cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Organization of Terror and Murder

The chapter opens with the story of the 1960 capture of Adolf Eichmann by Israel’s intelligence service. Eichmann was, at that time, arguably the most notorious Nazi war criminal who still remained at large during the 15 years since the end of World War II. Eichmann had been signatory on most of the 1600 documents related to the “Final Solution” that became evidence during his 1961 trial. This chapter also introduces readers to the scale of the crimes perpetrated by Eichmann and his colleagues in the Nazi apparatus—a scale that fits the implications of the modern theory of bureaucracy developed in a book by Albert Breton and Ronald Wintrobe titled The Logic of Bureaucratic Conduct (Cambridge University Press, 1982).
What to Do about Childhood Obesity

Non-communicable diseases led by cardiovascular disease are all, in part, consequences of obesity and are now the number one cause of mortality worldwide [...]
Tools and Incentives for Implementing Codes of Ethics to Help Prevent the Reemergence of Chemical Weapons

Since 1997, when the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force and the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was established, >97% of the world’s declared stockpile, comprising 70,372 t of chemical warfare agents, has been destroyed. Despite this notable progress, advances in chemical synthesis bring new challenges to preventing chemical weapons production. The development of ethical codes or guidelines such as The Hague Ethical Guidelines and the Global Chemists’ Code of Ethics (GCCE) and their voluntary adoption by chemical practitioners worldwide are important steps in strengthening international nonproliferation efforts through their potential to impact the intent of the individual by normalizing ethical behavior. However, the simple act of adopting a code or implementing Responsible Care initiatives does not guarantee ethical behavior. Individuals’ decisions often contribute to the seriousness of chemical incidents and accidents, even if the root causes are shortfalls in safety and/or security. History is replete with accounts of chemical incidents that were made worse due to ethics failures at the individual and/or corporate level. The cost associated with response and root cause investigations for such incidents can be massive, but knee-jerk reactions to push for more regulation or to establish more oversight mechanisms following the immediate impact and initial cleanup may require significantly more resources to execute. At their core, ethics failures often arise, at least partially, due to a lack of shared investment in the company’s mission. When people are guided by a shared mission, they are more likely to bring a sense of professionalism to their work and to hold each other accountable for ethical behavior. Scenario-based training can provide new employees opportunities to practice acting ethically, but it takes time and money to organize in-person training events. Careful implementation of scenario-based e-learning to teach behavioral expectations that compel trainees to practice and discuss ethics, however, can provide a meaningful way to ensure employees are provided the necessary opportunities to rehearse ethical behavior, regardless of where they are physically located. As individuals become comfortable identifying and standing up for what is right, they strengthen their resolve to act when issues arise in the future. Company managers and university professors alike have a duty to educate others on the importance of ethical behavior, capitalize on teachable moments to help others understand the principles behind the desired behaviors, encourage others to speak up and act when they see something wrong, and model the behaviors they seek. In so doing, they may actively participate in making the world a better place and minimize the potential for the reemergence of chemical weapons.
Translocation of Orally Inoculated Salmonella Following Mild Immunosuppression in Holstein Calves and the Presence of the Salmonella in Ground Beef Samples

The objective of this study was to determine if immunosuppression through daily dexamethasone (DEX) infusion altered Salmonella translocation from the gastrointestinal tract. Weaned Holstein steers...
Patterns of de novo tandem repeat mutations and their role in autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an early-onset developmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication and social interaction and restrictive or repetitive behaviours1,2. Family studies demonstrate that ASD has a substantial genetic basis with contributions both from inherited and de novo variants3,4. It has been estimated that de novo mutations may contribute to 30% of all simplex cases, in which only a single child is affected per family5. Tandem repeats (TRs), defined here as sequences of 1 to 20 base pairs in size repeated consecutively, comprise one of the major sources of de novo mutations in humans6. TR expansions are implicated in dozens of neurological and psychiatric disorders7. Yet, de novo TR mutations have not been characterized on a genome-wide scale, and their contribution to ASD remains unexplored. Here we develop new bioinformatics methods for identifying and prioritizing de novo TR mutations from sequencing data and perform a genome-wide characterization of de novo TR mutations in ASD-affected probands and unaffected siblings. We infer specific mutation events and their precise changes in repeat number, and primarily focus on more prevalent stepwise copy number changes rather than large expansions. Our results demonstrate a significant genome-wide excess of TR mutations in ASD probands. Mutations in probands tend to be larger, enriched in fetal brain regulatory regions, and are predicted to be more evolutionarily deleterious. Overall, our results highlight the importance of considering repeat variants in future studies of de novo mutations. A bioinformatics pipeline to identify tandem repeat mutations is developed and used to characterize precise changes in repeat copy number associated with autism spectrum disorder.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on design and conduct of clinical trials: developing best practices based on lessons learned for risk and change management

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic is disrupting clinical research in most of the world. We have seen an immediate impact on clinical trials due to challenges coming from the COVID-19 travel bans, hospitals/clinics’ visitation restrictions, social distancing precautions and shifting operations to work remotely on a short notice. These factors have translated into the issues challenging clinical trials such as operations, milestones, budgets, data integrity, etc. Given the complex risk/benefit considerations associated with each specific clinical trial, there is no single solution to manage the risks in clinical trials conduct due to COVID-19. Each trial is unique with respect to patient population, study drug mechanism of action, concomitant medications, and geographic location needs. It is important to continue to engage the networks and communities to push forward with creative risk mitigation and develop solutions during this challenging time. Risk assessment should be a continuous and living process as the situation evolves over the coming weeks to months. Routine and ongoing cross checks with study teams are already proving to maintain alignment on key timelines, critical risk points and other study specific challenges as we are moving towards de-centralized settings in the conduct of clinical trials. We have analyzed lessons learned and attempted to develop best practices to mitigate risks and adjust clinical research operations during this unprecedented time.
Computational Methods in Engineering and Science

(1978). Computational Methods in Engineering and Science. Nuclear Science and Engineering: Vol. 68, No. 2, pp. 235-236.
Validation of parsimonious prognostic models for patients infected with COVID-19.

Objectives Predictive studies play important roles in the development of models informing care for patients with COVID-19. Our concern is that studies producing ill-performing models may lead to inappropriate clinical decision-making. Thus, our objective is to summarise and characterise performance of prognostic models for COVID-19 on external data. Methods We performed a validation of parsimonious prognostic models for patients with COVID-19 from a literature search for published and preprint articles. Ten models meeting inclusion criteria were either (a) externally validated with our data against the model variables and weights or (b) rebuilt using original features if no weights were provided. Nine studies had internally or externally validated models on cohorts of between 18 and 320 inpatients with COVID-19. One model used cross-validation. Our external validation cohort consisted of 4444 patients with COVID-19 hospitalised between 1 March and 27 May 2020. Results Most models failed validation when applied to our institution’s data. Included studies reported an average validation area under the receiver–operator curve (AUROC) of 0.828. Models applied with reported features averaged an AUROC of 0.66 when validated on our data. Models rebuilt with the same features averaged an AUROC of 0.755 when validated on our data. In both cases, models did not validate against their studies’ reported AUROC values. Discussion Published and preprint prognostic models for patients infected with COVID-19 performed substantially worse when applied to external data. Further inquiry is required to elucidate mechanisms underlying performance deviations. Conclusions Clinicians should employ caution when applying models for clinical prediction without careful validation on local data.
“A Lot of Students Are Already There”: Repositioning Language-Minoritized Students as “Writers in Residence” in English Classrooms:

This article centers on Faith, a Latinx bilingual student who, because of her failure to pass a standardized exam in English language arts, had to repeat 11th-grade English. Despite this stigma of ...
Moments of Trust: Sibling Responses to the Disclosure of a Sister's Lesbian Identity

MOMENTS OF TRUST: SIBLING RESPONSES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF A SISTER’S LESBIAN IDENTITY Ryan W. McKee, B.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2003 Director: Julie Honnold, Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology To better understand the responses of siblings to the disclosure of a sister’s lesbian identity, eight pairs of siblings, each consisting of one lesbian participant and one of her siblings, were interviewed. Both lesbian and sibling participants were asked to discuss family relationships before disclosure (coming out), the actual disclosure, sibling reactions, parental reactions, and family relationships since disclosure. Notable results include “closeness” in sibling relationships and high levels of “trust” as strong predictors of supportive sibling responses. Siblings were also found to take on the role of confidant and counselor for their parents as they negotiated their daughters’ newly-disclosed sexual orientation. Chapter One: Introduction The “coming out” process is a major event in the lives of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. Disclosure is an ongoing process, and individuals must make decisions every day about whether or not to come out to certain people, including family members. Families are often thought of as safe havens from the harsh realities of the outside world where members can be open and honest about their lives and find acceptance and approval. However, that is not always the case. This is true especially when it comes to dealing with homosexuality, an issue that is seen in many societies as taboo, anti-family, and even unlawful. While it has been shown that disclosure is related to high self-esteem, many people remain closeted because they are uncertain how family members will react to this new aspect of their identity (Vargo 1998). Statement of the Problem The reactions of family are not only influenced by their relationship with the gay member, but also by social forces and traditions that call on them to react in a way that is consistent with societal norms. The revelation that a member of the family is gay can call family and individual beliefs into question, and have strong effects on the way other members of the family see both the gay member and themselves. Anti-gay bias and discrimination run so deeply in American society that relatives often feel effects of the
Analysis and Modeling of Ocean Acoustic Fluctuations and Moored Observations of Philippine Sea Sound-Speed Structure

Abstract : The long-term goals of this research are to understand the statistics of acoustic fields in both deep and shallow water ocean environments. The primary objective of this work is the development of accurate, and computationally efficient, reduced-physics acoustic propagation models for the prediction of the statistics of ocean acoustic signals in both shallow and deep-water environments. Examples of acoustic field statistics of interest are mean intensity, coherence, and intensity variance. The focus here is primarily on the Philippine Sea, and the SW06 site off the New Jersey coast, since these are the most recent and complete data sets. Reduced physics models are important not only because they are computationally efficient but also because they elucidate the relevant space-time scales of ocean variability affecting acoustical fields. This knowledge allows for more focused study on those oceanographic processes that will have large acoustical influences. Therefore centrally related to the primary objective of this research is an effort to characterize ocean sound-speed variability, and develop ocean models that can be easily assimilated into acoustic fluctuation calculations. In the Philippine Sea, models of eddies, internal tides, internal waves, and fine structure (spice) are needed, while in the shallow water case a models of the random linear internal waves and spice are lacking.
A Case Study of Case-Based CBR

Case-based reasoning depends on multiple knowledge sources beyond the case library, including knowledge about case adaptation and criteria for similarity assessment. Because hand coding this knowledge accounts for a large part of the knowledge acquisition burden for developing CBR systems, it is appealing to acquire it by learning, and CBR is a promising learning method to apply. This observation suggests developing case-based CBR systems, CBR systems whose components themselves use CBR. However, despite early interest in case-based approaches to CBR, this method has received comparatively little attention. Open questions include how case-based components of a CBR system should be designed, the amount of knowledge acquisition effort they require, and their effectiveness. This paper investigates these questions through a case study of issues addressed, methods used, and results achieved by a case-based planning system that uses CBR to guide its case adaptation and similarity assessment. The paper discusses design considerations and presents empirical results that support the usefulness of case-based CBR, that point to potential problems and tradeoffs, and that directly demonstrate the overlapping roles of different CBR knowledge sources. The paper closes with general lessons about case-based CBR and areas for future research.
Virus in water. II. Evaluation of membrane cartridge filters for recovering low multiplicities of poliovirus from water.

Abstract The efficiency of a Millitube MF cartridge filter, a membrane filter, for recovery of poliovirus from 100-gal volumes of both fresh (tap) and estuarine water was determined. In the high multiplicity of virus input-output experiments, recovery of 97% or greater of input virus was achieved in both types of water when the final concentration of divalent cation as Mg2+ was 1,200 μg/ml and the pH was 4.5. Virus was effectively eluted from the membrane cartridge with 5× nutrient broth in 0.05 M carbonate-bicarbonate buffer at pH 9.0. Four elutions of 250 ml each were used. In the low multiplicity of virus input-output experiments under the same cationic and pH conditions, up to 67% of the input virus was recovered when the virus was further concentrated from the eluates by the aqueous polymer two-phase separation technique. The volume reduction was 126,000-190,000 to 1. The use of the combined techniques, i.e., membrane adsorption followed by aqueous polymer two-phase separation, provided a highly sensitive, simple, and remarkably reliable sequential methodology for the quantitative recovery of poliovirus occurring at multiplicities as low as 1 to 2 plaque-forming units per 5 gal of water.
Targeted therapies in the treatment of pancreatic carcinoma

Pancreatic carcinoma is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in the western world. Although some progress has been made in the clinical management of pancreatic cancer, surgical resection remains the only potentially curative treatment. New strategies are urgently needed for the treatment of this disease. Advances in knowledge in genetics and molecular biology have led to the development of novel treatments targeting specific molecules. Todate, the results obtained with these new drugs have not been superior to those observed with conventional chemotherapy. In the present article we review some of the new therapies for pancreatic cancer such as the use of inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptors, the inhibitors of metalloproteases of the extracellular matrix, the inhibitors of farnesyltransferase, and the use of anti-angiogenic treatment.
Perspectives of Older Persons on Bathing and Bathing Disability: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVES: To understand the bathing experiences, attitudes, and preferences of older persons in order to inform the development of effective patient-centered interventions. DESIGN: Qualitative study using the Grounded Theory framework. SETTING: In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted in participants' homes. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three community-living persons aged 78 and older identified from the Precipitating Events Project (PEP). MEASUREMENTS: Open-ended questions about bathing habits, personal meaning and purpose of bathing, difficulties and concerns about bathing, preferences for independent bathing, and attitudes toward different types of bathing assistance. RESULTS: Three themes emerged: the importance and personal significance of bathing to older persons; variability in attitudes, preferences, and sources of bathing assistance; and older persons' anticipation of and responses to bathing disability. CONCLUSION: The bathing experiences described by study participants underscore the personal significance of bathing and the need to account for attitudes and preferences when designing bathing interventions. Quantitative disability assessments may not capture the bathing modifications made by older persons in anticipation of disability and may result in missed opportunities for early intervention. Findings from this study can be used to inform the development of targeted, patient-centered interventions that can subsequently be tested in clinical trials.
Constructing an ‘Outlandish’ Narrative of Self: The Role of Music in Muslim Experience

This paper explores the way in which Muslims, particularly those in the Diaspora, use music as an alternative medium to negotiate a narrative of self that reflects their performance of their faith and the issues that concern them. The focus will be on the music of the Danish based music group Outlandish. Specifically, music has become an important space to dismantle and reformulate discussions on identity and offers insight into the way language, religion, and resistance are deployed in a medium with increasing currency. Outlandish has garnered an international audience; through mediums such as YouTube, their music resonates with Muslims and other minority groups in the diaspora faced with similar issues of identification. This paper addresses the questions: how is music employed to construct narratives of self that challenge boundaries? How does music engage the issue of representation for those who face exclusion? How can their work be read in the contemporary setting where globalization has brought different cultural worldviews into contact, at times producing dialogue and constructive exchange and at other times leading to discernible violence, engendering a more pronounced sense of alienation and exclusion? Through their music, Outlandish expresses the ways in which what differentiates between people binds them through a process of recognition, to borrow from Judith Butler. Focusing on Outlandish’s music, I examine the role of music in the negotiation and construction of narratives of self by contemporary Muslims that counter those that have been constructed for and against them.
Early cytokine and chemokine gene expression during Pseudomonas aeruginosa corneal infection in mice

Using a multiprobe RNase protection assay, we examined cytokine and chemokine mRNAs that were expressed after corneal infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mice. Cytokines that were upregulated included interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and -1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-6, IL-11, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, stem cell factor, lymphotoxin β, transforming growth factor β1, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Chemokine transcripts that were upregulated included Eotaxin; gamma-interferon-inducible protein 10; monocyte chemoattractant protein 1; macrophage inflammatory proteins 1α, 1β, and 2; and RANTES. Peak expression of these cytokines and chemokines was observed between 1 and 3 days after infection. These responses returned to or approached baseline preinfection levels by 7 days after ocular challenge. Identification of the various cytokines and chemokines upregulated during corneal infection provides important information relevant to unraveling the pathogenesis induced by this bacterium and provides hope that specific molecules can be targeted for therapy.
Physical activity is associated with lower risk of death and rehospitalization in COPD

Background: We recently found that patients with COPD who reported any level of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during routine clinical care had a 34% lower risk of 30-day all-cause readmission. In this paper, we examined whether physical activity also predicted risk of first re-hospitalization or death over 12 months of follow-up. Methods: Patients from an integrated health care system were included in this retrospective cohort study if they were hospitalized for COPD and discharged between 1/1-12/31/2011, age 40+, on at least a bronchodilator or steroid inhaler, alive at discharge, and continuously enrolled in the health plan 12 months prior to the index admission and at least 12 months post discharge or died within the follow-up window. Physical activity (PA) was routinely assessed at the time of all outpatient visits and expressed as total minutes of MVPA. Multivariate Poisson regression models were used. Results: The sample included 2,499 patients with a mean age of 73±11 (55% females). There were 493 deaths (20%) and 55% of patients were re-hospitalized over 12 months of follow-up. Multivariate adjusted analyses showed that compared to inactive patients, those reporting any level of MVPA had a significantly lower risk of death (1-149 mins/wk of MVPA, Risk Ratio, RR: 0.75, 95%CI 0.56-1.0; ≥150 minutes/week of MVPA, RR: 0.55, 95%CI 0.36-0.86) and rehospitalization, (1-149 mins/wk of MVPA, RR: 0.84, 95%CI 0.71-0.98; ≥150 minutes/week of MVPA, RR: 0.79, 95%CI 0.65-0.98). Conclusions: Our findings add to the growing evidence base on the prognostic significance of PA in COPD. Prospective studies are needed to determine if increasing PA in high risk patients improves outcomes.
A simplified numerical approach to analyze magnet defects in permanent magnet synchronous motors

Condition monitoring of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) is the process that identifies and averts impending faults and is of critical importance for reliability and robustness of overall system. In this study, magnet defect fault in PMSMs and the consequence effects of such failure on stator back-emf and current wave forms are investigated through modified magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC). The proposed analytical approach is used to investigate the effect of magnet faults on the stator back-emf which significantly reduces the computational burden and provides high enough accuracy while predicting the additional harmonics in motor variables. The 2-D Finite Element (FE) results support the potential use of the proposed method for fault signature analysis. Simulations are also carried out at different speed and load condition to expose the faulty signature. Comparative experimental results conducted at the same conditions to show the efficacy of the proposed method.
Molecular impact of a human divalent metal-ion transporter-1 (DMT1) mutation (G212V) found in two compound heterozygotes with microcytic anemia (893.40)

DMT1 is a H+-coupled divalent metal-ion transporter that is critical for intestinal iron (Fe) absorption and erythroid Fe utilization. Beaumont et al (Blood 107, 4168 [2006]) and Bardou-Jacquet et al (Blood Cells Mol Dis 47, 243 [2011]) have described two patients compound heterozygous for mutations in DMT1 associated with hypochromic–microcytic anemia and hepatic Fe overload. The unrelated probands have in common a G212V substitution; the first proband also possesses a V114 deletion and the second, an N491S substitution. The probands’ siblings and parents each possess one mutated allele but were reportedly asymptomatic. We expressed mutant and wildtype (wt) DMT1 in Xenopus oocytes and used voltage-clamp and radiotracer assays to examine the molecular impact of these mutations. The V114 deletion and N491S substitution abolished 55Fe2+ transport activity whereas 55Fe2+ transport mediated by G212V-DMT1 did not differ from wtDMT1. G212V had no effect on the pH dependence of 55Fe2+ transport, presteady-state ...
Using Informal Education Through Music Video Creation

Music video creation provides students a new way to express themselves and become better performers and consumers of media. This article provides a new perspective on Lucy Green’s informal music pe...
Diet of the Fishing Bat, Noctilio leporinus (Chiroptera: Noctilionidae)

The diet of Noctilio leporinus was examined on the Island of Culebra, Puerto Rico, by collecting discarded prey below roosts and by making biweekly collections of guano over a 9-month period. Small insects, mostly beetles and moths, predominated in the diet during the wet season. During the dry season, pelagic and freshwater fish represented a greater proportion of the diet than did insects. Crabs, scorpions, shrimp, and terrestrial insects were consumed in small quantities. Small beetles, moths, and other insects were caught in flight, whereas fish and terrestrial invertebrates were caught in a bats' feet. N. leporinus is both an aerial insectivore and piscivore, with a flexible foraging strategy that can adjust to local conditions and include terrestrial prey.
Optical Cavity Effects in ZnO Nanowire Lasers and Waveguides

Wide band gap semiconductor nanostructures with near-cylindrical geometry and large dielectric constants exhibit two-dimensional ultraviolet and visible photonic confinement (i.e., waveguiding). Combined with optical gain and suitable resonant feedback, the waveguiding behavior facilitates highly directional lasing at room temperature in controlled-growth nanowires. We have characterized the nanowire emission in detail with high-resolution optical microscopy. The waveguiding behavior of individual zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires depends on the wavelength of the emitted light and the directional coupling of the photoluminescence (PL) to the emission dipoles of the nanowire. Polarization studies reveal two distinct regimes of PL characterized by coupling to either guided (bound) or radiation modes of the waveguide, the extent of which depends on wire dimensions. Pumping with high pulse energy engenders the transition from spontaneous to stimulated emission, and analysis of the polarization, line width, and line spacing of the laser radiation facilitates identification of the transverse and longitudinal cavity modes and their gain properties. Interpretation of the lasing spectra as a function of pump fluence, with consideration of ZnO material properties and ultrafast excitation dynamics, demonstrates a transition from exciton (fluence 1 IJ/cm 2 ) and gain saturation behavior (fluence > 3 IJ/cm 2 ) modified by the constraints of the nanoscale cylindrical cavity.
Does fertility-specific distress vary by race/ethnicity among a probability sample of women in the United States?

This study explored whether fertility-specific distress varied by race/ethnicity among a nationally representative sample of US women. Participants were 2363 White (n = 1266), Black (n = 569), Hispanic (n = 453), and Asian (n = 51) women who participated in the National Survey of Fertility Barriers. Participants were given the Fertility-Specific Distress Scale and assessed for strength of pregnancy intent, primary versus secondary infertility, and socioeconomic hardship. Black women reported lower levels of fertility-specific distress than White women, but these were fully mediated by the strength of pregnancy intentions. Primary versus secondary infertility and economic hardship were not associated with fertility-specific distress.
DNA Repair Excision Nuclease Attacks Undamaged DNA A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF SPONTANEOUS MUTATIONS

Nucleotide excision repair is a general repair system that eliminates many dissimilar lesions from DNA. In an effort to understand substrate determinants of this repair system, we tested DNAs with minor backbone modifications using the ultrasensitive excision assay. We found that a phosphorothioate and a methylphosphonate were excised with low efficiency. Surprisingly, we also found that fragments of 23–28 nucleotides and of 12–13 nucleotides characteristic of human and Escherichia coliexcision repair, respectively, were removed from undamaged DNA at a significant rate. Considering the relative abundance of undamaged DNA in comparison to damaged DNA in the course of the life of an organism, we conclude that, in general, excision from and resynthesis of undamaged DNA may exceed the excision and resynthesis caused by DNA damage. As resynthesis is invariably associated with mutations, we propose that gratuitous repair may be an important source of spontaneous mutations.
Wavelet transforms for nonstationary signal processing

Signal processing and imaging of biomedical phenomena pose significant challenges, with one dominant issue being that biological processes are usually time varying and non- stationary. Many traditional processing approaches are derived on assumptions of statistical stationarity and linear time-invariant propagation channels, which are not valid assumptions for many biomedical problems. In this paper, continuous wavelet transforms are shown to be appropriate tools for characterizing linear time-varying systems and propagation channels and for processing wideband signals in non-stationary Gaussian noise. Wideband processing of signals allows for the processing to be limited by the scattering object's acceleration versus the more common techniques where the processing is limited by the scattering object's velocity. It is shown that the continuous wavelet transform of the output signal with respect to the input signal provides a correct system characterization for time-varying channels and non- stationary signals. Finally, an approach to removing even the wideband limitation of acceleration is presented. Possible biomedical applications of this approach include bloodflow velocimetry and heart motion monitoring.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
EarlyBird: Mobile Prefetching of Social Network Feeds via Content Preference Mining and Usage Pattern Analysis

Social networks are the most engaging applications on mobile devices, and they are becoming the main sources for users to consume content. However, content retrieval, especially for embedded links and multimedia, can often be too slow, too energy hungry or too expensive for on-the-go mobile users. To address these issues, we collect and analyze a large set of traces from over 6000 real-life users of a popular mobile Twitter client. Based on the unique challenges identified from our dataset, we present inference-based social network content prefetcher, Earlybird. It uses the specific signals unique to social data in order to retrieve news feeds and associated links and multimedia ahead of users' usage. Our regression-based content prediction model is able to estimate a user's likely content interests 55% of the time. Second, we develop a prefetch scheduling scheme to maximize delay reduction under users' resource constraints. For validation, we apply Earlybird to our collected dataset. We show that on average users can reduce their delays by 62% at the cost of no more than 3% battery and 40MB/month cellular data.
Football Increases the Risk for Lou Gehrig's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:

A recent report of a six-fold increase in prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease, in soccer players prompted a similar investigation in National Football League players in the United States. Using the internet, a retrospective analysis indicated 8 of the 3,891 players who played or debuted after 1960 had ALS, a prevalence of 206 per 100,000, a 40-fold higher prevalence rate than the rate of 5 per 100,000 in the general U.S. population (p<.001, binomial theorem). While no etiology for ALS has been established, the very high rate associated with professional football warrants further examination.
Improving the Quality of Colorectal Cancer Screening: Assessment of Familial Risk

Background Accuracy of familial risk assessment by endoscopists in determining colonoscopic screening and surveillance intervals is unknown.
Correlates of fear of cancer recurrence in women with ductal carcinoma in situ and early invasive breast cancer.

Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common and persistent concern among breast cancer survivors. Little is known about factors associated with FCR in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or early invasive breast cancer (EIBC). Women with first primary DCIS, or stages I–IIA breast cancer were prospectively enrolled in a quality-of-life study and completed interviews at 4–6 weeks, 6 months, and 2 years after definitive surgical treatment. In three stepwise multivariable linear regression models, including both time-independent and time-varying variables measured at each respective interview, we identified independent correlates of mean FCR scores (range 1–6) using four items from the Concern About Recurrence Scale (CARS) at 2-year follow-up. Of 506 disease-free patients at 2-year follow-up (mean [SD] age, 58 [10] years; 81% White; 34% DCIS), the average FCR score of 2.0 was low. However, 145 (29%) reported moderate-to-high levels of FCR (scores 3.0–6.0). All three models showed that younger age, stage IIA breast cancer (vs. DCIS), lower social support, and elevated anxiety were consistently associated with higher FCR at 2-year follow-up (each P < 0.05; final models R2 = 0.25–0.32). DCIS patients reported lower FCR than stage IIA patients (each P ≤ 0.01) but had similar FCR as stage I patients. Although mean FCR was low, 29% of DCIS and EIBC survivors reported moderate-to-high levels of FCR at 2-year follow-up. Management of anxiety, provision of social support, and patient education may help reduce FCR among DCIS and EIBC survivors, especially among younger survivors.
The place of political science in public choice

My topic is the role of political science in public choice. It may seem odd and superfluous to raise this topic for a subject mainly concerned, as public choice is, with governmental decisions and policy outcomes. But there is actually a reason for wondering about the role of political science. Public choice as a field draws on both political science and economics and is primarily concerned, as I see it, with descriptive and normative features of specific public policies. While both fields have traditionally had large normative components, normative economics has dealt more with outcomes, while normative politics has dealt more with constitutions. Hence, economics is immediately associated with public choice, while the significance of politics is less so. This is why it is appropriate to question the role of political science.
A micromethod for the differentiation of amino acid-specific sRNA molecules

Abstract A micromethod is described for the differentiation of amino acid-specific sRNA's by thin-layer chromatography. Specific rat liver and mouse P388 lymphocytic leukemia aminoacyl sRNA's were detected by autoradiography. Several spots were found for almost every aminoacyl sRNA chromatographed, and reproducible differences in chromatographic behavior were found between several amino acid-specific sRNA's from liver and leukemia cells.
Evaluation of radioactive potassium and its analogues for imaging myocardial infarcts.

An extensive clinical evaluation was undertaken to assess the value of myocardial infarct imaging with radioactive potassium and analogues. Of 130 patients so examined, 80 were diagnosed as having suffered infarcts in the recent or distant past on the basis of all information other than the scan. The radionuclide imaging results were abnormal in 87.5% overall, 97% in acute transmural infarcts, and 83% in lesions over 3 weeks old. In 50 patients not considered to have had myocardial infarcts or contusions, apparently false abnormal results were obtained in 15%. These were all patients in whom additional diagnostic help was desired after the ordinary laboratory tests and electrocardiograms. Excellent agreement of infarct location was discovered on comparing radionuclide scans with radiographic contrast ventriculography. On comparing electrocardiograms with scans for infarct location, 85% complete or partial correlation was revealed. Agreement between scan abnormalities and significant-appearing coronary arteriographic lesions was rather poor, causing one to realize that 43 K scan abnormalities indicate regions of poor blood extraction by old or recent infarcts, rather than just poor regional arterial perfusion. While costly, radionuclide scans often provide worth-while information about presence or absence of infarcts as well as about their location and size. Electrocardiograms and blood enzyme levels each cost less, but are almost always performed in serial fashion. This makes them actually more expensive than a single scan. Furthermore, a normal scan in a patient being considered for acute coronary care may be used as potent argument against the presence of an infarct, there by saving costly intensive care and monitoring.
Impact of the real median price of single-family homes on US internal net migration: an exploratory empirical note

This exploratory study investigates the impact of the real median price of single-family homes on US net internal migration flows over the 2000 to 2004 period. After allowing for factors such as the growth rate of GSP, the presence of hazardous waste sites, climate, the presence of state income taxes, and other factors, it is found that the rate of net state in-migration over the 2000 to 2004 period was negatively and significantly affected by higher real median prices on single-family homes, a finding consistent with the absence of ‘money illusion’.
A taxonomic revision of Paradoris sea slugs (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia, Doridina)

Paradoris, traditionally a generic taxon of discodorid sea slugs, is revised for the first time. One hundred and thirty specimens were examined, including all types and most of the nontype specimens available. New records for Paradoris are provided: South Africa, Tanzania, Seychelles, Western Australia, Thailand, Philippines, shallow waters of New Caledonia, southern Japan, and Hawaii. The individual variation of all taxonomic characters is thoroughly evaluated. Prior to the present study, Paradoris included 15 nominal species: 12 valid names and three synonyms. Three additional names, Discodoris erythraeensis, D. lora, and D. cavernae, are re-allocated to Paradoris, based on phylogenetic analysis. A phylogenetic diagnosis is provided for Paradoris: in particular, two new synapomorphies are described. Eight species names are regarded as valid: P. araneosa, P. dubia, P. erythraeensis, P. indecora, P. liturata, P. lopezi, P. mulciber, and P. tsurugensis. However, most of these species are poorly known, i.e. from very few specimens, and their taxonomic status might change when more individuals are available. P. lora is regarded as a nomen dubium. Six new synonymies are proposed, and explained by the fact that: (1) species names were created for one or a few specimens, without considering individual variation; (2) authors have not worked within a phylogenetic framework and have created new species names without considering all the existing species names already available within Paradoris. Three new morphospecies are described, but not formally named because their taxonomic status is still uncertain for several reasons (e.g. lack of knowledge of individual variation for some critical features). © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 147, 125–238.
Relations between electrostriction and the stress-optical effect

Relationships are obtained between the stress-optical constants and the electrostrictive coefficients of solid materials. These results, which are dependent upon the geometric boundary conditions, encompass the apparent differences in the relationships derived by different authors.
Cell-wall glucans of Cryptococcus neoformans Cap 67

Purified cell walls derived from Cryptococcus neofromans Cap 67, an acapsular mutant, consisted of 86% Glc and 7.3% GlcNAc. The integrity of the cell walls was disrupted in three successive extractions with 60% 4-methylmorpholine N-oxide (4-MMNO) at 120 degrees. Four 4-MMNO-soluble D-glucopyranans were isolated. Released within 0.5 h was water-insoluble Gi-1, followed by two water-soluble Gs fractions and water-insoluble Gi-2 over 17.5 h. A 4-MMNO-insoluble residue, containing 27% of GlcNAc, was also isolated. Gi-1 and Gi-2 were isolated as precipitates during dialysis of 4-MMNO extracts and were each reduced with NaBH4 to permit their investigation in alkaline solution. Gs-1 and Gs-2 were separated by ion-exchange chromatography of the water-soluble fractions. The structures of the D-glucopyranans were determined by 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy and by g.l.c.-mass spectrometry of their per-O-methylated derivatives. Gi-1 was a (1----3)-alpha-D-glucopyranan (97%) with some (1----4)-D-glucosidic linkages (3%) and no chain-branching. Gs-1 and Gs-2 were (1----6)-beta-D-glucopyranans branched at O-3 (10-12%) with beta-D-Glcp-(1----3)-beta-D-Glcp side chains. Gs-2 may have approximately 2% more chain branching than Gs-1. Gi-2 was a D-glucopyranan with 80% of its structure like that of Gi-1, and 20% like that of Gs-1 and -2; the water-insolubility of Gi-2 suggests that these structures were covalently linked. Almost identical D-glucopyranans were obtained from aged cultures that had thickened walls (as observed by electron microscopy).
Partial characterisation of the high and low molecular weight forms of P388D1-derived interleukin 1.

The murine macrophage-derived cell line P388D1 secretes the lymphokine inter-leukin 1 (IL-1) when stimulated by a variety of agents. When stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) the cells release IL-1 in both high and low molecular weight (m.w.) forms. The proportion of high m.w. IL-1 is reduced when IL-1-containing supernatants are concentrated by ammonium sulfate precipitation subsequent to hollow-fiber filtration. The high m.w. form can be converted to the low m.w. form by proteolysis, reduction and alkylation, or chromatography in a dissociating solvent. The low m.w. form remains as such, even when reconcentrated in fetal calf serum-containing medium. The high m.w. form thus likely consists of a complex between low m.w. IL-1 and another protein secreted by the P388D1 cell line.
Determination of low levels of 4-fluorophenylalanine incorporation into proteins.

Abstract This paper describes a rapid method for the determination of low levels of 4-fluorophenylalanine biosynthetically incorporated into proteins. Precolumn derivatization with phenylisothiocyanate followed by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography enables determination of the amino acid composition of the protein as well as accurate detection of a 1–3% substitution of phenylalanine by fluorophenylalanine.
Theoretical plastic stress-strain relationship of a polycrystal and the comparisons with the von Mises and the Tresca plasticity theories

Abstract A fine-grained aggregate of identical cubic blocks, each of which consists of sixty-four differently oriented crystals of cubic shape is loaded beyond the elastic limit. Each crystal is assumed to have one slip plane with three equally spaced slip directions. The concept of treating the plastic strain gradient as equivalent body force (similar to Duhamel's analogy of treating temperature gradient as equivalent body force) is applied to calculate stress field due to slip. Heterogeneous slip and stress fields of this aggregate are calculated from single crystal slip properties. The method given satisfies the condition of compatibility and of equilibrium, as well as the single crystal stress-strain relationship throughout the aggregate. From these slip and stress fields, the yield surfaces under combined tension and torsion loadings are calculated. The initial yield surface of this aggregate giving infinitesimal plastic strain is very close to Tresca theory, while the surface in stress space giving a finite initial measurable plastic strain agrees well with von Mises. This explains why the observed experimental initial yield surfaces agree better with the von Mises rather than the Tresca plasticity theory. The yield surface of this aggregate loaded in tension to about 70 per cent beyond the elastic limit was calculated and is found to have a vertex at the loading point.
An index classification of M-matrices

Abstract An M -matrix as defined by Ostrowski [5] is a matrix that can be split into A = sI − B , where s > 0, B ⩾ 0, with s ⩾ r ( B ), the spectral radius of B . Following Plemmons [6], we develop a classification of all M -matrices. We consider v , the index of zero for A , i.e., the smallest nonnegative integer n such that the null spaces of A n and A n +1 coincide. We characterize this index in terms of convergence properties of powers of s −1 B . We develop additional characterizations in terms of nonnegativity of the Drazin inverse of A on the range of A v , extending (as conjectured by Poole and Boullion [7]) the well-known property that A −1 ⩾0 whenever A is nonsingular.