cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
More powerful and flexible rules for online FDR control with memory and weights

In the online multiple testing problem, p-values corresponding to different null hypotheses are presented one by one, and the decision of whether to reject a hypothesis must be made immediately, after which the next p-value is presented. Alpha-investing algorithms to control the false discovery rate were first formulated by Foster and Stine and have since been generalized and applied to various settings, varying from quality-preserving databases for science to multiple A/B tests for internet commerce. This paper improves the class of generalized alpha-investing algorithms (GAI) in four ways : (a) we show how to uniformly improve the power of the entire class of GAI procedures under independence by awarding more alpha-wealth for each rejection, giving a near win-win resolution to a dilemma raised by Javanmard and Montanari, (b) we demonstrate how to incorporate prior weights to indicate domain knowledge of which hypotheses are likely to be null or non-null, (c) we allow for differing penalties for false discoveries to indicate that some hypotheses may be more meaningful/important than others, (d) we define a new quantity called the \emph{decaying memory false discovery rate, or $\memfdr$} that may be more meaningful for applications with an explicit time component, using a discount factor to incrementally forget past decisions and alleviate some potential problems that we describe and name ``piggybacking'' and ``alpha-death''. Our GAI++ algorithms incorporate all four generalizations (a, b, c, d) simulatenously, and reduce to more powerful variants of earlier algorithms when the weights and decay are all set to unity.
Exceptional Point Engineered Multifunctional Glass Slide for Microscopic Thermal Mapping

We demonstrate a thermal sensitive glass slide with enhanced sensitivity by exploiting an optical exceptional point. The devised glass slide expands its functionality to cost-efficient thermal mapping under a conventional microscope system.
High-Isolation, Low Cross-Polarization, Dual- Polarization, Hybrid Feed Microstrip Patch Array Antenna for MPAR Application

This paper presents a high-isolation, low cross-polarization dual-polarized patch antenna for multifunction phased array radar applications. Its hybrid feed design has been implemented, and the vertical and horizontal polarizations are excited by a balanced-probe feed and a slot-coupled feed, respectively. Simulations and measurements have demonstrated an input isolation of 45 and 43 dB between the horizontal and vertical ports, respectively. For further improvement in the cross-polarization level, the image feed method is also implemented, and a $2\times 2$ -element array made up of designed elements with image configuration has been fabricated. The simulated and measured S-parameter and radiation patterns of the horizontal and vertical polarizations of the designed $2\times 2$ -element array are presented and the measured cross-polarization level of less than −37 dB is achieved. To examine the performance of the designed element in an array, a $3\times 3$ -element array of designed $2\times 2$ -element subarray is fabricated and tested. In the $6\times 6$ -element measurements, −35.4 and −36 dB cross-polarization levels for horizontal and vertical polarizations are achieved, respectively. Also, using the measured embedded element patterns, the cross-polarization level lower than −36 dB for scan angles up to 45° is achieved.
Systems Analysis of Physical Absorption of CO2 in Ionic Liquids for Pre-Combustion Carbon Capture.

This study develops an integrated technical and economic modeling framework to investigate the feasibility of ionic liquids (ILs) for precombustion carbon capture. The IL 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide is modeled as a potential physical solvent for CO2 capture at integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants. The analysis reveals that the energy penalty of the IL-based capture system comes mainly from the process and product streams compression and solvent pumping, while the major capital cost components are the compressors and absorbers. On the basis of the plant-level analysis, the cost of CO2 avoided by the IL-based capture and storage system is estimated to be $63 per tonne of CO2. Technical and economic comparisons between IL- and Selexol-based capture systems at the plant level show that an IL-based system could be a feasible option for CO2 capture. Improving the CO2 solubility of ILs can simplify the capture process configuration and lower the process ene...
Sensorless electric vehicle detection in inductive charging stations using self-tuning controllers

A sensorless electric vehicle (EV) detection mechanism for inductive charging stations is proposed. The proposed method is based on the detection of small resonance frequency deviations from the nominal resonance frequency which are due to the presence of the vehicle. Self-tuning controllers are utilized for fast and accurate resonance frequency tracking in inductive charging systems. The proposed method uses the transmitter magnetic structure of inductive charging systems at very low power for vehicle detection and thereby, eliminates the need for sensor-based detection mechanisms. The proposed method is simulated using 2D and 3D finite element analysis (FEA) and the results are presented. The results show that in a typical inductive charging station, vehicles can be detected within 1.5 meters from the transmitter pad.
Automatic Provenance Collection and Publishing in a Science Data Production Environment—Early Results

The Earth System Science Server (ES3) system transparently collects provenance information from executing code. Provenance information (ancestors or descendants) for any process or data granule may then be retrieved from a web service, in both textual and graphical formats. We have installed ES3 in a quasi-production environment, wherein multiple Earth satellite data streams are synthesized into daily grids of global ocean color parameters, and the resulting data granules published online. ES3’s non-intrusive nature makes its insertion into such an environment fairly straightforward, but considerations such as collating distributed provenance (from processes spread across computing clusters) and sharing unique identifiers (to link programs and data granules with their separately-maintained provenance) must still be addressed. We present for discussion our preliminary results from assembling such an environment.
Do Areito ao Cordón: danças curativas indígenas

A origem indigena da danca do cordon em Cuba esta ligada ao areito do povo Taino do Caribe. A estrutura do cordon , sua funcao e sua relevância como uma forma de terapia indigena e uma ideia nova aqui introduzida a respeito deste tema especifico. Ao descrever e refletir sobre o processo que origina a danca indigena como terapia, ressurge uma forma de danca Taino que se acreditava estar extinta ( areito ); traz a tona uma danca que e praticamente desconhecida ( cordon ), redefinindo-a como uma pratica curativa legitima. Tanto o areito como o cordon informam processos terapeuticos alternativos no contexto da presenca. O areito , atualmente executado atraves do Espiritismo de Cordon , mais do que um recurso curativo vital para a comunidade no qual ocorre, e tambem uma expressao viva de tainidad.
Further characterization of the circulating cell in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Peripheral lymphocytes from normal individuals and from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were cultured in vitro for 1–7 days. The growth response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was quantitated by the incorporation of tritiated uridine into RNA nucleotide during a 2-hr pulse with the radioisotope. While the maximum response in PHA- stimulated normal cultures appeared at 2–3 days, CLL cultures required 5–7 days to develop their maximal response, which was 50%-60% of the normal magnitude. Dilution of the number of normally reactive lymphocytes by culturing them with totally unreactive, mitomycin- treated cells produced a normal 72-hr maximal response, no matter what proportion of unreactive cells was included in the PHA-stimulated cultures. In addition, the response of peripheral lymphocytes from patients with myeloblastic leukemia, where large numbers of unreactive myeloblasts diluted the normal small lymphocytes, a depressed reaction occurred at the anticipated 2–3 days. Nylon fiber-adherent lymphocytes consisting of 85% immunoglobulin (Ig)-bearing cells responded minimally to PHA, but showed no evidence of a delay. When isolated from CLL patients, both fiber-adherent cells (Ig-bearing) as well as non-fiber- adherent (sheep erythrocyterosetting) cells responded to PHA in a delayed fashion. Similarly, a case of CLL, in which 93.5% of the circulating lymphocytes bore sheep red blood cell receptors, showed its peak response to PHA at 7 days. Therefore, using surface marker criteria considered characteristic of normal T cells and B cells, the delayed response to PHA on the part of CLL lymphocytes was independent of thymic or nonthymic origin.
Development of a Crash Risk-Scoring Tool for Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects in Oregon:

Methods for identifying and prioritizing high-crash locations for safety improvements are generally crash-based. There are fewer reported crashes involving non-motorized users and, in most states, ...
Nitric oxide-mediated fibrinogen deposition prevents platelet adhesion and activation

Thrombosis is one of the most critical challenges faced by successful clinical use of blood-contacting medical devices. The formation of blood clots on medical device surfaces is a multistep process that includes protein adsorption, platelet adhesion and activation, and platelet aggregation, resulting in platelet consumption and blockage of blood flow. Without proper treatment, thrombosis will lead to ultimate device failure and create complications in patients. Nitric oxide (NO), a small signaling molecule generated from natural endothelial cells, has been widely shown to reduce platelet adhesion and activation, which occurs in the second step of blood clotting cascade. However, few studies have investigated the effect of NO on protein adsorption, which is the first step of blood clotting cascade. In this study, the effects of NO on fibrinogen (Fb) adsorption and subsequent effects of Fb on platelet adhesion and activation were investigated. This was done by using a model NO-releasing polymer film system, plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and S-nitrosoglutathione, to examine how NO-mediated pre-adsorbed Fb, a major blood serum protein that initiates the blood clotting cascade, affects platelet adhesion and activation. The NO-releasing polymer films were found to increase Fb adsorption, but decrease platelet adhesion and activation on the surface when compared to plasticized PVC control films. Further, to eliminate the effects of NO on platelets, NO-releasing polymer films were first exposed to Fb and then incubated until all NO was released. This experiment isolates the effect of NO-mediated pre-adsorbed Fb on platelets in the absence of continuing NO release. Surprisingly, the results show that films with adsorbed Fb that no longer release NO continue to prevent platelet adhesion and activation. This study suggests that NO can affect adsorbed Fb to further prevent platelet adhesion and activation.
Creating a Quality Culture through Organizational Change: A Case Analysis:

Previous works on the implementation of strategic objectives have neglected to consider the critical role of quality management. Beginning with the assumption that the role of quality is instrument...
Role-Model-In-Chief: Understanding a Michelle Obama Effect

Because of the national conversation about her status as a role model, the former First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) presents an opportunity to analyze an Obama effect—particularly, the idea that Michelle Obama's prominence as a political figure can influence, among other things, citizens’ impressions of black women in America. Using evidence from the 2011 Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/Washington Post survey, we demonstrate that Michelle Obama's status as a role model operates as a “moderated mediator”: it transmits the effect of the former FLOTUS’ media activities to respondents’ racial attitudes, and the degree to which role model status functions as a mediating variable differs by race (and, to a lesser degree, by gender). Thus, our research provides both a theoretical and an empirical contribution to the Obama-effect literature.
The Undervalued Power of Self-Relevant Research: The Case of Researching Retirement While Retiring

For decades, management research training has emphasized objectivity, typically considered an arm’s-length distance between the research topic and the researcher’s personal interests. This emphasis...
Regulation of prepubertal dynorphin secretion in the medial basal hypothalamus of the female rat.

The onset of puberty is the result of an increase in secretion of hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). This action is a result of not only the development of stimulatory inputs to its release, but also the gradual decrease in inhibitory inputs that restrain release of the peptide prior to pubertal onset. Dynorphin (DYN) is one of the inhibitory inputs produced in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH); however, little is known about what substance(s) control its prepubertal synthesis and release. Because neurokinin B (NKB) increases in the hypothalamus as puberty approaches, we considered it a candidate for such a role. An initial study investigated the acute effects of an NKB agonist, senktide, on the secretion of DYN from MBH tissues incubated in vitro. In other experiments, central injections of senktide were administered to animals for 4 days then MBHs were collected for assessment of DYN synthesis or for the in vitro secretion of both DYN and GnRH. Because insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 has been shown to play an important role at puberty, additional animals received central injections of this peptide for 4 days to assess NKB and DYN synthesis or the in vitro secretion of NKB. The results obtained show that senktide administration up-regulates the NKB receptor protein, at the same time as suppressing the DYN and its receptor. Senktide consistently suppressed DYN and elevated GnRH secretion in the same tissue incubates from both the acute and chronic studies. IGF-1 administration caused an increase in NKB protein, at the same time as decreasing DYN protein. Furthermore, the central administration of IGF-1 caused an increase in NKB release, an action blocked by the IGF-1 receptor blocker, JB-1. These results indicate that the IGF-1/NKB pathway contributes to suppressing the DYN inhibitory tone on prepubertal GnRH secretion and thus facilitates the puberty-related increase in the release of GnRH to accelerate the onset of puberty.
Overlapping Mechanisms of Recovery Between Professional Psychotherapies and Alcoholics Anonymous.

BACKGROUND: Much research over the past 25 years has focused on elucidating the mechanisms by which Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) affects behavioral change in its participants. In addition to research on the spiritual mechanisms for which AA is best known in the popular conception, research on mechanisms of recovery (MOR) has predominantly supported social, cognitive, and affective mechanisms that are also present in many professional psychotherapies. AIM: This paper compares and contrasts the theorized MOR of AA with those found in several common professional psychotherapies to illustrate analogous elements. METHODS: Literature review, summary, and synthesis of studies examining the MOR of both AA and common psychotherapies including analytic/dynamic therapies, cognitive-behavioral therapies, and acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies. RESULTS: There exists a significant overlap in theorized MOR of AA and mainstream, professional psychotherapies. Mechanisms with the greatest overlap include those mobilizing stress and coping theory, behavioral choice theory, and social learning theory, while mechanisms more unique to AA compared to professional psychotherapies mobilize social control theory to a greater degree. CONCLUSIONS: In caring for patients with addiction, practicing clinicians will find it useful to be aware of overlapping analogous elements found in the AA program and professional psychotherapies and how they can complement one another.
Readability and Quality of Online Patient Education Material on Websites of Breast Imaging Centers.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the readability and quality of patient information regarding mammography, tomosynthesis, and breast density on the websites of ACR-designated mammography Breast Imaging Centers of Excellence (BICOEs) in the United States. Materials and Methods In this institutional review board–exempt study, websites of mammography BICOEs were identified by state. Websites were assessed for presence of patient education material on screening mammography, tomosynthesis, and breast density. This material was then assessed for readability using five well-established readability metrics (Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease Index, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning-Fog Score, Coleman-Liau Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index) and for quality using the DISCERN instrument. Results We identified 1,482 BICOE centers, of which 1,451 (98%) had websites; 79% (1,156 of 1,451) of websites had information on screening mammography, 45% (657 of 1,451) on tomosynthesis, and 16% (228 of 1,451) on breast density. Readability analysis showed that the overall average grade level of patient information was 12.4. Average readability grade levels by tested indexes were Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 11.5, Gunning-Fog Score of 14.1, Coleman-Liau Index of 14.1, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index of 10.9. The average Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease score was 45, with 0 being the most difficult and 100 being the easiest text to read. The overall DISCERN score nationally was 2.61 of 5 (with 5 representing the highest quality). Conclusions Although most BICOEs have patient education material on their websites regarding mammography and some have information regarding tomosynthesis and breast density, the average readability grade level of this material is more than double the nationally recommended readability grade level of 6 for health care information. Additionally, the overall quality of this material is relatively low per established quality metrics.
Femoral-Peroneal Bypass for Critical Limb Ischemia in a Patient with Unstable Angina

Femoral-peroneal bypass was performed for critical limb ischemia following urgent management of coronary ischemia (coronary stenting). Contralateral non-reversed greater saphenous vein was used as a conduit. Postoperative CTA and duplex imaging showed patent graft 1 year later with marked improvement in patient’s symptoms.
Teaching about power and empathy in multicultural societies

This essay describes the sequence of three activities (from one U.S. university course) that aimed to (1) increase students’ awareness about social injustices, (2) help them develop their empathy to see the complexity of these injustices, and (3) consider ways to change the social system through civic dialogue. The first activity was designed to explore the dynamics of cultural appropriation using principles of media literacy education and the concept of power. The second activity complicated the picture by encouraging students to reflect on the importance of empathy. Students discussed how empathy can substitute blame in conversations about cultural appropriation. The third activity connected empathy to practices of nonviolent communication (developed by Marshall Rosenberg) and Kingian nonviolence. As a result, students were able to discuss how these principles can be applied to cultural appropriation, especially when media technologies are involved.
Leveraging Digital Technology for Treatment of Young Patients with Congenital Conditions: A Clinical Report.

Young patients with ectodermal dysplasia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome present with unique characteristics and corresponding treatment challenges. Congenitally missing teeth or conditions leading to premature tooth loss may be exhibited. Underdeveloped or easily traumatized oral structures are commonly seen and must be rehabilitated with care. These oral features can have a negative impact on the patients' quality of life and may implicate special considerations during dental treatment. This report follows the initial treatments of a 6-year-old patient with ectodermal dysplasia and a 20-year-old patient with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, with the incorporation of digital technologies in their subsequent oral rehabilitation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Identification of a Model Victim for Social Engineering: A Qualitative Analysis

End users present a key challenge for the protection of contemporary information security systems. The manipulation of people through deceit to gain access to sensitive information and otherwise se...
KnitGIST: A Programming Synthesis Toolkit for Generating Functional Machine-Knitting Textures

Automatic knitting machines are robust, digital fabrication devices that enable rapid and reliable production of attractive, functional objects by combining stitches to produce unique physical properties. However, no existing design tools support optimization for desirable physical and aesthetic knitted properties. We present KnitGIST (Generative Instantiation Synthesis Toolkit for knitting), a program synthesis pipeline and library for generating hand- and machine-knitting patterns by intuitively mapping objectives to tactics for texture design. KnitGIST generates a machine-knittable program in a domain-specific programming language.
Patient and Provider Satisfaction With Pediatric Urology Telemedicine Clinic.

The use of telemedicine continues to grow as more patients are receptive to this innovative way of providing health care. Multiple publications in telemedicine indicated high satisfaction for this ...
Development and Validation of Case-Finding Algorithms to Identify Prosthetic Joint Infections After Total Knee Arthroplasty in Veterans Health Administration Data.

Purpose To determine the positive predictive values (PPVs) of ICD-9, ICD-10, and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)-based diagnostic coding algorithms to identify prosthetic joint infection (PJI) following knee arthroplasty (TKA) within the United States Veterans Health Administration. Methods We identified patients with: 1) hospital discharge ICD-9 or ICD-10 diagnosis of PJI, 2) ICD-9, ICD-10, or CPT procedure code for TKA prior to PJI diagnosis, 3) CPT code for knee X-ray within ±90 days of the PJI diagnosis, and 4) at least 1 CPT code for arthrocentesis, arthrotomy, blood culture, or microbiologic procedure within ±90 days of the PJI diagnosis date. Separate samples of patients identified with the ICD-9 and ICD-10-based PJI diagnoses were obtained, stratified by TKA procedure volume at each medical center. Medical records of sampled patients were reviewed by infectious disease clinicians to adjudicate PJI events. The PPV (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the ICD-9 and ICD-10 PJI algorithms were calculated. Results Among a sample of 80 patients meeting the ICD-9 PJI algorithm, 60 (PPV 75.0 %, [CI 64.1-84.0%]) had confirmed PJI. Among 80 patients who met the ICD-10 PJI algorithm, 68 (PPV 85.0%, [CI 75.3-92.0%]) had a confirmed diagnosis. Conclusions An algorithm consisting of an ICD-9 or ICD-10 PJI diagnosis following a TKA code combined with CPT codes for a knee X-ray and either a relevant surgical procedure or microbiologic culture yielded a PPV of 75.0% (ICD-9) and 85.0% (ICD-10), for confirmed PJI events and could be considered for use in future pharmacoepidemiologic studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Speed, EMF and Rotor Position Estimation of PMSM using Phase Locked Loop and Simple Sliding Mode Observer

The paper presents a simple method to estimate the quantities needed for implementation of sensorless control for the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM). In sensorless control, the speed, EMFs and rotor position of the motor need to be estimated using the terminal quantities (measured voltages and currents). The paper proposes a sequential estimation approach: the speed is estimated first; then, it is used in the estimation of the EMFs and rotor position. The speed is obtained using a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) synchronized with the motor voltages. The PLL does not depend on the motor parameters and yields a speed estimate with guaranteed zero steady-state error. The availability of the motor speed allows to improve the estimation of the EMFs and rotor position using speed dependent gains and angle correction. The paper presents a simple sliding mode observer whose estimation accuracy is improved using the speed estimate. The results are validated with simulations. The method presented is simple and easy to implement. The estimators presented are reliable, accurate, depend on a minimal set of parameters and yield zero steady-state error.
The Association between Adult Self-reported Asthma & Potential Exposures to Asthma Triggers in Virginia Workplaces: An Ecological Study

Introduction: Work-related asthma (WRA) is thought to be the most common occupational lung disease in the U.S., but there is no standard case definition of WRA. Most states, including Virginia, do not require WRA diagnoses to be reported to health departments. At present, there is too little epidemiological data on WRA in Virginia to direct public health planning efforts. Objectives: The first objective of this study was to estimate potential exposure to workplace asthma triggers in each of Virginia's 35 health districts. The second objective was to examine associations at the health district level between workplace asthma triggers, other asthma risk factors, and asthma prevalence in Virginia. The third objective was to identify the specific health districts in which workers face the highest risk of WRA. Methods: This ecological study required merging three datasets. Information on weight, age, racelethnicity, income, gender, and histories of asthma diagnosis and smoking was obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and aggregated at the health district level. Information from the Virginia Employment Commission on the location, industry, and number of employees of each business in the state was combined with data on the asthma triggers found nationwide in specific industries to calculate estimates of potential exposure to WRA triggers in each health district. Descriptive, correlational and multiple regression analyses were conducted, and health districts were sorted by asthma prevalence, or number of workplace triggers, or trigger-based multivariate models of WRA risk. Results: On average, there are 50,104 employees potentially exposed to five or more asthma triggers in workplaces per health district. The number of ever-diagnosed adult asthmatics was highly correlated with the number of workplace asthma triggers in a health district, as well as with all demographic and behavioral risk factors. A linear regression model including number of workplace triggers, number of obese adults, and number of adults with incomes below 200% of poverty accounted for 84% of the variance in health district asthma prevalence. There was little overlap (2 health districts) between the set of highest-risk health districts identified by this model and the set identified by a sort on asthma prevalence alone. Conclusion: The findings of this exploratory ecological analysis suggest that the number of asthma cases in a health district may be an insufficient indicator of health district risk of WRA. Additional WRA surveillance and epidemiological research on WRA may be warranted in the health districts shown in this study to be at highest risk of the disease.
Updated Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics for ALS Cases in Texas, 2009-2011.

Objectives Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare motor neuron disease with incidence rates ranging from 1 to 2/100,000 person-years. The Texas Department of State Health Services previously conducted surveillance for ALS in three metropolitan areas of Texas. This project provides an update to this research, while expanding its scope to the entire state. Methods The Texas Department of State Health Services contacted neurologists throughout Texas to determine whether they diagnose or treat patients with ALS. Those neurologists who cared for Texas residents with ALS between 2009 and 2011 were asked to complete a one-page case reporting form for each patient. Results A total of 1422 unique cases were received. The average crude annual incidence rate was 1.30/100,000 person-years and the 2009 period prevalence rate was 2.92/100,000 individuals. Reported cases were most likely to be 60 to 69 years old, non-Hispanic, white, and men. Conclusions This project provides an update to previously published Texas-specific epidemiological data regarding ALS; also, we note that our findings are consistent with previously published studies.
A comparison of MHT and 2D assignment algorithm for tracking with an airborne pulse Doppler radar

The paper compares the performance of two algorithms for data association in target tracking: the multiple hypothesis tracker (MHT) and the two dimensional assignment (2DA) method which follows from the joint maximum likelihood solution. The results are presented in the context of an airborne pulse Doppler radar as a sensor. The MHT (which is computationaly more complex) clearly outperforms the 2DA in the MPRF mode. The improvement in the MPRF mode, however, is minimal for the test cases considered.
Lipase from Pseudomonas fragi. II. Properties of the Enzyme.

The optimal pH value of a lipase from Pseudomonas fragi was between 7.5 and 8.9, and a high reaction rate was observed at 54 C. Heating the enzyme solution at 63 C for 30 min inactivated only 27.6% of its activity; however, total inactivation was observed at 66 C after 1 hr and at 71 C after 10 min. The lipase was inhibited strongly by Fe+++ and Fe++ ions, and to a lesser extent by Co++, Cu++, Zn++. No inhibition was observed with Ca++ or NaF. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate was effective in removing the toxicity of Fe+++. The activity of the enzyme was inhibited markedly by p-chloromercurobenzoate, but the effects of N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetate were moderate. The enzyme was able to hydrolyze natural fats, synthetic triglycerides, and alcohol esters. The order of the rate of hydrolysis of some triglycerides under experimental conditions was, from the fastest to the lowest, trilaurin, tricaprin, tricaprylin, tripalmitin, tributyrin, tricaproin, and tristearin. The enzyme was capable of hydrolyzing methyl butyrate, but the rate of hydrolysis was about one-fifth that for triolein and one-thirteenth that for coconut oil. The enzyme lost its activity rapidly when held frozen, at 20 C, and at the extremes in pH. Glutathione, cysteine, and mercaptoethanol did not preserve the activity of the enzyme.
Stellar absolute magnitudes via the statistical parallax method

I review statistical parallax absolute magnitude determinations which employ data from the HIPPARCOS satellite for RR Lyrae and Cepheid variables, and for several other stellar classes. Five groups have studied the RR Lyrae stars, and the results are reassuringly consistent: M_V(RR) = 0.77 +- 0.13 mag at [Fe/H] = -1.6 dex. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations showed that systematic errors are small (~0.03 mag or less), and corrections for them were applied in the above result. The RR Lyrae result is thus very secure. A statistical parallax study of Cepheids found the Period--Luminosity zero-point to be considerably fainter than studies based on HIPPARCOS trigonometric parallaxes. The distance modulus of the Large Magellanic Cloud derived from this zero-point is in excellent agreement with that derived using the RR Lyrae result. I discuss why the statistical parallax absolute magnitude calibrations differ with some other RR Lyrae and Cepheid calibrations.
Anatomical and Functional Organization of Inhibitory Circuits in the Songbird Auditory Forebrain

Recent studies on the anatomical and functional organization of GABAergic networks in central auditory circuits of the zebra finch have highlighted the strong impact of inhibitory mechanisms on both the central encoding and processing of acoustic information in a vocal learning species. Most of this work has focused on the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), a forebrain area postulated to be the songbird analogue of the mammalian auditory association cortex. NCM houses neurons with selective responses to conspecific songs and is a site thought to house auditory memories required for vocal learning and, likely, individual identification. Here we review our recent work on the anatomical distribution of GABAergic cells in NCM, their engagement in response to song and the roles for inhibitory transmission in the physiology of NCM at rest and during the processing of natural communication signals. GABAergic cells are highly abundant in the songbird auditory forebrain and account for nearly half of the overall neuronal population in NCM with a large fraction of these neurons activated by song in freely-behaving animals. GABAergic synapses provide considerable local, tonic inhibition to NCM neurons at rest and, during sound processing, may contain the spread of excitation away from un-activated or quiescent parts of the network. Finally, we review our work showing that GABAA-mediated inhibition directly regulates the temporal organization of song-driven responses in awake songbirds, and appears to enhance the reliability of auditory encoding in NCM.
Cerebral Hemisphere Asymmetry: Methods, Issues, and Implications.

This is the seventh ERIC/ECTJ Annual Review Paper, preparation of which was supported by the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) Clearing-house on Information Resources, Syracuse University. The material in this article was prepared pursuant to a contract with the National Institute of Education, U.S. Department of Education. Contractors undertaking such projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their judgment in professional and technical matters. Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent the official view or opinion of the NIE. - Ed.
A scalable high performant Cholesky factorization for multicore with GPU accelerators

We present a Cholesky factorization for multicore with GPU accelerators systems. The challenges in developing scalable high performance algorithms for these emerging systems stem from their heterogeneity, massive parallelism, and the huge gap between the GPUs' compute power vs the CPU-GPU communication speed. We show an approach that is largely based on software infrastructures that have already been developed for homogeneous multicores and hybrid GPU-based computing. This results in a scalable hybrid Cholesky factorization of unprecedented performance. In particular, using NVIDIA's Tesla S1070 (4 C1060 GPUs, each with 30 cores @1.44 GHz) connected to two dual-core AMD Opteron @1.8GHz processors, we reach up to 1.163 TFlop/s in single and up to 275 GFlop/s in double precision arithmetic. Compared with the performance of the embarrassingly parallel xGEMM over four GPUs, where no communication between GPUs are involved, our algorithm still runs at 73% and 84% for single and double precision arithmetic respectively.
Abstract 9386: Ramp Biphasic Waveforms Have a Lower External Defibrillation Threshold

Introduction: We have previously shown that waveforms with an ascending ramp in both phases have a lower internal defibrillation threshold (DFT). The purpose of this study was to test whether waveforms with rectilinear, ascending and descending ramps in the second phase would reduce the DFT compared with a standard exponential biphasic waveform with external defibrillation shocks. Methods: In 6 pigs, DFTs were determined for 10 waveforms: a standard truncated exponential biphasic waveform with 60% tilt (Fig 1, #1) and 9 biphasic waveforms with an 8 ms ascending ramp 1st phase and one of 3 rectilinear, ascending ramp or descending ramp 2nd phases. The 3 rectilinear 2nd phases were: 1 ms, 200% of peak voltage of phase 1 (#2); 2 ms, same voltage as phase (#3); 3 ms, half the voltage of phase 1 (#4). The 3 ascending ramp 2nd phases were: 2 ms, 200% of voltage of phase 1(#5); 3 ms, same voltage as phase 1(#6); 4.5 ms, half the voltage of phase 1(#7). The 3 descending ramp 2nd phases were: 2 ms, 200% of voltage of phase 1(#8); 3 ms, same voltage as phase 1(#9); 4.5 ms, half the voltage of phase 1(#10). Results: Phase 2 ascending ramp (#7) and descending ramp (#8, #9) waveforms had the lowest DFTs, which were significantly smaller than for the truncated exponential waveform. (Fig 1, *indicates p Conclusions: Waveforms with a ramp in phase 2 (#7, #8, #9) have a lower DFT.
A Certified Digital Signature

A practical digital signature system based on a conventional encryption function which is as secure as the conventional encryption function is described. Since certified conventional systems are available it can be implemented quickly, without the several years delay required for certification of an untested system.
Regime Security and Weapons of Mass Destruction

This paper draws on the concepts of omnibalancing and counterbalancing to explain how and why states develop and use nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, also called weapons of mass destruction (WMD), for regime security purposes. According to omnibalancing, leaders of developing states use alliances with outside powers to balance against not only external threats, but also internal threats to their rule. According to counterbalancing, authoritarian states design their military and security forces to ensure regime survival instead of maximizing their effectiveness on the battlefield against foreign enemies. This project uses insights from these two concepts, and the broader school of neoclassical realism, to evaluate the role of regime security in a state’s development of WMD. Chemical and biological weapons programs have played a greater role than commonly realized in safeguarding regimes against internal threats. Chemical and biological weapon programs have been used to conduct counterinsurgency operations, carry out assassinations, bolster coup-proofing mechanisms, and to protect the leadership from assassination. By describing a new variable that influences a state’s WMD decision-making process, this research contributes to a better understanding of why states develop, use, and retain these weapons. Omission of regime security as a motive for WMD proliferation may lead to the overestimation of the importance of other causal variables. An improved understanding of incentives for proliferation is a prerequisite to designing effective nonproliferation strategies.
Aerial image relighting: simulating time of day variations

We present a technique for simulating variations in appearance of aerial images at different sun angles. The input to the algorithm is a single aerial image with information on the orientation of surfaces in the image. The location, date, and time at which the photograph was taken are also needed by the algorithm. The appearance of the aerial image at a new sun angle is synthesized by compensating for the direct sunlight component in the original image, and then relighting the image with sunlight from the new sun position. Techniques to remove cast shadows are also described. We demonstrate our results with images, and animations of changing lighting in aerial photographs as the sun follows a trajectory across the sky.
Cultural Constraints and Corrosive Colonization: Western Commerce in Aotearoa/New Zealand and the Extinction of the Huia ( Heteralocha acutirostris )

Early Maori occupation of New Zealand was marked by profligate use of avian resources and the resultant extinction of numerous species including the archipelago's famed moas. As in other Polynesian cultures, however, Maoris came to adopt conservation strategies. I suggest that the Maori conservation technique of tapu or rahui "chiefly prohibitions governing the harvest of vulnerable biological resources"offers crucial insights for modern managers. The former efficacy of rahui is examined through a detailed case study of an extinct New Zealand bird"the huia. Formerly protected by the cultural and religious potency of tapu, the huia met a tragic demise as culturally enforced constraints upon its use were abandoned in order to satisfy European demand for its mounted effigies and tail feathers. The plight of the huias provides a compelling lesson concerning the destructive consequences of cultural erosion and commerce in rare species.
The Trauma Outcome Process: An Integrated Model for Guiding Clinical Practice with Children with Sexually Abusive Behavior Problems

ABSTRACT This article presents the Trauma Outcome Process, an integrated treatment model for guiding clinical practice with children with sexually abusive behavior problems. Criteria for identifying children with sexually abusive behavior problems are presented. The Trauma Outcome Process is presented and compared with other approaches commonly used in clinical practice with sexually abused children and juvenile sexual offenders. The application of the Trauma Outcome Process model in assessing children with sexually abusive behavior problems is discussed and specific steps are provided to guide the assessment process. The advantages of the Trauma Outcome Process model over victim-specific or offender-specific approaches are highlighted.
Degradation of insulin and glucagon by a factor associated with Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells.

Abstract Earlier studies from this laboratory reported that, in rats bearing the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma, circulating insulin levels were significantly reduced relative to non-tumor-bearing rats. The present study extends this observation to include a significantly ( P 125 I-labeled insulin or glucagon. Following the incubation period, the amount of TCA-precipitable radiolabel remaining in the incubation medium was markedly reduced after exposure to cells. This suggests that the tumor cells have the capability of degrading both insulin and glucagon. In a separate series of experiments, it was found that medium, in which freshly excised tumor cells had been incubated previously and then discarded, retained a substance which degraded 125 I-labeled glucagon and that this degradation of glucagon could be blocked by co-incubation with aprotinin, a protease inhibitor.
An hypothesis explaining the successful treatment of psoriasis with thermal biofeedback: A case report

This is a single case report of a 56-year-old Caucasian female referred for biofeedback by her dermatologist after seven years of failed standard medical treatment for psoriasis. Patient's presenting complaint was the embarrassing psoriasis lesions on her arms. Following 13 weekly one-hour finger/hand thermal biofeedback treatments, all 11 presenting psoriasis lesions (2-6 cm) had disappeared. Interestingly, any new psoriasis lesions that surfaced during our treatment disappeared without leaving palpable or visible scarring, unlike lesions that were present prior to biofeedback treatment. Patient was unmedicated for psoriasis during our treatment and continues to be unmedicated and asymptomatic at 12-month follow-up.
Atomic scale heating in cathodic arc plasma deposition

Energetic deposition using a filtered cathodic arc plasma is known to lead to very adherent and dense films. Interface mixing, subplantation depth, texture, and stress of the growing film are often studied as a function of the kinetic energy of condensing ions. Ions also have potential energy contributing to atomic scale heating, secondary electron emission, and potential sputtering, thereby affecting all film properties. We will show kinetic and potential energies of ions in cathodic arc plasmas. These energies are greater than the binding energy, surface binding energy, and activation energy of surface diffusion. The role of potential energy on film growth is not limited to the cathodic arc plasma deposition process.
Characterization of Compensatory Trunk Movements During Prosthetic Upper Limb Reaching Tasks

Abstract Metzger AJ, Dromerick AW, Holley RJ, Lum PS. Characterization of compensatory trunk movements during prosthetic upper limb reaching tasks. Objective To characterize the compensatory movements of the trunk during functional reaching tasks performed by upper limb prosthesis users. Design Survey. Setting Clinical laboratory at a national rehabilitation hospital. Participants Transhumeral and transradial prosthesis users (n=10) and uninjured control subjects (n=10). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Three-dimensional motion analysis data were collected during simulated reaching tasks, such as donning a cap, placing a nut, and sorting clothes. The metrics were range of motion of the trunk in the 3 anatomical directions and elbow and shoulder path distance. Results Prosthesis users had significantly larger truncal movements than controls during all 3 reaching tasks in all 3 directions ( P ≤.03). Shoulder path distance in persons with amputation was larger than in controls in all 3 tasks ( P P ≤.02). The subgroup of transradial prosthesis users displayed these abnormal movements despite the presence of an intact elbow. Conclusions The altered physiologic structure of the arm caused the individuals to develop a different motor control strategy than an intact arm. Functional limitations, such as the loss of distal degrees of freedom, required persons with amputation to use trunk displacement in place of arm/hand movement. These compensatory movements during reaching tasks may be a cause of prosthesis rejection and, in some cases, may be resolved with proper rehabilitative training. Analysis of compensatory trunk movements may also provide a useful endpoint for evaluating new prosthesis designs.
From the Editor in Chief: All Systems Go

In Part 1, the author reflected on the trouble IC had when encountering a submission that was substantially similar to another submission received elsewhere - a definite no-no. The author described some tools for detecting self-plagiarism and considered a possible way to get authors to make submitted works available alongside those already published, so that we could more easily detect overlapping submissions and other violations of submission guidelines. One key requirement would be that either the submissions themselves be stored and managed securely, with the same guarantees as submissions in the review process or that only some derived data be stored in a centralized fashion. In the latter case, we could readily tell that two manuscripts were similar without actually having access to either one: the arbitrator detecting the overlap wouldn't need to be trusted to protect the content, either. This arbitrator is an example of a broader class of neutral agents that can serve many functions on the Internet. In this article, the focuses on a second aspect of the reviewing process - reviewer integrity - and then return briefly to a few other real-world examples.