics. The results of the study indicate that disaggregation of net income into cash from operations and accruals does not contribute significantly to the security returns beyond the contribution of net income alone. However, further disaggregation of financing and operating cash flows into their components significantly improves the degree of association as predicted by theory. In contrast, we find no evidence of differential associations across components of investing cash flows.
Ecological Momentary Assessment of Obesogenic Eating Behavior: Combining Person‐Specific and Environmental Predictors

Obesity has been promoted by a food environment that encourages excessive caloric intake. An understanding of how the food environment contributes to obesogenic eating behavior in different types of individuals may facilitate healthy weight control efforts. In this study, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) via palmtop computers was used to collect real-time information about participants' environment and eating patterns to predict overeating (i.e., greater than usual intake during routine meals/snacks, and eating outside of a participant's normal routine) that could lead to weight gain. Thirty-nine women (BMI = 21.6 ± 1.8; age = 20.1 ± 2.0 years; 61% white) of normal weight (BMI 18.5-25) completed the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and the Power of Food Scale (PFS), and carried a palmtop computer for 7-10 days, which prompted them to answer questions about eating events, including a count of the types of good tasting high-calorie foods that were available. None of the self-report measures predicted overeating, but BMI interacted with the number of palatable foods available to predict overeating (P = 0.035). Compared to leaner individuals who reported a relatively low frequency of overeating regardless of the availability of palatable food, the probability of overeating among heavier individuals was very low in the absence of palatable food, but quickly increased in proportion to the number of palatable foods available. Our findings suggest that the eating behavior of those with higher relative weights is susceptible to the presence of palatable foods in the environment. Individuals practicing weight control may benefit from limiting their exposure to good tasting high-calorie food in their immediate environment.