cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Not Learning from One's Own Mistakes: A Reanalysis of Gerbner et ally's Findings on Cultivation Analysis Part II:

This article critically examines the statistical evidence and conceptual arguments presented by Gerbner et al. to support their assertion that television-viewing “cultivates” distorted perceptions of the “real world.” In Part II, I examine three reformulations or “refinements” of the original hypothesis of across-the-board, linear effects shown in Part I to lack empirical support. Reformulation 1 requires that heavy viewers in subgroups “portrayed” on television as most victimized perceive the world as “more mean” or “scarier” than light viewers in the same subgroups. They do not. Reformulations 2 and 3. proposed by the Annenberg group and called “mainstreaming” and “resonance,” are then critically examined in terms of their logical adequacy and claims of empirical support. These are shown to fail on both counts, as neither has been stated in a form offering predictions which can be supported or rejected. More generally. we conclude Gerbner et al.’S formulation(s) and assertions about cultivation effects ...
Cost-effective side-coupling polymer fiber optics for optical interconnections

Potentially low-cost optical side-couplers embedded along a polymer optical fiber are demonstrated using etched micromirrors. Both serial and parallel mirror fabrication possibilities are discussed. Light distributions to as many as 300 such side-coupling ports along a single straight fiber were experimentally obtained with uniformity of 74%. Various unidirectional and bidirectional all polymer array coupler concepts are presented. Some of them are experimentally demonstrated.
Simulation exercise to improve retention of cardiopulmonary resuscitation priorities for in-hospital cardiac arrests: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Background Traditional American Heart Association (AHA) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) curriculum focuses on teams of two performing quality chest compressions with rescuers on their knees but does not include training specific to In-Hospital Cardiac Arrests (IHCA), i.e. patient in hospital bed with large resuscitation teams and sophisticated technology available. Design A randomized controlled trial was conducted with the primary goal of evaluating the effectiveness and ideal frequency of in-situ training on time elapsed from call for help to; (1) initiation of chest compressions and (2) successful defibrillation in IHCA. Methods Non-intensive care unit nurses were randomized into four groups: standard AHA training (C) and three groups that participated in 15min in-situ IHCA training sessions every two (2M), three (3M) or six months (6M). Curriculum included specific choreography for teams to achieve immediate chest compressions, high chest compression fractions and rapid defibrillation while incorporating use of a backboard, stepstool. Results More frequent training was associated with decreased median (IQR) seconds to: starting compressions: [C: 33(25–40) vs. 6M: 21(15–26) vs. 3M: 14(10–20) vs. 2M: 13(9–20); p p p Conclusion Results revealed short in-situ training sessions conducted every 3 months are effective in improving timely initiation of chest compressions and defibrillation in IHCA.
Risky business: Students and smartphones

The increase in smartphone adoption has been no less than astounding. Unfortunately, the explosive growth has been accompanied by a rash of security problems. A contributing factor to the growing security problem is a lack of education, training, and awareness. In addition, “bring your own device” (BYOD) policies often leave security responsibilities to the competencies of device owners, which compromises security. Today’s students are tomorrow’s employees with responsibilities for protecting their work environment. They need to understand and practice a full-range of mobile security practices so that they can safely access the information assets of their organizations. If students are not engaging in such practices, educational institutions have a responsibility to ensure that students understand how to keep information assets secure. This paper investigates the smartphone security practices of undergraduate college students. Five hundred students in business classes at a regional public university were surveyed to determine their use of recommended smartphone security practices. The study found that many smartphone users did employ some security measures, but a high percentage of them were ignoring potential risks. This suggests a need for increased education, training, and awareness.
Impact of reduced Arctic sea ice on Greenland ice sheet variability in a warmer than present climate

A global climate model with interactive vegetation and a coupled ice sheet-shelf component is used to test the response of the Greenland ice sheet (GIS) to increased sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and reduced sea ice (SI) cover during the mid-Pliocene warm period (∼3 Ma) as reconstructed from proxy records. Seasonally open water in the Arctic and North Atlantic are shown to alter regional radiation budgets, storm tracks, and moisture and heat advection into the Greenland interior, with increases in temperature rather than precipitation dominating the ice sheets response. When applied to an initially glaciated Greenland, the presumed warm, ice-free Pliocene ocean conditions induce rapid melting of nearly the entire ice sheet and preclude a modern-like GIS from (re)growing, regardless of orbital forcing. The sensitivity of Greenland to imposed Pliocene ocean conditions may have serious implications for the future response of the ice sheet to continued warming in the Arctic basin.
Restless Heart: Towards an Existential Ontology of Eros in Augustine

St. Augustine’s famous prayer in the Confessions, “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you,” remains today an indispensable resource of philosophical reflection. We can draw from it, particularly its understanding of eros, in our quest for meaning in our in- creasingly changing world. In a rapidly transforming world, the fundamen- tal questions of being human, like cultural solidarity, human sexuality, and integral spirituality, can take on new meanings, thus requiring contempo- rary understanding. The existential longing for self-meaning lies at the core of philosophical reflection. Meaning is necessarily reflexive; it consti- tutes the sense of being oneself within the context of manifold relations. This paper concludes with the assertion that a renewed understanding of eros in our human situation can help enhance our understanding of human sexuality and its inextricable relation to integral spirituality.
Lifestyle in the Prevention and Management of Cancer: Physical Activity

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths annually. It has been estimated that one third of all cancer deaths are related to overweight/ obesity...
Distributed Query Processing and Catalogs for Peer-to-Peer Systems

Peer-to-peer (P2P) architectures are commonly used for file-sharing applications. The reasons for P2P’s popularity in file sharing ‐ fault tolerance, scalability, and ease of deployment ‐ also make it a good model for distributed data management. In this paper, we introduce a scalable P2P framework for distributed data management applications using mutant query plans: XML serializations of algebraic query plan graphs that can include verbatim XML data, references to resource locations (URLs), and
A novel Aβ-fibrinogen interaction inhibitor rescues altered thrombosis and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease mice

Many Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients suffer from cerebrovascular abnormalities such as altered cerebral blood flow and cerebral microinfarcts. Recently, fibrinogen has been identified as a strong cerebrovascular risk factor in AD, as it specifically binds to β-amyloid (Aβ), thereby altering fibrin clot structure and delaying clot degradation. To determine if the Aβ–fibrinogen interaction could be targeted as a potential new treatment for AD, we designed a high-throughput screen and identified RU-505 as an effective inhibitor of the Aβ–fibrinogen interaction. RU-505 restored Aβ-induced altered fibrin clot formation and degradation in vitro and inhibited vessel occlusion in AD transgenic mice. Furthermore, long-term treatment of RU-505 significantly reduced vascular amyloid deposition and microgliosis in the cortex and improved cognitive impairment in mouse models of AD. Our studies suggest that inhibitors targeting the Aβ–fibrinogen interaction show promise as therapy for treating AD.
Ubiquitin, hormones and biotic stress in plants.

† Background The covalent attachment of ubiquitin to a substrate protein changes its fate. Notably, proteins typically tagged with a lysine48-linked polyubiquitin chain become substrates for degradation by the 26S proteasome. In recent years many experiments have been performed to characterize the proteins involved in the ubiquitylation process and to identify their substrates, in order to understand better the mechanisms that link specific protein degradation events to regulation of plant growth and development. † Scope This review focuses on the role that ubiquitin plays in hormone synthesis, hormonal signalling cascades and plant defence mechanisms. Several examples are given of how targeted degradation of proteins affects downstream transcriptional regulation of hormone-responsive genes in the auxin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene and jasmonate signalling pathways. Additional experiments suggest that ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis may also act upstream of the hormonal signalling cascades by regulating hormone biosynthesis, transport and perception. Moreover, several experiments demonstrate that hormonal cross-talk can occur at the level of proteolysis. The more recently established role of the ubiquitin/proteasome system (UPS) in defence against biotic threats is also reviewed. † Conclusions The UPS has been implicated in the regulation of almost every developmental process in plants, from embryogenesis to floral organ production probably through its central role in many hormone pathways. More recent evidence provides molecular mechanisms for hormonal cross-talk and links the UPS system to biotic defence responses.
A SANDBLAST ABRASION TEST FOR GLAZES1

A method is described for determining the abrasive hardness of glazes by means of a sandblast apparatus. Consistent results are obtained and data are given showing the relative hardness of several types of glaze.
An argument-based approach to validity in evaluation:

To maximize the impact of research on programs, this article proposes a ‘reaching-down—reachingup’ perspective in evaluation design, whereby it serves two functions simultaneously: the program improvement function, reaching down, and the knowledge development function, reaching up. This proposal frames applied research as a particular species of evaluation. As validity is a fundamental assessment of how well a design supports particular inferences related to specific uses, the article subsequently summarizes and integrates disparate validity perspectives to develop an argument-based approach to validity in a ‘reaching-down—reaching-up’ evaluation model case study. Lastly, the location(s) of validation is considered in order to highlight evaluator responsibilities.
Thermal-stress analysis with electrical equivalents

An electrical-equivalent method that can help to improve the conceptual understanding of thermal-stress problems is introduced. It is useful for a first-order analysis of thermal stresses in layered structures or laminates. The thermal expansion and the elasticity of each laminate layer are modeled as components in a three-terminal electrical equivalent circuit. A model of the laminate is developed by connecting the electrical equivalent circuits of the layers in a network. Currents and voltages are obtained by a network analysis. The thermal stresses in the laminate are derived from the branch currents. The local thermal expansion coefficients for the surfaces or for internally bonded interfaces are given by the node voltages. >
The Effect of High Intensity U.V. Radiation on Benthic Marine Algae

We are using fluorescence microscopy in the determination of damage caused to algal cells by various chemical and physical treatments. Damage is manifest as a change in the fluorescence spectrum of the cells. Fluorescence microscopy exposes cells to short-blue. (400–460 nm) and UV-A (315–400 nm) light. Shorter wavelengths in the UV-B range are eliminated by the glass microscope lenses and filters. We observed that exposure of algal tissue to the exciting beam of the fluorescence microscope also causes damage to cells which can be seen as a change in the fluorescence spectrum over time during exposure. We have attempted to determine the degree of damage to the algae as a result of this exposure and to describe the progress of the damage to the cells.
Evolving Multi Rover Systems in Dynamic and Noisy Environments

In this chapter, we address how to evolve control strategies for a collective: a set of entities that collectively strives to maximize a global evaluation function that rates the performance of the full system. Addressing such problems by directly applying a global evolutionary algorithm to a population of collectives is unworkable because the search space is prohibitively large. Instead, we focus on evolving control policies for each member of the collective, where each member is trying to maximize the fitness of its own population. The main difficulty with this approach is creating fitness evaluation functions for the members of the collective that induce the collective to achieve high performance with respect to the system level goal. To overcome this difficulty, we derive member evaluation functions that are both aligned with the global evaluation function (ensuring that members trying to achieve high fitness results in a collective with high fitness) and sensitive to the fitness of each member (a member's fitness depends more on its own actions than on actions of other members). In a difficult rover coordination problem in dynamic and noisy environments, we show how to construct evaluation functions that lead to good collective behavior. The control policy evolved using aligned and member-sensitive evaluations outperforms global evaluation methods by up to a factor of four. in addition we show that the collective continues to perform well in the presence of high noise levels and when the environment is highly dynamic. More notably, in the presence of a larger number of rovers or rovers with noisy sensors, the improvements due to the proposed method become significantly more pronounced.
A social network perspective on measurements of dominance hierarchies

The hierarchical organization of dominance relations among animals has wide-ranging implications in social evolution. The structure of dominance relations has often been measured using indices of linearity (e.g. Landau’s h, Kendall’s K): the degree to which dominance relations adhere to a linear hierarchy. An alternative measure is the transitivity of dominance relations among sets of three players that all interact with each other, a measure we call triangle transitivity (ttri). Triangle transitivity and linearity are essentially equivalent when dominance relations of all dyads are known, but such complete observations are rare in empirical studies. Triangle transitivity has two major advantages: it does not require ‘filling in’ of unobserved relations, and its expected value is constant across group sizes. We use a social network perspective to demonstrate a property of transitivity in random directed networks (on average, three-fourths of complete triads are transitive) and show that empirical dominance networks are often significantly more transitive than random networks. Using 101 published dominance matrices we show that published algorithms for assessing linearity underestimate the level of social orderliness, particularly in larger groups, which tend to have more null dyads. Thus, previous puzzlement over the decrease in estimated linearity in larger groups could be due largely to the bias introduced by random filling of null dyads. We argue that triangle transitivity will allow researchers to focus on important processes underlying the dynamics of dominance, such as spatial segregation, avoidance of interactions by certain individuals and detailed temporal patterns in the ontogeny of hierarchy formation.
On-Site, In-Situ Characterization of Contaminated Soil and Liquid Hazardous Waste with Field Portable X-Ray Analyzer — a Cost Effective Approach

Within the last few years, new developments occurred in the area of on-site, in-situ characterization of soil contaminated with hazardous metals, using field-hardened, portable x-ray analyzers. Improvements of the analytical performance of commercially available XRF analyzers have been successfully tested by the US Environmental Protection Agency during field trials performed at two Superfund sites under innovative technologies demonstration program. The results of those trials served as a basis for a new SW-846 Method 6200 for field-portable XRF for soil screening [2]. This paper will describe the Field-Hardened, Portable X-Ray Analyzer, Model X-METtm 940, and will summarize the results of the field tests. Additionally, we will report on the instrument’s capability to analyze liquid hazardous waste (LHW) on-site, after minor sample preparation. It will be shown that both soils and LHW can be quantified to below 100 mg/kg levels.
Early-life stress exposure associated with altered prefrontal resting-state fMRI connectivity in young children

Early-life stress (ELS) exposure is associated with adverse outcomes across the lifespan. We examined the relation of ELS exposure to resting-state fMRI in children ages 4-7 years. ELS in the first years of life, but not concurrent, was associated with higher regional homogeneity of resting-state fMRI in the left lateral frontal cortex. Resting-state fMRI functional connectivity analyses showed that the region of left lateral frontal cortex demonstrating heightened regional homogeneity associated with ELS was negatively correlated with right temporal/parahippocampal areas. Moreover, higher regional homogeneity in the left lateral frontal cortex and its negative coupling with the right middle temporal/parahippocampal areas were associated with poorer performance on a reversal-learning task performed outside the scanner. Association of ELS exposure with regional homogeneity was independent of other early adversities. These findings suggest that ELS may influence the development of cognitive control in the lateral prefrontal cortex and its interactions with temporal cortex.
Chapter 38 Neoproterozoic strata of southeastern Idaho and Utah: record of Cryogenian rifting and glaciation

Abstract Neoproterozoic strata in southeastern Idaho and Utah include the c. 720 Ma. The latter contains a lower diamictite and volcanic succession, with a complex stratigraphic interval of Cryogenian marine glacial deposits (Pocatello and Mineral Fork formations and correlatives). This is overlain by a mostly terrigenous succession of c. 900 Ma) contains populations of detrital zircons as young as 766±5 Ma. Cryogenian magmatism north of the Snake River Plain in central Idaho is recognized near House Mountain, east of Boise at c. 725±5 Ma, in the Pioneer Mountains Core Complex at about 695 Ma, and in central and east-central Idaho at 685–650 Ma. Clasts interpreted to be from the rift-related Bannock Volcanic Member of the Pocatello Fm. are dated at 717±4 Ma and 701±4 Ma. The overlying diamictite-bearing Scout Mountain Member contains a mafic lapilli tuff near the base (686±4 Ma) and a reworked fallout tuff near the top (667±5 Ma). Strongly negative C-isotope data have been obtained from some of the carbonate rocks, although the latter constitute only a small fraction of the succession. Palaeomagnetic data are available only for the Uinta Mountain Group, and suggest an equatorial palaeolatitude.
Low-Power, High-Agility Space Robotics

Control-moment gyroscopes (CMGs) have been used for attitude control on spacecraft that require large torques. We propose them for use in multibody robotic systems where high agility (or dexterity) and low power are important design goals. The architecture we propose offers singularity-free, reactionless slewing of a multi-joint robotic arm. It promises one to two orders of magnitude reduction in electromechanical power over otherwise identical systems with traditional joint drives or reactionless rotors. In broad terms, this improvement is possible because the CMGs transfer momentum with only small changes in kinetic energy. The large torques with which CMGs are associated are, in fact, constraint torques if the bodies are rigidly connected. They do no work, and they therefore require no input power per se. We describe the implementation of this concept on a small, free-flying spaceraft-maintenance robot (proposed by Princeton Satellite Systems), where 2 rad/sec rate, 2 rad/sec acceleration, and 2 rad/sec jerk are achieved for less than 1 kW peak power.
Exosome-associated release, uptake, and neurotoxicity of HIV-1 Tat protein

HIV-1 Tat is an indispensible transactivator for HIV gene transcription and replication. It has been shown to exit cells as a free protein and enter neighboring cells or interact with surface receptors of neighboring cells to regulate gene expression and cell function. In this study, we report, for the first time, exosome-associated Tat release and uptake. Using a HIV-1 LTR-driven luciferase reporter-based cell assay and Western blotting or in combination with exosome inhibitor, OptiPrep gradient fractionation, and exosome depletion, we demonstrated significant presence of HIV-1 Tat in exosomes derived from Tat-expressing primary astrocytes, Tat-transfected U373.MG and 293T, and HIV-infected MT4. We further showed that exosome-associated Tat from Tat-expressing astrocytes was capable of causing neurite shortening and neuron death, further supporting that this new form of extracellular Tat is biologically active. Lastly, we constructed a Tat mutant deleted of its basic domain and determined the role of the basic domain in Tat trafficking into exosomes. Basic domain-deleted Tat exhibited no apparent effects on Tat trafficking into exosomes, while maintained its dominant-negative function in Tat-mediated LTR transactivation. Taken together, these results show a significant fraction of Tat is secreted and present in the form of exosomes and may contribute to the stability of extracellular Tat and broaden the spectrum of its target cells.
A Test Method of Embedded Linux Scheduler Latency

Strategies and solutions of the embedded Linux's scheduler are analyzed. Based on Intel X86 CPUs architecture, a test method of Linux scheduler latency is introduced. Its principle and implementation are interpreted in detail. At last, experiments of this method prove its availability and also validate the preemptible patch and low-latency patchs theory.
Ungated extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: safe and effective in the pediatric population.

PURPOSE Ungated extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is unsynchronized to the patient's electrocardiogram. Although ungated extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is associated with cardiac arrhythmias in adults, the incidence of arrhythmias in children has not been established. We report on the safety and efficacy of ungated SWL of renal calculi in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated all children less than 18 years of age undergoing ungated SWL for renal calculi. Lithotripsy with gradual incremental energy increase was used to treat the stones. Patients were monitored for arrhythmias and other standard monitoring intraoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS Twenty-four consecutive children (10 boys and 14 girls) between 3.5 and 17 years of age underwent 32 ungated SWL procedures for renal calculi. The stone size ranged from 5 mm to 19 mm. No patient had cardiac arrhythmias or other intraoperative complications, required to have the procedure terminated prematurely, or conversion to gated SWL. The overall stone free rate was 87% based on radiographic imaging. CONCLUSIONS This series supports our initial series that ungated SWL is safe and efficacious in children less than 18 years of age. The arrhythmias associated with adults do no appear to occur in children undergoing ungated SWL.
THE EFFECTS OF ANTICIPATION ON THE MECHANICS OF THE KNEE DURING SINGLE-LEG CUTTING TASKS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

ACL injuries are common in sports, which has resulted in the development of risk screening and injury prevention programs to target modifiable neuromuscular risk factors. Previous studies which have analyzed single-leg cutting tasks have reported that the anticipation status of the task (pre-planned vs. unanticipated) has a significant effect on the mechanics of the knee.The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effect of anticipation on the mechanics of the knee in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes during tasks which athletes frequently perform during competition.Systematic Review.The following databases were searched using relevant key words and search limits: Pub Med, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. A modified version of the Downs and Black checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of the articles by two independent reviewers.284 articles were identified during the initial database search. After a screening process, 34 articles underwent further review. Of these articles, 13 met the criteria for inclusion in this systematic review.It appears that tasks which do not allow a subject to pre-plan their movement strategy promote knee mechanics which may increase an athlete's risk of injury.Clinicians involved in the development and implementation of ACL injury risk screening and prevention programs may want to consider incorporating tasks which do not allow time for pre-planning. These unanticipated tasks may more closely mimic the demands of the sports environment and may promote mechanics which increase the risk of injury.Level 1b.
The role of rhythm in intonational melody: A case study from Fataluku

This paper takes a fresh look at the theoretical relationship between linguistic rhythm and linguistic melody, arguing for a closer connection between metrical structure and intonational organization than is typically assumed. The focus of this paper is the theoretical treatment of word-medial intonational targets in languages without stress, since at first glance, such word-medial targets challenge the core assumption of the autosegmental-metrical theory of intonation that all intonational targets are aligned either with a stressed syllable or with the edge of a prosodic domain. I propose that this theoretical dilemma may be resolved by taking into account foot edges as possible alignment sites for edge tones. The claim that intonational tones may be aligned with foot edges is supported with new data from the Papuan language Fataluku. The implications of such an analysis for other stressless languages are also discussed.
Assessment of personal airborne exposures and surface contamination from x-ray vaporization of beryllium targets at the National Ignition Facility.

ABSTRACTThis article presents air and surface sampling data collected over the first two years since beryllium was introduced as a target material at the National Ignition Facility. Over this time, 101 experiments with beryllium-containing targets were executed. The data provides an assessment of current conditions in the facility and a baseline for future impacts as new, reduced regulatory limits for beryllium are being proposed by both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Department of Energy. This study also investigates how beryllium deposits onto exposed surfaces as a result of x-ray vaporization and the effectiveness of simple decontamination measures in reducing the amount of removable beryllium from a surface. Based on 1,961 surface wipe samples collected from entrant components (equipment directly exposed to target debris) and their surrounding work areas during routine reconfiguration activities, only one result was above the beryllium release limit of 0.2 µg/100 cm2 and 27 resu...
The cost of adverse drug events in ambulatory care.

Background : Many justifications for ePrescribing pred ict savings achieved by reducing the number of adverse drug events (ADE s) in the ambulatory setting however , there is little evidence from which to estimate the size of these savings. Estimating the cost of ADEs in the ambulatory setting would improve the reliability of these predictions. Methods : We identified patients with potential ADEs in a primary care practice setting and characterized the patient’s age along with charge and utilization indicators for 6 weeks pre - and post -event . We then used linea r regression to determine charges attributable to an ADE. Results : Charges were higher for patients following an ambulatory visit who were determined to have ADEs. This occurred in a linear fashion: 2 ADEs ($ 4,976 ); 1 ADE ($2,337); and no ADE s ($1,943 ). The charge attributable to a single ADE is $643 (2001 US dollars) or $926 (cost adjusted to 2006 US dollars) . Conclusions : Patients with ADE s incur greater charges . The charge s attributable to an ambulatory ADE are a significant cost to the health care d elivery system on the order of $8 billion annually .
Impact of new models on internal dose estimates for radiopharmaceuticals

1436 Objectives To evaluate the impact of recent changes introduced in anthropomorphic and biokinetic models on internal dose estimates of interest to nuclear medicine. Methods Several recent changes have been proposed in models for use in internal and external dose calculations, including new decay data (ICRP Publication 107), the RADAR realistic reference adult, pediatric, and pregnant woman realistic phantom series (based on the ICRP Publication 89 organ and body definitions), a new reference Human Alimentary Tract (HAT) Model (ICRP Publication 100), and new tissue weighting factors for calculation of effective dose (ICRP Publication 103). These data have been implemented in a new version of the OLINDA/EXM software. Comparisons were made of results using these new data and the data used for many years in previous software codes (MIRDOSE/OLINDA/EXM series), for several dozen radiopharmaceuticals in routine use in nuclear medicine. Results Organ dose estimates in many cases are similar to those in previous models, within about 20%, which is clearly within the uncertainties present in any calculation of doses to standardized individuals. Some differences can be seen for organ pairs whose geometries are significantly different in the more realistic modeling representation. The influence of calculated absorbed fractions for electrons is important in small organs, such as in pediatric models. Doses for new organs are available, including salivary glands, eyes, esophagus, and prostate gland. The new definitions within the HAT model result in some different irradiation geometries between some organs in the lower abdomen. The new tissue weighting factors result in very small changes in effective dose, in most cases, from those in the most recent (1991) ICRP scheme. Conclusions The new generation of more realistic dosimetry phantoms, new reference organ masses and tissue weighting factors result in only modest changes to standardized dose estimates in most cases. Implementation of the models in the OLINDA/EXM code facilitates calculations and comparisons of new and previous model results
Non-equilibrium Membrane Homeostasis in Expanding Cellular Domains.

Abstract Many cell behaviors involve cell-shape transformations that impose considerable changes in the cell's surface area, requiring a constant adaptation of the cell's plasma membrane area to prevent cell lysis. Here, we theoretically describe the interplay between the plasma membrane dynamics and a physically connected cell cortex or wall, accounting for spatial variations in membrane recycling and tension. In-plane membrane net flows result naturally from these dynamics and, in the presence of an expanding cell cortex or wall, regions of converging or diverging flow patterns emerge. These flow patterns can potentially explain the spatial localization/segregation of membrane proteins in processes such as cell polarization. We also identify the relevant parameters that control membrane homeostasis and derive the range of parameters for which homeostatic states exist.
Inflammatory breast cancer biology: the tumour microenvironment is key

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive disease that accounts for ~2–4% of all breast cancers. However, despite its low incidence rate, IBC is responsible for 7–10% of breast cancer-related mortality in Western countries. Thus, the discovery of robust biological targets and the development of more effective therapeutics in IBC are crucial. Despite major international efforts to understand IBC biology, genomic studies have not led to the discovery of distinct biological mechanisms in IBC that can be translated into novel therapeutic strategies. In this Review, we discuss these molecular profiling efforts and highlight other important aspects of IBC biology. We present the intrinsic characteristics of IBC, including stemness, metastatic potential and hormone receptor positivity; the extrinsic features of the IBC tumour microenvironment (TME), including various constituent cell types; and lastly, the communication between these intrinsic and extrinsic components. We summarize the latest perspectives on the key biological features of IBC, with particular emphasis on the TME as an important contributor to the aggressive nature of IBC. On the basis of the current understanding of IBC, we hope to develop the next generation of translational studies, which will lead to much-needed survival improvements in patients with this deadly disease.
Quantifying diversity in parametric design: a comparison of possible metrics

To be useful for architects and related designers searching for creative, expressive forms, performance-based digital tools must generate a diverse range of design solutions. This gives the designer flexibility to choose from a number of high-performing designs based on aesthetic preferences or other priorities. However, there is no single established method for measuring diversity in the context of computational design, especially in the field of architecture. This paper explores different metrics for quantifying diversity in parametric design, which is an increasingly common digital approach to early-stage exploration, and tests how human users perceive these diversity measurements. It first provides a review of existing methodologies for measuring diversity and describes how they can be adapted for parametrically formulated design spaces. This paper then tests how these different metrics align with human perception of design diversity through an online visual survey. Finally, it offers a quantitative comparison between the different methods and a discussion of their attributes and potential applications. In general, the comparison indicates that at the level of diversity difference that becomes visually meaningful to humans, the measurable difference between metrics is small. This paper informs future researchers, developers, and designers about the measurement of diversity in parametric design, and can stimulate further studies into the perception of diversity within sets of design options, as well as new design methodologies that combine architectural novelty and performance.
Delay and Energy Efficiency Tradeoff for Information Pushing System

We study the optimum designs of a unicast push-based information delivery system, where information is sent from a server to a user by using server-initiated pushing actions. Information arrives at the server at random and the server adopts a “hold-then-serve” strategy, where new information is temporarily stored in a queue for a later one-time transmission. At any given time instant the server decides whether to stop waiting and push all information in the queue to the user, or to keep waiting based on the current queue status and the long-term design objective. A shorter waiting time can preserve the “freshness” or timeliness of the information, which can be measured by using various delay penalty functions. However, frequent pushing actions will increase the power consumption of user devices by frequently waking up the client. The objective is to identify the optimum stopping rule that can optimize the tradeoff between the delay penalty and energy consumption. Motivated by the fact that different applications have different delay requirements, we adopt three different types of delay penalty functions, including linear, exponential, and logarithmic penalty functions. Using optimum stopping theories, optimum stopping rules are developed to minimize a weighted combination of delay penalty and energy efficiency. Different Pareto-optimum tradeoffs between delay and energy efficiency can be achieved by tuning the weight coefficient in the objective function. In particular, if the delay penalty function is convex, it is proved that the one-step look ahead stopping rule is optimum.
Hypercalcemia Due to Vitamin D Toxicity

Abstract Although vitamin D toxicity is an uncommon cause of hypercalcemia, it becomes a consideration after exclusion of the more frequent causes such as primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy. Vitamin D toxicity can be life-threatening and associated with substantial morbidity, if not promptly identified. It can be due to ingestion of excessive parent vitamin D, its metabolites, or analogues or due to endogenous production of active vitamin D in the setting of granulomatous disease or lymphoma. A more recently recognized cause of hypercalcemia is reduced catabolism of vitamin D due to inactivating mutations in the 24-hydroxylase gene. This chapter reviews the various forms of vitamin D toxicity, mechanisms of hypercalcemia due to vitamin D toxicity, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management.
Pharmacokinetics of intravenous, subcutaneous, and topical administration of lidocaine hydrochloride and metabolites 3-hydroxylidocaine, monoethylglycinexylidide, and 4-hydroxylidocaine in horse.

Intravenous (iv), subcutaneous (sq), and topical (tp) lidocaine was administered to six horses in a cross-over, randomized design study. Samples were collected for up to 72 hr. Compartmental models were used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of (LD) and its metabolites 3-hydroxylidocaine (3-OH), 4-hydroxylidocaine (4-OH), and monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX). Metabolites 3-OH and 4-OH were present in conjugated forms, whereas LD and metabolite MEXG were present primarily in the un-conjugated form. Plasma concentrations of LD after iv administration (100 mg) were described by three-compartment model with an additional three compartments to describe the elimination of metabolites. Median (range) elimination micro-constants (Ke ) for LD, 3-OH, 4-OH, and MEXG were 4.12 (2.62-6.23), 1.25 (1.10-2.15), 1.79 (1.22-2.39), and 1.69 (1.03-1.99)/hr, respectively. Median (range) values of alpha (t½α ), beta (t½β ), and gamma (t½γ ) half-lives were 0.08 (0.07-0.13), 0.57 (0.15-1.25), and 4.11 (0.52-7.36) hr. Plasma concentrations of LD after sq (200 mg) administration were described by absorption and two-compartment elimination model. The median (range) of the LD absorption half-life (t½ab ) was 0.47 (0.29-0.61) hr. The Ke for LD, 3-OH, 4-OH, and MEXG was 3.91 (1.48-9.25), 1.00 (0.78-1.08), 1.76 (0.96-2.11), and 1.13 (0.69-1.33)/hr. The median (range) of t½α and t½β was 0.15 (0.06-0.27) and 3.04 (2.53-6.39) hr. Plasma concentrations of LD after tp (400 mg) application were described by one-compartment model with a t½ab of 8.49 (5.16-11.80) hr. The Ke for LD, 3-OH, and MEXG was 0.24 (0.10-0.81), 0.41 (0.08-0.93), and 0.38 (0.26-1.14)/hr.
Rationale and Design of the Study to Understand Fall Reduction and vitamin D in You (STURDY): A Randomized Clinical Trial of Vitamin D Supplement Doses for the Prevention of Falls in Older Adults

Abstract Prior evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation may reduce fall risk, but existing data are inconsistent and insufficient to guide policy. We designed a two-stage Bayesian response-adaptive dose-finding and seamless confirmatory randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent falls. Up to 1200 community-dwelling persons, aged ≥70 years, of predominantly white and African-American race, with serum 25(OH)D concentrations of 10–29 ng/mL and at elevated fall risk, will be randomized to one of four vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplement doses: 200 (control), 1000, 2000, or 4000 IU/day and treated for up to 2 years. Stage 1 is designed to identify the best of the non-control doses for fall prevention. If a best dose is selected, Stage 2 will start seamlessly, with enrollees assigned to control or the best dose in Stage 1 continuing on that dose unchanged, enrollees assigned to the two non-control, non-best doses in Stage 1 switched to the best dose, and new enrollees randomly assigned 1:1 to control or the best dose. In Stage 2, we will compare the control dose group to the best dose group to potentially confirm the efficacy of that dose for fall prevention. The primary outcome measure in both stages is time to first fall or death, whichever comes first. Falls are ascertained from calendars, scheduled interviews, or interim self-reports. Secondary outcome measures include time to each component of the composite primary outcome and gait speed. Additional outcomes include the Short Physical Performance Battery score, physical activity level (assessed by accelerometry), and frailty score. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02166333 .
Macrophage Activation Syndrome, Glomerulonephritis, Pericarditis, and Retinal Vasculitis as Initial Presentation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with potentially life-threatening consequences. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in literature for a constellation of MAS, glomerulonephritis, pericarditis, and retinal vasculitis as initial presentation of SLE. Despite extensive multisystem involvement of his disease, the patient responded well to initial steroid treatment, with mycophenolate mofetil successfully added as a steroid-sparing agent. Our case highlights the importance of multispecialty collaboration in the diagnosis and management of SLE with multisystem involvement.
Frequency, predictors, and outcomes of readmission to index versus non-index hospitals after mechanical thrombectomy in patients with ischemic stroke.

Background Stroke systems of care employ a hub-and-spoke model, with fewer centers performing mechanical thrombectomy (MT) compared with stroke-receiving centers, where a higher number offer high-level, centralized treatment to a large number of patients. Objective To characterize rates and outcomes of readmission to index and non-index hospitals for patients with ischemic stroke who underwent MT. Methods This study leveraged a population-based, nationally representative sample of patients with stroke undergoing MT from the Nationwide Readmissions Database between 2010 and 2014. Descriptive, logistic regression analyses, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were carried out to determine patient- and hospital-level factors, mortality, complications, and subsequent readmissions associated with index and non-index hospitals9 90-day readmissions. Results In the study, 2111 patients with a stroke were treated with MT, of whom 534 were readmitted within 90 days. The most common reasons for readmission were: septicemia (5.9%), atrial fibrillation (4.8%), and cerebral artery occlusion with infarct (4.8%). Among readmitted patients, 387 (74%) were readmitted to index and 136 (26%) to non-index hospitals. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, non-index hospital readmission was not independently associated with major complications (p=0.09), mortality (p=0.34), neurological complications (p=0.47), or second readmission (p=0.92). Conclusion One-quarter of patients with a stroke treated with MT were readmitted within 90 days, and one quarter of these patients were readmitted to non-index hospitals. Readmission to a non-index hospital was not associated with mortality or increased complication rates. In a hub-and-spoke model it is important that follow-up care for a specialized procedure can be performed effectively at a vast number of non-index hospitals covering a large geographic area.
Building worlds together: understanding collaborative co-creation of game worlds

This paper presents a preliminary exploration of games as sites of collaborative game world creation. By this, we mean the processes in games by which players take on a dual role as player within the game world and maker of the game world, sharing authorship of the world and its design with the game's designers and other players. We explore several examples of games featuring game world co-creation at the core of their gameplay, and use this to create a model for understanding the commonalities across these various games and how they facilitate this collaborative process. By examining similar structures in the design and play of these games, we can better understand how to identify this process in existing games and how to better create games that allow for this in the future.
The Valdez Principles: Is What's Good for America Good for General Motors?

One of our least memorable Presidents put it most memorably: "The business of America," said Calvin Coolidge, "is business." Coolidge and others believed that so long as industry chugged along and government kept its cautious distance, twentieth century America would have more goods, more jobs, and a higher standard of living. The corporate form was one mechanism for this growth. It offered centralized management, the ability to sell stock to raise capital, and limited liability for investors and directors. Today, America sits (albeit shakily) atop the economic world, and corporations account for nearly 90% of the country's business receipts.1 During this growth period, a central principle of corporate law emerged and proved virtually unassailable: the sole duty of a corporation's officers (subject to certain limited obligations) was to maximize shareholder wealth. When no less a business legend than Henry Ford challenged this doctrine, even he was rebuffed.2 By the late 1960s, corporate officers faced greater constraints. Legislation like the Consumer Product Safety Act,3 the Clean Air Act,4 the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970,5 and the Federal Trade Commission Act6 limited the untrammeled pursuit of shareholder profits. At the same time, calls arose for corporations to become more "socially responsible." Discussion began about