cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supporting a complex audit judgment task: An expert network approach

An auditor considers a tremendous amount of data when assessing the risk that the internal control (IC) structure of an entity will fail to prevent or detect significant misstatements in financial statements. The myriad of relationships between IC variables that must be identified, selected, and analyzed often makes assessing control risk a difficult task. While some general procedures and guidelines are provided, audit standards dictate no specifically set procedures and rules for making a preliminary control risk assessment (CRA). Rather, the procedures and rules are left mostly to auditor judgment. This paper considers the appropriateness of applying artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to support this audit judgment task. It details the construction of a prototype expert network; an integration of an expert system (ES) and a neural network (NN). The rules contained in the ES model basic CRA heuristics, thus allowing for efficient use of well-known control variable relationships. The NN provides a way to recognize patterns in the large number of control variable inter-relationships that even experienced auditors cannot express as a logical set of specific rules. The NN was trained using actual case decisions of practicing auditors.
Rapid computerized identification of compounds in complex biological mixtures by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry

Abstract A new method has been developed for rapid identification of compounds in complex mixtures by gas chromatograph—mass spectrometer—computer system. The method uses a gas chromatographic retention index in conjunction with a small set of discriminating ions to identify each compound. The retention index predicts to within 1% the location of a time-dependent “window” within which a specific compound may appear, while the accuracy of the peak identification is dependent primarily upon the specificity of the ion set chosen. Optimum specificity is obtained by selecting ions which not only are chracteristic of the compound to be identified, but which also differentiate it from other compounds likely to elute at similar retention times. Utilizing the data files created by repetitive scanning during a single elution by gas-liquid chromatography, the present algorithm permits the automated identification of approximately eight compounds per minute. Examples of the identification of acidic urinary metabolites are given; however, the method is sufficiently general to be applied to any group of volatile compounds.
Recreational Use of Erectile Dysfunction Medications and Its Adverse Effects on Erectile Function in Young Healthy Men: The Mediating Role of Confidence in Erectile Ability

ABSTRACT Introduction Oral erectile dysfunction medications (EDMs) have become an increasingly popular drug of abuse among young men without a medical indication. In addition to being associated with increased sexual risk behaviors, recreational EDM use may adversely impact psychological aspects of sexual function, primarily by affecting one's confidence in pharmacologically unaided erectile ability. To date, these associations have not been investigated empirically. Aim This study examined the mediating role of confidence in erectile ability on the concurrent relationship between recreational EDM use and erectile function among young healthy men. A secondary aim was to examine erectile function characteristics among recreational users, prescribed users, and nonusers to control for the possibility that recreational users were using EDMs to treat ED. Methods The sample comprised 1,207 sexually active men (mean age = 21.9 years; standard deviation = 4.48) who were recruited from undergraduate institutions within the United States. Main Outcome Measures Participants completed an online survey assessing frequency of EDM use, as well as levels of sexual function (erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction, and overall sexual satisfaction) and levels of confidence in ability to gain and maintain erection, as per the International Index of Erectile Function. Results Recreational users (N = 72) reported similar erectile function levels compared with nonusers (N = 1,111), and both groups differed from prescribed users (N = 24). Recreational users also reported lower erectile confidence and lower overall satisfaction compared with nonusers. Results were consistent with mediation, in that more frequent EDM use was inversely associated with erectile confidence, which in turn showed negative relations with erectile function. Conclusions Confidence in erectile abilities mediates the inverse relationship between recreational EDM use and erectile function. Results underscore the possibility that recreational EDM use among healthy young men may lead to psychogenic ED. Additional longitudinal research is necessary to establish a causal link between these variables. Harte CB and Meston CM. Recreational use of erectile dysfunction medications and its adverse effects on erectile function in young healthy men: The mediating role of confidence in erectile ability. J Sex Med 2012;9:1869–1876.
Photoionization and dissociation of the triatomic hydrogen molecule

Rotationless triatomic hydrogen molecules are synthesized in a fast molecular beam. Laser excitation of the molecules allows study of electric field induced ionization as well as autoionization of the ns, np, nd, and of Rydberg series of H3. Two photon ionization and double resonance techniques are applied to determine vibrational frequencies of trihydrogen.
Analysis of microstrip lines coupled through an arbitrary circular aperture in a thick common ground plane

An extended version of the spectral domain approach (SDA) is presented for the analysis of open microstrip lines coupled through a circular hole in the common ground plane. In this analysis, the circular aperture is allowed to have any size and lateral thickness. The effects of surface wave and radiation are also taken into account via the exact Green's function formulation in the spectral domain. Numerical results computed using this method are provided for different hole sizes and thicknesses. >
Uroepithelial Thickening on Sonography Improves Detection of Vesicoureteral Reflux in Children with First Febrile Urinary Tract Infection

Purpose: The 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics clinical practice guideline for childhood febrile urinary tract infection recommends voiding cystourethrography if renal and bladder ultrasound reveals hydronephrosis, scarring or “other findings” that suggest high grade vesicoureteral reflux. We sought to determine if the finding of uroepithelial thickening indicates greater risk of high grade vesicoureteral reflux and whether uroepithelial thickening improves the screening value of renal and bladder ultrasound.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed renal and bladder ultrasound and voiding cystourethrogram findings in children 2 to 24 months old with first febrile urinary tract infection during an 11-year period. Patients with uroepithelial thickening were compared to an age and gender matched sample without uroepithelial thickening. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with high grade vesicoureteral reflux. Test characteristics of renal and bladder ultrasound for high gr...
Optimization of a ribosomal structural domain by natural selection.

A conserved, independently folding domain in the large ribosomal subunit consists of 58 nt of rRNA and a single protein, L11. The tertiary structure of an rRNA fragment carrying the E. coli sequence is marginally stable in vitro but can be substantially stabilized by mutations found in other organisms. To distinguish between possible reasons why natural selection has not evolved a more stable rRNA structure in E. coli, mutations affecting the rRNA tertiary structure were assessed for their in vitro effects on rRNA stability and L11 affinity (in the context of an rRNA fragment) or in vivo effects on cell growth rate and L11 content of ribosomes. The rRNA fragment stabilities ranged from −4 to +9 kcal/mol relative to the wild type sequence. Variants in the range of −4 to +5 kcal/mol had almost no observable effect in vivo, while more destabilizing mutations (> 7 kcal/mol) were not tolerated. The data suggest that the in vivo stability of the complex is roughly −6 kcal/mol, and that any single tertiary interaction is dispensable for function as long as a minimum stability of the complex is maintained. Based on these data, it seems that the evolution of this domain has not been constrained by inherent structural or functional limits on stability. The estimated stability corresponds to only a few ribosomes per bacterial cell dissociated from L11 at any time; thus the selective advantage for any further increase in stability may be so small as to be outweighed by other competing selective pressures.
Carrier mobility enhancement in strained Si-on-insulator fabricated by wafer bonding

N- and p-MOSFETs have been fabricated in strained Si on SiGe on insulator (SSOI) with high (15-25%) Ge content. Wafer bonding and H-induced layer transfer techniques enabled the fabrication of the high Ge content SiGe-on-insulator (SGOI) substrates. Mobility enhancement of 46% for electrons and 60-80% for holes (for 20%-25% Ge content) has been demonstrated in SSOI MOSFETs. This could lead to next generation device performance enhancement.
Larval zebrafish rapidly sense the water flow of a predator's strike

Larval fishes have a remarkable ability to sense and evade the feeding strike of a predator fish with a rapid escape manoeuvre. Although the neuromuscular control of this behaviour is well studied, it is not clear what stimulus allows a larva to sense a predator. Here we show that this escape response is triggered by the water flow created during a predator's strike. Using a novel device, the impulse chamber, zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae were exposed to this accelerating flow with high repeatability. Larvae responded to this stimulus with an escape response having a latency (mode=13-15 ms) that was fast enough to respond to predators. This flow was detected by the lateral line system, which includes mechanosensory hair cells within the skin. Pharmacologically ablating these cells caused the escape response to diminish, but then recover as the hair cells regenerated. These findings demonstrate that the lateral line system plays a role in predator evasion at this vulnerable stage of growth in fishes.
A Thyroid Hormone Receptor α Gene Mutation (P398H) Is Associated with Visceral Adiposity and Impaired Catecholamine-stimulated Lipolysis in Mice

Thyroid hormone has profound effects on metabolic homeostasis, regulating both lipogenesis and lipolysis, primarily by modulating adrenergic activity. We generated mice with a point mutation in the thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRalpha) gene producing a dominant-negative TRalpha mutant receptor with a proline to histidine substitution (P398H). The heterozygous P398H mutant mice had a 3.4-fold (p < 0.02) increase in serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations were slightly elevated compared with wild-type mice. The P398H mice had a 4.4-fold increase in body fat (as a fraction of total body weight) (p < 0.001) and a 5-fold increase in serum leptin levels (p < 0.005) compared with wild-type mice. A 3-fold increase in serum fasting insulin levels (p < 0.002) and a 55% increase in fasting glucose levels (p < 0.01) were observed in P398H compared with wild-type mice. There was a marked reduction in norepinephrine-induced lipolysis, as reflected in reduced glycerol release from white adipose tissue isolated from P398H mice. Heart rate and cold-induced adaptive thermogenesis, mediated by thyroid hormone-catecholamine interaction, were also reduced in P398H mice. In conclusion, the TRalpha P398H mutation is associated with visceral adiposity and insulin resistance primarily due to a marked reduction in catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis. The observed phenotype in the TRalpha P398H mouse is likely due to interference with TRalpha action as well as influence on other metabolic signaling pathways. The physiologic significance of these findings will ultimately depend on understanding the full range of actions of this mutation.
Spunbonded Products—A New Concept in Utilization of Fibrous Materials

The principal structural features of spunbonded products are described, and these structural features are related to physical properties. of the materials and to textile performance.
Outcome Analysis of Goal Directed Therapy for Impotence

AbstractPurpose: We assessed patient preference, satisfaction and overall outcome of goal directed management of erectile dysfunction.Materials and Methods: The results of goal directed therapy of impotence were assessed by an independent telephone survey of 377 consecutive men who had not received prior therapy and who were followed for a minimum of 2 years.Results: Patients preferred medical to surgical therapies despite significantly higher satisfaction rates achieved with surgery. Average number of treatment modalities chosen by each patient was 2 (range 0 to 5). Ultimately, only 40 percent of the patients achieved a long-term satisfactory result with goal directed therapy. The remainder were not satisfied with the last treatment but chose no further therapy, were lost to followup or refused therapy from the outset.Conclusions: Our results clearly demonstrate a patient preference for the least invasive forms of therapy. Patients avoid significantly more effective but also more invasive treatment optio...
The impact of lot-sizing on net profits and cycle times in the n-job, m-machine job shop with both discrete and batch processing

Abstract One of the key factors for productivity growth in the semiconductor industry is the improvement in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). In order for the industry to meet its future goals it must find methods to continuously improve its OEE. This study assesses the impact that lot sizes can have on the operational variables that most influence OEE, net profits, cycle-time, throughput, work-in-process, and operating expenses. In a multiple operation system, where both discrete and batch processing is utilized, the interactions among products, product lot sizes, and equipment load capacity affect the arrival and service rates of all operations. As a result, cycle time and its components, throughput and work-in-process, are affected. This study shows that progressively smaller lot sizes do not provide continuous improvements in cycle time, throughput, work-in-process inventories, operating expenses, or net profits. Furthermore, we show that the impact of lot sizes on cycle times is not significantly related to setup times.
SMM: An Effective Schema Matching Model for Data Grids

Data Grids primarily deal with providing services and infrastructure for distributed data-intensive applications, in which schema matching is a key technology for supporting dynamic data integration. Against the limitations of existed schema matching methods and with the aim of reducing the amount of user effort as much as possible, a novel approach to schema matching called SMM is proposed based on schema structure information and known matching knowledge, in which neural network influence procedure is imitated to realize semantic matching and reasoning, known matching knowledge is reused to supplement the matching and reasoning. At last, the experiment results show that SMM is feasible.
Decadence in Times of Globalization

In this essay I am concerned with some of the pernicious ways in which "internationalization" interlocks with the dynamics of distinction in Third World countries. Specifically, I shall argue that those of us who are from or concerned about the poorer countries should be working actively in the reconstitution and reconstruction of third world nationalisms. I hope to show that one of the effects of multiculturalism in the First World is the consolidation of the
Emerging concepts in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease/senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (AD/SDAT) is the most common neuropathologic substrate of dementia. It is characterized by synapse loss (predominantly within neocortex) as well as deposition of certain distinctive lesions (the result of protein misfolding) throughout the brain. The latter include senile plaques, composed mainly of an amyloid (Aβ) core and a neuritic component; neurofibrillary tangles, composed predominantly of hyperphosphorylated tau; and cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a microangiopathy affecting both cerebral cortical capillaries and arterioles and resulting from Aβ deposition within their walls or (in the case of capillaries) immediately adjacent brain parenchyma. In this article, I discuss the hypothesized role these lesions play in causing cerebral dysfunction, as well as CSF and neuroimaging biomarkers (for dementia) that are especially relevant as immunotherapeutic approaches are being developed to remove Aβ from the brain parenchyma. In addition, I address t...
The cold stability of microtubules increases during axonal maturation

The development of cold-stable microtubules (MTs) was studied in maturing rat sciatic nerves. From 4 to 10 weeks of age, there was a large increase in the proportion of tubulin associated with stable MTs. A greater fraction of axonal tubulin than nonaxonal tubulin was associated with stable MTs. The labeled tubulin remaining behind the peak of slow axonal transport was more highly associated with stable MTs than tubulin in the peak itself. Immunoassay confirmed that the sciatic nerve contains a pool of stable MTs not identical to the peak of tubulin transport. The developmental increase in MT stability is not associated with any increase in the acetylation of tubulin or with alterations in the major MT-associated proteins. One aspect of maturation of the axonal cytoskeleton may involve deposition of tubulin into stable MTs that are either stationary or moving slowly with regard to the peak of transported tubulin.
Mantissa-preserving operations and robust algorithm based fault tolerance for matrix computations

A system-level method for achieving fault tolerance called algorithm-based fault tolerance (ABFT) has been proposed by a number of researchers. Many ABFT schemes use a floating-point checksum test to detect computation errors resulting from hardware faults. This makes the tests susceptible to roundoff inaccuracies in floating-point operations, which either cause false alarms or lead to undetected errors. Thresholding of the equality test has been commonly used to avoid false alarms; however, a good threshold that minimizes false alarms without reducing the error coverage significantly is difficult to find, especially when not much is known about the input data. Furthermore, thresholded checksums will inevitably miss lower-bit errors, which can get magnified as a computation such as LU decomposition progresses. We develop a theory for applying integer mantissa checksum tests to "mantissa-preserving" floating-point computations. This test is not susceptible to roundoff problems and yields 100% error coverage without false alarms. For computations that are not fully mantissa-preserving, we show how to apply the mantissa checksum test to the mantissa-preserving components of the computation and the floating-point test to the rest of the computation. We apply this general methodology to matrix-matrix multiplication and LU decomposition (using the Gaussian elimination (GE) algorithm), and find that the accuracy of this new "hybrid" testing scheme is substantially higher than the floating-point test with thresholding.
Early specification and autonomous development of cortical fields in the mouse hippocampus

Studies of the specification of distinct areas in the developing cerebral cortex have until now focused mainly on neocortex. We demonstrate that the hippocampus, an archicortical structure, offers an elegant, alternative system in which to explore cortical area specification. Individual hippocampal areas, called CA fields, display striking molecular differences in maturity. We use these distinct patterns of gene expression as markers of CA field identity, and show that the two major hippocampal fields, CA1 and CA3, are specified early in hippocampal development, during the period of neurogenesis. Two field-specific markers display consistent patterns of expression from the embryo to the adult. Presumptive CA1 and CA3 fields (Pca1, Pca3) can therefore be identified between embryonic days 14.5 and 15.5 in the mouse, a week before the fields are morphologically distinct. No other individual cortical areas have been detected by gene expression as early in development. Indeed, other features that distinguish between the CA fields appear after birth, indicating that mature CA field identity is acquired over at least 3 weeks. To determine if Pca1 and Pca3 are already specified to acquire mature CA field identities, the embryonic fields were isolated from further potential specification cues by maintaining them in slice culture. CA field development proceeds in slices of the entire embryonic hippocampus. More strikingly, slices restricted to Pca1 or Pca3 alone also develop appropriate mature features of CA1 or CA3. Pca1 and Pca3 are therefore able to develop complex characteristics of mature CA field identity autonomously, that is, without contact or innervation from other fields or other parts of the brain. Because Pca1 and Pca3 can be identified before major afferents grow into the hippocampus, innervation may also be unnecessary for the initial division of the hippocampus into separate fields. Providing a clue to the source of the true specifying signals, the earliest field markers appear first at the poles of the hippocampus, then progress inwards. General hippocampal development does not follow this pronounced pattern. We suggest that the sources of signals that specify hippocampal field identity lie close to the hippocampal poles, and that the signals operate first on cells at the poles, then move inwards.
Giant recurrent glomus jugulotympanicum with intracranial, extracranial, and nasophayngeal extension: The imaging role in clinical management

We present a 50-year-old male with a massive glomus jugulotympanicum that demonstrated extracranial extension breaking through the skin in the posterior auricular region, intracranial extension into the middle cranial fossa, and nasopharyngeal extension involving the entire length of the eustachian tube. Characteristic CT, MR, angiographic, and pathologic findings are demonstrated in this case. The difficult decision regarding treatment options must be made with careful consideration of the associated morbidities of slow tumor growth and recurrence with conservative management versus the surgical morbidities of aggressive surgical resection. Imaging is arguably the most important component of this decision-making process, with the radiologist contributing significantly to multiple aspects of the management of glomus tumors.
Introduction, Translocation, and Distribution of Viruses in Plants

Publisher Summary The introduction of viruses into different tissues and portions of the plant is considered especially in relation to their subsequent translocation and distribution. The infection by viruses and their multiplication are treated in relation to translocations and distribution, but are not discussed in detail. Movement from cell to cell may be via different pathways, and advances in knowledge about translocation of viruses along these pathways, together with some remaining questions, are indicated. Movement of a virus refers to the movement of unknown form(s) of virus particles, which have one cell and initiate infection in another cell. The evidence for possible translocating forms of a virus is discussed. The possible mechanisms of transport of viruses are a part of the general problem concerning the transport of solutes. The distribution of viruses within plants may be extensive or restricted, and data concerning different distribution patterns are discussed in the chapter. The primary infections initiated by viruses may originate in different regions and in different tissues of the plant. The translocation and distribution of a virus will be affected by the number and location of these primary infection sites. The translocation of viruses within plants cannot be placed on a quantitative basis or studied directly and separately from other interrelated phases of virus infection and multiplication. The subsequent distribution of virus in a quantitative sense depends on a complex of interactions between virus and the different cells of the host, rather than solely on the number of virus particles and their rate of translocation. Knowledge concerning the distribution of virus within different tissues has been forwarded by careful studies of the development of primary characteristic symptoms. Translocation pathways have also been implicated in such investigations. Characteristic crystals, some shown to be almost wholly composed of virus, have aided in obtaining distribution profiles of virus.
Embarking on Spoken-Language NL Interface Design

Natural language (NL) user interfaces are growing in popularity. Unfortunately, the complexity of NL interaction makes these interfaces difficult to design. For NL interfaces to become successful, universal tools are needed to help support the NL design process. What work practice should these tools explicitly support? Interviews with NL designers and our own experiments have identified a specific work practice that designers should consider as they begin to incorporate NL into user interface designs. The work practice study highlights the value of using Wizard of Oz prototyping in NL design. We describe a tool that we have built, called SUEDE, to explicitly support the first stage of NL design for spoken-language user interfaces. Our tools and tools like it will help make NL in human-computer interaction (HCI) more commonplace.
Gender Difference in American Public Opinion on the Use of Military Force, 1982–2013

Recent scholarship indicates that gender correlates strongly with Americans' attitudes toward the use of military force. However, most of its evidence derives from the study of major wars, and the field needs more historical research to evaluate the evolution of gender difference over time. I redress these limitations by updating and extending my earlier (2003) analysis of public support for the use of force during the 1990s. I analyze 965 individual survey questions concerning the use of US military force in twenty-four historical episodes, beginning in 1982 with military aid to El Salvador and continuing through the recent wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. I find that substantial gender difference characterizes a large number of historical episodes and types of military action. Nonetheless, the magnitude of gender difference varies substantially; in many cases, a substantial percentage of women supports the use of force. The difference between men and women varies most with the salience and level of violence, and women are more sensitive to humanitarian concerns. Women display more sensitivity to casualties in some historical cases, but during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the casualty sensitivity of men gradually increased as the wars dragged on, and gender differences therefore decreased. Thus, I argue that scholars should turn their attention to studying individual-level differences between and among men and women in support for using military force. I also discuss the political and policy implications of the findings.
The Antibiotic Action of Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss)

SummaryA method for extracting an antibiotic substance from Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss) is described. The crude extract is effective against all the gram-positive bacteria tested and against Cryptococcus hominis.
A New Phalloid Genus

Peridium epigeal, sessile, globose, of one layer, breaking into irregular fragments at maturity; volva none; mycelium inconspicuous: gleba olivaceous, odorless, attached to hyaline membranes projecting from the inner surface of the peridium at regular intervals and floating free at maturity in a hyaline, gelatinous liquid: spores very minute, ellipsoid, subhyaline under a microscope. Protophallus jamaicensis sp. nov.
Coronary computed tomography angiography for the assessment of acute chest pain in the emergency department: evidence, guidelines, and tips for implementation

Acute chest pain is an important clinical challenge and a major reason for presentation to the emergency department. Although multiple imaging techniques are available to assess such patients, considerable interest has focused on the use of coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography. Three recent multicenter trials have demonstrated the value of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to diagnose patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) rapidly and accurately. Guidelines developed on the basis of these and other studies suggest that CCTA is optimally used in patients with low to intermediate risk for ACS. A related protocol, the triple rule-out scan, may be valuable if overlapping symptoms occur, particularly between those of ACS and pulmonary embolism. In developing a program to perform CCTA in the emergency room, it is important to work closely with emergency physicians and cardiologists to maximize appropriate use of this technique and to develop appropriate protocols that minimize radiation dose. Ongoing efforts to improve existing capabilities of CCTA include better characterization of coronary plaque and the use of CT fractional flow reserve and perfusion techniques.
Storm-Derived Bar/Sill Dynamics in a Dredged Channel

The development of sediment bars and sills due to storm-induced flow events in a dredged Great Lakes tributary is studied. The hydrodynamics associated with long-waves from the lake, create flow reversals at the river mouth, and storm runoff produces large sediment loads delivered to the lake. A laterally-averaged numerical model, including a turbulence closure sub-model, is used to simulate the hydrodnamics. A simple sediment settling, resuspension and transport model is coupled to the hydrodynamic model. Model runs are made for flow and temperature conditions which would be typical of the region during the spring season. Runs are made with and without the sediment settling velocity term, which effectively represents the modeling of two grain sizes; clay particles which have extremely small settling velocities and tend to floe together producing neutrally buoyant particles, and silt sizes which have finite settling velocities.
Species variation in water relations and xylem vulnerability to cavitation at a forest-woodland ecotone

Xylem vulnerability to cavitation and response of water potential (), stomatal conductance (g s), and net photosynthesis (P n) to drought are potentially important mechanisms of drought resistance. We compared , g s, Pn, and cavitation vulnerability of shoot and root xylem among co-occurring ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum Dougl. Ex Laws.), pinyon pine (Pinus edulis Engelm.), and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma (Torr.) Little) at a forest-woodland ecotonal site in northern Arizona to elucidate drought resistance mechanisms of these species. Juniper shoots partly regulated during drought via stomatal closure, but regulation was weaker than that for ponderosa and pinyon pines, which had similar water relations and P n responses to drought. Midday g s and Pn during summer drought were positive for juniper (gs 14.3 mmol m 2 s 1 , Pn 1.23 mol m 2 s 1 ) but near zero for ponderosa (gs 0.7 mmol m 2 s 1 , Pn 0.02 mol m 2 s 1 ) and pinyon (gs 1.5 mmol m 2 s 1 , Pn 0.18 mol m 2 s 1 ) pines. Cavitation vulnerability of shoots and roots was lower for juniper than for both pines. The water potential inducing 50% loss in xylem hydraulic conductivity ( 50) for juniper was 5.0 MPa more negative for shoots and 3.9 MPa more negative for roots compared with the respective tissues of the pine species. Pinyon pine ( 50 2.71 MPa) was slightly more vulnerable to cavitation than ponderosa pine ( 50 3.42 MPa) for shoots, whereas root vulnerability was similar for both pines ( 50 1.69 MPa for pinyon; 1.98 MPa for ponderosa). Roots of all species were more vulnerable to cavitation than shoots. Our results show an important role of cavitation vulnerability in the greater drought resistance of Utah juniper than pinyon and ponderosa pines but not for the presumed greater drought resistance of pinyon pine than ponderosa pine. FOR .S CI. 59(5):524-535.
Survey of Space Debris Reduction Methods

There is no organized program to remove existing debris from orbit. Recent events such as the Chinese ASAT test of 2007 and the collision of Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 of 2009 have increased the risk of debris collisions with operational satellites and raised the level of urgency for more aggressive management of orbiting junk. The consensus of opinion is that a requirement for debris population reduction is inevitable if space is to remain freely available for commercial, scientific and security applications. Current debris mitigation efforts are limited to minimizing new debris production. Clearly, space-faring nations must intensify mediation activities and move toward a comprehensive remediation programs in which debris removal is an active part. Many solutions have been suggested, but few will prove viable in terms of technology limitations and cost issues. Additional concerns will contribute to future decisions, such as political and legal issues. However, technical viability and relative cost are of major focus here. The Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) of Johns Hopkins University has been investigating debris removal methods and has conducted a comprehensive survey of potential technological approaches and operational concepts for dealing with the reduction of existing and future discarded orbiting objects. This work represents a first step in the evolution of a practical solution to one of the most challenging and complex issues facing the future of space flight. The work presented here is intended to be an early step toward framing the problem space, identifying realistic options and identifying preliminary metrics for later decision processes.
Treatment of breast abscess and countermeasures for anti-infection

OBJECTIVE To explore the approaches and effects of two ways to treat breast abscess,and strategy against nosocomial infection.METHODS Two different treating approaches,prognoses and anti-infectious nursing strategy of 41 cases of breast abscess from Nov.2007 to Apr.2010 in breast department were aralyzed.RESULTS The incision and drainage in 20 cases(account for 48.8%) and catheter drainage in 21 cases(account for 51.2%) were adopted,in which all the patients have been cured.There is less healing time,painfulness in incision and drainage which has a better curative effect.CONCLUSIONS As a good approach to treat breast abscess,catheter drainage can be promoted and needs to adopt anti-infectious measures including disinfection,sterilization and isolation at the same time.
POODLEs, More POODLEs, FREAK Attacks Too: How Server Administrators Responded to Three Serious Web Vulnerabilities

We present an empirical study on the patching characteristics of the top 100,000 web sites in response to three recent vulnerabilities: the POODLE vulnerability, the POODLE TLS vulnerability, and the FREAK vulnerability. The goal was to identify how the web responds to newly discovered vulnerabilities and the remotely observable characteristics of websites that contribute to the response pattern over time. Using open source tools, we found that there is a slow patch adoption rate in general; for example, about one in four servers hosting Alexa top 100,000 sites we sampled remained vulnerable to the POODLE attack even after five months. It was assuring that servers handling sensitive data were more aggressive in patching the vulnerabilities. However, servers that had more open ports were more likely to be vulnerable. The results are valuable for practitioners to understand the state of security engineering practices and what can be done to improve.
K-mer Motif Multinomial Mixtures

Motivation: The advent of inexpensive high-throughput sequencing (HTS) places new demands on motif discovery algorithms. To confront the challenges and embrace the opportunities presented by the growing wealth of information tied up in HTS datasets, we developed K-mer motif multinomial mixtures (KMMMs), a flexible class of Bayesian models for identifying multiple motifs in sequence sets using K-mer tables. Advantages of this framework are inference with time and space complexities that only scale with K, and the ability to be incorporated into larger Bayesian models. Results: We derived a class of probabilistic models of K-mer tables generated from sequence containing multiple motifs. KMMMs model the K-mer table as a multinomial mixture, with motif and background components, which are distributions over K-mers overlapping with each of the latent motifs and over K-mers that do not overlap with any motif, respectively. The framework casts motif discovery as a posterior inference problem, and we present several approximate inference methods that provide accurate reconstructions of motifs in synthetic data. Finally we apply the method to discover motifs in DNAse hypersensitive sites and ChIP-seq peaks obtained from the ENCODE project.
The Relationship between the Bohr Collective Model and the Interacting Boson Model

The Bohr-Mottelson collective model1 has been very successful in describing the quadrupole collective degrees of freedom of heavy nuclei. As we have seen from this workshop, the interacting boson model (IBM) has also been successful in describing similar data.2 At first glance these models seem very different. The former treats the nucleus as a rotating and vibrating liquid drop with quadrupole degrees of freedom. The latter describes the lowlying collective states of heavy nuclei by assuming that only the collective J = 0 (monopole) and J = 2 (quadrupole) pairs of valence fermions outside of closed shells play the dominant role in these states. The purpose of this talk is to make a connection between these two models. The important concept in making that connection is that of the intrinsic state for the IBM. Before discussing the intrinsic state, we give a short review of the Bohr-Mottelson model.
Reproductive physiology, temperature and biogeography: the role of fertilization in determining the distribution of the barnacle Semibalanus balanoides

Marine benthic populations are dependent on early life-history stages surviving multiple population bottlenecks. Failure at one or several of these bottlenecks can alter species’ patterns of distribution and abundance. The barnacle Semibalanus balanoides is found along temperate and sub-arctic shorelines of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Over the past century the southern range limits of S. balanoides have shifted hundreds of kilometres poleward on both coasts of the Atlantic. Here we tested if temperature limits fertilization and used these data, along with those from previous studies, to create mechanistic biogeographic models to understand which potential population bottlenecks in the early life-history of S. balanoides influence its distribution and abundance. In the western Atlantic survival of new recruits is probably more important in setting the southern range limit than the effects of temperature on early life-history stages because fertilization, brooding and the probability of larval release matching phytoplankton availability were all predicted to be high near the historical range edge. Phytoplankton mismatch may partially explain the ephemeral nature of S. balanoides in some parts of the English Channel. Further south along the coast of France predicted brooding success was reduced in a pattern consistent with historical range shifts in this region. Within Galicia, Spain fertilization was predicted to be low near the southern limit, and likely plays an important role in setting this range edge. Mismatches between phytoplankton abundance and larval release in Galicia may further limit reproductive success within this region.
Carbonic anhydrase III (Car3) is not required for fatty acid synthesis and does not protect against high-fat diet induced obesity in mice

Carbonic anhydrases are a family of enzymes that catalyze the reversible condensation of water and carbon dioxide to carbonic acid, which spontaneously dissociates to bicarbonate. Carbonic anhydrase III (Car3) is nutritionally regulated at both the mRNA and protein level. It is highly enriched in tissues that synthesize and/or store fat: liver, white adipose tissue, brown adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. Previous characterization of Car3 knockout mice focused on mice fed standard diets, not high-fat diets that significantly alter the tissues that highly express Car3. We observed lower protein levels of Car3 in high-fat diet fed mice treated with niclosamide, a drug published to improve fatty liver symptoms in mice. However, it is unknown if Car3 is simply a biomarker reflecting lipid accumulation or whether it has a functional role in regulating lipid metabolism. We focused our in vitro studies toward metabolic pathways that require bicarbonate. To further determine the role of Car3 in metabolism, we measured de novo fatty acid synthesis with in vitro radiolabeled experiments and examined metabolic biomarkers in Car3 knockout and wild type mice fed high-fat diet. Specifically, we analyzed body weight, body composition, metabolic rate, insulin resistance, serum and tissue triglycerides. Our results indicate that Car3 is not required for de novo lipogenesis, and Car3 knockout mice fed high-fat diet do not have significant differences in responses to various diets to wild type mice.
Seasonal and inter-annual variability in litter decomposition and nitrogen availability in a mid-Appalachian watershed

The role that microclimates play on soil decomposition is poorly understood. Though litter decomposition is controlled by climate and substrate quality at coarse spatial scales, at the watershed scale, microclimates mediated by forest structure and landscape position can influence decomposition rates and in turn affect nitrogen cycling. To evaluate the effects of landscape position and vegetation heterogeneity on decomposition, we employed a two-year litterbag study (2011–2013) using yellow birch leaf litter across the Weimer Run watershed, a cool, humid watershed located near Davis, West Virginia. From our results, we created a spatially explicit empirical model that we tested against both a single-pool and three-pool decomposition model, each based on climate and derived from the Long-Term Intersite Decomposition Experiment Team. Initial litter decomposition varied by elevation, with greater rates of decomposition at locations lower in the watershed. Decomposition rates differed by elevation, except during the first winter of the study. No differences in decomposition rates were seen among elevation levels when snowfall was below average for the first winter (2011–2012). During the second winter (2012–2013), elevation levels showed separation in decomposition rates, with higher elevations exhibiting lower decomposition rate. This suggests important controls on decomposition exerted by the presence or absence of snow, inter-annual climate variability, and the interaction of both with topography. Our empirical model showed greater rates of decomposition during early stages of decomposition (<12 months), but converged with the three-pool decomposition model after 20 months. Plant available nitrogen differed by vegetation cover, largely driven by greater availability of nitrate (NO3−) beneath areas of canopy closure in the forest. Controls on decomposition and nitrogen cycling within the Weimer Run watershed vary spatially by elevation and vegetation cover and are subject to complex interactions and differ from standard models of decomposition. The effect of the inter-annual variance of snow depth on litter decomposition is of note and an important consideration moving forward. Climate-based models of decomposition greatly underestimate initial rates of decomposition, potentially leading to under-accounting and compounded uncertainty.
Introducing prescribed biases in out of equilibrium Markov models

Markov models are often used in modeling complex out of equilibrium chemical and biochemical systems. However, many times their predictions do not agree with experiments. We need a systematic framework to update Markov models to make them consistent with constraints that are derived from experiments. Here, we present a framework based on the principle of maximum path entropy to update Markov models using stationary state and dynamical trajectory-based constraints. We illustrate the framework using a biochemical model network of growth factors-based signaling. We also show how to find the closest detailed balanced Markov model to a given Markov model. Further applications and generalizations are discussed.
Modulation of Vertical Ground Reaction Impulse With Real-Time Biofeedback: A Feasibility Study.

Given its apparent representation of cumulative (vs peak) loads, this feasibility study investigates vertical ground reaction impulse (vGRI) as a real-time biofeedback variable for gait training aimed at reducing lower limb loading. Fifteen uninjured participants (mean age = 27 y) completed 12 2-min trials, 1 at each combination of 4 walking speeds (1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 m/s) and 3 targeted reductions in vGRI (5, 10, and 15%) of the assigned (“target”) limb, with the latter specified relative to an initial baseline (no feedback) condition at each speed. The ability to achieve targeted reductions was assessed using step-by-step errors between measured and targeted vGRI. Mean (SD) errors were 5.2% (3.7%); these were larger with faster walking speeds but consistent across reduction targets. Secondarily, we evaluated the strategy used to modulate reductions (ie, stance time or peak vertical ground reaction force [vGRF]) and the resultant influences on knee joint loading (external knee adduction moment [EKAM]...
Oceanography: Mixed up at the sea floor.

Circulation of the ocean's densest waters modulates millennial-scale shifts in climate. Contrary to conventional wisdom, a study finds that the shape of the sea floor constrains where these waters rise towards the surface. See Article p.181 Deep ocean circulation, below about 2.5 kilometres (km), is a key driver of oceanic uptake or release of heat and carbon. A few regions, such as the North Atlantic, are known sources of deep water formation, but the processes that control the movement of deep waters remain as opaque as the abyss itself. Now, Casimir de Lavergne and colleagues show that the characteristic flow patterns—northward below 4 km depth and southward between 2.5 km and 4 km—are tied to the distribution of the ocean floor at certain depths. Essentially, the bathymetry of the ocean, rather than extrinsic properties such as climate gradients, drives key features of deep ocean circulation. The authors incorporate an analysis of radiocarbon into their model that reveals a shadow layer between the surface and deep ocean, with stagnant properties and high potential for long-term carbon storage.