cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 129: Effect of Immigration to the US on Prevalence of Hypertension and Obesity in Asians

Introduction: In the United States, three fourths of the Asian population growth has been due to immigration. However, the effect of immigration on health of Asian immigrants has not been studied systematically. The goal of this project was to evaluate the effect of immigration on hypertension and obesity prevalence in Far East Asians. Hypothesis : The prevalence of hypertension and obesity is higher in Asians who immigrated to US as compared to Asians residing in the country of birth. Methods: We used the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to compare prevalence of hypertension and obesity in each population. The KNHANES is a national survey conducted by the Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs with a multistage probability sampling design. The NHIS is an annual public health survey collected in US to monitor the overall health of US population. From NHIS, a subgroup of adults born in Korea and neighboring Far East countries who immigrated to US were compared to adults residing in Korea. In order to conduct a case-control study, Korean immigrants from NHIS were matched with Koreans from KNHANES by age, sex and income level in 1:1 ratio. The prevalence of hypertension and obesity (BMI≥25 kg/m2) was evaluated then in both cohorts. The case-control study was limited to the subjects of 40 years and older. Results: Overall, in the KNHANES adult population 27% reported to have high blood pressure and 34% had BMI≥25 whereas in the NHIS Korean population 30% had hypertension and 37% had obesity. The case-control study based on matching Korean adults from KNHANES and NHIS included 236 adults from each survey who were 40 years and older, 55% were females, 67% belonged to the high income group, and the mean age was 54.4±11.7. In the controls from Korean NHANES, 26% (N=60) reported to have hypertension and 32% (N=76) had a BMI>25 whereas in the matched cases from US NHIS 31% (N=73) had hypertension and 36% (N=86) had BMI>26. The differences in hypertension and obesity prevalence between two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: The overall prevalence of hypertension and obesity was lower in Koreans residing in the country of birth than in Koreans who immigrated to the United States.
Herding within industries: Evidence from Asian stock markets

Abstract This paper examines herding behavior at the industry level for nine Asian markets. Using daily data, we find that industry herding generally exists in these markets, but is stronger at industry level as compared with the domestic and international market levels. Within each market, herding activities are stronger in the Technology and Financial industries, but weaker in the Utility industry. The evidence indicates that industry herding is more pronounced in down markets and low trading volume markets for most markets. Herding is also more apparent in both high and low market value industries, in low dividend yield industries and in less concentrated industries.
Comparison of approximate solutions to the phonon Boltzmann transport equation with the relaxation time approximation: Spherical harmonics expansions and the discrete ordinates method

The phonon Boltzmann transport equation is used to analyze model problems in one and two spatial dimensions, under transient and steady-state conditions. New, explicit solutions are obtained by using the P1 and P3 approximations, based on expansions in spherical harmonics, and are compared with solutions from the discrete ordinates method. For steady-state energy transfer, it is shown that analytic expressions derived using the P1 and P3 approximations agree quantitatively with the discrete ordinates method, in some cases for large Knudsen numbers, and always for Knudsen numbers less than unity. However, for time-dependent energy transfer, the PN solutions differ qualitatively from converged solutions obtained by the discrete ordinates method. Although they correctly capture the wave-like behavior of energy transfer at short times, the P1 and P3 approximations rely on one or two wave velocities, respectively, yielding abrupt, step-changes in temperature profiles that are absent when the angular dependence...
Coupling Labor Codes of Conduct and Supplier Labor Practices: The Role of Internal Structural Conditions

In response to media exposes and activist group pressure to eliminate exploitive working conditions, multinational companies have pushed their suppliers to adopt labor codes of conduct and improve ...
Naive mechanics comprehension and invention in EDISON

Abstract : This paper briefly reports on the current architecture and status of EDISON, a computer model being designed to understand natural language descriptions of mechanical devices and generate novel device representations through heuristic strategies of mutation and analogy. The representational constructs in EDISON must support both of these tasks and include: goal/plan information, spatial relationships, forces, motion, contact, regions, constraints on (and principles of) device operation, levels of abstraction, and naive mechanics dependencies and inferences.
Shifting Priorities and Values: A Challenge to the Hospital’s Mission

What should be the driving force underlying the health care industry in the United States as the twenty-first century approaches? Should it be to maximize the quality of health care and availability of resources for the population or to maximize the return on investment through pricing and service policies? This dichotomy poses what possibly may be the most complex and far-reaching issue ever to confront the American health care system. Thus far, most of the debate on this issue has centered either at the societal (macro) level where questions of access to medical care are addressed, or on the individual patient care (micro) level, involving obligations within the context of the provider-patient relationship. Often overlooked in such discussions has been the institutional, or meso, level ([17], pp. 7—9; [18]). This level concerns the responsibilities of those who manage health care institutions, namely administrators. The classic dilemma arising at this level is the conflict between the traditional charitable healing mission of the health care institution, which is oriented toward benefiting patients without recognizing a limit to resources, and the so-called business ethic, which is geared toward maximizing institutional solvency and, in a growing number of cases, profitability [8].
Direct RF Signal Processing For Heart-Rate Monitoring Using UWB Impulse Radar

In this paper, we propose a new signal processing method for continuous heart-rate (HR) monitoring using ultra-wide band (UWB) impulse radar. Since the radar sensor is able to directly sample the received signal at RF satisfying the Nyquist sampling rate, the vital information is preserved in the received signal. We show that mathematically the vital signs can be extracted directly from the raw RF signal and thus the down conversion to the complex baseband is optional. Finally, we demonstrate the HR monitoring performance from the proposed direct RF signal processing technique by comparing against the existing methods using the complex baseband signal.
Tropical Riffs: Latin America & the politics of jazz

Nearly two decades after it was first broadcast, Ken Burns’ Jazz remains the favorite whipping boy of ‘new jazz studies’ scholars. Having gotten my own licks in a time or two, I don’t necessarily o...
My Father Would Not Want to Live Like This

In this chapter, we will explore a case of end-of-life care decisions for an 85-year-old man with dementia. In this case, Mr. Alvarez presents with sepsis and subsequently experiences life-threatening complications of treatment. The case explores how healthcare practitioners and family members navigate the complexity of medical decision-making in the context of end-of-life discussions. By the conclusion of the case discussion, learners will be able to both articulate and apply key ethical and legal principles that inform end-of-life issues in healthcare and appreciate how individuals’ beliefs can impact medical decision-making.
High-Performance Active-Clamped Isolated SEPIC PFC Converter With SiC Devices and Lossless Diode Clamp

An isolated active-clamped single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC) power factor correction (PFC) converter based on SiC devices is presented. The impact of the resonant inductance on the switch voltage stress and range of zero-voltage switching is analyzed. Analytical expressions for the operating points of the switches over the line cycle are derived and used to evaluate the switching loss. Resonant inductance and snubber capacitance are chosen based on the analysis to reduce the switching loss without overstress of the switches. Lossless diode clamp circuits are designed for the output diode so that the peak voltage and extra losses due to device parasitics-induced oscillation are significantly reduced. The analysis is validated with a 2-kW single-phase PFC rectifier module with a peak efficiency of 96.56% at the 200-kHz switching frequency, total harmonic distortion (THD) < 2%, and power density of 58 W/in3.
Hecate: Automated Customization of Program and Communication Features to Reduce Attack Surfaces

Customizing program and communication features is a commonly adopted strategy to counter security threats that arise from rapid inflation of software features. In this paper, we propose Hecate, a novel framework that leverages dynamic execution and trace to create customized, self-contained programs, in order to minimize potential attack surface. It automatically identifies program features (i.e., independent, well-contained operations, utilities, or capabilities) relating to application binaries and their communication functions, tailors and eliminates the features to create customized program binaries in accordance with user needs, in a fully unsupervised fashion. Hecate makes novel use of deep learning to identify program features and their constituent functions by mapping dynamic instruction trace to functions in the binaries. It enables us to modularize program features and efficiently create customized program binaries at large scale. We implement a prototype of Hecate using a number of open source tools such as DynInst and TensorFlow. Evaluation using real-world executables including OpenSSL and LibreOffice demonstrates that Hecate can create a wide range of customized binaries for diverse feature requirements, with the highest accuracy up to 96.28% for feature/function identification and up to 67% reduction of program attack surface.
A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis of Outcomes and Toxicities with Commercial Axicabtagene Ciloleucel and Tisagenlecleucel for Relapsed/Refractory Aggressive B-Cell Lymphomas

Introduction CD19 directed CAR T cells have potent activity in relapsed/refractory (R/R) aggressive B-cell lymphomas (B-NHL) leading to the FDA approval of axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel). Initial reports on commercial use of axi-cel suggest many patients (pts) would not have met eligibility criteria for ZUMA-1, yet outcomes and toxicities appeared similar. Limited data on the "real world" use of tisa-cel is available. We performed a multicenter retrospective study to evaluate efficacy, safety, and patterns of use in 8 US centers that had the option of prescribing either commercial product for R/R B-NHL. Results As of 7/31/2019, 242 pts underwent apheresis for axi-cel or tisa-cel. Of these, 163 (67%) underwent apheresis for axi-cel, and 79 (33%) for tisa-cel. 14 (9%) axi-cel and 3 (4%) tisa-cel pts died prior to CAR T-cell infusion from lymphoma progression, and 1 (1%) tisa-cel pt was not infused for other reasons. Detailed baseline pt characteristics were available for 180/242 pts (Figure 1). Median age at apheresis was 58 years (range: 18-85) for axi-cel and 67 years (range: 36-88) for tisa-cel. ECOG PS was 0-1 in 86% of axi-cel and 94% of tisa-cel pts. The median number of prior therapies was 3 (range: 2-11) for axi-cel and 4 (range: 2-9) for tisa-cel pts. Bridging therapy was given in 61% of axi-cel and 72% of tisa-cel pts. Median time from apheresis to CAR T-cell infusion was 28 days for axi-cel and 44 days for tisa-cel. CAR T-cell infusion was inpatient in 100% of axi-cel and 39% of tisa-cel pts. Safety was evaluable in 213 pts. CRS was graded according to institutional practices (CARTOX (38%), Penn scale (31%), ASTCT (19%), and Lee scale (11%)). NEs were graded per CARTOX (80%), ASTCT (19%), or CTCAE V4.03 (1%). Grade ≥3 CRS and NEs occurred in 13% and 41% of axi-cel pts and 1% and 3% of tisa-cel pts. The median onset of CRS and NEs was 2 and 6 days in axi-cel, and 3 and 5 days in tisa-cel treated pts, respectively. Tocilizumab was administered in 62% of axi-cel pts with 57% receiving steroids. In tisa-cel pts, tocilizumab was administered in 13% of cases, with 7% receiving steroids. Response assessment was performed for infused pts at day 30 and/or day 90, or in those with clinical progression. Of 120 axi-cel pts evaluable at day 30, the ORR was 72% with 43% achieving a CR. Of the 32 tisa-cel pts evaluable at day 30, the ORR was 59% with 44% achieving a CR. At day 90, the ORR for axi-cel was 52% with 39% achieving a CR, while for tisa-cel the ORR was 48% with 39% achieving a CR. Conclusions Efficacy outcomes in the commercial setting appear similar to responses seen in the pivotal clinical trials. Though different toxicity grading scales were employed, tisa-cel appears to be associated with less CRS and NEs. Updated analyses of usage patterns and outcomes with uniform ASTCT toxicity grading will be presented at the meeting.
Precision medicine in cardiac electrophysiology: where we are and where we need to go

The treatment of arrhythmias is complex and there are many options including drug therapy, ablation techniques, and implantable devices. Selection of the right treatment strategy is complicated by ...
Bevacizumab induced proteinuria and hypertension: A comparative analysis of anti-hypertensives utilized within a single institution.

e15631Background: Bevacizumab (Bev) is a recombinant monoclonal antibody associated with hypertension and proteinuria commonly used in treatment of various malignancies. Often times, treatment is i...
Weight loss prior to pregnancy and subsequent gestational weight gain: Prepare, a randomized clinical trial.

Background Women with elevated body mass index are encouraged to lose weight before pregnancy, but no trials have tested the effects of prepregnancy weight loss on health outcomes. Objective This study aimed to determine whether prepregnancy weight loss reduces gestational weight gain and improves pregnancy outcomes. Study Design Pragmatic randomized clinical trial was conducted between May 2015 and October 2019 at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, an integrated health system. Data collection was blind to condition assignment. Eligible participants were women aged 18 to 40 years with a body mass index of ≥27 kg/m2 who were planning pregnancy within 2 years. Recruitment contacts were sent to 27,665 health system members who met age and body mass index criteria; 329 women attended screening visits, and 326 were randomized. They were randomized to either a behavioral weight loss intervention or usual care control. The intervention consisted of health coaching phone sessions weekly for 6 months and then monthly for 18 months or until end of pregnancy. We used logistic regression to examine the a priori primary hypothesis that participants in the intervention would be less likely to exceed National Academy of Medicine guidelines for gestational weight gain during each trimester and overall. Secondary and exploratory outcomes included absolute weight gain before and during pregnancy and perinatal and newborn outcomes. Results Of the 326 participants, 169 had singleton pregnancies lasting ≥14 weeks (analytical cohort: intervention, 89; control, 80). At baseline, mean age was 31.3±3.5 years, and body mass index was 34.8±5.8 kg/m2. Participants in the intervention group lost more weight before pregnancy than those in the control group (−0.25±0.51 vs −0.03±0.21 kg/wk; P Conclusion Participation in the prepregnancy weight loss intervention had no effect on women’s likelihood of exceeding gestational weight gain guidelines. Although the intervention group successfully lost weight before conception, the intervention group was associated with greater weight gain in late pregnancy. To effectively reduce weight throughout pregnancy and improve maternal and child outcomes, prepregnancy weight loss interventions may need to be combined with intensive weight management that continues throughout delivery.
A Framework for Semi-Automated Fault Detection Configuration with Automated Feature Extraction and Limits Setting

In today’s microelectronics manufacturing facilities, fault detection (FD) is pervasive as the primary advanced process control (APC) capability in use. The current approach to FD, while effective, has a number of shortcomings that impact its cost and effectiveness. The highest among these is the cost in time and resources associated with the largely manual methods used for partitioning and extraction of features of interest in individual traces. Additionally, once these features are extracted, feature-based univariate analysis (UVA) is the primary method used for process monitoring and FD, which fails to incorporate process variable correlations in detecting faults and quality issues. On the other hand, current multivariate analysis (MVA) approaches, such as principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares (PLS), and their variants, focus on threshold setting in a multivariate space so that they cannot provide direct limit settings on raw (sensor) parameters for decision-making support during online process monitoring. Also, in bypassing feature identification and extraction, the subject matter expert (SME) is largely left out of the loop in MVA analysis; thus, information on the relationship between univariate features and faults is not captured. Furthermore, it is difficult to visualize and understand multivariate limits due to the high dimensionality of the data produced in microelectronics manufacturing processes. Finally, slow and normal process changes often occur in real processes, which can lead to false alarms during implementation when using models trained from offline samples. Thus, a need exists for an FD method that leverages the existing feature-based UVA and provides (1) a method for automated signal partitioning and feature extraction that allows for SME input, (2) an MVA mechanism which considers correlation among parameters and is adaptive to the normal process drift, (3) an automatic approach for limiting UVA features that captures the correlation among parameters, and (4) a methodology for easily viewing these capabilities so that an SME is able to view, understand, and continue to contribute to the FD optimization process. This capability has been developed and successfully applied to microelectronics manufacturing data sets and is proposed as a key component to future microelectronics smart manufacturing systems.
Assessing the validity of white-collar crime definitions using experimental survey data

We examine the extent to which the characteristics of offenders, the circumstance of offending, and offense characteristics affect public willingness to label an offense a “white-collar” crime. We conducted a multidimensional factorial vignette survey hosted onAmazon’s Mechanical Turk. Participants (N = 2696) were randomly assigned to receive information about three of eighteen scenarios that could be considered white-collar crimes. Analyses are conducted at the scenario level with respondent-level fixed effects. Scenarios in which offenders had high status were rated more highly on a scale of “white-collarness.” Occupational access was also associated with higher ratings for both middle-status and upper-status offenders. Scenarios in which the means and consequences of the crime were financial were more likely to be considered white-collar crime. In order to maximize generalizability and to support evidence-based policies, white-collar crime research should rely on a definition that incorporates practically relevant dimensions of offender status, occupational access, and financial means.
Why and how do dual users quit vaping? Survey findings from adults who use electronic and combustible cigarettes

INTRODUCTION: Most adults who use electronic cigarettes (ECs) also smoke combustible cigarettes (CCs). Quitting ECs appears common among dual users but little is known regarding adult dual users' motivations and methods to quit ECs or how this relates to quitting CCs. METHODS: We used Amazon Mechanical Turk, a web-based crowd-sourcing service, to survey 366 US adults with a history of regular EC and CC use. This analysis examined motivations and methods to quit both products among a subset of 204 (55.7%) respondents with dual use and a history of one or more attempts to quit ECs. RESULTS: Most respondents (95%) were using ECs at the time of this survey and had a lifetime median of five EC quit attempts. The most common motivations to quit ECs were health (74%), money/cost (45%), and to reduce risk of COVID-19 (25%). The most common EC quit methods were cutting down (68%), getting advice from a doctor (28%), quitting 'cold turkey' (24%), nicotine replacement therapy (24%), and switching to ECs with less nicotine (24%). Most motivations and methods to quit ECs and CCs were moderately to highly correlated, suggesting similarity in dual users' approach to quitting the two products. CONCLUSIONS: Dual users had a range of motivations and methods to quit ECs, most of which were similar to their motivations and methods to quit CCs. These findings support the need to develop treatment for adults motivated to quit ECs and demonstrate that dual users may currently engage in similar strategies to quit both products.
The lexical and formal semantics of distributivity

Some predicates are distributive (true of each member of a plural subject: if two people smile, they each do). Others are nondistributive (if two people meet, they do so jointly rather than individually), or go both ways: if two people open a door, perhaps they each do so (distributive), or perhaps they do so jointly but not individually (nondistributive). This paper takes up the rarely-explored lexical semantics question of which predicates are understood in which way(s) and why, presenting quantitative evidence for predictions about how certain features of an event shape the inferences drawn from the predicate describing it. Causative predicates (open a door), and predicates built from transitive verbs more generally, are shown to favor a nondistributive interpretation, whereas experiencer-subject predicates (love a movie) and those built from intransitive verbs (smile) are mostly distributive. Turning to the longstanding formal semantics question about how distributivity should be represented compositionally, any such theory ends up leaving much of the work to lexical/world knowledge of the sort that this paper makes explicit.
Humanistic and Positive Psychologies: The Continuing Narrative After Two Decades:

Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi launched the “positive” psychology movement with a conspicuously negative strategy: the seemingly deliberate character assassination of humanistic psychology. Their cr...
Structural and diffusion weighted brain imaging biomarkers for ADHD and its symptomology in very young (4–7-year-old) children

ABSTRACT The current study aimed to identify the key neurobiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as it relates to ADHD diagnostic category and symptoms of hyperactive/impulsive behavior and inattention. To do so, we adapted a predictive modeling approach to identify the key structural and diffusion weighted brain imaging measures, and their relative standing with respect to teacher ratings of executive function – EF (measured by the Metacognition Index of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function– BRIEF), negativity and emotion regulation – ER (measured by the Emotion Regulation Checklist, ERC), in a critical young age range (ages 4 to 7, mean age 5.52 years, 82.2% Hispanic/Latino), where initial contact with educators and clinicians typically take place. Teacher ratings of EF and ER were predictive of both ADHD diagnostic category and symptoms of hyperactive/impulsive behavior and inattention. Among the neural measures evaluated, the current study identified the critical importance of the largely understudied diffusion weighted imaging measures for the underlying neurobiology of ADHD and its associated symptomology. Specifically, our analyses implicated the inferior frontal gyrus, the pericallosal sulcus, and the caudate as critical predictors of ADHD diagnostic category and its associated symptomology, above and beyond teacher ratings of EF and ER. Collectively, the current set of findings have implications for theories of ADHD, the relative utility of neurobiological measures with respect to teacher ratings of EF and ER, and the developmental trajectory of its underlying neurobiology.
On the Orders of the Automorphism Groups of Certain Projective Manifolds

It is a well-known theorem of Hurwitz that the automorphism group of a compact Riemann surface of genus g > 1 has order not larger than 84 (g - 1). This was generalized by Bochner who proved that a compact Riemannian manifold with negative Ricci tensor has a finite automorphism group, and Kobayashi who derived the same conclusion for a compact complex manifold with negative first Chern class [K]. The group of birational transformations was studied by Matsumura [M1] who proved that it contains no one-parameter subgroup, provided the manifold has ample canonical bundle.
The Influence of Information on Users' Attitudes Toward Campground User Fees

Public agencies that provide outdoor recreational facilities are seeking additional sources of funding to operate existing facilities and to provide new recreational opportunities. Higher user fees...
Kinematic reducibility of multiple model systems

This paper considers the relationship between second order multiple model systems and first order multiple model systems. Such a relationship is important to, among other things, studying path planning for mechanical control systems. This is largely due to the fact that the computational complexity of a path planning problem rapidly increases with the dimension of the state space, implying that being able to reduce a path planning problem from TQ to Q can be helpful. Not surprisingly, the necessary and sufficient condition for such a reduction is that each model constituting a multiple model control system be reducible. We present an extensive example in order to illustrate how these results can provide insight into the control of some specific physical systems.
Glocal Arabic online: The case of 3arabizi

The term glocal has been used to describe phenomena that simultaneously blend both global and local elements (see Featherstone, Lash, & Robertson, 1995, p. 101). Nowhere is this more evident than in the existence of 3arabizi, itself a blended language composed of English and Vernacular Arabic, written in Latin letters but using arithmographemes, that is, numerals as letters to represent hard-to-transliterate sounds because they do not exist in English (see Bianchi, 2012).1 As part of a doctoral study investigating online language choice involving Arabic and English, this paper examines the unique stylistic and topical functions of 3 arabizi when compared with its linguistic forbears, that is, Arabic and English in a multilingual web forum. The findings indicate that 3arabizi is used for more informal, intimate and phatic communication than either Arabic or English, though these latter two languages or codes are not entirely formal in form and purpose either.
Great Powers and Geopolitical Change

Over the past decade or so, a certain “geographicalism” has crept into political science to the point that it has begun to redound negatively on geography. Apart from a few critical-minded scholars...
Elastic Earthquake Analysis of a Class of Torsionally Coupled Buildings

A simple procedure is developed for analysis of elastic response of a particular class of torsionally coupled multistory buildings to earthquake ground motion, characterized by smooth response spectra. In this procedure the response of a N-story torsionally coupled building — a system with 3N degrees-of-freedom (DOF) — is determined by analyzing two systems: (1)An N-story torsionally uncoupled counterpart of the actual building — a system with N DOF; and (2)an associated one-story torsionally coupled system — a system with 3 DOF. The simpler analysis procedure leads to “exact” results if the variation of earthquake spectral acceleration with vibration period is idealized as flat or hyperbolic. For arbitrary but smooth shapes of the response spectrum, it is shown through a numerical example that the results of the simpler analysis are sufficiently accurate for design purposes.
Dynamic performance evaluation of hybrid multi-terminal HVAC/HVDC grid

The multi-terminal DC grid can be integrated to the existing meshed AC grid system to provide back-up in case of transmission line failure and enhance power transmission capacity and flexibility in existing ac grids. In addition to that, Power oscillations can also be damped effectively through modulation of both active and reactive power of a voltage source converter (VSC) based multi-terminal DC grid. In this paper, the ability of the multi-terminal DC grid to effectively damp the power oscillation in an interconnected AC grid has been investigated. Also, VSC based MTDC transmission systems are vulnerable to DC side fault. This paper demonstrates a control method of a dc fault resilient voltage source converter that has ultra-fast electronic isolation capability following dc fault which can be protected against dc fault. To verify the control structure, the dynamic performance of the integrated multi-terminal DC grid in a reduced order three-bus AC equivalent power system is investigated through hardware-in-the-loop testing. Controller hardware-in-the-loop simulation of the embedded multi-terminal DC grid in a meshed AC power system is performed by Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS), and RTDS results are presented to verify the control structure.
NMR analysis of the residual structure in the denatured state of an unusual mutant of staphylococcal nuclease

Abstract Background : Staphylococcal nuclease is a well-developed model system for analyzing the effects of mutations on protein folding and stability. Substitution of glycine 88 with valine (Gly88Val) destabilizes staphylococcal nuclease by 1.0 kcal mole −1 and reduces its sensitivity to the denaturant guanidine hydrochloride, a phenomenon which may indicate an increase in residual structure in the denatured state. To assess its effects on denatured state structure, the Gly88Val mutation was incorporated into a 136 residue nonsense fragment which has been developed as a model of the wild type denatured state. Results : Application of two- and three-dimensional NMR spectroscopy to the Gly88Val fragment uniformly labeled with 15 N and 13 C has led to the assignment of 93 of the 136 residues. Comparison of chemical shifts of backbone resonances to those of wild type native nuclease, analysis of the secondary shifts of the assigned resonances and nuclear Overhauser effects involving backbone protons indicate that, unlike the wild type fragment, most if not all of the five-stranded β-barrel structure persists in this denatured state. Conclusion : One major effect of the Gly88Val mutation is to perturb the cooperative breakdown of the folded conformation, leading to a denatured state which is both more ordered and more stable than that formed by the wild type sequence. Since the equilibrium between the native and denatured states depends on the free energy difference between them, stabilization of the denatured state by the Gly88Val mutation indirectly destabilizes the native state.
Penetration by water of polyhydroxy amphiphiles in the crystalline versus the liquid crystalline states

Abstract The penetration of water in contact preparations with polyhydroxy amphiphiles in different aggregation states is compared. The onset of penetration is found at much higher temperatures when the samples are in the solid state than when they are in a super-cooled liquid-crystalline state in the case of the smectic Ad and smectic B2phases, but not the columnar hexagonal (Dhd) mesophase. The enhanced accessibility of the bilayer smectic phases can be explained by assuming that the molecular arrangement in the layers is similar to that found in the lamellar lyotropic phase, where the polar groups are on the outside and the (partially intercalated) alkyl chains are in the core of the layers.
Problems in Scoring, Agreement among Raters, and Internal Consistency of Selected Marker Tests

Selected Marker Tests, of Educational Testing Service and Sheridan Psychological Services, Inc., were examined in terms of problems in scoring and internal consistency. The tests were administered orally to 116 sixth and seventh grade students. Problems in scoring were discovered and changes were suggested. The agreement between two independent judges on part scores was high. Twenty-one of 28 correlations were .90 and above. Item correlations with part and total scores, using Cureton’s correction, were frequently very low, and many items did not meet the desirable difficulty level for norm-referenced tests. The study suggests that, with the sample used, the problem is not one of agreement among judges but, rather, one of item reliability.
Quine's Global Structuralism*

summary Quine's ontological relativity thesis requires that objects be treated as «neutral nodes» in the logical structure of our total theory of the world. It is by treating objects as neutral that we are able to vary ontology yet leave the evidential support of our theory undisturbed. In this article, I present arguments against the possibility of treating objects as neutral.
Optimal solution of nonlinear equations satisfying a Lipschitz condition

For a given nonnegative ? we seek a pointx * such that |f(x *)|?? wheref is a nonlinear transformation of the cubeB=[0,1] m into ? (or ? p ,p>1) satisfying a Lipschitz condition with the constantK and having a zero inB. The information operator onf consists ofn values of arbitrary linear functionals which are computed adaptively. The pointx * is constructed by means of an algorithm which is a mapping depending on the information operator. We find an optimal algorithm, i.e., algorithm with the smallest error, which usesn function evaluations computed adaptively. We also exhibit nearly optimal information operators, i.e., the linear functionals for which the error of an optimal algorithm that uses them is almost minimal. Nearly optimal information operators consists ofn nonadaptive function evaluations at equispaced pointsx j in the cubeB. This result exhibits the superiority of the T. Aird and J. Rice procedure ZSRCH (IMSL library [1]) over Sobol's approach [7] for solving nonlinear equations in our class of functions. We also prove that the simple search algorithm which yields a pointx *=x k such that $$\left| {f(x_k )} \right| = \mathop {\min }\limits_{1 \leqq j \leqq n} \left| {f(x_j )} \right|$$ is nearly optimal. The complexity, i.e., the minimal cost of solving our problem is roughly equal to (K/?) m .
Effects of La2O3 on the Mixed Higher Alcohols Synthesis from Syngas over Co Catalysts: A Combined Theoretical and Experimental Study

The promoting role of lanthanum oxide (La2O3) in the catalytic synthesis of mixed higher (C2–C6) alcohols from syngas on Co-based catalysts was investigated using a combination of in situ and ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), catalyst reactivity performance studies, and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. XRD measurements show that doping with La (0.5 wt %) onto activated carbon (AC) supported Co catalyst enhances the Co2C phase formation, whereas the Co2C phase formation is largely suppressed on alumina supported Co catalyst. A strong correlation of the selectivity toward alcohols with the ratio of Co2C/Co particles present in the catalysts was observed. AIMD simulations suggest that on AC supports La exists as an oxide phase in the form of small clusters in the vicinity of Co particles. It was found that Co2C formation is energetically favorable, especially for smaller Co particles because of the formation of surface carbide. Theoretical mechanistic studies ...
Improving neutron detection in semiconducting 6 LiInSe 2

Chalcopyrite crystals of 6LiInSe2 have recently been shown to respond to gamma and thermal neutron radiation. Thus far, large crystals have been prepared although the charge collection efficiency has not been sufficient for high energy resolution. In an effort to improve energy resolution needed for gamma spectroscopy as well as pulse shape discrimination for mixed gamma neutron fluxes, the precipitate concentration within the 6LiInSe2 crystal have been studied. The precipitate volume greatly affects the energy resolution in the pulse height spectrum. Further, the charge mobility varies greatly with holes being preferentially trapped by these precipitates or some other defect site within the crystal.
Stress-elicited changes in amino acid levels of hemolymph of Aplysia californica

The effects of stress produced by noxious cutaneous stimulation on the concentration of 18 amino acids in the hemolymph of Aplysia californica were examined. The concentration of alanine and glutamate increased in response to stress and remained elevated for at least 6 h. The total amino acid concentration in the hemolymph did not change significantly in response to stress. It is concluded that stress evokes an increase in circulating alanine and glutamate levels. These factors may then act in a paracrine, endocrine, or neuroendocrine manner to modify stress-associated behaviors.
Probability of Pancreatic Cancer Following Diabetes: A Population-Based Study

Background & Aims: Although diabetes occurs frequently in pancreatic cancer, the value of new-onset diabetes as a marker of underlying pancreatic cancer is unknown. Methods: We assembled a population-based cohort of 2122 Rochester, Minnesota, residents age ≥50 years who first met standardized criteria for diabetes between January 1, 1950, and December 31, 1994, and identified those who developed pancreatic cancer within 3 years of meeting criteria for diabetes. We compared observed rates of pancreatic cancer with expected rates based on the Iowa Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registry. In a nested case control study, we compared body mass index (BMI) and smoking status in diabetes subjects with and without pancreatic cancer. Results: Of 2122 diabetic subjects, 18 (0.85%) were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of meeting criteria for diabetes; 10 of 18 (56%) were diagnosed Conclusions: Approximately 1% of diabetes subjects aged ≥50 years will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 3 years of first meeting criteria for diabetes. The usefulness of new-onset diabetes as marker of early pancreatic cancer needs further evaluation.
InfoFilter: a system for expressive pattern specification and detection over text streams

Information filtering includes monitoring text streams to detect patterns that are more complex than those handled by search engines. Text stream monitoring and pattern detection have far reaching applications such as tracking information flow among terrorist outfits, web parental control, and business intelligence. Pattern characterization requirements of applications entail an expressive language for specifying patterns than what is currently provided by Information Retrieval Query Languages (IRQLs) and current information filtering systems. Pattern specification alone does not suffice, as detecting these complex patterns is equally important in order to use these systems for real-world applications.InfoFilter, a content-based information filtering system, presented in this paper, allows users to specify complex patterns and detects these patterns in incoming text streams from various sources such as news feed, emails, web pages and caption text from streaming videos. Complex patterns such as combinations of sequential, structural patterns, wild cards, word frequencies, proximity, Boolean operators and synonyms are formulated using the expressive pattern specification language, PSL, proposed in this paper. Once specified, these complex patterns are detected using a data flow paradigm over Pattern Detection Graphs (PDGs).
Fast network synchronization

Much of the popularity of mobile computing and handheld devices can be attributed to their ability to deliver information to users on a seamless basis. Periodic synchronization of data between various devices is an enabling technology for this computing paradigm and an essential feature of any effective mobile and heterogeneous network architecture. We propose a peer-to-peer synchronization algorithm based on recent information-theoretic advances [3] and demonstrate an implementation of that algorithm through an improved PC-PDA synchronizer.
Classically conditioned enhancement of antibody production

In Experiments 1 and 2, rats were exposed to a classical conditioning procedure in which saccharin and lithium chloride (LiCl) were paired with an injection of antigen. Relative to control groups, the conditioned animals that received additional saccharin and LiC1 presentations showed significantly higher antibody levels. These experiments demonstrate that classical conditioning procedures are sufficient to establish conditioned reflexes in which stimuli (which were previously neutral with respect to the immune system) enhance antibody production.
Effect of Spin-Ladder Topology on 2D Charge Ordering: Toward New Spin-Antiferroelectric Transitions

The low-temperature structures of M(pyz)V4O10 (M = Co, Zn) in the spin-gapped state have been investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and electronic structure calculations and provide evidence for a new type of spin-antiferroelectric transition for M = Zn. This new type of phase transition involves the onset of charge ordering within spin ladders that can be mediated by the metal-organic chains via a modification of the inter-ladder interactions.
Nonlinear dynamics of double-pass cross-polarized wave generation in the saturation regime

The conversion efficiency of cross-polarized wave (XPW) generation can be improved using two separate thinner nonlinear crystals versus a single thick one, due to the evolution of the beam sizes and individual phases after the first crystal. In this paper, we present an alternative scheme in which a curved mirror is used to reimage a plane just after the BaF2 crystal for a second pass. We also develop a simple analytic model for XPW conversion that describes the origin of a nonlinear phase mismatch and nonlinear lensing for both the fundamental wave and XPW. Coupled with the numerical solution for the process and the Fresnel propagation after the first pass, we also explore the factors that affect the efficiency of saturated, seeded XPW conversion. These include the development of the on-axis relative phase difference in the first crystal and after it (during free-space propagation), mode matching, wavefront curvature difference, and crystal tuning angle. We also experimentally demonstrate that the beam quality of the XPW signal after the second pass can be improved by the reimaging.
FIELD STUDY OF A VOICE MAIL SYSTEM: DESIGN AND DESIGN-PROCESS IMPLICATIONS

We studied the use of a computer-based voice mail system within an organization, and users' attitudes toward it. This system allowed users to send and receive voice messages using pushbutton telephones. It offered editing, filing, retrieval, distribution, and control functions.
Bone resorption by isolated human osteoclasts in vitro: Effects of calcitonin

Human osteoclasts were isolated from 12- to 17-week-old fetal tissue and from transiliac crest bone biopsies for an in vitro study of their biology. A hypodermic needle was used to flush either the fetal long bones or the trabeculae of the iliac crest bone biopsy with tissue culture medium and the resulting cell suspension sedimented briefly either onto the surface of plastic tissue culture dishes, for time-lapse microcinematography, or onto slices of devitalized bovine cortical bone for quantitative assay of bone resorption. The osteoclasts were motile, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase positive and capable of excavating pits in slices of devitalized bovine cortical bone. Human calcitonin, at doses of 1 ng/ml and 1 microgram/ml, caused a 70% inhibition of bone resorption by human fetal osteoclasts over a 24 h period but had no apparent effect on the morphology or motility of either fetal or adult osteoclasts.
Net carbon flux from agricultural ecosystems: methodology for full carbon cycle analyses.

Agricultural ecosystems have the potential to sequester carbon in soils by altering agricultural management practices (i.e. tillage practice, cover crops, and crop rotation) and using agricultural inputs (i.e. fertilizers and irrigation) more efficiently. Changes in agricultural practices can also cause changes in CO2 emissions associated with these practices. In order to account for changes in net CO2 emissions, and thereby estimate the overall impact of carbon sequestration initiatives on the atmospheric CO2 pool, we use a methodology for full carbon cycle analysis of agricultural ecosystems. The analysis accounts for changes in carbon sequestration and emission rates with time, and results in values representing a change in net carbon flux. Comparison among values of net carbon flux for two or more systems, using the initial system as a baseline value, results in a value for relative net carbon flux. Some results from using the full carbon cycle methodology, along with US national average values for agricultural inputs, indicate that the net carbon flux averaged over all crops following conversion from conventional tillage to no-till is -189 kg C ha(-1) year(-1) (a negative value indicates net transfer of carbon from the atmosphere). The relative net carbon flux, using conventional tillage as the baseline, is -371 kg C ha(-1) year(-1), which represents the total atmospheric CO2 reduction caused by changing tillage practices. The methodology used here illustrates the importance of (1) delineating system boundaries, (2) including CO2 emissions associated with sequestration initiatives in the accounting process, and (3) comparing the new management practices associated with sequestration initiatives with the original management practices to obtain the true impact of sequestration projects on the atmospheric CO2 pool.