cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-agent influence diagrams for representing and solving games

The traditional representations of games using the extensive form or the strategic (normal) form obscure much of the structure that is present in real-world games. In this paper, we propose a new representation language for general multiplayer games--multi-agent influence diagrams (MAIDs). This representation extends graphical models for probability distributions to a multi-agent decision-making context. MAIDs explicitly encode structure involving the dependence relationships among variables. As a consequence, we can define a notion of strategic relevance of one decision variable to another: D′ is strategically relevant to D if, to optimize the decision rule at D, the decision maker needs to take into consideration the decision rule at D′. We provide a sound and complete graphical criterion for determining strategic relevance. We then show how strategic relevance can be used to detect structure in games, allowing a large game to be broken up into a set of interacting smaller games, which can be solved in sequence. We show that this decomposition can lead to substantial savings in the computational cost of finding Nash equilibria in these games.
The role of information-communication technology in a new organizational design

Can information-communication technology enable new organizational designs, such as the networked organization and the adhocracy? An exploratory study into the accounting industry was undertaken in order to improve our understanding of this problem. On the basis of the literature of new designs a non-traditional organization model was developed in which information-communication technology was juxtaposed to a number of structural and cultural dimensions. The model was tested on a set of offices in the accounting industry and corroborated for the most part.
Detection and prevention of unbalanced bids

Unbalanced bidding is a serious problem for the construction owner because it may increase the cost of construction The most common way to mathematically unbalance a bid is frontloading where a bidder overstates the unit price of line items scheduled to be performed early in the project and understates the unit price of line items performed later. A bidder can also overstate the unit price of a line item whose quantity was somehow underrated by the engineer. If the owner proves that a mathematically unbalanced bid costs more to perform, the bid is said to be materially unbalanced, in which case the owner can reject the bid. A model is presented that formalizes and automates the process of detecting mathematically and materially unbalanced bids by comparing line item prices with the engineer’s estimates and the average prices offered by the bidders. This model allows owners to detect and reject unbalanced bids, and deters bidders from unbalancing their bid.
Commentary: Unnecessary preoperative epidural steroid injections lead to cerebrospinal fluid leaks confirmed during spinal stenosis surgery.

Background: Increasingly, older patients with severe spinal stenosis/instability undergo multiple unnecessary preoperative epidural spinal injections (ESI), despite their risks and lack of long-term benefits. Here we add to the list of risks by showing how often preoperative ESI lead to punctate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulas documented during subsequent surgery (e.g. multilevel laminectomies with non-instrumented fusions).
Male mouse urine extract effects on pheromonally mediated reproductive functions of female mice.

Abstract This study was undertaken to determine if the pheromones that mediate estrous synchrony and pregnancy blocking in mice are present in an extract containing the lipid portion of male mouse urine. Female DBA mice were exposed to odors of either water, SJL/J male mouse urine, dichloromethane, a dichloromethane (lipid portion) or aqueous portion of the urine extract. Only whole urine and the dichloromethane extract shortened the estrous cycles of the females. Both the estrous and diestrous parts of the cycle were affected. In addition, other female DBA mice were exposed to similar stimuli (except the aqueous extract) as above within 24 hr of insemination, and exposure was continued for five days. The whole urine exposed groups had significantly more blocked pregnancies than the water and dichloromethane groups, but there was only a trend toward more blocked pregnancies in dichloromethane extract groups.
Use of prostacyclin to inhibit activation of platelets during preparation of platelet concentrates

Increased utilization of platelet concentrates (PCs) has created the possibility that demand for this blood component may exceed supply. It seems possible that this problem could be minimized if platelets could be isolated from whole blood and stored with full retention of hemostatic effectiveness. We prepared PCs by adding prostacyclin (PGI2) during the isolation procedure and compared these to PCs prepared without addition of PGI2. At concentration 10(-7) M, PGI2 inhibited activation of platelets during the process of concentration and resuspension by the criteria of minimal thromboxane production and release of beta thromboglobulin (beta-TG), in contrast to concentrates prepared by standard methods. These differences persisted throughout 3 days of storage at room temperature. Our findings suggest that further studies are indicated to determine whether the quality (hemostatic effectiveness) of concentrated platelets can be improved by pharmacologic means.
Differences in coenzyme specificity of the N5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferases of various species: implications for corrin binding loci.

Abstract Investigations of the coenzyme specificity of N5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferases of diverse biological origin revealed previously unrecognized differences between Escherichia coli methyltransferase and the corresponding enzymes of other species. Cyanocobalamin (CNCbl) actively supports methyltransferase in extracts of animal tissues and E. coli . Cobinamide is more active than CNCbl with rat liver methyltransferase; however, it is non-competitively inhibitory with E. coli enzyme. E. coli methyltransferase, but not rat liver enzyme, is competitively inhibited by α-ribazole 3′-phosphate and 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole, two moieties of the nucleotide loop. This suggests that animal enzyme binds its corrinoid coenzyme at a site on the corrin macro-ring, while E. coli enzyme binds to the nucleotide loop as well as the macro-ring.
Plausible speculations on the pathophysiology of Takotsubo syndrome.

Takotsubo syndrome Pathophysiology of Takotsubo syndrome Postmenopausal state and Takotsubo syndrome Coronary vasospasm and Takotsubo syndrome Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and Takotsubo syndrome Autonomic nervous sytem and Takotsubo syndrome
Pharmacological actions of Paeonia officinalis.

A crude, dealcoholized alcoholic extract of peony root was screened for pharmacological activities. It was found to produce digitalis-like action on the frog's heart, stimulation of the uterus of the rat, and depression of the intestine of the rat and rabbit. Minor lowering of the blood pressure was produced in the rat. The extract was ineffective in combating electroshock and Metrazole convulsions and lacked analgesic activity.
Dose-response and time course of hypothyroxinemia and hypoinsulinemia and characterization of insulin hypersensitivity in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-treated rats.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered i.p. various doses of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in corn oil. At several time points thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), total thyroxine (TT4), free thyroxine (FT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) and insulin were determined in serum using radioimmunoassays, and glucose was measured by the glucose oxidase method. TSH and TT3 were not affected by any dose at any time point of measurement. TT4 and FT4 were decreased in a somewhat dose-dependent manner by days 2 to 4 after dosing. Return of TT4 and FT4 to normal values by day 32 after TCDD dosage also occurred in a dose-dependent manner, except in rats that died later. rT3 was also decreased at each dose level early and returned to normal levels in a somewhat dose-dependent fashion. Rats in the 2 highest dose groups became hypoinsulinemic and in the highest dose group also hypoglycemic by day 8 after dosing. Serum insulin and glucose remained suppressed in non-survivors of TCDD until death ensued. In survivors, serum insulin returned to normal values by day 32 after dosing. The hypoinsulinemic state was further characterized by hypersensitivity towards insulin, i.e. injection of an otherwise non-toxic dose of insulin 3 days after administration of 125 micrograms/kg TCDD was lethal to 80% of the rats within 24 h. Insulin hypersensitivity preceded both hypoglycemia and hypoinsulinemia. These findings suggest that hypothyroxinemia and hypoinsulinemia may be part of an adaptive process whereby rats attempt to diminish the toxic insult of TCDD.
Novel of the sex pheromone of the Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth () and selonopsin a, a constituent of fire ant venom.

Abstract Use of a novel bicyclic ketal fragmentation protocol provides a simple entry into the sex pheromone of the tussock moth, as well as into the fire ant venom constituent, Solenopsin A.
Interaction of phosphorylated tryptophan hydroxylase with 14-3-3 proteins

Rabbit brain tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) has been expressed in insect cells (Spodoptera frugiperda) as a histidine-tagged enzyme. The specific activity of the purified fusion enzyme is 80 nmol of 5-hydroxytryptophan/min/mg. Multifunctional regulatory 14-3-3 proteins were purified from fresh bovine brain. Phosphorylation and 14-3-3 proteins play important roles in the regulation of TPH activity. We have found that phosphorylation of TPH by cAMP-dependent protein kinase increased the activity of the hydroxylase by 25-30% and that 14-3-3 proteins increased the hydroxylase activity of phosphorylated TPH by approximately 45%. Under these conditions, the 14-3-3 proteins were not phosphorylated, and unphosphorylated TPH was not activated by 14-3-3 proteins. Surface plasmon resonance analysis demonstrated that 14-3-3 proteins bind to phosphorylated TPH with an affinity constant (Ka) of 4.5 x 10(7) M-1. Binding studies using affinity chromatography also showed that 14-3-3 proteins interact with phosphorylated TPH. The dephosphorylation of TPH by protein phosphatase-1 was inhibited by 14-3-3 proteins. Our results demonstrate that 14-3-3 proteins form a complex with phosphorylated brain TPH, thereby increasing its enzymatic activity and inhibiting its dephosphorylation.
Identifying Keystone Species in the Human Gut Microbiome from Metagenomic Timeseries Using Sparse Linear Regression

Human associated microbial communities exert tremendous influence over human health and disease. With modern metagenomic sequencing methods it is now possible to follow the relative abundance of microbes in a community over time. These microbial communities exhibit rich ecological dynamics and an important goal of microbial ecology is to infer the ecological interactions between species directly from sequence data. Any algorithm for inferring ecological interactions must overcome three major obstacles: 1) a correlation between the abundances of two species does not imply that those species are interacting, 2) the sum constraint on the relative abundances obtained from metagenomic studies makes it difficult to infer the parameters in timeseries models, and 3) errors due to experimental uncertainty, or mis-assignment of sequencing reads into operational taxonomic units, bias inferences of species interactions due to a statistical problem called “errors-in-variables”. Here we introduce an approach, Learning Interactions from MIcrobial Time Series (LIMITS), that overcomes these obstacles. LIMITS uses sparse linear regression with boostrap aggregation to infer a discrete-time Lotka-Volterra model for microbial dynamics. We tested LIMITS on synthetic data and showed that it could reliably infer the topology of the inter-species ecological interactions. We then used LIMITS to characterize the species interactions in the gut microbiomes of two individuals and found that the interaction networks varied significantly between individuals. Furthermore, we found that the interaction networks of the two individuals are dominated by distinct “keystone species”, Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroided stercosis, that have a disproportionate influence on the structure of the gut microbiome even though they are only found in moderate abundance. Based on our results, we hypothesize that the abundances of certain keystone species may be responsible for individuality in the human gut microbiome.
Effectuation and Over-Trust: Debating Goel and Karri

In their article on entrepreneurship, effectuation, and over–trust, Goel and Karri suggest relationships between effectuation, over–trust, and certain psychological characteristics of entrepreneurs...
Geographic Information Systems and Medical Geography: Toward a New Synergy

The past decade has witnessed wide-ranging applications of geographic information systems (GIS) in public health. The literature on GIS and medical geography has predominantly focused on how GIS can be applied as analytical and visualization tools to examine the geographic aspects of disease and health services. While GIS applications in medical geography are important and have been growing rapidly, this article argues that advances in medical geography can also have significant implications on the further development of GIScience. This article presents a comprehensive review of the reciprocal interaction between GIS and medical geography, and calls for a new synergy between both fields in future research and education efforts.
Compositional and microstructural changes which attend reheating and grain coarsening in steels containing niobium

This work describes the effect of temperature on both the microstructure and composition of microalloyed steel austenite in the as-reheated condition. Four laboratory steels of similar C levels were analyzed in this investigation. Three steels had different Nb concentrations at con-stant N levels, and the fourth exhibited a difference in N concentration. The average prior-austenite grain size was determined using quantitative metallographic techniques as a function of reheat temperature. The corresponding amount of Nb in solution in austenite was determined from atom probe analysis. Results from this investigation indicate that at elevated temperatures, representative of typical reheating practice, a smaller amount of Nb is soluble in austenite than what would have been predicted from any existing solubility relation for NbCx in austenite. The solubility of Nb and C in austenite for the low-N steels is described by the relation: Log [Nb][C] = 2.06 - 6700/T. Additionally, it is shown that undissolved NbCx particles are present in austenite approximately 125 ‡C above the grain-coarsening temperature.
Demand Response Resources Are Not All They’re Made Out to Be: The Payback Effects Severely Reduce the Reported DRR Economic and Emission Benefits

While demand response curtailments result in lower loads, which reduce prices and emissions at specific nodes in the system during the curtailment hours, some portion of the curtailed energy is recovered in future hours, resulting in impacts on prices and emissions in those hours. The economic and emission impacts of energy recovery have important ramifications for DRR policy formulation.
The Thymus as a Site for Evaluating the Potency of Candidate β Cell Autoantigens in NOD Mice

Intrathymic (i.t.) injection of islet cells or whole islets retards development of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in spontaneous animal models of the disease. Protection of 4-week-old prediabetic NOD/Lt female mice from subsequent IDDM development was specific for the it route of administration since intraperitoneal injection of an equal number of syngeneic islets failed to retard IDDM. The protective effect of i.t. injection of islet cells was compared with the effect of i.t. injection of syngeneic peritoneal exudate cells, NIT-1 cells, bovine serum albumin (BSA), ABBOS peptide, a 52 kDa islet cell membrane protein, various synthetic peptides from human glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and a Coxsackievirus B4-derived peptide with homology to GAD. Interestingly, only a GAD-derived peptide containing sequence homology to Coxsackie-virus B4, and the corresponding Coxsackievirus B4-derived peptide, delayed IDDM onset. To establish the immunological mechanism underlying the reduced IDDM incidence following i.t. injection of islet cells, adoptive transfer of splenic leukocytes into NOD-scid/scid mice was performed. Splenic leukocytes from i.t.-injected non-diabetic females transferred IDDM into NOD-scid/scid recipients, but more slowly than splenocytes from unmanipulated, diabetic (control) donors. Co-transfer of 1:1 mixtures of splenic leukocytes from it islet-injected (and diabetes-free) NOD/Lt females and from untreated NOD/Lt diabetic donors produced IDDM as rapidly as splenocytes from diabetic donors injected alone. Hence, any peripheral suppression generated in i.t.-protected females was not sufficiently strong to prevent IDDM transfer by committed T-effector cells from the diabetic donors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
School-to-Work System Development Needs: Perspectives of Local Education Agencies

The purpose of this study was to examine school-to-work system development from local education agency perspectives in order to inform state and local implementation activities. One hundred-seven district administrators responded to a statewide survey regarding school-to-work activities in regular and special education. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analyses were used to characterize participants' responses. Local education agencies identified the most pressing system needs as (a) enhanced partnerships with local businesses, (b) staff development, and (c) guidelines for implementation. The need for more substantive dialogue between state and local education agencies' business representatives, and the community regarding the goals of a comprehensive school-to-work system was discussed.
Droning on: the rise of the machines

Five activists have been sentenced for their role in a protest against U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan at a New York military base last year. The activists were arrested at the New York Air National Guard base at Hancock Field near Syracuse, New York. They draped themselves in white clothes splattered with blood-red pigment and then staged a ‘‘die-in’’ at the main entrance to the base. The group calls themselves the Hancock 38 Drone Resisters. Thirty-three of the activists were sentenced in December. On Wednesday, the remaining five were sentenced to fines and a one-year conditional discharge 1 Mike Davis once referred to the car bomb as the ‘‘quotidian workhorse of urban terrorism’’ (Davis 2007). The point seems quaint these days. In the interceding half decade or so, the car bomb has changed sides, enlisted in the Air Force, and grown wings (think of the money we save on parking). We refer, of course, to the drone—that piece of solitary, guiltless, menacing, and wonderfully affordable machinery that is enabling police actions all over the oily parts of the globe. Part sterile male bee, part Robocop, part national security IUD, part engine of the San Diego economy, this amazing new toy of national diplomacy has the ability to camouflage itself even on the front page of the New York Times. Its opposite is not so lucky. Locally, the quotidian
The posthuman grant application

Abstract Online grant applications are commonly seen as a generic form of writing, one that maintains consistency and style from writer to writer. In this article, I challenge that perception, instead presenting a view of the online grant application as a posthuman writing tool whose influence can vary immensely according to the characteristics of the writer. This view is based on interviews conducted with applicants to the National Science Foundation, especially their experiences with NSF's application Web site, FastLane. Working on the assumption that FastLane is a tool designed to aid in composition, my participants’ variety of use connects the posthuman influence of Web sites such as FastLane with current interpretations of rhetorical agency.
Interactions between abusing mothers and their children in two situations

The interactive patterns between three groups of mother-child pairs were observed in both an unstructured free-play situation and a structured task-oriented situation. There were six mother-child pairs in each group: Group 1 consisted of mothers and their abused children, Group 2, of mothers and their behavior-disordered children, and Group 3, of mothers and children without disorders. The major difference found between the three groups was that abusing mothers did not provide more guidance and direction for their children in the task-oriented situation relative to the free-play situation, whereas the mothers of both control and behavior-disordered children increased their use of these control techniques in the task-oriented situation. The children in all three groups were sensitive to the change of structure and altered their behavior accordingly.
Stokes's problem with melting

Abstract In this paper we solve for the drag experienced by a hot rigid sphere which melts its way through a cold medium. The temperature of the sphere is maintained by internal heat generation. The cold medium is solid and deforms only when the hot sphere heats it above its melting point. We find that the flow is confined to a thin layer about the forward hemisphere when the Peclet number is much greater than a known function of the Stefan number. We apply our results to the China Syndrome problem and show that in about 2000 years a nuclear reactor core could melt its way through the solid earth to the earth's core.
Athenian Religion: A History

This book is an attempt to take seriously the cliche that Greek religion is an eminently social phenomenon. It differs from 'Histories of Greek Religion' by focusing on a particular Greek city with particular social structures. It treats a much broader range of phenomena than do books on 'Athenian festivals'. It seeks to bridge the gap that usually divides studies of Greek religion from studies of Greek history and society. Among the topics discussed are the actual dates and circumstances of foundation of many temples, festivals, and cults at Athens, the historical development of the social structures within which religious activities took place, and the effects in the religious sphere of the radical shift in Athens' political life from tyranny to democracy and the acquisition of an empire. Robert Parker investigates the relation between religion and political prestige, considers the introduction of new cults, and looks in detail at such key personalities and events in the religious history of Athens as Lycurgus the Eteoboutad and his religious policies, and the trial of Socrates. The period covered is roughly that from 750 to 250 BC.
THE MEASUREMENT OF CHILD CHARACTERISTICS FROM INFANCY TO TODDLERHOOD: Temperament, Developmental Competence, Self-Concept, and Social Competence

Maternal report on four characteristics was obtained for 126 infants at 8, 12, 24, and 36 months of age. Temperament was assessed using the Revised Infant and Toddler Temperament Scales; the Infant/Child Monitoring Questionnaires were used to screen developmental competence. The Self-Concept Questionnaire and the Adaptive Social Behavior Inventory were outcome measures at 12, 24, and 36 months. Temperament and developmental competence were found to be relatively stable but unrelated over time. The second year, 12-24 months, was a salient period of development in which the greatest increases in self-concept and social competence were observed. Correlation analyses revealed temperament difficulty was negatively related to social competence yet unrelated to self-concept; developmental competence was more strongly related to the developing self-concept than social competence. The strongest relationships between social competence and self-concept were obtained by earlier social competence in relation to subsequent self-concept.
Dimensions Underlying Economic Policymaking in the Early and Later Burger Courts

This article examines the voting behavior of the justices in nonunanimous economic cases decided during three terms of the early and three terms of the later Burger Court. After employing factor analysis, which disclosed three principal dimensions underlying the justices' voting behavior in the first court and two in the second, we carefully examined cases scoring most positively and those scoring most negatively on each of the factors and analyzed the outcomes associated with the decision of each case. The principal dimension underlying the decision of economic cases by the early Burger Court appeared to be economic liberalism-conservatism. Also implicated as lesser factors were deference to the discretion of administrative agencies and either attitude toward business or economic due process. By contrast, the justices' voting behavior in economic cases during the later Burger Court appeared to be best explained by regard for federalism and only secondarily by economic liberalism-conservatism. Only analys...
Fluoroscopy-assisted dual-catheter thromboembolectomy: A new technique useful in patients with embolization to arteries of disproportionate diameters****

Distal embolization is a complication of aortoiliac aneurysm repair. Fluoroscopy-assisted catheter thromboembolectomy is useful in removing popliteal and tibial emboli from the femoral approach. Concomitant presence of aortoiliac and popliteal aneurysms, a known association, may present a difficult challenge to embolus extraction. Currently available embolectomy catheters large enough for thrombus extraction from a popliteal aneurysm are too large for safe tibial artery cannulation, and tibial balloon catheters cannot be enlarged sufficiently to transfer the thrombus through the aneurysmal popliteal segment. We treated a patient who embolized to his popliteal aneurysm and distal tibial circulation following aortoiliac aneurysm repair. A fluoroscopy-assisted dual-catheter technique was used to extract the thrombus through the femoral approach, eliminating the need for direct popliteal or tibial exploration. This technique uses two balloon catheters of graduated size, maneuvered concurrently under fluoroscopic guidance into the tibial and popliteal circulation. The smaller tibial catheter is inflated, and thrombus is withdrawn into the popliteal segment. The larger popliteal balloon catheter is then inflated distal to the smaller catheter, and both catheters are withdrawn simultaneously to deliver the clot through the femoral arteriotomy. This technique can be useful for successful balloon catheter extraction of thrombus via remote access, in an arterial system with variable diameter, eliminating the need for direct popliteal or tibial exploration.
Submandibular gland secretory function in young adult and aged rats.

Abstract 1. 1. An evaluation of submandibular gland secretory function was performed in young adult and aged male and female rats. 2. 2. No significant alterations in submandibular salivary now rate or the concentrations of total protein, Na+, K+ and neutral sugar in the secreted saliva, were observed between different aged animals. 3. 3. Significant sex differences in salivary flow rate and total protein content were found.
Super lattices and gauge theory

There has been a fundamental flaw in all previous attempts to put supersymmetry on the lattice. Because supersymmetry closes on the Poincare group, and since the Wilson lattice breaks Poincare invariance, the standard lattice must necessarily break supersymmetry. We solve this difficulty by putting supersymmetry on a random super lattice, where each random site is a point in super space (x/sub i/,xi/sub i/). We construct the action out of unitary SU(N) superfields connecting two such super lattice sites and sum the traces over simplexes. The theory is manifestly supersymmetric because there is no preferred direction in either real or Grassmann space. This supersymmetric lattice gauge theory on a random lattice reduces to the usual supersymmetric gauge theory in the continuum limit. We discuss applications, such as calculating nonperturbative corrections to the vacuum energy, which may yield a large enough supersymmetry breaking to explain the hierarchy problem. We discuss using random lattices to describe a lattice version of gravity and supergravity.
Spectral simplification of proton homonuclear correlation experiments utilizing ω1, ω2 fluorine decoupling

Abstract Decoupling 19 F during data acquisition is extensively used to simplify proton spectral interpretation of fluorinated compounds. Decoupling applied during the acquisition time (t2) of a 2D experiment, however, only produces partially decoupled spectra as the heteronuclear coupling continues to evolve during t1. The resulting partially decoupled spectra can be difficult to interpret and interferes with cross peak analysis in phase sensitive DQF-COSY. Here we present a procedure for effectively decoupling 19 F in both frequency domains, ω1 and ω2. The pulse sequences employed utilize a 180° pulse on 19 F placed in the center of the t1 evolution time of the 2D experiment which refocuses the heteronuclear J coupling. Standard broadband decoupling during t2 then produces fully decoupled spectra. This gated decoupling procedure has significant advantages over the alternative of continuous broadband decoupling. This is especially true when the 19 F signals are far apart in frequency and power requirements become prohibitive even for continuous adiabatic decoupling.
The effect of somatostatin on the response of GLI to the intraduodenal administration of glucose, protein, and fat.

The effects of somatostatin on GLI release during the absorption of intraduodenally administered glucose, casein hydrolysate and longchain triglycerides were studied in conscious dogs. Whereas, after an intraduodenal glucose load, GLI rose promptly in saline-infused control experiments to a peak of 5 ng/ml (SEM ± 4) in 60 minutes, significantly lower values were observed during somatostatin infusion (P<0.025 – 0.05). A similar reduction in the magnitude of the GLI response to intraduodenally administered casein hydrolysate (P<0.05) and fat (p<0.05) was observed.
Coadsorbate-induced enhancement in the photoemission intensity of alkali core levels

Abstract The interaction of oxygen and CO with the alkali Na was studied with core level photoemission using synchrotron radiation. We observed intensity increases in the Na2p core level by a factor of 1.5–2 for the systems O2/Na/Ni(111), CO/Na/Ni(111), O2/Na/Cu(110) and O2/Na/Cu(111). These enhancements were more or less independent of substrate, coadsorbate and alkali precoverage. We examine several models to explain these observations.
Multiparameter Spectral Representation of Noise-Induced Competence in Bacillus Subtilis

In this work, the problem of representing a stochastic forward model output with respect to a large number of input parameters is considered. The methodology is applied to a stochastic reaction network of competence dynamics in Bacillus subtilis bacterium. In particular, the dependence of the competence state on rate constants of underlying reactions is investigated. We base our methodology on Polynomial Chaos (PC) spectral expansions that allow effective propagation of input parameter uncertainties to outputs of interest. Given a number of forward model training runs at sampled input parameter values, the PC modes are estimated using a Bayesian framework. As an outcome, these PC modes are described with posterior probability distributions. The resulting expansion can be regarded as an uncertain response function and can further be used as a computationally inexpensive surrogate instead of the original reaction model for subsequent analyses such as calibration or optimization studies. Furthermore, the methodology is enhanced with a classification-based mixture PC formulation that overcomes the difficulties associated with representing potentially nonsmooth input-output relationships. Finally, the global sensitivity analysis based on the multiparameter spectral representation of an observable of interest provides biological insight and reveals the most important reactions and their couplings for the competence dynamics.
The Time Course of Dopamine Transmission in the Ventral Tegmental Area

Synaptic transmission mediated by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) is not generally thought to be point-to-point. To determine the extent over which dopamine signals in the midbrain, the present study examined the concentration and time course of dopamine that underlies a D2-receptor IPSC (D2-IPSC) in the ventral tegmental area. Extracellular dopamine was measured electrochemically while simultaneously recording D2-IPSCs. The presence of dopamine was brief relative to the IPSC, suggesting that G-protein dependent potassium channel activation determined the IPSC time course. The activation kinetics of D2 receptor-dependent potassium current was studied using outside-out patch recordings with rapid application of dopamine. Dopamine applied at a minimum concentration of 10 μm for a maximum of 100 ms mimicked the IPSC. Higher concentrations applied for as little as 5 ms did not change the kinetics of the current. The results indicate that both the intrinsic kinetics of G-protein coupled receptor signaling and a rapidly rising high concentration of dopamine determine the time course of the IPSC. Thus, dopamine transmission in the midbrain is more localized then previously proposed.
When do semantic orienting tasks hinder recall

Multitrial free recall was compared between groups engaging in semantic orienting tasks on each study trial and a standard group. When study and recall phases alternated, the standard group showed a steeper growth rate over trials, although the usual equivalence among groups after a single trial was replicated. This outcome was predicted on the assumption that the growth of recall with repetition depends on organizational encoding and that semantic orienting tasks emphasize the coding of individual items. When there was only a single test trial following three study trials, no difference was found, implicating an important role for retrieval processes in potentiating organizational encoding.
Barriers to enrollment in inflammatory bowel disease randomized controlled trials: an investigation of patient perspectives.

Background: Despite a sizeable inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population in the United States, large trials in IBD have difficulty recruiting patients. Reasons for low enrollment are uncertain. Our objective was to investigate specific barriers to enrollment in clinical trials by determining aspects of study design, disease state, demographics, and previous experiences with research that influence a patient's willingness to participate. Methods: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) at the Massachusetts General Hospital Crohn's and Colitis Center were surveyed. Results: Most participants (61%) had participated in some clinical research previously, although 50% of those were not interested in participating in a future study. Frequent doctor visits (69%), requirement of colonoscopy (55%), or sigmoidoscopy (49%), and blinding (46%) were the biggest deterrent study requirements. With each addition of one of these components, potential enrollment fell from 43.2% (86) to 14.6% (29) interested patients. Respondents were likely to participate in studies that were open label (60%), initially randomized then open label (57.6%), or saw the same doctor (52.5%). Among those disinclined to participate, strategies to boost enrollment included monetary compensation, an open-label component, or providing the same doctor at each visit. Men and patients who were currently flaring were more likely to participate. Conclusions: Elements of study design negatively and positively influence willingness to participate. Invasive procedures, randomization, and frequent visits negatively influenced willingness to participate and as each of these components are added, a significant additive percent of potential subjects are lost. Strategies to further identify barriers to enrollment within IBD study populations should be pursued. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012;)
Dissociative and molecular adsorption of methane on rhodium

Although chemisorption of methane is a classical example of activated chemisorption, the mechanism for its dissociation on metals is not well understood. On rhodium, vibrational excitation has been postulated as playing a role, but has not been found in experiments. To resolve this conflict and to establish reliable rate data, measurements have been made for chemisorption of CH4 as well as CH3D, CH2D2, CHD3, and CD4 on evaporated films of rhodium. These reveal that substitution of H by D lowers the sticking coefficient, primarily through an increase in the activation energy for chemisorption as the extent of deuteration is increased, but that these effects are small. With gas and surface at the same temperature, the rate in the vicinity of 350 K is only an order of magnitude higher for CH4 than for CD4, and the activation energies are 5.0 and 6.2 kcal/mol respectively. Adsorption isotherms for molecular adsorption have also been measured, below 160 K, and give an isosteric heat of adsorption of 6.0 kcal/mol for CH4 as well as for CD4. Precursor processes are therefore likely to be important in chemisorption at room temperature. Activated chemisorption directly from the gas as well as from precursors is analyzed, and it is concluded that to test for possible vibrational effects on the rate of chemisorption on rhodium films, considerably more vibrational energy is required than achieved in previous attempts with laser irradiation of CH4 at 3.39 μm. Simple experiments to determine the importance of vibrational enhancement are outlined.
The Bleeding Risk Index: a clinical prediction rule to guide the prophylactic use of platelet transfusions in patients with lymphoma or solid tumors

BACKGROUND The correlation between platelet count and bleeding has been well described, although no formal methods for applying this information to clinical decisions are available. The authors developed a clinical prediction rule to guide the prophylactic use of platelet transfusions among patients with lymphoma or solid tumors. METHODS The Bleeding Risk Index (BRI) was developed from logistic regression analysis of a randomly selected 750-chemotherapy cycle derivation set using data from Day 1 of cycles. The sensitivity and specificity of a BRI-based prophylaxis strategy were compared in a 512-cycle validation set with two strategies based on initiation of prophylaxis when platelet counts fell below thresholds of 20,000 per μL or 10,000 per μL. RESULTS Factors that were predictive of bleeding included any prior episode of bleeding (odds ratio [OR], 5.6; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.2–14.0), treatment with a drug affecting platelet function (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.0–12.6), bone marrow metastases (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.7–10.8), a baseline platelet count 2 (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.4–8.5), and treatment with agents that were highly toxic to the bone marrow (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.0–5.4). Compared with 20,000 and 10,000 platelet threshold strategies, the BRI-based strategy provided the best trade-off between sensitivity for major bleeding episodes (80%) and specificity for any bleeding (84%). CONCLUSIONS Patients with lymphoma or solid tumors who are at high risk of bleeding can be identified reliably on Day 1 of a chemotherapy cycle. An individualized, BRI-based approach to bleeding prophylaxis provides a highly sensitive and specific alternative to traditional, nonindividualized platelet threshold strategies. Cancer 2002;94:3252–62. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10603
Predicting breeding shorebird distributions on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) of Alaska is an important region for millions of migrating and nesting shorebirds. However, this region is threatened by climate change and increased human development (e.g., oil and gas production) that have the potential to greatly impact shorebird populations and breeding habitat in the near future. Because historic data on shorebird distributions in the ACP are very coarse and incomplete, we sought to develop detailed, contemporary distribution maps so that the potential impacts of climate-mediated changes and development could be ascertained. To do this, we developed and mapped habitat suitability indices for eight species of shorebirds (Black-bellied Plover [Pluvialis squatarola], American Golden-Plover [Pluvialis dominica], Semipalmated Sandpiper [Calidris pusilla], Pectoral Sandpiper [Calidris melanotos], Dunlin [Calidris alpina], Long-billed Dowitcher [Limnodromus scolopaceus], Red-necked Phalarope [Phalaropus lobatus], and Red Phalarope [Phalaropus fulicarius]) that commonly breed within the ACP of Alaska. These habitat suitability models were based on 767 plots surveyed during nine years between 1998 and 2008 (surveys were not conducted in 2003 and 2005), using single-visit rapid area searches during territory establishment and incubation (8 June–1 July). Species-specific habitat suitability indices were developed and mapped using presence-only modeling techniques (partitioned Mahalanobis distance) and landscape environmental variables. For most species, habitat suitability increased at lower elevations (i.e., near the coast and river deltas) and decreased within upland habitats. Accuracy of models was high for all species, ranging from 65–98%. Our models predicted that the largest fraction of suitable habitat for the majority of species occurred within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, with highly suitable habitat also occurring within coastal areas of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge west to Prudhoe Bay.
Lab Development for Delivering Information Systems Courses Online at Small Campuses

In this case study, you will encounter some of the issues of lab development for delivering lab-based information systems courses online. Many small campuses have very limited budget or no budget at all for the computer lab specifically designed for information systems majors. Sometimes, even with new computers purchased, very few people know how to set them up for lab-based information systems (IS) courses. What are the software and hardware requirements for getting the lab online? How much will it cost? Where can you find resources for the lab development? To ensure quality teaching on IS-related topics, you have to deal with these issues. This case study will discuss how to create a lab that allows students to get hands-on practice for courses such as network management or database processing online with a shoestring budget.
Radiation belt electrons respond to multiple solar wind inputs

[1] The multivariate statistical basis that underlies both single- and multi-input linear prediction filter analyses is reviewed, providing context necessary to understand the full capabilities and limitations of such models. A brief reanalysis of single-input filters is conducted primarily as a contrast to subsequent analysis of multi-input linear filters, which (1) guarantee similar or better prediction capabilities than single-input linear filters and (2) reduce bias in estimated filter coefficients that is inherent to underspecified linear models when ordinary least squares algorithms are employed. The former is clearly valuable from a practical standpoint, but the latter helps build confidence in any physical interpretations of both the filter coefficients, which often emulate stable low-order dynamical response functions quite well, as well as prediction error statistics that can be used to provide a lower bound on the fractional or percent variance of radiation belt electron flux that can be attributed to each different solar wind input. We find that the solar wind bulk speed tends to be the primary driver of electron flux enhancements at magnetic L shells larger than 4, with little or no relation to flux decreases. Changes in the solar wind’s magnetic field strength tend to temporarily reduce electron fluxes between L = 4 and L = 8, while enhancing it between L = 3 and L = 4. In contrast to predictions generated by single-input linear filters, multi-input filters show that solar wind plasma density only contributes weakly to electron flux variability, although it does so consistently across nearly all L shells. Finally, we studied two distinct 4-year intervals within the most recent solar cycle and found that smaller, more time-stationary prediction errors are generated by multi-input linear filters. We therefore conclude that multi-input filters more accurately reflect real dynamic relationships than any single-input linear filter alone.
Synchronous cervical and vulvar malign melanomas: metastasis or multifocality of the disease? A case report and review of the literature

Vulvar melanoma is rare and has a worse prognosis and higher recurrence rate than cutaneous melanoma. Multifocality is also more common in vulvar melanomas. A case having synchronous cervix and vulvar malign melanoma is presented and discussed in the light of the literature whether it is a metastasis of vulvar malign melanoma to cervix or multifocal originated disease. In conclusion, it is important to evaluate the whole genital system in vulvar melanomas as it is in squamous cancers.
A preliminary assessment of ‘leafless peas’

Reductions in the amount of haulm in peas would be of value to growers of vining peas and harvest peas. Two mutant forms of pea, the ‘leafless pea’ (afaf) and the ‘reduced stipule pea’ (stst), have been used in a breeding programme to develop lines with commercial potential. Four cultivars and 15 of these experimental lines have now been assessed for their agricultural potential in a yield trial.
The Authoritarian Cultural Lag in Business

Discusses criticisms of both the human relations approach and the use of democracy in business. Contributions of Elton Mayo and Kurt Lewin in the introduction of democracy into business theory and ...
Evaluating evolution and monte carlo for controlling air traffic flow

The automated optimization of air traffic flow is a critical component of the next generation air traffic system, designed to facilitate the future expansion of air traffic with little increase in infrastructure. While many traditional optimization approaches have been applied to the air traffic flow problem, they have difficulty scaling to large problems and in handling the nonlinearities inherent in the air traffic flow patterns. As a solution, this paper shows how genetic algorithms can be successfully applied to this problem. With this approach, the airspace is broken up into separate control points, with a single gene within a chromosome controlling an individual point. A genetic algorithm can then be used to find a controller that maximizes the performance of the airspace. To validate this approach, we use FACET, an air traffic simulator developed at NASA and used extensively by the FAA and industry. On a scenario composed of one thousand aircraft and two points of congestion, our results show that the evolutionary method provides 60% higher performance than more traditional Monte Carlo methods