cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
iRiS: Vetting Private API Abuse in iOS Applications

With the booming sale of iOS devices, the number of iOS applications has increased significantly in recent years. To protect the security of iOS users, Apple requires every iOS application to go through a vetting process called App Review to detect uses of private APIs that provide access to sensitive user information. However, recent attacks have shown the feasibility of using private APIs without being detected during App Review. To counter such attacks, we propose a new iOS application vetting system, called iRiS, in this paper. iRiS first applies fast static analysis to resolve API calls. For those that cannot be statically resolved, iRiS uses a novel iterative dynamic analysis approach, which is slower but more powerful compared to static analysis. We have ported Valgrind to iOS and implemented a prototype of iRiS on top of it. We evaluated iRiS with 2019 applications from the official App Store. From these, iRiS identified 146 (7%) applications that use a total number of 150 different private APIs, including 25 security-critical APIs that access sensitive user information, such as device serial number. By analyzing iOS applications using iRiS, we also identified a suspicious advertisement service provider which collects user privacy information in its advertisement serving library. Our results show that, contrary to popular belief, a nontrivial number of iOS applications that violate Apple's terms of service exist in the App Store. iRiS is effective in detecting private API abuse missed by App Review.
Effect of starvation on plasma immunoreactive insulin and non-suppressible insulin-like activity in normal and obese humans.

Abstract Plasma levels of immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and non-suppressible insulin-like activity (NSILA), measured during a pre-fast period (control), were higher in obese subjects than in normal weight individuals. After 3 days of starvation, a decline in IRI of approximately 70 per cent was observed in both groups. The persistance of high IRI levels in the obese during fasting supports the view of insulin “resistance” in these subjects. In contrast, NSILA levels fell in normal subjects and tended to rise in the obese, indicating an alteration in the metabolism of NSILA in overweight humans.
Momentum-Preserving Shaped Holes for Film Cooling

Shaped holes increase film-cooling effectiveness by using the Coanda effect to make the cooling jet stay attached to the surface and an expanding flow cross-sectional area about the hole exit to make the cooling jet spread out laterally so that more surface can be cooled. Though shaped holes increase lateral spreading, downstream penetration of the coolant is reduced because the expanding cross-sectional area decreased the momentum of the cooling flow. This paper presents a new shaped-hole design concept to enable increased lateral spreading as well as greater downstream penetration. The new shaped-hole design concept involves a W-shaped cross-sectional area in which the middle part of the W-shape protrudes and widens as the W-shaped hole widens. The goal is to keep the film-cooling flow cross-sectional area nearly constant as the shaped hole widens so that momentum can be preserved to increase both lateral and streamwise coverage of the film-cooling jet. To examine the usefulness of this design concept, CFD analyses were performed for two W-shaped holes. In one design, the W-shaped hole is similar to traditional shaped holes except that the middle part of the shaped hole is protruded to form the W shape. In the other design, the W-shaped hole continues as a shallow trench that is aligned with the main flow direction to minimize the entrainment of hot gases and to reduce pressure drag and aerodynamic interference. Computed results show the W-shaped-hole design concept to be promising in enhancing surface adiabatic effectiveness.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Composition and distribution of suspended sediments in Lake Michigan during summer stratification

A quantitative description of the composition and distribution of suspended sediments is a necessary prerequisite to the determination of the transport and fate of those particles and of the chemical substances associated with them. This report is the first to make such a description for materials in the Great Lakes. Suspended sediment samples were collected from Lake Michigan during August from several depths at six locations between Grand Haven, Michigan, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Concentrations of total suspended material range from 1.05–2.40 mg/l. Diatoms comprise nearly all of the biogenic fraction and approximately 60% of the total. Quartz plus feldspar (25%) is usually more abundant than carbonate minerals (13%), and clays are a minor component. Abundances of all constituents were higher near the shore where shoreline input provides both nutrients and minerals. Suspended materials were concentrated at the base of the thermocline and in a bottom nepheloid layer of resuspended sediment. Mineral ratios in the nepheloid layer were similar to those in the surface centimeter of bottom sediment but diatom abundance decreased markedly below the sediment-water interface. The residence time of suspended inorganic materials in Lake Michigan is about 1.8 yrs, ample time for suspended sediment grains to be distributed throughout the lake.
The singlet states of styrene. Theoretical vibrational analysis of the ultraviolet spectrum

Vibrational analyses of the ground and lowest excited singlet states of styrene are performed using an extended PPP‐CI model. Franck–Condon factors calculated from the model are used to analyze the intensity distribution of the ultraviolet absorption bands of the jet‐cooled molecule from 34 000–46 000 cm−1. For the weak first absorption system (S1←S0) the small amount of vibrational excitation found experimentally is well described by the theoretical model. The relatively intense second absorption band shows more extended vibrational development. The model predicts that two electronic transitions S2←S0 and S3←S0 contribute to the absorption spectrum in this region and that a large number of vibrational excitations involving carbon–carbon stretching motions are active. For the S1←S0 and S2←S0 transitions a refinement of the theoretical model is performed to calculate the excited state equilibrium geometries from the measured spectra. Because of the large number of vibrations and the evidence for mixing amo...
Selective Recognition of Thallium(I) by 1,3-alternate Calix[4]arene-bis(crown-6 Ether): A New Talent of the Known Ionophore

1,3-Alternate calix[4]arene-bis(crown-6) (1), designed originally for selective separation of Cs+ from other alkali metal cations, has been found to possess even higher affinity for a soft electron acceptor Tl+. Thallium(I) picrate is extracted by 1 from an aqueous solution into chloroform in 1:1 metal-to-ligand stoichiometry, with the extraction constant being 10-fold higher than that found for the extraction of caesium(I) picrate under otherwise identical conditions. The coordination mode of Tl+ in its complex with 1 in solution has been probed by 1H NMR (CDCl3) and compared with the analogous complexes of Rb+ and Cs+. In addition, X-ray crystal structures of the dinuclear complexes of 1 with TlPic, RbPic and CsPic have been determined. As evident from the structural data in solution and solid state, π-coordination of Tl+ with the calixarene aromatic framework of 1 plays an important role in the enhanced complexing ability of the calix-biscrown towards this metal ion.
Effects of L-type calcium channel antagonists on the serotonin-depleting actions of MDMA in rats.

Abstract The calcium channel antagonists verapamil nifedipine and flunarizine all increased the threshold for convulsions induced by N -methyl- d -aspartate in rats. By contrast, only flunarizine blocked the long-term serotonin-depleting effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Flunarizine was also the only drug that antagonized methamphetamine-induced stereotypy. These findings suggest that calcium influx through L-type channels does not participate in the neurotoxic mechanism of MDMA, and tha t the neuroprotective actions of flunarizine are probably related to its anti-dopaminergic activity.
Perception of acoustic iterance: pitch and infrapitch.

Detection of acoustic repetition is considered as a continuum extending from .5 through 16,000 Hz. Perceptual characteristics are mapped for the entire range, using repeated randomly derived waveforms (segments from Gaussian noise) as model stimuli. Contributions from temporal domain (neural periodicity) analysis extend from about .5 through 5,000 Hz and from frequency domain (neural place) analysis from roughly 50 through 16,000 Hz. Within the range of overlapping analyses (50 through 5,000 Hz), it is difficult to separate the effects of temporal cues from place cues. However, by using low-frequency acoustic iteration from 1 through 16 Hz, we were able to study temporal analysis in the absence of place cues to repetition. New perceptual phenomena are reported for the “infrapitch” produced by “infratones,” some of which are analogous to phenomena observed for the pitch produced by tones. It appears useful for theory to consider pitch and infrapitch as a single topic: the perception of acoustic iterance.
Energy Intake and Physical Activity in Pima Indians: Comparison with Energy Expenditure Measured by Doubly‐Labeled Water

To test the validity of survey techniques for measuring diet and activity patterns of Pima Indians, sequential 24-hour recalls, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and an activity questionnaire were compared to free-living energy expenditure. Total energy expenditure (TEE) measured by doubly labeled water was 13.27 +/- 2.95 MJ/d for the 12 males (mean +/- SD: 35 +/- 14 yr; 97 +/- 35 kg; 32 +/- 9% body fat) and 11.67 +/- 1.85 MJ/d for the 9 females (31 +/- 13 yr; 106 +/- 32 kg; 49 +/- 6% body fat). Energy intake assessed by 24-hour recall was 13.59 +/- 7.81 MJ/d for men and 9.29 +/- 2.77 MJ/d for women, compared to 12.84 + 2.85 and 9.40 + 2.61 MJ/d for men and women, respectively, by FFQ. Both dietary methods indicated significant underreporting by women when compared to TEE. Energy intake assessed by FFQ was significantly correlated with TEE (r=0.48, p=0.03). This was true with 24-hour recall energy intake only when data from two extremely large alcohol consumers were eliminated (r=0.64, p=0.03, N=19). Although a low level of activity was apparent, the activity questionnaire produced significant correlations with measurements of energy expenditure and therefore represents an important tool for examining the relationship between physical activity and diseases.
How robust is the UTAUT instrument?: a multigroup invariance analysis in the context of acceptance and use of online community weblog systems

The recent Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model developed by Venkatesh et al. (Venkatesh, et al., 2003) as an integration of the various technology acceptance and use models is an important model in IS literature. However, the UTAUT instrument has not been tested in many different settings and contexts yet. If the scales for the UTAUT constructs are not robust and stable across settings, they are most likely to effect the interpretation of research results. It is, therefore, essential to assess whether these scales are perceived in the same way by individuals in different subgroups. In this paper, acceptance of online community Weblog systems is chosen as the context and data collected from 265 business school undergraduate students are analyzed using multiple group invariance analysis to assess the equivalence of the UTAUT scales across different subgroups based on gender, general computing knowledge, Weblog-specific knowledge, experience with Weblogs, and frequency of using Weblogs. Results indicate that scales for the four constructs in UTAUT including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions have invariant true scores across most but not all subgroups. Researchers and practitioners, therefore, need to apply caution when interpreting the results from the UTAUT instrument.
About-weekly variations in nocturia

The aim of this study was to assess components of variation in nocturia and to determine any putative geomagnetic influence. A 54-year old man with benign prostatic hyperplasia had recorded for about 4 years the number of times he awoke each night to urinate. The data have been reanalyzed for chronomics, the mapping of time structures (chronomes), involving the computation of least squares spectra of the urinary record and of environmental variables recorded during the same 4-year span. In addition to the previously reported monthly variation, other periodicities have been documented, including two separate components with periods of one week and of a near-week. The precise 7-day period may be a mainly exogenous resonance with external influences such as a weekly social schedule, whereas the near-week may be a partial resonance with natural changes in geomagnetics, reflecting in part changes in other non-photic natural environmental factors.
β-Lactam formation via rhodium(II) catalyzed carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions of α-diazo amides

Abstract Diazoacetoacetamides undergo rhodium(II) catalyzed decomposition to form β-lactam products in high yield and with exceptional stereocontrol. Diazoacetamides generally yield mixtures of β- and γ-lactam products whose preference for β-lactam formation can be enhanced by rhodium(II) 2-phenoxybenzoate. Dirhodium(II) catalysts with chiral carboxamide ligands afford a new enantioselective route to lactams.
PRONTO: Quick PLA Product Reduction

A PLA is a regular, modular combinational function implementation popular in VLSI design. Among methods which reduce the cost of implementing a given PLA specification, reducing the number of product terms is particularly fruitful. Optimum product term reduction for practical-sized problems is prohibitively complex. Previous suboptimal, heuristic product term reducers have been iterative or indirect. PRONTO is a direct, one-pass method for heuristically reducing the number of product terms required to specify a PLA. Results of using PRONTO on a small set of examples show solutions up to 21% better than previously reported, using a procedure of modest complexity.
Firm-core Virtual FPGA for Just-in-Time FPGA Compilation (abstract only)

Just-in-time (JIT) compilation has been used in many applications to enable standard software binaries to execute on different underlying processor architectures, yielding software portability benefits. We previously introduced the concept of a standard hardware binary to achieve similar portability benefits for hardware, using a JIT compiler to compile the hardware binary to an FPGA. Our JIT compiler includes lean versions of technology mapping, placement, and routing algorithms that implement the standard hardware binary on a simple custom FPGA fabric designed specifically for JIT compilation. While directly implementing a custom FPGA fabric on silicon may be feasible for some applications, we investigated the option of implementing the simple FPGA fabric as a circuit mapped to a physical FPGA - a virtual FPGA. We described our simple fabric in structural VHDL, synthesized the fabric onto a Xilinx Spartan-IIE FPGA, and mapped 18 benchmark circuits onto the resulting virtual FPGA. Our results show a 6X decrease in performance and a 100X increase in hardware resource usage for the virtual FPGA approach compared to mapping the circuits directly to the physical FPGA. For applications in which hardware portability is essential, a designer could leverage the large capacity of current commercially available FPGAs to implement a virtual FPGA with tens of thousands of configurable gates, providing about the same amount of configurable logic as FPGAs produced in the mid 1990s. Nevertheless, the large overheads clearly indicate the need to develop a virtual FPGA approach tuned to physical fabrics in order to reduce the overhead.
Effects of mulching with multipurpose-tree prunings on soil and water run-off under semi-arid conditions in Kenya.

The effect of adding leaf mulches ofGrevillea robusta, Cassia siamea andGliricidia sepium on the rate of soil and water run-off from a crop field were studied during two cropping seasons in an alfisol under semi-arid conditions at Machakos, Kenya. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications; two rates of mulch of each species (2.24 t and 4.48 t, on dry matter basis, per ha) and a no-mulch control constituted the seven treatments. Soil and water run-off losses after each major rainfall event and the changes in ground and crop cover were measured. Rainfall erosivity and changes in soil bulk density and infiltration rate were also determined.
Management of rectal prolapse: the role of laparoscopic approaches.

Rectal prolapse has a profound effect on quality of life and has been associated with a multitude of surgical treatment options since its original description. It is defined as a full-thickness protrusion of the rectal wall through the anal sphincter. Clinical management is confounded by the fact that whereas 75% of patients with rectal prolapse experience problems with anal incontinence, 25–50% will have significant constipation [1]–[4]. Symptoms of anal incontinence may be due to acquired changes in bowel motility or a reduction in resting anal pressure as a result of continual activation of rectoanal inhibition –7]. Constipation in patients with rectal prolapse may be a consequence of slow colonic transit or an increase in external anal sphincter contractions 4, 8. These symptoms have a significant influence on the choice of operative approach in the treatment of rectal prolapse. However, due to the variable results of operative approaches, it is unclear whether optimal treatment can be selected based on preoperative physiologic testing.
Optimization of an ROC hypersurface constructed only from an observer's within-class sensitivities

We have shown in previous work that an ideal observer in a classification task with N classes achieves the optimal receiver operating characteristic (ROC) hypersurface in a Neyman-Pearson sense. That is, the hypersurface obtained by taking one of the ideal observer's misclassification probabilities as a function of the other N 2 - N -1 misclassification probabilities is never above the corresponding hypersurface obtained by any other observer. Due to the inherent complexity of evaluating observer performance in an N -class classification task with N >2, some researchers have suggested a generally incomplete but more tractable evaluation in terms of a hypersurface plotting only the N "sensitivities" (the probabilities of correctly classifying observations in the various classes). An N -class observer generally has up to N 2 -N-1 degrees of freedom, so a given sensitivity will still vary when the other N -1 are held fixed; a well-defined hypersurface can be constructed by considering only the maximum possible value of one sensitivity for each achievable value of the other N -1. We show that optimal performance in terms of this generally incomplete performance descriptor, in a Neyman-Pearson sense, is still achieved by the N -class ideal observer. That is, the hypersurface obtained by taking the maximal value of one of the ideal observer's correct classification probabilities as a function of the other N -1 is never below the corresponding hypersurface obtained by any other observer.
UTILIZATION OF DOUBLE LEFT-TURN LANES WITH DOWNSTREAM LANE REDUCTIONS

The capacity of left-turn movements at signalized intersections is sometimes increased by using two exclusive double left-turn lanes at the intersection followed by a reduction to a single lane after the turn is made. A typical application is the use of double left-turn lanes onto a freeway entrance ramp, where the right lane is dropped in advance of the merge area. The effectiveness of the “added” outside left-turn lane and downstream auxiliary lane depends on the amount of traffic using that lane. While equal distribution of traffic between a continuous and an auxiliary through lane would result in the greatest total capacity of this lane pair, traffic and geometric factors are usually such that this does not occur. The 1994 Highway Capacity Manual does not address intersection configurations with downstream lane reductions. This paper describes the development of a mathematical model, based on field data, which does predict auxiliary lane use for this intersection configuration.
Identified Traffic Partition Grooming in Multi-Granularity Optical Network

Currently, the required bandwidth of users tends to be diversity, i.e., coarse-granularity demands (e.g., terabit/circuit routing) and small-granularity demands (e.g., sub-rate traffic streams). Only employing traffic grooming or waveband switching may result in several traffic-diversity problems. Therefore, the traffic partition grooming technique with considering traffic transferring is proposed in this paper to solve the traffic-diversity problems, especially for achieving blocking probability reduction and port savings. Correspondingly, we devise the heuristic and Identified MG-IGAG (IMG-IGAG) algorithm based on Granularity-Layered Graph (GLG) since the problem of grooming is the NP-hard. The simulation results show that our IMG-IGAG is more effective and practical than other state-of-the-art methods.
The role of inter-agency collaboration in facilitating receipt of behavioral health services for youth involved with child welfare and juvenile justice

Unmet need for behavioral health care is a serious problem for crossover youth, or those simultaneously involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Although a large percentage of crossover youth are serious emotionally disturbed, relatively few receive necessary behavioral health services. Few studies have examined the role of interagency collaboration in facilitating behavioral health service access for crossover youth. This study examined associations for three dimensions of collaboration between local child welfare and juvenile justice agencies - jurisdiction, shared information systems, and overall connectivity - and youths' odds of receiving behavioral health services. Data were drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, a national survey of families engaged with the child welfare system. Having a single agency accountable for youth care increased youth odds of receiving outpatient and inpatient behavioral health services. Inter-agency sharing of administrative data increased youth odds of inpatient behavioral health service receipt. Clarifying agency accountability and linking databases across sectors may improve service access for youth involved with both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
The Resting Position of the Oyster—A Correction

IN a late number of NATURE (vol. xxxii. p. 597) Mr. J. T. Cunningham makes the extraordinary announcement that Wood-ward, Jeffrey, and Huxley were wrong in asserting that the oyster rests on the left side. I am in a position to state with positive certainty that it is invariably the left valve of the fry of the oyster which becomes affixed to a foreign object. I have examined thousands of very young adherent spat ranging in size from 1–90th of an inch to 2 inches in diameter, and have never found an exception to this rule. Besides the positive statements to the same effect made by Huxley and others, I would refer the reader to a brief paper by myself entitled “On the Mode of Fixation of the Fry of the Oyster” (Bull. U.S. Fish Commission, vol. ii., 1882, pp. 383–387); but I would caution the reader that Figs. 3 to 8 were reversed through an unfortunate oversight, as the apices of the umbos of all the larval shells figured on p. 387 should be directed to the left instead of to the right side. This blunder of the artist is pointed out in the explanation to plate 75, where the figures from the above-cited notice are reproduced in my paper entitled “A Sketch of the Life-History of the Oyster,” forming Appendix II. to “A Review of the Fossil Ostreidre of North America,” by Charles A. White, M.D., and Prof. Angelo Heilprin. In another paper of mine, “The Metamorphosis and Post-Larval Development of the Oyster,” Rep. U.S. Fish Commissioner, Part 10, for 1882, p. 784, Fig. 2 shows the larval shell, L, of the young spat in normal position, with the umbo directed to the left. This figure may be compared with advantage in respect to the points raised here with the figure of the external anatomy of the adult on plate 73 in my “Sketch of the Life-History of the Oyster,” already cited.
Synthesis, X-ray structures and magnetic properties of linear chain 4-cyanopyridine compounds: [Cu(4-CNpy)4(H2O)](ClO4)2 and M(4-CNpy)2Cl2 (M Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu)

Abstract The synthesis, structures and magnetic properties of linear chain complexes of metal ions with 4-cyanopyridine are reported (4-CNpy=4-cyanopyridine): [Cu(4-CNpy) 4 (H 2 O)](ClO 4 ) 2 and M(4-CNpy) 2 Cl 2 (MMn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu). All compounds crystallize in monoclinic systems. Crystallographic data for [Cu(4-CNpy) 4 (H 2 O)](ClO 4 ) 2 ] n ( 1 ): space group P 2 1 / c with a = 13.225(3), b = 10.567(2), c = 20.522(3) A , β = 99.71(2)°, V = 2826.7(9) A 3 , Z = 4, D calc = 1.640 Mg m −3 , μ = 3.430 mm −1 . The compound contains primer CuL 4 units with the ligands bounded to copper ions through the ring nitrogens. These units are weakly linked into chains through semi-coordinated bonds between the nitrile nitrogen and an adjacent copper ion via the axial sites. The magnetic data show only a weak antiferromagnetic interaction ( θ CW = −0.52(1) K). Crystallographic data for [Cu(4-CNpy) 2 Cl 2 ] n ( 2 ): space group P 2 1 / n with a = 3.779(2), b = 25.711(12), c = 7.104(4) A , β = 95.98(4)°, V = 686.48(4) A 3 , Z = 2, D calc = 1.658 Mg m −3 , μ = 5.575 mm −1 . Crystallographic data for [Mn(4-CNpy) 2 Cl 2 ] n ( 6 ): space group P 2 1 / c with a = 3.700(2), b = 7.198(2), c = 26.520(5) A , β = 92.13(3)°, V = 705.8(4) A 3 , Z = 2, D calc = 1.572 Mg m −3 , μ = 1.303 mm −1 . Both dichloride compounds similar structures, consisting of chains of metal ions bibridged by chlorides with the 4-CNpy ligands coordinated to the metal ions in the axial sites through the pyridine nitrogens. The difference in space groups is caused by the different modes of packing the chains into 3D lattices. Infrared spectra and powder X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the remaining compounds form an isostructural series. The powder magnetic susceptibilities have been measured between 2 and 300 K for all compounds. Antiferromagnetic exchange (Cu, Mn) or ferromagnetic exchange (Ni, Co, Fe) exists within the chains. The Ni, Co and Fe compounds order antiferromagnetically at 7.2(2), 2.1(2) and 4.6(2) K, respectively. Magnetic field induced transitions have been observed in these three compounds below their ordering temperatures. The copper and manganese data have been fit to models for Heisenberg antiferromagnetic linear chain with S = 1 2 and S = 5 2 with exchange constants J Co / k = −13.7(2) K and J Mn / k = −0.5 7(1) K, respectively. The nickel and cobalt data have been fit to models for ferromagnetic linear chains, with the nickel compound corresponding to a S = 1 Heisenberg model with exchange constant J / lk = +4.8(2) K, and the cobalt compound to a S = 1 2 ferromagnetic Ising linear chain with exchange constant J / k = + 6.6(2) K. The iron data has not been successfully to fit to any model. It is concluded that the total magnetic interaction between the chains has been increased by approximately 50% by the substitution of 4-CNpy for pyridine.
The administration of high-dose methylprednisolone for 24 h reduced muscle size and increased atrophy-related gene expression in spinal cord-injured rats

The administration of high-dose methylprednisolone for 24 h reduced muscle size and increased atrophy-related gene expression in spinal cord-injured rats
Functional characterization of hepatoma‐specific stem cell antigen‐2

Identification of tumor-specific antigens and genetic pathways may lead to potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancer treatment. cDNA microarray has been used in cancer gene profiling, but the broad spectrum of data accruing and narrow signal-to-noise range of this technology have limited its use in rapid identification of highly differentially expressed tumor genes. Here, we used a modified suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method to isolate a small number of highly differentially expressed genes from murine hepatoma cells. For functional analysis of these hepatoma-specific genes, we employed the small interference RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing method with lentiviral vectors, which have the advantages of high delivery efficiency and long lasting effect. Stem cell antigen-2 (Sca-2) was identified as one of the highest differentially expressed tumor antigens. Lentiviral siRNA successfully suppressed >90% of Sca-2 expression and the suppression lasted longer than 3 mo. Interestingly, inhibition of Sca-2 induced rapid hepatoma cell apoptosis, and the survival Sca-2-negative hepatoma cells exhibited high sensitivity to extrinsic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) apoptosis signal but not intrinsic apoptosis signal. Analysis of TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) by flow cytometry and Western blotting indicated that Sca-2 expression downregulated cell surface but not de novo synthesis of TNFR1 in the hepatoma cells. Together, our results suggested that Sca-2 was a signal transducer situated at the nexus of surface molecules regulating death receptor-mediated apoptosis. The technology illustrated that this method can deduce a small number of highly differentially expressed tumor genes that may have diagnostic and therapeutic potential. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Self-administered topical 5% imiquimod cream for external anogenital warts in adolescent girls

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of 5% Imiquimod cream in the treatment of external anogenital warts in adolescent girls. Methods: This was a nonrandomized trial in adolescent girls referred for external warts. All patients were treated with 5% Imiquimod cream every 3 days, and follow-up appointments were made on a monthly basis. Results were based on intent to treat and 50% clearance as end points. Results: Forty-two patients ages 11–18 from 5 different referral sources were treated. Six patients were HIV positive, but all had CD4 counts greater than 500. Twenty-seven patients (64%) had lesions totaling 3 , 13 (31%) had lesion 5–10 cm 3 , and 2 patients had lesions totaling > 10 cm 3 . Thirty-three (78.6%) had complete clearance, and 40 (95%) had > 50% reduction in size. Median time to clearance was 6.5 weeks. Only 14 of 42 (33%) kept all appointments; 16 of 42 were seen only twice, and 8 never returned after treatment but were contacted by phone or letter. Thirty-one (74%) had mild erythema, 6 (14%) had moderate irritation, and none discontinued treatment based on side effects. Conclusion: Imiquimod 5% is very effective in female adolescent patients and has a faster clearance time than in adult females. Clearance rates are comparable to those of adult females. Side effects are mild to moderate and did not interfere with treatment schedules. Adolescents have very poor compliance rates for clinic appointments, but clearance rates were excellent and the drug was well tolerated.
Comparison of silvicultural and natural disturbance effects on terrestrial salamanders in northern hardwood forests

In forested ecosystems timber harvesting has the potential to emulate natural disturbances, thereby maintaining the natural communities adapted to particular disturbances. We compared the effects of even-aged (clearcut and patch cut) and uneven-aged (group cut, single-tree selection) timber management techniques with natural ice-storm damage and unmanipulated reference forest sites on red-backed salamanders. We used cover boards and litter searches to survey for salamanders in northern hardwood forests in New Hampshire, USA. We estimated abundance while accounting for detection probability using the Dail–Madsen open population model. We found significant reduction in salamander abundance in recent group cuts, patch cuts, and clearcuts compared to reference forest sites, and significant but less effect of single-tree selection and ice-storm damage. Our results contribute to the evidence of detrimental effects of even-aged harvests on salamander abundance, but in contrast to most previous research, we also found lower abundance in sites following uneven-aged harvest practices when we accounted for detection probability. To more accurately reflect the total effect of harvests on salamanders, we also employed a parametric, nonlinear hierarchical model to estimate edge effects while accounting for imperfect detection. We found that group cut, patch cut, and clearcut logging reduced salamander abundance 34 m into the surrounding forest. These edge effects can greatly expand the total area affected by logging, especially in the northeastern US where cuts tend to be relatively small. This novel method for estimating edge effects will allow managers to directly calculate the total effects on populations for various size and shape harvesting plans.
The normally functioning prosthetic valve.

Excerpt To the editor: I enjoyed the recent review article on auscultation of the normally functioning prosthetic valve by Smith and colleagues (1). Several points, however, need clarification. The...
Durability of High-Performance Cement-Based Materials

There is considerable research now underway on high-performance cement-based materials, in particular on issues of processing, microstructure, strength, and related properties. However, very little research has been undertaken regarding the durability, or service performance, of these materials. Therefore the durability of high-performance cement-based materials can only be inferred from the service performance of ordinary materials or from a basic understanding of the factors affecting service performance. In this paper we review what is known about the durability of fiber reinforced concrete, high performance concrete, DSP, and MDF. Durability is discussed from the standpoint of general issues — fluid permeability, ionic diffusivity, and pore fluid composition. Much research is needed in order to predict or improve the durability of high performance cement-based materials.
Off-Line and Real-Time ML-PDA Track Validation

We present two procedures for validating track estimates obtained using the Maximum Likelihood Probabilistic Data Association (ML-PDA) algorithm. The ML-PDA, developed for Very Low Observable (VLO) target tracking, always provides a track estimate that must then be tested for target existence by comparing the value of the Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) at the track estimate to a threshold. Using extreme value theory, we show that in the absence of a target the LLR at the track estimate obeys approximately a Gumbel distribution rather than the Gaussian distribution previously ascribed to it in the literature. The oll-line track validation procedure relies on extensive off-line simulations to obtain a set of track validation thresholds. The real-time procedure uses the data set that produced the track estimate to also determine the track validation threshold. The performance of these two procedures is investigated through simulation of an active sonar tracking scenario by comparing the false and true track acceptance probabilities.
Restrictive cardiomyopathy in an infant with massive biatrial enlargement and normal ventricular size and pump function

Restrictive cardiomyopathy in an infant with massive biatrial enlargement and normal ventricular size has been reported only once previously [3]. We now present a 13-month-old patient with severe and progressive congestive heart failure who demonstrated normal ventricular cavity size with biatrial enlargement. Ejection fraction and echocardiographic ventricular function studies were normal.
Oral hygiene of patients receiving orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances may be enhanced by showing them images of severe consequences of poor oral hygiene.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Effect of visual method vs plaque disclosure in enhancing oral hygiene in adolescents and young adults: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Peng Y, Wu R, Qu W, Wu W, Chen J, Fang J, Chen Y, Farella M, Mei L. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2014;145(3):280-6. Reviewer Jonathan M. Broadbent, BDS, PGDipComDent, PhD Purpose/Question To investigate the efficacy of a visual-aided oral hygiene instruction approach, in which patients are shown images of the severe consequences of biofilm formation. Source of Funding Government and other sources of funding: Doctoral Fund of Ministry of Education (20120181120004), National Natural Science Foundation (81200412), State Key Lab of Oral Diseases (SKLODYISF2012-15), Sichuan University (YJ2012014) Type of Study/Design Randomized controlled trial Level of Evidence Level 1: Good-quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
Correlating data: examples from turbulent wall layers

Flow fields in fluid mechanics often contain regions where different physical events occur. The relative size of the regions changes as a parameter is varied. Correlating field data, either physical or DNS calculation experiments, in these situations can be aided by using ideas from matched asymptotic expansions from applied mathematics. A second situation is when two slightly different processes occur in the same spatial region. For this case, a two-term asymptotic expansion is needed. This article discusses how composite expansions and the common part matching behavior are useful in correlating data.
GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS, GRADING PROCEDURES, AND STUDENTS' EVALUATIONS OF INSTRUCTORS : A JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE

Abstract This scenario-based experimental study was an examination of the connections between the fairness of grade distributions, the fairness of grading procedures, and evaluations of the instructor. The results showed that the fairness of both the grade distributions and the grading procedures influenced students' evaluations of instructors. Fair grading procedures, however, influenced evaluations of the instructor only when the grade distributions were perceived as unfair—that is, when the grades did not meet expectations. When grade distributions were perceived as fair, there was no significant difference in evaluations of the instructor among participants exposed to fair and unfair procedures. Implications of this study for instructors, administrators, and students are discussed.
Scheduling of tasks for distributed processors

The paper describes a technique for estimating the minimum execution time of an algorithm or a mix of algorithms on a distributed processing system. Bottlenecks that would have to be removed to further reduce the execution time are identified. The main applications are for the high level design of special purpose distributed processing systems.The distributed systems are modelled by P, a set of nonidentical processors and R, a set of resources that the processors can use. The algorithms are modelled by T, an ordered set of tasks. The problem of optimally assigning the processors to the tasks while meeting the resource constraints is NP-complete. However, a heuristic using maximum weighted matchings on graphs has been devised that is extremely fast and comes reasonably close to the optimal solutions.
Non-Intrusive Polynomial Chaos Methods for Uncertainty Quantification in Fluid Dynamics

This paper examines uncertainty quantification in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with non-intrusive polynomial chaos (NIPC) methods which require no modification to the existing deterministic models. The NIPC methods have been increasingly used for uncertainty propagation in high-fidelity CFD simulations due to their non-intrusive nature and strong potential for addressing the computational efficiency and accuracy requirements associated with large-scale complex stochastic simulations. We give the theory and description of various NIPC methods used for non-deterministic CFD simulations. We also present several stochastic fluid dynamics examples to demonstrate the application and effectiveness of NIPC methods for uncertainty quantification in fluid dynamics. These examples include stochastic computational analysis of a laminar boundary layer flow over a flat plate, supersonic expansion wave problem, and inviscid transonic flow over a three-dimensional wing with rigid and aeroelastic assumptions.
Operant GSR conditioning using a within-S design

Human operant GSR conditioning was attempted on a within-S basis by successively alternating periods of contingent and noncontingent reinforcement. The frequency and timing of reinforcements during each noncontingent period was determined by the pattern generated during the preceding contingent period. On a group basis (N = 17), the frequency of nonspecific GSRs was found to be significantly greater during contingent periods of reinforcement. Evidence for a relationship between the content of postconditioning verbalizations and conditionability approached statistical reliability.
Modeling the performance of an algebraic multigrid cycle on HPC platforms

Now that the performance of individual cores has plateaued, future supercomputers will depend upon increasing parallelism for performance. Processor counts are now in the hundreds of thousands for the largest machines and will soon be in the millions. There is an urgent need to model application performance at these scales and to understand what changes need to be made to ensure continued scalability. This paper considers algebraic multigrid (AMG), a popular and highly efficient iterative solver for large sparse linear systems that is used in many applications. We discuss the challenges for AMG on current parallel computers and future exascale architectures, and we present a performance model for an AMG solve cycle as well as performance measurements on several massively-parallel platforms.
Feeder Voltage Regulator Accuracy Standards

IMPROVED ACCURACY of automatic feeder voltage regulators will permit increasing feeder load or increasing feeder length without exceeding specified limits for consumers' voltage under varying conditions of load, temperature, frequency, and so forth. To obtain maximum benefits in system design and operation from increased regulator accuracy, distribution engineers must know what limits of error to expect for their operating conditions. The standards for “Accuracy of Control Devices for Induction Voltage and Step Voltage Regulators,” which have been included in the proposed revision of ASA C57, “Standards for Transformers, Regulators, and Reactors,” will provide a practical basis for specifications. The purpose of this article is to aid distribution engineers in gaining a working knowledge of these new standards.
Solvent isotope effect and protein stability

Here we present a comparative study of the stability of several proteins in H2O and D2O as a function of pH/pH*. We show that the substitution of D2O for H2O leads to an increase in the transition temperature and a decrease in the enthalpy of unfolding. The stability of the proteins, however, appears to be largely unchanged as a result of entropic compensation for the decrease in enthalpy. This enthalpy-entropy compensation is attributed to changes in hydration of proteins in D2O compared to H2O. Analysis of thermodynamic data for the transfer of model compounds from H2O to D2O shows that almost all the changes in the enthalpy of unfolding and in the protein-ligand interactions due to water isotopic substitution can be rationalized by changes in hydration of the buried non-polar groups.
Accuracy of Nurse Reported Adverse Sedation Events

The article ‘‘Nursing reports of adverse events during sedation procedures at a pediatric hospital,’’ written by Lightdale, Mahoney, Fredette, Valim, and DiNardo (2009) published in the Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 24(5), pp. 300-306, examines accuracy of adverse procedural sedation events reported by nurses. The theory focused on by Lightdale et al. (2009) suggests health care providers ‘‘are prone to under-reporting of adverse events’’ and are less likely to report minor adverse events (p. 301). The authors, consisting of three MDs and three bachelor-prepared researchers, are affiliated with Children’s Hospital Boston. The article makes no mention of funding sources for the study.
An algorithm to generate near D-optimal designs for multiple response surface models

An algorithm is proposed to generate near D-optimal designs for multiple response surface models, i.e., a first-order or second-order polynomial model for each response with cuboidal design regions. For a class of designs generated by the proposed algorithm, simulation results indicate that the designs generated are near D-optimal and do not depend on ∑. An example is given to demonstrate how multiresponse D-optimal designs can be used to provide benchmarks to other experimental designs for multiple response problems.
Posterolateral microdiscectomy for cervical monoradiculopathy caused by posterolateral soft cervical disc sequestration

✓ The controversy over whether to use a posterior or anterior approach for surgical treatment of soft cervical discs is still largely unsettled. However, although the posterior approach may be underutilized, it has distinct advantages when there are specific indications. Out of a large pool of cases, 53 patients presented with acute monoradiculopathy caused by soft cervical disc herniation. In 36 of these, the disc was sequestered (nonconfined) and was posterolateral to the disc space as seen on computerized tomography-myelography. Distinct motor weakness was a common clinical finding in all 36 cases. These patients were treated by using a 2- to 3-cm skin incision for the posterolateral microsurgical approach. The extent of the lateral facetectomy depended upon the relationship between the nerve root and the disc. All fragments were lateral to the dural sac and were sequestered through the anulus fibrosus and the posterior longitudinal ligament. Sequestrations were removed under direct microscopic vision,...
Adaptive PRF selection technique for multiple targets in track-before-detect

We present an adaptive pulse repetition frequency (PRF) selection technique to mitigate ambiguity, blind-zone, and clutter-zone issues in a particle-based track-before-detect (TkBD) method. A feedback loop provides information about TkBD states to the transmitter in the form of possible target locations and probabilities. The adaptive PRF selection technique is then based on a predicted entropy computation derived from the TkBD target existence probabilities. For each potential PRF, the possible target states fall on different locations in the range-Doppler map, including clutter ridges and blind zones. Thus, the information that can be expected in the next dwell varies with PRF, and the PRF that minimizes the total expected posterior entropy is selected for the next processing interval. While the TkBD enables detection of low-SNR targets that traditional radar will might miss, the adaptive PRF selection helps to minimize track loss before detections are declared. In this context, we compare the performance of adaptive PRF selection to fixed, cyclical PRF selection.