cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Z Table: Cost-Optimized Attack on Reinforcement Learning

Reinforcement learning techniques are increasingly utilized in cyber physical systems and traditional control systems, since they allow the controlling logic to learn through its interactions with its environment. However, reinforcement learning techniques have been found to be vulnerable to malicious influence, in the form of so-called adversarial examples, that can lead to, for example, destabilization of the system. In this paper, an optimization method is proposed to provide a directed attack towards a system resulting in destabilization. The attack differs from previous adversarial work against machine learning algorithms in that it focused on cyber physical systems and, in contrast to false-data injection or actuator attacks, assumed that an adversary is able to directly influence the state(s) of the system, to some degree. Furthermore, it is assumed that the system is controlled using a pre-learned optimal policy; i.e., the attack does not poison the learning process but rather leverages imperfections in the learned policy. This means the reinforcement learning algorithm can be vulnerable even while operating under an optimal policy. The optimization approach increases the feasibility of the attack by reducing the overall cost expended by the adversary. This paper describes the theory supporting the attack by proposing an algorithm and its corresponding proof. The attack is validated using OpenAI's gym and the physics simulator Mujoco to simulate the attack on a cyber physical system trained using a deep reinforcement learning method.
Enabling high‐performance cloud computing for Earth science modeling on over a thousand cores: application to the GEOS‐Chem atmospheric chemistry model

Cloud computing platforms can facilitate the use of Earth science models by providing immediate access to fully configured software, massive computing power, and large input datasets. However, slow inter-node communication performance has previously discouraged the use of cloud platforms for massively parallel simulations. Here we show that recent advances in the network performance on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud enable efficient model simulations with over a thousand cores. The choices of Message Passing Interface (MPI) library configuration and inter-node communication protocol are critical to this success. Application to the GEOS-Chem model of atmospheric chemistry at global 50 km horizontal resolution shows efficient scaling up to at least 1152 cores, with performance and cost comparable to the NASA Pleiades supercomputing cluster.
Double Dissociation of Auditory Attention Span and Visual Attention in Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Cerebellar Tumor: A Deterministic Tractography Study of the Cerebellar-Frontal and the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus Pathways.

Objective: Right cerebellar-left frontal (RC-LF) white matter integrity (WMI) has been associated with working memory. However, prior studies have employed measures of working memory that include processing speed and attention. We examined the relationships between the RC-LF WMI and processing speed, attention, and working memory to clarify the relationship of RC-LF WMI with a specific cognitive function. Right superior longitudinal fasciculus II (SLF II) WMI and visual attention were included as a negative control tract and task to demonstrate a double dissociation. Methods: Adult survivors of childhood brain tumors [n = 29, age: M = 22 years (SD = 5), 45% female] and demographically matched controls were recruited (n = 29). Tests of auditory attention span, working memory, and visual attention served as cognitive measures. Participants completed a 3-T MRI diffusion-weighted imaging scan. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) served as WMI measures. Partial correlations between WMI and cognitive scores included controlling for type of treatment. Results: A correlational double dissociation was found. RC-LF WMI was associated with auditory attention (FA: r = .42, p = .03; RD: r = −.50, p = .01) and was not associated with visual attention (FA: r = −.11, p = .59; RD: r = −.11, p = .57). SLF II FA WMI was associated with visual attention (FA: r = .44, p = .02; RD: r = −.17, p = .40) and was not associated with auditory attention (FA: r = .24, p = .22; RD: r = −.10, p = .62). Conclusions: The results show that RC-LF WMI is associated with auditory attention span rather than working memory per se and provides evidence for a specificity based on the correlational double dissociation.
Predicting drug interactions with human equilibrative nucleoside transporters 1 and 2 using functional knockout cell lines and Bayesian modeling

Equilibrative nucleoside transporters (ENTs) 1 and 2 facilitate nucleoside transport across the blood-testis barrier (BTB). Improving drug entry into the testes with drugs that use endogenous transport pathways may lead to more effective treatments for diseases within the reproductive tract. In this study, CRISPR/CRISPR-associated protein 9 was used to generate HeLa cell lines in which ENT expression was limited to ENT1 or ENT2. We characterized uridine transport in these cell lines and generated Bayesian models to predict interactions with the ENTs. Quantification of [3H]uridine uptake in the presence of the ENT-specific inhibitor S-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6-thioinosine (NBMPR) demonstrated functional loss of each transporter. Nine nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors and 37 nucleoside/heterocycle analogs were evaluated to identify ENT interactions. Twenty-one compounds inhibited uridine uptake and abacavir, nevirapine, ticagrelor, and uridine triacetate had different IC50 values for ENT1 and ENT2. Total accumulation of four identified inhibitors was measured with and without NBMPR to determine whether there was ENT-mediated transport. Clofarabine and cladribine were ENT1 and ENT2 substrates, whereas nevirapine and lexibulin were ENT1 and ENT2 nontransported inhibitors. Bayesian models generated using Assay Central machine learning software yielded reasonably high internal validation performance (receiver operator characteristic > 0.7). ENT1 IC50-based models were generated from ChEMBL; subvalidations using this training data set correctly predicted 58% of inhibitors when analyzing activity by percent uptake and 63% when using estimated-IC50 values. Determining drug interactions with these transporters can be useful in identifying and predicting compounds that are ENT1 and ENT2 substrates and can thereby circumvent the BTB through this transepithelial transport pathway in Sertoli cells. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study is the first to predict drug interactions with equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT) 1 and ENT2 using Bayesian modeling. Novel CRISPR/CRISPR-associated protein 9 functional knockouts of ENT1 and ENT2 in HeLa S3 cells were generated and characterized. Determining drug interactions with these transporters can be useful in identifying and predicting compounds that are ENT1 and ENT2 substrates and can circumvent the blood-testis barrier through this transepithelial transport pathway in Sertoli cells.
Above the Clavicle: A Simplified Screening Method for Asymptomatic Blunt Cerebral Vascular Injury.

IntroductionBlunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is an increasingly detected pattern in trauma with significant morbidity, putting patients at risk for subsequent stoke. Complex screening protocols ...
Campaign Contributions, Independent Expenditures, and the Appearance of Corruption: Public Opinion vs. the Supreme Court's Assumptions

We use survey experiments to test the validity of judicial assumptions underlying campaign finance regulation. Our evidence supports the key assumption that “appearance of corruption” is directly r...
The Impact of Religion on Economic Development

The role of religion in the development of law and order, in the progress of the government institutions and ultimately the state of economy has long occupied the minds of political economists. The obvious difficulty of this topic stems from the inability to stage and execute the controlled experiments, and the complexities of discovering the counterfactual evidence that would not be confounded by latent variables. In this paper we explore the novel approach to this problem that uses structural learning algorithms capable of finding the best-fit distributions for factors linking religion to major traits of the governance and economy. We find that the importance of religion in the society is conditionally independent from the economy given state institutions (rule of law and business regulations). This means a society with strong institutions can possibly develop a strong economy with no regard to religious beliefs.
Estradiol-induced progesterone synthesis develops post-puberty in the rostral hypothalamus and coincides with post-pubertal changes in the steroidogenic pathway in female mouse hypothalamic astrocytes

The development of estrogen positive feedback is a hallmark of female puberty. Both estrogen and progesterone signaling are required for the functioning of this neuroendocrine feedback loop but the physiological changes that underlie the emergence of estrogen positive feedback remain unknown. Only after puberty does estradiol (E2) facilitate progesterone synthesis in female hypothalamic astrocytes (neuroP) (Mohr et al. 2018), an event critical for estrogen positive feedback and the LH surge. We hypothesize that prior to puberty, these astrocytes have low levels of membrane estrogen receptor alpha (ER&(alpha)), making them unable to respond to E2 with increased neuroP synthesis prior to puberty. To test this hypothesis, pure populations of primary astrocyte cultures were derived from female mice at three different stages of development: pre-puberty (postnatal week 3), pubertal onset (week 5), and post-puberty (week 8). Hypothalamic astrocyte responses were measured after treatment with E2. Hypothalamic astrocytes increased progesterone synthesis across pubertal development. Prior to puberty, mER&(alpha) expression was low in hypothalamic astrocytes, but expression increased across puberty. The increase in mERα expression in hypothalamic astrocytes also corresponded with an increase in caveolin-1 protein, PKA phosphorylation, and a more rapid [Ca2+]i flux in response to E2. Together, these results indicate that increased mER&(alpha) in hypothalamic astrocytes contributed to the post-pubertal response to E2 that results in neuroP synthesis, critical for ovulation.
Dialogue on Reform in Mainstream Economics and its Implications for the Islamic Economics Discipline

While the most recent financial crisis highlighted a myriad of problems within mainstream economics, the call for reform has been widespread, long-standing, and deep-seated. This paper reaffirms this call from a historical perspective, with accelerating climate change adding a sense of urgency. Unfortunately, mainstream economics is not capable of self-reformation; instead, it has erected formidable barriers. Not surprisingly, as this paper highlights, little substantive reform has occurred within mainstream economics, while the outside urge to reform continues unabated. This paper calls for pluralism as a compelling and necessary (but not sufficient) intellectual foundation for reform and concludes by logically pointing to the wisdom of Islamic economics.
Is Penicillin Allergy a Risk Factor for Surgical Site Infection After Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Purpose The selection of perioperative antibiotics for prevention of surgical site infection (SSI) is often limited by the presence of a reported penicillin allergy. The purpose of this study was to determine if oral and maxillofacial surgery patients who report allergy to penicillin are at an increased risk of developing SSI. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients who underwent oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures in the operating room setting at a single institution between 2011 and 2018. The following categories of procedures were investigated: dentoalveolar, orthognathic, orthognathic with third molar extraction, pathology and reconstruction, and temporomandibular joint. The primary predictor and outcome variables were reported penicillin allergy and surgical site infection, respectively. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed. P Results The cohort was composed of 2,058 patients of which 318 (15.5%) reported allergy to penicillin. Beta-lactam antibiotics were administered less frequently to penicillin allergic patients perioperatively compared with those without penicillin allergy (7.9 vs 97.1%, P Conclusions Penicillin allergy was associated with development of SSI due to receipt of non–beta-lactam antibiotics as perioperative prophylaxis. Formal allergy evaluation should be considered for patients with putative penicillin allergy.
Cellular Complexity of Hemochorial Placenta: Stem Cell Populations, Insights from scRNA-seq, and SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility.

Purpose of review The placenta is a transient organ that forms de novo and serves a critical role in supporting fetal growth and development. Placental oxygen, nutrients, and waste are transported through processes that depend on vascular structure and cell type-specific expression and localization of membrane transporters. Understanding how the placenta develops holds great significance for maternal-fetal medicine. The purpose of this review is to examine current information regarding placental progenitor populations. Recent findings Recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provide unprecedented depth for the investigation of cell type-specific gene expression patterns in the placenta. Thus far, several mouse placenta scRNA-seq studies have been conducted which produced and analyzed transcriptomes of placental progenitors and cells of the fully developed placenta between embryonic day (E) 7.0 and E12.5. Together with human placenta scRNA-seq data which, in part, has been produced through coordinated research campaigns in the scientific community to understand the potential for SARS-CoV-2 infection, these mammalian studies lend fundamental insight into the cellular and molecular composition of hemochorial placentae found in both mouse and human. Summary Single-cell placenta research has advanced understanding of tissue-resident stem cells and molecules that are poised to support maternal-fetal communication and nutrient transport. Herein, we provide context for these recent findings by reviewing placental anatomy and cell populations, and discuss recent scRNA-seq mouse placenta findings. Further research is needed to evaluate the utility of placental stem cells in the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of wound healing and disease.
Recent Evolving Aspects of RFI Detection

Radio frequency interference (RFI) is a growing issue affecting passive microwave Earth remote sensing. NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission included a dedicated detection subsystem specifically to deal with RFI at 1.4 GHz. The recent auctioning of 24 GHz spectrum in the USA for new International Mobile Telephony (“5G”) systems adjacent to the 23.8 GHz sounding band is an example of a new type of RFI: wider in bandwidth, harder to distinguish from natural signals, and with the potential to impact global weather forecasting. This new type of RFI will require much more powerful detection hardware and new algorithms.
Boron segregation and effect on hydrogen energetics near tungsten surfaces: A first-principles study

Abstract To understand the effect of boronization coating on the tungsten (W) divertor in fusion reactors, the segregation of boron (B) and the resulting effect on the behavior of atomic hydrogen (H) and molecular H2 near the W(100), W(110) and W(111) surfaces have been studied using density functional theory calculations. The segregation mechanisms of substitutional and interstitial B were considered. The segregation energies indicate B atoms below W surfaces will segregate to the surface as B clusters on the W(110) and W(111) surfaces, or as individual atoms on the W(100) surface. The B segregation near the W surfaces causes deformation or reconstruction of the surface lattice, and the B atoms on the W surfaces impact the surface behavior of H and H2. The minimum adsorption energy of H on the W(100) surface increases with increasing number of B atoms, although the migration activation energy of H does not change monotonically with B coverage. The addition of B atoms on the W(110) surface increases the achievable H coverage but decreases the H migration on the surface. Excluding the clean surface, the minimum adsorption energy of H on the W(111) surface increases with increasing B coverage, but the activation energy for the H migration on the surface is essentially unaffected. The effect of B on H adsorption on the W surfaces is attributed to the B-H interaction, in addition to the influence of B on local surface configuration. H2 adsorption on the W surfaces depends on the surface orientation and to a lesser extent the B coverage. For all considered B coverages, H2 can be chemically adsorbed on the W(100) surface with an adsorption energy of ∼ -0.5 eV and the B atoms increase the dissociation energy barrier of H2. With increasing B coverage, the adsorption energy of H2 on the W(110) surface increases and the dissociation energy barrier is only slightly modified. No chemisorption of H2 is found for the W(111) surface with B coverage equal to or less than 3.0 ML.
Inhibition of human cytomegalovirus replication in a human retinal epithelial cell model by antisense oligonucleotides.

PURPOSE The antiviral activity of first and second generation antisense oligonucleotides on human cytomegalovirus (CMV) replication was evaluated in two cell systems, the traditional system on human fibroblasts and on human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cell culture system. METHODS To evaluate CMV replication strategies within the retina, an HRPE cell system permissive to CMV replication was developed. In this study, the antiviral activity of the antisense oligonucleotides, ISIS 2922 (Vitraven) and ISIS 13312, was evaluated in the traditional fibroblast antiviral assay and in the HRPE cell system. Antiviral activity was measured by evaluating inhibition of virus induced cytopathic effect, virus plaque formation, and virus gene expression. RESULTS Both oligonucleotides produced concentration-dependent inhibition of CMV cytopathic effect and CMV plaque formation in both human RPE cells and a human fibroblast cell line, MRC-5. The oligonucleotide, ISIS 2922, demonstrated a mean 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of 0.04 and 0.24 microM in HRPE and MRC-5 cells, respectively. The second-generation oligonucleotide, ISIS 13312, yielded similar results with IC(50) levels of 0.05 and 0.3 microM in HRPE and MRC-5 cells, respectively. Similar findings were obtained with a CMV clinical isolate. In addition, initiation of effective oligonucleotide treatment could be introduced 6 days after CMV infection in HRPE cells, whereas, in the fibroblast cell line, oligonucleotide treatment was only effective up to 3 days after infection. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated significant inhibition of CMV intermediate early and late mRNAs by both oligonucleotides. CONCLUSIONS These studies demonstrate that HRPE cells were significantly more sensitive than fibroblasts to the antiviral actions of ISIS 2922 and ISIS 13312. Moreover, the data indicate that the anti-CMV potency of the two oligonucleotides was similar. The enhanced potency of these oligonucleotides in HRPE cells may be associated with a delay in viral gene transcription and slow viral replication and spread in these cells.
Materialism and charitable giving: Can they co‐exist?

It is generally believed that Western societies are more materialistic compared with other cultures. However, it has also been observed that Americans are among the most generous of all, contributing their time, money, and effort to charitable causes. This research attempted to examine the relationship between materialism and charitable giving. Results of an empirical study suggest that it is possible for materialism to co-exist with charitable giving. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gravity-independent Rock-climbing Robot and a Sample Acquisition Tool with Microspine Grippers

A rock-climbing robot is presented that can free climb on vertical, overhanging, and inverted rock faces. This type of system has applications to extreme terrain on Mars or for sustained mobility on microgravity bodies. The robot grips the rock using hierarchical arrays of microspines. Microspines are compliant mechanisms made of sharp hooks and flexible elements that allow the hooks to move independently and opportunistically grasp roughness on the surface of a rock. This paper presents many improvements to early microspine grippers, and the application of these new grippers to a four-limbed robotic system, LEMUR IIB. Each gripper has over 250 microspines distributed in 16 carriages. Carriages also move independently with compliance to conform to larger, cm-scale roughness. Single gripper pull testing on a variety of rock types is presented, and on rough rocks, a single gripper can support the entire mass of the robot (10 kg) in any orientation. Several sensor combinations for the grippers were evaluated using a smaller test-gripper. Rock-climbing mobility experiments are also described for three characteristic gravitational orientations. Finally, a sample acquisition tool that uses one of the robot's grippers to enable rotary percussive drilling is shown.
Cardiovascular responses to microinjections of glutamate into the nucleus tractus solitarii of unanesthetized supracollicular decerebrate rats

In anesthetized rats, microinjections of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) into the nucleus tractus solitarii (nTS), in a region located immediately rostral to the calamus scriptorius (CS), have been generally reported to elicit depressor and bradycardic responses. On the other hand, in conscious freely moving rats, similar microinjections have been reported to elicit pressor and bradycardic responses. These divergent results have been attributed to the effect of anesthetics. A reinvestigation of the effects of EAAs into the nTS in unanesthetized animals became necessary in order to resolve this controversy. The microinjection technique used in freely moving conscious rats suffers from several technical limitations; for example, microinjections cannot be delivered stereotaxically. In order to avoid these limitations, the present experiments were carried out in unanesthetized supracollicular decerebrate rats. A systematic mapping of nTS in these rats, using microinjections of the solutions of EAAs in artificial cerebrospinal (aCSF) fluid, confirmed that depressor and bradycardic responses are elicited from all the sites in the nTS extending from the CS to a level about 1 mm rostral to it. Pressor responses were elicited by microinjections of l-glutamate (l-Glu) only from the chemoreceptor projection site (a region of the commissural subnucleus, 0.1-0.5 mm caudal to the CS, 0-0.5 mm lateral to the midline and 0.4-0.5 mm deep from the medullary surface). The pressor responses elicited from the aforementioned site were accompanied with bradycardia; this response may be due to diffusion of l-Glu to the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus because the bradycardia disappeared when the depth of the microinjection was reduced to 0.3, instead of 0.5 mm, from the dorsal medullary surface. When urethane was administered intravenously in unanesthetized decerebrate rats, the responses to microinjections of l-Glu remained unchanged, i.e., depressor and bradycardic responses were elicited from all the sites in the nTS extending from the CS to a level about 1 mm rostral to it and pressor and tachycardic responses were elicited from the chemoreceptor projection site. These observations indicated that there is no anesthetic-induced qualitative alteration of the cardiovascular responses to microinjections of EAAs into the nTS.
Dependence of optimal seed bubble size on pressure amplitude at therapeutic pressure levels.

Abstract Medical ultrasound has shown great potential as a minimally invasive therapy technique. It can be used in areas such as histotripsy, thermal ablation, and administering medication. The success of these therapies is improved by the cavitation of small microbubbles, and often it is useful to know which bubbles might provide the most effective therapy. When using therapies based on stable cavitation, the optimal bubble size is approximately given by R 0 ≅ 3 MHz μ m / f 0 lin . However, a similar expression is not available for therapies involving inertial cavitation. Therefore, the goal of our study was to develop an approximate expression relating the initial size of the bubble that resulted in the maximum response to the ultrasound operating frequency and pressure of the ultrasound wave when inertial cavitation is expected. The study was conducted by simulating the response of air bubbles in water to linearly propagating sine waves using the Gilmore–Akulichev formulation to solve for the bubble response. The frequency of the sine wave varied from 0.5 to 5 MHz while the amplitude of the sine wave varied from 0.0001 to 5 MPa. The optimal initial size for a particular frequency of excitation and amplitude, which is normally only established for stable cavitation, was defined in the study as the initial bubble size that resulted in the maximum bubble expansion prior to bubble radius dropping below its initial radius. A fit over pressure and frequency then yielded that the optimal size was approximately given by R optimal = ( 0.0327 f 2 + 0.0679 f + 16.5 P 2 ) - 0.5 where Roptimal is in μm, f is the frequency of the ultrasound wave in MHz, and P the pressure amplitude of the ultrasound wave in MPa.
Catalytic asymmetric transformations with fine-tunable biphenol-based monodentate ligands

A library of new fine-tunable monodentate phosphite and phosphoramidite ligands based on chiral biphenol have been designed and developed. These monodentate phosphorus ligands have exhibited excellent enantioselectivity in the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation and Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.
Research note and communication mergers that last: A predictable pattern?

This paper examines the current ownership of 434 large acquisitions made by publicly traded U.S. firms between 1967 and 1969. It is found that the majority of these acquisitions are still held by the acquiring firms. Unrelated acquisitions were resold at a moderately higher, though not significantly different, rate than related acquisitions. These results are discussed in the context of the commonly held view that unrelated acquisitions of that period were poorly conceived additions.
Predictors of Aggressive Behaviors among Rural Middle School Youth

This study determined multivariate sets of predictors for verbal and physical aggression among rural middle school youth. Surveys were obtained from 1,440 7th and 8th grade youth from six middle schools in five geographically dispersed states. Multivariate logistic regression identified final predictive models. Similar, but varying sets of predictors were identified across types of aggression. The most consistent set of predictors was gender, family actions against violence, peer violence, anger, academic performance, and alcohol use. These results suggest that in comparison with past studies of non-rural youth, similar factors predict aggressive behavior among urban and non-urban youth. Editors’ Strategic Implications: This paper makes two contributions to our understanding of the contextual factors influencing youth violence. First, it indicates that the predictive factors for rural and non-rural youth violence are similar. Second, it confirms the role of both family and peers in influencing such violence. Those who design and implement programs and polices addressing youth violence must look beyond individual variables in order to create comprehensive strategies.
On superstrong wave collapse in lower dimensions

Abstract It is shown that for an isotropic nonlinear medium, described by the generalized NLSE, the minimum dimension in which the phenomenon of superstrong wave collapse exists is two. In the two-dimensional case the cimplest parameterized shape of nonlinearity functions is obtained. The hierarchy of stationary singular solutions is investigated.
A kinetic study of the thermal decomposition of pentabenzyltantalum

Abstract The thermal decomposition of (C6H5CH2)5 Ta occurs by an intramolecular hydrogen transfer, not by an intermolecular free-radical chain reaction.
Small-Scale Divergence in Egg Color Along An Elevation Gradient in the Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina): A Condition-Dependent Response?

ABSTRACT. The functional significance of bird egg color and patterning is a continuing subject of interest and debate. Extreme polymorphism in eggshell appearance is often thought to be maintained by frequency-dependent selection operating within populations. However, variation could also be explained by small-scale differentiation combined with limited migration. Here, we report the existence of extreme variation in egg color in a population of Mexican Jays (Aphelocoma ultramarina) inhabiting a steep elevation and habitat gradient within a single mountain range, the Sierra del Carmen of Coahuila, Mexico. We quantified egg color of 143 eggs from 54 nests throughout the mountain range, using digital photos. Color was also quantified for a subset of these eggs, using a spectrometer. Results from both methods support the conclusion that egg color has diverged at a remarkably small spatial scale of 3–15 km. Photo color quantification indicated that eggs at high elevation were greener than those at low elevati...
Framing arguments in a technical controversy: assumptions about science and technology in the decision to launch the space shuttle challenger

This article explores the assumptions about science and technology held by the engineers who attempted to delay the launch of the Challenger space shuttle. These assumptions, it is argued, affected the ways in which the engineers framed the arguments used to persuade managers not to launch. Examining the decision making processes prior to the tragedy reveals three dominant conceptions of science and technology which guided the engineers' persuasive efforts, and which appear to account for why the engineers did not succeed in their attempt to influence the managers.
Regulation of testicular LH receptors by homologous hormone: in vitro studies on receptor occupancy and receptor loss.

Abstract A method is described which makes use of 4M MgCl2 to dissociate the testicular luteinizing hormone-receptor complex without altering either the binding capacity or binding affinity of the receptor. Using this method, it was demonstrated that in vitro incubation at 4° of decapsulated rat testes with various concentrations of luteinizing hormone or with human chorionic gonadotropin resulted in a reduction in binding capacity. This reduction of binding capacity could not be completely accounted for by occupation of receptors by homologous hormone, suggesting that receptors were lost. Thus negative regulation of LH receptors by LH and hCG was observed. The reduction in LH binding capacity was specific for LH and hCG, dose dependent and time related. FSH, prolactin and growth hormone did not exert the same effect.
Comparison of the locus and the extrapolation methods that determine the critical J-integral in the presence of remote energy dissipation

Abstract Two methods that determine the critical J- integral ( J c ) for crack initiation in the presence of remote energy dissipation are compared. The locus method of partitioning the energy for crack propagation from the total deformation energy is based on energy release rate interpretation of J- integral . This method is a reliable means to measure J c value in the presence of remote energy dissipation. On the other hand, the extrapolation method is based on an assumption that the total energy absorbed can be thought of as the sum of the energies absorbed in the crack tip region and the region away from it, and thus the effect of remote energy dissipation on the critical J- integral value can be eliminated by evaluating the value using the crack tip energy only. However, there exists a theoretical problem in the extrapolation method, and the problem is discussed. A comparison of these two methods is attempted based on the same load-displacement records of a highly deformable thermoplastic rubber, and advantages of the locus method are presented.
Guadalupe Island Cloud Trail

Abstract Clouds were observed forming in the lee of Guadalupe Island under a special sequence of events. One cloud was a narrow, linear cloud, 200 km long, that could not have been advected. Instead, a transparent linear wake was advected downwind. Later, synoptic-scale convergence caused the wake to condense, forming the linear cloud trail. That weak synoptic-scale variation may cause a linear cloud trail and has important implications for understanding ship cloud trails.
Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer Across a Thermoelectric Generator for Waste Heat Recovery From Automobile Exhaust

The study investigates the temperature gradients achieved across a thermoelectric generator by using the exhaust gases from a vehicle as a heat source and the radiator coolant as the cold sink. Various heat transfer enhancement features are employed in order to achieve as high a temperature gradient as possible. Effect of flow Reynolds numbers and inlet temperatures are examined to create a body of data predicting total power output from the TEG. Data is normalized against results from baseline heat exchanger designs investigated in the past. The experiments are carried out at 1/5th scale of the previously examined geometry. Impingement geometry is employed on the coolant side to enhance heat transfer. The experimental test sections are fabricated using metal 3D printing. Water is used instead of radiator coolant and heated air is used for exhaust gases. The results from the experiments provide valuable data which can be used for system level optimization.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Strategies for Business Format Franchisors to Expand into Global Markets

Abstract Franchising is emerging as a highly effective strategy for growth, job creation, and economic development and is spreading rapidly around the globe. However, the pursuit of global markets by franchisors has traditionally relied on employing just three generic franchising options (i.e., direct franchising, master franchising, area development). This paper presents a more expansive view of strategic choice for franchisors by presenting first-mover, platform, and conversion strategies as additional strategic approaches that may be utilized to meet the challenge of expanding into international markets. Propositions are advanced to first suggest which strategic approaches aremost appropriate under varied foreign market conditions and then how these approaches should be linked to the three generic licensing options to create combination strategies based on franchisor experience/capabilities and similar/dissimilar markets. A contingency model of global franchising is presented, which depicts the above r...
Embryogenesis and oögenesis in alate virginoparae, gynoparae, and oviparae of the aphid Myzus persicae, in relation to photoperiod

Abstract The study reports on the effects of prenatal and/or postnatal exposures to short-night or long-night conditions, and of crowding, on embryogenesis and oogenesis in alate virginoparae, gynoparae, and oviparae of a holocyclic strain of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, from Yakima, Washington State. In alate virginoparae raised at a density of 10–20 per radish seedling in a short-night regime (8 hr darkness per diem), 3–4 embryos occurred in each of their 10 ovarioles, when the aphids attained adulthood. More than 30 larvae were deposited by most of these alatae. However, in young adult gynoparae, raised at these densities in a long-night regime (15 hr darkness per diem), only one viable embryo (a presumptive ovipara) occurred per ovariole. The follicle containing this embryo was followed by 1–2 abnormal follicles in each ovariole, and the number of larvae deposited by a gynopara was generally less than 10. In young adult oviparae similarly raised under a long-night regime, only one egg typically occurred in each of their 10 ovarioles, and the eggs deposited by an ovipara (only after it had mated) generally numbered less than 10. Alate virginoparae and gynoparae contained an additional embryo in some of their ovarioles when these morphs were raised at a lower density (1–5 per plant). Presumptive gynoparae partially developed the reproductive features of alate virginoparae when transferred to a short-night regime at birth; the converse was true when presumptive alate virginoparae were transferred to a long-night regime early in larval life. Oviparae maintained in short nights from before birth developed the appearance of apterous virginoparae but still produced eggs rather than embryos. However, their oogenesis was enhanced and eggs (10–20) were deposited by them without prior mating. Under all regimes tested, oviparae were always deposited early in the larviposition sequence of their alate mothers, and the number of oviparae deposited never exceeded 15. The possible involvement of juvenile hormone in the regulation of these events and the ecological significance of the results are discussed.
Community based study of sleep bruxism during early childhood.

Abstract Objectives The aims for this study were to determine the prevalence of sleep-bruxism among young children, explore child behavior problems that may be associated with sleep-bruxism, and identify relations among sleep-bruxism, health problems, and neurocognitive performance. Methods The current study was a retrospective analysis of parent report surveys, and behavioral and neurocognitive assessments. Parents of 1953 preschool and 2888 first grade children indicated their child's frequency of bruxism during sleep. A subsample of preschool children ( n =249) had additional behavioral, as well as neurocognitive assessments. Among the subsample, parents also reported on their child's health, and completed the Child Behavioral Checklist; children were administered the Differential Ability Scales, and Pre-Reading Abilities subtests of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment. Results 36.8% of preschoolers and 49.6% of first graders were reported to brux ⩾1time per week. Among the preschool subsample, bruxing was independently associated with increased internalizing behaviors ( β =.17). Bruxism was also associated with increased health problems ( β =.19), and increased health problems were associated with decreased neurocognitive performance ( β =.22). Conclusions The prevalence of sleep-bruxism was high. A dynamic and potentially clinically relevant relation exists among sleep-bruxism, internalizing behaviors, health, and neurocognition. Pediatric sleep-bruxism may serve as a sentinel marker for possible adverse health conditions, and signal a need for early intervention. These results support the need for an interdisciplinary approach to pediatric sleep medicine, dentistry, and psychology.
Hyperlexia and dyslexia: A family study

The condition of hyperlexia, often associated with autism, is a rare disorder in which children read words precociously but show little comprehension, markedly poor language, behavioral, and interpersonal skills. The relationship of hyperlexia and dyslexia has never been investigated, although suggestions have been made that the two conditions may be related. In light of current research on familial factors in autism, language disorder, dyslexia, and, recently, hyperlexia, this study investigated family histories of twelve hyperlexic children in regard to language, reading, writing, spelling, and other learning problems, handedness, and presence of allergies. Results suggest a distinct familial tendency to disorders of language, reading, writing, and spelling in male relatives, along with an unusually high instance of nonleft-handedness. Allergy information is inconclusive. Descriptive data are presented, and the relationship of symptomatology in hyperlexia and dyslexia is described and discussed. It is suggested that hyperlexia may represent a point of convergence of several genetically-linked developmental disorders.
Juvenile spot (Pisces) and grass shrimp predation on meiobenthos in muddy and sandy substrata

Abstract Experiments were conducted to determine whether, when given the choice, juvenile spot (Leiostomus xanthurus Lacepede) or the grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio Holthius) would feed on meiobenthos in both muddy and sandy sediments or whether meiofauna from one sediment type would be preferred. Specially designed aquaria were used to collect and transport sandy and muddy sediments from the field into laboratory sea-water tables. Predators were allowed to feed on meiofauna in aquaria containing an all-mud substratum, an all-sand substratum, or a combination substratum with one side sand and the other mud. Given no sediment choice (all-mud or all-sand), juvenile spot fed upon meiofauna in both sediment types. When fish were presented with a choice (half-mud and half-sand), however, spot clearly demonstrated a preference for feeding on meiofauna in muddy substrata. Predation by juvenile spot resulted in the significant removal of seven of nine meiobenthic taxa. In contrast, grass shrimp removed only two taxa.
Do the best students go into general surgery

Abstract Background.Recent match trends by medical graduates have revealed a declining interest in general surgery. Our study evaluates the academic strength of recent graduates to determine the quality of those matching to general surgery residencies. Methods.All third-year students rotating through the 8-week surgical clerkship from July 1998–June 2000 (n = 291) were followed at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. Each student completed 4 weeks of general surgery and 4 weeks of surgical subspecialties. Match data provided residency choices and students were divided into general surgery (GS), surgical subspecialty (SS), and nonsurgical (NS) residencies. Student performance was based upon National Board of Medical Experiences (NBME) surgery exam, class rank and Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) status. Results.Students at our institution scored at the national mean on the NBME exam. GS team, session, and timing of GS rotation had no relationship to exam score. Total number of operative cases observed was inversely related to exam performance (P = 0.02). Of students entering a GS career, most scored below the mean on the NBME exam, 46% graduated in the bottom two thirds of the class, and only 6% of AOA members entered a GS residency. Conclusion.Although many of the strongest medical students select surgical residencies, they choose to enter SS careers and not GS careers.
Developing an internet research gopher: Innovation and staff involvement

Abstract This article discusses the development of a library research gopher at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. As the Libraries migrate to a World Wide Web environment, the expertise and confidence gained in working with the Internet can be applied to further change.
Phosphodiesterase 6D, cGMP-specific rod delta.

Network Map States Transitions Functions Protein Classes Sequence Interactions Pathways Domains & Motifs Protein Structure Orthologs Sequence Interactions Pathways Domains & Motifs Protein Structure Orthologs Blast Data
CS 22966−043: A Bright New Field SX Phoenicis Star Similar to Those in NGC 5053

CS 22966-043 is an ultra–short-period pulsating star with high velocity (RV = -266 km s-1) discovered during the course of a search for spectroscopic binaries among blue metal-poor field stars, in progress since 1992. With respect to period (0.0374 days), mean color (B - V = 0.24), and metal abundance ([Fe/H] ≈ -2.4), it closely resembles the SX Phoenicis stars found among the blue stragglers in NGC 5053. CS 22966-043 also is the primary of a spectroscopic binary with (probable) period of 430 days. Light-travel time across the projected orbit, as large as 0.0037 days, must be added to the times of observation to combine data obtained in different years with minimal phase dispersion. If CS 22966-043 is, indeed, a blue straggler formed by binary interaction as is now generally believed, then it seems most probable that the interaction was one of mass transfer from the present-day secondary during its post–main-sequence evolution rather than merger of a close binary. The latter option would require that this rare field star was, in addition, a member of a primordial triple system.
Photochemical grid model performance with varying horizontal grid resolution and sub-grid plume treatment for the Martins Creek near-field SO2 study

Abstract Near source modeling is needed to assess primary and secondary pollutant impacts from single sources and single source complexes. Source–receptor relationships need to be resolved from tens of meters to tens of kilometers. Dispersion models are typically applied for near-source primary pollutant impacts but lack complex photochemistry. Photochemical models provide a realistic chemical environment but are typically applied using grid cell sizes that may be larger than the distance between sources and receptors. It is important to understand the impacts of grid resolution and sub-grid plume treatments on photochemical modeling of near-source primary pollution gradients. Here, the CAMx photochemical grid model is applied using multiple grid resolutions and sub-grid plume treatment for SO2 and compared with a receptor mesonet largely impacted by nearby sources approximately 3–17 km away in a complex terrain environment. Measurements are compared with model estimates of SO2 at 4- and 1-km resolution, both with and without sub-grid plume treatment and inclusion of finer two-way grid nests. Annual average estimated SO2 mixing ratios are highest nearest the sources and decrease as distance from the sources increase. In general, CAMx estimates of SO2 do not compare well with the near-source observations when paired in space and time. Given the proximity of these sources and receptors, accuracy in wind vector estimation is critical for applications that pair pollutant predictions and observations in time and space. In typical permit applications, predictions and observations are not paired in time and space and the entire distributions of each are directly compared. Using this approach, model estimates using 1-km grid resolution best match the distribution of observations and are most comparable to similar studies that used dispersion and Lagrangian modeling systems. Model-estimated SO2 increases as grid cell size decreases from 4 km to 250 m. However, it is notable that the 1-km model estimates using 1-km meteorological model input are higher than the 1-km model simulation that used interpolated 4-km meteorology. The inclusion of sub-grid plume treatment did not improve model skill in predicting SO2 in time and space and generally acts to keep emitted mass aloft.