cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase-domain Deep Patient-ECG Image Learning for Zero-effort Smart Health Security*

Smart health is quickly boosted by technological advancements: smart sensors, body sensor network, internet of medical things and big data. Vast amounts of smart health big data from ubiquitous sensors pose unprecedented challenges to the security and privacy protection, which is extremely critical in healthcare applications. The vital signs, user daily behaviors, medicine recommendations, and so many other health data are vulnerable to different attacks, due to the fact that wearable/mobile monitors have very strict performance/power constraints, which limit the complexity of security protocols. In this paper, we study how to leverage a natural vital signal (Electrocardiogram – ECG) for user identification purpose, without introducing new hardware sensing devices. ECG is not only a gold standard cardiac signal, but also unique to each individual. We investigate a phase-domain deep patient-ECG image learning framework, to tackle key challenges in ECG biometric user identification: high diversities of ECG morphologies due to heart diseases, and time-consuming/ineffective heartbeat localization methods & manual feature engineering. The ultimate goal is to make the smart health security zero-effort: use ‘phase-domain transformation’ to enable blind signal segmentation without localizing heartbeats; create a computer image processing-like task by ‘pixelating’ phase-domain ECG trajectories to ECG images; and enable automatic (non-manual) ‘deep feature learning’ using a deep convolutional neural network. Evaluated on two patient-ECG databases, this zero-effort framework achieves an accuracy as high as 97.2%, and greatly outperforms state-of-the-art studies in terms of the generalization ability and/or performance. This study is expected to enable highly challenging patient-ECG biometric user identification, by generalizable blind signal segmentation and deep feature learning strategies, in the era of smart health boosted by internet of medical things and big medical data.
Examining emotional intelligence in older adults with chronic pain: a factor analysis approach

AbstractObjective: The current study explored whether the three-factor structure of an emotional intelligence measure (attention to emotions, clarity in understanding emotions, and emotion regulati...
Promotion of Women Physicians in Academic Medicine

Women currently represent nearly half of all medical school graduates and assistant professors at academic institutions. Despite the large pool of women in the academic medicine pipeline, relatively few ascend to top leadership positions and women remain grossly underrepresented among full professors, permanent department chairs, and highest-level deans/interim deans. Considerable evidence suggests that the gender imbalance observed at the top tiers of academic medicine is, in part, due to gender differences in promotional rates, with women being promoted more slowly than their male colleagues. The well-documented gender gaps in publications, grant support, recognition awards, speaker invitations, and leadership positions contribute to the slow progression of women in medicine, as promotions committees rely heavily upon these traditional measures of academic success to select candidates for career advancement. Additionally, implicit biases, which have been shown to favor men over women in science and leadership, influence decision-making processes relevant to the promotion of women in academia. With the large number of highly qualified women entering medicine, it is imperative that organizations, academic institutions, and leaders in the medical community address the systemic inequities that are preventing half the workforce from reaching its full potential.
Non-Parametric Neuro-Adaptive Control Subject to Task Specifications.

We develop a learning-based algorithm for the control of robotic systems governed by unknown, nonlinear dynamics to satisfy tasks expressed as signal temporal logic specifications. Most existing algorithms either assume certain parametric forms for the dynamic terms or resort to unnecessarily large control inputs (e.g., using reciprocal functions) in order to provide theoretical guarantees. The proposed algorithm avoids the aforementioned drawbacks by innovatively integrating neural network-based learning with adaptive control. More specifically, the algorithm learns a controller, represented as a neural network, using training data that correspond to a collection of different tasks and robot parameters. It then incorporates this neural network into an online closed-loop adaptive control mechanism in such a way that the resulting behavior satisfies a user-defined task. The proposed algorithm does not use any information on the unknown dynamic terms or any approximation schemes. We provide formal theoretical guarantees on the satisfaction of the task and we demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in a virtual simulator using a 6-DOF robotic manipulator.
“Smart Power” in Standards Implementation after No Child Left Behind

Purpose: As the federal government has retreated from taking a dominant role in encouraging implementation of common K–12 standards, states and districts have moved to fill this education policy va...
Factors Which Control the Staining of Tissue Sections with Acid and Basic Dyes

Publisher Summary There are numerous and diverse factors that profoundly influence the dye uptake of proteins of cells and tissues. The variable that affects dyeing most profoundly is pH. Other factors of importance are ionic strength of the dye medium, concentration of dye, nature and affinity of the dye, fixation and other chemical modification of the protein, temperature, diffusion, rate of staining, and the chemical and physical characteristics of the protein. Acid (anionic) and basic (cationic) dyes are aromatic compounds of various complexities containing a water-solubilizing group, which in the case of acid dyes is frequently a sulfonic radical (SO 3 H) but which also may be a carboxyl or hydroxyl group. The profound influence that pH exerts on staining reflects in large part the sensitivity of the dissociation characteristics of proteins to alterations in the solution environment. The ability of proteins to take up acid or basic dye according to the acidity of the environment is an expression of the amphoteric properties and of the charge on the dye ion.
A Re-evaluation of Cheilolejeunea subgenus Xenolejeunea

Cheilolejeunea subgenus Xenolejeunea Kachroo & Schust. is emended to account for variability observed in stem anatomy and lobule structure. Cheilolejeunea subgenus Tegulilejeunea Schust. is reduced to synonymy with subgenus Xenolejeunea. A new sectional classification of subgenus Xenolejeunea is proposed (sections Gigantae, Meyenianae, and Xenolejeunea ). A key distinguishes among the sections and the 10 species accepted in the subgenus, which is known from Australasia, Oceania and tropical Asia. A nomenclator and discussion is provided for each species. Comments on excluded species conclude the treatment.
Revisiting the Ideas of the Founding

When the ideas of the founding period of the American republic have been studied by legal scholars, they have tended to approach that inquiry from a particular perspective. They have begun by positing a set of ideas as central to the interpretation of the United States Constitution over the course of its history, and have then proceeded to examine the status of those ideas in the founding period against the backdrop of their subsequent development over more than two centuries. This posture toward the ideas of the framing, I will be arguing, has produced two distorting effects on their recovery. The first effect has been to overstate the significance of some constitutional ideas with which later generations of Americans have been preoccupied; the second has been to understate the special importance attached to other ideas of the founders.
Reliability of the copper sulfate method and other anemia tests in pregnancy.

T HE reliability of the copper sulfate falling drop test in pregnancy will be demonstrated by comparing it with three other simultaneously performed tests for anemia. The hematocrit (packed red cell volume), Sahli, photoelectriccell calorimeter, and copper sulfate tests will be contrasted for consistency in results. The author has recorded experiences with several thousand copper sulfate tests in prenatal clinics, reporting the incidence of anemia in 1,669 rural southern w0men.l The copper sulfate test is a simple procedure that can be done by a technically untrained person. The only equipment needed are the copper sulfate solution and the means for collecting a drop of venous or capillary blood. The outcome depends on the rise or fall of a drop of whole blood in a copper sulfate solution of selected specific gravity. With one solution the anemic can be screened from the nonanemic. A series of solutions of graded specific gravities will make the test more quantitative. The greatest usefulness of the test is probably as a rapid screening test. The test has been described in detail elsewhere.2 Because of the alteration in specific gravity of blood in pregnancy a question has been raised as to the dependability of the test. In the nonpregnant the accuracy of the test seems assured. Attention has been called by Ham3 to the inconsonance of hematological laboratory results. Twenty medical students with considerable training performed ten different examinations with the same specimen of blood. The error in the hematocrit and the photoelectric-cell calorimeter method of measuring hemoglobin was small; the results were reproducible within + 5 per cent because of the inherent small chance of objective and subjective errors. Recognition o’f the superiority of these two techniques is not new. The Sahli and other determinations compared unfavorably. The red cell count fared so badly it could not b,e recommended as a routine screening procedure for anemia, A study of the quantitative significance of some of the anemia tests commonly used in prenatal clinics seemed desirable to the present author.
Nash implementation with little communication

The paper considers the communication complexity (measured in bits or real numbers) of Nash implementation of social choice rules. A key distinction is whether we restrict to the traditional one-stage mechanisms or allow multistage mechanisms. For one-stage mechanisms, the paper shows that for a large and important subclass of monotonic choice rules—called intersection monotonic— the total message space size needed for one-stage Nash implementation is essentially the same as that needed for “verification” (with honest agents who are privately informed about their preferences). According to Segal (2007), the latter is the size of the space of minimally informative budget equilibria verifying the choice rule. However, multistage mechanisms allow a drastic reduction in communication complexity. Namely, for an important subclass of intersectionmonotonic choice rules (which includes rules based on coalitional blocking such as exact or approximate Pareto efficiency, stability, and envy-free allocations), we propose a two-stage Nash implementation mechanism in which at most 5 alternatives plus 4N log2 N bits are announced in any play. Such two-stage mechanisms bring about an exponential reduction in the communication complexity of Nash implementation for discrete communication measured in bits or a reduction from
The Golden Weed, America's Most Deadly Drug

The Cigarette Century . The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product That Defined America. By Allan M. Brandt . Basic Books, New York, 2007. 640 pp. $36, C$43.50. ISBN 9780465070473. In this history of changing attitudes toward smoking, Brandt describes how the tobacco industry promoted "the most deadly addiction on the planet."
Floods and Changing Climate: Seasonal Forecasts and Reconstruction

It is widely acknowledged that both climate and land use changes modify flood frequency, thereby challenging the traditional assumption that the underlying stochastic process is stationary in time, and that the annual maximum flood corresponds to an independent identically distributed (iid) process. In this article, we employ a semiparametric approach to estimate flood quantiles conditional on selected “climate indices” that carry the signal of structured low-frequency climate variation, and influence the atmospheric mechanisms that enhance or retard local precipitation and flood potential. The semiparametric approach that maximizes the local likelihood of the observed annual maximum peak in the climatic predictor state space is applied to estimate conditional flood quantiles for the Blacksmith Fork River near Hyrum (BFH), Utah. The estimated conditional flood quantiles correlate well with the observed annual maximum peaks, thus offering prospects for reconstructing past flood series as well as for short-term forecasting. Keywords: floods; climate; semiparametric methods; design; flood; flood reconstructions; forecasting
Data fusion for regionally aligned forces

Today the U.S. Army is increasingly deploying regionally aligned brigades to new areas of interest while simultaneously placing greater emphasis on engagement, recently adding it to the Warfighting Functions. These regionally aligned forces often conduct engagement in unstable and austere environments with limited understanding of the primary actors. Traditional intelligence collection is often focused at the national level on the primary state and non-state actors in a region; but may not be complete at the granularity required to support these small-scale deployments. The open-source internet provides a wealth of information, but is often time-intensive to search and analogous to finding a “needle in a haystack” Our research will use Network Centrality metrics applied to the Global Knowledge Graph (GKG) to provide tactical commanders with a tool that identifies influential individuals at the sub-national level. This information will allow tactical leaders to make more informed in their operating environment.
Tensor Products of Modules for a Vertex Operator Algebra and Vertex Tensor Categories

In this paper, we present a theory of tensor products of classes of modules for a vertex operator algebra. We focus on motivating and explaining new structures and results in this theory, rather than on proofs, which are being presented in a series of papers beginning with [HL4] and [HL5]. An announcement has also appeared [HL1]. The theory is based on both the formal-calculus approach to vertex operator algebra theory developed in [FLM2] and [FHL] and the precise geometric interpretation of the notion of vertex operator algebra established in [H1].
Connecting Assessment, Aesthetics, And Meaning-Making In A General Education University Theatre Course

This paper discusses how the researcher examined learning and teaching over the course of a year, in the course titled: TH 460 Storytelling and Ethnographic Theatre. Discussion revolves around how the course was conceptualized, the procedures and protocols created, engagement and collaborations developed, learnings and outcomes experienced by students and faculty, and resulting works-in-progress and performances. The study finds that students benefited from collecting ethnographic data and creating their own particular performances—especially in response to stories and data from persons unlike themselves. This study suggests that iterative and responsive teaching that spans multiple modes of teaching and experience impacts students' learning— especially in an arts-based oriented teaching and learning environments.
Issues with Asset Class- Based Portfolio Construction: An Analysis of Mutual Fund Characteristics

This article explores the degree of homogeneity of investment performance of mutual funds within and among asset classes. The analysis considers the assets class category and performance of more than 3,500 mutual funds for the period from 2006 through 2014. Although investment textbooks and professionals often emphasize that asset selection explains more than 90% of performance, as is detailed herein, the range of investment outcomes within a single asset class can vary considerably more than conventional wisdom would suggest, since the funds within the various asset classes are not homogenous. These fi ndings encourage increased attention to refi ning the process of mutual fund selection.
Quantum-well resonant-tunneling transistors

The authors demonstrate bipolar resonant-tunneling transistors and propose unipolar transistors which are formed by making direct contact with the quantum well of a resonant-tunneling diode structure. The characteristics of this resonant-tunneling hot electron transistor (RHET), known as the QuESTT (quantum excited-state tunneling transistor), are examined. Both digital and microwave applications for these devices are discussed. >
Note of Correction for Schwartz, Cohen and Pavlik's “The Effects of Subject-and Experimenter-Induced Defensive Response Sets on Picture-Frustration Test Reactions”

Summary The multiple-choice version of the Rosenzweig P-F Study and the use of projection slides in group administration restrict the full diagnostic potential of the instrument. Moreover, these unauthorized modifications represent infringements of copyright. These variants are therefore not available for future use or imitation.
Vector piezoresponse force microscopy

A novel approach for nanoscale imaging and characterization of the orientation dependence of electromechanical properties-vector piezoresponse force microscopy (Vector PFM)-is described. The relationship between local electromechanical response, polarization, piezoelectric constants, and crystallographic orientation is analyzed in detail. The image formation mechanism in vector PFM is discussed. Conditions for complete three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the electromechanical response vector and evaluation of the piezoelectric constants from PFM data are set forth. The developed approach can be applied to crystallographic orientation imaging in piezoelectric materials with a spatial resolution below 10 nm. Several approaches for data representation in 2D-PFM and 3D-PFM are presented. The potential of vector PFM for molecular orientation imaging in macroscopically disordered piezoelectric polymers and biological systems is discussed.
Creating a spoken impact: encouraging vocalization through audio visual feedback in children with ASD

One hallmark difficulty of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) centers on communication and speech. Research into computer visualizations of voice has been shown to influence conversational patterns and allow users to reflect upon their speech. In this paper, we present the Spoken Impact Project (SIP), an effort to examine the effect of audio and visual feedback on vocalizations in low-functioning children with ASD by providing them with additional means of understanding and exploring their voice. This research spans over 12 months, including the creation of multiple software packages and detailed analysis of more than 20 hours of experimental video. SIP demonstrates the potential of computer generated audio and visual feedback to encourage vocalizations of children with ASD.
Failure analysis of pinch–torsion tests as a thermal runaway risk evaluation method of Li-ion cells

Abstract Recently a pinch–torsion test is developed for safety testing of Li-ion batteries. It has been demonstrated that this test can generate small internal short-circuit spots in the separator in a controllable and repeatable manner. In the current research, the failure mechanism is examined by numerical simulations and comparisons to experimental observations. Finite element models are developed to evaluate the deformation of the separators under both pure pinch and pinch–torsion loading conditions. It is discovered that the addition of the torsion component significantly increased the maximum first principal strain, which is believed to induce the internal short circuit. In addition, the applied load in the pinch–torsion test is significantly less than in the pure pinch test, thus dramatically improving the applicability of this method to ultra-thick batteries which otherwise require heavy load in excess of machine capability. It is further found that the separator failure is achieved in the early stage of torsion (within a few degree of rotation). Effect of coefficient of friction on the maximum first principal strain is also examined.
Structural analysis of carboxypeptidase A and its complexes with inhibitors as a basis for modeling enzyme recognition and specificity.

A combination of novel methods of macrostructural analysis and theoretical chemistry were applied to study the metalloenzyme carboxypeptidase A and its complexes with two inhibitors—glycyl-L-tyrosine and a protein inhibitor isolated from potatoes. The methods of macrostructural analysis applied to the study of the crystal structures of these molecules include structural superposition, distance matrix analysis, and linear distance plot analysis, and the approach is complemented by the examination of computed physicochemical properties, including electrostatic potential surfaces, bulk hydrophobicity, and complementarity of van der Waals surfaces. The structural analysis identified folding domains in carboxypeptidase A that relate to such domains in carboxypeptidase B and are involved in the conformational changes following complexation with the inhibitors. The nature of these conformational changes and their relation to the physicochemical properties suggest their role in determining recognition and reactivity characteristics of the enzyme. The analysis also revealed a distinction between conformational changes in the secondary and tertiary structure of the protein that provides insight into the structure–function relationship in carboxypeptidase. Notably, some inhibitor-induced changes in structure occur in regions in which the interacting molecules are not in contact, while some of the contact regions, such as the active site, incur only minor perturbation. The analysis reveals the interrelation between the enzyme–ligand interaction and the structural perturbation outside the active site, thus illuminating one aspect of the link between the structural organization of the protein and its function.
Effect of sex steroids on the reproductive behavior of castrated male ring doves (Streptopelia sp.)

Abstract Castrated male ring doves were injected with 100 μg/day testosterone propionate (TP), estradiol benzoate (EB), or dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP) for two weeks and then tested for sexual and aggressive behavior with female partners. TP restored bow-cooing, hop-charging, wing-flipping, and copulation to levels of intact males. EB stimulated a great deal of wing-flipping, but little other behavior. DHTP stimulated some bow-cooing and hop-charging, but little wing-flipping or copulation. In a second experiment, DHTP again activated bow-cooing and hop-charging, but DHT (the free alcohol form of this steroid) was without significant effect. Thus, DHTP is behaviorally effective in this species, “aggressive” courtship and “nest-oriented” courtship have different patterns of steroid specificity, and wing-flipping in intact males may result from conversion of androgen to estrogen by the brain.
Lloyd F. Mayer, MD: a remembrance

Lloyd Mayer lost a battle against brain cancer on 5 September 2013. At the time of his death, Lloyd held the Dorothy and David Merksamer Professor of Medicine endowed chair and was chief of the Division of Clinical Immunology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. He was also Co-Director of Mount Sinai’s Immunology Institute, which he had helped to found. A native of New York, Lloyd received his MD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, trained in internal medicine at New York University, and returned to Mount Sinai for his fellowship in gastroenterology. Following that, he spent three years pursuing immunology research as a postdoctoral fellow in Henry Kunkel’s laboratory at Rockefeller University. While in the Kunkel lab and afterward, Lloyd utilized a technique to generate human T-cell hybridomas to identify factors and cytokines that stimulated B cells.1 This led to the discovery that some individuals with common variable immunodeficiency have defects in T-cell cytokines rather than defects in B cells.2 Common to all his work—whether in immunodeficiency, mucosal immunology, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—was a primary focus on humans. His talents were quickly recognized at Mount Sinai, and one year after joining the faculty he was named chief of the Division of Clinical Immunology.
Juxtaposition of the T-cell receptor alpha-chain locus (14q11) and a region (14q32) of potential importance in leukemogenesis by a 14;14 translocation in a patient with T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and ataxia-telangiectasia.

Abstract We describe a t(14;14)(q11;q32) translocation in a patient with T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and ataxia-telangiectasia (AT). By using a battery of joining (J)-segment probes from the T-cell receptor (TCR) alpha-chain locus TCRA, three distinct J alpha rearrangements were observed. One rearrangement reflected a normal TCRA variable (V) region V alpha-to-J alpha recombination. The second rearrangement was caused by the translocation even itself, which joined a DNA segment from 14q32 centromeric to the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus (IGH) and a J alpha gene located approximately 75 kilobases (kb) 5' of the TCRA constant region gene (C alpha). A third rearrangement involved a 17-kb internal deletion 3' to the translocation, a rearrangement within the J alpha locus that has been observed once before in a patient with AT. Analysis of these three rearrangements underscores the increase in aberrant locus-specific recombination in lymphocytes from patients with AT. Furthermore, these studies support the view that a growth-effecting gene is present in the 14q32 region that participates in the leukemogenic process.
Deep UV-LEDs with high IQE based on AlGaN alloys with strong band structure potential fluctuations

In this paper we review our progress in developing AlGaN-based deep UV LEDs with internal quantum efficiency (IQE) in excess of 50%. This is accomplished by growing the active region of the LEDs by plasma-assisted MBE under a growth mode which promotes the introduction of deep band structure potential fluctuations in the wells beyond the statistical ones due alloy disorder. AlGaN-based deep UV-LEDs emitting in the wavelength range from 320 nm to 265 were grown by this method and fabricated into devices. By combining high IQE AlGaN QWs in the active region with polarization field enhanced carrier injection layers, unpackaged deep UV-LEDs emitting at 295 nm and 273 nm were obtained with optical output power of 0.35 mW and 1.8 mW at 20 mA continuous wave and 100 mA pulsed drive current, respectively. The maximum external quantum efficiency of these devices was calculated to be 0.4%, a result consistent with the low extraction efficiency of only 1-2%.
Level of consciousness as a predictor of complications following tricyclic overdose

In order to determine whether patients at low risk for complications following tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) overdose can be identified, we analyzed the records of all admissions for TCA overdose from 1975 to 1985. Of the 92 patients reviewed, 37 had serious complications including hypoventilation, loss of protective airway reflexes, seizures, hypotension, hemodynamically significant arrhythmias, or death. Patients with complications had increased heart rate, depressed level of consciousness, depressed Glasgow Coma Scale, and prolonged QRS interval, as compared to patients without complications. All 37 patients with serious complications required intubation in the emergency department. A Glasgow Coma Scale of less than 8 was the most sensitive predictor of serious complications (sensitivity = .86; specificity = .89). This was significantly better than the QRS interval (QRS greater than or equal to 100 msec; sensitivity = 59; specificity = .76). We conclude that level of consciousness is a better predictor of risk of complications and need for ICU admission than the QRS interval. Patients who are responsive to verbal stimuli on leaving the ED are at very low risk of developing complications.
Solvated metal cation photochemistry. Electronic state-selective reaction versus evaporation in Sr+(CH3OH)/Sr+(CH3OD)

Abstract We present a study of the photodissociation spectrum of Sr + (CH 3 OH)/Sr + (CH 3 OD) ions, yielding Sr + by evaporation and SrOH + /SrOD + by reaction. The two highest energy bands are 5pπ electronic states and yield 90% SrOH + /SrOD + products. The three lower energy bands show vibrational structure that can be assigned to SrO stretching and Sr-solvent wagging motions. The reactive fraction of the photodissociation yield shows a strong anticorrelation with sharp resonances in the spectrum, likely arising from competition between rapid reaction and evaporation on the ground state surface and a slower reactive process occurring on an excited surface.
A comparison of the induced and naturally occurring juvenile hormone esterases from last instar larvae of Trichoplusia ni

During the last larval instar of Trichoplusia ni two naturally occurring peaks of juvenile hormone esterase activity are present. After a critical period, juvenile hormone esterase activity can be induced in normal and ligated larvae by the topical application of juvenile hormone or juvenoids. The natural and artificially induced juvenile hormone esterases are similarly inhibited by a selected group of organophosphate and carbamate inhibitors. Paraoxon and O-ethyl-S-phenyl phosphoramidothiolate displayed the best inhibition, both with an I50 of 1 × 10−6M, while several general esterase inhibitors, including diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, had very little effect. The three groups of juvenile hormone esterases have similiar gel filtration patterns which are distinct from most of the α-naphthyl acetate esterase activity. The natural and artificially induced juvenile hormone esterases demonstrated identical migration patterns when analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Isoelectric focusing also resulted in essentially identical activity patterns and pI values for each of the three groups of juvenile hormone esterases. Both naturally occurring peaks of juvenile hormone esterase activity as well as an artificially induced peak of juvenile hormone esterase activity appear to be largely due to one enzyme, and within the limits of the techniques used, these esterases are identical. The juvenile hormone esterase activity is distinct from and more stable than the majority of the α-naphthyl acetate esterase activity in the haemolymph.
Advances in Radiation Therapy: Conventional to 3D, to IMRT, to 4D, and Beyond

Modern advances in computers have fueled parallel advances in imaging technologies. The improvements in imaging have in turn allowed a higher level of complexity to be incorporated into radiotherapy treatment planning systems. As a result of these changes, the delivery of radiotherapy evolved from therapy designed based primarily on plain (two dimensional) x-ray images and hand calculations to three-dimensional x-ray based images incorporating increasingly complex computer algorithms. More recently, biologic variables based on differences between tumor metabolism, tumor antigens, and normal tissues have been incorporated into the treatment process. In addition, greater awareness of the challenges to the accuracy of the treatment planning process, such as problems with set-error and organ movement, have begun to be systematically addressed, ushering in an era of so-called Four-Dimensional Radiotherapy. This review article discusses how these advances have changed the way the most common neoplasms are treated now and will be treated in the near future.
Leaving Medicaid without health insurance: TANF policies and recipients' vulnerabilities.

This study identifies factors predicting health insurance coverage of TANF recipients leaving Medicaid programs. A sample of 785 Medicaid spells of enrollment by able-bodied, non-elderly adults is drawn from a national survey. Employing event history analysis and multinomial logistic regression, the study finds that those who left Medicaid were three times more likely to become uninsured than to become privately insured. Recipients leav- ing TANF were 24 times more likely to leave Medicaid than to remain on Medicaid. The impact of leaving TANF upon becoming uninsured was moderated by restrictive TANF policies. Recipients who were White and employed part-time were 41-42% more likely to become uninsured than were their counterparts. A high unemployment rate increased a recipient's chance of becoming uninsured by 27.5%. Married people, African Americans, those with full-time jobs, and those with earnings above the poverty line were at least 32% more likely to acquire private coverage than their respective counterparts.
Remarks on cyclotomic and degenerate cyclotomic BMW algebras

Abstract We relate the structure of cyclotomic and degenerate cyclotomic BMW algebras, for arbitrary parameter values, to that for admissible parameter values. In particular, we show that these algebras are cellular. We characterize those parameter sets for affine BMW algebras over an algebraically closed field that permit the algebras to have non-trivial cyclotomic quotients.
Do honesty and high ethical standards really pay

This question is considered from the personal side as well as the organizational side. An attempt is made to avoid purely philosophical arguments, but instead to list specific ways honesty and high ethical standards either do pay or do not pay. No absolute conclusion, “yes” or “no”, can be drawn since there are times and situations when, if not managed carefully, honesty and high ethical standards can work to the detriment of both the individual and the corporation. Sources of honesty and high ethical standards are also examined from both the individual and organizational perspectives. The best situation is when there is strong individual and corporate commitment buttressed by supporting structures that balance the needs of individuals, their companies, and society as a whole.
mt-Nd2a suppresses reactive oxygen species production by mitochondrial complexes I and III.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of human diseases. A cytosine to adenine transversion in the mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (mt-ND2, human; mt-Nd2, mouse) gene results in resistance against type 1 diabetes and several additional ROS-associated conditions. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the adenine-containing allele (mt-Nd2a) is also strongly associated with resistance against type 1 diabetes in mice. In this report we have confirmed that the cytosine-containing allele (mt-Nd2c) results in elevated mitochondrial ROS production. Using inhibitors of the electron transport chain, we show that when in combination with nuclear genes from the alloxan-resistant (ALR) strain, mt-Nd2c increases ROS from complex III. Furthermore, by using alamethicin-permeabilized mitochondria, we measured a significant increase in electron transport chain-dependent ROS production from all mt-Nd2c-encoding strains including ALR.mtNOD, non-obese diabetic (NOD), and C57BL/6 (B6). Studies employing alamethicin and inhibitors were able to again localize the heightened ROS production in ALR.mtNOD to complex III and identified complex I as the site of elevated ROS production from NOD and B6 mitochondria. Using submitochondrial particles, we confirmed that in the context of the NOD or B6 nuclear genomes, mt-Nd2c elevates complex I-specific ROS production. In all assays mitochondria from mt-Nd2a-encoding strains exhibited low ROS production. Our data suggest that lowering overall mitochondrial ROS production is a key mechanism of disease protection provided by mt-Nd2a.
Chelometric titrations with amperometric end-point detection

Abstract Anodic chelon waves may be used as indicator waves in the amperometric titration of metal ions which exhibit poorly defined reduction waves. By this method, also, mixtures of metal ions whose log K values differ by less than 4 units may be selectively titrated. Buffers and chelons may be selected to improve selectivity, and the procedure is more rapid than the usual amperometric methods. Results are given for selected ions and mixtures of ions. The interference of halide ions must be overcome.
Effects of testosterone and progesterone on brain 5α-reductase and aromatase in Long–Evans males and comparison of aromatase in Long–Evans vs. Sprague–Dawley rats

We investigated medial basal hypothalamic-preoptic area (MBH-POA) 5alpha-reductase and aromatase enzyme activities in gonadally intact and castrated adult Long-Evans (L-E) male rats treated with testosterone (T), progesterone (P), and a combination of T+P. MBH-POA 5alpha-reductase and aromatase activities did not differ significantly among the groups. The lack of a difference in MBH-POA aromatase between control and castrated L-E animals was unexpected. In two further experiments, MBH-POA aromatase was examined in intact and castrated L-E and Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats, using direct and indirect assays. The activity in castrated S-D (but again, not in L-E) rats significantly decreased compared to control values. These data suggest that the absence of gonads does not decrease MBH-POA aromatase in adult L-E rats.
Electrochemically modulated diffraction. A novel strategy for the determination of conduction-band-edge energies for nanocrystalline thin-film semiconductor electrodes

Micropatterned titanium dioxide thin-film electrodes exhibit efficient diffraction in the presence of aqueous or nonaqueous ele ctrolyte solutions. The diffraction efficiency can be modulated electrochemically. At the wavelengths examined, the modulation is caused by changes in both real and imaginary components of the refractive index. The index changes, in turn, are caused by the addition of electrons to near-band-edge trap sites and by optical absorption by the trapped electrons. The onset potential for diffraction modulation provides a good measure of the potential of the electrode’s conduction bandedge. Variable excitation wavelength measurements show that, after correction for absorption losses, the electrochemically induced changes in the proportion of light diffracted can be either positive or negative. The signs and the relative magnitudes of the wavelength-dependent changes are well described by a Kramers-Kronig analysis that assumes that changes in the real component of the refractive index dominate th e response.
Development and Validation of a Necrotizing Soft-Tissue Infection Mortality Risk Calculator Using NSQIP

Background Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI) are a group of uncommon, rapidly progressive infections requiring prompt surgical debridement and systemic support. A previous attempt to define risk factors for mortality from NSTI had multiple limitations. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a 30-day postoperative mortality risk calculator for patients with NSTI using NSQIP. Study Design The NSQIP Participant Use Files (2005–2010) were used as the primary data source. Patients diagnosed with NSTI were identified by ICD-9 codes. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified key preoperative variables predicting mortality. Bootstrap analysis was used to validate the model. Results In 1,392 identified NSTI cases, demographics were as follows: 42% were female, median age was 55 years (interquartile range 46 to 63 years), and median body mass index was 32 kg/m 2 (interquartile range 26 to 40 kg/m 2 ). Thirty-day mortality was 13%. Seven independent variables were identified that correlated with mortality: age older than 60 years (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5; 95% CI 1.7–3.6), functional status (partially dependent: OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.0–2.7; totally dependent: OR = 2.3; 95% CI 1.4–3.8), requiring dialysis (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.2–3.1), American Society of Anesthesiologists class 4 or higher (OR = 3.6; 95% CI 2.3–5.6), emergent surgery (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.0–2.3), septic shock (OR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.6–3.6), and low platelet count ( 50K/μL: OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.2–2.9). The receiver operating characteristic area was 0.85 (95% CI 0.82–0.87), which indicated a strong predictive model. Using bootstrap validation, the optimism-corrected receiver operating characteristic area was 0.83 (95% CI 0.81–0.86), which represents the model performance in future patients. The model was used to develop an interactive risk calculator. Conclusions This risk calculator has excellent predictive ability for mortality in patients with NSTI. This simple interactive tool can aid physicians and patients in the decision-making process.
Earthquake rupture dynamics: Comparing the numerical simulation methods

Thirty years ago, scientists first developed computer programs that could tackle the complicated problem of simulating earthquakes as dynamic rupture processes, and predicting the ensuing fault movement. At first, only a few people were able to formulate the appropriate numerical solutions, but these researchers were working with methods that could rarely simulate the full three-dimensional world in which real earthquakes occur. Now, three decades later, our computational infrastructure has vastly improved, along with our knowledge about how to construct computer software that numerically simulates the sudden faulting that occurs during earthquakes. Whereas in the past a lack of computational power provided formidable obstacles, in the present computer capacity is less of a concern, but the science is still hampered by a lack of key field observations, along with critical ideas about the predominant physical processes that control earthquakes.
Bacterium in a box: sensing of quorum and environment by the LuxI/LuxR gene regulatory circuit

The chemical signaling mechanism known as “bacterial quorum sensing” (QS) is normally interpreted as allowing bacteria to detect their own population density, in order to coordinate gene expression across a colony. However, the release of the chemical signal can also be interpreted as a means for one or a few cells to probe the local physical properties of their microenvironment. We have studied the behavior of the LuxI/LuxR QS circuit of Vibrio fischeri in tightly confining environments where individual cells detect their own released signals. We find that the lux genes become activated in these environments, although the activation onset time shows substantial cell-to-cell variability and little sensitivity to the confining volume. Our data suggest that noise in gene expression could significantly impact the utility of LuxI/LuxR as a probe of the local physical environment.
“Substance Abuse” Disorders among Runaway and Homeless Youth

This study used systematic sampling methods to recruit a sample of 432 homeless youth from both service and natural "hang-out" sampling sites. According to DSM-III criteria, the majority of respondents were classified as having an alcohol and/or illicit "drug abuse" disorder (71%). The results from multivariate logistic regression analyses indicate that cumulative length of time homeless is positively associated with risk for an "abuse" disorder. The implications of these findings and recommendations for service interventions are discussed.
Production of group- and type-specific antigens during non-permissive infection of dog kidney cells with herpes simplex virus type 2

Abstract Infection of a continuous cell line of dog kidney origin (MDCK) with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) resulted in production of little to no new infectious virus. Serial subculture of MDCK cells inoculated with HSV-2 did not permit establishment of carrier cell cultures, as assessed by negative results of plaque assays for infectious virus and radioimmunoassay (RIA) for viral antigens. Group- and type-specific antigens were detected in lysates of non-permissive MDCK cells inoculated with HSV-2 and tested by RIA at 24 hours post-inoculation. Polypeptides produced in permissive (Vero) and non-permissive (MDCK) cell systems were labeled with [14C]-amino acids and analyzed by polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. During non-permissive infection, two polypeptides of large molecular weight, not found in uninfected MDCK cells, one of which commigrated with a major HSV-2 structural polypeptide, were synthesized and reproducibly detected.
Towards a theory of bicameralism: the neglected contributions of the calculus of consent

In The Calculus of Consent (1962: 235) Buchanan and Tullock assert: (1) ceteris paribus, while a coalition controlling less than a majority of voters may control in either chamber, the greater the difference in the bases of representation in the two houses, the less likely is any given coalition of voters to control a majority of the seats in both chambers; (2) the potential of cross-chamber logrolls (on issues of unequal intensity) increases the likelihood that a minority may effectively control policy making. We link these ideas to social theory approaches to bicameralism and for the empirical study of legislatures.
Reexamination of the mechanism of hydroxyl radical adducts formed from the reaction between familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase mutants and H2O2

Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) involves the progressive degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord and motor cortex. Mutations to Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) linked with familial ALS are reported to increase hydroxyl radical adduct formation from hydrogen peroxide as measured by spin trapping with 5,5′-dimethyl-1-pyrrolline N-oxide (DMPO). In the present study, we have used oxygen-17-enriched water and H2O2 to reinvestigate the mechanism of DMPO/⋅OH formation from the SOD and SOD mutants. The relative ratios of DMPO/⋅17OH and DMPO/⋅16OH formed in the Fenton reaction were 90% and 10%, respectively, reflecting the ratios of H217O2 to H216O2. The reaction of the WT SOD with H217O2 in bicarbonate/CO2 buffer yielded 63% DMPO/⋅17OH and 37% DMPO/⋅16OH. Similar results were obtained from the reaction between familial ALS SOD mutants and H217O2: DMPO/⋅17OH (64%); DMPO/⋅16OH (36%) from A4V and DMPO/⋅17OH (62%); and DMPO/⋅16OH (38%) from G93A. These results were confirmed further by using 5-diethoxyphosphoryl-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide spin trap, a phosphorylated analog of DMPO. Contrary to earlier reports, the present results indicate that a significant fraction of DMPO/⋅OH formed during the reaction of SOD and familial ALS SOD mutants with H2O2 is derived from the incorporation of oxygen from water due to oxidation of DMPO to DMPO/⋅OH presumably via DMPO radical cation. No differences were detected between WT and mutant SODs, neither in the concentration of DMPO/⋅OH or DEPMPO/⋅OH formed nor in the relative incorporation of oxygen from H2O2 or water.