cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of recent welfare and immigration reforms on immigrants' access to health care

This study investigates the impact of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, both passed in 1996, on the use of health-care services in immigrant communities in five Texas counties. The study presents findings of interviews with public agency officials, directors of community-based organizations, and members of 500 households during two research phases, 1997-1998 and 1998-1999. In the household sample, 20 percent of U.S. citizens and 30 percent of legal permanent residents who reported'having received Medicaid during the five years before they were interviewed also reported losing the coverage during the past year. Some lost coverage because of welfare reform restrictions on noncitizen eligibility or because of changes in income or household size, but many eligible immigrants also withdrew from Medicaid voluntarily.
An improved plaque assay for mouse myeloma (MOPC 315) cells for use in studies of humoral and cell-mediated immunity

Dinitrophenyl-bovine albumin was coupled at room temperature to sheep red blood cells in a procedure which minimized spontaneous lysis and allowed the preparation of large batches and their use for at least 3 weeks. The modified erythrocytes were used as a substrate for detecting local hemolytic plaques in agar by myeloma MOPC 315 cells, which secrete a paraprotein IgA with high affinity for dinitrophenyl ligand. Conditions maximizing the number of plaques formed by a given number of tumor cells were found to include coupling the erythrocytes at 1 mg/ml dinitrophenyl-bovine albumin with a molar ratio of about 50, and incubation with an amino-to-carboxy cross-linking agent, 1-ethyl-3(3 dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide, at 2 mg/ml for 50 min. The method thus developed was employed to measure cellular and antibody-dependent immune reactions against the MOPC 315 cells. The experimental results show comparisons of the plaque technique with other measurements of tumor cell injury. The nature of the assay, which requires only 500 cells per plating, and which tests the synthetic capacity of single cells, suggests its use in experiments which limit the number of target cells, and in immune reactions causing injury, but not necessarily lysis, of the target cells.
Implementing total quality management with a focus on enhancing customer satisfaction

Purpose – Aims to examine the role of total quality management (TQM) towards enhancing customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approach – Using meta‐analysis, existing research studies on TQM and customer satisfaction were quantified, summarized, and tested for moderators to clarify TQM impact.Findings – It is found that TQM substantially increases customer satisfaction across diverse industrial and cultural settings.Originality/value – This research broadens the scope of TQM applicability across varied industrial and cultural settings to achieve higher customer focus, increased customer satisfaction, and stresses the need for more meta‐analytic studies on the subject.
Transient and lasting effects of reproductive episodes on NaCl intake of the female rat.

Abstract Following recovery from experimental sodium depletion, both the need-free and the future need-induced NaCl intakes of the rat are increased. The present experiments asked whether a naturally occurring episode of sodium need, pregnancy and lactation, would also enhance NaCl intake. The daily 0.3 m NaCl intake of Long-Evans rats increased from 18.2 ml (prior to pregnancy) to 28.7 ml during pregnancy, and increased further to 36.2 ml during lactation. The daily intakes remained increased after the weaning of the second litter, at 28.5 ml/24h for females which had access to 0.3 m NaCl during the reproductive episodes (DAM + Na) and at 27.6 ml/24h for those which did not (DAM). When they were subsequently sodium depleted, the need-induced NaCl intake of the DAM, but not the DAM + Na group, was significantly increased compared to virgin female rats. The sodium depletion-induced water intakes of both groups were significantly increased. Neither the need-free nor the need-induced intakes of their offspring (as adults) were increased. In summary, pregnancy and/or lactation, in the absence of a sodium deficit, produced increased intakes of NaCl which persisted beyond the reproductive episodes
Chain dimensions of crystallizable polymers in the solid and melt states

Abstract Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data were obtained on hydrogenated polybutadiene, a crystallizable polymer ( α c ≈0.4), which is equivalent in chemical microstructure to polyethylene with ca . 18 ethyl groups per 1000 main chain carbon atoms. One linear sample ( M =62 400) and one 3-arm star ( M =104 400) were used; labelled species were prepared by deuteration of the parent polybutadienes. Scattering curves were obtained in both the solid state and the melt with mixtures containing up to 30% of the labelled species. The results indicated random mixing in the melt and the rapidly crystallized solid, and only a very slight amount of segregation in the slowly crystallized solid. The scattering curves conformed to predictions for random coil molecules over a wide range of scattering vectors. The radius of gyration obtained was the same in the solid and melt states, and in close agreement with θ solvent values for polyethylene.
The U1 snRNP protein U1C recognizes the 5′ splice site in the absence of base pairing

Splicing of precursor messenger RNA takes place in the spliceosome, a large RNA/protein macromolecular machine. Spliceosome assembly occurs in an ordered pathway in vitro and is conserved between yeast and mammalian systems. The earliest step is commitment complex formation in yeast or E complex formation in mammals, which engages the pre-mRNA in the splicing pathway and involves interactions between U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) and the pre-mRNA 5' splice site. Complex formation depends on highly conserved base pairing between the 5' splice site and the 5' end of U1 snRNA, both in vivo and in vitro. U1 snRNP proteins also contribute to U1 snRNP activity. Here we show that U1 snRNP lacking the 5' end of its snRNA retains 5'-splice-site sequence specificity. We also show that recombinant yeast U1C protein, a U1 snRNP protein, selects a 5'-splice-site-like sequence in which the first four nucleotides, GUAU, are identical to the first four nucleotides of the yeast 5'-splice-site consensus sequence. We propose that a U1C 5'-splice-site interaction precedes pre-mRNA/U1 snRNA base pairing and is the earliest step in the splicing pathway.
Clinical course of arteriovenous malformations of the head and neck: A case series

Abstract Objective To demonstrate, in a case series, the relentless growth of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the head and neck and the importance of their vigilant management within the context of a modified staging system. Study Design Retrospective review. Setting Tertiary care institution, Vascular Anomalies Center. Subjects and Methods Subjects were patients with advanced AVMs presenting to our Vascular Anomalies Center. Medical records were examined for age at first diagnosis, disease course, prior treatments, age at presentation, management, therapeutic outcomes, stage of disease, and impact on quality of life. Early patient photographs were evaluated. Results Ten patients (ages 13-46 yrs) with extensive cervicofacial AVMs were examined. Progressive growth, worsening symptoms, and graduated disease stage were universally experienced by each patient, as evident by serial photographs, over a course of many years. Each patient presented to our institution with massive lesions, bleeding, pain, and facial destruction. Prior embolization and/or surgery had been performed in all but one patient. Every patient had been previously told that their AVMs were incurable or that treatment options were exhausted. The patients were subsequently treated at our institution with surgical resection with or without preoperative embolization. Disease control, symptom improvement, and enhanced daily functioning were attained in each patient. Conclusion The natural course of AVMs is progressive, invasive, and destructive. Vigilant observation, early treatment, and radical therapy are necessary for AVMs of the head and neck.
Lipoid granuloma of the lung of exogenous origin.

1. Lipoid granuloma of the lung of exogenous origin is still encountered with some frequency and is almost as often misdiagnosed, largely because it is not considered in the differential diagnosis of obscure pulmonary lesions. 2. Diagnosis can be made with reasonable assurance in many cases where bilateral lesions are present if the physician is aware of the condition, takes a careful history with reference to possible aspiration of oily materials and examines sputum specimens for oil content. 3. Circumscribed unilateral lesions may closely mimic bronchogenic carcinoma and will frequently require exploratory thoracotomy for confirmation. 4. Frozen section should always be obtained in order to avoid needless sacrifice of pulmonary tissue. 5. Resection is curative when the disease is localized and unilateral.
Subgrouping Reduces Complexity and Speeds Up Learning in Recurrent Networks

Recurrent nets are more powerful than feedforward nets because they allow simulation of dynamical systems. Everything from sine wave generators through computers to the brain are potential candidates, but to use recurrent nets to emulate dynamical systems we need learning algorithms to program them. Here I describe a new twist on an old algorithm for recurrent nets and compare it to its predecessors.
Multiresolution multidimensional wavelet brushing

Brushing is a data visualization technique that identifies and highlights data subsets. We introduce a form of brushing in which the brushed data is usually displayed at a different resolution than the non brushed data. The paper presents the rationale behind the multiresolution support of multivariate data visualization and describes the construction of multiresolution brushing using wavelet approximations. The idea is implemented in an enhanced version of XmdvTool. Real scientific data is used for demonstration and practical applications are suggested.
Group behavior models for learning in neural networks

A description is given of work on supervised learning algorithms for layered, feedforward neural networks, motivated by group behavior models developed to describe coordinated motion of flocks of birds and schools of fish, for example. The approach involves introducing additional hidden nodes while constraining the associated additional degrees of freedom to avoid excessive computation during the transient phase of learning and to avoid over parameterization asymptotically. If schools are rather widely dispersed. at least on the output side, it is expected that the school learning procedure will offer broader search capabilities because of the extra degrees of freedom available in early stages of the learning process. In the simplest selection strategy, the choice of units within schools is simply a cyclic one. Some caution should be exercised if this is used in conjunction with cyclic presentations of a finite set of training examples. >
Multi-drug resistance, inappropriate initial antibiotic therapy and mortality in Gram-negative severe sepsis and septic shock: a retrospective cohort study

The impact of in vitro resistance on initially appropriate antibiotic therapy (IAAT) remains unclear. We elucidated the relationship between non-IAAT and mortality, and between IAAT and multi-drug resistance (MDR) in sepsis due to Gram-negative bacteremia (GNS). We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of adult intensive care unit patients with bacteremia and severe sepsis/septic shock caused by a gram-negative (GN) organism. We identified the following MDR pathogens: MDR P. aeruginosa, extended spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing organisms. IAAT was defined as exposure within 24 hours of infection onset to antibiotics active against identified pathogens based on in vitro susceptibility testing. We derived logistic regression models to examine a) predictors of hospital mortality and b) impact of MDR on non-IAAT. Proportions are presented for categorical variables, and median values with interquartile ranges (IQR) for continuous. Out of 1,064 patients with GNS, 351 (29.2%) did not survive hospitalization. Non-survivors were older (66.5 (55, 73.5) versus 63 (53, 72) years, P = 0.036), sicker (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (19 (15, 25) versus 16 (12, 19), P <0.001), and more likely to be on pressors (odds ratio (OR) 2.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.12 to 3.68), mechanically ventilated (OR 3.06, 95% CI 2.29 to 4.10) have MDR (10.0% versus 4.0%, P <0.001) and receive non-IAAT (43.4% versus 14.6%, P <0.001). In a logistic regression model, non-IAAT was an independent predictor of hospital mortality (adjusted OR 3.87, 95% CI 2.77 to 5.41). In a separate model, MDR was strongly associated with the receipt of non-IAAT (adjusted OR 13.05, 95% CI 7.00 to 24.31). MDR, an important determinant of non-IAAT, is associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of hospital mortality. Given the paucity of therapies to cover GN MDRs, prevention and development of new agents are critical.
Analysis and design of communication networks with memory

Abstract A mathematical formulation of the communication networks with memory is presented assuming that the sources of traffic are deterministic but not necessarily time invariant. The formulation leads to a linear programming problem. Some generalizations and justifications of the choice of the model are discussed. The same basic formulation can be used as a tool for analysis as well as least-cost design or improvement of an existing network. Design of the memory systems and its relation with messages with priorities is considered. Similar concepts are used to arrive at an approximate linear programming formulation of “street traffic”.
Automated Telephone as an Adjunct for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: A Pilot Study

The objective of this study was to test whether Interactive Voice Response (IVR) can be used to enhance the therapeutic outcome of patients receiving group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for chronic pain. Ten subjects with chronic pain syndromes participated in 10 weeks of group CBT followed by 4 months of Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response (TIVR). Our specially designed TIVR is based on a computerized telephone system in which callers are asked questions and respond by using the telephone keypad. It was created to reinforce pain coping skills and to provide messages for relaxation, sleep induction, and emotional support that can be accessed by patients on demand. Within-subject analysis showed that maximum positive change for nearly all outcome measures was observed at the post-TIVR point. For some measures, improvement compared to baseline was significant after TIVR despite the fact it had not been significant after CBT. Measures showing this pattern included SF-36 Mental Health Composite Score (P < .0004), McGill Pain Questionnaire pain (P < .01), Coping Strategies Questionnaire Catastrophizing (P < .0006), Treatment Outcomes in Pain Survey Total Pain Experience (P < .03), and Perceived Family/Social Disability (P < .02). Our preliminary results suggest that TIVR can be used to improve coping skills adherence and to prevent relapse into pain behavior.
Xanthine Oxidase Activity and Development of Spontaneously Oxidized Flavor in Milk

Abstract Previous studies indicated there was a relationship between xanthine oxidase activity and development of oxidized flavor in milk. Additional studies were made of this observation. Enzyme activity was determined by a polarographic technique, flavor development was measured by means of spectrophotometry and gas and partition chromatography. Conclusions of the studies are 1) That high xanthine oxidase activity can be correlated with spontaneously oxidized flavor; 2) that lability of C 18 unsaturated fatty acids toward enzymatic oxidation was related to degree of unsaturation, i.e., linolenic acid was oxidized rapidly, linoleic acid at a very slow rate, and oleic acid unoxidized.
On Assessing the Political Effects of Racial Prejudice

There is still no broad consensus on the extent to which racial prejudice influences white Americans' political attitudes, in part because of an ongoing dispute over the nature and measurement of racial prejudice. We review measures of new, subtle forms of racism toward African-Americans and consider criticism that such views do not clearly constitute racial prejudice despite their political impact. We then evaluate a number of ways in which explicit prejudice can be assessed in surveys, highlighting the continued existence and successful measurement of overt prejudice. We also consider ways to measure prejudice other than direct survey questions. Social psychologists have gravitated to the measurement of implicit racial attitudes, an approach that we review critically as potentially interesting but with unknown payoff for political researchers. Finally, we discuss the value of experiments as a way to gain direct evidence of politically potent racial discrimination and assess the prejudicial nature of exp...
A Procedure to Establish Inflow Conditions for LES of Spatially Developing Turbulent Boundary Layers

Inlet conditions have a dramatic effect on numerical simulations of turbulent boundary layers due to the strong convective characteristic of flows with a displacement thickness Reynolds number as high as 2000. The fluid structures present in the inlet flow will be transported downstream, but some information may be modified or lost during this transport process. This numerical receptivity phenomenon may reduce the performance of numerical calculations and increase the difficulty in establishing the downstream turbulence. The interaction between the inlet conditions and the numerical scheme may generate an inlet buffer zone adjacent to the inlet. This buffer zone costs in terms of CPU resources. The purpose of this paper is to present an inlet condition generator to achieve very good downstream profiles and reduce the extent of the buffer zone. In this method, the recycle plane is dynamically selected according to the downstream instantaneous field. Different adjustment methods are applied to the inner, outer and free stream part based on their different similarity laws. With this inlet generation technique, the inlet buffer zone is very thin. The numerical results compare well with current experiments and DNS results.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Manufacturing optimization for improved AT crystal aging: preliminary results

The military's focus on affordable "smart weapons" using GPS has put new emphasis on an age old problem: Is it possible to control or bound the aging of oscillators? These new weapons are expected to be in storage for up to 20 years with minimal performance degradation regarding initial acquisition of the GPS signal used for primary navigation. Advances in signal processing are just beginning to help address the frequency drift problem, but jamming and other considerations still make it advantageous to minimize long term aging of the GPS frequency standard. The focus of this study is intended to investigate tailored manufacturing processes to optimise long term storage of any product using GPS such as PGM weapons, at an affordable cost. An equally important consideration is to evaluate how excursions to cold temperatures affect the preaging process and if possible characterize these effects for one distinct manufacturing process.
Errors in abductive reasoning

Results of efforts to extract knowledge for an expert whose job is to detect the errors made by practicing technologies are examined. These errors are discussed in terms of possible cognitive biases. The example examined involves students, technologies, and experts performing antibody identification tasks in order to construct a critiquing and intelligent tutoring system. >
Highly Uniform Self-Assembled Gold Nanoparticles over High Surface Area ZnO Nanorods as Catalysts

Nanostructured materials such as zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods, exhibit novel physical properties compared with their bulk [1-2]. For example, ZnO is an important material widely used in piezoelectric transducers and actuators, surface acoustic coatings, sensors and photocatalysts [1-6]. To optimize the potential applications of ZnO, it is essential to modify the ZnO with functional groups to integrate the ZnO into desired structures or attach suitable nanostructures on the nanotubes. Among them, metal-nanotube interactions are especially attractive for the development of novel catalysts. The self-assembled gold nanoparticles assembled over ZnO nanorods are particularly promising as novel catalysts.
A GIS‐Based Assessment of Earthquake Property Damage and Casualty Risk: Salt Lake County, Utah

Abstract This paper offers a probabilistic assessment of expected property damage and casualty risk due to the earthquake ground shaking hazard affecting Salt Lake County, Utah (population = 725,600). Salt Lake County is bisected by a segment of the Wasatch Fault. It is also at risk from twenty‐one other nearby fault segments. Findings are based on (1) a microzonation of the earthquake ground shaking hazard, (2) an inventory of buildings by value, structural frame type and use, (3) earthquake damage functions defining the performance of buildings as a function of ground shaking intensity, (4) data on the density of residential and employee populations, and (5) earthquake casualty functions defining casualty risk as a function of building damage. The analysis is supported by the algebraic combination of digital map layers within a vector‐based geographic information system. Triangular irregular network models show the expected distributions of casualties. Hazard mitigation policy implications are also cons...
Two‐phase flow through porous media

In the context of a previously proposed new description for multiphase flow through porous media, we examine constitutive equations for gi, the force per unit volume which phase i exerts upon the pore walls and other adjacent fluids. The principle of material difference is used to determine the most general dependence of gi upon saturation gradient for a nonoriented (no porosity gradient) permeable structure. Three problems are solved and the results compared with analyses based upon our interpretation of Muskat's equations. The first concerns a semi-infinite porous column in air, the bottom of which is saturated with a liquid. The same saturation distribution is found with our approach as with Muskat's equations. The analysis of the second problem indicates the relation between our relative permeability and that of Muskat. The jump balances for mass and for momentum at a surface of discontinuity (or shock wave) with respect to volume averaged variables are derived. The significance of solutions in which such surfaces of discontinuity appear is discussed. In the third problem, a plane surface of discontinuity with respect to local saturation moves through an infinite permeable structure. This is similar to the displacement of oil by an aqueous solution in a secondary recovery process. The results are comparable to those with Muskat's equations only in the limit where capillary pressure is neglected (the Buckley-Leverett case). When capillary pressure differs from zero, Muskat's equations do not admit a shock wave solution.
Teacher communications, child achievement, and parent traits in parent involvement models.

Theory and research on achievement goals and parent involvement were used to examine parental mastery orientation, performance orientation, and efficacy in involvement as predictors of parent involvement. Those variables were also investigated for their ability to mediate the effects of amount of teacher communications, child achievement, and parent education level and ethnicity on parent involvement. The primary direct predictors of parent home involvement were performance orientation, child achievement, mastery orientation, parent efficacy in involvement, and amount of teacher communications. Multiple-regression and path analysis results demonstrated the importance of parent mastery orientation and performance orientation as mediating variables in the study of parent involvement; four patterns of parent involvement should be examined in future research.
Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Prognostic Implications of Cystic Fibrosis–Related Diabetes A technical review

Cystic fibrosis–related diabetes (CFRD) is the most common comorbidity in subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF). A consensus conference on CFRD was cosponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) in September 2009. The committee's evidence-based recommendations for clinical management of CFRD are published in this issue of Diabetes Care . This review article describes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and prognostic implications of CFRD. ### Epidemiology CFRD is part of a continuum of glucose tolerance abnormalities, ranging from normal glucose tolerance (NGT), to impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), to CFRD without fasting hyperglycemia (CFRD FH−), to CFRD with fasting hyperglycemia (CFRD FH+) (Fig. 1). Unlike patients with type 1 diabetes, those with CFRD do not develop complete absence of insulin secretion. At the other end of the spectrum, few CF patients have truly normal glucose metabolism. Approximately 20% of children who are categorized as having NGT based on their fasting and 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glucose levels have glucose elevation >200 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) mid-OGTT, which is termed indeterminate glycemia (INDET) (1). As in the general population where INDET is a risk factor for progression to diabetes (2), INDET in children with CF is associated with early development of CFRD (1). Home continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has shown that intermittent, asymptomatic hyperglycemia is common even in CF patients whose OGTT is normal, but the prognostic significance of these early impairments in glucose metabolism is unknown (3,4). Impaired fasting glucose has also been described in CF (5,6). Figure 1 The spectrum of glucose tolerance in CF. Unlike patients with type 1 diabetes, insulin secretion is never completely absent in CFRD. Clinical deterioration (pulmonary function, underweight) is associated with worse glucose tolerance status. Abnl CGM = abnormal home continuous glucose monitoring, T1D …
Estimating the proportion of offspring attributable to candidate adults

Statistical methods for estimating genetic parentage are increasingly applied to accommodate limited marker polymorphism and the incomplete sampling of individuals. Neff et al. (2000a, Mol. Ecol. 9, 515–528; 2000b, Mol. Ecol. 9, 529–539) published a method (Pat) that estimates the proportion of next-generation individuals sired by a focal male, taking into account that the male may be genetically compatible, by random chance, with offspring that are not his own. Here we employ this method to reestimate paternity of 68 nest-guarding males from several fish species. The difference between the conventional exclusion-based estimate and Pat was >0.05 in only four of the 68 (5.9%) fish nests analyzed. An analytical formula shows that the difference between the two estimates is expected to be negligible if the focal male is consistent with a large proportion of the genotyped offspring, or if marker polymorphism is high. In addition, computer simulations illustrate how numbers of marker loci and their levels of genetic polymorphism, as well as the mating system of the organism under study, can influence estimates of paternity derived from exclusion-based estimates and Pat. Finally, we discuss various applications of these estimators including cases where additional biological information is present in the form of behavioral observations on parental care.
Analysis of Damage in Laminated Architectural Glazing Subjected to Blast Loading

Any attempt to design glazing that minimizes bodily injury and property damage during a bomb blast requires a thorough understanding of the fracture behaviour of architectural glazing subjected to blast loading. A continuum damage mechanics (CDM) based constitutive model has been developed and implemented into a finite element code to study the failure and damage behaviour of laminated architectural glazing subjected to simulated blast loading. An anisotropic elastic damage tensor with a linear damage evolution law has been chosen to model the failure of the laminated glass by cracking. The damage patterns and zone sizes are predicted by the model. Various geometric parameters has been investigated to determine their effects on the failure resistance of laminated glass.
Foundations: The Public Domain and Natural Resources Law 1785 - 1960

This is an excerpt from a casebook on environmental law which provides the essential background for the study of modern U.S. environmental law.
Public Key Cryptography for Mobile Cloud

Mobile cloud is the integration of cloud computing and mobile communication systems to benefit mobile device users. As a mobile device such as a smartphone and a tablet computer has a limited amount of onboard storage, participation in mobile cloud provides the mobile device with access to a virtually unlimited amount of storage on an on-demand basis. In this talk I will focus on a specific technical challenge in building security-enhanced mobile cloud, namely how to encrypt data using public key cryptography in such a way that a sender can recover the data from a ciphertext stored in the cloud without reliance on the recipient of the ciphertext.
Analysis of Maillard reaction in the production of Shaoxing yellow rice wine

The mechanism and affecting factors of Maillard reaction are analyzed in this article.The oligomer in the Maillard reaction includes reducing sugar and amino acids.The conditions for the Maillard reaction in the production of yellow rice wine include water,temperature and pH degree.Maillard reaction comes out in the process of koji-production,fermentation,boiling and storing.The advantage and disadvantage of Maillard reaction in the yellow rice wine are also discussed as well.
An Energy Conservative Ray-Tracing Method With a Time Interpolation of the Force Field

A new algorithm that constructs a continuous force field interpolated in time is proposed for resolving existing difficulties in numerical methods for ray-tracing. This new method has improved accuracy, but with the same degree of algebraic complexity compared to Kaisers method.
Orienting Reflexes in Medical Practice

About thirty years ago, unbeknownst to each other, two scientific teams encountered in some of their subjects unexpected phenomena which appeared to be related to stressful stimuli. One team was headed by a biophysicist physiologist (Corson 1961). The other team by two cardiologists (Friedman et al. 1958). Both teams pursued their leads against all odds and peer advice. Meanwhile, Corson, using dogs established a physiologically well defined typology based on longitudinal studies of reactions (including orienting reflexes — O.R.) to a psychologically stressful environment (Corson and Corson, 1976; Corson and Corson, 1980). His findings are supported by refined human studies (Eliot and Buell 1983). In the latter, the two authors have used different measures and came to similar conclusions, namely that there are two kinds of responders diametrically opposed to each other.
Fluorescence in situ hybridization as a tool in molecular diagnostics of melanoma.

Structural and numerical chromosomal abnormalities have been observed in all types of malignancies. These events are associated with neoplastic pathogenesis and progression (1). For a long time, conventional cytogenetics analysis was the prevalent approach in assessing chromosomal rearrangements. Many data were collected initially from hematologic malignancies because of ease of analysis, despite the fact that they represent only 10% of all malignancies (2). Cytogenetic data on solid tumors were hampered by the technical difficulties in obtaining dividing malignant cells. During the last two decades, these problems were solved and data have been quickly acquired. Karyotyping of malignant melanoma cell lines reveals more than 95% of the cases presenting aneuploidy (numerical chromosome abnormalities: near triploidy) (3), and all the cell lines present structural abnormalities (balanced and unbalanced translocations, inversions and deletions) (see, e.g., German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures [Dr. H. Drexler] at http://www.dsmz.de (4,5). Cytogenetic analysis of malignant melanoma cells allowed the identification of nonrandom karyotypic changes involving chromosomes 1, 6, and 7 and, to some extent, chromosomes 9 and 10.
Bounding and stabilizing realizations of biased graphs with a fixed group

Abstract Given a group Γ and a biased graph ( G , B ) , we define a what is meant by a Γ-realization of ( G , B ) and a notion of equivalence of Γ-realizations. We prove that for a finite group Γ and t ≥ 3 , there are numbers n ( Γ ) and n ( Γ , t ) such that the number of Γ-realizations of a vertically 3-connected biased graph is at most n ( Γ ) and that the number of Γ-realizations of a nonseparable biased graph without a ( 2 C t , ∅ ) -minor is at most n ( Γ , t ) . Other results pertaining to contrabalanced biased graphs are presented as well as an analogue to Whittle's Stabilizer Theorem for Γ-realizations of biased graphs.
Flat-top bandpass filters enabled by cascaded resonant gratings

Narrow bandpass filters are applied in laser systems, imaging, telecommunications, and astronomy. Traditionally implemented with thin-film stacks, there is recent interest in alternative means incorporating photonic resonance effects. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to bandpass filters that engages the guided-mode resonance effect working with a cavity-based Fabry–Perot resonance to flatten and steepen the pass band. Both of these resonance mechanisms are native to simple resonant bandpass filters placed in a cascade. Numerical examples provide quantitative spectral properties including pass-band shape and sideband levels. Thus, we compare the spectra of single-layer 1D and 2D resonant gratings with the dual-cascade design incorporating identical gratings. Two- and three-cavity designs are measured against a classic multi-cavity thin-film filter with 151 layers. Whereas these initial results show comparable and improved results achieved with sparse structures, the challenge remains of developing a suitable fabrication technology to capitalize on this promise.
A Linear Altitude Rule for Safer and More Efficient Enroute Air Traffic

Current regulations designate cruising altitudes in discrete steps of 1000 ft (or 2000 ft above FL290, but those will eventually be reduced to 1000 ft also). By concentrating all enroute traffic into a few altitudes, this discrete altitude rule makes the enroute air traffic system less fail-safe and less fault-tolerant than it could be. The linear altitude rule proposed in this paper designates cruising altitudes as a linear function of heading or course. This rule spreads the traffic vertically and provides a default vertical separation that is proportional to path crossing angle. Monte Carlo simulation of enroute traffic with no air traffic control shows that the linear altitude rule greatly reduces both the collision rate and the mean relative speed of collisions. It also improves the efficiency of conflict resolution. It reduces the amount of altitude change required to resolve conflicts vertically, particularly for large-angle, high-speed conflicts, because those conflicts will have almost the requir...
From Mystery to Laughter to Trembling Generosity: Agono-Pluralistic Ethics in Connolly v. Levinas (and the Possibilities for Atheist-Theist Respect)

After considering core ‘interruptions’ of identity and justice in the post-secularist agonisms of Connolly and Levinas (including Connolly’s insights about contestability and generosity, and Levina...
Hughes Tarsoconjunctival Flap

The Hughes tarsoconjunctival flap provides a means of reconstructing posterior lamellar defects of the lower eyelid. This lid sharing procedure allows reconstruction of lower eyelid margin defects encompassing as much as 90 % of the eyelid. The tarsoconjunctival flap entails advancing a flap of upper eyelid conjunctiva and tarsus down to the lower eyelid. The rectangular flap is sized according to the size of the defect. A portion of the upper lid tarsal plate and conjunctiva (approximately 4 mm in height) is left intact to maintain upper eyelid stability.
Prospect Theory and a Two-way Disposition Effect: Theory and Evidence from the Housing Market

We model a home seller's pricing decision under a generally defined prospect value function. We show a simple disposition effect is caused by reference dependence, but it only exists when the agent is risk neutral. Diminishing sensitivity will lead to a two-way disposition effect by generating a local reverse disposition effect, a range in which the seller's asking price decreases with increasing potential loss. Loss aversion tends to magnify the disposition effect and hence mitigates the reverse disposition effect. One direct implication is that acclaimed tests on loss aversion such as Genesove and Mayer [2001] and Pope and Schweitzer [2011] are likely invalid. We present evidence consistent with the model by using multiple listing service data from Virginia. Our findings suggest that studies which predominantly focus on a one-way disposition effect can be overly simplistic and misleading as it depends on the strong assumption of risk neutrality.
Model-Based Fault Detection for Three-Way Automotive Catalyst Systems

Abstract A model-based three-way automotive catalyst monitoring and fault detection strategy is presented in this work. A simplified oxygen storage and reversible catalyst deactivation model is employed to predict the measured postcatalyst air fuel ratio. A fault is assumed to be present in the system when the current distribution of the post-catalyst air fuel ratio prediction error differs from the base operating distribution. Changes in the post-catalyst air fuel ratio prediction error distribution are indicative of both long-term catalyst poisoning effects and short-term emission control device failures. These changes are detected based on the results of a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test Using sampled cumulative distribution functions. A moving horizon approach is used to determine the current error distribution.
Aromatic thermosetting copolyester nanocomposite foams: High thermal and mechanical performance lightweight structural materials

Abstract In this study, we present carbon nanoparticle incorporated high-performance aromatic thermosetting copolyester (ATSP) nanocomposite foams. The ATSP nanocomposite foams were fabricated through a facile solid-state mixing method wherein carboxylic acid and acetoxy-functional group oligomers were initially combined with chemically pristine carbon nanofillers separately, while in powder form. The mixtures were then subjected to a thermal condensation polymerization reaction in which the constituent oligomers formed the ester backbone of the ATSP matrix and advanced the molecular weight while acetic acid was emitted as the by-product, and generated a porous nanocomposite morphology. As compared to a neat ATSP foam, the nanocomposite foams exhibited a reduced coefficient of thermal expansion by 25% to 75 × 10 −6 °C −1 . Thermal stability temperature at 5% mass loss was increased by 30 °C exceeding 500 °C. Compressive mechanical strength was enhanced two-fold, reaching 16 MPa along with a nearly doubled fracture strain, which ultimately yielded improved material toughness.
Unit Costing of Health Extension Worker Activities in Ethiopia: A Model for Managers at the District and Health Facility Level.

Background Over the last decade, Ethiopia has made impressive national improvements in health outcomes, including reductions in maternal, neonatal, infant, and child mortality attributed in large part to their Health Extension Program (HEP). As this program continues to evolve and improve, understanding the unit cost of health extension worker (HEW) services is fundamental to planning for future growth and ensuring adequate financial support to deliver effective primary care throughout the country. Methods We sought to examine and report the data needed to generate a HEW fee schedule that would allow for full cost recovery for HEW services. Using HEW activity data and estimates from national studies and local systems we were able to estimate salary costs and the average time spent by an HEW per patient/community encounter for each type of services associated with specific users. Using this information, we created separate fee schedules for activities in urban and rural settings with two estimates of non-salary multipliers to calculate the total cost for HEW services. Results In the urban areas, the HEW fees for full cost recovery of the provision of services (including salary, supplies, and overhead costs) ranged from 55.1 birr to 209.1 birr per encounter. The rural HEW fees ranged from 19.6 birr to 219.4 birr. Conclusion Efforts to support health system strengthening in low-income settings have often neglected to generate adequate, actionable data on the costs of primary care services. In this study, we have combined time-motion and available financial data to generate a fee schedule that allows for full cost recovery of the provision of services through billable health education and service encounters provided by Ethiopian HEWs. This may be useful in other country settings where managers seek to make evidence-informed planning and resource allocation decisions to address high burden of disease within the context of weak administrative data systems and severe financial constraints.
Can Performance Management Best Practices Help Reduce Crime

As performance management systems gain popularity in police agencies, they are increasingly being criticized for their ineffectiveness at reducing crime and for encouraging abuse of authority. Scholars and practitioners, however, argue that these systems can be effective if they are implemented properly with the use of best practices. This article contributes to this debate by evaluating the impact of performance management systems and associated best practices on improving police performance. An analysis of primary survey data of 308 U.S. police agencies shows that performance management systems are effective tools in helping reduce crime across almost all crime categories. However, the best practices of performance reporting to citizens and providing discretion to officers have no significant impact on crime reduction, while consulting officers in the target-setting process has a negative impact on police performance.
The Geologic Exploration of the Bagnold Dune Field at Gale Crater by the Curiosity Rover.

The Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity engaged in a month-long campaign investigating the Bagnold dune field in Gale crater. What represents the first in situ investigation of a dune field on another planet has resulted in a number of discoveries. Collectively, the Curiosity rover team has compiled the most comprehensive survey of any extra-terrestrial aeolian system visited to date with results that yield important insights into a number of processes, including sediment transport, bedform morphology and structure, chemical and physical composition of aeolian sand, and wind regime characteristics. These findings and more are provided in detail by the JGR-Planets Special Issue Curiosity's Bagnold Dunes Campaign, Phase I.
De-aggregation of community resilience goals to obtain minimum performance objectives for buildings under tornado hazards

Abstract The paradigm of performance-based engineering (PBE) provides a framework for engineers and planners to achieve desired levels of performance and functionality of building clusters and civil infrastructure systems that are essential for community resilience and well-being. While it is recognized that resilience of a community must be supported by individual buildings and engineered facilities, the relation between community resilience goals and minimum performance criteria of individual structures enabling such goals through engineering practices does not yet exist. In this study, we first propose a path forward to establish this relation in a quantitative manner. We then illustrate the feasibility of the proposed framework by de-aggregating the resilience goals of a community residential building cluster through an inverse multi-objective optimization formulation to obtain the minimum performance objectives for residential buildings, for tornado hazards. Once the minimum building performance criteria are determined, they can be utilized as the target building performance for new constructions, pre-event strengthening or post-event reconstruction. The overarching aim of this framework is to relate engineering design and retrofit practices to socioeconomic expectations of a community as a whole, and to provide a vehicle for risk-informed resilience-based decision-making under natural hazard events.
Cystic Fibrosis as a Theme to Incorporate Team-Based Learning in Cell Biology Courses

Team-based learning (TBL) is structured, cooperative learning teaching strategy used in a variety of disciplines. TBL uses a three-step approach for delivering content to students: out-of-class preparation, readiness assurance, and application. In this article, a method for incorporating TBL into an undergraduate cell biology course using cystic fibrosis (CF) as a theme is described. Class content is divided into modules. Each module consists of (1) out-of-class video viewing and reading assignments; (2) individual and team assessments, mini-lectures, and think-pair-share activities to assess understanding of the material; and (3) in-class, group problem sets related to the molecular pathogenesis of CF. Although originally designed for an introductory undergraduate cell biology course, this curriculum can be easily adapted for upper-level undergraduate and high school students.
Multi-View Low-Rank Analysis with Applications to Outlier Detection

Detecting outliers or anomalies is a fundamental problem in various machine learning and data mining applications. Conventional outlier detection algorithms are mainly designed for single-view data. Nowadays, data can be easily collected from multiple views, and many learning tasks such as clustering and classification have benefited from multi-view data. However, outlier detection from multi-view data is still a very challenging problem, as the data in multiple views usually have more complicated distributions and exhibit inconsistent behaviors. To address this problem, we propose a multi-view low-rank analysis (MLRA) framework for outlier detection in this article. MLRA pursuits outliers from a new perspective, robust data representation. It contains two major components. First, the cross-view low-rank coding is performed to reveal the intrinsic structures of data. In particular, we formulate a regularized rank-minimization problem, which is solved by an efficient optimization algorithm. Second, the outliers are identified through an outlier score estimation procedure. Different from the existing multi-view outlier detection methods, MLRA is able to detect two different types of outliers from multiple views simultaneously. To this end, we design a criterion to estimate the outlier scores by analyzing the obtained representation coefficients. Moreover, we extend MLRA to tackle the multi-view group outlier detection problem. Extensive evaluations on seven UCI datasets, the MovieLens, the USPS-MNIST, and the WebKB datasets demon strate that our approach outperforms several state-of-the-art outlier detection methods.