cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring Commuter Student Support and Success through Academic

This Research Work In Progress Paper presents an initiative to understand engineering commuter student support and success using a validated instrument to measure academic integration. There are many calls to increase the number of engineering students who graduate with a degree; however, there is little work in uncovering the support mechanisms that work for engineering commuter students. Therefore, this WIP paper looks to start to build a case for studying engineering commuter students in more detail by first looking at differences between how residential and commuter students integrate academically. Academic integration is defined by how students are able to access, effectively interact with, and are supported by engineering faculty and staff. Academic integration is an important construct, which contributes to a student's persistence and ultimate graduation. However, it is unknown if there are differences between the way residential and commuter engineering students access the support structures provided for them. Therefore, this paper answers one research question: How do residential and commuter engineering students differ in regards to academic integration in a first-year engineering context? During the spring semester of 2018, 175 first-year engineering students participated in a questionnaire with multiple items, one of which was the construct of academic integration. I measure academic integration using the engineering student integration instrument which consists of five Likert-type questions on a six-point scale ranging from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree.' Results show differences between residential and commuter engineering students with regards to academic integration. Measures of reliability and validity show the construct is acceptable.
Collaborative Care: An Effort to Increase Behavioral Health Adherence by Supporting the Primary Care Provider

Poor adherence to mental health treatment is a common problem and barrier to optimal health outcomes in primary care and has been associated with treatment failures and increased health-care costs. Addressing poor adherence is critical and more effective strategies are needed. Collaboration between primary care and psychiatry provides an approach to better promote adherence to treatment in ways that may be more acceptable and accessible to patients. This chapter will discuss general aspects of collaborative care as a model for improving access to and adherence with mental health-care treatment in primary care practice. Additionally, we use Child and Adolescent Psychiatry for Primary Care (CAP PC) as an example and provide cases to highlight practical strategies and resources.
Current concepts in reverse cholesterol transport

The term reverse cholesterol transport first introduced by Glomset (1), identifies a process where there is net flux of cholesterol from the peripheral tissues to the liver. Because the liver is the single organ capable of significant cholesterol elimination from the body via bile acids peripheral tissues must utilize this system for carrying excess cholesterol (both the newly synthesized and that derived from plasma) to the liver. Since the first inception of the idea it was held that circulating HDL were the plasma elements mainly implicated in reverse cholesterol transport. They would pick up cholesterol from extrahepatic cells through a process amplified by continous esterification of this cholesterol by lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT), and final delivery to the liver. It has been within this conceptual framework that investigations on reverse cholesterol transport have developed in the last twenty years. The picture have become more complex with evidences for specific receptorial processes, protein(s) facilitating cholesteryl ester transfer between lipoproteins, and a number of other circulating putative tissue cholesterol acceptors/carriers in addition to HDL. The following is a brief account of the current status on reverse cholesterol transport research with some emphasis on the role of apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) which we have investigated more closely. The three main metabolic compartment composing the reverse cholesterol system, i.e. the peripheral tissue, the plasma compartment, and the liver, are discussed individually.
Specialized Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediators: Emerging Therapeutic Candidates for Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disease in which unresolved and uncontrolled inflammation disrupts normal cellular homeostasis and leads to a pathological disease state. It has long been recognized that endogenously derived metabolic by-products of omega fatty acids, known as specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs), are instrumental in resolving the pathologic inflammation. However, there is minimal data available on the functional status of SPMs in MS, despite the fact that MS presents a classical model of chronic inflammation. Studies to date indicate that dysfunction of the SPM biosynthetic pathway is responsible for their altered levels in patient-derived biofluids, which contributes to heightened inflammation and disease severity. Collectively, current findings suggest the contentious role of SPMs in MS due to variable outcomes in biological matrices across studies conducted so far, which could, in part, also be attributed to differences in population characteristics. It seems that SPMs have neuroprotective action on MS by exerting proresolving effects on brain microglia in its preclinical model; however, there are no reports demonstrating the direct effect of SPMs on oligodendrocytes or neurons. This reveals that “one size does not fit all” notion holds significance for MS in terms of the status of SPMs in other inflammatory conditions. The lack of clarity served as the impetus for this review, which is the first of its kind to summarize the relevant data regarding the role of SPMs in MS and the potential to target them for biomarker development and future alternative therapies for this disease. Understanding the mechanisms behind biological actions of SPMs as resolution mediators may prevent or even cure MS and other neurodegenerative pathologies.
Ischemic Postconditioning during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Improves Cardiac Mitochondrial Respiration

Ischemic postconditioning (IPC) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases neurologically intact survival in a porcine cardiac arrest model. We investigated the effect of IPC on mitochondrial respiration, an important therapeutic target for resuscitation, during CPR in this model. Blood pressure and ECG were continuously recorded. After 15 min of ventricular fibrillation, animals received standard CPR +/- IPC. IPC consisted of 3 cycles of 20 sec compression / 20 sec pause for the first 2 min of CPR. Cardiac mitochondria were isolated after 4 min. Closed-cell respiration was measured for complex I (pyruvate+malate) and II (succinate+rotenone). In IPC-treated animals vs. standard CPR, complex I and II respiratory control indices (RCI), calculated as the ratio of state 3:4 respiration, were higher (6.7±0.8 and 3.1±0.6 vs. 4.3±0.7 and 2.4±0.2, respectively) and complex I and II state 4 respiration (µmol O2*hr-1*mg-1) were lower (1.7±0.2 and 2.7±0.3 vs. 2.3±0.5 and 3.3±0.5, respectively). Blood press...
Upper bounds on the number of solutions of binary integer programs

We present a new method to compute upper bounds of the number of solutions of binary integer programming (BIP) problems. Given a BIP, we create a dynamic programming (DP) table for a redundant knapsack constraint which is obtained by surrogate relaxation. We then consider a Lagrangian relaxation of the original problem to obtain an initial weight bound on the knapsack. This bound is then refined through subgradient optimization. The latter provides a variety of Lagrange multipliers which allow us to filter infeasible edges in the DP table. The number of paths in the final table then provides an upper bound on the number of solutions. Numerical results show the effectiveness of our counting framework on automatic recording and market split problems.
An Online Algorithm for the Postman Problem with a Small Penalty

The Postman Problem is defined in the following manner: Given a connected graph G and a start point s ∈ V (G), we call a path J in G a postman tour if J starts and ends at s and contains every edge in E(G). We want to find a shortest postman tour in G. Thus, we minimize the number |J| - |E(G)|, called the penalty of J for G. In this paper, we consider two online versions of The Postman Problem, in which the postman is initially placed at a start point and allowed to move on edges. The postman is given information on the incident edges and/or the adjacent vertices of the current vertex v. The first model is called The Labyrinth Model, where the postman only knows the existence of the incident edges from v. Thus, he/she does not know the other endpoint w of an edge from v, even if it is already visited. The second one is The Corridor Model, where the postman can 'see' the other endpoint w from v. This means that if w is already visited, he/she knows the existence of w before traversing the edge (v,w). We devised an algorithm for The Corridor Model whose penalty is bounded by 2|V (G)|-2. It performs better than the algorithm described in [8], in the case when the other visited endpoint of an edge from a current vertex is known to the postman. In addition, we obtained lower bounds of a penalty for The Corridor and Labyrinth Models. They are (4|V (G)|-5)/3 and (5|V (G)|-3)/4, respectively. Our online algorithm uses a linear time algorithm for the offline Postman Problem with a penalty at most |V|-1. Thus, the minimum penalty does not exceed |V|-1 for every connected graph G. This is the first known upper bound of a penalty of an offline postman tour, and matches the obvious lower bound exactly.
Excitation of banded whistler waves in the magnetosphere

Banded whistler waves can be generated by the whistler anisotropy instability driven by two bi-Maxwellian electron components with T{sub {perpendicular}}/T{sub {parallel}} > 1 at different T{sub {parallel}} For typical magnetospheric condition of 1 < {omega}{sub e}/{Omega}{sub e} < 5 in regions associated with strong chorus, upper-band waves can be excited by anisotropic electrons below {approx} 1 keV, while lower-band waves are excited by anisotropic electrons above {approx} 10 keV. Lower-band waves are generally field-aligned and substantially electromagnetic, while upper-band waves propagate obliquely and have quasi-electrostatic fluctuating electric fields. The quasi-electrostatic feature of upper-band waves suggests that they may be more easily identified in electric field observations than in magnetic field observations. Upper-band waves are liable to Landau damping and the saturation level of upperband waves is lower than lower-band waves, consistent with observations that lower-band waves are stronger than upper-band waves on average. The oblique propagation, the lower saturation level, and the more severe Landau damping together would make upper-band waves more tightly confined to the geomagnetic equator (|{lambda}{sub m}| < {approx}10{sup o}) than lower-band waves.
Abstract 3198: The impact of aerobic exercise on oxygenation and vascularity in breast cancer models

Background: Intratumoral hypoxia (pO2 Purpose: The goal of the present investigations was to determine whether aerobic exercise could be applied as a means to improve tumor physiology and decrease tumor hypoxia in breast cancer models. Methods: The effects of single and repeated bouts of moderate intensity exercise (treadmill running) were studied in mice bearing syngeneic murine mammary carcinoma models (EMT6 and 4T1). The exercise intensities were determined by measuring the anaerobic threshold, which is reflected by the steady rise in blood lactate during an exercise bout. Mice were orthotopically injected with tumor cells and once the tumors reached a size of 250 mm3, the mice were exposed to either a single bout of exercise or daily exercise bouts performed for 5 consecutive days. Controls for each treatment consisted of sedentary mice exposed to a stationary treadmill for the equivalent amount of time. Following cessation of each exercise regime tumors were harvested, sectioned and evaluated by immunofluorescence. Vessel density (MECA-32), blood perfusion (Hoechst-33342) and hypoxia (EF5) were quantified and significance was established at p Results: Preliminary data indicate that even a single exercise bout may begin to demonstrate improvements in blood vessel perfusion and tumor oxygenation. Importantly, after 5 daily bouts of exercise, there was a significant increase in the number of patent vessels and improvement in oxygenation in the tumors of exercising mice compared to those of sedentary controls. Conclusion: The results indicate that moderate aerobic exercise can improve the oxygenation status of solid tumors. These findings suggest that such a non-toxic intervention may have potential utility in overcoming hypoxia-associated treatment resistance in cancer patients and improve patient outcome. Citation Format: Jennifer M. Wiggins, Jennifer A. Lee, Lori Rice, Dietmar Siemann. The impact of aerobic exercise on oxygenation and vascularity in breast cancer models. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3198. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3198
Currency boards as a path towards the Eurozone: lessons from the Baltics

In the early 1990s, the three Baltic states adopted de jure (Estonia 1992, Lithuania 1994) or de facto (Latvia) currency boards. After operating under boards for two decades, Estonia (2011), Latvia (2014) and Lithuania (2015) exited to the Eurozone. The paper takes a qualitative look at their experience through the lens of the currency board literature. Viewed over the entire period of operation, the boards delivered on the inflation stabilization objective with little evidence of a growth or trade penalty. The high average performance was however accompanied by high volatility on both the nominal and the real side. While the boards avoided both currency and sovereign debt crises, they contributed to vulnerabilities, notably the 2004–2010 boom-bust cycle. The Baltic experience re-enforces policy lessons from earlier crisis under fixed exchange rates: vigilance and timely response to incipient vulnerabilities associated with short-term capital-inflows and over-heating.
Structured databases on the web: observations and implications

The Web has been rapidly "deepened" by the prevalence of databases online. With the potentially unlimited information hidden behind their query interfaces, this "deep Web" of searchable databses is clearly an important frontier for data access. This paper surveys this relatively unexplored frontier, measuring characteristics pertinent to both exploring and integrating structured Web sources. On one hand, our "macro" study surveys the deep Web at large, in April 2004, adopting the random IP-sampling approach, with one million samples. (How large is the deep Web? How is it covered by current directory services?) On the other hand, our "micro" study surveys source-specific characteristics over 441 sources in eight representative domains, in December 2002. (How "hidden" are deep-Web sources? How do search engines cover their data? How complex and expressive are query forms?) We report our observations and publish the resulting datasets to the research community. We conclude with several implications (of our own) which, while necessarily subjective, might help shape research directions and solutions.
Creep-resistant behavior of self-reinforcing liquid crystalline epoxy resins

Abstract The creep behavior of a liquid crystalline epoxy resin (LCER) was investigated and compared with that of a non-LCER prepared from the same epoxy monomer. The experimental data was evaluated using Burgers' model to explain the reinforcing effect of the liquid crystalline (LC) phase. The long-term performance of the material was predicted using the time–temperature superposition principle. The results revealed that the introduction of an LC phase into the resin network can reduce creep strain and creep strain rate of the material, especially at elevated temperatures. Parameters extracted from the simulation indicated that instantaneous elasticity, retardant elasticity, and permanent flow resistance of the resins were enhanced by the presence of the LC phase. A rigid filler effect and a crosslinking effect are proposed to explain the reinforcing mechanisms.
The utility of peripheral thyrotropin mRNA in the diagnosis of follicular neoplasms and surveillance of thyroid cancers.

Background Thyroid cells in peripheral circulation express uniquely thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) mRNA, and their detection may aid thyroid cancer management. Methods Since 2002, 258 patients had prospective TSHR mRNA measurement by quantitative RT-PCR from peripheral blood before and/or after thyroidectomy. Thyroid cancer detection was assessed from known clinical diagnostic criteria and mRNA for patients with follicular neoplasms (n = 64) and long-term cancer follow-up (n = 13). Results Adding TSHR mRNA to fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) maintained high sensitivity (90%) but improved specificity (73%) for thyroid cancer diagnosis. When FNAB specimens indicated follicular neoplasm, a decision algorithm combining TSHR mRNA and abnormal thyroid ultrasound features correctly diagnosed all cancer patients (100% sensitivity) and would have spared operation for benign disease in 38%. Elevated TSHR mRNA on postoperative day1 predicted persistent/recurrent cancer. During long-term thyroid cancer surveillance, TSHR mRNA had a 91% concordance with radioactive iodine whole body scan (WBS)-detectable disease, agreed with thyroglobulin (Tg) levels in 64% of patents, missed disease in 5%, but was more sensitive to detecting disease than Tg levels in 31% of patients, including all patients with Tg antibodies. Conclusions Detecting circulating thyroid cancer cells is useful for initial thyroid cancer diagnosis and postoperatively predicts recurrent cancer. This novel test promises to enhance thyroid cancer patient care by management algorithms that combine histologic, genomic, and clinical criteria.
Holography of Small Objects through High Density Wire Grids

We are investigating the use of holography to replace conventional photography of particle tracks in high resolution streamer chambers. Advantages are the large depth of field with uniformly high resolution and expected greater sensitivity to streamer discharges. In the streamer chamber, tracks of 20-50 micron width must be viewed through high voltage plane electrodes which are grids of 25-micron parallel wires with centers 100 microns apart. We have successfully holographed 25-micron wires through these grids, using a 5 mw He - Ne laser and in-line holography, in spite of a strong striated background. But for good contrast with isotropic tracks of low streamer density, much sparser grids with a wire-to-space ratio of about one percent are required. Fundamental considerations concerning the spatial resolution of holographic images and criteria for estimating and minimizing the background of the grids are briefly discussed.
Neural network based time series modeling of optical emission spectroscopy data for fault detection in reactive ion etching

To achieve timely and accurate fault detection, neural network-based time series modeling is applied to a reactive ion etching (RIE) process using an in-situ plasma sensor called optical emission spectroscopy (OES). OES is a wellestablished method of etch endpoint detection, but the large volume of data generated by this technique makes further analysis challenging. To alleviate this concern, principal component analysis (PCA) is adopted for dimensionality reduction of a voluminous OES data set, and the reduced data set is utilized for time series modeling and malfunction identification using neural networks. Four different RIE subsystems (RF power, chamber pressure, and two gas flow systems) were considered, and multiple degrees of potential faults were tested. The time series neural networks (TSNNs) are trained to forecast future process conditions, and those forecasts are compared to established baselines. Satisfying results are achieved, demonstrating the potential of this technique for real-time fault detection and diagnosis.
Estrogen inhibits the dopaminergic supersensitivity induced by neuroleptics.

Abstract Administration of estrogen to rats during the period of withdrawal from chronic haloperidol attenuated the characteristic increase in apomorphine-induced stereotypy and the increase in (3H) spiroperidol binding. This apparent ability of estrogen to “down-regulate” brain dopamine receptors could lead to useful pharmacological treatments of tardive dyskinesia and possibly of other hyperdopaminergic states.
Macropore flow on a reclaimed surface mine: infiltration and hillslope hydrology

Abstract Surface coal mining in central Pennsylvania alters the physical and hydrological properties of soil from its undisturbed state and changes the surface hydrologic response to precipitation. Newly reclaimed minesoils exhibit low, steady-state rates of infiltration (1–2 cm/h) and produce runoff dominated by infiltration-excess overland flow. Within 4 years after reclamation, rates of infiltration on some minesoil surfaces approach pre-mined rates (8 cm/h). As a greater percentage of rainfall infiltrates these reclaimed minesoils, little change occurs in the total volume of surface storm runoff on an event basis. This indicates that infiltrated water contributes to storm runoff by the processes of throughflow and return flow. As the rate of infiltration increases with time, the hydrologic response of the minesoil is controlled by rapid macropore throughflow within the unsaturated minesoil. Application of fluorescent dyes on the reclaimed surface reveals preferred flowpaths through macropores surrounding the numerous, large rock fragments in the minesoil. Development and integration of a macropore network on a reclaimed, surface-mined watershed has a significant, direct effect on the contributions to surface storm runoff from infiltration-excess overland flow, throughflow, and return flow. As rates of infiltration increase through time and slightly delayed macropore return flow increases, the peak rate of surface storm runoff is reduced, therefore reducing the potential for severe gully erosion on the reclaimed site. In addition, throughflow moves predominantly within the minesoil horizon and has limited contact with potentially acid-producing backfill. Better understanding of the process of macropore flow in reclaimed minesoils will help investigators evaluate past strategies and develop new reclamation techniques that will optimize the long-term effluent and ground water quality while minimizing the short-term surface erosional effects of mining and reclamation.
COMPLEXITY AND THE BOUNDARIES OF HUMAN POUCY MAKING

Abstract Properties characterizing complexity are woven together with research on human information processing and behavioristic psychology to produce a theory of human limits. It is suggested I hat coupling the human and complexity, in problem solving situations, can be viewed at a design problem where an interface device is needed to link the human lo complexity, Interpretive Structural Modeling is discussed as an example of such an in I efface device. In addition, it is proposed that a language specifically designed to help humans deal with complexity be developed. The necessary properties of such 3 language arc presented, and it is argued that Interpretive Structural Modeling already possesses some of these properties.
Website error analysis of colleges and universities on Long Island in New York

Websites are an important means of communication for colleges and universities. Web-based presentations are replacing traditional ways of disseminating information. This study investigates the websites of 21 colleges and universities located on Long Island (Nassau, Suffolk) as well as five additional schools, four of which are Ivy League institutions. This research developed a technique of web site analysis known as 7X2 C's criteria, which are applied to seven separate layers of website application and development. The study concludes that the web sites of all the included institutions have errors across all the layers of the analysis to some degree that need to be corrected. Some of these errors are crucial, especially with regard to website search engines.
Stochastic Subset Optimization for optimal reliability problems

Reliability-based design of a system often requires the minimization of the probability of system failure over the admissible space for the design variables. For complex systems this probability can rarely be evaluated analytically and so it is often calculated using stochastic simulation techniques, which involve an unavoidable estimation error and significant computational cost. These features make efficient reliability-based optimal design a challenging task. A new method called Stochastic Subset Optimization (SSO) is proposed here for iteratively identifying sub-regions for the optimal design variables within the original design space. An augmented reliability problem is formulated where the design variables are artificially considered as uncertain and Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques are implemented in order to simulate samples of them that lead to system failure. In each iteration, a set with high likelihood of containing the optimal design parameters is identified using a single reliability analysis. Statistical properties for the identification and stopping criteria for the iterative approach are discussed. For problems that are characterized by small sensitivity around the optimal design choice, a combination of SSO with other optimization algorithms is proposed for enhanced overall efficiency.
A novel approach to the management of late-onset liver failure in biliary atresia

Abstract Purpose Late-onset hyperbilirubinemia in patients who have undergone a successful portoenterostomy (PE) for biliary atresia (BA) is usually considered evidence of ongoing severe liver failure. The authors recently have treated 2 patients who had acute hyperbilirubinemia years and months after a successful PE and had dilated intrahepatic cysts. A combined operative and percutaneous approach reestablished drainage and a reduction in their bilirubin levels. Methods Data from 2 cases of BA and late-onset hyperbilirubinemia from obstruction were reviewed and analyzed. Results Two patients (15-year-old boy and a 2.5-year-old girl) presented with increasing serum bilirubin after a PE for BA in infancy. Both had extensive preoperative workup, which showed intrahepatic biliary dilatation in one and a large bile lake in the other. They underwent attempted percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and stenting, followed by an intraoperative transhepatic approach in which the dilated ducts were connected to the PE. A rapid and sustained reduction in the serum bilirubin level was noted in these patients. Conclusions When patients with BA after a successful PE present with sudden onset of hyperbilirubinemia, imaging for biliary obstruction should be carried out. If biliary dilatation is found, then a combined radiologic and operative approach may help improve the bile flow and delay the need for liver transplant.
An LDA investigation of three-dimensional normal shock-boundary layer interactions in a corner

Nonintrusive, three-dimensional, measurements have been made of a normal shock wave-turbulent boundary layer interaction. The measurements were made in the corner of the test section of a continuous supersonic wind tunnel in which a normal shock wave had been stabilized. LDA, surface pressure measurement and flow visualization techniques were employed for two freestream Mach number test cases: 1.6 and 1.3. The former contained separated flow regions and a system of shock waves. The latter was found to be far less complicated. The reported results are believed to accurately define the flow physics of each case and may be used as benchmark data to verify three-dimensional computer codes.
When Property Values Rule

Sociologist Brian J. McCabe explains how homeowners are often more involved in their neighborhoods, but their participation doesn’t always make for stronger communities.
Characterization of the intronic splicing silencers flanking FGFR2 exon IIIb.

The cell type-specific alternative splicing of FGFR2 pre-mRNA results in the mutually exclusive use of exons IIIb and IIIc, which leads to critically important differences in receptor function. The choice of exon IIIc in mesenchymal cells involves activation of this exon and repression of exon IIIb. This repression is mediated by the function of upstream and downstream intronic splicing silencers (UISS and DISS). Here we present a detailed characterization of the determinants of silencing function within UISS and DISS. We used a systematic mutational analysis, introducing deletions and substitutions to define discrete elements within these two silencers of exon IIIb. We show that UISS requires polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB)-binding sites, which define the UISS1 sub-element, and an eight nucleotide sequence 5′-GCAGCACC-3′ (UISS2) that is also required. Even though UISS2 does not bind PTB, the full UISS can be replaced with a synthetic silencer designed to provide optimal PTB binding. DISS is composed of a 5′-conserved sub-element (5′-CE) and two regions that contain multiple PTB sites and are functionally redundant (DISS1 and DISS2). DISS1 and DISS2 are separated by the activator sequence IAS2, and together these opposing elements form the intronic control element. Deletion of DISS in the FGFR2 exon IIIb context resulted in the near full inclusion of exon IIIb, and insertion of this silencer downstream of a heterologous exon with a weak 5′ splice site was capable of repressing exon inclusion. Extensive deletion analysis demonstrated that the majority of silencing activity could be mapped to the conserved octamer CUCGGUGC within the 5′CE. Replacement of 5′CE and DISS1 with PTB-binding elements failed to restore repression of exon IIIb. We tested the importance of the relative position of the silencers and of the subelements within each silencer. Whereas UISS1, UISS2, DISS1, and DISS2 appear somewhat malleable, the 5′CE is rigid in terms of relative position and redundancy. Our data defined elements of function within the ISSs flanking exon IIIb and suggested that silencing of this exon is mediated by multiple trans-acting factors.
Small Dirac Neutrino Mass and Left-right Symmetry

Abstract We analyze the possibility of generating light Dirac neutrinos at the tree level in a left-right symmetric scenario. We present a minimal extension of the standard SU(2) L × SU(2) R × U(1) Y′ model where the above result is achieved through a “see-saw” like mechanism induced by the minimization of the Higgs potential. The Dirac neutrinos thus obtained are naturally light; indeed we show that the scheme is stable under radiative corrections. The neutrino mass is inversely related to the scale of parity breaking, which may naturally be in the TeV range, leading to new phenomenology in an interesting energy domain.
Fluency and language recovery in a child with a left hemisphere lesion

Abstract The present case study documents the development and cessation of stuttering during language recovery following an acquired left hemisphere infarct in a previously normal seven-year-old boy. Based upon analyses of spontaneous speech samples recorded periodically from 1 to 31 months post-lesion onset, the study traces the development of stuttering type disfluencies coincident with increases in the use of complex sentence structures and decreases in speaking rate. The study provides one of the first detailed descriptions of neurologically induced stuttering in children.
Do female leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) discriminate between previous mates and novel males

Females in numerous taxa engage in mating with more than one male within a breeding season, usually to gain direct or indirect benefits from their male partners. Although effort has been directed towards the benefits females derive from multiple mating, we have less information as to decisions females make when choosing to mate with more than one male and if her decision is contingent upon previous mating experience with a male. In some instances, females must decide whether or not to mate with a previous mate or a novel male, the outcome of which would have ramifications on the acquisition of direct and indirect benefits. In this study, we tested whether female leopard geckos, Eublepharis macularius, would forgo mating with a previous male partner in favor of a novel male. We found no difference in a female's willingness to copulate with a previous mate versus a novel male. However, we found that smaller females initiated copulation termination with a previous mate whereas larger females allowed males to terminate copulations. This pattern was not exhibited when smaller females were paired with novel partners. Thus, smaller females appear to discriminate between previous mates and novel males, favoring novel males as mates.
Pre-Operative Left Atrial Mechanical Function Predicts Risk of Atrial Fibrillation Following Cardiac Surgery

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine whether left atrial (LA) mechanical function, as measured by LA total emptying fraction (TEF), is a predictor for the development of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following cardiac surgery. Background POAF is an important and frequent complication of cardiac surgery. LA enlargement has been reported to be a risk factor for POAF, but the relationship between LA mechanical function and POAF is not well understood. We examined the relationship between pre-operative LA function and POAF in patients without a history of atrial fibrillation. Methods A total of 101 subjects (mean age 64 ± 13 years) underwent pre-operative transthoracic echocardiograms and were followed for occurrence of POAF during the hospitalization for cardiac surgery. The left atrial maximum volume (LAVmax) and left atrial minimum volume (LAVmin) were measured and indexed to body surface area (LAVmaxI and LAVminI, respectively). LA TEF was calculated as: {[(LAVmax – LAVmin)/LAVmax] × 100%}. Univariate and multivariate analyses examined clinical and echocardiographic predictors of POAF. Results POAF occurred in 41% of subjects. Mean LA TEF was 49 ± 15%, mean LAVmaxI was 38 ± 15 ml/m2, and mean LAVminI was 20 ± 13 ml/m2. Age, LA TEF, and LAVminI were independent predictors of POAF. LA TEF was lower in patients with POAF compared with those without POAF (43 ± 15% vs. 55 ± 13%, p 32 ml/m2, LA TEF Conclusions LA TEF is an independent predictor of POAF and is a stronger predictor of POAF than LAVmaxI is. Impaired LA mechanical function may help to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from prophylaxis for POAF.
Limiting distributions of two random sequences

Abstract For fixed p (0 ≤ p ≤ 1), let { L 0 , R 0 } = {0, 1} and X 1 be a uniform random variable over { L 0 , R 0 }. With probability p let { L 1 , R 1 } = { L 0 , X 1 } or = { X 1 , R 0 } according as X 1 ≥ 1 2 (L 0 + R 0 ) or 1 2 (L 0 + R 0 ) ; with probability 1 − p let { L 1 , R 1 } = { X 1 , R 0 } or = { L 0 , X 1 } according as X 1 ≥ 1 2 (L 0 + R 0 ) or 1 2 (L 0 + R 0 ) , and let X 2 be a uniform random variable over { L 1 , R 1 }. For n ≥ 2, with probability p let { L n , R n } = { L n − 1 , X n } or = { X n , R n − 1 } according as X n ≥ 1 2 (L n − 1 + R n − 1 ) or 1 2 (L n − 1 + R n − 1 ) , with probability 1 − p let { L n , R n } = { X n , R n − 1 } or = { L n − 1 , X n } according as X n ≥ 1 2 (L n − 1 + R n − 1 ) or 1 2 (L n − 1 + R n − 1 ) , and let X n + 1 be a uniform random variable over { L n , R n }. By this iterated procedure, a random sequence { X n } n ≥ 1 is constructed, and it is easy to see that X n converges to a random variable Y p (say) almost surely as n → ∞. Then what is the distribution of Y p ? It is shown that the Beta, (2, 2) distribution is the distribution of Y 1 ; that is, the probability density function of Y 1 is g ( y ) = 6 y (1 − y ) I 0,1 ( y ). It is also shown that the distribution of Y 0 is not a known distribution but has some interesting properties (convexity and differentiability).
Barriers to Antiretroviral Medication Adherence in Young HIV-Infected Children:

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine, from the perspectives of both HIV-infected children and such children's primary guardians, the barriers children face in adhering to combination antiretroviral therapies. Nine HIV-infected young children and 14 guardians of HIV-positive children were interviewed about what the children's lives were like, including the difficulties they faced in adhering to therapy, while taking antiretroviral medications. Results showed that children faced six main barriers to adherence related to (a) family daily routines; (b) medication side effects; (c) medication taste, size, and shape; (d) the stigma of HIV/AIDS; (e) medications as a reminder of HIV/AIDS; and (f) child deception. The findings underscore the difficult nature of the antiretroviral regimens and illuminate the daily obstacles children face in adhering to therapy. Interventions that target children's unique barriers are needed to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication regimens.
Getting in touch with touch: a use of caressing exercises to enrich sensual connection and evoke ecstatic experience in couples

Of all the senses, touch is the first to develop; it is the most essential to life and a requirement for normal development. Interpersonal touch, including sexual touch, is also the most controversial of the senses, perceived by some as uncomfortable or threatening, and by others as the epitome of sublime pleasure and connection with a partner. An extraordinary and basic way sex therapists can enrich the sexual connection between couples is to introduce caressing exercises that are not goal focused on arousal and orgasm. Caressing exercises assist couples in moving beyond any negative or ambivalent attitudes toward partnered touch, often bringing them to levels of sensual awareness and tactile pleasure that are new and delightful.
Facilitation of sexual receptivity in the female rat by C-terminal fragments of LHRH.

Abstract Ovariectomized female rats implanted with cannulae directed bilaterally towards the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) were primed with estrogen (2 μg) and tested for sexual receptivity before and after infusion of the C-terminal LHRH fragment, Ac-LHRH 5–10 . Animals responsive to the Ac-LHRH 5–10 fragment were tested at two-week intervals for responsiveness to other LHRH fragments modified in the C-terminal or saline in the following order: LHRH 5–10 , des-Gly 6 LHRH, LHRH 5–9 OH, saline, and LHRH 7–9 OH. The lordosis-to-mount (L/M) ratio was used as an index of sexual receptivity. The quality of lordotic posturing and the number of proceptive and resistive behaviors were also recorded for each test. A one-way ANOVA performed on the difference in L/M between pre- and postifusion tests revealed a significant overall treatment effect. The nonacetylated LHRH 5–10 fragment and the LHRH 5–9 OH fragment were effective in enhancing the L/M ratio, whereas des-Gly 6 LHRH and LHRH 7–9 OH were not. The enhancement of sexual behavior by C-terminal fragments of LHRH was associated with a lack of proceptive behavior and moderate levels of resistive behavior. The results indicate that several C-terminal fragments of LHRH are capable of elevating the L/M ratio and suggest that amino acids in positions 6 through 9 may be important for this effect.
Evaluation of a Two-Dimensional Conductivity Function Based on Boundary Measurements

This paper is concerned with an inverse problem for the conduction of heat in a two-dimensional domain. It seeks to recover the subsurface conductivity profile based on the measurements obtained at the boundary. The method considers a temporal interval for which time-dependent measurements are provided. It formulates an optimal estimation problem which seeks to minimize the error difference between the given data and the response from the system. It uses a combination of the zeroth-order and the first-order Tikhonov regularization to stabilize the inversion. The method leads to an iterative algorithm which, at every iteration, requires the solution to a two-point boundary value problem. A number of numerical results are presented which indicate that a close estimate of the thermal conductivity function can be obtained based on the boundary measurements only
Clinical Vestibular Testing Assessed With Machine-Learning Algorithms

Importance Dizziness and imbalance are common clinical problems, and accurate diagnosis depends on determining whether damage is localized to the peripheral vestibular system. Vestibular testing guides this determination, but the accuracy of the different tests is not known. Objective To determine how well each element of the vestibular test battery segregates patients with normal peripheral vestibular function from those with unilateral reductions in vestibular function. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective analysis of vestibular test batteries in 8080 patients. Clinical medical records were reviewed for a subset of individuals with the reviewers blinded to the vestibular test data. Interventions A group of machine-learning classifiers were trained using vestibular test data from persons who were “manually” labeled as having normal vestibular function or unilateral vestibular damage based on a review of their medical records. The optimal trained classifier was then used to categorize patients whose diagnoses were unknown, allowing us to determine the information content of each element of the vestibular test battery. Main Outcomes and Measures The information provided by each element of the vestibular test battery to segregate individuals with normal vestibular function from those with unilateral vestibular damage. Results The time constant calculated from the rotational test ranked first in information content, and measures that were related physiologically to the rotational time constant were 10 of the top 12 highest-ranked variables. The caloric canal paresis ranked eighth, and the other elements of the test battery provided minimal additional information. The sensitivity of the rotational time constant was 77.2%, and the sensitivity of the caloric canal paresis was 59.6%; the specificity of the rotational time constant was 89.0%, and the specificity of the caloric canal paresis was 64.9%. The diagnostic accuracy of the vestibular test battery increased from 72.4% to 93.4% when the data were analyzed with the optimal machine-learning classifier. Conclusions and Relevance Rotational testing should be considered the primary test to diagnose unilateral peripheral vestibular damage in patients with dizziness or imbalance. Most physicians, however, continue to rely on caloric tests to guide their diagnoses. Our results support a significant shift in the approach used to determine diagnoses in patients with vestibular symptoms.
The influence of values in psychoanalysis: The case of female psychology

(1983). The influence of values in psychoanalysis: The case of female psychology. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Vol. 3, Values and neutrality in psychoanalysis, pp. 623-646.
Investigation of Gate-Induced Drain Leakage(GIDL) Current in Thin Body Devices: Single-Gate Ultra-Thin Body, Symmetrical Double-Gate, and Asymmetrical Double-Gate MOSFETs

Gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) current is investigated in single-gate (SG) ultra-thin body field effect transistor (FET), symmetrical double-gate (DG) FinFET, and asymmetrical DG metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices. Measured reductions in GIDL current for SG and DG thin-body devices are reported for the first time. The thin-body devices exhibit much lower GIDL current than bulk-Si MOSFETs, and the GIDL is found to decrease with decreasing body thickness. These results can be explained by the reduction in transverse electric field at the surface of the drain and the increase in transverse effective mass with decreasing body thickness.
Observation of an Emission Feature at 11.7 cm−1

SINCE the discovery1 of strong isotropic microwave background radiation it has been measured many times. In the microwave region the experimental points agree with a black-body at 2.7 K. The shortest wavelength observed from the ground is the 3 mm measurement made at Climax, Colorado2. Rocket measurements in the 0.4–1.3 mm region yield an equivalent blackbody temperature of about 8 K (refs. 3 and 4). More recently Muehlner and Weiss5 have reported balloon measurements in three spectral regions between 1 mm and 0.5 mm which are not inconsistent with a 3 K blackbody on which is superposed a strong emission line between 10 and 12 cm−1. We report spectral measurements in the 8–15 cm−1 region designed to look for any such emission lines and to separate them from atmospheric lines.
Estimation of Origin-Destination Flows and Route Choice Parameters From Incomplete Link Flows

Most conventional Origin-Destination models work with limited link observations with help of target demand or other prior information. This paper presents a new approach for estimation of OriginDestination flows and route choice parameters simultaneously from incomplete link flows. By presenting approximate joint probability distribution functions of the temporal link traffic flows on a network, the conditional likelihood functions for estimating dynamic O-D and route choice parameters are derived. An Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm is proposed to estimate those parameters based on incomplete link flow data. Preliminary results indicate that the new approach can provide validated results.
The incidence and impact on earnings of formal training provided by enterprises in Kenya and Tanzania

Abstract Data collected in 1980 in Kenya and Tanzania in enterprise-based surveys are analyzed to examine the incidence of formal training provided by employers. The wage benefits are estimated using earnings functions, for subsamples of skilled manual workers. The small training coefficient in Kenya is shown to be more likely the result of weak specification than low returns to training; separate earnings functions for subsamples stratified by training have significantly different slopes and position. Trained workers begin at lower wages but have steeper earnings profiles which cross over those of untrained workers.
An ACM response: the scope and directions of Computer Science

The National Research Council's Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB) chartered a two-year study on the scope and directions of computer science. As part of this study, ACM was asked to provide input on three important questions, the answers to which could have significant impact on the future direction of our discipline and profession.
Does intellectual property rights reform spur industrial development

Abstract An extensive theoretical literature generates ambiguous predictions concerning the effects of intellectual property rights (IPR) reform on industrial development. The impact depends on whether multinational enterprises (MNEs) expand production in reforming countries and the extent of decline in imitative activity. We examine the responses of U.S.-based MNEs and domestic industrial production to a set of intellectual property rights reforms in the 1980s and 1990s. Following reform, MNEs expand the scale of their activities. MNEs that make extensive use of intellectual property disproportionately increase their use of inputs. There is an overall expansion of industrial activity after reform, and highly disaggregated trade data indicate higher exports of new goods. These results suggest that the expansion of multinational activity more than offsets any decline in imitative activity.