cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Hiatus and the White Validation Syndrome: An Afrocentric Analysis

This chapter proposes the concept of “Cognitive Hiatus” to account for discursive and behavioral contradictions among Africans who seem and claim to be conscious of the need for Africans to protect themselves from the ill effects of white racism and white supremacy. These Africans are identified as having the fourth stage of consciousness, the Interest Concern stage identified by Molefi Asante in his typology of states of consciousness. This fourth stage precedes Afrocentric Consciousness. However, often times, these Africans fail to reach the last and final stage because they suffer from a White Validation Syndrome. This chapter thus describes and analyzes this phenomenon, but also makes recommendations to move beyond it via deliberate and systematic mental and cultural relocation, that is, Afrocentricity.
Tailoring Fluorescent Labels for Far-Field Nanoscopy

The choice of the fluorophore to be used in super-resolution far-field nanoscopy is an essential parameter that typically determines the quality of the resulting image. To overcome the diffraction limit, different super-resolution techniques exploit different optical and photochemical phenomena, imposing method-specific requirements for useful probes. The choice of the fluorophore is even more intimately tied to performance for super-resolution imaging in live cells, where both photophysical properties and target-specific labeling inside the cell are essential. In this chapter, we highlight the advances in fluorophore development for a range of existing super-resolution techniques. We discuss the requirements these distinct methods place on the fluorophores in order to achieve optimal resolution, particularly as these methods move toward imaging living cells beyond the diffraction limit.
Programming an E-puck robot to create maps of virtual and physical environments

This project is a first step towards research on implementing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) techniques in robots. The paper provides theoretical background for SLAM and occupancy grids, which are used in the project to create maps. The paper also describes the software, Python and Player/Stage, and the hardware, the E-Puck robot, used in the project. This project successfully programmed an E-Puck robot to map an unknown virtual and physical environment. The virtual environment has perfect localization conditions, while the physical environment has error in its localization. A comparison of these maps shows that the map of the virtual environment is highly accurate, while the map of the physical environment is less accurate due to odometery errors.
Relationship of lactation energy intake and occurrence of postweaning estrus to body and backfat composition in sows.

Forty-five crossbred primiparous sows were used to determine the relationship of lactation energy intake and the occurrence of postweaning estrus to (1) body fat (percentage), (2) lean body mass (LBM) and (3) qualitative and quantitative characteristics of adipose tissue. Sows received 8 (Lo) or 16 (Hi) Mcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/d during lactation and 5.4 Mcal of ME/d postweaning. Serum samples were obtained 1 d before weaning (d 0) and analyzed for creatinine and urea-N (indices of muscle and amino acid catabolism, respectively). Subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were obtained and analyzed for total lipid and myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids. Last rib backfat thickness determined at weaning was used to estimate body fat (percentage). Lean body mass was estimated from 48-h creatinine excretion rates determined on d 15 and 16 postweaning. Sows fed the Lo diet that returned (Lo-R) and did not return (Lo-NR) to estrus by d 14 postweaning lost more (P less than .01) weight during lactation, gained more (P less than .01) weight postweaning, had higher (P less than .07) body fat (percentage) and a slight trend toward lower creatinine excretion rate than sows fed the Hi diet that returned to estrus (Hi-R). Adipose tissue from sows in the Lo-R and Lo-NR groups had less (P less than .05) lipid than that from sows in the Hi-R group. Concentrations of oleic and stearic acids were lower and higher (P less than .01), respectively, in adipose tissue from sows in the Lo-R and Lo-NR vs Hi-R groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Measuring Changes in Movement Skills with Infants and Young Children with Handicaps.

Posture and movement abilities are typically measured by assessments of achievements of motor milestone skills. Performance of a skill within appropriate chronological age limits is one dimension of posture and movement. Qualitative dimensions, including postural tone and the pattern of coordinated movement used in performance, are equally important with young children. This article describes a programmatic approach for measuring qualitative dimensions and performance of functional movement. Features of the approach include: (a) selection of intervention targets, (b) baseline assessment, (c) intervention sequences, (d) measurement, and (e) interpretation and decision making. Data that were collected, using this approach, with infants and young children enrolled in an early intervention program are presented to illustrate measurement and interpretation.
Inherited and Acquired Disorders of Extracellular Calcium (Ca02+)-Sensing

The cloning of a G protein-coupled, extracellular calcium (Ca 0 2+ -sensing receptor (CaR) from parathyroid, kidney and other cell types has elucidated how Ca 0 2+ exerts its direct actions on various cells and tissues, especially those involved in maintaining systemic Ca 0 2+ homeostasis (for a review, see Brown, 1999). The parathyroid cell is the prototypical Ca 0 2+ -sensing cell. Its exquisite sensitivity to changes in Ca 0 2+ enables it to serve as a primary regulator of systemic calcium metabolism (Brown, 1991). That is, high Ca 0 2+ -evoked changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion modulate the translocation of Ca 0 2+ ions into or out of the extracellular fluid (ECF) through the actions of PTH on the effector elements of the homeostatic mechanism (e.g., kidney, bone and intestine) in ways that restore normocalcemia. For instance, in response to a reduction in Ca 0 2+ , PTH secretion increases. PTH then acts on the kidney to increase tubular reabsorption of Ca2+ and, if the hypocalcemia persists for more than a few hours, to stimulate proximal tubular synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D3 (Bringhurst et al., 1998). The latter enhances intestinal absorption of Ca2+ and acts synergistically with PTH to promote net release of Ca2+ from bone. The combination of enhanced renal Ca2+ conservation, mobilization of Ca2+ from bone and increased intestinal Ca2+ absorption restores Ca 0 2+ to its normal level (Brown, 1991).
Scattering by Two Parallel Metal Wires Over a Conducting Ground Plane

A closed-form, approximate analytical solution is derived for the scattering of a plane electromagnetic wave by a metallic structure consisting of two parallel cylindrical wires above a ground plane.
Magnetic field sensors using arrays of electrospun magnetoelectric Janus nanowires.

The fabrication and characterization of the first magnetoelectric sensors utilizing arrays of Janus magnetoelectric composite nanowires composed of barium titanate and cobalt ferrite are presented. By utilizing magnetoelectric nanowires suspended across electrodes above the substrate, substrate clamping is reduced when compared to layered thin-film architectures; this results in enhanced magnetoelectric coupling. Janus magnetoelectric nanowires are fabricated by sol–gel electrospinning, and their length is controlled through the electrospinning and calcination conditions. Using a directed nanomanufacturing approach, the nanowires are then assembled onto pre-patterned metal electrodes on a silicon substrate using dielectrophoresis. Using this process, functional magnetic field sensors are formed by connecting many nanowires in parallel. The observed magnetic field sensitivity from the parallel array of nanowires is 0.514 ± .027 mV Oe−1 at 1 kHz, which translates to a magnetoelectric coefficient of 514 ± 27 mV cm−1 Oe−1. A two-phase barium titanate/cobalt ferrite nanowire-based magnetic sensor offers enhanced performance as compared to thin films. Magnetoelectric devices are attractive for magnetic field sensing, and have so far been mostly based on composite thin films of magnetostrictive and piezoelectric phases. However, the film substrate typically limits the size of the magnetoelectric effect, reducing their sensing performance. Now, a team from University of Florida led by Jennifer S. Andrew fabricated composite barium titanate/cobalt ferrite nanowires by electrospinning and suspended them over electrodes, removing the substrate constraints experienced by thin films. Resultantly, their device displays a high magnetoelectric coefficient of 514 ± 27 mV cm−1 Oe−1. This work demonstrates the potential that one-dimensional materials offer for magnetoelectric based devices including magnetic field sensors.
Analysis of Computed Tomography Radiation Doses Used for Lung Cancer Screening Scans.

Importance The American College of Radiology (ACR) has recognized the importance of minimizing radiation doses used for lung cancer screening (LCS) computed tomography (CT). However, without standard protocols, doses could still be unnecessarily high, reducing screening margin of benefit. Objective To characterize LCS CT radiation doses and identify factors explaining variation. Design, Setting, and Participants We prospectively collected LCS examination dose metrics, from 2016 to 2017, at US institutions in the University of California, San Francisco International Dose Registry. Institution-level factors were collected through baseline survey. Mixed-effects linear and logistic regression models were estimated using forward variable selection. Results are presented as percentage excess dose and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The analysis was conducted between 2018 and 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures Log-transformed measures of (1) mean volume CT dose index (CTDIvol, mGy), reflecting the average radiation dose per slice; (2) mean effective dose (ED, mSv), reflecting the total dose received and estimated future cancer risk; (3) proportion of CT scans using radiation doses above ACR benchmarks (CTDIvol >3 mGy, ED >1 mSv); and (4) proportion of CT scans using radiation doses above 75th percentile of registry doses (CTDIvol >2.7 mGy, ED >1.4 mSv). Results Data were collected for 12 529 patients undergoing LCS CT scans performed at 72 institutions. Overall, 7232 participants (58%) were men, and the median age was 65 years (interquartile range [IQR], 60-70). Of 72 institutions, 15 (21%) had median CTDIvol and 47 (65%) had median ED above ACR guidelines. Institutions allowing any radiologists to establish protocols had 44% higher mean CTDIvol (mean dose difference [MDD], 44%; 95% CI, 19%-69%) and 27% higher mean ED (MDD, 27%; 95% CI, 5%-50%) vs those limiting who established protocols. Institutions allowing any radiologist to establish protocols had higher odds of examinations exceeding ACR CTDIvol guidelines (OR, 12.0; 95% CI, 2.0-71.4), and 75th percentile of registry CTDIvol (OR, 19.0; 95% CI, 1.9-186.7) or ED (OR, 8.5; 95% CI, 1.7-42.9). Having lead radiologists establish protocols resulted in lower odds of doses exceeding ACR ED guidelines (OR, 0.01; 95% CI, 0.001-0.1). Employing external vs internal medical physicists was associated with increased odds of exceeding ACR CTDIvol guidelines (OR, 6.1; 95% CI, 1.8-20.8). Having medical physicists establish protocols was associated with decreased odds of exceeding 75th percentile of registry CTDIvol (OR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01-0.59). Institutions reporting protocol updates as needed had 27% higher mean CTDIvol (MDD, 27%; 95% CI, 8%-45%). Conclusions and Relevance Facilities varied in LCS CT radiation dose distributions. Institutions limiting protocol creation to lead radiologists and having internal medical physicists had lower doses.
Using the jigsaw technique to teach patient safety

Background: Medical education is rapidly changing where there has been decreased emphasis on passive didactics and increased focus on novel modes of teaching and learning to address the unique need...
Advances in High-Resolution Radiation Detection Using 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layer Devices

Advances towards achieving the goal of miniature 4H-SiC based radiation detectors for harsh environment application have been studied extensively and reviewed in this article. The miniaturized devices were developed at the University of South Carolina (UofSC) on 8 × 8mm 4H-SiC epitaxial layer wafers with an active area of ≈11 mm2. The thicknesses of the actual epitaxial layers were either 20 or 50 µm. The article reviews the investigation of defect levels in 4H-SiC epilayers and radiation detection properties of Schottky barrier devices (SBDs) fabricated in our laboratories at UofSC. Our studies led to the development of miniature SBDs with superior quality radiation detectors with highest reported energy resolution for alpha particles. The primary findings of this article shed light on defect identification in 4H-SiC epilayers and their correlation with the radiation detection properties.
Comparative Effectiveness of Transversus Abdominis Plane Blocks in Abdominally Based Autologous Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND The abdomen is the most common donor site in autologous microvascular free flap breast reconstruction and contributes significantly to postoperative pain, resulting in increased opioid use, length of stay, and hospital costs. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have demonstrated multiple clinical benefits, but these protocols are widely heterogeneous. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks have been reported to improve pain control and may be a key driver of the benefits seen with ERAS pathways. METHODS A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting TAP blocks for abdominally based breast reconstruction were performed. Studies were extracted from 6 public databases before February 2019 and pooled in accordance with the PROSPERO registry. Total opioid use, postoperative pain, length of stay, hospital cost, and complications were analyzed using a random effects model. RESULTS The initial search yielded 420 studies, ultimately narrowed to 12 studies representing 1107 total patients. Total hospital length of stay (mean difference, -1.00 days; P < 0.00001; I = 81%) and opioid requirement (mean difference, -133.80 mg of oral morphine equivalent; P < 0.00001; I = 97%) were decreased for patients receiving TAP blocks. Transversus abdominis plane blocks were not associated with any significant differences in postoperative complications (P = 0.66), hospital cost (P = 0.22), and postoperative pain (P = 0.86). CONCLUSIONS Optimizing postoperative pain management after abdominally based microsurgical breast reconstruction is invaluable for patient recovery. Transversus abdominis plane blocks are associated with a reduction in length of stay and opioid use, representing a safe and reasonable strategy for decreasing postoperative pain.
Temporal Dynamics of Viral Load and False negative Rate Influence the Levels of Testing Necessary to Combat COVID19 Spread

Many colleges and other organizations are considering testing plans to return to operation as the COVID19 pandemic continues. The temporal dynamics of viral load and test false negative rate have the potential to alter the apparent efficacy of testing, as testing must identify a sick individual prior to that person transmitting the virus to one or more people and isolate them. High levels of pre-symptomatic spread and high false negative rates for testing would therefore be likely to make it difficult to successfully test an individual in the time frame necessary to stop viral spread. Here, we develop a stochastic agent-based model of COVID19 in a university sized population, considering the dynamics of both viral load and false negative rate of tests on the ability of testing to combat viral spread. We find that the undetectable period of SARS-CoV-2 can lead to an apparent false negative rate of ~17% in the presence of a hypothetical perfect test, while full implementation of dynamic false negative rates reported in the literature leads to an overall false negative rate of ~48%. We then compare testing while varying fraction of the population and the frequency of testing. We find that these assumptions about viral load and false negative rate lead to a requirement for high levels of both frequency and fraction of population tested in order to bring the apparent R0 below 1. We conclude that models that do not consider the non-uniform dynamics of viral spread and false negative rate may come up with unrealistic testing plans that will not lead to the desired reduction in apparent R0.
Lost in translation: experiences of ESL/LEP civil protection order petitioners

The current study seeks to better understand the experiences of English as Second Language (ELS) and/or Limited English Proficiency (LEP) petitioners as they access the court system for civil prote...
28. Elevated 17-Hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) in Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor

Background Ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs) are rare sex cord-stromal tumors, which account for less than 0.5% of all malignant ovarian neoplasms. Patients often present with signs of hyperandrogenism; examples include menstrual cycle irregularities, hirsutism and acne. SLCTs are typically associated with elevated levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and alpha fetal protein (AFP). Prior cases have reported an association of SLCTs with elevated 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) which can create clinical confusion and the potential misdiagnosis of non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCCAH). We present a case series of patients with SLCTs with concurrent 17-OHP elevation without the diagnosis of NCCAH. Case Case 1: A 15 year old presented for evaluation of secondary amenorrhea. Laboratory evaluation was remarkable for elevated total testosterone (692 ng/dL), DHEA-S (313 ug/dL), and 17-OHP (362 ng/dL). Computed Tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a 5 cm right ovarian mass. She underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and right oophorectomy. Surgical pathology demonstrated stage 1A intermediate to poorly differentiated SLCT. Case 2: A 12 year old presented for evaluation of secondary amenorrhea. Laboratory evaluation was significant for elevated total testosterone (127 ng/dl), DHEA-S (242 ug/dl), and 17-OHP (461 ng/dl). Inhibin B and AFP were also elevated. Pelvic ultrasound revealed an enlarged solid appearing left ovary measuring 6 cm. She underwent exploratory laparotomy and left oophorectomy. Surgical pathology demonstrated stage 1A moderately to poorly differentiated SLCT. Case 3: A 14 year old presented for evaluation of irregular menses and deepening of voice. Laboratory evaluation was significant for elevated total testosterone (354 ng/dl) and 17-OHP (306 ng/dl). AFP was also elevated. CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a 31 cm complex mass likely arising from the right adnexa. She underwent exploratory laparotomy, right salpingo-oophorectomy. Surgical pathology demonstrated stage 1A moderately differentiated SLCT. Comments We present three cases of 17-OHP elevation in the setting of SLCT. One patient underwent evaluation for NCCAH with normal adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test. Recognition of the potential production of 17-OHP by SLCTs can prevent any unnecessary testing and delay in diagnosis and intervention. All tumors were remarkable for moderate to poorly differentiated histology. We theorize that the production of 17-OHP is secondary to underlying dysregulation of androgen production by the SLCTs and may predict a more poorly differentiated tumor. A larger case series would help to address this theory and further explore this rare association.
Evaluation of fecal matter preservation methods and their effect on composition of microbiota assessed through DNA sequencing and analysis

Fecal matter transplants (FMT) are an effective, yet underutilized, treatment for potentially life-threatening Clostridium difficile infections. Following antibiotic treatment, an imbalance between the types of colonic microbiota naturally present in a person's gut may occur, allowing the opportunistic pathogenic bacterium C. difficile to proliferate and reach virulent levels. Despite a 90% success rate, and patient reports of immediate improvement, FMTs are approved only as a last resort due to strict US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restrictions. This study aimed to compare microbial preservation methods to determine the method with the least detrimental effects on the composition of stool microbes. Fecal matter samples, from dogs, were homogenized with either sterile deionized water or 0.85% NaCl. The homogenized mixtures were then partitioned for immediate DNA extraction or for preservation with or without 25% glycerol prior to -80°C storage. After 3 weeks, and again after 10 months, DNA extraction was performed on stored samples. All extracted DNA was subjected to PCR amplification and sequenced. After pairing and filtering, 88.3% of data were retained. Changes in taxa richness over time for each treatment were not significant; changes in taxonomic composition over time were detected in water only and saline only treatments (p = 0.016, p = 0.049 respectively). The water-glycerol treatment resulted in the least amount of change in taxonomic composition and proportions when compared to the sample prior to preservation. Information gained from this study could be used to further improve FMTs and help fuel FMT related research in hopes of attenuating FDA restrictions.
“Ze geven je een tweede kans”: Percepties van jongeren en verzorgers van hun ervaringen met een gemeenschapsgericht systeem voor geestelijke gezondheidszorg

Kind- en gezinsgerichte zorgsystemen – met de inclusie van de stem van kind, jongere en gezin – bieden een alternatief voor de traditionele, autoritaire benaderingen in de geestelijke gezondheidszorg van kinderen. Er is al veel geschreven over inclusie van de stem van kind, jongere en gezin bij de ontwikkeling van responsieve en effectieve systemen in de ggz, maar in de literatuur is nog maar weinig onderzoek te vinden waarin het perspectief van de behandelde jongeren en verzorgers zelf naar voren komt. In deze verkennende studie willen we deze kloof verder dichten. Aan de hand van acht semigestructureerde interviews met jongeren en verzorgers hebben we daarvoor onderzoek gedaan naar de percepties van jongeren en hun verzorgers van hun deelname aan een gemeenschapsgericht systeem voor geestelijke gezondheidszorg. Hieruit komen vijf hoofdthema’s naar voren. De geinterviewde gezinnen beschrijven negatieve, eerdere ervaringen met de geestelijke gezondheidszorg en een sterk gevoel van tevredenheid met de ontvangen zorg in een zorgbenaderingssysteem. Ook zijn ze blij met de kwaliteit van de relatie die als onderdeel van hun behandeling is ontstaan, hadden ze het gevoel dat de persoonlijke zorgverlening de behandeling meer persoonlijke betekenis gaf en voelden zij zich gesterkt om initiatiefnemer te zijn in het bereiken van geestelijke gezondheid en het behalen van eigen levensdoelen. We bespreken de implicaties voor de praktijk en toekomstig onderzoek, opdat de inzichten uit dit verkennende onderzoek gebruikt kunnen worden voor toekomstig onderzoek en voor de praktijk, zodat de stem van kind, jongere en gezin onderdeel wordt van de geestelijke gezondheidszorg voor kinderen.
Pre-twinned magnesium for improved ballistic performance

Abstract Despite promise as a lightweight structural and armor material, widespread adoption of Mg alloys remains limited. For instance, the highly anisotropic properties, arising both from the fundamental deformation mechanisms and strong texture developed during processing of wrought Mg products, result in poor performance under ballistic loading. In an effort to improve the impact performance, a novel pre-compression process was developed to introduce twins into a rolled AZ31B plate. Through sequential compression along plate transverse direction (TD) and rolling direction (RD) the resistance to penetration by a 0.30-cal fragment simulating projectile, as characterized by its V50, was increased by 13% offering equivalent protection of a plate 16% heavier than the pre-twinned plate. In addition, the dominant failure mechanism was found to change from discing to ductile hole growth. Through examination of the pre-compressed microstructures and microhardness measurements the origins of the improved performance were identified as the introduction of stable twins.
Translational control involving a novel cytoplasmic RNA and ribonucleoprotein.

Publisher Summary To investigate the role of cellular regulatory mechanisms involving inhibitory RNA (iRNA) and 10-S ribonucleoproteins (iRNP), this chapter presents a detailed study on the characterization and mechanism of action of these macromolecules. It also outlines recent progress made in this area. The results presented in the chapter strongly imply that iRNA and iRNP are genuine cytoplasmic macromolecular entities involved in the modulation of mRNA translation in a subtle manner at a post-transcriptional level. The iRNA and iRNP are quite distinct from the various eukaryotic RNA species that have modulating effects on in vitro translation systems. The potent inhibitory effect of iRNA and iRNP on mRNA translation is not exerted in an absolutely discriminatory manner. Rather, they act as specific inhibitors of mRNA binding to 43-S complex. This mode of inhibition distinguishes iRNA and iRNP from other cellular inhibitors that act through the phosphorylation of the eIF2 a-subunit. Because iRNA inhibits mRNA binding to ribosomes, it is quite likely that the relative affinities of mRNA and iRNA for this rate-limiting step in polypeptide synthesis may function as a subtle parameter in the cytoplasmic regulation of translation. Thus, a quantitative modulation of the translation of various mRNAs by iRNA rather than a specific discriminatory effect can lead to striking effects on cellular translation patterns.
A Case Study on Using Probabilistic Verification to Find Failures in a Cooperative Driving Application

This paper introduces techniques that help proving the safety of cooperative driving applications. Most automotive applications are evaluated by means of simulations and test tracks, which cannot provide the degree of confidence that is demanded by the driving public. We introduce probability verification as an evaluation tool that provides greater degree of confidence over safety. This technique is applicable to systems with large state spaces that cannot be exhaustively verified by other model checking techniques. We present a protocol that assists drivers in merging between other vehicles. The protocol is built on a multiple stack architecture that partitions the system into smaller manageable components that can be tested and verified individually. A module is verified assuming that the modules that it depends on have been verified. The modules in different vehicles use synchronized clocks to reduce the number of states needed to be examined in the composite protocols that describe their interactions. We are able to show that system failures will occur with a sufficiently small probability. Since probabilistic verification is also used to verify the operation of the modules that provide services, the residual probability of failure of these modules must be considered in the probabilistic verification of any module.
The Gibbs Paradox

We point out that an early work of J. Willard Gibbs (1875) contains a correct analysis of the “Gibbs Paradox” about entropy of mixing, free of any elements of mystery and directly connected to experimental facts. However, it appears that this has been lost for 100 years, due to some obscurities in Gibbs’ style of writing and his failure to include this explanation in his later Statistical Mechanics. This “new” understanding is not only of historical and pedagogical interest; it gives both classical and quantum statistical mechanics a different status than that presented in our textbooks, with implications for current research.
A Query-Dependent Duplicate Detection Approach for Large Scale Search Engines

Duplication of Web pages greatly hurts the perceived relevance of a search engine. Existing methods for detecting duplicated Web pages can be classified into two categories, i.e. offline and online methods. The offline methods target to detect all duplicates in a large set of Web pages, but none of the reported methods is capable of processing more than 30 million Web pages, which is about 1% of the pages indexed by todayś commercial search engines. On the contrary, the online methods focus on removing duplicated pages in the search results at run time. Although the number of pages to be processed is smaller, these methods could heavily increase the response time of search engines. Our experiments on real query logs show that there is a significant difference between popular and unpopular queries in terms of query number and duplicate distributions. Then, we propose a hybrid query-dependent duplicate detection method which combines both advantage of offline and online methods. This hybrid method provides not only an effective but also scalable solution for duplicate detection.
Making sense of the information age

This article traces the development in Britain of research on information and communications in relation to trends in Sociology and this discipline's relations with Cultural Studies. It observes at the outset the seminal contribution of Daniel Bell's conception of Post-Industrial Society, characterizing it as blending theory with empirical observation while providing an account of the most consequential features of change. Sociology in the UK during the 1980s largely ignored macro-level analysis and focused on work and employment, took its starting point as opposition to the technological determinism associated with this first wave enthusiasm for the ‘microelectronics revolution’, and produced localized and textured studies. Manuel Castells' conception of the Network Society, while distinctive, signalled a return to the scale and scope offered by Bell, notably in being a macro analysis that combined theory and empirical evidence. Castells' contribution coincided with a second wave of technological enthusi...
Differences in the susceptibility of various aldose reductases to inhibition. II.

The potency of the aldose reductase inhibitors 3,3-tetramethylene glutaric acid, 1, Alrestatin, 2, quercitrin, 3, T-hydroxy-4-oxo-4H-chromen-2-carboxylic acid, 4, its ethyl ester, 5, and 2-tetrazolyl-3-chloro-4-oxo-4H-chromen, 6, was evaluated against human placental aldose reductase prepared via affinity column chromatography. The order of potencies obtained was 4 >5 >2 >3 >1 > 6. This did not correlate with the order obtained against rat lens aldose reductase which was 3 >2 > 4 = 5 = 1=6. Except for 7-hydroxy-4-oxo-4H-chromen-2-carboxylic acid, 4, all compounds displayed decreased inhibition against human placental aldose reductase as compared to rat lens aldose reductase. These findings indicate that the evaluation of aldose reductase inhibitors for potential clinical use may require the use of human aldose reductase.
Electrical Charging of Macroscopic Particles Using a Beta Source and Electric and Magnetic Fields

A theoretical and experimental study of an aerosol particle charging apparatus that utilizes a 407-MBq (11-mCi) /sup 90/Sr--/sup 90/Y beta source and electric and magnetic fields has been performed. Fluid models of electron trajectories in the presence of the magnetic field, ion generation due to electron energy deposition, and particle charge acquisition due to ion transport are developed and applied to the experimental apparatus. Calculated average axial ion generation rates on the order of 10/sup 14//m/sup 3/ s are confirmed by experimental measurements, and calculated radial profiles are in good agreement with experiments. Calculated and experimental charging rates agree within 30% for 50- to 100-..mu..m-dia glass spheres in an electric field of 100 kV/m and a magnetic field of 0.141 T. It is found that both the magnitude and spatial distribution of the ion generation rate play important roles in determining the rate of charge acquisition by an aerosol particle in a partially ionized gas subjected to an external electric field.
Adsorption and reaction of acetaldehyde on Pt(1 1 1) and Sn/Pt(1 1 1) surface alloys

Abstract Adsorption and reaction of acetaldehyde (CH 3 CHO) on Pt(1 1 1) and two ordered Pt–Sn alloys has been studied primarily by using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) mass spectrometry and high-resolution electron-energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). The two alloys investigated were the (2 × 2) and (√3×√3) R 30°Sn/Pt(1 1 1) surface alloys with θ Sn =0.25 and θ Sn =0.33, respectively, as-prepared by vapor deposition of Sn on a Pt(1 1 1) single-crystal substrate. The desorption products in TPD experiments following CH 3 CHO exposures on the Pt(1 1 1) surface were CH 3 CHO, CO, H 2 , and CH 4 . Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) detected some carbon ( θ C ∼0.1 ML) left on the surface following TPD experiments. At small coverages, CH 3 CHO adsorption on Pt(1 1 1) is completely irreversible and all CH 3 CHO decomposes during heating in TPD. At near monolayer coverages, CH 3 CHO is partially reversibly adsorbed, with desorption competing effectively with decomposition so that 52% of the adsorbed monolayer of acetaldehyde decomposed during heating in TPD. CH 3 CHO bonds molecularly, mainly in a η 1 (O) configuration on Pt(1 1 1) at 90 K. On both of the (2 × 2)Sn/Pt(1 1 1) and (√3×√3) R 30°Sn/Pt(1 1 1) alloys, no CH 3 CHO decomposition took place during TPD and the adsorption–desorption behavior was entirely reversible. HREELS revealed that only η 1 (O)-CH 3 CHO was present on the two Sn/Pt(1 1 1) alloys. CH 3 CHO is adsorbed more weakly and the chemical reactivity of CH 3 CHO on these Sn/Pt alloys is decreased from that on the Pt(1 1 1) surface. Thus, the presence of Sn in the surface layer of these Pt–Sn alloys does not thermally activate acetaldehyde for reaction in UHV due to the thermodynamic driving force provided by the Sn–O interaction. We attribute this to be primarily because of kinetic barriers that arise from Pt–Sn bonding interactions in the alloy and acknowledge the important implications of this observation for the synthesis of organic molecules by selective oxidation over PtSn catalysts.
The Sociology of Spatial Inequality

Sometimes I feel Like a waste of space. But I can't just disappear. I have to be somewhere, right? —Lyrics from a song by The Tubes Yes, space is as basic a dimension of our daily existence and soc...
Cointegration of term structure premiums across countries

Abstract Research investigating the behavior of the term premium in interest rates has not previously analyzed the way in which one country's term premium may influence the term premiums of others. Because capital flows between developed countries are large, the same underlying factors that influence premiums in one country may be transmitted to others. We test specifically for the existence of cointegration of term premiums across six developed countries. We find support for two cointegrating vectors, suggesting as many as four common trends or underlying factors influencing these premiums. Further, we find that including an error correction term in the forecast of one country's term premium as a function of the others provides a better forecast than either a Martingale forecast or a vector autoregression.
NURBS-based isogeometric analysis for the computation of flows about rotating components

The ability of non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) to exactly represent circular geometries makes NURBS-based isogeometric analysis attractive for applications involving flows around and/or induced by rotating components (e.g., submarine and surface ship propellers). The advantage over standard finite element discretizations is that rotating components may be introduced into a stationary flow domain without geometric incompatibility. Although geometric compatibility is exactly achieved, the discretization of the flow velocity and pressure remains incompatible at the interface between the stationary and rotating subdomains. This incompatibility is handled by using a weak enforcement of the continuity of solution fields at the interface of the stationary and rotating subdomains.
Evaluation of the efficacy of the transposed upper arm arteriovenous fistula: a single institutional review of 190 basilic and cephalic vein transposition procedures.

Introduction Although autogenous brachial-basilic upper arm transpositions (BVT) have been extensively utilized, there has been significant disparity in published patency rates. Very little is known about the efficacy of autogenous brachial-cephalic upper arm transpositions (CVT). We evaluated our experience with transposed upper arm arteriovenous fistulas (tAVF) in order to assess patency and identify factors that affect efficacy. We then compared our tAVF patients with a cohort of upper arm arteriovenous grafts (AVG). Methods A retrospective review was conducted of tAVF performed at our institution from 1998 to 2004. The tAVF group consisted of 119 BVT and 71 CVT procedures. We compared these with 164 AVG. tAVF were placed only for veins ≥2.5 mm in diameter by duplex ultrasonography. Results Mean follow-up was 28 months. With the exception of mean vein diameter, the patients in the BVT and CVT groups had similar demographic parameters and complication rates. Primary and secondary patency rates were 52% and 62% at 5 years for BVT and 40% and 46% at 5 years for CVT, respectively ( P = NS). Multivariate analysis revealed that hemodialysis dependence at the time of fistula placement and history of previous upper arm access independently affected primary patency. History of upper torso dialysis catheters independently affected secondary patency. Comparison of the tAVF and AVG groups revealed that tAVF patients were significantly younger, more likely to be male, less likely to be African American (AA) and less likely to have a history of previous AV access. The primary patency rate for tAVF was significantly higher than for AVG: 48% vs 14% at 5 years ( P P P Conclusions Autogenous BVT and CVT have similar, high patency rates. Transposed upper arm arteriovenous fistulas have higher patency rates than upper arm AVG and require significantly fewer revisions. Our data strongly support the contention that as long as the patient is a candidate for an upper arm tAVF, based on anatomical criteria, a tAVF should always be considered before an AVG.
Implications of immersion lithography on 193-nm photoresists

Immersion lithography has been proposed as a technique to print sub-100nm features using 193nm lithography. The process involves filling the space between the lens fixture of an exposure tool and the photoresist-coated silicon wafer with a liquid. In the case of immersion 193nm lithography, water can serve as that liquid. The immersion option raises questions about how photoresists and water interact. Components of the photoresist could be leached into the water, thus modifying the refractive index of the medium, depositing material on the lens, or altering the solubility switching process of the photoresist. Several phenomena could affect the optical properties of the resist and water and, ultimately, the resolution of the process. To better understand the impact that immersion lithography would have on photoresist performance, a study has been undertaken to measure the amount of resist components that are leached by water from model 193nm photoresists. The components studied were residual casting solvent (propylene glycol methyl ether acetate), the photoacid generator (triphenylsulfonium nonaflate), and the base quencher (triethanolamine). Since it was expected that only a small amount of each material would be leached into the water, 14C-labeled samples of each resist component were synthesized and added to the 193nm resists. Films of the labeled resists were coated onto a silicon wafer and immersed in water. The water was collected and the film was dissolved in casting solvent and collected. The amount of material leached into the water was determined by radiochemical analysis. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was also used to quantify changes in the optical constants of the resists and the water.
Discriminating among states of consciousness by EEG measurements. A study of four subjects

Human states of consciousness discrimination by EEG measurements recorded from adult males in various experimental situations
A topic model approach to measuring interdisciplinarity at the National Science Foundation

As the National Science Foundation (NSF) implements new cross-cutting initiatives and programs, interest in assessing the success of these experiments in fostering interdisciplinarity grows. A primary challenge in measuring interdisciplinarity is identifying and bounding the discrete disciplines that comprise interdisciplinary work. Using statistical text-mining techniques to extract topic bins, the NSF recently developed a topic map of all of their awards issued between 2000 and 2011. These new data provide a novel means for measuring interdisciplinarity by assessing the language or content of award proposals. Using the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences as a case study and drawing on the new topic model of the NSF's awards, this paper explores new methods for quantifying interdisciplinarity in the NSF portfolio.
Differential Diagnosis of Orofacial Pain and Temporomandibular Disorder

When a patient complains of orofacial pain, health care providers must make a correct diagnosis. Doing this can be difficult, since various signs and symptoms may not be specific for 1 particular problem or disorder. One initially should formulate a broad differential diagnosis that can be narrowed after analysis of the history and examination. In this article, orofacial pain is categorized as being caused by: intracranial pain, headaches, neuropathic pain, intraoral pain, temporomandibular disorder, cervical pain, pain related to anatomically associated structures, referred pain, or mental illness.
Hispanic Women’s Perceptions Regarding Cervical Cancer Screening

Objective To examine factors affecting cervical cancer screening behaviors. Design Qualitative, descriptive. Setting Interviews were conducted in participants’ homes. Participants Purposive sample of 20 Hispanic women 18 to 65 years of age. Results Participants accessed the health care system primarily during times of illness or in association with impending marriage, obtaining birth control, or childbearing. Barriers to screening participation included personal/cultural and provider/system factors. Motivators included personal experience with others having cervical cancer, perceived importance of the Pap smear in maintaining health, reduction of financial barriers, and access to culturally appropriate health care. Conclusions Factors affecting cervical cancer screening behavior among Hispanic women are identifiable and describable. Knowledge of barriers and motivators can be utilized to design effective nursing interventions and community-based programs.
Specific, temporally regulated expression of the insulin-like growth factor II gene during muscle cell differentiation

We have compared the expression of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) messenger RNA (mRNA) to the expression of other mRNAs encoding proteins known to play pivotal roles during the differentiation of continuously cultured, fusing muscle cell lines. These cell lines respond to changes in culture conditions by undergoing a well characterized alteration in gene expression which leads to a change in their phenotype from dividing, mononucleate myoblasts to fused, multinucleate myotubes. The hallmarks of this differentiation program include the induction of myogenic regulatory genes as well as the genes that encode the contractile proteins. We have found that the differentiation of these cells leads to the production of multiple IGF-II transcripts. In one of the cell lines studied, C2C12, IGF-II mRNA levels were rapidly induced during differentiation. Increases in IGF-II mRNA levels preceded the expression of the contractile protein genes but occurred only after the activation of the myogenic regulatory gen...
Determining the effectiveness of optimal time-varying hedge ratios for cattle feeders under multiproduct and single commodity settings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine and contrast the risk mitigating effectiveness from optimal multiproduct time-varying hedge ratios, applied to the margin of a cattle feedlot operation, over single commodity time-varying and naive hedge ratios. Design/methodology/approach – A parsimonious regime-switching dynamic correlations (RSDC) model is estimated in two-stages, where the dynamic correlations among prices of numerous commodities vary proportionally between two different regimes/levels. This property simplifies estimation methods for a large number of parameters involved. Findings – There is significant evidence that resulting simultaneous correlations among the prices (spot and futures) for each commodity attain different levels along the time-series. Second, for in and out-of-sample data there is a substantial reduction in the operation's margin variance provided from both multiproduct and single time-varying optimal hedge ratios over naive hedge ratios. Lastly, risk mitigation is ...
Methodological nuances and pitfalls of benefit-cost analysis: A critique

Abstract The recent paper by Hill, Banks, Handrich, Wehman, Hill, and Shafer, entitled “Benefit-Cost Analysis of Supported Competitive Employment for Persons with Mental Retardation” was critiqued. Concerns were of three types: logic, omission, and imprecision. Logically, Hill et al. incorrectly interchanged the concepts of cost-benefit ratio and net benefits; defined the taxpayer's perspective inconsistently; and appeared to double-adjust for inflation. Omissions included taxpayers' cost of paying benefits to workers from the regular labor force who were displaced by workers from the Hill et al. project; and certain costs and benefits when an individual changed from a minimally productive day program to an employment program. Finally, many cost and benefit estimates appeared to be extremely coarse, and to err in the direction of favoring benefits over costs. Most critically, Hill et al. reported their figures as absolutely true, when it would have been preferable to present a range of feasible cost and benefit estimates to test the sensitivity of their reported net benefit to reasonable variations in the values of its components. The ranges suggested by the present authors generally supported the conclusions of Hill et al., but reduced the certainty that taxpayers would benefit from their program.
Pathologic hair-pulling: A review of the literature and case reports

Pathologic hair-pulling (trichotillomania) has been described in the dermatologic and psychiatric literature for the last century, but has become the focus of increased attention in the last few years. Once thought to be either a wholly benign condition or a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder, more recently hair-pulling has been noted in the context of numerous types of psychopathology, and has been reported to respond to several different types of intervention, both psychological and somatic. Estimates of its prevalence have varied widely. Because of the disparate conclusions of the literature on this condition, a more careful assessment of diagnostic validity is recommended.