cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The striking influence of oxophilicity differences in heterometallic Mo-Mn oxide cluster reactions with water

Mixed-metal oxides have proven to be effective catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction, often outperforming either of the binary metal oxides. The reactivity of MnxMoOy− (x = 1, 2; y = 3, 4) clusters toward H2O was investigated via time-of-flight mass spectrometry with clear evidence of cluster oxidation and corresponding H2 production, specifically for MnxMoO3− (x = 1, 2) clusters. Unlike previously studied MoxOy− clusters, which assumed a broad distribution of stoichiometries (typically x ≤ y ≤ 3x), both MnMoOy− and Mn2MoOy− preferentially formed y = 3 and 4 compositions in significant quantities under our source conditions. The electronic and molecular structures of the MnxMoOy (x = 1, 2; y = 3, 4) anion and neutral clusters were probed with anion photoelectron spectroscopy and analyzed with supporting density functional theory calculations. Our studies suggest that both metal centers are involved in initial cluster–water complex formation, while Mo is the center that undergoes oxidation; hence, reactivity terminates when Mo is saturated in its highest oxidation state of +6. Across these four clusters, Mn remains relatively reduced and is stable in a high-spin electronic configuration. The preferential reactivity of water molecules toward the Mo center rather than Mn is rationalized by the much lower relative oxophilicity of Mn.
Fluid-driven fractures in granular media: Insights from numerical investigations

We investigate the mechanisms of opening-mode fracture initiation in granular media. The study is based on a simulation of grain-scale fluid-grain interactions through a coupled numerical approach in which the discrete element method is used to solve for the mechanics of a solid granular medium, and computational fluid dynamics is used to model fluid flow and drag forces. We present benchmark problems with analytical solutions and validate this numerical model against experiments on a viscous-drag-driven cavity in the literature. Additional simulation results show fracture initiation mechanisms in a random granular packing subjected to constant boundary stresses and to fluid injection with a localized source. The dimensionless variable F_{s}/F_{sk} (ratio of seepage force F_{s} and skeletal force F_{sk}) incorporates the impacts of physical properties and injection parameters including fluid viscosity, injection velocity, grain size, and effective stresses, and it has been used as a criterion separating regimes of fluid invasion and drag-driven fracture opening. Our simulation results show that F_{s}/F_{sk} in combination with τ_{1} (ratio of diffusion time from hydromechanical coupling and injection time) serves as a prediction of fracture opening within granular packing. We suggest a simple criterion (F_{s}/F_{sk}>1 or τ_{1}>0.17) that is valid for various types of granular media and injection conditions to determine if fracture opening will occur. Among other applications, this study is useful to predict the initiation and propagation of fractures in natural sediments.
Establishing a digital health platform in an academic medical center supporting rural communities

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), like many rural states, faces clinical and research obstacles to which digital innovation is seen as a promising solution. To implement digital technology, a mobile health interest group was established to lay the foundation for an enterprise-wide digital health innovation platform. To create a foundation, an interprofessional team was established, and a series of formal networking events was conducted. Three online digital health training models were developed, and a full-day regional conference was held featuring nationally recognized speakers and panel discussions with clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates involved in digital health programs at UAMS. Finally, an institution-wide survey exploring the interest in and knowledge of digital health technologies was distributed. The networking events averaged 35-45 attendees. About 100 individuals attended the regional conference with positive feedback from participants. To evaluate mHealth knowledge at the institution, a survey was completed by 257 UAMS clinicians, researchers, and staff. It revealed that there are opportunities to increase training, communication, and collaboration for digital health implementation. The inclusion of the mobile health working group in the newly formed Institute for Digital Health and Innovation provides a nexus for healthcare providers and researches to facilitate translational research.
Potentially Reversible and Recognizable Acute Encephalopathic Syndromes: Disease Categorization and MRI Appearances

"Encephalopathy" is a vague term that encompasses varying definitions, often with a nonspecific clinical presentation and numerous possible pathophysiologic causes. Hence, MR imaging plays a crucial role in the early diagnosis and treatment by identifying imaging patterns when there is limited clinical history in such patients with acute encephalopathy. The aim of this review was to aid in remembrance of etiologies of potentially reversible acute encephalopathic syndromes on MR imaging. The differential includes vascular (reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, transient global amnesia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and thrombotic microangiopathy), infection (meningitis, encephalitis), toxic (posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, acute toxic leukoencephalopathy; carbon monoxide, alcohol-related, medication- and illicit drug-related toxic encephalopathies), autoimmune, metabolic (osmotic demyelination syndrome, uremic, acute hepatic encephalopathy), idiopathic/inflammatory (stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy syndrome), neoplasm-related encephalopathy, and seizure-related encephalopathy.
Vertebral Artery Injury in the Cervical Spine: Anatomy, Diagnosis, and Management.

» Although rare, injury to the vertebral artery (VA) can occur after blunt trauma or iatrogenically during surgery. Clinicians should be aware of the anatomic variants of the VA, the presence of which may increase the risk of iatrogenic VA injury (VAI). » If VAI is suspected following blunt trauma, rapid identification via advanced imaging modalities, such as computed tomography angiography, can help clarify the site of injury and guide management. » VAI can be classified according to the Denver grading scale for blunt cerebrovascular injury, ranging from grade I to grade V, which includes intimal narrowing, pseudoaneurysm formation, complete occlusion, and arterial transection. » Treatment modalities remain controversial and include anticoagulation, endovascular interventions, surgical tamponade, ligation, and microvascular repair. The choice of treatment is influenced by the setting of the injury (iatrogenic injury in the operating room versus blunt trauma in the field) and the laterality of the dominant VA with respect to brain perfusion.
Single-neuronal predictions of others' beliefs in humans.

Human social behaviour crucially depends on our ability to reason about others. This capacity for theory of mind has a vital role in social cognition because it enables us not only to form a detailed understanding of the hidden thoughts and beliefs of other individuals but also to understand that they may differ from our own1–3. Although a number of areas in the human brain have been linked to social reasoning4,5 and its disruption across a variety of psychosocial disorders6–8, the basic cellular mechanisms that underlie human theory of mind remain undefined. Here, using recordings from single cells in the human dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, we identify neurons that reliably encode information about others’ beliefs across richly varying scenarios and that distinguish self- from other-belief-related representations. By further following their encoding dynamics, we show how these cells represent the contents of the others’ beliefs and accurately predict whether they are true or false. We also show how they track inferred beliefs from another’s specific perspective and how their activities relate to behavioural performance. Together, these findings reveal a detailed cellular process in the human dorsomedial prefrontal cortex for representing another’s beliefs and identify candidate neurons that could support theory of mind. Recordings of cells in the human dorsomedial prefrontal cortex identify a population of neurons that encode information about others’ beliefs and distinguish them from self-belief-related representations, providing insight into cellular-level processing underlying human theory of mind.
Mutual Funds Herding Behavior, Sentiment, and Market Volatility

This article explores the dynamic interaction of mutual fund herding, investor sentiment, and market volatility using a Vector Autoregression approach. We investigate these relationships in both buy-herding and sell-herding across stock capitalization quintiles. The results point to investor sentiment and market volatility as the most prominent causes of buy-herding, and to market prices and investor sentiment as the main causes of sell-herding. Our results further indicate that herding behavior can affect market prices in most stock quintiles and market volatility in smaller stock quintiles. Our findings provide valuable insights that can facilitate financial regulation and the formulation of better financial market policies regarding the interactions of herding, sentiment, and market volatility. TOPICS:Mutual funds/passive investing/indexing, risk management, VAR and use of alternative risk measures of trading risk, quantitative methods, statistical methods, legal/regulatory/public policy, exchanges/markets/clearinghouses Key Findings ▪ Investor sentiment and market volatility are significant causes of buy-herding. ▪ Sentiment and market prices are significant causes of sell-herding; market volatility does not influence sell-herding. ▪ Buy-herding affects market volatility in smaller stocks; sell-herding does not affect market volatility statistically.
Initial Results of Precision Treatment of Postoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak with Ultrasound-Guided Epidural Blood Patch.

Background Incidental durotomy, a known complication of spinal surgery, can lead to persistent cerebrospinal fluid leak and pseudomeningocele if unrecognized or incompletely repaired. We describe the use of ultrasound to visualize the site of durotomy, observe the aspiration of the pseudomeningocele, and guide the precise application of an ultrasound-guided epidural blood patch (US-EBP), under direct visualization in real time. Methods A retrospective review was performed to determine demographic, procedural, and outcome characteristics for patients who underwent US-EBP for symptomatic postoperative pseudomeningocele. Results Overall, 48 patients who underwent 49 unique episodes of care were included. The average age and body mass index were 60.5 (±12.6) years and 27.8 (±4.50) kg/m2, respectively. The most frequent index operation was laminectomy (24.5%), and 36.7% of surgeries were revision operations. Durotomy was intended or recognized in 73.4% of cases, and the median time from surgery to symptom development was 7 (interquartile range 4–16) days. A total of 61 US-EBPs were performed, with 51.0% of patients experiencing resolution of their symptoms after the first US-EBP. An additional 20.4% were successful with multiple US-EBP attempts. Complications occurred in 14.3% of cases, and the median clinical follow-up was 4.3 (interquartile range 2.4–14.5) months. Conclusions This manuscript represents the largest series in the literature describing US-EBP for the treatment of postoperative pseudomeningocele. The success rate suggests that routine utilization of US-guided EBP may allow for targeted treatment of pseudomeningoceles, without the prolonged hospitalization associated with lumbar drains or the risks of general anesthesia and impaired wound healing associated with surgical revision.
Progression-free and overall survival in patients with relapsed/refractory germ cell tumors treated with single-agent chemotherapy: endpoints for clinical trial design.

BACKGROUND: Refractory germ cell tumor (GCT) patients have a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The identification of novel active agents may be impaired by use of response as the primary endpoint in phase 2 trials. Improved endpoints could enhance the development of new effective agents. METHODS: The characteristics and outcome of refractory GCT patients enrolled in 7 single-agent phase 2 trials conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1990 to 2008 were reviewed. The study agents were suramin, all-transretinoic acid, topotecan, pyrazoloacridine, temozolomide, ixabepilone, and sunitinib. The major endpoints evaluated were response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Ninety patients (87 male, 3 female) were treated. The primary tumor site was testis in 65 patients, mediastinum in 17 patients, retroperitoneum in 4 patients, and other in 4 patients. Eighty-six patients had nonseminoma, and 4 patients had pure seminoma. Best responses were 1 (1%) partial response (ixabepilone), 15 (17%) stable disease, and 74 (82%) progressive disease. Median PFS and OS were 1.0 month (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-1.3) and 4.7 months (95% CI, 3.5-6.4), respectively. Eighty-six of the 90 patients have died. The 12- and 16-week PFS rates were 9% (95% CI, 3-15%) and 6% (95% CI, 1%-11%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with refractory GCT progressed rapidly to these single agents. PFS and OS may be useful endpoints for designing phase 2 trials testing novel agents in this population. Twelve-week PFS (with comparison to the 9% benchmark rate reported herein) is the recommended endpoint for phase 2 trial design and median OS (using 4.7 months as the predicted median for the control arm) is suggested for phase 3 trials. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
The effect of young age on outcomes in head and neck cancer.

Objectives/Hypothesis Many head and neck surgeons believe that young patients with head and neck cancer (HNCA) have poorer outcomes than older patients, whereas the evidence in the literature is mixed. We sought to review our HNCA population to evaluate for survival differences between young and older patients. Study Design Matched pair retrospective cohort study. Methods A matched pair retrospective cohort study was completed of mucosal HNCA patients at our academic center (2003–2008). Patients aged 45 or less when diagnosed were identified as cases and matched one-to-one to controls by site of tumor, stage of disease, and gender. Risk factors, disease and treatment variables, and survival outcomes were compared between groups. In addition, a subset survival analysis was completed with oropharyngeal cancer patients and nonoropharyngeal cancer patients. Results There were 87 cases matched to 87 controls. Despite no difference in T and N stage between groups, cases more frequently underwent neck dissection. On Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analysis, overall survival was marginally better for all young patients, whereas disease-free survival was significantly better. Within the subgroup analysis, the statistically significant disease-free survival advantage was lost for young patients with oropharyngeal cancer but maintained for all other sites. Conclusions In this cohort, young HNCA patients had mildly improved overall survival but statistically greater disease-free survival. There was no statistically significant survival difference between young and older patients with oropharyngeal cancer, potentially secondary to a human papillomavirus effect. Level of Evidence 2b. Laryngoscope, 123:1896–1902, 2013
Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 500,000 individuals in the USA. It is characterized by focal, asymmetric, transmural inflammation that may involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease is more frequent in females and has a bimodal distribution; it is most frequently diagnosed between 15 and 35 years old with a secondary peak between ages 60 and 80. Its pathogenesis is not well understood, but it appears to be multifactorial; recent data suggest that CD involves a genetic predisposition and dysregulation of the inflammatory response and may be triggered by environmental factors (smoking, oral contraceptives, and anti-inflammatory drugs). The disease is more common in urban areas in Europe, the UK, and the USA, with a predisposition among Jewish populations; the prevalence is lower in non-Jewish white, African American, Hispanic, and Asian populations.
Applying Neuroscience to Financial Planning Practice: A Framework and Review

This paper presents findings from neuroscience, neuro-finance, neuro-economics, behavioral finance, and behavioral economics in the context of a two-system model of human decision-making, labeled as the “rider” and the “elephant”. The rational “rider” system is characterized by overconfidence and deficiencies in speed and endurance. The emotional “elephant” system is characterized by time preference myopia, emotional marker processing, and loss aversion. Application of this neural model of financial decision-making results in a variety of effective and practical suggestions for financial planners.
Uveal Metastasis from Carcinoid Tumor: Clinical Observations in Nine Cases

Background: Carcinoid tumor is a low-grade malignancy that usually arises in the gastrointestinal tract or bronchus and rarely metastasizes to the eye. Metastasis of carcinoid tumor to the uvea can be confused clinically with other primary and metastatic uveal tumors. Methods: The authors reviewed the records of 410 consecutive patients with uveal metastases referred to the Ocular Oncology Service at Wills Eye Hospital to identify those in whom carcinoid tumor was the primary neoplasm. The authors evaluated the clinical features of these metastases. Results: Of 410 consecutive patients with uveal metastases, the primary neoplasm was a carcinoid tumor in 9 (2.2%). There were four men and five women. The mean age at ocular diagnosis was 50 years. In five patients (56%), the primary tumor was undiagnosed at ocular presentation. In the other four patients, the mean time interval from diagnosis of the primary carcinoid tumor to uveal metastasis was 89 months (range, 55–180 months). The site of the primary carcinoid tumor was the bronchus in seven patients, the esophagus in one, and the thymus in one. The site of intraocular metastasis was the choroid in six patients, the ciliary body in two, and the iris in one. All choroidal tumors had a characteristic orange color. Initial ocular treatment included external beam radiotherapy in five patients, plaque radiotherapy in two, argon laser photocoagulation in one, and local resection in one. Ocular tumor control was achieved in each patient. After a mean follow-up of 34 months, four patients (44%) are still alive. Five patients have died, with a mean survival of 34 months (range, 2–104 months) after the diagnosis of uveal metastasis. Conclusions: Uveal metastasis from carcinoid tumor is rare and tends to arise from the bronchus. Clinically, it has a distinctive orange color and may be associated with a longer systemic survival, compared with uveal metastasis from other primary sites.
Substrate binding properties of potato tuber ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase as determined by isothermal titration calorimetry

Substrate binding properties of the large (LS) and small (SS) subunits of potato tuber ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase were investigated by using isothermal titration calorimetry. Our results clearly show that the wild type heterotetramer (SWTLWT) possesses two distinct types of ATP binding sites, whereas the homotetrameric LS and SS variant forms only exhibited properties of one of the two binding sites. The wild type enzyme also exhibited significantly increased affinity to this substrate compared to the homotetrameric enzyme forms. No stable binding was evident for the second substrate, glucose-1-phosphate, in the presence or absence of ATPγS suggesting that interaction of glucose-1-phosphate is dependent on hydrolysis of ATP and supports the Theorell–Chance bi bi reaction mechanism.
Outward FDI from China and its policy context

Since 2000, China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) has grown at an accelerating rate as a result of a switch in government policy to strong encouragement of Chinese enterprises to “go global.” The bulk of this investment has been into the primary and tertiary sectors, with relatively little so far going into manufacturing. Most has gone to Asia, but Chinese investment is now spreading throughout the world. The precise geographical distribution is veiled, as much of it passes through tax havens. The Government has been slow to tackle administrative obstacles to Chinese companies wishing to invest abroad, but has recently begun to relax them. The global crisis has presented opportunities for Chinese multinationals, which were less seriously affected than their counterparts in the developed world, to raise their stake in the world economy.
Yeast and Biochemistry of Ethanol Fermentation

The transformation of grape juice into wine is essentially a microbial process. As such, it is important for the enologist to have an understanding of yeast and fermentation biochemistry as the fundamental basis of the winemaking profession. The alcoholic fermentation, the conversion of the principal grape sugars glucose and fructose to ethanol and carbon dioxide, is conducted by yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces, generally by S. cerevisiae and S. bayanus. The current use of the old term bayanus for the yeast closely related to S. cerevisiae is controversial (see Section A3c); but we expect bayanus to become once more an accepted appellation (Vaughn-Martini and Kurtzman 1985).
Optimal initial therapy for patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has revolutionized the therapy of newly diagnosed patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. Prior to imatinib, treatment algorithms for chronic myeloid leukemia patients recommended stem cell transplantation for patients less than 50 years old who had a donor and could undergo stem cell transplantation. Other than stem cell transplantation, interferon was the only drug that could induce cytogenetic remissions in minority of patients. RECENT FINDINGS: After 5 years of follow-up, the rate of relapse with imatinib therapy continues to decrease, and the numbers of patients achieving a complete molecular response continue to increase. In addition, with a longer follow up, imatinib continues to be safe and easily tolerated. Recent studies have shown a survival benefit with imatinib. The use of imatinib before stem cell transplant did not have an effect on mortality or morbidity posttransplant. SUMMARY: Currently, imatinib is considered first line therapy in all patients with early chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia with stem cell transplant reserved for patients who have disease resistant to imatinib therapy. Our aim is to review current recommendations for initial therapy of patients with early chronic phasechronic myeloid leukemia, current areas of controversy and future directions.
A Homogeneous Langevin Equation Model, Part i: Simulation of Particle Trajectories in Turbulence with a Skewed Velocity Distribution

A Lagrangian stochastic model for the time evolution of the velocity of a fluid particle is presented. This model is based on a one-dimensional generalized Langevin equation, and assumes the velocity probability distribution of the turbulent fluid is skewed and spatially homogeneous. This has been shown to be an effective approach to simulating vertical dispersion in the convective boundary layer. We use a form of the Langevin equation that has a linear (in velocity) deterministic acceleration and a random acceleration that is a non-Gaussian, skewed process. For the case of homogeneous fluid velocity statistics, this 'linear-skewed' Langevin equation can be integrated explicitly, resulting in an efficient numerical simulation method. Model simulations were tested using cases for which exact, analytic statistical properties of particle velocity are known. Results of these tests show that, for homogeneous turbulence, a linear-skewed Langevin equation model can overcome the difficulties encountered in applying a Langevin equation with a skewed random acceleration. The linear-skewed Langevin equation model results are compared to results of a 'nonlinear-Gaussian' Langevin equation model, and show that the linear-skewed model is significantly more efficient.
Imaging via the van cittert zernike theorem using triple-correlations

Abstract The van Cittert Zernike theorem relates the intensity distribution over an incoherent object to its spatial correlation. Thus if one can measure the spatial correlation function then it is possible to determine the intensity distribution by solving a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind. Since we are operating in the optical regime we can only measure the modulus of the correlation function. A third-order correlation technique, the Karhunen-Loeve expansion, is developed for determining the phase of the correlation function using singular value decomposition. Note that two inversion problems must be solved in order to determine the object intensity: (1) phase of the correlation function from its measured modulus via triple correlations, (2) object intensity from the complex-valued spatial correlation via constrained minimization. Representative numerical results are discussed.
Longitudinal effects of violent victimization during adolescence on adverse outcomes in adulthood: a focus on prosocial attachments.

Objective To assess how prosocial attachments to school and family may diminish the effects of violent victimization during adolescence on adverse outcomes in adulthood. Study design We analyzed secondary data on 13 555 participants from waves 1 (1994-1995) and 3 (2001-2002) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative sample of US high school and middle school students. Adverse outcomes in adulthood included offending, alcohol problems, drug use, risky sexual behavior, violent victimization, depression, low self-esteem, suicidality, hospitalizations, sexually transmitted infections, extreme weight control, and obesity. Analyses were conducted separately for males and females. Results Our multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that adolescent victimization is a significant predictor of a host of problems in adulthood. Nevertheless, attachment to school and to family meaningfully reduced the effect of victimization on nearly every adult outcome we assessed. Conclusions Strong attachments to school and family in adolescence can reduce the long-term harms of violence on the lives of young persons. Incorporating this insight into regular clinical assessment could yield significant behavioral, health, and psychoemotional benefits for victims of violence.
Dystroglycan binds nerve and muscle agrin

Abstract Neurally released agrin is thought to cluster acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and other synaptic proteins in the postsynaptic membrane during synaptogenesis at the neuromuscular junction. We have examined the binding of nerve and muscle agrins, which have dramatically different abilities to cluster AChRs, to the membrane proteins of Torpedo electric organ and C2 myotubes. Both bound with approximately nanomolar affinity to a single component identified as α-dystroglycan: agrin binding was blocked by antibodies to α-dystroglycan, and agrin bound to purified α-dystroglycan. Dystroglycan was altered in two genetic variants of C2 muscle cells that fail to form spontaneous clusters of AChRs and that show a diminished response to agrin. Antibodies that blocked α-dystroglycan binding, however, failed to block the clustering of AChRs by neural agrin. Although α-dystroglycan is the major agrin-binding protein in Torpedo and myotube membranes, its physiological role is unclear.
Diastolic dysfunction in women with signs and symptoms of ischemia in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease: a hypothesis-generating study.

Background—Angina, in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease, is more common in women, is associated with adverse cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and is a major burden to the he...
Characteristics of sexual abuse associated with greater psychological impairment among children

The psychiatric histories and projective test responses of 102 sexually abused girls (ages 5 to 16) were examined to determine if some particular characteristics of sexual abuse were reliably associated with more serious impairment. Characteristics of abuse significantly associated with greater psychological disturbance were: more than one perpetrator, an early age of abuse onset (before age 7 or 8), and periods of intense and frequent abuse episodes (more than 3 or 4 times per month). What enhanced the child's capacity to recover was the presence of a relatively stable two-parent household. Implications for prognosis and treatment are discussed.
COVENANT, KINGDOM, CULTURE AND CONSTITUTION: AN ANALYSIS OF COMPARATIVE INFLUENCE

The discussion of the influence of the Bible upon the content of the Constitution of the United States is confined, by religious leaders and scholars alike, to a single analytical approach that deduces from the cultural context of the Constitution a predisposition (either positive or negative, depending upon the commentator) to Christianity, which is then attributed to the Constitution. The present article presents a new analytical approach which compares the content of the Bible to that of the Constitution and finds them to contain different perspectives of three major political concepts: covenant (contract), kingdom (governance) and political culture (behavior). The conclusion of this analysis is that the genius of the Constitution is that it requires no longing for covenant, no quest for holiness (kingdom), and no anticipation of Christian charity (culture), but that it provides instead a legal environment in which people may express and promote biblical values.
Distributed radar network for real-time tracking of bullet trajectory

Gunshot detection, sniper localization, and bullet trajectory prediction are of significant importance in military and homeland security applications. While the majority of existing work is based on acoustic and electro-optical sensors, this paper develops a framework of networked radar systems that uses distributed radar sensor networks to achieve the aforementioned objectives. The use of radio frequency radar systems allows the achievement of subtime- of-flight tracking response, enabling to response before the bullet reaches its target and, as such, effectively leading to the reduction of injuries and casualties in military and homeland security operations. The focus of this paper is to examine the MIMO radar concept with concurrent transmission of low-correlation waveforms from multiple radar sets to ensure wide surveillance coverage and maintain a high waveform repetition frequency for long coherent time interval required to achieve return signal concentration.
Public Relations and Rawls: An Ill-Fitting Veil to Wear

John Rawls's “veil of ignorance” approach to ethical decision making is a staple in mass media ethics literature, but Rawls's overarching theory of distributive justice receives less consideration in public relations ethics than in other communication disciplines. Public relations ethicists who describe the veil often divorce it from Rawls's original intention. This paper describes Rawls's theory; its uses and misuses in contemporary discussions of public relations ethics; six reasons why the veil seems to be a difficult fit for public relations practitioners; and Rawlsian considerations in the context of three commonly accepted public relations models.
Controlling superconductivity in La2-xSrxCuO4+δ by ozone and vacuum annealing

In this study we performed a series of ozone and vacuum annealing experiments on epitaxial La2−xSr x CuO4+δ thin films. The transition temperature after each annealing step has been measured by the mutual inductance technique. The relationship between the effective doping and the vacuum annealing time has been studied. Short-time ozone annealing at 470 °C oxidizes an underdoped film all the way to the overdoped regime. The subsequent vacuum annealing at 350 to 380 °C slowly brings the sample across the optimal doping point back to the undoped, non-superconducting state. Several ozone and vacuum annealing cycles have been done on the same sample and the effects were found to be repeatable and reversible Vacuum annealing of ozone-loaded La2−xSr x CuO4+δ (LSCO) films is a very controllable process, allowing one to tune the doping level of LSCO in small steps across the superconducting dome, which can be used for fundamental physics studies.
Preventing Urethral Obstruction Using the 6-point Fixation and Weight-Adjusted Spacing Nomogram During Sling Surgery

The aim of the study was to assess the outcome of a 6-point fixation technique and weight-adjusted spacing nomogram for performing sling surgery. Fifty women with stress incontinence underwent implantation of a Gore-tex patch sling. Sling tension was gauged based on the patient's body weight. Postoperative analysis was performed using cough stress tests, Q-tip tests, pelvic examinations and patient satisfaction questionnaires. Urodynamics were performed for women with persistent incontinence. Mean follow-up was 24 months (range 7-28). Mean age was 58 years (range 29-87). Stress incontinence was cured in 47/50 patients (94.0%). De novo urge incontinence occurred in 1/23 (4.3%) patients. Mean time to suprapubic tube removal was 7 days (range 1-21). No patients experienced urinary retention or urethral obstruction. Mean satisfaction score was 9/10 (range 7-10) and all patients said they would undergo surgery again. The combination of a 6-point fixation technique and a weight-adjusted spacing nomogram allows for a successful sling outcome without obstruction.
The Tailpipe Problem

(1970). The Tailpipe Problem. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development: Vol. 12, No. 5, pp. 6-13.
Structure of the TRPA1 ion channel suggests regulatory mechanisms

The TRPA1 ion channel (also known as the wasabi receptor) is a detector of noxious chemical agents encountered in our environment or produced endogenously during tissue injury or drug metabolism. These include a broad class of electrophiles that activate the channel through covalent protein modification. TRPA1 antagonists hold potential for treating neurogenic inflammatory conditions provoked or exacerbated by irritant exposure. Despite compelling reasons to understand TRPA1 function, structural mechanisms underlying channel regulation remain obscure. Here we use single-particle electron cryo- microscopy to determine the structure of full-length human TRPA1 to ∼4 A resolution in the presence of pharmacophores, including a potent antagonist. Several unexpected features are revealed, including an extensive coiled-coil assembly domain stabilized by polyphosphate co-factors and a highly integrated nexus that converges on an unpredicted transient receptor potential (TRP)-like allosteric domain. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of TRPA1 regulation, and establish a blueprint for structure-based design of analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.
Duplicating a tandem and ovoids distribution with intensity-modulated radiotherapy: a feasibility study.

Brachytherapy plays an important role in the definitive treatment of cervical cancers but is not available at all centers. We have investigated whether we can achieve identical isodose distribution with similar sharp dose falloff using IMRT. CT scans of a tandem and ovoid patient were electronically transferred to HDR and IMRT treatment planning systems after contouring the target, rectum and bladder, thereby, ensuring identical structures in both planning systems. A conventional plan (7Gy in 5 fractions) was generated for delivery with an HDR after loader. The 150, 125, 100, 75, 50 and 25% isodose curves were drawn on each slice and then transferred to IMRT TPS. A 7-field IMRT plan using 6 MV x-ray beams was generated and compared with the HDR plan using the following indices: isodose conformity to the target and 125% volume, DVHs and integral dose. The resultant isodose distribution demonstrated good agreement between the HDR and IMRT plans in the 100 & 125% isodose range. Though the dose fall off in the HDR plan was much steeper, the maximum dose was substantially higher than the IMRT plan. Integral dose for the HDR and IMRT plan for the target, rectum and bladder were found to be 6.69, 1.07 and 1.02 J for HDR while the respective values for IMRT were 3.47, 1.79 and 1.34. Our preliminary results indicate that it is possible to replicate the HDR distribution using a standard IMRT. Radiobiological and patient positioning differences between both the techniques merit further consideration.
Integrated solution engineering

Integrated Solution Engineering helps developers manage software complexity by offering semi-automated support for capturing and mining relationships among artifacts and/or developer tasks at different stages of the software lifecycle, and by aiding developers in the use and management of the information contained in these relationships. The use of these relationships can facilitate traceability, propagation of change, change impact analysis, evolution, and comprehension.
Lasting Effects of Hurricane Andrew on a Working-Class Community

Ten years after Hurricane Andrew, researchers returned to a multiethnic working-class community of homeowners first studied one year after the storm to investigate long-term impact on the community and its residents. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, this case study documents the recovery struggles of modest-income families who had tenuously achieved the American dream of home ownership. While most of the impacted region has recovered, this work highlights deep-seated continuing impacts on many households, as well as changes in the social landscape of the community. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew caused extensive damage to the housing, schools, and community infrastructure of South Miami Heights, Fla., and the first set of interviews (one year after the storm) revealed extensive problems, unrepaired homes, and suffering families. Ten years later a second round of in-depth, face-to-face interviews was completed with 32 of the same households, as well as with 10 key community informants to explore the circumstances and recovery level of homes, households, and the community at large. This case study is one of the few truly long-term examinations of a community after a disaster.
Perceptions As Reality: The Influence of Actual and Perceived Demographic Dissimilarity

Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of demographic dissimilarity from others in the workgroup. Results from Study 1 (n = 87 coaches) indicate that actual demographic differences were reliably related to perceptions of such differences. Study 2 investigated the effects of perceived demographic dissimilarity. Data were gathered from an additional 175 coaches. Structural equation modeling indicated that perceived demographic differences were associated with perceived deep-level dissimilarity (i.e., differences in personality, values, and attitudes). In turn, perceived deep-level dissimilarity was negatively related to coworker satisfaction and held a positive association with organizational turnover intentions. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical contributions to the relational demography perspective.
Complex scientific testimony: How do jurors make decisions?

Critics of the civil jury system question whether jurors can adequately evaluate complex expert testimony. Based on current models of research in persuasion, we hypothesized that when expert testimony is complex, factors other than content will influence persuasion. Participants, serving as mock jurors, watched a videotaped trial in which two scientists provided evidence on whether PCBs could have caused a plaintiff's illness. The complexity of the expert's testimony and the strength of the expert's credentials were varied in a 2×2 factorial design. After watching the videotape, mock jurors rendered a verdict and completed a number of attitude measures related to the trial. Overall, consistent with our prediction, we found that jurors were more persuaded by a highly expert witness than by a less expert witness, but only when the testimony was highly complex. When the testimony was less complex, jurors relied primarily on the content of that testimony, and witness credentials had little impact on the persuasiveness of the message.
A Novel Wheel-Soil Interaction Model for Off-Road Vehicle Dynamics Simulation

This work establishes a semi-empirical wheel-soil interaction model, developed in the framework of plasticity theory and equilibrium analysis, to be used in vehicle dynamics simulations. Vehicle-terrain interaction is a complex phenomena governed by soil mechanical behavior and tire deformation. The application of soil load bearing capacity theory is used in this study to determine the tangential and radial stresses on the soil-wheel interface. Using semi-empirical data, the tire deformation geometry is determined to establish the drawbar pull, tractive force, and wheel load. To illustrate the theory developed, two important case studies are presented: a rigid wheel and a flexible tire on deformable terrain; the differences between the two implementations are discussed. The outcome of this work shows promising results which indicate that the modeling methodology presented could form the basis of a three-dimensional off-road tire model. In an off-road three-dimensional tire model, the traction behavior should include shear forces arising from the surface shear with the soil as well as the bulldozing effect during turning maneuvers.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
"@-Tides": The 1,2-dihydro-3(6h)-pyridinone unit as a β-strand mimic

The cyclic amino acid surrogate 1 was designed to mimic the extended conformation of a peptide unit and to provide hydrogen bond donor and acceptor functions conducive to beta-sheet formation. A convenient synthesis of this unit and solution and solid-phase methods for its incorporation into an oligomer alternating with peptide units have been devised. The resulting "@-tides", as these oligomers have been designated, show a high propensity for self-association in comparison to oligopeptides; insights into the structure and dynamical properties of their antiparallel dimers have been obtained by NMR.
Reflecting Power of Powders in the Far Infrared Region

The reflecting power of quartz and marble in the crystalline form was determined for the spectral band of 80μ–150μ emitted by the Welsbach mantle. These materials were then powdered and the specular component of the radiation reflected from them was obtained as a function of the particle size and the pressure applied to them. The “Focal Isolation” method set-up for reflection measurements was employed.
Observation of Nuclear Magnetic Order in Solid He 3

Measurements of $\frac{\mathrm{Tdp}}{\mathrm{dT}}$ have been made along the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ melting curve near an anomaly at ${T}_{s}=1.17$ mK. It is found that the solid-$^{3}\mathrm{He}$ entropy decreases by 80% in an interval of 100 \ensuremath{\mu}K at ${T}_{s}$. This is attributed to onset of nuclear magnetic order.
Solitary wave solutions of the generalized shallow water wave (GSWW) equation by Hirota’s method, tanh–coth method and Exp-function method

Abstract The generalized short wave equation (GSWW) is studied by three distinct methods. The Hirota’s bilinear method is used to derive multiple-soliton solutions for the completely integrable forms of the GSWW equation. The tanh–coth method is used to obtain single-soliton solutions for this equation. The Exp-function method is also applied to derive a variety of travelling wave solutions with distinct physical structures for this non-linear evolution equation.
The Incidence of Gastrointestinal Perforations Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Objective Gastrointestinal (GI) perforation has emerged as a novel safety concern in relation to medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was undertaken to characterize the incidence and risk factors for GI perforation in RA patients. Methods Using administrative databases of a large US health plan, we identified RA patients treated with biologic agents, methotrexate (MTX), oral glucocorticoids, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Additional risk factors we evaluated included diverticulitis. Hospitalization with GI perforation was identified using a validated algorithm. Incidence rates and risk factors were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results Among 40,841 RA patients, 37 hospitalizations with GI perforation were identified. The rate of GI perforation among patients currently being treated with biologic agents who were also receiving oral glucocorticoids was higher (1.12 per 1,000 person-years [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.50–2.49]) than for patients being treated with biologic agents who were not also receiving glucocorticoids (0.47 per 1,000 person-years [95% CI 0.22–0.98]) or for patients being treated with MTX who were also receiving glucocorticoids (0.87 per 1,000 person-years [95% CI 0.36–2.10]). Neither biologic agents nor MTX was significantly associated with GI perforation, in contrast to current treatment with glucocorticoids and NSAIDs together (hazard ratio 4.7 [95% CI 1.9–12.0]) or glucocorticoids alone (hazard ratio 2.8 [95% CI 1.3–6.1]). Diverticulitis also was a strong risk factor (hazard ratio 9.1 [95% CI 3.1–26.4]). Seventy percent of patients with GI perforation received glucocorticoids, had antecedent diverticulitis, or both. Conclusion GI perforation is an uncommon but serious adverse event among RA patients. Because a majority of patients with GI perforation were being treated with glucocorticoids or had previously experienced diverticulitis, these individuals should be considered at higher risk.
Nonequilibrium phonon effects on hot carrier transport and thermal noise in semiconductor heterostructures

Hot carrier steady state and transient transport in bulk semiconductors and heterostructures is analyzed here using a general balance equation formulation with nonequilibrium phonon occupation and an ambient magnetic field of arbitrary strength. Carrier-carrier Coulomb interactions are also incorporated dynamically, and for superlattices both intraplanar and interplanar interactions are included. We have also examined the thermal noise temperature for hot electrons at a nonzero bias.
Experiments on injection locking of active antenna elements for active phased arrays and spatial power combiners

Two types of active antenna elements have been studied experimentally. One type uses a microstrip antenna with an active device mounted directly on the antenna. The other uses an active device coupled to a microstrip patch antenna through an aperture. Microstrip active antenna elements and two-element arrays have been demonstrated for both types of circuits. Injection locking of the antenna elements has been achieved through space and mutual coupling. The circuit Q factor was calculated based on the locking gain and the locking bandwidth. The power output from two elements has been successfully combined in free space with a combining efficiency of over 90%. For a single active antenna with a Gunn diode mounted directly on the patch, an electronic tuning range exceeding 9% has been achieved by varying the DC bias. The results should have many applications in low-cost active arrays, active transmitters, and spatial power combiners. >