cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internalization versus externalization of the internal audit function: an examination of professional and organizational imperatives

Abstract This paper examines the recent trend towards the outsourcing of internal audit services to the public accounting profession. Here we draw from two dominant literature perspectives (the sociology of professions literature and the outsourcing literature) to examine this clash between the public accounting profession and the internal auditing profession over the provision of internal audit services. Two major research propositions are postulated from which to consider these issues. These propositions concern themselves with the efforts of both the public accounting profession and the internal audit profession in this outsourcing debate. We examine these professions both in terms of volitional professional behavior (as espoused in the sociology of professions literature) and organizational arguments (inherent advantages and disadvantages of the externalization of work as typically espoused by the outsourcing literature).
Mechanisms of change in adolescent life satisfaction: A longitudinal analysis

This study explored the psychosocial mechanisms of change associated with differences in levels and linear change of adolescents' global life satisfaction across a 2-year time period. Based on a theoretical model proposed by Evans (1994), this study tested the relations between selected personality (i.e., extraversion and neuroticism) and environmental (stressful life events) variables and global life satisfaction when mediated by internalizing and externalizing problems. The results suggested support for internalizing problems as a mediator of the relationship of personality and environmental variables with life satisfaction. Pathways mediated by internalizing problems significantly predicted levels and linear change of life satisfaction across a 2-year time span. Furthermore, pathways mediated by externalizing problems significantly predicted the level but not the linear change of life satisfaction. Thus, behavior problems and their antecedents appear to relate significantly to adolescents' perceptions of their quality of life. Implications for adolescent mental health promotion were discussed.
Removal of cadmium from metal processing wastewaters by reverse osmosis

Abstract Reverse osmosis has effectively been utilized to remove cadmium from a metal processing waste stream. Experimentation with a thin‐film composite membrane reduced cadmium concentrations from 165 to 0.003 mg/L under optional processing conditions. Concentrations of other metals and overall conductivity were rejected in excess of 98%. Rejection efficiency and production rate were increased by an increase in system operating pressure. Cadmium was effectively concentrated in a batch concentration study while generating high quality water for process reuse. Membrane fouling is a problem if proper in‐line prefiltration is not utilized. Reverse osmosis appears to be an effective alternative to other more traditional treatment methodologies.
Effects of CG Location on the Launch Behavior of Free-Fall Lifeboats

The free-fall lifeboat was developed to reduce the risk of injury during evacuation in a maritime emergency. It is a generally accepted concept for lifesaving appliances that currently is in use on many ships and offshore platforms. Three concerns during launch of these lifeboats are the attitude of the boat at water entry, the headway immediately after water entry, and the acceleration forces to which the occupants are subjected. Limited quantitative data is available about the behavior of the boats during launch and, in particular, on the effects of mass distribution on the launch behavior of free-fall lifeboats. The purpose of this paper is to discuss quantitatively the launch behavior of free-fall lifeboats, with particular emphasis on the effects of changes in the location of the CG.
A general equilibrium model of pareto inferior trade

Abstract The paper presents a general equilibrium model in which an autarky allocation is Pareto superior to a free trade allocation. In this environment, agents' decisions regarding their choices of jobs and consumption are affected by wage and price fluctuations associated with these two regimes. It is also found that the free trade equilibrium is unique and unstable when it is Pareto inferior to autarky. These extreme results point out the crucial significance of the incomplete markets assumption in true general equilibrium settings.
Test of helicity conservation and spin-parity analysis of the N ∗ (1700)

Abstract The diffractively produced low-mass π+π−p system isstudied in the reaction π±p → π±π+π−p. We observe strong N∗(1700) production and determine the branching fraction to π−Δ++ to be 65 ± 15%. A spin-parity analysis (assuming J 7 2 ) yields J P = 5 2 + for the N∗(1700). The study of the decay angular distribution of the N∗(1700) indicates that helicity is conserved in the t-channel rather than in the s-channel.
The current emitted by highly conducting Taylor cones

When a liquid meniscus held at the exit of a metallic capillary tube is charged to a high voltage V, the free surface often takes the form of a cone whose apex emits a steady microjet, and thus injects a certain charge I and liquid volume Q per unit time into the surrounding gas. This work deals with liquids with relatively large conductivities K, for which the jet diameter dj is much smaller than the diameter dn of the capillary tube. In the limit dj/dn → 0, the structure of the jet (dj and I, in particular) becomes independent of electrostatic parameters such as V or the electrode configuration, being governed mostly by the liquid properties and flow rate Q. Furthermore, the measured current is given approximately by I = f(e) (γQK/e)½ for a wide variety of liquids and conditions (e, and γ are, respectively, the dielectric constant of the liquid and the coefficient of interfacial tension; f(e) is shown in figure 11). The following explanation is proposed for this behaviour. Convection associated with the liquid flow Q transports the net surface charge towards the cone tip. This upsets the electrostatic surface charge distribution slightly at distances r from the apex large compared to a certain charge relaxation length λ, but substantially when r ∼ λ. When the fluid motion is modelled as a sink flow, λ is of the order of r* = (Qee0/K) (e0 is the electrical permittivity of vacuum). If, in addition, the surface charge density is described through Taylor's theory, the corresponding surface current convected towards the apex scales as Is ∼ (γQK/e)½, as observed for the spray current. The sink flow hypothesis is shown to be realistic for sufficiently small jet Reynolds numbers. In a few photographs of ethylene glycol cone jets, we find the rough scaling dj ∼ 0.4r* for the jet diameter, which shows that the jet forms as soon as charge relaxation effects set in. In the limit e [Gt ] 1, an upper bound is found for the convected current at the virtual cone apex, which accounts for only one-quarter of the total measured spray current. The rest of the charge must accordingly reach the head of the jet by conduction through the bulk.
A new species of Croton (Euphorbiaceae) widespread in Mexico

Croton rzedowskii is described, the type being from San Luis Potosi. The species ranges from San Luis Potosi westward to Zacatecas, thence southeastward to Oaxaca.
Review of book: Principles and practice of lasers in otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery 2nd edition

The book by Dr. Vasant Oswal and his colleagues is thoroughly written and covers a very wide and expansive breath of knowledge. The overall format of the book is superb, starting from the basic background information on the development of lasers and how they work to their applications in complex procedures. Figures and illustrations are appropriate and informative. The use of end-of-chapter quizzes to reinforce the topic adds to the book, making it more interactive for the reader. In addition, the book includes dedicated chapters on the use of lasers in the pediatric population, an area where laser use is commonly overlooked. Furthermore, the book includes information on other light-based therapies, including photodynamic therapy for the treatment of oral and head/neck pathology. Moreover, future developments using lasers in otorhinolaryngology are discussed and in-office procedures are elaborated. In turn, the book provides a comprehensive and complete overview of lasers and associated techniques that would be useful for a wide audience, from residents to practicing physicians.
Developing educational indicators: A state-national perspective

Abstract Educational indicators are an international phenomenon. In the U.S., we have developed indicators both for the nation as a whole and to describe and compare the states' educational systems. Three steps are involved in developing indicators: selecting the model underlying them, selecting the indicators to be measured within that model, and developing the indicators so they can be collected and used. The model should be fairly simple, and the relationship between indicators and theories of the underlying phenomena can be loose and indirect. In developing indicators, the feasibility of their collection will be a major challenge. Indicators should be practical. This means that we should not over-intellectualize the task of developing them or hold them to unreasonable expectations of precision or validity, but rather develop them, use them, and interpret and refine them appropriately.
Disialogangliosides and TNFα Alter Gene Expression for Cytokines and Chemokines in Primary Brain Cell Cultures

Gangliosides have long been implicated in multiple pathologies affecting the central nervous system. Empirical studies have suggested the possibility that gangliosides, particularly GD3, work in tandem with pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), to initiate or facilitate cell death in the CNS. As a step toward unraveling the metabolic pathways activated in the pathogenesis of brain cell death, we have surveyed gene expression for a host of cytokines and chemokines in primary brain cell cultures exposed to GD3, GD1b, and TNFα for 24 h. An initial screen of 98 genes on a focused mini-array revealed the expression of at least 28 genes related to cell growth, death, or inflammation in our system of mixed cells cultured from neonatal rat brains. Clear evidence of a differential response to the gangliosides or TNFα was seen in 12 genes. Quantitative PCR was used to validate the response of six of these genes. We found that both GD3 and GD1b, but not TNFα, up-regulated expression of macrophage inflammatory protein 3 (MIP3A) and interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1), but down-regulated fibroblast growth factor 13 (FGF13). The expression of FGF receptor activating protein 1 (FRAG1) and interleukin-3 receptor alpha (IL3RA) was down-regulated by GD3. Exposure to TNFα resulted in a dramatic up-regulation of IL3RA and chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), both of which have been implicated in multiple sclerosis. Our results provide strong evidence that the expression of these genes might be critical links in the metabolic cascades leading to cell degeneration and death in the brain.
Implementing direct Monte Carlo simulation in batch mode

Abstract A flexible, easily implemented procedure for direct Monte Carlo simulation of deterministic computer models is presented. The procedure is implemented in two stages, with the required random variates generated first using a general-purpose pre-processor module, and model-specific linking routines employed to generate input files and provide control over repeated model execution in batch mode. Implementation in this manner makes it possible to rapidly develop Monte Carlo overlays for deterministic computer models, and offers significant advantages over making changes in the model source-code to allow Monte Carlo simulation. An example application of the procedure in the development of a Monte Carlo overlay for the GLEAMS model in the DOS environment is presented.
Investigating the personality correlates of paranormal belief and precognitive experience

Do individuals who endorse paranormal beliefs differ from those reporting actual precognitive experiences? This study examined the personality correlates of these variables in a sample of college students, 61% of whom described some type of precognitive experience. Extraversion and intuition were associated with precognitive experience, but not with paranormal belief; dissociative tendencies were related to paranormal belief, but not precognitive experience. The importance of conceptualizing and assessing paranormal belief and precognitive experience as separate constructs is discussed.
An Automated Proteogenomic Method Uses Mass Spectrometry to Reveal Novel Genes in Zea mays

New technologies in genomics and proteomics have influenced the emergence of proteogenomics, a field at the confluence of genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. First generation proteogenomic toolkits employ peptide mass spectrometry to identify novel protein coding regions. We extend first generation proteogenomic tools to achieve greater accuracy and enable the analysis of large, complex genomes. We apply our pipeline to Zea mays, which has a genome comparable in size to human. Our pipeline begins with the comparison of mass spectra to a putative translation of the genome. We select novel peptides, those that match a region of the genome that was not previously known to be protein coding, for grouping into refinement events. We present a novel, probabilistic framework for evaluating the accuracy of each event. Our calculated event probability, or eventProb, considers the number of supporting peptides and spectra, and the quality of each supporting peptide-spectrum match. Our pipeline predicts 165 novel protein-coding genes and proposes updated models for 741 additional genes.
The 1.3-Angstrom-Resolution Crystal Structure of β-Ketoacyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Synthase II from Streptococcus pneumoniae

The β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthases are members of the thiolase superfamily and are key regulators of bacterial fatty acid synthesis. As essential components of the bacterial lipid metabolic pathway, they are an attractive target for antibacterial drug discovery. We have determined the 1.3 A resolution crystal structure of the β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase II (FabF) from the pathogenic organism Streptococcus pneumoniae. The protein adopts a duplicated βαβαβαββ fold, which is characteristic of the thiolase superfamily. The two-fold pseudosymmetry is broken by the presence of distinct insertions in the two halves of the protein. These insertions have evolved to bind the specific substrates of this particular member of the thiolase superfamily. Docking of the pantetheine moiety of the substrate identifies the loop regions involved in substrate binding and indicates roles for specific, conserved residues in the substrate binding tunnel. The active site triad of this superfamily is present in spFabF as His 303, His 337, and Cys 164. Near the active site is an ion pair, Glu 346 and Lys 332, that is conserved in the condensing enzymes but is unusual in our structure in being stabilized by an Mg2+ ion which interacts with Glu 346. The active site histidines interact asymmetrically with Lys 332, whose positive charge is closer to His 303, and we propose a specific role for the lysine in polarizing the imidazole ring of this histidine. This asymmetry suggests that the two histidines have unequal roles in catalysis and provides new insights into the catalytic mechanisms of these enzymes.
Estimation of In Situ 3-D Particle Distributions From a Stereo Laser Imaging Profiler

In this paper, an image processing system for estimating 3-D particle distributions from stereo light scatter images is described. The system incorporates measured, three-component velocity data to mitigate particle blur associated with instrument motion. An iterative background estimation algorithm yields a local threshold operator that dramatically reduces bias in particle counts over the full image field. Algorithms are tested on simulated particle distributions and data from an open-ocean profile collected near the Santa Barbara Channel Islands, CA. They yield over a 50% reduction in root-mean-squared error in particle size estimates, and a 30% reduction in the magnitude of the motion blur point spread function. In situ particle distributions are estimated and compared to several models. It is demonstrated that quantitative, 3-D particle distributions can be accurately estimated from these data for particles with diameter larger than 4 pixels (0.8 mm).
The “engineer” on the magic mountain: Integrating building performance with design

There is a widespread misperception in architectural schools that anyone, student or teacher, interested in evaluating building performance likely lacks well-developeddesign skills; that perhaps the two mindsets are fundamentally incompatible. However, this paper presents the argument that the design process that leads to compelling spaces can, and optimally will be, the same process that leads to valid, versus smoke-and-mirrors, building analyses. The linking of technical prowess with design skills is a constant and worthwhile endeavor for architectural faculty and their students, particularly in this renaissance of age of sustainability when the effects of the built environment on the ecosystem can no longer reasonably be ignored. This paper gives pedagogical examples of means by which students in an environmental building systems course taught by the author are encouraged to understand buildings’ behavior at an elemental level by engaging simple calculation methods, rules of thumb, and quick modeling techniques in their current or recent design projects. In these classes, analysisis brought out of the realm of the purely scientific, where it is often perceived by students as both unapproachable and unassailable, and brought back to the drawing board. Both failures and successes resulting from student engagement with these exercises are shared and examined, student perceptions of this approach are cited, and recommendations for refinement of these strategies are made.
A Self-Healing Plug-in Parser for NMEA Streams

This paper develops a novel approach to parsing NMEA 0183 Standard streams on mobile information devices. The parser architecture is extensible, based on the model view controller design pattern. It enables application layers to "plug-in" vendor- and/or application-specific protocols, reusing the pattern and saving time and labor. The parser is furthermore "self- healing," namely, to improve robustness and recover gracefully from errors. We analyze the parser design which we compare with other parsers in the public domain. We also measure the space and time characteristics using data from a GPS transceiver connected by Bluetooth to a mobile information device.
Circuit/device modeling at the quantum level

Quantum mechanical (QM) effects, which manifest when the device dimensions are comparable to the de Broglie wavelength, are becoming common physical phenomena in the current micro-/nano-meter technology era. While most novel devices take advantage of QM effects to achieve fast switching speed, miniature size, and extremely small power consumption, the mainstream CMOS devices (with the exception of EEPROMs) are generally suffering in performance from these effects. Solutions to minimize the adverse effects caused by QM while keeping the down scaling trend (technology feasibility aside) are being sought in the research community and industry-wide. This talk tries to present a perspective view of modeling approaches to quantum mechanical effects in solid-state devices at the device and circuit simulation levels. Specifically, the macroscopic modeling of silicon devices to include QM corrections in the classical transport framework is discussed. Both device and circuit models are provided. On the quantum devices, such as the single electron junctions and transistors, the emphasis is placed on the principle of logic circuit operation.
A resource estimation and call admission algorithm for wireless multimedia networks using the shadow cluster concept

The shadow cluster concept can be used to estimate future resource requirements and to perform call admission decisions in wireless networks. Shadow clusters can be used to decide if a new call can be admitted to a wireless network based on its quality-of-service (QoS) requirements and local traffic conditions. The shadow cluster concept can especially be useful in future wireless networks with microcellular architectures where service will be provided to users with diverse QoS requirements. The framework of a shadow cluster system is completely distributed, and can be viewed as a message system where mobile terminals inform the base stations in their neighborhood about their requirements, position, and movement parameters. With this information, base stations predict future demands, reserve resources accordingly, and admit only those mobile terminals which can be supported adequately. The shadow cluster concept involves some processing and communication overheads. These overheads have no effect on wireless resources, but only on the base stations and the underlying wireline network. It is shown how base stations determine the probabilities that a mobile terminal will be active in other cells at future times, define and maintain shadow clusters by using probabilistic information on the future position of their mobile terminals with active calls, and predict resource demands based on shadow cluster information. In addition, a call admission algorithm is introduced, which uses current traffic and bandwidth utilization conditions, as well as the amount of resources and maximum allowable "dropping probability" being requested. Performance results showing the advantages of the shadow cluster concept are also included.
Behavior of MeV electrons at geosynchronous orbit during last two solar cycles

[1] A comparison of MeV electron measurements at geosynchronous orbit, GEO, with solar wind shows that the MeV electron prediction model developed for GEO using data from the declining phase of solar cycle 22 (1995–1996) works well for the declining phase of solar cycle 23 (2006–2008), indicating that the MeV electron flux has a predictable and systematic response to the solar wind. The same comparison for solar maximum (2000–2003) shows that the model works less well partly because it does not match the high flux cutoff seen in the data and partly because it does not reproduce the sudden drops in flux that occur when the magnetopause is close to GEO. The model also reproduces the nonlinear correlation of the solar wind speed with the log of the MeV electron flux seen at GEO. An examination of 15 yr of solar wind and the MeV electron data shows that geomagnetic activity driven by a southward orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field, IMF, is a necessary condition for MeV electron enhancements at GEO and that high-speed solar wind are not necessary. The reason that high-speed solar wind is almost always associated with the enhancement of MeV electrons is mainly because high-speed solar wind almost always has some southward components of the IMF.
Human platelets express gangliosides with LKE activity and ABH blood group activity.

BACKGROUND: Platelets express several neutral glycosphingolipids with ABH and P blood group activity that may play a role in infectious, autoimmune, and alloimmune thrombocytopenia. In RBCs, sialylated glycosphingolipids or gangliosides with blood group activity have also been reported. To determine whether similar antigens are expressed by platelets, the total platelet ganglioside fraction was isolated and screened for blood-group-active glycosphingolipids. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Platelet gangliosides were isolated by organic extraction, base hydrolysis, anion exchange, silicic acid, and high-performance liquid chromatography. Gangliosides were identified and characterized by high-performance thin-layer chromatography-immunostaining with blood group-specific MoAbs and glycosidase digestion. RESULTS: Group A, but not group O, platelets express five gangliosides with group A activity. Of five A MoAbs and lectins examined, only MoAbs Birma-1 and MHO4 recognized all five sialyl A bands. The sialyl A bands were sensitive to endoglycoceramidase and neuraminidase. One sialyl A band may represent a branched ganglioside with sialyl-I and group A activity. Platelets also express an LKE-active ganglioside consistent with sialyl-galactosylgloboside. CONCLUSION: In addition to sialyl-iI and sialyl-Lex gangliosides, group A platelets express gangliosides with LKE activity and group A activity. Like RBCs, group A-active gangliosides may act as alloantigens and autoantigens to naturally occurring isohemagglutinins.
A Qualitative Analysis of Scaffolding Use in a Resource-based Learning Environment Involving the World Wide Web

A qualitative analysis of eighteen college students using different types of scaffolding (instructional supports) while working on a World Wide Web (WWW) project was conducted. Four different support mechanisms were examined: a) WWW resources; b) procedural guidelines for the instructional activity; c) student-student interactions; and d) instructor-student interactions. Three major findings related to use of the WWW as a resource-based learning environment are discussed: a) the utility of scaffolds and WWW resources seem dependent on the ability of learners to readily grasp how the scaffold or resource could help them; b) learners’ preconceptions and search strategies were difficult to alter, despite ongoing evidence that searching was not leading to project clarification; and c) social scaffolding based on face to face dialogue with instructors and peers was critical to helping learners manage the complexity of the open- ended project. Implications related to the role of instructional scaffolding in encouraging shared meaning and learning with WWW resources are considered.
JazzMatch: fine-grained parallel matching for large rule sets

JazzMatch, a parallel matching algorithm explicitly designed for secondary memory-based production systems, is presented. JazzMatch is a state-saving algorithm that performs incremental match. It exploits extremely fine-grained parallelism and optimizes the storage state by permitting the sharing of common conditions in the rules. JazzMatch is supported by a message passing parallel architecture. A cost and performance analysis of JazzMatch is provided, and the results are compared with those for other schemes in current literature. >
"Automaintenance": the role of reinforcement.

A key was illuminated on the average of every 30 sec for a duration of 6 sec and this was followed by food presentations. When key pecks in the presence of the light produced immediate access to grain (autoshaping procedure) pigeons were likely to peck. When pecks terminated the keylight but prevented access to grain (automaintenance procedure) pigeons were much less likely to peck. Seven of 12 pigeons failed to develop responding during the automaintenance procedure. Four of the five pigeons that responded during the automaintenance procedure were exposed to a procedure in which responses could not immediately terminate the light. Three of the four ceased to respond during optimal automaintenance conditions, suggesting that the response-dependent offset of the keylight had been reinforcing their pecking. Responding during the automaintenance procedure was eliminated for a fifth pigeon by eliminating the contiguity of light-offset and food-onset on those trials in which the pigeon did not peck. These results suggest that: (1) automaintenance (unlike autoshaping) is not an effective procedure for reliably generating responding; (2) responding that does occur during the automaintenance procedure is reinforced by the response-dependent offset of the keylight.
Radiological Emergency Preparedness: A Survey of Nuclear Medicine Technologists in the United States

Because of the increasing risk of radiological emergencies, public health agencies and first-response organizations are working to increase their capability of responding. Nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) have expertise in certain areas, such as radiation safety, radiobiology, decontamination, and the use of radiation detection and monitoring equipment, that could be useful during the response to events that involve radiological materials. Methods. To better understand the potential role that NMTs may have in response efforts, a cross-sectional survey was conducted. The survey was sent electronically to the 7,000 members of the Technology Section of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. Eight hundred fifty NMTs responded to the survey, for a response rate of 12.14%. The study queried NMTs across the United States on their knowledge of using radiation detection and monitoring equipment, such as a scintillation γ-cameras, Geiger counters, thyroid probes, well counters, and portal monitors; willingness to participate in response efforts during a nuclear reactor accident, nuclear weapon detonation, or dirty bomb detonation; access to radiation detection and monitoring equipment within their work setting; familiarity with current preparedness guidance and tools provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and registration in volunteer initiatives such as the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals, Metropolitan Medical Response System, and Medical Reserve Corps. Results. Survey results suggest that NMTs are knowledgeable and willing to respond to radiological emergencies, regardless of number of years of work experience. Radiological preparedness training within the last 5 y significantly increases NMTs’ willingness to respond and familiarity with current guidance and tools provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Health and Human Services. Respondents reported a low participation level in volunteer programs, and most agreed that continuing education should include radiological emergency preparedness. Conclusion. NMTs should be considered an untapped resource and should be strategically recruited for involvement in radiological emergency preparedness planning and training. NMTs should also consider becoming involved in local volunteer initiatives because they have the knowledge and willingness to provide assistance during a radiological emergency.
Scorpion Diversity and Distribution in Southern Africa: Pattern and Process

Patterns of scorpion diversity and distribution in southern Africa (south of 15° latitude), and the processes that produced them, are reviewed. A georeferenced presence-only dataset, comprising 6766 point locality records for the 140 scorpion species currently recognised in the subregion, is compiled and analysed with a geographical information system. Hotspots of scorpion species richness and endemism in southern Africa are mapped at the level of a quarter-degree square. The taxonomic composition of the southern African scorpion fauna is assessed and found to comprise distinct western and eastern components. Hotspots of species richness and endemism are concentrated in arid regions with rugged topography, complex geology, or substratal heterogeneity. The distributions of genera and species are discussed in terms of their ecological requirements and modes of speciation within the context of historical events. Historical changes in the geomorphology and climate of southern Africa, coupled with the specific ecological requirements of most southern African scorpions, are proposed as primary causes for their speciation and, ultimately, their high species richness and endemism.
Fabrication and Metrology Challenges in Making Thin, Hollow, Silver Spherical Halfraum Targets for EPEC Experiments on the National Ignition Facility

Energy partitioning, energy coupling (EPEC) is one of the new experimental platforms being investigated at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to provide valuable data for national security applic...
Zika Virus and Microcephaly

Zika virus has been sweeping through South and Central America, with more than a million suspected cases during the past few months, along with a substantial increase in reporting of infants born with microcephaly.1,2 Thus far, the two outbreaks have largely been epidemiologically associated in time and geography. However, Mlakar and colleagues3 now report in the Journal molecular genetic and electron-microscopic data from a case that helps to strengthen the biologic association. This group cared for a pregnant European woman in whom a syndrome compatible with Zika virus infection developed at 13 weeks of gestation while she was working . . .
Assignments with Intrinsic Lessons on Professionalism (Or, Teaching Students to Act like Adults Without Sounding like a Parent)

There is little question that law schools ought to teach their students professionalism1–indeed, they are required to do so to maintain accreditation.2 And there is little question that the required legal writing and research course is one of the places it ought to be taught.3 But teaching students to adopt the norms of professional behavior—both in law school and after graduation—is a challenge to law faculties, and particularly to the experiential learning faculty who frequently are on the front lines of teaching professionalism.4 While
Long-term Potentiation at Temporoammonic Path-CA1 Synapses in Freely Moving Rats

Hippocampal area CA1 receives direct entorhinal layer III input via the temporoammonic path (TAP) and recent studies implicate TAP-CA1 synapses are important for some aspects of hippocampal memory function. Nonetheless, as few studies have examined TAP-CA1 synaptic plasticity in vivo, the induction and longevity of TAP-CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP) has not been fully characterized. We analyzed CA1 responses following stimulation of the medial aspect of the angular bundle and investigated LTP at medial temporoammonic path (mTAP)-CA1 synapses in freely moving rats. We demonstrate monosynaptic mTAP-CA1 responses can be isolated in vivo as evidenced by observations of independent current sinks in the stratum lacunosum moleculare of both areas CA1 and CA3 following angular bundle stimulation. Contrasting prior indications that TAP input rarely elicits CA1 discharge, we observed mTAP-CA1 responses that appeared to contain putative population spikes in 40% of our behaving animals. Theta burst high frequency stimulation of mTAP afferents resulted in an input specific and NMDA receptor-dependent LTP of mTAP-CA1 responses in behaving animals. LTP of mTAP-CA1 responses decayed as a function of two exponential decay curves with time constants (τ) of 2.7 and 148 days to decay 63.2% of maximal LTP. In contrast, mTAP-CA1 population spike potentiation longevity demonstrated a τ of 9.6 days. To our knowledge, these studies provide the first description of mTAP-CA1 LTP longevity in vivo. These data indicate TAP input to area CA1 is a physiologically relevant afferent system that displays robust synaptic plasticity.
Evidence That Inhibition of Hepatic Drug Oxidation by Tumors is Mediated by a Circulating Humor

SummaryTransplantation of a nonme-tastasizing fibrosarcoma into one member of a parabiotic pair of rats produced inhibition of hepatic microsomal drug oxidation in both members. This observation is considered evidence that this tumor secretes a circulating substance which inhibits hepatic drug metabolism.
Congressional Assertions of the Spending Power: Institutional Conflict and Regulatory Authority

This study seeks to answer a crucial and unexplored question about American regulatory law and policy: How do majority coalitions in Congress use the spending power to circumvent intra-branch conflict and judicial constraints against regulating by finding alternate avenues to regulate states and private actors? This study provides the first large-scale empirical evidence of congressional use of the spending power to assert implementation authority in the face of constraints against more direct legislating. It is through this process of conditioning funds upon regulatory compliance that Congress works toward ideal policy outcomes without inciting institutional conflict with the other branches or from the opposing party. I base my conditional spending analysis on data on statutory specificity and congressional delegation from the 80th to the 110th Congresses provided by Farhang, and include additional measures of institutional conflict. The above argument is supported by the empirical analysis. (JEL K20, K23)
Emergency DC Power Support with Reactive Power Coordinated Control for Multi-circuit HVDC Systems

Coordinated control of reactive power needs to be considered when a DC power system provides emergency DC power support(EDCPS) to improve system voltage stability.The ratio between active power transmission and reactive power consumption of high voltage direct current(HVDC) system is analyzed and derived.Then transient voltage dip near converter station caused by EDCPS among multi-circuit HVDC systems is studied.In order to implement reasonable distribution of reactive power,some strategies such as: emergency inputting spare reactive power,fully using reactive power compensation ability and coordinated control for active power between AC and DC system,etc.are proposed.Simulation results based on practical AC and DC power systems verify the effectiveness of the control strategies proposed.
Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease in Haizhou District of Lianyungang City from 2009-2011

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease(HFMD) in Haizhou District of Lianyungang City from 2009-2011,explore the epidemic law,and provide the scientific basis for formulating HFMD prevention and control.[Methods]The data from the infectious disease direct network report system were derived to Excel 2003 software,and were analyzed by a descriptive epidemiological method.[Results]A total of 1 456 HFMD cases were reported from 2009-2011,and the average annual reported incidence rate was 207.47 / lakh.60.44% of cases were children in 1 year-old and 2 year-old age group.The kindergarten children and scattered children accounted for 24.45% and 72.53% respectively.The peak season was April to July,accounting for 69.99% of total cases.The incidence rate in males was higher than that in females.The incidence rate in urban area was significantly higher than that in rural area.[Conclusion]Most of HFMD cases in Haizhou District are children under 5 years old,and there are obvious regionality,seasonality and gender difference.The children under 5 years old are the key population of HFMD prevention and control.
Abstract 323: Impaired PVN Neuronal Activity In Rats Lacking Central Gαi2 Proteins: Implications For The Pathophysiology Of Salt-Sensitive Hypertension

Aim: We have demonstrated downregulation of central Gαi2 proteins produces global sympathoexcitation and elevated MAP in response to acute and chronic high-salt challenge. The current study sought to define whether alterations in PVN neuronal activity in rats lacking brain Gαi2 proteins underlie the sympathoexcitatory and pressor responses observed upon acute and chronic high-salt challenge. Methods: In acute studies, 24-h ICV scrambled (SCR) or Gαi2 oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN; 25μg/5μl)-pretreated conscious Sprague-Dawley rats were monitored for changes in MAP in response to IV bolus NaCl (3M; 0.14 ml/100g). Rats were sacrificed at control, 10-, 40-, or 100-min post IV NaCl and cFos IHC was performed. In chronic studies, rats receiving an ICV miniosmotic-pump infusion of Gαi2 or SCR ODN (25μg/day) were maintained on a normal (NS; 0.4% NaCl) or high (HS; 8% NaCl) salt diet for 7 days and sacrificed for FosB IHC (N=6/gp). Results: In response to IV sodium, in SCR rats MAP returned to control levels by 100-min whereas Gαi2 rats remained significantly elevated (MAP 100-min post NaCl [mmHg] SCR: 134±2 vs. Gαi2: 146±3, P<0.05). At 40-min post NaCl, a significant reduction in Fos immunoreactivity was observed in SCR but not Gαi2 rats ([PVN cFos+ cells] SCR control: 168±21 vs . post NaCl: 39±16, p<0.05, Gαi2 control: 155±18 vs . post NaCl: 116±16). Additionally, Gαi2 prevented the Na+ induced decrease of circulating plasma NE at 100-min (Δplasma NE [%control] SCR: -8.46±1.31 vs. Gαi2: +5.13±7.90, P<0.05). In SCR infused rats, a chronic HS diet evoked a significant decrease ([FosB+ cells] NS: 224±13 vs. HS: 133±16, P<0.05) while a HS diet in Gαi2 infused rats induced a significant increase ([FosB+ cells] NS: 212±10 vs. HS: 296±15, P<0.05) in PVN FosB immunoreactivity. Conclusion: Gαi2 proteins represent a novel CNS mechanism influencing PVN neuronal activity in an acute and chronic setting. Na+ induced decreases in Fos+ PVN cells in SCR rats likely reflect inhibition of neuronal activity to facilitate sympathoinhibition and physiological blood pressure control. In Gαi2 rats, failure to inhibit PVN neuronal activity and sympathetic outflow represents a mechanism by which impairment of Gαi2 signaling may contribute to the pathophysiology of salt-sensitive hypertension.
Resilience through Learning in Multi-Agent Cyber-Physical Systems

The paper contributes to the design of secure and resilient supervisory Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) through learning. The reported approach involves the inclusion of learning modules in each of the supervised agents, and considers a scenario where the system's coordinator privately transmits to individual agents their action plans in the form of symbolic strings. Each agent's plans belong in some particular class of (subregular) languages which is identifiable in the limit from positive data. With knowledge of the class of languages their plans belong to, agents can observe their coordinator's instructions and utilize the Grammatical Inference modules to identify the behavior specified for them. From that, they can then work collectively to infer the executive function of their supervisor. The paper proves that in cases where the coordinator fails, or communication to subordinates is disrupted, agents are able not only to maintain functional capacity but also to recover normalcy of operation by reconstructing their coordinator. Guaranteeing normalcy recovery in supervisory CPSs is critical in cases of a catastrophic failure or malicious attack, and is important for the design of next-generation Cyber-Physical Systems.
No oops, you won't do it again: mechanisms for self-correction in crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is a very popular means of obtaining the large amounts of labeled data that modern machine learning methods require. Although cheap and fast to obtain, crowdsourced labels suffer from significant amounts of error, thereby degrading the performance of downstream machine learning tasks. With the goal of improving the quality of the labeled data, we seek to mitigate the many errors that occur due to silly mistakes or inadvertent errors by crowd-sourcing workers. We propose a two-stage setting for crowdsourcing where the worker first answers the questions, and is then allowed to change her answers after looking at a (noisy) reference answer. We mathematically formulate this process and develop mechanisms to incentivize workers to act appropriately. Our mathematical guarantees show that our mechanism incentivizes the workers to answer honestly in both stages, and refrain from answering randomly in the first stage or simply copying in the second. Numerical experiments reveal a significant boost in performance that such "self-correction" can provide when using crowdsourcing to train machine learning algorithms.
Differential Impact of Homelessness on Glycemic Control in Veterans with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Veterans with evidence of homelessness have high rates of mental health and substance abuse disorders, but chronic medical conditions such as diabetes are also prevalent. We aimed to determine the impact of homelessness on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Longitudinal analysis of a retrospective cohort. A national cohort of 1,263,906 Veterans with type 2 diabetes. Subjects with evidence of homelessness were identified using a combination of diagnostic and administrative codes. Odds for poor glycemic control using hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) cutoff values of 8 % and 9 %. Homeless defined as a score based on the number of indicator variables for homelessness within a veterans chart. Veterans with evidence of homelessness had a significantly greater annual mean HbA1C ≥ 8 (32.6 % vs. 20.43 %) and HbA1C ≥ 9 (21.4 % vs. 9.9 %), tended to be younger (58 vs. 67 years), were more likely to be non-Hispanic black (39.1 %), divorced (43 %) or never married (34 %), to be urban dwelling (88.8 %), and to have comorbid substance abuse (46.7 %), depression (42.3 %), psychoses (39.7 %), liver disease (18.8 %), and fluid/electrolyte disorders (20.4 %), relative to non-homeless veterans (all p < 0.0001). Homelessness was modeled as an ordinal variable that scored the number of times a homelessness indicator was found in the Veterans medical record. We observed a significant interaction between homelessness and race/ethnicity on the odds of poor glycemic control. Homelessness, across all racial-ethnic groups, was associated with increased odds of uncontrolled diabetes at a cut-point of 8 % and 9 % for hemoglobin A1C ; however, the magnitude of the association was greater in non-Hispanic whites [8 %, OR 1.55 (1.47;1.63)] and Hispanics [8 %, OR 2.11 (1.78;2.51)] than in non-Hispanic blacks [8 %, OR 1.22 (1.15;1.28)]. Homelessness is a significant risk factor for uncontrolled diabetes in Veterans, especially among non-Hispanic white and Hispanic patients. While efforts to engage homeless patients in primary care services have had some success in recent years, these data suggest that broader efforts targeting management of diabetes and other chronic medical conditions remain warranted.
Time-Sequential Design of Clinical Trials with Failure-Time Endpoints

As mentioned in Sect. 1.3, sequential statistical methods received little attention from the biomedical community until the early termination of the Beta-Blocker Heart Attack Trial (BHAT) in 1981. In Sects. 6.2 and 6.3, we describe the design details, interim analyses, and final report of BHAT. As the primary endpoint of BHAT was survival following at least one heart attack, we give an overview of survival analysis in Sect. 6.1. However, because of the sequential nature of interim analyses, traditional survival analysis methodology reviewed in Sect. 6.1 has to be extended to the sequential setting.
Religion and Natural Theology

Milton develops the arguments by which the serpent tempted Eve to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. In these arguments he is testing Eve’s understanding of God. Satan is engaged in a kind of unsound natural theology. This chapter studies Hodge’s views on natural theology. Natural theology is the study ofgeneral revelation. If general revelation is clear then humans should be able to respond to all forms of anti-theism, including the claim that a human can become God.
The hidden dangers of a cancer diagnosis

Patients have a heightened risk of injury in the weeks before and after a diagnosis No one can deny that medical advances have prolonged life and improved the human condition. Yet it is equally true that outcomes of medical encounters are neither universally beneficial nor benign. As long ago as 19 BC, Virgil wrote that it is often the case that “the disease worsens with the treatment.”1 In the linked paper, Shen and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.i4218)2 extend this assertion to “the disease worsens with the diagnosis.” They sought to determine how a diagnosis of cancer, apart from the disease and its treatment, heightens the risk of injury before and after the diagnostic period. They hypothesized that injury secondary to a diagnosis results from both medical complications and psychosocial stress. Shen and colleagues analysed hospital discharge diagnoses related to injury in over 720 000 patients with cancer in Sweden and compared a diagnostic period (the 16 weeks before and after a diagnosis) with a control period the year before diagnosis.2 …