cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sea Ice Thickness Estimation From TechDemoSat-1 Data

In this paper, an effective model is developed for retrieving sea ice thickness (SIT) from scattering coefficient (σ0) produced with TechDemoSat-1 (TDS-1) data. Here, σ0 is formulated as the product of the propagation loss due to SIT and the reflection coefficient of underlying seawater. In application, σ0 at specular point was firstly generated based on radar equation using TDS-1 data. Next, SIT was calculated from TDS-1 σ0 using the proposed model, and verified with reference SIT data obtained by the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite. The data used here were from measurements over the year of 2015. Comparison results showed a good consistency between the derived and reference SIT, with a correlation coefficient of 0.90 and a root mean square difference of 8.68 cm, which demonstrates the potential of developed model and the utility of TDS-1 data for SIT retrieval.
Sox17 and β-catenin co-occupy Wnt-responsive enhancers to govern the endodermal gene regulatory network

Lineage specification depends on the integration of lineage-determining transcription factors (TFs) and signaling effectors on enhancers to establish gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Sox17 is a key regulator of definitive endoderm development, and yet, its genomic targets remain largely uncharacterized. Here, using genomic approaches and epistasis experiments, we define the Sox17-governed endoderm GRN in Xenopus gastrulae. We show that Sox17 functionally interacts with the canonical Wnt pathway to specify and pattern the endoderm while repressing alternative mesectoderm fates. Together, Sox17 and β-catenin bind hundreds of key enhancers. In some cases, Sox17 and β-catenin synergistically activate transcription in the absence of Tcfs, whereas on other enhancers, Sox17 represses β-catenin/Tcf-mediated transcription to spatially restrict gene expression domains. Our findings establish Sox17 as a tissue-specific modifier of Wnt responses and point to a novel paradigm where genomic specificity of Wnt/ β-catenin transcription is determined through functional interactions between lineage-specific Sox TFs and β-catenin/Tcf transcriptional complexes. Given the ubiquitous nature of Sox TFs and Wnt signaling, this could be a general feature of Sox proteins across numerous contexts of development and disease.
HODGE IDEALS FOR -DIVISORS, -FILTRATION, AND MINIMAL EXPONENT

We compute the Hodge ideals of -divisors in terms of the -filtration induced by a local defining equation, inspired by a result of Saito in the reduced case. We deduce basic properties of Hodge ideals in this generality, and relate them to Bernstein–Sato polynomials. As a consequence of our study we establish general properties of the minimal exponent, a refined version of the log canonical threshold, and bound it in terms of discrepancies on log resolutions, addressing a question of Lichtin and Kollar.
Sustaining Trajectories: Black Males Persisting in Undergraduate Social Work Education

While the literature is replete with studies on persistence among students across academic majors, few studies examine the nature of persistence among Black males enrolled in baccalaureate social work programs. This qualitative study offers some insight into how a sample of four Black male graduates from an accredited baccalaureate social work program persisted toward degree attainment. Three themes emerged from this study: (a) family encouragement and support, (b) sense of belonging, and (c) presence of Black male professors. Findings suggest the need for social work educators to consider programmatic initiatives acknowledging the role of families in persistence efforts, facilitating connectedness, and recruiting Black male professors or other Black male mentors.
Dual-Use and Infectious Disease Research

Despite rapid advance in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, infectious diseases remain a central challenge for global health policy. In the twenty-first century, the life sciences—including microbiology, virology, and immunology—have been marshalled as key tools in the fight against infectious disease, and the promotion of global health. Rapid advance in these fields, however, has given rise to the “dual-use dilemma,” when one and the same piece of scientific research or technology has the capacity to help or harm humanity. While not unique to fields that address infectious disease, contemporary cases of dual-use research are largely identified in the context of the life sciences. In this chapter I outline the debate about dual-use research in the life sciences, in particular the ethics of dual-use research. After a historical overview of the dual-use dilemma in the twenty-first century, I examine ethical issues in attempting to trade off the risks and benefits of dual-use research. I address how we select alternative, less risky experiments; translational issues arising for dual-use research; and political commitments to realise the benefits and mitigate the risks arising from such research. I then discuss the governance of dual-use research, before concluding with a brief discussion on priority setting in infectious disease research as a path forward for policymakers.
Indices of leg resistance artery function are independently related to cycling V̇O2max

PURPOSE While maximum blood flow influences one's maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 max), with so many indices of vascular function, it is still unclear if vascular function is related to VO2 max in healthy, young adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if several common vascular tests of conduit artery and resistance artery function provide similar information about vascular function and the relationship between vascular function and VO2 max. METHODS Twenty-two healthy adults completed multiple assessments of leg vascular function, including flow-mediated dilation (FMD), reactive hyperemia (RH), passive leg movement (PLM), and rapid onset vasodilation (ROV). VO2 max was assessed with a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer. RESULTS Indices associated with resistance artery function (e.g., peak flow during RH, PLM, and ROV) were generally related to each other (r = 0.47-77, p < .05), while indices derived from FMD were unrelated to other tests (p < .05). Absolute VO2 max (r = 0.57-0.73, p < .05) and mass-specific VO2 max (r = 0.41-0.46, p < .05) were related to indices of resistance artery function, even when controlling for factors like body mass and sex. FMD was only related to mass-specific VO2 max after statistically controlling for baseline artery diameter (r = 0.44, p < .05). CONCLUSION Indices of leg resistance artery function (e.g., peak flow during RH, PLM, and ROV) relate well to each other and account for ~30% of the variance in VO2 max not accounted for by other factors, like body mass and sex. Vascular interventions should focus on improving indices of resistance artery function, not conduit artery function, when seeking to improve exercise capacity.
Towards process consistency and in-situ evaluation of porosity during laser powder bed additive manufacturing

There is a synergy between welding and additive manufacturing with reference to spatial and temporal variations of heat transfer. In this research, in-situ measurements of heat transfer conditions ...
Interactive effects of temperature and redox on soil carbon and iron cycling

Abstract Shifts in temperature and rainfall regimes with climate change can feed back on redox dynamics and associated biogeochemical cycling in humid environments. This has global implications for greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem carbon (C) storage and loss. Though aerobic carbon dioxide (CO2) production is generally understood to follow an Arrhenius-type temperature dependence, the temperature sensitivity of anaerobic metabolisms such as iron (Fe) reduction and methane (CH4) fluxes, both processes affecting C cycling in soils, remains unclear in upland soils. We used a fully factorial incubation experiment to examine the interactive effects of temperature (8, 26, and 35 °C) and redox (oxic and anoxic) conditions on CO2 production, CH4 fluxes, Fe reduction, microbial biomass C, and the microbial metabolic quotient (MMQ) in upland soils from two contrasting climate regimes and redox environments: a tropical forest in Puerto Rico (PR) and a temperate peatland in California (CA). Under oxic conditions, we found that CO2 production increased across both temperature gradients (8–26 °C and 26–35 °C). In contrast, under anoxic conditions, net CH4 fluxes and Fe reduction exhibited a greater temperature sensitivity between 26 and 35 °C than 8–26 °C in both PR and CA soils. We also observed coupling between Fe reduction and net CH4 fluxes in PR and CA soils consistent with competition for acetate. The anoxic MMQ increased in PR soils at high temperature, but not in CA soils, suggesting that the native PR environment may favor the development of more efficient microbial communities better able to tolerate warmer, wetter conditions. Together, our results suggest that anaerobic microbial metabolisms may be much more sensitive to higher temperature than aerobic ones, possibly due to proportionally greater anaerobic microbial activity at high temperature. Our results suggest that increased global temperatures combined with higher rainfall regimes may significantly increase anaerobic greenhouse gas production in humid environments.
Risks and benefits of phase I liver dysfunction studies: Should patients with severe liver dysfunction be included in these trials?

Introduction The goal of organ dysfunction Phase I trials is to characterize the safety and pharmacokinetics of novel agents in cancer patients with liver or kidney dysfunction, but the clinical benefit is not well established. Methods We reviewed 170 patients across 15 liver dysfunction studies at our institution, grouped based on the NCI-Organ Dysfunction Working Group criteria or Child-Pugh Score. Results The median survival for the entire cohort was two months and just one month amongst patients with severe liver dysfunction. Patients with normal or mild liver dysfunction, absence of tumor in liver, good performance status, higher serum albumin and lower bilirubin, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase had improved survival by univariate analysis. Serum albumin and liver function classification remained significant by multivariate analysis. Conclusion Given poor survival of patients with liver dysfunction, we need better criteria, such as albumin levels, for optimally selecting patients for liver dysfunction studies.
Construct validation of quality of life for the severely mentally ill

This study focused on the quality of life experienced by persons with severe mental illness (SMI). Previous studies indicate the need for a multi-dimensional approach to the study of quality of life and its subjective indicators. For the SMI, attention should be paid not only to the direct and intentional effects of interventions, but also to the indirect and unintentional effects, both negative and positive. Hence, a global evaluation of individuals within this group is indicated. A multitrait-multimethod approach to construct validation using confirmatory factor analysis was employed. The hypothesized factors were modeled as multiple traits and the multiple perspectives of the respondents (i.e. patient, case manager, family member) were multiple methods. A total of 265 severely mentally ill adults served by a network of agencies in four cities were randomly sampled. The sample was approximately 50% male and 50% female, ages ranged from 19-78 years. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v1i2_johnson
A Switch in Distinct IκBα Degradation Mechanisms Mediates Constitutive NF-κB Activation in Mature B Cells

Inducible activation of cytoplasmic NF-κB/Rel transcription factors occurs via proteasome-dependent degradation of an associated inhibitor, termed IκBα. Mature B lymphocytes constitutively express nuclear NF-κB, which is important for their long-term survival. The intrinsic mechanisms by which B cells constitutively activate NF-κB are unknown. In this paper we demonstrate that maintenance of NF-κB activity in primary B cells is mediated by a novel calcium-dependent, but proteasome-independent, mechanism. Moreover, we show that differentiation of conditionally transformed pre-B cells is accompanied by a switch from proteasome-dependent to proteasome-independent degradation of IκBα. Our findings indicate that IκBα degradation mechanisms are dynamic during B cell development, and ultimately establish constitutive NF-κB activity in mature B lymphocytes.
Using Imputation Techniques to Evaluate Stopping Rules in Adaptive Survey Designs

Adaptive Design methods for social surveys utilize the information from the data as it is collected to make decisions about the sampling design. In some cases, the decision is either to continue or stop the data collection. We evaluate this decision by proposing measures to compare the collected data with follow-up samples. The options are assessed by imputation of the nonrespondents under different missingness scenarios, including Missing Not at Random. The variation in the utility measures is compared to the cost induced by the follow-up sample sizes. We apply the proposed method to the 2007 U.S. Census of Manufacturers.
Autonomous controller design for an orbital debris chaser craft

Space is starting to become very crowded mostly in low earth orbit (LEO). Current projections are showing that without active debris removal (ADR) missions manned and unmanned operations in LEO will become in danger of collisions. While research is being done on removal techniques most approaches involve human pilots and/or are planned for a single use. A more effective solution in the long run would be to have a multi-use crafts that could navigate to rendezvous with multiple targets for de-orbiting. The purpose of this paper is to compare two different types of controllers used on a simulated nonlinear active satellite system to rendezvous with a certain target in orbit. The two types of controllers that are compared are a state feedback controller and a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC). Initial conditions are provided to the controller at first in order to ensure each controller works in a variety of start points. Simulations for both controllers are performed to compare operation while attempting to rendezvous with the target location. The simulation results provide details on the different strengths for both types of controllers that could be applied to different missions. One main result of this paper is that the State Feedback controller was able to reach the target location quicker but the FLC had a much smoother approach. Further detail on the results is presented in this paper.
Perspectives on viral vector design and applications.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses viral vector designs and their applications. Effective human gene therapy depends on the efficient delivery and appropriate expression of therapeutic genes. Attempts to solve the gene delivery problem have used a variety of strategies, including naked DNA, DNA bound by lipids and/or facilitating proteins, and recombinant viruses. Viruses remain attractive as potential gene-delivery vehicles, because they are highly evolved for the invasion of organisms and the delivery of genetic material to cells. Some viruses naturally establish long-term persistence or may express genes in specific cell types. The use of viruses for gene delivery has two obvious drawbacks—namely, (1) most viruses cause disease and (2) many tissues where gene therapy is required are not known to harbor latent or persistent viruses. Although efforts to eliminate viral genes involved in disease have met with considerable success, even viral structural proteins in high concentrations can result in toxicity. Highly mutated viruses can no longer replicate, and thus technology for producing viral vectors by the complementation of defective genes using complementing cells or packaging systems is impeded by low vector yields and contamination with wild-type virus rescuants.
Graph drawing in the cloud: privately visualizing relational data using small working storage

We study graph drawing in a cloud-computing context where data is stored externally and processed using a small local working storage. We show that a number of classic graph drawing algorithms can be efficiently implemented in such a framework where the client can maintain privacy while constructing a drawing of her graph.
The Arizona-Sonora Region: A Decade of Transborder Region Building

Este articulo se centra en el periodo 1990-2000, una decada de intensificada integracion economica en la region Sonora-Arizona. En parte, este proceso representa un resultado anticipado de la implementacion del TLCAN y, por otro lado, el efecto de la yuxtaposicion con otras tendencias regionales y globales. En particular, esta decada manifiesta un tiempo de intensificacion de la integracion economica, por medio de la cooperacion transfronteriza para el desarrollo economico entre gobiernos y asociaciones publico-privadas apoyadas por estos. Entre los objetivos centrales del Plan Estrategico Binacional de Desarrollo Economico de la Region Sonora-Arizona estaban fortalecer la competitividad regional en los mercados del TLCAN y global, atraer mas inversion y, a traves del incremento en las exportaciones, mejorar el crecimiento economico general y elevar el ingreso. Los resultados del analisis realizado sugieren un creciente papel de las exportaciones en la economia de la region. Sin embargo, quienes toman las decisiones enfrentan dos preocupaciones fundamentales. Primero, indicadores seleccionados de la participacion en los mercados sugieren que la region esta perdiendo posicion relativa dentro del area del TLCAN. Segundo, parece ser que los beneficios de la creciente integracion economica y la consecuente expansion del comercio no se han aprovechado cabalmente y, hasta ahora, no se han manifestado en indicadores promedio de bienestar. Estos eventos demandan una reevaluacion urgente de las estrategias economicas regionales.
Satisfaction with hysterectomy: low-income underinsured teaching hospital patients versus insured patients at a private hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to measure patient health-related quality of life/satisfaction with the results of hysterectomy in 2 distinct groups of women. STUDY DESIGN: A health-related outcomes questionnaire was completed 3 months after hysterectomy by 50 low-income women who underwent operation at a state-supported teaching hospital and by 50 women who underwent operation at a private hospital. RESULTS: The women at the teaching hospital had a significantly worse outcome satisfaction score than the women at a private hospital. However, 98% of the patients at the teaching hospital and 100% of patients at the private hospital noted their symptoms to be improved. Factors such as race, age, preoperative indications, route of hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and hormone replacement therapy did not affect outcome scores. CONCLUSION: Low-income women who undergo operation at a university teaching hospital experience lower satisfaction after hysterectomy than do other women.
Responses to Embarrassment

This study focused upon responses to the emotion of embarrassment. Specifically, the situations causing embarrassment, the degree of perceived embarrassment and the agent of the embarrassment were examined as predictive of the embarrassed party's responses. These same three factors, as well as the response of the embarrassed person, were examined in association with the responses of others. In addition, the issue of multiple responses to embarrassment by the embarrassed party was examined. Self-report data werecollected from 387 persons ranging in age from 17 to 90 years. Log-linear analyses revealed strong associations between both the type of situation and the degree of embarrassment and the type of situation and the agent of the act. The type of situation did indeed predict responses by persons involved in the event. The degree of embarrassment was predictive of neither the types of responses utilized by the embarrassed party nor the others present. Theagent of the incident was strongly associated with responses of the embarrassed party, but was not associated with others’ responses. Responses of an embarrassed party were associated with the responses of others present. Finally, it was found that combinations of responses by the embarrassed party were discovered but were not associated with the situation nor with the degree of embarrassment.
Stigma and ideological constructions of the foreign: Facing HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

In this article I discuss language ideologies and stigma exploring how a group of South Africans living with HIV confronted the perceived language of HIV and engaged with international aid to live positive lives amid stigma. Based on ethnographic fieldwork with a Zulu choir that functioned as an HIV support group and AIDS activist organization I analyze talk about how others talked about HIV (metapragmatic discourse about HIV) to suggest a language-ideological component of stigma. I also explore how choir members engagement with scientific medicine and international aid provided an alternative ideological framework in which the foreign was positively valued. I analyze how choir members creatively incorporated English medical terminology into isiZulu discourse as an alternative to the language of stigma. This analysis provides a model of the language-ideological constitution of stigma that suggests links to theorization of language and other types of marginality and abjection. (Language ideologies stigma HIV/AIDS South Africa Zulu exclusion markedness).
Thermodynamic Properties of the Ethylammonium Nitrate + Water System: Partial Molar Volumes, Heat Capacities, and Expansivities

Partial molar volumes at 15, 25, and 45°C and partial molar heat capacities and expansivities at 25°C for ethylammonium nitrate + water mixtures are reported. The results are compared with those for other aqueous cosolvents, particularly hydrazine and ammonium nitrate.
TBC-domain GAPs for rab GTPases accelerate GTP hydrolysis by a dual-finger mechanism

Structural insight into the complex between the GTPase Rab33 and the TBC domain of the GTPase-activating protein Gyp1p reveals that the TBC domain supplies two catalytic residues in trans — an unexpected dual finger mechanism. Rab GTPases regulate membrane trafficking by cycling between inactive (GDP-bound) and active (GTP-bound) conformations1. The duration of the active state is limited by GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), which accelerate the slow intrinsic rate of GTP hydrolysis. Proteins containing TBC (Tre-2, Bub2 and Cdc16) domains are broadly conserved in eukaryotic organisms and function as GAPs for Rab GTPases as well as GTPases that control cytokinesis2. An exposed arginine residue is a critical determinant of GAP activity in vitro and in vivo3,4,5. It has been expected that the catalytic mechanism of TBC domains would parallel that of Ras and Rho family GAPs. Here we report crystallographic, mutational and functional analyses of complexes between Rab GTPases and the TBC domain of Gyp1p. In the crystal structure of a TBC-domain–Rab-GTPase–aluminium fluoride complex, which approximates the transition-state intermediate for GTP hydrolysis, the TBC domain supplies two catalytic residues in trans, an arginine finger analogous to Ras/Rho family GAPs and a glutamine finger that substitutes for the glutamine in the DxxGQ motif of the GTPase. The glutamine from the Rab GTPase does not stabilize the transition state as expected but instead interacts with the TBC domain. Strong conservation of both catalytic fingers indicates that most TBC-domain GAPs may accelerate GTP hydrolysis by a similar dual-finger mechanism.
Adaptive Prognostics for Rolling Element Bearing Condition

Rolling element bearing failure is one of the foremost causes of breakdown in rotating machinery. This paper proposes a remaining life adaptation methodology based on mechanistic modeling and parameter tuning. Vibration measurement is used to estimate defect severity by monitoring the signals generated from rotating bearings. Through a defect propagation model and defect diagnostic model, an adaptive algorithm is developed to fine tune the parameters involved in the propagation model by comparing predicted and measured defect sizes. In this manner, the instantaneous rate of defect propagation can be captured despite defect growth behavior variation. Therefore, a precise estimation of the remaining life can be determined. Simulations and experimental results are presented to illustrate the implementation principles and to verify the applicability of the adaptive prognostic methodology.
The homonuclear Overhauser effect in H2O solution of low-spin hemeproteins. Assignment of protons in the heme cavity of sperm whale myoglobin.

Proton-proton Overhauser effects were observed in 1H2O solutions of sperm whale metcyano myoglobin. Dipolar connectivities involving hyperfine-shifted exchangeable protons such as the proximal and distal histidine ring NH's allowed us to categorize signals as arising from residues located on one side of the heme plane or on the other. With these connectivities, as well as spin-lattice relaxation times, spectral assignments were reached that were used to derive structural and dynamic information about the heme environment. Thus, it was shown that the distal histidine residue does not titrate down to pH ∼4.1 and that the βCH2 of the proximal histidine side chain tumbles with the same correlation time as the protein. Some other applications and limitations are presented.
COPD as a Disease of Accelerated Lung Aging

There is increasing evidence for a close relationship between aging and chronic inflammatory diseases. COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs, which progresses very slowly and the majority of patients are therefore elderly. We here review the evidence that accelerating aging of lung in response to oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of COPD, particularly emphysema. Aging is defined as the progressive decline of homeostasis that occurs after the reproductive phase of life is complete, leading to an increasing risk of disease or death. This results from a failure of organs to repair DNA damage by oxidative stress (nonprogrammed aging) and from telomere shortening as a result of repeated cell division (programmed aging). During aging, pulmonary function progressively deteriorates and pulmonary inflammation increases, accompanied by structural changes, which are described as senile emphysema. Environmental gases, such as cigarette smoke or other pollutants, may accelerate the aging of lung or worsen aging-related events in lung by defective resolution of inflammation, for example, by reducing antiaging molecules, such as histone deacetylases and sirtuins, and this consequently induces accelerated progression of COPD. Recent studies of the signal transduction mechanisms, such as protein acetylation pathways involved in aging, have identified novel antiaging molecules that may provide a new therapeutic approach to COPD.
Multimodal transformed social interaction

Understanding human-human interaction is fundamental to the long-term pursuit of powerful and natural multimodal interfaces. Nonverbal communication, including body posture, gesture, facial expression, and eye gaze, is an important aspect of human-human interaction. We introduce a paradigm for studying multimodal and nonverbal communication in collaborative virtual environments (CVEs) called Transformed Social Interaction (TSI), in which a user's visual representation is rendered in a way that strategically filters selected communication behaviors in order to change the nature of a social interaction. To achieve this, TSI must employ technology to detect, recognize, and manipulate behaviors of interest, such as facial expressions, gestures, and eye gaze. In [13] we presented a TSI experiment called non-zero-sum gaze (NZSG) to determine the effect of manipulated eye gaze on persuasion in a small group setting. Eye gaze was manipulated so that each participant in a three-person CVE received eye gaze from a presenter that was normal, less than normal, or greater than normal. We review this experiment and discuss the implications of TSI for multimodal interfaces.
Multicritical phenomena for the hydrogen molecule at the large-dimension limit

Abstract We show that symmetry breaking of the electronic structure configurations for the Hartree-Fock hydrogen molecule at the large-dimension limit can be described as standard phase transitions. The phase diagram in the internuclear distance-nuclear charge plane shows three different stable phases corresponding to different electronic structure configurations. This phase diagram is characterized by a bicritical point where the two continuous phase transition lines join a first order transition line.
Characterization of temperature dependent modifier effects in SFC using linear solvation energy relationships

Linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) are used to probe the changes in mobile and stationary phase properties of a carbon dioxide-based mobile phase and a polymeric stationary phase under near-critical conditions. Four mobile phase modifiers are compared with respect to dipolarity/polarizability, hydrogen bond donating and accepting ability, and other intermolecular interactions as a function of temperature. As temperature nears the mixture critical point, the differences in these properties between the mobile and stationary phases change to reflect the growing heterogeneity in mobile phase component distribution at the chromatographic interface. The stationary phase loses many of its original characteristics and takes on characteristics typical of the mobile phase modifier due to preferential adsorption of the modifier at the surface of the stationary phase.
An ethical case for patient self-determination

The self-determination of patients can be impeded or enhanced to a significant extent by the professionals who care for them. The autonomy of cancer patients especially is affected by their care givers. These patients often face difficult choices in the management of their illness: decisions about pain control, treatment choice, research participation, family involvement, withdrawal of treatment, and the degree to which they wish to be informed in making each of these decisions. The extent to which consent is free and informed and the autonomy of the patient not impeded, but positively enhanced, is determined by the professional. Is it fair to assign the professional so much responsibility for patient autonomy? Are patients not free to make decisions as they wish? In a technological society, serious illness is managed by professionals who incur a major share of responsibility for the degree of freedom that patients exercise. When patients are not encouraged and assisted to exercise their freedom, they cannot be autonomous. When an experience is brought under professional management, self-determination is possible only to the extent that it is both protected and promoted, or actively advocated. In the care of cancer patients, the central responsibility for advocacy belongs to the professional best situated within the framework of health care to sustain a partnership with the patient, and that professional is the nurse.
Applying case-based reasoning and multi-agent intelligent system to context-aware comparative shopping

Comparative shopping is a promising web service in the field of mobile commerce. This paper aims to propose a context-aware comparative shopping. Multi-agent intelligent architecture is adopted to implement the autonomous negotiation mechanism between buyers and sellers. To automatically estimate user preferences to determine the best purchase, case-based reasoning and negotiation mechanism are utilized. We developed a prototype system and experiment to show the possibility of the mechanism proposed in this paper. We found that our mechanism with multi-agents yields more pay-off, total sales, and wins than the system without those features.
The role of the Heart Rhythm Society in Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise

p fl o t o t fl m s n i h a t Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) is an interational initiative cosponsored by the American College of ardiology, the Radiological Society of North America, and he Healthcare Information and Management Systems Soiety, established to encourage cooperation and coordinaion within the medical industry to enable sharing of healthare information in order to facilitate better patient care. The rimary goal of IHE is to foster a standards-based exchange f healthcare information within and among medical pracices, a critical step toward widespread implementation of lectronic medical records (EMR). IHE leverages existing tandards created by the Health Care Level 7 organization HL7) to create “plug-and-play” healthcare equipment and lectronic medical records that will communicate with each ther. “HL7” refers to Health Level Seven, Inc., an allolunteer, not-for-profit organization involved in developent of international healthcare standards. Founded in 1987 o produce a standard for hospital information systems, HL7 s currently the selected standard for the interfacing of linical data in most institutions. In the future, all medical quipment will be required to comply with HL7 standards to e a competitive product in the market place. The Heart Rhythm Society was invited to help develop n Electrophysiology (EP) Subcommittee. Since August 005, the subcommittee has held four all-day meetings. hese meetings included four physician-members from the eart Rhythm Society, representatives from industry, and he U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Numerous confernce calls, as well as several technical meetings together ith the parent IHE committees, have also taken place. hree areas have been identified as the initial collaborative ffort between the Heart Rhythm Society and IHE to enance our daily practice. Much collaborative work among ur team of physicians, numerous industry representatives, nd engineers has led to the development of technical rameworks utilizing accepted HL7 standards. The first project, Patient Demographics Query: Urgent
A Technique for Automatically Scoring Open-Ended Concept Maps.

In this descriptive investigation, we seek to confirm and extend a technique for automatically scoring concept maps. Sixty unscored concept maps from a published dissertation were scored using a computer-based technique adapted from Schvaneveldt (1990) and colleague's Pathfinder network approach. The scores were based on link lines drawn between terms and on the geometric distances between terms. These concept map scores were compared to terminology and comprehension posttest scores. Concept map scores derived from link data were more related to terminology whereas concept map scores derived from distance data were more related to comprehension. A step-by-step description of the scoring technique is presented and the next steps in the development process are discussed.
Airflow obstruction and exercise

The primary abnormality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is chronic airway inflammation which results in airflow limitation. Disease progression is usually depicted as an accelerated decline in FEV(1) over time. However, COPD patients also manifest progressive static hyperinflation due to the combined effects of reduced lung elastic recoil and increased airway resistance. Superimposed on static hyperinflation are further increases in operational lung volumes (dynamic hyperinflation) brought on during exercise, exacerbations or tachypnea. An important consequence of exertional dyspnea is activity limitation. COPD patients have been shown to spend only a third of the day walking or standing compared with age-matched healthy individuals who spend more than half of their time in these activities. Furthermore, the degree of activity limitation measured by an accelerometer worsens with disease progression. COPD patients have been shown to have an accelerated loss of aerobic capacity (VO(2)max) and this correlates with mortality just as is seen with hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Thus physical inactivity is an important therapeutic target in COPD. Summarizing; airflow obstruction leads to progressive hyperinflation, activity limitation, physical deconditioning and other comorbidities that characterize the COPD phenotype. Targeting the airflow obstruction with long-acting bronchodilator therapy in conjunction with a supervised exercise prescription is currently the most effective therapeutic intervention in earlier COPD. Other important manifestations of skeletal muscle dysfunction include muscle atrophy and weakness. These specific problems are best addressed with resistance training with consideration of anabolic supplementation.
Dietary Lipid Metabolism in Lactating Dairy Cows

Effects of feeding an oil seed supplement treated with formalin upon lipid patterns of blood and synthesis of milk fat were evaluated. Percentages and yields of fatty acids of milk fat with chain lengths between 6 and 16 carbons were decreased while percentages and yields of stearate and linoleate were increased when the lipid supplement was fed. Calculations in cows fed control and supplement, 60% and 80%, respectively, of fatty acids of milk were derived from lipids of blood were supported by arterial-venous differences. Comparisons of the fatty acid compositions of triacylglycerol of plasma and milk fat suggested that triacylglycerol may not be the sole source of linoleate transferred from blood to milk fat. A preliminary evaluation of supplement effects upon lipoprotein patterns of serum indicated two peaks in the low density lipoprotein class and that the increase in total cholesterol of blood caused by feeding lipid supplement is due to increases in cholesterol content of the low density and high density lipoprotein classes.
Scaling-Up Exemplary Interventions

Scale-up is the practice of introducing proven interventions into new settings with the goal of producing similarly positive effects in larger, more diverse populations. Scale-up research examines factors that influence the effectiveness of interventions as they are brought to scale across settings. This article has three objectives. First, it defines the goals of scale-up research with respect to broader efforts to enhance the quality of educational research and promote evidencebased education. Second, it clarifies the importance of context, conceptually and methodologically, in conducting scale-up research. Finally, it suggests practical guidelines that can assist researchers in developing designs that can be implemented in field settings to produce robust, generalizable findings.
Necrotizing fasciitis in the pediatric age group (report of a case)

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressive invasive soft tissue infection that is rarely seen in the pediatric population. In the majority of cases described in the medical literature, there has been an identifiable initiating event such as instrumentation or other trauma to the skin. Because of the rapid progression of the infection, the key to a successful outcome is early recognition and rapid initiation of definitive surgical management. A case is presented in which necrotizing fasciitis was seen in a child with no precipitating skin trauma.
Nanoscale metal sulfides in perfluorinatedionomer membranes

The preparation and characterization of nanoscale metal sulfide particles in perfluorinated ionomer membranes, including Nafion and those based on the sulfonimide ionomer and the bis(sulfonyl)methane ionomer, are reported. The results suggest that these membrane films all contain hydrophilic structural cavities and that the nanoscopic structures of the sulfonimide ionomer and bis(sulfonyl)methane ionomer membranes are quite similar to that of the commercial Nafion film. Properties of the nanoscale particles in the ionomer membranes are presented, and their implications for the understanding of membrane nanoscopic structural details are discussed.
The Alleged Injustice of Increasing Land Value Taxation Without Compensation

OF ALL THE SEEMINGLY RADICAL reforms the advocacy of which has aroused the bitter and determined, albeit uncomprehending, opposition of conservatives, perhaps none is capable of being realized more imperceptibly than the reform of our land and taxation system as proposed by Henry George. Why, then, has this reform been so persistently and violently objected to? In part, at least, it may well be that the truculence of the objectors comes from the frank and even challenging recognition by Henry George of the ultimate implications of his proposal and from the provocative manner of his advocacy of it. This is not necessarily said in criticism. It may be, indeed, that a less provocative phraseology, though arousing less opposition, would also have done less to arouse interest and support. But the opposition has to be reckoned with. And the better we understand its ideological source or sources, the better chance we have to deal with it effectively. In Chapter II of Book VI of "Progress and Poverty," Henry George says that, as "the remedy for the unjust and unequal distribution of wealth apparent in modern civilization, and for all the evils which flow from it: "We must make land common Property." Here at once is a challenge to nearly all conservatives. "Surely," they are likely to think, "this is a most revolutionary proposal containing a most vicious element of communism or of other alien and wicked 'isms.' "
An exponential growth of computational phantom research in radiation protection, imaging, and radiotherapy: a review of the fifty-year history.

Radiation dose calculation using models of the human anatomy has been a subject of great interest to radiation protection, medical imaging, and radiotherapy. However, early pioneers of this field did not foresee the exponential growth of research activity as observed today. This review article walks the reader through the history of the research and development in this field of study which started some 50 years ago. This review identifies a clear progression of computational phantom complexity which can be denoted by three distinct generations. The first generation of stylized phantoms, representing a grouping of less than dozen models, was initially developed in the 1960s at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to calculate internal doses from nuclear medicine procedures. Despite their anatomical simplicity, these computational phantoms were the best tools available at the time for internal/external dosimetry, image evaluation, and treatment dose evaluations. A second generation of a large number of voxelized phantoms arose rapidly in the late 1980s as a result of the increased availability of tomographic medical imaging and computers. Surprisingly, the last decade saw the emergence of the third generation of phantoms which are based on advanced geometries called boundary representation (BREP) in the form of Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) or polygonal meshes. This new class of phantoms now consists of over 287 models including those used for non-ionizing radiation applications. This review article aims to provide the reader with a general understanding of how the field of computational phantoms came about and the technical challenges it faced at different times. This goal is achieved by defining basic geometry modeling techniques and by analyzing selected phantoms in terms of geometrical features and dosimetric problems to be solved. The rich historical information is summarized in four tables that are aided by highlights in the text on how some of the most well-known phantoms were developed and used in practice. Some of the information covered in this review has not been previously reported, for example, the CAM and CAF phantoms developed in 1970s for space radiation applications. The author also clarifies confusion about 'population-average' prospective dosimetry needed for radiological protection under the current ICRP radiation protection system and 'individualized' retrospective dosimetry often performed for medical physics studies. To illustrate the impact of computational phantoms, a section of this article is devoted to examples from the author's own research group. Finally the author explains an unexpected finding during the course of preparing for this article that the phantoms from the past 50 years followed a pattern of exponential growth. The review ends on a brief discussion of future research needs (a supplementary file '3DPhantoms.pdf' to figure 15 is available for download that will allow a reader to interactively visualize the phantoms in 3D).
Blackness beyond witness: Black Vernacular phenomena and auditory identity

The article posits that philosophy’s visual bias has limited exploration of the ways in which sound, and the awareness of sound, offers an alternative framework for social change. It moves from sight to sound and from visual witnessing to sound-based wit(h)ness to illustrate the implications of sound as a form of political resistance. Combining insights from the work of Michel Foucault and Emmanuel Levinas with elements of the Black Vernacular tradition, it articulates the ways in which the blues, jazz and work songs evoke distinctive sound-based wit(h)ness to perform philosophical interventions by destabilizing the status quo, offering a nonphenotypical account of black solidarity, and transforming what counts as work.
Birkhoff's theorem with Λ-term and Bertotti-Kasner space

Abstract If a Λ-term is included, the usual generalization of Schwarzschild space is not the only possible spherically symmetric vacuum solution. Another is Bertotti-Kasner space, as has been noted before but not explicitly demonstrated. The purpose of this note is to reformulate the unicity theorem and to discuss the extra solution.
Particularism in authority outcomes of black and white supervisors

Abstract Based on Kanter's notion of homosocial reproduction and the claim that promotion within authority hierarchies is susceptible to particularistic manipulation, we posit several hypotheses about the processes whereby black and white male supervisors attain authority within the supervisory category. Span of control (the number of subordinates) and span of responsibility (say regarding promotions and salary) are the dimensions of authority studied. Data come from the 1972 and 1975 panels of the Michigan Survey Research Center's PSID. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that blacks advance in settings where they are more likely to supervise other blacks. Also, consistent with the hypothesis that blacks have to be more qualified than their white counterparts, blacks apparently have to demonstrate the attitudes and values presumed to characterize a good supervisor if they are to advance. We also find that, regardless of race, a supervisor's span of responsibility, as compared with span of control, is more closely linked to the explanatory variables we have examined. We infer from this that the granting of responsibility for making decisions about pay and promotions is more carefully scrutinized and controlled than the granting of more subordinates to be supervised.
Removing ENSO-Related Variations from the Climate Record

Abstract An important question in assessing twentieth-century climate change is to what extent have ENSO-related variations contributed to the observed trends. Isolating such contributions is challenging for several reasons, including ambiguities arising from how ENSO itself is defined. In particular, defining ENSO in terms of a single index and ENSO-related variations in terms of regressions on that index, as done in many previous studies, can lead to wrong conclusions. This paper argues that ENSO is best viewed not as a number but as an evolving dynamical process for this purpose. Specifically, ENSO is identified with the four dynamical eigenvectors of tropical SST evolution that are most important in the observed evolution of ENSO events. This definition is used to isolate the ENSO-related component of global SST variations on a month-by-month basis in the 136-yr (1871–2006) Hadley Centre Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperature dataset (HadISST). The analysis shows that previously identified multidecadal v...