cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiative Properties of Blackbody Calibration Sources:Recent Advances in Computer Modeling

The radiative characteristics (spectral effective emissivity, spectral radiance, and radiance temperature) of blackbody calibration sources widely used in radiation thermometry are an important subject for advanced computer modeling by the Monte Carlo method. An algorithm and code for stochastic modeling of the radiant heat transfer inside cavities has been developed on the basis of the reciprocity principle and backward ray tracing. The importance sampling technique has been applied to generate the reflected rays according to the surface reflection model that can be a linear combination of the following primary models: Lambertian, Specular, and TETRA (a microfacet model of random tetrahedral pits that mimics reflections from a rough surface). A wide range of axisymmetrical cavities, cylindrical cavities with an inclined flat bottom, and a rectilinear grooved radiator of polygonal profile have been implemented. Various conditions of observation can be modeled to compute appropriate radiation characteristics. A number of different temperature distributions can be assigned to the same node set on the cavity surface, so several related tasks can be modeled in a single run. The results obtained for the radiative properties of isothermal and non-isothermal non-diffuse blackbodies used for the calibration of infrared radiation thermometers are presented and discussed.
The Hyperbolic Transmission Line as a Matching Section

A concentric matching section in which the characteristic impedance of the section varies along the section as a hyperbolic function provides a matching section which is relatively insensitive to frequency change. The performance of the line is described in terms of its reflection coefficient. Two lines are considered, one of which has a characteristic impedance which varies as a hyperbolic tangent along the section, the other line has postulated a reflection per unit length of the form of a hyperbolic secant squared.
Mao, Tibet, and the Korean War

In October 1950 the Chinese leader Mao Zedong embarked on a two-front war. He sent troops to Korea and invaded Tibet at a time when the People's Republic of China was burdened with many domestic problems. The logic behind Mao's risky policy has baffled historians ever since. By drawing on newly available Chinese and Western documents and memoirs, this article explains what happened in October 1950 and why Mao acted as he did. The release of key documents such as telegrams between Mao and his subordinates enables scholars to understand Chinese policymaking vis-a-vis Tibet much more fully than in the past. The article shows that Mao skillfully used the conflicts for his own purposes and consolidated his hold over the Chinese Communist Party.
Mail Questionnaires in Survey Research: A Review of Response Inducement Techniques

The mail questionnaire is one of the most frequently used and controversial techniques in applied social science research. Much of the controversy relates to the difficulty involved in achieving response rates high enough to ensure representativeness. This paper surveys the recent literature on response inducement techniques in mail survey research.This review examined 12 of the most frequently researched techniques for increasing response rates. Five were found to consistently produce higher responses. These were prenotification, personalization, the inclusion of monetary incentives, follow-up, and higher class return postage. Two, source sponsorship and the type of appeal in the cover letter, appeared to increase response rates but in a situation specific manner.Four of the factors examined had no effect on response rates. These were the address location or social setting in which the questionnaire was received; specification of a deadline; the color, length, form, or preceding of the instrument; and th...
Dissolution Behavior of Commercial Tablets Extemporaneously Converted to Capsules

While conducting double‐blind clinical trials, it is a common practice to convert a commercial tablet dosage form to a capsule so that it may serve as a control drug for the new drug under test. This report will show that when this was done, the in vitro dissolution times of drugs from the capsule dosage forms were strikingly prolonged. Various capsule adjuvants were examined, attempting to decrease dissolution times of drugs from capsules. Of the series tested, lyophilized glycine had the best positive effect in shortening the dissolution times of all drugs examined.
One- and two-photon interference from two temporally separated laser pulses

Summary form only given. According to Feynman, quantum mechanics teaches us that interference occurs when the relevant amplitudes become indistinguishable. In the case of first-order and second-order interference (order by "intensity"), the relevant amplitudes are one-photon and two-photon amplitudes, respectively. We report a quantum interference experiment in which the relevant amplitudes are associated with temporally well separated laser pulses. Both first- and second-order interference are observed under certain different conditions. The experimental setup is shown where a BBO crystal is pumped by two short UV laser pulses.
Effects of Strain Rate and Gauge Length on the Failure of Ultra-High Strength Polyethylene Fibers

Ultra-high strength polyethylene filaments taken from a single spool of yarn were examined for strain rate and gauge length effects. As noted in previous research, high strength polyethylene exhibits pronounced strain rate effects that may be seen in strength changes, stress-strain behavior, and and topography of the fracture zones. Unlike most polymeric fibers, ultra-high strength polyethylene seems to exhibit no gauge length effects over the range from 10 to 200 mm, holding the strain rate constant. This latter effect, if true in general, would be a substantial advantage for polyethylene fibers, because scaling effects would be minimized.
Performance, Aspirations, and Market Versus Nonmarket Investment

Research from the behavioral theory of the firm argues that declining performance below aspiration levels drives firms to engage in problemistic search that results in strategic actions designed to overcome performance shortfalls. This research has considered only strategic actions taken in the firm’s market environment though, such as investments in R&D. Firms operate and take strategic actions in both the market and nonmarket environment, the latter including firm interactions with the government. The research presented here argues that for reasons of risk aversion, firms facing declining performance below aspiration levels are likely to engage in strategic actions in the nonmarket environment immediately following a performance shortfall. In contrast, risk-taking preferences are argued to motivate firms to take strategic actions in the market environment in the future. We find support for these arguments utilizing 27 years of data from large U.S. firms.
Coronary artery perforations in the contemporary interventional era.

Background: Coronary perforations represent a serious complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of documented coronary perforations at Massachusetts General Hospital from 2000 to 2008. Medical records review and detailed angiographic analysis were performed in all patients. Results: Sixty-eight cases of coronary perforation were identified from a total of 14,281 PCIs from March 2000 to March 2008 representing an overall incidence of 0.48%. The study cohort was predominantly male (61.8%), mean age 71±11 years with 78% representing acute cases (unstable angina: 36.8%, NSTEMI: 30.9%, STEMI: 10.3%). Coronary artery perforation occurred as a complication of wire manipulation in 45 patients (66.2%) with 88.9% of this group being hydrophilic wires, of coronary stenting in 11 (16.2%), of angioplasty alone in 6 (8.8%), and of rotational atherectomy in 8 (11.8%). The perforation was sealed with an angioplasty balloon alone in 16 patients (23.5%), and with stents in 14 patients (20.6%) (covered stents: 11.8% and noncovered stents: 8.8%). Emergency CABG was performed in 2 patients (2.9%). Five patients (7.4%) developed periprocedural MI. The in-hospital mortality rate was 5.9% in the study cohort. Conclusion: Coronary artery perforation as a complication of PCI is still rare as demonstrated in our series with an incidence of 0.48%. The predominant cause of coronary perforations in the current era of PCI is wire injury.
Features of network oscillations in data from single-channel neuronal recording

We present a new algorithm for analysis of neuronal data from single-channel time-series. Using a novel view of stochastic geometry to obtain a realistic model of nonlinear oscillatory systems, we extract traces of multiple oscillations from single-electrode extracellular recordings obtained from a representative neuron. Empiric data from neuronal recording has supported the observation that oscillations are prevalent in dynamics of the brain [1]. The literature on mathematical and computational modeling of neuronal networks of coupled oscillators is rich and includes numerous examples of successful explanations of experimental data. A number of mathematical approaches to model oscillatory networks of neurons take a deterministic approach to modeling the dynamics of such sophisticated complex biological systems where noise is added, if at all, as a test of stability of the system and its behavior under small perturbations. There are possible situations where the dynamics of the system depends fundamentally on the actual non-stationary statistics and the transient nature of "noise" in the system. The most natural mathematical theories in this context involve nonlinear dynamics and probability theory, which has been the subject of research in describing networks as well as individual neurons. The key theory that enables us to achieve a mathematically rigorous synergy between an ideal geometric theory and the biological reality is a recent merging of stochastic analysis and ergodic theory, known as the theory of Random Dynamical Systems (RDS) whose systematic foundations are laid out in the seminal work of L. Arnold [2]. The far-reaching ideas of RDS require a demanding technical mastery of stochastic analysis and ergodic. Our geometric and topological view will illustrate some of the remarkable theoretical and numerical achievements that RDS offers for biologically realistic modeling of nonlinear dynamics, while at the same time, it illuminates the ideas behind its algorithmic development.
The Scope of Political Conflict and the Effectiveness of Constraints in Contemporary Urban Protest

This paper examines the effectiveness of the use of constraints (e. g., direct action tactics and violence) by protest groups. It is suggested that the development of theoretical understanding of p...
Use of the amphipod crustacean hyalella azteca in freshwater and estuarine sediment toxicity tests

Hyalella azteca (Saussure), which are currently used in toxicity tests with freshwater sediments, were tested to determine their suitability for tests with estuarine sediments. Reproduction was good after 24 d at and below 12.5 g/L (ppt) salinity in water only. EC50 values (50% reduction in young) were 10.5 and 10.4 g/L salinity. Survival was good in tests conducted with estuarine sediments collected from a range of freshwater to full seawater sites, using fresh water overlaying the sediments (200 ml sediment, 800 ml water). The results demonstrate that H. azteca can be used to test the toxicity of sediments from both freshwater and estuarine sites.
Quasi-real Compton scattering measurement

Abstract A measurement is reported on the elastic scattering of quasi-real photons generated by one beam with the particles of the other in e+e− interactions at s = 29 GeV performed using the DELCO detector at PEP. The events are characterized by coplanar and anti-tagged e γ pairs with large visible energy where the charge of the electron is correlated with the acolinearity angle. Also, this result is used to search for the on-shell production of a hypothetical excited electron e∗. It is found that the data agree well with the predictions for the QED Compton process, and upper limits are set on the e∗e γ coupling parameter λ to be below 10−2 (95% CL) in the range 15 ≲ M e ∗ ≲ 27 GeV .
Food Intake and Temperature Response to Injections of Catecholamines into the Lateral Ventricle of the Turkey Brain

Abstract The effects of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine on food intake, water intake, and colonic body temperature (Tc) were investigated in adult Medium White turkey hens. Solutions containing dopamine, l -norepinephrine, or l -epinephrine were prepared in concentrations of 0, 33, and 67 μg/10 μl in artificial cerebrospinal fluid and injected into the lateral cerebral ventricles. Dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine significantly decreased Tc. Food intake was significantly decreased by norepinephrine and epinephrine whereas dopamine had no effect. These results suggest that brain catecholamines are involved in the neural control of food intake and body temperature of turkeys.
The Mismeasure of Campaign Spending: Evidence from the 1990 U.S. House Elections

Research on the effects of campaign spending on elections has used total campaign expenditures to measure the amount of money actually spent on campaigns. This article examines a unique data set on the detailed expenditures of House candidates in 1990. We find that the mismeasure of campaign spending seriously affects the magnitude of conventional estimates of the effects of money on votes but does not account for the peculiar result that incumbent money matters less than challenger money. In fact, when correctly measured incumbent expenditures have a significant negative coefficient, evidence that standard estimates suffer from still greater problems of statistical specification.
The use of a shock tube for exploratory studies of high temperature equilibrium and reaction rates. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange

An investigation was made of the possibilities of using a simple shock tube as a tool in the exploratory study of chemical reaction rates and equilibria at high temperatures. The theoretical equilibrium compositions of hydrogendeuterium mixtures at high temperature were confirmed experimentally. Limited overall rate data were determined for the hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction in the temperature range from 1000 to 3200 deg K. It was concluded that a shock tube can be designed and instrumented to provide precise kinetic data, but the required instrumentation is very expensive. (P.C.H.)
Learning Ecologies for Technological Fluency: Gender and Experience Differences

The concern with a “digital divide” has been transformed from one defined by technological access to technological prowess—employing technologies for more empowered and generative uses such as learning and innovation. Participation in technological fluency-building activities among high school students in a community heavily involved in the technology industry was investigated in a study of 98 high school seniors enrolled in AP-level calculus. Findings indicated substantial variability in history of fluency-building experiences despite similar levels of access. More and less experienced groups were defined based on their breadth of prior experience. Males and females who were classified as more experienced utilized a broader range of learning resources and were more likely to learn from out-of-school classes and distributed resources such as online tutorials and reading material. Gender differences emerged with respect to participation in certain activities such as computer programming, even when controll...
Prediction, observation and estimation in planning and control

The central role of reasoning about change in planning and control is studied. Some of the basic insights of control theory regarding the connection between observability and controllability are reviewed, and how these insights should inform research in planning is considered. A decision-theoretic approach to planning that subscribes to a basic cycle of prediction, observation, estimation and action selection is proposed. Some of the practical issues relating to this approach and alternatives in the form of offline compilation of decision models and learning systems to circumvent the need for accurate predictive models are examined. Problems in mobile robotics that require integrating obstacle avoidance, position estimation, and path planning are used to illustrate the approach. >
Acute Failure of Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia Due to Structural Heart Disease: Causes and Significance

Background Acute end points of catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) remain incompletely defined. The aim of this study is to identify causes for failure in patients with structural heart disease and to assess the relation of this acute outcome to longer-term management and outcomes. Methods and Results From 2002 to 2010, 518 consecutive patients (84% male, 62±14 years) with structural heart disease underwent a first ablation procedure for sustained VT at our institution. Acute ablation failure was defined as persistent inducibility of a clinical VT. Acute ablation failure was seen in 52 (10%) patients. Causes for failure were: intramural free wall VT in 13 (25%), deep septal VT in 9 (17%), decision not to ablate due to proximity to the bundle of His, left phrenic nerve, or a coronary artery in 3 (6%), and endocardial ablation failure with inability or decision not to attempt to access the epicardium in 27 (52%) patients. In multivariable analysis, ablation failure was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio 2.010, 95% CI 1.147 to 3.239, P =0.004) and VT recurrence (hazard ratio 2.385, 95% CI 1.642 to 3.466, P <0.001). Conclusions With endocardial or epicardial ablation, or both, acute ablation failure was seen in 10% of patients, largely due to anatomic factors. Persistence of a clinical VT is associated with recurrence and comparatively higher mortality.
Mechanism of cocaine-induced myocardial depression in dogs.

Cocaine causes pronounced depression of left ventricular function in conscious dogs immediately after intravenous administration. To examine this effect, 14 mongrel dogs were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (32 mg/kg) and instrumented with arterial and venous catheters and a Doppler blood flow transducer on the left circumflex coronary artery. Two weeks later, heart rate, blood pressure, coronary blood flow, and regional left ventricular ejection fraction (by two-dimensional echocardiography) were measured before and 1, 2, 5, and 10 minutes after cocaine (4 mg/kg i.v.), while the animals were fully conscious. Heart rate, blood pressure, and coronary blood flow were increased significantly at each time after cocaine. Regional ejection fraction, however, was depressed by 50 +/- 7%, 35 +/- 4%, and 21 +/- 4% at 1, 2, and 5 minutes after cocaine treatment, respectively. Ten minutes after cocaine treatment, regional ejection fraction had recovered to a level not significantly different from baseline. Because the observed myocardial depression after cocaine was accompanied by a large increase in the rate-pressure product, and presumably, myocardial oxygen consumption, this depression could have been secondary to increased myocardial oxygen demand not appropriately matched by an increase in coronary blood flow. To minimize the effects of cocaine on myocardial oxygen demand, a subset of six dogs received cocaine (4 mg/kg i.v.) while sedated with pentobarbital (25 mg/kg). In these dogs, cocaine did not significantly alter heart rate or blood pressure; however, regional ejection fraction was significantly depressed by 44 +/- 5% and 36 +/- 6% at 1 and 2 minutes after cocaine treatment, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Induction and Augmentation

1. Induction is defined as artificial initiation of labor. 2. Augmentation is defined as artificial stimulation of labor. 3. Induction should always be performed for a specific indication.
Aggressive Signaling in Song Sparrows and Other Songbirds

Abstract Aggressive signaling is integral to territory defense in most animals that defend territories. Territorial signals may communicate a territory owner's level of aggressive intent, announce its fighting ability, or simply proclaim ownership. Song sparrows ( Melospiza melodia ) are songbirds whose territorial signals have been especially well studied. In this species, multiple territorial displays function as conventional signals of aggressive intent. The most reliable signals of aggressive intent are low-amplitude soft song, an auditory signal, and wing-waving, a visual signal. In a western population of song sparrows, these two displays are part of a hierarchy of signals that allow song sparrows to communicate a graded series of threats, starting at the low end with repertoire matching, escalating to song-type matching, and culminating in soft songs and wing waves. In this and another western population, levels of song sharing between males are high and sharing level is positively correlated with territory tenure. By contrast, in an eastern population, song-type matching apparently does not function as an intermediate threat, sharing levels do not correlate with territory tenure, and males rarely share whole songs. Although these two patterns are internally logical, why particular populations exhibit one pattern and not the other is unclear. In addition to communicating threat, song sparrow songs also allow individual recognition of the singer by nearby residents. The ability of neighboring males to recognize each other by song enables them to maintain dear-enemy relations, in which established neighbors show mutual forbearance. This limited level of cooperation is sustained by both direct and indirect reciprocity.
Offering an undergraduate computer science colloquium

An undergraduate computer science colloquium is presented that can enhance the educational opportunities for students at a small liberal arts college while providing an additional community-building venue for majors at various stages of their college careers. Presentation skills are a key component of this one-credit course, and the pass/fail grading system can alleviate some student concerns about their performance and allow them to focus on improving in this critical area. Additionally, though the number of electives offered at a small college may be small, a colloquium provides the means for exposure to a greater breadth of computer science topics, potentially helping students develop new interests within the discipline. After being piloted as a special topics course in Spring 2011, Southwestern University has now added the undergraduate colloquium to the regular spring course offerings.
Software to Think With: The Case of Algebra

This paper describes a series of ‘intellectual mirror’ software environments for the teaching and learning of algebra. These environments are distinguished by the fact that they allow users to manipulate the symbolic representation of functions symbolically and the graphical representation of functions graphically, thus leading to a deeper understanding of the concept of function both as process and as entity.
Acute effects of caffeine on strength and muscle activation of the elbow flexors.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of caffeine on strength and muscle activation of the elbow flexors. Thirteen recreationally active male volunteers (mean ± SD, age: 21.38 ± 1.26 years) came to the laboratory 4 times. Visit 1 served as a familiarization visit. During visits 2 through 4, subjects ingested a randomly assigned drink, with or without caffeine (0, 5, or 10 mg·kg-1 of body mass), and performed 3 maximal isometric muscle actions of the elbow flexors 60 minutes after ingestion. Maximal strength and rate of torque development (RTD) were recorded. Electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitude and frequency, and electromechanical delay (EMD), and phonomechanical delay (PMD) were measured from the biceps brachii. The results indicated that the ingestion of 0 (placebo), 5, or 10 mg·kg-1 of body mass of caffeine did not significantly influence (p > 0.05) peak torque, RTD, normalized EMG amplitude or frequency, normalized MMG amplitude, or EMD and PMD. Normalized MMG frequency was significantly lower (p <= 0.05) following ingestion of 5 mg·kg-1 of body mass of caffeine compared with the placebo trial. This was most likely an isolated finding because MMG frequency was the only variable to have a significant difference across all trials. The results suggested that ingestion of either 5 or 10 mg·kg-1 of body mass of caffeine does not provide an ergogenic effect for the elbow flexors during isometric muscle actions.
Redefining the 'Public' Profession

The Preamble to the best-known source of lawyers' ethical rules - the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct - uses the word public ten times. In particular, the Preamble repeatedly refers to lawyers as public citizens and to the ideals of public service. However, the practice of law rarely has a public focus. Rather, both the practice of law and the ethical rules focus on the client's - and the lawyer's - interests rather than the interests of the public. Indeed, the current Model Rules are intentionally skewed toward a focus on the client's interests, as is evident from examining the ethical rules in such areas as confidentiality and perjury: a public focus often would require revealing client information, whereas the current rules typically require concealment. This Article asserts that the current focus on client interests is harming both the general public and the legal profession, and urges changes to the Model Rules that would, through a change in focus, serve to redefine the profession to create a truly public profession.
Acute war wounds of the spinal cord.

Abstract Pessimistic attitude regarding spinal cord wounds has been recounted. Gradual shift of opinion has led to increased number of laminectomies and fairly encouraging results. Unreliability of clinical signs and x -rays as to cord section is emphasized. Prognosis as to life and return of function after laminectomy is evaluated. Indications for laminectomy and hemi-laminectomy are described. A careful and exacting study, care and rehabilitation program is indicated, and may provide a clue for further improvement.
Estimating and Evaluating Mechanisms Related to Walleye Escapement from Rathbun Lake, Iowa

Abstract Reservoir fisheries present managers a unique set of challenges. One of the most obvious, yet overlooked, challenges to maintaining sustainable reservoir fisheries is escapement. Yet, little is known about the escapement of reservoir fishes or factors influencing escapement. From June 2009 through March 2011, 4,137 Walleyes Sander vitreus >300 mm were collected in the tailrace of Rathbun Lake, Iowa, individually tagged with visual implant tags, and returned to the reservoir to estimate escapement rates and identify influential factors. During this time, escapement was estimated as (1) the percentage of tagged Walleyes at large that were recaptured in the tailrace and (2) the proportion of tagged to untagged Walleyes present in Rathbun Lake. Tailrace recapture rates during individual sampling events ranged between 0.0% and 2.1% and minimum annual tailrace escapement was estimated as 13.6% (SE, 3%). In spring 2010, 8% (SE, 1%) of the Rathbun Lake Walleye population had been tagged and by spring 201...
Classification of "Zhe" oysters from North China

China is extremely rich in oyster species diversity.Shell morphology,the main character used in oyster classification,is known to be plastic and subject to environmental variation,this leads to many confusions and disagreements about oyster classification by different experts,especially for "zhe" oysters from North China.In this paper,we summarize the taxonomic history of "zhe" oyster,we report the new findings about the classification of "zhe" oysters in our study.It will clarify the taxonomic status of confused "zhe" oysters from North China.It will contribute to the oyster fishery,as well as to the management and protection of oyster resources in China.
Spatio-temporal changes in heat waves and cold spells: an analysis of 55 U.S. cities

AbstractWith observed increases in global temperatures indicating changes to anomalous temperature events (ATE), few studies have considered the changes associated with both heat and cold together. This study evaluates the changes in heat waves and cold spells for 55 U.S. metropolitan areas (1948–2012). Using surface observations, thresholds of mean apparent temperature were used to define heat, extreme heat, cold, and extreme cold events. Days that exceeded the 95th temperature percentile were considered heat days. Similar values were used to define extreme heat (97.5th), cold (5th), and extreme cold (2.5th). Thresholds were calculated independently for each of the locations, incorporating spatial variability into the ATE definition. Changes in duration, seasonal timing, and frequency, all of which have been shown to be important characteristics in regard to heat and cold events, were evaluated. Significant changes in some characteristics were found. Across many locations, heat events have become more fr...
New evidence for broad trophic status of leaf endophytic fungi of Quercus gambelii

Endophytic fungi inhabit the living tissues of every terrestrial plant species thus far examined. In at least some cases they significantly improve stress tolerance of their hosts. We asked whether endophytic fungi play other ecological roles, specifically whether the leaf endophytes of Quercus gambelii persist during the course of leaf decomposition, requiring a transition from a biotrophic to a saprotrophic mode of nutrition. Using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), we found that endophyte fungal OTU diversity declined as decomposition commenced, but some endophytes persisted for months during which leaves were decomposing. In contrast, saprotroph fungi OTU diversity increased as decomposition progressed. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that some biotrophic endophytes persist in leaves during decomposition by becoming saprotrophic, and that the niche occupied by them is broader than expected.
Impacts of fog characteristics, forward illumination, and warning beacon intensity distribution on roadway hazard visibility

Warning beacons are critical for the safety of transportation, construction, and utility workers. These devices need to produce sufficient luminous intensity to be visible without creating glare to drivers. Published standards for the photometric performance of warning beacons do not address their performance in conditions of reduced visibility such as fog. Under such conditions light emitted in directions other than toward approaching drivers can create scattered light that makes workers and other hazards less visible. Simulations of visibility of hazards under varying conditions of fog density, forward vehicle lighting, warning beacon luminous intensity, and intensity distribution were performed to assess their impacts on visual performance by drivers. Each of these factors can influence the ability of drivers to detect and identify workers and hazards along the roadway in work zones. Based on the results, it would be reasonable to specify maximum limits on the luminous intensity of warning beacons in directions that are unlikely to be seen by drivers along the roadway, limits which are not included in published performance specifications.
Tumor review. Liposarcoma of the ankle.

The author discusses liposarcoma of the ankle, a rare clinical entity, and four classifications of this disorder.
Experience with the 8.5 french compact rigid ureteroscope

Les auteurs ont teste chez 66 patients l'ureteroscope rigide compact 85 F, dans 3 indications principales: 1) mise en place d'un guide metallique; 2) ablation de calcul et; 3) ureteroscopie d'un canal de petit diametre. Il offre une alternative a l'utilisation des ureteroscopes flexibles, difficile a manipuler dans l'uretere distal et intramural. Son petit diametre necessite une miniaturisation du systeme optique et des instruments utilises. L'utilisation de l'ureteroscope rigide de faible diametre diminue le nombre de traumatismes per-endoscopiques. Il est difficile a utiliser si l'uretere est tortueux, et la reduction de calibre accroit sa fragilite
Functional domains as correlates of suicidality among psychiatric inpatients.

Abstract Background Suicide remains poorly understood and unpredictable. Addressing this challenge, this study examined the independent contributions of several research domain criteria (RDoC) constructs in relation to suicidality in patients hospitalized for acute suicide risk. Specifically, we examined anhedonia, anxiety/entrapment, and attachment disturbances, reflecting disturbances in reward processes, negative valence systems, and social processes, respectively. Methods Anhedonia, anxiety, entrapment, and fearful attachment, were assessed quantitatively in 135 adults hospitalized for suicidality. Current suicidality and suicidal history were assessed with the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Bivariate analyses (with significance threshold of p Results Using bivariate analyses all symptoms except for fearful attachment correlated robustly with SI ( r =.37–0.50, p β =.28, p =.01) and entrapment ( β =.19, p =.03) were independently associated with SI across the entire sample. No functional domain measures differed between patients with history of suicide attempt versus ideation only. Limitations The reliance on self-report data and a cross-sectional design. Conclusions Disturbances in reward and threat processing may represent independent factors in the development of suicidal ideation in this high suicide risk cohort. Future studies should assess their role as risk factors.
Design Tradeoffs of Data Access Methods

Database researchers and practitioners have been building methods to store, access, and update data for more than five decades. Designing access methods has been a constant effort to adapt to the ever changing underlying hardware and workload requirements. The recent explosion in data system designs - including, in addition to traditional SQL systems, NoSQL, NewSQL, and other relational and non-relational systems - makes understanding the tradeoffs of designing access methods more important than ever. Access methods are at the core of any new data system. In this tutorial we survey recent developments in access method design and we place them in the design space where each approach focuses primarily on one or a subset of read performance, update performance, and memory utilization. We discuss how to utilize designs and lessons-learned from past research. In addition, we discuss new ideas on how to build access methods that have tunable behavior, as well as, what is the scenery of open research problems.
Early Exposure To An L2 Predicts Good L1 As Well As Good L2 Writing

Recent research shows that bilinguals with relatively advanced skills tend to have cognitive advantages compared to their monolingual peers (Bialystok, 1992; Hakuta, 1986; Ransdell, Arecco & Levy, 2001). The research described in this chapter focuses on the relation between the age of first exposure to an L2 and the development of higher cognitive skills, such as skills used in L1 and L2 writing. Spanish-English, Estonian-English and Polish-English bilinguals were divided into two groups according to the age of their first exposure to their L2. Participants in the early L2 group were first exposed to an L2 before the age of twelve. The late L2 group was comprised of participants who were exposed to an L2 at the age of twelve or older. Both groups wrote two 10-minute essays in a counterbalanced design. One essay was in L1 and the other in L2 (English). Compared with the late L2 group, the early L2 group produced better quality writing with more fluency in both L1 and L2. One explanation for the observed differences is that participants in the early L2 exposure group may simply be more advanced in their English language skills. A second possibility is that early exposure to an L2 enhances general cognitive abilities. The present findings that early exposure to an L2 is correlated with better L1, as well as L2 writing fluency and quality, indicates support for the improvement of general cognitive, as well as linguistic skills.
Positive Selection in Rapidly Evolving Plastid–Nuclear Enzyme Complexes

Rates of sequence evolution in plastid genomes are generally low, but numerous angiosperm lineages exhibit accelerated evolutionary rates in similar subsets of plastid genes. These genes include clpP1 and accD, which encode components of the caseinolytic protease (CLP) and acetyl-coA carboxylase (ACCase) complexes, respectively. Whether these extreme and repeated accelerations in rates of plastid genome evolution result from adaptive change in proteins (i.e., positive selection) or simply a loss of functional constraint (i.e., relaxed purifying selection) is a source of ongoing controversy. To address this, we have taken advantage of the multiple independent accelerations that have occurred within the genus Silene (Caryophyllaceae) by examining phylogenetic and population genetic variation in the nuclear genes that encode subunits of the CLP and ACCase complexes. We found that, in species with accelerated plastid genome evolution, the nuclear-encoded subunits in the CLP and ACCase complexes are also evolving rapidly, especially those involved in direct physical interactions with plastid-encoded proteins. A massive excess of nonsynonymous substitutions between species relative to levels of intraspecific polymorphism indicated a history of strong positive selection (particularly in CLP genes). Interestingly, however, some species are likely undergoing loss of the native (heteromeric) plastid ACCase and putative functional replacement by a duplicated cytosolic (homomeric) ACCase. Overall, the patterns of molecular evolution in these plastid-nuclear complexes are unusual for anciently conserved enzymes. They instead resemble cases of antagonistic coevolution between pathogens and host immune genes. We discuss a possible role of plastid-nuclear conflict as a novel cause of accelerated evolution.
Maintaining quality of acoustic data: Calibration methods for active and passive devices, with extended sampling volume

A key technology that continues to evolve to meet special requirements of underwater sampling and observation is that of acoustics. This technology is used both actively to ensonify fish, zooplankton, other marine organisms, and the environment, and passively to listen to and record sounds produced by marine organisms and other sources, e.g., shipping and environmental noise. When calibrated, acoustic devices offer the potential for quantification. The essential case for calibration is made, and principal methods for the calibration of active and passive devices are reviewed. These include the standard-target method for the calibration of active devices, e.g., sonars, and the three-transducer spherical-wave reciprocity method for the calibration of passive devices, e.g., electroacoustic transducers and hydrophones. Recent advances in understanding the spatial structure of the transducer nearfield may safely extend the range at which such calibrations can be performed, as well as extending the range of measurements themselves. This extension can be quantified through the acoustic sampling volume. Reference is also made to the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society (OES) Standards Initiative, with website at http://www.oceanicengineering.org/page.cfm/cat/105/OES-Standards-Initiative/, which is providing a forum for dissemination of information on standards, protocols, quality assurance procedures, and best practices that are important in ocean engineering. This includes information on current calibration methods for acoustic instruments.
The Prevalence and Marketing of Electronic Cigarettes in Proximity to At-Risk Youths: An Investigation of Point-of-Sale Practices near Alternative High Schools.

This study examines the point-of-sale marketing practices used to promote electronic cigarettes at stores near schools that serve at-risk youth. One hundred stores selling tobacco products within a half mile of alternative high schools in Southern California were assessed for this study. Seventy percent of stores in the sample sold electronic cigarettes. Convenience stores heavily frequented by youth had the highest number of interior ads for e-cigarettes and were the most likely to employ in-store product placement strategies. Increased exposure to the promotion of these products at the point-of-sale poses a challenge for anti-smoking efforts directed toward vulnerable populations.
Distributed jamming for secure communication in poisson fields of legitimate nodes and eavesdroppers

This paper investigates studies how cooperative jamming helps improve the secrecy throughput of large decentralized networks where the locations and channel state information (CSI) of eavesdroppers are both unknown. The spatial distributions of legitimate nodes(transmitter/receiver pairs and helping jammers) and eavesdroppers are modeled as Poisson point processes. The helping jammers, equipped with multiple antennas, broadcast artificial noise that confuses eavesdropper but zero-forcing to the legitimate receiver. A jamming protocol based on the RTS/CTS handshake of IEEE 802.11 standard is proposed for decentralized implementation. Closed-form and numerical results analyze the benefits of jamming on secure communications according to parameters such as the Tx/Rx/jammers/eavesdroppers densities and guard zone.
Students' College Preferences in Response to Tuition Changes

This paper studies the impact of changing tuition on students' preferences for college degrees. In particular, it analyzes the selective tuition policy changes for certain degrees in Australia in the 2000s. Using a logit discrete choice model, I find that while tuition increases discouraged students from choosing those degrees, the effect was small as the estimated price elasticity of students' preferences is low. The estimated responses are however heterogeneous across income groups; students in the lower socioeconomic groups are more responsive to tuition changes.
Abstract 033: Understanding Diagnostic Factors Predicting Negative Coronary Angiography in Patients With Suspected Ischemic Heart Disease: Can We Prevent the Cost of Unnecessary Procedures?

Background: Low risk patients with suspected coronary ischemic syndrome (CIS) undergo hospital procedures despite unclear benefit. False negative evaluations can contribute to unnecessary testing t...
Lymph Node Yield in Therapeutic Neck Dissection: Impact of Dissection Levels and Prior Radiotherapy.

Objective:Lymph node yield in therapeutic neck dissection is clinically significant and incompletely studied. We quantified node yield based on extent of neck dissection and presence of preoperative radiation. We also evaluated factors affecting incidence of extracapsular spread (ECS).Methods:Retrospective review of 499 patients undergoing therapeutic neck dissection; 414 patients met inclusion criteria and were divided into 2 groups: neck dissection alone or before radiation (surgery first: 280 patients; 385 dissections) and primary radiation before surgery (radiation first: 134 patients; 157 dissections). Node yield relative to levels dissected and incidence of ECS were examined.Results:Dissection-specific node yield was greater in the surgery first group for dissection of levels I-V (31.1 ± 16.7 vs 24.0 ± 14.7, P < .001) and levels II-V (26.7 ± 14.4 vs 21.1 ± 10.7). Extracapsular spread incidence was 32.1% (98/305) in the surgery first group and 15.4% (23/149) in the radiation first group (P < .001).Co...
Charting the development of cognitive mapping.

Developmental research beginning in the 1970s has suggested that children's ability to form cognitive maps reaches adult levels during early adolescence. However, this research has used a variety of testing procedures, often in real-world environments, which have been difficult to share widely across labs and to use to probe components of mapping, individual differences in success, and possible mechanisms of development and reasons for individual variation. In this study, we charted the development of cognitive mapping using a virtual navigation paradigm, Silcton, that allows for testing samples of substantial size in a uniform way and in which adults show marked individual differences in the formation of accurate route representations and/or in route integration. The current study tested children aged between 8 and 16 years. In terms of components of normative development, children's performance reached adult levels of proficiency at around age 12, but route representation progressed significantly more quickly than route integration. In terms of individual differences, by age 12 children could be grouped into the same three categories evident in adults: imprecise navigators (who form only imprecise ideas of routes), non-integrators (who represent routes more accurately but are imprecise in relating two routes), and integrators (who relate the two routes and, thus, form cognitive maps). Thus, individual differences likely originate during childhood. In terms of correlates, perspective-taking skills predicted navigation performance better than mental rotation skills, in accord with the view that perspective taking operates on extrinsic spatial representations, whereas mental rotation taps intrinsic spatial representations.
Nursing Home Residents' Legal Access to Onsite Professional Psychosocial Care: Federal and State Regulations Do Not Meet Minimum Professional Social Work Standards.

Background and Objective The federal government holds nursing homes (NHs) responsible for assessing and addressing resident psychosocial needs. The staff person most responsible for psychosocial care planning is the social worker. However, the federal government requires only NHs with 120+ beds to employ one full-time social worker, and that person need not hold a social work degree. We compare/contrast state laws against federal laws and professional standards in terms of the minimum qualifications of NH social workers to determine in which states NH residents are legally entitled to receive services from a professional social work staff member. Research Design and Methods Qualitative content analysis of language regarding NH social worker qualifications in state (and DC) administrative codes. Results Twelve states do not address NH social worker qualifications. Up to 25 states appear to be out of federal compliance. Only Maine appears to meet the NASW professional standards. Other states approaching the standards include: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and West Virginia. Discussion The vast majority of the 3 million residents a year served by U.S. NHs are not entitled to social work staff who meet minimum professional standards, despite new federal regulations calling for trauma-informed and culturally competent care planning and the recognition that the needs of residents (including psychosocial needs) have continued to increase over past decades. Changes in federal regulations are recommended so that all NH residents have access to professional psychosocial services provided by a staff person who has earned at least a bachelor's degree in social work and who carries a reasonable caseload.
An Improved Shape Annealing Algorithm for Optimally Directed Shape Generation

This paper reviews the new design generation technique called shape annealing by Cagan and Mitchell (1992) and proposes modifications to the algorithm to improve design results. Shape annealing is a variation of the simulated annealing stochastic optimization technique. It produces optimally directed shapes within the language specified by a shape grammar by controlling the application and selection of shape rules. We present a modification to the basic algorithm which improves performance by 15% while superior shapes evolve.