cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactive script instantiation

The KNOBS [ENGELMAN 80] planning system is an experimental expert system which assists a user by instantiating a stereotypical solution to his problem. SNUKA, the natural language understanding component of KNOBS, can engage in a dialog with the user to allow him to enter components of a plan or to ask questions about the contents of a database which describes the planning world. User input is processed with respect to several knowledge sources including word definitions, scripts which describe the relationships among the scenes of the problem solution, and four production system rule bases which determine the proper database access for answering questions, infer missing meaning elements, describe how to conduct a conversation, and monitor the topic of the conversation. SNUKA differs from GUS [BOBROW 77], a dialog system similar to SNUKA in its goals, in its use of a script to guide the conversation, interpret indirect answers to questions, determine the referents of nominals, perform inferences to answer the user's questions, and decide upon the order of asking questions of the user to maintain a coherent conversation. SNUKA differs from other script-based language understanders such as SAM [CULLINGFORD 78] and FRUMP [DEJONG 79] in its role as a conversational participant instead of a story understander.
An Optimal Design Method of Microstructure Using the Homogenization Method

This paper briefly describes a design method of the microstructure of composite materials whose thermo-mechanical characteristics are computed by the homogenization method, and its optimum design is combined with the usual sense structural optimization that defines the best configuration of the macroscopic structural layout.
Residual a Posteriori Error Estimates for the Mixed Finite Element Method

In this paper, residual-based a posteriori error bounds are derived for the mixed finite element method applied to a model second order elliptic problem. A global upper bound for the error in the scalar variable is established, as well as a local lower bound. In addition, due to the fact that the scalar and vector variables are approximated to equal order accuracy, the dual problem may be modified to give an upper bound for the vector variable. Some comments on estimating more general error quantities are also made. The estimate effectively guides adaptive refinement for a smooth problem with a boundary layer, as well as detects the need to refine near a singularity.
An Integrative Framework for Developing and Evaluating a TQM Implementation Plan

This article examines some reasons behind total quality management (TQM) implementation failures and offers a framework for selecting a successful TQM plan. Special attention is paid to the relationships between different TQM tools and techniques and th..
Characterization of a Murine Model of Spinocerebellar Ataxia 13 (S18.006)

Objective: To characterize and analyze a novel transgenic murine model for Spinocerebellar ataxia 13. Background: Our study focuses on the rare autosomal dominant Spinocerebellar Ataxia 13 (SCA13), caused by mutations in the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNC3 (Kv3.3). We previously confirmed causation of SCA13 by the KCNC3 p.Arg423His allele through neurological and genetic characterization of four families. The clinical features demonstrate congenital onset with non-progressive, neurodevelopmental cerebellar hypoplasia with the patients displaying a lifetime improvement in motor and cognitive function, suggestive of compensatory neural mechanisms. To further our understanding of this disease, we have now created a murine model for SCA13 and present results from its behavioral and histopathological characterization. Design/Methods: A BAC construct containing the human p.Arg423His KCNC3 locus was introduced into mouse embryos and one of the subsequent founder lines was used for all analyses. Gait and tremor characterization of the mice was done with an in-house rig and software. Histopathology was analyzed by sectioning and immunostaining the mouse brains at different ages. Other behavioral analysis (Rotarod, open field) was performed per manufacturer’s instructions. Results: The BAC p.Arg423His KCNC3 model displays severe and progressive behavioral abnormalities in gait and coordination, with a strong tremor. The histopathological results show extensive and progressive loss of Purkinje cells with increased astrocyte activation and microgliosis. Conclusions: We have thus established and characterized a transgenic murine SCA13 model for future therapeutic and basic research. Disclosure: Dr. Khare has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nick has nothing to disclose. Dr. Niemczyk has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sanborn has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lewis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nick has nothing to disclose. Dr. Waters has nothing to disclose.
Controlling the grain boundary morphology and secondary γ′ precipitate size distribution in Ni-base superalloys

Abstract The size, morphology and fraction of each of the γ′ precipitate populations in polycrystalline γ- γ′ nickel-base superalloys are highly sensitive to the cooling rate from the solution temperature. As a result, thermal processing parameters are carefully selected to control precipitate populations in an effort to modify specific microstructural features that can impact resulting properties. The present investigation reports on how a stepped cooling rate was able to modify the microstructure of two experimental Ni-base superalloys. Cooling rates of 0.1 °C/s and 0.01 °C/s were maintained through the γ′ solvus temperature to a transition temperature ∼10 °C to 15 °C below the solvus. Following the transition temperature, a controlled cooling rate of 1 °C/s was applied to control the size and distribution of the secondary γ′ precipitates. For both experimental alloys, slow cooling rates through the γ′ solvus temperature resulted in the formation of coarse grain boundary precipitates while secondary γ′ precipitates formed upon the subsequent faster cooling rate of 1 °C/s. Coarse grain boundary γ′ precipitates resulted in higher amplitudes and wavelengths of serration along the boundary. In addition to cooling rate, the grain boundary misorientation was also found to influence the precipitation of grain boundary γ′ with larger precipitate populations found along high angle grain boundaries. Results from this study appear to support the concept that meso-scale engineering of grain boundary structures may potentially be used to enhance and optimize the high temperature properties of Ni-base superalloys.
Branding the Revolution: Havana Club Advertising and the Fight for Cuban Authenticity:

Focusing on Havana Club as a case study, we examine how an authentic Cuba has been discursively constructed by agents embedded within different political ideologies. Our research centers on adverti...
Opioid Prescribing Laws Are Not Associated with Short-term Declines in Prescription Opioid Distribution.

Objective To determine whether the adoption of laws that limit opioid prescribing or dispensing is associated with changes in the volume of opioids distributed in states. Methods State-level data on total prescription opioid distribution for 2015-2017 were obtained from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. We included in our analysis states that enacted an opioid prescribing law in either 2016 or 2017. We used as control states those that did not have an opioid prescribing law during the study period. To avoid confounding, we excluded from our analysis states that enacted or modified mandates to use prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) during the study period. To estimate the effect of opioid prescription laws on opioid distribution, we ran ordinary least squares models with indicators for whether an opioid prescription law was in effect in a state-quarter. We included state and quarter fixed effects to control for time trends and time-invariant differences between states. Results With the exception of methadone and buprenorphine, the amount of opioids distributed in states fell during the study period. The adoption of opioid prescribing laws was not associated with additional decreases in opioids distributed. Conclusions We did not detect an association between adoption of opioid prescribing laws and opioids distributed. States may instead wish to pursue evidence-based efforts to reduce opioid-related harm, with a particular focus on treatment access and harm reduction interventions.
Association Between Cigarette Smoking and Multiple Sclerosis: A Review.

Importance Cigarette smoking is a common environmental exposure and addiction, which has severe health consequences. Smoking is a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS); also, smoking has been associated with disease activity and overall prognosis for patients with MS. Observations Cigarette smoking is an irritative agent on the lungs, in which a proinflammatory cascade starts that culminates in autoimmunity. Inflammation may increase the risk of MS in some individuals, in a process driven by antigen cross-reactivity between lung antigens and myelin antigens. Genetics plays a central role in the individual predisposition to mounting an autoimmune reaction. Also, free radicals, cyanates, and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke may be directly toxic to neurons. Patients with MS who smoke have higher rates of disease activity, faster rates of brain atrophy, and a greater disability burden. Some of the outcomes of smoking were found to be reversible, which makes counseling key. Conclusions and Relevance The pathways involved in cigarette smoking should be further analyzed to understand the mechanisms whereby smoking worsens MS prognosis. The proinflammatory and neurotoxic outcomes of cigarette smoking may be shared by other environmental exposures, such as pollution and organic solvents. From a global perspective, efforts should be made to diminish the prevalence of cigarette smoking in patients with MS.
Raman Spectroscopy Methods to Characterize the Mechanical Response of Soft Biomaterials.

Raman spectroscopy has been used extensively to characterize the influence of mechanical deformation on microstructure changes in biomaterials. While traditional piezo-spectroscopy has been success...
Mouse models for mesothelioma drug discovery and development.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive mesothelial lining tumor. Available drug therapies include chemotherapeutic agents, targeted molecular therapies, and immune system modulators. Mouse models were instr...
Fundamental Analysis of Detailed Financial Data: A Machine Learning Approach

We conduct a fundamental analysis of detailed financial information to predict earnings. Since 2012, all U.S. public companies must tag quantitative amounts in financial statements and footnotes of their 10-K reports using the eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). Leveraging machine learning methods, we combine the high-dimensional XBRL-tagged financial data into a summary measure for the direction of one-year-ahead earnings changes. The measure shows significant out-of-sample predictive power: the area under the curve ranging from 67.52 to 68.66 percent is significantly higher than that of a random guess, which is 50 percent. Hedge portfolios are formed based on this measure during 2015-2018. The annual size-adjusted returns to the hedge portfolios range from 5.02 to 9.74 percent. These returns survive after accounting for transaction costs and using the five-factor Fama and French (2015) model. Our measure and strategies outperform those of Ou and Penman (1989), who extract the summary measure from 65 accounting variables using logistic regressions. Additional analyses suggest that the outperformance stems from both nonlinear predictor interactions missed by regressions and the use of more detailed financial data.
Spatial and Temporal Changes in Halal Food Sales and Consumption A Case Study of the City of Dearborn, Michigan

With a population of 3.5 million and growing in the US, Middle Eastern / North African (MENA) Americans are an integral part of the United States and the world. One of the main agents of cultural m...
Getting into rhythm: developmental emergence of circadian clocks and behaviors

Circadian clocks keep time to coordinate diverse behaviors and physiological functions. While molecular circadian rhythms are evident during early development, most behavioral rhythms, such as sleep-wake, do not emerge until far later. Here, we examine the development of circadian clocks, outputs, and behaviors across phylogeny, with a particular focus on Drosophila. We explore potential mechanisms for how central clocks and circadian output loci establish communication, and discuss why from an evolutionary perspective sleep-wake and other behavioral rhythms emerge long after central clocks begin keeping time.
Probability of PRRS virus detection in pooled processing fluid samples

There has been a tremendous increase in recent years of population-based diagnostic monitoring and surveillance strategies in swine populations. One example is the use of processing fluids (PF) to screen breeding herds for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) activity. An important question from practitioners using such methods is on how intensively can the sample be pooled. More specifically, processing fluids of how many litters can be pooled into a single sample for diagnostic testing to preserve a high probability of PRRSV RNA detection at low prevalence situations? The objective of this study was to model the effect of pooling PF samples on the probability of PRRSV RNA detection. For this study, a PRRSV-positive PF field sample with a RT-rtPCR quantification cycle (Cq) value of 28 was selected to represent a litter of 11 pigs with a single viremic piglet. PF samples from a PRRSV-naive herd were used to perform 6 replications of 8 two-fold serial dilutions of the PRRSV-positive sample, thus modeling the pooling effect (dilution). Each two-fold dilution represented an increase in the number of PRRS-negative pigs in the sample by a factor of 2. Samples were tested for PRRSV RNA by RT-rtPCR and the data was analyzed using linear and probit regression models. There was an average increment of 1.37 points in Ct for each two-fold dilution. The estimated probability of testing positive on RT-rtPCR was 43 %, 80 %, and 95 % when there was a single PRRSv-positive piglet among 784, 492, and 323 PRRSv-negative piglets contributing to the sample respectively. Results from this study support the practice of collecting and aggregating PF samples from multiple litters for PRRSV RNA testing.
Measurements of the dependence of damage thresholds on laser wavelength, pulse duration and film thickness

Results of three experiments will be described. We used 351-nm and 355-nm pulses with durations of 0.6, 1, 5 and 9 ns measure thresholds for a variety of anti-reflectance and high reflectance coatings. The functional form t/sup m/, with t the pulse duration, was used to scale fluence thresholds measured at 0.6 ns to those measured at 9.0 ns. Values of the coefficient m ranged from 0.10 to 0.51. The average value was 0.30. In the second experiment, we measured thresholds at 1064 nm, 527 nm and 355 nm for single-frequency high reflectance ZrO/sub 2//SiO/sub 2/ coatings. Coatings for all three frequencies were deposited simultaneously by use of masks in the coating chamber. Thresholds varied from 2 to 4 J/cm/sup 2/ at 355 nm to 7 to 10 J/cm/sup 2/ at 1064 nm. The third experiment measured thresholds at 355 nm for antireflection coatings made with layer thicknesses varying from greater than one wavelength to less than a quarterwavelength. A significant variation of threshold with coating thickness was not observed, but the median thresholds increased slightly as coating thickness increased.
Composite key management for ad hoc networks

We present composite key management, a novel paradigm for key management in ad hoc networks. While most existing approaches try to fit techniques developed for wired environments into ad hoc networks, our approach works within the specific limitations of ad hoc networks to increase security and availability of the key management framework. By composing techniques from PKI and certificate chaining, composite key management follows two fundamental principles that must be satisfied by an ad hoc key management framework: node participation and the use of a trusted third party. We introduce enhanced metrics of authentication to aid end users in understanding and using the key management framework. Through simulation studies, we demonstrate the effectiveness of composite key management under stressful scenarios where previous approaches fail and show that composite key management can address the challenges posed by the unique nature of ad hoc networks.
Scattering of Light by Free Electrons as a Test of Quantum Theory

Schrodinger and Heisenberg gave two very different views about the physical meaning of an electron wave function. We argue that Schrodinger’s view may have been dismissed prematurely through failure to appreciate the stabilizing effects of forces due to Zitterbewegung, and suggest experiments now feasible which might decide the issue.
Soil-forming processes

Implicit among the features by which soils are recognized and classified are processes that formed them. Such processes are more readily observed in modern soils than in paleosols in which they ceased to act long ago. Nevertheless, processes often can be inferred from features of paleosols or from suites of paleosols. The reconstruction of processes gives meaning and connection to features and kinds of paleosols. One way to learn about soils is to memorize the main features of the principal kinds known. Real profiles do not always match such models exactly. Identification can be aided by understanding soil-forming processes which may have interacted to produce peculiarities of a particular profile.
A swiss anomaly?: A relational account of national boundary-making

. This article reviews how major theorists of nationalism – from Ernest Renan to Benedict Anderson – have tried to come to grips with the puzzle that Swiss nationalism and the Swiss state present in view of the monoethnic states that surround it. I will argue that this puzzle disappears when assuming a political sociology perspective that highlights the networks of political alliances underlying nationalist movements and the power structure of recently formed nation-states. Studying an ‘outlier’ case such as Switzerland helps us to gain insight into the general processes and mechanisms at work in the rise of nationalism and the nation-state.
Dropouts, Defaulters, and Continuing Borrowers: Client Exit from Microfinance

High dropout rates are a problem faced by many microfinance institutions, with borrowers exiting after a few loans. The curiosity of dropouts is that, unlike defaulters, they repay their loans. To understand this I investigate differences across borrowers using data from Zimbabwe. I find that negative shocks are a significant predictor of dropout, but not of default, and that social networks are the most important correlate of on-time repayment. The results show the importance of social networks in determining credit relationships.
On the spectrum of soil moisture from hourly to interannual scales

[1] The spectrum of soil moisture content at scales ranging from 1 hour to 8 years is analyzed for a site whose hydrologic balance is primarily governed by precipitation (p), and evapotranspiration (ET). The site is a uniformly planted loblolly pine stand situated in the southeastern United States and is characterized by a shallow rooting depth (RL) and a near-impervious clay pan just below RL. In this setup, when ET linearly increases with increasing root zone soil moisture content (θ), an analytical model can be derived for the soil moisture content energy spectrum (Es(f), where f is frequency) that predicts the soil moisture “memory” (taken as the integral timescale) as β1−1 ≈ ηRL/ETmax, where ETmax is the maximum measured hourly ET and η is the soil porosity. The spectral model suggests that Es(f) decays at f−2−α at high f but almost white (i.e., f0) at low f, where α is the power law exponent of the rainfall spectrum at high f (α ≈ 0.75 for this site). The rapid Es(f) decay at high f makes the soil moisture variance highly imbalanced in the Fourier domain, thereby permitting much of the soil moisture variability to be described by a limited number of Fourier modes. For the 8-year data collected here, 99.6% of the soil moisture variance could be described by less than 0.4% of its Fourier modes. A practical outcome of this energy imbalance in the frequency domain is that the diurnal cycle in ET can be ignored if β1−1 (estimated at 7.6 days from the model) is much larger than 12 hours. The model, however, underestimates the measured Es(f) at very low frequencies (f ≪ β1) and its memory, estimated from the data at 42 days. This underestimation is due to seasonality in ETmax and to a partial decoupling between ET and soil moisture at low frequencies.
Effect of Inactivated Dopants Clusters and Processing Parameters on Electrical Properties of Indium Tin Oxide on Plastic Substrates

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited on polyethylene napthalate (PEN) by rf sputtering using different rf powers (60 and 120 W) and at different substrate temperatures (room temperature and 100 °C). Rutherford backscattering spectrometry was used to determine the oxygen content in the films. Hall effect measurements were used to evaluate the electrical properties. In this paper the influence of defect structure, sputtering conditions, and the effect of annealing on the electrical and optical properties of ITO on PEN have been investigated. Electrical properties such as carrier concentration, mobility, and resistivity of the ITO films varied with rf power and substrate temperature. The electricalproperties of the films changed after annealing in air. This study also describes how the as-deposited amorphous ITO changes from amorphous to crystalline as a result of heat treatment, and investigates the effects of Sn defect clustering on electrical and optical properties of the ITO films.
Problem encountered in using the Siemens Mevatron-VI linac for total body irradiation.

This paper describes a serious problem that was encountered when the Siemens Mevatron VI, 6 MeV linear acceleration was used for w h o l e b o d y i r r a d i a t i o n at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The problem can be prevented by interrupting whole body irradiation with short periods of cooling. (AIP)
Doxorubicin alters the mitochondrial dynamics machinery and mitophagy in the liver of treated animals.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent, but known to cause cardiac and hepatic toxicity. Mechanisms of toxicity have not been clearly identified, but shown to involve oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, antioxidant supplementation has only shown modest protection from Dox-induced toxicity in clinical trials. Therefore, further research is required to discern alternative mechanisms that may also play an important role in Dox-induced toxicity. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of mitochondrial fusion and fission in Dox-induced hepatic toxicity, which has not yet been investigated. Six-week-old male F344 rats were injected IP with 20 mg/kg of Dox or saline. Once administered, both groups of animals were fasted with no food or water until sacrifice 24 h later. Dox decreased content of primary regulators of mitochondrial fusion (OPA1, MFN1, and MFN2) with no effect on regulators of fission (DRP1 and FIS1), thus shifting the balance favoring mitochondrial fission. Moreover, it was determined that mitochondrial fission was likely not coupled to cell proliferation or cytochrome c release leading to the activation of mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic signaling. Rather, mitochondrial fission may be coupled to mitophagy and may be an adaptive response to protect against Dox-induced hepatic toxicity. This is the first study to report the role of altered mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy machinery in Dox-induced hepatic injury.
Airborne multicamera system for geo-spatial applications

Airborne remote sensing has many applications that include vegetation detection, oceanography, marine biology, geographical information systems, and environmental coastal science analysis. Remotely sensed images, for example, can be used to study the aftermath of episodic events such as the hurricanes and floods that occur year round in the coastal bend area of Corpus Christi. This paper describes an Airborne Multi-Spectral Imaging System that uses digital cameras to provide high resolution at very high rates. The software is based on Delphi 5.0 and IC Imaging Control's ActiveX controls. Both time and the GPS coordinates are recorded. Three successful test flights have been conducted so far. The paper present flight test results and discusses the issues being addressed to fully develop the system.
Laminar thermally developing flow in rectangular channels and parallel plates: uniform heat flux

Numerical simulations were conducted for thermally developing laminar flow in rectangular channels with aspect ratios ranging from 1 to 100, and for parallel plates. The simulations were for laminar, thermally developing flow with H1 boundary conditions: uniform heat flux along the length of the channel and constant temperature around the perimeter. In the limit as the non-dimensional length, x* = x/(D h RePr), goes to zero, the Nusselt number is dependent on x* to the negative exponent m. As the non-dimensional length goes to infinity the Nusselt number approaches fully developed values that are independent of x*. General correlations for the local and mean heat transfer coefficients are presented that use an asymptotic blending function to transition between these limiting cases. The discrepancy between the correlation and the numerical results is less than 2.5 % for all aspect ratios. The correlations presented are applicable to all aspect ratios and all non-dimensional lengths, and decrease the discrepancy relative to existing correlations.
Characterization of Alkaline Hydroxide-Preserved Whole Poultry as a Dry Byproduct Meal

Studies were conducted to examine the chemical preservation of whole broiler carcasses by using aqueous alkaline hydroxide solutions. Conversion of the preserved carcasses and solutions into an acceptable poultry byproduct meal was examined. Carcasses and alkaline solutions at a 1:1 ratio were blended and freeze-dried to produce a high fat whole poultry byproduct meal. The dry meal was analyzed for nutrient composition, true metabolizable energy, and amino acid content. Viable bacteria were not recovered after inoculation of the experimental meal with Salmonella enteritidis. The meal was incorporated at 5 and 10% of chick starter diets. Chicks found the meal-containing diets acceptable. Feed consumption, water consumption, BW, and mortality were not significantly different among the dietary treatments in either of the two feeding trials. Necropsy samples revealed no pathological or histological differences attributable to consumption of the alkaline poultry byproduct and blood serum evaluation found no variation in blood chemistry. Alkaline treatment of whole broiler carcasses was an effective preservation method and acceptable as a dry poultry byproduct meal.
A Classification Scheme for Satellite Temperature Retrievals.

Abstract A new approach is presented to the problem of specifying constraints on retrieval estimators used to calculate vertical temperature profiles from satellite measurements of upwelling radiance. An unsupervised classification scheme determines the typical shapes of temperature profiles that represent meteorologically significant events in some large ensemble of profiles. A data base for this purpose is developed, and a set of typical shape functions (TSFs) calculated to represent the sample. The TSFs are used to specify a radiance classifier which, given a radiance observation, defines the TSF class and thereby the constraints upon the retrieval estimator. An example is given, using simulated 15 μm data for the NOAA-6 TOVS. Preliminary calculations with synthetic radiance data indicate that an optimum inverse retrieval estimator using TSF-defined constraints results in rms differences that are approximately 50% better than those for a truncated eigenvector expansion regression estimator using zonall...
Cancers in 44 families with ataxia-telangiectasia.

Abstract Cancer incidence was measured retrospectively in 574 close blood relatives of white ataxiatelangiectasia (A-T) patients and 213 spouse controls in 44 previously unreported families. The cancer incidence rate in the adult blood relatives was significantly elevated over the rate in the spouse controls (rate ratio = 3.9, p
Micro Particle Detachment in Turbulent Flows With Electrostatic and Capillary Effects and Surface Deformation

Rolling detachment of micro particles in the presence of electrostatic and capillary forces based on the maximum adhesion resistance was studied. The effective thermodynamic work of adhesion including the effects of electrostatic and capillary forces was used in the analysis. The JKR and DMT models for elastic interface deformations and the Maugis-Pollock model for the plastic deformation were extended to include the effect of electrostatic and capillary forces. Under turbulent flow conditions, the turbulence burst model was used to evaluate the airflow velocity near the substrate. The critical shear velocities for removal of particles of different sizes were evaluated and the results were compared with those without electrostatic and capillary forces. It shows that the capillary forces significantly increases the critical shear velocities for particles of all sizes, while the electrostatic forces only have major effects on large particles. The model predictions were compared with the available experimental data and good agreement was observed.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Contextual encoding of geospatial data

Contextual encoding represents information using data attributes that collectively form context. In case of geospatial data, these attributes may include color, texture, and structure attributes of geospatial entities. This paper introduces the paradigm of contextual encoding. It then presents algorithms for generating contextual encoding of geospatial data by automatically deriving salient visual cues such as color, texture, and structure of geospatial entities. The derived encoding can then be used for mapping applications such as generating rich maps, routing directions, location search, clustering, navigation, and reverse geocoding.
Periocular cutaneous malignancies: a review of the literature.

Background The periocular skin is susceptible to numerous benign and malignant neoplasms. Periocular malignancies may present differently, behave more aggressively, and pose greater challenges for treatment and repair than malignancies at other cutaneous sites. Between 5% and 10% of cutaneous malignancies occur periorbitally, with basal cell carcinoma reported as the most common malignant periocular tumor, followed by squamous cell carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, cutaneous melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and other rare tumors. Objective To review the current literature on cutaneous malignancies of the periocular region pertaining to etiology, incidence, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, complications, and treatment options. Materials and methods An extensive literature review was conducted using PubMed, searching for articles on periocular and periorbital cutaneous malignancies. Conclusions Timely diagnosis and management of periocular malignancies is essential because of their proximity to and potential to invade vital structures such as the orbit, sinuses, and brain. Surgical excision remains the standard of care for the majority of periorbital malignancies, but given the sensitive anatomic location, tissue-sparing techniques with margin control such as Mohs micrographic surgery are the preferred method for most nonmelanoma skin cancers. Depending on tumor type, other treatment modalities may include radiation, chemotherapy, cryosurgery, topical medications, and photodynamic therapy.
Splatter during jet irrigation cleansing of a wound model: A comparison of three inexpensive devices

Study objective: Pressurized jet irrigation is commonly used to cleanse traumatic wounds but results in splatter of blood, a biohazard. Three inexpensive irrigation devices were compared to assess the degree of splatter produced: a 1.25-in. 18-gauge angiocath, an Irrijet Irrigation System with a 12.7-cm splash shield, and a Zerowet Splashield held directly against the wound (Zerowet-C) and held 4 to 10 cm from the wound, an incorrect technique (Zerowet-I). Design: A standard laceration was created in pieces of beef. This wound model was placed 1 m from the floor. Paper grid sheets were placed on the irrigator's face and chest. Six grid sheets were suspended at the 9:00, 12:00, and 3:00 positions 1 m from the wound model and 1 and 1.5 m from the floor to simulate exposure to nearby individuals. Two grid sheets were placed flat on the floor, at the 10:30 and 1:30 positions, 1 m from the base of the wound model stand. The study area was contained in a 3 × 2 × 2 m plastic sheet enclosure to prevent air drafts. Intervention: Ten irrigations were performed with the angiocath, Irrijet, Zerowet-I, and Zerowet-C. Each run used 200 mL methylene blue solution delivered with a 50-mL syringe by one-hand pressure. The methylene blue splatter on each of the grids was counted by size (diameter, less than 1 mm, more than 1 mm and less than 5 mm, more than 5 mm and less than 10 mm, and more than 10 mm). Results: There was significantly less splatter onto the irrigator's face and chest with Irrijet, Zerowet-I, and Zerowet-C. No facial splatter occurred with Zerowet-C. There was significantly less splatter at the 9:00 and 12:00 positions at both heights, and on the floor with Irrijet, Zerowet-I, and Zerowet-C. Less significant splatter difference was noted at the 3:00 position. Conclusion: Irrijet, Zerowet-I, and Zerowet-C were superior to the angiocath in preventing splatter during this wound model irrigation. The correct of Zerowet (Zerowet-C) was particularly effective in preventing splatter onto the irrigator's face.
A note on matrices of zeros and ones

Gale and Ryser have given a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a matrix of zeros and ones with specified row and column sums. Though in general it appears quite difficult to compute the number of such matrices, it is shown in this note that it is possible to obtain a quite elementary and easily used formula in a large number of interesting cases.
Don't move: LRRK2 arrests NFAT in the cytoplasm

The kinase LRRK2 is a risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease. New data show that LRRK2 blocks the transport of NFAT to the nucleus and that LRRK2 deficiency results in enhanced susceptibility to experimental colitis in mice.
Cytogenetics of leukemia.

Introduction The study of chromosomes in leukemia has contributed significantly to understanding the biology of the disease, including both some of the molecular (genetic) aberrations involved in pathogenesis and prediction of response to treatment. Cytogenetic aberrations in malignancy can be either primary or secondary (1,2). Primary aberrations are believed to be pathogenic and thus tend to be disease-specific (1). Secondary aberrations are superimposed upon the primary aberrations and may contribute to disease progression; they are less disease-specific, and the same abnormality may occur as a secondary abnormality in various malignancies (2). This article will discuss the primary cytogenetic aberration associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), some of the primary cytogenetic aberrations that occur in acute leukemia, both nonlymphocytic (ANLL) and lymphocytic (ALL), the molecular aberrations that give rise to these chromosomally visible alterations, and the prognostic significance of the cyt...
The Effect of Moisture on the Structural Stability of a Coal Cavity

The drying of coal and the associated thermal and moisture-induced stresses are examined with a numerical model to estimate the rate of surface regression in underground coal gasification. The model include internal convection, diffusion, conduction and flow of liquid, vapor and gas. The structural failure is modeled by three different mechanisms based upon a strength reduction due to heating, drying, or crack formation. Using properties and boundary conditions appropriate to Western United States coal, the model predicts a regression rate which is in qualitative agreement with measured results. Using the model, it is possible to examine different thermal and failure modes and to gain an understanding of some of the mechanisms which may control the surface regression of coal during gasification. These results may be applicable to the formation of rubble during gasification and to internal cavity collapse.
Gene-expression profiling of adrenocortical carcinoma

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy of the adrenal cortex, associated with a generally dismal prognosis owing to its aggressive behavior. The clinical management of ACC is complicated by the inadequacy of current diagnostic modalities to accurately distinguish benign from malignant adrenocortical tumors. In addition, efforts to better predict clinical tumor behavior are limited by the lack of a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of adrenocortical carcinogenesis. There have been no significant improvements in the treatment of ACC. Thus, there is a pressing need for the development of new therapeutic approaches for patients with ACC, as most patients present with advanced locoregional and metastatic disease. The prospects of identifying diagnostic and prognostic markers or gene profiles for ACC have significantly improved with the development of genome-wide gene-expression analysis. Since 2003, several studies have reported distinct gene-expression profiles between benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors that may have diagnostic and prognostic clinical utility. In this article, we discuss the limitations of the clinical management of ACC, and the gene-expression profile studies that have attempted to address these limitations.
Too good to care

Tested how skill at video games affected aggression related outcomes.Built a custom game environment to control for the amount, type, and context of violence.Higher skilled players experienced diminished aggression related outcomes.Higher skilled players experienced higher construal levels and perceived less violence. An experiment tested if higher skilled players would experience diminished aggression related outcomes compared to lower skilled players due to flow state optimization. Specifically, the study observed if higher flow states made narrative-defined game goals more salient, thus reducing focus on the more peripheral violent content. After controlling for the amount, type, and context of violence, higher skilled players experienced lower levels of hostility and aggression related cognitions and greater levels of flow than lower skilled players. Additionally, skill altered players' perceptions as well, as higher skilled players experienced higher construal levels and perceived less violence than lower skilled players.
Nongeometric field enhancement in semiconducting cold cathodes and in metal-insulator-semiconductor structures

We extend the usual one-dimensional equilibrium theory of the surface space charge region that screens a semiconductor from an external electric field in order to admit perturbations in three dimensions and time. We identify a class of perturbations of the one-dimensional equilibrium that grow exponentially in time at least until our first-order perturbation theory fails. The resulting spontaneous field enhancement may explain enhancement factors observed in electron emission from semiconducting cathodes and may similarly contribute to gate leakage in metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistors.
Toward a multiple copy file assignment model for files in a computer system

The placement of files among computer system storage devices can have a significant impact on system performance. Here we present a method to represent multiple copies of read-write files that accounts for the overhead involved in updates. We then present a solution technique for the file assignment problem for the case of read-write files without multiple copies. The technique analyzes the system as a network of queues and assigns files to devices by integer programming. The resultant file assignment is optimal with respect to CPU throughput.
Typing mineral deposits using their associated rocks, grades and tonnages using a probabilistic neural network

A probabilistic neural network is employed to classify 1610 mineral deposits into 18 types using tonnage, average Cu, Mo, Ag, Au, Zn, and Pb grades, and six generalized rock types. The purpose is to examine whether neural networks might serve for integrating geoscience information available in large mineral databases to classify sites by deposit type. Successful classifications of 805 deposits not used in training—87% with grouped porphyry copper deposits—and the nature of misclassifications demonstrate the power of probabilistic neural networks and the value of quantitative mineral-deposit models. The results also suggest that neural networks can classify deposits as well as experienced economic geologists.
Graptolite reflectance in the prehnite-pumpellyite zone of Northern Maine, U.S.A.

Abstract Reflectance data has been collected on Ordovician-Lower Devonian graptolites from the prehnite-pumpellyite metamorphic region in northeast Aroostook County, Maine, U.S.A., at the northern end of the Appalachian Mountain Belt. The data is reported as the mean maximum reflectance which, crossplots, (maximum and minimum reflectance vs bireflectance) demonstrate, is similar for samples mounted either perpendicular or parallel to bedding, given a moderately sized data set (> 20 points). Like the prehnite-pumpellyite subfacies, graptolite reflectance increases from west (1.5%) to east (5.5%) and supports a post-Early Devonian (Acadian) age for the regional metamorphism. Reflectance contours show, however, that the area of highest metamorphism is to the east rather than the southeast where limited data suggest the level of metamorphism may actually decrease slightly, illustrating the advantage of continuously increasing organic maturation indicators for outlining thermal patterns in broad areas of low grade regional metamorphism.
OBO: An Output-by-Output Scoring Algorithm for Fault Diagnosis

Some of the simplest and most effective fault diagnosis procedures for scan circuits use scoring algorithms for associating a number, called a score, with every modeled fault they consider. The score measures the likelihood that the fault is present in a chip given its observed output response. The faults with the highest scores are included in the set of candidate faults. However, scoring algorithms do not provide information about how many of the highest scores should be used for defining a set of candidate faults that will point accurately to the defect locations in the chip. This paper introduces a new type of scoring algorithm to address this issue. The new algorithm, referred to as output-by-output scoring, considers every output value separately, and defines a set of candidate faults with the very highest scores on an output-by-output basis. This allows the algorithm to adjust the scores it uses automatically on an output-by-output basis and compute an accurate set of candidate faults.
Vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 is expressed in intestinal ER

Intestinal dietary triacylglycerol absorption is a multi-step process. Triacylglycerol exit from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the rate-limiting step in the progress of the lipid from its apical absorption to its basolateral membrane export. Triacylglycerol is transported from the ER to the cis Golgi in a specialized vesicle, the pre-chylomicron transport vesicle (PCTV). The vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 (VAMP7) was found to be more concentrated on PCTVs compared with ER membranes. VAMP7 has been previously identified associated with post-Golgi sites in eukaryotes. To examine the potential role of VAMP7 in PCTV trafficking, antibodies were generated that identified a 25 kDa band consistent with VAMP7 but did not crossreact with VAMP1,2. VAMP7 was concentrated on intestinal ER by immunofluorescence microscopy. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that the ER proteins Sar1 and rBet1 were present on PCTVs and colocalized with VAMP7. Iodixanol gradient centrifugation showed VAMP7 to be isodense with ER and endosomes. Although VAMP7 localized to intestinal ER, it was not present in the ER of liver and kidney. Anti-VAMP7 antibodies reduced the transfer of triacylglycerol, but not newly synthesized proteins, from the ER to the Golgi by 85%. We conclude that VAMP7 is enriched in intestinal ER and that it plays a functional role in the delivery of triacylglycerol from the ER to the Golgi.
Additive-enhanced coarsening and smoothening of metal films: Complex mass-flow dynamics underlying nanostructure evolution

Exposure of Ag/Ag(100) thin films to molecular oxygen $({\mathrm{O}}_{2})$ at 220--250 K is shown to activate low-temperature coarsening of submonolayer island distributions, and a smoothing of multilayer films with ``mounded'' morphologies. Dissociation of ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ at kink sites populates step edges with atomic oxygen (O), modifying the step-edge energetics, and facilitating Ostwald ripening of film nanostructures. We propose that ripening occurs by ``easy'' detachment and terrace diffusion of an ${\mathrm{Ag}}_{n}\mathrm{O}$ species. Cluster diffusion does not play a significant role, contrasting with the O-free system.
Two caveats concerning the use of autocorrelations in forecasting

Abstract This article identifies two caveats regarding the calculation of autocorrelations when the approximate expression found in most forecasting software packages is employed. First, difficulties with the approximation are highlighted. A superior approximation is noted and discussed, although it is argued that the exact formula should be used. Second, it is suggested that the sample mean not be included in the computation of the autocorrelation function unless the null hypothesis of zero mean has been rejected. The Institute of Management Science, and the American Institute of Decision Sciences.
Changes in Pharmacokinetics of Anti-HIV Protease Inhibitors during Pregnancy: The Role of CYP3A and P-glycoprotein

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women have reduced exposure [area under the curve (AUC)] to anti-HIV protease inhibitors [e.g., nelfinavir (NFV)] during pregnancy. To determine the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon, we administered NFV mesylate orally (2.5 mg) or intravenously (0.625 mg) to timed pregnant (gestational age: 18-19 days) and non-pregnant FVB mice. After oral but not after i.v. administration, the plasma clearance of NFV was higher (by 134%, p 0.05) was not significantly different between the two groups. P-glycoprotein expression (n = 6) in hepatic and intestinal tissue of pregnant mice was not significantly different from that in nonpregnant mice. These changes in disposition of NFV during pregnancy are predominately due to a change in its bioavailability. An increase in hepatic CYP3A can explain the reduced bioavailability of NFV during pregnancy. If such upregulation of hepatic CYP3A activity occurs in pregnant women, it has important implications for dose adjustment of a variety of drugs ingested by pregnant women and cleared predominately via CYP3A metabolism.