cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of chatbot conversational skill on engagement and perceived humanness

Conversational agents (CAs)—frequently operationalized as chatbots—are computer systems that leverage natural language processing to engage in conversations with human users. CAs are often operatio...
Z2×Z2 orbifold compactification as the origin of realistic free fermionic models

I discuss the correspondence between realistic four dimensional free fermionic models and Z2×Z2 orbifold compactification. I discuss the properties of the Z2×Z2 orbifold that are reflected in the realistic free fermionic models. I argue that the properties zof the realistic free fermionic models arise due to the underlying Z2×Z2 orbifold compactification with nontrivial background fields. I suggest that three generations is a natural outcome of Z2×Z2 orbifold compactification with “standard embedding” and at the point in compactification space that corresponds to the free fermionic formulation. I discuss how quark flavor mixing is related to the compactification.
When Doctor Means Teacher: An Interactive Workshop on Patient-Centered Education.

Introduction Increasingly, health care is delivered through a patient-centered model, and patients engage in shared decision-making with their medical providers. As a result, medical educators are ...
Batch counterflow reverse osmosis

Abstract High salinity waters (>7 wt%) remain a dominant challenge for reverse osmosis desalination, as the required osmotic pressures can exceed the burst pressure of the membranes. Osmotically assisted processes have been designed to circumvent this challenge, but have reduced efficiencies and extensive requirements for specialty pumps, stages and other equipment. Here, we present the first batch osmotically assisted process, which dramatically reduces the energy needs and required components of past processes. To do so, we develop an improved time-varying model which can capture the time-varying concentration profiles, fully discretized across the membrane module. This new process, batch counterflow reverse osmosis (BCFRO), recirculates the fluid on both sides of a membrane. A double-acting piston tank enables this brine recirculation to increase pressure over time. The combination of the new process with batch reverse osmosis, using the same components, can lead to a second law efficiency of 60% for high recovery of seawater. The analysis includes detailed trade-off mapping of recovery ratio per pass, total water recovery, water flux and pressures. Such an approach would be the best-in-class for higher salinities where the cost of energy is relatively important.
Frozen Embryos, Male Consent, and Masculinities

Picture two men facing the possibility of unwanted fatherhood. One man agreed to go through in vitro fertilization with his partner, but years later has changed his mind. Despite the fact that the embryos created through IVF are his partner’s last chance to be a genetic parent, a court allows him to block her use of the embryos. By contrast, another couple’s sexual relationship broke the law. The woman was a legal adult and her partner was a child, under the age of eighteen. Their encounter was thus statutory rape. Her crime led to pregnancy, and after she gave birth, she sued the teenager for child support. Despite his protest that he did not consent to the sexual activity that led to the child’s birth, the court affirms the child support order. As a practical matter, this inconsistency in treatment of unwanted fatherhood may instinctively make sense, applying two different rules for two very different contexts. A deeper examination of the cases, however, reveals much more going on. This Article uses the frame of masculinities theories to dive further into the inconsistency and uncovers two groundbreaking implications that stretch far beyond the specific circumstances. First, the varying treatment of embryo disposition disputes and the characterization of male victims of statutory rape have one constant: a dismissal and rejection of men’s emotions. Second, exploring the inconsistent treatment of men’s consent to become fathers in sexual reproduction versus stored embryos reveals a clear rejection by courts of the personhood concept that embryos are human life. These revelations inform not only how embryo disposition disputes should be resolved, but also fetal personhood and family law’s treatment of fathers.
How to Make Concrete Laws Out of Thin Air: Peter Fitzpatrick on the Myths and Groundings of Legality

In this essay, I will describe the way that Peter Fitzpatrick takes a deep dive into law in its most abstract and mythopoetic form. I will argue that in doing so, Fitzpatrick reveals the way that an intangible and ethereal non thing can and does shape laws in all of their authority and violence. By looking at this strata of legal formation, Fitzpatrick demonstrates the way that law bridges the gap between its own non-being and its power in the world. He shows us not only how this works but also how in some ways this process can be resisted and diverted, how the violence of law can sometimes be mitigated by its own mythopoetic sources. In doing so, Fitzpatrick reveals the inner logics, the determining myths and abstractions that suggest, not only the foundations of law, but also the possibility of other laws, other forms of engagement and authority.
Suicide Risk, Changing Jobs, or Leaving the Nursing Profession in the Aftermath of a Patient Safety Incident.

BACKGROUND Nursing retention is a concern for healthcare systems, hospital administrators, and nurses who have spent considerable time and money to achieve educational goals. Nearly, 33% of nurses will drop out in the 2 years practice. Those who stay in practice face an increased risk of suicide when compared the general population. AIMS To examine the relationship between nurse sociodemographic data and unique study variables with potential morally injurious outcomes (i.e., dropping out variables: changing jobs, intention to leave the profession, or suicidal thinking). METHODS A descriptive, correlational study design was used to characterize the relationship between the sociodemographic data of 216 registered nurses (RNs) and patient safety and the suicidal behavioral questionnaire. RESULTS RNs involved in a patient safety incident (PSI) considered changing jobs when the degree of harm was death (p < .001) or was unknown (p < .05) when compared with no harm. RNs were more likely to consider leaving the profession when the degree of harm to the patient was permanent (p < .01) or the patient died (p < .05) when compared with having no harm. RNs future suicidal thinking (i.e., their self-reported likelihood of future suicidal behavior) was statistically significant when degree of harm to the patient was death (p < .05) as a result of a PSI (95% CI [1.11, 8.71]) when compared with no harm. The RNs who had suicidal thoughts over the past year compared with those without and the RNs with future suicidal thinking compared with those without, may respond differently in the aftermath of a PSI. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION This study served as a pioneering effort to the current understanding between nurse characteristics and patient harm and "dropping out" outcomes in RNs involved in PSIs. RNs involved with PSIs that led to more harm were more likely to change jobs, consider leaving the profession, or contemplate future suicide. These findings have important implications for nurses, administrative managers in healthcare organizations, and researchers.
Creating a Clearinghouse to Evaluate Environmental Risks to Fetal Development

In this Article, the Author explores current challenges to accessing and evaluating information about environmental risks to fetal development. She investigates these challenges within the context of the existing regulatory framework for environmental risks. As a result of this analysis, she highlights the need for and proposes creating an independent non-profit umbrella organization—a clearinghouse—to collect, distill, interpret, and make accessible the research on environmental threats to fetal development and to apply that research to evaluating relevant U.S. policy. The Author defines broadly the research on fetal development that lies within the charge of the clearinghouse to include not only research about chemical toxicant risks but also research involving environmental risks related to criminal and social justice policies.
On models of protection in operating systems

In [ii], a model of protection systems was introduced. Much of that paper is devoted to an explanation of the model. There are examples of the use of the model in capturing aspects of real systems. A formulation of the safety question is presented and it is shown that the question of whether a given general protection system is safe or not is undecidable. That paper has provoked a number of questions as to why certain features were or were not included in the model. The present paper attempts to answer these questions as well as giving some new results.
National Standards for United States History.

(1996). National Standards for United States History. The Social Studies: Vol. 87, No. 2, pp. 63-67.
Never underestimate the power of women: The transforming vision of African women's history

Abstract This essay first explores the impact of studying women on African history. That impact has transformed previous conventional views on a variety of topics such as the study of: early human subsistence and social structure; family structure and the households in an historical context; political economy; African forms of status deprivation (including slavery) and class formation; the impact of Western culture on marriage, education, religion, and the law; and the nature and impact of political and economic oppression. The essay then goes ahead to suggest how that transformed vision of history could change Western women's history and refine the bases of comparison. In both sections the necessity for economizing social relationships is stressed with particular emphasis on the development of class structure as it relates to gender. In doing so scholars may explore a new basis for international kinship among women based on the new international division of labour.
Familial risk of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objectives/Hypothesis To determine the risk of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in relatives of children with a diagnosis of CRS. Study Design Retrospective observational cohort study with population-based matched controls. Methods A unique genealogical database linked to medical records was used to identify subjects ≤12 years old with a diagnosis of CRS from 1996 to 2011. The familial recurrence risks of CRS in first- through fifth-degree relatives of probands were calculated using Cox models and compared to controls randomly selected from the Utah population and matched 10:1 on sex and birth year. Results We identified 496 pediatric patients with CRS. Siblings of patients with CRS demonstrated a 57.5-fold increased risk (P < 10−8) of also having pediatric CRS. First cousins had a 9.0-fold increased risk (P < 10−3) and second cousins had a 2.9-fold increased risk (P = .002) of pediatric CRS. First-degree relatives, second-degree relatives, and first cousins of pediatric cases demonstrated a significant increased risk of having adult CRS. Parents of probands demonstrated a 5.6-fold increased risk (P < 10−15). Fifty-five probands had one affected parent versus three probands with two affected parents. Conclusions In the largest population study to date of children with CRS, a significant familial risk is confirmed. Parents of probands were also at increased risk, although it was much more likely for one parent to be affected than both, suggesting a genetic component of the disease. Further understanding of the genetic basis of CRS and its interplay with environmental factors could clarify the etiology and lead to more effective targeted treatments. Level of Evidence 3b Laryngoscope, 2015
Effect of prophylactic ketoconazole and nystatin on fungal flora.

Summary: The effect of prophylactic antifungal drugs on oropharyngeal and anterior nares fungal colonization was studied in 20 patients receiving nystatin and 19 patients receiving ketoconazole. Surveillance cultures were obtained weekly for a mean of 27.1 ± 4.8 days in the nystatin group and 44.0 ±6.7 days in the ketoconazole group. Initially, 63.2% of nystatin patients and 77.8% of ketoconazole patients had yeasts in their oropharynx. Neither drug eliminated oropharyngeal yeast colonization; by the end of the first four weeks of surveillance, 66.7% of the nystatin group and 63.6% of the ketoconazole group still had yeasts in the oropharynx. However, both drugs caused a reduction in the quantity of yeasts grown on successive cultures. Filamentous fungi were isolated in baseline cultures in 42.1% of the nystatin patients and 33.3% of the ketoconazole patients. Prophylaxis did not appear to alter carriage of filamentous fungi in the upper airways. Pathogenic filamentous fungi were only rarely isolated, and this rate did not increase with prophylaxis. Resistance to polyene antifungals (nystatin, amphotericin B) or to ketoconazole did not occur as a result of prophylaxis. Zusammenfassung: Untersuchung uber die Pilzflora im Oropharynx und im vorderen Nasenraum unter dem Einflus einer prophylaktischen antimykotischen Behandlung. 20 Patienten erhielten Nystatin und 19 Patienten Ketoconazol. Wochentliche Kontrollkulturen wurden in der Nystatin-Gruppe uber einen durchschnittlichen Zeitraum von 27,1 ± 4,8 Tagen und in der Ketoconazol-Gruppe uber 44,0 ± 6,7 Tage durchgefuhrt. Zu Beginn der Untersuchung hatten 63,2% der Nystatin-Patienten und 77,8% der Ketoconazol-Patienten Hefen im Oropharynx. Keines der beiden Antimykotika eliminierte die oropharyngeale Hefebesiedlung. Nach 4wochiger Beobachtung wurden Hefen in der Nystatin-Gruppe bei 76,7% und in der Ketoconazol-Gruppe bei 63,6% im Oropharynx festgestellt. Durch beide Antimykotika wurde jedoch eine Verringerung der kulturell nachweisbaren Hefemengen hervorgerufen. Schimmelpilze fanden sich zu Beginn der Untersuchung bei 42,1% der Nystatin-Patienten und bei 33,3% der Ketoconazol-Patienten. Unter der prophylaktischen Behandlung war keine Verringerung des Vorkommens derartiger Pilze in den oberen Luftwegen feststellbar. Pathogene Schimmelpilze wurden nur sehr selten isoliert und das Vorkommen dieser Pilze stieg unter der prophylaktischen Behandlung nicht an. Eine Resistenz gegenuber Polyen-Antimykotika (Nystatin, Amphotericin B) oder Ketoconazol trat unter der prophylaktischen Behandlung nicht auf.
Using hidden Markov chains and empirical Bayes change-point estimation for transect data

Consider a lattice of locations in one dimension at which data are observed. We model the data as a random hierarchical process. The hidden process is assumed to have a (prior) distribution that is derived from a two-state Markov chain. The states correspond to the mean values (high and low) of the observed data. Conditional on the states, the observations are modelled, for example, as independent Gaussian random variables with identical variances. In this model, there are four free parameters: the Gaussian variance, the high and low mean values, and the transition probability in the Markov chain. A parametric empirical Bayes approach requires estimation of these four parameters from the marginal (unconditional) distribution of the data and we use the EM-algorithm to do this. From the posterior of the hidden process, we use simulated annealing to find the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate. Using a Gibbs sampler, we also obtain the maximum marginal posterior probability (MMPP) estimate of the hidden process. We use these methods to determine where change-points occur in spatial transects through grassland vegetation, a problem of considerable interest to plant ecologists.
CLODs: dual hierarchies for multiresolution collision detection

We present "contact levels of detail" (CLOD), a novel concept for multiresolution collision detection. Given a polyhedral model, our algorithm automatically builds a "dual hierarchy", both a multiresolution representation of the original model and its bounding volume hierarchy for accelerating collision queries. We have proposed various error metrics, including object-space errors, velocity dependent gap, screen-space errors and their combinations. At runtine, our algorithm uses these error metrics to select the appropriate levels of detail independently at each potential contact location. Compared to the existing exact collision detection algorithms, we observe significant performance improvement using CLODs on some benchmarks, with little degradation in the visual rendering of simulations.
Anomalies in Quantum Field Theory

The historically important decay of the neutral pion into two photons is re-examined using the non-operator field theory techniques of Source Theory. The equivalence of pseudoscalar and pseudovector couplings, or alternatively, the partial conservation of the axial current, is confirmed, not only for the primitive interaction, but to the next order in a. In contrast, current algebra, which initially failed to account for the pion decay, uncovered, in the analysis of non-convergent integrals, an anomaly of the axial current divergence. This saved the day at the primitive interaction level, but does not yield the a correction. The question, of vital importance for non-Abelian gauge theories, is thereby raised but not answered: Do anomalies have physical significance, or are they mathematical artifacts of a maladroit formulation?
Protecting health, environment and agriculture: authorisation of genetically modified crops and food in the United States and the European Union

Millions of agricultural producers from around the globe now cultivate genetically modified (GM) crops. In both the United States and the European Union, these crops and their food and feed products must be approved after evaluations designed to protect health, the environment, and agriculture. In the United States, federal agencies implement the authorisation process; in the European Community, both Community institutions and Member State authorities play roles. This article describes the comprehensive regulatory provisions that govern GM crops and their products under US and EC law. The article then compares requirements in the two legal systems, with a focus on the process of authorisation, requirements for labelling, and the exercise of precaution in the regulatory process.
The Value‐based Islamic Economic System and Other Optimal Economic Systems: A Critical Comparative Analysis

It is noted that the optimal systems of radical free enterprise and radical socialism are extremes of intellectualising science. Each excludes the thought of the other. Since both theories are logically consistent, each has a compelling intellectual support base. However, both theories are flawed insofar as they make the economic reality an independent functioning entity isolated from the concepts of interdependence and broader individual and social entities. Each simplifies reality – one defines all reality in the individual while the other defines all reality in the society. The simplicity of the intellectual framework of both is the flaw which arises from using Occam′s Razor too freely in simplifying complexity. It is argued that a system that explicitly incorporates and recognises individual freedom and societal values is preferable to all other systems that are assumed to be “value free”. This could be one explanation for the emergence of the Islamic system in different corners of the world.
Privatization and restructuring of banks in Brazil

Abstract This article examines the origins of Brazil’s state and private banks and how the decades of inflation produced distortions in the way they functioned. It describes the crises that emerged with the end of inflation and the measures taken by the Central Bank to deal with them. The final part deals with the implications of the newly emerging banking structure from both an efficiency and an equity point of view.
Ethidium binding to deoxyribonucleic acid: spectrophotometric analysis of analogs with amino, azido, and hydrogen substituents.

The DNA–ligand interactions of a series of phenanthridinium compounds with various combinations of amino, azido, and hydrogen functions at R3 and R8 were examined to determine the contribution of these particular substituents to ligand binding. Spectrophometric titrations using calf-thymus DNA emphasized the importance of amino substituents in conferring a strong interaction and also stabilizing the interaction against reversal by high ionic strength. Although azido groups were not as effective as amino groups, they were more effective than hydrogen functions in enhancing the interaction. Furthermore, an amino substitution at R8 was consistently, though only slightly, more effective than an amino substituent at R3. The results from superhelical titrations using plasmid pBR322 DNA demonstrated that analogs with amino and/or azido functions at both R3 and R8 produced the greatest unwinding, and compounds with an amino or an azido function at R8 proved more effective than those with the corresponding amino or azido substituent at R3.
Pubertal and seasonal plasticity in the amygdala

The present experiments investigated the effects of pubertal maturation and photoperiod on the size of brain regions that mediate mating behavior in the male Syrian hamster. We hypothesized that the low levels of reproductive behavior exhibited by prepubertal and photoinhibited males would be correlated with morphological changes in the neural circuit that mediates mating behavior. We found that the Nissl-stained cross-sectional area of the posterodorsal subdivision of the medial amygdala was significantly smaller in prepubertal and photoinhibited males compared to photostimulated adult males. These differences appear to be caused by a decrease in somal size of individual cells in the ventral aspect of this nucleus. We also found that prepubertal males have a larger anterior subdivision of the medial amygdala (MeA) compared to adults. This difference in the MeA does not appear to be caused by alteration in somal size since somal size did not differ significantly between juveniles and adults. It is concluded that the neural circuit that mediates male mating behavior in this species is capable of significant morphological plasticity during both pubertal development and in adulthood. Furthermore, these alterations may reflect underlying mechanisms of the deficits in sexual behavior exhibited by prepubertal and photoinhibited males.
Remodelling of optic nerve myelin sheaths and axons during metamorphosis in Xenopus laevis

Whole mounts and transverse sections of Xenopus optic nerves were examined with the light and electron microscopes before, during, and after metamorphosis. In stage 52--58 tadpoles, almost all myelin sheaths were circular in transverse sections. Early in metamorphosis (stages 60--61) large redundant myelin loops surrounded many large axons in central regions of the nerve. The loops subsequently were broken down into ovoids and lamellar segments that remained mostly within oligodendrocytes. These myelin changes were not observed in the chiasm or next to the eye. They were not associated with significant axonal degeneration and were no longer apparent in optic nerves of young frogs. Xenopus optic nerves also became shorter during metamorphosis. We therefore suggest that myelin sheaths with redundant loops which degenerate and disappear are being remodelled as the nerve decreases in length.
Gonadotropic Hormone: Modification of the Alcohol-Precipitation Assay Method

With the accumulation of experience in the concentration and purification of the gonadotropic hormones isolated from the urine of normal (1, 2, 3) and endocrinological patients, a gradual evolution of the technical procedure (4) has taken place. The evolution has proceeded in the direction of reducing toxicity of the concentrate and increasing the simplicity and ease of preparing the concentrate. The urine collections are made during a 12-hour overnight period, usually from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. The specimens are kept in a refrigerator, without added preservative, until precipitated. Male patients are requested to collect four successive separate specimens. All are precipitated but only one specimen is assayed. If the assay results are high or normal, the remaining specimens are then completely concentrated and assayed separately to confirm the findings of the first. If the assay results are low, the remaining three specimens are pooled and the combined concentrate assayed in a single animal.
The Corporate’s Credit Evaluation of Engineering Supervision Based on Porter's Five Forces Model

In order to change our corporate credit defect engineering supervision status, this paper uses Porter’s five forces model to analyze our engineering supervision enterprises, and the credit system construction. Our thesis project supervision companies can change the status of lack of credit by starting professional liability insurance, and other methods.
Effects of methylated xanthines on mammalian cells treated with bifunctional alkylating agents

Caffeine has been previously reported to enhance the lethal potential of many DNA-damaging agents in rodent cells1–5. This effect has most commonly been ascribed to the binding of caffeine to single-stranded DNA6, and the resulting inhibition of post-replication repair7–10, which is associated with the synthesis of abnormally small nascent DNA fragments7,11–13. However, certain aspects of this theory remain unclear: (1) why does the addition of caffeine to damaged cells elevate the level of DNA synthesis when it supposedly blocks post-replication repair10,14, and (2) as pointed out by Cleaver15, why does caffeine continue to exert its synergistic lethal effects until completion of the S phase16,17, even though the size of newly synthesized DNA seems normal much earlier18–20? The present studies with nitrogen mustard (HN2) fail to demonstrate any effect of non-lethal concentrations of methylated xanthines (MXs) on removal of DNA damage or post-replication repair in conditions producing synergistic lethal effects. We demonstrate an influence by MXs on initiation of DNA synthesis in damaged replicons, and propose that this effect is primarily responsible for the synergistic lethal properties of these drugs.
Mechanisms of Transient Moisture Transport Between Fabrics

A technique was developed to study moisture transport and to determine the mechanism by which moisture is transported between fabrics under transient conditions at low moisture contents. A variety of fabrics were tested and experiments were performed at various levels of moisture content from 3% to over 100% above regain.Vapor diffusion was the major mechanism of moisture transport between two layers of fabric at low moisture levels for all fabrics. Wicking did not begin until the moisture content was high, more than 30% above regain for the woven samples. The knitted samples did not wick at all. Hydrophilic finished polyester samples had markedly improved transport rates at high moisture contents but showed no improvements at low levels of moisture where vapor diffusion prevails.Moisture transport appears to be closely related to comfort. At low moisture levels, fabrics rated as comfortable transported more moisture than fabrics rated as uncom fortable. Polyester fabric to which a hydrophilic finish was ...
Temporal bone osteoradionecrosis after surgery and radiotherapy for malignant parotid tumors.

Objective To assess the incidence of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the temporal bone after surgery with radiotherapy for malignant parotid tumors. Setting A tertiary care, academic medical center. Patients All patients who underwent surgical resection with postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for a malignant parotid tumor between July 1988 and July 2007. Interventions A retrospective chart analysis to determine the extent of surgery, the RT parameters, and the incidence of ORN of the temporal bone. Main outcome measures The incidence of ORN in 3 subgroups of patients. Results The 221 patients with malignant parotid tumors who underwent surgical resection with postoperative RT were divided into groups 1, parotidectomy only; 2, parotidectomy with mastoidectomy; and 3, parotidectomy with subtotal petrosectomy. The overall incidence of temporal bone ORN in group 1 was 2 (2%) of 106; in group 2, 8 (13%) of 64; and in group 3, 0 (0%) of 51. Conclusion The incidence of temporal bone ORN is higher after mastoidectomy for facial nerve identification or resection in patients undergoing parotidectomy with postoperative radiotherapy. Oversew of the ear canal with mastoid obliteration should be considered in this subgroup of patients to avoid this long-term complication of radiotherapy used in the treatment of malignant parotid tumors.
Effects of Organic Self-assembled Polymer and Metal Phthalocyanine Multilayers on the Surface Photovoltaic Properties of Indium Tin Oxide and Titanium Oxide

Using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, we have deposited multilayers of nickel phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (NiPc) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) onto indium tin oxide ...
Patch-based locally optimal denoising

In our previous work [1], we formulated the fundamental limits of image denoising. In this paper, we propose a practical algorithm where the motivation is to realize a locally optimal denoising filter that achieves the lower bound. The proposed method is a patch-based Wiener filter that takes advantage of both geometrically and photometrically similar patches. The resultant approach has a nice statistical foundation while producing denoising results that are comparable to or exceeding the current state-of-the-art, both visually and quantitatively.
CHEMOTHERAPY IN METASTATIC, HORMONE REFRACTORY PROSTATIC CANCER USING CHLORAMBUCIL IN COMBINATION WITH PREDNISOLONE VERSUS CONJUGATE, PREDNIMUSTINE (LEO 1031)

Abstract Chlorambucil plus prednisolone were administered to 11 patients with metastatic, hormone refractory prostatic cancer, and the results were contrasted with a previously reported series of 23 similar patients treated with the chemical conjugate of these two agents, known as prednimustine,or Leo 1031. The conjugated form of treatment (Leo 1031) had a limited therapeutic advantage, in that 3 patients experienced shrinkage of an enlarged prostate, 2 of whom also had elevated acid phosphatase levels return to normal and 5 others experienced only subjective improvement. There were, however, more adverse side effects in this group than those noted in patients treated with the combination of agents. Patients treated with the combination of drugs experienced no appreciable tumor shrinkage and none had acid phosphatase return to normal, although some reduction was noted in 8 of 11 patients who had elevated levels initially. Two of the 11 patients were considered stable for twelve months and one other remained ambulatory with mild pain for six months. Thus, to the degree that these studies permit, it is judged that the conjugated agent may have some limited therapeutic advantage not observed when the unconjugated agents were used.
Does sex influence the incidence or severity of reperfusion-induced cardiac arrhythmias?

Whether sex affects the acute phase of myocardial ischemia in experimental animal models is currently being debated. Our purpose was to determine if sex influences either the incidence or severity of reperfusion-induced arrhythmias resulting from a brief coronary occlusion. Male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were assigned to the study. Anesthetized animals were subjected to a 5-minute coronary artery occlusion followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion. Mortality differed by sex: 10/27 (37%) of males died due to VT/VF while only 1/16 females (6%) died due to VT/VF (p = 0.033). Quantitative analysis of the electrocardiogram was performed on data acquired from 17 male and 15 female survivors. Analysis showed no other significant differences in ventricular arrhythmias between the two groups. Conclusion: Lethal reperfusion-induced arrhythmias led to a higher mortality in male rats versus female rats. Among survivors there was no difference in any other arrhythmic parameters measured.
The influence of surface terminal layer and surface defects on the electronic structure of CMR perovskites: La0.65A0.35MnO3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba)

The electronic structure near to the Fermi level of the colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) perovskite manganite materials. La 0.65 A 0.35 MnO 3 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba), has been studied using both photoemission and inverse photoemission spectroscopy. The electronic structure for all three materials is very similar and consistent with an Mn-O terminal layer regardless of dopant. Small differences in the electronic structure among the materials are, however, observed. The observed band gap is not significant for La 0.65 Ca 0.35 MnO 3 and La 0.65 Ba 0.35 MnO 3 while there is a gap, about 1.5 eV, for La 0.65 Sr 0.35 MnO 3 . There is a shift to higher binding energies of the extensively hybridized Mn-O Δ 5 (e) bands for the surface (the surface on the Mn-O plane with C 4v symmetry) and t 2g bands for the bulk in the valence band spectra with increasing atomic number or atomic radius of dopants, approximately to 5.8, 6.8, and 7.8 eV for La 0.65 Ca 0.35 MnO 3 , La 0.65 Sr 0.35 MnO 3 , and La 0.65 Ba 0.35 MnO 3 . respectively. The O-Mn-O terminal layer in these materials seems to be much more defect free than is the case for La 0.9 Ca 0.1 MnO 3 . where the Ca-O terminal layer appears to be rich in defects.
Radiative shape factors between differential ring element on concentric axisymmetric bodies

References L. C., Mahefkey, E. T., and Yokajty, J. E., "Low Temperature Expandable Megawatt Pulse Power Radiator," Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 23, Sept.-Oct. 1986, pp. 539-541. Tilton, D. E. and Chow, L. C., "Flow Through a Pierced Membrane in a Vacuum," AIAA Paper 86-1324, June 1986. Oswatitsch, K. and Kuerti, G., Gas Dynamics, Academic Press, New York, 1956, p. 51. Robertson, J. A. and Crowe, C. T., Engineering Fluid Mechanics, 2nd Ed., Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1980, p. 532. Meteoroid Damage Assessment, NASA SP-8042, 1970. bodies, while Masuda treated the case of circular-finned cylinders. It is the purpose of this paper to add working formulas for shape factors between two ring strip elements on two arbitrarily shaped concentric axisymmetric bodies.
Non-Circular Configurations Increase Heart Valve Leaflet Stresses and Alter Leaflet Kinematics: A Computational Approach

Transcatheter heart valve (THV) technology represents a new treatment option for many patients with severe aortic stenosis, especially those who may be ‘high risk’ candidates for valve replacement surgery. THVs are typically deployed through a small incision in either the thigh (transfemoral approach) or the chest (transapical approach). As opposed to traditional heart valve replacement surgery, THVs are deployed within the diseased valve. The metal frame pushes against the calcified leaflets and is held in place via the frame’s interaction with the native diseased valve and annular tissue. The compliant nature of the THV combined with the rigid diseased tissue has resulted often in deformed deployment of THVs clinically [1, 2].© 2013 ASME
Differential Effects of BDNF, ADNF9, and TNFα on Levels of NMDA Receptor Subunits, Calcium Homeostasis, and Neuronal Vulnerability to Excitotoxicity

Calcium influx through N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors can result in neuronal apoptosis or necrosis and may play a pivotal role in neuronal death in many different neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study we employed primary neuronal cultures and three different excitoprotective factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF9), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), to elucidate the mechanisms whereby trophic factors modify the excitotoxic process. Neurons pretreated with BDNF exhibited increased levels of the NMDA receptor subunits NR1 and NR2A, which was associated with increased calcium responses to NMDA and vulnerability to excitotoxic necrosis and reduced vulnerability to apoptosis. ADNF9 and TNFalpha suppressed calcium responses to glutamate and protected neurons against both excitotoxic necrosis and apoptosis, but had no effect on levels of NMDA receptor subunits. Inhibition of phosphorylation and DNA binding of NF-kappaB, by H7 and kappaB decoy DNA, respectively, suggest that the excitotoxic-modulating actions of BDNF are mediated by kinases, while those of ADNF9 and TNFalpha are mediated by both kinases and the transcription factor NF-kappaB. Our data show that, whereas BDNF increases neuronal responses to glutamate while ADNF9 and TNFalpha decrease the same, all three protect against excitotoxic apoptosis.
First order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements between excited states: Implementation and application at the TD-DFT and pp-TDA levels

The recently proposed rigorous yet abstract theory of first order nonadiabatic coupling matrix elements (fo-NACME) between electronically excited states [Z. Li and W. Liu, J. Chem. Phys. 141, 014110 (2014)] is specified in detail for two widely used models: The time-dependent density functional theory and the particle-particle Tamm-Dancoff approximation. The actual implementation employs a Lagrangian formalism with atomic-orbital based direct algorithms, which makes the computation of fo-NACME very similar to that of excited-state gradients. Although the methods have great potential in investigating internal conversions and nonadiabatic dynamics between excited states of large molecules, only prototypical systems as a first pilot application are considered here to illustrate some conceptual aspects.
Transition from surface-spin to bulk-spin relaxation in an S=1/2 nearest-neighbor XY chain at infinite temperature.

L'evolution temporelle d'un operateur de spin dans cette chaine XY est consideree a temperature infinie. Le spin de surface se relaxe de facon tres differente du spin de sous-surface qui se comporte deja comme un spin de volume. On etudie la transition d'une dynamique de surface a une dynamique de volume par des relations de reccurence resolvant les equations de mouvement de Heisenberg
Emergency Medical Services A Naturalistic Posture Evaluation While Providing Patient Care during Patient Transport

Emergency medical service workers are a high-risk group, and while some of this risk is inherent in the type of work that they perform, much of it may be avoidable. This study examines medical professionals administering patient care during patient transportation to highlight previously overlooked safety issues in an ambulance. EMS workers were observed over the course of 3 months using video data collected during all patient transports. Visual data reduction recorded the medic back angles, seated/standing posture, and whether or not the medic was providing patient care during all patient transports. Analysis of the data showed that EMS workers display intermediate (between 20° and 60°) and severe (larger than 60°) back angles while standing compared to sitting, and are standing and displaying potentially harmful postures while providing patient care. These findings indicate that there is a relationship between the EMS worker’s ability to adequately provide patient care and his inability to do so from a n...
Properties of positive resists. I. irradiation‐induced degradation and sensitivity of certain methyl methacrylate copolymers

Poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-itaconic acid), poly(methyl methacrylate-co-maleic anhydride), poly(methacrylic acid-co-itaconic acid), poly(methacrylic acid-co-maleic anhydride), and poly(itaconic acid) were prepared by copolymerization of the appropriate amounts of the two monomers at 50°C for 24–40 h using benzoyl peroxide as initiator. Selected samples were γ-irradiated with a total dose ranging from 2 to 12 Mrad. The unexposed and degraded polymers were dissolved in tetrahydrofuran and their molecular weight distribution was determined by gel permeation chromatography. It was found that Mn decreased drastically with increasing irradiation dose. The presence of various functional groups in both unexposed and irradiated samples was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. The copolymer thermodynamic compatibility with various solvents was evaluated on the basis of their fractional solubility parameters. The Gs values of these copolymers were determined using the gel permeation chromatography data. It was established that, among those studied, poly(methyl methacrylate-co-maleic anhydride) is the best material for positive resist application based on a Gs value of 8 9 scissions per 100eV.
Nutrition Education and School Wellness Policies: The Need for Registered Dietitians

Background: Nutrition education is an essential tool to promote healthy eating practices among children. In schools, teachers are expected to model positive health behaviors around students. Yet, studies indicate that teachers are not equipped to teach healthy food choices and model healthy eating habits. This study explored teacher's knowledge about nutrition education and identified possible solutions to increase the dissemination of nutrition education in school.
Estimating uncertainty in SSD-based feature tracking

Abstract Sum-of-squared-differences (SSD) based feature trackers have enjoyed growing popularity in recent years, particularly in the field of visual servo control of robotic manipulators. These trackers use SSD correlation measures to locate target features in sequences of images. The results can then be used to estimate the motion of objects in the scene, to infer the 3D structure of the scene, or to control robot motions. The reliability of the information provided by these trackers can be degraded by a variety of factors, including changes in illumination, poor image contrast, occlusion of features, or unmodeled changes in objects. This has led other researchers to develop confidence measures that are used to either accept or reject individual features that are located by the tracker. In this paper, we derive quantitative measures for the spatial uncertainty of the results provided by SSD-based feature trackers. Unlike previous confidence measures that have been used only to accept or reject hypotheses, our new measure allows the uncertainty associated with a feature to be used to weight its influence on the overall tracking process. Specifically, we scale the SSD correlation surface, fit a Gaussian distribution to this surface, and use this distribution to estimate values for a covariance matrix. We illustrate the efficacy of these measures by showing the performance of an example object tracking system with and without the measures.
Collisions between yeast chromosomal loci in vivo are governed by three layers of organization.

The relative probabilities that different pairs of chromosomal loci will collide with one another in vegetatively growing diploid yeast cells have been assessed using a genetic assay for Cre/loxP site-specific recombination. Recombination rates have been determined for 18 different pairs of loxP sites representing diverse pairs of positions within the genome. Overall, relative collision probabilities vary over an eightfold range. Within this range, a hierarchy comprising three levels of organization can be discerned. First, collisions between loci on nonhomologous chromosomes are governed by nonspecific centromere clustering. Second, a sequence is closer to allelic or nearby sequences on its homolog than to sequences on nonhomologous chromosomes, an effect most simply attributed to homolog pairing. Third, a sequence can be closer to other sequences nearby on the same chromosome than to sequences on other chromosomes. These findings provide a framework for assessing the role of chromosome disposition in cellular processes such as DNA repair and gene expression. Also the possibility is raised that genome-wide coalignment of homologs is not the fundamental raison d’etre of the somatic pairing process. We suggest instead that pairing may exist to promote juxtaposition of homologous regions within irregular genome complements.
Line Strengths and Radiative Lifetimes for Ne ii

Line strength and radiative lifetimes for Ne II determined from spontaneous emission data obtained from CW neon laser discharge
Comparative ultrastructure of the pharynx simplex in turbellaria

The simple pharynges in thirteen species of Turbellaria in the orders Macrostomida, Haplopharyngida, Catenulida, and Acoela have been studied by electron microscopy. After consideration of the functional aspects of the pharynx simplex, the relationship of the pharynx simplex ultrastructure to the phylogeny of the above mentioned groups is analyzed. The Haplopharyngida and Macrostomida are united as a group by the following characters: a pharynx transition zone of 1–5 circles of insunk cells with modified ciliary rootlets or no cilia, pharynx sensory cells without stereocilia collars and with a variable number of cilia, a prominent nerve ring with more than 30 axons circling the pharynx at the level of the beginning of the pharynx proper distal to the gland ring, 2 or more gland cell types in the pharynx, with at least two layers of muscle present and the longitudinal muscles derived from regular and special body wall circular muscles and a prominent post-oral nerve commissure. This specific arrangement can be distinguished from the other pharynx simplex types and is called the pharynx simplex coronatus. The catenulid pharynx simplex is characterized by the lack of a prominent nerve ring, no prominent post-oral commissure, a transition zone with epidermal type ciliary rootlets, recessed monociliated sensory cells, and one or no type of pharynx gland cell. The Acoela are specialized because of the epidermal type rootlets in the pharynx proper. They also lack a transition zone and a prominent nerve ring and have monociliated sensory cells different from the catenulid type. Ultrastructural characters of the pharynx simplex support the view that the Haplopharyngida-Macrostomida are monophyletic. The more primitive catenulid pharynx probably arose from a common ancestral pool with the Haplopharyngida and Macrostomida, although it does not appear possible presently to establish a clear monophyletic line for these forms. The various pharynx types within the Acoela appear to indicate independent origins with no clear link to the basic pharynx simplex type in the three other orders.
NATURAL RESOURCE RENTAL INCOME AND R&D INTENSITY

The ease of obtaining rental income for countries with abundant natural resources having substantial world demand may lead to a diminutionin the pursuit of other forms of income such as income obtained from investing in research and development. If this proves to be the case, then it can have profound negative consequences for economic growth. In this light, this paper employs cross country regression analysis to test to see whether a greater share of natural resource rental income in national income is unfavorable for country R&D Intensity. Analyzing data for 2010 for a fairly substantial set of countries, the findings of the paper lend credence to the hypothesis that R&D intensity is negatively related to the size of the share of natural resource rental income relative to total income. This suggests that countries endowed with natural resourcesthat generate high levels of rental income must be very diligent in order to avoid the potentialnegative ramifications of rental income on their economic development.