cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of tumor board conferences in neuro-oncology: a nationwide provider survey

The tumor board or multidisciplinary cancer meeting (MCM) is the foundation of high value multidisciplinary oncology care, coordinating teams of specialists. Little is known on how these meetings are implemented in Neuro-oncology. Benefits of MCMs include coordination, direction for complicated cases, education, and a forum for communication, emerging technology, and clinical trials. This study identifies participation and utilization of neuro-oncology MCMs. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was dispersed through an internet questionnaire. The Society of Neuro-Oncology and the American Brain Tumor Association provided a list of dedicated neuro-oncology centers. All National Cancer Institute designated centers, and participants in the Adult Brain Tumor Consortium or the Brain Tumor Trials Collaborative were included, identifying 85 centers. Discussion included primary brain tumors (100%), challenging cases (98%), recurrent disease (96%), neoplastic spine disease (93%), metastatic brain lesions (89%), pre-surgical cases (82%), pathology (76%), and paraneoplastic disease (40%). MCMs were composed of neuro-oncologists, neurosurgeons, and radiation oncologists (100%), radiologists (98%), pathologists (96%), and clinical trial participants (64%). Individual preparation ranged from 15 to 300 min. MCMs were valued for clinical decision making (94%), education (89%), and access to clinical trials (69%). 13% documented MCMs in the medical record. 38% of centers used a molecular tumor board; however, many commented with uncertainty as to how this is defined. Neuro-oncology MCMs at leading U.S. institutions demonstrate congruity of core disciplines, cases discussed, and perceived value. We identified variability in preparation time and implementation of MCM recommendations. There is high uncertainty as to the definition and application of a molecular tumor board.
Old-Fashioned Pregnancy, Newly-Fashioned Paternity

This paper explores contemporary American laws on paternity as of the time of the live birth of a child conceived through sexual intercourse. In doing so it necessarily examines the roles of biological ties in all determinations of legal parenthood. It does not speak directly to legal paternity arising from the use of reproductive technology; to legal fatherhood arising long after birth for reasons unrelated to biology; or, to actual fatherhood, which remains unrecognized under law. It does assume that there can be no legal paternity of an unborn child, though there certainly may be prospective legal paternity that prompts parental-like status for pregnant dads. And, it does recognize there can be both retroactive legal paternity and presumptive legal paternity. In the former, paternity based upon biology is established long after birth, but relates back in time to the date of birth. In the latter, there is a presumption of paternity at the time of birth that usually assumes, but need not actually involve (as with marriage), biological ties. For men, legal paternity designations may result in parental rights or responsibilities. These rights can involve such matters as childrearing, monetary recovery under tort or probate laws, or child visitation. These responsibilities can involve such matters as child support or special duties under tort or criminal laws. For children, legal paternity designations usually provide rights, if not responsibilities. Children's rights can include child support as well as special protections under tort, probate, or criminal laws. In exploring legal paternity, the paper necessarily examines differences in assigning parental rights and parental responsibilities, though recognizing that the two often go hand-in-hand. As well, it explores differences guiding legal maternity and legal paternity determinations. The major thesis of the paper is that old-fashioned pregnancies require newly-fashioned paternity laws. Consideration of new laws is facilitated by advances in scientific testing. Law reform is necessary because existing laws too often mistreat dads by unfairly eliminating paternal rights or unfairly assigning paternal responsibilities. The chief concerns here are with the procedures, not with the substantive norms, employed by American governments, usually states, for designating legal paternity. The chief goal is to promote legal paternity designations "consistent with orderly procedure without unnecessary involvement in procedural quirks, complications and limitations."
A Biophysical Basis for Molluscan Associative Learning

The nudibranch mollusc Hermissenda crassicornis can be conditioned to change its normal positive phototactic behavior. This behavioral change is pairing specific (i.e. paired but not randomly associated light and rotation produce the change), stimulus specific, increases as a function of practice and is of long-duration (at least three to five days). The synaptic relations of identified neurons within the sensory pathways which mediate this behavior have been described in considerable detail at every stage of neural integration: sensory, interneuron, and motorneuron. With this knowledge of neural systems from input of environmental stimuli to output of animal movement, membrane changes of specific neurons were implicated as primary steps in a causal sequence responsible for the conditioning. In summary, repeated stimulus pairing results in short-term cumulative membrane depolarization (associated with elevated intracellular Ca++) of the Type B photoreceptor. This cumulative depolarization results in long-term inactivation of an early voltage-dependent outward K+ current. This inactivation causes enhanced depolarizing responses of the Type B cells and, sequentially, increased inhibition of ipsilateral Type A cells, ipsilateral hair cells, interneurons and motorneurons, and ultimately retarded photo-taxis. This causal sequence is contrasted with those responsible for short-term behavioral changes such as reflex facilitation and sensitization.
Guidelines for Speech-Enabled IVR Application Design

Although guidelines and standards have been developed for the design of the user interface for interactive voice response (IVR) applications, most of these documents consider only menu-driven, touch-tone-based IVR application designs with little, if any, attention being given to IVR systems that employ speech recognition and/or natural language dialogues. This chapter presents the history of user interface guidelines development for IVR applications and discusses two issues—menu-driven user interfaces and anthropomorphism—to illustrate how guidelines for speech-enabled IVR user interfaces may differ from those for touch-tone-based IVR designs. In addition, current guidelines specific to speech recognition-based IVR applications, incorporated in a document currently being developed for the American National Standards Institute by the HFES-200 Committee of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, are described.
Does Foreign Direct Investment Harm the Host Country’s Environment? Evidence from China

As more manufacturing jobs are moved to the developing countries, policy makers become concerned with the environmental consequence. Relatively lenient environmental policies in the developing countries may give them a comparative advantage in pollution intensive goods, and foreign direct investment might harm the host country’s environment. This study examines the relationship between the inflows of foreign direct investment and local air pollution in China and suggests that the opposite might be true. Trade and foreign direct investment could have beneficial effect on a developing country’s environment when the multinationals crowd out inefficient local firms, change the industrial composition, and bring better technology and improve productivity and energy efficiency. Using city level data on air pollution, industry composition, foreign direct investment, and other social economic factors, this study finds a negative correlation between foreign direct investment and air pollution, suggesting that the overall effect of foreign direct investment may be beneficial to the environment.
The State of Racing: Nobody Knows Nothing Edition

This speech summarizes the status of the New York State horse racing industry in the spring of 2007.
The Founders' Privacy: The Fourth Amendment and the Power of Technological Surveillance

Part I of this Article briefly discusses the history and origins of the Fourth Amendment and its relationship to the doc- trine of separation of powers. Part I argues that the central purpose of the amendment was not to define various aspects of life as private, but to guarantee that the people defined the limits of the executive's surveillance power. Part II then examines the Supreme Court's Fourth Amendment jurisprudence dealing with technology prior to Kyllo, and the problems associated with this jurisprudence. Part II argues that the Supreme Court's framing of the privacy question as whether a new search is equivalent to the searches the Founders feared not only fails to provide law enforcement with any guidance, but supplants the decision making authority of the people in part by failing to distinguish between macro-level decisions and micro- level decisions. In this discussion, Part II uses as examples three emerging investigative technologies: Magic Lantern, decryption, and Carnivore. In Part III, this Article discusses the Supreme Court's recent decision in Kyllo and how it might sug- gest an alternative Fourth Amendment analysis based upon the Founders' privacy. This analysis is then applied to the three examples discussed in Part II. Part IV argues that unlike the Supreme Court's current approach, an analysis based upon the Founders' privacy may be consistent with the principles of constitutional self-governance and reconcile the current tension between the Fourth Amendment and the constitutional doc- trine of separation of powers. Part V.A discusses the moderate thesis, and Part lV.B the radical thesis.
THE INCIDENCE OF PENICILLIN IN THE MARKET MILK SUPPLY OF A LOCAL NEW ENGLAND AREA1

The incidence of penicillin in the pasteurized milk marketed in Amherst, Massachusetts was found relatively high when compared with the findings in earlier state and national surveys. Twenty-five o...
Politics as Unusual? Exploring Issues and the 2016 Presidential Vote*

Objective In this article, we examine the correlation between voters' opinions on relevant issues and vote choice, as well as where they located Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the competitive issue space. We are particularly interested in the extent to which anti‐politics attitudes, nativist attitudes, and social issue attitudes structured the way voters perceived the candidates. Methods Using principal components analysis of feeling thermometer ratings of presidential candidates in the 2016 general election, we are able to identify two major dimensions structuring voters’ perceptions of political figures. Results Data from national surveys suggest that anti‐politics attitudes were prevalent in 2016, but that the major party candidates were only marginally effective at tapping into this sentiment. Conclusion Relative to other Republican presidential candidates, Trump was more effective in tapping into anti‐political feelings prior to the Republican Convention. By the general election, issue perceptions of Trump were similar to those we see for most Republican presidential candidates. Feelings toward third‐party candidates, however, were more strongly structured by an anti‐politics dimension.
Real‐world use—Isavuconazole at a large academic medical center

Background Isavuconazole use in the real-world setting has not been extensively described. Subgroups of patients with particular prognostic significance, such as previous triazole prophylaxis or treatment and the important subgroup treated empirically for invasive fungal infection, have beforehand been excluded from trials. Objectives We aimed to determine treatment response and safety in these patients at a large US transplant and cancer centre. Patients/methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all adult inpatients administered ≥3 doses of isavuconazole between June 2015 and October 2017. Results Ninety-one adults were identified. Six (7%) received primary prophylaxis, 10 (11%) treatment then secondary prophylaxis and 75 (82%) treatment only. Overall treatment response was 62%. Six-week mortality was 24%. Sixty-three per cent of 32 patients treated with isavuconaozle following prophylaxis with another antifungal agent exhibited a treatment response. Among 49 patients switched from treatment with another agent, 53% had a treatment response. Thirty-four patients received isavuconazole empirically, and 65% demonstrated a treatment response. Individuals given isavuconazole prophylaxis developed no breakthrough invasive fungal infections. One patient discontinued isavuconazole due to hepatotoxicity. Conclusions Real-world isavuconazole use appears safe and is associated with treatment responses in varied patients including critically important subgroups previously unreported.
Cryo-EM Analysis Reveals Structural Basis of Helicobacter pylori VacA Toxin Oligomerization.

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the human stomach and contributes to the development of gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori secretes a pore-forming toxin called vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA), which contains two domains (p33 and p55) and assembles into oligomeric structures. Using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we have determined low-resolution structures of a VacA dodecamer and heptamer, as well as a 3.8-A structure of the VacA hexamer. These analyses show that VacA p88 consists predominantly of a right-handed beta-helix that extends from the p55 domain into the p33 domain. We map the regions of p33 and p55 involved in hexamer assembly, model how interactions between protomers support heptamer formation, and identify surfaces of VacA that likely contact membrane. This work provides structural insights into the process of VacA oligomerization and identifies regions of VacA protomers that are predicted to contact the host cell surface during channel formation.
A FATal Combination: Fibroblast-Derived Lipids and Cancer-Derived Autotaxin Promote Pancreatic Cancer Growth

In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Auciello and colleagues find that in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment activated fibroblasts secrete specific lipids that provide a source of biomass production and signaling molecules for cancer cells, fueling their proliferation and migration. Targeting of this stromal-tumor metabolic cross-talk impairs pancreatic cancer progression and represents a new potential therapeutic opportunity.See related article by Auciello et al., p. 617.
Rashba Effect in Topological Quantum Wells

The chapter deals with the zero magnetic field spin-splitting in topological quantum wells. It is shown that the splitting acquires specific features if the bulk is in the non-trivial topological phase.
Method to determine refractive index by measurement of flat plates

Minimal refractive index data in the near-infrared spectrum are available for optical plastics. Typically, refractive index measurements are made by fabricating a prism of candidate optical material and using appropriate metrology equipment. Few plastics are available in thicknesses adequate to fabricate appropriate size prisms; however, almost all optical plastics can be acquired in a flat plate form. The investigation considered two fundamental approaches to measure the refractive index by (i) rotating a flat plate and measure the beam displacement and (ii) measuring the optical focal shift. The rotation method was determined not accurate enough. An optical focal shift method optical mechanical (n toptical / tmechanical ) = was developed that utilized existing laboratory equipment. The shift of focus when the plastic plate sample was inserted was located by determining the position of maximum contrast of the projection of a Ronchi ruling target when illuminated by flux from a Cary Eclipse covering the spectral range of 550–975 nm. The instrumentation, data processing, and measurement performance are presented.
Simultaneous multiplane imaging with reverberation two-photon microscopy

Multiphoton microscopy has gained enormous popularity because of its unique capacity to provide high-resolution images from deep within scattering tissue. Here, we demonstrate video-rate multiplane imaging with two-photon microscopy by performing near-instantaneous axial scanning while maintaining three-dimensional micrometer-scale resolution. Our technique, termed reverberation microscopy, enables the monitoring of neuronal populations over large depth ranges and can be implemented as a simple add-on to a conventional design.
Screening-Current-Induced Strain Gradient on REBCO Conductor: An Experimental and Analytical Study With Small Coils Wound With Monofilament and Striated Multifilament REBCO Tapes

Screening currents in REBCO conductors, induced by time-varying magnetic fields, not only affect the field quality of HTS coils but also cause strain gradients along REBCO tape width that may overstress REBCO conductors used in NMR and other high-field magnets. In this paper, we present results of an experimental and analytical study on screening-current-induced strain gradients, performed with small REBCO pancake coils. Because we believe that screening current effect is reduced in multifilament conductor, we have studied 2 test coils, φ150 mm, one wound with monofilament and the other with 3-striate/4-filament REBCO tapes. A 5-T/ 300-mm room-temperature bore magnet was used not only to excite a strong screening current but also apply the nonuniform Lorentz force to each coil at 4.2 K. Our experiment and analysis have quantitatively demonstrated that we can effectively suppress the screening-current effect on strain gradient, not surprisingly, by using striated multifilament REBCO conductor.
The evolution of household-induced value chains and their environmental implications

Abstract The growing fragmentation of production processes and expansion of international trade in the last decades have increased the scope and complexity of value-added chains worldwide causing a rearrangement of sectoral linkages intra- and inter-regionally. In terms of economic spillovers, this implies that a dollar entering a particular economy nowadays follows a different path than a decade before, permeating in longer interregional feedback loops and creating additional multiplier effects outside its region of origin. However, it also implies that the environmental burden that such this dollar generates has changed in scale and spatial distribution. In this paper, we explore the evolution of these “paths” over the period 1997–2008 and highlight the main drivers of observed structural changes that contribute to the surge or decline of the spatial distribution of economic spillovers and greenhouse gases emissions. We specifically study the effects of an increase in income in the United States, the country with the largest trade volume in the world. We introduce an extended version of the Temporal Leontief Inverse (TLI) framework that allows tracing the evolutionary path of the American households' multiplier in a quasi-dynamic fashion, isolating the contribution of expenditure patterns, income, trade and foreign structural change to the temporal evolution. We find similar growing multiplier effects inside and outside the US due to services and manufacturing respectively, but a declining local environmental burden due to changes in interindustry relations inside the US with declining manufacturing and a reduced emission intensity. We also highlight the fragmentation process with declining foreign intraregional spillovers and increasing trade spillovers.
Shaping nanomaterials by short electrical pulses.

We report a new dry-state technique for non-contact patterning of nanostructured conducting materials, and demonstrate its use for carbon nanotube forests and freestanding sheets of carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphene sponge, and MXene. This method uses self-generated electron-emission pulses (~20 ns) in air. On a substrate - tip separation scale of 10 to 20 nm, the few molecules of gas at atmospheric pressure enables electron-emission-based interaction between a sharp tungsten tip and elements of nanostructured materials. Using the advantages of field enhancement at sharp ends of nanostructured materials, the discharge voltage is reduced to 25 - 30 V, depending upon the materials density. This method causes largely non-oxidative sequential decomposition of nanostructure elements neighboring the tungsten tip. The main decomposition mechanism is thermal dissociation facilitated by Joule heating and electrostatic removal of debris. The non-contact-based patterning of nanomaterials can be as fast as 10 cm/s. The resulting precisely patterned structures (< 200 nm) are largely free of foreign contaminants, thermal impact and sub-surface structural changes.
Mealtime Caregiving Engagement for Residents with Advanced Dementia: Item Response Theory Analysis.

The 18-item Mealtime Engagement Scale was developed to measure mealtime caregiving engagement with preliminary reliability and validity. Item Response Theory models (i.e., Rasch model and Rating Re...
Technological Change and Occupations over the Long Run

We construct occupation-specific indicators of technological change that span two centuries (1850-2010) using textual analysis of patent documents and occupation task descriptions. For each patent, we identify the set of occupations it is most closely related to based on the similarity of the patent document to the occupation’s task description and construct occupation-level indices of innovation exposure by using the extracted patent/occupations similarities and a measure of breakthrough innovations introduced in Kelly et al (2018). Our occupation-level indices are significantly negatively correlated with future employment and wage growth; employment declines are especially pronounced among exposed occupations during innovation waves and around recessions. Comparing the recent IT revolution to the Second Industrial Revolution (1880s) and the technology wave of the 1920s and 1930s, we note an important difference: the first two waves consisted of innovations that were mainly related to occupations emphasizing (non-interpersonal) manual tasks, while the recent wave is composed of innovations that are significantly more related to cognitive tasks than the previous two waves.
Recent Advancements in the Control of Cat Fleas

With the advent of imidacloprid and fipronil spot-on treatments and the oral ingestion of lufenuron, the strategies and methods to control cat fleas dramatically changed during the last 25 years. New innovations and new chemistries have highlighted this progress. Control strategies are no longer based on the tripartite approach of treating the pet, the indoor environment, and outdoors. The ability of modern therapies to break the cat flea life cycle and prevent reproduction has allowed for the stand-alone treatments that are applied or given to the pet. In doing so, we have not only controlled the cat flea, but we have prevented or reduced the impact of many of the diseases associated with ectoparasites and endoparasites of cats and dogs. This review provides an update of newer and non-conventional approaches to control cat fleas.
The Role of Organizational Slack in Buffering Financially Distressed Hospitals from Market Exits.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Financial distress is a persistent problem in U.S. hospitals, leading them to close at an alarming rate over the past two decades. Given the potential adverse effects of hospital closures on healthcare access and public health, interest is growing in understanding more about the financial health of U.S. hospitals. In this study, we set out to explore the extent to which relevant organizational and environmental factors potentially buffer financially distressed hospitals from closure, and even at the brink of closure, enable some to merge with other hospitals. We tested our hypotheses by first examining how factors such as slack resources, environmental munificence, and environmental complexity affect the likelihood of survival versus closing or merging with other organizations. We then tested how the same factors affect the likelihood of merging relative to closing for financially distressed hospitals that undergo one of these two events. We found that different types of slack resources and environmental forces impact different outcomes. In this article, we discuss the implications of our findings for hospital stakeholders.
Research guidelines for embryoids

Human embryo models formed from stem cells-known as embryoids-allow scientists to study the elusive first stages of human development without having to experiment on actual human embryos. But clear ethical guidelines for research involving embryoids are still lacking. Previously, a handful of researchers put forward new recommendations for embryoids, which they hope will be included in the next set of International Society for Stem Cell Research guidelines. Although these recommendations are an improvement over the default approach, they are nonetheless unworkable, because they rely on a poorly conceived notion of an embryoid's 'potential' to trigger stringent research regulations.
#TwitterHomework During Pathology Electives: Transforming Pathology Pedagogy.

Context.— Twitter has become a popular platform for pathologists, where they share cases and educational content, arrange journal club meetings, network, and collaborate. Objective.— To determine if composing original tweets or retweeting existing content can be used as an educational and networking tool for medical students during pathology electives. Design.— In this retrospective study, a survey was sent to assess if medical students who used Twitter during their pathology electives found the platform useful for the attainment of medical knowledge, and for networking and professional development. A similar survey was sent to rotating students who did not use Twitter, asking if they thought using the platform could be beneficial. Additionally, we used Twitter analytical software (Symplur Signals) to determine the potential for networking by analyzing the number of retweets and impressions. Results.— Most respondents who used Twitter described using the platform as helpful in increasing their medical knowledge and useful for networking and professional development. From August 1, 2017, to January 2, 2019, thirty-seven elective medical students composed a total of 527 original tweets. The tweets were retweeted a total of 3399 times by 810 nonstudent users, and this engagement resulted in 6 360 731 impressions. Most of the retweeting was done by pathologists and pathology residents. Conclusions.— The responses from the survey suggest that Twitter can be an educational tool during pathology electives and be useful for networking purposes. The number of retweets and impressions, and the demographics of the users who retweeted the students confirm the networking potential of Twitter.
Anatase Titanium Dioxide Imparts Photoluminescent Properties to PA2200 Commercial 3D Printing Material to Generate Complex Optical Imaging Phantoms

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a prominent 3D printing modality that typically uses a polyamide (PA) powder as the substrate. One commercially available SLS material is known as PA2200, which is comprised of nylon 12 and titanium dioxide (TiO2) and is widely used to generate 3D-printed parts. Here, we report a unique optical photoluminescence (PL) characteristic of native, white PA2200, in which it yields a persistent, phosphorescence-type emission. An analysis of luminescence imaging data with emission measurements demonstrated that the anatase phase of the titanium dioxide additive is the source of the persistent PL properties. This characteristic of PA2200 enables advanced optical imaging applications, as demonstrated by luminescence imaging of an anatomical rat skeleton and a novel Derenzo-type phantom on a commercial image station. In summary, the light emission properties of PA2200 induced by the presence of anatase titanium dioxide open the door to a vast new array of complex optical applications, including the generation of imaging phantoms for training, calibration, and quality control.
Bacterial coinfections in coronavirus disease 2019.

Bacterial coinfections increase the severity of respiratory viral infections and were frequent causes of mortality in influenza pandemics but have not been well characterized in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this review was to identify the frequency and microbial etiologies of bacterial coinfections that are present upon admission to the hospital and that occur during hospitalization for COVID-19. We found that bacterial coinfections were present in <4% of patients upon admission and the yield of routine diagnostic tests for pneumonia was low. When bacterial coinfections did occur, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae were the most common pathogens and atypical bacteria were rare. Although uncommon upon admission, bacterial infections frequently occurred in patients with prolonged hospitalization, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp., and S. aureus were common pathogens. Antibacterial therapy and diagnostic testing for bacterial infections are unnecessary upon admission in most patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but clinicians should be vigilant for nosocomial bacterial infections.
‘Diacuí Killed Iracema’: Indigenism, Nationalism and the Struggle for Brazilianness

If categories of ‘race’ and nationality are social and historical constructions laden with irrefutable meaning and consequences, then ethnic identities, like any other forms of identity, are means to other ends that may or may not be particular. Twentieth-century indigenist history in Brazil reveals how the cultural politics of indigenism and nationalism can coalesce in a tautological politics of identity that undermines individual liberty and democratic heterogeneity. The concepts ‘post-indigenism,’‘post-nationalism‘ and ‘post-identity’ point to the strategic suspension of the infinite heterogeneity of the political subject as a means to widen the ground of shared experience and common interests beyond the realm of hollow and oppressive essentialisms.
Investigation of multiple scattering in space and spatial-frequency domains: with application to the analysis of aberration-diverse optical coherence tomography

Optical microscopy suffers from multiple scattering (MS), which limits the optical imaging depth into scattering media. We previously demonstrated aberration-diverse optical coherence tomography (AD-OCT) for MS suppression, based on the principle that for datasets acquired with different aberration states of the imaging beam, MS backgrounds become decorrelated while single scattering (SS) signals remain correlated, so that a simple coherent average can be used to enhance the SS signal over the MS background. Here, we propose a space/spatial-frequency domain analysis framework for the investigation of MS in OCT, and apply the framework to compare AD-OCT (using astigmatic beams) to standard Gaussian-beam OCT via experiments in scattering tissue phantoms. Utilizing this framework, we found that increasing the astigmatic magnitude produced a large drop in both MS background and SS signal, but the decay experienced by the MS background was larger than the SS signal. Accounting for the decay in both SS signal and MS background, the overall signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of AD-OCT was similar to the Gaussian control after about 10 coherent averages, when deeper line foci was positioned at the plane-of-interest and the line foci spacing was smaller than or equal to 80 µm. For an even larger line foci spacing of 160 µm, AD-OCT resulted in a lower SBR than the Gaussian-beam control. This work provides an analysis framework to gain deeper levels of understanding and insights for the future study of MS and MS suppression in both the space and spatial-frequency domains.
Evidence for exacerbation of irritable bowel syndrome during menses.

Many women report that bowel symptoms are associated with menstruation, but neither the prevalence of these complaints nor their physiological basis is known. This study aimed to estimate prevalence, to determine whether patients with irritable bowel syndrome are more likely to make such complaints, and to determine whether bowel complaints during menstruation are attributable to psychological traits such as increased somatization. To estimate prevalence, 369 clients of Planned Parenthood of Maryland were asked whether gas, diarrhea, or constipation occurred during menstruation. These subjects were compared with women referred to a gastroenterology clinic and found to have irritable bowel syndrome or functional bowel disorder (abdominal pain plus altered bowel habits but not satisfying restrictive criteria for irritable bowel syndrome). Thirty-four percent of 233 Planned Parenthood clients who denied symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or functional bowel disorder reported that menstruation was associated with one or more bowel symptoms. Gastroenterology clinic patients with irritable bowel syndrome were significantly more likely to experience exacerbations of each of these bowel symptoms, but especially increased bowel gas. Selfreports of bowel symptoms during menstruation were not associated with psychological traits or with menses-related changes in affect.
A two-step methodology to reduce requirement defects

Defects are introduced into a software product during every phase of software development. A major source of defects that is often overlooked is requirements generation. Requirement errors discovered in later phases of the software development process are the most costly to correct because all phases of software development are usually impacted. Requirement defects can be categorized into two main types: 1) specification generation errorss and 2) unwanted/unnecessary/incorrect user functionality. This experience report presents the results of incorporating a twodstep methodology which combines Operational Demonstrations of the user interface and Requirement Inspections on software requirement specifications. The twodstep methodology addresses and corrects both types of requirement defects. Results from this experience support the premise that cost reduction and quality improvement can be obtained using a combined Operational Demonstration and Requirement Inspection development methodology for software requirements.
HIV‐Negative Gay Men and Autoimmune Diseases

This chapter explores the factors that contribute to the disclosure and communication experiences of HIV-negative gay men with one or more autoimmune diseases.
Light-Trails: A Solution to IP Centric Communication in the Optical Domain

We propose a solution for implementing a conceptual framework for IP centric communication in the optical domain. The solution, termed Lighttrails, is a combination of node architecture and protocol for realizing efficient optical communications from IP bursts to dynamic lightpaths. It is a paradigm shift from conventional optical communication modes, in supporting amongst others, very fast optical connection set up and tear down for burst of lightpaths communication, dynamic and highly bandwidth efficient sub-lambda provisioning. Light-trails also provide a first solution to optical multicasting, a key element for many of the emerging services that motivate the need for optical capacity. Contrary to existing proposals for IP type communication in the optical domain light-trail node architecture also presents the first practically implementable solution to enable optical transport with mature technology, non stringent optical switching requirements, and presenting a much more cost effective alternative to electronics.
Microglia Identification Methods

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the CNS. In the steady state, microglia are constantly surveilling their environment and facilitating the maintenance of synapses. These cells are characterized by a small cell body with fine, ramified processes and low expression of surface antigens. Microglia can be activated by a variety of factors during CNS injury or degeneration, and once activated, retract their branches, and present a different antigenic profile. Both morphological and physiological properties have been used to identify microglial cells. Here we review commonly used methods for identifying microglia.
Semi-solid deformation in multi-component nickel aluminide

A systematic study was carried out to determine the solidification and the tensile behaviour of semi-solid multicomponent nickel aluminide. Directionally solidified samples were tested at various temperatures in the mushy (semi-solid) region. A special Gleeble testing procedure was developed where transverse and longitudinal (5 mm) samples were quickly raised to a predetermined temperature in the semi-solid zone and fractured. The fracture stresses were found to decrease monotonically with temperature. The strain to fracture exhibited a ductility minimum at an intermediate temperature in the semi-solid zone. The effect of the solidification process variables, namely, the temperature gradient and velocity, on the fracture stress in the transverse direction was to increase the fracture stress at a given temperature. In the longitudinal direction, the fracture stress decreases with the temperature gradient and was relatively independent of velocity. At the temperature corresponding to the strain minimum, residual microcracks were detected on the fracture surface. The upper hot tearing temperature was noted to be a function of the solidification variables. The amount of strain accommodation and the hot tearing resistance was found to be influenced by the solidification microstructure. Fracture maps which include the transverse fracture stress, temperature, and temperature gradient during solidification (σT-T-G) for the directionally solidified microstructures are presented. A castability map is created from the fracture data.
The CVD of Ceramic Materials: Borides, Silicides, III–V Compounds and II–VI Compounds (Chalcogenides)

This chapter reviews the basic properties, major chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactions and processes, and the present and potential applications of the ceramic materials, particularly borides and silicides. Boron forms stable borides with the transition metals. The refractory-metal borides have a structure, which is dominated by the boron configuration. This favors the metallic properties such as high electrical and thermal conductivities and high hardness. Boriding by CVD is a simple process in which a layer of boron is deposited on a metal substrate, followed by heat treatment. The boron can also be deposited by the hydrogen reduction of chloride or by the decomposition of diborane. During heat treatment, the metal boride is formed by the solid-state diffusion of the boron atoms into the metal lattice to form an interstitial compound, while the direct boride deposition does not require a reaction with the substrate to form the boride. Some of its applications include: experimental TiB 2 coatings for cemented carbide cutting tools and other wear and erosion-resistant applications, and ZrB 2 coatings for solar absorption. The chapter discusses the CVD of III–V compounds and chalcogenides.
THE DISTRIBUTION AND HYPOTHESIS TESTING OF EIGENVALUES FROM THE CANONICAL ANALYSIS OF THE GAMMA MATRIX OF QUADRATIC AND CORRELATIONAL SELECTION GRADIENTS

Canonical analysis measures nonlinear selection on latent axes from a rotation of the gamma matrix (gamma) of quadratic and correlation selection gradients. Here, we document that the conventional method of testing eigenvalues (double regression) under the null hypothesis of no nonlinear selection is incorrect. Through simulation we demonstrate that under the null the expectation of some eigenvalues from canonical analysis will be nonzero, which leads to unacceptably high type 1 error rates. Using a two-trait example, we prove that the expectations for both eigenvalues depend on the sampling variability of the estimates in gamma. An appropriate test is to slightly modify the double regression method by calculating permutation P-values for the ordered eigenvalues, which maintains correct type 1 error rates. Using simulated data of nonlinear selection on male guppy ornamentation, we show that the statistical power to detect curvature with canonical analysis is higher compared to relying on the estimates from gamma alone. We provide a simple R script for permutation testing of the eigenvalues to distinguish curvature in the selection surface induced by nonlinear selection from curvature induced by random processes.
FATCA - A Report from the Front Lines

In this article, Harvey reports on two recent FATCA debates in Switzerland where he was responsible for explaining the background that led to FATCA and defending the enactment of FATCA. As a result, Harvey was clearly the least popular person in the room. This article summarizes certain issues discussed during the debates, including: (i) whether Swiss sovereignty has been violated; (ii) does FATCA generate enough revenue to justify its existence; (iii) whether Swiss FIs have considered the impact of a multilateral FATCA regime on their business model; and (iv) how to address the extensive termination of US accounts by Swiss financial institutions. The article also briefly discusses the ultimate need for a multilateral FATCA regime that involves many major countries with one of the key issues being the need to develop globally acceptable customer due diligence procedures. Harvey suggests that tax authorities may want to increase coordination with the anti-money laundering/terrorist financing arms of government. Detailed customer due diligence may be easier to justify if it is being done for both tax and anti-terrorist/money laundering reasons.
Validation of an in-line evaporation process for large-scale production of CuInSe/sub 2/-based solar cells

The validation of an in-line manufacturing process for the fabrication of CuInSe/sub 2/-based solar cells (including the quaternary Cu[In,Ga]Se/sub 2/) has been demonstrated. The validation involves a fixed substrate (molybdenum-coated soda-lime glass) onto which the deposition of the compound is achieved via a method of variable metal fluxes. These variable metal fluxes emulate the fluxes as seen by a mobile substrate in an in-line two (or three)-source coevaporation system that evaporates the metals at a constant rate/flux. The importance of this in-line approach is based on its feasibility for large-area depositions and its efficient utilization of materials. These intrinsic advantages could have a great impact in the large-scale production of photovoltaic modules for terrestrial or space applications. The objectives of the present study are: (1) to determine which geometrical configuration of the in-line system yields the best device-quality materials; and (2) demonstrate that such a system can produce device-quality absorber materials that can be used for the fabrication of solar cells with efficiencies exceeding 10%. Polycrystalline thin films obtained by this approach have been characterized by electron probe for microanalysis (EPMA) and electron microscopy (SEM). Solar cells have been characterized by I-V and external quantum efficiency (QE) measurements. >
Prior Beliefs and Voter Turnout in the 1986 and 1988 Congressional Elections

The costs of political information differ between and among elections. In those elections where information costs are high, voters should rely on information from previous elections. Although research on voter choice has long recognized that voters use past information in their assessments of candidates, studies of voter turnout are solely concerned with informa tion available in the current election. Specifically, the closeness of elections is a central concern in rational actor models of voter turnout. As such, these studies neglect the effects of prior electoral competitiveness on citi zens' decisions to vote. In this study we propose that actors rely on prior beliefs when deciding to vote in information-poor elections. Controlling for information available in the current election, we explore this possibility in the 1986 and 1988 House elections and find that prior beliefs have a significant effect on turnout.
A Semantic Similarity Approach for Linking Tweet Messages to Library of Congress Subject Headings using Linked Resources: A Pilot Study

The objective of this study is to propose, implement, and test a framework of assigning relevant Library of Congress (LC) subject headings to tweet messages. In this study, the task of assigning LC headings is considered an automatic classification task that identifies relevant LC subject headings for given tweets. The classification task is conducted in two stages. In the first stage, tweets are clustered so that similar tweets are grouped together. In the second stage, the degree of similarity between a cluster of tweets and LC subject headings is measured by a popular similarity metric, Jaccard Coefficient (JC). In this pilot study, five selected tweet clusters and nine LC subject headings were carefully chosen and used. This pilot study demonstrates a positive result forthe proposed approach of identifying subject headings for tweets. In three cluster cases out of the five, JC selected the most relevant headings as the largest degrees of similarity. For the other two cases, JC was not successful in ranking the most relevant within the top three headings. In the next step, a more sophisticated clustering method will be explored and applied. Also, all possible LC subject headings will be employed to identify LC subjects for tweets in the next steps of this study.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a New Sialyl Lewis X Mimetic Derived from Lactose

A sialyl Lewis X (sLex) mimetic compound, 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl 3-O-carboxymethyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-[α-l-fucosyl-(1→6)]-β-d-glucopyranoside (2a), has been synthesized in 14 steps from d-lactose. This synthesis features the use of the activated glycosylating donor, lactosyl iodide, in a Koenigs−Knorr sequence, the regioselective derivatization at the C-3 position of the galactose moiety, and the stereoselective construction of a fucose-α(1→6)-lactose linkage. The mimetic was tested for its ability to inhibit human polymorphonuclear leukocyte (hPMNL) adhesion to immobilized recombinant human E-selectin under shear stress conditions.
QUIP: a system for automatic program generation

Extensive programming effort is expended in the rewriting of minor variations of already existing programs. One method of reducing this redundant effort is to devise a method for automatically generating programs for the solution of any of a class of problems. One such technique is illustrated in Figure 1. A generator program produces, in response to user inputs, an output program for the solution of a particular problem. User inputs to the generator can be either in the form of commands in a special purpose language (e.g., macro statement) or responses to computer-generated queries. The output code produced by such a system is free of coding errors usual in handwritten programs. The output program is a free-standing entity which can be used for production data processing without user intervention. The literature contains a number of references to this type of approach.