cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ensemble methods in bank direct marketing

Increasing costs of direct marketing campaigns and declining response rates have motivated direct marketers to turn to more sophisticated techniques to model response behavior. Moreover, the data used for response modeling is imbalanced data. That is, non-respondents greatly outnumber respondents in direct marketing. This paper intends to compare bagging with boosting algorithms to check how well these methods perform when class imbalance problem occurs in bank directing marketing data.
A factorization for formal laurent series and lattice path enumeration

Abstract If f = Σn=−∞∞ antn is a formal Laurent series with certain restrictions on the an, then f = f−f0f+, where f− contains only negative powers of t, f+ contains only positive powers of t, and f0 is independent of t. Applications include Lagrange's formula for series reversion, the problem of counting lattice paths below a diagonal, and a theorem of Furstenberg that the diagonal of a rational power series in two variables is algebraic.
Marketing's SEM based nomological network: Constructs and research streams in 1987–1997 and in 1998–2008

Abstract Which constructs are most important to marketing? Has their importance waxed or waned over time? Is the discipline converging or diverging conceptually? Although scholars have attempted to study the evolution of the discipline, such questions remain largely unanswered. The present research addresses these issues by examining marketing's nomological network—the interconnection of psychometric variables found in the discipline's structural equation models (SEM)—using sociometric techniques. Two digraphs containing the interleaved and concatenated results from SEMs during two periods are investigated. The findings suggest that although marketing thought in SEM studies is somewhat fragmented, two dominant research streams emerge—one dealing with organizational behavior issues and the other with relationship marketing. The focus on SEMs suggests that the findings are particularly relevant for scholars or practitioners in survey-based research, as they provide direction for future research and suggest that firms can prosper by improving customer relationships.
In vivo studies of dopamine receptor ontogeny

Studies of the ontogeny of dopamine and neuroleptic receptors in the central nervous system of the rat were carried out in vivo using 3H-spiperone as ligand. It was demonstrated that intraperitoneal injections can be successfully used to label these receptors in rat pups up to at least 30 days of age. The time course and characteristics of 3H-spiperone binding in the brain of 5, 15 and 30 day old rat pups were determined and found to include appropriate regional distribution, saturability and appropriate pharmacology. The developmental pattern of 3H-spiperone binding paralleled what has been seen using in vitro techniques. In addition preliminary autoradiographic studies describe the neuroanatomical pattern of dopamine receptor ontogeny in the striatum.
Outcome Measurement and Management: First Steps for the Practicing Clinician

Kaplan SL. Philadelphia, PA 19103, FA Davis Co, 2007, paperback, 240 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-8036-0310-X, $29.95. The purpose of this book is to introduce the concept of outcome measurement to clinicians. Concepts of disablement models, evidence-based practice, and measurable outcomes are clearly presented. The author provides many practical examples for clinicians to incorporate outcome measures into their practice. Readers should be able to revise their documentation using measurable outcomes to help evaluate the effectiveness of services delivered. This book contains 14 chapters and is divided into 3 parts: “Defining Outcomes in Clinical Practice,” “Implementing an Outcome Study,” and “Integrating Outcome Measurement and Clinical Practice.” Each chapter begins with key terms and expected learning outcomes. In the margin, the author either raises a question or restates the key points made in the corresponding paragraph. These in-the-margin …
The construction delivery system of the information age

Abstract The Performance Based Studies Research Group (PBSRG) at the Del E. Webb School of Construction, has developed a methodology to process data into information to reduce facility system life-cycle cost and risk of nonperformance. The methodology reshapes the current construction industry model from a `low-bid', `all the same' industry into a `value added' performance based industry. The performance information regulated industry changes roles, partnerships, and communication methods between the construction industry and facility owners. The PBSRG research effort (US$1000K, 1994–present) includes the design and improvement of the Performance Based Procurement System (PBPS), performance data collection on general, mechanical, electrical, landscaping and janitorial services, and design services in the public and private commercial sectors, the identification of performance levels in the industrial sector, and the design of a performance based structure for a manufacturer of construction systems, as well as the education of the facility owners and the construction industry.
Cyclosporine, methotrexate, and prednisone compared with cyclosporine and prednisone for prevention of acute graft-vs.-host disease: Effect on chronic graft-vs.-host disease and long-term survival

Abstract Graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) is a major predictor of outcome following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). For patients alive at day 100 after BMT, the presence or absence of chronic GVHD is one of the most important determinants of survival and quality of life. We wished to determine the effects on chronic GVHD of two regimens used for the prophylaxis of acute GVHD: cyclosporine, methotrexate, and prednisone (CSA/MTX/PSE) and cyclosporine and prednisone (CSA/PSE). One hundred forty-nine evaluable patients were entered into the acute GVHD study. As of 31 March 1997, 63 months after the last patient underwent BMT, the median survival time was 4.5 years (range 0.09-9.9). The incidence of chronic GVHD was independent of the prophylactic regimen (55 vs. 54%), and extensive chronic GVHD occurred in 25 and 24% of patients receiving CSA/MTX/PSE and CSA/PSE, respectively. Of note, the median Karnofsky performance status of both groups was 100% (range 70-100%), reflecting the low incidence of extensive chronic GVHD. Survival rates free of chronic GVHD were 52 vs. 42% (p = 0.29) for patients receiving CSA/MTX/PSE vs. CSA/PSE. The incidence of relapse was also similar in both groups of patients. These data suggest that the combinations of CSA/MTX/PSE and CSA/PSE result in comparable chronic GVHD-free survival without an increase in leukemic relapse. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 1999;5(5):285-91.
Duty hour reform: only a small piece of a larger problem--reply.

We agree with Dr. Runyan that addressing inter-professional communication and handoff training are critical factors in achieving meaningful improvement in both the quality of care that residents provide and the quality of life that they enjoy. Evidence from multiple studies indicate that the most recent set of ACGME duty hour reforms, which focused almost exclusively on reducing maximum shift length, have not achieved the intended improvements in quality of care or quality of life (1–3). If this experience with interns is instructive, then extending work hour limits to all residents, without address the additional factors raised be Dr. Runyan, will likely be ineffective. In addition to communication training, an essential piece of the puzzle not addressed by existing duty hour reforms is work compression. House officers now spend fewer hours in the hospital but their clinical workload and educational requirements have not decreased proportionally, resulting in an even more frenetic pace of work — a phenomenon known as “work compression” (4). In 2000 a typical call day lasted 36 hours. This was specifically reduced for interns from 36 hours to 30 hours in 2004 and to 16 hours with the latest duty hour changes. As a result, current interns have fewer hours to complete their work and engage in learning and team building experiences. This leaves the new intern generation in a frustrating situation where they are often criticized or chided for having less work when, in many cases, they are simply given less time to complete it. If we know that timed tests result in more errors than untimed ones, we should not be surprised that giving interns less time to complete the same amount of work would adversely affect their patient care. Paradoxically, with the addition of new, often untested, educational curriculum in communication skills and systems of care to traditional clinical topics, interns are also being asked to learn more in less time. Collectively, these changes often result in reduced opportunities to double-check orders, follow a disease course, spend time at the patient’s bedside, teach students or share a meal with their team. Incorporating solutions that address the problems associated with work compression are needed to fully achieve the goals of residency duty hour reform.
Knowledge transfer in Vietnam: starts, stops, and loops

Purpose – To offer a framework of structural and contextual influences on knowledge transfer of foreign management ideas to Vietnamese academic and managerial colleagues. It addresses four factors: stage of relationship between Vietnamese and foreign counterparts; participative competence (i.e. knowledge, experience, and motivations of those sending and receiving knowledge); atmosphere within each side's organization; and conduit conditions, or factors that facilitate transmittal or translation of knowledge.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on an ethnographic study from 1994‐2003 of the creation of Vietnam's first international standard business school, within the National Economics University (NEU), in Hanoi, which included participant observation, semi‐structured and informal interviews with over 60 Vietnamese faculty members, managers, university administrators, and foreign visiting professors and administrators, field notes, documentation, and archival records.Findings – The paper conclude...
αB-crystallin as a marker of lymph node involvement in breast carcinoma

BACKGROUND It was found previously that αB-crystallin, a small heat-shock protein, was overexpressed in a metastatic variant of the GI101A human breast carcinoma cell line. The objective of the current study was to determine whether the expression of αB-crystallin in primary breast carcinomas was associated with lymph node metastasis and survival. METHODS Expression of αB-crystallin was measured in human breast carcinoma cell lines by immunoblotting. Expression in human breast carcinomas was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays that contained samples from 317 patients with lymph node–negative breast carcinoma and 291 patients with lymph node–positive breast carcinoma. RESULTS It was found that αB-crystallin was expressed constitutively in certain breast carcinoma cell lines, including those that were capable of metastasizing in immunodeficient mice. Expression of αB-crystallin in human tissue samples was associated strongly with lymph node involvement (P < 0.0001; chi-square test) and, to a lesser degree, with high nuclear grade (P = 0.05). Increased intensity of expression was correlated with shorter survival (P = 0.0091; log-rank test). Multivariate analysis indicated that αB-crystallin expression was not independent of lymph node status as a predictor of survival. CONCLUSIONS The data obtained in the current study revealed a strong association between high expression levels of αB-crystallin in primary breast carcinoma specimens and lymph node involvement. Further studies will be needed to prospectively elucidate the role of this novel tumor marker as a clinical prognostic marker in local and locally advanced breast carcinoma as well as its potential status as a new target for therapy in patients with breast carcinoma. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Size Effects on Magnetic Actuation in Ni-Mn-Ga Shape-Memory Alloys

The off-stoichiometric Ni2MnGa Heusler alloy is a magnetic shape-memory alloy capable of reversible magnetic-field-induced strains (MFIS). These are generated by twin boundaries moving under the influence of an internal stress produced by a magnetic field through the magnetocrystalline anisotropy. While MFIS are very large (up to 10%) for monocrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga, they are near zero (<0.01%) in fine-grained polycrystals due to incompatibilities during twinning of neighboring grains and the resulting internal geometrical constraints. By growing the grains and/or shrinking the sample, the grain size becomes comparable to one or more characteristic sample sizes (film thickness, wire or strut diameter, ribbon width, particle diameter, etc), and the grains become surrounded by free space. This reduces the incompatibilities between neighboring grains and can favor twinning and thus increase the MFIS. This approach was validated recently with very large MFIS (0.2-8%) measured in Ni-Mn-Ga fibers and foams with bamboo grains with dimensions similar to the fiber or strut diameters and in thin plates where grain diameters are comparable to plate thickness. Here, we review processing, micro- and macrostructure, and magneto-mechanical properties of (i) Ni-Mn-Ga powders, fibers, ribbons and films with one or more small dimension, which are amenable to the growth of bamboo grains leading to large MFIS, and (ii) “constructs” from these structural elements (e.g., mats, laminates, textiles, foams and composites). Various strategies are proposed to accentuate this geometric effect which enables large MFIS in polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga by matching grain and sample sizes.
An Application of the Occupational “Uncertainty Principle” to the Professions

Like so many other occupations, the professions are subject to the ‘uncertainty principle’; that is, their control over a particular domain of uncertainty affords them unofficial discretion and power. For professions, the unique areas of uncertainty are the distinctive knowledge bases, which they control by virtue of their legally protected task monopoly and autonomy. Their knowledge uncertainty has permitted the professions 1) to make discretionary interpretations and applications, increasing their favor with the public and elites; 2) to mobilize public resources for research, expanding their jurisdiction and domain; and 3) to avoid blame for undesirable outcomes of services while gaining prestige for successes. The professions have been able to use the uncertainty of their knowledge in ways which increase both their control over the public and the public's faith in them beyond what is justified by their expertise and ethics.
Anoikis-resistant subpopulations of human osteosarcoma display significant chemoresistance and are sensitive to targeted epigenetic therapies predicted by expression profiling.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of solid bone cancer, with latent metastasis being a typical mode of disease progression and a major contributor to poor prognosis. For this to occur, cells must resist anoikis and be able to recapitulate tumorigenesis in a foreign microenvironment. Finding novel approaches to treat osteosarcoma and target those cell subpopulations that possess the ability to resist anoikis and contribute to metastatic disease is imperative. Here we investigate anchorage-independent (AI) cell growth as a model to better characterize anoikis resistance in human osteosarcoma while using an expression profiling approach to identify and test targetable signaling pathways. Established human OS cell lines and patient-derived human OS cell isolates were subjected to growth in either adherent or AI conditions using Ultra-Low Attachment plates in identical media conditions. Growth rate was assessed using cell doubling times and chemoresistance was assessed by determining cell viability in response to a serial dilution of either doxorubicin or cisplatin. Gene expression differences were examined using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR and microarray with principal component and pathway analysis. In-vivo OS xenografts were generated by either subcutaneous or intratibial injection of adherent or AI human OS cells into athymic nude mice. Statistical significance was determined using student’s t-tests with significance set at α = 0.05. We show that AI growth results in a global gene expression profile change accompanied by significant chemoresistance (up to 75 fold, p < 0.05). AI cells demonstrate alteration of key mediators of mesenchymal differentiation (β-catenin, Runx2), stemness (Sox2), proliferation (c-myc, Akt), and epigenetic regulation (HDAC class 1). AI cells were equally tumorigenic as their adherent counterparts, but showed a significantly decreased rate of growth in-vitro and in-vivo (p < 0.05). Treatment with the pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat and the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine mitigated AI growth, while 5-azacytidine sensitized anoikis-resistant cells to doxorubicin (p < 0.05). These data demonstrate remarkable plasticity in anoikis-resistant human osteosarcoma subpopulations accompanied by a rapid development of chemoresistance and altered growth rates mirroring the early stages of latent metastasis. Targeting epigenetic regulation of this process may be a viable therapeutic strategy.
Comparison of Granite, Tuff, and Basalt as Geologic Media for Long-Term Storage of High-Level Nuclear Waste

Systematic differences in pH, cation/proton ion activity ratios, and redox have been observed between solutions produced in rock-water hydrothermal experiments with tuff, granite, and basalt. Stable pH values in tuff-water experiments may be as much as 1.5 pH units more acidic than basalt-water experiments at the same temperature and ionic strength. Redox (log fO2) values in 300°C tuff experiments are 4–7 orders of magnitude more oxidizing than basalt experiments and ca. 4 log units more oxidizing than the magnetite-hematite buffer. Such fluid differences could significantly affect the performance of a high-level nuclear waste repository and should be considered in repository design and siting.
Diagnostics of arterial pressure pulse using haptic kymograph: remote diagnosis of vital signs through a telehaptic device

Although most diagnostic systems today largely depend on the automation of signal processing, we also observe experts still utilize their impressions for delicate or hard-to-recognizable symptoms. A good example is the diagnostics of arterial pressure pulses through the tactile perception, especially in oriental medicine. We have developed a real-time telehaptic rendering system where vital signs are captured, transmitted and replicated in a remote site. In this paper we report our developments that deal with network issues on telehaptics. We have also conducted human subject experiments on two haptic replication methods: kinesthetic stimulation with a PHANToM/sup /spl trade//, and vibrotactile stimulation with a new portable system developed here.
Low-cost wireless sensor networks for remote cardiac patients monitoring applications

One of today's most pressing matters in medical care is response time to patients in need. Scope of this research is to suggest a solution that would help reduce response time in emergency situations utilizing technologies of wireless sensor networks. The enhanced power efficiency, minimized production cost, condensed physical layout, and reduced wired connections present a much more proficient and simplified approach to the continuous monitoring of patients' physiological status. The proposed sensor network system is composed of wearable vital sign sensors and a workstation monitor. The wearable platforms are to be distributed to patients of concern. The wearable platforms can provide continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring by measuring electrical potentials between various points of the body using a galvanometer. They will then relay the ECG signals wirelessly to the workstation monitor. In addition to displaying the data, the workstation will also perform signal wavelet transformation for ECG characteristic extractions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Academic dishonesty in African universities—trends, challenges, and repercussions

Abstract Sixty Ethiopian academic staff were surveyed to examine the state and gravity of academic misconduct in exam sessions in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ethiopia. The questionnaire was administered using an electronic mail (email), and the significance and potential of using this method has been described. The findings are analyzed and the state of academic dishonesty in Ethiopian HEIs established; a broader and comparative overview of the problem is also presented. The repercussions of pervasive academic malpractice in a nation are discussed within the context of a family of the international academic and knowledge network.
Reading Between the Lines: A Leading-Following Phenomenon

The climate of contemporary healthcare is chaotic and in constant change. University faculty members receive incessant societal calls to better educate and graduate greater numbers of nurse leaders. Healthcare literature is replete with discussions of the desired qualities of successful leaders. In this column, readers are invited to reflect upon potential meanings for holding up the mirror and for the metaphor of reading between the lines from a humanbecoming theoretical perspective in leading-following situations.
Factors associated with microcephaly at school age in a very-low-birthweight population

The neonatal predictors of microcephaly, defined as a head circumference 5 days, OR=4.5; 95%CI=1.4 to 15; >10 days, OR=5.7; 95%CI=1.7 to 19; >15 days OR=8.3; 95% CI=2.3 to 29.2. Among children without BPD, microcephaly was not associated with differences in IQ, while IQ scores among children with BPD or any ventilation were disproportionately lower among those with microcephaly. In multivariate analyses predicting IQ at age 7 years, microcephaly was found to modify the association between neonatal lung disease and IQ.
Minimizing search time in an auditory database retrieval task

A search-time formula to calculate the minimum options per page in a visual menu retrieval system was developed by E. Lee and J. MacGregor (1985). The formula is modified for use in auditory database retrieval tasks. Calculated times using the formula favored depth over breadth, using a number of different system timing variables. Actual data revealed that though database structures favoring depth are less efficient than structures that favor breadth, the search times were not statistically different with the two structures. >
RNA flexibility in the dimerization domain of a gamma retrovirus

Retroviruses are the causative agents of serious diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndromes and several cancers, and are also useful gene therapy vectors. Retroviruses contain two sense-strand RNA genomes, which become linked at their 5' ends to form an RNA dimer. Understanding the molecular basis for dimerization may yield new approaches for controlling viral infectivity. Because this RNA domain is highly conserved within retrovirus groups, it has not been possible to define a consensus structure for the 5' dimerization domain by comparative sequence analysis. Here, we defined a 170-nucleotide minimal dimerization active sequence (MiDAS) for a representative gamma retrovirus, the Moloney murine sarcoma virus, by stringent competitive dimerization. We then analyzed the structure at every nucleotide in the MiDAS monomeric starting state with quantitative selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) chemistry. Notably, SHAPE analysis demonstrated that the RNA monomer contains an extensive flexible domain spanning 50 nucleotides. These findings support a structural model in which RNA flexibility directly facilitates retroviral genome dimerization by reducing the energetic cost of disrupting pre-existing base pairings in the monomer.
The common law as central economic planning

Central economic planning traditionally has set goals and allocated resources by supplanting the price system with central direction. Planners engaged in industry-by-industry and firm-by-firm decision making, all to achieve predetermined targets. The neoclassical approach to law and economics posits that common law judges engage in a similar activity, in rendering decisions that maximize wealth. A significant feature of this approach is the placement of judges in the position of calculators of comparative values. Neither advocates of central planning nor those of judicial wealth maximizing address or solve the economic calculation problem. The various aspects of that problem hold two implications for common law judges. First, they cannot accomplish the tasks that the neoclassical approach sets out for them. Second, a recognition of the calculation problem leads to a rejection of balancing and the choice of rights-based, bright-line rules that return actual and potential litigants' decisions to the market.
Unwind and slow down: checkpoint activation by helicase and polymerase uncoupling

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase related protein kinases (PIKK) including ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), and ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) coordinate cellular responses to DNA damage. DNA-PK and ATM are primarily activated by double-strand breaks. The ATR kinase, in contrast, responds to numerous forms of genotoxic stress including intrastrand cross-links, oxidative damage, and polymerase toxins. At first glance, the disparate DNA structures that activate ATR impose a difficult biochemical challenge for damage sensing. However, recent data indicate that one DNA structure—single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) coated with a single-stranded DNA-binding protein (RPA)—is a common intermediate to activate ATR signaling in response to all of these genotoxic lesions. In this issue, Cimprich and colleagues (Byun et al. 2005) define how DNA damage and polymerase toxins use a common mechanism to generate the RPA–ssDNA needed to activate ATR. The method is the decoupling of helicase and polymerase activities at a replication fork.
Childhood Onset of Myxopapillary Ependymomatosis: MR Features

We report a 12-year-old girl who at presentation had diffuse myxopapillary ependymomatosis of uncertain primary site. The MR appearance and mechanism of metastases of the tumor are discussed.
Imaging the electrical conductance of individual carbon nanotubes with photothermal current microscopy

The electrical conductance of a nanotube decreases when it is heated. This phenomenon is exploited in a new technique called photothermal current microscopy to image the conductance of individual nanotubes and groups of nanotubes.
Syntactic interpretations of truth and semantic underdetermination

(1989). Syntactic interpretations of truth and semantic underdetermination. Philosophical Psychology: Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 37-50.
Phase Separation by Low Complexity Domains Promotes Stress Granule Assembly and Drives Pathological Fibrillization

Stress granules are membrane-less organelles composed of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and RNA. Functional impairment of stress granules has been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and multisystem proteinopathy-diseases that are characterized by fibrillar inclusions of RBPs. Genetic evidence suggests a link between persistent stress granules and the accumulation of pathological inclusions. Here, we demonstrate that the disease-related RBP hnRNPA1 undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) into protein-rich droplets mediated by a low complexity sequence domain (LCD). While the LCD of hnRNPA1 is sufficient to mediate LLPS, the RNA recognition motifs contribute to LLPS in the presence of RNA, giving rise to several mechanisms for regulating assembly. Importantly, while not required for LLPS, fibrillization is enhanced in protein-rich droplets. We suggest that LCD-mediated LLPS contributes to the assembly of stress granules and their liquid properties and provides a mechanistic link between persistent stress granules and fibrillar protein pathology in disease.
Valuing the Arts: A Contingent Valuation Approach

Government funding of the arts has received considerable attention in the United States in recent years. Efforts to cut funding to the National Endowment for the Arts and declining budgets for state arts agencies have raised questions about how much individuals value the arts. This paper applies the contingent valuation method to assess this value, using surveys of random households and of arts patrons. Our analysis estimated a mean willingness to pay (WTP) among all Kentucky households from $6 to $27, depending on the estimation technique used and on whether the scenario discussed is to increase arts performances by 25 per cent, or to avoid a 25 per cent or 50 per cent decrease in the number of performances. Among arts patron households, the mean WTP ranges from $61 to $132. Consumer demand for arts performances in large part follows a predictable pattern. The likelihood of respondents agreeing to make the donation that is requested rises as the size of the donation decreases. The likelihood is higher to avoid a 50 per cent decline in performances than to avoid a 25 per cent decline in performances. The mean WTP rises with income, and arts patron households have a much higher WTP than all households. WTP rises with on-site use factors such as frequency of attendance. The WTP also rises for arts patrons households with off-site use such as watching arts events on television or reading about the arts in newspapers and magazines.
Arithmetic interpolation search for alphabet tables

The inefficiency of interpolation search for an alphabetic table has been demonstrated by F.W. Burton and G.N. Lewis (1980). This inefficiency is expected since such tables are usually far from uniform in distribution. However, for nonuniformly distributed tables for which the cumulative distribution function F is known, applying F to the keys yields uniform distribution for which interpolation search is very fast. In arithmetic coding a string of characters is mapped into the (0, 1) interval according to the probabilities of its characters. It is found that this transformation, designed for data compression, is actually the cumulative distribution function F for alphabetic tables. Experiments confirm that interpolation search on alphabetic tables, applying arithmetic coding to the character strings in a sophisticated way, shows a performance very close to lg lg n accesses. Hence, a new fast search technique for alphabetic tables is designed. >
Convergence Results for Some Temporal Difference Methods Based on Least Squares

We consider finite-state Markov decision processes, and prove convergence and rate of convergence results for certain least squares policy evaluation algorithms of the type known as LSPE(lambda ). These are temporal difference methods for constructing a linear function approximation of the cost function of a stationary policy, within the context of infinite-horizon discounted and average cost dynamic programming. We introduce an average cost method, patterned after the known discounted cost method, and we prove its convergence for a range of constant stepsize choices. We also show that the convergence rate of both the discounted and the average cost methods is optimal within the class of temporal difference methods. Analysis and experiment indicate that our methods are substantially and often dramatically faster than TD(lambda), as well as more reliable.
A Finite Element Study of Bond-Line-Read-Out

Adhesive bonding of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) panels usually results in undesirable surface deformation due to adhesive cure and thermal shrinkage. Bond-line-read-out (BLRO) refers to the fact that the bond line is visible on the panel surface opposite to the side of adhesive application. This paper studies the surface deformation on a bonded FRP structure which results from the differential thermal shrinkage between the panel material and the adhesive using the finite element method. Sheet molding compound (SMC) is chosen as a typical FRP material in the analysis. Three geometrical configurations are considered, namely, a bare adhesive film, an SMC backing strip, and an SMC hat section, respectively, bonded to the underside of an SMC flat plate. In particular, the effects of (1) material properties, (2) part geometry, and (3) adhesive thickness and coverage, on BLRO are investigated. Based on this study, it is concluded that BLRO can be reduced by the following means: (a) reducing the difference bet...
ECTOPIC EXPRESSION OF THE MAIZE KN1 GENE PHENOCOPIES THE HOODED MUTANT OF BARLEY

The homeobox gene, knotted1, (kn1) is expressed in shoot meristems and is required for maintaining indeterminacy and preventing cellular differentiation. Awns, extensions of the bract-like lemma found in all grass inflorescences, are normally determinate structures. We show that ectopic expression of kn1 in the barley awn is sufficient to direct the development of ectopic meristems, forming inflorescence-like structures. This homeotic transformation is similar to the phenotype produced by misexpression of the barley hvknox3 gene, associated with the dominant Hooded mutant (Muller, K. J., Romano, N., Gerstner, O., Garcia-Maroto, F., Pozzi, C., Salamini, F. and Rohde, W. (1995) Nature 374, 727-730). We suggest that the inverse polarity of the ectopic flowers seen in Hooded and transgenic kn1 plants results from the transformation of the awn into reiterative inflorescence axes. We observed that the protein and mRNA localization of the transgene, driven by a constitutive promoter, is similar to the expression pattern of hvknox3 in awns of Hooded mutants, suggesting posttranscriptional regulation.
Single-scan rest/stress imaging with [18F]flurpiridaz: demonstration in a porcine model

516 Objectives New 18F-labeled myocardial blood flow (MBF) agents are becoming available but the ~ 2 hour half-life of 18F complicates clinical application for rest/stress measurements. The goal of this work is to develop and validate a method for quantitative measurement of absolute flow during a single scan rest/stress cardiac imaging session. Methods Single-scan rest/stress measurements were made using [18F]flurpiridaz (1). Six pigs were imaged in a Siemens Biograph PET/CT scanner before and again after infarction of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) territory. A two-injection, single-scan protocol was used (2). Adenosine was started 4 minutes after the first injection of [18F]flurpiridaz followed 6 minutes later by a second radiotracer injection. Microsphere flow measurements were made at rest and peak-stress. Dynamic images were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP), reoriented into the short axis view, and regions of interest (ROIs) for the left ventricle (LV) chamber and 17 myocardial segments were defined in bullseye fashion (3). PET data were fitted with the kinetic model MGH2 (2), in which flow changes abruptly with the introduction of adenosine. Rest and stress MBF were estimated simultaneously with corrections for spillover. Results The first 14 minutes of rest/stress PET data were fitted in detail by the MGH2 model, yielding flow estimates having precision better than 10% coefficient of variation. MBF across pigs was found to be 0.62 ± 0.02 mL/min/cc at rest and 1.06 ± 0.07 mL/min/cc at stress in healthy tissue and 0.52 ± 0.08 mL/min/cc at rest and 0.62 ± 0.08 mL/min/cc at stress in infarcted area. Good agreement was found with microsphere measurement. Conclusions Accurate rest and stress MBF estimation can be obtained in less than 15 min of PET acquisition with the proposed method. This protocol yields quantitative results similar to those published using the same tracer with injections separated by 1 hour and subtraction of residual activity (4). Research Support R01HL110241
Feeding neonatal rats with IgG antibodies leads to humoral hyporesponsiveness in the adult.

Feeding monoclonal IgG2a or IgG1 anti-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) antibodies to 12-16-day-old neonatal rats caused a profound suppression of the humoral anti-HRP response in these rats as adults. The hyporesponsiveness to HRP was specific and long-lasting (up to 5 months). It was shown to be dose dependent, requiring relatively large doses of IgG (100-600 micrograms) for maximum effect. Secondary IgG (IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b) responses were most depressed. The effect could be reproduced by i.p. injection of antibody. Hyporesponsiveness was not attributable to circulating antiidiotype antibodies directed against the monoclonal IgG, nor to the continued presence of the monoclonal anti-HRP since rats receiving antibody at or some weeks after the time of weaning and gut 'closure' responded well to subsequent HRP challenge. The effect was thus dependent on IgG administered over the identical period during which the neonatal circulation is rich in maternal IgG supplied via the milk. A direct function for maternal IgG in moulding the immune repertoire of the offspring, as well as providing passive protection, is suggested by these results.
A technique for rapidly quantifying mammal hair morphology for zoological research

Within the zoological disciplines the study of mammalian hair has mostly been limited to cross-species comparisons, but there is also considerable intraspecific variation in hair characteristics that may be biologically meaningful and deserving of study, though it can be tedious to manually measure hundreds of hairs under a microscope. Here a method is presented for assessing a variety of morphological characteristics of mammalian hairs that is fast, nearly fully-automated, does not require a microscope, and that could easily be used by wildlife biologists or researchers studying museum skins. Using hair samples from 6 captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) hairs were placed in groups of ten on white 3 × 5 inch index cards and covered with clear packing tape. Cards were scanned with a standard flatbed scanner at high resolution (1200dpi) and the images imported into a computer image analysis program. The program automatically selected and measured each hair, relayed the data to a text file, and cycled through all images so that the 120 deer hairs examined (20 per animal) were all measured within 5 minutes. The data returned included the length of each hair (even if it was curly), the width (the average width of the entire shaft), the 2-dimensional surface area, as well as the colour of the hair, measured with hue and brightness scores averaged over the entire shaft. These data are well-suited for examining questions regarding factors influencing the morphology or colour of mammalian pelage, or for using hair morphology to assess the nutritional status of individuals, as is done with humans. When measurements are completed, cards can be conveniently stored, either in an index card box or ringed binder, and they can even be re-scanned (at higher resolutions, for example) if needed. Alternatively, the index card step could be skipped and hairs could be scanned loosely in batches. Either way, this method should allow zoological researchers to pursue a wide variety of questions relating to mammalian hair morphology.
Reversible Control Line Reefing System for Circular Parachutes

Circular parachute systems are used extensively for aerial delivery operations as well as atmospheric reentry missions for spacecraft. Typical canopy systems utilize either an uncontrolled circular canopy or a complex autonomous ram-air parafoil. The focus of this paper is on the investigation of potential reversible reefing systems for circular parachutes, which can be applied to both autonomous decelerator vehicles as well as reentry vehicles. Four reefing configurations are evaluated, where three of the methods utilize a single control line to manipulate the size of the canopy. The final configuration relies on a reeling-based system to change the length of the suspension lines. Drop testing was conducted to quantify the descent speed range for each method, as well as the required actuator force to maintain a static reefing level. Results strongly indicate a single control line coupled with a double loop reefing line configuration outperforms the other three methods evaluated. For the double loop control line technique, the required actuator force is approximately 12% of the payload weight, and provides a 69% relative increase in descent speed when transitioning from zero reef to fully reefed. The reeling-based reversible reefing technique produced a 70% relative increase in descent speed; however, the actuator must be capable of lifting 100% of the payload weight.
Development and testing of the Community Employment Survey

BACKGROUND:Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) was developed and implemented in Kansas for the purposes of raising expectations for employment and increasing knowledge of resources to support the employment of people with disabilities. In 2012 we developed and piloted a survey to assess seven key constructs related to the content taught in FEAT and other findings in the literature. The seven constructs assessed by the Community Employment Survey are: (a) expectations for competitive employment, (b) knowledge of employment resources, (c) barriers to attaining competitive employment, (d) access to and use of resources, (e) competitive employment outcomes, (f) and perceptions of FEAT, and (g) demographics. In 2013, we field-tested the survey as a pre-test measure (without the items related to the perceptions of FEAT) and preliminary analysis of this first year of data indicated that we maintained or improved reliability with the larger sample used in the field-testing. OBJECTIVE: In this manuscript, we provide a description of the development and testing of the Community Employment Survey and share implications and future uses for this survey. INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION: The Community Employment Survey measures seven constructs (i.e., expectations, knowledge, resources, barriers, employment outcomes, demographics, and perceptions of FEAT), each of which is relevant to those interested in competitive employment for individuals with disabilities. CONCLUSION: The Community Employment Survey is a valid and reliable instrument that can be adapted to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, including those interested in evaluating training programs.
Antoine Lavoisier and Joseph Priestley Both Test the Befuddling Phlogiston Theory: Junking a Confusing Hypothesis May Be Necessary to Clear the Way for New and Productive Science

Phlogiston theory was a stage in the development of the theory of combustion more sophisticated than the “four-element” theory of the ancient Greeks. Although it could explain the smelting of iron from its oxide and the combustion of charcoal, it had many fatal flaws. Its proponents held onto it long after it had been successfully falsified. Joseph Priestley’s brilliant experiments verified that “respirable air” was the constituent of “common air” associated with combustion, but he could never abandon the phlogiston theory. It took the iconoclastic genius of Antoine Lavoisier to demonstrate that oxygen was itself an element.
Making a Living as a Clinician

One of the weaknesses of contemporary medical education is that we seem to lead medical students to believe that they won’t actually need to make a living as doctors. We teach them the basic sciences, share our clinical knowledge and skills, and even help them ponder medicine’s ethical dilemmas. But we somehow fail to tell students how to earn the money needed to eliminate their education debts, how to pay on a mortgage and feed their families, and how to manage the funds they haven’t spent by the end of the month. Instead we present medical students with diplomas asserting their proficiency to practice medicine and surgery, and cast them adrift like ships without rudders, left at the mercy of bankers, investment advisors, third-party payers, office equipment salespersons and, of course, the well-meaning but typically ill-informed family member with investment advice.
Cataloging the Brassica napus seed metabolome

AbstractThe allotetraploid Brassicales member canola (Brassica napus L.) is an oil-seed crop sought primarily for vegetable oil, animal feed, and biofuel. With the advent of -omics (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) technologies, numerous studies have focused on deciphering the functional genes, proteins, and metabolites in canola. However, the oil-yielding seeds are of commercial interest and only a handful of studies using mass-spectrometry (MS) or spectroscopy based platforms have attempted to characterize and quantify metabolites of the seed. Baring metabolite profiling approaches which study groups of chemicals, metabolomic insights into the seeds are very recent. Canola seeds are enriched in fatty acids, glucosinolates, phenylpropanoids (i.e. sinapoyl cholines), flavonoids, and phytohormones among others as has become evident from MS and spectroscopy-based recent studies. Thus, cataloging of the seed metabolome is essential before gaining further insights into their roles in s...
Contagion of Financial Crises un- der Local and Global Networks

As the world economy becomes increasingly global, will the financial sector become more stable or fragile? In this paper we study how the pattern of relations linking financial institutions - the network - affects the diffusion of a financial crisis. We analyze two such networks with a computational model: the local network, in which each bank is allowed to interact only with the most immediate neighbors, and the global network, in which each bank is allowed to interact with banks located anywhere in the system.
Protest, Activism, and the Olympic Games: An Overview of Key Issues and Iconic Moments

AbstractSince the early days of the modern Olympics, luminaries within the International Olympic Committee have actively discouraged mixing sports with political protest. However, throughout the history of the games, activism has often bubbled to the surface. This has taken two predominant forms: (1) athlete activism and (2) political movements that springboard off the games to express their dissent, taking advantage of the media spotlight that flashes over the host city during the Olympics. Historical interplay exists between political movements and athlete-activist moments: protest groups create discursive space into which athletes can strategically move. This article is a panoramic historical survey featuring episodes of both athlete-activism and movement protest, from Irish athlete Peter O’Connor at the 1906 games to Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and Peter Norman at the 1968 Olympics, from South African activists who leveraged the Olympic Charter to fight Apartheid in the 1960s and 1970s to activists who...
Safeguarding the enthusiasm for environmental studies: small is even more beautiful than before

Several strategies ought to be considered to reduce the disillusionment and potentially paralyzing impact of the current political climate and anti-environmental stance of the US administration, which risk diminishing both environmental activism and the attractiveness of environmental studies courses. Examples demonstrate the potentials for refocusing both environmental activism and education on subnational levels, broadening the appeal of participation in environmental groups by bolstering socio-emotive rewards, capitalizing on the increasing convergence of environmental and corporate interests through internships, and linking environmental education more closely with subjects less vulnerable to the current mood. Additional efforts could be focused on bringing conservatives into environmental activism through a reorientation of environmental communications to correspond more closely to their interests (e.g., hunting and its dependence on habitat conservation) and their distinctive moral-value orientations.