cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pegasus: a spoken language interface for on-line air travel planning

This paper describes PEGASUS, a spoken language interface for on-line air travel planning that we have recently developed. PEGASUS leverages off our spoken language technology development in the ATIS domain, and enables users to book flights using the American Airlines EAASY SABRE system. The input query is transformed by the speech understanding system to a frame representation that captures its meaning. The tasks of the System Manager include transforming the semantic representation into an EAASY SABRE command, transmitting it to the application backend, formatting and interpreting the resulting information, and managing the dialogue. Preliminary evaluation results suggest that users can learn to make productive use of PEGASUS for travel planning, although much work remains to be done.
Thoracic Night Lights: The Residency

It is a great privilege for me to address you as the 40th President of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA). For the past 20 years of the Association, Sharon and I have cherished the camaraderie and esprit de corps that have traditionally characterized the Southern Thoracic. It is here that we renew many of our closest friendshipsand take pride in the remarkable clinical and scientific accomplishments of these good friends. For our Association has a clear purpose: as stated in the constitution, to disseminate knowledge and information and to stimulate progress in the field of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. I am also convinced that the scholarship and fraternal character of the STSA are both profoundly affected by the heritage of excellence provided by our Southern Thoracic Residency Training Programs. In my view, thoracic educational programs in the southern region have become particularly effective, and I am indebted to Dr Benson Wilcox for revealing both the unique and similar qualities of the excellent residency program at the University of North Carolina [ l ] . Although often a continuation of the learning process established during the residency, contributions to the scientific life of our association, of course, come not only from the extant resources of the university programs but also from the practicing alumni of those programs. The prevalence of our trainees in the roster of the STSA and the quality of
KINETICS OF SILICON‐LIMITED GROWTH IN THE FRESHWATER DIATOM ASTERIONELLA FORMOSA1,2

SUMMARY Growth rates of two clones of the freshwater planktonic diatom Asterionella formosa Hass. were measured under conditions in which external silicon concentrations controlled growth. Clone AfOH2 from Lake Ohrid, Yugoslavia, had a higher maximum growth rate (μmax= 1.11 doublings/day) and apparent half-saturation constant (Ksi] + Sio= 1.93 μM Si) than clone L262 from Lake Windermere, England. (μmax= 0.61 doublings/day; Ksi+ Sio= 1.09 μM Si). Klim, the silicon concentration at μ= 0.9 μmax, is 13.8 μM Si for clone AfOH2 and 6.5 μM Si for clone L262. These values agree well with published field observations showing A. formosa populations decreasing below 0.5 mg/l SiO2 (= 8.4 μM Si). Calculations of yield gave a range of 0.5–1.5 μM Si/106 cells for clone AfOH2 and 0.6–1.9 μM Si/106 cells for clone L262.
A stomatal resistance model illustrating plant vs. external control of transpiration

Abstract A stomatal resistance model is proposed that is specifically designed for use within atmospheric boundary layer models. Stomatal resistance is expressed as a product of linear discontinuous functions of leaf water potential and solar flux; vapor pressure deficit is included indirectly by allowing for a gradient of leaf water potential between the surface and the interior of the leaf. An important assumption is that stomatal resistance increases sharply beyond a critical value of leaf water potential and/or critical solar flux. The model is able to simulate a transpiration plateau; this plateau may occur because of high atmospheric demand and/or a limitation in soil water.
Worldly Perspectives: Egypt

A new monthly column looks at business ADR in countries around the world. Designed for international practitioners who may be doing business “over there,” Giuseppe De Palo of Rome, and Mary B. Trevor, of St. Paul, Minn., analyze the state of commercial conflict resolution, going beyond the default international arbitration practices, to the potential for true alternatives with cost savings and better results. The column opens this month in Egypt, with more Middle East later this quarter.
Rotordynamic Characteristics of a Five Pad, Rocker-Pivot, Tilting Pad Bearing in a Load-on-Pad Configuration; Comparisons to Predictions and Load-Between-Pad Results

Rotordynamic data are presented for a rocker-pivot tilting-pad bearing in load-on-pad (LOP) configuration for (345–3101 kPa) unit loads and speeds from 4k to 13k rpm. The bearing was direct lubricated through a leading-edge groove with 5 pads, .282 preload, 60% offset, 57.87° pad arc angle, 101.587 mm (3.9995 in) rotor diameter, 0.1575 mm (.0062 in) diametral clearance, and 60.325 mm (2.375 in) pad length. Measured results were reported for this bearing by Carter and Childs in 2008 in the load-between-pad (LBP) configuration. Results for the LOP are compared to predictions from a bulk-flow Navier-Stokes model (as utilized by San Andres in 1991) and to the prior LBP results. Frequency effects on the dynamic-stiffness coefficients were investigated by applying dynamic-force excitation over a range of excitation frequencies. Generally, the direct real parts of the dynamic-stiffness coefficients could be modeled as quadratic functions of the excitation frequency and accounted for by adding a mass matrix to the conventional [K][C] model to produce a frequency-independent [K][C][M] model. Measured added mass terms in the loaded direction approached 60 kg. The static load direction in the tests was y. The direct-stiffness coefficients Kyy and Kxx depend strongly on the applied unit load, more so than speed. They generally increased linearly with load, shifting to a quadratic dependence at higher unit loads. At lower unit loads, Kyy and Kxx increase monotonically with running speed. The experimental results were compared to predictions from a bulk-flow CFD analysis. Stiffness orthotropy was apparent in test results, significantly more than predicted, and it became more pronounced at the heavier unit loads. Measured Kyy values were consistently higher than predicted, and measured Kxx values were lower. Comparing the LOP results to prior measured LBP results for the same bearing, at higher loads, Kyy is significantly larger for the LOP configuration than LBP. Measured values for Kxx are about the same for LOP and LBP. At low unit loads, stiffness orthotropy defined as Kyy / Kxx is the same for LOP and LBP, progressively increasing with increasing unit loads. At the highest unit load, Kyy / Kxx = 2.1 for LOP and 1.7 for LBP. Measured direct damping coefficients Cxx and Cyy were insensitive to changes in either load or speed in contrast to predictions of marked Cyy sensitivity for changes in the load. Only at the highest test speed of 13 krpm were the direct damping coefficients adequately predicted. No frequency dependency was observed for the direct damping coefficients.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Visualization and assessment of VOCAR propagation conditions

Using data from the Variability of Coastal Atmospheric Refractivity (VOCAR) experiment, forecasts of near-coastal propagation conditions from a mesoscale weather prediction model are coupled to a range dependent propagation model. Various visualization techniques are used to investigate the results. Visualizations of both coastal meteorological features and their impacts on radio propagation have been made into a short video. Results show the natural variability of the propagation conditions during VOCAR and demonstrate the feasibility of such a coupled system for propagation assessment. >
Use of the brief psychiatric rating scale as a predictor of psychiatric admission for non-suicidal patients

Objective We hypothesized that a systematic determination of symptom severity would predict psychiatric admission for non-suicidal patients referred for a psychiatric evaluation in an urban emergency department (ED) setting. Method In a pilot study involving consecutive patients referred for a psychiatric evaluation in an urban ED, symptom severity was quantified using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). The BPRS scores of all non-suicidal patients were subjected to receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff score of the BPRS in predicting admission for non-suicidal patients. Results A BPRS cutoff score of 39 had a sensitivity of 85.71 percent and a specificity of 86.11 percent. The area under the ROC curve was .8671 (Somer's D = .7342) and the standard error of the curve was .1124. The cutoff score of 39 correctly identified six of seven non-suicidal patients who were hospitalized. Conclusions It is anticipated that use of the BPRS in the ED will be further refined when a larger patient sample is studied. Potentially, a subset of BPRS items could be identified which would be more sensitive in predicting admission than the full BPRS and increase the overall efficiency of administering the BPRS in the ED.
Isotonic Solutions IX: The Permeability of Red Corpuscles to Some Monohydric- and Polyhydhc Alcohols

The degree of hemolysis of rabbit and human erythrocytes in solutions of a series of monohydric and polyhydric alcohols was investigated. When possible, these data were used to calculate van't Hoff i values. The monohydric and polyhydric alcohols which had a molecular weight less than that of erythritol caused complete hemolysis in concentrations calculated to be isosmotic. Certain concentrations of the monohydric alcohols caused hemolysis even in the presence of 0.6 per cent (0.1 M ) sodium chloride. The low molecular weight diols and triol investigated did not cause hemolsis in the presence of 0.6 per cent sodium chloride. The olyhydric alcohols of higher molecular weight prevented hemolysis. It appeared that the phenomena occurring at the erythrocyte membrane in the case of the alcohols might be influenced by molecular weight and the number of hydroxyl groups present; the ratio of hydroxyl groups to the number of carbon atoms in the molecule might be important.
Energy conversion and high power pulse production using miniature magnetic flux compressors

The design, construction, and testing of miniature, high-power magnetic flux compressors are presented and discussed. The magnetic flux compressors are located inside high-speed, 30-mm projectiles that are launched with a high-pressure helium gun to velocities of approximately 300 m/s. The large deceleration force created when the projectile impacts the ground is used to power the magnetic flux compressor. Initial magnetic flux compressor currents of 200 mA are amplified up to 230 times to reach a peak current approaching 50 A. The output peak power is on the order of 3.5 kW into a 1-/spl Omega/ load with a pulse length of 100 to 150 /spl mu/s. Good agreement exists between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions for peak output current.
Overlapping batch quantiles

We show that although overlapping batch quantiles (OBQ) is asymptotically very similar to overlapping batch means, its performance for finite sample sizes is not. We show that the bias, the variance and the mean-squared-error of OBQ are not smooth functions of the batch size but rather cyclic. The cyclic behavior of OBQ depends on the marginal distribution, the point estimator of quantiles and the autocorrelation function and it diminishes with the sample size. We conclude that very large sample sizes and batch sizes are needed to obtain reliable standard error estimators when using OBQ, even for independently and identically distributed data.
Quality Improvement Strategies for Children With Asthma: A Systematic Review

Objective To evaluate the evidence that quality improvement (QI) strategies can improve the processes and outcomes of outpatient pediatric asthma care. Data Sources Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group database (January 1966 to April 2006), MEDLINE (January 1966 to April 2006), Cochrane Consumers and Communication Group database (January 1966 to May 2006), and bibliographies of retrieved articles. Study Selection Randomized controlled trials, controlled before-after trials, or interrupted time series trials of English-language QI evaluations. Interventions Must have included 1 or more QI strategies for the outpatient management of children with asthma. Main Outcome Measures Clinical status (eg, spirometric measures); functional status (eg, days lost from school); and health services use (eg, hospital admissions). Results Seventy-nine studies met inclusion criteria: 69 included at least some component of patient education, self-monitoring, or self-management; 13 included some component of organizational change; and 7 included provider education. Self-management interventions increased symptom-free days by approximately 10 days/y ( P = .02) and reduced school absenteeism by about 0.1 day/mo ( P = .03). Interventions of provider education and those that incorporated organizational changes were likely to report improvements in medication use. Quality improvement interventions that provided multiple educational sessions, had longer durations, and used combinations of instructional modalities were more likely to result in improvements for patients than interventions lacking these characteristics. Conclusions A variety of QI interventions improve the outcomes and processes of care for children with asthma. Use of similar outcome measures and thorough descriptions of interventions would advance the study of QI for pediatric asthma care.
Interrogating the Trope of the Door in Multicultural Education: Framing Diplomatic Relations to Indigenous Political and Legal Difference.

In this essay Troy Richardson works to develop a conceptual framework and set of terms by which a diplomatic reception of different forms of law can be developed in multicultural education. Taking up the trope of the door in multiculturalist discourse as a site in which a welcoming of the difference of others is organized, Richardson interrogates the complex nature of receptivity to Indigenous customary law, in particular. He argues that, within this trope, a metonymic structure operates in relation to the deployment of “policy” that maintains a perspective of customary law as premodern and primitive. This structure leads to an impoverished set of terms and a lack of diplomacy toward difference. Richardson proceeds by considering the notion of extraterritoriality and the metonyms that organize Emmanuel Levinas's discourse of “doors” in conceptualizing a welcoming receptivity. The term “extraterritoriality” anticipates the law of the other as it approaches the door and implies a diplomatic moment of reception of such difference. Richardson concludes by highlighting Jacques Derrida's evaluation of Levinas's discourse of receptivity and by considering the possibilities for a diplomatic engagement with the laws of others toward a mutation in the current geopolitical moment.
Structural outer rim of Chesapeake Bay impact crater: Seismic and bore hole evidence

— Nine seismic-reflection profiles and four continuous core holes define the gross structural and stratigraphic framework of the outer rim of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater. The rim is manifested as a 90 km diameter ring of terraced normal-fault blocks, which forms a ∼320 m–1200 m high rim escarpment. The top of the rim escarpment is covered by a 20 m–30 m thick ejecta blanket. The escarpment encircles a flat-floored annular trough, which is partly filled with an ∼250 m thick breccia lens (Exmore breccia). The Exmore breccia overlies a 200 m–800 m thick interval of slumped sedimentary megablocks, which, in turn, rests on crystalline basement rocks. All postimpact strata (upper Eocene to Quaternary) sag structurally into the annular trough, and most units also thicken as they cross the rim into the crater. Postimpact compaction and subsidence of the Exmore breccia have created extensive normal faulting in overlying strata.
Microstructure of Turbulence in the Stably Stratified Boundary Layer

The microstructure of a stably stratified boundary layer, with a significant low-level nocturnal jet, is investigated based on observations from the CASES-99 campaign in Kansas, U.S.A. The reported, high-resolution vertical profiles of the temperature, wind speed, wind direction, pressure, and the turbulent dissipation rate, were collected under nocturnal conditions on October 14, 1999, using the CIRES Tethered Lifting System. Two methods for evaluating instantaneous (1-sec) background profiles are applied to the raw data. The background potential temperature is calculated using the “bubble sort” algorithm to produce a monotonically increasing potential temperature with increasing height. Other scalar quantities are smoothed using a running vertical average. The behaviour of background flow, buoyant overturns, turbulent fluctuations, and their respective histograms are presented. Ratios of the considered length scales and the Ozmidov scale are nearly constant with height, a fact that can be applied in practice for estimating instantaneous profiles of the dissipation rate.
Soybean canopy formation effects on pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa), common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), and sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) emergence

Abstract Field studies were conducted in 2002 and 2003 to determine whether canopy formation influences pitted morningglory, common cocklebur, and sicklepod emergence in surface-tilled soybean. Each weed species was broadcast seeded before planting soybean in 19- and 97-cm-wide rows. Weed emergence beneath soybean was monitored after soybean emergence and compared with weed emergence in the absence of soybean (bareground treatment). Magnitude of daily diurnal soil temperature fluctuations diminished after soybean canopy formation, and light interception by soybean was positively related to the reduction in soil temperature. Canopy formation (50% light interception) occurred 16 to 17 d later in wide compared with narrow rows in both years. The red/far-red ratio of light available to seed on or near the soil surface was reduced from as much as 1.2 in full sunlight to less than 0.1 in the presence of a dense soybean canopy. Pitted morningglory emergence was not influenced by soybean canopy formation, whereas...
A stroke feature distribution scheme for the recognition of alphanumeric characters

A stroke feature distribution method is used to develop a scheme for the recognition of alphanumeric characters. The algorithm uses a gray-level image of the character as input. The image is normalized. The feature used is stroke length. The stroke feature vector is calculated at each point and averaged over image subdivisions which are equal in area. The results obtained for preclassification and for test sets of data are shown. All the algorithms were implemented in C on a MicroVax II workstation equipped with a high-resolution data translation image processing board. >
Simulation of a three-dimensional semiconductor device

In recent years, semiconductor manufacturers have been able to steadily reduce the physical area required by devices, thus alllowing an increasing number of circuit functions on a single chip. Smaller semiconductor devices require more detailed and accurate analysis because minor errors can degrade their performance substantially. A new, completely numerical, three-dimensional model of a MOSFET allows a unified treatment of small devices. Preliminary results show that device size affects the surface potential and threshold voltage. Classical theory does not predict these effects. Although the model currently converges slowly, it can still be a useful tool in analyzing new small-geometry devices.
Influence of Diet-Mediated Maternal Thyroid Alterations on Functional Properties of Turkey Eggs

Maternal thyroid status was altered by means of diet to determine its effect on functional properties of turkey eggshells. Hens were fed a control diet (CON), the CON diet containing .5 ppm triiodothyronine (T3), the CON diet containing 2.1 ppm iodine as potassium iodide (KI) or the CON diet containing .1% thiouracil (THIO). Feeding T3 decreased plasma thyroxine but elevated plasma T3 concentrations compared to CON. The KI diet had no effect on plasma thyroid hormone concentrations, but feeding THIO depressed plasma thyroxine with no effect on T3, resulting in an elevated ratio of the two hormones compared to the CON ratio. Feeding KI decreased egg volume and T3 increased egg density compared to CON, but no effects on egg weight, surface area, width, or length were noted. Dietary T3 depressed eggshell water vapor conductance compared to CON. Dietary iodine resulted in thinner eggshells with fewer pores than the CON, whereas THIO caused significantly more pores in eggshells than CON but had no effects on shell thickness. Dietary KI had no effects on maternal plasma thyroid hormone concentrations, suggesting that the effects were due to iodine availability rather than to thyroid hormones. It is concluded that the availability of iodine to turkey breeder hens may influence eggshell characteristics.
Output-based method of applying PESQ to measure the perceptual quality of framed speech signals

A well-known objective method of speech quality measurement is the ITU-T P.862 PESQ. This input/output-based method of perceptual quality evaluation operates on a transmitted (input) and received (output) speech signal to compute an objective perceptual quality score for the received signal. In this paper, we present F-PESQ, a novel output-based method of applying PESQ to received speech signals assumed to be coded in a framed format. It enables the application of PESQ to voice calls in networks without requiring knowledge of the transmitted signals. As such, it may be applied in vivo to voice calls at end-devices. The accuracy of F-PESQ is evaluated with analysis and simulations of frame loss with G.711, G.723, and G.729 codecs. A client/server architecture is presented for minimizing the computational requirements that F-PESQ imposes on end-devices. We also show how F-PESQ can be combined with the ITU-T G.I 07 E-model in a MOSC (conversational mean opinion score) measurement method that accounts for additional factors such as round-trip delay.
Chronic eosinophilic perimyositis with persistent myalgias

A 43-year-old man with an 8-year history of hypereosinophilia was evaluated for persistent muscle pain. Methotrexate and corticosteroids were ineffective. Examination, limited by pain even with passive motion, showed only mild weakness. Electromyography and muscle enzymes were normal. A needle muscle biopsy specimen revealed eosinophilic perimyositis. This case illustrates that the diagnosis of eosinophilic perimyositis requires histopathological evaluation, which should be pursued in patients with eosinophilia and persistent myalgia despite normal electromyography and muscle enzymes.
Sparse iterative algorithm software for large-scale MIMD machines: an initial discussion and implementation

The parallelization of sophisticated applications has dramatically increased in recent years. As machine capabilities rise, greater emphasis on modeling complex phenomena can be expected. Many of these applications require the solution of large sparse matrix equations which approximate systems of partial differential equations (PDEs). Therefore we consider parallel iterative solvers for large sparse non-symmetric systems and issues related to parallel sparse matrix software. We describe a collection of parallel iterative solvers which use a distributed sparse matrix format that facilitates the interface between specific applications and a variety of Krylov subspace techniques and multigrid methods. These methods have been used to solve a number of linear and non-linear PDE problems on a 1024-processor NCUBE 2 hypercube. Over 1 Gflop sustained computation rates are achieved with many of these solvers, demonstrating that high performance can be attained even when using sparse matrix data structures.
The death of a parent: Its impact on middle-aged sons and daughters

Coming to terms with finitude is the central task of mid-life. The death of a parent of middle-aged sons and daughters intensifies that crisis in three ways: being without a parent is like being a middle-aged orphan; the death of one or both parents may finally make autonomy possible; when the last parent dies, death seems closer because the buffer is gone. Pastoral theological implications of this thesis are explored.
Regulation of Sertoli Cell Function by Thyrotropin

The effects of FSH on Sertoli cells are well documented; however, only recently has TSH been directly implicated in reproductive function. The purpose of this investigation was to test the effects of TSH on androgen binding protein (ASP) and plasminogen activator (PA) secretion by cultured rat Sertoli cells. The results of this investigation demonstrate similar dose-response patterns of ABP secretion with rat FSH and TSH, and human, ovine, and bovine TSH. No effect was observed with rat LH when used in identical doses. Rat TSH and FSH also stimulated PA secretion, but no similar effect was observed with rat LH. These finding further support the hypothesis that TSH has a direct role in male reproductive function, and indicate that Sertoli cells are the primary testicular site of action for this hormone.
Effect of Solar Particle Event Radiation on Gastrointestinal Tract Bacterial Translocation and Immune Activation

Space flight conditions within the protection of Earth's gravitational field have been shown to alter immune responses, which could lead to potentially detrimental pathology. An additional risk of extended space travel outside the Earth's gravitational field is the effect of solar particle event (SPE) radiation exposure on the immune system. Organisms that could lead to infection include endogenous, latent viruses, colonizing pathogenics, and commensals, as well as exogenous microbes present in the spacecraft or other astronauts. In this report, the effect of SPE-like radiation on containment of commensal bacteria and the innate immune response induced by its breakdown was investigated at the radiation energies, doses and dose rates expected during an extravehicular excursion outside the Earth's gravitational field. A transient increase in serum lipopolysaccharide was observed 1 day after irradiation and was accompanied by an increase in acute-phase reactants and circulating proinflammatory cytokines, ind...
Secondary prevention of hyperlipidemia after coronary artery bypass graft: from acute care to primary care.

• BACKGROUND Clinical trials have established that secondary prevention of hyperlipidemia in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery prevents progression of atherosclerosis. A multidisciplinary team promotes secondary prevention by prescribing antihyperlipidemic agents, screening for risk factors, and providing education on disease, diet, and medications. Information is minimal on the number of patients who continue with antihyperlipidemic therapy or follow-up with a primary care provider for cholesterol management after antihyperlipidemic therapy is initiated in an acute surgical setting. • OBJECTIVES To determine (1) the frequency of use of antihyperlipidemic agents before CABG surgery, at hospital discharge, and approximately 9 months after discharge and (2) the occurrence of cholesterol monitoring by a primary care provider at least once between discharge and telephone follow-up. • METHODS Observational study of 135 patients undergoing CABG surgery at a regional medical center during a 4-month period. Patients were contacted by telephone between 5 and 12 months after discharge and asked about continued use of antihyperlipidemic agents and cholesterol monitoring since discharge. • RESULTS Before surgery, 56% of the patients were taking an antihyperlipidemic agent. At discharge, 95% were taking an antihyperlipidemic agent. At the time of study follow-up, 91% were still taking an antihyperlipidemic agent, and 84% had follow-up cholesterol monitoring by their primary care provider. • CONCLUSION Initiation of an antihyperlipidemic agent and provision of education during hospitalization for CABG surgery results in a high percentage of patients continuing antihyperlipidemic therapy and having cholesterol levels monitored by their primary care provider after discharge. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2004;13:411-415)
From immunogenetic polymorphism to functional antitumor lymphocyte mitochondrial dynamics

Meeting abstracts The major histocompatibility complex and the leukocyte receptor complex are the two most polymorphic regions of the immune genome. Individuals with increasingly diverse repertoires of MHC class-I molecules have a greater potential for their natural killer (NK) cells to be more
Gladwellian Taxation: Deterring Tax Abuse Through General Anti-Avoidance Rules

To reduce tax evasion, most nations use either common law anti-abuse doctrines, statutes, administrative rules, or a combination of the three. None of them have worked fully, and, given human nature, it is unlikely that anything will ever work fully. However, as this Article will outline, some solutions are more effective than others. This Article will propose a blended solution, using the concept of power-law distributions and their extension into social science. The first Section of this Article defines tax abuse and avoidance, distinguishing the two terms. The next Section details general anti-avoidance rules (GAARs), highlighting their flaws and strengths. It explains the history of one of the world's oldest GAARs, the Canadian GAAR. Finally, this Article will propose a new system, arguing that any true attack on tax avoidance or abuse must be aimed at the tax avoidance mentality, not the tax shelter de jour. I refer to this new system as the "GAAR-plus." It is a system of targeted cooperative enforcement, where taxpayers designated as "chronic tax avoiders," will work with IRS agents both prior to and after transactions, in an effort to alter the chronic tax avoidance mentality. The GAAR-plus system is based on prior Treasury success with cooperative enforcement, but draws heavily upon Malcolm Gladwell's writings on power law distributions for inspiration. Tax shelters run in fads; an outlawed fad may vanish but the desire to reduce one’s tax bill has not been managed in the slightest.
One step closer to shining light in humans

Optogenetics is an elegant method in which specific, genetically tagged brain neurons are activated by light delivered through optical fibers in living, freely moving animals. This method has accelerated our understanding of brain function and behavior in rodents. In extending the method to nonhuman
URBAN POPULATION SPACING ANALYSIS

Spacing analysis is introduced as a supplement or alternative to the traditional density gradient analysis for urban areas. Weaknesses in the use of the natural loglinear model of density are outlined. The spacing analysis is based on a second-order approach to spatial statistics. As an example, the population of Des Moines for the period 1960-1980 is analyzed. Results reveal that spacing analysis avoids many of the problems inherent in traditional density gradient analysis.
The intended and unintended consequences of quality improvement interventions for small practices in a community-based electronic health record implementation project.

BACKGROUND Despite the rapid rise in the implementation of electronic health records (EHR), commensurate improvements in health care quality have not been consistently observed. OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether the implementation of EHRs and complementary interventions-including clinical decision support, technical assistance, and financial incentives-improved quality of care. RESEARCH DESIGN The study included 143 practices that implemented EHRs as part of the Primary Care Information Project-a long-standing community-based EHR implementation initiative. A total of 71 practices were randomized to receive financial incentives and quality feedback and 72 were randomized to feedback alone. All practices received technical assistance and had clinical decision support in their EHR. Using data from 2009 to 2011, we estimated measure-level fixed effects models to evaluate the association between exposure to clinical decision support, technical assistance, financial incentives, and quality of care. Associations were estimated separately for 4 cardiovascular measures that were rewarded by the financial incentive program and 4 measures that were not rewarded by incentives. RESULTS Financial incentives for quality were consistently associated with higher performance for the incentivized measures [+10.1 percentage points at 18 mo of exposure (approximately +22%), P<0.05] and lower performance for the unincentivized measures [-8.3 percentage points at 12 mo of exposure (approximately -20%), P<0.05]. Technical assistance was associated with higher quality for the unincentivized measures, but not for the incentivized measures. CONCLUSIONS Technical assistance and financial incentives-alongside EHR implementation-can improve quality of care. Financial incentives for quality may not result in similar improvements for incentivized and unincentivized measures.
Literacy Contact Zones: A Framework for Research

Contact zones are useful for literacy research because they foreground the contexts that recent decades of literacy studies scholarship have deemed essential: history, orality, language difference, and power, with an emphasis on interaction rather than divides. While literacy studies has demonstrated the importance of these contexts for understanding literacy, there is not yet a model that organizes them into a framework for research. Compositionists have paved the way for understanding contact zones not just as spaces to observe and describe but also as spaces in which challenging learning and instruction can occur. In a contact zone, different languages interact through writing, reading, speech, and other expressions because of historical circumstances and with greater and lesser privileges afforded to them on account of these historical circumstances. A literacy contact zone approach calls for researchers to account for the oral, linguistic, historical, and differential power contexts for the literacy phenomenon under investigation.
Toward a Noncommutative Arithmetic-geometric Mean Inequality: Conjectures, Case-studies, and Consequences

Randomized algorithms that base iteration-level decisions on samples from some pool are ubiquitous in machine learning and optimization. Examples include stochastic gradient descent and randomized coordinate descent. This paper makes progress at theoretically evaluating the difference in performance between sampling withand without-replacement in such algorithms. Focusing on least means squares optimization, we formulate a noncommutative arithmetic-geometric mean inequality that would prove that the expected convergence rate of without-replacement sampling is faster than that of with-replacement sampling. We demonstrate that this inequality holds for many classes of random matrices and for some pathological examples as well. We provide a deterministic worst-case bound on the gap between the discrepancy between the two sampling models, and explore some of the impediments to proving this inequality in full generality. We detail the consequences of this inequality for stochastic gradient descent and the randomized Kaczmarz algorithm for solving linear systems.
Tracheoesophageal fistulas secondary to carcinoma of the esophagus

The survival of 25 patients seen at the Medical University of South Carolina with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) secondary to primary carcinoma of the esophagus is analyzed. A history of irradiation to the fistulous area did not correlate with worse prognosis in this group when compared to those who had no prior irradiation. Aggressive therapy, when possible, was associated with longer survival.
Can Cross-Listing Mitigate the Impact of an Information Security Breach Announcement on a Firm's Values?

The increase in globalization in the markets has driven firms to adopt online technologies and to cross-list their stocks. Recent studies have consistently found that the announcements of information security breaches (ISBs) are negatively associated with the market values of the announcing firms during the days surrounding the breach announcements. Given the improvement in firms' information environments and the better protection for investors generated by cross-listing, does cross-listing help firms to reduce the negative impacts caused by their announcements of ISBs? This paper conducts an event study of 120 publicly traded firms (among which 25 cross-list and 95 do not), in order to explore the answer. The results indicate that the impact of ISB announcements on a firm's stock prices shows no difference between cross-listing firms and non-cross-listing firms. Cross-listing does not mitigate the impact of ISBs announcement on a firm's market value.
Predicting Concentration Profiles in Open Channels

A steady state two-dimensional conservation of mass equation is solved numerically in order to describe the process of vertical mass transfer for both neutrally buoyant liquid and suspended sediment particles in an open channel flow. The relevancy of the equation is illustrated by comparing its solution with laboratory data obtained from experiments conducted in a large flume. The solution is then used to graphically illustrate the effects of various hydraulic parameters on mass transfer. Parameters investigated include the velocity distribution, the magnitude and distribution of the turbulent mass transfer coefficient, the particle fall velocity and the boundary conditions at the channel bed. The solutions indicate that the fall velocity controls the rate of descent of the dispersant mass but has little effect on the rate of spread of the dispersant. Conversely, the transfer coefficient controls the rate of spread of the dispersant but has little effect on its rate of descent. The most striking conclusion drawn from this study is that the dispersant distribution is not very sensitive to the distribution of the turbulent mass transfer coefficient.
Diazepam for Febrile Seizures

The efficacy and side effects of intermittent oral diazepam for the prevention of febrile seizure recurrence were investigated in the Departments of Clinical Pharmacology, Neurosurgery, and Biostatistics, University of Tours, France.
A Safe, Stable Place to Call Home: Policy Implications and Next Steps to Address Family Homelessness

This chapter gives an overview of federal policy efforts in the USA to combat child and family homelessness. Policy-relevant findings from the five empirical pieces in the special issue are noted. Highlights include the importance of addressing: improved assessment practices at shelter entry; multiple perspectives in assessing child needs and tailoring interventions; parenting—and thus parenting interventions—as a mediator of child adaptation; the role of community collaborations between housing and family-serving agencies; and, the linkage of families to appropriate—and often scarce—services, including early childhood programs for families with young children. Policy and practice resources and recommendations are presented to guide future efforts to improve outcomes for children and families who experience or at risk for homelessness
Art Medium Too: Avatar, Art, and Assemblages

This article looks at the connections between avatars and art and proposes avatars as an art medium and the assembling or creating of avatars as an art-making process. The term assembling is used to indicate that avatars are assemblages in that they are combinations of representations (images), and the process of constructing an avatar involves putting together body parts (and clothes). Framed by Deleuze and Guattari’s idea of assemblage, avatar assembling constitutes the in-between space wherein new connections between art and identity play form and the possibility of a new art genre likewise takes shape. Three ways to conceive the connections between avatars and art are discussed. The first focuses on avatars as the subject of art, the second on avatars as performance art, and the third on connecting avatar reassembling with the process of art-making.
Height Growth and Tissue Sulfur Content of Field-Grown Tree Seedlings from Different Sulfur Dioxide Environments

A comparison of height growth and tissue sulfur content was made for two-yr-old containerized seedlings of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), flowering crabapple (Malus coronaria (L) Mill.), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.), Fraser fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.) and white pine (Pinus strobus L.) growing in the field under different ambient sulfur dioxide (SO2) conditions. Total height and rate of height growth for crabapple, sugar maple and white pine were significantly less in the high-ambient SO2 environment compared to similar plants at the low-ambient SO2 location. Two patterns of growth were observed for seedlings at the high-ambient SO2 site. One was a delay in the period of maximum growth (crabapple and dogwood); the other a flush of growth late in the season (sugar maple, white pine and Fraser fir). The sulfur content of plants from the high-ambient SO2 site suggests that all species tested were capable of filtering some SO2 from the atmosphere, with the foliage being the most effective ...
The Magnetite (001) Surface: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Calculations

A classical polarizable potential model is used in a molecular dynamics model of the magnetite (001) surface. The model, previously applied to the tetrahedral, or “A” termination of magnetite (001) is here applied to the octahedral or “B” termination, as well as to the hydroxylation of both the “A” and “B” termination. Surface relaxations for the “B” terminated surface are small, and consistent with the observed (√2×√2)R45 cell observed in LEED experiments. Additionally, it is shown that the relaxation of a tetrahedral defect on the “B” terminated surface does not give rise to the same relaxation mechanism as that calculated for the tetrahedral sites on the “A” surface. The lack of a “dimer” forming at the defect site is consistent with recent STM studies. Calculations on charge-ordered magnetite slabs indicate that, within the context of the ionic model used here, the surface energy of the “A” termination of magnetite is lower than that of the “B” termination over a wide range of oxygen ftigacities. Hydr xylation has a negligible effect on the relative energies of the “A” and “B” surfaces, however, the large gain in energy associated with tetrahedral ion relaxation on the “A” surface could explain the lack of two high temperature peaks expected for successive removal of adsorbing waters from the same tetrahedral site.
Leptin and brain–adipose crosstalks

Interactions between the brain and distinct adipose depots have a key role in maintaining energy balance, thereby promoting survival in response to metabolic challenges such as cold exposure and starvation. Recently, there has been renewed interest in the specific central neuronal circuits that regulate adipose depots. Here, we review anatomical, genetic and pharmacological studies on the neural regulation of adipose function, including lipolysis, non-shivering thermogenesis, browning and leptin secretion. In particular, we emphasize the role of leptin-sensitive neurons and the sympathetic nervous system in modulating the activity of brown, white and beige adipose tissues. We provide an overview of advances in the understanding of the heterogeneity of the brain regulation of adipose tissues and offer a perspective on the challenges and paradoxes that the community is facing regarding the actions of leptin on this system.
The Effect of Oxygen on the Ion-Acoustic Signal Generation Process

Thermal wave imaging (TWI) describes a family of methods for materials characterization based on temperature changes induced by an external source. The source can be a laser [1,2,3] or an electron [4,5,6] beam modulated to produce time-varying surface and bulk temperatures in the specimen. Recently, ion sources have been used for excitation [7,8,9] and share some imaging features in common with laser and electron sources. All three types of sources have the ability to detect buried defects in opaque solids and to locate tightly closed cracks [10]. However, the fundamental physical mechanisms of signal generation and image contrast vary to some extent based on the source and, in particular, on the physics of ionacoustic signal generation process. Non-thermal acoustic wave generation by particle beam-specimen interactions may play a role in this process along with the thermal generation processes familiar from the case of laser excitation. In a continuing effort to study acoustic generation mechanisms employing an ion beam source, the question of sensitivity to surface chemistry arose. Since our apparatus was equipped to conduct experiemnts under O2 partial pressures, the effect of O2 on ion-acoustic generation was a natural choice. Oxygen is one of the most common impurities encountered in materials development, and its presence in materials such as turbine blade coatings raises questions about propagation through microstructures containing different phases.
Distributed Storage of Large-Scale Multidimensional Electroencephalogram Data Using Hadoop and HBase

Huge volumes of data are being accumulated from a variety of sources in engineering and scientific disciplines; this has been referred to as the “Data Avalanche”. Cloud computing infrastructures (such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)) are specifically designed to combine high compute performance with high performance network capability to meet the needs of data-intensive science. Reliable, scalable, and distributed computing is used extensively on the cloud. Apache Hadoop is one such open-source project that provides a distributed file system to create multiple replicas of data blocks and distribute them on compute nodes throughout a cluster to enable reliable and rapid computations. Column-oriented databases built on Hadoop (such as HBase) along with MapReduce programming paradigm allows development of large-scale distributed computing applications with ease. In this chapter, benchmarking results on a small in-house Hadoop cluster composed of 29 nodes each with 8-core processors is presented along with a case-study on distributed storage of electroencephalogram (EEG) data. Our results indicate that the Hadoop / HBase projects are still in their nascent stages but provide promising performance characteristics with regard to latency and throughput. In future work, we will explore the development of novel machine learning algorithms on this infrastructure.
Mastoiditis on MRI: Fact or Artifact?:

Fluid signal in the mastoid can be an incidental finding on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and often is interpreted as mastoiditis by radiologists. This study examines 28 consecutive cases of such erroneously diagnosed "mastoiditis" and documents the presence or absence of otologic symptoms and clinical signs. We found a very low prevalence of otologic symptoms or pathology and no cases of mastoiditis in these patients, and we determined that magnetic resonance imaging is not an effective screening modality for mastoiditis. We also reviewed the literature on current diagnostic criteria for mastoiditis and propose alternative terminology to replace the use of excessively alarming terms such as "mastoiditis" unless they apply to that specific clinical diagnosis.