cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer arithmetic for probability distribution variables

Abstract The uncertainty in the variables and functions in computer simulations can be quantified by probability distributions and the correlations between the variables. We augment the standard computer arithmetic operations and the interval arithmetic approach to include probability distribution variable (PDV) as a basic data type. Probability distribution variable is a random variable that is usually characterized by generalized probabilistic discretization. The correlations or dependencies between PDVs that arise in a computation are automatically calculated and tracked. These correlations are used by the computer arithmetic rules to achieve the convergent approximation of the probability distribution function of a PDV and to guarantee that the derived bounds include the true solution. In many calculations, the calculated uncertainty bounds for PDVs are much tighter than they would have been had the dependencies been ignored. We describe the new PDV Arithmetic and verify the effectiveness of the approach to account for the creation and propagation of uncertainties in a computer program due to uncertainties in the initial data.
Differences among beef sire breeds and relationships between terrain use and performance when daughters graze foothill rangelands as cows

Abstract A study was conducted on foothill rangeland to determine if breed of sire affected grazing distribution patterns and to evaluate relationships between individual grazing patterns and performance of beef cows. Angus (AN), Charolais (CH), Piedmontese (PI), and Salers (SA) sires were mated to dams with Hereford and Tarentaise breeding to produce cows observed during the summers of 1998–2001. Locations of individual cows were recorded two to three times per week during 1.5–2.5-h periods in the morning by observers on horseback. Terrain use was analyzed using a mixed statistical model that included breed of sire, dam terrain use category as fixed effects and cow as a random effect. Piedmontese-sired cows were observed farther ( P P = 0.09) pasture ratios (PR) of terrain use than AN-sired cows. Cows from dams that used steeper slopes and areas farther from water grazed farther ( P P = 0.09) horizontally from water, and had a PR greater ( P P P P > 0.05). Terrain use was not correlated ( P > 0.05) to calving date, actual weaning weight, or age-adjusted weaning weight. Pregnant cows used steeper ( P P > 0.05). Cows sired by bulls from breeds developed in mountainous terrain appeared to use rugged extensive pastures more uniformly than cows sired by bulls from breeds developed in gentler terrain. As observed in an earlier study, terrain use of cows grazing foothill rangeland was not consistently related to their weight, hip height, body condition, reproductive performance, or calf weight.
KCI, CaCI2, Na+ Binding, and Salt Taste of Gum Systems

Aqueous nonionic (0.3% w/v) and ionic (0.1% and 0.3% w/v) gum systems containing NaCl, or equal weights of NaCl plus KCl, or NaCl plus CaCl 2 were examined. At equivalent molar concentrations of added ions, 23 Na NMR transverse relaxation rates (R 2 , sec -1 ) showed an increase in average Na + mobility with the addition of K + or Ca 2+ to ionic gum systems. Correspondingly, salt taste increased with addition of KCl as determined by Decision Boundary modeling of subject identification data. Viscosity did not affect saltiness. Na + was free to induce salt taste when K + was bound to the gum. Enhancement of salt taste by KCl is due, in part, to competitive binding of Na + and K + in a system.
RHEUMATIC SYMPTOMS AND SEROLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES INDUCED BY ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

Abstract Eight women, 21-29 years of age, noted rheumatic symptoms (or exacerbation of symptoms) during use of oral-contraceptive drugs. Six of these patients had episodes of thrombophlebitis before or during administration of these agents. In each case antinuclear antibodies were detected in serum during drug use and disappeared from serum in the five patients who permanently discontinued oral contraceptives. L.E. cells were detected in six patients while on therapy and disappeared in all but one case when the drug was withdrawn. Serum-IgM levels were elevated in five patients during drug use. IgG and IgA levels, rheumatoidfactor activity, and acute-phase proteins were not consistently affected by these agents. In four cases underlying rheumatic disease is suspected; two have Raynaud's disease and two have no laboratory or clinical evidence of disease. This preliminary study indicates that, in the evaluation of women suspected of having rheumatic disease, information on the use of oral contraceptives is required before clinical and laboratory findings can be interpreted.
Model checking large software specifications

In this paper we present our results and experiences of using symbolic model checking to study the specification of an aircraft collision avoidance system. Symbolic model checking has been highly successful when applied to hardware systems. We are interested in the question of whether or not model checking techniques can be applied to large software specifications.To investigate this, we translated a portion of the finite-state requirements specification of TCAS II (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System) into a form accepted by a model checker (SMV). We successfully used the model checker to investigate a number of dynamic properties of the system.We report on our experiences, describing our approach to translating the specification to the SMV language and our methods for achieving acceptable performance in model checking, and giving a summary of the properties that we were able to check. We consider the paper as a data point that provides reason for optimism about the potential for successful application of model checking to software systems. In addition, our experiences provide a basis for characterizing features that would be especially suitable for model checkers built specifically for analyzing software systems.The intent of this paper is to evaluate symbolic model checking of state-machine based specifications, not to evaluate the TCAS II specification. We used a preliminary version of the specification, the version 6.00, dated March, 1993, in our study. We did not have access to later versions, so we do not know if the properties identified here are present in later versions.
How Applicable are Animal Myopia Models to Human Juvenile Onset Myopia

Investigations into the plasticity of eye growth and refractive error development have significantly expanded our knowledge of animal models of myopia in the last 15 yr. The applicability of this information is as yet undetermined, but hopefully this information will be useful in learning more about human myopia. This paper presents a critical review of the animal myopia literature as those data relate to the human condition. Differences between the chicken, tree shrew, and primate animal models of myopia are outlined, and the various experimental paradigms used to investigate refractive error development and ocular growth in the chicken are compared. Specific arguments against the application of animal models of myopia to the etiology of human juvenile onset myopia include the following: (1) there is no deprivation of form vision in the environment of the school-aged child as severe as that required to induce myopia in animals; (2) the sensitive period for deprivation myopia in animals appears to be too early to account for human juvenile onset myopia; and (3) studies in the chicken using spectacle lenses to create dioptric blur involve a choroidal thickness modulation that has no human analog. Ultimately, the results of investigations into the cellular and biochemical modulation of eye growth in animals may be the most relevant to human myopia.
Attenuation of the production of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in the mouse vomeronasal organ by antibodies against the αq/11 subfamily of G-proteins

The social and reproductive behaviors of most mammals are modulated by pheromones, which are perceived by the vomeronasal organ (VNO). Vomeronasal transduction in vertebrates is activated through G-protein-coupled receptors, which in turn leads to the generation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) and diacylglycerol (DAG) by the activity of phospholipase C. DAG has been shown to gate the transient receptor potential channel 2, whereas IP(3) may play a role in stimulating the release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum store. To investigate the role of the alpha subunits of G(q/11) in the transduction process, microvillar membranes from female mice VNO were preincubated with a selective C-terminal peptide antibody against Galpha(q/11) and then stimulated with adult male urine. Incubation of VNO membranes with antibodies against Galpha(q/11) blocked the production of IP(3) in a dose-dependent manner. We were also able to impair the production of IP(3) when we stimulated with 2-heptanone or 2,5-dimethylpyrazine in the presence of antibodies against the alpha subunit of G(q/11). 2-Heptanone is a known pheromone that has been linked to VIR receptors. Thus, our observations indicate that the alpha subunits of G(q/11) play a role in pheromonal signaling in the VNO.
The impact of work environment on telephone advice nursing

Telephone advice nursing (TAN) is part of a current effort to improve patient access while reducing cost and encouraging self-care. However, the environment in which TAN occurs can significantly affect both nurse and patient outcomes. This research builds on findings from a large health maintenance organization study by Valanis et al. in which questionnaires and call descriptions were used to correlate TAN nurse and caller/patient perceptions of calls at three regional sites. The survey tools were used to identify nurse perceptions of their work environments (WEs) as well as caller perceptions of using the advice service. The sample included 88 nurse questionnaires and 865 caller questionnaires. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed significant site perception differences in the WE of stress, communication, and autonomy, whereas no significant differences were noted in collegial relationships and organizational support. Each site was also determined to be a unique predictor of patient perceptions of satisfaction with the advice. Findings indicate nursing professionals act as a filter to mask stressful WE effects experienced by nurses and ensure patient outcomes thereby supporting patient satisfaction with the service.
Reflection spectroscopy by plasma-resonance enhancement.

By placing a thin layer of a metal with plasma frequency ωp upon a substrate of a second metal with a plasma frequency much greater than ωp a configuration is created that greatly enhances plasma-resonance effects upon reflectance. Sample results of calculations for films of potassium and silver deposited upon an aluminum substrate are presented. The results suggest that reflectance measurements with such composite samples may provide new information on solid-state plasma resonances as well as provide a simulation for other interactions of electromagnetic radiation with bounded plasmas.
Determination of Flow Direction of Rhyolitic Ash-Flow Tuffs from Fluidal Textures

Although mid-Tertiary calc-alkalic volcanics equal in volume and composition to major batholiths played a crucial role in the evolution of western North America, interpretations are hampered by Basin and Range faulting and subsequent erosion and sedimentation which obscure primary volcano-tectonic features. To reconstruct them, criteria for tracing volcanic formations to their source are needed. Seventy-one oriented samples were collected from the Pleistocene Bandelier Rhyolite ash-flow tuff and Battleship Rock welded tuff, which erupted from known centers in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. In each sample, orientation of elongated shards, pumice fragments and crystals was measured in thin sections cut parallel to primary layering. Lineation was pronounced and indicates a preferred orientation of microscopic or megascopic components, resulting from primary flowage. The statistical significance of results is documented by the Tukey Chi-square test and the vector method. Statistical parameters for these two techniques were calculated by Fortran IV program. Only seven samples (9 percent) indicated Chi-square values below the 90 percent confidence limit. Flow azimuth, which indicates the absolute direction of movement at any point on a flow, is determined by observing objective textural criteria in thin sections cut parallel to the dip, or in vertical sections cut parallel to the predetermined flow-lineation direction. The orientations of both equidimensional and non-equidimensional fork-shaped shards and penetration effects were found to be reliable objective criteria for determination of flow azimuth in dip-parallel sections. Imbrication, blocking effects, and orientation of spindle-shaped objects were found to be reliable objective criteria for flow azimuth determination in vertical sections. The plot of flow lineations and flow azimuths of the Bandelier Rhyolite tuff indicate flowage radially away from the Valles Caldera. Deviations from this pattern probably can be explained by influence of pre-flow topography. When applying these techniques to a region where the source of ash-flow tuffs is unknown, sampling should be carried out over a large area. More than one sample should be collected at each station to assure a flow pattern relatively free from small-scale variation.
A novel optimizing network architecture with applications

We present a novel optimizing network architecture with applications in vision, learning, pattern recognition, and combinatorial optimization. This architecture is constructed by combining the following techniques: (1) deterministic annealing, (2) self-amplification, (3) algebraic transformations, (4) clocked objectives, and (5) softassign. Deterministic annealing in conjunction with self-amplification avoids poor local minima and ensures that a vertex of the hypercube is reached. Algebraic transformations and clocked objectives help partition the relaxation into distinct phases. The problems considered have doubly stochastic matrix constraints or minor variations thereof. We introduce a new technique, softassign, which is used to satisfy this constraint. Experimental results on different problems are presented and discussed.
In defence of medical tribunals and the reasonability standard for conscientious objection in medicine

Cowley1 has recently objected to the idea of using a medical tribunal to make determinations regarding conscientious objections and has criticised using reasonability as a standard for any such tribunal. In prior work, I defend the view that in order for a conscientious objection in medicine to properly generate an exemption, the objector must state the reasons supporting the refusal and allow the grounding reasons and the objection to be subject to evaluation in terms of reasonability.2 Furthermore, I have suggested that this Reasonability View on conscientious objection can be carried out as a policy by establishing conscientious objector (CO) status within medicine; these matters could be adjudicated by a committee or tribunal similar to how determinations of military CO status are made in the USA.3 I argue that Cowley's discussion sells the idea of medical tribunals short and illustrates serious misunderstandings regarding how the reasonability standard should be deployed in practice. Cowley focuses his discussion of medical tribunals specifically on abortion in the UK. He does not aim to take a stance on the morality of abortion nor does he wish to adopt a general position on the permissibility of conscientious objection in medicine. Furthermore, he assumes that a particular provider's refusal does not interfere with a pregnant woman's access to abortion services provided by a willing practitioner. Finally, Cowley notes the lack of political debate about abortion in the UK, stating the following regarding the Abortion Law that made abortion legal: “Since the Act became law in 1967, it has been tweaked but never seriously challenged in Parliament or in the press.”4 Cowley's aim is to criticise medical tribunals as a general notion and to defend the status quo wherein providers’ objections are not scrutinised in any way, yet his treatment involves a serious …
Polarization differences in airborne ground penetrating radar performance for landmine detection

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has investigated the ultra-wideband (UWB) radar technology for detection of landmines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance, for over two decades. This paper presents a phenomenological study of the radar signature of buried landmines in realistic environments and the performance of airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in detecting these targets as a function of multiple parameters: polarization, depression angle, soil type and burial depth. The investigation is based on advanced computer models developed at ARL. The analysis includes both the signature of the targets of interest and the clutter produced by rough surface ground. Based on our numerical simulations, we conclude that low depression angles and H-H polarization offer the highest target-to-clutter ratio in the SAR images and therefore the best radar performance of all the scenarios investigated.
Analysis of Ethical Strategy in Pharmaceutical Enterprises

OBJECTIVE:To discuss the ethical behaviour in pharmaceutical enterprises from the strategic point of view.METHODS:A game model was set up as an example to illustrate the ethical baffle.The game model was strategically rethought.RESULTSCONCLUSION:The countermeasure of ethical strategy is given.
Ewing's sarcoma.

Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common primary malignant bone tumor of children. Tremendous strides in the multidisciplinary treatment of Ewing's sarcoma have been made over the past 25 years. Aggressive chemotherapy has increased the 5-year survival rates from 10% to over 70%. The role of surgery for local control has gained importance. These advances in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of Ewing's sarcoma are discussed in detail.
Structures and Types of Stigma

Stigma is a complex phenomenon described by the intersection of structures and types. In this chapter, we describe components of these structures, which largely derive from social psychological research, and types, which reflect mechanisms of stigma and mental illness. This includes a discussion of stigma as experienced by family members and more implicit forms of stigma. These constructs sometimes vary by mental illness so this chapter summarizes research in this area as well (Box 3.1).
Enabling coherent Ka-band downlink with a software-defined radio

The migration to Ka-band for science downlink on deep space missions increases data rates significantly, but also presents new challenges to radio and RF system designers. One challenge is to maintain low carrier phase noise on a coherent downlink. Thermal noise on the X-band uplink that is within the bandwidth of the carrier recovery process modulates the phase of the coherent downlink. For missions that use X-band for command uplink and Ka-band for science downlink, such as the NASA Solar Probe Plus mission, the ratio of downlink to uplink frequency acts as a phase noise multiplier on the coherent downlink. Analysis and prototype tests revealed that the additional phase noise degraded both telemetry and navigation performance significantly. Accordingly, an additional software filter is inserted into the Ka-band coherent turnaround path. This filter constrains the phase noise sufficiently to meet all communication and navigation requirements. In this paper we describe the phase noise on a coherent downlink due to additive noise that is tracked by the uplink carrier recovery process. We present simulated and measured phase noise performance, with and without the additional filter. Measured frame-error rate performance is presented and the impact on radio navigation due to increased delay through the turnaround channel is discussed. This paper describes the filter implementation and results obtained with an engineering model of the SPP Frontier Radio. A companion paper describes the analytic formulation and considers other phase noise contributions such as solar scintillation [1].
System vulnerability assessment and critical nodes identification

Three metrics are designed to assess system vulnerability.A CNI algorithm is applied to identify critical nodes in complex systems using the three metrics.Performance of the CNI algorithm is compared to other widely used CNI algorithms. Critical nodes in complex systems need to be identified for protection or removal. Removal of critical nodes decreases or minimizes a system's ability to diffuse entities such as information, goods, or diseases. Previous research suggested some vulnerability metrics, but there remains a lack of understanding how a metric changes (e.g., upper bound and lower bound) and how it is related to the structure of a complex system. This research designs three metrics to assess system vulnerability, and analyzes their characteristics over different system structures. A polynomial-time algorithm using the three metrics is developed to identify critical nodes step by step (local optima). Their performance are examined and compared to other algorithms. The three metrics designed in this article are informative and their characteristics are thoroughly analyzed for various system structures. The metrics and algorithm may be used by domain experts to effectively assess system vulnerability and identify critical nodes.
Measuring windows NT: possibilities and limitations

The majority of today's computing takes place on interactive systems that use a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Performance of these systems is unique in that "good performance" is a reflection of a user's perception. In this paper, we explain why this unique environment requires a new methodological approach. We describe a measurement/diagnostic tool currently under development and evaluate the feasibility of implementing such a tool under Windows NT. We then present several issues that must be resolved in order for Windows NT to become a popular research platform for this type of work.
Mid-IR Lasers and LEDs Using Type I and II Materials

We discuss mid-IR light emission from two different semiconductor material systems. Lasing from InAs quantum wells in InAsP matrices, as well as light emission from InSb quantum structures in InAs matrices, are demonstrated.
Analyzing Parallel Programming Models for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The last several decades have been marked by dramatic increases in the use of diagnostic medical imaging and improvements in the modalities themselves. As such, more data is being generated at an ever increasing rate. However, in the case of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) analysis and reports remain semi-quantitative, despite reported advantages of quantitative analysis (QA), due to prohibitive execution times. We present a collaborator’s QA algorithm for Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced (DCE) MRI data written in MATLAB as a case study for exploring parallel programming in MATLAB and Julia. Parallelization resulted in a 7.66x speedup in MATLAB and a 72x speedup in Julia. To the best of our knowledge, this comparison of Julia’s performance in a parallel, application-level program is novel. On the basis of these results and our experiences while programming in each language, our collaborator now prototypes in MATLAB and then ports to Julia when performance is critical.
Levodopa/carbidopa for childhood amblyopia

Purpose. To evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of two low doses of levodopa/carbidopa (25/ 6.25 mg, 50/12.5 mg) and placebo (Turns) in 20 children with amblyopia between the ages of 4 and 14 years. Methods. A double-masked placebo-controlled randomized 8-hour study was performed during which subjects received one of two doses of levodopa/carbidopa or placebo, combined with occlusion of the dominant eye. Visual acuity was measured at baseline and at 1 and 5 hours after capsule ingestion. Tolerance was assessed by questionnaire and physical examination. Results. Visual acuity significantly improved by one line, from an overall average of 20/121 to 20/96, in the amblyopic eyes of both groups that received levodopa/carbidopa. Visual acuity did not significantly change in the placebo group. Tolerance was similar among all three groups. Conclusion. Average dose levels of 0.95/0.24 mg/kg and 1.94/0.49 mg/kg of levodopa/carbidopa were found to be well tolerated and efficacious at temporarily improving visual acuity in amblyopic eyes of children. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1993;34:3090-3095.
Time-dependent borehole stability under mechanical and thermal stresses: Application to underground nuclear waste storage

A damage model has been developed to analyse the stability of a two-dimensional circular opening in rock subjected to both far-field loading and a time-dependent temperature pulse at the boundary of the opening. Time dependency in rock deformation under compression is modeled by considering an elastic body containing cracks that grow under compressive stresses due to subcritical crack growth. In order that the problem applies to the underground storage of nuclear waste at the proposed Yucca Mountain site, the thermal and mechanical properties for TSw2 tuff have been used. In addition, the far field boundary conditions in the model consider the tectonic setting at Yucca mountain, and the temperature profile is based on the placement of high level nuclear waste in a canister borehole. The damage model is initially used to determine the subcritical crack growth parameters for TSw2 tuff. Using these properties, the model is then run for 10,000 years under various scenarios of material strength, in-situ stress state, and temperature loading. It is found that under many realistic scenarios, borehole slabbing is predicted prior to 10,000 years.
Unraveling Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disorder of unknown pathogenesis hallmarked by noncaseating granulomas with multiorgan system involvement. In the United States, estimated prevalence of sarcoidosis ranges from 141.4 per 100 000 in blacks, 49.8 per 100 000 in whites, to 21.7 in Hispanics, and 18.9 in Asians.1 In a series of patients with biopsy-proven extracardiac sarcoidosis and unknown cardiac involvement, 26% seem to have cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) when assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR),2 a rate that is consistent with a published US autopsy study.3 CS may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.4 However, a more recent study suggests that increased awareness, detection, and treatment of CS may be associated with better outcomes.5 See Article by Ishiguchi et al Both fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG PET) and CMR have become pivotal in the diagnosis, monitoring, and prognostication of CS.6–8 In the largest outcomes study of patients with CS evaluated with PET, Blankstein et al6 assessed 118 consecutive patients with CS and demonstrated that presence of focal PET myocardial perfusion defects and/or 18FDG abnormality predicts patients at high risk for death or ventricular arrhythmias, with the worst outcomes noted in the group with both perfusion defects and 18FDG abnormality. Likewise, the presence of myocardial gadolinium–delayed enhancement on CMR predicts all-cause mortality and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with known or suspected CS.8 However, both techniques have their disadvantages. 18FDG PET is limited by complicated dietary preparations, variable suppression of physiological myocardial 18FDG uptake, and uncertain effects of steroids on both physiological and pathological myocardial 18FDG uptake.7 CMR is relatively contraindicated in patients with cardiac devices which are present in a substantial proportion of patients with CS and …
Introduction to Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery

Abstract Introduction to Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery is presented in lecture notes format and is suitable for a single-semester three credit hour course taken by juniors in an undergraduat...
Klippel-Feil Syndrome with Sprengel Deformity and Extensive Upper Extremity Deformity: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Introduction. Klippel–Feil syndrome (KFS) is a congenital anomaly resulting from fusion of cervical vertebral bodies secondary to the dysregulation of signaling pathways during somite development. It is commonly associated with scoliosis and Sprengel deformity. We present a case of KFS with commonly associated abnormalities as well as deformities that have not yet been reported in the literature. Case Presentation. A 3-year-old girl presented for further evaluation of a left upper extremity deformity following a negative genetic workup. Upon physical exam and radiographic imaging, the patient was diagnosed with KFS and associated abnormalities including cervical scoliosis, Sprengel deformity, and congenital deformity of the left upper extremity. Deformities of the left upper extremity include radioulnar synostosis, a four-rayed hand, and absent thenar musculature. The Sprengel deformity was corrected surgically with a Woodward procedure. Discussion. Congenital musculoskeletal deformities can be differentiated based upon spinal and limb embryology. The presence of extraspinal abnormalities not originating from somite differentiation may suggest a severe form of KFS. Important considerations in the workup of the KFS patient include looking for deformities of the shoulder girdle and upper extremities to identify abnormalities for intervention at a young age.
Congestion Pricing for Airports and for En Route Airspace

A growing number of major airports around the world are adopting demand management measures in response to increasing delays and congestion. These measures are mostly based on administrative allocation of slots through schedule co-ordination, a practice viewed by many as anti-competitive and running counter to efforts to de-regulate air transport markets. Congestion pricing can be either an alternative to administrative slot allocation or a complement to it. In this paper, we review briefly the theoretical principles of congestion pricing and discuss how recent advances based on queuing theory facilitate the resolution of some fundamental related technical issues. We then discuss practical difficulties in applying congestion pricing to airports and conclude that applications must necessarily deviate from theory by taking into consideration a number of institutional and practical constraints. We also ident the hard technical issues involved in applying dynamic congestion pricing schemes for demand management in en route airspace.
Overestimation of Sleep Latency by Patients With Suspected Hypersomnolence

The latency to sleep onset has been reported to be overestimated by chronic insomniacs. Observing that some patients evaluated for suspected hypersomnolence complain of insomnia and others fail to report that they are sleepy, we wondered whether overestimation of sleep latency could be occurring in these subjects as well. Since polysomnography (PSG) only provides one sleep onset with which to assess a patient's estimation, we investigated the use of the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) for this purpose. Among 147 patients who had an MSLT, 137 of whom had a preceding PSG, overestimation of sleep latency occurred on 78% and 74% of the respective tests. The magnitude of overestimation averaged 3 minutes and 27 minutes, respectively, and was not dependent on diagnosis. Subjects who had reported a history of difficulty falling asleep, compared to those who did not, tended to show equivalent objective sleep latencies, longer subjective nocturnal sleep latencies and less overall accuracy in their estimates. Those who denied having a problem with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) showed objective sleep latencies nearly identical to those who complained of EDS but had only a trend toward higher overestimation on the MSLT. Overestimation of sleep latency is therefore more readily part of an explanation for why hypersomnolent patients sometimes complain of insomnia than it is for failure to recognize EDS. The MSLT as well as nocturnal recordings can provide data with which to assess overestimation of sleep latency.
The effect of stapes surgery on high frequency hearing in patients with otosclerosis.

Objective: To assess the effect of stapedectomy on high frequency hearing. Study Design: A retrospective, one-group, pretest-posttest case review was performed of the audiometric data of patients who underwent stapedectomy at a tertiary referral center. Patients: Thirty-eight patients (40 ears) with primary uncomplicated surgery were selected. Twenty-two of the patients were older than 40 years. Preoperative and postoperative audiograms were analyzed. Results: Preoperative and postoperative audiograms exhibited a down-sloping configuration toward the high frequencies. Surgery resulted in a significant improvement (p < 0.05) from 500 to 4000 Hz in air conduction and 500 to 2000 Hz in bone conduction. Analysis of variance showed that age had no bearing on preoperative audiometric results (p < 0.05) for air conduction, bone conduction, and the air bone gap. Postoperatively, younger patients' 4000 to 8000 Hz (air conduction) and 4000 Hz (bone conduction) were better than those of the older patients (p < 0.05), but the high frequency range was still poorer than age-matched controls in the younger patients. Conclusion: Stapedectomy resulted in significant closure of the air bone gap between 500 to 4000 Hz, but failed to influence hearing above 4000 Hz. Age appears to be an important variable; poorer results in the high frequency range were seen in the older patients who underwent stapes surgery. These findings, together with the residual postoperative hearing loss in the high frequency range in young patients, may reflect disease-specific injury resulting from cochlear otosclerosis.
Dynamic carrying capacity of elasto-visco-plastic cylindrical shells

We consider axially-compressed thin cylindrical shells, which deform elasto-visco-plastically under high intensity external impulsive loading and in which volume damage can occur. The shell carrying capacity is determined in accordance with deformation, stability and strength criteria. Our purpose is introducing special dimensionless parameters, to obtain the relation between the geometrical sizes and the material characteristics of the shell-on one hand and the dynamic impulse parameters (amplitude and duration) on the other, when the shells lose their carrying capacity.
Cellular Functions and Fluxes of Calcium

The divalent cation, or ionized, calcium—Ca2+—is a mineral that is critical to normal human health, playing vital roles in fertilization, metabolism, blood clotting, nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, structure of the bony skeleton, and cellular communication. As covered in detail in Chapter 9, the primary dietary sources of calcium in contemporary diets are dairy products and to a lesser extent, leafy green vegetables. Dietary recommendations for calcium vary with age and pregnancy, as discussed in Chapter 8. When considering dietary sources, it is important to recognize the fact that ionized calcium is the biologically active form of the mineral and that bioavailability of calcium varies among different food groups.
Square Integrability and Uniqueness of the Solutions of the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili-I Equation

We prove that the solution of the Cauchy problem for the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili-I Equation obtained by the inverse spectral method belongs to the Sobolev space Hk(R2) for k ≥ 0, under the assumption that the initial datum is a small Schwartz function. This solution is shown to be the unique solution within a class of generalized solutions of the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili-I equation.
A model of intention to provide mental health first aid in college students

AbstractBackground: Psychologically distressed college students’ peers are often the first line of mental health support. Mental health first aid (MHFA) focuses on the quality of early intervention...
End-point modification of recombinant thrombomodulin with enhanced stability and anticoagulant activity

Thrombomodulin (TM) is an endothelial cell membrane protein that plays essential roles in controlling vascular haemostatic balance. The 4, 5, 6 EGF-like domain of TM (TM456) has cofactor activity for thrombin binding and subsequently protein C activation. Therefore, recombinant TM456 is a promising anticoagulant candidate but has a very short half-life. Ligation of poly (ethylene glycol) to a bioactive protein (PEGylation) is a practical choice to improve stability, extend circulating life, and reduce immunogenicity of the protein. Site-specific PEGylation is preferred as it could avoid the loss of protein activity resulting from nonspecific modification. We report herein two site-specific PEGylation strategies, enzymatic ligation and copper-free click chemistry (CFCC), for rTM456 modification. Recombinant TM456 with a C-terminal LPETG tag (rTM456-LPETG) was expressed in Escherichia coli for its end-point modification with NH2-diglycine-PEG5000-OMe via Sortase A-mediated ligation (SML). Similarly, an azide functionality was easily introduced at the C-terminus of rTM456-LPETG via SML with NH2-diglycine-PEG3-azide, which facilitates a site-specific PEGylation of rTM456via CFCC. Both PEGylated rTM456 conjugates retained protein C activation activity as that of rTM456. Also, they were more stable than rTM456 in Trypsin digestion assay. Further, both PEGylated rTM456 conjugates showed a concentration-dependent prolongation of thrombin clotting time (TCT) compared to non-modified protein, which confirms the effectiveness of these two site-specific PEGylation schemes.
Legislation for the Aging

□ In summary, I have outlined the needs of older blind persons for adequate income, health care, rehabilitation services, housing, and other special services. I have briefly discussed existing fede...
Customizing the Win: Demonstrating a Positive Way to Consumer Brand Attitude

AbstractIn-game advertising (IGA) is a unique opportunity for advertisers to creatively interact with engaged consumers. As there continues to be tremendous growth in the gaming industry, research ...
A molecular dynamics study of transient evaporation and condensation

Abstract We use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the transient evaporation and condensation of a pure fluid Ar in a nanochannel. In the MD model, the evaporation and condensation of fluid Ar is initiated by a sudden increase of the temperature or periodically varying the temperature in the solid substrate on one side of the nanochannel. In both cases, we find the transient evaporation and condensation rates obtained directly from MD simulations are in good agreement with the predictions from the Schrage relationships. Furthermore, our analyses show that the kinetics of the transient heat and mass transfer between the evaporating and the condensing surfaces in the nanochannel are mainly controlled by heat and mass diffusion in the vapor rather than by convection. The simulation results indicate that the Schrage relationships are capable of accurately describing the transient evaporation/condensation processes and their rates even under a high-frequency oscillatory driving force condition.
A weighted log-rank test for comparing two survival curves

This paper proposes a weighted log-rank test that maintains sensitivity to realistic alternatives of two survival curves, such as crossing curves, in the presence of heavy censoring. The new test incorporates a weight function that changes over the censoring level, increasing adaptivity and flexibility of the commonly used weighted log-rank tests. The new statistic is asymptotically normal under the null hypothesis that there is no difference in survival between two groups. The performances of the new test are evaluated via simulations under both proportional and non-proportional alternatives. We illustrate the new method with a real-world application.
Quarterly Footnote Disclosures as a Leading Indicator of Audit Risk

Using a large sample of financial statement notes obtained from XBRL data, we investigate the role of quarterly footnote disclosures as a leading audit risk indicator. Existing requirements suggest quarterly footnotes are required when information in the footnotes exhibits significant changes from the prior annual filing. Yet, assurance requirements of interim reviews are limited. If auditors promptly respond to risk indicators in quarterly filings, we expect to see an increase in annual audit quality. In contrast to this expectation, we find that the proportion of quarterly footnotes disclosed is associated with lower audit quality, as measured by restatements, material weakness errors, abnormal accruals and the receipt of comment letters. The decline in audit quality is exacerbated during busy season audits and among new auditors. Consistently, investors appear to provide a more muted reaction to earnings announced by companies with more quarterly footnote disclosures. To strengthen identification, we examine specific footnotes and observe a positive association between quarterly mergers and acquisitions and income taxes footnotes and topic-related restatements and comment letters. Our results collectively suggest that quarterly footnote disclosures serve as risk signals that appear to be insufficiently addressed in the interim review process. These findings suggest that the PCAOB should consider recommending additional audit work during the interim reviews in the presence of elevated risk.
Importance of fiber in human diet: Contribution of microbiota in human health

Abstract Dietary fiber consists of carbohydrate polymers that are not degraded by digestive enzymes in the mammalian small intestine, but that are fermented by microbiota located in the large intestine. Fermentation of dietary fiber by gut microbiota generates short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (acetic, propionic, and butyric acids), choline, phosphatidylcholine, l -carnitine, betaine, and trimethylamine, while minor bioactive molecules include tryptophan, indole, hydrogen peroxide, γ-butyrobetaine, and crotono-betaine. These bioactive products enter the circulation and modulate circulatory system homeostasis. In addition, fermentation of fiber by gut microbiota promotes metabolic effects on human body weight via glucose control and induction of intestinal gluconeogenesis. Dietary fiber produces satiation, a process that leads to meal termination.
Investigating the roles of magmatic volatiles, ground ice and impact-triggering on a very recent and highly explosive volcanic eruption on Mars

Abstract Volcanic activity on Mars has been dominantly effusive. The existence of a young (∼0.05-1 Ma) and well-preserved possible pyroclastic deposit along a segment of the Cerberus Fossae fissures, overlying the effusive lava flows making up the bulk of Elysium Planitia, provides the motivation and opportunity to explore the dynamics of explosive volcanic eruptions on Mars. Here we investigate the subsurface magmatic processes that may have led to magma fragmentation and the explosivity of the eruption forming the deposit. Using numerical models of magma ascent in a volcanic fissure, we show that the dissolved magmatic water with or without suspended crystals is capable of driving the inferred explosive magma fragmentation and the formation of the deposit. We also explore an alternative eruption scenario and show that an intruded dike explosively interacting with melted ground ice might also have generated the deposit. The close proximity of the proposed pyroclastic deposit (15-35 km) to the similarly aged Zunil impact crater suggests the possibility of an impact-triggered volcanic eruption scenario. Using scaling analysis, we find that the high seismic energy density associated with the impact may have been sufficient to trigger a volcanic eruption if a magma chamber was present in the subsurface. These findings have implications for the generation of similar explosive eruptions on Mars and other bodies, as well as the possibility of ongoing magmatic activity on Mars.
Backlash: Race, Sexuality, and American Conservatism

At the 2008 Republican National Convention, at least one vendor sold buttons asking, "If Obama is President. . . will we still call it the White House?"1 For critics of conservatism, the button was just one more reminder that the Republicans are the party of white racism. Starting with the 1964 Presidential campaign and continuing with the campaigns and administrations of Nixon and Reagan, Republicans have ridden a racial backlash among Southern voters to political dominance. According to Thomas Byrne Edsall and Mary D. Edsall, Democratic Party support for civil rights was the chief factor that drove Southern Democratic voters into the Republican column and smashed the New Deal.2 Without white
When is the Incentive Problem Real

The incentive problem or “free rider” problem has been with us for quite some time. Finding its roots in the work of Wicksell [1896] and Lindahl [1964], its modern formulation dates back to Samuelson’s [1954] classic article “The Pure Theory of Public Expenditure.” In that article, Samuelson first derives the Pareto-optimal conditions determining the societally optimal level of public good provision but then despairs over ever being able to achieve such a social state through market institutions. He states: However no decentralized policy system can serve to determine optimally these levels of collective consumption. Other kinds of “voting” or “signalling” would have to be tried. But, and this is the point sensed by Wicksell but perhaps not fully appreciated by Lindahl, now it is in the selfish interest of each person to give false signals, to pretend to have less interest in a given collective consumption activity than he really has, etc...
The Derailed Guidance Receptor Does Not Require Kinase Activity In Vivo

The Drosophila Derailed (DRL) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) controls key guidance events in the developing nervous system and mesoderm. Like other members of the "related to tyrosine kinases" (RYK) subfamily of RTKs, DRL has several highly unusual amino acid substitutions within the catalytic domain, raising the possibility that members of this subfamily are catalytically inactive. To test the role of DRL kinase activity in vivo, we mutated the invariant lysine required for catalytic activity of known kinases and examined the ability of this mutant to function in two assays: a dominant gain-of-function axon switch assay in the nervous system and phenotypic rescue of muscle attachment in drl mutants. We show that this predicted kinase-deficient DRL mutant is capable of functioning in both assays. Our results indicate that DRL does not require kinase activity in vivo and suggest that members of the RYK subfamily of RTKs transduce signals unconventionally.
Cell surface interactions with concanavalin A. Location of bound radiolabeled lectin

Abstract We have developed two improved methods: (1) a procedure for coupling 125 Iodine to ConcanavalinA (ConA) that yields intensely labeled and fully active lectin; (2) a procedure that allows studies of lectin binding to be carried out with a minimum of non-specific binding to reaction vessels. We found that BALB/c 3T3 cells, SV3T3 cells, and human red blood cells have 1.3 × 10 7 , 1.5 × 10 7 , and 2.2 × 10 6 ConA binding sites/cell. More than 99.5% of the radioactivity in the samples counted was associated with the cells; background radioactivity, in the absence of cells, was negligible. We also found that although α-methylmannopyranoside (α-MM) prevented almost all of the ConA from binding to cells, when ConA had first been allowed to bind, α-MM removed only 60 to 80% of the bound ConA. In addition, even after the removal of a portion of bound lectin by α-MM, most, if not all, of the remaining cell-associated ConA was coupled to the plasma membrane.