cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response Error and the Union Wage Differential

Broad variation in estimates of the union wage gap has perplexed labor economists. One specification error that is consistent with the observed variation is measurement error in reported union status. This article applies results of Bollinger (1996) to estimate a range for the union wage gap. Both a cross-sectional model and a fixed-effects model are estimated. In order for the true coefficient in the fixed-effects model to be bounded below the true coefficient in the cross-sectional estimates, measurement error would have to be less than 0.8%. The difference between the fixed-effects estimates and the cross-sectional estimates is primarily due to measurement error rather than to unobserved heterogeneity. An examination of differences in returns to union membership by industry, occupation, and educational level shows that these differences are largely robust to measurement error. Many of these differences would be found even if error rates were as high as 10% or more. An array of empirical estimates for the union wage differential has resulted from the variety of approaches to estimation. Lewis (1986) reviews the vast literature that attempts to estimate the union wage effect. Two extremes are represented by Mincer (1983), who estimates the wage differential to be 0.01, while Farber (1990) reports an estimate of 0.26. Clearly, specification error is the root cause of these differences. The literature has focused upon unobserved heterogeneity in worker status as the main specification error. Frequently, estimation approaches based on "within" estimators applied to fixed-effects models using panel data are used to account for the possibility of unobserved heterogeneity. As would be predicted by unobserved heterogeneity, Lewis (1986, p. 94) reports that "the panel wage gap estimates surveyed in the chapter on the average are roughly half as large as the corresponding cross-section estimates." This is often taken as evidence for bias in the cross-section estimates due to the presence of fixed effects. However, these results are also consistent with measurement error in the report of the union status. Indeed, chapter 5 in Lewis (1986) focuses upon this possibility: "the difference might be the result of union status measurement error" (p. 94). This article applies results of Bollinger (1996) to compare the effect of measurement error on cross-sectional estimates and panel estimates of the union wage differential. Bollinger (1996) establishes bounds for the slope coefficients of a linear regression when a binary regressor is thought to have measurement error. The results here do not identify a point estimate of the union wage differential; they relax many of the assumptions that are required to obtain the point estimates. These bounds serve the purpose of sensitivity analysis as called for by Leamer (1985).
On the measurement of hostility, aggression anxiety, projection and dependency.

Summary A 114-item sentence completion test of hostility, aggression anxiety, projection of hostility, and dependency was scored with an explicit scoring standard, correlated with extrapunitive and intropunitive peer ratings of 101 subjects, and cross-validated against a second group of 101 subjects. The reliability of peer ratings ranged from +.85 to +.91. Interscorer reliabilities for the sentence completion scales ranged from +.90 to +.98, while odd-even reliability was +.78. Significant correlation ratios between peer ratings and the hostility and aggression anxiety scales of the test were obtained.
Fractal Approach to Adsorption Isotherms of Water Vapor on Active Carbons.

Adsorption isotherms of water vapor on active carbons are interpreted in terms of the fractal approach. The linear range of plots in the steep rise of the adsorption branch is the process of the cluster formation of water on the seed water molecules adsorbed on the primary adsorption centers, mainly the oxygen-surface complexes, with the fractal dimension D = 1.64–1.67 which is equivalent to that for the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) model with D ≈ 1.66. Also, it is shown that the two-dimensional characteristics of micropore structures are reflected in the adsorption branch and the three-dimensional ones are in the desorption branch, respectively, by the analyses of the D and the average micropore width L based on the characteristic adsorption amounts at the beginning and the ending points of the steeply rising and falling linear ranges on both branches.
Quantified differential invariants

We address the verification problem for distributed hybrid systems with nontrivial dynamics. Consider air traffic collision avoidance maneuvers, for example. Verifying dynamic appearance of aircraft during an ongoing collision avoidance maneuver is a longstanding and essentially unsolved problem. The resulting systems are not hybrid systems and their state space is not of the form Rn. They are distributed hybrid systems with nontrivial continuous and discrete dynamics in distributed state spaces whose dimension and topology changes dynamically over time. We present the first formal verification technique that can handle the complicated nonlinear dynamics of these systems. We introduce quantified differential invariants, which are properties that can be checked for invariance along the dynamics of the distributed hybrid system based on differentiation, quantified substitution, and quantifier elimination in real-closed fields. This gives a computationally attractive technique, because it works without having to solve the infinite-dimensional differential equation systems underlying distributed hybrid systems. We formally verify a roundabout maneuver in which aircraft can appear dynamically.
An application of GIS to the measurement of spatial autocorrelation

Abstract This paper presents a GIS-based program that fully automates the measurement of spatial autocorrelation. In addition to being operational and practical, the program is flexible, as it allows the researcher to test alternative definitions of locational proximity between area objects. The program is applied to the study of the spatial impact of growth-control policies in the San Francisco Bay Region. This application example demonstrates that the technique of spatial autocorrelation is potentially useful for the study of the spatial consequences of public policies, and that GIS can effectively facilitate this kind of study.
Patterns of fuel utilization by the thoracic muscles of adult worker ants. The use of lipid by a hymenopteran

Abstract 1. 1. Patterns of fuel utilization in the thoracic muscles of three species of ants have been established. 2. 2. The thoracic muscles of Formica ulkei exhibit a typical Hymenopteran metabolic organization, relying exclusively upon carbohydrate oxidation for the provision of metabolic energy. This species feeds upon honeydew. 3. 3. Pogonomyrmex californicus , a granivorous ant, exhibits a metabolic organization unprecedented for a Hymenopteran species. Its thoracic energy metabolism is based upon lipid oxidation. 4. 4. Atta colombica , a fungus feeder, can metabolize both carbohydrate and fat, a versatility which is not typical of Hymenoptera. 5. 5. It is concluded that patterns of fuel utilization in insects are not determined by phylogenetic inertia, but are selected to accommodate the activity patterns, feeding ecology and dietary regime of the species.
Recovery of Deformed Polymers. II. Repeated Cold Drawing of Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, and Polypropylene

Studies of repeated cold drawing with intermediate annealing have been carried out on three polymers: polycarbonate, polyethylene, and polypropylene. In the case of polycarbonate, samples recovered to their original lengths in the anneals. On testing, necking and yielding behavior were observed on all draws, with the modulus and yield stress dropping most significantly between the first and second draws, and by a smaller amount between the second and subsequent draws. The recovery kinetics are complex; activation energy spectra derived from these kinetics are centered about 22.5–24.5 kcal/mole, and do not vary significantly with the initial strain or number of the draw. In the case of polypropylene, yielding and necking were observed on all draws after annealing at 160°C; with annealing at lower temperatures, yielding was noted on only the first draw. For both polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) incomplete recovery was observed on the intermediate anneals; the elastic modulus and drawing stress were significantly smaller on the second draw than on the first draw, and were effectively unchanged between the second and subsequent draws. This softening effect decreased with increased extent of recovery in the intermediate anneal. Activation energy spectra derived from the recovery kinetics were centered about 14.5–15.5 kcal/mole for PP and 22–23 kcal/mole for PE; the occurrence of recovery processes having significantly lower activation energies is also indicated.
Thermomechanical response of HSLA-65 steel plates: experiments and modeling

Abstract To understand and model the thermomechanical response of high-strength low-alloy steel (HSLA-65), uniaxial compression tests are performed on cylindrical samples, using an Instron servohydraulic testing machine and UCSD’s enhanced Hopkinson technique. True strains exceeding 60% are achieved in these tests, over the range of strain rates from 10−3/s to about 8500/s, and at initial temperatures from 77 to 1000 K. The microstructure of the undeformed and deformed samples is examined through optical microscopy. The experimental results show: (1) HSLA-65 steel displays good ductility and plasticity (strain > 60%) even at low temperatures (even at 77 K) and high strain rates; (2) at relatively high temperatures and low strain rates (especially below about 0.1/s), its strength is temperature-insensitive, indicating that the material has good high-temperature weldability; (3) slight dynamic strain aging (DSA) occurs at temperatures over 400 K and in the range of strain rates from 0.001/s to 3000/s, the maximum values of the stress shifting to higher temperatures with increasing strain rates; and (4) the microstructure of the material is not affected much by the changes in the strain rate and temperature. Finally, based on the mechanism of dislocation motion, and using our experimental data, the parameters of a physically-based model developed earlier for AL-6XN stainless steel [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 49 (2001) 1823] are estimated and the model predictions are compared with various experimental results, excluding the dynamic strain aging effects. Good agreement between the theoretical predictions and experimental results is obtained. In order to further verify the model independently of the experiments used for the evaluation of the model parameters, additional compression tests at a strain rate of 8500/s and various initial temperatures are performed, and the results are compared with the model predictions. Good correlation is observed. As an alternative to this model, the experimental data are also used to estimate the parameters in the Johnson–Cook model [Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Ballistics, The Hague, The Netherlands, p. 541] and the resulting model predictions are compared with the experimental data, again excluding the dynamic strain-aging effects. These and related results suggest that the physically-based model has a better prediction capability over a broader strain rate and temperature range.
Application of the McMurry coupling reaction in the synthesis of tri- and tetra-arylethylene analogues as potential cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Abstract Structural redesign of selected non-steroidal estrogen receptor binding compounds has previously been successful in the discovery of new inhibitors of tubulin assembly. Accordingly, tetra-substituted alkene analogues (21–30) were designed based in part on combinations of the structural and electronic components of tamoxifen and combretastatin A-4 (CA4). The McMurry coupling reaction was used as the key synthetic step in the preparation of these tri- and tetra-arylethylene analogues. The structural assignment of E, Z isomers was determined on the basis of 2D-NOESY experiments. The ability of these compounds to inhibit tubulin polymerization and cell growth in selected human cancer cell lines was evaluated. Although the compounds were found to be less potent than CA4, these analogues significantly advance the known structure–activity relationship associated with the colchicine binding site on β-tubulin.
A simplified method for purification of human C5a from citrated plasma.

A simplified immunoadsorption technique has been developed to purify human C5a, the 11000 Da glycopeptide produced by C5 convertase cleavage of the fifth component of complement. In this method, human C5 fragments, including C5a, are isolated from zymosan-activated plasma by affinity chromatography, concentrated on CM 52 cellulose, and then purified to homogeneity by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 in phosphate-buffered saline. Human C5a prepared by this technique demonstrates characteristic immunochemical and biologic activity. This method has also been adapted for the purification of 125I-C5a in phosphate-buffered saline. This technique offers a simplified approach to the purification of this important soluble mediator of inflammation.
On the interactions between large-scale structure and fine-grained turbulence in a free shear flow. II - The development of spatial interactions in the mean

The interactions between large-scale structure and fine-grained turbulence in a spatially developing mixing layer are investigated. Both a conditioned average and a time average are employed to separate the nonrandom and random fluctuations in the kinetic energy treatment of the interactions. Shape assumptions applying to the interaction integrals are adopted to obtain a solution to the closure problem. Energy-transfer mechanisms among the mean flow, the fine-grained turbulence and the large-scale structure are discussed. The magnitude of the large-scale structure and its streamwise lifetime both prove to be important in accounting for fine-grained turbulence enhancement.
Some methodological problems in cross‐cultural media research

Abstract The differential availability and use of television around the world serves to highlight some persistent methodological problems frequently encountered in cross-cultural psychological research. Focal antecedent variables that exist prior to a study and focal consequent variables which occur later in time should be discussed in terms of focal theory. A major problem in cross-cultural research is to determine the extent to which ambient factors can provide plausible alternative explanations for any observed differences between cultures caused by some focal variable. Various ways in which television can be used as either an independent variable, a mediating variable, or as a dependent variable are summarized. A brief discussion of problems involved in studying the effect of television on the cognitive abilities of Native Alaskan children illustrates some of the methodological problems in cross-cultural media research.
Expressing measurement units in interfaces for scientific component software

Scientific computing programs rarely use measurement units to express quantities, even though such units are common-place in pencil and paper calculation. Tools that enable expressing measurement units and enforce dimensional safety have been made available in popular programming languages for some time, but they still lack a significant following. We posit that scientific programmers should not be burdened by units at each statement in their programs, but that units should be inserted in software component interfaces. This coarser grain approach enables the prevention of errors that occur when components written by different teams are composed, which we believe is a major cause of dimensional errors. We present our design of adding measurement units to interfaces in the CCA component model, which is targeted at the scientific computing community, in order to provide dimensional safety, an extensible set of measurement units and automatic conversion between commensurable quantities.
Beliefs about condoms and their association with intentions to use condoms among youths in detention

Abstract Purpose : Youths in detention have been identified as a high-risk group for AIDS. To help inform AIDS-prevention efforts targeted for these youths, we surveyed youths in detention regarding their sexual behaviors, beliefs about condoms, intentions to use condoms, and actual condom use. We examined race and gender differences in these beliefs and behaviors, and we studied the relationship of these beliefs to condom-use intentions. Methods : Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 201 youths in detention who were, on average, 16 years old. The sample was stratified on gender and race (African-American and white), with approximately equal numbers in each group. Results : The results indicate that these youths had engaged in behaviors that put them at high risk of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases. Although they used condoms somewhat more consistently with casual partners than with their steady partners, the majority did not use condoms consistently with either partner type. Very few race or gender differences were found with regard to condom use, intentions to use condoms, or beliefs about the consequences of using condoms. Beliefs associated with intentions to use condoms with steady partners included protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and the beliefs that condoms reduce pleasure, are artificial, unromantic, and interrupt sex. In contrast, only the belief that condoms prevent pregnancy was related to intentions to use condoms with casual partners. Conclusion : The results suggest that interventions targeted at African-American and white males and females in detention need not differ greatly in content as long as they include the most salient concerns of each group; that interventions include content on the two protective benefits of condom use (pregnancy and STD prevention), as well as on how to minimize the perceived negative aspects of condom use; that they stress the need for condom use with steady as well as casual partners; and that they stress that anal intercourse is especially risky with regard to AIDS transmission.
Functional Assessment of Laser Arc Hybrid Welded Joints and Their Application for Bridge Construction

It has been made clear that the tensile strength of fillet joints using laser arc hybrid welding satisfies the requirements retaining base metal strength. The fatigue strength of laser arc hybrid welded fillet joints can be considered at least equal to that of conventional arc welding in the preparation of the structural design specification. By applying laser arc hybrid welding to the pedestrian walkway mount-up panel, the welding distortion was too small to require corrective work. The number of welding passes was decreased by single-sided fillet weld. The welding speed of laser arc hybrid welding is about twice that of arc welding.
184. Novel Cationic Multivalent Lipids Show Improved Delivery of siRNA and DNA

Complexes of nucleic acids (Nas) with cationic lipids (CLs) are promising delivery vectors with numerous potential applications, particularly in human therapeutics. As synthetic vectors, CL-NA complexes can carry Nas of arbitrary size and are safer and easier to produce than viruses. Our work aims at the design of optimized lipid vectors through an improved understanding of the mechanism of transfection and how it is affected by NA type and size, CL-NA complex structure, lipid structure and lipid composition1. We have synthesized multivalent cationic lipids (MVLs) with systematically varied headgroup charge (+2 up to +16) and investigated siRNA and DNA complexes of these MVLs and 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine (DOPC), comparing both their structure and in vitro transfection properties to analogous complexes made from 1,2-Dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) / 1,2- Diloleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) and DOTAP / DOPC.
Orientation-specific Control of Attention

OF THE DISSERTATION Orientation-specific Control of Attention By Feng Du Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology Washington University in St. Louis, 2010 Professor Richard A. Abrams, Chairperson Previous studies have shown that an irrelevant distractor matched to a sought-for color captures attention involuntarily, thus violating either temporal or spatial control of attention. However, whether an irrelevant distractor that matches a sought-for orientation can capture attention is still unknown. A task of rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) was developed to examine whether an irrelevant distractor oriented in the same way as the target can capture attention. Participants were presented with a sequence of letters at fixation and were required to search for the target letter with a specific orientation. In all five experiments, six peripheral bars flanked the central letters either shortly before or after the appearance of the target letter. The present study found that six homogeneously oriented bars in the periphery (45 from the sought-for orientation) did not impair target performance compared to no peripheral bars at all. However, a peripheral orientation singleton that matched the target orientation captured attention and severely impaired central target identification. In addition, a peripheral orientation singleton that was orthogonal to the target orientation also captured attention and produced a similar impairment as the orientation-matched distractor. And the capture effect by the orthogonal singleton (90 from the sought-for orientation) was not due to the stimulus-
THE EFFECT OF BASEMENT FAULT REACTIVATION ON THE TRIASSIC – RECENT GEOLOGY OF KURDISTAN, NORTH IRAQ

The Zagros orogenic belt is underlain by a complex faulted Precambrian basement. Major fault trends originating in this basement have been invoked to explain large-scale structural changes along the strike of the orogen, e.g. the development of the Kirkuk Embayment (Kurdistan, Iraq) and the Lurestan Salient (Iran). However, within the Kirkuk Embayment, these structural trends have not previously been considered as an interacting group of faults which are periodically reactivated. This contribution first presents a revised basement fault map for the Kirkuk Embayment, created from interpreted gravity data, existing fault maps and remote sensing lineament analyses. This map is then compared to surface structure maps, published facies maps and source rock maturity data using GIS techniques. The object is to define the relationship between the basement faults and surface structures, fades and source-rock maturity through time. Surface anticline orientation and location, as well as a number of major facies changes within the cover sequence, and the maturity of Triassic source rocks, are constrained by the interaction of the Najd and Transverse fault trends. A third basement trend, the Nabitah trend, has a more subtle effect on Phanerozoic geology. The Kirkuk Embayment can be divided into a series of semi-independent basement blocks, defined by these basement fault trends. The interaction of these semi-independent blocks has created local but predictable differences in surface structures, sediment thickness and facies, and variations in the maturity of Triassic source units across the Kirkuk Embayment. An understanding of the location and behaviour of basement faults within this hydrocarbon province is therefore a valuable predictive tool in exploration.
2011 Presidential Address: What Is EAM Doing to Bridge the Practitioner–Academy Gap?

May 13, 2011 Welcome to Boston. Since my first EAM [Eastern Academy of Management] conference in 1981, I can't ever remember a view like this for the luncheon. I am sorry that Steve Meisel couldn't...
XXIX. On concave gratings for optical purposes

(1883). XXIX. On concave gratings for optical purposes. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 16, No. 99, pp. 197-210.
Asymmetric impact of trade balance news on asset prices

Abstract This study documents significant asymmetrical impact of information in trade balance announcements on prices of assets such as equities and foreign exchange rates. Interestingly, foreign exchange rates and equity prices were less responsive to large surprises in the trade balance but more responsive to surprises within one standard deviation of the average. This asymmetry in market reaction to trade balance news seems consistent with the asymmetric nature of central bank intervention policy commitments during the late 1980s. These results documenting the asymmetric impact of news on asset prices may have important implications for asset pricing models and economic policy formulation.
Time delay and spatial signature estimation using known asynchronous signals

This paper considers the problem of estimating the parameters of known signals received asynchronously by an array of antennas. The parameters of primary interest are the time delays of the signals and their spatial signatures at the array. Estimates of the signal directions of arrival are also considered but are of secondary importance in this work. Maximum likelihood algorithms and more computationally efficient approximations are developed for both the case where all received signals are identical (the channel estimation/overlapping echo problem) and where they are all distinct. Conditions are also derived under which the standard matched filter approach yields consistent and statistically efficient parameter estimates. The issue of solution uniqueness is addressed, and in particular, an upper bound on the number of signals whose parameters may be uniquely identified is derived for a number of different cases. Typically, the bound is far greater than the number of sensors and is limited only by the number of data samples collected. Some representative simulation examples are also included to illustrate the algorithms' performance relative to the Cramer-Rao bound.
The reaction of lead tetraacetate with alicyclic alcohols—II

Abstract Cyclohexanemethanol, 1-methylcyclohexanemethanol and 2-tetrahydropyranmethanol were oxidized with lead tetraacetate, and in each case a different ratio of cyclization products (1,4-ethers) to β-fragmentation products (olefins, bridged saturated hydrocarbons, acetates and formates) was obtained. These relative product distributions are discussed in terms of conformational, steric (van der Waals) and electronic (resonance) effects.
Recent advances in genetics of salt tolerance in tomato

Salinity is an important environmental constraint to crop productivity in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Most crop plants, including tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., are sensitive to salinity throughout the ontogeny of the plant. Despite considerable research on salinity in plants, there are only a few instances where salt-tolerant cultivars have been developed. This is due in part to the complexity of the trait. A plant's response to salt stress is modulated by many physiological and agronomical characteristics, which may be controlled by the actions of several to many genes whose expressions are influenced by various environmental factors. In addition, salinity tolerance is a developmentally regulated, stage-specific phenomenon; tolerance at one stage of plant development is often not correlated with tolerance at other stages. Specific ontogenic stages should be evaluated separately for the assessment of tolerance and the identification, characterization, and utilization of useful genetic components. In tomato, genetic resources for salt tolerance have been identified largely within the related wild species, and considerable efforts have been made to characterize the genetic controls of tolerance at various developmental stages. For example, the inheritance of several tolerance-related traits has been determined and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with tolerance at individual developmental stages have been identified and characterized. It has been determined that at each stage salt tolerance is largely controlled by a few QTLs with major effects and several QTLs with smaller effects. Different QTLs have been identified at different developmental stages, suggesting the absence of genetic relationships among stages in tolerance to salinity. Furthermore, it has been determined that in addition to QTLs which are population specific, several QTLs for salt tolerance are conserved across populations and species. Research is currently underway to develop tomatoes with improved salt tolerance throughout the ontogeny of the plant by pyramiding QTLs through marker-assisted selection (MAS). Transgenic approaches also have been employed to gain a better understanding of the genetics of salt tolerance and to develop tomatoes with improved tolerance. For example, transgenic tomatoes with overexpression of a single-gene-controlled vacuolar Na+/H+ antiport protein, transferred from Arabidopsis thaliana, have exhibited a high level of salt tolerance under greenhouse conditions. Although transgenic plants are yet to be examined for field salt tolerance and salt-tolerant tomatoes are yet to be developed by MAS, the recent genetic advances suggest a good prospect for developing commercial cultivars of tomato with enhanced salt tolerance in near future.
Joining comes of age: from pragmatic process to enabling technology

From when we, as humans, first lashed a pointed stone to a split straight stick to make a more effective spear for hunting to now when we fasten and bond ablative ceramic tiles to the frail metal skin of the Space Shuttle to allow safe re‐entry from manned excursions into space, joining has been a pragmatic, albeit critically important, fabrication process. As we move beyond the Industrial Age to the ages of Information Technology, Nanotechnology, and Biotechnology, joining must move from a secondary process for manufacturing objects or articles from pre‐synthesized and pre‐shaped materials to a primary process for combining materials into fundamental structures as these structures and even materials are being synthesized; where the boundary between the materials and the structure becomes blurred. This paper attempts to catch a glimpse of the future where joining comes of age to become an enabling technology practiced as much or more by technicians or physicians than as a trade practiced by helmeted welders or hard‐hatted riveters.
Atrial fibrillation: epidemiologic considerations and rationale for conversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm.

Atrial fibrillation is now the most common cardiac arrhythmia for which a patient is hospitalized. Clinically, it presents in a form that is paroxysmal, persistent, or permanent and may be symptoma...
The evolution of Nutrition in Medicine, a computer-assisted nutrition curriculum

The primary mission of the Nutrition in Medicine (NIM) project is to provide tools to facilitate the nutrition training of undergraduate medical students. NIM has developed and distributed a CD-ROM-based nutrition curriculum to medical schools since 1995. However, the medical school environment is changing rapidly; there is pressure to do more in less time, and many schools are emphasizing independent and integrated learning. The need for a nutrition curriculum that is more flexible and more accessible has driven the evolution of the NIM curriculum from CD-ROM-based delivery into a more modular curriculum with Web delivery. Such changes facilitate access and eliminate the need for installation of CD-ROMs and the associated technical support issues. In addition, the instructional units are smaller and more modular. Eventually, the authoring system will allow instructors to put together a course to meet their specific instructional needs. Our future plans also include custom-tailoring that will allow students to opt out of learning material on the basis of pretest scores if they are already proficient in the content. In this update, we provide a detailed description of the new system and the rationale for the modifications we made. Furthermore, we describe how each change addresses barriers to nutrition education as identified from our surveys and others and from direct user feedback. These innovative strategies should allow a better fit of NIM within diverse medical school environments and help to promote incorporation of the curriculum into more medical schools.
Hardness results on the man-exchange stable marriage problem with short preference lists

We present two hardness results on the man-exchange stable marriage problem, one of which settles a recent conjecture of Irving on the complexity of determining whether a given instance of the stable marriage problem with short preference lists has a man-exchange stable matching.
Luminescence Characterization of Chromium-Containing theta-Alumina

Characteristic photostimulated luminescence (fluorescence) in the visible range is reported from theta transition alumina prepared by using a variety of methods. The luminescence is associated with trace concentrations of chromium and can be intensified by intentional chromium doping. The luminescence from theta-alumina is similar to, albeit considerably weaker than, the R-line luminescence from alpha-alumina. The theta-alumina spectrum is characterized by a doublet at ∼14575 and 14645 cm−1 at 77 K and is blue-shifted from the R-lines of alpha-alumina by ∼150 cm−1. The doublet is attributed to Cr3+ ions in octahedral coordination and can be used for phase identification in microstructural characterization.
Cardiac troponin T and I, electrocardiographic wall motion analyses, and ejection fractions in athletes participating in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and troponin I (cTnI) are highly sensitive and specific for detecting myocardial damage even in the presence of skeletal muscle injury. In this study, we assessed whether ultraendurance exercise induced cardiomyocyte injury using plasma cTnT and cTnI measurements, quantitative echocardiographic wall-motion analysis, and ejection fraction measurement in athletes who participated in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. Twenty-three athletes (11 men) who completed the triathlon (3.9 km swim, 180.2 km bike, and 42.2 km run) participated in this study. Blood samples were obtained 2 days before and immediately after the triathlon for the determination of cTnT (Enzymun, Roche Diagnostics) and cTnI (Dade Behring) concentrations. Quantitative echocardiographic wall motion analysis and ejection fraction were obtained on 12 of the 23 participants before and immediately after the race. No subject had detectable cTnT or cTnI or abnormal echo score before the race. Following the race, 2 subjects (9%) had marked increases in both cTnT (0.15 and 0.33 microg/L) and cTnI (2.09 and 4.44 microg/L). Four additional subjects (17%) had moderate increases in cTnT (0.04 to 0.05 microg/L) but no detectable cTnI. Race time correlated inversely with cTnT (r = -0.65, p <0.01). Mean change in the number of abnormal echo segments after the race was 6.5 in those with a marked increase in cTnT and cTnI, 2.3 in those with a moderate increase in cTnT, and 1.7 in those with no increase. Ejection fraction decreased by an average of 24% after the race (p <0.002). Thus, ultraendurance exercise may cause myocardial damage as indicated by biochemical cardiac-specific markers and echocardiography. The cellular nature of this damage and whether it is transient or permanent is unclear at present.
CoTS: A Scalable Framework for Parallelizing Frequency Counting over Data Streams

Frequency counting, frequent elements and top-k queries form a class of operators that are used for a wide range of stream analysis applications. In spite of the abundance of these algorithms, all known techniques for answering data stream queries are sequential in nature. The imminent ubiquity of Chip Multi-Processor (CMP) architectures requires algorithms that can exploit the parallelism of such architectures. In this paper, we first evaluate different naive techniques for intra-operator parallelism, and summarize the insights obtained from the naive techniques. Our experimental analysis of the naive designs shows that intra-operator parallelism is not straightforward and requires a complete redesign of the system. We then propose an efficient and scalable framework for parallelizing frequency counting, frequent elements and top-k queries over data streams. The proposed CoTS (Co-operative Thread Scheduling) framework is based on the principle of threads co-operating rather than contending. Our experiments on a state-of-the-art quad-core chip multiprocessor architecture and synthetic data sets demonstrate the scalability of the proposed framework, and the efficiency is demonstrated by peak processing throughput of more than 60 million elements per second.
Treating Neglect by Body Movements: A Case Report and Follow-Up Study (P3.043)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether encouraging midline-body movements may increase spatial exploration in people with spatial neglect. BACKGROUND: Visual scanning has only shown mixed results in the rehabilitation of left spatial neglect, a disorder of spatially asymmetric attention and action, accompanied by functional disability. Adding body-centered instructions may improve spatial performance, but cuing right body movements could increase rightward bias. Here, we compared instructions using either midline or non-midline body parts, to enhance left-side spatial exploration in right-brain stroke survivors with spatial neglect. METHODS: A 68-year-old woman with spatial neglect (Behavioral Inattention Test score=28, Catherine Bergego Scale=24) after right basal ganglia infarct made errors identifying left-sided objects (pen, keys, phone). She was prompted using four instructions: “look to the left”, “point with your nose to the left”, “point with your [right] hand to the left”, and “stick out your tongue and point it to the left” (12 trials per instruction). RESULTS: Our patient named left-sided objects in 42% of trials looking left; 50% of trials moving the nose left, 0% of trials moving the hand left, and 100% of trials moving the tongue left. A chi-square test showed performance significantly improved when cuing with midline (nose, tongue), versus non-midline (looking, hand), body parts (X2=9.11, p=0.003). We then tested 10 more consecutive neglect patients using 15 trials per instruction, but only 4 made any errors naming the objects [48% of trials correct with looking, 38% with nose, 32% with hand, 42% with tongue]. DISCUSSION: Our initial neglect patient named left-sided objects better when cued to move midline structures to the left. If midline structures are represented more bilaterally in the brain, they may be less affected by body-centered “aiming” bias. Future research would examine whether cueing with the nose/tongue is selectively helpful for patients with more severe neglect or with “aiming” bias and limb akinesia. STUDY SUPPORTED BY: National Institutes of Health and Kessler Foundation. Disclosure: Dr. Chaudhari has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pigott has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Barrett has received personal compensation for activities with WebMD. Dr. Barrett has received research support from Kessler Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement, the Department of Education/NIDRR.
Model predictive control for starvation prevention in a hybrid fuel cell system

When current is drawn from a fuel cell, it is critical that the reacted oxygen is replenished rapidly by the air supply system to avoid stack starvation and damage. We first explain that in a stand-alone fuel cell, there is lack of control authority in avoiding excessive oxygen starvation during high current demand. In the hybrid configuration introduced A small auxiliary power source significantly extends the control authority in avoiding oxygen starvation. To achieve best possible results without violating operational constraints of the system, a well-devised current split strategy is required. We formulate distribution of current demand between the fuel cell and the auxiliary source in a constrained optimization (model predictive control) framework. As a result, the reactant deficit during sudden increases in stack power was reduced from 50% in stand-alone architecture to less than 1% in the hybrid configuration.
Call for Papers: Collection Management

Librarians working to manage and develop collections need a resource to help them keep pace with the constantly changing landscape of library collections and their management. The peer-reviewed jou...
A computational scaling analysis of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms in long-term groundwater monitoring applications

Abstract This study contributes a detailed assessment of how increasing problem sizes (measured in terms of the number of decision variables being considered) impacts the computational complexity of using multiple objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) to solve long-term groundwater monitoring (LTM) applications. The epsilon-dominance non-dominated sorted genetic algorithm II (e-NSGAII), which has been shown to be an efficient and reliable MOEA, was chosen for the computational scaling study. Four design objectives were chosen for the analysis: (i) sampling cost, (ii) contaminant concentration estimation error, (iii) local uncertainty, and (iv) contaminant mass estimation error. The true Pareto-optimal solution set was generated for 18–25 well LTM test cases in order to provide for rigorous algorithm performance assessment for problems of increasing size. Results of the study indicate that the e-NSGAII exhibits quadratic computational scaling with increasing LTM problem size. However, if the user is willing to accept an approximation to the Pareto-optimal solution set, e-dominance can be used to reduce the computational scaling of MOEAs to be linear with increasing problem sizes. This study provides a basis for advancing the size and scope of water resources problems that can be effectively solved using MOEAs.
Pythoscape: a framework for generation of large protein similarity networks

Pythoscape is a framework implemented in Python for processing large protein similarity networks for visualization in other software packages. Protein similarity networks are graphical representations of sequence, structural and other similarities among proteins for which pairwise all-by-all similarity connections have been calculated. Mapping of biological and other information to network nodes or edges enables hypothesis creation about sequence-structure-function relationships across sets of related proteins. Pythoscape provides several options to calculate pairwise similarities for input sequences or structures, applies filters to network edges and defines sets of similar nodes and their associated data as single nodes (termed representative nodes) for compression of network information and output data or formatted files for visualization.
Lyapunov stability of an open-loop induction machine

The induction machine is widely utilized in the industry and exists in a plethora of applications. Although it is characterized by its inherent stability over a wide range of operating conditions, this characterization is based on steady-state arguments. This work develops a rigorous approach to the open-loop stability of the induction machine. In particular, a condition for the global asymptotic stability of the induction machine in the sense of Lyapunov is presented. These conditions are met if the machine is lightly loaded. Hence, meeting these conditions guarantees that the motor will reach (or return to) the desired equilibrium point regardless of how far it has been perturbed from it. The analysis is based on the standard nonlinear differential equation model of the induction machine taking into account transient responses.
Neonatal resistance to lung edema.

SummaryTwo species of Muridae neonata are more resistant to the lung edema produced by inhalation of nitrogen dioxide and to the lung edema produced by intraperitoneal injections of thiourea than comparable weight-adjusted adults. These results are in direct contrast to both original data and data from the literature on the ordinarily increased sensitivity of neonata to most drugs and toxic agents. The normal lung-body weight percentage in rats decreases from 1.7% at birth to 0.5% at 90 days.
Approaches to vaccines against Orientia tsutsugamushi

Scrub typhus is a severe mite-borne infection caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, an obligately intracellular bacterium closely related to Rickettsia. The disease explains a substantial proportion of acute undifferentiated febrile cases that require hospitalization in rural areas of Asia, the North of Australia, and many islands of the Pacific Ocean. Delayed antibiotic treatment is common due to the lack of effective commercially available diagnostic tests and the lack of specificity of the early clinical presentation. The systemic infection of endothelial cells that line the vasculature with Orientia can lead to many complications and fatalities. In survivors, immunity does not last long, and is poorly cross-reactive among numerous strains. In addition, chronic infections are established in an unknown number of patients. All those characteristics justify the pursuit of a prophylactic vaccine against O. tsutsugamushi; however, despite continuous efforts to develop such a vaccine since World War II, the objective has not been attained. In this review, we discuss the history of vaccine development against Orientia to provide a clear picture of the challenges that we continue to face from the perspective of animal models and the immunological challenges posed by an intracellular bacterium that normally triggers a short-lived immune response. We finish with a proposal for development of an effective and safe vaccine for scrub typhus through a new approach with a strong focus on T cell-mediated immunity, empirical testing of the immunogenicity of proteins encoded by conserved genes, and assessment of protection in relevant animal models that truly mimic human scrub typhus.
Streptococcus agalactiae CspA Is a Serine Protease That Inactivates Chemokines

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) remains a leading cause of invasive infections in neonates and has emerged as a pathogen of the immunocompromised and elderly populations. The virulence mechanisms of GBS are relatively understudied and are still poorly understood. Previous evidence indicated that the GBS cspA gene is necessary for full virulence and the cleavage of fibrinogen. The predicted cspA product displays homology to members of the extracellular cell envelope protease family. CXC chemokines, many of which can recruit neutrophils to sites of infection, are important signaling peptides of the immune system. In this study, we purified CspA and demonstrated that it readily cleaved the CXC chemokines GRO-α, GRO-β, GRO-γ, neutrophil-activating peptide 2 (NAP-2), and granulocyte chemotactic protein 2 (GCP-2) but did not cleave interleukin-8. CspA did not cleave a panel of other test substrates, suggesting that it possesses a certain degree of specificity. CXC chemokines also underwent cleavage by whole GBS cells in a cspA-dependent manner. CspA abolished the abilities of three representative CXC chemokines, GRO-γ, NAP-2, and GCP-2, to attract and activate neutrophils. Genetic and biochemical evidence indicated that CspA is a serine protease with S575 at its active site. D180 was also implicated as part of the signature serine protease catalytic triad, and both S575 and D180 were required for both N-terminal and C-terminal autocatalytic processing of CspA.