cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating impact of construction risks in the Arabian Gulf Region from perspective of multinational architecture, engineering and construction firms

Although multinational firms use risk mitigation measures when venturing into new international markets, there has been little research into identifying and evaluating the impact of these risks on project and multinational firm performance in the Arabian Gulf Region (AGR). Risks encountered in the AGR are identified through a data collection process from multinational architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) companies with work experience in the AGR. The impact of these risks on four performance metrics (i.e. project cost, schedule and performance; and company performance) is then evaluated using relative importance index (RII), significance score (SS) and principal component analysis (PCA) for validation. The results indicate that multinational firms are potentially exposed to a total of 27 external risks and 47 internal risks. Of the 27 external risks, war threat, political instability, price inflation, resources availability and quality, authorities and regulations requirements, and inclement c...
NOTES ON THE MARINE ALGAE OF THE BERMUDAS. 4. ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA, INCLUDING POLYSIPHONIA PLECTOCARPA SP. NOV.

Abstract Eight additional species of marine algae are reported from Bermuda for the first time: Ulvella lens P Crouan et H. Crouan; three epiphytic species of Audouinella (A. daviesii (Dillwyn) Woelkerling, A. hormorhiza (Borgesen) Garbary, and A. hoytii (Collins) C.W. Schneider); Gloiocladia atlantica (Searles) R.E. Norris; Corallophila verongiae (D.L. Ballantine et M.J. Wynne) R.E. Norris; Chondria platyramea A.B. Joly et Ugadim in A.B. Joly, Cordeiro-Marino, Yamaguishi-Tomita, et Ugadim; and Polysiphonia plectocarpa C.W. Schneider sp. nov. in C.W. Schneider et Searles. The new species is similar in vegetative characteristics to P. delicatula Hollenberg from the Indo-Pacific but distinct in its reproductive features, particularly in the nature of the pericarps. One species of Audouinella not collected in Bermuda since the last century, A. secundata (Lyngbye) PS. Dixon in Parke et PS. Dixon, has been re-collected, and other species in the genus previously known for the islands and collected again in this...
Encainide for treatment of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome☆

Abstract Oral encainide, varying from 75 to 300 mg/day (mean 174 mg/day), was administered to 52 patients with drug-resistant atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT) associated with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Electrophysiologic studies were performed before and during drug treatment. Encainide resulted in anterograde accessory pathway block in 15 of 37 (41%) and retrograde accessory pathway block in 11 of 46 (24%) patients. In patients With residual accessory pathway conduction, encainide significantly prolonged the shortest pacing cycle length maintaining anterograde (261 ± 26 to 404 ± 85 ms) and retrograde (279 ± 46 to 436 ± 87 ms) accessory pathway conduction, as well as the anterograde accessory pathway effective refractory period (271 ± 32 to 329 ± 73 ms). AVRT could not be induced during encainide therapy in 20 of 49 patients (41%). In the remaining patients, AVRT cycle length increased (319 ± 44 to 426 ± 90 ms, p
Capability vs Cost for Servicing and Handling System Choices in 200-BeV Accelerator Design Study

Unprecedented size, residual radiation, and the need for quite reliable operation of the 200-GeV accelerator present new challenges in servicing and maintenance. Yet costs must not be disproportionately large. An example servicing solution is developed, and variations are investigated for costs. It is shown that large-percentage cost changes are not to be expected, but that small changes can represent millions of dollars. Therefore extraordinary care should be exercised in refining appropriate solutions. The era of thorough preconstruction mock-up work has arrived in the accelerator business!
A meta-analytic review of the effects of organizational control in marketing exchange relationships

A growing body of empirical research has investigated various aspects of control in exchange relationships; however, understanding of this phenomenon is still in its infancy. The objective of our research is to review this literature quantitatively with meta-analysis to derive some empirical generalizations and reconcile the contradictory results about the effects of organizational control in marketing exchange relationships. This study finds that process and output control generally produce positive outcomes, especially when used jointly. It also finds that, because control encompasses more than monitoring alone, the former is generally more effective in producing positive outcomes. Our research also finds that organizational control can have either positive or negative consequences depending on the organizational setting (i.e., interorganizational vs. intraorganizational context)
The evolution of mobile apps: an exploratory study

As mobile apps continue to grow in popularity, it is important to study their evolution. Lehman's laws of software evolution have been proposed and used to study the evolution of traditional, large software systems (also known as desktop apps). However, do Lehman's laws of software evolution hold for mobile apps?, especially since developing mobile apps presents different challenges compared to the development of desktop apps. In this paper, we examine the applicability of three of Lehman's laws on mobile apps. In particular, we focused on three laws: the law of continuing change, increasing complexity, and declining quality. We extracted a number of metrics and performed a case study on two applications: VLC and ownCloud. Our findings show that the law of continuing change and declining quality seem to apply for mobile apps, however, we find different outcomes for the law of increasing complexity. Then, we compare the mobile app version to the desktop version and find that the two versions follow the same trends for the law of continuing change. On the contrary, the desktop and mobile version have different trends for the law of increasing complexity and the law of declining quality.
Quenching-in and annealing-out of point defects in degassed gold held in clean and dirty atmospheres

Abstract The annealing kinetics of quenched-in vacancies in 99•999% Au for quenches from 700°C and 800°C were studied in pure helium atmospheres and in 80% helium, 20% oxygen atmosphere. It was found that divacancies played the major role in quenches in a pure atmosphere, whereas under the same quench and anneal conditions, but with oxygen present, single vacancies were observed with a shift in E M from 0•62 ev to 0•80 ev upon addition of the oxygen. A mechanism to explain this behaviour is introduced and past work is interpreted in light of the present findings and the proposed mechanism. An estimate of the minimum solubility of oxygen in gold at 800°C is given as 5 × 10−5 atomic fraction.
The region of transcriptional initiation in Lytechinus variegatus rRNA genes.

Abstract A sea urchin ribosomal DNA 1.9 kilobase BamHI fragment adjacent to the 5′ end of the 18 S gene has been mapped with the restriction enzymes, XhoI, EcoRI, SmaI and HinfI. A 270 basepair fragment which most likely contains the 5′ end of the presumed primary transcript of rRNA was identified by hybridization of [32P]DNA fragments to total nuclear RNA separated on methylmercury hydroxide gels and bound to diazobenzyloxymethyl paper. Under these denaturing conditions the size of Lytechinus variegatus precursor rRNA was determined to be 7.2 kilobases (33 S).
Hierarchical self-assembling properties of natural organic matter’s components

Abstract Natural organic matter (NOM) has been described as a hierarchical self-assembling system consisting of three components; non-amphiphilic, amphiphilic and lipid fractions. Serving as the first hierarchical level, L0 is formed by self-assembly of amphiphilic components (HA2) with lipid components (L1) while the second hierarchical level is the result of the association of L0 with non-amphiphilic components (HA1). As an initial step toward determining the mechanisms that govern NOM self-assembly processes, a comparative study of self-assembly of humic acid and humin was designed to identify the primary factors affecting this process. The two hierarchical levels for humic acid and humin were treated as binary mixtures and were characterized by the sign and magnitude of their excess heat capacity ( c p E ). The data for the first hierarchical level showed that the c p E values were positive for humic acid and negative for humin, and the distribution of components HA2 and L1 was different too. The data for the second hierarchical level showed similar c p E values for both humic acid and humin as well as similar distributions of HA1 and L0. The similarities and differences in the self-assembly of humic acid and humin are discussed in terms of the concentration and the nature of components and a hypothetical mechanism is proposed. The findings of this study performed on operationally defined NOM fractions isolated using two different extractants from two geomaterials with different chemical characteristics and geochemical histories, suggests that the hierarchical associative mechanism is one that is characteristic of NOM.
Medical CT image reconstruction accuracy in the presence of metal objects using x-rays up to 1 MeV with x-ray targets of beryllium, carbon, aluminum, copper, and tungsten

Flat panels imagers based on amorphous silicon technology (a-Si) for digital radiography have been accepted by the medical community as having several advantages over film-based systems. Radiotherapy treatment planning systems employ computed tomographic (CT) data sets and projection images to delineate tumor targets and normal structures that are to be spared from radiation treatment. The accuracy of CT numbers is crucial for radiotherapy dose calculations. Conventional CT scanners operating at kilovoltage X-ray energies typically exhibit significant image reconstruction artifacts in the presence of metal implants in human body. Megavoltage X-ray energies have problems maintaining contrast sensitivity for the same dose as kV X-ray systems. We intend to demonstrate significant improvement in metal artifact reductions and electron density measurements using an amorphous silicon a-Si imager obtained with an X-ray source that can operate at energies up to 1 MeV. We will investigate the ability to maintain contrast sensitivity at this higher X-ray energy by using targets with lower atomic numbers and appropriate amounts of Xray filtration than are typically used as X-ray production targets and filters.
A new surrogate dual multiplier search procedure

Efficient computation of tight bounds is of primary concern in any branch-and-bound procedure for solving integer programming problems. Many successful branch-and-bound approaches use the linear programming relaxation for bounding purposes. Significant interest has been reported in Lagrangian and surrogate duals as alternative sources of bounds. The existence of efficient techniques such as subgradient search for solving Lagrangian duals has led to some very successful applications of Lagrangian duality in solving specially structured problems. While surrogate duals have been theoretically shown to provide stronger bounds, the difficulty of surrogate dual-multiplier search has discouraged their employment in solving integer programs. Based on the development of a new relationship between surrogate and Lagrangian duality, we suggest a new strategy for computing surrogate dual values. The proposed approach allows us to directly use established Lagrangian search methods for exploring surrogate dual multipliers. Computational experience with randomly generated capital budgeting problems validates the economic feasibility of the proposed ideas.
Nonsimilar solutions for mixed convection on a wedge embedded in a porous medium

The problem of mixed convection on a wedge in a saturated porous medium is analyzed using the Darcy flow formulation and three different methods of solution. Nonsimilar solutions are obtained for several wedge angles. The nonsimilarity technique is applied to the boundary layer formulation, and the finite element method is used in both formulations. It is shown that both formulations produce results that agree well for Pe = 1 and uniform wall temperature in the range 0.1 m = 1 /3, 1/2 and 1 (i.e., wedge half angles 7 = 45, 60, and 90). It is shown that the overall heat-transfer rate is the largest when the wedge angle is zero, and the walls are oriented vertically.
Effects of EMG-activated alarms on nocturnal bruxism

An experiment evaluated the effects of masseter EMG-triggered nocturnal alarms on rates of bruxing during sleep and on ratings of mood during the day. It also evaluated rates of bruxing following termination of the alarm protocol and the accuracy with which subjects recorded instances of alarm events during the night. Ten nocturnal bruxers were exposed to 14 nights of intervention either before or after 14 nights without treatment. Brux episodes were recorded automatically for 28 nights. Self-reports of sleepiness, vigor, fatigue, and tension were recorded for 28 days. Alarm events were self-and automatically recorded during the 14-day intervention. The EMG-triggered alarm reduced bruxing rates both between and within experimental groups and did not adversely affect self-reports of sleepiness, vigor, or fatigue. There was some evidence that reduced bruxing rates were maintained after the alarm was discontinued. Subjects were not able to accurately record alarm events during the night. Some research directions are summarized.
Ocular manifestations of von Hippel-Lindau disease: clinical and genetic investigations.

PURPOSE To describe the clinical spectrum of lesions involving the visual system in von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, the genetic alterations, and the molecular genetic properties of retinal hemangioblastomas. METHODS In this prospective case-series, 406 patients with VHL disease had systemic and ocular evaluations. Genetic mutations within six pathological specimens were evaluated, using microdissection and polymerase chain reaction amplification. RESULTS Half of the 406 patients (199 families) with VHL disease had ocular involvement. Visual acuity was 20/20 or better in 170 patients (84.5%) with hemangioblastomas; six (3%) were legally blind. Thirty-three (8.2%) had unilateral enucleations. Genetic mutations were detected in all VHL patients. The patients with complete deletion were less likely to have ocular VHL compared with those patients with partial deletion, missense, and nonsense mutation (9% versus 45%) (P < .0001), suggesting the importance of the gene or areas of genes on chromosome 3 for the development of retinal hemangioblastomas. The molecular genetic assessments of the pathology specimens showed that the foamy "stromal" cells were affected with the genetic mutations. There is an up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor, which was expressed in the ocular lesions. CONCLUSIONS In this series, the largest of its kind, patients with ocular lesions of VHL disease are referred mostly from physicians. The systemic genetic mutation evaluations suggest that a certain gene or groups of genes in chromosome 3p are crucial for both the development and maintenance of the retinal tumor. This is the first series to find a difference between the phenotype and genotype.
Perception of Risks and Preferences for Locally Grown Produce: A Marketing System Approach

In recent years, the “buy local” movement has escalated in popularity. This trend is redefining how value along the food chain is shared between producers, retailers, and consumers. A theoretical model was developed and used to evaluate how consumers formulate preferences for locally grown attributes, with an emphasis on consumers’ perceptions of food safety risk. Linkages between locally grown produce attributes, perceived macro outcomes, and value allocation to consumers are then examined using random utility discrete choice models. While results were mixed depending on frequency of purchasing locally grown produce, they do indicate that consumer preferences are driven by perceived food safety risk and other macro outcomes. For example, consumers who frequently purchase locally grown produce perceive these products to be environmentally friendly and to improve their quality of life.
The Impact of Policies and Land Characteristics on Potential Groundwater Pollution in Wisconsin

In this paper we present an empirical framework for quantifying the extensive margin effects of commodity programs and chemical‐use taxes on potential groundwater pollution in Wisconsin. The approach emphasizes the role of the joint distribution of crops and site characteristics in determining policy impacts on groundwater contamination. The results indicate that for a given reduction in total polluting acreage an increase in the Acreage Reduction Program rate for corn is well targeted and would reduce high‐polluting acreage more than a chemical‐use tax or a target price policy in the areas where it might be needed most.
Learning in a fuzzy logic robot controller

Although Zadeh defined the basic operations of fuzzy set theory over thirty years ago (Zadeh, 1965), fuzzy logicbased controllers have just recently become the technique of choice for many researchers in robotics. Fuzzy logic controllers allow for the integration of high-level, humandesigned plans to operate along side immediate, reactive actions in a successful manner. The key to this line of research has been the development of the concept of behaviors.
The Social Context of School Success for Latino Middle School Students Direct and Indirect Influences of Teachers, Family, and Friends

Youth's social relationships at school and at home have been shown to predict a wide variety of school outcomes, such as behavior at school and academic performance. Specifically, relationships with teachers, parents, and peers have all been shown to affect student performance. The current study utilized data collected from 848 Latino middle school students to examine direct and indirect linkages of students' relationships with teachers, parents, and friends with student outcomes. Structural equation models revealed that teacher support was associated with both student behavior and satisfaction with school and was indirectly associated with time spent on homework and grades. Parental support, friend support, friends' school behavior, and parental monitoring of educational issues were directly associated with student reports of teacher support and were indirectly linked to school behavior and satisfaction. Friend behavior at school also showed a significant direct association with student behavior, and par...
Antihypertensive Therapy-Associated Hypokalemia and Hyperkalemia: Clinical Implications

See related article, pp 926–933 Hydrochlorothiazide was introduced into clinical practice in 1957 and chlorthalidone shortly thereafter. Diuretics continue to be a mainstay of antihypertensive therapy. They effectively reduce blood pressure and decrease hypertension-related morbidity and mortality. In addition, they are relatively inexpensive. The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure recommends diuretics as first-line therapy for the treatment of hypertension. The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Preventing Heart Attach Trial (ALLHAT) was a prospective, randomized trial designed to compare the effects of diuretics with other antihypertensive agents on the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. Beginning in 1994, 42000 participants aged ≥55 years with hypertension and ≥1 other CHD risk factor were randomized to receive initial therapy with chlorthalidone, lisinopril, amlodipine, or doxazosin.1 The doxazosin arm was terminated early because of a higher incidence of cardiovascular events, particularly congestive heart failure. During a mean follow-up of 4.9 years, there was no difference among the other 3 drug regimens in the primary outcome of combined fatal CHD or nonfatal myocardial infarction. Secondary outcomes were similar, except for higher rates of heart failure with amlodipine and higher rates of combined CVD, stroke, and heart failure with lisinopril compared with chlorthalidone. A decade ago, the ALLHAT investigators concluded that, “thiazide-type diuretics are superior in preventing 1 or more major forms of CVD and are less expensive. They should be preferred for first-step antihypertensive therapy.” In response to concerns that low and high serum …
Maintenance of Spermatogenesis in Testis of the Hypophysec-tomized Rat with Sterol Derivatives.

Administration of synthetic androgens was begun on the 2nd day after hypophysectomy and continued 20 days. Testosterone and transandrostenediol were the least effective in maintaining spermatogenesis. Dehydroisoandrosterone and cisandrostenedione were as active as the more potent androsterone from an andorgenic standpoint. Androstanedione and androstenedione had about the same androgenic activity as androsterone but were more effective in maintaining the testes. The capacity of these substances to maintain spermatogenesis was unrelated to their androgenic activity as based on either the capon comb or rat-accessory tests. It was shown that treatment must be begun soon after ablation of the hypophysis. They are not effective in reinitiating spermatogenesis.
Clinical education in a nursing home setting: A structured framework for student learning

Clinical education is a vital link in the development of entry-level competence for health professional students. A need exists, however, for quality clinical education experiences for students in nursing home settings. As the population ages and the number of patients recovering from acute illness increases, student exposure to the practice of physical therapy is required in this setting. This article introduces a three-tiered clinical education model for use by physical therapy students in a nursing home setting. Clinical, administrative and research skill development are highlighted. Integration of a variety of learning experiences across this spectrum helps students preparing for work in this environment after graduation.
Effects of particle surface properties on feeding selectivity in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and the blue mussel Mytilus edulis

article i nfo Article history: The mechanisms by which bivalve molluscs differentiate among particles are not clearly understood. Recent evidence suggests that particle selection by bivalves can be mediated by interactions between carbohydrates attached to a particle's surface and lectins present in the mucus covering the feeding organs. The physico- chemical surface properties of particles have also been proposed as factors contributing to particle selection. In this study, we examined the effects of surface charge and wettability of 10-μm spheres on particle selection by two species of suspension-feeding bivalves: eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). Microspheres were delivered to bivalves in particle-selection assays, and the proportions of spheres rejected as pseudofeces and egested as feces were determined using flow cytometry. Results sug- gest that when given a choice, both mussels and oysters rejected some types of microspheres (e.g., aluminum oxide) and ingested other types (e.g., polystyrene). In some assays, microspheres with very different surface charges or wettabilities were handled similarly, indicating that neither property alone was a qualifier for selection. The differences in surface properties between pairs of microspheres were also considered and used as variables in discriminant analyses. For oysters and mussels, the generated models explained ca. 25% and 72% of the variation in the data, respectively. In both models, wettability was more important than charge in classifying data into their correct group (rejected, preferentially ingested, or not selected). Results from this study support the idea that non-specific physicochemical interactions can play a role in mediating selection in suspension-feeding bivalves.
Components of Short-Term Memory and Their Relation to Language Processing Evidence From Neuropsychology and Neuroimaging

Verbal working memory consists of separable capacities for the retention of phonological and semantic information. Within the phonological domain, there are independent capacities for retaining input-phonological codes and output-phonological codes. The input-phonological capacity does not appear to be critical for language comprehension but is involved in verbatim repetition and long-term learning of new words. The semantic capacity is critical for both comprehension and production and for the learning of new semantic information. Different neural structures appear to underlie these capacities, with a left-parietal region involved in input-phonological retention and a left-frontal region involved in semantic retention.
Malignant melanoma of the ovary and exposure to clomiphene citrate: A case report and review of the literature☆☆☆

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this article is to present a case of metastatic malignant melanoma of the ovary, a review of the current literature, and current recommendations for preventative and consultative management. Study Design: This is a case report and literature review. A 34-year-old woman had symptoms of pelvic abscess 1 month after clomiphene citrate stimulation for infertility. After a failed course of antibiotic therapy, an exploratory laparotomy was performed. Bilateral malignant melanomas of the ovary were discovered. The patient died 4 weeks later of disseminated metastases. Retrospectively, a history of a "mole" with unknown histopathologic characteristics had been removed from her arm 15 years earlier. A review of the literature was performed to provide current findings regarding malignant melanomas of the ovary, as well as to evaluate the potential relationship between the use of ovarian stimulating drugs and the development of melanomas. Results: Melanomas account for 3% of cancers, but the incidence of melanoma is rising. Genital melanomas are uncommon; the primary site is the vulva. Primary malignant melanoma of the ovary is rare; however, delayed recurrence from a primary skin site with metastasis to the ovary is documented. The literature suggests a possible relationship between the use of clomiphene citrate and an increase in melanomas of the skin. Conclusion: The gynecologist, as a primary provider, must be aware of the increasing incidence of malignant melanoma, as well as the recommendations for prevention. The gynecologist, as a consultant, must be aware of the risk of delayed recurrence of malignant melanoma. The potential for development of melanomas associated with the use of ovarian stimulation for infertility needs further monitoring and analysis. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1499-503.)
From Community Presence to Sense of Place: Community Experiences of Adults with Developmental Disabilities:

The places where people spend time and the experiences they have in these places are critical to the development of a sense of place and community connections. This study, based on individual exper...
Optical carrier supply module applicable to over 100 super-dense WDM systems of 1000 channels

This paper presents a prototype of an optical carrier supply module (OCSM) with a 12.5-GHz spaced 256-channel WDM carrier generator applicable to over 100 super-dense WDM systems and describes its scalability to 1000 channels.
Metastable supersaturated solutions of nitrogen in rapidly-solidified silicon

The depth distribution, chemical bonding, and electrical behavior of N quenched into Si by pulsed laser-induced melting have been investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy, infrared (ir) absorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrical conductivity. The results demonstrate that laser-induced melting of N-implanted layers provides access to a useful range of otherwise inaccessible conditions for the study of N in Si. Nitrogen concentrations four orders of magnitude above equilibrium solid solubility are retained in implanted layers with limited diffusion during laser-induced melt and rapid solidification. The N is incorporated predominantly as N-N pairs bonded to Si, similar to the bonding configuration for equilibrium concentrations introduced during ingot growth. Formation of Si/sub /ital x//N/sub /ital y// clusters is suggested to explain ir absorption bands, features in TEM, and shallow donor activity observed after furnace annealing near 750 /degree/C. These cluster effects are removed by a melt/solidification sequence which restores the N to N-N pair centers together with a small fraction of off-center substitutional N.
Epidemiology of Childhood Tuberculosis in the United States, 1993–2001: The Need for Continued Vigilance

Objective To describe trends and highlight epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of childhood tuberculosis (TB) in the United States. Methods All verified TB cases reported to the national TB surveillance system from 1993 to 2001 were included. A child was defined as a person younger than 15 years. Results A total of 11,480 childhood TB cases were reported. Case rates (TB cases/100,000 population) in all children declined from 2.9 (n = 1663) in 1993 to 1.5 (n = 931) in 2001. Among children, those who were younger than 5 years had the highest rate. California, Texas, and New York accounted for 48% of all childhood TB cases. In 2001, TB case rates were higher for foreign-born (12.2) than US-born children (1.1). Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children accounted for nearly three quarters of all cases. Twenty-four percent of children with TB were foreign-born children, with the largest number originating from Mexico (39.8%), the Philippines (8.6%), and Vietnam (5.7%). Most children had evidence of pulmonary TB disease (78.9%). Among culture-positive cases without previous TB, drug resistance to at least isoniazid was 7.3% and to isoniazid and rifampin was 1.6%. In 1999, 82.9% of children received directly observed therapy for at least part of their treatment and 94.8% completed treatment. Conclusions Although the overall TB case number among children is declining in the United States, certain groups of children (eg, younger children, racial and ethnic minorities, foreign-born) are at higher risk for TB. As the United States moves toward the elimination of TB, future efforts should endeavor to prevent all cases of childhood TB.
Optimal Locations for Protection System Enhancement: A Simulation of Cascading Outages

Recent studies have shown that hidden failures in the protective devices have a great impact on the power system reliability. In this paper, the authors provide definitions of vulnerability and reliability of protection systems to numerically characterize this impact. A random search algorithm based on power system heuristics is given for fast rare-event simulation of consecutive relaying malfunctions in bulk power systems. They also propose an economical system upgrading strategy that can best enhance the protection system reliability under limited budget. Finally, they present the result of a case study on New York Power Pool (NYPP) 3000-bus system.
it's about Water: anthropological Perspectives on Water and Policy

This paper summarizes research issues and approaches contained in eight papers presented at the Conference on Environment, Resources, and Sustainability, held in fall 2002 in Athens, Georgia. These papers were part of sessions devoted to "Water, Agriculture, and the Environment," one of five working groups at the conference. The papers addressed issues including: contested uses of water and watercourses, water for agriculture, management of watersheds, and allocation of water rights. Cultural understandings of water was foregrounded in all of the papers. In this paper, the contributions are considered in a broader global context and implications for policy determinations are explored. The role of anthropology and anthropologists in delineating problems concerned with water and human use is elaborated. The working group papers constitute a contribution to growing dialogue on the importance of anthropological input to the formation of policy in diverse decision-making arenas.
Surface photovoltage monitoring of the Si-buried oxide interface charges

Shows that SPV can be employed for fast and reliable monitoring ofthe Si-BOX interfacial charges. Simulation ofthe 0.25 pm CMOS-SOI transistor indicated degradation ofthe subthreshold leakage when the charge density exceeded 2 * 10/sup 12/ cm-2. Further MOSFET miniaturization could lower the critical value of Q/sub Si-Box/ to the levels presently observed in SIMOX SOI wafers.
Application of multifractals in the characterization of WWW traffic

We explore the viability of multifractal analysis in modeling the traffic generation process at a WWW server. In principle, a WWW traffic model can be used for generating representative WWW traces and in designing prefetching and cache replacement policies. Multifractal processes constitute a superset of monofractal (selfsimilar) processes. They are characterized by a time-dependent scaling law, which provides flexibility in describing irregularities that are localized in time. R. Riedi et al. (see IEEE Trans. on Inf. Theory, vol.45, no.3, p.992-1018, 1999) presented a multifractal process that can be fitted to empirical time series with an arbitrary autocorrelation function (ACF) and with an approximately lognormal marginal distribution. We use this model to capture simultaneously the temporal and spatial localities of WWW traffic. Furthermore, the popularity profile is captured by a construction using the LRU (least recently used) stack and the popularity profiles of each file in the real trace. We classify files into several classes according to their popularity profile and model the stack distance of each class separately. Trace-driven simulations are used to study the performance of our model and contrast it with a previously proposed model.
mRNA expression of extracellular matrix proteins following exposure of bladder smooth muscle cells to sustained hydrostatic pressure

The bladder responds to, functions under, and is controlled by mechanical forces. In vivo, pathological conditions involving elevated pressures within the bladder have been associated with increased amounts of extracellular matrix production and decreased bladder tissue compliance. The present in vitro cellular model was designed to simulate conditions pertinent to bladder function at the cellular/molecular level and examined the responses of bladder smooth muscle cells to sustained hydrostatic pressure. Specifically, the transcription of extracellular matrix proteins (such as collagen and laminin) were monitored following exposure of bladder smooth muscle cells to sustained hydrostatic pressure.
Anthrax lethal factor-cleavage products of MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases exhibit reduced binding to their cognate MAPKs

Anthrax lethal toxin is the major cause of death in systemic anthrax. Lethal toxin consists of two proteins: protective antigen and LF (lethal factor). Protective antigen binds to a cell-surface receptor and transports LF into the cytosol. LF is a metalloprotease that targets MKKs [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinases]/MEKs [MAPK/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinases], cleaving them to remove a small N-terminal stretch but leaving the bulk of the protein, including the protein kinase domain, intact. LF-mediated cleavage of MEK1 and MKK6 has been shown to inhibit signalling through their cognate MAPK pathways. However, the precise mechanism by which this proteolytic cleavage inhibits signal transmission has been unclear. Here we show that the C-terminal LF-cleavage products of MEK1, MEK2, MKK3, MKK4, MKK6 and MKK7 are impaired in their ability to bind to their MAPK substrates, suggesting a common mechanism for the LF-induced inhibition of signalling.
A novel human antimicrobial factor targets Pseudomonas aeruginosa through its type III secretion system

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic bacterial pathogen. Despite its metabolic and virulence versatility, it has not been shown to infect articular joints, which are areas that are rarely infected with bacteria in general. We hypothesized that articular joints possess antimicrobial activity that limits bacterial survival in these environments. We report that cartilages secrete a novel antimicrobial factor, henceforth referred to as the cartilage-associated antimicrobial factor (CA-AMF), with potent antimicrobial activity. Importantly, CA-AMF exhibited significantly more antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa strains with a functional type III secretion system (T3SS). We propose that CA-AMF represents a new class of human antimicrobial factors in innate immunity, one which has evolved to selectively target pathogenic bacteria among the beneficial and commensal microflora. The T3SS is the first example, to the best of our knowledge, of a pathogen-specific molecular target in this antimicrobial defence system.
Inhibition of in vitro cytotoxicity of lymphocytes from patients with ulcerative colitis and granulomatous colitis for allogeneic colonic epithelial cells using horse anti-human thymus serum.

Summary This study reports the cytotoxic effects in vitro of lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of patients with granulomatous or ulcerative colitis on suspensions of allogeneic colonic epithelial cells after 4 hr of incubation at 37 C. It has shown also that this effect can be inhibited by preliminary incubation of the lymphocytes in the presence of 10% horse anti-human thymus serum but not normal horse serum. Preliminary incubation of the colonic epithelial cells with either serum did not produce any similar inhibitory effect. If the hypothesis is accepted that the cytotoxic effects of lymphocytes on colonic epithelial cells may have a role in the pathogenesis of granulomatous or ulcerative colitis, then it is suggested that a clinical trial of horse anti-human thymus serum, possibly in association with other immunosuppressives, might prove valuable.
Renal 2′,3′-Cyclic Nucleotide 3′-Phosphodiesterase Is an Important Determinant of AKI Severity after Ischemia-Reperfusion

A positional isomer of 3',5'-cAMP, 2',3'-cAMP, is produced by kidneys in response to energy depletion, and renal 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) metabolizes 2',3'-cAMP to 2'-AMP; 2',3'-cAMP is a potent opener of mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTPs), which can stimulate autophagy. Because autophagy protects against AKI, it is conceivable that inhibition of CNPase protects against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) -induced AKI. Therefore, we investigated renal outcomes, mitochondrial function, number, area, and autophagy in CNPase-knockout (CNPase(-/-)) versus wild-type (WT) mice using a unique two-kidney, hanging-weight model of renal bilateral IR (20 minutes of ischemia followed by 48 hours of reperfusion). Analysis of urinary purines showed attenuated metabolism of 2',3'-cAMP to 2'-AMP in CNPase(-/-) mice. Neither genotype nor IR affected BP, heart rate, urine volume, or albumin excretion. In WT mice, renal IR reduced (14)C-inulin clearance (index of GFR) and increased renal vascular resistance (measured by transit time nanoprobes) and urinary excretion of kidney injury molecule-1 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin. IR did not affect these parameters in CNPase(-/-) mice. Histologic analysis revealed that IR induced severe damage in kidneys from WT mice, whereas histologic changes were minimal after IR in CNPase(-/-) mice. Measurements of renal cardiolipin levels, citrate synthase activity, rotenone-sensitive NADH oxidase activity, and proximal tubular mitochondrial and autophagosome area and number (by transmission electron microscopy) indicted accelerated autophagy/mitophagy in injured CNPase(-/-) mice. We conclude that CNPase deletion attenuates IR-induced AKI, in part by accelerating autophagy with targeted removal of damaged mitochondria.
COMPONENT SELECTION AND SMOOTHING FOR NONPARAMETRIC REGRESSION IN EXPONENTIAL FAMILIES

We propose a new penalized likelihood method for model selection and nonparametric regression in exponential families. In the framework of smoothing spline ANOVA, our method employs a regularization with the penalty functional being the sum of the reproducing kernel Hilbert space norms of functional com- ponents in the ANOVA decomposition. It generalizes the LASSO in the linear regression to the nonparametric context, and conducts component selection and smoothing simultaneously. Continuous and categorical variables are treated in a unied fashion. We discuss the connection of the method to the traditional smooth- ing spline penalized likelihood estimation. We show that an equivalent formulation of the method leads naturally to an iterative algorithm. Simulations and examples are used to demonstrate the performances of the method.
A Comparison of Mixture and Vector Space Techniques for Translation Model Adaptation

In this paper, we propose two extensions to the vector space model (VSM) adaptation technique (Chen et al., 2013b) for statistical machine translation (SMT), both of which result in significant improvements. We also systematically compare the VSM techniques to three mixture model adaptation techniques: linear mixture, log-linear mixture (Foster and Kuhn, 2007), and provenance features (Chiang et al., 2011). Experiments on NIST Chinese-to-English and Arabic-to-English tasks show that all methods achieve significant improvement over a competitive non-adaptive baseline. Except for the original VSM adaptation method, all methods yield improvements in the +1.7-2.0 BLEU range. Combining them gives further significant improvements of up to +2.6-3.3 BLEU over the baseline.
Substantial Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in Households With Children During the 2013-2014 Influenza Season, When 2009 Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) Virus Predominated.

Background We examined the influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) during the 2013-2014 influenza season, in which 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus (influenza A[H1N1]pdm09) predominated. In 2 previous years when influenza A(H3N2) virus predominated, the VE was low and negatively affected by prior year vaccination. Methods We enrolled and followed 232 households with 1049 members, including 618 children; specimens were collected from subjects with acute respiratory illnesses. The VE in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection was estimated in adjusted models. Preseason hemagglutination-inhibition and neuraminidase-inhibition antibody titers were determined to assess susceptibility. Results Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was identified in 25 households (10.8%) and 47 individuals (4.5%). Adjusted VE against infection with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was 66% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23%-85%), with similar point estimates in children and adults, and against both community-acquired and household-acquired infections. VE did not appear to be different for live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines among children aged 2-8 years, although numbers were small. VE was similar for subjects vaccinated in both current and prior seasons and for those vaccinated in the current season only; susceptibility titers were consistent with this observation. Conclusions Findings, including substantial significant VE and a lack of a negative effect of repeated vaccination on VE, were in contrast to those seen in prior seasons in which influenza A(H3N2) virus predominated.
Maternal whole grain intake and outcomes of in vitro fertilization.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between pretreatment intake of whole grains and outcomes of IVF. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Academic medical center. Patient(s) A total of 273 women who collectively underwent 438 IVF cycles. Intervention(s) Whole grain intake was assessed with a validated food frequency questionnaire at enrollment. Main Outcome Measure(s) Intermediate and clinical end points of IVF were abstracted from medical records. Result(s) Women had a median whole grain intake of 34.2 g per day (∼1.2 servings/day). Higher pretreatment whole grain intake was associated with higher probability of implantation and live birth. The adjusted percentage of cycles resulting in live birth for women in the highest quartile of whole grain intake (>52.4 g/day) was 53% (95% confidence interval [CI] 41%, 65%) compared with 35% (95% CI 25%, 46%) for women in the lowest quartile ( Conclusion(s) Higher pretreatment whole grain intake was related to higher probability of live birth among women undergoing IVF. The higher probability of live birth may result from increased endometrial thickness on the day of ET and improved embryo receptivity manifested in a higher probability of implantation.
Effect of Arginine on Growth and Formation of Arginine Dihydrolase in Streptococcus faecalis.

Summary1. Strains D10 and ST of S. faecalis were shown on a synthetic culture medium to require arginine for growth. Citrulline, the intermediate compound in the hydrolysis of arginine by these organisms, was found to replace arginine. Citrulline, however, produced only one-fourth as much growth. 2. Strain ST, in contrast to D10, possessed the ability to produce in very young cells a strong arginine dihydrolase enzyme system in the presence of small (10 μml) quantities of arginine. Approximately 100 times as much arginine was required by D10 to produce a comparable enzyme activity. 3. Serial fermentation analyses of cultures of the 2 strains are presented in relation to the rate of synthesis of the arginine dihydrolase enzyme system by the cells. 4. No significant quantities of arginine desimidase were formed when citrulline was used as a substrate for growth. 5. It is concluded that the synthesis of arginine dihydrolase in strain ST is directly connected with growth. Although both ST and D10 require argi...
Peanut Agglutinin: A New Marker for Tissue Histiocytes

The histiocyte (macrophage) is a unique cellular constituent of the immune system which is involved in immune and non-immune cellular reactions, as well as in the genesis of a variety of benign and malignant neoplasms. The ability to distinguish histiocytes from similar appearing cells morphologically, is often difficult, yet may be of considerable practical and theoretical importance. The present study describes a new marker for histiocytes, applicable to routinely processed tissues. An immunoperoxidase procedure to detect binding of peanut agglutinin (PNA) was applied to 58 specimens consisting of lymph nodes, extranodal lymphoid tissues, neoplasms and reactive histiocytic lesions. Results were compared with a currently accepted histiocytic marker--cytoplasmic muramidase. Of the 58 tissues, 51 showed PNA binding to morphologically recognizable histiocytes, whereas muramidase was detected in only 44. PNA binding- appeared at least as sensitive and specific as muramidase, as a marker for histiocytes, and offers the advantage that it does not bind to cells of the granulocytic series.