cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of Forward Mortality Factor Models in Life Insurance Practice

Two of the most important challenges for the application of stochastic mortality models in life insurance practice are their complexity and their apparent incompatibility with classical life contingencies theory, which provides the backbone of insurers’ Electronic Data Processing systems. Forward Mortality Factor Models comprise one model class that overcomes these challenges. Relying on a simple model version that originates from a semi-parametric estimation based on British population mortality data, this paper demonstrates the merits of this model class by discussing several practically important example applications. In particular, we calculate the Economic Capital for a stylised life insurer, we present a closed-form solution for the value of a Guaranteed Annuity Option, and we derive the fair option fee for a Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit within a Variable Annuity contract. Our numerical results illustrate the economic significance of systematic mortality risk.
Mexican Americans Acquiring Bachelor's Degrees: Whose Opportunity?.

This study offers a small, highly contextualized counter-example to several recent large-scale analyses depicting Latino underachievement in higher education (R. Fry, 2002; J. Immerwahr, 2003; S. Miller & E. Garcia, 2004; W. Swail, A. Cabrera, & C. Lee, 2004; W. S. Swail, K. E. Redd, & L. W. Perna, 2003). The purpose is to analyze results from a federal funding program in which qualified and committed Latino students completed university degrees in high proportions.
Iterative algorithm for design of vector quantisation codebooks in nonorthogonal domains

An iterative algorithm for codebook accuracy enhancement, applicable to both waveform and linear prediction (LP) model-based vector quantisation in nonorthogonal domains, is developed and presented. Sample results are provided which clearly demonstrate the improved performance for the same bit rate.
Loneliness, Social Skills, and Social Perception

Previous studies have investigated loneliness from primarily one of three traditions: social skills, perceptions of others, and sex-role orientation. How do these variables affect loneliness? Past research addresses their independent effects, making it impossible to know if there are any single or multiple pathways to loneliness. The present study was concerned with the conceptual interdependence of these factors; that is, whether they have unique or joint efforts. Two other issues were also of interest. First, because as previously shown, lonely persons hold negative perceptions of new acquaintances and people in general, we sought to extend this phenomenon to close others. Second, we assessed a wider range of social skills than have formerly been examined in order to specify which particular social skills are most relevant to loneliness. First-year college roommate pairs participated in the study. Individuals completed questionnaires assessing themselves and their roommate. Results showed that lonelier ...
Thermal stress analysis of tape automated bonding packages and interconnections

The stresses and strains in tape automated bonding (TAB) assemblies have been studied using a nonlinear three-dimensional finite-element method. Detailed stress distributions in the TAB assembly beam leads, polyimide rings, gold bumps, silicon chips, and solder joints are presented. Due to the flexibility of the beam lead and the unequal thermal expansion and stiffness difference of all the parts of the TAB assembly, the beam lead was subjected to the largest deformation. Bending of the silicon chip and printed circuit board was very small compared with that of the beam lead, because of their much larger section moments of inertia. Due to their small thickness, the TAB beam leads, unlike the case of conventional surface mount technology assemblies, are more likely to fail than the solder joints. There is excellent agreement between the analytically predicted and the experimentally observed failure mechanisms. The results presented should be useful in understanding and designing more reliable advanced surface-mount assemblies. >
DECOBA: Utilizing Developers Communities in Bug Assignment

Bug Tracking System (BTS) is public ally accessible which enables geographically distributed developers to follow the work of each other and contribute in bug fixing. Developer interactions through commenting on bug reports generate a developer social network that can be used to improve software development and maintenance activities. In large scale complex software projects, software maintenance requires larger groups to participate in its activities. Most previous bug assignments approaches assign only one developer to new bugs. However, bug fixing is a collaborative effort between several developers (i.e., many developers contribute their experience in fixing a bug report). In this work, we build developers social networks based on developers comments on bug reports and detect developers communities. We also assign a relevant community to each newly committed bug report. Moreover, we rank developers in each community based on their experience. An experimental evaluation is conducted on three open source projects namely Net Beans, Free desktop, and Mandriva. The results show that the detected communities are significantly connected with high density. They also show that the proposed approach achieves feasible accuracy of bug assignment.
SCREENING AND SEQUENCE DETERMINATION OF A CDNA ENCODING THE HUMAN BRAIN 4-AMINOBUTYRATE AMINOTRANSFERASE

Abstract A human brain cDNA library constructed in the λZAP®II vector was screened using a fragment of pig brain cDNA encoding 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase (pGaba-t). A cDNA that encodes the human brain Gaba-t (hGaba-t) has been isolated from the library and sequenced. Using the GenBank and EMBL databases, comparison of the predicted amino-acid sequence of hGaba-t with the pig enzyme revealed 95.4% homology.
Changing trends in the evaluation of ejection fraction in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction: the Worcester Heart Attack Study.

Background Extent of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important predictor of subsequent morbidity and mortality. It is unclear, however, how often ejection fraction (EF) findings are evaluated in the setting of AMI, and the characteristics of patients who do not have their EF evaluated, particularly from the more generalizable perspective of a population-based investigation. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine nearly 3 decade long trends (1975-2003) in the evaluation of EF in patients admitted with confirmed AMI (n = 12 760) to all greater Worcester (Massachusetts) hospitals during 14 annual periods. Results The percentage of patients undergoing evaluation of EF before hospital discharge increased substantially between 1975 (4%) and 2003 (73%). Despite these encouraging trends, approximately one quarter of patients in our most recent study year did not receive an EF evaluation. In the mid-1970s through mid-1980s, radionuclide ventriculography was typically used to assess EF, whereas echocardiography was most often used to evaluate EF during more recent periods. Predictors of not undergoing an evaluation of cardiac function included older age, shorter length of hospital stay, code status limitations, dying during hospitalization, Medicare insurance, several comorbidities, and a recent non–Q-wave myocardial infarction. Conclusions The results of this community-wide study suggest that a considerable proportion of patients with AMI fail to have their EF evaluated. Efforts remain needed to optimize the use of cardiac imaging studies and link the results of these studies to improved patient outcomes.
A technique for the identification and direct analysis of hexahydro-1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine in metalworking fluids using electrospray-mass spectrometry.

Hexahydro-1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine is a widely used biocide in metalworking fluids that resists direct quantification in many analytical methods due to instability. It can be detected in electrospray-mass spectrometry (ES-MS) due to the formation of a charged and relatively stable adduct with the sodium ion. This adduct produces a distinct ion spectrum via collision-induced fragmentation, which should promote specific detection of the analyte in complex matrices. ES-MS detection of the analyte added to, or already present in, metalworking fluid samples at µg mL−1 levels is demonstrated. Parameters affecting the formation and detection of the sodium adduct, including choice of solvent, alkalinity, and sodium ion level are explored. Linearity of response in flow injection mode is demonstrated.
Impairment of glucagon-induced hepatic system a activity by short-term ethanol administration in the rat

Abstract Background/Aims: System A is a membrane-bound, hormonally regulated carrier of amino acids that is induced by liver regeneration and impaired by ethanol. The mechanism of ethanol inhibition of system A is unknown; this study examines the effects of ethanol on the subcellular expression of system A activity following hormonal induction. Methods: Following hormonal treatment and short-term ethanol administration to rats, isolated liver Golgi and plasma membrane vesicles were examined for system A transport, and the kinetic parameters were determined. Results: Four hours after ethanol administration, the initial rate of system A activity was depressed 30% ± 9% and 19% ± 7% into Golgi and plasma membrane vesicles, respectively. The affinity constant of 2-(methylamino)-isobutyric acid uptake was unchanged between control and ethanol-treated vesicles, regardless of their subcellular origin. However, the maximal velocity of system A transport decreased from 1030 to 850 pmol ·mg −1 protein ·10 s −1 in Golgi vesicles and from 740 to 355 pmol ·mg −1 protein 10 s −1 in plasma membrane vesicles. Conclusions: Ethanol impairs hormonally induced system A activity in Golgi as well as in the plasma membrane vesicles. Ethanol potentially reduces glucagon induction of system A activity through an impairment of carrier biosynthesis or expression.
Possible explanations of north-south plasma flow in the outer heliosphere and meridional transport of magnetic flux

Observed meridional plasma flow and its connection with other plasma parameters in the outer heliosphere are discussed. The dynamics of the flow are examined locally and compared with observed plasma parameters and a global flow model which predicts such flows in a steady solar wind. The observational evidence supports stream dynamics and associated pressure gradients as responsible for driving the flow. Such a meridional flow may result in a net transport of magnetic flux from regions near the heliographic equator. The amplitude of the observed meridional component of solar wind flow is consistent with observed magnetic flux deficits in the outer heliosphere. The limited coverage of heliographic latitude by Voyager 2 precludes a direct measurement of the full flow pattern; however, the magnitude of reported magnetic flux deficits and the unambiguous, regular variations in the meridional flow suggest that the stream interactions do produce a net movement of magnetic flux away from the heliographic equator.
Intercomparison of Global Research and Operational Forecasts

Current limitations of atmospheric predictive skill are investigated through comparison of correlation and error statistics of operational and research global models for two winter seasons. In 1993, bias-corrected models produced anomaly correlations of 0.6 after 6.5‐7 days, with relatively little forecast skill beyond that point. In 2003, the forecast skill of a more developed, higher-resolution operational model has been extended 36 h, while the skill of the unchanged, low-resolution research model has been extended 6 h. This implies more predictable patterns in 2003 or model and initial state improvements made since 1993. The relative importance of improved model resolution/physics and improved initial state to the lengthening of forecast skill is diagnosed through the evaluation of rms evolution of analyzed and forecast differences of 500-mb height and meridional wind. Results indicate that forecast sensitivity to initial data is less important than is the sensitivity to the model used. However, the sensitivity to model used (rms of model forecast differences) is smaller than the rms forecast error of either model, indicating model forecasts are more similar to each other than to reality. In 1993, anomaly correlations of model forecasts to each other reach 0.6 by roughly 8 days; that is, the models predict each other’s behavior 1.5 days longer than they predict that of the real atmosphere. Correlations of model errors to each other quantify this similarity, with correlations exceeding the asymptotic value of 0.5 through the 14-day forecasts. Investigations of initial state error evolution by wavenumber show long waves (0‐15) account for 50% more of the total uncertainty growth in 14-day research model integrations than do short waves (16‐42). Results indicate current predictive skill may be impacted by model sophistication, but error pattern similarities suggest a common deficiency of models, perhaps in the initial state uncertainty.
The p-n heterojunction quantum well APD: A new high-gain low-noise high speed photodetector suitable for lightwave communications and digital applications

A new Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As/Al 0.48 In 0.52 As multiquantum well avalanche photodiode, the APD, is presented that provides comparable signal-to-noise performance compared to either the doped quantum well APD or the p-n junction quantum well APD, but without carrier trapping effects even at very low overall applied electric fields. The device is made of repeated unit cells consisting of a p-n junction formed between two dissimilar materials followed by a nearly intrinsic wide-bandgap layer. As in the doped quantum well device, the asymmetric unit cell selectively heats the electron distribution much more than the hole distribution within the narrow-gap Ga 0.47 In 0.53 As layer leading to a greatly enhanced electron-to-hole ionization rates ratio. The most significant improvement over the doped and p-n junction quantum well devices is the lack of carrier trapping at the heterojunction without further engineering of the interface (compositional grading). Carrier trapping is avoided, thereby providing very high-speed performance even for low-voltage devices, by doping the narrow-gap layer. The resulting built-in field within the GaInAs layer is sufficiently large of itself that both electrons and holes are heated to energies large enough to overcome the potential barrier at the end of the quantum well. In this way, devices operating at 5 V bias can be built that will provide a gain of about 4 at large bandwidths, ~18 GHz.
Factors Affecting Missed Appointment Rates for Pediatric Patients Insured by Medicaid in a Traditional Hospital-Based Resident Clinic and Hospital-Owned Practice Settings:

Missed appointment rates (MAR) of pediatric patients insured by Medicaid and seen in a traditional hospital-based continuity (teaching) clinic were compared to the rates for the same patients after their care had been transitioned to a community practice. The hypothesis is that when rewarded with shorter waiting times, a less chaotic environment, and more pediatrician continuity, the MAR for patients insured by Medicaid would be lower in the practice setting than it had been in continuity clinic. The MAR decreased from 33% in the continuity clinic in 1999 to 18% in the community practice in 2001 (p<0.01). It was also hypothesized that the MAR for patients insured by Medicaid would be higher in practices with a higher percentage of Medicaid appointments. Among 15 hospital-owned pediatric practices, the MAR for patients insured by Medicaid was positively correlated with the percentage of total appointments that were made by patients insured by Medicaid (correlation coefficient 0.706 [p<0.01]).
Catheter-Based pH Monitoring: Use in Evaluation of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptoms (On and Off Therapy)

Tube-based ambulatory pH testing has rapidly evolved in the past 3 decades to become the standard by which other diagnostic approaches to gastroesophageal reflux disease are judged. Acid exposure 5 cm above the manometrically determined lower esophageal sphincter is the standard for documentation of pathologic acid exposure of the distal esophagus. Proximal esophageal or hypopharyngeal monitoring is an evolving technique that may shed light on patients with supraesophageal symptoms. The ability to simultaneously monitor esophageal and gastric acidity (usually in patients with persistent symptoms despite therapy) is another advantage of this technique. Whether the new system that allows simultaneous pH and impedance monitoring and the system that uses an implantable tubeless monitoring capsule will supplant this older but well-established technology remains to be determined.
Performance analysis on LDPC-Coded systems over quasi-static (MIMO) fading channels

In this paper, we derive closed form upper bounds on the error probability of low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded modulation schemes operating on quasi-static fading channels. The bounds are obtained from the so-called Fano-Gallager's tight bounding techniques, and can be readily calculated when the distance spectrum of the code is available. In deriving the bounds for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, we assume the LDPC code is concatenated with the orthogonal space-time block code as an inner code. We obtain an equivalent single-input single-output (SISO) channel model for this concatenated coded-modulation system. The upper bounds derived here indicate good matches with simulation results of a complete transceiver system over Rayleigh and Rician MIMO fading channels in which the iterative detection and decoding algorithm is employed at the receiver.
Predominant Treatment Failure in Postprostatectomy Patients Is Local: Analysis of Patterns of Treatment Failure in SWOG 8794

Purpose Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) trial 8794 demonstrated that adjuvant radiation reduces the risk of biochemical (prostate-specific antigen [PSA]) treatment failure by 50% over radical prostatectomy alone. In this analysis, we stratified patients as to their preradiation PSA levels and correlated it with outcomes such as PSA treatment failure, local recurrence, and distant failure, to serve as guidelines for future research. Patients and Methods Four hundred thirty-one subjects with pathologically advanced prostate cancer (extraprostatic extension, positive surgical margins, or seminal vesicle invasion) were randomly assigned to adjuvant radiotherapy or observation. Results Three hundred seventy-four eligible patients had immediate postprostatectomy and follow-up PSA data. Median follow-up was 10.2 years. For patients with a postsurgical PSA of 0.2 ng/mL, radiation was associated with reductions in the 10-year risk of biochemical treatment failure (72% to 42%), local failures (20% to 7%), and distant failures (12% to 4%). For patients with a postsurgical PSA between higher than 0.2 and 1.0 ng/mL, reductions in the 10-year risk of biochemical failure (80% to 73%), local failures (25% to 9%), and distant failures (16% to 12%) were realized. In patients with postsurgical PSA higher than 1.0, the respective findings were 94% versus 100%, 28% versus 9%, and 44% versus 18%. Conclusion The pattern of treatment failure in high-risk patients is predominantly local with a surprisingly low incidence of metastatic failure. Adjuvant radiation to the prostate bed reduces the risk of metastatic disease and biochemical failure at all postsurgical PSA levels. Further improvement in reducing local treatment failure is likely to have the greatest impact on outcome in high-risk patients after prostatectomy. J Clin Oncol 25:2225-2229. © 2007 by American Society of Clinical Oncology
General Experience with B-Phenylisopropylhydrazine (Catron), an Antidepressant Drug

Effects upon behavior in animals are qualitatively similar to those seen with other p0tent amine-oxidase inhibitors. They include a pressor effect and central nervous system excitation. At the same time there is a marked rise in the norepinephrine and serotonin content of the brain. In animals, pretreatment with the drug produces a reversal of the sedative effects of reserpine. Since iproniazid had already proved to have very valuable antidepressant properties in man, Catron was given a clinical trial and a number of favorable reports have been made.'" It also has been found useful in the treatment of angina pectoris,' rheumatoid arthritis' and hypertension.It This paper reports upon 73 patients treated with Catron* (JB-516). The majority of them manifested depressive symptoms, three had schizophrenia without depression and nine were classified as anxiety or tension states without depressive symptoms. Treatment of this latter group was prompted by the feeling of well being and relaxation described by some of the ,earlier group of depressed patients while taking the drug. Methampbetamine (De80xyepbedrlne) Ampbetamine (Benzedrine)
Fatigue of glass and carbon fiber reinforced engineering thermoplastics

Cyclic tension fatigue S-N curves are given for injection moleded Nylon 6/6, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, and poly(amide-imide) matrices with glass and carbon fibers as well as for unreinforced material. The S-N curves for most composites appear linear, with no evidence of a fatigue limit up to 106 cycles. Some nonlinearity is evident with the Nylon 6/6 composities, and these appear to fail at a cumulative strain similar to the ultimate static strain. The remainder of the composites appear to fail by a crack propagation mechanism. The glass reinforced materials all degrade at a similar rate in fatigue, while the carbon reinforced materials with brittle matrices degrade more slowly than do those with ductile matrices. The latter effect may be due to greater integrity of the cracked regions for brittle matrix systems.
AN APPROXIMATE FORMULATION OF THE EFFECTIVE INDENTATION MODULUS OF ELASTICALLY ANISOTROPIC FILM-ON-SUBSTRATE SYSTEMS

Frictionless contact between an arbitrarily-shaped rigid indenter and an elastically anisotropic film-on-substrate system can be regarded as being superposed incrementally by a flat-ended punch contact, the shape and size of which are determined by the indenter shape, indentation depth (or applied load) and elastic properties of film and substrate. For typical nanoindentation applications, the indentation modulus can thus be approximated from the response of a circular contact with pressure of the form of [1 - (r/a)2]-1/2, where r is the radial coordinate and a is the contact radius. The surface-displacement Green's function for elastically anisotropic film-on-substrate system is derived in closed-form by using the Stroh formalism and the two-dimensional Fourier transform. The predicted dependence of the effective modulus on the ratio of film thickness to contact radius agrees well with detailed finite element simulations. Implications in evaluating film modulus by nanoindentation technique are also discussed.
Language of Immediacy: Authenticity as a Premise in Benjamin's The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility

Walter Benjamin's essay on The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility is as popular as it is disputed. Although illuminating different qualities of artworks and their perception, the historical shift from auratic to reproducible art is inconsistent. This inconsistency, as this article suggests, is caused by the concept of authenticity that Benjamin applies to both auratic and reproducible art. Authenticity refers to the utopian ideas of 'purity,' 'unity,' 'truth,' and 'originality' that dominated avant-garde aesthetics in the early twentieth century. Since then, 'authentic' artworks commonly either hint at an inaccessible origin beyond their medial status (auratic art) or emphasize their mediality by declaring the elements of art their 'truth' (reproducible art). Benjamin's explorations of media, aesthetics, and culture draw on this under-researched, dualistic idea of mediated immediacy.
Suppression of Insulator Charging During Secondary‐Ion Mass Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy

Work with a hot stage capable of temperatures of up to 1200/sup 0/C has shown that charging of insulating materials in a scanning electron microscope can be completely eliminated by heating the sample to several hundred degrees centigrade. A similar scheme was devised to eliminate charging in a secondary-ion mass spectrometer in order to study oxygen-18 concentration profiles in MgO. Before and during analysis the sample surface was exposed to a high-energy electron beam. The mechanism responsible for the elimination of spurious charging is related to surface heating by the electron beam.
A Hybrid DC-DC Converter for Fuel Cells Powered Laptop Computers

In this paper a hybrid dc-dc converter for a fuel cell powered laptop computer is proposed. In the proposed system the ac-dc adapter, the fuel cell and its components are assumed to be packaged into one external unit. The purpose of the hybrid dc-dc converter is to suitably control the energy flow from fuel cell, battery and supercapacitor to enable all day computing. A design example is presented to appropriately size the fuel cell stack, Li-Ion battery and supercapacitor modules required for a typical electrical load on a laptop computer. Analysis, design and control aspects of the hybrid dc-dc converter are presented to meet performance requirements. Simulation results verify the performance of the system under various input and output power conditions. Experimental results obtained with the prototype system employing a 30 W fuel cell show that the hybrid converter is capable of successfully interfacing the internal dc-link with the multi-input power source. The source switching between the fuel cell and battery is seamless from the dc-link standpoint as the voltage remains stable regardless of the employed source.
Immunochemical Characterization of Receptors for Insulin and Insulinlike Growth Factor-I

Receptors for insulin and insulinlike growth factors are present in target cells in extremely low quantities. They comprise only a small fraction of a percentage of the total membrane protein. Methods useful for their detection and characterization must therefore be exquisitely sensitive and specific. The high affinity and specificity of the hormones themselves, which are requisite for their biological function, provide the basis for one group of extensively used methods for investigating these receptors. Antibodies directed against these receptors provide another group of reagents with the necessary specificity and sensitivity. For certain purposes, antibodies have clear advantages over the hormones themselves. While hormone binding requires that the native conformation of the receptor be intact, many antibodies will react with the receptors even after they are denatured. Furthermore, receptors for insulin and insulinlike growth factors are large molecules with multiple domains. While insulin and the insulinlike growth factors react with their receptors at a single domain with a specificity that is fixed by nature, it is possible to select different antibodies that react with different sites on the receptors and exhibit different properties. It is therefore at least theoretically possible to use antibodies to map out different domains on the receptor and to learn something about their function. Monoclonal antibodies, because they recognize a single epitope, are ideal for this purpose. However, polyclonal antisera have also been useful. This chapter describes a series of antibodies that react with insulin and insulinlike growth factor-I receptors as well as information acquired by their use.
Opportunistic proteolytic processing of carbonic anhydrase 1 from Chlamydomonas in Arabidopsis reveals a novel route for protein maturation.

Proteolytic processing of secretory proteins to yield an active form generally involves specific proteolytic cleavage of a pre-protein. Multiple specific proteases have been identified that target specific pre-protein processing sites in animals. However, characterization of site-specific proteolysis of plant pre-proteins is still evolving. In this study, we characterized proteolytic processing of Chlamydomonas periplasmic carbonic anhydrase 1 (CAH1) in Arabidopsis. CAH1 pre-protein undergoes extensive post-translational modification in the endomembrane system, including glycosylation, disulfide bond formation and proteolytic removal of a peptide ‘spacer’ region, resulting in a mature, heterotetrameric enzyme with two large and two small subunits. We generated a series of small-scale and large-scale modifications to the spacer and flanking regions to identify potential protease target motifs. Surprisingly, we found that the endoproteolytic removal of the spacer from the CAH1 pre-protein proceeded via an opportunistic process apparently followed by further maturation via amino and carboxy peptidases. We also discovered that the spacer itself is not required for processing, which appears to be dependent only on the number of amino acids separating two key disulfide-bond-forming cysteines. Our data suggest a novel, opportunistic route for pre-protein processing of CAH1.
Potential and limits of InSAR to characterize interseismic deformation independently of GPS data: Application to the southern San Andreas Fault system

The evaluation of long-wavelength deformation associated with interseismic strain accumulation traditionally relies on spatially sparse GPS measurements, or on high spatial-resolution InSAR velocity fields aligned to a GPS-based model. In this approach the InSAR contributes only short-wavelength deformation and the two data sets are dependent, thereby challenging the evaluation of the InSAR uncertainties and the justification of atmospheric corrections. Here we present an analysis using 7 years of Envisat InSAR data to characterize interseismic deformation along the southern San Andreas Fault (SAF) and the San Jacinto Fault (SJF) in southern California, where the SAF bifurcates onto the Mission Creek (MCF) and the Banning (BF) fault strands. We outline the processing steps for using InSAR alone to characterize both the short- and long-wavelength deformation, and evaluate the velocity field uncertainties with independent continuous GPS data. InSAR line-of-sight (LOS) and continuous GPS velocities agree within ∼1–2 mm/yr in the study area, suggesting that multiyear InSAR time series can be used to characterize interseismic deformation with a higher spatial resolution than GPS. We investigate with dislocation models the ability of this mean LOS velocity field to constrain fault slip rates and show that a single viewing geometry can help distinguish between different slip-rate scenarios on the SAF and SJF (∼35 km apart) but multiple viewing geometries are needed to differentiate slip on the MCF and BF (<12 km apart). Our results demonstrate that interseismic models of strain accumulation used for seismic hazards assessment would benefit from the consideration of InSAR mean velocity maps.
Scootermania: implications for pediatric nurses.

The sales of foot-propelled scooters (microscooters) in the United States has skyrocketed with a concomitant increase in emergency department visits related to injuries. It is estimated that more than 60% of injuries could be prevented or reduced in severity if protective gear had been worn. Pediatric nurses should support efforts to decrease scooter-related injuries in children by advocating for the usage of protective gear. Further research is indicated to assess knowledge of potential dangers in those with reported scooter-related injuries, the extent of injuries, and protective gear worn prior to injury occurrence.
Accelerating Minimum Spanning Forest Computations on Multicore Platforms

We propose new approaches for accelerating minimum spanning forest algorithms on shared-memory platforms. Our approaches improve cache performance and reduce synchronization overhead of the base algorithms. On our target platform these optimizations achieve up to an order of magnitude speedup over the best prior parallel \({Bor{\mathring{u}}vka}\) implementation.
The Author's Reply: inappropriate adrenoreceptor blockade prior to pheochromocytoma removal - 'A timely reappraisal'.

We welcome the comments from Lentschener et al on our study “Are patients with hormonally functional phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma initially receiving a proper adrenoceptor blockade? A retrospective cohort study” 1. Our response to your constructive comments regarding phenoxybenzamine and calcium channel blockers, prospective studies, and reversal of the current guidelines are below. Lentschener et al correctly points out that preoperative phenoxybenzamine can contribute to postoperative hypotension 2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Introduction: Screening Modern Irish Fiction and Drama

The drama and fiction of the period of the Irish Renaissance, that great flowering of Irish literature and culture that runs from roughly 1890 to 1940, has proven curiously resistant to adaptation to film. Joyce’s great fictions seem to have baffled film treatment: Joseph Strick’s film of Ulysses (1967) did not even attempt to match Joyce’s philosophical and stylistic technique, but instead settled into a realistic rendering of the main story of the book, resulting in a caricature of the literary work that did not achieve the new perspective that a great adaptation seeks; Strick’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1977) seemed somewhat more successful, largely because that novel has closer affinities to realism and hence Strick’s straightforward conveying of the story is less jarring than with his Ulysses. (The sublime performance of Sir John Gielgud as the priest who delivers the hell-fire sermon is also a redeeming feature.) Before the much more innovative and interesting 2003 Sean Walsh film Bloom, the only engaging film of a Joyce work remained John Huston’s The Dead (1987)—a fascinating and subtle effort to use film to re-envision a great work of modernist literature.
A case of hypoglycemiainduced QT prolongation leading to torsade de pointes and a review of pathophysiological mechanisms

Torsades de pointes is a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia. Occurrence of this arrhythmia as a result of hypoglycemia has not been reported in the literature. We describe an interesting case of an insulindependent diabetic patient presenting with torsades de pointes resulting from hypoglycemia. A 62-year-old male was admitted to the hospital following an episode of severe insulin-induced hypoglycemia and a cardiac arrest. He was found to unresponsive at home after taking insulin. His serum glucose was found to be 18. He was given juice initially to normalize his glucose and was then transferred by EMS to ER where he was given 5% dextrose infusion. Analysis of the LifeVest rhythm recording showed torsades de pointes that was terminated by defibrillation of the LifeVest. Several mechanisms are responsible for torsade, including QT interval prolongation, adrenalin secretion and calcium overload leading to intracellular calcium oscillations. These mechanisms are a trigger to torsade de pointes. Predisposing factors were present leading torsade to occur.
Evaluating the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory Using Empirical Factor-Structure Evidence.

Many scholars agree on the general theoretical structure of metacognition, which is what informed the development of the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI). Although self-report instruments such as the MAI suffer many threats to validity, they continue to be used in research and practice because of their convenience. With the MAI, studies have varied in the way they calculate scores and in their adherence to the intended theory. In this study, we address these shortcomings and propose modifications in calculating MAI scores. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multidimensional random coefficients multinomial logit (MRCML) item-response modeling, we examined how well the intended functioning of the MAI matched the data from 622 undergraduate students. The results support scoring the MAI as two dimensions, knowledge and regulation of cognition, but indicate that the 52-item instrument has poor fit. Using iterative CFA and MRCML models, we tested subsets of items that represent the theory and had good fit. We followed up with tests of between-group and time invariance. The results support the use of a 19-item subset for between-group comparisons, with provisional evidence for its use in longitudinal studies.
Chapter 22 - Auditory synesthesias

Synesthesia is experienced when sensory stimulation of one sensory modality (the inducer) elicits an involuntary or automatic sensation in another sensory modality or different aspect of the same sensory modality (the concurrent). Auditory synesthesias (AS) occur when auditory stimuli trigger a variety of concurrents, or when non-auditory sensory stimulations trigger auditory synesthetic perception. The AS are divided into three types: developmental, acquired, and induced. Developmental AS are not a neurologic disorder but a different way of experiencing one's environment. They are involuntary and highly consistent experiences throughout one's life. Acquired AS have been reported in association with neurologic diseases that cause deafferentation of anterior optic pathways, with pathologic lesions affecting the central nervous system (CNS) outside of the optic pathways, as well as non-lesional cases associated with migraine, and epilepsy. It also has been reported with mood disorders as well as a single idiopathic case. Induced AS has been reported in experimental and postsurgical blindfolding, as well as intake of hallucinogenics or psychedelics. In this chapter the three different types of synesthesia, their characteristics, and phenomologic differences, as well as their possible neural mechanisms are discussed.
Effects of Lexical Variables on Silent Reading Comprehension in Individuals With Aphasia: Evidence From Eye Tracking

Purpose Previous eye-tracking research has suggested that individuals with aphasia (IWA) do not assign syntactic structure on their first pass through a sentence during silent reading comprehension...
Postoperative Patient Instructions

Complete written postoperative instructions are important for patients and those caring for them, and should be given to each patient after a complicated procedure like rhinoplasty. The following is a basic instruction list used in the author’s office for rhinoplasty patients: 1. Some oozing from the nose is expected for a day or two, and a small gauze “mustache” dressing may be worn as a drip pad. You can change or remove it as necessary. Do NOT swallow blood because it can cause nausea. 2. Small amounts of dried mucus and blood may start to collect in the nose. On the 2nd day after surgery, the nostrils may be gently cleaned by carefully following these instructions: a. Mix equal amounts of lukewarm water and hydrogen peroxide in a small glass. b. Dip a cotton swap in this solution and very gently cleanse the edge of the nostrils and rim of your nose. c. Wait a few seconds for your nose to dry. Then using a different cotton swab, apply a thin coat of Vicks Vaporub, bacitracin, or Vaseline. 3. The inside of your nose may be moistened as often as you like with a balanced salt spray such as Ocean Spray (available from your pharmacy without prescription). The spray helps loosen any crusts. Be very gentle. Crusts should not be forcefully cleansed or pulled on. Allow the crusts to loosen on their own.
Developing Effective Mentor-Mentee Relationships in Radiology

Radiologists seek mentors to facilitate career advancement and to help overcome professional and personal challenges. Characteristics of effective mentors include altruism, honesty, active listening skills, a collaborative approach, and accessibility. Characteristics of effective mentees include being respectful of mentors' input and time, being an active listener, and being open to feedback. Radiology departments should consider establishing structured processes for identifying and preparing mentors. Strategies to support mentor-mentee relationships include effective pairing of mentors with mentees, maintenance of confidentiality, clear definition of expectations, voluntary participation, and allowing mentees to change mentors without judgment or repercussions. A culture shift is needed in radiology departments to enable successful mentor-mentee relationships.
Invasive Neurostimulation for Poststroke Motor Recovery

Abstract Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of permanent disability worldwide. While intensive rehabilitation has the potential to improve motor function in some patients in the chronic phase of stroke, a large proportion of patients are left with significant motor deficits. Several noninvasive and invasive neuromodulatory approaches have been investigated as adjunctive therapies to augment motor recovery in the chronic phase. These modalities are aimed at modulation of the surviving perilesional cortex or remote cortical areas. Noninvasive neuromodulatory strategies, including transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have demonstrated the ability to produce significant improvements in motor function when combined with rehabilitation and are important investigational tools in elucidating mechanisms of recovery in human subjects. Invasive strategies that have been investigated include epidural cortical stimulation (ECS), vagal nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS). ECS of the motor cortex (MCS) demonstrated promise in preclinical studies using both rodent and nonhuman primate models of stroke. While Phase I and Phase II studies showed apparent benefits, a pivotal Phase III randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) failed to demonstrate improvements when compared to rehabilitation alone. VNS has shown efficacy in recent studies and a Phase I clinical trial recently conducted in the United Kingdom demonstrated safety and promising benefits. Our group has investigated the use of DBS, targeting the dentatothalamocortical (DTC) pathway output. We have shown that DBS of the DTC augments motor recovery in rodent models of large and focal ischemic strokes. In addition, we have shown that DBS of the DTC increased expression of markers of synaptic plasticity in the perilesional cortex as well as synaptogenesis and significant reorganization of motor representation. A Phase I clinical trial of cerebellar DBS is currently underway. While significant research efforts are still needed before neurostimulation becomes a standard treatment for poststroke rehabilitation, several investigational approaches have shown promising data.
Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Review of Associated Features and Presentation Across Clinical Populations

Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder, though relatively under-studied compared to social communication deficits. The focus of this review is individual differences in RRBs, associated features, and change in presentation of RRBs over development. Additionally, a review of repetitive behaviors in typical development as well as other diagnostic categories is presented, with the goal of increasing our understanding of the function and prevalence of RRBs across diagnostic categories and across development more broadly. There is an increasing recognition in the field that ASD symptoms are quite often observed in other neurodevelopmental disabilities, warranting continued investigation of the prevalence, patterns, and underlying etiology across groups. In the past decade, research has increasingly explored RRBs in ASD, contributing a greater awareness of the influence developmental and individual factors have on their presentation. Currently, there is a growing trend for studies to examine RRBs trans-diagnostically in order to increase understanding of the underlying etiology and developmental trajectory of this behavioral phenotype.
An environmental TLD for nuclear power plants

In this paper a dosimeter is proposed for the purpose of detecting noble gas releases (principally Xe-133) from nuclear power plants. The dosimeter consists of two Li{sub 2}B{sub 4}O{sub 7}:Cu (LiBO) elements and one CaSO{sub 4}:Tm (CaSO) element. One LiBO element is enclosed only in plastic and is used to determine shallow dose, while the LiBO and CaSO pair, which are used to determine deep dose, are enclosed in a 1070 mg/cm{sup 2} aluminum sphere and plastic. The dosimeter is designed to overcome the three major problems involved in monitoring for Xe-133: the effect of angular response, differences in irradiation geometry (overhead plume vs. submersion), and interference from naturally occurring high-energy gamma rays. Laboratory test data are presented to demonstrate the proposed dosimeter's response characteristics.
Testing/Measurement/Assessment

This article provides an overview of creativity assessment techniques, including divergent thinking tests, self-assessment inventories, reports of creative activities and accomplishments, ratings/rankings/nominations of people, judgments of products, and creative climate questionnaires, that is grounded in an examination of foundations for creativity assessment. The variety of assessment techniques available poses challenges and opportunities. Each approach focuses on different aspects of creativity. This makes the literature appear scattered and the selection of appropriate measures for specific applications difficult. At the same time, it provides opportunities for examining how various aspects of creativity interact as researchers work toward theoretical integration of research findings.
Dividing the Self

In the sense of irrationality that interests Davidson, an act or a belief is irrational if it is inconsistent or undesirable in the agent’s own terms, by criteria or in light of facts he or she implicitly acknowledges.1 What is philosophically interesting about this kind of ‘internal’ irrationality is the way it presses on the nature of the mental; for ‘holism’ tells us that something can be construed as a belief or an intention only if it is linked to other such states in those generally rational ways that internal irrationality apparently ignores.
Health Behaviors and Health Status

Healthy and fit service members are critical to a ready and effective military force. Many factors affect the health of military personnel such as exposure to disease and risk of illness and injury in the performance of their duties. In addition, lifestyle choices related to diet and nutrition, exercise, and substance use can have a positive or negative impact on health. This chapter examines healthy lifestyles and health promotion among active duty military personnel with an emphasis on exercise, overweight and obesity status, nutrition, illness, and injury. It reports progress of the active duty military population in meeting selected Healthy People 2010 objectives; examines trends in overweight, illness, and injury; and assesses the correlates and predictors of healthy behaviors. Data are drawn from the 1995 to 2008 Department of Defense (DoD) Surveys of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel (HRB surveys).