cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 12:Design and Planning of Sustainable Supply Chains for Biobased Products

In this chapter, we present a mathematical framework to model and optimize a supply chain for industrial chemical products derived from biomass. A multi-objective, multi-period mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model that takes various aspects of the supply chain into account is designed and implemented. Important decisions include the location, capacity and technology selection for the refineries, selection of suppliers and customers, production planning, transportation scheduling as well as inventory management. Seasonality in biomass supply and degradation of biomass are both captured in the model. The proposed multi-objective MILP model is solved using the e-constraint method to simultaneously optimize economic objective (maximizing profit) and environmental objective (minimizing greenhouse gas emissions). The branch-and-refine algorithm is employed to accelerate the solution process. The proposed model then undergoes an illustrative case study scenario to verify its viable functionality. The result of the case study confirms that as more greenhouse gas emission is allowed, higher profit is generated.
SNOW MAPPING AND CLASSIFICATION FROM LANDSAT THEMATIC MAPPER DATA

Use of satellite multi-spectral remote-sensing data to map snow and estimate snow characteristics over remote and inaccessible areas requires that we distinguish snow from other surface cover and from clouds, and compensate for the effects of the atmosphere and rugged terrain. Because our space- borne radiometers typically measure reflectance in a few wavelength bands, for climate modeling we must use inferences of snow grain-size and contaminant amount to estimate snow albedo throughout the solar spectrum. Although digital elevation data may be used to simulate typical conditions for a satellite image, precise registration of an elevation data set with satellite data is usually impossible. Instead, an atmospheric model simulates combinations of Thematic Mapper (TM) band radiances for snow of various grain-sizes and contaminant amounts. These can be recognized in TM images and snow can automatically be distinguished from other surfaces and classified into clean new snow, older metamorphosed snow, or snow mixed with vegetation.
Analysis Method for Quantifying the Morphology of Nanotube Networks.

While atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful technique for imaging assemblies and networks of nanoscale materials, approaches for quantitative assessment of the morphology of these materials are lacking. Here we present a volume-based approach for analyzing AFM images of assemblies of nano-objects that enables the extraction of relevant parameters describing their morphology. Random networks of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) deposited via solution-phase processing are used as an example to develop the method and demonstrate its utility. AFM imaging shows that the morphology of these networks depends on details of processing and is influenced by choice of substrate, substrate cleaning method, and postdeposition rinsing protocols. A method is outlined to analyze these images and extract relevant parameters describing the network morphology such as the density of SWCNTs and the degree to which tubes are bundled. Because this volume-based approach depends on accurate measurements of the height o...
The Socioecology of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Use Among Young Urban Minority Males.

Abstract Purpose To explore perceptions of facilitators/barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care use among an urban sample of African-American and Hispanic young men aged 15–24 years, including sexual minorities. Methods Focus groups were conducted between April 2013 and May 2014 in one mid-Atlantic U.S. city. Young men aged 15–24 years were recruited from eight community settings to participate in 12 groups. Moderator guide explored facilitators/barriers to SRH care use. A brief pregroup self-administered survey assessed participants' sociodemographics and SRH information sources. Content analysis was conducted, and three investigators independently verified the themes that emerged. Results Participants included 70 males: 70% were aged 15–19 years, 66% African-American, 34% Hispanic, 83% heterosexual, and 16% gay/bisexual. Results indicated young men's perceptions of facilitators/barriers to their SRH care use come from multiple levels of their socioecology, including cultural, structural, social, and personal contexts, and dynamic inter-relationships existed across contexts. A health care culture focused on women's health and traditional masculinity scripts provided an overall background. Structural level concerns included cost, long visits, and confidentiality; social level concerns included stigma of being seen by community members and needs regarding health care provider interactions; and personal level concerns included self-risk assessments on decisions to seek care and fears/anxieties about sexually transmitted infection/HIV testing. Young men also discussed SRH care help-seeking sometimes involved family and/or other social network members and needs related to patient-provider interactions about SRH care. Conclusions Study findings provide a foundation for better understanding young men's SRH care use and considering ways to engage them in care.
Ambient CCN spectral measurements and characterizations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ambient Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CNN) spectral measurements and characterizations. The Desert Research Institute constructed a CCN spectrometer that operated in four field projects in 1994 and 1995. The new spectrometer has a smaller cloud chamber with six temperature controlled zones instead of eight. Lighter weight and lower power consumption facilitates a better aircraft operation. Improved electronics and computer control makes it efficient, reliable and user friendly. A proper agreement between two instruments provides a fine spatial resolution between two locations or efficient aerosol processing measurements. The former application allows one instrument to produce a long time series at the surface while the other instrument provides three dimensional spatial resolutions from an aircraft; this was the case during ACE-1 (Aerosol Characterization Experiment) in December, 1995. The latter application uses the two at one location, with one instrument to monitor ambient spectra while the other monitors processed spectra. The two CCN spectrometers showed good agreement in aircraft field conditions. Characteristic concentrations from some field projects are displayed in this chapter. CCN and CN volatility data suggest internal mixtures of soluble and insoluble material in continental (probably anthropogenic) air and soluble material only in maritime air.
Anemone: Edge-based network management

This proposal describes the Anemone project and a demonstration of the work so far. The project is developing an edge-based IP network management platform which utilises only information collected at the edges of the network, eschewing the need to collect data in the network core. Devoting a small fraction of hosts’ idle cycles, disk space, and network bandwidth to network management allows inference of network-wide traffic patterns by synthesising end-system flow statistics with dynamic topology information obtained through passive snooping of IP routeing protocols. We claim that this approach will provide a more complete view of the network that supports sophisticated traffic engineering queries to supply the global statistics necessary to automate network control, and is future-proofed against increasing deployment of encrypting and tunnelling protocols.
Editorial from the Incoming Editor-in-Chief

I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve as Editor-in-Chief of this prestigious transactions. I am very grateful to Prof. Anthony Muscat, the outgoing Editor-in-Chief, for bringing the opportunity to my attention and for his advice and support during the transition, as well as Jim Skowrenski of IEEE - EDS and the members of the Steering Committee who offered me the opportunity. I would also like to thank Marlene James, Rosemary Schreiber and Margaret Rafferty of IEEE Publications for their assistance as I learn the ropes. It is the collective efforts of this outstanding team that has brought the transactions to its current level.
Barry Commoner and the Current Environmental Crisis.

The article discusses various aspects of the career of the late biologist, teacher, and author Barry Commoner, and it mentions Commoner's laws of ecology, his views about environmental crises, and his book entitled "The Closing Circle." Articles about energy-based environmental risks and a public health response to climate change, which appear in previous issues of the journal, are examined. Environmental protection-based decision making and environmental justice are assessed.
Unwhipped of Justice: Failure to Train Liability within the Scope of Connick V. Thompson

In the 2011 Supreme Court decision, Connick v. Thompson, respondent John Thompson was sentenced to death after being convicted of armed robbery and first-degree murder. After exhausting all of his post-conviction appeals, one of his investigators discovered that the prosecution for the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office failed to disclose exculpatory evidence proving that Thompson was innocent. Both of Thompson’s convictions were reversed, and he was released from prison after eighteen years. Seeking restitution for his constitutional deprivations, Thompson sued the District Attorney’s office under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, claiming that the District Attorney, Harry Connick, failed to adequately train his prosecutors on the proper handling of Brady evidence. In a five-to-four decision, the Supreme Court held that the District Attorney’s office was not liable for failing to train its prosecutors. With the stringent, narrow standards applied in instances such as this, the Court has set a precedent where it is nearly impossible for any plaintiff to seek restitution against a municipality for the deprivation of rights. Through this precedent, the Court continually moves away from the original intent of the framers of the Civil Rights Act of 1871, which was later codified into 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The framers intended to provide federal restitution for formerly enslaved persons who were continually deprived of their fundamental rights. If the Court continues to raise the bar for citizens seeking effective redress against municipalities, then these words of Senator Lowe will continue to hold true: "combinations, darker than the night hides them, conspiracies, wicked as the worst of felons could devise, have gone unwhipped of justice. Immunity is given to crime, and the records of the public tribunals are searched in vain for any evidence of effective redress."
Risk of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism After an Initial Episode: Risk Stratification and Implications for Long-term Treatment

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common condition with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Recurrent VTE after an initial episode is a preventable medical condition. The following review discusses data supporting recurrence risk estimates after an initial VTE episode as well as treatment strategies to mitigate risk of recurrent VTE. This review particularly highlights methods for stratifying the risk of recurrent VTE and recent studies that have evaluated direct oral anticoagulants for the prevention of recurrent VTE. Risk assessment for VTE recurrence should guide anticoagulation duration. In patients who present with unprovoked VTE events, there remains a high risk of recurrence that is significantly mitigated with extended duration anticoagulation with either a vitamin K antagonist or direct oral anticoagulant.
Maximizing Energy Battery Efficiency in Swarm Robotics.

Miniaturization and cost, two of the main attractive factors of swarm robotics, have motivated its use as a solution in object collecting tasks, search & rescue missions, and other applications. However, in the current literature only a few papers consider energy allocation efficiency within a swarm. Generally, robots recharge to their maximum level every time unconditionally, and do not incorporate estimates of the energy needed for their next task. In this paper we present an energy efficiency maximization method that minimizes the overall energy cost within a swarm while simultaneously maximizing swarm performance on an object gathering task. The method utilizes dynamic thresholds for upper and lower battery limits. This method has also shown to improve the efficiency of existing energy management methods.
Data on hydroxychloroquine interference with urine laboratory testing.

Abstract Hydroxychloroquine is a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other autoimmune disorders. Previous studies have shown that hydroxychloroquine and the structurally related drug chloroquine have the potential to interfere with some common urine chemistry tests, especially at high concentrations. In the related research article, we observed suspected interference with urine drug of abuse testing in a patient who ingested approximately 12 g of hydroxychloroquine in an acute overdose, with urine hydroxychloroquine concentrations exceeding 500 mg/L. This case prompted a more detailed investigation of the effects of hydroxychloroquine spiked into pooled de-identified urine specimens from a hospital clinical laboratory. The data in this article provides the raw data for 24 urine assays that were investigated. The analyzed data is provided in the tables included in this article. The dataset reported is related to the research article entitled “Diagnostic Pitfalls and Laboratory Test Interference After Hydroxychloroquine Intoxication: A Case Report” [ 1 ].
Discretionary and Non-Discretionary Revisions of Loss Reserves by Property-Casualty Insurers: Differential Implications for Future Profitability, Risk and Market Value

We develop and estimate a PC-industry specific model in which proxies for both discretion and non-discretion are used to partition loss reserve revisions into discretionary and non-discretionary components. The use of such proxies enables us to test directional hypotheses about the relations between the revision components and future profitability, risk and market value. We predict and find that discretionary revisions are negatively associated with future profitability, positively associated with firm risk, and negatively associated with market-to-book ratios. We predict and find that non-discretionary revisions are positively associated with future profitability and risk but are not associated with market-to-book ratios.
Plexiform Schwannoma of the Oral Cavity: Report of Eight Cases and a Review of the Literature

Plexiform schwannoma represents an unusual schwannoma variant, characterized by multinodular growth grossly and/or microscopically. A review of the English-language literature reveals only 28 previously reported cases involving the oral cavity, and herein we present 8 additional cases. Among these 36 patients, the average age at diagnosis was 28 years (range 5 to 62 years), with a female-to-male ratio of 1.4:1. The most frequently involved sites were the tongue (n = 13) and lip (n = 11). Lesion duration prior to presentation averaged 5.3 years (range, 6 weeks to 26 years). The average lesion size was 2.1 cm (range, 0.3 to 16 cm). The typical clinical presentation was a painless mass, although infrequent findings included pain/discomfort, paresthesia, difficulty chewing, and limited buccal mobility. All cases clinically appeared as a solitary mass or localized cluster of tumor nodules, with the exception of one patient who had neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) and exhibited two distinct nodules on the tongue and buccal mucosa. In addition, extraoral neural neoplasms were evident in four patients, including three with NF2. Typical microscopic findings included multiple well-circumscribed tumor nodules, each surrounded by a perineurium-derived capsule with immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen. The nodules contained characteristically bland and diffusely S-100-positive spindle cells arranged in Antoni A and B patterns; however, modest nuclear pleomorphism was evident in three cases. Most patients (n = 23) were treated by excision or enucleation and curettage, and three patients experienced recurrence. Unlike plexiform neurofibromas, plexiform schwannomas exhibit only a weak association with neurofibromatosis and have no known malignant potential.
Moving Evidence-Informed Assessment and Management of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia into the Real World: Training Family and Staff Caregivers in the DICE Approach

Abstract Objective To investigate the impact of a one-day training program on caregivers’ confidence and knowledge in managing aspects of dementia care. Design One-day caregiver training program featuring: 1) an interactive, multi-media format; 2) a companion manual; and 3) a “brain-storming” session at the end of the day that utilized attendees’ real-world cases where the use of the DICE (Describe, Investigate, Create, and Evaluate) approach was illustrated “live.” Setting Three different geographical sites in Michigan. Participants Family (n = 40) and professional (paid; n = 140) caregivers (total n = 180) for people with dementia. Measures Pre- and post self-ratings related to confidence in aspects of dementia care management before and directly after the training. Results Comparing self-ratings pre- and post-training, more than 50% of family caregivers showed improvement in confidence post-training on 11 of 12 items with significant improvement in 4 items. Among professionals, more than 50% of caregivers showed improved confidence on 3 of 12 items, with 4 items showing significant improvement. Family caregivers were significantly more likely than professionals to show improved confidence on 6 of 12 items. Conclusions The number of people with dementia and their family caregivers is large and growing every day with the aging of the population. Living well with dementia is the goal. Current care systems are inadequate and lead to multiple poor outcomes. Innovative solutions like the DICE Approach with delivery methods including a manual and interactive training can put the key components of good dementia care at the fingertips of the people who need it most.
Off balance and over the edge.

Ultrafast spectroscopy measurements present a new direct non-equilibrium energy transfer mechanism across a metal–semiconductor interface, without charge transfer, opening up a new avenue for plasmonic energy conversion.
What influences healthcare providers’ prescribing decisions? Results from a national survey

Abstract Background Prior U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) surveys with healthcare providers (HCPs) have focused on attitudes toward direct-to-consumer advertising and have not specifically examined professionally-targeted prescription drug promotion. Similarly, there are no recent national surveys of HCPs examining their interactions with the pharmaceutical industry. Objectives The goal of this study was to use a national sample of HCPs to examine exposure to professionally-targeted prescription drug promotions and interactions with industry, and knowledge, attitudes and practices related to FDA approval of prescription drugs. Methods An online national survey was conducted with 2000 HCPs representing primary care physicians (PCPs), specialists (SPs), physician assistants (PAs), and nurse practitioners (NPs). The sample was randomly drawn from WebMD's Medscape subscriber network, stratified by HCP group, and designed to yield target numbers of completed surveys in each group. Weights were computed to correct for unequal selection probabilities, differential response rates, and differential coverage and used to generalize completed surveys to a national population of PCPs, SPs, NPs, and PAs. Results Exposure and attention to pharmaceutical promotions and contact with industry were significantly associated with reported increase in pharmaceutical industry influence on decisions about prescription drugs. SPs were significantly more likely to prescribe off-label and serve as opinion leaders for the pharmaceutical industry compared to other provider groups. Conclusions Findings indicate pharmaceutical promotions directed at HCPs occur in many forms and are disseminated through multiple channels. By using a nationally representative sample of HCPs, this study provides population-level estimates for exposure and attention to prescription drug promotion and contact with industry and evidence for their influence on prescriber decisions. Findings from this study will help to inform FDA of HCP responses to and impacts of prescription drug promotion.
Study on Network Behavior Assessment Using Amazon Web and Cloud Computing Services

The revolution of Cloud Computing increases the opportunities to provide realistic and most sophisticated evaluation modules that reduce the management time and cost of network performance evaluation and failure prediction. In our research, This paper presents a cloud-based software system that utilizing the Amazon Elastic MapReducer (EMR) ensemble clustered instances for evaluating the collected network measurements to quantifies network performance and predicate its degradation in the long run. The extracted outcomes illustrate the efficiency of the proposed system.
RADM: a risk-aware DER management framework with real-time DER trustworthiness evaluation

The increasing penetration level of distributed energy resources (DERs) substantially expands the attack surface of the modern power grid. By compromising DERs, adversaries are capable of destabilizing the grid and potentially causing large-area blackouts. Due to the limited administrative control over DERs, constrained computational capabilities, and possible physical accesses to DERs, current device level defenses are insufficient to defend against malicious attacks on DERs. To compensate the shortcomings of device level defenses, in this paper, we develop a system-level risk-aware DER management framework (RADM) to mitigate the attack impacts. We propose a metric, trust score, to dynamically evaluate the trustworthiness of DERs. The trust scores are initialized with offline trust scores derived from static information and then regularly updated with online trust scores derived from a physics-guided Gaussian Process Regressor using real-time data. The trust scores are integrated into the grid control decision making process by balancing the grid performance and the security risks. Extensive simulations are conducted to justify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Chapter 8 – Intelligent Query Answering in Rule Based Systems1

We propose that in large knowledge bases that are collections of atomic facts and general rules (Horn Clauses), the rules should be allowed to occur in the answer for a query. We introduce a new concept of an answer for a query which includes both atomic facts and general rules. We provide a method of transforming rules by relational algebra expressions built from projection, join, and selection and demonstrate how the answers consisting of both facts and general rules can be generated. This new concept of an answer could be used also when function symbols are allowed to occur in a database and the tuple oriented answer is infinite.
DIY assistant: a multi-modal end-user programmable virtual assistant

While Alexa can perform over 100,000 skills, its capability covers only a fraction of what is possible on the web. Individuals need and want to automate a long tail of web-based tasks which often involve visiting different websites and require programming concepts such as function composition, conditional, and iterative evaluation. This paper presents DIYA (Do-It-Yourself Assistant), a new system that empowers users to create personalized web-based virtual assistant skills that require the full generality of composable control constructs, without having to learn a formal programming language. With DIYA, the user demonstrates their task of interest in the browser and issues a few simple voice commands, such as naming the skills and adding conditions on the action. DIYA turns these multi-modal specifications into voice-invocable skills written in the ThingTalk 2.0 programming language we designed for this purpose. DIYA is a prototype that works in the Chrome browser. Our user studies show that 81% of the proposed routines can be expressed using DIYA. DIYA is easy to learn, and 80% of users surveyed find DIYA useful.
Optimized river diversion scenarios promote sustainability of urbanized deltas.

Socioeconomic viability of fluvial-deltaic systems is limited by natural processes of these dynamic landforms. An especially impactful occurrence is avulsion, whereby channels unpredictably shift course. We construct a numerical model to simulate artificial diversions, which are engineered to prevent channel avulsion, and direct sediment-laden water to the coastline, thus mitigating land loss. We provide a framework that identifies the optimal balance between river diversion cost and civil disruption by flooding. Diversions near the river outlet are not sustainable, because they neither reduce avulsion frequency nor effectively deliver sediment to the coast; alternatively, diversions located halfway to the delta apex maximize landscape stability while minimizing costs. We determine that delta urbanization generates a positive feedback: infrastructure development justifies sustainability and enhanced landform preservation vis-a-vis diversions.
Semi-Infinite Programming with Complementarity Constraints for Pose Optimization with Pervasive Contact

This paper presents a novel computational model to address the problem that contact is an infinite phenomena involving continuous regions of interaction. The problem is cast as a semi-infinite program with complementarity constraints (SIPCC). Rather than pre-discretize contacting surfaces into a finite number of contact points, we use semi-infinite programming (SIP) techniques that operate on the underlying continuous geometry, but dynamically determine a finite number of constraints that are most relevant to solving the problem. Then we solve the series of problems whose solutions converge toward one that contains a true optimum of the original SIPCC. We apply the model to a grasping pose optimization problem for a gripper and a humanoid robot, and our model enables the robots to find a feasible pose to hold (non-)convex objects while ensuring force and torque balance.
PLANNING IMPLICATIONS OF URBAN AND RURAL FREEWAY INTERCHANGES

Accessibility, traffic and the availability of developable land have been the volatile ingredients touching off the development explosion in the vicinity of the freeway interchanges. Zoning and other planning tools, however, have failed to cope with the problems arising from uncontrolled development. The best current solution appears to lie in the use of the eminent domain power to control access. This should be applied by the states in conformity with a systems conceived interchange development and circulation plan. Criteria and guidelines are suggested for various features relating to access and traffic circulation with specific reference to problems occurring at motorist service areas.
Fault-recovery and intelligent distributed system

A site of a distributed system can acquire new knowledge through learning from its closest neighbors. This new knowledge, stored at that site, is in a compressed form and is presented in the form of rules. In this way each site of the distributed system has some picture about the knowledge kept by its neighbors. The proposed scheme is characterized by fault-recovery and fault-tolerance capabilities. If one of the sites of the distributed system is somehow destroyed, then its information content can be (partially or fully) reconstructed by its closest neighbors, and if there is a need, the reconstructed site may unload the traffic facing them. >
Clustering Assessment: Enhancing Synergies among Multilateral Environmental Agreements

Against the background of a widely fragmented and diluted international environmental governance architecture, different reform options are currently being discussed. This issue brief considers whether streamlining international environmental regimes by grouping or ‘clustering’ international agreements could improve effectiveness and efficiency. It outlines the general idea of the clustering approach, draws lessons from the chemicals and waste cluster and examines the implications and potentials of clustering multilateral environmental agreements.
The nature of social economics

This article explores what is meant by social economics in a set of ten specific commentaries or interpretations which appear to be widely accepted by social economists. In brief those commentaries are organized and presented in the following manner. Social economics is: heterodox; evolutionary, revolutionary, and counter‐revolutionary; a social science; a moral science; social economics because it addresses the social question; recognizes that the invisible hand does not protect the common good; anthropocentric; teleological; has vision; and has a three‐part structure. This article tends toward simplicity and brevity, the better to set forth the essential nature of social economics. Social economics is more than just a subspecialty area within or a branch of the tree of conventional economic thought. Rather social economics is an entire body of thought, a different way of thinking about economic affairs. It resembles mainstream economics in the same way that one tree resembles another. But it is a separate tree, with its own life force supplied by the scholarly energies of those who identify with social economics.
Time Dependent Analysis

Analysis of a time series provides information about variation in intensity and position, and astromomers have traditionally used variability as an important physical diagnostic. Most sources that are detected to be variable are unresolved, exceptions being solar system objects and nova shells and the like. Therefore image processing is relevant to variability studies not for the infor- mation contained in the image structure, but rather because imaging techniques allow new variables to be discovered in an efficient manner. Pictures are appropriate for measurement of intensity changes if there are at least a few variables per picture, or if a variable is confused by a neighboring image. The astrometric appli- cation of time-dependent analysis is qualitatively different only in the sense that the signal is contained in the two angular coordi- nates. Astrometry is dealt with rather cursorily in the following for the sake of brevity. The main point is that many of the general image processing issues of time series analysis apply to both astro- metry and to photometry.
Encomienda Politics in Early Colonial Guatemala, 1524-1544: Dividing the Spoils

Encomienda Politics in Early Colonial Guatemala, 1524-1544: Dividing the Spoils. Wendy Kramer. Dellplain Latin American Studies, 31. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1994. 293 pp.
Interest in cosmetic improvement as a marker for tanning behavior: a survey of 1602 respondents

Dermatologists see many patients interested in improving their physical appearance through cosmetic procedures or medical means. Dermatologists frequently counsel patients on sun protection as well, particularly those with a personal or family history of skin cancer, sun-sensitive dermatoses or those with obvious sun damage. Our objective in this study was to identify novel markers of skin cancer risk which may aid dermatologists in targeting extra sun protection counseling for certain groups. A sixteen-question survey was distributed to subjects nineteen years of age and older in public areas of downtown Birmingham, Alabama in August and September of 2008. Overall, about 40% of both genders reported that they were highly concerned that current sun exposure could cause skin cancer. Participants interested in at least one appearance-related questionnaire item were significantly more likely than those not interested to rate tanned skin as highly important (31.6% vs 17.5%, p<0.001), and to report regret for previous sun exposure (12.5% vs 3.6%, p<0.001). Subjects who thought tanned skin was important were significantly more likely to report interest in improving their appearance through cosmetic procedures and medical means. We conclude that individuals with an interest in improving their physical appearance through cosmetic procedures or medical means may be especially in need of sun protection counseling.
Neighborhood Identity and Citizen Participation

An individual's decision to participate in community affairs is influenced by demographic characteristics such as education and socioeconomic status, and by environmental variables that make public activity more or less attractive. Using data on participation in neighborhood associations in the city of Birmingham, Alabama, it was found that education and SES correlate positively with neighborhood activity, but participation in these associations is more fully explained by environmental factors such as population size and age of housing stock. Those areas that have acquired the physical characteristics of a tightly bound community induce neighborhood participation to overcome factors such as low SES or level of education that often work against communal involvement. Hence the findings suggest that community development projects aimed at improving a sense of neighborhood identity may, in the long run, have the additional benefit of encouraging community participation.
A unique deletion in pBR322 DNA caused by insertion of poly(dA).poly(dT).

Abstract A unique deletion covering around 43% of the pBR322 genome was found after attempting to insert 100 or 200 bp poly(dA) · poly(dT) into the Eco RV site of pBR322 DNA. This result was not observed if an equivalent size heterologous DNA or a larger poly(dA) · poly(dT) fragment of 10–20,000 bp was introduced at the same site. DNA sequencing analysis at the junctions suggests that a specific intramolecular pairing may be involved in the formation of this deletion mutant.
Hepatic Chemoembolization: A Novel Regional Therapy

Nonresectable and metastatic liver tumors are difficult challenges in veterinary patients. As such, these animals traditionally have been treated conservatively and symptomatically. The relatively limited efficacy of routine (intravenous) chemotherapy for macroscopic disease and the cost and potential deleterious side effects associated with radiation therapy have led investigators to evaluate increasingly novel therapeutic modalities. Interventional radiology techniques offer the potential for improved tumor response rates, prolonged survival times, and enhanced quality of life in patients with minimal systemic toxicity risks.
Investigation of low temperature thermal stability in bulk nanocrystalline Ni

Abstract Grain growth behavior of bulk nanocrystalline Ni, prepared by an electrodeposition technique with average grain sizes of 20 and 15 nm was investigated in the homologous temperature ( T / T m ) range of 0.20–0.40. In studying grain growth, the techniques of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used. The results show that in the temperature range of 0.20–0.30 T m , there is no appreciable grain growth, even after long annealing times. However, in the temperature range of 0.3–0.4 T m , the rate of grain growth was rapid during the initial period of annealing, which decreases with increase in time. The value of time exponent, n , deduced from the grain growth equation of the general form D 1 / n − D 0 1 / n = K t was found to be approximately 0.1 for both grain sizes of Ni. At temperatures higher than 0.3 T m , an approximate activation energy of 105 ± 3 kJ/mol, which is close to the activation energy for grain boundary diffusion in polycrystalline Ni, was measured. At temperatures lower than 0.3 T m , an approximate activation energy of 11 ± 3 kJ/mol was found. It is suggested that this low activation energy represents the energy for the re-ordering of the nanocrystalline grain boundaries.
THE SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY OF ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS TREATED WITH REPLACEMENT AND OTHER THERAPY

Survival and chronic hypoactivity have been reported to follow removal of the adrenal glands of rats (1, 2). It becomes of interest to know whether this hypoactivity can be overcome by any of the known forms of replacement therapy, implantation of adrenal tissue, injection and feeding of adrenal extracts, or feeding of excessively large quantities of salt. The following experiments, started in 1925, were undertaken with the hope of answering these questions. Since that time it has been reported that rats do not survive adrenalectomy when the glands are completely removed by means of a new operative technique (3, 4). Due to these conflicting reports, it was necessary at the outset to repeat our original experiments on the effects produced on activity by adrenalectomy alone. Data obtained in this way served as a basis for the study of the effects produced by different forms of replacement therapy, and in order to give the effects produced on activity a proper orientation, simultaneous records were made of b...
Pattern Transformation And Holographic Optical Systems

This paper is the brief summary of a series of papers published in China, in Acta Physica Sinica. The main question discussed here is the relation between the holographic optical system, the pattern transformation, and the pattern recognition. We have analyzed the following problems: (1) What kind of pattern transformation can be realized by the holographic optical system. (2) How to design a hologaphic optical system to realize an arbitrarily given unitary transformation by the usual optimization methods. (3) How to realize a projection operator by the holographic system in a practical way. The possibility of optical pattern recognition also has been discussed.
The chemical repertoire of natural ribozymes

Although RNA is generally thought to be a passive genetic blueprint, some RNA molecules, called ribozymes, have intrinsic enzyme-like activity--they can catalyse chemical reactions in the complete absence of protein cofactors. In addition to the well-known small ribozymes that cleave phosphodiester bonds, we now know that RNA catalysts probably effect a number of key cellular reactions. This versatility has lent credence to the idea that RNA molecules may have been central to the early stages of life on Earth.
Temperature dependence of H radical etching in the deposition of microcrystalline silicon alloy thin films by HG-sensitized photo-CVD

Abstract The etching of a-Si:H by H radicals in Hg-sensitized photo-CVD is studied as a function of deposition temperature, etch temperature and film hydrogen content. For films deposited at the same temperature, etch rates increased as etch temperature decreased from 230°C to 100°C and were temperature independent for temperatures between 100°C and 40°C. Etch rate increased with decreasing deposition temperature, but did not change when hydrogen content was varied by changing pressure and dilution. Under conditions producing high etch rates, microcrystalline films of Si:B:H and SiGe:H were prepared at temperatures as low as 100°C.
Influence of Random Genetic Drift on Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 env Evolution during Chronic Infection

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has high replication and mutation rates that generate large census populations and high levels of genetic variation. We examined the roles of natural selection, population growth, random genetic drift, and recombination in shaping the variation in 1509 C2-V5 env sequences derived from nine men with chronic HIV-1 infection. These sequences were obtained from clinical visits that reflect the first 6-13.7 years of infection. Pairwise comparisons of nonsynonymous and synonymous distances, Tajima9s D test, Fu and Li9s D * test, and a test of recurrent mutation revealed evidence for episodes of nonneutral evolution in a total of 22 out of 145 blood samples, representing six of the nine individuals. Using three coalescent-based maximum-likelihood estimators, we found viral effective population sizes in all nine individuals to be ∼10 3 . We also show that a previous estimate of the effective population size of ∼10 5 based on rare haplotype frequencies decreases to ∼10 3 upon correcting a biased sampling procedure. We conclude that the genetic variation in these data sets can be explained by a predominance of random genetic drift of neutral mutations with brief episodes of natural selection that were frequently masked by recombination.
Hierarchical Selection Models with Applications in Meta-Analysis

Abstract Hierarchical selection models are introduced and shown to be useful in meta-analysis. These models combine the use of hierarchical models, allowing investigation of variability both within and between studies, and weight functions, allowing modeling of nonrandomly selected studies. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are used to estimate the hierarchical selection model. This is first illustrated for known weight functions, and then extended to allow for estimation of unknown weight functions. To investigate sensitivity of results to unobserved studies directly, which is shown to be different from modeling bias in the selection of observed studies, the hierarchical selection model is used in conjunction with data augmentation. Again, MCMC methods may be used to estimate the model. This is illustrated for an unknown weight function.
Collective polarization effects in β-polyvinylidene fluoride and its copolymers with tri- and tetrafluoroethylene

Article on collective polarization effects in β-polyvinylidene fluoride and its copolymers with tri- and tetrafluoroethylene.
SU‐FF‐I‐46: Acceptance Testing and Verification of Automatic Brightness Control Logic of A Fluoroscopic System

Purpose: To verify the functionality and operation of fluoroscopic automatic brightness control employed in a modern cardiovascular angiography system, equipped with flat panel detector, as part of an acceptance testing of a new installation, and to obtain the fluoroscopic “patient” entrance exposure (air kerma) for reference information. Method and Materials: A Siemens AXIOM Artis angiography system was acceptance tested under a fixed geometric arrangement. The PMMA phantom was employed to simulate the patient thickness varying from 0.635 cm ( 1 4 ″ nominal) to 35.56 cm (14″ nominal) in increments of 0.635 cm. The fluoroscopic imaging parameters; “kVp”, “mA”, “pulse width”, “spectral shaping filter; copper filters”, “ half value layer; HVL”, “patient air kerma; PAK”, and “flat panel input air kerma; FPIAK” were recorded as the phantom thickness was increased. Upon completion of the data acquisition, the imaging parameters were plotted against the phantom thickness. The graphs were then analyzed, and compared with a typical preprogrammed fluoroscopy operation curve supplied by the manufacturer. Results: The primary variable of this fluoroscopy system is the tube potential in conjunction with the spectral shaping filter selection. Depending on the Flat Panel Detector Signal (FPDS) level, the tube current and the pulse width are varied until the predefined FPDS level is achieved. The graphs show the operation logic indeed followed the preprogrammed logic and the PAK increased exponentially, ranging from 0.2 mGy/min to 100 mGy/min, while the FPIAK was maintained at a constant level of 0.7 to 0.8 μGy/sec. Conclusion: Due to the extensive use of spectral shaping filters and the sophisticated fluoroscopic operation logic design, the fluoroscopic tube potential is kept at optimum levels to provide good image quality by ensure high image contrast and proper penetration for a wide range of patient (PMMA) thickness. The graphs confirmed and verified that the system “behaved” as designed.
Total synthesis of (5R,6R,8R,9S)-(−)-5,9Z-indolizidine 221T using sulfinimine-derived N-sulfinyl β-amino ketones

The first total asymmetric synthesis of the poison frog alkaloid (−)-221T, a 5,6,8-trisubstituted indolizidine is described. The key core piperidine ring was constructed via an acid catalyzed intramolecular cascade Mannich cyclization reaction of a N-sulfinyl syn-α-methyl β-amino ketone and crotonaldehyde. The β-amino ketone was prepared via the reaction of prochiral lithium Weinreb amide enolate with an enantiopure N-2,4,6-triisopropylphenylsulfinyl imine.
Emerging roles for p120-catenin in cell adhesion and cancer

Although originally identified as a Src substrate, p120-catenin (p120) is now known to regulate cell-cell adhesion through its interaction with the cytoplasmic tail of classical and type II cadherins. New evidence indicates that p120 regulates cadherin turnover at the cell surface, thereby controlling the amount of cadherin available for cell-cell adhesion. This function is necessary but not sufficient to promote strong adhesion, which is further controlled by signals acting on the amino-terminal p120 regulatory domain. p120 also modulates the activities of RhoA, Rac, and Cdc42, suggesting that along with other Src substrates, p120 regulates actin dynamics. Thus, p120 is a master regulator of cadherin abundance and activity, and likely participates in regulating the balance between adhesive and motile cellular phenotypes. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding mechanisms of p120 action, and discusses new implications with respect to roles for p120 in disease and cancer.
Heavy-ion charge exchange in the eikonal approximation

Abstract In high-energy collisions (Elab > 50 MeV/nucleon) the eikonal approximation provides a transparent description of heavy-ion exchange reactions. The formalism is applied to the reaction 13N(13C, 13N)13C at 70 MeV/nucleon. The relative contributions of pion- and rho-exchange are determined. It is found that heavy-ion reactions are more sensitive to the one-pion exchange component of the interaction than nucleon-induced charge exchange. The cross section for double charge exchange are estimated, which could be useful for future experiments.
A modified Mann-Kendall trend test for autocorrelated data

One of the commonly used tools for detecting changes in climatic and hydrologic time series is trend analysis. A number of statistical tests exist to assess the significance of trends in time series. One of the commonly used non-parametric trend tests is the Mann-Kendall trend test. The null hypothesis in the Mann-Kendall test is that the data are independent and randomly ordered. However, the existence of positive autocorrelation in the data increases the probability of detecting trends when actually none exist, and vice versa. Although this is a well-known fact, few studies have addressed this issue, and autocorrelation in the data is often ignored. In this study, the effect of autocorrelation on the variance of the Mann-Kendall trend test statistic is discussed. A theoretical relationship is derived to calculate the variance of the Mann-Kendall test statistic for autocorrelated data. The special cases of AR(1) and MA(1) dependence are discussed as examples. An approximation to the theoretical relationship is also presented in order to reduce computation time for long time series. Based on the modified value of the variance of the Mann-Kendall trend test statistic, a modified non-parametric trend test which is suitable for autocorrelated data is proposed. The accuracy of the modified test in terms of its empirical significance level was found to be superior to that of the original Mann-Kendall trend test without any loss of power. The modified test is applied to rainfall as well as streamflow data to demonstrate its performance as compared to the original Mann-Kendall trend test.
Lithospheric Plate Motion, Sea Level Changes and Climatic and Ecological Consequences

We demonstrate quantitatively that the world-wide Mid to Upper Cretaceous transgression and subsequent regression may have been caused by a contemporaneous pulse of rapid spreading at most of the mid-oceanic ridges between −110 to −85 m.y. The rapid spreading caused the ridges to expand and hence reduced the volumetric capacity of the basins. The subsequent regression was caused by a reduction in spreading rates beginning at −85 m.y.