cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanics of fatigue crack growth under large-scale plasticity: A direct physical approach for single-valued correlation of fatigue crack growth data

Abstract The major challenge in the mechanics of elastic-plastic fatigue crack growth is to find a physically based driving force parameter to correlate the crack growth rates under different loading conditions. Specifically, a parameter that can provide single-valued correlation of crack growth rates, in stress-controlled and strain-controlled fatigue, is needed. Approaches of the past used either cyclic strain (strain intensity factor) or nonlinear-fracture-mechanics based (cyclic J-integral, ΔJ) parameter, to correlate fatigue crack growth. The validity of these approaches, however, has not been established. Further, the J-integral based approach requires experimental load-deflection curves, recorded after every crack length increment, and geometry-correction factors, which are numerically determined and complicated. In the present work, a physically based approach, based on thecumulative change in the cyclic strain energy of the net-section, is used to develop new parameters that can successfully correlate fatigue crack growth behavior in a variety of loading situations. The driving force parameter, capturing the change in the net-section cyclic strain energy, is determined analytically from elastic-plastic behavior of material and from the relative sizes of cracked and uncracked sections in the crack plane. Load-deflection measurements, geometric correction factors, or numerical methods are not needed in the present approach. Remarkably, excellent correlations of fatigue crack growth, in a variety of specimen geometries and for various stress/strain levels, have been found in both stress- or strain-controlled fatigue conditions. This work, extending the author’s earlier works for elastic fatigue crack growth, validates that the change in net-section strain energy is a fundamental quantity in the mechanics of fatigue crack growth.
Encoding of Multiple Reward-Related Computations in Transient and Sustained High-Frequency Activity in Human OFC.

Summary Human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has long been implicated in value-based decision making. In recent years, convergent evidence from human and model organisms has further elucidated its role in representing reward-related computations underlying decision making. However, a detailed description of these processes remains elusive due in part to (1) limitations in our ability to observe human OFC neural dynamics at the timescale of decision processes and (2) methodological and interspecies differences that make it challenging to connect human and animal findings or to resolve discrepancies when they arise. Here, we sought to address these challenges by conducting multi-electrode electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings in neurosurgical patients during economic decision making to elucidate the electrophysiological signature, sub-second temporal profile, and anatomical distribution of reward-related computations within human OFC. We found that high-frequency activity (HFA) (70–200 Hz) reflected multiple valuation components grouped in two classes of valuation signals that were dissociable in temporal profile and information content: (1) fast, transient responses reflecting signals associated with choice and outcome processing, including anticipated risk and outcome regret, and (2) sustained responses explicitly encoding what happened in the immediately preceding trial. Anatomically, these responses were widely distributed in partially overlapping networks, including regions in the central OFC (Brodmann areas 11 and 13), which have been consistently implicated in reward processing in animal single-unit studies. Together, these results integrate insights drawn from human and animal studies and provide evidence for a role of human OFC in representing multiple reward computations.
Implementing Respondent-Driven Sampling to Recruit Women Who Exchange Sex in New York City: Factors Associated with Recruitment and Lessons Learned

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) relies on productive peer recruitment to capture hidden populations. Domestic studies have identified characteristics of productive recruitment among RDS samples of men who have sex with men and persons who use drugs, but not of women who exchange sex, a group vulnerable to HIV infection. We examined sociodemographic-, behavioral-, exchange-sex-, and protocol-related factors associated with recruitment among seeds (n = 25) and peers (n = 297) in the 2016 New York City National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Study cycle focused on women who exchange sex. Recruiter productivity was significantly associated with not having been recently incarcerated, lower rate of HIV testing, and larger exchange sex networks among seeds, and with HIV-prevention services usage among peers. We describe challenges and lessons learned from implementing RDS in this population. Our study identifies seed characteristics and protocol improvements researchers can utilize when implementing future RDS studies among women who exchange sex.
Pressure diffusion wave and shear wave in gels with tunable wave propagation properties

Abstract Gels are composed of cross-linked polymer network and solvent. Gels are both ubiquitous in nature and widely applied in engineering applications. In this work, we develop a physics-based dynamic theory to investigate the tunable wave propagation properties of gels. Gels are soft and can generate large deformation. The constitutive relation takes account the coupled large deformation and diffusion of gels. The dynamic governing equations take account the relative motions between the polymer network and solvent, which leads to a pressure diffusion wave similar to the “slow pressure wave” in the classical Biot’s poroelastodynamics. It is different from the pressure wave in pure solid or pure liquid. The phase velocity, group velocity and attenuation coefficient are analyzed at different frequencies and propagating directions for both pressure wave and shear wave. We show that the wave propagation properties of gels are not only related to the material properties including the crosslink density and the interaction property between solvent and polymer, but also can be tuned by different mechanical loading conditions and chemical stimuli. It is also predicted that the constrained swollen gel exhibits anisotropic wave propagation properties, which leads to the splitting of the pressure wave and shear wave propagating through it. The theory provides a general frame for fundamental understanding and quantitative characterization of the dynamic behaviors of gels.
A Challenge to the G ∼ 0 Interpretation of Hydrogen Evolution

Platinum is a nearly perfect catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and its high activity has conventionally been explained by its close-to-thermoneutral hydrogen binding energy (G ∼ 0). How...
Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus in Older Adults.

In the United States, 4 out of 10 adults with diabetes are ≥65 years of age. The older adult with diabetes is very likely to be asymptomatic and also at higher risk of vascular disease. New concerns include new diagnosis of diabetes for older adults admitted to hospital and older adults in long-term care facilities. The pathophysiology for increased incidence of diabetes in older adults is multifactorial, but dominant features are increased likelihood of metabolic syndrome, dysfunctional insulin secretion, and peripheral insulin resistance. Society in general benefits from more cost-effective care of older adults with diabetes.
Trajectory planning for an articulated probe

Abstract We consider a new trajectory planning problem involving a simple articulated probe. The probe is modeled as two line segments ab and bc, with a joint at the common point b, where bc is of fixed length r and ab is of arbitrarily large length. Initially, ab and bc are collinear. Given a set of obstacles in the form of n line segments and a target point t, the probe is to first be inserted in straight line, followed possibly by a rotation of bc, so that in the final configuration c coincides with t, all while avoiding intersections with the obstacles. We prove that a feasible probe trajectory can be determined in O ( n 2 log ⁡ n ) time using O ( n log ⁡ n ) space (in fact, our algorithm finds a set of “extremal” feasible configurations). We also show that, for any constant δ > 0 , a feasible probe trajectory with a clearance δ can be determined in O ( n 2 log ⁡ n ) time using O ( n 2 ) space. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our algorithms can be extended to the case of h polygonal obstacles, where we can find a feasible solution in O ( n 2 + h 2 log ⁡ n ) time using O ( n log ⁡ n ) space when there is no clearance requirement or O ( n 2 ) space otherwise. In the process of describing the algorithms, we address and solve some other interesting problems, such as circular sector emptiness queries and a special case of circular arc ray shooting queries for line segments and circular arcs in the plane.
Blockchain for the future of sustainable supply chain management in Industry 4.0

Abstract The objective of this study is to provide an overview of Blockchain technology and Industry 4.0 for advancing supply chains towards sustainability. First, extracted from the existing literature, we evaluate the capabilities of Industry 4.0 for sustainability under three main topics of (1) Internet of things (IoT)-enabled energy management in smart factories; (2) smart logistics and transportation; and (3) smart business models. We expand beyond Industry 4.0 with unfolding the capabilities that Blockchain offers for increasing sustainability, under four main areas: (1) design of incentive mechanisms and tokenization to promote consumer green behavior; (2) enhance visibility across the entire product lifecycle; (3) increase systems efficiency while decreasing development and operational costs; and (4) foster sustainability monitoring and reporting performance across supply chain networks. Furthermore, Blockchain technology capabilities for contributing to social and environmental sustainability, research gaps, adversary effects of Blockchain, and future research directions are discussed.
Calibration of Electrical Instruments under Non-sinusoidal Conditions at NRC Canada

The paper describes a recent development of a system for calibration of electrical instruments with harmonics measurement capability, such as revenue meters and power analyzers, under non-sinusoidal test conditions at National Research Council (NRC) Canada. The improvements implemented with respect to an earlier NRC calibration system are aimed at increasing the calibration accuracy and frequency range.
Training Networks of Local Health Departments: A Regional Assessment.

OBJECTIVE: The public health system faces major challenges in 2020, including an aging workforce, reductions in funding, and 2 simultaneous major threats to public health-the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice. To effectively harness promising new technologies and address these and other public health challenges ahead, public health professionals must be trained on evidence-based practices for protecting and improving public health. This project sought to understand the network of health departments and organizations that provide training in order to inform strategic efforts to fill training gaps and improve access to training for local health departments (LHDs), thereby strengthening the public health system. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a Web-based survey of 501 LHDs in the 6 states constituting Region V of the Department of Health & Human Services. The survey focused on the training relationship between LHDs and state and national organizations that provide public health training, allowing for a social network analysis. We used data visualization and descriptive statistics to examine the network. RESULTS: Of 290 participating health departments (58% response rate), 248 had monthly or more frequent contact with at least 1 organization for the purpose of training. Altogether, the 248 LHDs were connected to 47 state-level organizations and 10 national-level organizations. In 5 of 6 states, more LHDs were connected to the state health department for training than to any other organization type. Universities, national nonprofits, and national membership organizations provided training to the fewest LHDs. Local health department characteristics did not have a clear relationship with its number of training connections. CONCLUSIONS: State health departments may benefit from the support of universities, national nonprofits, and national membership organizations by partnering to offer training or by recommending training from these organizations to LHDs. Additional qualitative information from local and state health departments would be useful to determine the best strategies for universities, national nonprofits, and national membership organizations to participate in training local practitioners to improve LHD capacity.
Transition to Practice for New Nurse Graduates: Barriers and Mitigating Strategies:

Inadequate transition to practice increases stress for new health care providers and threatens employment longevity. This integrative review aimed to synthesize the evidence on transition process for newly graduated registered nurses and advanced practice nurses in hospital settings and to identify enablers/barriers and mitigating strategies. Two databases were systematically searched for articles that described the process, strategies, participant perceptions, and implications of role transition with a final yield of 23 articles. Synthesis of the evidence revealed three major themes: (a) achieving competence for safe practice, (b) addressing stress during transition, and (c) reducing turnover. Emotional support for new graduates was instrumental to achieving clinical competence. Role transition adaptation was linked to anxiety, while emotional health was positively associated with retention. Developing best practices that address skill proficiency, attending to the emotional needs of new nurse graduates, and providing structured transition programs to improve clinical competence are the strategies of choice.
Migration and Radicalization in the Age of Covid-19

How do we flatten the radicalization curve? How do we quell the millions of people disaffected by their new societies or by the changes to their old ones? Migration and the reactions it causes among migrants and hosts in destination-societies are critically important issues for our post-pandemic world. As migrants move to new lands, they are subjected to accusations of being radicals and criminals, and are blamed for extremist nationalist violence on the part of their hosts. The politics of migration have pulled some democracies into illiberalism and recent shifts in human geography have the potential to dramatically change many nation-states. Migration will continue to be a major factor in shaping democracies, defining conflicts and reshaping national characters. This book examines radicalization of migrants and their hosts. It traces the process of radicalization among migrants and hosts in multiple milieus (Chap. 2); it explores a broken system of world migration where hosts and migrants fight over rights to land (Chap. 3); it projects into the future, predicting how migration will affect the post-pandemic world (Chap. 4); and it develops policy prescriptions for improving the current system of world migration (Chap. 5). This chapter sets the stage by laying out the debate on migration, the reasons for migration and the effects of migration on hosts and migrants alike. All of these factors are considered against the setting of Covid-19.
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of the Putative Biosynthetic Intermediate Ambruticin J

The family of anti-fungal natural products known as the ambruticins are structurally distinguished by a pair of pyran rings adorning a divinylcyclopropane core. Previous characterization of their biosynthesis, including the expression of a genetically modified producing organism, revealed that the polyketide synthase pathway proceeds via a diol intermediate, known as ambruticin J. Herein, we report the first enantioselective total synthesis of the putative PKS product, ambruticin J, according to a triply convergent synthetic route featuring a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and a Julia-Kocienski olefination for fragment assembly. This synthesis takes advantage of synthetic methodology previously developed by our laboratory for the stereoselective generation of the trisubstituted cyclopropyl linchpin.
Melt-Cast Organic Glass Scintillators for a Handheld Dual Particle Imager

The light output, time resolution, pulse shape discrimination (PSD), neutron light output, and interaction position reconstruction of melt-cast small-molecule organic glass bar scintillators were measured. The trans-stilbene organic scintillator detects fast neutrons and gamma rays with high efficiency and exhibits excellent PSD, but the manufacturing process is slow and expensive and its light output in response to neutrons is anisotropic. Small-molecule organic glass bars offer an easy-to-implement and cost-effective solution to these problems. These properties were characterized to evaluate the efficacy of constructing a compact, low-voltage neutron and gamma-ray imaging system using organic glass bars coupled to silicon photomultiplier arrays. A complete facility for melt-casting organic glass scintillators was setup at the University of Michigan. 6 × 6 × 50 mm3glass bars were produced and the properties listed above were characterized. The first neutron image using organic glass was produced in simple backprojection.
Research on the status and risk factors of screen exposure in children under three years of age

Objective: To investigate the time and characteristics of screen exposure, to analyze the risk factors affecting screen exposure in children aged 3 years and younger, and to provide scientific basis for the intervention of screen exposure in children. Methods: The data were collected by convenience sampling from 317 children for routine examination aged 0-36 months who visited the Department of Child Healthcare, Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from December 2019 to December 2020. Self-designed questionnaires of the screen exposure were completed by the parents. The basic information, home nurture environment and screen exposure conditions were investigated. Children 1 h/d on electronic devices in front of their children (OR=7.39, 95%CI: 2.24-24.46, P=0.001), caregivers believing that screen exposure can promote early childhood development (OR=4.14, 95%CI: 1.26-13.52, P=0.019) were risk factors for children's screen exposure in 1 h/d on electronic devices in front of their children (OR=3.29, 95%CI: 1.78-6.08, P<0.01) was risk factor for children's screen exposure in 18-36 months of age. Mothers with bachelor's or higher degree (OR=0.19, 95%CI: 0.05-0.66, P=0.009; OR=0.35, 95%CI: 0.19-0.66, P=0.001), no television in living room (OR=0.11, 95%CI: 0.03-0.42, P=0.001; OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.21-0.98, P=0.045) were protective factors for children's screen exposure in children <18 months and 18-36 months of age. Conclusions: Excessive screen exposure is common among children aged 3 years and younger. The exposure time increases with age, and is affected by several factors.
Seismic and Cyclonic Response of Continuous Frames

Damage to continuous framing caused by the lateral forces resulting from seismic tremors or cyclonic winds can be catastrophically severe. Cross sections forced early into plastic hinging may enter a failing stage prior to the development of ductile properties of remaining sections, or the formation of a collapse mechanism may occur with uncontrolled increases in strain at hinging sections. Analog computer studies are presented which lead to the conclusion that increases in strains should be accompanied by stress increases in order to minimize structural damage. Inhibiting the development of purely plastic conditions would also reduce the vulnerability of continuous framing to off center shifts of the axis of oscillation and the crawling effect of distortions in one direction. Steel without a yield plateau, low steel ratios, and confined compression reinforcement in all sections of a frame would reduce the susceptibility of a reinforced concrete framework to severe damage from severe natural phenomena such as earthquakes and cyclonic winds.
Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations associated with high output cardiac failure: Report of three autopsy cases

Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations (VGAMs) are rare congenital vascular, malformation. The malformation usually develops between the 6th to 11th wk of gestation. We report three autopsy cases, all prenatally diagnosed by ultrasound or fetal magnetic resonance imaging with VGAM with associated high-output cardiac failure. Prenatal fetal echocardiogram on two patients showed cardiomegaly, ventricular dilatation, pulmonary hypertension and reversed aortic flow. The cause of death in all the three patients was high-output cardiac failure due to VGAM. The autopsy findings confirmed feeding arteries from posterior cerebral arteries to VGAM in all patients. Other significant neuropathologic findings at autopsy were severe hydrocephalus, polymicrogyria, germinal matrix hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and microcalcification. The findings support that VGAM may be due to abnormal arterial venous communication and the most common cause of death in these patients is high-output cardiac failure. The presence of other associated brain abnormalities indicates a poor prognosis.
Global reconstruction of analytic functions from local expansions and a new general method of converting sums into integrals

A new summation method is introduced to convert a relatively wide family of Taylor series and infinite sums into integrals. Global behavior such as analytic continuation, position of singularities, asymptotics for large values of the variable and asymptotic location of zeros thereby follow, through the integral representations, from the Taylor coefficients at a point, say zero. The method can be viewed in some sense as the inverse of Cauchy’s formula. It can work in one or several complex variables. There is a duality between the global analytic structure of the reconstructed function and the properties of the coefficients as a function of their index. Borel summability of a class of divergent series follow as a byproduct.
The Evolution of Holmes, Holmes and Evolution

The occasion of these remarks is the one-hundredth anniversary of the publication of Holmes' The Common Law, but it is not so much his book as it is his later career that explains why we observe the occasion. The Common Law is a widely known book but one more widely known than read, while perhaps it is more often read than understood. Unlike William Blackstone, who wrote an extraordinarily influential book before becoming an obscure judge, Holmes is a famous judge who wrote a difficult book. If he had died shortly after finishing the book, as he thought he might,I it is very unlikely that we would be talking today about it or him. The prominence of the book owes a great deal to the reputation of the judge. It is also true, however, that The Common Law, together with a few essays, contains some marvelous aphorisms, a few pages altogether, that served to reinforce the reputation Holmes gained on the United States Supreme Court. Just what Holmes' reputation ought to be has become problematic. For a long time the mention of his name seemed to require as if by reflex some such term as "master of jurisprudence." Fifty years ago Jerome Frank felt confident that Holmes was "one of the finest idealists
Stochastic networks in nanoscale biophysics: Modeling enzymatic reaction of a single protein

Advances in nanotechnology enable scientists for the first time to study biological processes on a nanoscale molecule-by-molecule basis. A surprising discovery from recent nanoscale single-molecule biophysics experiments is that biological reactions involving enzymes behave fundamentally differently from what classical theory predicts. In this article we introduce a stochastic network model to explain the experimental puzzles (by modeling enzymatic reactions as a stochastic network connected by different enzyme conformations). Detailed analyses of the model, including analyses of the first-passage-time distributions and goodness of fit, show that the stochastic network model is capable of explaining the experimental surprises. The model is analytically tractable and closely fits experimental data. The biological/chemical meaning of the model is discussed.
Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting : Problems and Promises for Biological Ocean Science Research

With the sole exception of the measurement of phytoplankton fluorescence, biological oceanographers live within the constraint of having few methods which provide real time continuous data. Most methods are discrete measurements of the “whole” community.
Imitation fluency in a student with autism spectrum disorder: an experimental case study

AbstractChildren with autism spectrum disorders need imitation due to its application for learning other behaviors. Behavior analysis has procedures for effectively teaching imitative behaviors. Imitation can only be considered mastered, however, when imitation of untaught behaviors occurs. To explore the relationship between taught and untaught imitative behaviors, Accuracy Building and Frequency Building to a Performance Criterion (FBPC) was provided to a four-year-old girl with autism. Twelve motor movements were taught during instructional sessions while another three remained untaught/unreinforced. The first set of three motor imitations occurred in the Accuracy Building condition where the child received prompts, corrections, and reinforcement. Upon achieving the exit criterion of 100% correct, the FBPC condition began and the participant built frequency, or practiced the taught imitative behaviors until meeting a performance criterion. Imitation of untaught behaviors was assessed in every third ins...
Allergenic interrelationship of epidermis, blood serum, and skeletal muscle.

Abstract 1.1. Direct skin tests and local passive transfer studies were carried out on ten selected patients with extracts of epidermis, serum, and skeletal muscle of the dog, horse, cow, hog, guinea pig, and man. Various combinations of positive reactions were found, varying from positive tests to all three tissues of all six species excepting man to organ-specific and species-specific reactions to a single substance. 2.2. Antibody neutralization studies indicated that: (a) in four cases dog epidermis could have been the only sensitizing allergen; (b) in two cases dog epidermis, dog serum, or dog muscle could have been the only sensitizing allergen; (c) in one case horse serum could have been the only sensitizing allergen; (d) in one case there was species-specific hypersensitiveness to both dog epidermis and to human epidermis; (e) in one case there was species-specific hypersensitiveness to both dog epidermis and to horse epidermis. In one case horse epidermis alone reacted positively.
A review of hail growth by stochastic collection in a comulonimbus model

A study of severe convective storms, including tornadoes, indicates that hail is almost always associated with them. Large hail, often having physical characteristics which denote wet growth, is frequently observed to fall in advance of large, damaging tornadoes. Results obtained from a cumulus model, which includes hail growth by stochastic coalescence, support these observations. Hail, rather than rain, is responsible for the large radar reflectivities, and primarily responsible for the mass loading of the updraft, because its size is not dynamically limited as is that of a large raindrop. The applicability of the model, a one-dimensional, time dependent model, is discussed and then the characteristics of hail growth are examined in a variety of conditions, which are determined in nature by aerosols through their capability to initiate condensation, coalescence and drop freezing. Conditions favorable for both dry and wet growth are simulated, corresponding to a cumulonimbus which develops in a shearing environment.
Gender differences in the relationship between perceived social support and student adjustment during early adolescence.

The current study is an investigation of early adolescents' perceptions of social support from parents, teachers, classmates, and close friends, and how that support is related to measures of students' adjustment on a range of behavioral indices. Data were collected on a sample of 246 students in Grades 6 through 8 using the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS), and the Parent Rating Scale of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-PRS). Analyses using the social support subscale scores (Parent, Teacher, Classmate, and Close Friend) replicated past research in finding gender differences on mean levels of perceived social support, with girls perceiving higher levels of classmate and close friend support than boys. In addition, girls reported significantly more support from close friends than any other source, whereas boys reported significantly less support from classmates than any other source. Finally, results demonstrated gender differences in the relationship between social support and several indices of student adjustment, and provided evidence for the importance of considering gender differences in planning future research related to social support.
The Effect of Tribofilm Formation and Humidity on the Friction and Wear Properties of Ceramic Materials

The processes of tribofilm formation and disruption and the predominant tribo-mechanisms of unlubricated ceramic materials were investigated experimentally. Sliding experiments in humidity controlled atmospheres revealed that the formation of interfacial tribofilms significantly affects the steady-state friction and wear properties of ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy and various composition analysis techniques demonstrated that although tribochemical reactions might occur, the principal mechanisms of tribofilm formation were the generation, agglomeration, and compaction of fine wear debris produced from both sliding surfaces. The tribofilms exhibited different tribological characteristics, depending on their elemental compositions and the humidity. For all the ceramic pairs tested, the steady-state coefficients of friction decreased with relative humidity. In contrast to the conventional fracture toughness approach, surface profilometry and microscopy studies showed that the highest wear rates were encountered with the toughest ceramic. Plowing grooves parallel to the direction of sliding, fine wear debris of round and cylindrical shapes, microcracking, and localized delamination of the tribofilms were identified. Microscopic observations suggested that damage of the subsurface material adjacent to the interface of the tribofilms was immeasurable. Qualitative comparison of the topographical features of worn surfaces indicated that, depending on the humidity and the type of ceramic, microplasticity, microfracture, and delamination of the tribofilms were the prevailing steady-state tribomechanisms.
Are police-reported driving while Black data a valid indicator of the race and ethnicity of the traffic law violators police stop? A negative answer with minor qualifications

Abstract Are police-reported driving while Black data a valid indicator of the race and ethnicity of the drivers police stop? This research answered that question by advancing the first multivariate analysis of race and ethnicity missingness in the traffic stop data reported by Boston police during April and May of 2001. The most important multivariate story the data tell was that race and ethnicity missingness was significantly nonrandom on multiple dimensions, including the second month of data collection, for drivers living in zip codes with above average and average people of color, for drivers living in zip codes with above average and average poor people, and for drivers whose stop ended in a ticket. The results therefore supported a clear answer to a fundamentally important question about the validity of the driving while Black data reported by police. Based upon the present research and with minor qualifications, police-reported driving while Black data were not valid because they underestimated the frequency with which police stop drivers of color.
A NEW SOURCE FOR MORE'S ‘UTOPIA’

In a letter to Erasmus dated 3 September 1516, Thomas More wrote: ‘I am sending you my “Nowhere”, which is nowhere well written’. More's use of the Latin word ‘nusquam’ in this sentence (not ‘Utopia’, as one might have expected) made explicit what would have been apparent to any reader of the book with a knowledge of Greek: that the island of Utopia which the character Raphael Hythloday describes is ‘nowhere’. The name ‘Utopia’, those readers would have known, was a compound of the Greek adverb ‘ou’, meaning ‘not’, with the noun ‘topos’, or ‘place’. The non-existence of Utopia operates throughout the work as a joke with at least two dimensions. On one level, the story Hythloday tells is ostensibly presented as fact, whereas humanist readers with a knowledge of Greek would have known it to be fiction. But additionally, Hythloday's argument (against the objections to communism voiced by ‘More’) that communal living really does work in Utopia is ironically undercut by the fact that Utopia is nowhere at all. Why More should choose to make this second joke is in a way the most fundamental question for the interpretation of Utopia, for if we do not understand why More thinks it is important that the commonwealth Hythloday describes is ‘nowhere’, we will not be able to understand what More is doing in the work as a whole.
Limb deficiency defects, MSX1, and exposure to tobacco smoke.

There is increasing evidence from epidemiologic studies that genetic susceptibilities may modify the teratogenic effects of smoking. A previous study suggested that maternal smoking in the presence of a dinucleotide repeat polymorphism for MSX1 produced an almost fivefold increased risk for limb anomalies, providing evidence for a gene–environment interaction. The current study examined this potential interaction, using case-control data with several methodologic improvements, including a larger sample size and more detailed information on cigarette smoke exposures. Cases (n = 92) were ascertained from pregnancies ending in 1987–1989, and controls (n = 180) were randomly selected from eligible liveborn infants. In telephone interviews, women reported smoking behaviors during the month before pregnancy through the end of the first trimester. Odds ratios (OR) for maternal and paternal smoking ranged from 1.0 to 1.4, risk estimates were imprecise; for example, the OR for maternal smoking ≥20 cigarettes per day, versus none, was 1.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5–3.4). Relative to the homozygous wildtype, the OR was 1.5 (95% CI 0.7–3.5) for the homozygous variant genotype and 0.8 (95% CI 0.5–1.4) for the heterozygous variant genotype. There was no evidence that maternal smoking or both parents smoking, in combination with a susceptible MSX1 genotype, conferred an additional increase in risk of limb defects. This study did not find a gene–environment interaction between maternal smoking, infant MSX1 CA repeat polymorphism, and risk of limb deficiency defects. This finding contrasts with results of a previous study, which provided initial evidence for such an interaction. Several important methodological differences may have contributed to the differences in findings between the two studies. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Extinction of taste aversion does not eliminate taste-mediated aversion to visual cues: Replicating Lett (1984)

In this experiment, we evaluated whether extinction of taste aversion following conditioning with a compound CS of visual and taste cues would attenuate taste-mediated aversion to visual cues. Sixty chicks (Gallus domesticus) received a pairing of a compound CS, red-colored water or red-colored vinegar, with a toxin and then extinction procedures with clear vinegar. Testing with red water showed reliable evidence of potentiation to visual cues in the red vinegar conditioning groups, as measured by latency to start drinking and intake performance. Taste-aversion extinction groups (n = 30), tested with clear vinegar, showed no reliable evidence of taste aversion. The results contradicted the within-compound hypothesis of taste-mediated potentiation and replicated Lett (1984).
Anisoplanatism effects on diffraction-based performance calculations in adaptive optical systems

The effects of turbulence-induced anisoplanatism cause the performance of an adaptive optic system to be dependent on the angular separation between the object wavefront being corrected and the wavefront of the reference source. One method of quantifying this angular dependent performance is through the average optical transfer function (OTF). An equally important measure is the variance of the OTF. The variance is used together with the average OTF to define a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Knowledge of the SNR is essential in any image restoration scheme to determine the spatial frequency limit of the restoration process. This paper presents the diffraction based theory and a method of computing the object angle dependent average OTF and corresponding SNR of an adaptive-optics system. These quantities are computed using normalized correction functions that are valid for a wide range of atmospheric turbulence profiles and angular correction geometries. This method allows for rapid calculations under changing atmospheric and geometric conditions.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Yaruss, Coleman, and Hammer (2006): an exemplar of non-evidence-based practice in stuttering treatment.

Purpose This letter is a response to a recent report by J. S. Yaruss, C. Coleman, and D. Hammer (2006) that described a treatment program for preschool children who stutter. Conclusion Problems wit...
Computing with real numbers, from Archimedes to Turing and beyond

How to test the usefulness of computation for understanding and predicting continuous phenomena.
Long-term studies of small mammal communities in arid and semiarid environments

Abstract Desert rodent communities are model systems for understanding the effects of environmental severity and pulsed resources on community assembly, structure, and dynamics; however, the unique characteristics of arid ecosystems require long-term studies to reveal patterns and underlying mechanisms. The 3 papers in this Special Feature demonstrate the novel insights that can be gained from long-term (>10 years) ecological research on desert rodent communities.
Endpoints of gaps in the Markoff spectrum

If the interval (a, b) is a gap in the Markoff spectrum, then the numbera can be written as the sum of two quadratic irrationals. A similar result is obtained for one type of right endpointb.
Introducing a case-based teaching intervention in preventive medicine education

Abstract Teaching prevention at Upstate Medical University and other institutions has presented challenges, including a perceived lack of value or relevance by students and a dearth of curricular content for faculty that emphasized the importance of population-based prevention. A series of teaching cases has been constructed to respond to this need. The teaching method is described and evaluated. Relevance to clinical situations is emphasized, as most of the cases include clinical encounters matched with community data appropriate to the health problem. Success with this teaching method has been demonstrated at State University of New York (SUNY)–Upstate Medical University and collaborating institutions, including the University of Rochester, University of California at Davis, and SUNY University of Albany School of Public Health.
Some Aspects of Major Newspaper Coverage of the 1992 Presidential Debates

This trend analysis of coverage by influential dailies focuses on a strategic phase late in the 1992 campaign: the presidential and vice presidential debates. Differences in coverage among some of the nation's most influential newspapers, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and Wall Street Journal, are noted. Also examined are the local newspapers The Boston Globe and Boston Herald. Column inches, source identification, and textual tone are analyzed in newspaper-to-newspaper and candidate-to-candidate comparisons. The authors observed a high ratio of negative-to-positive coverage of George Bush's performances in comparison to the other five major presidential and vice presidential candidates and skeptical treatment of Ross Perot's electability.
A high-efficiency, low-cost aeolian sand trap

Abstract We present a design for an aeolian sand trap that is based on the streamer trap concept used in sediment transport studies. The trap is inexpensive, has excellent trapping efficiency, is durable, and easy to use. It is fabricated from stainless steel that is cut and bent to form a frame to support a fine nylon mesh. Typical trap openings are 100 mm wide and 25, 50, or 100 mm high. Traps are 250 mm long, and are stackable to measure vertical characteristics of saltation. The nylon mesh has 64 μm openings that comprise 47% of the area of the material. Aerodynamic efficiency was tested in a wind tunnel, and sediment trapping efficiency evaluated in field deployments. Both evaluations support the use of this trap for short-term measurements.
Time for thought

The Image of Eternity: Roots of Time in the Physical World. By David Park. Pp. 149. (University of Massachusetts Press: 1980.) $14.50.
A new microcontroller-based RADFET dosimeter reader

Abstract A new reader for radiation dose measurements using RADFET (pMOSFET) dosemeters has been developed. The threshold voltage ( V T ) of the pMOSFETs is measured using a “one-point” method that determines V T as the gate voltage for a given drain current. Using V T , the absorbed dose, which is directly proportional to the threshold voltage shift, is calculated. The reader is based on a low cost 8-bit PIC 18F4520 microcontroller (MCU), and works independently of a personal computer, uses a touch screen and stores the data in microcontroller memory. Good agreement in threshold voltage values, obtained using a high-quality source-measure unit and the reader, was obtained. In addition, the reader can be used for threshold voltage measurement with other types of MOSFETs, especially in long duration experiments, as well as for the real-time measurements in radiotherapy, either as an autonomous system or integrated in a larger monitoring configuration.
Autonomic and emotion regulation in bereavement and depression.

Abstract Objectives: Prior research suggests important differences between depression and the depressed feelings experienced in the context of bereavement, despite some overlap. Differences include an increase in restlessness, suggesting underlying physiological differences between the groups. Method: This study examined the level of depressive symptoms, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV), and coping style of 10 bereaved, 10 depressed, and 10 control participants. Results: Bereaved participants showed significantly higher HR than either depressed or control participants, while there were no such differences in HRV. Level of depression in the bereaved group correlated negatively with HRV. Additional analyses showed that the use of passive coping had a marginally significant negative correlation with HRV in bereaved subjects. Conclusion: The present data suggest that differences in HR and HRV could be associated with increased cardiovascular fatalities in bereaved individuals, known as the “broken heart phenomenon.” These physiological differences have potential implications for both the mental and physical health of the bereaved.
Numerical computation of wind pressures on buildings

Abstract This paper discusses the computer simulation of wind pressures on buildings. The control volume technique is used to discretize the three-dimensional differential equations of the flow and the standard k - ϵ turbulence model is incorporated in the numerical modelling for closure. A modular-structure, computational tool named TWIST (Turbulent WInd Simulation Technique), has been developed and implemented in various computer systems including, for the first time, microcomputers. Computed mean values of wind-induced pressures on buildings agree well with experimental data obtained from boundary layer wind tunnels. The influence of various computational parameters such as the number of grid nodes on the time of computation and the computed results is also discussed.
Comparing data mining methods on the VAERS database.

Purpose Data mining may enhance traditional surveillance of vaccine adverse events by identifying events that are reported more commonly after administering one vaccine than other vaccines. Data mining methods find signals as the proportion of times a condition or group of conditions is reported soon after the administration of a vaccine; thus it is a relative proportion compared across vaccines, and not an absolute rate for the condition. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) contains approximately 150 000 reports of adverse events that are possibly associated with vaccine administration. Methods We studied four data mining techniques: empirical Bayes geometric mean (EBGM), lower-bound of the EBGM's 90% confidence interval (EB05), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), and screened PRR (SPRR). We applied these to the VAERS database and compared the agreement among methods and other performance properties, particularly focusing on the vaccine–event combinations with the highest numerical scores in the various methods. Results The vaccine–event combinations with the highest numerical scores varied substantially among the methods. Not all combinations representing known associations appeared in the top 100 vaccine–event pairs for all methods. Conclusions The four methods differ in their ranking of vaccine–COSTART pairs. A given method may be superior in certain situations but inferior in others. This paper examines the statistical relationships among the four estimators. Determining which method is best for public health will require additional analysis that focuses on the true alarm and false alarm rates using known vaccine–event associations. Evaluating the properties of these data mining methods will help determine the value of such methods in vaccine safety surveillance. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Information Use and Transference among Legally Separated Share Markets?An Experimental Approach

Several countries have adopted legally separated share markets (LSSM), where local firms market separate claims to the same dividend flow to domestic and foreign investors who cannot arbitrage across LSSM. We designed a laboratory experiment to test whether the inside information in one LSSM is reflected in the prices of both markets. We find that insider information does transfer across markets. The extent of this transfer depends upon whether the location of insiders is publicly known, how close prices in the informed market get to the full information equilibrium, and how much the price variance is in this market. We also observe insiders' behavior and performance under different market conditions. Efforts by insiders to manipulate the market increase when their location is unknown to the public. On average such efforts pay off to the whole group of insiders but not to the initiator of these manipulative transactions.