cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Formal Probabilistic Analysis of Low Latency Approximate Adders

Approximate computing is an emerging trend in hardware and software design that leverages upon the inherent tolerance for inaccuracy in applications to optimize their power consumption, latency, and area. Due to the widespread usage of adders in digital hardware designs, numerous approximate adders, offering various error margins and area, latency and power constraints, have been proposed. Probabilistic error analysis of these adders holds a significant step in selecting an appropriate approximate adder for a given application. Traditionally, this analysis has been conducted using Monte-Carlo simulations or analytical analysis, which do not ascertain a sound and complete analysis. In order to overcome these limitations, we propose to use interactive theorem proving for error analysis of approximate adders. For this purpose, we present a higher-order-logic formalization of probability distributions and error related events encountered in approximate adders that comprise of subadder units, based on a probability theory formalization available in the HOL4 theorem prover. We also propose an algorithm for analyzing the probability of error as a metric for accurate comparison for high-speed, low-latency approximate adders with uniformly distributed inputs. For illustration purposes, we present the formal error analysis of three of the most widely acclaimed approximate adders, i.e., error tolerant adder-I, accuracy configurable adder, and generic accuracy configurable adder.
Introduction—Race: The Achilles Heel of a Movement

While working on this book I remembered a conversation I had with a white female friend of mine, who identifies as conservative in her political and social beliefs. My friend expressed befuddlement on why there was not more excitement from African Americans toward retired neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson’s attempt to capture the Republican nomination.
OVERALL EQUIPMENT EFFECTIVENESS IMPROVEMENT BY REDUCING NON VALUE ADDING ACTIVITIES USING LEAN TOOLS

The industrial development which has been connected to the financial condition over the world brings the manufacturing companies to enhance their production level so as to sustain in the competitive market. Changing an organization to raise its production level or profit is not a one day journey, but requires some time. Overall Equipment Effectiveness (O.E.E) is a powerful and easy to use metric incorporating measure of the utilization, yield and efficiency of a given process, machine or manufacturing line. For even better improvement of the O.E.E (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) of machine, a tool like S.M.E.D (Single Minute Exchange of Dies) reveals to be really powerful when improving the productivity of the machine. Lean manufacturing aspects such as 5 S’s and Kaizen for example are tools that are also applied to improve the production rate, by reducing the non value adding activities including 3 M’s (Muda, Muri, and Mura) The research project developed inside this present report aims to investigate all the possibilities to improve the O.E.E of C.N.C Machines Equipment, facing theoretical aspects and reality issues.
Traumatic spinal cord injury in West Virginia: Disparities by insurance and discharge disposition from an acute care hospital.

Context: Medicaid has been linked to worse outcomes in a variety of diagnoses such as lung cancer, uterine cancer, and cardiac valve procedures. It has furthermore been linked to the reduced health...
Prevalence of antibiotic use in a tertiary care hospital in Italy, 2008-2016.

Few data are available about temporal trends of antibiotic use in hospitalized children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the pattern and trends of antibiotic use over the years 2008–2016 in the largest children’s hospital in Italy. Annual point prevalence surveys of antibiotic use were conducted by reviewing medical charts of 0–17 year-old children hospitalized for ≥48 h. Prevalence of antibiotic use was computed by year, type of ward and indication. Trends in prevalence over time were evaluated using the Cochrane-Armitage test. Possibile determinants of antibiotic use were assessed at univariate analysis and through a logistic regression model. Out of 3015 children, 1516 (50.3%) received antibiotics, 58.1% of which for medical/surgical prophylaxis. Prevalence of antibiotic use increased from 42.0% in 2008 to 56.2% in 2016 (p = 0.001). The prevalence of patients receiving antibiotics for medical prophylaxis increased from 6.1% in 2008 to 24.2% in 2016 (p < 0.001), whereas the prevalence of patients receiving antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis significantly decreased (from 13.7 to 11.8%; p = 0.04); no significant temporal trends were found in antibiotic use for treating infections. The administration of third-generation cephalosporins for surgical and medical prophylaxis significantly decreased over time, while the proportion of antibiotics prescribed to treat infections after microbiological investigations significantly increased. Year (ORadj: 1.8 in 2016 compared to 2008, p < 0.001), age (ORadj ≥1.5 in children ≥1 year, compared to infants ≤2 months, p < 0.001), length of stay (LOS) (ORadj: 1.4 in case of LOS between 8 and 30 days compared to LOS ≤ 7 days, p < 0.001), and type of ward (ORadj: ≥1.3 in intensive-care, surgical and medical-subspecialty units compared to medical units, p < 0.001) were significantly and independently associated with antibiotic use. Comparing prevalence rates of antibiotic use among hospitals and over time should consider differences in patient characteristics, such as age, ward of hospitalization and length of stay. Over the years, we documented an improvement in the choice of antibiotics prescribed for medical and surgical prophylaxis. However, further efforts are needed to avoid antibiotic misuse for medical prophylaxis, and to reduce the empirical use of broad spectrum antibiotics.
Analyzing Spatial Heterogeneity of Housing Prices Using Large Datasets

As an obstacle to the hedonic model’s reliability, housing submarkets have drawn plenty of scholarly attention because they lack an integrated and standardized classification framework and validation methods. By incorporating multiple spatial statistics and data mining techniques into a hybrid spatial data mining method, this study develops an innovative classification methodology that replaces spatial continuity with spatial connectivity. Employing Salt Lake County as the case, we identify 43 housing submarkets based on differentiation among structural differences, the complexity of urban space, and neighborhood characteristics. With the introduction of urban amenities into the validation framework, the comparison between the submarket-based model and non-submarket regression shows our classification not only enhances prediction accuracy but also achieves better theoretical comprehension of local housing markets. Besides contributing to an understanding of urban spatial heterogeneity, our study also provides a feasible spatial modeling method which is capable of processing a large dataset with more than 200,000 observations.
Flexible Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from A Chinese Company in Africa

In the emergent field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) studies, there has been growing interest in understanding and practice in particular sociocultural contexts in developing countries. As a rising force of overseas investment, Chinese enterprises are increasingly encountering local challenges stemming from CSR. This paper is an ethnographic study of a Chinese gold mining company in contemporary Ghana in regard to CSR knowledge and practice. It investigates how multiple actors negotiate understandings of CSR in a Chinese gold mining company as compared with an American gold mining company. The research was conducted near the mining sites located in Odumase of Eastern region and Juaso of Ashanti region of Ghana during 2016. Its CSR practice was compared with that of the Akyem mining site operated by an American mining corporation. Through ethnographic fieldwork, this paper contextualizes the construction of diverse understandings of CSR among multiple actors in this Chinese investment project. It also demonstrates how both formal and informal engagements with affected communities constitute its CSR practice. Based on a case study and comparison with an American mining company, this paper finds that large-scale Chinese mining operation in Africa is receptive of the concept of CSR but its practice is very unique.
Randomized placebo-controlled trial of galantamine in individuals with cocaine use disorder

Abstract No pharmacotherapies are approved for the treatment of cocaine use disorder (CUD). Galantamine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, has shown initial promise for cocaine use reduction in methadone-maintained individuals with CUD and cognitive improvement in abstinent individuals with past CUD. However, galantamine has not previously tested in individuals with current CUD and no comorbid opioid use disorder or methadone maintenance. The goal of this 13-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial was to test the efficacy of galantamine (8 mg or 16 mg/day; extended release (ER)) for reducing cocaine use and improving cognitive function in individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD). Ninety-three treatment-seeking cocaine users were randomized to placebo (n = 32), 8 mg/day galantamine (n = 31) or 16 mg/day galantamine (n = 30). The medication was well-tolerated with minimal reports of side-effects. However, there were no significant treatment group differences in cocaine use outcomes (as measured by self-report or urines). The 16 mg galantamine group had a greater improvement in working memory capacity (Backwards Digit Span), but there were no other significant treatment group differences on key cognitive outcomes. These findings did not provide support for the efficacy of galantamine as a treatment for cocaine use in this sample of individuals with CUD.
A Review of Spiking Neuromorphic Hardware Communication Systems

Multiple neuromorphic systems use spiking neural networks (SNNs) to perform computation in a way that is inspired by concepts learned about the human brain. SNNs are artificial networks made up of neurons that fire a pulse, or spike, once the accumulated value of the inputs to the neuron exceeds a threshold. One of the most challenging parts of designing neuromorphic hardware is handling the vast degree of connectivity that neurons have with each other in the form of synaptic connections. This paper analyzes the neuromorphic systems Neurogrid, Braindrop, SpiNNaker, BrainScaleS, TrueNorth, Loihi, Darwin, and Dynap-SEL; and discusses the design of large scale spiking communication networks used in such systems. In particular, this paper looks at how each of these systems solved the challenges of forming packets with spiking information and how these packets are routed within the system. The routing of packets is analyzed at two scales: How the packets should be routed when traveling a short distance, and how the packets should be routed over longer global connections. Additional topics, such as the use of asynchronous circuits, robustness in communication, connection with a host machine, and network synchronization are also covered.
Explaining earnings variation of bovine veterinarians in private practice

Bovine veterinarians are needed to protect food animal protein supplies, prevent losses due to disease, and protect public health: society needs these services. It is also important that economic incentives exist for, and are understood by, practitioners that serve the food animal industry. Surveys of American Association of Bovine Practitioners members were examined to explain variation in bovine veterinary earnings in private practice. We estimate the systematic variation in earnings due to practitioner characteristics. Results communicate expected earnings levels and variation across bovine veterinarians in private practice based on observable individual attributes and characteristics. These results communicate, in context of the survey questions, what the market for bovine veterinary services values. Bovine veterinarians are compensated more for specializing in a species within the food animal industries and owning their practice. The volume of animals seen is important, and bovine veterinarians should look to practice in areas with large concentrations of animals. Numbers of clients attained are not important, whereas numbers of animals serviced are. Further, gaining experience is more important than additional education or certifications beyond the doctor of veterinary medicine degree. However, there remains a large unexplainable variation in earnings models. This unexplained variation is likely due to unobserved and unmeasured ability/effort effects within each individual and it is thought, but not tested, that higher quality veterinarians earn more. Future salary surveys need to attempt to measure these deep human capital attributes.
Human Security Approach to Emergency Rule in Turkey

This chapter examines Turkey’s most recent emergency rule period (2016–2018) from ordinary people’s perspectives, a crucial yet often sidelined area in analyzing state-security problems. Based on my grounded analysis of interview data, I contend that obsession with state-security measures and militarizing public policing under emergency rule produces and deepens ethnic and gendered community insecurities. I conclude by discussing how employing an intersectional human-security approach to emergency rule and studying narratives of ordinary people’s everyday vulnerabilities reveal the micro implications of contemporary securitization processes.
Democratization of Organizations

The organizational learning imperative outlined in the previous chapter posits that, in the rapidly unfolding Age of Data, the ability of organizations to create value will be increasingly tied to their productive data consumption capabilities. Initially considered from the perspective of the learning process and its core mechanics, those ideas are examined in this chapter from the perspective of organizations seen as human collectives shaped by formal and informal structures. Set in the context of a general overview of for-profit and non-profit organizations as commercial and social units bound together by structural, cultural and formal governance and other design elements, the key organizational learning-impacting emerging trends and stressors are discussed. Those include the emergence of ‘flat’ organizational structures, best exemplified by flatarchies and holacracies, the changing face of the notions of ‘duty of care’ and ‘business judgement rule’ coupled with the rise of stakeholder activism, and, perhaps most importantly, the compelling case for de-departmentalization of innovation as a means of stimulating and sustaining greater employee involvement and problem-solving creativity.
Incompatibilism and the transfer of non-responsibility

Arguments for the incompatibility of determinism and moral responsibility sometimes make use of various transfer of non-responsibility principles. These principles purport to specify conditions in which lack of moral responsibility is transmitted to the consequences of things for which people are not morally responsible. In this paper, after developing what I take to be the most serious objections to extant principles of this sort, I identify and defend a new transfer of non-responsibility principle that is immune to these and other objections. This new principle says, roughly, that if you are not morally responsible for any of the circumstances that led to a particular outcome, and if you are not morally responsible for those circumstances leading to that outcome, then you are not morally responsible for the outcome either. After defending this principle against a number of objections, I use it to argue for the conclusion that no one is even partly morally responsible for anything, if determinism is true.
Kinship in Neckarhausen, 1700-1870

Introduction: 1. An introduction to kinship 2. Vetterleswirtschaft: rise and fall of a political discourse 3. The politics of incest and the ecology of alliance formation Cohort I (1700-9): 4. Introduction to kinship during the early decades of the eighteenth century 5. Kinship as a factor in marriage strategy 6. Marriage and kinship practices 7. Ritual kinship 8. Naming children Cohort II (1740-9): 9. Restructuring the system of alliance 10. Village politics at mid-century Cohort III (1780-9): 11. Consanguinity as a principle of alliance 12. The formation of an alliance system 13. Ritual kinship and alternative alliance 14. Naming an patrilineal alliance Cohort IV (1820-9): 15. Kinship at the beginning of the nineteenth century 16. Kinship and practice at the turn of the century Cohort V (1860-9): 17. Kinship in the mid-nineteenth century village: an introduction 18. Networking with kin around the mid-nineteenth century 19. Matrifocal alliance Conclusion: 20. Consanguinity in European perspective 21. Neckarhausen in European comparative perspective 22. Kinship and class formation 23. Kinship and gender.
Cell-specific patterns of oscillating free Ca2+ in carbamylcholine-stimulated insulinoma cells.

Abstract The effect of the muscarinic agonist carbamylcholine on cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i was examined at the single cell level in clonal pancreatic beta-cells (HIT). Cells were loaded with the indicator dye fura 2, and [Ca2+]i was measured by microfluorimetry. Carbamylcholine induced changes in Ca2+ that differed from cell to cell and provoked in some cells oscillatory Ca2+ fluctuations. During a transient, free Ca2+ rose to a peak within 1-3 s. The frequency of the oscillations increased with agonist concentration. Oscillations in [Ca2+]i occurred in the absence of external Ca2+. When cells were perifused for a sufficient period of time without carbamylcholine, near identical Ca2+ responses were elicited in each cell by successive applications of the agonist. Thus, individual cells displayed characteristic and reproducible Ca2+ responses with respect to amplitude, frequency, and shape of the transients as well as latency in onset of the initial Ca2+ rise. We propose that the biological response to a Ca2+ agonist in a given cell is not only determined by the frequency and amplitude of Ca2+ oscillations but is governed by the unique pattern of the Ca2+ signal of each cell, which may be termed "Ca2+ fingerprint."
Cell membrane mechanics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the cell membrane mechanics. Biological membranes are critical to the life of a cell because the hydrophobic interior of the phospholipid bilayer forms a barrier to the transport of solutes and macromolecules between the cell interior and its environment. In many respects biological membranes can be treated as two-dimensional materials. Strictly speaking, they are continuous only in the two dimensions of the cell surface, with a molecular character in the direction normal to the surface. The important mechanical properties of the membrane include its elastic modulus, shear modulus, bending stiffness, and viscosity. From the view of mechanics, membranes have a remarkably low shear modulus, a high elastic modulus, and a reasonable bending stiffness influenced strongly by the membrane proteins, including cytoskeletal elements. Another mechanical feature of bilayers is that the two surfaces can be independently modulated, which will induce curvature through the bilayer couple.
Sexual risk behaviors and steroid use among sexual minority adolescent boys.

Abstract Background Previous research has extensively examined the relationship between the use of alcohol and illicit substances with sexual risk behaviors among sexual minority (i.e., gay and bisexual) male youth; however, no known studies have assessed the association of steroid use to risk behaviors among this population. Methods Participants were 556 sexually active sexual minority adolescent boys ( M age = 16.2, SD = 1.3), taken from a pooled dataset of the 14 jurisdictions from the 2005 and 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys that assessed sexual orientation. The association between lifetime use of steroids and sexual risk behaviors were examined. Results Controlling for number of sexual partners, depression, victimization, and race, boys who reported increased steroid use were at increased odds of engaging in condomless sex, OR = 1.55, p = .003, and use of alcohol/drugs during sex, OR = 1.48, p = .002. Conclusions Steroid use among sexual minority adolescent boys is prevalent and associated with HIV/STI sexual transmission risk behaviors.
The Tradeoff Between Home Runs and Contact Rate

This paper develops a new framework for understanding the at-bat, approaching the batter's outcomes of home runs and contact rate as revealed preferences derived from a utility optimization among mutually exclusive "long ball" and "small ball" attempts. The theory is then tested on a large sample of Major League Baseball veterans with two different panel data models. Both models find a significant and negative relationship between home runs per at-bat and contact rate.
An Ontology-Guided Approach to Content Adaptation in LEO: A Learning Environment Organizer

This paper describes new capabilities of a nonlinear course presentation program entitled LEO: a Learning Environment Organizer. A Knowledge-based Instructional Assistant combines knowledge of the learner's attainment with knowledge of various attributes of the instructional media in order to make recommendations of media that might benefit the learner. This work describes an ontology to represent the basic conceptualization of the learning system, and how that representation is used to match potentially useful instructional content to student profiles. Recommendations of media are based upon multi-parameter similarity measures between media content and capability attainment.
The effects of left heart assist on right ventricular muscle mechanics and ventricular coupling in the injured heart

So that we could better characterize the effects of left heart assist on right ventricular myocardial muscle mechanics and ventricular mechanical coupling in the injured heart, nine dogs underwent 30 minutes of global cardiac ischemia supported by cardiopulmonary bypass followed by randomly varied levels of left heart assist at 0, 1.0, and 2.0 L/min (0, 37 ± 4, and 74 ± 7 ml/kg per minute). A centrifugal pump with left ventricle-to-aorta bypass was used with the intent to cause left ventricular volume unloading but without complete left ventricular pressure unloading. Right ventricular regional free wall and septal-free wall dimensions were measured by a sonomicrometer and right ventricular pressure by a micromanometer. Pressure and dimension data were acquired over a range of preloads produced by transient vena caval occlusion and at steady state at an initial control point and after ischemia at each level of left heart assist. Right ventricular regional early diastolic function was assessed by percent segmental relaxation during the first third of diastole, end-diastolic compliance by the end-diastolic pressure-dimension relationship, systolic contractile performance by the slope (Mw) and dimension axis intercept (Lw) of the linear preload recruitable stroke work relationship, and right ventricular isovolumic relaxation by the pressure decay time constant. Ischemia reduced Mw of both the free wall (38.3 ± 16.1 to 16.4 ± 4.2 erg · cm−3 · 103, p
Female Prisoners and the Case for Gender-Specific Treatment and Reentry Programs

for the entire criminal justice system, but this is especially true in the case of female prisoners. Arrests over the last 20 years have increased for the general population, but the increase is significantly larger among females. A 1998 Justice Department study reported that since 1990 the female adult jail population grew 7.0% while the male adult jail population grew 4.5% during the same time period (BJS, 1999b). Between midyear 2004 and midyear 2005 the number of women under the jurisdiction of the state and federal prison systems grew by 3.4% while the number of men grew by 1.3% (BJS, 2006) Despite these significant changes in the incarcerated population, there has not been a commensurate increase in research devoted to the needs of these women, nor in designing discharge and reentry programs specifically for female prisoners. There are significant demographic and statistical differences between male and female inmates. Women’s needs are different because they are much more likely to have been physically and/or sexually abused then men, both as adults and as children. (BJS 1999; Bloome, Owen, Schenes, & Rosenbaum, 2002; Grey, Mays, & Stohr, 2005; Green, Miranda, Daroowalla, & Siddique, 2005). They are much more likely than men to be responsible for the supervision of children (BJS, 2000; Dalley, 2002; Freudenberg, 2002; Radosh, 2002; Grella & Greenwell, 2006) . They are more likely to be addicted to drugs and to have committed their offense while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol than men. They are much more likely to suffer from mental illness than men. They have a higher prevalence of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and chronic illness than men (Blank et al., 1999; Farley et al., 2000; Hogben & Lawrence, 2000, BJS, 2001a; Staton, & Webster, 2003). They are more likely to have been unemployed before their arrest (BJS, 2004). Women who have been in jail or prison are more likely to be stigmatized than men (Richie, Freudenberg, & Page, 2001). Their crimes are somewhat different than men’s, including commercial sex work and less violent crime and burglary. Chapter 19
Relationships among seismic velocity, metamorphism, and seismic and aseismic fault slip in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field region

The Salton Sea Geothermal Field is one of the most geothermally and seismically active areas in California and presents an opportunity to study the effect of high-temperature metamorphism on the properties of seismogenic faults. The area includes numerous active tectonic faults that have recently been imaged with active source seismic reflection and refraction. We utilize the active source surveys, along with the abundant microseismicity data from a dense borehole seismic network, to image the 3-D variations in seismic velocity in the upper 5 km of the crust. There are strong velocity variations, up to ~30%, that correlate spatially with the distribution of shallow heat flow patterns. The combination of hydrothermal circulation and high-temperature contact metamorphism has significantly altered the shallow sandstone sedimentary layers within the geothermal field to denser, more feldspathic, rock with higher P wave velocity, as is seen in the numerous exploration wells within the field. This alteration appears to have a first-order effect on the frictional stability of shallow faults. In 2005, a large earthquake swarm and deformation event occurred. Analysis of interferometric synthetic aperture radar data and earthquake relocations indicates that the shallow aseismic fault creep that occurred in 2005 was localized on the Kalin fault system that lies just outside the region of high-temperature metamorphism. In contrast, the earthquake swarm, which includes all of the M > 4 earthquakes to have occurred within the Salton Sea Geothermal Field in the last 15 years, ruptured the Main Central Fault (MCF) system that is localized in the heart of the geothermal anomaly. The background microseismicity induced by the geothermal operations is also concentrated in the high-temperature regions in the vicinity of operational wells. However, while this microseismicity occurs over a few kilometer scale region, much of it is clustered in earthquake swarms that last from hours to a few days and are localized near the MCF system.
Isolation of Human Eosinophils

Highly purified eosinophils can be isolated from peripheral blood by negative selection using an antibody-based magnetic negative selection protocol. The basic protocol describes a sequential fractionation of peripheral blood in which CD16+ granulocytes are enriched first from whole blood, followed by isolation of eosinophils. This technique is easy to use, fast, and highly reproducible. Support protocols describe a staining methods that can be used to evaluate the purity of eosinophils and differentiation from other leukocyte populations.
Solitary waves in discrete media with four-wave mixing.

In this paper, we examine in detail the principal branches of solutions that arise in vector discrete models with nonlinear inter-component coupling and four wave mixing. The relevant four branches of solutions consist of two single mode branches (transverse electric and transverse magnetic) and two mixed mode branches, involving both components (linearly polarized and elliptically polarized). These solutions are obtained explicitly and their stability is analyzed completely in the anti-continuum limit (where the nodes of the lattice are uncoupled), illustrating the supercritical pitchfork nature of the bifurcations that give rise to the latter two, respectively, from the former two. Then the branches are continued for finite coupling constructing a full two-parameter numerical bifurcation diagram of their existence. Relevant stability ranges and instability regimes are highlighted and, whenever unstable, the solutions are dynamically evolved through direct computations to monitor the development of the corresponding instabilities. Direct connections to the earlier experimental work of Meier et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 143907 (2003)] that motivated the present work are given.
Memory for Sentences and Noun Phrases of Extreme Depth

Memory for orally presented noun phrases and sentences was investigated in two experiments. Syntactic depth (D) of the phrases and sentences was varied with D approaching the values of 7 ± 2. Consistent with recent investigations, these studies found D not to be generally related to recall of sentences, phrases, or individual words within sentences. However, recall of individual words from an adverbial noun phrase apparently was related to D. The apparent relationship is accounted for not by depth of individual words, but in terms primarily of superior noun retention and its interaction with serial position effects. In addition, conditional recall probabilities for another type of phrase, a noun phrase with prenominal adjectives, indicate stronger relationships between adjectives and the noun than between successive adjectives. It is concluded that the Yngve grammar is deficient as a psycholinguistic model. Present address: York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Arsenic induces oxidant stress and NF-KB activation in cultured aortic endothelial cells

Abstract Chronic exposure to low levels of environmentally derived arsenite are associated with vascular diseases, such as arteriosclerosis.1,2 However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms for vascular disease in response to arsenic are not known. These studies investigated the hypothesis that nonlethal levels of arsenic increase intracellular oxidant levels, promote nuclear translocation of trans-acting factors, and are mitogenic. Incubation of second passage vascular endothelial cells with less than 5 μM arsenite for 4 h increased incorporation of [3H]thymidine into genomic DNA, while higher concentrations failed to stimulate or inhibit DNA synthesis. Within 1 h following addition of noncytotoxic concentrations of arsenite, oxidants accumulated and thiol status increased. During this time period, there was increased nuclear retention of NF-KB binding proteins and nuclear translocation of NF-KB also occurred in response to 100 μM H2O2. Supershift analysis demonstrated that p65/p50 heterodimers accounted for the majority of proteins binding consensus KB sequences in cells treated with arsenite or oxidants. The antioxidants, N-acetyl-cysteine or dimethylfumaric acid, increased intracellular thiol status and prevented both oxidant formation and translocation of NF-KB binding proteins in response to arsenite. These data suggest that arsenite initiates vascular dysfunction by activating oxidant-sensitive endothelial cell signaling.
Ethnic differences in adolescents' identity status and associated behavior problems

The relationships between ethnicity and identity status and between identity status and behavior problems, social competence, and self-esteem were examined among 330 White, Black, Puerto Rican and Filipino students in an integrated high school. Identity status (i.e., achieved, moratorium, foreclosed, or diffuse) was defined on the basis of a 24-item self-report inventory on which students rated their explorations of options and/or commitments to choices in their occupational, political, and religious domains. Ethnic status was also assessed in an 8-item questionnaire which assessed exploration and commitment to one's ethnic role. White students in the upper grades reported significantly higher moratorium scale scores and perceived themselves as more likely to have explored and be committed to their ethnic role than minority youth. There were no significant ethnic differences in the relationships of identity status to behavior problems, social competence or self-esteem. Adolescent boys were significantly more likely to be in moratorium regarding their ethnic role than girls. Grade and sex differences in identity status were consistent with those predicted by developmental researchers. Across all ethnic groups, ratings of moratorium status were associated with significantly more behavior problems, less social competence, and lower self-esteem.
Relation of the induction of epidermal ornithine decarboxylase and hyperplasia to the different skin tumor-promotion susceptibilities of protein kinase C alpha, -delta and -epsilon transgenic mice.

To define the in vivo role of individual PKC isoforms in mouse skin carcinogenesis, we previously characterized FVB/n transgenic mice that over-expressed epitope-tagged PKC delta (T7-PKC delta) or PKC epsilon (T7-PKC epsilon) isoforms under the regulation of the human K14 promoter. In continuation of our prior PKC isoform specificity studies, we now report the generation of FVB/n transgenic mice with K14-regulated, epitope-tagged PKC alpha (T7-PKC alpha). T7-PKC alpha transgenic mice (line 115) express 8-fold more PKC alpha protein than wild-type mice. Using high-resolution immunogold cytochemistry, we determined that transgenic over-expression of T7-PKC alpha did not alter the subcellular localization of PKC alpha but that the density of PKC alpha staining increased. PKC alpha localized primarily to the cytoskeleton (tonofilaments, tight junctions) and cell membranes, with modest but definite nuclear labeling also identified. Also, PKC alpha over-expression did not alter the immunoreactive protein levels of other PKC isoforms (delta, epsilon, eta, zeta, mu) in the epidermis. Skin tumor-promotion susceptibility was compared among all 3 lines of T7-PKC transgenic mice (alpha, delta and epsilon). While T7-PKC alpha had no effect on skin tumor promotion by TPA, T7-PKC delta reduced papilloma burden by 76% compared to wild-type controls. T7-PKC epsilon further reduced papilloma burden to 93% compared to wild-type controls but still resulted in the development of squamous-cell carcinoma. To find potential mechanisms of PKC-associated differences in tumor promotion, the induction of known downstream effectors of tumor promotion, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and epidermal hyperplasia, was determined. Despite long-term papilloma inhibition in both PKC delta and PKC epsilon transgenic mice, the induction of ODC by TPA was not attenuated in PKC delta and epsilon mouse lines. Both PKC transgenic and wild-type mice exhibited sustained hyperplasia after repeated TPA treatments. However, TPA-induced epidermal hyperplasia in T7-PKC epsilon mice was significantly increased (52%) compared with T7-PKC alpha, T7-PKC delta and wild-type mice. TPA-induced ODC activity and the resultant accumulation of polyamines may play different roles (e.g., induction of apoptosis vs. proliferation) in the pathways leading to the induction of cancer in PKC alpha, PKC delta and PKC epsilon transgenic mice.
The variational iteration method for solving linear and nonlinear Volterra integral and integro-differential equations

The variational iteration method is used for solving the linear and nonlinear Volterra integral and integro-differential equations. The method is reliable in handling Volterra equations of the first kind and second kind in a direct manner without any need for restrictive assumptions. The method significantly reduces the size of calculations.
At the intersection of self and other: English language ability and immigrant labor market outcomes

Abstract New Immigrant Survey 2003 data are used to consider the intersection between self- and other’s assessments of English proficiency. Our findings yield two important results. First, individuals who over- or under-estimate their English proficiency experience worse labor market outcomes than those whose positive self-evaluations coincide with the interviewer’s. Second, our analysis of respondents with a concordant self and interviewer assessment suggests higher returns to English proficiency than when using self-assessment. We argue that, although self-assessed language proficiency dominates the literature on immigrants’ well-being, this measure omits an important additional factor concerning immigrant self-perception and its concordance with the perceptions of others.
“Bad Things Could Happen”: How Fear Impedes Social Responsibility in Privileged Adolescents

In this study, I compared the shifts in attitude of affluent high school seniors participating in a course on social justice issues to a control group of similar adolescents. In this course, partic...
Chaotic analyses of weakly damped parametrically excited cross waves with surface tension

The Wiggins-Holmes extension of the Generalized Melnikov Method (GMM) to higher dimensions and the extension of the Generalized Herglotz Algorithm (GHA) to non-autonomous systems are applied to weakly damped parametrically excited cross waves with surface tension in a long rectangular wave channel in order to demonstrate that cross waves are chaotic. The Luke Lagrangian density function for surface gravity waves with surface tension and dissipation is expressed in three generalized coordinates (or, equivalently, three degrees of freedom) that are the time-dependent components of three velocity potentials that represent three standing waves. The generalized momenta are computed from the Lagrangian, and the Hamiltonian is computed from a Legendre transform of the Lagrangian. This Hamiltonian contains both autonomous and non-autonomous components that must be suspended by applying an extension of the Herglotz algorithm for non-autonomous transformations in order to apply the Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser (KAM) averaging operation and the GMM. Three canonical transformations are applied to (i) eliminate cross product terms by a rotation of axes; (ii) to transform to action-angle canonical variables and to eliminate two degrees of freedom; and (iii) to suspend the non-autonomous terms and to apply the Hamilton-Jacobi transformation. The system of nonlinear non-autonomous evolution equations determined from Hamilton’s equations of motion of the second kind must be averaged in order to obtain an autonomous system that may be analyzed by the GMM. Hyperbolic saddle points that are connected by heteroclinic separatrices are computed from the unperturbed autonomous system. The non-dissipative perturbed Hamiltonian system with surface tension satisfies the KAM non-degeneracy requirements, and the Melnikov integral is calculated to demonstrate that the motion is chaotic. For the perturbed dissipative system with surface tension, the only hyperbolic fixed point that survives the averaged equations is a fixed point of weak chaos that is not connected by a homoclinic separatrix; consequently, the Melnikov integral is identically zero. The chaotic motion for the perturbed dissipative system with surface tension is demonstrated by numerical computation of positive Liapunov characteristic exponents.
ALGEBRA STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF EQUIVALENCE OF EQUATIONS

This study examined algebra students' understanding of equivalent equations. Ninety-eight eighth- and ninth-grade students were presented with pairs of equations and asked to judge whether the equations in each pair were equivalent. The students were also asked to justify their answers. The responses fell into three major groups: computed solutions, judgments based on transformations of equations, and incorrect solutions. Most of the students consistently gave justifications from one group. Children who gave reasons based on transformations had a significantly higher rate of correct responses than the children who calculated solutions. In the incorrect group, the success rate was much lower than in the other two groups. Most students in the transformations group were able to transfer their knowledge to transformations not used in solving equations. Students are taught procedural steps for solving equations, but the concepts underlying these operations and equivalent equations are not always stressed. This study was concerned with the question of whether students' experience in solving equations promotes understanding of these concepts. We hypothesized that many students master the procedural details of solving equations without understanding why they are justified. Specifically, the present study investigated whether eighth- and ninth-grade students understand the concept of equivalent equations. For example, when the equations x + 2 = 5 and x + 2 - 2 = 5 - 2 are presented together, do students realize that the transformed equation is equivalent to the original one?
Regulation of malate dehydrogenase from an osmoconformer by salt.

Abstract 1. 1. Malate dehydrogenase of the American oyster, Crassostrea virginiana, was partially purified. 2. 2. When reacted at various buffer concentrations, the enzyme demonstrated only a slight increase in catalytic activity at 80 mM potassium phosphate buffer. 3. 3. The apparent Michaelis Constants for NADH and for OAA were increased about 3-fold by increased concentration of buffer. 4. 4. Catalytic activity of oyster MDH was inhibited equally by high concentrations of OAA irrespective of ionic strength. 5. 5. The eco-adaptive implications of these observations are discussed.
Short Communication: Addendum to Construction of spline functions in spreadsheets to smooth experimental data [Adv Eng Software 2008;39(5):422-429]

A previous manuscript detailed how spreadsheet software can be programmed to smooth experimental data via cubic splines. This addendum corrects a few errors in the previous manuscript and provides additional necessary programming steps.
Colonic duplication in the submandibular region of the neck

Summary We present a case of an unusual colonic duplication cyst which was located in the submandibular region of the neck. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a submandibular cyst lined with colonic mucosa. This type of cystic mass is felt to be due to either displacement of primitive intestinal epithelium or abnormal differentiation of primitive endodermal cells into colonic mucosa in an abnormal location. Diagnosis was made with a combination of CT scan, ultrasound, and ultimately surgical pathology. Treatment is with surgical excision, and the prognosis is excellent with complete excision.
Modeling of porosity during spray forming: Part II. Effects of atomization gas chemistry and alloy compositions

In this article, the effects of gas chemistry and alloy composition on the level of porosity in deposited materials are investigated by using a porosity model established in Part I of this article. The calculated results reveal that atomization gas chemistry has a significant influence on the level of porosity during spray forming, which can be rationalized on the basis of the influence of gas properties such as gas density, viscosity, and gas constant on the melt flow rate. The alloy properties that predominantly affect the variation of porosity with melt flow rate include melt viscosity, density, surface tension, solvent melting point, liquidus temperature, and equilibrium partition coefficient. A material property factor, μmγm/ρ2m, plays an important role in determining the processing conditions required to attain a minimum amount of porosity in deposited materials.
Determination and use of mechanical nociceptive thresholds of the thoracic limb to assess pain associated with induced osteoarthritis of the middle carpal joint in horses

Objectives—To establish reference mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) values of the equine thoracic limb and to assess the use of MNT values to detect pain associated with induced osteoarthritis in the middle carpal joint. Animals—24 adult horses. Procedures—MNT values were evoked by a pressure algometer at 17 sites within each thoracic limb during 2 baseline sessions conducted an average of 5 days apart. Effects of age, sex, weight, and wither height on MNT values were assessed separately for each site. Tolerance of horses to the procedure was graded subjectively and correlated with MNT values. Synovitis and osteoarthritis were induced arthroscopically in the middle carpal joint of 1 randomly selected thoracic limb. The opposite limb served as a sham-operated control limb. Mechanical nociceptive threshold values were recorded weekly and correlated with clinical, radiographic, and necropsy scores measured over 10 weeks. Lower MNT values corresponded with increased pain, whereas higher MNT values indica...
The use of EUS to diagnose cystic neoplasms of the pancreas.

1. Appreciate the morphologic differences between microcystic (serous) and macrocystic (mucinous) cystic lesions. 2. Learn the origin and significance of cyst-fluid carcinoembryonic antigen and DNA mutations. 3. Critically examine the risk of malignancy in sidebranch intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms. Pancreatic cystic lesions consist of inflammatory pseudocysts and neoplastic lesions. Mucinous cystic lesions pose a risk of malignant degeneration. Although the natural history has not been well defined, it is likely that malignant change in the epithelium takes place over years. The traditional therapy of mucinous cystic lesions has been surgical resection. Lesions in the head of the pancreas will require a Whipple resection, whereas tail lesions are managed with a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. In patients at high risk for surgical resection, the risk-benefit ratio may be excessively high, not supporting the use of resection therapy. Ethanol ablation therapy has been thoroughly studied in hepatic, renal, and thyroid cysts. Epithelial ablation with ethanol appears to be highly effective and relatively safe. Recently, ethanol ablation was evaluated in pancreatic-cystic neoplasms. In macrocystic lesions, between 1 to 5 cm, ethanol lavage will result in epithelial ablation and cyst resolution in about 30% of patients. Pancreatitis is rarely observed clinically and is not present in resection specimens. Low-risk intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm lesions can be monitored with imaging and periodic FNA.
Synthesis and In Vivo Antimalarial Evaluation of Isopropyl [(4-Chlorophenyl)amino]iminomethylcarbamimidate

Isopropyl [(4-chlorophenyl)amino]iminomethylcarbamimidate was synthesized as a potential antimalarial agent. Biological activity was evaluated against Plasmodium lophurae in turkeys. The activity of this compound was compared to its nitrogen isostere, chloroguanide.
4-oxygenated retinoids: unexpected chemopreventive potential for analogues originally synthesized as affinity labels

Abstract Potential retinoid binding protein affinity labels 3 – 5 were prepared from the retinoic acid metabolite 2 . While unsuccessful as affinity labels, 5 and the serendipitously discovered either 6 show potential as skin cancer chemoproventives, activity not normally associated with 4-oxygenated retinoids.