cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FORESIGHT: A Business Approach to Improving Forensic Science Services

Abstract Managers of scientific laboratories see themselves as scientists first and managers second; consequently, they tend to devalue the managerial aspects of their jobs. Forensic laboratory managers are no different, but the stakes may be much higher given the importance of quality science to the criminal justice system. The need for training and support in forensic laboratory management has been recognized for many years, but little has been done to transition the tools of business to the forensic laboratory environment. FORESIGHT is a business-guided self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories across North America. The participating laboratories represent local, regional, state, and national agencies. Economics, accounting, finance, and forensic faculty provide assistance, guidance, and analysis. The process involves standardizing definitions for metrics to evaluate work processes, linking financial information to work tasks, and functions. Laboratory managers can then assess resource allocatio...
A privacy controller approach for privacy protection in web services

The growth of the Internet has been accompanied by the growth of web services (e.g. e-commerce, e-health). This increased use of web services has meant that more and more user personal information is being shared with web service providers, leading to the need to protect the privacy of web service users, as evidenced by the enactment of privacy legislation in many jurisdictions. Existing privacy policy approaches for privacy protection, such as making the service provider's privacy policy known to the user, or the use of P3P privacy policies, are inadequate. In the former case, the user cannot know for sure whether or not the provider will honor its policy; in the latter case, there is no flexibility for the user to specify her own policy for governing her own personal information - the provider's policy is the only one offered. This paper proposes the use of privacy controllers together with user privacy policies to overcome the limitations in current privacy policy approaches. An example to illustrate the approach is also given.
A chemical preparation of pure reduced viologens for use as biomolecular reducing reagents.

Abstract A chemical method is reported for conveniently preparing a variety of pure, reduced low-potential viologens for use as biomolecular reductants. The free radical, semiquinone viologen form is prepared anaerobically in aqueous solution by coproportionation of the dihydroviologen with the fully oxidized viologen according to the following reaction, using methyl viologen (MV) as an example: MV + MVH2 = 2 MV. By varying the substituents on the viologen nitrogen atoms, a series of viologens of varying charge and reduction potential is easily obtained. Applications involving the reduction of various metalloproteins are presented.
Semi-supervised approach to rapid and reliable labeling of large data sets

In this paper, we propose a method, where the labeling of the data set is carried out in a semi-supervised manner with user-specified guarantees about the quality of the labeling. In our scheme, we assume that for each class, we have some heuristics available, each of which can identify instances of one particular class. The heuristics are assumed to have reasonable performance but they do not need to cover all instances of the class nor do they need to be perfectly reliable. We further assume that we have an infallible expert, who is willing to manually label a few instances. The aim of the algorithm is to exploit the cluster structure of the problem, the predictions by the imperfect heuristics and the limited perfect labels provided by the expert to classify (label) the instances of the data set with guaranteed precision (specificed by the user) with regards to each class. The specified precision is not always attainable, so the algorithm is allowed to classify some instances as dontknow. The algorithm is evaluated by the number of instances labeled by the expert, the number of dontknow instances (global coverage) and the achieved quality of the labeling. On the KDD Cup Network Intrusion data set containing 500,000 instances, we managed to label 96.6% of the instances while guaranteeing a nominal precision of 90% (with 95% confidence) by having the expert label 630 instances; and by having the expert label 1200 instances, we managed to guarantee 95% nominal precision while labeling 96.4% of the data. We also provide a case study of applying our scheme to label the network traffic collected at a large campus network.
A THz-bandwidth molecular memory for light

We demonstrate a memory for light based on storing photons in the vibrations of hydrogen molecules. The THz-bandwidth memory is used to store 100-fs pulses for durations up to ∼1ns, enabling ∼104 operational time bins.
Creating our nursing legacy.

FEW OF US RISE every morning with the thought that we have the power within us to make a difference or create a legacy through our actions, our delivery of care, our thoughts, or our intentions. Our goal, for the most part, is to face the challenges of the day with as much energy as we can muster and hope there is some time for quiet reflection and emotional tranquility at the end of the day. Health care has never been simple and will most likely never become less complicated. Today, more than ever, we are inundated with technology, clinical challenges, political bargaining, nursing shortages, consumer demands, ethical dilemmas, and financial constraints. Similar problems and struggles such as political courses, global instability, and weakened communities challenge our world. We all have our part to play in creating a society filled with better choices and committed to positive changes. As individuals, and as professional nurses, we have a responsibility to make a difference and hand down a legacy rich in opportunity and possibility by embarking on the creation of our living legacy today, and being active participants in our nursing profession. Perianesthesia nurses have a presence in so many different areas of the health care system. Our scope of practice ranges from a low-acuity setting of Preadmission Testing to the high-acuity setting of Intensive Recovery. Our opportunities for creating legacy moments come in the form of single Susan Shelander, RN, CPAN, is the President of ASPAN from 2001-2002. She was ASPAN President Elect from 2000-2001 and has also served on the ASPAN Board of Directors. Susan belongs to and has served as an officer for her local component, the Texas Association of PostAnesthesia Nurses (TAPAN). She is the Clinical Director of Perianesthesia Services at Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in Houston, TX.
Wideband, efficient optical serrodyne frequency shifting with a phase modulator and a nonlinear transmission Line.

We report shifting of the frequency of an 850 nm laser with an instantaneous bandwidth of (350–1650) MHz and an efficiency between 35% (minimum) to 80% (best at frequencies around 600 and 1500 MHz) by phase modulation with a sawtooth waveform (“serrodyne frequency shifting”). We use a fiber-coupled traveling wave electro-optical modulator driven by a nonlinear transmission line.
Stage IB nonsmall cell lung cancers: are they all the same?

Background There is renewed interest in adjuvant chemotherapy after complete resection of nonsmall cell lung cancer, including stage IB (T2N0) cancers. Given the heterogeneity of the T2 classification, we hypothesize that there are survival differences in patients with stage IB NSCLC based on specific histopathologic tumor characteristics. Methods A retrospective evaluation of 119 consecutive patients from 1999 to 2004 with a pathologic diagnosis of T2N0 nonsmall cell lung cancer was performed. Patient follow-up was 97%. Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis was performed using the log rank test and multivariate analysis by Cox's proportional hazard model. Data were significant if p Results The 4-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were 62% and 60%, respectively. The local and distant recurrence rates were 5% and 18%, respectively. Tumor size (p = 0.001), histologic grade (p = 0.002), the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (p = 0.002), angioinvasion (p = 0.03), and visceral pleural involvement (p = 0.02) were predictors of overall survival by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated increasing tumor size (1.26 [95% confidence intervals 1.12, 1.64]) and histologic grade (4.05 [95% confidence intervals 1.38, 11.90]) to be significant independent predictors of a worse overall survival. The 4-year survival of patients without any of these variables was 89% compared with 56% if one or more of these factors were present (p = 0.03). Conclusions There is significant heterogeneity in the T2N0 class of nonsmall cell lung cancer. Risk stratification using specific histopathologic variables may help determine which patients will benefit most from adjuvant therapy.
Loudness and reaction time: II. Identification of detection components at different intensities and frequencies.

Equal-loudness contours were first obtained for five stimulus frequencies at four stimulus intensities. These 20 stimuli were then presented as reaction-time signals in a Donders C paradigm. The Z-transform method of convolution, as applied in linear systems identification, was used to deconvolve an empirically generated response (or “residual”) distribution (TR) from each of the 20 reaction-time (RT) distributions obtained at different intensities and frequencies. The resulting sensory-detection (td) models formed exponential densities at strong intensities (60 and 80 phons), but their shapes were either gamma or normal at relatively weak intensities (20 and 40 phons). Our analyses support the idea that the simple reactiontime process (RT) is a convolution (or sum) of two component stages: stimulus detection (td), followed by response evocation (tr). Based on the shapes of td, a neural-impulse theory is offered to account for the detection of simple auditory RT signals.
Irreversible Electroporation: A Novel Image-Guided Cancer Therapy

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a novel tumor ablation technique using a non-thermal energy to create innumerable permanent nanopores in the cell membrane to disrupt cellular homeostasis. This disruption of cellular homeostasis initiates apoptosis which leads to permanent cell death. In our translational research, we have demonstrated that IRE can be a safe, fast and powerful method of tumor treatment. In this review, we present an overview of IRE ablation including a brief history of IRE, advantages and disadvantages of IRE and clinical and research implications of IRE.
SU-E-T-384: Experimental Verification of a Monte Carlo Linear Accelerator Model Using a Radiochromic Film Stack Dosimeter

Purpose: To experimentally verify a Monte Carlo (MC) linear accelerator model for the simulation of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatments of moving targets. Methods: A Varian Clinac™ 21EX linear accelerator was modeled using the EGSnrc user code BEAMnrc. The mean energy, radial-intensity distribution, and divergence of the electron beam incident on the bremsstrahlung target were adjusted to achieve agreement between simulated and measured percentage-depth-dose and transverse field profiles for a 6 MV beam. A seven-field step-and-shoot IMRT lung procedure was prepared using Varian Eclipse™ treatment planning software. The plan was delivered using a Clinac™ 21EX linear accelerator and measured with a Gafchromic™ EBT2 film stack dosimeter (FSD) in two separate static geometries: within a cylindrical water-equivalent-plastic phantom and within an anthropomorphic chest phantom. Two measurements were completed in each setup. The dose distribution for each geometry was simulated using the EGSnrc user code DOSXYZnrc. MC geometries of the treatment couch, cylindrical phantom, and chest phantom were developed by thresholding CT data sets using MATLAB™. The FSD was modeled as water. The measured and simulated dose distributions were normalized to the median dose within the FSD. Results: Using an electron beam with a mean energy of 6.05 MeV, a Gaussian radial-intensity distribution with a full width at half maximum of 1.5 mm, and a divergence of 0°, the measured and simulated dose profiles agree within 1.75% and 1 mm. Measured and simulated dose distributions within both the cylindrical and chest phantoms agree within 3% over 94% of the FSD volume. The overall uncertainty in the FSD measurements is 3.1% (k=1). Conclusion: MC simulations agree with FSD measurements within measurement uncertainty, thereby verifying the accuracy of the linear accelerator model for the simulation of IMRT treatments of static geometries. The experimental verification will be extended to treatments of targets undergoing three-dimensional motion.
Improving Transit Predictions of Known Exoplanets with TERMS

Transiting planet discoveries have largely been restricted to the short-period or low-periastron distance regimes due to the bias inherent in the geometric transit probability. Through the reﬁnement of planetary orbital parameters, and hence reducing the size of transit windows, long-period planets become feasible targets for photometric follow-up. Here we describe the TERMS project that is monitoring these host stars at predicted transit times.
An improved method for the isolation of highly polymerized native deoxyribonucleic acid from certain protozoa.

SYNOPSIS A relatively simple phenol extraction method, with EDTA as the nuclease inhibitor, is described for the isolation of purified, highly polymerized native DNA from Trichomonas vaginalis, Trichomonas gallinae, and Tritrichomonas foetus; it is applicable also to Tetrahymena pyriformis. RNase Tl, RNase A (Worthington's R), pronase, and α-amylase digestions constitute important steps in obtaining satisfactory yields of DNA. High degree of polymerization of the isolation product was estimated by hyperchromicity at O.D.260 after DNase treatment and by CsCl gradient analysis. The double-stranded condition of the DNA samples was estimated by the latter method and by denaturation with NaOH, and the molecular weight by sucrose gradient analysis. Purity of the samples was determined spectrophotometrically and by chemical analyses for protein and glycogen. DNA percent recovery was estimated by the diphenylamine reaction.
Conoscopic measurement of birefringence and orientation in biaxially stretched polymer films and sheets

The technique for using conoscopy to determine the optical orientation and birefringences of stretched polymer films is presented here in detail. The method is nondestructive and has the capacity for implementation both off-line and online during processing. Analysis was performed on films of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), with birefringence results compared to measurements using a Berek compensator. The technique is highly effective at measuring the orientation and in-plane principal birefringence, though an accurate measure for a film's out-plane birefringence requires knowledge of at least an approximate value for the material's average refractive index.
Effect of anchor and functional groups in functionalized graphene devices

The electrical properties of chemically derived graphene and graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), until now, have been inferior to those of mechanically exfoliated graphene. However, because graphene is easier to produce in large quantities through CVD or growth from solid carbon sources, it has a higher potential for use in future electronics applications. Generally, modifications to the pristine lattice structure of graphene tend to adversely affect the electrical properties by shifting the doping level and changing the conductivity and the mobility. Here we show that a small degree of graphene surface functionalization, using diazonium salts with electron-withdrawing and electron-donating functional groups, is sufficient to predominantly induce p-type doping, undiminished mobility, and higher conductivity at the neutrality point. Molecules without a diazonium anchor group desorb easily and do not have a significant effect on the electronic properties of graphene devices. We further demonstrate the variability between identically fabricated pristine devices, thereby underscoring the caution needed when characterizing graphene device behaviors lest conclusions be drawn based on singular extremes.
Organic matter in meteorites and comets - Possible origins

At least 6 extraterrestrial environments may have contributed organic compounds to meteorites and comets: solar nebula, giant-planet subnebulae, asteroid interiors containing liquid water, carbon star atmospheres, and diffuse or dark interstellar clouds. The record in meteorites is partly obscured by pervasive reheating that transformed much of the organic matter to kerogen; nonetheless, it seems that all 6 formation sites contributed. For comets, the large abundance of HCHO, HCN, and unsaturated hydrocarbons suggests an interstellar component of ≥ 50%, but the contributions of various interstellar processes, and of a solar-nebula component, are hard to quantify. A research program is outlined that may help reduce these uncertainties.
The Power of Incentives

Variable pay is usually defined as pay that is tied to some measure of worker output. The most typical form of variable pay historically was the piece rate, which was more prevalent during the early part of the 20th century than it is at the beginning of the 21st. There is a resurgence in variable pay, particularly as it relates to executives, whose pay is tied to output through some mechanism like stock options or bonuses that depend on individual or firm performance. Why use variable pay? The typical reaction is that variable pay provides incentives to put forth effort. Although true, discrete-pay schemes also generate incentives. Much of the confusion in the literature results from the use of the terms "high-powered" and "low-powered" incentives, which connote difference in ability to elicit worker effort.' It is more informative to make distinctions between discrete and continuous pay and between inputbased and output-based pay.2 Pay structures can be summarized by the following equation:
Asymmetric syntheses of sceptrin and massadine and evidence for biosynthetic enantiodivergence

Cycloaddition is an essential tool in chemical synthesis. Instead of using light or heat as a driving force, marine sponges promote cycloaddition with a more versatile but poorly understood mechanism in producing pyrrole–imidazole alkaloids sceptrin, massadine, and ageliferin. Through de novo synthesis of sceptrin and massadine, we show that sponges may use single-electron oxidation as a central mechanism to promote three different types of cycloaddition. Additionally, we provide surprising evidence that, in contrast to previous reports, sceptrin, massadine, and ageliferin have mismatched chirality. Therefore, massadine cannot be an oxidative rearrangement product of sceptrin or ageliferin, as is commonly believed. Taken together, our results demonstrate unconventional chemical approaches to achieving cycloaddition reactions in synthesis and uncover enantiodivergence as a new biosynthetic paradigm for natural products.
The moment of inertia and the linear discriminant function

In this note, we show that the characteristic vector of the moment of inertia matrix associated with the first or last characteristic root corresponds to the best linear discriminant function in the situation where the data is a mixture of two multivariate normal distributions with proportional covariance matrices. This result may prove useful as a part of many outlier detection methods. We also describe a small simulation study which illustrates the computational efficiency of the new method.
Pubertal Timing as a Potential Mediator of Adoption Effects on Problem Behaviors

Adopted children show more problem behaviors than nonadopted children. Given that internationally-adopted individuals show earlier puberty than non-adopted individuals, and early puberty is associated with problem behaviors in nonadopted youth, we analyzed data from domestic adoptees to determine whether problem behaviors could be explained by differences in pubertal timing. Relative to nonadopted controls (n = 153), domestically-adopted girls (n = 121) had earlier menarche, earlier sexual initiation, and more conduct disorder symptoms. Age at menarche partially mediated the relation of adoptive status to sexual initiation, but not to conduct disorder symptoms. Extending findings from international adoptees, results show that domestic adoption is also linked to earlier puberty, and suggest early puberty as one mechanism linking adoption to problematic outcomes.
Allele-specific inhibition of divergent protein tyrosine phosphatases with a single small molecule.

Abstract A central challenge of chemical biology is the development of small-molecule tools for controlling protein activity in a target-specific manner. Such tools are particularly useful if they can be systematically applied to the members of large protein families. Here we report that protein tyrosine phosphatases can be systematically ‘sensitized’ to target-specific inhibition by a cell-permeable small molecule, Fluorescein Arsenical Hairpin Binder (FlAsH), which does not inhibit any wild-type PTP investigated to date. We show that insertion of a FlAsH-binding peptide at a conserved position in the PTP catalytic-domain’s WPD loop confers novel FlAsH sensitivity upon divergent PTPs. The position of the sensitizing insertion is readily identifiable from primary-sequence alignments, and we have generated FlAsH-sensitive mutants for seven different classical PTPs from six distinct subfamilies of receptor and non-receptor PTPs, including one phosphatase (PTP-PEST) whose three-dimensional catalytic-domain structure is not known. In all cases, FlAsH-mediated PTP inhibition was target specific and potent, with inhibition constants for the seven sensitized PTPs ranging from 17 to 370 nM. Our results suggest that a substantial fraction of the PTP superfamily will be likewise sensitizable to allele-specific inhibition; FlAsH-based PTP targeting thus potentially provides a rapid, general means for selectively targeting PTP activity in cell-culture- or model-organism-based signaling studies.
A study of corrosion protection on copper by new polymeric agents: silane-modified imidazoles

Abstract A new polymeric anticorrosion agent, which maintains efficiency at elevated temperatures or under high humidity environments, has been synthesized and its structure during use has been studied. Modified polyvinylimidazole(1), PVI(1), and polyallylimidazole(1), PAI(1) have been synthesized by free radical polymerization of N -vinylimidazole and γ-methacryloxypropyl-trimethoxysilane(γ-MPS) with azobis(isobutyronitrile). Thermal degradation of modified PVI(1) and PAI(1) has been studied by Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (FTIR-RAS). At 210°C, the polymer experiences degradation but does not form nitrile groups. Compared to the PVI(1) homopolymer, thermal degradation of modified PVI(1) copolymer shows different behavior possibly due to the different degradation processes. At elevated temperatures, modified PVI(1) suppresses the oxidation of the copper surface but the spectrum of modified PAI(1) shows the cuprous oxide peaks at 650 cm −1 and 611 cm −1 . Under humid environments, both copolymers act as excellent anti-oxidants on the copper surface in the temperature range from 25° to 80°C. The effect of different mole ratio of the comonomers on corrosion inhibition has been studied in the 100% relative humidity condition. In spite of changing the mole ratio of the copolymers, the spectra of both modified copolymers under humid conditions was not accompanied by any of cuprous oxide at the temperatures studied.
Growth of quartz from amorphous silica at ambient pressure

Abstract The growth of quartz into amorphous silica has been observed for the first time at atmospheric pressure. Ion implantation and ion channeling techniques were used to create and monitor the thickness of a surface amorphous layer on a quartz crystal. The growth rate at an (0001) surface is consistent with extrapolations of earlier measurements of the growth rate at higher pressures and temperatures.
Acidification requirements for home canned combinations of tomatoes and low-acid ingredients.

Alternative methods of estimating acidification requirements for home canned high-acid foods comprising combinations of tomatoes with low-acid ingredients were compared with forty representative products. Acidification estimates were based on recipe specifications, titration data, predictions made with a regression equation derived from a quadratic model, and predictions derived from a worst case analysis of the model. The last method resulted in satisfactory pH reductions (0.2-0.3 unit) even with products having pH values close to 4.6. Acidification recommendations based on the worst case analysis are given for eight categories of high-acid combination products.
Reproduction of Darkblotched Rockfish off the Oregon Coast

Abstract Seasonal reproductive development, size and age at sexual maturity, and fecundity were described for darkblotched rockfish Sebastes crameri collected off the Oregon coast. Altogether, 1,060 fish captured by commercial groundfish and shrimp trawlers between July 1986 and July 1987 were examined. Reproductive events were protracted. Insemination of females occurred from August to December, and fertilization and parturition followed from December through March. Spermatozoa were observed within both vitellogenic and previtellogenic ovaries between July and November. Reproductive events in smaller males and females were delayed relative to those in larger individuals. Females attained 50% maturity at a greater size (36.5 cm total length) and age (8.4 years) than males (29.6 cm total length; 5A years). The unimodal development of eggs and larvae indicated one parturition per year. Most age-6, age-7, and age-8 females possessed ovaries in an intermediate “maturing” condition. Histological analysis revea...
Risk factors for congenital hypothyroidism : An investigation of infant's birth weight, ethnicity, and gender in California, 1990-1998

Background Approximately 85% of primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is sporadic and due to malformations of the thyroid gland. Past studies have reported an increased birth weight among infants with CH. We have attempted to replicate and expand these observations, examining the association between different birth weight categories and CH stratified by infant's sex. We have also examined the prevalence of CH by mother's age and infant's ethnicity, gender, and year of birth. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 5,049,185 infants screened by the statewide California Newborn Screening Program between 1990 and 1998, an estimated 98.6% of all newborns in the state. Dried blood spots from a heel stick were assayed for thyroxine (T4), and presumptive positives had follow-up assays of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to determine definite positives. Results A total of 1,806 cases of CH were identified. The following findings are unlikely to be due to chance. Compared with infants with birth weights of 3,000–3,499 g, infants weighing <2,000 g and those weighing ≥4,500 g had a twofold or greater increase in the prevalence of CH. This was not explained as a result of confounding by the infant's ethnicity or gender. Compared with whites, elevated prevalence rates were found in most ethnic groups, which include the following: Hispanics, Chinese, Vietnamese, Asian Indians, Filipinos, Middle Easterners, and Hawaiians. As reported previously, black infants had about one-third the prevalence rate of whites. We also observed the frequently described female preponderance of CH. The female excess was maintained at all birth weights, however it varied by infant's ethnicity. Trends in the prevalence of CH were not associated with mother's age or with the time interval between 1990 and 1998. Conclusions We observed an increased risk of CH in both low-birth-weight (<2,000-g) and macrosomic (≥4,500-g) infants. This U-shaped association has not been described in past studies. We have also expanded the previously described ethnic differences in CH risk to include ethnic groups not previously studied. The unique pattern of CH occurrence suggests that further studies to define modifiable risk factors may be useful. Teratology 62:36–41, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
New Alkamides from Maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) has been used as a food in Peru for thousands of years. More recently a wide array of commercial maca products have gained popularity as dietary supplements, with claims of anabolic and aphrodisiac effects, although the biologically active principles are not fully known. In an earlier chemical investigation, two new alkamides and a novel fatty acid, as well as the N-hydroxypyridine derivative, macaridine, were isolated from L. meyenii. Further examination has led to the isolation of five additional new alkamides, namely, N-benzyl-9-oxo-12Z-octadecenamide (1), N-benzyl-9-oxo-12Z,15Z-octadecadienamide (2), N-benzyl-13-oxo-9E,11E-octadecadienamide (3), N-benzyl-15Z-tetracosenamide (4), and N-(m-methoxybenzyl)hexadecanamide (5). Their structures were established by spectrometric and spectroscopic methods including ESI-HRMS, EI-MS, 1H, 13C, and 2D NMR, as well as 1H−15N 2D HMBC experiments. In addition, the identity of N-benzyl-15Z-tetracosenamide (4) was confirmed by synthesis. These c...
A zone design methodology for national freight origin–destination data and transportation modeling

The zone system used for freight data collection and the geographic resolution of published data has a significant impact on analysis and planning. The majority of existing freight model zones are created in an ad hoc way. In this paper, a new model-based design method is introduced to develop freight zones for the continental USA. It focuses on two methodology issues: (1) the criteria that represent the desired properties of a zone system and (2) the constraints that govern the shape, size, and continuity of zones. The method is applied to the continental USA by optimizing an interzonal travel distance weighted by freight flows using county-level freight data. Several optimal national-level freight zone systems with different numbers of zones are developed. The results indicate that a 300-zone system provides a balance between the number of zones and optimization measures where the currently available public freight data are provided with approximately 100 zones.
Multi-target tracking of time-varying spatial patterns

Time-varying spatial patterns are common, but few computational tools exist for discovering and tracking multiple, sometimes overlapping, spatial structures of targets. We propose a multi-target tracking framework that takes advantage of spatial patterns inside the targets even though the number, the form and the regularity of such patterns vary with time. RANSAC-based model fitting algorithms are developed to automatically recognize (or dismiss) (il)legitimate patterns. Patterns are represented using a mixture of Markov Random Fields (MRF) with constraints (local and global) and preferences encoded into pairwise potential functions. To handle pattern variations continuously, we introduce a posterior probability for each spatial pattern modeled as a Bernoulli distribution. Tracking is achieved by inferring the optimal state configurations of the targets using belief propagation on a mixture of MRFs. We have evaluated our formulation on real video data with multiple targets containing time-varying lattice patterns and/or reflection symmetry patterns. Experimental results of our proposed algorithm show superior tracking performance over existing methods.
Commutativity of rings with derivations

I. N. Herstein [10] proved that a prime ring of characteristic not two with a nonzero derivation d satisfying d(x)d(y) = d(y)d(x) for all x, y must be commutative, and H. E. Bell and M. N. Daif [8] showed that a prime ring of arbitrary characteristic with nonzero derivation d satisfying d(xy) = d(yx) for all x, y in some nonzero ideal must also be commutative. For semiprime rings, we show that an inner derivation satisfying the condition of Bell and Daif on a nonzero ideal must be zero on that ideal, and for rings with identity, we generalize all three results to conditions on derivations of powers and powers of derivations. For example, let R be a prime ring with identity and nonzero derivation d, and let m and n be positive integers such that, when charR is finite, m ∨ n < charR. If d(x m y n ) = d(y n x m ) for all x, y ∈ R, then R is commutative. If, in addition, charR≠ 2 and the identity is in the image of an ideal I under d, then d(x) m d(y) n = d(y) n d(x) m for all x, y ∈ I also implies that R is commutative.
Evidence for an intermediate step in carrier-mediated sugar translocation across the brush border membrane of hamster small intestine

The following observations have been made about the interactions of 6-deoxy-l-galactose with the Na+-dependent sugar transport system of hamster small intestine. 1. 1. 6-Deoxy-l-galactose does not appreciably enter the intracellular spaces of incubated intestinal segments and phlorizin is devoid of action on this minimal entry. 2. 2. 6-Deoxy-l-galactose is a competitive inhibitor of the Na+-dependent sugar transport system with a Ki of about 20 mM. 3. 3. 6-Deoxy-l-galactose does not elicit counterflow of a known substrate, l-glucose, under conditions where counterflow is elicited by a substrate, 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol, of approximately equivalent affinity. 4. 4. The i of 6-deoxy-l-galactose increases with the reduction in Na+ concentration as does the Km of 3-O-methylglucose. Consequently, the ratio Km3-O-methylglucose/Ki 6-deoxy-l-galactose remains constant over a 5-fold range of Na+ concentration; that is, the competitive interaction of 6-deoxy-l-galactose is Na− dependent. 5. 5. 6-Deoxy-l-galactose acts like mannitol in transmural potential studies; that is, it induces a streaming potential only. It does not induce Na+ movement despite the fact that its carrier interaction is Na+-dependent. From these observations the inference is drawn that mobility of the carrier-substrate complex which results in translocation of a substrate involves a non-covalently bonding transformation of the complex; a transformation which cannot take place when 6-deoxy-l-galactose is bound to the carrier, 6-Deoxy-l-galactose forms an abortive complex.
Predicting atrial fibrillation from intensive care unit numeric data

Atrial fibrillation is a common occurrence in intensive care units (ICUs) and is associated with a significant increase in patient mortality and morbidity, healthcare costs, and length of hospital stay. This burden can be significantly reduced through clinical tools to identify patients at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation during ICU admission and to match these patients to appropriate prophylaxis (e.g., amiodarone). Unfortunately, despite its prevalence, predicting atrial fibrillation remains a challenge. In this paper, we address the goal of developing an accurate approach to stratify patients for atrial fibrillation using information available in numerics data (e.g., vital signs, arterial blood pressures) commonly collected during ICU admission. We explore the use of a support vector machine (SVM) classifier optimized for multivariate non-linear performance using an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) loss function with summary features derived from ICU numerics collected during the first 8 hours of admission. When evaluated on a cohort of 1,531 ICU patients, this approach achieved an AUROC of 0.73 and a sensitivity of 71% in identifying patients who experienced atrial fibrillation during admission using data only from the start of ICU hospitalization.
Improved posterior probability estimates from prior and conditional linear constraint systems

C. C. White (1986) presented a method for computing interval bounds on posterior probabilities when the priors and conditionals are described by linear constraint systems. It is shown that White's method gives an exact description of the possible posteriors in the special case where conditionals are precise and uniformity positive. A simple method for extending this result to precise zero conditionals is developed. Then, a method for computing interval ends on the posteriors is presented for the case of imprecise conditionals. These bounds are tight for interval and bounds are at least as tight as, and often tighter than, those found by White, and require little additional computational effort. >
How boosting the margin can also boost classifier complexity

Boosting methods are known not to usually overfit training data even as the size of the generated classifiers becomes large. Schapire et al. attempted to explain this phenomenon in terms of the margins the classifier achieves on training examples. Later, however, Breiman cast serious doubt on this explanation by introducing a boosting algorithm, arc-gv, that can generate a higher margins distribution than AdaBoost and yet performs worse. In this paper, we take a close look at Breiman's compelling but puzzling results. Although we can reproduce his main finding, we find that the poorer performance of arc-gv can be explained by the increased complexity of the base classifiers it uses, an explanation supported by our experiments and entirely consistent with the margins theory. Thus, we find maximizing the margins is desirable, but not necessarily at the expense of other factors, especially base-classifier complexity.
Learning project management skills in senior design courses

US university engineering programs include a "senior design" course in their curricula. These courses are a student's last opportunity to use design skills learned in school. Student teams work to solve a problem while demonstrating their design and technical skills. A survey of one university department's program showed that few student groups complete the full functionality promised at the outset, and many groups did not even complete working systems, only working subsystems. If the students possessed project management skills, they could be more successful. Pedagogy of project management concepts is suggested, based on the Project Management Institute's "Project Management Body of Knowledge". An evaluation plan is also suggested for assessing the value of this new framework
Safety of IPX066, an extended release carbidopa–levodopa formulation, for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease

Introduction: Levodopa (LD) is the most effective treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, chronic use of LD commonly results in the development of motor complications, including wearing off and dyskinesia. The presumption that the short serum half-life of LD is associated with the development of motor complications has raised the need to develop treatments with increased durations of stable LD concentrations.Areas covered: We conducted a PubMed search for IPX066 articles and also reviewed abstracts from meetings that included this topic. IPX066 is a newly developed formulation of extended release carbidopa–LD (CD–LD) with a one to four ratio of CD to LD, that was approved by the FDA in January 2015 for the treatment of PD, post-encephalitic parkinsonism, and parkinsonism that may follow carbon monoxide or manganese intoxication. It will be marketed by the trade name Rytary®. A Phase III clinical trial showed that IPX066 is efficacious in improving motor symptoms in early PD patients. In advanced ...
A heuristic for optimizing stochastic activity networks with applications to statistical digital circuit sizing

A deterministic activity network (DAN) is a collection of activities, each with some duration, along with a set of precedence constraints, which specify that ac- tivities begin only when certain others have finished. One critical performance mea- sure for an activity network is its makespan, which is the minimum time required to complete all activities. In a stochastic activity network (SAN), the durations of the activities and the makespan are random variables. The analysis of SANs is quite involved, but can be carried out numerically by Monte Carlo analysis. This paper concerns the optimization of a SAN, i.e., the choice of some design variables that affect the probability distributions of the activity durations. We con- centrate on the problem of minimizing a quantile (e.g., 95%) of the makespan, sub- ject to constraints on the variables. This problem has many applications, ranging from project management to digital integrated circuit (IC) sizing (the latter being our motivation). While there are effective methods for optimizing DANs, the SAN op-
A data base of magnet failures and its relevance to magnet design

This data base of magnet failures is the formalization of a process that began a number of years ago as an effort to see what could be learned from failures to assist in the design process for new magnet systems, whether they were one-of-a-kind or the next in a series. The learning and evaluation process applies equally to resistive and to superconducting magnets and both are represented in the data base. The information has been obtained from numerous sources including open literature and from a survey of members of this community. The updated study was performed with a particular focus of assessing the safety potential of magnet systems for magnetically levitated vehicles.
An inverse optimality method to solve a class of second order optimal control problems

This paper presents an inverse optimality method to solve the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation for a class of second order nonlinear problems for which the cost is quadratic and the dynamics are affine in the input. The running cost that renders the control input optimal is also explicitly determined. One special feature of this method, as compared to other methods in the literature, is the fact that the solution is obtained directly for the control input without needing to assume or compute a value function first. Additionaly, the value function can also be obtained after one solves for the control input. A Lyapunov function that proves stability of the controller is also obtained for a subclass of problems.
Acrodynia: treatment with adrenolytic drugs.

Summary 1. Seven cases of acrodynia treated with 2-Benzyl-Imidazoline HCL (Priscoline) have been presented. 2. All but one of these patients obtained prompt sustained sympomatic relief. 3. One patient who relapsed following withdrawal of priscoline therapy responded to treatment with papaverine.
Feed efficiency and gain responses to protein levels in two lines of birds selected for oxygen consumption.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to investigate the response of two populations of chickens, divergently selected for high and low oxygen consumption, to varying protein levels. Protein levels used for Experiments 1 and 2 were 16, 18, 20, and 22% and 20, 22, 24, and 26%, respectively. The birds were weighed initially and weekly to 4 weeks of age. Feed consumption was ad libitum with amounts consumed recorded weekly. Gross feed efficiency was computed per pen as the difference between initial and weight at 4 weeks divided by feed consumed adjusted for spillage. The results from these experiments indicate that at low protein levels both lines were equally efficient, but, as the level of protein was increased, the low line was increasingly more efficient while the high line became less efficient. Gain for the low O2 birds was greater than the high O2 birds in all cases with both lines increasing in gains equally with increased protein levels.
Attractiveness of binary blends of floral odorant compounds to moths in Florida, USA

Evaluation of combinations of flower odor compounds in the field revealed several compounds that were attractive or co-attractive with phenylacetaldehyde (PAA) to pest noctuid and pyralid moths. A number of moth species responded positively to the key floral odorant PAA. The floral odorants cis -jasmone, linalool, benzyl acetate, limonene, β -myrcene, methyl salicylate, and methyl 2methoxybenzoate all increased captures of some moths when added to traps with PAA, but responses varied among the moth species that were trapped. For example, soybean looper moths, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), most strongly responded to PAA + β -myrcene, but benzyl acetate, cis -jasmone, and limonene also increased captures of these moths when these compounds were used in traps along with PAA. Velvetbean caterpillar moths, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), responded most strongly to PAA + linalool, but β -myrcene, cis -jasmone, and limonene also increased captures of these moths in traps over numbers trapped with PAA. Positive responses to floral compound blends were also noted for golden looper [ Argyrogramma verruca (F.)], grass looper [ Mocis disseverans (Walker)], tobacco budworm [ Heliothis virescens (F.)], southern armyworm [ Spodoptera eridania (Stoll) (all Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)], and melonworm [ Diaphania hyalinata (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)]. Overall, PAA + β -myrcene appeared to be the strongest floral compound combination for pest species trapped, compared to PAA or other compound blends.
Rival Empires of Trade And Imami Shi'ism in Eastern Arabia, 1300–1800

The history of the Shi'i Muslims in the isles of Bahrain and the oases of Qatif and al-Hasa has been little studied despite the economic and political importance lent them by the large petroleum deposits in their region. The significance of this community has been further magnified by the rise in the Gulf region of Shi'i radicalism, as in the Iranian Revolution of 1978–1979 and the failed 1981 Shi'i coup attempt in Bahrain. The study of Shi'ism in the Gulf has advanced so little that even a basic chronology and overview of institutional developments are lacking for all but the most recent decades.
Large artery remodeling during aging: biaxial passive and active stiffness.

Abstract —To examine arterial mechanical changes during aging, pressure-radius and axial force–radius curves were measured in vivo in carotid arteries from 6- and 23-month-old Brown Norway X Fischer 344 rats. Incremental passive circumferential stiffness (measured at 50, 100, and 200 mm Hg) was higher ( P 2 ×10 3 , respectively). Incremental passive axial stiffness was increased ( P 2 ×10 3 , respectively). Active incremental circumferential arterial stiffness at 100 and 200 mm Hg was increased ( P P P P
How to Build Assessments for Clinical Learners

This chapter describes common methods of assessment and how to create or evaluate assessment items. It also urges a comprehensive approach to implementing assessment, setting standards, and using assessment results to inform learners and the curriculum. Instructors are frequently asked to write multiple-choice test questions, but without question-writing training, the result is often poorly written, flawed questions that test fact memorization and recognition rather than the application of knowledge. In clinical assessments, patient notes are dificult to grade fairly and consistently, especially when multiple instructors are doing the scoring and writing the feedback. This chapter introduces assessment methods that encourage student learning. It also addresses common problems in assessment creation and implementation.