cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Valuing Financial Services Firms

Valuing banks, insurance companies, and investment banks has always been a daunting exercise, but the rolling market crises of the last few years have made a difficult job even more so. There are two key measurement problems that you face in valuing financial services firms. The first is that the cash flows cannot be easily estimated, since many of the ingredients needed are not clearly defined. The second is that most financial services firms operate under regulatory frameworks that govern how they are capitalized, where they invest, and how fast they can grow. Consequently, changes in the regulatory environment can create large shifts in value. In this paper, we confront both factors. We argue that financial services firms should be valued using equity valuation models, rather than enterprise valuation models, and with actual or potential dividends used as cash flows. The two key numbers that drive value are the cost of equity, which is a function of the risk that emanates from the firm’s investments, and the return on equity, which is determined by the company’s investment choices and regulatory restrictions.
Pharmacology of Commonly Abused Drugs

Various drugs are abused and workplace drug testing depending on the half-life of the abused drug tests for the presence of either the abused drug or its metabolites. For example, benzoylecgonine, a major metabolite of cocaine, is tested in workplace drug testing because the half-life of cocaine is approximately 15 min. Understanding the pharmacology of various abused drugs is essential in order to interpret test results in workplace drug testing. In addition to the federal mandate of five drugs, several other abused drugs are often tested for by private employers in workplace drug testing programs. The pharmacology of these abused drugs will be discussed in this chapter.
United States, Health System of

The existing health-care delivery system in the United States is a conglomerate of health practitioners, agencies, and organizations, all of which share the mission of health-care delivery but operate more or less independently. The greatest portion of all patient services is provided in offices and clinics by physicians who sell their services on a fee-for-service basis. The majority of Americans have health insurance benefits through their place of employment, paid for by contributions from both the employee and the employer, but because of the high costs of health care, there has been a shift from unmanaged plans to managed where utilization is closely monitored. The number of citizens without health insurance continues to increase, and the American health-care system has been called the best in the world, but also the most costly, inefficient, wasteful, and inequitable system of health care in the industrialized world.
Spring camelina N rate: balancing agronomics and environmental risk in United States Corn Belt.

ABSTRACTCamelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) seed oil has desirable properties for producing advanced biofuels and as a healthy cooking oil. It has been grown for centuries, but basic recommendations for nitrogen (N) fertilizer requirements are still needed to support widespread industrial cultivation across North America. A replicated N-response plot-scale study was conducted on a northern Mollisol soil for two growing seasons to 1) determine seed and oil yield, seed oil content, and vegetative response; 2) determine indices of N use efficiency; and 3) measure post-harvest residual inorganic soil N as an index of environmental risk. Seed and oil yield response to N fertilization was described with a quadratic function, which predicted maximum seed yield (1450 kg ha−1) and oil yield (580 kg ha−1) at about 130 kg N ha−1. However, seed and oil yield did not differ significantly among N-rates above 34 kg N ha−1. Seed oil content averaged 400 g kg−1 among all N rates. Agronomic efficiency declined above 34 ...
Contribution of NHE3 and dietary phosphate to lithium pharmacokinetics.

Abstract Lithium is one of the mainstays for the treatment of bipolar disorder despite its side effects on the endocrine, neurological, and renal systems. Experimentally, lithium has been used as a measure to determine proximal tubule reabsorption based on the assumption that lithium and sodium transport go in parallel in the proximal tubule. However, the exact mechanism by which lithium is reabsorbed remains elusive. The majority of proximal tubule sodium reabsorption is directly or indirectly mediated by the sodium-hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3). In addition, sodium-phosphate cotransporters have been implicated in renal lithium reabsorption. In order to better understand the role of sodium-phosphate cotransporters involved in lithium (re)absorption, we studied lithium pharmacokinetics in: i) tubule-specific NHE3 knockout mice (NHE3loxloxPax8Cre), and ii) mice challenged with low or high phosphate diets. Intravenous or oral administration of lithium did not result in differences in lithium bioavailability, half-life, maximum plasma concentrations, area under the curve, lithium clearance, or urinary lithium/creatinine ratios between control and NHE3loxloxPax8Cre mice. After one week of dietary phosphate challenges, lithium bioavailability was ~30% lower on low versus high dietary phosphate, possibly the consequence of a smaller area under the curve after oral administration. This was associated with higher apparent lithium clearance after oral administration and lower urinary lithium/creatinine ratios on low versus high dietary phosphate. Collectively, renal NHE3 does not play a role in lithium pharmacokinetics; however, dietary phosphate could have an indirect effect on lithium bioavailability and lithium disposition.
Evaluation of Acute Abdominal Pain with Computed Tomography

Emergency physicians frequently utilize computed tomography (CT) to evaluate patients with abdominal pain. Acute causes of abdominal pain may be difficult to diagnose based on history and physical exam alone, and CT imaging is the modality of choice for most etiologies. When ordering a CT, physicians must decide whether to utilize intravenous or oral contrast. It is important to understand the benefits of a contrast-enhanced CT and weigh this against the risks of the contrast medium.
Movements of the future: environmental change, its affect on migration and policy responses

ABSTRACTAs temperatures and sea levels rise, among other issues, environmental change is becoming an increasingly important driver of both internal and external migration across the globe. The loss...
Computing Stability Bounds for Thermocapillary Convection in a Crystal-Growth Free Boundary Problem

In a recent paper of SHEN et al. energy-stability bounds were computed for the thermocapillary convection in a model of the float-zone crystal-growth process. The main application is expected to be the production of high-quality semiconductor material in low-gravity environments. Here we outline the physical and mathematical background and then describe in detail the numerical method used to solve the resulting nonlinear eigenvalue problem. Some information on the performance of the method is given and numerical results are presented with a comparison to those of model experiments.
Elucidating Energy Pathways through Simultaneous Measurement of Absorption and Transmission in a Coupled Plasmonic–Photonic Cavity

Control of light–matter interactions is central to numerous advances in quantum communication, information, and sensing. The relative ease with which interactions can be tailored in coupled plasmonic–photonic systems makes them ideal candidates for investigation. To exert control over the interaction between photons and plasmons, it is essential to identify the underlying energy pathways which influence the system’s dynamics and determine the critical system parameters, such as the coupling strength and dissipation rates. However, in coupled systems which dissipate energy through multiple competing pathways, simultaneously resolving all parameters from a single experiment is challenging as typical observables such as absorption and scattering each probe only a particular path. In this work, we simultaneously measure both photothermal absorption and two-sided optical transmission in a coupled plasmonic–photonic resonator consisting of plasmonic gold nanorods deposited on a toroidal whispering-gallery-mode ...
A Generational War Is Launched with The Birth of Ok Boomer in The Digital Age

This study examined recent virality of “Ok Boomer” in the United States. The term of Ok Boomer gained overnight momentum in the public sphere as the symbol of a generational war. While previous research has primarily examined racial and gender tensions, this study introduced a new phenomenon of the generational conflict between “Ok Boomers” and “Baby Boomers,” in which social media originated the term of Ok Boomer and traditional media diffused it with framed meaning. Diffusion of Innovation theory was used to better understand the path of how “Ok Boomer” as a catchphrase, hashtag, noun cluster or trend resulted in attracting a massive amount of media and public attention. Relying on Node XL, Google Trends, and Nexus Nexis for data gathering and analyses, this study categorized four themes for a word, or an idea as an innovation to be publicly acknowledged: collaboration of social media and traditional media, public figures’ involvement for debate; confrontational social issues, and media-framed agenda. In sum, this study argues the term of Ok Boomer symbolizes the advent of a generational war in society in line with the long-standing race and gender wars in the media coverage.
Assessment of Image-Guided Intratumoral Delivery of Immunotherapeutics in Patients With Cancer.

Importance Direct intratumoral delivery of immunotherapies is a compelling approach to overcoming barriers to systemic immunotherapy efficacy. While the use of intratumoral delivery of immunotherapy drugs is increasing rapidly in both the investigational and standard of care domains, the feasibility and safety of these interventions, particularly for deeper lesions that require image-guidance, remain unknown. Objective To address current knowledge gaps in image-guided techniques for intratumoral immunotherapy delivery and the safety of these interventions. Design, Setting, and Participants This case series study was performed at a single tertiary cancer center over a 2-year period from January 2016 to January 2018. Patients were followed until January 2019. All patients who underwent image-guided intratumoral delivery of immunotherapy agents in the standard of care, off-label, or investigational setting during the study period were included. Data were analyzed from February 1 to June 1, 2019. Exposures Image-guided biopsies and intratumoral injections of immunotherapies across several clinical trials as well as standard of care talimogene laherparepvec therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures Technical success, defined as the delivery of the prescribed injectate volume in its entirety, for image-guided biopsy and injections and procedure-related adverse events. Results A total of 85 patients (median [interquartile range] age, 61 [47-71] years; 42 [52%] men) underwent 498 encounters during the study period. These encounters comprised 327 image-guided intratumoral investigational agent injections in 67 patients in clinical trials, including 33 patients with melanoma (50%), 14 patients with sarcoma (21%), 3 patients with ovarian cancer (4.5%), 2 patients with breast cancer (3%), and 2 patients with colon cancer (3%). An additional 18 patients with melanoma underwent 113 image-guided talimogene laherparepvec injections. There were no adverse events reported related to the technical component of the procedure, specifically needle insertion or biopsy. Serious adverse events (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events score ≥3), including dyspnea and severe flu-like symptoms developing within 24 hours of the injection and requiring hospitalization, occurred after 3 of 327 investigational agent injections (2%) and 4 of 113 talimogene laherparepvec injections (4%). Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this case series study suggest that intratumoral injections of immunotherapies were feasible across a range of histological conditions and target organs. Immediate postdelivery anticipated adverse events occurred in a small number of instances. Performing physicians should have the necessary safeguards in place to respond as needed. Optimal methods for intratumoral drug delivery remain unresolved, and efforts to standardize drug delivery techniques are required.
Impact of auditory sense on trust and brand affect through auditory social interaction and control

Abstract Voice assistants—or voice-enabled artificial intelligence—have changed the way people interact with their surroundings dramatically. Utilizing an enactive view of social cognition theory, this study demonstrates how voice assistants can act as [semi] autonomous agents to hold instantaneous social interactions with consumers. This research employed two experimental studies. Study 1 used two voice assistant mobile applications, Microsoft Cortana and Google Assistant, and Study 2 used Amazon Alexa and Microsoft Cortana. The contributions this paper makes are two-fold. First, the results illustrate how perceived auditory sense drives perceived auditory control through auditory social interactions with a voice assistant that lead to brand affect and consumers’ trust in the voice assistant. Second, results shed light on the role of surprise as a repelling drive that attenuates the effect of perceived auditory control on brand affect.
Highland vs. lowland craniometry in Andean South America: An Ecuadorian case study

Abstract Previous research on crania of pre-Columbian Peru has demonstrated a significant difference between coastal lowland and Andean highland populations in cranial length. This has not been examined for other Andean countries. In this study, we examined 14 colonial-era crania from the highland city of Cuenca, Ecuador, and compared them with pre-Columbian crania from lowland Ecuador, and highland and lowland Peru to see if the highland-lowland distinction held true for Ecuador. Eight craniometrics from 153 individuals were used in principal component analysis, indicating that the majority of the Cuenca crania were similar to other highland groups. Logistic regression analysis confirmed that 12 out of the 14 Cuenca individuals were native highlanders. These demonstrate that cranial morphology in Ecuador follows the same highland vs. lowland pattern as previously found in Peru. Even after Spanish colonialism, the Andes Mountains provided a barrier for migration and gene flow.
Both Insider and Outsider: On Conducting Social Work Research in Mental Health Settings

The mental health clinic poses unique challenges for social work scholar-practitioners. The familiar setting, the nature of mental health data collection, and the researcher’s clinical training and experience all complicate efforts to maintain a reflexive stance in research. Additionally, conducting research in a clinical environment risks replicating a hierarchical medical model in the research relationship. Using a theoretical framework of critical realism, two doctoral-level scholar practitioners analyzed the advantages and challenges of conducting research in a clinical setting. Audit trails and experiences of peer debriefing from their dissertation research served as the basis for this conceptual analysis. The analysis considers the impact of the clinic setting on the power dynamics of the research process, as well as the researchers’ subjective experiences throughout the process of data collection. The authors discuss the risks of Othering and the challenges of straddling insider and outsider identities as scholar-practitioners in clinic settings. To navigate these dual identities of researcher and clinician, the authors recommend maintaining awareness of power dynamics and discourses, debriefing regularly with peers and mentors, introducing reflexive practices into both interviews and writing, and moving beyond binary identities in order to occupy a “space between.”
Clarifying the Definition of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury.

Abstract. Background: Challenges and inconsistencies in defining nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) have persisted for decades, which significantly impact NSSI conceptualization and assessment in clini...
Isn't It Ironic? Adapting an Elective on Quarantine and Isolation for Online Delivery Due to a Pandemic

The emergence of COVID-19 and the pandemic that followed have given us a front-row seat to the debate over individual rights vs public health There is a fine line between protecting the health of a community and maintaining civil liberties More than a year before COVID-19 made the jump to humans, a lower-division, non-majors course was developed to explore the application and ramifications of quarantine and isolation This 10-week class focuses on the biological and epidemiological rationale behind these nonpharmaceutical interventions, important historic examples, and the emotional, societal, and political consequences of such policies This Quarantine and Isolation elective was included in the 2019-2020 University of Washington, Bothell course catalog and was scheduled to be taught in person spring quarter;little did we know that weeks before this class would meet, Washington State would become the apparent epicenter of America's COVID-19 outbreak As our campus followed physical distancing protocols and moved to remote emergency learning, it became necessary to shift this course to online delivery, include conversations on how this new public health crisis connected to events of the past, and best support students with their heightened levels of stress and anxiety The goal of this paper is not only to share curriculum related to quarantine and isolation, but also to describe successful strategies for online instruction and student support during a pandemic and beyond
Parallel Optimal Weighted Links

In this paper we consider parallel algorithms for computing an optimal link among weighted regions in the plane. The problem arises in several areas, including radiation therapy, geological exploration and environmental engineering. We present a CREW PRAM parallel algorithm and a coarse-grain parallel computer algorithm for this problem. For a weighted subdivision with n vertices, the work of the parallel algorithms we propose is only an O (logn ) factor more than that of their optimal sequential counterparts. We further adapt an algorithm for minimizing sum of linear fractionals, that has inherent parallelism, to solve in parallel the global optimization problems associated with our solution for the weighted region optimal link problem.
Integrating a maximum-entropy cardinality estimator into DB2 UDB

When comparing alternative query execution plans (qeps), a cost-based query optimizer in a relational database management system (rdbms) needs to estimate the selectivity of conjunctive predicates. The optimizer immediately faces a challenging problem: how to combine available partial information about selectivities in a consistent and comprehensive manner [1]. This paper describes a prototype solution to this problem.
The TAO shipboard CTD program under the National Data Buoy Center

Since its modest beginnings in the early 1980s, the Tropical Oceans-Atmosphere (TAO) Program in the equatorial Pacific has evolved into what has been called the "crown jewel" of the Global Climate Observation System. Along with data from the 55 surface moorings and acoustic doppler current profiler data from four subsurface equatorial moorings, the ship cruises servicing the moored arrays provide unique temperature-salinity depth (CTD) datasets. Since 2007 the TAO Program has shifted from a research program under NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) to operational status under the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). NDBC is now responsible for at-sea operations, data quality control and processing, and data delivery of all TAO data, including the shipboard CTD data. As a result of this change in organizational responsibilities, some aspects of data processing and delivery have also changed, but NDBC is committed to ensuring continuation of the high standards of data quality and delivery as under PMEL oversight. In this paper we provide an overview of the procedures used by NDBC to provide end-users with quality controlled CTD data from the TAO servicing cruises.
A Smart Road Maintenance System for Cities - An Evolutionary Approach

One of the biggest challenges faced by cities today is maintaining their roads. Smart Road Maintenance can lead to more operational efficiency, timely response to citizens, and cost-effectiveness. Efficient and effective management and maintenance of a city’s road infrastructure not only improves the quality of life for its citizens, but also makes the city more attractive for business investment. The IBM Krakow SWG Laboratory, in the cooperation with AGH University of Science & Technology, Krakow and the city of Krakow, created an innovative solution for road maintenance problems. In this paper we describe the challenges currently faced by many cities in road maintenance and how one could bring low-cost, ubiquitous technology to help cope with those challenges. This project also exemplifies the Smarter Planet/Smarter Cities initiatives being promoted by IBM worldwide.
Nonhemolytic Listeria monocytogenes mutants that are also noninvasive for mammalian cells in culture: evidence for coordinate regulation of virulence.

We identified nonhemolytic mutants of Listeria monocytogenes that were severely deficient in their ability to invade mammalian nonprofessional phagocytes. These mutants were generated spontaneously or by means of transposon Tn916 mutagenesis. In terms of their extracellular proteins, the noninvasive mutants were deficient not only in the sulfhydryl-activated hemolysin (listeriolysin) but also in an antigenically unrelated extracellular protein with an apparent molecular weight of 32,000 which could induce opacity in egg yolk and is considered to be a phospholipase. Our results suggest the existence of a common genetic control between the expression of listeriolysin and that of other determinants, including a phospholipase and determinants involved in the ability of L. monocytogenes to enter mammalian cells. Images
Predicting viscoelastic response and crack growth in asphalt mixtures with the boundary element method

It has long been accepted that cracking of hot-mix asphalt pavements is a major mode of premature failure. Many state agencies have verified that pavement cracking occurred not only in fatigue cracking, in which a crack initiates from the bottom of the asphalt layer, but also in other modes such as low-temperature cracking and the more recently identified top-down cracking. To improve current pavement designs and the cracking resistance of mixtures, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms associated with crack initiation and crack growth in hot-mix asphalt mixtures. However, the complexity of the problem and the lack of simple-to-use analysis tools have been obstacles to a better understanding of hot-mix asphalt fracture mechanics and the development of better hot-mix asphalt fracture models. Until today, the well-known finite element method has been the primary tool used for modeling cracks and their effects in mixtures and pavements. Unfortunately, it is both complex and numerically intensive for fracture mechanics applications. The displacement discontinuity boundary element method is presented, which is a numerical method that has been very successful in many other engineering fields, as a potential method for modeling cracking in hot-mix asphalt mixtures and pavements. A series of examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the method in dealing with cracks, crack propagation, and viscoelasticity in hot-mix asphalt. It was concluded that the method was easy to use, resulted in accurate solutions, required minimal computation time, and significantly simplified the modeling of crack-related problems.
Arachnoid cyst rupture producing subdural hygroma and intracranial hypertension: case reports.

Objective To analyze the association between arachnoid cysts and subdural hygromas. Methods We reviewed five cases of arachnoid cysts that ruptured, producing acute subdural hygromas. The surgical management and diagnostic methods used are assessed. Results Five male patients ranging in age from 6 to 25 years sustained the rupture of arachnoid cysts, which produced acute subdural hygromas. Four of the patients had incurred blunt head trauma. All patients presented with symptoms referable to intracranial hypertension. The pathognomonic features of a middle fossa arachnoid cyst (MFAC) were noted on the computed tomographic scans and/or magnetic resonance images of each patient. The hygroma exerted mass effect on the ipsilateral hemisphere and was noted to be under significant pressure at the time of surgical intervention in each case. Two of the five cases are unique in the literature. In one, a coexisting quadrigeminal cyst ruptured, producing a subdural hygroma ipsilateral to the MFAC and dilating the basal cisterns. In the other, the MFAC ruptured into the basal cisterns as well as into the subdural space. The MFAC in each of the remaining three patients ruptured into the subdural space alone. All patients were treated with drainage of the subdural space. In the two patients in whom the basal cisterns were involved, both the hygromas and the MFACs failed to change significantly in size. The hygromas resolved completely and the MFACs decreased in size considerably in the three patients without cisternal involvement. Conclusion The rupture of an arachnoid cyst can produce a subdural hygroma and intracranial hypertension. The latter mandates emergent drainage of the subdural space. In patients in whom the basal cisterns are not dilated by cyst rupture, both the MFACs and hygromas resolve after subdural drainage.
The standard enthalpy of formation of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) by fluorine bomb calorimetry

Abstract The standard energy of combustion of chalcopyrite, CuFeS 2 , has been measured by fluorine bomb calorimetry. The standard enthalpy of formation ΔH f o (CuFeS 2 , c) = −(173.1±8.7) kJ mol −1 was derived. This value was compared with ΔH f o values obtained in equilibrium studies and by chromic-acid solution calorimetry. Based on the measured value and data from the literature, the thermodynamic properties of chalcopyrite at 298.15 K are ΔH f ° =−(173.1±8.7) kJ kmol −1 , ΔS f ° =−(0.32±0.21) J K −1 mol −1 and ΔG f ° =−(173.1±8.7) kJ kmol −1
African Literature and the Role of the Nigerian Government College Umuahia

Terri Ochiagha, in her paper "African Literature and the Role of the Nigerian Government College Umuahia," discusses how the college contributed towards nurturing the talent of some of the most relevant authors in African literary history. With the help of the testimonies of these authors in interviews, correspondence, essays, autobiographies, and with the aid of literary critics and scholars who realized the role the Umuahia College played in creating a literary elite, Ochiagha analyses this literary phenomenon and takes us on a journey through the school's literary ambience: its library and the novels which were later to prompt the authors' writing back to the Empire, the school magazine that first provided the alumni with a space in which to develop their writing and editing skills, the rising nationalistic fight for the creation of a legitimate university in Nigeria, the suppression of African history from the school curricula, and the literary works written by these authors in which their experience at the college is reflected. It all goes to prove how a school founded on tenets of the British system of elite schools went on to be the seedbed of some of the icons of African literature in English. Terri Ochiagha, "African Literature and the Role of the Nigerian Government College Umuahia" page 2 of 9 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 9.1 (2007):
Activity-Driven Fine-Grained Clock Gating and Run Time Power Gating Integration

As the two most widely used techniques to reduce dynamic power and leakage power, clock gating (CG) and power gating (PG), respectively, are expected to be integrated together effectively. Normally, the implementation of CG leads to some redundant operations, which provides the opportunity to apply PG. In this brief, we have proposed an activity-driven fine-grained CG and PG integration. First, we introduce an optimized bus-specific-clock-gating (OBSC) scheme to improve traditional XOR-based CG. It chooses only a subset of flip-flops (FFs) to be gated selectively, and the problem of gated FF selection is reduced from exponential complexity into linear. Then those combinational logics, which completely depend on the outputs of gated FFs, are performing redundant operations. They can be power gated, and the clock enable signal generated by OBSC is used as the sleep signal. A minimum average idle time concept is proposed to determine whether the insertion of PG will lead to energy reduction. In order to evaluate our technique, we experimented on twenty ISCAS'89 circuits. The simulation results show that 25.07% dynamic power can be reduced by OBSC, and 50.19% active leakage power can be saved by PG.
The Effects of Energy-Rich Diets on Discrimination Reversal Learning and on BDNF in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex of the Rat

Male rats received normal chow or high-fat diets rich in dextrose (HFD) or sucrose (HFS). Half of the rats received 90-day unrestricted access to their diet prior to training, whereas the other half were food restricted throughout the study. We evaluated the effects of these dietary manipulations on discrimination and reversal performance and on post-training levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the prefrontal cortex and the ventral and dorsal hippocampus. Neither diet nor restriction condition affected discrimination acquisition. However, prior unrestricted access to the HFD diet impaired discrimination reversal learning and reduced BDNF in the prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus. Also, rats given the HFD diet responded more than controls to the previously rewarded cue at the outset of discrimination reversal. The results suggest that consumption of the HFD diet may have had enduring effects on learning processes, some of which may contribute to the control of intake regulation.
p53 mutation alters the effect of the esophageal tumor suppressor KLF5 on keratinocyte proliferation

Kruppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) is a key transcriptional regulator that is typically pro-proliferative in non-transformed epithelial cells but inhibits proliferation in transformed epithelial cells. However, the underlying mechanisms for this context-dependent function are not known. KLF5 is epigenetically silenced and exhibits a tumor suppressive function in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Since p53 mutation is the most common genetic alteration in ESCC, as in other human epithelial cancers, we hypothesized that the context-dependent functions of KLF5 in cell proliferation were dependent on p53 status. In fact, in non-transformed human primary esophageal keratinocytes, when p53 was wild-type, KLF5 was pro-proliferative; however, KLF5 became anti-proliferative when p53 was mutated. KLF5 loss in human primary keratinocytes harboring p53 mutation accelerated the cell cycle and decreased expression of p21Waf1/Cip1; similar effects were also seen in ESCC cells with established p53 mutations. Further, p21...
Scaling parameters for characterizing waterflood recovery from anisotropic matrix blocks in naturally fractured reservoirs

A study was conducted to simplify the modeling of countercurrent imbibition matrix-fracture transfer flow for dual porosity modeling of naturally fractured reservoirs. Through both analytical work and detailed numerical simulations, scaling studies were conducted of two-phase countercurrent imbibition problem in 3D anisotropic matrix blocks. The main result of the work was to identify four key parametric groups which control countercurrent imbibition. This result would not only lead to additional insight into how parameters interact to govern countercurrent imbibition during waterflooding, but would also simplify and aid simulations involved in sensitivity studies, history matching, and stochastic studies. Application of the parametric groups to field-scale dual porosity modeling is also shown. The complexity of naturally fractured reservoirs makes modeling and reservoir characterization difficult. Such complexity, as well imprecise knowledge of fracture system characteristics, has forced numerical models to be based on conceptual abstractions of which the dual porosity model has been widely accepted. In the dual porosity model, interwell-scale flow occurs only through fractures, with matrix blocks between fractures acting as sources and sinks transferring fluids to and from the fracture system. One of the most important restrictions in reservoir simulation studies is the limited amount of available data. Reservoir simulators require a complete description of the rock-fluid system for each gridblock. Unfortunately, the acquisition of such data is never possible. To overcome this difficulty, a trial-and-error history matching technique is often used to estimate or verify unmeasured data by using production response. This technique, however, is expensive and time-consuming. The purpose of this study was to simplify the characterization problem for naturally fractured reservoirs by reducing the effective number of parameters involved in matrix-fracture transfer flow. This initial work is confined to the study of the water-oil countercurrent imbibition process and gravity effects that occur in matrix-fracture transfer during waterflooding a naturally fractured reservoir. However, the procedures and results obtained from this study could likely be extended to other fluid transfer processes. Scaling studies were performed which were aimed at simplification of the two-phase countercurrent imbibition problem in 3D anisotropic matrix blocks for use in dual porosity modeling. The intent was to attempt to identify the minimum number of key parametric groups which control the countercurrent imbibition process. This result would not only lead to additional insight into how parameters interact to govern the process, but would also simplify and aid simulations involved in sensitivity studies, history matching, and stochastic work.
Synchronous choroid plexus papilloma of the fourth ventricle and ependymoma of the filum terminale: case report.

Background and importance We report the first case of synchronous choroid plexus papilloma of the fourth ventricle and myxopapillary ependymoma of the filum terminale. Both are papillary World Health Organization grade I tumors known to disseminate via cerebrospinal fluid pathways. Clinical presentation A 65-year-old man presented with an incidental mass in the fourth ventricle found on a computed tomography scan of the head after a motor vehicle collision and an intradural mass of the filum terminale. The patient underwent resection of the fourth ventricle mass. After pathological diagnosis of a choroid plexus papilloma, the patient underwent resection of the spinal cord tumor. Conclusion This case underscores the need for separate pathological diagnosis in a patient with an intradural spine lesion in the context of a benign intracranial lesion. We detail a panel of immunohistochemical markers essential for distinguishing the 2 papillary neuroectodermal tumors recovered in this case.
Using Eye Movements to Evaluate the Cognitive Processes Involved in Text Comprehension

The present article describes how to use eye tracking methodologies to study the cognitive processes involved in text comprehension. Measuring eye movements during reading is one of the most precise methods for measuring moment-by-moment (online) processing demands during text comprehension. Cognitive processing demands are reflected by several aspects of eye movement behavior, such as fixation duration, number of fixations, and number of regressions (returning to prior parts of a text). Important properties of eye tracking equipment that researchers need to consider are described, including how frequently the eye position is measured (sampling rate), accuracy of determining eye position, how much head movement is allowed, and ease of use. Also described are properties of stimuli that influence eye movements that need to be controlled in studies of text comprehension, such as the position, frequency, and length of target words. Procedural recommendations related to preparing the participant, setting up and calibrating the equipment, and running a study are given. Representative results are presented to illustrate how data can be evaluated. Although the methodology is described in terms of reading comprehension, much of the information presented can be applied to any study in which participants read verbal stimuli.
On sound transmission into a heavily-damped cylinder

A mathematical model for the transmission of sound into a thin monocoque cylindrical shell is discussed. The model is used to evaluate an oblique plane wave incident upon a flexible thin cylindrical shell. The solution is applicable to the transmission of sound under actual flight conditions. The model is then used to determine curves of cylinder-transmission loss for heavily damped cylinders. Numerical results are found for several plane-wave incidence angles for a narrow-bodied jet fuselage made of aluminum. It is noted that damping (i.e., the loss factor) increases, dips because of reduced cylinder resonances, and eventually disappears when the loss factor of the shell is large enough.
Do Word Clues Suffice in Detecting Spai and Phishing

Some commercial antispam and anti-phishing products prohibit email from "blacklisted" sites that they claim send spam and phishing email, while allowing email claiming to be from "whitelisted" sites they claim are known not to send it. This approach tends to unfairly discriminate against smaller and less-known sites, and would seem to be anti-competitive. An open question is whether other clues to spam and phishing would suffice to identify it. We report on experiments we have conducted to compare different clues for automated detection tools. Results show that word clues were by far the best clues for spam and phishing, although a little bit better performance could be obtained by supplementing word clues with a few others like the time of day the email was sent and inconsistency in headers. We also compared different approaches to combining clues to spam such as Bayesian reasoning, case-based reasoning, and neural networks; Bayesian reasoning performed the best. Our conclusion is that Bayesian reasoning on word clues is sufficient for antispam software and that blacklists and whitelists are unnecessary.
Evidence for the existence of two subpopulations in Phytophthora capsici and a redescription of the species

Morphological, physiological and isozyme data were obtained for 113 isolates of P. capsici. Isozyme analysis of 18 loci from 15 enzymes revealed two distinct subgroups, CapA and CapB. Both subgroups contained isolates from widely distributed geographical locations and from a range of hosts. There was considerable morphological and physiological diversity amongst the isolates, but also significant differences between the two isozyme subgroups. The majority of isolates in CapA possessed rounded sporangia and exhibited irregular sporangial ontogeny. Most CapB isolates produced ellipsoid-lanceolate sporangia and ca 50% had an umbellate ontogeny. Chlamydospore-forming isolates occurred exclusively in the CapB subpopulation. A minority of CapA or CapB isolates exhibited sporangial traits more typical of the other isozyme subgroup. Consequently, use of morphological characters alone would not always allow correct assignment of an isolate to its isozyme subgroup. Phytophthora capsici is re-defined based on the wide variation in characters found in this worldwide population sample. A single available isolate of P. mexicana was placed in isozyme subgroup CapA, though it differed morphologically from the P. capsici isolates in producing non-caducous sporangia.
CO adsorbs upside-down on small PtmAun clusters

Abstract Density functional theory calculations were carried out for CO upside-down adsorption, namely the O atom close to the metal atom, on small Pt m Au n clusters ( m , n = 0–4) and on Pt(1 1 1), Au(1 1 1), and Pt 0.25 Au 0.75 (1 1 1) surfaces. The results show that CO can adsorb upside-down on the clusters but not on the bulk surfaces. Analysis combining both the adsorption energy and CO stretching frequency data indicates that the CO upside-down adsorption on pure Pt clusters may be detected experimentally using FTIR spectroscopy alone while those on pure Au and Pt m Au n clusters may be detected using FTIR coupled with TPD techniques.
Hydrotherapy Use During Labor: An Integrative Review

Hydrotherapy is an effective, alternative intervention that can be used by care providers to provide a nonpharmacological method to assist low risk, laboring women cope with labor. This article provides a synthesis of the state of the science on the effects of hydrotherapy with labor and delivery. The indications, physiologic mechanism, benefits, practice implications, and needed research are discussed. The data-based articles support numerous benefits such as increased relaxation, increased satisfaction, lower blood pressure, and increased diuresis with women who bathe during labor. These studies found that there was no difference in maternal and neonatal morbidity such as infections between bathers and nonbathers. Additionally, there was no difference in maternal and neonatal infection rates between women with intact or ruptured membranes. The use of hydrotherapy during established labor increases cervical dilation while bathing although there is no difference in the total length of labor between bathers and nonbathers. Researchers conclude that hydrotherapy is a safe, nonpharmacological alternative for women to use during labor and delivery.
Fixpoint computation for polyvariant static analyses of higher-order applicative programs

This paper presents an optimized general-purpose algorithm for polyvariant, static analyses of higher-order applicative programs. A polyvariant analysis is a very accurate form of analysis that produces many more abstract descriptions for a program than does a conventional analysis. It may also compute intermediate abstract descriptions that are irrelevant to the final result of the analysis. The optimized algorithm addresses this overhead while preserving the accuracy of the analysis. The algorithm is also parameterized over both the abstract domain and degree of polyvariance. We have implemented an instance of our algorithm and evaluated its performance compared to the unoptimized algorithm. Our implementation runs significantly faster on average than the other algorithm for benchmarks reported here.
The effect of age and movement speed on maximum forward reach from an elevated surface: a study in healthy women.

Objective. To test the hypotheses (1) that the maximum distance reached by young or older women when standing on a raised platform is independent of movement speed, and (2) the maximum forward momentum generated at comfortable and fast reaching speeds is independent of age. Design. Repeated measures case–control study in a university laboratory setting. Background. Maximum forward reach distance is often part of a geriatric mobility assessment. The effect of movement speed, and hence momentum, on forward reaching behavior is unknown in young or older subjects, despite the fact that excess momentum might increase the risk of fall-related injuries, especially from an elevated surface. Methods. Ten healthy young women (mean age 23.7 years) and 10 healthy older women (mean age 70.5 years) participated. Subjects stood on an instrumented force platform and forward reach body segment kinematics were measured optoelectronically. Whole-body center of reaction and center of mass trajectories were calculated during six maximum forward reach trials: three performed “at a comfortable speed”, and three performed “as fast as possible”. Results. Subjects reached slightly further at a comfortable speed than when reaching as fast as possible (P=0.016). Fast reaches were associated with a 25% increase in momentum (P<0.001; however, under both speed conditions, older women developed less whole-body momentum than did young controls (for example, 4.1 vs. 6.1 kg m/s at comfortable speed, P<0.05). Three young and one older women lost their balance in at least one trial. Conclusions. Independent of age, these women reached further when reaching slowly than when reaching rapidly, and older women restricted peak forward momentum under both speed conditions when standing on the elevated surface. Relevance Interventions designed to reduce falls from raised surfaces might utilize the insights gained from these women that (1) at any age, one cannot expect to reach as far when reaching fast as one can when reaching slowly; and (2) comfortable reaching speed is reduced in older individuals.
Materials science through materials synthesis

Abstract In the early 1970s, Balluffi and co-workers synthesized artificial twist boundaries of gold and employed them in seminal studies of grain boundary structure. This is taken as the theme and illustrated by contemporary examples showing that synthesis of special materials structures continues to provide a productive pathway to the investigation of materials properties.
Role of Cold-Responsive Genes in Plant Freezing Tolerance

Plants vary greatly in their ability to survive freezing temperatures. At one extreme are plants from tropical regions that have virtually no capacity to survive even the slightest freeze. In contrast, herbaceous plants from temperate regions generally survive freezing temperatures ranging from −5
Multi-Contingency Cascading Analysis of Smart Grid Based on Self-Organizing Map

In the study of power grid security, the cascading failure analysis in multi-contingency scenarios has been a challenge due to its topological complexity and computational cost. Both network analyses and load ranking methods have their own limitations. In this paper, based on self-organizing map (SOM), we propose an integrated approach combining spatial feature (distance)-based clustering with electrical characteristics (load) to assess the vulnerability and cascading effect of multiple component sets in the power grid. Using the clustering result from SOM, we choose sets of heavy-loaded initial victims to perform attack schemes and evaluate the subsequent cascading effect of their failures, and this SOM-based approach effectively identifies the more vulnerable sets of substations than those from the traditional load ranking and other clustering methods. As a result, this new approach provides an efficient and reliable technique to study the power system failure behavior in cascading effect of critical component failure.