cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implicit Euler Method for Three-Dimensional Turbomachinery Flow Calculation

A compressible three-dimensional implicit Euler solution method for turbomachinery flows has been developed. The goal of the present study is to develop an efficient and reliable method that can be used to replace the semi-empirical, semi-analytical quasi-three-dimensional turbomachinery flow prediction method currently being used for multi-stage turbomachinery design at early design stages. Currently, a methodology has been developed based on an inviscid flow model (Euler solver) and tested on single blade rows for validation. The method presented here is derived from the Beam and Warming implicit approximate factorization (AF) finite difference algorithm. To avoid high frequency numerical instabilities associated with the use of central differencing schemes to obtain a spatial second order accuracy, a combined explicit and implicit artificial dissipation model is adopted. This model consists of a second order implicit dissipation and mixed second/fourth order explicit dissipation terms. A Cartesian coordinate H-grid generated by a three-dimensional interactive grid generator developed by Beach is used. Results for SSME High Pressure Fuel Turbine are presented and the comparison with experimental data is discussed. The use of the present implicit Euler method and the three-dimensional turbomachinery interactive grid generator shows that turnaround time could be as short as one day using a workstation. This allows the designers to explore optimal design configurations at minimum cost.Copyright © 1993 by ASME
Interaction between Waterlogging Injury and Irradiance Level in Alfalfa

This study investigates the interaction between irradiance and waterlogging injury in alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) at various plant developmental stages. Alfalfa was subjected to flooding for 8 to10 d under high or low irradiance levels in controlled environmental chambers. Treatments were imposed on alfalfa 8 and 21 d after planting (DAP) and during regrowth following clipping at 31 DAP. Hooding significantly reduced dry matter accumulation regardless of growth stage, although damage was most severe when flooding was imposed on plants during regrowth after clipping. Irradiance levels primarily affected shoot and root dry matter in 21- and 31-DAP treatments. Much greater shoot dry matter accumulation in nonflooded high irradiance plants was observed relative to low irradiance plants. A flooding × irradiance interaction was found at every growth stage except for root dry weight in the regrowth stage after clipping. The flooding interaction was due to greater injury of flooded high-irradiance plants relative to flooded low-irradiance plants when injury was expressed as a percentage of the unflooded control. Results indicate that the irradiance level during flooding can influence damage rating when expressed as a percentage of control. Assimilate supply to roots was sharply reduced by low irradiance as evidenced by reduced root growth and carbohydrate concentration in unflooded controls. Flooding damage, however, was not enhanced under low irradiance, lending support to the hypothesis that carbohydrate (i.e., energy supply) is not a limiting factor in survival of alfalfa roots during short-duration flooding stress.
Asymmetric Deactivation of HIV-1 gp41 following Fusion Inhibitor Binding

Both equilibrium and nonequilibrium factors influence the efficacy of pharmaceutical agents that target intermediate states of biochemical reactions. We explored the intermediate state inhibition of gp41, part of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein complex (Env) that promotes viral entry through membrane fusion. This process involves a series of gp41 conformational changes coordinated by Env interactions with cellular CD4 and a chemokine receptor. In a kinetic window between CD4 binding and membrane fusion, the N- and C-terminal regions of the gp41 ectodomain become transiently susceptible to inhibitors that disrupt Env structural transitions. In this study, we sought to identify kinetic parameters that influence the antiviral potency of two such gp41 inhibitors, C37 and 5-Helix. Employing a series of C37 and 5-Helix variants, we investigated the physical properties of gp41 inhibition, including the ability of inhibitor-bound gp41 to recover its fusion activity once inhibitor was removed from solution. Our results indicated that antiviral activity critically depended upon irreversible deactivation of inhibitor-bound gp41. For C37, which targets the N-terminal region of the gp41 ectodomain, deactivation was a slow process that depended on chemokine receptor binding to Env. For 5-Helix, which targets the C-terminal region of the gp41 ectodomain, deactivation occurred rapidly following inhibitor binding and was independent of chemokine receptor levels. Due to this kinetic disparity, C37 inhibition was largely reversible, while 5-Helix inhibition was functionally irreversible. The fundamental difference in deactivation mechanism points to an unappreciated asymmetry in gp41 following inhibitor binding and impacts the development of improved fusion inhibitors and HIV-1 vaccines. The results also demonstrate how the activities of intermediate state inhibitors critically depend upon the final disposition of inhibitor-bound states.
Centrifugal immersion technique for characterizing the wettability of coal particles

Abstract An approach which enables the determination of the distribution of wettability regions on heterogeneous rough particles by centrifugal immersion is described. Wettability site distribution obtained with centrifugal immersion is a function of surface chemistry, shape of the particles, and the dynamics of the wetting process. Surface chemistry plays a predominant role in the wetting of particles of low hydrophobicity, whereas the shape of the particle is critical in the case of wetting of more hydrophobic particles.
Effective water pricing

: When the goal of water pricing is elevated from mere cost recovery to deriving the greatest value from scarce water and associated nonwater resources, conventional rate regimes are found to be deficient. To address the challenge of creating rates that are both efficient and budget-balancing, several theoretical and practical aspects of rate-making are considered. Purposeful selection of rate parameters for a specific billing system is demonstrated to serve efficiency and cost recovery objectives. Attention to non-accounting opportunity costs is an important system element, but these costs are often not fully borne by the utility or its customers. In situations where this issue is serious, state or federal pricing policy may be necessary.
The number of X chromosomes influences protection from cardiac ischaemia/reperfusion injury in mice: one X is better than two.

Aim Sex differences in coronary heart disease have been attributed to sex hormones, whereas the potential role of the sex chromosomes has been ignored so far. Here, we investigated the role of the sex chromosomes in causing sex differences in myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Methods and results We used two unique mouse models, the ‘four core genotypes’ [XX mice with ovaries (XXF) or testes (XXM) and XY mice with ovaries (XYF) or testes (XYM)] and XY* (gonadal male or female mice with one or two X chromosomes). All mice were gonadectomized (GDX). In vivo or isolated Langendorff-perfused hearts were subjected to I/R injury. The in vivo infarct size in XY mice was significantly smaller than XX mice regardless of their gonadal type (24.5 ± 4.1% in XYF and 21.8 ± 3.3% in XYM vs. 37.0 ± 3.2% in XXF and 35.5 ± 2.1% in XXM, P < 0.01). Consistent with the results in vivo , the infarct size was markedly smaller and cardiac functional recovery was significantly better in XY mice compared with XX ex vivo . The mitochondrial calcium retention capacity was significantly higher in XY compared with XX mice (nmol/mg protein: XXF = 126 ± 9 and XXM = 192 ± 45 vs. XYF = 250 ± 56 and XYM = 286 ± 51 , P < 0.05). In XY* mice, mice with 2X chromosomes had larger infarct size (2X females = 41.4 ± 8.9% and 2X males = 46.3 ± 9.5% vs. 1X females = 23.7 ± 3.9% and 1X males = 26.6 ± 6.9%, P < 0.05) and lower heart functional recovery, compared with those with 1X chromosome. Several X genes that escape X inactivation ( Eif2s3x , Kdm6a , and Kdm5c ) showed higher expression in XX than in XY hearts. Conclusion XX mice have higher vulnerability to I/R injury compared with XY mice, which is due to the number of X chromosomes rather than the absence of the Y chromosome.
Refinements in the ultrasonic detection of popliteal vein reflux

Abstract Color-flow and duplex ultrasonography were used to determine the optimal method for documenting venous valvular reflux. Popliteal veins were examined in 10 normal limbs and 11 limbs with clinical evidence of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Peak reflux velocity (spectral) and duration of reflux (spectral and color) were measured with the patient in supine and standing positions, with manual and pneumatic compression applied sequentially to thigh and calf. Manual and pneumatic compression produced equivalent reflux velocity and duration. In normal limbs peak reflux velocity was always less than 22 cm/sec, with a mean reverse flow duration of 0.3 sec ± 0.03 (SEM). In limbs with CVI, reflux velocity varied widely among protocols. Reflux duration and velocity were greater in the supine position than in the standing position for both normal limbs and limbs with CVI( p p p p
The role of arthroscopy in the management of knee osteoarthritis

Technological advances throughout the 20th century enabled an increase in arthroscopic knee surgery, particularly arthroscopic debridement for osteoarthritis (OA) and arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for symptomatic meniscal tear in the setting of OA. However, evaluation of the outcomes of these procedures lagged behind their rising popularity. Not until the early 2000s were rigorous outcomes studies conducted; these showed that arthroscopic debridement for OA was no better than a sham procedure in relieving knee pain or improving functional status, and that patients who underwent arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for a degenerative meniscal tear generally did not show more improvement than those who underwent sham meniscal resection or an intensive course of physical therapy. Though the number of arthroscopic knee procedures for OA performed each year has begun to decline, there remains a significant gap between the evidence and actual practice. Further investigation is needed to shore up the evidence base and bring policy and practice in line with rigorous research.
Eco: ultra-wearable and expandable wireless sensor platform

Eco is a self-contained, ultra-wearable and expandable wireless sensor platform under 1cm/sup 3/. Previous platforms make trade-offs between size or expandability. Eco achieves both with a novel flex-PCB expansion connector for digital/analog I/O, firmware programming, and battery charging. It can be folded up without obstruction or clipped off if expandability is no longer needed. Only 15% the volume of MICA2D0T, Eco has the same size as the nonexpandable /spl mu/Part node but with several times more memory, processing and communication speeds. A separate data aggregator and a development/base-station board enable Eco nodes to form a high-performance body sensor network for pre-term infant monitoring and interactive dance.
Raising Urban Students' Literacy Achievement by Engaging in Authentic, Challenging Work.

The In2Books program has been used in one urban public school system to improve students’ literacy. In the program, students correspond with adult pen pals to discuss books they have read.
THE RETRIEVAL OF DEIFICATION: HOW A ONCE‐DESPISED ARCHAISM BECAME AN ECUMENICAL DESIDERATUM

Adolf von Harnack and Karl Barth were equally incensed by the detrimental impact that the notion of deification had had on Christian theology. Lately, however, theosis has been discovered in Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Edwards, the Wesleys, and an impressive number of other western authorities. This essay considers this sensational development and finds that (1) there is little agreement on what is constitutive of deification, making the notion an ecumenist's dream and a philosopher's nightmare; and (2) the agreement between the Greek Fathers and Aquinas, Luther, and Calvin on deification amounts to their endorsement of some form of participatory metaphysics. Calling for greater precision, this essay argues that the Greek patristic doctrine of deification includes synergistic anthropology and sacramental realism that are in tension with the Reformation understandings of participation in God.
Suppression of development of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis by oral administration of thyroglobulin

Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT), which to some extent represents an experimental model of human chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is an organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody production to thyroid antigens (Ag) and mononuclear infiltration of the thyroid gland. EAT induced by immunization with human thyroglobulin (hTG) with Freund's adjuvant in CBA/J (H-2K) mice is associated with prominent B and T cell responses. We report that oral administration of hTG effectively reduces the immune responses in EAT in mice in an Ag-specific manner. Both cellular and humoral immune responses are reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Histological evidence of disease is dramatically reduced. Suppression of the immune responses is seen 2 weeks after Ag challenge, with partial inhibition of proliferative and antibody responses. Six weeks after immunization, further inhibition is observed of both T and B cell responses. Hyporesponsiveness of T and B cell reactivity is seen only to hTG; T and B cell responses to other immunogens are not affected, including purified protein derivative and the nonrelated Ag BSA. This model may provide the basis for immunotherapy of autoimmune thyroid diseases in man.
Trade-offs Between Defence and Education/Health Expenditures in Developing Countries:

It is commonly believed that defence expenditures have a particular ability to compete government financial resources away from other activities, especially education and health. This article uses a number of methods to test for the existence and strength of such trade-offs in a large number of LDCs. Cross- sectional analysis of government expenditures found that few countries which were low defence spenders were high spenders on education/health (and vice versa). Defence expenditures were no less vulnerable to overall budget cuts, nor more likely to gain from budget increases than education and health. Finally, a longitudinal regression analysis for twelve Asian countries revealed little evidence of trade-offs We discuss some of the reasons why our analysis may not support the conventional view on trade-offs and, finally, make a number of suggestions concerning future research on this topic.
Evidence for an increased risk of Crohn's disease in oral contraceptive users.

Abstract The risk of Crohn's disease in relation to oral contraceptive use was evaluated in a hospital-based, case-control study of 57 women with Crohn's disease and 2189 controls with other conditions. The relative risk for oral contraceptive users compared with women who had never used these drugs was 1.9 (95% confidence interval 1.0–3.5). The magnitude of the relative risk estimate was related to the timing and duration of oral contraceptive use. For use within the year before admission to a hospital (recent use), the relative risk estimate was 4.3 (2.1–8.7); the estimate dropped to 1.2 (0.5–2.6) 4 yr after discontinuation of oral contraceptive use. The relative risk estimate for recent use that lasted ≥ 5 yr was 8.0 (3.1–21). The findings are in accordance with earlier reports of an increased risk of Crohn's disease in oral contraceptive users.
Diagnosis of selected pulpal pathoses using an expert computer system

Abstract The diagnosis of dental pain that results from a pulpal pathosis may prove to be a confusing and complex issue for both dental students and experienced clinicians alike. A computerized diagnostic expert system, COMENDEX, was developed to aid in the clinical diagnosis of pulpal pathosis and to provide a rapid, accurate second opinion when a human consultant is not readily available. The vast majority of diagnostic expert systems use a single reasoning methodology as their inference mechanism. COMENDEX is a prototype hybrid expert system that combines and exploits the best aspects of both rule-based and statistical reasoning methodologies. The COMENDEX endodontic diagnostic system was tested to determine the validity and accuracy of its diagnoses by the use of a variant of Turing's test and weighted κ statistic. The promising result obtained from the initial tests suggests that an expert system using this type of hybrid reasoning methodology is well suited to the area of endodontic diagnosis and may prove highly successful if expanded to include other problem areas in oral diagnosis.
Spatially-coordinated regression for image-wise model fitting to dynamic PET data for generating parametric images

Due to the high noise level of pixel-wise kinetic data in dynamic studies, direct model fitting of the kinetic data on a pixel-by-pixel basis requires many iterations and has high variability, making it unsuitable for generating parametric images of the micro-parameters of tracer kinetic models. In this study, the authors propose and investigate a spatially-coordinated method for image-wise nonlinear regression that allows good quality parametric images to be generated by direct model fitting. Instead of model fitting the kinetics of each pixel independently, the new method performs regression simultaneously in parallel for all pixels in the image with the intermediate results at each iteration step coordinated among neighboring pixels. The Marquardt algorithm is used to minimize the sum of square differences and a simple smoothing is employed for coordination of estimates at each iteration. The method has been implemented using MATLAB and has been applied to both computer simulated data and real FDG dynamic images. Results on simulated data show the estimates converge quickly with the new method. The estimates have a lower variability than the case of not having the coordination. On real FDG data, the new method is successful in generating good quality images of individual FDG rate-constants. Although further work is still needed to characterize the new method in terms of its many properties, the method is promising for generating useful parametric images of individual rate constants of tracer kinetic models.
Acute episodes of predator exposure in conjunction with chronic social instability as an animal model of post-traumatic stress disorder

People who are exposed to horrific, life-threatening experiences are at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some of the symptoms of PTSD include persistent anxiety, exaggerat...
University academic professional staff: augmenting traditional faculty teaching, advising, and research roles

The growth of the research university has had many consequences including an evolving workforce. With growth and evolution has come a need to keep faculty primarily engaged in their teaching and research roles, freeing them from other administrative burdens. To accomplish this task, the university began employing more administrators and professional staff. Over time, however, specialization and differentiation of the academic workforce have resulted in an overlap of some responsibilities between professional staff and faculty. The purposes of this study were to develop a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of professional staff, especially those who have become involved in the academic mission at American research universities, and to reveal the degree to which these roles overlap with the roles and responsibilities of faculty. The importance of this study lies in using this new understanding to most effectively employ academic professional staff for the overall excellence of the university they serve. As part of the study, questions were asked about roles, characteristics, and careers of academic professionals in a research university and where these roles overlapped with faculty. The study used both secondary data analysis and survey methodology; Iowa State University served as the case study. A survey of 2,449 professional staff resulted in a response rate of 62%. Three hundred sixty respondents met the criteria of academic professionals. Analysis of the results show that academic professionals are involved in teaching forcredit courses, formally advising students, and performing sponsored research – criteria established as overlapping traditional faculty responsibilities. Most of the work they perform
Rabbitpox Virus and Vaccinia Virus Infection of Rabbits as a Model for Human Smallpox

The threat of smallpox release and use as a bioweapon has encouraged the search for new vaccines and antiviral drugs, as well as development of new small-animal models in which their efficacy can be determined. Here, we reinvestigate a rabbit model in which the intradermal infection of rabbits with very low doses of either rabbitpox virus (RPV) or vaccinia virus Western Reserve (VV-WR) recapitulates many of the clinical features of human smallpox. Following intradermal inoculation with RPV, rabbits develop systemic disease characterized by extensive viremia, numerous secondary lesions on the skin and mucocutaneous tissues, severe respiratory disease, death by 9 days postinfection, and, importantly, natural aerosol transmission between animals. Contrary to previous reports, intradermal infection with VV-WR also resulted in a very similar lethal systemic disease in rabbits, again with natural aerosol transmission between animals. When sentinel and index animals were cohoused, transmission rates approached 100% with either virus, with sentinel animals exhibiting a similar, severe disease. Lower rates of transmission were observed when index and sentinel animals were housed in separate cages. Sentinel animals infected with RPV with one exception succumbed to the disease. However, the majority of VV-WR-infected sentinel animals, while becoming seriously ill, survived. Finally, we tested the efficacy of the drug 1-O-hexadecyloxypropyl-cidofovir in the RPV/rabbit model and found that an oral dose of 5 mg/kg twice a day for 5 days beginning 1 day before infection was able to completely protect rabbits from lethal disease.
The extended alternating fractal renewal process for modeling traffic in high-speed communication networks

Extensive studies indicate that traffic in high-speed communication networks exhibits long-range dependence (LRD) and impulsiveness, which pose new challenges in network engineering. While many models have appeared for capturing the traffic LRD, fewer models exist that account for impulsiveness as well as LRD. One of the few existing constructive models for network traffic is the celebrated on/off model or the alternating fractal renewal process (AFRP). However, although the AFRP results in aggregated traffic with LRD, it fails to capture impulsiveness, yielding traffic with Gaussian marginal distribution. A new constructive model, namely the extended AFRP (EAFRP), is proposed here, which overcomes the limitations of the AFRP model. We show that for both single-user and aggregated traffic, it results in impulsiveness and long-range dependence, the LRD being defined here in a generalized sense. We provide queueing analysis of the proposed model, which clearly demonstrates the implications of the impulsiveness in traffic engineering, and validate all theoretical findings based on real traffic data.
Point fingerprint: a new 3-D object representation scheme

This paper proposes a new, efficient surface representation method for surface matching. A feature carrier for a surface point, which is a set of two-dimensional (2-D) contours that are the projections of geodesic circles on the tangent plane, is generated. The carrier is named point fingerprint because its pattern is similar to human fingerprints and plays a role in discriminating surface points. Corresponding points on surfaces from different views are found by comparing their fingerprints. The point fingerprint is able to carry curvature, color, and other information which can improve matching accuracy, and the matching process is faster than 2-D image comparison. A novel candidate point selection method based on the fingerprint irregularity is introduced. Point fingerprint is successfully applied to pose estimation of real range data.
THE INDUCTION OF α-LACTALBUMIN IN RAT MAMMARY EXPLANTS IN THE ABSENCE OF EXOGENOUS PROLACTIN: EFFECTS OF PROGESTERONE AND ESTROGEN

Mammary explants from both pregnant and virgin rats cultured in medium containing insulin, hydrocortisone and prolactin show a progressive increase in α-lactalbumin activity. However, when cultured with insulin and hydrocortisone only, explants from pregnant, but not those from virgin rats show an induction of α-lactalbumin-like activity similar to that seen when prolactin is present. The activity induced in the absence of exogenous prolactin corresponds to newly synthesized α-lactalbumin molecules, since 1) the activity is suppressed completely by rabbit anti-rat α-lactalbumin serum and 2) culture in the presence of [3H]-amino acids generates [3 H] - α-lactalbumin, identified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Mammary tissue from virgin rats can be rendered responsive to insulin and hydrocortisone in this regard by administration in vivo of either progesterone or estrogen, but not by desoxycorticosterone acetate. This ability to convert virgin rat mammary cells to a state in which they are indepe...
Interviewer Decisions as a Function of Applicant Race, Applicant Quality and Interviewer Prejudice.

This study investigated the impact of the racial attitudes of interviewers, applicant race, and applicant quality on the ratings given applicants. This study used a posttest-only control group approach which was analyzed by a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial ANOVA design. Subjects were 176 white business administration students from a large urban university. Videotapes of simulated job interviews were produced to control applicant quality and applicant race. A black male and a white male each role-played both a high and a low quality applicant. The main effect for applicant quality was significant, accounting for 50% of the variance in applicant ratings. The main effect for race was significant but not in the predicted direction. Black applicants were rated higher than white applicants. While high quality applicants were rated highly regardless of race, the low quality black applicant was rated higher than the comparably performing white applicant. The interaction of race and interviewers' level of prejudice was significant but not in the predicted direction. Highly prejudiced subjects rated black applicants higher than white applicants. The implications of these results for further research were discussed.
Provider-to-provider communication in dermatology and implications of missing clinical information in skin biopsy requisition forms: a systematic review.

Background Various components of the skin biopsy requisition form (SBRF) may contribute to accurate dermatopathologic interpretation. Methods A search of electronic databases, including those of Ovid MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus, was conducted from inception to October 2011. Two authors independently screened all articles for eligibility. Inclusion criteria required material to represent original studies on skin biopsy and pathology requisition forms. Data abstracted from each article that met the inclusion criteria included details of the study characteristics, including the study location, type of pathology practice, specimen type, type of dermatoses, medical specialty of the requesting provider, suggested clinical components, and format of the SBRF. Results Of 32 titles and abstracts reviewed, seven articles were included. From these, we determined that dermatologists, general practitioners and surgeons completed SBRFs. Commonly included components were patient demographics and requesting clinician characteristics. Clinical information and differential diagnosis were provided in 4% (two of 48 surgeons) to 36% (18 of 50 dermatologists) of requisitions. Most SBRFs did not include information on specimen type, clinical morphology, photographs or clinical history. Conclusions The limited medical literature demonstrates variation in the content of SBRFs across clinicians and practices, and suggests an important target for improvement in the quality of communication and dermatologic care by requesting clinicians and pathologists.
Optimal output gain algorithm for feed-forward network training

A batch training algorithm for feed-forward networks is proposed which uses Newton's method to estimate a vector of optimal scaling factors for output errors in the network. Using this vector, backpropagation is used to modify weights feeding into the hidden units. Linear equations are then solved for the network's output weights. Elements of the new method's Gauss-Newton Hessian matrix are shown to be weighted sums of elements from the total network's Hessian. The effect of output transformation on training a feed-forward network is reviewed and explained, using the concept of equivalent networks. In several examples, the new method performs better than backpropagation and conjugate gradient, with similar numbers of required multiplies. The method performs almost as well as Levenberg-Marquardt, with several orders of magnitude fewer multiplies due to the small size of the new method's Hessian.
Prostate cancer on computed tomography: A direct comparison with multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging and tissue pathology

Abstract Objectives Multi-parametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the current imaging standard for detection and staging of prostate cancer. The combination of anatomical and functional imaging provided in this exam significantly increases the accuracy of prostate cancer detection. Computed tomography (CT) imaging has so far been found to be lacking in this regard, however observations at our academic institution as well as evidence present in the literature support the proposition that CT could indeed be helpful in detecting prostate abnormalities that correspond to neoplasm. The purpose of this study was to prove that areas of focal mass-like enhancement on CT imaging directly correlate with prostate neoplasms as revealed on multi-parametric MRI and follow-up targeted biopsy. Materials and methods This was a single institution retrospective study with 27 male subjects. Inclusion criteria required subjects to have a multi-parametric MRI of the prostate between January 1, 2014 and June 1, 2015 and a pelvic venous phase contrast-enhanced CT study between January 1, 2000 and June 1, 2015. Two blinded Radiologists read subjects' CT scans for any abnormalities of the prostate. CT and multi-parametric MRI results were compared and were considered concordant if focal or mass like enhancement to a greater degree than the background parenchyma was detected in the same areas of the prostate on CT scan as areas of decreased T2 signal, perfusion abnormalities, and restricted diffusion on multi-parametric MRI. Results CT results were directly compared to multi-parametric MRI findings and biopsy results. The overall agreement of MRI and CT is 85.19% (95% CI: 67.52–94.08%). The positive percent agreement is 78.95% (95% CI: 54.43–93.95%) and the negative percent agreement is 100.0% (95% CL: 63.06–100.0%). When CT results are directly compared to biopsy results, sensitivity and specificity of CT are 63.64% (95% CI: 30.79–89.07%) and 100.0% (95% CI: 47.82–100.0%). The positive predictive value (PPV) is 100.0% (95% CI: 59.04–100.0%) and the negative predictive value (NPV) is 55.56% (95% CI: 21.2–86.3%). When compared to MRI, CT has a lower sensitivity and a higher specificity, as well as a higher PPV and NPV. Logistic regression analysis did not show a significant relationship between concordance of MRI and CT and Gleason score, time between studies, age, and Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Conclusion Incidental focal areas of mass-like enhancement in the peripheral prostate detected on venous phase contrast-enhanced CT imaging may indeed correlate with prostate neoplasm and it would be prudent to suggest further work-up with PSA and perhaps multi-parametric MRI, especially in high-risk patients.
Investor Confidence in Earnings: The Interactive Effects of Internal Control Audits and Manager Legal Liability

An underlying objective of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is to provide investors with reliable information, which presumably should increases investor confidence in financial disclosures. In part to achieve this goal, managers now have personal legal liability for internal control over financial reporting as well as undergo mandated internal control audits (IC Audits). The fundamental assumption is that these two mechanisms produce either additive or synergistic effects on investor behavior. However, this assumption contradicts agency theory, which suggests a pattern of interaction in which each mechanism alone is sufficient. The current study informs this debate by investigating the possible interactive effects of manager liability and IC Audits on investor confidence and its antecedents including managers’ ICFR disclosures. Results of a laboratory experiment suggest that only the IC Audit improves the accuracy of managers’ ICFR disclosures while investor behavior tracks agency theory predictions rather than the assumptions underlying the current regulatory environment.
Lateral hypothalamic NMDA receptors and glutamate as physiological mediators of eating and weight control

To determine whether endogenous lateral hypothalamic (LH) glutamate and its N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors might participate in the stimulation of natural eating, LH injection of the NMDA antagonist D-(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5) was tested in adult male rats for suppressive actions on feeding elicited by 1) NMDA, kainic acid or D, L-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole (AMPA) injected into the LH; 2) food deprivation; and 3) the onset of the nocturnal period. D-AP5 (10-100 nmol) reduced by 72-90% the approximately 10-g eating response elicited by NMDA (10 nmol) without affecting the quantitatively similar eating responses elicited by kainic acid (1.0 nmol) or AMPA (1.0 nmol). This treatment also suppressed deprivation-induced eating by as much as 61% and nocturnal eating by as much as 40%. To determine its long-term effects, D-AP5 (50 nmol) was injected bilaterally into the LH twice a day for 8 consecutive days. This treatment caused up to 65% reductions in daily food intake and body weight loss of up to 13 g/day. These findings, showing behaviorally selective suppressions of eating and body weight by D-AP5, argue that endogenous LH glutamate acts to regulate natural eating and body weight and that NMDA receptors participate in these functions.
A Case Study in Evaluating Statistical Computer Programs: Comparison of Three Programs for Specifying and Testing Structural Equation Models:

Subjects in a course in structural equation modeling analyzed problems using three different computer programs. Measures of time and perceived ease of program use were recorded and compared in a repeated measures Latin square design. Within the instructional context, differences were found in how easy the programs were to use. The methodology can be useful in evaluations of other computer programs; and results can be useful in guiding design of instructional strategies and computer programs.
Antimicrobial Synergy Testing Based on Antibiotic Levels, Minimal Bactericidal Concentration, and Serum Bactericidal Activity

The ratio between the concentrations of different antimicrobial agents varies widely during therapy and often bears no resemblance to the ratios assessed by in vitro methods to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple antimicrobial therapy. The authors examined an alternative method using patient serum that reflects the actual antibiotic levels achieved in the patient. Previous investigators have shown that the ratio of the concentration of free drug (drug-f) to the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) in broth approximates the serum bactericidal titer (SBT) when pooled normal human serum is used as the diluent. Theoretically, when two antimicrobial agents are administered, the SBT should be equivalent to (drug-f A/MBC drug A) + (drug-f B/MBC drug B). SBT and drug level determinations were performed on peak and trough serum specimens from ten patients with endocarditis or osteomyelitis who were receiving multiple antimicrobial therapy. The serum dilution synergy method predicted additive interactions twice as often as the checkerboard and kill curve, and predicted synergy less frequently than the kill curve. The checkerboard predicted antagonism four times more often than the other methods and provided equivocal results in four of ten cases. The suggested method may offer an alternative procedure to assess antimicrobial interactions, which is based on antibiotic levels actually achieved in vivo instead of the arbitrary concentrations often used in in vitro tests.
Preparation of Montmorillonite Modified Insulation Paper and Study on Its Electrical Characteristics

In order to study the influence of montmorillonite(MMT) doping agent on the electrical characteristics of insulation paper, kraft/montmorillonite(K-MMT) composites were first prepared from insulating paper handsheets made in the laboratory, and the 9% optimal doping amount of MMT was determined according to the variation of breakdown field strength and tensile strength of modified insulation paper with MMT content. Then, the electrical characteristics of modified insulation paper with 9% MMT doping amount were studied from three aspects, namely the breakdown field strength at power frequency, the relative dielectric constant, and the property of partial discharge. Finally, the mechanism of electrical performance enhancement of K-MMT composites was analyzed on the basis of scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction spectra. Experimental results show that, MMT can physically disperse in the insulation paper evenly, and there is no intercalation or delamination between the layers. The addition of MMT can observably improve the breakdown strength of insulation paper, reduce its relative dielectric constant, and effectively weaken the occurrence and development of partial discharge in oil-paper insulation system.
The Estimation of Economic Benefit on EPI Target 4 Disease Control in China(1950～1998)

Objective] To estimate the economic benefit of EPI target 4 disease control (polio, measles, diphtheria and pertussis, 1950～1998) and analyze the incidence curve.[Method] Collecting the disease data every year nationally, using SPSS 9.0 for Windows to calculate the median number of cases before EPI (1950～1981). The economic loss of each case is estimated by 1 000, 400, 600 and 200 Yuan RMB respectively. [Results] The median of 4 diseases before EPI is 4.36 million; For recent 17 years of running EPI (1982～1998), the cumulative reduced cases of the diseases are about 68.54 million. The reduced economic loss reaches to 24 000 million Yuan. When using EXSMOOTH method in SPSS, it reaches to 17310 million Yuan. [Conclusion] EPI is a high benefit health investment for public health and the ratio of cost benefit (CBA) is about 1∶14 or higher. If using the method of EXSMOOTH, the CBA is about 1∶10.
Harmonic phase versus sine-wave modulation for measuring regional heart function from tagged MRI images

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tagging is a valuable technique for evaluating regional heart function. Currently, there are a number of different techniques for analyzing the tagged images. The purpose of this study is to compare the harmonic-phase (HARP) and sine-wave modeling (SinMod) tagging analysis techniques for evaluating myocardial strain and torsion in healthy controls and type-1 diabetes patients. All SinMod measurements were significantly larger than those by HARP (P<0.001). Nevertheless, there existed consistency in the measurements by each technique, as seen by the good correlation between the HARP and SinMod measurements in both normals (R≥0.52) and patients (R≥0.48), except for apical strain (patients and controls) and mid-ventricular strain in patients. The inter-observer agreement was better in SinMod than in HARP for both torsion and strain (except at apex). In conclusion, under current operating conditions, the results from the two techniques cannot be used interchangeably.
‘No one ever asked before’: Expanding the notion of long-term support resources for supported employment

Identifying sufficient resources for providing long-term support for every individual who needs and chooses to have supported employment jobs has been problematic since the inception of supported employment. This paper reviews the original development of a funding model for supported employment, and why that model does not meet current needs. A list of creative alternative strategies is presented to encourage individuals with disabilities, advocates, funders, service providers and others to seek out new possibilities for support. For some individuals, the answer to long-term support may be assembling and maintaining a patchwork of support resources that changes over time and as support needs change. Despite, or perhaps because of, the dramatic changes that have occurred in the vision of supported employment, new coalitions are needed that can lead to redefinition of roles, new partnerships, shared resources, reduction in duplication of services, and increased incentives for using existing resources differently.
Development of a Strategy of Import Substitution

Abstract The paper studies the problem of developing a strategy of import substitution. The dynamics of the gross domestic product and export-import operations has been investigated. From our data we have concluded that it is necessary to use advanced production technologies in the industry of Russia. A general conclusion has been made concerning the system classifying alternative strategies of import substitution. This paper was carried out within the state scientific task No 26.2671.2014/K “Theoretical and methodological basis for the development and implementation of a cluster-based policy at the regional level and scientific and methodological foundations of the tools of the structural benchmarks of the regional social and economic system”.
Supply chain strategies and international tax arbitrage

What motivates the geographic footprint of the supply chains that multinational firms (MNFs) deploy? Traditional research in the operations and supply chain management literature tends to recommend locations primarily based on differentials in production costs and the ramifications of physical distance ignoring the role of taxation. MNFs that strategically position parts of their supply chains in low-tax locations can allocate the profits across the divisions to improve post-tax profits. For the profit allocation to be defensible to tax authorities, the divisional operations must possess real decision authority and bear meaningful risks. Generally speaking, the greater the transfer of risk and control, the larger the allowable allocation of profit. These transfers may also create inefficiencies due to misalignment of business goals and attitudes towards risk. We model these tradeoffs in the context of placing in a low-tax region a subsidiary that oversees product distribution (as a Commissionnaire, Limited-Risk Distributor, or Fully-Fledged Distributor). Our analysis demonstrates that the MNF's preferences regarding the operating structures are not necessarily an obvious ordering based on the amount of risk and decision authority transferred to the division in the low-tax jurisdiction. We derive and analyze threshold values of the performance parameters that describe the main tradeoffs involved in selecting an operating structure. We find some of the optimal decisions to exhibit interesting non-monotone behavior. For instance, profits can increase when the tax rate in the low-tax jurisdiction increases. Numerical analysis shows that the Limited-Risk Distributor structure is rarely optimal and quantifies when each alternative dominates it. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Chapter 3: Domesticated Strangers: Fissures Within the Nuclear Family

“Domestic Strangers” examines three portrayals of family: a revolt against traditional contracts in Tom Perrotta’s Little Children, a family of fear in John Irving’s The World According to Garp, and a relationship based on impossible promises in Don DeLillo’s White Noise. These novels struggle to illustrate a type of responsible freedom, a union that differs from both the fear-motivated Eisenhower-era “traditional” family and the egoism inherent to the free love advocated by thinkers like Deleuze and Guattari. These novels demonstrate what Jean-Luc Nancy called “shattered love,” a relationship based on obligation to an unknowable other to whom one is joined in familial ties.
Utilizing high-dimensional features for real-time robotic applications: Reducing the curse of dimensionality for recursive Bayesian estimation

Feature learning has become popular in robotics due to recent advances in machine learning. In this paper, we propose a novel method to utilize the high-dimensional features from these techniques as observations in Bayesian estimation problems in a real-time manner. We develop an approach that: 1) pre-processes the observations and maps them into a new space with both reduced dimensions and a linear relationship to the estimation states; and 2) estimates the uncertainty of resulting outputs using data perturbation. The result is that deep learning approaches can be combined with more traditional filtering approaches like the Kalman filter (KF) to achieve state-of-the-art real-time performance. We validate the method by presenting the first real-time application of underwater robot localization using an imaging sonar. The proposed technique shows similar localization accuracy to benchmark approaches while simultaneously achieving real-time performance.
The role of the p35/cdk5 kinase in cortical development.

Extensive studies on the mouse mutant reeler have revealed many of the fundamental characteristics of neocortical development (Caviness and Rakic 1978; Caviness 1982; Caviness et al. 1988). The finding of another spontaneously occurring mouse mutant, scrambler which exhibits nearly identical phenotypes with reeler suggests that the gene products mutated in the strains, mdab-1 and reelin, respectively, act in a common signaling pathway during cortical development (Sweet et al. 1996; Gonzalez et al. 1997; Howell et al. 1997; Sheldon et al. 1997; Ware et al. 1997; Rice et al. 1998). However, the vast complexity of events that must occur to set up the architecture of the cerebral cortex leads to the idea that multiple proteins are essential during cortical development. The p35/cdk5 kinase complex is one such molecular entity. Mouse knockouts of both p35 and cdk5 lead to disruptions of cortical lamination (Ohshima et al. 1996; Chae et al. 1997). Interestingly, the phenotype of the embryonic cerebral wall and adult neocortex in these mice is suggestive of but distinct from that of reeler or scrambler implying that a different essential function during cortical development may be disrupted in mice lacking p35 or cdk5 (Gilmore et al. 1998; Kwon and Tsai 1998).
Workplace courage: Review, synthesis, and future agenda for a complex construct

The goal of this review is to organize, synthesize, and critically appraise the literature on courage—a concept as old as the written word—to create a common base for the study of “workplace courag...