cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resilience of initiatives to shifting management priorities under emergent and future conditions

Attention of industry, government, and academia has been directed toward the design and implementation of systems which are resilient against external and internal stressors and disruptions. However, less attention has been paid to assessing the resilience of these initiatives to shifting strategic plans precipitated by changes in management priorities. While a particular infrastructure asset or technology may be resilient in a given scenario, the overriding strategic plan may be vulnerable to changes in decision maker preferences, regulatory restrictions, or other emergent shifts in values and objectives. In this paper, we describe scenario planning and decision making tools that may be used to assess the resilience of initiatives across a multitude of emergent conditions, including changing management priorities. Two case studies are presented in which this framework was applied: 1) creating sustainable biofuel supply chains for the aviation industry, and 2) prioritization of infrastructure development opportunities in Afghanistan.
A critical examination of the decoupling approximation for small‐angle scattering from hard ellipsoids of revolution

The decoupling approximation, proposed by Kotlarchyk & Chen [J. Chem. Phys. (1983), 79, 2461–2469], is a first-order correction to the experimentally determined apparent structure factor that is necessary because of concentration effects in polydisperse and/or nonspherical systems. While the approximation is considered accurate for spheres with low polydispersity (<10%), the corresponding limitations for nonspherical particles are unknown. The validity of this approximation is studied for monodisperse dispersions of hard ellipsoids of revolution with aspect ratios ranging from 0.333 to 3 and a guide for its accuracy is provided.
Physical Science: Excess Surface Density of Extragalactic Radio Sources at 8 GHz

THE most extensive lists of radio sources have been compiled from surveys at frequencies below 1.5 GHz. Observations1,2 of some of these sources at 8 GHz (3.8 cm) have revealed the existence of a class of extragalactic sources with upturning or inverted spectra, indicating the presence of separate high-frequency components within the sources. The extragalactic sources which vary in flux density3,4 and polarization5,6 are found among this class of objects. These sources have also been discussed7–9 as a possible explanation of the microwave background radiation.
The peripheral blood transcriptome identifies dysregulation of inflammatory response genes in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women, resulting in ovulation failure and other metabolic problems. However, the underlying mechanisms of it remain largely uncert...
Reductions in Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) Rates Using Real-Time Automated Clinical Criteria Verification to Enforce Appropriate Testing.

C. difficile PCR testing identifies both colonized and infected patients, making it critical to only test patients that meet clinical criteria for C. difficile infection (CDI). We implemented an automated order-entry protocol that reduced inappropriate testing by 64% and hospital-onset (HO) CDI Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) from 1.62 to 0.82.
A Security Domain Model for Static Analysis and Verification of Software Programs

Unauthorized information flows can result from malicious software exploiting covert channels and overt flaws in access control design. To address this problem, we present a precise, formal definition for information flow that relies on control flow dependency tracing through program execution, and extends Dennings’ and follow-on classic work in secure information flow [7][19][27]. We describe a formal security Domain Model (DM) for conducting static analysis of programs to identify illicit information flows, access control flaws and covert channel vulnerabilities. The DM is comprised of an Invariant Model, which defines the generic concepts of program state, information flow, and security policy rules; and an Implementation Model, which specifies the behavior of a target program. The DM is compiled from a representation of the program, written in a domain-specific Implementation Modeling Language (IML), and a specification of the security policy written in Alloy. The Alloy Analyzer tool is used to perform static analysis of the DM to automatically detect potential covert channel vulnerabilities and security policy violations in the target program.
Neurologic immune related adverse events (irAEs) in patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade.

3084Background: Neurologic irAEs are uncommon but potentially fatal toxicities of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Their incidence, clinical and pathologic features, and association with therapy r...
The Spectrum of Hazing and Peer Sexual Abuse in Sports: A Current Perspective.

Context:Hazing and peer sexual abuse in sport are a critical issue, brought into public scrutiny with increasing frequency due to various forms of media, resulting in major causes of numerous avoid...
Effect of stocking density and feeding regime on larval growth, survival, and larval development of Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, using live feeds

This research examined the effect of initial stocking density and feeding regime on larval growth and survival of Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Larval rearing trials were conducted in nine 50‐L tanks with different initial stocking densities combined with different feed rations (20 larvae/L with standard feed ration [LD], 80 larvae/L with standard feed ration [HD], and 80 larvae/L with four times the standard feed ration [HD+]). Larvae were stocked on 0 days posthatch (DPH) following hatching of the fertilized embryos. Larval total length (TL), survival rates, and final densities were observed on larval settlement (32 DPH) to evaluate larval rearing performance. At 32 DPH, there were no significant differences (p > .05) in TL or survival rates between the LD (46.5 ± 17.0%) and HD+ (40.3 ± 9.4%). The TL and survival rate of HD (23.1 ± 3.5%) were significantly lower than that of LD and HD+ (p < .05). However, the larval density of HD was significantly higher than that of LD (p < .05). HD+ achieved the best larvae production (32.27 ± 7.51 larvae/L), supported by sufficient food source, high water exchange, and proper water quality management (routine siphoning, surface skimming). The larval‐rearing protocols and larval development from hatching to metamorphosis is described in detail, with corresponding photographs taken during the experiment.
Immunometabolism at the interface between macrophages and pathogens.

It is generally regarded that the progression of an infection within host macrophages is the consequence of a failed immune response. However, recent appreciation of macrophage heterogeneity, with respect to both development and metabolism, indicates that the reality is more complex. Different lineages of tissue-resident macrophages respond divergently to microbial, environmental and immunological stimuli. The emerging picture that the developmental origin of macrophages determines their responses to immune stimulation and to infection stresses the importance of in vivo infection models. Recent investigations into the metabolism of infecting microorganisms and host macrophages indicate that their metabolic interface can be a major determinant of pathogen growth or containment. This Review focuses on the integration of data from existing studies, the identification of challenges in generating and interpreting data from ongoing studies and a discussion of the technologies and tools that are required to best address future questions in the field. Different lineages of macrophages respond divergently to immune stimuli and microbial infection. This Review explores our current knowledge of how the different metabolic states of macrophage lineages impact the control or progression of intracellular bacterial infections.
The Shortwave (SW) Clear-Sky Detection and Fitting Algorithm: Algorithm Operational Details and Explanations

This document describes some specifics of the algorithm for detecting clear skies and fitting clear-sky shortwave (SW) functions described in Long and Ackerman (2000). This algorithm forms the basis of the ARM SW FLUX ANAL 1Long VAP. In the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) case, the value added procedures (VAP) can be described as having three parts: a “front end,” a “black box,” and a “back end.” The “front end” handles the file management of the processing, what range of data files to process in the run, which configuration file to use for each site, extracting the data from the ARM NetCDF files into an ASCII format for the code to process, etc. The “back end” produces ARM-format NetCDF files of the output and other file management. The “black box” is the processing code(s), and is what is discussed in this document. Details on the “front” and “back” ends of the ARM VAP are presented elsewhere.
Factors Associated With Unplanned 30-Day Readmissions After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Among US Hospitals

Importance Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a therapeutic strategy in the management of several hematological cancers. Limited data exist on the incidence and predictors of 30-day readmission after HCT. Objective To measure the incidence of and risk factors associated with 30-day readmission following HCT in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study examined patient data from the US population-based Nationwide Readmissions Database. All adults (age ≥18 years) who underwent autologous (auto-) or allogenic (allo-) HCT in US hospitals between January 1, 2012, and November 30, 2014, were included. The analysis was performed from June 2018 to February 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was 30-day readmission rates for auto-HCT and allo-HCT. Factors associated with readmission, including baseline demographic characteristics and disease- and hospital-related characteristics (including annual case volume), were measured. Results A total of 28 356 index admissions for auto-HCT in 244 centers (191 low-volume, 38 medium-volume, and 15 high-volume centers) and 17 217 index admissions for allo-HCT in 211 centers (161 low-volume, 37 medium-volume, and 13 high-volume centers) were identified during the study period. The overall 30-day readmission rates were 11.6% for auto-HCT and 24.4% for allo-HCT. The odds of readmission were significantly higher in low-volume hospitals compared with high-volume hospitals (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.69; 95% CI, 1.08-2.64 for auto-HCT and aOR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.09-1.82 for allo-HCT) but comparable to medium-volume hospitals (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.62-1.83 for auto-HCT and aOR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.90-1.57 for allo-HCT). Other factors associated with readmission for auto-HCT included younger age (aOR for age ≥50 vs Conclusions and Relevance This study found substantial rates of readmission for both types of HCT and an inverse association between hospital HCT volume and 30-day readmission. These results may provide guidance when developing quality indicators and policies penalizing hospitals for HCT readmission.
Metabolite flux: A dynamic concept for inherited metabolic disorders as complex traits.

Abstract In 2000 and 2001, we described factors that lead to the phenotypes of individuals with “simple,” “single” gene disorders, like inherited metabolic disorders, being complex, multi-genic traits. These factors include functional thresholds, genetic and environmental modifiers, and systems dynamics, encompassing metabolic control analysis and scale-free, hub-and-spoke networks. This mini-review will consider topics influencing complexity developed in the ensuing nearly two decades, such as “synergistic heterozygosity” and “moonlighting proteins.” There will be a focus on the value of the measurement of flux in evaluating the metabolome to ascertain phenotypic variability and the potential role of the gut microbiome in metabolomic flux. A point-of-care metabolomics tool, under development to improve the real time, inter-operative ascertainment of tumor margins and similar devices, will provide opportunities to improve acute care and ongoing management of individuals with inherited metabolic disorders.
Sensitivity of snowfall radar reflectivity to maximum snowflake size and implications for snowfall retrievals

Abstract The cutoff point of the snowflake (or snow and ice particle) size distribution (SSD) used for modeling the snowfall radar reflectivity and for snowfall retrievals in radar remote sensing is characterized by high uncertainties because only very limited information is available about the maximum snowflake size for different snow types and snowfall conditions. To complement previous works that examined the influence of other snowfall microphysical characteristics on the analysis of snowfall radar reflectivity, this study investigates the impact of SSD cutoff size on modeled snowfall radar reflectivity factors at X, Ku, Ka, and W band and evaluates implications for radar snowfall retrievals. While a detailed assessment can only be realized for snowfall retrieval algorithms individually, this study focuses on identifying typical snowfall characteristics where accounting for uncertainties in SSD cutoff size can be especially important. These include snowflake populations limited to a maximum snowflake size of a few mm or characterized by a small SSD (exponential) slope parameter or a large SSD (gamma distribution) shape parameter. In general, using SSD cutoff sizes that overestimate the maximum snowflake size has a smaller impact on modeled radar reflectivity and simulated snowfall retrievals than underestimating the maximum snowflake size by the same amount. Summarizing SSDs by their median volume diameter, i.e., combining SSD slope parameter, shape parameter, and cutoff size into a single characteristic snowflake size, mitigates the impact that uncertainties in these parameters can have on the analysis of snowfall radar reflectivity and may therefore offer a robust approach for relating radar snowfall retrievals to snowfall microphysics.
Associations between Medication Assisted Therapy Services Delivery and Mortality in a National Cohort of Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder

Objective: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a notable concern in the United States (US) and strongly associated with mortality. There is a high prevalence of OUD in patients with posttraumatic stress d...
Method for measuring burn efficiency of spray flames that simulate scaled-down petroleum wellhead fires

Abstract In the case of wellhead blowout, intentional ignition and burning of the discharge is one option to prevent oil accumulation on the ground or water until the well is capped. A critical factor for this strategy is the burn efficiency of the wellhead fire, or the fraction of the oil discharge that burns and does not fall to the ground. This quantity is better referred to as “apparent burn efficiency” (ABE) because it considers not only fully evaporated and burned liquid oil but also particulates and combustion residuals that disperse into the atmosphere. Due to the scale and inherent danger, oil fallout measurement is untenable for a full-scale fire. This paper presents a method to measure ABE for a scaled-down burner, designed to simulate the internal flow and external spray of a wellhead. The method involves oil collection at limited discrete locations to construct an average radial fallout profile, which is then integrated over the circular area surrounding the burner to estimate total oil fallout mass. This is compared to the known total liquid oil discharge to determine ABE. Validation tests with non-reacting air/water sprays showed nearly complete water fallout and therefore near-zero ABE. For spray flames with Endicott crude oil and a methane/ethane/propane gas mixture, significant findings included: (1) burn efficiency results were consistent from test to test for a given set of conditions, with only a slight but explainable influence of weather conditions; and (2) burn efficiency results were significantly affected by gas/oil flow conditions.
Self-care promotion of the intact (non-circumcised) patient: A review of available recommendations.

Purpose With routine infant circumcision rates declining in the United States, nurses are likely to encounter more intact (non-circumcised) male patients requiring genital hygiene, nursing interventions, and education accessing the health system. To date, a little emphasis has been placed on the care of the intact male patient in the nursing literature, resulting in ambiguity in care recommendations. The vagueness is problematic, as improper intact care, particularly in the pediatric patient, can result in forced retraction injuries, bleeding, scarring, and unnecessary intervention. In addition, with nurses conducting many of the tasks of hygiene and education for self-care, there is potential for impaired patient self-care and harm if nurses are not knowledgeable in intact care. Utilizing Orem's self-care theory as a framework, the aim of this effort is to perform a review of current recommendations on intact care to inform nursing practice with this population. As no evidence was found in the scientific literature, readily available consumer website resources were reviewed. Conclusion Themes of hygiene and age of retraction emerged. While recommendations for hygiene practices were variable, all review sources (n = 12) were clear in advising against the premature retraction of the intact foreskin and identified this as a route for injury. Practice implications With no current literature available to summarize current nursing clinical or educational practices, dissemination of these recommendations is necessary to prevent patient injury and promote appropriate patient self-care.
Prediction in Cancer Genomics Using Topological Signatures and Machine Learning

Copy Number Aberrations, gains and losses of genomic regions, are a hallmark of cancer and can be experimentally detected using microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). In previous works, we developed a topology based method to analyze aCGH data whose output are regions of the genome where copy number is altered in patients with a predetermined cancer phenotype. We call this method Topological Analysis of array CGH (TAaCGH). Here we combine TAaCGH with machine learning techniques to build classifiers using copy number aberrations. We chose logistic regression on two different binary phenotypes related to breast cancer to illustrate this approach. The first case consists of patients with over-expression of the ERBB2 gene. Over-expression of ERBB2 is commonly regulated by a copy number gain in chromosome arm 17q. TAaCGH found the region 17q11-q22 associated with the phenotype and using logistic regression we reduced this region to 17q12-q21.31 correctly classifying 78% of the ERBB2 positive individuals (sensitivity) in a validation data set. We also analyzed over-expression in Estrogen Receptor (ER), a second phenotype commonly observed in breast cancer patients and found that the region 5p14.3-12 together with six full arms were associated with the phenotype. Our method identified 4p, 6p and 16q as the strongest predictors correctly classifying 76% of ER positives in our validation data set. However, for this set there was a significant increase in the false positive rate (specificity). We suggest that topological and machine learning methods can be combined for prediction of phenotypes using genetic data.
Intensive rotational grazing

Intensive rotational grazing is an alternative feeding strategy for dairy cows. If forages and grazing animals are well managed, returns from intensive rotational grazing compare favorably to confinement- stored feeding systems.
Towards improving an Area of Concern: Main-channel habitat rehabilitation priorities for the Maumee River

Abstract The Maumee River watershed in the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin has been impacted by decades of pollution and habitat modification due to human settlement and development. As such, the lower 35 km of the Maumee River and several smaller adjacent watersheds comprising over 2000 km2 were designated the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC) under the revised Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1987. As part of pre-rehabilitation assessments in the Maumee AOC, we assessed fish and invertebrate communities in river km 24–11 of the Maumee River to identify: 1) areas that exhibit the highest biodiversity, 2) habitat characteristics associated with high biodiversity areas, 3) areas in need of protection from further degradation, and 4) areas that could feasibly be rehabilitated to increase biodiversity. Based on benthic trawl data, shallow water habitats surrounding large island complexes had the highest fish diversity and catch per unit effort (CPUE). Electrofishing displayed similar fish diversity and CPUE patterns across habitat types early in the study but yielded no discernable fish diversity or CPUE patterns towards the end of our study. Although highly variable among study sites, macroinvertebrate density was greatest in shallow water habitats
Identification of Key Ischemic Stroke Genes by Computational Systems Biology

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in humans. Even if patients survive from stroke, they may suffer sequelae such as disability. Treatment for strokes remains unsatisfactory due to an incomplete understanding of its mechanisms. This study investigates Ischemic Stroke (IS), a primary subtype of stroke, through analyses based on microarray data. Limma (in R)derives differentially expressed genes, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network is mapped from the database. Gene co-expression patterns are obtained for clustering gene modules by the Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA), and genes with high connectivity in the significantly co-expressed modules are selected as key regulators. Common hubs are identified as Cdkn1a, Nes and Anxa2. Based on our analyses, we hypothesize that these hubs might play a key role in the onset and progression of IS. Result suggests the potential of identifying unexplored key regulators by the systemic method used in this work. Further analyses aim at expanding candidate genes for screening biomarkers for IS, and experimental validation is required on identified potential hubs.
Improvements to Fill Tube Design for Direct-Drive NIF and Fast Ignition Applications

AbstractFill tubes are being implemented to meet direct-drive National Ignition Facility (NIF) target designs and eliminate the need for permeation filling of targets. Significant improvements have been made to the fill tube designs for the NIF-scale CD and fast ignition targets to accommodate fuel-layering experiments at the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics. The initial fill tube design had a number of issues that contributed to the nonuniformity of the deuterium (D2) ice layer and low fabrication yield of targets. Redesign of the entire target has significantly improved the D2 ice layering by reducing thermal perturbations. These design changes also made a more robust target that can survive the handling required in fabrication and testing. This paper will detail the target design aspects that were altered, including adjusting the fill tube aspect ratio, removing the thermally conductive support stalk, and adding a thermally conductive coating on the fill tube.
Application of linear mixed-effects models to crossover designs.

APPLICATION OF LINEAR MIXED-EFFECTS MODELS TO CROSSOVER DESIGNS LeiZhou November 29,2012 Crossover design is a type of longitudinal study with each subject receiving different treatments in different time periods. It has been used frequently in the pharmaceutical industry and other medical fields to investigate the safety and efficacy of new drugs or new treatments. For crossover studies, the treatment effects from the earlier period may be carried over to the later period, which is called the carry-over effect, the response may naturally change over different periods. How to assess treatment effect with accounting for all these features deserves further investigation. Linear mixed-effects (LME) model has been widely applied to analyze data resulted from longitudinal studies. In this project, we model treatment effects, period effects, and carryover effects using the LME for 2x2 crossover studies, where all subjects are randomly assigned to two sequences, and each subject is treated subsequently with two treatments, the order of the treatments depends on its sequence. We first investigated the simple 2x2 design, where each subject has only one response measurement under each treatment. Extensive simulations were carried out to compare the performance between LME and the traditional Grizzle's method. We extend the LME to the general2x2 crossover studies, where the response under each treatment is taking over different time
Combustion Characteristics of Spray Flames of Diesel and Palm Methyl Ester at Lean Inlet Conditions

Palm Methyl Ester (PME) is an attractive alternate fuel to petroleum diesel because it can be produced from a renewable source, is close to being carbon-neutral in the environment, and has many properties similar to those of petroleum fuels. Although a few engine studies have been completed using PME, basic studies on the combustion of PME sprays are limited. Hence, the objective of this investigation was to study the combustion characteristics of spray flames of PME and diesel at three equivalence ratios: 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8. The liquid fuel was atomized and combusted with air in a heated environment; the coflow air temperature was maintained at 65% of the midpoint of the boiling point range of the fuels. The equivalence ratio was changed by altering the fuel flow rate, while maintaining the atomizing and coflow air flow rates constant, thus maintaining the gas velocity field invariant. The PME flames were shorter and less luminous than the diesel flames and had significant near-burner homogeneous-gas-phase reaction zones. The global CO emission index of the PME flames was higher than that of diesel flames at equivalence ratios of 0.4 and 0.6. The NO emission index of the PME flames was almost twice that of the diesel flames. The in-flame concentration profiles highlighted the effects of the significant fuel-bound oxygen content in PME.© 2014 ASME
Making TANF Work: Organizational Restructuring, Staff Buy-In, and Performance Monitoring in Local Implementation

While research suggests that staff resistance to change and intentional subversion have hampered prior welfare reform efforts, this does not appear to be the case for the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). This paper draws on data from a study of East County, New York to explicate the mechanisms that have enabled the unprecedented transformation in local implementation practice in this case. Interviews, participant observation, and textual analysis of legislative and program documents identify new program creation, staff buy-in, and the environment created by stern performance measures as instrumental in bringing about the PRWORA's successful implementation of policy changes. Revealing workplace dynamics that mutually reinforce and compel attention to institutional interests, these findings suggest that further research is needed to examine how these implementation dynamics impact staff responsiveness to clients and clients' experiences.
Individualization of Teaching and Learning: Where Have We Been; Where Are We Going?

This article briefly reviews the history of approaches to the individualization of instruction, from earlier “system-controlled” methodologies to the current multimedia/hypermedia-based “learner-co...
A study of 569 cases of endometriosis

Abstract 1.1. The etiology of endometriosis is still an unsolved problem. 2.2. Incidence of endometriosis was 10 per cent in 4,500 gynecologic surgical cases. 3.3. Age incidence varied from 16 to 78, being greatest in the childbearing years. 4.4. There was a relative sterility of 53 per cent in this series. 5.5. Dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, backache, dyspareunia, abdominal pain are the important symptoms. 6.6. Fibroids, retroversion, endocervicitis, outlet relaxation are the frequent associated pathology. 7.7. Location of the lesions is most frequently in the uterus, cul-de-sac, and ovaries. 8.8. Ovarian function was retained in 503 of 569 patients operated upon. 9.9. A total of 88.3 per cent of the patients remained symptom-free post-operatively. 10.10. There were 19 pregnancies subsequent to operation.
Creaky voice as a phonational device marking parenthetical segments in talk

This study examines the function of creaky voice through investigating salient occurrences in sociolinguistic interviews. By identifying different types of embedded frames within the interviews, as well as paying attention to linguistic features that co-occur with creaky voice, the study provides evidence that creaky voice marks detachment of an utterance from the surrounding discourse, or from the speaker. Detailed discourse analysis, undertaken mostly from the perspective of conversation analysis, illustrates that creaky voice is a phonational device marking parenthetical segments. The study further demonstrates that the parenthetical function of creak can be extended, and that creaky voice can come to be employed in structuring a narrative by organizing information of different levels of importance, and in conveying stance – particularly a stance of distance or detachment. I suggest that the association between creak and parentheticals is attributed to the ‘less voiced’ nature of creak, which may be an articulatory manifestation of parentheticality.
A Socratic Method for Surveying Students' Readiness to Study Evolution.

Before beginning a series of presentations on evolution, it would be prudent to survey the general level of students’ understanding of prerequisite basic concepts of reproduction, heredity, ontology, and phenotypic diversity so that teachers can avoid devoting time to well-known subjects of general knowledge and can spend more time on subjects that are unknown, forgotten, or misunderstood by most students. This article outlines a Socratic method for surveying and teaching to address these concerns.
Design for diagnostics views and experiences

Design For Diagnostics (DFD) is critical for rapid silicon debug of new product and ramping to high volume manufacturing. I feel two aspects of DFD are important. The first enables software fault localization tools that quickly localize to the failing node (this includes ad hoc DFT methods, scan etc.). The second type of DFD enables success with physical localization tools. This includes designed in physical features to enable rapid bug verification with focused ion beam milling, and probe points for internal signal probing. Both types of DFD are needed and complement each other in the different phases of silicon debug and root cause analysis.
Early Hunter-Gatherer Pottery along the Atlantic Coast of the Southeastern United States: A Ceramic Compositional Study

ABSTRACT Excavations at the Sapelo Island Shell Ring complex in Georgia produced a voluminous assemblage of St. Simons pottery and a small amount of pottery that appears to be of the Thom's Creek type. Known mainly from South Carolina, Thom's Creek ceramics have not been found this far south along the Georgia Coast (Williams and Thompson 1999:125–126). In this study, we investigate whether the ceramics found at Sapelo are more closely related to South Carolina wares or the local St. Simons type. To address this question, we used petrographic point counting and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) characterization techniques on a sample of sherds from both South Carolina and Georgia sites. This pilot study addresses the viability of these techniques for the sourcing of Late Archaic (4200–3000 BP) ceramics and the nature of hunter-gatherer cultural interaction on the southeastern coast of the United States.
Unusual identities for special functions from waveguide propagation analyses

The analysis of electromagnetic wave propagation in cylindrical waveguides with step discontinuities leads naturally to sets of unusual identities for various special functions. Emphasis is placed on those expressions associated with classical rectangular and circular cross-sectional geometry. From a mathematical point of view it turns out, as expected, that the identities are related to bilinear expansions for Green's functions affiliated with Sturm-Liouville boundary-value problems. >
What Sound Can Be Expected From a Worn Tool

This paper describes an electronic-mechanical system which utilizes sonic signals to detect the degree of cutting edge wear in metalworking tools and automatically trigger a cutting edge change. A packaged electronic unit reads out sonic vibrations from an instrumented machine-tool workpiece cutting-tool system to determine degree of cutting edge wear during a turning cut. At a predetermined comparative sonic ratio, the electronic unit commands stoppage of the machine tool feed, retraction of the tool and automatic index of the cemented carbide insert to the next good cutting edge. The latter function is performed by a prototype mechanical device. The paper describes the system and cites data generated during use of the sonic detection system with five grades of cemented carbide cutting AISI 1045 steel. Results under varying cutting conditions are reported. The authors speculate on the possibility of combining such a wear detection and cutting edge indexing arrangement with a computer to provide a complete system for optimum productivity and economy in a completely automatic operation.
An unpowered, wireless contact lens pressure sensor for point-of-care glaucoma diagnosis

The development of a wireless, microfluidic pressure sensor composed of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and dyed glycerol is presented for point-of-care glaucoma diagnosis. Design, fabrication and test results are presented.
Stuttering and fluency: Exclusive events or points on a continuum?

Abstract In recent years, several studies have been conducted in which the fluency of stutterers was compared with that of normal speakers. These investigations have been of two basic types, some involving objective measures of physiologic, aerodynamic, or acoustic features of the subjects' fluent speech signal, and others involving experiments performed in which listeners attempted to distinguish the fluency produced by stutterers from that generated by normal speakers. The body of literature pertaining to each of these two types of investigations is reviewed and interpreted. The interpretations offered are then developed in an effort to shed further light on both fluency and stuttering. Implications for further research, as well as for the evaluation, treatment, and post-therapy assessment of stutterers are drawn.
Growth-Invariant Discrimination and Classification of Striped Bass Stocks by Morphometric and Electrophoretic Methods

Abstract Striped bass Morone saxatilis were collected from mixed-stock populations in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts coastal waters in spring and fall 1983–1986 for purposes of stock identification. Four morphometric characters and abundances of six eye lens proteins were used in a growth-invariant discriminant function analysis for classification into Hudson River stock or Chesapeake Bay-Roanoke River group. Correct classification rates were 76 and 80% for the Hudson River stock and the pooled Chesapeake Bay-Roanoke River group, respectively. The contribution of the Hudson River stock to the coastal populations varied between 14 and 89%, depending upon season and sampling location (state). Several factors influenced stock composition estimates, including year-class or size composition of the sample, geographical distribution of sample sites, sampling period duration, and season.
Monte Carlo-assisted voxel source kernel method (MAVSK) for internal beta dosimetry.

Abstract A method is described for the determination of patient-specific organ beta doses given a known cumulated internal radioactivity distribution. A voxel source kernel for 90 Y analogous to the point source function was simulated. Dose to each organ of interest could then be estimated by convolving the voxel source kernel with the patient's 3-D volume with known radioactivity assigned to each voxel. The dose calculation on eight organs took less than 1 min per patient using a Sun Sparc10 workstation.
Programming Templates: Professional Programmer Knowledge Needed By the Novice

Students first learning to program in any procedural language face the often difficult task of translating solution processes, which they are familiar with, into a form that is bug‐free from a computer standpoint. One element of the differences between the novice and the expert programmer is that the expert already has a set of mappings that allow him or her to translate common solution patterns. This article examines some of the most basic patterns and suggests that students be taught how to recognize them and translate them into code. It is argued that the patterns and the code requirements are similar across a whole range of imperative languages including C, Pascal, Basic, and Cobol.
Cancer cell–selective in vivo near infrared photoimmunotherapy targeting specific membrane molecules

Makoto Mitsunaga et al. have developed a new form of molecular-targeted cancer therapy that provides an alternative to current photodynamic approaches where damage to surrounding healthy cells and tissues can be a problem. They use a target-specific photosensitizer based on a near-infrared phthalocyanine dye, which is conjugated to monoclonal antibodies targeting human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER1 and HER2). Selective treatment using this approach was shown in vivo in subcutaneous cancer xenografts in mice.
Unified interactive geometric modeller for simulating highly complex environments

Abstract The advent of supercomputer technology has greatly increased the power available to process and analyse larger and more complex geometric models than are currently in use. A comprehensive experimental geometric modelling system is presented, which exploits this new technology by allowing for the description of highly complex environments, providing flexible creation and editing facilities, and introducing the capability to model dynamic environments. The system interfaces to various shading and realistic image synthesis routines, and attempts to overcome the restrictions of current display technology. Close attention is paid to the user interface so as not to limit interaction to any particular modelling methodology. To this end, a variety of geometries, an expandable set of object generation routines, and many geometric editing tools are supported. Hierarchical and adjacency associations are also definable between the elements in an environment. To provide a means for dynamic simulation, tools to define object motion are also provided. Environment descriptions are organized into a partitioned database, composed of hierarchical and relational data constructs, allowing for selective subdivision of a complex model into component units and efficient database management.
Spectral Collocation-Based Optimization in Parameter Estimation for Nonlinear Time-Varying Dynamical Systems

A constructive optimization algorithm using Chebyshev spectral collocation and quadratic programming is proposed for unknown parameter estimation in nonlinear time-varying dynamic system models to be constructed from available data. The parameters to be estimated are assumed to be identifiable from the data, which also implies that the assumed system models with known parameter values have a unique solution corresponding to every initial condition and parameter set. The nonlinear terms in the dynamic system models are assumed to have a known form, and the models are assumed to be parameter affine. Using an equivalent algebraic description of dynamical systems by Chebyshev spectral collocation and data, a residual quadratic cost is set up, which is a function of unknown parameters only. The minimization of this cost yields the unique solution for the unknown parameters since the models are assumed to have a unique solution for a particular parameter set. An efficient algorithm is presented stepwise and is illustrated using suitable examples. The case of parameter estimation with incomplete or partial data availability is also illustrated with an example.
De Novo Hair Follicle Morphogenesis and Hair Tumors in Mice Expressing a Truncated β-Catenin in Skin

An effector of intercellular adhesion, beta-catenin also functions in Wnt signaling, associating with Lef-1/Tcf DNA-binding proteins to form a transcription factor. We report that this pathway operates in keratinocytes and that mice expressing a stabilized beta-catenin controlled by an epidermal promoter undergo a process resembling de novo hair morphogenesis. The new follicles formed sebaceous glands and dermal papilla, normally established only in embryogenesis. As in embryologically initiated hair germs, transgenic follicles induce Lef-1, but follicles are disoriented and defective in sonic hedgehog polarization. Additionally, proliferation continues unchecked, resulting in two types of tumors also found in humans. Our findings suggest that transient beta-catenin stabilization may be a key player in the long-sought epidermal signal leading to hair development and implicate aberrant beta-catenin activation in hair tumors.
Sedative and GABAergic Effects of Ethanol on Male and Female Rats

Background: Women consume less alcohol than men, and yet they are more susceptible than men to the negative medical consequences of alcohol use, such as cirrhosis of the liver, cardiac disease, and cognitive impairments. This sex difference is also reflected in animal studies, in which male and female rats differ on both behavioral and electrophysiological measures. Given that one significant difference between males and females is the cycling fluctuations of the sex hormones, this study aimed to compare the relative sensitivity of adolescent and adult rats of both sexes and varying estrous stages to the behavioral and electrophysiological effects of ethanol. Methods: Adult female rats were lavaged daily for estrous cycle assessment. Following administration of 5 g/kg ethanol, adolescent and adult male and female animals were observed for loss of the righting reflex. Then, using whole-cell recording, we tested the response of spontaneous, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in hippocampal slices from drug-naive adult male and female rats. Results: Consistent with previous findings, adolescent animals were less sensitive than adults to the effect of ethanol on the righting reflex. In addition, adult proestrous and diestrous female rats were less sensitive than male rats to the sedative effects of ethanol. Finally, ethanol increased the frequency of sIPSCs in hippocampal pyramidal neurons and did so more potently in cells from male rats than in those from female rats. Conclusions: Female animals are less sensitive to the behavioral sedative effects of ethanol than adult male rats, and the effect is pronounced in the proestrous and diestrous states. This sex difference may be related to differential sensitivity of GABA receptor–mediated central nervous system function to ethanol in females.
Diurnal variations in vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of congenitally anophthalmic mice

Abstract The present study has combined recording of circadian locomotor rhythms with light microscopic immunocytochemistry for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of congenitally anophthalmic mice. These mice, which never develop retinae or optic nerves and do not perceive light, are thus in constant darkness. Our data show a circadian rhythm in expression of VIP in the SCN of anophthalmic mice — expression is maximal during late subjective night/early subjective day and minimal in late subjective day/early subjective night. These observations support the hypothesis that expression of VIP is related to regulation of circadian rhythms by the SCN.
Nd and Sr isotopic signatures of fine-grained clastic sediments: A case study of western Pacific marginal basins

Abstract The Nd–Sr isotopic signature of fine-grained clastic strata from western Pacific marginal basins has been examined to test the applicability of isotopic fluctuations in basin characterization, stratigraphic correlation, and provenance determinations. Neodymium and strontium isotopic analyses were conducted on Plio–Pleistocene sediments (n = 70) from DSDP/ODP drill cores in the Sea of Japan, Shikoku Basin, and the Sulu Sea. The isotopic values from these basins demonstrate the utility of Nd–Sr isotopic signatures for both interbasinal characterization and provenance evaluation, and intrabasinal stratigraphic correlations. The isotopic signature of the Sulu Sea and the Sea of Japan fluctuates within predictable limits defined by the geology of the source area, and the signature is sensitive to changes in sediment flux from isotopically homogeneous source regions. Isotopic values in the Shikoku Basin deviate strongly from predicted isotopic values with neodymium values significantly lower than expected (ɛNd (− 7) to (− 9) vs. predicted ɛNd (− 2) to (+ 5)). This isotopically evolved signature could not have been derived from the crustal domains on the basin margins, and requires input from a previously unrecognized source. The isotopic signature of the Shikoku Basin is interpreted to represent aeolian sediment flux into the basin from eastern Eurasia coincident with paleoclimatic change in Late Pliocene to Early Pliestocene time. Stratigraphic isotopic fluctuations within the Shikoku Basin are sharp, spanning five ɛNd units, and roughly synchronous across the topographically complex basin floor. Fluctuations in the isotopic signature are used to correlate drill holes across over 5400 km2 of basin floor. The isotopic signature of fine-grained sediments reflects the average isotopic composition of the entire source region, and stratigraphic fluctuations in the isotopic signature record variations in the relative importance of isotopically distinct crustal domains through time. Isotopic variations are synchronous across the Shikoku Basin, and are interpreted to reflect episodic basin margin volcanism superimposed on a background of hemipelagic sedimentation with a strong eolian component. Fluctuations in the isotopic signature of basinal strata ultimately result from geologic events on the basin margins and paleoclimatic influences, and may therefore be useful in reconstruction of basin evolution.
The acceleration and propagation of solar cosmic rays as deduced from the relative abundance of protons to helium nuclei

Except for protons, the chemical composition of solar cosmic rays is very similar to the abundance of the elements at the photosphere of the Sun. If we consider the relative abundance ratio of protons to α-particles (P/α) at constant rigidity, this ratio is highly variable from one solar cosmic ray event to another. This ratio observed at the Earth, however, decreases monotonically with time from the onset of solar flares and, furthermore, is dependent on the heliocentric distance of the parent flares from the central meridian of the solar disk. P/α's which have been measured before the onset of SC geomagnetic storms change from 1.5 to 50 or more, being a function of the westward position of the source from the east limb of the Sun. These variations with respect to time and heliocentric distance suggest that the propagation of solar cosmic rays is strongly modulated in the interplanetary space. The major part of the α-particles seem to propagate as if they are trapped within the magnetic clouds which produce SC geomagnetic and cosmic ray storms at the earth.