cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The psychopathology of hallucinations—A methodological analysis

A psychiatry based on operational and dynamic principles requires a new definition of hallucinations which is both heuristically useful and helpful for the understanding of the phenomenon of hallucinations. The time-hallowed definition of hallucinations as 'perceptions without stimulation of the sense organs' is both incorrect and a relic of late 19th century para-physiological thinking. Heuristically it leads into a blind alley. Central to the redefinition of hallucinations is the conception of the hallucinator, the author of his hallucinations, homologous to the dreamer, the author of his dreams. This idea was held firmly by early French 19th century clinicians, who were inspired by a holistic and operational conception in philosophy. Hallucinations are a multifaceted complex human mental activity and defined by means of a number of parameters held together as an indivisible whole. Hallucinations are described phenomenologically, psychologically, dynamically, psychodynamically, emotionally, logically, nosologically, and interpersonally.
A mathematical treatment of inconsistency in the analytic hierarchy process

This paper presents a simple mathematical exposition foor some of theorems regarding the treatment of inconsistency in AHP. It provides a rigorous mathematical proof that the largest eigenvalue reaches its global minimum when the input matrix is consistent. Furthermore, the paper provides an algorithm for moving towards consistency and shows mathematically why the algorithm works.
Complement disorders and hereditary angioedema

The term complement was introduced more than 100 years ago to refer to a group of plasma factors important in host defense and in the destruction of microorganisms. We now know that there are 3 separate activation pathways that appeared at different times in evolution: the classical, alternative, and lectin pathways. Two of these appear before the evolution of the adaptive immune system and do not require antibody for initiation. All pathways come together to activate C3, the principle opsonic protein of the complement cascade, and all continue together to the generation of biologically active factors, such as C5a, and to lysis of cells and microbes. In general, complete deficiencies of complement proteins are rare, although partial or complete deficiencies of one of the proteins that initiates the lectin pathway, mannose-binding lectin, are far more common. Although genetically controlled complement defects are rare, defects in the proteins in the circulation and on cell membranes that downregulate complement so as to limit uncontrolled inflammation are more common. A number of these are discussed, and because new methods of treatment are currently being introduced, one of these defects, CI inhibitor deficiency associated with hereditary angioedema, is discussed in some detail.
Direct catalytic sulfonation of methane with SO2 to methanesulfonic acid (MSA) in the presence of molecular O2

Methane is transformed selectively to methanesulfonic acid at low temperature by liquid-phase sulfonation of methane with SO2 and O2 in the presence of Pd- and Cu-salts as the catalysts.
Novel interactions at the essential N-terminus of poly(A) polymerase that could regulate poly(A) addition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Addition of poly(A) to the 3′ ends of cleaved pre-mRNA is essential for mRNA maturation and is catalyzed by Pap1 in yeast. We have previously shown that a non-viable Pap1 mutant lacking the first 18 amino acids is fully active for polyadenylation of oligoA, but defective for pre-mRNA polyadenylation, suggesting that interactions at the N-terminus are important for enzyme function in the processing complex. We have now identified proteins that interact specifically with this region. Cft1 and Pta1 are subunits of the cleavage/polyadenylation factor, in which Pap1 resides, and Nab6 and Sub1 are nucleic-acid binding proteins with known links to 3′ end processing. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for controlling Pap1 activity, and possible models invoking these newly-discovered interactions are discussed.
Secondary operations are frequently required to complete the surgical phase of therapy in the era of breast conservation and sentinel lymph node biopsy

Background: Breast conservation therapy (BCT) is an oncologically equivalent and cosmetically preferable alternative to mastectomy for most early-stage breast cancers. The number of operations required to complete the surgical phase of therapy with BCT has not been widely reported. Methods: From our institutional tumor registry, we reviewed the records of all patients receiving primary surgical therapy for breast cancer from January 1, 1998, to June 30, 2002. There were 204 patients with 210 breast cancers in the cohort. These cancers were initially managed with either BCT (n = 150) or mastectomy (modified radical mastectomy or total mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy) (n = 60). We compared the percentages of patients in each group who required additional surgeries to obtain clear margins, manage axillary disease, or otherwise complete the surgical phase of therapy. Patients with secondary surgery related to long-term local recurrence were excluded. Results: Fifty-one percent of patients initially managed with BCT required additional surgery compared with 12% in the mastectomy group (P <0.05). Factors independently associated with multiple surgeries among all patients included management with BCT (odds ratio [OR] 5.4, P = 0.01) and positive margins at initial excision (OR 4.7, P <0.01). Significant independent predictors of positive margins included BCT (OR 11.9, P <0.01); disease stage (OR 6.7, P <0.01); submission of supplemental margins in addition to the main specimen (OR 2.8, P = 0.03); and positive nodes (OR 1.1, P = 0.04). Breast conservation was ultimately successful in 95% of patients who underwent BCT. Conclusions: Patients undergoing BCT may require multiple surgeries to reconcile successful breast conservation with sound oncologic resection.
Bacterial Endospore Detection Using Terbium Dipicolinate Photoluminescence in the Presence of Chemical and Biological Materials

A determination of the viability of an endospore detection technique using terbium dipicolinate photoluminescence in the presence of other chemical and biological materials was performed. The compounds and organisms examined, possible environmental constituents, covered three broad categories: organic compounds, inorganic compounds, and biological materials. Each substance was tested for a false positive, which occurs if the intrinsic terbium photoluminescence is enhanced in the absence of a bacterial endospore. The detection technique was also investigated for false negatives, which occur if a known positive endospore signal is inhibited significantly. Although several materials may give rise to false negative signals, none caused a false positive signal to be observed.
MeshTest: Laboratory-Based Wireless Testbed for Large Topologies

Mobile, ad-hoc, wireless networks offer an interesting paradigm for ubiquitous connectivity. They have many proposed applications, and with every application comes new protocols. To test such protocols, one has two basic options: simulators and testbeds. We describe a novel wireless networks testbed called MeshTest, supporting mobile, ad-hoc, and mesh environments, with an emphasis on laboratory testing of large, outdoor environments. This paper details the testbed design, and derives mathematical relationships between attenuator settings and real-world topologies. We show how to accurately and efficiently map topologies to our testbed configuration in real time, while supporting both device mobility and multipath fading.
Spectrum of resonance fluorescence and cooling dynamics in quantized one-dimensional molasses: Effects of laser configuration.

We study theoretically the spectrum of resonance fluorescence and laser-cooling dynamics corresponding to quantized atomic motion in one-dimensional optical molasses. We consider an atom with a ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{g}}$=1\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{e}}$=2 transition interacting with two counterpropagating laser beams. The laser light is assumed to be linearly polarized with an angle \ensuremath{\theta} between the polarization vectors. We discuss the spectrum of resonance fluorescence, the spectroscopy of band structure in the optical potentials, and the population of the vibrational quantum levels as a function of the angle between the polarization vectors.
Toxicity and outcomes associated with surgical cytoreduction and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for patients with sarcomatosis

Background Treatment of peritoneal recurrence following surgical resection of intra-abdominal sarcomas presents a significant challenge to clinicians. Historically, treatment with systemic chemotherapy has been ineffective and surgical resection alone has not been durable. We prospectively evaluated the feasibility of cytoreductive surgery followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with cisplatin (CDDP) alone or in combination with mitoxantrone (MITOX) for the treatment of sarcomatosis.
Reverse mathematics of prime factorization of ordinals

One of the earliest applications of Cantor's Normal Form Theorem is Jacobstahl's proof of the existence of prime factorizations of ordinals. Applying the techniques of reverse mathematics, we show that the full strength of the Normal Form Theorem is used in this proof.
Evidence for two acyl group conformations in some furylacryloyl- and thienylacryloylchymotrypsins: resonance Raman studies of enzyme-substrate intermediates at pH 3.0

Resonance Raman (RR) spectra, obtained by ultraviolet laser excitation, are reported for 10 acylchymoptrypsins at pH 3.0, in which the acyl groups are derivatives of furylacrylic and thienylacrylic acids. Spectra are also shown of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4) denatured acyl enzymes and the acid and ester analogues of the acyl groups. For most of the native acyl enzymes, the RR spectral profiles in the carbonyl stretching region suggest that the acyl groups bound to Ser-195 adopt two conformations, which are characterized by having either strong hydrogen bonds to the carbonyl oxygen or a nonbonding hydrophobic environment about the C==O group. It is also likely that in solution the ester and acid analogues of the acyl group adopt more than one conformation about the acryloyl linkages. Thus, the measured spectral parameters, such as the ethylenic double bond stretching frequency v C==C). For a series of compounds based on a given acyl group a correlation exists between (v C==C) and the measured absorption maximum (lambda max). Possible explanations are given for the observed changes in (v C==C) and (lambda max) when the acyl groups bind to the active site. A band appears near 1260 cm-1 in the RR spectra of some of the native acyl enzymes; it is not observed in the spectra of the NaDodSO4-treated intermediates or in the spectra of any model compounds.
Spring sapping origin of the enigmatic relict valleys of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Islands, Massachusetts

Abstract Steep-sided, flat-floored linear valleys that lack well developed tributaries and end in amphitheater-like heads are eroded on the outwash plains of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island. The valleys are restricted from the mid to the distal ends of the outwash plains and show no connection to possible water sources at the updip end of the plains. Their distribution and morphology lead us to propose that they were eroded by groundwater seeps fed by proglacial lakes (the high hydrostatic heads of the lakes led to the elevation of the water table) dammed by the outwash plains and associated moraines. The valleys on Cape Cod were initiated by seeps along the foreset surfaces of sandy deltas emplaced in lakes in Nantucket Sound and Cape Cod Bay after these lakes drained. Those on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket islands were either eroded by seeps at the distal ends of outwash plain wedges emplaced atop the subareal continental shelf south of the islands or along the foreset surfaces of sandy deltas emplaced on a lake behind a peripheral crustal bulge south of the glacial front. Valley erosion terminated after the lakes were drained and the water table dropped.
Benzo[a]pyrene Metabolism by the Hepatopancreas and Green Gland of the Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, In Vitro

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the potential of activating the pro-carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), elucidating B[a]P metabolite profiles, and to determine pyridine nucleotide-independent peroxygenase activity of Procambarus clarkii hepatopancreas and green gland microsomal cytochromes P450 in vitro . We compare these data to metabolite profiles generated with the rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) system. The major NAD(P)H-dependent metabolite formed by both hepatopancreas and green gland microsomal fractions was 3-OH-B[a]P; cumene hydroperoxide-dependent metabolism of B[a]P produced primarily B[a]P-quinones. B[a]P hydroxylase activity is limited by low microsomal NAD(P)H-dependent cytochrome P450 reductase levels and activity.
Diurnal fluctuation in dna content and DNA synthesis in the dorsal epidermis of Rana pipiens

Abstract 1. 1. DNA content and DNA synthesis (3H-thymidine uptake) were measured in dorsal skin epidermis of frogs—Rana pipiens sacrificed in groups of 12 over a period of 24 hr—exposed to a 12 : 12 light-dark lighting regime for 2 weeks before sacrifice. 2. 2. Diurnal fluctuations were observed in both DNA content and DNA synthesis of dorsal epidermis. 3. 3. The reproducibility of these rhythms suggests that they are true physiological phenomena with periodicities of nearly 24 hr. 4. 4. The results of light inversion experiments suggest the importance of the lighting regime in the regulation of these rhythms.
Vowel dominance in overregularizations.

When children produce regularizations like comed, not all verbs are equally likely to be regularized. Several variables (e.g. lexical frequency) have been shown to be relevant, but not all the variability between verbs is understood. It is argued here that one predictor is which vowels are present in the base form vs. the past tense form. Using a notion of recessive vs. dominant vowel (where recessive vowels are more likely to be replaced by dominant vowels than vice versa) based on adult phonological processing, it is predicted that regularizations should be likely when the base vowel is dominant and unlikely when the past tense vowel is dominant. Data from 17 children reported in the literature, aged 1;6–5;6, show that this prediction is correct. Implications for the role of phonological variables in the processing of irregular past tense forms are discussed.
Fever of unknown origin in adults.

In 1907 Richard C. Cabot, a physician at the Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston) and founder of its clinicopathological conferences, published a paper entitled "The Three LongContinued Fevers of New England" [1]. Reviewing hospital records, autopsies, and cases from private practice, he found 784 patients with >2 weeks of continuous temperatures above 99?F and reported that 91% suffered from one of three disorders-typhoid fever (75%), tuberculosis (7%), and "sepsis" (i.e., pyogenic bacterial infections such as abscesses and endocarditis) (9%). Most of the remaining cases were due to other infectious diseases, including meningitis, influenza, syphilis, and gonorrhea. Through the 1950s, clinicians in the United States and western Europe continued to describe patients with lengthy or unexplained fevers, but these series were retrospective, had differing or undefined criteria for fever, involved various intensities of evaluation, and typically failed to identify the etiology in most cases. Among those with prolonged fever for whom a specific diagnosis emerged, the most common causes continued to be a wide variety of infections, including syphilis, brucellosis, endocarditis, and, especially, tuberculosis. Believing that most patients with protracted, perplexing fever had non-infectious diseases, Paul B. Beeson conducted a prospective study from 1952 to 1957 at Yale University, and, with Robert G. Petersdorf, published this experience with 100 patients in 1961 [2]. The intent of this series was to study genuinely perplexing cases of prolonged fever: those included in it had to satisfy three prerequisites that have since formed the definition of fever of unknown (or undetermined) origin (FUO): (1) illness of >3 weeks' duration; (2) fever higher than 101?F (38.3?C) on several occasions; (3) an uncertain diagnosis despite 1 week of study in a hospital. The purpose of these criteria was to exclude from consideration acute, self-limited illnesses, healthy people whose temperatures slightly exceeded the normal range (those with "habitual hyperthermia"), and disorders readily identifiable after a brief evaluation. Since hospitalization is often unnecessary, Petersdorf has suggested revising the third criterion to: no diagnosis established despite 1 week of intensive evaluation [3].
Direct innervation of the Drosophila melanogaster larval aorta

The heart rate of larval Drosophila is modulated by various biogenic amines and peptides. The actions have always been assumed to be due to direct action on the heart since the larval heart was not known to be innervated. A recent study showed a difference in the sensitivity of the larval heart to serotonin when the CNS was ablated, thus suggesting a direct neural input. Here, we show that GFP tagged motor neurons and nerve terminals are present on the aortic region of the heart. Motor neuron cell bodies also exist outside the CNS. Transmission electron microscopy reveals the direct innervation in the aortic tissue. Thus, developmental and regulatory questions in this genetic model can now be addressed in relation to heart development and neural control.
Stereo matching as a nearest-neighbor problem

We propose a representation of images, called intrinsic curves, that transforms stereo matching from a search problem into a nearest-neighbor problem. Intrinsic curves are the paths that a set of local image descriptors trace as an image scanline is traversed from left to right. Intrinsic curves are ideally invariant with respect to disparity. Stereo correspondence then becomes a trivial lookup problem in the ideal case. We also show how to use intrinsic curves to match real images in the presence of noise, brightness bias, contrast fluctuations, moderate geometric distortion, image ambiguity, and occlusions. In this case, matching becomes a nearest-neighbor problem, even for very large disparity values.
Research Impacting Social Contexts: The Moral Import of Community-Based Participatory Research

The social context of research matters, though Gordon and colleagues have failed to connect all the dots. In “Social Contexts Influence Ethical Considerations of Research” Gordon and colleagues (20...
A prospective comparison of IMV and T-piece weaning from mechanical ventilation

Two hundred (200) consecutive medical and surgical patients requiring mechanical ventilation were entered into a prospective randomized trial of weaning by either intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) or T-piece. Patients in these groups were of similar age and sex and had the same total ventilation time (TVT). The study design provided equal time for each weaning mode after specific criteria for oxygenation and ventilation were satisfied (PaO2 greater than 55 mm Hg on FIO2 less than 0.5; VE less than 12 L/min and two of the following four parameters: MVV greater than 2 VE, VT greater than 5 ml/kg, FVC greater than 10 ml/kg, NIF less than or equal to -20 cm H2O). Of the original 200 patients 165 were entered into the weaning phase; 35 patients were withdrawn prior to weaning due to the discretion of the attending physician or protocol error. Weaning time was not different between the IMV (5.3 +/- 1.2 h, mean +/- SEM) and T-piece groups (5.9 +/- 1.4 h, p = NS). Of the 165 patients, 155 (93 percent) were weaned successfully by protocol, 79 in the IMV and 76 in the T-piece group. Of 155 patients, 136 (88 percent) were weaned on the first attempt by protocol. Of the 19 who were not weaned, 11 were weaned successfully on the second and five on the third trial; three patients required three-day weans. We conclude that clinically stable patients who require short-term mechanical ventilation and meet standard bedside weaning criteria can be weaned efficiently by protocol using either IMV or T-piece techniques.
The Development of Equations of Motion of Single-Arm Robots

Procedures for efficiently obtaining the governing dynamical equations of motion for single-arm robotic systems are presented. The procedures are based upon Kane's dynamical equations. Euler parameters, partial velocities, partial angular velocities, relative coordinates, and generalized speeds are used in the development of the governing equations. This leads to explicit expressions for the equation coefficients in forms readily converted into computer algorithms for their numerical evaluation. The inverse problem of determining the joint forces and moments when the system kinematics is known also is addressed.
Open technique for nerve-sparing retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy

Abstract Introduction. Retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RPLND) is indicated in patients with testicular cancer of all stages for staging, prognostic, and therapeutic purposes. Modification of the classic RPLND to incorporate nerve sparing has reduced the morbidity associated with this procedure with respect to ejaculation and fertility. Technical Considerations. Performance of nerve-sparing RPLND requires an understanding of the anatomy of the sympathetic chains, their branches, and their relationship to the major structures of the retroperitoneum. The key element of this procedure is the prospective identification of the postganglionic nerves, which arise from the lumbar sympathetic chains and form an anastomosing network anterior to the aorta and surrounding the origin of the inferior mesenteric artery. Precise dissection of these nerves allows complete skeletonization of the great vessels and removal of all lymphatic tissue, without compromising cancer control. Conclusions. Nerve-sparing RPLND is the procedure of choice for patients with testicular cancer in whom surgical therapy of the retroperitoneum is indicated. The procedure is associated with minimal morbidity and results in preservation of ejaculation in virtually all patients with low-stage disease and in selected patients with advanced disease or after chemotherapy.
Strain Rate Effect on the Ultimate Tensile Stress of Fiber Epoxy Strands

The strain rate effect on composite performance has been the subject of many arguments. This note points out some of the problems involved in measuring strain rate effect and presents our tensile data on some simple unidirectional composites.
Animation on a satellite graphics system

Although animation processing capability can be extremely valuable in certain graphics programs, its application is generally limited to users of stand alone, single user graphics systems. This paper describes an organization of software which enables a host program to define and control animations for an intelligent satellite graphics system. The discussion centers around the particular system on which it was implemented, but the technique should be general enough to have wide application. The results have significantly enhanced the operating characteristics of programs in the host-satellite environment.
Potential Role of UGT1A4 Promoter Snps in Anastrozole Pharmacogenomics

Anastrozole belongs to the nonsteroidal triazole-derivative group of aromatase inhibitors. Recently, clinical trials demonstrated improved antitumoral efficacy and a favorable toxicity with third-generation aromatase inhibitors, compared with tamoxifen. Anastrozole is predominantly metabolized by phase I oxidation with the potential for further phase II glucuronidation. It also, however, is subject to direct N -glucuronidation by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A4 (UGT1A4). Anastrozole pharmacokinetics vary widely among patients, but pharmacogenomic studies of patients treated with anastrozole are sparse. In this study, we examined individual variability in the glucuronidation of anastrozole and its association with UGT1A4 promoter and coding region polymorphisms. In vitro assays using liver microsomal preparations from individual subjects ( n = 96) demonstrated 235-fold variability in anastrozole glucuronidation. Anastrozole glucuronidation was correlated (r = 0.99; P < 0.0001) with lamotrigine glucuronidation (a diagnostic substrate for UGT1A4) and with UGT1A4 mRNA expression levels in human liver microsomes (r = 0.99; P < 0.0001). Recombinant UGT1A4 catalyzed anastrozole glucuronidation, which was inhibited by hecogenin (IC50 = 15 µ M), a UGT1A4 specific inhibitor. The promoter region of UGT1A4 is polymorphic, and compared with those homozygous for the common allele, lower enzymatic activity was observed in microsomes from individuals heterozygous for −163G<A, −219T<G, and −217C<T ( P = 0.009, P = 0.014, and P = 0.009, respectively). These results indicate that variability in glucuronidation could contribute to response to anastrozole in the treatment of breast cancer.
Model pyroxenes I: Ideal pyroxene topologies

Ideal pyroxenes are hypothetical structures based on ideal closest-packed arrangements of O anions. They are modeled after observed pyroxene structures and have the general formula M2M1T2O6, where M2 and M1 represent octahedrally coordinated cations, and T represents tetrahedrally coordinated cations. An algorithm has been created to construct all possible ideal pyroxenes based on closest-packed stacking sequences of length 12 or less. These structures are reported. The only significant structural parameters that vary between different ideal pyroxenes are the M1-T and M2-T distances. We show that the repulsive forces between these pairs of cations distinguishes the energetics of the ideal pyroxenes and may be important in determining the topologies of observed pyroxenes.
Influence of prolonged recumbency on drug disposition.

The disposition of lidocaine and penicillin was studied in normal subjects before and after 7 days of total recumbency. Penicillin (1,000,000 U) and lidocaine (100 mg) were adminstered intravenously. Lidocaine protein binding was also followed. Total body clearance, elimination half-life, and volume of distribution were calculated. There were no statistically significant differences in these disposition parameters before and after 7 days of recumbency. The binding of lidocaine also was not changed after bed rest. We conclude that the physiologic changes that occur during prolonged bed rest do not affect distribution or elimination of lidocaine or pencillin. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1980) 28, 624–628; doi:10.1038/clpt.1980.213
Empirical Benchmarks for Interpreting Effect Sizes in Research

There is no universal guideline or rule of thumb for judging the practical importance or substantive significance of a standardized effect size estimate for an intervention. Instead, one must develop empirical benchmarks of comparison that reflect the nature of the intervention being evaluated, its target population, and the outcome measure or measures being used. This approach is applied to the assessment of effect size measures for educational interventions designed to improve student academic achievement. Three types of empirical benchmarks are illustrated: (a) normative expectations for growth over time in student achievement, (b) policy-relevant gaps in student achievement by demographic group or school performance, and (c) effect size results from past research for similar interventions and target populations. The findings can be used to help assess educational interventions, and the process of doing so can provide guidelines for how to develop and use such benchmarks in other fields.
Counseling Psychology's Wide New Horizons:

Is it truly important to “internationalize” counseling psychology? If so, how can we best do this? This reaction to Leong and Ponterotto (2003 [this issue]) documents four general points about international psychology today—its origins, growth, ethnocentrism, and diversity—and relates these to their bold and comprehensive proposal to internationalize counseling psychology in the United States.
A prototype FPGA for subthreshold-optimized CMOS (abstract only)

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are frequently used in low power systems because they can implement the same functionality as a microprocessor in a more energy-efficient manner while still offering the benefits of low development time and cost relative to an ASIC. Similar advantages for FPGAs may be found in ultra-low power applications operating at subthreshold supply voltages, where performance is sacrificed in favor of increased energy efficiency. Process technology research has demonstrated the benefits of tailoring device design to subthreshold operation. Subthreshold FPGA research is only beginning, and has yet to consider use of subthreshold-optimized devices. A simplified FPGA implemented in subthreshold-optimized CMOS is presented. The results obtained show that this technology provides the capability to implement an FPGA suitable for ultra-low power applications consuming tens to hundreds of microwatts of average power.
An opportunity cost theory of US treaty behavior

The United States often leads in the creation of treaties, but it sometimes never joins those treaties or does so only after considerable delay. This presents an interesting puzzle. Most international relations theory expects states to join treaties as long as the benefits outweigh the costs. Domestic theories modify this with the constraints of institutional veto players. Yet, sometimes neither of these arguments explains the delay or absence of US participation. We supplement these explanations with an opportunity cost theory. We argue that the advice and consent process sometimes slows or stalls because it imposes costs in terms of legislative time and political capital. These costs alter the calculus of key players and may obstruct the process. Statistical analysis supports the argument. The priority the Senate and President give to treaties depends not only on the value they assign to the treaty, but also on the value of the time needed to process the treaty. Presidents are less, not more, likely to transmit treaties to the Senate the more support they have in Congress. Furthermore, the more support the President has in Congress, the more the cost of Senate floor time matters for advice and consent.
An analysis of carrier phase jitter in an M-PSK receiver utilizing MAP estimation

The use of 8 and 16 PSK TCM to support satellite communications in an effort to achieve more bandwidth efficiency in a power-limited channel has been proposed. The authors address the problem of carrier phase jitter in an M-PSK receiver utilizing the high SNR approximation to the maximum a posteriori estimation of carrier phase. In particular, numerical solutions to 8 and 16 PSK self-noise and the amplitude suppression factor in the loop are presented. The effect of changing SNR on the loop noise bandwidth is also discussed. This data is then used to compute variance of phase error as a function of SNR. Simulation data is used to verify these calculations. The results show that there is a threshold in the variance of phase error verse SNR curves that is a strong function of SNR and a weak function of loop bandwidth. The M-PSK variance thresholds occur at SNRs in the range of practical interest for the use of 8 and 16-PSK TCM. This suggests that phase error variance is an important consideration in the design of these systems. >
Women Filing Assault Charges on an Intimate Partner Criminal Justice Outcome and Future Violence Experienced

To describe the criminal justice outcomes and violence experienced after women seek to file assault charges against an intimate partner, 90 women were interviewed and followed for six months. Threats of violence, physical assault, stalking, and danger were measured by interview questionnaires at the time of filing charges and at 3 and 6 months later. Among the 90 women, 48% had insufficient evidence for charges; of the 52% making charges, 11% dropped charges, 37% of the perpetrators were arrested, and 4% remained fugitives. With the exception of danger at 3 months for one group of women, levels of violence did not differ by charges accepted or perpetrator arrested at 3 and 6 months. The act of women attempting to file assault charges, whether the charges were accepted or the perpetrator arrested, resulted in equally lower levels of future violence.
Exploring random access and handshaking techniques in underwater wireless acoustic networks

In this article, we study the medium access control (MAC) problem in underwater wireless acoustic networks. We explore the random access and handshaking (i.e., RTS/CTS) techniques in both single-channel and multi-channel network scenarios. We model and analyze these two approaches, and conduct extensive simulations to study their performance in various network conditions. Based on our results, we observe that the performance of both approaches are affected by many factors such as data rate, propagation delay and packet size. Our results show that the RTS/CTS approach is more suitable for dense networks with high date rate, whereas the random access approach is preferred in sparse networks with low data rate. Our results also demonstrate that multi-channel techniques can potentially help us combat the long delay feature of underwater acoustic channels. However, uncoordinated random channel access cannot fully exploit the advantages of the multi-channel network settings and it performs even worse than the single-channel random access protocol. Only with careful design and coordination such as multi-channel access with RTS/CTS handshaking process, can multi-channel MAC protocols greatly improve the system performance. We believe that this study will provide useful guidelines for efficient MAC design in underwater wireless acoustic networks.
Foreshore Sand as a Source of Escherichia coli in Nearshore Water of a Lake Michigan Beach

Swimming advisories due to excessive Escherichia coli concentrations are common at 63rd Street Beach, Chicago, Ill. An intensive study was undertaken to characterize the source and fate of E. coli in beach water and sand at the beach. From April through September 2000, water and sand samples were collected daily or twice daily at two depths on three consecutive days per week (water samples, n = 1,747; sand samples, n = 858); hydrometeorological conditions and bird and bather distributions were also recorded. E. coli concentrations in sand and water were significantly correlated, with the highest concentration being found in foreshore sand, followed by those in submerged sediment and water of increasing depth. Gull contributions to E. coli densities in sand and water were most apparent on the day following gull activity in a given area. E. coli recolonized newly placed foreshore sand within 2 weeks. Analysis of variance, correlation, cluster analyses, concentration gradients, temporal-spatial distribution, demographic patterns, and DNA fingerprinting suggest that E. coli may be able to sustain population density in temperate beach sand during summer months without external inputs. This research presents evidence that foreshore beach sand (i) plays a major role in bacterial lake water quality, (ii) is an important non-point source of E. coli to lake water rather than a net sink, (iii) may be environmentally, and perhaps hygienically, problematic, and (iv) is possibly capable of supporting an autochthonous, high density of indicator bacteria for sustained periods, independent of lake, human, or animal input.
Philosophy, Revision, Critique: Rereading Practices in Heidegger, Nietzsche, and Emerson

Abbreviations Introduction 1. The art of reading properly, part I: the discordance of art and truth 2. The art of reading properly, part II: Nietzsche's philosophy proper 3. Paralipsis, part I: a rhetoric of rereading 4. Paralipsis, part II: revision as history of being 5. Revision as canon formation: misreading in Harold Bloom 6. healthy, wealthy, and wise: rereading in Emerson 7. Thought for food (eating eternal return) Epilogue Notes Index.
Current controlled drug regulation in Taiwan

In order to strengthen the management system of medical and scientific use of controlled drugs, Taiwan government referred to the three major drug control treaties of United Nation to formulate the "Controlled Drugs Act" in 1999. There are three kinds of system to manage controlled drugs, including (1) Schedule Management, (2) Licensing Regulation Management and (3) Diversion Control Management, such as the reporting and auditing systems. In this article, the management system of controlled drugs will be discussed thoroughly. Under the "Controlled Drugs Act", the controlled drugs are scheduled by the tendency of their habitual use, drug dependency, abuse, and social hazard. If violating the rule, the administrative sanction is applied. Cases of violations will also be given in this article.
Surgery for lymph node metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine malignancy of the thyroid C cells, and can commonly spread to cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes. MTC cells do not concentrate radioactive iodine and are not sensitive to hormonal manipulation, and therefore surgery is the only effective option for curative therapy, reduction in tumor burden or effective palliation. In patients undergoing preventative operations for hereditary MTC, central lymph node dissection should be considered if the calcitonin level is above 40 pg/ml. Systematic removal of at-risk or involved lymph node compartments should be performed in all patients with palpable primary tumors and recurrent disease, and a ‘berry-picking’ approach should be avoided.
Status of Higgs Boson Couplings and Searches

The status of Higgs sector studies at the Large Hadron Collider is reviewed. The latest extractions of couplings and properties of the 125 GeV Higgs boson from the Run 1 data of the ATLAS and CMS experiments are discussed. Searches for additional Higgs boson states beyond that of the Standard Model are presented.
A comment: On the optimal provision of social insurance: Progressive taxation versus education subsidies in general equilibrium by Dirk Krueger and Alexander Ludwig”

Abstract Kruger and Ludwig present an analysis of optimal taxation and educational subsidies in an intergenerational framework. They consider how optimal policy might change when transition costs are taken into account. We present some questions about the analysis, including the potential of defining an optimal path for policy taking into account transition costs.
Disinfection by-products in US drinking waters: past, present and future

Disinfection by-products have been regulated in finished drinking waters in the United States since 1979. The original regulations dealt only with trihalomethanes, but more recent rules also address haloacetic acids. Compliance with these regulations has traditionally been based on a running annual average of quarterly measurements of disinfection by-products in the distribution system and on concerns about adverse health effects associated with chronic exposure to these by-products. More recently, concerns have also been focused on short-term exposure and acute reproductive and developmental adverse health effects. Additionally, while compliance has previously been based on disinfection by-product levels in samples collected primarily at locations with average distribution system residence times, forthcoming regulations will base compliance on disinfection by-product levels in samples collected at locations with maximum trihalomethane and haloacetic acid concentrations. Moreover, instead of the maximum contaminant levels applying to the annual average of all distribution system samples, the new rules will require that the annual average of the regulated disinfection by-product concentrations at each monitoring location be less than their respective maximum contaminant levels. This paper reviews the evolution of disinfection by-product regulations in the United States and on the rationale behind these regulations.
Sweep-out measurements of band-tail carriers in a-Si: H

Abstract The sweep-out experiment, used to measure the density of band-tail carriers in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is described. The experimental configuration, sample structure and analysis are discussed in some detail. The band-tail carrier density nBT is obtained with good accuracy from the charge collection, but their energy distribution is not easily deduced from the time dependence of the current. The sweep-out technique is applied to doped material and the results are related to the transport, the density-of-states distribution and the thermal equilibration of the localized states. In the equilibrium regime, nBT is activated with a doping-dependent energy, which is explained by the thermodynamics of the defect and dopant states. The measurements of nBT are combined with conductivity data and the density of states, to give the drift mobility of doped material. Sweep-out measurements also prove that the doping efficiency of a-Si: H depends on the position of the Fermi energy, as predicte...
RASP-Boost: Confidential Boosting-Model Learning with Perturbed Data in the Cloud

Mining large data requires intensive computing resources and data mining expertise, which might be unavailable for many users. With widely available cloud computing resources, data mining tasks can now be moved to the cloud or outsourced to third parties to save costs. In this new paradigm, data and model confidentiality becomes the major concern to the data owner. Data owners have to understand the potential trade-offs among client-side costs, model quality, and confidentiality to justify outsourcing solutions. In this paper, we propose the RASP-Boost framework to address these problems in confidential cloud-based learning. The RASP-Boost approach works with our previous developed RAndom Space Perturbation (RASP) method to protect data confidentiality and uses the boosting framework to overcome the difficulty of learning high-quality classifiers from RASP perturbed data. We develop several cloud-client collaborative boosting algorithms. These algorithms require low client-side computation and communication costs. The client does not need to stay online in the process of learning models. We have thoroughly studied the confidentiality of data, model, and learning process under a practical security model. Experiments on public datasets show that the RASP-Boost approach can provide high-quality classifiers, while preserving high data and model confidentiality and requiring low client-side costs.
Book Review: Filippo Osella and Caroline Osella, eds, Islamic Reform in South Asia

Filippo Osella and Caroline Osella, eds, Islamic Reform in South Asia, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013, p. 535.
Correlation of dietary diversity and growth of children aged 2~6 years old in poor areas,Yunnan

Objective To analyze the nutritional status of children in poor areas of Yunnan,and to explore the correlation among dietary scores(DDS)and the index of growth and development. Methods Participants of 2006-2009 nutritional surveillance project from four poor counties of Yunnan were included.Indexes,such as DDS9,the-height-for-age Z score(HAZ),the-weight-for-age Z score(WAZ),the-weight-for-height Z score(WHZ)and the prevalence of malnutrition were constructed using the database.Then the correlation of these indexes was analyzed. Results A total of 1 686 children were included in this study.The prevalence of underweight,stunting and wasting among these children were 24.3%,24.7%and 7.5% respectively.Average DDS9 was 6.0±1.38,which was positively associated with HAZ(r=0.11,P=0.00)and WAZ(r=0.063,P=0.01).However,the same association was not found with WHZ(r=-0.02,P=0.327).Binary Logistic regression suggested the lacking of milk、meat and aquatic food consumption were risk factors for malnutrition. Conclusion Preschool children in poor areas of Yunnan faced the lacking of food diversity and many of them suffered from malnutrition.DDS9 is correlated with some growth indexes,and could be applied in the work of nutrition improvement.
Can Justice Be Served on Campus? An Examination of Due Process and Victim Protection Policies in the Campus Adjudication of Sexual Assault in Maryland

Campus disciplinary systems are positioned to provide a modicum of justice for victims of sexual violence and deter predatory assaults. Yet, this will occur only if victims find them worthy of use and the broader campus community believes them to be fair to accused and accusing students. This investigation reviews the legal status of various due process and victim protection practices and determines their presence in the student disciplinary policies of four-year residential colleges and universities in Maryland. Findings establish that compliance with the Clery Act is relatively high, while due process and victim protections vary widely. Findings also show that public institutions and those adopting “trial”-like adjudication procedures promise greater due process and victim protections compared to private institutions and those following an inquisitorial model. Policies are recommended to achieve procedural fairness while encouraging victims to report abuse and use campuses systems, along with further av...
Introduction: sowing the wind

In an old Moroccan folk tale, Alexander the Great once separated Morocco from Europe with an order to his legions to dig the Strait of Gibraltar (Barādah, Qaddūrī, 2000, 24). Answering the call for protection against rioting “wild Berbers of the south” in today’s southern Spain, Alexander not only connected the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean basin, he also disconnected the European from the African continent. Ever since, Morocco aimed at closing the gap to Europe, peaking in 1984 with its bid to join the European Community. Instead of becoming a member state, Morocco’s relationship with the European Union (EU) developed to one of the most advanced economic and political cooperations in Europe’s neighborhood. The central goal of this book is to unravel the relationship between the EU and Morocco and analyze to what extent EU rules and norms were integrated into Morocco’s domestic system.
1,2 ICSRA for the Management of Proximal Pole Scaphoid Nonunion

Within the carpus, the scaphoid is the most commonly fractured, and accounts for more than 60 % of all carpal bone fractures [5]. Nonunion is a problem that is encountered particularly often with scaphoid fractures, especially in those involving the proximal one third of the scaphoid. This relates to the blood supply of the scaphoid, which is primarily derived from branches from the radial artery entering the scaphoid through foramina on its distal dorsal ridge. The vascular supply of the proximal pole hence is derived in a retrograde fashion from these vessels proceeding from distal to proximal, and is easily disrupted following a fracture. With disruption of the blood supply of the proximal pole, AVN develops in approximately 3 % of all scaphoid fractures [1].