On the (Un)Reliability of TCP Connections: The Return of the End-to-End Argument

This paper discusses the dangers of relying solely on TCP reliability when implementing dependable computing systems, even when those systems are designed to work over a LAN environment. The discussion includes a real-life example from our recent experiences in developing such a system.     

A note on the average run length of cumulative sum control charts for count data

This note presents preliminary results on the average run length (ARL) of a Cumulative Sum Control Chart (CUSUM) used to monitor defects or counts, when the count distribution is Neyman Type-A. The ARL for this distribution is contrasted to the more customary Poisson model for counts or defects. We show that the ARL curve of a Neyman Type-A CUSUM always lies below the ARL curve of a Poisson CUSUM.     

Acoustically Enhanced Water Mist Suppression of Heptane Fueled Flames

Recent research has shown that acoustics can be used to suppress flames from a liquid fuel source. The results of these experiments indicated that acoustics alone are insufficient to control flames beyond the incipient stage. Recent research has also shown that variations in the delivery of water mist to a fire can enhance the mist’s efficiency. Therefore, the addition of acoustics to water mist may be an effective means of enhancing an established fire protection technology. For the first time, acoustics and water mist have been combined and studied as a flame suppression strategy. A series of experiments were conducted that explored the potential for coupling acoustics with water mist as means of flame suppression. Heptane fueled flames were created from two different sized ceramic fiber wicks: 30 mm?×?50 mm with 5 mL of fuel, and 60 mm?×?100 mm with 20 mL of fuel. The flames were then exposed to water mist delivered at a constant rate, which was found to be incapable of suppressing the flames. Next, low frequency sound waves at 62 Hz and 80 Hz were used to suppress flames from both wicks, with each frequency being generated by a different resonator. Finally, acoustics from both resonators were combined with water mist, and used to suppress flames from both wicks. The results showed that a combination of acoustic waves and water mist suppressed the flames more effectively than each individual technique on its own. This finding opens the possibility of developing more efficient ways to use water mist technology.     

Antioxidative activities of bran extracts from twenty one pigmented rice cultivars

Ethanol–water (70:30, v/v) extracts from the bran of rice seeds from twenty one pigmented and one nonpigmented rice cultivars were evaluated for antioxidative activities using the following tests: inhibition of peroxidation of linoleic acid; inhibition of peroxidation of rabbit lipid erythrocyte membranes; reduction of potassium ferricyanide, and scavenging of superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals. With some exceptions, extracts from the pigmented rice seeds had higher antioxidative activity than did the nonpigmented variety. The following pigmented cultivars had the highest antioxidative activities in all tests: Jumlalocal-1, Parnkhari 203, DZ78, LK1-3-6-12-1-1, and Elwee. A significant correlation was also noted between reducing power, inhibition of erythrocyte ghost membrane peroxidation, and superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging. The results suggest that: (a) ferricyanide reducing power might be a useful and simple index for large-scale evaluation of antioxidative potencies of natural products present in rice; (b) pigmented rice varieties with high antioxidative activities provide a source of antioxidants and a genetic resource to develop new health-promoting rice cultivars.     

Five-factor personality traits and subjective health among caregivers: The role of caregiver strain and self-efficacy.

This study examined the association among caregivers' five-factor personality traits and subjective health with particular emphasis on the role of two theoretically implicated mediators: multi-domain self-efficacy and caregiver strain. The sample comprised 536 informal caregivers (mean age = 62.9 years, SD = 19.9, 72% female, 98% White) of community-dwelling older adults with multiple functional impairments. Both physical health and mental health were negatively associated with neuroticism and positively associated with extraversion and conscientiousness. Agreeableness and openness were associated with better subjective mental health and physical health, respectively. Multiple mediation analyses indicated that self-efficacy mediated all observed associations between personality and subjective health, whereas caregiver strain selectively mediated the associations of neuroticism and agreeableness with mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multifinality in implicit choice.

This research examines the possibility that people's choices in the service of an explicit focal goal may also reflect their tendency to fulfill implicit background goals and in that sense are multifinal. We carried out 5 experimental studies to investigate this notion. In Experiment 1, a primed implicit goal affected individuals' choices even when those avowedly served an explicit “focal” goal. Experiment 2 replicated this finding with a different type of implicit goals. Experiment 3 found that primed implicit goals had no effect on choices where the options that served them undermined the explicit goal. Experiment 4 found that a primed implicit goal served by a multifinal option does not privilege it over a unifinal option if that goal had been already attained by a different means. Finally, Experiment 5, via 3 types of control groups, showed that choices were affected by both the explicit and implicit goals in isolation, and they shifted toward multifinality when these goals were conjointly present. The discussion considers the integrative potential of the multifinality framework and its implications for a variety of phenomena in the domain of motivated cognition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Normative data for the F(p) Scale of the MMPI–2: Implications for clinical and forensic assessment of malingering.

Data from several clinical samples and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2 standardization group are presented to familiarize the reader with response patterns of different groups on a new validity scale designed to assist in the identification of exaggeration or fabrication of psychological disturbance. Sensitivity-specificity analyses are included along with suggestions for use of the F(p) Scale with other validity scales. Cautions about setting single cutoff scores are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aberrant methylation of p16INK4a and deletion of p15INK4b are frequent events in human esophageal cancer in Linxian, China

Esophageal transit scintigraphy seems to be a valid methodology to assess impaired esophageal motility in early stages of disease. The purpose of this study was to discriminate patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) from healthy subjects by esophageal scintigraphy with a semisolid meal. METHODS: We studied 32 patients with primary RP, 18 with SSc and 13 healthy subjects. Dysphagia, acid regurgitation and heartburn were scored. After an overnight fast, all subjects underwent esophageal scintigraphy, using a semisolid orally ingested bolus (10 mL apple puree) labeled with 99mTc-sulfur colloid. Esophageal transit and emptying time and integral value were evaluated with the subjects in the upright (sitting) and supine positions. Transit time was defined as the time from the entry of 50% of radioactivity into the upper esophagus until the clearance of 50% of the bolus from the whole esophagus. Emptying time was defined as the time from the entry of 50% of radioactivity into the upper esophagus, until the clearance of 100% of the bolus from the whole esophagus. Integral value was defined as the total counts under the time-activity curve normalized to the maximum. RESULTS: Esophageal transit and emptying time and integral value, evaluated in both positions, were significantly higher in patients with SSc than in healthy subjects and than in patients with RP. Moreover, patients with RP had all three parameters, assessed in supine position, significantly longer compared to healthy subjects. Clinical scores regarding dysphagia, acid regurgitation and heartburn were not significantly different between patients with RP and SSc. CONCLUSION: Esophageal transit and emptying time and integral value appear to be able to discriminate patients with primary RP from patients with SSc and patients with RP from healthy subjects, suggesting an early mild esophageal dysfunction in RP.     

Seeing versus imagining movement in depth.

Six undergraduate students participated in 2 experiments to determine whether the same mechanisms are activated during perception of real vs apparent motion. In Exp 1, Ss judged the quality of rigid motion between pairs of 3-dimensional drawings that differed by a rotation in depth. Rated quality of motion decreased with increasing angular disparity between the figures and with decreasing stimulus duration, regardless of whether the figures were vertical or oblique. In Exp 2, Ss participated in a mental rotation task using the same stimuli and angular disparities. Ss took longer to make decisions about obliquely aligned than vertically aligned stimuli. Results imply that perceived vs imagined movement through the same trajectory involves different processes. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)