The U.S. Treasury Tests a New Payment Mechanism

This case presents a set of technical issues confronting the United States Treasury eCheck Pilot Project team in January 2000. The team, which included representatives from the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Fleet Boston, Bank of America, and several hardware and software vendors, was testing a new Internet-based payment mechanism (eCheck). The system had already been tested for a year and a half with the participation of the two commercial banks (Fleet Boston, Bank of America), but this portion of the pilot was now coming to an end. During the first phase of the project, several key design choices had been made, including the use of smart cards to hold digital certificates, and specification of the information flows among the participants (payer, payee, payer bank, payee bank). Now, the system would need to be modified so that the U.S. Treasury could continue to make eCheck payments to a few defense contractors, with the help of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Two new designs are presented for evaluation

Is There Gold in California Data Mines?: Using Stakeholder Theory to Analyze the Tradeoff Berween Individual Privacy and the Public Good

In the public sector, tradeoffs between individual citizen concerns and the public good can be complex, since individual goals can conflict with the government’s goals for assuring equity and social welfare. This paper reports on a case study of the Integrated Non-Filer Compliance (INC) system used by the California Franchise Tax Board (CFTB). Data gathered from federal, state and municipal agencies and other organizations are analyzed by CFTB to identify citizens who fail to file taxes or under-report income. The paper uses stakeholder theory to analyze the privacy concerns raised by this inter-agency information-sharing initiative due to the potential for inaccurate judgments based on errors in data interpretation. Key stakeholders here include California citizens, the Franchise Tax Board, and other public sector actors, including politicians and various other state and federal agencies. The paper concludes that stakeholder theory can help identify and avoid privacy issues raised in e-government applications

Staying true with the help of others: doxastic self-control through interpersonal commitment

I explore the possibility and rationality of interpersonal mechanisms of doxastic self-control, that is, ways in which individuals can make use of other people in order to get themselves to stick to their beliefs. I look, in particular, at two ways in which people can make interpersonal epistemic commitments, and thereby willingly undertake accountability to others, in order to get themselves to maintain their beliefs in the face of anticipated “epistemic temptations”. The first way is through the avowal of belief, and the second is through the establishment of collective belief. I argue that both of these forms of interpersonal epistemic commitment can function as effective tools for doxastic self-control, and, moreover, that the control they facilitate should not be dismissed as irrational from an epistemic perspective

Abnormal Leg Muscle Latencies and Relationship to Dyscoordination and Walking Disability after Stroke

The purpose was to determine timing characteristics of leg muscle latencies for patients following stroke (>12 months) who had persistent coordination and gait deficits, and to determine the relationships among abnormal latencies, dyscoordination, and gait deficits. We compared nine healthy controls and 27 stroke survivors. Surface electromyography measured activation and deactivation latencies of knee flexor and extensor muscles during a ballistic knee flexion task, consistency of latencies across repetitions, and close coupling between agonist and antagonist muscle latencies. We measured Fugl-Meyer (FM) coordination and the functional gait measure, six minute walk test (6MWT). For stroke subjects, there were significant delays of muscle activation and deactivation, abnormal inconsistency, and abnormal decoupled agonist and antagonist activations. There was good correlation between activation latencies and FM and 6MWT. Results suggest abnormal timing characteristics underlie coordination impairment and dysfunctional gait. These abnormal muscle activation and deactivation timing characteristics are important targets for rehabilitation

AROUSING FEAR IN DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION * , †

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65851/1/j.1752-7325.1965.tb00484.x.pd

Magnetic Properties of the t-J Model in the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory

We present a theory for the spin correlation function of the t-J model in the framework of the dynamical mean-field theory. Using this mapping between the lattice and a local model we are able to obtain an intuitive expression for the non-local spin susceptibility, with the corresponding local correlation function as input. The latter is calculated by means of local Goldstone diagrams following closely the procedures developed and successfully applied for the (single impurity) Anderson model.We present a systematic study of the magnetic susceptibility and compare our results with those of a Hubbard model at large U. Similarities and differences are pointed out and the magnetic phase diagram of the t-J model is discussed.Comment: 28 pages LaTeX, postscript figures as compressed and uuencoded file included fil

Construction of Efficacious Gait and Upper Limb Functional Interventions Based on Brain Plasticity Evidence and Model-Based Measures For Stroke Patients

For neurorehabilitation to advance from art to science, it must become evidence-based. Historically, there has been a dearth of evidence from which to construct rehabilitation interventions that are properly framed, accurately targeted, and credibly measured. In many instances, evidence of treatment response has not been sufficiently robust to demonstrate a change in function that is clinically, statistically, and economically important. Research evidence of activity-dependent central nervous system (CNS) plasticity and the requisite motor learning principles can be used to construct an efficacious motor recovery intervention. Brain plasticity after stroke refers to the regeneration of brain neuronal structures and/or reorganization of the function of neurons. Not only can CNS structure and function change in response to injury, but also, the changes may be modified by "activity". For gait training or upper limb functional training for stroke survivors, the "activity" is motor behavior, including coordination and strengthening exercise and functional training that comprise motor learning. Critical principles of motor learning required for CNS activity-dependent plasticity include: close-to-normal movements, muscle activation driving practice of movement; focused attention, repetition of desired movements, and training specificity. The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to restore function so that a satisfying quality of life can be experienced. Accurate measurement of dysfunction and its underlying impairments are critical to the development of accurately targeted interventions that are sufficiently robust to produce gains, not only in function, but also in quality of life. The Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Model (ICF) model of disablement, put forth by the World Health Organization, can provide not only some guidance in measurement level selection, but also can serve as a guide to incorporate function and quality of life enhancement as the ultimate goals of rehabilitation interventions. Based on the evidence and principles of activity-dependent plasticity and motor learning, we developed gait training and upper limb functional training protocols. Guided by the ICF model, we selected and developed measures with characteristics rendering them most likely to capture change in the targeted aspects of intervention, as well as measures having membership not only in the impairment, but also in the Daly and Ruff: Evidence-based stroke motor interventions TheScientificWorldJOURNAL (2007) 7, 2031-2045 2032 functional or life role participation levels contained in the ICF model. We measured response to innovative gait training using a knee flexion coordination measure, coefficient of coordination consistency (ACC) of relative hip/knee (H/K) movement across multiple steps (H/K ACC), and milestones of participation in life role activities. We measured response to upper limb functional training according to measures designed to quantify functional gains in response to treatment targeted at wrist/hand or shoulder elbow training (Arm Motor Ability Test for wrist/hand (AMAT W/H) or shoulder/elbow (AMAT S/E)). We found that there was a statistically significant advantage for adding FES-IM gait training to an otherwise comparable and comprehensive gait training, according to the following measures: H/K ACC, the measure of consistently executed hip/knee coordination during walking; a specific measure of isolated joint knee flexion coordination; and a measure of multiple coordinated gait components. Further, enhanced gains in gait component coordination were robust enough to result in achievement of milestones in participation in life role activities. In the upper limb functional training study, we found that robotics + motor learning (ROB ML; shoulder/elbow robotics practice plus motor learning) produced a statistically significant gain in AMAT S/E; whereas functional electrical stimulation + motor learning (FES ML) did not. We found that FES ML (wrist/hand FES plus motor learning) produced a statistically significant gain in AMAT W/H; whereas ROB ML did not. These results together, support the phenomenon of training specificity in that the most practiced joint movements improved in comparison to joint movements that were practiced at a lesser intensity and frequency. Both ROB ML and FES ML protocols addressed an array of impairments thought to underlie dysfunction. If we are willing to adhere to the ICF model, we accept the challenge that the goal of rehabilitation is life role participation, with functional improvement as in important intermediary step. The ICF model suggests that we intervene at multiple lower levels (e.g., pathology and impairment) in order to improve the higher levels of function and life role participation. The ICF model also suggests that we measure at each level. Not only can we then understand response to treatment at each level, but also, we can begin to understand relationships between levels (e.g., impairment and function). With the ICF model proffering the challenge of restoring life role participation, it then becomes important to design and test interventions that result in impairment gains sufficiently robust to be reflected in functional activities and further, in life role participation. Fortunately, CNS plasticity and associated motor learning principles can serve well as the basis for generating such interventions. These principles were useful in generating both efficacious gait training and efficacious upper limb functional training interventions. These principles led to the use of therapeutic agents (FES and robotics) so that close-to-normal movements could be practiced. These principles supported the use of specific therapeutic agents (BWSTT, FES, and robotics) so that sufficient movement repetition could be provided. These principles also supported incorporation of functional task practice and the demand of attention to task practice within the intervention. The ICF model provided the challenge to restore function and life role participation. The means to that end was provided by principles of CNS plasticity and motor learning

Dynamic scaling regimes of collective decision making

We investigate a social system of agents faced with a binary choice. We assume there is a correct, or beneficial, outcome of this choice. Furthermore, we assume agents are influenced by others in making their decision, and that the agents can obtain information that may guide them towards making a correct decision. The dynamic model we propose is of nonequilibrium type, converging to a final decision. We run it on random graphs and scale-free networks. On random graphs, we find two distinct regions in terms of the "finalizing time" -- the time until all agents have finalized their decisions. On scale-free networks on the other hand, there does not seem to be any such distinct scaling regions

Mass recovery of carbonated fabrics of glass fibres after isothermal heating

Acknowledgement: Authors acknowledge financial support from Latvian National Program IMIS2Leaching of Na+ ions in sodium oxide (Na2O) and silica (SiO2) containing glass is well investigated mainly due to its weak weathering. The object of this study was naturally (at room conditions) leached, steady state product on surface of sodium oxide-silica-alumina (Al2O3) glass fibers (in fabric) in a form of shell of "glyed" trona crystals as a result of interaction of leached Na+ ions and H2O and CO2 from atmosphere. There are presented results of continued former investigation of mass loss by isothermal heating of fabric and mass recovery in different atmospheres during the first phase of adsorption (at least 0.25h) without changes of state of crystals obtained during preheating at different temperatures. There are observed two ways of decomposition of trona (Na3H (CO3)2•2H2O) with its beginning at about 55-570C and 73-750C. The regression analysis of mass restoring in different atmospheres indicates to simultaneous and exponential mass increase by physical adsorption of CO2 and H2O having the different parameters of exponents vs time. Decomposition of trona is discussed in terms of parameters of exponent vs preheating temperature.Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART