cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Students as Scholars Courses and Student Learning Outcomes: A Realignment

During the summer, a group of faculty will be looking at the Students as Scholars student learning outcomes and course definitions. After five years, we have seen that some of the elements are too broad or too narrow, and that the course descriptions are difficult understand. My expectation is that, at the least, there will be a simplification in the elements of the student learning outcomes. This poster will be a visual representation of those changes, presented as a part of a campus-wide discussion of any changes. I will provide a full abstract of the poster at the end of the summer.
Using k-nearest neighbors to construct cancelable minutiae templates.

Fingerprint is widely used in a variety of applications. Security measures have to be taken to protect the privacy of fingerprint data. Cancelable biometrics is proposed as an effective mechanism of using and protecting biometrics. In this paper we propose a new method of constructing cancelable fingerprint template by combining real template with synthetic template. Specifically, each user is given one synthetic minutia template generated with random number generator. Every minutia point from the real template is individually thrown into the synthetic template, from which its k-nearest neighbors are found. The verification template is constructed by combining an arbitrary set of the k-nearest neighbors. To prove the validity of the scheme, testing is carried out on three databases. The results show that the constructed templates satisfy the requirements of cancelable biometrics.
Association of mitochondrial DNA variants with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) symptoms

Earlier this year, we described an analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants in myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients and healthy controls. We reported that there was no significant association of haplogroups or singe nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with disease status. Nevertheless, a commentary about our paper appeared (Finsterer and Zarrouk-Mahjoub. J Transl Med14:182, 2016) that criticized the association of mtDNA haplogroups with ME/CFS, a conclusion that was absent from our paper. The aforementioned commentary also demanded experiments that were outside of the scope of our study, ones that we had suggested as follow-up studies. Because they failed to consult a published and cited report describing the cohorts we studied, the authors also cast aspersions on the method of selection of cases for inclusion. We reiterate that we observed statistically significant association of mtDNA variants with particular symptoms and their severity, though we observed no association with disease status.
Comparison of longterm outcomes and quality of life in recipients of donation after cardiac death liver grafts with a propensity-matched cohort.

Background: The use of liver grafts from donation after cardiac death donors (DCD LT) has been limited due to the increased rate of graft failure, mostly related to ischemic cholangiopathy(IC). It is our hypothesis that long term outcomes and quality of life similar to patients undergoing liver transplantation with donation after brain death donors (DBD LT) can be achieved. Methods: Clinical outcomes of all patients undergoing DCD LT (n = 300) between 1998-2015 were compared to a propensity score matched cohort of patients undergoing DBD LT (n = 300). Patients were contacted for a follow-up questionnaire and SF-12 Quality of Life Survey administration. All patients had at least 1 year follow-up. Results: Graft survival at 1-,3- and 5-years was 83.8%,75.5% and 70.1% in the DCD LT group and 88.4%,80.3% and 73.9% in the DBD LT group (p = 0.27). Patient survival at 1-,3- and 5-years was 92.3%, 86.1% and 80.3% in the DCD LT group and 92.3%,85.1% and 79.5% in the DBD LT group(p = 0.81). IC developed in 12% and 2% of patients in the DCD LT group and DBD LT group, respectively (p < 0.001). DCD LT recipients who developed IC had inferior graft survival compared to both the DCD non-IC group (p < 0.001) and the DBD LT group (p < 0.001); no difference in graft survival was observed between the DCD non-IC group and the DBD LT group (p = 0.50). Physical and mental component scores on the SF-12 quality of life questionnaire were similar between the DCD LT and DBD LT groups [(43.8 vs. 45.4; p = 0.21) and (52.1 vs. 52.2; p = 0.92)], respectively. Conclusion: Similar long-term survival and quality of life scores can be achieved between DCD LT and DBD LT. Prevention of IC in DCD LT yields excellent graft and patient survival with virtually no difference compared to DBD LT. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Frailty and reduced physical function go hand in hand in adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a US observational cohort study

Reduced physical function and health-related quality of life are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and further studies are needed that examine novel determinates of reduced physical function in RA. This study examines whether frailty, a state of increased vulnerability to stressors, is associated with differences in self-reported physical function among adults with RA. Adults from a longitudinal RA cohort (n = 124) participated in the study. Using an established definition of frailty, individuals with three or more of the following physical deficits were classified as frail: (1) body mass index ≤18.5, (2) low grip strength (adjusted for sex and body mass index (BMI), measured by handheld dynamometer), (3) severe fatigue (measured by the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue), (4) slow 4-m walking speed (adjusted for sex and height), and (5) low physical activity (measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire). Individuals with one or two deficits were classified as "pre-frail" and those with no deficits as "robust." Self-reported physical function was assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Valued Life Activities Difficulty scale. Regression analyses modeled associations of frailty category with HAQ and Valued Life Activities (VLA) Difficulty scores with and without controlling for age, sex, disease duration, C-reactive protein, use of oral steroids, and pain. Among adults with RA, being frail compared to being robust was associated with a 0.44 worse VLA score (p < 0.01) when the effects of covariates are held constant. Being frail, compared to being robust, is associated with clinically meaningful differences in self-reported physical function among adults with RA.
Effects of Common Angler Handling Techniques on Florida Largemouth Bass Behavior, Feeding, and Survival

AbstractBlack bass Micropterus spp. support popular freshwater sport fisheries in North America. Bass anglers commonly adopt catch and release as a conservation practice, and frequently over 75% of angled black bass are released back into the water. If fish survive the angling event, the practice of catch and release as an alternative to harvest reduces direct mortality, but it has the potential to affect the postrelease feeding behavior and survival of the fish. The act of lifting black bass for handling, hook removal, and photograph opportunities may cause stress and injury, and the degree of injury sustained could be influenced by fish size. Holding fish in a tilted grip by the jaw has raised concern among anglers about potential damage to jaw musculature and tendons, as they may not support the fish’s body weight out of water, particularly for trophy bass. We conducted an experiment with Florida Largemouth Bass M. salmoides floridanus to evaluate the relative differences in survival, jaw mechanics, an...
Application of Asynchronous Weak Commitment Search in Self Organized Cognitive Radio Networks

This article presents a distributed solution to autonomous quality of service provision. This method paves the way for decentralized and autonomous quality of service (QoS) provision in capillary networks that reach end nodes at Internet of Things, when, due to any reason, central management is either unavailable or not efficient. As case studies, cognitive spatial reuse time division access and code division multiple access communication networks are investigated. Based on asynchronous weak commitment search the task of QoS provision is distributed among different network nodes. This application of artificial intelligence in wireless and mobile communications can be used in home automation and networking, and vehicular technology. Extensions of this approach can be used in self organizing networks, specifically for machine to machine communications.
Book Review: Before Nature: A Christian Spirituality:

Before Nature: A Christian Spirituality. By H. Paul Santmire. Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress Press, 2014. xxvii + 253 pp. $39.00 (paper).When the environmental movement burst on the scene in the late 1960s, Paul Santmire wrote a pioneering work on ecological theology, Brother Earth: Nature, God, and Ecology in a Time of Crisis (Thomas Nelson, 1970). Since that time, Santmire has written several other related books, including The Travail of Nature: The Ambiguous Ecological Promise of Christian Theology (Fortress Press, 1985), and outlined his own theology of nature in Nature Reborn: The Ecological and Cosmic Promise of Christian Theology (Fortress Press, 2000). In these works, Santmire strongly challenges those who claim that the Christian traditions have little to offer in dealing with ecological issues. Later he recovered the importance of Christian liturgical symbols in Ritualizing Nature: Renewing Christian Liturgy in a Time of Crisis (Fortress Press, 2008). For over forty years, Santmire has been a leading voice in and advocate for ecological theology, or a theology of nature.Santmire now has written a book on Christian spirituality as it relates to our understanding of the natural order. In Before Nature, Santmire moves toward a Trinitarian spirituality of nature. He takes us on a journey beginning where the divine is experienced in the ordinary, on to a contemplative engagement with the Triune God. In this book the author stands "before nature, contemplating its integrity, its beauties, its terrors, and its mysteries, including the delights and the frailties of my own body" (p. xvii).This book reflects the Franciscan tradition and on its cover one will find the famous painting of Giovanni Bellini, St. Francis in Ecstasy. Santmire addresses this book to spiritual seekers (both in and out of religious institutions), as well as to teachers and pastors.Before Nature builds on Santmire's previous works. Therefore, when I picked up the book, I wondered if it would stand alone without the reader knowing Santmire's other works. It certainly does, because Santmire cleverly and smoothly refers the reader to endnotes (sometimes detailed), linking this book with previous works. In the books epigraph and again in chapter 2, he introduces the reader to the Trinity Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit, Come and Reign." The book is largely a commentary on the meaning and significance of this prayer. …
Mathematical Modeling of Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury and Postconditioning Therapy

Reperfusion (restoration of blood flow) after a period of ischemia (interruption of blood flow) can paradoxically place tissues at risk of further injury: so-called ischemia-reperfusion injury or IR injury. Recent studies have shown that postconditioning (intermittent periods of further ischemia applied during reperfusion) can reduce IR injury. We develop a mathematical model to describe the reperfusion and postconditioning process following an ischemic insult, treating the blood vessel as a two-dimensional channel, lined with a monolayer of endothelial cells that interact (respiration and mechanotransduction) with the blood flow. We investigate how postconditioning affects the total cell density within the endothelial layer, by varying the frequency of the pulsatile flow and the oxygen concentration at the inflow boundary. We find that, in the scenarios we consider, the pulsatile flow should be of high frequency to minimize cellular damage, while oxygen concentration at the inflow boundary should be held constant, or subject to only low-frequency variations, to maximize cell proliferation.
Concluding Remarks: Policy Implications for Postsecondary Arts Education

Insightful, rigorous social scientific research on the effectiveness of postsecondary education in the arts provides a more reliable guide and corrective to arts colleges than the accreditation process enforced by the National Office of Arts Accreditation, which protects and privileges arts disciplines, and faculties, over the interests of students. The postsecondary arts education industry should become more data driven and less tradition-bound.
Diagnostic Force Balance and its Limits

A perspective is presented on the premises, mathematical structure, regimes of validity, historical experience, evolutionary singularities, and unbalanced instabilities for the reduced fluid-dynamical system, the Balance Equations. The Balance Equations are an asymptotically consistent (but non-unique) set of approximations for rotating, stably stratified flows, built around the diagnostic force balances of hydrostacy in the vertical and gradient-wind balance in the horizontal divergence. It is widely agreed that the vast majority of the energy in the general circulations of the ocean and atmosphere is in balanced motions. There is a conundrum about large-scale energy dissipation in the ocean and atmosphere. Planetary forcing energizes large-scale balanced motions, including balanced mesoscale instabilities of the directly forced flows. Balanced flows are asymptotically characterized by an inverse energy cascade toward larger scales, but there are few and relatively inefficient dissipation mechanisms available at large and mesoscales (e.g., bottom drag and radiative cooling). Thus, the dynamical routes to dissipation at small scales remain uncertain. Unbalanced instabilities—especially centrifugal and anticyclonic, ageostrophic instabilities—may have an important role in furthering the route to dissipation. Finally, a brief analysis is made of Pedro Ripa’s contributions to the mathematical characterization of balanced dynamics and its possible unbalanced instabilities.
Parent–Child Communication Apprehension: The Role of Parental Alienation and Self-Esteem

This study examined communication apprehension within parent–child relationships as a function of parental alienation and self-esteem. We posited that parental alienation in childhood was positivel...
Lotus Land in This Very Body: The Religious Philosophy of Nichiren

This essay sketches out key features of the religious philosophy of the thirteenth- century Japanese Buddhist figure Nichiren 日蓮 (1222–1282), and considers his worldview and teaching in the context of the contemporary global scene. Nichiren’s Buddhist worldview can be understood as manifesting a fourfold structure, with a 1) view of the problematic of the human condition, 2) a teaching on ultimate reality and human ultimate destiny, 3) a prescription for the attainment of this ultimate reality/destiny, and 4) social expressions of this ultimate way. Examining Nichiren’s authenticated writings, this essay will lay out the elements of that fourfold structure and offer reflections on how these relate to contemporary issues.
Optimal combination therapy for advanced colorectal cancer: An examination of synergy and antagonism with EGFR inhibition.

e14075 Background: While FOLFOX +/- Bevacizumab is the most widely used combination in colorectal cancer (CRC), the EGFr antagonists Cetuximab & Panitumumab have not further enhanced activity. On t...
Adaptive aiding with an individualized workload model based on psychophysiological measures

Potential benefits of technology such as automation are oftentimes negated by improper use and application. Adaptive systems provide a means to calibrate the use of technological aids to the operator’s state, such as workload state, which can change throughout the course of a task. Such systems require a workload model which detects workload and specifies the level at which aid should be rendered. Workload models that use psychophysiological measures have the advantage of detecting workload continuously and relatively unobtrusively, although the inter-individual variability in psychophysiological responses to workload is a major challenge for many models. This study describes an approach to workload modeling with multiple psychophysiological measures that was generalizable across individuals, and yet accommodated inter-individual variability. Under this approach, several novel algorithms were formulated. Each of these underwent a process of evaluation which included comparisons of the algorithm’s performance to an at-chance level, and assessment of algorithm robustness. Further evaluations involved the sensitivity of the shortlisted algorithms at various threshold values for triggering an adaptive aid.
High-energy parametric amplification of spectrally incoherent broadband pulses

We study and demonstrate the efficient parametric amplification of spectrally incoherent broadband nanosecond pulses to high energies. Signals composed of mutually incoherent monochromatic lines or amplified spontaneous emission are amplified in a sequence of optical parametric amplifiers pumped at 526.5 nm, with the last amplifier set in a collinear geometry. This configuration results in 70% conversion efficiency from the pump to the combined signal and idler, with a combined energy reaching 400 mJ and an optical spectrum extending over 60 nm around 1053 nm. The spatial, spectral, and temporal properties of the amplified waves are investigated. The demonstrated high conversion efficiency, spectral incoherence, and large bandwidth open the way to a new generation of high-energy, solid-state laser drivers that mitigate laser–plasma instabilities and laser-beam imprint via enhanced spectral bandwidth.
Semi-transparent, flexible, and electrically conductive silicon mesh by capillarity-driven welding of vapor-liquid-solid-grown nanowires over large areas

Bottom-up synthesis of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) by the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism has enabled diverse technological applications for these nanomaterials. Unlike metallic NWs, however, it has been challenging to form large-area interconnected NW networks. Here, we generate centimeter-scale meshes of mechanically and electrically interconnected Si NWs by sequentially growing, collapsing, and joining the NWs using a capillarity-driven welding mechanism. We fabricate meshes from VLS-grown NWs ranging in diameter from 20 to 100 nm and find that the meshes are three-dimensional with a thickness ranging from ~ 1 to ~ 10 microns depending on the NW diameter. Optical extinction measurements reveal that the networks are semi-transparent with a color that depends on the absorption and scattering characteristics of individual NWs. Moreover, active voltage contrast imaging of both centimeter- and micron-scale meshes reveals widespread electrical connectivity. Using a sacrificial layer, we demonstrate that the mesh can be liberated from the growth substrate, yielding a highly flexible and transparent film. Electrical transport measurements both on the growth substrate and on liberated, flexible films reveal electrical conduction across a centimeter scale with a sheet resistance of ~ 160–180 kΩ/square that does not change significantly upon bending. Given the ability to encode complex functionality in semiconductor NWs through the VLS process, we believe these meshes of networked NWs could find application as neuromorphic memory, electrode scaffolds, and bioelectronic interfaces.
In Reply: The Utility of Intraoperative Lateral Spread Recording in Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Microvascular decompression (MVD) is the surgical treatment of choice for hemifacial spasm (HFS). During MVD, monitoring of the abnormal lateral spread response (LSR), an evoked response to facial nerve stimulation, has been traditionally used to monitor adequacy of cranial nerve (CN) VII decompression. Objective To assess the utility of LSR monitoring in predicting spasm-free status after MVD postoperatively. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for relevant publications. We included studies reporting on intraoperative LSR monitoring during MVD for HFS and spasm-free status following the procedure. Sensitivity of LSR, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, and positive predictive value were calculated. Results From 148 studies, 26 studies with 7479 patients were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. The final intraoperative LSR status predicted the clinical outcome of MVD with the following specificities and sensitivities: 89% (0.83- 0.93) and 40% (0.30- 0.51) at discharge, 90% (0.84-0.94) and 41% (0.29-0.53) at 3 mo, 89% (0.83-0.93) and 40% (0.30-0.51) at 1 yr. When LSR persisted after MVD, the probability (95% CI) for HFS persistence was 47.8% (0.33-0.63) at discharge, 40.8% (0.23-0.61) at 3 mo, and 24.4% (0.13-0.41) at 1 yr. However, when LSR resolved, the probability for HFS persistence was 7.3% at discharge, 4.2% at 3 mo, and 4.0% at 1 yr. Conclusion Intraoperative LSR monitoring has high specificity but modest sensitivity in predicting the spasm-free status following MVD. Persistence of LSR carries high risk for immediate and long-term facial spasm persistence. Therefore, adequacy of decompression should be thoroughly investigated before closing in cases where intraoperative LSR persists.
Lemierre Syndrome: A Meta-analysis.

Introduction Lemierre syndrome, or postpharyngitis anaerobic sepsis, is an infrequent but life-threatening infection that often involves thrombosis of the internal jugular vein. The role of anticoagulation in addition to antibiotics and surgical treatment remains uncertain. Objectives 1) To perform a meta-analysis on outcomes and treatment of Lemierre syndrome; and 2) to evaluate the effect of anticoagulation in Lemierre syndrome on vessel recanalization and on mortality. Data Synthesis A Pubmed database search was conducted using the keywords Lemierre syndrome. A total of 427 studies were identified and reviewed. Data were extracted on patient demographics, treatment type including use and type of anticoagulation, type of antibiotics, presence and location of vessel thrombosis, presence of cranial neuropathies, recanalization of thrombosed vessels on follow-up imaging, organisms isolated on wound or blood cultures, and mortality. The primary outcome variables examined were the effect of anticoagulation on vessel recanalization and mortality. After the review, 359 studies totaling 394 patients between 1990 and 2017 had partial or complete data that could be analyzed. In total, 50 patients had sufficient data on the effect of anticoagulation on vessel recanalization, and 194 had sufficient data on the effect of anticoagulation on mortality. The odds ratio for anticoagulation and vessel recanalization was 1.6 (95% confidence interval = 0.3 to 9.4; p = 0.6). The odds ratio for anticoagulation and death was 0.6 (95% confidence interval = 0.1 to 2.9; p = 0.5). Conclusion The present meta-analysis did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect on vessel recanalization or mortality for patients treated with anticoagulation versus patients not anticoagulated in the Lemierre syndrome literature.
An Introduction of Research Approaches in Urban Agricultural and Community Contexts

This volume highlights the importance of research in urban agricultural and community contexts. The authors showcase innovative research approaches that can be used by future researchers and practitioners who work in urban agriculture. In particular, research-based perspectives of the impact of urban agriculture programs on student learning are shared in addition to effective models and principles on designing urban agricultural programs being highlighted. This volume focuses on the educational outcomes, the research that is being conducted, and programs that impact youth across a variety of contexts embedded in urban settings.Authors also share innovative approaches in examining the effectiveness of urban agriculture in formal, non-formal/informal educational contexts. Topics such as STEM integration, science learning, student engagement, learning gardens, environmental education, and curriculum design are a part of this volume.The content level of the chapters are geared toward undergraduate and graduate students, practitioners, and researchers. Lastly, the primary audiences that will benefit from the contents of each chapter include those who are PK-12 teachers; postsecondary faculty; non-profit organizations that focus on formal, non-formal/informal education; urban STEM educators; agricultural education teachers; and career and technical education researchers. In sum, this volume will help expand what we have come to know thus far on research related to urban agricultural and community contexts.
The Cognitive Effects of Music: Working Memory Is Enhanced in Healthy Older Adults after Listening to Music (P07.162)

OBJECTIVE: Healthy older adults will demonstrate enhanced working memory following music stimuli relative to no music stimuli (obtained from data gathered approximately 5 years ago). BACKGROUND: The present study aims to investigate the hypothesis that performance on tests of working memory, by normal older persons, can be improved after they listen to positive affect music. The "Mozart effect" suggested that listening to Mozart music increased an individual9s performance on visuospatial tasks. Here, we examine the impact of positive and negative affect music on working memory, which declines in the context of normal aging. DESIGN/METHODS: Sixty adults who had previously undergone neurological and neuropsychological (including Digit Span) testing were enrolled in the study. Participants were randomized into two groups and listened to a series of positive and negative musical clips. They were then tested using Digit Span from the WAIS-IV as well as computerized Spatial Span from the PEBL Psychological Battery. Paired sample t-tests of current test results and previously obtained test results were analyzed. RESULTS: Digit Span (DS) performance under music condition was significantly stronger than Digit Span performance under no music condition. The p-value for DS after listening to positive music versus no music was .02, and .03 for negative music versus no music. CONCLUSIONS: Recent neuropsychological studies indicate that the current participant cohort would be expected to have Digit Span scores -0.07 points lower than their previous test scores. However, after listening to music that increases mood, healthy older adults showed a significant increase in Digit Span scores despite the expected decrease. Given the frontal lobe hypothesis, it can then be concluded that mood enhancing music in healthy older adults can also temporarily increase working memory performance. This is not a cure for the working memory decline associated with aging, but music is a very non-invasive and enjoyable method to augment day-to-day activities. Supported by: Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship. Disclosure: Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tranel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Denburg has nothing to disclose.
One dimensional Dirac-Moshinsky oscillator-like system and isospectral partners

Two different exactly solvable systems are constructed using the supersymmetric quantum mechanics formalism and a pseudoscalar one-dimensional version of the Dirac- Moshinsky oscillator as a departing system. One system is built using a first-order SUSY transformation. The second is obtained through the confluent supersymmetry algorithm. The two of them are explicitly designed to have the same spectrum as the departing system and pseudoscalar potentials.
Evaluation of a Community-Based Approach to Strengthen Retention in Early Childhood Home Visiting.

Home visiting (HV) is a strategy for delivering services designed to promote positive parenting and prevent exposure to toxic stress during a critical period of child development. Home visiting programs are voluntary and family engagement and retention in service can influence outcomes. Most participants receive less home visits and for a shorter time than prescribed by evidence-based models. The purpose of this study was to evaluate community-based enrichment of HV (CBE-HV), an approach that was developed and implemented to increase engagement and retention in HV. CBE-HV strategies included (1) community engagement, (2) ancillary supports for families in HV, and (3) enhancements to a HV program. A retrospective, quasi-experimental study was conducted to estimate the effect of CBE-HV on the retention of families in a HV program. Comparisons of study participants were made post-implementation of CBE-HV (n = 2191) and over time (n = 3786)—pre- versus post-CBE-HV implementation in the study communities. The CBE-HV effect was statistically significant and protective (hazards ratio [HR] 0.77, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.67, 0.88), indicating that attrition from HV was 23 % less in the CBE-HV group relative to the post-implementation comparison group. In the temporal comparison of study communities, CBE-HV was also associated with a significantly lower risk of HV attrition (HR: 0.71, 95 % CI: 0.56, 0.89). The study demonstrated that CBE-HV is a promising approach to achieve stronger retention and engagement in HV. Further research is needed to identify the components of CBE-HV approaches that are most effective.
Arrays: A software package for analysis of antenna arrays

This article describes a software package useful for the instruction of antenna array theory. The program provides the radiation pattern of different types of antennas, the array factor of linear, two-dimensional and three-dimensional arrays, and the total radiation pattern. The elements of the array are isotropic source, Hertzian dipole, straight thin wire dipole, and finite line source with uniform current distribution. The user has the freedom to choose one of the supported element types or to provide the pattern of an antenna element based on experimental or calculated data. This article serves as a tutorial for selected examples as well as a quick guide for the use of this software.
What Is Leadership

This book is dedicated to the study of leadership and its role in the success of an academic surgeon’s career. This first chapter is divided into two portions. First, leadership is discussed in general, including the definition, general aspects, and its relationship to other attributes and to the individual, including what leaders do and how they do it. Second, the importance of leadership and the role that it plays today in medicine and surgery is reviewed.
Heuristic Reorganization of Clustered Files

The problem of file reorganization which we consider involves altering the placement of records on pages of a secondary storage device. In addition, we want this reorganization to be done in-place, i.e., using the file's original storage space for the newly reorganized file. The motivation for such a physical change is to improve the database system's performance. For example, by placing frequently and jointly accessed records on the same page or pages, we can try to minimize the number of page accesses made in answering a set of queries. The optimal assignment (or reassignment) of records to clusters is exactly what record clustering algorithms [1,2,4,9] attempt to do. However, record clustering algorithms usually do not solve the entire problem, i.e., they do not specify how to efficiently reorganize the file to reflect the clustering assignment which they determine. Our algorithm is a companion to general record clustering algorithms since it actually transforms the file. The problem of optimal file reorganization is NP-hard [3]. Consequently, our reorganization algorithm is based on heuristics for which we prove three important observations.
The acid hydrolysis of glycosides: XI. Effect of pH on the hydrolysis of acid disaccharides

Abstract At pH values higher than 0.5, 2- O -(4- O -methyl-α- D -glucopyranosyluronic acid)- D -xylose ( 1 ) is hydrolyzed faster than predicted. Above a pH of 3, pseudocellobiouronic acid ( 2 ) is hydrolysed at rates that increase with increase in pH. The hydrolysis of the aldobiouronic acid 1 is probably influenced by both the un-ionized and ionized carboxyl groups. The hydrolysis of the pseudoaldobiouronic acid ( 2 ) possibly involves intramolecular catalysis through the carboxyl group.
Software Agents and Their Bodies

Within artificial intelligence and the philosophy of mind, there is considerable disagreement over the relationship between an agent‘s body and its capacity for intelligent behavior. Some treat the body as peripheral and tangential to intelligence; others argue that embodiment and intelligence are inextricably linked. Software agents–-computer programs that interact with software environments such as the Internet–-provide an ideal context in which to study this tension. I develop a computational framework for analyzing embodiment. The framework generalizes the notion of a body beyond merely having a physical presence. My analysis sheds light on certain claims made about the relevance of the body to intelligence, as well as on embodiment in software worlds.
Deletion of the glutamate carboxypeptidase II gene in mice reveals a second enzyme activity that hydrolyzes N‐acetylaspartylglutamate

Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII, EC 3.14.17.21) is a membrane-bound enzyme found on the extracellular face ofglia. The gene for this enzyme is designated FOLH1 in humans and Folh1 in mice. This enzyme has been proposed to be responsible for inactivation of the neurotransmitter N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) following synaptic release. Mice harboring a disruption of the gene for GCPII/Folh1 were generated by inserting into the genome a targeting cassette in which the intron-exon boundary sequences of exons 1 and 2 were removed and stop codons were inserted in exons 1 and 2. Messenger RNA for GCPII was not detected by northern blotting or RT-PCR analysis of RNA from the brains of -/- mutant mice nor was GCPII protein detected on western blots of this tissue. These GCPII null mutant mice developed normally to adulthood and exhibited a normal range of neurologic responses and behaviors including mating, open field activity and retention of position in rotorod tests. No significant differences were observed among responses of wild type, heterozygous mutant and homozygous mutant mice on tail flick and hot plate latency tests. Glutamate, NAAG and mRNA for metabotropic glutamate receptor type 3 levels were not significantly altered in response to the deletion of glutamate carboxypeptidase II. A novel membrane-bound NAAG peptidase activity was discovered in brain, spinal cord and kidney of the GCPII knock out mice. The kinetic values for brain NAAG peptidase activity in the wild type and GCPII nullmutant were Vmax = 45 and 3 pmol/mg/min and Km = 2650 nm and 2494 nm, respectively. With the exception of magnesium and copper, this novel peptidase activity had a similar requirement for metal ions as GCPII. Two potent inhibitors of GCPII, 4,4'-phosphinicobis-(butane-1,3 dicarboxilic acid) (FN6) and 2-(phosphonomethyl)pentanedioic acid (2-PMPA) inhibited the residual activity. The IC50 value for 2-PMPA was about 1 nm for wild-type brain membrane NAAG peptidase activity consistent with its activity against cloned ratand human GCPII, and 88 nm for the activity in brain membranes of the null mutants.
The “Skinny” on brown fat, obesity, and bone

The discovery that metabolically active brown fat is present in humans throughout ontogeny raises new questions about the interactions between thermoregulatory, metabolic, and skeletal homeostasis. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is distinct from white adipose tissue (WAT) for its ability to burn, rather than store, energy. BAT uniquely expresses uncoupling protein-1 (abbreviated as UCP1), which diverts the energy produced by cellular respiration to generate heat. While BAT is found in small mammals, hibernators, and newborns, this depot was thought to regress in humans during early postnatal life. Recent studies revealed that human BAT remains metabolically active throughout childhood and even in adulthood, particularly in response to cold exposure. In addition to the constitutive BAT depots present at birth, BAT cells can be induced within WAT depots under specific metabolic and climatic conditions. These cells, called inducible brown fat, “brite,” or beige fat, are currently the focus of intense investigation as a possible treatment for obesity. Inducible brown fat is associated with higher bone mineral density, suggesting that brown fat interacts with bone growth in previously unrecognized ways. Finally, BAT may have contributed to climatic adaptation in hominins. Here, I review current findings on the role of BAT in thermoregulation, bone growth, and metabolism, describe the potential role of BAT in moderating the obesity epidemic, and outline possible functions of BAT across hominin evolutionary history. Yrbk Phys Anthropol 156:98–115, 2015. © 2014 American Association of Physical Anthropologists
Outlook for Magneto-Optical Recording

Publisher Summary The future trends in magneto-optical recording are dependent on the capabilities of magneto-optical recording technology, future trends in information processing systems, and other data storage technologies. The increased processing speed of semiconductor devices is, in fact, partially responsible for the increased demand for storage. Only with high speed processors and large random access memories can one process and utilize digital audio or image data which consume such large volumes of storage. Advances in semiconductors enable advances in disk drive technology. The chapter also illustrates a sector servo can be used to pack recorded tracks. The data rate of magneto-optical drives is lower than magnetic drives. Magneto-optical drives today have a longer access time and fewer disks on a spindle. Magneto-optical recording offers a removable medium and thus, can be used for data interchange between computers, backup and archival storage. Magneto-optical disks offer faster access times, but lower volumetric storage density and lower data rates. Thus, magneto-optical disks is preferred where access time is a significant concern, but magnetic tape will still be used extensively because of its large volumetric storage density, low cost per bit and high data transfer rate through the use of helical scan recording and/or parallel recording heads. Rare earth-transition metal alloys are used as magneto-optical media that offers large magneto-optic coefficients. Heads using optical fibers have been proposed for both compact disks and magneto-optical disks. The main advantage of magneto-optical recording is its removable media. A drawback of magneto-optical recording as compared to magnetic recording has been the absence of direct overwrite capability.
A simplified culture system to examine soluble factor interactions between mammalian cells

Interactions between different cell types play critical roles in normal development and disease, but remain challenging to analyse. Here, a co-culture system is described that overcomes many of the limitations of existing methods, is simple to construct and modify, and is compatible with standard cellular and molecular assays.
Temporal changes in uterine activity and prostaglandin response to RU486 in rhesus macaques in late gestation.

Progesterone withdrawal as a mechanism of parturition in primates is controversial because maternal, fetal, and amniotic fluid progesterone concentrations do not decrease before parturition. We therefore studied the effects of RU486 on uterine activity and amniotic fluid prostaglandins in four rhesus macaques implanted with amniotic fluid and maternal vascular catheters and with fetal electrocardiogram and uterine electromyogram electrodes at 119 to 124 days' gestation (term = 168 days). Uterine electromyogram, intra-amniotic pressure (hourly contraction area, mm Hg · sec/hr), and fetal electrocardiogram were monitored continuously. After a stabilization period (6 to 9 days) RU486 was administered orally (20 mg/kg/day) at 1000 hours for 3 days. Uterine activity increased from basal levels ( 2α , 6-keto-prostaglandin F 1α 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F 2α , and 11-deoxy-13,14-dihydro-15-keto-11β, 16****-cycloprostaglandin E 2 occurred 40 hours after the onset of increased uterine activity. In contrast, amniotic fluid prostaglandins in the control animals delivering at term (n = 4) increased 24 to 48 hours before significant increases in uterine activity occurred. Control animals but not those given RU486 demonstrated a progressive nocturnal peak in uterine activity before delivery. Progesterone receptor blockade stimulates intense preterm uterine activity but not the orderly sequence of changes in prostaglandins and cervical status observed during normal parturition.
Thrombotic Microangiopathy and Renal Failure Exacerbated by ε-Aminocaproic Acid

w c v t i e s -Aminocaproic acid (EACA) is used to treat bleeding associated with systemic brinolysis, as well as hematuria resulting rom urinary tract procedures or tumors. EACA nhibits urokinase and other activators of plasinogen, decreasing the formation of plasmin nd inhibiting the breakdown of fibrin. ACA-associated renal failure may be caused y obstruction of the upper urinary system by lood clots, hypotension with acute tubular ecrosis, renal infarction, and myoglobinuria. his is the first report of EACA causing renal ailure by accelerating a preexisting thromotic microangiopathic process.
Rate of success in classical biological control of arthropods.

Recently, Hall and Ehler (1979) presented an analysis of the rate of establishment of natural enemies in classical biological control. The purpose of the present paper is to present an analysis of the attendant rate of success. Such an analysis is particularly appropriate because virtually all previous analyses have dealt with number of successes rather than rate of success. By success rate, we mean number of successes/number of attempts. The present analysis is based largely on data presented in the review of classical biological control prepared by C. P. Clausen and co-workers (Clausen 1978)
Use of articulated registration for response assessment of individual metastatic bone lesions

Accurate skeleton registration is necessary to match corresponding metastatic bone lesions for response assessment over multiple scans. In articulated registration (ART), whole-body skeletons are registered by auto-segmenting individual bones, then rigidly aligning them. Performance and robustness of the ART in lesion matching were evaluated and compared to other commonly used registration techniques. Sixteen prostate cancer patients were treated either with molecular targeted therapy or chemotherapy. Ten out of the 16 patients underwent the double baseline whole-body [F-18]NaF PET/CT scans for test-retest (TRT) evaluation. Twelve of the 16 patients underwent pre- and mid-treatment [F-18]NaF PET/CT scans. Skeletons at different time points were registered using ART, rigid, and deformable (DR) registration algorithms. The corresponding lesions were contoured and identified on successive PET images based on including the voxels with the standardized uptake value over 15. Each algorithm was evaluated for its ability to accurately align corresponding lesions via skeleton registration. A lesion matching score (MS) was measured for each lesion, which quantified the per cent overlap between the lesion's two corresponding contours. Three separate sensitivity studies were conducted to investigate the robustness of ART in matching: sensitivity of lesion matching to various contouring threshold levels, effects of imperfections in the bone auto-segmentation and sensitivity of mis-registration. The performance of ART (MS = 82% for both datasets, p ≪ 0.001) in lesion matching was significantly better than rigid (MSTRT = 53%, MSResponse = 46%) and DR (MSTRT = 46%, MSResponse = 45%) algorithms. Neither varying threshold levels for lesion contouring nor imperfect bone segmentation had significant (p∼0.10) impact on the ART matching performance as the MS remained unchanged. Despite the mis-registration reduced MS for ART, as low as 67% (p ≪ 0.001), the performance remained to be superior to the rigid and DR algorithms. ART is not only robust to contouring threshold levels for bone lesions, but also outperforms rigid and DR algorithms in lesion matching. ART therefore enables the study of TRT variability and treatment assessment of individual bone lesions.
Recurrent depletion of benthic oxygen with 4th-order transgressive maxima in the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway

Abstract A study was designed to investigate the relationship between depletion of benthic oxygen and 4th-order sea-level change within the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America. Three 4th-order sea-level change cycles were studied in strata belonging to the Tropic Shale and the Tununk Shale Member of the Mancos Shale in Utah. These sedimentary deposits accumulated within prodeltaic environments. In Utah, strata belonging to all three 4th-order cycles exhibit evidence for depletion of benthic oxygen at times of peak 4th-order transgression and development of condensed sections. The evidence includes decreased intensities of bioturbation, increased Cr Al , Ni Al , and Zn Al ratios, and decreased Mn Fe ratios. The data also suggest that depletion of benthic oxygen in the distal section preceeded that in the more proximal one and thus may reflect episodic expansion of an oxygen-depleted water mass(es) from the pelagic to the prodeltaic environment of the seaway. Evidence for subsequent increases in benthic oxygen level with the onset of 4th-order regressions is interpreted to reflect either aggradation of the seafloor above the oxygen-poor water due to sediment accumulation or contraction of the oxygen-depleted water mass from the prodeltaic part of the seaway, or a combination of the two. S/Organic C ratios of strata interpreted to have been deposited under conditions of depleted benthic oxygen are distinctly below 0.4 and thus were not useful for recognition of paleo-oxygen levels in the prodeltaic environment. This study highlights the importance of depletion of benthic oxygen as a mechanism for enhancing preservation of organic carbon in condensed sections on a hundred thousand year time scale. Our results underline the potential for source rock formation in similar prodeltaic deposits of other epicontinental seaways during periods of relatively high sea level and global depletion of benthic oxygen.
Performance of a nonlinear receiver for the ultrashort-pulse optical CDMA system

At the receiver of an ultrashort-pulse optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA) system, a nonlinear thresholder is needed to discriminate between the correctly decoded short pulse and the interference that appears to be a pseudorandom signal. It has been demonstrated that the self phase modulation (SPM) effect can be used to realize this nonlinear thresholder. The performance of a system that exploits this phenomenon is analyzed in this paper. If the spreading code is random, the electrical field of the interfering signal from the multiple users can be shown to be a complex Gaussian random process. The broadened power spectral density (PSD) function caused by the SPM effect can be calculated. When "1" is transmitted, the correctly decoded signal from the desired user, which is a deterministic waveform, is added to the Gaussian random process. Beating between the two signals causes random fluctuations in the power. Since the strength of the SPM effect is proportional to the variation rate of power, the broadened signal spectrum will appear random. The Monte Carlo method is used to obtain the properties of the decision statistic. Finally, the bit-error rate (BER) is calculated, and the simulation results are presented. The result reveals that the performance of the SPM-based nonlinear receiver can outperform the ideal linear receiver in some circumstances.