cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Annealing of nuclear reactor pressure vessels

The neutron embrittlement that occurs in the beltline of reactor pressure vessels (RPV) can be managed by various techniques such as fuel management, but only thermal annealing can reverse the effects and result in a restoration of RPV beltline material toughness. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has recently revised the Code of Federal Regulations to include the use of thermal annealing of RPV for recovery of material toughness. The Annealing Rule, 10 CFR Part 50.66, has an associated Regulatory Guide 1.162 that describes the format and content of a thermal anneal report that must be submitted to the NRC prior to performing an anneal. This paper will describe the thermal annealing process including regulatory requirements in 10 CFR Part 50.66, techniques for predicting and measuring the toughness recovery, and NDE requirements. Although 14 Russian-designed RPVs have been annealed, there are sufficient differences between the Russian and US designs to question the ease of thermal annealing without producing any unwanted dimensional changes in the RPV and associated piping. The paper will discuss the ongoing annealing demonstration project supported by the Department of Energy which performed a thermal anneal on a canceled pressured water reactor at Marble Hill, Indiana. The associated NRC programs also will be described. This annealing demonstration will be used to bench mark the expected thermal and stress distributions created by thermal annealing and minimize the possible dimensional changes in the RPVs. The paper also will discuss the first possible implementation of thermal annealing for a US commercial nuclear power plant and some important issues that will need to be addressed.
Imaging brain trauma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and long-term cognitive and behavioral dysfunction in children and young adults, yet effective treatments are lacking, in part because critical aspects of TBI neurobiology and natural history are not understood. We review recent advances in neuroimaging and discuss how they are helping to address these fundamental gaps. RECENT FINDINGS Novel imaging methods provide detailed information on how TBI affects anatomical integrity (diffusion tensor imaging; voxel-based morphometry; susceptibility-weighted imaging, magnetization transfer imaging), metabolic activity (magnetic resonance spectroscopy), perfusion (positron emission tomography, perfusion computed tomography, perfusion magnetic resonance), and patterns of functional activation (functional magnetic resonance imaging). Individually and collectively, these methods can significantly enhance TBI diagnosis and outcome prediction. SUMMARY Refinements in neuroimaging offer a window into the complex neuroanatomical and neurophysiological disturbances induced by TBI. Research is needed to understand how these alterations evolve with time and in response to therapeutic interventions.
Molecular markers of ionizing radiation-induced gene mutations in mammalian cells

We have isolated independent Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) locus from untreated, 60Co gamma-ray-exposed, and 212Bi alpha-exposed cells and identified the molecular changes underlying the mutation determined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based exon deletion analysis. Both the parental CHO-K1 cells and the X-ray-sensitive mutant xrs-5 cells were studied. The radiosensitive xrs-5 cells are defective in DNA double-strand break rejoining ability and in V(D)J recombination, which can be complemented by Ku protein. Of the 71 spontaneous CHO-K1 hprt mutants analyzed, 78% showed no change in exon number or size, 20% showed loss of one to eight exons (partial deletion), and 3% showed loss of all nine hprt exons (total deletion). Exposure of CHO-K1 cells to 6 Gy of gamma rays, which reduced survival levels to 10%, produced a high deletion spectrum with 45% of the 20 mutants analyzed showing a loss of one to eight exons and 30% showing total deletion. Exposure to an equitoxic dose of alpha radiation from 212Bi, a 220Rn daughter, resulted in a spectrum similar to the gamma-ray spectrum in that 75% of the 49 mutants analyzed were deletions. To alpha radiation, however, tended to produce larger intragenic deletions than gamma radiation. Of the 92 spontaneous xrs-5 mutants analyzed for deletions, 43% showed a loss of one to eight exons and 14% showed total deletion. This suggests that, in certain regions of the hprt gene, base alterations can be converted into large deletions and alteration in the Ku protein complex can influence this type of mutational process. Exposure to alpha radiation (10% survival) to xrs-5 cells resulted in a deletion spectrum similar to that seen in CHO-K1 cells. Of the 49 mutants analyzed, 43% showed on change in exon number or size, 16% showed a loss of one to eight exons, and 41% showed total deletion. While the defect in xrs-5 cells has a profound effect on spontaneous mutant spectra, this defect does not appear to affect alpha-induced mutation spectra.
Minimal interpolation in spaces of analytic functions

Any subspace of the space of bounded analytic functions determines a family of problems of minimal-norm interpolation in Lp metric This paper deals with the case when the solutions of these problems arc the same for all p> 1. We give the description of such subspaces, consider some examples and in a special setting in H2 prove the generating property of extremal functions.
Plasma Levels of 13,14-Dihydro-15-keto Prostaglandin F2α in Relation to Oviposition and Ovulation in the Domestic Hen (Gallus domesticus)

This study describes a specific radioimmunoassay with a sensitivity of 5-10 pg for the determination of 13, 14-dihydro-1 5-keto prostaglandin F, � (PCFM) in plasma of laying hens in relation to oviposition (OP) and ovulation (OV). The biological activity of PGFM both in vivo and in vitro was also compared with that of PGF20. In addition, evidence is presented that plasma PCFM concentrations are directly correlated (r = 0.968, P<0.0O1) to infused PGF20 and that PGFM disappears from the circulation with a t#{189} of about 8 min. Serially sampled plasma PCFM levels rose from 267 pg/mI I h before midsequence OP to 1747 pg/mI at OP, and returned to lower levels (546 pg/mI) by 1 h post-OP. Hens laying the terminal egg of a sequence (CtOP), which is not immediately followed by OV, displayed an increase in PGFM plasma levels from 347 pg/ml 1 h before OP to 1086 pg/mI at CtOP, returning to basal values 1 h post-CROP. When OP was induced by arginine vasotocin (AVT, 0.2 �tg, i.v.) 2-5 h before expected OP. plasma PGFM levels doubled at the time of expected spontaneous OP. No significant increase in either PCF or PCFM levels was noted in response to AVT-induced premature OP. Plasma PGFM also showed a peak at about the time of the first OV of the next sequence. Both PGFM and PGF2 � stimulate uterine contractility in vitro and promote OP in vivo, but PGFM is ‘\�3 orders of magnitude less potent than PGF2 �. These results suggest that 1) PCF,0 is metabolized to PCFM, and PCFM plasma levels reflect relative changes in PGF, � levels; 2) in the fowl, as in other species, the biological activity of PGFM is less than 1% of that of PGF,0; and 3) plasma PCFM peaks at OP are not solely the result of increased uterine activity or AVT-stimulated PC production. Rather, PG synthesis and release may represent the primary event responsible for expulsion of the egg from the shell gland.
Posttraumatic Growth in Women One Year After Diagnosis for Gynecologic Cancer or Benign Conditions

The authors sought to examine levels and predictors of posttraumatic growth over one year after surgery in women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer or benign conditions necessitating surgical intervention. Women with advanced-stage cancer (n = 16), early-stage cancer (n = 18), benign gynecologic disease (n = 21), and no disease (n = 14; postannual pelvic exam) completed questionnaires (Perceived Threat, PTSD Checklist [PCL]) 1 week prior to surgery and completed the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) 16 months postsurgery. The four groups' scores varied significantly on the PTGI. The three disease groups reported higher levels of posttraumatic growth than the no disease group. Higher PCL score presurgery and greater disease severity were positively related to posttraumatic growth, and higher income level was negatively related to posttraumatic growth. Women with gynecologic cancer, regardless of stage, and women with benign gynecologic conditions experience posttraumatic growth.
Meta-Analysis of Randomized Studies Comparing Intravascular Ultrasound Versus Angiographic Guidance of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Pre–Drug-Eluting Stent Era

We conducted a formal meta-analysis of peer-reviewed, published, randomized studies comparing intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guidance and angiographic-guided bare metal stent implantation. A total of 8 studies were identified. Because the Balloon Equivalent to Stent (BEST) study was a noninferiority trial designed to compare 2 very different percutaneous coronary intervention strategies—IVUS-guided aggressive balloon angioplasty (with bail-out stenting) and angiographic-guided deliberate bare metal stent implantation—it was eliminated. An unadjusted random-effects meta-analysis was used to compare the IVUS-guided and non–IVUS-guided stenting in the 7 remaining studies. A total of 2,193 patients were randomized in 5 multicenter and 2 single-center studies. IVUS guidance was associated with a significantly larger postprocedure angiographic minimum lumen diameter. The mean difference was 0.12 mm (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06 to 0.18, p
Genital morphology of the haplogyne spider Harpactea lepida (Arachnida, Araneae, Dysderidae)

Female Harpactea lepida possess a single genital opening leading into a diverticulum. This diverticulum shows no secretory layer. It continues posteriorly into a receptaculum which is associated with gland cells. In the two already described dysderids, Dysdera crocata and D. erythrina, the bilobed spermatheca lies anteriorly to the diverticulum. Gland cells are associated with the spermatheca and the diverticulum. In H. lepida, the sclerotized genital structures lie dorsally to the diverticulum and consist of a posterior and an anterior part. The posterior part shows a lamella extending laterally to sclerites functioning as muscle attachments. The anterior part has two roundish structures. A hollow stalk-like sclerite functioning as muscle attachment extends towards anterior. The posterior and the anterior part of the sclerotized genital structures fit together. A narrow uterine valve connecting the uterus externus with the diverticulum forms between them. It may be opened by muscles as also suggested for D. erythrina. In H. lepida, spermatozoa embedded in secretion are found in the diverticulum and the receptaculum. There is no evidence that they are stored under different conditions like in D. erythrina. Additional spermatozoa are found in the uterus externus of H. lepida which could be an indication for internal fertilization. Spermatogenesis occurs in cysts in the testes of male H. lepida. In the vasa deferentia, the ductus ejaculatorius and the palpal bulb, the spermatozoa are embedded in homogenous secretion. The palpal bulb has a distal extension bearing a crown-like structure. The embolus is situated at the base of the extension.
RADIATED ACOUSTIC PRESSURE FROM A MOVING, NONUNIFORMLY VIBRATING CYLINDER WITH TWO SPHERICAL ENDCAPS

This paper presents numerical results of radiated acoustic pressures from a moving, nonuniformly vibrating cylinder with two spherical endcaps, based on an extended Kirchhoff integral formulation. Specifically, we consider cases in which the normal component of the surface velocity is nonzero on a portion of the surface, and zero elsewhere. Numerical results demonstrate that the radiation patterns depend critically on the frequency and source dimensions. For a noncompact source, the strongest radiation may not necessarily stem from a vibrating surface, but rather from a nonvibrating surface due to the effect of sound diffraction. The more noncompact the source is, the larger the number of side lobes in the near field and the more concentrated these side lobes will be. In the far field, however, the side lobes become smeared and less distinguishable. In other words, the effect of sound diffraction is greatly reduced in the far field. Source translational motion induces sound radiation in the perpendicular direction and enhances the radiated acoustic field in general. Enhancement in the forward direction is much greater than in the reverse direction.
Neglected Parasitic Infections in the United States: Toxoplasmosis

Toxocariasis is a preventable parasitic disease that is caused by the dog and cat roundworms Toxocara cani and T. cati, respectively. Humans become infected when they accidently ingest infectious Toxocara eggs commonly found in contaminated soil; children are most often affected. Clinical manifestations of Toxocara infection in humans include ocular toxocariasis and visceral toxocariasis. Although infection with Toxocara can cause devastating disease, the burden of toxocariasis in the United States population remains unknown. In addition, risk factors for acquiring infection need to be better defined, and research needs to be conducted to better understand the pathophysiology and clinical course of toxocariasis. Development of diagnostic tests would enable clinicians to detect active infection, and determination of optimal drug regiments would ensure patients were appropriately treated. Addressing these public health gaps is necessary to understand and address the impact of toxocariasis in the United States.
The Electronic Monitoring Paradigm: A Proposal for Transforming Criminal Justice in the USA

Abstract: This article proposes a change in public policy that promises to greatly reduce major crime in the United States, protect society, eliminate prison overcrowding, and save taxpayer dollars. This policy would employ electronic monitoring (EM) technology in a way that discourages individuals who might otherwise be tempted to commit crimes. The approach is arguably more effective, efficient, humane and ethical than any alternative strategy and potentially could revolutionize law enforcement and the American criminal justice system. Keywords: crime; policy; corrections; law; electronic monitoring; cost-benefit; criminal justice 1. Introduction Existing policies to “get tough” on crime have not only failed to control crime but have contributed to an enormous increase in the number of incarcerated individuals [1,2]. This suggests that the underlying premise—stiffer sentences deter criminals—may be incorrect. Furthermore, even in the unlikely event that incarceration rates could be tripled through a tripling of law enforcement and prison budgets, the available data suggest that the probability that an offender would be apprehended and incarcerated would remain low. As of 2004, the probability that an offender would be incarcerated was negligible for residential burglary (0.8 percent), vehicle theft (0.6 percent), robbery (1.7 percent), and assault (1.2 percent); and fairly small for rape (12.4 percent) [3]. This suggests that the deterrent effect of policies to “get tough” on crime would remain weak, and suggests a need to switch paradigms.
A 3-D modular gripper design tool

Modular fixturing kits are sets of components used for flexible, rapid construction of fixtures. A modular vise is a parallel-jaw vise, each jaw of which is a modular fixture plate with a regular grid of precisely positioned holes. To fixture a part, one places pins in some of the holes so that when the vise is closed, the part is reliably located and completely constrained. The modular vise concept can be adapted easily to the design of modular parallel-jaw grippers for robots. By attaching a grid-plate to each jaw of a parallel-jaw gripper we gain the ability to easily construct high-quality grasps for a wide variety of parts from a standard set of hardware. Wallack and Canny (1994) developed an algorithm for planning planar grasp configurations for the modular vise. We expand this work to produce a 3D fixture/gripper design tool. We describe several analyses we have added to the planar algorithm, including a 3D grasp quality metric based on force information, 3D geometric loading analysis, and inter-gripper interference analysis. Finally, we describe two applications of our code. One of these is an internal application at Sandia, while the other shows a potential use of our code for designing part of an agile assembly line.
“Who Ever Believed in the ‘Missile Gap’?”: John F. Kennedy and the Politics of National Security

This article examines John F. Kennedy's references to the missile gap—a presumed strategic disparity between the Soviet Union and the United States believed to have been created by the USSR's technological achievements in the late 1950s. Kennedy's missile gap rhetoric was grounded in a political, economic, and military/strategic critique of the policies of the Eisenhower administration. This article examines Kennedy's belief in the missile gap, reveals the central role played by Joseph Alsop in propagating the missile gap myth, and considers the missile gap within the context of the Kennedy administration's national security policies.
Emergency Management: Gauging the Extensiveness and Quality of Public-and Private-Sector Collaboration at the Local Level

This empirically based study compares the extensiveness and perceived quality of public and private emergency management—related collaborations at the grassroots level, based on a statewide survey of Florida county and city officials. The extensiveness of local officials’ involvement in private-sector collaboration is on par with their emergency management—related interactions with public-sector entities. County officials are more likely than city officials to report higher quality networks with both public and private partners. First responders rate the quality of their intergovernmental public-sector collaborations higher than their generalist counterparts; the results are more varied in terms of each group’s private-sector network quality assessments.
Arterial reconstruction with cryopreserved human allografts in the setting of infection: A single-center experience with midterm follow-up.

Objectives Vascular reconstruction in the setting of primary arterial or prosthetic graft infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Cryopreserved human allografts (CHA) may serve as acceptable alternatives when autogenous or extra-anatomic/in situ prosthetic reconstructions are not possible. Methods Between February 1999 and June 2008, 57 CHAs were placed in 52 patients (average age, 65 years) for abdominal aortic (n = 18) or iliofemoral/femoral-popliteal arterial or prosthetic infections (n = 39). Indications for arterial reconstruction included infected implanted prosthetic material (n = 39), mycotic pseudoaneurysms (n = 14), or intra-abdominal bacterial contamination or wound infection (n = 4). Wide local debridement and culture was followed by allograft interposition, bypass, or extra-anatomic reconstruction. Over a similar time period, 53 non-CHA extra-anatomical prosthetic or in situ autogenous tissue reconstructions were performed in 53 patients (average age, 65 years) for abdominal aortic (n = 18) or iliofemoral and femoral-popliteal (n = 35) prosthetic graft infections. Indications for arterial replacement in all cases included infected implanted prosthetic material. Results Thirty-day mortality for all CHA and non-CHA reconstructions was 5.2% and 7.5%, respectively. The 1-year procedure-related mortality for all CHA and non-CHA procedures was 7.0% and 13.2%, respectively. In the CHA cohort, 5 patients required re-exploration for hemorrhage or anastomotic disruption. In midterm CHA follow-up (20 months), there was 1 graft thrombosis, 2 graft stenoses, 1 recurrent ilioenteric fistula, and 1 non-related amputation. The remainder of the CHA reconstructions remained patent without evidence of aneurysmal change or reinfection. Conclusion In the setting of infection, cryopreserved human allograft arterial reconstruction is a viable alternative to traditional methods of vascular reconstruction in patients without available autogenous conduit and when expedient reconstruction is required. In midterm follow-up, cryopreserved allografts appear to be resistant to subsequent reinfection, thrombosis, or aneurysmal dilatation. However, larger patient populations and longer follow-up are needed to determine if arterial reconstruction with CHA is the safest and most durable method of treatment for arterial infections.
Brachytherapy radiation doses to the neurovascular bundles.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the role of radiation dose to the neurovascular bundles (NVB) in brachytherapy-related impotence. Methods and Materials: Fourteen Pd-103 or I-125 implant patients were studied. For patients treated with implant alone, the prostate and margin (clinical target volume [CTV]) received a prescription dose of 144 Gy for I-125 or 115 Gy for Pd-103. Two patients received Pd-103 (90 Gy) with 46 Gy supplemental external beam radiation (EBRT). Axial CT images were acquired 2 to 4 hours postoperatively for postimplant dosimetry. Because the NVBs cannot be visualized on CT, NVB calculation points were determined according to previously published anatomic descriptions. Bilateral NVB points were considered to lie posterior-laterally, approximately 2 mm from the prostatic capsule. NVB doses were recorded bilaterally, at 0.5-cm intervals from the prostatic base. Results: For Pd-103, the average NVB doses ranged from 150 Gy to 260 Gy, or 130% to 226% of the prescription dose. For I-125, the average NVB dose ranged from 200 Gy to 325 Gy, or 140% to 225% of the prescription dose. These was no consistent relationship between the NVB dose and the distance from the prostatic base. To examine the possible effect of minor deviations of our calculation points from the true NVB location, we performed NVB calculations at points 2 mm medial or lateral from the NVB calculation point in 8 patients. Doses at these alternate calculation points were comparable, although there was greater variability with small changes in the calculation point if sources were located outside the capsule, near the NVB calculation point. Three patients who developed early postimplant impotence had maximal NVB doses that far exceeded the average values. Conclusions: In the next few years, we hope to clarify the role of high NVB radiation doses on potency, by correlating NVB dose calculations with a large number of patients enrolled in an ongoing I-125 versus Pd-103 trial for early-stage patients, for whom detailed dosimetric and potency data are being collected prospectively. In the future, we anticipate that NVB doses may be incorporated into dosimetry guidelines to maximize tumor control and minimize treatment-related morbidity.
The prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder in a randomly selected group of urban and rural women

Background. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) was included as a provisional diagnostic category in the appendices of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-III-R (then called late luteal phase dysphoric disorder) and remained as an appendix in DSM-IV. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of PMDD using all four DSM-IV research diagnostic criteria in a representative sample of women of reproductive age in the United States. Method. Data were collected in the homes of women between the ages of 13 and 55 years in two urban and two rural sites using a random sampling procedure developed by the National Opinion Research Center. Women completed daily symptom questionnaires and provided urine specimens each day for two consecutive ovulatory menstrual cycles (ovulation was estimated for women taking oral contraceptives) and were screened for psychiatric disorders by trained interviewers. Symptoms were counted toward a diagnosis of PMDD if they worsened significantly during the late luteal week during two consecutive ovulatory menstrual cycles, occurred oil days in which women reported marked interference with functioning, and were not due to another mental disorder. Results. In the final analysis, 1246 women who had had at least one menstrual cycle and were neither naturally nor surgically menopausal nor pregnant were selected. Of the women in the study, 1.3% met criteria for the diagnosis as defined in DSM-IV. Conclusions. The prevalence of PMDD is considerably lower than DSM-IV estimates and all but one of the estimates obtained from previous studies when all DSM-IV diagnostic criteria are considered. We suggest a new process for diagnosing PMDD based on our findings.
Challenges in Ubiquitous Data Management

Ubiquitous computing is a compelling vision for the future that is moving closer to realization at an accelerating pace. The combination of global wireless and wired connectivity along with increasingly small and powerful devices enables a wide array of new applications that will change the nature of computing. Beyond new devices and communications mechanisms, however, the key technology that is required to make ubiquitous computing a reality is data management. In this short paper, I attempt to identify and organize the key aspects of ubiquitous computing applications and environments from a data management perspective and outline the data management challenges that they engender. Finally, I describe two on-going projects: Data Recharging and Telegraph, that are addressing some of these issues.
Comparative evaluation of the performance of passive and active 3D vision systems

Automated digital photogrammetric systems are considered to be passive three-dimensional vision systems since they obtain object coordinates from only the information contained in intensity images. Active 3-D vision systems, such as laser scanners and structured light systems obtain the object coordinates from external information such as scanning angle, time of flight, or shape of projected patterns. Passive systems provide high accuracy on well defined features, such as targets and edges however, unmarked surfaces are hard to measure. These systems may also be difficult to automate in unstructured environments since they are highly affected by the ambient light. Active systems provide their own illumination and the features to be measured so they can easily measure surfaces in most environments. However, they have difficulties with varying surface finish or sharp discontinuities such as edges. Therefore each type of sensor is more suited for a specific type of objects and features, and they are often complementary. This paper compares the measurement accuracy, as applied to various type of features, of some technologically-different 3-D vision systems: photogrammetry-based (passive) systems, a laser scanning system (active), and a range sensor using a mask with two apertures and structured light (active).
Does Escherichia coli possess a DNA excision repair system for gamma-ray damage?

CIRCUMSTANTIAL evidence1–3 indicates that bacteria may remove various sorts of damage from their DNA by a process of repair similar to that which excises cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers produced by ultraviolet light4. I have attempted to demonstrate such a repair process in γ-irradiated bacteria by monitoring their DNA for the disappearance of sites which are sensitive to the endonucleolytic action of an extract isolated from Micrococcus luteus cells. These endonuclease-sensitive sites are easy to detect and are known to be produced by several agents, for example ultraviolet light5, methyl methanesulphonate5, nitrous acid8 and ionizing radiations7,8. Furthermore, in the case of ultraviolet light, there is considerable evidence from both in vitro9–10 and in vivo13,14 studies indicating that excision repair occur at these sites. Thus disappearance from the bacterial DNA of the endonuclease-sensitive sites induced by a particular agent is indicative of excision repair or, conceivably, some form of in situ repair.
Ethnic Variation in Body Composition Assessment in a Sample of Adolescent Girls

AbstractObjective. To compare body composition assessment by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a multiethnic sample of adolescent girls. Method. Data were from a physical activity intervention study among 254 14–20-year-old sedentary American girls, including 69 whites, 74 blacks, 42 Hispanics, and 69 Asians. Height and weight were objectively measured. Body composition was assessed using a foot-to-foot BIA and a fan-beam DXA. We calculated ethnic-specific estimates of percentage body fat (BF%), fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass (FFM), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) from BIA and DXA. We used Bland-Altman plots to examine ethnic-specific agreement between BIA and DXA, and used linear regression to test whether the BIA-DXA difference varied across the mean. Results. Compared to DXA, BIA estimates of fat measures (BF%, FM, and FMI) were lower and lean tissue measures (FFM and FFMI) higher. For example, the BIA-estimated BF% was lower than th...
Co-designing and Co-teaching Graduate Qualitative Methods: An Innovative Ethnographic Workshop Model

This article describes an innovative collaboration between graduate students and a faculty member to co-design and co-teach a graduate-level workshop-style qualitative methods course. The goal of c...
Appalachian Residents' Perspectives on New U.S. Cigarette Warning Labels

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revealed new pictorial warning labels in June 2011 for cigarette packages, yet little is known about how these labels are perceived by U.S. residents. We examined the reactions to and attitudes about the new labels among residents of Appalachian Ohio, a region with a high smoking prevalence. We conducted focus groups with Appalachian Ohio residents between July and October 2011. Participants included healthcare providers (n = 30), community leaders (n = 26), parents (n = 28), and young adult men ages 18-26 (n = 18). Most participants supported the addition of the new labels to U.S. cigarette packages, though many were unaware of the labels prior to the focus groups. Participants did not think the labels would be effective in promoting smoking cessation among smokers in their communities, but they were more positive about the potential of the labels to reduce smoking initiation. Participants reported positive feedback about the more graphic labels, particularly those showing a man with a tracheal stoma or a person with severe oral disease. The labels that include a cartoon image of an ill infant and a man who quit smoking received the most negative feedback. Participants generally supported adding pictorial warning labels to U.S. cigarette packages, but only a few of labels received mostly positive feedback. Results offer early insight into how the new labels may be received if they are put into practice.
Representation of flat Lagrangian $H$-umbilical submanifolds in complex Euclidean spaces

The author proved earlier that, a Lagrangian //-umbilical submanifold in complex Euclidean «-space with n>2 is either a complex extensor, a Lagrangian pseudo-sphere, or a flat Lagrangian //-umbilical submanifold. Explicit descriptions of complex extensors and of Lagrangian pseudo-spheres are given earlier. The purpose of this article is to complete the investigation of Lagrangian //-umbilical submanifolds in complex Euclidean spaces by establishing the explicit description of flat Lagrangian //-umbilical submanifolds in complex Euclidean spaces. 1. Statements of theorems. We follow the notation and definitions given in (2). In order to establish the complete classification of Lagrangian //-umbilical submanifolds in Cn we need to introduce the notion of special Legendre curves as follows. Let z: I^S2n~ι cC"beaunit speed Legendre curve in the unit hypersphere S2n~1 (centered at the origin), i.e., z — z(s) is a unit speed curve in S2n~1 satisfying the condition: (z'(s\ iz(s)) = 0 identically. Since z = z(s) is a spherical unit speed curve, = 0 identically. Hence, z(s), iz(s% z'(s\ iz'(s) are orthonormal vector fields defined along the Legendre curve. Thus, there exist normal vector fields P 3, ...,/>" along the Legendre curve such that (1.1) Φ), ι'Φ), z'(s\ iz\s\ PM iPsis), > Pn(s), iPn(s) form an orthonormal frame field along the Legendre curve. By taking the derivatives of = 0 and of =0, we obtain =0 and = — 1, respectively. Therefore, with respect to an orthonormal frame field chosen above, z" can be expressed as
Supporting efficient keyword-based file search in peer-to-peer file sharing systems

Peer-to-peer (P2P) computing has become a popular distributed computing paradigm thanks to the abundant computing power of modern desktop workstations and widely available network connectivity. Although P2P file sharing provides a scalable alternative to conventional server-based approaches, providing efficient file search in a large-scale dynamic P2P system remains a challenging problem. We propose a set of mechanisms to provide a scalable keyword-based file search in distributed hash table (DHT) based P2P systems. Our proposed architecture, called keyword fusion, balances unfair storage consumptions at peers and transforms users' queries to contain focused search terms. Through trace-driven simulations, we show that keyword fusion can reduce the storage consumption of the top 5% most loaded nodes by 50% and decrease the search traffic by up to 67%, even in a modest scenario of combining two keywords.
Toothpick Perforation of the Small Bowel

A 39-year-old male presented to our gastroenterology clinic with a 6 month history of intermittent cramping and sharp bilateral lower quadrant abdominal pain. He reported associated constipation, bloating, infrequent nausea and vomiting, occasional exacerbation of pain with food intake, and a 10 pound weight loss. He had been evaluated by his primary care physician 4 months earlier. At that time, his evaluation was notable for a white blood cell count of 15,000/mm3. Comprehensive metabolic panel and thyroid stimulating hormone were within normal limits and an abdominal x-ray showed a normal bowel gas pattern. At the time of our evaluation in the gastroenterology clinic, he was well-appearing and in no distress. He had no significant past medical history and was not taking any medications. Abdominal examination revealed normoactive bowel sounds, moderate tenderness and mild guarding to palpation in the right lower quadrant without rebound. His white blood cell count was significantly elevated at 25,300/mm3. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed a linear foreign body extending from the lumen of a distal loop of small bowel through the bowel wall with minimal surrounding inflammation (Figure A, red circle). The patient was taken to the operating room and underwent an exploratory laparotomy which revealed a wooden toothpick perforating the small bowel at both ends of the toothpick with significant surrounding inflammation and adhesions (Figure B). He required lysis of adhesions and small bowel resection with primary stapled anastomosis. Postoperatively, the patient admitted a history of chewing toothpicks and was not aware that he had swallowed a toothpick. However, his wife reported that he often fell asleep with a toothpick in his mouth. Toothpick perforations of the gastrointestinal tract are uncommon, with an incidence of approximately 0.2 per 100,000 persons annually in the U.S.1 but are associated with a high mortality rate of 20–80%.2 The most common site of injury is the duodenum followed by the sigmoid colon and ileum. Imaging studies vary in their sensitivity in detecting toothpicks, but are often inadequate. Definitive diagnosis is most commonly made at the time of surgical exploration. Li et al reported that the duration of symptoms before diagnosis ranged from 1 day to 9 months and that the diagnosis was established by laparotomy in 53% of cases as opposed to imaging studies in 14%.2 This case highlights a rare cause of small bowel injury and the complications and mortality associated with it.
LV SEGMENTATION FROM 3D ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY USING FUZZY FEATURES AND A MULTILEVEL FFD MODEL

In this paper, we propose a method for 3D left ventricle (LV) segmentation from echocardiography. This method defines an 'active contour' on a multilevel cubic B-spline formulated grid. Moving the active contour to the boundary is performed by minimizing an energy function, which is defined by fuzzy feature information and multilevel free form deformation model (MFFD). Several echocardiographic LV segmentation problems are considered and experimental results are given to illustrate the robustness of this algorithm against spurious local minima and leaking on the blurred boundary
THE CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER IN THE UNITED STATES: LESSONS FROM THE CANCER OF THE PROSTATE STRATEGIC UROLOGIC RESEARCH ENDEAVOR (CAPSURE), A NATIONAL DISEASE REGISTRY

Purpose: The epidemiology and treatment of prostate cancer have changed dramatically in the prostate specific antigen era. A large disease registry facilitates the longitudinal observation of trends in disease presentation, management and outcomes. Materials and Methods: The Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) is a national disease registry of more than 10,000 men with prostate cancer accrued at 31 primarily community based sites across the United States. Demographic, clinical, quality of life and resource use variables are collected on each patient. We reviewed key findings from the data base in the last 8 years in the areas of disease management trends, and oncological and quality of life outcomes. Results: Prostate cancer is increasingly diagnosed with low risk clinical characteristics. With time patients have become less likely to receive pretreatment imaging tests, less likely to pursue watchful waiting and more likely to receive brachytherapy or hormonal therapy. Relatively few patients treated with radical prostatectomy in the database are under graded or under staged before surgery, whereas the surgical margin rate is comparable to that in academic series. CaPSURE data confirm the usefulness of percent positive biopsies in risk assessment and they have further been used to validate multiple preoperative nomograms. CaPSURE results strongly affirm the necessity of patient reported quality of life assessment. Multiple studies have compared the quality of life impact of various treatment options, particularly in terms of urinary and sexual function, and bother. Conclusions: The presentation and management of prostate cancer have changed substantially in the last decade. CaPSURE will continue to track these trends as well as oncological and quality of life outcomes, and will continue to be an invaluable resource for the study of prostate cancer at the national level.
Colesevelam Improves Oral but Not Intravenous Glucose Tolerance by a Mechanism Independent of Insulin Sensitivity and β-Cell Function

OBJECTIVE To determine the mechanism by which the bile acid sequestrant colesevelam improves glycemic control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) with minimal model analysis and a meal tolerance test (MTT) in 20 subjects with impaired fasting glucose (11 men, 9 women; mean age 60.7 ± 1.9 years, BMI 29.4 ± 0.9 kg/m 2 ) in a single-blind study after 2 weeks of placebo treatment and 8 weeks of colesevelam 3.75 g daily. From these tests, insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, and glucose tolerance were determined, along with gastrointestinal peptide levels during the MTT. RESULTS Fasting plasma glucose and HbA 1c decreased with colesevelam (from 5.9 ± 0.1 to 5.7 ± 0.1 mmol/L, P P = 0.01, respectively), but fasting insulin did not change. Colesevelam had no effect on any FSIGT measures. In contrast, the MTT incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for both glucose (from 249.3 ± 28.5 to 198.8 ± 23.6 mmol/L ⋅ min, P P P P CONCLUSIONS Colesevelam improves oral but not intravenous glucose tolerance without changing insulin sensitivity, β-cell function, or incretins. This effect may be at least partially explained by the colesevelam-induced increase in CCK.
Introduction: The Crisis in International Law

This is the introductory chapter of a manuscript entitled "The Future of International Law: Global Government." Observers of international law have criticized the Westphalian paradigm for nearly a century. The Westphalian paradigm has become less useful, both as a general way to order the world, and as a general way to understand the world. Functional adaptation has already begun to re-order the world inconsistently with the Westphalian paradigm. The European Union is only the most obvious example. But this reordering has been impeded by the continued use of the Westphalian paradigm to understand the world. One of the goals of this book is to suggest a functionalist paradigm that understands the sovereignty of states in utilitarian, and contingent, terms. Indeed, the exceptions to the Westphalian paradigm have been multiplying for the past 100 years, and the movement toward an international law of cooperation that Wolfgang Friedmann documented in 1964 in The Changing Structure of International Law has accelerated and intensified the exceptions to the Westphalian paradigm so much that it no longer satisfies the test of Occam’s Razor. This is the central crisis in international law. A simpler paradigm, one admitting far fewer exceptions, is the functionalist paradigm, which accepts that the state is contingent, and that international law tends to constrain, indeed, to mold, the state based on functional efficiency.
Developmental Patterning as a Quantitative Trait: Genetic Modulation of the Hoxb6 Mutant Skeletal Phenotype

The process of patterning along the anterior-posterior axis in vertebrates is highly conserved. The function of Hox genes in the axis patterning process is particularly well documented for bone development in the vertebral column and the limbs. We here show that Hoxb6, in skeletal elements at the cervico-thoracic junction, controls multiple independent aspects of skeletal pattern, implicating discrete developmental pathways as substrates for this transcription factor. In addition, we demonstrate that Hoxb6 function is subject to modulation by genetic factors. These results establish Hox-controlled skeletal pattern as a quantitative trait modulated by gene-gene interactions, and provide evidence that distinct modifiers influence the function of conserved developmental genes in fundamental patterning processes.
Staying connected on the road: a comparison of different types of smart phone use in a driving simulator

Previous research on smart phone use while driving has primarily focused on phone calls and texting. Drivers are now increasingly using their phone for other activities during driving, in particular social media, which have different cognitive demands. The present study compared the effects of four different smart phone tasks on car-following performance in a driving simulator. Phone tasks were chosen that vary across two factors: interaction medium (text vs image) and task pacing (self-paced vs experimenter-paced) and were as follows: Text messaging with the experimenter (text/other-paced), reading Facebook posts (text/self-paced), exchanging photos with the experimenter via Snapchat (image, experimenter-paced), and viewing updates on Instagram (image, experimenter-paced). Drivers also performed a driving only baseline. Brake reaction times (BRTs) were significantly greater in the text-based conditions (Mean = 1.16 s) as compared to both the image-based conditions (Mean = 0.92 s) and the baseline (0.88 s). There was no significant difference between BRTs in the image-based and baseline conditions and there was no significant effect of task-pacing. Similar results were obtained for Time Headway variability. These results are consistent with the picture superiority effect found in memory research and suggest that image-based interfaces could provide safer ways to "stay connected" while driving than text-based interfaces.
Complementary and alternative medicine: What do oncology healthcare providers think?

e20614 Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is growing as the oncology patient (pt) population increases. The purpose of this study was to assess current CAM practice...
Building Design with Energy Performance as Primary Agent

Abstract How does building form express energy performance through design? Design, in our opinion, increases its agency as energy considerations move to early stages of design. Shifting energy evaluations earlier, as the review of literature shows, highlights a gap in the utilization of building geometry to reduce energy consumption. The limited utilization of building geometry in design requires redress to provide design greater agency. Then the agency of design shifts from checking building performance to optimizing design processes and methods. At the same time, readers will gain insight into use of parametric investigations of formal building factors.
Perception of Need and Receipt of Mental Health Treatment: A Three-Group Comparison of Young Adults With Psychological Distress.

Objective:This study examined mental health service use among three groups of young adults with assessed psychological distress: no perceived need for treatment, reported unmet need, and received treatment.Methods:Data came from participants ages 18 to 25 in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008–2013) who met criteria for psychological distress (N=19,775). Demographic, access-, and need-related predictors of perceived need and treatment group were examined by using multinomial logistic regression.Results:Half the sample did not perceive a need for treatment (51.0%), and only one-third had received treatment (33.7%). White youths were more likely than those from other racial-ethnic groups to perceive a need and to receive treatment. Men were less likely than women to perceive need but equally likely to receive treatment. Higher education and having insurance also predicted treatment receipt.Conclusions:Efforts to increase service utilization among young adults should increase awareness of mental...
Grassland ecology: Complexity of nutrient constraints.

Grasslands account for as much as one-third of the net primary production on land. Results from a network of experiments carried out on five continents suggest that two or more nutrients often constrain the productivity of these globally significant ecosystems.
Effect of Excited-State Structural Relaxation on Midgap Excitations in Co2+-Doped ZnO Quantum Dots

The unique midgap excited states of Co2+-doped ZnO quantum dots have given rise to new applications in photocatalysis, sensing, magneto-optics, and magnetoelectronics. However, the electronic characteristics of these midgap transitions are not fully understood, and the uncertain interplay between these transitions has led to disagreement in the literature. In this work, midgap excited states of Co2+-doped ZnO quantum dots are analyzed using linear response time-dependent density functional theory and the effective mass theory with a focus on the geometry relaxation in the donor-type photoionization excited state. Relaxation of the excited-state geometry lowers the charge-transfer transition energy to be in the vicinity of the prominent spin-allowed 4A2 → 4T1 Co2+ d–d transition that gives this material its characteristic color. For large quantum dots, the excited-state population distribution between this Co2+ d–d excited state and the charge-transfer excited state can be tuned by thermal energy, resultin...