cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetics of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers and Associated Familial Syndromes

Cancer is fundamentally a genetic disorder of somatic cells. Although genetic injury via mutagenesis can often be lethal to the cell, rarely, mutations can confer survival or growth advantages that allow the cell to clonally expand without regard for normal physiologic restrictions, and it is under these conditions that the cells become cancerous. Mutations can be inherited or arise as a result of chemical carcinogens, inaccuracies in DNA replication, or errors in genomic repair [1] . Gene studies have revealed that mutations at any of a long list of cellular targets can support sustained cancer growth and evasion of apoptosis [2] . A tumor’s characteristics (e.g., growth rate, ability to invade, etc.) depend in part on the cumulative set of mutations that it has acquired [3] . The growth regulatory genes that are typically targeted in cancer can be divided into two broad categories: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Oncogenes usually promote cellular proliferation or survival and can thus be perpetually “turned-on” with certain mutations, thus supporting uninhibited tumor growth [2] . Genetics of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers and Associated Familial Syndromes
Effects of Temperature Changes and Large Amplitude on Vibrations of Composite Triangular Plates

This paper is concerned with the nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of composite triangular plates subjected to thermal loading. The nonlinearities considered here arise due to large deformation resulting in nonlinear strain—displacement relations. Equations to represent the nonlinear behavior of composite plates are derived and solutions to these coupled set of governing nonlinear equations are reported. Numerical results indicate some interesting influences of temperature, amplitude of vibration, and geometric and material parameters of the composite plates. These parameters also have considerable effect on the nonlinear load—deflection behavior.
Global Change and Water Availability and Quality: Challenges Ahead

The US is in the midst of a continental scale, multiyear water resources experiment. What are we doing? We are expanding population at two to three times the national growth rate, particularly where water stress is already great. We are expanding irrigated agriculture from the west to the east, where increased competition for water has urban, agricultural, and environmental interests at odds, and increasingly, in court. This experiment and related challenges will continue and likely intensify as nonclimatic and climatic factors, such as predicted rising temperature and changes in the distribution of precipitation in time and space, continue to develop.
Size constrained k simple polygons

Given a geometric space and a set of weighted spatial points, the Size Constrained k Simple Polygons (SCSP) problem identifies k simple polygons that maximize the total weights of the spatial points covered by the polygons and honor the polygon size constraint. The SCSP problem is important for many societal applications, such as hotspot area detection and resource allocation. The problem is NP-hard; it is computationally challenging because of the large number of spatial points and the polygon size constraint. This paper proposes a novel approach for finding k simple polygons that maximize the total weights under the size constraint. Experiments using Chicago crime datasets demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms baseline approaches and reduces the computational cost to create a SCSP.
The SRI NIST 2010 speaker recognition evaluation system

The SRI speaker recognition system for the 2010 NIST speaker recognition evaluation (SRE) incorporates multiple subsystems with a variety of features and modeling techniques. We describe our strategy for this year's evaluation, from the use of speech recognition and speech segmentation to the individual system descriptions as well as the final combination. Our results show that under most conditions, the cepstral systems tend to perform the best, but that other, non-cepstral systems have the most complementarity. The combination of several subsystems with the use of adequate side information gives a 35% improvement on the standard telephone condition. We also show that a constrained cepstral system based on nasal syllables tends to be more robust to vocal effort variabilities.
Why Language Endangerment and Language Death Matter: ‘Took away our native tongue … And taught their English to our young’

It is clear that the overwhelming majority of languages that have been spoken by human beings are extinct, and that most are both unknown and unknowable. Issues of language loss have gained increasing attention in recent years, however, and in this chapter, four major aspects of language endangerment are explored. An overview of the nature and causes of language endangerment and language extinction is provided, and what has been labeled the ‘biological metaphor’—the idea that language endangerment is in some sense analogous to biological endangerment—is examined to determine the extent to which it is valid when applied to the case of languages. Next, the most common responses to the question, “Why does language endangerment matter?” are discussed, and a case is made that language endangerment matters a great deal for a variety of different reasons. Finally, the complex and paradoxical role of education both as a threat to endangered languages and as a potential positive force in supporting and revitalizing such languages is explored.
Inconsistencies in Colonic Tattooing Practice: Differences in Reported and Actual Practices at a Tertiary Medical Center.

Objectives Accurate localization of a colonic lesion is crucial to successful resection. Although colonic tattooing is a widely accepted technique to mark lesions for future identification surgery or repeat colonoscopy, no consensus guidelines exist. The objective of this study was to determine whether the current tattooing practice at a tertiary medical center differs from recommendations in the literature and self-reported provider practice. Methods The study consisted of an observational retrospective chart review of patients who received colonic tattoos, as well as a provider survey of reported tattooing practices at a tertiary academic medical center. A total of 747 patients older than 18 years of age who underwent colonoscopy with tattoo were included. Forty-four gastroenterologists performing endoscopy were surveyed on tattooing techniques. Results In the majority of cases, neither the number of tattoos, location of the tattoo nor the distance from the lesion was specified within the report. Following the index procedure, a tattoo was detected in 75% of surgical resections and 73% of endoscopies. At the time of surgery, however, the tattoo and/or the lesion was detected approximately 94% of the time. Twenty-five endoscopists (56.8%) completed the survey. Differences were seen the between the chart review and reported practice. Most providers report placing ≥2 marks (87.2%); however, chart review revealed that only 56.2 % were tattooed with ≥2 marks. Conclusions Variation exists between the reported tattooing practice and actual practice. Despite this, most tattoos are identified at the time of surgery or repeat endoscopy. Further research is needed to determine whether a standardized approach to tattooing and reporting could improve localization at repeat endoscopy.
Low-Dose Alteplase for the Treatment of Submassive Pulmonary Embolism: A Case Series.

Purpose:Pulmonary embolism (PE) can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Thrombolytics are currently approved for the treatment of massive PE; however, the CHEST guidelines recommend agains...
Sex and Genetic Factors Involved in Alterations of Behavior and Trace Element Neurobiology Due to Diet-Induced Obesity (P14-029-19)

Obesity has been linked to cognitive deficits, behavior issues, and neurodegenerative processes with trace element dysregulation as a potential trigger for their development. Sex and genetics are important factors to consider when evaluating the effects of diet-induced obesity (DIO) on neurophysiology and behavior changes. The objective of this study was to investigate sex and genetic differences on the disturbance of trace element brain biology and behavior due to DIO in male and female C57BL/6J (C57) and DBA/2J (DBA) mice. We hypothesize that alterations due to DIO will be more evident in males than females, and the DBA strain will show more resistance to DIO effects compared to the C57 strain. Male and female C57 (n = 36) and DBA (n = 36) mice at 21 days old were randomly assigned a control fat diet (CFD) with 10% kcal fat/g or mineral-matched high fat diet (HFD) with 60% kcal fat/g for 16 weeks. Behavior tests for anxiety, cognition, and memory included open field (OF), novel object recognition (NOR), and nestlet shredding (NS). Trace elements iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) were measured using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy in five brain regions. Statistical analysis was conducted using factorial ANOVA and repeated measures ANOVA. After 16 weeks, both strains fed the HFD were confirmed obese by body mass comparison (P < 0.001). A statistically significant interaction between diet and sex was observed for C57 mice in the OF evaluation of center time (P = 0.019), with obese females exhibiting more anxiety. Differences in NS due to DIO were found in male C57 mice only (P = 0.008). NOR performance was similar for all mice. There was a statistically significant diet by sex interaction for Fe in the striatum (P = 0.032) with opposite trends by sex. Diet by strain interactions were observed for Cu in the cortex and hippocampus, and for Mn in the thalamus. Male and female mice exhibit different behavior patterns and trace element distribution in the brain due to DIO, with more pronounced effects in the C57 strain compared to the DBA strain. Based on these findings, sex and genetics are important influences to consider when studying the consequences of obesity. UNCG Health and Human Sciences Research Grant and Faculty First Award.
Palliative Use of Nitroglycerin to Improve Microvascular Circulation.

Background:In the setting of critical illness, life preservation may come at the expense of limb as increasing concentration of vasopressors causes peripheral ischemia. When goals of care specify c...
An In-Depth Analysis of Graft Rupture and Contralateral Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture Rates After Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction:

Background:Reported rates of graft rupture and contralateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) are higher among pediatric patients than adults. Previous serie...
Considerations for the ethical implementation of psychological assessment through social media via machine learning

The ubiquity of social media usage has led to exciting new technologies such as machine learning. Machine learning is poised to change many fields of health, including psychology. The wealth of information provided by each social media user in combination with machine learning technologies may pave the way for automated psychological assessment and diagnosis. Assessment of individuals' social media profiles using machine learning technologies for diagnosis and screening confers many benefits (i.e., time and cost efficiency, reduced recall bias, information about an individual's emotions and functioning spanning months or years, etc.); however the implementation of these technologies will pose unique challenges to the professional ethics of psychology. Namely, psychologists must understand the impact of these assessment technologies on privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, recordkeeping, bases for assessments, and diversity and justice. This paper offers a brief review of the current applications of machine learning technologies in psychology and public health, provides an overview of potential implementations in clinical settings, and introduces ethical considerations for professional psychologists. This paper presents considerations which may aid in the extension of the current Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct to address these important technological advancements in the field of clinical psychology.
Thermal hazards analysis of styrene in contact with impurities

Abstract Styrene is a reactive monomer commonly used to produce polystyrene and other copolymers. Unintended thermal runaway polymerization reactions of styrene keep reoccurring and have led to catastrophic consequences. One of the possible causes of these runaway incidents involves the contamination of the styrene monomer by incompatible species, which was not adequately investigated and documented. This study focuses on the quantification of thermal runaway hazards of styrene in contact with a series of contamination substances by adopting calorimetric analysis. Both Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Advanced Reactive System Screening Tool (ARSST) were employed to examine the exothermic characteristics of styrene mixed with contaminating substances at different concentration levels and mixing conditions. Key safety parameters of the exothermic reaction, such as the onset temperature, the overall heat release, the maximum self-heating rate, as well as the activation energy, were obtained. The results indicated that the thermal runaway polymerization of purified styrene was significantly altered by the presence of contaminant species. Water effectively retarded and quenched the runaway polymerization at a higher temperature range. Alkaline had no substantial effect on the thermal runaway characteristics. The presence of acid solution under both static contact and vigorous mixing condition significantly promoted the thermal polymerization of styrene. A trace amount of concentrated acid initiated violent exothermic activity even at room temperature; and the severity of the reaction was profoundly impacted by the mass-transfer. Our study demonstrates significant implications in the prevention of runaway incidents during transportation and storage of styrene.
Methanosarcina acetivorans contains a functional ISC system for iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis.

The production of methane by methanogens is dependent on numerous iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster proteins; yet, the machinery involved in Fe-S cluster biogenesis in methanogens remains largely unknown. Methanogen genomes encode uncharacterized homologs of the core components of the ISC (IscS and IscU) and SUF (SufBC) Fe-S cluster biogenesis systems found in bacteria and eukaryotes. Methanosarcina acetivorans contains three iscSU and two sufCB gene clusters. Here, we report genetic and biochemical characterization of M. acetivorans iscSU2. Purified IscS2 exhibited pyridoxal 5′- phosphate-dependent release of sulfur from L-cysteine. Incubation of purified IscU2 with IscS2, cysteine, and iron (Fe2+) resulted in the formation of [4Fe-4S] clusters in IscU2. IscU2 transferred a [4Fe-4S] cluster to purified M. acetivorans apo-aconitase. IscU2 also restored the aconitase activity in air-exposed M. acetivorans cell lysate. These biochemical results demonstrate that IscS2 is a cysteine desulfurase and that IscU2 is a Fe-S cluster scaffold. M. acetivorans strain DJL60 deleted of iscSU2 was generated to ascertain the in vivo importance of IscSU2. Strain DJL60 had Fe-S cluster content and growth similar to the parent strain but lower cysteine desulfurase activity. Strain DJL60 also had lower intracellular persulfide content compared to the parent strain when cysteine was an exogenous sulfur source, linking IscSU2 to sulfur metabolism. This study establishes that M. acetivorans contains functional IscS and IscU, the core components of the ISC Fe-S cluster biogenesis system and provides the first evidence that ISC operates in methanogens.
Micro-financing in the era of good governance: economic benefits. An empirical study

In an era of good governance, micro-financing can benefit from rules of the game enabling individuals in developing economies to borrow funds while ensuring the institutions lending such funds will...
Barriers to safety and efficiency in robotic surgery docking

The introduction of new technology into the operating room (OR) can be beneficial for patients, but can also create new problems and complexities for physicians and staff. The observation of flow disruptions (FDs)—small deviations from the optimal course of care—can be used to understand how systems problems manifest. Prior studies showed that the docking process in robotic assisted surgery (RAS), which requires careful management of process, people, technology and working environment, might be a particularly challenging part of the operation. We sought to explore variation across multiple clinical sites and procedures; and to examine the sources of those disruptions. Trained observers recorded FDs during 45 procedures across multiple specialties at three different hospitals. The rate of FDs was compared across surgical phases, sites, and types of procedure. A work-system flow of the RAS docking procedure was used to determine which steps were most disrupted. The docking process was significantly more disrupted than other procedural phases, with no effect of hospital site, and a potential interaction with procedure type. Particular challenges were encountered in room organization, retrieval of supplies, positioning the patient, and maneuvering the robot. Direct observation of surgical procedures can help to identify approaches to improve the design of technology and procedures, the training of staff, and configuration of the OR environment, with the eventual goal of improving safety, efficiency and teamwork in high technology surgery.
PERTURBATIVE CORRECTIONS TO THE SEMILEPTONIC b-DECAY MOMENTS: $E^\ell_{\rm cut}$ DEPENDENCE AND RUNNING-αs EFFECTS IN THE OPE APPROACH

We have calculated the perturbative corrections to all the structure functions in the semileptonic decays of a heavy quark. Assuming an arbitrary gluon mass as a technical tool allowed to obtain in parallel all the BLM corrections. We report the basic applications, viz. perturbative corrections to the hadronic mass and energy moments with full dependence on the charge lepton energy cut. In the adopted scheme with the OPE momentum scale separation around 1 GeV the perturbative corrections to are small and practically independent of Ecut; the BLM corrections are small, too. The corrections to the second mass squared moment show some decrease with Ecut consistent with the effect of the Darwin operator, within the previously estimated theoretical uncertainty. Perturbative corrections in the pole-type schemes appear significant and vary with El, decreasing the moments at higher cuts. The hardness of hadronic moments is quantitatively illustrated for different cuts on El.
Out-of-Band Multiple Path Discovery Protocol for Robust In-Band Millimeter Wave Links

Millimeter-wave technology has proved to be one of the enabling technologies of the fifth generation of wireless networks. Despite the merits of the millimeter-wave spectrum, its directionality imposes more overhead on communication systems than the non-millimeter wave spectrum. In this paper, we propose using signaling in another frequency band to discover the paths surrounding a receiver working in the millimeter-wave spectrum. In this way, the receiver does not have to do an expensive beam scan in the millimeter wave band and repair the interrupted ongoing millimeter communication much faster by choosing the beam covering the best path discovered by another frequency band. Our experiments in various environments by millimeterwave hardware platforms show that a non-millimeter wave frequency band’s paths can be used to align the beams in millimeterwave frequency. Existing out-of-band path discovery methods typically need a specially designed hardware for scanning and can only find the single line-of-sight path. Our proposed method uses commercial off-the-shelf products to perform out-of-band scanning and discover both line-of-sight path and non-line-of-sight paths for millimeter wave communication.
Doubly Resonant Internally Heterodyne Phase Resolved Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation spectroscopy

Advancements in sum frequency generation spectroscopy have expanded its versatility in recent years. Despite this little investigation into the synergistic combination of advanced approaches has been reported. Here we combined the signal enhancing doubly resonant excitation scheme, which probes the vibronic structure of the sample, with the phase resolving capabilities of internally heterodyne phase resolved detection. Ultimately this combination of technique demonstrates the influence that the electronic transition involved in doubly resonant sum frequency generation has on the surface susceptibility, in tandem with acquisition of the chemical and electronic sample dependent response.
Disrupted copper homeostasis: Pathogenic factor in autism spectrum disorder and side effect of valproic acid

Abstract A 23 year old male diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and treated with valproic acid presented with acute onset of hepatic failure; he died less than two months later. Laboratory studies led to a diagnosis of Wilson Disease. The case raised questions about a possible pathogenic role of disrupted copper homeostasis in ASD, and exacerbation of this disruption as a result of treatment with valproic acid. Screening for abnormalities of copper homeostasis may stimulate strategies for therapeutic targeting of a contributing etiological factor and avoidance of contraindicated medications.
The Psychology of Inference and the Teaching of Probability and Statistics: Two Sides of The Same Coin?

Publisher Summary The naive student of probability and statistics possesses a myriad of mathematical misconceptions, which present a formidable challenge to the teacher of statistics. A considerable amount of investigation by cognitive and social psychologists in the area of judgment and decision making has produced evidence that suggests many misconceptions of probability and statistics have psychological roots. Mere exposure to the theoretical laws of probability and statistics may not be sufficient to overcome probabilistic misconceptions. Students show up in an introductory statistics course equipped with a formidable array of mathematical misconceptions and deficiencies. They ignore base rates when making predictions. They are slow to change opinions in the face of new data and they are poor at detecting covariation. They may not even believe in probability. This chapter describes the interrelationship of judgment and decision making with probability and statistics. The chapter examines research on obstacles occurring in the use of statistical principles when making inferences from the perspectives of psychology and mathematics education.
Knowing when to leap: Transitioning between exploitative and explorative R&D

A common perspective is that consistent R&D investment facilitates innovation, while volatile spending implies myopic decision making. However, the benefits to exploiting extant competencies eventually erode, so firms must disrupt their R&D function and explore for new competitive advantage. We suggest that high-performing firms recognize when extant competencies decline and increase exploratory R&D to develop new competencies at the appropriate time. We find that changes in R&D expenditure away from the firm's historic trend, in either direction, are indicative of transitions between exploitative and exploratory R&D and are associated with increased firm performance. Increases in R&D expenditure above the trend are associated with an increased likelihood of highly cited patents, suggesting that firms are making the leap between R&D-based exploitation and exploration. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Corporate Law and Residual Claimants (Partial Draft)

This is a partial draft of a long-delayed project. I posted it because of continued interest in the draft, and still hope to complete it.The conventional contractarian explanation for why only common shareholders have voting rights is that they are the firm's principal residual claimants, and therefore have an incentive to maximize firm value. This explanation doesn't fit the facts. Other claimants, including employees, creditors, preferred shareholders, option holders, suppliers, customers, and the government (as tax collector), also generally gain when a firm does well and suffer when the firm does badly.I argue that instead of asking why only common shareholder vote, we should be asking why, in a world where common shareholders, employees, creditors, preferred shareholders, and others are all important residual claimants, are control rights (of which voting rights are only one flavor) divided as they are? To answer this question, we must explain both why common shareholders receive control rights and why other residual claimants often do not. Why don't employees, suppliers, customers, and the government receive formal control rights, unless they also own common shares? Why do preferred shareholders receive voting rights that are almost uselessly weak? Why do banks receive covenant-based contractual control rights, while trade creditors receive only nonpayment-based rights, even though trade creditors have lower-priority, hence less-fixed claims.This article seeks more to raise questions than to answer them, but I sketch some tentative answers. In my view, multiple factors affect which claimant classes have control rights, including: the transferability of a class's residual interests; the homogeneity of interests within a claimant class; bargaining costs if different claimants receive overlapping control rights; a claimant class's access to (and incentives to obtain) the information needed to use control rights effectively; whether two claimant classes have similar incentives, so that one can monitor on behalf of the other; and whether informal control rights can substitute for formal rights.
Chronic ethanol exposure delays the 'developmental switch' of the NMDA receptor 2A and 2B subunits in cultured cerebellar granule neurons.

Chronic ethanol treatment of cultured neurons from various brain areas has been found to increase NMDA receptor function and to alter the levels of some NMDA receptor subunit proteins. Because the cultured neurons are exposed to ethanol during a period when the NMDA receptor is undergoing developmental changes in subunit expression, we wished to determine whether ethanol treatment alters this developmental pattern. We found that 3 days of treatment of cerebellar granule neurons with ethanol, which was previously reported to increase NMDA receptor function, resulted in a delay in the 'developmental switch' of the NR2A and NR2B subunits, i.e. the developmental decrease in NR2B and increase in NR2A protein expression. As a result, the level of NR2B was higher, and that of NR2A was lower, in the ethanol-treated cells than in control cells. Cross-linking experiments showed that the changes in total receptor subunit proteins levels were reflected in cell-surface expressed proteins, indicating changes in the amount of functional receptors. These results were confirmed by a higher potency of glycine at the NMDA receptor in the ethanol-treated cells, as determined by NMDA/glycine-induced increases in intracellular Ca(2+). The results suggest that the mechanism by which ethanol alters NMDA receptor expression in cultured neurons, where receptors are undergoing development, differs from the mechanism of ethanol's effect on NMDA receptors in adult brain. Changes in the proportion of NR2A and NR2B subunits may contribute to effects of ethanol on neuronal development.
Vulnerable Undocumented Mexican Immigrants in California from 1986 to 2012

Immigration from Mexico into the United States has contributed to the marginalization of undocumented immigrants in American society. This thesis will analyze the reasons undocumented immigrants believe undocumented immigration is the only solution for their economic hardships. Along with the examination of immigration legislation, beginning with the 1986 Amnesty to 2012 laws affecting the undocumented immigrant community, this thesis will examine why immigrants from Mexico decide to immigrate into the United States and join certain industries within California’s labor force. Socioeconomic impacts of certain laws targeted toward the undocumented immigrants will also be studied. Finally, investigation on why many undocumented immigrants are unaware of their rights and of the impact this lack of knowledge has on the greater community will be the final point in this thesis.
Dg.o2003 the national conference on digital government research: an integrated fire, smoke and air quality network

The management of fire, smoke, and air quality is tasked to multiple agencies at federal, state, and local levels. The diversity in data collection methods, data reporting requirements, data formatting schemes, data analysis methods, and data presentation create a daunting challenge for the integration of these data. However, integration of these heterogeneous datasets is precisely what is called for by federal and regional organizations in order to derive a more comprehensive understanding of forest fires and their impacts.
The American self and the long march to legal equality

Legally, women, Native Americans, and African-Americans were defined by the American Constitution as inferior. The pragmatists gradually showed that all selves are equal. These ideas helped the minorities to attain nearly full legal status. But economic status is going in the other direction, toward inequality. It threatens to overcome the hard-won legal equality and make it meaningless.
Stellar outflow: relative motions of nebulae and of stars

On the basis of arguments presented by Roberts (1972) and of Shu et al. (1972), Minn and Greenberg (1973) argued that the velocity differences between newly formed hot stars and the surrounding interstellar medium are sufficiently different so that typical H II regions should consist of material which is continually being replaced by the ambient medium and which should therefore possess the velocity of the medium rather than that of the star. Obviously, the critical test of this hypothesis will be a comparison of nebular velocities with the velocities of the exciting stars.
Closed-Loop Pole Design for Vibration Suppression

A technique is discussed for selecting the closed-loop pole locations in the state or output feedback problem. The damping is the only parameter that is allowed to vary. The geometric interpretation of this is that each closed-loop pole is constrained to lie on a circular arc whose radius corresponds to that pole’s open-loop undamped natural frequency. An analytic approach is then proposed to compute the required state and output feedback gain. The method is based on a sensitivity analysis of the closed-loop eigenvalues to each gain element. An Euler–Bernoulli pinnedbeamexample is used to demonstrate the procedure. Thisnew formulationoffers insight into the uniqueness issue in state design, the possibility of state eigenstructure assignability, and the limited pole placement in output design from a linear algebra context.
What is a Spectrum Hole and What Does it Take to Recognize One

ldquoSpectrum holesrdquo represent the potential opportunities for noninterfering (safe) use of spectrum and can be considered as multidimensional regions within frequency, time, and space. The main challenge for secondary radio systems is to be able to robustly sense when they are within such a spectrum hole. To allow a unified discussion of the core issues in spectrum sensing, the ldquoweighted probability of area recoveredrdquo (WPAR) metric is introduced to measure the performance of a sensing strategy; and the ldquofear of harmful interferencerdquo F HI metric is introduced to measure its safety. These metrics explicitly consider the impact of asymmetric uncertainties (and misaligned incentives) in the system model. Furthermore, they allow a meaningful comparison of diverse approaches to spectrum sensing unlike the traditional triad of sensitivity, probability of false-alarm P FA, and probability of missed-detection P MD. These new metrics are used to show that fading uncertainty forces the WPAR performance of single-radio sensing algorithms to be very low for small values of F HI, even for ideal detectors. Cooperative sensing algorithms enable a much higher WPAR, but only if users are guaranteed to experience independent fading. Lastly, in-the-field calibration for wide-band (but uncertain) environment variables (e.g., interference and shadowing) can robustly guarantee safety (low F HI) even in the face of potentially correlated users without sacrificing WPAR.
Parental reactions to their sons' sexual orientation disclosures: The roles of family cohesion, adaptability, and parenting style.

The factors associated with parental reactions to their child's sexual orientation disclosure are poorly understood and require further empirical investigation. The current study investigated whether family dynamics before disclosure were associated with parental reactions to their sons' coming out episodes. Participants included 72 gay men recruited from organizations for gay young adults. Results indicated that men reporting to be from cohesive, adaptable, and authoritative families prior to coming out perceived their parents' reactions as less negative compared with men reporting to be from disconnected, rigid, and authoritarian families. These results are consistent with family stress theory, which suggests that having family level resources in place prior to the onset of a stressor may buffer the effects of a crisis event.
Uniform island height selection in the low temperature growth of Pb/Si(111)-(7×7)

Self-organized, uniform-height, Pb islands with flat tops and steep edges form on Si(111)-(7 x 7) at low temperatures 120<T<250 K. Islands of heights differing by bilayer height increments are observed depending on growth conditions. The formation of these structures is highly unusual since at low temperatures thermal diffusion is suppressed. The origin of the regular structures is believed to be quantum size effects (i.e. effects related to the quantization of the electron energy levels in the islands). We have studied with two complementary techniques (i.e. high resolution spot profile analysis low energy electron diffraction and variable temperature scanning tunneling microscopy) how the preferred island heights depend on the growth parameters (i.e. temperature, coverage, kinetic pathway etc.). We have constructed a kinetic phase diagram in the coverage-temperature plane which indicates the type of islands formed under different growth conditions. The phase diagram can be used as a guide so the island height can be easily controlled.
Patients with cancer and their spouse caregivers. Perceptions of the illness experience

This study focuses on patterns of response between patients with cancer and their spouse caregivers to examine the reliability of spouse informants in research and clinical settings. Thirty dyads (patient with cancer-spouse caregiver couples; total n = 60) were interviewed concurrently in their homes concerning patient functioning, psychologic distress, physical symptoms, caregiver perceptions of patient functioning, and marriage quality. Couples had been married an average of 32 years. Patients had either the lung or colon as their primary cancer site, and one third had metastasis. Correlations between 14 variable pairs and cross-tabulation of scale scores suggest that spouse caregivers agree with patients on objective measures with observable referents (e.g., ability to dress independently). Partners disagree on subjective aspects of patient functioning (e.g., depression, fear of future, and confidence in treatment) and marriage quality. Almost without exception, caregivers viewed patients' functioning more negatively than patients described themselves. Patients, however, viewed marital quality more negatively than did caregivers. It was concluded that caregivers can serve as proxies for patients with cancer in research and clinical settings when objective data are sought. Data from both spouses are needed, however, to complete the picture of subjective illness experiences in patients with cancer, including perceptions of pain and disease symptoms.
Starved Rock Member of St. Peter Sandstone--Offshore Shoal: ABSTRACT

The Starved Rock Member of the St. Peter Sandstone has been described as a clean, medium-grained sandstone that was deposited in a broad band across northern Illinois. This deposit displays a sequence of sedimentary structures that indicates deposition in shallow water. From the base upward the structures include (1) massive beds; (2) small-scale trough cross-strata; (3) high-angle tabular cross strata; (4) large-scale trough End_Page 779------------------------------ cross strata; (5) alternating beds of horizontal, burrowed laminae and small-scale trough cross strata; and (6) massive and burrowed beds. Tabular cross strata and small-scale trough cross strata show a consistent northwest orientation, whereas the large-scale trough cross strata show no preferred orientation. Both tabular and large-scale trough cross strata consist of medium-coarse sand, whereas the small-scale trough cross strata and horizontal laminae are of medium sand. Discontinuous horizontal laminae, present at irregular vertical intervals in the section, consist of interlaminated medium to fine sand and silt. Recently, the sand waves of the North Sea have been proposed as an analog for the St. Peter environment in Wisconsin, because of the presence of such sedimentary structures as very large-scale tabular cross strata. However, the sedimentary structures, directional data, and textures observed in the Starved Rock Member resemble more closely those developed on nonbarred coasts, like that of Oregon. The presence of inferred deeper water sediments within the St. Peter, landward of the Starved Rock Member, indicates that this sand body may have been deposited as an offshore shoal. End_of_Article - Last_Page 780------------
Effect of myosin on actin-bound nucleotide exchange in the presence and absence of ATP.

Abstract We have continued our investigation of bound nucleotide exchange in F-actin and actomyosin by measuring the release of actin-bound [3H]ADP using a rapid ultrafiltration technique. In agreement with previous work, the rate of actin-bound nucleotide release was found to be greatly increased by myosin in the presence of ATP under conditions of superprecipitation. However, we now find that the same effect of myosin is observed not only in the presence of ATP but also in the presence of ADP where no superprecipitation occurs. This effect of myosin is abolished at high ionic strength, and heavy meromyosin does not show the effect, suggesting that aggregation of the myosin is essential. We conclude that the increased exchangeability of the actin-bound nucleotide in actomyosin is unrelated to the ATPase activity or contraction of the actomyosin, but is caused simply by the binding of F-actin to myosin filaments.
Room-temperature operation of 3.6 μm In0.53Ga 0.47As/Al0.48In0.52 As quantum cascade laser sources based on intracavity second harmonic generation

We discuss a design of short-wavelength quantum cascade laser sources based on intracavity second harmonic generation. A passive heterostructure tailored for giant optical nonlinearity is integrated on top of an active region and patterned for quasiphase matching. We demonstrate operation of λ≈3.6 μm lattice-matched InGaAs/AlInAs/InP sources with approximately 6 μW of second-harmonic output at room temperature and conversion efficiency of approximately 130 μW/W2. Threshold current densities of devices with a nonlinear section were similar to that of the reference lasers without the nonlinear section.
Second Language Processing: An Analysis of Theory, Problems, and Possible Solutions by LEE, JAMES F., & ALESSANDRO G. BENATI.

The article reviews the book "Second Language Processing: An Analysis of Theory, Problems, and Possible Solutions," by James F. Lee and Alessandro G. Benati.
Effective Learning in Adventure-Based Education: Setting Directions for Future Research

Abstract There is research evidence that adventure-based programs are effective vehicles for education. Research has failed to clarify, however, how adventure-based programs create an environment for effective growth and change. By extrapolating results from studies on effective traditional classroom education, educators may begin to address this issue. Through a literature review, this article identifies and explores five characteristics known to exist in both the adventure-based learning environment and the effective traditional classroom setting. They are: (1) small learning group size; (2) cooperative learning environment; (3) communication of high expectations for students; (4) building on student success; and (5) creating an identifiable classroom culture reflecting positive, supportive values.
A homothetic utility function for monopolistic competition models, without constant price elasticity

Abstract The symmetric translog expenditure function leads to a demand system that has unitary income elasticity but non-constant price elasticities. This expenditure function will be useful in monopolistic competition models, and retains its properties even as the number of goods varies.
Synthesis and Characterization of Copper(I) Complexes with a Fairly Bulky Tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborate Ligand. Probing the Flexibility of the Metal-Containing Pocket Formed by the Ligand.

Four copper(I) tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborate complexes are reported with the fairly bulky tris[3-(p-tert-butylphenyl)-5-methylpyrazol-1-yl]hydroborate ligand (TptBu-Ph,Me). TptBu-Ph,MeCu(CH3CN) (1) was synthesized from CuCl and TptBu-Ph,MeLi(CH3CN). The acetonitrile ligand in 1 was easily replaced by CO, PPh3, and PtBu3, forming TptBu-Ph,MeCu(CO) (2), TptBu-Ph,MeCu(PPh3) (3), and TptBu-Ph,MeCu(PtBu3) (4), respectively. Complexes 1−4 have been crystallographically characterized. 1·4CH3CN, 173 K: C52H67BCuN11, triclinic, P1, a = 13.4201(10) A, b = 15.132(2) A, c = 15.2125(13) A, α = 60.743(6)°, β = 73.211(4)°, γ = 74.839(5)°, Z = 2, R1 = 6.81% (wR2 = 18.91%). 2, 296 K: C43H52BCuN6O, monoclinic, C2/c, a = 25.592(4) A, b = 12.434(2) A, c = 28.044(3) A, β = 104.073(9)°, Z = 8, R1 = 7.47% (wR2 = 22.08%). 3·CH2Cl2, 173 K: C61H69BCl2CuN6P, triclinic, P1, a = 12.5080(13) A, b = 15.159(3) A, c = 17.151(2) A, α = 64.271(10)°, β = 79.073(7)°, γ = 86.572(8)°, Z = 2, R1 = 5.13% (wR2 = 13.28%). 4·0.5 hexane, 298 K: C...
Tell Me a Story: How Children's Developing Domain Knowledge Affects Their Story Construction.

Young children distinguish between the physical and biological domains of knowledge. The current study examines how this distinction is expressed in a story construction task. Three- and 4-year-olds were shown pairs of pictures, one that depicted a normal event and one that depicted an event that violated either physical or biological causal structure. Children were asked to choose which picture to include in a story. Three-year-olds generally showed no systematic patterns of responses when constructing their stories. Four-year-olds, in contrast, made more normal than violation choices overall, and their stories were relatively consistent with regard to the fictional world's internal coherence. When 4-year-olds did include violation events in their stories, those violations tended to be of physical rather than biological causality. These data suggest that a general understanding of impossible events is underpinned by causal domain knowledge.
A continuous light scattering technique for polymer photolysis

Abstract Light scattering has been used repeatedly for kinetic studies (1). Kratochvil et al. (2), for instance, developed a technique for the continuous determination of changes in molecular weight during polymerization. F. Bovey (3) carried out a similar study. Polymerization of methylmethacrylate was investigated by Belgovskii et al. (4, 5), who elaborated an equation describing the intensity of excess Rayleigh scattering as function of time. The present paper is concerned with the elaboration of a light-scattering method for following the photolysis of polymers. It is demonstrated using aqueous polymethyacrylic acid solutions that virial and dissymmetry coefficients remain practically constant during photolysis whereas molecular weight and size distributions change continuously. Some modifications of the light-scattering instrument are also described here.
Ferromagnetic order at surfaces of ultrathin epitaxial fcc γ -Fe(111)p(11) films on Cu(111)

Electron-capture spectroscopy has been used to investigate long-ranged and short-ranged two-dimensional magnetic order at free (uncoated) surfaces of homogeneous (island-free), ultrathin fcc \ensuremath{\gamma}-Fe(111)(1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1) films pseudomorphically deposited on Cu(111) substrate crystals. At 298 K, the electron-spin polarization at the surface of a four-monolayer thin fcc Fe film amounts to +16%, directly revealing the existence of long-ranged ferromagnetic order. There is evidence that short-ranged ferromagnetic order still exists at 400 K at free surfaces of two and one-monolayer thin fcc Fe films.
Multiresolution wavelet analysis of evoked potentials

Neurological injury, such as from cerebral hypoxia, appears to cause complex changes in the shape of evoked potential (EP) signals. To characterize such changes we analyze EP signals with the aid of scaling functions called wavelets. In particular, we consider multiresolution wavelets that are a family of orthonormal functions. In the time domain, the multiresolution wavelets analyze EP signals at coarse or successively greater levels of temporal detail. In the frequency domain, the multiresolution wavelets resolve the EP signal into independent spectral bands. In an experimental demonstration of the method, somatosensory EP signals recorded during cerebral hypoxia in anesthetized cats are analyzed. Results obtained by multiresolution wavelet analysis are compared with conventional time-domain analysis and Fourier series expansions of the same signals. Multiresolution wavelet analysis appears to be a different, sensitive way to analyze EP signal features and to follow the EP signal trends in neurologic injury. Two characteristics appear to be of diagnostic value: the detail component of the MRW displays an early and a more rapid decline in response to hypoxic injury while the coarse component displays an earlier recovery upon reoxygenation. >