cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Economie consequences: The relationship between financial reporting and strategic planning, management and operating control decisions*

. It has long been recognized that financial reporting influences the decisions of external parties interesting in gauging organizational performance. More recently, it has been argued that it may also influence managerial decisions made within the reporting entity. This article examines the relationship between external financial reporting and three levels of decisions made within organizations: operating control, management control, and strategic planning decisions. A review of the accounting literature dealing with stewardship, accountability and information inductance, and selected studies in organizational theory and sociology leads us to hypothesize that financial reporting exerts its strongest influence on strategic planning across four phases of the decision process. Evidence gathered from a case study mode of analysis that entailed distributing a description of a fictitious electronics company operating in a dynamic and complex industry to corporate managers and independent auditors, supports this primary hypothesis. Various implications for managerial decision making, the promulgation of external financial reporting policies, and further research are examined. Resume. Il est admis depuis longtemps que la publication de l'information financiere influence les decisions des tiers interesses a mesurer la performance d'une organisation. Plus recemment, certains ont affirme qu'elle peut egalement influencer les decisions de gestion prises a l'interieur meme de l'entreprise. Cet article etudie la relation entre la publication de l'information financiere et trois niveaux de decisions de la firme: des decisions de controle d'exploitation, de controle de gestion, et de planification strategique. Un examen de la documentation comptable portant sur l'aspect fiduciaire, sur l'obligation redditionnelle et sur l'information incitative, ainsi que diverses etudes en theorie organisationnelle et en sociologie, nous amenent a poser l'hypothese que la publication de l'information financiere exerce sa plus forte influence sur la planification strategique a travers quatre phases du processus decisionnel. Les informations probantes recueillies au moyen d'une etude de cas qui a necessite la distribution, a des gestionnaires de societes ainsi qu'a des verificateurs, d'une description d'une societe d'electronique fictive œuvrant dans un secteur industriel dynamique et complexe, appuient l'hypothese fondamentale. Sont examinees egalement diverses consequences sur les decisions de gestion, la promulgation de politiques relatives a la publication de l'information financiere et les possibilites de recherche future.
Transonic potential flow in hyperbolic nozzles

The full potential equation for the classical problem of transonic flow through a hyperbolic nozzle (with or without a shock wave) is solved in conservation form using the finite volume method of Jameson and Caughey (1977). Either a firstor a second-order numerical viscosity is added in the direction of the flow, explicitly, in conservation form. A multigrid alternating direction implicit method is used to solve the difference equations, and the results obtained are compared with analytical and numerical results from previous researches.
Integrating Computers in Elementary Grade Classroom Instruction-Analyses of Teachers' Perceptions in Present and Preferred Situations.

This study explored elementary grade teachers' personal experience with instructional computing and the role of computers they would like to see in classroom instruction. One hundred forty-nine teachers from 15 elementary schools randomly chosen from two counties in western New York participated in the study. Teachers answered a survey questionnaire on their training and knowledge in computers, their comfort level in using computers for teaching, and computer usage in classroom instruction. The teachers also answered to what extent do they prefer to receive more training, be more comfortable using computers, and integrate computers more in their teaching. Based on teachers' responses, significant differences and positive correlation were found between teachers' present computer training, level of comfort, and computer usage in the classrooms as compared to their preferred training, comfort, and usage.
Coordination Chemistry of Homoscorpionate Ligands with 3-Cyclopropyl Substituents

In a quest for precisely sterically tuned ligand systems, the new scorpionate ligands hydrotris(3-cyclopropylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, TpCpr, and tetrakis(3-cyclopropylpyrazol-1-yl)borate, pz*TpCpr, have been synthesized. They readily form octahedral homoleptic and heteroleptic complexes with first-row transition metal compounds, but their [M(TpCpr)(X)] complexes are unstable with respect to the octahedral ones. The complex [Mo(TpCpr)(CO)2(η3-CH2CMeCH2)] was also prepared. Structures of the paramagnetic [Co(TpCpr)2], [Co(pz*TpCpr)2], and [Co(TpCpr)(TpPh)] complexes have been determined by 1H NMR and those of [Fe(TpCpr)2] and [Fe(pz*TpCpr)2], as well as that of [Co(TpCpr)(TpPh)], by X-ray crystallography, indicating facile accommodation of six cyclopropyl groups in the equatorial belt of octahedral complexes. In its coordination behavior, TpCpr is quite different from TpiPr and resembles TpMe.
Cancellation effects of different scattering channels on linewidth of intersubband transitions in quantum wells

We found a strong cancellation between the electron-electron scattering and electron-LO phonon scattering, leading to a narrower linewidth for the intersubband transitions than the sum of the linewidths when each individual scattering is included separately
Social Skill Deficits and Low Peer Acceptance of Mainstreamed Learning Disabled Children

Positive social behaviors and peer acceptance of 100 mainstreamed learning disabled and 100 nonhandicapped children were compared. Highly significant differences between the two groups were found i...
Association of the frequency of acute cardiorespiratory complaints with ambient levels of carbon monoxide.

Initial cardiorespiratory complaints in an emergency room were studied to detonnine their relationship to ambient levels of carbon monoxide recorded at a nearby permanent station. All 8,556 encounters with patients (daily mean, 93) were studied during Denver's peak season for carbon monoxide pollution (three-month winter period). The one-hour mean maximum level of carbon monoxide was above 17.8 ppm, averaging 27.2 ± 4.3 ppm (vs 12.1 ± 1.8 ppm on “km carbon monoxide days;” P
Modeling shifts in perceived spatial frequency between the fovea and the periphery.

A quantitative multiple-channels model can account for changes in perceived spatial frequency between foveally and peripherally viewed patterns; these frequency shifts are as large as 0.47 octave (38.5%). Factors that change as a function of eccentricity and that can alter the appearance of visual patterns include (1) scaling of receptive-field sizes, (2) overall sensitivity, and (3) steepness and nonlinearity of contrast-transfer functions (CTF’s). Computations based on receptive-field size scaling, combined with fixed perceptual labels, predict higher perceived spatial frequency for peripheral patterns. Computations based on reduced sensitivity, however, predict the opposite result and thus partially offset the effect of receptive-field size scaling. The predicted perceived-frequency shifts based on changes in CTF’s are quite small and can be ignored. Both individual differences and visual-field-location differences in magnitudes of perceived-frequency shifts are predicted by the model. An alternative perceptual explanation based on size–distance invariance and size constancy is also evaluated.
The Properties of Intergalactic C IV and Si IV Absorption. I. Optimal Analysis of an Extremely High Signal-to-Noise Quasar Sample

We have analyzed the properties of metals in the high-redshift intergalactic medium using a novel objective pixel optical depth technique on a sample of extremely high signal-to-noise ratio Keck HIRES and ESI spectra of 26 quasars between redshifts 2.1 and 6.4. The technique relies on using the doublet nature of the common ions C IV and Si IV, which are the principal metal tracers in the intergalactic medium outside of the Lyα forest. Optical depths are statistically corrected for contamination by other lines, telluric absorption, bad pixels, continuum fitting, etc. and for incompleteness, and we achieve in this way an increased sensitivity of approximately 0.5 dex over previous analyses. As with existing pixel optical depth analyses, the method is completely objective and avoids subjective cloud selection and Voigt profile fitting, but, unlike existing techniques, we do not compare the ion optical depths with H I optical depths to determine the ion optical depth distributions; we therefore avoid problems arising from different velocity widths in the ion and H I. We have shown how the conventional analysis can be reproduced using a percolation method to generate pseudoclouds from ion optical depths. Using this set of pseudoclouds, we have generated C IV column density distributions and have confirmed that the shape of the C IV column density distribution remains essentially invariant, with slope -1.44, from z = 1.5 to 5.5. This in turn confirms the lack of redshift evolution of Ω(C IV) for z = 2–5, both for all absorbers with column density log N = 12–15 and for stronger absorbers with log N = 13–14. The generation of pseudoclouds from the optical depth vectors also gives information on the column density environment of a given optical depth. We find that for the higher resolution HIRES data there is a tight relation, τ ~ N0.7, between the peak optical depth and the column density. We have then analyzed the ion redshift evolution directly and model-independently from the optical depth vectors themselves and show that there is little evolution in the total amount of C IV from z = 2 to 5, although there is a turndown of at least a factor of 2 in Ω(C IV) above z = 5. We do, however, see substantial evolution in the ratio Si IV/C IV. In two subsequent papers in this series, we will use this technique to investigate what fraction of the absorbers lie in galactic wind outflows (Paper II) and what metallicity is associated with regions of τ(Lyα) < 1 (Paper III).
Spin-dependent exciton formation rates in π-conjugated materials

π-conjugated compounds have been intensively studied for their use in 'plastic electronics', an alternative to inorganic semiconductor devices. In particular, research in the use of π-conjugated compounds as the active layer in electroluminescent devices has advanced rapidly: potential applications include e.g. flat, flexible display panels. In organic electroluminescent devices the annihilation of positive and negative charge carriers to the ground state proceeds via two fundamental steps: (i) formation of a neutral exciton, either spin singlet or spin triplet, and (ii) the radiative or non-radiative decay of the exciton. In most π-conjugated materials only the spin singlet exciton is emissive, and this is why the spin statistics of step (i) determines the maximum achievable electroluminescent efficiency. A number of recent studies indicate that exciton formation is spin dependent and that more singlets form in organic electroluminescent devices than what is expected from spin degeneracy. We review recent experimental and (to a lesser degree) theoretical results. In particular we focus on our own recent work, where we have measured the ratio, r = σS /σT, of the spin-dependent formation cross section, σ, of singlet (S) and triplet (T) excitons in π-conjugated oligomer and polymer films, using a spectroscopic/magnetic resonance technique. The experimental results reveal a distinct difference between exciton formation in molecular devices compared to polymer devices.
Quasiparticle resonant states as a probe of short-range electronic structure and Andreev coherence

The recently observed properties of quasiparticle resonant states near impurities on the surface of superconducting BSCCO demonstrate that in-plane Andreev processes are either absent or phase-incoherent. Analysis of the spectral and spatial details of the electronic structure near a Zn impurity also suggest an effective magnetic component of the impurity potential. Further experiments are proposed to clarify whether the effective moments of nearby impurities are correlated.
NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTIONAL STYLE AS A MODERATOR OF THE LINK BETWEEN PERFECTIONISM AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE FOR AN INTEGRATIVE MODEL

An integrative model involving perfectionism and negative attributional style as predictors of depressive symptoms was proposed and tested in 222 college students. Beyond the expected additive influences of the 2 predictors in the prediction of dysphoria, negative attributional style was also hypothesized to moderate the link between perfectionism and depressive symptoms. As theorized, results indicated that dimensions of perfectionism (P. Hewitt & G. Flett, 1991b) predicted depressive symptoms (2 months later) and that a negative attributional style added incremental validity to these predictions. Moreover, consistent with the proposed model, the Perfectionism × Negative Attributional Style interaction was found to further augment the prediction of depressive symptoms. These findings are taken to offer preliminary support for the proposed model. Some implications for future studies are discussed.
Optimal background attenuation for fielded spectroscopic detection systems

Radiation detectors are often placed in positions difficult to shield from the effects of terrestrial background gamma radiation. This is particularly true in the case of radiation portal monitor (RPM) systems, as their wide viewing angle and outdoor installations make them susceptible to radiation from the surrounding area. Reducing this source of background can improve gross-count detection capabilities in the current generation of non-spectroscopic RPMs as well as source identification capabilities in the next generation of spectroscopic RPMs. To provide guidance for designing such systems, the problem of shielding a general spectroscopic-capable RPM system from terrestrial gamma radiation is considered. This analysis is carried out by template matching algorithms, to determine and isolate a set of non-threat isotopes typically present in the commerce stream. Various model detector and shielding scenarios are calculated using the Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) computer code. Amounts of nominal-density shielding needed to increase the probability of detection for an ensemble of illicit sources are given. Common shielding solutions such as steel plating are evaluated based on the probability of detection for 3 particular illicit sources of interest and the benefits are weighed against the incremental cost of shielding. Previous work has provided optimal shielding scenarios for RPMs based on gross-counting measurements, and those same solutions (shielding the internal detector cavity, direct shielding of the ground between the detectors, and the addition of collimators) are examined with respect to their utility to improving spectroscopic detection.
The Dubowitz syndrome.

This paper reports observations on 4 patients with a newly recognized syndrome called the Dubowitz syndrome. Dubowitz provided some follow-up data on the patient he first described in 1965; in addition 3 personally studied patients are presented. To date the known patients have manifested intrauterine growth retardation (with primordial shortness of stature), microcephaly, variable degrees of eczema and mental retardation, and a characteristic facial appearance. It is presumed that the Dubowitz syndrome is recessively inherited.
Descending modulation of central neural plasticity in the formalin pain test.

Abstract Subcutaneous injection of formalin produces a biphasic profile of pain response: a transient early phase followed by a tonic late phase. A number of studies have indicated that the development of the late phase of formalin pain is dependent upon prolonged changes in central neural function produced by neural activity that is generated during the early phase (i.e. central sensitization). In support of this, the present study demonstrates that stimulation- or morphine-produced analgesia derived from the periaqueductal grey (PAG) during the early phase prevents the developement of the late phase. these results suggest that descending mechanisms of pain inhibition, as reflected by PAG stimulation- and morphine-produced analgesia, can prevent the development of central neural plasticity following injury.
Chemical control of flowering in the long-day plantLemna gibba G3

Lemna gibba G3 is an ideal system for studying the chemical control of flowering in a photoperiodic plant due to its small size and aquatic growth habit which allow substances to be taken up continuously and rapidly distributed throughout the plant. Each of the known plant growth regulators has been tested onL. gibba G3 and only the gibberellins appear to be important for flowering, although they are not the limiting factor for flowering on short days. Salicylic acid (SA) and ferricyanide will both induce flowering inL. gibba G3 with ferricyanide being most effective on short days where flowering is daylength limited and SA most effective where flowering is limited by factors other than daylength. The ferricyanide action is probably due to HCN and it may act during photoperception or photoinduction. SA is most effective when reversing the inhibition caused by various parameters including copper and agar, and its effect is always strongly daylength dependent. It is postulated that SA may interact with the flowering stimulus to promote flowering and thus that SA acts at some point following photoinduction and the formation of the flowering stimulus.
Kinetics of melt migration in upper mantle-type rocks

Abstract Experiments have been performed to determine the permeability of an aggregate of olivine plus a silicate melt, as well as the viscosity of the matrix. Melt migration couples were formed between discs composed of olivine with about 12% of a synthetic potassium-aluminum silicate glass and discs of polycrystalline San Carlos olivine. Four melt infiltration experiments were carried out at temperatures between 1050 and 1255°C at 300 MPa in a gas-medium apparatus; each couple was held at the experimental conditions for 2 h. At temperature, capillary forces cause the molten glass to infiltrate into the dunite along triple junctions because the dihedral angle is less than 60°. In order to analyze the resulting melt migration profiles, the coupled differential equations governing melt migration via “porous flow” driven by capillary forces and resisted by compaction/dilation of the matrix were solved numerically. The effects of dihedral angle, melt fraction exponent and amount of the melt in the source region on the spatial and temporal evolution of the melt distribution were investigated with numerical simulations for the initial and boundary conditions imposed by the experimental geometry. The permeability of the aggregate and the viscosity of the matrix were determined by comparison of the melt migration profiles obtained from the experiments with those generated from simulation. The permeability of the partially molten aggregate increased approximately linearly with increasing melt fraction and, at 1255°C, the permeability of the rock and viscosity of the olivine are about 8 × 10−16 m2 and 8 × 109 Pa s, respectively, for a grain size of 4.2 μm and a melt fraction of 0.145. These results predict a relatively high permeability at low melt fractions, indicating that only very small amounts of melt (∼ 0.1%) could be maintained in a dunitic mantle.
Occurrence of Extrachromosomal Deoxyribonucleic Acids in Spiroplasmas Associated with Plants, Insects, and Ticks

Abstract Several spiroplasmas (helical, motile mollicutes) were previously shown to contain extrachromosomal DNA (E-DNA) elements in the form of viruses (double-stranded viruses or the replicative form of single-stranded viruses) or plasmids. These elements are now being investigated as potential vectors for use in spiroplasma transformation systems. Described herein is the first extensive survey of spiroplasma E-DNA in 23 spiroplasma groups (30 strains), a study facilitated by improvements in protocols for E-DNA extraction. E-DNA elements were found in spiroplasmas associated with leafhoppers/plants (spiroplasma subgroups I-1, I-3, and I-8), other insects (subgroups I-2, I-5, 1-6, and I-7 and groups IV and XXII), and ticks (subgroup I-4 and groups V and VI). Elements, maintained by passage with their host spiroplasmas, were often lost after extended passage. Whether the current distribution of E-DNA elements is indicative of historical or proximate factors is not known. Many elements (about 75%) from group I spiroplasmas hybridized with Spiroplasma citri viruses SpV1 or SpV3. Of the elements associated with other spiroplasma groups, none hybridized with either virus. These include Spiroplasma apis strains B31 (18 kb) and L89 (18 and 20 kb), S. mirum strains SMCA (20 kb) and Anderson (16 and 20 kb), group VI strain Y32 (7, 9, 10, and 16 kb), and group XXII strain CT-1 (8 kb). Several of these elements will be characterized and examined for their suitability as spiroplasma cloning vectors.
THE SENSITIVITY OF INTERNATIONAL POVERTY COMPARISONS

Using data from the Luxembourg Income Study, I study the sensitivity of cross-national income poverty comparisons to the method in which poverty is measured. Absolute poverty comparisons that keep the purchasing power at the poverty line constant across countries lead to conclusions that differ from relative poverty comparisons in which the real value of the poverty line varies with average income. The absolute poverty ranking of countries also varies as the real value of the poverty line is lowered. Cross-national differences in household characteristics are largely irrelevant in explaining poverty differences.
The interpretation of clinical trials

Abstract This paper discusses the interpretation of remission induction data obtained from clinical trials. Methods are discussed for (1) ascertaining if the duration of treatment has been adequate; (2) using the times to reach remission or failure in comparing different methods of treatment; and (3) adjusting the success-ratio with respect to remission induction in order to take account of the finite time of treatment. The paper introduces the concept of a ‘therapeutic odds yardstick’ (TOY) which estimates the odds in favor of remission if treatment is continued, conditional on the patient not responding to the treatment up to time t . Applications are made to acute leukemia patients receiving both sequential and combined therapy.
Considering customer preferences for environmental protection in material selection

Abstract This paper presents a method for integrating environmental considerations directly into the material selection process. A design hierarchy is used to perform concurrent multi-attribute material evaluation on the basis of cost, physical properties and customer preferences. A proof-of-concept case study of material selection for beverage containers is presented. The results of a consumer survey are reported. Trade-offs between aluminium, glass and plastic containers are analysed. The price reduction necessary to make plastic competitive with aluminium for a particular market niche is calculated.
Acetyl-Carnitine and Alzheimer's Disease

In a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, progression of Alzheimer's disease was significantly reduced in patients who received acetyl-carnitine (2 g/day) for one year.
A scalable approach to thread-level speculation

While architects understand how to build cost-effective parallel machines across a wide spectrum of machine sizes (ranging from within a single chip to large-scale servers), the real challenge is how to easily create parallel software to effectively exploit all of this raw performance potential. One promising technique for overcoming this problem is Thread-Level Speculation (TLS), which enables the compiler to optimistically create parallel threads despite uncertainty as to whether those threads are actually independent. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a design for supporting TLS that seamlessly scales to any machine size because it is a straightforward extension of writeback invalidation-based cache coherence (which itself scales both up and down). Our experimental results demonstrate that our scheme performs well on both single-chip multiprocessors and on larger-scale machines where communication latencies are twenty times larger.
Island biogeography and metapopulation dynamics of Bahamian ants

Aim I examined the island biogeography and metapopulation dynamics of ants inhabiting two archipelagos of small Bahamian islands. Of particular interest were measurement and comparison of turnover rates, examination of variation in relative population abundances, and the effect of a hurricane force disturbance on the ant fauna of these small islands. Location Archipelagos of small islands in the central Exumas and near the northeast coast of Andros, Bahamas. Methods Ants occupying small islands were surveyed using tuna and honey baits. I surveyed ninety-three islands in the Exumas in 1998 and fifty-eight islands at Andros in 1999, to compare with earlier surveys in both regions. The proportions of baits occupied were used as a measure of relative population abundance. A subset of seventeen small islands in the Exumas was surveyed in 1999 in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd. Results Mean annual relative turnover rates were low: <2.5% year−1 on a per island basis, and <7% year−1 on a per species basis. Rates of immigration and extinction were similar, although immigrations exceeded extinctions in some comparisons. Relative population abundances of the two most common ant species varied inversely with each other. One species revealed a strong positive correlation with recent rainfall, whereas another varied strongly inversely. No extinctions of ants occurred on the seventeen small islands surveyed after Hurricane Floyd. Main conclusions Ants were found to be ubiquitous in this system, occurring on almost all vegetated islands. Ant populations were persistent over the period of study, and species rarely became extinct or colonized islands. The few instances of turnover observed appeared to occur randomly with respect to physical island characteristics. The correlational data suggest an interaction of interspecific competition and precipitation affect relative population abundances. Ants were found to be resistant to hurricane-force disturbances. In the short term (one decade), the ant fauna of these islands appears to be in a state of static equilibrium, although non-equilibrial dynamics may better characterize the system over longer time periods (several decades).
Axicon: a new laser beam delivery system for corneal surgery

A new laser beam delivery system using axicon beam shaping has been designed to produce controllable surface ablation as well as trephination for the corneal surgery. Noncontact cornea trephination was performed on human eye-bank eyes by using a Q-switched Er:YAG laser with a axicon-lens combination. The results shows that the uniformity of the trephination along the ring depends on the radial symmetry of the beam. The histological results of the samples show that the damage zone of the laser cut is less than 10 mu m. This demonstrates the possibility of replacing mechanical trephination in corneal surgery. >
A sampled fictitious play based learning algorithm for infinite horizon Markov decision processes

Using Sampled Fictitious Play (SFP) concepts, we develop SFPL: Sampled Fictitious Play Learning --- a learning algorithm for solving discounted homogeneous Markov Decision Problems where the transition probabilities are unknown and need to be learned via simulation or direct observation of the system in real time. Thus, SFPL simultaneously updates the estimates of the unknown transition probabilities and the estimates of optimal value and optimal action in the observed state. In the spirit of SFP, the action after each transition is selected by sampling from the empirical distribution of previous optimal action estimates for the current state. The resulting algorithm is provably convergent. We compare its performance with other learning methods, including SARSA and Q-learning.
A novel internal model-based tracking control for a class of linear time-varying plants

This paper provides a novel method of constructing an internal model for a class of LTV plants driven by known LTI exosystems. It is shown how the realization of a time-varying internal model can be constructed by means of a novel feedback mechanism. The design of the internal model consists of two ingredients: 1) a time-varying system immersion of the exosystem; 2) automatic generation of the desired control input, based on the complete knowledge of the plant model. The important features of the proposed method lie in that the solution does not involve solving Sylvester differential equations, moreover the immersion is guaranteed to hold for the class of plant models under consideration. These features significantly broaden the range of applications of the proposed method and simplify the control implementation process.
The MSAT-X MARECS B2 satellite experiment: ground segment results

The results of a recently completed satellite experiment employing the JPL MSAT-X developed land-mobile satellite communication terminal are described. In this experiment, a full duplex 4800-b/s digital data and voice communication link was established through the INMARSAT MARECS B2 satellite between Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Southbury, Connecticut. A series of experiments was performed to characterize the terminal performance over this link. The basic experimental setup and the preliminary results of the speech and data experiments are presented. The satellite environment proved to be near to what was expected, and as a result the experimental results were very close to theory/simulation/laboratory experiments. It was found that the ground-to-ground communication links were more benign links than the ground-to-air and air-to-ground links, and this is reflected in the improved margins for the ground-to-ground links (approximately 5 dB versus 3.2 dB for the aeronautical links. >
Measurement of the exchange rates of rapidly exchanging amide protons: Application to the study of calmodulin and its complex with a myosin light chain kinase fragment

A technique is described for measuring the approximate exchange rates of the more labile amide protons in a protein. The technique relies on a comparison of the intensities in1H−15N correlation spectra recorded with and without presaturation of the water resonance. To distinguish resonance attenuation caused by hydrogen exchange from attenuation caused by cross relation, the experiment is repeated at several different pH values and the difference in attenuation of any particular amide resonance upon presaturation is used for calculating its exchange rate. The technique is demonstrated for calmodulin and for calmodulin complexed with its binding domain of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase. Upon complexation, increased amide exchange rates are observed for residues Lys75 through Thr79 located in the ‘central helix’ of calmodulin, and for the C-terminal residues Ser147 and Lys148. In contrast, a decrease in amide exchange rate is observed at the C-terminal end of the F helix, from residues Thr110 through Glu114.
Survival After Second-Line Intraperitoneal Therapy for the Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: The Gynecologic Oncology Group Experience

Objective: To assess the association between patient-disease characteristics and overall survival (OS) after second-line intraperitoneal (IP) treatment of ovarian cancer. Methods: Data were aggregated from 7 Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) phase 2 studies conducted between 1988 and 1995 to evaluate IP therapy for partially responsive or recurrent disease but no tumor masses greater than 0.5 cm. Factors evaluated include age, performance status, extent of residual disease, tumor grade, and histologic diagnosis. Results: A total of 432 eligible women were treated on 1 of the 7 second-line phase 2 IP trials. The median OS was 2.4 years (range of individual study medians, 1.9-2.9 years). Relative to women with grade 1 cancers, those with grade 2 or 3 cancers experienced 1.82 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-2.74) and 2.02 (95% CI, 1.35-3.03) times greater instantaneous death rates, respectively, and those with clear cell adenocarcinoma experienced death rates 6.00 (95% CI, 3.27-10.9) times greater. The extent of residual disease, surgically assessed before starting study treatment, was also associated with OS. Relative to those who had no evidence of gross disease, those with gross disease that was completely resected, or with unresectable disease (not larger than 0.5 cm), experienced death rates 1.74 (95% CI, 1.25-2.42) and 2.26 (95% CI, 1.67-3.05) times greater, respectively. Conclusions: There are patient and disease characteristics strongly associated with survival after second-line IP treatments. These factors are relevant to clinicians considering IP therapy outside the investigative setting and for the development of future studies in this area.
The Impact of Jurisdictional Boundaries: An Individual-Level Test of the Tiebout Model

Despite the considerable research attention accorded the Tiebout model, its empirical foundations are not especially well developed. That is, existing empirical investigations of the Tiebout model only indirectly address many of its central assumptions, given their nearly exclusive focus on aggregate-level analyses when the model evaluates institutional arrangements on the basis of a number of assumptions about individual attitudes and behaviors. This paper takes one step toward improving this situation by examining survey data on individual political behavior under two polar cases of institutional arrangement within metropolitan areas. By comparing the responses of five Louisville-area cities with those of their matched Lexington neighborhoods, we directly assess the impacts of jurisdictional arrangements on a number of attitudes and behaviors that underlie the Tiebout model.
The Basal Ganglia’s Contributions to Perceptual Decision Making

Perceptual decision making is a computationally demanding process that requires the brain to interpret incoming sensory information in the context of goals, expectations, preferences, and other factors. These integrative processes engage much of cortex but also require contributions from subcortical structures to affect behavior. Here we summarize recent evidence supporting specific computational roles of the basal ganglia in perceptual decision making. These roles probably share common mechanisms with the basal ganglia's other, more well-established functions in motor control, learning, and other aspects of cognition and thus can provide insights into the general roles of this important subcortical network in higher brain function.
Performance analysis of beamforming for MIMO OFDM with BICM

In this paper we show and quantify both analytically and via simulations that the use of channel knowledge at the transmitter, the technique known as beamforming, achieves the maximum diversity in space when the best eigenmode is used (single beamforming). Furthermore, we investigate beamforming in conjunction with next generation wireless local area networks (WLAN). It is known that the widely used technique in WLAN, bit interleaved coded modulation (BICM) with orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), can achieve the maximum frequency diversity order that is inherited in the channel. We show that the combination of BICM, single beamforming, and OFDM also leads to the maximum diversity order in space and frequency domains. In other words, for systems with N transmit and M receive antennas, BICM beamforming-OFDM (BBO) can achieve a diversity order of NML over L-tap frequency selective channels by using an appropriate convolutional code. In addition to having a substantial diversity order, simulation results show that beamforming and BBO introduce significant coding gains when compared to other systems based on space time block codes (STBC) with the same diversity order.
Validation of a model-based segmentation approach to propagating normal anatomic regions of interest through the 10 phases of respiration.

Purpose To validate a model-based segmentation (MBS) algorithm in a commercial radiation treatment planning system for use in propagating the contours of normal anatomic regions of interest (ROIs) through the respiratory phases that constitute a four-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) image data set. Methods and Materials The 4D CT data sets for 12 patients treated for non–small-cell lung cancer were acquired. Five ROIs were selected for delineation: right and left lungs, spinal cord, heart, and esophagus. These ROIs were manually delineated on the CT data set corresponding to the end-inspiration respiratory phase (0%). An MBS algorithm implemented on the treatment planning system propagated the ROIs sequentially through the respiratory phases that constituted the 4D CT data sets, concluding with the 0% phase data set, which was propagated from the 90% phase data set. The propagated ROIs on the 0% phase were compared with the original ROIs on that phase by using visual assessment and a quantitative measure of coincidence. Results Acceptable propagation accuracy within 1 mm of uncertainty was achieved for lungs and spinal cord. Propagation of the heart produced slightly larger contours that were similar to interphysician variations in contouring the heart. The esophagus was poorly propagated because of lack of tissue contrast and definitive shape. Conclusions The MBS propagation is a promising tool for efficiently propagating contours through the different phases of respiration. However, propagating the esophagus through this technique may be difficult because of the lack of definitive shape and clearer boundaries from surrounding tissue.
Design and Analysis of Low-Power High-Frequency Robust Sub-Harmonic Injection-Locked Clock Multipliers

A low-jitter, low-power LC-based injection-locked clock multiplier (ILCM) with a digital frequency-tracking loop (FTL) is presented. Based on a pulse gating technique, the proposed FTL continuously tunes the oscillator’s free-running frequency to ensure robust operation across PVT variations. The FTL resolves the race condition existing in injection-locked PLLs by decoupling frequency tuning from the injection path, such that the phase-locking condition is only determined by the injection path. This paper also introduces an accurate theoretical large-signal analysis for phase domain response (PDR) of injection-locked oscillators (ILOs). The proposed PDR analysis captures the asymmetric nature of ILO’s lock-in range, and the impact of frequency error on injection strength and phase noise performance. The proposed architecture and analysis are demonstrated by a prototype fabricated in 65 nm CMOS process with active area of $0.25\;\text{mm}^2$ . The prototype ILCM generates output clock in the range of 6.75–8.25 GHz by multiplying the reference clock by 64. It achieves superior integrated jitter performance of $190\;\text{fs}_{\text{rms}}$ , while consuming 2.25 mW power. This translates to an excellent figure-of-merit (FoM) of $-251\;\text{dB}$ , which is the best reported high-frequency clock multiplier.
Spiritual change in recovery.

Alcoholism has often been referred to as a “spiritual disease,” especially within the context of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Consistent with this view, spiritual growth and development have been a central focus within the recovery process. AA, in this respect, offers a spiritual path to recovery from alcohol use disorders. In this chapter, we focus broadly on spiritual change in recovery, particularly in relation to involvement in AA. We open with a discussion on defining spirituality and provide an operationalization of spirituality for present purposes. We next provide a conceptualization of alcoholism as a spiritual disease. This is followed by a review of topics pertaining to spirituality and AA. In this regard, we identify the core spiritual beliefs in AA, the AA practices thought to be relevant to spirituality, and the subjective experiences of spirituality in AA. We also discuss the important issue of spiritual awakenings. Following this, we survey the literature on changes in spirituality during the process of recovery from alcoholism.
Modulating the durability of anti-HIV gp120 antibody responses after vaccination: a comment on Wilson & Karp (2015)

In their opinion piece [[1][1]], Wilson and Karp discuss the poor durability of the anti-gp120 humoral response, an important feature that poses a significant difficulty for HIV vaccine development [[2][2]]. The authors make the case that short-lived anti-gp120 responses are not seen in all studies
Is protection against florivory consistent with the optimal defense hypothesis

Plant defense traits require resources and energy that plants may otherwise use for growth and reproduction. In order to most efficiently protect plant tissues from herbivory, one widely accepted assumption of the optimal defense hypothesis states that plants protect tissues most relevant to fitness. Reproductive organs directly determining plant fitness, including flowers and immature fruit, as well as young, productive leaf tissue thus should be particularly well-defended. To test this hypothesis, we quantified the cyanogenic potential (HCNp)—a direct, chemical defense—systemically expressed in vegetative and reproductive organs in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), and we tested susceptibility of these organs in bioassays with a generalist insect herbivore, the Large Yellow Underwing (Noctuidae: Noctua pronuba). To determine the actual impact of either florivory (herbivory on flowers) or folivory on seed production as a measure of maternal fitness, we removed varying percentages of total flowers or young leaf tissue and quantified developing fruit, seeds, and seed viability. We found extremely low HCNp in flowers (8.66 ± 2.19 μmol CN− g−1 FW in young, white flowers, 6.23 ± 1.25 μmol CN− g−1 FW in mature, yellow flowers) and in pods (ranging from 32.05 ± 7.08 to 0.09 ± 0.08 μmol CN− g−1 FW in young to mature pods, respectively) whereas young leaves showed high levels of defense (67.35 ± 3.15 μmol CN− g−1 FW). Correspondingly, herbivores consumed more flowers than any other tissue, which, when taken alone, appears to contradict the optimal defense hypothesis. However, experimentally removing flowers did not significantly impact fitness, while leaf tissue removal significantly reduced production of viable seeds. Even though flowers were the least defended and most consumed, our results support the optimal defense hypothesis due to i) the lack of flower removal effects on fitness and ii) the high defense investment in young leaves, which have high consequences for fitness. These data highlight the importance of considering plant defense interactions from multiple angles; interpreting where empirical data fit within any plant defense hypothesis requires understanding the fitness consequences associated with the observed defense pattern.
The People's Path: Conflict and Cooperation in the Acquisition of the Appalachian Trail

AbstractWhen Congress passed the National Trails Act of 1968, the Appalachian Trail shifted from being a regional grassroots endeavor to being part of the national park system. As the National Park...
Jacobson Revisited: An Argument for Strict Judicial Scrutiny of Compulsory Vaccination

[W]hile the meaning of constitutional guarantees never varies, the scope of their application must expand or contract to meet the new and different conditions which are constantly coming within the...
Quantifying short-lived events in multistate ionic current measurements.

Membrane-bound protein ionic channels provide the basis for many cellular activities.1−4 As part of the function of many channels, ion flow through them can be gated, or fluctuate akin to a two-state random telegraph signal. Characterizing these gating kinetics provides insight into the molecular basis of channel activity.5 However, because some events are short-lived events, they do not always attain an observable steady state ionic current and therefore can be missed or ignored in analyses. Several methods, including hidden Markov modeling,6−11 kinetic simulations,12−16 and direct fitting of channel events to the response of the measurement electronics,17 were developed to correct for missed events and markedly improve estimation of the open and closed channel intervals. Most of these techniques implicitly assume that the system fluctuates between two states (infinite and one finite resistance values). Nanometer-scale pores also have demonstrated potential use in biotechnology applications,18−20 including DNA sequencing,18,21−23 single-molecule force spectroscopy,19,24 and single-molecule mass spectrometry.25,26 The latter can be extended to deduce the geometry of a nanopore without high resolution crystallographic information.20,27,28 The data modeling and analysis methods described in this work potentially allow for dramatic improvements in the quantification of molecular interactions with the channel in each of these applications. In contrast to gating in ionic channels, the pore conductance in single-molecule measurement applications generally has N states, where N > 2. Techniques to characterize single-molecule interactions with nanopores include thresholding methods,21,26,29 modeling with equivalent circuits,30−32 and Viterbi decoding to improve DNA sequence analysis,33 but are limited to characterizing events when the channel conductance reaches a steady state. The techniques described here address this limitation, and enable the characterization of systems that attain multiple discrete short-lived states.
Predicting outcome of care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The accuracy of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff in predicting the outcome and length of stay of infants admitted to the NICU, and the factors they felt were important in making these predictions, were evaluated. This prospective study used a questionnaire to survey 44 nurses, residents, and attending neonatologists working in the NICU about the predicted outcomes of 52 infants admitted to the NICU at the University of Nebraska Medical Center over a 1-month period. Factors previously identified by the staff as important indicators of infant outcome were assigned points of importance by the respondents, and specific values for these factors were recorded for each infant. The NICU staff indicated that gestational age was the most important indicator of infant outcome. The attending neonatologists placed more value on gestational age (analysis of variance [ANOVA] P less than .0001) than did the nurses or residents. Among the staff groups, there were significant differences in the weight or points assigned to a given factor for pulmonary function, renal function, number of resuscitations, and the "other" category (ANOVA P less than .05). The nurses ranked pulmonary function criteria lower than the residents did (P less than .04), but considered renal function more important than either the residents (P = .005) or the attending neonatologists considered it to be (P = .01). The number of resuscitations was ranked higher by the nursing staff than by other groups, whereas the attending neonatologists assigned less importance to the "other" category.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)