cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bentness and nonlinearity of functions on finite groups

Perfect nonlinear functions between two finite abelian groups were studied by Carlet and Ding (J Complex 20:205---244, 2004) and Pott (Discret Math Appl 138:177---193, 2004), which can be regarded as a generalization of bent functions on finite abelian groups studied by Logachev et al. (Discret Math Appl 7:547---564, 1997). Poinsot (J Discret Math Sci Cryptogr 9:349---364, 2006), (Cryptogr Commun 4:1---23, 2012) extended this research to arbitrary finite groups, and characterized bent functions on finite nonabelian groups as well as perfect nonlinear functions between two arbitrary finite groups by the Fourier transforms of the related functions at irreducible unitary representations. The purpose of this paper is to study the characterizations of the bentness (perfect nonlinearity) of functions on arbitrary finite groups by the Fourier transforms of the related functions at irreducible characters. We will also give a characterization of a perfect nonlinear function by the relative pseudo-difference family.
Madagascar's living giants: discovery of five new species of endemic giant pill-millipedes from Madagascar (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida: Arthrosphaeridae: Zoosphaerium)

Five new species of the endemic giant pill-millipede genus Zoosphaerium from Madagascar are described: Z. muscorum sp. n., Z. bambusoides sp. n., Z. tigrioculatum sp. n., Z. darthvaderi sp. n., and Z. heleios sp. n. The first three species fit into the Z. coquerelianum species-group, where Z. tigrioculatum seems to be closely related to Z. isalo Wesener, 2009 and Z. bilobum Wesener, 2009. Z. tigrioculatum is also the giant pill-millipede species currently known from the highest elevation, up 2000 m on Mt Andringitra. Z. muscorum and Z. darthvaderi were both collected in mossy forest at over 1000 m (albeit at distant localities), obviously a previously undersampled ecosystem. Z. darthvaderi and Z. heleios both possess very unusual characters, not permitting their placement in any existing species-group, putting them in an isolated position. The females of Z. xerophilum Wesener, 2009 and Z. pseudoplatylabum Wesener, 2009 are described for the first time, both from samples collected close to their type localities. The vulva and washboard of Z. pseudoplatylabum fit very well into the Z. platylabum species-group. Additional locality and specimen information is given for nine species of Zoosphaerium: Z. neptunus (Butler, 1872); Z. villosum Wesener & Sierwald, 2005; Z. amabile Wesener, 2009; Z. tampolo Wesener, 2009; Z. smaragdinum Wesener, 2009; Z. viridissimum, Wesener, 2009; Z. pseudopiligerum Wesener, 2009; and Z. analavelona Wesener, 2009.
Visualization, freehand drawing, solid modeling, and design in introductory engineering graphics

The first course in the Engineering Technology Department at Western Washington University is Engineering Graphics I, a broad-based introductory graphics class. Furthermore, it no longer makes sense, given the variety of powerful 3-D solid modeling packages available today, to teach students 2-D drafting techniques, either with a T-square or on a computer. Thus we have adopted a new department wide structure for our introductory graphics class that uses art-based freehand drawing techniques along with a nonparametric 3-D solid modeling package to help our students develop basic visualization skills that are transferable to the computer tools they will use in their various disciplines. Because, we also want our students to be designers and problem solvers rather than technical drafters, we are concentrating on developing general skills rather than having them become proficient in a specific software package. Thus for the first seven weeks of the quarter we alternate between using traditional art techniques to teach freehand drawing, and using Rhinoceros(R) to teach basic solid modeling and computer drawing techniques. In the latter part of the class we introduce students to basic rules of technical drawing so that they can properly document their work. In addition, we cover the design process and use individual design projects so that students learn to view drawing and computer modeling as tools in the design process instead of ends in and of themselves. This format is a department from traditional approaches to teaching a first course in Engineering Graphics, and the results of it have been very positive.
Domestic Issue Ideology and Activist Style: A Note on 1980 Republican Convention Delegates

This research note uses confirmatory factor analysis to delineate the content and structure of ideological beliefs among delegates to the 1980 Republican national convention, and examines the extent to which such beliefs differ among delegates with amateur and professional activist styles. The analyses indicate that the beliefs of Republican party activists are organized in terms of separate, albeit interrelated, economic and social dimensions. Although the ideological beliefs of amateurs and professionals are similarly structured, the two groups differ significantly in the extremity of their ideological thinking. Since there is considerable dynamism in the proportions of party elites with differing activist styles, present findings may have significant implications for understanding the nature of intraparty issue conflict and the policy choices offered by the parties in successive national elections.
Aspirin Antagonism in Isoniazid Treatment of Tuberculosis in Mice

Salicylate has previously been shown to reduce the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to several drugs in vitro. In this study, aspirin, a salicylate anti-inflammatory, antagonized isoniazid treatment of murine pulmonary tuberculosis, whereas the nonsalicylate ibuprofen did not. These results may have implications on concurrent administration of anti-inflammatory and antituberculosis drugs.
Eligibility creep: a cause for placebo group improvement in controlled trials of psoriasis treatments.

Background Placebo effects are common and of great interest. They are regularly seen in well-designed psoriasis trials. Apparent improvement in placebo-treated patients could be a result of patients having higher than normal psoriasis severity scores at the time their eligibility for a study is assessed. Objective We sought to test whether study eligibility criteria contribute to the placebo effect observed in psoriasis trials. Methods Data were obtained from controlled clinical trials of etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab. We compared the magnitude of psoriasis improvement between the placebo groups of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis studies. Results Placebo response rates were 14.4%, 14%, and 20% in psoriasis studies of etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab, respectively. Placebo response rates in etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab psoriatic arthritis studies were 23%, 14%, and 10%, respectively, for psoriatic arthritis outcomes. However, the placebo response rates for psoriasis in the psoriatic arthritis studies were 8.7%, –25%, and –12%, respectively. Limitations This was a retrospective analysis and not a prospective study to assess the cause of placebo effects. Conclusions The commonly observed placebo effect in psoriasis clinical trials is largely explained by eligibility creep, the tendency for patients to have higher measured severity at initial assessment visits when eligibility is determined. Future studies that investigate the placebo effect should be designed to avoid using measures of outcomes that are also used as entry criteria measures.
Carbon savings with transatlantic trade in pellets: accounting for market-driven effects

Exports of pellets from the United States (US) are growing significantly to meet the demand for renewable energy in the European Union. This transatlantic trade in pellets has raised questions about the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of these pellets and their effects on conventional forest product markets in the US. This paper examines the GHG intensity of pellets exported from the US using either forest biomass only or forest and agricultural biomass combined. We develop an integrated dynamic, price-endogenous, partial equilibrium model of the forestry, agricultural, and transportation sectors in the US to investigate not only the direct life-cycle GHG intensity of pellets but also the accompanying indirect market and land use effects induced by changes in prices of forest and agricultural products over the 2007–2032 period. Across different scenarios of high and low pellet demand that can be met with either forest biomass only or with forest and agricultural biomass, we find that the GHG intensity of pellet based electricity is 74% to 85% lower than that of coal-based electricity. We also find that the GHG intensity of pellets produced using agricultural and forest biomass is 28% to 34% lower than that of pellets produced using forest biomass only. GHG effects due to induced direct and indirect changes in forest carbon stock caused by changes in harvest rotations, changes in land use and in conventional wood production account for 11% to 26% of the overall GHG intensity of pellets produced from forest biomass only; these effects are negative with the use of forest and agricultural biomass.
Scalable, End-Pumped, Diode Laser Pumped Nd:YAG Laser

The highest efficiency diode laser pumped lasers with good beam quality have been demonstrated using an end-pumped geometry. However, end-pumped lasers have been limited to low power because of difficulties in scaling. Some techniques used to scale end-pumped lasers include polarization coupling, higher power pump sources,1 multiple pump sources using fiber coupling,2 and providing multiple "ends" by using many gain elements.3 Here we present an alternate method for scaling an end-pumped laser which is compatible with all the above techniques. Our technique takes advantage of the difference in beam quality from the diode laser in the planes perpendicular and parallel to the junction.
Computer Simulations of Airflow Field Around a Cube: Comparisons of LES and RANS Models

Simulations of flow field around wall mounted square cylinders have been used extensively for validation of computational models in the literature. In this paper the airflow fields around a square cylinder were simulated using the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models as well as the Large Eddy Simulations (LES). Particular attention was given to the case with Reynolds number of 80,000 for which the experimental data of Hussein and Matinuzzi [1] are available. The nature of the 3D wakes behind the cube as well as the vortices in front and at the back of the cube were investigated. The simulation results were compared with the experimental data and the accuracy of different models were studied. While the LES better captured the features of this separated flow, it is computationally intensive. The Reynolds Stress Transport Model (RSTM) did not properly predict some features of this separated flow, but is comparatively more economical. The accuracy of RSTM for predicting the turbulence features of separated flows was discussed, and its application for the flow around a realistic model of a building was pointed out.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Extreme Activity of Drug Nanocrystals Coated with A Layer of Non-Covalent Polymers from Self-Assembled Boric Acid

Non-covalent polymers have remarkable advantages over synthetic polymers for wide biomedical applications. In this study, non-covalent polymers from self-assembled boric acid were used as the capping reagent to replace synthetic polymers in drug crystallization. Under acidic pH, boric acid self-assembled on the surface of drug nanocrystals to form polymers with network-like structures held together by hydrogen bonds. Coating driven by boric acid self-assembly had negligible effects on drug crystallinity and structure but resulted in drug nanocrystals with excellent dispersion properties that aided in the formation of a more stable suspension. Boric acid coating improved drug stability dramatically by preventing drug molecules from undergoing water hydrolysis in a neutral environment. More importantly, the specific reactivity of orthoboric groups to diols in cell glycocalyx facilitated a rapid cross-membrane translocation of drug nanocrystals, leading to efficient intracellular drug delivery, especially on cancer cells with highly expressed sialic acids. Boric acid coated nanocrystals of camptothecin, an anticancer drug with poor aqueous solubility and stability, demonstrated extreme cytotoxic activity (IC50 < 5.0 μg/mL) to cancer cells compared to synthetic polymer coated CPT nanocrystals and free CPT. Surface coating using non-covalent polymers from self-assembled boric acid will have wide biomedical applications especially in biomaterials and drug delivery field.
From “Blind Susan” to Incidents in the Life of a Blind Girl : How Mary L. Day Disabled Domesticity

This chapter examines Mary L. Day’s memoir Incidents in the Life of a Blind Girl (1859) as evidence of the domestic happiness of blind people in the face of a prejudice-ridden society and as a case study in both childhood studies and disability studies. The chapter places Day’s memoir in the context of the rise of new ideas about the normative development of children, the maternal care that it allegedly required, and women’s charitable activism outside the home, ideas that made “childhood” achievable only by able-bodied, middle-class children, attendees of new public schools, and consumers of a new children’s literature. The prejudice that Day faced suggests the ways that the stigmatization of blind people in nineteenth century America was, in part, an effect of new civic and domestic ideals disseminated by writers based in the East. Day’s account of her life in the West, her serial adoption after her mother’s death, and her independence and wide travels starkly belie the sentimental stories of tragic blind girls made omnipresent by children’s magazines and literature.
Readmission After Craniotomy for Tumor: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Analysis

BACKGROUND Although readmission has become a common quality indicator, few national studies have examined this metric in patients undergoing cranial surgery. OBJECTIVE To utilize the prospective National Surgical Quality Improvement Program 2011-2013 registry to evaluate the predictors of unplanned 30-d readmission and postdischarge mortality after cranial tumor resection. METHODS Multivariable logistic regression was applied to screen predictors, which included patient age, sex, tumor location and histology, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, functional status, comorbidities, and complications from the index hospitalization. RESULTS Of the 9565 patients included, 10.7% (n = 1026) had an unplanned readmission. Independent predictors of unplanned readmission were male sex, infratentorial location, American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 designation, dependent functional status, a bleeding disorder, and morbid obesity (all P ≤ .03). Readmission was not associated with operative time, length of hospitalization, discharge disposition, or complications from the index admission. The most common reasons for readmission were surgical site infections (17.0%), infectious complications (11.0%), venous thromboembolism (10.0%), and seizures (9.4%). The 30-d mortality rate was 3.2% (n = 367), of which the majority (69.7%, n = 223) occurred postdischarge. Independent predictors of postdischarge mortality were greater age, metastatic histology, dependent functional status, hypertension, discharge to institutional care, and postdischarge neurological or cardiopulmonary complications (all P < .05). CONCLUSION Readmissions were common after cranial tumor resection and often attributable to new postdischarge complications rather than exacerbations of complications from the initial hospitalization. Moreover, the majority of 30-d deaths occurred after discharge from the index hospitalization. The preponderance of postdischarge mortality and complications requiring readmission highlights the importance of posthospitalization management.
Capturing, eliciting, and prioritizing (CEP) NFRs in agile software engineering

Non-Functional requirements (NFRs) are neglected and Functional Requirements (FRs) are often favored more in developing agile software. Neglecting NFRs has adverse consequences that result in lower quality of software and expensive process in later iterations in developing software. Developed CEP “Capture Elicit Prioritize” methodology to retrieve Non-Functional Requirements from requirements documents and diagram/images contained in the docs. Validation of this research was done by using 26 requirements docs from European Union eProcument. As previous research, the baseline data is from the NORMAP methodology. The NERV methodology was used to compare the data. CEP methodology linked NFR Metadata (NFRM) with figures and images found in the requirements documents to similar requirements in order to improve over previous research.
Disrupting Injustice and Mobilizing Social Change

“Disrupting injustice and mobilizing social change,” examines tangible steps towards making meaningful social change around issues of injustice in our communities. The unique theoretical frameworks in this chapter speak across a broad range of disciplines, theories, and practices including indigenous knowledge systems, theories of critical pedagogy, healing justice, mindfulness, and asset-based community development. The chapter explores a four-part process that involves becoming proximate to communities and issues of injustice, shifting the historical and political narratives that exist about these injustices, getting uncomfortable with our own ignorance, arrogance, apathy, or pain, and, finally, cultivating hope as a collective act to drive social change efforts.
Ausrede und Rechtfertigung

Ausreden und Rechtfertigungen werden als Entgegnung auf eine implizite oder explizite Beschuldigung hervorgebracht und dienen dazu, den Redner oder einen Dritten in Bezug auf die Beschuldigung zu entlasten. Die Bandbreite von Beschuldigungen reicht von der Anklage im Gericht bis zum stillen Selbstvorwurf. Auch die Hoflichkeitsausrede, warum man ein Angebot ablehnt, reagiert auf die implizite Beschuldigung, man achte den Anbietenden nicht.
Charpy Impact Test Methods for Cementitious Composites: Review and Commentary

Several researchers have recently employed the Charpy method to characterize the high strain rate mechanical strength of cementitious composites. This paper provides a critical review of existing applications of the Charpy method for impact testing of cementitious composites. Studies have employed various specimen sizes and geometries. Additionally, some studies have tested notched specimens while others have tested plain. Furthermore, varying methods of normalization result in results reported in a variety of incompatible units. The lack of consistency between studies limits the basis for comparison and the ability to validate results, which demonstrates a clear need for a standardized method for Charpy impact testing of cementitious composites. The authors recommend best practices based on sound mechanical principles and existing literature. Finally, the benefits and drawbacks of the Charpy method are discussed and its efficacy is compared with other prevalent methods for impact testing of cementitious composites.
Bundling Policies for Sequential Stochastic Tasks in Multi-robot Systems

This paper studies multi-robot task allocation in settings where tasks are revealed sequentially for an infinite or indefinite time horizon, and where robots may execute bundles of tasks. The tasks are assumed to be synergistic so efficiency gains accrue from performing more tasks together. Since there is a tension between the performance cost (e.g., fuel per task) and the task completion time, a robot needs to decide when to stop collecting tasks and to begin executing its whole bundle. This paper explores the problem of optimizing bundle size with respect to the two objectives and their trade-off. Based on qualitative properties of any multi-robot system that bundles sequential stochastic tasks, we introduce and explore an assortment of simple bundling policies. Our experiments examine how these policies perform in a warehouse automation scenario, showing that they are efficient compared to baseline policies where robots do not bundle tasks strategically.
Abstract 18744: Time Trends in the Population Attributable Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

BACKGROUND: Traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors remain widely prevalent in the community. Whether relative contributions of risk factors to incident CVD may have changed over time, in the population at large or in important subgroups, is unclear. METHODS: We studied 13,541 participants (56% women, 26% black) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study who were aged 52-66 years and free of CVD at visits 1 (1987-1989), 2 (1990-1992), 3 (1993-1995), or 4 (1996-1998). In this middle-aged sample at each visit, and in sex- and race-stratified analyses, we estimated multivariable-adjusted population attributable risks (PAR) for the 10-year incidence of new-onset CVD. RESULTS: Overall, the contributions of smoking (PAR 0.15 [95% CI 0.12-0.17] to 0.12 [0.10-0.14], P=0.05) and dyslipidemia (0.18 [0.10-0.24] to 0.09 [0.03-0.16], P=0.085) to CVD risk appeared to decrease from visit 1 to visit 4; the contributions of obesity (P=0.79), hypertension (P=0.70), and diabetes (P=0.28) were unchanged. The contribution of all risk factors combined was higher in women than men at visit 1 (P CONCLUSION: The contribution to incident CVD of all traditional risk factors combined is greater in blacks than whites, and this difference may be increasing. The CVD risks attributable to hypertension and diabetes have remained especially high, in women as well as blacks, highlighting the need for continued targeted risk factor modification particularly in these subgroups.
The Order of the k-Letter Spelling Shuffle

Math. Mag. 91 (2018) 255–259. doi: 10.1080/0025570X.2018.1485400 © Mathematical Association of AmericaMSC: Primary 05A05, Secondary 00A08Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article ...
Amicus Brief of Law and Finance Professors in Verition Partners v. Aruba Networks (Appraisal Lawsuit)

This amicus brief, filed with the Delaware Supreme Court in Verition Partners v. Aruba Networks, addresses two topics: (i) application of the efficient market hypothesis in appraisal litigation and (ii) empirical scholarship regarding the effect of Delaware appraisal decisions and amendments to 8 Del. C. § 262 on premia in public M&A transactions.
Automated discovery of GPCR bioactive ligands.

While G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest class of membrane proteins, structures and endogenous ligands of a large portion of GPCRs remain unknown. Because of the involvement of GPCRs in various signaling pathways and physiological roles, the identification of endogenous ligands as well as designing novel drugs is of high interest to the research and medical communities. Along with highlighting the recent advances in structure-based ligand discovery, including docking and molecular dynamics, this article focuses on the latest advances for automating the discovery of bioactive ligands using machine learning. Machine learning is centered around the development and applications of algorithms that can learn from data automatically. Such an approach offers immense opportunities for bioactivity prediction as well as quantitative structure–activity relationship studies. This review describes the most recent and successful applications of machine learning for bioactive ligand discovery, concluding with an outlook on deep learning methods that are capable of automatically extracting salient information from structural data as a promising future direction for rapid and efficient bioactive ligand discovery.
Becoming Political Candidates in China: Elite University Network and Selectoral Advantage

Whether a political system can attract high-quality candidates is key to producing high-quality politicians. In this article, we examine the issue of candidate pool formation in developing countries where elections are absent. We argue that a government can attract competent individuals to become candidates when it can provide them with a significant selectoral advantage. Exploiting a natural experiment in China, where universities adopt an arbitrary score cutoff to enroll students, we show that students attending top elite universities, which enjoy strong alumni networks in politics, are more likely to be interested in a political career than their peers in other universities. Analysis of an original online survey confirms that alumni networks serve as a causal mechanism by enhancing elite university students’ future prospect in political selection. Our study differs from existing research that focuses on the role of election in choosing the “good types” and shows that social networks can serve as an effective instrument to attract the best talents to work for the government.
Graph Magma Algebras have no projective bases

We extend the recently obtained result that there exist Graph Magma Algebras that have neither simple nor projective bases to show that, in fact, no Graph Magma Algebra has a projective basis.
Reply to Ostarek et al.: Language, but not co-occurrence statistics, is useful for learning animal appearance.

In our original paper (1), we report that people born blind share a great deal of knowledge about animal appearance with people who are sighted. Verbal communication is likely an important vehicle for transmitting this knowledge. A crucial question, however, is exactly how blind individuals learn about appearance from language. Although sighted people, when instructed to do so, verbally describe the colors of animals more easily than other dimensions (e.g., shape), blind people agree more with the sighted and with each other on animal shape and texture than on color. Shape and texture, but not color, are partially predictable from taxonomy, and we suggest that … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: judyseinkim{at}gmail.com. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Quantifying long‐term post‐fire sediment delivery and erosion mitigation effectiveness

Large wildfires can have profound and lasting impacts not only from direct consumption of vegetation but also longerterm effects such as persistent soil erosion. The 2002 Hayman Fire burned in one of the watersheds supplying water to the Denver metropolitan area; thus there was concern regarding hillslope erosion and sedimentation in the reservoirs. The efficacy of various treatments for reducing erosion was tested, including hand scarification on contour, agricultural straw mulch, wood mulch, burned controls and unburned reference plots. Simulated rill erosion experiments were used both immediately after the fire and again 10 years post fire. To better understand untreated recovery, the same experiments were applied to control plots in post-fire years 1, 2, 3 and 4, and in unburned reference plots in years 4 and 10. Results indicate that control and scarified plots produced significantly greater sediment flux rates - 1.9 and 2.8 g s-1 respectively – than the straw and wood mulch treatments - 0.9 and 1.1 g s-1 - immediately after the fire. Mulch treatments reduced runoff rate, runoff velocity, and sediment concentration and flux rate. The straw mulch cover was no longer present, whereas the wood mulch was still there in year 10. Vegetation regrowth was slow and mulch treatments provided effective cover to reduce sediment right after the fire. In post-fire year 10, there were no significant differences in sediment flux rates across treatments; it is notable, however, that the wood mulch treatment (0.09 g s-1) most closely approached the unburned condition (0.07 g s-1). The burned control plots had high sediment flux rates until post-fire year 3, when flux rates significantly decreased and were statistically no longer higher than the unburned levels from year 4 and 10. These results will inform managers of the longer-term post-fire sediment delivery rates and of the ability of post-fire emergency hillslope treatments to mitigate erosion rates.
Forelimb Unloading Impairs Glenohumeral Bone Development in Growing Rats.

Abstract Proper joint loading is essential for healthy musculoskeletal development. Many pediatric neuromuscular disorders cause irreversible muscle impairments resulting from both physiological changes and mechanical unloading of the joint. While previous studies have examined the effects of hindlimb unloading on musculoskeletal development in the lower limb, none have examined solely forelimb unloading. Thus, a large deficit in knowledge of the effect of upper limb unloading exists and must be addressed in order to better understand how the glenohumeral joint adapts during development. Two forelimb unloading models were developed to study the effects of varying degrees of unloading on the glenohumeral joint in growing rats: forelimb suspension (n=6, intervention 21 days post-natal) with complete unloading of both limbs via a novel suspension system and forearm amputation (n=8, intervention 3-6 days post-natal) with decreased loading and limb use in one limb after below-elbow amputation. After 8 weeks of unloading, changes in muscle architecture and composition were examined in ten muscles surrounding the shoulder. Results were compared to control rats from a previous study (n=8). Both methods of altered loading significantly affected muscle mass, sarcomere length, and optimal muscle length compared to control rats, with the biceps long head and triceps long head observing the most marked differences. Forearm amputation also significantly affected muscle mass, sarcomere length, and optimal muscle length in the affected limb relative to the contralateral limb. Muscle composition, assessed by collagen content, remained unchanged in all groups. This study demonstrated that forearm amputation, which was administered closer to birth, had greater effects on muscle than forelimb suspension, which was administered a few weeks later than amputation.
Linking insurance claims across time to characterize treatment, monitoring, and end-of-life care in metastatic breast cancer.

7063Background: Treatment and monitoring options for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are increasing, but little is known about patterns or predictors of their use. Insurance claims are potentially i...
Photometric Redshifts of Quasars

We demonstrate that the design of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) filter system and the quality of the SDSS imaging data are sufficient for determining accurate and precise photometric redshifts (``photo-z''s) of quasars. Using a sample of 2625 quasars, we show that photo-z determination is even possible for z 3. The accuracy of quasar photometric redshifts does not appear to be dependent upon magnitude to nearly 21st magnitude in i'. Careful calibration of the color-redshift relation to 21st magnitude may allow for the discovery of on the order of 10^6 quasars candidates in addition to the 10^5 quasars that the SDSS will confirm spectroscopically. We discuss the efficient selection of quasar candidates from imaging data for use with the photometric redshift technique and the potential scientific uses of a large sample of quasar candidates with photometric redshifts.
Represent me: please! Towards an ethics of digital twins in medicine

Simulations are used in very different contexts and for very different purposes. An emerging development is the possibility of using simulations to obtain a more or less representative reproduction of organs or even entire persons. Such simulations are framed and discussed using the term 'digital twin'. This paper unpacks and scrutinises the current use of such digital twins in medicine and the ideas embedded in this practice. First, the paper maps the different types of digital twins. A special focus is put on the concrete challenges inherent in the interactions between persons and their digital twin. Second, the paper addresses the questions of how far a digital twin can represent a person and what the consequences of this may be. Against the background of these two analytical steps, the paper defines first conditions for digital twins to take on an ethically justifiable form of representation.
Managing the Technological Revolution: How Audit Partners Nurture, Control, and Standardize Change

We investigate how audit partners of non-global network firms (NGNFs) (i.e., firms other than the “Global 7”) shape the audit technologies through the lens of institutional theory. A paradigm within institutional theory, institutional work, suggests partners are positioned as empowered leaders of change; however, another school of thought within institutional theory paradoxically suggests partners will be limited in this capacity because of isomorphic pressures (i.e., forces that promote conformity). Using an experiential survey, we explore the dynamic between isomorphic pressures as they occur alongside partners’ institutional work. We uncover a synergistic, rather than paradoxical, relationship between how isomorphic pressures foster conformity amidst innovation stemming from within these firms. Data suggest partners engage in creating and maintaining acts of institutional work that are informed by marketplace expectations and ambiguity around technology. Findings document practice implications regarding “messy” client data and inconsistencies between performance metrics and firm-level technology-based audit tool (TBAT) values.
Computational aspects of growth-induced instabilities through eigenvalue analysis

The objective of this contribution is to establish a computational framework to study growth-induced instabilities. The common approach towards growth-induced instabilities is to decompose the deformation multiplicatively into its growth and elastic part. Recently, this concept has been employed in computations of growing continua and has proven to be extremely useful to better understand the material behavior under growth. While finite element simulations seem to be capable of predicting the behavior of growing continua, they often cannot naturally capture the instabilities caused by growth. The accepted strategy to provoke growth-induced instabilities is therefore to perturb the solution of the problem, which indeed results in geometric instabilities in the form of wrinkles and folds. However, this strategy is intrinsically subjective as the user is prescribing the perturbations and the simulations are often highly perturbation-dependent. We propose a different strategy that is inherently suitable for this problem, namely eigenvalue analysis. The main advantages of eigenvalue analysis are that first, no arbitrary, artificial perturbations are needed and second, it is, in general, independent of the time step size. Therefore, the solution obtained by this methodology is not subjective and thus, is generic and reproducible. Equipped with eigenvalue analysis, we are able to compute precisely the critical growth to initiate instabilities. Furthermore, this strategy allows us to compare different finite elements for this family of problems. Our results demonstrate that linear elements perform strikingly poorly, as compared to quadratic elements.
Mobile data communications: the future is in networks

As mobile data communications moves away from specialized markets towards a more integrated role with established data communications networks, the service features and quality that are supported must address the expectations of the experienced network user. These services include: provisioning for coverage and capacity; network management; billing; network administration; network access; authentication, reliable data transfer (connection-oriented), unreliable data transfer (connectionless or datagram) and transparent inter- and intra-network roaming. The paper describes the service requirements and the services facilities of a wireless data network. An existing mobile data network offering: the Motorola DataT.A.C network is discussed as an example. >
Studies on erythropoiesis: III. Different patterns of protein and hemoglobin synthesis before and after terminal differentiation in adult rabbit marrow☆

Abstract Six Chromatographic fractions of hemoglobin were found in the erythrocytes of adult rabbits. The hemoglobin synthesized in the pre-differentiation (early) erythroblasts is mainly that of an acid minor; in the post-differentiation erythroid cells (intermediate and terminal erythroblasts and reticulocytes) it is mainly the hemoglobin major. In the pre-differentiation cells the lesser proportion of the protein synthesized is hemoglobin; in the post-differentiation cells it is preponderantly hemoglobin. Actinomycin D does not affect the pattern of protein and hemoglobin synthesis in either the pre- or post-differentiation compartments of cells; it blocks the change from one to the other, i.e., from the basophilic to the polychromatic stages with the attendant disappearance of cytoplasmic basophilia and diversion of protein synthesis to preponderantly that of the hemoglobin major. The differentiation is a terminal one: DNA and RNA synthesis declines and eventually stops, and DNA and RNA disappear largely, as do many nonhemoglobin proteins; hemoglobin synthesis after the differentiation increases rapidly and eventually stops. Because hemoglobin does not turn over, it becomes the preponderant constituent of the cell. These changes are analogous to those in the maturation of the lens.
Federalism and International Human Rights in the New Constitutional Order

This article, forthcoming in the Wayne Law Review, examines possible federalism limits on national legislative power to protect internationally recognized human rights in light of the Supreme Court's developing federalism jurisprudence. It argues that developing doctrines limited national power in the international arena will be quite difficult. Neither subject-matter limitations on Congress's power nor the anti-commandeering principle seem readily available, in part for structural reasons arising from the fact that international agreements are negotiated with foreign partners who may be unconcerned with domestic U.S. law, and in part because the historical case for either type of limitation is weaker than the similar case for limitations in the purely domestic context. In addition, the article argues that developing doctrinal limitations on the Treaty Power may guard against possibilities that are increasingly remote in the post-New Deal/Great Society constitutional order, where legislative initiatives are likely to be much less bold than those suggested by aggressive proponents of the use of national power to secure international human rights domestically.
Dynamic behavior of fully dense molybdenum

We have performed a series of dynamic impact tests on molybdenum to determine its high-pressure yield and viscoelastic properties. Nine experiments, performed with a compressed gas gun and VISAR diagnostics, produced a variety of combinations of shocks, reshocks and releases. Pressure ranges from 6.5 to 15 GPa were investigated, and specimen thicknesses ranged from 6 to 13 mm. The Hugoniot elastic limit appears to be independent of sample thickness and final stress levels over the ranges reported in this study. Strengths at the HEL and the Hugoniot state, approximately 1.3 GPa, are within the range observed for lower strain rates of 10−3 sec-1 to 5·103 sec−1. As with other metals, release waves do not show clean elastic-plastic behavior. Lagrangian sound velocities for singly shocked states are 6.30 to 7.40 km/sec over the pressure range tested. Strain rate behaves as approximately as the fourth power of stress, although it appears to decrease with propagation distance over the specimen thickness range used.
The Hoover Reports on Water Resources and Power--A Commentary

1 The two reports which are the subject of this paper are (1) COMMISSION ON ORGANIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT, TASK FORCE REPORT ON WATER RESOURCES AND POWER (June, 1955) (hereinafter cited as TASK FORCE REPORT), which is a report to the Commission itself; and (2) COMMISSION ON ORGANIZATION OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT, WATER RESOURCES AND POWER, A REPORT TO CONGRESS (June, 1955) (hereinafter cited as COMMISSION REPORT), which is based largely upon the TASK FORCE REPORT.
On the Vibration of Thin Cylindrical Shells Under Internal Pressure

Abstract : It is shown that for thin cylinders the internal pressure has a very significant effect on the natural vibration characteristics. For these cylinders, particularly those having smaller length-to-diameter ratios, the mode associated with the lowest frequency is in general not the simplest mode. In fact, the frequency spectrum may be so arranged that the frequency decreases with an increase in the number of circumferential nodes. The exact number of circumferential nodes which occur in the mode associated with the lowest frequency depends on the ratios h/a, L/a, and the internal pressure, where h is the wall thickness, a is the cylinder radius, and L is the axial half-wave length. When the internal pressure is small, the number of circumferential nodes at the lowest frequency decreases rapidly with increasing internal pressure; and the 'fundamental' frequency - the lowest frequency at each internal pressure - increases rapidly with increasing internal pressure. At higher values of internal pressure the frequency spectrum tends to be arranged in the regular manner: the frequency increases with the increasing number of circumferential nodes; and the lowest frequency rises with the internal pressure, but at a slower rate.
Integrated Nanosensors to Determine Levels and Functional Activity of Human Telomerase

Telomerase is a key oncogenic enzyme, and a number of novel telomerase inhibitors are currently under development. Because inhibition can be achieved either at the protein or at the enzymatic activity level, independent measurements of these parameters are important in the development of effective therapeutic agents. In the current study, we have developed a set of functional magnetic nanosensors capable of measuring the concentration of telomerase, as well as its enzymatic activity in parallel. The method is based on a magnetic relaxation switch assay, which can be performed in crude tissue samples and is fast and extremely sensitive. Using this method, we were able to detect different amounts of telomerase protein and activity in various cancer and normal cell lines. Furthermore, we were able to study the effect of phosphorylation on telomerase activity. This system not only could provide a rapid assay for the evaluation of antitelomerase therapies but could also be implemented to the study of other cancer markers.
Comparison of Four Methods for Weighting Multiple Predictors.

An important issue in personnel psychology concerns the methods that are used to combine multiple criteria and/or multiple predictors into a single composite. Fralicx and Raju (1982) looked at five...
Improving Collaborative Care in Managing Eating Disorders: A Pilot Study

Introduction:The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of a continuing interprofessional educational workshop focused on eating disorders in a rural area in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada. The pilot study helped determine if the eating disorder workshop was feasible for impl
Thought bite: A case study of the social construction of a crime and justice concept

The social construction of copycat crime exhibits a process in which a new criminological meme developed first as a media construct and subsequently as a criminological concept. How common the sequ...
The role of genetic algorithms in neural network query-based learning and explanation facilities

Genetic algorithms are used as a means of achieving neural network inversion. Neural network inversion allows a user to find one or more neural network input patterns which yield a specific output. The input patterns obtained from the genetic algorithm can use in training partially-trained networks, as well as in the building of neural network system explanation facilities. >
Regional versus general anesthesia in surgical patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: does avoiding general anesthesia reduce the risk of postoperative complications?

BACKGROUND:Surgical patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at increased risk of perioperative complications. In this study, we sought to quantify the benefit of avoiding general anesthesia in this patient population.METHODS:Data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement
Effects of handle size and shape on measured grip strength

Abstract The Jamar handle dynamometer is the most commonly used instrument for measuring grip strength. However, the grip strength applied on a cylindrical handle may not exhibit the same handle size relationship as that observed with the Jamar handle. Direct comparison studies are required to clearly identify the major differences between the two dynamometer styles. This study utilized a recent grip dynamometer design along with the Jamar dynamometer to further examine these relationships. The objective of this study was to compare how changes in grip size affects grip strength measured with each dynamometer style. Results confirm that handle size significantly affects the applied grip strength measured with both types of grip dynamometer. The handle size effect is more pronounced with the Jamar handle, especially at the small handle diameter/span. The highest grip force components observed with the cylindrical handles were found at the fingertips. The Jamar grip dynamometer may not adequately reflect the fingertip forces at the low and middle spans because the fingertips are not applied in the force measurement plane of the Jamar handle. Therefore, the Jamar dynamometer may not adequately capture changes in the fingertip forces under different grip spans. Relevance to Industry: It is important to properly characterize grip strength used in occupational settings in order to optimize tool and machine handle designs. The Jamar dynamometer may not be appropriate for assessing cylindrical or near-cylindrical handles that are found on the majority of tools and machines. The grip strength measured with the cylindrical dynamometer used in this study can be used to help optimize handle designs.
The Family Curse: Mafia Identity as Inheritance in Abel Ferrara's The Funeral

Abstract This article examines the presentation of Mafia identity in The Funeral as it reflects or contradicts genre conventions and cultural mythologies of the Italian American Mafia in cinema. The film is a compelling display of the destructive force of excessive ideals in masculine behavior.
An Exploratory Analysis of Victim Precipitation Among Men and Women Arrested for Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex social problem that has produced a wide variety of explanations. However, few studies have explored what, if any, role victim precipitation plays in IPV. Victim precipitation is generally defined as behavior by the victim that initiates the subsequent behavior of the victimizer; however, studies using this concept have often been accused of subtle and overt victim blaming. Distinguishing victim precipitation from victim blaming, this study explores the utility of victim precipitation in understanding contextual differences in men's and women's use of violence in intimate relationships and police use of dual arrest in IPV incidents. Results suggest that victim precipitation plays an important role in understanding incidents of IPV, especially in cases involving dual arrest.