cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eyes-Closed Safety Kernels: Safety of Autonomous Systems Under Loss of Observability

A framework is presented for handling a potential loss of observability of a dynamical system in a provably-safe way. Inspired by the fragility of data-driven perception systems used by autonomous vehicles, we formulate the problem that arises when a sensing modality fails or is found to be untrustworthy during autonomous operation. We cast this problem as a differential game played between the dynamical system being controlled and the external system factor(s) for which observations are lost. The game is a zero-sum Stackelberg game in which the controlled system (leader) is trying to find a trajectory which maximizes a function representing the safety of the system, and the unobserved factor (follower) is trying to minimize the same function. The set of winning initial configurations of this game for the controlled system represent the set of all states in which safety can be maintained with respect to the external factor, even if observability of that factor is lost. This is the set we refer to as the Eyes-Closed Safety Kernel. In practical use, the policy defined by the winning strategy of the controlled system is only needed to be executed whenever observability of the external system is lost or the system deviates from the Eyes-Closed Safety Kernel due to other, non-safety oriented control schemes. We present a means for solving this game offline, such that the resulting winning strategy can be used for computationally efficient, provably-safe, online control when needed. The solution approach presented is based on representing the game using the solutions of two Hamilton-Jacobi partial differential equations. We illustrate the applicability of our framework by working through a realistic example in which an autonomous car must avoid a dynamic obstacle despite potentially losing observability.
Investigations on air and underwater blast mitigation in polymeric composite structures – A review

Abstract Polymer-based sandwich composites have found increasing applications in the marine industry, where they are at an ever-increasing risk of encountering high-intensity underwater (UNDEX) or in air (AIREX) explosive loading. This review presents the current state of the art in achieving adequate blast mitigation, employing polymeric composites . An attempt has been made to highlight the differences in loading mechanisms between AIREX and UNDEX and segregate the mechanisms through which polymers can mitigate these two loading modes. This understanding facilitates the development of a tailored design approach to blast mitigation. Furthermore, recent blast mitigation research related to composite sandwich architecture is discussed in detail, focusing on various components' effect on mitigation performance. Finally, additively manufactured applications, auxetics, and other foam metamaterial constructions are also presented in relation to the mitigation effort. The recent interest in such materials for use as the core in polymeric sandwich construction against blast loading is covered cohesively with the rest of the discussion.
Unobtrusive patient identification using smart pill-bottle systems

Abstract Accurately accounting for medication use is important for the efficacy and safety of patients and family members. Monitoring is also important for medication adherence. This work investigates passive identification of persons taking medication using a sensor-equipped pill-bottle. The bottle is equipped with inertial and switch sensors in both the cap and body, making the added hardware unobtrusive, low-cost, and wireless. Our system uses inertial data to build a patient discrimination model using classification techniques . We evaluated the system using two datasets that we collected from 36 subjects. Our results show that using binary Support Vector Machine (SVM), the system can discriminate one individual among 3 people with > 90% accuracy and recall, and has > 80% accuracy and recall, using a single sensor. Using the same technique, our system has 85% accuracy and 72% recall for discriminating one subject in a population of 16. Identifying the exact person in a set of 3 subjects has an accuracy higher than 91%. We also show that we can infer the correct class for a previously unseen subject in a group of 3 subjects by using one-class SVM, with 75% average overall accuracy and 83% average recall.
Corn yield prediction and uncertainty analysis based on remotely sensed variables using a Bayesian neural network approach

Abstract As the world's leading corn producer, the United States supplies more than 30% of the global corn production. Accurate and timely estimation of corn yield is therefore essential for commodity trading and global food security. Recently, several deep learning models have been explored for corn yield forecasting. Despite success, most existing models only provide yield estimations without quantifying the uncertainty associated with the predictions. Also, the traditional deep learning approaches typically require a large training set and are easily prone to overfitting when the number of samples in the training set is relatively small. To address these limitations, in this study, we developed a county-level corn yield prediction model based on Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) using multiple data sources that are publicly available, including time-series satellite products, sequential climate observations, soil property maps, and historical corn yield records. Using preceding years since 2001 for model training, the developed BNN model achieved an average coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.77 for late-season prediction across the U.S. Corn Belt in testing years 2010–2019, and outperformed five other state-of-the-art machine learning models. Detailed evaluation in three representative testing years demonstrated that the proposed BNN model could accurately estimate corn yield not only in normal years but also in abnormal years when extreme weather events happened. Moreover, the timeliness of the prediction was evaluated within the growing season with an R2~0.75 achieved by middle August, which is about 2 months before the harvest. We also assessed the predictive uncertainty, and more than 84% of the observed yield records were successfully enveloped in the 95% confidence interval of the predictive yield distribution. Our results also showed that the uncertainty level decreased steadily as time proceeded and stabilized around early August. Uncertainties in yield prediction were mainly induced by the observation noise and also related to the interannual and seasonal variabilities of environmental stress such as heat and water stress. This paper provides a robust framework for the within-season prediction of crop yield and highlights the need to obtain a deeper understanding of the effects of environmental stress on agricultural productivity and crop yield estimation.
Computer Analysis of Rectangular Dielectric Waveguide for Millimeter Waves

High dielectric constant rectangular dielectric waveguides are suitable transmission media for millimeter waves. We have made a finite-difference method study of the electromagnetic modes of such guides and determined the limitations of the commonly-used approximate formulas of Marcatili.
Photo-Induced Coded-Aperture Imaging at 740 GHz using Mesa Arrays for Achieving Subwavelength Resolution

We report a novel approach for achieving subwavelength terahertz (THz) imaging using photo-induced coded apertures on mesa-array structures. The structure facilitates the generation of high-resolution photopatterns by confining photo-induced free carriers inside isolated mesas. Such mesa-array structures were successfully fabricated on Si substrates. Measurement shows that an average modulation depth of ~20 dB over the frequency range of 500–750 GHz has been achieved using the mesa-array under a light intensity of ~11.7 W/cm2, which agrees well with theoretical analysis and fullwave simulation. For prototype imaging demonstrations, a set of objects were successfully imaged at 740 GHz over different areas, and the initial results indicate that a ~438 µm imaging resolution was achieved. The coded-aperture imaging using mesa-arrays is promising for extension to subwavelength imaging for applications in high-performance THz imaging systems.
Soliloquy in Japanese and English

Language is recognized as an instrument of communication and thought. Under the shadow of prevailing investigation of language as a communicative means, its function as a tool for thinking has long been neglected in empirical research, vis-a-vis philosophical discussions. Language manifests itself differently when there is no interlocutor to communicate and interact. How is it similar and how does it differ in these two situations—communication and thought? Soliloquy in Japanese and English analyzes experimentally-obtained soliloquy data in Japanese and in English and explores the potential utility of such data for delving into this uncharted territory. It deals with five topics in which elimination from discourse of an addressee is particularly relevant and significant. Four are derived from Japanese: the sentence-final particles ne and yo , deixis and anaphora, gendered speech, linguistic politeness; the fifth topic is the use of the second person pronoun you in soliloquy in English.
In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security Fantasy Themes and Jeremiadic Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

This project undertakes an analysis of an anti-immigration crusader 2006 screed, In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security. This principal work by Thomas [Tom] Tancredo served as the rhetorical vision for his unsuccessful campaign for the presidency of the United States in 2008 and his ongoing anti-immigration platform. Many of the stories and discussions Tancredo used in the book are taken from addresses that U. S. representative Tancredo introduced into the Congressional Record. He committed many of his floor speeches to book form in order to gain a wider audience, which consists largely of World Net Daily readers, who share his views and anti-immigration stance. In this essay, we argue that his anti-immigration rhetoric forms a fantasy theme of a world in which there is one U. S. American identity that is void of multiculturalism and outsider influences. This fantasy theme shapes a rhetorical vision that is shared widely among conservative audiences that chains out into broader dis...
The “Critical Organ” for the Organism as a Whole

For over three decades now, it has been widely accepted that the death of one particular organ — the brain — constitutes human death. Much less a matter for agreement, however, has been the reason for that equivalence. The various proposed rationales can be subdivided into three main categories, corresponding to three fundamentally different concepts of death: (1) sociological (death is loss of conferred membership in society; its legal definition is culturally relative, and most modern societies happen to have chosen to recognize brain-based diagnoses); (2) psychological (death is loss of personhood due to loss of potential for all mental functions, and the brain is the organ of the mind); or (3) biological (death is loss of physiological, anti-entropic unity of an organism, and the brain is the hierarchically highest integrating organ of the body).
Thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography of derivatives of isomeric chlorophenols. Chlorophenyl fluorosulfonyl-benzenesulfonates and related compounds.

Abstract The thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography of derivatives of the isomeric chlorophenols, e.g. the isomeric chlorophenyl fluorosulfonyl-benzenesulfonates, were compared with the respective precursor isomeric fluorosulfonyl-benzenesulfonyl chlorides and acaricidal chlorophenyl benzenesulfonates. The thin-layer chromatographic investigation utilized four solvent systems and five electron-acceptor reagents to separate and distinguish the various isomeric derivatives. Gas-liquid chromatography was best accomplished using 5% OV-17 and SE-30 with flame ionization detection.
The Use of Two Fluorescent Dyes to Identify Sperm in a Competitive Binding Assay to Oocytes

The relationship of most sperm laboratory assays to male fertility is inconsistent. Assays that measure traits required to fertilize oocytes are expected to have the most predictive value. A new assay that measures the competitive ability of two sperm samples to bind to oocytes was developed. Two populations of sperm were labeled using a pair of lipophilic dyes. A concentration of 75 microM of the two dyes, DiQ (4-[4-(dihexadecylamino)styryl]-N-methylquinolinium iodide; an orange-red dye) and DiOC16 (3,3'-dihexadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate; a yellow-green dye), intensely stained 66 and 73% of sperm, respectively, without affecting sperm motility or oocyte-binding ability. Because sperm could be stained with fluorescent dyes, sperm from two semen samples were mixed together in a droplet, and oocytes were added to allow sperm to bind oocytes competitively. Oocyte-bound sperm from each sample were counted. Binding was specific; nonspecific sperm binding was estimated by sperm bound to two-cell mouse embryos and averaged one to three sperm per embryo. Staining with DiQ or DiOC16 did not affect oocyte-binding ability since more than 80% of the sperm bound were stained with either dye. Furthermore, if different ratios of DiQ- or DiOC16-stained sperm from the same ejaculate were prepared in droplets and oocytes were added, the percentage of sperm bound to the oocytes reflected the percentage of sperm in the droplet; there was no differential effect of either dye. This assay used fixed oocytes because sperm bound equally to fixed and fresh bovine oocytes. This competitive oocyte-binding assay allows one to make a series of pairwise comparisons between a group of males or to include an internal control sample in sperm-oocyte binding assays. This assay may allow more accurate prediction of the oocyte-binding ability of sperm.
MKIDS - management of knowledge intensive dynamic systems

MKIDS is a research program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the Department of Defense (DOD). The purpose of the program is to create management tools and methodologies that permit the scheduling and control of production processes, which are knowledge intensive and react to dynamic changes in the external and operating environments with agility. NSF recognizes that this research will be of interest to wide sectors of emerging commerce as well as DOD production assets. We will describe the MKIDS paradigm. The papers presented in this KIMAS '03 session will deal with the scheduling, social metrics, and organizational behavior of the paradigm.
Factors influencing condom use among African-American women: implications for risk reduction interventions.

Examined factors associated with condom use in a community-based sample of 423 sexually active African American women. Measures were selected to reflect the components in prevailing models of health behavior. Condom users were higher on AIDS health priority, prevention attitudes, stage of change, behavioral intentions, reported more frequent and comfortable sexual communication with partners, perceived greater partner and peer approval for condom use, and reported that peers also used condoms. Women in exclusive relationships evidenced earlier stage of change, lower intentions to use condoms, fewer peers who engaged in preventive behaviors, perceived themselves to have lower risk, and had lower rates of condom use, higher education, and family income. Women in fluid relationships were at particularly high risk, with lower rates of condom use relative to women not in a relationship and greater sexual risk for HIV. Implications for HIV-risk reduction interventions with African American women are discussed.
A physically based mesh generation algorithm: applications in computational medicine

The process of generating a finite element mesh is accelerated by integrating physical and geometrical constraints into the initial mesh. By beginning with a near-optimal initial mesh, fewer iterations of refinement are needed to obtain mesh convergence. We apply this algorithm to large-scale bioelectric field problems involving the complex geometries of the human body. As an initial testbed, we have constructed an algorithm to generate meshes from segmented MR images. >
Macroscopic Ion Acceleration Associated with the Formation of the Ring Current in the Earth's Magnetosphere

As an illustration of the operation of macroscopic ion acceleration processes within the earth's magnetosphere, the paper reviews processes thought to be associated with the formation of the earth's ring-current populations. Arguing that the process of global, quasi-curl-free convection cannot explain particle characteristics observed in the middle (geosynchronous) to outer regions, it is concluded that the transport and energization of the seed populations that give rise to the ring-current populations come about in two distinct stages involving distinct processes. Near and outside the geostationary region, the energization and transport are always associated with highly impulsive and relatively localized processes driven by inductive electric fields. The subsequent adiabatic earthward transport is driven principally by enhanced, curl-free global convection fields.
Signatures of large-scale magnetic fields in active galactic nuclei jets: transverse asymmetries

We investigate the emission properties that a large-scale helical magnetic field imprints on active galactic nuclei (AGN) jet synchrotron radiation. A cylindrically symmetric relativistic jet and large-scale helical magnetic field produce significant asymmetrical features in transverse profiles of fractional linear polarization, intensity, the Faraday rotation and spectral index. The asymmetrical features of these transverse profiles correlate with one another in ways specified by the handedness of the helical field, the jet viewing angle (θob) and the bulk Lorentz factor of the flow (Γ). Thus, these correlations may be used to determine the structure of the magnetic field in the jet. In the case of radio galaxies (θob∼ 1 rad) and a subclass of blazars with particularly small viewing angles (θob≪ 1/Γ), we find an edge-brightened intensity profile that is similar to that observed in the radio galaxy M87. We present observations of the AGNs 3C 78 and NRAO 140 that display the type of transverse asymmetries that may be produced by large-scale helical magnetic fields.
A simple screen for permissive sites in proteins: analysis of Escherichia coli lac permease

Abstract Proteins can be remarkably tolerant of major mutational changes. Sites that accomodate large insertions without loss of function (“permissive” sites) appear generally to correspond to surface regions at which the added sequences do not disrupt overall folding. The identification of such sites can aid in the engineering of functional derivatives of a protein with novel properties. To screen for permissive sites, we developed a simple two-step procedure for generating 31-codon insertions in cloned genes. In a first step, a β-galactosidase or alkaline phosphatase gene fusion is generated by insertion of a transposon derivative into the target gene. Requiring β-galactosidase or alkaline phosphatase activity fixes the translational reading frame of the transposon relative to the target gene. In a second step, most of the transposon sequences are excised in vitro, leaving the in-frame insertion. Insertions may be targeted either to cytoplasmic or exported protein sequences, and the inserted sequence acts as an epitope in a variety of proteins. As a test case, a set of 31-codon insertions in the Escherichia coli lac permease gene was generated. The lactose transport activities of the mutant proteins followed a simple pattern: most of the proteins (10/12) with insertions in sequences thought to face the cytoplasm or periplasm were at least partially active, whereas all proteins (9/9) with insertions in membrane-spanning sequences were inactive. The only exceptions were two inactive proteins with insertions in the third cytoplasmic region. Most of the inactive proteins were detected at reduced levels in cells, presumably due to proteolytic breakdown. These studies thus illustrate the use of the new method to identify permissive sites and help document the remarkable sequence flexibility of many of the hydrophilic loops in lac permease. In addition to screening for permissive sites, 31-codon insertion mutagenesis may be useful in epitope-tagging proteins at multiple internal positions, in analyzing membrane protein topology, and in dissecting structure-function relationships in proteins.
Lubbock Lake: Late Quaternary cultural and environmental change on the Southern High Plains, USA

Lubbock Lake (Southern High Plains of Texas) contains a cultural, faunal, and floral record within a virtually complete geological record spanning the past 11 100+ years. More than 88 archaeological occurrences have been excavated from five major stratigraphic units. The Paleoindian record (11 500–6500yr BP) begins with Clovis-age occupation (ca. 11 100yr BP) found within fluvial deposits (stratum 1). Subsequent Paleoindian occupations are found in lake and marsh sediments (stratum 2). Archaic occupations (8500-2000yr BP) are contained within aeolian and marsh deposits (strata 3 and 4). Ceramic occupations (2000-500yr BP) are found on a soil developed in stratum 4, in marsh sediments (strata 4 and 5), and in slopewash and aeolian sediments (stratum 5). The Protohistoric (500-300yr BP) and Historic (300-100yr BP) remains are in slopewash, aeolian, and marsh sediments (stratum 5) and associated soils. The Southern High Plains remained a grasslands throughout the last 11 500 years and neither man nor bison abandoned the region. The successive local faunas reflect changing ecosystems under pluvial to arid to more mesic to semiarid conditions. The occupation of Lubbock Lake through time appears to have been by small groups of people for both economic and short-term residential uses. These hunter-gatherer peoples underwent adaptive change brought about by climatic stress and alterations to food resources.
Observations of the fractal dimension of deep-and shallow-water ocean surface gravity waves

Abstract The fractal dimension of field measurements of time series of sea surface elevation (ocean waves) was calculated. For a range of oceanic conditions, the fractal dimension estimates of deep water waves did not show low values. Although the mutual information content of waves approaching a beach increased with decreasing water depth, the corresponding fractal dimension was practically independent of depth. The observed dimensions are not statistically different from the dimension of a linear process with the same power spectrum as the field data, although the shallow water data are known to be nonlinear.
Effects of pH profiles on nisin production in biofilm reactor

Apart from its widely accepted commercial applications as a food preservative, nisin emerges as a promising alternative in medical applications for bacterial infection in both humans and livestock. Improving nisin production through optimization of fermentation parameters would make nisin more cost-effective for various applications. Since nisin production by Lactococcus lactis NIZO 22186 was highly influenced by the pH profile employed during fermentation, three different pH profiles were evaluated in this study: (1) a constant pH profile at 6.8 (profile 1), (2) a constant pH profile with autoacidification at 4 h (profile 2), and (3) a stepwise pH profile with pH adjustment every 2 h (profile 3). The results demonstrated that the low-pH stress exerted during the first 4 h of fermentation in profile 3 detrimentally affected nisin production, resulting in a very low maximum nisin concentration (593 IU ml−1). On the other hand, growth and lactic acid production were only slightly delayed, indicating that the loss in nisin production was not a result of lower growth or shifting of metabolic activity toward lactic acid production. Profile 2, in which pH was allowed to drop freely via autoacidification after 4 h of fermentation, was found to yield almost 1.9 times higher nisin (3,553 IU ml−1) than profile 1 (1,898 IU ml−1), possibly as a result of less adsorption of nisin onto producer cells. Therefore, a combination of constant pH and autoacidification period (profile 2) was recommended as the pH profile during nisin production in a biofilm reactor.
Vegetation Responses to Changing Fire Regimes in a Rocky Mountain Forest

In western North America, subalpine forests experience fires that vary greatly in terms of severity and extent. However, beyond observational and dendroecological records, little is known about past fire severity and magnitude. This is because metrics used to identify fire and ecological impacts in the deep past (i.e., sedimentary charcoal and pollen data) are coarse tools for examining fine-scale environmental responses. Yet large fires should result in changes in pollen abundance and composition, which in turn can be used to identify event types, or severity of past events. We compare pollen spectra changes from a subalpine forest following identified fire events, to pollen spectra from periods between fires. From the pollen data, two types of fire events may be inferred. Fire events that affect understory plant composition (low to mid-severity) result in increases in canopy pollen. Fire events that consume both understory and canopy plants (high severity) result in decreases in canopy pollen relative to understory pollen and likely reflect differences in the recovery rates of trees compared to shrubs, grasses, and forbs. Inferred fire type showed no relationship to the size of charcoal peaks, suggesting that the quantity of charcoal observed in a sample does not provide information on fire severity. These results reveal the potential of examining fire regimes through time by combining sedimentary charcoal and pollen data, extending our interpretations of fire regimes deeper into the past.
Gender and leadership style: Transformational and transactional leadership in the Roman Catholic Church

Abstract Gender differences in transformational and transactional leadership style are assessed. Research that explores women's values and their relationship to leadership style is reviewed. Organizational context is argued to play a deciding role in the leadership style exhibited by women leaders. Traditionally masculine organizations are presented as less conducive to women's display of transformational leadership. Research findings are presented from a large-scale survey conducted in a nontraditional context. Subjects were 6,359 subordinates of leaders in all-female and all-male religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church. Subjects completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire to measure frequency of transformational and transactional leadership behaviors. Subordinate ratings revealed both female and male leaders exhibit more transformational than transactional leadership behaviors. However, female leaders are rated to exhibit significantly more transformational leadership behaviors and significantly fewer transactional leadership behaviors than male leaders. Both female and male subordinates rated themselves as more satisfied with transformational leadership.
Spontaneous perforation of the terminal ileum in an AIDS patient on highly active antiretroviral therapy with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection

Summary Background Despite the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), mycobacterial infections in patients with AIDS remain a frequent complication. In disseminated cases, both tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections may involve the gastrointestinal system and cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. While there have been cases of small bowel perforation in AIDS patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection, no case of bowel perforation in non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection has been reported to date. Case report We report a case of spontaneous perforation of the terminal ileum in an AIDS patient with disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection who was responding to HAART. Conclusions Non-tuberculous mycobacteria can lead to spontaneous bowel perforation in patients with AIDS who are responding to HAART.
Differential effects of castration and testosterone replacement on Basal and LHRH-stimulated cAMP and cGMP accumulation and on gonadotropin release from the pituitary of the male rat

Castration of male rats decreased cAMP levels, and increased cGMP levels and gonadotropin release from anterior pituitaries incubated in vitro. Testosterone (T) replacement via silastic tubes filled with the steroid increased cAMP and decreased cGMP levels and gonadotropin release. Incubation of hemipituitaries from intact males with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH, 5 nM for 2 h) resulted in increased cAMP and cGMP accumulation and gonadotropin release. Castration abolished LHRH-induced cAMP accumulation, but increased the effect of LHRH on cGMP accumulation and gonadotropin release. Testosterone replacement restored cAMP stimulation by LHRH but decreased LHRH-induced elevation of cGMP levels and gonadotropin release. These data illustrate parallel increases by castration of LHRH-induced cGMP accumulation and of gonadotropin release. Furthermore, these two parameters are influenced in the opposite direction by replacement therapy. These results support the concept of a role for cGMP in LHRH action as well as providing evidence of a link between the feedback action of T and cGMP in the pituitary gland.
Parallel or intersecting tracks? The history of the US West and comparative settler colonialism

Through mapping her own scholarly journey, Margaret Jacobs explores the possibilities of engagement between historians of the US West and scholars of settler colonialism. By connecting to the vibrant scholarship on settler colonialism and pursuing comparative work, western US historians might further reveal how developments in the western US were linked to global trends and processes. At the same time, delving into the complex history of the US West could enrich settler colonial scholarship.
A model dielectric function for graphene from the infrared to the ultraviolet

A modified critical point model dielectric function for graphene is derived here and used to analyze spectroscopic ellipsometry data obtained over a wide spectral range from 3 to 9 eV. Critical point and exciton resonance energies are extracted and discussed. Our findings indicate that epitaxial graphene on SiC to exhibits equivalent exciton behavior to that of suspended graphene. We further apply our model dielectric function to evaluate dielectric function data for highly oriented pyrolytic graphite reported in the literature. Excellent agreement is found between the critical point model developed here and the literature data even for the low energy spectral range up to 1 eV.
Pro1170 Ala polymorphism in HER2-neu is associated with risk of trastuzumab cardiotoxicity

Variations in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with enhanced drug efficacy and toxicity in cancer therapy. SNP variations in the ErbB2 gene have been identified that alter the protein sequence of the HER2-neu protein, but how these polymorphisms affect prognosis and response to HER2 targeted therapy is unknown. We examined eleven ErbB2 SNPs that alter the HER2-neu amino acid sequence to determine whether any of these particular polymorphisms were associated with increased trastuzumab cardiotoxicity in a case–control study. 140 subjects were enrolled from a single institution under Weill Cornell Medical College IRB protocol #0804009734. Patients were eligible if they had histologically or cytologically proven HER2-neu positive breast cancer and more than 3 months of trastuzumab therapy. Cases had either symptomatic CHF or a decline in LVEF of 15% (or if the LVEF <55%, a decline in LVEF of 10%) that resulted in at least temporary discontinuation of trastuzumab, whereas controls had no decline in their LVEF. Eleven ErbB2 single gene SNPs that resulted in an alteration in the HER2-neu protein amino acid sequence were studied. Single gene SNP analysis was carried out using SNP genotyping assays from genomic DNA obtained from peripheral blood or buccal swab. Only two of the ErbB2 SNPs (Ile 655 Val and Pro 1170 Ala) were found to have variation. There was no association between codon 665 and cardiotoxicity; however the proline variant of amino acid 1170 was more likely than the alanine variant to be found in cases with trastuzumab cardiotoxicity (35% of case patients as compared to 17% of controls, p = 0.04). This association remained significant in multivariable analysis taking into account age, race, and history of hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.02, 6.62, p = 0.046). The Her2/neu Pro 1170 Ala polymorphism can be used to identify a subset of patients who are at increased risk of cardiotoxicity from trastuzumab therapy. Her2/neu single nucleotide polymorphisms may be useful in conjunction with other biomarkers to risk stratify patients in order to optimize clinical management.
Vowel Reduction and Reduplication in Klamath

McCarthy and Prince (1995) propose a powerful new approach to reduplication, correspondence theory, which differs from previous approaches in its ability to enforce identity between a base and its reduplicant even after copying has taken place. Base-reduplicant (BR) correspondence makes it possible to account for ostensible cases of over- and underapplication, but in doing so predicts a wide range of cases that are apparently unattested. This squib examines one prominent case of ostensible backcopying - the nonapplication of vowel reduction in intensive prefixing reduplication in Klamath (Penutian) - and demonstrates that vowel reduction failure in the intensive cannot be derived from BR faithfulness. Rather, intensive prefixation is actually a process of stem formation not subject to the same constraints as regular prefixation. This reanalysis eliminates Klamath as support for BR correspondence and makes the more general point that morphological investigation must precede any attempt to attribute the nonapplication of a phonological alternation to backcopying underapplication
Management of Overactive Bladder Refractory to Medical Therapy

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a clinical diagnosis given to patients presenting with urgency, with or without urgency incontinence usually accompanied by frequency and nocturia. OAB is prevalent and can significantly impair quality of life. Most patients with OAB will improve with conservative measures or pharmacologic management. However, there are currently multiple minimally invasive options for refractory patients. These include intradetrusor injections of botulinum toxin and two forms of neuromodulation: posterior tibial nerve stimulation and sacral neuromodulation.
Limiting equilibrium method for slope/drilled shaft system

The use of drilled shafts to stabilize an unstable slope has been a widely accepted practice. There are two basic design and analysis issues involved: one is to determine the global factor of safety of the drilled shafts stabilized slope and the other one is to determine the design earth thrust on the drilled shafts for structural design of the shafts. In this paper, a limiting equilibrium method of slices based solution for calculating global factor of safety (FS) of a slope with the presence of a row of drilled shafts is developed. The arching mechanisms due to the presence of the drilled shafts on slope were taken into account by a load transfer factor. The method for calculating the net force applied to the drilled shaft from the soil mass was also developed. The interrelationships among the drilled shaft location on the slope, the load transfer factor, and the global FS of the slope/shaft system were derived utilizing the developed numerical closed-form solution. An illustrative example is presented to elucidate the use of the solution in optimizing the location of the drilled shafts on slope to achieve the desired global factor of safety of the slope/shaft system. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
APPLICATION OF A SIMPLE RECORDING SYSTEM TO THE ANALYSIS OF FREE-PLAY BEHAVIOR IN AUTISTIC CHILDREN1

An observational system, which has been developed to facilitate recording of the total behavioral repertoire of autistic children, involves time-sampling recording of behavior with the help of a common Stenograph machine. Categories which exhausted all behavior were defined. Each category corresponded with a designated key on the Stenograph machine. The observer depressed one key at each 1-sec interval. The observer was paced by audible beats from a metronome. A naive observer can be used with this method. The observer is not mechanically limited and a minimum of observer training is required to obtain reliable measures. The data sampled during a five-week observation period indicated the stability of a taxonomic instrument of behavior based upon direct, time-sampling observations and the stability of spontaneous autistic behavior. Results showed that the behavior of the subjects was largely nonrandom and unsocialized in character.
Dorsal pressure potentiates the duration of tonic immobility and catalepsy in rats

This study tested the generalizations that cutaneous pressure will elicit immobility, that there is a relationship between the intensity of cutaneous pressure and the duration of immobility, and that the localization or body surfaces, particularly the upper dorsal area or the nape of the neck, is more susceptible to immobility. Immobility was measured by the duration in sec of tonic immobility, bar grasp and vertical cling behaviors or catalepsy. It was shown in the first experiment that dorsal pressure immobility can be elicited in the adult rat. The application of a 9-kg pressure elicited a significant potentiation of the duration of tonic immobility and the bar grasp catalepsy and both 5 and 9 kg of pressure potentiated the duration of vertical cling catalepsy. In the second experiment, only pressure applied to the midline of the dorsal surface at the nape of the neck significantly potentiated the duration of these measures. These results were compared with other experimentally and naturally occurring immobilities.
Quiet Gene Circuit More Fragile Than Its Noisy Peer

Why is a particular architecture for a pathway chosen over seemingly equivalent alternatives? Cagatay et al. (2009) use a synthetic biology approach to show that fluctuations—or noise—in protein levels may play a key role in determining which network design is selected during evolution.
The flatness of power spectral zeros and their significance in quadratic estimation

In optimal prediction as well as in optimal smoothing the variance of the optimal estimator is impacted predominantly by the frequency segments where the power spectrum is small or negligible. Indeed, the Szego's celebrated theorem characterizes deterministic process as those whose power spectral density fails to be log-integrable by virtue of sufficiently flat spectral zeros. Likewise Kolmogorov's formula gives an analogous condition for optimal smoothing. We discuss how the flatness of spectral zeros suggests a nested stratification of families of spectral where estimation of a stochastic process over a window of a given size is possible with negligible variance based on observations outside the interval. We then focus on the more general problem of estimating missing data in observation records which are not necessarily contiguous. A key result in the paper (Theorem 3) provides a sufficient condition for being able to estimate missing data with arbitrarily small error variance, in terms of the flatness of the spectral zeros.
Space Charge Segregation at Grain Boundaries in Titanium Dioxide: II, Model Experiments

A quantitative study of space charge solute segregation at grain boundaries in TiO[sub 2] is conducted, using a new STEM method for the measurement of aliovalent solute accumulation. It is shown that the electrostatic potential at grain boundaries can be varied in sign and magnitude with doping, oxygen pressure, and temperature, and that the isoelectric point lies in slightly donor-doped compositions for samples annealed in air. The experimental results closely fit the space charge model in Part 1. Space charge solute segregation is found even in defect regimes of high electron concentration. Approximately one in ten grain boundaries are special in exhibiting no detectable segregation; in one such instance a twin boundary is identified. Among boundaries with significant amounts of segregation, clear differences in potential also exist. From the potential determined in acceptor- and donor-doped composition, the Frenkel energy (assumed to be lower than the Schottky energy in TiO[sub 2]) can be separated into its individual terms. An average value for the titanium vacancy formation energy of g[sub v[sub Ti]] = 2.4 eV and an upper limit to the titanium interstitial formation energy of g[sub Ti[sub i]] = 2.6 eV are obtained.
Cool security trends

Trent Jarger will discuss ongoing work in the verification of authorization hook placement in Linux. The idea is that we can develop tools to check that all security-sensitive kernel operations can be mediated properly. Dawson Engler will discuss ongoing work in static checking for kernal and driver bugs, including security bugs, based on his meta-complier xgcc. The idea is that reguirements can be expressed in a high-level language that the xgcc can check.David Wagner will discuss using formal modeling to guide the identifcation of security bugs. The idea is that a formal model generated fromteh source code can be more easily analyzed to find bugs.Cynthia Irvine will discuss security quality-of-service. The idea is that the cost of security in terms of performance and resource usage can be compared with the security benefits in such a way that decisions about security improvements can be made.
The Impact of Pharmacy-Specific Any-Willing-Provider Legislation on Prescription Drug Expenditures

Many states have implemented some form of Any-Willing-Provider (AWP) legislation, which requires a managed care organization (MCO) to accept any provider, who agrees to the managed care organization’s reimbursement rates, terms, and conditions, into its network. AWP laws may result in larger networks, more patient choice, and greater competition among providers. Opponents cite AWP legislation as prohibiting managed care organizations from selective contracting and obtaining discounts by offering providers a larger volume of patients. Such legislation is therefore argued to prevent MCOs from effectively reducing health care costs. A small literature exists on the effect of these laws on hospital expenditures, physician expenditures, and total health care expenditures. Most studies, however, fail to recognize that the vast majority of the existing laws target pharmacies exclusively, as opposed to more comprehensive laws that also apply to physicians and hospitals. If AWP legislation prevents cost reduction available through selective contracting, then states with such legislation may incur higher health care expenditures. I find that pharmacy-specific AWP legislation is associated with increased pharmaceutical expenditures. This result is robust to several alternative specifications.
An analysis of practical RANS simulations for spinnaker aerodynamics

Abstract Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations were performed on 12 parametric spinnaker models which had been previously tested in a wind tunnel by the authors. Six different turbulence models were used on two of the sails: the standard k–e , realizable k–e , renormalization group theory (RNG) k–e , standard k–ω , shear-stress transport (SST) k–ω and Reynolds stress (RS) models. The realizable k–e model was the best in terms of both accuracy and robustness, and this model was used to predict the force coefficients for all 12 sails. In general, the results are good; however, the simulations fail to correctly predict the effect of camber on sail performance for beam and broad reaching conditions. Issues surrounding the convergence of the simulations are discussed, and suggestions for the practical use of RANS for spinnaker design and analysis are presented.
Verbal retention deficits in aphasic and amnesic patients.

Abstract Five different groups of patients (aphasics, alcoholic Korsakoffs, nondominant hemisphere patients, alcoholics, and control patients) were asked to detect either repeated letters, repeated words, rhyming words, or words from the same category during the reading of a list. It was discovered that the number of intervening words had a greater effect on the aphasics for all conditions than it did for the other groups. However, when the rate of presentation was slowed, the aphasics showed considerable improvement while the other groups maintained their same level of performance. The Korsakoff patients were impaired only on the semantic task (same category inclusion) and did not improve at the slower presentation rate. An interpretation based on speed and level of information processing abilities is given.
On the construction of transitional filter nomographs

The construction of nomographs for transitional classical filters is described. Gain functions of classical filters are related to filter requirements resulting in a formulation for the general gain nomograph. The transitional filters that are products of approximating polynomials are incorporated into the general gain nomograph resulting in transitional filter nomographs that are sums of the individual nomographs. Nomographs for transitional filters using alternative forms where poles are interpolated are also considered. The resulting nomographs allow for quick optimization of transitional filter frequency response in many cases. Design examples are submitted and discussed. The proposed transitional filter nomographs provide the engineer with increased insight into the selection of classical transitional filters with optimum frequency response.
How warm days increase belief in global warming

Little is known about how temperature anomalies affect people’s views about climate change. Research now shows that available information about today’s temperature, even though less relevant than evidence of global patterns, is used to formulate opinions. With experience of abnormal temperatures, people overestimate the frequency of similar past events and belief in global warming increases.
AN‘ARTIFICIAL BETA CELL’FOR CONTROL OF DIABETES MELLITUS: EFFECT ON PLASMA GLUCAGON LEVELS

SUMMARY We have investigated the use of a glucose-controlled insulin infusion system, or artificial beta cell. On the feedback day, mean plasma glucose was significantly effect of improved control on plasma glucagon levels. Five insulin-requiring diabetic subjects in stable control were hospitalized for two 24 h periods. During one, they were given their usual dose(s) of subcutaneous insulin. In the other, the‘feedback’day, insulin administration was under feedback control by the artificial beta cell. On the feedback day, mean plasma glucose was significantly-lower in all subjects. Variability in plasma glucose throughout the day was also significantly less on the feedback day. All five subjects showed a significant fall in serum immunoreactive glucagon levels on the feedback day, suggesting that the glucagon abnormalities of diabetes may be secondary to the insulin deficiency, rather than a second primary defect of diabetes.