cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Revealing a Size-Resolved Fluorescence-Based Metric for Tracking Oxidative Treatment of Total N-Nitrosamine Precursors in Waters from Wastewater Treatment Plants

N-Nitrosamines make up a nonhalogenated group of disinfection byproducts that form during chloramination, particularly in drinking waters impacted by wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. Here, we reveal a size-resolved fluorescence-based precursor surrogate for tracking total N-nitrosamine formation potential (TONOFP) through oxidative treatment. Samples were collected at seven WWTPs, at the finished effluent and prior to final disinfection (i.e., secondary effluent). Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) with inline fluorescence detection at excitation and emission wavelengths of 280 and 340 nm, respectively (i.e., I280/340), showed protein-rich natural organic matter peaks between 10–445 and 445–1500 kDa. TONOFP was measured by chemiluminescence on samples dosed with 250 mg L–1 Cl2 monochloramine at pH 7 for 7 days. Metrics from AF4 I280/340 (i.e., area under the curve and peak height) and I257/277 from whole water excitation–emission matrices were leveraged in multivariate models to de...
Field variability and vulnerability index to identify regional precision agriculture opportunity

Innovations in precision agriculture (PA) have created opportunities to achieve a greater understanding of within-field variability. However, PA adoption has been hindered by uncertainty about field-specific performance and return on investment. Uncertainty could be better addressed by using innovative analyses that provide insights into variability among fields and across a region. The objectives of this research were to: (1) generate a within-field soil clay-content variability index (VIc), (2) create a regional-scale growing-season precipitation variability index (VIp), and (3) integrate the soil and weather indices with the USDA NRCS soil erosion vulnerability index (SVI) to produce a final index that incorporated both variability and vulnerability (VVI). The interpretation of the outcomes represented by each objective supports unique decisions that land managers may consider for reducing uncertainty about implementing PA. All indices were derived using publically available information for Missouri, USA. The VIc was the ratio between the maximum and minimum clay content within fields. The VIp was calculated as the standard deviation of the total growing-season precipitation from 2006 to 2015. Significant clustering of VIc and VIp were observed along the Missouri River corridor, northeast and northwest Missouri. Fields with high VVI were mostly in the claypan soil region of northeast Missouri, and along a portion of the Missouri River dominated by loess soils on steep slopes. Southeast Missouri displayed the greatest diversity in soil and weather variability, but had low vulnerability. This research could be used as a decision-support tool to aid producers and PA service and product providers in determining where PA opportunities exist.
A K-nearest neighbor classifier for ship route prediction

Over the last years the number of AIS messages generated by ships to signal their position has been increasing thus permitting decision support systems to build new strategies based on the elaboration of such data. In this paper we propose an algorithm based on a K-Nearest Neighbor classifier to predict ships routes. The algorithm was tested on real data extracted from AIS messages collected around Malta. Experiments show that our algorithm reaches a precision of 0.794, a recall of 0.785 and an accuracy of 0.931.
Putting Big Data Innovation into Action for Development

As part of the global data revolution, an increasing number of World Bank projects are based on insights from big data sources, including satellite-based measurements. Many use innovative machine- and deep-learning techniques to understand factors key to development. Leading satellite-based initiatives include: Monitoring Electrification from Space: Through analyzing 2 decades of satellite images for nightly light output from India’s 600,000 villages, this project developed a novel data-intensive strategy to improve the monitoring of rural electricity provision. The data is accessible via an online visualization platform to help optimize electrification planning. Mapping Poverty by Satellite: To generate inexpensive, timely poverty estimates, this project examined how well satellite indicators contribute to poverty prediction, and how this depends on the type of prediction model. When compared with Sri Lankan census data, high-resolution satellite indicators track poverty very well, with potential to improve traditional poverty maps. Satellite-Based Yield Measurement: Through trials in Uganda, this project is testing a pioneering approach which relates satellite-based data to plot-level ground measures of yields. This enables future yield predictions, which can inform better policymaking to help farmers improve productivity.
Management of sciatica: a shared-decision

How to best manage sciatica is not a simple question to answer. Ramaswami, et al . presented the case of Mr. Winston, a 50-year-old patient with low back pain radiating into his L leg with positive nerve root tension signs and a left-sided L4–L5 herniated disk (1). In managing Mr. Winston’s sciatica, Dr. Ramaswami poses two options: to have surgery or to not have surgery.
Classification of anemia using data mining techniques

The extraction of hidden predictive information from large databases is possible with data mining. Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood. Anemia can be classified in a variety of ways, based on the morphology of RBCs, etiology, etc . In this paper we present an analysis of the prediction and classification of anemia in patients using data mining techniques. The dataset constructed from complete blood count test data from various hospitals. We have worked out with classification method C4.5 decision tree algorithm and Support vector machine which are implemented as J48 and SMO(sequential minimal optimization) in Weka. Several experiments are conducted using these algorithms. The decision ree for classification of anemia is generated which gives best possible classification of anemia based on CBC reports along with severity of anemia. We have observed that C4.5 algorithm has best performance with highest accuracy.
Resins and Polymers on Level II: Phases

Having considered resins, polymers, and elastomers from the standpoint of molecular composition and structure in the previous chapter, we turn now to the differentiation of phases with respect to structure, composition, properties, morphology, condition, and behavior. A phase has been defined in Chapter 1 as an apparently homogeneous, tangibly or intangibly separate portion of matter.
Distributed cases for case-based reasoning; facilitating use of multiple cases

A case-based reasoner can frequently benefit from using pieces of multiple previous cases in the course of solving a single problem. In our model, case pieces, called snippets, are organized around the pursuit of a goal, and there are links between the pieces that preserve the structure of reasoning. The advantages of our representational approach include: 1) The steps taken in a previous case can be followed as long as they are relevant, since the connections between steps are preserved. 2) There is easy access to all parts of previous cases, so they can be directly accessed when appropriate.
Isolation of Rabies Virus from the Salivary Glands of Wild and Domestic Carnivores during a Skunk Rabies Epizootic.

Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease of global importance. Rabies virus is shed in the saliva of infected hosts and is primarily transmitted through bite contact. Canine rabies has been eliminated from the US, but wildlife constitutes more than 90% of the reported cases of animal rabies in the US each year. In the US, several wild carnivore species are reservoirs of distinct variants of rabies virus (RV). After decades of apparent absence, the south-central skunk (SCSK) RV variant was detected in Colorado in 2007 and resulted in a large-scale epizootic in striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) populations in northern Colorado starting in 2012. We attempted isolation of RV from salivary gland tissues from confirmed rabid carnivores, comprising 51 striped skunks and seven other wild and domestic carnivores collected during 2013 through 2015 in northern Colorado. We isolated RV from 84.0% (158/188; 95% confidence interval=78.1–88.6%) of striped skunk and 71% (17/24; 95% confidence interval =51–85%) of other carnivore salivary glands. These data suggested that infected reservoir and vector species were equally likely to shed the SCSK RV variant and posed a secondary transmission risk to humans and other animals.
Persistent polar ocean warming in a strategically geoengineered climate

Enhancement of the Earth’s albedo through the injection of sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere has been proposed as an approach to offset some of the adverse effects of climate change. Here we analyse an ensemble of simulations of the twenty-first century climate designed to explore a strategic geoengineering approach. Specifically, stratospheric sulfur injections are imposed at 15° and 30° in both hemispheres with the aim to minimize the changes in surface temperature, both in the global mean and in its gradients between hemispheres and from equator to pole. The approach accomplishes these goals and reduces previously noted adverse impacts of solar radiation management, such as excessive cooling in the tropics and weakening rainfall over land. Nonetheless, hydrological responses over the North Atlantic Ocean lead to an acceleration of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and to continued warming of the deep and polar oceans, particularly in the vicinity of southern Greenland. These changes could cause continued, albeit slower, cryospheric melt and global sea level rise. Our simulations demonstrate the complexity of the coupled climate response to geoengineering and highlight the need for significant advances in our ability to simulate the coupled climate system and the continued refinement of geoengineering strategies as a prerequisite to their successful implementation. Changes in the water cycle arising from a strategic geoengineering approach alter the ocean circulation and structure, according to an ensemble of simulations with an Earth System Model.
Cost Optimization of an Opportunity Charging Bus Network

This study focusses on reducing the battery size requirements of electric busses using battery charging and speed profile optimization. To minimize the energy consumption costs and the battery size, an opportunity charging city bus networks have been investigated. An electric bus architecture, traffic, weather and road conditions, as well as the driver behaviors have been modelled to simulate the overall system and predict the energy consumption. Optimization algorithm is developed to determine the optimal driving cycle and the charging time on each bus stop. The algorithms are tested on case studies, which verified that the proposed approach reduces the energy consumption and battery size requirements of electric busses.
FTC or NAAG: Who Will Win the Territorial Battle?:

An overview is presented of the recent conflict between state and federal authorities regarding the regulation of national advertising. Multistate regulatory efforts have raised questions about the...
Primary prevention ICD generator at end of life: to replace or not to replace?

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are the cornerstone of therapy for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with severely depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) ≤35%, irrespective of the aetiology.1–3 Current device guidelines and appropriate use criteria lay profound emphasis on the baseline left ventricular EF and New York Heart Association functional class in selecting appropriate candidates for primary prevention ICD implantation.4 5 However, these society guidelines do not provide guidance regarding a decision about replacing ICD generators, especially in patients who have not had any appropriate ICD therapies during the lifespan of the device and/or in whom the left ventricular EF improves to >35% at the time of reimplantation. Prior studies have shown that among primary prevention ICD recipients, about 75% do not experience any appropriate ICD therapies during the lifetime of their first ICD generator6 7 and about 25%–40% have improvements in their left ventricular EF >35% after ICD implantation.7–12 Furthermore, patients requiring generator replacements are older and have significantly greater comorbidities compared with the initial recipients.6 13 14 A significant proportion of ICD-related procedures in the USA, approximately 40%, involve ICD generator replacement based on the National Cardiovascular Data Registry data.6 Device replacements are associated with substantial healthcare costs and greater risk of major complications compared with initial implant.15 16 This raises a critical question as to whether the risk of sudden cardiac death warrants ICD generator replacement in patients who have not had any prior appropriate ICD therapies. Does improvement in left ventricular EF >35% lower the risk of sudden cardiac death negating the potential benefits of ICD? In this issue of the Journal , Looi et al 17 report their single-centre outcomes in patients with heart failure after primary prevention ICD generator replacement. …
Overnight caloric restriction prior to cardiac arrest and resuscitation leads to improved survival and neurological outcome in a rodent model

Abstract While interest toward caloric restriction (CR) in various models of brain injury has increased in recent decades, studies have predominantly focused on the benefits of chronic or intermittent CR. The effects of ultra-short, including overnight, CR on acute ischemic brain injury, however, are not well studied. Here, we show that overnight caloric restriction (75% over 14 h) prior to asphyxial cardiac arrest and resuscitation (CA) improves survival and neurological recovery, including complete prevention of neurodegeneration in multiple regions of the brain. We also show that overnight CR normalizes stress-induced hyperglycemia, while significantly decreasing insulin and glucagon production and increasing corticosterone and ketone body production. The benefits seen with ultra-short CR appear independent of Sirtuin 1 (SIRT-1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, which have been strongly linked to neuroprotective benefits seen in chronic CR. Further exploration into the precise mechanisms involved in ultra-short CR may have significant translational implications. These findings are also of importance to basic sciences research as we demonstrate that minor, often-overlooked alterations to pre-experimental dietary procedures can significantly affect results, and by extension, research homogeneity and reproducibility, especially in acute ischemic brain injury models.
SECTION 4-5 – λgt11

Publisher Summary λgt11 is a 43.7-kb linear double-stranded λ bacteriophage cloning vector designed for cloning small EcoRI fragments, particularly cDNA fragments with EcoRI linkers. The unique EcoRl site is used for inserting foreign DNA, which is located near the COOH terminus of the lac Z gene. Foreign DNA sequences in this cloning vehicle are expressed as β-galactosidase fusion proteins. Recombinant libraries generated from λgt11 are screened with either antibody probes or nucleic acid probes, because the antibody detects the fusion protein expressed by the recombinant λgt11 bacteriophage. Insertion of foreign DNA into the EcoRI site renders the bacteriophage gal–, whereas nonrecombinant λgt11 is gal+. This chapter discusses the two useful genetic properties of the cloning vehicle: (1) it contains a temperature-sensitive repressor of lytic growth that is inactive at 42°C and active at 32°C, allowing a selection against lysogenic growth, and (2) it has an amber mutation, S100, that renders the phage host lysis defective in all E. Coli hosts that do not contain a strong amber suppression mutation.
PhD Forum Abstract: Low-Power Wide-Area Networks: Connect, Sense and Secure

With the advent of low-power internet-of-things(IoT) technologies, city-scale IoT is expected to bridge everyday objects to the cloud. Connecting objects at that scale requires a wireless technology that provides long battery life and range of communication. Recent successful deployments of low-power wide-area networks (LP-WANs) render them the leading candidate enabling such connectivity. Yet, while LP-WAN clients achieve optimum performance in rural areas, they severely underperform in urban cities due to interference, worse multipath and noise. This significantly lowers their battery lives, range and data rates. This is further exacerbated by the fact that these low-power clients are also highly susceptible to security threats from much more powerful malicious adversaries.
Promoting Alzheimer's Risk-Reduction through Community-Based Lifestyle Education and Exercise in Rural America: A Pilot Intervention

Introduction Rural Americans (RA) have poorer vascular health and physical activity levels than their urban counterparts; all are dementia risk factors. Dementia risk reduction among rural individuals requires a tailored approach. The purpose of this project was to examine preliminary efficacy of a community-based physical exercise and/or dementia risk factor-reduction curriculum among rural adults 50 and older. Methods Seventy-five rural dwelling adults 50 and older were randomized to one of three groups: 1) 10 weeks of Alzheimer's disease risk-reduction education (ED), 2) risk-reduction education and supervised exercise (EDEX) or 3) control group (CON). Outcomes included baseline to 10-week follow-up difference in dementia knowledge (primary outcome) and physical activity, muscular endurance, healthy lifestyle engagement, and anthropometrics (secondary outcomes). Results Sixty-nine adults successfully completed the 10-week study. Dementia knowledge increased in a Treatment Arm-dependent manner (χ2 = 6.95 (2), p = 0.03), being ED and EDEX superior to CON. Engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviors did not change statistically. However, participation specifically in physical activity increased over time (χ2 = 11.47 (2), p = 0.003) with EDEX reporting the greatest increases. No significant change in average daily steps was observed for any group. Conclusion The results suggested dementia risk-reduction education, both with and without structured exercise, leads to improvements in dementia knowledge. When coupled with regular, supervised exercise, this education intervention also helped participants increase engagement in physical activity over 10 weeks. Tailored interventions that combine Alzheimer's disease education and regular, supervised exercise may help reduce dementia risk in rural communities.
A combination of AZD5363 and FH5363 induces lethal autophagy in transformed hepatocytes

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major causes of cancer-related death worldwide. High Akt activation and aberrant β-catenin expression contribute to HCC cell proliferation, stem cell generation, and metastasis. Several signaling pathway-specific inhibitors are in clinical trials and display different efficacies against HCC. In this study, we observed that a β-catenin inhibitor (FH535) displays antiproliferative effect on transformed human hepatocytes (THH). A combination treatment of these cells with FH535 and Akt inhibitor (AZD5363) exerted a stronger effect on cell death. Treatment of THH with AZD5363 and FH535 inhibited cell-cycle progression, enhanced autophagy marker protein expression, and autophagy-associated death, while FH535 treatment alone induced apoptosis. The use of chloroquine or z-VAD further verified these observations. Autophagy flux was evident from lowering marker proteins LAMP2, LAPTM4B, and autophagic protein expression by confocal microscopy using mCherry-EGFP-LC3 reporter construct. A combination treatment with AZD5363 and FH535 enhanced p53 expression, by modulating MDM2 activation; however, AZD5363 treatment alone restricted p53 to the nucleus by inhibiting dynamin-related protein activation. Nuclear p53 plays a crucial role for activation of autophagy by regulating the AMPK-mTOR-ULK1 pathway. Hep3B cells with null p53 did not modulate autophagy-dependent death from combination treatment. Together, our results strongly suggested that a combination treatment of Akt and β-catenin inhibitors exhibits efficient therapeutic potential for HCC.
Next steps in the identification of gene targets for type 1 diabetes.

The purpose of this review is to provide a view of the future of genomics and other omics approaches in defining the genetic contribution to all stages of risk of type 1 diabetes and the functional impact and clinical implementations of the associated variants. From the recognition nearly 50 years ago that genetics (in the form of HLA) distinguishes risk of type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes, advances in technology and sample acquisition through collaboration have identified over 60 loci harbouring SNPs associated with type 1 diabetes risk. Coupled with HLA region genes, these variants account for the majority of the genetic risk (~50% of the total risk); however, relatively few variants are located in coding regions of genes exerting a predicted protein change. The vast majority of genetic risk in type 1 diabetes appears to be attributed to regions of the genome involved in gene regulation, but the target effectors of those genetic variants are not readily identifiable. Although past genetic studies clearly implicated immune-relevant cell types involved in risk, the target organ (the beta cell) was left untouched. Through emergent technologies, using combinations of genetics, gene expression, epigenetics, chromosome conformation and gene editing, novel landscapes of how SNPs regulate genes have emerged. Furthermore, both the immune system and the beta cell and their biological pathways have been implicated in a context-specific manner. The use of variants from immune and beta cell studies distinguish type 1 diabetes from type 2 diabetes and, when they are combined in a genetic risk score, open new avenues for prediction and treatment.
Misaligned Incentives in Benign Prostatic Enlargement Surgery: More Complex and Efficacious Procedures Are Earning Fewer Relative Value Units.

Background: Relative value units (RVUs) are the measure of value used in US Medicare reimbursement. Medicare determines physician work RVUs (wRVUs) from the Relative Value Update Committee (RUC) for a procedure based on operative time, technical skill and effort, mental effort and judgment, and stress. In theory, work RVUs should account for the complexity and operative time involved in a procedure. The aim of this study was to assess whether major procedures for treatment of benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) are fairly compensated based on complexity and operative time in the RVU system and compare them with the intended reimbursement. Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare Physician Fee Schedule were queried from 2015 to 2017. Single, current, procedural terminology codes associated with BPE treatments were included: transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), photovaporization of the prostate (PVP), holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), retropubic simple prostatectomy (RSP), and suprapubic simple prostatectomy (SSP). The CMS operative times and the NSQIP real data were used in turn to calculate separate values for wRVUs per hour (wRVUs/hr) of operative time. The wRVUs/hr derived from CMS operative times represent RUC-estimated wRVUs/hr and wRVUs/hr derived from NSQIP represent actual wRVUs/hr. Results: A total of 27,664 cases were included from the NSQIP dataset. Median wRVU was 15.3 (interquartile range [IQR] 12.2-15.3), median operative time 50 minutes (IQR 33-74), and median wRVUs/hr 17.0 (IQR 11.6-26.2). RUC-estimated wRVUs/hr were TURP 12.2, PVP 12.2, RSP 9, SSP 9.3, and HoLEP 7.3. The actual wRVUs/hr were TURP 19.1, PVP 15.5, RSP 10.2, HoLEP 9.4, and SSP 7.6. Conclusions: Laser enucleation and simple prostatectomy are highly complex and efficacious procedures for treating BPE, yet the current payment schedule assigns these procedures the least amount of wRVUs/hr. Financial incentives for performing BPE surgeries are clearly misaligned.
Preliminary Findings of a Ten-Item Scale to Assess the Commitment of Low-Income Owners to Their Companion Animals

While there is a substantive body of research on benefits conveyed via the human–animal bond (HAB), less is understood about disruptions to HAB and how to potentially prevent such. The construct of...
Designing and Validating Expressive Cozmo Behaviors for Accurately Conveying Emotions

Robots have unique abilities to influence people, but when deploying robotic systems in assistive applications, roboticists must understand how users perceive these systems’ behaviors. As part of an ongoing project to use robots as motivational break-taking aids, we present Cozmo behaviors that could function as the action space of a future robot learning strategy. Before deploying these behaviors in the wild, we evaluated them using an online video-based study with N = 113 participants. Results show that participant perceptions of Cozmo behaviors tend to match the intended valence and energy level. Furthermore, behavior valence in particular has a strong bearing on other perceived characteristics such as interaction appeal, trustworthiness, and safety. Facial expression and loudness acted as important covariates, which may help generalize these results to other behaviors and robots. The products of this work can benefit those who are interested in robot emotional expression and assistive robot applications.
Identifying and Exploiting the Cyber High Ground for Botnets

For over 2000 years, military strategists have recognized the importance of capturing and holding the physical “high ground.” As cyber warfare strategy and tactics mature, it is important to explore the counterpart of “high ground” in the cyber domain. To this end, we develop the concept for botnet operations. Botnets have gained a great deal of attention in recent years due to their use in criminal activities. The criminal goal is typically focused on stealing information, hijacking resources, or denying service from legitimate users. In such situations, the scale of the botnet is of key importance. Bigger is better. However, several recent botnets have been designed for industrial or national espionage. These attacks highlight the importance of where the bots are located, not only how many there are. Just as in kinetic warfare, there is a distinct advantage to identifying, controlling, and exploiting an appropriately defined high ground. For targeted denial of confidentiality, integrity, and availability attacks thecyber high ground can be defined and realized in a physical network topology. An attacker who controls this cyber high ground gains a superior capability to achieve his mission objectives. Our results show that such an attacker may reduce their botnet’s footprint and increase its dwell time by up to 87 % and 155× respectively over a random or ill-informed attacker.
Content-based image retrieval using shape and depth from an engineering database

Content based image retrieval (CBIR), a technique which uses visual contents to search images from the large scale image databases, is an active area of research for the past decade. It is increasingly evident that an image retrieval system has to be domain specific. In this paper, we present an algorithm for retrieving images with respect to a database consisting of engineering/computer-aided design (CAD) models. The algorithm uses the shape information in an image along with its 3D information. A linear approximation procedure that can capture the depth information using the idea of shape from shading has been used. Retrieval of objects is then done using a similarity measure that combines shape and the depth information. Plotted precision/recall curves show that this method is very effective for an engineering database.
The Law of Consumer Auto-Payments and Auto-Payment Failure: Reducing the Costs of Carelessness

This paper addresses the law of consumer auto-payments, an area of electronic commercial law neglected by scholars. In particular, it considers the possibility of consumer losses from missed auto-payments which are not noticed to consumers in time for effective corrective action. It suggests that electronic notice should be provided (and ought to be legally required) immediately after a missed payment (e.g. one not made by an initial due date and well before the expiration of the grace period). This would be done in order to provide time for consumers who are better stewards of their inboxes than their postboxes the notice they need in time to respond to avoid service disruptions or damage to their credit. Possible resistance from payees is also considered.
SU-D-204-03: A Study On the Impact of Decreased Breast Compression During Mammography On Perceived Pain, Breast Thickness and Tissue Coverage

Purpose: To investigate the impact of decreasing mechanical breast compression during mammography on perceived pain, compressed breast thickness and tissue coverage. Methods: In this IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant study 72 women with prior mammograms were recruited to undergo positioning for both the cranio-caudal (CC) and medio-lateral oblique (MLO) views on a digital mammography/breast tomosynthesis system. One breast of each subject was compressed to four levels, including standard full compression for mammography. At each level of compression we recorded: (a) force in lb, (b) breast thickness in cm, (c) perceived pain (Rating: 0 (no-pain) -10 (severe pain)), and (d) relative tissue coverage. Video recording was used to document compression thickness and force displayed by the imaging system, in addition to the research technologist’s and participant’s voice input regarding the tissue coverage measured on an adhesive ruler placed on the breast and perceived pain rating, respectively. Results: On average, perceived pain to the subjects were reduced by 1.53 and 1.75 points in the CC and MLO views, respectively, in the pain ratings scale by reducing the compression force by one level, while the thickness of the compressed breast increased by an average of 0.02 and 0.09 cm, respectively. At this reduced compression step, there was no change in tissue coverage. Additional reductions in compression force resulted in 8.6% and 11.3% of compressions too low to adequately immobilize the breast, making them clinically impractical. Conclusion: Adequate CC and MLO view acquisitions may be possible with a reduction of compression force by approximately half, resulting in a significant and substantial reduction in perceived pain with no clinically significant change in breast thickness and tissue coverage. Considerably reducing the compression force used for mammography and breast tomosynthesis imaging and therefore reducing the pain perceived by the patients appears to be feasible. Ioannis Sechopoulos is consultant for Fuji Medical Systems USA.
W + W − and Z 0 Z 0 pair production in e + e − , pp , and p ¯ p colliding beams

We discuss the production of pairs of weak bosons in those processes where electrons or quarks annihilate. Besides comparing and extending previous calculations for ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{W}^{+}{W}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, we consider ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{Z}^{0}{Z}^{0}, \mathrm{pp}$ and $p\overline{p}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{W}^{+}{W}^{\ensuremath{-}}X or {Z}^{0}{Z}^{0}X$. It is emphasized that (1) the rate of production of ${Z}^{0}$ pairs is comparable to that of $W$ pairs and that (2) $W$-pair production with colliding proton beams may be the best way to see high-energy cancellations in cross sections, the hallmark of renormalizability in gauge theories.
Relevant aspects of statistical spectroscopy

Three aspects of statistical spectroscopy are studied: (1) information obtainable from complex spectra, (2) procedures for spectroscopy in huge model spaces, and (3) ways of identifying and calculating measurable parameters of the effective Hamiltonian and other operators, and of comparing different Hamiltonians. 4 figures. (SDF)
Using simulation and standardized patients to teach vital skills to pain medicine fellows.

Introduction Simulation is an evolving aspect of medical education. The role of simulation in training programs is variable, however, in technical specialties such as surgery and anesthesiology its role is quickly becoming a standard part of training programs. Pain fellowship programs must teach clinical diagnostic skills, pharmacology and pathophysiology, in addition to interventional skills to fellows with varying residency backgrounds. Methods The implementation of a hybrid simulation course into the pain fellowship curriculum allows for active learning as fellows experience challenging patient scenarios, stressful periprocedural events, and cases gone awry that require emergency algorithm recall and action. Conclusion This report describes the incorporation of simulation and crucial conversations into a pain fellowship curriculum.
HIV and Women

Few diseases or conditions have produced as great a potential for health, moral, ethical, and legal dilemmas as the infection cased by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its progression to endstage acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The medical, psychological, and social complexities of HIV infection have inspired more legislation, government action, and procedural guidelines than any other known disease. However, law is mutable, and AIDS law in particular is unsettled. Perhaps this is appropriate to keep pace with the state of knowledge as it develops. Even so, the law is by nature ambiguous and often arbitrary; and as a result, the public, and even the judicial system, may have difficulty understanding the scope of HIV/AIDS laws (Woods & Marks, 1990)
A search for free quarks in heavy-ion collisions at 60 and 200 GeV/nucleon

Abstract We have carried out a search for quarks produced by the heavy ions at the CERN SPS. A mercury target exposed to the oxygen and sulfur beams was concentrated by distillation. The residue was tested using a modified Millikan apparatus. No fractional charges were observed. We set upper limits on quark production of about 10 −7 quarks per beam-particle interaction, or about 10 −6 quarks per central collision.
Homosexuality and the Israel Defense Forces: Did Lifting the Gay Ban Undermine Military Performance?

In this article we argue that Israel's 1993 decision to lift its gay ban did not influence military performance. Then we assess three arguments raised by experts who claim that Israeli experiences are not relevant for determining what would happen if the U.S. Congress and Pentagon lifted the American gay ban. In particular, we assess the arguments that most gay Israeli combat soldiers do not disclose their sexuality to peers, that some receive special treatment, and that cultural differences distinguish the U.S. and Israeli cases. We agree with each argument, but our interpretation of them differs from experts who believe that Israeli military experiences are irrelevant. While no single case study can show decisively what would happen if the U.S. changed its policy, we suggest that the Israeli experience lends some weight to the claim that American military effectiveness would not decline if known homosexuals were allowed to serve.
Photoluminescence of amorphous silicon at low temperatures: Computer simulation

Recombination and photoluminescence in amorphous silicon are studied using a computer simulation. It is shown that, in typical experimental situations, geminate recombination plays a minor role and most of the recombination events are distant-pair ones. The shapes and the positions of the luminescence peaks of time-resolved spectroscopy (TRS) and frequency-resolved spectroscopy (FRS) are studied and an approximate analytic theory to calculate them is derived. The width of the peaks obtained in our simulation is approximately two decades in time in the whole range of generation rates. These results are in good agreement with the experimental data as well as with our analytic theory. The possibility to observe a second, geminate, TRS and FRS peak in amorphous materials with strong polaron effects is discussed.
Fine structure of the digestive tract epithelium in the terrestrial isopod. Armadillidium vulgare

An ultrastructural study of the hindgut, associated hepatopancreatic lobes and hepatopancreatic ducts of the terrestrial isopod, Armadillidium vulgre was undertaken. The simple epithelium which lines the heptopancreas consists of two cell types, S and B. Both cell types have numerous microvilli. A simple epithelium consisting of one cell type lines the hepatopancreatic ducts and the hindgut. Microvilli are not evident in the duct. The cells of the duct and the hindgut are covered with a cuticle. Dense granular bodies are characteristic of the cytoplasm of the duct cells. The hindgut epithelial cells have pronounced apical and basal-lateral cytoplasmic infoldings. Apical infoldings from large subcuticular spaces, especially in the posterior hindgut. Microtubules and large numbers of mitochondria are associated with the cytoplasmic infoldings. Large microtubular bundles are seen in the peripheral cytoplasm, and residual bodies are present in the central cytoplasm. Lateral plasma membranes form septate desmosomes in the apical region of cells, while zonulae adherentes and intercellular spaces are found basal to the septate desmosomes. The cellular organization of the hindgut is suggestive of cells active in water and ion transport.
Creating emergent behaviors: two robotics labs that combine reactive behaviors

Most undergraduate robotics courses introduce reactive behaviors, behaviors that are not mediated by world knowledge or a world model. What is missing from these courses, however, is the experience of combining reactive behaviors to create emergent behavior, behavior that is not anticipated by the robotocist but generated by the interaction of behaviors and the environment. We discuss two laboratory exercises that introduce reactive behaviors and combine them to produce emergent behaviors.
Particle Image Velocimetry Characterization of High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Impeller-Diffuser Interaction

High-density instantaneous and rotor phase-locked velocity field measurements are made in the centrifugal compressor diffuser vaneless space by means of the particle image velocimetry technique. The technique is challenged in this application by a small length scale and large velocities yielding very small flow time scales and demanding the use of extremely small flow tracking particles. The experiments reveal a detailed picture of the rotor phase-lockedaverageimpellerexitanddiffuserinlet flowfieldasisusefulforunsteady flowmodeling.Strongpassage velocity gradients exist across the vaneless space up to the diffuser vanes, showing that the phase-locked averaged impeller exit flow presents a highly unsteady non-mixed-out velocity field for the downstream vane row. This unsteady vane intake is thus characterized by a strong fluctuation in incidence angle with the passing blade event. Measured time variation in the velocity field indicates a significant time-varying potential field due to incidence fluctuations. Nomenclature Rduct = inlet duct radius r = radius � = radius ratio (diffuser leading-edge radius/impeller tip radius) � = 1 standard deviation
Marx's analysis of the French class structure

Marx's writings on France present a challenge. Taken together they form his most developed analysis of specific events, and yet the episodes Marx analyzed, the revolution of February 1848 and the Second Republic, the coup of 1851 and the Second Empire, and the fall of the Paris Commune in 1871 to the forces of the Third Republic, did not obviously conform to the abstract propositions on capitalist society found in works such as the Manifesto or Capital. The works on France, therefore, are of interest not only for the specific historical analyses they contain, but also because it is possible to extrapolate more general dimensions of Marx's thought from them that are not apparent in his more abstract works.
Cooperative education: what is involved?

What is involved?--Any successful cooperative education program must start with sound planning. The ingredients for this planning activity must involve a knowledge of the many factors involved in cooperative education such as history, objectives, scheduling, staffing, administration and cost factors.The primary objective of co-op at most schools is education. Theories and principles learned in classrooms are reinforced and given concrete application while on a co-op assignment. The planning of cooperative education ought to be established on a network of premises about the academic institution, student profile, economic needs, student needs, and both employer and student willingness to be involved in cooperative education, Staff qualifications are very important. The Director/Coordinator is an educator, placement counselor, salesman, administrator, arbitrator and referral agent. Considerations such as awarding academic credit, scheduling of co-op assignments, prerequisites and other administrative details must be planned for. Cooperative education in computer science can be an extremely effective learning tool but it is essential for an institution to know what is involved.
Stratification, sulfide, worms, and decline of the Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) at the Salton Sea, California

Abstract Over the last half century the Salton Sea has been an important migratory stopover site for the Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis). However, in recent years there have been sporadic mass mortalities (i.e., 150,000 in 1992) and a great reduction in the number of grebes visiting during the winter. We propose that a worsening food supply is causing the decline and that starvation may be a major cause of the unexplained mortalities. While at the Sea, grebes forage almost exclusively on a benthic polychaete, the pileworm (Neanthes succinea). This resident pileworm population has increasingly been subject to periodic crashes driven by exposure to anoxic, sulfide rich, hypolimnetic water following lake mixing events. A set of interlocking mechanisms seem to be operating. These involve, in particular, increasing lake salinity, weather events favoring lake stratification, and booms and busts in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus × O. urolepis hornorum) and plankton populations, including those of toxic cyan...
Integrating aligned nanorod array onto optical fibers for SERS probes

The use of fiber optics can greatly reduce device size while maintaining the sensitivity. Recently, nanostructures, especially metallic nanoparticles, have been incorporated into fiber optical sensors to obtain high sensitivity and specificity. Here, we propose a new way to integrate aligned nanorods onto optical fibers using a modified oblique angle deposition (OAD) technique. By rotating the optical fiber with a proper tilting angle, aligned nanorods from materials such as metals, semiconductors and metal oxides have been successfully deposited. With a slight modification, multilayer film/nanorod and nanorod/nanorod structures have also been demonstrated. This method has the advantage to coat aligned nanorods on optical fibers at low temperature, and is particularly promising for preparing nanostructured fiber optical probes for sensor applications. We also demonstrate that the optical fiber with its tip coated with Ag nanorod arrays can act as a Surface Enhance Raman Scattering (SERS) sensor.
Real-time multiple moving targets detection from airborne IR imagery by dynamic Gabor filter and dynamic Gaussian detector

This paper presents a robust approach to detect multiple moving targets from aerial infrared (IR) image sequences. The proposed novelmethod is based on dynamic Gabor filter and dynamic Gaussian detector. First, the motion induced by the airborne platform is modeled by parametric affine transformation and the IR video is stabilized by eliminating the background motion. A set of feature points are extracted and they are categorized into inliers and outliers. The inliers are used to estimate affine transformation parameters, and the outliers are used to localize moving targets. Then, a dynamic Gabor filter is employed to enhance the difference images for more accurate detection and localization of moving targets. The Gabor filter's orientation is dynamically changed according to the orientation of optical flows. Next, the specular highlights generated by the dynamic Gabor filter are detected. The outliers and specular highlights are fused to indentify the moving targets. If a specular highlight lies in an outlier cluster, it corresponds to a target; otherwise, the dynamic Gaussian detector is employed to determine whether the specular highlight corresponds to a target. The detection speed is approximate 2 frames per second, which meets the real-time requirement of many target tracking systems.
Term-structure forecasts of interest rates, inflation and real returns

Abstract The one-year expected inflation rate and the expected real return on one-year bonds move opposite one another. The result is that the term structure shows little power to forecast near-term changes in the one-year interest rate, even though it shows power to forecast its components. When the forecast horizon is extended, interest-rate predictions improve because they primarily reflect changes in expected inflation that are less strongly offset by changes in the expected real return. The information is the term structure about interest rates, inflation and real returns is related to the business cycle.
The phenotypic and genetic signatures of common musculoskeletal pain conditions

Musculoskeletal pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia and low back pain, tend to coexist in affected individuals and are characterized by a report of pain greater than expected based on the results of a standard physical evaluation. The pathophysiology of these conditions is largely unknown, we lack biological markers for accurate diagnosis, and conventional therapeutics have limited effectiveness. Growing evidence suggests that chronic pain conditions are associated with both physical and psychological triggers, which initiate pain amplification and psychological distress; thus, susceptibility is dictated by complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Herein, we review phenotypic and genetic markers of common musculoskeletal pain conditions, selected based on their association with musculoskeletal pain in previous research. The phenotypic markers of greatest interest include measures of pain amplification and 'psychological' measures (such as emotional distress, somatic awareness, psychosocial stress and catastrophizing). Genetic polymorphisms reproducibly linked with musculoskeletal pain are found in genes contributing to serotonergic and adrenergic pathways. Elucidation of the biological mechanisms by which these markers contribute to the perception of pain in these patients will enable the development of novel effective drugs and methodologies that permit better diagnoses and approaches to personalized medicine.