cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative Farm-Gate Life Cycle Assessment of Oilseed Feedstocks in the Northern Great Plains

Second generation biofuel feedstocks such as carinata (Brassica carinata L. Braun) and camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) offer unique advantages over traditional bioenergy alternatives, such as canola (Brassica napus L.) or soybean (Glycine max L. Merr). As the global demand for food and livestock feed continues grow, the utility of canola and soybeans as a bioenergy resource is uncertain. This work focused on two oilseed alternatives for use as biofuel feedstocks across the semi-arid region of the Northern Great Plains. This analysis compared the geographic distribution of current yields, assessed the environmental impacts, and evaluated the energetic benefit of oilseed production at aggregated crop management zone levels through a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The average regional LCA results for environmental and energetic impacts for carinata and camelina compared favorably to canola and soybeans and were found to represent sustainable biofuel feedstock alternatives for the study region. The estimated climate change impact of carinata and camelina offered a substantial benefit over that of canola and soybeans. The regional results for freshwater and marine eutrophication potential and the net energy results of carinata and camelina also compared favorably to canola and soybeans. The most environmentally and energetically beneficial feedstock varied based on geographic location within the region. Soybeans tended to perform well in southeastern South Dakota, canola performed well in northeastern North Dakota, and camelina and carinata remained strong alternatives comparatively across the region.
Evaluating the size criterion for PI-RADSv2 category 5 upgrade: is 15 mm the best threshold?

The purpose of the study was to determine if the ≥ 15 mm threshold currently used to define PIRADS 5 lesions is the optimal size threshold for predicting high likelihood of clinically significant (CS) cancers. Three hundred and fifty-eight lesions that may be changed from category 4 to 5 or vice versa on the basis of the size criterion (category 4: n = 288, category 5: n = 70) from 255 patients were evaluated. Kendall’s tau-b statistic accounting for inter-lesion correlation, generalized estimation equation logistic regression, and receiver operating curve analysis evaluated two lesion size-metrics (lesion diameter and relative lesion diameter—defined as lesion diameter/prostate volume) for ability to identify CS (Gleason grade ≥ 3 + 4) cancer at targeted biopsy. Optimal cut-points were identified using the Youden index. Analyses were performed for the whole prostate (WP) and zone-specific sub-cohorts of lesions in the peripheral and transition zones (PZ and TZ). Lesion diameter showed a modest correlation with Gleason grade (WP: τB = 0.21, p < 0.0001; PZ: τB = 0.13, p = 0.02; TZ: τB = 0.32, p = 0.001), and association with CS cancer detection (WP: AUC = 0.63, PZ: AUC = 0.59, TZ: AUC = 0.74). Empirically derived thresholds (WP: 14 mm, PZ: 13 mm, TZ: 16 mm) performed similarly to the current ≥ 15 mm standard. Lesion relative lesion diameter improved identification of CS cancers compared to lesion diameter alone (WP: τB = 0.30, PZ: τB = 0.24, TZ: τB = 0.42, all p < 0.0001). AUC also improved for WP and PZ lesions (WP: AUC = 0.70, PZ: AUC = 0.68, and TZ: AUC = 0.74). The current ≥ 15 mm diameter threshold is a reasonable delineator of PI-RADS category 4 and category 5 lesions in the absence of extraprostatic extension to predict CS cancers. Additionally, relative lesion diameter can improve identification of CS cancers and may serve as another option for distinguishing category 4 and 5 lesions.
Multi-robot Coverage and Exploration in Non-Euclidean Metric Spaces

Multi-robot coverage and exploration is a fundamental problem in robotics. A widely-used, efficient and distributable algorithm for achieving coverage of a convex environment with Euclidean metric is that proposed by Cortes, et al., which is based on the discrete-time Lloyd’s algorithm. It is significantly difficult to achieve the same in non-convex environments and with non-Euclidean metrics. In this paper we generalize the control law based on minimization of the coverage functional to spaces that are inherently non-Euclidean and are punctured by obstacles. We also propose a practical discrete implementation based on standard graph search-based algorithms. We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed algorithm by solving efficient coverage problems on a sphere and exploration problems in highly non-convex indoor environments.
The Rhetorics of Takings Cases: It's Mine v. Let's Share

Regulatory takings cases originated in 1922 when Justice Holmes, in Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon, ruled that "while property may be regulated to a certain extent, if a regulation goes too far it will be recognized as a taking." This simple rule has resulted in over eighty years of case law that Carol Rose states has left takings law to "muddle along." While many legal scholars decry the incoherence and inconsistency of takings case law, this article provides a rhetorical analysis that explains the "muddle" as a result of rhetorical tensions between a Sophistic approach ("Let's Share") and an Aristotelian approach ("It's Mine"). Part One of this article develops the concept of kairos as right timing and due measure. It argues that takings cases inherently concern kairic questions because regulatory takings cases involve constantly changing rules, and the court must determine whether the rules have gone "too far" as to require being treated as a taking. As Holly Doremus and others have observed, regulatory takings cases are "fundamentally conflicts over legal transitions. They arise when the rules change, those changes are costly (in economic or other terms), and the people bearing the costs believe that they are being unfairly singled out. The problem is ... simply that the rules are different than they once were." Determining how to handle these changing rules involves considerations of kairos. Part Two develops the distinction between Let's Share and It's Mine rhetorics. Let's Share is the Sophistic rhetoric of possibility. Let's Share emphasizes kairos (or right timing), the future, and contingency. It's Mine is the Aristotelian rhetoric of actuality that focuses on chronos (or linear time), the past, and custom. While It's Mine focuses on custom (or precedent), Let's Share focuses on practical wisdom to solve problems arising from contingency. In addition to defining these competing rhetorics, Part Two discusses the parallels between Let's Share/It's Mine and the dichotomies described by Carol Rose and Laura Underkuffler. Rose's distinction between property as proper and property as utilitarian parallels the distinction between Let's Share and It's Mine. Likewise, Underkuffler's distinction between the operative conception of property and the common conception of property also parallels Let's Share and It's Mine rhetorics. Part Three of this article analyzes the competing rhetorics in the recent United States Supreme Court decision of Palazzolo v. Rhode Island. The Court's majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions display a tension between Let's Share and It's Mine rhetorics. I argue that these competing rhetorics provide an explanation for the "muddle" of takings jurisprudence. This analysis, based on concepts from ancient Greek rhetoric, provides a new way to view legal discourse and has the possibility of shaping how we think about takings jurisprudence.
Noninvasive Urine Biomarker Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Monitoring Active Onchocerciasis

The parasitic disease onchocerciasis is the second leading cause of preventable blindness, afflicting more than 18 million people worldwide. Despite an available treatment, ivermectin, and control efforts by the World Health Organization, onchocerciasis remains a burden in many regions. With an estimated 120 million people living in areas at risk of infection, efforts are now shifting from prevention to surveillance and elimination. The lack of a robust, point-of-care diagnostic for an active Onchocerca infection has been a limiting factor in these efforts. Previously, we reported the discovery of the biomarker N-acetyl-tyramine- O-glucuronide (NATOG) in human urine samples and its ability to track treatment progression between medicated patients relative to placebo; we also established its capability to monitor disease burden in a jird model. NATOG is a human-produced metabolite of tyramine, which itself is produced as a nematode neurotransmitter. The ability of NATOG to distinguish between active and past infection overcomes the limitations of antibody biomarkers and PCR methodologies. Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) diagnostics offer the versatility and simplicity to be employed in the field and are inexpensive enough to be utilized in large-scale screening efforts. Herein, we report the development and assessment of a NATOG-based urine LFIA for onchocerciasis, which accurately identified 85% of analyzed patient samples ( N = 27).
A comparison of two treatments for nematode infections in the Túngara frog, Engystomops pustulosus.

ABSTRACT Parasitic nematode infections pose a serious health threat to captive amphibian populations. This study compares the efficacy of ivermectin versus hygiene as treatments for nematode infection of the Tungara frog (Engystomops pustulosus). Each of the 24 animals was randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received a 2 mg/kg dose of ivermectin, and the other one received daily substrate changes. The differences between the two groups were found to be negligible, suggesting that adequate habitat maintenance might be sufficient to prevent infection by Strongyloides intestinal nematodes in the Tungara frog.
Tolerability, Safety, and Hemodynamics of Sacubitril-Valsartan in Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure Patients with Cardiogenic Shock

Introduction A recent randomized clinical study established the safety of the angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), sacubitril-valsartan (S/V), in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure after achieving hemodynamic stability. Transitioning patients in cardiogenic shock managed with pulmonary artery catheters directly from intravenous vasoactive (i.e. vasodilators or inotropes) drugs to S/V represents a potentially novel use for ARNIs. The tolerability and hemodynamic characteristics of S/V in patients with cardiogenic shock has not been previously established. Methods A single-center, retrospective analysis of all patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (EF Results Twenty-two patients in the CICUs with HFrEF were started on S/V. The baseline characteristics, pertinent lab values, and hemodynamic profile (CI, SVR), are presented (Image 1). Ninety-five percent (n=21) of patients were on either of sodium nitroprusside, milrinone, dobutamine, or a combination these agents, at the time of initiation. Seventy-seven percent (n=17/22) patients were discharged on S/V with improved hemodynamics (Image 1,2). Hypotension was the most common reason for discontinuation (n=4) however one patient had both acute kidney injury and hypotension (n=1); no patients had hyperkalemia or death (n=0) (Image 2). Two of five intolerant patients were initiated on moderate (49-51) dose S/V. Conclusions The novel use S/V as oral vasodilator therapy in patients with cardiogenic shock shows favorable hemodynamic impact and tolerability. Long term tolerability and outcomes are required.
Pediatric Fingertip Injuries: Association With Child Abuse

Purpose Pediatric fingertip injuries are most commonly reported in the setting of an accidental occurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association of child abuse and neglect with pediatric fingertip injuries. Methods The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (2004 to 2013) administrative database was used to identify children aged 0 to 12 years who presented in the inpatient or outpatient (emergency department or ambulatory surgery) setting. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes were used to identify fingertip injuries (amputation, avulsion, or crushed finger) and abuse. Cohort demographics of children presenting with fingertip injuries were described. We analyzed the association between fingertip injuries and child abuse using multivariable logistic regression, with variables for insurance status, race, ethnicity, sex, and behavioral risks including depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, aggressive behavior, and autism. Results Of the 4,870,299 children aged 0 to 12 years in the cohort, 79,108 patients (1.62%) during the study period (2004 to 2013) presented with fingertip injuries. Of those with a fingertip injury, 0.27% (n = 216) presented either at that visit or in other visits with a code for child abuse, compared with 0.22% of pediatric patients without a fingertip injury (n = 10,483). In an adjusted analysis, the odds of a fingertip injury were 23% higher (odds ratio [OR] = 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–1.41) for children who had been abused, compared with those who had not. Patients were more likely to present with fingertip injuries if they had ever had Medicaid insurance (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.37–1.42) or had a behavioral risk factor (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.30–1.40). Conclusions Patients presenting with abuse are significantly more likely to have fingertip injuries during childhood compared with those without recorded abuse, which suggests that these injuries may be ones of abuse or neglect. Medicaid insurance, white race, and behavioral diagnoses of depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, aggressive behavior, and autism were also associated with increased odds of presenting with fingertip injuries. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic III.
Retrospective Evaluation of Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Elderly, High-Risk Trauma Patients.

Abstract Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk increases with age. Scarce data exist for patients age ≥65 y. This study evaluated VTE incidence in elderly, high-risk trauma patients receiving unfractionated heparin (UFH) or enoxaparin chemoprophylaxis. Materials and methods This retrospective, single-center, cohort study included trauma patients age ≥ 65 y with risk assessment profile (RAP) ≥ 5 who received UFH or enoxaparin chemoprophylaxis. The primary outcome was VTE incidence requiring therapeutic anticoagulation. An age-modified RAP (RAP-AM) was calculated as RAP without age distribution points. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors for VTE development and chemoprophylactic agent selection. Bleeding incidence compared packed red blood cells utilized. Results A total of 1090 patients were included (UFH, n = 655; enoxaparin, n = 435). VTE occurred in 39 (3.6%) patients with no difference between groups in proximal deep vein thrombosis (2.1% versus 3.0%, P = 0.52) or pulmonary embolism (1.2% versus 1.4%, P = 0.96). Weight ≥125 kg (OR 4.12, 95% CI 1.06-16.11) and RAP-AM ≥ 5 (OR 6.52, 95% CI 2.65-16.03) were independently associated with VTE development. Increasing age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.03-1.06), initiation ≤ 24 h (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.66-2.84) and creatinine clearance ≤ 30 mL/min (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.17-2.21) were independent predictors of receiving UFH whereas increasing ISS (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99) was associated with receiving enoxaparin. Conclusions VTE incidence may be similar for high-risk, elderly trauma patients receiving UFH and enoxaparin chemoprophylaxis. Further research is necessary to determine noninferiority of UFH to enoxaparin in this patient population.
Classroom Behavior of Students With or At Risk of EBD: Student Gender Affects Teacher Ratings But Not Direct Observations:

As the field moves toward adaptive and individualized behavior intervention, it is important to identify and consider relevant student characteristics as potential levers (i.e., critical factors) f...
Thermally induced deformation of soils: A critical overview of phenomena, challenges and opportunities

Abstract Soils are continuously subjected to thermal loads – and thus to temperature variations – as a consequence of natural or anthropogenic perturbations that involve the transfer of heat. For example, several engineering applications exist in which soils undergo temperature variations over time scales that can vary and last from seconds to centuries. As temperature variations can critically influence the properties and behavior of soils, and consequently the performance of many engineering applications, the understanding of the response of such materials to thermal loads has warranted important scientific investigations over the past fifty years. Nevertheless, various fundamental questions remain unresolved regarding the response of soils subjected to thermal loads, particularly the thermally induced deformation of such materials. In this context, this paper presents a critical overview of compelling phenomena, challenges and opportunities which accompany the thermally induced deformation of soils. Through an analysis of distinguishing and contradicting phenomena characterizing the deformation of both fine-grained soils (e.g., clays and silts) and coarse-grained soils (e.g., sands) subjected to thermal loads, this study discusses various unresolved challenges and highlights scientific breakthroughs and engineering opportunities that can result from the expansion of current knowledge in this scope.
On the Stability of Deep-Seated Landslides. The Cases of Vaiont (Italy) and Shuping (Three Gorges Dam, China)

Deep-seated catastrophic landslides are among the most powerful natural hazards on earth. These devastating events are not possible to be prevented yet, because of their large volumes and sudden acceleration phase. The present study suggests a new method to detect when a landslide will turn unstable, giving both a time-window to evacuate the area that is going to be affected and critical values for measurable variables (velocity and basal temperature) up to which remediation measures can be deployed. This work focuses on large ancient landslides reactivated due to human interaction, like the construction of a dam in the vicinity of the landslide that causes water table variations and affects the stability of the landslide. The main hypothesis of this work is that most of the deformation of deep-seated landslides is concentrated on a thin, basal shear-band forming the sliding surface. That allows deep-seated landslides to be approximated as elastic/rigid blocks sliding over a viscoplastic shear band, featuring weak phases like expansive clays. When the landslide creeps, it causes friction in the shear band to raise the temperature and increase the pore pressure of the clays until they reach a point of near-zero friction and collapse catastrophically. This study deploys an energy-based approach, accounting for the heat generated due to friction, to find the critical point where the landslide turns unstable. The theoretical model consists in a stability analysis of the landslide using a pseudo-arclength continuation method. The model is applied to the famous Vaiont landslide in Northern Italy and Shuping landslide in Three Gorges Dam in China. The results of the model reproduce with great accuracy the behavior of both landslides, thus, finding the critical point of stability of the slide.
Medical Management and Prevention of Motor Complications in Parkinson’s Disease

Levodopa is the most effective medication for the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, over time, the clinical response to levodopa becomes complicated by a reduction in the duration and reliability of motor improvement (motor fluctuations) and the emergence of involuntary movements (levodopa-induced dyskinesia). Strategies that have been attempted in an effort to delay the development of these motor complications include levodopa sparing and continuous dopaminergic therapy. Once motor complications occur, a wide array of medical treatments is available to maximize motor function through the day while limiting dyskinesia. Here, we review the clinical features, epidemiology, and risk factors for the development of motor complications, as well as strategies for their prevention and medical management.
A Structured Peer Assessment Method with Regular Reinforcement Promotes Longitudinal Self-Perceived Development of Medical Students’ Feedback Skills

Given that training is integral to providing constructive peer feedback, we examined the impact of a regularly reinforced, structured peer assessment method on student-reported feedback abilities throughout a two-year preclinical Communication Skills course. Three consecutive 32-student medical school classes were introduced to the Observation-Reaction-Feedback method for providing verbal assessment during Year 1 Communication Skills orientation. In biweekly small-group sessions, students received worksheets reiterating the method and practiced giving verbal feedback to peers. Periodic questionnaires evaluated student perceptions of feedback delivery and the Observation-Reaction-Feedback method. Biweekly reinforcement of the Observation-Reaction-Feedback method encouraged its uptake, which correlated with reports of more constructive, specific feedback. Compared to non-users, students who used the method noted greater improvement in comfort with assessing peers in Year 1 and continued growth of feedback abilities in Year 2. Comfort with providing modifying feedback and verbal feedback increased over the two-year course, while comfort with providing reinforcing feedback and written feedback remained similarly high. Concurrently, student preference for feedback anonymity decreased. Regular reinforcement of a peer assessment framework can increase student usage of the method, which promotes the expansion of self-reported peer feedback skills over time. These findings support investigation of analogous strategies in other medical education settings.
Characterization of the indoor near-field and far-field aerosol transmission in a model commercial office building

Abstract To simulate the exposure potential of infectious aerosol such as SARS-CoV-2 in an office building setting, experimental studies for airborne particle transmission have been conducted in a model commercial office building at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The synthetic test aerosol particles had diameters similar to that of viral particles, in the nanometer size range of genetic fragments. Thus, the test aerosol provided a realistic representation of SARS-CoV-2 viral particle transmission. The study results, which are still being analyzed carefully at the present, suggest that in a door-closed single room setting, the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system can facilitate aerosol transmission, and 10 measuring points in a single room report the normalized concentration ranged from 0.45 – 0.66. Additionally, at a measuring point 6 feet away from the source, the aerosol concentration can reach a plateau normalized concentration of about 0.6 within 30 minutes. When interior doors were closed, aerosol particle transmission into adjacent rooms occurred through the building HVAC system, at a lower rate compared to the open-door scenario. If the interior doors were open, however, then the transmission into adjacent rooms depends on building indoor air movement and distance from the source. The building HVAC system provided an approximately less than 10% aerosol transmission rate, while transmission through a door opening can add up to 40% of transmission into adjacent rooms from the source location. Footnote This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan).
A Recurrent Neural Network Approach to Roll Estimation for Needle Steering

Steerable needles are a promising technology for delivering targeted therapies in the body in a minimally invasive fashion via controlled, actively steered insertions.
Autocracies in Asia: A Synthesized Theoretical Case-Study Comparing China's Success to North Korean Economic Decay

This paper reviews current theories in International Relations (IR) addressing China’s economic growth over the last 50 years and compares it to North Korea's slow economic decay. It also attempts to answer why most IR theorists were mostly unable to predict these events. The combination of these two pieces come together to form the IR theory created by the evidence presented in this paper. Liberalism, Realism, and Constructivism are introduced in this paper with main focus on Liberalism and Realism, as these are the theories most widely used throughout history to analyze global conflict and development; these have been frequently used to analyze and predict China’s economic changes. Then using up to date empirical data provided by nongovernmental organizations, this paper attempts to debunk these ‘traditional’ theories in favor of a more applicable, theory which can be applied to China and North Korea in the past, and thus used to predict China’s actions in the future. The newer theory is then backed up by evidence for both China and North Korea, again discrediting the two ‘data based’ theories and the individual ‘socially designed; theory.
Extrospection: Zen and the art of being posthuman in Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being

The rapid development of the field of Posthumanism is testament to the field’s importance for contemplating the crucial questions of how we might overcome the various shortcomings of humanism. Yet,...
Medical Examiner and Coroner Surveillance for Emerging Infections

This chapter describes the use of medical examiner or coroner (ME/C) data for public health surveillance, provides an overview of surveillance for fatal infectious conditions, and describes ongoing efforts aimed at identifying the most complete and accurate methods for incorporating ME/C-based autopsy data into state-based and national surveillance systems. In contrast to retrospective surveillance methods, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1994 began active surveillance for infectious disease with the establishment of the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) at four sites in the United States. Sections in the chapter discuss issues related to the incorporation of ME/Cs into the overall surveillance for infectious diseases, including those from bioterrorist attacks, and describe the potential advantages and limitations of this data source. In New Mexico, approximately 25% of autopsied natural deaths are infectious disease related. Because some of these deaths are caused by emerging infections, it is likely that ME/Cs could play an important role in surveillance for these conditions nationally. In recognition of this fact, CDC’s 1994 emerging infections plan identifies medical examiners as an important sentinel surveillance network. Any system that is implemented to conduct surveillance for acts of bioterrorism should involve medicolegal death investigators for several reasons. First, medical examiners and coroners may see cases of fatal unattended infections from acts of bioterrorism that other physicians, hospitals, or emergency rooms have not seen. Directing autopsy pathologists to search for emerging infections is not without some element of danger.
Voice-Timing Perception in Spanish Word-Initial Stops.

Abstract: We have shown in earlier work that speakers of Spanish differentiate voiced /bdg/ from voiceless /ptk/ in word-initial position by means of voice onset time (VOT), the temporal relation between the onset of glottal pulsing and acoustic features of supraglottal articulation. More recently, we demonstrated the perceptual efficacy of VOT for the three categories of Thai and the two of English that lie along the timing dimension. The two Spanish categories differ from those of English in that Spanish voiced stops are produced with VOT values that lead the consonant release, while voiceless stops show VOT upon release or immediately thereafter. In the present study, native speakers of Latin American Spanish identified stops synthesized with VOT varying in small steps. Their responses showed a fairly good fit between production and perception, differing from English in the expected direction. Some listeners also discriminated the variants in a psychoacoustic test format. The latter results, along with the earlier ones for English and Thai, suggest that discriminability is largely determined by language experience, although some subjects reveal considerable sensitivity to changes in the acoustic signal at some remove from the phonemic boundary.
Attorney Deceit Statutes: Promoting Professionalism Through Criminal Prosecutions and Treble Damages

Unbeknownst to many lawyers, numerous jurisdictions - including New York and California - have statutes on the books that single out lawyers who engage in deceit or collusion. In nearly all of these jurisdictions, a lawyer found to have engaged in deceit or collusion faces criminal penalties and/or civil liability in the form of treble damages. Until recently, these attorney deceit statutes have languished in obscurity and, through a series of restrictive readings of the statutory language, have been rendered somewhat irrelevant. However, in 2009, the New York Court of Appeals breathed new life into New York’s attorney deceit statute through its decision in Amalfitano v. Rosenberg. This Article discusses the extent to which, in this age of widespread distrust of the legal profession, this type of external regulation of the legal profession is a desirable approach. The Article concludes that although the utility of existing attorney deceit statues is undermined by the broadness of the language, the symbolism of the statutes is important. By relying on the development of tort law to address the same subject matter, courts can achieve the same educational and symbolic goals while dealing with attorney deceit on a more practical basis.
A POLITICAL QUAGMIRE WITHIN THE OKLAHOMA WINE INDUSTRY

The history of viticulture and vinification in Oklahoma began in the early 1890's. As time passed and Oklahoma achieved statehood in 1907, the stipulations laid down within the newly constructed state constitution forbade wineries from selling their products to anyone. In 1918, the United States (U.S.) created a prohibition on alcohol that would permeate all alcohol-related industries. In 1933, Prohibition ended nationally and many alcohol-related industries reopened. It was not until 1959, however, that Oklahoma repealed prohibition. Stagnated for the next forty years because they still could not sell their products right from the source, the grape growers and wine makers stepped forward in 1999 to urge Oklahoma legislators to change the Oklahoma statutes and allow wineries to sell/ship their products directly. ln 2000, the Oklahoma populace voted to change the Oklahoma statutes. Roadblocks, however, continue to arise and hamper the growth of the industry in the state.
Revolution or evolution?: The role of knowledge and organization in the establishment and growth of R & D at Corning

The rise of R & D, as it is usually told, is a story of revolution: that the coming of science to industry wiped away the irrational patterns of invention and ruthless competition and ushered in a ...
Iron Bioavailability and Redox Activity in Diverse Carbon Nanotube Samples

The ultimate success of many nanotechnologies will depend on our ability to understand and manage nanomaterial health risks. Carbon nanotubes are now primarily fabricated by catalytic routes and typically contain significant quantities of transition metal catalyst residues. Iron-catalyzed free-radical generation has been hypothesized to contribute to oxidative stress and toxicity upon exposure to ambient particulate, amphibole asbestos fibers, and single-wall carbon nanotubes. A key issue surrounding nanotube iron is bioavailability, which has not been systematically characterized, but is widely thought to be low on the basis of electron microscope observations of metal encapsulation by carbon shells. Here, we validate and apply simple acellular assays to show that toxicologically significant amounts of iron can be mobilized from a diverse set of commercial nanotube samples in the presence of ascorbate and the chelating agent ferrozine. This mobilized iron is redox active and induces single-strand breaks ...
Estimates of natural allosperm storage capacity and self-fertilization rate in the hermaphroditic freshwater pulmonate snail, Physa acuta

Summary Previous estimates of allosperm storage capacities and self-fertilization rates in pulmonate snails have been derived almost exclusively from laboratory mating experiments. Here we report observations on a single adult albino Physa acuta collected from a natural pond in Charleston, South Carolina. Cultured in isolation from August 2002 until its death in February, this individual laid an average of 78.3 eggs per week (s.e.m. = 6.2), with a hatching success of 35.1% and an overall frequency of albino (putatively selfed) offspring of 6.4%. We found no evidence of reduced fecundity, reduced offspring viability, or increased self-fertilization over 20 weeks of observation, suggesting that stores of allosperm at no time approached exhaustion. We suggest that self-fertilization in primarily outcrossing populations of pulmonate snails may not be an adaptation, but rather may be a consequence of inefficiency in the mechanism sorting autosperm from allosperm.
The Phantom Plateau Returns

The question of whether learning curves of such cognitive-motor skills as typing and telegraphic transmission typically show plateaus where presumably subskills are being consolidated has been a matter of controversy. Reinforcement theorists argue that learning occurs steadily if equal amounts of reinforcement are applied to equal amounts of material. However, feedback control theory suggests that a complex skill involves a hierarchy of perceptual variables each level comprising the components of the next level. Plateaus should be expected where a subject must master a task one level at a time. 30 subjects were tested on a computerized “game” containing a three-level hierarchical task. Not all subjects showed plateaus. Verbalizations of the subjects during the task suggested that a crucial difference was in whether the subject worked systematically on one level before attending to the next variable. Among subjects who achieved genuine solutions mathematics and physics students used fewer trials than anthr...
Social conditioning and dominance in male betta splendens.

Abstract To determine whether social conditioning modifies relative dominance in the Siamese fighting fish ( Betta splendens ), individual fish were matched for gill cover erection frequency (GCEF) to a mirror. One member of each pair experienced a series of four winning encounters (dominants) while the other of the pair experienced four losing encounters (subordinates). After the fighting experience, matched pairs were placed together and aggressive responses of both fish were recorded. Fish experiencing wins displayed significantly more and were more aggressive than fish experiencing losses which showed significantly higher levels of avoidance. However, no change in mirror GCEF occurred as a result of differential experience.
Germination Ecophysiology of the Mesic Deciduous Forest Herb Polemonium reptans var. reptans (Polemoniaceae)

Seeds of Polemonium reptans var. reptans, a perennial herb of mesic deciduous forests in eastern North America, mature in late May-early June, and a high percentage of them are dormant. Seeds afterripened (came out of dormancy) during summer when kept in a nylon bag under leaves in a nonheated greenhouse or on wet soil in a 30/15°C incubator. The optimum temperature for germination of nondormant seeds was a simulated October (20/10°C) regime. In germination phenology studies in the nonheated greenhouse, 20–30% of the seeds that eventually germinated did so in October, and the remainder germinated the following February and March. Since low (5°C) winter temperatures promote some afterripening (ca. 50%) and do not cause nondormant seeds to re-enter dormancy, seeds that fail to germinate in autumn may germinate in spring. Thus, the taxon has very little potential to form a persistent seed bank. The large spatulate embryos and ability of seeds to afterripen at high temperatures means that seeds of P. reptans var. reptans have nondeep physiological dormancy, unlike many herbaceous woodland species, which have morphophysiological dormancy.
Masseter muscle activity in denture wearers with superior and poor masticatory performance.

A cross-sectional study tested the hypothesis that denture wearers with superior and poor chewing ability use similar masseter muscle effort and biting forces during mastication. Masticatory performance tests on the preferred chewing side and swallowing threshold tests were conducted with peanuts and carrots in 70 denture wearers, 35 with superior (SP) ( 46.3%) and 35 with poor (PP) ( 30.7%) masticatory performance. Right and left masseter muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded during the masticatory tests and peak bite force during chewing was estimated from the bite force—EMG ratios on guided maximal biting trials. Bite force under maximal pressure did not differ significantly between the two groups. Neither the total mean EMG activity of the preferred and nonpreferred side masseter muscles nor the mean peak biting forces exerted by the two groups differed significantly ( p p
Racial differences in surgeons and hospitals for endometrial cancer treatment.

PURPOSE To determine whether (1) black and white women with endometrial cancer were treated by different surgical specialties and in different types of hospitals and (2) differences in specialty and hospital type contributed to racial differences in survival. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of 12,307 women aged 65 years and older who underwent surgical treatment of endometrial cancer between 1991 and 1999 in the 11 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results registries. RESULTS Black women were more likely to have a gynecologic oncologist to perform their surgery and to be treated at hospitals that were higher volume, larger, teaching, National Cancer Institute centers, urban, and where a greater proportion of the surgeries were performed by a gynecologic oncologist. In unadjusted models, black women were over twice as likely as white women who died because of cancer (hazards ratio [HR]: 2.33), but nearly all of the initial racial difference in survival was explained by differences in cancer stage, and grade as well as age and comorbidities at presentation (adjusted HR: 1.10). Surgical specialty was not associated with survival and, of the hospital characteristics studied, only surgical volume was associated with survival (P < 0.005). Adjusting for hospital characteristics did not change the racial difference in survival (HR: 1.10). Adjustment for the specific hospital where the woman was treated eliminated the association between race and surgeon specialty and slightly widened the residual racial difference in survival (HR: 1.23 vs. 1.10). CONCLUSIONS In contrast to several studies suggesting that blacks with breast cancer, colon cancer, or cardiovascular disease are treated in hospitals with lower quality indicators, black women diagnosed with endometrial cancer in Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results regions between 1991 and 1999 were more likely to be treated by physicians with advanced training and in high volume, large, urban, teaching hospitals. However, except for a modest association with hospital surgical volume, these provider and hospital characteristics were largely unrelated to survival for women with endometrial cancer. The great majority of the difference in survival was explained by differences in tumor and clinical characteristics at presentation.
Increases in cytosolic Ca2+ accompany basophil activation by eosinophil granule major basic protein

The response of basophil cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) to stimulation by eosinophil granule major basic protein (MBP) was assessed using digital video microscopy. MBP stimulated an elevation in basophil [Ca2+]i that, in general, developed slowly and increased monotonically. In some experiments, however, the average rise in [Ca2+]i was biphasic, with an initial transient increase followed by a larger and more sustained elevation. At the single cell level MBP stimulation caused frequent, asynchronous oscillations in [Ca2+]i that ranged up to 300 nM in amplitude. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ selectively blocked the second, sustained rise in [Ca2+]i as well as MBP-induced histamine release. Within individual experiments, the increase in [Ca2+]i paralleled the level of histamine release. These results demonstrate that, unlike the activation of neutrophils or eosinophils, basophil activation by MBP correlates with an elevation in [Ca2+]i. Further, the MBP induced [Ca2+]i response exhibits several features in common with the IgE-mediated [Ca2+]i response.
Accuracy Analysis Of A Laser/Camera Based 3-D Measurement System

An increasingly common technique for extracting three-dimensional (3-D) information for robotics and automation involves a camera and laser spot projector. This paper presents an analysis of the accuracy of the 3-D measurement using this approach. The sources of error are assumed to arise from limited precision of the camera and imperfect system calibration. The resultant error function relates the system accuracy to both internal camera and external system geometry. For a typical system configuration, utilizing solid state cameras, data show that internal camera parameters have negligible effect on the system accuracy. The greatest determinant of system performance is the system alignment. This is followed closely by the camera orientation angle.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Application of perturbed chain equation-of-state to solid–liquid equilibria: I. Pure component

Abstract A perturbed chain equation-of-state was applied to the solid-fluid equilibria (SFE) of Lennard–Jones (LJ) chains and of n-alkanes with carbon number of 4–32. Results for the LJ chains were reasonable and consistent. The model was able to accurately correlate the SFE of the n-alkanes using parameters that represent segment size, chain length, and intermolecular interaction. Parameters regressed from the n-alkanes varied smoothly and consistently with carbon number. A repulsive exponent in Mie's potential of 40 was found to be optimal. This work sets-up extension of the pure-component model to mixtures.
An efficient algorithm for testing the quality of the output of random number generators

Abstract This paper presents an efficient method and a computer program utilizing Walsh functions to test the quality of the output of a random number generator. The computer program is written in ZBasic and consists of six segments: (1) PMMLCG RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR FUNCTION — This segment defines the portable Prime Modulus Multiplicative Linear Congruential Generator that is used as part of the Composite Sherif Dear (CSD) Random Number Generator, which is under study and testing in this paper; (2) INITIAL VARIABLE INPUT/HEADER OUTPUT — This segment requests user input for the experiment and prepares the output file with header information; (3) CSD RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR SAMPLES — This segment generates multiple samples of the CSD Random Number Generator each with the desired sample size. The generated values are offset by 0·5; (4) DETERMINE THE WALSH TRANSFORM — This segment determines the Walsh Transform using a Manz Sequency Ordered In-Place Algorithm for the given sample; (5) DETERMINE THE KOLMOGOROV-SMIRNOV SAMPLE STATISTIC — This segment computes the Kolmogorov-Smirnov sample statistic on the scaled Walsh Transform; (6) SAMPLING COMPLETE-SUMMARIZE RESULTS — This segment summarizes the results for all samples and places the results into an output file. The Walsh functions based test shows that the output of the (CDS) random number generator satisfies the criteria of good random number generators.
23Na‐nmr investigations of counterion exchange reactions of helical DNA

Changes in Δν½, the nmr linewidth of 23Na, have been determined during titrations of helical DNA with polyamines (divalent putrescine and trivalent spermidine) and with inorganic cations (Mg2+ and Co(NH3)). In each case additions of a multivalent cation (Mz+) to a solution containing NaDNA and NaCl cause decreases in Δν½, which is a population-weighted average of contributions from nuclei in bound and free environments. Thus, the binding of Mz+ to DNA displaces sodium ions from regions where the quadrupolar relaxation of 23Na is relatively efficient. At a given extent of titration, the binding of a polyamine produces a smaller decrease in Δν½ than does the binding of an inorganic ion of the same valence. The concentration dependence of Δν½ during the course of a titration can be interpreted most simply as a two-state ion-exchange reaction by assuming that the binding of Mz does not alter RB, the average relaxation rate of sodium nuclei that remain bound. On the basis of this assumption, the initial linear portions of titration curves can be analyzed to determine upper bounds for r°, the number of sodium ions bound per DNA phosphate in the absence of any competing counterion. Analyzing the titration curves for the four multivalent competitors leads to a range of upper-bound estimates for r°: 0.5–0.8. The differences in these estimates could indicate that polyamines displace fewer sodium ions from DNA than do their smaller inorganic counterparts. Alternatively, the range in upper-bound estimates for r° could also reflect specific differences in the effects of the various multivalent cations on RB, if this relaxation rate does change during titration.
Risk of continued intravesical therapy and delayed cystectomy in BCG-refractory superficial bladder cancer: an investigational approach.

Abstract Objectives. To assess the risk of continued intravesical therapy and delayed cystectomy in the management of superficial bladder cancer refractory to bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 24 patients who underwent an experimental intravesical treatment with BCG plus interferon alpha-2b or valrubicin for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. All patients had Stage Tis and/or T1 transitional cell carcinoma and had failed multiple prior courses of intravesical therapy, including at least one course of BCG. Results. Patients were followed up for a median of 28.5 months (range 6 to 48). One patient died of unrelated disease. All other patients were alive at last follow-up. Fourteen patients with preserved bladder were continuing cystoscopic surveillance: four had no recurrence, five had recurrence limited to the mucosa (Ta or Tis) and became free of disease after an additional course of intravesical therapy, and five had recurrent Ta or Tis or positive cytologic findings. The remaining 9 patients underwent radical cystectomy. All pathologic specimens showed no evidence of progression to muscle-invasive disease. Tis of the resected ureters in 6 and involvement of the prostate in 4 of the 9 patients (three in the urethral ducts and glands and one in the prostatic stroma) were noted. Conclusions. A select group of patients with BCG-refractory transitional cell carcinoma and a poor surgical risk for cystectomy may benefit from continued intravesical therapy without a significant risk of progression. However, a cautious approach to this treatment modality is recommended, and very close follow-up is necessary to detect bladder recurrences and involvement of the upper tract and prostatic urethra.