cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sources of functional magnetic resonance imaging signal fluctuations in the human brain at rest: a 7 T study ☆

Signal fluctuations in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can result from a number of sources that may have a neuronal, physiologic or instrumental origin. To determine the relative contribution of these sources, we recorded physiological (respiration and cardiac) signals simultaneously with fMRI in human volunteers at rest with their eyes closed. State-of-the-art technology was used including high magnetic field (7 T), a multichannel detector array and high-resolution (3 mm(3)) echo-planar imaging. We investigated the relative contribution of thermal noise and other sources of variance to the observed fMRI signal fluctuations both in the visual cortex and in the whole brain gray matter. The following sources of variance were evaluated separately: low-frequency drifts due to scanner instability, effects correlated with respiratory and cardiac cycles, effects due to variability in the respiratory flow rate and cardiac rate, and other sources, tentatively attributed to spontaneous neuronal activity. We found that low-frequency drifts are the most significant source of fMRI signal fluctuations (3.0% signal change in the visual cortex, TE=32 ms), followed by spontaneous neuronal activity (2.9%), thermal noise (2.1%), effects due to variability in physiological rates (respiration 0.9%, heartbeat 0.9%), and correlated with physiological cycles (0.6%). We suggest the selection and use of four lagged physiological noise regressors as an effective model to explain the variance related to fluctuations in the rates of respiration volume change and cardiac pulsation. Our results also indicate that, compared to the whole brain gray matter, the visual cortex has higher sensitivity to changes in both the rate of respiration and the spontaneous resting-state activity. Under the conditions of this study, spontaneous neuronal activity is one of the major contributors to the measured fMRI signal fluctuations, increasing almost twofold relative to earlier experiments under similar conditions at 3 T.
Selection inherent in monoploid derivation mechanisms for potato

Monoploid potato (2n=1×=12) can be derived either paternally through anther or microspore culture (androgenesis) or maternally through crossing with a haploid-inducing pollinator (gynogenesis). Androgenic and gynogenic monoploid populations, derived from each of two Solanum phureja clones, were compared in both greenhouse and field studies, and their frequency of cells at the 1x, 2x and 4x DNA contents was estimated by flow cytometry of in vitro plantlets. In 15 of 17 comparisons of morphological data (plant height, number of main stems, vigor, leaf length and width, internode length, tuber number and tuber weight) where a significant difference was found due to derivation, the androgenic monoploids were agronomically superior to their gynogenic counterparts (13–18% greater leaf size, double to triple the total tuber yield). Only plant height was significantly greater (26–27%) in the gynogenic monoploids. Flow cytometry revealed that the gynogenic monoploids retained 5% more cells at the monoploid level, whereas androgenic monoploids exhibited 27% more endopolyploid cells at the tetraploid level.
Geometric Lipschitz spaces and applications to complex function theory and nilpotent groups

It is known that a function on Rn which can be well approximated by polynomials, in the mean over Euclidean balls, is Lipschitz smooth in the usual sense. In this paper an analogous theorem is proved in which Rn is replaced by a set X, the averages over balls are replaced by a family of sublinear operators satisfying certain axioms, and the polynomials are replaced by a class of functions having certain regularity properties with respect to the averaging operators. Applications are given to function theory on domains in Cn, to nilpotent Lie groups, and to the classical Euclidean case. The first application provides a characterization of the duals of Hardy spaces on the ball in Cn.
A table of Planckian radiation.

A table is presented for the radiation from a Planckian radiator operating between 2000 and 3500°K (100° intervals). Values of J(λ) are given for a wave-length range of 0.38 to 0.76μ at 0.01μ intervals. This is part of a more extensive table (10° intervals) that has been published.
Helpful habitant or pernicious passenger: interactions between an infaunal bivalve, an epifaunal hydroid and three potential predators.

The importance of positive interspecific interactions within physically stressful habitats has received increased attention from community ecologists. The exposed sandy beach is an example of a physically rigorous environment where biological interactions have long been considered insignificant. We examined the interaction between the infaunal clam, Donax variabilis, and the hydroid, Lovenella gracilis, on exposed sandy beaches in North Carolina. Epibiotic occupation of Donax by hydroids has been repeatedly observed on ocean beaches but rarely investigated. By providing a stable substrate for attachment, the clam facilitates the persistence of the hydroid in the intertidal beach; however, benefits or costs experienced by the host as a result of this association are unknown. By exposing clams with and without hydroid colonies to multiple types of clam predators, we tested the effectiveness of the hydroid, which possesses stinging nematocysts, in defending its host. The hydroid defended the clam against one common predator, the Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus). Against speckled crabs (Arenaeus cribrarius) and ghost crabs (Ocypode quadrata), however, the hydroid offered no protection for its host and instead facilitated predation. The epibiotic hydroid, which projects above the surface of the sand, allowed the crabs to more readily detect clams below the surface. In the field, we evaluated the effect of the hydroid on the tidally synchronized migrations and burrowing speed of the clam. The hydroid, which can form large colonies on the posterior end of the clam, had no effect on Donax burrowing speed, but did reduce the speed of transport of clams by wave swash. Depending on relative predation pressure, the occupation of D. variabilis by L. gracilis can alternately be characterized as beneficial or detrimental to the host.
Resting-State Functional Connectivity of the Medial Superior Frontal Cortex

The medial superior frontal cortex (SFC), including the supplementary motor area (SMA) and presupplementary motor area (preSMA), is implicated in movement and cognitive control, among other functions central to decision making. Previous studies delineated the anatomical boundaries and functional connectivity of the SMA. However, it is unclear whether the preSMA, which responds to a variety of behavioral tasks, comprises functionally distinct areas. With 24 seed regions systematically demarcated throughout the anterior and posterior medial SFC, we examined here the functional divisions of the medial SFC on the basis of the “correlograms” of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 225 adult individuals. In addition to replicating segregation of the SMA and posterior preSMA, the current results elucidated functional connectivities of anterior preSMA—the most anterior part of the medial SFC. In contrast to the caudal medial SFC, the anterior preSMA is connected with most of the prefrontal but not with somatomotor areas. Overall, the SMA is strongly connected to the thalamus and epithalamus, the posterior preSMA to putamen, pallidum, and subthalamic nucleus, and anterior preSMA to the caudate, with the caudate showing significant hemispheric asymmetry. These findings may provide a useful platform for future studies to investigate frontal cortical functions.
A Multiple-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Self-Determination Between Groups of Adolescents With Intellectual Disability or Learning Disabilities

Promoting self-determination has been identified as an important practice for the successful transition of youth and young adults with disabilities, and numerous studies have examined the relations...
Investigating decision making in IT outsourcing

This paper describes a proposed methodology for research to provide an in-depth investigation on a conceptual model that helps realize the complexities of offshore outsourcing IT Knowledge and service work. This paper builds on a preliminary study that was executed by the authors. The model recognizes the essential challenges that such strategies entail. The model presents a sequential view of building organizational capability in offshore outsourcing in the IT service sector. In the preliminary study, authors examined offshore sourcing decisions at 3 IT start-ups organizations through interviews with senior business executives. A set of frameworks were developed to explain sourcing alternatives and assist managers in deciding which IT service processes to offshore outsource and which are to keep in-house. The proposed methodology will focus on big number of large and medium companies located in the Northwest of USA such as Oregon and California.
Comorbidity and Ventricular and Vascular Structure and Function in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction A Community-Based Study

Background—Patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) display increased adiposity and multiple comorbidities, factors that in themselves may influence cardiovascular structure and function. This has sparked debate as to whether HFpEF represents a distinct disease or an amalgamation of comorbidities. We hypothesized that fundamental cardiovascular structural and functional alterations are characteristic of HFpEF, even after accounting for body size and comorbidities. Methods and Results—Comorbidity-adjusted cardiovascular structural and functional parameters scaled to independently generated and age-appropriate allometric powers were compared in community-based cohorts of HFpEF patients (n=386) and age/sex-matched healthy n=193 and hypertensive, n=386 controls. Within HFpEF patients, body size and concomitant comorbidity-adjusted cardiovascular structural and functional parameters and survival were compared in those with and without individual comorbidities. Among HFpEF patients, c...
Educational Software, DLESE, and the Future

A popular computer program for general seismology is Seismic/Eruption , which displays global seismicity (and volcanic activity) over time. Simple to use and easily configurable, it is useful for all levels, from elementary school to graduate seminars. Even rambunctious second graders become mesmerized by the accumulating circles and are quick to recognize the patterns along the plate boundaries. Seismic/Eruption was written by Alan Jones and is available at http://www.geol.binghamton.edu/faculty/jones. Jones has developed related programs as well: Seismic-waves , which depicts the progression of seismic waves through the earth; Amaseis , which is widely used by amateur and school seismology programs to collect and display seismic data; and an Eqlocate program. All of the programs are elegant and simple to install on a Windows PC. Seismic/Eruption is one example of many educational seismological resources available on the Internet. In fact, finding the perfect resource for a particular lesson becomes painful when confronted with the vast …
Response Characteristics in a Mail Survey

A survey of job attitudes and job behavior was mailed to 2,268 workers and their employers. Nonresponse bias was investigated for biographic variables and three substantive variables: pay, job training, and job attitudes. The small significant effects observed suggest only minor bias. The biographic characteristics which did indicate nonresponse bias, e.g., sex, also demonstrated late-response bias. The use of late-responders' characteristics as a proxy for nonresponse bias needs further investigation.
Transient heat-pipe modeling - The frozen start-up problem

This paper describes a continuation of work done at the United States Air Force Academy to better understand numerical modeling of heat-pipe transients. Two methods of modeling liquid thawing are discussed in the paper. For one model, the solid/liquid phase change process is modeled by using an effective specific heat capacity method. For the other model, an energy sink equal to the heat of fusion was used to account for the energy associated with the phase change process. The later method worked best. Also in the paper two methods of modeling friction between the vapor and the heat-pipe wall are studied. Both methods gave comparable results; however, one of the friction models helped the numerical stability of the solution scheme. Results from the numerical models are compared to experimental results for two different heat-pipes started from a frozen state.
Reduction of output capacitance in dc-dc converters using anticipated load transients

This paper presents a control strategy for low-voltage high-current microprocessor applications. The proposed idea supposes that computer-based loads could possibly provide an indicator to the power supply that a transient is soon to occur. It is shown that if such information is available, then it is possible to reduce the size of the bulk filter capacitance. The proposed anticipatory control tightly maintains output voltage of the converter within the required output voltage ripple band during transients. The proposed technique uses a temporary ballast load to precharge the inductor. Therefore, the dynamic response of the converter to the load changes is fast. A 12/1.5-V, 25-A dc-dc converter is used to validate this concept.
The Application of Electroencephalography to Investigate the Neural Bases of Parenting: A Review.

SYNOPSISParents play a significant role in their child’s development. Recent neuroimaging research has begun to evaluate the neural circuitry of human parenting to better understand parental responsiveness to infant affective cues. Here, the authors introduce the value of using electroencephalography and event-related potentials as a methodology to probe the neural correlates of parenting. Given the precise temporal resolution of this technique, it affords the opportunity to explore, with millisecond accuracy, the temporal dynamics of stimulus processing. The emerging research was reviewed that has utilized electroencephalography/event-related potentials to explore typical normative processes and mechanisms in parental responsiveness, and consider how these processes might be compromised by psychopathology. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed as the unique contribution this approach can make to the field of parenting research is highlighted.
Melanoma of Non-Sun Exposed Skin in a Man with Previous Prostate Cancer: Recognition of a Recently Confirmed Association.

Background The association of an increased risk to develop melanoma in patients with prostate cancer has recently been confirmed.
An internal enhancer regulates heme- and cadmium-mediated induction of human heme oxygenase-1.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in heme degradation, releasing iron, carbon monoxide, and biliverdin. Induction of HO-1 is an adaptive and beneficial response in renal and ...
Hypothesis: cadmium explains, in part, why smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Introduction:Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease via acute and chronic mechanisms, some of which remain unclear. One plausible but untested hypothesis concerns cadmi...
Structural Modeling with Large Data Sets and Non-Normal Continuous Variables

Although there are a number of different paradigms for the study of developmental trajectories of youth in various social contexts, the multivariate statistical approach that allows a test of structural hypotheses specified by the researcher represents a powerful approach to testing person/situation theories (Bentler, 1980). This approach intrinsically involves data from a large number of subjects, assessed on multiple occasions and on a substantial number of variables. The availability of data from large numbers of subjects allows for the use of newly developed methods of structural modeling that are distribution-free, or that make relatively mild assumptions in comparison with currently popular methods that rely on assumptions of multivariate normality. In many cases, however, the data base available to the researcher outstrips the analytic capability of the statistical methods, at least in practice if not in theory. More specifically, as the number of variables increases, the number of parameters in structural equation models with latent variables can quickly grow to several hundred or more, making it difficult to use statistical estimation involving iterative nonlinear optimization methods. Not only does an iterative process take geometrically longer to converge to an appropriate solution, but the expense of obtaining such a solution also quickly gets out of hand. Some feasible estimators have recently been proposed to solve this problem.
Towards improving packet probing techniques

Packet probing is an important Internet measurement technique, supporting the investigation of packet delay, path, and loss. Current packet probing techniques use Internet Protocols such as the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), the User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). These protocols were not originally designed for measurement purposes. Current packet probing techniques have several limitations that can be avoided. The IP Measurement Protocol (IPMP) is presented as a protocol that addresses several of the limitations discussed.
Limits of superheat and explosive boiling of light hydrocarbons, halocarbons, and hydrocarbon mixtures

The limits of superheat of thirteen light hydrocarbons and four light halocarbons were experimentally measured at one atmosphere using a superheating column. While there was some variation in the number of degrees to which a compound could be superheated before boiling explosively, in all cases the reduced limits TL/Tc were close to 0.88. The measured superheat limits of three binary hydrocarbon systems and several ternary mixtures were close to mole fraction averages of the limits of the pure components. The results of both pure components and mixtures paralleled predictions of Beegle (1973), based on thermodynamic stability theory. Limits of pure components agreed closely with limits predicted from homogeneous nucleation theory.
Parties, Personalities and Crisis Politics in Sarawak

The political life in Sarawak has been characterised by confusion, disunity, and repeated crisis. As a primitive hinterland permeated by relatively sophisticated forms of political conflicts, it offers a rare phenomenon to political analysts. Several insightful articles have recently appeared concerning various aspects of its party system. I hope to concentrate on some aspects that I have not seen previously discussed.
Minimax defection/energy-limited controllers for flexible structures: Linear programming approach

The focus of this paper is on design of control strategies subject to transient state constraints and terminal energy limits. The issue of robustness to modeling errors is addressed by formulating a minimax optimization problem in a linear programming framework permitting the generation of near-globally optimal controllers. To illustrate the proposed technique, a deflection limited/residual energy constrained, controller design for flexible structures undergoing rest-to-rest maneuvers will be presented. Techniques for ameliorating robustness by the addition of state sensitivity equations which improve robustness in the vicinity of the nominal model are explored. Results for the benchmark oscillator illustrate the benefit of the proposed approach to traditional designs.
Adaptive resource selection for grid-enabled network services

Due to the popularity of high-speed networks and advances in packaging and interface technologies, there has been significant efforts for providing high performance applications as network services that can be accessed remotely across the network, thus promoting sharing of both software and hardware. For high-demand network services, in particular, it will often be the case that the network services are installed at multiple sites so that each participating site can handle parts of client requests. We label such services as grid-enabled network services. In this paper, we present two adaptive site selection heuristics that do not depend on accurate predictions of completion times of service requests: weight queue length based heuristic and multi-level queue based selection.
Teaching computer networks for distance computer science students: An instructor's perspective

This paper shows some experiences and observations on distance education in teaching a Computer Networks course for Computer Science masters students in an US institution. Some lessons and effective strategies to better engage students are presented. Data has been collected to show the effectiveness of distance education in teaching the course. Students' performances for both on-campus and online courses are compared. Based on the results, it is apparent that distance education has been, and will continue to be an effective means for knowledge delivery.
The Leisure Reading Habits of Urban Adolescents

Research indicates that there is a strong relationship between leisure reading and school achievement, but the leisure reading habits of urban adolescents have rarely been studied. From their investigation of the leisure reading habits of 584 urban minority middle school students, the authors identify these key findings: •More than two-thirds of the students indicated that they read for fun and relaxation, to learn new things, or because they were bored. •Magazines were the preferred reading material for both males and females, followed by comics and the Internet. •Celebrities, “people or characters like me,” sports figures, and musicians were among the most popular subjects pursued in respondents' leisure reading. •Reading during summer vacation was not popular with either sex. Based on these findings, the authors provide eight recommendations for teachers and librarians to keep in mind as they strive to support the literacy development of urban adolescents.
Joint Effects of Structural Racism and Income Inequality on Small-for-Gestational-Age Birth

Objectives. We examined potential synergistic effects of racial and socioeconomic inequality associated with small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth.Methods. Electronic medical records from singleton births to White and Black women in 10 US states and the District of Columbia (n = 121 758) were linked to state-level indicators of structural racism, including the ratios of Blacks to Whites who were employed, were incarcerated, and had a bachelor’s or higher degree. We used state-level Gini coefficients to assess income inequality. Generalized estimating equations models were used to quantify the adjusted odds of SGA birth associated with each indicator and the joint effects of structural racism and income inequality.Results. Structural racism indicators were associated with higher odds of SGA birth, and similar effects were observed for both races. The joint effects of racial and income inequality were significantly associated with SGA birth only when levels of both were high; in areas with high inequality l...
High‐Temperature Phase Equilibria of the Magnesium–Niobium–Titanate System

The high-temperature phase equilibria for the MgO–Nb2O5–TiO2 system have been determined in air and at 1 atm O2. Three isothermal sections, namely 1450°, 1350°, and 1250°C, were determined experimentally. From this, the 1000°C isothermal section was deduced by extrapolation. Throughout each diagram, most compounds were found to have an extended range of solubility, each exhibiting the same substitutional pattern of the combination 1/3(MgNb2)4+ replacing Ti4+. Furthermore, entropic stabilization because of cation mixing is evident for all phases except for the columbite solid solution, in which case the solid solution range decreased with increasing temperature.
Bounds on gambler's ruin probabilities in terms of moments

Consider a wager that is more complicated than simply winning or losing the amount of the bet. For example, a pass line bet with double odds is such a wager, as is a bet on video poker using a specified drawing strategy. We are concerned with the probability that, in an independent sequence of identical wagers of this type, the gambler loses L or more betting units (i.e., the gambler is “ruined”) before he wins W or more betting units. Using an idea of Markov, Feller established upper and lower bounds on the probability of ruin, bounds that are often very close to each other. However, his formulation depends on finding a positive nontrivial root of the equation φ (ρ )=1, where φ is the probability generating function for the wager in question. Here we give simpler bounds, which rely on the first few moments of the specified wager, thereby making such gambler's ruin probabilities more easily computable.
Use of Essential Oils in Poultry Production

The ban of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed in many countries and the consumer demand for natural alternatives have increased interest in essential oils (EOs) in recent years. EOs have several properties to support their use in poultry feed, which include antioxidant, antiseptic, and insect repellent. In addition, EOs have been reported to increase digestive enzyme secretion and improve immune response to diseases. Several trials have shown positive effects of EOs on nutrient utilization and poultry performance. However, it appears that the degree of response may be influenced by the level and type of EO used, and the health status of the animal. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that specific EO blends may help to reduce incidences of subclinical necrotic enteritis and coccidiosis. Dietary supplementation of EO was reported to convey antioxidant benefits during meat storage. There is scarcity in animal trials studying the effects of EOs as an insect repellent in animal feed. The regulatory constraints on the use of EOs in the United States and European Union are also briefly discussed in this chapter. Systematic investigations on the relationship of EOs with bird performance and gut health are warranted to design an optimal animal response to EOs.
An evaluation of hepatitis C knowledge and correlations with health belief model constructs among African American "baby boomers".

Summary Background Baby boomers (people born between 1945 and 1965) are responsible for three-quarters of Hepatitis C (HCV) infections in the US; however, HCV testing is distinctly underused by them. Aim To assess the status, predictors, and correlates of HCV knowledge among African-American baby boomers (AABBs) in Washington, DC. Methods A cross-sectional survey among persons aged 46–69 was conducted using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI). Data on HCV knowledge, socio-demographics, prior history of HCV testing, health-related characteristics, HCV vulnerability and HCV treatment perceptions were collected. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the study population. Pearson correlations were used to examine linear associations between HCV knowledge and Health Belief Model constructs related to HCV. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the predictors of knowledge. Results Out of the 137 participants, about sixty percent (60.6%) were females, mean age 59 ± 6.40; 44.8% had at least a college education. The average knowledge score was low (48.7%). HCV knowledge was significantly correlated with constructs of perceived severity and perceived benefits. Age ( β = −0.10; p = 0.003), and level of education ( β = 0.93, p = 0.027) were significant predictors. Conclusions Overall, respondents have a low level of knowledge. The lower level of education and older age were significant predictors of inadequate HCV knowledge. Thus, HCV education among these people may be a vital component in reducing the gaps in HCV knowledge.
Ondansetron-related hemorrhagic posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) following gastric bypass.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinical-radiographic syndrome formally recognized in 1996, which describes specific changes noted on neuroimaging thought to be related to impaired cerebral blood flow autoregulation and endothelial dysfunction. We report a case of PRES in the setting of increased ingestion of ondansetron; complicated by hemorrhagic transformation and refractory intracranial hypertension. We hypothesize an association of 5-HT3 antagonism and PRES. This is a case study report; with review of previously published literature through PubMed search. We describe the case of a 25 year old man following bariatric surgery who increased his ingestion of ondansetron, taking up to 40 tablets/day due to excessive nausea and vomiting. The patient was hospitalized for progressively more severe headache of 1 week’s duration. Computed tomography (CT) revealed bilateral cerebral edema in the parietal and occipital lobes in the setting of elevated blood pressure (BP). Three days into his admission, following improvement in his BP with oral anti-hypertensive but continued use of the ondansetron, the patient developed near complete blindness. CT head imaging revealed progression of the posterior cerebral edema and intraparenchymal hemorrhage. He was admitted to our ICU and despite supportive treatment, his neurological examination worsened while CT head imaging findings remained stable. Invasive multimodality monitoring revealed elevated intracranial pressure. The patient was aggressively treated and after a prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation course, made a significant recovery. This case highlights a very rare potential neurological complication of ondansetron, a commonly used medication. We hypothesize an underlying association between PRES and 5-HT3 antagonism, via the latter’s potential role in endothelial dysfunction. Prompt recognition and treatment of PRES is essential, in order to prevent secondary cerebral injury and the associated potentially grave consequences.
An Investigation into the Utility of Episodic Memory for Cognitive Architectures

In most cognitive architectures, episodic memory is either not implemented, or plays a secondary role. In contrast, in the Xapagy architecture episodic memory is the primary means of acquiring and using knowledge. Shadowing, the main reasoning method of the system, relies on unprocessed historical recordings of concrete events to determine the agent's behavior. This paper outlines the use of episodic memory in Xapagy, and investigates whether episodic memory might play a wider role in cognitive architectures at large.
Read My Lips: More New Tax Cuts - The Distributional Impacts of Repealing Dividend Taxation

The Bush administration advocates its January 2003 proposal to repeal personal dividend taxation on the basis that the cut would stimulate the economy, primarily benefit American seniors, and eliminate an unfair case of "double taxation." This paper primarily analyzes the proposal using a different criterion - its distributional impacts. Contrary to the administration's claim that seniors receive over half of all dividend income, U.S. Census Bureau data indicate that seniors receive only about one-quarter of dividend income. Dividend income is more concentrated towards high- income tax filers than the distribution of U.S. income as a whole. About two-thirds of dividend income accrues to the top 10% of tax filers. Less than one-fifth of tax filers with adjusted gross incomes of less than $75,000 have any dividend income at all. Also, dividend income is highly skewed by race- only 8% of blacks and 6% of Hispanics receive dividend income. An analysis of the distribution of the benefits of repealing dividend taxes is conducted using IRS summary data of the 2000 tax returns. Most taxpayers (about three-quarters) receive no dividend income and would receive no direct benefits from the proposal to repeal dividend taxes. On the other hand, filers with an adjusted gross income of at least $100,000 would receive average annual benefits of over $3,000. Over 75% of the total benefits would accrue to the top 8% of taxpayers. About 40% of the benefits would accrue to the top ½% of taxpayers, who would receive average annual tax savings of about $26,000. The distribution of benefits is more skewed than the distribution of dividend income. From this fact we can conclude that the proposal to repeal dividend taxation would, ceteris paribus, increase after-tax income inequality in the U.S. Given that U.S. inequality is higher than in any other developed country and at an historic high, policies that reduce inequality seem more desirable than those that have the opposite effect. Given the significant cost of the overall tax cut, one likely long-term effect is the reduction of federal services including, perhaps, Social Security benefits. Thus, the ironic conclusion is that the President's proposal, rather than helping low-income seniors, appears more likely to hurt them because of the potential for shortfalls in Social Security funding in the long term.
Vermont Civil Unions: The New Language of Marriage

In this article I will explain why civil unions are worth fighting for. In Part I, I will begin with an homage to some of the pioneers of the same-sex marriage movement, for it was their efforts that set the stage for Vermont's historic decision. In Part II, I will suggest reasons why the drive for civil unions succeeded in Vermont, with an eye toward offering a template for success in the future. In Part III, I will compare the civil unions law to domestic partnership laws in other states and countries. I will conclude by urging the lesbian and gay community to embrace civil unions. The lesbian and gay community has the power, and perhaps even the responsibility, to turn civil unions into a vibrant, viable alternative to the institution of marriage.
Hypothalamic control of pituitary function and corpus luteum formation in the rat.

Summary and Conclusions1. Bilateral hypothalamic lesions ventral to the ventro-medial nucleus in female rats resulted in persistent vaginal cornification in the majority of animals. Thyroid morphology and I131 uptake in obese rats with constant cornification indicated increased thyroid activity. The ovaries of those showing constant cornification contained follicles of all sizes but no corpora lutea. The interstitial tissue was not atrophic. 2. The follicles were readily converted into corpora lutea by administration of luteinizing substances, both human chorionic gonadotrophin and pituitary interstitial cell stimulating hormone. The interpretation is made that secretion of luteinizing factor by the pituitary may be impaired by small, bilateral hypothalamic lesions ventral to the ventro-medial nucleus.
Risk Control Measures and Related Priority for Occupational Hazards during Domestic Refuse Incineration

[Objective]To study the risk control measures to occupational hazards and determine related priority in domestic refuse incineration.[Methods]According to the WHO’s priorities and strategies of workplace hazards prevention and control,the operating units,operating methods,and occupational hazards were identified through analysis of the process of domestic refuse incineration.Control measures and priorities were determined after analyzing the characteristics of domestic refuse incineration and related occupational hazards.A workplace investigation was conducted to evaluate the applicability of determined control measures and related priorities.[Results]According to the characteristics of domestic refuse incineration,the measures that control hazard sources(including hazards elimination,equipment maintenance,wet method,and noise/vibration reduction) and transmission paths(including enclosure,isolation,local ventilation,and general ventilation) were identified.The prevention measures at individual level included the following aspects: operation and organization,education and training,and personal protection.Other measures focusing on lay-out,management,and warning signs were also identified.The priority order from high to low was source control,transmission path control,and individual level control,nevertheless other control measures such administrative supports should be implemented at the same time.[Conclusion]The determined risk control measures and their priorities provide reference for protection against occupational hazards of domestic refuse incineration.
PGN—High Energy Density Solid Propellant Energetic Ingredient

The performance, synthesis method and application research of polyglycidyl nitrate(PGN) are reviewed. PGN is a high density, oxygen-rich, low sensitivity energetic binder, and it can be used as both binder and plasticizer. It may be used in clean propellants of large launch vehicle, minimum smoke propellants and insensitive PBX explosives.
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Sex distribution and frequency of obesity in children with idiopathic intracranial hypertension were evaluated at Meyer Children Hospital, Rappaport School of Medicine, Haifa, and other centers in Israel.
Asymmetric mass acquisition in LaBi: Topological semimetal candidate

We use our high resolution He-lamp-based, tunable laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations to study the electronic properties of LaBi, a binary system that was proposed to be a member of a new family of topological semimetals. Both bulk and surface bands are present in the spectra. Furthermore, the dispersion of the surface state is highly unusual. It resembles a Dirac cone, but upon closer inspection we can clearly detect an energy gap. The bottom band follows roughly a parabolic dispersion. The dispersion of the top band remains very linear, “V” -shape like, with the tip approaching very closely to the extrapolated location of Dirac point. Finally, such asymmetric mass acquisition is highly unusual and opens a possibility of a new topological phenomenon that has yet to be understood.
Decay-product correlation of τ + τ − from e + e − annihilation

We analyze the ..pi../sup +/..pi../sup -/ angular correlation for the process e/sup +/e/sup -/..-->..tau/sup +/tau/sup -/ with subsequent decays tau/sup +/..--> pi../sup +/nu-bar/sub tau/ and tau/sup -/..--> pi../sup -/..nu../sub tau/ as a function of the ..nu../sub tau/ mass as well as the proportion of V+A to V-A coupling strengths.
Demystifying Causation in Fraud-on-the-Market Actions

This Article concerns what an investor who purchases shares on the open market of an issuer that has made a positive, materially false misstatement in violation of Rule 10b-5 must show to establish causation in a fraud-on-the-market action for damages. Confusion has arisen in the courts concerning this question because they have analyzed the matter in terms of the twin concepts of transaction causation and loss causation. They initially developed these concepts as a way of deciding causation in actions based on a showing of traditional reliance. Fraud-on-the-market actions involve a fundamentally different kind of causal connection, between the defendant's misstatement and the plaintiff's injury, as recognized by the Supreme Court in Basic v. Levinson. Because of this fundamental difference is causal connection, the twin concepts of transaction causation and loss causation simply do not make sense in fraud-on-the-market actions. The focus in fraud-on-the-market cases should instead be on developing standards for what the plaintiff must plead and prove, and the acceptable forms of evidence, in order to establish that the defendant's misstatement inflated the price at the time of purchase. Analyzing the problem from the ex ante perspective of the economics based approach to securities law reveals that these are the real issues underlying the causation cases coming before the courts.
Critical Analysis of E-Government and the factors influencing on E-Government readiness at public sector

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has changed organizations, businesses, and societies for decades. Many countries in the world are now using ICT to change the way government works. In 1990’s the new technological advancements in ICT industry paved the way towards the new business horizon of E-Commerce (EC) mainly for the private sector organizations. E-Commerce revolutionized the world by adopting innovative and creative use of ICT.
Building robust temporal user profiles for anomaly detection in file system accesses

Protecting sensitive data against malicious or compromised insiders is a big concern. In most cases, insiders have authorized access in file systems containing such data which they misuse or exfiltrate for financial profit. Moreover, external parties can compromise identity credentials of valid file system users by means of exploiting security vulnerabilities, phishing attacks etc. Therefore, in order to protect sensitive information from such attackers, security measures, e.g., access control and encryption are often combined with anomaly detection. Anomaly detection is based on the key observation that the access behavior of an attacker is significantly different from the regular access pattern of a benign user. However, due to the complexity of users' interactions with a file system, the modeling of user profiles is a challenging problem. As a result, most of the existing anomaly detection techniques suffer from poor user profiles that contribute to high false positive and high false negative rates. In this paper, we propose an approach that as a first step discovers the users' tasks (sets of file accesses that represent distinct file system activities) by applying frequent sequence mining on the access log. In the next step, our approach builds robust temporal user profiles by extensively analyzing the timestamp information of users' file system accesses and thus precisely models the relation between the users' tasks and their temporal properties using a multilevel temporal data structure. Finally, we evaluate the performance of our approach on a real dataset.
Abstract 2581: VGLL4 suppresses the human breast cancer progression through the inhibition of YAP oncogenic function

VGLL4 is a Vestigial-like (VGLL) protein that is deregulated in various types of cancer. However, the functions of VGLL4 in breast cancer remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that VGLL4 expression positively correlates with survival for breast cancer patients. The overexpression of VGLL4 in breast cancer cells reduced cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration and invasion in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. We found that the 2nd TEAD-interacting domain (TDU2) of VGLL4 is involved in interactions between VGLL4 and the transcription factor TEAD and that the deletion of this domain completely abolished the phenotype induced by VGLL4 overexpression. Interestingly, RNAseq analysis indicated that VGLL4 overexpression not only inhibits YAP targets but also activates the TGF-β and Notch signaling pathways. Our study provides evidence of the tumor-suppressive effects of VGLL4 on breast cancer progression and suggests that VGLL4 and its TDU2 domain may become promising and efficient therapeutic targets for delaying the development of breast cancer and improving patient survival. Citation Format: Jianmin Zhang. VGLL4 suppresses the human breast cancer progression through the inhibition of YAP oncogenic function [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2581. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2581
Design and analysis of planar rotary springs

This paper is concerned with the analysis, design, and prototyping of rotary planar springs for robotics applications such as rotary series elastic actuators, or mechanical couplings. The key contribution is the development of a mathematical model, based on curved beam theory, that allows rapid design, analysis, and optimization of rotary springs that have arbitrary arm shape. The paper also introduces methods to reduce the spring mass via composite arm structures, or arm cutouts. A prototype is designed, analyzed and tested to demonstrate the validity of the model.
Fabrication of Mg(OH) 2 by Electrolysis Using MgCl 2 Aqueous Solution

Mg(OH)2 is usually used as a flame retardant agent, a heavy metal removing agent and a flue gas desulfurization agent in the field of environmental protection. In this work, Mg(OH)2 was prepared by electrolytic method using MgCl2 aqueous solution as the main raw materials. And the X-ray diffraction results proved that pure Mg(OH)2 crystals can be fabricated by the electrolysis method. The Mg(OH)2 prepared has two microscopic forms, shaped in block and elongated fibrous. The effects of concentration of MgCl2 solution, current density, temperature and time of electrolysis on the current efficiency and energy consumption in the electrolysis process were studied in this paper. Within the experimental range, current efficiency increased but energy consumption decreased with the increase of MgCl2 solution concentration, electrolysis temperature and time. The effects of current density on the current efficiency and energy consumption rested on the concentration of the MgCl2 solution and electrolysis temperature.
Emulating Parental Levels of Taking Conflict Personally: Associations with Behavioral and Mental Health Outcomes in Adult Children

ABSTRACTTaking conflict personally (TCP) is a construct that measures individuals’ tendency to perceive conflict as a personal attack and focus less on the content of a conflict. This study examined parent–child transmissions of the six dimensions of TCP, as well as the relationship between adult child TCP and their conflict communication, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Data were collected from 110 (N = 330) mother–father–child triads. The results showed significant links between father-child reports of persecuted feelings (i.e., belief that others intentionally provoke conflict) and stress reactions (i.e., psychological reaction) during conflict. There were also significant links between mother–child reports of positive and negative relational effect (i.e., belief that conflict benefits/damages relationships). Adult children’s reports of four of the six TCP dimensions were associated with their depressive symptoms and anxiety, and the results showed significant indirect effects from parent TCP to adul...
Compressive sensing lattice dynamics. I. General formalism

Anharmonic vibrational effects in solids, although essential for the finite-temperature properties, remain difficult to model via first-principles calculations. The authors detail a systematic information-theory based approach: compressive sensing lattice dynamics. The conventional lattice dynamics theory is recast into a form, suited for complex multicomponent compounds with large unit cells. With $L$1 regularization, the anharmonic force constants can be obtained efficiently using modest sets of training structures. The approach therefore allows for easier access to finite-temperature properties of complex solids.