cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transit Buses as Traffic Probes: Use of Geolocation Data for Empirical Evaluation

With the growing availability of data because of the deployment of intelligent transportation systems, methods for assessing and reporting traffic characteristics and conditions have begun to shift. Although previous level-of-service methods were developed for use with limited data, actual performance measures can now be developed and tested. On freeways, performance measures often are estimated directly by using data from inductive loop detectors (e.g., speed, occupancy, vehicle counts). For arterials with numerous signalized intersections, performance measures are more challenging because of more complicated traffic control and many origins and destinations. However, within signalized networks, travel time, speed, and other key performance measures can be obtained both directly and indirectly from sources such as automatic vehicle location (AVL) data. The use of AVL data for characterizing the performance of an arterial is demonstrated. First, data are extracted from the bus dispatch system of the Tri-County Metropolitan Transit District (TriMet), the transit provider for Portland, Oregon. Then, the performance characteristics as described by bus travel on an arterial are compared to ground truth data collected by probe vehicles equipped with Global Positioning System sensors traveling with normal (nontransit) traffic on the same arterial on the same days. Comparisons are made between the two methods, and some conclusions are drawn regarding the utility of the transit AVL data.
Availability of High-Quality TRMM Ground Validation Data from Kwajalein, RMI: A Practical Application of the Relative Calibration Adjustment Technique

Since the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite launch in November 1997, the TRMM Satellite Validation Office (TSVO) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has been performing quality control and estimating rainfall from the KPOL S-band radar at Kwajalein, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Over this period, KPOL has incurred many episodes of calibration and antenna pointing angle uncertainty. To address these issues, the TSVO has applied the Relative Calibration Adjustment (RCA) technique to eight years of KPOL radar data to produce Ground Validation (GV) Version 7 products. This application has significantly improved stability in KPOL reflectivity distributions needed for Probability Matching Method (PMM) rain rate estimation and for comparisons to the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR). In years with significant calibration and angle corrections, the statistical improvement in PMM distributions is dramatic. The intent of this paper is to show improved stability in corrected KPOL reflectivity distributions by using the PR as a stable reference. Inter-month fluctuations in mean reflectivity differences between the PR and corrected KPOL are on the order of 1-2 dB, and inter-year mean reflectivity differences fluctuate by approximately 1 dB. This represents a marked improvement in stability with confidence comparable to the established calibration and uncertainty boundaries of the PR. The practical application of the RCA method has salvaged eight years of radar data that would have otherwise been unusable, and has made possible a high-quality database of tropical ocean-based reflectivity measurements and precipitation estimates for the research community.
An X.PC/TCP protocol translator

The design of a computer communications device is presented the purpose of which is to act as a translator between two virtual circuit protocols: Tymnet's X.PC, and the US Department of Defense's DOD's TCP. Protocol translation in general and details on how the X.PC/TCP translation is done are discussed. Problems found in the task of protocol translation are also discussed. >
Feeding Preferences of the Adult Pine Sawyer, Monochamus carolinensis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), for Four Pine Species

Newly emerged adult Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier) were tested to determine if there was a host preference in feeding during the period of sexual maturation. Beetles were given a choice of bark from four pine species. Insects emerging from Scotch pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) and jack pine ( P, banksiana Lamb.) consumed significantly more bark of Scotch pine. Those which emerged from short leaf pine consumed significantly more jack pine. Overall, Scotch pine was the most preferred host, while shortleaf and eastern white pines ( P. echinata [Mill.] and P. strobus L.) were the least preferred.
University Administration: Design Insights from Alternative Decompositions

Faculty see the university as a shelter from socioeconomic forces where the contemplative life can flourish and debate is open and informed. Students see the university as a protective haven where they may be exposed to the works of the greatest scholars and where they can develop a life view.
Tubulointerstitial disease in glomerulonephritis. Potential role of osteopontin (uropontin).

Abstract Interstitial inflammation and tubular injury accompany most types of glomerulonephritis and are likely to mediate progressive renal injury. We hypothesized that the interstitial monocyte/macrophage accumulation in nephritis involves osteopontin, a cell attachment glycoprotein that avidly binds macrophages in vitro and induces a macrophage-rich infiltrate on subcutaneous injection in mice (Singh et al, J Exp Med, 1990, 171: 1931). In this study, we demonstrate that osteopontin messenger RNA and protein levels are up-regulated in a proportion of proximal and distal tubules in three experimental models of glomerulonephritis. In all three models, the expression of osteopontin initially precedes histological evidence of tubular injury, but is correlated with subsequent sites of monocyte/macrophage accumulation and tubular damage. Osteopontin expression also correlates with the severity of the tubulointerstitial injury, being greatest in amino-nucleoside nephrosis. These data suggest that 1) osteopontin is up-regulated in tubules in glomerular disease; 2) osteopontin may be important for macrophage accumulation at specific sites in diseased tissue; and 3) osteopontin may therefore have a role in the pathogenesis of the tubulointerstitial injury that accompanies glomerulonephritis.
Psychosocial Care of the Cancer Patient

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer are events that confront the patient, family, physician, and other members of the health care team. Each stage of the illness, from diagnosis to death, is characterized by individual psychosocial tasks and problems. The authors develop specific guidelines that phsycians can use for the psychosocial assessment of and intervention with the cancer patient. The overall goal is to provide the patient with hope balanced with reality of al stages of the disease. Methods are given for assessment and intervention at four specific points in the disease: (1) the initial meeting between patient and physician, (2) the completion of treatment, (3) the time when treatment fails, and (4) the terminal stage. The benefits of psychosocial assessment and intervention for the patient, family, and health care team are discussed.
Elbow Imaging in Sport: Sports Imaging Series.

Nonenhanced MR imaging is the routine reference standard for evaluation of soft-tissue abnormalities around the elbow in athletes.
Inseparability of Go and Stop in Inhibitory Control: Go Stimulus Discriminability Affects Stopping Behavior

Inhibitory control, the ability to stop or modify preplanned actions under changing task conditions, is an important component of cognitive functions. Two lines of models of inhibitory control have previously been proposed for human response in the classical stop-signal task, in which subjects must inhibit a default go response upon presentation of an infrequent stop signal: (1) the race model, which posits two independent go and stop processes that race to determine the behavioral outcome, go or stop; and (2) an optimal decision-making model, which posits that observers decides whether and when to go based on continually (Bayesian) updated information about both the go and stop stimuli. In this work, we probe the relationship between go and stop processing by explicitly manipulating the discrimination difficulty of the go stimulus. While the race model assumes the go and stop processes are independent, and therefore go stimulus discriminability should not affect the stop stimulus processing, we simulate the optimal model to show that it predicts harder go discrimination should result in longer go reaction time (RT), lower stop error rate, as well as faster stop-signal RT. We then present novel behavioral data that validate these model predictions. The results thus favor a fundamentally inseparable account of go and stop processing, in a manner consistent with the optimal model, and contradicting the independence assumption of the race model. More broadly, our findings contribute to the growing evidence that the computations underlying inhibitory control are systematically modulated by cognitive influences in a Bayes-optimal manner, thus opening new avenues for interpreting neural responses underlying inhibitory control.
Down Syndrome and Acute Leukemia: Epidemiological and Genetic Relationships

Children with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate increased risk for acute leukemia. Although the incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the same in children with and without DS, the rate of occurrence of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is increased in children with DS younger than 3 years. Many cases of undifferentiated and blastic leukemias, examined by newer procedures, appear to be acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), Fab-M7. Transient leukemoid reaction (TLR), a neonatal phenomenon with many of the features of acute leukemia, also occurs most frequently in children with DS. Although TLR typically remits without treatment, some patients with TLR subsequently develop a true acute leukemia. The relationships between DS, TLR, congenital leukemia, and the various forms of AML are not well understood. Hematological, epidemiological, and cytogenetic evidence linking these phenomena are reviewed and discussed.
Analysis on Epidemic Situation of Hand-foot-mouth Disease in Gongzhuling City in 2010

[Objective]To study the characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease in Gongzhuling city,provide the measures for future prevention and control.[Methods]Using national disease report system,the epidemic data of hand-foot-mouth disease in Gongzhuling city in 2010 were analyzed with descriptive epidemiology method.[Results]In 2010,there were 1668 cases of hand-foot-mouth disease in Gongzhuling city with the incidence of 156.75/lakh,which increased by 26.11% as compared with 2009,and there was no death case.There were 1 022 male patients and 666 female patients,and the male-to-female ratio was 1.53∶1.83.41% of patients were children under 5 years old.Most cases were scattered children and kindergarten children,which accounted for 97.16%.There was obvious regional distribution,the cases of 8 eastern towns accounted for 57.87% of total cases.The clustered cases of hand-foot-mouth disease were frequent.[Conclusion]It is important to strengthen the propaganda and improve the health consciousness in key population,which is the most effective measure for hand-foot-mouth disease control.
Linking midwives and abortion in the Progressive Era.

Une campagne de sante publique dirigee contre les sages-femmes et l'avortement fut mise en place au XIX e siecle aux Etats-Unis, afin de diminuer la mortalite
Thrombosis and Antithrombotic Therapy in Microvascular Surgery

Thrombosis in microsurgery can either totally or partially reduce the perfusion to the free tissue transfer. Total occlusion normally occurs at or near the microvascular anastomosis, while microscopic vasospasm in the distal microcirculation can account for malperfusion and wound healing problems. The mechanisms of the anastomotic and microcirculatory responses to thrombosis are discussed. Drug therapy for each risk zone is identified, and a rationale for therapy is given.
Assessment of individuals with BRCA1 and BRCA2 large rearrangements in high-risk breast and ovarian cancer families

BRCA1/2 large rearrangement (LR) testing has been available to patients since 2006. Three existing models commonly used in cancer genetics clinical and research settings (BRCAPRO, Penn II and Myriad II) have not been assessed for their performance in predicting the presence of BRCA1/2 large genomic rearrangements in patients who do not have mutations detectable by the traditional Sanger sequencing approach. This study sought to determine if there is an optimal pre-test probability “cut off” value, calculated using these models, to optimize detection of large rearrangements (LRs). Our cohort consisted of 3,301 probands seen for genetic counseling and BRCA1/2 clinical testing from September 2006 to September 2011. A detailed personal and three-generation family history, including self-reported ethnicity, was taken as part of our standard clinical practice. We applied the BRCAPRO, Penn II, and Myriad II models to the probands with LRs. In our cohort of 3,301 probands, 150 carried a non-Ashkenazi mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2. Seventeen unrelated probands carried a private BRCA1/2 LR (17/150, 11.3 % of all detectable non-AJ mutations). At a pre-test probability cutoff of 10 %, all three empiric risk models would have failed to identify almost 30 % of probands with LRs. Our study shows that BRCA1/2 LR testing should be offered to all women who meet criteria for BRCA1/2 sequence analysis.
A Guide to Groups, Rings, and Fields: A Guide to this Guide

In the first chapter I give a brief historical introduction. Its main role is to situate us in what I call the “modern” approach to algebra. The second and third chapters are about notations, concepts, and words that I will be using throughout. Chapter 2 introduces the language of category theory, while chapter 3 surveys algebraic structures. I use categorical language only where I feel it is really helpful, so readers should feel free to skip chapter 2 and only refer back as needed. It is also possible to skip chapter 3, since most of the definitions introduced there will be repeated later. Some readers, however, have told me that reading chapter 3 gave them a helpful overview of the algebraic landscape, preparing them for the more detailed exploration to follow. One of my themes in that chapter is that ideas build on other ideas and structures get increasingly rich. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 are the meat of the book. They address, respectively, groups, rings, and fields. Chapter 4 includes the standard results about groups and the basics of representation theory. Rings and modules are treated next, in Chapter 5; this is the longest chapter, since the world of rings and modules is full of variety. The final chapter deals with fields and skew fields, including Galois theory and the Brauer group. Each of these chapters includes more material than some readers will need or want, so I have tried to make it easy for readers to skip around.
Sartre and Fanon on Embodied Bad Faith

In April 1961, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Frantz Fanon met in a cafe in Rome. The meeting, at least as recorded by de Beauvoir, went on for hours, reportedly until two in the morning, to the point of Sartre’s 56- year-old body suffering fatigue. Sartre was in need of rest, urged de Beauvoir. Fanon, his 36-year-old body dying from leukaemia, resented her insistence: ‘I don’t like men who hoard their resources.’1 He wished to take advantage of that golden opportunity of talking to Sartre for weeks without rest if necessary. Yet, exhaustion prevailed, although the legendary meeting consisted of non-stop conversation for nearly three days. Sartre, impressed by the young revolutionary, had agreed to write the preface for The Wretched of the Earth, a work reputedly composed over ten strained weeks, and he and the editorial collective also agreed to publish the first chapter in the June issue of Les Temps modernes. Fanon’s health worsened as the year went on. He eventually went to Bethesda, Maryland, for treatment in late November, where he was detained by the CIA and denied treatment. He died on 6 December from pneumonia.
E-021 the zerogravity radiation protection system in neuroendovascular procedures: a prospective case-control study

Introduction The ZeroGravity (ZG) radiation protection system was designed to minimize radiation exposure during angiographic and fluoroscopic procedures. It is composed by an overhead suspended 1.00 mm lead suit. Data in neurovascular procedures is not available. Methods For a period of 3 months in a tertiary care center, one operator utilized conventional lead apron (LA)(Burlington Burlite 0.5 mm) and the other utilized the ZG system. Dosimeters were utilized in the left forehead (head), left thyroid, chest (left chest pocked of scrubs) and left ankle (foot). Dosimeter measurements were obtained at the end of the study period for total Deep Dose Equivalent (DDE). Radiation exposure was measured in cumulative DAP (mGycm 2 ). Results The two operators scrubbed in a total of 123 procedures: 71 stroke interventions, 21 diagnostic angiograms, 15 aneurysm embolizations, 9 carotid stents, and 6 miscellaneous procedures. The exposure to radiation was not different statistically with 233934 ± 130736 mGycm 2 for the ZG vs. 293424 ± 374889 mGycm 2 for the LA operator (p = 0.274). The table below depicts the DDE comparison between ZG vs. LA. The head on the LA was exposed to approximately 2 times more radiation, the thyroid 14 times, mediastinum infinite, and foot 3 times more radiation. The overall exposure to radiation was 4 times higher for the LA operator. Conclusion The ZeroGravity (ZG) radiation protection system leads to substantially lower radiation exposure to the operator in neurointervention. However, substantial exposure may still occur at the level of the lens and thyroid to justify additional protection. Disclosures D. Haussen: None. R. Nogueira: None.
"They're Pretty Much Made for Blunts": Product Features That Facilitate Marijuana Use Among Young Adult Cigarillo Users in the United States.

Introduction Cigarillo use is prevalent among young adults in the United States. Many young people use cigarillos as "blunts," a term for a cigar emptied of its tobacco and replaced with marijuana. Because cigars in the United States are not subject to the same regulations as cigarettes, they offer a diverse selection of flavors and packaging styles. It is unclear how these and other product attributes facilitate blunt use. Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a sample of 40 young adult cigar or cigarillo users in the United States to assess patterns of use and perceptions about product features. Quotations from interview transcripts were coded for major themes and summarized across participants. Results Regardless of their preferred brand, participants felt that the brand Black & Mild is primarily smoked for the tobacco. There was a strong perception, however, that other popular cigarillo brands are almost always used to make blunts. Participants believed that cigarillo companies design their products to simplify blunt-making, with features such as perforated lines or wrappings that unroll easily. Resealable foil pouches, a popular packaging style, are often used to hold unused marijuana and mask its smell. Conclusions Blunt use is pervasive among young adult cigarillo users in the United States, and certain cigar companies have developed products that facilitate blunt-making. Future surveillance measures should capture the extent to which cigarillo users are using these products as blunts. Continued surveillance of cigarillo sales and popular product attributes are needed. Implications Cigarillo use is prevalent among young adults in the United States, many of whom are using the products as blunts. This study found that product features such as brand, flavor, packaging, and price influence the selection of cigarillos used for this purpose. There is also a strong perception among young adult cigarillo users that cigarillo companies design their products and packaging to make the blunt-making process simple and enjoyable. Better surveillance measures are needed to capture the extent to which cigarillos are used as blunts and which product features are driving category growth.
Clinical Score Predicting Long-Term Survival after Repeat Resection for Recurrent Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

Background Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive malignancy typically resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. Surgery, even in the setting of locally recurrent or metastatic disease, remains the only potentially curative option. However, the subset of patients who will benefit from repeat resection in this setting remains ill defined. The objective of this study was to propose a prognostic clinical score that facilitates selection of patients for repeat resection of recurrent ACC. Study Design Patients who underwent curative-intent repeat resection for recurrent ACC at 1 of 13 academic medical centers participating in the US ACC Study Group were identified. End points included morbidity, mortality, and overall survival. Results Fifty-six patients underwent repeat curative-intent resection for recurrent ACC (representing 21% of 265 patients who underwent resection for primary ACC) from 1997 to 2014. Median age was 52 years. Sites of resected recurrence included locoregional only (54%), lung only (14%), liver only (12%), combined locoregional and lung (4%), combined liver and lung (4%), and other distant sites (12%). Thirty-day morbidity and mortality rates were 40% and 5.4%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that the presence of multifocal recurrence, disease-free interval Conclusions Long-term survival after repeat resection for recurrent ACC is feasible when 2 of the following factors are present: solitary tumor, disease-free interval >12 months, and locoregional or pulmonary recurrence.
Vibrational Predissociation of the HCl-(H2O)3 Tetramer.

The vibrational predissociation of the HCl–(H2O)3 tetramer, the largest HCl–(H2O)n cluster for which HCl is not predicted to be ionized, is reported. This work focuses on the predissociation pathway giving rise to H2O + HCl–(H2O)2 following IR laser excitation of the H-bonded OH stretch fundamental. H2O fragments are monitored state selectively by 2 + 1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS). Velocity map images of H2O in selected rotational levels are used to determine translational energy distributions from which the internal energy distributions in the pair-correlated cofragments are derived. From the maximum translational energy release, the bond dissociation energy, D0 = 2400 ± 100 cm–1, is determined for the investigated channel. The energy distributions in the fragments are broad, encompassing the entire range of allowed states. The importance of cooperative (nonpairwise) interactions is discussed.
Simulation in Watershed Planning

Hydrologic and hydraulic simulation is an effective technique in comprehensive watershed planning and in subsequent plan implementation. The need and rationale for simulation are considered, as is the use of existing, readily available computer programs. Examples drawn primarily from completed watershed studies illustrate how simulation may be utilized during the watershed planning process for: floodland delineation, computation of monetary flood damages, evaluation of hydraulic adequacy of river crossings, analysis of structural flood control alternatives, determination of land use effects, and synthesis of low flows. Applications of simulation in plan implementation include: floodway determination, encroachment studies, provision of design data for river crossings, preparation of flood insurance reports, incorporation of improved mapping and watershed changes, dissemination of flood hazard information, and flood forecasting.
Pre‐mRNA Splicing

Pre-mRNA splicing is an RNA processing reaction by which introns are removed from an mRNA precursor and exons are precisely joined together to form a functional mature mRNA. Splicing involves two successive trans-esterification reactions that occur in the spliceosome, which is a multicomponent complex composed of a large number of protein factors and five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), each functioning as an RNA–protein complex (ribonucleoprotein or snRNP). A significant body of evidence indicates that both spliceosome assembly and catalytic core formation are orchestrated by an intricate network of RNA–RNA interactions. Most eukaryotic introns invariably start with the dinucleotide GT (GU in RNA) and end with the dinucleotide AG. Splicing of these introns occurs in the major spliceosome containing five abundant snRNPs (U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6). In high eukaryotes, a rare class of introns also exists, beginning with the dinucleotide AT (AU in RNA) and ending with the dinucleotide AC. Removal of this class of introns requires the participation of a different set of snRNPs, namely U11, U12, U5, U4atac, and U6atac. Recent advances in pre-mRNA splicing have provided strong evidence for an RNA enzyme catalyzing the two trans-esterification reactions in the spliceosome.
A radiation tolerant light pulser for particle physics applications

Abstract A light emitting diode (LED) pulser has been developed that can be used for tests or calibration of timing and amplitude sensitivity of particle physics detectors. A comparative study is performed on the components and pulser output characteristics before and after application of 800 MeV protons and cobalt-60 gammas. This device is demonstrated to be tolerant to fluences up to 6.7 × 10 13 800-MeV-p/cm 2 and gamma doses up to 5 Mrad.
Demonstrating Printed Paper Actuator: A Low-cost Reversible Actuation and Sensing Method for Shape Changing Interfaces

We present a printed paper actuator as a low cost, reversible and electrical actuation and sensing method. This is a novel but easily accessible enabling technology that expands upon the library of actuation-sensing materials in HCI. By integrating three physical phenomena, including the bilayer bending actuation, the shape memory effect of the thermoplastic and the current-driven joule heating via conductive printing filament, we developed the actuator by simply printing a single layer conductive Polylactide (PLA) on a piece of copy paper via a desktop fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer. This paper describes the fabrication process, the material mechanism, and the transformation primitives, followed by the electronic sensing and control methods. A software tool that assists the design, simulation and printing toolpath generation is introduced. Finally, we explored applications under four contexts: robotics, interactive art, entertainment and home environment.
Modification of Natural Alumosilicates Suspensions by Cation-Active Organic Compounds and Study of Structural-Sorption Properties of Thus Prepared Sorbents

The modification by cationic surfactants of sorbents based on hydromica and kaolinite – layered silicates with rigid structural cell – was performed by a modified sol-gel method. It was shown that the modification leads to sharp decrease of the minerals hydrophilicity, and to the increase of their affinity to the molecules of anionic and non-ionic surfactants. Significant increase of the sorption capacity of modified minerals with respect to non-ionic surfactants was ascribed to the formation of bulk associates of cationic and non-ionic surfactants.
Maritime Removal: An Unlikely Heuristic for Anchoring Three Non-Textual Principles of Original Federal Jurisdiction

This article uses maritime law as a heuristic for identifying and explaining three broad, non-textual interpretive principles essential to understanding statutory and constitutional grants of original federal jurisdiction. Initially, the article demonstrates the pitfalls of textual statutory isolationism when trying to interpret federal jurisdictional statutes by examining non-textual restrictions on the removal of Jones Act civil actions. Next the article explains how federalism modifies the plain meaning of the text of constitutional and statutory grants of jurisdiction by examining the removal of common law maritime claims. Tangentially, this examination also reveals the pivotal role admiralty and maritime law played in the ratification of the Constitution. Finally, by exploring the recent and controversial removal of admiralty actions pursuant to federal arbitration law, the article tangibly demonstrates that identical text often has a very different meaning when used in the Constitution and in statutory jurisdictional grants.
Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms and risk of colorectal adenomas (United States)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms influence risk of colorectal adenoma.
Abstract TP97: Physiological Plasma Concentrations of Atorvastatin and Simvastatin Enhance the Immunomodulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells on Stroke Derived Monocytes

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are being investigated as a stroke therapy both in preclinical and clinical trials. MSCs may promote recovery through secretome release and immunomodula...
Responses to Vignettes Depicting Friendship Transgressions: Similarities and Differences in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

We examined children's responses to vignettes depicting a child making one of four friendship transgressions; failing to provide validation, failing to provide help, being an unreliable partner, and betrayal. Twenty elementary students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 21 typically developing (TD) students participated. Children rated emotional responses, the strategies they would use following each transgression, interpretations of transgressions, and goals of their responses. Children with ASD rated sadness lower than TD children, and rated verbal aggression strategies higher than TD children. There were several significant correlations between emotional responses and goals, strategies, and interpretations in the ASD group. Betrayal was considered the most severe transgression. These results will aid researchers aiming to support friendship maintenance in children with ASD.
Inequities in Family Quality of Life for African-American Families Raising Children with Disabilities

Over time, groundbreaking changes in societies' views and treatment of persons with disabilities, along with significant legislative and policy changes, have impacted the quality of life of African-American families raising children with disabilities. This article presents some of the challenges and inequities faced by African-American families that impact their quality of life using critical race theory (CRT). Also, it reviews results obtained by a study of 123 African-American families raising children with disabilities. The article offers implications for policy and practice and discusses the role for social workers in addressing disparities in healthcare and other areas.
An Investigation of Data Poisoning Defenses for Online Learning.

Data poisoning attacks -- where an adversary can modify a small fraction of training data, with the goal of forcing the trained classifier to high loss -- are an important threat for machine learning in many applications. While a body of prior work has developed attacks and defenses, there is not much general understanding on when various attacks and defenses are effective. In this work, we undertake a rigorous study of defenses against data poisoning for online learning. First, we study four standard defenses in a powerful threat model, and provide conditions under which they can allow or resist rapid poisoning. We then consider a weaker and more realistic threat model, and show that the success of the adversary in the presence of data poisoning defenses there depends on the "ease" of the learning problem.
On Display: Fame, Anonymity, and the Fin-de-Siècle Fashion Model

When the animate fashion model emerged in the 1870s, cultural observers were quick to note the many paradoxes the ‘mannequin vivant’ embodied. Occupying both private and public spaces and blurring ...
Lithium Aminoborohydrides: Powerful, Selective, Air-Stable Reducing Agents

Lithium aminoborohydrides (LABs) are a new class of powerful, selective, air-stable reducing agents. LABs can be prepared as solids, as 1-2 M THF solutions, or generated in situ for immediate use. LABs can be synthesized from any primary or secondary amines, hence permitting control of the steric and electronic environment of these reagents. Solid LAB reagents can be used in dry air as easily as sodium borohydride and maintain their chemical activity for at least 6 months when stored under nitrogen or dry air at 25 °C. THF solutions of LABs retain their chemical activity for at least 9 months when stored under N2 at 25 °C. LAB reagents are non-pyrophoric and only liberate hydrogen slowly in protic solvents above pH 4. LABs reduce aromatic and aliphatic esters at 0 °C in air. Tertiary amides are selectively reduced to the corresponding amine or alcohol, depending on the steric environment of the LAB. α,β-Unsaturated aldehydes and ketones undergo selective 1,2-reduction to the corresponding allylic alcohols...
A generalization of the method of lines for the numerical solution of coupled, forced vibration of beams

Abstract Beam vibrations are encountered in real life and are important to investigate for proper monitoring of the structural health. Closed-form solutions to one-dimensional beam vibration problems are not always available, especially, if the governing equations are nonlinear or have strongly coupled multiple degrees-of-freedom for which, the numerical method is the only solution technique. The method of lines is a numerical technique for solving the initial boundary value problems; however, in the literature, the application is mostly based on simple or lower order linear governing equations with only one degree-of-freedom. Therefore, in this paper, the generalized solution of one-dimensional, axially loaded, coupled, forced beam vibration having multiple degrees-of-freedom is developed by the method of lines which is applicable to any other similar initial boundary value problems. Four different case studies featuring coupled/uncoupled, linear/nonlinear governing equations having single/multiple degree(s)-of-freedom with different types of boundary conditions are presented to demonstrate the applicability of the generalized theory. The models are validated either by theoretical solutions, simulated results, or by published results.
The expanded DPMO interface for capturing the compounding effect of process mean and variability as a new paradigm for process evaluation and improvement

This paper explores the gap between the existing conceptual notion of defects per million opportunities (DPMO) as part of process improvement initiatives and its applications to real-world engineering processes. The current way of obtaining the DPMOs documented in the literature is problematic since it strictly assumes that there will be a shift in the process mean over time, while process variability remains unchanged. Accordingly, it does not account for shifting process standard deviation. This may not be the case in real-world practices. This paper offers several unique contributions to the Six Sigma body of knowledge by expanding the existing DPMO and process fallout concepts, ultimately leading to process improvement. First, this paper considers the process fallout resulting from shifting standard deviation while keeping the mean the same. Second, the process fallout is examined when shifting both the process mean and standard deviation over time. Third, standard process capability indices are then modified to incorporate both mean and standard deviation shifts. Finally, the paper is extended to dual quality characteristics to obtain a better understanding of the integrated effects of correlations on the DPMO and process fallout.
The syntax and semantics of bare conditionals in Chinese

This paper investigates a Chinese construction that Cheng & Huang (1996) term the "bare conditional". Previous analyses have treated this construction as involving unselective binding. I argue against such an approach, and propose that the matching requirement observed in Chinese bare conditionals is derived through sideward movement (Hornstein & Nunes 2002, Nunes 2004). I show that this analysis can provide a principled account for the parallelism constraint and the apparent violation of vacuous binding reported in recent studies (Pan & Jiang, forthcoming, Leung 2006). Adopting Caponigro's (2003, 2004) semantic analysis of plain free relatives to bare conditionals in Chinese, I also show that it can nicely accommodate the universal reading as well as the quantificational variability effect.
Reading and writing data by using self-immolative, sequence-defined oligourethanes

Synthesis of sequence-defined oligourethanes (i.e., writing) followed by chemical self-immolation can yield mass fragments detectable by standard liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) instruments (i.e., reading). Expanding beyond the traditional binary approach of chemically distinct monomers as 1s and 0s, in a recent issue of Cell Reports Physical Science, Anslyn and co-workers introduce hexadecimal encoding and multifunctional oligourethanes.
A unified approach to ion transport through membranes. I. Membrane-soluble ions.

The membrane model used is composed of a continuous phase sandwiched between two interfaces. Ion transport in the continuous phase is described in terms of the constant field approximation, whereas interfacial transfer is expressed by the formalism of Erdey-Gruz & Volmer. Diffusion and space charge effects in the aqueous phases surrounding the membrane are taken into account, as are slow phase transfer kinetics at the membrane/solution interfaces. Adsorption effects are briefly considered also. The consequences of the model have been worked out in detail for the steady state and for two time-dependent measurement techniques: admittance and voltage clamp. The model combines the successful features of the continuum (Nernst-Planck) and single jump (Eyring-Markin) approaches in one single, unified treatment.
A metalanguage based on a theory of specification

A specification metalanguage is presented for the purpose of describing and analyzing specifications written in existing specification languages. Specification theory-based metalanguage (STM) was developed to describe specifications in terms of components defined within a theory of specification. STM constitutes the application of theoretical definitions and analyses to individual specifications. The process of describing specifications in STM produces needed manual analysis, while the completed description can be automatically processed by the language processor and description simulator. A summary of STM features is presented. Manual analysis results are pointed out in discussing an example of STM description. >
Width difference in the D0-anti-D0 system

The motivation most often cited in searches for D0-anti-D0 mixing lies with the possibility of observing a signal from new physics which dominates that from the Standard Model. We discuss recent theoretical and experimental results in D0-anti-D0 mixing, including new experimental measurements from CLEO and FOCUS collaborations and their interpretations.
Repo Patterns for New Treasury Notes

Despite the enormous popularity of the market for repurchase agreements, the behavior of interest rates on "repo" transactions is not well understood. An analysis of new data for 1992-95 reveals that repo rates on recently issued Treasury notes rise and fall in a regular pattern as the Treasury auction cycle progresses.
Some Tax Advice for Emerging Economies: Lessons from the USA Experience

The intent of this paper is to review the various tax systems now being used in Western democracies and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses in an attempt to determine what kind of tax system an emerging democracy should adopt if it wants to achieve certain goals. This paper is not aimed at any particular emerging economy but at all emerging economies in general, whether in Europe, Asia, Africa or Latin America. Indeed, many of the principles discussed in this paper could profitably be applied to the more developed countries in the West, although the western democracies would have difficulty implementing many of the suggestions in this paper because of the entrenched bureaucracy that has built up over the decades. Part I of this paper provides an introduction and overview. Part II examines the characteristics and attributes of the various means governments use to raise revenues. Part III discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each of the major forms of revenue raising. Part IV discusses the need to limit taxation and government spending. Part V suggests an approach to taxation for emerging economies.
Association between number of comorbid medical conditions and depression among individuals with diabetes; race and ethnic variations.

Medical and psychiatric comorbidities are commonly comorbid with diabetes. Race and ethnicity may, however, modify the link between medical and psychiatric comorbidities in individuals with diabetes. In this study we compared Non-Hispanic Whites, African Americans, and Caribbean Blacks with diabetes for the association between number of comorbid medical conditions and lifetime and 12-month major depressive disorder (MDD) in individuals with diabetes. Data came from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), 2001–2003. We included 603 patients with diabetes (75 non-Hispanic Whites, 396 African Americans, and 131 Caribbean Blacks). Number of comorbid medical conditions was the independent variable, lifetime and 12-month MDD were dependent variables, and age, gender, education, marital status, employment, and body mass index were covariates. Race- and ethnic- specific logistic regressions were used to determine race and ethnic differences in the associations between number of chronic medical conditions and lifetime and 12-month MDD, while the effect of all covariates were controlled. Number of chronic medical conditions was positively associated with lifetime MDD among non-Hispanic Whites (OR = 1.719, 95 % CI = 1.018 – 2.902) and African Americans (OR = 1.235, 95 % CI = 1.056– 1.445) but not Caribbean Blacks (P > .05). Number of chronic medical conditions was also associated with 12-month MDD among non-Hispanic Whites (OR = 1.757, 95 % CI = 1.119 – 2.759) and African Americans (OR = 1.381, 95 % CI = 1.175 - 1.623) but not Caribbean Blacks (P > .05). This study shows race- and ethnic- differences in the association between number of medical comorbidities and MDD among patients with diabetes. These findings invite researchers to study the mechanisms behind race- and ethnic- differences in vulnerability and resilience to the mental health effects of chronic medical conditions.
Evanescent microwave probes using coplanar waveguide and stripline for super-resolution imaging of materials

An evanescent field microwave imaging probe based on half-wavelength, microwave transmission line resonators is described. Optimization of the probe tip design, the coupling gap, and the data analysis has resulted in images of metal lines on semiconductor substrates with 2.6 /spl mu/m spatial resolution and a minimum detectable line width of 0.4 /spl mu/m at 1 GHz.
Synthetic lethal targeting of MYC by activation of the DR5 death receptor pathway

The genetic concept of synthetic lethality provides a framework for identifying genotype-selective anticancer agents. In this approach, changes in cellular physiology that arise as a consequence of oncogene activation or tumor suppressor gene loss, rather than oncoproteins themselves, are targeted to achieve tumor selectivity. Here we show that agonists of the TRAIL death receptor DR5 potently induce apoptosis in human cells overexpressing the MYC oncogene, both in vitro and as tumor xenografts in vivo. MYC sensitizes cells to DR5 in a p53-independent manner by upregulating DR5 cell surface levels and stimulating autocatalytic processing of procaspase-8. These results identify a novel mechanism by which MYC sensitizes cells to apoptosis and validate DR5 agonists as potential MYC-selective cancer therapeutics.
Elastic scattering of low-energy electrons from oxygen-covered Si surfaces

We present results for the elastic scattering of low-energy (4-eV) electrons from Si(100)(2{times}1) and Si(111)(7{times}7) surfaces during O{sub 2} adsorption experiments. We observe striking variations in the elastic peak height as a function of surface condition. The peak height for the clean surfaces, which contain metallic surface states, or for surfaces covered with physisorbed O{sub 2} (at 20 K), is more than an order of magnitude larger than that of surfaces that have reacted with oxygen to form Si-O-Si or are slightly contaminated with carbon. These observations are {ital qualitatively} {ital different} from previously reported results for metals.
Submicrosecond beam notching at low energy

A technique for creating a burst of 100ns notches (beam extinctions) in a H− beam at 454kHz has been developed at ⩽20keV utilizing a magnetron ion source with a slit extraction system and a split extractor. Each half of the extractor is treated as part of a 50Ω transmission line which can be pulsed at ±700V, creating a 1400V gradient across the extractor. A beam current reduction of better than 95% has been observed at the end of the Fermilab 400MeV linac. Notched multiturn charge-exchange injection into the booster, a 400MeV–8GeV synchrotron, has been demonstrated with a charge reduction in the resulting beam gap of 83%. Presently, the trailing edge of the notch may be adversely affected by space charge resulting in a beam recovery with two different time constants. Efforts to minimize this effect are discussed.
A planar variable reluctance magnetic micromotor with fully integrated stator and coils

A fully functional electrically excited planar variable reluctance magnetic micromotor has been demonstrated on a silicon wafer. The motor uses a micromachined nickel-iron rotor and a fully integrated stator, in which a toroidal-meander type integrated inductive component is used for flux generations. To reduce the magnetic reluctance in the stator, a modified stator geometry was adopted which removes the yoke used in a conventional magnetic variable reluctance motor. Using polyimide as both an integral structural material as well as an electroplating mold, a 40- mu m-thick nickel-iron rotor 500 mu m in diameter was microassembled onto a fully integrated nickel-iron stator 120 mu m in thickness. When 500 mA of current was applied to each stator, 12 degrees of rotation (1 stroke in this motor) was observed. By applying three phase 200-mA current pulses to the stators, rotation of the rotor was observed. The speed and direction of the rotation could be adjusted by changing the frequency and phase firing order of the power supply, respectively. Continuous rotor rotation was observed at speeds up to 500 rpm; this speed limitation was solely due to the limitation of the maximum frequency of the controller used. The micromotor could be reproducibly started, stopped, reversed, and continuously rotated. The predicted torque for the fabricated micromotor at 500-mA driving current was calculated to be 3.3 nN-m. >