cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Geography of Sexual Offender Residency Issues in Florida

This paper explores the registered sexual offender (RSO) residency requirements, restrictions, and issues within Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties in Florida. While Florida statute 775.215 does not allow RSOs to live within 1,000 feet of a school, childcare facility, park, or playground, county and local ordinances often impose more restrictive residency requirements. Because of these requirements as well as more extensive residency restrictions on a county and city level, RSOs abiding by the requirements often end up living in clusters and/or colonies like the infamous Julia Tuttle Causeway cluster. As a result, these restrictions create clusters of SROs within socially disorganized areas, higher levels of transient SROs, and SROs who abscond and fail to report. This paper examines, though the use of ArcGIS 10.3, the number of registered RSOs that violate the state statute by where they live; and investigates the hot spots and residency clusters where they are in violation as well as in regulation as it pertains to the statute. Using the baseline of 1,000 feet, there are 905 RSOs (31% of the overall total RSOs) violating Florida statute within the tri-county area of Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties.
Shunt Compensation for Voltage Stability

Abstract I describe the many available options in applying shunt compensation. I describe situations where higher-cost power electronic based devices are justified, and discuss methods to reduce cost of shunt compensation. Several promising new concepts are described.
Abstract 4931: Prospective study of oral microbiome and colorectal cancer risk in low-income and African American populations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in both men and women worldwide, and the third leading cause of cancer death in the USA. Recent research suggests that oral microbiome may play important roles in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer and other chronic diseases. We conducted a nested case-control study within the Southern Community Cohort Study to investigate the association of oral microbiome with subsequent risk of developing CRC. This study included 231 incident CRC cases and 462 controls individually matched on age, race, smoking, alcohol drinking, season-of-study enrollment and recruitment method, with ~74% subjects of African descent. The V4 region of 16S rRNA gene of the pre-diagnostic mouth rinse samples was deeply sequenced. Sequencing data were processed using QIIME and sequence reads were clustered into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). In total, 11 phyla, 73 families and 134 genera were observed from study samples, and only 5 phyla, 12 families and 11 genera showed relative abundance >1%. Multiple bacteria taxa showed significant associations with CRC risk at P increased risk of CRC, such as the family Bifidobacteriaceae within phylum Actinobacteria with OR (95% CI) being 1.31(1.08-1.61), and genus Lautropia within phylum Proteobacteria with OR (95% CI) being 1.23(1.02-1.48), and phylum SR1 with OR (95% CI) being 1.27(1.07-1.52). We also found that the phylum Firmicutes and the species sp. Oral taxon 070, which belongs to the genus Streptococcus, were associated with decreased risk of CRC, with ORs (95% CIs) being 0.79(0.65-0.96) and 0.77(0.63-0.93), respectively. Most of these associations were observed among both African- and European- Americans. None of the associations remained significant after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, which may be conservative. The tests were not independent because the higher-level taxa is an aggregate of lower-level taxa. In addition, most taxa showed low relative abundance and prevalence and we have low statistical power to investigate them. Conclusion: Our study suggested that multiple bacteria taxa may be associated with risk of CRC, and raised the possibility that the oral microbiome may play an important role in CRC etiology. Citation Format: Yaohua Yang, Qiuyin Cai, Xiao Ou Shu, William J Blot, Wei Zheng, Jirong Long. Prospective study of oral microbiome and colorectal cancer risk in low-income and African American populations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4931. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4931
Energy- and Spectral-Efficient Resource Allocation Algorithm for Heterogeneous Networks

In this paper, the tradeoff between energy efficiency and spectral efficiency in multicell heterogeneous networks is investigated. Our objective is to maximize both energy efficiency and spectral efficiency of the network, while satisfying the minimum rate requirements of the users. We define our objective function as the weighted summation of energy efficiency and spectral efficiency functions. The fractional frequency reuse (FFR) scheme is employed to suppress intercell interference. We formulate the problem as cell-center boundary selection for FFR, frequency assignment to users, and power allocation. The optimal solution of this problem requires exhaustive search over all cell-center radii, frequency assignments, and power levels. We propose a three-stage algorithm and apply it consecutively until convergence. First, we select the cell-center radius for the FFR method. Second, we assign the frequency resources to users to satisfy their rate requirements and also maximize the objective function. Third, we solve the power allocation subproblem by using the Levenberg–Marquardt method. Minimum rate requirements of users are also included in the solution by using dual decomposition techniques. Our numerical results show a Pareto-optimal solution for energy efficiency and spectral efficiency. We present energy efficiency, spectral efficiency, outage probability, and average transmit power results for different minimum rate constraints. Among other results, we show that, in a particular setting, ${\text{13}}\%$ energy efficiency increase can be obtained in a multicell heterogeneous wireless network by sacrificing ${\text{7}}\%$ spectral efficiency.
A Hybrid Learning Framework for Imbalanced Stream Classification

The pervasive imbalanced class distribution occurring in real-world stream applications, such as surveillance, security and finance, in which data arrive continuously has sparked extensive interest in the study of imbalanced stream classification. In such applications, the evolution of unstable class concepts is always accompanied and complicated by the skewed class distribution. However, most of the existing methods focus on either class imbalance problem or non-stationary learning problem, the combined approach of addressing both issues has enjoyed relatively little research. In this paper, we propose a hybrid framework for imbalanced stream learning that consists of three components: classifier updating, resampling and cost sensitive classifier. Based on the framework, we propose a hybrid learning algorithm to combine data-level and algorithm-level methods as well as classifier retraining mechanics to tackle class imbalance in data streams. Our experiments using real-world datasets and synthetic datasets show that our proposed hybrid learning algorithm can have better effectiveness and efficiency.
The rainbow is our sovereignty: Rethinking the politics of energy on the Navajo Nation

This article offers a political-ecological reflection on Navajo (Dine) sovereignty, emphasizing lived and territorial interpretations of sovereignty, expanding our standard, juridical-legal notions of sovereignty that dominate public discourse on tribal economic and energy development. Operating from a critical analysis of settler colonialism, I suggest that alternative understandings of sovereignty – as expressed by Dine tribal members in a range of expressive practices – open new possibilities for thinking about how sovereign futures might be literally constructed through specific energy infrastructures. The article follows the controversy surrounding a proposed coal fired power plant known as Desert Rock, placing the phantom project in a longer, enduring history of struggle over energy extraction on Navajo land in order to illuminate this contested future. Broadly, these re-significations of sovereignty point toward a distinct modality of environmental action that suggests other kinds of relationships are at stake, challenging assumptions made by adversaries and allies alike that the politics of protesting (in this case) coal technologies is a practice with self-evident ethics. To intervene in these broad debates, I propose that there are multiple landscapes of power shaping Navajo territory, which must be brought into the ongoing, urgent debates over how the Navajo Nation might develop a more sustainable energy policy for the future. Keywords: political ecology, sovereignty, Navajo, environmentalism, ethics, territory, practice, sustainability, landscapes of power
Exploring Servant Leadership and Needs Satisfaction in the Sport for Development and Peace Context

The purpose of this study was to explore how servant leadership influences followers’ work-related needs satisfaction within the sport for development and peace field. We examined whether leaders used and followers perceived aspects of servant leadership, and if so, did servant leadership work to satisfy the basic psychological needs of followers (i.e., autonomy, competence, relatedness). Based on an online survey (n = 76) with followers (employees) and qualitative interviews (n = 14) with both leaders (executive directors and founders) and followers (employees), our results revealed that followers perceived and leaders used aspects of servant leadership in sport for development and peace organizations. Leaders used servant leadership behaviors to set the vision for the organization. In addition, followers’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness were met through servant leadership. This study supports use of servant leadership behaviors to satisfy the needs of followers in sport for development a...
Gute Daten allein reichen nicht

Eine lebendige Wissenschaftskultur ermutigt zu unterschiedlichen Interpretationen der Beobachtungen. Aber wie sehr schranken kulturelle und gesellschaftliche Einflusse unsere Wissenschaften ein?
Employment and Earnings of International Science and Engineering Graduates of U.S. Universities: A Comparative Perspective

International students represent a large percentage of the student population in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs at American colleges and universities. Although graduates of these programs are identified as having high employability, productivity, and earnings in the 21st-century job market, there is limited evidence on the effect of citizenship/visa status on these indicators. In this study, we examined the employment status and earnings of international (foreign-born) and American-born graduates of U.S. universities, particularly in science and engineering fields. Based on a sample of 14,400 graduates between 2004 and 2013, of whom 12% were foreign-born, the results indicated that foreign-born graduates (i.e., with temporary status or permanent status) had comparable or better outcomes than American-born graduates in terms of employment and earnings
X-Ray Characterization of CuPt Ordered III–V Ternary Alloys

A quantitative model, based on x-ray diffraction, is proposed to analyze the CuPt ordered III-V ternary semiconductor alloy films. The model takes into account the size distribution of the two different laminae-shaped variants, the random distribution of the anti-phase domain boundaries, and the atomic displacements due to the bond length difference between the two constitutive binary materials. The model enables us to extract quantitatively the structural information of the ordered films from the x-ray diffraction data.
Application of Studies of Fluid Inclusions in Permian Salado Salt, New Mexico, to Problems of Siting the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

This paper presents a summary of the data obtained when inclusions in cores from the proposed WIPP site were examined pettrographically, and with microscope freezing, heating, and crushing stages. Fluid now present in the samples studied ranges widely from <0.1 to 1.7 wt.%; the total in situ fluid content of the rock is certainly greater. The inclusion fluid is not just saturated NaCl solution but a variable and extremely saline bittern containing some noncondensable gases under pressure. The inclusions move in thermal gradients and react quickly to uniaxial stress, but decrepitation is estimated to be a more important mechanism of fluid release under thermal loading. Subsequent movement of the released fluids is not considered.
Mentoring up: A grounded theory of nurse-to-nurse mentoring

Aims and objectives To generate a theoretical explanation of nurse-to-nurse mentoring in the clinical setting. Background Despite an abundance of mentoring literature, the processes involved between nurses in mentoring relationships have yet to be studied. Nursing literature has focused on mentor attributes and relationship outcomes rather than focusing on theoretical discovery. Design Classical grounded theory (CGT). Methods CGT procedures (constant comparative method, coding and memoing) were used to analyse interview data exploring fifteen nurse proteges' experiences of mentoring. Results Confidencing, the proteges' need to become confident in the professional role, emerged as the main concern of study participants. Three dimensions are threaded throughout nurse-to-nurse mentoring: earnest intentions, filial bond and trust-worthiness. Earnest intentions are the sincere attitude that proteges and mentors demonstrate regarding their mentoring relationship. An exclusive, familial-type connection, filial bond, attends to the affective needs of proteges and mentors. Trust-worthiness, the explicit feeling of trust between proteges and mentors, strengthens as each demonstrates being worthy of the other's trust. Mentoring Up theory explains five phases of mentoring: seeding, opening, laddering, equalising and reframing. The initial phases are periods of relationship discovery (seeding) and testing (opening). Laddering is an intense period of reciprocal interactions between mentors and proteges. Equalising begins as proteges perceive themselves to be equal to their mentors in terms of their professional capability. Proteges reflect on the meaning of the relationship in the reframing phase. Conclusions Mentoring Up is a dense theory that reveals insights, explanations and predictions for initiating, developing and engaging in mentoring relationships. Mentoring Up fills a gap in the existing literature and provides a framework for future mentoring research. Relevance to clinical practice The theory has implications for healthcare organisations, nursing education and individual nurses. Mentoring Up expounds on the interpersonal connections and reciprocal interactions vital for successful nurse-to-nurse mentoring.
Branching Artificial Neural Ensemble (BRANE): Supervised Learning For Missing Data

Machine learning, a scientific model, has been developed over the years for predictions and is now very advanced with modern technology of high performance computing. It is widely used in classification and prediction problems. While using Machine Learning for regression we may come across datasets that have large amount of missing values, which have significant impact on the prediction results. The BRanching Artificial Neural Ensemble (BRANE), a machine learning algorithm, has been developed and proposed in this paper to address missing values in attributes. The proposed algorithm is an extension of Ensemble approach and utilizes one multilayer perceptron for data points, one multilayer perceptron for missing values as a flag entity, and one multilayer perceptron to combine the experts and predict the final outcome. Dataset to train and test this model has been taken from Zillow Competition from Kaggle database and is implemented in Python.
Peripheral immune system in aging and Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) represents an urgent public health mandate. AD is no longer considered a neural-centric disease; rather, a plethora of recent studies strongly implicate a critical role played by neuroinflammation in the pathogeneses of AD and other neurodegenerative conditions. A close functional connection between the immune system and central nervous system is increasingly recognized. In late-onset AD, aging represents the most significant risk factor. Here, from an immunological perspective, we summarize the prominent molecular and cellular changes in the periphery of aging individuals and AD patients. Moreover, we review the knowledge gained in the past several years that implicate specific arms of the peripheral immune system and other types of immune responses in modulating AD progression. Taken together, these findings collectively emphasize a dynamic role of a concert of brain-extrinsic, peripheral signals in the aging and degenerative processes in the CNS. We believe that a systematic view synthesizing the vast amounts of existing results will help guide the development of next-generation therapeutics and inform future directions of AD investigation.
Variability in Clinical Presentation and Pathologic Implications of Ectopic Pituitary Tumors: Critical Review of Literature

Objective Pituitary tumors are common, well-described skull base tumors of sellar origin. However, there are reports of rare ectopic pituitary tumors that are found exclusively outside of the sella turcica. Ectopic pituitary tumors have not been holistically analyzed. This study describes presentation and clinical patterns found among patients with ectopic pituitary tumors. Methods A comprehensive review of the literature was performed for clinical descriptions of ectopic pituitary tumors. Reports of 85 applicable cases were evaluated. Results The most common locations of ectopic pituitary tumors were the sphenoid sinus, clivus, suprasellar space, nasopharynx, and cavernous sinus. The majority of ectopic pituitary tumors were reported as being functional secretory tumors; they were statistically significantly more likely to be functional tumors than sellar pituitary tumors. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone, prolactin, growth hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone−secreting tumors were most commonly found. Bone invasion was reported in more than one third of the cases, and malignant transformations were reported in 6 cases. A large majority of patients presented with hormonal, neurologic, or physiologic symptoms. Conclusions Ectopic pituitary tumors are a rare entity of pituitary tumors with a presentation that can mimic those of other skull base tumors. Clinical presentation often correlates to location of the tumor. Ectopic pituitary tumors were significantly more likely to be functional secretory tumors. They may also exhibit more aggressive behavior than sellar-located tumors. Ectopic pituitary tumors may be part of a spectrum of presenting pathologies. Further genetic or genomic analysis is necessary to better understand their pathogenesis and clinical presentations.
Development of Lichen Planopilaris-Like Alopecia following Occupational Exposure to Trichloroethylene and Tetrachloroethylene.

Background We report a case of acute and severe lichen planopilaris (LPP)-like alopecia in a 35-year-old male construction worker following occupational exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE). Case report Two weeks after initiating ground-intrusive construction at a previous dry-cleaning facility site, the patient developed sudden scalp pruritus and associated patchy hair loss. As subsequent scalp biopsies revealed LPP, he was started on hydroxychloroquine at 200 mg twice daily and clobetasol solution once daily. Despite treatment, the patient's hair loss rapidly progressed to involve >95% of his scalp within 3 years. An official "work clean" policy report revealed high-concentration exposure to TCE and PCE. Conclusion Although causation cannot be proven, the close temporal relationship and rapid progression of LPP-like alopecia in an atypical patient demographic support a strong correlation between chemical exposure to TCE/PCE and scarring hair loss.
Detection and discrimination of influenza B Victoria lineage deletion variant viruses by real-time RT-PCR

ABSTRACT Influenza B viruses have two genetically and antigenically distinct lineages, B/Victoria/2/1987-like (VIC) and B/Yamagata/16/1988-like (YAM) viruses, that emerged in the 1980s and co-circulate annually during the influenza season. During the 2016-2017 influenza season, influenza B/VIC lineage variant viruses emerged with two (K162N163) or three (K162N163D164) amino acid (AA) deletions in the hemagglutinin protein. Hemagglutination inhibition assays demonstrate that these deletion variant influenza B/VIC viruses are antigenically distinct from each other and from the progenitor B/VIC virus that lacks the deletion. Therefore, there are currently four antigenically distinct HA proteins expressed by influenza B co-circulating: B/YAM, B/VIC V1A (no deletion), B/VIC V1A.1 (two-AA deletion), and B/VIC V1A.2 and V1A.3 (three-AA deletion). The prevalence of these viruses differs across geographic regions, making it critical to have a sensitive, rapid diagnostic assay(s) that detect and distinguish these Influenza B variant viruses during surveillance. Here, we present a real time RT-PCR assay that targets the influenza B/VIC deletion region in the HA gene and detects and distinguishes the influenza B/VIC V1A, B/VIC V1A.1, B/VIC V1A.2 and B/VIC V1A.3 variant viruses, with no cross-reactivity. This assay can be run as a multiplex reaction, allowing for increased testing efficiency and reduced cost. Coupling this assay with the CDC Human Influenza Virus Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel Influenza B Lineage Genotyping Kit results in rapid detection and characterization of circulating influenza B viruses. Having accurate and detailed surveillance information on these distinct Influenza B variant viruses will provide insight into the prevalence and geographic distribution and could aid in vaccine recommendations.
Multiple-order diffractive engineered surface lenses

A multiple-order diffractive engineered surface (MODE) lens is introduced, in which focal position change with wavelength exhibits both refractive and diffractive characteristics. Engineering calculations are provided that indicate Strehl ratio and encircled energy performance over a large range of focal length and aperture diameter design space. A prototype lens is designed and constructed for the astronomical R-band (589 nm to 727 nm) wavelength range. Test results show that measured full-width-at-half-maximum focal spot diameter is 2.1 times larger than the ideal Airy spot diameter, and focal position versus wavelength is nearly identical to the design. The 48 mm aperture diameter, f/3.12 prototype telescope exhibits angularly resolved features in natural scenes at 0.006°, with subtense of the Airy spot diameter at 0.002°. Applications include eventual use in large aperture, ultralightweight space telescopes.
Optimal implementation of SFCL for Voltage sag Mitigation in Power Distribution System

For the improvement of voltage sags immunity of the whole distribution network, this paper proposes a method to better apply the position of superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL). The mathematic model of SFCL and its risk of installing in various locations on voltage sags is firstly put forward. An identical method for vulnerable areas and lines is utilized to plan for the location of SFCL. Verification and conclusion are given as follow to present the effectiveness of the recommended strategy.
Ceramic-Polymer Interaction in Solid-State Composite Electrolytes of Lithium Ion Batteries

Based on three dimensional (3D) pervoskite-type Li0.33La0.557TiO3 nanofibers and polymer, a composite solid state electrolyte has been fabricated. Our study shows that the ceramic-polymer interface has significant effect on the ionic conductivity of composite electrolytes and the cyclic performance of symmetric half cells. After a buffer later has been incorporated between the ceramic fibers and polymer matrix, the flexible solid-state electrolyte composite membrane exhibits high ionic conductivity at room temperature, a large electrochemical stability window and good mechanical stability in symmetric Li|electrolyte|Li cell.
Extended withdrawal time (EWDT) of drugs to prevent residues in food following extra label use

Safety of food originated from animals is an emerging global health problem, and ensuring food safety is a challenge for the producers and governments who deal with protecting the food supply chain from contamination with hazardous microbes, chemicals and/or drugs. In the United States (US), the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) program is a unique consortium of scientific experts who help maintain a proper balance among animal health, food safety, and regulatory policies. Veterinarians must often use drugs in an extra-label manner to treat food animals due to limited availability of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drugs. Extra-label drug use (ELDU) is allowable under the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA). Following ELDU, and before products derived from the treated animal can be sold and marketed, an extended withdrawal time (EWDT) needs to be established, based on appropriate scientific data. The objective of this paper is to discuss the scientific basis for determination of EWDT of drugs used in food animals using kinetic modeling approach.
Production and Modification of Natural Bamboo Fibers from Four Bamboo Species, and Their Prospects in Textile Manufacturing

Four widely grown bamboo species, Bissetii, Giant Gray, Moso, and Red Margin, were studied for natural bamboo fiber (NBF) extraction using 36 routes with respective fiber yield percentages where total use of NaOH was less than 24 g/l in any specific processing route. The Red Margin species was found to have the most potential for NBF extraction. This study provides reports on moisture regain (average 8.0 %) and moisture content (average 7.5 %), incineration behavior, solubility properties, surface morphology, length and diameter of single NBF (10–13 µm), and fineness of NBFs from four plants and comparative results with conventional fibers. Yarns of NBFs blended with cotton were created and their tensile properties were tested. NBFs that were longer and coarser in initial stages, with high breaking tenacity of 63.74–138.63 N/Tex and lower elongation of 2.06–2.46 % were judged to be good for some textile applications. Finer and shorter NBFs provide a lower strength in the blended yarns than cotton fibers.
“They Can’t Take Away the Light”: Hip-Hop Culture and Black Youth’s Racial Resistance:

This study examined associations between Black youth’s engagement with hip-hop culture and their sociopolitical development (SPD) (e.g., critical social analysis, critical agency, and anti-racist a...
Learning in a Global Context: Education Diplomacy in Primary Grade Content Preparation

The article shares the authors' thoughts about the concept of education diplomacy and its relevance in developing content for elementary grade levels. They emphasize the importance of learning about education diplomacy at an early age in order to develop adaptability among human beings. The piece offers insights on developing content for teacher preparation programs to provide elementary teachers with tools to teach about education diplomacy to the future generation. It also opens up a discussion on the importance of the intersecting time-tested skills, knowledge, and dispositions required by education diplomats in understanding and applying the concept.
Local calibration and Implementation of AASHTOWARE Pavement ME performance models for Oklahoma pavement systems

AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software was developed as an advanced pavement design tool based on the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide. Existing performance prediction models utilised in...
Exercise during the menstrual cycle: variations in physiological baselines.

Abstract Eighteen healthy undergraduates, free of any acknowledged menstrual disorders, performed a standard bicycle ergometer exercise on the first and the fourteenth day of the month under controlled environmental conditions. Postabsorptive measurements were made of blood hemoglobin, blood hematocrit, heart rate, and blood pressures at rest and following exercise. Heart rate and systolic blood pressures taken at rest varied significantly between all the experiments, regardless of time relative to the menstrual cycle. Resting blood hemoglobin and hematocrit, however, varied significantly relative to the time of the experiment with respect to the menstrual cycle. All measurements made following the exercise failed to show a statistical significance between experiments. The results suggest that variations in blood hemoglobin and hematocrit are related to the menstrual cycle at rest but apparently are completely masked by a moderate bout of exercise. The physiological bases of the cyclic changes and the exe...
Environmental Self-Auditing: Setting the Proper Incentives for Discovering and Correcting Environmental Harm

Many firms have instituted a policy of conducting their own "environmental audits" to test compliance with a complex array of environmental regulations. Yet, commentators suggest that self-auditing is still not as common as it should be because firms fear that the information they gather will be used against them. This paper analyzes the two-tiered incentive problem raised by self-auditing-viz., incentives to both test for and effect compliance. We find that conventional tort remedies fail to produce an efficient amount of self-auditing. To fix the problem we propose three separate solutions, each with differing informational requirements and efficiency benefits, and each distinct in its own way from current EPA policy. First, we propose that punitive fines be reduced for firms that conduct their own investigation, whether or not the firm has "fixed" the harm that its investigation uncovers. Importantly, we argue that the nature of the self-auditing incentive problem makes conditioning on investigation informationally feasible, since it is the potential observability of investigative effort that produces the disincentive to investigation in the first place. Our second solution conditions on firm disclosure. While this solution allows for additional savings in government enforcement costs, it raises serious informational issues regarding the verifiability of disclosure. Lastly, we consider a solution that we call "inverse negligence," wherein firms are fined additionally for harms that they would have fixed, had they learned about them through investigation. This solution requires neither verifiable disclosure, nor observable investigation effort, but does require additional information about the firm's private cost of fixing harms.
The Pineal Hormone (Melatonin)

The pineal gland, or epiphysis cerebri (Fig. 1), a neuroendocrine organ, is one of the major parts of the circadian system, which also includes the eyes and the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus. The pineal gland exerts important regulatory influences by secreting its hormone, melatonin (Fig. 2), in variable amounts, depending on the time of day; the animal’s age; and, in some species, the time of year. The daily rhythm in circulating melatonin is characterized by very low concentrations during the day and high levels at night (Fig. 3). This rhythm persists in constant darkness but can be altered by nighttime light exposure, because light can acutely suppress melatonin production. Normal daily variations in melatonin secretion synchronize numerous body rhythms and, in diurnal species, probably are important for nighttime sleep initiation and maintenance. Since the onset and offset of melatonin production by the pineal gland occur at dusk and dawn, respectively, the length of time per 24-h period that plasma melatonin levels are elevated can synchronize physiologic processes to seasonal changes and, in seasonal animals, can affect season-dependent functions such as body temperature, locomotor activity, and reproductive behavior.
CVD SiN/sub X/ anti-reflective coating for sub-0.5 /spl mu/m lithography

This paper reports the investigation of low pressure chemical vapor deposition of SiN/sub X/ film for bottom antireflective coating (BARC) application in 0.35 /spl mu/m lithography and below. The SiN/sub X/ material was successfully designed to provide excellent anti-reflective layer which meets various advanced device integration requirements. This BARC process has been found to be manufacturable for deep-UV and I-line lithography.
Carryover effects of calibration to visual and proprioceptive information on near field distance judgments in 3D user interaction

It has been suggested that closed-loop feedback of travel and locomotion in an Immersive Virtual Environment (IVE) can overcome compression of visually perceived depth in medium field distances in the virtual world [15, 21]. However, very few experiments have examined in IVEs the carryover effects of multisensory feedback during manual dexterous 3D user interaction in overcoming distortions in near-field or interaction space depth perception, and the relative importance of visual and proprioceptive information in calibrating users distance judgments. We report the results of an empirical evaluation to examine the carryover effects of calibrations to one of three perturbations of visual and proprioceptive feedback: i) Minus condition (−20% gain) in which a visual stylus appeared at 80% of the distance of a physical stylus, ii) Neutral condition (0% gain) in which a visual stylus was co-located with a physical stylus, and iii) Plus condition (+20% gain) in which the visual stylus appeared at 120% of the distance of the physical stylus. In between subjects design, participants provided manual reaching distance estimates during three sessions; a baseline measure without feedback (open-loop distance estimation), a calibration session with visual and proprioceptive feedback (closed-loop distance estimation), and a post-interaction session without feedback (open-loop distance estimation). Feedback was shown to calibrate distance judgments quickly within an IVE, with estimates being farthest after calibrating to visual information appearing nearer (Minus condition), and nearest after calibrating to visual information appearing further (Plus condition).
Is the Future of Affirmative Action Race Neutral

The outlook does not appear particularly bright for affirmative action programs in the United States that grant preferences based on race to blacks, Hispanics, and others in hiring, university admissions, and bidding on government contracts. These programs continue to be unpopular with the public and face increasing hostility in courts of law. In its place, courts and commentators have been promoting an alternative form of affirmative action called “race-neutral affirmative action.” Race-neutral affirmative action seeks to change the racial composition of those who benefit from employment, education, or government spending not by granting preferences based on race, but by granting preferences based on characteristics that are correlated with race. In this chapter, I examine the rise of race-neutral affirmative action in the United States and assess the costs and benefits of trying to diversify through race-neutral means. I conclude, first, that, although courts have been promoting race-neutral affirmative action, they have yet to confront serious questions about whether it is any more constitutional than racially explicit affirmative action. In my view, it is hard to square race-neutral affirmative action with the Supreme Court’s cases that prohibit programs that have both the purpose and effect of racial discrimination. Second, even if the courts decide not to adhere to these past cases, it is unclear whether race-neutral affirmative action is any less problematic than racially explicit affirmative action. Although race-neutral affirmative action may be less divisive and less stigmatizing to its beneficiaries, it may be so much less efficient at bringing about racial diversity that it will require institutions to make much greater sacrifices to other aspects of their missions. Indeed, the race-neutral programs that are likely to be the least divisive and least stigmatizing are probably also those that are the least efficient at diversifying. For both of these reasons, I am not sure race-neutral affirmative action is the panacea that many seem to think it is.
Reliable management of distributed computations in Nexus

This paper describes the approach taken for configuration management in the Nexus distributed operating system. Nexus uses kernel-level support for monitoring status of distributed components of an application. Periodic user-level messages are no longer required for status monitoring. Group and dependency relationships between such components can be defined by the programmer for the purpose of configuration monitoring and management. An object belonging to a distributed application can be monitored by its host kernel for some system-defined exception conditions. When any of these conditions arise, other objects are notified through signals or messages, as specified by the programmer. >
Fifty Years of Computer Music: Ideas of the Past Speak to the Future

The use of the computer to analyze and synthesize sound in two early forms, additive and FM synthesis, led to new thoughts about synthesizing sound spectra, tuning and pitch. Detached from their traditional association with the timbre of acoustic instruments, spectra become structured and associated with pitch in ways that are unique to the medium of computer music.
Third-time coronary artery bypass operations: surgical strategy and results.

Abstract Background . Increasingly, patients are returning for a second, third, and even fourth coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedure. Methods . This report reviews the in-hospital and long-term outcomes for 102 patients undergoing a third or fourth CABG at Emory University from December 1977 to April 1994. Results . The mean interval from the first to second CABG was 5.2 ± 3.5 years and from the second to the third CABG 6.8 ± 4.1 years. The mean age was 60 ± 9 years, 91% were male, 33% had hypertension, 16% diabetes, 86% class III or IV angina (Canadian Cardiovascular Society), 4.4% congestive failure (New York Heart Association), and 73% three-vessel disease. The in-hospital mortality rate was 9.8%, with a perioperative myocardial infarction rate of 8.8% and a stroke rate of 1.9%. Conclusions . These perioperative mortality and myocardial infarction rates are several times higher than those reported for initial revascularizations or first-time redo CABG operations. However, the 5- and 10-year survival rates of 79% and 59%, respectively, and a myocardial infarction-free survival of 62% at 5 years, the benefits of a third-time CABG procedure are apparent for this high-risk group of patients.
Payment reform and integrated care: the need for evaluation

Countries face the twin challenge of providing highquality care while keeping care systems affordable and accessible during a time of financial crisis and low economic growth. In many countries, payment reforms are seen as a major lever to achieve these challenges. The rationale behind payment reforms emerges from the recognition that the current funding systems are a key cause of care fragmentation leading to suboptimal outcomes in terms of cost and quality.
Effectiveness of spinosad against seven major stored‐grain insects on corn

In January 2005, the United States Environmental Protection Agency registered spinosad as a stored grain protectant. No referenced data on the efficacy of spinosad on corn in suppressing major stored-grain insects have been published. In this paper, we evaluated the efficacy of spinosad against seven major stored-grain insects on shelled corn in the laboratory. Insect species tested were the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Jacquelin duVal); rusty grain beetle, Cryptolestesferrugineus (Stephens); lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.); sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.); rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.); maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky); and Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner). Corn kernels were treated with spinosad at 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 active ingredient (a.i.) mg/kg for controlling the seven species. Beetle adults or P. interpunctella eggs were introduced into each container holding 100 g of untreated or insecticide-treated corn. The seven insect species survived well on the control treatment, produced 28 to 336 progeny, and caused significant kernel damage after 49 days. On spinosad-treated corn, adult mortality of C. ferrugineus, R. dominica, O. surinamensis, S. oryzae, and S. zeamais was > 98% at 1 and 2 mg/kg after 12 days. Spinosad at > 0.5 mg/kg completely suppressed egg-to-larval survival after 21 days and egg-to-adult emergence of P. interpunctella after 49 days, whereas 16%T. castaneum adults survived at 1 mg/kg after 12 days. Spinosad at 1 or 2 mg/kg provided complete or near complete suppression of progeny production and kernel damage of all species after 49 days. Our results indicate that spinosad at the current labeled rate of 1 mg/kg is effective against the seven stored-grain insect pests on corn.
Tocainide for drug-resistant sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Abstract Eighty-two patients with drug-resistant ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation were treated with oral tocainide. Treatment in 54 patients, all with inducible ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation at baseline electrophysiologic testing, was based on the results of invasive electrophysiologic testing. Twenty-eight additional patients with frequent spontaneous ventricular tachycardia or no inducible arrhythmia during electrophysiologic testing were treated on the basis of the findings of electrocardiographic (ECG) Holter monitoring. Tocainide was effective in 7 (13%) and partially effective in 5 (8%) of the 54 patients in the electrophysiologic study group and was effective in 17 (61%) of the 28 patients in the ECG monitoring group. History of previous myocardial infarction and failure of response to lidocaine correlated with failure to respond to tocainide. Side effects were common both during initial therapy and during long-term treatment and necessitated discontinuation of tocainide therapy in 17% of the patients. At a mean follow-up period of 14 months, 13 patients are still receiving tocainide and are arrhythmia-free. In conclusion, the usefulness of oral tocainide in the management of drug-refractory sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation is limited because of its low effectiveness and frequent side effects.
Differential Associations Between Relational and Overt Aggression and Children’s Psychosocial Adjustment

Although much research has focused on the association between childhood aggression and negative psychosocial adjustment, the link between the subtypes of aggression and adjustment is less clear, particularly for relational aggression. The current study examined whether overt and relational aggression in childhood (M = 10.4 years, SD = 1.1) are differentially associated with four psychosocial adjustment outcomes (i.e., academic performance, social problems, depression, and delinquency). Results indicated that relational aggression was negatively associated with academic performance, while overt aggression was positively associated with delinquency. Additionally, findings suggested gender differences in the link between aggression subtypes and social problems. Specifically, overt aggression was positively associated with social problems for boys and relational aggression was positively associated with social problems for girls. Neither subtype of aggression was uniquely associated with depression. Thus, this study suggests that psychosocial outcomes may differ depending on the form of aggression that is utilized.
Long‐ and short‐term effects of transmyocardial laser revascularization in acute myocardial ischemia

Background and Objective: This study examined the effect of transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) on infarct size and global and regional left ventricular (LV) function. Study Desig/Materials and Methods: Acute ischemia was induced in 24 dogs by ligating the left anterior descending artery. TMLR was done through a left thoracotomy in 12 dogs. The 12 control dogs had ligation only. Global and regional LV function were measured before ligation, then at 6 hours or 3 months after ligation. We calculated the volumetric ratio of damaged myocardium to myocardium at risk (V d /V r ). Results: At 6 hours, global compensation despite regional dyskinesia was universal; V d /V r was the same in control and TMLR dogs. At 3 months, global function during stress was significantly higher in TMLR dogs than in control dogs (P <.05); regional contractions were synergic only in TMLR dogs; mean V d /V r was significantly lower in TMLR dogs. Conclusion: TMLR limits infarct expansion and improves longterm global and regional function after acute ischemia.
Winning and losing tree species of reassembly in Minnesota's mixed and broadleaf forests.

We examined reassembly of winning and losing tree species, species traits including shade and fire tolerance, and associated disturbance filters and forest ecosystem types due to rapid forest change in the Great Lakes region since 1850. We identified winning and losing species by changes in composition, distribution, and site factors between historical and current surveys in Minnesota’s mixed and broadleaf forests. In the Laurentian Mixed Forest, shade-intolerant aspen replaced shade-intolerant tamarack as the most dominant tree species. Fire-tolerant white pine and jack pine decreased, whereas shade-tolerant ashes, maples, and white cedar increased. In the Eastern Broadleaf Forest, fire-tolerant white oaks and red oaks decreased, while shade-tolerant ashes, American basswood, and maples increased. Tamarack, pines, and oaks have become restricted to sites with either wetter or sandier and drier soils due to increases in aspen and shade-tolerant, fire-sensitive species on mesic sites. The proportion of shade-tolerant species increased in both regions, but selective harvest reduced the applicability of functional groups alone to specify winners and losers. Harvest and existing forestry practices supported aspen dominance in mixed forests, although without aspen forestry and with fire suppression, mixed forests will transition to a greater composition of shade-tolerant species, converging to forests similar to broadleaf forests. A functional group framework provided a perspective of winning and losing species and traits, selective filters, and forest ecosystems that can be generalized to other regions, regardless of species identity.
Heat and water losses from burnt skin.

A thermal-modelling technique is employed to predict temperature distributions and the resulting heat and water losses from skin with various degrees of burn to the environment. Consideration is given to molecular diffusion of heat and water, capillary blood circulation, metabolic heat and water generation, and heat and water exchange with the environment through convection, radiation and evaporation. The pathological effect of burn is included by changing mass diffusivity. Numerical results for water losses for various degrees of burn are obtained, together with temperature profile at the burn site. The results of above findings agree with experimental data.