cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Binder Jetting Using Taguchi Method

Among several additive manufacturing (AM) methods, binder-jetting has undergone a recent advancement in its ability to process metal powders through selective deposition of binders on a powder bed followed by curing, sintering, and infiltration. This study analyzes the impact of various process parameters in binder jetting on mechanical properties of sintered AM metal parts. The Taguchi optimization method has been employed to determine the optimum AM parameters to improve transverse rupture strength (TRS), specifically: binder saturation, layer thickness, roll speed, and feed-to-powder ratio. The effects of the selected process parameters on the TRS performance of sintered SS 316L samples are studied with the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standard test method. It was found that binder saturation and feed-to-powder ratio were the most critical parameters, which reflects the strong influence of binder powder interaction and density of powder bed on resulting mechanical properties. This article serves as an aid in understanding the optimum process parameters for binder jetting of SS 316L.
On the predictability of high water level along the US East Coast: can the Florida Current measurement be an indicator for flooding caused by remote forcing?

Recent studies show that in addition to wind and air pressure effects, a significant portion of the variability of coastal sea level (CSL) along the US East Coast can be attributed to non-local factors such as variations in the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic circulation; these variations can cause unpredictable coastal flooding. The Florida Current transport (FCT) measurement across the Florida Straits monitors those variations, and thus, the study evaluated the potential of using the FCT as an indicator for anomalously high water level along the coast. Hourly water level data from 12 tide gauge stations over 12 years are used to construct records of maximum daily water levels (MDWL) that are compared with the daily FCT data. An empirical mode decomposition (EMD) approach is used to divide the data into high-frequency modes (periods T < ∼30 days), middle-frequency modes (∼30 days < T < ∼90 days), and low-frequency modes (∼90 days < T < ∼1 year). Two predictive measures are tested: FCT and FCT change (FCC). FCT is anti-correlated with MDWL in high-frequency modes but positively correlated with MDWL in low-frequency modes. FCC on the other hand is always anti-correlated with MDWL for all frequency bands, and the high water signal lags behind FCC for almost all stations, thus providing a potential predictive skill (i.e., whenever a weakening trend is detected in the FCT, anomalously high water is expected along the coast over the next few days). The MDWL-FCT correlation in the high-frequency modes is maximum in the lower Mid-Atlantic Bight, suggesting influence from the meandering Gulf Stream after it separates from the coast. However, the correlation in low-frequency modes is maximum in the South Atlantic Bight, suggesting impact from variations in the wind pattern over subtropical regions. The middle-frequency and low-frequency modes of the FCT seem to provide the best predictor for medium to large flooding events; it is estimated that ∼10–25% of the sea level variability in those modes can be attributed to variations in the FCT. An example from Hurricane Joaquin (September–October, 2015) demonstrates how an offshore storm that never made landfall can cause a weakening of the FCT and unexpected high water level and flooding along the US East Coast. A regression-prediction model based on the MDWL-FCT correlation shows some skill in estimating high water levels during past storms; the water level prediction is more accurate for slow-moving and offshore storms than it is for fast-moving storms. The study can help to improve water level prediction since current storm surge models rely on local wind but may ignore remote forcing.
Monitoring the Welfare of Polar Bear Populations in a Rapidly Changing Arctic

Most programs for monitoring the welfare of wildlife populations support efforts aimed at reaching discrete management objectives, like mitigating conflict with humans. While such programs can be effective, their limited scope may preclude systemic evaluations needed for large-scale conservation initiatives, like the recovery of at-risk species. We discuss select categories of metrics that can be used to monitor how polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are responding to the primary threat to their long-term persistence—loss of sea ice habitat due to the unabated rise in atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG; e.g., CO2) concentrations—that can also provide information on ecosystem function and health. Monitoring key aspects of polar bear population dynamics, spatial behavior, health and resiliency can provide valuable insight into ecosystem state and function, and could be a powerful tool for achieving Arctic conservation objectives, particularly those that have transnational policy implications.
A discontinuous Galerkin method with Lagrange multipliers for spatially-dependent advection-diffusion problems

Abstract A higher-accuracy discontinuous Galerkin method with Lagrange multipliers (DGLM) is presented for the solution of the advection–diffusion equation with a spatially varying advection field in the high Peclet number regime, where the classical polynomial finite element method (FEM) produces spurious oscillations in the solution at practical mesh resolutions. The proposed DGLM method is based on discontinuous polynomial shape functions that are attached to an element rather than its nodes. It overcomes the aforementioned spurious oscillation issue by enriching these functions with approximate free-space solutions of homogeneous equations derived from an asymptotic analysis of the governing partial differential equation inspired by Prandtl’s boundary layer theory. These enrichment functions are capable of resolving exponential, parabolic, and corner boundary layers at relatively coarse mesh resolutions. The proposed method enforces a weak continuity of the solution approximation across inter-element boundaries using polynomial Lagrange multipliers, which makes it a hybrid method. However, unlike other hybrid methods, it operates directly on the second-order form of the advection–diffusion equation and does not require any stabilization. Its intrinsic performance and its superiority over the higher-order polynomial FEM are demonstrated for several test problems at Peclet numbers ranging from one thousand to one billion.
Imaging Depression: New Biological Markers May Mean More Targeted Treatments are Just over the Horizon

On a balmy evening in mid-May 2017, Chris Cornell, the legendary head of the internationally renowned rock band Soundgarden, strummed his last chord at the Fox Theater in Detroit and headed to the MGM Grand Hotel. According to the police report, he swallowed a few tablets of the antidepression drug Ativan in his room and called his wife. "I'm just tired," he said and hung up the phone. Later that night, at the request of his concerned wife, his bodyguard forced open Cornell's door to discover him on the bathroom floor, an exercise band tied around his neck. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging, the conclusion of a life riddled with drug abuse and a depression he'd never managed to shake.
Openness to Experience

Openness to experience is best understood as a multifaceted personality trait that covers a wide range of behavioral inclinations, attitudes, and interests associated with seeking for novelty and variety. Openness and its narrow traits (e.g., intellect, culture) are meaningfully linked to intelligence, academic achievement, creativity, social/political attitudes, religiosity/spirituality, subjective and psychological well-being, and work outcomes, which are discussed in detail.
The Unstable Alliance of Law and Morality

This essay considers the relationship between legal systems and moral codes by examining the competition and cooperation between law and other normative systems (morality and law), moral evaluations of legal systems (the morality of law), and the displacement of moral codes by legal ones (morality or law).
Emergency Department and Primary Care Use by Refugees Compared to Non-refugee Controls.

The U.S. grants asylum to 60,000–70,000 refugees yearly. However, little is known about their healthcare utilization practices. We examined data from emergency department (ED) and primary care (PC) visits of 694 refugees and 738 non-refugee controls over a 3 years period at a large academic medical center, comparing visit frequencies, Emergency Severity Index (ESI) scores, diagnoses, and dispositions. Refugees used emergency care services less frequently than the non-refugee controls (1.19 vs. 2.31, p < 0.0001) while there was no difference in their use of primary care services (8.45 vs. 9.07, p = 0.18). Non-English-speaking refugees were more likely to use the ED than English-speaking refugees (mean ED use in study period 1.50 visits vs. 0.73, p < 0.0001). Refugee patients utilized emergency services less often compared to controls. These results differ from previously studied refugee populations. Refugee-specific primary care services in this study population may reduce unnecessary ED use.
How does forest recovery following moderate-severity fire influence effects of subsequent wildfire in mixed-conifer forests?

Given regional increases in fire activity in western North American forests, understanding how fire influences the extent and effects of subsequent fires is particularly relevant. Remotely sensed estimates of fire effects have allowed for spatial portioning into different severity categories based on the degree of fire-caused vegetation change. Fire effects between minimal overstory tree mortality ( 95%) are often lumped into a single category referred to as moderate severity. In this paper, we investigated how burned areas in this broad category of moderate-severity fire fared when reburned by a subsequent fire. Specifically, we examined the influence of forest structure, tree species composition, and shrub cover 9–17 yr following moderate-severity fire on the severity of a subsequent large wildfire event. We used plot-based measurements of trees and shrub cover to develop 15 forest structure and composition variables to attempt to explain observed reburn severity. Only live Abies Mill. species basal area and dead standing biomass were identified as significant predictors of reburn severity using conditional inference tree analysis, both of which were positively related to reburn severity. Our findings emphasize that the wide range of fire effects in the moderate-severity category can contribute to highly variable responses to subsequent wildfire.
Geostatistical Modeling of Species Distributions

The geographic distribution of an organism forms a nested hierarchy of patterns across a range of spatial and temporal scales. Generalizing distribution patterns from locality data is difficult because of the inability to maintain a given level of sampling intensity with increasing spatial scale. Geostatistics, by capitalizing on the autocorrelative character of natural systems, can be an effective tool in dealing with the logistical difficulties of multi-scale geographic pattern analysis. Geostatistical models of three soil properties were successfully used to predict the distribution of a fossorial lizard, Anniella pulchra Gray (Sauria:Anguidae), over an 11-hectare area based on point data collected in the field. A nested soil sampling strategy was used to identify the scale of spatial variation of these soil properties. These analyses determined that a large proportion of the spatial variation inherent in soil texture, penetrability, and bulk density occurs at distances less than 2 meters, i.e., at scales within the home range of individual lizards. The magnitude of this edaphic variation may strongly influence microhabitat selection and consequently, the local and meso-scale distribution of this species. The “bottom-up” approach used here couples detailed microhabitat data with a geostatistical analysis of soil properties to interpolate edaphic variation and generate representations of lizard distribution at larger spatial scales. These models are amenable to field-testing and refinement.
Impact of Non-oral Feeding Methods on Feeding Development

Non-oral tube feeding (NOTF) is useful for providing digestible nutrients in children suffering from short-term or long-term dysphagia who are unable to meet their nutritional requirements by mouth but continue to have a functional gastrointestinal tract. The decision to employ non-oral feeding methods can be complex, dependent not only on the patient’s underlying medical condition but also on the prognosis and estimated duration of dysphagia, as well as parental/caregiver factors. There are various options for NOTF, and each carries unique advantages and disadvantages, including potential impact on the development or restoration of oral feeding skills. The presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can have significant implications on feeding, and the management of GERD, including medical versus surgical treatment (e.g., fundoplication), is yet another factor to take into consideration when determining the best option for oral versus non-oral feeding. Overall, a multidisciplinary collaborative approach should be taken to help achieve the primary goal in children with dysphagia which is to provide optimal nutrition, hydration, and airway protection while working toward alleviating their underlying acute or chronic medical condition, attempting to restore normal swallowing function, and improving or maintaining the quality of life of patients and their caregivers.
An automated airway segmentation algorithm for CT images using topological leakage detection and volume freezing

Numerous multi-center studies related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease use computed tomography (CT) based characterization of the lung parenchyma and bronchial tree to understand the disease's status and progression. To our knowledge, there are no fully automated methods for airway tree segmentation that don't require post-segmentation manual revision and intervention. In this paper, we present a novel CT-based airway tree segmentation algorithm using topological leakage detection and volume freezing. The method is fully automated requiring no manual inputs or post-segmentation editing. It uses intensity-based connectivity and novel approaches of leakage detection and volume freezing to iteratively grow an airway tree starting from an initial seed inside the trachea. It begins with a conservative threshold and then, iteratively shifts toward generous threshold values. The method was applied on chest CT scans of ten non-smoking healthy subjects at total lung capacity, and the results were highly promising with no visual segmentation leakages.
Photocatalysis in Membrane Bioreactor Effluent: Assessment of Inhibition by Dissolved Organics

AbstractPhotocatalysis has been proposed as a synergistic addition to ultraviolet (UV) dosing systems to provide a form of advanced oxidation. The photocatalytic process, however, is significantly ...
Radical Approach to Thioester-Containing Polymers.

A new approach to radical ring-opening polymerization is presented that employs a new thionolactone monomer to generate polymers with thioester-containing backbones. The use of a thiocarbonyl acceptor overcomes longstanding reactivity problems in the field to give complete ring-opening and quantitative incorporation into a variety of acrylate polymers. The resulting copolymers readily degrade under hydrolytic conditions, in addition to cysteine-mediated degradation through transthioesterification. The strategy is compatible with reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and permits the synthesis of block polymers for the preparation of well-defined macromolecular structures.
RECURRENT CARDIOINHIBITORY SYNCOPE SECONDARY TO SINUS ARREST

Syncope is characterized by transient loss of consciousness caused by a loss of cerebral blood flow. Cardioinhibitory syncope is manifested by sinus bradycardia, PR interval prolongation, advanced atrioventricular block, or asystole. Routinely, long-term monitors or tilt table testing must be
Result-Based Detection of Insider Threats to Relational Databases

Insiders misuse of resources is a real threat to organizations. According to recent security reports, data has been the most vulnerable to attacks by insiders, especially data located in databases and corporate file servers. Although anomaly detection is an effective technique for flagging early signs of insider attacks, modern techniques for the detection of anomalies in database access are not able to detect several sophisticated data misuse scenarios such as attempts to track data updates and the aggregation of data by an insider that exceeds his/her need to perform job functions. In such scenarios, if the insider does not have prior knowledge of the distribution of the target data, many of his/her queries may extract no data or small amounts of data. Therefore, monitoring the total size of data retrieved by each user and comparing it to normal levels will either result in low anomaly detection accuracy or long time to anomaly detection. In this paper, we propose anomaly detection techniques designed to detect data aggregation and attempts to track data updates. Our techniques infer the normal rates of tables references and tuples retrievals from past database access logs. User queries are then analyzed to detect queries that lead to exceeding the normal data access rates. We evaluated the proposed techniques on the query logs of a real database. The results of the evaluation indicate that when the system configuration parameters are adequately selected and sufficient data is available for training, our techniques have low false alarm generation rate and high anomaly detection accuracy.
TRANSCRIPTION OF THE AVIAN RNA TUMOR VIRUS GLYCOPROTEIN GENE IN UNINFECTED AND INFECTED CELLS

ABSTRACT. Bryan Rous sarcoma virus (BH-RSV) is a defective virus which appears to contain a deletion of at least part of the gene which codes for the envelope glycoprotein. A second virus, Schmidt-Ruppin RSV-N8 (SR-RSV-N8), also deleted in the glycoprotein gene, has been isolated from wild type SR-RSV and has properties similar to those of BH-RSV. It has long been known that certain types of cells, termed chicken helper factor postive ( Chf + ), can complement the defective virus, supplying an envelope glycoprotein which confers subgroup E specificity. Virus-specific RNA is present in uninfected Chy + cells, but barely detectable in Chf − cells.
Skeletal Muscle mRNA Response to Hypobaric and Normobaric Hypoxia after Normoxic Endurance Exercise

Abstract Background: The physiological effects of hypoxia may be influenced by how hypoxia is achieved. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of recovery in hypobaric hypoxia (HH),...
Bioactivity of Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors Against Entamoeba histolytica and Schistosoma mansoni

The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica can induce amebic colitis and amebic liver abscess. First-line drugs for the treatment of amebiasis are nitroimidazoles, particularly metronidazole. Metronidazole has side effects and potential drug resistance is a concern. Schistosomiasis, a chronic and painful infection, is caused by various species of the Schistosoma flatworm. There is only one partially effective drug, praziquantel, a worrisome situation should drug resistance emerge. As many essential metabolic pathways and enzymes are shared between eukaryotic organisms, it is possible to conceive of small molecule interventions that target more than one organism or target, particularly when chemical matter is already available. Farnesyltransferase (FT), the last common enzyme for products derived from the mevalonate pathway, is vital for diverse functions, including cell differentiation and growth. Both E. histolytica and Schistosoma mansoni genomes encode FT genes. In this study, we phenotypically screened E. histolytica and S. mansoni in vitro with the established FT inhibitors, lonafarnib and tipifarnib, and with 125 tipifarnib analogs previously screened against both the whole organism and/or the FT of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi. For E. histolytica, we also explored whether synergy arises by combining lonafarnib and metronidazole or lonafarnib with statins that modulate protein prenylation. We demonstrate the anti-amebic and anti-schistosomal activities of lonafarnib and tipifarnib, and identify 17 tipifarnib analogs with more than 75% growth inhibition at 50 μM against E. histolytica. Apart from five analogs of tipifarnib exhibiting activity against both E. histolytica and S. mansoni, 10 additional analogs demonstrated anti-schistosomal activity (severe degenerative changes at 10 μM after 24 h). Analysis of the structure-activity relationship available for the T. brucei FT suggests that FT may not be the relevant target in E. histolytica and S. mansoni. For E. histolytica, combination of metronidazole and lonafarnib resulted in synergism for growth inhibition. Also, of a number of statins tested, simvastatin exhibited moderate anti-amebic activity which, when combined with lonafarnib, resulted in slight synergism. Even in the absence of a definitive molecular target, identification of potent anti-parasitic tipifarnib analogs encourages further exploration while the synergistic combination of metronidazole and lonafarnib offers a promising treatment strategy for amebiasis.
Drugs Used to Treat Allergic and Neuromuscular Disorders

Abstract This book is intended as a guide to help the clinician determine where a visual problem is a drug-induced ocular side effect. We continually review spontaneous case reports from the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World Health Organization, the US Food and Drug Administration, and the world literature. We have attempted to classify a suspected adverse event with our impression to causality (i.e. certain, probable, unlikely, conditional/unclassified). This chapter discusses drugs used to treat allergic and neuromuscular disorders including drugs used to treat myasthenia gravis, antihistamines, anti-Parkinsonism drugs, cholinesterase reactivators, and muscle relaxants.
Expression of smooth muscle-like effectors and core cardiomyocyte regulators in the contractile papillae of Ciona.

The evolution of vertebrate smooth muscles is obscured by lack of identifiable smooth muscle-like cells in tunicates, the invertebrates most closely related to vertebrates. A recent evolutionary model was proposed in which smooth muscles arose before the last bilaterian common ancestor, and were later diversified, secondarily lost or modified in the branches leading to extant animal taxa. However, there is currently no data from tunicates to support this scenario. Here, we show that the axial columnar cells, a unique cell type in the adhesive larval papillae of the tunicate Ciona, are enriched for orthologs of vertebrate smooth/non-muscle-specific effectors of contractility, in addition to developing from progenitors that express conserved cardiomyocyte regulatory factors. We show that these cells contract during the retraction of the Ciona papillae during larval settlement and metamorphosis. We propose that the axial columnar cells of Ciona are a myoepithelial cell type required for transducing external stimuli into mechanical forces that aid in the attachment of the motile larva to its final substrate. Furthermore, they share developmental and functional features with vertebrate myoepithelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and cardiomyocytes. We discuss these findings in the context of the proposed models of vertebrate smooth muscle and cardiomyocyte evolution.
Neoliberal rationality and the age friendly cities and communities program: Reflections on the Toronto case.

Abstract This article examines how neoliberalism works through the Age Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCCs) program through reflections on the Toronto case. While AFCCs appear to expand the social contract between senior citizens and the state, research illustrates discrepancies between program aims and implementation, relating gaps to cost cutting associated with neoliberal austerity. Drawing on Brown's (2015) work, I posit instead that neoliberalism does not just affect the implementation of AFCCs through economic policies of austerity but operates as a governing rationality that can economize the very design of the program. Specifically, I examine how the neoliberal techniques of benchmarking, governance, devolution and responsibilization operate through the AFCC program in Toronto. This analysis offers insight into the problems that plague AFCCs in Toronto and more broadly, including how neoliberalism works to more fundamentally change the social contract. At the same time, this analysis highlights tensions, forms of discontent and even dissent with neoliberalism that can create openings for alternative governing rationalities that expand the social contract to take root.
PHEW: Paths with Higher Edge-Weights give ''winning tickets'' without training data

Sparse neural networks have generated substantial interest recently because they can be more efficient in learning and inference, without any significant drop in performance. The "lottery ticket hypothesis" has showed the existence of such sparse subnetworks at initialization. Given a fully-connected initialized architecture, our aim is to find such "winning ticket" networks, without any training data. We first show the advantages of forming input-output paths, over pruning individual connections, to avoid bottlenecks in gradient propagation. Then, we show that Paths with Higher Edge-Weights (PHEW) at initialization have higher loss gradient magnitude, resulting in more efficient training. Selecting such paths can be performed without any data. We empirically validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach against pruning-before-training methods on CIFAR10, CIFAR100 and Tiny-ImageNet for VGG-Net and ResNet. PHEW achieves significant improvements on the current state-of-the-art methods at 10%, 5% and 2% network density. We also evaluate the structural similarity relationship between PHEW networks and pruned networks constructed through Iterated Magnitude Pruning (IMP), concluding that the former belong in the family of winning tickets networks.
Deference is Dead (Long Live Chevron)

Chevron v. NRDC has stood for more than 35 years as the central case on judicial review of administrative agencies’ interpretations of statutes. Its contours have long been debated, but more recently it has come under increasing scrutiny, with some—including two sitting Supreme Court justices—calling for the case to be overturned. Others praise Chevron, calling deference necessary or even inevitable. All seem to agree the doctrine is powerful and important. This standard account is wrong, however. Chevron is not the influential doctrine it once was and has not been for a long time. It has been eroded from the outside as a series of exclusions have narrowed its scope, and has been hollowed out from the inside as Justices have become ever more willing to find clear meaning in statutes, thereby denying deference to agencies. In recent years, agencies have won only a handful of statutory interpretation cases, and none in more than four years. Only once since 2015 has deference been outcome-determinative. At the Supreme Court level (though not, for now, in the circuit courts), deference is dead. The once-crystal Chevron has turned to mud. As a result, however, it is less likely to be formally overturned than widely believed—critics of deference and of administrative power on the Court would gain little. Instead, Chevron’s future is likely to be one of further decline, at least in the short term. This has implications for major policy areas like climate change, health care, and immigration where regulatory policy is necessary and challenges are likely to reach the Court.
Fundamentals of Wound Healing

At the moment of soft tissue injury, an immediate wound healing ballet commences. This coordinated cascade of events works over minutes, hours, weeks, and months to restore tissue integrity and viability in an attempt to rebuild the site to its preinjured state. A thorough understanding of these processes, and options to navigate forks in the road, can help guide patient selection, surgical planning and execution, management of complications, and ultimately the restoration of tissue form and function for optimal outcomes. An exhaustive account of tissue healing mechanics is beyond the scope of this writing. However, a summation of much that is known of these processes and the directions research and therapeutic developments are currently aimed will help the facial plastic surgeon prevent or minimize debilitating functional and cosmetic consequences in the head and neck.
Improving cancer pain management in the emergency department: An EMR-based solution.

12110Background: Pain is common reason for patients with cancer to seek care in the emergency department (ED). Unfortunately, these patients frequently receive inadequate doses of pain medication, ...
Ordinal Games and Their Applications

In this paper we give a survey of certain results on the determinacy of games on ordinals and its various applications. A more comprehensive treatment including more detailed versions, extensions and proofs of the theorems mentioned here, will appear in a forthcoming paper by the authors.
Cytotoxic chemotherapy in the contemporary management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)

For several years, docetaxel was the only treatment shown to improve survival of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). There are now several novel agents available, although chemotherapy with docetaxel and cabazitaxel continues to play an important role. However, the increasing number of available agents will inevitably affect the timing of chemotherapy and therefore it may be important to offer this approach before declining performance status renders patients ineligible for chemotherapy. Patient selection is also important to optimise treatment benefit. The role of predictive biomarkers has assumed greater importance due to the development of multiple agents and resistance to available agents. In addition, the optimal sequence of treatments remains undefined and requires further study in order to maximize long-term outcomes. We provide an overview of the clinical data supporting the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of mCRPC and the emerging role in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer. We review the key issues in the management of patients including selection of patients for chemotherapy, when to start chemotherapy, and how best to sequence treatments to maximise outcomes. In addition, we briefly summarise the promising new chemotherapeutic agents in development in the context of emerging therapies.
Overview of the CLAS/JLAB Physics Program

The CLAS collaboration has developed a broad program for studying electromagnetically induced processes with both electron and photon beams. This program includes topics such as excited baryon resonances, meson production, hadron structure, search for pentaquarks, and the structure of nuclei. In this report, highlights of recent CLAS results will be presented.
An algebraic projection analysis for optimal hidden units size and learning rates in back-propagation learning

Two critical issues in back-propagation (BP) learning are the discrimination capability given a number of hidden units and the speed of convergence in learning. The number of hidden units must be sufficient to provide the discriminating capability required by the given application. On the other hand, the training of an excessively large number of synaptic weights may be computationally costly and unreliable. This makes it desirable to have an a priori estimate of an optimal number of hidden neurons. Another closely related issue is the learning rate of the BP rule. In general, it is desirable to have fast learning, but not so fast that brings about instability of the iterative computation. An algebraic projection (AP) analysis method is proposed that provides an analytical solution to both of these problems. If the training patterns are completely irregular, then the predicted optimal number of hidden neurons is the same as that of the training patterns. In the case of regularity embedded patterns, the number of hidden neurons will depend on the type of regularity inherent. The optimal learning rate parameter is found to be inversely proportional to the number of hidden neurons. >
Reliability and risk analysis for software that must be safe

Remaining failures, total failures, test time required to attain a given fraction of remaining failures, and time to next failure are useful reliability metrics for: providing confidence that the software has achieved reliability goals; rationalizing how long to test a piece of software; and analyzing the risk of not achieving remaining failure and time to next failure goals. Having predictions of the extent that the software is not fault free (remaining failures) and whether it is likely to survive a mission (time to next failure) provide criteria for assessing the risk of deploying the software. Furthermore, the fraction of remaining failures can be used as both a program quality goal in predicting test time requirements and, conversely as an indicator of program quality as a function of test time expended. We show how these software reliability predictions can increase confidence in the reliability of safety critical software such as the NASA Space Shuttle Primary Avionics Software.
Earnings Management in Not-For-Profit Institutions: Evidence from Hospitals

This paper examines the incentives of CEOs in not-for-profit institutions to engage in earnings management. We predict and find that, with one exception, this different setting induces CEOs to engage in patterns of earnings management that are similar to those of their for-profit counterparts. This is noteworthy given that the structure of compensation and the objectives of not-for-profit organizations differ from for-profit firms. We examine the earnings management patterns of 744 not-for-profit hospitals (3,977 hospital-year observations) over an eight-year period from 1989-1996. The results suggest that similar to for-profit firms hospital CEOs 1) smooth earnings, 2) take a "big bath" with respect to discretionary accruals in the year of a CEO change, and 3) avoid small losses. Further, while not-for-profit CEOs avoid small losses, we find no evidence that CEOs manage earnings to avoid negative earnings changes, which is contrary to findings in the for-profit setting [Burgstahler and Dichev (1997)]. This is consistent with tax-exempt status restrictions implicitly limiting hospitals from reporting sustained patterns of profit growth. Overall, our results suggest that CEOs' reputation concerns, tax-exempt status restrictions, and debt costs drive earnings management decisions. Reputation appears to be a primary concern for CEOs in this industry because turnover is high and the frequency of earnings-based performance incentives is relatively small during the time period of our study.
The neurobehavioral and molecular phenotype of Angelman Syndrome

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder associated with developmental delay, speech impairment, gait ataxia, and a unique behavioral profile. AS is caused by loss of maternal expression of the paternally imprinted UBE3A gene. In this study we aim to contribute to understanding of the neurobehavioral phenotype of AS with particular focus on the neuropsychiatric presentation of the disorder. We also undertake initial exploration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma levels in AS. Twelve individuals ages 3 years or older with a confirmed genetic diagnosis of AS underwent detailed medical history, phenotypic characterization, and BDNF plasma sampling. The results of this study demonstrate that individuals with AS suffer from significant developmental delay, impaired adaptive behavior, and sleep disruption. Additionally, hyperactivity/impulsivity appears to be the primary behavioral domain noted in these individuals. The majority of individuals in this project met criteria for autism spectrum disorder on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS); however, a negative correlation was noted between ADOS score and developmental age. BDNF plasma levels in AS individuals were significantly elevated compared to neurotypical controls. This is the first report of abnormal BDNF levels in AS, and one that necessitates larger future studies. The results provide a clue to understanding abnormal neuronal development in AS and may help guide future AS research.
Active Equity Managers in the U.S.: Do the Best Follow Momentum Strategies?

Empirical evidence from a database free of survivorship bias shows that the excess return patterns of long-only industry-level momentum strategies are highly correlated with active fund returns in the growth and the core domains, especially since publication of the momentum effect phenomenon in 1993. The best-performing managers are more strongly similar than the poorest-performing managers, who have low correlation with momentum. Investment performance of momentum strategies at the industry level is competitive, or between the top 10% and top 25% of funds in each period. The source and the persistence of these patterns compared to optimal asset allocation are cause for speculation.
Molecular and recombinational mapping of mutations in the Ace locus of Drosophila melanogaster.

The Ace locus in Drosophila melanogaster is known to be the structural gene for acetylcholinesterase. Ace is located in a region of chromosome arm 3R which has been subjected to intensive genetic and molecular analysis. Previous deletion mapping studies have identified a 40-kb region within which the Ace gene resides. This report focuses on the further localization of Ace within this 40-kb interval. Within this region, selective fine structure recombinational analysis was employed to localize three recessive Ace lethals relative to unselected restriction site variations. These three mutations fall into a segment of 7 kb within the Ace interval. Fine structure recombinational analysis was also used to confirm that the Ace- phenotype of one deletion, Df(3R)AceHD1, co-segregated with the molecular deletion. This deletion does not fully remove Ace activity, but it behaves as a recessive Ace lethal. Df(3R)AceHD1 is the most distal Ace lesion identified and indicates that the Ace locus must extend at least 16 kb. Several poly(A)transcripts are detectable in the region defined by the Ace lesions. The position and extent of the Ace locus, as well as the types of transcripts found, is consistent with the recent findings which identified Torpedo-AChE homologous cDNA sequences in this region.
Developing Classifiers for the Detection of Cancer Using Multi-Analytes

The development of a successful classifier from multiple predictors (analytes) is a multistage process complicated typically by the paucity of the data samples when compared to the number of available predictors. Choosing an adequate validation strategy is key for drawing sound conclusions about the usefulness of the classifier. Other important decisions have to be made regarding the type of prediction model to be used and training algorithm, as well as the way in which the markers are selected. This chapter described the principles of the classifier development and underlines the most common pitfalls. A simulated dataset is used to illustrate the main concepts involved in supervised classification.
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 Is a Regulator of Podocyte Differentiation, Proliferation, and Morphology

Podocytes are highly specialized and terminally differentiated glomerular cells that play a vital role in renal physiology, including the prevention of proteinuria. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) has been shown to influence several cellular processes in other terminally differentiated cells, in particular neurons. In this study, we examined the role of CDK5 in podocyte differentiation, proliferation, and morphology. In conditionally immortalized mouse podocytes in culture, CDK5 increased in association with podocyte differentiation. During mouse glomerulogenesis in vivo, CDK5 expression was predominantly detected in podocytes from the capillary loop stage to maturation and persisted in the podocytes of adult glomeruli. In contrast, CDK5 was markedly decreased in the proliferating and dedifferentiated podocytes of mice with anti-glomerular basement membrane nephritis and in human immunodeficiency virus transgenic mice. p35, the activator of CDK5, was also detected in podocytes and the p35/CDK5 complex was active. Cell fractionation studies showed that active p35/CDK5 was mainly localized to the plasma membrane. Specific inhibition of CDK5 in differentiated cultured podocytes, either pharmacologically or with siRNA, induced shape changes, with cellular elongation and loss of process formation compared to the characteristic arborized phenotype. These data suggest a role for CDK5 as a regulator of podocyte differentiation, proliferation, and morphology.
Time-dependent, plasma-sulfate-independent kinetics of salicylamide in dogs.

The mechanisms of the dose-dependent elimination kinetics of salicylamide in dogs were examined. Salicylamide was infused continuously over three consecutive 90-min periods. The rates of infusion during Periods I and III were the same. During Period II the infusion rate was 2.5-fold higher. Plasma concentrations of inorganic sulfate were kept constant by the administration of exogenous sulfate. The plasma concentrations of salicylamide, which reached steady state during Period I but not during II or III, were twice as high at the end of Period III than those at the end of Period I. Typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics do not explain these results. When salicylamide was given as 40 mg/kg single oral dose, clearance of an intravenous tracer dose of radiolabeled salicylamide was greatly reduced within 10 min but returned to baseline values by 240 min after the oral dose, despite persistently low plasma concentrations of inorganic sulfate. Therefore, dose- and time-dependent factors other than Michaelis-Menten kinetics, depletion of inorganic sulfate concentrations, and rate limitation of supply of “active sulfate” from plasma inorganic sulfate stores produce the dose- and time-dependent kinetics of salicylamide in the dog. Product inhibition of salicylamide sulfoconjugation remains a possible explanation.
Effects of Coaching on Detecting Feigned Cognitive Impairment with the Category Test

In a replication and extension of previous research (Tenhula & Sweet, 1996), the current study investigated the utility of the Category Test (CT) for detecting feigned cognitive impairment. Ninety-two undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups and administered the CT. A Coached Simulator group was instructed to simulate cognitive impairment and was provided test-taking strategies to avoid detection. An Uncoached Simulato r group was simply instructed to feign impairment. A control group was instructed to perform optimally. In addition, the CT results of 30 traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients were analyzed. The results largely supported the utility of five CT malingering indicators identified by Tenhula and Sweet: (a) number of errors on subtests I and II, (b) number of errors on subtest VII, (c) total CT errors, (d) number of errors on 19 “easy” items, and (e) number of criteria exceeded. Correct Classification rates of the five indicators for Uncoached Simulators and optimal performance controls ranged from 87% to 98%. Correct Classification rates for the TBI patients ranged from 70% to 100%. In addition, significantly more Coached Simulators were misclassified as nonsimulators on four of the CT malingering indicators, relative to their Uncoached counterparts. A decision rule of . 1 error on subtests I and II was consistently the most accurate malingering indicator, regardless of degree of coaching or presence of TBI. This indicator correctly classified 76% of all simulators and 100% of the optimal performance controls and TBI patients. Implications of providing persons with test-taking strategies and the utility of these CT malingering indicators for various populations are discussed. © 2000 National Academy of Neuropsychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
The acquisition, organization, and utilization of Chinese government publications in libraries in Taiwan

Abstract This paper is the result of a study conducted in Taiwan in April and May of 1985. The main purpose of the study was to determine how Chinese government publications (documents) were acquired by libraries in Taiwan, how these documents were organized and used, and what major problems there were in acquisition, organization, and utilization. A second purpose was to make recommendations for possible solutions to problems encountered. The methods used in collecting data were questionnaires, interviews, and site visits. Two questionnaires were employed: one was sent to librarians and the other to social science professors. It was discovered that for many years, Chinese documents did not receive adequate attention either from government publishing agencies in distributing them or from libraries in acquiring and organizing them, nor was there adequate bibliographic control of such publications. When users (professors) needed documents, they often had difficulties in finding them in available catalogs or in obtaining them from libraries of their own institutions. However, some encouraging developments have taken place since 1984, both in documents distribution and in their bibliographic control. Based on the results of the surveys and the latest developments, several recommendations are made.
Nuclear Structure Studies in the Palladium Isotopes with (d, p) and (d, t) Reactions

Many new energy levels are located in the odd-$A$ palladium isotopes and the spin and parity values assigned. The parameters of the pairing theory, such as the single quasiparticle energies, the occupation numbers, the strength of the pairing interaction, etc., are evaluated. By means of them, the single-particle energies are obtained and compared with other nuclei of the same neutron shell. While the orbits $2{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$, $3{s}_{\frac{1}{2}}$, and $2{d}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ do not change their relative locations significantly, the $1{g}_{\frac{7}{2}}$ orbit shows drastic changes. In the palladium isotopes the $1{g}_{\frac{7}{2}}$ orbit is found to be below the $2{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ orbit, while in zirconium it is as high as the $2{d}_{\frac{3}{2}}$ orbit, and in tin somewhat above the $2{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ orbit. This indicates that the interaction between the $1{g}_{\frac{7}{2}}$ neutrons and the $1{g}_{\frac{9}{2}}$ protons, which causes the shifts of the $1{g}_{\frac{7}{2}}$ orbit, is most effective in palladium isotopes, i.e., where the $1{g}_{\frac{9}{2}}$ proton orbit is about half-full. The strength of the pairing interaction is evaluated to be $GA=29.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9$ MeV.
A hybrid Hermite-discontinuous Galerkin method for hyperbolic systems with application to Maxwell's equations

A high order discretization strategy for solving hyperbolic initial-boundary value problems on hybrid structured-unstructured grids is proposed. The method leverages the capabilities of two distinct families of polynomial elements: discontinuous Galerkin discretizations which can be applied on elements of arbitrary shape, and Hermite discretizations which allow highly efficient implementations on staircased Cartesian grids. We demonstrate through numerical experiments in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions that the hybridized method is stable and efficient.