cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correcting for ray refraction in velocity and attenuation tomography: a perturbation approach.

In velocity and attenuation tomography, ray refraction leads to errors in time-of-arrival, as well as to errors in attenuation due to phase cancellation and lateral beam displacement. Some authors have proposed iterative techniques based on numerical ray tracing to correct for these effects. In this paper, we consider an alternative approach using a perturbation analysis of refraction. This approach requires neither iteration nor numerical integration of the ray equation. Assuming that the index of refraction deviates from its mean on the order of the small quantity e, we derive expressions for the refracted ray path whose departure from a straight line is first order in e. Using this result, we obtain a perturbation expansion of the path integral of the refractive index along the refracted ray and derive a time-delay correction of order e2 arising from the deviation of the refracted ray from a straight line. The expression for the first-order path is also used to obtain explicit corrections for phase-cancellation and beam-displacement errors that affect attenuation measurements when transducers of finite extent are employed. In addition, because of refraction, large aperture transducers are susceptible to an arrival-time uncertainty in a time-of-flight measurement; a first-order expression for the maximum value of this uncertainty is derived. In both two and three dimensions, the perturbation approach is much simpler computationally than numerical ray tracing methods. Computer simulated reconstructions are presented which clearly show the improvement that can be achieved with the second-order time delay correction.
The effect of ‘experience’ on information preferences

Abstract A decision-maker's experience is thought to affect how he/she chooses the information that support his/her selection among alternatives. Unfortunately, results from empirical studies designed to demonstrate this hypothesis are not in agreement about the existence and/or extent of the relationship. Since one possible explanation for conflicting in results is variability in the operationalization of the variable ‘experience’, this study was designed to determine if it matters whether one chooses a macro view of experience (in which the focus is on a decision-maker's overall experience) or a micro view of experience (in which the focus is on specific experience with the decision under consideration). Additional insights regarding problems in operationalizing ‘experience’ were generated as a result of these analyses to provide a basis for further research in this area.
Correlations between bond order and bond length in the electron-deficient closo-boranes

Abstract In the closo-boranes, the BB bond distances vary widely, from 1.580 to 1.990 A. These large variations are consistent with the notion of highly delocalized skeletal bonding in electron-deficient polyhedral clusters. In this paper, we show correlations between BB bond distances and four different calculated bond order indices: (1) Wade's fractional bond orders; (2) Coulson's bond orders from three-dimensional Huckel MO theory; (3) Mulliken bond populations from extended Huckel MO theory; and (4) Mulliken bond populations from ab initio SCF MO calculations.
Organ delineation using factor analysis on the Genisys preclinical PET system

The Genisys preclinical PET imaging system suffers from relatively poor spatial resolution and reconstruction artifacts in the sagittal and transaxial planes due to limited angular sampling. This prevents reliable quantification and delineation of organs and tumors in close proximity. The use of factor analysis (FA) is proposed as a method to mitigate this effect by separation of structures into "factor" images. Two studies are performed The first study involved the application of FA on a synthetically created dynamic image in order to create factor curves. These factor curves were then compared to the synthetic curves used to create the synthetic image The second study applied FA to a dynamic image of tumor-bearing mouse The resulting factor images were assessed in order to determine how well the tumor was separated from other structures. The results from the first study displayed a very strong agreement between the synthetic curves and the factor curves. The second study displayed a prominent tumor presence within the two most significant factors. The results show promise for FA, but further research into optimal conditions must be performed
Secondary Schools and Communities of Practice for Democratic Civic Education: Challenges of Authority and Authenticity.

This article reviews and critiques the concept of “community of practice” (CoP), and analyzes its relevance for democratic citizenship education in secondary social studies. The authors discuss the origins of the CoP concept in the work of Lave and Wenger (1991), trace its usage in recent educational scholarship, and outline its conceptual contributions. The authors call for the adoption of the CoP concept (“mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire”) to guide powerful, meaningful democratic civic education at the secondary level, yet they also identify the special challenges of authority and authenticity presented by most existing school structures. Even as they recognize the need for broader structural reforms to make CoPs possible, in closing the authors suggest school-based practices (connective, simulative, cooperative, and exemplary) that, under current conditions, can foster democratic citizenship formation.
An asymptotically optimal test for the mean and the variance of a normal distribution

Let be a random sample from a normal population n(μ, σ2). The statistical problem is to test the following hypothesis: against based on the observed values of where and Using Fisher's method of combining two independent test statistics, we suggest a test and then prove that the test is asymptotically optimal in the sense of Bahadur efficiency. The likelihood ratio test has also been derived. A comparison between the likelihood ratio rest test and the suggested test by means of Monte Carlo experiments is made.
Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy

Poe was the saddest and strangest figure in American literature. Jeffrey Meyers' biography portrays the unbearable tensions in his paradoxical character. He was a Virginia gentleman and the son of itinerant actors, the heir to a great fortune and a disinherited outcast, a university man who had failed to graduate, a soldier bought out of the army, a court-martialled West Point cadet, a husband with an unapproachable child-bride, a brilliant editor and a low-salaried hack, a world-renowned but improverished author, the fiance of two women who would not marry him, a normally temperate man and an uncontrollable alcoholic, a rationalist with a mystical cast of mind, a materialist who yearned for a final unity with God. Poe was the prototype of the self-destructive American writer. Throughout his life he would repeatedly strive for a desperately desired goal and, when it was nearly in reach, deliberately destroy his chance of achieving it. After attempting suicide, he tried to drink himself to death and was found in the gutter - delirious, hallucinating and comatose. Poe's life was as strange as his works and even his most bizarre stories - "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", The Cask of Amontillado" and "The Black Cat" - were autobiographical distortions of his own experience.
Power optimization of an endoreversible stirling cycle with regeneration

Abstract An optimal power analysis is conducted on an endoreversible Stirling cycle with perfect regeneration. The endoreversible cycle is one in which the external heat transfer processes are the only irreversible processes of the cycle. Maximum power and efficiency at maximum power are obtained for the cycle based upon higher and lower temperature bounds. These results provide additional criteria for use in the study and performance evaluation of Stirling engines.
Topological symmetry breakdown in cholesterics, nematics, and /sup 3/He

Cholesterics, uniaxial and biaxial nematics, and the dipole-free A phase of superfluid /sup 3/He are characterized by order parameters which are left invariant by suitable ''symmetry'' groups H. We show that in the presence of defects, the full group H may not be implementable on the states because of topological obstructions. Thus H is topologically broken in the presence of suitable defects.
Adsorption Kinetics and Elutability of α-Lactalbumin, β-Casein, β-Lactoglobulin, and Bovine Serum Albumin at Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interfaces

Abstract Adsorption kinetic data recorded for α-lactalbumin, β-casein, βlactoglobulin, and bovine serum albumin at silanized silica surfaces of low and high hydrophobicity, along with the surfactant-mediated elutability of each from hydrophobic silica, were interpreted with reference to a simple kinetic model for protein adsorption. The model includes an initial, reversible adsorption step, followed by a surface-induced conformational change yielding an irreversibly adsorbed form. The single-component adsorption kinetic data enabled estimation of the product of rate constants defining protein arrival, and conversion to an irreversibly adsorbed state, thus providing an index of relative adsorption affinity from single-component solutions. Elutability of each protein from hydrophobic silica with sodium dodecylsulfate, interpreted with reference to the same model, allowed further resolution of the single-component affinity data. In particular, the rate constants defining surface-induced unfolding for these proteins could be ranked in order of magnitude. The relative magnitudes of rate constants defining initial arrival and unfolding were found to be consistent with molecular properties shown to affect the surface activity of each protein.
Interleukin 23 Produced by Myeloid Dendritic Cells Contributes to T-Cell Dysfunction in HIV Type 1 Infection by Inducing SOCS1 Expression

The mechanism of myeloid dendritic cell (mDC)-mediated impaired T-cell function was investigated during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. HIV or gp120 were found to inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced mDC maturation and cause defects in allogeneic T-cell proliferation, interleukin 2 and interferon γ (IFN-γ) production, and phosphorylated STAT1 expression. gp120-treated mDCs downregulated autologous T-cell proliferation and IFN-γ production against a peptide pool consisting of cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and influenza virus (CEF). These T-cell defects were associated with a decrease in production of the T-helper type 1-polarizing cytokine interleukin 12p70 and an increase in interleukin 23 (IL-23) production by gp120-treated mDCs. gp120-induced IL-23 upregulated suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) protein in T cells, which inhibited IFN-γ production and killing of CEF-pulsed monocytes. These effector functions were recovered by silencing SOCS1 in T cells. Furthermore, we observed IL-23-induced SOCS1 binding to the IFN-γ transcription complex. These results identify SOCS1 as a novel target to improve the immune function in HIV-infected persons.
How Small is too Small? Camera Trap Survey Areas and Density Estimates for Ocelots in the Bolivian Chaco

Studies on carnivores, which are generally difficult to observe directly because they are elusive and nocturnal, are carried out through indirect methods, e.g. ,c amera trapping and radiotracking. The first method has been used to estimate population densities of species that can be differentiated as individuals using unique pelage patterns. However, the use of capture‐recapture methodology has raised doubts regarding the estimation of the sampling area around the camera traps ,w hich is obtained using maximum distances traveled by individuals photographed at two or more different locations. In this paper, the results from camera traps are compared with a radiotracking study carried out simultaneously with ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) to confirm whether maximum distances observed in camera traps coincide with ranging patterns determined from radio telemetry, and in turn whether the sampling areas estimated from camera traps are appropriate for estimating density. Mean maximum distance moved was 2880 m according to camera trap records during a 60-d survey period while, with radiotracking, the maximum distance moved was 3176 m during the same period. The difference is not significant, and the sampling areas estimated with camera traps to assess ocelot density are reliable. However, if the area covered by cameras is reduced to less than three to four times average home range for the target species, then density estimates from camera trapping are exaggerated because of the reduced observed distances and the fact that multiple individuals can overlap in relatively small areas.
The Evolving Clinical Course of Patients with Insulin Receptor Autoantibodies: Spontaneous Remission or Receptor Proliferation with Hypoglycemia

Three patients with insulin resistance caused by autoantibodies to the insulin receptor were investigated serially over a 3-yr period. Major changes in carbohydrate metabolism, insulin receptor status, and titer of antireceptor antibodies were observed in each case. In one patient, normalization of glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and receptor binding were associated with a spontaneous fall in the titer of antireceptor antibody. A second, more severely affected patient had two entirely distinct phase to her illness. The first, or hyperglycemic phase, was characterized by insulin resistance, negligible insulin binding to receptors on circulating monocytes, and high titers of circulating antireceptor antibodies. The second phase was characterized by refractory hypoglycemia, in association with proliferation of membrance insulin receptors; these occurred despite persistence of high titers of antireceptor antibody. An unusual heptic lesion, diffuse adenomatosis, was observed during this phase. A third patient showed features of both of the other patients, with spontaneous fall in antibody titer as well as a later phase of receptor proliferation. These studies demonstrate that patients with antibodies to insulin receptors may have a fluctuating clinical course. There may be spontaneous changes in antibody titers as well as independent changes in receptor concentration. Hypoglycemia and hepatic proliferation are newly recognized clinical sequelae in patients with this syndrome.
(18-Crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid as a chiral NMR solvating agent for determining the enantiomeric purity and absolute configuration of β-amino acids

Abstract (18-Crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid is an excellent chiral NMR solvating agent for cyclic β-amino acids and acyclic derivatives with aliphatic, aromatic, and heterocyclic aromatic moieties. The β-amino acids are mixed with the crown ether in methanol- d 4 in either their neutral or protonated form. Substantial enantiomeric discrimination typically occurs for the resonances of the α-methylene and β-methine hydrogen atoms. Resonances of the substituent group of the β-amino acid often exhibit enantiomeric discrimination. The enantiomeric discrimination of the α-methylene and β-methine resonances of specific groups of compounds shows consistent patterns that correlate with the absolute configuration.
Opening a Political Opportunity for Women in China

Currently, feminist activists in China face significant political and cultural barriers to achieving gender equality. These activists require that a political opportunity develop allowing them fundamentally alter the barriers impeding their progress. In this essay, I examine the works of several prominent feminist theorists to cultivate a solution for this problem and apply these findings to the current political and social contexts of China. I propose that a unification of global feminism, transnational feminism, and local feminism is a necessity to properly develop the political opportunity window in China. Transnational feminism must act as a bridge between the isolated local feminists within the country and the academic-based constituency of global feminism. Transnational activists have to integrate the teachings of global feminists theorists into their efforts to aid the Chinese feminists. This methodological framework unites global feminists theories, intersectional analysis, human rights framing, and mobilizing structures to bolster the influence of women’s activists in China, despite oppressive conditions. Finally, I examine several alternative theoretical perspectives and explain why each was not utilized or is not applicable to this situation.
The United Nations: Then and Now

“We do not want to entrust to five great Powers or to two great Powers the task of deciding … what our common destiny will be…”.To anyone who attended the great assemblage gathered at San Francisco in 1945 to write the Charter for the United Nations, these words have a familiar ring. Indeed, they might have been uttered (and no doubt were ad nauseam) by small-power representatives during the seemingly interminable debates over the rule of unanimity—the veto—in the Security Council. In fact, these words were spoken in February 1965 by the Mauritanian delegate explaining, on the final day of the “abortive” nineteenth session of the General Assembly, why he voted with Albania in protest against the “basis of consensus” which had governed the session.
The chemisorption and coadsorption of water and oxygen on Cs-dosed Cu(110)

Abstract The adsorption of H2O and the coadsorption of oxygen and H2O on Cu(110) containing overlayers of Cs have been studied with thermal desorption mass spectroscopy (TDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and work function measurements. On clean Cu(110), H2O adsorbs at 110 K and desorbs intact at 175 K, with no measurable dissociation probability (
Prediction of New Multiplet Structure in Photoemission Experiments

Correlation effects are included in a detailed theoretical study of the multiplet structure observed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This correlated multiplet hole theory resolves the difficulties of earlier multiplet hole theory studies: It correctly determines the magnitude of the observed $2\mathbf{s}$ and $3\mathbf{s}$ (doublet) splittings and their intensity rations, and predicts the existence of new structure for the $3\mathbf{s}$ binding energy splittings---structure which does not exist in one-electron theory and which has now been confirmed by Kowalczyk et al.
Marginal fidelity of four methods of swaged metal matrix crown fabrication.

Abstract The swaged metal matrix provides a method for rapidly making a metal substructure for ceramic crowns. This study determined the vertical and horizontal marginal fidelity of swaged metal substrate crowns made with four methods. No significant difference in vertical or horizontal marginal fidelity was found for metal margin crowns formed with either a plastic spacer or a paint-on die spacer. The vertical marginal fidelity was significantly better in crowns made with a metal margin (37 μm) than in crowns made with a porcelain facial margin (62 μm), and the latter were significantly better than crowns made with a 360-degree porcelain margin (86 μm). Crowns made with all four methods were overcontoured by 46 to 82 μm. The 360-degree porcelain margin was technically more difficult and time-consuming to make.
Performance Anxiety A Longitudinal Study of the Roles of Personality and Experience in Musicians

Severe anxiety may impair functioning in diverse endeavors such as public speaking, athletics, test-taking, sexual relations, and artistic performance. We extend previous research on performance an...
Novel magnetic relaxation in single‐crystal Tl2Ca1Ba2Cu2O8 superconductors

Magnetic relaxation in single‐crystal Tl2Ca1Ba2Cu2O8 superconductors is reported. Typical logarithmic flux creep has been observed at low temperatures. At high temperatures and fields, different flux dynamics are observed: first, nonlogarithmic dependence followed by the appearance of reverse creep, i.e., increasingly negative magnetization. This latter effect begins after a temperature‐ and field‐dependent wait time. To explain reverse creep flux‐line roughening, driven by pinning randomness, is considered.
Deterministic sorting in O( n log log n ) time and linear space

We present a fast deterministic algorithm for integer sorting in linear space. Our algorithm sorts n integers in the range {0,1,2, ..., m - 1} in linear space in O(n log log n) time. This improves our previous result [Y. Han, Inform. and Comput. 170 (1) (2001) 81-94] which sorts in O(n log log n log log log n) time and linear space. This also improves previous best deterministic sorting algorithm [A. Andersson, T. Hagerup, S. Nilsson, R. Raman, in: Proc. 1995 Symposium on Theory of Computing (1995) 427-436; Y. Han, X. Shen, in: Proc. 1995 International Computing and Combinatorics Conference, in: Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci. 959 (1995) 324-333] which sorts in O(n log log n) time but uses O(me)space. Our results also improves the result of Andersson et al. [A. Andersson, T. Hagerup, S. Nilsson, R. Raman, in: Proc. 1995 Symposium on Theory of Computing (1995) 427-436] which sorts in O(nlog log n)time and linear space but uses randomization.
GENETIC VARIATION AMONG POPULATIONS OF EASTERN NEWTS, NOTOPHTHALMUS VIRIDESCENS: A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS BASED ON ALLOZYMES

The eastern newt, Notophthalmus viridescens, is widely distributed in eastern North America and has been divided into four subspecies. These subspecies differ geographically in morphology and life history, suggesting that the subspecies represent locally adapted and differentiated entities between which gene flow is significantly reduced. We investigated the relationships among subspecies by assessing population genetic structure across the range of the species. We analyzed 18 allozyme loci to examine the evolutionary relationships among the four subspecies of eastern newts: N. v. viridescens, N. v. dorsalis, N. v. louisianensis, and N. v. piaropicola. Despite moderate amounts of genetic variation, phylogenetic and phenetic analyses of the relationships among 12 sites resulted in trees that were inconsistent with the current subspecific classification. Cluster and phylogenetic analyses of allele frequency variation confirmed this, indicating an absence of significant differentiation among subspecies. Instead, populations of N. viridescens appear to cluster into groups representing geographic units that do not directly correspond to the currently recognized subspecies. The morphological and life history differences among the subspecies are not clearly associated with differentiation at allozyme loci. Recent divergence, gene flow, or phenotypic plasticity may explain the lack of correlation between genetic and morphological differentiation.
Improving Energy Use Forecast for Campus Micro-grids Using Indirect Indicators

The rising global demand for energy is best addressed by adopting and promoting sustainable methods of power consumption. We employ an informatics approach towards forecasting the energy consumption patterns in a university campus micro-grid which can be used for energy use planning and conservation. We use novel indirect indicators of energy that are commonly available to train regression tree models that can predict campus and building energy use for coarse (daily) and fine (15-min) time intervals, utilizing 3 years of sensor data collected at 15min intervals from 170 smart power meters. We analyze the impact of individual features used in the models to identify the ones best suited for the application. Our models show a high degree of accuracy with CV-RMSE errors ranging from 7.45% to 19.32%, and a reduction in error from baseline models by up to 53%.
Age-related CXC chemokine receptor-4-deficiency impairs osteogenic differentiation potency of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stromal stem cells.

Cysteine (C)-X-C chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) is the primary transmembrane receptor for stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). We previously reported in mouse or human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal stem cells (BMSCs) that deleting or antagonizing CXCR4 inhibits bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2)-induced osteogenic differentiation. The goal of this study was to determine whether CXCR4-deficiency in BMSCs is an age-related effect in association with impaired osteogenic differentiation potency of aged BMSCs. Using BMSCs derived from C57BL/6J wild type mice at ages ranging from 3 to 23 months old, we detected decreased CXCR4 mRNA and protein expression as well as SDF-1 secretion with advancing aging. Moreover, CXCR4-deficient BMSCs from elderly vs. young mice exhibited impaired osteogenic differentiation in response to BMP2 stimulation or when cultured in dexamethasone (Dex)-containing osteogenic medium, evidenced by decreased alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin synthesis, and calcium deposition (markers for immature and mature osteoblasts). Mechanistically, impaired BMP2- or Dex-osteoinduction in BMSCs of elderly mice was mediated by inhibited phosphorylation of intracellular R-Smads and Erk1/2 or Erk1/2 and p38 proteins, and decreased Runx2 and Osx expression (osteogenesis “master” regulators) were also detected. Furthermore, adenovirus-mediated repair of CXCR4 expression in BMSCs of elderly mice restored their osteogenic differentiation potentials to both BMP2 treatment and osteogenic medium. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that CXCR4 expression in mouse BMSCs declines with aging, and this CXCR4-deficiency impairs osteogenic differentiation potency of aged BMSCs. These findings provide novel insights into mechanisms underlying age-related changes in BMSC-osteogenesis, and will potentiate CXCR4 as a therapeutic target to improve BMSC-based bone repair and regeneration in broad orthopedic situations.
Remodeling characteristics and biomechanical properties of a crosslinked versus a non-crosslinked porcine dermis scaffolds in a porcine model of ventral hernia repair.

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the histologic remodeling profile and biomechanical properties of the porcine abdominal wall after repair with HDMI-crosslinked (Permacol®) or non-crosslinked (Strattice®) porcine dermis in a porcine model of ventral hernia repair.
Feature extraction, image segmentation, and scene reconstruction

This paper presents a scene reconstruction system that takes a pair of register range and intensity images, extracts features from both images to create feature maps, fuses these feature maps, segments the fused image, and fits surfaces to the objects in the scenes. The feature extraction locates both step edges and crease edges from the data. Edges are extracted from the intensity image using the gradient magnitude and crease edges are extracted from the range image using the gradient of the surface normal Dempster-Shafer fusion is performed on the resulting feature maps. Image segmentation is performed using a morphological watershed algorithm. Finally three-dimensional planes, spheres, and cylinders are fit to regions in the segmented scene by a least-squares optimization process.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Vehicle and Route of Administration as Parameters Mecting Operant Behavioral Effects of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol

Four vehicles for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol were compared after intraperitoneal and subcutaneous administrations, using the disruption of food-reinforced, operant behavior of rats as the test system for cannabinoid activity. Aqueous suspensions based on polyvinylpyrrolidone, polysorbate 80, and a polysorbate 65-sorbitan monolaurate combination all were effective vehicles for intraperitoneal or subcutaneous absorption of the cannabinoid. An olive oil solution was poorly effective. The polyvinylpyrrolidone dispersion appeared to have the most rapid onset of action, while the polysorbate 65-sorbitan monolaurate combination had the longest duration of action.
P-glycoprotein (P-gp/ MDR1 )-Mediated Efflux of Sex-Steroid Hormones and Modulation of P-gp Expression In Vitro

Purpose. To determine whether female sex-steroid hormones and their metabolites can modulate P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and catalytic activity and to investigate P-gp mediated transport of these sex-steroids across MDR1-transfected Madine-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.
Socioeconomic Stress and Academic Adjustment Among Asian American Adolescents: The Protective Role of Family Obligation

Socioeconomic stress has long been found to place youth at risk, with low family income conferring disadvantages in adolescents’ school achievement and success. This study investigates the role of socioeconomic stress on academic adjustment, and pinpoints family obligation as a possible buffer of negative associations. We examined direct and interactive effects at two time points in the same sample of Asian American adolescents—early high school (N = 180 9th–10th graders; 60 % female) and 2 years later in late high school (N = 156 11th–12th graders; 87 % of original sample). Results suggest that socioeconomic stress is indeed associated with poor academic adjustment, measured broadly through self-reported GPA, importance of academic success, and educational aspirations and expectations. Family obligation was positively related to adjustment, and also was found to buffer the negative effects of socioeconomic stress, but only during adolescents’ later high school years. Adolescents reporting more family obligation experienced less of the negative effects of financial stress on academic outcomes than those reporting lower obligation. Cultural and developmental implications are discussed in light of these direct and moderating effects.
A Bayesian decision rule for remediation actions at toxic waste sites

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends the use of an upper confidence limit in making a decision of whether a possibly polluted environment needs clean-up. This decision rule, however, is frequently too conservative and does not take into account the costs and/or benefits from making a correct or a wrong decision. In this paper we propose an asymmetric loss function and a Bayesian decision rule for remediation actions. The new loss function accounts for both false-positive and false-negative errors possibly involved in a decision, and accommodates the needs of both the EPA and other parties involved.
Are genetic variations in OXTR, AVPR1A, and CD38 genes important to social integration? Results from two large U.S. cohorts

Some evidence suggests that genetic polymorphisms in oxytocin pathway genes influence various social behaviors, but findings thus far have been mixed. Many studies have been based in small samples and there is possibility of publication bias. Using data from 2 large U.S. prospective cohorts with over 11,000 individuals, we investigated 88 SNPs in OXTR, AVPR1A, and CD38, in relation to social integration (measured as social connectedness in both binary and continuous forms and being continuously married). After correction for multiple testing only one SNP in CD38 (rs12644506) was significantly associated with social integration and that SNP predicted when using a dichotomized indicator of social connectedness (adjusted p=0.02), but not a continuous measure of social connectedness or the continuously married outcome. A significant gender-heterogeneous effect was identified in one OXTR SNP on dichotomized social connectedness; specifically, rs4686302 T allele was nominally associated with social connectedness in men, whereas the association direction was opposite in women (adjusted gender heterogeneity p=0.02). Furthermore, the rs53576 A allele was significantly associated with social connectedness only in women, and the effect magnitude was stronger in a dominant genetic model (adjusted p=0.003). In summary, our findings suggested that common genetic variants of OXTR, CD38, and AVPR1A are not associated with social integration as measured in this study using the simplified Berkman-Syme Social Network Index, but these findings and other work hint that effects may be modified by gender or other social experiences. Further work considering genetic pathways in relation to social integration may be more fruitful if these additional factors can be more comprehensively evaluated.
A note on antenna models in a warm isotropic plasma

The electron-transparent and electron-reflecting models of antennas in a warm isotropic plasma are reexamined. It is shown that a purely electrical treatment of both the models without an explicit use of the boundary condition on electron velocity yields the same results as those previously obtained through an electromechanical treatment. The essential difference between the two models is that for the electron-reflecting model, fields are nonzero only in the exterior region, while for the electron-transparent model, they are nonzero both in the exterior and interior regions of the antenna. This distinction helps in clarifying some misconceptions about these models of antennas in warm isotropic plasma.
Collaborative-Adversarial Pair Programming

This paper presents a study called collaborative-adversarial pair (CAP) programming which is an alternative to pair programming (PP). Its objective is to exploit the advantages of pair programming while at the same time downplaying its disadvantages. Unlike traditional pairs, where two people work together in all the phases of software development, CAPs start by designing together; splitting into independent test construction and code implementation roles; then joining again for testing. An empirical study was conducted in fall 2008 and in spring 2009 with twenty-six computer science and software engineering senior and graduate students at Auburn University. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (CAP/experimental group and PP/control group). The subjects used Eclipse and JUnit to perform three programming tasks with different degrees of complexity. The results of this experiment point in favor of CAP development methodology and do not support the claim that pair programming in general reduces the software development duration, overall software development cost or increases the program quality or correctness.
Thin films with self-assembled monolayers embedded on their surfaces

Abstract We have recently shown that the capillarity-based process for self-assembling particle monolayers on fluid–liquid interfaces can be improved by applying an electric field in the direction normal to the interface. In this paper, we present a technique for freezing these monolayers onto the surface of a flexible thin film. The technique involves assembling the monolayer on the interface between a UV-curable resin and a fluid which can be air or another liquid, and then curing the resin by applying UV light. The monolayer becomes embedded on the surface of the solidified resin film.
Trends in global cirrus inferred from three years of HIRS data

Trends in global upper tropospheric semi-transparent cirrus cloud cover are beginning to emerge from a three year cloud climatology compiled using NOAA polar orbiting HIRS multispectral infrared data. Cloud occurrence, height, and amount have been determined with the CO 2 slicing technique on the three years of data (June 1989 - May 1992). Annual, seasonal, and geographical trends of cloudiness are presented. To date, semi-transparent clouds are found in more than one third of the observations. Large seasonal changes are found in areas dominated by the ITCZ, the sub-tropical high pressure systems, and the mid-latitude storm belts. Semi-transparent clouds associated with these features move latitudinally with the seasons. More thin clouds (effective emissivity less than .50) are found in the tropics than in midlatitudes. Global average of all clouds (semi-transparent and opaque) is about 75%; more clouds are found over the oceans than over land.
Comparison of APACHE III, APACHE IV, SAPS 3, and MPM0III and Influence of Resuscitation Status on Model Performance

Background There are few comparisons among the most recent versions of the major adult ICU prognostic systems (APACHE [Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation] IV, Simplified Acute Physiology Score [SAPS] 3, Mortality Probability Model [MPM]0III). Only MPM0III includes resuscitation status as a predictor. Methods We assessed the discrimination, calibration, and overall performance of the models in 2,596 patients in three ICUs at our tertiary referral center in 2006. For APACHE and SAPS, the analyses were repeated with and without inclusion of resuscitation status as a predictor variable. Results Of the 2,596 patients studied, 283 (10.9%) died before hospital discharge. The areas under the curve (95% CI) of the models for prediction of hospital mortality were 0.868 (0.854-0.880), 0.861 (0.847-0.874), 0.801 (0.785-0.816), and 0.721 (0.704-0.738) for APACHE III, APACHE IV, SAPS 3, and MPM0III, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics for the models were 33.7, 31.0, 36.6, and 21.8 for APACHE III, APACHE IV, SAPS 3, and MPM0III, respectively. Each of the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics generated P values Conclusions APACHE III and IV had similar discriminatory capability and both were better than SAPS 3, which was better than MPM0III. The calibrations of the models studied were poor. Overall, models with more predictor variables performed better than those with fewer. The addition of resuscitation status did not improve APACHE III or IV or SAPS 3 prediction.
Fast delay estimation with buffer insertion for through-silicon-via-based 3D interconnects

For successful adoption of through-silicon-via-based 3D ICs, delay estimation techniques of 3D interconnects for early design stages are required. The 3D nets may connect gates/macros placed far apart and through-silicon-vias (TSVs) have large parasitic capacitances. Thus, buffers are inserted to reduce interconnect delay. To make good decisions in early design stages, the estimation of buffered delay should be fast and reasonably accurate. However, there has been no buffered delay estimation work for 3D ICs that considers proper delay models and TSV RC parasitics. In this work, we investigate several analytical delay models for 3D net delay estimation. Then, based on analytical formula and our heuristic algorithm, we propose how to estimate the buffered delay for movable TSV cases and fixed TSV cases. The effectiveness of our delay estimation technique is demonstrated with various 3D nets. Compared with the van Ginneken buffer insertion based delay estimation, our estimation provides solutions about 750 times faster with almost the same estimated delay.
Molecular Evolution of Nitrate Reductase Genes

To understand the evolutionary mechanisms and relationships of nitrate reductases (NRs), the nucleotide sequences encoding 19 nitrate reductase (NR) genes from 16 species of fungi, algae, and higher plants were analyzed. The NR genes examined show substantial sequence similarity, particularly within functional domains, and large variations in GC content at the third codon position and intron number. The intron positions were different between the fungi and plants, but conserved within these groups. The overall and nonsynonymous substitution rates among fungi, algae, and higher plants were estimated to be 4.33×10−10 and 3.29×10−10 substitutions per site per year. The three functional domains of NR genes evolved at about one-third of the rate of the N-terminal and the two hinge regions connecting the functional domains. Relative rate tests suggested that the nonsynonymous substitution rates were constant among different lineages, while the overall nucleotide substitution rates varied between some lineages. The phylogenetic trees based on NR genes correspond well with the phylogeny of the organisms determined from systematics and other molecular studies. Based on the nonsynonymous substitution rate, the divergence time of monocots and dicots was estimated to be about 340 Myr when the fungi-plant or algae-higher plant divergence times were used as reference points and 191 Myr when the rice-barley divergence time was used as a reference point. These two estimates are consistent with other estimates of divergence times based on these reference points. The lack of consistency between these two values appears to be due to the uncertainty of the reference times.
Screening for hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant women: evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reaffirmation recommendation statement.

Background: Screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pregnant women to identify newborns who will require prophylaxis against perinatal infection is a well-established, evidence-based standard of current medical practice. In 2004, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended universal screening of pregnant women for HBV infection at the first prenatal visit. Purpose: To search for large, high-quality studies related to hepatitis B screening in pregnancy that have been published since the 2004 USPSTF recommendation. Data Sources: English-language studies indexed in PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and published between 1 January 2001 and 5 March 2008. Study Selection: For benefits of screening and newborn prophylaxis, we included systematic reviews; meta-analyses; and randomized, controlled trials. For harms of screening, we included systematic reviews; meta-analyses; randomized, controlled trials; cohort studies; case–control studies; and case series of large, multisite databases. Abstracts and full articles were independently reviewed for inclusion by both reviewers. Data Extraction: Data on the benefits of screening, including benefits of hepatitis B immune globulin and hepatitis B vaccine prophylaxis of newborns of hepatitis B surface antigen–positive mothers, were extracted by 1 reviewer. Data Synthesis: No new studies met inclusion criteria. A 2006 systematic review of randomized, controlled trials found that newborn prophylaxis reduced perinatal transmission of HBV infection; all relevant trials were published in 1996 or earlier. Limitation: The focused search strategy, which was restricted to English-language articles, may have missed some smaller studies or new research published in languages other than English. Conclusion: No new evidence was found on the benefits or harms of screening for HBV infection in pregnant women. Previously published randomized trials support the 2004 USPSTF recommendation for screening.
Flavimonas oryzihabitans (CDC Group Ve-2).

Flavimonas oryzihabitans is an uncommon organism with distinctive microbiological and biochemical features that is infrequently isolated from humans. The presence of foreign material, including indwelling intravascular catheters and artificial grafts, or various surgical procedures appear to predispose patients with underlying disease to bacteremic infection with Flavimonas. A gram-negative bacillus, F oryzihabitans is sensitive to most antibiotics except first- and second-generation cephalosporins. F oryzihabitans isolated from blood should be considered pathogenic in patients with indwelling catheters or prosthetic materials.Previously designated Pseudomonas oryzihabitans and also known as Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Group Ve-2, F oryzihabitans is an unusual gram-negative, nonfermenting, oxidase-negative bacillus that is uncommonly associated with serious illness in humans.’ First described by Dresel and Stickl in 1928 and initially assigned the name Bacterium typhiflavum because of its similarity to the typhoid bacillus, the organism has been isolated from a variety of human sources, including blood, wounds, and abscesses, and (in mixed cultures) from sputum, urine, and cervical cultures.
Mutated Form of the Newcastle Disease Virus Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Interacts with the Homologous Fusion Protein despite Deficiencies in both Receptor Recognition and Fusion Promotion

The Newcastle disease virus (NDV) hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein mediates attachment to cellular receptors. The fusion (F) protein promotes viral entry and spread. However, fusion is dependent on a virus-specific interaction between the two proteins that can be detected at the cell surface by a coimmunoprecipitation assay. A point mutation of I175E in the neuraminidase (NA) active site converts the HN of the Australia-Victoria isolate of the virus to a form that can interact with the F protein despite negligible receptor recognition and fusion-promoting activities. Thus, I175E-HN could represent a fusion intermediate in which HN and F are associated and primed for the promotion of fusion. Both the attachment and fusion-promoting activities of this mutant HN protein can be rescued either by NA activity contributed by another HN protein or by a set of four substitutions at the dimer interface. These substitutions were identified by the evaluation of chimeras composed of segments from HN proteins derived from two different NDV strains. These findings suggest that the I175E substitution converts HN to an F-interactive form, but it is one for which receptor binding is still required for fusion promotion. The data also indicate that the integrity of the HN dimer interface is critical to its receptor recognition activity.
The association of intergroup encounters, dominance status, and fecal androgen and glucocorticoid profiles in wild male white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

Androgens play a role in male reproductive competition, frequently via aggression, while glucocorticoids are associated with the stress response. However, the relationships of these hormones with different sources of competition (intra- vs. intergroup) and dominance status are highly variable. Here, we consider the fecal androgen (fA) and glucocorticoid (fGC) profiles of alpha and subordinate male Cebus capucinus in the context of intergroup competition during a rare period of low intragroup competition (i.e. all females were either pregnant or lactating). Intergroup encounters (IGEs) are a long-term reproductive strategy in male white-faced capuchins, enabling them to assess the composition of neighboring groups. IGEs pose a threat to resident males as these can result in injury or death, loss of dominance rank, group eviction, and group takeovers that are frequently associated with infanticide. From February to July 2007, fecal samples were collected from eight males in three groups of white-faced capuchins in the Santa Rosa Sector of the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica. IGE rate was positively associated with both fA and fGC levels, indicating that IGEs are perceived as reproductive challenges by resident males, and may be associated with elevated metabolic costs. Alpha males sire the majority of group offspring and, accordingly, the threat of IGEs to both future (via rank loss or eviction) and current (via infanticide) reproductive success is greater than for subordinate males. Consistent with this observation, alpha males had higher fA and fGC levels than subordinate males. Given that all females were either pregnant or lactating and pronounced overt intragroup competition was absent, we interpret the difference in hormone profiles of alpha and subordinate males as being primarily associated with variation in the perceived threats of IGEs according to dominance status. Future studies should focus on the interaction of intra- and intergroup competition by examining hormone levels in the presence of periovulatory females. Am. J. Primatol. 75:107-115, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.