cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safe human-robot cooperation through sensor-less radio localization

Adaptable workflows in human-robot cooperation (HRC) require a flexible sharing of the same workspace with major impact on human-centered robot motion planning. The standard EN ISO 10218 is fostering the implementation of hybrid production systems characterized by a close relationship among human operators and robots in cooperative tasks. A primary contribution in workers protection is given by real time monitoring of the entire workspace, including tracking of operators trajectories and tentative estimation of motion intentions. Operators localization has the purpose of enabling the Speed and Separation Monitoring (SSM) safety mode, as in draft ISO/TS 15066, and adapting the robot motion to approaching users. The present work discloses some preliminary results about methods of “sensor-less” localization of operators in industrial HRC scenarios, based on wireless sensor networks techniques. The proposed system is composed of a network of small, embedded RF transceivers pervasively distributed in fixed positions inside the robotic cell layout in order to localize the operators, who carry neither wireless active devices (device-free) nor specific tracking sensors (sensor-less sensing). Users positions over time are estimated from the perturbation of the radio field, considering the effect of the concurrently moving robots. Finally, the sensors-robots system is functionally integrated into a safety architecture.
WE-C-ValA-10: 4D Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) Using An On-Board Imager

Purpose: To develop an artifact‐free four‐dimensional (4D) cone‐beam CT(CBCT)imaging technique for image‐guidedradiotherapy, and to optimize the image quality, scanning time, and patient radiationdose with respect to acquisition parameters such as the number of gantry rotations, gantry‐rotation speed, and x‐ray tube current. Method and Materials: A Varian Trilogy™ system was employed for this study. To sort CBCT projections in terms of patient breathing phase, a CT‐opaque fiducial was adhered to the patient skin and tracked automatically in the projection space, and the phases of the fiducial trajectory were used to tag the projections. Projections after phase‐binning were subsequently reconstructed to yield 4D‐CBCT images. To reduce/eliminate view‐aliasing artifacts due to limited number of projections in each phase, both “multiple‐rotation” and “slow‐gantry‐rotation” strategies were investigated. Quantitative evaluation and comparison were performed with a motion phantom for the following acquisition settings: (i)varying number of gantry rotations (1∼8) with all other scanning parameters kept the same; (ii)varying x‐ray tube current together with the number of rotations while keeping the radiationdose constant, namely, 1‐rotation‐80mA, 2‐rotation‐40mA, 4‐rotation‐20mA, and 8‐rotation‐10mA; (iii)varying gantry‐rotation speed (1deg/sec∼8deg/sec).Three patient cases were used in the study. Results: The image quality, represented by relative error (RE), varied nonlinearly with the number of rotations: RE reduction became less pronounced as the number of rotations increased. After 3∼5 rotations, the benefit resulting from more rotations started saturating. When the dose level was kept the same, the images of 1‐rotation‐80mA and 8‐rotation‐10mA acquisitions had the largest and smallest REs, respectively. Similar RE reduction behaviors were found when slowing down the gantry‐rotation speed. For the patient cases, 4D images were obtained with negligible motion or view‐aliasing artifacts. Conclusion: We have successfully demonstrated that the commercially available OBI system can be utilized to acquire artifacts‐free 4D‐CBCT images without increasing the patient radiationdose.
Microfabrication for Packaged Biomolecular Unit Cells

This paper focuses on developing a closed fluidic environment for packaging biomolecular unit cells, which consists of a synthetic lipid bilayer and other biomolecules contained in a near solid-state material with two regions that contain hydrophobic oil (i.e. nonpolar solvent) surrounding aqueous droplets. This research provides a stepping-stone towards an autonomic biomolecular material system, whereby a packaged system will allow for precise droplet interface bilayer (DIB) formation without the interference of outside contamination for long-term applications. Also, substrate materials need to maintain droplets and preserve the self-assembly and stimuli-responsive properties of biomolecules within the unit cell. A critical feature of an encapsulating material is that it does not absorb either of the liquid phases required to form DIBs. Oil depletion tests within sealed, polymeric substrates show that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) absorbs full volume of injected hexadecane in approximately 27 hours. However, polyurethane substrates maintain the original amount of oil injected even after several weeks. Bilayer lifetime is also monitored within an environment in which the oil is also depleting. The results of this test show the longevity of a DIB to be shorter than oil lifetime. The lipid-encased droplets disconnect after approximately 10 hours, when there is only approximately <60% amount of oil present. In addition, an initial microfluidic substrate is designed such that a single T-junction intersection can be used to form monodisperse droplets within a primary oil-filled channel and a downstream increase in channel width can be used to connect droplets to form DIBs.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Multiplicatively interacting factors selectively influencing parameters in multiple response class processing and rate trees

Evidence in many experiments indicates that the processes involved in producing responses are arranged in a tree structure. Evidence often indicates further that an experimental factor, such as item similarity, changes a single parameter, leaving others invariant. In typical studies, a few tree structures are hypothesized a priori, and tested by goodness of fit. With the method of Tree Inference, a tree is constructed by examining the data to see if patterns occur that are predicted when two factors selectively influence different processes (Schweickert & Chen, 2008). The patterns can reveal, for example, whether selectively influenced processes are executed in order, and what the order is. If the patterns do not occur, one can conclude that no tree is possible in which the factors selectively influence processes. In earlier work, three restrictions were imposed on the trees considered: There were two classes of responses; parameters were probabilities, bounded above by 1; and factors were assumed to change parameters associated with children of a single vertex. More general results are derived here, removing these restrictions. Results on representation, uniqueness of parameters, uniqueness of tree structure, and mixtures of trees are presented.
Raman and ion microscopic imagery of graphitic inclusions in apatite from older than 3830 Ma Akilia supracrustal rocks, west Greenland

Three-dimensional molecular-structural images of apatite grains and associated minerals embedded in a banded quartz-pyroxene-magnetite supracrustal rock from Akilia, southern west Greenland, were constructed by using Raman confocal spectroscopy. The rock sample is the same as that from which apatite-hosted isotopically light graphitic inclusions were reported by Mojzsis and colleagues in 1996; the results were challenged in 2005 by Lepland and colleagues who failed to find carbon-bearing inclusions in this and other Akilia samples. Here we demonstrate that inclusions of graphite wholly contained within apatite occur in this rock. The carbon isotopic composition of one such inclusion, its graphitic composition established by Raman spectroscopy, was measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry to be isotopically light (δ 13 C = –29‰ ± 4‰), in agreement with earlier analyses. Our results are thus consistent with the hypothesis that graphite-containing apatite grains of the older than 3830 Ma Akilia metasediments may represent chemical fossils of early life.
The structure and progressivity of accounting research: the crisis in the academy revisited

Abstract Doubts were raised within the accounting research program in the United States in the late 1980s about its progress and future potential. In this paper, we develop criteria for “good” scientific conversation, which leads to progress (defined as innovation and relevance). The key to this process is critical evaluation of background assumptions. The structure of scientific conversation in accounting and economics, whose theories and practices accountants adopted, are examined. We conclude that structural barriers result in a lack of adequate transformative critique, which contributes to the lack of progress in the accounting research program.
Voluntary alteration of full-field electroretinogram.

Purpose To evaluate whether a normal subject can deliberately produce abnormal electroretinogram (ERG) results that simulate disorders of the retina. Design Prospective study. Methods Five normal subjects were evaluated twice with full-field ERGs. The subjects were randomly assigned to be compliant or noncompliant (i.e., to deliberately attempt to alter the test results) at each visit. Results from compliant eyes were compared with those of noncompliant eyes. Results While the amplitudes of all parameters were decreased in the noncompliant group, the difference was not statistically significant, and the results were usually within the normal limits of our laboratory. No subject was able to alter the results to mimic a retinal disease or to reproduce a specific pattern of changes. Conclusions Although ERG results can be altered by noncompliant subjects, the results are usually only "borderline abnormal" and do not correspond to any pattern of retinal disease. These results confirm that abnormal full-field ERGs indicate true retinal disease.
Detection of radionuclides from weak and poorly resolved spectra using Lasso and subsampling techniques

Abstract We consider a problem of identification of nuclides from weak and poorly resolved spectra. A two stage algorithm is proposed and tested based on the principle of majority voting. The idea is to model gamma-ray counts as Poisson processes. Then, the average part is taken to be the model and the difference between the observed gamma-ray counts and the average is considered as random noise. In the linear part, the unknown coefficients correspond to if isotopes of interest are present or absent. Lasso types of algorithms are applied to find non-vanishing coefficients. Since Lasso or any prediction error based algorithm is inconsistent with variable selection for finite data length, an estimate of parameter distribution based on subsampling techniques is added in addition to Lasso. Simulation examples are provided in which the traditional peak detection algorithms fail to work and the proposed two stage algorithm performs well in terms of both the False Negative and False Positive errors.
Binary phases of aliphatic N-oxides and water: Force field development and molecular dynamics simulation

Aliphatic N-oxides as cosolvents with water play an important role in stabilizing and destabilizing the structure of biopolymers such as cellulose and proteins. To allow for detailed microscopic investigations, an empirical force field to be used in molecular simulations is developed for two N-oxide species, N,N,N-trimethylamineN-oxide (TMAO) and N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO). The intra- and intermolecular force field is parametrized mainly on the basis of quantum-chemical calculations and is tested against available experimental spectroscopic, crystallographic, and liquid state data. Special emphasis is put on the identification of transferable potential terms in order to guide future parametrization of other species. By construction, the force field is compatible with widely used potential functions for proteins and carbohydrates. With the resulting parameter set, molecular dynamics simulations are carried out on binary mixtures of water and N-oxides, revealing structural features and the influence of intramolecular N-oxide flexibility. Limitations and possible extensions of the presented models are also discussed.
General decompositions of multiattribute utility functions with partial utility independence

The construction of a multiattribute utility function is significantly simplified if it is possible to decompose the function into lower-order utility assessments. When every attribute is utility independent of its complement, we have a powerful property that reduces the functional form into a multilinear combination of single-attribute functions. We propose a natural extension to the multilinear form requiring the milder set of independence conditions: every attribute is utility independent of a subset of the attributes in its complement. We introduce a graph, which we call the bidirectional utility diagram, to facilitate the elicitation of these utility independence conditions. We also define a class of bidirectional diagrams, which we refer to as the canonical form. We show how this canonical representation leads to tractable functional forms of utility functions that may appeal to the decision analyst and can be used in practice. We also discuss situations where a canonical form does not exist. We then present an iterative approach to determine the lower-order utility assessments that are required for a given set of utility independence assertions. We conclude with some extensions of this graph-based approach to independence relations of the form: a subset of the attributes is utility independent of another subset. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
FACING COMPETITIVENESS IN GLOBAL AUTO: THE CHALLENGE TO THAI AUTO PARTS MAKERS

A shift to worldwide production of automobiles and auto parts has enhanced the opportunities for developing countries to manufacture and assemble parts, as well as the opportunities for U.S. companies to sell more automobiles in developing countries. Likewise, the intensity of worldwide competition has heightened pressure to reduce costs, affecting all segments of the U.S. auto industry. Suppliers have been forced to cut costs by balancing just‐in‐time delivery with global sourcing.
The linear model for rotor-dynamic properties of journal bearings and seals with combined radial and misalignment motions

Abstract A mathematical framework is presented to handle an enlarged linear rotor-dynamics model which simultaneously includes both radial and misalignment motions. Also, a basis is developed for expanding physical insights by showing the individual interactive force and moment components into which this enlarged linear model decomposes the four inherent generalized forces. Specifically, the non-symmetric coefficient matrices are first decomposed into symmetric and skew-symmetric parts and the physical significance of each part is discussed. Second, the orthogonal transformation relationships for the general case of stiffness, damping and inertia matrices are derived, and the isotropic model is obtained by using these relationships. Third, the concept of the rotor-dynamic coefficient ellipse is introduced to analyze the transformation property for the non-symmetric [ K ], [ C ] and [ M ] matrices.
Textured structure of diamond-like carbon prepared without hydrogen

Abstract Layers of diamond-like material can be grown in a ultrahigh vacuum environment free from hydrogen with a laser plasma source. Substrates require no special preparation or seeding and materials including silicon, fused silica, glass, gold, copper, germanium, InP, ZnS, and polycarbonate and polyimide plastics are readily coated. Generally, our films resemble materials first quenched from ion beams at very slow deposition rates. Although a crystalline structure had been previously inferred, the data were not compelling and this material is generally viewed as a dehydrogenated version of amorphous diamond-like carbon. The purpose of this report is to communicate strong evidence that our diamond-like material prepared with a laser plasma source in the absence of hydrogen is composed of tightly packed diamond clusters. Extensive examinations of a variety of films with scanning tunneling and scanning electron microscopies show the clear prevalence of the structure recently predicted by Angus in which sp 3 clusters are bonded together with other carbon polytypes. Grain size is about 1000 A and the diamond character is attested by the agreement of morphology, density, optical properties and soft X-ray spectroscopy. Measurements agree on supporting a fraction of about 75% diamond bonding.
Potential role of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase, rather than DNA-dependent protein kinase, in CpG DNA-induced immune activation.

Unmethylated CpG motifs present in bacterial DNA stimulate a strong innate immune response. There is evidence that DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) mediates CpG signaling. Specifically, wortmannin (an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase [PI3]-kinases including DNA-PK) interferes with CpG-dependent cell activation, and DNA-PK knockout (KO) mice fail to respond to CpG stimulation. Current studies establish that wortmannin actually inhibits the uptake and colocalization of CpG DNA with toll-like receptor (TLR)-9 in endocytic vesicles, thereby preventing CpG-induced activation of the NF-κB signaling cascade. We find that DNA-PK is not involved in this process, since three strains of DNA-PK KO mice responded normally to CpG DNA. These results support a model in which CpG signaling is mediated through TLR-9 but not DNA-PK, and suggest that wortmannin-sensitive member(s) of the PI3-kinase family play a critical role in shuttling CpG DNA to TLR-9.
Temperature and diet modulate cytochrome P-450 activities in southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania (Cramer), caterpillars

Abstract Larvae of the southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania (Cramer), grew well in the 15–30°C temperature range. Pupae survived poorly at 15°C but moths emerged from 85% of the pupae at 30°C. The time for development was prolonged at 15°C and larvae grew significantly bigger than at 30°C. Cytochrome P -450 content, cytochrome P -450 reductase, p -chloro N -methylaniline N-demethylation, methoxyresorufin 0-demethylation, and aldrin epoxidation activities were higher at 15°C than at 30°C. All cytochrome P -450 activities were more inducible by dietary pentamethylbenzene at 30°C than at 15°C. High cytochrome P -450-catalyzed activities were associated with increases in microsomal protein rather than with changes in membrane lipid or phospholipid content. Phosphatidylcholine was the major midgut membrane phospholipid. There was only a tendency towards increased unsaturation of the phospholipid fatty acyl moieties and lowered membrane phase transition temperature in cold-adapted larvae. Acute oral carbaryl toxicity was generally inversely correlated with cytochrome P -450 catalyzed activities. Carbaryl toxicity was decreased about 10-fold by pentamethylbenzene induction and about 3-fold by the lower acclimatization temperature.
An Infrared νNH Scale for Weakly Basic Anions. Implications for Single-Molecule Acidity and Superacidity

The N-H stretching frequencies of tri-n-octylammonium salts are reported for a series of weakly basic anions (A(-)), many of which are the conjugate bases of known strong acids and superacids. Data have been collected primarily in carbon tetrachloride, where Oct(3)N(+)-H...A(-) contact ion pairs are formed. In the more polar solvent 1,2-dichloroethane, some salts form both contact and solvent-separated ion pairs. Salts have also been studied in crystalline form or as oils. In general, the nuNH frequencies decrease in the order fluoroanions > carboranes > oxyanions, reflecting the relative basicities of the anions. By inference, the data reflect differences in the acidity of the corresponding conjugate acids (HA). This qualitative indicator of acid strength is useful because it reflects acidity on an individual molecule basis rather than in bulk. In this respect, it provides a condensed-phase analogy to gas-phase ("intrinsic") acidity and gives insight into the aggregation phenomena that determine bulk acidity. The data also reveal the importance of the chemical stability of conjugate base anions in attaining high acidity and suggest where acids stronger than those presently known may be discovered.
The Clinical Significance of Candidal Casts

Examination of the urinary sediment for fungal casts is a new and simple approach for assessing renal involvement in fungal infections. Identification of candidal casts was used to diagnose renal fungal involvement in five immunocompromised patients. In three cases, the examination of the urinary sediment permitted the diagnosis of early and presumably noninvasive renal candidal infections that cleared easily with relatively low doses of antifungal therapy. In two other cases, the recognition of candidal casts confirmed renal involvement in patients with disseminated disease.
Derivation of Safety Factors for Setting Harvest Quotas on Adult Walleyes from past Estimates of Abundance

Abstract Past population estimates of adult walleyes Stizostedion vitreum can be used to set harvest quotas, provided that temporal variability in abundance of adult walleyes is accounted for. We used a long-term data set from Escanaba Lake, Wisconsin, to evaluate the accuracy of past population estimates for setting current-year quotas for adult walleyes. The results from Escanaba Lake were corroborated by comparison with other lakes where adult walleye abundance was estimated in more than 1 year. The accuracy of estimates of adult walleye abundance declined over time from the year the estimate was obtained to the year it was used to set a harvest quota. We derived safety factors for application to past estimates of population size; these factors limit the occurrence of an exploitation rate exceeding the maximum sustainable rate (35%) to approximately 1 in 40. These safety factors declined from 35% for 1-year-old estimates to less than 20% for 10-year-old estimates.
Tunable Zeroth-Order Resonance in Metamaterial-Inspired Transmission Lines Based on Electrowetting on Dielectric

A new approach for tuning the resonant frequency of metamaterial-inspired transmission lines (TLs) by using electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) is presented. Coplanar Waveguide (CPW) metamaterial-inspired TLs were designed and used as digital microfluidic platforms, where tunable resonance frequency was demonstrated for RF/microwave applications. A repeatable tuning mechanism was realized by exploiting the interface deformation of a liquid metal (mercury) droplet by an applied voltage. The maximum tuning range achieved is around 400 MHz (from 3.51 GHz to 3.92 GHz) with a dc actuation voltage of 110 V.
Means and variances for a family of similarity indices used in cluster analysis

Albatineh et al. (2006) introduced a family L of similarity indices. Members of this family are linear functions of the matching counts matrix [mij], where mij is the number of common elements between the i th and j th clusters resulting from two clusterings of the same data set. Fowlkes and Mallows (1983) derived the mean and variance for Rand (1971) index and an index they called Bk (which is actually attributed to Ochiai, 1957) under fixed marginal totals of the matching counts matrix and independence of the clustering algorithms. This paper generalizes the derivation of Fowlkes and Mallows (1983) for the mean and variance to any member of the L family which makes the problem of comparison of a wide family of indices much easier. Monte Carlo simulations are implemented to compare shapes, means and variances for nine members of the L family for null case data (without clustering structure). Structured case simulations are implemented to evaluate the nine indices as tools for measuring cluster structure recovery. Data were generated from bivariate normal distributions.
Letrozole vs Anastrozole for Height Augmentation in Short Pubertal Males: First Year Data

Context: Aromatase inhibitors are used off-label to treat short stature in peripubertal boys. Objective: To investigate short- and long-term hormonal and auxologic differences in short pubertal boys treated with letrozole (L) or anastrozole (A). Design: Patients are seen for laboratory evaluation and physical examination every 6 months, bone age yearly, DEXA and spine film every 2 years. They will be followed until they reach their final height. This is a preliminary report after 1 year of treatment. Setting: A single academic children's hospital outpatient clinic. Patients: Boys with age >10 years, bone age ≤14 years, clinical and hormonal evidence of central puberty, and either height < fifth percentile or predicted adult height (PAH) more than 10 cm below mid-parental height (MPH). Intervention: Letrozole (2.5 mg) or anastrozole (1 mg) was administered orally each day. Main Outcome Measures: Hormonal and clinical parameters, growth velocity, and change in bone age and PAH. Results: Thirty-nine boys hav...
The preparation and spectroscopic properties of the permethylcyclopolygermanes

Abstract The preparation and characterization of the new five- and seven-membered cyclopolygermanes, decamethylcyclopentagermane and tetradecamethylcycloheptagermane, are reported. An improved preparative method is also presented for the hexamer, dodecamethylcyclohexagermane. In addition, ultraviolet, NMR, infrared, and mass spectral studies of all three compounds are described and discussed. All attempts to reduce the cyclopolygermanes to anion radicals for subsequent electron spin resonance studies were unsuccessful.
Development of left atrial thrombus and subsequent cardioembolic stroke in a 21-year-old man with ebstein anomaly who previously underwent pulmonary vein isolation ablation and Cox maze III procedure: significance of left atrial mechanical function.

Information about a real patient is presented in stages (boldface type) to an expert clinician (Dr Ammash), who responds to the information, sharing his reasoning with the reader (regular type). A discussion by the authors follows. A 21-year-old man with a history of Ebstein anomaly and atrial fibrillation who had previously undergone tricuspid valve repair, pulmonary venous isolation, and the Cox maze III procedure was referred from an outside institution for the evaluation of an acute onset of left-sided upper- and lower-extremity weakness. The patient had initially presented 3 years earlier with abdominal pain and symptomatic palpitations. Physical examination at that time revealed a jugular venous pressure of 12 cm without a prominent V wave. Cardiac palpation noted a sternal heave. On auscultation, a grade II holosystolic murmur was appreciated at the left sternal border that increased with inspiration. Abdominal inspection noted an enlarged liver that was not pulsatile. A standard 12-lead ECG demonstrated sinus rhythm with first-degree atrioventricular block(Figure 1), and a chest x-ray noted enlargement of the right atrium(Figure 2). A 24-hour Holter monitor noted that the predominant rhythm was atrial fibrillation interrupted by brief periods of sinus rhythm. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated severe right atrial enlargement, dilatation of the tricuspid annulus, apical displacement of the tricuspid valve (displacement index, 10.2 mm/m2), large anterior tricuspid valve leaflet, and severe tricuspid regurgitation consistent with Ebstein anomaly. Figure 1. Resting 12-lead ECG demonstrating sinus rhythm with first-degree atrioventricular block and nonspecific T-wave abnormalities. Figure 2. Patient chest x-ray demonstrated enlargement of the cardiac silhouette, particularly the right atrium (arrow). Dr Ammash: Ebstein anomaly is a rare disorder accounting for <1% of congenital cardiac abnormalities.1 In patients with Ebstein anomaly, the most common presentation as an adult is an arrhythmia,2 followed by heart failure secondary to tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular …
Tax Policy and Entrepreneurship: New Time Series Evidence

Have tax policies affected entrepreneurial activity in the U.S.? We extend the time series literature on this topic by using more recent data and modern econometric techniques to examine the importance of federal income, payroll, capital gains, corporate income, and estate taxes on self-employment rates. Regression results show that most of these taxes have significant but small effects on self-employment activity. A battery of cointegration and causality tests confirms the general finding that taxes can have significant influences on entrepreneurship, but they are likely to be ineffective tools for generating meaningful changes in entrepreneurial activity.
Glass transition temperature (Tg) determination of partially cured thermosetting systems

Previous experiments have shown that Tg of a partially cured thermosetting system can be measured with conventional thermal scan methods only if no appreciable additional cure occurred during the scan. For high temperature performance systems, the partially cured Tg is often at a temperature where kinetics rate is very rapid, causing either an observation of a more advanced cured Tg, or only the completely cured system's Tg [Tg (∞)]. Two methods to interpolate the Tg information in spite of additional cure are presented and illustrated with an epoxy resin as a testing material. The Isocure State Curve method is demonstrated with a two-step curing experiment with the Torsion Impregnated Cloth Analysis (TICA) technique, which is a forced torsion measurement on the Rheometrics mechanical spectrometer, with the resin impregnated on a glass cloth specimen. The calibration method is demonstrated by the post cure experiments of TICA, using the time to loss modulus maximum, and the softening parameter R as the calibration parameters.
SEARCH FOR A STRANGE BOSON OF MASS LESS THAN 670 MeV.

The cross section for the production of a strange boson in the mass region 565 to 670 MeV in the reaction ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p{\ensuremath{\kappa}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ is found to be less than 11 \ensuremath{\mu}b with 95% confidence. A crude theoretical estimate of the cross section based upon a simple pole model yields 11 \ensuremath{\mu}b.
Altered Brain Activation During Action Imitation and Observation in Schizophrenia: A Translational Approach to Investigating Social Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

Errors in how individuals with schizophrenia perceive the motion of others and transform that visual information into action could be attributed to misalignment in the mirror neuron system, leading to social impairment and flawed mimicking.
Parthenogenesis in Reptiles

synopsis. The discovery of parthenogenesis in reptiles came about through the casual observation of the lack of males in several species of lizards. Nineteen all female species and subspecies from five genera and three families of lizards have been nanied or recognized. Actual proof of parthenogenesis, however, has been demonstrated for only seven of these. Studies in variation of parthenogens versus the variation of sym? patric bisexual species have been made on six species. In general the parthenogens are much less variable than bisexual species. Males have been found in most of the parthenogens studied. At least some of these seem to result from crosses between parthenogens and males of sympatric bisexual species. In a few instances, however, this seems unlikely. The evidence supporting the hybrid origin of these males rests on a few studies which show that these males have one more genome than the female parthenogens they resemble. The evolution and origin of parthenogens probably is through hybridization fol? lowed by further hybridization in some genera leading to triploidy. Evidence for these hypotheses is provided by a number of karyotype studies, skin transplants, and studies of various proteins. One study indicates that the somatic chromosome number is restored during oogenesis by an endoduplication immediately preceeding meiosis. Cnemidophorus uniparens, the species in which this phenomenon was demonstrated, is a triploid. Evolutionary aspects of parthenogenesis are discussed.
The Effects of Steaming and Sodium Exchange on the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO and NO2 by NH3 over HZSM-5

Abstract We have studied the selective catalytic reduction of NO and NO 2 by NH 3 over a series of HZSM-5 catalysts that have been modified by mild steaming and by sodium exchange. We find that the activity of an HZSM-5 sample for the reduction of NO is increased following a moderate steaming. Kinetic data collected for this sample can be accurately fit using the rate expression developed for unsteamed catalysts. Mild steaming increases the rate constants for SCR and ammonia oxidation by approximately a factor of two but requires no change in the ammonia adsorption constant, suggesting that steaming increases the rate by increasing the number of active sites. We also observe that the rate of NO reduction is not strongly affected by the level of sodium exchange. Given that mild steaming is known to increase the concentration of extra-framework alumina while sodium exchange is known to primarily affect the acidity of the framework Bronsted alumina, these observations strongly support our earlier conclusion that the active site for the selective catalytic reduction of NO by ammonia over HZSM-5 is highly acidic extra-framework alumina. We also find that while the fully exchanged sample is active for the reduction of NO 2 by NH 3 , the rate is strongly dependent on the number of unexchanged framework Bronsted sites, suggesting that both framework and extra-framework alumina are active for NO 2 reduction.
Second and fourth sound modes for superfluid helium in aerogel

Abstract Because of the interest in superfluid onset in porous media (high porosity aerogel in particular) one would like to measure the superfluid fraction as well as the heat capacity near T c . However, standard techniques such as torsional oscillators and fourth sound have encountered difficulties because the compliant aerogel allows the viscous normal fluid to move. Using data we obtained for fourth sound propagation below 1.8 K, we develop a theory which fits the data with no adjustible parameters, and show that the theory predicts another second-sound-like mode which may not be damped near T c .
Price structure as a marketing variable: An experimental investigation

Abstract This study examines the relative impact on preferences of price level and price-structure variables. A pair of four-factor experimental designs were developed to investigate the preferences of students for automobile price structures and recent homebuyers for various price arrangements in buying a house. The findings indicate that, for a majority of the subjects, the structural variables of down payment, interest rate, and monthly payment are more important than price level in determining overall preferences.
Quality of life in children with unilateral hearing loss: a pilot study.

Purpose The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL). Method The study was conducted in 2 stages am...
The Complementarity of Public and Private Capital and the Optimal Rate of Return to Government Investment

I. Optimal government investment under distortion, 653.—II. An application: Corporate income taxation, 656.—III. The impact of depreciation, 661.—IV. Concluding remarks, 662.
Development and validation of pedigree classification criteria for frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

IMPORTANCE A significant portion of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is due to inherited gene mutations, and we are unaware of a large sequential series that includes a recently discovered inherited cause of FTLD. There is also great need to develop clinical tools and approaches that will assist clinicians in the identification and counseling of patients with FTLD and their families regarding the likelihood of an identifiable genetic cause. OBJECTIVES To ascertain the frequency of inherited FTLD and develop validated pedigree classification criteria for FTLD that provide a standardized means to evaluate pedigree information and insight into the likelihood of mutation-positive genetic test results for C9orf72, MAPT, and GRN. DESIGN Information about pedigrees and DNA was collected from 306 serially assessed patients with a clinical diagnosis of FTLD. This information included gene test results for C9orf72, MAPT, and GRN. Pedigree classification criteria were developed based on a literature review of FTLD genetics and pedigree tools and then refined by reviewing mutation-positive and -negative pedigrees to determine differentiating characteristics.
Residential Treatment Centers in Europe for Children and Youth with Diabetes Mellitus

Residential centers for children with diabetes in Germany, Netherlands, Scotland, and Den mark were visited during 1979 and 1980 to determine applicability of this approach to North American needs. Information was updated in 1982 and data from France added. Duration of patient stay was from one month to many years. All of the centers sought to involve the family in rehabilitation. Direction varied from full-time physician to nonmedical; and involvement of nurses, psychologists, and social workers ranged from nil to intense. Professional staffing ap peared to have no direct relationship to success of the houses; rather, good results depended upon a committed staff providing love and even-handed discipline. No comparative studies are available to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these houses, which had a per diem cost, excluding capital investment, of $31 to $90 per patient.
Reduction in reproductive output and leaf size in Sanguinaria canadensis as a cost of reproduction.

Abstract When resources are limited, plants must partition their energetic resources among life history traits such as maintenance, growth, and reproduction. Thus reproduction in a given year may result in lowered growth rates or reproductive rates in subsequent years. This is known as the Principle of Allocation or the Cost of Reproduction hypothesis. In this study, flowering, fruiting, and leaf output were evaluated during two consecutive growing seasons in a population of Sanguinaria canadensis in Fairfax, Virginia. The objective of this field study was to determine if the energetic investments by plants that reproduced in two consecutive years (2003 and 2004 growing seasons) were sufficient to reduce reproduction and leaf size as compared to plants that only reproduced in a single year (2004 growing season). The study area is situated on the west campus of George Mason University on a slope of 11.9% and is divided into three 10 m × 100 m rows, with each row separated from the adjacent row by an unsamp...
Changes in intensive care unit performance measures associated with opening a dedicated thoracic surgical progressive care unit.

Objectives: To determine the effect of the introduction of a specialty-specific progressive care unit (PCU) on the intensive care unit (ICU) to which relatively low-acuity patients had previously been admitted. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: The thoracic (noncardiac) surgical ICU of a tertiary referral institution. Patients: Four thousand fifty-three patients admitted to the ICU after thoracic surgery between October 1994 and December 2003. Interventions: None. Measurements and Results: The institutional Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III database was searched to compare the number of admissions, severity of illness, mortality, and other aspects of care for periods before and after the introduction of the PCU. Patients in the post-PCU group were more severely ill by APACHE criteria. The ICU mortality rates for the periods before and after the introduction of the PCU were 1.14% (32/2,801 patients) and 7.27% (91/1,252 patients), respectively. The performance of the ICU appeared to be worse in the period after the opening of the PCU. The ICU- and hospital-customized standardized mortality ratio increased from 0.68 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.47-0.96) in the pre-PCU group to 1.20 (95% CI, 0.96-1.47) in the post-PCU group and from 0.83 (95% CI, 0.66-1.03) to 1.24 (95% CI, 1.05-1.46). Conclusions: The introduction of a nonintensivist-directed PCU to care for thoracic surgical patients had a significant impact on the parent ICU. Of concern is that outcome and quality measures appeared to worsen and ICU readmission rate increased.
Hospital-Associated Clostridium difficile Infection: Is It Necessary to Track Community-Onset Disease?

Objectives.To compare Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates determined with use of a traditional definition (ie, with healthcare-onset CDI defined as diagnosis of CDI more than 48 hours after hospital admission) with rates determined with use of expanded definitions, including both healthcare-onset CDI and community-onset CDI, diagnosed within 48 hours after hospital admission in patients who were hospitalized in the previous 30 or 60 days, and to determine whether differences exist between patients with CDI onset in the community and those with CDI onset in a healthcare setting.Design.Prospective cohortSetting.Tertiary acute care facility.Patients.General medicine patients who received a diagnosis of CDI during the period January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2005.Methods.CDI was classified as healthcare-onset CDI, healthcare facility–associated CDI after hospitalization within the previous 30 days, and/or healthcare facility-associated CDI after hospitalization within the previous 60 days. Patient demographic characteristics and medication exposures were obtained. The CDI incidence with use of each definition, CDI rate variability, patient demographic characteristics, and medication exposures were compared.Results.The healthcare-onset CDI rate (1.6 cases per 1,000 patient-days) was significantly lower than the 30-day healthcare facility–associated CDI rate (2.4 cases per 1,000 patient-days; P<.01) and the 60-day healthcare facility–associated CDI rate (2.6 cases per 1,000 patient-days; P<.01). There was good correlation between the healthcare-onset CDI rate and both the 30-day (correlation, 0.69; P<.01) and 60-day (correlation, 0.70; P<.01) healthcare facility–associated CDI rates. There were no months in which the CDI rate was more than 3 standard deviations from the mean. Compared with patients with healthcare-onset CDI, patients with community-onset CDI were less likely to have received a fourth-generation cephalosporin (P = .02) or intravenous vancomycin (P = .01) during hospitalization.Conclusions.Compared with the traditional definition, expanded definitions identify more patients with CDI. There is good correlation between traditional and expanded CDI definitions; therefore, it is unclear whether expanded surveillance is necessary to identify an abnormal change in CDI rates. Cases that met the expanded definitions were less likely to have occurred in patients with fourth-generation cephalosporin and vancomycin exposure.
Eleven rules for a more successful clinical psychology

The recommendations put forth in the target article, "Twenty-First Century Graduate Education in Clinical Psychology: A Four Level Matrix Model" (C.R. Snyder & T.R. Elliott, this issue, pp. 1033-1054), should be regarded in the context of the large need to develop a more progressive and effective discipline. No amount of "brute force" education and empiricism is certain to solve the problems of the scope of our field identified by the authors. Eleven rules are offered and defended that may lead to a more practically and empirically successful field.
Regional alterations of brain microstructure in Parkinson's disease using diffusion tensor imaging

This study tested the hypothesis that diffusion tensor imaging can detect alteration in microscopic integrity of white matter and basal ganglia regions known to be involved in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology. It was also hypothesized that there is an association between diffusion abnormality and PD severity and subtype. Diffusion tensor imaging at 4 Tesla was obtained in 12 PD and 20 control subjects, and measures of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were evaluated using both region-of-interest and voxel-based methods. Movement deficits and subtypes in PD subjects were assessed using the Motor Subscale (Part III) of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Reduced fractional anisotropy (P < .05, corrected) was found in PD subjects in regions related to the precentral gyrus, substantia nigra, putamen, posterior striatum, frontal lobe, and the supplementary motor areas. Reduced fractional anisotropy in the substantia nigra correlated (P < .05, corrected) with the increased rating scale motor scores. Significant spatial correlations between fractional anisotropy alterations in the putamen and other PD-affected regions were also found in the context of PD subtypes index analysis. Our data suggest that microstructural alterations detected with diffusion tensor might serve as a potential biomarker for PD.
Balloon valvuloplasty versus transventricular dilation for neonatal critical aortic stenosis

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The Nuremberg Code: Hippocratic ethics and human rights

The tension between Hippocratic medical ethics and human rights is perhaps nowhere better illustrated than by the Nuremberg Code. The Code was formulated in August, 1947, in Nuremberg, Germany, by American judges sitting in judgment of 23 physicians and scientists accused of murder and torture in the conduct of medical experiments in the concentration camps (the Doctors’ Trial’). It has rightly been characterised as the most authoritative set of rules for the protection of human subjects in medical research.’ Three physicians had central roles in the formulation of the Code--Leo Alexander, an American neuropsychiatrist and the chief medical adviser to the prosecution; Werner Leibbrand, a German psychiatrist and medical historian; and Andrew Ivy, a renowned American physiologist and the prosecution’s chief witness. Both Alexander and Ivy relied exclusively on the Hippocratic Oath and ethics to condemn the Nazi medical experiments. I have already concluded that “[tlhe key contribution of Nuremberg was to merge both Hippocratic ethics and the protection of human rights into a single code”.3 Here, I explore why this merger was ignored by Alexander and Ivy themselves, and has been resisted by physician-researchers to this day. I also explain why the Nuremberg Code alone cannot resolve all the issues raised by contemporary research, especially that in developing countries.