cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adenovirus-Mediated Human Kallikrein Gene Delivery Increases Endogenous Rat Tissue Kallikrein in Hypertensive Rat Models

P201 Our recent studies showed that adenovirus-mediated human tissue kallikrein gene delivery attenuated hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy, and renal injury in various hypertensive rat models. However, mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of human kallikrein gene delivery are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the potential of human kallikrein gene delivery on synthesis and excretion of endogenous rat tissue kallikrein in normotensive and hypertensive rat models. Adenovirus carrying the human kallikrein cDNA under the control of cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter/enhancer was administered via tail vein injection. Control rats received adenovirus harboring the b-galactosidase or luciferase gene under control of the CMV promoter/enhancer. A single injection of the human tissue kallikrein gene caused a prolonged blood pressure-lowering effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats, two kidney-one clip, Dahl salt-sensitive, deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt and monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats, while systolic blood pressure of normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats remained unaltered. Human kallikrein gene delivery significantly increased endogenous rat tissue kallikrein levels in the kidney and urine of different models of hypertensive rats as compared with their respective controls. However, urinary excretion of rat tissue kallikrein was not affected by human kallikrein gene delivery in normotensive rats. The endogenous rat tissue kallikrein mRNA expression in the kidney remained unaltered after human kallikrein gene delivery, which indicated that expression of human kallikrein in hypertensive rats increased endogenous rat kallikrein synthesis and excretion. These findings indicate that beneficial effects of human kallikrein gene delivery in hypertensive rat models are mediated, at least in part, by enhanced endogenous tissue kallikrein-kinin system.
Segmenting Clinton and Obama Voters

The purpose of this case is to introduce data visualization, advanced regression techniques, and supervised learning. Students are asked to visualize data geographically and in scatterplots. They will use stepwise regression and regression trees to select a predictive model for forecasting data in a holdout sample. In a forecasting competition, they will submit their models to be tested for accuracy. Supervised learning techniques—such as training, validation, and testing—are introduced. Regression trees serve as both predictive and graphical tools for communicating insights from data analysis to a decision maker. Excerpt UVA-QA-0807 Rev. Sept. 21, 2017 SEGMENTING CLINTON AND OBAMA VOTERS It was February 19, 2008. One week earlier, Barack Obama had taken the lead in the delegate count during the Democratic Party's presidential primaries, the winner of which would face the Republican Party's nominee in the general election to become the next president of the United States (POTUS). On that day in February, Hillary Clinton, Obama's primary opponent, began running ads in Ohio aimed at middle-class, blue-collar voters. One ad, “Night Shift,” closed showing Clinton at her desk: “She understands. She's worked the night shift, too.” But had Clinton ever worked the night shift? Her spokesperson said it was a “rhetorical reference” to working late nights as a lawyer, First Lady, and senator. Clinton was not alone in her awkward appeals to voters in key demographics. Months earlier at a campaign stop in Iowa, Obama noted that while produce prices had risen in grocery stores, farmers had not benefited from increases in crop prices: “Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula? I mean, they're charging a lot of money for this stuff.” At the time, there wasn't a single Whole Foods in the state of Iowa. . . .
Effect of texture and grain size on the residual stress of nanocrystalline thin films

Residual stresses develop in thin film interconnects mainly as a result of deposition conditions and multiple thermal loading cycles during the manufacturing flow. Understanding the relation between the distribution of residual stress and the interconnect microstructure is of key importance to manage the nucleation and growth of defects that can lead to failure under reliability testing and use conditions. Dislocation dynamics simulations are performed in nanocrystalline copper subjected to cyclic loading to quantify the distribution of residual stresses as a function of grain misorientation and grain size distribution. The outcomes of this work help to evaluate the effect of microstructure in thin films failure by identifying potential voiding sites. Furthermore, the simulations show how dislocation structures are influenced by texture and grain size distribution that affect the residual stress. For example, when dislocation loops reach the opposite grain boundary during loading, these dislocations remain locked during unloading.
JIMU: Faster LEGO-Based Secure Computation Using Additive Homomorphic Hashes

LEGO-style cut-and-choose is known for its asymptotic efficiency in realizing actively-secure computations. The dominant cost of LEGO protocols is due to wire-soldering—the key technique enabling to put independently generated garbled gates together in a bucket to realize a logical gate. Existing wire-soldering constructions rely on homomorphic commitments and their security requires the majority of the garbled gates in every bucket to be correct.
Lumbar Intraspinal Spindle Cell Rhabdomyosarcoma as a Rare Cause of Spinal Stenosis: A Case Report

Abstract Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) represents the most common sarcoma in childhood yet is extremely rare in adults, with only a handful of cases reported. Here we present a case of intraspinal spindle cell RMS in an adult who presented as a typical case of spinal stenosis. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of lumbar intraspinal spindle cell RMS in an adult patient. Furthermore, RMS phenotypically presents more aggressively in adults compared with children. Level of Evidence To be determined.
Acute multi-sgRNA knockdown of KEOPS complex genes reproduces the microcephaly phenotype of the stable knockout zebrafish model

Until recently, morpholino oligonucleotides have been widely employed in zebrafish as an acute and efficient loss-of-function assay. However, off-target effects and reproducibility issues when compared to stable knockout lines have compromised their further use. Here we employed an acute CRISPR/Cas approach using multiple single guide RNAs targeting simultaneously different positions in two exemplar genes (osgep or tprkb) to increase the likelihood of generating mutations on both alleles in the injected F0 generation and to achieve a similar effect as morpholinos but with the reproducibility of stable lines. This multi single guide RNA approach resulted in median likelihoods for at least one mutation on each allele of >99% and sgRNA specific insertion/deletion profiles as revealed by deep-sequencing. Immunoblot showed a significant reduction for Osgep and Tprkb proteins. For both genes, the acute multi-sgRNA knockout recapitulated the microcephaly phenotype and reduction in survival that we observed previously in stable knockout lines, though milder in the acute multi-sgRNA knockout. Finally, we quantify the degree of mutagenesis by deep sequencing, and provide a mathematical model to quantitate the chance for a biallelic loss-of-function mutation. Our findings can be generalized to acute and stable CRISPR/Cas targeting for any zebrafish gene of interest.
Confocal-Raman Microscopy Characterization of Supported Phospholipid Bilayers Deposited on the Interior Surfaces of Chromatographic Silica

A common approach to exploring the structure and dynamics of biological membranes is through the deposition of model lipid bilayers on planar supports by Langmuir-trough or vesicle-fusion methods. Planar-supported lipid bilayers have been shown to exhibit structure and properties similar to those of lipid-vesicle membranes and are suitable for biosensing applications. Investigations using these planar-membrane models are limited to high-sensitivity methods capable of detecting a small population of molecules at the interface between a planar support and aqueous solution. In this work, we present evidence that supported-lipid bilayers can be deposited by vesicle fusion onto the interior surfaces throughout the wide-pore network of chromatographic silica particles. The thickness of a 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) film and headgroup spacing are consistent with a single bilayer of DMPC deposited onto the pore surfaces. The high specific surface area of these materials generates phospholip...
REGULAR AND CHAOTIC CYCLING IN MODELS FROM POPULATION AND ECOLOGICAL GENETICS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses regular and chaotic cycling in models from population and ecological genetics, and describes the biological issues in population genetics. Population genetics is the genetic composition of populations, including the forces affecting this composition and the way it changes over time. Many loci in living organisms are polymorphic, meaning that they are represented by multiple forms. For example, in most human populations, there are three different alleles present at the locus determining basic blood types, namely, A, B, and 0. The single most important issue in population genetics is that of genetic variation in natural populations. A major aim of mathematical genetic models is to determine under what conditions a given force or combination of forces can maintain more than one allele at a locus. The gene frequency in successive generations is specified by the iterates of the transformation. Genetic variation is preserved only if heterozygotes have a higher fitness than the two homozygotes. There are never any oscillations in the gene frequency under the classical model. The genetic system is inherently stable.
Relaxing the Proof Style

In the previous chapter, we defined the propositional calculus, discussed proof strategies and heuristics, and proved many theorems. In this chapter, we provide some flexibility in the use of the propositional calculus. First, we introduce an extension of our proof format in order to shorten some proofs of implications. Second, we show how to present proofs in a less formal style. In doing so, we relate classical proof methods to proofs in the propositional calculus.
Relational values: the key to pluralistic valuation of ecosystem services

Multiple frameworks have recently been proposed adopting relational values as a new domain of value articulation distinct from the dichotomy of intrinsic and instrumental values that has dominated environmental ethics for decades. In this article, we distinguish between the innate relationality of all evaluative process and relational values as the content of valuation which is a new and fruitful category for expressing the importance of specific relationships people hold with non-human nature. We examine the concept of relational values used in recent frameworks and propose a simple conceptualization with clear distinctions between relational, instrumental, and intrinsic (inherent moral) values. We argue that as a new category of value articulation, relational values provide conceptual and empirical insights that the intrinsic/instrumental value dichotomy fails to deliver. Finally, we draw on theoretical and empirical research to show why a clear distinction between instrumental and non-instrumental relational values is important for environmental conservation, sustainability, and social justice.
A Formal Treatment of Efficient Byzantine Routing Against Fully Byzantine Adversary

We describe efficient path-based Byzantine routing protocols that are secure against fully Byzantine adversaries. Our work is in sharp contrast to prior works which handle a weaker subset of Byzantine attacks. We provide a formal proof of correctness of our protocols which, to our knowledge, is the first of its kind. We implement and evaluate our protocols using DeterLab, demonstrating that our protocols are as efficient as those secure against weaker adversaries and our protocols can efficiently and correctly detect routers that fail arbitrarily.
Commentary on Fractions

This commentary raises and discusses questions based on some of the agreements, disagreements, and themes found in the four chapters on fractions. It considers (1) the importance of tasks that are based in perception and readily available activity in light of an emphasis on problem solving in mathematics education, and the role that theories about thinking and learning play in designing such tasks; (2) some potential connections among various theories about thinking and learning as they relate to fractions; (3) the natural number bias and how ideas about natural numbers could serve as a foundation for fractions; and (4) the roles that magnitude, measurement, and linear representations of number play for fractions.
Abstract TMP32: Post-Stroke Systemic Inflammation: Immunomodulation by Progesterone and Vitamin D Hormone

Introduction: Post-stroke systemic inflammation due to in-hospital infections increases patient morbidity and mortality. We examined the immunomodulatory effects of progesterone (P4) either alone o...
Demographic Tipping Points as Early Indicators of Vulnerability for Slow-Breeding Megafaunal Populations

Decisions based on trends in population abundance and distribution may fail to protect populations of slow-breeding, long-lived megafauna from irrevocable decline if they ignore demographic constraints. For such taxa, we suggest that understanding the interactions among vital rates governing population growth rates be prioritized over predicting probabilities of extinction. The proximity of a population to the demographic tipping points, i.e. where growth rate switches from positive to negative, can signal vulnerability to perturbation long before numbers drop below a point of no return. We define the “demographic safe space” as the combination of key vital rates that support a non-negative growth rate and illustrate this approach for Asian elephants. Using modeling, we find that even with optimal reproduction, Asian elephant populations cannot tolerate annual female mortality rates exceeding 7.5%. If adult mortality is very low (3% / yr), populations can tolerate high annual mortality in calves below age 3 (up to 31.5% / yr), or slow female reproduction (primiparity at 30 years or average inter-birth interval of up to 7.68 years). We then evaluate potential impact of current threats, showing that near-optimal reproduction and high calf survival is necessary to offset even modestly increased mortality among adult female age classes. Rather than rely on simple counts or “viability” assessments, we urge that conservation resources for slow-breeding megafauna also be invested in identifying demographic tipping points and how to maintain populations within their safe spaces.
The Struggle to Decommodify the Service Sector: The Canadian Auto Workers and the Casino Industry

Research objective: Through relatively higher unionization rates within the casino industry, casino employment provides a counterexample to the connection between low-skill service work and low wages. The existing literature, however, suggests that casino workers embrace a commodified vision of their labour. It is of interest to understand whether and how unions are successful in decommodifying both ideologically and materially, wage entitlements in this expanding industry as this is a main mechanism through which unions challenge income inequality. This article examines the Canadian Auto Workers’ (CAW) attempt to decommodify wages in the casino industry.Methodology: These findings are based on a case study of Casino Windsor, located in Windsor, Ontario—the automotive capital of Canada and the first city to host a resort casino outside of Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Ninety-one interviews were conducted with Windsor stakeholders (20), and automotive (43) and casino (28) workers. The local newspaper from 1994-2014 is also examined and descriptive statistics are utilized.Results: Casino workers initially did adopt a decommodified vision of wage entitlements; yet, due to political—the New Democratic Party of Ontario—and institutional—low sectoral union density—forces, casino workers during 2014-2015 interviews embrace a service mind where wages are determined by a market-oriented human capital model.Conclusions: CAW union representatives and the casino membership now view the CAW’s attempt to bring an industrial mindset into the casino as a mistake, naturalizing the link between decommodified wages in automotive manufacturing and the market-oriented wage entitlements of the service sector. This case study marks a critical lost opportunity by the CAW to decommodify wage entitlements in the casino industry and the broader service sector.
Clinician Experience of Electronic Health Record Configurations Displaying 1 vs 4 Records at a Time.

This survey study of more than 1200 clinicians from several large urban medical centers highlights clinicians’ experiences with restrictions on the number of electronic health records that can be opened and displayed concurrently.
One Country, Two Journalistic Cultures: The Charlie Hebdo Affair in the Bi-cultural Journalistic Field of Canada

Canada is a bilingual, bi-cultural country with two journalistic fields that represent two iterations of the journalistic craft. This chapter is concerned with how the Franco-Canadian journalistic field and the Anglo-Canadian journalistic field respectively conceptualized and constructed the reality of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack for their respective audiences. The focus is on the interaction of journalism and culture in Canada, using, as a case study, French-language and English-language journalistic conceptualizations of Charlie Hebdo cartoons, as well as their respective editorial decisions and pronouncements with respect to republishing or not republishing the controversial cartoons in their reporting of the terrorist attacks. Specifically the chapter explores whether (1) the editorial decisions of media outlets in the Franco-Canadian journalistic field to republish or not to republish Charlie Hebdo Mohammed cartoons mirrored editorial decisions taken in the French journalistic field in the context of the crisis, and (2) whether the editorial decisions of the English-language journalistic field of Canada with respect to republication of Charlie Hebdo Mohammed cartoons reflected editorial decisions in the English-language journalistic field of the United Kingdom.
Write more, publish more, stress less!: five key principles for a creative and sustainable scholarly practice: by Dannelle D. Stevens; foreword by Stephen Brookfield, Sterling, VA, Stylus, 2019, 324 pp., $29.95 US (Paperback), ISBN 9781620365175

Dannelle D. Stevens is a scholarly mentor, academic cheerleader, and professor emerita at Portland State University (PSU) in Oregon. This book is a mentor-text that provides words of wisdom based o...
An unconditionally stable space–time FE method for the Korteweg–de Vries equation

Abstract We introduce an unconditionally stable finite element (FE) method, the automatic variationally stable FE (AVS-FE) method for the numerical analysis of the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation. The AVS-FE method is a Petrov–Galerkin method which employs the concept of optimal discontinuous test functions of the discontinuous Petrov–Galerkin (DPG) method. However, since AVS-FE method is a minimum residual method, we establish a global saddle point system instead of computing optimal test functions element-by-element. This system allows us to seek both the approximate solution of the KdV initial boundary value problem (IBVP) and a Riesz representer of the approximation error. The AVS-FE method distinguishes itself from other minimum residual methods by using globally continuous Hilbert spaces, such as H 1 , while at the same time using broken Hilbert spaces for the test. Consequently, the AVS-FE approximations are classical C 0 continuous FE solutions. The unconditional stability of this method allows us to solve the KdV equation space and time without having to satisfy a CFL condition. We present several numerical verifications for both linear and nonlinear versions of the KdV equation leading to optimal convergence behavior. Finally, we present a numerical verification of adaptive mesh refinements in both space and time for the nonlinear KdV equation.
Highly Efficient Deoxydehydration and Hydrodeoxygenation on MoS2-Supported Transition-Metal Atoms through a C–H Activation Mechanism

Deoxydehydration (DODH) is an efficient process for the removal of vicinal OH groups of a diol or polyol. Conventional DODH reactions usually take place at a single-site MOx (M = Re, Mo, V, etc.) a...
Extraoral digestion: outsourcing the role of the hemipteran midgut

Extraoral digestion allows for breakdown of dietary components before they reach the midgut for final enzymatic degradation and absorption. In the Hemiptera, this is achieved by the secretion of enzyme-rich fluids from the salivary gland, with the combination of protein and mRNA from these tissues termed the sialome. Separate channels within the hemipteran stylets allow for secretion of saliva and ingestion of predigested material in a non-reflux mechanism. Both feeding mode and diet type influence the composition of the hemipteran sialome, as illustrated by 1) differences in protease abundance between hematophagous and predatory heteropteran sialomes, 2) diet specific aminopeptidase-N genes among aphid biotypes, and 3) adaptation-induced sialome variation in related cicada populations. Despite challenges associated with incomplete genome annotation, -omics analysis of the sialomes of diverse hemipteran species will enhance understanding of both sialome function and the evolution of extraoral digestion within the order.
Attaining Doppler Precision of 10 cm s^(-1) with a Lock-in Amplified Spectrometer

We explore the radial velocity performance benefits of coupling starlight to a fast-scanning interferometer and a fast-readout spectrometer with zero readout noise. By rapidly scanning an interferometer, we can decouple wavelength calibration errors from precise radial velocity measurements, exploiting the advantages of lock-in amplification. In a Bayesian framework, we investigate the correlation between wavelength calibration errors and resulting radial velocity errors. We construct an end-to-end simulation of this approach to address the feasibility of achieving 10 cm s^(-1) radial velocity precision on a typical Sun-like star using existing, 5 m-class telescopes. We find that such a precision can be reached in a single night, opening up possibilities for ground-based detections of Earth-Sun analog systems.
Assessment of feasibility and utility of universal referral to specialty palliative care in a multidisciplinary amyotrophic lateral sclerosis clinic: A cohort study

Introduction Although the value of palliative care integration in multidisciplinary amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) clinics has been increasingly recognized, limited data are available demonstrating the feasibility and utility of a palliative care specialist embedded in an ALS clinic. The purpose of this study is to describe the feasibility and utility of a universal outpatient referral model for specialty palliative care for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of initial patient visits with a palliative care physician in a multidisciplinary ALS clinic at an academic institution. All patients were referred to an embedded palliative care physician from January to December 2019. Results Within the study period, 52 of 69 (75%) patients with a confirmed diagnosis of ALS were seen by the palliative care physician. The most common reason patients were not seen by palliative care was a lack of insurance authorization (n = 5). At the visit, 94% of patients discussed at least one advance care planning or goals of care topic. The most common advance care planning topic discussed was code status (40%). The most common goals of care topic discussed was meaning and values (57%). Symptom management was discussed with 40 patients (77%). The most common symptom addressed was pain and/or muscle spasms (33%). Discussion These data support the feasibility and utility of universal, outpatient palliative care referral for patients with ALS. Further research is necessary to determine the long-term effect on outcomes for this population.
The Keepers: Returning Citizens’ Experiences With Prison Staff Misconduct:

Correctional staff play a major role in the incarceration experience for millions of U.S. adults each year. While much research has addressed misconduct perpetrated by incarcerated persons, less ha...
Predicting nitrogen and phosphorus balance in beef open lots

ABSTRACT Objective Our objectives were to evaluate nutrient mass balance in feedlots and to determine climactic and management factors affecting nutrient recovery in manure, and to understand sources of variability. Materials and Methods Data from 15 summer- and winter-feeding periods at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Education Center feedlot, including 416 independent pen measurements, were summarized for nutrient mass balance and used to determine sources of variability affecting nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) using linear regression. Results and Discussion The quantity of manure N collected was less (P ASABE (2014) standard of 88.5 g/steer daily. Likewise, the quantity of manure P collected for summer was less than winter (P ASABE, 2014 ). The season (summer vs. winter) cattle were fed affected manure nutrient retention and loss. Additionally, feed N intake partially predicted manure N (R2 = 0.22, P Implications and Applications Our analysis identifies challenges associated with planning based on standard methods for estimating manure characteristics. Nutrient composition based on seasonal specific manure analysis is critical. If not available, timing of seasonal feeding period and dietary nutrient concentration may assist with adjusting standardized estimates.
The Design of a Self-locating Automatic-Driving Robot

In order for a robot to be part of ubiquitous computing to provide a solution or service in different and distributed environment, it needs to precisely recognize the environment it is placed into and the activity of the robot is controled by the input data though this recognition. In this paper, we present a system which allows the robot to effectively accomplish its mission by actuators citing the Mental State built through integrating the context collected and data output by various component agents of the robot. The system uses the blackboard system, serving as the central data structure in intellectual activity of a robot. Also, the feasibility of this system is demonstrated through constructing a cricket-based self-locating automatic-driving robot.
MPI and Hybrid Programming Models for Petascale Computing

In 2011, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois will begin operation of the Blue Waters petascale computing system. This system, funded by the National Science Foundation, will deliver a sustained performance of one to two petaflops for many applications in science and engineering. Blue Waters will support a variety of programming models, including the "MPI everywhere" model that is the most common among today's MPI applications. In addition, it will support a variety of other programming models. The programming models may be used instead of MPI or they may be used in combinationwith MPI. Such a combined programming model is often called a hybridmodel. The most familiar of the models used in combination with MPI is OpenMP, which is designed for shared-memory systems and is based on the use of multiple threads in each MPI process. This programming model has found mixed success to date, with many experiments showing little benefit while others show promise. The reason for this is related to the use of OpenMP within MPI programs--where OpenMP is used to complement MPI, for example, by providing better support for load-balancing adaptive computations or sharing large data tables, it can provide a significant benefit. Where it is used as an alternative to MPI, OpenMP often has difficulty achieving the performance of MPI (MPI's much-criticized requirement that the user directly manage data motion ensures that the programmer does in fact manage that memory motion, leading to improved performance). This suggests that other programming models can be productively combined with MPI as long as they complement, rather than replace, MPI.
Type-curve analyses of single- and cross-hole pneumatic tests in unsaturated fractured tuffs

We describe selected pressure and pressure derivative type-curve analyses of single- and cross-hole pneumatic injection tests recently completed in unsaturated fractured tuffs at the Apache Leap Research Site (ALRS) near Superior, Arizona. Type-curve analyses of transient data from single-hole tests yield information about air permeability, skin factor, borehole storage, phenomenology and dimensionality of the flow regime on a nominal scale of 1 m in the vicinity of each test interval. We find that transient air permeabilities agree well with steady state values but correlate poorly with fracture density. Larger scale cross-hole pneumatic tests were conducted by injecting air into a relatively short borehole interval of length 1 - 2 m, while monitoring air pressure and temperature in the injection interval; barometric pressure, air temperature and relative humidity at the surface; as well as air pressure and temperature in 13 short (0.5 - 2 m) and 24 longer (4 - 20 m) intervals within the injection and surrounding boreholes. We discuss one of these tests labeled PP4. Analyses of pressure data from individual monitoring intervals yield information about pneumatic connections between the injection and monitoring intervals, corresponding directional air permeabilities, and air-filled porosities. All of these quantities vary considerably from one monitoring interval to another on scales ranging from a few meters to well over 20 meters. Together with the results of earlier site investigations our single- and cross-hole test analyses reveal that, at the ALRS, a) the pneumatic pressure behavior of fractured tuff is amenable to analysis by methods that treat the rock as a continuum on scales ranging from meters to tens of meters; b) this continuum is representative primarily of interconnected fractures; c) its pneumatic properties vary strongly with location, direction and scale; in particular, the mean of pneumatic permeabilities increases, and their variance decreases, with scale; and d) this scale effect is most probably due to the presence in the rock of various size fractures that are interconnected on a variety of scales.
Study on the effect of test circuit parameters on dry band arcing failure of ADSS fiber optic cable

The purpose of this paper is to experimentally investigate the effect dry-band arcing caused failure on ADSS (all dielectric self-supporting) caused by different test circuit parameters. It is noted that the circuit parameters have significant effect on the nature of dry-band arcing. In this paper, three different test circuit conditions are applied on the same type of new cable samples. The life data are recorded and analyzed with statistical methods. It is shown that the all-capacitance condition causes less damage to the cable jacket than the resistance or resistance/capacitance conditions. The waveshapes of the arc voltage and arc current are recorded and used to calculate the arc power, arc energy, and arc charge of the different cases. Analysis shows that the failure caused by dry-band arcing is an accumulative process, which is dependent on the arc power, arc duration, arc length, arc energy, arc charge, and power distribution of the arc.
The Role of Unrecorded Intangible Assets in Residual Income Valuation: The Case of Banks

This paper examines the impact of bank unrecorded intangible assets on equity valuation in the context of abnormal earnings and the residual income model ("RIM"). We hypothesize that the level of unrecorded intangible assets affects the implementation of the RIM and we document a significant and positive association between levels of bank unrecorded intangible assets and abnormal earnings. We also find that the pricing multiples for abnormal earnings increase from lower to higher levels of unrecorded intangible assets. Subsequent tests on the components of abnormal earnings and on adjusted book value and abnormal earnings corroborate the earlier findings of a relationship between abnormal earnings and unrecorded intangible assets. We provide evidence to assist in the implementation of the RIM and in better understanding of the determinants of abnormal earnings, consistent with the perceived importance of intangible assets in the current marketplace.
Student modeling for an intelligent agent in a collaborative learning environment

We present an application of student modeling in support of individual learning and group collaboration. The design is based on an empirical analysis of collaborative dialogs collected in earlier work. During use, student modeling data will be acquired not only from learners' graphical user interface actions but also from their text chat by using keywords and speech acts. An agent in the collaborative learning environment will promote deliberative discussion and individual learning based on these group and student models.
Damage Evolution Phenomena and Models

The goal of this article is to overview some of the structural health monitoring issues associated with the development and growth of structural damage. A brief summary of various structural failure modes is provided, with particular emphasis on cyclic fatigue. Although fatigue is one of the commonly recognized failure modes, it is problematic for structural health monitoring. The complexity of this mechanism leads to many subtle load history effects that must be recognized and captured to obtain an accurate prognosis of remaining fatigue life. The article concludes with a proposed “witness sample” method that could provide a cost-effective approach for monitoring structures for evidence of potential fatigue damage. Keywords: crack growth; failure modes; fatigue; fracture mechanics; structural health monitoring; witness sample
Changes in Female Students' Attitudes Toward Women's Lifestyles and Career Choices During a Psychology of Women Course

(1997). Changes in Female Students' Attitudes Toward Women's Lifestyles and Career Choices During a Psychology of Women Course. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 50-52.
Efficient Boosted Exemplar-Based Face Detection

Despite the fact that face detection has been studied intensively over the past several decades, the problem is still not completely solved. Challenging conditions, such as extreme pose, lighting, and occlusion, have historically hampered traditional, model-based methods. In contrast, exemplar-based face detection has been shown to be effective, even under these challenging conditions, primarily because a large exemplar database is leveraged to cover all possible visual variations. However, relying heavily on a large exemplar database to deal with the face appearance variations makes the detector impractical due to the high space and time complexity. We construct an efficient boosted exemplar-based face detector which overcomes the defect of the previous work by being faster, more memory efficient, and more accurate. In our method, exemplars as weak detectors are discriminatively trained and selectively assembled in the boosting framework which largely reduces the number of required exemplars. Notably, we propose to include non-face images as negative exemplars to actively suppress false detections to further improve the detection accuracy. We verify our approach over two public face detection benchmarks and one personal photo album, and achieve significant improvement over the state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of both accuracy and efficiency.
Mothers with mental retardation who do or do not abuse or neglect their children

Mothers with mental retardation with or without a history of child abuse and/or neglect were compared on a number of demographic variables. The reasons why children were or were not removed also were examined. The demographic comparisons showed that while those mothers with such a history generally had higher IQs, they were similar to the mothers without such a history. Twice as many of those with a history of abuse and/or neglect were married, lived independently, and had at least two children, one of which often had problems, in comparison to those without such a history. Examination of the reasons for child removal showed that removal occurred if the mother had a problem in addition to her retardation or if she was unwilling to attend and actively participate in a training program and/or did not have someone who could provide support. If a mother was willing and did attend training and had support, children were either not removed initially or were returned upon evidence that the mother was actively participating. In comparison to those mothers with a history of abuse and/or neglect, those without such a history functioned at a lower intellectual and functional level and were living with a relative who shared child-care responsibilities.
General Method for Synthesis of Functionalized Macrocycles and Catenanes Utilizing “Click” Chemistry

A new protocol for efficient and high yield synthesis of functionalized macrocycles and catenanes has been developed using "click" chemistry in combination with Sauvage’s metal template route to interlocked structures. The procedure involves introduction of terminal alkyne moieties on a symmetrical 2,9-diaryl-1,10-phenanthroline (phen) building block, followed by double-"click" ring closure using aryl 3,5-diazides in the presence of CuI, sodium ascorbate, the base DBU and a sulfonated phenanthroline ligand in an oxygen-free 7:3:1 ethanol/water/toluene mixture at 70 °C. Utilizing acetal and vinyl substituted diazides, the corresponding bistriazole/phen macrocycles, characterized spectroscopically, were obtained in 65−70% yield. Formation of a binary Cu(I) complex of the diethynylphen ligand followed by reaction with aryl 3,5-diazides using a modified procedure affords the corresponding difunctionalized catenane in one step in 85−92% yield. The initial catenanes obtained after workup are Cu-free. Reintroduc...
Dynamic Optimization with Equality Path Constraints

A new method for solving equality path-constrained dynamic optimization problems is proposed that directly solves the associated high-index differential and algebraic equation (DAE) using the dummy derivative method. This method eliminates efficiency and error control problems associated with other numerical methods for solving these problems. It is proved that equality path constraints can cause the dynamic optimization problem to contain high-index DAEs. Also presented are a set of theorems that use controllability arguments to state when the equality path-constrained dynamic optimization problem is feasible. Results from several numerical examples are discussed, including a large-scale chemical engineering example.
Air quality impact of the energy shortage

Abstract A statistical analysis assesses the effects of the energy shortage of 1973–74 on ambient air quality in Metropolitan Boston. Standard multivariate regression techniques were used to investigate relationships between measured pollutant levels, meteorological parameters and regulatory controls. The observed long-term decline in ambient sulfur dioxide and total suspended particulate levels from 1970 through 1974 cannot be attributed principally to changes in regional meteorological conditions. Rather, regulatory controls on the sulfur and ash content of fuels burned in the region are implicated. No statistically significant rise in pollutant levels occurred coincident with variances granted on clean-air regulations because of the energy shortage. This was due to simultaneous fuel conservation efforts and the fact that the energy shortage caused shortages of all grades of fuel.
Developmental trajectories of attentional control in preschool males with fragile X syndrome

Attention problems are among the most impairing features associated with fragile X syndrome (FXS). However, few studies have examined behavioral development of inhibitory control in very young children with FXS. We examined attentional control in 3-6 year boys with FXS using both an experimental inhibitory control paradigm and parent-report of attention problems. Study 1 examined attentional control in FXS compared to comparison groups matched on chronological and mental age. To determine the stability of impairments over time in FXS, Study 2 examined patterns of developmental change in an expanded longitudinal sample. Across studies, males with FXS demonstrated persistent impairments in inhibitory control and parent-reported attention problems. Inhibitory control was related to, but not solely driven by, lower mental age. Although parent-rated attention problems remained stable across ages, inhibitory control improved with time. Children with more severe attention problems often displayed initially poorer inhibitory control. However, these trajectories also improved more rapidly with age. Our findings indicate that despite persistent deficits in attentional control in young children with FXS, multi-method assessment can be used to capture developmental growth that should be further supported through early, targeted intervention.
An Expanded Listing of Revised Q and e Values

Abstract Recalculation of reactivity ratios has led to improved Q and e values for a variety of monomers.
A new method for generating Bonferroni-type inequalities by iteration

Let A1,A2,…,An be events on a given probability space, and let mn be the number of those Aj which occur. Put S0 = S0,n = 1, andwhere the summation is over all subscripts satisfying 1 ≤ i1 n. By turning to indicator variables one immediately finds thatInequalities of the formwhere ck = ck(r, n) and dk = dk(r, n) are constants (not dependent on the events Aj, 1 ≤ j ≤ n), possibly zero, are called Bonferroni-type inequalities. This same name applies if P(mn = r) is replaced by P(mn ≥ r) in the middle. The best known such inequalities are the method of inclusion and exclusionwhere j ≥ 0 is an arbitrary integer. An extension of (4) to arbitrary r, called Jordan's inequalities (see Takacs [16]), is as follows: for 0 ≤ r ≤ n and for any integer j ≥ 0,It is observed by Galambos and Mucci[9] that (5) follows from (4), and indeed, one can always generate inequalities of the form (3) for arbitrary r from the special case r = 0 if one utilizes only Sr,Sr+1… in the case of P(mn = r). As a matter of fact, from the instructions of Galambos and Mucci one has that the inequalitieshold for an arbitrary sequence A1,A2,…,An of events if, and only if, for an arbitrary sequence A1,A2,…,An−r of events,where
Efficient Kötter-Kschischang Decoder Architectures for Noncoherent Error Control in Random Linear Network Coding

Kotter-Kschischang (KK) codes are an important family of constant-dimension codes that provide error control in random linear network coding. Two decoding algorithms have been proposed for KK codes: a rank metric decoder and an interpolation based list decoder. Since hardware implementation of the former suffers from limited throughput, long latency and high area complexity, in this paper we propose efficient hardware implementations of the interpolation based list decoder. The decoder architectures in this paper are based on a generalized interpolation algorithm, which has a lower complexity than Gaussian elimination used by rank metric decoder architectures. We also propose a reformulated right division algorithm that is suitable for hardware implementation. Moreover, a serial architecture and an unfolded architecture are proposed for applications with moderate and high throughputs, respectively. The synthesis results show that the proposed architectures are much more efficient than rank metric decoder architectures.
The Nitric Oxide Precursorl-Arginine Reduces Expression of Hyaluronan Synthase in Experimental Vein Bypass Grafts

Background. The success of vascular bypass procedures is limited by the development of intimal hyperplasia (IH). The nitric oxide (NO) precursor, L-arginine (L-ARG) significantly reduces IH in both arteries and experimental vein grafts; however, the precise mechanism has yet to be elucidated. Hyaluronan synthase-1 (HAS-1) is one of the two enzymes believed to be responsible for making hyaluronan, a key component extracellular matrix composition. Purpose. To determine how L-ARG supplementation affects the gene expression of HAS-1 in experimental vein grafts. Methods. Thirty-four male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups: control (no operation, regular chow and water, n = 4); L-ARG supplemented (n = 15); and no L-ARG (n = 15). The latter two groups underwent a right interposition carotid bypass using jugular vein. Vein grafts were harvested at 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery. Ribonuclease protection assays were performed using 32 P-labeled riboprobes for HAS-1 and 18S rRNA as an internal control and expressed as a ratio (HAS-1/rRNA). Results. There was a significant rise in HAS-1 expression in the vein grafts 7 (1.57 ± 0.5), 14 (0.7 ± 0.2), and 21 days (2.82 ± 0.7) after grafting compared to control (0.14 ± 0.08) (P < 0.05). L-ARG-supplemented animals had a significant decrease in HAS-1 expression at 21 days (0.65 ± 0.1) compared to nonsupplemented vein grafts (2.82 ± 0.7) (P < 0.02). Conclusions. These results demonstrate for the first time a significant rise in HAS expression in the early experimental vein grafts. Furthermore, L-ARG supplementation significantly diminishes the expression of HAS at 21 days. These results may represent a potential mechanism by which augmentation of the L-ARG/ NO pathway inhibits IH in experimental vein grafts and may ultimately provide for improved therapeutic interventions in alleviating IH.
Female defence polygyny in the bumblebee wolf, Philanthus bicinctus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

In the digger wasp Philanthus bicinctus the first adult males emerge about a week before the first females. The sex ratio of emerging wasps is near unity. Females appear to mate once and do so when they first start to nest, not when they first emerge.
The road to genome-wide association studies

The recent crop of results from genome-wide association studies might seem like a sudden development. However, this blooming follows a long germination period during which the necessary concepts, resources and techniques were developed and assembled. Here, I look back at how the necessary pieces fell into place, focusing on the less well-chronicled days before the launch of the HapMap project, and speculate about future developments.
The effect of number of pulses on vibrotactile thresholds

Absolute thresholds for vibration were determined as a function of pulse number and contactor area on human glabrous skin. The results indicate that if a sufficiently large contactor is used, the skin summates the energy over pulse number and over the contactor area. The results also support the hypothesis that cutaneous tissue may contain more than one type of mechanoreceptor.
SynergEyes Lenses for Keratoconus

Purpose:To discuss the initial results of fitting SynergEyes hybrid contact lenses (SynergEyes, Inc, Carlsbad, CA) for keratoconus (KC) and pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD).Methods:The charts of patients fit with SynergEyes lenses during the first 7 months the lens was available on the Cornea Se
Audibility of Auroras and Low Auroras

I WAS much interested in the article “Audibility of Aurora and Low Aurora” by F. T. Da vies and B. W. Currie which appeared in NATURE of December 2, because I once witnessed an aurora and heard the swishing sounds referred to.