cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Out-of-hospital cardiac deaths in adolescents and young adults in the United States, 1989 to 1998

Background Out-of-hospital cardiac death (OHCD), often occurring suddenly and unexpectedly, is a major public health problem. The purpose of this study is to assess the epidemiologic pattern and secular trend of OHCD in adolescents and young adults aged 15–34 years in the United States. Methods United States national vital statistics mortality data from 1989 to 1998 were analyzed. OHCD was defined as death that occurred either at a pre-transport location, or in the emergency room, or was classified as “dead on arrival” in the emergency room, with an underlying cause of death as a cardiac disease (ICD-9 codes 390–398, 402, 404–429, 745, or 746). Results Of the 48,573 cardiac deaths occurring during 1989 to 1998, 31,827 (66%) were out of hospital. Of all OHCD victims from 1989 to 1998, 70% were men, and 76% were aged 25–34 years. The leading underlying causes of OHCD were coronary heart disease (29%), cardiomyopathy (18%), and arrhythmias (14%). The OHCD rates (per million population) were twice as high in men as in women (57.0 vs. 26.7 in 1997 and 1998), in African Americans as in whites (84.9 vs. 35.9 in 1997 and 1998), and increased with age. From 1989–1990 to 1997–1998, the age-adjusted OHCD death rates increased in both men (11%) and women (33%), and in African Americans (11%) and whites (19%). Conclusions Although cardiac death remains rare in U.S. adolescents and young adults, the increased trend in OHCD rates in this age group warrants further investigation of etiology and prevention strategies.
Beliefs About Faith and Work: Development and Validation of Honoring God and Prosperity Gospel Scales

Disputes over the connection between beliefs and behaviors, coupled with the relative paucity of survey measures of specific theological beliefs related to work and its association with financial success, motivated the development of two beliefs scales: beliefs about work as a means to honor God and beliefs about God promising prosperity for believers. Analyses demonstrated these two scales to be distinct from one another and reliable. Using a national sample of over 1,000 working adults, we assessed the relationship of the specific belief scales to Lynn et al.’s (J Bus Ethics 85(2):227–241, 2009) faith at work scale, Mirels and Garrett’s (J Consul Clin Psychol 36(1):40–44, 1971) Protestant Work Ethic scale, two personality scales (Conscientiousness and Neuroticism), entrepreneurial behavior, helping behavior, and religious tradition. Results indicate convergent and divergent validity and demonstrate the potential utility of these beliefs scales for predicting work-related attitudes and practices.
Supporting the 7th-Year Undergraduate Responsive Leadership at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Administrators at 4-year, public institutions of higher education commonly negotiate a balance between the oft-competing goals of access and excellence. This is heightened within minority–majority ...
‘As He Refined the Language’: Dryden's Task as a Translator

This essay was runner-up in the 2005 Literature Compass Graduate Essay Prize, Seventeenth Century Section. The essay surveys Dryden's prose works, and his career as translator from Westminster School to Fables Ancient and Modern, in order to show his conception of literary translation as a tool to elevate, enrich and refine the English language. Dryden had a heavy investment in the idea of translatio studii, the translation of the arts between successive cultures, from Ancient Greece to Restoration England, and perceived himself as a crucial agent in this historical progress. But accompanying the premise of England's inheritance of cultural eminence is a veneration for Latin which makes classicising via translation a crucial task for England's leading person of letters; especially as hopes of a British Academy under royal patronage faded. Dryden found ways to advance this aim under all his three theorised modes of translation: metaphrase (word-for-word), imitation (loose rewriting) and paraphrase (a middle path). Finally, at the end of his life, he discusses the English language as if his project had attained some success, and was an appropriate medium in which to set down Latin classics beside its own classics as peers.
In-Situ Study on Coaxing During Vibration-Based Bending Fatigue of Inconel 625 and 718

This study observes coaxing effects on aerospace nickel alloys during vibration-based bending fatigue loading. The purpose of this analysis is to determine if Goodman diagrams can be constructed using bending fatigue life data at experimentally defined cycles to failure. The methodology for controlling the number of cycles to failure requires a series of understressing steps, where stress amplitude is incrementally increased at each step. This method, known as the step-test procedure, states that, for some materials, the stress amplitude corresponding to the controlled cycles-to-failure can be determined through linear interpolation between the failure step and the previous non-failure step. Using the step-test procedure, experimental bending fatigue life results were gathered from cold-rolled Inconel 625 and 718 plate specimens. These bending loads are applied with a vibration-based experimental method, known as the George fatigue method, which utilizes modal vibration for fatigue loading. The fatigue life results from the George fatigue method are compared to life data from previously published constant stress amplitude experiments to determine if coaxing affects the fatigue performance of the Inconel materials. Results show that Inconel 625 has an improved fatigue performance that could be attributed to several possible factors, including coaxing, while the Inconel 718 data is shown to be within a 50% confidence band of constant stress amplitude data from the same material stock. The findings in this study increases the knowledge necessary to attain more relevant and less conservative empirical data for designing against high cycle fatigue (HCF) failure of complex gas turbine engine components.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Lasers and Losers in the Eyes of the Law: Liability for Head and Neck Procedures

ImportanceAlthough some have noted that malpractice litigation may be “plateauing,” defensive medical practices are pervasive and make up a considerable proportion of the “indirect” costs medicoleg...
Sodium nitrite in patients with peripheral artery disease and diabetes mellitus: Safety, walking distance and endothelial function

Nitrite stores decrease after exercise in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes represents decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability that may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and limit exercise duration. The primary objective of this placebo-controlled study was the safety and tolerability of multiple doses of oral sodium nitrite in patients with PAD, predominantly with diabetes, over a period of 10 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was endothelial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and secondary efficacy endpoints included a 6-minute walk test and quality of life assessment. Of the 55 subjects, the most common side effects attributed to sodium nitrite were a composite of headache and dizziness occurring in 21% with the 40 mg dose and 44% with the 80 mg dose. There was no clinically significant elevation of methemoglobin. FMD non-significantly worsened in the placebo and 40 mg groups, but was stable in the 80 mg group. Diabetic patients receiving 80 mg had significantly higher FMD compared with the placebo and 40 mg groups. There was no significant change in 6-minute walk test or quality of life parameters over time compared to placebo. In conclusion, sodium nitrite therapy is well tolerated in patients with PAD. The possible clinical benefit of sodium nitrite should be studied in a larger and fully powered trial.
Bacillus anthracis Acetyltransferases PatA1 and PatA2 Modify the Secondary Cell Wall Polysaccharide and Affect the Assembly of S-Layer Proteins

The envelope of Bacillus anthracis encompasses a proteinaceous S-layer with two S-layer proteins (Sap and EA1). Protein assembly in the envelope of B. anthracis requires S-layer homology domains (SLH) within S-layer proteins and S-layer-associated proteins (BSLs), which associate with the secondary cell wall polysaccharide (SCWP), an acetylated carbohydrate that is tethered to peptidoglycan. Here, we investigated the contributions of two putative acetyltransferases, PatA1 and PatA2, on SCWP acetylation and S-layer assembly. We show that mutations in patA1 and patA2 affect the chain lengths of B. anthracis vegetative forms and perturb the deposition of the BslO murein hydrolase at cell division septa. The patA1 and patA2 mutants are defective for the assembly of EA1 in the envelope but retain the ability of S-layer formation with Sap. SCWP isolated from the patA1 patA2 mutant lacked acetyl moieties identified in wild-type polysaccharide and failed to associate with the SLH domains of EA1. A model is discussed whereby patA1- and patA2-mediated acetylation of SCWP enables the deposition of EA1 as well as BslO near the septal region of the B. anthracis envelope.
Maxwell's equations, radiative transfer, and coherent backscattering: A general perspective

This tutorial paper provides a general overview of the hierarchy of problems involving electromagnetic scattering by particles and clarifies the place of the radiative transfer theory and the theory of coherent backscattering in the context of classical electromagnetics. The self-consistent microphysical approach to radiative transfer is compared with the traditional phenomenological treatment.
A Critical Review of Methods Used to Determine Productivity of Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems Coordination

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems coordination is a process during the pre-construction phase through which the proposed location and route of each system components are specified. The MEP coordination process has significantly changed due to utilization of Building Information Modeling (BIM). There is a gap in knowledge regarding productivity measurement of MEP coordination team. Moreover, there is a need for research to enhance our understanding about important factors affecting productivity of MEP coordination. The main objectives of this research are: (i) to document approaches for conducting MEP coordination using BIM, (ii) to identify metrics for measuring productivity of MEP coordination; and (iii) to identify factors affecting MEP coordination productivity. A questionnaire survey was conducted to achieve these objectives. The survey show that the most frequently used metric for conducting MEP coordination using BIM is square feet of coordinated area per total coordination hour. Moreover, experience level of MEP coordination team members is the top factor that significantly affects MEP coordination productivity. The findings of this study indicate that construction industry lacks a systematic procedure to record information to track, measure, and compare MEP coordination productivity across different coordination projects.
Weight and health status of inner city African American children: Perceptions of children and their parents.

Abstract Poor socioeconomic status and African American (AA) ethnicity contribute to an increased risk of obesity for many inner city children. One hundred and forty six AA children and 108 AA parents attending an inner city health fair completed surveys regarding perceptions of their own (or their child's) weight and the impact of weight on health. The children were measured and their body mass indexes were calculated. Thirty-seven percent of the child respondents ( n = 52) were at risk of overweight or overweight; of these, 67% perceived themselves as normal weight, and 77% thought their weight was healthy. Weighing more was felt to be healthy by 17% of children and 29% of parents. Of 39 parents whose children were at risk of overweight or overweight, 68% felt their child's weight was normal and 80% thought it was healthy. These results suggest that inner city AA children and their parents often do not recognize being overweight or the health implications of being overweight.
A Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Collaborative Care for Patients With Panic Disorder in Primary Care

Background: Effectiveness studies have tested interventions to improve quality of care for depression in primary care, but none, to our knowledge, have been completed for panic disorder (PD) in this setting. This study sought to test the clinical effectiveness of PD pharmacotherapy embedded in a disease management framework of “collaborative care” (CC). Methods: One hundred fifteen patients with PD from 3 primary care clinics were randomized to CC or “usual care” (UC). Patients in CC (n=57) received educational videotapes and pamphlets; pharmacotherapy with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor paroxetine; 2 psychiatrist visits and 2 telephone calls in the first 8 weeks; and up to 5 telephone calls between 3 and 12 months’ follow-up. Usual care patients (n=58) were treated by their primary care physician. Telephone assessments of panic, anxiety sensitivity, depression, and disability variables were performed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months’ follow-up. Adequacy of pharmacotherapy was assessed with an algorithm based on a review of efficacy studies. Results: Patients in CC were more likely to receive adequate (type, dose, duration) medication and more likely to adhere to this medication at 3 and 6 months. Random regression analyses showed that CC patients improved significantly more over time compared with UC patients on anxiety, depression, and disability measures, with the greatest effects at 3 and 6 months. Conclusions: Compared with UC, CC interventions significantly improved both quality of care and clinical and functional outcomes in primary care PD patients. Clinical differences were greatest in the first 6 months, corresponding to the greater quality of care and the greater intensity of intervention. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001;58:869-876
ON LINEAR DISCRIMINATION WITH ACCOUNTING RATIOS

Much research in Accounting and Finance is concerned with using the linear discriminant function (LDF) to model accounting-based ratios to predict financial events and other variables. Little attention has been given to the conditions under which the model is optimal, and to any resultant biases in model output associated with accounting ratios that do not meet optimality. This study lists conditions for LDF optimality, and discusses the potential problems when accounting numbers do not meet such conditions. This knowledge is extended by reported results of an empirical study which show that the cross-sectional properties of some ratios arr not temporally stable. Finally, suggestions are offered to improve modeling efforts.
Systematic verification of safety properties of arbitrary network protocol compositions using CHAIN

Formal correctness of complex multi-party protocols can be difficult to verify. While models of specific sign constraints, protocols which lend themselves to arbitrarily many compositions of agents -such as the chaining of proxies or the peering of routers- are more difficult to verify because they represent potentially infinite state spaces and may exhibit emergent behaviors which may not materialize under particular fixed compositions. We address this challenge by developing an algebraic approach that enables us to reduce arbitrary compositions of network agents into a behaviorally-equivalent (with respect to some correctness property) compact, conical representation, which is amenable to mechanical verification. Our approach consists of an algebra and a set of property-preserving rewrite rules for the canonical homomorphic abstraction of infinite network protocol composition (CHAIN). Using CHAIN, an expression over our algebra (i.e., a set of configurations of network protocol agents) can be reduced to another behaviorally-equivalent expression (i.e., a smaller set of configurations). Repeated applications of such rewrite rules produce a canonical expression which can be checked mechanically. We demonstrate our approach by characterizing deadlock-prone configurations of HTTP agents, as well as establishing useful properties of an overlay protocol for scheduling MPEG frames, and of a protocol for Web intracache consistency.
Using Eyeblink Classical Conditioning as a Test of the Functional Consequences of Exposure of the Developing Cerebellum to Alcohol

Exposure of the developing brain to alcohol produces profound Purkinje cell loss in the cerebellum, and deficits in tests of motor coordination. However, the precise relationship between these two sets of findings has been difficult to determine. Eyeblink classical conditioning is known to engage a discrete brainstem-cerebellar circuit, making it an ideal test of cerebellar functional integrity after developmental alcohol exposure. In eyeblink conditioning, one of the deep cerebellar nuclei, the interpositus nucleus, as well as specific Purkinje cell populations, are sites of convergence for CS and US information. A series of studies have shown that eyeblink conditioning is impaired in both weanling and adult rats given binge-like exposure to alcohol as neonates, and that these deficits can be traced, at least in part, to impaired activation of cerebellar interpositus nucleus neurons and to an overall reduction in the deep cerebellar nuclear cell population. Because particular cerebellar cell populations are utilized in well-defined ways during eyeblink conditioning, conclusions regarding specific changes in the mediation of behavior by these cell populations are greatly strengthened. Further studies will be directed towards the impact of early exposure to alcohol on the functionality of specific Purkinje cell populations, as well as towards brainstem areas that process the tone CS and the somatosensory US.
Brief Report: The Risk of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Pediatric Cancer and Type I Diabetes

Objective To evaluate the risk of and predictors of enduring and late-onset posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among mothers of children diagnosed with type I diabetes and cancer. Method Mothers (N = 99) of children diagnosed with cancer or diabetes for at least 12 months completed a structured clinical interview for PTSD and self-report measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and stressful life events. Results There was no significant difference in the rate of PTSD between the two groups. Overall, fewer mothers (7%) met criteria for PTSD on the structured clinical interview than those on a self-report measure of PTSD (17%). Mothers who reported more depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stressful life events tended to report significantly more PTSD symptoms. Conclusions The findings extend prior research regarding the prevalence rate and predictors of PTSD and PTSD symptoms in pediatric populations. It is recommended that clinicians exercise caution when interpreting prevalence rates for PTSD that are derived from self-report measures.
Applications of Monte Carlo simulations of thermalization processes to the nondestructive assay of graphite

This work originated because of the need to measure (in situ and nondestructively) the degree of purity of the graphite of the Swiss critical facility Proteus. The comparison between measured and c...
UAV aided intelligent routing for ad-hoc wireless network in single-area theater

Large homogeneous ad hoc wireless networks have a problem: the bandwidth available to a mobile user decreases as the number of nodes in the network increases. Using the embedded ad-hoc networking mechanism, nodes are able to transport packets across the network in a multihop fashion. An embedded mobile backbone is dynamically constructed to form a 2-level physical heterogeneous multihop wireless network. These backbone nodes provide two critical functions: (1) direct communication between neighboring cluster heads; and (2) efficient route discovery in HSR. With the broadcast feature of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the link state can be broadcast to backbone nodes instead of "flooding" on the level 2. Thus, the routing overhead can be tremendously reduced, and the throughput will be improved. We modified hierarchical state routing (HSR) to have an intelligent selection algorithm to reduce the system latency caused by the long propagation delay of the UAV channel. The performance of the system is evaluated through simulation experiments.
Sex and species differences in tyrosine hydroxylase-synthesizing cells of the rodent olfactory extended amygdala

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and the medial amygdala (MeA) are anatomically connected sites necessary for chemosensory regulation of social behaviors in rodents. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) are a valuable model for studying the neural regulation of social behaviors because, unlike many other rodents, they are gregarious, pair bond after copulating, and are biparental. We herein describe sex and species differences in immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine synthesis, in the BST and MeA. Virgin male prairie voles had a large number of TH-immunoreactive cells in areas analogous to the rat principal nucleus of the BST (pBST) and the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MeAPd). Virgin female prairie voles had far fewer TH-immunoreactive cells in these sites ( approximately 17% of the number of cells as males in the pBST, approximately 35% of the number of cells in the MeAPd). A few TH-immunoreactive cells were found in the BST of male and female hamsters and meadow voles, but not in rats. The MeApd also contained a few TH-immunoreactive cells in male and female hamsters and male meadow voles, but not rats. Castration greatly reduced the number of TH-immunoreactive cells in the male prairie vole pBST and MeAPd, an effect that could be reversed with testosterone. Furthermore, treating ovariectomized females with testosterone substantially increased TH-immunoreactive cells in both sites. Therefore, a species-specific sex difference in TH expression is found in a chemosensory pathway in prairie voles. Expression of TH in these sites is influenced by circulating gonadal hormones in adults, which may be related to changes in their display of social behaviors across the reproductive cycle.
The Conditional Nature of Embeddedness: A Study of Borrowing by Large U.S. Firms, 1973–1994:

Economic and organizational sociologists have increasingly demonstrated that the actions of individuals and firms are affected by the social networks within which they are embedded. In recent years scholars have begun to recognize that the effects of these social networks may vary across populations or types of relations. This article examines the extent to which the effects of interfirm networks on the behavior of firms are historically contingent. Focusing on the level of debt financing among approximately 140 large U.S. corporations over a 22-year period, the authors show that the extent to which the firms' use of debt was influenced by those with which they were tied through director interlocks declined over time. The authors argue that this decline in the network effect reflected a shift in the institutional environment within which the firms operated, and that it was driven by three processes: the professionalization of the finance function within the firm, the internalization of financial decision-...
Statistical Studies of the Meteorltic Falls of the World: 5. The Observed Sideritic and Siderolitic Falls1

This paper consists essentially of 3 tables: Table 1, 38 sideritic and siderolitic falls, of which the observation appears to be authentic; Table 2, 18 such falls, whose observation is doubtful or improbable; and Table 3, 7 such falls, so recently reported to have been witnessed as to call for further information, either to confirm or to disprove their reputed observation. The falls, especially those of Table 1, are briefly discussed, and the article ends with a recital of the criteria that may be used to determine whether or not a meteorite—iron or stone—was seen to fall.
Carbon isotopes of trees from arid environments and implications for reconstructing atmospheric CO2 concentration

Four trees from San Dimas, the Santa Monica Mountains and the White Mountains of California, and Sinai Peninsula are studied for carbon isotope ratios. These trees grew in arid environments where vegetation is sparse and canopy effect is minimized. The δ^(13)C time series obtained from wood segments of these trees contain high-frequency variations and a long-term decreasing trend. The high-frequency signals can be effectively explained by the variations of precipitation. The low-frequency trend cannot be accounted for only by the δ^(13)C variation of atmospheric CO_2. The CO_2 concentration in the atmosphere also attributed to the progressive depletion in the ^(13)C contents of these trees. These results indicate a possibility of using δ^(13)C of plants as a proxy indicator of the concentration of atmospheric CO_2, provided that the δ^(13)C value of the open atmosphere can be constrained independently. Plant water-use efficiency is not a simple function of the CO_2 concentration of the atmosphere. It can increase, remain constant, or decrease with an increase of the atmospheric CO_2 concentration.
Induction motor stray losses and inter-bar currents

This paper presents measured bar-to-lamination contact resistance values for eight, 10 hp cast copper induction motors. The contact resistance values are compared to full load stray loss values determined using the IEEE input-output method. The stray losses generally decrease with decreasing contact resistance. This result is consistent with the general theory explained by Odok that rotor losses can peak at an intermediate value of contact resistance. For contact resistance values below the maximum loss value, decreasing the contact resistance would decrease the rotor losses. However, additional calculations and test results on skewed and non-skewed 5 hp cast aluminum cage motors are less consistent with the inter-bar loss calculations. The values of the two slot harmonic leakage reactance terms significantly impact the calculated rotor inter-bar losses.
Animal models for assessing drugs of abuse.

A major toxic effect that has limited the clinical usefulness of medicinal drugs has been their susceptibility to nonmedical use and abuse by significant segments of the population. Major research efforts have been directed toward the development of safer and more effective therapeutic agents that would not be subject to such misuse, and laboratory animal assessment models have contributed importantly to the evaluation of such compounds. There are now several converging lines of evidence that testify to the reliability and broad generality of observations concerning drug abuse liability in humans based upon such animal laboratory models. The most important point of contact that characterizes the interaction between such animal assessment models and the human drug abuse arena is the demonstrated relationship between the biochemical/pharmacological/toxic properties of drugs on the one hand, and their environmental/behavioral stimulus functions on the other. As a result of these developments in animal model research technology and the consequent advances in knowledge of drug action, an operational basis has been provided for redefining the bewildering range of phenomena and experiential pseudo-phenomena loosely identify with such terms as “addiction,” “dependence” and “abuse.”
Tartan: evaluating spatial computation for whole program execution

Spatial Computing (SC) has been shown to be an energy-efficient model for implementing program kernels. In this paper we explore the feasibility of using SC for more than small kernels. To this end, we evaluate the performance and energy efficiency of entire applications on Tartan, a general-purpose architecture which integrates a reconfigurable fabric (RF) with a superscalar core. Our compiler automatically partitions and compiles an application into an instruction stream for the core and a configuration for the RF. We use a detailed simulator to capture both timing and energy numbers for all parts of the system.Our results indicate that a hierarchical RF architecture, designed around a scalable interconnect, is instrumental in harnessing the benefits of spatial computation. The interconnect uses static configuration and routing at the lower levels and a packet-switched, dynamically-routed network at the top level. Tartan is most energyefficient when almost all of the application is mapped to the RF, indicating the need for the RF to support most general-purpose programming constructs. Our initial investigation reveals that such a system can provide, on average, an order of magnitude improvement in energy-delay compared to an aggressive superscalar core on single-threaded workloads.
Breeding Ecology and Behavior of Ozark Bass Ambloplites constellatus

Abstract Ozark bass (Ambloplites constellatus) are endemic to the White River drainage in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. Although they are assumed to be similar to rock bass (A. rupestris), little is known of their behavior or life history. We investigated the spawning behavior and ecology of Ozark bass by snorkeling and seining in the Buffalo National River, Arkansas, from 1990–1992. Most males nested on gravel or cobble substrates. In 1992 65% of nests occurred within 1 m downstream of cover. Egg deposition was asynchronous, but began when water temperatures reached 17 C. Embryos hatched in 5 d at a mean water temperature of 21 C and free-embryos remained in their nests for up to 9 d before swim-up. Predation and high water limit Ozark bass spawning success in the Buffalo River. No nests in our study area successfully produced dispersing young in 1991, while 10% of nests monitored in 1992 were successful. Young-of-year were difficult for divers to locate during the day in 1990–1992 and were ca...
Grading of cotton by color measurement

Abstract: Cotton color is an important measurement in judging fiber’s spinning quality in the current cotton classing system. This chapter first briefly reviews the history and major factors of cotton color grading, and then discusses the instrumental methods, including HVI colorimeter and color imaging system, that has been developed for objective and reliable grading of cotton color.
Vectorlike leptons at the Large Hadron Collider

We study the prospects for excluding or discovering vectorlike leptons using multilepton events at the LHC. We consider models in which the vectorlike leptons decay to tau leptons. If the vectorlike leptons are weak isosinglets, then discovery in multilepton states is found to be extremely challenging. For the case that the vectorlike leptons are weak isodoublet, we argue that there may be an opportunity for exclusion for masses up to about 275 GeV by direct searches with existing LHC data at $\sqrt{s}=8\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$. We also discuss prospects for exclusion or discovery at the LHC with future $\sqrt{s}=13\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ data.
Determinants of Management Forecast Precision

Pownall, et. al. (1993) document that nearly 80% of their sample of voluntary management earnings forecasts are not precise point forecasts. Imprecise forecast forms include closed-interval forecasts (i.e., ranges), open-interval forecasts (i.e., minimums and maximums), and general impressions about firms' earnings prospects. Given analytical predictions that a signal's precision is important in belief development (Kim and Verrecchia, 1991; Morse, et al., 1991) and the empirical evidence that management forecast precision affects the beliefs of traders and financial analysts (Baginski, et al., 1993), the question arises as to what factors motivate a manager's choice of forecast precision. We perform cross-sectional logistic regressions to document determinants of forecast precision. Our sample consists of 1,212 annual and interim management forecasts. After controlling for firm-specific and horizon-specific earnings uncertainty, we find that managers produce more precise forecasts of annual earnings for firms with greater analyst following (our proxy for private information) and for smaller firms (our proxy for public information). The results are robust across subsamples. The majority of the results do not, however, hold for interim forecasts.
Asymmetric Predictive Abilities of Nonlinear Models for Stock Returns: Evidence from Density Forecast Comparison

We investigate predictive abilities of nonlinear models for stock returns when density forecasts are evaluated and compared instead of the conditional mean point forecasts. The aim of this paper is to show whether the in-sample evidence of strong nonlinearity in mean may be exploited for out-of-sample prediction and whether a nonlinear model may beat the martingale model in out-of-sample prediction. We use the Kullback–Leibler Information Criterion (KLIC) divergence measure to characterize the extent of misspecification of a forecast model. The reality check test of White (2000) using the KLIC as a loss function is conducted to compare the out-of-sample performance of competing conditional mean models. In this framework, the KLIC measures not only model specification error but also parameter estimation error, and thus we treat both types of errors as loss. The conditional mean models we use for the daily closing S&P 500 index returns include the martingale difference, ARMA, STAR, SETAR, artificial neural network, and polynomial models. Our empirical findings suggest the out-of-sample predictive abilities of nonlinear models for stock returns are asymmetric in the sense that the right tails of the return series are predictable via many of the nonlinear models, while we find no such evidence for the left tails or the entire distribution.
Generation of Divergence-Free Synthetic Turbulent Velocity Fields for LES/CAA Applications

The direct numerical prediction of broadband noise radiating from realistic turbulent flows interacting with solid surfaces is still in infancy. The main drawback is related to the computational efficiency - both in terms of processing time and storage capacity - but equally important is the accuracy of imposing turbulent inflow boundary conditions or the initiation of the solution with a realistic turbulent flow. In this paper, we introduce a divergence-free synthetic turbulent eddy model based on the assumption that turbulence can be considered as a superposition of random eddies convected with the mean flow. The vector potential and the requirement that the individual eddies must satisfy the linearized momentum equations about the mean flow are used to enforce the divergence-free condition. Experimental benchmark data for spatially decaying isotropic turbulence and nonhomogeneous rotor-wake turbulence are used to evaluate the proposed synthetic eddy method.
Reutilization of presumably degraded radioactive label from a chromosomal fraction of homologous and heterologous cells.

Summary(1) A method for producing a suspension of pure mitotic chromosomes of Chinese hamster cells with insignificant contamination by interphase nuclei or their fragments is described. The yield obtained is high and the chromosome morphology is well preserved. (2) H3 thymidine label from such chromosomes became specifically incorporated into the chromosomes of fresh Chinese hamster cells and of human leucocyte cultures. No gross alteration in the chromosomes of the receptor cells occurred, and uptake of label was inhibited by the presence of added carrier thymidine in the medium, in an amount insufficient to inhibit DNA synthesis. Therefore, most of the incorporation appears to have involved previous degradation of the DNA at least to the level of free nucleotide.The authors gratefully acknowledge the helpful suggestions of Dr. Theodore T. Puck, Dr. Sherman M. Weissman, and Dr. Gordon Allen, as well as the technical assistance of Mrs. Gloria E. Johnson.
Impedance of Turkey Muscle: Relation to Post Mortem Metabolites and Tenderness

Abstract ELECTRICAL measurements of muscle taken shortly following sacrifice of the animal are useful in predicting ultimate properties of meat. Callow (1936) reported that electrical resistance of pork was related to the final texture of the meat and Ranken and Shrimpton (1968) were able to differentiate between turkeys of varying tenderness by means of electrical measurements. Stadelman et al. (1969) have verified the potential of resistance measurements for prediction of turkey tenderness. The biochemical properties of muscle responsible for differences in electrical properties during the initial postmortem period are not well documented. Electrical properties may be related to the stage of postmortem reaction. Depletion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) during the initial postmortem period results in release of inorganic phosphate, loss of cellular membrane potential and shifts in ionic distribution between intracellular and intercellular space. These events could lead to changes in muscle conductivity or resistance. This study…
Book Review: Media Framing of the Muslim World: Conflicts, Crises and Contexts, by Halim Rane, Jacqui Ewart, and John Martinkus:

Media Framing of the Muslim World: Conflicts, Crises and Contexts. Halim Rane, Jacqui Ewart, and John Martinkus. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. 216 pp. $28 pbk.The recent Islamist assassination of Charlie Hebdo staffmembers in Paris to avenge the honor of the Prophet Muhammad, whom the weekly satirizes frequently in cartoons, incited reprisals against mosques and other Islamic sites across France and stoked Islamophobia in social media, including a Facebook post from Australia that said, "The free world needs to wake up to the fact that we are at war with the Muslim religion. They are using our hospitality and free immigration to conduct this war under our noses." These predictable responses exhibit not only anger and frustration over relentless Islamist violence, but, according to Australian researchers Halim Rane (Griffith University), Jacqui Ewart (Griffith University), and John Martinkus (University of Tasmania), they also reflect Western news media reports that portray the Muslim world as a violent, fanatical, and misogynist enemy of Western freedom and civilization.The reports of Islamist atrocities from 9/11 on are, of course, true. Islamists have beheaded journalists, gunned down children in school, and massacred entire villages. But according to Rane, Ewart, and Martinkus, what gets lost in these stories is the fact thatan overwhelming majority of Muslims reject suicide bombing and other attacks against civilians; they regard such actions as unjustifiable even in the defense of Islam. The majority of Muslims also regard other acts of violence, such as honor killings, as never justified in Islam.The authors cite Gallup and Pew polls that show that most Muslims also uphold the religious freedom of non-Muslims, believe that Islamic law applies only to Muslims, and favor democracy over authoritarian rule. The episodic reporting of Islamist terrorism, however factual, creates the misimpression that extremists are the norm in Islam.One effect of this misimpression has been the obstruction of Muslims seeking asylum in the West from the danger and persecution in their home countries. The authors report that such hindrance takes place in Australia, which has discouraged Muslim asylum seekers by preventing boats carrying asylum seekers from landing on Australian shores, managing asylum requests in detention centers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea to restrict access to Australian legal processes, and detaining asylum seekers in substandard, remote facilities. As a result, Australia receives less than 3% of the world's applications for asylum. According to the authors, news reports seldom challenge politicians who pander to public anxiety by characterizing Muslim asylum seekers as "illegals," "boat people," and "queue jumpers" whose presence undermines traditional culture, drains the economy, and threatens national security. …
SiGMA: A software framework for integrating advanced mathematical capabilities in serious game development

Abstract As games become more popular as an educational tool, an imbalance exists in the number of mathematics games that have been developed when compared to the number of games developed for other fields. Part of the reason for this gap can be attributed to the difficulty of symbolic manipulation and display of complex equations and graphs. To alleviate this, SiGMA, a symbolic toolkit for gaming mathematics, has been developed. This paper discusses the design and implementation of SiGMA, which has been utilized in a series of games developed as part of the Stern2STEM program that strives to assist military veterans on their path toward STEM degrees. This paper also reviews existing mathematics software and tools and presents game examples that utilized the SiGMA toolkit.
A Generalized Vector Network Analyzer Calibration Technique

This paper discuss the theory and implementation of a generalized set of Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) calibration techniques. In particular, the Thru-Reflect-Match (TRM) (& Line-Reflect-Match - LRM) technique will be developed. This technique uses a throughline, a reflective device and a matched Z0 load. The TRM/LRM technique is closely related to the TRL method popularized by Hewlett-Packard in the HP 8510B but overcomes certain application limitations of TRL. The described theory generalizes calibration methods for a broad range of coaxial, waveguide and other non-coaxial media. Calibrated measurement results from Open-Short-Load-Thru (OSLT), TRL and TRM/LRM will be presented.
Shrinking the Post-Plenary Power Problem

In this response to Matthew J. Lindsay’s article “Disaggregating 'Immigration Law',” Kagan argues that, despite judicial discomfort, the Supreme Court has difficulty entirely discarding the plenary power doctrine because it has the power to guide resolution of the diverse array of problems that arise involving non-citizens. However, it may be a mistake to assume that all questions involving non-citizens form one coherent legal system in the manner of torts law or criminal procedure. Many different bodies of law impact non-citizens in particular ways. These disparate bodies of law together are known as “immigration law,” but perhaps the only thing they really share is that they all affect non-citizens. By breaking immigration into narrower bodies of law, each focused on a unique context and set of concerns, the difficult legal problems should become easier to manage. However, drawing on recent work by David S. Rubenstein and Pratheepan Gulasekaram, Kagan points out there is a danger in unprincipled desegregation, driven by a desire to reach particular results in individual cases.
De Novo Expression of ATP Binding Cassette C1 (ABCC1) on T-ALL Cells Confers Resistance to Vincristine Independent of an MDR1 Phenotype.

Abstract Acquired drug resistance eventually leads to treatment failure in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). To define mechanisms of vincristine (VCR)-resistance, and to address whether inducible resistance in T-ALL might be mechanistically-dependent on ABC drug transporter expression, we developed VCR-resistant Sup T1 and Jurkat by incrementally growing cells in increasing drug concentrations. Jurkat (CD1a−, sCD3+) and Sup T1 (CD1a+, sCD3−) are arrested at “mature” and “cortical” stages of T-cell development and, respectively, showed 1190-fold (0.0006 μM to 0.714 μM) and 790-fold (0.0006 μM to 0.474 μM) increased resistance to VCR. Microarray analysis showed that expression of the ATP Binding Cassette C1 (ABCC1; Multidrug Resistance Protein, MDR2) was increased more than 29-fold in VCR-resistant cells as compared to the parental controls; fold increases in mRNA of ABCC1 were confirmed by RT-PCR, and cell surface expression by flow cytometric analysis. We then employed a flow cytometry-based assay that measures the ability of ABC pumps to extrude fluorescent dyes (Calcein AM). We confirmed that VCR-resistant Jurkat and Sup T1 actively extrude Calcein AM; drug extrusion was also effectively blocked by verapamil and other known ABCB1 antagonists. In contrast to our previous observations for ABCB1-mediated multidrug resistance (Estes, et al., British Journal of Haematology , in press), ABCC1-mediated drug resistance conferred a more narrow spectrum of multidrug resistance for the chemotherapeutic agents commonly used in T-ALL induction. To investigate whether ABC expression might impact patient outcome, we next examined ABCC1 and ABCB1 expression (>1.5-fold) in 80 T-ALL patients treated on COG studies 8704 and 9404. Different from our earlier findings that ABCB1 expression in diagnostic marrows conferred a 100% risk for on-therapy relapse, we found that ABCC1 expression only predicted treatment failure in approximately 25% of affected patients. These results suggest that ABC transporters are differentially regulated in Sup T1 and Jurkat, and that substrate-specific ABC protein regulation results in unique multidrug resistance phenotypes in T-ALL. This study contributes to the repertoire of substrate-specific, drug resistant T-ALL cells lines that are available for modeling treatment failure, provides mechanistically-based insights into relapse, and establishes an experimental means for investigating compounds that reverse ABCC1 mediated drug resistance.
Successful Treatment of an Aggressive Tracheal Malignancy With Immunotherapy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are emerging as therapeutic options for oncology patients in whom conventional treatment regimens have failed. These immunotherapies counteract tumor-induced tolerance and have been shown to be effective in thoracic malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This report highlights the successful use of nivolumab—an immunotherapeutic agent that binds to proteins involved in T-cell proliferation—for the management of recurrent tracheal squamous cell cancer after exhaustion of conventional surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiation therapy options. Observations provide a strong indication of the potential value of checkpoint inhibitors for managing a wide array of thoracic malignancies.