cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Analytic Comparison of Effect Sizes for Differential Item Functioning

Three types of effects sizes for DIF are described in this exposition: log of the odds-ratio (differences in log-odds), differences in probability-correct, and proportion of variance accounted for. Using these indices involves conceptualizing the degree of DIF in different ways. This integrative review discusses how these measures are impacted in different ways by item difficulty, item discrimination, and item lower asymptote. For example, for a fixed discrimination, the difference in probabilities decreases as the difference between the item difficulty and the mean ability increases. Under the same conditions, the log of the odds-ratio remains constant if the lower asymptote is zero. A non-zero lower asymptote decreases the absolute value of the probability difference symmetrically for easy and hard items, but it decreases the absolute value of the log-odds difference much more for difficult items. Thus, one cannot set a criterion for defining a large effect size in one metric and find a corresponding cr...
The preparedness of freshman medical students for taking sexual histories

With recent epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases, it is increasingly important for medical students to be well prepared to take sexual histories. The authors studied this issue through a self-administered questionnaire completed by first-year medical students at two western U.S. medical schools (response rate 87%). Students who were better prepared (i.e., more knowledgeable, more comfortable, more appropriate attitudes) had more personal sexual experience and were more likely to have spoken with either a physician or a patient about a personal sexual concern. Different student characteristics were associated with different domains of preparation for taking a sexual history (e.g., knowledge v.s. attitudes). The educational implications of these findings are discussed.
Be Careful What You Wish For: The Performance Consequences of Unethical Requests at Work

Does receiving requests to engage in morally questionable behavior at work decrease one's performance? We draw on attentional control theory and past research on job stressors to help explain the n...
Optimal stochastic models for spacecraft atmospheric re-entry

A method is developed and applied to select optimal models for loads encountered during the atmospheric re-entry of a spacecraft. In general, information on the re-entry environment is limited, meaning that two or more models for this environment may be consistent with the available information. This defines a collection of candidate models; each model in the collection is consistent with the available information. Methods from decision theory are applied to select the optimal member from the collection. A performance criterion, based on postulated utility functions, is used in the selection process. Herein, we model the re-entry environment as a stochastic process in both space and time. Information on the probability law of the process is limited. The candidate models form a class of non-Gaussian, stationary, stochastic processes. It is shown that the response of a critical internal component is sensitive to assumptions on the unknown properties of the input; the response of the component is therefore used as the performance criterion to select an optimal model for the re-entry environment.
Distributed computing approaches toward manufacturing scheduling problems

This paper investigates the solution of manufacturing scheduling problems using different distributed computer schemes. The distributed computer schemes vary with respect to task partitioning, task allocation and the number of processors used. The best combinations of these variations are presented with respect to problem scenario and size. The distributed computing models, are analyzed with respect to computational advantages gained vs. traditional computing models. The models are implemented over a distributed computer network, designed for heterogeneous application, and are transportable to other operating systems and networks of computers. The advantages of these models are discussed and several useful extensions are presented.
Vestibular effects on upper airway musculature

Abstract The vestibular system produces a variety of compensatory responses to accelerations of the head, which include reflex responses recorded from respiratory muscle nerves of the thorax and abdomen. In order to better understand the functional significance of vestibulo-respiratory reflexes, we investigated the extent to which such responses are also present on muscle nerves of the upper airway. Experiments were conducted on adult cats that were decerebrated, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated. Electrical stimulation of the vestibular nerve using short trains of current pulses evoked reflex responses on the following nerves: recurrent laryngeal, superior laryngeal, pharyngeal branch of the vagus, glossopharyngeal, and hypoglossal. The responses were bilateral and occurred on average within about 15 ms after stimulus onset. The medial and inferior vestibular nuclei were shown to be essential for the reflex, since the responses were abolished by injections of the neurotoxin kainic acid into these nuclei. The widespread presence of vestibular-evoked responses recorded from respiratory muscle nerves of the upper airway, as well as from those of the thorax and abdomen, suggests that one function of vestibulo-respiratory reflexes is to provide adjustments in breathing and airway patency during movements and changes in posture.
Genetic marker family studies in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) in Armenians

Familial Mediterranean fever is an autosomal recessive disease manifested by recurrent short episodes of fever associated with polyserositis. It is common in a variety of Mediterranean and near Eastern populations. The biochemical defect is unknown, and there have been few studies of genetic marker associations or linkage with the disease. We have screened blood samples from members of 14 nuclear Armenian families, the population with the highest known gene frequency, for 19 different polymorphic phenotypic genetic markers. These 14 families included 31 affected and 43 unaffected family members. No association was found with any of the markers studied. Linkage could be excluded at the distance of 0-15% recombination with 14 markers. Linkage could not be excluded with 5 other markers. These results exclude the FMF gene from those portions of the human gene map that are at least 0.5% recombination distance from these 14 genetic markers, and represent the first comprehensive step in the eventual localization and isolation of the FMF gene.
Superconducting state of UPt3

Abstract The superconducting state in the heavy-fermion material UPt3 is studied in the presence of randomly distributed antiferromagnetic domains. The character of the superconducting state and the value of the splitting of the superconducting phase transition are found as a function of antiferromagnetic domain size. The superconducting pahse diagram in an external magnetic field as well as the pressure influence on the phase transition splitting are discussed.
Early stages of oxidation of the Fe{001} surface: Atomic structure of the first monolayer

The reaction of a clean Fe{001} surface with oxygen gas was monitored with low-energy-electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger-electron spectroscopy. The formation of an Fe{001} 1 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 1-O structure at full monolayer coverage was confirmed, whereas the Fe{001} $c(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{O}$ structure reported by three other groups could not be reproduced. A LEED structure analysis of the Fe{001} 1 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 1-O structure revealed that the oxygen atoms are located deep inside the fourfold symmetrical hollows of the substrate surface, with the first substrate interlayer spacing 7.5% expanded with respect to the bulk. The effective hard-sphere radius of the oxygen atom in this structure is 0.78 \AA{}. The results of the structure analysis are consistent with the results of photoemission experiments reported by others.
P460 OF HYDROXYLAMINE OXIDOREDUCTASE OF NITROSOMONAS EUROPAEA : SORET RESONANCE RAMAN EVIDENCE FOR A NOVEL HEME-LIKE STRUCTURE

P460, an iron-containing chromophore at the active site of Hydroxylamine Oxidoreductase of the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea, is a macrocycle of unknown structure with a Soret-like 460-nm absorption band in the ferrous form. The pigment can also be isolated in a peptide, "P460-Fragment". Resonance Raman spectroscopy (lambda ex = 457.9 nm) suggests that P460 is a new type of heme with symmetry properties lower than those of protophorphyrin IX or chlorins and similar to those of chlorophylls and isobacteriochlorins. Some of the resonance Raman vibrations of P460 are shifted in HAO as compared to those of P460-Fragment.
Novel combinatorial therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that TXA decreases the time to initial clot formation and increases the rate of clot propagation indicating its procoagulant effects beyond fibrinolysis, which are relevant to both potential benefit as well as safety. Thus, it is imperative to confirm a diagnosis of pathologic fibrinolysis prior to treatment with TXA to avoid exposure of a patient to a potentially thrombogenic drug.
Estimating Koc for persistent organic pollutants: limitations of correlations with Kow

Abstract The n-octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow) is commonly used to predict the soil or aquatic particle water partition coefficient normalized to organic carbon (Koc). Many correlations are available covering several chemical classes and ranges of hydrophobicity. This work indicates the Kow may not be a strong predictor for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which are defined here as chemicals with log K ow >5.0 . In addition, the correlation developed in this work for POPs will still result in a predicted value which is of by a factor of 15. Accordingly, care must be taken when applying Koc estimations using Kow for POPs until more suitable correlations are developed.
Second-order eliptic and parabolic equations with B (r2, V MO) coefficients

The solvability in Sobolev spaces W 1,2 p is proved for nondivergence form second-order parabolic equations for p > 2 close to 2. The leading coefficients are assumed to be measurable in the time variable and two coordinates of space variables, and almost VMO (vanishing mean oscillation) with respect to the other coordinates. This implies the W 2 p -solvability for the same p of nondivergence form elliptic equations with leading coefficients measurable in two coordinates and VMO in the others. Under slightly different assumptions, we also obtain the solvability results when p = 2.
Design and expected performance of the 6.5 m MMT MCAO system

A single-conjugate adaptive optics (AO) system for the 6.5 m MMT based on an adaptive secondary mirror is now undergoing commissioning at the telescope. In addition to providing the basis for a program of scientific observations, the system will serve as a platform for the development of a dual-conjugate AO system in which a constellation of five refocused Rayleigh laser guide stars (RLGS) will provide the majority of the wavefront information. A SCIDAR campaign at a telescope close to the MMT site is beginning to generate explicit measurements of the atmospheric turbulence profile. In this paper, we describe the current system design, and present the results of initial performance simulations using the measured atmospheric parameters.
Decomposition of Aspartame. A Kinetics Experiment for Upper-Level Chemistry Laboratories

In this experiment, students study the kinetics of decomposition of aspartame for three reaction conditions: 0.20 M citrate, pH 7.0, 40 °C; 0.20 M phosphate, pH 7.0, 40 °C; 0.20 M phosphate, pH 7.0, 55 °C. They calculate the activation energy and observe the large rate enhancement in phosphate compared to citrate, due to the bifunctional nature of the HPO42− anion. The only major instrumentation requirement is an HPLC with a variable-wavelength UV detector. The experiment can be completed in one five-hour laboratory period.
An Unexpected Result from Burning Vegetation to Reduce Lyme Disease Transmission Risks

The risk for human infection with Lyme disease appears linked to the abundance of infected vector ticks, principally Ixodes dammini Spielman, Clifford, Piesman & Corwin, in the eastern United States. Habitat destruction by burning, although not well studied, has long been considered as an effective alternative to synthetic insecticides as a means of reducing tick populations. We evaluated the effect of a single spring burning of the woodland understory on the transmission risk of Lyme disease spirochetes (Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner) on Shelter Island, Long Island, NY. Following a burn in early April 1991, the abundance of nymphal I. dammini was 49% lower in the burned portion of a woodlot compared with the unburned portion. However, risk of encountering nymphs infected with B. burgdorferi remained similar in both burned and unburned woods. It is suggested that burning vegetation may disproportionately kill deer-derived rather than rodent-derived nymphs, significantly reducing tick abundance without affecting transmission risk.
The Impact of Marketing Healthy Items on Customers’ Perceptions of a University/Medical Center Cafeteria

Abstract This study determined if promoting healthy meals in a university/medical center cafeteria would change customers' perceptions of its healthfulness. A pre-questionnaire was sent to 1000 employees of a Medical Center and 200 students of an adjunct University (56.5% response) to collect data on customers' satisfaction with nine attributes of the cafeteria, their knowledge of and attitude towards nutrition, and demographics. A four-week intervention provided customers with nutrient information handouts for "Healthy Alternatives" derived from existing cafeteria items. A post-questionnaire was mailed to pre-questionnaire respondents (56.8% response) to determine the intervention's impact. The Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon sign tests were used to analyze results. Results revealed that customers were most satisfied with food presentation and quality and least satisfied with price. Few differences were found based on demographics or nutrition knowledge or attitude. Most respondents did not take the handout, but those that did used it to guide their purchases. The ratings of ‘healthfulness of entrees' and ‘availability of healthy choices' increased significantly post-intervention suggesting promotion of healthy items influenced customers' perceptions.
Besnoitia darlingi Infection in a Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

This is a case report of natural infection with Besnoitia darlingi in a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) in Louisiana. Clinical pathologic data included a severe nonregenerative anemia, inflammatory leukogram, increased hepatocellular leakage enzymes, renal azotemia, hyperkalemia, hypoglycemia, hypoalbuminemia, and proteinuria. Tissue cysts containing bradyzoites were found in the majority of organs, especially the skin, mucous membranes, kidneys, adrenals, lungs, and heart. Images of the bradyzoites obtained by transmission electron microscopy were consistent with the previously described ultrastructure of Besnoitia darlingi. This opossum also suffered from an open phalangeal fracture and concurrent gastrointestinal parasites. Histopathologic findings included a glomerulonephritis and hepatic necrosis.
A randomized trial of diphenhydramine as prophylaxis against metoclopramide-induced akathisia in nauseated emergency department patients.

Study objective Akathisia, an adverse effect observed at times after administration of parenteral metoclopramide, is an unpleasant symptom complex characterized by restlessness and agitation. Some try to limit the development of akathisia by coadministering diphenhydramine when using parenteral metoclopramide. The goal of this investigation is to determine whether concomitant administration of diphenhydramine 25 mg decreased the rate of development of akathisia after administration of 10 mg or 20 mg of intravenous metoclopramide. Methods This was a randomized, double-blind, factorial design trial. Patients who presented to our emergency department with a primary or secondary chief complaint of nausea were randomized to one of the following 4 groups: (1) metoclopramide 10 mg+diphenhydramine 25 mg; (2) metoclopramide 10 mg+placebo; (3) metoclopramide 20 mg+diphenhydramine 25 mg; (4) metoclopramide 20 mg+placebo. The medications were inserted into a 50-mL bag of normal saline solution and administered as an intravenous drip during 15 minutes. Primary outcome was development of akathisia within 60 minutes of medication administration, as measured by blinded assessors using a short akathisia instrument, or use of rescue medication for treatment of akathisia by blinded clinical staff. Patients were also asked at baseline and 30 minutes later whether they felt restless. Results Two hundred eighty-nine patients were randomized and 286 patients were included in the final analysis. Within 1 hour of medication administration, 17 of 143 patients randomized to diphenhydramine (12%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 8% to 18%) and 17 of 143 (12%; 95% CI 8% to 18%) randomized to placebo developed akathisia (95% CI for difference of 0%: –8% to 8%). Thirteen of 143 patients randomized to metoclopramide 10 mg (9%; 95% CI 5% to 15%) and 21 of 143 randomized to metoclopramide 20 mg (15%; 95% CI 10% to 22%) developed akathisia (95% CI for difference of 6%: –2% to 14%). In those administered prophylactic diphenhydramine, odds of akathisia relative to placebo were 1.0 (95% CI 0.5 to 2.0). Odds of akathisia in those administered 20 mg of metoclopramide relative to the 10-mg dose were 1.7 (95% CI 0.8 to 3.6). Among patients who received 20 mg of metoclopramide, subjective restlessness was reported by 7 of 72 (9.7%) patients who received diphenhydramine and 14 of 71 (19.7%) patients who received placebo (95% CI for difference of 10%: –2% to 22%). Conclusion Routine prophylaxis with diphenhydramine to prevent akathisia is unwarranted when intravenous metoclopramide is administered over 15 minutes. For patients administered 20 mg of metoclopramide, prophylactic diphenhydramine may decrease subjective restlessness.
Transient regulation of transport by pericytes in post capillary venules

A phenomenon that has defied explanation for nearly two decades is the time scale for transient reabsorption in the classic experiments of Michel and Phillips on individually perfused frog mesentery microvessels. One finds that transient reabsorption lasts < 2 minutes before a new steady-state of low filtration is established when the lumen pressure is abruptly dropped from a high to a low value. In contrast, theoretical models for the filling of the tissue space predict that several hours should be required to achieve the new steady state. In this paper we propose a new hypothesis for this rapid regulation, namely that pericytes covering the interendothelial cleft exits create small trapped tissue regions outside the cleft exits which regulate this transient behavior. Our theoretical model predicts for rat mesenteric microvessels: (1) that water flux and solute concentration at the cleft exit establish their steady-state values within ~1 min after the lumen pressure is dropped to a low value, while the pressure and width of the trapped region establish their steady-state values in ~4 min: (2) that the restoring force of elastic elements in the trapped region is responsible for preventing the region from continuously expanding due to slow filtration at long times.
Effects of breathing motion on the spatial resolution in microscopic imaging techniques of rodents

Magnetic resonance microscopy is capable of producing high-resolution pulmonary images in live rodents by synchronizing the image acquisition across multiple breaths. The precision with which one can control motion will probably define the resolution limit that can be attained in such studies. This work was performed to evaluate how reliably the respiratory structures return to the same position from breath to breath each time data are acquired. Radio-opaque beads were surgically glued on the diaphragm of anesthetized, mechanically ventilated rats. Their range of motion (relative to a reference vertebral bead) was evaluated using digital micro-radiography with two specific biological pulse sequences: (1) ventilation synchronous acquisition, and (2) both ventilation synchronous and cardiac gated acquisition. The standard deviation of the displacement was on the order of, or less than 100 microns, which is comparable to the resolution limit for in vivo magnetic resonance imaging imposed by signal to noise constraints. With careful control of motion, its impact on resolution can be limited. This work provides the first quantitative measure of the motion imposed resolution limits for in vivo imaging.
Frontal polymerization with encapsulated monomer

Thermal frontal polymerization (TFP) is the process that converts monomers into polymers by means of a spatially localized self-propagating thermal reaction wave. Free radical frontal polymerization systems can suffer from a limited pot life, i.e. the systems will spontaneously polymerize while remaining at ambient pressure and temperature before they can be used. One way to avoid this undesirable spontaneous polymerization is by microencapsulating the monomer. The release of monomer from its shell can be modeled as a temperature dependent or temperature independent reaction; we consider both cases. Conditions are established which reduce the current model to the standard FP model and extinction limits are determined by employing an asymptotic analysis of the reaction zone in the limit as the reaction zone shrinks to an interface.
Noise robust speech recognition using feature compensation based on polynomial regression of utterance SNR

A feature compensation (FC) algorithm based on polynomial regression of utterance signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for noise robust automatic speech recognition (ASR) is proposed. In this algorithm, the bias between clean and noisy speech features is approximated by a set of polynomials which are estimated from adaptation data from the new environment by the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm under the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion. In ASR, the utterance SNR for the speech signal is first estimated and noisy speech features are then compensated for by regression polynomials. The compensated speech features are decoded via acoustic HMMs trained with clean data. Comparative experiments on the Aurora 2 (English) and the German part of the Aurora 3 databases are performed between FC and maximum likelihood linear regression (MLLR). With the Aurora2 experiments, there are two MLLR implementations: pooling adaptation data across all SNRs, and using three distinct SNR clusters. For each type of noise, FC achieves, on average, a word error rate reduction of 16.7% and 16.5% for Set A, and 20.5% and 14.6% for Set B compared to the first and second MLLR implementations, respectively. For each SNR condition, FC achieves, on average, a word error rate reduction of 33.1% and 34.5% for Set A, and 23.6% and 21.4% for Set B. Results using the Aurora3 database show that, the best FC performance outperforms MLLR by 15.9%, 3.0% and 14.6% for well-matched, medium-mismatched and high-mismatched conditions, respectively.
Computer image studies of Rembrandt self portraits

There is a great deal of uncertainty and controversy surrounding the artwork legacy of Rembrandt van Rijn. Much of the difficulty stems from the dearth of reliable contemporary documentation covering the artist's activities as well as the great number of students who painted in his studio. Consequently, attributions have rested heavily upon subjective assessments of style and execution, together with whatever historical evidence can be uncovered. The dilemma associated with selecting those works which should be assigned to Rembrandt is complicated further by his fame and the potential for great financial return from the discovery of new pieces. In recent decades this dilemma has been alleviated to a considerable degree by the introduction analytical scientific methods for analyzing (and, in some cases, dating) the materials of an artwork. However, the greatest impact of materials analyses has been to throw out many style-based attributions after finding that the materials were inconsistent with the artist's legacy. Thus, materials analyses typically play a negative role in showing that an attribution is impossible rather than proving that the work in question was by the artist in question. On the other hand a new opportunity is at hand as a consequence of the emergence of digital computer image processing technology. It is now possible to apply this tool to the direct attribution of a painting through analyses of statistical properties pertaining to palette, albedo, and impasta. This paper describes the first efforts at creating a data base on the properties and statistics of Rembrandt portraits so as to provide a basis for determining which should be included in the body of his works, rather than which should be excluded.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation in the pancreas: results in a porcine model.

Abstract Background: Our aim in this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of performing radiofrequency (RF) ablation in the pancreas with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Methods: RF was applied to normal pancreatic tissue in 13 anesthetized Yorkshire pigs with specially modified 19-gauge needle electrodes (1.0 to 1.5 cm tip). The pancreas was localized with EUS and punctured through a transgastric approach. RF current (285 ± 120 mA) was delivered for 6 minutes. Diagnostic imaging (EUS and CT) and serum amylase and lipase levels were obtained at baseline, immediately after ablation, and 1 to 14 days after the procedure. Pigs were killed immediately (n = 5), 1 to 2 days after ablation (n = 2), and 2 weeks after the procedure (n = 6). Pathologic examination was performed. Results: Sixteen ablations were performed. During ablation, round hyperechoic foci (diameter to 1.0 cm) gradually surrounded the tip of the electrode. Immediately after the procedure CT demonstrated 1 cm hypodense foci that did not enhance with iodinated contrast. In pigs killed immediately and 1 to 2 days after ablation, pathologic examination showed discrete, well-demarcated spherical foci of coagulation necrosis measuring 8 to 12 mm in diameter surrounded by a 1 to 2 mm rim of hemorrhage. Radiologic-pathologic correlation was within 2 mm. In 4 of 6 (67%) pigs killed on day 14, retraction of the coagulated focus was observed. A 1 to 3 mm fibrotic capsule surrounded the coagulated tissue in the remaining 2 pigs. One pig had mild hyperlipasemia, a focal zone of pancreatitis ( Conclusions: EUS-guided RF ablation can be used safely to produce discrete zones of coagulation necrosis in the porcine pancreas. Potential clinical uses of this technology include management of small neuroendocrine tumors and possibly palliation of unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
The Scapa Field, block 14/19, UK North Sea

Abstract The Scapa Field is located in UK North Sea Block 14/19 in the Witch Ground Graben, 112 miles northeast of Aberdeen. The field was discovered in 1975 by the 14/19–9 well which tested 32° API crude from the Scapa Sandstone Member of the Early Cretaceous Valhall Formation. The field is a combination structural/stratigraphic trap situated in a NW–SE trending syncline. Updip limit to the NE is by onlap termination of the reservoir sands onto the Claymore tilt block, and to the southwest by fault closure and/or sand pinch-out into tight conglomerates associated with the Halibut Shelf boundary fault. Two thinly bedded, fine- to medium-grained turbidite sand units, in partial pressure communication, form the oil–bearing zone within the Scapa Sandstone Member. Original oil in place was 206 MMBBL. In 1984, prior to development, a long-term production test was conducted via a deviated well drilled from the Claymore platform. Subsequent wells were thus drilled in a dynamic reservoir-pressure environment. Field development utilizes an integrated production/injection subsea template system tied back to the Claymore platform. Template production commenced in 1986 from currently estimated proved ultimate recoverable reserves of 63 MMBBL and averaged 28 000 BOPD in June 1988 from four production wells supported by four injection wells.
Geographic Information Systems

A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer hardware and software information system designed to capture, edit, manage, house, manipulate, analyze, and display georeferenced data. It comprises high-resolution scientific visualization capabilities, large-capacity electronic storage devices, efficient and effective structures for data storage and retrieval, high-volume communication channels, specialized algorithms for data integration and reliability analysis, and specialized query languages. Its reference point is a digital map. The first GIS was developed by the Canadian government and implemented in 1964. A differentiating feature among GISs is whether the underlying map involves a raster or vector surface partitioning. Spatial statistics requires attribute data, a map, and the tagging of each data observation to a location on a map, items furnished by a GIS. A GIS also supplies a practical and useful way to reveal spatial and temporal relationships among data. The UCGIS is an organization whose mission is to serve as an effective unified voice for the community of GIS users. Keywords: geostatistics; kriging; spatial autocorrelation; spatial statistics; statistical software
Reply [to Comment on “The impact of VLBI and GPS on geodesy”]

I apologize to Dr. Perreault and Stanford Telecommunications, Inc., for my lack of precision in the subject article. A more proper statement would have been “The first receiver to become commercially available for centimenter-level surveying is the Macrometer Model V-1000 Interferometric Surveyor, manufactured by Macrometrics, Inc., of Woburn, Massachusetts.” We at the National Geodetic Survey are well aware of the important role played by STI in the development of the GPS system.
Influence of Sad Mood and Old Age Schema on Older Adults' Attention to Physical Symptoms

We examined how mood and activation of old age schema influenced attentional focus on physical symptoms in older adults. Seventy-one individuals aged 60 years or above participated in an experiment that manipulated mood and old age schema. They completed a modified Stroop task that measured attentional bias to physical symptoms. Controlling for baseline processing speed, the two variables had significant main and interaction effects on attentional focus on symptoms. Sad mood and old age schema independently minimized the bias to avoid attending to symptoms. When combined, these two variables contributed to greater attentional focus on symptoms. These findings highlight psychological influences on current attention to symptoms.
Teachers' Spatial Anxiety Relates to 1st- and 2nd-Graders' Spatial Learning

Teachers' anxiety about an academic domain, such as math, can impact students' learning in that domain. We asked whether this relation held in the domain of spatial skill, given the importance of spatial skill for success in math and science and its malleability at a young age. We measured 1st- and 2nd-grade teachers' spatial anxiety (N = 19) and students' spatial skill (N = 132). Teachers' spatial anxiety significantly predicted students' end-of-year spatial skill, even after accounting for students' beginning-of-year spatial skill, phonological working memory, grade level, and teachers' math anxiety. Since spatial skill is not a stand-alone part of the curriculum like math or reading, teachers with high levels of spatial anxiety may simply avoid incorporating spatial activities in the classroom. Results suggest that addressing teachers' spatial anxieties may improve spatial learning in early elementary school.
Outcomes research in Washington state workers' compensation

The extensive claim and medical bill payment databases of the Washington state workers' compensation system have been used to conduct epidemiologic and outcome studies of work-related conditions. Computerized administrative data must be supplemented with medical record review and structured interview of workers in outcome studies in order to adequately adjust for baseline severity and to address functional and patient satisfaction outcomes, respectively. Three examples of surgical outcome studies are described (carpal tunnel, lumbar fusion, thoracic outlet). Duration of disability prior to surgical intervention is an important predictor of duration of disability following surgery, even when other biologic markers of severity are included in multivariate modeling. Sufficient follow-up time is required to adequately assess longer-term outcomes, such as return-to-work status and the substantial effects of residual impairment even after claim settlement. Finally, well-conducted outcome studies may be linked to the development of surgical treatment guidelines in workers' compensation. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DNase II deficiency impairs innate immune function in Drosophila

DNase II enzymes are highly conserved proteins that are required for the degradation of DNA within phagolysosomes. Engulfment of apoptotic cells and/or bacteria by phagocytic cells requires the function of DNase II to completely destroy ingested DNA. Mutation of the dnase II gene results in an increase of undegraded apoptotic DNA within phagocytic cells in mice and nematodes. Additionally, reduction of DNase II enzymatic activity in Drosophila melanogaster has been shown to lead to increased accumulation of DNA in the ovaries. Due to the importance of DNA clearance during infection, we hypothesized that a severe reduction of DNase II activity would result in diminished immune function and viability. To test this hypothesis, we knocked down DNase II activity in flies using RNAi. As expected, expression of a dnase II-RNAi construct in flies resulted in a dramatic reduction of DNase II activity and a significant decrease in total hemocyte numbers. Furthermore, infection of dnase II-RNAi flies with Gram negative or positive bacteria resulted in a severe reduction in fly viability. These results confirm that DNase II and the ability to clear macromolecular DNA is essential for maintaining proper immune function in Drosophila.
Impaired Fas response and autoimmunity in Pten+/- mice

Inactivating mutations in the PTEN tumor suppressor gene, encoding a phosphatase, occur in three related human autosomal dominant disorders characterized by tumor susceptibility. Here it is shown that Pten heterozygous ( Pten +/−) mutants develop a lethal polyclonal autoimmune disorder with features reminiscent of those observed in Fas-deficient mutants. Fas-mediated apoptosis was impaired in Pten +/− mice, and T lymphocytes from these mice show reduced activation-induced cell death and increased proliferation upon activation. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibitors restored Fas responsiveness in Pten +/− cells. These results indicate that Pten is an essential mediator of the Fas response and a repressor of autoimmunity and thus implicate the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway in Fas-mediated apoptosis.
To bike or not to bike: seasonal factors for bicycle commuting

Research with a panel of working adults in northern communities was conducted to assess the impact of weather on commuting to work by bicycle. Participants commuted at least 2 mi each way and commuted by bike more than twice annually. Transportation mode was recorded for four 7-day periods in 2009 and 2010 (one sampling period per season). Mode, personal characteristics, and commute length were linked to location- and time-specific weather conditions and to daylight hours on commuting days. Analyses focused on the effects of season, weather, and other factors to develop binary models for commuting by bicycle. The likelihood of bike commuting increased 3% with every 1°F increase in morning temperature and decreased by 5% with a 1 mph increase in wind speed. Likelihood of biking to work was more than double on days with no morning precipitation. Hours of daylight had no discernible effect, although study participants cited this as a barrier in the baseline survey. Distance to work negatively affected the li...
Hardware Efficient Low-Latency Architecture for High Throughput Rate Viterbi Decoders

By optimizing the number of look-ahead steps of the first layer of the previous low-latency architectures for M-step look-ahead high-throughput rate Viterbi decoders, this paper improves the hardware efficiency by large percentage with slight increase or even further decrease of the latency for the add-compare-select (ACS) computation. This is true especially when the encoder constraint length (K) is large. For example, when K = 7 and M varies from 21 to 84, 20.83% to 41.27% of the hardware cost in previous low latency Viterbi method can be saved with only up to 12% increase or 4% decrease of the latency of the conventional M-step look-ahead Viterbi decoder. The proposed architecture also relaxes the constraint on the look-ahead level M to be a multiple of K as was needed in the previous work. For example, when K = 7 and M (indivisible by K) varies from 40 to 80, 60.27% to 69.3% latency of conventional M-step look ahead Viterbi architecture can be reduced at the expense of 148.62% to 320.20% extra hardware complexity.
Electron tunneling pathways in proteins.

Electron-transfer (ET) reactions are key steps in photosynthesis, respiration, drug metabolism, and many other biochemical processes. These ET processes commonly occur between protein-bound prosthetic groups that are separated by large molecular distances (often greater than 10 A. Although the electron donors and acceptors in these reactions are expected to be weakly coupled, the ETs are remarkably fast and proceed with high specificity. On page 1748 of this issue, Pelletier and Kraut (1) present work on the crystal structures of cytochrome c-cytochrome c peroxidase complexes that could lead to a much deeper understanding of how the intervening medium controls interprotein ET reactions.
Explanations of empirically derived reactive plans

Given an adequate simulation model of the task environment and payoff function that measures the quality of partially successful plans, competition-based heuristics such as genetic algorithms can develop high performance reactive rules for interesting sequential decision tasks. We have previously described an implemented system, called SAMUEL, for learning reactive plans and have shown that the system can successfully learn rules for a laboratory scale tactical problem. In this paper, we describe a method for deriving explanations to justify the success of such empirically derived rule sets. The method consists of inferring plausible subgoals and then explaining how the reactive rules trigger a sequence of actions (i.e., a strategy) to satisfy the subgoals.
The Immanent Structure of Free Speech Doctrine: Bong Hits, Jesus, and the Role of the Public Schools in Controlling Student Speech

Free speech doctrine seems to consist of a morass of unrelated, technical, and generally incoherent rules. But that appearance is misleading. This Article is the first in a series that seeks to uncover the immanent structure of free speech doctrine. That structure requires courts to make three basic judgments in free speech cases, the first about the role of government, the second about the purpose of government action, and the third a constrained cost-benefit analysis. Taken together, courts in free speech cases generally determine: (1) whether government action regulates private conduct; (2) if it does, whether government regulation targets expression; and (3) if it does, whether certain harms from the expression outweigh the adverse consequences of its suppression. If government action does not regulate private conduct, or if it does not target expression, then it generally does not run afoul of the Free Speech Clause. On the other hand, if government action regulates expression, then a court will undertake a kind of cost-benefit analysis to assess its constitutionality (an analysis that cannot count as a harm that the ideas expressed are offensive or may change citizens' beliefs for the worse). The focus of this Article is on the first of the three judgments that constitute the immanent structure of free speech doctrine, the role of government. In particular, we identify two general roles government may play when it restricts speech, regulator and patron. Government as regulator discourages behavior by private citizens. In contrast, government as patron acts in a sense on its own, speaking, sponsoring speech, or serving as a proprietor of an internal governmental function. Our claim is that the constraints of free speech law generally do not apply when government acts as patron. This claim can make sense of application of the Free Speech Clause in various settings, including to public schools, public fora, government employees, prisons, the military, and unconstitutional conditions. The Article develops its argument by focusing in general on the school speech cases and in particular on the recent decision of Morse v. Frederick, in which the Supreme Court held that a school principal did not violate the Constitution by punishing a student for unfurling a banner reading, "BONG HiTS 4 JESUS." Morse, the Article contends, involved a judgment about the constitutional limitations on government in its role as proprietor of a school. The Article further claims that attention to the significance of role of government can help not only to explain the outcome in Morse, but also to make sense of precedents that Morse interpreted and that otherwise appear to be unprincipled or incoherent.
Neutron–deuteron analyzing power data at En = 21 MeV and the energy dependence of the three-nucleon analyzing power puzzle

We present measurements of n–d analyzing power, , at En = 21.0 MeV. The experiment produces neutrons via the 2H(, )3He reaction and uses a deuterated liquid-scintillator center detector and six pairs of liquid-scintillator neutron side detectors. Elastic neutron scattering events are identified by using time-of-flight techniques and by setting a gate in the center-detector pulse-height spectrum. Beam polarization is monitored by using a high-pressure helium gas scintillator. The n–d data at 21.0 MeV show a significant discrepancy with the results of rigorous three-body calculations and are consistent with data taken previously by us at 19.0 and 22.5 MeV. We review the overall energy dependence of the three-nucleon analyzing power puzzle in neutron–deuteron elastic scattering, using the best data available. We find that the relative difference between calculations and data is nearly constant at 25% up to En = 22.5 MeV.
Altered brain development in fetal and neonatal piglets following maternal porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection

Maternal infection during pregnancy is a risk factor for neurological disorders in children. To study the effect of infection in a species with brain development similar to humans, pregnant sows were given saline or PRRSV intranasal at gestational day (GD) 77. PRRSV+ sows were febrile and anorectic for 2 wks. On GD112, 45 control fetuses and 31 fetuses from PRRSV sows were obtained by c-section and PRRSV status was determined by RT-PCR. Control fetuses were PRRSV−, 10 fetuses from PRRSV sows were PRRSV+ and 21 were PRRSV−. PRRSV+ fetuses had decreased brain weight ( p . 004 ) compared to controls. Hippocampal tissue from PRRSV−/+ fetuses revealed a decrease in neurons in the subiculum and dentate gyrus ( p 0.001 ) compared to controls. Increased GFAP staining was observed in the hilar region ( p . 04 ) of PRRSV− fetuses. To assess postnatal brain development following maternal infection, 29 control piglets and 27 piglets from PRRSV sows were artificially reared until postnatal day (PD) 28. Twenty-one piglets from PRRSV sows were PRRSV+ and 6 were PRRSV−. The PRRSV+ piglets were febrile and anorectic PD7 to PD14 ( p . 001 ); and had reduced body weight and brain weight at PD28. PRRSV+/− piglets from PRRSV sows had increased Ki-67+ cells in the hilar region ( p . 03 ) compared to controls. Thus maternal infection may affect neural development in piglets, reducing the number of hippocampal neurons and increasing the number of glia.
Research Ethics Case Study: Assessing Incidence of Sexual Assault (SA) and Needs of SA Survivors Via Random Digit Dialing

This case study is used to explore ethical issues related to empirical research on human research ethics, particularly those issues that may be related to the use of a particular research methodology.
Investigating Relationships Between PTSD Symptom Clusters Within Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for OEF/OIF Veterans

Several cognitive behavioral therapeutic approaches have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (Foa, Keane, Friedman, & Cohen, 2008). The bulk of PTSD treatment research has relied on pre-post designs, which are limited in their ability to investigate the therapeutic process over time. The present study investigated the relations between PTSD symptom clusters using symptom assessment at pretreatment, midtreatment, and posttreatment using cross-lagged panel design over the course of Virtual Reality Exposure (VRE) treatment. Participants were 156 Iraq and/or Afghanistan veterans who met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD due to military trauma. Using structural equation modeling, the final reexperiencing model demonstrated good fit, χ2(34)=39.95, p=.22; RMSEA=.034, 90% CI: [0.00, 0.07], CFI=.993, and results suggested that reexperiencing at pretreatment demonstrated a significant effect on numbing, avoidance, hyperarousal at midtreatment, and reexperiencing symptoms at midtreatment demonstrate a significant effect on each of the three symptom clusters at posttreatment. These findings suggest that reexperiencing symptoms are indeed a key aspect of the therapeutic process within exposure therapy for PTSD. Additional research examining the impact of reexperiencing-focused intervention strategies on treatment outcomes is warranted.
Phenotypic fitness effects of the selfish B chromosome, paternal sex ratio (PSR) in the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis

B chromosomes are often considered genomic parasites. Paternal sex ratio (PSR) is an extreme example of a parasitic B chromosome in the parasitoid waspNasonia vitripennis. PSR is transmitted through the sperm of carrier males and destroys the other paternal chromosomes in early fertilized eggs. PSR disrupts the normal haplodiploid sex determination in this wasp by converting diploid (female) eggs into haploid (male) eggs that bear PSR. In this study I compare a number of phenotypic fitness aspects of PSR and standard (non-PSR) males. In general, PSR males were as fit as standard males. No significant differences were found in longevity (with one exception), ability to compete for mates and sperm depletion rates. PSR males produced 11–22% larger family sizes and developed slightly faster than standard males. Under conditions of sperm competition, females who mated with both types of males fertilized a constant proportion of eggs with each sperm type over their lifetime. PSR males produced fewer offspring among progenies from double-inseminated females. Phenotypic fitness effects are believed to play a minor role in determining PSR frequencies in natural populations.
Shake it, Baby, Shake it: Consumption and the New Gender Relation in Hip-Hop

Hip-hop is a popular music genre that has generated a multi-billion dollar industry. Although its gender and race relations have historically been problematic, they have recently transformed in par...