cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Future Exchange of Digital Engineering Data and Models: an Enterprise Systems Analysis

Abstract In the process of the Defense Department’s Digital Engineering transformation, a series of innovation programs and challenges will need to be sponsored that lead to an evolutionary transformation of the defense engineering and acquisition enterprise. The DoD should pursue a set of development/investment opportunities in the areas that have the most impact on short and long term transformative change. A critical innovation impact area is the process of digital information exchange. In a study to address this transformation process, we used the systemigram method to create a conceptual model of a likely future digital information exchange process emerging from the department’s strategy. The systemigram process creates a holistic view of the outcomes of enterprise change for the stakeholders, who usually only have a small part of the system in their mental models. The systemigram was presented and validated at a Digital Information Exchange Working Group meeting attended by a broad group of government and industry stakeholders. The meeting and accompanying discussions started a process of community agreement on terminology and innovation needs surrounding the exchange of digital system information. This paper presents that systemigram model and discusses the outcomes of the community discussion. For those interested in the future information exchange process, the systemigram provides a first look at the end-to-end business process that should emerge from DoD Digital Engineering initiatives and strategy. For innovators, the systemigram provides a number of opportunity spaces that might be pursued.
Factors associated with symptomatic postoperative myocardial infarction after endovascular aneurysm repair.

Abstract Objective Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has now become the most common operation to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). One of the perceived benefits of EVAR over open AAA repair is reduced incidence of perioperative cardiac complications and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors associated with postoperative myocardial infarction (POMI) in patients who have undergone EVAR. Methods Data were obtained from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database for the years 2012 to 2015 in the Participant Use Data File. All patients in the database who underwent EVAR during this time were identified. These patients were then divided into two groups: those with POMI and those without. Bivariate analysis was done for preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative risk factors, followed by multivariable analysis to determine associations of independent variables with POMI. A risk prediction model for POMI was created to accurately predict incidence of POMI after EVAR. Results A total of 7702 patients (81.3% male, 18.7% female) were identified who underwent EVAR from 2011 to 2015. Of these patients, 110 (1.4%) had POMI and 7592 (98.6%) did not. Several risk factors were related to an increased risk of POMI, including dependent functional health status, need for lower extremity revascularization, longer operation time, and ruptured AAA (P 80 years (compared with 6 days (OR, 8.43; CI, 4.75-14.94; P Conclusions In patients who undergo EVAR, the risk of POMI is increased for those who are older, who present with a ruptured AAA, who have pneumonia, who have unplanned intubation, and who have prolonged hospital stay. Patients who suffer from POMI have higher risk of having cardiac arrest and death.
Priorities for support in mothers of adolescents in residential treatment

Abstract Background/Purpose Mothers of adolescents in residential treatment (RT) experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence (IPV; emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse by a partner or ex-partner) in the child welfare system. Few studies have investigated the intersection of IPV and parenting in the context of RT. The purpose of this study was to: a) to understand how mothers’ past trauma experiences (i.e. IPV) influence their caregiving, well-being, and relationships with adolescents in RT; b) to explore supportive services mothers need to enhance their well-being before, during, and after their adolescent was in RT. Methods This cross-sectional study consisted of 15 mothers of adolescents currently or previously in RT. Participants were recruited via Facebook and completed one hour semi-structure interviews over the phone. Data were analyzed by two investigators using content analysis. Results The following themes emerged from the interviews: “different from the other kids”, “when she goes into a rage her eyes are black…they do remind me of her dad”, and “by supporting the parents, you are supporting the child.”. Women reported stigmatization and disempowerment and coped by compartmentalizing the multiple traumas they sustained from caregiving as well as in their personal lives (i.e., IPV). All women reported that they regularly shared their stories with others in online support groups. Conclusion Mothers of children in RT are an understudied and underserved population. Supportive, online interventions for this population to share their experiences is critical to maintaining their health.
Flow Separation Opposite A Side Branch

The flow of a fluid along a tube becomes distinctly three-dimensional in the vicinity of a side branch which carries away a fraction of the total flow. In some circumstances the flow on the straight tube wall separates opposite the side branch with the formation of a separation bubble or horseshoe vortex according to various observers. Here it is proposed that the conditions for this flow separation can be predicted by adapting the analysis known to predict separation in divergent ducts bearing two-dimensional flows. The prediction of this adapted analysis is examined experimentally and is shown to hold in a range of Reynolds numbers of physiological interest for branching of systemic arteries.
The dynamism of liberalism: An esoteric interpretation of Adam Smith

Abstract Several scholars have noted that entrepreneurship, innovation, and market dynamism more generally —“creative destruction’— are largely absent from Smith's characterization of what his “liberal plan” tends to bring about. Indeed, in reading Smith's body of work, one gets the impression that Smith's opinion of innovation ranged from oblivious to skeptical. I argue, however, that the scant attention to innovation and market dynamism is not an oversight on Smith's part; nor did Smith believe that innovation was typically undesirable. Instead, I argue that we must read Smith esoterically. Smith recognizes that prejudices against commercial activity are ancient and deep—even natural. Market dynamism generates moral and social tumult. Innovation breaks from, and sometimes disrupts, traditional ways of living. A liberal order tends toward greater cultural detachment and moral fragmentation. Smith downplayed the tumultuous effects of market dynamism, and, on the surface, he did sometimes disparage the effects of innovation. Beneath the surface, however, Smith recognizes that innovation is an inherent component of the liberal package—a mixed blessing but, at any rate, an integral part of the liberal plan. In his work the careful reader can find guidance on how people can adjust to, and make the best of, a liberal order. The economic growth promised by liberalism hinges on innovation; the virtues of tolerance and reserve must be learned. To make the liberal plan palatable, Smith recognizes that he must adopt a pedagogy that leaves some of his teachings indirect or nonobvious.
Socially Assistive Robots for Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common pediatric neurodevelopmental condition in the world. Socially assistive robots (SARs) are supportive rehabilitation tools for children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of SARs at engaging children with CP during therapeutic interventions. A search through WoS, IEEE, PubMed, EMBASE, and ACM DL yielded 583 results, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. Of the 9 studies, 5 unique SARs were evaluated across 24 participants. In general, the meta-analysis suggested that SARs can be effectively used to engage children in therapeutic interventions. However, there is a clear need for future work so that SAR designs can more accurately meet this population’s needs.
Mobility in Acute Care for Geriatric Patients with Orthopedic Conditions: a Review of Recent Literature

The purpose of this literature review is to appraise the current research surrounding the impact of mobility for geriatric patients presenting with orthopedic conditions in the acute care setting. A literature search in the PubMed database yielded 53 results which underwent a title and abstract screening to reveal a total of 22 articles eligible for full-text review. Two authors screened each article and a third author was responsible for reconciling any conflicts. Following the full-text screen, 10 total articles were extracted and evaluated to determine what the current literature has concluded about the impact of mobilization for geriatric patients with orthopedic conditions in the acute care setting. Studies are inconsistent in their dosage parameters of mobility for geriatric orthopedic patients and range in initiating protocols 6 to 24 h following surgery. Protocols and activity standards vary from 1.8 to 8.3 METs, 0 to 1000 steps per day, 15 min walks, or a 5-day mobility protocol focused on functional and strengthening activities. Studies range in reported length of stay (LOS) but infer that the earlier mobility is initiated the risk of prolonged LOS is decreased. Finally, studies report greater success with mobility protocols when multiple disciplines are educated and involved in implementation. Despite the limitations of this study and existing literature, it is clear that integrating mobility within the first 24 h following the injury or surgical intervention does not produce additional adverse effects or increase pain intensity. This review suggests that emphasizing interprofessional collaboration when implementing a mobility protocol is vital to the success and safety of patients.
Post-operative small pelvic field radiation therapy in patients with intermediate risk early stage cervix cancer: a safe and efficient treatment modality

BACKGROUND: The treatment of early stage cervical cancer has different therapeutic options. Adjuvant external beam radiotherapy for surgically treated intermediate risk cervical cancer patients has shown acceptable oncological outcomes with a low incidence of toxicity. The aim of this study was to analyze the oncological outcomes and safety of adjuvant small pelvic field radiotherapy in surgically treated stage IB1-2 cervical cancer patients who met the Sedlis intermediate-risk criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out with 28 patients treated from 2007 to November 2019 with biopsy proven intermediate risk stage IB1–2 cervical cancer previously treated with radical hysterectomy and bilateral lymphadenectomy who received adjuvant small pelvic field radiotherapy. The primary endpoints were local and distant control and overall survival. Secondary endpoints were acute and late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity. Survival curves were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: After a median follow up period of 41.5 (27.5–80.5) months, adjuvant small pelvic field radiotherapy showed a 100% overall survival rate, 81.82% disease free survival and 86.36% local recurrence-free survival with no incidence of grade 3 or 4 acute or late toxicity. Three patients suffered from relapse, 1 in the vaginal cuff, 1 in the retrovesical area and 1 patient in the retroperitoneal area. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant small pelvic field radiotherapy is an efficient and safe treatment option that offers excellent oncological outcomes to surgically treated intermediate-risk stage IB1–2 cervical cancer patients with an excellent toxicity profile.
Coupling-based convergence assessment of some Gibbs samplers for high-dimensional Bayesian regression with shrinkage priors.

We consider Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms for Bayesian high-dimensional regression with continuous shrinkage priors. A common challenge with these algorithms is the choice of the number of iterations to perform. This is critical when each iteration is expensive, as is the case when dealing with modern data sets, such as genome-wide association studies with thousands of rows and up to hundred of thousands of columns. We develop coupling techniques tailored to the setting of high-dimensional regression with shrinkage priors, which enable practical, non-asymptotic diagnostics of convergence without relying on traceplots or long-run asymptotics. By establishing geometric drift and minorization conditions for the algorithm under consideration, we prove that the proposed couplings have finite expected meeting time. Focusing on a class of shrinkage priors which includes the 'Horseshoe', we empirically demonstrate the scalability of the proposed couplings. A highlight of our findings is that less than 1000 iterations can be enough for a Gibbs sampler to reach stationarity in a regression on 100,000 covariates. The numerical results also illustrate the impact of the prior on the computational efficiency of the coupling, and suggest the use of priors where the local precisions are Half-t distributed with degree of freedom larger than one.
Mixed Method Data Collection Strategies: Life History Calendars

Life History Calendars (LHCs) are designed to collect individual-level information on the timing of personal events and circumstances. As social scientists increasingly focus on cause and consequence and design complex dynamic models of individual behavior (Abbot and Hrycak 1990; Yamaguchi 1991), data collection designed to match these models and provide accurate information is in high demand. Life History Calendar methods attempt to strike a balance between structured and unstructured approaches for collecting retrospective reports. On the one hand, a series of highly structured survey questions may be detached or force less natural recall practices. On the other hand, less structured oral history methods that allow the respondent to report in an individually contextualized and meaningful way may run the risk of expending measurement effort on multiple topics irrelevant to the study aims. The Life History Calendar method explicitly combines elements of structured survey questioning with less structured oral history and adds a graphic reference to help informants provide accurate recall. We describe the features of Life History Calendars below, as well as the particular application of Life History Calendar methods employed in the Chitwan Valley Family Study. The application we discuss provides examples of the flexibility of calendars and how they can be revised to work in a broad range of circumstances to study a wide variety of topics. It also demonstrates how less structured methods can be used to inform key features in the design of Life History Calendars.
Interfacial Processing Via CVD for Nicalon Based Ceramic Matrix Composites

The design of a coating interface for high temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) is vital to achieving the high level of operating requirements for CMCs in aerospace applications. Increasing toughness and oxidative resistance, especially for SiC based fiber reinforced composites, require a coating system with strict control over thickness and processing conditions to prevent damage during deposition and promote creep resistance. A boron nitride coating was deposited on Nicalon™ fabric using a Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LP-CVD) reactor. Following previous investigations, an environmental protective layer consisting of Si 3 N 4 was also deposited. SiC/SiC single tow unidirectional mini-composites manufactured by Chemical Vapor Infiltration (CVI), with and without the coating system, were processed. Correlations between thickness and tensile strengths of both the fiber and mini-composites are presented. Variations in BN and Si 3 N 4 coating thicknesses represent a strong influence on overall tensile strengths of the processed fiber and mini-composites. Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and Scanning Auger Spectroscopy were used in characterizing the interfacial composition and morphology. Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis was used to determine if a thin layer of Si 3 N 4 could decrease the moisture problems that turbostratic BN exhibits. The overall coating process on Nicalon fiber did not significantly decrease the preprocessed fiber tensile strengths while successfully promoting high temperature usability in typical environments met by CMC components in aerospace applications.
On the Economic Value of Modeling Fat Tails: Measuring the Impact on Equilibrium Risk Premiums

We investigate the impact of modeling fat tails observed in the empirical distributions of macroeconomic time series on the implications of theoretical macroeconomic models. We study this issue in the context of the widely used consumption-based asset-pricing model. We derive exact analytical solutions to bond prices and risk premiums on forward prices and holding period returns in this model, assuming that the endowment evolves as a stochastic process with innovations drawn alternatively from fat-tailed and Gaussian distributions. We calculate and compare the implied risk premiums for suitable parameterizations of the two versions of the model.
Investigating Possible Fuel Economy Bias Due To Regenerative Braking in Testing HEVs on 2WD and 4WD Chassis Dynamometers

Procedures are in place for testing emissions and fuel economy for virtually every type of light-duty vehicle with a single-axle chassis dynamometer, which is why nearly all emissions test facilities use single-axle dynamometers. However, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) employ regenerative braking. Thus, the braking split between the driven and non-driven axles may interact with the calculation of overall efficiency of the vehicle. This paper investigates the regenerative braking systems of a few production HEVs and provides an analysis of their differences in single-axle (2WD) and double-axle (4WD) dynamometer drive modes. The fuel economy results from 2WD and 4WD operation are shown for varied cycles for the 2000 Honda Insight, 2001 Toyota Prius, and the 2004 Toyota Prius. The paper shows that there is no evidence that a bias in testing an HEV exists because of the difference in operating the same hybrid vehicle in the 2WD and 4WD modes.
Levels of Serum Ribonuclease as an Indicator of Renal Insufficiency in Patients with Leukemia

Serum ribonuclease (RNase) levels were measured in 29 patients with leukemia at various times during their illness and compared with 54 normal controls and 28 nonleukemic patients on chronic hemodialysis. Eighty-three % of the leukemic patients examined before therapy and with normal rates of glomerular filtration (as defined by creatinine clearance greater than 60 ml/min) had RNase levels that fell within the mean ± 2σ for the normal controls. Sixty-one % of the leukemic patients, studied at various times during the course of their illness, who had a creatinine clearance of >60 ml/min had RNase levels in the normal range. Ninety-three % of the leukemic patients studied with a creatinine clearance of <60 ml/min had RNase levels above the range established for the normal controls. Patients without leukemia, but on hemodialysis for chronic renal failure of varied etiologies, had markedly elevated serum RNase levels. A strong correlation between RNase levels and renal insufficiency is therefore demonstrated, illustrating that changes in RNase levels over periods of time depend on the rate of glomerular filtration and are not related to the extent of leukemia. The enzyme responsible for enhanced RNase activity as glomerular filtration rate declines is shown to be antigenically similar, if not identical, to the enzyme found in normal human plasma. In conclusion, serum RNase levels are an indication of the rate of glomerular filtration and are not a biomarker for the presence or extent of leukemia.
OPCABG using right internal mammary artery and sequential saphenous vein graft in reverse sequence) in a PT with right pneumonectomy with compensatory hyperexpansion of the left lung

Case report 77 years old male with worsening angina and shortness of breath and diagnosed with 3 vessel disease and history of right pneumonectomy was referred for coronary artery bypass grafting.Other co morbidities included hypercholesterolemia, exsmoking, recurrent pneumonia, colorectal resection and chemotherapy for cancer and also had gastric ulcers and could not tolerate aspirin (hence not an ideal candidate for PCI). CT chest was performed which showed heart to be deviated to the right side with tracheal deviation due to compensatory hyperexpansion of left lung. Initial plan was to perform on pump CABG in view of single lung. However after midline sternotomy it was clear that the left lung dominated the chestand the heart lay posteriorly in the right hemi-thorax with slight rotation to theright. This made on-pump surgery difficult as there was no access to the right atrium and majority of the aorta lay behind the Pulmonary artery. Femoral venous cannulation would havebeen risky due to the right atrial shift at the level of the diaphragm. Decision was made to perform the procedure without cardiopulmonary bypass. The Right internal mammary artery was harvested in semi-skeletonised fashion and was anastomosed to the mid LAD. There was enough aorta accessible to place a single vein sequentially on the OM2 and PDA performing the top end to the aorta first and then OM2 anastomoses in side to side fashion followed by PDA anastomosesas end to side anastomosis. There were no periods of instability. The postoperative course was uneventful apart from patient going into atrial fibrillation which was treated with amiodarone. Patient was discharged home on 6 postoperative day.
Experimental measurement of local displacement and chemical pair correlations in crystalline solid solutions

The measurement of near-neighbor atomic arrangements in crystalline solid solutions is well established and provides meaningful values for the chemical preference of atoms for their near neighbors to beyond the first ten neighboring shells. Static displacements (atomic size) between these atom pairs has mostly been either ignored in the recovery of the local pair preferences or removed by making use of the displacement scattering dependence on momentum transfer. With intense and energy tunable x-ray synchrotron sources, our ability to recover these static displacements between atoms has greatly improved. Data taken with multiple x-ray energies to obtain the contrast necessary to separate like from unlike neighbor pair distances is discussed for the two cases studied to date: a locally ordered Ni77.5Fe2.25 crystal and a locally clustered Fe53Cr47 crystal. An analysis of the experimental parameters and data gives the systematic and statistical errors on the recovered parameters. Meaningful atomic displacements from the mean lattice can be measured and recovered. These displacements help us understand material properties and will provide theorists with tests for their calculations.
Minimally symmetric Higgs boson

Models addressing the naturalness of a light Higgs boson typically employ symmetries, either bosonic or fermionic, to stabilize the Higgs mass. We consider a setup with the minimal amount of symmetries: four shift symmetries acting on the four components of the Higgs doublet, subject to the constraints of linearly realized $SU(2{)}_{L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}U(1{)}_{Y}$ electroweak symmetry. Up to terms that explicitly violate the shift symmetries, the effective Lagrangian can be derived, irrespective of the spontaneously broken group $G$ in the ultraviolet, and is universal among all models where the Higgs arises as a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson. Very high energy scatterings of vector bosons could provide smoking gun signals of a minimally symmetric Higgs boson.
Gender and Gender-Role Orientation Differences on Adolescents' Coping with Peer Stressors

Gender and gender-role orientation differences were explored on adolescents' coping with peer stressors. Eighth-grade and ninth-grade public junior high school students (N = 285) completed the COPE, reporting the strategies they recently used to deal with a stressful peer-related situation. Measures of gender-role orientation (Bem Sex-Role Inventory) and demographic information also were obtained. Factor analysis of the COPE revealed 4 distinct coping factors: active, avoidant, acceptance, and emotion-focused. The most frequently reported stressful event was arguments/fights with same-sex friends. Girls reported more arguments/fights with opposite-sex friends. Boys reported more physical fights and threats. Students' ratings of how much the situation mattered were used as a covariate in a MANCOVA to compare coping by gender and gender-role orientation, to control for perceived stressfulness of situations. Significant gender-role orientation differences were found for active, acceptance, and emotion-focused coping.
Trauma and Meaning Making: Converging Conceptualizations and Emerging Evidence

Meaning is central in human life, particularly when individuals confront highly stressful and traumatic life experiences. This chapter provides an overview of current conceptual and empirical work on meaning in the context of trauma and reviews evidence regarding seven meaning-related propositions: (1) People possess orienting systems (global meaning) that provide them with cognitive tools to interpret their experiences and motivate their functioning in the world. (2) People appraise the situations that they encounter, assigning a meaning to them. (3) The extent to which that appraised meaning is discrepant with their global meaning determines the extent to which they experience distress. (4) The distress caused by discrepancy initiates a process of meaning making. (5) There are many ways to make meaning. (6) Through meaning making, individuals reduce the discrepancy between appraised and global meaning and restore a sense of the world as meaningful and their own lives as worthwhile. (7) Meaning making, when successful, leads to better adjustment to the stressful event. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research.
CRISPRscan: designing highly efficient sgRNAs for CRISPR-Cas9 targeting in vivo

CRISPR-Cas9 technology provides a powerful system for genome engineering. However, variable activity across different single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) remains a significant limitation. We analyzed the molecular features that influence sgRNA stability, activity and loading into Cas9 in vivo. We observed that guanine enrichment and adenine depletion increased sgRNA stability and activity, whereas differential sgRNA loading, nucleosome positioning and Cas9 off-target binding were not major determinants. We also identified sgRNAs truncated by one or two nucleotides and containing 5' mismatches as efficient alternatives to canonical sgRNAs. On the basis of these results, we created a predictive sgRNA-scoring algorithm, CRISPRscan, that effectively captures the sequence features affecting the activity of CRISPR-Cas9 in vivo. Finally, we show that targeting Cas9 to the germ line using a Cas9-nanos 3' UTR led to the generation of maternal-zygotic mutants, as well as increased viability and decreased somatic mutations. These results identify determinants that influence Cas9 activity and provide a framework for the design of highly efficient sgRNAs for genome targeting in vivo.
Nitrate Uptake and Partitioning by Corn {Zea mays L.) Root Systems and Associated Morphological Differences among Genotypes and Stages of Root Development

Pan, W. L., Jackson, W. A. and Moll, R. H. 1985. Nitrate uptake and partitioning by corn (Zea mays L.) root systems and associated morphological differences among genotypes and stages of root development.—J. exp. Bot, 36: 1341-1351. Nitrate uptake and partitioning by root systems of corn inbred lines were examined. Six-day-old root systems of decapitated seedlings of seven corn inbred lines were shown to differ markedly in their capacity for nitrate uptake and partitioning. The magnitude of nitrate uptake ranged from 44 86 ttmol NO3 g"1 fr. wt. during an 8 h period. Relative nitrate translocation (% of total uptake) also varied among the seven genotypes from 4-25%, and differences in the proportions accumulated (28-73%) and reduced (22-58%) were observed. Three of these genotypes were then examined at 5, 6, and 8 d after germination to determine the effect of lateral root proliferation on the previously observed differences in nitrate uptake and partitioning. Nitrate translocation per unit mass increased with root elongation and lateral root proliferation, and genotypic differences in this partitioning process were associated with differences in these morphological parameters. In contrast, differences among genotypes in their capability to accumulate nitrate were not correlated with these differences in morphology. Evaluations of genotypic differences in nitrate uptake and partitioning at the seedling
The 5-HT7 receptor and disorders of the nervous system: an overview.

Rationale The 5-HT7 receptor is a more recently discovered G-protein-coupled receptor for serotonin. The functions and possible clinical relevance of this receptor are not yet fully understood.
Load sharing in distributed real-time systems with state-change broadcasts

A decentralized, dynamic load sharing (LS) method based on state-change broadcasts is proposed for a distributed real-time system. Whenever the state of a node changes from underloaded to fully loaded and vice versa, the node broadcasts this change to a set of nodes, called a buddy set, in the system. The performance of the method is evaluated with both analytic modeling and simulation. It is modeled first by an embedded Markov chain for which numerical solutions are derived. The model solutions are then used to calculate the distribution of queue lengths at the nodes and the probability of meeting tasks deadlines. The analytical results show that buddy sets of ten nodes outperform those of less than ten nodes, and the incremental benefit gained from increasing the buddy set size beyond 15 nodes is insignificant. These and other analytical results are verified by simulation. The proposed LS method is shown to meet task deadlines with a very high probability. >
Palestinian Arab Sovereignty and Peace in the Middle East: A Reassessment

1. Introductory remarks The evolutionary pace of the Palestinian Arab nationalist movement has quickened considerably since the Arab-Israeli war of June 1967. Despite setbacks, the movement has done much to increase the level of international awareness concerning the plight of the Palestinian refugees, and has managed, more than ever before, to make consideration of Palestinian nationalism fundamental in any hopes for resolution of the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict. On the other hand, the failure of Palestinian nationalism to achieve political sovereignty and territorial expression remains the single most encumbering element in the Palestine question. The absence of Palestinian sovereignty characterizes the Arab-Israeli conflict in all facets and ultimately determines much of the behavior of those states and parties involved in the conflict. The Palestinians, for reasons discussed below, have been unable to muster the international support needed to realize the goal of sovereignty. The behavior of militant Palestinians, determined in large measure by the inability of the movement to garner international support, further alienates Palestinian Arab nationalism from those parties whose influence is essential to realization of nationalist objectives.' The Palestine conflict, in which two movements of differing cultural, historical, and ethnic backgrounds confront each other over the same piece of territory, is novel in the annals of nationalism. The culmination of Zionist nationalism in the State of Israel in 1948 aborted the nationalist movement of the Palestinian Arabs and, in a sense, drove it underground to function in quasi-national exile and in the realm of terrorism, circumstances not unlike those which Zionists themselves endured prior to 1948. As a result, Zionist nationalism in the form of Israel is represented in the international community of sovereign states while Palestinian nationalism is not, except in the rather capricious policies of some of the established Arab states. The unequal status of Zionist and Palestinian Arab nationalism since 1948 renders dialogue between the two virtually impossible, and is responsible for the transferral of the conflict onto the level of established states in the region. Thus elevated, the Arab-Israeli confrontation attracts major powers, which widen the scope of the conflict and its inherent dangers. After a quarter century of these circumstances the question of the Palestinian Arab community is liable to become obscured by the preoccupation of the established states with the consequences of the conflict to themselves.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt endografts: a decade in and due for revision?

The articles by Gaba et al (1) and Pieper et al (2) describe the inevitable expansion of the VIATORR (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Arizona) endograft and bare metal stents within the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) tract regardless of their underdilation at placement. Both studies used quantitative analyses of incidentally obtained computed tomography scans of patients receiving a TIPS to show that the minimum outer stent diameter expands over time to that stent’s nominal size and cross-sectional area. I suspect all interventional radiologists who have been dedicatedly creating shunts and following their patients have known this for a long time. This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of the release of the VIATORR TIPS endograft in the United States. This anniversary is notable for many reasons. First, the impact this device has had on tens of thousands of patients cannot be overstated. Before the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene endograft, I estimate having personally performed at least 500 TIPS revisions to maintain a WALLSTENT (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts) TIPS. Multiply that by all interventional radiologists. After the VIATORR, these numbers plummeted to near zero. Many of us have patients with patent graft-lined shunts, still free of reintervention, a decade later. Numerous book chapters that repeatedly mentioned the “unpredictable” patency issues “clouding” the use of TIPS became of historic interest. The field was able to move into detailed evaluation of shunt effects, patient selection, and outcome assessments, without the central distraction of patency. Thoughtful questions regarding personalized TIPS (ie, calibrating shunt diameter to an individual patient’s needs) emerged. That’s the good news.
Web-CAT user group (abstract only)

Web-CAT is the most widely used open-source automated grading system, with about 10,000 users at over 65 institutions worldwide. Its plug-in architecture supports extensibility, with plug-ins for Java (including Objectdraw, JTF, Swing, and Android), C++, Python, Haskell, and more. It is also a powerful tool for educational research data collection. It supports a wide variety of assessment strategies, but is famous for "grading students on how well they test their own code". Web-CAT won the 2006 Premier Award, recognizing high-quality, non-commercial courseware for engineering education. This BOF will allow existing users and new adopters to meet, share experiences, and talk about what works and what doesn't. Information on getting started quickly with Web-CAT will also be provided.
Rituals That Rewrite One's Rules

Drawing Our Own Rules: Creative Rituals is a summer course I have taught for the past five years through the University of New Mexico at the retreatlike setting of the D. H. Lawrence Ranch in Taos. A combination of compelling assignments, readings, journal keeping, and videotapes has made this class a richly beneficial, if at times also unsettling, experience for everyone involved. In the course, we explore personal questions about the construction of identity, the importance of cultural memory, the use of metaphor to create meaning, and the nature of invention. And by engaging with significant experiences from their pasts through a series of exercises, the students address competing concerns in their artistic practice.
Rheumatic Fever, Rheumatic Heart Disease, and the Streptococcal Connection: The Role of Streptococcal Antigens Cross-Reactive with Heart Tissue

present in higher titer or occurred more frequently in patients with rheumatic fever than in those with uncomplicated streptococcal infections. A direct correlation of the presence of these autoantibodies with carditis could not be established. The pathogenetic mechanisms that link streptococcal infection to rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease are not yet clear. Among the possibilities to be considered within the above frame of reference are combined cell-mediated and humoral autoimmune mechanisms directed to one or more cross-reactive antigens in the tissues, selective binding of streptococci to tissues, role of circulating immune complexes, and linkage with histocompatibility antigens.
Human in situ dosimetry: Differential insertion loss during passage through abdominal wall and myometrium

We constructed a specialized in vivo exposimetry system and determined selected ultrasonic field quantities. We examined two groups of non-pregnant women (nulliparas = 14, multiparas = 9) under conditions of full and empty bladder. A calibrated 7-element linear array hydrophone was placed in the anterior fornix of the vagina in each subject. In the full bladder condition, the sound beam traversed the anterior abdominal wall and full bladder, whereas after voiding, the sound beam traversed the abdominal wall and anteverted uterine fundus. Each study was conducted using a 3.5 MHz mechanical sector transducer. Calibration data were recorded after completion of each in vivo experiment. Data from both groups were pooled for analysis. Assuming (1) the sound path through the full bladder is loss less, the insertion loss (ILFULL) should represent the insertion loss for the abdominal wall (ILABD WALL) 8.2 +/- 5.6 dB; whereas (2) for the empty bladder condition, (ILEMPTY) represents (ILABD WALL+ILUTERUS). Subtracting ILFULL from ILEMPTY yields ILUTERUS = 5.8 +/- 6.8 dB. Therefore, knowing the respective path lengths and normalizing for frequency, the mean tissue attenuation coefficients (A) are estimated to be AABD WALL = 1.39 dB/cm-MHz and AUTERUS = 0.14 dB/cm-MHz. These attenuation data suggest that the abdominal wall is the principal source of ultrasonic energy loss.
Mechanisms for Organization and Echo Training in a Flash-Flood-Producing Mesoscale Convective System

AbstractIn this research, a numerical simulation of an observed training line/adjoining stratiform (TL/AS)-type mesoscale convective system (MCS) was used to investigate processes leading to upwind propagation of convection and quasi-stationary behavior. The studied event produced damaging flash flooding near Dubuque, Iowa, on the morning of 28 July 2011.The simulated convective system well emulated characteristics of the observed system and produced comparable rainfall totals. In the simulation, there were two cold pool–driven convective surges that exited the region where heavy rainfall was produced. Low-level unstable flow, which was initially convectively inhibited, overrode the surface cold pool subsequent to these convective surges, was gradually lifted to the point of saturation, and reignited deep convection. Mechanisms for upstream lifting included persistent large-scale warm air advection, displacement of parcels over the surface cold pool, and an upstream mesolow that formed between 0500 and 10...
Putative identification of functional interactions between DNA intercalating agents and topoisomerase II using the V79 in vitro micronucleus assay.

Clastogenicity is frequently observed following treatment of mammalian cells with new chemical entities. This clastogenicity, unless proven otherwise, is assumed to result from the imperfect repair of DNA lesions produced from covalent chemical/DNA interaction. However, clastogenicity can also arise via other mechanisms such as non-covalent chemical intercalation into DNA resulting in poisoning of cellular DNA topoisomerase II (topo II) and stabilization of DNA double strand breaks. We have recently reported modifications to the V79 in vitro micronucleus assay which allow an indirect evaluation of both the intercalative and topoisomerase-interactive activities of chemical agents. In the present studies we have used these modified assays to further assess the validity of this approach in an evaluation of a number of intercalating and non-intercalating polycyclic compounds. It is shown that intercalating agents may be catalytic topo II inhibitors (e.g. chloroquine (CHL), tacrine (TAC), 9-aminoacridine (9AA), ethidium bromide (EB)) or topo II poisons (e.g. proflavine (PROF), auramine O (AUR) and curcumin (CURC)). Still other intercalators are shown to lack detectable topo II-interactions, (e.g. imipramine (IMP), quinacrine (QUIN), 2-aminoanthracene (AA), iminostilbene (IMN) and promethazine (PHE)). It is concluded that (1) the clastogenicity of three agents, PROF (a typical DNA intercalating agent), and AUR and CURC (both structurally atypical intercalating agents, with unknown clastogenic mechanisms), may be due to topo II poisoning; (2) other intercalating agents may either act as catalytic topo II inhibitors or exhibit no functional topo II interaction; (3) The use of these cell-based approaches may provide a logical first step in determining if unexpected clastogenicity associated with test article exposure is due to a topo II interaction.
Technical Analysis of the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale--Second Edition--Teacher Version.

The reliability and validity of scores on the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale—second edition— teacher version (DBRS-II-T) was analyzed. The DBRS-II-T was designed to assess teacher observations of students referred for behavioral difficulties. The five-factor model fit the data poorly, but convergent and diagnostic validities were excellent.
Hypothesis formation and testing in the acquisition of representationally simple concepts

Observations from philosophy and psychology heavily favor the Empiricist tenet that many lexical concepts are learned. However, many observations also heavily favor the Nativist tenet that such concepts are representationally atomic. Fodor (The language of thought, 1975, In J. Fodor (Ed.) Representations: Philosophical essays on the foundations of cognitive science, 1981, LOT2: The language of thought revisited, 2008) has famously argued that representationally atomic concepts cannot be learned, at least not learned by hypothesis formation and testing. Concept theorists who want to preserve observations about concept learning have developed acquisition models on which the acquired concepts are either non-atomic or are acquired by a process that doesn’t involve hypothesis formation and testing. I offer a model, Baptizing Meanings for Concepts (BMC), in which representationally atomic concepts are learned by hypothesis formation and testing. The concepts are learned by the agent’s hypothesizing the existence of a latent/hidden/imperceptible property in objects to explain the objects’ perceptible similarities. Once a hidden property is hypothesized, a new atomic mental name is assigned to it, and this atomic name becomes the concept. Any connections between the name and the representations involved in linking the name to its referent are stored as contingent. Further experience may give the agent reason to revise its hypotheses about latent properties as explanations for its observations. I discuss a software robot implementation of the BMC process that uses a Bayesian learning network. The implementation provides an existence proof of the possibility of learning representationally atomic concepts by hypothesis formation and testing.
RAPID ONSET OF LYSOPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE-INDUCED MODIFICATION OF WHOLE CELL CARDIAC SODIUM CURRENT KINETICS

Abstract Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), an ischemic metabolite implicated in arrhythmogenesis, has been shown to modulate aspects of Na + channel gating, but its effects on steady-state availability (h x ), recovery from inactivation, and the timing of onset and possible reversibility, have not been characterized. We studied Na current (I Na ) by the whole-cell patch clamp technique on isolated rat ventricular myocytes at 22°C with reduced Na + (45 m m out, 5 m m in) from a holding potential of −150 mV. Changes in the electrophysiological parameters were measured after LPC 10 μ m was added to the bath and compared to time controls (TC) taken from the time of seal formation. LPC decreased peak current for a test potential to −30 mV by about 20%. The peak current voltage relationship shifted in a positive direction by about 5 mV after LPC as compared to a small 2 mV negative shift in TC cells. LPC shifted the steady-state availability curve in the hyperpolarizing direction by about 6 mV. LPC perfusion caused a slowing of the decay of I Na , and also a slowing of recovery from inactivation. Onset of the effects occurred within 6 min after adding LPC to the bath and were statistically significant with respect to TC cells between 12 and 16 min. In three cells, some of the effects on I Na were either arrested or partially reversed by washout and cell survival was less than 20 min if LPC was not removed from the bath. These LPC induced changes in I Na would tend to slow conduction and increase refractoriness, effects also seen in acutely ischemic myocardium. We therefore conclude that LPC action on I Na may potentiate the arrhythmogenic substrate and that the onset of these changes are sufficiently rapid to play a role in the electrical instability of acute ischemia.
The influence of tifluadom on cholecystokinin-induced antinociception.

Abstract The effects of tifluadom, a benzodiazepine-κ-opioid-receptor agonist, on cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8)-induced antinociception were investigated in the mouse writhing test. When given alone, tifluadom produced pronounced, dose-dependent analgesia. The antinociceptive effect of intracerebroventricularly injected CCK-8 was potentiated by high doses of tifluadom. In contrast, when tifluadom was applied at low doses which did not induce antinociception, the antinociceptive effect of CCK-8 was completely antagonized. It is concluded that tifluadom acts both as κ-opioid receptor agonist and as an antagonist at CCK receptors mediating CCK-induced antinociception.