cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE FEW CHARGED PARTICLE PROBLEM IN ATOMIC PHYSICS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses few charged particle problems in atomic physics. Calculations of energy levels, where the Rayleigh–Ritz variational principle can be employed, are extremely accurate for one-center problems but are not quite so accurate for two-center problems. The energies discussed in the chapter are the bound state energies of the electrons for fixed locations of one, two, or three massive centers of positive charge. The objective is to obtain these energies ab initio, directly from the Hamiltonian without any appeal to empirical information. As is well known, in the multicenter case, these energies are the effective interaction potentials for the motions of the massive particles in the fields of the other massive particles and associated electron clouds, and once the electronic energies for fixed nuclear locations are known, computation of the actual bound state energies taking into account the nuclear motion is comparatively easy. It has been shown that the smallness parameter measuring the validity of this two-stage method for finding the physical bound state energies is the fourth root of the ratio of the light and heavy masses.
XPlacer: Automatic Analysis of Data Access Patterns on Heterogeneous CPU/GPU Systems

This paper presents XPlacer, a framework to automatically analyze problematic data access patterns in C++ and CUDA code. XPlacer records heap memory operations in both host and device code for later analysis. To this end, XPlacer instruments read and write operations, function calls, and kernel launches. Programmers mark points in the program execution where the recorded data is analyzed and anomalies diagnosed. XPlacer reports data access anti-patterns, including alternating CPU/GPU accesses to the same memory, memory with low access density, and unnecessary data transfers. The diagnostic also produces summative information about the recorded accesses, which aids users in identifying code that could degrade performance.The paper evaluates XPlacer using LULESH, a Lawrence Livermore proxy application, Rodina benchmarks, and an implementation of the Smith-Waterman algorithm. XPlacer diagnosed several performance issues in these codes. The elimination of a performance problem in LULESH resulted in a 3x speedup on a heterogeneous platform combining Intel CPUs and Nvidia GPUs.
Repeated sinus CT imaging after recent head imaging.

Abstract Objectives Excessive use of sinus CT is a significant problem in medical imaging, resulting in unnecessary costs and radiation exposure. This study assesses frequency of sinus CT performed after recent head imaging has already adequately evaluated the sinuses. Methods A retrospective search of the PACS database of an academic medical center was performed to identify cases of sinus CT imaging in 2017. Cases were excluded if sinus CT was performed related to trauma, tumor, operative evaluation, or acute infection other than sinusitis (orbital cellulitis, intracranial abscess). Studies with separate imaging covering the sinuses ordered at the same time as sinus CT or performed previously within 4 weeks were identified and clinical information was recorded. Results Of 735 sinus CTs performed, 19 (5%) had same-day head imaging and 30 (8%) had previous head imaging within 4 weeks, adding up to a cumulative 13% of cases with recent head imaging. The average patient age was 42, with 13 pediatric cases. Of ordering providers, residents ordered the highest percentage of sinus CTs with same-day head imaging (84%) and previous imaging within 4 weeks (63%). The sinuses were described in all head CT radiology reports, while 10 of 12 brain MRI reports did not mention the sinuses. Conclusion In one year, 13% of patients receiving sinus CTs at our institution had recent head imaging. A focused education effort for ordering providers to avoid repeating sinus imaging, and for radiology to comment on sinuses on head imaging, may reduce unnecessary sinus CTs.
Open code biometric tap pad for smartphones

Abstract Poor security practices among smartphone users, such as the use of simple, easily guessed passcodes for logins, are a result of the effort required to memorize stronger ones. In this paper, we devise a concept of “open code” biometric tap pad to authenticate smartphone users, which eliminates the need of memorizing secret codes. A biometric tap pad consists of a grid of buttons each labeled with a unique digit. The user attempting to log into the phone will tap these buttons in a given sequence. He/she will not memorize this tap sequence. Instead, the sequence will be displayed on the screen. The focus here is how the user types the sequence. This typing behavior is used for authentication. An open code biometric tap pad has several advantages, such as (1) users do not need to memorize passcodes, (2) manufacturers do not need to include extra sensors, and (3) onlookers have no chance to practice shoulder-surfing. We designed three tap pads and incorporated them into an Android app. We evaluated the performance of these tap pads by experimenting with three sequence styles and five different fingers: two thumbs, two index fingers, and the “usual” finger. We collected data from 33 participants over two weeks. We tested three machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Machine, Artificial Neural Network, and Random Forest. Experimental results show significant promise of open code biometric tap pads as a solution to the problem of weak smartphone security practices used by a large segment of the population.
Recurrent and Residual ATOS

Recurrent ATOS is uncommon and can be limb threatening. Its causes include, failure to recognize arterial pathology when excising cervical or anomalous first ribs, failure to recognize an abnormal rib when repairing subclavian artery pathology, thrombosis of a subclavian artery or a previous arterial repair, and development of stenosis in a previously repaired artery. Patients may present with arm and hand claudication or acute upper limb ischemia caused by graft thrombosis or distal emboli.
Post-Ipo Governance: Venture Capitalists' Role in Real Options Exercise Decisions

One important role of corporate governance is to ensure that real options are exercised in the interest of the shareholders. This paper explores whether and how this can be achieved in start-up firms by the venture capitalist retaining a post-IPO equity stake. Our setting is a firm whose future prospects are uncertain and strategic choices remain to be made. The payoff to entrepreneur and shareholders will be asymmetric across the different strategies, leading to the agency problem of suboptimal exercise of options. We derive VC's optimal post-IPO stake under symmetric information and show that this mechanism can alleviate the agency issue. Specifically, VC should only retain a stake for firms with poor prospects and exit fully otherwise. Under asymmetric information, however, VC's of the firms with good prospects have no other way to signal to the public than to retain the stake until the information is revealed. Conversely, VCs may fully exit firms with poor prospects, leading to adverse selection. Finally, although very large equity positions held by the entrepreneur can eliminate the conflict of interest, initial wealth constraints would prevent such situations. When the entrepreneur holds equity stakes insufficient to eliminate agency problem the agency problem is exacerbated.
Epidemiology of Enzootic Pneumonia in Minnesota Dairy Calves

Enzootic calf pneumonia (ECP) is one clinical manifestation of the bovine respiratory disease complex. Enzootic calf pneumonia results from a complex interaction between environmental factors, host factors, and infectious agents. The financial losses that result from ECP occur due to death loss, treatment cost, and decreased lifetime milk production. Calves that have experienced ECP have been shown to be at increased risk of culling once in the milking herd when compared to herdmates of the same age(1). Experimental studies involving the infectious agents themselves have been performed(2-9), as well as retrospective(10-16) and cohort studies(17-22). None of the current epidemiologic research has specifically targeted ECP, either through assessment of ventilation or laboratory sampling to validate morbidity or mortality.
Porous media flow field for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract This chapter will focus on a novel flow field for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells in which gaseous recants are distributed through a porous media network instead of hollow flow channels. Several high porosity porous media have been investigated, including metal/carbon foam materials, 3D fine mesh, etc., when compared with conventional channel-rib flow field, all have shown promising performance with significantly reduced concentration loss, better uniform distributions of gas/liquid flow, heat transfer, current density, thermal and water management, and more stable operation. Material properties, such as pore structure, permeability, and heat transfer coefficient, and important phenomena, such as gas/liquid two-phase flow, heat transfer, and electric conduction are summarized for porous media flow fields. In addition, the numerical and experimental investigations on the influence of porous media flow fields on cell performance are also reviewed in detail. Volume-of-fluid (VOF), mixture (M2), and two-fluid models have been developed to investigate two-phase flow and reactant transport, and material property’s impacts. Full porous media flow field morphology in the PEM fuel cell full model, which involves 20 million grids, is used to show pore-level flows and impacts on fuel cell performance. Major concerns, such as high-pressure drop, water removal, and metal material degradation, are explained.
In vivo interaction of von Willebrand factor with platelets following cryoprecipitate transfusion in platelet-type von Willebrand's disease

Previous studies performed in vitro have indicated that platelets from patients with platelet-type von Willebrand's disease (vWD) have receptors for von Willebrand factor (vWF) already exposed on their surfaces and that the addition of purified vWF or cryoprecipitate to patient platelet-rich plasma under stirring conditions is capable of inducing platelet aggregation and secretion. The present work reports the results of the transfusion of cryoprecipitate in a patient with platelet-type vWD. It is shown that, while factor VIII-related antigen and ristocetin cofactor activities maintain elevated levels for up to 12 hr following transfusion, the highest molecular weight vWF multimers decline rapidly. The platelet count also declines, followed in turn by a rise in the plasma level of platelet factor 4. Shortening of the bleeding time occurs only very transiently. The results of this study provide direct evidence that, in patients with platelet-type vWD, an abnormal interaction of their platelets with plasma vWF occurs in vivo, resulting in the absence of high molecular weight vWF multimers, low platelet counts, and impaired hemostasis that are characteristic of this disease.
SINUS ARRHYTHMIA I. Data and Patterns from Groups of Individuals Followed from I Month to 23 Years of Age

Though there are many comments on respiratory sinus arrhythmia in articles and textbooks, there have been surprisingly few data collected. We have presented data from 4,096 electrocardiograms of 199 healthy individuals on pulse rate, range (max. difference in cycle length), and frequency index (range/mean cycle lengthx100). Pulse rates for this group, though not as low as those taken under basal conditions, 32 show generally lower values with a greater variation than those often reported. 30,31 The girls have higher pulse rates than the boys as a group after the age of 6 years. Sinus arrhythmia defined as a range of 0.16 seconds or more is present under a year of age in both sexes. The range increases to a maximum between 8 and 12 years and only the 75th and 90th percentiles for boys show a definite decrease after this. Of 81 individuals from whom we have records from the ages of at least 8 years through 17 years, only one boy and one girl do not at some time show a range of 0.16 seconds or more. The values for the frequency index (defined in text) we obtained were higher than those of Landtman. 19 The girls show higher values than the boys after the age of 12 years for the 75th and 90th percentiles because of their higher range and higher pulse rate. From a study of individuals over a number of years, we find that there is a strong negative association between range and pulse rate and a definite though less strong negative association between range and P-R interval. Siblings show marked similarities in their group position for pulse rate, sinus arrhythmia (range), and P-R interval. The influence of variation in tidal volume and respiratory rate on sinus arrhythmia (range) was investigated. The results show that there is usually an increase in range with increase in tidal volume but a variable response to respiratory rate changes. Rapid respiratory rates decrease sinus arrhythmia (range) probably by the increase in pulse rate from the greater work involved, though changes in CO 2 tension of the blood might also be important. From studying the effect of breath-holding on sinus arrhythmia we find that slowing usually occurs 3 to 6 heart beats after the increase in rate which is associated with inspiration, and occurs with expiration only by coincidence. The amount of slowing is not related to the time of expiration.
Cloning of cDNA for DARPP-32, A Dopamine- and Cyclic AMP- Regulated Neuronal Phosphoprotein

A cDNA clone for the mRNA of bovine DARPP-32 (dopamine- and adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate-regulated phosphoprotein, Mr = 32,000) was isolated from a modified Okayama-Berg plasmid library. Transformed Escherichia coli colonies were screened by in situ colony hybridization with 2 different oligonucleotide probes corresponding to a region unusually rich in glutamate within the protein. Three positive clones were isolated and shown to encode DARPP-32 by an in situ immunoblot assay of their fusion protein products with beta-galactosidase. The results of the sequence analysis of the longest cDNA clone, pTKD7 (1771 nucleotides), revealed a 606-nucleotide-long coding region, in exact agreement with the bovine DARPP-32 amino acid sequence (Williams et al., 1986). Southern blot analysis of total bovine genomic DNA showed that there is a single gene coding for DARPP-32. Northern blot analysis of caudate nucleus RNA using antisense RNA derived from the clone pTKD7 demonstrated the existence of 2 abundant mRNA species, corresponding to 1.8 and 1.65 kilobase in length. The high concentration of DARPP-32 mRNAs in the caudate nucleus is in agreement with the known distribution of this protein.
Comments on ALRC Discussion Paper 79, Copyright and the Digital Economy

We provide these comments in connection with the Australian Law Reform Commission’s ongoing study of copyright and the digital economy, and in particular its request for comments on the recommendations put forth in its Discussion Paper 79 (June 2013). We focus on US law, and how the US experience bears on the possibility of an open-ended uncompensated "fair use" type exception in Australia, and other related issues. The fair use doctrine in the US provides great flexibility, but that flexibility in many instances comes at the cost of certainty and predictability. We are not suggesting that reasonable judgments cannot be made about whether a particular use is fair; certainly experienced practitioners make such judgments daily. But fair use decisions are often complicated, and advice frequently depends as much on the amount of risk the user is willing to undertake as it does on the evaluation of the substantive law. Our point is not that fair use caselaw absolutely resists synthesis, but rather that the synthesis most successfully occurs at a high level of abstraction; individual actors, by contrast, need to know whether their particular plans will run afoul of the law. Legal literature has seen many attempts over the years to simplify or clarify fair use, both descriptive and prescriptive. But it would be premature to conclude that the law of fair use is or soon will be coherent and predictable. Guidelines could theoretically help in interpreting fair use, but the weight and value of guidelines depends on how they were developed.The ALRC Discussion Paper’s proposals could result in a broader fair use doctrine in Australia than in the US. Notably, fair use in Australia, as in the US, would exempt certain uses without countervailing compensation. But the proposed Australian version may embrace a greater range of commercial actors, thus altering the balance. The proposals include additional illustrative purposes; they would also permit commercial users to stand in the shoes of clients entitled to exceptions. The ALRC also proposes that contracts or contract provisions that attempt to bargain around library exceptions and certain fair use exceptions would be unenforceable. In the US, contracts concerning copyrighted materials are usually upheld. As a general rule, contract preemption does not serve to invalidate contract provisions that limit the exercise of copyright exceptions, and the doctrine of copyright misuse does so only in the most egregious of cases.Finally, in the US there is no exemption from anti-circumvention of technological access controls for such broad purposes as "exercising fair use" or "making noninfringing use." Certain narrow fair uses have been deemed exceptions pursuant to a triennial rulemaking conducted by the Copyright Office, but those exceptions must be revisited every three years.
Differential proteomics identifies PDIA3 as a novel chemoprevention target in human colon cancer cells

Chemoprevention offers a promising strategy to prevent or delay the development of various cancers. Critical to this approach is the identification of molecular targets that may track with chemopreventive efficacy. To address this issue, we screened a panel of chemoprevention agents, including resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, ursodeoxycholic acid, and sulindac sulfide for their effects on human colon cancer cell viability. Resveratrol elicited the most potent effect in HCT116 cells and was selected for further study. Proteomic PF 2D maps were generated from HCT116 cells treated with resveratrol versus vehicle alone. Analysis of proteomic maps using tandem mass spectrometry (MS) identified a panel of differentially modified proteins. Two proteins, actin and Hsp60, were previously shown in other cell culture systems to be affected by resveratrol, validating our approach. PDIA3, RPL19, histone H2B and TCP1β were uniquely identified by our proteomic discovery platform. PDIA3 was of particular interest given its potential role in regulating chemosensitivity of cancer cells. Total levels of PDIA3 in HCT116 cells were unchanged following 24 h of resveratrol treatment, confirmed by Western blot analysis. Immunoprecipitation of PDIA3 revealed a new set of client proteins following resveratrol treatment, including α, β, and δ-catenins, and cellular fractionation identified decreased nuclear localization of α-catenin by resveratrol. These data establish differential proteomic mapping as a powerful tool for identifying novel molecular targets of chemopreventive agents.
Policy and practice for response to foster families when child abuse or neglect is reported.

For reasons discussed in this article, it is in the nature of family foster care that allegations of abuse and/or neglect in foster homes will arise. How an agency acts before, during, and after these eventualities has long-lasting implications for the well-being of foster children and of foster parents and their own children, as well as for foster home recruitment. Language: en
Alkaline phosphatase in vascular smooth muscle.

THE free calcium ion is the essential common requirement for all muscle contraction including that of the vascular smooth muscle1,2. Tension development by the contractile proteins is a direct function of the Ca2+ concentration to which they are exposed. A mechanism by which the levels of activator calcium may be regulated in vascular smooth muscle is provided by the recent demonstration in the aortic microsomal fraction of a “pump” actively sequestering Ca2+ (ref. 3). Any conditions affecting this “pump” will also modify intracellular calcium levels and, consequently, tension development.
EFFECTS OF TYPHA LATIFOLIA TRANSPIRATION AND HARVESTING ON NITRATE CONCENTRATIONS IN SURFACE WATER OF WETLAND MICROCOSMS

This experiment tested the hypothesis that the movement of water into the soil due to macrophyte transpiration stimulates nitrate removal from wetlands. The short-term impacts of biomass harvesting upon the ability of wetlands to reduce nitrate concentrations were also investigated. Different amounts of biomass were harvested fromTypha latifolia specimens to create three treatments of varying transpiration rates. Harvesting and the resulting different rates of transpiration explained between 10 and 38% of the variation in nitrate reduction during the 10-day experiment and had significant effects upon nitrate concentrations. Greater rates of harvesting and lower rates of transpiration resulted in decreased reductions of nitrate in the surface water of the microcosms. During the first four days of the experiment, 70% and 85% rates of aboveground harvesting reduced transpiration by 63% and 91%, respectively. These changes led to respective decreases in nitrate reduction of 16% and 31% compared to unharvested treatments. Differences in nitrate reduction between the treatments were minimal in the later days of the experiment as nitrate concentrations decreased. Results support the hypothesis that water movement due to plant uptake contributes, to nitrogen removal and offers a partial explanation for increased nitrogen removal in vegetated wetland treatment systems. Decreased reduction of nitrate with greater harvesting demonstrates potential negative impacts on water quality improvement when using wetlands as bio-energy production systems.
Cultural brokers: How immigrant youth in multicultural societies navigate and negotiate their pathways to college identities

Abstract A crucial indicator of immigrant youth's incorporation in their receiving countries is their educational success, which can open pathways to economic mobility and civic participation. So we are especially concerned about the academic pipeline problem , when disproportionate numbers of immigrant, ethnic minority, and low-income youth leave school prematurely. Scholars trace the roots and remedies of these inequalities with theories of capital , alienation , and challenge . Social capital theories point to cultural reproduction, seen when youth with college-educated parents are the most likely to develop college identities. Alienation theories propose that immigrant parents dream of their children's school success, but poverty and discrimination dim these hopes, while their children develop marginalized identities. Finally, such challenges can motivate youth to succeed on behalf of their families and build college identities by navigating among their cultural worlds. This paper reports two longitudinal studies with U.S.-Mexican immigrant youth and traces parallels and contrasts across nations as well as research–practice–policy linkages, with special attention to how cultural brokers can be resources for opening academic pipelines.
Radiation from a modulated corrugated surface excited by a waveguide

A formally exact solution to the problem of radiation from a modulated corrugated surface excited by a waveguide is obtained. Results are given for the reflection coefficient, the radiation pattern, the k/s diagram and the amplitudes of the surface waves launched. Some numerical results are included.
Three techniques of reinforcement modification: A comparison

Three techniques for altering the reinforcement potential of the verbal reinforcer “mmm-hmm” were compared. Group I, reinforcement potency attribution, involved pairing semantically induced pleasant images to the verbal reinforcer “mmm-hmm”; Group II, reinforcement potency attenuation, involved conditioning negative meaning to the verbal reinforcer “mmm-hmm”; Group III received reinforcement potency satiation by repeated exposure to the verbal reinforcer “mmm-hmm.” Groups IV and V were exposed to a buffer task. Immediately after reinforcement modification, affective selfreferences were reinforced in a quasitherapeutic interview with “mmm-hmm” serving as a verbal reinforcer for the experimental groups and control Group IV. Control Group V received no reinforcement in verbal conditioning. Reinforcement potency attribution enhanced the pleasant evaluative meaning to the verbal reinforcer “mmm-hmm” and subsequently induced the greatest verbal conditioning effect. Reinforcement potency attenuation and reinforcement potency satiation both reduced the pleasant connotation of “mmm-hmm” significantly and resulted in no verbal conditioning effect. The reinforcement potency attenuation and reinforcement potency satiation treatments were not significantly different from each other in terms of inducing negative connotations or in promoting verbal conditioning. Verbal conditioning was independent of awareness. Implications for therapy were discussed.
Treatment of sound errors in aphasia and apraxia of speech: Effects of phonological complexity

Background: Recent research suggests that the complexity of treatment stimuli influences the effectiveness of treatment. However, no studies have examined the role of complexity on sound production treatment in adult individuals with sound production impairments. Aims: This study examines effects of syllable complexity on treatment outcome in two patients with acquired sound production problems. Complexity is defined in terms of syllable structure: clusters are more complex than singletons. Using a single-subject multiplebaseline design, we address the question: Is treatment of complex syllables more effective than treatment of simple syllables? Methods & Procedures: Two patients with aphasia and apraxia of speech were trained to produce complex or simple syllables (using modelling). Improvement was measured by percent correct on a word and nonword repetition test. Outcomes & Results: We found that both treatment on simple syllables and treatment on complex syllables led to improved production of simple s...
Millimeter-Scale, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Gas Turbine Engines

The confluence of market demand for greatly improved compact power sources for portable electronics with the rapidly expanding capability of micromachining technology has made feasible the development of gas turbines in the millimeter-size range. With airfoil spans measured in 100's of microns rather than meters, these microengines have about 1 millionth the airflow of large gas turbines and thus should produce about one millionth the power, 10-100 W. Based on semiconductor industry-derived processing of materials such as silicon and silicon carbide to submicron accuracy, such devices are known as micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Current millimeter-scale designs use centrifugal turbomachinery with pressure ratios in the range of 2:1 to 4:1 and turbine inlet temperatures of 1200-1600 K. The projected performance of these engines are on a par with gas turbines of the 1940s. The thermodynamics of MEMS gas turbines are the same as those for large engines but the mechanics differ due to scaling considerations and manufacturing constraints. The principal challenge is to arrive at a design which meets the thermodynamic and component functional requirements while staying within the realm of realizable micromachining technology. This paper reviews the state of the art of millimeter-size gas turbine engines, including system design and integration, manufacturing, materials, component design, accessories, applications, and economics. It discusses the underlying technical issues, reviews current design approaches, and discusses future development and applications.
The Paradox of Confirmation1

Hempel first introduced the paradox of confirmation in 1937. Since then, a very extensive literature on the paradox has evolved (Vranas 2004). Much of this literature can be seen as responding to Hempel's subsequent discussions and analyses of the paradox (Hempel 1945). Recently, it was noted that Hempel's intuitive (and plausible) resolution of the paradox was inconsistent with his official theory of confirmation (Fitelson and Hawthorne 2006). In this article, we will try to explain how this inconsistency affects the historical dialectic about the paradox and how it illuminates the nature of confirmation. In the end, we will argue that Hempel's intuitions about the paradox of confirmation were (basically) correct, and that it is his theory that should be rejected, in favor of a (broadly) Bayesian account of confirmation.
Studies of the Variations in Bond Dissociation Energies of Aromatic Compounds. I. Mono-bromo-aryles

Investigation of the pyrolyses of bromobenzene, β -bromonaphthalene, α -bromonaphthalene, 9-bromophenanthrene and 9-bromoanthraeene in the presence of an excess of toluene has shown that reaction (1) Ar .Br → Ar • + Br (1) is the primary and rate-determining step of the pyrolysis. The progress of reaction was measured by the rate of formation of hydrogen bromide, and it was shown that this rate obeys first-order kinetics. The following values were obtained for the activation energies and frequency factors of unimolecular decompositions represented by equation (1): compound E (kcal/mole) 10 -13 v (sec -1 ) bromobenzene 70.9 2 β -bromonaphthalene 700 1.5 α -bromonaphthalene 70.9 3.5 9-bromophenanthrene 67.7 1 9-bromoanthracene 65.6 1.5 Assuming that recombination of bromine atoms with aromatic radicals does not involve any activation energy we conclude tha t the determined activation energies correspond to the respective C—Br bond dissociation energies. The effect of molecular structure on the C—Br bond dissociation energy is discussed. The heat of formation of the phenyl radical is determined, and this result is used for calculating the various Ph — X bond dissociation energies.
Direct integration of a 4-pixel emissive display into a knit fabric matrix

There exists a growing demand for displays in wearable applications. Wearable displays have traditionally been state-ofthe- art flexible designs that are subsequently mounted onto clothing fabric. Ideally, such a design would itself be fabricintegrated. Recently, much attention has been placed on work involving the weaving of photonic bandgap and other optical fibers to create a true fabric based display. Little exists in the technical literature concerning knit-based fabric displays. In this research, a prototype 4-pixel emissive fabric display is demonstrated. Conductive silver-plated nylon fibers act as a cathode. The fibers are coated in poly-2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene (MEHPPV). When this layered structure is placed in contact with a separate metallic fiber (functions as an anode), a singlelayer PLED is formed. After drying and annealing, coated fibers are knit into a fabric matrix using a Shima Seiki SSG202SV automated knitting machine. The knit pattern itself provides a passive matrix addressing system similar to that of a more simple weave. Equivalent planar devices and single-pixel fiber structures are also fabricated. The resultant structures are all actuated, and current-voltage data is obtained for individual pixels using a source meter. Electroluminescence spectra are collected under tension using a UV-NIR spectrometer. The performance of the fiber devices is then compared to its planar analogues. Future directions for investigation are also proposed.
Frequency of policy recommendations in epidemiologic publications.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and character of policy statements in epidemiologic reports. METHODS: The first author followed a standardized protocol and reviewed a random sample of articles selected from the American Journal of Epidemiology, Annals of Epidemiology, and Epidemiology. The second author reviewed all articles with policy statements and a 10% sample without such statements. RESULTS: Overall, 23.8% of the articles contained policy statements. Annals of Epidemiology and the American Journal of Epidemiology had similar frequencies of articles with policy statements (30% and 26.7%, respectively), while Epidemiology evidenced the lowest frequency (8.3%). The majority of policy statements (55%) pertained to public health practice; 27.5% involved clinical practice, and the remainder (17.5%) focused on corporate policies, regulatory actions, or undefined arenas. The frequency of policy statements differed according to first author's affiliation, type of publicat...
The Protagonist and Their Avatar: Learner Characteristics in a Culture of Simulation

Given the active and authentic nature of Massively-Multiplayer Online Games, researchers have begun to question the use of this virtual setting as a teaching / learning tool (Barab et al., 2010; Squire, 2006). Specific findings in virtual environments show that several personal factors mediate an individual's experiences within that environment (Przybylski, Rigby, & Ryan, 2010). Although physical-world research has focused on the personal factor of personality and its influence on learning (Caprara et al., 2011; Furnham, Chamorro-Premuzic, & McDougall, 2003; Gallagher, 1996; Olesen, Thomsen, Schnieber & Tonnesvang, 2010), very little research on personality within virtual settings has been conducted. Thus, it is important to explore more about personality changes between individuals and their avatars in virtual settings. Findings from the current study show statistically different personality score for individuals and their avatars across all domains of the Five-Factor Model. However, for three of the domains, Neuroticism, Openness, and Conscientiousness, consistent patterns of difference existed. Overall implications for these findings are discussed.
Initial Efforts Toward Identifying Aviation Alerting System Dissonance

The possibility that different alerting systems transmit conflicting information is increasingly possible as these systems become pervasive in aerospace. This article describes a methodology that has been recently developed to provide a foundation for understanding, identifying, and resolving dissonance between alerting systems. Provided as an example of the system application is the recently proposed airborne conflict management (ACM) system which must operate in conjunction with existing traffic alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS). Dissonant operating regions for TCAS and ACM are articulated, and it is shown that in some geometrics potentially undesirable TCAS advisories may occur following action taken in response to ACM alerts.
Gulf of Mexico buoy communication system

The Harris Gulf of Mexico Buoy Communications System (BCS) provides air-to- ground communications between pilots and controllers over the Gulf of Mexico Flight Information Region. The BCS is a key element in the Federal Aviation Administration's goal for increasing air traffic across the Gulf area, resulting in increased safety, decreased flight time, and lower fuel consumption. By utilizing a network of satellites and water buoy-based radio links to supplement on shore remote center air-to-ground radio sites, the BCS provides controllers with direct voice communications to pilots in the latitude ranges of 18,000-60,000 feet. The BCS is a weather-resistant satellite solution on a stabilized platform. The pedestal design allows the antenna dish to remain locked on the satellite even under the most severe weather conditions. This low-risk design with built-in redundancy utilizes proven, commercial off-the-shelf/non-developmental item hardware and monitor and control software.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Formation of silver colloids in silver ion-exchanged soda-lime glasses during annealing

The structural and compositional changes of the soda-lime glasses during the formation of the silver colloids were analyzed by the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) in order to examine the silver colloid formation mechanism. The in situ behavior of silver and SiO2 networks on the surfaces of silver ion-exchanged soda-lime glasses during heating and cooling processes in ultra-high vaccum was monitored. The results showed that silver diffuses toward the surface, precipitates, and crystallizes during heating and the total silver surface concentration is slowly increased during cooling. The concentration changes of oxidized and neutral Ag, a new non-bridging oxygen species (NBO*), and a new silicon species (Si[a]) were applied to deduce a disappropriation reaction mechanism of Ag+ on the surface during annealing. The SiO2 network is modified at temperatures below 350°C to accommodate more silver on the surface and to balance the extra charge carried by the Ag+. That the SiO2 network polymerizes during annealing was deduced from the results of the higher binding energies of Si2p and O1s after annealing. This observation suggests that the reduction of the Gibbs free energies and the relaxation of tensile stress result in the formation of the silver colloids under thermal annealing.
The big squeeze: giant cells in granulomatous interstitial nephritis

A 63-year-old Caucasian man with a history of benign prostatic hypertrophy, hyperlipidemia, hypothyroidism, and a recent 30-pound weight loss presented with 2 weeks of nausea and vomiting and acute kidney injury with a serum creatinine level of 4.6 mg/dl (baseline level, 6 months earlier, 1.1 mg/dl). Urinalysis revealed 1+ protein and bland urine sediment. Upper endoscopy revealed chronic gastritis with non-caseating granulomas, and cholecystectomy showed granulomatous inflammation of the gallbladder. Additional testing showed a serum calcium level of 10.8 mg/dl (normal 8.6–10.2), ionized calcium level 1.59 mmol/l (normal 1.1–1.35 mmol/l), 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D level 112 pg/ml (normal 18–64 pg/ml), and angiotensin-converting enzyme level 58 U/l (normal 8–53 U/l). Serologic examination was negative for ANA, MPO-ANCA, PR3-ANCA, coccidioides antibody, and histoplasma antigen. The patient had a negative purified protein derivative skin test and negative fungal blood cultures. Chest X-ray and thoracic computed tomography scan were unremarkable.
Correlation of BRAFV600E Mutation and Glucose Metabolism in Thyroid Cancer Patients: An 18F-FDG PET Study

There is significant interest in a better understanding of the genetic underpinnings of the increased glucose metabolic rates of cancer cells. Thyroid cancer demonstrates a broad variability of 18F-FDG uptake as well as several well-characterized oncogenic mutations. In this study, we evaluated the differences in glucose metabolism of the BRAFV600E mutation versus BRAF wild-type (BRAF-WT) in patients with metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC). Methods: Forty-eight DTC and 34 PDTC patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT for tumor staging were identified from a database search. All patients were tested for the BRAFV600E mutation and assigned to 1 of 2 groups: BRAFV600E mutated and BRAF-WT. 18F-FDG uptake of tumor tissue was quantified by maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the hottest malignant lesion in 6 prespecified body regions (thyroid bed, lymph nodes, lung, bone, soft tissue, and other). When there were multiple lesions in 1 of the prespecified body regions, only the 1 with the highest 18F-FDG uptake was analyzed. Results: In the DTC cohort, 24 tumors harbored a BRAFV600E mutation, whereas 24 tumors were BRAF-WT. 18F-FDG uptake of BRAFV600E-positive lesions (median SUVmax, 6.3; n = 53) was significantly higher than that of BRAF-WT lesions (n = 39; median SUVmax, 4.7; P = 0.019). In the PDTC group, only 5 tumors were BRAFV600E-positive, and their 18F-FDG uptake was not significantly different from the BRAF-WT tumors. There was also no significant difference between the SUVmax of all DTCs and PDTCs, regardless of BRAF mutational status (P = 0.90). Conclusion: These data suggest that BRAFV600E-mutated DTCs are significantly more 18F-FDG–avid than BRAF-WT tumors. The effect of BRAFV600E on tumor glucose metabolism in PDTC needs further study in larger groups of patients.
Complications Associated with Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy in the Multidisciplinary Treatment of Retroperitoneal Sarcomas

Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) remain a therapeutic challenge due to high local recurrence rates. Preoperative RT offers theoretical advantages in the multidisciplinary care of RPS. The purpose of our study was to evaluate our experience using preoperative radiotherapy (PRT) in the treatment of RPS. This is a single-institution review of patients with RPS treated with PRT from 1994 until 2004. Three radiation oncologists and four surgical oncologists were involved. Medical records, tumor registries, and death records were reviewed. Fourteen patients were included; nine were treated for primary presentation and five for recurrent disease. Histologic grade was grade I (n = 3), grade II (n = 3), and grade III (n = 8). Five patients received additional IORT. Radiotherapy complications were generally mild, including nausea (n = 3), diarrhea (n = 1), dehydration (n = 1), anemia (n = 1), and skin changes (n = 1); one required early cessation due to nausea. Thirteen patients had gross negative margins; while 7/13 had negative microscopic margins. Operative complications included anastomotic bleeding (n = 1), fluid collections (n = 2), ileus (n = 3), ascites (n = 2), temporary leg weakness (n = 1), and uncomplicated wound infections (n = 2). In patients with R0 or R1 resections, one and two year local control rates were 64 and 50%. Overall survival for all patients was 90% at 1 year and 74% at 2 years with median survival of 21 months. PRT and IORT can be administered effectively in carefully selected patients with resectable RPS. Larger multi-center studies are needed to delineate the role of PRT and IORT to improve local recurrence and survival rates in the treatment of RPS.
Dynamic Shared Leadership Theory: Understanding the Structures and Processes of Shared Leadership

Integrating functional leadership theory and a self-regulatory approach, we develop Dynamic Shared Leadership (DSL, or “diesel”) Theory to describe the process and structure of shared leadership in...
Pineal and gonadal influences on ultradian locomotor rhythms of male Siberian hamsters

The extent to which changes in ultradian and circadian rhythms (URs and CRs) reflect seasonal variations in pineal melatonin secretion was assessed in male Siberian hamsters transferred from long to short day lengths. The period of the locomotor activity UR increased from 2.5 h in long days to 4.5 h in short day lengths, but this and most other features of the short-day ultradian phenotype were unaffected by pinealectomy; only the short-day increase in UR amplitude was counteracted by pineal extirpation. Virtually all UR components were unaffected by gonadectomy or replacement testosterone or estradiol treatment; changes in testicular hormone secretion appear insufficient to account for seasonal fluctuation in URs. Pinealectomy did not affect activity onsets and offsets or phase angles of CR entrainment in short and long day lengths; the duration of nocturnal activity was equivalently longer in short than long days in both pinealectomized and pineal-intact hamsters. CR robustness of pinealectomized hamsters in short days was intermediate between values of long-day and short-day sham-pinealectomized males. Hourly nocturnal locomotor activity was markedly reduced in SD, and this effect was completely reversed by PINx. We conclude that seasonal transitions in UR and CR waveforms controlled by day length are mediated primarily by melatonin-independent mechanisms, with lesser contributions from melatonin-dependent processes. Most seasonal changes in ultradian and circadian rhythms in males of this species are not influenced by gonadal hormones. URs may allow animals to respond appropriately to changing environmental contingencies. In winter reduced activity combined with temporal restructuring of activity to include longer intervals of rest may be adaptive in maintaining body temperature at lower values and down-regulating energy expenditure when above ground temperatures are extremely low.
Flue‐gas desulfurization gypsum effects on leaching of magnesium and potassium from a candler fine sand

Abstract Sulfur dioxide scrubbing process in a coal‐fired electric power generation plant results in production of a by‐product called flue‐gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG), which contains abundance of calcium (Ca2+) and sulfate SO4 2‐, and can be used as an amendment to agricultural soil. Effects of application of two rates FGDG (4.5 and 9.0 Mg ha‐1) on leachate properties was compared with that of unamended Candler fine sand in leaching column experiment. The ionic strength of the leachate was five‐fold greater in FGDG amended as compared to unamended treatment. The ionic strength decreased drastically after the fifth leaching. The pH of the leachate was significantly lower in FGDG amended as compared to unamended treatment. This was attributable to the “salt effect”; of FGDG. The addition of FGDG significantly increased the concentrations of Ca2+ and SO4 2‐ in the leachate as compared to those from the unamended soil. The leaching of Mg2+ and K+ were also greater from FGDG amended as compared to the u...
Clinical and hemodynamic evaluation of coronary collateral vessels in coronary artery disease.

Abstract To appraise the functional significance of coronary collateral vessels, 78 consecutive patients with angina pectoris and at least 75 per cent obstruction in a major coronary vessel were studied clinically, hemodynamically, and angiographically and by stress testing. Forty-eight of them (62 per cent) had coronary collateral vessels. When patients with collaterals were compared with those without, the severity of angina pectoris and the number of positive treadmill ECG's were not statistically different. The patients with collaterals had a greater incidence of past myocardial infarction, 3348 (68 per cent) vs. 830 (27 per cent) (P = 0.001); more extensive obstructive disease angiographically, 8.0 ± 0.4 vs. 6.3 ± 0.5 (P = 0.05); more abnormal pacing ventricular function curves, 2223 (96 per cent) vs. 915 (60 per cent) (P = 0.01); and a greater incidence of left ventricular contraction abnormalities, 4348 (90 per cent) vs. 1630 (53 per cent) (P = 0.025). Patients who have coronary artery disease and collateral vessels cannot be distinguished from their counterparts without collaterals on a clinical basis except for a greater incidence of myocardial infarction in the former. Present evidence implies that collateral vessels may protect the patient by delaying the onset of angina pectoris, but when angina occurs these patients have more extensive coronary artery disease and greater myocardial dysfunction. In addition, collaterals, although not preventing, may limit the extent of myocardial infarction and reduce immediate mortality. The prognosis from the onset of angina pectoris may be worse in those patients with collateral vessels, however, because of their more extensive disease.