cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to 'A comment on "Signatures of fissile materials: High-energy gamma rays following fission," by Zeev B. Alfassi'

Prof. Alfassi has pointed out that radionuclides that are not fission products, but which emit {gamma} rays with energies E{sub {gamma}} > 3 MeV, can be produced by neutron irradiation. He suggested that the decays of such activation products would interfere with the identification of fissionable materials. However, the combination of the energy spectrum and the temporal variation of the fission product gamma rays can be used to distinguish fissionable material from other nuclides. The activation of nuclides that could produce interferences will depend upon the specifics of the cargo and, possibly, the local surroundings. As discussed in our original publication, in addition to the steel that Prof. Alfassi referred to in his Comment, we studied the activation of wood, polyethylene, aluminum, and sandstone. Activation by thermal neutrons will always occur, and Prof. Alfassi correctly points out that nuclides such as {sup 49}Ca and {sup 37}S can be formed in this way. These nuclides are representative of most potential interferences. Both {sup 48}Ca and {sup 36}S have very low isotopic abundances (0.187% and 0.02%, respectively) and small thermal neutron capture cross sections (0.20 barns and 0.98 barns, respectively). In addition, their half lives are more than an order of magnitude longer than the gross average observed from the fission products, and more than two orders of magnitude longer than the lifetimes of the shorter-lived fission products that contribute significantly to the total intensity in the energy range of interest. These differences make it possible to distinguish between fission products and thermal neutron activation products. Prof. Alfassi also pointed out that interferences, of which {sup 16}N is likely to be the most important, can be produced by fast neutron reactions. (As described in our original publication, we did not use a 14 MeV generator in our work.) Fortunately, a judicious choice of the source neutron energy can limit the extent of these interferences quite significantly. For example, the laboratory threshold for the reaction {sup 16}O(n,p){sup 16}N is 10.2 MeV, while that for the reaction {sup 19}F(n,{alpha}){sup 16}N is 1.6 MeV. Thus a source neutron energy around 5 MeV would completely eliminate the {sup 16}O(n,p){sup 16}N reaction and limit the {sup 19}F(n,{alpha}){sup 16}N reaction to that portion of the cargo in which neutrons with energies greater than 1.6 MeV were present. However, even in the presence of {sup 16}N, the energy spectrum and temporal variation of the fission product gamma rays should be decisive in distinguishing fissionable material from these interferences.
Response of the right ventricle to exercise in isolated mitral stenosis

Abstract Eight patients in sinus rhythm, with varying degrees of isolated mitral stenosis (mitral valve area 0.6 to 1.3 cm2 and total pulmonary vascular resistance 5.0 to 17.5 U-m2), underwent supine rest and symptom-limited exercise radionuclide ventriculography to determine right ventricular (RV) and left ven-tricular ejection fraction (EF). Cardiac catheterization with hemodynamic measurements at rest and at peak exercise was performed within 24 hours of radionuclide ventriculography. Four of the 8 patients underwent corrective mitral surgery resulting in normal mean pulmonary artery pressures and total pulmonary vascular resistance at rest. These 4 patients had repeat radionuclide ventriculography at rest and during exercise 1 to 2 months after surgery. Preoperatively, all 8 patients had an abnormal exercise RVEF response (mean change ± standard deviation [SD], −5.0 ± 4.5%), coincident with an increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure during exercise (mean change, 15 ± 5.0 mm Hg). The change in RVEF from rest to exercise, corrected for duration of exercise, correlated with peak exercise mean pulmonary artery pressure (r = −0.71, p = 0.05), as well as total pulmonary vascular resistance at rest (r = −0.82, p = 0.02). Postoperatively, all 4 patients who underwent surgical correction showed a normal RVEF response during exercise (mean change ± SD, +6.8 ± 4.0%). Thus, in patients with acquired mitral stenosis and no coronary artery disease (1) loading conditions and not contractility are prime determinants of RV exercise response, and (2) an exercise-induced decrease in RVEF may be a sensitive marker for increased total pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary hypertension.
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC-STRUCTURAL CORRELATIONS IN CHAGASIC ANEURYSMS CAUSING MALIGNANT ARRHYTHMIAS

Abstract We studied the structure and ultrastructure of three chagasic aneurysms, the excision of which abolished malignant arrhythmias. Chronic recurrent ventricular tachycardia often occurs in patients with chagasic aneurysms, and ventricular mapping indicates that these arrhythmias originate in regions adjacent to those aneurysms. In our patients, ventricular tachycardia had been refractory to medical treatment. During surgery, epicardial and endocardial mapping showed abnormal potentials. Sutures were placed in the areas of resection, their sizes approximating those of earliest activation so that these sites could be identified. The myocardium showed chronic inflammatory reaction, myocytolysis and fibrosis. The presence of "islets" was common (normal, "early" damaged or "established" necrotic myocytes surrounded by fibrous tissue). The "early" lesions were predominant at the previously identified areas of arrhythmogenic activity. The ultrastructural studies showed hypertrophy of myocytes and partial or complete loss of myofibrils, swelling of mitochondria and disruption of mitochondrial cristae, accumulation of lipofuscin granules, and intracellular oedema. A most striking alteration was the thickening of the basement membranes of myocytes and vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The interlaced fronts of respectively healthy (fast conducting) and "early" damaged (slow conducting) myocytes seen in serial sectioning produced an ideal configuration for reentry circuits. The final proof that the arrhythmias originated in these endocardial regions was their abolition by resection of the aneurysm.
Functional differential systems with retardation and anticipation

We investigate, in this paper, the existence theory for functional differential equations with both retardation and anticipation as a first step by splitting the problem into two parts and using the existing theory of functional differential equations with delay and the contraction mapping theorem for operators with PPF (past, present, and future) dependence.
Dislocation/Twin/Interface Interactions during Deformation of PST TiAl Single Crystals, an AFM Study

PST TiAl crystals oriented such that the deformation axis lies in the (111) interfacial planes have been deformed in compression. This deformation produces so-called “channeled flow” in which the strain perpendicular to the (111) interfaces is zero, while the other two strains are equal and opposite in sign. Thus the sample simply shortens axially and spreads laterally in the channels defined by the (111) interfacial planes. We have examined the fine structure of deformation bands on the free surface of these deformed samples using AFM to see how the deformation processes interact with the boundaries. By measuring the offset angle at the surface we have been able to show that not only is the macroscopic displacement vector parallel to the lamellar boundaries, but the total shear vector in each layer is also parallel to the lamellar boundaries. However these deformation bands have very different characters, requiring complex deformation processes at the boundaries in order to satisfy this requirement. Some consist of either just super dislocations or just ordinary dislocations with Burgers vectors lying in the interface. But others consist of a special combination of twinning and ordinary dislocations in fixed ratio, such that the net shear vector also lies in the boundary, even though the individual twinning and dislocation shear directions are inclined to it. This results in deformation that is homogeneous and completely ‘channeled’ inside each lamella with no shear vector perpendicular to the lamellar boundaries. We have also shown that the cooperative twinning and slip is homogeneous on the nano-scale, i.e., the twinning and slip occurs in the same volume of material.
Analysis of format duplication in an academic library collection

The issue of format duplication in academic library collections is increasingly complicated and perplexing in an environment of static or dwindling resources, soaring user expectations, dynamic access models, and inconsistent and changing publisher and vendor pricing structures. The problem is further complicated for libraries serving a university with multiple campus locations. This paper surveys recent investigative projects and highlights the work of a Duplicate Formats Task Force at Pennsylvania State University charged with determining the extent and nature of format duplication at that institution.
Formal definitions of Web information search

Research in Web search engines has been criticized for lacking underlying theories and models. Theories adopted from traditional information retrieval research have been found in many ways lacking and inefficient in dealing with information retrieval in the Web context, primarily because of the amount of information and its dynamic nature, the hyperlinked structure, and multimedia sources. Appropriate Web models and theories for search engines will make web search and information retrieval problems easier to formulate and comprehend. This in turn helps to highlight holes in current Web search engine techniques. We analyze and categorize previous Web and information retrieval models. Grounded on previous work, we then propose a new Web information retrieval model based on both objective and subjective criteria. The performance of the new model is systematically compared with other IR models, and contributions of this work are highlighted.
The neutrino problem in cosmology

The absence of an Olbers paradox for neutrinos shows that the average neutrino luminosity must fall off as we observe older and more distant parts of the universe. Unlike the situation for light, the « paradox » could not be avoided by any kind of red shift, and hence puts a strong constraint on cosmological speculation. The ambient neutrino flux turns out to be finite in the modern steady state or evolutionary cosmologies, and is estimated at about 103 neutrinos/cm2 s. Taking absorption of neutrinos into account does not affect these remarks, except that in the oscillating cosmologies there must recur periods when neutrino absorption is faster than neutrino emission. It is estimated that the onset of neutrino absorption for an oscillating universe comes when it has contracted by a (linear) factor of about 105, and absorption might not lower the neutrino population very much until the contraction reaches about 1014.
Kinetics and mechanism of the reduction of a macrocyclic Rh(III) complex by chromium(II) ions: pH-controlled selectivity to rhodium(II) vs. rhodium(III) hydride.

Aqueous chromium(II) ions reduce a macrocyclic Rh(III) complex L1(H2O)2Rh3+ (L1 = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) to the hydride L1(H2O)RhH2+ in two discrete, one-electron steps. The first step generates L1(H2O)Rh2+ with kinetics that are first order in each rhodium(III) complex and Cr(H2O)62+, and inverse in [H+], k/M−1s−1 = 0.065/(0.0031 + [H+]). Further reduction of L1(H2O)Rh2+ to L1(H2O)RhH2+ is kinetically independent of [H+], k/M−1s−1 = 0.30. The difference in [H+] dependence allows relative rates of the two steps to be manipulated to generate either L1(H2O)Rh2+ or L1(H2O)RhH2+ as the final product.
Thiothixene in the Management of Delirium: A Case Series

Background Pharmacologic strategies are often required to help manage agitated patients with delirium. First-and second-generation antipsychotic medications (such as haloperidol, quetiapine, and olanzapine) are commonly used. Objective On the psychiatric consultation service in our hospital, thiothixene has been used based on its favorable potency, sedative, and cost profiles. Little has been written about the utility of this drug for management of delirium. Methods We reviewed our experience with thiothixene in this setting using pharmacy records to identify patients who received at least 1 dose between July 2011 and March 2014. We scrutinized the relevant medical records (n = 111) and recorded the following data: age, sex, medical diagnoses, signs and symptoms of delirium, dosing of thiothixene, and response to thiothixene in terms of both apparent benefit as well as side effects. Results Resolution or improvement was documented in 78% of patients and good tolerability in 82% of patients. Conclusions Although further data from a randomized, controlled trial would be ideal, our experience suggests that thiothixene could be a safe and effective pharmacologic treatment for agitation and psychosis due to delirium.
Effect of progressive visual error amplification on human motor adaptation

Amplification of error has been shown to be an effective technique in increasing the rate and extent of learning for motor tasks and has the potential to accelerate rehabilitation following motor impairment. However, current error amplification methods suffer from reduced effectiveness towards the end of training. In this paper, we propose a new approach, progressive error amplification, in which error gains increase as a trainee's performance improves. We tested this approach against conventional error augmentation in a controlled experiment wherein 30 subjects adapted to a visually distorted environment by performing target-hitting tasks under one of three conditions (control, constant error amplification, progressive error amplification). Our results showed that compared with repeated practice, error amplification does not accelerate learning or result in improved task performance with respect to trajectory error, although progressive error amplification does produce lower trajectory errors when training conditions are in effect. These results indicate a need for further tuning of error augmentation methods in order to determine their true potential as a training method.
On Judging the Imagined and Unfamiliar

Across the board in Conley et al.'s studies, consensually nonmonogamous couples were judged to have relationships that were less rewarding and less desirable than those enjoyed by monogamous couples. Arguably, this occurred in part because the research participants confused nonmonogamy with boredom, exploitation, and jealousy—aversive states that can accompany, but that are not necessarily a component of, consensual nonmonogamy. Despite the ingenuity of Conley et al., they may not have examined respondents’ perceptions of loving, satisfying, genuinely consensual nonmonogamy.
Statistical Constraints on Scalar Correlations

Models for the scalar probability density function (pdf) have to be developed to achieve closure of turbulent transport equations for mixing and reacting flows. The best statistical bounds on a number of moments for tvvoand three-species flows have been derived and used to construct and test a delta function "typical eddy" pdf model. If has been proven that for two species a rational pdf composed only of delta functions can always be constructed at any point within the statistically valid moment space. The delta function model and a canonical pdf model have been directly compared to experimental pdf measurements and both models show good agreement for higher-order moments, but the delta function model is simpler to construct and is recommended for closure of the transport equations for mixing flows.
Method for the purification of Filobasidiella neoformans basidiospores by flow cytometry

A procedure is described for the purification of basidiospores of Filobasidiella neoformans. The method involves the use of flow cytometry, and yields a suspension containing approximately 4 × 104 infective particles ml-1, of which greater than 95% are basidiospores. The application of this procedure to studies of the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis is discussed.
Neutrino Experiments and the LHC: Friends Across 14 Orders of Magnitude

This proceeding explores some of the questions that connect the LHC and neutrino experiments: What is the origin of mass? What is the meaning of avor? Is there direct evidence of new forces or particles? The neutrino program investigating these questions is large and diverse. The strategy here, to narrow the discussion, is to focus on relatively new ideas for experiments that may be less known within the LHC community.
The Small-school Friendship Dynamics of Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

Adolescence is a time when depressive symptoms and friendships both intensify. The authors ask whether friendships change in response to depressive symptoms, whether individual distress is influenc...
Magnetostatic analysis using a general purpose finite element program

A general purpose, two dimensional finite element program is adapted for electromagnetic analysis. Magnetostatic characteristics including flux density, field intensity, and inductance can be found using the numerical solution of Maxwell's equations performed by the finite element program. The characteristics of a C core inductor are determined, using magnetic scalar potential and magnetic vector potential formulation of the equations. A nonlinear permeability function is used to account for magnetic saturation of the inductor core. The results are compared against known parameters as determined by another electromagnetic analysis program. Success of the method verifies its applicability to more complex electromagnetic devices. >
Uncertainty in land-use change and forestry sector mitigation options for global warming: Plantation silviculture versus avoided deforestation

Abstract How land-use change and forestry sector options can be used to mitigate global warming will depend on a variety of pending decisions regarding interpretation of the Kyoto Protocol, including treatment of uncertainty. In tropical forest countries, the allocation of effort between plantation silviculture and reduction of deforestation would be influenced by the stringency of requirements regarding certainty. Slowing deforestation offers much greater potential benefits, but the certainty associated with these is much lower than in the case of plantations. In the Brazilian case, deforestation avoidance could produce carbon benefits worth 6–45 times as much as the destructive ranching and logging uses to which the forest is now being converted. Capturing the potential value of carbon benefits from avoided deforestation will depend on increasing our understanding of the deforestation process and consequent ability to reduce the uncertainty associated with the effects of deforestation-avoidance measures. It will also depend on whether carbon credits are defined in terms of a maximum level of uncertainty.
A comparison of Crandall and Crank–Nicolson methods for solving a transient heat conduction problem

A comparison is made of the Crandall and Crank–Nicolson methods applied to a transient heat conduction problem with a convective boundary layer on its surface for a range of values of Nusselt modulus and Fourier modulus. A new equation is derived to handle the convective boundary condition. For reasonable accuracy requirements the Crank–Nicolson method gives superior performance with respect to accuracy.
The Cellular EJC Interactome Reveals Higher-Order mRNP Structure and an EJC-SR Protein Nexus

Summary In addition to sculpting eukaryotic transcripts by removing introns, pre-mRNA splicing greatly impacts protein composition of the emerging mRNP. The exon junction complex (EJC), deposited upstream of exon-exon junctions after splicing, is a major constituent of spliced mRNPs. Here, we report comprehensive analysis of the endogenous human EJC protein and RNA interactomes. We confirm that the major "canonical" EJC occupancy site in vivo lies 24 nucleotides upstream of exon junctions and that the majority of exon junctions carry an EJC. Unexpectedly, we find that endogenous EJCs multimerize with one another and with numerous SR proteins to form megadalton sized complexes in which SR proteins are super-stoichiometric to EJC core factors. This tight physical association may explain known functional parallels between EJCs and SR proteins. Further, their protection of long mRNA stretches from nuclease digestion suggests that endogenous EJCs and SR proteins cooperate to promote mRNA packaging and compaction.
On Rates of Convergence for Stochastic Optimization Problems Under Non-I.I.D. Sampling

In this paper we discuss the issue of solving stochastic optimization problems by means of sample average approximations. Our focus is on rates of convergence of estimators of optimal solutions and optimal values with respect to the sample size. This is a well studied problem in case the samples are independent and identically distributed (i.e., when standard Monte Carlo is used); here, we study the case where that assumption is dropped. Broadly speaking, our results show that, under appropriate assumptions, the rates of convergence for pointwise estimators under a sampling scheme carry over to the optimization case, in the sense that convergence of approximating optimal solutions and optimal values to their true counterparts has the same rates as in pointwise estimation. Our motivation for the study arises from two types of sampling methods that have been widely used in the Statistics literature. One is Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS), a stratifled sampling method originally proposed in the seventies by McKay, Beckman, and Conover (1979). The other is the class of quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) methods, which have become popular especially after the work of Niederreiter (1992). The advantage of such methods is that they typically yield pointwise estimators which not only have lower variance than standard Monte Carlo but also possess better rates of convergence. Thus, it is important to study the use of these techniques in samplingbased optimization. The novelty of our work arises from the fact that, while there has been some work on the use of variance reduction techniques and QMC methods in stochastic optimization, none of the existing work | to the best of our knowledge | has provided a theoretical study on the efiect of these techniques on rates of convergence for the optimization problem. We present numerical results for some two-stage stochastic programs from the literature to illustrate the discussed ideas.
Progressive clustering of networks using Structure-Connected Order of Traversal

Network clustering enables us to view a complex network at the macro level, by grouping its nodes into units whose characteristics and interrelationships are easier to analyze and understand. State-of-the-art network partitioning methods are unable to identify hubs and outliers. A recently proposed algorithm, SCAN, overcomes this difficulty. However, it requires a minimum similarity parameter ɛ but provides no automated way to find it. Thus, it must be rerun for each ɛ value and does not capture the variety or hierarchy of clusters. We propose a new algorithm, SCOT (or Structure-Connected Order of Traversal), that produces a length n sequence containing all possible ɛ-clusterings. We propose a new algorithm, HintClus (or Hierarchy-Induced Network Clustering), to hierarchically cluster the network by finding only best cluster boundaries (not agglomerative). Results on model-based synthetic network data and real data show that SCOT's execution time is comparable to SCAN, that HintClus runs in negligible time, and that HintClus produces sensible clusters in the presence of noise.
cGMP-Selective Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors Stimulate Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Promote Recovery from Acute Kidney Injury

Recent studies demonstrate that mitochondrial dysfunction is a mediator of acute kidney injury (AKI). Consequently, restoration of mitochondrial function after AKI may be key to the recovery of renal function. Mitochondrial function can be restored through the generation of new, functional mitochondria in a process called mitochondrial biogenesis (MB). Despite its potential therapeutic significance, very few pharmacological agents have been identified to induce MB. To examine the efficacy of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors (PDE3: cAMP and cGMP activity; and PDE4: cAMP activity) in stimulating MB, primary cultures of renal proximal tubular cells (RPTCs) were treated with a panel of inhibitors for 24 hours. PDE3, but not PDE4, inhibitors increased the FCCP-uncoupled oxygen consumption rate (OCR), a marker of MB. Exposure of RPTCs to the PDE3 inhibitors, cilostamide and trequinsin, for 24 hours increased peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ coactivator-1α, and multiple mitochondrial electron transport chain genes. Cilostamide and trequinsin also increased mRNA expression of mitochondrial genes and mitochondrial DNA copy number in mice renal cortex. Consistent with these experiments, 8-Br-cGMP increased FCCP-uncoupled OCR and mitochondrial gene expression, whereas 8-Br-cAMP had no effect. The cGMP-specific PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil also induced MB in RPTCs and in vivo in mouse renal cortex. Treatment of mice with sildenafil after folic acid–induced AKI promoted restoration of MB and renal recovery. These data provide strong evidence that specific PDE inhibitors that increase cGMP are inducers of MB in vitro and in vivo, and suggest their potential efficacy in AKI and other diseases characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction and suppressed MB.
Risk and Return in the U.S. Housing Market: A Cross-Sectional Asset-Pricing Approach

∗∗∗ ∗∗∗ This article carries out an asset-pricing analysis of the U.S. metropolitan housing market. We use ZIP code‐level housing data to study the cross-sectional role of volatility, price level, stock market risk and idiosyncratic volatility in explaining housing returns. While the related literature tends to focus on the dynamic role of volatility and housing returns within submarkets over time, our risk‐return analysis is cross-sectional and covers the national U.S. metropolitan housing market. The study provides a number of important findings on the asset-pricing features of the U.S. housing market. Specifically, we find (i) a positive relation between housing returns and volatility, with returns rising by 2.48% annually for a 10% rise in volatility, (ii) a positive but diminishing price effect on returns and (iii) that stock market risk is priced directionally in the housing market. Our results on the return-volatility-price relation are robust to (i) metropolitan statistical area clustering effects and (ii) differences in socioeconomic characteristics among submarkets related to income, employment rate, managerial employment, owner-occupied housing, gross rent and population density.
Glacial striae and ice-push deformation as indicators of glacial directional movement in northeastern Kansas

There are several indicators of directional properties in sedimentary beds that geologists use including intensity and size, which decrease away from the source; roundness, which increases from source; and cross-beds dip away from the source. Ice-push features likewise give a direction of origin, but glacial striae ar a directio al property that does not indicate unique direction or an origin. In the situation of glacial striae in Kansas, however, the direction can be safely determined k owi g from where the glaciers came.
New Pedagogy and New Content: The Case of Statistics

Summary Statistical education now takes place in a new social context. It is influenced by a movement to reform the teaching of the mathematical sciences in general. At the same time, the changing nature of our discipline demands revised content for introductory instruction, and technology strongly influences both what we teach and how we teach. The case for substantial change in statistics instruction is built on strong synergies between content, pedagogy, and technology. Statisticians who teach beginners should become more familiar with research on teaching and learning and with changes in educational technology. The spirit of contemporary introductions to statistics should be very different from the traditional emphasis on lectures and on probability and inference.
Understanding Public Confidence in American Courts

While studies of public confidence in institutions have long been a part of the public opinion literature, systematic analysis of public confidence in America's lower courts has been missing. This is troubling, especially since support for the rule of law is integral to a democracy and support for courts essential to the operation of the rule of law. I offer an explanation of public support for lower courts, finding that experience with courts, perceptions regarding the fairness of court procedures, and choices made over institutional design all play a role in explaining the public's support for state courts.
Skin Exposure to Aliphatic Polyisocyanates in the Auto Body Repair and Refinishing Industry: III. A Personal Exposure Algorithm

Objectives: Isocyanate skin exposure may play an important role in sensitization and the development of isocyanate asthma, but such exposures are frequently intermittent and difficult to assess. Exposure metrics are needed to better estimate isocyanate skin exposures. The goal of this study was to develop a semiquantitative algorithm to estimate personal skin exposures in auto body shop workers using task-based skin exposure data and daily work diaries. The relationship between skin and respiratory exposure metrics was also evaluated. Methods: The development and results of respiratory exposure metrics were previously reported.Usingthe task-based dataobtainedwith acolorimetric skinexposure indicator anda daily workdiary,wedevelopedaskinexposurealgorithmtoestimateaskinexposureindex(SEI)foreach worker. This algorithm considered the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) used, the percentageofskinareacoveredbyPPEandskinexposureswithoutandunderneaththePPE.TheSEI was summed across the day (daily SEI) and survey week (weekly average SEI) for each worker, comparedamongthejobtitlecategoriesandalsocomparedwiththerespiratoryexposuremetrics. Results:A totalof 893person-dayswas calculatedfor 232workers (49painters,118technicians and 65 office workers) from 33 auto body shops. The median (10th‐90th percentile, maximum) daily SEI was 0 (0‐0, 1.0), 0 (0‐1.9, 4.8) and 1.6 (0‐3.5, 6.1) and weekly average SEI was 0 (0‐0.0, 0.7), 0.3 (0‐1.6, 4.2) and 1.9 (0.4‐3.0, 3.6) for office workers, technicians and painters, respectively, which were significantly different (P < 0.0001). The median (10th‐90th percentile, maximum)dailySEIwas0(0‐2.4,6.1)andweeklyaverageSEIwas0.2(0‐2.3,4.2)forallworkers. A relatively weak positive Spearman correlation was found between daily SEI and time-weighted average(TWA)respiratoryexposuremetrics(mgNCOm 23 )(r 5 0.380,n 5 893,P < 0.0001)and between weekly SEI and TWA respiratory exposure metrics (r 5 0.482, n 5 232, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The skin exposure algorithm developed in this study provides task-based personal daily and weekly average skin exposure indices that are adjusted for the use of PPE. These skin exposure indices can be used to assess isocyanate exposure‐response relationships.
Phase-dependent resetting of the adrenal clock by ACTH in vitro

The adrenal cortex has a molecular clock that generates circadian rhythms in glucocorticoids, yet how the clock is synchronized to the external environment is unknown. Using mPER2::Luciferase (mPER2Luc) knockin mice, in which luciferase is rhythmically expressed under the control of the mouse Per2 clock gene, we hypothesized that ACTH transmits entrainment signals to the adrenal. Adrenal explants were administered ACTH at different phases of the mPER2Luc rhythm. Treatment with ACTH 1–39 produced a phase delay that was phase-dependent, with a maximum at circadian time (CT)18; ACTH did not alter the period or amplitude of the rhythm. Forskolin produced a parallel response, suggesting that the phase delay was cAMP-mediated. The response to ACTH was concentration-dependent and peptide-specific. Pulse administration (60 min) of ACTH 1–39 also produced phase delays restricted to late CTs. In contrast to ACTH 1–39, other ACTH fragments, including α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which do not activate the melanocortin 2 (MC2/ACTH) receptor, had no effect. The finding that ACTH in vitro phase delays the adrenal mPER2luc rhythm in a monophasic fashion argues for ACTH as a key resetter, but not the sole entrainer, of the adrenal clock.
Automated formal verification of scheduling process using finite state machines with datapath (FSMD)

This paper presents a methodology for the formal verification of scheduling during High-Level Synthesis(HLS). A notion of functional equivalence between two Finite State Machines with Datapath (FSMDs) is defined, on the basis of which we propose a methodology to verify scheduling. The functional equivalence between the behavioral specification and the scheduled Control-Data Flow Graph (CDFG) - that is the result of scheduling - is established using their FSMD models. The equivalence conditions are mathematically modeled and implemented in the higher-order specification language of theorem proving environment PVS, integrated with a HLS tool. The proof of correctness of the design is subsequently verified by the PVS proof checker.
Essential metals for nitrogen fixation in a free-living N2-fixing bacterium: chelation, homeostasis and high use efficiency

Biological nitrogen fixation, the main source of new nitrogen to the Earth's ecosystems, is catalysed by the enzyme nitrogenase. There are three nitrogenase isoenzymes: the Mo-nitrogenase, the V-nitrogenase and the Fe-only nitrogenase. All three types require iron, and two of them also require Mo or V. Metal bioavailability has been shown to limit nitrogen fixation in natural and managed ecosystems. Here, we report the results of a study on the metal (Mo, V, Fe) requirements of Azotobacter vinelandii, a common model soil diazotroph. In the growth medium of A. vinelandii, metals are bound to strong complexing agents (metallophores) excreted by the bacterium. The uptake rates of the metallophore complexes are regulated to meet the bacterial metal requirement for diazotrophy. Under metal-replete conditions Mo, but not V or Fe, is stored intracellularly. Under conditions of metal limitation, intracellular metals are used with remarkable efficiency, with essentially all the cellular Mo and V allocated to the nitrogenase enzymes. While the Mo-nitrogenase, which is the most efficient, is used preferentially, all three nitrogenases contribute to N₂ fixation in the same culture under metal limitation. We conclude that A. vinelandii is well adapted to fix nitrogen in metal-limited soil environments.
DNA Methylation Dictates Histone H3K4 Methylation

Histone lysine methylation and DNA methylation contribute to transcriptional regulation. We have previously shown that acetylated histones are associated with unmethylated DNA and are nearly absent from the methylated DNA regions by using patch-methylated stable episomes in human cells. The present study further demonstrates that DNA methylation immediately downstream from the transcription start site has a dramatic impact on transcription and that DNA methylation has a larger effect on transcription elongation than on initiation. We also show that dimethylated histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me2) is depleted from regions with DNA methylation and that this effect is not linked to the transcriptional activity in the region. This effect is a local one and does not extend even 200 bp from the methylated DNA regions. Although depleted primarily from the methylated DNA regions, the presence of trimethylated histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) may be affected by transcriptional activity as well. The data here suggest that DNA methylation at the junction of transcription initiation and elongation is most critical in transcription suppression and that this effect is mechanistically mediated through chromatin structure. The data also strongly support the model in which DNA methylation and not transcriptional activity dictates a closed chromatin structure, which excludes H3K4me2 and H3K4me3 in the region, as one of the pathways that safeguards the silent state of genes.
The historic Hawthorne hotel: improving customer service

Synopsis This case focusses on management and customer service issues at a historic hotel, the Hawthorne, in Salem, Massachusetts. By 1999, when Juli Lederhaus was hired as the new general manager, the Hawthorne had a reputation of being well past its prime and customers were dissatisfied with the quality of service and outdated physical facilities. This case describes the actions she took, up to 2012, to improve service. The case ends with Lederhaus contemplating whether more changes are needed given that she had just heard a rumor that a company was considering building a new hotel just a few blocks away. The case gives students the opportunity to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the Hotel in relation to customer service, and propose recommendations for future improvements. Research methodology A qualitative, interview based, methodology was used. The researchers held numerous, face-to-face interviews with the owner and employees of various ranks. Information was also gathered from archival data and traveler review sites such as TripAdvisor.com and Yelp.com. Relevant courses and levels The case is targeted to undergraduate business and hospitality students at a sophomore or junior level. Classes in which this case could be used include: Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, and Hospitality Management.
Rationality and Intransitive Preferences

Probleme de la theorie de la preference: si un agent bien que preferant A a B et B a C, prefere C a A (intransitivite de l'ordre de preference), sa decision est-elle irrationnelle (au sens de la theorie de la decision)? Non, selon l'A. qui raisonne sur le choix d'un electeur entre deux candidats, car l'agent peut avoir de bonnes raisons de son choix independamment de l'ordre apparent de ses preferences.
Observations of interannual and spatial variability in rift propagation in the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica, 2002–14

Iceberg calving and basal melting are the two primary mass loss processes from the Antarctic ice sheet, accounting for approximately equal amounts of mass loss. Basal melting under ice shelves has been increasingly well constrained in recent work, but changes in iceberg calving rates remain poorly quantified. Here we examine the processes that precede iceberg calving, and focus on initiation and propagation of ice-shelf rifts. Using satellite imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), we monitored five active rifts on the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica, from 2002 to 2014. We found a strong seasonal component: propagation rates were highest during (austral) summer and nearly zero during winter. We found substantial variability in summer propagation rates, but found no evidence that the variability was correlated with large-scale environmental drivers, such as atmospheric temperature, winds or sea-ice concentration. We did find a positive correlation between large propagation events and the arrival of tsunamis in the region. The variability appears to be related to visible structural boundaries within the ice shelf, e.g. suture zones or crevasse fields. This suggests that a complete understanding of rift propagation and iceberg calving needs to consider local heterogeneities within an ice shelf.
Fractal Pores or a Distribution of Pore Sizes: Alternative Interpretations of Power-Law Small-Angle Scattering

The intensity I(q) of the small-angle x-ray or neutron scattering has been calculated for a system of randomly oriented, independently scattering pores with a number distribution of pore diameters which has the form of a power law. As has already been shown, [P. W. Schmidt, J. Appl. Cryst. 15, 567–569 (1982)], when the number distribution of the maximum diameters a of the pores is proportional to a−γ, I(q) is proportional to q−(7−γ), where q = 4πλ−1sin(θ/2), θ is the scattering angle, and λ is the wavelength. The coefficient of the power-law intensity has been expressed in terms of some of the constants which determine the diameter distribu-tion. Equations have been obtained for the scattered intensity I(q) at q values larger and smaller than those at which power-law scattering occurs. The intensity scattered by this system is compared with the intensity from a system of pores with fractal pore-boundary surfaces which have a fractal dimension D.
Polishing high aspect ratio substrates for optics, telecommunications, and microelectronics applications using magnetorheological finishing (MRF)

Precise flatness or thickness control is extremely difficult to achieve for substrates with a high diameter to thickness ratio. MRF is able to polish high aspect ratio substrates for telecommunications and microelectronic applications to the nanometer level.
Conversion Reaction of CoO Polycrystalline Thin Films Exposed to Atomic Lithium

We have studied the reaction of 5 nm thick polycrystalline CoO films with atomic lithium as a model for the discharge of lithium-ion conversion battery electrodes. The electronic structure has been investigated with X-ray photoemission, ultraviolet photoemission, and inverse photoemission, while the morphology, crystal structure, and unoccupied states of the films have been examined with transmission electron microscopy. It is found that exposure to atomic lithium leads, at room temperature, to partial conversion with formation of Co and Li2O, but also of a Li2O2 or LiOH overlayer at the surface of the sample. As full conversion was obtained at 150 °C, a comparison with room-temperature measurements enables the understanding of the kinetic limitations during lithiation.
Optimal Joint Detection and Estimation Based on Decision-Dependent Bayesian Cost

This paper considers the statistical inference problem where both the hypothesis testing and the parameter estimation are of primary interest. With unknown parameters present in each hypothesis, the goal is to detect the true hypothesis and to estimate the unknown parameters simultaneously. In light of the coupling nature of these two subproblems, we adopt the Bayesian estimation cost function that depends on both the detection result and the estimation scheme. We then obtain the optimal joint detector and estimator by minimizing the Bayesian estimation cost subject to the constraint on detection performance. The proposed joint solution not only yields lower estimation cost compared with the method that treats the detection and estimation separately, but also allows for flexible tradeoff between the performances of these two subproblems. In addition, we also extend our framework to the multi-hypothesis scenario, where $K$ hypotheses and their associated unknown parameters are present. Finally, we apply the proposed joint detection and estimation framework to the spectrum sensing for cognitive radio, which aims to detect the presence of the primary user and to estimate the noise/interference level at the same time.
Clinical variables are poor selection criteria for the use of methacholine bronchoprovocation in symptomatic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is associated with persistent air flow limitation and accelerated FEV1 decline. AHR can influence diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. We assessed the value of pulmonary function variables, symptoms, and history as selection criteria for methacholine bronchoprovocation testing to detect AHR in symptomatic subjects. METHODS: Over a 4-year period we conducted a prospective study of consecutive subjects who underwent methacholine bronchoprovocation testing. Baseline pulmonary function testing (PFT) and a questionnaire were obtained prior to methacholine bronchoprovocation testing. PFT and symptom and history variables were assessed as AHR predictors in univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses for the whole group and for 4 different age groups. RESULTS: There were 530 subjects, with ages ranging from 5 to 87 years, and 232 (44%) were positive for methacholine AHR. AHR was more prevalent among subjects ≤ 25 years old (59%) and > 65 years old (47%) than among the other age groups. PFT values, symptom, and history variables had different AHR predictive values among the different age groups. Symptom and history variables had no AHR predictive value among subjects ≤ 25 or > 65 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Young and elderly symptomatic subjects are more likely to have methacholine AHR. None of the clinical variables we studied has significant predictive value for methacholine AHR across the age groups, so these variables are poor selection criteria for methacholine bronchoprovocation testing of symptomatic subjects. Given the high prevalence of AHR among these subjects, bronchoprovocation should be considered with all individuals who have respiratory symptoms of wheezing, cough, shortness of breath, or chest tightness.
Improve OPAC searching by reducing tagging errors in MARC records

On of the most common errors in cataloguing library materials involves miscording of the nonfiling indicator of title fields. This article notes the extent of the problem and its negative effect on searching in library's on-line catalog and survey how librarians have approched solutions to the problem. The article describe how the major library automation system address this problem
2007 TRB Strategic Plan

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) has released lately the 2007 TRB Strategic Plan in order to guide future transportation research and development a-ctivities in the United States of America. This progra-mmatic document further articulates TRB's mission and goals, and layouts accordingly the future action-plans. Documented and published at this key era of swift pacing in technology transition and globalization, the new TRB strategic plan is intended to prepare the United States for continuously playing a leading role in transportation while dealing with the evolving characteristics of the transportation profession in the foreseeable future.
Norstad and the “Grand Strategy” for the Cold War

By January 1950 Norstad expected to leave his assignment as Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, to replace Twining as Commander in Chief of the Alaska Command.2 But, as he said to Barton Leach: “I wouldn’t bet even money on it at this time.”3 Planning had been going rapidly forward as to how the US should confront the Soviet Union in Europe.4 It was becoming increasingly apparent that the loose structure created after the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in April 1949 did not provide enough political reassurance as well as military security.5
Neurobehavioral Outcome in Craniopharyngioma

The records of 20 children with craniopharyngioma seen between 1983 and 1995 were reviewed at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Children’s Hospital, and the Denver VA Medical Center, CO.
Expression of Annexin A10 in Serrated Polyps Predicts the Development of Metachronous Serrated Polyps.

Expression of Annexin A10 in Serrated Polyps Predicts the Development of Metachronous Serrated Polyps