cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of 20-HETE in the impaired myogenic and TGF responses of the Af-Art of Dahl salt-sensitive rats

The present study examined whether 20-HETE production is reduced in the renal vasculature and whether this impairs myogenic or tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) responses of the afferent arteriole (Af-Art). The production of 20-HETE was 73% lower in renal microvessels of Dahl salt-sensitive rats (SS) rats than in SS.5BN rats, in which chromosome 5 from the Brown Norway (BN) rat containing the CYP4A genes was transferred into the SS genetic background. The luminal diameter of the Af-Art decreased by 14.7 ± 1.5% in SS.5BN rats when the perfusion pressure was increased from 60 to 120 mmHg, but it remained unaltered in SS rats. Administration of an adenosine type 1 receptor agonist (CCPA, 1 μM) reduced the diameter of the Af-Art in the SS.5BN rats by 44 ± 2%, whereas the diameter of the Af-Art of SS rats was unaltered. Autoregulation of renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular capillary pressure (PGC) was significantly impaired in SS rats but was intact in SS.5BN rats. Administration of a 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor, HET0016 (1 μM), completely blocked the myogenic and adenosine responses in the Af-Art and autoregulation of RBF and PGC in SS.5BN rats, but it had no effect in SS rats. These data indicate that a deficiency in the formation of 20-HETE in renal microvessels impairs the reactivity of the Af-Art of SS rats and likely contributes to the development of hypertension induced renal injury.
Development of self-contained sensor skin for highway bridge monitoring

This paper provides an overview and preliminary results of a newly awarded NSF project on civil structure health monitoring under CMS Sensor Program. The goal of this project is to develop the fundamental concepts, theoretical frameworks and implementation techniques for a self-contained active sensor skin in the context of highway bridge structural safety monitoring. The proposed sensor skin will be composed of (1) active sensing patches using piezoelectric materials for damage diagnosis, (2) radio frequency (RF) transceivers for wireless data transmission, and (3) embedded planar spirals for contact-less power delivery. The self-contained sensor skin will be designed such that it does not require any embedded batteries nor have any wire connection for power delivery and data transmission. Once data are retrieved at the inspection platform, an innovative damage detection algorithm will identify structural damage without replying on prior reference data. In this paper, preliminary results are presented on building a practical contact-less power delivery system and an on-chip signal generator for active sensors. A prototype of the contact-less power delivery circuit, which consists of a transformer and a AC-to-DC converter/regulator, is built using discrete circuit components. The transformer is composed of a ferrite core which is wound around by a pair of coils. One of the coils is connected to the high voltage power terminal and the other one is connected to the rectifier terminal. Then an AC-to-DC converter/regulator will provide an appropriate voltage level necessary for the operation of the on-chip signal generator. The on-chip signal generator is designed to realize a targeted inspection signal for activation of Macro Fiber Composite (MFC). The Colpitts LC-tank oscillator topology is chosen for the generation of the carrier frequency, and a low-frequency modulation signal is directly applied to the core circuit of the oscillator to finalize the predetermined inspection signal. In the future, the contact-less power delivery circuits will be integrated with the on-chip signal generator to complete the circuit designs for driving MFC.
Streptomyces R61 dd-carboxypeptidase: Hydrolysis of X-d-alanyl-d-alanine peptides measured by a fluorometric assay

Abstract A fluorometric procedure for measuring the activity of dd -carboxypeptidase is described. The method is based on the reaction of one of the products, d -alanine, with o -phthaldialdehyde to form a highly fluorescent adduct. The method has been applied in examining a series of X - d -alanyl- d -alanine peptides as substrates of the penicillin-sensitive dd -carboxypeptidase from Streptomyces R61. The effect of the third residue, X , on kinetic parameters and its implications on the steric analog model for penicillin action are also discussed.
Finding Good Starting Points for Solving Structured and Unstructured Nonlinear Constrained Optimization Problems

In this paper, we develop heuristics for finding good starting points when solving large-scale nonlinear constrained optimization problems (COPs). We focus on nonlinear programming (NLP) and mixed-integer NLP (MINLP) problems with nonlinear non-convex objective and constraint functions. By exploiting the highly structured constraints in these problems, we first solve one or more simplified versions of the original COP, before generalizing the solutions found by interpolation or extrapolation to a good starting point. In our experimental evaluations of 190 NLP (resp., 52 MINLP) benchmark problems, our approach can solve 97.9% (resp., 71.2%) of the problems using significantly less iterations from our proposed starting points, as compared to 85.3% (resp., 46.2%) of the problems solvable by the best existing solvers from their default starting points.
Gastrointestinal Disease and Its Management

Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases involving the alimentary tract and hepatobiliary system are common in geriatric dogs and cats. Inflammatory disorders predominate, but motility disturbances and degenerative lesions may also cause GI signs in affected animals. Treatment is directed at correction of the underlying cause and often requires tissue biopsy. The prognosis is good in many diseases with appropriate drug, nutritional, and/or surgical therapy.
The influence of different brain regions on periodic motility of the chick embryo.

Previous investigations have shown that the motility of the normal chick embryo was spontaneous and periodic. Activity increased from 40% of a 15-minute observation period at day 9 to more than 80% on day 13. Experimental embryos with cervical spinal gaps showed mean activity levels about 10–20% below normal embryos. The following experiments were designed to analyze this difference, which was attributed to the brain. Operations performed on 1 1/2-day-old embryos consisted of: (a.) Extripations of the mesencephalon. (b.) Extripations of the mesencephalon plus the metencephalon. Durations of activity and inactivity phases were recorded between 8 and 18 days of incubation and the mean per cent of time spent in activity during standard observation periods was calculated and plotted graphically. Gross effects of these ablations on the morphology were noted and their extents histologically determined. Data were analyzed statistically and compared with those of normal and spinal embryos. Embryos with a gap anterior to the medulla showed an influence from this region of the brain on days 9 and 17. The cerebellum showed a contribution to motility following day 13. Brain parts rostral to the cerebellum influenced embryonic motility on days 11 through 15. This does not preclude that these brain regions were inactive at other stages where their influence may have been too slight to be detected, or masked or inhibited by stimulation from other regions of the brain.
The space cost of lazy reference counting

Reference counting memory management is often advocated as a technique for reducing or avoiding the pauses associated with tracing garbage collection. We present some measurements to remind the reader that classic reference count implementations may in fact exhibit longer pauses than tracing collectors.We then analyze reference counting with lazy deletion, the standard technique for avoiding long pauses by deferring deletions and associated reference count decrements, usually to allocation time. Our principal result is that if each reference count operation is constrained to take constant time, then the overall space requirements can be increased by a factor of Ω(R) in the worst case, where R is the ratio between the size of the largest and smallest allocated object. This bound is achievable, but probably large enough to render this design point useless for most real-time applications.We show that this space cost can largely be avoided if allocating an $n$ byte object is allowed to additionally perform O(n) reference counting work.
The Writing Pal Intelligent Tutoring System: Usability Testing and Development

The Writing Pal (W-Pal) is an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) designed to improve students’ writing proficiency via a unique combination of explicit strategy instruction, game-based practice, essay writing practice, and automated formative feedback. To develop and refine the many features of the W-Pal tutoring system, we have employed a multiple-method usability testing approach, which capitalizes on the complementary strengths and weakness of methods such as focus groups, component studies, internal testing, and in vivo testing. These diverse methods allow researchers to benefit from focused student input, instructor input, and iterative development, while also gathering data in ecologically-valid settings. In this paper, we describe some of the testing and development of aspects of W-Pal, consider the challenges of building such a system, and provide a particular emphasis on a feasibility study that integrated W-Pal into high school English classrooms during a school year. The results of this study showed that students perceived the system as informative, valuable, and enjoyable, and results also highlighted specific ways that these aspects of the system could be further enhanced. Based upon these findings, a significantly updated version of W-Pal has been developed. The current W-Pal system is described along with considerations for future research and how the system may be used to supplement writing instruction.
Human immunodeficiency virus‐1‐tat induces matrix metalloproteinase‐9 in monocytes through protein tyrosine phosphatase‐mediated activation of nuclear transcription factor NF‐κB

We have previously shown that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-tat induces the production of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in human monocytes by a mechanism that is not understood. In the present report, we demonstrate that HIV-tat-induced expression of MMP-9 is blocked by inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases). PTPase inhibitors also blocked HIV-tat-induced nuclear transcription factor NF-κB activation and IκBα degradation required for MMP-9 induction. These results suggest that HIV-tat induces MMP-9 in human monocytes through activation of PTPase and NF-κB.
Adoption of Virtual Try-on technology for online apparel shopping

Virtual try-on technology (referred to in this article as Virtual Try-on) can deliver product information that is similar to the information obtained from direct product examination. In addition, the interactivity and customer involvement created by Virtual Try-on can enhance the entertainment value of the online shopping experience. We used focus group interviews and an online national survey to investigate online apparel shoppers’ use of Virtual Try-on to reduce product risks and increase enjoyment in online shopping.We also examined the impact of two important external variables (innovativeness and technology anxiety) that are not included in the electronic Technology Acceptance Model (e-TAM) but were expected to influence adoption of Virtual Try-on and whether or not gender differences existed in the Virtual Try-on adoption process. We examined this dual (functional and hedonic) role of Virtual Try-on by applying a modified e-TAM model to the Virtual Try-on technology adoption process and tested model invariance among male and female shoppers using Virtual Try-on in a simulated online shopping experience. The extended research model was validated in the context of Virtual Try-on adoption.Technology anxiety and innovativeness had significant moderating effects on the relationship between attitude and use of Virtual Try-on technology; however, there was no significant gender difference in the overall adoption process for Virtual Try-on.
Population Composition, Migration and Inequality: The Influence of Demographic Changes on Disaster Risk and Vulnerability

The changing demographic landscape of the United States calls for a reassessment of the societal impacts and consequences of so-called "natural" and technological disasters. An increasing trend towards greater demographic and socio-economic diversity (in part due to high rates of international immigration), combined with mounting disaster losses, have brought about a more serious focus among scholars on how changing population patterns shape the vulnerability and resiliency of social systems. Recent disasters, such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004) and Hurricane Katrina (2005), point to the differential impacts of disasters on certain communities, particularly those that do not have the necessary resources to cope with and recover from such events. This paper interprets these impacts within the context of economic, cultural, and social capital, as well as broader human ecological forces. The paper also makes important contributions to the social science disaster research literature by examining population growth, composition, and distribution in the context of disaster risk and vulnerability. Population dynamics (e.g., population growth, migration, and urbanization) are perhaps one of the most important factors that have increased our exposure to disasters and have contributed to the devastating impacts of these events, as the case of Hurricane Katrina illustrates. Nevertheless, the scientific literature exploring these issues is quite limited. We argue that if we fail to acknowledge and act on the mounting evidence regarding population composition, migration, inequality, and disaster vulnerability, we will continue to experience disasters with greater regularity and intensity.
Problem-based learning

In problem-based learning, students working in collaborative groups learn by resolving complex, realistic problems under the guidance of faculty. In this chapter, we examine the evidence for effectiveness of the method to achieve its goals of fostering deep understandings of content and discuss the potential for developing process skills: research, negotiation and teamwork, writing, and verbal communication.
Metabolic Flexibility and Dysfunction in Cardiovascular Cells

Cardiovascular cells that contribute directly to atherosclerosis and cardiac dysfunction are known to exhibit metabolic flexibility, characterized by the ability to switch from generating ATP primarily through oxidative phosphorylation to using glycolysis as the predominate energy source, and to shift from one fuel source to another. This flexibility occurs in endothelial cells (ECs), myeloid cells, and cardiomyocytes during normal development and physiology, and is thought to have evolved to protect cells with heightened energy demand from the increased oxidative stress that can be a result of oxidative phosphorylation,1 to shunt glucose to side branches of glycolysis,2 to provide energy more rapidly,1 or to use the most abundant fuel available.3 With the growing problem of systemic nutrient overload and associated insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic flexibility and dysfunction in cells involved in cardiovascular disease have received increased attention as possible contributors to systemic inflammation and cardiovascular risk associated with these states. Systemic insulin resistance is thought to be due primarily to nutrient overload in skeletal muscle and liver as a consequence of an inability of adipose tissue to store excess nutrients in the form of triacylglycerol-rich lipid droplets, and a subsequent increase in detrimental lipid species in liver and skeletal muscle, which are inadequately equipped to store large amounts of lipid. Accumulation of noxious lipids leads to dysfunction in liver and skeletal muscle cells characterized by insulin resistance, increased activation of the unfolded protein response, and increased production of inflammatory mediators.4–6 The lipid mediators most likely responsible are diacylglycerols and ceramides, which are associated with insulin resistance in these tissues.5 Insulin resistance is well known to be associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, accumulation of hepatic lipids in subjects with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated …
Reducing the cost of computational fluid dynamics optimization using multi layer perceptrons

The paper presents a method for reducing the cost of computational fluid dynamics optimization by using a neural network to fill-in the design space. The method trains a network to approximate the aero- or hydrodynamic performance of vehicles with the cascade correlation algorithm. This network is coupled with a genetic algorithm to optimize the hydrodynamic performance of the configuration.
The Number Wheel: A tablet based valuator for interactive three-dimensional positioning

A logical valuator device which provides interactive graphical input of numeric values is presented. This device, called the Number Wheel, was developed for interactive control of highly dynamic three-dimensional displays but is not limited to this use: It is a general purpose valuator device. The implementation of the Number Wheel described here is based upon a digitizer tablet as the physical input device.The character of the Number Wheel is best explained by developing an analogy with a hypothetical physical device. The Number Wheel can be thought of as a wheel which has a portion of its circumference, or tread, protruding through a slot on the surface of the tablet, somewhat like a giant thumb wheel. Each value in the desired range of the valuator is represented by a point on the circumference of the wheel with the value of the device at any given time being the point at the top of the wheel. The valuator is changed by putting the pen on the wheel where it protrudes through the tablet and moving it back or forth in the direction of rotation. Whenever the pen leaves the rim of the wheel while still moving, the Number Wheel maintains the same speed of rotation until the pen returns to the wheel in order to change or stop its movement.
Sleep Does Not Enhance the Recovery of Deprived Eye Responses in Developing Visual Cortex

Monocular deprivation (MD) during a critical period of visual development triggers a rapid remodeling of cortical responses in favor of the open eye. We have previously shown that this process is enhanced by sleep and is inhibited when the sleeping cortex is reversibly inactivated. A related but distinct form of cortical plasticity is evoked when the originally deprived eye (ODE) is reopened, and the non-deprived eye is closed during the critical period (reverse monocular deprivation (RMD)). Recent studies suggest that different mechanisms regulate the initial loss of deprived eye responses following MD and the recovery of deprived eye responses following RMD. In this study we investigated whether sleep also enhances RMD plasticity in critical period cats. Using polysomnography combined with microelectrode recordings and intrinsic signal optical imaging in visual cortex we show that sleep does not enhance the recovery of ODE responses following RMD. These findings add to the growing evidence that different forms of plasticity in vivo are regulated by distinct mechanisms and that sleep has divergent roles upon different types of experience-dependent cortical plasticity.
Nonlinear Low-Dimensional Regression Using Auxiliary Coordinates

When doing regression with inputs and outputs that are high-dimensional, it often makes sense to reduce the dimensionality of the inputs before mapping to the outputs. Much work in statistics and machine learning, such as reduced-rank regression, sliced inverse regression and their variants, has focused on linear dimensionality reduction, or on estimating the dimensionality reduction first and then the mapping. We propose a method where both the dimensionality reduction and the mapping can be nonlinear and are estimated jointly. Our key idea is to define an objective function where the low-dimensional coordinates are free parameters, in addition to the dimensionality reduction and the mapping. This has the effect of decoupling many groups of parameters from each other, affording a far more effective optimization than if using a deep network with nested mappings, and to use a good initialization from sliced inverse regression or spectral methods. Our experiments with image and robot applications show our approach to improve over direct regression and various existing approaches.
Using extensible modeling in systems engineering and architectural search

The system architecting process is the hierarchical reduction of ambiguity associated with user needs and system design. Design allocation, and subsequent integration, implicitly requires a mechanism by which levels of detail can be added and removed from a decision scenario. This paper addresses the idea of engineering model sharing through the concept of vertical and horizontal extensibility as one mechanism by which hierarchical reduction in ambiguity can be facilitated. Extensible modeling introduces a systems architecting approach to the modeling community by identifying model interfaces and carefully decomposing the model domain. While the actual system hardware is not known at the time of initial design, performance sensitivities can be explored and formally communicated back to the system architect by determining membership in a fuzzy performance metric such as an architectural safety factor. This paper uses a notional vehicle mounted wireless communication system to illustrate the importance of considering environmental coupling variables through the use of extensible modeling and illustrates how fuzzy thinking can communicate the sensitivity of a system design.
Facilitating Social Initiations of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders Using Video Self-Modeling.

Video self-modeling (VSM) has accumulated a relatively impressive track record in the research literature across behaviors, ages, and types of disabilities. Using only positive imagery, VSM gives individuals the opportunity to view themselves performing a task just beyond their present functioning level via creative editing of videos using VCRs or video software. In this study, the authors used a single-subject multiple-baseline design across four preschool children on the autism spectrum to determine if self-modeling would facilitate their social initiations during playground time. The results were mostly positive, with two children exhibiting major treatment effects, one with questionable results, and one child being unaffected. Discussion of the results, the practicality of VSM, and suggestions for continued research are provided.
EPOCH®: A web-based platform for integrating outcomes research and healthcare delivery

EPOCH® is a unified web portal and services framework for healthcare IT applications based on Microsoft®'s .NET® platform that has been specifically designed to help bridge outcomes research and healthcare delivery. A signature feature of the EPOCH® platform is a visually driven interface that allows outcomes researches to create sophisticated data collection and decision support tools with little or no programming effort. Existing modules include: (1) eCliPSE™, an HL7-compliant enterprise data services platform for integrating EPOCH® with third-party clinical information systems; (2) eRAPTOR™, a longitudinal data capture tool for clinical data collection; and (3) ePRISM®, a real-time risk modeling and decision support system. To date, EPOCH® and its related technologies have been used in several thousand patient encounters across multiple institutions.
A hybrid spectral-FDTD/ARMA method for periodic structure analysis

Periodic structures are widely used in microwaves and antennas, such as waveguides, frequency selective surfaces (FSS), and novel metamaterials. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been used to analyze these structures, and various periodic boundary conditions (PBC) have been developed to enclose the computational domain. Among various techniques, a spectral FDTD approach was first proposed to solve guided wave property in periodic structures and later expanded to calculate the plane wave reflection and transmission. An advantage of the spectral FDTD method is its capability to analyze the plane wave and guided wave properties in a unified manner. When both plane wave and guided wave are computed simultaneously using the spectral FDTD method, the resonant behavior of a periodic structure such as surface wave modes will deteriorate the simulation results. In this paper, an auto-regressive moving-average (ARMA) estimator is combined with the spectral FDTD method to solve the resonance problem. This new hybrid technique not only characterizes the periodic structures with resonance but also identifies the eigen-frequencies of guided wave modes automatically. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated through numerical examples.
The overgeneralized validity of validity generalization

Summary This Incubator contends that the concept of validity generalization has been overgeneralized in its capacity to predict work performance for three reasons: sampling bias in the occupations selected for analysis, the prediction of acceptable performance to the exclusion of superior performance, and the conflation of statistical prediction and psychological meaning. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive Flow Control for Robust Performance and Energy

As chip multiprocessors scale the number of on chip cores, the superior scalability of multihop networks compared to buses and crossbars makes multihop networks the choice interconnection strategy. However, a significant part of the networks’ energy is consumed in the buffers used to handle link contention via back pressured routing. Recent work proposes to apply well-known backpressure less routing techniques, which eliminate buffers, and hence buffer power(static and dynamic), at the cost of some misrouting/dropping upon link contention (misrouted/dropped flits are eventually recovered/retransmitted). At low loads, misrouting (dropping)is rare and hence backpressure less routing performs well. Unfortunately, backpressure less routers incur significant misrouting/dropping under high loads and saturate at lower throughputs than back pressured networks, resulting in poorer performance and energy. We make the key observation that because load varies significantly across applications, back pressureless and back pressured networks are not robust in performance-energy across the spectrum of high and low loads. That is, at high loads backpressure less networks suffer considerable performance and energy disadvantage compared to back pressured networks, and the energy disadvantage reverse sat low loads. To address this robustness issue, we propose a novel adaptive flow control (AFC) router which dynamically adapts between back pressured and backpressure less flow control. AFC employs three novel mechanisms, namely local contention thresholds, gossip-induced mode-switch, and lazy VCallocation. The first mechanism maximizes performance (and minimizes energy) in the common case, and the second mechanism ensures correctness in corner cases. The third mechanism exploits flit-by-flit routing in AFC’s back pressured mode to simplify VC allocation and reduces the buffer requirements by a factor of two in AFC’s back pressured mode. Simulations using commercial workloads and SPLASH-2 confirm AFC’srobustness by showing that AFC achieves performance and energy that are closer to that of the better of backpressure and backpressure less networks.
Determinants of new hire information‐seeking during organizational encounter

This study describes the relative influence of a set of individual (i.e., self‐esteem, tolerance for ambiguity), relational (i.e., perceived social costs of seeking information), and organizational factors (i.e., social support, mode of socialization) on new hire (n = 200) information‐seeking. A LISREL analysis suggests that organizational newcomers' information‐seeking strategy preferences are determined, in part, by the perceived social costs of seeking information they face. Post‐hoc analyses further reveal that perceived social costs of seeking information helps determine who new hires target with overt requests for information. In turn, social support and mode of socialization‐were found to contribute to newcomers' perceived social costs of seeking information. This article concludes with limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for practitioners.
Project Lead the Way Students More Prepared for Higher Education.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a hands-on, project-based engineering curriculum for high school and middle school students, which has quadrupled annual enrollment in Texas in five years to over 23,000 students. The diversity of students participating has also increased dramatically. Using six years of longitudinally-linked student data, the academic outcomes of cohorts of PLTW students were compared to matched cohorts of non-PLTW students. Matching was based on Grade 8 state math assessment scores and demographic and program participation variables. Findings show that PLTW students scored significantly higher on the state’s Grade 11 mathematics assessment, a higher percentage met the college-ready criterion, a higher percentage enrolled in Texas higher education institutions, and the non-college-bound PLTW students earned higher wages.
Quantifying Phytophthora medicaginis in susceptible and resistant alfalfa with a real-time fluorescent PCR assay.

A real-time fluorescent PCR assay using a set of specific primers and a fluorochrome-labelled probe (TaqMan) was developed to quantify the amount of Phytophthora medicaginis DNA in alfalfa plants that were classified as either resistant or susceptible to the pathogen based on visual assessment of disease response. The assay clearly discriminated among three standard check alfalfa populations with different levels of resistance based on the analysis of DNA extracted from the roots of bulked plant samples. In two independent experiments, the Spearman rank correlation between pathogen DNA content and the number of susceptible plants in a bulked sample was greater than 0.89 and highly significant (P<0.0001). Significantly less pathogen DNA was detected in bulked samples of a highly resistant check population than in bulked samples from more susceptible check populations. Analysis of individual plants indicated that significantly less pathogen DNA was detected in resistant plants than in susceptible plants. Applications of the assay are considered for breeding programs and the study of microbial population dynamics in plants simultaneously infected with different pathogens.
Muscle forces and fatigue in a digital human environment

Since muscles act to translate an electrical impulse from the central nervous system into motion, it is essential to have a suitable mathematical model for muscles and groups of muscles for a virtual soldier environment. This paper presents a methodology in which the muscle contraction is broken down into three distinct physiological processes: calcium release and reabsorption by the sarcoplasmic reticulum, the rate at which calcium binds and unbinds to troponin, and the generation of force due to cross-bridge cycling and the elasticity of the muscle fibers. These processes have been successfully modeled by Ding and Wexler as a system of coupled differential and algebraic equations. These equations give the calcium-time history and the force time history of the muscle. By varying the electrical stimulation rates, the muscles can produce forces of varying magnitude and duration over which the force can be maintained.
Probability of Fraud Estimates: The Impact of Client Integrity and Competence

This research studied the relationships between an auditor's assessment of the probability of fraud and risk assessments (client integrity-and-competence ratings), prior beliefs about the existence of fraud, confidence, moral development, and hierarchical level. Four hundred and ninety-four (494) auditors participated in an auditing case study that was based on an actual audit [Pincus 1990]. After reviewing the client's inventory account and determining whether or not it was fairly stated [Bernardi 1994], these subjects were asked a series of questions, one of which was to assess the probability of fraud existing at the client. The results indicate that client integrity and competence, auditor prior beliefs concerning the existence of fraud, and judgment confidence were related to auditors' estimations of the probability of fraud for those auditors who detected the material misstatement in the case study. However, contrary to normative expectations, auditors who did not detect the material misstatement and audited a low integrity and competence client were not more cautious when evaluating the probability of fraud.
The Orthic Triangle and an Inequality of Euler

(1973). The Orthic Triangle and an Inequality of Euler. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 219-220.
Pupil Plane Modulation to Extract Information from Single-Molecule Emitters for Super-Resolution Microscopy

Single-molecule imaging and active control of concentration lead to super-resolution microscopy for various applications. Pupil plane phase modulation is a powerful tool to maximize information about 3D position, orientation, and other properties of the nanoscale emitters. Article not available.
Cooperativity between mutations in tyrosine kinases and in hematopoietic transcription factors in AML.

Cooperativity between mutations in tyrosine kinases and in hematopoietic transcription factors in AML
Epidemiologic Investigation in 697 Cases of Acute Glomerulonephritis

Objective To explore the epidemiology,clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute glomerulonephritis(AGN).Methods The study was designed to investigate the admission rate and diversity of 697 children with AGN in hospitalized patients from Jan.1996 to Dec.2005,and analyze epidemiology,etiology,clinical characteristics and prognosis.Results Six hundred and ninety-seven cases of AGN accounted for 3.5‰ of the hospitalized children and 18.3% of urinary disease children.The cases were shown in each month of the year,mainly in Nov.,Dec.,and Jan.,least in Aug.Twenty-four(3.4%)cases of AGN were detected among first degree relatives,31(4.4%)and 2(0.3%)cases among the second and the third degree relatives.Of 697 cases 405(58.1%)were induced by respiratory infection,194(27.8%)skin infection and 98(14.1%)without determined infection.The time from respiratory infection and skin infection to AGN was(11.2±5.9)days to(19.1±8.4)days.Etiology analysis showed that the positive detection rate of antistreptolytin O(ASO)was 66.7%,Coxsackie(Cox)virus 53.6%,while 57.8% with ASO positive in Cox virus cases.The positive detection rate of mycoplasma was 0,18.8%,35.0% in 2003,2004,2005.Of 697 cases,21(3.0%)were complicated with serious circulation hyperaemia,36(5.2%)with hypertensive encephalopathy,42(6.0%)with acute renal insufficiency.Complete remission was noted in 507 out of(72.7%)while 1(0.1%)died of AGN.Conclusions During the past 10 years,streptoc coccus infection was still the main cause of AGN.The incidence was declining for the hospitalized patients with AGN,but there was no improvement on the incidence of acute renal insufficiency.
Collaborative clinical pharmacokinetic services

A program for routine pharmacokinetic interpretation of serum analyses of gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, phenytoin, phenobarbital, theophylline, lidocaine, digoxin, quinidine, and procainamide at the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital is described. Results of all analyses of serum for the drugs listed are evaluated by a pharmacist trained in clinical pharmacokinetics. Patient variables relevant to the determination of drug serum concentrations, drug elimination, distribution, and dosage are given appropriate consideration in each evaluation. A summary of the pharmacokinetic interpretation and any necessary modification of drug dosage regimens are then written into the progress notes of the patients' medical records. Approximately 12 patients and 20 drug concentrations are evaluated each day. The average charge for te service is +35. This service, which is reimbursed by third-party carriers, has resulted in improved use of laboratory personnel, equipment, and time and has provided a framework for education and research as well as a mechanism for direct contributions to patient care by the pharmacist.
A new process and tool for metal/high-к gate dielectric stack for sub-45 nm CMOS manufacturing

In this paper we report the results of a new process and tool to deposit metal/high-kappa gate dielectric stack. Hafnium oxide dielectric of 0.39 nm EOT is deposited using monolayer photo-assisted deposition process on a home-built system to provide a reliable and robust process to tackle the needs of the future CMOS generations. We report the results of 0.39 nm EOT gate dielectric material with a leakage current density value of about 1 times 10-12 A/cm2 for gate voltage from +3 V to -3 V. The data presented in this paper demonstrate that the process is robust and manufacturing tools can be developed without any fundamental barrier.
High-fidelity Glucagon-CreER mouse line generated by CRISPR-Cas9 assisted gene targeting

Abstract Objective α-cells are the second most prominent cell type in pancreatic islets and are responsible for producing glucagon to increase plasma glucose levels in times of fasting. α-cell dysfunction and inappropriate glucagon secretion occur in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Thus, there is growing interest in studying both normal function and pathophysiology of α-cells. However, tools to target gene ablation or activation specifically of α-cells have been limited, compared to those available for β-cells. Previous Glucagon-Cre and Glucagon-CreER transgenic mouse lines have suffered from transgene silencing, and the only available Glucagon-CreER "knock-in" mouse line results in glucagon haploinsufficiency, which can confound the interpretation of gene deletion analyses. Therefore, we sought to develop a Glucagon-CreER T2 mouse line that would maintain normal glucagon expression and would be less susceptible to transgene silencing. Methods We utilized CRISPR-Cas9 technology to insert an IRES-CreER T2 sequence into the 3′ UTR of the Glucagon ( Gcg ) locus in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Targeted ESC clones were then injected into mouse blastocysts to obtain Gcg-CreER T2 mice. Recombination efficiency in GCG + pancreatic α-cells and glucagon-like peptide 1 positive (GLP1 + ) enteroendocrine L-cells was measured in Gcg-CreER T2 ; Rosa26-LSL-YFP mice injected with tamoxifen during fetal development and adulthood. Results Tamoxifen injection of Gcg-CreER T2 ; Rosa26-LSL-YFP mice induced high recombination efficiency of the Rosa26-LSL-YFP locus in perinatal and adult α-cells (88% and 95%, respectively), as well as in first-wave fetal α-cells (36%) and adult enteroendocrine L-cells (33%). Mice homozygous for the Gcg-CreER T2 allele were phenotypically normal. Conclusions We successfully derived a Gcg-CreER T2 mouse line that expresses CreER T2 in pancreatic α-cells and enteroendocrine L-cells without disrupting preproglucagon gene expression. These mice will be a useful tool for performing temporally controlled genetic manipulation specifically in these cell types.
(Re)Defining Mastery: James Ramsay versus the West Indian Planter

The West India planter-master became the most vilified figure in British literature as a result of the abolitionist campaign to end the slave trade. The abolitionist primarily responsible for this shift in perception is James Ramsay, specifically in the controversy around his Essay on the Treatment and Conversion of African Slaves in the British Sugar Colonies (1784). He argues that the tyranny of absolute mastery is inherent in African slavery. This essay re-examines the rhetoric of Ramsay9s publication and the ensuing pamphlet war for the “definitional rupture” in the term “master.” This new planter-master, configured as wholly corrupt, shifted the paradigm and created a powerful trope for abolitionists. Srividhya Swaminathan, Long Island University Brooklyn, srividhya.swaminathan@liu.edu.
Engagement-focused care during transitions from inpatient and emergency psychiatric facilities.

OBJECTIVES As many as 40% of those with serious mental illness (SMI) do not attend any outpatient visits in the 30 days following discharge. We examined engagement-focused care (EFC) versus treatment as usual in a university-based transitional care clinic (TCC) with a 90-day program serving individuals with SMI discharged from hospitals and emergency rooms. EFC included a unique group intake process (access group) designed to get individuals into care rapidly and a shared decision-making coach. METHODS Assessments of quality of life, symptomatology, and shared decision-making preferences were conducted at baseline, at 3 months corresponding to the end of TCC treatment and 6 months after TCC discharge. Communication among the patients and providers was assessed at each visit as was service utilization during and after TCC. RESULTS Subjective quality of life improved in EFC. Prescribers and patients saw communication more similarly as time went on. Ninety-one percent of patients wanted at least some say in decisions about their treatment. CONCLUSIONS SDM coaching and improved access improve quality of life. Most people want a say in treatment decisions.
The Combined Classroom Model for Serving Elementary Students with and without Behavioral Disorders.

This report describes the combined classroom model (CCM) that was implemented for one academic year in a pilot classroom that served approximately 28 students, 3 students with emotional and behavio...
Ronald E. Anderson: A Pioneer in Suffering as Negative Quality of Life

Growing up in Ethiopia and spending 15 years conducting international surveys of comparative educational progress left me with a global perspective and a commitment to universal quality of life. After retirement from teaching, my time has been devoted to research and writing about suffering and its alleviation. My last three books addressed these topics and I continue to apply a quality of life perspective in advancing our understanding of suffering and its relief.
Two-Stage Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Allograft Bone Dowels

Revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is substantially more challenging than primary reconstruction. Management of previously malpositioned or widened tunnels often requires innovative approaches for managing bony defects. Massive osteolysis with poor bone stock and convergence or overlapping of revision tunnels into the previously placed tunnels may necessitate a staged revision procedure. In this surgical technique description, we describe a method for the management of bony deficiencies using allograft bone dowels in staged revision ACL reconstruction.
Electrochemistry and Spectroelectrochemistry of the Pu (III/IV) and (IV/VI) Couples in Nitric Acid Systems

The solution chemistry of Pu in nitric acid is explored via electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry. By utilizing and comparing these techniques, an improved understanding of Pu behavior and its dependence on nitric acid concentration can be achieved. Here the Pu (III/IV) couple is characterized using cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and a spectroelectrochemical Nernst step. Results indicate the formal reduction potential of the couple shifts negative with increasing acid concentration and reversible electrochemistry is no longer attainable above 6 M HNO3. Spectroelectrochemistry is also used to explore the irreversible oxidation of Pu(IV) to Pu(VI) and shine light on the mechanism and acid dependence of the redox reaction.
Does nest predator activity predict the location and survival of songbird nests in urbanizing landscapes

ABSTRACT Songbirds are under strong pressure to choose nest locations that reduce the risk of nest predation and, as such, are expected to use a variety of information sources to guide decisions about nest sites. The activity patterns of potential predators in the local vicinity should be one especially important source of information, although this may vary in urban ecosystems with altered predator–prey relationships. We examined the extent to which predator activity was associated with the nest distribution and survival of Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Acadian Flycatchers (Empidonax virescens) in 13 riparian forests situated across a gradient of urbanization in central Ohio, USA, in 2008–2010. We focused on a suite of diurnal predators that was responsible for >70% of songbird nest depredations in our study system. By overlaying nest locations of cardinals (n = 334) and flycatchers (n = 60) on predator utilization distributions created from mapped predator locations at each site, we det...
Vowel-length contrasts and phonetic cues to stress: an investigation of their relation*

The functional load hypothesis of Berinstein (1979) put forward the idea that languages which use a suprasegmental property (duration, F0) contrastively will not use it to realise stress. The functional load hypothesis is often cited when stress correlates are discussed, both when it is observed that the language under discussion follows the hypothesis and when it fails to follow it. In the absence of a more wide-ranging assessment of how frequently languages do or do not conform to the functional load hypothesis, it is unknown whether it is an absolute, a strong tendency, a weak tendency or unsupported. The results from a database of reported stress correlates and use of contrastive duration for 140 languages are presented and discussed. No support for the functional load hypothesis is found.
Risk Communication: Moving from Theory to Law to Practice

Risk communication has become a central feature of public policy for dealing with health, safety, and environmental hazards in the United States and the European Community (EC). New laws in both industrial societies now establish an extensive set of risk communication duties for government and industry, and provide the public with various rights of access to risk information held by private firms and public agencies.
Children's representation of knowledge in verification

Thirty-two children aged 8–9 and 10–11 were asked to perform two statement verification tasks. Task 1 consisted of statements that were likely to elicit an affirmative knowledge representation,You have three eyes, is likely to elicit the representation,I have two eyes. Task 2 consisted of statements that were likely to elicit a negative knowledge of representation,You have a tail, is likely to elicit a negative representation,I do not have a tail. All statements varied in two dimensions, polarity (affirmative vs. negative) and truth value (true vs. false). Negative statements in Task 1 were found to be more difficult for children to verify than those in Task 2. This performance difference was used to infer the form of knowledge representation generated in verifying negative statements.
Clinical Applications of Cell Kinetics to Chemotherapy of Human Malignancy

During the past two decades, we have learned a great deal about the characteristics of cell growth in human malignancy. A most important contribution to the study of cell population kinetics was the introduction of the label tritiated thymidine which, for the first time, allowed for the identification of cells in DNA synthesis by autoradiography. Furthermore, in situations where serial samples of the tissue under study could be obtained, it was possible to follow the initially labeled population of DNA synthesizing cells through the subsequent phases of the cell cycle.