cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biological embedding: evaluation and analysis of an emerging concept for nursing scholarship.

Aim The purpose of this paper was to report the analysis of the concept of biological embedding. Background Research that incorporates a life course perspective is becoming increasingly prominent in the health sciences. Biological embedding is a central concept in life course theory and may be important for nursing theories to enhance our understanding of health states in individuals and populations. Before the concept of biological embedding can be used in nursing theory and research, an analysis of the concept is required to advance it towards full maturity. Design Concept analysis. Data sources PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched for publications using the term ‘biological embedding’ or ‘biological programming’ and published through 2015. Methods An evaluation of the concept was first conducted to determine the concept's level of maturity and was followed by a concept comparison, using the methods for concept evaluation and comparison described by Morse. Results A consistent definition of biological embedding – the process by which early life experience alters biological processes to affect adult health outcomes – was found throughout the literature. The concept has been used in several theories that describe the mechanisms through which biological embedding might occur and highlight its role in the development of health trajectories. Biological embedding is a partially mature concept, requiring concept comparison with an overlapping concept – biological programming – to more clearly establish the boundaries of biological embedding. Conclusions Biological embedding has significant potential for theory development and application in multiple academic disciplines, including nursing.
Using passive sampling and zebrafish to identify developmental toxicants in complex mixtures.

Using effects-directed analysis, we investigated associations previously observed between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and embryotoxicity in field-deployed low-density polyethylene (LDPE). We conducted effects-directed analysis using a zebrafish embryo assay and iterative fractionation of extracts of LDPE that were deployed in the Portland Harbor superfund megasite, Oregon (USA). Whole extracts induced toxicity including mortality, edema, and notochord distortion at 20% effect concentration (EC20) values of approximately 100, 100, and 10 mg LDPE/mL, respectively. Through fractionation, we determined that PAHs at concentrations similar to previous research did not contribute markedly to toxicity. We also eliminated pesticides, phthalates, musks, and other substances identified in toxic fractions by testing surrogate mixtures. We identified free fatty acids as lethal components of LDPE extracts and confirmed their toxicity with authentic standards. We found chromatographic evidence that dithiocarbamates are responsible for notochord and other sublethal effects, although exact matches were not obtained. Fatty acids and dithiocarbamates were previously unrecorded components of LDPE extracts and likely contribute to the toxicity of the whole mixture. The present study demonstrates the success of effects-directed analysis in nontargeted hazard identification using the zebrafish embryo test as a self-contained battery of bioassays that allows identification of multiple chemicals with different modes of action. This is the first effects-directed analysis to combine LDPE and zebrafish, approaches that are widely applicable to identifying developmental hazards in the bioavailable fraction of hydrophobic organic compounds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2290–2298. © 2017 SETAC
Reciprocal cytokine-mediated cellular interactions in mouse epidermis : promotion of γδ T-cell growth by IL-7 and TNFα and inhibition of keratinocyte growth by γIFN

A unique subset of gamma delta T cells, termed dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC), resides in symbiosis with keratinocytes in mouse epidermis. We have shown previously that interleukin 7 (IL-7) which is produced by keratinocytes, promotes growth and prevents apoptosis in DETC. To extend this observation, we examined 12 cytokines, each of which is expressed by epidermal cells at mRNA and/or protein levels, for their capacities to modulate the growth of DETC. Cytokines examined included IL-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha). When tested individually, IL-2 and IL-7 promoted maximal growth of the long-term cultured DETC line 7-17. When tested in combinations, synergistic growth-promoting effects were seen with IL-2 and IL-4 or IL-7, and with IL-7 and IL-4 or TNF alpha. Dose-response experiments demonstrated that TNF alpha, which is produced by keratinocytes, enhances IL-7-induced DETC proliferation, but inhibits IL-2-induced proliferation. The mouse keratinocyte-derived cell line Pam 212 was used to test these cytokines for their capacities to regulate keratinocyte growth. Only gamma IFN, which is produced by DETC, inhibited proliferation in a dose-dependent fashion. These results illustrate three reciprocal pathways by which epidermal cytokines regulate the growth of epidermal cells: 1) a paracrine mechanism by which keratinocyte-derived cytokines (e.g., IL-7 and TNF alpha) promote the growth of DETC, 2) an autocrine mechanism by which DETC-derived cytokines (e.g., IL-2 and IL-4) support their own growth, and 3) a reciprocal pathway in which a cytokine produced by resident epidermal leukocytes (e.g., gamma IFN) modulates the growth of keratinocytes.
Disability Models Affect Disability Policy Support through Awareness of Structural Discrimination

In three studies (N = 340) we examined the effects of medical versus social model representations of physical disability on awareness of structural discrimination and prodisability policy support among nondisabled persons. In all three studies, we found either an indirect (Studies 1 and 2) or full mediational effect of awareness of structural discrimination on the relationship between social model representations and policy support. Study 1 provided correlational evidence using individual social model endorsement as the predictor variable, while in Studies 2 and 3 experimentally manipulated model of disability. Finally, Study 3 provided evidence that medical model representations reduce prodisability policy support by encouraging the legitimization of the status quo.
A Cognitive Computing Approach for Classification of Complaints in the Insurance Industry

In this paper we present and evaluate a cognitive computing approach for classification of dissatisfaction and four complaint specific complaint classes in correspondence documents between insurance clients and an insurance company. A cognitive computing approach includes the combination classical natural language processing methods, machine learning algorithms and the evaluation of hypothesis. The approach combines a MaxEnt machine learning algorithm with language modelling, tf-idf and sentiment analytics to create a multi-label text classification model. The result is trained and tested with a set of 2500 original insurance communication documents written in German, which have been manually annotated by the partnering insurance company. With a F1-Score of 0.9, a reliable text classification component has been implemented and evaluated. A final outlook towards a cognitive computing insurance assistant is given in the end.
The Role of Astrocytes, Microglia, and Endothelial Cells in Coronavirus-Induced Demyelination

Infection of neurotropic strains of coronaviruses in susceptible animals results in acute encephalomyelitis followed by a chronic demyelinating disease, similar to multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the mechanism of chronic coronavirus-induced demyelination is not entirely clear, studies show that it is mostly immune-mediated. Astrocytes, microglia and endothelial cells play an important role in normal functions as well as in immunologic and pathologic processes in the central nervous system (CNS). The interaction between coronaviruses and these cells induces various inflammatory mediators including cytokines, chemokines, MHC and NO, which acting in concert are involved in the pathogenesis of demyelination.
Examining Police Presence, Tactics, and Engagement as Facilitators of Informal Social Control in High-Crime Areas

The systemic model of social disorganization advocates that communities can help regulate disorder and crime by exerting informal social control. This paper examines the avenues through which polic...
Ipilimumab- and Nivolumab-Induced Colitis Causing Severe Hypokalemia and QTc Prolongation

Immune-mediated colitis is an uncommon but well-documented adverse event in patients receiving nivolumab or ipilimumab therapy. In this report, we present a 69-year-old man who developed severe hypokalemia and colitis with significant corrected Q-T segment (QTc) prolongation as a result of combination nivolumab-ipilimumab immunotherapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
Baseline Habitual Physical Activity Predicts Weight Loss, Weight Compensation, and Energy Intake During Aerobic Exercise.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether different measures of habitual physical activity (PA) at baseline predict weight change, weight compensation, and changes in energy intake (EI) during a 24-week supervised aerobic exercise intervention. Methods: Data from 108 participants (78 women; 48.7 [SD: 11.6] years; BMI 31.4 [SD: 4.6] kg/m2), randomly assigned to either the moderate-dose exercise group (8 kcal/kg of body weight per week) or the high-dose exercise group (20 kcal/kg of body weight per week) of the Examination of Mechanisms of Exercise-induced Weight Compensation (E-MECHANIC) trial, were analyzed. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), steps per day, and PA energy expenditure (PAEE) were measured with SenseWear armbands (BodyMedia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), and total activity energy expenditure and EI were estimated with doubly labeled water, all over 2 weeks, before and toward the end of the intervention. Multiple linear regression models, adjusted for sex, exercise group, and baseline value of the outcome, were used. Results: Baseline habitual MVPA levels predicted weight change (β = −0.275; P = 0.020), weight compensation (β = −0.238; P = 0.043), and change in EI (β = −0.318; P = 0.001). Associations between baseline PAEE and outcomes were comparable, whereas steps per day and, importantly, total activity energy expenditure (via doubly labeled water) did not significantly predict change in weight-related outcomes. Conclusions: While acknowledging substantial variability in the data, on average, lower baseline habitual MVPA and PAEE levels were associated with less weight loss from exercise, higher compensation, and increased EI.
Surgery of the Nasal Septum

■ The most common indication for septal surgery is to relieve nasal obstruction from septal deviation that hinders airflow through the nose.
Deep learning for the identification of bruised apples by fusing 3D deep features for apple grading systems

Abstract Automated bruised apple detection is an important application in the fruit industry. In this paper, we investigated convolutional neural network-based predictive models for the identification of bruised apples based on shape information (in a form of three-dimensional [3D] surface meshes) acquired from a 3D infrared imaging system. There are often irregularities on bruised apple surfaces, which can be used to differentiate those bruised apples from unbruised ones. In this study, we adopted transformation approaches so that geometric information located on 3D surface meshes could be efficiently converted to two-dimensional (2D) “image-like” feature maps. Our transformation approaches allowed current state-of-the-art deep learning models to be directly used without modifications. During algorithmic developments, three different configurations of deep convolutional neural networks were investigated in conjunction with transfer learning. We also explored different fusion strategies to further improve the performance of our predictive models. We found that the identification rate of our best predictive model was 97.67%, which markedly exceeded the best performance of a handcraft feature engineering method developed by our group. Our preliminary results show that the proposed method has great potential and further developments will lead to an automated system for apple bruise detection.
Competence and Trust in Choice Architecture

Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s Nudge advances a theory of how designers can improve decision-making in various situations where people have to make choices. We claim that the moral acceptability of nudges hinges in part on whether they can provide an account of the competence required to offer nudges, an account that would serve to warrant our general trust in choice architects. What needs to be considered, on a methodological level, is whether they have clarified the competence required for choice architects to prompt subtly our behaviour toward making choices that are in our best interest from our own perspectives. We argue that, among other features, an account of the competence required to offer nudges would have to clarify why it is reasonable to expect that choice architects can understand the constraints imposed by semantic variance. Semantic variance refers to the diverse perceptions of meaning, tied to differences in identity and context, that influence how users interpret nudges. We conclude by suggesting that choice architects can grasp semantic variance if Thaler and Sunstein’s approach to design is compatible with insights about meaning expressed in science and technology studies and the philosophy of technology.
Pro Bono in Principle and in Practice

This article provides the first systematic survey of the factors that influence American lawyers' pro bono work. The study includes both a comprehensive review of the literature on altruism in general and bar contributions in particular, as well as responses from a sample of some 3000 attorneys. Three groups of practitioners participated in the survey: lawyers who graduated from six schools that had different approaches to pro bono work; recent individual and law firm winners of the American Bar Association's annual Pro Bono Publico Award; and large law firms for which annual pro bono data are publicly available. The study's findings include information on the backgrounds and pro bono contributions of the responding lawyers, their workplace and law school experiences, and their perceptions concerning influences on public service involvement. These responses, together with other research on charitable participation, suggest changes in workplace and law school culture that can more effectively translate public service principles into professional practices.
Simulations of the transmembrane potential distribution around an extracellular electrode in an active 2-D sheet of cardiac tissue

The authors have created a 2-dimensional model of cardiac tissue in order to study the distribution of the transmembrane potential after stimulation with a circular extracellular electrode. The tissue is modeled as a collection of uncoupled fibers, and the fibers are discretized into elements with active Luo-Rudy kinetics. The authors assume that gradients in the extracellular potential drive the membrane, and they use an S1-S2 protocol to determine the tissue response during the absolute refractory period. The authors see that: (1) the V/sub m/ isopotential lines form a "dog-bone" shape, as other models predict; (2) in the longitudinal direction the response reverses polarity (virtual electrode effect), while in the transverse direction the polarity does not change; (3) the responses to anodal and cathodal electrodes are not symmetric; and (4) the location of the point of reversal depends on the polarity of the pulse. These last two results have been reported in recent experiments. >
Partners in crime: phosphotransfer profiling identifies a multicomponent phosphorelay.

Summary The first multicomponent phosphorelay, regulating stalk biogenesis, has been identified in Caulobacter crescentus using a bioinformatic screen, targeted disruptions of each histidine kinase and response regulator, and a new technique called phosphotransfer profiling, in which a purified histidine kinase or histidine phosphotransferase is simultaneously assayed for the ability to phosphorylate each purified response regulator protein from one organism. This powerful combination of approaches will allow future researchers to map the interactions among all two-component signal transduction proteins in genetically tractable bacteria with sequenced genomes.
The Effect of Thyroxine on Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis by Premetamorphic Tadpole Liver Cell Suspensions

Abstract Suspensions of tadpole liver cells have been developed as a model to further understanding of the biochemical differentiation of this tissue during thyroxine-induced metamorphosis. The cell population is homogeneous and stable; no cell division or DNA synthesis occurs in these isolated cells. RNA synthesis in cell suspensions is stimulated by thyroxine and triiodothyronine. The optimum concentration of both thyroxine and triiodothyronine for stimulation of RNA synthesis is about 10-7 m. Rapidly labeled RNA isolated from thyroxine-treated and nontreated cell suspensions sediments in the region between 4 and 10 S. The base composition of RNA synthesized by liver cells treated in vitro with thyroxine differs significantly from that of untreated liver cells and from bulk tadpole liver RNA. The ratio of cytosine plus guanine to total bases of RNA from thyroxine-treated cells is similar to that of DNA from this species. Neither thyroxine nor triiodothyronine had any effect on the incorporation of amino acids into protein. Frog serum stimulates RNA and protein synthesis. Rana catesbeiana serum causes the aggregation of isolated liver cells.
New horizons in solar system exploration

A revised and updated roadmap for the exploration of the solar system contains mission recommendations and has been provided as input to the NASA Office of Space Science strategic planning process. The recommended missions will continue the program's emphasis on understanding the origin and possible existence of life in the solar system. Missions are summarized as components of four exploration programs, three of which an continuing and one of which is a recommended new program. Key capabilities required for these new missions are also identified.
Numerical simulation of hot-dip metallic coating process

Abstract The paper describes the modeling of the solidification process over a planar substrate which is being pulled through a melt bath at a constant speed. The complexities generated by the presence of the two moving/unknown boundaries are dealt with by solving the transient governing transport equations numerically, and by using an efficient finite volume scheme employing a multizone adaptive grid generating technique and a curvilinear finite volume approach. The temperature distributions in the solid and melt, the melt flow field in the bath, the thickness of the solidified layer, and the shape of the free surface are calculated and reported.
The Future of Vocational Psychology: Aiming High

Abstract This article presents the author's perspective about the strengths of vocational psychology, which includes its quantitative foundation, empirical evidence on the career concerns of college students, its theory-driven research, focus on vocational assessment, and its professional organization. Weaknesses of the field include its overemphasis on quantitative methodologies, its lack of focus on contextual factors, class-bound perceptions of work, and the parochial view that limits collaboration with and knowledge from other fields. Opportunities for growth exist in the areas of technology, governmental policies, and changes to the workforce. External threats to vocational psychology incorporate appropriation of vocational psychology by other subdisciplines and appropriation of the practice of vocational counseling by others. The author concludes this analysis with dreams of the future in vocational psychology in the areas of training, science, practice, and social advocacy.
Influences of root distribution and growth on predicted water uptake and interspecific competition

Root distribution and growth measured in the field were incorporated into a water uptake model for the CAM succulent Agave deserti and its nurse plant Hilaria rigida, a common desert bunchgrass. Agave deserti responds to the infrequent rainfalls of the Sonoran Desert by extending its existing established roots and by producing new roots. Most of such root growth was completed within one month after soil rewetting, total root length of A. deserti increasing by 84% for a seedling and by 58% for a mediumsized plant in the summer. Root growth in the winter with its lower soil temperatures was approximately half as much as in the summer. For a 15-year period, predicted annual root growth of A. deserti varied more than 18-fold because of annual variations in rainfall amount and pattern as well as seasonal variation in soil temperature. Predicted annual water uptake varied 47-fold over the same period. The nurse plant, which is crucial for establishment of A. deserti seedlings, reduced seedling water uptake by 38% during an average rainfall year. Lowering the location of the root system of a medium-sized A. deserti by 0.24 m reduced its simulated annual water uptake by about 25%, reflecting the importance of shallow roots for this desert succulent. Lowering the root system of a medium-sized H. rigida by 0.28 m increased the simulated annual water uptake of an associated A. deserti seedling by 17%, further indicating the influence of root overlap on competition for water.
A two-dimensional superfield formulation of the heterotic string

Abstract The density superfield and Einstein action for two-dimensional (2,0) supergravity are derived. The irreducible superfields of the heterotic string are discussed, and they are coupled to (2,0) supergravity. The locally (2,0) supersymmetric action for the heterotic string is presented in both superfields and component fields. For flat world sheet geometry, the globally (2,0) supersymmetric non-linear sigma model, and the associated Virasoro constraints, are derived. This formalism is applicable to ( p ,0) supersymmetry for any positive integer p .
AIRBORNE PARTICLE EMISSIONS FROM 2- AND 4-STROKE OUTBOARD MARINE ENGINES: POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON AND BIOASSAY ANALYSES

Outboard and personal watercraft (marine) engines are reported to be significant sources of air pollutants accounting for approximately 141 tons of reactive hydrocarbons emitted per day in California alone, for example. The emissions from 2-stroke marine engines have traditionally been investigated for the regulated pollutants hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). However, very few studies have been published on airborne particulate matter (PM) and PM-associated unregulated toxic air pollutants emitted during the normal operation of the engine in the water. In the current investigation, we report on the airborne PM emissions from two types of 2-stroke marine engines (carbureted and direct fuel-injected models) and a 4-stroke engine (carbureted) that were operated in water at a special emissions testing facility. The engines were from 1998 or 1999 model years and were rated at 90 hp (maximum). The sampled airborne PM was analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ...
Preliminary Study of Lightning Location Relative to Storm Structure

Lightning is being studied relative to storm structure using a VHP space-time discharge mapping system, radar, a cloud-to-ground flash locator, acoustic reconstruction of thunder, and other instrumentation. The horizontal discharge processes within the cloud generally propagate at speeds of 10-10 m/s. We have found horizontal extents of lightning up to 90 km. In an analysis of a limited number of flashes, lightning occured in or near regions of high cyclonic shear. Positive cloud-to-ground flashes have been observed emanating from several identifiable regions of severe storms. Lightning echoes observed with 10-cm radar are generally 10-25 dB greater than the largest precipitation echo in the storm.
Sex Disparities in Level of Amputation

Abstract Lefebvre KM, Chevan J. Sex disparities in level of amputation. Objective To determine whether there is a sex-related disparity in the management of lower-extremity ischemia by evaluating the relationship between sex and level of nontraumatic amputation. Design This is a retrospective secondary analysis of community hospital data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2007. Level of amputation was determined from International Classification of Diseases–9th Revision–Clinical Modifications procedure and coded as either transfemoral or transtibial. The main predictor was sex; covariates including age, race, income, insurance status, and presence of vascular disease were incorporated as control variables in regression analysis. Setting Nonfederal, short-term U.S. community hospitals. Participants Persons discharged from hospitals with a nontraumatic transtibial or transfemoral amputation (N=11,114). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Level of limb loss. Results A significant association was found between female sex and transfemoral amputation in both the bivariable (χ 2 =187.0; P Conclusions Female sex is significantly associated with transfemoral amputation compared with male sex. Transfemoral amputation has significant consequences, and further evaluation of preventative care and screening for women with vascular disease should be considered.
The Role of Maternal Nutrition Hi The Prevention of Birth Defects

Abstract "Natural" phenomena allow conclusions that maternal dietary deficiencies or excesses can affect development of the human embryo and fetus adversely. The most important finding in recent years has been the relationship between maternal folic acid status and neural tube defects. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97(suppl 2):S184–S185.
Anterograde and retrograde effects of electroconvulsive shock and of puromycin on memory formation in the goldfish.

Electroconvulsive shock [ECS] or puromycin administered prior to training did not significantly impair acquisition of shock-avoidance in goldfish. Significant retention deficits are observed on retraining 72 hr later in groups of fish that received ECS 2.5, 1 or 0.5 hr before training as well as in groups that received ECS 0, 4 or 24 hr after training. Puromycin produces significant retention deficits on retraining when given 24, 16, 8, 4 or 0 hr prior to, or 0 or 0.25 hr following training. A temporal course of development of the retention deficit that has been seen with puromycin was not observed with ECS as the deficit was maximal at the earliest train-retrain interval examined. ECS administered before both training and retraining did not relieve the deficit. Since performance was not diminished in fish retrained just after ECS, it appears that this proactive effect of ECS reflects disruption of memory rather than state-dependent learning.
FETAL HEART RATE RESPONSES TO FETAL MOVEMENTS

A classification of fetal heart rate (FHR) responses to fetal movements is based on the study of 210 hours of antepartum cardiotocographic tracings in clinically normal pregnant patients between 30 and 42 weeks gestation. The physiological mechanism underlying the FHR responses to fetal movement are discussed.
Social meaning and material transaction: The Wanano-Tukano of Brazil and Colombia

Abstract In the northwest Amazon strict boundaries between kin groups, maintained by language and specialized manufacture, create difference within an otherwise culturally homogeneous system. Highly decorated trade items of the Eastern Tukanoan populations of the area, sent with wives to in-law groups, carry a complex array of stylistic messages that serve to identify the affiliation and origin of the maker. The Tukanoan case is one example of an exchange network in which social relations, not spatial proximity, structure the distribution of goods in significant ways. Manufactured goods, for example, never move toward “insiders,” but always toward “outsiders.” The case bears significance for studies of style and identification as well as the role of kinship in structuring group behavior, including movement of personnel and goods in space and time.
Yukawa Couplings for a Three Generation Superstring Compactification

Abstract We explicitly calculate the Yukawa couplings for a three-generation superstring compactification and show in detail how the calculation reduces to algebraic manipulations of certain polynomials. We also discuss the form of the low energy effective theory and find a basis for which these terms are diagonal.
Nasal Associated Lymphoid Tissue of the Syrian Golden Hamster Expresses High Levels of PrPC

The key event in the pathogenesis of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is a template-dependent misfolding event where an infectious isoform of the prion protein (PrPSc) comes into contact with native prion protein (PrPC) and changes its conformation to PrPSc. In many extraneurally inoculated models of prion disease this PrPC misfolding event occurs in lymphoid tissues prior to neuroinvasion. The primary objective of this study was to compare levels of total PrPC in hamster lymphoid tissues involved in the early pathogenesis of prion disease. Lymphoid tissues were collected from golden Syrian hamsters and Western blot analysis was performed to quantify PrPC levels. PrPC immunohistochemistry (IHC) of paraffin embedded tissue sections was performed to identify PrPC distribution in tissues of the lymphoreticular system. Nasal associated lymphoid tissue contained the highest amount of total PrPC followed by Peyer’s patches, mesenteric and submandibular lymph nodes, and spleen. The relative levels of PrPC expression in IHC processed tissue correlated strongly with the Western blot data, with high levels of PrPC corresponding with a higher percentage of PrPC positive B cell follicles. High levels of PrPC in lymphoid tissues closely associated with the nasal cavity could contribute to the relative increased efficiency of the nasal route of entry of prions, compared to other routes of infection.
Static dipole polarizability of electronically excited molecules: H2(B1Σu+)

Abstract The dipole polarizability of H 2 (B 1 Σ u + ) is computed using extended Gaussian basis sets and Hartree-Fock, multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock, and configuration interaction wavefunctions. Electron correlation contributions are found to be significant (≈ 25%) with the largest contribution arising from angular correlation. With a full CI wavefunction, the components of the dipole polarizability were computed to be (in au): α ⊥ = 50 and α | = 257.
Trust-Based Usage Control in Collaborative Environment

Most access control models have formal access control rules to govern the authorization of a request from a principal. In pervasive and collaborative environments, the behaviors of a principal are uncertain due to partial information. Moreover, the attributes of a principal, requested objects, and contexts of a request are mutable during the collaboration. A variety of such uncertainty and mutability pose challenges when resources sharing must happen in the collaborative environment. In order to address the above challenges, we propose a framework to integrate trust management into a usage control model in order to support decision making in an ever-changing collaborative environment. First, a trust value of a principal is evaluated based on both observed behaviors and peer recommendations. Second, the usage-based access control rules are checked to make decisions on resource exchanges. Our framework handles uncertainty and mutability by dynamically disenrolling untrusted principals and revoking granted on-going access if access control rules are no longer met. We have applied our trust-based usage control framework to an application of file sharing.
Grain boundary drag in alloys

Abstract The extrinsic component of the drag force on a grain boundary in an alloy of arbitrary composition and appreciable atomic size disparity is studied in a model in which the boundary is simulated by an externally imposed two-dimensional distortion field. Extrinsic boundary properties arise from processes occurring near, but not in the boundary, so the present study may also be viewed as a study of the coupled concentration and strain fields near a boundary. The results of this paper may be interpreted qualitatively in terms of a velocity and temperature dependent solute-boundary interaction potential. In the limit of small concentrations, this potential becomes velocity and temperature independent so we recover essentially the grain boundary drag theory of Cahn and Lucke and Stuwe. We find that for temperatures close to the coherent spinodal, the grain boundary mobility decreases rapidly with increasing velocity at low velocity, and that this behavior corresponds to a composition profile which is very sensitive to velocity. These effects are less pronounced at higher temperatures. The results apply to velocities less than the breakaway velocity, but the way to extend the theory to higher velocities is indicated.
Complications of Post-Chemotherapy Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Testis Cancer

ABSTRACTPurpose: Post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC RPLND) is a tool in the management of testis cancer. Our impression has been that the short-term morbidity of standard PC RPLND has diminished with time. Therefore, we attempted to verify this hypothesis by evaluating the morbidity of the procedure in 2 comparable groups of patients from 2 different periods.Materials and Methods: We compared 150 patients who underwent post-chemotherapy RPLND between July 2000 and July 2002 to 79 patients who underwent the same procedure between 1990 to 1992. All patients had clinical stage II–III testis cancer and had received 3 to 4 courses of standard platinum based chemotherapy before surgery. We compared surgical morbidity and postoperative complications in both groups. We also assessed a number of factors (patient characteristics, mass size, pathological features and surgical aspects) that could impact the rate of complications.Results: The 2 groups were comparable regarding preoperative cli...
The spirit of capitalism among the income classes

Abstract This paper tests the consumption-based capital asset model within the context of the spirit of capitalism. The spirit of capitalism asserts that consumers gain utility not just from consumption of goods and services, but also from the social status obtained from wealth. We examine two asset pricing models developed by Bakshi and Chen (1996) that employ wealth in the utility function, for households sorted by income quintiles. In the first model, households obtain utility from both consumption and the social status that comes from their own wealth. In the second model, households gain utility from both consumption and the social status obtained from their own wealth relative to the wealth of other peer households. Our results indicate that both models are inconsistent with the data regardless of income. However, using cointegration methods as a diagnostic tool, we find that the data are “loosely” consistent with the spirit of capitalism, at least for the upper income quintiles.
The organization of cytoplasm at the presynaptic active zone of a central nervous system synapse

The axoplasm at the presynaptic active zone of excitatory synapses between parallel fibers and Purkinje cell spines contains a meshwork of distinct filaments intermingled with synaptic vesicles, seen most clearly after the rapid freezing, freeze-etch technique of tissue preparation. One set of filaments extends radially from synaptic vesicles and intersects similar filaments associated with vesicles as well as larger filaments arising from the presynaptic membrane. The small, vesicle-associated filaments appear to link synaptic vesicles to one another and to enmesh them in the vicinity of the synaptic junction. The vesicle-associated filaments could be synapsin I because they have the same molecular dimensions and are distributed in the same pattern as synapsin I immunoreactivity.
Focused visual attention and distractibility in 10-month-old infants

Abstract This study was an investigation of state of attentional engagement and distractibility in infancy. Thirty-two 10-month-olds were observed playing with novel toys. For half the infants, periodic auditory-visual events occurred off to the side on an unpredictable schedule. For those infants, the probability of responding to the distractors was significantly lower when they were judged to be focused on the toys than when they were casuallu looking at the toys. When the infants' focused, as opposed to casual, attention was interrupted by a response, they were slower to turn away from the toy, they looked for shorter times at the disteactor, and they were more likely to return to focused attention immediately. Over the course of the session, the infants in the distractor condition showed less casual attention and more focused attention to the toys than the infants in the no distractor condition . The length of individual looks was related to the state of attention, being shorter for casual attention in both distractor and no distractor conditions; however, look length did not predict the probability of a response or the latency to respond independent of the infant's state. The results suggest that (a) an infant's state as determined by behavioral evidence of focused attention is important in determining whether the infant responds to an extraneous event, and (b) even infants have ways of managing their attention in “noisy” complex environments.
Maternal congenital diaphragmatic hernia complicating pregnancy.

Abstract Background Symptomatic maternal diaphragmatic hernia in a pregnant woman is a surgical emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality both for her and her fetus. Such patients are most commonly managed with immediate cesarean delivery combined with hernia repair. Case A woman presented at 29 weeks' gestation with symptoms of bowel obstruction due to herniation of viscera through a previously undiagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia of Bochdalek, and she was stabilized. Antenatal corticosteroids were administered to facilitate fetal maturity. The hernia was repaired 10 days after her presentation because of evidence of incarceration. Labor was induced at 39 weeks' gestation, and a healthy infant was delivered vaginally. Conclusion Expectant management and vaginal delivery after antepartum repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the mother is a reasonable alternative to immediate cesarean delivery.
Hyperspectral image unmixing via bilinear generalized approximate message passing

In hyperspectral unmixing, the objective is to decompose an electromagnetic spectral dataset measured over M spectral bands and T pixels, into N constituent material spectra (or “endmembers”) with corresponding spatial abundances. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to hyperspectral unmixing (i.e., joint estimation of endmembers and abundances) based on loopy belief propagation. In particular, we employ the bilinear generalized approximate message passing algorithm (BiG-AMP), a recently proposed belief-propagation-based approach to matrix factorization, in a “turbo” framework that enables the exploitation of spectral coherence in the endmembers, as well as spatial coherence in the abundances. In conjunction, we propose an expectation- maximization (EM) technique that can be used to automatically tune the prior statistics assumed by turbo BiG-AMP. Numerical experiments on synthetic and real-world data confirm the state-of-the-art performance of our approach.
Natural Resource Economics: Methodological Orientations and Policy Effectiveness

Increasing numbers of resource economists serve as advisors to, and employees of, government agencies. To be effective in this advisory role requires at least a modest amount of methodological thinking. I will develop this argument by recasting Randall's schools of resource economics into two groups: the mainstream, which includes his N/RP, PC/U, and PC/I, and the institutional, or his I/LE. Also, I will not distinguish resource economics from the larger discipline. This more aggregated classification system will facilitate my discussion of how methodological orientations of economists affect their approach to, and effectiveness in, the public policy process. I will argue that an institutionalist understanding of the governmental decision process is essential to being effective as a mainstream resource economist.
Infraclavicular brachial plexus block: parasagittal anatomy important to the coracoid technique.

Infraclavicular brachial plexus block is a technique well suited to prolonged continuous catheter use.We used a coracoid approach to this block to create an easily understood technique. We reviewed the magnetic resonance images of the brachial plexus from 20 male and 20 female patients. Using scout films, the parasagittal section 2 cm medial to the coracoid process was identified. Along this oblique section, we located a point approximately 2 cm caudad to the coracoid process on the skin of the anterior chest wall. From this point, we determined simulated needle direction to contact the neurovascular bundle and measured depth. At the skin entry site, the direct posterior insertion of a needle will make contact with the cords of the brachial plexus where they surround the second part of the axillary artery in all images. The mean (range) distance (depth along the needle shaft) from the skin to the anterior wall of the axillary artery was 4.24 +/- 1.49 cm (2.25-7.75 cm) in men and 4.01 +/- 1.29 cm (2.25-6.5 cm) in women. Hopefully, this study will facilitate the use of this block. Implications: We sought a consistent, palpable landmark for facilitation of the infraclavicular brachial plexus block. We used magnetic resonance images of the brachial plexus to determine the depth and needle orientation needed to contact the brachial plexus. Hopefully, this study will facilitate the use of this block. (Anesth Analg 1998;87:870-3)
Mechanism of ion absorption by roots.

THE absorption of anions by barley roots has been studied in a manner similar to that adopted in a recent study1 of the absorption of alkali cations. The earlier paper considered the effect on the rate of absorption of varying (1) the concentration of the ion whose absorption was being measured (arbitrarily called the ‘substrate ion’), and (2) the concentration of another alkali cation present (the ‘interfering ion’). The anion was chloride throughout. The results were shown to be consistent with the view2,3 that the absorption of potassium and rubidium involves the formation and subsequent breakdown of an intermediate labile complex, MR, of the cation, M, with an ion-binding carrier, R. It was assumed that a membrane impermeable to the free ions is traversed by MR. Upon arriving at the inner surface, M is released through a chemical change in the carrier, R.
Overview of reticle enhancement technology software strategy

Although RET software technology has made great advances in recent years, very little attention has been paid to how this technology can be put into reliable and efficient use in a production environment. To stimulate EDA suppliers to take up this task, a system for not only automating RET, but also for generalizing the automation of RET is described.
Study of Stark effect in AlSb/GaSb/InAs/AlSb quantum well

Abstract A novel quantum well structure is proposed based on a type II staggered band-offset material system, for example, an AlSb/InAs/GaSb/AlSb quantum well[1]. In this type of quantum well, the valence band of GaSb is higher than the conduction band of InAs. The overlap band offset property of this quantum well can provide free carriers without extrinsic doping since the carriers can transfer from GaSb to InAs. The free carrier concentration is determined by temperature and the energy difference between the conduction state in InAs and the valence state in GaSb. Applying a bias across the quantum well, i.e. Stark effect, will change the energy difference and thus the free carrier concentration. The Stark effect in this structure is studied by a transfer matrix K·P approach including the band bending effect. Preliminary experimental results and potential applications for this type of device are discussed.
The use of fluoride varnish in children: a critical review with treatment recommendations.

This paper expands upon the recent report of the expert panel commissioned by the American Dental Association's Council on Scientific Affairs by offering evidence-based clinical recommendations for professionally applied topical fluoride. The authors strongly support the panel's recommendation that clinicians should rely upon caries risk criteria for determining those children who will receive a topical fluoride treatment. In this paper, the authors will take a position that when clinicians have made a decision to use topical fluoride therapy, fluoride varnish should be the only consideration for children ages 0-6 and children of all ages who have special health care needs that limit their attention span and/or cooperation. The authors offer an accompanying rationale based on dosage reduction and efficacy, that fluoride varnish should be the topical fluoride of choice for children ages 6-12. The authors expand upon the recent panel recommendations by examining published clinical trials to determine the be...
Advances in tillage research in North American cropping systems

SUMMARY Numerous innovations in tillage systems have significantly altered agricultural production in North America. Mechanical, biological, and chemical innovations reduced labor requirements, increased yields and crop residues, and reduced pest impacts. Regional trends in tillage systems and equipment are the result of evolving design driven by soil, plant and climate factors that affect erosion, water conservation, and offsite nutrient control. Within the past three decades, technological advances led to an increased interest in conservation tillage systems to replace intensive conventional tillage practices. For agriculture to be sustainable, it requires improved soil tillage and residue management systems. New technology consisting of precision agricultural techniques and yield maps has already begun to change tillage systems. Agriculture's impact on global increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) requires more sequestration and maintenance of high soil carbon (C) levels for enhanced soil quality. The best s...
Active filtering for neodymium lasers

Eleven fluorescing organic dyes were tested for their ability to alter the spectrum of a flashlamp in such a way as to increase the light intensity in one or more of the neodymium laser pump bands. A few of the dyes gave a marked improvement in the output energy of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. Rhodamine 6G was identified as the best dye, giving better than 50 percent improvement in the laser output for 15-J 140-μs flashlamp pulses.