cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parameter Sensitivity Analysis of Controlled Invariant Sets via Value Iteration.

In this paper we propose a value-iteration based algorithm to compute controlled invariant sets in cases where the range of certain parameters in the system model are not known a priori. By defining the value function in a way that is related to parameter ranges, the proposed computation allows us to analyze parameter sensitivity for the controlled invariant set. The convergence properties of the algorithm are analyzed for certain classes of systems. Finally, a vehicle team power management case study is used to illustrate the efficacy and scalability of the proposed algorithm.
NASCon: Network-Aware Server Consolidation for server-centric wireless datacenters

Abstract Servers in datacenter are underutilized due to over-provisioning, which contributes heavily toward high-power consumption of the datacenters. Server consolidation can drastically reduce power consumption of datacenters by reducing the number of active servers. However, server consolidation alone can adversely affect network performance. Recently, wireless datacenters using millimeter-wave communications have been proposed and shown to drastically reduce power consumption of networking equipment. Therefore, server-consolidation strategies should leverage novel datacenter network-architectures to minimize power consumption with minimal impact on performance. We present network-aware bandwidth-constrained server consolidation algorithm called Network-Aware Server Consolidation (NASCon), for wireless datacenters that can reduce the power consumption up to 37%. In wireless datacenter, NASCon server consolidation consumes comparable power compared to consolidation optimized with exhaustive search, while being much less computationally expensive and also improving the network performance. However, due to arrival of new-tasks and completion of existing-tasks, consolidated utilization profile of servers change, which may have adverse effect on overall power consumption over time. To overcome this, NASCon algorithm needs to be executed periodically. We propose a mechanism to find optimal inter-consolidation time and derived a mathematical model for the same. The model reduces the computing overheads for determining the optimal inter-consolidation time enabling real-time implementation.
Through the Looking Glass in Indiana: Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and the Duty of Confidentiality

It is often said that the duty of confidentiality is the most important of all the fiduciary duties attorneys owe their clients. This is so because without confidentiality, clients would presumably not feel free to seek legal representation, or, at least, would not be fully open to speak out with their lawyers. Yet, the duty of confidentiality can be affected by special statutes that impose the opposite duty: a duty to disclose information under certain circumstances. Most common among this type of statutes are state statutes that mandate disclosure of information related to child abuse. As one might expect, therefore, there may be circumstances in which a lawyer may find a conflict between the duty to keep information secret and a duty to disclose it. Last fall, the Legal Ethics Committee of the Indiana State Bar Association issued an opinion addressing this very question. It concludes that under Indiana law, absent client consent, an attorney may not report information about suspected child abuse learned during the representation of the client unless the lawyer believes disclosing the information is necessary to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm. In reaching this conclusion, however, the Committee disregards the text of the applicable rule of professional conduct and does not consider the possible scenarios that can result from the interpretation of the mandatory disclosure statute, the doctrine of the attorney-client privilege and the rules of professional conduct. In an effort to clarify the confusion created by the opinion, this essay explains the issue presented by the opinion, and suggests the analysis needed for its proper resolution according to the applicable rules of professional conduct.
The Function of the PRRSV–Host Interactions and Their Effects on Viral Replication and Propagation in Antiviral Strategies

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) affects the global swine industry and causes disastrous economic losses each year. The genome of PRRSV is an enveloped single-stranded positive-sense RNA of approximately 15 kb. The PRRSV replicates primarily in alveolar macrophages of pig lungs and lymphatic organs and causes reproductive problems in sows and respiratory symptoms in piglets. To date, studies on how PRRSV survives in the host, the host immune response against viral infections, and pathogenesis, have been reported. PRRSV vaccines have been developed, including inactive virus, modified live virus, attenuated live vaccine, DNA vaccine, and immune adjuvant vaccines. However, there are certain problems with the durability and effectiveness of the licensed vaccines. Moreover, the high variability and fast-evolving populations of this RNA virus challenge the design of PRRSV vaccines, and thus effective vaccines against PRRSV have not been developed successfully. As is well known, viruses interact with the host to escape the host’s immune response and then replicate and propagate in the host, which is the key to virus survival. Here, we review the complex network and the mechanism of PRRSV–host interactions in the processes of virus infection. It is critical to develop novel antiviral strategies against PRRSV by studying these host–virus interactions and structures to better understand the molecular mechanisms of PRRSV immune escape.
Benzene exposure and non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of human studies.

Summary Background Non-Hodgkin lymphoma comprises a heterogeneous group of cancers with unresolved aetiology, although risk factors include environmental exposures to toxic chemicals. Although the ubiquitous pollutant benzene is an established leukemogen, its potential to cause non-Hodgkin lymphoma has been widely debated. We aimed to examine the potential link between benzene exposure and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans by evaluating a wide array of cohort and case-control studies using electronic systematic review. Methods We did a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of all qualified human epidemiological studies that assessed the relationship between benzene exposure and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We queried the PubMed and Embase databases for relevant articles published before June 5, 2019, and applied the SysRev platform for study selection. All peer-reviewed human cohort and case-control studies that reported non-Hodgkin lymphoma risk estimates specifically for benzene exposure were eligible for inclusion. Studies that calculated relative risks (RRs) for industries or job types without identifying those specifically exposed to benzene, that combined non-Hodgkin lymphoma with other cancer types, or that reported many different solvent exposures together were excluded. From each study, two investigators independently extracted information on the study design, location, years, sample size, participation rates, age, sex, sources of cases and controls, diagnosis, histological verification, exposure assessment, results, adjustment, and statistical analysis, and subsequently assessed study quality. We calculated the meta-analysis relative risk (meta-RR) and CIs using the fixed effect and random effect models, as well as assessing publication bias. Findings Our search yielded 2481 articles. After screening and removal of duplicates, 20 case-control studies and eight cohort studies were included in our meta-analysis, which included a total of 9587 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We reported an increased meta-relative risk (meta-RR) of 33% in highly exposed groups, when data were available (meta-RR 1·33 [95% CI 1·13–1·57], n=28). The meta-RR rose to 1·51 (1·22–1·87, n=18) in the studies that provided results specifically for highly exposed individuals. In particular, we reported a doubling of this risk for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a major non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtype (1·67 [1·01–2·77]). We also detected increased risks for follicular lymphoma (1·47 [0·95–2·27]) and hairy cell leukaemia (1·77 [0·99–3·16]), though they were not statistically significant. Funnel plot, Egger's test (p=0·77) and Begg's test (p=0·98) did not show evidence of publication bias. We evaluated the major aspects of causal inference and found evidence to support all the Hill considerations for assigning causation. Interpretation Our findings suggest a causal link between benzene exposure and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, especially for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Funding National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Variance-Reduced Splitting Schemes for Monotone Stochastic Generalized Equations.

We consider monotone inclusion problems where the operators may be expectation-valued, a class of problems that subsumes convex stochastic optimization problems as well as subclasses of stochastic variational inequality and equilibrium problems. A direct application of splitting schemes is complicated by the need to resolve problems with expectation-valued maps at each step, a concern that is addressed by using sampling. Accordingly, we propose an avenue for addressing uncertainty in the mapping: Variance-reduced stochastic modified forward-backward splitting scheme (vr-SMFBS). In constrained settings, we consider structured settings when the map can be decomposed into an expectation-valued map A and a maximal monotone map B with a tractable resolvent. We show that the proposed schemes are equipped with a.s. convergence guarantees, linear (strongly monotone A) and O(1/k) (monotone A) rates of convergence while achieving optimal oracle complexity bounds. The rate statements in monotone regimes appear to be amongst the first and rely on leveraging the Fitzpatrick gap function for monotone inclusions. Furthermore, the schemes rely on weaker moment requirements on noise and allow for weakening unbiasedness requirements on oracles in strongly monotone regimes. Preliminary numerics on a class of two-stage stochastic variational inequality problems reflect these findings and show that the variance-reduced schemes outperform stochastic approximation schemes and sample-average approximation approaches. The benefits of attaining deterministic rates of convergence become even more salient when resolvent computation is expensive.
Fecal Calprotectin from Ileostomy Output is Sensitive and Specific for the Prediction of Small Bowel Inflammation in Patients with Crohn's Disease.

Background Severe Crohn's disease (CD) can result in extensive bowel resections and need for creation of an ileostomy. Fecal calprotectin (FC) is well studied in CD management though its role in patients who have an ileostomy is unclear. Our aim is to understand if FC is a useful adjunct to radiographic or endoscopic studies in identifying recurrent CD after surgery in patients with an ileostomy. Methods Between 1/1/2017 and 09/30/2020, we searched the Mayo Clinic electronic medical record retrospectively for adult patients with ICD-10 code for CD, and a surgical history of an ileostomy. Patients were included in the analysis if they had at least one FC measured and a concomitant radiographic imaging and/or endoscopic procedure. An abnormal FC was defined as greater than 60 mcg/g. Results Fifty-one patients met our inclusion criteria, 17 had a FC level >60 mcg/g. Of these 17 patients, 14 had imaging and/or an ileoscopy confirming the presence of small bowel inflammation with a sensitivity of 87.5%. Of the remaining 34 patients with a FC level ≤60 mcg/g, 32 patients had imaging and/or ileoscopy demonstrating no small bowel inflammation with a specificity of 91.4%. FC from an ileostomy effluent had a positive predictive value of 82.3%, a negative predictive value of 94.1% and test diagnostic accuracy of 90.1%. Conclusion FC from an ileostomy effluent is a highly sensitive and specific test for the assessment and monitoring of small bowel inflammation and disease recurrence in patients with CD.
Estimating Aircraft SAR Response Characteristics And Approximating Ocean Wave Spectra In The Labrador Sea

The data processing methods employed to compute estimates of two-dimensional wave height-variance spectra from the ocean imagery obtained in the Labrador Sea by a C-band airborne SAR system are described. The SAR spectra are compared for high and low altitude geometries with large and small elevation angles. A surface contour radar and a radar ocean wave spectrometer aboard an aircraft are used to verify the surface wave spectrum.
Communications Policy in the Era of Choice and Convergence with Reflections on the Markle Foundation

Advances in information technology have gradually blurred the boundaries among the communications media, raising complex policy issues concerning regulation, intellectual property rights, the role of media in politics, and educational methods. The new information technology has ushered in the era of convergence and choice: convergence in the sense that all communications media are rapidly moving towards becoming simply a different form of bit streams in a digital network, and choice in that monopolies (like telephones) and tight oligopolies (like network television and local newspapers) are rapidly being challenged by new entrants as technological progress has lowered entry barriers. During this period, the Markle Foundation has been the leading supporter of research on the social and economic effects of these changes, under the leadership of its president, Lloyd Morrisett. This essay traces the co-evolution of information technology, communications policy research, and the Markle Foundation.
Endocrine control of clutch size in reptiles: III. Δ5-3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in different-sized ovarian follicles of Anolis carolinensis☆

Abstract Presence of the enzyme Δ 5 -3 β -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) was determined in different-sized ovarian follicles of breeding Anolis carolinensis . Enzymatic activity appeared mainly in the granulosa, with little or no activity in the theca. Follicles about 2.0 mm in diameter exhibited a slight reaction, and the amount of 3β-HSD increased as follicles approached preovulatory size (8.0 mm). Smaller follicles in each ovary did not exhibit 3β-HSD activity. Follicles of higher rank in the stepwise size-gradation tended to exhibit greater activity than lower-ranked follicles of similar size. These observations are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that steroid-induced hyperemia of only some follicles is involved in follicular selection in this species.
The Ovarian Prorenin‐Angiotensin System a

Recent evidence suggests that prorenin and other active components of the renin-angiotensin system may be linked to ovarian physiology. Prorenin, the inactive form of the enzymatically active renin, is present in the fluid of mature human ovarian follicles in concentrations more than 10 times higher than that found in the plasma of women undergoing ovarian stimulation. Only 1% of the renin in follicular fluid is in active form. Concentrations of prorenin in fluid of immature follicles are lower than levels detected in concomitantly aspirated mature follicles. Study of prorenin levels disclosed a positive correlation to testosterone and E2 in fluids of mature follicles. Plasma prorenin increases about twofold at midcycle at the time of the LH surge; the peak of prorenin is sustained for about 40 hours. In patients undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF, hCG administration results in much higher plasma prorenin levels and the height of prorenin response is directly related to the number of mature follicles. It peaked 4 to 6 days after hCG injection and then fell, close to baseline, by about 12 days after hCG administration. Examination of the time course of hormonal changes in response to hCG revealed a temporal relationship between prorenin and both plasma E2 and progesterone. In women who conceived, prorenin began to rise again on days 8 to 12 after embryo transfer when endogenous hCG was detected in the blood. No such changes in prorenin occurred in women with ovarian failure who conceived after transfer of a donor egg. These findings indicate that prorenin is produced by the mature follicle and the corpus luteum in response to LH/hCG. Since angiotensin II affects intracellular calcium and phospholipase activity, there are many potential roles for prorenin via angiotensin II action. Putative actions of the ovarian renin system may include control of oocyte maturation, ovulation, ovarian blood flow, and ovarian steroid biosynthesis. Future work to elucidate the function of this new renin system may have relevance to many basic and clinical aspects of human reproduction.
Dichotomous Indium-111 labeled leukocyte scan findings while evaluating osteomyelitis in a failed mandibular graft

Markedly elevated111 In labeled leukocyte activity suggestive of acute osteomyelitis was observed in a region of a composite mandibular allograft that was photon deficient on 99mTc MDP bone scintigraphy. This finding was later confirmed by surgical pathology. The patient was treated with intravenous antibiotics and returned two months later with persistent bone infection. The foHow-up three phase bone and 111In labeled leukocyte scans were performed. The photopenic region noted in the previous bone scan demonstrated a mild interval increase in activity, while the 111In labeled leukocyte activity was essentially normal. Additional imaging of the composite allograft was then performed using 67Ga-citrate at 24 and 48 hours post injection. These images revealed focal areas of increased Gallium activity in the photopenic region of the graft exhibiting normal mIn leukocyte activity. The tissue culture comfirmed underlying chronic osteomyelitis. We conclude that normal uptake on niIn labeled leukocyte and photon deficient regions on 99mTc bone scintigraphy do not necessarily exclude the presence of chronic osteomyelitis. In the management of patients who have been on prolonged antibiotic therapy with persistent infection, 67Ga scintigraphy is warranted.
Magnetic Field Enhanced Energy Increase of Ions Emitted from Laser Irradiated Solid Targets

A ruby laser adjusted to four different power levels, 6, 9, 15, and 30 Megawatt, was focused to a diameter of 0.1 mm on solid targets (W, Ta, Cr, and A1). A magnetic field of flux density B was applied perpendicular to the target. Hereby the ion energy increased; the increase decreased with increasing laser power. Up to a magnetic field of 2000 gauss and within the range of the laser intensities applied the increase Δe of the kinetic energy e of the ions followed the relationship: e3Δe = const B4
Lognormal Distribution ‐ Applications

The lognormal distribution is widely used by environmental scientists to model their data. Its popularity is based on the fact that many environmental measurements are non-negative and their histograms are frequently skewed to the right but the histograms of log-transformed data resemble those of the normal distribution. Another reason for its popularity is the simplicity of performing the analysis using the familiar normal theory methods. It has been shown that the lognormal distribution arises naturally by applying the central limit theorem when a multiplicative process is used to combine the error.
NMR Studies of the Thermal Degradation of a Perfluoropolyether on the Surfaces of γ-Alumina and Kaolinite

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods are used to follow the thermal degradation of Krytox 1506, a common perfluoropolyether, following adsorption onto the surfaces of γ-Al2O3 and a model clay (kaolinite). The alumina studies are complemented with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to follow the degradation process macroscopically. Molecular-level details are revealed through 19F magic-angle spinning (MAS), 27Al MAS, and 19F → 27Al cross-polarization MAS (CPMAS) NMR. The CPMAS results show the time-dependent formation of probable VIAl(O6 - nFn) (n = 1, 2, 3) species in which the fluorine atoms are selectively associated with octahedrally coordinated aluminum atoms. For the alumina system, the changes in peak shapes of the CP spectra over time suggest the early formation of catalytically active degradation products, which in turn lead to the formation of additional perfluoropolyether degradation products. Similar to the alumina system, the kaolinite system also displays new resonances in both ...
The Large Binocular Telescope mid-infrared camera (LMIRcam): final design and status

We report on the final design and the fabrication status of LMIRcam - a mid-infrared imager/spectrograph that will operate behind the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) primarily at wavelengths between 3 and 5um (the astronomical L- and M-bands). Within LMIRcam a pair of diamond-turned biconic mirrors re-images a ten arcsecond square field onto a 1024x1024 HAWAII-1RG 5.1um cutoff array. The re-imaging optics provide two pupil planes for the placement of filters and grisms as well as an intermediate image plane. Flexible readout electronics enable operating modes ranging from high frame rate broadband imaging at the longest wavelengths to low background R=400 spectroscopy at shorter wavelengths. The LBTI will provide LMIRcam with a diffraction limited two-mirror PSF with first null dictated by the 14.4 meter separation of the two LBT mirror centers (22.8 meter baseline from edge to edge).
Influence of Dopant on Electroactivity of Polyaniline

Polyaniline (PANI) films were polymerized on glass carbon (GC) electrodes with small molecular dopantshydrochloric, perchloric, sulfuric, methanesulfonic, benzenesulfonic, ρ- toluenesulfonic and large macromolecular size poly(4-styrenesulfonic (PSS)), poly(vinylsulfonic), poly(acrylic), and poly(anilinesulfonic) acids.Theredox electroactiveswere studied in buffered solutions with the pH of 3, 5, 7, and 9. Results indicated that the properties PANI films were strongly dependent on the molecular size and polar characteristics of the dopants. With the polyelectrolytes, it was found that the PANI doped with PSS showed a good redox behavior, and maintained the inherent electro activity of PANI in the neutral and even in alkaline media.
THE EFFECT OF ADRENALIN IN PEANUT OIL AND ADRENALIN PELLETS UPON THE THYROID GLAND OF THE GUINEA PIG AND RABBIT

THE PROBLEM of the relationship of the autonomic nervous system to the function of the thyroid gland has been the subject of a very extensive and controversial literature and the final word remains to be said. The evidence presented has been gathered from extensive physiological, chemical and histological experimentation as well as clinical observation. There have been, however, few attempts to study the effect of the injection of adrenalin upon the thyroid gland itself. Kippen (1) could not demonstrate any change in the thyroid of guinea pigs following the intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 to 0.3 cc. of a 1:1000 solution of adrenalin hydrochloride. Pagliani (2) saw some evidence of hyperfunction in the cells of the thyroid gland of rabbits injected with adrenalin for from 12 to 23 days. Long and Wense (3) reported microscopically recognizable changes in the thyroids of rats injected 4 times in 2 days with adrenalin.
Survey of academic veterinarians' clinical practice in cardiopulmonary–cerebral resuscitation

Objective: To document the clinical practice of cardiopulmonary–cerebral resuscitation (CPCR) among academic veterinarians. Design: Survey. Setting: Eight colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States. Subjects: Two hundred and one academic veterinarians. Interventions: The survey was distributed by hand by the authors into the mailboxes of small animal faculty, residents, and interns. Demographic variables, questions regarding number of cardiopulmonary arrests (CPA) supervised and number successful, do not attempt resuscitation discussions, and Likert-style questions about client presence during CPCR, appropriateness of CPCR, and CPCR decision-making were included. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to determine the effect of multiple questions on different target variables of interest. Measurements and main results: Numerous differences were noted based on institution, gender, specialty, and position. Most institutions did not have a standard resuscitation consent form. Most respondents believed the client, house officer, and senior clinician should determine whether to perform resuscitation or not. Quality of life was the most significant determinant of whether to resuscitate or not, followed by long-term prognosis, then short-term prognosis. Conclusions: Veterinarians differ in many aspects of their approach to CPA and resuscitation. Creating consensus within the veterinary profession would benefit client service and patient care.
Heart-Rate Effects on Human Reaction Time:

Intra-subject rs between auditory RT and heart rate for 100 males (Mage = 55 yr.) showed RT to be independent of heart rate determined from single bears. rs were of negligible magnitude though more than a chance number were significant.
Sexual sterilization of screwworm flies: further studies of reliability of the chemosterilant technique.

When male screwworm flies, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), were injected as 6- or 144-hr-old pupae with N,N '-tetramethylenebis(1-aziridinecarboxamide), almost no dominant lethal mutations were induced in the premeiotic stages of spermatogenesis (young pupae), but many were induced in the postmeiotic stages (older pupae). When adult females, 24–48 hr old, treated topically with the same chemosterilant were stimulated to oviposit at 5 and 9 days posttreatment, all surviving inseminated females laid only nonviable eggs at 5 days, but at 9 days 89% laid no eggs and 11% laid a reduced number of nonviable eggs.
Dissociation of cortical and single unit activity in spoken and signed languages

Based on stroke and other lesion data, the cortical organization of sign language has been shown to be in the verbal language-dominant hemisphere. However, finer detail of the cortical organization of sign language is not readily available. Intraoperative cortical mapping of spoken and American Sign Language (ASL) was performed in a hearing patient proficient in ASL undergoing an awake operation for intractable epilepsy. We found the dissociation of essential cortical language sites for spoken and signed languages, the relationship of these sites to the interpretation of ASL, and the importance of the anterior temporal lobe in the language-dominant hemisphere for proper ASL handshapes. Single unit recordings in the anterior temporal lobe, at a site later identified to be important in handshape formation, showed sustained activity during naming with superimposed increases in activity during overt speech.
Computing convexity properties of images on a pyramid computer

We present efficient parallel algorithms for using a pyramid computer to determine convexity properties of digitized black/white pictures and labeled figures. Algorithms are presented for deciding convexity, identifying extreme points of convex hulls, and using extreme points in a variety of fashions. For a pyramid computer with a base ofn simple processing elements arranged in ann1/2 ×n1/2 square, the running times of the algorithms range from ź(logn) to find the extreme points of a convex figure in a digitized picture, to ź(n1/6) to find the diameter of a labeled figure, ź(n1/4 logn) to find the extreme points of every figure in a digitized picture, to ź(n1/2) to find the extreme points of every labeled set of processing elements. Our results show that the pyramid computer can be used to obtain efficient solutions to nontrivial problems in image analysis. We also show the sensitivity of efficient pyramid-computer algorithms to the rate at which essential data can be compressed. Finally, we show that a wide variety of techniques are needed to make full and efficient use of the pyramid architecture.
Maternal interview reports of family history of birth defects: Evaluation from a population-based case-control study of orofacial clefts

Accurate family histories of birth defects are critical for risk assessment and etiologic investigations. Typically, information about family history of birth defects is ascertained from interviews with birth mothers of index children; however, the quality of these interviews is rarely assessed. We evaluated family history information provided by case (n = 28) and control (n = 29) mothers who participated in a population-based, case-control study of orofacial clefts. Interview responses from mothers were compared to questionnaire reports collected by mail from first- and second-degree parental relatives. A total of 345 case and 380 control adult relatives completed questionnaires. These relatives also provided reports for 130 case and 169 control offspring. To examine the quality of birth defect reports, the sensitivity and specificity of birth mother responses were calculated. Sensitivity for presence (yes/no) of a birth defect was 31% for case mothers and 9% for control mothers. Specificity for case and control mothers was 98% and 97%, respectively. Interview responses from mothers who participate in family genealogy were more likely to be concordant with relative reports than were responses from mothers who do not participate in family genealogy. Case mother responses were more likely to be concordant than control mother responses. These results suggest that reliance on interview reports from birth mothers may lead to an underestimation of the occurrence of birth defects in relatives. Future investigations should explore methods to improve the quality of informant reports about family histories of birth defects. One alternative approach is discussed.
Drug Use at a Small Technological University in Tennessee.

This report is of 409 students at a small technological university in middle Tennessee who anonymously responded to a comprehensive drug use/nonuse questionnaire sent to them at their campus post o...
Multiple objectives in decision making and control: An overview

Recent efforts in the modeling and analysis of decision making problems in large-scale systems in a multiobjective framework are presented. Some lingering issues are introduced as a motivation for discussion involving a particular set of theoretical and methodological approaches. An integrated approach is then suggested as a tool to aid in decision making.
The biology of interleukin-2 efficacy in the treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the eighth most common malignancy in adults in the United States. More than 50% of individuals present with metastatic disease and conventional chemotherapeutic strategies have been associated with poor response rates. Immunotherapy with Interleukin (IL)-2, however, induces durable remission, achieving >10 year recurrence free survival in 5–10% of patients with advanced RCC. First described as a T cell growth factor, IL-2 has a wide spectrum of effects in the immune system. Some of the possible mechanisms by which IL-2 carries out its anticancer effects include the augmentation of cytotoxic immune cell functions and reversal of T cell anergy, enabling delivery of immune cells and possibly serum components into tumor. IL-2 indirectly limits tumor escape mechanisms such as defective tumor cell expression of Class I or Class II molecules or expansion of regulatory T cells. Indirect effects on the tumor microenvironment are also likely and associated with rather dramatic T cell infiltration during the global delayed type hypersensitivity response that is associated with systemic IL-2 administration. The IL-2 signaling pathway, its effects on immune cells, and its role in various independent mechanisms of tumor surveillance likely play a role but little substantive data defining a clear phenotype or genotype of IL-2 responders distinguishing them from nonresponders has emerged in the last 25 years since IL-2 therapy was initiated. At best, we can only speculate that the disturbed homeostatic host/tumor interaction is reset in a small subset of patients allowing an antitumor response to recover or ensue.
A PARACEST agent responsive to inner- and outer-sphere phosphate ester interactions for MRI applications.

Eu(S-THP)3+ is the first PARACEST agent that functions through exchange of hydroxyl protons with water protons in aqueous solution. The CEST spectrum of this complex is strongly pH dependent and modulated by the presence of phosphate esters, as shown for diethyl phosphate and methyl phosphate, which form outer- and inner-sphere complexes, respectively, with Eu(S-THP)3+. The sensitivity of the alcohol proton environment to interactions with these anions shows that this complex has potential as a responsive PARACEST MRI contrast agent.
A New Test for Evaluation of the Regulatory Performance of Controlled Processes

One of the most important problems in the area of process control is the assessment of dynamic performance. Traditional measures such as overshoot, rise time, decay ratio, settling time, and the ISE are difficult to translate into an economic measure for justification of process or control system redesign. Research has shown that frequency domain measures (the maximum closed-loop regulator log modulus) can be used to provide a measure of performance that can be translated into an economic measure. Unfortunately, this assessment requires the existence of an accurate linear model of the process. For processes that are highly nonlinear and complex, these models are difficult to obtain. A new test, the LATV test (load autotune variation test), is presented that locates the peak regulator log modulus experimentally. The LATV test is a closed-loop test that involves the insertion of a relay from a controlled variable to a given load disturbance with the feedback controller on automatic. This causes the plant to...
Molecular mobility in ultrasonically treated butyl gum and devulcanized butyl rubber

In an effort to improve our understanding of the structural changes during ultrasonic treatment, proton NMR transverse relaxation was used to study butyl rubber gum before and after ultrasonic treatment, and ultrasonically devulcanized unfilled butyl rubber. The relaxation decay was successfully described using a two-component model. The short component is attributed to entangled and crosslinked networks including the high molecular weight fraction of the sol, and the long component arises mainly from low molecular weight fractions of the sol. All component molecular mobilities and the relative contributions of the components to the echo were investigated. The present results were compared with our previous NMR studies of other devulcanized rubbers.
Causal patterns and adequate explanations

Causal accounts of scientific explanation are currently broadly accepted (though not universally so). My first task in this paper is to show that, even for a causal approach to explanation, significant features of explanatory practice are not determined by settling how causal facts bear on the phenomenon to be explained. I then develop a broadly causal approach to explanation that accounts for the additional features that I argue an explanation should have. This approach to explanation makes sense of several aspects of actual explanatory practice, including the widespread use of equilibrium explanations, the formulation of distinct explanations for a single event, and the tight relationship between explanations of events and explanations of causal regularities.
Effect of actinomycin D on protein synthesis by delayed implanting mouse embryos in vitro.

Blastocysts were collected from the uteri of intact or ovariectomized mice and incubated with or without actinomycin D in a medium containing [14C] amino acids. In the absence of actinomycin D the rate of amino acid incorporation by blastocysts from intact mice (i.e., normal embryos) was constant; the rate of amino acid incorporation by blastocysts from ovariectomized mice (i.e., delayed implanting embryos) was initially low and increased to the normal value after four hours in vitro. In the presence of actinomycin D the rate of amino acid incorporation by normal embryos was only slightly reduced but the expected increase in the rate of amino acid incorporation by delayed implanting embryos was completely blocked. It is suggested that metabolic “activation” of delayed implanting mouse embryos requires the synthesis of new RNA.
TOWARD A THEORY OF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

The claim that the adult, in contrast to the child, is deficient in his ability to learn a second language leads to the conclusion that adult second language acquisition is a process which is characteristically different, cognitively, from that of child first or second language acquisition. This paper challenges this claim. The differences which do exist are more quantitative than qualitative and can be discovered by a shift of attention from the cognitive domain to the affective domain and to the psychological variables of attitude, motivation, and permeability of ego-boundaries. Five central issues are dealt with: 1) the notion of a “critical period” for second language acquisition, 2) psychological learning strategies in language acquisition, 3) the influence of the native language in second language acquisition, 4) the variable of cognitive maturity, and 5) affective psychological variables.
The Multiplicity of Neutrons from the Interaction of μ − Mesons at Rest in Pb, Bi, Sn, and Al

The average multiplicity $〈\ensuremath{\nu}〉$ of neutrons emitted from a nucleus which has absorbed a ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ meson has been determined for several materials: $〈\ensuremath{\nu}〉=2.14\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13$ for Pb, 2.32\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.17 for Bi, 1.54\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.12 for Sn, 0.95\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.17 for Al. From $〈\ensuremath{\nu}〉$, by using compound nucleus theory, the average excitation given the nucleus was found to be about 20 Mev for all the nuclei studied.The ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ meson interactions were classified according to the number $n$ of neutrons observed per event and from the observed distributions in $n$ some properties of the functions $I(\ensuremath{\nu})$, which give the probability of events in which exactly $\ensuremath{\nu}$-neutrons are emitted, have been determined. The results indicate higher values of neutron multiplicity and excitation energy than have been calculated by Tiomno and Wheeler, and Rosenbluth but are consistent with the assumption that a large part of the rest energy of the ${\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ meson is carried out of the nucleus by a light neutral particle.
Metal‐catalyzed living radical graft copolymerization of olefins initiated from the structural defects of poly(vinyl chloride)

Commercial poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) contains allyl chloride and tertiary chloride groups as structural defects. This article reports the use of the active chloride groups from the structural defects of PVC as initiators for the metal-catalyzed living radical graft copolymerization of PVC. The following monomers were investigated in graft copolymerization experiments: methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, methacrylonitrile, acrylonitrile, styrene, 4-chlorostyrene, 4-methyl-styrene, and isobornylmethacrylate. Cu(0)/bpy, CuCl/bpy, CuBr/bpy, Cu 2 O/bpy, Cu 2 S/bpy, and Cu 2 Se/bpy (where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) were used as catalysts. Living radical polymerizations initiated from 1-chloro-3-methyl-2-butene, allyl bromide, and 1,4-dichloro-2-butene as models for the allyl chloride structural defects and from 3-chloro-3-methyl-pentane and 1,3-dichloro-3-methylbutane as models for the tertiary chloride defects were studied. Graft copolymerization experiments were accessible in solution, in a swollen state, and in bulk.
When is an ileal conduit indicated in the spinal cord injured patient

Ileal loop diversion is only considered for persistent or progressive hydronephrosis (failed conservative treatment directed at the bladder). This conservative approach is based on a comparison of our ongoing prospective mortality study on 470 paraplegics plus 175 spinal cord patients that have survived at least 30 years v. an updated literature review of ileal conduits performed for benign disease.
A test statistic whose derivation is simple and unusual

Teaching students how to derive test statistics is an important part of an introductory course in mathematical statistics. Typically the course material includes both the development and the performance of likelihood-ratio tests. Thus, students learn the theoretical foundation for many of the standard tests. But students should also have the opportunity early on to see that sometimes a problem can lend itself well to the development of a specialized test statistic, tailor-made to a particular situation. One such development is given in this paper. Easy to visualize and understand, the derivation of the test statistic is based on simple geometrical and physical ideas. An example is given. Well received by students, this material is useful in mathematical-statistics courses.
Rhombohedral structure of highly ordered and oriented : Self-assembled nanoporous silica thin films

Nanoporous silica films have been synthesized by self-assembly on substrates by dip-coating from a combined solution of aged silica oligomers and poly(ethylene oxide)20−poly(propylene oxide)70−poly(ethylene oxides)20 triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123) in ethanol and water. The films are indexed with the rhombohedral space group R3m and are oriented through the thickness of the film with the (111) axis perpendicular to the substrate. Sixfold symmetry perpendicular to the substrate is directly observed by high-resolution top-view field emission scanning electron microscopy over the entire substrate. The films have domains that sample many orientations in the plane of the substrate resulting in a reciprocal space composed of rings. These rings are directly observed by collecting small-angle X-ray scattering data at many angles of incidence from transmission (beam perpendicular to the substrate) all the way down to the grazing angle of incidence. At each rotation, the Bragg spot location in the two-dimension...
The genus of the symmetric quadripartite graph

Abstract In this paper the following formula for the genus of the symmetric quadripartite graph is proved. γ ( K n , n , n , n ) = ( n −1) 2 for all n ≠3.
Evaluating Education Programs - Are We Getting Anywhere?.

MF-$0.75 HC-$1.50 PLUS POSTAGE Educational Assessment; Educational Experiments; Educational Planning; Educational Policy; *Educational Programs; *Evaluation; Evaluation Needs; History; Political Issues; Program Effectiveness This paper asks whether all the current attention being given to educational evaluation and all the activity going on indicates real progress in the output of evaluation and its use in the policy process. The paper reviews the brief history of educational evaluation and gives a qualified "yes" as an answer to the question, noting: significant progress in the funds and people being devoted to evaluation; improvement in the organizational location of the evaluation function in Federal agencies; increased use of more sophisticated evaluation methodology; the beginnings of the use of experimentation as a developmental precursor to the launching of national service programs; and the completion of a number of large-scale educational evaluations with major policy implications. The paper concludes by noting that despite real progress, serious administrative, methodological, and political problems threaten the continued expansion of evaluation studies and their use as a major factor in policy development and program administration. (Author)
Nanoscale unagglomerated nonoxide particles from a sodium coflow flame

Abstract A coflow burner has been developed to react sodium vapor with gaseous halides in a flame configuration similar to the hydrocarbon coflow flame, and produce metals, composites, and nonoxide ceramics. Nanometer-sized particles of elemental titanium and titanium diboride were successfully produced with this burner as indicated by XRD. In a novel approach, the flame is operated under conditions that lead to condensation of the NaCl byproduct onto the particles. The NaCl coating acts to control size and eliminate agglomeration of the particles in the flame because the particles are encapsulated in NaCl. The coating was also found to be highly effective at limiting oxidation during postflame handling of Ti powders. TEM analysis indicates that the as-received products are composed of individual nanoparticles in an NaCl matrix. The NaCl coating has been efficiently removed from the TiB2 particles by both water washing and sublimation at 800°C under vacuum. It is proposed that this method of encapsulation, with a removable coating-material, is a general method of obtaining unagglomerated nanoparticles in a flame. Other applications and coating materials need to be explored.
On the ability to inhibit simple thoughts and actions: II. Stop-signal studies of repetition priming.

When a person inhibits a simple action that is based on a simple thought, does the thought stop with the action? Five experiments were conducted to address that question, attempting to determine the conditions under which simple thoughts could be inhibited. Subjects made speeded category and rhyme judgments about word pairs and were asked to inhibit their (overt) responses on 40% of the trials. The word pairs were presented again, and priming from repetition was used to decide whether the original thoughts went on to completion when their overt responses were inhibited. The results suggested that thoughts could be inhibited by switching to a new task when the response was inhibited (Experiment 2) or by changing the display when the response was inhibited (Experiment 4) but not by simply inhibiting the response (Experiment 1). The results are compared with other studies that used recognition memory as the index of inhibited thought, and implications for the basis of repetition priming are discussed. Cognitive control depends to a large extent on the ability to inhibit courses of thought and action that are not relevant to current goals. Some thoughts and actions may never be relevant to current goals; others may have been relevant but are no longer so. This article reports an investigation of the inhibition of the latter type of thought and action. Subjects were shown pairs of words and were asked to make category and rhyme judgments about them (e.g., Is a FRIGATE a BOAT? Does SLEIGH rhyme