cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SAT0089 Initiating tofacitinib in a treat to target strategy for rheumatoid arthritis leads to blunted multi-biomarker disease activity scores as compared to anti-tumour necrosis factor agents

Background The use of a treat-to-target (T2T) strategy for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) leads to better outcomes1 but requires the regular use of disease activity measures (DAMs) to make clinical decisions. The optimal DAMs that should be used for this purpose have yet to be determined. Objectives To assess the utility of various DAMs for clinical decision making at a rheumatology clinic implementing a T2T strategy, following the initiation of Tofacitinib (tofc) and anti-tumour necrosis factor (ant-TNFs) agents. Methods Patients at a community based rheumatology clinic (authors) undergo DAM assessments on a routine basis as part of the implementation of a T2T strategy. These assessments include conventional clinical assessments, DAS28CRP, and the CDAI, as well as the ultrasound power Doppler joint count (UPDJC)2 and multibiomarker disease activity score (MBDA). Patients undergo regular assessments, and if found to be under inadequate control, changes are made in their clinical regimen, and then the patients are reassessed three to six months later. Clinical significance was determined by Paired-samples T tests. Results Over the past four years, Thirty nine patients at this clinic were determined to be under inadequate control and were started on tofc. Also, the last forty patients started on anti-TNFs at the clinic were assessed for comparison. The two groups of patients had similar demographics with a combined average duration of clinical disease found to be >10 years. Sixty eight% of these patients were female, and 85% of patients were rheumatoid factor positive. Table I shows that all of the DAMs listed resulted in significant clinical responses with the exception that following the institution of tofc, the MBDA did not result in clinically significant improvement. When individual biomarkers from the MBDA were analysed, anti-TNFs therapy lead to significant reduction in six of twelve biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-R1, TNF-R2, MMP-2, SSA and CRP) whereas treatment with tofc lead to significant reduction of two (VCAM and Resisten) and borderline reduction in two (IL-6 and TNF-R1) and a significant increase in one (Leptin). Conclusions Several DAMs performed well with the exception of the MBDA after tofc therapy. The MBDA showed a blunted response when compared to other DAMs in the tofc treated group, as well as when compared to patients treated with anti-TNFs. This finding is most likely due to tofc’s unique mode of action, as reflected in the relatively small number of biomarkers that decreased following treatment, and the fact that leptin significantly increased. References [1] Smolen J, et al. Ann. Rheum. Dis2010;69;631–637. [2] Shin-ya Kawashiri, et al. Rheumatology2011;50(5):962–965. Disclosure of Interest None declared
Eidetic systems

The vast majority of state produced by a typical computer is generated, consumed, then lost forever. We argue that a computer system should instead provide the ability to recall any past state that existed on the computer, and further, that it should be able to provide the lineage of any byte in a current or past state. We call a system with this ability an eidetic computer system. To preserve all prior state efficiently, we observe and leverage the synergy between deterministic replay and information flow. By dividing the system into groups of replaying processes and tracking dependencies among groups, we enable the analysis of information flow among groups, make it possible for one group to regenerate the data needed by another, and permit the replay of subsets of processes rather than of the entire system. We use model-based compression and deduplicated file recording to reduce the space overhead of deterministic replay. We also develop a variety of linkage functions to analyze the lineage of state, and we apply these functions via retrospective binary analysis. In this paper we present Arnold, the first practical eidetic computing platform. Preliminary data from several weeks of continuous use on our workstations shows that Arnold's storage requirements for 4 or more years of usage can be satisfied by adding a 4 TB hard drive to the system. Further, the performance overhead on almost all workloads we measured was under 8%. We show that Arnold can reconstruct prior state and answer lineage queries, including backward queries (on what did this item depend?) and forward queries (what other state did this item affect?).
American Sign Language Recognition using Deep Learning and Computer Vision

Speech impairment is a disability which affects an individuals ability to communicate using speech and hearing. People who are affected by this use other media of communication such as sign language. Although sign language is ubiquitous in recent times, there remains a challenge for non-sign language speakers to communicate with sign language speakers or signers. With recent advances in deep learning and computer vision there has been promising progress in the fields of motion and gesture recognition using deep learning and computer visionbased techniques. The focus of this work is to create a visionbased application which offers sign language translation to text thus aiding communication between signers and non-signers. The proposed model takes video sequences and extracts temporal and spatial features from them. We then use Inception, a CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) for recognizing spatial features. We then use a RNN (Recurrent Neural Network) to train on temporal features. The dataset used is the American Sign Language Dataset.
Supplemental biotin for swine. III. Influence of supplementation to corn- and wheat-based diets on the incidence and severity of toe lesions, hair and skin characteristics and structural soundness of sows housed in confinement during four parities.

The influence of supplementing 0 (NB) or 440 (SB) micrograms biotin/kg to corn- or wheat-based diets on toe lesions, hair characteristics and structural soundness in 116 crossbred female swine was studied from selection (100 kg) until completion of four parities. Gilts that had been previously fed corn-soybean meal diets with 0 or 220 micrograms supplemental biotin/kg diet during growth and development, remained on either the biotin unsupplemented or supplemented diet. Females were housed in buildings containing partially slatted and solid concrete floors. Toe, hair and soundness evaluations were made at a mean age of 240, 521, 732, 916 and 1,090 d. Type of grain fed did not influence (P greater than .10) any response criteria evaluated. Six types of toe lesions were observed across all dietary treatments and varied in severity from minor to very severe. The percentage of females with heel cracks, heel-horn junction cracks and side-wall horn cracks was reduced (P less than .01) when females were fed SB diets. Females fed SB diets had fewer (P less than .001) total lesions, heel cracks, heel-horn junction cracks, side-wall horn cracks and white-line horn cracks (P less than .03) compared with females consuming NB diets. In general, biotin supplementation was more effective in reducing the number and percentage of toe lesions in multiparous sows compared with gilts and primiparous sows. Biotin supplementation increased (P less than .001) the number of hairs/cm2 skin and improved (P less than .001) hair scores. Histological evaluation and soundness scores were not affected (P greater than .10) by level of biotin fed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A journey from research to product: keynote address

After 11 years working in Microsoft Research studying technology use in homes and building technologies for families, in January 2016 I took a leap and joined the Microsoft Cortana product team with the goal of shipping the technologies I had been researching. For the last two years, I've helped drive Cortana's far-field speech interaction and ship the Microsoft Cortana Invoke speaker. I'll reflect in this talk about the path from a research idea to shipping something used by millions of people, the surprising similarities and differences between "research" and "product," and many lessons I've learned along the way. With the rapid adoption of digital assistants from a range of companies on many different hardware form factors this is an exciting time to be working on speech interaction and digital assistance.
Medical Management of Peptic Ulcer Disease

Peptic ulcers remain a common pathology found in the USA. With the identification of Helicobacter pylori and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as major contributing factors in the formation of peptic ulcers, targeted medical management has become much more effective in mitigating severe complications. The widespread use of H2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and H. pylori eradicating regimens has significantly decreased the need for surgical intervention. Due in large part to these advancements, there has also been a significant decline in the number of hospitalizations for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in the USA decreasing from 222,000 to 156,000 (29.9%) from 1993 to 2006.
Special Education and Individualized Academic Growth: A Longitudinal Assessment of Outcomes for Students with Disabilities.

This study examined the effectiveness of participating in special education on the academic outcomes of students with disabilities. A sample of 575 students from a large, urban school district were...
An evidence-based algorithm decreases computed tomography use in hemodynamically stable pediatric blunt abdominal trauma patients.

Abstract Background There are concerns about overuse of abdominopelvic-computed tomography (CTAP) in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) given malignancy risks. This study evaluates how an evidence-based algorithm affected CTAP and hospital resource use for hemodynamically stable children with BAT. Materials and methods This is a retrospective cohort study of hemodynamically stable pediatric BAT patients one year before and after algorithm implementation. We included children less than or equal to 14 years of age treated in a Level I pediatric trauma center. We compared CTAP rates before and after algorithm implementation. Results There were 65 in the pre- and 50 in the post-algorithm implementation group, and CTAPs decreased by 27% (p = 0.02). The unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio of receiving a CTAP after algorithm implementation were 0.3 (95% CI 0.1–0.6) and 0.2 (95% CI 0.1–0.7), respectively. There were no significant missed injuries in the post cohort. ED length of stay (LOS) decreased by 53 min (p = 0.03). Conclusions An evidence-based algorithm safely decreased CTAPs for pediatric BAT with no increase in hospital resource utilization.
Chemical modulation of circadian rhythms and assessment of cellular behavior via indirubin and derivatives.

Abstract Circadian rhythms are critical regulators of many physiological and behavioral functions. The use and abilities of small molecules to affect oscillations have recently received significant attention. These manipulations can be reversible and tunable, and have been used to study various biological mechanisms and molecular properties. Here, we outline procedures for assessment of cellular circadian changes following treatment with small molecules, using luminescent reporters. We describe reporter generation, luminometry experiments, and data analysis. Protocols for studies of accompanying effects on cells, including motility, viability, and anchorage-independent proliferation assays are also presented. As examples, we use indirubin-3′-oxime and two derivatives, 5-iodo-indirubin-3′-oxime and 5-sulfonic acid-indirubin-3′-oxime. In this case study, we analyze effects of these compounds on Bmal1 and Per2 (positive and negative core circadian elements) oscillations and provide step-by-step protocols for data analysis, including removal of trends from raw data, period estimations, and statistical analysis. The reader is provided with detailed protocols, and guidance regarding selection of and alternative approaches.
Abstract TP17: Outcomes in Octogenarians Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Single Center Experience

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the elderly presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Most existing studies include patients up to the age o...
Spatially resolved mean and unsteady surface pressure in swept SBLI using PSP

Strong crossflow and swept separation are key aspects of the flow dynamics of 3-D shock wave/boundary layer interactions. This study explores the global surface pressure field beneath the canonical interaction produced by a sharp fin with deflection angle $$15^\circ$$ with a turbulent incoming boundary in a Mach 2 freestream flow. This corresponds to an interaction of moderate strength, and the unsteady pressure distribution captures pressure fluctuations associated with separation shock motion upstream of the interaction. Details of the PSP calibration are also described where the calibration process combines both a priori (with separately painted test coupon) and in situ calibration (with pressure tap measurements during test). Flow features are identified directly from the quantitative pressure distribution and compared to qualitative surface oil flow visualizations. The technique facilitates measurement of the pressure distribution on surfaces that have been difficult or impossible to instrument, such as the face of the shock-generating fin. The unsteady paint response is captured simultaneously with unsteady pressure transducers on the surface underneath the interaction, and a frequency response function based on this comparison is presented. As the results discussed herein demonstrate, the use of PSP allows one to capture significantly more information about this complex, highly three-dimensional interaction with details that are not easily obtained using traditional sensors, while also providing a more informed global view of the interaction. The utility and limitations of the technique in application to supersonic wind tunnel experiments are discussed.
Upfront surgical resection for primary bone tumors: rationale and potential benefits

Local control for the treatment of primary bone tumors is generally delayed following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This was born out of the historical need to manufacture custom implants when performing limb-salvage resection. There is increasing reason to reconsider the timing of local control in the setting of primary bone tumors. In this report, we describe two cases in which upfront surgery was utilized and review rationale, prior literature, and potential benefits of this approach.
Integrated Optimization of Predictive and Prescriptive Tasks

In traditional machine learning techniques, the degree of closeness between true and predicted values generally measures the quality of predictions. However, these learning algorithms do not consider prescription problems where the predicted values will be used as input to decision problems. In this paper, we efficiently leverage feature variables, and we propose a new framework directly integrating predictive tasks under prescriptive tasks in order to prescribe consistent decisions. We train the parameters of predictive algorithm within a prescription problem via bilevel optimization techniques. We present the structure of our method and demonstrate its performance using synthetic data compared to classical methods like point-estimate-based, stochastic optimization and recently developed machine learning based optimization methods. In addition, we control generalization error using different penalty approaches and optimize the integration over validation data set.
Radiocarbon dating of twenty-seven Plains complexes and phases

Publication et interpretation de dates radiocarbones calibrees, traitees par logiciel informatique, des phases chronologiques paleoindiennes de la region des Plaines
The role of completeness in convergence of evolutionary algorithms

It is interesting that typically in the proof of convergence of evolutionary algorithms only elitist selection is considered. In this paper, we stress out that truly in reaching optimum of the fitness function completeness of search plays probably even more important role. The elitist selection helps in reaching the optimum. It allows to converge faster and not to lose the optimum in cases when we are uncertain that the optimum has been reached. An evolutionary search using elitist selection, but being incomplete, will not reach the optimum. This paper provides sufficient conditions for finding the best (optimal) solutions, or the best (totally optimal) solutions with minimal search costs. To do that we utilized a new formal model of evolutionary computation the evolutionary Turing machine. The results are applicable both to genetic algorithms, genetic programming, evolution strategies and evolutionary programming. The problem of finding total optimum, optimizing together the quality of solution together with an evolutionary algorithm is considered as a multiobjective optimization allowing to tackle real-world problems where the complexity of evolutionary search becomes an issue. A new classification of evolutionary procedures into easy, hard, and solvable in the limit classes, is proposed.
EXPENDITURES ON CHILDREN AND VISITATION TIME

In their critique, Garfinkel, McLanahan, and Wallerstein raise concerns about the representativeness of the authors' sample, benchmark approach methodology, and historical review of guidelines, all of which lead them to discount the evidence presented opposing the cliff-model assumption of father expenditures on children, and to laud instead child support guidelines that give little monetary credit or adjustment for visitation. This article presents evidence that (a) this sample is at most little biased, and remains trustworthy for the main implications presented; (b) although only a beginning, the benchmark approach is highly useful and most of the concerns raised about it are ill founded or implausible; and (c) the historical review suggesting that current guidelines assume zero visitation expenses is indeed accurate for the vast majority of states, according to the foremost authority. Thus, notwithstanding the critique, these findings have merit and importance and should be considered by policy makers. The authors also comment on the additional arguments against continuous and generous adjustments for visitation, finding them based on a weak foundation of evidence and reasoning.
The elevated temperature compressive behavior of a Nb aligned fibrous composite

The compound MoSi{sub 2} has promise for use as an elevated temperature structural material, owing to the attractive combination of high melting temperature (2,030 C), low density (6.25 g/cm{sup 3}), high modulus (approximately 400 GPa) and excellent oxidation resistance. However, like many intermetallic compounds MoSi{sub 2} is brittle at low temperatures. Composite strengthening is an approach which may improve the toughness of brittle matrices. Thus, MoSi{sub 2} has received much attention for use as a matrix material for an elevated temperature structural composite. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of the addition of 20v% aligned fibers on the elevated temperature behavior of a MoSi{sub 2} matrix by compression testing. Further the effect of Nb fiber orientation was examined as tests were performed with the fibers nominally aligned either parallel or perpendicular to the compressive axis.
Expression cloning of farnesylated proteins.

Publisher Summary The identification of novel prenylated proteins has most often involved the labeling of cultured cells with [3H] mevalonolactone that is enzymatically converted to [3H] farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) and [3H] geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) prior to being incorporated into protein. Cellular proteins can then be analyzed by gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. However, this procedure is inefficient, because of slow [3H] mevalonate uptake, and is therefore limited to the detection of abundant proteins. A second limitation of [3H] mevalonate labeling is that it does not distinguish between farnesylated and geranylgeranylated proteins. This chapter outlines an enzymatic screening protocol to identify novel farnesylated proteins from bacterial expression libraries. This method allows the systematic screening of large cDNA libraries in a manner that is quicker and simpler than the conventional approach of purifying radiolabeled proteins, obtaining protein sequence, and cloning by degenerate oligonucleotides. This technique helps in screening of human and rat retina and total mouse embryo expression libraries. With the advances in the genome initiative, particularly the availability of large numbers of expressed sequence tags (ESTs), expression cloning of novel prenylated proteins may not be the most effective approach in identifying these proteins. Instead, the biochemical characterization of ESTs containing putative consensus C-terminal prenylation motifs may prove more satisfactory. However, the extension of this expression cloning technique to additional organ systems and particularly to organisms that are currently not included in the genome initiative should allow the isolation of additional novel isoprenylated proteins.
Price Theory and Merger Guidelines, II

Our work extends existing first-order approaches to merger analysis to provide quantitative estimates of price and consumer surplus changes. Sonia Jaffe & E. Glen Weyl (Harvard Univ.)
Estimating the Resuspension Rate and Residence Time of Indoor Particles

Resuspension experiments were performed in a single-family residence. Resuspension by human activity was found to elevate the mass concentration of indoor particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm (PM10) an average of 2.5 times as high as the background level. As summarized from 14 experiments, the average estimated PM10 resuspension rate by a person walking on a carpeted floor was (1.4 +/- 0.6) x 10(-4) hr(-1). The estimated residence time for PM in the indoor air following resuspension was less than 2 hr for PM10 and less than 3 hr for 2-microm tracer particles. However, experimental results show that the 2-microm tracer particles stayed in the combined indoor air and surface compartments much longer (>>19 days). Using a two-compartment model to simulate a regular deposition and resuspension cycle by normal human activity (e.g., walking and sitting on furniture), we estimated residence time for 2-microm conservative particulate pollutants to be more than 7 decades without vacuum cleaning, and months if vacuum cleaning was done once per week. This finding supports the observed long residence time of persistent organic pollutants in indoor environments. This study introduces a method to evaluate the particle resuspension rate from semicontinuous concentration data of particulate matter (PM). It reveals that resuspension and subsequent exfiltration does not strongly affect the overall residence time of PM pollutants when compared with surface cleaning. However, resuspension substantially increases PM concentration, and thus increases short-term inhalation exposure to indoor PM pollutants.
COGIN: symbolic induction with genetic algorithms

COGIN is a system designed for induction of symbolic decision models from pre-classed examples based on the use of genetic algorithms (GAs). Much research in symbolic induction has focused on techniques for reducing classification inaccuracies that arise from inherent limits of underlying incremental search techniques. Genetic Algorithms offer an intriguing alternative to stepwise model construction, relying instead on model evolution through global competition. The difficulty is in providing an effective framework for the GA to be practically applied to complex induction problems. COGIN merges traditional induction concepts with genetic search to provide such a framework, and recent experimental results have demonstrated its advantage relative to basic stepwise inductive approaches. In this paper, we describe the essential elements of the COGIN approach and present a favorable comparison of COGIN results with those produced by a more sophisticated stepwise approach (with support post processing) on standardized multiplexor problems.
More than Words: The Emotional Maltreatment of Children

Emotional maltreatment may be the most complex, prevalent, and damaging form of child maltreatment and can occur simultaneously with other forms of abuse. Children in the first few years of life seem to be at the greatest risk of suffering the most negative outcomes. Medical professionals can help identify and protect victims of emotional maltreatment by carefully observing caregiver-child interactions, paying attention to a family's social history, making referrals to community or counseling programs when necessary, and reporting any suspicions of maltreatment to Child Protective Services. A well-coordinated, multidisciplinary response must be enacted whenever emotional maltreatment is suspected or reported.
When Does the Brain Inform the Eyes Whether and Where to Move? an EEG Study in Humans

The current study addressed when in the course of stimulus processing, and in what brain areas, activity occurs that supports the interpretation of cues that signal the appropriateness of different and competing behaviors. Twelve subjects completed interleaved no-go-, pro-, and antitrials, whereas 64-channel electroencephalography was recorded. Principle component and distributed source analyses were used to evaluate the spatial distribution and time course of cortical activity supporting cue evaluation and response selection. By 158 ms poststimulus, visual cortex activity was lower for no-go trials than it was for both pro- and antitrials, consistent with an early sensory filter on the no-go cue. Prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity at 158 ms was highest during antitrials, consistent with this brain region's putative involvement in executive control. At 204 ms poststimulus, however, PFC activity was the same for pro- and antitrials, consistent with an ostensible role in response selection. PFC activity at 204 ms also was robustly inversely correlated (r = -0.75) with visual cortex activity on antitrials, perhaps indicating top-down modulation of early sensory processing that would decrease the probability of an error response. These data highlight how a distributed neural architecture supports the evaluation of stimuli and response choices.
Indirect Sensing of Equatorial Currents by Means of Island Pressure Measurements

Abstract From November 1982 until March 1983, an experiment was conducted at Jarvis Island (0.4°S, 160°W) in order to study the energetics of swift currents encountering a small equatorial island, and to determine the relationship between the free stream zonal velocity and the pressure drop from the upstream stagnation point to the island wake. Vertical profiles of velocity and temperature show a conversion of kinetic to potential energy as water in the eastward flowing Equatorial Undercurrent approaches the upstream stagnation point. An energy deficit is observed in the wake region, and the energy drop from the upstream stagnation point to the downstream end of the island amounts to about 1.3 times the free stream kinetic energy. The measurements are consistent with laboratory studies of high Reynolds number flow and with a previous density survey at Jarvis Island. Temperature–pressure recorders were set on the east and west sides of the island at nominal depths of 10 and 150 m. West-to-east pressure dif...
Assessment of HPAC urban modelling capabilities using data from the Joint Urban 2003 field experiment

An independent evaluation was conducted of four urban prediction models included in the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA) Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) (Version 4.0). This evaluation focused on comparing HPAC predictions with data obtained during the Joint Urban 2003 (JU03) field experiment in Oklahoma City. These models were run using a variety of meteorological inputs, including the results of forecast models and meteorological observations from the JU03 experiment. A particularly significant finding was a difference in model performance for daytime vs. nighttime tracer gas releases. Consistent significant differences in performance between models were only observed for nighttime releases.
Three-Dimensional Velocity Measurements of Film Cooling Flow Under Favorable Pressure Gradient

This paper addresses the effect of a favorable streamwise pressure gradient on the velocity field of a single-hole film cooling configuration, operating at unity blowing ratio. The hole is circular and inclined at 30 degrees with respect to the main flow direction. Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry is used to obtain the full three-dimensional field for a baseline configuration with negligible streamwise pressure gradient and for a configuration with favorable streamwise pressure gradient. In the latter case the acceleration parameter is K = 4.8·10−6, which is representative of the conditions along the pressure side of a turbine airfoil. The experiments are performed in water. The velocity and vorticity distributions highlight the strong impact of the favorable pressure gradient on the development of the counter-rotating vortex pair which dominates the dynamics of the film cooling flow. The accelerating flow drives the vortex pair towards the wall, while the increased stretching of the vortices augments their circulation. Both effects contribute to bring the counter-rotating vortices closer to each other. They also persist much further in space with respect to the zero-pressure-gradient case. Implications for the film cooling performance are discussed.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
X-ray powder diffraction from carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles

We report detailed x-ray powder-diffraction measurements on a sample consisting of \ensuremath{\sim}60% carbon nanotubes and \ensuremath{\sim}40% carbon nanoparticles. These measurements demonstrate the existence of short-range interlayer stacking correlations. Our calculations show that such correlations should not be observable in idealized models of nanotubes. The observation of short-range interlayer correlations can be explained if many of the nanotubes and nanoparticles have polygonal cross sections, largely consisting of flat regions having graphitic interlayer correlations. This polygonization is almost certainly driven by the van der Waals interactions responsible for the ABAB stacking in crystalline graphite.
Dairy intake and related self-regulation improved in college students using online nutrition education.

Abstract Background Dairy intake by college students is markedly lower than recommendations. Interventions to improve dairy intake based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) have potential to successfully change behavior by improving mediators that influence dietary choices. Objective We aimed to use SCT to improve social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, self-regulation, and behavior related to dairy intake in college students. Design We conducted a randomized nutrition education intervention. Participants/setting Participants included 211 college students (mean age 20.2±0.1 years; 63% women and 37% men) recruited from a university campus. Participants in the intervention group (n=107) and comparison group (n=104) received an 8-week dairy intake or stress management intervention, respectively, via electronic mail. Data collection included dairy intake from 7-day food records and SCT variables from questionnaires administered during January 2008 and April 2008. Main outcome measures Changes in dairy intake and SCT variables (ie, social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and self-regulation). Statistical analyses performed Multivariate analysis of covariance, with age and sex as covariates ( P Results Ninety-one percent of participants (n=97 intervention, n=94 comparison) provided data; complete data were analyzed for 85% of participants (n=90 intervention, n=89 comparison). Participants in the intervention group reported higher intake of total dairy foods ( P =0.012) and improved use of self-regulation strategies for consuming three servings per day of total dairy ( P =0.000) and low-fat dairy foods ( P =0.002) following the intervention. Conclusions Nutrition education via electronic mail based on an SCT model improved total dairy intake and self-regulation. Participants reported increased dairy intake and better use of self-regulation strategies. Future interventions should focus on benefits of consuming low-fat vs higher-fat dairy foods.
The Problem of Nonlocality in String Theory

Abstract We discuss the problems associated with the essential nonlocality of all string field actions. Manifestly Poincare invariant theories are shown to be unstable and bereft of an initial value formulation; light cone theories suffer from a breakdown of Lorentz invariance. However, because free string actions are local up to a field redefinition these problems are invisible to perturbative analysis. The use of perturbation theory is shown to change the causal and canonical structure of the covariant formulations. One consequence is the loss of the infinite number of nonperturbative solutions associated with the freedom to prescribe arbitrarily many initial time derivatives. Since these solutions also contain the negative energy degrees of freedom which destabilize the theory both covariant problems are avoided in this way. The penalty is acausality. This is fundamental property of the light cone formalism. It can be avoided in the covariant theory only by restoring the nonperturbative solutions.
Convergence of speech rate in conversation predicts cooperation

Abstract During conversation, interlocutors coordinate their behavior on many levels. Two distinct forms of behavioral coordination have been empirically linked with affiliation and cooperation during or following face-to-face interaction: behavior matching and interpersonal synchrony . Only the latter form constitutes behavioral entrainment involving a coupling between independent oscillators. We present the first study of the association between spontaneously occurring behavioral coordination and post-interaction economic game play. Triads of same-sexed strangers conversed for 10min, after which each participant played an unannounced one-shot prisoner's dilemma (PD) toward each co-participant. When dyads had higher language style matching scores (LSM: Gonzales, A.L., Hancock, J.T., & Pennebaker, J.W. (2010). Language style matching as a predictor of social dynamics in small groups. Communication Research, 31, 3–19), the individuals evaluated each other more positively, but they were no more likely to cooperate in the PD. However, when dyads' speech rates (mean syllable duration) converged more strongly from the beginning to the end of the conversation, they were more likely to cooperate in the PD, despite no effect on interpersonal evaluations. Speech rate convergence, a form of rhythmic entrainment, could benefit interlocutors by mutually reducing cognitive processing during interaction. We suggest that spontaneous, temporally based behavioral coordination might facilitate prosocial behavior when the joint cooperative effort is itself perceived as a form of coordination.
WHAT THE CORPORATION SHOULD PROVIDE ITS BUSINESS UNITS

The days when corporations could select their portfolios of investments and sit back and wait for results are long gone. To remain competitive, corporations must provide their business units with low‐cost capital, outstanding executives, corporate R&D, centralized marketing where appropriate and other resources in the corporate arsenal. To be successful, they must pursue strategies of vertical integration and a synergistic combining of businesses.
Sociology of the visual sphere (Routledge Advances in Sociology Series)

With the stated intention to ‘“normalize” visual sociology as an integral component of sociological study’ (1), editors Regev Nathansohn and Denis Zuev have drawn together the work of eleven schola...
The protected, the protector, the defender

Abstract The state claims the offering of protection through the use of legitimate force as its defining function. But for the most part only men are allowed to use that force; only men are allowed to be protectors. But women who are supposed to be protected know that they frequently are not. They also know that protectors are often a source of danger to the protected. This essay investigates the nature of the protected, the protector, and the defender who participates fully in the creation of security but who neither is dependent nor has dependents. It proposes that men and women share equally in defense.
Dynamic analysis of the spacecraft structure on orbit made up of honeycomb sandwich plates

The honeycomb sandwich plate is applied widely in the modern spacecraft design because of its excellent capability. When the dynamic analysis of the spacecraft structure made up of the honeycomb sandwich plates is performed in ANSYS, the equivalent parameters of the honeycomb sandwich plates have to be identified. Now there have been three equivalent methods, that is called the sandwich theory, the equivalent-plate theory and the honeycomb-plate theory. In this paper these three equivalent methods are studied through a numerical example. The computational results show that the honeycomb-plate theory is the most suitable method to simplify the spacecraft structure. Based on the conclusion, the spacecraft structure is simplified by using the honeycomb-plate theory and the finite element model is established. And then modal analysis and harmonic response analysis of the spacecraft structure are performed. All of the analysis results can accommodate bases for structural design and optimum design of the spacecraft structure.
Automating the conceptual design process: “from black box to component selection”

Conceptual design is a vital part of the design process during which designers first envision new ideas and then synthesize them into physical configurations that meet certain design specifications. In this research, a suite of computational tools is developed that assists the designers in performing this nontrivial task of navigating the design space for creating conceptual design solutions. The methodology is based on automating the function-based synthesis paradigm by combining various computational methods. Accordingly, three nested search algorithms are developed and integrated to capture different design decisions at various stages of conceptual design. The implemented system provides a method for automatically generating novel alternative solutions to real design problems. The application of the approach to the design of an electromechanical device shows the method's range of capabilities and how it serves as a comparison to human conceptual design generation and as a tool suite to complement the skills of a designer.
A course designed for undergraduate biochemistry students to learn about cultural diversity issues.

Biology, biochemistry, and other science students are well trained in science and familiar with how to conduct and evaluate scientific experiments. They are less aware of cultural issues or how these will impact their careers in research, education, or as professional health care workers. A course was developed for advanced undergraduate science majors to learn about diversity issues in a context that would be relevant to them, entitled “Diversity Issues in Health Care: Treatment and Research.” Learning objectives included: developing awareness of current topics concerning diversity issues in health care; learning how research is carried out in health care, including pharmaceutical research, clinical trials, and social research; and learning about health care practices. Lectures and projects included readings on laboratory and clinical research, as well as literature on legal, race, gender, language, age, and income issues in health care research and clinical practice. Exams, papers, and a service learning project were used to determine the final course grade. Assessment indicated student understanding of diversity issues was improved, and the material was relevant.
Interrupted expression of NAC-1 augments the behavioral responses to cocaine.

NAC-1 is an mRNA that is increased selectively in the nucleus accumbens after acute and repeated cocaine administration. Antisense or control oligonucleotides were microinjected into the nucleus accumbens of rats to define the role of NAC-1 in the behavioral responses to acute systemic cocaine. Antisense oligonucleotides decreased NAC-1 mRNA levels by 26% and markedly enhanced the motor stimulant response to an acute cocaine injection compared to sense oligonucleotide microinjections. The augmentation in cocaine motor behavior produced by NAC-1 antisense pretreatment in the nucleus accumbens was not associated with increased dopamine release as estimated by microdialysis. In contrast, the behavioral response to dopamine microinjection into the nucleus accumbens was increased after antisense oligonucleotide treatment, while the motor response to μ-opioid receptor stimulation was unaltered. These data suggest that the induction of NAC-1 by cocaine may be a compensatory mechanism that minimizes the behavioral impact of cocaine administration by regulating postsynaptic dopamine transmission within the nucleus accumbens. Synapse 33:153–159, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Two dimensional filtering-A state estimator approach

This paper considers the problem of developing recursive filter structures capable of optimal filtering of two dimensional signals. The inability of recently proposed structures to achieve optimal performance is discussed and the required optimal filter structure is presented and shown to be nonrecursive in the normally defined sense. Asymptotic state estimators which retain a recursive structure are developed along with the conditions which must be satisfied for these estimators to operate in a minimum mean square error sense.
Integrative Approach Reveals Composition of Endoparasitoid Wasp Venoms

The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and its endoparasitoid wasps are a developing model system for interactions between host immune responses and parasite virulence mechanisms. In this system, wasps use diverse venom cocktails to suppress the conserved fly cellular encapsulation response. Although numerous genetic tools allow detailed characterization of fly immune genes, lack of wasp genomic information has hindered characterization of the parasite side of the interaction. Here, we use high-throughput nucleic acid and amino acid sequencing methods to describe the venoms of two related Drosophila endoparasitoids with distinct infection strategies, Leptopilina boulardi and L. heterotoma. Using RNA-seq, we assembled and quantified libraries of transcript sequences from female wasp abdomens. Next, we used mass spectrometry to sequence peptides derived from dissected venom gland lumens. We then mapped the peptide spectral data against the abdomen transcriptomes to identify a set of putative venom genes for each wasp species. Our approach captured the three venom genes previously characterized in L. boulardi by traditional cDNA cloning methods as well as numerous new venom genes that were subsequently validated by a combination of RT-PCR, blast comparisons, and secretion signal sequence search. Overall, 129 proteins were found to comprise L. boulardi venom and 176 proteins were found to comprise L. heterotoma venom. We found significant overlap in L. boulardi and L. heterotoma venom composition but also distinct differences that may underlie their unique infection strategies. Our joint transcriptomic-proteomic approach for endoparasitoid wasp venoms is generally applicable to identification of functional protein subsets from any non-genome sequenced organism.
Neutral Gray Adjustment in Printer ICC Profiles

Neutral gray balance is very important in printing black and white images and printing images that have gray or near gray contents. Accurate gray balance is often difficult to achieve by ICC profiling software packages, especially by commercial software packages designed for users with little knowledge in color science. Furthermore, neutral gray may be judged differently by different individuals. In order to solve these problems, we developed different mechanisms to improve and to modify the neutral gray balance in printer ICC profiles. In this paper, a method to modify the transformation of the neutral gray balance for printer ICC profiles is presented. A colorimetric table, which is derived from the AToB1 tag and the white point tag or derived from a colorimetric data set measured from a near-gray target, is applied to recreate the neutral gray points in BToAi tags. The neutral gray point in a* and b* is determined by color appearance modeling or by a user for personal preference. Different a* and b* values for different lightness can be supplied to compensate the inaccuracy in AToB1 tag or color shift of the printer. To achieve highly accurate neutral gray balance, a target surrounds the neutral gray from white to black is printed for neutral gray balance calibration. Black adaptation is also taken into account to compensate the chrominance difference between the white point and the black point.
Whistle-Blowing Engineer

Engineers face a unique situation with respect to reporting unsafe situations that are created by an employer or a client, in that licensed engineers may have a legal or an ethical duty to “blow the whistle” on an employer in certain situations. This paper covers several aspects of whistle-blowing as they relate to practicing engineers. In the first section of the paper, five engineers are presented who have recently sought legal protection as whistle-blowers. This is followed by an analysis of state engineering regulations and professional ethics codes that often encourage, or even mandate that licensed engineers report employers or clients to governmental authorities in certain situations where the public safety is endangered. The next section presents an overview of whistleblower protection laws. Finally, there is a presentation of the potential for civil liability for those engineers who fail to report certain unsafe situations.
Modification of Alpha-Fetoprotein and Albumin Synthesis by Dimethylsulfoxide in an Established Line of Mouse Hepatoma Cells

The effect of the polar solvent dimethylsulfoxide on the synthe-sis and secretion of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein was studied in an establishe line of mouse hepatoma cells (BW1). Incubation of BW1 cells with dimethyl-sulfoxide led to a marked enhancement in the cellular content of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein (42 and 94 % for albumin and 118 and 154 % for alpha-fetoprotein in 0.5 and 1 % dimethylsulfoxide-containing growth medium, respectively) as well as in the extra-cellular accumulation of these proteins.The albumin contribution to total BW1 cell-associated protein increased with exposure to increasing concentrations of dimethylsulfoxide in the medium.In contrast, while the alpha-fetoprotein content, per 106 hepatocytes increased as a function of dimethylsulfoxide concentration, synthesis of alpha-fetopro-tein relative to total cellular protein was maximal in 0.5 % dimethylsulfoxide and was not further stimulated upon exposure of the cells to higher concentra-tions of the polar solvent.