cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient Sub-Band-Gap States at Grain Boundaries of CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Act as Fast Temperature Relaxation Centers

Extensive spectroscopic studies have been performed on grain boundaries (GBs) of thin-film metal halide perovskites, which inevitably form with current fabrication methods, but direct, on-site dete...
Time-course of Pain Threshold after Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of Primary Somatosensory Cortex in Pain-free Subjects

Abstract Primary somatosensory cortex (S1) is involved in pain processing and thus its suppression using neuromodulatory techniques such as continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) might be a potential pain management strategy in patients with neuropathic pain. cTBS over S1 is known to elevate pain threshold in young adults. However, the time course of this after-effect is unknown. Furthermore, the effect of cTBS over S1 on pain threshold might be confounded by changes in the excitability of primary motor cortex (M1), an area known to be involved in pain processing, due to spread of current. Therefore, whether S1 plays a role in pain processing independent of M1 also remains unknown. The corticospinal excitability (CSE) can provide a measure of M1 excitability because cTBS over M1 is known to reduce CSE. Here, we studied the time-course of the effects of MRI-guided cTBS over S1 on electrical pain threshold (EPT) and CSE. Ten healthy young adults received cTBS over S1 and sham stimulation in counterbalanced sessions at least 5 days apart. EPT and CSE were recorded before and following cTBS over S1. We assessed each measure once before stimulation and then every 10 min starting immediately after stimulation until 40 min. cTBS over S1 elevated EPT compared to sham stimulation with the after-effect lasting for 40 min. We observed no change in CSE following cTBS and sham stimulation. Our findings suggest that cTBS over S1 can elevate EPT for 40 min without altering M1 excitability.
Leveraging Big Data to Identify Corruption as an SDG Goal 16 Humanitarian Technology

Corruption is a serious impediment to global goals of ensuring sustainable development and is now a threat specifically recognized in the UN Sustainable Development Goals under Target 16.5. Though corruption remains challenging to identify, measure, and combat, technology advances provide new opportunities to advance humanitarian goals, including the detection of corruption reported by the public. In this study, we address this challenge by developing a method using an unsupervised machine learning model to detect reports of corruption-related activity on the micro-blogging platform Twitter. In total, we collected over 6 million tweets containing keywords related to corruption between January and February 2019. We use the Biterm Topic Model to then isolate tweets from users who report corruption and found that most topics focus on police bribery and corruption in health-care. Though preliminary, these results shave the potential of identifying the scope and prevalence of corruption in society and also advance shared goals of combating corruption and advancing sustainable development in the 21st century. Index TermsCorruption, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Topic modeling
Economic Lot Scheduling

In a job shop,eac h job has its own identity and its own set of processing requirements. In a flexible assembly system,there are a number of different types of jobs and jobs of the same type have identical processing requirements; in such a system,set up times and setup costs are often not important and a schedule may alternate many times between jobs of different types. In a flexible assembly system an alternating schedule is often more efficient than a schedule with long runs of identical jobs.
Changing the Terminology from Kidney Replacement Therapy to Kidney Support Therapy

Kidney replacement therapy (KRT) is a common supportive treatment for renal dysfunction, especially acute kidney injury. However, critically ill or immunosuppressed patients with renal dysfunction often have dysfunction in other organs as well. To improve patient outcomes, clinicians began to initiate kidney replacement therapy in situations where nonrenal conditions may lead to acute kidney injury, such as septic shock, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, veno-occlusive renal disease, cardiopulmonary bypass, chemotherapy, tumor lysis syndrome, hyperammonemia, and various others. In this review, we discuss the use of various modes of kidney replacement therapy in treating renal and nonrenal complications to illustrate why kidney support therapy is a more appropriate terminology than kidney replacement therapy.
Bandit Learning with Predicted Context: Regret Analysis and Selective Context Query

Contextual bandit learning selects actions (i.e., arms) based on context information to maximize rewards while balancing exploitation and exploration. In many applications (e.g., cloud resource management with dynamic workloads), before arm selection, the agent/learner can either predict context information online based on context history or selectively query the context from an outside expert. Motivated by this practical consideration, we study a novel contextual bandit setting where context information is either predicted online or queried from an expert. First, considering predicted context only, we quantify the impact of context prediction on the cumulative regret (compared to an oracle with perfect context information) by deriving an upper bound on regret, which takes the form of a weighted combination of regret incurred by standard bandit learning and the context prediction error. Then, inspired by the regret’s structural decomposition, we propose context query algorithms to selectively obtain outside expert’s input (subject to a total query budget) for more accurate context, decreasing the overall regret. Finally, we apply our algorithms to virtual machine scheduling on cloud platforms. The simulation results validate our regret analysis and shows the effectiveness of our selective context query algorithms.
Udder edema of Jersey cattle affected with rectovaginal constriction

Ten Jersey cows affected with rectovaginal constriction (RVC), which developed udder oedema near calving, were studied. One normal Jersey and 3 normal Holsteins served as controls. Before euthanasia the animals underwent daily clinical examination, with special emphasis on the size of the foramen in the rectus abdominis muscle (milk wells). The permeability of the mammary blood vessels was studied by giving one gram of 1% solution Evans blue i/v and examining changes in the colour of the milk and also of interstitial fluid collected by stab incisions. After euthanasia, the entire udder, milk veins, milk wells, subcutaneous tissues and muscles covering the abdomen were removed intact, except in two cows where udder vascular systems were studied by latex infusion. Fifteen minutes after Evans blue injection, the colour of the milk and interstitial fluid were whitish blue and yellowish blue respectively. Oedema involved the entire udder but was more pronounced ventrally. Microscopically there was excessive fluid infiltration between the muscle fibres of the subcutaneous tissues, in the interlobular and interalveolar interstitial spaces of the udder parenchyma, and in the supramammary lymph nodes. The latex studies showed that both milk veins were demarcated by ring-shaped depression of constrictions at the entrance of the milk wells. The studies with Evans blue demonstrated an increase in udder vascular filtration of fluid and protein, possibly due to enlargement or stretching of capillary pores. The latex studies suggested that the milk wells may be a restrictive point for venous blood flow from the udder. Udder oedema may be associated with RVC in Jersey cows.
Towards an Effective Web-Based Virtual Health Intervention: The Impact of Media Platform, Visual Framing, and Race on Social Presence and Transportation Ratings

Effectively delivering health-promoting messages can persuade users to adopt healthy life-saving behaviors. Research in health-promoting media messages shows that higher social presence and transportation ratings can positively impact users’ trust and intentions to adopt healthy behaviors. Hence, social presence and transportation are essential measures for the quality of virtual health communication. This study aims to identify the factors that can increase social presence and transportation in the context of virtual human interventions for promoting colorectal cancer screening. To promote colorectal cancer screening and increase awareness, we developed a virtual healthcare assistant named ALEX (Agent Leveraging Empathy for eXams). ALEX is a web-based intervention that incorporates high-fidelity 3D models with human voices and gestures to inform patients about colorectal cancer risks and screening information. In this paper, we study the effect of three independent variables on users’ self-reported ratings of the social presence and transportation scales: 1) media platforms (smartphones vs. computers), 2) visual framing conditions (near vs. far), and 3) ALEX-user race relationship (concordance vs. dis-concordance). We conducted a between-subjects user study with 755 users (genders: male, female; races: Black, White; and age range: 50–73) using Qualtrics. All users completed the web-based virtual appointment with a gender-concordant ALEX on their preferred media platform and then completed the post-survey. The results show that the main effect of media platform was significant (\(F_{1,747}= 5.18, p = 0.02\)), but there were no significant differences between visual framing conditions and the Alex-user race relationship (\(p>0.05\)). Our analysis indicates that smartphones can induce higher social presence and transportation than computers.
Applying the Theory of Discourse Structure to the Anaphoric Phenomena

The last chapter developed SDRS theory, a theory of discourse structure using DR-theoretic structures for the purpose of imposing constraints on anaphora. I elaborated several phases of SDRS construction: determining basic constituents, constraints on attachment, rules for attachment, and rules for constituent revision. This chapter introduces the constraints on anaphora, in particular abstract entity anaphora, and investigates the predictions of the theory. I will work out a variety of examples of abstract entity anaphora and look at two other applications of SDRS theory: event anaphora and anaphoric relations between abstract objects of different types.
Insight out: Advances in understanding metabolism achieved by high-throughput mass spectrometry

Metabolism is the functional interconnection between the genome, transcriptome and proteome with the cellular phenotype. Thus, understanding metabolism is of great interest in various research areas ranging from metabolic engineering to the biomedical research field. Here we frame, based on recent advances in elucidating various metabolic nodes, a global perspective of our current understanding of metabolism.
The Counter-productivity of ICSID Denunciation and Proposals for Change

On January 24, 2012, Venezuela became the third country to withdraw from the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”), an arbitration forum affiliated with the World Bank. Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia have denounced the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (“ICSID Convention”) purportedly because they believe the system favors investors. This has triggered speculation that other states will follow suit, which could ultimately result in the collapse of the current international investment system. This article argues that denunciation will not change the current international investment regime because most states’ bilateral investment treaties (“BITs”) provide for alternative investor-state arbitration mechanisms. These non-ICSID alternatives can actually be more disadvantageous to states than ICSID arbitration. Thus, the denunciation of ICSID is counterproductive. BITs, rather than ICSID, are the sources of the extensive investment protections that form the basis of developing countries’ objections to investor-state arbitration. Therefore, changing the current international investment regime would require the amendment of BITs.
Lucy's Legacy: Sex and Intelligence in Human Evolution

Lucy's Legacy: Sex and Intelligence in Human Evolution. Alison Jolly. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999.518 pp.
HOMOCYSTINURIA, AN ERROR IN THE METABOLISM OF METHIONINE.

A new inborn error of metabolism was found in two mentally retarded children. The excretion of homocystine was accompanied in one boy by ectopia lentis, failure to thrive, poor developmental milestones, thrombo embolic phenomena, methioninuria, decreased excretion of taurine, and elevated plasma methionine. The second patient had normal plasma methionine levels, and a nearly normal amino acid pattern in the urine other than homocystine. Loading tests using methionine, serine, and homocystine failed to alter plasma amino acid levels and did not provide any information on the nature of the metabolic defect in sulfur amino acid metabolism. The two children had different abnormalities in methionine metabolism or they had the same metabolic defect but in different degrees of severity.
Role of lysine 173 in heparin binding to heparin cofactor II.

Abstract Heparin cofactor II (HC) is a plasma serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) that inhibits alpha-thrombin in a reaction that is dramatically enhanced by heparin and other glycosaminoglycans/polyanions. We investigated the glycosaminoglycan binding site in HC by: (i) chemical modification with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) in the absence and presence of heparin and dermatan sulfate; (ii) molecular modeling; and (iii) site-directed oligonucleotide mutagenesis. Four lysyl residues (173, 252, 343, and 348) were protected from modification by heparin and to a lesser extent by dermatan sulfate. Heparin-protected PLPHC retained both heparin cofactor and dermatan sulfate cofactor activity while dermatan sulfate-protected PLPHC retained some dermatan sulfate cofactor activity and little heparin cofactor activity. Molecular modeling studies revealed that Lys173 and Lys252 are within a region previously shown to contain residues involved in glycosaminoglycan binding. Lys343 and Lys348 are distant from this region, but protection by heparin and dermatan sulfate might result from a conformational change following glycosaminoglycan binding to the inhibitor. Site-directed mutagenesis of Lys173 and Lys343 was performed to further dissect the role of these two regions during HC-heparin and HC-dermatan sulfate interactions. The Lys343----Asn or Thr mutants had normal or only slightly reduced heparin or dermatan sulfate cofactor activity and eluted from heparin-Sepharose at the same ionic strength as native recombinant HC. However, the Lys173----Gln or Leu mutants had greatly reduced heparin cofactor activity and eluted from heparin-Sepharose at a significantly lower ionic strength than native recombinant HC but retained normal dermatan sulfate cofactor activity. Our results demonstrate that Lys173 is involved in the interaction of HC with heparin but not with dermatan sulfate, whereas Lys343 is not critical for HC binding to either glycosaminoglycan. These data provide further evidence for the determinants required for glycosaminoglycan binding to HC.
Flat Versus Metered Rates, Bundling, and ‘Bandwidth Hogs’

The current push for bandwidth caps, tiered usage pricing, and other measures in both wireless and wireline communications is usually justified by invoking the specter of “bandwidth hogs” consuming an unfair share of the transmission capacity and being subsidized by the bulk of the users. This paper presents a conventional economic model of flat rates as a form of bundling, in which consumption can be extremely unequal, and can follow the ubiquitous Pareto distribution. For a monopoly service provider with negligible marginal costs, flat rates turn out to maximize profits in most cases. The advantage of evening out the varying preferences for different services among users overcomes the disadvantage of the heaviest users consuming more than the average users. The model is tractable enough that it allows for exploration of the effects of non-zero marginal costs (which in general strengthen the case for metered pricing), and of welfare effects.
Anonymity and privacy in public key cryptography

The Internet has become an essential part of our daily lives. However, various agents collect information about us giving rise to a plethora of privacy concerns. This thesis aims to guard the privacy of users by providing them anonymity in their online communication. In the first part of this thesis, Chapter 2 based on our paper [17], we work on anonymity in identity based public-key cryptosystems (IBE). We provide the first ever instance and to date the only known non-trivial instance of anonymizing a non-anonymous IBE. We do so by constructing a public-key encryption with keyword search (PEKS) which is equivalent to anonymous identity-based encryption (aIBE) as proved in [1]. Our PEKS is the first ever scheme not based on bilinear forms, and is based on the hardness of the quadratic residuosity problem. We construct our PEKS scheme using a non-trivial transformation of the Cocks IBE scheme. PEKS in itself is a very useful tool. It enables delegation of searching capabilities on encrypted data to a third party, who does not hold the entire secret key, but only an appropriate token which allows searching operations while preserving data privacy. In the second part of this thesis, Chapter 3 based on our paper [28], we work on anonymity in digital signature schemes. We provide means of providing anonymity to the signer of a message by generically transforming any given digital signature scheme to an anonymous signature scheme. We present a new formalism of anonymous signature, where instead of the message as in previously presented schemes [33, 18], a part of the signature is withheld to maintain anonymity. We introduce the notion of unpretendability to guarantee infeasibility for someone other than the correct signer to pretend authorship of the message and signature. Our definition retains applicability for all previous applications of the anonymous signature, provides stronger security, and is conceptually simpler. *Please refer to dissertation for citation references.
Quantifying the risk of hypoglycaemia in children undergoing the glucagon stimulation test.

Summary Objective The low-dose (15–30 μg/kg) glucagon stimulation test (GST) is assumed to be associated with fewer episodes of low blood glucose (BG). We aimed to quantify the risk of hypoglycaemia in children undergoing the low-dose GST to evaluate their growth hormone status. Design and patients Blood glucose fluctuations during the GST in 80 children (median age 8·7 years, 45 boys, 66 prepubertal) who received a median 20·5 μg/kg of intramuscular glucagon were reviewed. Measurements The rate of (i) hypoglycaemia (BG < 3·3 mm), (ii) falling BG trend at the end of the GST (lower BG at 180 min than at 120 min), (iii) hypoglycaemia and falling BG trend at the end of the GST, and (iv) at-risk patients (those with at least one of the three risks measures). Results Twenty-seven of the 80 children had hypoglycaemia during the GST. Twenty-six children showed a falling BG trend at the end of the GST and were significantly younger than the other 54 children with a rising BG trend [5·1 (3·1–10·4) years vs 9·6 (5·4–11·8) years, P = 0·02]. Eight children had both a falling BG trend and hypoglycaemia at end of the test. Forty-four children were at-risk patients, and the odds ratio of being an at-risk patient in those <8 years old was 2·63 (95% CI 1·06–6·57, P = 0·04). Conclusions Hypoglycaemia is not uncommon during the low-dose GST. Young children, especially those <8 years old, are particularly at risk. BG monitoring should be considered essential from a safety perspective.
Healing Our Own

For this keynote address, I will talk about something that links us, divides us, and has the potential to bind us closely-something, however, that we often find difficult to discuss and to write about. That something is, first, grievances among our communities of color that sometimes prevent us from building deep alliances, and second, ways to heal the wounds resulting from those grievances. 1 Our time together today will be largely what we call in Hawai'i "talk story." Its meaning lies in the messy stories of interracial grievance and healing that I will tell and in the greater clarity those stories will bring to your own similar experiences. Let us start by acknowledging that for many of us these are "Alice in Wonderland" times-times in which "civil rights initiative" means the dismantling of affirmative acdon;2 times in which a "civil rights victory" can mean an agreement to end a school desegregation consent decree in San Francisco backed by the NAACP;3 and times in which a progressive civil rights group pays a large sum to a white teacher to forestall a Supreme Court ruling.4
Solving Constraint Satisfaction Problems with DNA Computing

We demonstrate how to solve constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) with DNA computing. Assuming that DNA operations can be faulty, we estimate error probability of our algorithm. We show that for any k-CSP, there is a polynomial-time DNA algorithm with bounded probability of error. Thus, k-CSPs belong to a DNA analogue of BPP.
Identification of epitopes of the β subunit of soybean β‐conglycinin that are antigenic in pigs, dogs, rabbits and fish

BACKGROUND β-Conglycinin (conglycinin) is one of the major seed storage proteins of soybean. Conglycinin is a 7S trimer composed of different combinations of β, α and α′ subunits. All subunits of conglycinin have been reported to be allergenic in humans. The goal of this research is to identify epitopes of the β subunit of conglycinin that are antigenic in multiple animal species. RESULTS Sera from pigs, dogs, rabbits and hybrid striped bass that had antibodies against soybean conglycinin were identified by ELISA. Most of these sera recognized peptides that represent the β subunit of conglycinin. One antigenic region of the β subunit of conglycinin had considerable overlap among all species tested. One region that was similar to a peanut allergenic epitope in humans overlapped with a region that binds IgE from dogs. One region was antigenic in multiple rabbits and pigs, suggesting it may play a role in the response of pigs to soybean in the diet. CONCLUSION One region of the β subunit of conglycinin is an important antigen across species and abuts a region similar to the peanut allergen ARA h 1. A second region is particularly antigenic in pigs and rabbits. Variants of these antigenic regions of the β subunit of conglycinin may be useful in determining the role these regions play in the health of animals fed soybean. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Is acute myeloid leukemia a liquid tumor

Extramedullary manifestations of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were described as early as the 19th century. However, the incidence, clinical significance and pathobiology of extramedullary AML remain ill defined. We reviewed case reports, retrospective case series, pilot studies and imaging studies of extramedullary leukemia (EML) to determine its frequency, characteristics, clinical presentation and significance. EML precedes or accompanies development of AML and occurs during or following treatment, even during remission. Although imaging studies are rarely conducted and the true incidence of EML has yet to be verified, authors have reported several estimates based on retrospective and autopsy studies. The incidence of EML in patients with AML of all ages is estimated to be about 9% and EML in children with AML was detected in 40% of patients at diagnosis. The combination of positron emission tomography and computed tomography were the most sensitive and reliable techniques of detecting and monitoring EML. Based on our literature review, the frequency of EML is likely underreported. The well-documented nature of EML in patients with AML suggests that AML can manifest as a solid tumor. The extent to which EML accompanies AML and whether EML is derived from bone marrow are unknown. Furthermore, questions remain regarding the role of the microenvironment, which may or may not facilitate the survival and proliferation of EML, and the implications of these interactions with regard to minimal residual disease, tumor cell quiescence and relapse. Therefore, prospective studies of detection and characterization of EML in patients with AML are warranted.
Opioid Use 12 Months Following Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation with Weaning

Objectives To examine the frequency of and factors predicting opioid resumption among patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) and therapeutic opioid addiction (TOA) treated in an interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation program (CPRP) incorporating opioid weaning. Design Longitudinal retrospective treatment outcome study. Only those with addiction were counseled to avoid opioids for non-acute pain. Setting Large academic medical center. Participants One hundred twenty patients, 32.5% with TOA. Participants were predominately married (77.5%), females (66.7%). Mean age was 49.5 (±13.7). 29.2% had lifetime histories of non-opioid substance use disorders. Methods TOA was diagnosed using consensus definitions developed by American Academy of Pain Medicine, American Pain Society and American Society of Addiction Medicine to supplement Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria. Non-opioid substance use disorders were diagnosed using DSM-IV-TR. Data, including pain severity, depression and anxiety, were collected at admission, discharge and 12 months. Opioid use during treatment was based on medical records and use at 12 months was based on self-report. Results Only 22.5% reported resuming use at 12 months. Neither patients with TOA nor patients with non-opioid substance use disorders were more likely to resume use than those without substance use disorders. Only posttreatment depression increased the probability of resumption. Conclusions CNCP and co-occurring TOA can be successfully treated within a CPRP. Patients report low rates of resumption regardless of addiction status. This is in marked contrast to reported outcomes of non-medically induced opioid addictions. Prolonged abstinence may depend upon the successful treatment of depression.
Quantitation of hepatic glucose fluxes and pathways of hepatic glycogen synthesis in conscious mice

Mice were studied with the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic and the hyperglycemic clamp techniques after a 6-h fast: 1) euglycemic (6.7 +/- 0.2 mM) hyperinsulinemia (approximately 800 microU/ml); 2) hyp...
What Does Rejection Have to Do With It? Toward an Innovative, Kinesthetic Analysis of Qualitative Data

Responding to the need for detailed descriptions of analytical practices in transdisciplinary projects and to showcase a way to use qualitative data in secondary analysis, the authors delineate their respective analytic processes. The social scientist used constructivist grounded theory analysis and the dance choreographer used an innovative kinesthetic analysis. In the authors' attempts to integrate their analyses, they discovered a new analytic direction—examination of the "paused" and/or "rejected" data. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs130245
Repeat Offenders and the Theory of Deterrence

This article uses a two-period version of the standard economic model of deterrence to study whether sanctions should depend on an individual's record of prior convictions -- his offense history. The principal contribution of the article is to demonstrate that it may be optimal to treat repeat offenders disadvantageously because such a policy serves to enhance deterrence: When an individual contemplates committing an offense in the first period, he will realize that if he is caught, not only will he bear an immediate sanction, but also -- because he will have a record -- any sanction that he bears in the second period will be higher than it would be otherwise.
Analysis of emergency medicine resident productivity by patient load, Relative value units, and level of training

Study objectives: Emergency medicine residency programs track the number of patients treated by residents in training as a gauge of resident experience and productivity. Relative value units (RVUs) are used to reflect patient acuity. It has been proposed that RVUs better reflect resident experience than the total number of patients treated. We conduct this study to compare estimates of resident productivity using patients per hour (patients/hr) versus RVUs/hr. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003, at an emergency medicine residency program with an annual census of 130,000 patients. The program has 12 residents per year in a postgraduate year (PGY) 1 to 3 format. Data were analyzed using means with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and correlation coefficient ( r ). Results: Results are provided in the Table. Conclusion: There appears to be a significant correlation between RVUs and patients/hr in our data set. Therefore, patients/hr is a method as effective as RVUs/hr in tracking resident productivity. Limitations include the sample size, as well as omitting the PGY 3 because of time constraints. Future studies will include the PGY 3, as well as data from the current academic year.Table, abstract 155.PGY-1, Mean (95% CI)PGY-2, Mean (95% CI)Patients/h0.67 (0.61–0.73)0.89 (0.80–0.98)RVUs/h1.47 (1.34–1.60)2.30 (2.10–2.50)r0.950.91
Modeling of the Acoustic Response of Payload Bays Within Launch Vehicle Fairings

Acoustic shielding treatments are necessary to prevent damage to the payload during launch. This paper discusses three modeling approaches used to analyze the efficacy of such treatments. Results from acoustic modeling studies based on an analytical model, a finite element model, and experimental testing are presented here. Payload bay pressure distributions and frequency response functions are developed using simple two-dimensional scale models. The two-dimensional finite element models demonstrate good agreement with analytical and experimental results and show the potential for three-dimensional full-scale finite element modeling to handle more complex acoustic load conditions.
Can superhorizon perturbations drive the acceleration of the Universe

It has recently been suggested that the acceleration of the Universe can be explained as the backreaction effect of superhorizon perturbations using second order perturbation theory. If this mechanism is correct, it should also apply to a hypothetical, gedanken universe in which the subhorizon perturbations are absent. In such a gedanken universe it is possible to compute the deceleration parameter q{sub 0} measured by comoving observers using local covariant Taylor expansions rather than using second order perturbation theory. The result indicates that second order corrections to q{sub 0} are present, but shows that if q{sub 0} is negative then its magnitude is constrained to be less than or of the order of the square of the peculiar velocity on Hubble scales today. We argue that, since this quantity is constrained by observations to be small compared to unity, superhorizon perturbations cannot be responsible for the acceleration of the Universe.
Developing and using interaction coding systems for studying groupware use

Groupware use can be described as a process of social (human-computer-human) interaction. For example, small groups can use a group-based geographic information system (GIS) to share maps and decision tables during a discussion about selection of sites for salmon habitat improvement in Seattle, Washington. Empirical research about groupware use is intended to improve our understanding of the dynamics of the process, as well as improve our understanding of the development requirements for information technology. Gaining a detailed understanding of the human-computer-human interaction process requires reasonably unobtrusive observation--for example, using video cameras to capture and replay the ebb and flow of interaction. From each replay of videotape we can abstract a different research view, hence characterize the ebb and flow of interaction from a different perspective, giving us deeper insight into the interaction. Interpreting and synthesizing the raw observations to make sense of "what went on during interaction" can be accomplished through the use of interaction coding systems. In this article, we report on the development of three interaction coding systems that were created for studying the use of a group-based, research prototype GIS software, called Spatial Group Choice. We wrote this article to help researchers compare approaches to the development of coding systems and compare the value of their use. Despite previous use of coding systems by others, there are no detailed reports in the literature of how researchers devised their coding systems. We discuss in detail the process of creating and using such coding systems, describing the advantages and disadvantages of performing interaction coding to foster an understanding of group dynamics in different settings and for designing new groupware.
Adenocarcinoma of the retinal pigment epithelium: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

• Background: Adenocarcinoma of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is an uncommon intraocular tumor which has been rarely if ever diagnosed prior to enucleation. Our review of the literature suggests that when a melanotic and tuberous-shaped tumor presents in a woman with signs of uveitis one should consider the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the RPE. • Methods: We report a case in which a 4.9-mm-tall, mushroom-shaped, moderately reflective melanotic tumor found to be present in a 50-year-old woman. Other findings included a 12x10-mm dense transillumination shadow and 270 deg of posterior iris synechiae. With a presumptive diagnosis of uveal melanoma the patient was treated with palladium-103 plaque radiotherapy. Within 6 months she underwent enucleation due to uncontrollable ocular pain and progressive tumor growth. Histopathologic evaluation revealed an adenocarcinoma of the (RPE). • Results: Two months after radiotherapy the eye developed acute angle-closure glaucoma, secondary retinal detachment, and a painful scleritis (a result similar to that of Greer, who treated an intraocular adenoma with radiation). Our diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the RPE was made after enucleation. • Conclusion: Adenocarcinomas of the RPE are rarely if ever diagnosed on clinical evaluation, should be suspected in women with a melanotic intraocular tumor and uveitis, and may respond poorly to ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy. All reported cases presenting without extrascleral extension have not metastasized.
Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Draining into the Left Atrium with Absent Right Superior Vena Cava

Abstract A 5½-year-old boy with a persistent left superior vena cava entering the left atrium first presented with a cerebral abscess. The right superior vena cava was absent, and no other intracardiac anomalies were present. One year after drainage of the abscess, the cardiovascular anomaly was Corrected by placement of a Dacron baffle within the left atrial cavity in a manner which excluded the left superior vena caval blood flow from the left atrium and directed it into the right atrium. Although the initial repair did not hold up, after a second one the patient did well and had no further symptoms. Repair of this cardiovascular anomaly is best carried out by placement of an intraatrial baffle.
Spatial Learning and Memory: The Beginning of a Dream

A dream of neurobiology is to understand all aspects of interesting and important cognitive phenomena—like memory—from the underlying molecular mechanisms through behavior. The dream comes closer to reality with four papers in this issue of Cell.
Relation between irradiance and log-amplitude variance for optical scintillation described by the K distribution

We derive the relationship between log-amplitude (or log-irradiance) variance and irradiance variance for optical scintillation described by a K probability distribution. The results indicate that all observations of maximum variance values, whether log-irradiance or irradiance data are used, are consistent. The K distribution appears to be a reasonable assumption for scintillation in the region of maximum variance. The K distribution is also consistent with data and theory in the very strong refractive turbulence region where exponential irradiance statistics are observed.
Death and Deliberation: Overcoming the Decisionism Critique of Heidegger's Practical Philosophy

Abstract This paper defends Heidegger's account of resolute self-choice against the ubiquitous Decisionism Critique [DC]. According to DC, Heidegger's discussion of resoluteness commits him to an indefensible position in which resolute Dasein is said to choose who it will be without recourse to any reasons or evaluative standards. In response, I argue that DC is based on a misunderstanding of some of the key arguments ofBeing and Time. I then offer an alternative portrait of Heidegger's account of resolute self-choice and argue that such choice will involve both 1) the consideration of factical claims as reasons that count in favor of a particular way of life and 2) the evaluation of these reasons in light of at least three deliberative standards. Thus, I argue that DC is misguided and needs to be replaced by an interpretation rooted in a more complete understanding of Heidegger's project.
Geometry of interaction of metal ions with sulfur-containing ligands in protein structures.

An analysis of the geometry of binding of metal ions by cysteine and methionine residues in protein structures has been made by using the Protein Data Bank. Metal ions have a distinct model of binding to each of these residues, and this is independent of the nature of the metal center or the type of protein. Metal ions tend to approach the sulfur of Met roughly 38 degrees from the perpendicular to the plane through atoms C gamma-S delta-C epsilon. For Cys, the approach direction is such that the M...S gamma-C beta-C alpha torsional angle is about +/- 90 or 180 degrees. The side-chain conformation of the cysteine residue is affected by the presence of the metal ion; there is a shift from the g+ conformation toward g- and mainly t conformations. When two Cys residues at positions i-3 and i bind to the same metal center, there appears to be some restriction on the geometry of metal binding by the residue i; for such a residue chi 1 and M...S gamma-C beta-C alpha angles are likely to be around 60 degrees and 270 degrees, respectively. Met and Cys residues coordinating to a metal ion are usually from coil or turn regions of the protein structure.
Dynamic near infrared imaging with ultrasound guidance (dNIRUS): analytical model and benchtop validation on multilayer tissue simulating phantoms

We proposed a dynamic near infrared/ultrasound dual modal imaging system (dNIRUS) for characterizing suspicious breast lesions non-invasively. dNIRUS measures the change of tissue mechanical and physiologic parameters in response to dynamic stimuli such as cyclic mechanical compression. It integrates near infrared imaging of tumor physiologic properties, ultrasound imaging of tumor deformation/displacement, and real time pressure monitoring under a designated cyclic compression load. The concept of dNIRUS was quantitatively verified on multi-layer tissue simulating phantoms under cyclic compression. A lumped visco-elastic model was used to characterize the phantom mechanical properties and to simulate the tissue deformation. The diffusion equations were solved analytically in Fourier domain with the moving boundary. The theoretical models were verified by a series of bench top tests where a sensor head integrating an ultrasound probe and a near infrared probe was installed on a load frame. A cyclic compression force was applied to a two-layer tissue simulating phantom. Phantom displacement, compressive pressure and diffuse optical reflectance were recorded simultaneously. Deformation of each layer of the phantom was reconstructed from ultrasound images and was consistent with the load frame measurements as well as the theoretical predictions. Diffuse reflectance amplitude showed corresponding fluctuation during compression, while the phase did not change significantly at the oscillation frequency of 0.5Hz. Further work is necessary to develop forward and inverse algorithms for dynamic characterization of suspicious breast lesions.
Evaluation of intestinal viability using 3-charge coupled device image enhancement technology in a pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy model

Abstract Background Intraoperative laparoscopic determination of intestinal viability is currently limited to subjective visible cues. Adjunctive modalities are neither widely available nor practical. Three–charge coupled device (3-CCD) imaging directly correlates the amount of light detected by CCDs to tissue oxygenation. We hypothesize that application of 3-CCD image enhancement detects bowel ischemia in a pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy model. Methods We recorded 10 laparoscopic appendectomies for appendicitis. Offline analysis involved selecting regions of interest (ROIs) in the appendix, adjacent colon, and nonappendiceal fat and calculating mean intensity values in selected images before and after division of the mesoappendix. The colon was used as a control, and the intensity values were normalized to fat. Results As an indicator of decreased perfusion, the mean appendix ROI intensity values decreased over time ( R 2 = 0.92) compared with the colon mean ROI intensity values, which remained stable. There was a statistically significant difference between fat-normalized intensity values for ischemic and nonischemic appendix after 1 minute. Conclusion We have demonstrated proof of principle for the determination of bowel ischemia using 3-CCD image enhancement. By quantitatively identifying areas of ischemia, this technique has the potential to significantly change the management of ischemic bowel in the future.
Models of solar irradiance variability and the instrumental temperature record

The effects of decade-to-century (Dec-Cen) variations in total solar irradiance (TSI) on global mean surface temperature Ts during the pre-Pinatubo instrumental era (1854-1991) are studied by using two different proxies for TSI and a simplified version of the IPCC climate model.
TH‐D‐BRD‐09: Dependence of CHO Cell Survival On IUdR Uptake for 35‐KeV Photoactivated Auger Electron Therapy

Purpose: To characterize sensitization enhancement ratios (SER) obtainable using monochromatic x‐ray activated Auger electron radiotherapy as a function of radiosensitizer concentration for a 35‐keV x‐ray beam and compare those results to measurements made using conventional 4 MV x‐rays in order to separate effects due to dose enhancement from effects due to other (chemical) mechanisms. Methods and Materials: IUdR was incorporated into CHO cell DNA through incubation in growth media containing 0, 5, 10, or 20 μM IUdR concentrations for 27 hours. Percent thymidine replacement was determined in separate tests using radiolabeled 125I‐IUdR. IUdR‐loaded cells were irradiated to 1–8 Gy with 35 keV x‐rays, generated at LSU's CAMD synchrotron, using a 2.8×2.5‐cm2 effective field size.Dose was determined from ionization chamber‐measured dose rates (∼18 cGy⋅min−1 at 100 mA) and verified with GAFCHROMIC® EBT film. 4 MV irradiations were performed using a Varian Clinac 21EX (30×30‐cm2 field, 0.5‐cm depth). Irradiated cells were incubated for 1 week, then fixed and stained with crystal violet. Colonies of 50 or more cells were scored as survivors. Survival fraction (SF) was plotted versus dose with results fit to a linear quadratic model. SER10 was calculated as the ratio of dose required to achieve 10% SF for cells without and with DNA‐incorporated IUdR. Results:SERs of 2.7 at 16.6±1.9% thymidine replacement (20 μM), 2.3 at 12.0±1.4% (10 μM), and 1.6 at 9.2±1.3% (5 μM) following 4‐MV irradiations illustrate IUdR's effect as a chemical radiosensitizer. Following 35‐keV irradiations, SERs of 4.3, 3.1, and 2.1 at 16.6%, 12.0%, and 9.2% replacement, respectively, indicate dose enhancement due to increased local DNAdose resulting from photoelectric interactions with DNA‐incorporated iodine. Conclusions: SER depends on percent thymidine replacement by IUdR. Compared to 4 MV x‐rays, 35 keV photons produce an additional SER, linear with percent thymidine replacement.
Reflections on my involvement with computerized business simulations

This article describes four major events that influenced the author's involvement with simulations. The events involve playing a game, working with a simulation pioneer; observing students playing ...
The Prevalence of ADHD: Its Diagnosis and Treatment in Four School Districts Across Two States

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of ADHD in communities using a DSM-IVTR case definition. Method: This community-based study used multiple informants to develop and apply a DSM -IVTR-based case definition of ADHD to screening and diagnostic interview data collected for children 5-13 years of age. Teachers screened 10,427 children (66.4%) in four school districts across two states (SC and OK). ADHD ratings by teachers and parent reports of diagnosis and medication treatment were used to stratify children into high and low risk for ADHD. Parents (n = 855) of high risk and gender frequency-matched low risk children completed structured diagnostic interviews. The case definition was applied to generate community prevalence estimates, weighted to reflect the complex sampling design. Results: ADHD prevalence was 8.7% in SC and 10.6% in OK. The prevalence of ADHD medication use was 10.1% (SC) and 7.4% (OK). Of those medicated, 39.5% (SC) and 28.3% (OK) met the case definition. Comparison children taking m...
Approaches to heterogeneity in meta‐analysis

This paper reviews publications from January 1999 to March 2001 on reproductive health topics that were self-identified as meta-analysis or were indexed as meta-analysis in MEDLINE. It sought to assess whether tests of statistical heterogeneity were done, whether the results were reported, and how a finding of significance for a test of statistical heterogeneity was handled and the results interpreted. The review identified some concerns. Tests of statistical heterogeneity were not done universally even though virtually all writers on the topic emphasize their importance. Even when done, results of these tests were not universally reported. Although the consensus appears to be that heterogeneity tests are conservative for meta-analysis of studies and a probability value of 0.10 is preferred, many meta-analyses used the conventional value of 0.05 without providing a reason. The rationale for the choice of a random or fixed effects model was not generally evident. The review also provided some positive models and some recommendations for assessing, reporting and exploring heterogeneity are made considering these models and the published recommendations of experts.
Toward a national policy for secondary materials

Abstract Various governmental bodies and commissions have attempted to formulate a national materials policy for the United States, at least since 1952. Only some of the reports include secondary materials. These are reviewed, as well as noting recent legislation in the field. The importance of primary and secondary materials in the national well-being and security of the nation must be formally recognized by government action.