cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of bacterial surface charge density via saturation of adsorbed ions.

Abstract Bacterial surface charge is a critical characteristic of the cell’s interfacial physiology that influences how the cell interacts with the local environment. A direct, sensitive, and accurate experimental technique capable of quantifying bacterial surface charge is needed to better understand molecular adaptations in interfacial physiology in response to environmental changes. We introduce here the method of second-harmonic light scattering (SHS), which is capable of detecting the number of molecular ions adsorbed as counter charges on the exterior bacterial surface, thereby providing a measure of the surface charge. In this first demonstration, we detect the small molecular cation, malachite green, electrostatically adsorbed on the surface of representative strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Surprisingly, the SHS-deduced molecular transport rates through the different cellular ultrastructures are revealed to be nearly identical. However, the adsorption saturation densities on the exterior surfaces of the two bacteria were shown to be characteristically distinct. The negative charge density of the lipopolysaccharide coated outer surface of Gram-negative Escherichia coli (6.6 ± 1.3 nm−2) was deduced to be seven times larger than that of the protein surface layer of Gram-positive Lactobacillus rhamnosus (1.0 ± 0.2 nm−2). The feasibility of SHS-deduced bacterial surface charge density for Gram-type differentiation is presented.
Toward a Broader Conception of Theorycrafting

This chapter argues for a broader empirical understanding of theorycrafting, one that acknowledges how it operates qualitatively in addition to quantitatively. It explores the role theorycrafting plays in the relationship between gamers and designers, highlighting the tensions in balancing a game for different audiences and play styles. Additionally, it examines audience and play style through the popular conception of “core” and “casual” players, mapping the two as opposite ends on a continuum of engagement and recognizing an important gender disparity within those conceptions. It ends by urging that we recognize the value of qualitative methods in theorycrafting and the complexity of gamer ethos in competitive games.
Social Relationship Strength Modulates the Similarity of Brain-to-Brain Representations of Group Members.

Within our societies, humans form co-operative groups with diverse levels of relationship quality among individual group members. In establishing relationships with others, we use attitudes and beliefs about group members and the group as a whole to establish relationships with particular members of our social networks. However, we have yet to understand how brain responses to group members facilitate relationship quality between pairs of individuals. We address this here using a round-robin interpersonal perception paradigm in which each participant was both a perceiver and target for every other member of their group in a set of 20 unique groups of between 5 and 6 members in each (total N = 111). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we show that measures of social relationship strength modulate the brain-to-brain multivoxel similarity patterns between pairs of participants' responses when perceiving other members of their group in regions of the brain implicated in social cognition. These results provide evidence for a brain mechanism of social cognitive processes serving interpersonal relationship strength among group members.
Cross-species meta-analysis of transcriptome changes during the morula-to-blastocyst transition: metabolic and physiological changes take center stage.

The morula to blastocyst transition (MBT) culminates with formation of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineages. Recent studies identified signaling pathways driving lineage specificat...
Numerical solutions of hyperbolic conservation laws: incorporating multi-resolution viscosity methods into the finite element framework

It is well known that the classic Galerkin finite-element method is unstable when applied to hyperbolic conservation laws, such as the Euler equations for compressible flow. Adding a diffusion term to the equations stabilizes the method but sacrifices too much accuracy to be of any practical use. An elegant solution devised by Eitan Tadmor for spectral methods is to add diffusion only to the high frequency modes of the solution, which stabilizes the method without the sacrifice of accuracy. We incorporate this idea into the finite-element framework by using hierarchical functions as a multi-frequency basis. The result is a new finite element method for solving hyperbolic conservation laws. For this method, we are able to prove convergence for a one-dimensional scalar conservation law. Numerical results are presented for oneand two-dimensional hyperbolic conservation laws.
Enumeration of enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis in municipal sewage.

Of 237 isolates of Bacteroides fragilis from sewage influent at the Bozeman, Mont., wastewater treatment plant, 22 (9.3%) were enterotoxigenic, as indicated by the ability to elicit fluid accumulation in the lamb ileal loop test. It appears that enterotoxigenic B. fragilis is endemic in the human population at a moderately high level. Images
Techniques for developing and measuring high performance Web servers over high speed networks

High-performance Web servers are essential to meet the growing demands of the Internet and large-scale intranets. Satisfying these demands requires a thorough understanding of key factors affecting Web server performance. This paper presents empirical analysis illustrating how dynamic and static adaptivity can enhance Web server performance. Two research contributions support this conclusion. First, the paper presents results from a comprehensive empirical study of Web servers (such as Apache, Netscape Enterprise, PHTTPD, Zeus, and JAWS) over high-speed ATM networks. This study illustrates their relative performance and precisely pinpoints the server design choices that cause performance bottlenecks. Once network and disk I/O overheads are reduced to negligible constant factors, the main determinants of Web server performance are its protocol processing path and concurrency strategy. Moreover no single strategy performs optimally for all load conditions and traffic types. Second, we describe the design techniques and optimizations used to develop JAWS, our high-performance adaptive Web server. JAWS is an object-oriented Web server that was explicitly designed to alleviate the performance bottlenecks we identified in existing Web servers. The performance optimizations used in JAWS include adaptive prespawned threading, fixed headers, cached date processing, and file caching. In addition, JAWS uses a novel software architecture that substantially improves its portability and flexibility, relative to other Web servers.
Court Decisions and IDEA 1997 Compliance Issues that Affect Special Education Programs in Rural Schools

This article reviews court decisions and compliance issues of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 1997, that impact rural public school special education programs. IDEA funding, ...
Risk Assessment of Buffer "Heartbleed" Over-Read Vulnerabilities

Buffer over-read vulnerabilities (e.g., Heartbleed) can lead to serious information leakage and monetary lost. Most of previous approaches focus on buffer overflow (i.e., over-write), which are either infeasible (e.g., canary) or impractical (e.g., bounds checking) in dealing with over-read vulnerabilities. As an emerging type of vulnerability, people need in-depth understanding of buffer over-read: the vulnerability, the security risk and the defense methods. This paper presents a systematic methodology to evaluate the potential risks of unknown buffer over-read vulnerabilities. Specifically, we model the buffer over-read vulnerabilities and focus on the quantification of how much information can be potentially leaked. We perform risk assessment using the RUBiS benchmark which is an auction site prototype modeled after eBay.com. We evaluate the effectiveness and performance of a few mitigation techniques and conduct a quantitative risk measurement study. We find that even simple techniques can achieve significant reduction on information leakage against over-read with reasonable performance penalty. We summarize our experience learned from the study, hoping to facilitate further studies on the over-read vulnerability.
Influence of Vagotomy on Mucosal Protection Against Alcohol-Induced Gastric Damage in the Rat

Abstract We examined the role of the vagus nerve in mediating the protective effects of subcutaneous 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E 2 (16,16-dmPGE 2 ) or of the mild irritant 30% ethanol (topically) against gastric mucosal injury induced by concentrated solutions of ethanol. Anesthetized rats underwent either truncal vagotomy or sham truncal vagotomy and were studied acutely or 7 days later. Under acute conditions, in rats with intact vagi, oral saline followed by 100% ethanol produced severe gastric hemorrhagic and necrotic lesions throughout the glandular gastric mucosa. Oral 30% ethanol or pretreatment with 16,16-dmPGE 2 (5, 10, or 25 μg/kg) before giving oral saline significantly reduced the magnitude of injury when mucosa was subsequently exposed to 100% ethanol. In animals with truncal vagotomy, the protective effect of 16,16-dmPGE 2 or 30% ethanol was not observed. Similar results were noted when animals were studied 7 days after sham or truncal vagotomy. In other studies, the ability of 16,16-dmPGE 2 to prevent gastric injury induced by 50% ethanol or 80 mM aspirin in acid solution (160 mM HCl) with and without prior vagotomy was compared. Although 16,16-dmPGE 2 (5 or 25 μg/kg) pretreatment significantly reduced the degree of gastric damage induced by both agents in the nonvagotomized state, and by aspirin under vagotomized conditions, only partial protection by 16,16-dmPGE 2 against ethanol injury was observed in the vagotomized state. These results suggest that the mechanisms whereby prostaglandins mediate their protective effects against aspirin and ethanol may be different and that the vagus nerve influences the ability of 16,16-dmPGE 2 and of the mild irritant 30% ethanol to prevent alcohol-induced gastric injury in the rat stomach.
Armed, Unarmed or Harmed by Knowledge? A Comment on the FHA's Housing Counseling Pilot Program

The FHA has requested input on its Homeowners Armed with Knowledge (HAWK) for New Homebuyers pilot program. This comment letter argues that housing counseling is not a proven solution to the problem it is meant to solve, excessive defaults by FHA borrowers. HAWK is a traditional housing counseling program but the scholarly literature casts into doubt the efficacy of such programs. It would be better to take time to research which counseling strategies, if any, are proven to be effective. This is true for the FHA but also for other government agencies, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, that have devoted significant resources to unproven financial counseling programs.
A generic amplification strategy for electrochemical aptasensors using a non-enzymatic nanoceria tag

We report a novel non-enzymatic nanocatalyst based approach to construct an electrochemical aptasensor involving the synergistic contribution of a nanoceria (nCe) tag and graphene oxide (GO). The aptamer was immobilized on the surface of a GO modified electrode. The target analyte was captured by the immobilized aptamer via a specific competitive mechanism between the free and the nCe labeled target. The electrochemical signal was generated by monitoring the electro-oxidation of a generic redox species upon reaction with the nCe tag. The signal was further amplified by the GO layer used as an electrode material to immobilize the aptamer and to increase the electron transfer at the electrode surface, further enhancing sensitivity of the assay. This strategy provides a universal platform for sensitive and specific detection of a wide spectrum of aptamer targets. Application of this new design for the electrochemical detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) is demonstrated. Under optimal conditions, the aptasensor exhibited a linear response to OTA in the range 0.15−180 nM with a detection limit of 0.1 nM. The method has been successfully used for the detection of OTA in cereal samples. This design may offer a new methodology for sensitive and specific detection of a wide spectrum of analytes for medical, environmental and electronic applications.
Variations in gestation length of mink (Mustela vison).

MINK reproduction is characterized by several remarkable features, among which the variability of gestation length is of outstanding interest. Hansson1 and Enders2 have emphasized this variability (from 37 to 91 days) in their classic studies on mink reproduction. It is generally accepted that this range in gestation length is due to varying periods of delayed implantation, when the fertilized ova reside in the uterus for an extended period of time before nidation occurs. This communication reports some investigations which I made of the normal variations of gestation length in four modern colour phases (strains) of mink and the effects of the age of the female, the date of mating and litter size on gestation length.
Low-cost frequency-domain photon migration instrument for tissue spectroscopy, oximetry, and imaging

We described a low-cost, frequency-domain photon migration spectroscopy instrument by using in-phase and quadrature demodula- tion technique in a 140-MHz homodyne system. A time constant of 1 ms was obtained. A frequency-division multiplexing technique was used for multiposition or multiwavelength applications, such as for tissue oxim- etry. By conducting several experiments on tissue/blood models, we show that the optical properties of tissue can be determined with this system by either using multiple source-detector separations at accuracy better than 8% or using single source-detector separation. The accuracy with the latter method can be improved to be 10% or better by choosing a proper calibration sample. A frequency-sweep system (30 to 700 MHz) was also implemented; the phase and amplitude measured on a tissue- like solution at 780 nm agreed to their theoretical values within 5% and 10% accuracy, respectively. © 1997 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation En- gineers. (S0091-3286(97)03005-5) Subject terms: photon migration; frequency-domain spectroscopy; in-phase and quadrature demodulation; frequency-division multiplex; absorption and scattering coefficients; noninvasive tissue oximetry.
Photonic synthesis of high fidelity microwave arbitrary waveforms using near field frequency to time mapping

Photonic radio-frequency (RF) arbitrary waveform generation (AWG) based on spectral shaping and frequency-to-time mapping has received substantial attention. This technique, however, is critically constrained by the far-field condition which imposes strict limits on the complexity of the generated waveforms. The time bandwidth product (TBWP) decreases as the inverse of the RF bandwidth which limits one from exploiting the full TBWP available from modern pulse shapers. Here we introduce a new RF-AWG technique which we call near-field frequency-to-time mapping. This approach overcomes the previous restrictions by predistorting the amplitude and phase of the spectrally shaped optical signal to achieve high fidelity waveforms with radically increased TBWP in the near field region.
Student attitudes toward pair programming

Students in four introductory programming classes who participated in a pair programming study had very positive attitudes toward pair programming: they liked it, thought that it was fun, would like to do it again, and believed that they learned more because they paired. Although the students as a whole had positive attitudes, the results were not consistent between instructors; in particular, the students in one of the courses were significantly less positive about pair programming. The implications of instructor-based differences in attitude are discussed.This paper also examines the relationship between student confidence and attitudes toward pair programming. The most confident students liked pairing the most, while the least confident students liked it the least. This finding contradicts results that have been reported elsewhere.
Hydrogen exchange of dark-adapted and illuminated bacteriorhodopsin.

Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) in the purple membrane regions of the cell membrane of halobacteria functions as a light-driven proton pump resulting in the formation of proton gradients across the cell envelope membrane [ 1-3 ] . According to the model of Henderson and Unwin [4], of the purple membrane derived from X-ray diffraction analysis and electron micrographs, bacteriorhodopsin molecules consist of seven alpha-helical polypeptide segments oriented perpendicular to the plane of the membrane, the helical content being estimated to be 70-80%. From this model, and also from the lack of change of the dichroic ratio during the decay of polarized flash photolysis [5], it has been generally considered that bacteriorhodopsin molecules are organized in a fairly rigid structure which does not change conformation or rotate in the membrane. If conformational changes of bacteriorhodopsin are involved in proton translocation this would have importance for the mechanism of energy transduction. Dark-adapted bacteriorhodopsin exhibits a maximum absorption band at 558 nm which upon illumination shifts within several seconds to 568 nm [6 ] ; this species then undergoes a photochemical reaction cycle leading to the formation and decay of a number of other distinct spectral intermediates [6-81. Previous studies have indicated that retinal itself undergoes changes in conformation during photochemical cycling [8] , but little direct information exists on the nature or extent of conformational change in the protein moiety. Oyr previous studies [9] on chemical modification of dark-adapted and illuminated purple membrane showed different
DNA condensation by cobalt hexaammine (III) in alcohol-water mixtures: dielectric constant and other solvent effects.

DNA molecules condense into compact structures in the presence of a critical concentration of multivalent cations. To probe the contribution of electrostatic forces to condensation, we used mixtures of water with methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), and isopropanol (iPrOH) to vary the dielectric constant epsilon from 80 to 50. The condensation of pUC18 plasmids by hexaammine cobalt (III), Co(NH3)(3+)6, was monitored by total intensity and dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, and CD. The total scattering intensity increased as epsilon went from 80 to 70, and the decreased as epsilon decreased further. Ultraviolet spectrophotometry confirmed that the loss of intensity at low epsilon was not due to the particles' settling out of solution. The rate as well as the extent of condensation increased as epsilon was lowered from 80 to 70, and also depended on the species of alcohol (MeOH or = 70, although the closed circular molecules exhibited a weak psi-DNA spectrum. A transition from the B to A form took place between epsilon = 70 and 60, well above the normal dielectric constant of epsilon = 40 for this transition, indicating that ethanol and Co(NH3)6(3+) synergistically promote the B-A transition. We interpret these results to mean that alcohols have both electrostatic and structural effects on DNA, leading to three regimes of condensation. At the lowest alcohol concentrations the B conformation is stable and condensation is relatively slow, allowing time for the packing adjustments necessary to form toroids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
SUPERPOSITION OF COMPLEX VISCOSITY CURVES DURING GELATINIZATION OF STARCH DISPERSION AND DOUGH

Complex viscosity (η * ) of 8% tapioca starch dispersion (STD) during gelatinization at a specific oscillatory frequency (ω, rad s -1 ) was independent of the heating rates: 1.5 to 6.0C min -1 when plotted against temperature as the independent variable instead of time. The influence of ω in the range: 3.14 to 62.83 rad s -1 on η * was scaled by a frequency shift factor resulting in a reduced complex viscosity (η * R ) versus temperature (58-88C) master curve. Similar η * R versus temperature master curves were derived for η * data on a 8% waxy rice STD at the heating rate 2C min -1 and ω values 1.27 to 125.6 rad s -1 , and a 45.5% waxy rice dough at the heating rate 4C min -1 and ω values 1.27 to 94. 2 rad s -1 . The areas under the η * . at ω=6.28 rad s -1 , versus temperature curves of the tapioca and the waxy rice STDs with different starch concentrations were exponentially related to the concentrations.
Islam, Human Rights and Interfaith Relations: Some Contemporary Egyptian Perspectives

AbstractThis paper explores current discussions and debates on Islam, human rights and interfaith relations in Egypt through an analysis of the public statements and writings of various religious scholars and spiritual teachers and the textbooks used to teach Islam in public secondary schools. It is well known that Islamist perspectives have become mainstream in Egypt, a largely devout and socially conservative country that is also the source of most of the major Islamic trends and political ideologies that have impacted the Muslim world in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Nonetheless, there is a broad tendency in government-issued textbooks on Islam and in the population at large to equate Islam with democracy and human rights, despite the authoritarianism of the state and the contradictions between traditional interpretations of Islam and international human rights norms. The rhetoric of democracy and human rights is linked to the threat of terrorism, which is labeled un-Islamic. Among ordinary E...
Chronic administration of water soluble tobacco smoke extract or nicotine fails to influence porcine coronary artery reactivity.

Abstract To determine if tobacco smoke components directly influence coronary vascular reactivity, we evaluated the contractile effects of prostaglandin (PG)F 2α and hypertonic KCl in porcine isolated left anterior descending coronary arteries derived from animals chronically treated (18 weeks) with either water soluble tobacco smoke extract, nicotine alkaloid, or saline. Dosing protocols for the extract and for nicotine were designed to achieve blood levels of nicotine approximating those attained by consumption of 2 packs/day of University of Kentucky 2Rl reference cigarettes. Histochemical evaluation of the arteries indicated that both the extract and nicotine caused expected increases in the collagen content of the tunica media. Neither the water soluble extract nor pure nicotine significantly altered coronary vascular sensitivity (as expressed by the ED 50 ) to KCl or PGF 2α . Similarly, neither treatment altered the maximum contractile responses (determined as the tension developed normalized to mg wet wt) evoked by KCl and PGF 2α . These results indicate that prolonged exposure to water soluble components to tobacco smoke, in doses sufficient to elevate the collagen content of the coronary vascular wall, do not have direct effects on coronary reactivity to selected vasoconstrictor stimuli.
The taxonomy of eriodon and notes on other South American genera of brachytheciaceae with erect capsules

Eriodon is reduced from five species to two.Eriodon radicalis is recognized asEntodontopsis radicalis;Eriodon longipes asPorotrichodendron longipes; andE. brevisetus as synonymous withLindigia debilis. Mandoniella, Stenocarpidiopsis andLepyrodontopsis are discussed and illustrated.Lepyrodontopsis is transferred to the new familyLe pyrodontopsidaceae, near the Meteoriaceae. The following nomenclatural trans fers are proposed for Rozea:R. andrieuxii f.chrysea andR. andrieuxii var.bour gaeana.Sciuroleskea is transferred to an alliance withStereophyllum,Juratzkaea, Entodontopsis, Stenocarpidium andJuratzkaeella. The following transfers are proposed:Sciuroleskea roseorum (Williams asRozea) Buck andJuratzkaea argentinica (Ther. asJ. seminervis var.argentinica) Buck. A key to the erect-capsuled South American genera retained in the Brachytheciaceae is provided.
Simplified algorithm for seismic control of civil structures using smart dampers

The development of magnetorheological (MR) fluid damping devices has made it reasonable to consider incorporating controllable dampers to increase structural reliability by limiting seismic structural response. Several properties experimental studies have focused on characterizing the dynamic behavior of the MR dampers and have illustrated that significant changes in the quite nonlinear force-velocity relationship can be achieved by controlling the magnetic field of such devices. There have also been previous studies of control algorithms for this type of smart damper based on adjustments to techniques from nonlinear optimal/active control. This leads to a relatively complicated structure for the nonlinear control algorithm. This paper investigates the possibility of developing a much simpler nonlinear control algorithm for seismic control of civil structure using the smart MR dampers. The control philosophy is based on consideration of the energy balance in the structure of suing the unique, controllable characteristics of the MR dampers to minimize the distortional energy in the structure. Numerical results for response to random excitations illustrate that this simplified nonlinear control algorithm may provide additional reductions of building structural distortions, particularly in the top story.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Multi-Touch Tablets, E-Books, and an Emerging Multi-Coding/Multi-Sensory Theory for Reading Science E-Textbooks: Considering the Struggling Reader.

Pavio’s Dual-Coding Theory (1991) and Mayer’s Multimedia Principal (2000) form the foundation for proposing a multi-coding theory centered around Multi-Touch Tablets and the newest generation of e-textbooks to scaffold struggling readers in reading and learning from science textbooks. Using E. O. Wilson’s Life on Earth: An Introduction (2012) as a simulation for our essay, we theorize that text, graphics, interactive elements, and audio represent four distinct encoding schemes. Each of these encoding schemes can be used as separate but mutually supportive scaffolds to assist struggling students in reading and learning with science textbooks.
Ileal amino acid and phosphorus digestibility responses of pigs to microbial phytase supplementation of high-phytin diets ☆

Abstract The hypothesis that increase in dietary phytin amplifies phytin binding to protein thereby reducing protein digestion, which is alleviated by phytase, was tested. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatments was used to investigate the response of growing pigs to supplemental phytase (0, or 1200 units/kg) in low- or high-phytin P diets (2.2 or 3.9 g/kg). Eight crossbred barrows (28–30 kg) were canulated and assigned to crates using a double, 4 × 4 Latin Square design. Pigs were fed each of the 4 diets at 3 times metabolic BW (0.09 ⁎ BW kg 0.75) for 7 d. Ileal digesta was collected for 12 h on d 6 and d 7 by attaching plastic bags to the cannula. Feed and ileal digesta were analyzed for N, energy and P. Phytase had no effect on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of N or AAs. The AID of some AAs was higher in the high-phytin diet, which contradicts the hypothesis that higher phytin content would have a negative impact. In contrast, the AID of P was depressed by high dietary phytin (P
The war is over and the victors have lost

For thousands of years, at least since Plato and Aristotle, students of public order have tried to understand, justify, and improve governance. We have tried to understand how a conglomeration of individuals comes to constitute a meaningful and purposeful society capable of acting with a sense of common history and destiny. We have tried to understand how citizens can work together to comprehend and manage the common estate, how they sustain a voluntary social cohesion built on knowledgeable consensus, mutual awareness, and informed tolerance. In that philosophical and social tradition, there is both a presumed role for governance and a confidence that the course of political history is subject to some degree of human intervention and control. This classical perspective has, in recent decades, been largely supplanted by a different vision and different metaphors: metaphors of exchange, markets, brokerage, and bargaining. In this vision the political process is seen as facilitating voluntary exchanges among rational self-interested individual citizens. Within such a vision the course of history is determined by the distribution of resources and preferences among individuals. And that distribution is, or at least is imagined to be, properly outside the control of political institutions. The term governance has largely disappeared, replaced by a conception of political entrepreneurship in which political brokers arrange voluntary exchanges among political actors.
Issues in assessing multi-institutional performance of BI-RADS-based CAD systems

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that impact the generalization of breast cancer computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems that utilize the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). Data sets from four institutions were analyzed: Duke University Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Wake Forest University. The latter two data sets are subsets of the Digital Database for Screening Mammography. Each data set consisted of descriptions of mammographic lesions according to the BI-RADS lexicon, patient age, and pathology status (benign/malignant). Models were developed to predict pathology status from the BI-RADS descriptors and the patient age. Comparisons between the models built on data from the different institutions were made in terms of empirical (non-parametric) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results suggest that BI-RADS-based CAD systems focused on specific classes of lesions may be more generally applicable than models that cover several lesion types. However, better generalization was seen in terms of the area under the ROC curve than in the partial area index (>90% sensitivity). Previous studies have illustrated the challenges in translating a BI-RADS-based CAD system from one institution to another. This study provides new insights into possible approaches to improve the generalization of BI-RADS-based CAD systems.
Transparency and coherence in human motion perception

When confronted with moving images, the visual system often must decide whether the motion signals arise from a single object or from multiple objects. A special case of this problem arises when two independently moving gratings are superimposed. The gratings tend to cohere and move unambiguously in a single direction (pattern motion) instead of moving independently (component motion). Here we report that the tendency to see pattern motion depends very strongly on the luminance of the intersections (that is, to regions where the gratings overlap) relative to that of the gratings in a way that closely parallels the physics of transparency. When the luminance of these regions is chosen appropriately, pattern motion is destroyed and replaced by the appearance of two transparent gratings moving independently. The observations imply that motion detecting mechanisms in the visual system must have access to tacit 'knowledge' of the physics of transparency and that this knowledge can be used to segment the scene into different objects. The same knowledge could, in principle, be used to avoid confusing shadows with real object boundaries.
Exchange asymmetry in elastic scattering of electrons by sodium atoms.

Calculations of the exchange asymmetry in elastic scattering of electrons by sodium atoms are reported at incident electron energies of 10 and 54.4 eV. The close-coupling calculations are performed with the four lowest target states of the sodium atom. At 10 eV, the present calculations predict nearly pure singlet-state scattering and nearly pure triplet-state scattering at certain angles. At 54.4 eV, the theoretical results are compared with recent measurements. Qualitative agreement is obtained, although some discrepancy remains.
Regression for censored survival data with lag effects

We consider regression modeling of survival data subject to right censoring when the full effect of some covariates (e.g. treatment) may be delayed. Several models are proposed, and methods for computing the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters are described. Consistency and asymptotic normality properties of the estimators are derived. Some numerical examples are used to illustrate the implementation of the modeling and estimation procedures. Finally we apply the theory to interim data from a large scale randomized clinical trial for the prevention of skin cancer.
Optimizing a spectral element for modeling PZT-induced Lamb wave propagation in thin plates

Use of surface-mounted piezoelectric actuators to generate acoustic ultrasound has been demonstrated to be a key component of built-in nondestructive detection evaluation (NDE) techniques, which can automatically inspect and interrogate damage in hard-to-access areas in real time without disassembly of the structural parts. However, piezoelectric actuators create complex waves, which propagate through the structure. Having the capability to model piezoelectric actuator-induced wave propagation and understanding its physics are essential to developing advanced algorithms for the built-in NDE techniques. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to develop an efficient hybrid spectral element for modeling piezoelectric actuator-induced high-frequency wave propagation in thin plates. With the hybrid element we take advantage of both a high-order spectral element in the in-plane direction and a linear finite element in the thickness direction in order to efficiently analyze Lamb wave propagation in thin plates. The hybrid spectral element out-performs other elements in terms of leading to significantly faster computation and smaller memory requirements. Use of the hybrid spectral element is proven to be an efficient technique for modeling PZT-induced (PZT: lead zirconate titanate) wave propagation in thin plates. The element enables fundamental understanding of PZT-induced wave propagation.
The "bagel head" cosmetic modification: myths and medical complications for dermatologists to consider.

On September 23, 2012, the television program Taboo on the National Geographic Channel featured individuals in Tokyo undergoing the “bagel head” cosmetic modification. Dermatologists may encounter patients who undergo the bagel head procedure and subsequently present with a cutaneous infection. The purpose of this article is to delineate the bagel head procedure, note responses to sensationalist claims made by the media about this procedure, and discuss potential medical complications from this procedure. Specialists and primary care physicians who encounter reports of a specific extreme body modification for the first time should review discussions of the modification by its critics and advocates in order to assess potential medical complications from the procedure more accurately.
Observations on the Biblical Miniatures in Spanish Haggadot

This essay discusses the last two centuries of medieval Spanish art, and demonstrates that cooperative relations existed between Christians and Jews who worked either independently or together to create art both for the Church and the Jewish community. Artists of different faiths worked together in ateliers such as that headed by Ferrer Bassa (d. 1348), producing both retablos (altarpieces) as well as Latin and Hebrew manuscripts.The work of such mixed ateliers is of great significance when considering the genesis ca. 1300 of illuminated haggadot with prefatory biblical cycles and genre scenes that were produced in Spain until ca. 1360. These service books for Passover have always been viewed as a unique phenomenon within the Jewish art of Spain, their origins inexplicable. When the biblical scenes, however, are viewed in the context of contemporaneous Spanish art for the Church, their sources become more transparent.
Magnetic fields in flowing magnetotail plasmas and their significance for magnetic reconnection

A statistical study is made of the magnetic field components that occur in the presence of high-velocity flows. Results are reported for a statistical analysis of 324 intervals of intense bulk plasma flows in the plasma sheet of the geomagnetic tail, measured by the Imp 6 spacecraft. A pronounced tendency for southward fields to be associated with tailward flow more often than with earthward flow yields support for the merging concept, though not in its simplest form. Histograms of 15.36-s averages of vector magnetic field measurements during plasma flows reveal no significant changes in the distribution of beta-y between earthward or tailward plasma flow directions.
Chemo-biological suppression of root-infecting zoosporic pathogens in recirculating hydroponic systems

Zoosporic root-infecting pathogens are the most destructive organisms in enclosed environment agricultural systems which recycle irrigation water. Numerous strategies have been proposed for reducing or eliminating these pathogens from recycled irrigation water. These strategies include the following: filtration, sedimentation, chlorination, ozonation, heat, ultraviolet light, application of antimicrobial chemicals, suppressive potting substrates, and biological control agents. The latter strategy has been the focus of numerous investigations but consistency in performance in disease abatement following their application has not been realized. This has been attributed, in part, to the inability of these potential biocontrol bacteria to maintain a critical threshold population necessary for sustained biocontrol activity. That threshold population has been estimated at not less than 106 CFU g−1 of soil or root. Recently, we demonstrated that amending recycled irrigation water with specific carbon substrates (i.e., N-Serve® or Truban®) resulted in the selective enhancement of the indigenous fluorescent pseudomonad populations to levels at or above the presumed threshold levels necessary for disease control. In our current study, we verified the ubiquity of that response in different cultural systems involving two different host plants (i.e., cucumber and pepper) and, most significantly, we document, for the first time, significant and sustained disease abatement. Additionally, we demonstrated that nitrapyrin, the active ingredients in N-Serve® and Truban®, exerted direct antifungal activity whereas the inert ingredients had an indirect role in disease suppression. Specifically, the inert ingredients were responsible for the increase in the fluorescent pseudomonad population. Amending the recirculating nutrient solution with a representative fluorescent pseudomonad isolate verified and substantiated their role in disease control. Cumulatively, our results support the hypothesis that it is possible to modify the environment to make it more conducive to the multiplication and survival of indigenous biocontrol bacteria. The resident microflora in many, if not most, habitats already contain prospective biological control members who, if enhanced, could function as antagonists to other microorganisms in the same habitat.
The risk of squamous cell and basal cell cancer associated with psoralen and ultraviolet A therapy: A 30-year prospective study

Background By 1977, psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) was established as a highly effective therapy for psoriasis. Because of concerns about potential long-term adverse effects, particularly cancer, the PUVA Follow-Up Study was established to assess long-term risk and benefits of PUVA. Objective We sought to determine the association of certain squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) risk with exposure to PUVA. Methods For nearly 30 years, this prospective cohort study of 1380 patients with psoriasis first treated with PUVA in 1975 to 1976 documented exposures and incident events including biopsy-proven skin cancers. Results From 1975 to 2005, 351 of 1380 (25%) cohort patients developed 2973 biopsy-proven SCC and 330 (24%) developed 1729 BCCs. After adjusting for age, gender, and significant confounders, the risk of developing one or more SCC in a year was strongly associated with total number of PUVA treatments (350-450 vs Limitations This was an observational prospective study of a cohort with severe psoriasis. An unknown factor associated with higher dose exposure to PUVA in our cohort that was not included in our analysis could account for the observed associations. Conclusion Exposure to more than 350 PUVA treatments greatly increases the risk of SCC. Exposure to fewer than 150 PUVA treatments has, at most, modest effects on SCC risk. Even high-dose exposure to PUVA does not greatly increase BCC risk. The risks of SCC in long-term PUVA-treated patients should be considered in determining the risk of this therapy relative to other treatments for severe psoriasis.
Imperfect ‘tagging’ in social insurance programs

Abstract This paper derives the optimal benefit structure of an earnings insurance program when a characteristic or ‘tag’ imperfectly identifies those unable to work. With a two-sided classification error, the optimal program is a dual work incentive system, with a work/non-work consumption differential maintained for the tagged and untagged just sufficient to induce the able in each group to work, and with more generous payments to tagged than to untagged individuals of the same work status. It includes premiums to program-eligible individuals who work, a price missing in the U.S. social security disability system and in earlier attempts to characterize the optimal disability program.
Variation in Decisions to Forgo Life-Sustaining Therapies in US ICUs

BACKGROUND The magnitude and implication of variation in end-of-life decision-making among ICUs in the United States is unknown. METHODS We reviewed data on decisions to forgo life-sustaining therapy (DFLSTs) in 269,002 patients admitted to 153 ICUs in the United States between 2001 and 2009. We used fixed-effects logistic regression to create a multivariable model for DFLST and then calculated adjusted rates of DFLST for each ICU. RESULTS Patient factors associated with increased odds of DFLST included advanced age, female sex, white race, and poor baseline functional status (all P r = 0.53, 0.41–0.68). CONCLUSION Although patient factors explain much of the variability in DFLST practices, significant effects of ICU culture and practice influence end-of-life decision-making. The observation that an ICU's risk-adjusted propensity to withdraw life support is directly associated with its standardized mortality ratio suggests problems with using the latter as a quality measure.
Drotrecogin Alfa (Activated) for the Treatment of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock

Coagulopathy and systemic inflammation are almost universal in patients with severe sepsis. Interaction between the two results in an intense inflammatory response and microthrombi formation in the vessels of multiple organs, resulting in organ dysfunction or severe sepsis. Recombinant human activated protein C, also known as drotrecogin alfa (activated), possesses anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and profibrinolytic properties. Treatment with drotrecogin alfa (activated) significantly reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with severe sepsis. An increased risk of bleeding during the infusion was the only side effect experienced. Recent data demonstrate that early administration of drotrecogin alfa (activated) is associated with lower mortality rates. Despite concern over its relatively high cost, analysis has demonstrated that recombinant human activated protein C is as cost-effective as other commonly used treatments in the intensive care unit.
Antiviral evaluation of octadecyloxyethyl esters of (S)-3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl nucleosides against herpesviruses and orthopoxviruses

Abstract Our previous studies showed that esterification of 9-(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine (HPMPA) or 1-(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)-propyl]cytosine (HPMPC) with alkoxyalkyl groups such as hexadecyloxypropyl (HDP) or octadecyloxyethyl (ODE) resulted in large increases in antiviral activity and oral bioavailability. The HDP and ODE esters of HPMPA were shown to be active in cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1), while HPMPA itself was virtually inactive. To explore this approach in greater detail, we synthesized four new compounds in this series, the ODE esters of 9-(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)-propyl]guanine (HPMPG), 1-(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]thymine (HPMPT), 9-(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (HPMPDAP) and 9-(S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]-2-amino-6-cyclopropylaminopurine (HPMP-cPrDAP) and evaluated their antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus, type 1 (HSV-1), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), and vaccinia, cowpox and ectromelia. Against HSV-1, subnanomolar EC50 values were observed with ODE–HPMPA and ODE–HPMPC while ODE–HPMPG had intermediate antiviral activity with an EC50 of 40 nM. In HFF cells infected with HCMV, the lowest EC50 values were observed with ODE–HPMPC, 0.9 nM. ODE–HPMPA was highly active with an EC50 of 3 nM, while ODE–HPMPG and ODE–HPMPDAP were also highly active with EC50s of 22 and 77 nM, respectively. Against vaccinia and cowpox viruses, ODE–HPMPG and ODE–HPMPDAP were the most active and selective compounds with EC50 values of 20–60 nM and selectivity index values of 600–3500. ODE–HPMPG was also active against ectromelia virus with an EC50 value of 410 nM and a selectivity index value of 166. ODE–HPMPG and ODE–HPMPDAP are proposed for further preclinical evaluation as possible candidates for treatment of HSV, HCMV or orthopoxvirus diseases.
Failure, Defeat, Debacle: U.S. Policy in the Middle East

Revolution, war, and political stalemate in the Middle East have led many analysts to declare U.S. policy in the Middle East a failure. To a considerable extent this failure is attributed to an unwillingness to use the area experts who have the requisite knowledge. Often, however, knowledge, intelligence, and analysis are conflated. Frequently, expertise and advocacy are confused. In practice it is difficult to separate scientific knowledge from partisan ideological commitment. Hence the close association between government and the social scientific/area studies community may well defeat the purpose of providing objective and institutionally neutral bases for policy making. Despite some recent trends toward linking the enhanced funding of area studies with more direct service of the needs of government agencies, it may actually be more desirable to explore better ways of detaching area studies from the institutional establishment and the policy orientations of the current National Defense Education Act system.
Co-processing SPMD computation on CPUs and GPUs cluster

Heterogeneous parallel systems with multi processors and accelerators are becoming ubiquitous due to better cost-performance and energy-efficiency. These heterogeneous processor architectures have different instruction sets and are optimized for either task-latency or throughput purposes. Challenges occur in regard to programmability and performance when running SPMD tasks on heterogeneous devices. In order to meet these challenges, we implemented a parallel runtime system that used to co-process SPMD computation on CPUs and GPUs clusters. Furthermore, we are proposing an analytic model to automatically schedule SPMD tasks on heterogeneous clusters. Our analytic model is derived from the roofline model, and therefore it can be applied to a wider range of SPMD applications and hardware devices. The experimental results of the C-means, GMM, and GEMV show good speedup in practical heterogeneous cluster environments.