cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is honesty the best policy? A game theory perspective of auditing

We extend and refine the welfare game developed by Coate et al. (2002) in two directions. First, by allowing the client and auditor to choose their strategies sequentially, we show that the most efficient equilibrium is that the client moves first to honestly report earnings, which is followed by the auditor that chooses to perform a normal audit. Second, by including the possibility that the client can corrupt the auditor with side payments, which results in a failed audit, the regulator can impose an ex ante flexible penalty level that increases in proportion to the client’s maximum benefits from misstating earnings. Such a preemptive regulation makes the most efficient equilibrium obtainable in which the client will move forward to report earnings honestly, followed by the normal audit strategy chosen by the auditor, even when the auditor may not be independent.
In situ breast carcinoma after treatment during adolescence for thyroid cancer with radioiodine.

We reviewed the courses of patients treated during childhood or adolescence for thyroid cancer to estimate the frequency of, and to identify possible risk factors for, the occurrence of second malignant tumors in this population. We identified all patients treated for thyroid cancer in a cohort of 1,406 pediatric cancer patients who were diagnosed prior to 20 years of age during the period January 1, 1960 through December 31, 1988 and who were treated at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Twelve patients were treated for thyroid cancer, of whom nine were women. In situ breast carcinoma was diagnosed 25 and 26 years after diagnosis of thyroid cancer in two of four women treated with radioiodine. No new cancers were diagnosed in the five women treated with thyroidectomy only. Two of four women treated for thyroid cancer during adolescence with radioiodine, which is concentrated in the breast as well as other organs, developed in situ breast carcinoma. Review of a large cohort of adolescent female thyroid cancer patients treated with radioiodine is necessary to provide an accurate estimate of their risk of developing breast cancer. These patients must remain under medical surveillance throughout their lifetimes to facilitate prompt diagnosis of and early intervention for new conditions, such as the occurrence of breast cancer. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Presence of anti‐pituitary hormone antibodies in patients with empty sella syndrome and pituitary tumours

Summary OBJECTIVE We evaluated the presence of anti-pituitary hormone autoantibodies (APHA) in patients with primary empty sella syndrome and pituitary tumours and examined the correlation of positive antibodies with the hormonal deficiencies. DESIGN Case-control, retrospective study. PATIENTS Eleven patients were identified with primary empty sella syndrome or a pituitary tumour by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scanning. Six healthy, normal subjects without evidence of a pituitary problem served as the control group. MEASUREMENTS Anti-pituitary hormone autoantibodies against purified pituitary hormones were measured in ail subjects utilizing an immunoblotting technique. All patients with pituitary disease had their medical records reviewed for any hormonal evaluation. RESULTS All of the normal subjects were negative for antipituitary hormone antibodies. Forty-five per cent of patients with pituitary disease (pituitary tumours or primary empty sella syndrome) had positive antipituitary hormone antibodies. Of the five patients with positive antipituitary hormone antibodies, anti-ACTH antibodies were the most common (5/5) followed by anti-TSH and anti-GH antibodies (2/5 for each). The hormonal deficiencies failed to correspond with the antipituitary hormone antibodies. Anti-ACTH antibody had a sensitivity of 50% with a specificity of 56%. The anti-TSH antibody yielded a sensitivity of 67% with a specificity of 100%. The anti-FSH/ LH antibody reported a 0% sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS Detection of antipituitary hormone antibody was unable to discriminate between empty sella syndrome and pituitary tumours. The presence of these antipituitary hormone antibodies were neither specific for, nor predictive of, the endocrine deficiencies.
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EVIDENCE FOR GABA AND GLYCINE-CONTAINING TRIGEMINAL PREMOTONEURONS IN THE GUINEA PIG

Electrophysiological studies have suggested that inhibition of trigeminal motoneurons during mastication and the jaw-opening reflex are mediated by last-order interneurons (premotoneurons) utilizing GABA and glycine [Chandler et al. (1985), Brain Res., 325:181–186; Enomoto et al. (1987), Neurosci. Res., 4:396–412; Goldberg and Nakamura (1968), Experientia, 24:371–373; Kidokoro et al. (1968), J. Neurophysiol., 31:695–708; Nakamura et al. (1978), Exp. Neurol., 61:1–14]. In the present study we performed a series of double-labeling experiments in guinea pigs to determine the location of neurons which contain GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) or glycine that project to the trigeminal motor nucleus (Mo5). This was accomplished by performing immunohistochemical staining in combination with a retrograde tract tracing technique using colloidal gold bound to inactivated WGA-HRP (wheat germ agglutin-horseradish peroxidase) (gWGA-HRP) as our retrograde tracer. Neurons which had a positive immunoreactivity to GABA or GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and contained the retrograde marker were located in regions adjacent to the Mo5 such as the intertrigeminal, supratrigeminal, peritrigeminal and rostral portions of the parvocellular reticular formation alpha. Neurons which had a positive immunoreactivity to glycine and contained the retrograde marker were identified in the parvocellular reticular formation, the spinal trigeminal nucleus oralis, supratrigeminal and intertrigeminal regions. These data provide anatomical evidence for GABAergic and glycinergic projections to Mo5. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Anisotropic scattering in half-space transport problems

Case’s singular normal mode analysis of half-space transport problems is extended to include anisotropic scattering. The cases of absorbing and nonabsorbing media are treated separately. By way of illustration, the solution to the Milne problem is obtained in each instance. It is shown that the results may always be written in terms of an appropriate X-function, and a rapidly convergent iterative scheme for evaluating the X-functions is exhibited. However, differences from the isotropic scattering problem arise: For the nonabsorbing medium the zeros of the characteristic function coalesce at infinity; for the absorbing medium, the normal mode analysis contains undetermined constants which are seen to be related to coeficients in the Laurent series of the X-function. In each case the solution is carried out with the appropriate modifications, and Case’s three X-function identities are rederived.
Polyaxial strength criteria and their use in estimating in situ stress magnitudes from borehole breakout dimensions

Abstract We conducted laboratory simulation tests of borehole breakouts and investigated their potential use as an indicator of in situ stress magnitudes in Westerly granite and Berea sandstone. We also carried out simple triaxial tests and used the results to derive several strength criteria for these rocks. Using the assumption that the state of stress at the breakout boundary on the borehole wall is in a state of limit equilibrium with the rock strength, we attempted to determine the appropriate strength criterion for each of the two rocks. We concluded that the well known Mohr-Coulomb criterion is not compatible with the condition of stress at breakout failure. On the other hand, truly triaxial (polyaxial) strength criteria, which incorporate the effect of the intermediate principal stress on failure, are much more in agreement with the stress at the breakout boundary. One such criterion due to Nadai and another due to Mogi, appear suitable for determining breakout failure in the sandstone and the granite, respectively. Thin-section analysis suggests that breakout failure mechanism may play an important role in determining the appropriate strength criterion for a given rock type. Utilizing the appropriate strength criterion for the corresponding rock type, and having knowledge of the breakout span at the borehole wall and the minimum horizontal and vertical principal stresses, we were able to estimate the maximum far-field principal stress within an average of 14% error.
Genetics of sex pheromone blend differences between Heliothis virescens and Heliothis subflexa: a chromosome mapping approach

Males of the noctuid moths, Heliothis virescens and H. subflexa locate mates based on species-specific responses to female-emitted pheromones that are composed of distinct blends of volatile compounds. We conducted genetic crosses between these two species and used AFLP marker-based mapping of backcross families (H. subflexa direction) to determine which of the 30 autosomes in these moths contained quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling the proportion of specific chemical components in the pheromone blends. Presence/absence of single H. virescens chromosomes accounted for 7–34% of the phenotypic variation among backcross females in seven pheromone components. For a set of three similar 16-carbon acetates, two H. virescens chromosomes interacted in determining their relative amounts within the pheromone gland and together accounted for 53% of the phenotypic variance. Our results are discussed relative to theories about population genetic processes and biochemical mechanisms involved in the evolution of new sexual communication systems.
Preliminary report on the association of apolipoprotein E polymorphisms, with postoperative peak serum creatinine concentrations in cardiac surgical patients.

Background: Renal dysfunction after cardiac surgery occurs in up to 8% of patients and is associated with major increases in morbidity, mortality, and cost. Genetic polymorphisms have been implicated as a factor in the progression of chronic renal disease, but a genetic basis for the development of acute renal impairment has not been investigated. The authors therefore tested the hypothesis that apolipoprotein E alleles are associated with different postoperative changes in serum creatinine after cardiac surgery. Methods: The authors performed a prospective observational study with use of data from 564 coronary bypass surgical patients who were enrolled in an ongoing investigation of apolipoprotein E genotypes and organ dysfunction at a university hospital between 1989 ‐1999. Renal function was assessed among apolipoprotein E genotype groups by comparisons of preoperative (CrPre), peak in-hospital postoperative (CrMax) and perioperative change (DCr) in serum creatinine values. Results: The e4 allele grouping (E2 5 2/2,2/3,2/4; E3 5 3/3; E4 5 3/4,4/4) was associated with a smaller increase in postoperative serum creatinine (perioperative change: E4, 10.17; E3, 10.26; E4, 10.27 mg/dl) and a lower peak postoperative creatinine than the e2 and e3 in univariate and multivariate analysis (peak in-hospital postoperative serum creatinine multivariate P 5 0.015 vs. e3, P 5 0.038 vs. e2). There was no difference in baseline creatinine among allele groups. Conclusions: Inheritance of the apolipoprotein e4 allele is associated with reduced postoperative increase in serum creatinine after cardiac surgery, compared with the e 3o re2 allele. This is the first report of a possible genetic basis for acute renal impairment. These data may contribute to renal risk stratification for cardiac surgery and raise questions regarding apolipoprotein E and the pathophysiology of acute renal injury. (Key words: Acute renal failure; heart surgery; postoperative complications.)
Energy balance in rats with obesity-producing hypothalamic knife cuts: effects of adrenalectomy.

Rats with obesity-producing, hypothalamic knife cuts (KC) were fed a purifiedhigh fat diet for 9 wk. KC rats consumed more energy ( + 70-100%) and retained energy with a much higher efficiency than control rats. Adrenalectomy of KC rats 1 wk (before gross obesity was evident) or 5 wk (when KC rats were 70% overweight) after KC surgery caused a reduction in energy intake to levels approximating those of control rats. Furthermore, energy retention in adrenalectomized KC rats was depressed more than could be explained on the basis of the reduction in energy intake. Two factors associated with the reduction in energy retention, urinary excretion of norepinephrine, an indicator of sympathetic nervous system activity, and GDP binding to brown adipose tissue mitochondria, an indicator of the thermogenic capacity of the tissue, were higher in vadrenalectomized KC rats than in pair-fed KC rats. Removal of the adrenals not only suppressed hyperphagia in KC rats fed a high fat diet, but also increased energy expenditure per kilocalorie consumed. J. Nutr. 117: 1121-1128, 1987.
Simulation Testing of Aggregate Production Planning Models in an Implementation Methodology

The planning of production, inventories, and work force at an aggregate level to respond to fluctuating demands on a production system has received substantial theoretical treatment in the literature for several years. However, widespread implementation of the available analytical techniques has not occurred. The objectives of this research are to explore this implementation problem: 1 by developing a simulation model of an operating firm, 2 by using this simulation to compare the performance of aggregate production planning models, and 3 by formulating a generalized methodology for implementing quantitative planning models into the decision procedures of operating firms.
Direct Presentation Regulates the Magnitude of the CD8+ T Cell Response to Cell-Associated Antigen through Prolonged T Cell Proliferation

The magnitude and complexity of Ag-specific CD8 + T cell responses is determined by intrinsic properties of the immune system and extrinsic factors, such as vaccination. We evaluated mechanisms that regulate the CD8 + T cell response to two distinct determinants derived from the same protein Ag, SV40 T Ag (T Ag), following immunization of C57BL/6 mice with T Ag-transformed cells. The results show that direct presentation of T cell determinants by T Ag-transformed cells regulates the magnitude of the CD8 + T cell response in vivo but not the immunodominance hierarchy. The immunodominance hierarchy was reversed in a dose-dependent manner by addition of excess naive T cells targeting the subdominant determinant. However, T cell competition played only a minor role in limiting T cell accumulation under physiological conditions. We found that the magnitude of the T cell response was regulated by the ability of T Ag-transformed cells to directly present the T Ag determinants. The hierarchy of the CD8 + T cell response was maintained when Ag presentation in vivo was restricted to cross-presentation, but the presence of T Ag-transformed cells capable of direct presentation dramatically enhanced T cell accumulation at the peak of the response. This enhancement was due to a prolonged period of T cell proliferation, resulting in a delay in T cell contraction. Our findings reveal that direct presentation by nonprofessional APCs can dramatically enhance accumulation of CD8 + T cells during the primary response, revealing a potential strategy to enhance vaccination approaches.
Reduced risk of bone metastasis for patients with breast cancer who use COX-2 inhibitors.

Abstract Purpose We hypothesize that the use of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors in early disease phases could protect against the development of bony metastases. Patients and Methods The medical charts of patients with stage II-III breast cancer diagnosed between 1999 and 2005 were reviewed. Patients were subdivided according to the use of COX-2 inhibitors after the diagnosis and for ≥ 6 months. Bivariate analyses were undertaken, and statistically significant variables were included in a multivariate logistic regression model. Results Eleven percent of patients (74 of 644) who did not use COX-2 inhibitors developed bone metastases compared with 2% (1 of 48) of those who did use COX-2 inhibitors (Fisher exact test, P = .05). Significant predictors for bone metastases in a multivariate logistic regression model included: ≥ 3 positive nodes (odds ratio [OR], 3.26 [95% CI, 1.79-5.93]; P P = .001) and use of COX-2 inhibitors (OR, 0.12 [95% CI, 0.02-0.88]; P = .037). Adjusting for TNM stage, of the 327 patients with stages IIB-IIIC disease, 22% (63 of 293) had bone metastases in the non–COX-2 group versus 3% (1 of 34) in the COX-2 inhibitors consumers (Fisher exact test, P = .006). In this high-risk group of patients, the calculated OR associated with COX-2 inhibitors was 0.10 (95% CI, 0.01-0.78). Conclusion The use of COX-2 inhibitors could reduce the risk of bone metastases in stage II-III breast cancer.
Nutritive value of ensiled broiler litter for cattle

Broiler litter, consisting of bedding material (chopped wheat straw or rice hulls), excreta, wasted feed and feathers was ensiled at 40 or 50% moisture for 42 days. Cheddar cheese whey was added to adjust the moisture level in some of the silage. The dry matter digestibility in vitro (IVDMD), after 21 days of ensiling was greater for silage containing the wheat straw base than for that with the rice hull base. Whey improved the IVDMD of the wheat straw base silage but not that of the rice hull base silage. Moisture levels did not influence the IVDMD. In a second trial, broiler litter consisting of chopped wheat straw bedding, excreta, wasted feed and feathers was ensiled for 28 days at approximately 45% dry matter. The litter was ensiled as: (1) litter alone; (2) litter plus Irish potato cannery waste (IPW); (3) litter plus ground maize, and (4) litter plus ground grain sorghum. The materials added supplied 33% of the dry matter of the silages. The pH of the silages 1 and 4 weeks after ensiling was (1) 6.00, 5.83; (2) 5.00, 4.56; (3) 4.96, 4.80; and (4) 4.92, 4.78. Total faecal and urine collection trials were conducted using 12 Holstein steers having an average body weight of 200 kg. Dry matter digestibility was greater (P < 0.01) for silages 2, 3 and 4. Digestible energy and protein were 61.2, 70.6; 65.3, 74.6; 65.2, 71.2; and 68.2, 76.4% for silages 1 through 4.
The effect of aqueous surfactant solutions on alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH)

Alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH) was studied in aqueous solutions of surfactants to determine its structural and catalytic characteristics. Fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), and electron paramagnetic resonance (ERP) techniques were used to study structural changes to the enzyme. The activity of LADH in catalyzing the oxidation of ethanol was investigated. Short-chain alkyl sulfonates and sulfates did not deactivate LADH or alter its structure. Longer and branched alkyl sulfates and sulfonates, as well as a cationic surfactant (CTAB), affected both LADH activity and conformation. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cytonuclear disequilibrium in a hybrid zone involving deep‐sea hydrothermal vent mussels of the genus Bathymodiolus

A hybrid zone involving the deep-sea mussels, Bathymodiolus azoricus and B. puteoserpentis , was recently discovered at Broken Spur hydrothermal vent field (29 °° °° 10 ′′ N, 43 °° °° 10 ′′ W) along an intermediate segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis. Examination of nuclear (allozymes) and cytoplasmic (mitochondrial DNA) gene markers in a new sample from Broken Spur revealed significant cytonuclear disequilibrium caused by an excess of the parental types (coupling phase) and a deficiency of recombinants (repulsion phase). An assignment test of individual multilocus genotypes also revealed an excess of parental genotypes in the admixed population. These results support the hypothesis that the Broken Spur mussel population comprises a nonequilibrium mixture of parental immigrants and hybrid individuals.
IMPACT: a high-level synthesis system for low power control-flow intensive circuits

In this paper, we present a comprehensive high-level synthesis system that is geared towards reducing power consumption in control-flow intensive circuits. An iterative improvement algorithm is at the heart of the system. The algorithm searches the design space by handling scheduling, module selection, resource sharing and multiplexer network restructuring simultaneously. The scheduler performs concurrent loop optimization and implicit loop unrolling. It minimizes the expected number of cycles of the schedule without compromising on the minimum and maximum schedule lengths. A fast simulation technique based on trace manipulation aids power estimation in driving synthesis in the right direction. Experimental results demonstrate power reduction of up to 85% with minimal overhead in area over area-optimized designs operating at 5 V.
The Membership Model of Social Work

Social work, as part of u.s. Hans S. Falck pairs and larger membership struc society i in he middle of a tures to ccomplish their work to change in intellectual and social valgether. (It is unimportant to the basic ues that has not yet been identified idea of membership that some mem and named. This change has to do bership groups consist of two persons with questions about the existence of Individualism has become ITIwhereas others may have more than individuals, of groups made up of intoll f>rti mlh i untenable fnr the that-> Thusone maY state that mem" TT a t Ten ire tifie foundation for the integration of effects of their interventions. lJNlJlVllJuAJLisM Vo. . , , ,, , , .,. mpmppbcwtp social work methods, and (5) unifies, Mi/MBfcKoHIP under one conceptual umbrella, the Social Interaction The author contends that this culturpsychoand socio-aspects of social Membership as a concept does not ally powerful term, the "individual," work assessment and intervention, combine the concepts of the indi has become untenable in social work The most radical consequence of this vidual and the group. What the con fer two reasons. First, the term "indipremise is that the curricula termicept presented here does do, how vidual" contains too little that is by nology in departments and schools of ever, is to synthesize concepts of definition social and psychological to social work—as well as practice dehuman personality and social interac be useful for social work. Second, the scriptions—would need rethinking, tion, thereby meeting the logical con concept of individualism as a value Not only would key terms be chaiditions for a true integration of the statement rests on essentially nonlenged and possibly abolished or person, the family, the group, the social propositions. To deal with alchanged, but thinking about people— community, and the social work tematives to individualism, a concept including social workers—would no methodologies based on each. Use of of human membership and the implilonger be subject to the intellectual this perspective in terms of the inte cations of the following working defscreen of present individualistic origration of social work methods de inition of social work—Social work entations. pends ultimately on how profession equals rendering professional aid to As soon as one uses the word als think of the irreducibles of human clients in the management of mem"membership," one is also talking behavior. If casework practice is a bership—is presented. A basic premabout other people. Membership withform of work with a small group— ise of this article holds that the memout others is impossible—is in fact a the dyad—it would follow that work bership concept (1) makes an impormisuse of the word. Social workers with it and other groups, including tant statement about fundamental and their clients regularly set up families, might best be guided by
Talking to computers in natural language

Natural language understanding is as old as computing itself, but recent advances in machine learning and the rising demand of natural-language interfaces make it a promising time to once again tackle the long-standing challenge.
Corn earworms (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as pests of soybean.

Corn earworm Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) is a well-known pest of corn and cotton, but can also be problematic in soybean, particularly in the southern United States. Their preference for reproductive structures of the soybean plant can dramatically impact yield, particularly when infestations occur during early reproductive plant growth stages. We discuss the life history, ecology, plant damage, and management of H. zea as it relates to soybean production.
Cluster-variation method for the triangular lattice gas

Abstract A triangular lattice gas with nearest-neighbor repulsions and three-particle attractions is examined in a three-sublattice triangle approximation as a model for lithium intercalation in the transition metals dichalcogenides. Order-disorder phase diagrams and thermodynamic functions are computed. Some peaks in the incremental capacity as function of concentration in the experimental data of Thompson are reproduced in our model.
Regulation of Cardiac Muscle Contractility

The heart's physiological performance, unlike that of skeletal muscle, is regulated primarily by variations in the contractile force developed by the individual myocardial fibers. In an attempt to identify the basis for the characteristic properties of myocardial contraction, the individual cardiac contractile proteins and their behavior in contractile models in vitro have been examined. The low shortening velocity of heart muscle appears to reflect the weak ATPase activity of cardiac myosin, but this enzymatic activity probably does not determine active state intensity. Quantification of the effects of Ca++ upon cardiac actomyosin supports the view that myocardial contractility can be modified by changes in the amount of calcium released during excitation-contraction coupling. Exchange of intracellular K+ with Na+ derived from the extracellular space also could enhance myocardial contractility directly, as highly purified cardiac actomyosin is stimulated when K+ is replaced by an equimolar amount of Na+. On the other hand, cardiac glycosides and catecholamines, agents which greatly increase the contractility of the intact heart, were found to be without significant actions upon highly purified reconstituted cardiac actomyosin.
Laser beam collimation using Talbot interferometry

A modified method of checking laser beam collimation using a single grating and a right-angled prism is presented. The self-images (Talbot images) of a grating illuminated by a collimated beam are formed at some distance from the grating. The use of a right-angled prism makes it possible to carry out the folding of the self-image with respect to the original grating and to ensure that the grating lines in the self-image and the actual grating are inclined at equal angles with respect to horizontal direction. It is concluded that the proposed collimation test method has an in-built reference and does not require precise orientation of the grating as in the two-grating method. Large beams can be tested with a small-size assembly.
Effects of External Radiation on Solid Fuel Diffusion Flames

Results of calculations for free-convection diffusion flames are presented for the range of external radiative fluxes encountered in room fires. The specific system studied is PMMA burning in O2/N2 atmospheres. It is found that the burning rate shows a linear increase with ambient oxygen concentration at fixed external radiative flux, and shows an almost linear increase with external flux at fixed oxygen concentration. The minimum oxygen concentration required for combustion is found to decrease slowly with increasing external radiation. A criterion for estimating extinction limits based upon a parameter equivalent to a local Damkohler number is proposed.
THE STABILITY OF BOUNDARY REGIONS BETWEEN KELP BEDS AND DEFORESTED AREAS

Two distinct organizational states of kelp forest communities, foliose algal assemblages and deforested barren areas, typically display sharp discontinuities. Mechanisms responsible for maintaining these state differences were studied by manipulating various features of their boundary regions. Urchins in the barren areas had significantly smaller gonads than those in adjacent kelp stands, implying that food was a limiting resource for urchins in the barrens. The abundance of drift algae and living foliose algae varied abruptly across the boundary between kelp beds and barren areas. These observations raise the question of why urchins from barrens do not invade kelp stands to improve their fitness. By manipulating kelp and urchin densities at boundary regions and within kelp beds, we tested the hypothesis that kelp stands inhibit invasion of urchins. Urchins that were experimentally added to kelp beds persisted and reduced kelp abundance until winter storms either swept the urchins away or caused them to seek refuge within crevices. Urchins invaded kelp bed margins when foliose algae were removed but were prevented from doing so when kelps were replaced with physical models. The sweeping motion of kelps over the seafloor apparently inhibits urchins from crossing the boundary between kelp stands and barren areas, thus maintaining these alternate stable states. Our findings suggest that kelp stands are able to defend themselves from their most important herbivores by combining their flexible morphology with the energy of wave-generated surge. The inhibitory influence of this interaction may be an important mechanism maintaining the patchwork mosaics of barren areas and kelp beds that characterize many kelp forest ecosystems. Corresponding Editor: J. D. Witman.
Efficient Quality Threshold Clustering for Parallel Architectures

Quality Threshold Clustering (QTC) is an algorithm for partitioning data, in fields such as biology, where clustering of large data-sets can aid scientific discovery. Unlike other clustering algorithms, QTC does not require knowing the number of clusters a priori, however, its perceived need for high computing power often makes it an unattractive choice. This paper presents a thorough study of QTC. We analyze the worst case complexity of the algorithm and discuss methods to reduce it by trading memory for computation. We also demonstrate how the expected running time of QTC is affected by the structure of the input data. We describe how QTC can be parallelized, and discuss implementation details of our thread-parallel, GPU, and distributed memory implementations of the algorithm. We demonstrate the efficiency of our implementations through experimental data. We show how data sets with tens of thousands of elements can be clustered in a matter of minutes in a modern GPU, and seconds in a small scale cluster of multi-core CPUs, or multiple GPUs. Finally, we discuss how user selected parameters, as well as algorithmic and implementation choices, affect performance.
Opiate withdrawal during development: are NMDA receptors indispensable?

Despite decades of research, the mechanisms that underlie opiate tolerance, dependence and withdrawal remain elusive. Evidence accumulated over the past ten years suggests that the NMDA receptor plays a central role in mediating the neuroplasticity induced by chronic opiate administration in adult animals. Yet, during ontogeny, the NMDA receptor complex undergoes qualitative developmental changes, which renders some of the basic assumptions for a role of the NMDA receptor in opiate withdrawal invalid in infants. Recent data indicate that NMDA receptor antagonists are not effective in blocking morphine tolerance, dependence and withdrawal in the neonatal rat. Roles for other glutamate receptor types (e.g. metabotropic glutamate receptors) have also been proposed recently. In this article, the latest evidence that characterizes the dynamic roles of glutamate receptors in these phenomena during ontogeny will be discussed.
Sleep disturbance, depression and pain in adults with sickle cell disease

Background: Sleep disturbance and depression are commonly encountered in primary care. In sickle cell disease, depression is associated with pain, poor treatment compliance, and lower quality of life. The prevalence of sleep disturbance and its effect upon quality of life in adults with sickle cell disease is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbance and if it is associated with pain and depression in sickle cell disease. Methods: Three hundred twenty eight adults with sickle cell disease enrolled on the Bethesda Sickle Cell Cohort Study were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Beck Depression Inventory II screening measures as a cross-sectional survey. Scores greater than 5 (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and 16 (Beck Depression Inventory II) defined sleep disturbance and depression, respectively. Clinical and laboratory parameters were also assessed. Results: The mean Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was 8.4 (SD ± 4.2) indicating a 71.2% prevalence of sleep disturbance. The mean Beck Depression Inventory II score was 8.0 (SD ± 8.9). Sixty five (20.6%) participants had a score indicating depression, and half of these (10.0%) had thoughts of suicide. Both Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Beck Depression Inventory II scores were significantly correlated (p<.001). The number of days with mild/moderate pain (p=.001) and a history of headaches (p=.005) were independently associated with depression by multivariate regression analysis. Patients with sleep disturbance were older (p=.002), had higher body mass index (p=.011), had more days of pain (p=.003) and more frequent severe acute painful events (emergency room visits and hospitalizations) during the previous 12 months (p<.001). Conclusions: More than 70 percent of adults with sickle cell disease had sleep disturbance, while 21 percent showed evidence of clinical depression. Sleep disturbance and depression were correlated, and were most common among those with more frequent pain. Providers caring for adults with sickle cell disease and frequent pain should consider screening for these common co-morbidities. Additional study is needed to confirm these findings and to determine if treatments for pain, depression or sleep disturbances will improve quality of life measures in this patient population.
An Evaluation of Turbidimetric Technics for Estimation of plasma Fibrinogen

Studies on precipitation and turbidimetric methods for fibrinogen determination employing Na2SO3, Na2SO4, (NH4) 2S04 and a mixture of phosphate salts are presented. Optimal reaction conditions for these technics have been verified. The amounts of plasma fibrinogen precipitated by the sulfite and phosphate methods are in closer agreement than either are with values obtained by the (NH4)2S04 and Na2SO4 precipitation technics. It has been determined that the degree of turbidity produced by salt fractionation is not a reliable index of the amount of fibrinogen present. The measurement of fibrinogen concentration of turbidity produced by the various fractionation agents does not appear to be precise enough for the quantitative measurement of this protein.
The efficacy of a phytase enzyme fed to Hy-Line W-36 laying hens from 32 to 62 weeks of age

SUMMARY An experiment was conducted to determine the efficacy of a phytase enzyme (Optiphos, JBS United Inc., Sheridan, IN) in corn-soybean meal diets fed to laying hens from 32 to 62 wk of age. Hens were fed diets consisting of a negative control diet containing 0.105% nonphytate P (NPP), a positive control (0.45% NPP), a marginal NPP level (0.20%), or supplemental phytase enzyme at 150, 250, or 15,000 phytase units (FTU)/kg added to the negative control diet. The negative control dietary treatment containing 0.105% NPP was terminated at 39 wk of age because of a severe reduction in egg production compared with all other treatments. No significant differences were observed among the other dietary treatments in BW, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake, or FE when these parameters were evaluated over the duration of the experiment. No differences in tibia ash were seen at 62 wk of age when compared among the 5 treatments. Excreta P was much higher (P
The population posterior and Bayesian modeling on streams

Many modern data analysis problems involve inferences from streaming data. However, streaming data is not easily amenable to the standard probabilistic modeling approaches, which require conditioning on finite data. We develop population variational Bayes, a new approach for using Bayesian modeling to analyze streams of data. It approximates a new type of distribution, the population posterior, which combines the notion of a population distribution of the data with Bayesian inference in a probabilistic model. We develop the population posterior for latent Dirichlet allocation and Dirichlet process mixtures. We study our method with several large-scale data sets.
Forces Driving Late Pleistocene (ca. 77-12 ka) Landscape Evolution in the Cimarron River Valley, Southwestern Kansas

This study presents stratigraphic, geomorphic, and paleoenvironmental (δ13C) data that provide insight into the late Pleistocene landscape evolution of the Cimarron River valley in the High Plains of southwestern Kansas. Two distinct valley fills (T-1 and T-2) were investigated. Three soils occur in the T-2 fill and five in the T-1 fill, all indicating periods of landscape stability or slow sedimentation. Of particular interest are two cumulic soils dating to ca. 48–28 and 13–12.5 ka. δ13C values are consistent with regional paleoenvironmental proxy data that indicate the prevalence of warm, dry conditions at these times. The Cimarron River is interpreted to have responded to these climatic changes and to local base level control. Specifically, aggradation occurred during cool, wet periods and slow sedimentation with cumulic soil formation occurred under warmer, drier climates. Significant valley incision (~ 25 m) by ca. 28 ka likely resulted from a lowering of local base level caused by deep-seated dissolution of Permian evaporite deposits.
Flammability Limits of Hydrogen and Oxygen in Confined Spaces

*† ‡ This experiment is developed to determine the upper and lower flammability limits of oxygen and hydrogen in confined spaces. The test apparatus is designed to simulate the volume around the shaft that connects the turbine and turbo-pump of a liquid rocket engine. This space is typically purged with helium to reduce the risk of fire or explosion. Various concentrations of hydrogen and oxygen are introduced into the test vessel until the pressure in the vessel reaches atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi). The mixture is premixed and quiescent. The pressure inside the vessel is continuously monitored and a spark is then applied to induce combustion. The flammability limits are reported as a function of the spacing between the shaft and the housing. The literature values of the flammability limits for hydrogen and oxygen are 4.1% volume of hydrogen for the lower limit, LFL, and 94% volume of hydrogen for the upper limit, UFL. The flammability limits for a gap size of 0.21 inches was found to be 8.1% volume of hydrogen for the LFL and 90.6% volume of hydrogen for the UFL. The flammability limits for the apparatus without an inner cylinder was found to be 5.8% volume of hydrogen for the LFL and the 91.2% volume of hydrogen for the UFL. There is a difference in the experimental values compared to the literature values due to the change of geometry to the test vessel. Heat is lost into the walls of the apparatus causing the flame to be quenched.
PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER: SEARCH FOR A PARADIGM

Summury.-Work on psychological mechanisms and cancer is discussed in relation to the hypothetical-deductive model in applied medical research. The need for a significant increase in focused psychological research, adequate therapeutic models, and testable hypotheses is underscored. Few areas of medical research receive such wide-spread support as treatment of cancer. This effort, as any research, must progress through a predictable sequence of stages involving observation of cases, intuitive notions of causality, formulation of hypotheses, and hypothesis testing. Assessment of the goals of scientific methodology and more specifically the resulo of psychology's contribution to the investigation and consequent treatment of cancer disease impresses one with the lack of a general paradigm. The area of psychosomatic illness addresses the problem most directly, however, questions remain. Does a cancer patient learn certain CNS/ANS responses at an early age which then predispose the patient to this illness at a later age (Dunbar, 1946)? Do certain life situations lead to specific patterns of ANS/endocrine arousal, which trigger cancer in an already weak organ (Alexander, 1956)? Do particular attitudes have specific physiologic consequences which correspond to specific illnesses (Grace & Graham, 1952)? Or does stress act in a nonspecific manner by inhibit~on of the immune system, resulting from adrenal medullary activation (Seyle, 1976)' Mosc would agree to the interaction of mental and physical events. Lang, Kozak, Miller, bun, and McLean (1980) have demonstrated that physiological changes occur as the result of various kinds of mental images. The lack of consensus on any cettain causal mechanism may well be an indication that we are still in a pre-paradigmatic stage. Review of the literature on the treatment of cancer patients indicates that many of the articles are descriptive in nature (Sklar & Anisman, 1981). The area of psychological intervention in cancer appears to be still in the initial, intuitive stages. There is growing interest in the field, and researchers may believe that certain relationships exist, but there is very little hard, empirical evidence. One approach to the application of intuitive notions about psychological processes and disease is exemplified by the work of Simonton, Mathews-Simonton, and Sparks (1980). In this effort, patients with active cancer are encouraged to utilize an imaging process to affect their reaction to the course of the disease. In selected cases the claim is made that this process can reduce the rate of tumor growth. An important implication of this implied responsibility to imaging aspects of one's disease is the dilemma possible when disease progresses despite this effort. A patient may then experience an
Action of Acetyl Beta Methylcholin on Ventricular Rhythms Induced by Adrenalin

ConclusionAcetyl beta methylcholin in man tends to counteract the effect of adrenalin on the rhythmic property of the ventricles.
Hexacoordinate bonding and aromaticity in silicon phthalocyanine.

Si−E bondings in hexacoordinate silicon phthalocyanine were analyzed using bond order (BO), energy partition, atoms in molecules (AIM), electron localization function (ELF), and localized orbital locator (LOL). Bond models were proposed to explain differences between hexacoordinate and tetracoordinate Si−E bondings. Aromaticity of silicon phthalocyanine was investigated using nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS), harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity (HOMA), conceptual density functional theory (DFT), ring critical point (RCP) descriptors, and delocalization index (DI). Structure, energy, bonding, and aromaticity of tetracoordinate silicon phthalocyanine were studied and compared with hexacoordinate one.
Determination of 1,2-dichloroethane in Workplace Air by Capillary Column Gas Chromatography

[Objective] To establish a gas chromatographic(GC) analytical method for 1,2 dichloroethane detection in the workplace using activated carbon tube for sampling.[Methods]Activated carbon was used to absorb 1,2-dichloroethane, sample was desorpted by carbon disulfide and analyzed by GC.[Results]When the concentration of 1,2-dichloroethane was in the range of 0~116.5 μg/ml,r0.999. Determination limit was 0. 12 μg/ml (4.5 L air sample). The lowest determinable concentration was 0. 027 mg/m3. Average desorption efficiency was 96.0%. After taking 23.30 μg of 1,2-dichloroethane by activated carbon tube and placing for 7 days, the recovery was still up to 94.9%. 1,2 dichloroethane was well separated from trichloromethane under this experimental condition.[Conclusion]This method can be used to determine the concentration of 1,2-dichloroethane in the workplace air.
Automatic question generation and answer judging: a q&a game for language learning.

We have designed a question and answer game for students learning Mandarin Chinese. The game produces spoken questions from automatically generated statements, and judges the student’s answers automatically. The student interacts with the system by speech, so that comprehensive reading, listening and speaking ability can be practiced. This paper focuses on the methods for question generation and answer judgment, as well as the game implementation. Evaluation results have shown that our methods and the game system are both successful.
Issues in human evolution.

New discoveries, new methods, and new theories continue to boost understanding of human evolution. Genetics has shown that contrary to what anatomy alone has long suggested, people and chimpanzees are more closely related to each other than either is to any of the other great apes. This finding has forced a change in long-standing taxonomic practice, and specialists now commonly place all of the great apes, including people, in the family Hominidae, previously reserved for people. People, living and extinct, are then separated from the other apes at the tribal level as Hominini, anglicized to hominins (1). This PNAS Special Feature showcases some recent discoveries and ideas on what makes the hominin mind unique, on the environmental backdrop to hominin evolution, on whether early hominin evolution should be characterized as a ladder or a bush, on what ancient DNA tells us about the demographic history of living humans and their closest fossil relatives—above all the Neanderthals—on the extent to which the Neanderthals differed behaviorally from modern humans, and finally on how prehistoric modern humans, following their expansion from Africa 50–40 ka, impacted other species.