cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HOMELESS SHELTER USE AND REINCARCERATION FOLLOWING PRISON RELEASE

Research Summary: This paper examines the incidence of and interrelationships between shelter use and reincarceration among a cohort of 48,424 persons who were released from New York State prisons to New York City in 1995-1998. RESULTS show that, within two years of release, 11.4% of the study group entered a New York City homeless shelter and 32.8% of this group was again imprisoned. Using survival analysis methods, time since prison release and history of residential instability were the most salient risk factors related to shelter use, and shelter use increased the risk of subsequent reincarceration. Policy Implications: These findings show both homelessness and reincarceration to be substantial problems among a population of released prisoners, problems that fall into the more general framework of community reintegration. They also suggest that enhanced housing and related services, when targeted to a relatively small at-risk group among this population, have the potential to substantially reduce the overall risk for homelessness in the group. Language: en
High Overburden Stress Effects in Liquefaction Analyses

A reevaluation is presented of two factors that can strongly affect the estimation of liquefaction resistance for clean sands under high effective overburden stresses (σv′): the relation used to normalize penetration resistances to a σv′ of 1 atm (i.e., CN), and the adjustment factor for the effects of σv′ on cyclic resistance ratio (i.e., Kσ). These two factors have been investigated in a number of ways and several relations exist for each of them. An improved CN relation is developed based on cone penetration theory and validation against calibration chamber test data for both cone penetration and standard penetration tests. A relative state parameter index (ξR) is shown to provide a consistent theoretical framework for interrelating the penetration and cyclic loading resistances. It is subsequently shown that the CN and Kσ relations are interrelated through the sand properties and relative density (DR) in ways that have compensating effects on the predicted cyclic resistance. The derived relations prov...
Ventricular origin of bidirectional tachycardia. Case report of a patient not toxic from digitalis.

Electrophysiological, hemodynamic and angiographic studies were performed on an 18 year old woman with asymptomatic recurrent bidirectional tachycardia of eight years9 duration and mild hyperkalemic periodic paralysis. Multiple surface electrocardiograms and His bundle and right atrial electrograms revealed that 1) all beats during bidirectional tachycardia originated in the left ventricle; 2) the two forms of ventricular beats in the bidirectional tachycardia had qR patterns in lead V 1 (suggesting left ventricular origin) and axes in the frontal plane of –75° and +110°; 3) the interectopic interval of the two forms of QRS in bidirectional tachycardia was relatively fixed at 440-470 msec; 4) the runs of bidirectional tachycardia always terminated with the beat with right axis deviation; 5) fusion between sinus beats and one of the two forms of ventricular beats produced multiform complexes observed on the electrocardiogram; 6) the sinus beats showed T wave abnormalities and their A-H and H-V intervals were normal. Lidocaine and atrial pacing at an interval of 500 msec each separately suppressed the arrhythmia. Administration of potassium chloride to a blood level 5.4 mEq/liter and of procainamide did not affect the arrhythmia. Hemodynamic, left ventricular and coronary angiographic studies were normal. Bidirectional tachycardia in this case originated in the left ventricle and was unassociated with digitalis intoxication or demonstrable nonelectrical cardiac pathology.
Acoustic propagation in rigid three‐dimensional waveguides

The linear acoustic propagation in finite rigid three‐dimensional waveguides is determined analytically using an eigenfunction expansion of the Helmholtz equation. The geometry considered consists of straight and circular bends of rectangular cross section with continuous interfaces (branches and sharp corners are excluded). The phenomena of resonance shift and relocation are explained for a bend–straight duct combination.
In-situ characterization of soil-water content using gas-phase partitioning tracer tests: field-scale evaluation.

Field-scale tests were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the gas-phase partitioning tracer method for in-situ measurement of soil−water content. The tracer tests were conducted before and after a controlled infiltration event to evaluate performance at two water contents. Nonpartitioning (sulfur hexafluoride) and water-partitioning (difluoromethane) tracers were injected into the test zone, and their effluent breakthrough curves were analyzed using the method of moments to calculate retardation factors for difluoromethane. Soil−water contents estimated using the tracer data were compared to soil−water contents obtained independently using gravimetric core analysis, neutron scattering, and bore-hole ground penetrating radar. For the test conducted under drier soil conditions, the soil−water content estimated from the tracer test was identical to the independently measured values of 8.6% (equivalent to water saturation of 23%). For the test conducted under wetter soil conditions, the tracer test de...
A primer on ankyrin repeat function in TRP channels and beyond

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are rapidly gaining attention as important receptors and transducers of diverse sensory and environmental cues. Recent progress in the field has provided new insights into the structure and function of the ankyrin repeat motifs present in the N-terminal cytosolic domain of many TRP channels. The topics addressed in this Highlight include the structural features of canonical ankyrin repeats, new clues into the functions these repeats perform in cells, and how this information can be applied to develop further experiments on TRP channels and other proteins containing ankyrin repeats.
Conformational Changes in a Soil Fulvic Acid Measured by Time-Dependent Fluorescence Depolarization

The dependence of the aqueous conformation of a soil-derived fulvic acid on the independent parameters specifying the solution composition has been studied by time-dependent fluorescence depolarization spectroscopy. The molecular size and shape of the fluorescent components in fulvic acid were found to vary with solution pH, ionic strength, and sample concentration. These results indicate that this material behaves like a flexible polyelectrolyte in solutions approximating naturally occurring concentrations.
Mark Twain's Book of Animals. The Mark Twain Anthology: Great Writers on His Life and Work

Berkeley: U of California P, 2010. 325 pp. $27.50. cloth Literary Classics of the United States, 2010. 492 pp. $35.00. cloth
Toward On-line Measurement of Algal Properties

Algae is a potential source of large amounts of lipids for conversion to hydrocarbon fuels. Industrial-scale algae production requires process control, which further requires sensors to measure critical algal properties. One of the principal properties that needs to be measured in algae production is optical density. In this work an opto-electronic sensor was developed for the initial purpose of measuring optical density in real time in situ. A prototype was built and proved to be very accurate, with an R2 value greater than 0.98 when compared to laboratory OD measurements. The prototype also worked very well in a field test in which the range of OD values measured was limited.
Cutaneous Graft-Versus-Host Reaction Lacks Evidence of Cutaneous Cytomegalovirus by the Immunoperoxidase Technique

Sixty skin biopsy specimens from 21 bone-marrow transplant patients were evaluated for the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) using two rnonoclonal antibodies to early and late antigens. Each patient had at least one biopsy showing an acute graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR), grade 2, and one positive culture for CMV from blood, bone marrow or urine. In no case could CMV antigens be identified in biopsies showing an acute or chronic cutaneous GVHR or in any other of the skin biopsies obtained from these patients. While CMV may play a role in immunologic events culminating in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), this immunoperoxidase study did not reveal evidence of viral antigens in tissue displaying features of cutaneous GVHR.
The microwave, Raman, far infrared, and NMR spectra and structure of methylchloroformate

Abstract The microwave spectra of six isotopic species of methylchloroformate, ClCO2CH3, have been recorded from 18.0 to 40.0 GHz. Structural parameters have been determined, and it is shown that the only stable conformer at ambient temperature is the s-trans. The Raman and far infrared spectra of the vapor are reported. Four cases of Fermi resonance have been observed in the Raman effect. Both the methyl and methoxy torsions have been observed in the far infrared, and the methyl barrier to internal rotation has been determined to be 1.15 kcal/mole (1.19 kcal/mole for the CD3 rotor), which is in agreement with the 1.23 kcal/mole obtained from the microwave splitting method. It is shown from both the 13C and 1H NMR spectra along with the far-infrared data that only one conformer exists, which is contrary to what was previously reported. The vibrational spectrum of the solid is also reported and discussed.
Neural networks in bandwidth compression

The first objective of this study is to analyze the use of neural networks for bandwidth compression. This is achieved by developing a neural network algorithm using the Kohonen self-organization technique to perform vector quantization. The second objective of the study is to combine the neural network vector quantizer with a DPCM encoder for more efficient bandwidth compression. The bandwidth compression techniques are simulated and their performance is evaluated using one-dimensional wideband signals. Vector quantization (VQ) has proved to be an efficient method for bandwidth compression of both one-dimensional signals and imagery data. The reason VQ is not utilized in many practical applications is due to the fact that the performance of VQ becomes superior to other techniques such as transform coding and DPCM only for large vector dimensions. Large vector dimensions also increase the number of computations (per sample) and the memory requirements of the VQ; the increase is an exponential function of the vector dimension. For this reason, in this study VQ has been used in combination with other methods of bandwidth compression so that using a small vector dimension still improves the overall system performance. Neural networks present a parallel approach to data classification that may simplify the architecture of the classifier in the VQ, thus making vector quantizers with large dimensions more practical. In this study, we have developed a neural network algorithm for vector quantization which is based on Kohonen self-organization technique. In the following we discuss the neural network classifiers and their utilization in vector quantization of the DPCM encoders. Simulation results showing the system performance of these systems for one-dimensional modulated signals is presented and the results are discussed.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
What Does It Take to Be a Smoker? Adolescents’ Characterization of Different Smoker Types

INTRODUCTION Studies have demonstrated that clinical- and research-based definitions of who a smoker is and what constitutes smoking often differ from adolescent-derived definitions, which can be problematic for effective intervention and prevention efforts. We investigated how adolescents define different smoker types (nonsmoker, smoker, regular smoker, addicted smoker, heavy smoker, experimental smoker, casual smoker, and social smoker) using multiple indicators of smoking behaviors, including frequency, amount, place, and length of time cigarette smoking, and whether differences exist by smoking experience. METHODS Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze data from a cohort of adolescents (N = 372) in northern California. RESULTS We found differences in how adolescents characterized smoker types based on their own smoking experience. Ever-smokers tended to have a greater flexibility in determining what constituted nonsmoking and heavy smoking, while never-smokers had much narrower definitions. Results also indicated that adolescents may mistakenly associate nicotine addiction with a high frequency and amount of cigarette use as 74.3% characterized an addicted smoker as having smoked for a few years or more. In addition, there was a considerable amount of overlap in definitions between different smoker types, particularly among the smoker-regular smoker, addicted smoker-heavy smoker, and casual smoker-social smoker pairs. CONCLUSION Health communication strategies for youth smoking prevention need to address the wide variability and overlap in how adolescents define different smoker types. Greater attention should be directed to understanding the nuances of how adolescents define smoking in order to maximize the effectiveness of youth-centered smoking prevention and cessation messages.
Filling in the matrix of kidney disease

The discovery of a gene associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) was only the first step toward understanding the disease. Now researchers are determining what the gene' product normally does (pages 359–364).
Biosynthesis of radiolabeled cellodextrins by the Clostridium thermocellum cellobiose and cellodextrin phosphorylases for measurement of intracellular sugars

The Clostridium thermocellum cellobiose and cellodextrin phosphorylases (glucosyl transferases) in the cell extract were used to synthesize radiolabeled cellodextrins with a degree of polymerization (DP=2–6) from nonradioactive glucose-1-phosphate and radioactive glucose. Chain lengths of synthesized cellodextrin were controlled by the absence or presence of dithiothreitol and by reaction conditions. All cellodextrins have the sole radioactive glucose unit located at the reducing ends. Mixed cellodextrins (G2–G6) were separated efficiently by size-exclusion chromatography or less efficiently by thin-layer chromatography. A new rapid sampling device was developed using disposable syringes containing an ultracold methanol-quenching buffer. It was simple, less costly, and especially convenient for anaerobic fermentation. After an impulse feed of radiolabeled cellobiose, the intracellular sugar levels were measured after a series of operations—sampling, extracting, concentrating, separating, and reading. Results showed that the largest amount of radioactivity was cellobiose with lesser amounts of glucose, cellotriose, and cellotetraose, and an average DP of intracellular cellodextrins was ca. 2.
Development of a nucleic acid capture probe with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to detect poliovirus in groundwater

There is a need to develop a practical method for the detection of viral contaminates in water supplies. In this study, poliovirus was used as a model to develop a nucleic acid capture technique. This technique was used to recover viral RNA from concentrated groundwater samples. Poliovirus RNA was isolated using magnetic bead technology. A biotinylated oligonucleotide probe was hybridized to poliovirus-RNA in solution. Streptavidin coated magnetic beads were then added to isolate the RNA-oligonucleotide hybrid. The procedure allows for the recovery of viral RNA suitable for amplification by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This nucleic acid capture system was effective in both concentrating, and purifying poliovirus RNA while removing environmental RT-PCR inhibitors. A detection sensitivity of one plaque forming unit (PFU) in 250 μl of a concentrated environmental sample was routinely attained. This was the same detection level found with seeded purified water. It was shown that the sensitivity of nucleic acid capture RT-PCR was significantly greater than direct RT-PCR, when applied to environmental samples. The amplified product was sequenced to ensure specificity. Furthermore, this technique is rapid, reliable and can be readily adapted to detect other viral pathogens.
Photoionization of argon clusters in the Ar 3s → np Rydberg resonance region

The photoionization of argon clusters with an average size of 270 atoms per cluster was investigated in the vicinity of the Ar 3s → np autoionizing resonances using angle-resolved time-of-flight photoelectron spectroscopy. The Ar 3p outer-valence photoelectron spectra were measured as two-dimensional maps that show the resonance profiles for free atoms as well as for the cluster. For the first time, partial photoelectron yields and photoelectron angular distributions for the two spin–orbit components in argon clusters are reported as a function of the photon energy. The angular distributions of cluster photoelectrons differ substantially from the atomic ones and, moreover, allow identification of bulk and surface resonances.
MARGARET THATCHER'S CHRISTIAN FAITH: A Case Study in Political Theology

Throughout the 1980s Margaret Thatcher dominated British and global politics. At the same time she maintained an active Christian faith, which she understood as shaping and informing her political choices and policies. In this article I argue that we can construct from Thatcher's key speeches, her memoirs, and her book on public policy a cultural “theo-political” identity which guided her political decisions. Thatcher's identity was as an Anglo-Saxon Nonconformist. This consisted of her belief in values such as thrift and hard work, care for the family and local neighbor, and charitable generosity; her belief in the renewal of the national British Christian spirit; and her notion of morality as the opportunity for free choice. Without a recognition of the centrality of her theo-political identity, it is difficult to understand the values and beliefs which were central to her political life. The methodological issues raised by the construction of this theo-political identity are examined in this article. The aim of the proposed methodology is to develop theological insights into a political phenomenon like Thatcher rather than make policy judgments or recommendations.
Rapid, reversible activation of AgRP neurons drives feeding behavior in mice

Several different neuronal populations are involved in regulating energy homeostasis. Among these, agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons are thought to promote feeding and weight gain; however, the evidence supporting this view is incomplete. Using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) technology to provide specific and reversible regulation of neuronal activity in mice, we have demonstrated that acute activation of AgRP neurons rapidly and dramatically induces feeding, reduces energy expenditure, and ultimately increases fat stores. All these effects returned to baseline after stimulation was withdrawn. In contrast, inhibiting AgRP neuronal activity in hungry mice reduced food intake. Together, these findings demonstrate that AgRP neuron activity is both necessary and sufficient for feeding. Of interest, activating AgRP neurons potently increased motivation for feeding and also drove intense food-seeking behavior, demonstrating that AgRP neurons engage brain sites controlling multiple levels of feeding behavior. Due to its ease of use and suitability for both acute and chronic regulation, DREADD technology is ideally suited for investigating the neural circuits hypothesized to regulate energy balance.
Superconducting delta-sigma oversampling A/D converter

A superconducting delta-sigma analog-to-digital (A/D) converter is presented. The converter uses a low-pass filter instead of the integrator found in the usual delta-sigma architecture. The converter is analyzed by a behavior-level simulation package as well as the circuit simulator JSIM. Its performance is compared to that of the standard first-order delta-sigma converter. The simulation shows that this converter can achieve a 70-dB signal-to-noise ratio (S/(N+D)) with an oversampling ratio of 128. This corresponds to an 11-b resolution. The signal bandwidth is 4 MHz if the sampling rate is 1 GHz. >
Modulation of expression of B7 homologs by human rhinovirus and double-stranded RNA in airway epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo

Abstract Rationale Since respiratory RNA viruses are an important cause of exacerbations of sinusitis and asthma, we tested the ability of human rhinovirus-16 (HRV-16) and the toll-like receptor type 3 (TLR3) agonist, dsRNA, to alter expression of B7 homolog costimulatory molecules in human airway epithelial cells. Methods BEAS2B human airway epithelial cells were cultured to confluence, exposed to dsRNA (25 μg/ml), and then expression of mRNA and cell-surface protein for B7 homologs was assessed by real-time PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. Additionally, human subjects were infected with HRV-16 in vivo, and mRNA for B7-homologs was assessed by real-time PCR in fresh nasal epithelial cell scrapings obtained before and daily up to 4 days. Results Exposure of BEAS2B cells to dsRNA for 24 hours resulted in an increase in cell-surface and mRNA expression of B7-H1 (approx. 2 and 3 fold, respectively) and B7-DC (approx. 2.5 and 3.5 fold), but not B7-H2 or B7-H3 (p Conclusion Increased expression of the B7 homologs B7-H1 and B7-DC by exposure of epithelial cells to the TLR3 agonist dsRNA or HRV-16 may influence the development of adaptive immune responses in the airways.
Graph-Based Query Strategies for Active Learning

This paper proposes two new graph-based query strategies for active learning in a framework that is convenient to combine with semi-supervised learning based on label propagation. The first strategy selects instances independently to maximize the change to a maximum entropy model using label propagation results in a gradient length measure of model change. The second strategy involves a batch criterion that integrates label uncertainty with diversity and density objectives. Experiments on sentiment classification demonstrate that both methods consistently improve over a standard active learning baseline, and that the batch criterion also gives consistent improvement over semi-supervised learning alone.
Serotonin excitation of facial motoneurons: Receptor subtype characterization

The receptor subtype(s) mediating the enhancement of facial motoneuron excitability by serotonin (5-HT) was evaluated by means of single-cell recording in vivo (in the anesthetized rat) and in vitro in brain slices. In vivo, microiontophoretic application of the broad-spectrum 5-HT1 agonist 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), the 5-HT2/5-HT1C agonist 1-[2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl]-2-aminopropane (DOM), but not the selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-2[di-n-propylamino]tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), produced a 5-HT-like enhancement of facial motoneuron excitability. Intravenous administration of the 5-HT2/5-HT1C antagonists ritanserin and LY 53857 in vivo blocked the facilitatory effects of 5-HT and DOM, but not norepinephrine (NE). Similarly, in brain slices, bath application of ritanserin blocked the effects of 5-HT, DOM, and 5-CT, but not NE on facial motoneurons. Intracellular recordings showed that DOM induced a slow depolarization and an increase in evoked spikes, but these effects were of lesser magnitude and longer duration than those produced by 5-HT. Taken together, these results indicate a role for 5-HT2 and/or 5-HT1C but not 5-HT1A receptors in serotonergic enhancement of facial motoneuron excitability since 5-HT's effect was 1) at least partially mimicked by the selective 5-HT2/5-HT1C agonist DOM, 2) mimicked by the broad-spectrum 5-HT1 agonist 5-CT but not the selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT, and 3) blocked by the 5-HT2/5-HT1C antagonists ritanserin and LY 53857.
Worst-case analysis of demand point aggregation for the Euclidean p-median problem

Abstract Solving large-scale p -median problems is usually time consuming. People often aggregate the demand points in a large-scale p -median problem to reduce its problem size and make it easier to solve. Most traditional research on demand point aggregation is either experimental or assuming uniformly distributed demand points in analytical studies. In this paper, we study demand point aggregation for planar p -median problem when demand points are arbitrarily distributed. Efficient demand aggregation approaches are proposed with the corresponding attainable worst-case aggregation error bounds measured. We demonstrate that these demand aggregation approaches introduce smaller worst-case aggregation error bounds than that of the honeycomb heuristic [Papadimitriou, C.H., 1981. Worst-case and probabilistic analysis of a geometric location problem. SIAM Journal on Computing 10, 542–557] when demand points are arbitrarily distributed. We also conduct numerical experiments to show their effectiveness.
Use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography in characterizations of reactants in durable-press finishing of cotton fabrics☆

Abstract The principal class of reactants used to impart durable-press properties to cotton fabrics is methylolamides. These properties are obtained by etherification of the cotton cellulose hydroxyls through a carbocation mechanism. Through use of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, with water as the mobile phase and a refractive index detector, the initial methylol populations of representative reactants were established. As the amount of formaldehyde in a reactant is increased, the ratio of monomethylol derivative to polymethylol derivatives is decreased. Responses of the populations to hydrolysis and catalyst conditions were studied. These conditions result in the emergence of peaks representative of condensations and byproducts to the simple methylolation reactions. Comparisons of results with those from 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance analyses are described.
Metal-Insulator Transition and Scaling for Incommensurate Systems

Tight-binding models in one dimension with incommensurate potentials are studied. For the sinusoidal-potential model scaling of the spectrum is found numerically at the critical point, which separates the region where all the states are extended and the region where all the states are localized. Absence of scaling for generic potentials indicates the existence of mobility edges. An index $\ensuremath{\delta}$, which characterizes the behavior of the total width of allowed energies, is defined at the critical point. For a class of discontinuous potentials, the systems are found to be always critical.
Comments on a recent limit theorem of Quine

Abstract We give necessary and sufficient conditions for convergence of the self-normalized product g(n)X 1 X 2 ⋯X n ∑ X i 1 2 X i 2 2 ⋯X i n−1 2 , where X1,X2,…,Xn are independent random variables, g(n) is an arbitrary function with g(n)→+∞, as n→+ ∞ , and ∑ is summation over all integers 1⩽i1
1,9-Bis(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)dipyrromethanes in the synthesis of porphyrins bearing one or two meso substituents

Abstract A synthesis of 5,15-disubstituted zinc-porphyrins has been developed that employs condensation of a 1,9-bis(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)dipyrromethane+a dipyrromethane in refluxing ethanol containing zinc acetate followed by oxidation with DDQ. The N,N-dimethylaminomethylation of the dipyrromethane was achieved via Eschenmoser's reagent (N,N-dimethylmethyleneammonium iodide) in CH2Cl2 at room temperature. The synthesis is compatible with diverse substituents (e.g., alkyl, aryl, ester, acetal) and enables rapid synthesis of trans-AB-, A2-, and A-porphyrins. The synthesis of >40 zinc porphyrins has been surveyed; 13 zinc porphyrins were isolated in yields of 5–20% without detectable scrambling.
Magnetoresistance in Co-Au granular alloy films

Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) is observed in a series of sputtered Co-Au granular alloy films. X-ray studies indicate that these films are nanocrystalline and exhibit
Periodically varying compensation of time-invariant systems

Linear time-invariant discrete-time scalar systems under periodically varying output feedback, and the associated problems of stabilization and arbitrary eigenvalue assignment, are investigated. The general form of the characteristic polynomial of the closed-loop periodically varying system is obtained and some detailed results are provided for the second order case. Interesting research questions are pointed out.
Expert systems: A short introduction

Abstract Expert systems are rapidly growing in diversity of application and usage worldwide. Even though expert system development has been slow in applying expert systems to the specific field of structures, expert system technology has been pervasive in other areas of engineering and manufacturing. This paper provides a short introduction on expert systems, looking at their development, application and future trends.
Perverse Complementarity: Political Connections & the Use of Courts Among Private Firms in China

Using survey data of over 3,900 private firms in China, we examine whether – and how – political connections promote or undermine the use of formal legal institutions. We find that politically connected firms are more inclined than non-connected firms to use courts over informal avenues of dispute resolution. Furthermore, by comparing the effects of political connections on dispute resolution patterns across regional institutional environments, we find that “know-who” (political influence over adjudication) dominates “know-how” (knowledge of navigating courts) in linking political connections to the use of courts. Contrary to canonical theories that predict the declining significance of connections following the expansion of courts, our study suggests that informal networks and formal laws are more likely to share a relationship of perverse complementarity in transitional and authoritarian contexts. Political connections are positively linked to the use of legal procedures, and the primary mechanism behind the link is “know-who” over “know-how.”
The development and assessment of multimedia software for improving 3‐D spatial visualization skills

Well-developed 3-D spatial skills are critical to success in a number of scientific and technical careers. This is particularly true for engineers who generally communicate by graphical means. In the fall of 1992, Baartmans and Sorby received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a course and the course materials for the improvement of 3-D spatial visualization skills for engineering students. In January of 1998, Sorby and Baartmans along with a third PI, Wysocki, received additional funding from the NSF to develop multimedia software and a workbook for the improvement of 3-D spatial visualization skills for engineering students. The multimedia software has been developed in modular form, and there are nine total modules currently available. This article presents the development of the multimedia software and assessment results from its use in special courses designed to improve spatial skills. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 9: 105–113, 2001
Loss of 17p is a major consequence of whole-arm chromosome translocations in hematologic malignancies

To ascertain the distribution of whole-arm translocations (WATs) and their consequential imbalances in hematologic malignancies, we analyzed the imbalances related to chromosomes involved in clonal, acquired WATs in 140 consecutive tumors with WATs and near-diploid karyotypes. Tumors for analysis were obtained from a survey of the cytogenetic database in the Department of Medical Genetics, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI. Of the 140 tumors, 9 had balanced WATs; the remaining 131 had WATs that rarely or never involved chromosome X, Y, 2, 3, 4, 6, 19, or 20. Chromosome arms were lost more often than they were gained, and short arms were lost more often than long arms, except for chromosomes 7 and 16 (more long arms lost than short) and chromosome 11 (both arms equally lost). The long arm of chromosome 1 was the only arm gained with substantial frequency, in 26% of tumors. Of WATs that resulted in gain of 1q, short arm of chromosome 7 and acrocentric long arms were involved in 47 and 24%, respectively. Acrocentric chromosomes were involved in acquired WATs in 45% of tumors (the D-group acrocentrics more than the G-group), and were more likely to be involved in non-Robertsonian than Robertsonian translocations (P < 0.001, normal test). Loss of 17p was the most common short-arm loss (23% of tumors) and often occurred as part of complex karyotypes suggestive of disease progression. The present findings show that acquired whole-arm chromosome translocations in hematologic malignancies are nonrandom, commonly involve acrocentric chromosomes, and often result in loss of 17p, which is often associated with advanced disease and poor prognosis in a wide spectrum of hematologic malignancies.
Learning to Rank by Maximizing AUC with Linear Programming

Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) is often used to evaluate ranking performance in binary classification problems. Several researchers have approached AUC optimization by approximating the equivalent Wicoxon-Mann-Whitney (WMW) statistic. We present a linear programming approach similar to 1-norm Support Vector Machines (SVMs) for instance ranking by an approximation to the WMW statistic. Our formulation can be applied to nonlinear problems by using a kernel function. Our ranking algorithm outperforms SVMs in both AUC and classification performance when using RBF kernels, but curiously not with polynomial kernels. We experiment with variations of chunking to handle the quadratic growth of the number of constraints in our formulation.
Extracranial Oligometastases: A Subset of Metastases Curable With Stereotactic Radiotherapy

The term oligometastases, introduced in 1995 and detailed more recently, describes an intermediate state of cancer spread between localized disease and widespread metastases. Metastases from solid tumors are regarded as representative of disseminated cancer and are not considered curable, with the rare exception, such as germ cell tumors. By contrast, evidence has emerged that patients with limited metastatic disease, such as liver metastasis from colon or rectal cancer, can be cured by removal of the metastasis, drawing increased focus on the potential for intermediate states of metastatic cancer involvement. The implication of the concept of an oligometastatic state is that metastatic disease may be cured with metastasis-directed therapy. As a further conceptual refinement, Niibe et al have suggested the concept of oligorecurrence to consider patients with a limited number of metastases and controlled primary tumors as a group with an improved prognosis as compared with patients with limited metastasis and uncontrolled primary tumors. The oligometastatic hypothesis is distinct from other potentially important uses of radiotherapy and surgery in metastatic disease, such as consolidation of chemotherapy responses or as an application of the Norton-Simon hypothesis, which predicts that effectiveness of chemotherapy is proportional to the growth rate of the tumor and that the fastest growth rates occur in nonbulky tumors. Aggressive local therapy to metastatic lesions can downsize tumors, and the remaining cells might therefore be more sensitive to chemotherapy. Our review will focus on extracranial oligometastases because intracranial oligometastasis is an established clinical entity where surgery, radiotherapy, and radiosurgery have defined roles supported by phase III randomized trials and detailed outcome analyses.
Oral Cefixime Is Similar to Continued Intravenous Antibiotics in the Empirical Treatment of Febrile Neutropenic Children with Cancer

Empiric oral antibiotic therapy for febrile neutropenic cancer patients has been suggested as a means to decrease hospitalization, but the safety of this approach has not been adequately studied in children. We compared continued iv antibiotic therapy with switching treatment to orally administered cefixime in a group of selected febrile neutropenic children for whom blood cultures were sterile after 48 h of incubation. Two hundred episodes of febrile neutropenia were studied (156 patients), and 100 episodes were randomized to receive each treatment. Failure to respond to therapy was defined by documented or suspected bacterial infection, recurrent fever, or discontinuation of assigned therapy for any reason before neutropenia resolved. Rates of treatment failure were similar in the oral cefixime group (28%) and in the iv antibiotic group (27%; P=1.0). Results support the safety of oral cefixime therapy for low-risk febrile neutropenic children, a therapeutic approach that would facilitate earlier outpatient management and decrease the costs of treatment.
THE TYRANNY OF SMALL DECISIONS: MARKET FAILURES, IMPERFECTIONS, AND THE LIMITS OF ECONOMICS*

SUMMARY A market economy makes its large allocations and reallocation of resources on the basis of a summing up of the ‘votes’ recorded by customers in a host of small, individual market transactions. A critical task in appraising the efficiency of such an economy, then, is to determine whether and under what conditions this adding up process produces optimal results. The ‘smallness’ of the decisive, individual transactions—their limited size, scope and time-perspective—can, it is argued, be a source of misallocations, in the sense that consumers might disapprove of the larger result thereby produced, if they were ever given the opportunity explicitly to vote for or against it. In certain circumstances, the smallness of the relevant decisions may produce authentic market failure. This will be the case where they do not include an independent appraisal of customers’ desire to keep available for possible future use a service that they do not actually use in sufficient amount to cover the costs of providing it. In other circumstances, the smallness of the individual transactions may encourage irrational consumer choice, because they are too small to justify the effort of securing good market information. In yet others, monopoly elements may cause the buyer to be presented with excessively narrow choices that do not correctly reflect that actual costs of the competing alternatives; and the result may be an uneconomic spiral of product quality changes over time so-called ‘product inflation’. Finally, the cumulation of individual choices may have the ultimate effect of changing consumer preference function themselves, in which event it is not possible for welfare economics to judge the optimality of market performance. These possible defects of the market may be conceived in the more familiar terms—as attributable to externalities, market imperfections or the defects of consumer sovereignty itself. Emphasis on the contribution influence of the smallness of the controlling decisions has the virtue of suggesting the possible necessity of substituting a ‘large’ for a piecemeal accumulation of small decisions if the results are to be intelligently appraised or improved.
AN IMPROVED TECHNIQUE FOR INTERPERSONAL PROJECTIVE ASSESSMENT

An improved technique for projective assessment of interpersonal relations was developed for use with children. The poor quality of available grids and human figures necessitated the development of a model grid and contemporary scale-sized human figures. A scale model of a “family” room was created utilizing a metal kitchen counter-top mat marked with thin plastic tape in 2.5-cm. squares. Heavy mat board was cut and joined at each corner to form moveable walls for the room. Human figures were cut from sewing pattern books, glued to mat board, and stabilized with a cork and magnetic tape base. It was proposed that the model and figures could be used for other projective situations such as play therapy and sociometric analysis.
Normative Misperceptions of Abuse Among Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

This research was designed to evaluate the applicability of social norms approaches to interventions with male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). Participants included 124 nonadjudicated IPV perpetrating men recruited from the general population who completed assessment of their own IPV behaviors via telephone interviews and estimated the prevalence of behaviors in other men. Results indicated that IPV perpetrators consistently overestimated the percentage of men who engaged in IPV and that their estimates were associated with violence toward their partner over the past 90 days. Findings provide preliminary support for incorporating social norms approaches into clinical applications.
Towards Effective ZNMF Jet Based Control of a Canonical Separated Flow

Three dimensional numerical LES simulations and companion of synthetic jet based control of a canonical separated flow at chord Reynolds number of 1×10 5 are investigated. Aft chord separation on the upper surface of a flat plate with a 4:1 elliptical leading edge and blunt trailing edge is created by implementing zero-net steady suction and blowing on the top boundary of both the computational and experimental domains. This study shows that even this simple canonical separated flow is dominated by nonlinear interactions between the shear layer, separation bubble, and wake instabilities in a manner that is representative of more complex airfoil separation. These interactions produce complex flows characterized by various lock-on states in which the oscillations in these regions are coupled in a complex nonlinear fashion. Numerical simulations of spanwise uniform ZNMF sinusoidal forcing shows that active control can move the separated flow system to other lock-on states that either reduce or enhance separation.
Recent Beam Performance and Developments at SLAC

The purpose of this paper is to describe recent developments at SLAC which have contributed to improvements in beam operation. The paper will be divided into two parts. The first will summarize overall beam performance and operational efficiency in delivering beams to various experiments. The second will be devoted to specific developments such as the achievement of higher energies, increasingly narrow energy spectra, higher beam breakup current thresholds, chopped beams and improvements in pulse-to-pulse operation. The discussion will include a description of various new pulsed devices such as pulsed quadrupoles, improvements in the positron source and new beam loading measurements obtained for very short pulses.
CONTEXTUAL INTERFERENCE: A META-ANALYTIC STUDY '

A meta-analysis of the contextual interference effect produced 139 estimates of effect sizes from 61 studies. The average overall effect size was .38. The effect size for basic research (.57) was significantly different from applied research (.19). Significant differences were also obtained between the effect sizes for adults (.50) and those for younger learners (.10). Power for retention and transfer scores was not significantly different. The overall mean power of the studies reviewed was .43.
Exposing Engineering Students to Renewable Energy through Hands-On Experiments.

Renewable energy is the most rapidly growing discipline in today’s business world and is commonly viewed as the main arena for research and development in various fields. This article summarizes the work and efforts of an educational project conducted at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). A major goal of the project was to design renewable energy laboratories and expose engineering students to clean energy technologies. Through this project, the investigators engaged students in renewable energy applications through hands-on experiments, encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration, and better prepared students to enter the energy workforce. Meanwhile, the project also benefited engineering educators by exploring effective teaching methods in energy education.
Effects of alternative prey on predation by small mammals on gypsy moth pupae

Previous work shows that predation by small mammals is a dominant cause of mortality of low-density gypsy moths in North America and that declines in small mammal density result in increases in gypsy moth density. Here we examined whether predation by small mammals is density dependent by way of a type III functional response, and how predation is influenced by alternative prey. First we showed that the preference of predators for gypsy moth pupae was low compared to other experimental prey items, such as mealworm pupae and sunflower seeds. Predation on gypsy moth pupae was characterized by a type II functional response with percent predation highest at the lowest prey densities, whereas the functional response to sunflower seeds was characterized by a type III functional response in which predation increased with increasing prey density. These results suggest that predation by small mammals is unlikely to stabilize low-density gypsy moth populations.
The Functions of the Proteins Encoded by the Cid and Lrg Operons in S. Aureus

Bacterial programmed cell death (PCD) is an emerging concept with implications in biofilm formation and acquiring of antibiotic resistance. The cid and lrg operons have been shown to be important to PCD in S. aureus and this work focuses on preparing and functionally characterizing proteins encoded by these two operons. The cid operon encodes the CidA, CidB, and CidC proteins, with CidA hypothesized to be a holin-like membrane protein and CidC a membrane-bound pyruvate oxidase. The lrg operon encodes the two membrane proteins LrgA and LrgB, with LrgA hypothesized to be an anti-holin membrane protein. The exact roles of CidB and LrgB remain undetermined to date. Pure preparations of CidA or LrgA were reconstituted into synthetic lipid vesicles that mimic the cellular membrane of S.aureus. A newly developed liposome leakage assay confirms that CidA induces the formation of nanometer membrane pores, while LrgA induces the formation of much smaller membrane pores. Pure recombinant CidC was shown to bind flavin adenine dinucleotide and to exhibit pyruvate oxidase activity in the presence of thiamine pyrophosphate. Ongoing studies include further liposome leakage assays to better define the pores induced by CidA and LrgA, as well as any influence exterted by the CidB and LrgB proteins. The interaction between Cid/Lrg membrane proteins is also investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry. This research will elucidate the in vivo functions of the Cid/Lrg proteins and shed light on bacterial programmed cell death.
TWO STUDIES OF CHILDHOOD DREAMING

The technique of dream retrieval by nocturnal awakening during periods of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was employed with preschoolers and with both normal and emotionally disturbed male adolescents. Dreams of children at both ages were generally directly related to their waking lives, but personality pathology was associated with more vivid and unrealistic dreaming.
Social Comparisons and Contentment Exploring the Psychological Costs of the Gender Wage Gap

This study explored the role of social comparison processes in fostering contentment among those who are objectively disadvantaged. We focus on how comparisons can produce gender differences in personal entitlement, perceptions of one's own performance, and pay satisfaction. We hypothesized that individuals would base judgments of entitlement, performance, and pay satisfaction more on comparisons with ingroup (same-sex) than outgroup (cross-sex) others, even when both types of comparison information were equally available, unavoidable, and made clear the disadvantaged status of the ingroup. As predicted, the amount students felt they were entitled to be paid, how well they thought they had performed (women only), and how satisfied they were with their pay were all influenced more by same-sex than cross-sex comparison information. The implications of these results for the tolerance of injustice among disadvantaged groups are discussed.