cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Profitable Mergers in a Cournot Model of Spatial Competition

This paper investigates the profitability and locational effects of mergers when Cournot firms compete in spatially differentiated markets. A two-firm merger is generally profitable because the merged partners can coordinate their location decisions. The merged firm locates its plants outside the market quartiles with distance from the market center being an increasing function of the number of nonmerged firms remaining at the market center. Profitable two-firm mergers reduce competitive pressure, leading to higher prices and reduced consumer surplus. The merger increases total surplus by increased locational efficiency and the increased profits of the merged and nonmerged firms.
34 EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FOR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CONTROL OF CATCH-UP GROWTH

In rats permanent stunting follows neonatal head-irradiation (Head-X); during the post-weaning period full catch-up growth (CU) occurs after fasting (F); failure of CU occurs after cortisone treatment (C); and superimposition of F or C on Head-X results in similar responses in the stunting after Head-X. In this study growth hormone (GH) secretory profiles were determined in rats treated with Head-X, F or C. Superior vena cava blood was sampled at 15 min intervals during the light phase in chronically cannulated undisturbed animals. Sampling duration was 9 h in Head-X, 6 h in F, and 12 h in C. The results, expressed as area units/15 min under the curve of plasma GH concentration vs. time, are as follows:
Oxygen-18 Content of Atmospheric Precipitation during Last 11,000 Years in the Great Lakes Region

Freshwater lake marl and mollusks from Indiana show variations in ratios of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 of a few per mil during the Postglacial. For the last 9000 years these variations are about 1 per mil for properly selected lake sediments. Thus the oxygen isotope composition of atmospheric precipitation appears relatively stable over this interval, indicating stationary atmospheric circulation patterns over the Great Lakes region. A reduction in oxygen-18 content around 10,000 years ago corresponds with the climate change indicated by pollen profiles. Large systematic differences were found between carbon-13 and oxygen-18 content of marl and mollusks.
The Characteristic Polynomial as a Structure Discriminator

We investigate use of the characteristic polynomial for discrimination of graphs. Here we consider acyclic graphs (trees) only, and in particular we consider trees without bridging vertices because no isospectral trees in which both graphs are without bridging vertices have been hitherto reported. However, we found the smallest such isospectral trees when n = 15. When the maximal valence is limited to four, so that graphs correspond to molecules of organic chemistry, the smallest isospectral (nonbridging) trees have n = 19 vertices. The smallest pair of isospectral binary trees were found among trees having n = 26 vertices. By combining contraction of trees to proper trees (i.e., trees without bridging vertices) and subsequent pruning of proper trees one can in many cases determine if two trees are isomorphic or not from comparison of their characteristic polynomials.
Radiative exchange between gray fins using a coupled integral equation formulation

This paper presents an analytic methodology for determining the temperature and radiosity distributions in a rectangular, gray fin array through a primitive formulation that explicitly couples the two distributions. The primitive formulation, used in conjunction with the Green's function method, produces a set of coupled nonlinear Fredholm integral equations for temperature and radiosity that must be solved simultaneously. Accurate numerical results are produced rapidly and efficiently using the trapezoidal method and a standard iterative scheme. Initially, an integrodifferential equation is derived from the one-dimensional steady-state energy balance. This mixed mode equation displays the coupling between the temperature and radiosity. In deriving the energy balance, a temperature-dependent thermal conductivity is included in terms of a Taylor series expansion. The Green's function method is used to convert the integro-differential equation describing the conservation of energy into an equivalent integral equation. The second integral equation is developed from the balance of radiant energy for a diffuse-gray surface. The coupled integral equations are solved simultaneously by a simple numerical integration scheme. A parametric study considering the effects of the conduction-radiation number, emissivity, spacings, and thermal conductivity is presented.
Rectal J-pouch reservoir to decrease the frequency of tenesmus and defecation in low coloproctostomy

Low anterior resection of the colon with very low coloproctostomy is a procedure occasionally required in the surgical management of the patient with gynecologic malignancy. Very low end-to-end anastomosis of the colon to rectum has been associated with fecal frequency and tenesmus in up to 70% of cases. The construction of a rectal J-pouch low-pressure reservoir has been reported to have a salutary effect upon these symptoms. Between March 1987 and January 1988 a pilot study was carried out in which six patients with primary or recurrent gynecologic malignancy who underwent low anterior resection of the colon requiring very low coloproctostomy (below 6 cm) had construction of a rectal J-pouch reservoir with a Strasbourg-Baker end-to-side coloproctostomy. No postoperative complications were noted in this small series of patients. No patient has had more than three stools per day since surgery. Antidiarrheal medication was not required. All patients denied tenesmus. It was concluded that the rectal J-pouch reservoir offered a surgical technique for avoiding tenesmus and fecal frequency in very low end-to-end anastomosis of colon to rectum.
Interaction between a He atom and a graphite surface

Abstract A study is presented of the interaction V ( r ) between a He atom and a graphite surface. V ( r ) is assumed equal to a sum of pair interactions U ( r − R i ) between the He and C atoms. None of a set of isotropic potentials (dependent only on the magnitude ¦ r − R i ¦) is consistent with recent scattering data. Anisotropie pair potentials, in contrast, are found to yield good agreement. The origin of this anisotropy is analyzed in terms of the graphite dielectric function and charge density.
Compound adaptive GPU design for clinical trials.

In clinical trials, several competing treatments are often carried out in the same trial period. The goal is to assess the performances of these different treatments according to some optimality criterion and minimize risks to the patients in the entire process of the study. For this, each coming patient is allocated sequentially to one of the treatments according to a mechanism defined by the optimality criterion. In practice, sometimes different optimality criteria, or the same criterion with different regimes, need to be considered to assess the treatments in the same study, so that each mechanism is also evaluated through the trail study. In this case, the question is how to allocate the treatments to the incoming patients so that the criteria/mechanisms of interest are assessed during the trail process, and the overall performance of the trial is optimized under the combined criteria or regimes. In this paper, we consider this problem by investigating a compound adaptive generalized Polya urn design. Basic asymptotic properties of this design are also studied.
A historical perspective of the popular use of electric and magnetic therapy

Abstract Basford JR. A historical perspective of the popular use of electric and magnetic therapy. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001;82:1261-9. Objectives: To review the history of the therapeutic use of static electric and magnetic fields and to understand its implications for current popular and medical acceptance of these and other alternative and complementary therapies. Data Sources: Comprehensive MEDLINE (1960–2000) and CINAHL (1982–2000) computer literature searches by using key words such as electricity , magnetism , electromagnetic , therapy , medicine , EMF , history of medicine , and fields . Additional references were obtained from the bibliographies of the selected articles. In addition, discussions were held with curators of medical history museums and supplemental searches were made of Internet sources through various search engines. Study Selection: Primary references were used whenever possible. In a few instances, secondary references, particularly those requiring translations of early texts, were used. Data Synthesis: The use of electric and magnetic forces to treat disease has intrigued the general public and the scientific community since at least the time of the ancient Greeks. The popularity of these therapies has waxed and waned over the millennia, but at all times the popular imagination, often spurred by dynamic and colorful practitioners of pseudoscience, has been more excited than the medical or political establishment. In fact, a pattern seems to reappear. In each era, unsophisticated public acceptance is met first with medical disdain, then with investigation, and, finally, with a failure to find objective evidence of efficacy. This pattern continues today with the public acceptance of magnetic therapy (and alternative and complementary medicine in general) far outstripping acceptance by the medical community. Conclusion: The therapeutic implications of applying electrical and magnetic fields to heal disease have continually captured the popular imagination. Approaches thousands of years apart can be remarkably similar, but, in each era, proof has been lacking and the prevailing medical establishment has remained unconvinced. Interest persists today. Although these agents may have a future role in the healing of human disease, their history and a minimal scientific rationale makes it unlikely that the dichotomy between the hopes of the public and the medical skepticism will disappear. © 2001 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Perspectives of “Fortune 500” Executives on the Competency Requirements for Accounting Graduates

Abstract “Fortune 500” executives were surveyed in fall 1997 to determine their perceptions of the competencies necessary for entry-level accounting graduates. Questionnaires were mailed to 166 companies through selection of every third company from the alphabetical listing. A total of 71 responses was received, for a response rate of 42.8%. Questions focused on the relative importance of skills currently (1997), 5 years earlier, and projecting 5 years into the future. The importance of accounting knowledge for entry-level accounting graduates was perceived to decrease over time, whereas the importance of computer skills, communication skills, and group skills would increase.
Thoughts on the partial delegation of joint manipulation.

The recent position on Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) Education and Joint Mobilization put forth by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) has raised a great deal of controversy and healthy debate within our profession. While I support change, I don’t believe that the current stream of events is justifiable. Here are my concerns about CAPTE’s position. This decision is in direct conflict with APTA’s position: HOD PO6 00-30-36. A failure to recognize the evaluative component of manipulation and the associated arthrokinematic principles. The inadequate representation of PTA’s in the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) Survey. It reflects a backwards decision-making process; essentially, ‘the tail wagging the dog’. Oversimplification of Grades I & II manipulation as ‘not necessarily requiring the level of expertise of a physical therapist’. Use of a questionable example of peripheral joint mobilization in their position statement; i.e., the patellofemoral joint.
Solvent-induced vibrational population relaxation in diatomics: The role of the physical parameters of the system

Abstract We investigate the 1→0 vibrational population relaxation of a diatomic in a dense gas/liquid by computer simulation. The model is based on a mixed quantum-semiclassical surface hopping theory of the non-adiabatic processes, and uses a standard monte carlo technique to simulate the relaxation rate. Simulated relaxation rate incorporates all the basic physical parameters which defines the fluid-diatomic system, including its thermodynamic variables temperature and density. The sensitivity of the rate to changes of each of these parameters is isolated and analyzed. The qualitative trends observed in these simulations are discussed in terms of simple models.
Scaling health and healthcare: re‐presenting Thailand's HIV/AIDS epidemic with world regional geography students

Authors of world regional geography textbooks have recently become more interested in the broader theoretical changes that have emerged in human geography. Relying on feminist and other critical perspectives, concepts such as space, place and scale are being re‐imagined in this ‘new world regional geography’. This paper intervenes on behalf of a more critical world regional geography by suggesting how world regional geography teachers can educate students about scale as a social construction through the use of empirical data. Relying on fieldwork conducted in Thailand, this paper lays out a lesson on the HIV/AIDS crisis and how different representations of that crisis, from the national to the individual, offer different ‘ways of knowing’ the epidemic. Furthermore, this paper examines how we can push students to consider the ways in which scales of analysis are constructed and constituted through our own geographic practices.
Quasi Monoenergetic and Tunable X-rays by Laser Compton Scattering from Laser Wakefield e-beam

Quasi monoenergetic and tunable x-ray beams are reported by inverse-Compton scattering from laser wakefield accelerated electrons. The high peak brightness, ultrashort duration, and small size of the source make it uniquely suitable for many applications.
Political theory and public attitudes: Reinhold Niebuhr's political philosophy and American perceptions of the Gulf War

Abstract A Q‐method attitude modelling protocol applied during the Gulf War revealed four factorial attitude types: conservatives and anti‐establishment, patriots and pacifists. The types correspond to Reinhold Niebuhr's critique of the realpolitik/moralistic dualism in American political culture, and demonstrate the power of systematic political theory to penetrate to the root presuppositions of popular ideologies. Niebuhr's Augustinian Christian pessimism, existentialism, and dialectical view of human nature are discussed and criticized, but the data show the depth of his theoretical insight at 50 years remove.
A Hybrid Differential Dynamic Programming Algorithm for Constrained Optimal Control Problems. Part 2: Application

In the first part of this paper series, a new solver, called HDDP, was presented for solving constrained, nonlinear optimal control problems. In the present paper, the algorithm is extended to include practical safeguards to enhance robustness, and four illustrative examples are used to evaluate the main algorithm and some variants. The experiments involve both academic and applied problems to show that HDDP is capable of solving a wide class of constrained, nonlinear optimization problems. First, the algorithm is verified to converge in a single iteration on a simple multi-phase quadratic problem with trivial dynamics. Successively, more complicated constrained optimal control problems are then solved demonstrating robust solutions to problems with as many as 7 states, 25 phases, 258 stages, 458 constraints, and 924 total control variables. The competitiveness of HDDP, with respect to general-purpose, state-of-the-art NLP solvers, is also demonstrated.
Potential of gene therapy for pediatric neurotransmitter diseases: Lessons from Parkinson's disease

Gene therapy methods have continued to develop rapidly, and many initial limitations that hampered clinical application have been overcome. Thus serious consideration of clinical application of gene therapy is warranted for selected disorders in which the pathogenesis is well defined. Parkinson's disease has been the most extensively studied target of gene therapy for central nervous system disorders and shares many features with pediatric neurotransmitter diseases. Neurotransmitter replacement therapy using catecholamine-synthesizing genes and delivery of neurotrophic factors such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factors has been successful in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Application of gene therapy for pediatric neurotransmitter diseases will require delineating the optimal set of genes to correct the consequences of the deficiencies. The optimal anatomical targets and proper timing of the gene replacement must be understood. Safety of gene therapy vehicles and the ability to regulate gene expression will be essential for eventual clinical application.
Automatic sharing classification and timely push for cache-coherent systems

This paper proposes and evaluates Sharing/Timing Adaptive Push (STAP), a dynamic scheme for preemptively sending data from producers to consumers to minimize critical-path communication latency. STAP uses small hardware buffers to dynamically detect sharing patterns and timing requirements. The scheme applies to both intra-node and inter-socket directory-based shared memory networks. We integrate STAP into a MOESI cache-coherence (prefetching-enabled) protocol using heuristics to detect different data sharing patterns, including broadcasts, producer/consumer, and migratory-data sharing. Using 15 benchmarks from the PARSEC and SPLASH-2 suites we show that our scheme significantly reduces communication latency in NUMA systems and achieves an average of 9% performance improvement, with at most 3% on-chip storage overhead.
Angle-differential and momentum-transfer cross sections for low-energy electron-Cs scattering

Based on a previous Dirac [ital R]-matrix calculation [U. Thumm and D. W. Norcross, Phys. Rev. A 45, 6349 (1992)], we have derived elastic and inelastic angle-differential and elastic momentum-transfer cross sections for slow electrons ([ital E][sub kin][le]2.8 eV) colliding with neutral Cs atoms. Our results for the angle-differential cross sections are in good agreement with scaled experimental data and, depending on the incident electron energy, in qualitative or fair quantitative agreement with previously published theoretical work. The inelastic angle-differential cross sections for 6[ital p][sub 1/2] and 6[ital p][sub 3/2] excitation differ by more than a statistical branching ratio due to relativistic effects. For the momentum-transfer cross sections, we hope to resolve existing discrepancies in the literature and to provide more reliable input for transport calculations.
Design Scenarios: Enabling transparent parametric design spaces

This paper presents a novel methodology called Design Scenarios (DSs) intended for use in conceptual design of buildings. DS enables multidisciplinary design teams to streamline the requirements definition, alternative generation, analysis, and decision-making processes by providing a methodology for building and managing requirements driven design spaces with parametric Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools. DS consists of four interdependent models: (1) Requirements Model - stakeholders and designers explicitly define and prioritize context specific design requirements; (2) Scenarios Model (SM) - designers formally transform these requirements into actions necessary to achieve them, and determine the geometric and material parameters, interrelationships, and potential conflicts; (3) Parametric Process Model (PPM) - CAD experts build and represent the technical implementation of a SM in a parametric model to enable design teams to manage and communicate its CAD models; (4) Alternative Analysis Model - analyze and visually report performance back to the designers and stakeholders. This paper motivates the need for the DS methodology thorough an industry case study, and establishes points of departure for the methodology through literature review. Next, the paper details the elements and methods in the methodology, describes its implementation into a software prototype, provides an illustrative example to explain, and an industry test case to validate how DS can potentially enable multidisciplinary teams to generate and communicate larger and better performing design spaces more efficiently than with traditional methods.
Reduced small artery but not large artery elasticity is an independent risk marker for cardiovascular events

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis begins in the arterial wall, with endothelial dysfunction accompanied by functional and structural changes that influence arterial stiffness. Pulse contour analysis provides an assessment of compliance or elasticity of the large conduit arteries (C 1 ) and small microcirculatory arteries (C 2 ). In this study, the predictive value of reduced elasticity of these arteries was evaluated by follow-up of subjects who underwent pulse contour analysis at the University of Minnesota. Methods Questionnaires were sent to 870 subjects who had radial artery pulse wave analysis performed between 1993 and 1999 using a noninvasive sensor, parameter estimating algorithm and modified Windkessel model of the circulation. Responses from 419 subjects >19 years of age reported on any cardiovascular events including death, myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, angina, or coronary or peripheral vascular interventional procedures. Results Of the subjects, 168 (41%) reported one or more cardiovascular events. Events were more common in those with elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and family history of events. Age, reduced C 1 , and reduced C 2 were univariate predictors of events. After adjusting for age, a 2-unit decrease in C 2 remained a significant predictor (odds ratio 1.50, P 1 was no longer predictive. Conclusion Reduced small artery elasticity, which is a measure of endothelial dysfunction, is significantly associated with cardiovascular events independent of age.
Multiple representations as sites for teacher reflection about mathematics learning

This documentary account situates teacher educator, prospective teacher, and elementary students’ mathematical thinking in relation to one another, demonstrating shared challenges to learning mathematics. It highlights an important mathematics reasoning skill—creating and analyzing representations. The author examines responses of prospective teachers to a visual representation task and, in turn, their examination of school children’s responses to mathematical tasks. The analysis revealed the initial tendency of prospective teachers to create pictorial representations and highlights the importance of looking beyond the pictures created to how prospective teachers use mathematical models. In addition, the challenges prospective teachers face in moving beyond a ruled-based conception of mathematics and a right/wrong framework for assessing student work are documented. Findings suggest that analyzing representations helps prospective teachers (and teacher educators) rethink their teaching practices by engaging with a culture of teaching focused on reading for multiple meanings and posing questions about student thinking and curriculum materials.
The tribological and dynamic behavior of alternative magnetic tape substrates

Abstract Tribological characteristics of alternative magnetic tape substrates are presented along with dynamic mechanical measurements of their viscoelastic behavior. The polymeric substrates analyzed include the current industrial standard PET, and four alternative substrates PEN, ARAMID, PI, and PBO. Surface roughness characteristics obtained using an atomic force microscope (AFM) show that the alternative substrates are smoother than PET because anti-slip agents are probably not present in these newer materials. Based on macro-scale friction measurements using a reciprocating friction apparatus, the friction coefficient for a PET substrate rubbing against a ferrite surface is less than that measured for PEN, ARAMID, or PBO. However, the anti-slip agents present in PET lead to an increase in friction when it is rubbed against itself or a metal-particle tape. This trend was not observed for the alternative substrates. From the dynamic mechanical analysis, the storage (or elastic) modulus E ′ was obtained as a function of temperature and frequency along with the loss tangent, tan δ. Frequency-temperature superposition was used to predict the dynamic mechanical behavior of the substrates over a 10–12 decade frequency range. Results show that PEN, ARAMID, and PBO have a higher storage modulus than PET or PI over this frequency range, and PET will undergo more nonrecoverable deformation at frequency above 100 Hz. The relationship between modulus data and head wear is discussed in terms of tape-to-head conformity, and a method is presented for predicting the deformation strain on a tape when it is subjected to a transient deformation from the head.
Type a Behavior and the Five-Factor Model of Personality

The hypothesis that people classified as Type A and Type B have different personality profiles based on five major personality factors (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) was tested using the Student Jenkins Activity Survey and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. Results based on discriminant function analysis of data from 243 psychology undergraduates (105 males and 138 females) strongly supported the hypothesis indicating that Type A and Type B groups have significantly different Revised NEO Personality Inventory profiles and that the standardized discriminant function coefficients were large for Agreeableness and Conscientiousness and moderately large for Extraversion.
Treatment of adenovirus disease in stem cell transplant recipients with cidofovir.

Abstract Invasive adenovirus (AdV) disease is fatal in >50% of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients. Treatment with cidofovir may improve outcomes based on in vitro susceptibility data and case reports. Six consecutive cases of invasive AdV disease treated with cidofovir were reviewed among 84 allogeneic adult SCT recipients (incidence, 7.1%). Cidofovir was administered intravenously at 5 mg/kg per dose (1-7 doses). All patients received intravenous immune globulin. Blood AdV DNA levels (viral loads, VLs) were monitored with a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Published reports of cidofovir treatment of AdV disease in SCT recipients were critically reviewed. The primary manifestations of AdV disease were hepatitis (n = 3), colitis (n = 2), and nephritis (n = 1). All patients had detectable AdV VLs, with peak values from 5 × 105 to 2 × 108 copies/mL. All patients received CD34+ selected grafts (n = 3) and/or had graft-versus-host disease (n = 4) and had CD4 counts
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of anastomotic complications after tracheal resection and reconstruction.

Objective Failure of anastomotic healing is a rare but serious complication of laryngotracheal resection. Treatment options include reoperation, tracheostomy, or T-tube placement. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the delivery of 100% O2 at pressures greater than 1 atm, and has been shown to enhance wound healing after tracheal resection in animal models. To date, there have been no reports describing its usefulness in humans after tracheal resection. Methods Five consecutive patients with varying degrees of failed anastomotic healing, from necrotic cartilage to partial separation identified by bronchoscopy were treated with HBOT. HBOT was administered for 90 minutes via a hyperbaric chamber pressurized to 2 atm with 100% oxygen. Patients were treated with daily or twice daily HBOT. Four of 5 patients had buttressing of the anastomosis by strap muscle at the initial surgery. Results All patients had evidence of anastomotic healing on bronchoscopy. None of the patients in this series required tracheostomy, T-tube, or reoperation after initiation of HBOT. On average it took 9.6 days for healing to occur (5-14 days). The size of the anastomotic defect ranged between 3 and 13 mm. One patient required bilateral tympanostomy tubes for inner ear discomfort and experienced blurry vision as complications of HBOT. One patient developed tracheal stenosis from granulation tissue that required bronchoscopic debridement. Conclusions In select patients with anastomotic complications after tracheal resection, HBOT may aid in healing and avoid tracheostomy. Future investigations are necessary to further define the benefits of HBOT in the management of airway anastomotic complications.
Hydroxyphenylbenzene derivatives as glass forming molecules for high resolution photoresists

This paper presents a fundamental study to relate molecular architecture to the amorphous properties of hydroxyphenylbenzene molecular glass derivatives. These studies demonstrates that the branched hydroxyphenylbenzene derivatives can form stable molecular glasses despite the π–π interactions present. Through this research, design concepts to stabilize the amorphous nature and to increase the glass transition temperature (Tg) based on asymmetric molecular structures, bulky substituents, conformation states and molecular size are explored. An understanding of such behavior is important for the development of hydroxyphenylbenzene derivatives as potential molecular photoresists for patterning below 50 nm. This research has helped to identify potential candidates to be evaluated as positive-tone photoresists for lithographic applications for extreme ultraviolet (EUV, λ = 13.4 nm) lithography. The first reported sub-30 nm feature sizes for hydroxyphenylbenzene derivatives were demonstrated with high Tg materials.
Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Novel End-to-End Vascular Coupling System

Microvascular anastomosis is common and necessary during reconstructive and free tissue transfer surgeries. Traditional hand suturing techniques are time consuming, subject to human error, and require complex instruments. Prior attempts including staples, ring-pin devices, cuffing devices, and clips were either more cumbersome, were unable to maintain a tight seal, or did not work for both arteries and veins. To provide a more efficient and reliable vessel anastomosis, a pin-free vascular coupling system that can be used for both arteries and veins was designed and manufactured. A set of corresponding instruments were developed to facilitate the anastomosis process. Both bench testing and ex vivo testing were performed to evaluate the operating abilities of the vascular coupling system. Preliminary studies were performed on cadaver pigs.
ILP-based optimization of sequential circuits for low power

The power consumption of a sequential circuit can be reduced by decomposing it into subcircuits which can be turned off when inactive. Power can also be reduced by careful state encoding. Modeling a given circuit as a finite-state machine, we formulate its decomposition into submachines as an integer linear programming (ILP) problem, and automatically generate the ILP model with power minimization as the objective. A simple, but powerful state encoding method is used for the submachines to further reduce power consumption. We present experimental results which show that circuits designed by our approach consume 30% to 90% less power than conventional circuits.
Targeted Estimation of Binary Variable Importance Measures with Interval-Censored Outcomes

In most experimental and observational studies, participants are not followed in continuous time. Instead, data is collected about participants only at certain monitoring times. These monitoring times are random and often participant specific. As a result, outcomes are only known up to random time intervals, resulting in interval-censored data. In contrast, when estimating variable importance measures on interval-censored outcomes, practitioners often ignore the presence of interval censoring, and instead treat the data as continuous or right-censored, applying ad hoc approaches to mask the true interval censoring. In this article, we describe targeted minimum loss–based estimation (TMLE) methods tailored for estimation of binary variable importance measures with interval-censored outcomes. We demonstrate the performance of the interval-censored TMLE procedure through simulation studies and apply the method to analyze the effects of a variety of variables on spontaneous hepatitis C virus clearance among injecton drug users, using data from the “International Collaboration of Incident HIV and HCV in Injecting Cohorts” project.
Adversarial risk analysis: Borel games

Adversarial risk analysis (ARA) offers a new solution concept in game theory. This paper explores its application to a range of simple gambling games, enabling comparison with minimax solutions for similar problems. We find that ARA has several attractive advantages: it is easier to compute, it takes account of asymmetric information, it corresponds better to human behavior, and it reduces to previous solutions in appropriate circumstances. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A mobile teletrauma system using 3G networks

This paper introduces a cost-effective portable teletrauma system that assists health-care centers in providing prehospital trauma care. Simultaneous transmission of a patient's video, medical images, and electrocardiogram signals, which is required throughout the prehospital procedure, is demonstrated over commercially available 3G wireless cellular data service. Moreover, the physician can remotely control the information sent from the patient side. Such a technology will allow a trauma specialist to be virtually present at the remote location and participate in prehospital care, which improves the quality of trauma care and can potentially reduce mortality and morbidity. To alleviate the limited and fluctuant bandwidth barriers of the wireless cellular link, the system adapts to network conditions through media transformations, data prioritization, and application-level congestion control methods. Experimental evaluation of the system prototype over real network conditions, transmitting different media types between the trauma patient and hospital unit, is encouraging. The teletrauma system reported in this paper is the first of its kind and it provides a basis for future enhancements.
The Effects of Choice on the Motivation of Adolescent Girls in Physical Education

This study examined the motivational responses of adolescent girls in the physical education setting to having choices of walking activities. Seventh and 8th grade girls (N = 1,110) in 42 intact physical education classes participated in this study. Classes were randomly assigned to choice (n = 21) and no-choice (n = 21) groups. Participants’ situational and contextual motivation was assessed using the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) and the Sport Motivation Scale for PE (SMSPE). The SIMS was administered every 3 days during the intervention. The SMSPE was administered as the pre- and posttest. Significant differences indicated that the choice group (a) was more intrinsically motivated, (b) had higher identified regulation, (c) experienced less external control, and (d) was less amotivated. Moderate to large effect sizes were noted. A significant difference in amotivation at the contextual level was noted. Results suggest that adolescent female PE students may be more motivated if given choices. The n...
From the Editor: On the Polar Bear Listing Decision

In the following pages, you will find a provocative piece by Armstrong, Green, and Soon, commentaries on this work by Cochran, Goodwin, and Murphy, and a follow-up reply by Armstrong, Green, and Soon. A controversial decision to list or not list the polar bear as an endangered species became even more controversial when the decision took much longer than expected. On May 14, 2008, three years after the filing of the original lawsuit to force consideration of polar bears as endangered, US Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced the decision to list the polar bear as threatened, that is, on track to be listed as endangered. Part of the reason given for the delay in reaching a decision was the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence that needed to be considered. Armstrong, Green, and Soon were involved in that evaluation process. On January 30, 2008, lead author Scott Armstrong testified before the US Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works regarding the authors’ forecasting audit of a set of listing-decision studies under consideration. Shortly thereafter, Scott, who is a contributing editor of Interfaces, approached me about the possibility of Interfaces publishing their audit work. (Scott and his coauthors had sent it to another journal, but were having trouble getting a decision.) They withdrew the paper from consideration by the other journal and submitted it to Interfaces, which accepted it after several efficient rounds of refereeing, Scott encouraged me to solicit commentaries on their work, and Jim Cochran, Paul Goodwin, and Fred Murphy came through in a timely way. Steven Amstrup, Research Wildlife Biologist at the United States Geological Survey’s Alaska Science Center, is an author of one of the studies that Armstrong, Green, and Soon audited. In March, I invited Dr. Amstrup to submit a rebuttal. His fieldwork responsibilities prevented him from responding in time for this issue, but he has accepted my invitation and has indicated he will submit a rebuttal in the near future. We look forward to his contribution. I encourage you to read these pieces with an open mind and ponder the role, indeed the responsibility, we have as analysts to support good decision making in the public sector.
Breeding for Disease Resistance in the Major Cool-Season Turfgrasses

Over the past several decades, breeding cool-season turfgrasses for improved disease resistance has been the focus of many turfgrass breeding programs. This review article discusses the dramatic improvements made in breeding Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) for resistance to leaf spot (caused by Drechslera poae), stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis), and stripe smut (caused by Ustilago striiformis); perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) for resistance to gray leaf spot (caused by Pyricularia grisea), stem rust and crown rust (caused by Puccinia coronata); tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) for resistance to brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani) and stem rust; creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) for resistance to dollar spot (caused by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa); and fine fescues (Festuca spp.) for improved disease resistance. Historically, the dramatic improvements in disease resistance of the cool-season grasses have been attributed to traditional/conventional breeding techniques; however, it is likely that functional genomics and molecular techniques will play a more significant role in the development of cultivated turfgrasses as the specific genes and mechanisms for disease resistance are identified in the future.
A time-scale separation technique for the analysis of random access systems with incremental redundancy

A time-scale separation technique is developed for the analysis of multi-access packet data systems with a varying number of users. User arrival and departure processes are assumed to occur on a time-scale that is slow compared with the time-scale over which a packet is served. Time-scale separation is shown to considerably simplify system analysis by separating the queueing theoretic and the physical layer aspects of the multi-access system.
The role of chemical fingerprinting: application to Ephedra

Ephedra sinica, known as Ma Huang, is one of the oldest medicinal herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Preparations, namely teas, of E. sinica have been used for over 5000 years as a stimulant and as an antiasthmatic. In the West, extracts of E. sinica, E. intermedia or E. equisetina are most commonly used in dietary supplements as a stimulant and to promote weight loss. More than 50 species of Ephedra are native to both hemispheres, but the detection of ephedrine alkaloids has been limited to species in Eurasia. Currently, methods exist to quantitate the ephedrine alkaloids in extracts of plant material or dietary supplements, but the methods are not able to verify the extract is of an Ephedra species. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection was applied for the chemical fingerprinting of the Ephedra species. Two regions of comparison were determined in the chromatograms at 320 nm. The series of peaks between 52 and 64 min confirms an Ephedra species is being analyzed. The aforementioned peaks also could distinguish between Ephedra species from Eurasia, North America and South America. Peaks at ca. 57 and 59 min were isolated and determined to be two new compounds, 4-(2-eicosyloxycarbonyl-vinyl)-benzoic acid and 4-(2-docosyloxycarbonyl-vinyl)-benzoic acid respectively. Authentication of ground plant material as Ephedra can be achieved by this chemical fingerprinting method.
Limited phylogeographic structure and genetic variation in Alaska's arctic and alpine endemic, the Alaska marmot

Alpine and arctic environments are thought to be more vulnerable to climate change than other lower-elevation and lower-latitude regions. Being both arctic and alpine distributed, the Alaska marmot (Marmota broweri )i s uniquely suited to serve as a harbinger of the effects of climate change, yet it is the least-studied marmot species in North America. We investigated the phylogeography and genetic diversity of M. broweri throughout its known distribution in northern Alaska using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to better understand how post-Pleistocene changes and population fragmentation have structured genetic diversity. Our results show significant, although shallow, geographic structure among Alaska marmot populations. The diversity within and among populations is consistent with 2 phylogeographic hypotheses: Alaska marmots persisted in the eastern Brooks Range, Ray Mountains, and Kokrines Hills during the Pleistocene and have only recently expanded into the western Brooks Range; and the western Brooks Range served as a refugium as well and those populations have undergone a bottleneck resulting in reduced genetic variation in extant populations. Levels of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid diversity are lower in M. broweri than in any other codistributed small mammal species and alpine mammal species with comparable data available. This is the 1st phylogeographic study of any marmot species and provides a baseline measure of the current structure and diversity within M. broweri.
Error smoothing in adaptive LMS algorithms

In this paper, an output error smoothing filter has been applied to the traditional gradient based adaptive filter. The rationale for this modification is to increase the convergence rate and decrease the minimum expected mean square error by ensuring a more stable region of operation. It was shown that smoothing the output error is equivalent to smoothing the desired response and the input. As a result, convergence to Wiener-Hopf solution is slightly modified to reflect the smoothing operation. However, convergence rate can be significantly improved and the minimum expected mean square error can be reduced with the proper choice of smoothing filter coefficients.
WAVE TRANSMISSION PAST VERTICAL WAVE BARRIERS

Three theories for predicting regular wave transmission past vertical wave barriers are evaluated using three sets of experimental data. The three theories are: (1) the power transmission theory of Wiegel (1960), (2) and modified power transmission theory that includes effects of wave reflection, and (3) the eigenfunction expansion theory of Losada et al. (1992). Under deep and near-deep water conditions - which are typical of most design conditions - the theory of Wiegel is found to over predict wave transmission under most circumstances. The modified power transmission theory provides better agreement with the data. The eigenfunction method provides good agreement for deep wave barrier drafts but overestimates transmission for shallow drafts.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/Chronic Lung Disease

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common cause of chronic lung disease in infancy [1]. The consensus definition of BPD has been summarized in Table 65.1. The “classic” BPD described by Northway in 1967 has now been replaced by less severe forms of “new” BPD, which are infrequently found in patients >30 weeks of gestation and with birth weights (BW) >1200 grams. Presently, infants who weigh <1250 grams account for 97% of all BPD patients [2]. The incidence of BPD, defined as oxygen need at 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA), was 52% (BW 501–750 g), 34% (BW 751–1000 g), 15% (BW 1001–1200g), and 7% (BW 1201–1500 g). Using a physiologic definition based on an oxygen reduction challenge at 36 weeks PMA led to a 10% decrease in the incidence of BPD.
Capturing Complexity Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Heart Failure Outcomes

In 2014, the National Quality Forum (NQF) stepped back from a long-standing policy that quality performance measures should not be adjusted for socioeconomic factors.1 This policy was originally intended to prevent acceptance of a lower standard of care for disadvantaged populations and was thus thought to be a route to reducing health disparities. Given the NQF's role as an authoritative clearinghouse for quality measures, this policy was incorporated into the full range of measures for which healthcare organizations are accountable, including the risk-adjustment models for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ 30-day readmission and mortality measures for heart failure. Through the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program2 and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program,3 poorer performance on these measures can result in diminished reimbursement to hospitals. Questions began to arise, however, about the wisdom and fairness of excluding socioeconomic variables from risk-adjustment models. Article see p 473 A host of variables associated with socioeconomic disadvantage, including educational attainment, income, race, neighborhood of residence, and early childhood environment, has been independently associated with health outcomes. By failing to account for these conditions—which are outside providers’ control—not adjusting for socioeconomic factors has the potential to worsen performance on measures used to determine reimbursement, and therefore reduce resources available to hospitals that disproportionately care for the disadvantaged. This weakening of the safety net could have the unintended consequence …
Integrating the world wide web and database technology

The recent popularity of the World Wide Web (WWW, or the Web) has created a massive increase in both the supply and demand of Web-based technologies. However, the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) used to construct the Web has limitations that challenge information content providers who want to supply current, up-to-date information with minimal administrative overhead. A powerful, extensible solution to many of these challenges is the use of a database as a back end, or data source, for Web applications. Combining the Web with a database maximizes the strengths of its components. From the Web perspective, this combination offers user friendliness, cross-platform compatibility, and high-speed prototyping capabilities. From the database perspective, it offers relational data manipulation, high-speed search capabilities, and industrial-grade data input and retrieval. This paper describes experiences of application developers working at NCR, formerly AT&T Global Information Solutions. It also analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the Web/database combination and seeks to prove that this combination is a viable alternative for providing database-oriented solutions.