cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning to Model in Engineering

Policymakers and education scholars recommend incorporating mathematical modeling into mathematics education. Limited implementation of modeling instruction in schools, however, has constrained research on how students learn to model, leaving unresolved debates about whether modeling should be reified and explicitly taught as a competence, whether it should be taught holistically or atomistically, and whether students’ limited domain knowledge is a barrier to modeling. This study used the theoretical lens of legitimate peripheral participation to explore how learning about modeling unfolds in a community of practice—civil engineering—known to develop modeling expertise among its members. Twenty participants were selected to represent various stages of engineering education, from first-year undergraduates to veteran practitioners. The data, comprising interviews, “think-aloud” problem-solving sessions, and observations of engineering courses, were analyzed to produce a description of how this professional ...
Ecotourism: an economic concept for ecological sustainable tourism

Ecological sustainable tourism has to be viewed as an integral part of society's policy objective of sustainable development. As reaction to real or perceived threat to environmental quality from conventional mass tourism has been to advance ecotourism as a form of sustainable tourism. This article introduces an economic concept for ecological sustainable tourism and discusses instruments to achieve this objective. Caution, however, has to be expressed that ecotourism cannot be considered as a panacea for conservation and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, nor can it alone become an economic bonanza to liberate local communities from the pain of poverty.
Journey: General Motors' move to incorporate contextual design into its next generation of automotive HMI designs

This paper describes the first of five Contextual Design projects undertaken by the General Motors User Experience (UX) Design Team. The project, titled "Journey," focused on gaining a deeper understanding of how drivers interact with today's entertainment, communication, navigation, and information systems in their vehicles. In addition, we wanted to learn how drivers balanced interacting with these systems with the primary task of driving in situ. The results of this effort helped the General Motors team to concept and create the next generation of infotainment systems that support and extend these in-vehicle experiences, creating delight for customers of new GM vehicles. The first vehicles to include this new generation of driver-centered infotainment systems design are scheduled to be introduced in future model years. In addition, the team learned several valuable lessons about applying contextual research methods in an automotive environment.
Pneumonectomy for Bronchogenic Carcinoma: Analysis of Factors Predicting Survival

Background The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with survival after pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer. Methods This was a retrospective study of 155 patients who underwent a pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute between 1986 and 2002. Medical record review ascertained information on preoperative assessment including pulmonary function tests and clinical characteristics, postoperative complications, and overall survival. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to calculate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used. Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves (with log-rank p values) were generated for selected variables. Results The median age was 58 years at the time of surgery; 65% of patients were males. Squamous cell carcinoma (54%) and adenocarcinoma (33%) were the predominant histologic types. The median time to relapse was 11 months, and the overall median survival was 15.6 months. An American Society of Anesthesiology score of less than 3, squamous histology, and lower pathologic stage were significant independent predictors of improved survival. Current smoking status (hazard ratio=1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.30 to 2.70) and left tumor location (hazard ratio=1.40, 95% confidence interval: 0.97 to 2.03) were associated with a trend toward poorer survival. Sixty-four patients (41%) had postoperative complications. The operative mortality from pneumonectomy was 9 of 155 (5.8%). Conclusions American Society of Anesthesiology score, histology, pathologic stage, smoking status, and location of the tumor were important predictors of survival in this patient sample. Pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer carries an acceptable operative mortality and provides an important survival benefit.
3D Tomographic Reconstruction from 2D Data Using Spherical Harmonics

Tomographic reconstruction of a 3D object in terms of spherical harmonics from a small number of 2D data sets is shown to be possible in cases of objects of high symmetry and/or low shape anisotropy. A test case using an object of cubic symmetry shows that the reconstruction can work well in such high symmetry cases when only two or three data directions are available. Numerical tests suggest that reconstructions are best done from data taken in low symmetry directions.
Inverse problems and parameter estimation: integration of measurements and analysis

The main purpose of this paper is to introduce the five following papers on inverse problems, and to relate the field of inverse problems to measurements. Inverse techniques are an emerging suite of methods which, when fully embraced, promise to provide better experiments and improved understanding of physical processes. This paper provides an overview of the general procedure and concepts related to identification of parameters or functions by inverse techniques. A discussion of errors and their implication for an appropriate function for minimization in inverse procedures is presented, and two methods for achieving this minimization are discussed. Some sequential concepts for parameter estimation are presented, along with a discussion of residuals and confidence intervals. Experiment design and optimization are reviewed, and a discussion of residuals and their relation to model building is presented.
A new data association method for 3-D object tracking in automotive applications

We present a new method for data association in 3-D object tracking for automotive applications. The method is a variant of the nearest-neighbor data association and is based on comparing the location of an existing track with that of each incoming object and associating to the one which is closest in 3-D space. As a pair is associated, it is removed from the search space and the association process continues until all assignments are made. Our experiments show that the proposed method significantly reduces the processing cost as compared to the existing full-search nearest-neighbor method and maintains similar performance at the signal to noise ratios that are typically encountered in automotive object tracking. We will provide guidelines on selecting the operating parameters and suggestions on handling the case when the number of incoming objects is not equal to the number of existing tracks.
Do telemedicine wound care specialist consults meet the needs of the referring physician? a survey of primary care providers

The purpose of our study was to determine the factors that influence the use of telemedicine consultation by primary care physicians (PCPs) in themanagement of patients with problem wounds. A short questionnaire was administered to thirty-six PCPs who referred to ourWound Care Program within one year. Participants were asked to rate the importance of specific concerns and benefits regarding the role of wound care surgical specialist (WCSS) and the use of telemedicine consults prior to possible face-toface consultation. Sixty percent of respondents felt comfortable with telemedicine consultation based on recommendations alone. The total number of patients referred for telemedicine consult was 230, and face-to-face consultation with a WCSS was offered and arranged for 30% of patients. The perception of shared decision making, streamlining patient care, and an opportunity for followup were all highly ranked benefits. The majority of PCPs (93%) agreed that telemedicine wound care consult is a useful tool in their practice and would continue to use the telemedicine consult service.
Emotion dysregulation as a partial mediator between reinforcement sensitivity and posttraumatic stress symptoms

Abstract The reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) asserts that three brain subsystems (i.e., the Behavioral Approach System [BAS], the Behavioral Inhibition System [BIS], and the Fight–Flight–Freeze System [FFFS]) underlie individual variations seen in personality and psychopathology. Though revised by Gray and McNaughton (2000) , many researchers continue to utilize the original, and now outdated, theory of reinforcement sensitivity. Additionally, while there is an abundance of research investigating the association between reinforcement sensitivity and psychopathology, the underlying mechanisms between these constructs remain largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to test whether emotion dysregulation acted as a partial mediator between FFFS sensitivity and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) under the revised RST framework. Data was collected from 282 undergraduate students at a Midwestern university who experienced at least one potentially traumatic event. Bootstrapping was used to test the significance of the indirect effect (e.g., amount of mediation) of FFFS sensitivity on PTSS. The indirect effect was significant (2000 bootstrapped CI_95 = .11−.25), indicating that emotion dysregulation partially mediated the relationship between FFFS sensitivity and PTSS. More specifically, individuals with high FFFS sensitivity reported higher levels of emotion dysregulation, which in turn was associated with greater PTSS scores.
Does good corporate governance really work? More evidence from CalPERS

The California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) asserts ‘Our activism creates significant value for our members and all shareholders’. As evidence for this claim, CalPERS cites Anson et al. (‘The Shareholder Wealth Effects of CalPERS' Focus List’, Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 15, 8–17, 2003), who show that positive excess (abnormal) returns from focus list firms average about 12 per cent for the 90 days following targetings between 1992 and 2001. In a follow-up study, Anson et al. (‘Good Corporate Governance Works: More Evidence from CalPERS’, Journal of Asset Management, 5, 149–56, 2004) show excess returns of 59 per cent for the 365 trading days following CalPERS' targeting. This study finds that their results are driven by a significant bias in their market model alphas caused by estimation during periods of known underperformance and compounded over unnecessarily long event windows. When their analysis is repeated using parameters estimated post-event, no evidence of significant abnormal returns attributable to CalPERS activism is found. When shorter event windows immediately surrounding the announcement of the CalPERS focus lists are examined, no evidence that the market values CalPERS activism is found. Contrary to the results of Anson et al. (2003, 2004), after addressing various methodological concerns, this study finds no evidence of any shareholder wealth effects attributable to CalPERS activism.
Nursing advocacy during a military operation.

Advocacy is an essential component of the registered nurse's professional role, yet experts provide no consistent definition of advocacy. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of military nurses as they engage in advocating practices and to describe their shared practices and common meanings. Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, provided the framework and method for this study. Twenty-four U.S. Army nurses were individually interviewed and the researcher kept interview observational notes. The constant comparative method of analysis was used. The stories of these nurses revealed one constitutive pattern--safeguarding--and four related themes. The themes were advocating as protecting, advocating as attending the whole person, advocating as being the patient's voice, and advocating as preserving personhood. One conclusion was that military nurses must be prepared for the important safe-guarding role. They must be coached in how to deal with other members of the health team on the patient's behalf.
Molecular weight of xanthan polysaccharide

Abstract The molecular weight (Mw) and molecular-weight distribution of the extracellular polysaccharide xanthan, synthesized by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, have been determined from measurements of the sedimentation coefficient, s20,itw, and the intrinsic viscosity, [η], with the aid of the Mandelkern-Flory-Scheraga equation. The sedimentation coefficient of native xanthan was measured by band-sedimentation of polysaccharide molecules that had been tagged with a fluorescent group; the fluorescent label permits the use of very low concentrations of polymer. A typical, native-xanthan sample has Mw  15 x 106; the polydispersity index Mw/Mn is 2.8. Measurement of s and [η] for a homologous series of five xanthan samples having Mw ranging from 0.40 to 15 X 106, prepared by sonication of native xanthan, shows that, for low molecular weight, the intrinsic viscosity [η] obeys the relation [η]  KM1.35. The high value of the Staudinger exponent in this relation demonstrates that xanthan is a rod-like molecule having stiffness similar to that of native DNA, which has a Staudinger exponent of 1.32. Moreover, the absolute values of [η] suggest that xanthan has a mass per unit length of about 1900 daltons/nm, which is twice the mass per unit length of the single-stranded structure proposed from X-ray work.
A critical period in the development of the insulin secretory response to glucose in fetal rat pancreas.

Abstract Insulin secretion by fetal rat pancreas was studied at 19.5 and 20.5 days of gestation. Over this 24-hour period, the response to glucose changed rapidly from one that is insensitive to the calcium channel antagonist nitrendipine but markedly enhanced by the presence of the inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation 2-bromosterate, to one that is larger, sensitive to nitrendipine but now not enhanced by 2-bromostearate. The 19.5-day pancreas that is not affected by nitrendipine when responding to glucose alone, is inhibited by nitrendipine when the response to glucose is enhanced by 2-bromostearate. The data suggest a possible metabolic change in the developing B-cell in which fatty acid oxidation is decreased, glucose oxidation increased, and a change in stimulus-secretion coupling from a (KATP) channel-independent mechanism alone, to a combination of that system with the (KATP) channel-dependent system. This could be achieved by a simple increase in the strength of the signal from glucose metabolism.
Control of end-to-end delay tails in a multiclass network: LWDF discipline optimality

We consider a multiclass queueing network with $N$ customer classes, each having an arbitrary fixed route through the network. (Thus, the network is not necessarily feedforward.) We show that the largest weighted delay first (LWDF) discipline is an optimal scheduling discipline in the network in the following sense. Let $w_i$ be the (random) instantaneous largest end-to-end delay of a class $i$ customer in the network in stationary regime. For any set of positive constants $\alpha_1, \ldots, \alpha_N$, the LWDF discipline associated with this set maximizes (among all disciplines) the quantity \[ (1)\hspace*{15pt}\min_{i=1,\ldots,N} \left[ \alpha_i \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{-1}{n} \log P \lb w_i > n \rb \right] = \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{-1}{n} \log P \lb r > n \rb,\hspace*{15pt} \] where $r \doteq \max_{i} w_i/\alpha_i$ is the maximal weighted delay in the network. [This result is a generalization of the single-server result proved by A. L. Stolyar and K. Ramanan in Ann. Appl. Probab. 11 (2001) 1--48.] As the key element of the proof, we establish the following critical node property: In a LWDF network, there exists a most likely path to build large $r$, which is a most likely path to do so in one of the network nodes in isolation. Such a most likely path has a very simple structure: its parameters [and the optimal value of (1)] can be computed by solving a finite-dimensional optimization problem for each network node.
Thermal stability of bidendate nitrogen ligands tethered to multiwall carbon nanotubes

Bidendate nitrogen ligands, particularly 1,10-phenanthroline, form stable complexes with a variety of divalent metal ions. If these ligands are attached to a stable, inert platform, then they may be used for sequestering transition metal ions from a range of aqueous solutions including many that form components of industrial processes. Alternatively, they may function as a base for the development of durable heterogeneous catalysts. These ligands may be tethered to carboxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes via an ethylene oxide linker through either an ether or ester bond. The suitability of these adducts for a variety of applications has been assessed using thermogravimetry. Both kinds of adducts are thermally robust with an onset of degradation above 400 °C.
Closed inverse sampling procedure for selecting the largest multinomial cell probability

A class of closed inverse sampling procedures R(n,m) for selecting the multinomial cell with the largest probability is considered; here n is the maximum sample size that an experimenter can take and m is the maximum frequency that a multinomial cell can have. The proposed procedures R(n,m) achieve the same probability of a correct selection as do the corresponding fixed sample size procedures and the curtailed sequential procedures when m is at least n/2. A monotonicity property on the probability of a correct selection is proved and it is used to find the least favorable configurations and to tabulate the necessary probabilities of a correct selection and corresponding expected sample sizes
A technique for increasing the useful frequency range of semiconductor devices

The trade-off between forward voltage drop and device turn-off time can be significantly altered by the proper location of a narrow region of lower lifetime oriented perpendicular to the current flow. The proposed structure is discussed and calculations presented to illustrate this claim.
Measurements of the kinetics of the OH‐initiated oxidation of isoprene: Radical propagation in the OH + isoprene + O2 + NO reaction system

The mechanism of the OH-initiated oxidation of β-pinene in the presence of NO has been investigated using a discharge-flow system at 5 Torr and 300 K. OH radical concentrations were measured as a function of reaction time by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The rate constant for the OH +β-pinene reaction was measured to be (7.68 ± 0.72) ×10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1. OH radical propagation was observed after the addition of O2 and NO, and the measured OH concentration profiles were compared to simulations based on both the Master Chemical Mechanism and the Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism for β-pinene oxidation in order to determine the ability of these mechanisms to describe the observed efficiency of radical propagation. Both models are able to reproduce the observed OH concentrations profiles to within 15%. Expanding the MCM to include isomerization of the β-hydroxy alkoxy radicals improves the agreement with the experimental observations. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 522–531, 2005
Magnetic Nanosensors for the Detection of Oligonucleotide Sequences.

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles conjugated to oligonucleotides exert sensitive and reversible effects on the spin-spin relaxation rates of adjacent water protons when the conjugates hybridize to target oligonucleotides (see temperature cycle in the picture). The fluid-phase magnetic sensors provide the basis for detecting specific nucleic acid sequences in turbid media and potentially in tissues in vivo.
Observation of topological transitions in interacting quantum circuits

Topology, with its abstract mathematical constructs, often manifests itself in physics and has a pivotal role in our understanding of natural phenomena. Notably, the discovery of topological phases in condensed-matter systems has changed the modern conception of phases of matter. The global nature of topological ordering, however, makes direct experimental probing an outstanding challenge. Present experimental tools are mainly indirect and, as a result, are inadequate for studying the topology of physical systems at a fundamental level. Here we employ the exquisite control afforded by state-of-the-art superconducting quantum circuits to investigate topological properties of various quantum systems. The essence of our approach is to infer geometric curvature by measuring the deflection of quantum trajectories in the curved space of the Hamiltonian. Topological properties are then revealed by integrating the curvature over closed surfaces, a quantum analogue of the Gauss-Bonnet theorem. We benchmark our technique by investigating basic topological concepts of the historically important Haldane model after mapping the momentum space of this condensed-matter model to the parameter space of a single-qubit Hamiltonian. In addition to constructing the topological phase diagram, we are able to visualize the microscopic spin texture of the associated states and their evolution across a topological phase transition. Going beyond non-interacting systems, we demonstrate the power of our method by studying topology in an interacting quantum system. This required a new qubit architecture that allows for simultaneous control over every term in a two-qubit Hamiltonian. By exploring the parameter space of this Hamiltonian, we discover the emergence of an interaction-induced topological phase. Our work establishes a powerful, generalizable experimental platform to study topological phenomena in quantum systems.
Human Visual Attention Map for Compressed Video

In this paper, a new implementation of the human attention map is introduced. Most conventional approaches share characteristics such as the pooling rule is fixed and prior knowledge of camera aim is discarded. Unlike previous research, the proposed method allows more freedom at the feature integration stage since human eyes have a different sensitivity for each feature under different video aiming scenarios. An intelligent mechanism is designed to identify the importance of each feature for each type of camera motion and skin tone feature, and the feature integration is adaptive to different content. With this framework, more important features are emphasized and less important features are suppressed.
Genetic structure and breeding system in a social wasp and its social parasite

Social insects dominate ecological communities because of their sophisticated group behaviors. However, the intricate behaviors of social insects may be exploited by social parasites, which manipulate insect societies for their own benefit. Interactions between social parasites and their hosts lead to unusual coevolutionary dynamics that ultimately affect the breeding systems and population structures of both species. This study represents one of the first attempts to understand the population and colony genetic structure of a parasite and its host in a social wasp system. We used DNA microsatellite markers to investigate gene flow, genetic variation, and mating behavior of the facultative social parasite Vespula squamosa and its primary host, V. maculifrons. Our analyses of genetic variability uncovered that both species possessed similar amounts of genetic variation and failed to show genetic structure over the sampling area. Our analysis of mating system of V. maculifrons and V. squamosa revealed high levels of polyandry and no evidence for inbreeding in the two species. Moreover, we found no significant differences between estimates of worker relatedness in this study and a previous investigation conducted over two decades ago, suggesting that the selective pressures operating on queen mate number have remained constant. Finally, the distribution of queen mate number in both species deviated from simple expectations suggesting that mate number may be under stabilizing selection. The general biology of V. squamosa has not changed substantially from that of a typical, nonparasitic Vespula wasp. For example, population sizes of the host and its parasite appear to be similar, in contrast to other social parasites, which often display lower population sizes than their hosts. In addition, parasitism has not caused the mating behavior of V. squamosa queens to deviate from the high levels of multiple mating that typify Vespula wasps. This stands in contrast to some socially parasitic ants, which revert to mating with few males. Overall, the general similarity of the genetic structure of V. maculifrons and V. squamosa presumably reflects the fact that V. squamosa is still capable of independent colony founding and thus reflects an intermediate stage in the evolution of social parasitism.
Novelty and Innovation in the History of Life.

The history of life as documented by the fossil record encompasses evolutionary diversifications at scales ranging from the Ediacaran–Cambrian explosion of animal life and the invasion of land by vascular plants, insects and vertebrates to the diversification of flowering plants over the past 100 million years and the radiation of horses. Morphological novelty and innovation has been a recurrent theme. The architects of the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory made three claims about evolutionary novelty and innovation: first, that all diversifications in the history of life represent adaptive radiations; second, that adaptive radiations are driven principally by ecological opportunity rather than by the supply of new morphological novelties, thus the primary questions about novelty and innovation focus on their ecological and evolutionary success; and third, that the rate of morphological divergence between taxa was more rapid early in the history of a clade but slowed over time as ecological opportunities declined. These claims have strongly influenced subsequent generations of evolutionary biologists, yet over the past two decades each has been challenged by data from the fossil record, by the results of comparative phylogenetic analyses and through insights from evolutionary developmental biology. Consequently a broader view of novelty and innovation is required. An outstanding issue for future work is identifying the circumstances associated with different styles of diversification and whether their frequency has changed through the history of life.
Meridional Flow and the Solar Cycle Variation of the Sun’s Open Magnetic Flux

We simulate the evolution of the Sun's large-scale magnetic field during solar cycle 21, including the effect of surface transport processes and active region emergence. As an important new constraint on the model, we have scaled our source fluxes upward to be consistent with the average measured strength of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). By adopting a poleward bulk flow of amplitude ~20-25 m s-1 together with a supergranular diffusion rate of ~500 km2 s-1, we are then able to match the observed variation of the Sun's polar fields and open magnetic flux. The high meridional flow speeds, peaking at low latitudes, prevent the buildup of an overly strong axisymmetric dipole component at sunspot minimum, while accounting for the giant poleward surges of flux and accompanying polar field fluctuations observed near sunspot maximum. The present simulations also reproduce the large peak in the equatorial dipole and IMF strength recorded in 1982.
Bullying, Self-Control, and Adhd:

We investigated the influence of low self-control and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on bullying and bully victimization in a sample of 1,315 middle school students using a school survey. Students who reported taking medication for ADHD were at increased risk for bullying as well as victimization by bullies. The correlation between ADHD status and bullying could be explained by low self-control, a construct theorized by Gottfredson and Hirschi to be the most important determinant of criminality. In contrast, the correlation between ADHD status and bullying victimization was independent of self-control. Subsequent analyses found that self-control influenced bullying victimization through interactions with student gender and measures of physical size and strength. These findings identify low self-control and ADHD as potential risk factors for bullying and victimization and have implications for research on self-control in young adolescents.
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in a Lid-Driven Cavity Due to an Oscillating Thin Fin: Transient Behavior

A finite-volume-based computational study of transient laminar flow and heat transfer (neglecting natural convection) within a lid-driven square cavity due to an oscillating thin fin is presented. The lid moves from left to right and a thin fin positioned perpendicular to the right stationary wall oscillates in the horizontal direction. The length of the fin varies sinusoidally with its mean length and amplitude equal to 10 and 5 percent of the side of the cavity, respectively. Two Reynolds numbers of 100 and 1000 for a Pr=1 fluid were considered. For a given convection time scale (t conv ), fin's oscillation periods (τ) were selected in order to cover both slow (T/t conv > I ) and fast (T/t conv < 1) oscillation regimes. This corresponded to a Strouhal number range of 0.005 to 0.5. The number of the cycles needed to reach the periodic state for the flow and thermal fields increases as τ/t conv decreases for both Re numbers with the thermal field attaining the periodic state later than the velocity field. The key feature of the transient evolution of the fluid flow for the case with Re =J000 with slow oscillation is the creation, lateral motion and subsequent wall impingement of a CCW rotating vortex within the lower half of the cavity
Taste Function in Patients with Oral Burning

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is an oral pain disorder occurring primarily in post-menopausal women and is frequently accompanied by taste complaints. This association of symptoms suggests an interaction between the mechanisms of nociception and gustation, two senses with strong hedonic components. Seventy-three patients of the Taste and Smell Clinic at the University of Connecticut Health Center who reported experiencing 'unexplained oral burning' were evaluated for taste function. Both intensity ratings and quality identifications were measured for a concentration series of sucrose ('sweet'), NaCl ('salty'), citric acid ('sour') and quinine-HCl ('bitter'). The 57 women with BMS gave lower intensity ratings to NaCl and sucrose than comparably aged, same sex controls. Concentrations of NaCl and sucrose >0.10 M were most affected; concentrations of sucrose and NaCl <0.10 M were rated similarly by BMS and control women. No intensity differences were found for citric acid or quinine-HCl at any concentration and no differences were evident between the 16 BMS men and the 14 control men for any stimulus. The BMS women also misidentified the quality of 19% of the stimuli that were detected whereas control women misidentified 8%. Both groups detected a similar proportion of stimuli and found lower stimulus concentrations more difficult to identify than higher concentrations. Identification of NaCl as 'salty' and citric acid as 'sour' was particularly difficult for BMS women. The present findings are consistent with the hypothesis that pain pathway activation may affect neural and behavioral taste function.
Simulating pH effects in an algal‐growth hydrodynamics model1

Models and numerical simulations are relatively inexpensive tools that can be used to enhance economic competitiveness through operation and system optimization to minimize energy and resource consumption, while maximizing algal oil yield. This work uses modified versions of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC) in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers' water-quality code (CE-QUAL) to simulate flow hydrodynamics coupled to algal growth kinetics. The model allows the flexibility of manipulating a host of variables associated with algal growth such as temperature, light intensity, and nutrient availability. pH of the medium is a newly added operational parameter governing algal growth that affects algal photosynthesis, differential availability of inorganic forms of carbon, enzyme activity in algae cell walls, and oil production rates. A single-layer algal-growth/hydrodynamic model without pH limitation was verified by comparing solution curves of algal biomass and phosphorus concentrations to an analytical solution. Media pH, now included in the model as a growth-limiting factor, can be entered as a measured value or calculated based on CO2 concentrations. Upon adding the ability to limit growth due to pH, physically reasonable results have been obtained from the model both with and without pH limitation. When the model was used to simulate algal growth from a pond experiment in the greenhouse, a least-squares fitting technique yielded a maximum algal production (subsequently modulated by limitation factors) of 1.05 d(-1) . Overall, the measured and simulated biomass concentrations in the greenhouse pond were in close agreement.
R70-24 A Procedure for Selecting Diagnostic Tests

This paper describes a sequential suboptimal test selection procedure for a combinational logic circuit. The goal is package level diagnosis assuming a single permanent fault and multiple outputs. The method extends to multiple permanent faults and/or a single output since the starting point is a fault table of test inputs as columns, faults as rows, and resulting output as the entry.
Environmental Interventions for the Prevention of Travelers' Diarrhea

The diarrheal illnesses affecting travelers to areas with low standards of hygiene are due to exposure to microbial agents not in wide circulation in the travelers' home area. A major objective for the prevention of travelers' diarrhea should be to minimize exposure to these infectious agents. Studies of sporadic and epidemic travelers' diarrhea have shown that contaminated food and water are usually the most important vehicles for transmission of these agents. Travelers must know which foods and water sources to avoid and which they may reasonably be assured are safe. Also, methods for disinfecting potentially contaminated sources must be simple and practical. Acceptable methods for ensuring the safety of food and drink are amply documented in the literature. However, although the consumption of certain foods and beverages is clearly associated with an increased risk of developing travelers' diarrhea, in some retrospective studies adherence to strict dietary rules generally did not appear to diminish the incidence. Despite these findings, whose validity may have been weakened by study design flaws, careful attention to the preparation and choice of food and beverage is recommended for prevention of both diarrheal and nondiarrheal illnesses.
Size, distribution, and persistence of genets in local populations of the late‐stage ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete, Russula brevipes

Summary • The spatial mapping of genets from sporocarps allows determination of the primary modes of reproduction of ectomycorrhizal fungi. The goals of this research were to determine the relative size, density, and persistence of genets of Russula brevipes , a late successional basidiomycete, in mature stands of lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta ) and Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis ). • Sporocarps were mapped and genets were identified using species-specific hypervariable microsatellite markers. • Most of the sporocarps sampled in clumped aggregations were the same genet and occupied areas less than 3 m. The largest distance measured between two sporocarps of the same genet was 18 m. In local populations of R. brevipes associated with Sitka spruce, genets were comprised of largely related individuals, whereas in lodgepole pine, most genets appeared unrelated. • High genotypic diversity in Sitka spruce stands suggests frequent mating and recombination between local inhabitants from primary establishment of basidiospores. In lodgepole pine, fewer, unrelated genotypes of R. brevipes indicates that multiple sources of colonization arose from infrequent, long distance spore dispersal events.
Direct Calculation of the Excess Free Energy of the Dense Lennard-Jones Fluid

Abstract The excess free energy of the Lennard-Jones fluid near its triple point was calculated with a nonlinear thermodynamic integration method directly from an ideal gas reference state and is found to be in good agreement with earlier calculations. The effect of the truncation of the inner core on the computed free energy was also examined.
The Influence of Strong Shareholders on Earnings Management

Presumably, shareholder rights aim to better align the actions of managers with the interests of shareholders; however, it is not clear from prior research whether such alignment mitigates or exacerbates managers’ propensity to manage earnings. We document that when shareholder rights are stronger, managers are more likely to manage earnings upward to meet analyst expectations or last year’s EPS. The greater propensity of firms with strong shareholder rights to manage earnings to meet earnings benchmarks is not consistent with the traditional expectation that shareholder rights serve as a governance mechanism to reduce what could be opportunistic reporting behavior. We further highlight the unique impact of shareholder rights for our sample by demonstrating that other traditional governance mechanisms (audit quality, institutional ownership, and board’s financial expertise) have the expected effect of reducing earnings management. Given recent demands to enhance shareholder rights, our study highlights an interesting and perhaps unexpected financial reporting consequence.
Sensitivity of Numerical Simulations of the Early Rapid Intensification of Hurricane Emily to Cumulus Parameterization Schemes in Different Model Horizontal Resolutions

A series of numerical experiments are conducted to examine the sensitivity of the numerical simulation of Hurricane Emily’s (2005) early rapid intensification to the cumulus parameterization schemes in the advanced research version of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at different horizontal resolutions. Results indicate that the numerical simulations are very sensitive to the choices of cumulus schemes at 9 km grid spacings. Specifically, with different cumulus schemes, the simulated minimum central sea level pressure (SLP) varies by 41 hPa during the 54 h forecast period. In contrast, only about 10 hPa difference is produced in minimum central SLP by varying planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization schemes in the same simulation period. Physical and dynamic mechanisms associated with this sensitivity are investigated. It is found that the intensity of the simulated storm depends highly on the magnitude and structure of surface latent heat flux and convective heating rate over the storm eyewall. The use of cumulus schemes is helpful for the model to reproduce those favorable conditions that cause the storm deepening. However, at 3 km resolution, the cumulus schemes do not result in any notable difference in the storm intensity and track forecasts. Only a slight difference is found in the simulated storm precipitation structure. Compared with cumulus schemes, the PBL schemes have significant impacts on Emily’s intensity forecast at 3 km resolution; the minimum central SLP varies by 37 hPa with the use of a different PBL scheme in the WRF model.
Paclitaxel Chemotherapy in a Pregnant Patient with Bilateral Breast Cancer

In this article, we report on a case of a pregnant patient with synchronous bilateral breast cancer treated with weekly paclitaxel. She presented after right mastectomy and anthracycline-based chemotherapy at an outside facility. Staging studies at our hospital before taxane administration demonstrated a 19-20-week gravid uterus and tumor in the remaining left breast. Weekly paclitaxel was given preoperatively during pregnancy. A normal male infant was delivered. Upon completion of chemotherapy, the patient underwent mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection followed by comprehensive radiation therapy to the chest wall.
Objective Human Visual System Based Video Quality Assessment Metric for Low Bit-Rate Video Communication Systems

Quality assessment is crucial to developments of video communication systems. While subjective test yields most accurate results, its expensive cost and human biasness make it an unsatisfactory figure of merit. The peak-signal to noise ratio (PSNR), the most acceptable objective video quality assessment metric, is based on error sensitivity; its failure to capture perceptual errors is well documented. Other perceptual quality metrics fail to detect the localized errors that are common in sequences produced by low bit-rate video communication systems. In this work, a novel perceptual quality assessment metric, the structural similarity (SSIM) metric, is modified to better detect spatial artifacts often seen in video communication systems.
A new principle of pellet feeder design.

Most current commercial devices dispense dry food pellets by moving the pellets horizontally toward a discharge point. Individual pellets, captured by perforations in a horizontal metal disk, are discharged one by one by stepwise rotation of the disk within the pellet reservoir. In our laboratory, where the average pellet discharge rate is some 20,000 pellets per week, feeders of this type produced occasional problems. Some were electronic; others involved failure always to capture a pellet in each perforation, particularly when the pellet supply was low. But the most common problem was an accumulation of pellet chips and dust under and around the perforated disk, which ultimately jammed the mechanism. Despite weekly cleaning and maintenance, troubles arose at least twice a month, prompting a search for a simpler pellet-feeder design which would be more reliable and require less maintenance. The present pellet feeder employs a vertical rather than horizontal design principle. It has been used extensively in operant conditioning applications for more than a year. More than 200,000 pellets have been reliably discharged from a single feeder without a breakdown. No maintenance, other than a weekly cleaning of the discharge tube, has been required.
An Investigation of Cancer Rates in the Argentia Region, Newfoundland and Labrador: An Ecological Study

Background. The Argentia region of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, was home to a US naval base during a 40-year period between the 1940s and the 1990s. Activities on the base resulted in contamination of the soil and groundwater in the region with chemicals such as heavy metals and dioxins, and residents have expressed concern about higher rates of cancer in their community. This study investigated the rate of cancer diagnosis that is disproportionately high in the Argentia region. Methods. Cases of cancer diagnosed between 1985 and 2011 were obtained for the Argentia region, two comparison communities, and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Crude and age-standardized incidence rates of cancer diagnosis were calculated and compared. The crude incidence rate was adjusted for differences in age demographics using census data, and age-standardized incidence rates were compared. Results. Although the Argentia region had a higher crude rate of cancer diagnosis, the age-standardized incidence rate did not differ significantly from the comparison communities or the provincial average. Argentia has an aging population, which may have influenced the perception of increased cancer diagnosis in the community. Conclusions. We did not detect an increased burden of cancer in the Argentia region.
Methods for Estimating the Impact of Hypothetical Dam Break Floods

This paper presents a method for estimating the impact of floods resulting from dam failure. These methods were developed for implementation at the Pacific Disaster Center in Hawaii. A hydraulic model embedded in a Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to estimate the downstream attenuation of the flood. The model output is then integrated with a Digital Elevation Model in order to estimate the lateral extent and depth of flooding. Information useful for disaster planning is obtained by overlaying the flood map onto GIS infrastructure layers (roads, emergency services, and chemical plants).
Abstract 4905: Patient-specific pathway analysis using PARADIGM identifies key activities in multiple cancers

Cancer is a disease of genomic perturbations that lead to dysregulation of multiple pathways within the cellular system. While common pathways are believed to be shared within specific cancer types, the mechanisms of why particular patients respond differently to treatment is not fully understood. Current -omics studies such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) have attempted to address this issue by using large-scale whole-genome measurements of mRNA expression, DNA copy number, and epigenetic features. Typical analysis of these measurements relies on integrating data from multiple samples to distinguish signal from noise. However, few analytical methods allow for sample-specific differences to identify features and pathways that are significant for prognosis and clinical treatment classifications. We developed a pathway inference method called PARADIGM (PAthway Recognition Algorithm using Data Integration on Genomic Models) (Bioinformatics (2010) vol. 26 (12) pp. i237) to identify patient- and sample-specific pathway activities. Previously we have shown that PARADIGM is capable of stratifying patients into clinically relevant subgroups in both TCGA ovarian serous carcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme using gene expression and copy number alteration values. We have since enhanced PARADIGM in multiple ways allowing more in-depth analysis and discovery across multiple cancer types. We have expanded the underlying pathway database previously consisting of NCI9s Pathway Interaction Database to include pathways from BioCarta and Reactome, increasing the number of pathways by ten-fold and increasing the total number of features to approximately 22,000. We have refined the central dogma framework underlying all features in each pathway to support a more accurate regulatory model, allowing us to efficiently learn the strength of each interaction. Finally, PARADIGM now supports additional input data sources in the form of methylation and mutational interventions. By adding gene-level mutational information on the new regulatory model we show it is possible to distinguish between gain-of-function and loss-of-function mutations in each patient. In addition, through these enhancements we show increased ability to identify key pathway activities that effectively stratify patient cohorts. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4905. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4905