cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scheduling Production on One Machine with Changeover Costs

Abstract A single machine is used to produce several products so as to satisfy known demands over a fixed number of periods. Each time switches are made between products, there are changeover costs as described by a matrix C=[cij ], where cij is the cost of switching from product i to product j. The problem is to find a schedule of production that minimizes the total changeover penalty while meeting the due dates of all customer orders. The function used in a forward-time dynamic program is shown to have a monotonicity property that can be used to advantage when seeking an optimal solution to the problem. This monotonicity property is applied in developing an efficient backward-time search procedure for solving the problem.
Effects of Posterior Pituitary Extracts on the Oxygen Consumption of Excised Tissue

ConclusionsThe action of pituitrin and pitressin is to depress the oxygen consumption of excised tissue while that of pitocin is not consistent. Further work is being done with these extracts.
Heterogeneous Responses of Tonically Active Interneurons in the Dorsal Striatum.

The basal ganglia are an important set of subcortical nuclei that control behavioral output during instrumental learning and decision-making. The largest part of the basal ganglia, the striatum, is made up mostly of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) that indirectly modulate motor cortical areas. The
Cognitive control during sentence generation

Sentence generation involves selecting the right words out of multiple co-activated representations for the right utterance positions. This selection process is hypothesized to involve cognitive control. Previous research has linked cognitive control during language processing to regions within the frontal lobe, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). We examined the neural correlates of word and sentence generation to determine whether these cognitive control regions were activated more for sentences than words. We also manipulated the phonological overlap between nouns in the sentence to determine whether cognitive control recruitment increased under phonological competition. Whole-brain analysis revealed increased activation in the ACC and bilateral frontal cortex for sentences over words. Region of interest analysis revealed an effect of phonological competition within the ACC. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis further showed that functional connectivity within a task-maintenance network increased under phonological competition. These results suggest a role for conflict detection and monitoring during sentence generation, which is consistent with a theoretical framework incorporating domain-general cognitive control processes into language processing.
Chapter 10: Medical Outlaws or Medical Refugees? An Examination of Circumvention Tourism

While many medical tourists are motivated to travel by the price of service, the ability to jump queues, or greater expertise of a foreign provider, there is also a very different kind of medical tourism afoot in the world today that I call “circumvention tourism” — travel to access services that are legal in the patient's destination country but illegal in the patient’s home country, thereby circumventing a domestic prohibition on the service. Examples include travel to obtain abortion, assisted suicide, reproductive technologies, and female genital cutting. This chapter in a book on medical tourism examines legal and ethical issues relating to "circumvention tourism," especially the issue of whether a patient's home country can and should apply its existing domestic prohibition extraterritorially. These issues are dealt with in more depth in my article Circumvention Tourism, 97 Cornell L. Rev. 1309 (2012), available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1965504.
Interventional Therapy of Residual Shunts After Surgery Repair of Ventricular Septal Defect

Objective:To discuss the method and effect of percutaneous closure of residual shunts after surgery repair of ventricular sep- tal defect(VSD). Methods:Twelve patients,aged 7-58 years,with residual shunts after surgery repair of VSD underwent pereutaneous closure with Amplatzer asymmetric ventricular septal defect occluder(AAVSDO)or domestic symmetric ventricular septal defect eccluder (VSDO),mean 10.2 years after surgical repair.9 following membranous VSD,and 3 following tetralogy of fallot(TOF).Eight pa- tients developed complete fight bundle-branch block,and 1 had a permanent cardiac pacemaker for his acquiredⅢ-degree AV block after VSD repair.The diameter of residual shunt was measured by TEE or TTE and angled angiocardiography.Nine had on- ly 1 residual shunt,and the other 3 had 2 residual shunts. Results:The residual shunts diameter ranged from 3-10 mm by TEE and 4-10 nun by angiocardiography.The device diame- ter ranged from 4-12 mm.There was no residual shunt in 11 of 12 patients 15 minutes after deployment of prosthesis.One patient had a trivial residual shunt disappearing 1 month after procedure.No newly developed arrhythmia or other complications were ob- served in all patients. Conclusions:Percutaneous closure of residual shunt after VSD repair is safe and effective.Further follow-up is needed to document its long-term results.
Extraction of the Characteristics of the Acoustic Emission Signals of the Pitting of Low Carbon Steel Based on Independent Component Analysis and Wevelet Transform

Based on the characteristics of the acoustic emission signals of the pitting of low carbon steel, a new extraction method of the acoustic emission signals of the pitting of low carbon steel was proposed of the combination of the wavelet transform with independent component analysis. The experiment result shows that the new method can overcome the influence induced with the uncertainty of the independent source of the pitting of low carbon steel to some extent, and obtain a comparatively good extraction result.
Temperature Plotting Apparatus

In the engineering development of cryogenic electronic equipment various device and material characteristics must be measured as functions of temperature, usually in the helium range. Most of these measurements are concerned with superconductivity and involve resistance, critical field, and critical current as functions of temperature. The classical U-tube mercury manometer, while quite accurate, does Involve a time consuming multiple reading, a pressure calculation, and a nonlinear conversion to temperature before data plotting may begin.
Fasnall, a Selective FASN Inhibitor, Shows Potent Anti-tumor Activity in the MMTV-Neu Model of HER2(+) Breast Cancer.

Many tumors are dependent on de novo fatty acid synthesis to maintain cell growth. Fatty acid synthase (FASN) catalyzes the final synthetic step of this pathway, and its upregulation is correlated with tumor aggressiveness. The consequences and adaptive responses of acute or chronic inhibition of essential enzymes such as FASN are not fully understood. Herein we identify Fasnall, a thiophenopyrimidine selectively targeting FASN through its co-factor binding sites. Global lipidomics studies with Fasnall showed profound changes in cellular lipid profiles, sharply increasing ceramides, diacylglycerols, and unsaturated fatty acids as well as increasing exogenous palmitate uptake that is deviated more into neutral lipid formation rather than phospholipids. We also showed that the increase in ceramide levels contributes to some extent in the mediation of apoptosis. Consistent with this mechanism of action, Fasnall showed potent anti-tumor activity in the MMTV-Neu model of HER2(+) breast cancer, particularly when combined with carboplatin.
Assessing Spacing Impact on the Wind Turbine Array Boundary Layer via Proper Orthogonal Decomposition

Abstract. A 4 × 3 array of wind turbines was assembled in a wind tunnel with four cases to study the influence based on streamwise and spanwise spacings. Data are extracted using stereo particle-image velocimetry and analyzed statistically. The maximum mean velocity is displayed at the upstream of the turbine with the spacing of 6D and 3D, in streamwise and spanwise direction, respectively. The region of interest downstream to the turbine confirms a notable influence of the streamwise spacing is shown when the spanwise spacing equals to 3D. Thus the significant impact of the spanwise spacing is observed when the streamwise spacing equals to 3D. Streamwise averaging is performed after shifting the upstream windows toward the downstream flow. The largest and smallest averaged Reynolds stress, and flux locates at cases 3D × 3D and 6D × 1.5D, respectively. Snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition is employed to identify the flow coherence depending on the turbulent kinetic energy content. The case of spacing 6D × 1.5D possesses highest energy content in the first mode compared with other cases. The impact of the streamwise and spanwise spacings in power produce is quantified, where the maximum power is found in the spacing of 6D × 3D.
Experimentally validated dwell and cyclic fatigue crack nucleation model for α–titanium alloys

Abstract This paper develops an experimentally calibrated and validated crystal plasticity finite element model with a probabilistic crack nucleation model for predicting dwell and cyclic fatigue crack nucleation in polycrystalline microstructures of titanium or Ti alloys. The nucleation model accounts for load-shedding due to time-dependent plastic flow and variability in crystal strength. The predictions are corroborated with experimental observations of nucleation times for dwell and cyclic loading. Experimental characterization of failed samples reveal that crack initiation on (0001) planes are highly inclined away from the stress axis. The probability distribution of simulated facet orientations are in agreement with experimentally measured orientations.
From overexcitabilities to openness: Informing gifted education with psychological science

ABSTRACTIn the theory of positive disintegration (TPD), Dabrowski described overexcitabilities (OEs), manifestations of inner energy with a developmental purpose that appear more common in gifted individuals. Unfortunately, most studies present OEs outside of the context of the original theory as if they were standalone traits applicable to gifted students. In this atheoretical conceptualization, OEs seem to define the personality trait of openness to experience described in the five-factor model of personality (FFM) as each OE can be matched with a specific facet of openness. Descriptions of facets of openness and corresponding OEs are strongly similar. In this article we argue that they are conceptually equivalent and that current research on openness and OE supports this assertion. The FFM has robust empirical support, and TPD lacks empirical support; additionally, OEs as currently presented in gifted education deviate from TPD’s original tenets. Therefore, gifted education should shift its way of expl...
An Alternative Perspective of Educational Leadership for Change: Reflections on Native/Indigenous Ways of Knowing

An overview of dominant trends in leadership research over the past 75 years2, both in the social sciences and education, presents a diverse typology of leadership theories that to some degree are incomplete and controversial. Because the study of leadership focuses on complex human interactions, it is an imprecise science that leads to multiple interpretations of the phenomena. Stogdill (1974) wrote that, “there are almost as many definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept” (p. 7). Furthermore, one might argue that much of current research on leadership has been and will be directed to test and refine what is already known.
On the firms’ component of wage dispersion: Endogenous effort versus search frictions

Abstract This paper presents an environment in which firms’ productive heterogeneity passes through to wage dispersion via sequential search and endogenous worker effort levels. Despite small gains from trade, the model is able account for more than two thirds of the measured firm component of wage dispersion. The implied narrow range of worker utility effectively pins down the lowest wage in the distribution and higher wages simply compensate workers for their extra effort.
Effect of iron deficiency on simultaneous measures of behavior, brain activity, and energy expenditure in the performance of a cognitive task.

Objectives: Iron deficiency (ID) – the highly prevalent nutritional deficiency – has been shown to have deleterious effects on measures of cognitive performance and brain activity. Many of these results are suggestive of the impact of ID on neurotransmitter regulation and myelination. A third critical potential effect of ID on brain function is at the level of brain energy expenditure; however, to date there has not been any method for indirectly estimating the impact of ID on energy expenditure in humans in the context of cognitive work.Methods: We report here a study comparing ID and iron sufficient (IS) college students in which simultaneous behavioral, encephelographic (EEG), and metabolic data were collected in a task designed as a cognitive analog to standard physical exertion tasks.Results: We show that increases in cognitive demands produced decrements in behavioral measures of performance, and increases in EEG and metabolic measures of work. Critically, we found that the magnitudes of those chang...
Swept synthetic study of large aperture imaging through ex vivo human abdominal wall

Lateral resolution and therefore image quality in ultrasound is tied to aperture size. While this relationship is understood in ideal imaging conditions, the utility of a large aperture in the presence of clutter is unknown. This problem is particularly relevant to abdominal imaging where thick tissue layers and deep targets create a challenging imaging environment. Previous studies have focused on the main lobe width of the beam and were limited by the size of commercially available transducers. Enabled by a synthetic aperture technique to form large coherent apertures, we have performed a more comprehensive study of image quality using excised human abdominal walls in a controlled imaging setting.
Flexible data fusion (& fission)

An approach is described for developing methods for "data fusion": given how events A & B occurring by themselves influence some measure, estimate the influence (on that measure) of A and B occurring together. An example is "combine the effects of evidence on the belief (likelihood) of some hypothesis." This approach also deals with the opposite problem of estimating the effects on a measure of A and B by themselves when only their combined effects are known: data fusion. The methods developed will both 1) try to make intuitive estimations at information not given, and 2) not conflict with any information given (unless it is inconsistent).
DDT metabolism in microbial systems

The metabolic fate of DDT1 is of interest not only because of widespread concern for environmental pollution but also because it affords an opportunity to study the complex metabolic reactions carried out in different organisms and various other ecosystems. Although DDT has been used for more than three decades, much of the knowledge of its metabolism in different systems is incomplete, misleading, or fraught with inconsistencies. Only with the advent of gas-liquid (GLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with more extensive use of radiolabeled compounds has real progress been made.
Altered Glycosylation in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is annually the most common newly diagnosed cancer in men. The prostate functions as a major secretory gland for the production of glycoproteins critical to sperm activation and reproduction. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), produced by the prostate, is one of the most commonly assayed glycoproteins in blood, serving as a biomarker for early detection and progression of prostate cancer. The single site of N-glycosylation on PSA has been the target of multiple glycan characterization studies. In this review, the extensive number of studies that have characterized the changes in O-linked and N-linked glycosylations associated with prostate cancer development and progression will be summarized. This includes analysis of the glycosylation of PSA, and other prostate glycoproteins, in tissues, clinical biofluids, and cell line models. Other studies are summarized in the context of understanding the complexities of these glycan changes in order to address the many confounding questions associated with prostate cancer, as well as efforts to improve prostate cancer biomarker assays using targeted glycomic-based strategies.
Convolutional neural network-based method for real-time orientation indexing of measured electron backscatter diffraction patterns

Abstract Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is the most commonly used technique for obtaining spatially resolved microstructural information from polycrystalline materials. We have developed two convolutional neural network approaches based on domain transform and transfer learning to reconstruct crystal orientations from electron backscatter diffraction patterns. Our models are robust to experimentally measured image noise and index orientations as fast as the highest EBSD scanning rates. We demonstrate that the quaternion norm metric is a strong indicator for assessing the reliability of the reconstructions in the absence of the ground truth. We demonstrate the applicability of the current methods on a tantalum sample.
Evaluating the efficacy of an algae-based treatment to mitigate elicitation of antibiotic resistance.

Abstract Antibiotics in the effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) may create selective pressures to induce antibiotic resistance in bacteria downstream. This study evaluates ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal by a freshwater alga, Scenedesmus dimorphus, to assess the efficacy of algae-based tertiary treatment in reducing effluent-induced CIP resistance. Results show significant CIP removal in light-exposed samples without algae and experimental algae (EA) samples: 53% and 93%, respectively, over 144 h. A residual antibiotic potency assay reveals that untreated CIP is significantly more growth-inhibiting to a model bacterium (Escherichia coli) than the algae-treated and light-exposed samples during short exposures (6 h). Adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE), again using E. coli, reveals that treated samples exhibit reduced capacity to elicit CIP resistance during sustained exposures compared to untreated CIP. Finally, observed CIP resistance in the CIP-exposed ALE lineages is corroborated via genotype characterization, which reveals the presence of resistance-associated mutations in gyrase subunit A (gyrA) that are not present in ALE lineages exposed to algae treated or light-exposed samples. As such, algae-mediated tertiary treatment could be effective in suppressing CIP resistance in bacterial communities downstream from WWTP. In addition, ALE is useful for assessing the potential of wastewater-relevant samples to elicit antibiotic resistance downstream.
Electric fields enable tunable surfactant transport to microscale fluid interfaces

The transport dynamics of oil-soluble surfactants to oil-water interfaces are quantified using a custom-built electrified capillary microtensiometer platform. Dynamic interfacial tension measurements reveal that surfactant transport is enhanced under a dc electric field, due to electro-migration of charge carriers in the oil toward the interface. Notably, this enhancement can be precisely tuned by altering the field strength and temporal scheduling. We demonstrate electric fields as a new parameter to manipulate surfactant transport to microscale fluid-fluid interfaces.
Traumatic brain injury and sleep disturbances in combat-exposed service members and veterans: Where to go next?

Objective To synthesize the current evidence on sleep disturbances in military service members (SMs) and veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods An electronic literature search first identified abstracts published from 2008-2018 inclusively referencing sleep, TBI, and military personnel from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Persian Gulf veterans. Selection criteria eliminated studies on non-combat TBI, open or penetrating injuries, and articles where the relationship between sleep and TBI was not directly examined. Articles on all military branches and components, those currently serving and veterans-ranging from medical chart reviews to clinical trials, were included. Forty-one articles were selected for full text-review. Results Twenty-four papers estimated the prevalence of sleep disturbances in TBI. Eight studies demonstrated the contribution of common co-occurring conditions, most notably posttraumatic stress disorder, to the relationship between disrupted sleep and TBI. Ten studies differentiated sleep profiles between military SMs and veterans with and without acute TBI and detected significant differences in sleep disturbances across the course of injury. Longitudinal studies were scarce but helped to establish the temporal relationship between sleep disturbances and TBI and isolate sleep-related mechanisms influencing TBI prognosis. Only three studies reported on interventions for improving sleep quality and TBI symptoms. Systematic research testing assessments and interventions that target sleep disturbances for improving sleep, TBI symptoms, and long-term functional outcomes were identified as critical knowledge gaps. Conclusion Findings unequivocally establish that sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in SMs and veterans with TBI. However, studies testing the effectiveness of treatments for improving sleep in military groups with TBI have been limited and their results inconsistent. This review highlights a critical opportunity for advancing military medicine through future research aimed at identifying and testing sleep-focused treatments in SMs and veterans with combat-related TBI.
Automatic Prevention of Accidents in Production

We present a framework for automatically testing functional correctness of back-end servers. We created a pre-production environment where traffic between servers can be reconfigured dynamically. Production requests are sampled and replayed in our framework so that we can cover many corner cases of the system without having the developer manually write test cases. We also describe how to handle mutate requests and support checking the validity of back-end rewrites.
P450 variations bifurcate the early terpene indole alkaloid pathway in Catharanthus roseus and Camptotheca acuminata

Divergent terpene indole alkaloid (TIA) pathways in Catharanthus roseus and Camptotheca acuminata generate vinblastine and vincristine, and camptothecin, respectively. In contrast to Catharanthus which feeds secologanin (from methylated loganin) into its species-specific late pathway, Camptotheca feeds secologanic acid (from unmethylated loganic acid) into its late pathway. Having identified putative Camptotheca secologanic acid synthases (SLASs) and cytochrome P450 reductases (CPRs) in transcriptome databases, we have demonstrated that two P450s, CYP72A564 and CYP72A565, are capable of utilizing both loganic acid and loganin to generate secologanic acid and secologanin. We have extended the previous report of these activities by CYP72A565 and CYP72A610 (Yang et al., 2019) by demonstrating that both Arabidopsis CPRs (ATR1, ATR2) couple with these CYP72A proteins in yeast microsomal assays and that purified Camptotheca CPR1 couples with them in in vitro reconstitution assays. Kinetic analyses of purified full-length Camptotheca SLASs have indicated that both process loganic acid with nearly identical catalytic rates and efficiencies as measured by their kcat and kcat/KM. In contrast, CYP72A564 processes loganin with two-fold greater efficiency than CYP72A565 correlating with the former's 3-fold greater affinity for loganin. The closely-related CYP72A730 does not bind or process either compound. Molecular modeling of these three proteins and comparisons with Catharanthus secologanin synthase (SLS) have identified key differences that likely determine their SLAS versus SLS selectivities. Our ability to reconstitute these SLAS/SLS activities provides valuable tools for further examinations of the residues involved in substrate recognition and determinations of their unusual mechanism of C-C bond scission.
Illustrations for the Divan in Editions of Goethe’s Works during his Lifetime

Illustrations accompanied the Divan from the first publication of poems in the Taschenbuch fur Damen auf das Jahr 1817 and the frontispiece with writing in Arabic, arabesque ornamentation, and fram...
Giant cell tumor of soft tissue: FNA cytopathology of 4 cases, review of the literature, and comparison with giant cell tumor of bone.

Background The cytopathology of a giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCT-ST), a fibrohistiocytic neoplasm distinct from other giant cell-rich soft tissue tumors, is rarely reported. The authors report their experience with a series of 4 GCT-ST fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy cases and compare them with a set from giant cell tumors of bone (GCTBs). Methods The authors' cytopathology files were searched for GCT-ST examples with histopathologic confirmation. FNA biopsy smears were performed and examined with standard techniques. Results Four cases of GCT-ST presenting as a primary soft tissue mass from 4 patients (3 males and 1 female; age range, 28-75 years, mean age, 53 years) were retrieved. FNA sites included the anterior tibia, buttock, shoulder, and upper back. Three cases were interpreted as suspicious for sarcoma radiographically. The specific diagnoses were atypical giant cell tumor of tendon sheath, suspicious for GCT-ST, atypical myxoid lesion with giant cells, and benign with osteoclast-like giant cells (OLGCs). No case was interpreted as malignant. Aspirates consisted of mononuclear polygonal cells, spindled fibroblast cell clusters, and large OLGCs to the near exclusion of other cell types. OLGCs possessed 10 or more nuclei per cell. A comparison with GCTB aspirates and single case reports from the literature showed comparable cytomorphology. Conclusions GCT-ST FNA smears mimic those of GCTBs containing a limited population of uniform spindle cell clusters, single dispersed polygonal cells, and cytologically banal OLGCs. GCT-ST should be considered in the differential diagnosis of aspirates containing numerous osteoclast-like giant cells.
Characterizing Anarthria to Facilitate Neurological Diagnosis: A Case Illustration

Purpose The purpose of this clinical focus article is to illustrate how speech-language pathologist (SLP) characterization of anarthria can contribute to neurological diagnosis and to highlight the...
The Verified Software Challenge: A Call for a Holistic Approach to Reliability

The software analysis community has made a lot of progress in creating software tools for detecting defects and performing proofs of shallow properties of programs. We are witnessing the birth of a virtuous cycle between software tools and their consumers and I, for one, am very excited about this. We understand much better how to engineer program analyses to scale to large code bases and deal with the difficult problem of false errors and reducing their number. We understand better the tradeoffs in sound vs. unsound analyses. The software tools developed and applied over the last eight years have had impact. This list of tools includes Blast [HJMS02], CCured [NMW02], CQual [FTA02], ESC/Java [FLL+02], ESP [DLS02], Feaver [Hol00], MAGIC [CCG+04], MC [HCXE02], MOPS [CDW04], Prefast [LBD+04], Prefix [BPS00], SLAM [BR01], Splint [EL02] and Verisoft [God97], to name a few. This bottom-upapproach to improving code quality will continue to be successful because it deals with a concrete artifact (programs) that people produce, has great economic impact and longevity. Furthermore, because many of the tools listed above are specification-based, they are easy to extend to new classes of bugs. Finally, a lot of the science to support the development of these tools has been done; there is now before us a long road of engineering to make these tools truly useful and useable by a wide audience.
Infrared Colour Gradients in Spiral Galaxies

Several recent studies have pointed out that there are serious degeneracies in broad-band colours, which make it difficult if not impossible distinguish the effects of metallicity and age in the integrated light. In this paper, I discuss the difficulties involved in breaking these degeneracies, particularly in situations where there is significant reddening from dust. Corrections for dust absorption in spiral galaxies are likely to be highly model dependent, particularly for edge-on systems.
Phylogenetic profiling of insertions and deletions in vertebrate genomes

Micro-indels are small insertion or deletion events (indels) that occur during genome evolution. The study of micro-indels is important, both in order to better understand the underlying biological mechanisms, and also for improving the evolutionary models used in sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. The inference of micro-indels from multiple sequence alignments of related genomes poses a difficult computational problem, and is far more complicated than the related task of inferring the history of point mutations. We introduce a tree alignment based approach that is suitable for working with multiple genomes and that emphasizes the concept of indel history. By working with an appropriately restricted alignment model, we are able to propose an algorithm for inferring the optimal indel history of homologous sequences that is efficient for practical problems. Using data from the ENCODE project as well as related sequences from multiple primates, we are able to compare and contrast indel events in both coding and non-coding regions. The ability to work with multiple sequences allows us to refute a previous claim that indel rates are approximately fixed even when the mutation rate changes, and allows us to show that indel events are not neutral. In particular, we identify indel hotspots in the human genome.
A Quality Improvement Initiative Using a Novel Travel Survey to Promote Patient‐Centered Counseling

Background We sought to evaluate and provide better itinerary-specific care to precounseled travelers and to assess diseases occurring while traveling abroad by surveying a community population. An additional quality improvement initiative was to expand our post-travel survey to be a more valuable tool in gathering high-quality quantitative data. Methods From de-identified data collected via post-travel surveys, we identified a cohort of 525 patients for a retrospective observational analysis. We analyzed illness encountered while abroad, medication use, and whether a physician was consulted. We also examined itinerary variables, including continents and countries visited. Results The 525 post-travel surveys collected showed that the majority of respondents traveled to Asia (31%) or Africa (30%). The mean number of travel days was 21.3 (median, 14). Univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significant increase of risk for general illness when comparing travel duration of less than 14 days to greater than 14 days (11.3% vs 27.7%, p < 0.001). Duration of travel was also significant with regard to development of traveler's diarrhea (TD) (p = 0.0015). Destination of travel and development of traveler's diarrhea trended toward significance. Serious illness requiring a physician visit was infrequent, as were vaccine-related complications. Conclusions Despite pre-travel counseling, traveler's diarrhea was the most common illness in our cohort; expanded prevention strategies will be necessary to lower the impact that diarrheal illness has on generally healthy travelers. Overall rates of illness did not vary by destination; however, there was a strong association between duration of travel and likelihood of illness. To further identify specific variables contributing to travel-related disease, including patient co-morbidities, reason for travel, and accommodations, the post-travel survey has been modified and expanded. A limitation of this study was the low survey response rate (18%); to improve the return rate, we plan to implement supplemental modalities including email and a web-based database.
On the Construction of Variable-Input-Length Ciphers

Whereas a block cipher enciphers messages of some one particular length (the blocklength), a variable-input-length cipher takes messages of varying (and preferably arbitrary) lengths. Still, the length of the ciphertext must equal the length of the plaintext. This paper introduces the problem of constructing such objects, and provides a practical solution. Our VIL mode of operation makes a variable-input-length cipher from any block cipher. The method is demonstrably secure in the provable-security sense of modern cryptography: we give a quantitative security analysis relating the difficulty of breaking the constructed (variable-input-length) cipher to the difficulty of breaking the underlying block cipher.
A feedback stabilization approach to fictitious play

We consider repeated matrix games in which player strategies evolve in reaction to opponent actions. Players observe each other's actions, hut do not have access to other player utilities. Strategy evolution may be of the best response sort, as in fictitious play, or a gradient update. Such mechanisms are known to not necessarily converge. We show that the use of derivative action in processing opponent actions can lead to behavior converging to Nash equilibria. We analyze the use of approximate differentiators and reveal a potentially detrimental biasing effect. We go on to provide alternative mechanisms to diminish or eliminate this effect. We discuss two player games throughout and outline extensions to multiplayer games. We also provide convergent simulations throughout to standard counterexamples in the literature.
Evaluation of three APBI techniques under NSABP B-39 guidelines

This work compares two accelerated partial breast irradiation modalities, MammoSite brachytherapy and three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), to a new method, SAVI brachytherapy, following NSABP B-39 guidelines. A total of 21 patients treated at UC San Diego with the SAVI device were evaluated in this comparison. 9 of the 21 patients were eligible for all three modalities and were dosimetrically compared evaluating V90, V150, V200, total target volume, maximum skin, lung, and chestwall/rib dose. The target volumes (PTV_EVAL) differed with SAVI having the least total volume at 59.9 cc vs. 71.5 cc and 351.6 cc for MammoSite and 3D-CRT, respectively. The median V90, V150 and V200 for the three modalities were 97.7%, 25.0 cc, 10.4 cc (SAVI) vs. 97.6%, 23.9 cc, 5.0 cc (MammoSite) vs. 100% (V90 3D-CRT). The maximum dose for SAVI, MammoSite, and 3D-CRT, respectively, relative to the prescribed dose, for the: lung was 80.0%, 150.0%, and 104.9%; for rib 108.8%, 225.0%, and 114.7%: for skin 75.0%, 135.0%, and 108.6%. Comparing modalities, PTV coverage varied between 97.6% - 100.0% with more breast tissue covered by 3D-CRT, as expected, given the differences between external beam and brachytherapy. The maximum lung, skin and rib doses were lowest for the SAVI, highlighting its ability to conform to exclude normal tissues. In offering partial breast radiation, the availability of a variety of techniques allows for maximal patient eligibility, and comparison of individual method pros and cons may guide the most appropriate choice for each patient.
Developing a reflection-centered curriculum for graduate psychiatric nursing education.

This article discusses theoretical underpinnings, teaching strategies, and preliminary evaluation relative to the development of a reflective curriculum used in our distance-accessible graduate psychiatric nursing program. Influenced by the collective ideas of J. Dewey (1993), J. Reed and S. Proctor (1993), D. A. Kolbe (1984), J. Mezirow (1981), C. Johns (2006), D. Schon (1983), D. Freshwater (2008), and others who have promoted reflection as a transformative teaching and learning process, we sought to develop a curriculum that balanced knowledge and skill acquisition with critical reflective practices that would instill habits of lifelong learning. We began with traditional approaches to psychiatric nursing education, including case study analysis and modified lectures that we call mini lectures. We then added principles and practices of reflection to allow for merging these traditional approaches with contemporary reflection-focused approaches. Specific ways to use reflection in a graduate psychiatric nursing curriculum are described to demonstrate how we have taken our curriculum beyond traditional ways of teaching and learning toward one that emphasizes building knowledge and skill through reflective practice.
Effect of concomitant administration of piperacillin on the dispositions of netilmicin and tobramycin in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Piperacillin inactivation of the aminoglycosides isepamicin and gentamicin in 12 chronic hemodialysis patients was assessed. Six subjects each received isepamicin (7.5 mg/kg of body weight) or gentamicin (2 mg/kg) alone and in combination with piperacillin (4 g every 12 h for four doses). Isepamicin and gentamicin concentrations in plasma and urine were monitored over 48 h after each dose and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence polarization immunoassay, respectively. The pharmacokinetics of isepamicin were not significantly altered during combination treatment with piperacillin. The total body clearance (3.79 +/- 0.71 versus 3.94 +/- 1.05 ml/min), the steady-state volume of distribution (0.19 +/- 0.04 versus 0.18 +/- 0.03 liter/kg), and the terminal elimination half-life (47.91 +/- 7.20 versus 45.08 +/- 10.34 h) were not significantly altered in the presence of piperacillin. In contrast, the terminal elimination half-life (47.68 +/- 20.58 versus 35.67 +/- 11.18 h) of gentamicin was significantly reduced when gentamicin was given with piperacillin. The total body clearance (4.26 +/- 3.07 versus 4.89 +/- 1.94 ml/min) and the steady-state volume of distribution (0.19 +/- 0.04 versus 0.20 +/- 0.04 liter/kg) of gentamicin were not significantly altered during combination therapy; however, the nonrenal clearance of gentamicin administered in combination with piperacillin (3.56 +/- 0.38 ml/min) increased significantly compared with that of gentamicin (2.03 +/- 0.50 ml/min) given alone. The results of this study suggest that no additional dosage adjustment of isepamicin during concomitant therapy with piperacillin in hemodialysis patients is necessary. However, this does not preclude the need for appropriately ex vivo-handled specimens for monitoring isepamicin concentrations in plasma to ensure therapeutic efficacy and prevent toxicity. Furthermore, additional dosage adjustments may be necessary when gentamicin is used concomitantly with piperacillin, on the basis of the significant in vivo inactivation that takes place in end-stage renal disease patients.
Role of architectural elements in combinatorial regulation of initiation of DNA replication in Escherichia coli

Bending of DNA is a prerequisite of site-specific recombination and gene expression in many regulatory systems involving the assembly of specific nucleoprotein complexes. We have investigated how the uniquely clustered Dam methylase sites, GATCs, in the origin of Escherichia coli replication (oriC ) and their methylation status modulate the geometry of oriC and its interaction with architectural proteins, such as integration host factor (IHF), factor for inversion stimulation (Fis) and DnaA initiator protein. We note that 3 of the 11 GATC sites at oriC are strategically positioned within the IHF protected region. Methylation of the GATCs enhances IHF binding and alters the IHF-induced bend at oriC. GATC motifs also contribute to intrinsic DNA curvature at oriC and the degree of bending is modulated by methylation. The IHF-induced bend at oriC is further modified by Fis protein and IHF affinity for its binding site may be impaired by protein(s) binding to GATCs within the IHF site. Thus, GATC sites at oriC affect the DNA conformation and GATCs, in conjunction with the protein-induced bends, are critical cis-acting elements in specifying proper juxtapositioning of initiation factors in the early steps of DNA replication.
Portable virtual display system design with a wide eye motion box for a motor vehicle

We have succeeded in designing a portable virtual display system based on a virtual projected optical design with 0.44"LCD panel. We have optimized the optical performance using a 2D optical multi zoom so that we should obtain a comfortable eye motion box area. Furthermore, it is designed to mechanically adjust the system tilting angle in considerations for different height of head positions. It is also able to display navigations maps and DMV in full color using RGB 3in1 LED sources. We believe that this is developed as an alternative to conventional built-in type HUD system targeting the high volume aftermarket at an affordable price.
Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1983

Abstract A general summary of the 1983 hurricane season is presented. Four named tropical cyclones were tracked during the season. Three landfalls occurred. Alicia, the first cyclone of the season, ended a three-year period during which no hurricanes reached the United States coastline.
When to Speak like a Lady.

The existence of sexually biased stereotypes about the polite speech of men and women was documented in a series of three studies. In Study I, masculine, feminine, and neutral activities were identified. In Study II, the perceived politeness of five different forms of requests was determined. In the final study, men and women were asked to judge the appropriateness of requests by men and women speakers to addressees of either sex. The requests differed in politeness, and requested either masculine, feminine, or neutral actions. These ratings revealed that women are expected to speak more politely than men, regardless of the sex of the addressee or the nature of the requested action. However, men are expected to use different forms for requests for masculine, feminine, and neutral actions and to use different forms of requests for men and women addressees.
External calibration models for the measurement of tomato carotenoids by infrared spectroscopy

Abstract A new method for the rapid construction of calibration models for the measurement of carotenoids in tomato by infrared spectroscopy was developed using a low-carotenoid tomato variety. Different amounts of lycopene and β-carotene were spiked in low-carotenoid tomato juice and homogeneously dispersed using a continuous stream of nitrogen and agitation. The protocol allowed for the production of homogeneous tomato juice standards with ∼90% carotenoid retention as determined by HPLC and UV–vis spectroscopy. Partial least-squares regression (PLSR) was used to create calibration models correlating infrared spectra from tomato lipid fractions and puree to their carotenoid content. The best calibration performance was obtained using lipid fraction models. PLSR calibration produced a high correlation coefficient (0.99) and a standard error of cross-validation of 0.81 mg/100 g for lycopene in the 0.0–14.0 mg/100 g range. Similarly, a high correlation coefficient (0.99) was obtained for β-carotene in the 0.0–9.0 mg/100 g range with a standard error of cross-validation of 0.36 mg/100 g. Calibration models were evaluated by predicting lycopene content in genetically diverse tomatoes from local markets. Results correlated well with concentrations determined by HPLC. This approach permitted the rapid preparation (∼3 min) of highly reproducible tomato juice standards that can be customized as needed to construct external calibration curves for the high-throughput measurement of carotenoids by FTIR, and potentially by other colorimetric and spectrometric techniques. The method eliminates the need for a large number of tomato samples for calibration and allows UV–vis spectroscopy to be used as an alternative reference method to HPLC.
Voltammetry of quinones in unbuffered aqueous solution: reassessing the roles of proton transfer and hydrogen bonding in the aqueous electrochemistry of quinones

Cyclic voltammetry studies are reported for two representative quinones, benzoquinone and 2-anthraquinonesulfonate, in buffered and unbuffered aqueous solution at different pH's. While the redox reaction of quinones in buffered water is well described as an overall 2 e-, 2 H+ reduction to make the hydroquinone, a much better description of the overall reaction in unbuffered water is as a 2 e- reduction to make the strongly hydrogen-bonded quinone dianion, which will exist in water as an equilibrium mixture of protonation states. This description helps to unify quinone electrochemistry by bridging the apparent gap between the redox chemistry of quinones in water and that in aprotic organic solvents, where quinones undergo two sequential 1 e- reductions to form the quinone dianion.
Surface Deformation as a Guide to Kinematics and Three-Dimensional Shape of Slow-Moving, Clay-Rich Landslides, Honolulu, Hawaii

Two slow-moving landslides in Honolulu, Hawaii, were the subject of photogrammetric measurements, field mapping, and subsurface investigation to learn whether surface observations can yield useful information consistent with results of subsurface investigation. Mapping focused on structural damage and on surface features such as scarps, shears, and toes. The x-y-z positions of photo-identifiable points were obtained from aerial photographs taken at three different times. The measurements were intended to learn if the shape of the landslide failure surface can be determined from systematic surface observations and whether surface observations about deformation are consistent with photogrammetrically-obtained displacement gradients. Field and aerial photographic measurements were evaluated to identify the boundaries of the landslides, distinguish areas of incipient landslide enlargement, and identify zones of active and passive failure in the landslides. Data reported here apply mainly to the Alani-Paty landslide, a translational, earth-block landslide that damaged property in a 3.4-ha residential area. It began moving in the 1970s and displacement through 1991 totaled 4 m. Thickness, determined from borehole data, ranges from about 7 to 10 m; and the slope of the ground surface averages about 9°. Field evidence of deformation indicated areas of potential landslide enlargement outside the well-formed landslide boundaries. Displacement gradients obtained photogrammetrically and deformation mapping both identified similar zones of active failure (longitudinal stretching) and passive failure (longitudinal shortening) within the body of the landslide. Surface displacement on the landslide is approximately parallel to the broadly concave slip surface.