cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proceedings of the 2017 ACM SIGMETRICS / International Conference on Measurement and Modeling of Computer Systems

This special issue of Performance Evaluation Review contains extended abstracts of the full papers - appearing in the inaugural issue of the ACM journal, Proceedings of ACM on Measurement and Analysis of Computing Systems (POMACS) -- and poster papers, all presented at the 2017 ACM SIGMETRICS -- the flagship conference of the ACM Special Interest Group for the computer systems performance evaluation community - held in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA, June 5-9, 2017. The conference provides a leading international venue for highquality research on the development and application of state-of-the-art, broadly applicable analytic, simulation, and measurement-based performance evaluation techniques. This year's program reflects the sustained ability of the conference to attract high quality submissions while evolving with the broad interests of the performance evaluation community. A wide range of topics -- including performance studies of switches, caches, and large-scale systems, vulnerability of networks, efficient storage systems and massive applications, resource allocation and economics, as well as accurate and efficient measurements -- are represented in the conference program, showcasing the current developments in performance modeling, analysis, and measurements. There were 76 papers submitted to the Fall deadline and 127 to the Winter deadline. With a tworound review process, all papers received 3-7 reviews. Nearly all reviews were completed by TPC members, with a limited number provided by external reviewers. Two TPC meetings were held, a virtual one in December and a physical one in March, at Columbia University. As a result of the reviews, online discussions, and TPC meetings, 27 papers and 18 posters appeared in the program. Best paper awards were selected by a small sub-committee of the TPC.
UNSTABLE ANGINA IS NOT DEAD

Algorithms for high-sensitivity troponin (hs-Tn) rely on an absolute value and/or serial changes when ruling in or out acute myocardial injury. However, clinical judgement remains vital. A 68-year-old male with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and family history of premature CAD presented with
Unstable wakefulness during resting-state fMRI and its associations with network connectivity and affective psychopathology in young adults.

Abstract Background Drifts between wakefulness and sleep are common during resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Among healthy adults, within-scanner sleep can impact functional connectivity of default mode (DMN), task-positive (TPN), and thalamo-cortical networks. Because dysfunctional arousal states (i.e., sleepiness, sleep disturbance) are common in affective disorders, individuals with affective psychopathology may be more prone to unstable wakefulness during rsfMRI, hampering the estimation of clinically meaningful functional connectivity biomarkers. Methods A transdiagnostic sample of 150 young adults (68 psychologically distressed; 82 psychiatrically healthy) completed rsfMRI and reported whether they experienced within-scanner sleep. Symptom scales were reduced into depression/anxiety and mania proneness dimensions using principal component analysis. We evaluated associations between within-scanner sleep, clinical status, and functional connectivity of the DMN, TPN, and thalamus. Results Within-scanner sleep during rsfMRI was reported by 44% of participants (n = 66) but was unrelated to psychiatric diagnoses or mood symptom severity (p-values > 0.05). Across all participants, self-reported within-scanner sleep was associated with connectivity signatures akin to objectively-assessed sleep, including lower within-DMN connectivity, lower DMN-TPN anti-correlation, and altered thalamo-cortical connectivity (p 0.05). Limitations Subjective report of within-scanner sleep. Conclusions Findings implicate within-scanner sleep as a source of variance in network connectivity; careful monitoring and correction for within-scanner sleep may enhance our ability to characterize network signatures underlying affective psychopathology.
Combining physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to improve balance confidence and community participation in people with unilateral transtibial amputation who use lower limb prostheses: a study protocol for a randomized sham-control clinical trial

Low balance confidence is a prevalent yet overlooked issue among people who use lower limb prostheses (LLP) that can diminish community integration and quality of life. There is a critical need to develop rehabilitation programs that specifically target balance confidence in people who use LLP. Previous research has shown that multicomponent interventions including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques and exercise are feasible and effective for improving balance confidence in older adults. Therefore, a cognitive behavioral–physical therapy (CBPT) intervention was developed to target balance confidence and increase community integration in people who use LLP. This randomized control trial will recruit 60 people who use LLP with low balance confidence. Participants will be randomized to the CBPT intervention condition or control condition. The trial is designed to test the effects of the CBPT intervention on balance confidence and functional mobility in lower limb prosthesis users by examining self-reported and objective measures of community integration and quality of life. The trial will also examine the relationship between changes in balance confidence and changes in community integration following participation in CBPT intervention. Additionally, through participant feedback, researchers will identify opportunities to improve intervention efficacy. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03411148. Registration date: January 26, 2018.
A Receiver for Doppler Estimation Capable Waveforms Utilizing Chirp Signature Diversity

This paper discusses a receiver for a new class of Doppler estimation capable radar waveforms formed by appending a CDMA signature to a Doppler estimation capable radar waveform in a separate frequency band. The CDMA signature is created from a sequence of modulated linear chirp functions. Reception begins by separating the radar and signature bands via a bandpass filter, digitizing, and feeding the resulting signals into separate data buffers. The receiver is time sychronized and the Doppler shift is estimated by matched filtering the radar waveform. The CDMA signature is decoded by convolving the chips with a Doppler adjusted matched filter, thresholding, sampling at the peaks, and finding the closest signature in a codebook. This paper illustrates these waveforms, their receiver, and their performance against Swerling III and IV targets, noise, and a Doppler shift.
EPSIN1 Contributes to Plant Immunity by Modulating the Abundance of Pattern Recognition Receptors at the Plasma Membrane.

Plants have evolved many pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that localize to the cell surface. As the frontline of defense, PRRs recognize invading pathogens and activate immune responses. Newly synthesized PRRs travel from the endoplasmic reticulum via the Golgi apparatus and the trans-Golgi
Assessing health professionals’ perception of health literacy in Rhode Island community health centers: a qualitative study

Limited health literacy is linked with poor health behaviors, limited health care access, and poor health outcomes. Improving individual and population health outcomes requires understanding and addressing barriers to promoting health literacy. Using the socio-ecological model as a guiding framework, this qualitative study (Phase 1 of a larger ongoing project) explored the interpersonal and organizational levels that may impact the health literacy levels of patients seeking care at federally qualified community health centers (FQCHCs) in Rhode Island. Focus groups were conducted with FQCHC employees (n = 37) to explore their perceptions of the health literacy skills of their patients, health literacy barriers patients encounter, and possible strategies to increase health literacy. The focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed, and transcripts were coded using a process of open, axial, and selective coding. Codes were grouped into categories, and the constant comparative approach was used to identify themes. Eight unique themes centered on health literacy, sources of health information, organizational culture’s impact, challenges from limited health literacy, and suggestions to ameliorate the impact of limited health literacy. All focus group participants were versed in health literacy and viewed health literacy as impacting patients’ health status. Participants perceived that some patients at their FQCHC have limited health literacy. Participants spoke of themselves and of their FQCHC addressing health literacy through organizational- and provider-level strategies. They also identified additional strategies (e.g., training staff and providers on health literacy, providing patients with information that includes graphics) that could be adopted or expanded upon to address and promote health literacy. Study findings suggest that strategies may need to be implemented at the organizational-, provider-, and patient- level to advance health literacy. The intervention phase of this project will explore intervention strategies informed by study results, and could include offering health literacy training to providers and staff to increase their understanding of health literacy to include motivation to make and act on healthy decisions and strategies to address health literacy, including the use of visual aids.
Factors affecting COVID-19 infected and death rates inform lockdown-related policymaking.

Background After claiming nearly five hundred thousand lives globally, the COVID-19 pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down. While the UK, USA, Brazil and parts of Asia are bracing themselves for the second wave-or the extension of the first wave-it is imperative to identify the primary social, economic, environmental, demographic, ethnic, cultural and health factors contributing towards COVID-19 infection and mortality numbers to facilitate mitigation and control measures. Methods We process several open-access datasets on US states to create an integrated dataset of potential factors leading to the pandemic spread. We then apply several supervised machine learning approaches to reach a consensus as well as rank the key factors. We carry out regression analysis to pinpoint the key pre-lockdown factors that affect post-lockdown infection and mortality, informing future lockdown-related policy making. Findings Population density, testing numbers and airport traffic emerge as the most discriminatory factors, followed by higher age groups (above 40 and specifically 60+). Post-lockdown infected and death rates are highly influenced by their pre-lockdown counterparts, followed by population density and airport traffic. While healthcare index seems uncorrelated with mortality rate, principal component analysis on the key features show two groups: states (1) forming early epicenters and (2) experiencing strong second wave or peaking late in rate of infection and death. Finally, a small case study on New York City shows that days-to-peak for infection of neighboring boroughs correlate better with inter-zone mobility than the inter-zone distance. Interpretation States forming the early hotspots are regions with high airport or road traffic resulting in human interaction. US states with high population density and testing tend to exhibit consistently high infected and death numbers. Mortality rate seems to be driven by individual physiology, preexisting condition, age etc., rather than gender, healthcare facility or ethnic predisposition. Finally, policymaking on the timing of lockdowns should primarily consider the pre-lockdown infected numbers along with population density and airport traffic.
Spherically Symmetric Gravitational Fields

This chapter begins with a derivation of the Schwarzschild solution, the single most important result of general relativity theory. It describes the gravitational field of a spherically symmetric body such as the sun. As an application of the Schwarzschild solution the orbits of planets and the deflection of star light can be obtained, and the comparison of these with observation gives strong evidence that the theory is correct.
The World of Deadwood: Property Rights and the Search for Human Identity

The year is 1876. Gold has been discovered in the fledgling camp of Deadwood, bringing hordes of new arrivals each day seeking to strike it rich. The allure of wealth is coupled with the allure of complete autonomy. There is no law. Although part of the United States, Deadwood is unaffiliated with any existing territorial government. It is free. Or is it? From this backdrop, HBO’s highly-acclaimed drama Deadwood springs forth. Series creator David Milch is frank about his mission behind the story: to explore how order arises from chaos. The assignment and protection of property rights play central roles in this journey from anarchy to law. In the world of Deadwood, where ownership of land can be worth millions, law’s promise and law’s pitfalls are both on full display. The stakes are high; the lessons are many.Stories are powerful teaching tools because they marry information and context. Film and television also supply a picture of law in action, marshalling the power of the visual to make law more real, less abstract. Because of its rich complexity and invocation of ancient debates over what property is and who rightly can be deemed to own it, the three-season run of Deadwood provides fertile ground for this type of interdisciplinary study. Deadwood demonstrates that the interrelationship between property and law is complex, with many moving pieces and many valid points and counterpoints. Property has both naturalist and positivist attributes, it both pre-exists and coexists with the state, it is about economic power and personal identity, it supports both an individualist and communitarian mindset. Accounting for all of these strands in a balanced way is a lot to ask of legal institutions, especially inasmuch as the strands often are in competition with one another. Deadwood suggests that, while law is certainly a component piece in the puzzle of human relations, it alone cannot do all that we ask of it. And therein may lie the ultimate lesson: Law can be a blessing, but the human condition requires more.
Audit Firm Industry Specialization and Client Disclosure Quality

This paper provides evidence that clients select auditors as part of their overall disclosure strategy. We hypothesize that in addition to higher quality audits, industry-specialist audit firms assist clients in enhancing disclosures. We also posit that the choice of an industry-specialist auditor signals a client’s intention to provide enhanced disclosures. However, we predict that industry-specialist audit firms are less important in regulated industries where enhanced disclosures add little value. Consistent with our hypotheses, we document a positive association between industry-specialist audit firms and analysts’ rankings of disclosure quality in unregulated industries, but no relation in regulated industries.
The FIREBIRD-II CubeSat Mission

FIREBIRD-II (Focused Investigations of Relativistic Electron Burst Intensity, Range, and Dynamics) is a National Science Foundation CubeSat mission exploring relativistic electron microbursts. The mission consists of two identically instrumented CubeSats that were launched into a near polar orbit on January 31, 2015. Each spacecraft has two solid state detectors that return high cadence (10's of ms) measurements of the electron population. Both units operated continuously for almost 5 years and one unit continues to operate and return high quality data over 6 years after launch.
Environmental problems in two development regions: region center and region Bucharest-Ilfov

The environmental problems are phenomena determined by essential modifications that are produced in nature under man’s influence. Initially the environmental problems have a local origin, yet they affect large areas and finally become regional or global problems. We experience a development crisis with a natural-human character, which gets worse the balance of compatibility between the natural environment and that created by man, with consequences which become irreversible in time and space, implying an increasingly large number of people being able to endanger life evolution at world level where: „Poverty is an enemy of the environment as big as the richness ” (V. Tufescu, M. Tufescu, 1981).
Approximation algorithms for semidefinite packing problems with applications to maxcut and graph coloring

We describe the semidefinite analog of the vector packing problem, and show that the semidefinite programming relaxations for Maxcut [10] and graph coloring [17] are in this class of problems. We extend a method of Bienstock and Iyengar [5] which was based on ideas from Nesterov [25] to design an algorithm for computing e-approximate solutions for this class of semidefinite programs. Our algorithm is in the spirit of Klein and Lu [18], and decreases the dependence of the run-time on e from e−−2 to e−−1. For sparse graphs, our method is faster than the best specialized interior point methods. A significant feature of our method is that it treats both the Maxcut and the graph coloring problem in a unified manner.
Wheat germ cytoplasmic ribosomes. Structure of ribosomal subunits and localization of N6,N6-dimethyladenosine by immunoelectron microscopy.

Cytoplasmic ribosomes have been isolated from wheat germ, and the structure of ribosomal subunits has been examined by electron microscopy of negatively stained preparations. Small (40 S) subunits show structural features generally regarded as characteristic of eukaryotic particles, while large (60 S) subunits show shapes that are equally well described by models of prokaryotic 50 S particles. Small subunit 18 S RNA contains 2 residues of N6,N6-dimethyladenosine 19 and 20 residues from the 3'-end (Hagenbuchle, O., Santer, M., Steitz, J. A., and Mans, R. J. (1978) Cell 13, 551-563). Nucleoside analysis by high performance liquid chromatography shows no other residues of this component in the RNA. Anti-dimethyladenosine immunoglobulins were reacted with wheat germ 40 S subunits, and the resulting complexes were studied by electron microscopy in order to localize the nucleoside. In about 90% of the complexes observed, antibody-subunit contact was consistent with a single binding site. We place the dimethyladenosine residues at or near the end of the platform of the 40 S particle in a position nearly equivalent to that previously identified in prokaryotic and chloroplast subunits (Trempe, M. R., and Glitz, D. G. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 11873-11879).
Chinese Collections in Museums on the Web: Current Status, Problems, and Future

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on types of images indexed by museum practitioners, the indexing procedures and elements, and types of tools and systems used. The six participating museums are in the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Their conventional cataloging and indexing practices are not suitable or transferable for the new image management system. The lack of indexing standards and tools is the common challenge faced by the six museums involved in the study. Most image management systems are not metadata/XML ready and the expansion of the systems onto the Web may be limited, which contributes to the internal conflicts that exist within the museums.
Sequencing regional trade integration and cooperation agreements

Ces dernieres annees, les accords commerciaux et autres accords de cooperation internationale ont prolifere massivement a l’echelle mondiale. Plutot que d’etre suscites par de seuls facteurs exogenes, les deux phenomenes sont a la fois interdependants et endogenes l’un a l’autre. Toutefois, la comprehension des liens entre ces accords reste embryonnaire. Nous decrivons une nouvelle base de donnees relative aux accords internationaux, permettant de developper un axe de recherche sur les meilleures pratiques en matiere d’ordonnancement des accords commerciaux et de cooperation. Les donnees semblent appuyer l’idee selon laquelle les accords d’integration commerciale peuvent etre un catalyseur efficace pour une cooperation plus approfondie.Classification JEL : F13 ; F15 ; F5.
Multi-operation multi-machine scheduling

In the multi-operation scheduling that arises in industrial engineering, each job contains multiple tasks (operations) that require execution in different shops. It is assumed that in each shop there is only one machine to perform the required operations. In this paper, a parallel model of multi-operation scheduling is proposed, in which multiple machines are available in each shop to perform the same type of operations. A multi-machine open-shop scheduling problem is studied in detail.
The He i 584 Å forest as a diagnostic of helium reionization

We discuss the potential of using the He I 584 A forest to detect and study He II reionization. Significant 584 A absorption is expected from intergalactic He II regions, whereas there should be no detectable absorption from low-density gas in He III regions. Unlike He II Lyα absorption (the subject of much recent study), the difficulty with using this transition to study He II reionization is not saturation but rather that the absorption is weak. The Gunn-Peterson optical depth for this transition is τ ~ 0.1x He II Δ 2 [(1 + z)/5] 9/2 , where x He II is the fraction of helium in He and Δ is the density in units of the cosmic mean. In addition, He I 584 A absorption is contaminated by lower redshift H I Lyα absorption with a comparable flux decrement. We estimate the requirements for a definitive detection of redshifted He I absorption from low-density gas (Δ ≈ 1), which would indicate that He II reionization was occurring. We find that this objective can be accomplished (using coeval H I Lyα absorption to mask dense regions and in cross-correlation) with a spectral resolution of 10 4 and a signal-to-noise ratio per resolution element of ~10. Such specifications may be achievable on a few known z ~ 3.5 quasar sightlines with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. We also discuss how He I absorption can be used to measure the hardness of the ionizing background above 13.6 eV.
Effective Size and Number of Components

Author(s): Taagepera, R; Grofman, B | Abstract: Two families of indices are defined which may be used to characterize the effective number of components in systems with unequal component sizes. A general formula is staled relating size, effective size, and effective number of components. Special cases of this formula are considered which yield formulae identical or closely related to a variety of other expressions including entropy, the Greehberg-Lieberson index of diversity (also known as the Rae-Taylor fractionalization index), the Herfindahl-Hirschman concentration index, the coefficient of variation, the ordinary mean, the weighted mean and the harmonic mean. Applications of these formulae are considered for a variety of problems, including measurement of population and GNP concentrations, distinguishing between density and crowding, and reconciling differing student and faculty perceptions of average class size. © 1981, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.
Excitation-energy dependence in the L 2 , 3 fluorescence spectrum of Si

The {ital L}{sub 2,3} emission spectrum of {ital c}-Si, excited by monochromatized synchrotron radiation, has been recorded with a 5-m Rowland spectrometer. Dramatic spectral changes are observed as the excitation energy is varied from the 2{ital p} binding energy up to 144 eV. It is proposed that a spectator electron, close to the bottom of the conduction band, influences the emission spectrum. The observations suggest that intraband shakeup is important in the excitation process, and that a population of low-lying levels, via initial-state shakeup, influences the high-energy-excited Si {ital L} emission spectrum.
Minstrelsy and Wartime Buddies: Racial and Sexual Histories in White Christmas

The only classic holiday film to link the meaning of Christmas to national history, White Christmas (1954) demonstrates the convergence of postwar sexual and racial anxieties, producing nostalgia for a verboten past represented by the homoerotic buddy film and blackface minstrelsy, entertainment forms that the film both reproduces and disavows.
Synthesis of an 125I analog of MK‐0591 and characterization of a 5‐lipoxygenase activating protein binding assay

The 125I analog of MK-0591, 1, has been prepared for use as a radioligand for developing a 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) binding assay. The radiosynthesis involves a two step oxidative iododestannylation-saponification procedure. A FLAP binding assay has been developed in human neutrophil membranes. The binding of 1 to human neutrophil FLAP is rapid, reversible, of high affinity, saturable and selective for FLAP inhibitors.
User-input driven QoS management in ad hoc networks

Though the network quality-of-service (QoS) metrics are defined in terms of technical parameters (e.g., delay, jitter, bandwidth), they are rather subjective when it comes to the end user. Oftentimes, the end user finds it difficult to express his desired QoS in such technical parameters, though he has a fair idea of what QoS he desires. In this paper, we show how translation functions can be devised and used to translate the user inputs to networking parameters that are used by various layers of the protocol stack. In particular, we consider an ad hoc network and show an interface design that uses translation functions to map user supplied inputs to parameters at the medium access control (MAC) and routing layers. These parameters, in turn, choose the right strategies that particular layer functionality can adopt, such that the QoS desired by the user is achieved. We also compute the associated costs due to the different strategies adopted. We implement the interface on ns-2 and conduct simulation experiments with randomly scattered IEEE 802.11 enabled nodes. Results show the functionality of the interface and demonstrate how delay, throughput, and network lifetime are affected when the end user seeks different levels of QoS.
Management of the urethral outlet in patients with severe prolapse.

Purpose of review Numbers of women seeking consultation for pelvic floor disorders, a large portion of which will involve pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and lower urinary tract dysfunction, are expected to reach epidemic proportions within the next decade. A full understanding of the complex impact of pelvic organ prolapse on lower urinary tract function is crucial to successful management. Recent findings Recent data lend support to the concept that women with POP, but no associated urethral dysfunction, may be best served by a surgical repair that carefully avoids dissection in the periurethral area. Conversely, preoperative evaluation will often reveal bladder outlet obstruction concomitant with ‘hidden’, ‘potential’, or ‘occult’ stress urinary incontinence when the prolapse is reduced. Many of these women will not have incontinence symptoms in daily life. Paradoxically, the mechanical bladder outlet obstruction may induce detrusor instability with subsequent obstructed/overactive bladder symptom complexes not dissimilar to those of men with prostatic bladder outlet obstruction. Anatomic research shows that the vessels and nerves supplying the urethra are particulary vulnerable to surgical techniques used in pelvic organ prolapse repair. Summary This mix of obstructed, overactive bladder with hidden stress incontinence increases with degree of POP, and all women with severe prolapse will fair best if evaluated for all three conditions prior to surgical repair.
Fragment size- and dose-specific effects of hyaluronan on matrix synthesis by vascular smooth muscle cells

Tissue engineering of vascular elastin matrices disrupted by mechanical injury, disease, or congenitally absent, is among other factors, limited by the lack of suitable cell scaffolds to up-regulate and guide innately poor elastin synthesis by adult vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Evidence suggests that scaffolds based on hyaluronan (HA), a glycosaminoglycan, may be useful to elicit elastogenic cell responses, although these effects appear to be dictated by HA fragment size and/or dose. This study investigates the efficacy of a simple, frequently adopted exogenous HA supplementation model to test this hypothesis. Rat aortic SMCs were cultured with HA (2 x 10(6) Da (HMW) > or = MW < or = 2.2 x 10(4) Da) supplemented at doses between 0.2 and 200 microg/ml. Cell layers were biochemically assayed for DNA, elastin and collagen content. Fragmented, but not high molecular weight (HMW) HA, stimulated cell proliferation in inverse correlation fragment size while the opposite effect was observed for synthesis of soluble and matrix elastin; almost no dose effects were observed within any group. SDS-Page/Western Blot and a desmosine assay semi-quantitatively confirmed the observed biochemical trends for tropoelastin and matrix elastin, respectively. Quantitative differences in elastin deposition were mirrored in TEM micrographs. Elastin was mostly deposited in the form of amorphous clumps but fibers were increasingly present in cell layers cultured with HMW HA. HA and its fragments did not disrupt normal fibrillin-mediated mechanisms of elastin matrix deposition. While the current outcomes confirm that the effects of HA on elastin synthesis are fragment size-specific, this study shows that an exogenous supplementation model does not necessarily simulate cellular matrix synthesis responses to HA-based biomaterial scaffolds.
THE AIR/WATER INTERFACE AS A MODEL SYSTEM FOR SOLVENT EXTRACTION MONOLAYER STUDIES

Abstract ABSTRACT The interactions of air/water and oil/water extractant monolayers with the aqueous phase are compared by means of a theoretical analysis of the free energy of desorption. It is shown that in cases where the cohesive forces within the monolayer are small compared with the other free energy contributions, the respective extractant properties such as aqueous phase solubility and desorption kinetics should be comparable for the a/w and o/w systems. Under these circumstances air/water monolayers can serve as useful model systems for investigating solvent extraction interfacial processes.
An examination of the psychological needs of the international students: Implications for counselling and psythotherapy

This article examines both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that contribute to the psychological distress of international students. It presents several counselling strategies and techniques that are known to alleviate the acculturative stress of these students. The underlying purpose of this article is to make the sojourning experience of foreign students more satisfying and thus enhance their academic achievements.
Rapid visual recovery and long-term intraocular pressure control after donor scleral patch grafting for trabeculectomy-induced hypotony maculopathy.

PURPOSE To report on a 21-year-old man who had persistent hypotony maculopathy eight months after trabeculectomy with mitomycin C. METHODS He was treated by excising the filtering bleb, placing a donor scleral patch graft over the trabeculectomy site, and bringing conjunctiva superior to the previous bleb over the patch graft. RESULTS He had rapid resolution of his hypotony accompanied by an increase in visual acuity from 4/200 preoperatively to 20/80 at one day, and 20/20 at three months postoperatively. He also established and maintained a filtration bleb which kept his intraocular pressure in the mid teens without the use of medication. CONCLUSION Scleral patch grafting may provide rapid resolution of visual loss secondary to hypotony maculopathy.
Accommodation Coefficient and the Fraction of Current Carried by Ions in a Low Voltage Arc

The upper limit for the value of the fraction of the current at the cathode of a low-voltage arc carried by positive ions is estimated to be less than 0.5. A method is derived for experimentally determining this fraction from pressure measurements made within the arc plasma. A vane was inserted into the plasma of a helium arc and the force on it was measured with a sensitive torsion balance. A procedure is developed for correcting for radiometric forces and for changing surface conditions. The fraction mentioned above is determined as a function of total arc current. This fraction increased with increasing arc current, but never exceeded 0.2 as long as the arc remained a true low voltage arc. These experiments demonstrate the enormous velocities of the neutralized positive ions coming from the cathode, and show the sensitivity of the accommodation coefficient to changes in surface conditions.
Interdisciplinary treatment of severe maxillofacial trauma: a clinical report.

including prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, and orthodontics, to interact in the planning and treatment of patients who have severe maxillofacial trauma. Subsequent to initial lifesaving procedures, additional planning and treatment considerations are required to establish conditions conducive to rehabilitation of both function and esthetics. This includes the establishment of soft tissue support and contour, in addition to tooth and bone health. This clinical report describes a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of a patient with severe facial trauma.
Legislators and Interest Groups: How Unorganized Interests Get Represented

This paper derives a supply price for public policy using a constrained maximization model. In the model, three sets of agents each have preferences over outcomes: organized interest groups offer campaign contributions to improve their own wealth, voters offer votes to obtain outcomes closer to their most preferred outcomes, and legislators seek both campaign contributions and votes to obtain reelection. A given legislator's supply price for policy is shown to depend on the productivity of his effort, as determined by committee assignments, priority and ability, and by the preferences of his unorganized constituency in the home district. Two extreme assumptions about the effectiveness of campaign spending in eliciting votes are used to illustrate the comparative statics properties of the model. The prediction of the model is that interest groups will, in general, seek out legislators whose voters are indifferent to the policy the interest group seeks. Thus, voters who do have preferences over policy are in effect represented, even though they are not organized.
A case-control study of an outbreak of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis in Michigan (USA) equine herds in 1991

Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) is a potentially fatal arboviral disease affecting equids, humans, commercially raised birds, and other vertebrate species. In Michigan, outbreaks of the disease in equids have been reported sporadically from as early as 1942. In 1991, 55 equids were reported to be affected by EEE. A retrospective case control study of the 1991 outbreak was conducted to identify specific management and environmental risk factors that may have been associated with the occurrence of EEE in Michigan equine herds. The case group included equine herds having positive or suspect EEE affected equids during 1991. The control group included equine herds having no reported EEE affected equids in 1991. Data were collected from 100 Michigan equine operations between May and November 1992. Management risk factors assessed included operation type, herd size, vaccination and insect repellent use, and stabling methods. Environmental risk factors focused on the operation setting, including types of land cover on the operation and in the surrounding area. Multiple logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for management and environmental risk factors on a herd level. Annual vaccination against EEE (OR = 0.14; P < 0.003) and the use of insect repellent methods (OR = 0.04; P = 0.02) decreased the risk of EEE occurring in Michigan equine herds. In contrast, when wooded land (OR = 3.70; P = 0.03) and swamp land (OR = 2.38; P = 0.14) were found on the operation, the risk of EEE occurring increased.
Solutal Convection During Growth of Alloyed Semiconductor Crystals in a Magnetic Field

We present a model for the unsteady species transport during bulk growth of alloyed semiconductor crystals with a planar crystal-melt interface and with an externally applied steady axial magnetic field. During growth of alloyed semiconductors such as germanium-silicon (GeSi) and mercury-cadmium-telluride (HgCdTe), the solute's concentration is not small so that density differences in the melt are very large. These compositional variations drive compositionally driven buoyant convection, or solutal convection, in addition to thermally driven buoyant convection. These buoyant convections drive convective transport, which produces nonuniformities in the concentration in both the melt and the crystal. This transient model predicts the distribution of species in the entire crystal
A theory to correct the systematic error caused by the imperfectly matched beam width to vessel diameter ratio on volumetric flow measurements using ultrasound techniques

Abstract When a multigate procedure is used to measure volumetric flow in vessels, in addition to the flow rate result obtained from the conventional velocity profile method, a second result from an “average velocity profile method” can be obtained simultaneously. The latter method obtains the flow rate from the product of the average velocity across the profile and the cross-sectional area of the vessel. A theoretical model has been used to study the effect of the beam width to vessel diameter ratio (BWR) on these two results, as well as a third flow rate result obtained from the uniform insonation method. A theory has been established to correct the systematic error caused by the imperfectly matched BWR associated with each method. It uses a correction factor and the difference between the results from the average velocity profile method and the velocity profile method to compensate for the systematic error. The relationship between an optimal correction factor and the BWR under different flow conditions has been studied. The results using the correction therory in this model show that if the estimated BWR is within ±0.1 from the actual BWR value, the theoretical error in volumetric flow estimation can be limited to within 6.5% for the entire range of BWR.
Elemental And Electronic Characterization Of Semiconductor Materials With The STEM

The Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope routinely forms a 0.5nm diameter probe of 100KeV electrons with a total current of about 1 nano-ampere. It therefore promises to extend to atomic interfaces techniques that have been routinely used in the SEM for micron sized interfaces. An example of As segregation to grain boundaries in poly-crystalline Si is presented to show the strengths and weakness of the present STEM EDS systems. Electron energy loss scattering under the rather special conditions encountered in the STEM is reviewed. This technique promises a spatial resolution that is comparable to the probe size. But the interpretation of the inelastic scattering is complicated by the complex spatial frequencies which are present in the probe, and by the coupling of these frequencies to those in the probed system. The spatial quantization of the bulk plasmon within a small metal sphere is observable using this effect. When the probe passes close to, but not through, a small object, finite coupling can occur to produce energy loss. Surface plasmons with strong dipole symmetry have been observed at optical frequencies in 20nm sized systems with the STEM. Finally, these techniques should be extendible to electronic properties with the advent of new higher energy resolution electron spectrometers. A Wien filter capable of 0.2eV resolution and an accuracy of 20meV over a 1KeV range is described briefly.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Improved associative recall of binary data in volume holographic memories

A new technique is presented that improves the results of associative recall in a volume holographic memory system. A background is added to the normal search argument to increase the amount of optical power that is used to reconstruct the reference beams in the crystal. This is combined with post-processing of the captured image of the reference beams. The use of both the background and post-processing greatly improves the results by allowing associative recall using small arguments. In addition, the number of false hits is reduced and misses are virtually eliminated.
“The End of Managerial Control?” by Joseph A. Raelin

Over the decades the nature of work has changed. Drucker (1999) suggested that with the emergence of the knowledge worker, management, as we know it, will need to change for organizations to remain...
An electrospun triphasic nanofibrous scaffold for bone tissue engineering

A nanofibrous triphasic scaffold was electrospun from a mixture of polycaprolactone (PCL), type-I collagen and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nano-HA) with a mixture dry weight ratio of 50/30/20, respectively. Scaffolds were characterized by evaluating fiber morphology and chemical composition, dispersion of HA particles and nanoindentation. Scanning electron microscopy revealed fibers with an average diameter of 180 ± 50 nm, which coincides well with the collagen fiber bundle diameter characteristic of the native extracellular matrix of bone. The triphasic fibers, stained with calcein and imaged with confocal microscopy, show a uniform dispersion of apatite particles throughout their length with minor agglomeration. Scaffold fibers of triphasic (50/30/20), collagen/nano-HA (80/20), PCL/nano-HA (80/20), pure PCL and pure collagen were each pressure consolidated into non-porous pellets for evaluation by transmission electron microscopy and nanoindentation. While the majority of apatite particles are uniformly dispersed having an average size of 30 nm, agglomerated particles as large as a few microns are sparsely distributed. Nanoindentation of the pressure-consolidated scaffolds showed a range of Young's modulus (0.50–3.9 GPa), with increasing average modulus in the order of (PCL < PCL/nano-HA < collagen < triphasic < collagen/nano-HA). The modulus data emphasize the importance of collagen and its interaction with other components in affecting mechanical properties of osteoconductive scaffolds.
Weierstrass points and Z2 homology

Abstract In a recent paper (1993), Lustig established a beautiful connection between the six Weierstrass points on a Riemann surface M2 of genus 2 and intersection points of closed geodesics for the associated hyperbolic metric. As a consequence, he was able to construct an action of the mapping class group Out(π1M2) of M2 on the set of Weierstrass points of M2 and a virtual splitting of the natural homomorphism Aut(π1M2) → Out(π1M2). Our discussion in this paper begins with the observation that these two results of Lustig's are direct consequences of the work of Birman and Hilden (1973) on equivariant homotopies for surface homeomorphisms. It is well known that Γ2 acts naturally on the Z2 symplectic vector space of rank 4, H1(M2, Z2). We identify this action with Lustig's action by constructing a natural correspondence between pairs of distinct Weierstrass points on M2 and nonzero elements in H1(M2,Z2). In this manner, the well-known exceptional isomorphism of finite group theory, S6 ≅ Sp(4, Z2), arises from a natural isomorphism of Γ2 spaces.
Precise Radiotracer Measurement of the Rate of Sediment Reworking by Stylodrilus Heringianus and the Effects of Variable Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations

A radiotracer method is used to determine the rate of sediment reworking by the worm, Stylodrilus heringianus, an organism common in profundal sediments of the Great Lakes. A submillimeter layer of sediment labeled with gamma-emitting cesium-137 is added to the surface of worm-inoculated sediments contained in cells of rectangular cross-section placed in an insulated aquarium (10° C). This layer, progressively buried by the conveyor belt feeding action of the worms, is located by scanning the cell with a well-collimated detector mounted on a hydraulically actuated elevator. Precision in locating the marked layer is greatly enhanced by Gaussian profile analysis developed in this study. Relative uncertainties in location of less than 0.01 cm allow reworking rates as low as 10−3cm/hr to be determined in 1 to 2 days. The effect of variable dissolved oxygen (D.O.) concentrations on sediment reworking rates was determined by adjusting the relative proportions of N2 and O2 introduced into the aquarium through a continuous bubbler system. In a cell subject to gradual reductions in D.O. (about 1 mg/L every 50 hours) from saturation concentration (10.6 mg/L), sediment reworking rates remained virtually constant down to 1 mg/L. Below this value, the rate decreased, approaching zero at 0.2 mg/L. On increasing D. O. values above about 4 mg/L, reworking returned to the initial rate. Gradual decreases in D.O. induced a reversible dormant mode in these organisms. In cells subject to coarse D.O. changes (3.7 to 8.8 mg/L per step), reworking stopped at around 4 to 5 mg/L and did not resume following reinstatement of saturation values for up to 18 days. In all cases more than 70% of worms were alive at the end of the experiment. This study illustrates the potential of the gamma scan system for quantitative behavioral bioassay of the interactions of zoobenthos with altered sedimentary environments.
Proximal Esophageal Stenosis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients after Total Laryngectomy and Radiation

Background: There has been an increasing focus on late functional effects of head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment. This study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of late proxim
Overall Efficiency of a Radial Fin Assembly Under Dehumidifying Conditions

The aim of this paper is the analysis of heat transfer in a radial fin assembly during the process of dehumidification. An individual finned tube geometry is a reasonable representation of heat exchangers used in air conditioning. The condensation process involves both heat and mass transfer and the cooling takes place by the removal of sensible as well as latent heat. The ratio of sensible to total heat is an important quantity that defines the heat transfer process during a dehumidifier operation. A one-dimensional model for heat transfer in the fin and the heat exchanger block is developed to study the effects of condensation on the fin surface. The combined heat and mass transfer process is modeled by incorporating the ratio of sensible to total heat in the formulation. The augmentation of heat transfer due to fin was established by comparing the heat transfer rate with and without fins under the same operating conditions. Calculations were carried out to study the effects of relative humidity and dry bulb temperature of the incoming air, and cold fluid temperature inside the coil on the performance of the heat exchanger. An analysis of the overall efficiency for the assembly was also done, Results were compared to those under dry conditions, wherever appropriate. Comparison between present results and those published for rectangular as well as radial fins under fully wet conditions were made. These comparisons established the validity of the present model. It was found that the heat transfer rate increased with increment in both dry bulb temperature and relative humidity of the air. The augmentation factor, however, decreased with increment in relative humidity and the dry bulb temperature. The fin efficiency decreased with relative humidity.