cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dialysis continuous process for ammonium lactate fermentation: Simulated and experimental dialysate‐feed, immobilized‐cell systems

A generalized mathematical model, previously developed and experimentally validated, was modified and used to computer-simulate two dialysate-feed systems for operating a dialysis continuous process for the ammonium lactate fermentation. The simulations predicted that the feeding of substrate into the dialysate circuit and thence into the fermentor circuit via dialysis should greatly improve the production of cell mass and metabolite product. Experiments were conducted to test the system in which the fermentor is operated without an effluent, thus immobilizing the cells. Dried cheese whey ultrafiltrate was rehydrated to contain a normal concentration of lactose (62 mg/ml), supplemented with yeast with an adapted culture of Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The system was operated without interruption for 26 days. Results during steady-state conditions showed that the system is a new and useful way to immobilize living cells for the purpose of producing a metabolite at a high rate for a prolonged time. The substrate consumed by the cells is converted to product via maintenance metabolism only and is sterilized by dialysis.
Prochloraz inhibits testosterone production at dosages below those that affect androgen-dependent organ weights or the onset of puberty in the male Sprague Dawley rat.

Prochloraz (PCZ) is an imidazole fungicide that inhibits gonadal steroidogenesis and antagonizes the androgen receptor (AR). We hypothesized that pubertal exposure to PCZ would reduce testosterone production and delay male rat reproductive development. Sprague Dawley rats were dosed by gavage with 0, 31.3, 62.5, or 125 mg/kg/day of PCZ from postnatal day (PND) 23 to 42 or 51. There was a significant delay in preputial separation (PPS) at 125 mg/kg/day PCZ and several of the androgendependent organ weights were decreased significantly, but the significant organ weight effects were not consistent between the 2 necropsies (PND 42 vs. 51). At both ages, serum testosterone levels and ex vivo testosterone release from the testis were significantly decreased whereas serum progesterone and 17a-hydroxyprogesterone levels were significantly increased at dose levels below those that affected PPS or reproductive organ weights. The hormone results suggested that PCZ was inhibiting CYP17 activity. In a second pubertal study (0, 3.9, 7.8, 15.6, 31.3, or 62.5 mg/kg/day PCZ), serum testosterone levels and ex vivo testosterone production were significantly reduced at 15.6 mg/ kg/day PCZ. In order to examine the AR antagonism effects of PCZ, independent of its effects on testosterone synthesis, castrated immature male rats were dosed with androgen and 0, 15.6, 31.3, 62.5, or 125 mg/kg/day PCZ for 10‐11 days (Hershberger assay). In this assay, androgen-sensitive organ weights were only significantly decreased at 125 mg/kg/day PCZ. These data from the pubertal assays demonstrate that PCZ decreases testosterone levels and delays rat pubertal development, as hypothesized. However, the fact that hormone levels were affected at dosage eightfold below that which delayed the onset of puberty suggests that rather large reductions in serum testosterone may be required to delay puberty and consistently reduce androgen-dependent tissue weights.
Effects of season on fleece traits of Angora does in the US.

Twenty nonpregnant Angora does were used to determine seasonal effects on fleece traits, including fiber growth and follicle activity. Does grazed pastures and were supplemented with a 50% concentrate diet at a level near that required for BW maintenance. Clean fiber growth rate was greatest (p<0.05) among seasons in summer and lowest (p<0.05) in winter (1.13, 0.85, 0.98 and 1.20 mg/cm 2 per day for autumn, winter, spring and summer, respectively); seasonal differences in fiber diameter were similar (34.9, 31.7, 33.7 and 36.5 mm for autumn, winter, spring and summer, respectively). Fleece fiber medullation was greatest (p<0.05) in summer (0.48, 0.32, 0.40 and 0.76%), and medullated fiber diameter was greater in spring and summer than winter (69, 65, 73 and 71 mm for autumn, winter, spring and summer, respectively). Primary follicle activity varied with season more than did activity of secondary follicles (primary: 74, 23, 79 and 99%; secondary: 97, 86, 94 and 99%; for autumn, winter, spring and summer, respectively). In summary, Angora goats in the US appear to exhibit seasonal follicle and fiber growth cycles, the knowledge of which may improve future nutritional management for efficient feed use in mohair production. The optimal time of shearing US Angoras for minimal contamination with medullated fibers may be just before spring and autumn equinoxes when it is likely that medullated fibers have been recently shed. # 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Measuring the architectural complexity of military Systems-of-Systems

This research introduces a method to both characterize and measure complexity as it directly relates to military System-of-Systems (SoS) architectures. The complexity measure can then be used to support decision making during the acquisition of a complex system-of-systems that provides a suppression of enemy air defenses capability. The development of the complexity measure focuses on capturing the tradeoffs that occur among the complexity of the individual constituent systems, the interfaces that connect them, as well as the complexity that results from the coordination of numerous different activities, tasks, and functions that must be executed in a programmed sequence to fulfill a capability. The end result will be more informed decision making during the conceptual design phase and the selection of military system-of-systems architectures that achieve a balance between effectiveness and complexity.
Hypothesis Testing and Confidence Intervals for Products and Quotients of Poisson Parameters with Applications to Reliability

Abstract X1 X2, ···, Xk1, Y1, Y2, ···, Yk2 are k1 + k2 mutually independent Poisson random variables with parameters λ1, λ2, ···, λk1, μ1, μ2, ···, μk2, respectively. Confidence intervals and tests of hypotheses for the parameter θ = λ1λ2 ··· λk1 / μ1μ2 ··· μk2 are obtained. Under suitable conditions these procedures may be used to obtain approximate confidence intervals and tests of hypotheses of the parameter ρ = ρ1ρ2 ··· ρk1/ρk1+1ρk1+2 ··· ρk1+k2, where the ρi's, i = 1, 2, ···, k1 + k2 are binomial parameters. This problem is of importance in reliability analysis and some applications to reliability analysis are exhibited.
Black-White Differences in Hodgkin's Disease Incidence in the United States by Age, Sex, Histology Subtype and Time

Black-white differences in Hodgkin's disease (HD) occurrence have been reported in older US mortality statistics and in limited international data, suggesting either genetic or socioeconomic determinants of susceptibility. However, there has been no evaluation with reliable data of the interracial incidence patterns by age, sex, and histologic subtype, that are prerequisite to understanding the causes of such variation. This project utilized 15 years of recent, high quality, incidence data from well-defined black and white US populations to calculate age-, sex-, and histology-specific rates of HD by race over time. Rates were somewhat lower for blacks (N = 593) than whites (N = 8,541) of both sexes, except among young boys. For blacks, age-specific incidence curves were slightly bimodal, although less than for whites; the male excess of HD was larger; and rates among women were low at all ages. For each histology subtype, blacks had lower incidence than whites; however, for the first time, nodular sclerosis was found to be the most common variant for both races. Between 1969-74 and 1980-84, HD rates declined in whites over age 55 but increased in white young adult women; among blacks, rates decreased slightly for boys and young adult men, the latter likely due to improving population enumeration. These findings confirm some interracial differences noted previously in HD. For blacks, they also reveal an incipiently bimodal age incidence and more prominent nodular sclerosis subtype occurrence that support a strong role for environmental factors in racial variation of this lymphoma.
Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health Care: Strategies for Preparing a Primary Care Practice

In 2004, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Board of Directors formed the Task Force on Mental Health and charged it with developing strategies to improve the quality of child and adolescent mental health* services in primary care. The task force acknowledged early in its deliberations that enhancing the mental health care that pediatricians and other primary care clinicians† provide to children and adolescents will require systemic interventions at the national, state, and community levels to improve the financing of mental health care and access to mental health specialty resources. Systemic strategies toward achieving these improvements are the subject of other publications of the task force: “ Strategies for System Change in Children's Mental Health: A Chapter Action Kit ” (chapter action kit),1 “Improving Mental Health Services in Primary Care: Reducing Administrative and Financial Barriers to Access and Collaboration,”2 and “Enhancing Pediatric Mental Health Care: Strategies for Preparing a Community.”3 The task force also recognized that enhanced mental health practice will require competencies not currently achieved by many primary care clinicians; in the policy statement “The Future of Pediatrics: Mental Health Competencies for Pediatric Primary Care,”4 the task force collaborated with the AAP Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health to outline these competencies and propose strategies for achieving them. This report offers strategies for preparing the primary care practice itself for provision of enhanced mental health care services. The task force proposes incrementally applying chronic care principles to the care of children with mental health and substance abuse problems as primary care clinicians apply them to the care of children with chronic medical conditions such as asthma. Most primary care clinicians will find that significant gaps exist between their current practice and the proposed ideal. The task force offers guidance in … Address correspondence to Jane Meschan Foy, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157. E-mail: jmfoy{at}wfubmc.edu
Simulations on soil water variation in arid regions

Significant soil water variation has often been found in top few meters of arid soils. Understanding soil water variation in these soils is crucial to groundwater recharge estimation, rainfall runoff process, risk assessment, and water resource management. A soil hydrologic model (SHM) was developed for simulating soil water movement in the vertical direction using time steps of minutes to days. To account for the dual processes of matrix and macropore flow, a parameterization scheme of dual processes has been adopted to derive effective hydraulic conductivity used in the SHM simulation. The integral-balance model based on water flux at different degrees of water saturation used to calculate the macropore conductivity is more useful in quantitatively integrating the macropore contribution to the dynamic soil water fluxes. The SHM, successfully applied to humid and semi-arid regions and validated at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) in this study, was used to evaluate soil water variation in an arid region, the NTS. Soil texture effects on soil water content have been evaluated; results indicate that higher hydraulic conductivity soils have less soil water content. A representative vegetation type at the NTS—Larrea tridentate is included to simulate the effects of vegetative cover on the soil water content. The simulations show that the bare soils have higher soil water content than the vegetated soils, which is consistent with observations and other modeled results. Due to low precipitation at the NTS for much of the year, effects of the macropore flow on soil water content are insignificant. However, the macropore flow could be an important factor influencing the soil water content during high precipitation events.
Distribution and Food Habits of Young-of-the-Year Fishes in a Backwater Lake of the Upper Mississippi River

ABSTRACT The distribution patterns and food habits of young-of-the-year (YOY) fishes in a lentic area adjacent to the main channel of pool 7 of the upper Mississippi River were studied. Habitats sampled grouped distinctly based on percent composition and abundance of YOY fishes with those having submergent vegetation dominated by a number of important sport species. In late spring, the grouping of stations depended on the presence or absence of newly transformed northern pike (Esox lucius). In early summer, stations did not differ as distinctly in composition, but in total abundance of young. Those stations with submergent vegetation had total catches which were more than double those elsewhere. By late summer, submergent and mixed vegetation stations formed a distinct assemblage influenced by the preponderance of three species of sunfishes. Their diets suggested that species inhabiting areas of submergent vegetation were very flexible in their choice of food resources. Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculat...
Novel FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive haematological malignancy that is curable in ~ 40% of cases. Activating mutations of the receptor tyrosine kinase FLT3 (FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3) are the single most common molecular abnormalities in AML and are associated with a distinctly worse prognosis. In an effort to target this mutation and improve outcomes in this subgroup of AML patients, several novel small-molecule FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently in development. Some of these FLT3 inhibitors are useful only as laboratory tools, while others clearly have clinical potential. These compounds are derived from a wide variety of chemical classes and differ significantly both in their potency and selectivity. This review summarises these developments and examines these novel agents with regard to both the assays used to characterise them and their clinical potential.
Interactions of Light Intensity, Insecticide Concentration, and Time on the Efficacy of Systemic Insecticides in Suppressing Populations of the Sweetpotato Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and the Citrus Mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

ABSTRACT The impact of light intensity on the uptake and persistence of the systemic neonicotinoid insecticides, imidacloprid and dinotefuran, were evaluated in poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.) and yellow sage (Lantana camara L.). Insecticide residues were measured in leaves sampled from the treated plants at four time intervals after treatment to determine the relationship between insecticide concentration and efficacy against two insect pests: sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, and the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri Risso. The insecticides were evaluated at their respective label rate and at the comparable label rate of the other insecticide under two different light environments: ambient and shade. The uptake of dinotefuran into yellow sage was more rapid at both treatment rates than both rates of imidacloprid, resulting in higher percent mortality of whitefly nymphs (89.8–100) compared with imidacloprid (14.1–89.2) across all 4 wk. Additionally, plants that received both rate...
Context-Dependent Mating Success in Murgantia histrionica (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

ABSTRACT Animals must find and select mates in environments that naturally vary in both space and time. Of particular importance for many species are the availability and phenology of host plants for feeding and oviposition sites. Here, we used Murgantia histrionica (Hahn) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), a herbivorous insect, to determine mating preferences and success using mating assays and preferences based on odor cues.Wemanipulated the natal and encounter contexts using two different host plants, mustard and broccoli. We found that both the natal host plant and the host plant where insects encountered potential mates significantly affected mating success in this insect. Broccolireared individuals were more likely to mate in general; however, all individuals were more likely to mate when placed in an encounter context of mustard. Using a separate assay, we also found that the natal host plant affected female preference based on odor cues; females preferred the odors of males from the same natal environment...
Visual analysis tool for hierarchical additive time-series data

The authors developed a visual analysis tool for hierarchical additive time-series data. Additive time-series data are visualized via stacked graphs, and users can easily drill-down into the hierarchical structure by clicking a bar on the stacked graphs. The most important feature of the tool is showing multiple stacked graphs in parent-child relationship simultaneously.
A high-fat diet increases body weight and circulating estradiol concentrations but does not improve bone structural properties in ovariectomized mice

Bone health is influenced by body mass and estrogen. The objective of the study was to determine whether high-fat diet-induced obesity affects bone structure and alters markers of bone turnover in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. We hypothesized that a high-fat diet would increase body weight gain and serum estradiol levels in OVX mice but would not improve bone structural parameter in OVX mice. Thirty-five C57BL/6 mice were either sham operated or OVX at the age of 4 months and then fed either a normal-fat diet (10% energy as fat) or a high-fat diet (45% energy as fat with extra fat from lard) ad libitum for 11 weeks. Ovariectomy increased body weight, serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase concentration, and expression of cathepsin K in bone; decreased serum estradiol concentration; and induced significant bone loss manifested by decreased bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), connectivity density (Conn.D), trabecular number, and trabecular thickness with increased trabecular separation and structural model index (P < .01). The high-fat diet increased body weight (P < .01) in OVX mice and nonsignificantly decreased BV/TV (P = .08) and Conn.D (P = .10). Despite having similar serum estradiol concentrations and higher body weight, OVX mice consuming the high-fat diet had lower BV/TV, Conn.D, trabecular number, trabecular thickness, and higher structural model index and trabecular separation than did sham mice fed the normal-fat diet. These findings indicate that increased body weight and elevated serum estradiol concentration induced by a high-fat diet do not mitigate ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice.
A Review of “The Reality Slap: Finding Peace and Fulfillment When Life Hurts”

Russ Harris. (2012). The Reality Slap: Finding Peace and Fulfillment When Life Hurts. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 208 pp., $12.92 (paperback).Life-altering events can threaten the well...
Going Back 100 Years: Red Smith and the Saratoga Quote

The paper examines the history of the quote attributed to Red Smith about Saratoga Springs that “From New York City you drive north for about 175 miles, turn left on Union Avenue and go back 100 years."
Isolierter Schwindel bei vertebrobasilärer Ischämie – gibt es das?

An isolated vertigo may occur in vertebrobasilar ischemia, especially as the first symptom of cerebellar ischemia or basilar artery occlusive disease. Based on neuroanatomical findings, these short-lasting vertigo attacks result from transient insufficiency of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA), which supplies the inner ear and leads to ischemia of the upper parts of the vestibular labyrinth. Persisting vertigo with or without lateropulsion may occur in cerebellar infarctions with involvement of the medial inferior hemispheres due to occlusion of the medial branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Caloric testing with oculography can usually differentiate cerebellar infarction and peripheral vestibular disease. Since ischemic lesions with AICA insufficiency may cause pathological results in caloric testing, both clinical and neurophysiological analysis of associated oculomotor signs is essential for a correct diagnosis.
Competitive Fitness of the “Sooty” Mutant of the Pink Bollworm

Pink bollworms, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), carrying a dominant body-color mutation, sooty, when placed in competition with either laboratory wild-type or native wild-type populations showed fitness values 75 to >100% of the wild-type phenotype. On the average, the percentage of sooty individuals declined when measured over 10 generations of laboratory competition. However, the sooty allele was able to enter and increase in frequency in wild-type populations in some laboratory and field cage tests. In field cage experiments, sooty moths treated with 0, 7, 10, or 20 krad all showed some reproductive potential, the level of reproductive potential being inversely related to the dose of radiation. At the release numbers used in this experiment, irradiation dose levels of 7 and 10 krad more effectively reduced population numbers than the 20-krad dose. These tests demonstrate the usefulness of a dominant body color marker in population dynamics studies and in insect control programs such as the sterile-insect release method using laboratory-reared pink bollworms.
Specific localization of anti-rat-lung serum in the lung.

SummaryBy labelling anti-rat-lung serum with radioiodine and injecting it into rats, it was found that the anti-rat-lung serum contained antibody which localized specifically in the lung. It also contained antibody which cross-reacted with and localized in the kidney. Anti-rat-brain, -liver, and -heart sera were also investigated and showed no specific localization, but these experiments were considered inconclusive.The data presented show that kidney tissue is not unique in being able to localize antibody from tissue homologous antiserum.
Ductility Enhancement from Interface Dislocation Sources in a Directionally Solidified β (γ + γ′) Ni-Fe-Al Composite Alloy.

A directionally solidified β + (γ + γ′) Ni-Fe-AI in-situ composite alloy of composition Ni 50 Fe 30 Al 20 (at.%) has been used to investigate the effect of a plastically soft second phase on the mechanical behavior of a B 2 ordered intermetallic alloy. This material exhibits extensive plasticity during compressive deformation at room temperature and fails in shear with extensive γ + γ′ lamellar or rod pull-out. The material also exhibits ∼10% tensile elongation to fracture at room temperature, with final fracture that includes substantial necking of the γ + γ′ lamellae or rods. Observation of slip lines and dislocation substructures discloses that the normally brittle β matrix undergoes extensive plasticity in order to deform compatibly with the more ductile γ phase. The plasticity of the β matrix is accomplished by the generation of glissile dislocations into the β matrix from the β/γ interface region and is enhanced because of a favorable β - γ orientation relationship for slip transfer. Ductility enhancement from interface-generated mobile dislocations generated from β-γ interfaces is compared to that observed in film-coated β-NiAl single crystals and FeAl polycrystals.
Multilayer Ferrite Inductor Substrate for Ceramic-Based High Current Point-of-Load (POL) Converter

Abstract High power-density and high efficiency are the two driving forces for point-of-load (POL) converters used in portable electronics and other applications where system miniaturization is required. Discrete passive components, especially bulky inductors, have become the bottleneck for downsizing POL converters. Low-temperature sintered Ni-Cu-Zn ferrite tapes for multilayer chip inductors have been widely studied and used in high-frequency power electronics applications. In our previous study, a low-profile, planar inductor substrate with lateral flux pattern was fabricated using mixed commercial low-fire Ni-Cu-Zn ferrite tapes and compatible low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) processing. However, thermal interface material was used between active circuit board and passive layer (ferrite substrate), which increases the total volume of the converter and becomes a potential threat for reliability due to the mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion among different layers. Additionally, this hyb...
Sex chromosome ratios determined by karyotypic analysis in albumin-isolated human sperm *

Human sperm that had been processed for Y-enrichment (male sex preselection) according to a currently favored albumin density gradient procedure were analyzed karyotypically for the proportion of X and Y chromosomes with the use of the human sperm/hamster egg system. This method allows direct inspection of haploid chromosome complements from human sperm. In 290 albumin-isolated sperm from six men, there were 57.2% X- and 42.8% Y-bearing chromosome complements; 201 unprocessed concurrent control sperm from five of the men had 50.2% X and 49.8% Y complements. The observed shift in sex chromosome ratio in processed samples, a decrease in Y-bearing sperm, was not statistically different from that of unprocessed controls (P = 0.13) but was significantly different when compared with the theoretic X/Y ratio of 50/50 (P = 0.016). A total of 3187 historical control karyotypes were also reviewed, with an overall sex chromosome ratio (X/Y) of 49.8/50.2. The control groups did not differ significantly from the expected 50/50. The Y-enrichment of processed sperm was not confirmed.
Performance, forage utilization, and ergovaline consumption by beef cows grazing endophyte fungus-infected tall fescue, endophyte fungus-free tall fescue, or orchardgrass pastures

Two 120-d trials (May to September, 1988 and 1989) determined the effects of grazing tall fescue (two varieties) or orchardgrass on forage intake and performance by beef cows. Each summer, 48 cow-calf pairs grazed endophyte-infected Kentucky-31 tall fescue (KY-31), endophyte-free Mozark tall fescue (MOZARK), or Hallmark orchardgrass (OG) pastures (16 pairs/treatment). Forage OM intakes and digestibilities were determined during June and August each year. Cow and calf BW and milk production were determined every 28 d. During June of both years, OM intakes did not differ (P greater than .10) among treatments. During August of 1988, intakes were 18% lower (P less than .05) by KY-31 cows (1.6% of BW) than by MOZARK or OG cows (average 1.95% of BW); however, no differences (P greater than .10) were measured in August of 1989. Estimates of ergovaline consumption during June from KY-31 were between 4.2 (1988) and 6.0 mg/d (1989), whereas August estimates were between 1.1 (1988) and 2.8 mg/d (1989). Ergovaline in MOZARK estrusa was below detection limits, except in August of 1989. Cows that grazed KY-31 lost three times (P less than .01) more BW than cows that grazed MOZARK or OG (42 vs 9 and 13 kg, respectively). Milk production by KY-31 cows was 25% lower (P less than .01) than that by cows that grazed MOZARK or OG (6.0 vs average of 8.0 kg/d). Similarly, slower (P less than .01) calf gains were noted for KY-31 than for MOZARK or OG (.72 vs .89 and .88 kg/d, respectively). Cows grazing KY-31 experienced accelerated BW loss and reduced milk production and weaned lighter calves than did cows grazing MOZARK or OG. Decreased performance was not explained by consistently reduced forage intakes; hence, altered nutrient utilization was suspected.
The Possibility of Permanent Unemployment

Building on Smith and Mill, modern analyses of international trade and of the gains which are to be derived from the unimpeded exchange of goods and services incorporate the assumption that resources in all countries are fully utilised. Meade’s modern classic (1955) is no exception. The doctrine of free trade must, therefore, accept the same presumption: that full employment will exist under conditions of perfectly free trade (given adequate aggregate demand). In terms of the definitions of adjustment given in Chapter 1, a lack of compatibility of free trade with full employment would constitute a case of ‘chronic’ adjustment costs. Under such conditions, workers displaced from import-competing industries would not be able to find alternative employment at a welfare subsistence income.1 As noted, ‘chronic’ in this context must mean that unemployment and adjustment costs endure for longer than is socially tolerable. The allegation that adjustment costs are ‘chronic’ does not require proof that a freely operating system of global markets would not be able to achieve full employment in some far, far distant time.
Threat Modeling in Cyber-Physical Systems

To design a secure system we need to understand its possible threats, more specifically we need to understand how the components of the architecture are compromised and used by an attacker in order to fulfill his objectives and how the attack proceeds through these units. We can do this using misuse patterns, an artifact we have introduced in earlier work. Threat modeling of IT systems has been widely explored but there is no much work on cyber-physical system (CPS) threats. CPSs are complex and heterogeneous systems and have many vulnerabilities. We discuss here how to extend misuse patterns to describe CPS threats and how to enumerate and unify CPS threats. This approach can be valuable to complement methodologies to build secure CPSs. We show our ideas through a metamodel and an example.
The relative temporal sequence of decline in mobility and cognition among initially unimpaired older adults: Results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

BACKGROUND: most older individuals who experience mobility decline, also show cognitive decline, but whether cognitive decline precedes or follows mobility limitation is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: examine the temporal sequence of mobility and cognition among initially unimpaired older adults. METHODS: mobility and cognition were assessed every 2 years for 6 years in 412 participants aged ≥60 with initially unimpaired cognition and gait speed. Using autoregressive models, accounting for the dependent variable from the prior assessment, baseline age, sex, body mass index and education, we examine the temporal sequence of change in mobility (6 m usual gait speed, 400 m fast walk time) and executive function (visuoperceptual speed: Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST); cognitive flexibility: Trail Making Test part B (TMT-B)) or memory (California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) immediate, short-delay, long-delay). RESULTS: there was a bidirectional relationship over time between slower usual gait speed and both poorer DSST and TMT-B scores (Bonferroni-corrected P 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: among initially unimpaired older adults, the temporal relationship between usual gait speed and executive function is bidirectional, with each predicting change in the other, while poor fast walking performance predicts future executive function and memory changes but not vice versa. Challenging tasks like the 400 m walk appear superior to usual gait speed for predicting executive function and memory change in unimpaired older adults.Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US. Language: en
A measure of facilitators and barriers to rapid response team activation.

Abstract Purpose Poor patient outcomes and increased costs may be associated with underutilization of RRTs. The aim of this study was to develop and test an instrument that identifies specific facilitators and barriers to rapid response team (RRT) activation. Methods Using an exploratory design, we surveyed a convenience sample of 250 registered nurses (RNs) employed in five Illinois hospitals. Participants completed the online RRT Facilitators and Barriers Survey (RRT-FBS), a 36 item survey developed by the researchers. The survey contains two sections, facilitators and barriers. Items in the facilitators subscales described nursing unit culture, RRT knowledge, and RRT member characteristics. Items in the barriers subscales described nursing unit culture, RRT education, and RRT member characteristics. Item analyses were conducted through exploratory factor analyses; internal consistency estimates were obtained. Descriptive statistics were conducted on the demographic data to describe sample and setting characteristics. Results The final sample consisted of 202 nurses from four hospitals. We conducted an item analysis and were able to reduce the survey to 30 items with a secondary analysis. The full scale alpha was 0.752. Cronbach's alphas for subscales ranged from 0.770–0.897. Conclusions Facilitators and barriers may vary across institutions. This scale shows promise for identifying facilitators and barriers to nurses' use of rapid response teams and may provide a foundation for interventional studies promoting RRT utilization. In addition, more frequent education, emphasizing the RRT process, may be an effective method to maintain high rates of RRT activation and increase confidence.
Aiding risk information learning through simulated experience (ARISE): Using simulated outcomes to improve understanding of conditional probabilities in prenatal Down syndrome screening.

Abstract Objective To determine whether the use of visually-presented simulated experiences to communicate statistical information can improve an individual’s understanding of conditional probabilities—specifically the positive predictive value (PPV) of prenatal screening tests for Down syndrome. Methods In Experiment 1 ( N = 64) and Experiment 2 ( N = 180) participants were asked to estimate the PPV of a prenatal screening test for Down syndrome based on either (1) explicit statistics regarding the prevalence of Down syndrome and the sensitivity and specificity of a prenatal screening test for Down syndrome, or (2) experiencing up to 5000 simulated test results over a short time. Results Participants’ estimates of the PPV were more accurate when they had learned via simulated experiences (79% accuracy) compared with estimates based on explicitly described statistics (14%). Participants in the simulated experience condition also reported decreased interest in screening and decreased concern with a positive test result. Conclusion A visual paradigm presenting simulated experiences improves PPV estimates, compared to estimates derived from explicitly provided statistics, while also shifting attitudes away from screening. Practice implications The use of simulated experiences may prove to be simple but powerful tool to communicate complex statistical information to patients in medical decision making situations.
A Painless Introduction to Tensors

Chapter 10 is an elementary introduction to tensor algebra as applied to special relativity and used mainly in Chapter 11 on relativistic electrodynamics. The chapter starts with tensor algebra in three dimensions by giving indices to vectors. The special tensors, Kronecker delta and Levi-Civita symbol, are introduced and used in calculating the dot and cross products of vectors. The four-vectors of special relativity require a slight generalization of indices to not just subscripts but also superscripts. The idea of a covector, of which the gradient of a function is a prime example, is required by this generalization. Raising and lowering of indices lead to the dot product of 4-vectors and co-vectors. As an important example of index manipulation, the transformation of a volume element is calculated. The four-volume is shown to be invariant under a Lorentz transformation.
Identifying the Dimensionality of Oral Language Skills of Children With Typical Development in Preschool Through Fifth Grade

Purpose Language is a multidimensional construct from prior to the beginning of formal schooling to near the end of elementary school. The primary goals of this study were to identify the dimension...
A Chamber Investigation of Nitric Acid-Soot Aerosol Chemistry at 298 K

Long-pathlength infrared absorption spectroscopy wasused to investigate nitric acid-soot aerosol chemistryat 298 K and 0.5% relative humidity. Experimentswere performed by introducing nitric acid vapor(PHNO3 ∼ 3 Pa, Ptotal ∼ 40 kPa) intoateflon-coated chamber and initiating acquisition ofinfrared spectra at 3 minute time intervals. After 36minutes of data collection, soot powder was rapidlyexpanded into nitric acid contained in the chamber togenerate a soot-HNO3 aerosol. Infrared spectracollected before, and after, soot introduction to thechamber were used to characterize chamber wallreaction processes and soot aerosol chemistry,respectively. Three soot types were investigated(Degussa FW2, Cabot Monarch 1000, and crystallinegraphite), each yielding similar chemistry. Upon sootintroduction to the chamber both HNO3 uptake andNO2 production occurred, with the molar ratio ofHNO3 uptake to NO2 production varying from1.2 to 2.9 for the three soot types studied. Unreacted HNO3 was present at the conclusion ofeach of the aerosol experiments, indicating incompleteconversion of HNO3 into NO2. Thisobservation suggested that `active' sites at the sootsurface responsible for the reduction of HNO3 arenot regenerated (i.e., formed) in the reactionprocess. In essence, a titration occurred betweenthese active sites and HNO3. The NO2concentrations produced, the soot mass concentrationsused, and the BET measured specific surface area ofthe powders allowed computation of the surface densityof active sites of ∼4.0 × 10-18 m2/active site(describing all three powders studied). This is thefirst reported measurement of surface density ofactive sites for nitric acid chemistry on soot. Sinceatmospheric heterogeneous reactions that exhibitsurface deactivation may, in principle, affect tracegas concentration, we perform an assessment in thisregard.
The erasure of race in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None

Chester Himes chose a line from a children’s nursery rhyme for the title of his novel If He Hollers Let Him Go (1945). The phrase first appeared in “Eena, meena, mina, mo,” a late nineteenth-centur...
Case of giant left atrium from congestive heart failure

A 79-year-old woman with a history of diastolic heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and rheumatic heart disease status-post mitral valve replacement presented with worsening shortness of breath and exercise tolerance for 1 month. Her exercise tolerance had decreased from 5 city blocks to several feet, while her weight had increased from 174 pounds to 187 pounds. On examination, she was unable to lay flat, her jugular venous pressure was 15 cm, C and V waves were positive, she had a mechanical S1, 4/6 holosystolic murmur, 1/4 diastolic …
Myb and Ets Proteins Are Candidate Regulators of c-kit Expression in Human Hematopoietic Cells

Kit is a tyrosine kinase receptor that plays an important role in human hematopoietic cell growth. The promoter elements that modulate the gene's expression have not been extensively studied. Because of c-kit's acknowledged importance in hematopoiesis, we sought to address this issue in more detail. To perform these studies we analyzed a human c-kit 5' flanking fragment approximately 1 kilobase in length. Deletion constructs showed a region approximately 139 nucleotides upstream from the translation initiation site that was critical for promoter activity. A region containing a potential silencing element was also identified. Sequence analysis indicated several potential Myb- and Ets-binding sites. The functional significance of these sites was explored by showing that both wild-type Myb and Ets-2 protein, but not a DNA binding-deficient Myb mutant protein, bound to distinct 5' flanking fragments that included these sites. Furthermore, binding of recombinant Myb and Ets-2 protein to these fragments could be competed with an excess of double stranded oligodeoxynucleotides containing canonical, but not mutated, Myb- or Ets-binding sites. We also showed that the 5' flanking region of c-kit exhibited promoter activity in nonhematopoietic cells only when the cells were transfected with c-myb or ets-2 expression vectors. Moreover, Myb and Ets-2 coexpression in such cells augmented transactivation of c-kit promoter constructs in comparison to that observed in cells transfected with either construct alone. Promoter constructs lacking various Myb and Ets sites deleted were much less effective in this same system. Finally, Myb and Ets-2 mRNA expression was detected in CD34+, Kit low as well as CD34+, Kit bright cells. In aggregate, these data further define the human c-kit promoter's functional anatomy and suggest that Myb and Ets proteins play an important, perhaps cooperative, role in regulating expression of this critical hematopoietic cell receptor.
Fish Feeding Experiments

Many fish feeding experiments must be conducted in a controlled environment to prevent interaction of environmental effects, such as natural food organisms, temperature, and water quality, with the nutrient variable being studied in the experiment. For example, nutrient requirements cannot be determined unless nutrient consumption by fish is precisely known. Such studies are conducted in aquaria or tanks, indoors, with controlled temperature and water quality. Some studies, however, which involve evaluation of practical feed formulations or feeding regimes, should be conducted under conditions as similar as possible to the conditions where the results will be applied while at the same time allowing for accurate collection and analysis of data. These studies are conducted in experimental ponds, raceways, pens, and similar enclosures of water.
The complexity of estimating Rényi entropy

It was recently shown that estimating the Shannon entropy H(p) of a discrete k-symbol distribution p requires Θ(k/log k) samples, a number that grows near-linearly in the support size. In many applications H(p) can be replaced by the more general Renyi entropy of order α, Hα(p). We determine the number of samples needed to estimate Hα(p) for all α, showing that α 1 requires near-linear, roughly k samples, but integer α > 1 requires only Θ(k1-1/α) samples. In particular, estimating H2(p), which arises in security, DNA reconstruction, closeness testing, and other applications, requires only Θ([EQUATION]k) samples. The estimators achieving these bounds are simple and run in time linear in the number of samples.
Mathematics in the Mountains: The Park City Mathematics Institute

It's noon. A Fields medalist, master high school teachers from the US and abroad, aspiring undergraduate and gradu ate students, gifted expositors of mathematics, and mathe matical artists gather at tables under a tent. Lunch and so much more is served at these meetings of the minds. This cross-pollination of mathematicians from many walks of life is the hallmark of the Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI). "One of the great things about PCMI is that it gives participants opportunities to interact with people from differ ent parts of the mathematical community," enthused Professor Jessica Sidman of Mt. Holyoke College, who was one of the undergraduate lecturers this year, "I wish I had known about it when I was an undergraduate. Coming from a small liberal arts college, I essentially didn't have substantive interactions with graduate students until I became one!" Each summer since 1994 the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton has spon sored this unique mathematics event in Park City, Utah. For three weeks mathematics researchers, scholars, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as mathematics educators at the secondary level, gather for research, study, and diversions (mathematical and otherwise) in Park City, a setting of breath taking mountain scenery and outdoor opportunities. The pro gram is supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Security Agency and a host of smaller public and pri vate grants. Every year PCMI has a theme; this past year it was Ana lytic and Algebraic Geometry: Common Problems Different Methods. The undergraduate program had a three week long lecture course by David Perkinson of Reed College on algebraic geometry designed to be accessible to rising soph omores. "The Undergraduate Summer School is an extraordi nary opportunity. It provides students with a broad overview of a subject and introduces them to the wider mathematical com munity," commented Perkinson ."After seeing this program firsthand, I will routinely encourage our students to attend." In addition, three one-week seminars on topics in algebraic PCMI participants put the finishing touches on a truncated icosahedron assembled out of CDs and cable ties. Noted
Effects of Sequential Participation in Evidence-Based Health and Wellness Programs Among Older Adults

Background and Objectives Evidence suggests participation in evidence-based programs by older adults is effective, yet most studies focus on participation in a single evidence-based program, leaving repeated participation insufficiently understood. We aimed to compare participation in multiple evidence-based programs (repeaters) versus a single evidence-based program (nonrepeaters). Research Design and Methods Secondary data analysis was conducted on pre-post longitudinal data targeting older adults participating in evidence-based program(s) in Texas (2013-2016). Surveys included sociodemographic and health-related indicators (e.g., self-rated health, health behaviors, and falls-risks). Mixed-effects models examined pre-post changes in health-related indicators. Results Of the 734 study-eligible participants, 145 (20%) participated in two or more evidence-based programs. The participants' average age was 74 years, and the majority was female (80%), non-Hispanic White (79%), or lived in urban or large rural cities/towns (79%). At baseline, repeaters reported less depressive symptomology (p = .049), fewer chronic conditions (p = .048), and less concern of falling (p = .030) than nonrepeaters. Repeaters had better workshop attendance and completion rates (p < .001). Compared to nonrepeaters, repeaters showed significantly-better improvements in communication with physicians (p = .013). Discussion and Implications Study findings suggest potential benefits of participation in multiple evidence-based program workshops, but repeaters may have different health profiles than nonrepeaters in natural settings. Future evaluations should consider participants' past participations in evidence-based programs. Further research is needed to build more comprehensive evidence about the incremental benefits of participation in multiple evidence-based programs.
The Impact of Customer Characteristics and Moral Philosophies on EthicalJudgments of Salespeople

This study considers customer characteristics as situational influences on a salesperson'sethical judgment formation. Specifically, customer gender, income, and propensity to buy were considered as factors which may bias these judgments. Additionally, the gender of the salesperson and their moral value structure were examined as moderating effects. An experiment using real estate agents reading hypothetical sales scenarios revealed differences across (1) customer gender, (2) customer income, and (3) level of the respondent'sidealism. Significant interactive effects with these factors were also found involving respondent gender and level of idealism. These and previous findings which consider situational effects on ethical decision-making, indicate that a more contingent approach to ethics studies is warranted.
High Kilohertz Frequency Fiber Optic Phase Modulators

For several years we have been conducting studies of the behavior of various types of optical fiber sensors, including hydrophones, microphones, accelerometers and pressure transducers [1–5]. Experimentally this has involved mainly the use of Mach-Zehnder fiber Interferometer configurations which can be highly sensitive to thermal and other forms of environmental disturbance. It has been convenient, therefore, to employ fiber -phase shifters in conjunction with electronic feedback circuitry to maintain the interferometers In quadrature, I.e., with a constant tt/2 phase shift between the optical beams from the two arms, so that they operate at their maximum sensitivity [6, 7].