cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Technological Landscape Affecting Artificial General Intelligence and the Importance of Nanoscale Neural Probes

In this paper, we contrast three major pathways to human level AI, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), and we investigate how safety considerations compare between the three. The first pathway is de novo AGI (dnAGI), AGI built from the ground up. The second is Neuromorphic AGI (NAGI), AGI based loosely on the principles of the human brain. And third is Whole Brain Emulation (WBE), AGI built by emulating a particular human brain, in silico. Bostrom has previously argued that NAGI is the least safe form of the three. NAGI would be messier than dnAGI and therefore harder to align to arbitrary values. Additionally, NAGI would not intrinsically possess safeguards found in the human brain – such as compassion – while WBE would. In this paper, we argue that getting WBE first would be preferable to getting dnAGI first. While the introduction of WBE would likely be followed by a later transition to the less-constrained and therefore more-powerful dnAGI, the creation of dnAGI would likely be less dangerous if accomplished by WBEs than if done simply by biological humans, for a variety of reasons. One major reason is that the higher intelligence and quicker speed of thinking in the WBEs compared to biological humans could increase the chances of traversing the path through dnAGI safely. We additionally investigate the major technological trends leading to these three types of AGI, and we find these trends to be: traditional AI research, computational hardware, nanotechnology research, nanoscale neural probes, and neuroscience. In particular, we find that WBE is unlikely to be achieved without nanoscale neural probes, since much of the information processing in the brain occurs on the subcellular level (i.e., the nanoscale). For this reason, we argue that nanoscale neural probes could improve safety by favoring WBE over NAGI.
The Ecdysteroid Receptor

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the information gathered about the ecdysteroid receptor at three levels and provides brief descriptions and references for the tools used to undertake those experiments. The receptor is viewed as a structural entity with particular emphasis on the sequence characteristics of EcR and USP as well as their biophysical and biochemical properties. These studies build upon the first three properties noted for EcR in its original characterization. The transcriptional function of the ecdysteroid receptor is examined, with particular regard to its interactions with ligand, other protein factors, and promoter elements. This chapter describes a few of the ecdysteroid-inducible systems that have been developed for various applications. The ecdysteroid receptor is viewed from a cellular and developmental perspective in vivo with special emphasis on the spatial and temporal diversity of ecdysteroid-mediated action, along with the approaches used to address these questions. Further, a prognosis is offered concerning unresolved and arising issues surrounding ecdysteroid action via its receptors along with possible experimental technologies and strategies that might clarify them.
All about Problems and Challenges in Social Marketing

In this study I have used a review centric research method for studying the various factors impacting on Social Marketing the Problems and challenges faced by social marketing. Post identifying the factors I have done a case study of major Effecting Social Marketing in today's market world and for the factors impacting the Social marketing developing a conceptual model for the probable impacting factors and then later studying the same for confirming the same factors. In the conceptual model it was identified that Social Market Identity is a major factor contributing to build a Market image. The objective of the review centric research study is to find out the major facts.
Prevalence of osteoporosis in men in a VA rehabilitation center.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prevalence of previously unrecognized osteoporosis in men admitted for long-term rehabilitation nursing home care. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS A total of 1179 consecutive admissions to a VA rehabilitation center were reviewed. Men who were already diagnosed with osteoporosis, had confounding medical illness, were unable to complete the study, or who declined to participate were excluded. A total of 153 patients were enrolled and 106 were evaluated. Measurements included dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the hip and lumbar spine, biochemical and hormonal studies, and functional evaluation. RESULTS A total of 33 patients (31.1%) had osteoporosis (T-score at any site lumbar spine, total hip, or femoral neck <-2.5). Patients with osteoporosis were significantly older than those without: 68.4 +/- 13.2 years versus 62.7 +/- 12.1 years (P <.05), respectively. Body mass index (BMI) and weight were lower in men with osteoporosis: 23.4 +/- 3.9 kg/m2 versus 28.7 +/- 7.08 kg/m2 and 72.6 +/- 14.4 kg versus 90.3 +/- 23.8 kg, respectively (both, P <.001). There were no differences in use of medications thought to affect bone metabolism or functional status, or in hormonal and metabolic measurements. Hip and spine bone density were correlated (r = 0.3, P <.05). Multivariate analysis showed that hip bone density was independently associated with BMI. CONCLUSION Hip osteoporosis is common in this unscreened population, suggesting that screening should be more widely performed in veterans admitted to rehabilitation units. These data suggest that nutritional status could impact osteoporosis risk.
Who is the King of the Hill? Traffic Analysis over a 4G Network

The increase in radio link capacities has brought significant growth in number and variety of mobile applications. To support these applications, network providers and researchers need an up-to- date, thorough understanding of the composition of 4G LTE traffic. In this paper, we conduct a deep study over a tier-1 U.S. wireless carrier to measure and analyze 4G LTE traffic. We collect data on 2.5+ million flows from 5000+ user devices, analyzing cross-layer characteristics for IPv4/6, HTTP/S and newly emerging Quick UDP Internet Connection (QUIC) traffic, with analysis extracted for the most prolific domains. To the best of our knowledge, our QUIC traffic analysis is the first published from a carrier's perspective. Results show data from multimedia sources (audio, video and images) dominate link capacities, with video, in particular, being the "king of the hill". Detailed analysis suggests methods for identifying encrypted video traffic, potentially leading to improved services that can provide network treatments for video.
When Do Patients Improve After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement? A Prospective Cohort Analysis.

Background:Hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been shown to improve patient outcomes, especially for returning to sport. Although previous studies often evaluated outcomes 2 years after hip arthroscopy, there has been no analysis of the progression of patient improvement over time or with respect to achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID).Hypothesis/Purpose:The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate changes in patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores during the first 2 years after hip arthroscopy for FAI and to analyze when the MCID is achieved. It was hypothesized that clinically significant changes will be reached by 1 year after surgery.Study Design:Case series; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI were prospectively enrolled, and they completed the 12-Item Short Form Health survey (SF-12), modified Harris Hip Score, and Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) at preoperative baseline and 3 months,...
Endoscopic surgical approach to laryngoceles and saccular cysts

Laryngeal saccular disorders are rare lesions presenting as abnormal saccular dilation, either mainly filled with air (laryngoceles) or fluid (saccular cysts). These are further categorized as internal when confined in the endolarynx, external, or combined. In adults, saccular disorders are mostly idiopathic with various reported proportion associated with laryngeal cancer or increased transglottic pressure. Patients may present with voice disorders, respiratory, or swallowing issues. Workup should include directed history taking, laryngeal endoscopy, neck examination, and imaging. Priority should be given for securing the airway when indicated. The endoscopic approach via direct laryngoscopy with complete resection (by cold, hot instruments, or CO2 laser) is the treatment of choice for internal saccular disorders or small combined ones. The transoral robotic approach was also recently reported. Needle aspiration or marsupialization can be performed by the less experienced surgeon and provide rapid decompression when needed, although with higher recurrence rates.
The Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Geum radiatum: Effects of a Past Augmentation of an Endangered Hexaploid

Geum radiatum is a federally endangered high-elevation rock-outcrop endemic herb that is widely recognized as a hexaploid and a relic species. Little is known about G. radiatum genetic diversity, population interactions, or the effect of past augmentations of populations. This study sampled every known population of G. radiatum and used microsatellite markers to measure genetic diversity and population structure. The analysis demonstrates that there is interconnectedness and structure among populations. In addition, the analysis was able to differentiate transplanted individuals and identify putative anthropogenically admixed individuals within augmented populations. Geum radiatum exhibits diversity within and among populations and current gene flow connects the northern populations. This information provides a greater understanding of the genetic sustainability of G. radiatum and what conservation efforts will most help this imperiled species to survive.
Routine surveillance for diagnosis of venous thromboembolism after pleurectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of venous thromboembolism and utility of a routine surveillance program in patients undergoing surgery for mesothelioma. Methods Patients undergoing pleurectomy from May 2016 to August 2018 were included. A standardized surveillance program to look for venous thromboembolism in this group included noninvasive studies every 7 days postoperatively or earlier if symptomatic. All patients received external pneumatic compression sleeves in addition to prophylactic heparin. If deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus was discovered, heparin drip was initiated until conversion to therapeutic anticoagulation. Results A total of 100 patients underwent pleurectomy for mesothelioma. Seven patients were found to have preoperative deep vein thrombosis, and as such only 93 patients were included for analysis. The median age of patients at surgery was 71 years (30-85 years). During the study, 30 patients (32%) developed evidence of thrombosis; 20 patients (22%) developed only deep vein thrombosis without embolism, 3 patients (3%) developed only pulmonary embolism, and 7 patients (7%) developed both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus. Of the 27 patients who developed deep vein thrombosis, 9 (33%) were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis, and none of these developed a pulmonary embolus or other bleeding complications. There were 2 (2%) events of major postoperative bleeding related to therapeutic anticoagulation. Conclusions The incidence of venous thromboembolism is high (32%) among patients undergoing surveillance after pleurectomy for mesothelioma. Up to 33% of patients with deep vein thrombosis are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis, and the incidence of complications related to anticoagulation is low. Routine surveillance may be useful to diagnose and treat deep vein thrombosis before it progresses to symptomatic or fatal pulmonary embolus.
Does augmented reality aid maintainers’ performance in operating the RTCASS? (Conference Presentation)

Previous research demonstrates that AR could provide significant gains in time and accuracy for placement and object assembly tasks (Angelopoulos, 2018). The purpose of this research is extend these findings to the military repair and assembly domain by quantifiably evaluating whether the use of AR would be beneficial for maintainers operating the Reconfigurable Transportable Consolidated Automated Support System (RTCASS) system. We also examine whether any speed or accuracy benefits of AR guided operations depend on the level of maintainer experience.
Determinants of jaguar occupancy at the northern range edge

Identifying factors promoting jaguar (Panthera onca) occupancy is crucial for planning effective conservation and management actions that can contribute to long-term population viability. We used camera-trapping and modeled factors affecting detection and occupancy for jaguars in Sonora at 149 sites during August–November 2008 and 2009. We measured 24 covariates presumed to affect detection (n = 6) and occupancy (n = 18) at camera sites, including sampling period and various habitat characteristics. We obtained 29 jaguar detections at 19 sites (naive occupancy = 0.12) in 5455 trap-days of effort. Jaguar detectability (p = 0.16 ± 0.05) was negatively affected by human presence and varied by study year and sampling period. Jaguar occupancy (ψ = 0.30 ± 0.03) increased as prey richness, the abundance of calves of domestic cattle, and the proportion of subtropical vegetation increased. Jaguar occupancy was lower with increased abundance of adult cattle and peccary, and higher levels of fragmentation. Jaguar occupancy in Sonora was hence driven by a diverse combination of factors which should be considered when planning conservation actions. We suggest that managers mitigate the impact of livestock, especially on subtropical habitats, by employing appropriate fencing. Fencing may increase wildlife prey for jaguars, thereby reducing calf depredation by jaguars, while concurrently protecting habitat from overgrazing. Furthermore, providing financial support for ecotourism and compensation for depredation to offset potential jaguar impacts should be considered for jaguar conservation in Sonora.
Predicting Ligand Binding Kinetics Using a Markovian Milestoning with Voronoi Tessellations Multiscale Approach.

Accurate and efficient computational predictions of ligand binding kinetics can be useful to inform drug discovery campaigns, particularly in the screening and lead optimization phases. Simulation ...
Occupational Health Nurses’ Self-Efficacy in Smoking Cessation Interventions: An Integrative Review of the Literature:

Background: Effective smoking cessation interventions (SCIs) are indicated, particularly among the working population, where a higher than expected prevalence of smoking continues. Occupational hea...
Lifelong Ulk1-mediated autophagy deficiency in muscle induces mitochondrial dysfunction and contractile weakness

The accumulation of damaged mitochondria due to insufficient autophagy has been implicated in the pathophysiology of sarcopenia resulting in reduced contractile and metabolic function. Ulk1 is an autophagy-related kinase that initiates autophagosome assembly and may also play a role in autophagosome degradation (i.e., autophagy flux), but the contribution of Ulk1 to healthy muscle aging is unclear. We found that Ulk1 phosphorylation declines in both human and mouse muscle tissue with age, therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Ulk1-mediated autophagy in skeletal muscle aging. At age 22 months (80% survival rate), muscle contractile and metabolic function were assessed using electrophysiology in muscle specific Ulk1 knockout mice (MKO) and their littermate controls (LM). Specific peak-isometric torque of the ankle dorsiflexors (normalized by tibialis anterior muscle cross-sectional area) and specific force of the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus muscles were reduced in MKO mice compared to LM mice (p<0.03). Permeabilized muscle fibers from MKO mice had greater mitochondrial content, yet lower mitochondrial oxygen consumption and greater reactive oxygen species production compared to fibers from LM mice (p[≤] 0.04). Altered neuromuscular junction innervation patterns and changes in autophagosome numbers and/or flux in muscles from MKO may have contributed to decrements in contractile and metabolic function. Results from this study support an important role of Ulk1-mediated autophagy in skeletal muscle with age, reflecting Ulk1s dual role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity through autophagosome assembly and degradation. A lifetime of insufficient Ulk-1-mediated autophagy in skeletal muscle exacerbates age-related contractile and metabolic dysfunction.
Aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a review of recent literature and updated guideline recommendations.

Recent clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of aspirin in primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) have suggested the risk of aspirin may outweigh its benefit in indi...
Pediatric hypertension: Review of the definition, diagnosis, and initial management

Abstract Pediatric hypertension (HTN) is a significant and growing health concern. While previously thought to be an uncommon condition in the pediatric population, recent studies have shown an increase in incidence, which is largely due to the obesity epidemic. Accordingly, primary or idiopathic HTN has become more prevalent compared to secondary causes of HTN. The incidence of hypertension is about 3.5%; however, it may be higher as HTN can be missed during routine pediatric well visits. Since childhood HTN frequently tracks into adulthood and is a risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and progression of renal disease; early diagnosis and management of this condition is essential. In this review, we will discuss the approach of a pediatric nephrologist for evaluation and management of pediatric HTN.
Safe use of the EHR by medical scribes: a qualitative study

Objective Hiring medical scribes to document in the electronic health record (EHR) on behalf of providers could pose patient safety risks because scribes often have no clinical training. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of scribes on patient safety. This included identification of best practices to assure that scribe use of the EHR is not a patient safety risk. Materials and methods Using a sociotechnical framework and the Rapid Assessment Process, we conducted ethnographic data gathering at 5 purposively selected sites. Data were analyzed using a grounded inductive/hermeneutic approach. Results We conducted site visits at 12 clinics and emergency departments within 5 organizations in the US between 2017 and 2019. We did 76 interviews with 81 people and spent 80 person-hours observing scribes working with providers. Interviewees believe and observations indicate that scribes decrease patient safety risks. Analysis of the data yielded 12 themes within a 4-dimension sociotechnical framework. Results about the "technical" dimension indicated that the EHR is not considered overly problematic by either scribes or providers. The "environmental" dimension included the changing scribe industry and need for standards. Within the "personal" dimension, themes included the need for provider diligence and training when using scribes. Finally, the "organizational" dimension highlighted the positive effect scribes have on documentation efficiency, quality, and safety. Conclusion Participants perceived risks related to the EHR can be less with scribes. If healthcare organizations and scribe companies follow best practices and if providers as well as scribes receive training, safety can actually improve.
"Good Catch, Kiddo"-Enhancing Patient Safety in the Pediatric Emergency Department Through Simulation.

Objectives Adverse events that affect patient safety are a significant concern in pediatrics. Increasing situational awareness, identifying errors and near misses, and reporting them using organizational incident reporting systems enables mitigation of harm. Methods We designed and tested a brief, interactive, and easily replicable simulation activity for medical students, and emergency medicine interns and pediatric interns to strengthen their skills and enhance their self-efficacy in identifying and reporting patient safety hazards. Hazards fell into the categories of situational safety, patient identification and privacy, infection prevention, treatment errors, and issues with electronic health records (EHRs). Results The simulation training significantly increased the self-efficacy of medical students and interns in identifying and reporting patient safety hazards. Learners were very satisfied with the simulation training, successfully recognized key patient safety hazards, provided feedback to improve the training, and improved their ability to report hazards through organizational incident reporting systems. Patient safety hazards associated with patient misidentification were recognized most frequently, whereas safety hazards associated with EHRs were missed with the greatest frequency. Conclusions The simulation training enabled learners to identify hazards and near misses and enhanced their ability to report hazards through organizational incident reporting systems. Learners at all levels of training identified safety hazards at comparable rates, which demonstrates the role that trainees play in critically observing clinical settings with fresh eyes and identifying and reporting patient safety hazards. Interventions to promote patient safety need to prioritize building situational awareness of potential hazards associated with EHR use.
p16 immunostaining in cytology specimens: its application, expression, interpretation, and challenges

Introduction p16 immunostaining is considered as a surrogate marker for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Herein, the utility of p16 is evaluated in cytology specimens. Material and methods The electronic data of a large academic institution was searched for cytology cases accompanied by p16 (2014-2018). Cases were categorized based on body sites. P16 staining was quantified (negative [0%], focal/patchy, or diffusely positive [>70%]). HPV testing was correlated where available. Results A total of 372 cases were included (male:female, 239:133). The largest differences in application of p16 between men and women were in head/neck cases (209 versus 59) and the abdominal cases (1 versus 33), respectively. p16 diffuse staining is seen in most squamous cell carcinomas, small cell carcinomas, and gynecologic serous carcinomas. p16 expression was patchy or negative in most adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, spindle cell neoplasms, and benign conditions. HPV testing was done on 217 cases including 138 cases with strong p16 (127 HPV+/11 HPV−), 20 cases with focal/patchy P16 staining (6 HPV+/14 HPV−) and 59 cases with negative p16 staining (3 HPV+/56 HPV−). Conclusions Diffuse p16 staining aids in the diagnosis of HPV-related carcinomas, particularly HPV-related HNSCC, across the body and according to sex. In contrast, focal/patchy p16 staining does not correlate with HPV status across various body sites. In conclusion, intensity of p16 matters and should be correlated with cytomorphology, clinical history, and ancillary studies (eg, p40 immunostaining) for an accurate diagnosis and preventing diagnostic pitfalls.
What Is the Effect of COVID-19-Related Social Distancing on Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma?

Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of social distancing policies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of oral and maxillofacial fractures at an urban, Level I trauma center in the United States. Materials and Methods The investigators designed a retrospective cohort study and enrolled a sample of 883 subjects who presented for evaluation of oral and maxillofacial fractures (OMF) between March 1 and June 30 in the years 2018 through 2020. The primary predictor variable was the evaluation of OMF during a period with social distancing policies (2020 – experimental group) or without social distancing policies in place (2018 or 2019 – control group). The primary outcome variables were the facial fracture diagnosis, the abbreviated injury scale (AIS), injury severity score (ISS), and the mechanism of injury. Appropriate univariate and bivariate statistics were computed, and the level of significance was set at P Results The number of subjects presenting with OMF was lower during the period of social distancing (n = 235 in 2020) than during the periods without (2018: n = 330; 2019: n = 318). During the period of social distancing, there were more individuals who presented secondary to assault, whereas fewer individuals presented secondary to falls (P = .05). On average, those who presented in 2020 had more severe oral and maxillofacial injuries (mean AIS = 3.2 ± 1.2 in 2020 vs 3.0 ± 1.1 in 2019 and 3.0 ± 1.1 in 2018. P = .03) and more overall injuries (mean ISS = 20.7 ± 13.1 in 2020 vs 19.2 ± 12.5 in 2019; 17.8 ± 12.8 in 2018. P = .03). Conclusions The investigators found that during the period of social distancing through the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of OMF cases decreased but that the severity of oral and maxillofacial and overall injuries was higher.
Effect of Component Twist on Friction in a Bolted Joint

This paper presents an analysis of the assembly and disassembly processes for components in a bolted joint. The analysis shows a small amount of torsional elastic twist in joint components from applied torque during assembly and disassembly significantly affects thread and nut bearing friction. It reveals that after the assembly process, the nut bearing interface friction torque alone acts to counter not only the torque associated with bolt stretch, also known as the inherent self-loosening torque, but thread interface friction torque as well. Previous models and analyses of bolted joints have missed this point. Further, analysis of the disassembly process with applied removal torque reveals thread friction does not act to counter self-loosening and removal torque until sometime after nut bearing interface slip occurs. Only then do both thread friction and nut bearing friction counter self-loosening torque and removal torque. This is the state commonly assumed after the assembly process and for the duration of the disassembly process. The analysis presented reveals the effects of elastic twist of components in a bolted joint on thread friction and nut bearing friction and provides improved understanding of the state and behavior of bolted joints.
Effect of an eHealth intervention on older adults' quality of life and health-related outcomes: a randomized clinical trial.

By 2030, the number of US adults age ≥65 will exceed 70 million. Their quality of life has been declared a national priority by the US government. Assess effects of an eHealth intervention for older adults on quality of life, independence, and related outcomes. Multi-site, 2-arm (1:1), non-blinded randomized clinical trial. Recruitment November 2013 to May 2015; data collection through November 2016. Three Wisconsin communities (urban, suburban, and rural). Purposive community-based sample, 390 adults age ≥65 with health challenges. Exclusions: long-term care, inability to get out of bed/chair unassisted. Access (vs. no access) to interactive website (ElderTree) designed to improve quality of life, social connection, and independence. Primary outcome: quality of life (PROMIS Global Health). Secondary: independence (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living); social support (MOS Social Support); depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8); falls prevention (Falls Behavioral Scale). Moderation: healthcare use (Medical Services Utilization). Both groups completed all measures at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Three hundred ten participants (79%) completed the 12-month survey. There were no main effects of ElderTree over time. Moderation analyses indicated that among participants with high primary care use, ElderTree (vs. control) led to better trajectories for mental quality of life (OR=0.32, 95% CI 0.10–0.54, P=0.005), social support received (OR=0.17, 95% CI 0.05–0.29, P=0.007), social support provided (OR=0.29, 95% CI 0.13–0.45, P<0.001), and depression (OR= −0.20, 95% CI −0.39 to −0.01, P=0.034). Supplemental analyses suggested ElderTree may be more effective among people with multiple (vs. 0 or 1) chronic conditions. Once randomized, participants were not blind to the condition; self-reports may be subject to memory bias. Interventions like ET may help improve quality of life and socio-emotional outcomes among older adults with more illness burden. Our next study focuses on this population. ClinicalTrials.gov ; registration ID number: NCT02128789
Multiple endocrine neoplasia 1: a broad overview.

This review article discusses the diagnoses and treatment of patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1). The most common tumors associated with MEN 1 are located in the pancreas, pituitary, and parathyroid glands. Less common tumors include neuroendocrine tumors of the lung and thymus, adrenal tumors, and cutaneous lesions. This article describes the diagnosis, clinical manifestations, treatment, and surveillance of tumors associated with patients who are diagnosed with MEN 1.
The Backlash Thesis and Same-Sex Marriage: Learning from Brown V. Board of Education and its Aftermath

The backlash that followed the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's opinion in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health has created considerable anxiety within the gay rights movement as many have questioned whether the same-sex marriage litigation has backfired by encouraging social conservatives to flex their political muscles to the detriment of lesbians and gay men. I argue in this article that despite the harmful backlash experienced by the gay rights movement following marriage cases such as Goodridge, lesbians and gay men are nonetheless better off as a result of those cases. The gains from the litigation, in other words, have so far outweighed the losses. In defending the decision to litigate cases such as Goodridge, I explore the similarities between the backlash that followed that case and that which followed Brown v. Board of Education.
Robust precoder design for frequency selective interference channels

Many works considered the CSI uncertainty effect on interference alignment (IA) in MIMO narrow-band interference channel (IC). However, much less attention has been paid to CSI uncertainty effect on IA in SISO frequency-selective IC. This is partially due to the impractical requirement of infinitely large number of subcarriers to implement IA in such channel. Recently, a new approach was proposed to alleviate this limitation through applying IA in time domain while utilizing the guard interval [1]. In this paper, we investigate the performance of this approach under CSI imperfection. We also propose robust transceiver design algorithm that maximizes the received SINR accounting for the CSI imperfection in SISO frequency selective IC. In addition, the average sum stream rate under CSI imperfection is derived.
Recent Antitrust Enforcement Actions by the U.S. Department of Justice: A Selective Survey of Economic Issues

This paper discusses some of the most interesting economic issues raised by U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division proceedings that had significant developments between June 1, 2001 and May 31, 2002. The paper reviews six recent merger enforcement actions and three actions involving unilateral anticompetitive conduct.
Recreation preference and temperament.

Abstract The Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey was administered to 108 men and 116 women classified as to their recreational preference. The analyses of variance revealed that there are some significant differences of varied levels in the 10 traits of temperament tested among the six groups of men and six groups of women. Although the statistical evidence did not support the rejection of the null hypothesis that there are no differences among the men or the women groups in temperament in general, it was concluded that they differed only in individual traits that were found to be significant at either the .01 or .05 level.
Seven-Membered Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding of Phenols: Database Analysis and Phloroglucinol Model Compounds

Seven-membered intramolecular hydrogen bonding (7MHB) arrangements involving phenolic hydroxyl group donors have been investigated through Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and literature mining, and by the characterization of model compounds. The CSD reveals the numerous H-bond accepting functional groups that can participate in 7MHB when they are proximal to a phenolic OH, including alcohols, amides, amines, ethers, N-containing heterocycles, ketones, N-oxides, phosphates, and phosphane oxides. The HB contacts are defined by Ophenol···N and Ophenol···O distances of ca. 2.7 A, and two dihedral angles that fall within the range of typical peptide γ-turns. Two of the identified 7MHB motifs have been readily mapped onto the phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene) scaffold to provide eight model compounds; intramolecular hydrogen bonding involving all three hydroxyl groups is shown to persist in solution and the solid state for the compounds. Intramolecular 7MHB enforces nonplanar conformations that should be useful when designing molecular hosts and catalysts.
Top quark forward-backward asymmetry and W ′ bosons

The top quark forward-backward asymmetry measured at the Fermilab Tevatron collider deviates from the standard model prediction. A ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ boson model is described, where the coupling ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$-$t$-$d$ is fixed by the $t\overline{t}$ forward-backward asymmetry and total cross section at the Tevatron. We show that such a ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ boson would be produced in association with a top quark at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), thus inducing additional $t\overline{t}+j$ events. We use measurements of $t\overline{t}+n$-jet production from the LHC to constrain the allowed ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$-$t$-$d$ couplings as a function of ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ boson mass. We find that this ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ model is constrained at the $95%$ confidence level using $0.7\text{ }\mathrm{f}{\mathrm{b}}^{1}$ of data from the LHC, and could be fully excluded with $5\text{ }\mathrm{f}{\mathrm{b}}^{1}$ of data.
The relation of vitamin K to hyperbilirubinemia.

The concentration of bilirubin in the serum in a group of 119 premature and full-term infants was studied after the administration of water-soluble vitamin K and vitamin K1. It appeared that large doses of water-soluble vitamin K produced a higher concentration of bilirubin than was found in the control infants. Vitamin K1 administered intravenously did not have a hyperbilirubinemic effect. The mean concentration of bilirubin on the fifth day for infants given 25 mg of vitamin K1 orally approximated that of the untreated control group. However, the regression line of body weight versus concentration of bilirubin for this group showed a tendency towards hyperbilirubinemia in infants of less than 2500 gm (5 lb).
Are Mutual Fund Managers Selecting the Right Benchmark Index

In this paper, we determine index suitability for mutual funds that specify the S&P 500 as their performance benchmark. Using a four-factor model, we calculate factor Ioadings for mutual funds and their benchmark index and measure deviations with respect to the risk factors in the model. We sort the funds into growth and value subsets. By comparing each fund with the appropriate growth or value index, we show that the inferences regarding abnormal fund performance change dramatically. Our results indicate that fine tuning of abnormal performance measurement can significantly alter inferences regarding the fund manager's contribution to mutual fund performance. Using this methodology, investors and academics can more accurately assess mutual fund manager performance relative to an appropriate benchmark, regardless of the target index selected by the management of the mutual fund.
Tales from the Trenches: Conducting Yoga Research on Low Back Pain

Clinical studies of Yoga for various medical conditions funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have been conducted for the past several years. These are important studies for the understanding and acceptance of Yoga therapy by the biomedical community and health care financing institutions. They also raise many fundamental and fascinating questions about how science studies Yoga.The results of major academic studies on Yoga are generally first reported in mainstream medical journals. The International Journal of Yoga Therapy, however, attempts to carry complementary articles describing in much more detail the methodology and other aspects of the studies of special interest to our readers. In the present case, an unusual opportunity arose to explore methodological issues in depth, including the collaboration between the researcher and the Yoga teacher. Karen Sherman, Ph.D., M.P.H., the principal investigator, has ...
Effect of Different Preconditioning Protocols on Anterior Knee Laxity After ACL Reconstruction with Four Commonly Used Grafts.

Background It is currently unknown if preconditioning an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft prior to fixation is helpful in eliminating possible increases in anterior knee laxity. The purpose of this study was to measure cyclic increases in anterior tibial translation of four commonly used graft tissues subjected to four preconditioning protocols. Methods A robotic system was used to apply 250 cycles of anteroposterior force (134 N of anterior force followed by 134 N of posterior force) to ten intact knees (ACL controls) and then to a single knee reconstructed, for separate tests, with bone-patellar tendon-bone, bone-Achilles tendon, hamstring tendon, and tibialis tendon grafts following (1) no preconditioning, (2) preconditioning on a tension board (89 N of initial force held for twenty minutes), (3) preconditioning in situ (89 N of force applied to the tibial end of the graft during twenty-five flexion-extension cycles), and (4) a combination of protocols 2 and 3. Results Over the 250 cycles, all grafts were associated with a progressive increase in anterior tibial translation that was approximately an order of magnitude greater than that of the ACL, and preconditioning had no significant effect on this increase in translation. There were some significant differences in the progressive anterior tibial translation increase among the graft tissues within a given preconditioning protocol, but these differences were no greater than 1.1 mm. First-cycle and cycle-250 anterior tibial translation varied among the graft tissue types, possibly reflecting an initial "settling in" process. Regardless of the tissue type, ≥75% of the total increase in the anterior tibial translation occurred within the first 125 cycles. Conclusions Preconditioning had no significant effect on the progressive increase of anterior tibial translation from the first cycle to cycle 250 for any of the graft tissues tested. Clinical relevance On the basis of these results, current preconditioning methods appear to be ineffective in reducing progressive increases in anterior knee laxity from cyclic loading.
Analysis of Numerical Errors Generated by Slowly Moving Shock Waves

Despite being the most common means for simulating shocks, shock capturing has a well known drawback: the generation of numerical errors when shocks move slowly relative to the grid [1,2]. These errors, produced at the shock, propagate downstream and contaminate the solution. This problem is particularly detrimental when the error is on the order of physical fluctuations (e.g., in acoustics and turbulence). Errors due to slowly moving shocks were first identified in supersonic simulations and attributed to vanishing artificial viscosity as s → 0 [3], where s is the shock speed. These errors, of oscillation wavelength λsΔx∕s, where Δx is the grid spacing and λs is the wave speed associated with the oscillations, occur in nonlinear systems [4]. A smeared density profile introduces a momentum spike at the shock [5] for first-order and high-order methods. Intermediate states lie on the nonphysical branch of the Hugoniot locus between upstream and downstream states [6]. Entropy fixes have been developed specifically for this problem [7–9] with varying levels of success. Past studies on shock instabilities suggest that the Harten-Lax-van Leer (HLL) solver may alleviate these problems [10], which may fall into the broader category of carbuncle-related phenomena [11–13]. The present study divides slowly moving shock errors into startup errors produced only initially and unsteady postshock oscillations shed periodically. Both are analyzed and fixes are proposed, for first and high order, before extension to the full two-dimensional (2-D) Euler equations.
Global solution of semi-infinite programs

Optimization problems involving a finite number of decision variables and an infinite number of constraints are referred to as semi-infinite programs (SIPs). Existing numerical methods for solving nonlinear SIPs make strong assumptions on the properties of the feasible set, e.g., convexity and/or regularity, or solve a discretized approximation which only guarantees a lower bound to the true solution value of the SIP. Here, a general, deterministic algorithm for solving semi-infinite programs to guaranteed global optimality is presented. A branch-and-bound (BB the lower-bounding problem is formulated as a convex relaxation of a discretized approximation to the SIP. The SIP B&B algorithm is shown to converge finitely to ɛ−optimality when the subdivision and discretization procedures used to formulate the node subproblems are known to retain certain convergence characteristics. Other than the properties assumed by globally-convergent B&B methods (for finitely-constrained NLPs), this SIP algorithm makes only one additional assumption: For every minimizer x* of the SIP there exists a sequence of Slater points xn for which ** (cf. Section 5.4). Numerical results for test problems in the SIP literature are presented. The exclusion test and a modified upper-bounding problem are also investigated as heuristic approaches for alleviating the computational cost of solving a nonlinear SIP to guaranteed global optimality.
Segregation of Pt and Re During CO2 Reforming of CH4

Pt–Re supported on Ce0.52 Zr0.48 O2 was studied for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane at 800 °C. Diffuse reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and temperature programmed reduction studies suggest that Pt and Re segregation occurs during the reaction. The segregation results in an increase in the Pt sites available for CH4 decomposition and results in the bimetallic catalyst exhibiting an increase in the conversion of methane with time on stream. After 20 h of reaction, the CH4 conversion observed for the bimetallic catalyst was the same as the CH4 conversion observed for the monometallic catalyst.
Stationarity principle for quantum-mechanical resonance states

We show that the quantum-mechanical time-reversal operator provides a satisfying formulation of the ``generalized dilatation transformation'' for forming scalar products with partial complex conjugation, and leads to a theoretically justified stationarity principle for finding resonances (i.e., metastable states) in atomic and molecular systems.
Lidar full-waveform data analysis for detection of faint returns through obscurants

Innovative algorithm development for full-waveform lidar data processing extends this remote sensing technology's capabilities to even more complicated acquisition scenarios then previously determined, namely success of surveys over obscured areas. Waveform decomposition and the extraction of waveform metrics provide a straightforward approach to identifying vertical structure within each laser measurement. However, there are some limitations in this approach as faint returns within the waveform go undetected in the processing chain. These faint returns are the result of reduced energy levels due to obscurant scattering, attenuation and absorption. Lidar surveys over non-homogeneous wooded regions indicate that there are meaningful ground returns within dense tree coverage if extracted correctly from the data. One difficulty associated with detecting weaker returns is the presence of a hardware induced ring by the Avalanche Photo Diode (APD) detector in the returned waveform. By using a waveform stacking technique with adjacent waveforms in near geospatial proximity to the original, these faint returns can be augmented and detected during data processing without the inclusion of the false ring. In comparison to the traditional approach, the waveform stacking technique provides a 9% increase in faint signal extraction for the particular dataset. These faint signals are low level last returns that correspond to perceived ground reflections under canopy cover. The enhanced capability in the presence of foliage provides a decrease in operational effort associated with data density, dwell or targeting techniques and survey expense.
Precision Support Of Annular Optics

A quantitative description of the deformation of an annular optical element subject to external forces has been developed. Expressions applicable when the width of the element is small compared to its radius provide distortion data for both free rings and rings supported on thin-wall cylinder segments ('tangent flanges'). This data may be used to guide the design of fixtures for diamond turning large annular optics.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Some effects of herbivory and 30 years of weir management on emergent vegetation in Brackish Marsh

Weirs are low-level dams used in Louisiana’s coastal marshes to improve habitat quality for ducks and furbearers; however, some ecologists question whether weir management inhibits soil drainage and thereby negatively affects the emergent plant community. We compared the emergent plant communities of unmanaged marsh and marsh that was weir managed since 1958 at Marsh Island, Louisiana to test for management effects. Two data sets were analyzed: 4 permanent transects sampled 8 times between 1958 and 1988, and 44 random transects sampled in 1987. If weir management inhibited soil drainage, differences between weir managed and unmanaged marsh should have been similar to differences between naturally poorly drained and better drained marsh. Poorly drained marsh had lower species richness and diversity than better drained marsh, and poorly drained and better drained marsh differed in the importance of 4 major plant species. Neither species richness, species diversity index, major plant species, nor vegetative cover differed between weir managed marsh and unmanaged marsh in either data set. Analyses indicated that 4 minor species were negatively affected, and 2 were positively affected by weir management, but those results were not consistent in both data sets. Species richness and diversity index were negatively related to the frequency of nutria (Myocastor coypus), but species richness was positively related to the frequency of muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus). Incorrect conclusions would have been reached if variation in herbivore activity had not been noted. Although management may affect other marshes differently, any differences in emergent plant community structure between weir managed marsh and unmanaged marsh at Marsh Island are less than observed differences between naturally well-drained and poorly-drained marsh. The lack of a management effect was attributed to the lack of substantial soil drainage even in unmanaged marsh.