cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online Contracts (2019)

This is a chapter from Prof. Goldman's casebook, Internet Law: Cases & Materials (2019 edition). The chapter covers the law and practice of contracts online. It contains three principal cases (Meyer v. Uber, Register.com v. Verio, and Harris v. Blockbuster), supplemented by extensive notes, examples, commentary, and review questions.
Longitudinal Study of the Market Penetration of Cockpit Weather Information Systems

The purpose of the longitudinal research of the market penetration of cockpit weather information systems (CWIS) is to contribute to the body of knowledge on modeling advanced technology feasibility in aviation by tracking and analyzing the market adoption of CWIS over a three year period. This research takes advantage of a previous study, conducted by Dr. Paul Kauffmann in 2000, which demonstrated an integrated and cost effective approach to evaluate advanced technology feasibility, examining the feasibility of CWIS in five market segments: transport, commuter, general aviation, business, and rotorcraft. The longitudinal research consists of two consecutive studies and produced two reports. The first report was submitted in August 2003 and included general market analysis about the CWIS products in the market at the time, identified their characteristics and examined developing market dynamics.
Introduction to the Special Issue on the 2018 IEEE Symposium on VLSI Circuits—Part II

Parts I and II of the Special Issue of the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Letters are dedicated to selected papers presented at the IEEE Symposium on VLSI Circuits held on June 18–22, 2018, in Honolulu, HI, USA. The IEEE Symposium on VLSI Circuits is jointly organized with the IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology, providing good opportunities for interaction between the experts in the two areas. Part II of the Special Issue covers papers on digital, memory, security, sensors, and wireline circuits and systems.
Chronic opioid pretreatment potentiates the sensitization of fear learning by trauma

Despite the large comorbidity between PTSD and opioid use disorders, as well as the common treatment of physical injuries resulting from trauma with opioids, the ability of opioid treatments to subsequently modify PTSD-related behavior has not been well studied. Using the stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) model for PTSD, we characterized the impact of chronic opioid regimens on the sensitization of fear learning seen following traumatic stress in mice. We demonstrate for the first time that chronic opioid pretreatment is able to robustly augment associative fear learning. Highlighting aversive learning as the cognitive process mediating this behavioral outcome, these changes were observed after a considerable period of drug cessation, generalized to learning about multiple aversive stimuli, were not due to changes in stimulus sensitivity or basal anxiety, and correlated with a marker of synaptic plasticity within the basolateral amygdala. Additionally, these changes were not observed when opioids were given after the traumatic event. Moreover, we found that neither reducing the frequency of opioid administration nor bidirectional manipulation of acute withdrawal impacted the subsequent enhancement in fear learning seen. Given the fundamental role of associative fear learning in the generation and progression of PTSD, these findings are of direct translational relevance to the comorbidity between opioid dependence and PTSD, and they are also pertinent to the use of opioids for treating pain resulting from traumas involving physical injuries.
The Role of Psychological Proximity and Social Ties Influence in Promoting a Social Media Recycling Campaign

As environmental threats intensify rapidly across the globe, understanding how to promote public engagement in pro-environmental actions to address these threats is imperative. Contributing to the ...
The origin of lift – understanding lift

In this note, an attempt at giving as simple as possible an explanation for the lift of an airfoil is proposed based on an intuitive use of Newton's law on one hand and the application of the well-established inviscid flow theory of thin airfoils on the other. A thin parabolic cambered plate is chosen as profile at zero incidence because the flow it produces minimises viscous effects and the particle paths along the plate, above and below it, have the same length, thus proving the 'equal transit' explanation to be wrong.
SPIDERS: Low-Cost Wireless Glasses for Continuous In-Situ Bio-Signal Acquisition and Emotion Recognition

We present a System for Processing In-situ Bio-signal Data for Emotion Recognition and Sensing (SPIDERS)– a low-cost, wireless, glasses-based platform for continuous in-situ monitoring of user's facial expressions (apparent emotions) and real emotions. We present algorithms to provide four core functions (eye shape and eyebrow movements, pupillometry, zygomaticus muscle movements, and head movements), using the bio-signals acquired from three non-contact sensors (IR camera, proximity sensor, IMU). SPIDERS distinguishes between different classes of apparent and real emotion states based on the aforementioned four bio-signals. We prototype advanced functionalities including facial expression detection and real emotion classification with a landmarks and optical flow based facial expression detector that leverages changes in a user's eyebrows and eye shapes to achieve up to 83.87% accuracy, as well as a pupillometry-based real emotion classifier with higher accuracy than other low-cost wearable platforms that use sensors requiring skin contact. SPIDERS costs less than $20 to assemble and can continuously run for up to 9 hours before recharging. We demonstrate that SPIDERS is a truly wireless and portable platform that has the capability to impact a wide range of applications, where knowledge of the user's emotional state is critical.
The Ophthalmology Chief Resident: Does Surgical Volume Correlate With Likelihood of Selection?

Purpose:Investigate whether number of logged Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) surgical cases correlates with likelihood of Virginia Commonwealth University Health System...
Photocontrolled cationic degenerate chain transfer polymerizations via thioacetal initiators

Recent developments in photocontrolled polymerizations have facilitated the development of previously inaccessible materials. While photocontrolled radical polymerizations have been extensively studied, related processes involving cationic polymerizations are underexplored and limited to RAFT processes. In this study, we disclose a visible light, temporally controlled cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers utilizing thioacetals and a photoredox catalyst. We demonstrate a broad scope of thioacetal initiators that achieve a well-controlled polymerization by recapping propagating chains via photocatalyst turnover in combination with a degenerate chain transfer process through sulfonium intermediates. Furthermore, we show that a photocatalyst with a more reducing ground state reduction potential allows for enhanced control and excellent temporal regulation of polymerization.
Grant monitoring after intestinal transplantation.

Purpose of review The current review aims to describe in detail the most common practices utilized to monitor graft function in intestinal transplant (ITx) recipients. In addition, to discussing the role of endoscopy and stool studies it will examine the use of other potential biomarkers which have been utilized. Data will be discussed from contemporary publications in the field, the Intestinal Transplant Registry as well as detailed data from a large, ITx single-center. Recent findings Significant improvements have been made in early outcomes following ITx, yet long-term survival remains challenged by infection and rejection, both of which can present with diarrhea. While endoscopy and stool studies are the gold-standard for graft monitoring, calprotectin, citrulline, measurements of immunoreactivity and donor-specific antibodies have been investigated in the field and are herein reviewed. Summary Despite a number of tests which are currently available for monitoring ITx recipients, a strong need exists for improved noninvasive, timely and accurate biomarkers to help improve ITx graft and patient survival.
Cardiovascular Disease and Severe Hypoxemia Are Associated With Higher Rates of Noninvasive Respiratory Support Failure in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia

Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure is the major complication of coronavirus disease 2019, yet optimal respiratory support strategies are uncertain. We aimed to describe outcomes with high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in coronavirus disease 2019 acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and identify individual factors associated with noninvasive respiratory support failure. Design Retrospective cohort study to describe rates of high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and/or noninvasive positive pressure ventilation success (live discharge without endotracheal intubation). Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models were used to identify patient characteristics associated with high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and/or noninvasive positive pressure ventilation failure (endotracheal intubation and/or in-hospital mortality). Setting One large academic health system, including five hospitals (one quaternary referral center, a tertiary hospital, and three community hospitals), in New York City. Patients All hospitalized adults 18-100 years old with coronavirus disease 2019 admitted between March 1, 2020, and April 28, 2020. Interventions None. Measurements and main results A total of 331 and 747 patients received high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation as the highest level of noninvasive respiratory support, respectively; 154 (46.5%) in the high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula cohort and 167 (22.4%) in the noninvasive positive pressure ventilation cohort were successfully discharged without requiring endotracheal intubation. In adjusted models, significantly increased risk of high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation failure was seen among patients with cardiovascular disease (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.17-2.83 and subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.06-1.84, respectively). Conversely, a higher peripheral blood oxygen saturation to Fio2 ratio at high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation initiation was associated with reduced risk of failure (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.19-0.54, and subdistribution hazard ratio 0.34; 95% CI, 0.21-0.55, respectively). Conclusions A significant proportion of patients receiving noninvasive respiratory modalities for coronavirus disease 2019 acute hypoxemic respiratory failure achieved successful hospital discharge without requiring endotracheal intubation, with lower success rates among those with comorbid cardiovascular disease or more severe hypoxemia. The role of high-flow oxygen delivered through nasal cannula and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in coronavirus disease 2019-related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure warrants further consideration.
Kinetic Equations for Turbulent Plasmas. I. Quasilinear Theory

The Vlasov equation is not applicable for those turbulent plasmas in which certain higher-order correlation functions may play just as important a part as the single-particle distribution function. We construct the many-particle distribution functions by summing certain selected products of the single-particle distribution functions and the pair correlation functions, and show that, in the Rostoker-Rosenbluth fluid limit, those distribution functions satisfy the Bogoliubov-Born-Green-Kirkwood-Yvon (BBGKY) hierarchy and enable us to truncate it at the second equation. The resulting equations contain an asymmetric feature in that the single-particle distribution function develops in time with inclusion of the correlation effects in the collision term, while the time evolution of the pair correlation function is governed by a solution of the linearized Vlasov equation. It is shown explicitly that those kinetic equations become identical to the quasilinear equations without mode coupling if the contribution of the growing plasma oscillation is singled out in the pair correlation function.
A Compression-Compilation Co-Design Framework Towards Real-Time Object Detection on Mobile Devices.

The rapid development and wide utilization of object detection techniques have aroused requirements for both accuracy and speed of object detectors. In this work, we propose a compression-compilation co-design framework to achieve real-time YOLOv4 inference on mobile devices. We propose a novel fine-grained structured pruning, which maintain high accuracy while achieving high hardware parallelism. Our pruned YOLOv4 achieves 48.9 mAP and 17 FPS inference speed on an off-the-shelf Samsung Galaxy S20 smartphone, which is 5.5x faster than the original state-of-the-art detector YOLOv4.
Prevalence and Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Chicago Public School Students in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

BACKGROUND Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can impair health and other outcomes. To obtain district-level data about the prevalence and impact of ACEs in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), we advocated for CPS to add a short ACE screener to the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and analyzed the results. METHODS Responses to the screener were scored zero, one, or two ACEs. Student scores for violence and victimization, substance use, sexual health risk, mental health, housing insecurity, physical health, grades, and multiple risk/high vulnerability (those students in the top 20% of affirmative responses) were correlated with ACE scores for categories and individual items. RESULTS Among 1883 student respondents (response rate 73%), there were 17.8% affirmative responses for experiencing physical abuse and 19.8% for witnessing domestic violence; 20% reported at least one ACE and 8% both. A significant dose-response was found for behaviors, experiences, and sleep by ACE scores. CONCLUSIONS ACEs were common among CPS high school students and associated with many negative behavior and health-related outcomes. Increased awareness of ACEs and their impact among all school personnel can inform and strengthen the development of safer, more supportive, and trauma-informed schools that help all students and families thrive.
Kalashnikov: What's in a Name? (A)

What can you do with a brand name? How can you extend it? What if the brand name is associated with a weapon? The AK-47 had been part of every major revolution over the last 50 years and a mainstay in the armies of more than 50 countries. This weapon was known in many parts of the world as simply a “Kalashnikov,” named for the man who invented it. Mikhail Kalashnikov's grandson, Igor Krasnovski, wanted to expand the brand globally with new products. But where to start? The A case describes Krasnovski's mission to work on a strategy for a new line of everyday products that would become a global brand and bear his grandfather's name. The material describes a brand that already exists and challenges students to think about brand identity, the essence of the brand, and product associations, and to consider products or services for the Kalashnikov name. This case series provides a compelling backdrop for discussion on brand building, especially for an international market. Excerpt UVA-M-0697 Rev. Sept. 24, 2014 KALASHNIKOV: WHAT'S IN A NAME? (A) Igor Krasnovski was on a mission, and the stakes were high. He had arrived at the General Management Program (GMP) at the IEDC-Bled School of Management in Bled, Slovenia, to learn more about business. Although his first set of lessons in accounting and leadership had been interesting, he was now ready for the material that was really on his mind: marketing. Krasnovski carried a small pewter case that was vital to his future success. His German partners in Marken Marketing, Inc. (MMI), had created the case—which clearly resembled a miniature gun case—as part of a presentation strategy for a new line of everyday products that would bear his grandfather's name. Krasnovski's grandfather, Mikhail Kalashnikov, was the designer of the AK-47 assault rifle. This weapon, known in many parts of the world simply by the name Kalashnikov, had been part of every major revolution over the last 50 years and a mainstay in the armies of more than 50 countries. As Kalashnikov said: “The gun never let anyone down in the worst conditions. I still get lots of letters that say, ‘You saved my life with your gun.' That makes me feel good. My whole intention was to make life easier and simpler for the common soldier.” Krasnovski had been raised by his grandfather, a man he held in high esteem. He was proud of the Kalashnikov name, his grandfather's accomplishments, and the Kalashnikov heritage. And he was equally aware that time was short: “If my grandfather, who is in his late 80s, passed away, the opportunity to protect and preserve his name and intellectual property would be lost forever. I don't want to see that happen.” . . .
Towards Second-Order Methods for Structured Nonsmooth Optimization

Structured nonsmooth optimization objectives often arise in a composite form f = hoa, where h is convex (but not necessarily polyhedral) and a is smooth. We consider the case where the structure of the nonsmooth convex function h is known. Specifically, we assume that, for any given point in the domain of h, a parameterization of a manifold Ω, on which h reduces locally to a smooth function, is given. We discuss two linear spaces: the tangent space to the manifold Ω at a point, and the subspace parallel to the affine hull of the subdifferential of h at the same point, and explain that these are typically orthogonal complements. We indicate how the construction of locally second-order methods is possible, even when h is nonpolyhedral, provided the appropriate Lagrangian, modeling the structure, is used. We illustrate our ideas with two important convex functions: the ordinary max function, and the max eigenvalue function for symmetric matrices, and we solicit other interesting examples with genuinely different structure from the community.
Detroit Looks Toward a Massive, Unconstitutional Blight Condemnation: The Optics of Eminent Domain in Motor City

The Detroit Blight Removal Task Force prepares the city to engage in an unconstitutional and unjust taking of up to 72 thousand structures in the city, but its members pretend otherwise. Task Force Chairs do not recommend that these seizures take place under the powers of eminent domain, since the Michigan Constitution erects profound barriers to blight takings. Instead, they urge that this clearance operate under an enhanced version of Michigan’s Nuisance Abatement Program, which now is used to seize approximately fifty properties a week. The Task Force, however, does not recognize that this Program has long been taking properties in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Fifth Amendment. Additionally, blight condemnations historically exploit low-income communities and people of color, but these same officials also pretend that this danger does not exist when it comes to Motor City. The reasons for this indirection prove exigent: Detroit is the most dilapidated city in the nation, and desperately needs to repair or remove its unsound housing. Constitutional dramas and troublesome objections about the city’s very poor would only protract this process if not vanquish it altogether. Yet the Task Force performs a great feat in obscuring these problems. How does it do it? The Task Force succeeds by luring the public’s focus – specifically, its gaze – away from the Constitution and the problem of poverty toward mesmerizing scenes that speak to Detroiters’ greatest fears and desires. That is, officials use optics to persuade politicians, judges, and the citizenry that they can confiscate thousands of properties without compensation. In previous work, I have named these optics a specious brand of official and judicial gazing practice: I call it “peering.”In this paper, I study how optics now work in Detroit to occlude the legal and social problems that lurk in the Task Force’s recommendations. I then offer a different public purpose under which eminent domain exercises could progress unhampered by the Constitutional barriers facing Michigan blight condemnations: The alleviation of poverty. In my development of an anti-poverty agenda that would support Detroit blight clearance, I advance an optical practice that would deflect many of the hazards of peering: I call it “seeing.”
High throughput gene expression profiling: a molecular approach to integrative physiology

Integrative physiology emphasizes the importance of understanding multiple pathways with overlapping, complementary, or opposing effects and their interactions in the context of intact organisms. The DNA microarray technology, the most commonly used method for high-throughput gene expression profiling, has been touted as an integrative tool that provides insights into regulatory pathways. However, the physiology community has been slow in acceptance of these techniques because of early failure in generating useful data and the lack of a cohesive theoretical framework in which experiments can be analysed. With recent advances in both technology and analysis, we propose a concept of multidimensional integration of physiology that incorporates data generated by DNA microarray and other functional, genomic, and proteomic approaches to achieve a truly integrative understanding of physiology. Analysis of several studies performed in simpler organisms or in mammalian model animals supports the feasibility of such multidimensional integration and demonstrates the power of DNA microarray as an indispensable molecular tool for such integration. Evaluation of DNA microarray techniques indicates that these techniques, despite limitations, have advanced to a point where the question-driven profiling research has become a feasible complement to the conventional, hypothesis-driven research. With a keen sense of homeostasis, global regulation, and quantitative analysis, integrative physiologists are uniquely positioned to apply these techniques to enhance the understanding of complex physiological functions.
Pactamycin binding to Escherichia coli ribosomes: Interference by formation of the protein synthesizing complex with f2 viral RNA

Abstract We have studied the binding of [3H]pactamycin to Escherichia coli ribosomes as influenced by the formation of the f2 RNA protein synthesizing complex. Pactamycin binds rapidly at 0 °C to free 30-S ribosomal subunits and to 70-S ribosomes not attached to viral mRNA, but does not bind to 50-S ribosomal subunits. Binding to the 30-S ribosomal subunits has the highest specific activity and reaches a maximum of one molecule of antibiotic per particle as analyzed by sucrose gradients. Single ribosomes and polyribosomes bearing f2 RNA bind pactamycin very poorly, if at all, at 0 °C and overall binding is inversely related to the number of ribosomes attached to the viral mRNA. On the other hand, 30-S ribosomal subunits continue to bind pactamycin in the presence of f2 RNA. As shown with the use of polypeptide chain elongation inhibitors, active protein synthesis is not necessary for the inhibition of pactamycin binding to ribosomes and restoration of binding is produced by puromycin which causes polyribosome degradation. If pactamycin is present at 35 °C during mRNA attachment and polyribosome formation, the antibiotic will bind to mono- and polyribosomes but this binding is slower and partially sensitive to chain elongation inhibitors. Possible explanations for the two types of pactamycin binding to ribosomes are discussed.
Applying latency to half of a self-avatar's body to change real walking patterns

Latency (i.e., time delay) in a Virtual Environment is known to disrupt user performance, presence and induce simulator sickness. However, can we utilize the effects caused by experiencing latency to benefit virtual rehabilitation technologies? We investigate this question by conducting an experiment that is aimed at altering gait by introducing latency applied to one side of a self-avatar with a front-facing mirror. This work was motivated by previous findings where participants altered their gait with increasing latency, even when participants failed to notice considerably high latencies as 150ms or 225ms. In this paper, we present the results of a study that applies this novel technique to average healthy persons (i.e., to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach before applying it to persons with disabilities). The results indicate a tendency to create asymmetric gait in persons with symmetric gait when latency is applied to one side of their self-avatar. Thus, the study shows the potential of applying one-sided latency in a self-avatar, which could be used to develop asymmetric gait rehabilitation techniques.
Plausibility measures: a general approach for representing uncertainty

The standard approach to modeling uncertainty is probability theory. In recent years, researchers, motivated by varying concerns including a dissatisfaction with some of the axioms of probability and a desire to represent information more qualitatively, have introduced a number of generalizations and alternatives to probability, including Dempster-Shafer belief functions [Shafer, 1976], possibility measures [Dubois and Prade, 1990], lexicographic probability [Blume et al., 1991], and many others. Rather than investigating each of these approaches piecemeal, I consider here an approach to representing uncertainty that generalizes them all, and lets us understand their commonalities and differences. A plausibility measure [Friedman and Halpern, 1995] associates with a set a plausibility, which is just an element in a partially ordered space. The only real requirement is that if is a subset of , then the plausibility of is less than equal to the plausibility of . Probability measures are clearly plausibility measures; every other representation of uncertainty that I am aware of can also be viewed as a plausibility measure. Given how little structure plausibility measures have, it is perhaps not surprising that plausibility measures generalize so many other notions. This very lack of structure turns out to be a significant advantage. By adding structure on an “as needed” basis, it is possible to characterize what is required to ensure that a plausibility measure has certain properties of interest. This both gives insight into the essential features of the properties in question and makes it possible to prove general results that apply to many representations of uncertainty. In this paper, I discuss three examples of this phenomenon.
Oxidative Stress in Diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease

Oxidative stress plays a major role in diabetes as well as in Alzheimer's disease and other related neurological diseases. Intracellular oxidative stress arises due to the imbalance in the production of reactive oxygen/reactive nitrogen species and cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms. In turn, the excess reactive oxygen/reactive nitrogen species mediate the damage of proteins and nucleic acids, which have been shown to have direct and deleterious consequences in diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Oxidative stress also contributes to the production of advanced glycation end products through glycoxidation and lipid peroxidation. The advanced glycation end products and lipid peroxidation products are ubiquitous to diabetes and Alzheimer's disease and serve as markers of disease progression in both disorders. Antioxidants and advanced glycation end products inhibitors, either induced endogenously or exogenously introduced, may counteract with the deleterious effects of the reactive oxygen/reactive nitrogen species and thereby, in prevention or treatment paradigms, attenuate or substantially delay the onset of these devastating pathologies.
Data layout for cache performance on a multithreaded architecture

High performance embedded architectures will in some cases combine simple caches and multithreading, two techniques that increase energy efficiency and performance at the same time. However, that combination can produce high and unpredictable cache miss rates, even when the compiler optimizes the data layout of each program for the cache. This paper examines data-cache aware compilation for multithreaded architectures. Data-cache aware compilation finds a layout for data objects which minimizes inter-object conflict misses. This research extends and adapts prior cache-conscious data layout optimizations to the much more difficult environment of multithreaded architectures. Solutions are presented for two computing scenarios: (1) the more general case where any application can be scheduled along with other applications, and (2) the case where the co-scheduled working set is more precisely known. It is shown that these techniques reduce data cache misses for a variety of cache architectures, multithreading environments, and cache latencies.
Finite-Temperature thermodynamics for the modified hartree-fock electron gas

The density, screening length and energy of the modified Hartree-Fock electron gas have been calculated self-consistently for a wide range of temperatures and chemical potentials. Selected results are presented.
Glutamine Synthetase: The Major Mn(II) Enzyme in Mammalian Brain

Publisher Summary Ovine brain glutamine synthetase (GS) has been found to exist in vivo with four Mn(II) ions very tightly bound per octameric native enzyme. Both Mn(II) and GS are essential for normal brain function. Titrations by electron spin resonance (ESR) and kinetics indicate that there exist four additional sites for Mn(II) per octamer with Κ D = 0.56 or 2.6 μM with adenosine triphosphate (ATP) absent or present, respectively. This chapter discusses the distribution and physiology of Mn(II) in mammalian tissues, especially the brain cells . The chapter also discusses the distribution and metabolism of GS in mammalian tissues, especially the brain cells. The quantitative study of the stoichiometry of Mn (II) binding to Mn 4 E by ESR titrations in the presence and absence of added ATP is also discussed. The chapter also describes the interaction of bound Mn(II) with substrate sites by ESR. The ESR studies indicate that considerable perturbation of the environment of bound Mn(II) occurs with ATP but not with L-methionine- S -sulfoximine [MSOX or Met(O)(NH)] alone, in contrast to the effects seen for the E. coli enzyme namely; sharpening and enhanced hyperfine structure with MSOX but not ATP.
Impact of Insurance Status on Radiation Treatment Modality Selection Among Potential Candidates for Prostate, Breast, or Gynecologic Brachytherapy.

Purpose The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act looks to expand both private and Medicaid insurance. To evaluate how these changes may affect the field of radiation oncology, we evaluated the association of insurance status with the use of brachytherapy in cancers for which this treatment technique is used. Methods and Materials A total of 190,467 patients met the inclusion criteria, of whom 95,292 (50.0%) had breast cancer, 61,096 (32.1%) had prostate cancer, 28,194 (14.8%) had endometrial cancer, and 5885 (3.1%) had cervical cancer. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the association between insurance status and receipt of brachytherapy among patients treated definitively for prostate and cervical cancer or postoperatively for breast and endometrial cancer. Results The rates of non-Medicaid insurance were 49.9% (cervical), 85.3% (endometrial), 87.4% (breast), and 90.9% (prostate) (P Conclusions Despite being a cost-effective treatment modality, brachytherapy is less often used in the definitive or postoperative management of cancer in patients with Medicaid coverage or without insurance. Upcoming health policy changes resulting in the expansion of private insurance and Medicaid will likely increase access to and demand for brachytherapy.
A Survey Of The Use Of Computer Support For Negotiation

A survey was taken of negotiation practices in business and industry. Of particular interest was the extent to which computer technology is being used to enhance and support negotiation. The most widely used types of computer support were costing of anticipated demands, mathematical models and contract analysis. Pre-negotiation and post-negotiation activities had been more widely supported by computers than had actual negotiation sessions. A large number of organizations expressed a willingness to use computer support for future negotiations, and the consensus was that pre-negotiation activities could most benefit from such support. Those who had not yet used computer support for negotiations felt that costing and contract analysis could cost benefit from such support. The survey identified areas in need of improvement in the negotiation process and provided the basis for identifying solutions to these problems which could be provided by the used of innovative computerized negotiation support.
Support Person Presence and Child Victim Testimony: Believe it or Not

This study examined the effects of support person presence on participants' perceptions of an alleged child sexual abuse victim and defendant. Two hundred jury-eligible community members (n = 100 males) viewed a DVD of an 11-year-old girl's simulated courtroom testimony either with or without a female support person seated next to her. Participants found the child victim to be less accurate and trustworthy, and the defendant to be less guilty and less likely to have sexually abused children, when the support person was present. Participants who viewed the female support person (n = 100) believed that she had probably coached and spent a great deal of time with the child victim before testifying. Female participants perceived the child to be more accurate, and the defendant to be more guilty and likely to have sexually abused children, than male participants. The degree to which the child victim's testimonial behavior violated participants' expectancies mediated the negative relation between support person presence and child victim accuracy and trustworthiness. Support person presence was positively associated with expectancy violation, which in turn was negatively associated with child victim accuracy and trustworthiness. These preliminary findings suggest that seating a support person next to an alleged child victim in court may have the unintended effect of decreasing the child's perceived credibility and, if replicated, suggest that alternative seating arrangements might be necessary.
An Inverse Method Using a Genetic Algorithm to Determine Spatial Temperature Distribution From Infrared Tranmissivity Measurements in a Gas

The ill-posed nature of inverse problems suggests that a solution be obtained through an optimization method. Genetic algorithms (GAs) effectively locate the global optimum, and are therefore an appealing technique to solve inverse problems. GAs mimic biological evolution, refining a set of solutions until the best solution is found. In this report, a genetic algorithm is developed and demonstrated based on a simple problem of determining the equation of a straight line. Then the GA is modified and implemented to estimate the temperature distribution in a gas based on the measured infrared tranmissivity distribution. The ulitimate task of this inverse method will be determination of the gas composition based on these transmissivity measurements.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Yellow Brick Roads and Emerald Cities: The Illusion of Intended Curricula in Education

The music played, the munchkins sang, and the good witch of the north smiled and advised Dorothy to ―Follow the yellow brick road... follow the yellow brick road,‖ if she wanted to find her way home. Her advice sounded easy enough to follow, but Dorothy found her path full of surprises of all sorts. Much like Dorothy, educators find themselves on a similar journey, looking for the best way to support their students’ learning. However, educators’ quests lead them down a road that is paved with curricula rather than yellow bricks. In an era marked by increasing accountability, many government officials, business leaders, administrators, and even educational researchers promote ―scientifically based‖ curriculum materials as the means of getting students from here (wherever they are) to there (wherever our standards say they should be). Today, these discussions of appropriate curricula take place in both P-12 public school settings and institutes of higher education as the efficacy of teacher education programs have been called into question.
CT-guided fine needle aspiration and needle core biopsy of skeletal lesions. Complementary diagnostic techniques.

Objective To compare the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of fine needle aspiration (FNA) to those of needle core biopsy (NCB) and to attempt to determine if a complementary role exists for the two modalities. Study design Skeletal lesions in 144 patients were evaluated with concomitant FNA and NCB over a 21-year period. FNAs and NCBs were divided as diagnostic of neoplasm, normal or inflammatory (i.e., osteomyelitis), or unsatisfactory. The results of each modality were then reviewed and compared. Results In the 144 total cases, a diagnosis was possible in 79% (114) cases. FNA and NCB concurred in 73% (83) of diagnostic cases. Concurrence was 87% between diagnostic FNA (83) and NCB (95). The two modalities agreed in 78% of cases diagnosed as metastatic carcinoma and in 59% of primary malignant tumors of bone (17) (excluding Ewing's sarcoma). FNA alone was diagnostic in 8% (9) of cases, including 5 metastatic carcinomas, 2 chondrosarcomas, 1 Ewing's sarcoma and 1 case of osteomyelitis. This represented 24% of the 38 cases in which NCB was unsatisfactory (11) or normal (27). NCB alone was diagnostic in 19% (22) of cases, including 11 metastatic carcinomas, 3 osteosarcomas, 1 chondrosarcoma, 1 spindle cell sarcoma (not otherwise specified), 1 Ewing's sarcoma, 2 capillary hemangiomas and 3 cases of osteomyelitis. This represented 43% of the 51 cases in which FNA was misinterpreted (2), unsatisfactory (33) or normal (16). NCB more specifically typed a metastatic lesion or suggested a primary focus in 21% (12) of the 58 cases in agreement. It also more specifically subtyped 50% (5) of the 10 primary malignant tumors of bone. Conclusion Given these findings, NCB is more specific in the evaluation, grading and typing of skeletal lesions in particular malignant primary bone tumors. Overall, there is excellent agreement between FNA and NCB, especially in the evaluation of benign primary bone tumors. Most important, FNA improved the diagnostic yield in 24% of cases when NCB was normal or unsatisfactory, obviating the need for rebiopsy. FNA should be performed concurrently with NCB in the evaluation of skeletal lesions since the two modalities are complementary.
Port-site recurrence in a patient undergoing robotic hysterectomy and lymph node dissection for endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus☆

The use of minimally invasive surgery has been incorporated into the surgical management of gynecologic malignancies. The benefits associated with minimally invasive surgery in gynecologic oncology include shorter hospitalization, increased patient satisfaction, and decreased blood loss and postoperative infections. The introduction of robotic surgical systems has provided improved visualization and precision allowing the performance of more complicated procedures. The possibility of recurrent disease at the port site after minimally invasive surgery for gynecologic malignancy has been well documented in the literature (Childers et al., 1994). There have been reports of ovarian adenocarcinomas, squamous cell cervical carcinomas and uterine adenocarcinomas metastasizing to the laparoscopy ports and the incidence of port site metastasis after laparoscopy is about 1% which is comparable to the risk of metastases to drain sites and surgical incisions post-laparotomy. The data on port site recurrence after robotic surgery are limited. Recently, a case of port site recurrence after robotic hysterectomy and staging for uterine papillary serous carcinoma was reported (Rauff and S.Ng, 2012). Here we report the first case of port site recurrence after robotic hysterectomy and lymph node dissection for endometrial adenocarcinoma of endometrioid histology.
First Report of Pilidium concavum Causing Root Lesions of Meadow Hawkweed in France

Hieracium caespitosum (meadow hawkweed) is an exotic invasive weed belonging to a complex of hawkweed species infesting nearly 500,000 hectares of pasture and wildlands in North America, primarily in the Pacific Northwest (1). Economic losses can be up to $222 per hectare (2). Despite prolonged effort, no promising insects have been found as agents of biological control of H. caespitosum. This has led to a greater emphasis on seeking plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts as potential biological control agents. Searches for plant pathogens have included Europe, which contains a portion of the native range of the weed. In the small stands of H. caespitosum that occur in northern France, plants were found with chlorosis and significant stunting. Typically, 10 to 30% of plants in affected stands exhibited such symptoms. Excavation and examination of roots revealed discrete necrotic lesions along the length of roots and decayed root tips, roughly resembling symptoms of corky root. Ten roots with these sympto...
Ultrastructure of the olfactory neuron of the bullfrog: the dendrite and its microtubules

The ciliated dendritic bulb of the olfactory neuron of the bullfrog was studied with the electron microscope, with emphasis on microtubular elements. Methods used included various fixation procedures with and without detergent extraction, serial sectioning, microtubule polarity assays, and an assay to demonstrate F-actin. Structural continuity exists, via microtubules, between the ciliary membrane and the perikaryon of the neuron. One type of structural link connects the distal end of the basal body to the plasma membrane and, in slightly oblique cross sections of the basal body, the link shows a highly characteristic tripartite profile resembling a claw hammer. The six to ten basal bodies of a dendritic bulb have a lateral foot that serves as an organizing center for microtubules, and these microtubules (totaling about 150) extend toward the perikaryon in the basal half of the epithelium. Polarity assays indicate that the attached or minus ends of dendritic microtubules are in the dendritic bulb, with their plus or fast-growing ends near or within the perikaryon of the neuron. It is shown that dendritic microtubules are depolymerized by direct osmium tetroxide fixation, in contrast to olfactory axonal microtubules, which persist after such fixation. F-actin appears to be abundantly present in the dendritic bulb of the neuron, and it is possible that this actin could play a role in shape changes of the dendrite. The various findings provide new information about the olfactory dendrite, its microtubule organizing centers, and the nature and relationships of its microtubules.
The oxidative addition of hydrogen sulfide to the electron-rich triple bond: The isolation and characterization of compounds that contain the Re2(μ-H)(μ-SH) cluster unit

The reactions of Re2X4(μ-dppm)2 (X=Cl or Br; dppm=Ph2PCH2PPh2) with H2S in THF afford the dirhenium (III) complexes Re2(μ-H)(μ-SH)X4(μ-dppm)2, the first examples of the oxidative addition of an S-H unit across an electron-rich metal-metal triple bond. The bromide complex Re2(μ-H)(μ-SH)Br4(μ-dppm)2 (C2H5)2O crystallizes in the space group P21/n witha=16.631(2) A,b=15.967(3) A,c=19.904(2) A, β=92.698(7)°,V=5279(2) A3, andZ=4. The structure which was refined toR=0.053 (Rw=0.070) for 4903 data withI>3.0σ(I), shows the presence of an edge-shared bioctahedral geometry with a very short Re-Re distance of 2.4566(7) A. While the hydrogen atoms of the μ-H and μ-SH ligands were not located in the X-ray structure determination, their presence is confirmed by IR and1H NMR spectroscopy.
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: cytokines, effector T cells, and antigen-presenting cells in a prototypical Th1-mediated autoimmune disease.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is widely depicted as the prototypical CD4+ Th1-mediated autoimmune disease. Microglia and perivascular macrophages are believed to act as antigen-presenting cells during the effector phase of EAE. In this article, recent data that challenge these conceptions are reviewed. Several recent studies have shown that myelin-reactive CD8+ T cells can mediate inflammatory demyelination. Furthermore, dendritic-like cells have been detected in EAE lesions and implicated in encephalitogenic Tcell activation. Although Th1 polarizing monokines, such as interleukin-12 (IL-12) and possibly IL-23, are critical for the manifestation of EAE, individual Th1 effector cytokines were found to be dispensible.
Osprey Diet Composition and Quality in High- and Low- Salinity Areas of Lower Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay, in the northeastern United States, is believed to support the largest concen- tration of breeding Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) in the world. Following the banning of DDT, this popula- tion exhibited significant spatial variation in growth rates, with the fastest and slowest rates occurring in the lowest and highest salinity areas, respectively. Because salinity can influence fish distributions, we quanti- tatively analyzed Osprey diet composition along the gradient in the Chesapeake Bay to determine if variation in foraging ecology contributed to this pattern of population recovery. We recorded .1800 hr of food-provisioning behavior for 25 pairs within nine study areas that were classified as either upper estuarine (,5 parts per thousand (ppt) salinity) or lower estuarine (.18 ppt). Atlantic menhaden (Bre- voortia tyrannus) and seatrouts (Cynoscion spp.) were dominant dietary components for pairs within lower- estuarine reaches, whereas gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and catfish (Ictaluridae) dominated upper- estuarine diets. Lower-estuarine prey fish averaged 6% shorter (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test: D 5 0.203, P 5 0.004), 34% lighter (D 5 0.305, P , 0.001), and 40% lower in energy content (D 5 0.247, P , 0.001) than their upper-estuarine counterparts. We conclude that diet quality may be contributing to spatial variation in the growth rate of the Chesapeake Bay Osprey population.
High prescription drug use and associated costs among Medicaid-eligible children with autism spectrum disorders identified by a population-based surveillance network.

Purpose We assessed medication use and associated costs among 8- and 15-year-old children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) identified by the South Carolina Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (SCADDM) Network. Methods All Medicaid-eligible SCADDM-identified children with ASD from surveillance years 2006 and 2007 were included (n = 263). Children were classified as ASD cases when documented behaviors consistent with the DSM-IV-TR criteria for autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder—not otherwise specified were present in health and education evaluation records. Medication and cost data were obtained by linking population-based and Medicaid data. Results All 263 SCADDM-identified children had Medicaid data available; 56% (n = 147) had a prescription of any type, 40% (n = 105) used psychotropic medication, and 20% (n = 52) used multiple psychotropic classes during the study period. Common combinations were (1) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications and an antihypertensive, antidepressant or antipsychotic; and (2) antidepressants and an antipsychotic. Multiple psychotropic classes were more common among older children. Both the overall distribution of the number of prescription claims and medication costs varied significantly by age. Conclusions Results confirm that medication use in ASD, alone or in combination, is common, costly, and may increase with age.