cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mean Flow and Turbulence Measurements in the Near Field of a Fighter Aircraft Wing-Tip Vortex at High Reynolds Number and Transonic Flow Conditions

Mean and turbulent flow characteristics of the wing-tip vortex generated by a 6% scale model of the F/A-18 fighter aircraft equipped with AIM-9 sidewinders were investigated experimentally. This particular configuration was studied as part of the NRC/IAR stores clearance and certification program. However, the present study focuses on the near field structure of the tip vortex, as the existing literature contains relatively little information on tip vortices generated at such high Reynolds numbers (4.4´ 10 6 , based on wing chord), and even less on the tip vortices of fighter aircraft. The experiments were conducted in the transonic test section of the NRC/IAR 1.5m x 1.5m trisonic blowdown wind tunnel. The present paper documents results obtained in a single cross-flow plane located immediately downstream of the wing trailing edge, for two angles of attack, 4.5° and 13° , and at a single freestream Mach number of 0.75. Mean velocities and flow angularities were measured using a five-hole directional velocity probe as well as an x-array constant temperature hot-wire probe. The latter also provided estimates of the turbulence intensities, Reynolds stresses and turbulent kinetic energy in the measurement plane. The results shed some light on the fairly complex interaction, particularly at the higher angle of attack, of the wing-tip vortex and the wake of the AIM-9 tip missile.
Information Visualization, Human-Computer Interaction, and Cognitive Psychology: Domain Visualizations

Digital libraries stand to benefit from technology insertions from the fields of information visualization, human-computer interaction, and cognitive psychology, among others. However, the current state of interaction between these fields is not well understood. We use our knowledge visualization tool, VxInsight, to provide several domain visualizations of the overlap between these fields. Relevant articles were extracted from the Science Citation Indexes (SCI and Social SCI) using keyword searches. An article map, a semantic (coterm) map, and a co-author network have been generated from the data. Analysis reveals that while there are overlaps between fields, they are not substantial. However, the most recent work suggests areas where future collaboration could have a great impact on digital libraries of the future.
An in vivo assessment of the low back response to prolonged flexion: Interplay between active and passive tissues.

Abstract Background Full flexion lumbar postures maintained over a prolonged period of time have been shown to lead to changes in the supporting passive structures of the spine and it has been hypothesized that this may lead to low back pain/disorders. However, the specific biomechanics and physiology of this link have not been fully developed. Of particular interest is the interplay between the active and passive extensor mechanisms and the role of rest break in this response. Methods Ten healthy participants performed a regimen of a 10-min full lumbar flexion followed by a 10-min upright standing, with a slow speed isokinetic lift every 2.5 min. Changes in the full lumbar flexion angle (system creep) and the electromyographic activity of back extensors in the isokinetic lifts were evaluated. Findings Results showed significant increases in the full flexion angle and increased activity of the extensor muscles in the prolonged flexion to compensate for the reduced extension moment producing capability of the passive tissues. A 30-s rest break in the middle of the flexion moderated these viscoelastic responses. Interpretation The results suggest that prolonged lumbar flexion results in the systematic transfer of an extension moment from passive tissues to active muscles. Heavy lifting or high force exertion of back muscles immediately after prolonged flexion could be a risk factor for low back disorders when the muscles lose their force generating capacity due to passive stretching. This study also indicated the importance of sufficient rest between consecutive full flexion tasks in reducing the risk.
The Weakening White House

The US presidency has been progressively weakened over the past three decades – to the point where it is probably weaker today than at almost any time in the preceding century. The formal powers of the office have been trimmed. Congress, in the absence of Cold War and domestic emergency, has reasserted itself on all scores. The modern revolution in communications has diminished the President's ability to convey his message to his people. Not least, the White House is grossly overstaffed. As a result of these developments, the presidency more resembles Franklin D. Roosevelt's second term, in its worst months, than either his first term or his third, and is weaker than were those of any of his Cold War successors.
A human factors view of new technology in nuclear power plant control rooms

Introducing new technology into the control rooms of existing and future nuclear power plants will involve the design and development of improved display and control systems and supporting software. It is likely to include the use of large displays for group viewing that mimic system operation, console CRT displays, touch panel interface devices, improved annunciator display systems, operator aiding techniques, some degree of automation, and reliance on digital technology. The programs, the technology that has been used successfully in a number of overseas plants, and some of the human factors issues that needs to be considered are addressed. Activities underway in the Electric Power Research Institute are described. >
REAL-TIME MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGE-GUIDED INTERSTITIAL BRACHYTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF SELECT PATIENTS WITH CLINICALLY LOCALIZED PROSTATE CANCER

Purpose: This study was performed to establish the dose-localization capability and acute toxicity of a real-time intraoperative magnetic resonance (MR) image-guided approach to prostate brachytherapy in select patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: Nine patients with 1997 American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) clinical stage T1cNxM0 prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) < 10 ng/ml, biopsy Gleason score not exceeding 3 + 4, and endorectal coil MR stage T2 disease were enrolled into this study. The prescribed minimum peripheral dose was 160 Gy to the clinical target volume (CTV), which was the MR-defined peripheral zone (PZ) of the prostate gland. Using a real-time 0.5 Tesla intraoperative MR imaging unit, 5-mm image planes were obtained throughout the prostate gland. The PZ of the prostate gland, anterior rectal wall, and prostatic urethra were identified on the T2 weighted axial images by an MR radiologist. An optimized treatment plan for catheter insertion was generated intraoperatively. Each catheter containing the 125Iodine sources was placed under real-time MR guidance to ensure that its position in the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes was in agreement with the planned trajectory. Real-time dose– volume histogram analyses were used intraoperatively to optimize the dosimetry. Results: For the 9 study patients, 89–99% (median 94%) of the CTV received a minimum peripheral dose of 160 Gy and ≥ 95% of the volume of the prostatic urethra and 42–89% (median 70%) of the volume of the anterior rectal wall received doses that were below the reported tolerance. All patients voided spontaneously within 3 h after discontinuation of the Foley catheter and no patient required more than a limited course (≤ 3 weeks) of oral α-1 blockers for postimplant urethritis. Conclusions: Real-time MR-guided interstitial radiation therapy provided the ability to achieve the planned optimized dose–volume histogram profiles to the CTV and healthy juxtaposed structures intraoperatively, with minimal acute morbidity.
Optimal Adaptation in Web Processes with Coordination Constraints

We present methods for optimally adapting Web processes to exogenous events while preserving inter-service constraints that necessitate coordination. For example, in a supply chain process, orders placed by a manufacturer may get delayed in arriving. In response to this event, the manufacturer has the choice of either waiting out the delay or changing the supplier. Additionally, there may be compatibility constraints between the different orders, thereby introducing the problem of coordination between them if the manufacturer chooses to change the suppliers. We focus on formulating the decision making models of the managers, who must adapt to external events while satisfying the coordination constraints, using Markov decision processes. Our methods range from being centralized and globally optimal in their adaptation but not scalable, to decentralized that is suboptimal but scalable to multiple managers. We also develop a hybrid approach that improves on the performance of the decentralized approach with a minimal loss of optimality.
Intracellular niches for extracellular bacteria: lessons from Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the gas- tric epithelium of humans and plays a causative role in peptic ulcer disease and perhaps gastric cancer. H. pylori proliferates in the mucus layer over the epithelium and is not cleared by the host immune response. Although the mucus layer is the major reservoir of H. pylori in vivo, a growing body of evidence suggests that H. pylori can persist in multiple intracellular locales. Clinical isolates of H. pylori invade epithelial monolayers at least as well as Shigella. The intracellular organisms are cyto- toxic, and bacterial microcolonies form on the exposed basement membrane. Both mononuclear phagocytes and neutrophils phagocytose unopso- nized H. pylori. However, the internalized organ- isms are not killed efficiently and our recent data suggest that H. pylori disrupts phagosome matura- tion. Collectively, the data support the hypothesis that intracellular H. pylori represent a reservoir of organisms that contributes to bacterial persistence, host tissue damage, and treatment failure. J. Leu- koc. Biol. 66: 753-756; 1999.
Posture invariant gender classification for 3D human models

We study the behaviorally important task of gender classification based on the human body shape. We propose a new technique to classify by gender human bodies represented by possibly incomplete triangular meshes obtained using laser range scanners. The classification algorithm is invariant of the posture of the human body. Geodesic distances on the mesh are used for classification. Our results indicate that the geodesic distances between the chest and the wrists and the geodesic distances between the lower back and the face are the most important ones for gender classification. The classification is shown to perform well for different postures of the human subjects. We model the geodesic distance distributions as Gaussian distributions and compute the quality of the classification for three standard methods in pattern recognition: linear discriminant functions, Bayesian discriminant functions, and support vector machines. All of the experiments yield high classification accuracy. For instance, when support vector machines are used, the classification accuracy is at least 93% for all of our experiments. This shows that geodesic distances are suitable to discriminate humans by gender.
Detection of Buruli ulcer disease: Preliminary results with dermoscopic images on smart handheld devices

Buruli ulcer (BU) disease is a devastating flesh-eating bacterial infection that each year affects thousands of people, but if detected early, it can be easily treated and cured. During the past several years, we have been developing an automated dermoscopy system for accurate analysis of skin lesions. In this paper, we describe our experience with BU detection in West Africa, and we focus on the classification and validation stages of the system. We analyzed a set of 58 skin lesions consisting of 16 confirmed BU and 42 non-BU cases. After segmentation, we extracted texture and color descriptors from all images and studied the accuracy of BU detection, using a bag-of-feature classification procedure, as well as the influence of different sampling strategies, patch size, codebook size, and kernel type. Our results show an overall 95.2% classification accuracy. These findings suggest that smart phones can be used as assistive diagnostic devices for routine skin screening in underserved areas, in general, and in developing countries, in particular, where healthcare infrastructure is limited.
An International Perspective of Privatization: The Need to Balance Economic and Social Performance

Based on the results of a review, synthesis, and comparative analysis of existing international data and research, it seems that the role of privatization—as a means of reforming the public sector—has expanded internationally in scope and at such a rapid pace that, in many cases, the importance of objective and balanced measures of its overall effectiveness and impact on the affected communities need to be reexamined. The results of this research reveal that the negative consequences of privatization are often masked or go undetected because the effectiveness of privatization is based primarily on economic performance. I recommend that those responsible for planning of future privatization activities should refocus the present economic emphasis and strive for a balance of economic and social performance to improve long-term benefits for all sectors of the affected communities.
Time-Varying Arrival Rates of Informed and Uninformed Trades

We propose a dynamic model of trade and estimate the model on 16 actively traded stocks on the New York Stock Exchange over 15 years of transaction data. We investigate (1) how the arrival rates of informed and uninformed trades vary over time, (2) how they interact with each other, and (3) what the implications are of the trade dynamics on the securities price processes such as market liquidity, depth, and volatility. In particular, we extend the model of Easley and O'Hara (1992) to allow the arrival rates of informed and uninformed trades to be time-varying and forecastable. We specify a generalized autoregressive bivariate process for (1) the arrival rates of trades and (2) the logarithm of the arrival rates. Calibration results indicate that the two specifications exhibit similar performance. They both point to some common features of the trade dynamics. First, the arrival rates of both informed and uninformed trades are highly persistent. Heavy trading is more likely to be followed by heavy trading. Second, uninformed traders tend to follow their own type but to avoid the informed traders. Uninformed traders refrain from entering the market after a day with many informed traders. Informed traders, on the other hand, are not as responsive to the arrival of uninformed traders. Finally, while the arrival rates of both types of traders increase over time, it is mainly the increase in the arrival of uninformed traders that contributes to the surge in trading activities. Given the forecasted arrival rates, we investigate the correlation between the arrival rates of trades and trade composition on market volatility and liquidity. First, we find that the forecasted arrival rates of both types of trades are positively correlated with intra-day volatility measures such as the absolute returns on daily open-close and high-low. Hence, potentially we could use the forecasted arrival rates to enhance the forecasting of daily volatilities. Second, under our model structure, the opening bid-ask spread, a measure of market liquidity, is proportional to the relative proportion of informed trades and the significance of the information event. We find that the proportion of informed trades is negatively correlated with the total number of trades. As the number of trades increases over time, the relative proportion of informed trades increases and hence, assuming relative time stability on the significance of information events, the opening bid-ask spread becomes narrower and the market becomes more liquid. Finally, we compute the price impact curve of consecutive buy orders and report the half life of the price impact as a measure of market depth. The difference in mean half life across stocks indicates their difference in market depth. The positive correlation between the half life and total trades indicates that the market is deeper in presence of more trades.
A review of the superconducting and normal state properties of Y1−xPrxBa2Cu3O7

The properties of the Y1−xPrxBa2Cu3O7 (YPrBCO) system are reviewed. These include superconducting, normal state, structural, chemical, optical, magnetic, and thermal properties. The destruction of superconductivity with Pr doping is discussed in view of possible models such as hole filling, localization, magnetic pair-breaking, and the role of hybridization. Applications to electronic devices using YBCO/PrBCO/YBCO multilayers are also reviewed.
Basin of Attraction of Periodic Orbits of Maps on the Real Line

We prove a conjecture by Elaydi and Yakubu which states that the basin of attraction of an attracting 2 k -cycle of the Ricker's map is (0, \infty ) \setminus E, where E is the set of all eventually 2 r -periodic points, 0 \leq r < k. The result is then extended to a more general class of continuous maps on the real line.
The sudden onset of the band crossing for the aligned πg9/2 orbitals: a possible transition of a triaxial shape from prolate to oblate?

The yrast states were observed up through both the first and second band crossings in both 112 Ru and 116 Pd using the 238 U(α, f) fusion–fission reaction. The rotational alignment of the g9/2 proton-pair is responsible for the second band crossing. This assignment is based on the amount of angular momentum gained in the alignment and a similar crossing frequency is observed for the rotational band based on the h11/2 neutron orbital in both 111 Ru and 117 Pd. The closeness of the crossing frequency between the first and second band crossings, which happens unexpectedly within a rotational frequency span of ≈ 50 keV, most likely is caused by a transition of a triaxial shape from prolate to oblate in neutron rich Ru and Pd nuclei.  2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
An atlas of bovine gene expression reveals novel distinctive tissue characteristics and evidence for improving genome annotation

Background A comprehensive transcriptome survey, or gene atlas, provides information essential for a complete understanding of the genomic biology of an organism. We present an atlas of RNA abundance for 92 adult, juvenile and fetal cattle tissues and three cattle cell lines.
Energy storage system technology challenges facing strong hybrid, plug-in and battery electric vehicles

Energy storage systems have been the bane of utomotive products since the time of Thomas Edison and his ime and investment spent in nickel-iron as the technology hought to be superior to lead-acid batteries of his day. Now, ver a century later, the automotive industry is still caught up in his catch 22 situation and is looking at lithium-ion as the echnology considered superior to nickel-metal-hydride and ertainly of lead-acid. In all this time there hasn't been an lectrochemical technology sufficiently superior to completely eplace the existing solution, nor is there likely to be if history eaches us anything. In this paper the proposition is made that it s time the industry considers combination technologies, in articular, those combinations of electrochemical storage that ompliment each other through the incorporation of our era's uperiority in power electronics. With power electronics it is now ossible to truly decouple the vehicle application requirements or energy and power and to optimize the energy storage system ccordingly and with advanced energy management systems. his paper discusses the challenges facing designers and anufactures of hybrid and electric vehicles and why a power lectronic enabled combination of existing electrochemical torage mediums does present a viable value proposition.
Modeling estuarine-shelf exchanges in a deltaic estuary: Implications for coastal carbon budgets and hypoxia

Abstract The export of wetland-derived materials to the coastal ocean (i.e., the “Outwelling” hypothesis) has received considerable attention over the past several decades. While a number of studies have shown that estuaries export appreciable amounts of nutrients and carbon, few studies have attempted to estimate the importance of estuarine sources for the coastal carbon budgets in river-dominated coastal ecosystems. A novel tidal prism model was developed to examine estuarine-shelf exchanges in the Barataria estuary, a deltaic estuary located in the north-central Gulf of Mexico. This estuary has been the site of a massive wetland loss, and it has been hypothesized that carbon export from the eroding coastal wetlands supports the development of a large hypoxic zone in the coastal Gulf of Mexico. The model results show that the Barataria estuary receives nitrogen through the tidal passes and releases carbon to the coastal ocean. The mean calculated tidal water discharge of 6930 m3 s−1 is equivalent to about 43% of the lower Mississippi River discharge. The annual total organic carbon (TOC) export is 109 million kg, or 57 gC m2 yr−1 when prorated to the total water area of the estuary. This carbon export is equivalent to a loss of 0.5 m of wetland soil horizon over an area of 8.4 km2, and accounts for about 34% of the observed annual wetland loss in the estuary between 1978 and 2000. Compared to the lower Mississippi River, the Barataria estuary appears to be a very small source of TOC for the northern Gulf of Mexico (2.7% of riverine TOC), and is unlikely to have a significant influence on the development of the Gulf's hypoxia.
Genetic landscapes GIS Toolbox: tools to map patterns of genetic divergence and diversity

The Landscape Genetics GIS Toolbox contains tools that run in the Geographic Information System software, ArcGIS(®), to map genetic landscapes and to summarize multiple genetic landscapes as average and variance surfaces. These tools can be used to visualize the distribution of genetic diversity across geographic space and to study associations between patterns of genetic diversity and geographic features or other geo-referenced environmental data sets. Together, these tools create genetic landscape surfaces directly from tables containing genetic distance or diversity data and sample location coordinates, greatly reducing the complexity of building and analyzing these raster surfaces in a Geographic Information System.
MEASUREMENT OF RELATIVE CORONARY BLOOD FLOW BY PRECORDIAL MONITORING.

Abstract A method is described for measuring relative coronary blood flow through mathematical analysis of the precordial radiocardiogram and simultaneously inscribed peripheral arrival time. The observations are made that the descending limb of the precordial radiocardiogram is affected by radioactivity in the coronary artery system and that the decline of radioactivity from the central blood volume is exponential. Data are presented to show that the technic differentiates patients with coronary artery disease from normal individuals in a high percentage of cases. This difference, from the statistical point of view, appears not to be a chance occurrence.
Confirmatory Factor Analytical Study of the Revised Developmental Work Personality Scale

This study investigated psychometric properties of the Revised Developmental Work Personality Scale (RDWPS). Results yielded a 14-item three-factor model that aligns with the original DWPS and fits the data very well. RDWPS scores were useful in predicting the resolution of Erikson’s fourth stage of development, indicating construct validity.
The Extent and Importance of Unintended Consequences Related to Computerized Provider Order Entry

Background: Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems can help hospitals improve health care quality, but they can also introduce new problems. The extent to which hospitals experience unintended consequences of CPOE, which include more than errors, has not been quantified in prior research. Objective: To discover the extent and importance of unintended adverse consequences related to CPOE implementation in U.S. hospitals. Design, Setting, and Participants: Building on a prior qualitative study involving fieldwork at five hospitals, we developed and then administered a telephone survey concerning the extent and importance of CPOE-related unintended adverse consequences to representatives from 176 hospitals in the U.S. that have CPOE. Measurements: Self report by key informants of the extent and level of importance to the overall function of the hospital of eight types of unintended adverse consequences experienced by sites with inpatient CPOE. Results: We found that hospitals experienced all eight types of unintended adverse consequences, although respondents identified several they considered more important than others. Those related to new work/more work, workflow, system demands, communication, emotions, and dependence on the technology were ranked as most severe, with at least 72% of respondents ranking them as moderately to very important. Hospital representatives are less sure about shifts in the power structure and CPOE as a new source of errors. There is no relation between kinds of unintended consequences and number of years CPOE has been used. Despite the relatively short length of time most hospitals have had CPOE (median five years), it is highly infused, or embedded, within work practice at most of these sites. Conclusions: The unintended consequences of CPOE are widespread and important to those knowledgeable about CPOE in hospitals. They can be positive, negative, or both, depending on one's perspective, and they continue to exist over the duration of use. Aggressive detection and management of adverse unintended consequences is vital for CPOE success.
Mugshot: deterministic capture and replay for Javascript applications

Mugshot is a system that captures every event in an executing JavaScript program, allowing developers to deterministically replay past executions of web applications. Replay is useful for a variety of reasons: failure analysis using debugging tools, performance evaluation, and even usability analysis of a GUI. Because Mugshot can replay every execution step that led to a failure, it is far more useful for performing root-cause analysis than today's commonly deployed client-based error reporting systems--core dumps and stack traces can only give developers a snapshot of the system after a failure has occurred.Many logging systems require a specially instrumented execution environment like a virtual machine or a custom program interpreter. In contrast, Mugshot's client-side component is implemented entirely in standard JavaScript, providing event capture on unmodified client browsers. Mugshot imposes low overhead in terms of storage (20-80KB/minute) and computation (slowdowns of about 7% for games with high event rates). This combination of features--a low-overhead library that runs in unmodified browers--makes Mugshot one of the first capture systems that is practical to deploy to every client and run in the common case. With Mugshot, developers can collect widespread traces from programs in the field, gaining a visibility into application execution that is typically only available in a controlled development environment.
Molecular classification of high grade endometrioid and clear cell ovarian cancer using TCGA gene expression signatures

Abstract Background It is unclear whether the transcriptional subtypes of high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) apply to high grade clear cell (HGCCOC) or high grade endometrioid ovarian cancer (HGEOC). We aim to delineate transcriptional profiles of HGCCOCs and HGEOCs. Methods We used Agilent microarrays to determine gene expression profiles of 276 well annotated ovarian cancers (OCs) including 37 HGCCOCs and 66 HGEOCs. We excluded low grade OCs as these are known to be distinct molecular entities. We applied the prespecified TCGA and CLOVAR gene signatures using consensus non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). Results We confirm the presence of four TCGA transcriptional subtypes and their significant prognostic relevance (p Conclusions Using transcriptional profiling the current study suggests that HGCCOCs and HGEOCs of advanced stage group together with HGSOCs. However, HGCCOCs and HGEOCs of early disease stages may have distinct transcriptional signatures similar to those seen in their low grade counterparts.
Optimization of PEDOT films in ionic liquid supercapacitors: demonstration as a power source for polymer electrochromic devices

We report on the optimization of the capacitive behavior of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films as polymeric electrodes in flexible, Type I electrochemical supercapacitors (ESCs) utilizing ionic liquid (IL) and organic gel electrolytes. The device performance was assessed based on figures of merit that are critical to evaluating the practical utility of electroactive polymer ESCs. PEDOT/IL devices were found to be highly stable over hundreds of thousands of cycles and could be reversibly charged/discharged at scan rates between 500 mV/s and 2 V/s depending on the polymer loading. Furthermore, these devices exhibit leakage currents and self-discharge rates that are comparable to state of the art electrochemical double-layer ESCs. Using an IL as device electrolyte allowed an extension of the voltage window of Type I ESCs by 60%, resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in the energy density obtained. The efficacies of tjese PEDOT ESCs were assessed by using them as a power source for a high-contrast and ...
Fatigue Modeling for Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) With Mean Strain Effects

In this study, the fatigue behavior of a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) polymer was investigated under uniaxial strain-controlled conditions with and without mean strain. Experimental study included a series of fully-reversed fatigue tests at five strain amplitudes (2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, and 4%) and fatigue tests at three mean strain values (2%, 2.5%, and 3%) at various frequencies. Stress responses of PEEK obtained from the tests under fully-reversed cyclic loading condition indicated a significant cyclic softening, while a stress relaxation was observed for the PEEK specimens under mean strain cyclic loading. Two different types of fatigue models, including a strain-based (Coffin-Manson) and energy-based, were employed to correlate fatigue life obtained from all experimental data. Among the two fatigue models, the fatigue life prediction using the energy-based approach was found to provide a better correlation to PEEK experimental data for both fully-reversed and mean strain conditions when compared to the Coffin-Manson model.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
AlignCT: Fine alignment for x-ray computed tomography systems

The AlignCT project has established a protocol for aligning x-ray computed tomography (CT) systems, which combines high precision radiography phantoms and software alignment algorithms.
Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors: Similarities and Differences

Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are increasingly being used as first-line treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). This article discusses differences in the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of the members of this class of antidepressants and compares their efficacy and tolerability to those of other agents used to treat MDD. The SNRIs have relatively short half-lives and display linear pharmacokinetics. In general, these drugs interact less with cytochrome P450 (CYP) compounds, especially the important isozyme CYP 2D6, than do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), suggesting a reduced potential for drug-drug interactions. Overall, SNRIs demonstrate efficacy that is comparable to or better than that of tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs. They are also effective in treating a broad range of psychiatric illnesses associated with MDD, but additional studies are needed to determine optimal treatment for these comorbid conditions. Although SNRIs as a class exhibit many similarities, individual agents differ in their pharmacokinetic and safety profiles. Furthermore, the range of selectivity ratios observed with these agents implies that differences in serotonergic and noradrenergic levels may exist, which could have important clinical implications. These factors, along with genetic variations in individual patients and the pharmacologic profiles of concomitant medications, must be considered when selecting an SNRI for treatment of MDD.
A case report of symptomatic gallbladder disease in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis originating from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast

Introduction Invasive lobular carcinoma is the second most common type of breast cancer, responsible for 5–15 percent of all cases. Peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to breast cancer is a rare event, frequently resulting in morbidity and mortality. Symptomatic gallbladder disease in the setting of peritoneal carcinomatosis originating from invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast is a very rare event and is not well covered in literature.
Fungal and bacterial growth in floor dust at elevated relative humidity levels.

Under sustained, elevated building moisture conditions, bacterial and fungal growth occurs. The goal of this study was to characterize microbial growth in floor dust at variable equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) levels. Floor dust from one home was embedded in coupons cut from a worn medium-pile nylon carpet and incubated at 50%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, and 100% ERH levels. Quantitative PCR and DNA sequencing of ribosomal DNA for bacteria and fungi were used to quantify growth and community shifts. Over a 1-wk period, fungal growth occurred above 80% ERH. Growth rates at 85% and 100% ERH were 1.1 × 104 and 1.5 × 105 spore equivalents d−1 mg dust−1, respectively. Bacterial growth occurred only at 100% ERH after 1 wk (9.0 × 104 genomes d−1 mg dust−1). Growth resulted in significant changes in fungal (P<.00001) and bacterial community structure (P<.00001) at varying ERH levels. Comparisons between fungal taxa incubated at different ERH levels revealed more than 100 fungal and bacterial species that were attributable to elevated ERH. Resuspension modeling indicated that more than 50% of airborne microbes could originate from the resuspension of fungi grown at ERH levels of 85% and above.
Austrian Fiscal Doctrine: The Subjective Valuation Approach

Austrian fiscal doctrine stems directly from one of the three originators of the marginalist revolution, Carl Menger. His Grundsatze der Volkswirtschaftslehre, appearing in 1871 simultaneously with Jevons’s Theory of Political Economy and before Walras’s Elements d’economie politique pure (1874), strongly challenged the existing Austrian economics curriculum that was based on the German historical tradition. In his characterization of the market process, Menger eschewed any aggregative patterns of economic activity. Instead, he represented economic exchange as an introspective, interpretive, as well as rationalistic cognitive process adopted by agents towards the attainment of optimal outcomes.1 Writing in uncomplicated prose and without resorting to mathematics, Menger demonstrated in Grundsatze (Elements) how the notion of utility provided the only causal connection between need and value in face of scarcity. He discussed at length the want-satisfying properties of goods as well as their complementary role in the enhancement of personal satisfactions showing that it did not matter whether these needs and satisfactions were real or imagined. Economic agents, thanks to their keen cognitive capabilities, would fully comprehend (verstehen) the exact nature of their needs and proceed toward their satisfaction regardless of whether the appropriate goods were situated in the private-or the public-economic sphere.
Thinking about Harmony: Parallel and sequential progressions

Parallel motion in thirds or sixths Strategies for determining chordal roots, symbols for indicating a chord's position within a key or function within a progression, and procedures for segregating embellishing pitches from harmonic chord members are all important components of the analytical process. Yet these techniques do not tell us much about how and why one chord follows another. In fact, they may inject a bias into our analytical deliberations, for they were developed with certain chordal behaviors in mind. The contrasting behaviors characteristic of progressions that we explore in this chapter will not only alert us to some of the lacunae in early analytical procedures, but also expand our vista to include alternative analytical responses triggered by this broader range of chordal motions. Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, a distinguished composer who counted Beethoven among his pupils in Vienna, launches two fast-paced lines in coordinated ascent, each spanning an octave [ 3.1a , beat 1 to beat 3]. Their overall effect is to reinforce the tonic chord articulated at the endpoints. Though scale-degree harmonic analysis is not employed in Albrechtersberger's thoroughbass manual, his more progressive German contemporary Portmann places the analytical Arabic numeral 1 (representing tonic in his scale-step theory) below the start of a similar ascent in eighth notes. Observe that the tonic-chord pitches in Albrechtsberger's progression do not always align [ 3.1b ]. Alternative interpretations, with a change of harmony at beat two [ 3.1c–d ], seem forced, at least when sixteenth notes are involved and when articulation slurs are not provided. Gottfried Weber makes similar observations concerning a pair of parallel descending lines [ 3.1e ]. The nonalignment of P and Q within his progression reflects the unevenness of tonic-chord pitch distribution.
Heterochrony; beyond words

“It's not all heterochrony.” Raff (1996)“Heterochrony … explains everything.” McNamara (1997)Few evolutionary topics have generated more confusion and controversy than heterochrony. Commonly defined as “evolution via change in rate or timing of development,” heterchrony has historically become associated with genocidal ideologies, simple-minded theories of evolution, and a bloated, baroque jargon describing patterns produced by largely unknown mechanisms. With a track record like that, perhaps the most surprising aspect of heterochrony is its continued, even rapid, growth as an area of productive scientific inquiry. For example, the number of papers devoted to heterochronic topics continues to increase in many evolutionary journals and books (reviews in Reilly et al. 1997; Klingenberg 1998), including those devoted to human development (Bogin 1997) and evolution (Vrba 1998; McKinney 1998; Parker and McKinney 1999).
Harmonious Balance: The Ultimate Phenomenon of Life Experience, a Confucian Attempt and Approach

The concept of harmonious balance reflects the ultimate phenomenon of a dual structure operating in complementary contradiction through a cyclical progression to attain the ultimate balance of being and becoming amongst all things and events in the world. In the Chinese language, this phenomenon is written and pronounced as zhong huo, now abridged to one word, zhong. Upon the ascendancy of Confucianism as the state doctrine, as proclaimed by Emperor Wu in 136 B.C. during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.), it became synonymous with the identity of China, zhong guo, following the presentation of the yin-yang correlation by Confucian scholar, Dong, Zhongshu, long after the death of Confucius (551–479 B.C.). The reciprocity of harmonious balance can be seen in the natural world as well as the foundation of moral order. It can be seen in human dynamics as well as the cosmos. Will the Confucian appeal and recognition of the import of harmonious balance become commonplace worldwide?
The Promise of Kickstarter: Extents to Which Social Networks Enable Alternate Avenues of Economic Viability for Independent Musicians Through Crowdfunding:

Since its inception in 2009, Kickstarter, a crowdsourced funding site, has been a platform for independent creative projects to get funding, ostensibly providing alternate routes of economic viability outside of a traditional framework of creative production and distribution. Kickstarter comes onto the scene after the proliferation of online social networking sites, through which bridging social capital ties are more easily maintained. This article investigates the ways in which independent musicians have used Kickstarter in conjunction with pre-existing social networks to fund their album and sustain themselves and their artistic endeavors economically while also exploring how social networks provide ways for these “Kickstarter campaigns” to reach potential backers (funders). Through three online surveys targeting musicians, their backers, and general Kickstarter backers, yielding a total of 61 respondents, this article finds that pre-existing personal social networks and relations are imperative to the ...
Generally Recognized as Safe?: Analyzing Flaws in the FDA's Approach to GRAS Additives

Since the 1970s, consumers and advocates in the United States have questioned the safety of the list of substances considered “generally recognized as safe” (“GRAS”) by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Despite the directives that have pushed the agency to review and, in certain cases, reconsider the inclusion of certain substances on the list, the agency has failed to take any significant attempts at removing any substances for decades. In some instances, the agency has instead approached the issue as one that requires more consumer awareness about the inclusion of the substance in food and provided labeling information to allow the consumer to determine whether or not to purchase the product. In essence, the agency has placed the burden of ensuring safety in the hands of the purchaser. Many would suggest these efforts do not sufficiently address the underlying issues regarding the substances’ safety. This article traces the history of the GRAS provision, and considers whether the agency’s current approach to GRAS substances accurately reflects the legislative intent. Specifically, the article questions whether the agency’s current approach to removal requires a showing of general recognition of harm rather than a demonstration that there ceases to be a general recognition of safety of the substance, and discusses the practical effects of such an approach using sugar as an example.
Epidemiology of Infantile Spasms in Iceland

Incidence, etiology, development, EEG, response to ACTH, and follow-up of all cases of infantile spasms diagnosed in Iceland during a 10-year period are reported from the National University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland, and Columbia University, New York.
A coaxial extractive electrospray ionization source

An extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) source design is presented to improve the reproducibility of the interactions occurring in EESI. This design uses three concentric capillaries to deliver the solvent, sample and nebulizing gas. Coaxial EESI was found to improve the inter-experiment variation by a factor of four and intra-run relative standard deviation by a factor of 2.4. Unlike most standard EESI designs, the device has the form factor of a standard electrospray emitter and can be used without any further instrument modifications.
Compensating for Parasitic Voltage Drops in Resistive Memory Arrays

Parasitic resistances cause devices in a resistive memory array to experience different read/write voltages depending on the device location, resulting in uneven writes and larger leakage currents. We present a new method to compensate for this by adding extra series resistance to the drivers to equalize the parasitic resistance seen by all the devices. This allows for uniform writes, enabling multi-level cells with greater numbers of distinguishable levels, and reduced write power, enabling larger arrays.
Mechanisms and prevention of UV-induced melanoma

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and its incidence is rising, creating a costly and significant clinical problem. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, namely UVA (315-400 nm) and UVB (280-315 nm), is a major risk factor for melanoma development. Cumulative UV radiation exposure from sunlight or tanning beds contributes to UV-induced DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the skin. A number of factors, including hair color, skin type, genetic background, location, and history of tanning, determine the skin's response to UV radiation. In melanocytes, dysregulation of this UV radiation response can lead to melanoma. Given the complex origins of melanoma, it is difficult to develop curative therapies and universally effective preventative strategies. Here, we describe and discuss the mechanisms of UV-induced skin damage responsible for inducing melanomagenesis, and explore options for therapeutic and preventative interventions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
On the performance of random reshuffling in stochastic learning

In empirical risk optimization, it has been observed that gradient descent implementations that rely on random reshuffling of the data achieve better performance than implementations that rely on sampling the data randomly and independently of each other. Recent works have pursued justifications for this behavior by examining the convergence rate of the learning process under diminishing step-sizes. Some of these justifications rely on loose bounds, or their conclusions are dependent on the sample size which is problematic for large datasets. This work focuses on constant step-size adaptation, where the agent is continuously learning. In this case, convergence is only guaranteed to a small neighborhood of the optimizer albeit at a linear rate. The analysis establishes analytically that random reshuffling outperforms independent sampling by showing that the iterate at the end of each run approaches a smaller neighborhood of size O(μ2) around the minimizer rather than O(μ). Simulation results illustrate the theoretical findings.