cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MO-G-BRE-05: Clinical Process Improvement and Billing in Radiation Oncology: A Case Study of Applying FMEA for CPT Code 77336 (continuing Medical Physics Consultation)

Purpose: The improvement of quality in healthcare can be assessed by Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). In radiation oncology, FMEA, as applied to the billing CPT code 77336, can improve both charge capture and, most importantly, quality of the performed services. Methods: We created an FMEA table for the process performed under CPT code 77336. For a given process step, each member of the assembled team (physicist, dosimetrist, and therapist) independently assigned numerical values for: probability of occurrence (O, 1–10), severity (S, 1–10), and probability of detection (D, 1–10) for every failure mode cause and effect combination. The risk priority number, RPN, was then calculated as a product of O, S and D from which an average RPN was calculated for each combination mentioned above. A fault tree diagram, with each process sorted into 6 categories, was created with linked RPN. For processes with high RPN recommended actions were assigned. 2 separate R and V systems (Lantis and EMR-based ARIA) were considered. Results: We identified 9 potential failure modes and corresponding 19 potential causes of these failure modes all resulting in unjustified 77336 charge and compromised quality of care. In Lantis, the range of RPN was 24.5–110.8, and ofmore » S values – 2–10. The highest ranking RPN of 110.8 came from the failure mode described as “end-of-treatment check not done before the completion of treatment”, and the highest S value of 10 (RPN=105) from “overrides not checked”. For the same failure modes, within ARIA electronic environment with its additional controls, RPN values were significantly lower (44.3 for end-of-treatment missing check and 20.0 for overrides not checked). Conclusion: Our work has shown that when charge capture was missed that also resulted in some services not being performed. Absence of such necessary services may result in sub-optimal quality of care rendered to patients.« less
Microbial-enzymatic-hybrid biological fuel cell with optimized growth conditions for Shewanella oneidensis DSP-10

In this work we present a biological fuel cell fabricated by combining a Shewanella oneidensis microbial anode and a laccase-modified air-breathing cathode. This concept is devised as an extension to traditional biochemical methods by incorporating diverse biological catalysts with the aim of powering small devices. In preparing the biological fuel cell anode, novel hierarchical-structured architectures and biofilm configurations were investigated. A method for creating an artificial biofilm based on encapsulating microorganisms in a porous, thin film of silica was compared with S. oneidensis biofilms that were allowed to colonize naturally. Results indicate comparable current and power densities for artificial and natural biofilm formations, based on growth characteristics. As a result, this work describes methods for creating controllable and reproducible bio-anodes and demonstrates the versatility of hybrid biological fuel cells.
Salt Toleration by Plants: Enhancement with Calcium

Bean plants subjected to a sodium chloride concentratioz about onetenth that of seawater for 1 week suffered no damage if the calcium concentration of the nutrient solution was 1 millimole per liter or higher, but at lower calcium concentrations damage was severe and apparently due to a massive breakthrough of sodium into the leaves.
The new science of cities, by Michael Batty, Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press, 2013, 496 pp., $45.00/£31.95 hard cover, ISBN 978-0-262-01952-1

This is perhaps the most ambitious book written by Mike Batty so far, in which he aims to lay the foundation for what he calls the new science of cities. Ohio-based artist Amy Casey’s artwork Twist...
Tourism Geography Education: Opportunities, Obstacles and the Production of Tourism Geographers

Abstract Geography departments that offer undergraduate tourism geography programmes or concentrations today face a growing number of obstacles. Changes in employment trends within the industry and increasing competition from other tourism-related departments threaten the survival of many geography tourism programmes. The diversity of tourism programmes and departments in universities today has also increased competition for tourism geographers from non-geography departments. This trend may threaten the future production of tourism geographers. This article examines the opportunities and obstacles facing tourism geography education today. An analysis of specialty interest levels in recreation and tourism among geographers and the results of an email survey to geography departments that offer tourism geography suggest that tourism geography is relatively healthy, although some departments are facing difficult times. The case studies illustrate how some geography departments have benefited from incorporatin...
Moral foundations vignettes: a standardized stimulus database of scenarios based on moral foundations theory

Research on the emotional, cognitive, and social determinants of moral judgment has surged in recent years. The development of moral foundations theory (MFT) has played an important role, demonstrating the breadth of morality. Moral psychology has responded by investigating how different domains of moral judgment are shaped by a variety of psychological factors. Yet, the discipline lacks a validated set of moral violations that span the moral domain, creating a barrier to investigating influences on judgment and how their neural bases might vary across the moral domain. In this paper, we aim to fill this gap by developing and validating a large set of moral foundations vignettes (MFVs). Each vignette depicts a behavior violating a particular moral foundation and not others. The vignettes are controlled on many dimensions including syntactic structure and complexity making them suitable for neuroimaging research. We demonstrate the validity of our vignettes by examining respondents’ classifications of moral violations, conducting exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and demonstrating the correspondence between the extracted factors and existing measures of the moral foundations. We expect that the MFVs will be beneficial for a wide variety of behavioral and neuroimaging investigations of moral cognition.
Toward clinically usable CAD for lung cancer screening with computed tomography

The purpose of this study was to define clinically appropriate, computer-aided lung nodule detection (CAD) requirements and protocols based on recent screening trials. In the following paper, we describe a CAD evaluation methodology based on a publically available, annotated computed tomography (CT) image data set, and demonstrate the evaluation of a new CAD system with the functionality and performance required for adoption in clinical practice. A new automated lung nodule detection and measurement system was developed that incorporates intensity thresholding, a Euclidean Distance Transformation, and segmentation based on watersheds. System performance was evaluated against the Lung Imaging Database Consortium (LIDC) CT reference data set. The test set comprised thin-section CT scans from 108 LIDC subjects. The median (±IQR) sensitivity per subject was 100 (±37.5) for nodules ≥ 4 mm and 100 (±8.33) for nodules ≥ 8 mm. The corresponding false positive rates were 0 (±2.0) and 0 (±1.0), respectively. The concordance correlation coefficient between the CAD nodule diameter and the LIDC reference was 0.91, and for volume it was 0.90. The new CAD system shows high nodule sensitivity with a low false positive rate. Automated volume measurements have strong agreement with the reference standard. Thus, it provides comprehensive, clinically-usable lung nodule detection and assessment functionality. • CAD requirements can be based on lung cancer screening trial results. • CAD systems can be evaluated using publically available annotated CT image databases. • A new CAD system was developed with a low false positive rate. • The CAD system has reliable measurement tools needed for clinical use.
Safety and Tolerability of the Ketogenic Diet in Pediatric Epilepsy: Effects of Valproate Combination Therapy

Summary: Purpose: To evaluate safety and tolerability of ketogenic diet (KGD) and valproate (VPA) cotherapy in the treatment of intractable seizures. Methods: The patient records of children who underwent KGD initiation at the Massachusetts General Hospital for Children from February 2002 to September 2004 were retrospectively assessed. Efficacy was measured by comparing reported seizure frequency at baseline and at 3-month intervals thereafter. Adverse events and reasons for terminating the diet were tabulated. Results: Of 71 patients who underwent KGD initiation, 24 were concomitantly using VPA at the time of initiation. The most serious adverse events were two cases of acute pancreatitis (2.8%), both of which occurred in patients not taking VPA. The most common complications in both groups were acidosis (39.4%), nausea and vomiting (23.9%), hypertriglyceridemia (21.1%), lethargy (18.3%), and behavioral changes and irritability (15.5%). No significant difference in adverse-event profiles was found between the VPA group and the non-VPA group. At 1 year, 32 patients remained on the diet, including 11 in the VPA group. Efficacy was nearly identical in these two groups. Conclusions: KGD and VPA combination therapy is relatively safe and effective in refractory pediatric epilepsy. Adverse-event profiles of patients on KGD and VPA cotherapy are similar to those of patients on the KGD without VPA. In considering possible treatment options for intractable seizures, cotherapy with these two modalities should not be excluded for safety or tolerability concerns. In some patients, this combination may provide optimal seizure control.
The effect of prolactin on color and skin pteridines in the frog, Rana pipiens.

Abstract Prolactin treatment (20 μg every other day for 2 weeks) causes Rana pipiens adults to assume a bright yellow-green coloration. Microscopic examination of the skin reveals an increase in the distribution of yellow pigments in the dermis of back and leg skin. Prolactin treatment results in an increase in the amount of pteridines by 30% in 2 weeks, while carotenoid content remains essentially unchanged. Prolactin treatment fails to cause a color change in R. pipiens or Rana catesbeiana tadpoles prior to the development of the adult skin pattern.
Drug-induced Electrolyte Abnormalities

Drugs can interfere with the normal intake, elimination, regulation and total body distribution of electrolytes. These drug-induced abnormalities may be dramatic and life threatening, posing diagnostic and management problems to the physician who is not familiar with them. Serum potassium concentrations can be altered as potassium shifts between the tissue and plasma compartments secondary to drug actions. In addition, drugs have been shown to interfere with the normal physiological functioning of the kidney with respect to potassium homeostasis, as well as the renin-aldosterone axis. The regulation of serum sodium levels is integrally related to the regulation of total body water. Thus, drugs that alter the regulation of antidiuretic hormone secretion and its action on the kidney can result in large changes in serum sodium concentrations. Abnormal losses or intake of sodium related to drug use can also have profound effects in the plasma compartment. The normally fine regulation of serum calcium concentrations can be easily upset by pharmacological therapy at the level of parathyroid hormone secretion and action, bone metabolism or renal calcium excretion. Through awareness of these drug-induced changes in electrolytes and the mechanisms involved, subtle and often dangerous problems in clinical management can be handled rationally.
The Funding of Government Mandates

This paper focuses on mandates, i.e., directives to lower levels of government to undertake specified activities. We examine the conditions under which mandates should be funded by the higher level government that issues them. An analytical framework is developed within which a funding rule for policy makers issuing mandates is derived, taking into consideration efficiency and equity concerns. Mandates are divided into those intended to address spatial spillovers across local boundaries, and those intended to enact a minimum national standard for publicity-provided goods. The funding rule indicates that when a mandate addresses activities of lower levels of government that generate net spillover costs, no funding is called for. Other mandates should be funded. Copyright 1994 by WWZ and Helbing & Lichtenhahn Verlag AG
British Association of Plastic Surgeons Program from another generation.

Summary Purpose To Compare the Association's Summer Programs of 1971 and 2008. Methods I attended the 1971 meeting of BAPS that was held in London and kept the program. I compared the content of that meeting with the 2008 Provisional Program. A blowup of that 1971 program will be the highlight of the poster. Results The 1971 meeting's registration fee was £10 for me as an overseas non-member registering at the desk compared to the current fee of £500. The meeting was three day long, but only one day was devoted to papers. The first and third days of the meeting were devoted to watching live cranio-facial surgery performed by Tessier at the Hospital for Sick Children. To make the length of these televised sessions more tolerable, a cash bar was available and lunch including beer and squash were served from noon until 4pm followed by tea from 4pm to 6pm Dinner Jackets were required for the 1971 Association dinner compared with dark lounge suits in 2008. In contrast to 2008, the 1971 scientific program consisted of only 13 papers of which all but five were written by single authors. Seven of the papers were published in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery. There were no cosmetic and no breast papers. There were no poster sessions. There were no panel discussions. There were no exhibits. Conclusion The 1971 meeting was truly from another generation in both its form and content.
Utility of Introducing Ventricular Premature Complexes During Reciprocating Tachycardia in Specifying the Location of Left Free Wall Accessory Pathways

The usefulness of the response to single and double ventricular premature complexes (VPCs) introduced during reciprocating tachycardia (RT) in predicting the location of a left free wall accessory pathway was studied in 55 patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. One VPC introduced from the right ventricle into narrow QRS RT when the His bundle was refractory resulted in retrograde atrial preexcitation in 25 of 55 (45%) patients, while 30 (55%) showed no preexcitation. Double VPCs produced retrograde atrial preexcitation in 9 of 26 patients not responding to a single VPC. No difference in RT cycle length, AH, HV or ventriculoatrial intervals was found between those patients who did or did not show retrograde atrial preexcitation. The response to single and double VPCs during RT was related to the location of the AP. The average distance of the AP from the crux determined by intraoperative epicardial mapping in the 41 patients who underwent surgery was 2.7 +/- 0.7 mapping units (left posterolateral region) in patients showing retrograde atrial preexcitation with a single VPC, 3.6 +/- 0.7 units (at the lateral left ventricular margin) in those responding to double VPCs and 4.3 +/- 0.8 units (beyond the LV margin) in those showing no response. Left bundle--branch block (LBBB) aberrancy during RT resulted in an average 60 +/- 14 ms prolongation of the ventriculoatrial interval in 40 patients, including 5 in whom LBBB was seen only after procainamide infusion. VPCs introduced into LBBB RT resulted in significant retrograde atrial preexcitation in 6 additional patients in whom no response during normal QRS RT was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Stable isotopic tracers of lead mobilized by DMSA chelation in low lead-exposed rats

The ability of DMSA to mobilize skeletal lead or effect a redistribution of endogenous lead to other target organs in low lead-exposed organisms is unclear. Discrepant results of past studies of DMSA and other lead chelators (e.g., CaNa2EDTA) may be due, in part, to experimental differences and difficulties in distinguishing mobilized skeletal lead from other endogenous or exogenous lead sources. Therefore, the influence of DMSA on the mobilization and redistribution of lead in skeletal and soft tissue compartments of low lead-exposed female Wistar (115-125 g) rats was investigated using ultraclean stable lead isotope tracer techniques. Rats that had been reared on a low lead-level diet (lead intake approximately 80 ng Pb/g body/day) were fed 206Pb-enriched drinking water (210 ng Pb/ml) for 1.5 days and then were chelated with a single ip injection of a 0.11 mmol/kg dose of DMSA. Blood, kidney, brain, tibia, urine and feces were collected 24 hr after chelation and analyzed for lead concentrations by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and for lead isotopic compositions by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. These analyses demonstrated that DMSA chelation significantly increased (15-fold) the diuresis of labile soft tissue lead, but not skeletal lead. DMSA also appeared to effect a redistribution and input of a comparable amount of lead to the skeleton and smaller relative amounts of lead to the soft tissues (blood, kidney) of the chelated animals. The clinical significance of these latter observations beyond the context of this preliminary study is not clear.
Effect of enriched stimulus and instructional conditions on verbal abstracting ability in acute schizophrenics.

The present research investigated the effect of enriched instructions on the verbal abstracting performance of a group of 18 recently hospitalized, acute schizophrenics. In addition, an attempt was made to determine if improved performance under enriched conditions was related to the kind of disturbances in attention measured by the Perceptual Experience Inventory. The results showed that the schizophrenics scored significantly lower than a group of hospitalized control subjects under normal testing conditions. As predicted, the schizophrenics improved under the enriched conditions to the extent of equaling the performance of the control group. It was apparent that schizophrenics do not suffer from a permanent defect in abstracting ability. It was suggested that enriched instructions help the schizophrenic to maintain the appropriate set. There was no support for the authors' attempt to link the effect of improved performance under enrichment to disturbances in attention and concentration. The implication...
Background Subtraction Using Markov Thresholds

Many video surveillance and identification applications need to find moving objects in the field of view of a stationary camera. A popular method for obtaining these silhouettes is through the process of background subtraction. We present a novel method for comparing image frames to the model of the stationary background that exploits the spatial and temporal dependencies that objects in motion impose on their images. We achieve this through the development and use of Markov random fields of binary segmentation variates. We show that the MRF approach produces more accurate and visually appealing silhouettes that are less prone to noise and background camouflaging effects than traditional per-pixel based methods. Results include visual examination of silhouettes, comparisons against hand-segmented data, and an analysis of the effects of various silhouette extraction techniques on gait recognition performance.
Recursive approximate weighted total least squares estimation of battery cell total capacity

Abstract Battery cell total capacity refers to the total amount of charge that can be extracted from a fully charged cell. Knowledge of the present total capacity value is important to being able to calculate the maximum energy storage capability of a battery pack, the remaining energy in a battery pack, and as an indicator of the battery’s state of health. We show that traditional methods of estimating battery cell total capacity, which consider noises only in the accumulated ampere hour measurement, are biased. Battery cell total capacity must be estimated with knowledge of both the noises on the state of charge estimates and on the accumulated ampere hour measurements used to compute the total capacity estimate. We demonstrate how total least squares gives better results than traditional methods, and derive an approximate weighted total least squares algorithm that is suitable for implementation in an embedded battery management system.
Objective determination of human visual acuity from the visual evoked potential

The natural visual acuities of 11 subjects were predicted from their flashed pattern evoked potentials. An objective data analysis technique was employed, based on the slope of the high spatial frequency side of the function between pattern element size and the amplitude of the evoked potential.
Binding of π-acceptor ligands to (triamine)iron(II) complexes

A series of (Me3TACN)FeII derivatives with soft coligands have been investigated, where Me3TACN is N,N‘,N‘ ‘-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane. Treatment of Me3TACN with FeCl2 afforded a compound w...
Lessons from History

Anthropological genetics is an oddly liminal field—not quite anthropology, yet not quite genetics either. Anthropologists are trained to be attuned to the people they work with; without the goodwill of its objects, the profession cannot exist—but one does not have to secure the goodwill of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, to study its DNA haplotypes in depth. Geneticists, however, are more prestigious and better funded—and what scientist doesn't aspire to that?
Staphylococcus aureus and CCR5: unveiling commonalities in host-pathogen interactions and potential treatment strategies.

Microbes that have acquired the ability to colonize and/or cause disease in humans must be able to both recognize and respond to host defenses to ensure their survival. For commensal microbes, adaptive strategies generally promote a balance between host immune defenses and bacterial maintenance, allowing asymptomatic colonization. Pathogenic microbes, on the other hand, tilt the balance in favor of the microorganism, leading to symptomatic illness and disease. Some microorganisms that are known to be asymptomatic colonizers of humans can cause serious disease upon gaining access to foreign sites and usurping immunological attack. The Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is one such microorganism.This article will address recent advances in our understanding of S. aureus immune evasion with an emphasis on immune cell targeting. The prospects of this targeting in terms of understanding the evolution of S. aureus as a pathogen as well as its implications for future anti-S. aureus therapeutics, will be discussed.
Microwave process control through a traveling wave tube source

A rapid feedback control system was designed to operate with a traveling wave tube for regulating the sintering temperature of tows and tubes in a single mode microwave cavity. The control system regulated the microwave frequency and power absorbed by the sample in order to maintain the sample temperature. Testing with NICALON tows and mullite tubes demonstrated that the control scheme worked well for stationary and slowly moving ({lt}10mm/min) samples, but failed for fast moving samples. Difficulty with measuring sample temperatures was resolved by using a light sensor to measure the emitted light intensity and to relative degree of heating.
Reducing AIDS risk among inner-city women: a review of the Collectivist Empowerment AIDS Prevention (CE-AP) Program

We discuss the process underlying our HIV-prevention project for young inner-city women. Health interventions are almost uniformly based on individualistic models of health and behavior. In contrast, AIDS and AIDS prevention, by their very social nature, may require more collectivist principles of disease, health, and intervention. We conducted a behavioral intervention, the Collectivist Empowerment AIDS Prevention (CE-AP) Program, with young, inner-city women to deal with this critical health issue. Our primary intervention goal was to promote women's sense of owning and making healthy choices about their bodies. We attempted to accomplish this by emphasizing the concepts of empowerment, collectivism (as opposed to individualism), and culturally sensitive skill building. Collectivism is emphasized to encourage women to involve others in their behavioral health decisions and to gain power through social joining and coalition building. A woman's behavioral decisions affect many others in her life. Thus, involving others in decision making emphasizes the connection between an individual's actions and their impact on interpersonal relationships. CE-AP was found to be effective in changing safer-sex behavior and we review our findings and future directions.
Understanding visualization through spatial ability differences

Little is known about the cognitive abilities which influence the comprehension of scientific and information visualizations and what properties of the visualization affect comprehension. Our goal in this paper is to understand what makes visualizations difficult. We address this goal by examining the spatial ability differences in a diverse population selected for spatial ability variance. For example, how is, spatial ability related to visualization comprehension? What makes a particular visualization difficult or time intensive for specific groups of subjects? In this paper, we present the results of an experiment designed to answer these questions. Fifty-six subjects were tested on a basic visualization task and given standard paper tests of spatial abilities. An equal number of males and females were recruited in this study in order to increase spatial ability variance. Our results show that high spatial ability is correlated with accuracy on our three-dimensional visualization test, but not with time. High spatial ability subjects also had less difficulty with object complexity and the hidden properties of an object.
Characteristics of thermoplastics containing electrically conducting asymmetric particles: Anisotropic electrical conductivity of injection molded parts and extrusion behavior

The characteristics of compounds of acrylonitrile-buta-diene-styrene and high impact polystyrene resins, filled with carbon fibers, steel fibers, carbon black, and aluminum flakes have been investigated with special emphasis on electrical conductivity and flow behavior in a capillary rheometer. Compression and injection molded compounds were found to be highly electrically anisotropic. The components of the electrical conductivity tensor, K11, K22 and K33, were measured, Generally K11, the flow direction conductivity, has the highest value and the thickness direction, and K33 has the lowest. The injection molded parts were usually electrically heterogeneous with the conduetivities highest at the greatest distances from the gate. The results were interpreted in terms of particle orientation and distribution. Shear viscosities were measurable for all but the aluminum flake compounds which exhibited fluctuating pressure drops. The flow of these compounds through dies was investigated. Examination of material from the die entrance indicated streamline flow without entrance vortices. Sometimes high entrance concentration of particulates were observed especially for the aluminum flakes. Extrudates were found to contain oriented particles.
Global orchestration of gene expression by the biological clock of cyanobacteria

Prokaryotic cyanobacteria express robust circadian (daily) rhythms under the control of a central clock. Recent studies shed light on the mechanisms governing circadian rhythms in cyanobacteria and highlight key differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic clocks.
Solid-state image sensors

This tutorial paper deals with the concepts behind modern solid-state imaging devices. Photoconversion, charge readout, and image display are discussed. The various types of pixels and how these photosensitive elements may be used in various imager architectures are described. The tutorial ends with a discussion of important imager performance parameters, and possible future developments in image sensor technology.
A novel low overhead fault tolerant Kogge-Stone adder using adaptive clocking

As the feature size of transistors gets smaller, fabricating them becomes challenging. Manufacturing process follows various corrective design-for-manufacturing (DFM) steps to avoid shorts/opens/bridges. However, it is not possible to completely eliminate the possibility of such defects. If spare units are not present to replace the defective parts, then such failures cause yield loss. In this paper, we present a fault tolerant technique to leverage the redundancy present in high speed regular circuits such as Kogge-Stone adder (KSA). Due to its regularity and speed, KSA is widely used in ALU design. In KSA, the carries are computed fast by computing them in parallel. Our technique is based on the fact that even and odd carries are mutually exclusive. Therefore, defect in even bit can only corrupt the even Sum outputs whereas the odd Sums are computed correctly (and vice versa). To efficiently utilize the above property of KSA in presence of defects, we perform addition in two-clock cycles. In cycle-1, one of the correct set of bits (even or odd) are computed and stored at output registers. In cycle-2, the operands are shifted by one bit and the remaining sets of bits (odd or even) are computed and stored. This allows us to tolerate the defect at the cost of throughput degradation while maintaining high frequency and yield. The proposed technique can tolerate any number of faults as long as they are confined to either even or odd bits (but not in both). Further, this technique is applicable for any type of fault model (stuck-at, bridging, complete opens/shorts). We performed simulations on 64-bit KSA using 180 nm devices. The results indicate that the proposed technique incur less that 1 % area overhead. Note that there is very little throughput degradation (<0.3%) for the fault-free adders. The proposed technique utilizes the existing scan flip-flops for storage and shifting operation to minimize the area/performance overhead. Finally, the proposed technique is used in a superscalar processor, whereby the faulty adder is assigned lower priority than fault-free adders to reduce the overall throughput degradation. Experiments performed using Simplescalar for a superscalar pipeline (with four integer adders) show throughput degradation of 0.5% in the presence of a single defective adder.
End-to-end availability policies and noninterference

This paper introduces the use of static information flow analysis for the specification and enforcement of end-to-end availability policies in programs. We generalize the decentralized label model, which is about confidentiality and integrity, to also include security policies for availability. These policies characterize acceptable risks by representing them as principals. We show that in this setting, a suitable extension of noninterference corresponds to a strong, end-to-end availability guarantee. This approach provides a natural way to specify availability policies and enables existing static dependency analysis techniques to be adapted for availability. The paper presents a simple language in which fine-grained information security policies can be specified as type annotations. These annotations can include requirements for all three major security properties: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The type system for the language provably guarantees that any well-typed program has the desired noninterference properties, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
A novel role for GSK-3B in the coordinate regulation of key osteogenic programs during palatogenesis

INTRODUCTION: Normal palatogenesis requires the precise regulation of complex osteogenic pathways. We have previously shown that mice lacking GSK-3B, a multifunctional intracellular kinase, display complete clefting of the secondary palate, indicating that GSK-3B plays a critical role in palatal development. Although GSK-3B is implicated in osteogenic signaling, the precise molecular mechanisms controlling palatine bone formation remain unknown.
Measuring heart failure quality: does perfection matter?

In most countries, the prevalence of heart failure is rising and is associated with staggering healthcare costs with many of these costs related to hospital care.1 Each year, more than 1 million patients are hospitalised with heart failure in both Europe and the USA.2 ,3 Because of marked variations in practice and outcomes, heart failure is often targeted for hospital quality improvement efforts. Most quality improvement programmes or national policies focus on improving processes of care as a means to improve quality. These programmes’ attention towards process measures are designed to accelerate the implementation of best strategies of care or evidence-based therapeutics systematically to reduce variations in practice and ideally improve outcomes. Despite the logical relationship of some process measures to outcomes, whether such links exist is often unclear. That is, would ‘perfect’ care as measured by processes of care yield ‘perfect’ outcomes? In their Heart publication, Bottle et al 4 describe the association between six National Heart Failure Audit process of care measures and outcomes for patients hospitalised with heart failure in England from 2009 to 2012. The investigators found broad use of appropriate medical therapy …
Welding of austenitic stainless steel for 4-K service

The objective of the work reported here is to review, develop, and implement high deposition rate welding processes for the fabrication of 4-K superconducting magnets. The processes presented are GTAW, FCAW, GMAW, and SAW. The application of these processes to particular manufacturing projects such as the LCP and the MFTF are given. The filler alloys used to determine such properties as arc deposition rate and utilization factor are 308L and 316L in both transverse and longitudinal applications. It is concluded that FCAW transverse yield strengths over 100 ksi at 4 K make this process both desirable and satisfactory in the current production of magnets. SAW appears to be suitable also for designs with yield strength requirements of 90 ksi at 4 K. Both of these processes are position-limited to flat or horizontal, however; for out-of-position welding, the development of a GMAW process with small diameter wire (0.030-0.063 in) appears to have the most promise.
HETEROLOGOUS PARKIN LOSS OF FUCNTION INDUCES MITOCHONDRIAL FRAGMENTATION AND DECREASES MITOCHONDRIAL NETWORK VOLUME IN DOPAMINERGIC NEURONS IN A DROSOPHILA MODEL OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Parkinson’sdisease (PD) is characterized by a selective degeneration of dopaminergicneurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Mitochondrialpathology is heavily implicated in both sporadic and familial forms of PD,including Autosomal Recessive Juvenile Parkinsonism (ARJP), which is oftencaused by mutations in the PARK2gene. Parkin, the cytosolic ubiquitin ligase product of PARK2, has been shown to promote the turnover of mitochondrialimport proteins and respiratory enzymes [1,2]. Homozygouspark25 mutant Drosophila have decreased mitochondrialfunction that selectively affects dopaminergic (DA) neurons [3]. Decreases inmitochondrial function initiate network fragmentation and mitophagy, a qualitycontrol mechanism in which mitochondrial networks become fragmented and poorlyfunctioning organelles are digested by lysosomes. Using 3D image processing in heterozygousParkin loss-of-function Drosophilamelanogaster that express a mitochondrially-targeted GFP in Tyrosinehydroxylase-producing cells, we have shown that mitochondria are fragmented andlost in dopaminergic neuronal clusters that are functionally homologous to themammalian substantia nigra pars compacta. Our results shed light on the mechanisms ofParkin loss-of-function pathology, propose that nicotine may improve the mutantphenotype via effects on mitochondrial function, and further substantiate theuse of Drosophila as a model of ARJP.
Sorrowful Empire, Distempered Union: Negative Dialects and the Art(s) of Freedom

This paper examines the usefulness of Theodor Adorno's (1966/2004) formulation of negative dialectics as prescriptive praxis under conditions where signifiers for humanity are made vaporous or otherwise elusive, as with current conditions of ersatz liberalism and diminished civil liberties. For exegetical purposes, this paper applies Adorno's praxis to one instance of resistance during the Nazi Third Reich that bears lingering, personal relevance to the author. The art work of the modernist painter, Georges Braque, makes entrance here to render more vivid the essential tenets of Adorno's provocative and still timely praxis.
A Methodology for Assessing Business Models of Future Air Transportation in the Atlanta Regional Transportation System

A methodology employing physics-based and economics-based tools in conjunction with probabilistic treatment is developed to study Personal Air Vehicle business model. In the context of the paper, a business model is a mathematical representation of a service provider business operation. Vehicle concepts and hypothesized metrics such as mobility freedom and ‘value of time’ are embedded in the methodology. Market behavior of the complex transportation environment is captured as part of the equation through Agent-based Modeling and Monte Carlo Simulation techniques. This simulation platform for the transportation environment facilitates the case study of the Atlanta Regional Transportation System. The establishment of this model lays the foundation for creating a robust and adaptive design methodology that allows experts in fields other than aerospace engineering to contribute their expertise towards the realization of this very diverse and dynamic future air transportation system.
The fine structure of chromosomes in pigeon spermatocytes.

A description of the pachytene chromosome of the pigeon spermatocyte is presented. This is illustrated with electron photomicrographs and diagrams. The pachytene chromosome has the following distinct parts: the lateral components of a bivalent which contain the chromatids proper, the lateral loops which issue from the lateral components (the exact connection is morphologically not yet clear), and the midaxial space in wich chromosomes have pairing surfaces for synapsis on a macromolecular scale. The lateral loops consist of spiraled threads of uniform structure. The lateral loops are believed to originate from a backbone, the chromatid, which is complex in composition as well as in architecture. The midaxial space is structured in three dimensions.
Cytoplasmic Inclusion Bodies in Pulmonary Tumors: An Electron Microscopic Study

Inclusion bodies were observed in ultrathin sections of pulmonary tumor tissue removed surgically from two patients with oat cell carcinoma and three with adenocarcinoma. These particles were seen only in the cytoplasm of the neoplastic cells. Their morphologies were similar, being spherical, surrounded by a single membrane, with a central nucleoid dense body. Their sizes ranged from 90 to 193 m μ . The nature and significance of these particles in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tumors are still unknown.
48 THE ROLE OF UROKINASE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR-OVEREXPRESSING MACROPHAGES IN COLLAGEN PRODUCTION BY FIBROBLASTS.

Objective Cardiac fibrosis is the accumulation of excess extracellular matrix in the heart, leading to worsened cardiac function and arrhythmia. Mice with macrophage-specific overexpression of urokinase plasminogen activator (SR-uPA+/0) have early cardiac macrophage accumulation in the heart and develop subsequent cardiac fibrosis. Macrophages activate or suppress fibroblast collagen production in response to stimuli such as growth factors, cytokines, and hypoxia. We hypothesized that excess uPA production by macrophages stimulates collagen production in fibroblasts, leading to excess collagen deposition in the heart. Methods Murine embryonic fibroblast-derived NIH-3T3 cells were treated with SR-uPA+/0 and SR-uPA0/0 macrophage-conditioned media and were also cocultured with SR-uPA+/0 and SR-uPA0/0 macrophages. Some cells were also treated with transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) as a positive control. RNA was extracted, and Northern blot for collagen I alpha1 (Col1) was performed. Cytokine assays were performed on SR-uPA+/0 and SR-uPA0/0 isolated peritoneal macrophage-conditioned media (± LPS) or heart explant culture using a Luminex-based assay of 20 major cytokines. Results SR-uPA+/0 macrophage-conditioned media-treated NIH-3T3 cells had less Col1 mRNA than SR-uPA0/0-conditioned media-treated cells. NIH-3T3 cells cocultured with SR-uPA+/0 macrophages also showed less Col1 mRNA than those cocultured with SR-uPA0/0 macrophages. There was no significant difference in cytokine levels between SR-uPA+/0 and SR-uPA0/0 macrophages. In heart explant culture, SR-uPA+/0 mice had elevated levels of IL-6 compared with SR-uPA0/0 mice (13.6 [7.1-24.8] vs 4.5 [3-7] pg/mg tissue/18 h, p = .03), but none of the other 19 cytokines were significantly increased. Conclusions Exposure of NIH-3T3 cells to SR-uPA+/0 macrophages or macrophage-conditioned media decreases transcription of collagen 1α1. IL-6 is increased in SR-uPA+/0 heart explant culture but not in isolated peritoneal macrophages. These data suggest that SR-uPA+/0 macrophages may secrete factors only in the heart that lead to increased fibroblast-mediated collagen production in the heart. Further studies are required to determine whether IL-6 specifically increases collagen production in cardiac fibroblasts and to elucidate its role in our model.
335 TIBIAL HEMIMELIA, PREAXIAL POLYDACTYLY, AND VERTEBRAL ANOMALIES: A PATTERN OF MALFORMATIONS IN INFANTS OF DIABETIC MOTHERS

Infants of diabetic mothers are at increased risk for a number of malformations including those of the heart, ears, and skeletal system. These malformations are usually not specific, however. We present 3 infants of diabetic mothers with a very specific pattern of malformations including tibial hemimelia, a unique form of preaxial polydactyly of the feet, and vertebral anomalies. The infants all were identified at birth. A history of maternal diabetes was found in each case. Case 1 had left tibial hemimelia, preaxial polydactyly of the left foot involving a digit placed “adjacent to the proximal aspect of the first metatarsal,” bilateral hip dysplasia, and segmentation abnormalities of the spine. Case 2 had unilateral tibial hemimelia, bilateral preaxial polydactyly of the feet, spinal dysraphism, and segmentation abnormalities of the spine. Case 3 had unilateral tibial hemimelia, bilateral preaxial polydactyly of the feet, bilateral hip dysplasia, absent pedicles on the lumbar spine, and deficiency in rib number. Tibial hemimelia is a form of limb deficiency characterized by tibial hypoplasia with an intact fibula. It has been described in other conditions, but it is usually associated with an absent hallux. In contrast, the described infants of diabetic mothers had tibial hemimelia and specific proximal hallucal polydactyly, a form of polydactyly that has been described as being specific for diabetic embryopathy (Carey et al. 1990). One report proposed that these findings make a distinctive pattern of malformations in infants of diabetic mothers (Slee et al. 1997).The cases presented provide further evidence that tibial hemimelia, vertebral anomalies, and a particular preaxial polydactyly of the feet comprise a specific pattern of malformations in infants of diabetic mothers. Interestingly, “dominant hemimelia” mice can have tibial shortening and polydactyly of the feet. Thus both genetic and environmental factors may contribute to this specific embryopathy in infants of diabetic mothers.
THE METICULOUS RESERVOIR PREDICTION OF THE ZHOUQINGZHUANG OILFIELD

Aim at the geological characters such as complex strcture and rapidly change of reservoir, based on the techniques of pre- cise reservoir prediction and the way of analysis the informations of geoglegy and log and seismic, the reservoir of Zhouqingzhuang Oilfield has been integrated research. As a result, the structure and sand distribution in the area has been clearly outlined. By various kinds of research results to direct our application of exploitation, we have been gotten good economic benefit.
The electrophysiology of peripheral nerve injuries.

Certain neurophysiologic tests may be of great utility in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. In this article, the basic physiology of electromyography, nerve conduction velocity, H-reflex, F-wave, and somatosensory evoked potential testing are reviewed. Specific examples of their diagnostic and surgical applications are presented.
Newborn Health on the Line: The Potential mHealth Applications

Among the 75 countries with the highest burden of child deaths, 40% of such deaths occur during the neonatal period.1 Complications arising from preterm birth are now the leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Despite significant survival gains in children younger than 5 years, reductions in newborn deaths continue to lag behind.1 The rapid proliferation of wireless communication in developing countries has led to the ubiquitous availability and use of mobile phones, even in remote, rural places where public health systems are struggling to gain ground. Does this new reality offer innovative mechanisms through which appropriate care can be delivered during the critical period around childbirth? Research is ongoing across a diverse mHealth space to define the extent to which extending access to information for mothers, improving the targeted delivery of timely care, and replacing inefficient data collection and response systems with real-time accountability can improve the fate of the 7.6 million children younger than 5 years who die each year.1
Lateral congenital anomalies of the pharyngeal apparatus: part III. cadaveric representation of the course of second and third cleft and pouch fistulas.

"Stepladder" surgery for fistula from second or third pharyngeal cleft and pouch is "blind." Neither intraoperative methylene blue injection and probing nor preoperative imaging (fistulogram ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) reveal three-dimensional anatomic relations of fistulas. This article describes the most common second and third fistula courses and demonstrates representation of their tracts with wires in human cadavers. A second cleft and pouch fistula, at its external opening, pierces superficial cervical fascia (and platysma), then investing cervical fascia, and travels under the sternocleidomastoid muscle, superficial to the sternohyoid and anterior belly of omohyoid. It ascends along the carotid sheath, and at the upper border of the thyroid cartilage it pierces the pretracheal fascia. Characteristically, it courses between the carotid bifurcation and over the hypoglossal nerve. After passing beneath the posterior belly of the digastric muscle and the stylohyoid, it hooks around both glossopharyngeal nerve and stylopharyngeus muscle. The fistula reaches the pharynx below the superior constrictor muscle. The course of a third cleft and pouch fistula is similar until it has pierced pretracheal fascia; then it passes over the hypoglossal nerve and behind the internal carotid, finally descending parallel to the superior laryngeal nerve, reaching the thyrohyoid membrane cranial to the nerve.