cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human Extensibility and Individual Hybrid-accessibility in Space-time: A Multi-scale Representation Using GIS

With the increasing use of the Internet for getting information, transacting business and interacting with people, a wide range of activities in everyday life can now be undertaken in cyberspace. As traditional models of accessibility are based on physical notions of distance and proximity, they are inadequate for conceptualizing or analyzing individual accessibility in the physical world and cyberspace (hereafter referred to as hybrid-accessibility). To address the need for new models of space and time that enable us to represent individual accessibility in the information age, there are at least three major research areas: (a) the conceptual and/or behavioral foundation of individual accessibility; (b) appropriate methods for representing accessibility; and (c) feasible operational measures for evaluating individual accessibility. With the recent development and application of GIS methods in the study of accessibility in the physical world (e.g., Forer 1998, Hanson, Kominiak, and Carlin 1997, Huisman and Forer 1998, Kwan 1998, 1999a, 1999b, Miller 1991, 1999, Scott 1999, Talen 1997, Talen and Anselin 1998), it is apparent that GIS have considerable potential in each of these research areas. As shown in some of these studies, a focus on the individual enabled by GIS methods also reveals the spatial-temporal complexity in individual activity patterns and accessibility through 3D visualization or computational procedures.
Big Government Causes Partisanship in Judicial Nominations

This Article is an edited transcript of a presentation I gave at the annual Georgetown Journal of Law & Public Policy symposium on “Hyper-Partisanship and the Law” on March 20, 2012. I argue that nothing is wrong with the judicial nomination/confirmation process per se, but that its politicization is a function of the growth of the federal government beyond its constitutional parameters.
One-to-Many Distribution

Because this chapter is based on numerous references, cited in the text, only a representative few (4) are recommended here. A strategy for routing and scheduling deliveries from a single origin to many destinations with similar demand is developed in Burns, et al. (1985); some of the material in Sections 4.3 and 4.6 is related to this reference. Hall (1985) generalizes this strategy for problems with widely different customer sizes; Section 4.7 discusses this problem and similar extensions. Section 4.5, on implementation considerations, is based on two references: Clarens and Hurdle (1975), which shows how a detailed solution to a one-to-many problem can be obtained from CA guidelines, and Robuste, et al. (1990), which discusses ways of fine-tuning such solutions with an automated second step -- this reference also compares the two-step approach with detailed optimization methods. The reader interested in vehicle routing is encouraged to explore the references mentioned in Section 4.2; the section summarizes briefly only those results that are used later in the monograph.
Abstract 2087: Does an Internet-Based Intervention Reduce Use of Emergency Services Among Patients with Chronic Cardiac Disease?

Background: Immediate post-hospital support, using Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) services, improves self-management for patients with chronic cardiac disease. Patients who need nurse-directed coaching and symptom management in the home may benefit from complementary internet-based services. Objective: We compared usual post-hospital VNA services with technology-enhanced VNA practice (TEP) that combined nursing care with a 6 month web-based coaching and symptom management service and examined its effect on emergency service use. Methods : Patients (N=281) admitted to VNA service post-hospital for management of chronic cardiac diseases were randomly assigned to one of two groups: usual care or TEP. In both groups, VNA service ranged from two days to two months; the nurses coached patients to use self-management skills of knowledge-seeking, self-monitoring, and symptom management. Patients in the usual care group (N=135, 48%) used paper-based teaching materials such as booklets and diaries to improve self-management. Patients in the TEP group (N=146, 52%) received VNA and HeartCareII services, which included using a computer to find information, monitor symptoms, and solve symptom problems. The outcome of emergency service use was measured by patient recall and verified by medical record review when possible. Results: The typical patient was 64 years old; male (61%), post-heart surgery (64%), NYHA Class III (61%). Thirty-five percent had heart failure as the primary diagnosis. There were no baseline differences between groups on demographic and clinical variables. Patients in the TEP group used the Web resource an average of 13 times during the 6 months that it was available. Overall, emergency service use was low in this population over six months of follow-up (N=260 uses/1463 measurement points=17.8%). A total of 120 (42%) patients sought emergency care, and patients in the TEP group (N=54, 45%) were just as likely as patients in the usual care group (N=66, 55%) to use emergency services throughout the 6 months after study enrollment.(X2=.76, df=1, p=NS). Conclusions: Emergency service use was low overall. Access to coaching and self-monitoring tools provided through a patient-directed internet resource did not affect emergency service use.
The challenges of the community college presidency in the new millennium: Pathways, preparation, competencies, and leadership programs needed to survive

xi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1 Background and Significance 1 Statement of the Problem 4 Purpose and Research Questions 6 Hypotheses 7 Theoretical Perspectives and Conceptual Frameworks 8 Limitations and Delimitations 16 Definition of Terms 17 CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 19 Historical Perspective of the Community College Presidency 19 Pathways to the Presidency 21 Motivations to Serve and Overall Satisfaction in the Role as President 24 Traits and Skills Necessary for Success 26 Challenges and Frustrations Awaiting Future Leaders 29 Actual Roles and Responsibilities of Current Community College Presidents 35 Leadership Development and Preparation 37 Discussion and Implications 45 CHAPTER THREE DATA COLLECTION AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY 48 Overview 48 Research Survey and Sample Design 49 Data Collection Procedures 54 Results 55 Data Analysis 57 Summary 62 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Headache and Migraine: Why to Prescribe and What New Research Is Critical for Advancing Integrated Biobehavioral Care.

Purpose of review To highlight current evidence supporting the prescription of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as part of first-line preventive treatment for children and adolescents with headache and discuss a research strategy aimed at: (1) understanding how and why CBT works, and (2) developing effective and efficient approaches for integrating CBT into headache specialty, neurology, and primary care settings. Recent findings Although preventive medications for pediatric headache and migraine are commonly prescribed, recent meta-analyses and an NIH-funded, multi-center clinical trial suggests that the effect of pill-taking therapies may be mostly due to a placebo effect. These findings have led to greater consideration of prescription of non-pharmacological therapies as first-line interventions (either alone or in combination with pill-based therapy). A literature that extends back to the 1980s and includes recent clinical trials and meta-analyses demonstrates that CBT decreases headache frequency and related disability in youth with headache and migraine and has a favorable benefit to risk profile with almost no negative side effects. Summary CBT has been repeatedly demonstrated as effective in treating pediatric headache and migraine. As such, it should be considered as part of first-line preventive treatment for pediatric headache (either alone or in combination with a pill-based therapy). We need to better understand how this therapy works and what makes it distinct (if anything) from the placebo effect. What we need to achieve is empirical support for efficient access to this evidence-based treatment and clarity on how to match the intensity of non-pharmacological intervention to the needs of our patients at the time they present for care.
Congestion-Aware Routing Algorithm Based on Traffic Priority in Wireless Sensor Networks

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is a network that uses sensors to monitor environmental or physical conditions on different distributed devices. In many applications of wireless sensor network, due to the high volume of traffic, probability of congestion and packet loss increases. Congestion in sensor networks has a direct effect on energy efficiency and quality of service applications. Congestion may cause a buffer overflow, longer queuing time and higher packet loss. Packet loss not only reduces the reliability and quality of service application but also wastes energy. In this paper, a scheme for controlling congestion in wireless sensor network is proposed. The aim of the proposed method is to reduce congestion by considering the priority of data. In the proposed algorithm, according to the data priority, the packets will be classified. According to type of packet, traffic is redirected to control congestion in the network. Finally, the proposed algorithm is simulated and the result shows that the proposed algorithm improves the number of packet loss, energy consumption and average buffer size rather than the similar algorithm.
Flavored Tobacco Product Use and Its Association With Indicators of Tobacco Dependence Among US Adults, 2014-2015.

Introduction Widely marketed flavored tobacco products might appeal to nonusers and could be contributing to recent increases in tobacco product use. We assessed flavored product use among current tobacco users; and measured associations between flavored product use and dependence among US adults. Methods Data were from the 2014-2015 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey, a cross-sectional household-based survey of US adults ≥18 years (n = 163 920). Current users of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs, smokeless tobacco, and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were asked whether their usual product was menthol or came in any characterizing flavors. Proportions of flavored product users were computed nationally and by state and demographic characteristics. Tobacco dependence was assessed with two proxy measures: daily use and use ≤30 minutes after waking. Associations between flavored product use and tobacco dependence were examined using logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, race/ethnicity, and multi tobacco product use. Results An estimated 41.0% of current users of any tobacco product usually used a flavored product during 2014-2015. The proportion ranged from 22.5% (Maine) to 62.1% (District of Columbia). By product, the proportion ranged from 28.3% (cigars) to 87.2% (hookah). Flavored product use was associated with: daily tobacco product use among current e-cigarette users (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.71), cigar smokers (AOR = 1.42), and cigarette smokers (AOR = 1.13); and tobacco product use ≤30 minutes after waking among current cigar smokers (AOR = 1.80), and cigarette smokers (AOR = 1.11). Conclusions Restricting sales of flavored tobacco products and implementation of proven population-level tobacco control interventions could help reduce tobacco product use among US adults. Implications During 2014-2015, flavored tobacco products were widely used by US adults with variations across states and demographic characteristics. Use of flavored e-cigarettes, flavored cigars, and menthol cigarettes were associated with daily tobacco use: use of flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes were associated with tobacco use within 30 minutes after waking. These findings suggest associations between flavor use and increased tobacco dependence. Prohibiting sale of flavored products can reduce access to those products, and could help reduce tobacco dependence and promote cessation behaviors among current tobacco product users.
Engineering Styrenic Blends with Poly(lactic acid)

Polymer pollution from nonbiodegradable polymer blends is a source of increasing environmental concern. The obvious solution, the replacement of petroleum-based polymers with biodegradable polymers...
Going Public or Staying Private: The Cost of Mandated Transparency

Public markets are transparent institutions, where disclosure is mandatory and order flow observable. We show that transparency can lead to insufficient information acquisition and inefficient investment. Our model links a firm's preference for public markets to the quality of disclosure metrics. When short-term signals diverge from the long-run value of a project, entrepreneurs prefer opaque private markets where investors can bargain over the costs of acquiring information. Imperfect communication is a mechanism by which mandatory disclosure may destroy value, leading firms to remain private.
Test-retest reliability of fMRI-measured brain activity during decision making under risk

Neural correlates of decision making under risk are being increasingly utilized as biomarkers of risk for substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders, treatment outcomes, and brain development. This research relies on the basic assumption that fMRI measures of decision making represent stable, trait-like individual differences. However, reliability needs to be established for each individual construct. Here we assessed long-term test-retest reliability (TRR) of regional brain activations related to decision making under risk using the Balloon Analogue Risk Taking task (BART) and identified regions with good TRRs and familial influences, an important prerequisite for the use of fMRI measures in genetic studies. A secondary goal was to examine the factors potentially affecting fMRI TRRs in one particular risk task, including the magnitude of neural activation, data analytical approaches, different methods of defining boundaries of a region, and participant motion. For the average BOLD response, reliabilities ranged across brain regions from poor to good (ICCs of 0 to 0.8, with a mean ICC of 0.17) and highest reliabilities were observed for parietal, occipital, and temporal regions. Among the regions that were of a priori theoretical importance due to their reported associations with decision making, the activation of left anterior insula and right caudate during the decision period showed the highest reliabilities (ICCs of 0.54 and 0.63, respectively). Among the regions with highest reliabilities, the right fusiform, right rostral anterior cingulate and left superior parietal regions also showed high familiality as indicated by intrapair monozygotic twin correlations (ranging from 0.66 to 0.69). Overall, regions identified by modeling the average BOLD response to a specific event type (rather than its modulation by a parametric regressor), regions including significantly activated vertices (compared to a whole parcel), and regions with greater magnitude of task-related activations showed greater reliabilities. Participant motion had a moderate negative effect on TRR. Regions activated during decision period rather than outcome period of risky decisions showed the greatest TRR and familiality. Regions with reliable activations can be utilized as neural markers of individual differences or endophenotypes in future clinical neuroscience and genetic studies of risk-taking.
Improving US army civil affairs assessment through social power analysis

Soldiers with operational experience in Afghanistan or Iraq have offered numerous critiques of the US Army Civil Affairs doctrine on assessment of the human domain, making recommendations for its i...
Low-Cost Error Detection in Deep Neural Network Accelerators with Linear Algorithmic Checksums

The widespread adoption of deep neural networks in safety-critical systems necessitates the examination of the safety issues raised by hardware errors. The appropriateness of the concern is herein confirmed by evidencing the possible catastrophic impact of hardware bit errors on DNN accuracy. The consequent interest in fault tolerance methods that are comprehensive yet low-cost to match the margin requirements of consumer deep learning applications can be met through a rigorous exploration of the mathematical properties of the deep neural network computations. Our novel technique, Sanity-Check, allows error detection in fully-connected and convolutional layers through the use of linear algorithmic checksums. The purely software-based implementation of Sanity-Check facilitates the widespread adoption of our technique on a variety of off-the-shelf execution platforms while requiring no hardware modification. We further propose a dedicated hardware unit that seamlessly integrates with modern deep learning accelerators and eliminates the performance overhead of the software-based implementation at the cost of a negligible area and power budget in a DNN accelerator. Sanity-Check delivers perfect critical error coverage in our error injection experiments and offers a promising alternative for low-cost error detection in safety-critical deep neural network applications.
Empirical assessment of laser safety for photoacoustic-guided liver surgeries

Photoacoustic imaging is a promising technique to provide guidance during multiple surgeries and procedures. One challenge with this technique is that major blood vessels in the liver are difficult to differentiate from surrounding tissue within current safety limits, which only exist for human skin and eyes. In this paper, we investigate the safety of raising this limit for liver tissue excited with a 750 nm laser wavelength and approximately 30 mJ laser energy (corresponding to approximately 150 mJ/cm2 fluence). Laparotomies were performed on six swine to empirically investigate potential laser-related liver damage. Laser energy was applied for temporal durations of 1 minute, 10 minutes, and 20 minutes. Lasered liver lobes were excised either immediately after laser application (3 swine) or six weeks after surgery (3 swine). Cell damage was assessed using liver damage blood biomarkers and histopathology analyses of 41 tissue samples total. The biomarkers were generally normal over a 6 week post-surgical in vivo study period. Histopathology revealed no cell death, although additional pathology was present (i.e., hemorrhage, inflammation, fibrosis) due to handling, sample resection, and fibrous adhesions as a result of the laparotomy. These results support a new protocol for studying laser-related liver damage, indicating the potential to raise the safety limit for liver photoacoustic imaging to approximately 150 mJ/cm2 with a laser wavelength of 750 nm and for imaging durations up to 10 minutes without causing cell death. This investigation and protocol may be applied to other tissues and extended to additional wavelengths and energies, which is overall promising for introducing new tissue-specific laser safety limits for photoacoustic-guided surgery.
Attenuated dopamine signaling after aversive learning is restored by ketamine to rescue escape actions.

Over 264 million people around the world suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Depression can be debilitating, and while anti-depressant drugs are available, they do not always work. A small molecule drug mainly used for anesthesia called ketamine has recently been shown to ameliorate depressive symptoms within hours, much faster than most anti-depressants. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this effect are still largely unknown. Most anti-depressant drugs work by restoring the normal balance of dopamine and other chemical messengers in the brain. Dopamine is released by a specialized group of cells called dopaminergic neurons, and helps us make decisions by influencing a wide range of other cells in the brain. In a healthy brain, dopamine directs us to rewarding choices, while avoiding actions with negative outcomes. During depression, these dopamine signals are perturbed, resulting in reduced motivation and pleasure. But it remained unclear whether ketamine’s anti-depressant activity also relied on dopamine. To investigate this, Wu et al. used a behavioral study called “learned helplessness” which simulates depression by putting mice in unavoidable stressful situations. Over time the mice learn that their actions do not change the outcome and eventually stop trying to escape from unpleasant situations, even if they are avoidable. The experiment showed that dopaminergic neurons in an area of the brain that is an important part of the “reward and aversion” system became less sensitive to unpleasant stimuli following learned helplessness. When the mice received ketamine, these neurons recovered after a few hours. Individual mice also responded differently to ketamine. The most ‘resilient’, stress-resistant mice, which had distinct patterns of dopamine signaling, also responded most strongly to the drug. Genetic and chemical manipulation of dopaminergic neurons confirmed that ketamine needed intact dopamine signals to work, and revealed that it acted indirectly on dopamine dynamics via another brain region called the medial prefrontal cortex. These results shed new light on how a promising new anti-depressant works. In the future, they may also explain why drugs like ketamine work better for some people than others, ultimately helping clinicians select the most effective treatment for individual patients.
SaQuant: a real-time PCR assay for quantitative assessment of Staphylococcus aureus.

Background Molecular assays are important tools for pathogen detection but need to be periodically re-evaluated with the discovery of additional genetic diversity that may cause assays to exclude target taxa or include non-target taxa. A single well-developed assay can find broad application across research, clinical, and industrial settings. Pathogen prevalence within a population is estimated using such assays and accurate results are critical for formulating effective public health policies and guiding future research. A variety of assays for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus are currently available. The utility of commercial assays for research is limited, given proprietary signatures and lack of transparent validation. Results In silico testing of existing peer-reviewed assays show that most suffer from a lack of sensitivity and specificity. We found no assays that were specifically designed and validated for quantitative use. Here we present a qPCR assay, SaQuant, for the detection and quantification of S. aureus as might be collected on sampling swabs. Sensitivity and specificity of the assay was 95.6 and 99.9 %, respectively, with a limit of detection of between 3 and 5 genome equivalents and a limit of quantification of 8.27 genome equivalents. The presence of DNA from non-target species likely to be found in a swab sample, did not impact qualitative or quantitative abilities of the assay. Conclusions This assay has the potential to serve as a valuable tool for the accurate detection and quantification of S. aureus collected from human body sites in order to better understand the dynamics of prevalence and transmission in community settings.
Spherical coordinates for plotting the positions of powder residues.

The idea of the “Reconstruction of the Crime” as an aid to its solution was first succintly expressed and practiced by Alphonse Bertillon [1] toward the latter part of the nineteenth century. Since that time investigators have aimed at ever more detailed descriptions and reconstructions. The phases of description and reconstruction employ procedures very similar to those employed in the compilation of maps. The mapping quality is the basis for the experiments to be described in this paper.
Prenatal Imaging of the Genitourinary Tract

Prenatal imaging of the genitourinary system by ultrasound is an integral part of the fetal survey. While most of the anatomy is visible by 18–20 weeks, full evaluation of potential urologic and genital anomalies is only possible postnatally. Nevertheless, prenatal imaging does allow for parental counseling and postnatal management as well as limited intervention in cases where the diagnosis has been clearly ascertained. Adjunct modalities such as MRI may also be used to more precisely delineate fetal anatomy later in gestation.
Effects of Neutron Irradiation on the Magnetic Properties of Ferromagnetic Bulk Alloys and Thin Films

In order to ascertain the types and origins of the irradiation-induced modifications of the magnetic properties, toroid and thin film samples of selected permalloys, in various states of magnetization, were exposed to neutron irradiation. In-pile, as well as pre- and postirradiation magnetic hysteresis loop and magnetic anisotropy measurements were made. The magnetic characteristics of the toroid samples were severely affected by the irradiation and exhibited increased values of the coercive force as well as large changes in hysteresis loop shape. Thin film samples of Ni/sub 3/Fe, on the other hand, had hysteresis loop characteristics that were much less affected by the neutron irradiation. However, following irradiation in a magnetic field applied in the hard direction, the magnetic anisotropy of the thin films was found to decrease significantly. These results are interpreted as arising from the development of radiation-enhanced short-range directional ordering as well as the interaction between the irradiation-induced defects and the magnetic domain structure. (auth)
Fuzzy methods in e-commerce

We discuss how fuzzy set based intelligent agents can be used in e-commerce as a means adding-in targeted marketing. We describe a paradigm for advertising on the Internet which makes use of intelligent agents. Of particular significance in the model described is the ability of processing information online in real time and using very specific information about potential customers, rather than general demographic information, in deciding wether a visitor is a good potential customer and if so, which particular product or class of products is must suitable to bring to their attention. The technology of fuzzy modeling plays a central role in this development.
Theories of Comparative Analysis

"Theories of Comparative Analysis" provides a detailed examination of comparative analysis, the problem of predicting how a system will react to perturbations in its parameters, and why. It clearly formalizes the problem and presents two novel techniques - differential qualitative (DQ) analysis and exaggeration - that solve many comparative analysis problems, providing explanations suitable for use by design systems, automated diagnosis, intelligent tutoring systems, and explanation-based generalization.Weld first places comparative analysis within the context of qualitative physics and artificial intelligence. He then explains the theoretical basis for each technique and describes how they are implemented. He shows that they are essentially complementary: DQ analysis is sound, while exaggeration is a heuristic method: exaggeration, however, solves a wider variety of problems. Weld summarizes their similarities and differences and introduces a hybrid architecture that takes advantage of the strengths of each technique.Daniel S. Weld is Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington. "Theories of Comparative Analysis" is included in the Artificial Intelligence Series, edited by Michael Brady, Daniel Bobrow, and Randall Davis.
Detection of bacterial DNA by PCR in dogs with stifle pathology

Objective To determine presence of bacterial DNA in canine stifles with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) and medial patellar luxation (MPL) compared to normal canine stifles (control). Study design Prospective clinical study. Animals Dogs (n = 44). Methods Dogs of varying age, breed, sex, and weight residing in California were assessed for stifle pathology (CCLR, MPL, or normal control). Synovial fluid of all stifles was assessed for the presence of bacterial DNA using broad-ranging 16S rRNA primers and PCR. Results Bacterial DNA was detected in normal control stifles and those with CCLR and MPL. There were no statistical differences in the copy numbers of bacterial DNA in the stifle synovial fluid among groups (P > .05); however, synovial fluid specimens from dogs with stifle pathology (CCLR and MPL combined) tended to have higher copy numbers of bacterial DNA than those from controls (P = .06). There was no significant difference in the number of bacterial DNA between the CCLR and MPL groups (P = .57). The copy numbers of bacterial DNA had a weak positive significant correlation with the duration of lameness in CCLR group (P < .05). Conclusions Increased detection of bacterial DNA in the stifle synovial fluid may indicate joint pathology but not be directly linked to a specific joint disease.
Interactive Compilation and Performance Analysis with URSA MINOR

This paper proposes solutions to two important problems with parallel programming environments that were not previously addressed. The first issue is that current compilers are typically black-box tools with which the user has little interaction. Information gathered by the compiler, although potentially very meaningful for the user, is often inaccessible or hard to decipher. Second, compilation and performance analysis tools are not well integrated. While there are many advanced instruments for gathering and browsing performance results of a program, it is difficult to relate this information to the source program, to the applied program transformations, and to the compiler's reasoning. The URSA MINOR tool addresses these issues. The tool is designed to help understand the structure of a program and the information gathered by a compiler in an interactive way. It facilitates the comparison of performance results under different environments and the identification of potential parallelism, and it provides a repository for this information. URSA MINOR is built using the Polaris compiler infrastructure. We present case studies that show how programmers can use the tool to find additional parallelism in a compiler-optimized program and to characterize the performance of parallel applications. The tools are currently being used in several projects to develop and study parallel applications and to evaluate parallelizing compilers. These efforts provide feedback for improving the URSA MINOR tool.
Genome Wide Association Studies

The key requirement for genetic association, linkage disequilibrium (LD), is a short distance property that extends only for a limited physical distance across the human genome. As we showed in Chapter 7, if there is low LD between the genotyped marker and the DSL, there will be low power to detect association between the disease and the DSL. In the early years of association testing, the strategy was mainly used to test specific regions, e.g., genes which were selected on the basis of function relative to the biology of the disease, or on the basis of linkage analysis. By restricting testing to a small enough region, markers can be selected for testing which should be in LD with the DSL anywhere in the region. In particular, SNPs in the coding region of a gene are often chosen as markers. With Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) the idea is instead to cover the entire genome with a sufficiently dense set of SNPs that all untyped polymorphsims (including DSLs) are in reasonably high LD with a tested SNP. For this reason, GWAS studies are sometimes called ‘unbiased’ because every region of the genome is searched, not just those meeting determined selection criteria.
Role-based access control on the web using LDAP

This paper gives a framework for how to leverage Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) to implement Role-based Access Control (RBAC) on the Web in the server-pull architecture. LDAP-based directory services have recently received much attention because they can support object-oriented hierarchies of entries in which we can easily search and modify attributes over TCP/IP. To implement RBAC on the Web, we use an LDAP directory server as a role server that contains users' role information. The role information in the role server is referred to by Web servers for access control purposes through LDAP in a secure manner (over SSL). We provide a comparison of this work to our previous work, RBAC on the Web in the user-pull architecture.
A chemically diverse, conducting polymer-based "electronic noise"

We describe a method for generating a variety of chemically diverse, broadly responsive, low power vapor sensors. A key to our ability to fabricate chemically diverse sensing elements is the preparation of processable, air stable films of electrically conducting organic polymers. An array of such sensing elements produces a chemically reversible, diagnostic pattern of electrical resistance changes upon exposure to different odorants. Such conducting polymer elements are simply prepared and are readily modified chemically to respond to a broad range of analytes. In addition, these sensors yield a fairly rapid, low power, dc electrical signal in response to the vapor of interest, and their signals are readily integrated with software or hardware-based neural networks for purposes of analyte identification. Principle component analysis has demonstrated that such sensors can identify and quantify different airborne organic solvents, and can yield information on the components of gas mixtures.
Minimum vertex hulls for polyhedral domains

Abstract Given a collection of pairwise disjoint polygons on the plane, we wish to cover each polygon with an exterior hull such that (1) the hulls are pairwise disjoint, and (2) the total number of vertices of the hulls is minimized. This problem has applications in the area of object approximations. Various versions of this problem (in two, and higher dimensions) are shown to be NP-hard. The paper also describes several approximations and exact algorithms for the problem.
Comparative Intermediary Metabolism of Vegetative Cells and Microcysts of Myxococcus xanthus

Crude extracts of both vegetative cells and glycerol-induced microcysts of Myxococcus xanthus contained the following enzyme activities: phosphofructokinase, phosphoglucoisomerase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, fructosediphosphate aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphopyruvate carboxylase, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, and uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase. With the exception of isocitrate dehydrogenase, which was present at a fivefold higher concentration in microcysts, all activities in extracts from both types of cells were essentially equal. Hexokinase and pyruvate kinase could not be detected in extracts from either type of cell. Microcysts metabolized acetate at a lower rate than did vegetative cells. Most of this decrease was reflected in a substantial decrease in ability of microcysts to oxidize acetate to CO2. In addition, microcysts and vegetative cells showed a different distribution of 14C-label from incorporated acetate.
Review: In type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 agonists plus basal insulin reduce HbA1c without increasing hypoglycemia

Source Citation Eng C, Kramer CK, Zinman B, Retnakaran R. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist and basal insulin combination treatment for the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review...
The Library as Service-Learning Partner: A Win–Win Collaboration with Students and Faculty

ABSTRACT This case study of a quarter-long collaborative service-learning project, repeated over several quarters, involves technical communication students and librarians at Eastern Washington University. The librarians needed to promote RefWorks, while the technical communication faculty needed a client with a computer-based tool for students to learn and then teach to others. Working in teams, fifty-eight students planned and executed fifteen RefWorks workshops for students. The majority of students liked using RefWorks and gave successful presentations to their peers. This project increased awareness and usage of RefWorks while also affording librarians a student-centered perspective on teaching and using this tool. In this win–win collaboration, students learned useful skills in addition to developing a sense of community with the library.
The relationship between library anxiety and learning styles among graduate students: Implications for library instruction

Because library anxiety can be an impediment to academic achievement among graduate students, this study determines the characteristics of this anxiety. Specifically, the relationship between learning style and library anxiety was investigated. A setwise multiple regression analysis revealed that students with the highest levels of library anxiety tend be those who like structure, who are self-motivated, who lack persistence, and who are peer-oriented learners. In addition, they tend to prefer to receive information via the visual mode, but not via either tactile or kinesthetic modes. Finally, these students tend to require mobility in learning environments and do not prefer to undertake difficult tasks in the afternoon. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Transgenic expression of the human vitamin d receptor (hVDR) in the duodenum of VDR-null mice attenuates the age-dependent decline in calcium absorption

1,25(OH)(2)D(3) regulates calcium homeostasis through its actions in the intestine, bone, and kidney. These actions are mediated through the VDR. To determine if VDR's actions in the proximal small intestine can sufficiently restore calcium homeostasis, we generated transgenic mice expressing hVDR exclusively in the duodenum of mVDR-null mice by using the adenosine deaminase enhancer (hVDR+/mVDR-null). Unlike wild-type mice, hVDR+/mVDR-null mice express hVDR and VDR target genes only in the proximal small intestine. Despite having functional hVDR in the proximal small intestine, hVDR+/mVDR-null mice were hypocalcaemic when fed a normal rodent diet at weaning, like mVDR-null mice fed the same diet. The hypocalcemia in these mice is prevented if they are given the rescue diet before weaning. However, when 90-day-old rachitic mice were fed a rescue diet, serum calcium improved in hVDR+/mVDR-null mice, but not in mVDR-null mice. In conclusion, transgenic hVDR in the proximal small intestine of hVDR+/mVDR-null mice was transcriptionally active and regulated calcium absorption, but VDR actions elsewhere in the intestine are probably necessary to support adequate calcium homeostasis. In addition, hVDR+/mVDR-null mice responded better to the late rescue diet suggesting that expression of VDR in the proximal small intestine protected the calcium absorbing machinery from age-dependent decline.
Religion and institutions: Federalism and the management of conflicts over Sharia in Nigeria

Conflicts over the status of Sharia Islamic law have dominated constitutional politics and ethno-religious relations in the Nigerian federation for decades. The adoption of stringent Sharia codes by 12 Muslim majority states in northern Nigeria, beginning with Zamfara in 1999, was particularly contentious, provoking broad concerns about the viability and survival of Nigeria's innovatively structured multi-ethnic federal system. But Sharia implementation and extension in Nigeria have followed a largely benign trajectory. The Nigerian federation's judicious combination of centrist and autonomy mechanisms has been remarkably effective in managing religious conflict and cauterising potentially disintegrative centrifugal challenges to national stability. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cyclic beta-1,6-1,3 glucans ofBradyrhizobium: Functional analogs of the cyclic beta-1,2-glucans ofRhizobium?

We have previously shown that species ofBradyrhizobium synthesize a novel class of cyclic beta glucans which contains both beta-1,6 and beta-1,3 glycosidic linkages [Miller KJ, Gore RS, Johnson R, Benesi AJ, Reinhold VN (1990) J Bacteriol 172:136–142]. In the present study we show that these cell-associated glucans are localized within the periplasmic compartment and that the biosynthesis of these glucans is osmotically regulated.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis.

Background: In the light of laparoscopic cholecystectomy increasingly applied to all forms of cholecystitis, this study aimed at evaluating the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy applied to all cases of acute cholecystitis, and at determining factors associated with the risk of conversion to open cholecystectomy. Methods: The clinical, biochemical, radiologic, and operative data from 124 consecutive cases of acute cholecystitis were analyzed retrospectively to determine the complications and morbidity after operation. The data were analyzed further by univariate and multivariate analysis to identify factors associated with conversion. Results: No major bile duct injury or mortality occurred. Bile leak from the stump of the cystic duct developed in four patients. These were managed successfully by endoscopic biliary stent placement. The mean duration of hospital stay was 3.8 days in the laparoscopic group and 8.2 days in the open group. Of the 124 patients (18.5%), 23 underwent conversion to open cholecystectomy. Univariate analysis identified the following factors as associated with conversion: common duct dilation greater than 7 mm observed on ultrasound, (p < 0.05), pericholecystic collection seen on ultrasound (p < 0.0001), emphysematous cholecystitis (p < 0.01), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographic evidence of Mirizzi syndrome (p < 0.05), and pericholecystic collection at operation (p < 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, only pericholecystic collection (p < 0.015) and gallbladder wall thickness greater than 5 mm (p < 0.013) were statistically significant. Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis can be applied safely to all comers, offering the advantage of a shortened hospital stay. Pericholecystic collection, as observed on ultrasound, is associated with a high risk of conversion to open cholecystectomy.
The effects of composition on mechanical properties of W-4Re-Hf-C alloys

Studies were made of the effects of alloy composition on the mechanical behavior of as-worked W-4Re-Hf-C alloys containing up to about 0.8 mol % Hfc. Extracted second-phase particles were analyzed and related to alloy composition and creep strength. While strengthening is attributed to HfC particles, the presence of excess hafnium or carbon (above the calculated amounts for stoichiometric HfC) in swaged W-4Re-Hf-C alloys generally causes a reduction of the high-temperature (1930 C) tensile strength; maximum creep strength is, however, indicated for alloys with a slight (about 0.05 to 0.1 at. %) excess of hafnium. Particle strengthening is reduced by WC in solid solution with HfC for allow compositions with an excess of carbon. The low-temperature ductility of worked W-4Re-Hf-C alloys appears to be far more dependent on the amount of excess C or Hf present than on the HfC particle content in the range studies.
Retained Stingray Barb and the Importance of Imaging

Stingray envenomation is a common occurrence. X-ray evaluation of stingray wounds is an unnecessarily misunderstood diagnostic concept. We present the case of a patient stung by a stingray with a prolonged and complicated course and permanent disability due to a retained barb. The patient had undergone multiple medical evaluations before an X-ray was obtained.
SU‐E‐T‐682: The Dosimetric Consequences of 4DCT‐Based Motion Margin Estimation for Proton Radiotherapy

Purpose: Motion management in standard radiotherapy uses ITV margins obtained from pre‐treatment 4DCT. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric effects of inaccuracies in motion margins obtained from pre‐treatment 4DCT in proton radiotherapy. Methods: We use the locations of gold fiducial markers implanted in lung tumors of patients to track the tumor. A 20 mm diameter spherical tumor is inserted into a realistic digital respiratory phantom, where the tumor motion is based on real patient lung tumor trajectories recorded over multiple days. Using“Day 1” patient data, 100 ITVs were generated with 1 s interval between consecutive scan start times. Each ITV was made up by the union of 10 tumor positions obtained from 6 s scan time. Two ITV volumes were chosen for treatment planning: ITVmean−σ and ITVmean+σ. The delivered dose was computed on i) 10 phases forming the planning ITV (“10‐phase” ‐ simulating dose calculation based on 4D‐CT) and ii) 50 phantoms produced from 100 s of data from any other day with tumor positions sampled every 2 s (“dynamic” ‐ simulating the dose that would actually be delivered). Results: For a patient with similar breathing patterns on “Day 1” and the “other day”, the 95% volume coverage (D95) for “dynamic” case was 8.13% lower than the “10‐phase” case for ITVmean+σ. For a patient with relatively different breathing patterns on “Day 1” and the “other day”, this difference was as high as 24.5% for ITVmean−σ. 'Conclusion: Our preliminary results have shown that proton treatment planning based on 4DCT can lead to under‐dosage of the tumor and over‐dosage of the surrounding tissues. This is more severe in proton therapy due to possible shift of the Bragg peak compared to photon therapy in which the tumor is surrounded by an electron bath.
Effect of short duration electromagnetic field exposures on rat mass

Daily preexposure and postexposure mass measurements of 65 rats (young males and females, old males) were recorded during exposure to a 0.1 mT, 60 Hz sinusoidal magnetic field, a proprietary pulsed wound healing field, pulsed electromagnetic field, (PEMF), or their control fields for 4 h/day for 21 days. Statistical analysis of mass changes over time showed that young rats exposed to PEMF lost more mass and recovered it more slowly compared to controls (2-4% more loss) than did older PEMF exposed rats or any 60 Hz exposed rats. We conclude that daily preexposure and postexposure mass measurements are needed to adequately assess the effects of electromagnetic fields on body mass.
802 CAN NEONATAL SEPSIS BE DIAGNOSED EARLY

Currently, many babies receive antibiotics unnecessarily for “phantom” infections. One-third of babies (258/800) admitted to our intensive care nursery in approximately 2 years had bacterial cultures of blood, urine and CSF, and received antibiotics. Several tests which can be rapidly and easily performed were combined to predict neonatal infection. These included WBC and diff., “mini”-sed. rate, latex C-reactive protein, haptoglobin and IgM. The scoring system previously described (Pediatr. Res. 11:504, 1977) was used. Of 20 cases of proven infection, 17 (85%) had elevated scores (the other 3 babies died very rapidly). In 32 babies with possible or probable infection (antibiotics given for 5 or more days without positive blood culture), 23 (72%) had an elevated score. In 206 babies without infection (antibiotics for 3 or less days), only 8 (4%) had an elevated score. Individual tests were predictive in 33% or less of proven cases of infection. Substituting buffy-coat smears for latex-IgM could improve the predictive value of this scoring system. These easily performed tests require no special laboratory facilities and provide an accurate diagnostic indication of neonatal sepsis within 1 hour. This could save physician's time and decrease antibiotic use, length of hospital stay and nosocomial infection.
Probing the Fractal Character of Pore Surfaces in Shale with Adsorption Technique

We report on an adsorption study on two shale samples that have previously been investigated by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The scattering data indicate that these samples can be characterized as surface fractals in length from 5 A to 500 A, with the fractal dimension D between 2.83 and 2.75. Using the existing models for adsorption on fractal surfaces, the values of D deduced from the adsorption data appear to be consistently lower than the SANS results. We discuss these findings.