cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Micro-analysis of Plaque Fluid from Single-site Fasted Plaque

Despite the site-specific nature of caries, nearly all data on the concentration of ions relevant to the level of saturation of plaque fluid with respect to calcium phosphate minerals or enamel are from studies that used pooled samples. A procedure is described for the collection and analysis of inorganic ions relevant to these saturation levels in plaque fluid samples collected from a single surface on a single tooth. Various methods for examining data obtained by this procedure are described, and a mathematical procedure employing potential plots is recommended.
Congenital anomalies: a 25-year overview

Expansion of the discipline of hand surgery and heightened interest in congenital problems have resulted in major advances in the treatment of congenital hand anomalies over the past 25 years. Increased experience with congenital anomalies of the hand has expanded the hand surgeon's knowledge of patterns and relationships between different anomalies resulting in new methods of classification and more logical approaches to treatment. The principles of treatment of the more common anomalies, such as syndactyly, established by prior generations of hand surgeons have been refined in details of technique. New technologies, such as distraction lengthening and free vascularized transfers, have allowed the surgeon to treat new problems and old problems in new ways. In spite of our successes, much remains to challenge hand surgeons in this new millennium, especially in the construction of joints and the expanding field of fetal surgery.
Aberrant regulation of endogenous ouabain-like factor in bipolar subjects

Ill phases of bipolar illness are associated with abnormalities in ion regulation and intracellular ion concentrations. Previously, it has been reported that mania is characterised by lower circulating levels of ion regulating endogenous cardenolides, and that bipolar subjects lack the normal seasonal variation of these factors. Since endogenous cardenolides are elaborated in settings of extensive physical activity, euthymic bipolar and psychiatrically normal control subjects were asked to exercise to exhaustion. Plasma concentrations of endogenous cardenolides were measured at baseline, 60 min, peak exercise and post-recovery. Ouabain-like immunoreactive factor (OLF) was lower at baseline (0.005+/-S.D. 0.01 ng/mL in bipolar vs. 0.072+/-0.06 ng/mL in normal control subjects, P=0.019), lower at 60 min (0.007+/-S.D. 0.02 ng/mL in bipolar vs. 0.075+/-0.06 ng/mL in normal control subjects, P=0.029), and tended to be lower at peak exercise (0.009+/-S.D. 0.02 ng/mL in bipolar vs. 0.131+/-0.21 ng/mL in normal control subjects, P=0.15) in bipolar subjects compared to non-psychiatric controls. Other endogenous cardenolides did not vary significantly. The endogenous cardenolide, OLF, may be aberrantly controlled in bipolar illness.
Gap Junctions Are Involved in the Early Generation of Left–Right Asymmetry

Abstract Invariant left–right asymmetry of the visceral organs is a fundamental feature of vertebrate embryogenesis. While a cascade of asymmetrically expressed genes has been described, the embryonic mechanism that orients the left–right axis relative to the dorsoventral and anteroposterior axes (a prerequisite for asymmetric gene expression) is unknown. We propose that this process involves dorsoventral differences in cell–cell communication through gap junctions composed of connexin proteins. Global modulation of gap junctional states inXenopusembryos by pharmacological agents specifically induced heterotaxia involving mirror-image reversals of heart, gut, and gall bladder. Greatest sensitivity was observed between st. 5 and st. 12, well before the onset of organogenesis. Moreover, heterotaxia was also induced following microinjection of dominant negative and wild-type connexin mRNAs to modify the endogenous dorsoventral difference in junctional communication. Heterotaxia was induced by either blocking gap junction communication (GJC) dorsally or by introducing communication ventrally (but not the reverse). Both connexin misexpression and exposure to GJC-modifying drugs altered expression of the normally left-sided geneXNR-1,demonstrating that GJC functions upstream ofXNR-1in the pathway that patterns left–right asymmetry. Finally, lineage analysis to follow the progeny of microinjected cells indicated that they generally do not contribute the asymmetric organs. Together with the early sensitivity window, this suggests that GJC functions as part of a fundamental, early aspect of left–right patterning. In addition, we show that a potential regulatory mutation in Connexin43 is sufficient to cause heterotaxia. Despite uncertainty about the prevalence of the serine364to proline substitution reported in human patients with laterality defects, the mutant protein is both a mild hypomorph and a potent antimorph as determined by the effect of its expression on left–right patterning. Taken together, our data suggest that endogenous dorsoventral differences in GJC within the early embryo are needed to consistently orient left–right asymmetry.
A Note on Hooker's “Rule Consequentialism”

Hooker's paper (1990) is a valuable contribution to the literature on rule or indirect consequentialism (RC). His argument to show that RC is significantly less demanding than act-consequentialism (AC) is especially interesting. Given the prominence of discussions about the alleged excessive demandingness of AC, it is surprising that most other discussions of RC have so little to say about the demandingness of the theory. I will attempt to do three things in this note. 1) I will point out certain difficulties with Hooker's argument. These difficulties cast doubt on the soundness of his argument, but do not refute it. 2) I will show that, under certain empirical conditions (conditions which may come to pass in the future), RC would be very demanding. 3) I will argue that, at most, Hooker's argument only works for certain formulations of RC. There are plausible formulations of RC which are very demanding. I think that these other formulations of RC are more plausible than Hooker's own formulation, but I cannot undertake to show this here. Hooker needs to show that his preferred understanding of RC is more plausible than alternative formulations of RC which are very demanding. Hooker characterizes RC as follows:
Effect of humidity and temperature on photoinduced reactions in cellulose

Abstract Pulsed laser studies and phosphorimetry have been used to investigate the reaction of O 2 and methyl viologen with the triplet excited state of tetramethylbenzidene in cellophane. Small amounts of water markedly affect the photoinduced reactions. In the case of methyl viologen, electron transfer via tunnelling is observed to give reduced methyl viologen.
Heavy ions from interplanetary dust

Most atoms that are evaporated from interplanetary dust near the sun are quickly ionized and are probably carried away by the interplanetary magnetic field and the solar wind. The contribution of these heavy ions to the solar-wind flux has been estimated by using estimates of the mass required to maintain the zodiacal cloud. This contribution appears to be small compared with the heavy-ion flux of coronal origin. Many ions from dust remain singly ionized; some of these, such as Ca(+), can resonantly scatter solar radiation. The contribution of this interplanetary glow to the background of twilight glow has been estimated. Interplanetary glow may be detectable. Some atoms from dust may be accelerated by radiation pressure before being ionized. Estimates of velocities and fluxes for Fe indicate that this acceleration is not very effective.
Enhanced fecal excretion of selected immune factors in very low birth weight infants fed fortified human milk.

ABSTRACT. The amounts of lactoferrin, lysozyme, total IgA, secretory IgA (SIgA), and specific SIgA antibodies to a pool of Escherichia coli O antigens were measured in 96- h collections of feces obtained from 28 very low birth weight infants, 28-30 wk of gestation, studied at 2.5 and 6 wk of age. Eighteen of these infants were fed their mothers' milk fortified with fractions of skim and cream derived from pasteurized, lyophilized, mature human milk (FM) and 10 infants were fed commercial cow's milk-based formula. The concentrations of these selected immune factors in the FM and formula also were measured. Specific SIgA antibodies to E. coli O antigens were detected in the feces of 90% of the FM-fed infants, but in none of the feces of the formula-fed infants. The feces obtained from FM-fed infants had markedly greater quantities of lactoferrin (j><0.001), lysozyme (p=0.006), and IgA (p<0.001) than those of cow's milk formula-fed infants. The concentrations of total and secretory IgA were correlated significantly (r=0.88, p<0.001) and 95% of total IgA was SIgA. The fecal concentration of specific SIgA antibodies to E. coli O antigens in FM-fed infants correlated with the concentration of these antibodies in their milk (p<0.001). However, there were no direct relationships between the milk concentrations or the infants' intakes of the other selected immune factors and the excretion of these factors in the feces. Significant relationships were noted among the immune factors in the feces, but not among the concentrations of these factors in the fortified human milk. The increased quantity of selected immune factors in the feces of very low birth weight infants fed FM may have resulted not only from passive ingestion and persistence of these factors throughout the gastrointestinal tract but also from endogenous synthesis induced by the feeding of human milk.
Oscillations of neutral difference equations

We obtain sufficient conditions for the oscillatons of all solutions of the neutral difference equation where p and q are real numbers and k and l are integers.
Raman scattering study of effect of calcium and magnesium on phosphatidylserine vesicles

Abstract Raman scattering has been used to study the effect of divalent cations of phosphatidylserine vesicles. The data show that magnesium does not significantly alter the acyl chain conformation and lateral packing of the bilayers other than shifting the transition temperature, while calcium results in highly rigid acyl chains with a gradual temperature dependence in the trans-gauche isomerization. The results suggest that Raman scattering is a potentially useful probe of calcium-induced membrane fusion and phase separation.
The Representational Consequences of a Random National Constituency

Andrew Rehfeld's The Concept of Constituency argues for a fundamental rethinking of the relationship between constituents and politicians. This is a creative and original argument that deserves serious discussion. Before participating in that discussion, I would like to take a small detour to address the broader significance of this symposium: the collaboration between normative theorists and an empirical scholar on an issue of mutual interest. Far too often political theorists and empirical scholars do not engage each other's work and it is even more unusual for them to be co-authors. In my book on race and representation I included a chapter that explored the implications of the political theory literature on representation for my work.1 My work was enriched by the ideas and arguments of scholars such as Anne Phillips, Will Kymlicka, Iris Young, Lani Guinier, Amy Gutmann, and Charles Taylor. At the same time, empirical political scientists have much to offer political theorists. In some cases it may be as simple as offering systematic evidence in support of a normative argument, as Katherine Tate, David Lublin, Kenneth Whitby, Carol Swain, and I have done (among many others) with questions of the "politics of presence" and the value of descriptive representation. In other cases, empirical scholars may provide the technical know-how to bring an idea to life, as with the collaboration between Robert Luskin and James Fishkin on deliberative polling. This forum takes this type of interaction between normative and empirical scholars one step further by directly engaging one another. Rehfeld makes two central contributions: he separates the concept of constituency from the method of voting and he points out the weaknesses of
Are There Challenges in the Interpretation of Head and Neck Specimens

The spectrum of possible diagnoses posed by the mingling of diverse tissue types present in the region of the head and neck can be challenging for all involved in the daily practice of surgical pathology. The purpose of this issue is not to cover every aspect of head and neck pathology but rather to have well recognized experts provide a foundation for diagnosis of critical entities in this region. Articles in this issue focus on aspects of interpretation that can be especially vexing in the head and neck, including salivary gland lesions, craniofacial bone lesions, odontogenic lesions, lichenoid lesions of oral mucosa, sinonasal tract, oral cavity and oropharynx, and larynx and hypopharynx. The articles are designed to offer a practical reference for the everyday interpretation of biopsies and excision specimens. Additionally, this issue includes state of the art review, key reference articles, and suggestions of ancillary testing. In each article there are high quality photomicrographs to complement the text. The diagnostic boxes and appropriate caveats may be used to further clarify relevant points in difficult areas where the
Observation of non-Maxwellian electron distributions in the NSTX divertor

Abstract The scrape-off layer plasma at the tokamak region is characterized by open field lines and often contains large variations in plasma properties along these field-lines. Proper characterization of local plasma conditions is critical to assessing plasma–material interaction processes occurring at the target. Langmuir probes are frequently employed in tokamak divertors but are challenging to interpretation. A kinetic interpretation for Langmuir probes in NSTX has yielded non-Maxwellian electron distributions in the divertor characterized by cool bulk populations and energetic tail populations with temperatures of 2–4 times the bulk. Spectroscopic analysis and modeling confirms the bulk plasma temperature and density which can only be obtained with the kinetic interpretation.
An introduction to spatially-coupled codes via practical examples

This paper uses examples to illustrate the ongoing transition in spatially-coupled coding from theory to practice. In the first example, we find that spatially-coupled codes have already been implemented by two different companies for 100 Gb/s optical communications. Both systems use variants of braided block codes, which were introduced even before the term spatial coupling. In the second example, we discuss the multiple-access channel and observe that some gains from spatial coupling were being realized in cellular base stations as early as 2007. Finally, we discuss some open questions regarding spatially-coupled codes.
Coherent pumping of microwave transitions between highly excited states

Abstract The problem of describing the absorption of microwave radiation between pairs of multi-degenerate molecular rotational energy levels, and collisional relaxation of the irradiated transitions, is approached generally by deriving a system of coupled tensorial Bloch equations. These are solved directly for the case of highly excited states, where a number of simplifying assumptions are valid.
New Potential High Energy Materials: High-Level Calculations on the Properties of Aminonitromethanes

In this study, we explore the possibility that methane substituted with one or two amino and nitro groups might act as high energy materials. G2 and G3 calculations were performed to determine optimized geometries, vibrational frequencies and spectra, enthalpies of formation, and enthalpies of combustion or decomposition of aminonitromethane and diaminodinitromethane.
Double cervix and vagina with septate uterus: An uncommon müllerian malformation

Abstract BACKGROUND: The case of an unusual mullerian anomaly is described. CASE: A nulligravida was found to have a septate uterus with double cervix and a vagina with partial longitudinal vaginal septum. The anomaly presented symptomatically, was suggested by clinical examination, and confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative visualization. Visualization of the anomaly was enhanced by magnetic resonance-based three-dimensional reconstruction techniques. CONCLUSION: Description of double cervix and vagina in the setting of an anatomically normal or simple septate uterus is uncommon. This anomaly is inconsistent with the generally accepted understanding of mullerian development but fits with an alternative hypothesis. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance-based three-dimensional reconstruction was useful in aiding visualization of the anomaly.
Multimedia aspects in health care

Recently, Body Sensor Networks (BSNs) are being deployed for monitoring and managing medical conditions as well as human performance in sports. These BSNs include various sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, EMG (Electromyogram), EKG (Electro-cardiograms), and other sensors depending on the needs of the medical conditions. Data from these sensors are typically Time Series data and the data from multiple sensors form multiple, multidimensional time series data. This tutorial describes the technologies that go behind BSNs -- both in terms of the hardware infrastructure as well as the basic software. First, we outline the BSN hardware features and the related requirements. We then discuss the energy and communication choices for BSNs. Next, we discuss approaches for classification, data mining, visualization, and securing these data. We also show several demonstrations of body sensor networks as well as the software that aid in analyzing the data.
Ontogeny of delay versus trace eyeblink conditioning in the rat

The ontogeny of delay versus trace eyeblink conditioning was examined in 19-, 23-, and 30-day-old rat pups. Pairings of a tone conditioned stimulus (CS) and periocular shock unconditioned stimulus (US; 100-ms) were presented in one of three conditioning paradigms: standard delay [380-ms CS, 280-ms interstimulus interval (ISI)], trace (380-ms CS, 500-ms trace interval), or long-delay (980-ms CS, 880-ms ISI). The results of two experiments indicated that standard delay conditioning emerged between 19 and 23 days of age whereas trace and long-delay eyeblink conditioning emerged more slowly from postnatal Days 19 to 30. Because the acquisition profile for long-delay paralleled that of trace and not standard delay, it appears that the relative deficits in the emergence of trace eyeblink conditioning during development reflect difficulty in forming associations over long ISIs rather than the short-term memory demands of the trace conditioning paradigm.
Value of the micropig model of menopause in the assessment of benefits and risks of postmenopausal therapies for cardiovascular and reproductive tissues.

Abstract Objective To extend the comparative database demonstrating the cardioprotective benefits of estrogen therapy to an additional relevant species and to assess the usefulness of this model for studies designed to assess benefits and risks of postmenopausal therapies. Design Prospective, randomized, controlled periclinical trial Setting Medical university animal facility. Animal(s) Fifteen sexually mature Yucatan micropigs and 15 ovariectomized micropigs. Intervention(s) Oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE), 0.625 mg/d, or levormeloxifene, 37.5 mg/d, for 182 days. Main outcome measure(s) Coronary artery atherosclerosis was measured by digitization, uteri were weighed, and uterine and mammary tissues were evaluated histologically and morphometrically. Mean blood pressure was measured by oscillometry, C-reactive protein by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and serum lipids by enzymatic methods. Result(s) Coronary artery atherosclerosis was reduced 51% in animals that received CEE compared with controls. Levels of C-reactive protein increased by 12% with both treatments. Serum lipid levels and mean blood pressure did not differ among groups. Levormeloxifene produced a 5.9-fold increase in the uterine-to-body weight ratio. Histologic and morphometric data indicate that levormeloxifene has uterotrophic and mammotrophic effects. Conclusion(s) The micropig model extends the comparative evidence for cardioprotection provided by estrogen therapy to an additional highly relevant species, thus supporting the rationale for a clinically beneficial role of estrogen for the heart. The marked uterine effects of levormeloxifene detected by this model are probably highly predictive of the adverse events that would be encountered in clinical trials.
Myosin regulatory light chain modulates the Ca2+ dependence of the kinetics of tension development in skeletal muscle fibers.

To determine the role of myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) in modulating contraction in skeletal muscle, we examined the rate of tension development in bundles of skinned skeletal muscle fibers as a function of the level of Ca(2+) activation after UV flash-induced release of Ca(2+) from the photosensitive Ca(2+) chelator DM-nitrophen. In control fiber bundles, the rate of tension development was highly dependent on the concentration of activator Ca(2+) after the flash. There was a greater than twofold increase in the rate of tension development when the post-flash [Ca(2+)] was increased from the lowest level tested (which produced a steady tension that was 42% of maximum tension) to the highest level (producing 97% of maximum tension). However, when 40–70% of endogenous myosin RLC was extracted from the fiber bundles, tension developed at the maximum rate, regardless of the post-flash concentration of Ca(2+). Thus, the Ca(2+) dependence of the rate of tension development was eliminated by partial extraction of myosin RLC, an effect that was partially reversed by recombination of RLC back into the fiber bundles. The elimination of the Ca(2+) dependence of the kinetics of tension development was specific to the extraction of RLC rather than an artifact of the co-extraction of both RLC and Troponin C, because the rate of tension development was still Ca(2+) dependent, even when nearly 50% of endogenous Troponin C was extracted from fiber bundles fully replete with RLC. Thus, myosin RLC appears to be a key component in modulating Ca(2+) sensitive cross-bridge transitions that limit the rate of force development after photorelease of Ca(2+) in skeletal muscle fibers.
Human ciliary epithelia in monolayer culture.

The ciliary epithelia of human (one to 12 months old) ciliary processes were isolated by trypsin and EDTA, cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) with 5% fetal calf serum and examined by phase and electron microscopy. The primary cultures were maintained for three to four months. Only a few non-pigmented epithelia adhered and none of them proliferated. After the first passage the culture seemed to consist of only the pigmented epithelia. Most cells were densely pigmented at first, then became less pigmented during successive proliferations. Half of the cells remained densely pigmented after the first subculture, another half remained less pigmented. The cells started to lose their pigment granules at four to six weeks in culture. After three months of culture, the cell sheets became entirely unpigmented. In thin section, most of the pigment granules in the cells at two weeks in culture were pre-melanosomes, and half of them were at the earliest stage of pre-melanosomes. Monolayer cells possessed basement membranes. At 14 weeks in culture, most cells established an apparent polarity, contained well-developed Golgi apparatus and rough endoplasmic reticulum and intermediate filaments, but no pigment granules. A bundle of intermediate filaments was found in the perinuclear cytoplasm. Multilayer cells presented a typical apex-to-apex and base-to-base configuration , and the extracellular material was detected only in the base-to-base intercellular spaces. Our culture system provided differentiated cells derived from the pigment epithelia of human ciliary processes.
The effect of alcohol Consumption on the prevalence of iron overload, iron deficiency, and iron deficiency anemia

Abstract Background & Aims: Our aim was to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and iron overload, iron deficiency, or iron deficiency anemia in the U.S. population. Methods: Adult participants of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who did not consume alcohol (n = 8839) were compared with participants who consumed ≤1 (n = 4976), >1 to ≤2 (n = 1153), or >2 (n = 915) alcoholic drinks/day during the preceding 12 months. We examined the following markers of iron overload: elevated serum transferrin-iron saturation (TS) level (>45%, >50%, and >60%), elevated serum ferritin level (>300, >400, >500, and >600 ng/mL), and combinations of both elevated serum TS and ferritin levels. Iron deficiency was defined as the presence of at least 2 of the following: serum ferritin level 1.24 μmol/L. Iron deficiency anemia was defined as the presence of both iron deficiency and anemia. Results: Compared with nondrinkers, the prevalence of all markers of iron overload was significantly elevated among those who consumed >2 alcoholic drinks/day after adjusting for potential confounders. Consumption of any amount of alcohol was associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of iron deficiency anemia. Conclusions: Consumption of up to 2 alcoholic drinks/day seems to be associated with reduced risk of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia without a concomitant increase in the risk of iron overload. Consumption of >2 alcoholic drinks/day is associated with a significant elevation in the risk of iron overload.
ABNORMAL COAGULATION IN THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD CONTRIBUTING TO EXCESSIVE BLEEDING

This article deals primarily with acquired disorders that disrupt normal hemostasis and cause excessive bleeding in the postoperative period because of the coagulopathy itself or because of drugs needed to treat the hemostatic disorder.
On long nonlinear internal waves over slope-shelf topography

An experimental and theoretical study of the propagation and stability of long nonlinear internal waves over slope-shelf topography is presented. A generalised Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation, including the effects of nonlinearity, dispersion, dissipation and varying bottom topography, is formulated and solved numerically for single and rank-ordered pairs of solitary waves incident on the slope. The results of corresponding laboratory experiments in a salt-stratified system are reported. Very good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained for a range of stratifications, topography and incident-wave amplitudes. Significant disagreement is found in some cases if the effects of dissipation and higher-order (cubic) nonlinearity are not included in the theoretical model. Weak shearing and strong breaking (overturning) instabilities are observed and found to depend strongly on the incident-wave amplitude and the stratification on the shelf. In some cases the instability of the lowest-mode wave leads to the generation of a second-mode solitary wave. The application of these findings to the prediction and interpretation of field data is discussed.
Application of the Stimulus-Organism-Response model to the retail environment: the role of hedonic motivation in impulse buying behavior

The study examined direct and indirect effects of retail environmental characteristics on impulse buying behavior. Guided by the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model and impulse buying literature, the study investigated whether and how three characteristics (i.e. ambient, design, and social) of the retail environment influenced consumers' positive emotional responses which, in turn, affected impulse buying behavior. Whether and how individual factors (i.e. hedonic motivation) moderated the relationship between these characteristics and consumers' positive emotional responses were also examined. Survey data were collected using a store intercept method from 212 consumers of a retail store offering outdoor merchandise. The study found direct effects of (a) ambient/design characteristics of the retail environment on consumers' positive emotional responses to the retail environment and (b) consumers' positive emotional responses to the retail environment on impulse buying behavior. Hedonic motivation mode...
Consensus Clustering of Gene Expression Data and its Application to Gene Function Prediction

Predicting functions of genes is an important issue in biology. Clustering gene expression profiles has been widely used for gene function prediction, but most clustering methods are unstable and sensitive to input parameters such as starting values and number of clusters. In this article, we develop a novel consensus clustering method to address the instability issue and thus improve the performance of clustering methods. The biological function of an unannotated gene is predicted based on the most enriched functional category in its consensus cluster. The MIPS gene annotations are used to evaluate the predictive performance. It is shown that the consensus clustering-based classification method has a significantly better predictive performance than a previously used clustering-based classification method while performing as well as support vector machines (SVMs). In addition to the obvious applicability of consensus clustering to unsupervised learning, the method's advantages in supervised learning inclu...
Predicting user trust in information systems: a comparison of competing trust models

The concept of trust has emerged in the MIS field, with a focus on interpersonal or inter-organizational trust in the contexts of e-commerce and virtual teams. The inclusion of the trust concept within IS acceptance models provides further evidence that MIS researchers recognize the relevance of IS trust. While simple trust constructs have been incorporated into existing IS models, and trust models have been developed to address e-commerce issues, a comprehensive model of trust formation for a new information system has not been published. The goal of this research is to advance IS trust research by investigating the trust formation process with new IS. In this paper, two initial trust formation models, applicable to information systems, are reviewed and compared at both the conceptual and empirical levels. The first model was proposed by McKnight, Choudhury and Kacmar in an e-commerce context in 2002. The second model is based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and was developed to predict people's trust in national identification (NID) systems. Based upon the conceptual comparison, the TRA/TPB-based trust model appears to be more powerful at predicting user trust in IS. An experimental study has been designed to compare these two models in the same context, predicting people's trust in NID systems. This empirical comparison provides more insights for understanding user trust towards IS.
Risk Assessment in the Genomic Era

The sequencing of the human and mouse genomes, and soon that of the rat, offers a foundation to evaluate biological phenomena, including toxicologic effects. Numerous tools are being developed to evaluate aspects of biology based on the DNA sequence. These tools can be utilized to evaluate absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, and effects of the toxicologically active product on the target organ. The genes involved can be broadly categorized as those affecting susceptibility to a toxicologic effect and those that are involved in the biologic response. For risk assessment to be performed in a rational manner, fundamental mechanisms of toxicologic processes must be ascertained. Based on successes already achieved, such as development of transgenic and knockout mouse strains, the application of aspects of the genomics revolution could be useful in developing a better understanding of mechanisms, and possibly in identifying specific markers of responses. In addition, genomics are likely to be useful in translating effects between species. However, genomics are being portrayed as the ultimate solution to all of toxicology. This is hardly the case. Basic chemistry, biochemistry, toxicokinetics, pharmacology, and pathology will continue to be needed in the overall weight of evidence approach to risk assessment. Genomics are likely to be of limited usefulness in predicting individual, in contrast to population susceptibility to various toxicological responses. Concordance of various diseases in identical twins, for example, different cancers, is rarely greater than 20% over the lifetime of these individuals. Similarly, genomics are likely to be of limited usefulness in screening for toxicologic end points. As with other tools of biology, those to be developed based on the genome are likely to provide greater usefulness in dissecting the mechanistic processes involved and defining the basis for susceptibility.
Susceptibility of Common Fibroblast Cell Lines to Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Agents

The risk of contamination of tissue culture cells with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) agents as a result of the use of animal products as medium components has been considered to be low, in part, because only a few brain-derived cell lines have been reported to be susceptible to TSE infection. In the present study, we demonstrate that the common laboratory fibroblast cell lines NIH/3T3 and L929, which express low levels of cellular mouse prion protein, are susceptible to infection with mouse-adapted scrapie. Our results show that the susceptibility of a cell line to TSE infection cannot be predicted on the basis of its tissue origin or its level of expression of the cellular prion protein, and they suggest that any cell line expressing normal host prion protein could have the potential to support propagation of TSE agents. Thus, testing of cells for TSE susceptibility might be necessary for all cell lines that are routinely used in vaccine production and in other medical applications.
Customer Lifetime Value Measurement

The measurement of customer lifetime value is important because it is used as a metric in evaluating decisions in the context of customer relationship management. For a firm, it is important to form some expectations as to the lifetime value of each customer at the time a customer starts doing business with the firm, and at each purchase by the customer. In this paper, we use a hierarchical Bayes approach to estimate the lifetime value of each customer at each purchase occasion by jointly modeling the purchase timing, purchase amount, and risk of defection from the firm for each customer. The data come from a membership-based direct marketing company where the times of each customer joining the membership and terminating it are known once these events happen. In addition, there is an uncertain relationship between customer lifetime and purchase behavior. Therefore, longer customer lifetime does not necessarily imply higher customer lifetime value. We compare the performance of our model with other models on a separate validation data set. The models compared are the extended NBD--Pareto model, the recency, frequency, and monetary value model, two models nested in our proposed model, and a heuristic model that takes the average customer lifetime, the average interpurchase time, and the average dollar purchase amount observed in our estimation sample and uses them to predict the present value of future customer revenues at each purchase occasion in our hold-out sample. The results show that our model performs better than all the other models compared both at predicting customer lifetime value and in targeting valuable customers. The results also show that longer interpurchase times are associated with larger purchase amounts and a greater risk of leaving the firm. Both male and female customers seem to have similar interpurchase time intervals and risk of leaving; however, female customers spend less compared with male customers.
A relative elevation model for a subsiding coastal forested wetland receiving wastewater effluent

Abstract This paper describes a wetland elevation/sediment accretion model for a subsiding forested wetland located within the coastal zone of Louisiana, USA. We designed the model to determine if the addition of secondarily treated municipal wastewater to the wetland could stimulate organic matter production and deposition to the point that sediment accretion would balance relative sea level rise (deep subsidence plus eustatic sea level rise (ESLR)). We also used the model to simulate the effect of predicted increases in ESLR on wetland stability and to determine the amount of additional mineral sediment that would be required to compensate for relative sea level rise. The model utilizes a cohort approach to simulate sediment dynamics (organic and mineral matter accretion, decomposition, compaction, and below-ground productivity) and yields total sediment height as an output. Sediment height is balanced with ESLR and deep subsidence, both forcing functions, to calculate wetland elevation relative to mean water levels. The model also simulates primary production (roots, leaves, wood, and floating aquatic vegetation) and mineral matter deposition, both of which are feedback functions of elevation. Simulated wetland elevation was more sensitive to the uncertainty surrounding estimates of deep subsidence and future ESLR rates than in other processes that affect wetland elevation and could be influenced by wastewater (i.e. rates of decomposition and primary productivity). The model projected that, although the addition of wastewater effluent would increase long term accretion rates from 0.35 to 0.46 cm year−1, it would not be enough to offset the current rate of relative sea level rise. A series of mineral input simulations revealed that, given no increase in ESLR rates, an additional 3000 g m−2 year−1 of mineral sediments would be required to maintain a stable elevation.
Applications of robotic/mechatronic systems in special education, rehabilitation therapy, and vocational training: a paradigm shift

Presents and discusses a variety of robotic and mechatronic system applications that deviate from traditional rehabilitation uses, augmenting or replacing lost functional abilities, to applications which use these systems as therapeutic tools serving as part of the rehabilitation, vocational therapy, and educational process. These applications will include those systems designed and developed by the Enabling Technologies Laboratory at Wayne State University, as well as other organizations. Themes are emerging from the experiences gained through these diverse applications. Robotic/mechatronic systems promote active participation by the client. They are finding applications where consistent, repeatable manipulative operations are required for extended periods of time. The roles played by therapists, teachers, and service providers change as the role of the technology changes. Service providers are freed from mundane nontherapeutic or noneducational activities, and consequently are able to focus more fully on the client and the therapeutic or educational tasks. The systems have characteristics that improve their cost/effectiveness. For example, therapists or service providers can often leverage their time and attention by accomplishing multiple objectives and/or serving multiple clients with a given therapeutic or educational task. The systems typically perform multiple functions. Therapeutic activity is generally billable, and therefore the technology represents a revenue source. Since the technology is used by a number of clients, its cost can, be amortized over this client base. Lastly, clients tend to enjoy working with the technology. Each application is different, but in general, the systems are providing clients the positive effects of competent participation in a task or activity. These applications present system uses that go beyond augmentation and replacement of lost functional abilities and, as such, are expanding the popular model, or paradigm, regarding robotic and mechatronic system applications. >
Blues from the Neighborhood? Neighborhood Characteristics and Depression

Unipolar major depression ranks among the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. Although established risk factors for depression include a variety of individual-level characteristics, neighborhood etiologic factors have been relatively understudied, with several such attributes (neighborhood socioeconomic status, physical conditions, services/amenities, social capital, social disorder) possessing plausible linkages to depression. Using the PubMed database (1966–2008) and the Social Sciences Citation Index database (1956–2008), the author undertook a systematic review of the published literature on the associations between these characteristics and depression in adults. Across studies, the evidence generally supports harmful effects of social disorder and, to a lesser extent, suggests protective effects for neighborhood socioeconomic status. Few investigations have explored the relations for neighborhood physical conditions, services/amenities, and social capital, and less consistently point to salutary effects. The unsupportive findings may be attributed to the lack of representative studies within and across societies or to methodological gaps, including lack of control for other neighborhood/nonneighborhood exposures and lack of implementation of more rigorous methodological approaches. Establishing mediating pathways and effect-modifying factors will vitally advance understanding of neighborhood effects on depression. Overall, addressing these gaps will help to identify what specific neighborhood features matter for depression, how, and for whom, and will contribute to curtailing the burden of disease associated with this major disorder.
Green infrastructure and bird diversity across an urban socioeconomic gradient

As the world continues to urbanize, ensuring that urban residents have access to green infrastructure and the ecosystem services it provides will be critical. Furthermore, the distribution of green infrastructure within cities should be equitable so that no socioeconomic group is underserved in terms of the benefits derived from ecosystem services. Our goal was to test whether there were any differences among socioeconomic groups in terms of (1) proximity to open space, (2) proximity to Lake Michigan, (3) tree canopy cover, or (4) bird biodiversity in census tracts across Chicago, IL (USA). These four variables were used as proxies for a number of different ecosystem services. We characterized the first three variables with GIS operations using classified Quickbird imagery and other datasets that describe the urban and natural environment. We used MaxEnt to model suitable bird habitat for 52 species that are regularly observed in the area and combined the habitat maps to estimate bird biodiversity in a spatially explicit manner. Our results suggest that census tracts with more low- to mid-income Hispanic residents were farther away from both open space and Lake Michigan, and had less tree canopy cover and bird biodiversity than other census tracts. Tracts characterized mostly by low-income African Americans were not statistically different in terms of proximity to open space, nor in terms of tree canopy cover or bird biodiversity, than those characterized by higher income residents. Those tracts were, however, significantly farther from Lake Michigan compared to the higher income census tracts. This research suggests the potential for environmental injustice in Chicago and we discuss some possible causes and implications of our findings.
Explicit construction of Lagrangian isometric immersion of a real-space-form Mn(c) into a complex-space-form M˜n(4c)

In [4], it is proved that there exists a ‘unique’ adapted Lagrangian isometric immersion of a real-space-form Mn(c) of constant sectional curvature c into a complex-space-form M˜n(4c) of constant sectional curvature 4c associated with each twisted product decomposition of a real-space-form if its twistor form is twisted closed. Conversely, if L: Mn(c) → M˜n(4c) is a non-totally geodesic Lagrangian isometric immersion of a real-space-form Mn(c) into a complex-space-form M˜n(4c), then Mn(c) admits an appropriate twisted product decomposition with twisted closed twistor form and, moreover, the immersion L is determined by the corresponding adapted Lagrangian isometric immersion of the twisted product decomposition. It is natural to ask the explicit expressions of adapted Lagrangian isometric immersions of twisted product decompositions of real-space-forms Mn(c) into complex-space-forms M˜n(4c) for each case: c = 0, c > 0 and c < 0.
A Communication-Optimal N-Body Algorithm for Direct Interactions

We consider the problem of communication avoidance in computing interactions between a set of particles in scenarios with and without a cutoff radius for interaction. Our strategy, which we show to be optimal in communication, divides the work in the iteration space rather than simply dividing the particles over processors, so more than one processor may be responsible for computing updates to a single particle. Similar to a force decomposition in molecular dynamics, this approach requires up to √p times more memory than a particle decomposition, but reduces communication costs by factors up to √p and is often faster in practice than a particle decomposition [1]. We examine a generalized force decomposition algorithm that tolerates the memory limited case, i.e. when memory can only hold c copies of the particles for c = 1, 2, ..., √p. When c = 1, the algorithm degenerates into a particle decomposition; similarly when c = √p, the algorithm uses a force decomposition. We present a proof that the algorithm is communication-optimal and reduces critical path latency and bandwidth costs by factors of c2 and c, respectively. Performance results from experiments on up to 24K cores of Cray XE-6 and 32K cores of IBM BlueGene/P machines indicate that the algorithm reduces communication in practice. In some cases, it even outperforms the original force decomposition approach because the right choice of c strikes a balance between the costs of collective and point-to-point communication. Finally, we extend the analysis to include a cutoff radius for direct evaluation of force interactions. We show that with a cutoff, communication optimality still holds. We sketch a generalized algorithm for multi-dimensional space and assess its performance for 1D and 2D simulations on the same systems.