cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-Selection into Corrupt Judiciaries

Drawing on experimental games and a survey conducted with university students at an elite legal academy in Ukraine, this study compares the attitudinal, behavioral, and demographic traits of students aspiring to public sector legal careers as judges, prosecutors, and investigators with their counterparts aiming to pursue private sector legal careers as defense attorneys and commercial lawyers. The author finds evidence that students pursuing public sector legal careers display more willingness to cheat or bribe in experimental games as well as lower levels of altruism. These findings indicate that corruption in some societies may persist in part from the self-selection into government institutions of citizens with a higher propensity to seek profit from illicit activities. Moreover, the findings suggest that such corrupt self-selection can infect a country’s judicial and law enforcement apparatus, with potentially dire implications for the rule of law.
Learning models with uniform performance via distributionally robust optimization

A common goal in statistics and machine learning is to learn models that can perform well against distributional shifts, such as latent heterogeneous subpopulations, unknown covariate shifts or unmodeled temporal effects. We develop and analyze a distributionally robust stochastic optimization (DRO) framework that learns a model providing good performance against perturbations to the data-generating distribution. We give a convex formulation for the problem, providing several convergence guarantees. We prove finite-sample minimax upper and lower bounds, showing that distributional robustness sometimes comes at a cost in convergence rates. We give limit theorems for the learned parameters, where we fully specify the limiting distribution so that confidence intervals can be computed. On real tasks including generalizing to unknown subpopulations, fine-grained recognition and providing good tail performance, the distributionally robust approach often exhibits improved performance.
Data-driven Sensor Placement for Fluid Flows

Optimal sensor placement for fluid flows is an important and challenging problem. In this study, we propose a completely data-driven and computationally efficient method for sensor placement. We use adjoint-based gradient descent to find the sensor location that minimizes the trace of an approximation of the estimation error covariance matrix. The proposed methodology can be used in conjunction with any reduced-order modeling technique that provides a linear approximation of the fluid dynamics. Moreover, the objective function can be augmented for different applications, which we illustrate by proposing a control-oriented objective function. We demonstrate the performance of our method for reconstruction and prediction of the complex linearized Ginzburg–Landau equation in the globally unstable regime. We also construct a low-dimensional observer-based feedback controller for the flow over an inclined flat plate that is able to suppress the wake vortex shedding in the presence of system and measurement noise.
Post-Newtonian gravitational bremsstrahlung.

Formulas and numerical results for the gravitational radiation emitted during a low-deflection encounter between two massive bodies are presented. The results are valid through post-Newtonian order within general relativity. The gravitational waveform (transverse-traceless part of the metric perturbation tensor), the total luminosity and total emitted energy, the angular distribution of emitted energy (antenna pattern), and the frequency spectrum are discussed. A method of boosting the accuracy of these quantities to post-3/2-Newtonian order is presented. A numerical comparison of the results with previously reported results shows that the post-Newtonian method is reliable to better than 0.1% at v = 0.1c, to a few percent at v = 0.35c, and to 10-20% at v = 0.5c.
Applied Theory of Gearing: State of the Art

The contents of the paper cover : a brief history of some concepts of the theory of gearing, and new developments in this area, (i) theory of enveloping curves and surfaces, (ii) simulation of meshing and contact of gear tooth surfaces, (iii) basic kinematic relations as the key to the determination of direct relations between the curvatures of contacting surfaces, and avoidance of singularities, (iv) transfer from line contact of tooth surfaces to point contact, and (v) design and manufacturing of gears with compensated transmission errors caused by misalignment.
An Explicit Parametrization of Closed Loops for Spatially Distributed Controllers with Sparsity Constraints

We study the linear time-invariant state-feedback controller design problem for distributed systems. We follow the recently developed System Level Synthesis (SLS) approach and impose locality structure on the resulting closed-loop mappings; the corresponding controller implementation inherits this prescribed structure. In contrast to existing SLS results, we derive an explicit (rather than implicit) parameterization of all achievable stabilized closed-loops. This admits more efficient IIR representations of the temporal part of the closed-loop dynamics, and it allows for the H2 design problem with closed-loop spatial sparsity constraints to be converted to a standard model matching problem, with the number of transfer function parameters scaling linearly with the closed-loop spatial extent constraint. We illustrate our results with two applications: consensus of first-order subsystems and the vehicular platoons problem. In the case of first-order consensus, we provide analytic solutions and further analyze the architecture of the resulting controller implementation. Results for infinite extent spatially-invariant systems are presented to provide insight to the case of a large but f
Space Exploration Architecture and Design Framework for Commercialization

The trend of space commercialization is changing the decision-making process for future space exploration architectures, and there is a growing need for a new decision-making framework that explici...
The Surprising Impact of Mask-Head Architecture on Novel Class Segmentation

Instance segmentation models today are very accurate when trained on large annotated datasets, but collecting mask annotations at scale is prohibitively expensive. We address the partially supervised instance segmentation problem in which one can train on (significantly cheaper) bounding boxes for all categories but use masks only for a subset of categories. In this work, we focus on a popular family of models which apply differentiable cropping to a feature map and predict a mask based on the resulting crop. Under this family, we study Mask R-CNN and discover that instead of its default strategy of training the mask-head with a combination of proposals and groundtruth boxes, training the mask-head with only groundtruth boxes dramatically improves its performance on novel classes. This training strategy also allows us to take advantage of alternative mask-head architectures, which we exploit by replacing the typical mask-head of 2-4 layers with significantly deeper off-the-shelf architectures (e.g. ResNet, Hourglass models). While many of these architectures perform similarly when trained in fully supervised mode, our main finding is that they can generalize to novel classes in dramatically different ways. We call this ability of mask-heads to generalize to unseen classes the strong mask generalization effect and show that without any specialty modules or losses, we can achieve state-of-the-art results in the partially supervised COCO instance segmentation benchmark. Finally, we demonstrate that our effect is general, holding across underlying detection methodologies (including anchor-based, anchor-free or no detector at all) and across different backbone networks. Code and pre-trained models are available at this https URL.
Clinically Translatable Approaches of Inhibiting TGF-β to Target Cancer Stem Cells in TNBC.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer that disproportionally accounts for the majority of breast cancer-related deaths due to the lack of specific targets for effective treatments. In this review, we highlight the complexity of the transforming growth factor-beta family (TGF-β) pathway and discuss how the dysregulation of the TGF-β pathway promotes oncogenic attributes in TNBC, which negatively affects patient prognosis. Moreover, we discuss recent findings highlighting TGF-β inhibition as a potent method to target mesenchymal (CD44+/CD24−) and epithelial (ALDHhigh) cancer stem cell (CSC) populations. CSCs are associated with tumorigenesis, metastasis, relapse, resistance, and diminished patient prognosis; however, due to differential signal pathway enrichment and plasticity, these populations remain difficult to target and persist as a major barrier barring successful therapy. This review highlights the importance of TGF-β as a driver of chemoresistance, radioresistance and reduced patient prognosis in breast cancer and highlights novel treatment strategies which modulate TGF-β, impede cancer progression and reduce the rate of resistance generation via targeting the CSC populations in TNBC and thus reducing tumorigenicity. Potential TGF-β inhibitors targeting based on clinical trials are summarized for further investigation, which may lead to the development of novel therapies to improve TNBC patient prognosis.
Earnings announcement delays and implications for the auditor-client relationship

We examine whether delays in the expected release of annual earnings have implications for the future auditor-client relationship. Managers have strong incentives to release earnings on schedule, and auditors play an important role in helping their clients avoid costly earnings announcement delays. We find an increased likelihood of subsequent auditor-client realignments after earnings announcement delays. We further find that clients changing auditors realign with audit firms that better meet their earnings announcement timing demands, without finding evidence of a significant compromise in the reliability of the financial statement numbers in the earnings announcement. Our results help inform regulatory concerns about audit market concentration and how audit firm turnover has the potential to impact the auditor-client dynamic. While it is possible that auditor turnover could lead to a power imbalance where clients gain leverage in the relationship, our results suggest otherwise.
Understanding Charter School Leaders’ Perceptions of Competition in Arizona:

Purpose: School choice policies are expected to generate competition leading to improvement in school practices. However, little is known about how competition operates in public education—particul...
Learning Temporal Dynamics From Cycles in Narrated Video

Learning to model how the world changes as time elapses has proven a challenging problem for the computer vision community. We propose a self-supervised solution to this problem using temporal cycle consistency jointly in vision and language, training on narrated video. Our model learns modality-agnostic functions to predict forward and backward in time, which must undo each other when composed. This constraint leads to the discovery of high-level transitions between moments in time, since such transitions are easily inverted and shared across modalities. We justify the design of our model with an ablation study on different configurations of the cycle consistency problem. We then show qualitatively and quantitatively that our approach yields a meaningful, high-level model of the future and past. We apply the learned dynamics model without further training to various tasks, such as predicting future action and temporally ordering sets of images.
Structural Efficiency of Stitched Composite Panels with Stiffener Crippling

The structural efficiency of blade-stiffened stitched specimens is compared to determine their weight-saving potential if blades were allowed to buckle at less than or equal to design ultimate load. Analytical and experimental results from four configurations of crippling specimens are presented. Specimen skin and blades were held together with through-the-thickness stitches prior to curing. No mechanical fasteners were used for the assembly. Tests were conducted with and without low-speed impact damage. Failure modes are discussed. Finite element and experimental results agree for the response of the structures. For some specimen configurations, improved structural efficiency can be obtained by allowing stiffeners to buckle at design limit load rather than requiring that buckling not occur prior to design ultimate load. A parametric study is presented herein, which describes the possible weight savings with this approach.
Measuring the performance and network utilization of popular video conferencing applications

Video conferencing applications (VCAs) have become a critical Internet application during the COVID-19 pandemic, as users worldwide now rely on them for work, school, and telehealth. It is thus increasingly important to understand the resource requirements of different VCAs and how they perform under different network conditions, including: how do application-layer performance metrics (e.g., resolution or frames per second) vary under different link capacity; how VCAs perform under temporary reductions in available capacity; how they compete with themselves, with each other, and with other applications; and how usage modality (e.g., gallery vs. speaker mode) affects utilization. We study three modern VCAs: Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Answers to these questions differ substantially depending on VCA. First, the average utilization on an unconstrained link varies between 0.8 Mbps and 1.9 Mbps. Given temporary reduction of capacity, some VCAs can take as long as 50 seconds to recover to steady state. Differences in proprietary congestion control algorithms also result in unfair bandwidth allocations: in constrained bandwidth settings, one Zoom video conference can consume more than 75% of the available bandwidth when competing with another VCA (e.g., Meet, Teams). For some VCAs, client utilization can decrease as the number of participants increases, due to the reduced video resolution of each participant's video stream given a larger number of participants. Finally, one participant's viewing mode (e.g., pinning a speaker) can affect the upstream utilization of other participants.
Grandparent inference from genetic data: The potential for parentage-based tagging programs to identify offspring of hatchery strays

Fisheries managers routinely use hatcheries to increase angling opportunity. Many hatcheries operate as segregated programs where hatchery-origin fish are not intended to spawn with natural-origin conspecifics in order to prevent potential negative effects on the natural-origin population. Currently available techniques to monitor the frequency with which hatchery-origin strays successfully spawn in the wild rely on either genetic differentiation between the hatchery- and natural-origin fish or extensive sampling of fish on the spawning grounds. We present a method to infer grandparent-grandchild trios using only genotypes from two putative grandparents and one putative grandchild. We developed estimators of false positive and false negative error rates and showed that genetic panels containing 500 - 700 single nucleotide polymorphisms or 200 - 300 microhaplotypes are expected to allow application of this technique for monitoring segregated hatchery programs. We discuss the ease with which this technique can be implemented by pre-existing parentage-based tagging programs and provide an R package that applies the method.
Multivalent polymers can control phase boundary, dynamics, and organization of liquid-liquid phase separation.

Multivalent polymers are a key structural component of many biocondensates. When interacting with their cognate binding proteins, multivalent polymers such as RNA and modular proteins have been shown to influence the liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) boundary to both control condensate formation and to influence condensate dynamics after phase separation. Much is still unknown about the function and formation of these condensed droplets, but changes in their dynamics or phase separation are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s Disease. Therefore, investigation into how the structure of multivalent polymers relates to changes in biocondensate formation and maturation is essential to understanding and treating these diseases. Here, we use a coarse-grain, Brownian Dynamics simulation with reactive binding that mimics specific interactions in order to investigate the difference between non-specific and specific multivalent binding polymers. We show that non-specific binding interactions can lead to much larger changes in droplet formation at lower protein-polymer interaction energies than their specific, valence-limited counterparts. We also demonstrate the effects of solvent conditions and polymer length on phase separation, and we present how modulating binding energy to the polymer can change the organization of a droplet in a three component system of polymer, binding protein, and solvent. Finally, we compare the effects of surface tension and polymer binding on the condensed phase dynamics, and show that both lower protein solubilities and higher attraction/affinity of the protein to the polymer result in slower droplet dynamics. This research will help to better understand experimental systems and provides additional insight into how multivalent polymers can control LLPS.
The arithmetic basilica: A quadratic PCF arboreal Galois group

Abstract The arboreal Galois group of a polynomial f over a field K encodes the action of Galois on the iterated preimages of a root point x 0 ∈ K , analogous to the action of Galois on the l-power torsion of an abelian variety. We compute the arboreal Galois group of the postcritically finite polynomial f ( z ) = z 2 − 1 when the field K and root point x 0 satisfy a simple condition. We call the resulting group the arithmetic basilica group because of its relation to the basilica group associated with the complex dynamics of f. For K = Q , our condition holds for infinitely many choices of x 0 .
Star-Cursed Lovers: Role of Popularity Information in Online Dating

This paper examines the effect of user’s popularity information on his or her demand in a mobile dating platform.
Intrinsic and induced quantum quenches for enhancing qubit-based quantum noise spectroscopy

Quantum sensing protocols that exploit the dephasing of a probe qubit are powerful and ubiquitous methods for interrogating an unknown environment. They have a variety of applications, ranging from noise mitigation in quantum processors, to the study of correlated electron states. Here, we discuss a simple strategy for enhancing these methods, based on the fact that they often give rise to an inadvertent quench of the probed system: there is an effective sudden change in the environmental Hamiltonian at the start of the sensing protocol. These quenches are extremely sensitive to the initial environmental state, and lead to observable changes in the sensor qubit evolution. We show how these new features give access to environmental response properties. This enables methods for direct measurement of bath temperature, and for detecting non-thermal equilibrium states. We also discuss how to deliberately control and modulate this quench physics, which enables reconstruction of the bath spectral function. Extensions to non-Gaussian quantum baths are also discussed, as is the application of our ideas to a range of sensing platforms (e.g., nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, semiconductor quantum dots, and superconducting circuits). When trying to characterise a bath coupled to a sensor qubit, one should consider that quantum environments change their properties in response to external perturbations. Here, the authors show how back-action of the qubit on the bath leads to a quench, which can be used to infer the bath spectral function.
Preparing Bethe Ansatz Eigenstates on a Quantum Computer

An efficient quantum algorithm for the direct preparation of the eigenstates of an interacting many-body problem is presented.
The replicator dynamics of zero-sum games arise from a novel poisson algebra

Abstract We show that the replicator dynamics for zero-sum games arises as a result of a non-canonical bracket that is a hybrid between a Poisson Bracket and a Nambu Bracket. The resulting non-canonical bracket is parameterized both the by the skew-symmetric payoff matrix and a mediating function. The mediating function is only sometimes a conserved quantity, but plays a critical role in the determination of the dynamics. As a by-product, we show that for the replicator dynamics this function arises in the definition of a natural metric on which phase flow-volume is preserved. Additionally, we show that the non-canonical bracket satisfies all the same identities as the Poisson bracket except for the Jacobi identity (JI), which is satisfied for special cases of the mediating function. In particular, the mediating function that gives rise to the replicator dynamics yields a bracket that satisfies JI. This neatly explains why the mediating function allows us to derive a metric on which phase flow is conserved and suggests a natural geometry for zero-sum games that extends the Symplectic geometry of the Poisson bracket and potentially an alternate approach to quantizing evolutionary games.
Remote Operating Vehicle (ROV)

United States government and individual states mandate reporting on cultural resources in areas which are subject to development. The requirement that an archaeological survey is necessary to obtain permits for construction in the maritime environment has produced a huge number of reports. Unfortunately, these reports are not given widespread distribution and some were limited to fewer than twenty copies. This lack of distribution makes generalizations about areal studies difficult because, while the data have, in many cases, been collected, the information is not readily available. The best sources for obtaining information about areal studies along rivers and in coastal areas are the state archaeologists of the various states and the district offices of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Included in this section are some reports as well as materials related to survey such as geographical analysis and positioning systems.
Análisis morfológico y morfométrico de Carollia colombiana Cuartas et al. 2001 y C. monohernandezi Muñoz et al. 2004 (Phyllostomidae: Carollinae) en Colombia

Morphological and morphometric analyses of Carollia colombiana Cuartas et al. 2001 and C. monohernandezi Munoz et al. 2004 (Phyllostomidae: Carollinae) in Colombia. We reviewed the taxonomy of Carollia colombiana y C. monohernandezi in Colombia using morphological and morphometric analyses. The results indicate that C. colombiana does not exhibit significant differences when compared to C. brevicauda. On the other hand, the holotype of C. monohernandezi exhibits discrete morphological characters that distinguish this species from the remaining species in the genus. Seventeen paratypes of C. monohernandezi are re-identified as C. brevicauda and C. perspicillata. Our analyses support the status of C. monohernandezi as a valid species and suggest that C. colombiana should be recognized as a junior synonym of C. brevicauda. The diversity of the genus Carollia in Colombia, according to our results, is of four species.
Influence of surgical techniques on survival in patients with colorectal cancer.

This review was undertaken in an attempt to accumulate and critically evaluate all evidence that suggests that special techniques may alter survival rates of patients undergoing surgery for large-bowel cancer. Data suggesting reduced survival with a distal margin of resection less than 5 cm in patients undergoing anterior resection were found to be inconsistent.En bloc removal of the primary tumor and an adhesed adjacent structure seemed important, for 30 to 60 per cent survival has been reported using this approach, and adhesions were found to contain malignant cells at the interface of the primary tumor and adjacent structure in 40 to 100 per cent of patients. No statistically significant differences in survival rates were found in studies comparing conservative segmental bowel resection with radical hemicolectomy. This was true for colonic as well as rectal resections; while patient morbidity was not markedly increased for radical colectomy, it was found to be much greater with radical rectal resections. No data to support the use of “no-touch techniques” could be uncovered. Data to support the use of techniques for control of intraluminal tumor cells were sparse; however, because these maneuvers cost the patient little in terms of added morbidity, they should be used. Important aspects of the techniques for large-bowel surgery need to be investigated by prospective controlled clinical trials.
Trust and Financial Regulation

Trust is a critically important ingredient in the recipes for a successful economy and a well-functioning financial services industry. Due to scandals, ranging in nature from massive incompetence, to massive irresponsibility, to massive fraud, investor trust is in shorter supply as 2009 comes to a close. This is troubling, and commentators, policy makers, and industry leaders have all recognized the need for trust's restoration. As in times of similar crises, many have turned to law and regulation for the answers to our problems. The imposition of additional regulatory oversight, safeguards, and remedies, some advocate, can help resuscitate investor trust. These advocates have it half right. For trust is complicated, existing in a variety of forms. Some forms, predicated primarily upon reasoned calculation, respond well to law and regulation. But other forms, predicated primarily upon relationship and emotion, respond poorly to law and regulation. In fact, these latter forms of trust can be seriously harmed by legal intervention. Wise policymakers would carefully assess the nature of whatever particular trust relationship he or she wishes to strengthen before taking action to ostensibly strengthen the trust in that relationship. This Article applies trust scholarship to examine the current U.S. financial regulatory regime, and proposed reforms thereto. It concludes that, for the most part, the existing financial regulatory regime comports well with our understanding of trust. Unfortunately, current reform proposals comport less well with this understanding.
Morphology and Late Quaternary sedimentation in the Gulf of Oman Basin

The morphology of the Gulf of Oman Basin, a 3,400 m deep oceanic basin between Oman and southern Pakistan and southern Iran, ranges from a convergent margin (Makran margin) along the north side, a passive type (Oman margin) along the south side, translation types along the basin's west (Zendan Fault-Oman Line) and east (Murray Ridge) sides and a narrow continental rise and a wide abyssal plain in the centre of the basin. Sediment input into the basin during the Late Quaternary has been mainly from the north as a result of the uplift of the Coast Makran Mountains in the Late Miocene-Pliocene. Today most of this detritrus is deposited on the shelf and upper continental slope and perched basins behind the fold/fault ridges on the lower slope. The presence of fans and channels on the continental rise on the north side of the basin indicate, however, that continental derived debris was, and possibly is, being transported to the deep-sea by turbidity currents via gaps in the ridges on the lower slope. In addition to land derived terrigenous sediments, the basin deposits also contain biogenic (organic matter and calcium carbonate), eolian detritus and hydrates and authigenic carbonates from the tectonic dewatering of the Makran accretionary wedge. The eolian sediment is carried into the Gulf of Oman Basin from Arabia and the Mesopotamia Valley by the northwesterly Shamal winds. This type of detritus was particularly abundant during the glacial arid periods 21,000–20,000 and 11,000 (Younger Dryas) years ago when exposure of the Persian (Arabian) Gulf increased the area of dust entrainment and shifted the position of the source of the eolian sediments closer to the basin.
Metastatic breast carcinoma mandible in gynecomastia gynecomastic : case report

This is a rare case of breast carcinoma with metastasis to the jaw in a relatively young man with gynecomastia. Immunohistochemical studies suggest a stage differentiation arrest in ductal cells.
Validity and reliability of the Low Flexion measurement for posterior glenohumeral joint capsule tightness

Posterior shoulder tightness is a problem in many patients with shoulder pain. Tightness manifests as decreased range of motion (ROM) caused by loss of posterior capsule or posterior shoulder muscle flexibility. The posterior capsule often loses flexibility in throwing athletes and may also be present in patients with impingement symptoms. A valid and reliable measurement of posterior capsule tightness is critical to making informed decisions about interventions to improve capsule flexibility. Low Flexion (LF) is a new test shown to be valid for assessing change in posterior capsule flexibility. This report describes three independent projects used to evaluate validity and reliability of LF to determine its clinical usefulness. In Study 1, overhead athletes (n = 13) were compared to non-overhead athletes (n = 13) to examine content validity, and in Study 2 pitchers (n = 18) were measured before and after throwing to assess the stability of LF. T-tests were used to compare mean LF in both analyses. In Study 3 patients receiving rehabilitation (n = 25) were measured twice bilaterally by a single rater to estimate overall reliability and reliability in those with shoulder pain (n = 19) using ICC(3,1) and standard error of measurement (SEM). The overhead athletes had dominant arm deficits in LF that were statistically different than the non-overhead athletes, but LF was not significantly different after throwing. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were all above 0.90 and SEM below 3.0°. The Low Flexion test is shown to have acceptable content validity and excellent intra-rater reliability and can be used clinically by one rater to assess posterior capsule tightness.
Machiavellianism, Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Goals, and Social Interest: A Self-Determination Theory Analysis

We employ Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory of motivation in three studies to examine the goals and motivational orientation associated with Machiavellianism (MACH). Goals were classified as either extrinsic (e.g., financial success) or intrinsic (e.g., community feeling). The two types of goals are generally associated with different motivational experiences. Extrinsic goals are typically experienced as externally controlled, whereas intrinsic goals are experienced as self-determined. We predicted that MACH would be associated with an emphasis on the extrinsic goal of financial success specifically, and on a control motivational orientation in general. These predictions received support. Additional findings indicate that MACH is positively associated with alienation and antisocial behavior, but inversely associated with social interest (i.e., Adler, 1964/1938) and prosocial behavior.
Nutrition and the development of cognitive functions: interpretation of behavioral studies in animals and human infants

A rapidly accumulating body of evidence on the neural basis of cognition suggests that cognition is not a unitary function but rather depends on the functions of multiple and dissociable neural systems. The nonlinear interactions in the differing trajectories of these systems during development result in changing patterns of cognitive functions over time; they may also lead to paradoxical outcomes, for which enhancement of one function through dietary intervention may be at the expense of another. This emerging understanding has important implications for the design and interpretation of studies on the cognitive effects of specific nutrients during development. It is important that researchers move away from global tests of development and strive rather to ensure that their choice of behavioral task is based on specific hypotheses of the systems expected to be altered by a dietary manipulation and on an understanding of which behavioral tests are valid, sensitive, and reliable indicators of this disruption. Furthermore, to understand whether accelerated or delayed development related to a particular cognitive function is beneficial or problematic, it is important to study the entire behavioral profile over different time points, rather than relying on one outcome measured at one time point. It is also necessary to control for sensory or motivational differences that will affect performance on the behavioral tasks. Implementation of these methodologic recommendations may contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in the nutrition-associated changes in cognitive functions and thereby aid in the development of an appropriate population-based dietary policy.
A generalized treatment of the dynamics of the adsorption of Langmuirian systems at stationary or rotating disk electrodes

Abstract A simple but comprehensive analysis of the behavior to be expected from molecules whose Langmuirian adsorption on electrodes is controlled by both their rate of transfer to the surface and the rate of their transformation from the dissolved to the adsorbed state (and vice-versa) is presented. A `master equation' relating coverage and time is derived for cases where the mass transport of the adsorbate to the surface of the electrode is by linear diffusion (stationary electrode) or by convection–diffusion (rotating disk electrode). Five sub-cases are examined in which the influence of one (or a combination) of the factors controlling the adsorption is dominant. In each case, an easily computed, dimensionless, integral equation depending on only one parameter is derived. Corresponding calculated values of coverage vs. dimensionless time are presented and their shapes are discussed. A global description of the dynamics of adsorption for Langmuirian systems is thereby achieved.
Path integral methods for computer performance analysis

Abstract The Feynman path integral is presented for analyzing computer performance models which exhibit critical behavior due to the presence of unstable states. We examine previously ignored deterministic “jump” solutions associated with instability transients. Using these solutions, an explicit expression for the lifetime of an induced metastable state is derived for a queueing model of virtual memory.
Evolutionary computation-based approach for model error correction and calibration

Calibration is typically used for improving the predictability of mechanistic simulation models by adjusting a set of model parameters and fitting model predictions to observations. Calibration does not, however, account for or correct potential misspecifications in the model structure, limiting the accuracy of modeled predictions. This paper presents a new approach that addresses both parameter error and model structural error to improve the predictive capabilities of a model. The new approach simultaneously conducts a numeric search for model parameter estimation and a symbolic (regression) search to determine a function to correct misspecifications in model equations. It is based on an evolutionary computation approach that integrates genetic algorithm and genetic programming operators. While this new approach is designed generically and can be applied to a broad array of mechanistic models, it is demonstrated for an illustrative case study involving water quality modeling and prediction. Results based on extensive testing and evaluation, show that the new procedure performs consistently well in fitting a set of training data as well as predicting a set of validation data, and outperforms a calibration procedure and an empirical model fitting procedure.
What is heartburn worth? A cost-utility analysis of management strategies

OBJECTIVE T o determine the best treatment strategy for the management of patients presenting with symptoms consistent with uncomplicated heartburn.
Predictors of survival and incidence of hepatoblastoma in the paediatric population

Objectives This study evaluates current trends in incidence, clinical outcomes and factors predictive of survival in children with hepatoblastoma (HB).
Damage to common plumbing materials caused by overwintering Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae).

The western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Hemiptera: Coreidae), is a polyphagous pest of coniferous trees (Hedlin et al. 1981). Native to western North America, the seed bug has expanded its range to include eastern Canada and the United States (McPherson et al. 1990; Gall 1992; Marshall 1992; Ridge-O'Connor 2001; Bates 2002) and was recently introduced into Europe (Taylor et al. 2001). Both adults and nymphs feed by inserting their stylets into cones and digesting the contents of developing seeds, and they can cause serious economic losses in high-value seed orchards (Strong et al. 2001; Bates et al. 2002; Bates and Borden 2005).
Growing season expansion and related changes in monthly temperature and growing degree days in the Inter-Montane Desert of the San Luis Valley, Colorado

Most climate change studies on high elevation ecosystems identify changes in biota, while several report abiotic factors. However, very few report expansion of the freeze-free period, or discuss monthly changes of temperature and growing degree days (GDD) during the growing season. This study provides initial data on agriculturally-related aspects of climate change during the growing season (M-J-J-A-S) in the inter-montane desert of the San Luis Valley (SLV), Colorado. Temperature data were gathered from 7 climate stations within the SLV. Based on ordinal days, the last vernal freeze is occurring (p < 0.05) earlier at 3 stations than in prior years, ranging between 5.52 and 11.86 days during 1981–2007. Significantly-later autumnal freezes are occurring at 5 stations by 5.95–18.10 days, while expansion of the freeze-free period was significantly longer at all stations by 7.20–24.21 days. The freeze-free period averaged about 93 days prior to the 1980s, but now averages about 107 days. Increases (p < 0.05) in daily mean, maximum, minimum temperature occurred at nearly all stations for each month. Increases in GDD10, GDD4.4 (potato) and GDD5.5 (alfalfa) also occurred at nearly all stations for all months during 1994–2007. Higher temperatures increase the number of GDD, quickening crop growth and maturity, and potentially reducing yield and quality unless varieties are adapted to changes and water is available for the season extension and increased evapotranspiration.
Does lidocaine more effectively prevent pain upon induction with propofol or etomidate when given preemptively than when mixed with the drug

Abstract Study Objective To compare the efficacy of 2% lidocaine "timing" on alleviation of pain upon induction using propofol or etomidate. Design Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. Setting Academic teaching hospital. Patients 80 adult, ASA physical status I, II, and III patients scheduled for elective outpatient or inpatient surgery with an intravenous induction agent. Interventions Patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A received preemptive saline 4 mL and lidocaine 4 mL mixed with either propofol 20 mL (n = 20) or etomidate 20 mL (n = 20). Group B received preemptive lidocaine 4 mL and saline 4 mL mixed with either propofol 20 mL (n = 20) or etomidate 20 mL (n = 20). The 4 mL dose of preemptive drug dwelled for three minutes. Measurements The induction drug mixture was injected over 60 seconds while the patient was assessed for pain using a 4-point scale (0 = no pain,1 = mild, 2=moderate, and 3=severe). Main Results Mean induction pain scores were 1.0 (SD = 0.89) for propofol and 0.9 (SD = 0.90) for etomidate, representing mild induction pain. Mean induction pain scores were 0.93 (SD = 0.92) for the simultaneous treatment groups and 0.98 (SD = 0.87) for the preemptive treatment groups. The observed differences in pain scores between the techniques were not statistically ( P > 0.62) or clinically meaningful. Conclusions Alleviation and intensity of post-injection pain were not significantly influenced by the "timing" of administration of lidocaine 80 mg or by the specific induction drug. Pre-lidocaine and "simultaneous" lidocaine with either propofol or etomidate prevented severe pain in 95% of patients.
Geographic differences in semen quality of fertile U.S. males.

Although geographic variation in semen quality has been reported, this is the first study in the United States to compare semen quality among study centers using standardized methods and strict quality control. We evaluated semen specimens from partners of 512 pregnant women recruited through prenatal clinics in four U.S. cities during 1999-2001; 91% of men provided two specimens. Sperm concentration, semen volume, and motility were determined at the centers, and morphology was assessed at a central laboratory. Study protocols were identical across centers, and quality control was rigorously maintained. Sperm concentration was significantly lower in Columbia, Missouri, than in New York, New York; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Los Angeles, California. Mean counts were 58.7, 102.9, 98.6, and 80.8 X 10(6)/mL (medians 53.5, 88.5, 81.8, and 64.8 X 10(6)/mL) in Missouri, New York, Minnesota, and California, respectively. The total number of motile sperm was also lower in Missouri than in other centers: 113, 196, 201, and 162 X 10(6) in Missouri, New York, Minnesota, and California, respectively. Semen volume and the percent morphologically normal sperm did not differ appreciably among centers. These between-center differences remained significant in multivariate models that controlled for abstinence time, semen analysis time, age, race, smoking, history of sexually transmitted disease, and recent fever (all p-values < 0.01). Confounding factors and differences in study methods are unlikely to account for the lower semen quality seen in this mid-Missouri population. These data suggest that sperm concentration and motility may be reduced in semirural and agricultural areas relative to more urban and less agriculturally exposed areas.
A blinded randomized controlled trial of misoprostol, dinoprostone, and oxytocin for labor induction∗

Abstract Objectives: Our objectives were to compare misoprostol via oral and vaginal routes in a randomized, controlled, blinded fashion; to compare misoprostol with a standard regimen of dinoprostone and oxytocin; to include a broad range of gestational ages; and to include patients with rupture of membranes prior to labor onset. Methods: 156 consecutive patients were enrolled. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Group A received oral misoprostol, 50 μg, and an inert vaginal placebo every 4 hours for 24 hours, with an optional additional dose of 50 μg after the second dose. Group B received misoprostol, 25 μg, intravaginally and an inert oral placebo every 4 hours for 24 hours, with an optional oral placebo after the second dose. Group C received dinoprostone intravaginally for 12 hours followed by oxytocin, or only oxytocin based on admitting bishop’s score. Results: Induction in groups A and B resulted in 86% and 87% vaginal delivery rate, compared with 79% for Group C. Of those delivered vaginally, groups B and C resulted in 20.0 and 20.3 hours to delivery versus 25.9 hours in group A. These differences reached statistical significance. Rates of tachysystole for groups A and B were 16% and 20%, whereas group C was 2%. Hyperstimulation rates were not statistically different (4%, 7%, and 2%, respectively). Conclusions: Misoprostol is superior to dinoprostone/oxytocin in producing vaginal deliveries. Vaginal misoprostol resulted in similar times to delivery as dinoprostone/oxytocin, whereas oral misoprostol required longer induction times. While misoprostol created more tachysystole than dinoprostone/oxytocin, rates of hyperstimulation were similar.
A Numerical Procedure for Computing Fields of Stream Function and Velocity Potential

Abstract A numerical procedure is described for computing a stream-function field from the vorticity of the horizontal wind field. The method was developed for use in meteorological studies which require analyses based solely on wind observations, or for use in the construction of balanced fields of winds and heights. The boundary of the net region is treated by specifying the gradients of the stream function normal to the boundary. The solution for the stream-function field is achieved relatively quickly by the iterative process known as the implicit alternating-direction method. The same procedure is also used to calculate a velocity-potential field from the divergence of the wind field. The computations are performed on a spherical net and have been tested on wind fields over both the United States and the Caribbean. The computed stream-function fields have been found to provide reliable and sufficiently accurate representations of the non-divergent wind field.
High-order cross-section homogenization method

Abstract A high-order cross-section homogenization method based on boundary condition perturbation theory is developed to improve the accuracy of nodal methods for coarse-mesh eigenvalue calculations. The method expands the homogenized parameters such as the cross-sections and the neutron flux discontinuity factor in terms of the node surface current-to-flux ratio. The expansion coefficients are evaluated during the nodal calculations using additional precomputed homogenization parameters. As a result, it is possible to correct (update) the homogenized parameters to arbitrary order of accuracy for the effect of reactor core environment (fuel assembly neutron leakage) with very little computational effort in the core calculation. The reconstructed fine-mesh flux (fuel-pin power) is a natural byproduct of the new method. A benchmark problem typical of a BWR core is analyzed in one dimension, monoenergetic diffusion theory by modifying a nodal method based on a bilinear, flat as well as a fine-mesh intranodal flux shape. The homogenized parameters are first computed using exact (fine-mesh) albedos and compared to those determined from a fine-mesh core calculation. Two nodal (coarse-mesh) examples are given to show how well this approach works as a higher-order perturbation method is utilized. The paper concludes by showing that this method succeeds in giving excellent results for cores that may be difficult to model using standard nodal methods.
Palynological assessment of Holocene mangrove vegetation at the American Memorial Park, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.

Abstract Pollen and spores recovered from three cores of Holocene to recent deposits from the island of Saipan indicate the presence of mangrove vegetation, including Bruguiera and Acrostichum, on the island previous to World War II. The occurrence of Casuarina equisetifolia Linneaus 1759, from cores elsewhere on the island of Saipan, at depths predating the arrival of humans to the island, suggest that this tree species is endemic to Saipan rather than a recent invasive species. These findings will assist in replanting native vegetation once destroyed through wartime activities on the island.