cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Note on the Incentive to Reveal Information

There are many situations in which a party will obtain a reward or, more generally, will be treated in a way that is affected by information that he reveals, assuming that the information can be verified as true. This is ordinarily the case in goods markets; a seller (say, of a used automobile) will expect to receive a higher price if he can establish favorable facts to the buyer (for example, by showing records proving that the automobile has been regularly serviced) and to receive a lower price were he to reveal unfavorable facts. A related phenomenon occurs in insurance markets; a buyer (for example, of life insurance) will pay a lower premium if he can demonstrate (perhaps with medical records) that his risk is low. Similarly, the evidence that a person (an accident victim; a criminal defendant) substantiates before a court will influence the legal outcome ( a money judgment for the accident victim; a criminal sanction for the defendant); the demonstrable reasons that a person offers for his actions (breaking a lunch engagement) in normal social intercourse will affect the attitude of others toward him. The variety of situations in which the verifiable information that a party conveys will matter to his treatment is plainly large. Such situations will be examined here in a model in which the following assumptions are made. First, some parties possess verifiable information - they can prove that the information is valid - while other parties do not. (Some sellers of automobiles have service records and others do not; some purchasers of life insurance have reasonably complete medical records, others do not; some criminal defendants can bring forward good alibi witnesses, others cannot.) Second, the reward (hereafter, most broadly interpreted) that a party receives if he reveals verifiable information is influenced by that information. Third, the reward that a party receives if he does not reveal verifiable information - either because he does not possess it or because he possesses it but chooses to keep silent - is determined by the characteristics of the entire group of parties who do not reveal verifiable information or by rational inferences that can be drawn about them.
Voice Stress Evaluators and Lie Detection

Proponents of vocal stress analysis systems argue that they are able to detect spoken deception by analysis of "stress" in the voice signal. Presumably, they do so by examining traces made by laryngeal microtremors which, they claim exist in the voice, are associated with stress, and ultimately are associated with lying. However, most research that seeks to identify the relationships between microtremors and laryngeal function has produced negative results, and data on the ability of voice analyzers to detect stress from speech--or to identify spoken deception--have been negative or "mixed" in nature. Since perspectives based on available results leave a number of questions unanswered, a series of experiments has been undertaken. The first was focused on the basic acoustic/temporal correlates of stress in voice (the subject of an earlier report), the second on examination of stress by commercial voice analyzers, and the third on the detection of relatively high-risk lies by this same type of voice analysis procedure. It was found that correct stress/nonstress identifications occurred only at chance levels; the lie/nonlie identification scores were quite similar with professional "examiners" performing at about the same level of accuracy as other auditors. The following review is divided into two parts: a history of the controversy and a presentation of the two cited experiments.
Epigenetic Suppression of SERPINB1 Promotes Inflammation-Mediated Prostate Cancer Progression

Granulocytic myeloid infiltration and resultant enhanced neutrophil elastase (NE) activity is associated with poor outcomes in numerous malignancies. We recently showed that NE expression and activity from infiltrating myeloid cells was high in human prostate cancer xenografts and mouse Pten-null prostate tumors. We further demonstrated that NE directly stimulated human prostate cancer cells to proliferate, migrate, and invade, and inhibition of NE in vivo attenuated xenograft growth. Interestingly, reduced expression of SERPINB1, an endogenous NE inhibitor, also correlates with diminished survival in some cancers. Therefore, we sought to characterize the role of SERPINB1 in prostate cancer. We find that SERPINB1 expression is reduced in human metastatic and locally advanced disease and predicts poor outcome. SERPINB1 is also reduced in Pten-null mouse prostate tumors compared with wild-type prostates, and treatment with sivelestat (SERPINB1 pharmacomimetic) attenuates tumor growth. Knockdown of highly expressed SERPINB1 in nonmalignant prostatic epithelial cells (RWPE-1) increases proliferation, decreases apoptosis, and stimulates expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers. In contrast, stable SERPINB1 expression in normally low-expressing prostate cancer cells (C4-2) reduces xenograft growth in vivo. Finally, EZH2-mediated histone (H3K27me3) methylation and DNA methyltransferase-mediated DNA methylation suppress SERPINB1 expression in prostate cancer cells. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas and pyrosequencing demonstrate hypermethylation of the SERPINB1 promoter in prostate cancer compared with normal tissue, and the extent of promoter methylation negatively correlates with SERPINB1 mRNA expression. IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that the balance between SERPINB1 and NE is physiologically important within the prostate and may serve as a biomarker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer.
Is the “Unmotivated” Client a Myth? Reconstructing Human Service Practices

Although there many factors outside of the human service context that influence client motivation, the label of an “unmotivated client” obscures the fact that in some significant measure the proble...
Spatial genetic structure within a population of nine-banded armadillos in western Mississippi

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is unique among mammals because females produce litters of genetically identical quadruplets via monozygotic polyembryony. This unusual form of reproduction could have profound impacts on the spatial genetic structure of populations of armadillos, but at present it is unclear whether littermates remain together as adults, or if sex-biased dispersal occurs. The goal of our study was to determine whether fine-scale spatial genetic structure (FSGS) within a population of armadillos diminishes with age (i.e., from juvenile to adult due to the dispersal of littermates away from one another), and if the degree of FSGS for a given age class differs between the sexes. We obtained genotype data at seven microsatellite DNA loci for 421 individuals in a wild population of armadillos inhabiting the Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge in western Mississippi. Correlogram analyses based on measures of spatial genetic autocorrelation showed weak but significant FSGS that was driven by positive spatial genetic autocorrelation among both male and female juveniles and adult males, but not adult females. Positive spatial genetic autocorrelation among adult males could be due to either female-biased dispersal or high variance in male reproductive success. Further work is required to discriminate between these two possibilities.
False Data Injection and Detection in LQG Systems: A Game Theoretic Approach

Cyber-physical systems are vulnerable to false data injection by adversaries who compromise cyber communication links. In this paper, an infinite horizon linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) system is considered wherein the control inputs transmitted over cyber links are vulnerable to compromise and false data injection by adversaries. The adversarial cyber-attack is driven to minimize the performance of the LQG system, and the controller is equipped with an intrusion detection system that monitors the sequence of internal physical states to detect adversarial input modification. The problem is formulated as a two-player zero-sum game with the false alarm probability as the reward, wherein the attacker aims to achieve a target increase in controller cost while maximizing the false alarm probability, and a detector who wishes to minimize the false alarm probability while remaining consistent. It is shown that in such a game, an $ \epsilon$ -equilibrium exists. The equilibrium attacker strategy is the one that minimizes the Kullback–Leibler distance between legitimate and falsified state dynamics, and the equilibrium detector strategy is the corresponding likelihood-ratio test. Numerical simulations are presented that showcase the equilibrium strategy pair and the intuitive strategies comparisons.
Probing cell mechanoelastic properties in response to nanosecond pulsed electric fields (Conference Presentation)

Nanosecond electric pulses (nsEPs) are known to cause a variety of effects on mammalian cells, ranging from destabilization of cell membranes to changes in cytoskeleton and elastic moduli. Measurement of a cells mechanoelastic properties have previously been limited to only invasive and destructive techniques such as atomic force microscopy or application of optical tweezers. However, due to recent advances, Brillouin spectroscopy has now become viable as a non-contact, non-invasive method for measuring these properties in cells and other materials. Here, we present progress toward applying Brillouin spectroscopy using a unique confocal microscope system for measuring changes in CHO-K1 cells when exposed to nsEPs of 600ns pulse duration with intensity of 10-50 kV/cm. Successful measurement of mechanoelastic changes in these cells will demonstrate Brillouin spectroscopy as a viable method for measuring changes in elastic properties of other cells and living organisms.
Real-world use of second-line treatments in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) of varying liver dysfunction: Analysis at a Hispanic-majority cancer center.

e16676Background: Hispanics have a higher incidence of HCC but are underrepresented in clinical trials leading to approvals of new therapies for HCC. Further, there is a lack of prospective trials ...
Win frequency fir sources for plasma diagnostic applications

The FIR spectral region is particularly well suited to diagnose the state of fusion plasmas. For example. FIR interferometers and polarimeters are used to infer electron density and plasma current profiles via phase and polarization modification of a probe beam. In addition collective scattering techniques in the FIR have been used to probe a variety of turbulent and coherent waves that exist in these plasmas. The density fluctuations associated with these waves may be responsible for the observed anomalous transport in fusion devices.
HYDROLOGY, FLOODS AND DROUGHTS | Flooding

Flooding occurs when water encroaches on normally dry land. Floods can arise directly from atmospheric precipitation or from events that cause precipitation that had fallen earlier to inundate dry land. Flooding is a hazard that occurs worldwide and can have enormous societal impacts. As people encroach on flood-prone regions and urbanization occurs, they become increasingly vulnerable to the dangers of flooding.
Ictal-Interictal Continuum In Toxic Metabolic Encephalopathy: Prevalence and Outcomes (5498)

Objective: Toxic metabolic encephalopathy (TME) is a common indication for continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring. The prevalence of ictal-interictal continuum (IIC) patterns in pure TME, their relation to outcome and treatment implications remain unclear. Here we evaluate the frequency, clinical predictors, and prognostic value of IIC patterns in TME. Background: NA Design/Methods: We included patients with TME undergoing cEEG for > 18 hours. Patients with acute structural brain injury or cardiac arrest were excluded. Age, gender, APACHE II score, underlying etiology, and 3 month MRS were ascertained by chart review. IIC patterns (seizures, lateralized and generalized periodic discharges, lateralized rhythmic delta activity, sporadic discharges) were defined using the American Clinical Neurophysiology nomenclature. Results: 121 patients met study criteria (mean age 64 years; 54.6 % female; mean APACHE II score 20). The most common etiologies for TME were renal (48%), hepatic (36%) and pulmonary (31%). 100 (82.6%) of patients had IIC patterns. Patients with IIC had higher APACHE II score ( median 21 vs 16, p = 0.04) and were more likely to have hepatic failure (OR 1.17, p = 0.03). Hepatic disease (OR 4.14, p = 0.04) was independently associated with presence of IIC patterns on multivariate analysis. 84.5% of patients had poor 3-month outcome (MRS 4–6). Although there was a trend towards worse outcomes in patients with IIC, this was not statistically significant (OR 1.16, p = 0.07) Conclusions: Patients with TME have a high prevalence of IIC patterns. Patients with underlying hepatic disease are at highest risk. Although there was no significant association of IIC with outcomes, given the high proportion of poor outcomes, our study may be under-powered. Future prospective studies are needed to delineate the long-term impact of IIC in patients with TME to identify candidates for treatment. Disclosure: Dr. Shoukat has nothing to disclose.
Conclusion: What Do We Know and What Should We Do?

The preceding chapters have illustrated econometric methods for empirically estimating both accurate descriptions of reality and causal effects by presenting examples of research that has used the American Community Survey. The focus of this final chapter is rather different. The key question I address here is, how should these empirical estimates be used to guide public policy decision-making?.
Vaccine adverse event enrichment tests

Vaccination safety is critical for individual and public health. Many existing methods have been used to conduct safety studies with the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) database. However, these methods frequently identify many adverse event (AE) signals and they are often hard to interpret in a biological context. The AE ontology introduces biologically meaningful structures to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) database by connecting similar AEs, which provides meaningful interpretation for the underlying safety issues. In this paper, we develop rigorous statistical methods to identify "interesting" AE groups by performing AE enrichment analysis. We extend existing gene enrichment tests to perform AE enrichment analysis, while incorporating the special features of the AE data. The proposed methods were evaluated using simulation studies and were further illustrated on two studies using VAERS data. The proposed methods were implemented in R package AEenrich and can be installed from the Comprehensive R Archive Network, CRAN, and source code are available at https://github.com/umich-biostatistics/AEenrich.
Smt-Switch: A Solver-Agnostic C++ API for SMT Solving

This paper presents Smt-Switch, an open-source, solver-agnostic API for SMT solving. Smt-Switch provides simple, uniform, and high-performance access to SMT solving for applications in areas such as automated reasoning, planning, and formal verification. It defines an abstract interface, which can be implemented by different SMT solvers. The interface allows the user to create, traverse, and manipulate terms, as well as dynamically dispatch queries to various underlying SMT solvers.
Spatio-Temporal Statistics With R.: Christopher K. Wikle, Andrew Zammit-Mangion, and Noel Cressie. Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC Press, 2019, xv + 380 pp., $59.95(H), ISBN: 978-1-13-871113-6.

Spatio-Temporal Statistics With R is an excellent book both for those seeking a broad overview of the current spatio-temporal practices and for those wanting practical spatio-temporal examples or a...
Police Response to Latina Immigrant Intimate Partner Violence Victims: A Qualitative Analysis:

While an increasing body of literature has assessed police response to intimate partner violence (IPV), a dearth of this research has examined police decision-making with formal reports of IPV amon...
Comparison of Surface Sensor and Bone-Fixed Measurement of Humeral Motion

A common method of tracking humeral motion involves securing a thermoplastic cuff to the humerus with an electromagnetic sensor attached. The data on the accuracy of this technique are limited. This study addressed two questions: (a) How similar are surface and bone-fixed measurements of 3-D humeral rotations? (b) How similar are surface and bone-fixed measurements of 3-D humeral translations? Electromagnetic motion sensors were secured to a bone-fixed external humeral fixator, a surface humeral cuff, and the skin over the sternum and scapular acromion process. The 3-D data were collected during successive slow velocity (10–20°/second) repetitions of humeral active-assisted scapular plane abduction, sagittal plane flexion, and internal/external rotation with the arm adducted. Root mean square errors of surface measures compared to bone-fixed angular and translational values were calculated, and paired t-tests were computed between the two methods. Root mean square errors for humeral rotations ranged from ...
Does the accomplishment justify the investment in AI and expert systems

The author briefly examines the trends in investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and expert systems. The author believes that AI has not lived up to the great expectations of the past three decades. However AI is a fundamentally important field, and in the years ahead expert systems which may be viewed as a part of AI will emerge as a key component of information science and technology. The author suggests that the failure of AI to achieve most of its stated goals is directly related to the almost total commitment of AI to classical predicate logic. Viewed in this perspective the author suggests that, to the extent that investment in AI has been channeled into the development of methods and techniques based on classical logic, it has not paid off. What is discernible, however, is a greater willingness on the part of the AI community to accept methods involving probabilistic reasoning, even though such reasoning is for the most part numerical rather than symbolic. Such reasoning, the author concludes, plays an essential role in expert systems, since it is unrealistic to assume that there is no uncertainty in the rule-base of a real-world system. >
Application of a lightweight enterprise architecture elicitation technique using a case study approach

Enterprise architecture (EA) has demonstrated utility for improving overall Information System (IS)/Information Technology (IT) outcomes for institutions, particularly those with large-scale or integration-related needs. To achieve the core goal of an EA — integration, alignment and governance between enterprise goals and the enterprise IS/IT portfolio — institutional vision, mission and objectives must be elicited, analysed, understood and documented by the enterprise architects. This paper proposes and evaluates a lightweight EA elicitation technique to gather the required information about enterprise mission and objectives as a lightweight entry point to developing an EA. Specifically, we investigate the evaluation results of our proposed technique in EA data elicitation and analysis stemming from a case study that was conducted on an institution with a significant IS/IT asset portfolio. Our proposed EA elicitation technique utilizes the VMOST elicitation question, a structured elicitation vehicle, and Grounded Theory Method as the qualitative analysis technique to analyse elicited responses. Application of this approach in a real case study garnered sufficient understanding the vision, mission and objectives of an enterprise to articulate objectives in a way suitable to use as institutional goal as a part of the Zachman EA framework.
Harmonics and Power Phenomena

The sections in this article are 1 Power Theory of Systems with Nonsinusoidal Voltages and Currents 2 Fourier Series 3 Properties of Harmonics' CRMS Vaues 4 Harmonics in Linear Circuits with Lumped RLC Parameters 5 Harmonics of Symmetrical Three-Phase Quantities 6 Instanteneous Power in Single-Phase Circuits 7 Active Power in Single-Phase Circuits 8 Apparent Power in Single-Phase Circuits 9 Budeanu's Reactive and Distortion Powers 10 Current's Physical Components Power Theory of Linear, Time-Variant Loads 11 Current's Physical Components and Powers of Single-Phase Harmonic Generating Loads 12 Three-Phase Systems — Doubts with Respect to Apparent Power Definitions 13 Currents' Physical Components of Three-Phase, Linear, Time-Invariant (LTI) Loads 14 Currents' Physical Components and Powers of Three-Phase Harmonic Generating Loads 15 Instantaneous Reactive Power p-q Theory 16 Advanced Topics That Have Not Been Discussed
Abstract P5-15-10: A combination natural product therapy attenuates common side effects associated with chemotherapy

Background: The taxanes and platinum agents provide substantial improvement in the treatment of breast and other cancers. Neuropathy is often the dose limiting toxicity of these agents and can devastatingly affect the patient due to diminished fine motor skills and pain in the hands and feet that diminishes the ability to exercise and interact in normal life. Clinically significant neuropathy occurs in 40% of patients and >10% will persist past a year causing permanent effects on quality of life. Perhaps more devastating, patients often have to discontinue effective treatment due to the development of these symptoms. Additionally, anemia contributes to dose reductions and delays that compromise therapy and cause significant fatigue that diminishes quality of life. Interventions that could reduce these symptoms would provide a substantial improvement in the ability to care for these patients. Toward this end we have developed a non-toxic dietary approach that incorporates supplementation with several natural products. Together, this therapeutic approach, called CS.001 is able to alleviate many of the negative side effects of breast cancer chemotherapy. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were treated with Paclitaxel weekly or Oxaliplatin three times weekly. Animals were tested for neuropathic pain using a cold sensitivity test [acetone test] and sensitivity to mechanical stimulus [Von Frey Test]. A CBC and CMP were performed to assess systemic toxicity. Animals were provided with a nutritional complete diet that limited their carbohydrates to 10% of total caloric input and were additionally supplemented with the following natural products: [1] Medium chain triglycerides [30g/kg], [2] Curcumin [1200mg/kg], [3]EGCG [1200mg/kg] and [4]broccoli sprout powder [20g/kg]. Animals were placed on the CS.001 diet 1 week before beginning chemotherapy. Results: Paclitaxel & Oxaliplatin treatment resulted in a statistically significantly increase in sensitivity to cold stimulus [Acetone test, p Conclusion: Dietary intervention combined with a supplementation of 4 natural products was able to attenuate chemotherapy induced anemia and neuropathy following chemotherapy treatment in mice. This combination is a promising quality of life intervention to evaluate in cancer patients receiving taxanes or platinums. Citation Format: Coy D Heldermon, Ben G Griffith, Matt Bloom, Jennifer Owen, Regina J Martuscello, Yosef Schwartz, Brent A Reynolds, Loic P Deleyrolle. A combination natural product therapy attenuates common side effects associated with chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-15-10.
The OpenMP memory model

The memory model of OpenMP has been widely misunderstood since the first OpenMP specification was published in 1997 (Fortran 1.0). The proposed OpenMP specification (version 2.5) includes a memory model section to address this issue. This section unifies and clarifies the text about the use of memory in all previous specifications, and relates the model to well-known memory consistency semantics. In this paper, we discuss the memory model and show its implications for future distributed shared memory implementations of OpenMP.
Poly (Vinyl Fluoride)

Homopolymers and copolymers of vinyl fluoride are based on free-radical polymerization of vinyl fluoride and comonomers, usually under high pressure. Du Pont first commercialized a poly(vinyl fluoride)-based film in 1961 under the trade name Tedlar. Poly(vinyl fluoride) homopolymers and copolymers have excellent resistance to sunlight degradation, chemical attack, water absorption, and solvent; they have a high solar energy transmittance rate. These properties have resulted in the utilization of poly(vinyl fluoride) (PVF) film and coating in outdoor and indoor functional and decorative applications. These films are used where exceptional high temperature stability, outdoor longevity, stain resistance, adherence, and release properties are required. Keywords: Poly(vinyl fluoride); Vinyl fluoride; Polymerization; Polymer properties; Coatings; Fiber-reinforced panels; PVF film
Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students in Secondary Schools, Christian J. Faltis and Cathy A. Coulter

In school districts throughout the nation, English learners and immigrant students are increasing in numbers. While the discourse around this group of students often focuses on elementary-school is...
Nonlinear Multi-Error Correction Codes for Reliable MLC nand Flash Memories

Multi-level cell (MLC) nand flash memories are popular storage media because of their power efficiency and large storage density. Conventional reliable MLC nand flash memories based on BCH codes or Reed-Solomon (RS) codes have a large number of undetectable and miscorrected errors. Moreover, standard decoders for BCH and RS codes cannot be easily modified to correct errors beyond their error correcting capability t=[(d-1/2)], where d is the Hamming distance of the code. In this paper, we propose two general constructions of nonlinear multi-error correcting codes based on concatenations or generalized from Vasil'ev codes. The proposed constructions can generate nonlinear bit-error correcting or digit-error correcting codes with very few or even no errors undetected or miscorrected for all codewords. Moreover, codes generated by the generalized Vasil'ev construction can correct some errors with multiplicities larger than t without any extra overhead in area, latency, and power consumption compared to schemes where only errors with multiplicity up to t are corrected. The design of reliable MLC nand flash architectures can be based on the proposed nonlinear multi-error correcting codes. The reliability, area overhead and the penalty in latency and power consumption of the architectures based on the proposed codes are compared to architectures based on BCH codes and RS codes. The results show that using the proposed nonlinear error correcting codes for the protection of MLC nand flash memories can reduce the number of errors undetected or miscorrected for all codewords to be almost 0 at the cost of less than 20% increase in power and area compared to architectures based on BCH codes and RS codes.
The glycosphingolipids of human prostate tissue.

Abstract Neutral glycolipids and gangliosides from surgical samples of benign human prostate tissue were analyzed by chemical, enzymatic and immunostaining procedures. The neutral glycolipids consisted of ceramide mono-, di-, tri- and tetrahexosides of the globo series plus paragloboside. The monosialoganglioside fraction contained G M3 and G M1 plus multiple species of monosialylated lactosamine-containing structures, including sialyl- α -2 → 3paragloboside plus at least two compounds having a non-reducing terminal sialyl α 2 → 6Gal linkage. The disialoganglioside fraction contained G D3 as the major component plus G D1a , G D2 and G D1b . G T1b was the major trisialoganglioside.
Moving the Protein Folding Problem from the Test Tube to the Cell

Considerable progress has been made recently in our understanding of the mechanisms of protein folding and aggregation in vitro. Moreover, research in the last decade has implicated protein misfolding and aggregation in pathologies, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other amyloid diseases. It is clearly important to link our understanding of behaviors of polypeptide chains in defined media to the successful maintenance of functional, folded proteins in vivo and the consequences when proteins misbehave. We are tackling this challenge using as a case study a predominantly β-sheet protein whose in vitro folding we have explored in detail, cellular retinoic acid binding protein 1 (CRABP1). This talk will briefly review the in vitro folding landscape of CRABP1 and how it suggests a functional conundrum: functionally important properties of this protein cause it to be vulnerable to aggregation. A variety of results point to the existence of a dynamic, near native state on the folding landscape of CRABP1 that is required for CRABP1 to bind and release is natural ligand, retinoic acid, but also puts the protein at risk of aggregation. Next, we will describe the development of reporter systems to observe folding and aggregation of CRABP1 and other proteins in cells and what we have learned about factors that influence in vivo folding and aggregation. Next, this talk will describe our recent efforts to model the entire network of folding, aggregation, and chaperone interaction networks in E. coli and how the balance of synthesis rate, intrinsic folding/unfolding rates, chaperone availability and effectiveness, and rate of degradation all contribute to the success of folding to the native state, and if not, the extent to which aggregation will occur in vivo.
Modeling of asphalt roof shingle-sealant structures for prediction of local delamination under high wind loads

Abstract An analytical model based on beam-on-elastic foundation (BOEF) principles is formulated and employed to simulate the structural response of a realistic asphalt shingle-sealant system under high wind loads. The system consists of individual three-tab shingles that are discretely bonded to the underlying shingles and subjected to differential out-of-plane pressures that are associated with high wind loads. Relevant mechanical properties for a typical modern asphalt shingle and sealant were determined experimentally and input in the proposed structural model. The model was then used to estimate the applied energy release rate, G, for the sealant strip as a function of length, location, and applied uplift pressures on the shingle. Results indicate that the G values are highly sensitive to sealant strip location and sealant length, where sealant length is defined to be along the perpendicular direction between the nail line and leading edge of the shingle, and that the sealant strip location in typical modern shingles is roughly optimized to ensure a balanced value of G at the inner and outer sealant strip edges. However, predictions also indicate that G could be further reduced by using longer sealant strips that are slightly shifted towards the leading edge of the shingle, thereby decreasing the potential for failure. Additional BOEF model simulations were performed using full-field shingle uplift displacements as input to determine the potential for estimating the average uplift pressures imparted on asphalt shingles under high wind loading conditions. Promising results were obtained regarding the suitability of the proposed BOEF-based inverse analysis technique to estimate shingle uplift pressures. In addition, G values that are scaled for high pressures associated with extreme wind conditions, and resulting in sealant separation, are in qualitative agreement with an estimate of critical energy release rate, Gc, based on the results of standard direct tensile tests reported in the literature.
Numerical and Experimental Investigations on the Loads Carried by the Tool During Friction Stir Welding

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is presented for simulating the material flow and heat transfer in the friction stir welding (FSW) of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy (AA6061). The goal is to utilize the 3-D, numerical model to analyze the viscous and inertia loads applied to the FSW tool by varying the welding parameters. To extend the FSW process modeling, in this study, the temperature-dependant material properties as well as the stick/slip condition are considered where the material at the proximity of the FSW tool slips on the lower pressure regions. A right-handed one-way thread on a tilted FSW tool pin with a smooth, concaved shoulder is, additionally, considered to increase the accuracy of the numerical model. In addition, the viscous and frictional heating are assumed as the only sources of heat input. In the course of model verification, good agreements are found between the numerical results and the experimental investigations.
Comparison of Different Methods for the Determination of Stress Intensity Factors of Cracks in Pipes With Stress Gradients

Stress intensity factors for long longitudinal and complete circumferential cracks under stress gradients were calculated using a weight function method. The weight functions were obtained by a method proposed by Petroski and Achenbach [3 ] and by a finite element fit procedure. Excellent agreement was obtained with finite element results of Labbens, et al. [7 ].
Health Care’s Human Crisis: The American Nursing Shortage:

This is a review of the Robert Wood Johnson report, Health Care’s Human Crisis: The American Nursing Shortage , published in April of 2002. The report looks at underlying factors driving the curren...
Spectroscopic imaging of the brain with phased-array coils at 3.0 T

The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate high-resolution magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) utilizing the gains in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) provided by combining higher magnetic field with high-sensitivity phased-array (PA) coils. We investigated the maximum improvement in spatial resolution as small as 0.09 cm(3) for brain MRSI while maintaining adequate SNR and acquisition time. The use of low peak power, dual-band spectral-spatial pulses was also investigated for application to 3 T MRSI of the brain using the body coil for radiofrequency excitation and PA coils for signal reception.
Risk, error and blame in organizations: a communication approach

Examines the ways in which reporters from differing fields of work in a high‐risk environment (the Aviation Safety Reporting System in the USA) strive through narrative to present and maintain a coherent sense of self through face‐work involving blame acceptance or avoidance. Proposes not to locate specific and final locations for blame, but to instead recognize risk as an underlying factor in a discourse about error and blame in an increasingly global society. In the case examined discourses of blame varied in different worlds of work. Concludes that the approach taken of mapping blame options within different work worlds within a larger context can provide a foundation for ongoing risk assessment through the tracking of shifting blame options over time or the ways in which options are interwoven between work worlds. Maintains that this study may aid in the development of new approaches to risk.
Studies on the oxidation state of molybdopterin

Abstract Molybdopterin, the organic component of the molybdenum cofactor common to all molybdenum-containing enzymes except nitrogenase, is proposed to contain two vicinal thiols capable of complexing Mo. The pterin ring is in an unknown state of reduction in the active cofactor. We have used subtractive difference spectroscopy for examining the reduction state of the pterin in sulfite oxidase and xanthine oxidase under rigorously anaerobic conditions in 6 M guanidinium chloride. It is concluded that the molybdopterin is in the tetrahydro form in both enzymes. Alkylation of molybdopterin with iodoacetamide in denatured samples of sulfite oxidase yields a derivative which contains two alkyl groups per phosphate and is in the tetrahydro form. These findings are in accord with the proposed presence of two thiols in the cofactor, and provide additional evidence for the state of reduction in the pterin.
Parallel multischeme computation

Numerical experiments on multischeme computation to solve ordinary differential equation initial-value problems have been performed on a multiprocessor computer. A computation network of the schemes schedules the multischeme computation in parallel.
Intra-operative prostate examination: predictive value and effect on margin status

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the ability of intra-operative prostate examination (IOPE) to predict extraprostatic extension (EPE) and its effect on margin status in the region of the neurovascular bundle (NVB) when combined with wide excision. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 403 patients with clinical stage T1c prostate adenocarcinoma undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). All patients had IOPE during RRP, and those with palpable abnormalities in the region of the NVB underwent wide excision. Pathological outcomes were analysed. RESULTS Of 403 patients, 49 (12%) had a palpable abnormality in the region of the NVB. After wide excision, 18 (37%) of these 49 patients were found to have EPE at the site of the palpable abnormality; with wide excision of the NVB, only one of these 18 patients (6%) had a corresponding positive surgical margin (PSM). In 354 patients with a normal IOPE and who underwent bilateral NVB preservation, 30 were found to have EPE in the region of the NVB. The PSM rate in this subset was 23% (seven of 30). The positive predictive value of IOPE for detecting EPE was 37%. CONCLUSION IOPE detects abnormalities in 12% of patients with preoperative stage T1c prostate cancer. Although the predictive value of this test is limited, IOPE may decrease PSMs in a subset of patients with EPE in the region of the NVB. The present study reaffirms the value of IOPE for assessing the risk of extraprostatic disease, and for guiding surgical management.
Preliminary evaluation of display format effects on perceptibility in a low contrast ultrasound test object.

A phantom consisting of a gel closely resembling human liver on B‐mode scanning, and containing a rounded zone of decreased echogenicity, was used to create a series of B‐mode ultrasonicimages containing simulated ‘‘lesions’’ in random locations on the final recorded image. A homogeneous gel phantom was used to create a series of blank images.Images were recorded in three display formats: conventional white on black background, conventional black on white background, and black on a white background with luminance normalized to that of the conventional white on black image. Six subjects were presented with a randomized series of scans in the 3 display formats, and receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the effect of display format on low‐contrast detectability. Detectability of low‐contrast ‘‘lesions’’ was lower in a high contrastimage with black on white background compared to the medium contrastimage in white on black format. Detectability with the black on white format having normalized luminance was generally intermediate between that observed for the two conventional formats.
Transfer of Training as a Function of Semantic Relatedness in a Category Search Task

It has been demonstrated that highly trained, automatic processes can transfer across certain memory search tasks; the degree to which these processes may be exhibited in visual search tasks has not been established, however. We examined this issue by testing the transfer of highly trained, automatized components of a semantic category, visual search task to stimulus situations of varying degrees of relatedness. We developed an adaptive version of the multiple-frame detection task (Schneider and Shiffrin, 1977) in order to test performance at the limits of visual search capacity. During training, frame-time was the dependent variable and was determined by each participant's performance ability. Each received 6,090 trials on exemplars from a single semantic category. Transfer consisted of two sessions, 330 trials per session. Transfer performance reveals that participants became highly proficient at the task: by Session 3 accuracy stabilized at around 80%. Accuracy increased in direct relation to the degre...
Effects of calcium salts of fatty acids and protein source on ruminal fermentation and nutrient flow to duodenum of cows.

Abstract Four Holstein cows fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square to investigate the effects of calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (fat) and source of protein (fish meal or soybean meal) on ruminal fermentation, flow of nutrients to the small intestine, and animal performance. Cows were fed for ad libitum intake a diet of 30% alfalfa haylage, 20% corn silage, and 50% concentrate on a DM basis. Treatments, arranged in a 2 × 2 (fat × protein) factorial, were 1) soybean meal, no fat; 2) soybean meal, fat; 3) fish meal, no fat; and 4) fish meal, fat. Intake of DM was not affected by fat or protein source, but feeding fat decreased the amount of OM truly digested in the rumen. Starch intake was decreased, but flow of starch to the duodenum was not altered by feeding fat. Nonammonia N and microbial N flows to the duodenum were not affected by treatment comparisons. However, efficiency of microbial growth was increased by feeding fat, but not by source of protein. Passage of amino acids to the duodenum was not affected by source of protein, probably because fish meal contributed only 17% of the total dietary CP, and microbial N constituted about 50% of the NAN passing to the duodenum; this had an equalizing effect on the pattern and quantity of amino acids that passed to the duodenum. Feeding fat or different sources of protein did not alter milk production. Milk fat percentage was increased, and protein percentage was decreased when fat was fed, but yields of milk fat and protein were not different.
Anticipated Reaction of others to Intimate Vs Nonintimate Self-Disclosure

Summary.-22 men and 22 women were presented 8 hypothetical situations in which they disclosed something to a same-sex friend. They rated how good an impression hey would create by each statement. In the 8 situations, the topic was positive or negative, intimate ,or nonintimate, and selF-disclosure was high or low. Subjects expected that they would be less well received by high vs low self-disclosure when the topic was intimate. Only on a positive nonintimate topic did they expect to be better received through high self-disclosure.
Modulation by miR-29b of intestinal epithelium homoeostasis through the repression of menin translation

Menin regulates distinct cellular functions by regulating gene transcription through its interaction with partner transcription factors, but the exact mechanisms that control menin levels remain largely unknown. In the present study we report that Men1 mRNA, encoding menin, is a novel target of miR-29b and that miR-29b/Men1 mRNA association regulates menin expression post-transcriptionally in rat intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Overexpression of a miR-29b precursor lowered the levels of Men1 mRNA modestly, but reduced new synthesis of menin robustly; conversely, antagonism of miR-29b enhanced menin protein synthesis and steady-state levels. The repressive effect of miR-29b on menin expression was mediated through a single binding site in the coding region of Men1 mRNA, because point mutation of this site prevented miR-29b-induced repression of menin translation. Increasing cellular polyamines due to overexpression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) enhanced menin translation by reducing miR-29b, whereas polyamine depletion by inhibiting ODC increased it, thus suppressing menin expression. Moreover, an increase in menin abundance in an miR-29b-silenced population of IECs led to increased sensitivity to apoptosis, which was prevented by silencing menin. These findings indicate that miR-29b represses translation of Men1 mRNA, in turn affecting intestinal epithelial homoeostasis by altering IEC apoptosis.
Trade Reform and Inflation Stabilization

This paper examines two important issues for a small high-inflation open economy with trade controls where the government implements an exchange-rate based stabilization program: first, the extent to which the degree of openness of the economy influences the probability of success of the program; and second, the conditions under which a trade reform, implemented in conjunction with the stabilization program, will increase the probability that stabilization will be successful. The paper shows that in an economy with high export and import price elasticities, structural reforms to increase openness can be important in determining the success of the program.
Systems Engineering in the Steel Industry

The American steel industry is constantly facing challenges presented by new competitive materials, rising foreign imports, increasing labor costs, and new more complex technology. Steel industry customers are demanding and receiving tighter tolerances on their steel strip, sheet, and plate products. Steel is an ancient industry, when compared to today's space industry. Simple, cheap solutions are pretty well exhausted. Plant processes are both extremely expensive and productive. While change has been a way of life for years in the steel industry, the opportunities for profitable change today are fantastic compared with five years ago, due mostly to the digital computers. The self-regulation and tighter control achievable with automatic feedback, in addition to the unifying concepts of systems engineering, provide a proved technical approach to the solution of today's steel plant manufacturing and production control problems. The logic and discipline of critical task network planning are being used to assure profitable on-schedule implementation of automation systems that fully utilize the potentialities of both the present day digital computers and the current engineering technology.
Anisoplanatism in adaptive optics compensation of a focused beam with use of distributed beacons

In systems that achieve laser beam propagation through atmospheric turbulence by phase compensation with adaptive optics, the performance depends on the beacon’s spatial distribution. A formulation is obtained to calculate the anisoplanatic Strehl ratio of a phase-compensated, focused beam for any beacon distribution and turbulence profile. Analytic results are obtained for several beacon geometries corresponding to practical systems in the large aperture limit. The effects of finite aperture are evaluated for two representative beacon geometries with use of both uniform and highly localized turbulence profiles. The spread of the beacon distribution is found to be much less deleterious than the offset of the beacon centroid from the aimpoint. The anisoplanatic effect is qualitatively different in systems characterized by a focused beam geometry and in systems where the collimated beam geometry applies.
Early signal transduction by the antigen receptor without commitment to T cell activation

The T lymphocyte antigen-receptor complex mediates antigen-specific cell activation, at least in part, through the production of inositolphospholipid-derived second messengers. Little is known about how second messenger events, typically measured within minutes of ligand binding, eventually lead to distal biologic responses such as expression of lymphokine genes. Several monoclonal antibodies directed against the receptor complex were tested for their ability to elicit transmembrane signaling in the parental Jurkat line and in a somatic mutant (J.CaM1) with a deficient receptor function. One antibody elicited substantial early Ca2+ mobilization responses in both cells but was unable to promote expression of the interleukin-2 gene in J.CaM1. In J.CaM1 there was a diminished production of phosphatidylinositol second messengers, and the elevation in intracellular free Ca2+ was transient. Thus, short-term Ca2+ mobilization does not always indicate complete signal transmission and lead to a full cellular response.