cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer Security and Privacy for Refugees in the United States

In this work, we consider the computer security and privacy practices and needs of recently resettled refugees in the United States. We ask: How do refugees use and rely on technology as they settle in the US? What computer security and privacy practices do they have, and what barriers do they face that may put them at risk? And how are their computer security mental models and practices shaped by the advice they receive? We study these questions through in-depth qualitative interviews with case managers and teachers who work with refugees at a local NGO, as well as through focus groups with refugees themselves. We find that refugees must rely heavily on technology (e.g., email) as they attempt to establish their lives and find jobs; that they also rely heavily on their case managers and teachers for help with those technologies; and that these pressures can push security practices into the background or make common security "best practices" infeasible. At the same time, we identify fundamental challenges to computer security and privacy for refugees, including barriers due to limited technical expertise, language skills, and cultural knowledge–for example, we find that scams as a threat are a new concept for many of the refugees we studied, and that many common security practices (e.g., password creation techniques and security questions) rely on US cultural knowledge. From these and other findings, we distill recommendations for the computer security community to better serve the computer security and privacy needs and constraints of refugees, a potentially vulnerable population that has not been previously studied in this context.
Sociodemographic correlates of intention to quit smoking for good among U.S. adult menthol and non-menthol smokers: Evidence from the 2013-2014 National Adult Tobacco Survey.

INTRODUCTION In the U.S. significant progress has been made to reduce cigarette use, yet menthol cigarette use is a continuing public health problem, especially among young adults and Black/African Americans. Smoking cessation is warranted to reduce smoking-related diseases and premature death. Ample evidence has demonstrated that having an intention to quit smoking is strongly associated with attaining cessation. The objective of this study was to identify and compare the sociodemographic correlates of intention to quit smoking for good between menthol and non-menthol adult smokers in the U.S.. METHODS A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted on the 2013- 2014 National Adult Tobacco Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze individual factors and their relation to intention to quit smoking for good. The total sample was nationally representative of the U.S. population and included 10 121 adult smokers aged ≥18 years. RESULTS Among menthol smokers, non-Hispanic Blacks (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=1.31, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.03-1.67) were significantly (p=0.03) more likely to have an intention to quit smoking for good compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Young adults aged 18-25 years (AOR=0.70, 95% CI: 0.58-0.85) were significantly (p=0.01) less likely to have an intention to quit compared to adults aged 50 years and older, and sexual minorities (i.e. lesbian, gay, bisexual) (AOR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.49-0.93) were significantly (p=0.03) less likely to have the intention to quit compared to heterosexuals. Among non-menthol smokers, adults aged 26-34 years (AOR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.13-1.88) and 35-49 years (AOR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.34-2.20) were significantly (p=0.01; p< 0.001, respectively) more likely to have an intention to quit smoking for good compared to those aged 50 years and older. CONCLUSIONS Study findings provide insight into the association of menthol cigarette consumption with intention to quit smoking for good, notably among Black Americans, young adults and sexual minorities. Smoking cessation efforts should consider demographics and menthol smoking status.
L P problems, 1 p < ∞

We now consider conditions for x−γϕ(x) to belong to L P , 1 < p < ∞, where ϕ stands for f or g and λ n are its associated Fourier coefficients.
Adenoviruses and Obesity

The etiology of obesity is generally attributed to a lack of willpower on the part of obese people plus a contribution from epigenetic and genetic factors. This chapter postulates that a major portion of the worldwide epidemic of obesity since 1980 is due to infection with human adenovirus 36 (Adv36). Adv36 causes obesity in multiple animal species and is strongly associated with obesity in humans. The prevalence of Adv36 infection averages about 30 % in obese adults and children and about 18 % in nonobese individuals. Adv36 infection correlates with body weight or body fat, especially in children. The mechanisms of Adv36-induced obesity are alteration of multiple molecular and biochemical pathways by the E4orf1 gene of Adv36. The main alterations are an increase of glucose transport into cells and increased production of fatty acids from the glucose under the influence of fatty acid synthase. An infectious cause of obesity demands changes in governmental and insurance company policies that heretofore have not considered obesity a disease. The production of a vaccine against Adv36 holds promise to lower the prevalence of obesity and result in improved health and large economic savings across the world.
The Quest for Protogalaxies

The current state and the future prospects of searches for protogalaxies (PGs) are reviewed. Many high-redshift objects are now known, mostly associated in some way with AGN, and at least some of them may be young galaxies. Quasars at z > 4 and high-z quasar pairs may mark galaxy formation sites. Deep field surveys for Lyα luminous galaxies powered by star formation alone have failed so far to reveal a large population of such objects, and the observed limits are in conflict with simple model predictions by three orders of magnitude. Some extinction by dust can account for this. However, strong limits from COBE place severe constraints on models of completely obscured PGs. New searches in the near IR are now beginning to probe the relevant line flux and number density regime, and first interesting PG candidates are being discovered. Searches from mid-IR to mm wavelengths would complement these efforts.
Real-Time Multi-Robot Motion Planning with Safe Dynamics

This paper introduces a motion planning system for real-time control of multiple high performance robots in dynamic and unpredictable domains. It consists of a randomized realtime path planner, a bounded acceleration motion control system, and a randomized velocity-space search for collision avoidance of multiple moving robots. The realtime planner ignores dynamics, simplifying planning, while the motion control ignores obstacles, allowing a closed form solution. This allows up to five robots to be controlled 60 times per second, but collisions can arise due to dynamics. Thus a randomized search is performed in the robot’s velocity space to find a safe action which satisfies both obstacle and dynamics constraints. The system has been fully implemented, and empirical results are presented.
The Papy-Lamon Minicomputer for Blind Children: An Aid in Learning Mathematics.

The principle of learning mathematical concepts through the manipulation of concrete aids is utilized in this adaptation of the Papy Minicomputer for the use of blind and visually handicapped child...
Some Results for the Normal Manova Linear Functional Relationships Model.

Given the normal multivariate linear regression model Y = BX + E, with B subjected to the linear restrictions H BJ = W A, J known, W and H unknown, A known, the maximum likelihood estimates of H, B, W, are obtained. A likelihood ratio test criterion for testing H = H0 , W = W0 is provided. The results are extended to the GMANOVA model. All results are obtained in terms of the original variates directly, unlike Healy (1980) who obtains the results for the MANOVA model in terms of the canonical transformations of the original variates.
Strategies to Optimize Nephrolithiasis Emergency Care (STONE): Prospective Evaluation of an Emergency Department Clinical Pathway.

OBJECTIVE To convene a multi-disciplinary panel to develop a pathway for Emergency Department (ED) patients with suspected nephrolithiasis and then prospectively evaluate its effect on patient care. MATERIALS AND METHODS The STONE Pathway was developed and linked to order sets within our Electronic Health Record in April 2019. Records were prospectively reviewed for ED patients who underwent ultrasound or Computerized Tomography (CT) to evaluate suspected nephrolithiasis between January 2019 and August 2019 within our institution. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients whose ED CT was low dose (<4 mSv). Secondary outcome measures included receipt of pathway-concordant pain medications and urine strainers. Order set utilization was evaluated as a process measure. Balance measures assessed included repeat ED visits, imaging, hospitalizations, and a urologic clinic visit or surgery within 30 days of discharge. RESULTS 441 patients underwent ED imaging, of whom 261 (59%) were evaluated for suspected nephrolithiasis. The STONE Pathway was used in 50 (30%) eligible patients. Patients treated with the Pathway were more likely to undergo low-dose CTs (49% vs. 23%, p<0.001), and receive guideline-concordant pain medications such as NSAIDs (90% vs. 62%, p<0.001), and were less likely to return to the ED within 30 days (13% vs. 2%, p=0.01). These measures demonstrated special cause variation following Pathway release. CONCLUSIONS Clinical pathways increase compliance with evidence-based practices for pain control and imaging in nephrolithiasis emergency care and may improve the delivery of value-based care.
Host immunity alters successional ecology and stability of the microbiome in a C. elegans model

A growing body of data suggests that the microbiome of a species can vary considerably from individual to individual, but the reasons for this variation - and the consequences for the ecology of these communities – remain only partially explained. In mammals, the emerging picture is that the metabolic state and immune system status of the host affects the composition of the microbiome, but quantitative ecological microbiome studies are challenging to perform in higher organisms. Here we show that these phenomena can be quantitatively analyzed in the tractable nematode host Caenorhabditis elegans. Mutants in innate immunity, in particular the DAF-2/Insulin Growth Factor (IGF) pathway, are shown to contain a microbiome that differs from that of wild type nematodes. We analyze the underlying basis of these differences from the perspective of community ecology by comparing experimental observations to the predictions of a neutral sampling model and conclude that fundamental differences in microbiome ecology underlie the observed differences in microbiome composition. We test this hypothesis by introducing a minor perturbation to the colonization conditions, allowing us to assess stability of communities in different host strains. Our results show that altering host immunity changes the importance of inter-species interactions within the microbiome, resulting in differences in community composition and stability that emerge from these differences in host-microbe ecology.
Firm-Level Experimentation:Joining Dynamic Adjustment Costs, Real Options, and Dynamic Capabilities

This paper suggests that cognitive, organizational, political, and economic factors can contribute to low (dynamic) adjustment costs. These low adjustment costs lead to low firm-level costs of expe...
Revision Strategies for Harrington Rod Instrumentation: Radiographic Outcomes and Complications.

Study Design:Retrospective case series.Objective:The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes following revision surgery following Harrington rod instrumentation....
Clustering Life Course to Understand the Heterogeneous Effects of Life Events, Gender, and Generation on Habitual Travel Modes

Daily transportation mode choice is largely habitual, but transitions between life events may disrupt travel habits and can shift choices between alternative transportation modes. Although much is known about general mode switches following life event transitions, less is understood about differences that may exist between subpopulations, especially from a long-term perspective. Understanding these differences will help planners and policymakers introduce more targeted policy interventions to promote sustainable transportation modes and inform longer-term predictions. Extending beyond existing literature, we use data collected from a retrospective survey to investigate the effects of life course events on mode use situated within different long-term life trajectory contexts. We apply a machine-learning method called joint social sequence clustering to define five distinct and interpretable cohorts based on trajectory patterns in family and career domains over their life courses. We use these patterns as an innovative contextual system to investigate (1) the heterogeneous effects of life events on travel mode use and (2) further differentiation between gender and generation groups in these life event effects. We find that events occurring relatively early in life are more strongly associated with changes in mode-use behavior, and that mode use can also be affected by the relative order of events. This timing and order effect can have lasting impacts on mode use aggregated over entire life cycles: members of our “Have-it-alls” cohort—who finish their education, start working, partner up, and have children early in life—ramp up car use at each event, resulting in the highest rate of car use occurring the earliest among all the cohorts. Women drive more when having children primarily when their family formation and career formation are intertwined early in life, and younger generations rely relatively more on car use during familial events when their careers have a later start.
Association of Race/Ethnicity and the 21-Gene Recurrence Score With Breast Cancer-Specific Mortality Among US Women.

Importance Given the widespread use of the 21-gene recurrence score for identifying candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy, it is important to examine the performance of the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test in diverse patient populations to validate this approach for tailoring treatment in women in racial/ethnic minority groups. Objective To examine whether breast cancer–specific mortality for women with hormone-dependent breast cancer differs by race/ethnicity across risk categories defined by the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test and whether the prognostic accuracy of the 21-gene recurrence score differs by race/ethnicity. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective, population-based cohort study used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Oncotype DX 2004-2015 database to obtain breast cancer–specific survival data on US women 18 years and older who were diagnosed with first primary stage I to III, estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2015, and had tumor testing through the Genomic Health Clinical Laboratory. Data were analyzed from April 20 to September 27, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was breast cancer–specific mortality among women from different racial/ethnic groups stratified by the 21-gene recurrence score risk categories. Secondary analyses compared the prognostic accuracy of the recurrence score among the different racial/ethnic groups. Results A total of 86 033 patients with breast cancer (mean [SD] age, 57.6 [10.6] years) with Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test information were available for the analysis, including 64 069 non-Hispanic White women (74.4%), 6719 non-Hispanic Black women (7.8%), 7944 Hispanic women (9.2%), 6950 Asian/Pacific Islander women (8.0%), and 351 American Indian/Alaska Native women (0.4%). Black women were significantly more likely than non-Hispanic White women to have a recurrence score greater than 25 (17.7% vs 13.7%;P Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study, Black women in the US were more likely to have a high-risk recurrence score and to die of axillary node–negative breast cancer compared with non-Hispanic White women with comparable recurrence scores. The Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test has lower prognostic accuracy in Black women, suggesting that genomic assays used to identify candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy may require model calibration in populations with greater racial/ethnic diversity.
Fall of Last Safeguard in Global Dejudicialization: Protecting Public Interest in Business Disputes

The importance of courts is shrinking. This is largely due to global dejudicialization: the process of outsourcing disputes to private dispute resolution. In the last several decades, along with the triumph of neoliberalism, privatization of the resolution of disputes has become the gospel of modern judiciaries. Courts have been pushed to the tail end of the private adjudication process and are used only as the last resort. The courts’ warm embrace of this structure along with practitioners’ push has led to a staggering expansion of private dispute resolution. The world therefore has witnessed an unprecedented growth of arbitration — the primary mode of private dispute resolution. Despite its importance, judicial review at the tail end of dispute resolution has been understudied. Much of the existing literature focuses on doctrinal definition, normative recommendations, and commentaries about specific high-profile cases. With at least three decades of growing cross-border business disputes, research is needed to form a more holistic view of national courts’ review of arbitration and to provide a path forward in the redesign of the modern global private dispute resolution. This Article achieves that goal by providing an empirical and doctrinal analysis of the public policy exception as a pivotal indicator for judicial reviewability and supervisory function of transnational commercial disputes. The modern private justice system provides an important (if not the only) substantive safeguard to courts. As one of the last remaining safeguards, the public policy doctrine grants discretion to courts to set aside arbitration agreements and awards that harm the public. Owing to the evasive nature of this doctrine, courts and arbitral tribunals alike have grappled with an appropriate way to define and approach this notion. In a comprehensive study, this Article analyzes arbitral tribunals’ and courts’ treatment of public policy claims in commercial disputes over the last three decades using coding and empirical research. The study demonstrates the frequency of public policy claims in courts and arbitral tribunals, issues presented under this rubric, and the success rate of these claims. Results suggest that public policy arguments have increased, while the courts and arbitral tribunals alike have remained passive to these arguments. This Article argues that a triangle of a pro-arbitration policy of courts, the doctrine of international public policy, and the contractual view of arbitration has led to underutilization, ineffectiveness, and the fall of the public policy doctrine as the last safeguard in the dejudicialization of domestic and global business disputes. This Article calls for an overhaul of this structure whereby judicial review is not exclusively available at the end of the private dispute resolution process.
Environmental justice in Phoenix, Arizona: a neighbourhood deficit and asset score

This paper describes the development and application of two cumulative impact scores – a neighbourhood deficit and an asset score – in Phoenix, Arizona. The deficit score was designed and used as a...
Peppermint Oil Treatment for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Introduction Peppermint oil is often used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); however, the overall quality of previous studies is low, and findings have been heterogeneous. This study aimed to compare the effects of peppermint oil vs placebo in relieving IBS symptoms. Methods In a 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at a single academic center in the United States, individuals diagnosed with IBS (Rome IV criteria), with moderate to severe symptoms based on the IBS Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS score ≥175), were randomized to enteric-coated peppermint oil 180 mg 3 times daily vs placebo in a 1:2 ratio. The primary outcome was mean change in IBS-SSS scores from baseline to 6-week endpoint. Results A modified intent-to-treat analysis revealed that there were substantial mean improvements from baseline to 6-week endpoint in the main outcome measure (IBS-SSS) for both peppermint oil (90.8, SD = 75.3) and placebo (100.3, SD = 99.6). Although the peppermint oil group reported numerically lower improvement than the placebo group, the effect size was small (d = -0.11), and the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.97). Similarly, both groups reported substantial improvements on the secondary endpoints; but again, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups on any of the secondary measures. Sensitivity analyses using multiple imputation to replace missing data produced similar results and revealed no significant differences between peppermint oil and placebo on any outcome measure. Discussion Peppermint oil and placebo both showed clinically meaningful improvement in IBS symptoms. However, there were no significant differences between the groups. Further large, rigorous trials are needed to evaluate the role of peppermint oil for the treatment of IBS.
An Overview of System Safety Assessment

This chapter provides an introduction to the steps involved in creating dependable systems. This starts with a description of functional hazard assessment (FHA). The steps involved in preliminary system safety assessment (PSSA) and system safety assessment (SSA) are reviewed. The chapter introduces fault tree analysis (FTA) and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) as important tools in the safety assessment process. This chapter also introduces the basics of probability theory which can guide quantitative assessment. The concepts behind common cause analysis are introduced. To make the book self-contained, more detailed mathematical concepts are presented in the appendices which can be skipped by less mathematically inclined readers.
Notch Signaling in Nephron Segmentation

Recent advances in our understanding of nephron segmentation highlight crucial roles of Notch signaling in this process. Differentiation of mesenchymal nephron progenitors is initiated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling. However, deactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required for both epithelialization of nephron progenitors and activation of Notch signaling. Studies on loss of function and gain of function showed that Notch signaling promotes differentiation of nephron progenitors into the proximal segment of the nephron while inhibiting the formation of the distal nephron segment (and, when overexpressed, of podocytes). Notch2 and Jag1 are the major receptor–ligand pair during nephrogenesis in the mouse model. Consistent with this, haploinsufficiency of either Jag1 or Notch2 in human causes Alagille syndrome, which includes kidney abnormalities.
Selenium supplementation has no effect on serum glucose levels in men at high risk of prostate cancer.

Background Current literature regarding the effect of selenium supplementation on the risk of diabetes is inconclusive. Hence, a longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the effect of selenium supplementation on serum glucose levels in elderly men. Methods Data were obtained from 699 men participating in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial investigating the effects of two doses of selenium (200 and 400 μg/day) compared with placebo on the incidence of prostate cancer. Subjects were followed every 6 months for up to 5 years. Serum glucose levels were obtained every 6 months. Mixed-effects regression models were used to assess whether the rate of change of serum glucose levels was significantly different in the selenium-supplemented groups compared with placebo. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of findings and to minimize the possibility of residual bias due to fasting status. Results Of the total 2893 glucose measurements, 734 were performed when the subject had been fasting for ≥8 h. Changes in serum glucose levels during the course of the trial did not differ significantly between the placebo and selenium 200 μg/day (P = 0.98) and 400 μg/day (P = 0.81) groups. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated comparable results for models using the total population and models restricted to subjects with only fasting glucose data. Conclusion These results do not support a relationship between selenium supplementation and risk of diabetes. Hence, recommendations regarding selenium supplementation based on increased risk of diabetes seem premature. 摘要 背景 目前的文献对补硒治疗对糖尿病风险的影响尚无定论。因此，我们进行了一项纵向研究，在老年男性中调查了补硒治疗对血糖水平的影响。 方法 所获数据来源于699名男性，他们参与了一项随机、双盲、安慰剂对照的3期临床试验，调查了与安慰剂相比较两种剂量的硒（200与400 µg/日）对前列腺癌发生率的影响。受试者每6个月随访一次，随访时间长达5年。血糖水平每6个月测定一次。使用混合效应模型来评估血糖水平的变化率在补硒治疗组和安慰剂对照组是否有显著性的差异。进行敏感性分析以评估研究结果的稳定性，并使空腹状态所导致的残余偏移的可能性最小化。 结果 在总共2893次血糖测量中，有734次测量时受试者的禁食时间≥8 h。在安慰剂组与200 µg/日（P = 0.98）以及400 µg/日（P = 0.81）的补硒治疗组之间，试验期间的血糖水平变化都没有显著性差异。敏感性分析结果表明，无论是使用全部人群的模型还是只使用空腹受试者血糖数据的模型，结果都具有可比性。 结论 这些结果并不支持补硒治疗与糖尿病风险具有相关性。因此，关于补硒治疗后糖尿病风险增加的结论似乎还下得为时过早。
Does Capital Market Myopia Affect Plant Productivity? Evidence from Going Private Transactions

One influential criticism of the stock market oriented U.S. financial system is that its excessive focus on short term quarterly earnings forces public firms to behave in a myopic manner. We hypothesize that if capital markets pressure listed firms to be myopic in a way that impacts efficiency, then going private (when myopia is eliminated) should cause U.S. firms to improve their establishment level productivity relative to a peer control groups of firms. We find no evidence that this is the case. Our key finding is that while there is evidence for substantial within-establishment increases in productivity after going private, there is little evidence of difference-in-differences efficiency gains relative to peer groups of establishments constructed to control for industry, age, size at the time of going private, and the endogeneity of the going private decision effects. Also, we do not find evidence that myopic markets lead to under-investment at the establishment level. On the contrary, we find that after going private, firms shrink capital and employment, and close plants more quickly, relative to peer groups. Our findings cast doubt on the view that public markets cause listed firms to make sub-optimal, productivity-decreasing choices, or under-invest at the establishment level.
Importance of tetrahydrofolate and ATP in the anaerobic O-demethylation reaction for phenylmethylethers

DL-Tetrahydrofolate (THF) and ATP were necessary for the anaerobic O-demethylation of phenylmethylethers in cell extracts of the type strain (ATCC 29683) of the homoacetogen Acetobacterium woodii. The reactants for this enzymatic activity have not been previously demonstrated in any system, nor has the mediating enzyme been studied. An assay using reaction mixtures containing 1 mM THF, 2 mM ATP, and 2 mM hydroferulate (i.e., 4-hydroxy,3-methoxyphenylpropionate) was developed and was performed under stringent anaerobic conditions. Pyridine nucleotides and several other possible cofactors were tested but had no effect on the activity. After centrifugation of disrupted cells at 27,000 x g, the activity was found primarily in the supernatant, which had a specific activity of 14.2 +/- 0.5 nmol/min/mg of protein. At saturating levels of each of the other two substrates, apparent Km values for the variable substrate were 0.65 mM hydroferulate, 0.27 mM ATP, and 0.17 mM THF. Activity was significantly decreased when extract was preincubated at 60 degrees C and was completely lost after preincubation in air for 30 min. Thus, the soluble anaerobic O-demethylating enzyme system of A. woodii is oxygen sensitive. The THF- and ATP-dependent activity measurable in the soluble fraction of cell extracts constituted about 34% of the activity seen with intact cells.
First Selective Coronary Arteriogram

To the Editor: I enjoyed reading Dr Ryan’s superb recount of the historical development of coronary arteriography,1 but I wish to make a comment on its chronology. Dr F. Mason Sones, Jr, of the Cleveland Clinic performed the first selective coronary arteriogram on October 30, 1958.2 The selective right coronary arteriogram photographed by Sones on October 30, 1958, was inadvertently obtained during an aortic root injection in a 26-year-old patient with rheumatic heart disease,3 when the catheter whiplashed into the ostium of the right coronary artery. Although the performance of this selective coronary arteriogram was unintentional, it was the first direct injection of a contrast agent into a coronary artery (Figure). Cine frame from the first selective coronary arteriogram recorded by F. Mason Sones, Jr, on October 30, 1958. …
Some aspects of secondary atomization of aluminum/hydrocarbon slurry propellants

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the secondary atomization of Al/RP-1 slurry propellants was conducted. Theoretical efforts examined the effects of aluminum particle size in particle shell/crust formation on the surface of a burning slurry droplet. A model was developed for the pressure buildup and mechanical stresses in the shell for the time period after the shell becomes impermeable. Experimental efforts focused on the ignition and combustion of a dilute stream of slurry droplets. Measurements of individual particle diameters and velocities were made at various axial locations in the stream. Radiant emission from the particles was also monitored to determine whether aluminum was actively burning. Experimental aluminum agglomerate ignition times were found to be comparable to theoretical estimates. The experimentally measured minimum initial slurry droplet diameter for secondary atomization was 20-25 /*m, compared to a theoretical diameter of 35 /an.
Multiplier K/sub m///spl mu/-analysis - LMI approach

The theory of K/sub m///spl mu/-synthesis and analysis introduced by Safonov (1983) and Doyle (1983) essentially performs the following D-K iteration steps: 1) design a /spl Hscr//sub /spl infin//-controller K(s) such as to maximize the multivariable stabilty margin K/sub m/; and 2) for discrete frequencies, find a diagonal scaling frequency response matrix D(jw) as to maximize K/sub m/ for a fixed K(s). Step 1 can be cast as a linear matrix inequalities (LMI) optimization problem for full order controller. The K/sub m/ analysis in step 2 has been shown to be a LMI optimization problem. The paper reviews the fixed order optimal multiplier K/sub m/ analysis theory and presents state space parameterization for the set of multipliers subject to mixed dynamic and real parametric uncertainties. A numerical example involving the robustness analysis of the Cassini spacecraft thrust vector control system is also included.
A novel data mining method to identify assay-specific signatures in functional genomic studies

The highly dimensional data produced by functional genomic (FG) studies makes it difficult to visualize relationships between gene products and experimental conditions (i.e., assays). Although dimensionality reduction methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) have been very useful, their application to identify assay-specific signatures has been limited by the lack of appropriate methodologies. This article proposes a new and powerful PCA-based method for the identification of assay-specific gene signatures in FG studies. The proposed method (PM) is unique for several reasons. First, it is the only one, to our knowledge, that uses gene contribution, a product of the loading and expression level, to obtain assay signatures. The PM develops and exploits two types of assay-specific contribution plots, which are new to the application of PCA in the FG area. The first type plots the assay-specific gene contribution against the given order of the genes and reveals variations in distribution between assay-specific gene signatures as well as outliers within assay groups indicating the degree of importance of the most dominant genes. The second type plots the contribution of each gene in ascending or descending order against a constantly increasing index. This type of plots reveals assay-specific gene signatures defined by the inflection points in the curve. In addition, sharp regions within the signature define the genes that contribute the most to the signature. We proposed and used the curvature as an appropriate metric to characterize these sharp regions, thus identifying the subset of genes contributing the most to the signature. Finally, the PM uses the full dataset to determine the final gene signature, thus eliminating the chance of gene exclusion by poor screening in earlier steps. The strengths of the PM are demonstrated using a simulation study, and two studies of real DNA microarray data – a study of classification of human tissue samples and a study of E. coli cultures with different medium formulations. We have developed a PCA-based method that effectively identifies assay-specific signatures in ranked groups of genes from the full data set in a more efficient and simplistic procedure than current approaches. Although this work demonstrates the ability of the PM to identify assay-specific signatures in DNA microarray experiments, this approach could be useful in areas such as proteomics and metabolomics.
Perturbation of bound states of the radial equation by repulsive singular potentials—First-order asymptotics

Abstract Negative eigenvalues of the radial equation with a potential well at the origin are perturbed by a repulsive singular potential. Explicit first order asymptotic expansions for the perturbed eigenvalues are obtained.
Eliminating False Lock in Phase-Locked Loops

A model is developed for phase-locked loops incorporating phasefrequency detectors. This model facilitates analysis of the loop and enables us to derive the conditions for false lock. It is shown by analysis that phase-locked loops with phase-frequency detectors are indeed capable of false lock; this theoretical result is verified by experimental results. A method for eliminating false lock is then proposed. This method was implemented in a simple circuit; we present the results of this experiment and show that the method we propose is capable of eliminating false lock.
A case of systemic sclerosis with abdominal surgery for stenosis of the terminal ileum

A 71-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with prominent abdominal distention. The diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) was made based on the sclerosis on her face, forearms, fingers, and toes as well as pitting ulcers on fingers and toes. After conservative therapy, she presented more severe signs of peritoneal irritation. Abdominal surgery was performed, revealing stenosis at the terminal ileum. Pathologically, this region showed muscularis propia becoming fibrotic. She was discharged from the hospital, returning about once a month as an outpatient.
Modelling approach for quantitative prediction of macroshrinkage and microshrinkage in A356 sand mould castings

AbstractAn advanced casting simulation based optimisation approach was applied in this study to assist in the improvement of the mould design of aerospace components made of A356 alloy. By using this approach, mould filling and solidification related defects (including macroshrinkage and shrinkage porosity) were significantly minimised and hence it helped in cost reduction, performance enhancement and quality assurance of complex A356 cast parts. An experimental validation and detailed calibration procedures of the models for prediction of macroshrinkage and shrinkage porosities were performed using A356 plates cast in furan–silica sand moulds using the Prometal rapid casting technology (RCT) mould printing technology. Correlations between Niyama values and the pore percentage were also developed. Therefore, the severity level of shrinkage porosity can be determined via the Niyama criterion. Predictions were then compared with the macroshrinkage and porosity measurements in plates of various plate thickne...
GRL Editor Alex Dessler

Alexander J. Dessler tries to make Geohysical Research Letters (GRL) a journal that people are eager to open as soon as it arrives in the mail. “GRL should be a lively, interesting journal,” said Dessler, a professor of space physics at Rice University and editor-in- chief of GRL since January 1986. “An editor gives a journal its style, for good or ill,” he explained.
Approach, avoidance, and self-regulatory conflict: An individual differences perspective

Four studies involving 230 undergraduates examined the interactive effects of dispositional approach and avoidance, as manifest in the traits of extraversion and neuroticism. Participants who were high in both traits or low in both traits exhibited less assertive knocking behavior (Study 1), had difficulties refraining from blinking (Study 2), and displayed more anxious behavior during a mental health interview (Study 3). Study 4 tested the idea that such extraversion by neuroticism interactions might be associated with difficulties in recognizing and responding to goal-relevant stimuli. Results involving a go/no go task confirmed this hypothesis. In total, the results highlight the manner in which the co-activation of dispositional motives related to approach and avoidance can compromise effective self-regulation.
Sterol metabolism. XLIII. The oxidation of cholest-4-en-3β-ol by singlet molecular oxygen

Abstract The photosensitized oxidation of cholest-4-en-3β-ol in which singlet molecular oxygen is implicated yielded cholest-4-en-3-one and the isomeric epoxides 4α,5-epoxy-5α-cholestan-3-one and 4β,5-epoxy-5β-cholestan-3-one, the epoxides being formed in the ratio 3 : 1. Oxidation of cholest-4-en-3-one by alkaline hydrogen peroxide likewise yielded the isomeric 4,5-epoxides but in the ratio 1 : 7.4. Attempted use of cholest-4-en-3β-ol to intercept singlet molecular oxygen putatively generated in the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide gave a very complex product mixture of over 50 components from which only cholest-4-en-3-one could be identified. However, neither isomeric 4,5-epoxycholestan-3-one was detected among the products. These data establish that it is unwarranted to infer the action of single molecular oxygen in systems containing cholest-4-en-3β-ol merely by product analysis where the product 4α,5-epoxy-5α-cholestan-3-one is formed.
A scalable parallel LSQR algorithm for solving large-scale linear system for tomographic problems: a case study in seismic tomography

Abstract Least Squares with QR-factorization (LSQR) method is a widely used Krylov subspace algorithm to solve sparse rectangu- lar linear systems for tomographic problems. Traditional parallel implementations of LSQR have the potential, depending on the non-zero structure of the matrix, to have significant communication cost. The communication cost can dramatically limit the scalability of the algorithm at large core counts. We describe a scalable parallel LSQR algorithm that utilizes the particular non-zero structure of matrices that occurs in tomographic problems. In particular, we specially treat the kernel component of the matrix, which is relatively dense with a random structure, and the damping component, which is very sparse and highly structured separately. The resulting algorithm has a scalable communication volume with a bounded number of communica- tion neighbors regardless of core count. We present scaling studies from real seismic tomography datasets that illustrate good scalability up to O(10, 000) cores on a Cray XT cluster.
Identification of Imaging Biomarkers in Schizophrenia: A Coefficient-constrained Independent Component Analysis of the Mind Multi-site Schizophrenia Study

A number of recent studies have combined multiple experimental paradigms and modalities to find relevant biological markers for schizophrenia. In this study, we extracted fMRI features maps from the analysis of three experimental paradigms (auditory oddball, Sternberg item recognition, sensorimotor) for a large number (n = 154) of patients with schizophrenia and matched healthy controls. We used the general linear model (GLM) and independent component analysis (ICA) to extract feature maps (i.e. ICA component maps and GLM contrast maps), which were then subjected to a coefficient-constrained independent component analysis (CCICA) to identify potential neurobiological markers. A total of 29 different feature maps were extracted for each subject. Our results show a number of optimal feature combinations that reflect a set of brain regions that significantly discriminate between patients and controls in the spatial heterogeneity and amplitude of their feature signals. Spatial heterogeneity was seen in regions such as the superior/middle temporal and frontal gyri, bilateral parietal lobules, and regions of the thalamus. Most strikingly, an ICA feature representing a bilateral frontal pole network was consistently seen in the ten highest feature results when ranked on differences found in the amplitude of their feature signals. The implication of this frontal pole network and the spatial variability which spans regions comprising of bilateral frontal/temporal lobes and parietal lobules suggests that they might play a significant role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Iris yellow spot virus on onion in Colorado.

A new disease was found in September 2001 on greenhouse-produced onion transplants of cv. Colorado 6 grown in a field in Larimer County in northern Colorado. Symptoms included straw-colored, dry, tan, spindle- or diamond-shaped lesions on the leaves and scapes of onion plants. Infected plants were scattered (less than 5% incidence) throughout the outer perimeter of the sprinkler-irrigated field. Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) in two collections each with 4 to 6 symptomatic onion plants was confirmed with western blot assays by James Moyer of North Carolina State University. Western blot showed a faint band from protein extracts of infected Nicotiana benethimiana. Western blot assay is the most definitive method of identification. IYSV can be mechanically transmitted to N. benethimiana, but it cannot be recovered and transmitted back to onion, and it is difficult to detect in infected onion plants. IYSV is a tospovirus that is transmitted by various species of thrips, including onion thrips and western flow...
TOLFENAMIC ACID SUPPRESSES CYTOCHROME P450 2E1 EXPRESSION IN MOUSE LIVER

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play a significant role in the chemoprevention of cancer. We recently showed the chemopreventive response of a NSAID, 2-[(3-chloro-2-methylphenyl)amino]benzoic acid) known as tolfenamic acid (TA) in N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA)-induced esophageal tumors in rats. Pre-clinical studies showed that TA inhibits Specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors and acts as an anti-cancer agent in several cancer models; however the pertinent mechanisms associated with its chemopreventive response in esophageal cancer are not known. Since the bioactivation of carcinogens through cytochrome P450 (CYP) is critical for the induction of cancer, we have studied the effect of TA on critical CYP isozymes in mouse liver samples. Athymic nude mice were treated with vehicle (corn oil) or TA (50 mg kg(-1), 3 times per week) for 4 weeks. Protein extracts (whole cell lysates and microsomal fractions) were prepared from liver tissue and the expression of various CYP isozymes was determined by Western blot analysis. Rat (Sprague-Dawley) livers were harvested and primary hepatocyte cultures were treated with vehicle (DMSO) or TA (50 μM) and cell viability was assessed at 2 and 5 days post-treatment. TA caused remarkable decrease in the expression of CYP2E1 in both liver lysates and sub-cellular fraction, while its response on other tested isozymes was marginal. TA did not affect the body weight of animals (mice) and viability of rat hepatocytes. These results demonstrate that TA modulates the expression of CYP2E1 which is associated with the bioactivation of carcinogens without causing apparent toxicity. These data suggest that TA-induced inhibition of CYP2E1 attenuates the bioactivation of carcinogens potentially leading to the chemoprevention of NMBA-induced esophageal tumorigenesis in rats.
Phenotypic Alterations and Crop Maturity Differences in Ultra-Narrow Row and Conventionally Spaced Cotton

Ultra-narrow row cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production is considered a potential strategy for reducing production costs by shortening the growing season. A 2-yr field study was conducted near College Station, TX, on varying soil types to document phenotypic alterations and crop maturity differences for cotton grown in 19-, 38-, 76-, and 101-cm row spacings. In the 19-cm rows, the plant densities were 12.2, 18.8, and 40.5 plants m -2 . Densities of 11.3 and 19.5 plants m -2 were established in the 38-cm rows. In the 76- and 101-cm rows, plant densities of 11.7 and 7.4 plants m -2 , respectively, were evaluated. Plant height and node counts were reduced in the narrow (19 and 38 cm) row spacings in only 1 yr. The narrow row spacings at the higher plant densities consistently accumulated leaf area index more rapidly than the conventional (76 and 101 cm) row spacings. In 1998, when the study was conducted on a heavy clay soil, the higher plant densities in the 19- and 38-cm row spacings tended to partition more biomass to reproductive structures and yielded more than the conventional row spacings. In 1999, the test was conducted on a lighter silty day loam soil and yields were unaffected by the row-spacing treatments. In 1998, the higher plant densities in the 19- and 38-cm row spacings had a greater percentage of harvestable bolls at the first fruiting positions on lower nodes, a boll distribution pattern that contributed to earlier crop maturity. Narrow row spacings and high plant densities did not consistently alter fiber quality. No conclusive differences for crop growth and development could be ascertained between the medium and high plant densities in the 19- and 38-cm row spacings. However, ultra-narrow row cotton may be more advantageous to producers when grown on heavier soils that typically do not promote excessive vegetative growth.
Boundary-layer model of pattern formation in solidification

A model of pattern formation in crystal growth is proposed, and its analytic properties are investigated. The principal dynamical variables in this model are the curvature of the solidification front and the thickness (or heat content) of a thermal boundary layer, both taken to be functions of position along the interface. This model is mathematically much more tractable than the realistic, fully nonlocal version of the free-boundary problem, and still recaptures many of the features that seem essential for studying dendritic behavior, for example. Preliminary numerical solutions produce snowflakelike patterns similar to those seen in nature.