cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actual versus intended use of CAD systems in the clinical environment

Although computer-aided detection (CAD) systems were designed and approved for and are assumed to be used as a "second-reader", namely radiologists are expected to interpret mammograms and detect suspected abnormalities (i.e., micro-calcification clusters and masses) independently before viewing CAD results, it is not clear whether radiologists in a busy clinical environment follow the intended use. In this study, we observed ten experienced radiologists during the clinical reading of 635 mammography examinations and recorded their workflow pattern in terms of the use of CAD. The observations suggest that for detecting micro-calcification clusters only a few radiologists actually used a magnifying glass to carefully and systematically scan all images. Areas in which no CAD cues were identified for micro-calcifications were largely discarded. The majority of radiologists used CAD for identification micro-calcifications clusters almost as a "pre-screening" tool. In less than 15% of cases with CAD cues for microcalcifications cluster the radiologists actually scanned the complete set of images for possible additional clusters. The majority of more careful searches were performed by only three radiologists who voluntarily admitted they knew they were an exception in regards to their reading style and admitted they personally believed they were also "slower". CAD marks of possible masses were often discarded by the majority of the radiologists in particular when cues appeared only on one view. We found that there was a large difference between the use of CAD for detection of micro-calcifications clusters and masses. In addition, radiologists frequently use CAD in a manner that is substantially different than originally intended.
Surviving Insecure IT: Effective Patch Management

The amount of time to protect enterprise systems against potential vulnerability continues to shrink. Enterprises need an effective patch management mechanism to survive the insecure IT environment. Effective patch management is a systematic and repeatable patch distribution process which includes establishing timely and practical alerts, receiving notification of patches or discovering them, downloading patches and documentation, assessing and prioritizing vulnerabilities, performing testing, deploying patches, and auditing.
Oscillons, spiral waves, and stripes in a model of vibrated sand

A semicontinuum model of a thin layer of vibrated sand is proposed that qualitatively reproduces experimental observations of localized subharmonic excitations (``oscillons'') in addition to globally striped patterns. Numerical simulations recover a phase diagram similar to experimental observations and physical mechanisms for the transitions across phase boundaries are proposed. A scaling law is given for the size of the stripes and oscillons. Simulations in a different region of phase space reveal spiral waves.
Agreement between bovine respiratory disease scoring systems for pre-weaned dairy calves

Clinical scoring systems have been proposed for respiratory disease diagnosis in calves, including the Wisconsin (WI) system (McGuirk in 2008) which uses five clinical signs, each partitioned into four levels of severity. Recently, we developed the California (CA) bovine respiratory disease (BRD) scoring system requiring less calf handling and consisting of six clinical signs, each classified as normal or abnormal. The objective of this study was to estimate the on-farm agreement between the WI and the CA scoring systems. A total of 100 calves were enrolled on a CA dairy and assessed for BRD case status using the two scoring systems simultaneously. The Kappa coefficient of agreement between these two systems was estimated to be 0.85, which indicated excellent agreement beyond chance. The simpler design and reduced calf handling required by the CA BRD scoring system may make it advantageous for on-farm use.
Nonlinear matched filtering for point source detection

The task of object detection depends on the ability to suppress the noise present in images in order to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The standard linear matched filter is the optimal filter on the assumption of the Gaussian distribution of the signal and the noise. However, as a rule the distribution of the signal in image processing is not Gaussian. The linear matched filter becomes sub-optimal. Any non-Gaussian distribution function can be closely approximated using the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). We use GMM to approximate the signal distribution function and derive the optimal filter by means of mean square error (MSE) minimization. The optimal non-linear filter is determined by the assumed signal distribution function. We use non-linear matched filtering for point source detection in astronomical images. We derive the GMM components by fitting the theoretical point source distribution function. The filtered images are subjected to image segmentation and subsequent point source detection. The non-linear matched filtering has been tested with simulated data and has been shown to significantly improve the quality of point source detection. Receiver operating characteristic technique has been used to evaluate performance of various Gaussian mixtures for point source detection. This algorithm is currently used for the Spitzer Spatial Telescope.
Rapid appearance of labeled degenerating cells in the dorsal root ganglia after exposure of chick embryos to tritiated thymidine

The interval between [3H]thymidine delivery and onset of cellular degeneration in 5.5 day embryonic chick brachial dorsal root ganglia was examined autoradiographically. Of the degenerating cells, 14% were labeled by 2 h after [3H]thymidine delivery. This percentage increased for 24 h. Wing bud amputation had no effect on this percentage through 9 h. Thus, some cause of cell death other than faulty peripheral connections may exist in at least some degenerating ganglionic cells.
Kinetic Characterization of Single Strand Break Ligation in Duplex DNA by T4 DNA Ligase

T4 DNA ligase catalyzes phosphodiester bond formation between juxtaposed 5′-phosphate and 3′-hydroxyl termini in duplex DNA in three steps: 1) enzyme-adenylylate formation by reaction with ATP; 2) adenylyl transfer to a 5′-phosphorylated polynucleotide to generate adenylylated DNA; and 3) phosphodiester bond formation with release of AMP. This investigation used synthetic, nicked DNA substrates possessing either a 5′-phosphate or a 5′-adenylyl phosphate. Steady state experiments with a nicked substrate containing juxtaposed dC and 5′-phosphorylated dT deoxynucleotides (substrate 1) yielded kcat and kcat/Km values of 0.4 ± 0.1 s−1 and 150 ± 50 μm−1 s−1, respectively. Under identical reaction conditions, turnover of an adenylylated version of this substrate (substrate 1A) yielded kcat and kcat/Km values of 0.64 ± 0.08 s−1 and 240 ± 40 μm−1 s−1. Single turnover experiments utilizing substrate 1 gave fits for the forward rates of Step 2 (k2) and Step 3 (k3) of 5.3 and 38 s−1, respectively, with the slowest step ∼10-fold faster than the rate of turnover seen under steady state conditions. Single turnover experiments with substrate 1A produced a Step 3 forward rate constant of 4.3 s−1, also faster than the turnover rate of 1A. Enzyme self-adenylylation was confirmed to also occur on a fast time scale (∼6 s−1), indicating that the rate-limiting step for T4 DNA ligase nick sealing is not a chemical step but rather is most likely product release. Pre-steady state reactions displayed a clear burst phase, consistent with this conclusion.
The move towards disintegration: Explaining ethnosecessionist mobilization in South Asia

The aim of this article is to analyze ethnosecessionist mobilization ‐ that is, political mobilization in support of national independence by breaking away from the existing state. The author tests the applicability of theories of ethnic political mobilization in explaining ethnosecessionist tendencies in South Asia in the 1980s. The causal variables that have a bearing on ethnic political mobilization are identified; using binary coding, each causal variable is linked with the outcome variable for each case selected for study in order to reveal the various causal combinations of the phenomenon; and using Boolean methodology, the various causal combinations are reduced to determine the minimum causal conjunctures of ethnosecessionism in South Asia, which can be related to the key causal requirements of the different theories of ethnic political mobilization to determine which theories are more applicable in explaining ethnosecessionist tendencies.
The effects of various steroids on testosterone metabolism by the sexually mature rabbit epididymis

Abstract We examined the influences of steroids present in the epididymis on androgen metabolism by epididymal tissue and on the binding of androgen metabolites to the epididymal androgen receptor in castrated adult rabbit epididymides under in vitro conditions. The conversion of [ 3 H]testosterone to [ 3 H]17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one (5α-DHT) and to [ 3 H]5α-androstane-3α(β), 17β-diol was inhibited by unlabeled steroids in the following manner progesterone>testosterone>estradiol. Unlabeled 5α-DHT did not inhibit [ 3 H]testosterone metabolism indicating that product inhibition is not an important regulatory event. The antiandrogen cyproterone acetate did not inhibit the formation of 5α-reduced metabolites of [ 3 H]testosterone. All of the compounds used inhibited androgen binding to the classically defined cytoplasmic and nuclear androgen receptor.
Long imaging range optical coherence tomography based on a narrow line-width dual band Fourier domain mode-locked swept source

A narrow line-width dual band Fourier domain mode-locked (FDML) swept source at center wavelength of 1310 nm for long imaging range high speed and high resolution Fourier domain optical coherence tomography was demonstrated. A fiber Fabry-Perot tunable filter working at multi-spectral band mode is used for wavelength selection in the FDML swept source. The interference signals in two spectral bands are separated into two channels for detection by use of WDM couplers with pass-bands matching the spectral bands of the Fabry-Perot tunable filter. The line-width of the output light from the swept source can be as narrow as 0.04 nm thanks to the small tuning range within each spectral band, while high axial resolution of the FDOCT system can still be obtained since the total scanning range combining multi bands is more than 100 nm.
Grandma as Revolutionary: Elderly Women and Some Modern Patterns of Social Change.

Despite the disadvantages they face, women in western nations have coped very successfully with the problems of aging during the past century and, with limited material resources, have responded positively to great social and personal changes. Although women make up the majority of the elderly population, these achievements have received little attention. As we face the continued aging of the population and its attendant massive social changes in a setting of increasingly scarce resources, it is essential that all aspects of female aging be studied more closely. They may well provide us with the insights necessary to clarify our vision of the past and future and provide us with appropriate models for survival in a less-than-ideal world.
Water Chemistry Constraints And Possibilities For Ancient And Contemporary Maya Wetlands

Abstract Much Maya research has studied water management, but very little has studied water quality. Water chemistry reflects local and regional geology, soil, and land uses. Thus, it can supply a useful link between past and contemporary environmental conditions. This research analyzes the water quality of sources near archaeological wetland sites in the Three Rivers Region, northwestern Belize to better understand Precolumbian Maya land and water use potentials and possibilities for contemporary water use at these sites. We explore quality complications for crop types, including forests and orchards, as well as paleoenvironmental and modern botanical information to test hypotheses about water limits and possibilities in the region. Our evaluation of water quality also presents implications for domestic consumption of the region's waters and public health. Broad scale results for this region show chemically distinct water sources that include waters that are limited for agricultural and domestic uses, an...
Driver-phase-correlated fluctuations in the rotation of a strongly driven quantum bit

The need to maximize the number of operations of a quantum bit within its decoherence time may require the ratio of Rabi frequency to transition frequency to be large enough to invalidate the rotating-wave approximation. The state of the quantum bit under any initial condition then depends explicitly on the phase of the driving field, resulting in driver-phase-correlated fluctuations and a violation of the rule that the degree of excitation depends only on the pulse area. This is due to the interference of the excitations caused by the corotating and counterrotating fields, and is a significant source of error, correctable only by controlling the driver phase. We present a scheme for observing this effect under currently realizable parameters.
Comparison of Morphology, Orientation, and Migration of Tendon Derived Fibroblasts and Bone Marrow Stromal Cells on Electrochemically Aligned Collagen Constructs

There are approximately 33 million injuries involving musculoskeletal tissues (including tendons and ligaments) every year in the United States. In certain cases the tendons and ligaments are damaged irreversibly and require replacements that possess the natural functional properties of these tissues. As a biomaterial, collagen has been a key ingredient in tissue engineering scaffolds. The application range of collagen in tissue engineering would be greatly broadened if the assembly process could be better controlled to facilitate the synthesis of dense, oriented tissue-like constructs. An electrochemical method has recently been developed in our laboratory to form highly oriented and densely packed collagen bundles with mechanical strength approaching that of tendons. However, there is limited information whether this electrochemically aligned collagen bundle (ELAC) presents advantages over randomly oriented bundles in terms of cell response. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the biocompatibility of the collagen bundles in vitro, and compare tendon-derived fibroblasts (TDFs) and bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) in terms of their ability to populate and migrate on the single and braided ELAC bundles. The results indicated that the ELAC was not cytotoxic; both cell types were able to populate and migrate on the ELAC bundles more efficiently than that observed for random collagen bundles. The braided ELAC constructs were efficiently populated by both TDFs and MSCs in vitro. Therefore, both TDFs and MSCs can be used with the ELAC bundles for tissue engineering purposes.
A framework for low power synthesis of interconnection networks-on-chip with multiple voltage islands

The problem of VI-aware Network-on-Chip (NoC) design is extremely challenging, especially with the increasing core counts in today's power-hungry Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs). In this paper, we propose a novel framework for automating the synthesis of regular NoCs with VIs, to satisfy application performance constraints while minimizing chip power dissipation. Our proposed framework uses a set of novel algorithms and heuristics to generate solutions that reduce network traffic by up to 62%, communication power by up to 32%, and total chip power dissipation by up to 13%, compared to the best known prior work that also solves the same problem.
Public Support for Term Limits: Another Look at Conventional Thinking

: Americans are enamored with term limits for elected officials at all levels of government. Explanations of public support for term limits focus on partisanship, group underrepresentation, voter dissatisfaction with specific political institutions, political cynicism, and ideology. We qualify the conventional wisdom that term limits are mostly a Republican issue: Support for term limits is more a function of the incongruence between an individual's expressed partisanship and the party of their representative than of the individual's party affiliation. Further, the effect of unsatisfactory representation is strongly related to a voter's engagement with politics and willingness to monitor political affairs actively.
Biennial Budgeting by the U.S. Congress

Should the Congress prepare a budget every two years rather than every year, as it does now? This article condenses a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) working paper that analyzed this issue for the Congress. It describes the movement toward biennial budgeting in the federal government, summarizes state experiences with biennial budgeting, and evaluates biennial budgeting from the congressional perspective.
Finite Element Models of Implants in Bone: Interfacial Assumptions

Breakdown of interfacial bone, leading to loosening of implants in bone, is a major cause of implant failures. This interfacial bone breakdown has been thought to be related to interfacial tissue biomechanics. Therefore, efforts are underway to understand mechanical factors at implant-tissue interfaces.
Unitary Fermi gas in a harmonic trap

We present an ab initio calculation of small numbers of trapped, strongly interacting fermions using the Green's function Monte Carlo method. The ground-state energy, density profile, and pairing gap are calculated for particle numbers $N=2--22$ using the parameter-free ``unitary'' interaction. Trial wave functions are taken in the form of correlated pairs in a harmonic oscillator basis. We find that the lowest energies are obtained with a minimum explicit pair correlation beyond that needed to exploit the degeneracy of oscillator states. We find that the energies can be well fitted by the expression ${a}_{\mathit{TF}}{E}_{\mathit{TF}}+\ensuremath{\Delta}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mod}(N,2)$ where ${E}_{\mathit{TF}}$ is the Thomas-Fermi energy of a noninteracting gas in the trap and $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ is the pairing gap. There is no evidence of a shell correction energy in the systematics, but the density distributions show pronounced shell effects. We find the value $\ensuremath{\Delta}=0.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2\ensuremath{\omega}$ for the pairing gap. This is smaller than the value found for the uniform gas at a density corresponding to the central density of the trapped gas.
USE OF POISSON'S RATIO FOR OBJECTIVE‐SUBJECTIVE TEXTURE CORRELATIONS IN BEEF. AN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING THE REQUIRED DATA1

A device is described for measuring the transverse deformation of cylindrical samples during axial compression. The device is fitted to an Instron Universal Testing Instrument and requires only standard Instron electronics and data recording systems. Calculations showing that the transverse deflection gives a good estimate of Poisson's ratio are valid for both isotropic and anisotropic materials. Correlation coefficients for magnitude estimates of three sensory texture attributes in beef increase from 0.5 to 0.9 when Poisson's ratio is substituted for the uniaxial “modulus of elasticity.” This indicates that Poisson's ratio may be a very promising objective parameter for predicting the sensory texture quality in meat.
Responses of Salsola kali and Panicum virgatum to mycorrhizal fungi, phosphorus and soil organic matter : implications for reclamation

1. Owing to the difficulty of finding terrestrial ecosystems without mycorrhizas, their influence on plant community dynamics is not easy to discern. This study utilized unreclaimed taconite mine tailings as a mycorrhiza-free ecosystem to gain insights about the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizas and soil organic matter on the growth of Salsola kali (an early successional colonist of taconite tailings) and Panicum virgatum (a late successional grass planted during reclamation). 2. To assess relative mycorrhizal responsiveness, Panicum and Salsola were grown in taconite tailings along an experimental phosphorus gradient with and without mycorrhizal fungal inoculum isolated from reclaimed taconite tailings. At low phosphorus concentrations, mycorrhizal inoculum enhanced the growth (height and dry mass) of Panicum, but it decreased growth at the two highest phosphorous concentrations. At no phosphorus level did mycorrhizal inoculum enhance the growth of Salsola but it decreased growth at the highest phosphorus concentrations. 3. In field plots, mycorrhizal inoculum and organic soil amendment (compostedpapermill sludge) enhanced the growth of Panicum and decreased the growth of Salsola. 4. In this experiment, mycorrhizal inoculum enhanced the growth of the late successional grass but, during reclamation operations, manipulating edaphic conditions to favour mycotrophy may be more cost-effective than large-scale inoculation. The results of this study suggest that mycotrophy is favoured by increasing soil organic matter and avoiding heavy fertilization.
Screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip: current practices in Ireland

To ascertain the current approach to screen for developmental dysplasia of the hip in the Republic of Ireland. Two-pronged prospective and retrospective study. (1) Postal questionnaire to consultant paediatricians responsible for the routine neonatal care of infants in the Irish Republic in June 2006. (2) Retrospective database review to identify infants undergoing radiological follow-up and their outcome. All maternity units surveyed responded. Most units (84%) were dependent on radiographs at 4–6 months for imaging hips, only two units primarily used ultrasound (10.5%). We estimate that neonatal hip examination is performed by an experienced examiner in less than 30% of routine newborn examinations. On retrospective analysis, 94% of radiographs performed were normal. The most effective interventions, selective ultrasound and examination by an experienced clinician are not widely practiced. There is a need for the development of national guidelines based on available resources.
Plasmonics enabled advances in photoconductive terahertz radiation sources (Invited Paper)

We present an overview of recent advances in photoconductive terahertz sources that utilize plasmonic nanostructures to significantly enhance optical-to-terahertz power conversion efficiency by enhancing light-matter interaction at nanoscale. We show that the impact of the plasmonic nanostructures on enhancing the optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency of photoconductive terahertz sources is universal and can be employed in various types of photoconductive source designs under various operational settings.
Management of Juvenile Correctional Facilities

Legislatively and philosophically, the juvenile justice system in the United States is becoming more punitive. There has been a variety of research assessing the attitudes of adult correctional administrators and personnel. However, relatively few studies have examined juvenile correctional administrators. A national survey of juvenile correctional facility directors was conducted to assess their attitudes on several issues in juvenile corrections and their managerial problems and issues. Comparisons are made with adult prison wardens on several dimensions including demographics, job satisfaction, correctional orientation, and correctional programming emphasis and operation. Results show striking differences between perceptions of juvenile facility directors and those of directors of adult facilities. Several other managerial issues such as job-related stress, confidence in staff, role conflict, and attitudes toward juveniles and juvenile corrections are also discussed.
Nonstructural Protein Precursor NS4A/B from Hepatitis C Virus Alters Function and Ultrastructure of Host Secretory Apparatus

The nonstructural proteins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been shown previously to localize to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) when expressed singly or in the context of other HCV proteins. To determine whether the expression of HCV nonstructural proteins alters ER function, we tested the effect of expression of NS2/3/4A, NS4A, NS4B, NS4A/B, NS4B/5A, NS5A, and NS5B from genotype 1b HCV on anterograde traffic from the ER to the Golgi apparatus. Only the nominal precursor protein NS4A/B affected the rate of ER-to-Golgi traffic, slowing the rate of Golgi-specific modification of the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein expressed by transfection by approximately threefold. This inhibition of ER-to-Golgi traffic was not observed upon expression of the processed proteins NS4A and NS4B, singly or in combination. To determine whether secretion of other cargo proteins was inhibited by NS4A/B expression, we monitored the appearance of newly synthesized proteins on the cell surface in the presence and absence of NS4A/B expression; levels of all were reduced in the presence of NS4A/B. This reduction is also seen in cells that contain genome length HCV replicons: the rate of appearance of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) on the cell surface was reduced by three- to fivefold compared to that for a cured cell line. The inhibition of protein secretion caused by NS4A/B does not correlate with the ultrastructural changes leading to the formation a "membranous web" (D. Egger et al., J. Virol. 76:5974-5984, 2002), which can be caused by expression of NS4B alone. Inhibition of global ER-to-Golgi traffic could, by reducing cytokine secretion, MHC-I presentation, and transport of labile membrane proteins to the cell surface, have significant effects on the host immune response to HCV infection.
Internal Communication, Information Satisfaction, and Sense of Community: The Effect of Personal Influence

This study examined how employees of a multi-campus university view information flow from top administrators in positions of personal influence, employees' communication preferences (amount, channels, types of information), their sense of community within the organization, and the relationship between those perceptions and their willingness to advocate for the university. Open-ended interviews with 147 employees found the personal influence of the chancellor and top administrators has an effect on information satisfaction. Employees who have a relationship with the chancellor are more satisfied with the information they receive and feel a greater responsibility to advocate for the organization. Even the perception of a relationship with top administrators leads to satisfaction. The direction dimension of internal communication, as well as the channel dimension is important. Although e-mail is efficient for information exchange, the preference for communication among all groups of employees is face-to-face...
The aerodynamic characteristics of cat allergen.

To further characterize airborne cat allergen and a newly established cat challenge facility, airborne Fel d I levels and particle size distributions were studied in both the cat challenge room and home environments under different conditions of ventilation and physical activity. In the cat room, there has been a dramatic and continued rise in the concentration of airborne Fel d I since the room was established. No differences in total airborne Fel d I levels or particle size distribution were detected under widely differing rates of ventilation (40 air changes per hour vs 8 ac/hr vs 17 microm. Although very little allergen (< 15%) was detected on particles < 4 microm, this important fraction was present under all conditions. We conclude that airborne cat allergen resides primarily on relatively large particles, that a small but consistent fraction is found on very small particles, and that neither allergen levels or particles size distribution are significantly influenced by ventilation.
Deduced social networks for an educational digital library

By analyzing the behavior of previous users, digital libraries can be made to provide new users with more support to find the best information. The AlgoViz Portal collects metadata on algorithm visualizations and associated research literature. We show how logs can be used to discover latent relationships between users, deducing an implicit social network. By clustering the log data, we find different page-viewing patterns, which provide practical information about the different groups of users.
Factors Affecting Maternal Anxiety Levels in Neonatal Hearing Screening|[dagger]| 76

It has been suggested that universal neonatal hearing screening may cause unnecessary maternal anxiety (Bess, 1994). The objective of this cross-sectional interview study was to identify and compare the prevalence and degree of maternal anxiety at the time of initial hearing screen and at a 2-4 week rescreen for first stage refers (fails). A second objective was to identify the maternal demographic factors that affect levels of anxiety in each sample of mothers. The 157 mothers interviewed at the time of initial hearing screen were unaware of the screen results. The 20 mothers interviewed at the time of a rescreen were aware of the results of the initial screen but had not yet received the results of the rescreen. Results n(%) shown: Although only 3.8% of mothers in the initial screen population were worried or very worried, this increased to 40% in the rescreen population, p =.001. Higher levels of maternal anxiety in the initial screen population were associated with: lower maternal education, p =.023, ↑ number of children, p =.002, lack of knowledge of screen during admission to hospital (vs. before admission), p =.012, and a trend for non-private insurance, p =.083 and lower SES, p=.07. In the rescreen population, ↑ levels of maternal anxiety were associated with low maternal education (p =.027), non-white maternal race, p=.001 and a trend for non English speaking, p =.06. We conclude that the incidence of significant maternal anxiety at the time of neonatal hearing screening is low, and that maternal anxiety during rescreens increases significantly. Therefore, efforts must be directed to minimizing the first stage false positive rate for neonatal hearing screening to limit unnecessary anxiety during rescreens. These data also indicate that poorly educated, non-insured, non-white, uninformed mothers are at increased risk of experiencing anxiety about their infant's hearing screen and hearing screen programs must direct their educational efforts towards these socially at risk mothers. Table
Stammering to Story: Neurosis and Narration in Pat Barker's Regeneration

Abstract During World War I, the neuroses developed by soldiers in combat played a significant part in refashioning the categories, tenets, and techniques of English psychiatric practice, splitting its aims and hysterizing it, as it were, relentlessly driving it to convert symptom into the signifying elaboration of language. Faced with a panoply of hysterical and neurasthenic disorders–paralysis, mutism, blindness among regular soldiers and nightmares, insomnia, dizziness, and depression among officers–analysts debated over the most efficacious therapeutic approach. One group valorized the catharsis of suppressed emotions leading to a resynthesis of mind, whereas another emphasized the recall of the repressed scene and a conscious reintegration of the dissociated memory into the patient's history.1 The different methods entailed varying degrees of participation by the subject in the curative process, but both solicited a participatory rather than a coercive model of treatment. The symptom was recognized a...
Building Telepresence Systems: Translating Science Fiction Ideas into Reality

Many people feel that at some time in the distant future it will be possible to see and interact with remote individuals so realistically that they will appear to be standing next to us, that it will also be possible for physicians to look inside their patients and see organs and tumors, as if they possessed Superman’s X-ray vision. Although we are far from the realization of such dreams, we are witnessing some encouraging progress toward them. For example, we understand that two aspects common to these systems are a) the acquisition and synthesis of complex 3D information (whether from cameras at a distant scene or medical imaging devices inside a patient), and b) reconstruction and presentation of the 3D information to the observer (whether a distant collaborator or a nearby physician). Early results from several institutions are encouraging. It is now possible to walk around distant scenes, although the visual data still needs to be preprocessed, the scene still needs to be static and the reconstruction still has gaps. It is possible to look inside patients, although with crude ultrasound imaging and with very limited visualization, or not naturally from the physician’s own point of view. It is not yet possible to view any of this kind of information with high degree of immersive 3D realism without wearing cumbersome visualization aids. Truly compelling realization of these long-held dreams will take careful analysis of the remaining problems, creative thinking about new approaches, and innovative and sustained development of the required acquisition and display technologies.
SPSA/SIMMOD optimization of air traffic delay cost

The cost of delay is a serious and increasing problem in the airline industry. Air travel is increasing, and already domestic airports incur thousands of hours of delay daily, costing the industry $2 billion a year. One strategy for reducing total delay costs is to hold planes for a short time at the gate in order to reduce costly airborne congestion. In a network of airports involving hundreds of flights, it is difficult to determine the amount to hold each flight at the gate. This paper discusses how the optimization procedure simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) can be used to process delay cost measurements from air traffic simulation packages and produce an optimal gate holding schedule. As a test case, the SIMMOD air traffic simulation package was used to model a simple four-airport network. Initial delay costs are reduced up to 10.3%.
An Attempted Replication of the Relationships between Birth Order and Personality

According to Sulloway (1996), firstborn children hold positions of dominance and parental favor relative to laterborn children and, as a consequence, develop personality characteristics that coincide with parental interests. Laterborns develop personality characteristics that differ from firstborns in an effort to secure parental investment. Sulloway (1996, in press) reported support for the hypotheses that firstborn status correlates positively with Surgency and Conscientiousness and correlates negatively with Agreeableness, Emotional Stability, and Openness after controlling for sex, age, sibship size, and socioeconomic status. The authors attempt to replicate these findings with self-report data provided by several hundred young adults, including a sample of full genetic siblings and a sample of mixed (half-, step-, or adoptive) siblings. For the complete sample and the full sibling sample, they replicate the negative relationship between firstborn status and Agreeableness. Contradicting Sulloway's findings, the authors document in the complete sample and in the mixed sibling sample a positive relationship between firstborn status and Openness. They find no relationships between firstborn status and Surgency, Conscientiousness, or Emotional Stability. Discussion situates the results of the current research with previous attempts to replicate Sulloway's (1996) findings.
Rationalizing the dental curriculum in light of current disease prevalence and patient demand for treatment: form vs. content.

The premise of this paper is that the form and content of dental education do not reinforce each other. What results is suboptimal learning; dissatisfied students; difficulty generating excitement among the brightest to consider careers in dental education; erosion of dentists9 self-identity as men and women of science; and doubts over whether dental schools can continue as the primary providers of oral health education. A need for reform exists because dental curricula must be responsive to changes in current and projected disease demographics, to advances in science and technology, and to a changing societal culture affecting patient demand for treatment. Today9s dilemma is that dental schools need to continue to graduate competent practitioners to meet present clinical needs while also preparing students for a radically different kind of practice in the future. Possible approaches to resolve this dilemma include: a shift between what constitutes general practice and what constitutes specialty practice; and, the implementation of an asynchronous-distributed model of dental education. Such changes will likely be independently accompanied by changes in the role of universities in society in general that could make feasible many, now-unthinkable, alternative vehicles for providing dental education.
Satellite Attitude Determination Using Magnetometer Data Only

On March 8, 2007, the U.S. Air Force Academy launched FalconSAT 3, a complex small satellite with three plasma-researching payloads supporting Department of Defense funded science missions. This is the first three-axis stabilized satellite designed, tested, and built by cadets. FalconSAT 3 is equipped with two types of satellite attitude sensors: magnetometers and sun sensors. However, a software issue inhibits the use of sun sensors, so development of a new method of attitude determination was required. The three-axis magnetometers would need to provide the means to accurately depict the spacecraft’s orientation at any given time. Because of the ambiguity involved with using a single form of spacecraft attitude information, Extended Kalman Filtering became a viable solution that would combine insufficient data with a mathematical model of satellite motion to achieve accurate attitude estimation. First, a single-axis Kalman Filter was created for determining the yaw axis, assuming roll and pitch remain zero due to gravity-gradient stabilization. It was found that a constant gain filter can sufficiently provide pointing knowledge, depending on the user’s needs. This yaw-estimator also initializes a starting point for a three-axis estimator. Generating a six-state, three-axis control Extended Kalman Filter for attitude determination became the primary focus of research because the FalconSAT 3 payloads require a level of attitude determination accuracy greater then the magnetometers can provide alone. Looking to the future, modification of this three-axis estimator accounts for a pitch wheel considered for FalconSAT 5, a satellite that the U.S. Air Force Academy proposes to launch in December 2009. These three Kalman Filters were developed in England at Surrey Space Centre and were tested and tuned with magnetometer data of a Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) satellite called UoSAT. Comparing the attitude estimation results to the truth model of UoSAT shows that the Kalman Filters converge to within one degree of accuracy. This paper details the theory behind these Kalman Filters in addition to their tuning and results.
Ultrasound Imaging of Normal Displacement of the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris Tendon Within the Ulnar Groove in 12 Forearm–Wrist Positions

OBJECTIVE. Instability of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon can be a difficult clinical diagnosis because of normal changes in tendon position during wrist motion. Our goal was to determine the normal variation of ECU tendon displacement in 12 forearm–wrist positions.SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Ultrasound imaging of the ECU tendons of 40 symptom-free wrists of healthy volunteers (13 women, seven men; mean age, 22.3 years; range, 20–25 years) was performed. Each ECU tendon was examined in 12 positions: four wrist positions (ulnar deviation, radial deviation, flexion, and extension) in each of three forearm positions (pronation, supination, and neutral).RESULTS. ECU tendon displacement in the right hand was not significantly different from that in the left, and displacement in men did not differ significantly from that in women. There was a small but significant difference between displacement in the dominant and that in the nondominant hand (p < 0.02). Mean ECU tendon displacement was greatest in the supin...
Anion selective optical sensing with metalloporphyrin-doped polymeric films

Metalloporphyrins [Mn(III) and In(III)] are investigated as active polymer fihn components in the design of reversible anion-selective optical sensors. The optical measurements are made by casting thin plasticiied polymer films (PVC, polyurethane, etc.) containing the given metalloporphyrhts on glass plates. When bathed in aqueous test solutions, the optical response of such fihns is based upon the selective extraction of anions by metalloporphyrins into the organic membrane phase. Changes in optical absorbance occur via either of two mechanisms. For fihns based on Mn(II1) tetraphenylporphyrins, the porphyrin itself can serve simultaneously as the ionophore and chromophore for the detection of iodide ions. In this instance, direct ligation of iodide as an axial ligand of the central Mn(II1) results in a change in the molar absorptivity of the soret band of the porphyrin. In the case of In(II1) octaethylporphyrin, the incorporation of an appropriate pH-indicator dye along with the metalloporphyrin is required to achieve films with optical selectivity toward nitrite and chloride. The analytical characteristics of these porphyrin-based fihns with respect to anion response time, dynamic measurement range, and reproducibility, are discussed.
Prednisone Use and Risk of Mortality in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Moderation by Use of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs.

Objective Medications for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may affect survival. However, studies often include limited followup and do not account for selection bias in treatment allocation. Using a large longitudinal database, we examined the association between prednisone use and mortality in RA, and whether this risk was modified with concomitant disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use, after controlling for propensity for treatment with prednisone and individual DMARDs. Methods In a prospective study of 5,626 patients with RA followed for up to 25 years, we determined the risk of death associated with prednisone use alone and combined treatment of prednisone with methotrexate (MTX) or sulfasalazine. We used the random forests method to generate propensity scores for prednisone use and each DMARD at study entry and during followup. Mortality risks were estimated using multivariate Cox models that included propensity scores. Results During followup (median 4.97 years), 666 patients (11.8%) died. In a multivariate, propensity-adjusted model, prednisone use was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 2.83 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.03–7.76]). However, there was a significant interaction between prednisone use and MTX use (P = 0.03), so that risk was attenuated when patients were treated with both medications (HR 0.99 [95% CI 0.18–5.36]). However, combination treatment also weakened the protective association of MTX with mortality. Results were similar for sulfasalazine. Conclusion Prednisone use was associated with a significantly increased risk of mortality in patients with RA. This association was mitigated by concomitant DMARD use, but combined treatment also negated the previously reported beneficial association of MTX with survival in RA.
The dexamethasone suppression test as a predictor of suicidal behavior in unipolar depression.

Abstract Background Non-suppression on the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in unipolar depression has been found to be associated with completed suicide, with less consistent data for attempted suicide and hospitalizations for suicidality. The purpose of this study was to examine DST non-suppression as a predictor of these three aspects of suicidal behavior. Methods Records were reviewed for 101 patients who met criteria for major depressive disorder and/or dysthymic disorder and had a DST performed. All patients were treated naturalistically and were followed for an average of 2 years. DST suppressors and non-suppressors were compared with respect to three outcomes: (1) completed suicide; (2) attempted suicide; and (3) hospitalizations for suicidality. Results DST non-suppressors were significantly more likely to have completed suicide or be hospitalized for suicidality than DST suppressors, with a non-significant trend for attempts. Total suicidal events were also significantly more frequent in the non-suppressor group. Limitations Axis II diagnoses and severity of illness were not assessed. Knowledge of DST results may have influenced the decision to hospitalize patients. Conclusions DST non-suppression identifies unipolar depressed patients with a higher risk for future suicide completion or hospitalization for suicidality. Performance of DST upon initiation of treatment may be a useful adjunct in identifying suicidal risk.
Exercise function of children with congenital aortic stenosis following aortic valvuloplasty during early infancy.

Objectives. The objectives of this study were to characterize the exercise function of patients treated with balloon aortic valvuloplasty at ≤6 months of age, and identify factors associated with exercise dysfunction. Background. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty is the primary therapy for neonatal aortic stenosis (AS). Residual and/or acquired abnormalities of left heart structure and function may adversely affect exercise capacity. Methods. We prospectively recruited patients >6 years old with a history of neonatal AS to undergo exercise testing. Results. We enrolled 30 patients (median age 13.1 years) who underwent balloon aortic valvuloplasty at a median age of 12 days. At time of exercise testing, the median maximum Doppler AS gradient was 34 mm Hg (0–70 mm Hg); 11 patients had moderate or severe aortic regurgitation. All patients were asymptomatic. Overall, peak oxygen consumption (VO2) was below normal (87 ± 18% predicted; P < .001), and was severely depressed (≤70% predicted) in 7 patients (23%). Although peak O2 pulse was well preserved overall (97 ± 22% predicted; P= .36), 11 patients had an O2 pulse <85% predicted, including all patients with VO2≤ 70% predicted. Peak heart rate was below normal overall (91 ± 7% predicted, P < .001), but severe chronotropic dysfunction (≤70% predicted) was rare (n = 1). Age at testing correlated inversely with peak VO2 (R2= 0.30; P= .002). No other demographic, historical, or echocardiographic variables were associated with peak VO2. Conclusion. Although exercise function is preserved in most patients with a history of AS treated in early infancy, a subset have markedly reduced peak VO2, usually because of inability to increase stroke volume.
“Volunteers Are Not Paid Because They Are Priceless”: Community Health Worker Capacities and Values in an AIDS Treatment Intervention in Urban Ethiopia

This article analyzes community health workers’ (CHW) capacities for empathic service within an AIDS treatment program in Addis Ababa. I show how CHWs’ capacities to build relationships with stigmatized people, reconcile family disputes, and confront death draw on a constellation of values, desires, and emotions encouraged by CHWs’ families and religious teachings. I then examine the ways in which the capacities of CHWs were valued by the institutions that deployed them. NGO and government officials recognized that empathic care was crucial to both saving and improving the quality of people's lives. These institutional actors also defended a policy of not financially remunerating CHWs, partly by constructing their capacities as so valuable that they become “priceless” and therefore only remunerable with immaterial satisfaction. Positive change within CHW programs requires ethnographic analysis of how CHWs exercise capacities for empathic care as well as consideration of how global health institutions value these capacities.