cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis and management of a metastatic tumor in the atlantoaxial spine.

Study design A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained spine database was conducted. Objectives To review the experience of a large multidisciplinary tertiary referral oncology center in diagnosing and managing metastatic disease of the atlantoaxial spine in the era of magnetic resonance imaging, and to establish treatment parameters. Summary of background data Published literature on the topic is limited, with conflicting opinions. Although external beam radiation therapy has proven value, some clinicians support aggressive surgical management. Methods This study included all the patients who presented over a 6-year period to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center with metastatic disease to the atlantoaxial spine. Demographics and diagnoses were obtained. Magnetic resonance images, computed tomography scans, and plain radiographs were reviewed. At presentation, patients with normal alignment or minimal subluxation were considered for nonoperative therapy, either external beam radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Surgery was reserved for patients with significant fracture subluxations, including atlantoaxial displacement more than 5 mm or angulation exceeding 11 degrees with displacement more than 3.5 mm. Additional operative indications were prior external beam radiation therapy administered to overlapping spinal ports, unknown primary pain, and persistent pain after nonoperative therapy. Patient outcome was evaluated for pain relief, neurologic outcomes, degree of spine involvement, and survival. Results Symptomatic metastatic tumor involving the atlantoaxial spine was diagnosed in 33 patients. The mean age at presentation was 57 years. Histologic diagnoses varied widely. All the patients presented with severe mechanical neck pain, but no patient had myelopathy related to epidural tumor or fracture subluxation. Of these 33 patients, 25 patients initially were treated nonoperatively with either external beam radiation therapy (n = 23) or chemotherapy (n = 2), and 8 patients underwent initial operation. In this nonoperatively treated group, 23 of the 25 patients had significant pain resolution until death or last follow-up assessment. Five patients required subsequent operation: three for significant fracture subluxations and two after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Of the fracture subluxations, two were present before external beam radiation therapy, and one was delayed from rapid tumor progression. Posterior instrumentation was performed in the 13 patients who underwent surgery. No patient required anterior decompression and stabilization. Significant pain resolution was achieved in all the surgically treated patients. Conclusions External beam radiation therapy was used successfully to treat patients with normal alignment or minimal subluxation. Selected patients warrant immediate stabilization. Patients with persistent pain and inability to wean from a hard collar after nonoperative therapy also should be considered for surgery. Posterior stabilization provides pain relief and neurologic preservation or recovery without the need for anterior decompression.
Physical interpretation of phase-dependent resonance fluorescence

Phase-sensitive detection of resonance fluorescence, i.e., allowing the light emitted from an atom which is undergoing Rabi oscillations in free space to interfere with a coherent local oscillator (LO) beam, has drawn considerable attention throughout the history of quantum optics. Recently, phase-sensitive squeezing spectra for single-atom resonance fluorescence were observed for the first time using strongly-driven long-lived atoms. A measurement of phase-sensitive intensity correlations for this system will be presented. Using physical arguments I will construct the phase-sensitive two-time intensity autocorrelation function, and elucidate the role played by quantum fluctuations in phase-dependent resonance fluorescence.
Locating payload embedded by group-parity steganography

Abstract Payload location has only been studied under simple least significant bit steganography. In this paper, we present an approach to locate payload embedded by a more sophisticated group-parity scheme in which the payload is determined by the parities of disjoint groups of pixels of equal size. The corresponding payload location problem is to identify the pixel groups that determine the payload. We represent the pixels as nodes in a complete graph. Our approach is to partition the graph into nodes that identify the payload by examining modified pixels in a collection of stego images, where each image embeds the payload using the same pixel groups. In the ideal case when the cover images are available, we show that the expected number of stego images needed to partition the graph into the correct pixel groups is approximately eight times the square of the group size times the natural logarithm of the number of pixels. In more practical settings when the cover images are not available, we use cover estimators to locate modified pixels and present a heuristic to partition the graph based on the obtained information. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in locating payload embedded by group-parity steganography.
Erythrocyte nucleotides in children--increased blood lead and cytidine triphosphate.

Summary: The erythrocyte nucleotides of 25 children, 1–5 years old, with normal and increased blood leads, were assayed by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography. Red blood cells of the 12 children with blood lead (PbB) below 30 μ/dl (20.3 ± 6 μ/dl, X ± S.D.) had normal levels of activity of pyrimidine 5‘-nucleotidase (P5N) and their erythrocytes were virtually free of pyrimidine nucleotides except for small amounts of UMP and UDP. The purine nucleotides, predominantly ATP and GTP, were present at values similar to adults. In the 13 children with PbB 30–72 μ/dl (45.3 ± 14.3 μ/dl), total cytidine phosphates (CMP, CDP, CTP) were significantly (P < 0.001) increased from trace values to 8.31 ± 6.21 nmoles/1010 erythrocytes. The purine nucleotides were unchanged. P5N activity was 143.3 ± 22.0 units/g hemoglobin in children with PbB < 30 μ/dl and 75.4 ± 24.2 units (P < 0.001) in the high lead subjects. There was a logarithmic correlation of erythrocyte cytidine phosphates with PbB (r = 0.89, P < 0.001) and an inverse correlation of cytidine phosphates with ln P5N activity (r = 0.59, P < 0.001), of ln P5N with PbB (r = 0.64, P < 0.001) and of ln P5N with ln erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin (Protoporphyrin IX) (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). Speculation: The accumulation of small amounts of erythrocyte CTP in children with increased lead exposure but with blood concentrations of leads as low as 30 μg/dl supports a lower threshold for the consequences of lead induced inhibition of pyrimidine 5′-nucleotidase (P5N) than indicated by earlier, less sensitive assays of nucleotides in adults with lead poisoning. The presence of CTP as the predominant pyrimidine nucleotide is similar to the profile in congenital deficiency of P5N but the nucleotides accumulate with less suppression of P5N than found in congenital deficiency. The significance of increased red cell cytidine phosphates at low levels of lead exposure is unknown but it appears to relate to suppression of P5N activity early in red cell maturation, and thus provides an index of antecedant lead exposure that correlates with erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin.
Genetic Structure of Dairy Cattle Herds in Terms of Additive and Dominance Relationships

Summary These data indicate that the average additive relationship within herds is low. The dominance relationship is so low as to be essentially zero. Regardless of the magnitude of the dominance variance, and the variance due to interallelic interactions involving both genes of at least one pair, these components could, on the average, contribute little to the total genetic covariance between relatives in populations which approach so closely the breeding structure of random-mating populations. Also, the genetic differences between the herds which arise from the relationship of contemporary animals indicate that for butterfat production the heritability of differences between herds averages is of the order of 5%, when differences in ideals and intensities of selection are not considered.
Comments on Conifolds

Abstract Recently it has been shown that there are paths on the moduli space between two Calabi-Yau manifolds with different topology that have finite length. A priori, there exists the possibility that the singular manifold that is common to two different moduli spaces has two different Ricci-flat Kahler metrics, each being the limit of the Ricci-flat Kahler metric of the respective topologically distinct Calabi-Yau manifold. In this paper we show that this is not the case and the topology changing path is continuous even in the space of Ricci-flat Kahler metrics. The explicit form of the Ricci-flat Kahler metrics is calculated in the vicinity of the nodes for the conifold, the resolution and the deformation. A preliminary discussion of global issues is presented and it is shown that, owing to a topological obstruction, the manifold obtained as the result of independently resolving and deforming the nodes of a conifold in general cannot be Kahler.
Investigation of localized dryout versus CHF in saturated flow boiling

Abstract Determining flow boiling critical heat flux (CHF) using mechanistic models or empirical correlations requires careful validation with the aid of reliable databases. But, while many new databases are being made available in the literature, the methods used to detect CHF vary greatly, producing different CHF estimates for the same fluid and operating conditions. The variations in detection method are the result of both heated wall design and criteria used to terminate an experiment in response to wall temperature excursions. This study investigates the interfacial phenomena preceding the occurrence of CHF for flow boiling with a finite inlet vapor void. Experiments are conducted with FC-72 in a rectangular channel that is heated along one side. Temporal records of the heated wall temperatures are used to track the complex transient response of the heated wall, and identify differences between temperature excursions associated with momentary localized dryout and those with true CHF. It is shown that the flow enters the channel fully separated, with a liquid layer sheathing all four channel walls surrounding a central vapor core. At high heat fluxes, a wavy vapor layer begins to form beneath the liquid layer adjacent to the heated wall, and cooling is provided mostly through wetting fronts associated with the wave troughs in accordance with the Interfacial Lift-off Model. However, depending on mass velocity, inlet quality and flow orientation, conditions may arise that cause breakup of the heated wall liquid layer into ligaments that are entrained in the vapor core. This phenomenon causes localized dryout and wall temperature excursions at heat fluxes well below CHF, but the wall is able to recover from these excursions by a combination of reattachment of ligaments with the heated wall and lateral heat conduction within the wall itself. Recommendations are made concerning construction of the heated wall and CHF detection in pursuit of reliable CHF data.
Effective Communication as a Claims Prevention Technique

Mark Gorney, MD serves on the Board of Governors of The Doctors' Company of California, the nation's largest doctor-owned malpractice insurance company. He also serves as chairman of the company's Risk Management Committee and is Consulting Medical Director. Like the tip of an iceberg, the apparent cause of a medical malpractice claim usually fails to reveal the hidden list of emotional and psychologic factors that triggered the patient's visit to the attorney. However, it is recognized that the most common element in any adversarial relationship between the aesthetic surgeon and patient is a failure to communicate. Although the surgeon's skill, reputation, and other intangible factors contribute to a patient's sense of confidence, a substantial part of what is called “rapport” between patient and doctor is based on forthright and accurate communication. It is faulty communication that most often leads to the inevitably vicious circle that follows: disappointment, anger or frustration by the patient, reactive hostility, defensiveness and arrogance from the surgeon, deepening patient anger, and, finally, a visit to the attorney. The art of listening, and that of expression, both verbal and nonverbal, merits serious attention in reducing malpractice lawsuits. Obviously, hearing and listening are extremely dissimilar processes. Unlike hearing, which is the perception of physical stimuli to our ears, listening is the active cognitive process of interpreting what is heard, evaluating that information, and deciding how that information may be used. People are reluctant to sue someone they like; it is a fact that people like those persons who show their interest by listening and talking with them. Therefore learning to listen can be a powerful claims prevention tool. Accurate communication is a two-way process. It is a give-and-take situation. On average, 70% to 80% of our total waking day is spent in some form of communication; 45% of …
On the Increased Frequency of Mediterranean Drought

AbstractThe land area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea has experienced 10 of the 12 driest winters since 1902 in just the last 20 years. A change in wintertime Mediterranean precipitation toward drier conditions has likely occurred over 1902–2010 whose magnitude cannot be reconciled with internal variability alone. Anthropogenic greenhouse gas and aerosol forcing are key attributable factors for this increased drying, though the external signal explains only half of the drying magnitude. Furthermore, sea surface temperature (SST) forcing during 1902–2010 likely played an important role in the observed Mediterranean drying, and the externally forced drying signal likely also occurs through an SST change signal.The observed wintertime Mediterranean drying over the last century can be understood in a simple framework of the region’s sensitivity to a uniform global ocean warming and to modest changes in the ocean’s zonal and meridional SST gradients. Climate models subjected to a uniform +0.5°C warming of th...
Energy Balance Simulation for Surface Soil and Residue Temperatures with Incomplete Cover

Knowledge of the effects that crop residue architecture has on exchange processes at the soil surface can extend the applicability of soil and water balance modules. Our objectives were to evaluate the feasibility of using a numerically reduced soil-residue energy boundary condition module, compatible with the USDA-ARS Root Zone Water Quality Model, and to compare the accuracy of calculated values against measurements. We developed a Penman-type energy balance module, PENFLUX, which solves for surface temperatures of a soil slab and a single flat residue layer, adjusting for aerodynamic resistances of standing residue stems. It provides surface boundary conditions for simulations of energy transfer in a one-dimensional soil profile. PENFLUX simplifies iterative solutions by simplifying radiation, convection, and soil heat algorithms. We collected hourly radiation data; air, soil, and residue temperatures; and wind profile data after wheat harvest on a level Nunn clay loam soil (fine, smectitic, mesic Aridic Argiustoll) (1997 soil series reclassification). Model parameterization avoided fitting model calculations to measurements, as inputs were measured at the site or referenced from literature. PENFLUX calculations exhibited a low degree of random error for dry soil and residue conditions, though systematic bias in surface soil temperature and negative bias in nighttime net irradiance reduced predictive efficiency. Error propagated from surface soil temperature probably contributes to the negative bias in net radiation. The reasonable predictive accuracy of PENFLUX for dry soil conditions demonstrates the feasibility of a numerically simplified model of soil-residue energy exchanges, and justifies further evaluation against a range of residue architectures and environmental conditions.
Comparison of ERG's obtained using low angle Maxwellian view and uniform retinal illumination stimuli

Abstract ERG's obtained in response to graded intensity stimuli from dark adapted albino rats using 9 ° Maxwellian view stimuli were compared to those obtained using stimuli that illuminated the entire retina. For equal energy stimuli, there was little difference between the ERG's or between the normalized a -wave and b -wave amplitude versus log I curves.
End-point selection for acute heart failure trials.

Acute heart failure (AHF) is a syndrome characterized by new or worsening signs or symptoms of heart failure leading to hospitalization. AHF is responsible for 3.7 million heart failure–related hospitalizations in the United States each year, 1.1 million with a primary diagnosis of heart failure. 1 In stark contrast to significant therapeutic advances in the care of patients with stable chronic heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 2–4 trials in AHF have met with minimal success. 5,6 Faced with a variety of challenges inherent to the study of AHF—varied etiology, high comorbidity, poorly understood precipitants, a short time horizon for the application of many therapies, and a lack of successful therapeutic development examples to model—there has been little consensus in the research or regulatory community about a variety of aspects of clinical trial design in AHF, including end-point selection. To advance the field of AHF therapy, there is a need to develop and promote end-point measures that encompass the totality of potential therapeutic benefits in AHF patients, including sustained relief of symptoms, reduced length of stay, decreased rehospitalization, and prolonged survival. Ultimately, for one therapeutic approach to be considered superior to another, it must make patients live longer,makepatientsfeelbetter,orsaveresources without adversely affecting these 2 aims. To reach this goal, greater standardization of end points across studies is needed for therapies to be easily compared and prioritized by patients, clinicians, andpayers.Inaddition, bettervalidatedsurrogates for both efficacy and safety are needed to help speed the development of new agents by reliably recognizing efficacy and safety issues earlier in the development process. Therefore, this review aims to build on prior reviews of this topic 7–10 by creating a framework of clinical and statistical concerns for end-point design, summarizing end points used in recent and ongoing AHF studies, describing changes to the current regulatory environment for the approval of AHF therapies, and suggesting options for the development of more robust end points moving forward.
Phantoms following orchiectomy

Abstract Of 40 cases of bilateral orchiectomy, 9 (22.5 per cent) reported phantoms. Two right unilateral orchiectomies also resulted in phantoms. Of 6 cases reinterviewed, 3 continued not to perceive the phantom, 1 affirmed its continuation, and 2 perceived it who originally did not. The sensations of nonexistent testes were variously described as “natural,” “burning,” “hard,” etc. A major characteristic of phantoms of the genitalia, in contrast to those of skeletal parts, appears to be their marked relationship to chronological age.
History, Historiography, and Political Science: Multiple Historical Records and the Problem of Selection Bias

Social scientists who use history as a laboratory for theory development use the work of historians to construct background narratives which can then be coded according to theoretically relevant categories. Yet, virtually no attention has been paid to how these historical monographs are to be chosen. On most periods and themes of interest available accounts differ, not only substantively but also with respect to the implicit theories and conceptual frameworks used to establish salience or produce commonsensical explanations. Unself-conscious use of historical monographs thus easily results in selection bias. Social scientists are bound to be more attracted to and convinced by accounts that accord with the expectations about events contained in the concepts they deploy and the theories they seek to test. Consideration of recent developments in historiographical theory supports the argument that responsible techniques for using historical sources are available, but they require understanding the extent to which patterns within historiography, rather than “History,” must be the direct focus of investigation and explanation. Such an approach has the added advantage of helping to generate historically based studies where observations or cases outnumber variables.
A theoretical model for the exchange of sodium ions between propylene carbonate and β-Al2O3

Abstract The passage of sodium ions from propylene carbonate into β-alumina and vise versa involves the crossing of a potential barrier which is due to the change of the solvation structure of the ions. This change occurs at the interface. In the present approach to calculation of the transfer coefficients both solvents are treated with the dielectric continuum model. The empirical parameters for the inner solvation shell of Wu and Friedmann[19] are used for propylene carbonate. In β-alumina the van der Waals diameter of sodium is used. This corresponds to the Stokes'[18] model of solvated ion structure in liquids and crystals. The two results for the work function calculation are then superimposed and the transfer coefficient is obtained in the usual way from the change of activation energy caused by an applied difference of electrochemical potential. The asymmetry of the dieletric constants and of the solvation shell structures leads to asymmetric transfer coefficients.
Useful Cybersecurity Metrics

Measuring cybersecurity is difficult, but other disciplines can offer important lessons and techniques for building a system that can help test hypotheses about system security.
TU-EE-A4-05: Monte Carlo Calculation of the Organ and Effective Doses for Pediatric Patients Under Helical CT Exams

Purpose: As it gains more popularity as a diagnostic modality, helical multi‐slice CT can potentially impose a significant patient dose especially to pediatric populations. Even though simple acryl phantoms have been used to estimate relative radiation risks to the patient, very few studies have investigated accurate age‐dependent organ absorbed doses. This study was intended to assess individual organ dose as well as the effective dose under typical CT exams using realistic tomographic phantoms of pediatric patients. Method and Materials: Five ORNL stylized phantoms and five realistic UF tomographic phantoms of pediatric patients were prepared for the use with MCNPX general Monte Carlo code. A FORTRAN subroutine was written to explicitly simulate the helical motion of the multi‐slice CT x‐ray source. Ion chamber measurements provided the normalization factors for the Monte Carlo simulation results. Three tube voltages (80 kVp, 100 kVp, and 120 kVp), two collimated beam thicknesses (12 mm and 24 mm), and two filter (head filter and body filter) combinations were simulated for each of the ten phantoms. Results: The study data showed that the effective dose increased on average 110% when the tube voltage changed from 80 kVp to 100 kVp at the same tube current setting, while the 120 kVp imposed on average 53.8% higher dose than the 100 kVp tube settings in the CAP CT exams. The ORNL phantoms and the UF phantoms showed distinctive dosimetric characteristics under chest and abdomen CT exams. The cause of these differences is explained by the unrealistic torso thicknesses of the ORNL stylized phantoms. Individual organ equivalent doses are also calculated and compared between the two types of phantoms. Conclusion: Detailed organ doses and effective doses were calculated for pediatric patients under helical CT using various anthropomorphic computational phantoms and Monte Carlo code.
Rectification of tandemly repetitious DNA II. Clustering and periodicity

Abstract In a given segment of tandemly repetitious DNA, the repeating units are similar but not always identical. Current techniques in molecular biology allow determination of whether variants are clustered or randomly interspersed along the segment. Such findings have been used as evidence for, or against, different models for internal rearrangement of the DNA, such as the rolling circle model or unequal sister chromatid exchange. Information has not been available, however, as to the extent to which observed patterns of clustering or interspersion are compatible with the different models. In the present study, computer simulations were used to obtain this information. As measured by certain indices of clustering and periodicity, each model generates a reproducible pattern that is relatively independent of the degree of heterogeneity in the segment.
British American Tobacco ghost-wrote reports on tobacco Advertising bans by the International Advertising Association and J J Boddewyn

In 1983 and 1986, the International Advertising Association (IAA) published an original version and then a revision of a report entitled “Tobacco Advertising Bans and Consumption in 16 Countries,” which were edited by J J Boddewyn, a marketing professor. The reports concluded that tobacco advertising bans have not been accompanied by any significant reduction in tobacco consumption. Opponents of tobacco advertising restrictions trumpeted the IAA reports in print materials, media communications and legislative hearings during the 1980s and beyond. A new analysis of tobacco industry documents and transcripts of tobacco litigation testimony reveals that British American Tobacco ghost-wrote the IAA reports and that the Tobacco Institute (the trade association then representing the major US cigarette manufacturers) helped to arrange for Boddewyn to present the findings to the US Congress and the media. Further research on tobacco industry documents and tobacco litigation transcripts should assess whether tobacco industry sources were responsible for ghost-writing other studies favourable to the industry.
An instructional robotics and machine vision laboratory

The US Naval Academy has assembled a laboratory consisting of 16 identical stations in support of several robotics and machine vision courses. Each station has an 80386-based microcomputer, a five degree-of-freedom robot arm, a video-rate vision system, and a speech synthesis system. The robot arms are capable of teach-pendant operation or control via the attached computer. Programs written in the robot control language can be downloaded into, stored in, and run from robot RAM. For greater flexibility, move instructions can be generated by the controlling computer (in any desired computer language) and transmitted to the arm for execution via an RS-232 link. Each joint of the robot (plus the gripper) has a dedicated microprocessor for closed-loop servo operation utilizing incremental drive-motor shaft encoders and micro-switches for "home" locations. The vision system includes an RS170-compatible video camera, a PC-compatible frame grabber board, and a video monitor. This configuration permits the utilization of 2D and 3D vision feedback in the robot control process. The laboratory is used in support of undergraduate courses that cover such topics as robot kinematics and task planning, elementary machine vision, and artificial neural networks. >
The myotonic dystrophy expanded CUG repeat tract is necessary but not sufficient to disrupt C2C12 myoblast differentiation

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a dominant neuromuscular disorder caused by a trinucleotide (CTG) repeat expansion. Mutant DMPK 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) transcripts aggregate in nuclear foci and are thought to impose dominant-negative effects by interacting with RNA binding proteins. We demonstrated previously that the mutant 3'-UTR RNA disrupted C2C12 myoblast differentiation, and that the CUG expansion was necessary for this effect. Several proteins are known to interact with the CUG tract or the region 3' (distal) to it. Here, using a library of transfected C2C12 clones, we show that although transcripts containing a CUG expansion alone or a CUG expansion plus the distal region of the DMPK 3'-UTR accumulate into RNA foci, neither of these RNAs affect C2C12 myogenesis. Thus, RNA foci formation, and perturbation of any RNA binding factors involved in this process, are not sufficient to block myoblast differentiation. Interestingly, we found that transcripts containing expanded CUG tracts can form both nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA foci, demonstrating that factors involved in foci formation are present in the nucleus and cytoplasm. RNA analysis of myogenic markers revealed that the mutant DMPK 3'-UTR mRNA does not affect myoblast determination factors MyoD or Myf5, but significantly impedes upregulation of the differentiation factors myogenin and p21. C2C12 provide a good model to study adult muscle regeneration. Our observations in this system may be relevant to the lack of a regenerative response to continued muscle wasting in DM, and point to defects in early events in the myogenic response to muscle damage.
Relationships between ethnicity, conceptions of mental illness, and attitudes associated with seeking psychological help.

This study examined the relationships between ethnicity, conceptions of mental illness, and attitudes associated with seeking psychological help among school teachers. It was hypothesized that these variables are related and the relationships ate independent of other demographic variables. Participants were 513 school teachers (321 whites and 192 blacks). Each completed the Nunnally Conception of Mental Illness Questionnaire, the Fischer and Turner Pro-Con Attitude Scale, vignettes that elicited opinions on certain counseling issues, and a demographic data sheet. Analyses indicated significant differences between blacks and whites in their conceptions of mental illness; blacks' responses were more stereotypic, and whites' were closer to those of mental health professionals. Both blacks and whites had similar positive attitudes toward seeking psychological help. However, significantly more whites than blacks had actually been in therapy. Blacks showed more positive attitudes than whites toward mixed-race d...
The University as an Actor in Development: New Perspectives and Demands 1

This article addresses the obstacles hampering African universities from playing their needed role in national development, particularly challenges stemming from the unfinished agenda of national reforms and emergence of globalization. It examines pervading issues of higher education within the context of HIV/ AIDS pandemic and massive brain drain—two major issues currently confronting Africa. Using OECD countries for comparison, it presents demographic, migration, health, and educational analysis for Africa. The paper underscores the presence of substantial differences between countries with respect to incomes, education systems, political institutions, and, in a more dynamic sense, economic performance over time. It also argues that we are undergoing an integration process (through globalization) which is critically based on knowledge. It warns that developing countries are falling behind industrialized ones in terms of low enrollments, low quality of education output, and low retention of qualified persons. The article recommends as more sensible policy options (a) developing standards for “borderless” international education and resource sharing, (b) mitigating brain drain, and (c) untying aid in favor of focusing on the development, retention, promotion, and use of local talent. It describes several model initiatives for each proposal.
Ritual Behavior in Obsessive and Normal Individuals: Moderating Anxiety and Reorganizing the Flow of Action

Ritualized behavior is characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but it is also observed in other, nonclinical contexts such as children's routines and cultural ceremonies. Such behaviors are best understood with reference to a set of human vigilance–precaution systems in charge of monitoring potential danger and motivating the organism toward appropriate precautions. Ritualized behavior focuses attention on low-level representations of actions, probably leading to some measure of intrusion suppression. Cultural rituals too may be understood in this framework.
Improved resolution in dipolar NMR spectra using constant time evolution PISEMA experiment

Abstract The atomic structure of small molecules and polypeptides can be attained from anisotropic NMR parameters such as dipolar couplings (DC) and chemical shifts (CS). Separated local field experiments resolve DC and CS correlations into two dimensions. However, crowded NMR spectra represent a significant obstacle for the complete resolution of these anisotropic parameters. Using the polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle (PISEMA) experiment as a foundation, we designed new pulse schemes that use a constant time evolution in the dipolar (indirect) dimension to measure DC and CS correlations at high resolution. We demonstrated this approach on a 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal sample, achieving a resolution enhancement ranging from 30% to 60% for the resonances in the dipolar dimension. These new experiments open the possibility of obtaining significant resolution enhancement for multidimensional NMR experiments carried out on oriented liquid crystalline samples as well as oriented membrane proteins.
Time-dependent multiphoton dynamics in intense short-pulse laser fields. Interaction-representation approach

Abstract We present an interaction-picture time propagation method for the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation in intense and superintense short-pulse laser fields. The method is tested on the problem of multiphoton and above-threshold ionization (MPI/ATI) of a model Cl − ion. It is seen that the interaction-picture approach leads to localized strong-field wavepackets, allowing the elimination of the boundary reflection problem as well as efficient and accurate treatment of the MPI/ATI dynamics and spectra.
In vivo photoacoustic microscopy of human cutaneous microvasculature and a nevus

In several human volunteers, photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) has been utilized for noninvasive cutaneous imaging of the skin microvasculature and a melanocytic nevus. Microvascular networks in both acral and nonacral skin were imaged, and multiple features within the skin have been identified, including the stratum corneum, epidermal-dermal junction, and subpapillary vascular plexus. Several vascular and structural differences between acral and nonacral skin were also observed in the photoacoustic images. In addition, a nevus was photoacoustically imaged, excised, and histologically analyzed. The photoacoustic images allowed for in vivo measurement of tumor thickness, depth, and microvasculature-values confirmed by histologic examination. The presented images demonstrate the potential of PAM to aid in the study and evaluation of cutaneous microcirculation and analysis of pigmented lesions. Through its ability to three-dimensionally image the structure and function of the microvasculature and pigmented lesions, PAM can have a clinical impact in diagnosis and assessment of systemic diseases that affect the microvasculature such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, cutaneous malignancies such as melanoma, and potentially other skin disorders.
Controlling the Functionality of Materials for Sustainable Energy

Our understanding and control of sustainable energy technologies is in its infancy. Many sustainable energy phenomena depend on the exchange of photons and electrons among quantized energy levels of semiconductors, molecules, and metals at nanoscale spatial scales and at fast or ultrafast time scales. Improving the performance of sustainable energy technologies to make them competitive with fossil technologies requires probing and understanding these quantum phenomena with advanced scientific techniques. This understanding must then be translated into control of the functionality and performance of the materials and chemistry that govern sustainable energy technologies.The review begins by contrasting the foundations of fossil fuel technology based on combustion, heat, and classical thermodynamics with the foundations of sustainable energy technology based on quantum exchange of energy among photons, chemical bonds, and electrons without conversion to heat. Two sets of tools that are essential to observe,...
43.2: Colour Plastic Bistable Nematic Display Fabricated by Imprint and Inkjet Technology

Plastic displays require new manufacturing processes and techniques to achieve acceptable cost and performance. We present a novel additive, low temperature, atmospheric pressure, self-aligned means of fabricating a plastic, bistable, full colour LC display. By using imprinting rather than photolithographic patterning, a scalable, low cost manufacturing route is possible.
The Virtue of Moral Responsibility and the Obligations of Patients

The American Medical Association has provided a list of patient responsibilities, said to be derived from patient autonomy, without providing any justification for this derivation. In this article, the virtue of moral responsibility is proposed as a way to justify these kinds of limits on respect for individual autonomy. The need for such limits is explained by examining the traditional principles of health care ethics. What is missing in health care decision making, and can be provided by the virtue of moral responsibility, is a careful consideration of the impact of individual decisions on particular others and the community, as a whole. The concept of moral responsibility as a virtue is then developed and examples of its application to health care decision making are provided. Finally, the roles of both physicians and health care ethicists in promoting the morally responsible exercise of individual autonomy are explored.
Optimum Conditions for Photosynthesis in Optically Dense Cultures of Algae

The efficiency of use of radiant energy by cultures of algae is defined, and the physical variables upon which the efficiency depends are introduced. Expressions for the efficiency in a rectangular growth chamber are derived from considerations of an assumed mechanism of photosynthesis, the rate of respiration, and the conditions of agitation in the culture. Both unstirred and completely stirred cultures are considered. From the equations for efficiency in the two cases, methods are developed for finding the opt imum physical conditions of light intensity, population density, length of light path, and temperature under which to propagate algae. In the unstirred culture, the treatment shows tha t a low light intensity is required; in the completely stirred culture, the treatment shows tha t a very high light intensity is required. The calculated efficiency is somewhat higher in the completely stirred case.
Array optimizations for high productivity programming languages

While the HPCS languages (Chapel, Fortress and X10) have introduced improvements in programmer productivity, several challenges still remain in delivering high performance. In the absence of optimization, the high-level language constructs that improve productivity can result in order-of-magnitude runtime performance degradations. This dissertation addresses the problem of efficient code generation for high-level array accesses in the X10 language. The X10 language supports rank-independent specification of loop and array computations using regions and points. Three aspects of high-level array accesses in X10 are important for productivity but also pose significant performance challenges: high-level accesses are performed through Point objects rather than integer indices, variables containing references to arrays are rank-independent, and array subscripts are verified as legal array indices during runtime program execution. Our solution to the first challenge is to introduce new analyses and transformations that enable automatic inlining and scalar replacement of Point objects. Our solution to the second challenge is a hybrid approach. We use an interprocedural rank analysis algorithm to automatically infer ranks of arrays in X10. We use rank analysis information to enable storage transformations on arrays. If rank-independent array references still remain after compiler analysis, the programmer can use X10's dependent type system to safely annotate array variable declarations with additional information for the rank and region of the variable, and to enable the compiler to generate efficient code in cases where the dependent type information is available. Our solution to the third challenge is to use a new interprocedural array bounds analysis approach using regions to automatically determine when runtime bounds checks are not needed. Our performance results show that our optimizations deliver performance that rivals the performance of hand-tuned code with explicit rank-specific loops and lower-level array accesses, and is up to two orders of magnitude faster than unoptimized, high-level X10 programs. These optimizations also result in scalability improvements of X10 programs as we increase the number of CPUs. While we perform the optimizations primarily in X10, these techniques are applicable to other high-productivity languages such as Chapel and Fortress.
Statistical Selection of Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Nonlinear Dynamic Models of Spike Train Transformation

Multiple-input multiple-output nonlinear dynamic model of spike train to spike train transformations was previously formulated for hippocampal-cortical prostheses. This paper further described the statistical methods of selecting significant inputs (self-terms) and interactions between inputs (cross-terms) of this Volterra kernel-based model. In our approach, model structure was determined by progressively adding self-terms and cross-terms using a forward stepwise model selection technique. Model coefficients were then pruned based on Wald test. Results showed that the reduced kernel models, which contained much fewer coefficients than the full Volterra kernel model, gave good fits to the novel data. These models could be used to analyze the functional interactions between neurons during behavior.
Density reconstruction using arbitrary ray-sampling schemes

Methods for calculating the distribution of absorption densities in a cross section through an object from density intergrals along rays in the plane of the cross section are well-known, but are restricted to particular geometries of data collection. So-called convolutional-back projection-summation methods, used now for parallelray data, have recently been extended to special cases of the fan-beam reconstruction problem by the addition of pre- and post-multiplication steps. In this paper, a technique for deriving reconstruction algorithms for arbitrary ray-sampling schemes is presented; the resulting algorithms entail the use of a general linear operator, but require little more computation than the convolutional methods, which represent special cases. The key to the derivation is the observation that the contribution of a particular ray sum to a particular point in the reconstruction essentially depends on the negative inverse square of the perpendicular distance from the point to the ray, and that this contribution has to be weighted by the ray-sampling density. The remaining task is the efficient arrangement of this computation, so that the contribution of each ray sum to each point in the reconstruction does not have to be calculated explicitly. The exposition of the new method is informal in order to facilitate the application of this technique to various scanning geometries. The frequency domain is not used, since it is inappropriate for the space-variant operators encountered in the general case. The technique is illustrated by the derivation of an algorithm for parallel-ray sampling with uneven spacing between rays and uneven spacing between projection angles. A reconstruction is shown which attains high spatial resolution in the central region of an object by sampling central rays more finely than those passing through outer portions of the object.
Resolution of the non-steady-state kinetics of the elimination of HBr from 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide in alcohol/alkoxide media

Non-steady-state kinetic studies reveal that the elimination of HBr from 2-(p-nitrophenyl)ethyl bromide in alcohol/alkoxide media, the classical concerted E2 reaction, actually takes place by a two-step mechanism involving the intermediate formation of the carbanion.
Test-Retest Reliability of Grip-strength Measures Obtained over a 12-week Interval from Community-dwelling Elders

This study examined the test-retest reliability of hand-grip strength measured over a 12-week period. Twenty-one apparently healthy elders (age=75.0+/-5.9 yr) participated. Single strength measurements obtained bilaterally using a Jamar dynamometer were compared across time. Test and retest measurements did not differ significantly over time on either side. Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.954 and 0.912 for the left and right hands, respectively. Technical errors of measurement were 15.8 and 21.3N for the left and right hands, respectively. Measurements of hand-grip strength obtained from elders over a 12-week period are reliable.
The Effect Of LTO Culture On International Supply Chain Contracts

Effective management of international supply chain relationships is critical in determining the success of the ever-growing cadre of international businesses where small cost differentials separate profitable enterprises from failed ones. Because inter-organizational contractual arrangements define expectations and standards for supply chain transactions, they may play a role in determining relationship efficiencies (and thus costs.) Although the effect of culture on the functioning of interfirm relationships in the supply chain has been an active area of scholarly investigation in the past decade, most studies have focused on organizations in Western societies, particularly in the US and Europe. Increasingly, global supply chains include at least one Asian partner so that cultural patterns predominant in the East must also be considered. This study examines the cultural factor of time orientation and seeks to understand how the long-term orientation (LTO) characterizing many Eastern cultures may affect supply chain contracts. Specifically, it investigates the influence of cultural time-orientation on the formation of soft (implicit, general) and hard (written, detailed) contracts. The results underscore the importance of culture in managing effective interfirm relationships in the supply chain: Long-term orientation culture tends to rely upon and function successfully with soft contracts, but does not depends on hard contracts.