cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of the Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI) with normal and emotionally disturbed adolescents

The factor structure of the Social Problem Solving Inventory (SPSI; D'Zurilla & Nezu, 1990) was evaluated with a sample of 708 normal adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the empirically derived five-factor model reported by D'Zurilla and Maydeu-Olivares (1994) using an adult sample, but not the theoretically derived seven-factor structure of the original SPSI. The psychometric properties of the original and revised inventories are reported for normal adolescents and psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (n = 63). Internal consistency and reliability estimates were adequate. Support for the validity of the revised SPSI was demonstrated by examining the relationship between social skills, depression, and social problem solving; in addition, differences between normal and inpatient adolescent samples were examined. The findings are discussed in terms of the utility of the inventories with adolescents.
On Quasi-nondivergent Prognostic Equations and their Integration

A general two-dimensional wind-pressure relationship is obtained as the first integral of the so-called “balance equation” which requires the horizontal divergence to remain small as compared with the vertical component of the relative vorticity for the large-scale motions. This wind-pressure relationship is used in determining the initial conditions and in deriving the governing equations. The use of this general system removes the error introduced by the quasi-geostrophic approximation. An influence function is computed for a normal atmosphere. This function represents the reaction of the atmosphere to a point source perturbation and may be used to integrate the three-dimensional governing equation for arbitrary initial disturbances. A set of such functions may be computed, corresponding to different values of the parameter , to meet different situations. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1956.tb01235.x
Accounting as a human science

Abstract Accounting may well be on its way to becoming the queen of the human sciences, but, regrettably, if so, this will be because it has taken on all the least desirable features of technocratically defined “human” science. The critics of accounting practice see this and although they differ among themselves, the differences between the critics and the mainstream practitioners (and their “theorists”) define a chasm. I try to exhibit this by showing that the chasm stems from different assumptions in the philosophy (or theory) of science and different assumptions regarding the nature of society. Current criticisms suggest to me a profound pedagogic task.
RHBD Technique for Single-Event Charge Cancellation in Folded-Cascode Amplifiers

A novel RHBD technique that exploits charge sharing is implemented in the single-ended gain stage of a folded-cascode operational amplifier to mitigate single-event transients (SETs). The efficacy of the technique is demonstrated via two-photon laser experiments. Using settling time as the primary metric for SET severity, the proposed layout technique achieves sensitive area reductions ranging from 41% to 95% with an overall area penalty of less than 1%.
Skeptical theism and value judgments

One of the most prominent objections to skeptical theism in recent literature is that the skeptical theist is forced to deny our competency in making judgments about the all-things-considered value of any natural event. Some skeptical theists accept that their view has this implication, but argue that it is not problematic. I think that there is reason to question the implication itself. I begin by explaining the objection to skeptical theism and the standard response to it. I then identify an assumption that is prevalent in much of the literature concerning the problem of evil, and show that it is a factor in motivating commitment to the implication I mean to question. I argue that the assumption is false, and that once it is rejected there is room to endorse the skeptical theist’s strategy in responding to some arguments from evil without endorsing the putative implication that objectors find unacceptable.
The matchup effect of spokesperson and product congruency: A schema theory interpretation

This aricle examines the matchup hypothesis or the notion that the congruence in advertisements between spokesperson characteristics and product attributes is related to observed variations in source credibility, product evaluations, perceived product gender, and other measures of advertising and communication effectiveness. Schema theory is used to interpret the results of previous inquiries into the matchup hypothesis, and the results of two experiments that provide additional insight into how schema might be changed by a spokesperson/product match are reported. Areas of future research into the matchup hypothesis on schema theory implications are discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Residential Preferences: An Alternate View of Intraurban Space:

Maps of the intraurban residential preferences of a large sample of respondents in the Los Angeles metropolitan area are presented as an alternate way of viewing intraurban space. Some technical pr...
Speed and endurance: you can have it all.

skeletal muscle comprises multiple fiber types that vary in their contractile and metabolic properties. Muscle fibers are classified primarily on the basis of the specific myosin heavy chain isoform that they express. Slow twitch or type I fibers are rich in mitochondria, rely principally on
A novel survival-based tissue microarray of pancreatic cancer validates MUC1 and mesothelin as biomarkers.

Background One–fifth of patients with seemingly ‘curable’ pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) experience an early recurrence and death, receiving no definable benefit from a major operation. Some patients with advanced stage tumors are deemed ‘unresectable’ by conventional staging criteria (e.g. liver metastasis), yet progress slowly. Effective biomarkers that stratify PDA based on biologic behavior are needed. To help researchers sort through the maze of biomarker data, a compendium of ∼2500 published candidate biomarkers in PDA was compiled (PLoS Med, 2009. 6(4) p. e1000046).
488. Adeno-Associated Viral Serotype 2/1 Is a Highly Efficient Vector for In Utero Gene Transfer to Hair Cell Precursors

Gene transfer during gestational development represents a promising gene therapy strategy for correction of congenital developmental anomalies. Congenital hearing deficits may one day be treated in this manner as gene transfer to precursor hair cells may prove to be a highly efficient means of generating transgene expression in a high percentage of mature hair cells. Through exo-utero and transuterine microsurgical approaches, we tested delivery of lentivirus and an array of recombinant adeno-associated viral serotypes (rAAV) expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) to the E11-12.5 developing mouse otocyst. We examined the ability of these viral vectors to successfully infect hair cell precursors and to express eGFP by post-natal day 0 (P0). We noted successful infection of hair cells and eGFP expression from lentivirus, AAV 2/1 and AAV 2/8. We then studied the longer term expression of these viral vectors and found AAV 2/1 to be a highly efficient vector for transduction of both inner and outer hair cells. The hearing thresholds of mice injected with these viral vectors were tested by ABR response and with the exception of the lentivirus injected group, were found to be unchanged from uninjected controls. Thus, in utero microinjection of rAAV, especially AAV 2/1, into the developing mouse otocyst represents an exciting and highly efficient new approach to gene delivery to murine hair cells.
Seismology: Do faults shimmy before they shake?

Not only do plate boundary faults generate earthquakes, they also produce slow slip and non-volcanic tremor. New observations on these phenomena provide fresh insights into the conditions that dictate earthquake behaviour.
A neural network based explicit model reference adaptive controller

A stability proof is presented for closed-loop systems using controllers based on approximate models of the plant. The resulting controller structure is inherently MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) and allows for online learning in response to changes in the plant dynamics. The price for this is fairly high: the controller is iterative, and some strong assumptions are made on the existence on a controller minimizing upsilon and on the ability of the network to learn the plant dynamics. This controller structure has been successfully applied to single degree of freedom linear systems with step changes in their mass properties, and to the traditional cart/inverted pendulum problem. >
SVD properties of orthogonal two-channel filter banks

Abstract We study the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of the three building blocks of the matrix representation of two-channel orthogonal filter banks. We show the highly structured decomposition of these blocks and derive their mutual relations. We give examples to exploit the SVD properties in the implementation and design of orthogonal filter banks and wavelets.
Interest arbitrage in the Euro-currency markets

Abstract This study investigates how interest rates in the non-dollar Euro-currency markets are determined. Each of these Euro-currency rates is linked to the Euro-dollar rate through arbitrage operations undertaken by banks. Evidence from regressions of the Euro-currency rates on the Euro-dollar rate and the corresponding forward premium confirms that each non-dollar rate adheres closely to interest parity. Arbitrage results in unifying the Euro-currency markets so that supply and demand pressures in any individual market are spread throughout other Euro-currency markets. Because of the overwhelming size of the Euro-dollar market, conditions in this market tend to dominate conditions in the remaining Euro-currency markets.
Non‐Resective Ablation and Liver Transplantation in Patients with Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): Safety and Efficacy

We investigated the efficacy of nonresective ablation techniques and the tumor-free survival of cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In group 1, 11 HCC patients were treated with these techniques and transplanted. On the waiting list, patients were treated to complete ablation, judged by gadolinium-enhanced MRI and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Group 1 was compared with a concurrent group of 10 liver transplant patients (group 2) with incidental HCC (stages T1 three patients, T2 seven patients). The group 1 patients received 36 procedures (4 alcohol ablations, 14 trans -hepatic artery chemo-embolizations, 15 trans -hepatic chemo-infusions, and 3 radio frequency ablations) for treatment of 13 liver masses. Tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage was reduced in eight patients (72.7%), unchanged in two patients and increased in one patient before transplantation. The mean waiting time for transplantation was 12.9 7.6 months. Both groups had a tumor-free survival of 100%, at 30 12 months post transplant. On pathology, 54.5% of explanted livers had residual viable HCC after tumor treatment, and 36.4% (4/11) explants had synchronous lesions. Non-resective ablation therapy is safe and effective in reducing the HCC progression in cirrhotic patients awaiting liver transplantation. The cancer-free survival rate in this treatment group is equal to that for incidental T1-T2 HCCs.
Sodium channels in nerve apparently have two conductance states

THE inward sodium current underlying the nerve action potential is carried by discrete Na channels1 in the membrane which are gated in response to the membrane potential. A basic question in understanding the gating mechanism is whether the conductance of the channels has only two states, open and closed, or whether there are more states, with the channel conductance progressing from one level to another to give the variable membrane conductance observed in voltage-clamp experiments. The ensemble fluctuation measurements reported here are consistent with the simple interpretation that Na channels have only two principal conductance states, with conductances of 0 and 7.7 ± 1 pS (near zero membrane potential), and number approximately 5 × 104 in the node of Ranvier of a 14 µm diameter frog myelinated nerve fibre. Like stationary fluctuation analysis2, the experimental method described here can yield information about the size and kinetics of the single gating events in ionic channels, but is also applicable to non-stationary processes such as membrane conductances that activate or inactivate with time. I report here measurements of the mean Na current and the variance at various times after the start of a depolarising pulse, using an ensemble of successively evoked current transients.
Cluster Models of Bulk, Surface, and Impurity Structure.in α-Alumina

Self-consistent field embedded cluster models have been used to study the electronic structure of bulk, surface, and impurity regions of [alpha]-alumina, Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]. First principles local density (LD) theory is used to make an expansion of one-electron wave functions in a linear combination of atomic orbitals which permits direct interpretation of bonding and effective atomic configurations. The clusters are embedded self-consistently in the host lattice, so that all long-range potential effects are properly included. The LD calculations give a reasonably good account of bulk cohesion and bound length; relative energies of several cleavage faces are predicted. The nature of surface states for different terminating surfaces is examined, and results of partial relaxation experiments'' are reported. Local densities of state of Ti, Cr, and Fe substitutional impurities are discussed.
Wells, Water, and Welfare: The Impact of Access to Groundwater on Rural Poverty and Conflict †

This paper evaluates the impact of access to groundwater on poverty using data from rural India. The estimation exploits the fact that the technology required to access groundwater changes exogenously due to constraints imposed by laws of physics at a depth of eight meters. I find that rural poverty in areas where depth from surface is below the cutoff is 9 to10 percent higher. Using survey data for a subsample of villages, I also show that disputes over irrigation water increase by 25 percent around the cutoff. Historical endowments of groundwater facilitate adoption of yield enhancing technologies over the longrun. (JEL D74, I32, O13, O15, O18, Q15, Q16) roundwater irrigation sustains more than 50 percent of the world’s food production. Groundwater access has the potential to raise agricultural productivity by providing farmers with a more reliable source of crop irrigation than rainfall. By increasing agricultural productivity, groundwater access can address enduring goals in poverty alleviation: stabilizing rural incomes, raising living standards, and enhancing food security. Amid declining groundwater supplies, policymakers the world over debate policy interventions to achieve the optimal allocation of finite groundwater resources and encourage sustainable use. Absent from these debates is a precise assessment of how groundwater access reduces poverty, especially in rural areas. I identify the causal effect of groundwater access on rural poverty, based on variation in exogenous technological constraints to groundwater extraction. When groundwater is within eight meters below ground, it can be extracted with a simple, low-cost centrifugal pump that utilizes atmospheric pressure to raise water above ground. Pumps using atmospheric pressure cannot support the weight of groundwater deeper than eight meters. Costlier submersible pumps are necessary to extract deeper groundwater. I exploit the random variation in the feasibility of technology used to extract groundwater to compare poverty rates in villages with low and high access to groundwater across five Indian districts. Villages whose depth to
Dibenzothiophene sulfur can serve as the sole electron acceptor during growth by sulfate-reducing bacteria

Three species of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) were able to grow using dibenzothiophene (DBT) as their sole source of sulfur and sole electron acceptor. Desulfotomaculum orientis and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans were grown at 30°C while Thermodesulfobacterium commune was grown at 60°C, in media containing lactate and citrate. Hydrogen sulfide was the product of dissimilatory sulfur reduction.
Thermal habitat constraints on zooplankton species associated with Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) on the US Northeast Continental Shelf

Abstract The US Northeast Continental Shelf is experiencing a period of increasing temperature levels and range, which impacts the quantity of thermal habitats within the ecosystem. With increasing temperatures, the amount of warmer, surface water thermal habitats (16–27 °C) has increased while there has been a reciprocal decline in cooler water habitats (5–15 °C). These cooler water habitats are the most abundant and comprise the core habitats of the ecosystem. The coldest thermal habitats (1–4 °C), however, have increased slightly in amount or have remained constant, reflecting a discontinuity in the progression of warming along a latitudinal gradient. This discontinuity may be the result of recent changes in the circulation of water masses in the northern Gulf of Maine, potentially associated with the Labrador Current. The contraction of core thermal habitats appears to have had biological consequences on multiple trophic levels. In particular, two zooplankton species associated with the larval feeding of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, have declined in abundance in the same areas where cod populations have exhibited continually poor recruitment. The zooplankton species group Pseudocalanus spp., which is associated with winter-spawning cod, has declined on Georges Bank and in the Eastern Gulf of Maine. The zooplankton Centropages typicus has declined in the Gulf of Maine during late summer into fall, potentially affecting spring-spawning cod in that area. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that portions of the population complex of cod have lower reproductive output due to changes in zooplankton abundance, which we associate with the distribution of temperatures within the ecosystem.
Carbon dioxide fixation in rat brain: relationship to cerebral excitability.

Abstract Experiments were undertaken to determine whether CO 2 fixation by cerebral tissue in the rat is increased by increasing the atmospheric concentration of CO 2 . The measure of CO 2 fixation was considered the ratio of the specific activity of glutamate to the specific activity of CO 2 . This ratio in both brain and liver of animals exposed to 5% CO 2 was double that of control animals exposed to room air 10, 15, and 30 min after injection. After breathing a mixture of 20% CO 2 and 80% O 2 for 30 min, the fixation ratio was not significantly elevated above control values. Tail blood pH in control animals was 7.44. After 30-min exposure of the animals to 5% CO 2 the pH fell to 7.16, and after 30 min exposure to 20% CO 2 it fell further to 6.58. After exposure to 20% CO 2 three of ten animals had spontaneous seizures. These experiments indicate that CO 2 fixation occurs at all tested concentrations of inspired CO 2 and that a marked increase in CO 2 fixation occurs during exposure to 5% CO 2 but not 20% CO 2 . The possible relationship of the membrane stabilizing properties of CO 2 and CO 2 fixation was considered.
NMR Characterization of C3H and HCT Down-Regulated Alfalfa Lignin

Independent down-regulation of genes encoding p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) and hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) has been previously shown to reduce the recalcitrance of alfalfa and thereby improve the release of fermentable sugars during enzymatic hydrolysis. In this study, ball-milled lignins were isolated from wild-type control, C3H, and HCT gene down-regulated alfalfa plants. One- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques were utilized to determine structural changes in the ball-milled alfalfa lignins resulting from this genetic engineering. After C3H and HCT gene down-regulation, significant structural changes had occurred to the alfalfa ball-milled lignins compared to the wild-type control. A substantial increase in p-hydroxyphenyl units was observed in the transgenic alfalfa ball-milled lignins as well as a concomitant decrease in guaiacyl and syringyl units. Two-dimensional 13C–1H heteronuclear single quantum coherence correlation NMR, one-dimensional distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer-135, and 13C NMR measurement showed a noteworthy decrease in methoxyl group and β-O-4 linkage contents in these transgenic alfalfa lignins. 13C NMR analysis estimated that C3H gene down-regulation reduced the methoxyl content by ~55–58% in the ball-milled lignin, while HCT down-regulation decreased methoxyl content by ~73%. The gene down-regulated C3H and HCT transgenic alfalfa lignin was largely a p-hydroxyphenyl (H) rich type lignin. Compared to the wild-type plant, the C3H and HCT transgenic lines had an increase in relative abundance of phenylcoumaran and resinol in the ball-milled lignins.
State Medicaid Programs Did Not Make Use Of Prior Authorization To Promote Safer Prescribing After Rosiglitazone Warning

State Medicaid programs use preferred drug lists to help limit prescribing of high-cost drugs and, at the same time, to free providers from having to obtain prior authorization for a given prescription. We examined the impact of the Food and Drug Administration’s May 2007 safety warning regarding rosiglitazone (Avandia), a diabetes drug found to raise the risk of heart attacks, on the drug’s availability on state Medicaid preferred drug lists and on the prescribing of diabetes medications more generally for Medicaid beneficiaries. Nearly all state Medicaid programs covered rosiglitazone as a preferred drug, requiring no prior authorization, with minimal change after the safety warning. At the same time, the safety warning was associated with a greater-than-expected decline in rosiglitazone prescribing among states providing coverage as a preferred drug. This suggests that providers reacted to the safety warning by reducing prescriptions. However, Medicaid programs that did provide coverage of rosiglitazon...
Investigation of electrical programmable metal fuse in 28nm and beyond CMOS technology

Minimum blowing current and thermal reliability of metal fuse were studied on various lengths of top and bottom metal line. By optimizing the length of top metal line, the programming current window can be extended. Next to optimize the length of bottom metal line, enough metal void size formed by thermally assisted electro-migration can be obtained in the bottom metal line and the metal void is far away from via bottom enabling highly stable operation. We think metal fuse technology is indispensable for the 28nm technology node and beyond with the introduction of metal gate/high-k process.
A 286 mm/sup 2/ 256 Mb DRAM with X32 both-ends DQ

The growing market for high performance PCs has created a demand for a new generation of DRAMs with wide bit organization. A wider I/O DRAM is necessary to provide a sufficiently small granularity for the memory system. Hierarchical data-line architectures which transfer many bits over the memory array could potentially be used to provide a wide I/O. However, even using these schemes, chip size must expand to accommodate additional devices and wiring as the I/O width increases. This paper describes a chip architecture which minimizes the die size of wide I/O DRAMs and its application to a 256 Mb DRAM with X32 organization.
Tear duct size differences of age, sex and race.

Measurements of the external opening of the tear duct (naso-lachrymal canal) of skulls of American colored males and white males indicate larger apertures among the former at corresponding ages. Duct length is somewhat shorter among colored males. In both racial samples the older skulls have slightly larger apertures than those under 40. A sample of white female skulls corroborates this, and manifests smaller average size than the white male skulls at ages below 50 whereas older skulls reveal no sex difference. The race difference in aperture size among male skulls is highly significant statistically and may reflect ecological adaptation.
Medulloblastoma: signalling a change in treatment

Summary Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumour that occurs during childhood. Multimodality treatment regimens have substantially improved survival in this disease; however, the tumour is incurable in about a third of patients with medulloblastoma, and current treatment has a detrimental effect on long-term survivors. Drugs that target cell-signalling pathways provide an alternative to conventional cytotoxic approaches to treatment of cancer. Several pathways have been implicated in medulloblastoma formation, and knowledge of these is now being used to develop new ways of treating children with medulloblastoma.
Three centuries of categorical data analysis: Log-linear models and maximum likelihood estimation

The common view of the history of contingency tables is that it begins in 1900 with the work of Pearson and Yule, but in fact it extends back at least into the 19th century. Moreover, it remains an active area of research today. In this paper we give an overview of this history focussing on the development of log-linear models and their estimation via the method of maximum likelihood. Roy played a crucial role in this development with two papers co-authored with his students, Mitra and Marvin Kastenbaum, at roughly the mid-point temporally in this development. Then we describe a problem that eluded Roy and his students, that of the implications of sampling zeros for the existence of maximum likelihood estimates for log-linear models. Understanding the problem of non-existence is crucial to the analysis of large sparse contingency tables. We introduce some relevant results from the application of algebraic geometry to the study of this statistical problem.
Performance of a satellite-linked GPS on Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)

We evaluated the utility of a satellite-linked GPS in obtaining location data from Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). A unit was attached to one of the tusks of each of three adult male walruses in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The units were designed to relay GPS positions through the Argos Data Collection and Location System. The GPS was only minimally effective in obtaining location data. An average of only 5% of the attempts yielded a position, and only a small number of these were locations at sea. The paucity of successful attempts was probably due to infrequent and brief surfacings of the GPS, the proximity of cliffs to predominant haul-out sites in the study region, and the packing of animals when they were hauled out in herds. Argos was effective in relaying GPS positions in this study, but as GPS technology advances, and its application to marine mammal studies becomes more prevalent, it seems that the greatest challenge to the study of many species will be in data retrieval.
Costs of and Satisfaction With Child Care Arrangements for Parents of Children With Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Child care arrangements, costs, and satisfaction among parents of children with emotional or behavioral disorders were examined as compared with parents of children with other disabilities. The current study used a large, nationally representative, and community-based sample of approximately 3,000 parents of children with disabilities aged 3 to 5 years. Results indicate that parents of children with emotional or behavioral disorders did not appear to have significantly different types of child care arrangements or levels of satisfaction with these arrangements as compared with parents of children with other disabilities. Parents of children with emotional or behavioral disorders did appear to spend significantly more on child care as compared with parents of children with other disabilities. Parents of children with emotional and behavioral disorders spent $570 a year as compared with children with other disabilities. The overarching implication for policy would appear to be that special child care subsid...
Scalable parallel systems: past, present and future (from an IBM perspective)

We survey in this paper the evolution of scalable parallel computers, from the perspective of the IBM SP product line. To achieve success in the marketplace, the SP had to be more than a bunch of rack-mounted workstations, connected with a LAN. A high-performance interconnect is key to parallel performance. The current, second generation SP switch, supports a bandwidth of 150 MB/s in each direction per node.
Synthesis and structural investigation of two potential boronate affinity chromatography ligands catechol [2-(diisopropylamino)carbonyl]phenylboronate and catechol [2-(diethylamino)carbonyl, 4-methyl]phenylboronate

Two potential boronate affinity chromatography ligands, catechol [2-(diisopropylamino)carbonyl]phenylboronate (I) and catechol [2-(diethylamino)carbonyl,4-methyl]phenylboronate (II) were synthesized by directed ortholithiation followed by boronation. Single crystal X-ray analyses of compounds I and II demonstrated an internal coordination bond between the boron atom and the carbonyl oxygen atom, rendering the boron atom environment to be tetrahedral. In addition, 1BMR data also indicated that the boron environment is tetrahedral. The coordinated carbonyl oxygen-B bond length is 1.556(9) A compared to an average BO bond length of 1.47 A to the catechol ligand. They are ideal models of a new type of ligands to study boronate affinity chromatography because they may esterify with catechols at neutral pH conditions.
A high resolution 3D tire and footprint impression acquisition for forensics applications

This paper presents a method with which 3D images of tire track and footprint impressions at crime scenes can be captured with high fidelity, while capturing high resolution 2D color texture images simultaneously. The resulting device is portable, easy to use, is non-destructive of the evidence, and saves time at crime scenes. The same technique can also be used in the laboratory to create 3D depth images of suspect tires or shoe soles. Computer-based pattern matching technology can be used to assist in matching and comparison tasks. The device produces better quality data at a close range obtained in a larger field (or span in the case of tire impressions) compared to existing devices. It avoids problems related to occlusions by using two lasers and can digitize long spans of impressions in one scan. The method includes a calibration method which is integrated into the scanning process on site, thus avoiding problems with pre-calibrated configurations becoming stale during transportation and setup.
A randomized bias technique for the importance sampling simulation of Bayesian equalizers

An importance sampling (IS) simulation technique is presented for Bayesian equalizers, based on the large deviations theory approach developed by Sadowsky and Bucklew (see ibid., vol.36, no.5, p.579, 1990). The resulting simulation density consists of a sum of exponentially twisted distributions. For the additive Gaussian channel, this simulation density is equivalent to the conventional (mean-shift) noise biasing IS method, but with the bias vector chosen from a fixed set in a random manner. In order to properly select the bias vectors, the asymptotic decision boundary of the Bayesian equalizer is first determined. It is shown that the boundary is formed by multiple hyperplanes, and that the appropriate bias vectors are orthogonal to the hyperplanes. The simulation technique is then extended to the recursive symbol-by-symbol detector of Abend and Fritchman (A-F algorithm) proposed in 1970, and simulation results are presented for both recursive and non-recursive equalizers. >
ABO Blood Type and Response of Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time to Dabigatran in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Patients

Background The association between ABO blood type and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) under dabigatran therapy in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients is unclear. Methods and results Between 2011 March and 2015 May, data on ABO blood type and aPTT under dabigatran were obtained for 396 NVAF patients (baseline aPTT, 166). The prevalence of blood type O tended to increase or significantly increase according to baseline aPTT, aPTT under dabigatran, and their difference (∆aPTT) (P=0.054, 0.001, and 0.012, respectively). Conclusions In these NVAF patients, a high aPTT value under dabigatran therapy was associated with blood type O.
On Transition From Supersonic to Subsonic Flow at Low Reynolds Numbers in a Tube

A supersonic low-density gas stream produced in a supersonic nozzle was passed through a circular tube in which the transition from supersonic to subsonic flow took place. Static pressure distributions along the tube (and nozzle) and impact pressure distributions across the tube at several stations were measured to determine the nature of this transition. The impact pressure distributions were used, together with the local static pressure, to infer Mach number and velocity profiles in the tube. When the pressure distributions and center-line Mach number distributions are considered together, one obtains a fairly clear picture of the processes involved in the transition from supersonic to subsonic flow at low Reynolds numbers.
Cleft lip and handedness: a study of laterality.

Research on the malformation cleft lip with or without cleft of the palate is complex and may involve studies of etiology, pathogenesis, natural history, and other disease associations. One of the more intriguing areas of study is developmental lateralization. The 3 extant reports of the relationship between laterality of cleft lip and handedness are in conflict. The purpose of the present study is an attempt to resolve the confusion and to explore possible hypotheses that could explain the data. A random sample of 149 probands with unilateral cleft lip ± palate was ascertained from 2 Los Angeles area hospitals. Laterality of clefting and handedness was determined for each, the former by inspection and the latter by the method of Oldfield [1971]. Information was also obtained on the nuclear family about the number of sibs, presence of clefting, and handedness of he probands' parents. The probability of non-right-handedness (NRH) was much greater for probands with left-sided cleft lip than those with right-sided cleft lips; this was independent of the proband's sex. The cleft lip laterality in probands was independent of parental handedness, suggesting that the significantly increased frequency of left-sided clefting and NRH is embryologic in origin and may have a common etiology and/or pathogenesis. Several explanations are proposed and discussed.
An object-oriented formalism for electronics assemblies components selection

Abstract An electronics assembly (EA) is a backbone of electronic or electromechanical products, where its functions are implemented by combining components and their interconnections (conductors) on a substrate plate. The design of EAS is relatively complex and encompasses the consideration of many diverse considerations. This paper is concerned with the central area of electronic assemblies component selection (EACS), and with considering constraints at this stage to avoid multiple repetitions of the design process. The use of such EACS promises substantial benefits but its successful implementation is hampered by the lack of a suitable formalism, particularly where, as is often the case, participants are geographically separated. The work presented in this paper is focused on how to represent EACS, where the participants may be remote, and how to implement it in a formal and systematic way. A representation formalism is proposed for that puspose.
Mohs micrographic surgery histopathology concordance.

Background The low recurrence rate and tissue-sparing benefit associated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) requires accurate interpretation of frozen sections by the MMS surgeon. Objective We sought to assess concordance between dermatopathologists and MMS surgeons when reporting cutaneous malignancy in the MMS setting. Methods This study is a retrospective analysis of 1156 slides submitted during 10 years as part of a pre-existing randomized, blinded, quality assurance protocol. Slides were read by one of 5 dermatopathologists and represent cases from 3 MMS surgeons and 5 MMS fellows. Agreement or disagreement was recorded. Results Of the 1156 slides, 32 slides (2.8%) were disparate. Aside from differences regarding intraepidermal neoplasia, the concordance rate was 99.7%. Limitations This study represents data collected at a single institution in the United States alone. Conclusion There was statistically significant concordance between MMS surgeons and dermatopathologists in frozen section interpretation in the MMS setting. Discordance was primarily related to the interpretation of in situ malignancy.
Stokes flow through a twisted tube

Pressure-driven flow through a tube with helical corrugations produced either by twisting a straight tube with arbitrary cross-section, or by embossing helical corrugations on a circular tube, or by inserting a helical fin inside a circular tube, is considered. The Stokes-flow problem is formulated in non-orthogonal curvilinear helical coordinates defined with respect to the helical pitch and azimuthal wavenumber, where the latter is determined by the tube cross-section rotational symmetry. In the first part of the paper, a perturbation analysis is carried out for a circular tube with small-amplitude sinusoidal corrugations, and the solutions of the first- and second-order perturbation problems are found by analytical methods. In the second part, an asymptotic analysis is performed for large-pitched helical corrugations and tubes with arbitrary cross-section, and the solutions of the zeroth-, first- and second-order problems are computed by finite-element methods for unidirectional and two-dimensional Stokes flow over the cross-sectional plane normal to the tube axis. The results illustrate the kinematic structure of the flow and demonstrate the dependence of the flow rate on the tube geometry.
Regulation of urea synthesis by agmatine in the perfused liver: studies with 15N

Administration of arginine or a high-protein diet increases the hepatic content ofN-acetylglutamate (NAG) and the synthesis of urea. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown. We have explored t...
A General Model Relating Externally Applied Forces to Environmentally Induced Stresses in Materials

The structural degradation effects of temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) are important considerations in the setting and maintaining of museum environments. An approach to determining the acceptable values for this environment would be useful if a general model could be developed from simple physical (mechanical) measurements. In this article, a general model is developed in which the mechanical behavior of materials composing museum objects can be described using the easily determined parameters, stress development (force), environmental conditions, and dimensional change. -- AATA
5-YEAR OUTCOME OF SURGICAL RESECTION AND WATCHFUL WAITING FOR MEN WITH MODERATELY SYMPTOMATIC BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA: A DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COOPERATIVE STUDY

Purpose: We determine outcomes after 5 years of followup for men who were randomized to receive transurethral resection or watchful waiting for moderate symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Materials and Methods: A total of 556 patients were evaluated up to 60 months after randomization providing 966 patient-years of followup for transurethral prostatic resection and 990 for watchful waiting. Patients randomized to watchful waiting were evaluated according to whether they remained on treatment or crossed over to surgery. Outcomes included treatment failure, a genitourinary symptom score, peak flow rate, post-void residual urine volume and the degree of bother from genitourinary symptoms. Results: All outcomes were significantly better for transurethral prostatic resection than for watchful waiting. Treatment failure rates were 10% for transurethral prostatic resection versus 21% for watchful waiting (p = 0.0004). The crossover rate at 5 years was 36% and was positively associated with the degree of bother. Men with low pretreatment peak flow rates who were randomized to transurethral prostatic resection had 85% greater improvement in peak flow rate than comparable men who were randomized to watchful waiting and eventually crossed over to resection. However, after crossover, bother from genitourinary symptoms was similar to that of the resection group. Conclusions: For men with moderate symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia transurethral prostatic resection has more favorable outcomes up to 5 years of followup compared to watchful waiting. While many men do well on watchful waiting, those who undergo transurethral prostatic resection after a trial of watchful waiting have less improvement in measures of bladder function than men randomized to resection, although there is no difference in serious adverse outcomes or bother from genitourinary symptoms.
Fluorescence polarization imaging for delineating nonmelanoma skin cancers

We present a method for detecting nonmelanoma skin cancers using exogenous fluorescence polarization. We built an automated system that permits exogenous fluorescence polarization imaging. It includes a tunable linearly polarized monochromatic light source and a CCD camera equipped with a rotating linear polarizer and a filter to reject excitation light. Two fluorophores that are retained in tumors, toluidine blue and methylene blue, are employed. We demonstrate that fluorescence polarization imaging can be used for accurate delineation of nonmelanoma cancers. The results suggest that this optical technique may be suitable for real-time noninvasive demarcation of epithelial cancers.
Complications of Proximal Biceps Tenotomy and Tenodesis

The long head of biceps tendon (LHBT) is a well-recognized cause of anterior shoulder pain. Tenotomy or tenodesis of the LHBT is an effective surgical solution for relieving pain arising from the LHBT. Cosmetic deformity of the arm, cramping or soreness in the biceps muscle, and strength deficits in elbow flexion and supination are the three most common adverse events associated with tenotomy of the LHBT. Complications associated with tenodesis of the LHBT include loss of fixation resulting in cosmetic deformity, residual groove pain, pain or soreness in the biceps muscle, infection, stiffness, hematoma, neurologic injury, vascular injury, proximal humerus fracture, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
Blogging and Journalism: Extending Shield Law Protection to New Media Forms

News-oriented bloggers have contributed much to the public sphere in recent years. Whether or not bloggers are considered journalists and thereby are protected by shield laws will be an important question for policy makers and the courts. This paper provides an overview of the law concerning the constitutional and statutory privileges accorded journalists. It then critiques proposals to create a federal journalist's privilege as applied to bloggers. Finally, the paper argues that the test articulated in Von Bulow v. Von Bulow should be adopted in federal legislation. Under Von Bulow, bloggers would be shielded from disclosing confidential sources and information when they function as journalists.
Using a Principal-Agent Model to Investigate Delegation in Systems Engineering

Delegation of decision authority is a fundamental characteristic of systems engineering problems. Engineers and managers at higher levels within the organization allocate responsibility and resources to other individuals through requirements flowdown and other processes. The prevalence of schedule slippages and budget overruns on systems engineering projects raises questions about the adequacy of and potential to improve existing methods. However, at present the community lacks a foundational understanding of these processes that would be valuable in identifying and validating candidate improvements to the systems engineering process. In this paper, we develop a conceptual modeling framework for delegation in systems engineering based on the principal-agent problem, a game-theoretic model of agent interaction across hierarchical levels. Several variations on the basic model are possible. We study the model and its variations on an illustrative example of a passenger vehicle engineering process. Numerical results highlight the impact of various assumptions, including whether engineers act normatively or according to proposed behavioral decision models. Implications and extensions are discussed, including the need for behavioral validation of engineering decision models and the potential to use the modeling framework to evaluate newly proposed delegation schemes.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Literary Conceptualizations of Growth: Metaphors and cognition in adolescent literature

Literary Conceptualizations of Growth explores those processes through which maturation is represented in adolescent literature by examining how concepts of growth manifest themselves in adolescent literature and by interrogating how the concept of growth structures scholars’ ability to think about adolescence. Cognitive literary theory provides the theoretical framework, as do the related fields of cognitive linguistics and experiential philosophy; historical constructions of the concept of growth are also examined within the context of the history of ideas. Cross-cultural literature from the traditional Bildungsroman to the contemporary Young Adult novel serve as examples. Literary Conceptualizations of Growth ultimately asserts that human cognitive structures are responsible for the pervasiveness of growth as both a metaphor and a narrative pattern in adolescent literature.
Same context, different political paths: Two Islamic movements in Turkey

Two Islamic actors in Turkey have transformed the state’s strict control of the religious field (laicism). While the National Outlook Movement, the “mother-movement” of the governing Justice and De...
Kinesin motors: Teamsters' union.

The function and mechanism of the kinesin-14 protein family in plants remain largely obscure. Now, two studies suggest a role in long-distance transport, akin to dynein in animals. One shows that clustering of a moss kinesin-14 is required for cargo transport, the other that in rice a kinesin-14 translocates actin filaments along microtubules.