cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Managing Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Mental Health Problems

Diabetes mellitus is the subject of a great many case management programs around the world as it is a prevalent disease with modifiable risk factors and potentially preventable severely disabling complications. Diabetes mellitus represents even greater challenges in the context of mental illness. Patients with psychological complications of diabetes mellitus or with psychiatric disease and comorbid diabetes mellitus present a unique set of problems with which the physician and other care providers must contend. These challenges include: problems with treatment regimens; inability to manage self-care programs; difficulties with negotiating appointments, referrals, and follow-up care; confusion over competing care instructions; potential drug interactions and/or complications which exacerbate diabetes mellitus; and many social difficulties which undermine the effective care of diabetes mellitus. Lack of control of either diabetes mellitus or mental health problems may complicate or exacerbate one or the other of these diseases. Case management for these individuals is one potential way of improving care. Management needs to be team based, coordinated between specialties, simplified, and in one location of care when possible. Excellent coordination and communication is paramount and social factors and supports require special attention.
A Fast and Effective Memristor-Based Method for Finding Approximate Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors of Non-negative Matrices

Throughout many scientific and engineering fields, including control theory, quantum mechanics, advanced dynamics, and network theory, a great many important applications rely on the spectral decomposition of matrices. Traditional methods such as the power iteration method, Jacobi eigenvalue method, and QR decomposition are commonly used to compute the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a square and symmetric matrix. However, these methods suffer from certain drawbacks: in particular, the power iteration method can only find the leading eigen-pair (i.e., the largest eigenvalue and its corresponding eigenvector), while the Jacobi and QR decomposition methods face significant performance limitations when facing with large scale matrices. Typically, even producing approximate eigenpairs of a general square matrix requires at least O(N^3) time complexity, where N is the number of rows of the matrix. In this work, we exploit the newly developed memristor technology to propose a low-complexity, scalable memristorbased method for deriving a set of dominant eigenvalues and eigenvectors for real symmetric non-negative matrices. The time complexity for our proposed algorithm is O(N^2/Δ) (where Δ governs the accuracy). We present experimental studies to simulate the memristor-supporting algorithm, with results demonstrating that the average error for our method is within 4%, while its performance is up to 1.78X better than traditional methods.
Emerging Technologies in Osteoporosis Diagnosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease defined by diminished bone mass, often resulting in debilitating fragility fractures. As hand surgeons who care for patients with fractures of the distal radius and proximal humerus often related to osteoporosis, it is critical to understand the diagnostic modalities used in the workup of decreased bone density. Although the current reference standard for diagnosing osteoporosis is dual x-ray absorptiometry, this technique has notable drawbacks such as the inability to provide a 3-dimensional image or information about bone microstructure. These limitations result in underdiagnosis of osteoporosis. Other emerging imaging technologies such as quantitative computed tomography, high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography, and quantitative ultrasound offer distinct advantages over dual x-ray absorptiometry. Among these advantages are the production of 3-dimensional images, information about cortical and trabecular microstructure, and reduced radiation exposure. It is essential for hand surgeons to be aware of these evolving diagnostic modalities and the benefits that they offer to provide the best care for patients with osteoporosis.
Pfizer’s Corporate Citizenship

Do private, for-profit organizations have reason to consider the distributive effects of their actions? Or are they beholden only to shareholders? Take the case of Pfizer. During the height of the ...
Big Data Analytics of Network Traffic and Attacks

Big Data analytics for intrusion detection is an important topic in cybersecurity. Network flows and system events generate big data, which often leads to challenges in intrusion detection with high efficiency and good accuracy. This paper focuses on the ‘Variety’ and ‘Veracity’ of big data characteristics in network traffic and attacks. Datasets with various data types are analyzed; data duplicates removal and missing values detection are performed. A clustering analysis based on k-means are also conducted.
Nature of Grain Boundary Precipitates and Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior in Al 7075 and 7079 Alloys

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been employed to investigate the nature and microchemistry of Grain boundary precipitates in Al 7079 and Al 7075 aged at the peak and over aged conditions to correlate with the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior. The SCC plateau velocity in Al 7079 at T6 and T7 conditions is two to four orders of magnitude higher, respectively, as compared to Al 7075 T6 and T7. TEM studies revealed that the precipitates within grains in Al 7079 at the peak and overaged conditions is mostly T-phase (Al16Zn33Mg32), while the precipitate at grain boundaries is Al-Mg-Zn type quasicrystalline precipitate (Al15Mg44Zn41). The grain boundary phase in Al 7075 at peak and over aged conditions is hexagonal η phase with stoichiometry Mg(CuxZn1−x)2. We demonstrate that Al 7079 is more susceptible to SCC as compared to Al 7075 as a result of the formation of the quasicrystalline phase with relatively high Mg content at grain boundaries.
Analysing the relationship between idiosyncratic risk and strategic capabilities using penalty-based selection and shrinkage methods

Recent research has documented the dramatic increase in idiosyncratic risk and the under-diversification of portfolios. We provide a unique marketing perspective to the financial risk management literature by suggesting that idiosyncratic volatility can be reduced by enhancing marketing, operational and R&D capabilities. We investigate the relationship between idiosyncratic risk, firm capabilities and financial control variables using the least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (LASSO) - a penalty-based variable selection and shrinkage technique developed in the context of 'machine learning' and 'big data' that has not been much used in the empirical marketing literature. Our results differ from those reported in the literature. Using the more stringent criterion imposed by the LASSO, we find that whereas R&D, marketing and operational capabilities have no statistically significant individual effects, the interactive effects between marketing capability and R&D intensity have a significant effect on reducing idiosyncratic risk.
Somatic Embryogenesis in Common Bermudagrass

A culture method capable of plant regeneration is necessary to utilize tissue and cell culture techniques in bermudagrass research [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.], but no plant regeneration has been reported in the literature. The objectives of this research were to: a) establish an in vitro culture system for callus induction and plant regeneration of common bermudagrass, and b) examine the mode of regeneration. Expiants from young leaves were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) and B5 media supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) (2.0, 4.0 mg/1) and kinetin (0.2 mg/1). Immature inflorescences at different developmental stages (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 mm long) were grown on MS and N6 media (2.0 mg/1 2,4-D; 2 or 6% sucrose). The most leaf callus growth occurred on MS containing 2.0 mg/1 2,4-D without kinetin in the dark. However, calli induced from immature inflorescences grew better on N6 than on MS. A higher sucrose concentration (6%) affected the compactness of embryogenic callus and frequency of embryogenic callus compared with a lower concentration (3%). Calli originating from leaf or node tissues were soft and white. These nonembryogenic calli consisted of large, tubular cells. Upon transfer to hormone-free medium, they readily produced roots without shoot formation.
Listeriosis in an immunocompetent patient after diagnostic colonoscopy.

We present an 80-year-old female with type II diabetes (well controlled) who presented to the emergency department with a hemoglobin of 6.5 mg/d consistent with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). As part of the workup for IDA, she had an esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy. EGD was unremarkable. Colonoscopy revealed a mass occupying about 50% of the circumference of her descending colon suspicious for malignancy, which was biopsied. Thirty-six hours later, she developed fevers; blood cultures grew Listeria monocytogenes. Workup to identify the source of bacteremia was negative for other sources of infection. Due to the temporal relationship, the development of bacteremia was attributed to the disturbance of the gastrointestinal tract possibly from recent biopsy of the colonic mass. She was treated with penicillin for a total of about 4 weeks with complete resolution of symptoms and clearance of bacteremia. She had a transverse colectomy 6 weeks later with surgical pathology of the lesion showing intramucosal adenocarcinoma. This case represents a rare complication of colonoscopy and is novel because our patient was not immunocompromised as previously reported in other cases.
Mobile Lower Body Negative Pressure Suit as an Integrative Countermeasure for Spaceflight.

BACKGROUND: Persistent headward fluid shift and mechanical unloading cause neuro-ocular, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal deconditioning during long-term spaceflight. Lower body negative pressure (LBNP) reintroduces footward fluid shift and mechanical loading.METHODS: We designed, built, and tested a wearable, mobile, and flexible LBNP device (GravitySuit) consisting of pressurized trousers with built-in shoes to support ground reaction forces (GRF) and a thoracic vest to distribute load to the entire axial length of the body. In eight healthy subjects we recorded GRF under the feet and over the shoulders (Tekscan) while assessing cardiovascular response (Nexfin) and footward fluid shift from internal jugular venous cross-sectional area (IJVa) using ultrasound (Terason).RESULTS: Relative to normal bodyweight (BW) when standing upright, increments of 10 mmHg LBNP from 0 to 40 mmHg while supine induced axial loading corresponding to 0%, 13 ± 3%, 41 ± 5%, 75 ± 11%, and 125 ± 22% BW, respectively. Furthermore, LBNP reduced IJVa from 1.12 ± 0.3 cm² to 0.67 ± 0.2, 0.50 ± 0.1, 0.35 ± 0.1, and 0.31 ± 0.1 cm², respectively. LBNP of 30 and 40 mmHg reduced cardiac stroke volume and increased heart rate while cardiac output and mean arterial pressure were unaffected. During 2 h of supine rest at 20 mmHg LBNP, temperature and humidity inside the suit were unchanged (23 ± 1°C; 47 ± 3%, respectively).DISCUSSION: The flexible GravitySuit at 20 mmHg LBNP comfortably induced mechanical loading and desired fluid displacement while maintaining the mobility of hips and knee joints. The GravitySuit may provide a feasible method to apply low-level, long-term LBNP without interfering with daily activity during spaceflight to provide an integrative countermeasure.Petersen LG, Hargens A, Bird EM, Ashari N, Saalfeld J, Petersen JCG. Mobile lower body negative pressure suit as an integrative countermeasure for spaceflight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2019; 90(12):993-999.
Effects of moving contact line on filament pinch-off dynamics of viscoelastic surfactant fluids

Experiments illustrate that the moving fluid contact line can significantly affect the extensional rheology of viscoelastic surfactant solutions. A scaling analysis is provided to rationalize the effects of contact-line spreading on extensional rheology of viscoelastic fluids.
Mobilizing affect in the search for self-transformation: A case study of volunteer transformation in orphanage tourism

Abstract Emerging work in tourism has focused on the affective dimensions of student volunteer experiences across diverse cultural landscapes. Affect shapes how volunteers interpret their experiences in the developing world and make sense of themselves through these engagements. Synthesizing theoretical approaches of affect management/mobilization and frame analysis, this research contributes to affect theory by presenting a case study on how affect is managed and mobilized by a charismatic leader to elicit particular responses within the volunteer experience. Through intimate engagements with orphans and other American volunteers on the trip, participants visiting Malawi experience a poor, Christian yet joyful place that the leader contrasts to American inauthenticity. The leader prepares students for an emotionally charged experience meant to lead volunteers to self-transformation.
The Effects of Social Security Reforms on Retirement Ages and Retirement Incomes

Abstract Recent changes legislated in the U.S. Social Security system have altered the economic incentives to work and retire. Some older workers will respond to these new incentives by retiring at different ages. This paper evaluates the signs and magnitudes of these responses. Four specific changes in the structure of Social Security benefits are examined: raising the normal retirement age, delaying the cost-of-living adjustment, lowering early retirement benefits, and increasing late retirement payments. Behavioral parameters are estimated using an ordered logit model of retirement ages; these are used to predict how retirement behavior might respond to each of the four reforms. Predicted changes in retirement ages will be too small to compensate retirees for reductions in benefit formulas. Thus, the Social Security's financial burden will be eased, but retirees' incomes will fall on average.
Implementation of Humanitarian Law During the Armed Conflict in Chiapas

This chapter examines the armed conflict in Chiapas. The Chiapas conflict is a good example of the following: (a) state denial of an internal armed conflict on its territory; (b) the participation of non-state actors in the application of IHL (the EZLN); and (c) the recognition of an armed conflict by a third party, in this case, by the ICRC. The EZLN directly applied IHL and declared itself a belligerent force, meaning that intervention of the ICRC in Chiapas is also a good example of non-judicial enforcement of humanitarian law. The government issued amnesty laws and signed “peace agreements” and, by doing so, acknowledged, not explicitly, but implicitly, the nature of the armed conflict. In addition, the implications of the Acteal Massacre will be analyzed, since it could amount to a war crime. As the Mexican state has not yet punished those responsible for the crime, this omission could amount to a violation of IHL. Finally, this chapter will deliver strong arguments to fully incorporate the provisions of the Rome Statute and IHL, based on the way the Mexican state reacted to the conflict. Otherwise, civilians will remain unprotected against the violence that derives from an armed conflict.
Schedule delays of major projects: what should we do about it?

Cost overruns and schedule delays are one of the most common reasons for project failure. Although schedule delays not only result in significant financial implications to project sponsors but also...
Quality of the sibling relationship when one sibling has autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial of a sibling support group.

When one sibling has autism spectrum disorder, the sibling relationship is often characterized by poorer quality with fewer interactions. Because sibling relationships provide a vital social framew...
Black female leadership: a preliminary step toward an alternative theory

This paper summarizes how race and gender have been studied in sociological scholarship on leadership. It is argued that new voices challenge traditional theories and represent a movement toward a more comprehensive analysis of leadership. A framework is presented to contrast current views with traditional perspectives. A black female perspective is used to demonstrate the applicability of the framework. The paper proposes this framework as a preliminary step toward a reconceptualization of leadership that considers the experiences of non-elites and leadership in non-traditional arenas.
What drives you to check in on Facebook? Motivations, privacy concerns, and mobile phone involvement for location-based information sharing

Given the popularity of checking in at a location via mobile phone, little research has examined the germane motivations tied to location check-in as a form of in-group electronic word-of-mouth and its relation to the concern of privacy. A survey with 255 college students found that the students' privacy concerns - both online and Facebook specific - did not show any relationship with the motivations of location check-in as a means of information sharing. However, the relationship varied among the non-users of location check-in on Facebook. Involvement with mobile phone showed mixed relationships with check-in motivations - commitment to Facebook, self-development and reputation, and promotional viral communication. Findings not only confirm that young Facebook users are relatively free from the concern of privacy during their location-based information sharing, but also suggest different motivational mechanisms to operate for Facebook users' viral communication depending on the habitualness of their mobile phone use. Implications are discussed for interpersonal marketing strategies on social networking sites. Privacy concerns inhibit Facebook check-in motivations for non-users only.Mobile phone use showed positive relationships with Facebook check-in motivations.Prior experience is vital to further user-driven location check-in on Facebook.Facebook check-in is a cost-efficient promotional means of online advertising.
Test Tube Selection of Large Independent Sets of DNA Oligonucleotides

Self-assembly of nanostructures through template-matching hybridization reactions is potentially an important technique in nanotechnology. Given the possibility of errors in hybridization and the difficulty of designing DNA sequences on conventional computers, a viable alternative is to manufacture libraries of oligonucleotides for nanotechnology applications in the test tube. Thus, a protocol has been designed and tested to select mismatched oligonucleotides from a random starting material. Experiments indicate that the selected oligonucleotides are independent, and that there are about 10 000 distinct sequences. Such manufactured libraries are a potential enabling resource for DNA self-assembly in nanotechnology.
Crowdsourcing the Extraction of Data Practices from Privacy Policies

Website and mobile application privacy policies are intended to describe the system’s data practices. However, they are often written in non-standard formats and contain ambiguities that make it difficult for users to read and comprehend these documents. We propose a crowdsourcing approach to extract data practices from privacy policies to provide more concise and useable privacy notices to users and support the analysis of stated data practices. To that end, we designed a hierarchical task workflow for crowdsourcing the extraction of data practices from privacy policies. We discuss our workflow design and report preliminary results.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT: PSYCHOGENIC, RECURRENT, ABDOMINAL PAIN

RECURRENT abdominal pain represents a frequent cause for medical consultation. At least 1 school child in 10 suffers from this complaint. Slightly more common in girls than in boys and unusual before the age of 5, recurrent abdominal pain has its greatest incidence in children 9 to 10 years of age. In 1,000 unselected school children Apley found the complaint to occur more frequently in girls (12.3%) than in boys (9.5%); more than one fourth of all girls at age 9 were affected. Both organic and psychogenic etiologic possibilities need be considered together in each such case. The present discussion will be largely concerned with the latter. It is intended that a subsequent article will be concerned with organic abdominal pain. CHARACTERISTICS OF PSYCHOGENIC, RECURRENT, ABDOMINAL PAIN About one half of the children whose pain is psychogenic will have been symptomatic less than 1 year at the time of consultation; others will have had complaints for 1 to 5 years. Some children experience six or seven episodes a day while others one a week or one a month. Although this symptom may be related directly to stressful situations, this relationship is uncommon. A temporal relation to meals is rare, and the pain almost never awakens the child from sleep. Individual attacks are usually 5 to 30 minutes in length but may persist for hours. Episodes usually began gradually rather than abruptly. The pain is generally constant and mild or moderate rather than colicky and severe. Descriptions are vague: "It just hurts," "It feels funny," or "I don9t know."
Fragility of reputation and clustering of risk-taking

Reputation concerns in credit markets restrain borrowers’ temptations to take excessive risk. The strength of these concerns depends on the behavior of other borrowers, rendering the reputational discipline fragile and subject to breakdowns without obvious changes in economic fundamentals. Furthermore, at an aggregate level, breakdowns are clustered among borrowers who have intermediate and good reputations, magnifying otherwise small economic shocks.
CANINE SPLEEN TRANSPLANTATION; EFFECT OF 6-MP ON HOMOGRAFT REJECTION.

Summary Canine spleen transplantation was carried out in both unmodified and drug treated recipients (6-MP) using iliac vessels as the recipient site. Attempts to correlate gross arteriographic findings and changes in simultaneous skin homografts with rejection sequence in the spleen were not rewarding, but serum enzyme determinations (SGOT) were useful. Only 3 of 12 initially successful transplants to modified recipients (6-MP) had significant prolongation of the spleen homograft over that observed in the control series. The longest surviving graft was still grossly viable at time of death of the host, 28 days after transplantation, but some features of rejection were apparent on histologic examination. There was no obvious correlation between the presence or absence of drug toxicity and prolongation of spleen graft survival, and there was no obvious evidence of significant graft versus host activity in this series of dogs undergoing spleen transplantation.
Resistance of Vegetative Cells and Microcysts of Myxococcus xanthus

The resistance of vegetative cells and of microcysts of Myxococcus xanthus to several destructive agents was compared. Fruiting-body microcysts were 300 times more resistant to 60 C, 5.4 times more resistant to ultraviolet light, and 19.3 times more resistant to sonic vibration than were vegetative cells. Whereas resistance to sonic vibration developed during the conversion of rods to refractile spheres, resistance to heat did not appear until after the conversion was complete. Both vegetative cells and microcysts of the yellow variant of this strain were more resistant to ultraviolet irradiation than was the tan variant.
Military Social Influence in the Global Information Environment: A Civilian Primer

This article provides an overview of the role of social influence in modern U.S. military affairs. Many military strategists are now convinced that modern warfare is centered on a battle for public opinion, rather than a battle for physical terrain. As a result, new military periodic literature, texts, doctrine, and initiatives are increasingly likely to place social influence at the core of military operations. Unfortunately, this literature and doctrine is developing in a conversation that is almost completely independent of civilian university-based scholarly consideration. The goal of this civilian “primer” is to help bridge the gap between civilian and military scholarship by providing (1) an introduction to competing conceptions of the role of influence in modern war, (2) a brief description of current military initiatives using information operations, and (3) examples of influence tactics employed in recent U.S. military action. The article concludes by considering questions that modern military information operations raise about the intersection of social science, democracy, and war.
Getting lost in a jungle: A commentary on Shenkar

Vladimir Pucik is Assistant Professor of International Business and Organizational Behavior at the School of Business, The University of Michigan. He was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia where he studied international economics, law, and political science. Later, he received a master's degree in international affairs specializing in East Asia and a Ph.D. in business administration from Columbia Uni\.. versity. His research interests include . . . . problems of mternational competition, mternatlOnal Jomt ventures, linkage of competitive strategies with human resource management, and comparative management with a parucular emphasIs on Japan. He has published extensively m acadenuc and professional journals, such as the Academy of Management Review, Columbia Journal of World Business, Human Resource Management, Organizational DynamiCS, and Japan Economic Journal, as well as contributed to a number of books and monographs on the area of international business.
Tunneling Across a Ferroelectric

Spontaneously polarized materials through which electrons pass by tunneling may be used in novel electronic devices and may reveal new basic physics at the nanometer scale.
Race and Civil Rights in the Contemporary Era

Paul M. Sniderman and Edward G. Carmines, Reaching Beyond Race Brian K. Landsberg, Enforcing Civil Rights: Race Discrimination and the Department of Justice Robert C. Smith, Racism in the Post-Civil Rights Era: Now You See It, Now You Don't
Fetal bovine serum and other sera used in tissue culture increase epithelial permeability

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) or heat-inactivated FBS (56° C for 30 min, HFBS) caused a dose-dependent decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance of an epithelial monolayer (MDCK). A saturating concentration of HFBS (30%) caused an average fall of 25 ± 2% within 60 min. Upon removal of HFBS, the resistance returned to its starting value within 1 h. Flux studies with [3H]mannitol demonstrate that the fall in resistance is due to an increased permeability of the tight junctions. Thirty percent heat inactivated sera from goat, newborn calf, calf, bovine, and horse caused falls ranging from 26 to 47%. In contrast with the basolateral preference of human and bovine adult sera, fetal bovine and newborn calf sera elicit this response primarily by interacting with the apical surface of the epithelium. HFBS-treated monolayers show a significant increase in the condensation of F-actin at points where ≥3 cells meet. These results demonstrate that FBS and other sera used as nutritional supplements can increase the permeability of the tight junctions of cultured epithelial cells.
Invariants of Adjoint Square Galois Representations Coming from Modular Forms

Let be a newform that is p-ordinary (i.e. is coprime to p), and the associated Galois representation. We find the special value . We define the analytic -invariant of a “motivic” Galois representation, and show how this special value relates to work of Greenberg and Hida on finding . In particular, we reduce finding this value to showing an equality of p-adic L-functions similar to a well-known relation of archimedean L-functions. This provides evidence for a conjecture of Greenberg, which is originally based on a conjecture of Mazur, Tate, and Teitelbaum.
977-75 Variations in the Termination of Atrial Flutter by Premature Beats. Studies in the Sterile Pericarditis Model

Objectives Variations and incidence of atrial flutter (AFL) termination by single premature beats were evaluated in 26 dogs of the sterile pericarditis model. Methods Single premature beats were introduced during stable AFL at 4 different sites in the AFL reentrant circuit, 2 at areas of slow conduction (ASC sites) and 2 at sites distant from the ASC (distant sites). The coupling interval of delivered premature beats was decremented by 2 ms from the AFL cycle length until AFL termination or local refractoriness was achieved. A multiplexing system was used to record 190 unipolar electrograms from an electrode array placed on the right atrial free wall during AFL. Results AFL was interrupted by a single premature beat in 38/52 episodes when pacing at distant sites, and in 7/52 episodes when pacing at ASC sites (p l 0.0001). AFL termination was always associated with block of the activation wave front of the premature beat in an ASC. Of the 38 episodes of AFL termination by a premature beat introduced at distant sites, sinus rhythm directly followed in 27 episodes (71%), and an extra non AFL reentrant beat proceded sinus rhythm in 8 episodes (21%). In these 35 episodes (92%), block of the activation wave front of the premature beat was always total block, and no degeneration in the reentrant circuit was observed. In the remaining 3/38 episodes (8%), block of the activation wave front of the premature beat in an ASC was partial block, so that the central line of block of the reentrant circuit was prolonged, resulting in degeneration of the reentrant circuit. Of the 7 episodes of AFL termination by a premature beat introduced at ASC sites, sinus rhythm directly followed in all episodes (100%). Conclusions In the canine sterile model of AFL: 1) AFL termination by single premature beats was always associated with block of the activation wave front of the premature beat in an ASC; 2) a higher incidence of AFL termination by single premature beats was achieved at distant sites than ASC sites, indicating that not only the coupling interval of the premature beat, but also the direction of the activation wave front plays an important role to cause block in an ASC; 3) AFL termination directly followed by sinus rhythm was most commonly observed during AFL termination by a premature beat; and 4) degeneration in the AFL reentrant circuit associated with an introduction of premature beat was observed in only 8% when paced at distant sites, and 0% when paced at ASC sites.
Chronic lymphocytosis of functionally immature natural killer cells.

Background The development of natural killer (NK) cells in the bone marrow is not well characterized. We recently described a mouse (referred to as an NK cell–deficient [NKD] mouse) with a selective deficiency in NK cells caused by the insertion of a transgene construct into the genetic locus for the basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-2. NK cells in this mouse were both phenotypically and functionally immature and accumulated in the bone marrow at a stage at which constitutive NK cell proliferation occurs in wild-type mice. Objective We hypothesized that excess IL-15 could potentially overcome this developmental block, allowing normal emigration of mature NK cells from the bone marrow to the periphery. Methods Double-transgenic mice were generated by crossing the NKD mice with transgenic mice overexpressing IL-15. Results The double-transgenic mice had a dramatic accumulation of phenotypically immature NK cells in the bone marrow and subsequently in the blood, liver, and spleen. NK cells from these double-transgenic mice manifested functional deficits similar to those observed in NK cells from NKD mice, as assessed by decreased cytokine production and cytotoxicity. Conclusion Rather than bypass the observed developmental defect in NKD mice, excess IL-15 drove a massive accumulation of phenotypically and functionally immature NK cells in the bone marrow and periphery. Clinical implications We propose that these double-transgenic mice will serve as a murine model of chronic NK cell lymphocytosis in human patients.
MUVEs as a powerful means to study situated learning

This paper describes how multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) can simulate immersive, collaborative learning environments intermediate in complexity between recipe-like lab exercises and real world inquiry situations. We offer the River City MUVE as a case study that illustrates how rich logfiles provide scholars and teachers with detailed data to understand learning processes, to diagnose suboptimal patterns of student performance, and to assess the knowledge and skills students have mastered. This aids curriculum design and theory.
Ziconotide: Can we use it in palliative care?:

Ziconotide (PRIALT®) is a new nonopioid treatment for chronic pain. It is a peptide that is the synthetic analog of the omega-conotoxin, derived from the marine snail, Conus magus. The therapeutic benefit of ziconotide derives from its potent and selective blockade of neuronal N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels. Interference with these channels inhibits input from pain-sensing primary nociceptors. A recent clinical trial demonstrated that ziconotide has a significant analgesic effect compared to placebo in patients considered intolerant or refractory to other treatment such as systemic analgesics, adjunctive therapies, or intrathecal (IT) morphine. Thus, ziconotide is the first of a new class of agents—N-type calcium channel blockers, or NCCBs. Ziconotide may represent another option for patients with refractory pain.
A CONSISTENCY TEST FOR AHP DECISION MAKERS

Saaty's analytic hierarchy process assessed attribute importance by soliciting decision makers' (DM) importance ratios to compute weights. Saaty suggested a decision rule for accepting DM judgments based on a consistency measure derived from the DM's importance ratios. This paper investigates the distribution of random inconsistency and decision rule implications. Stricter consistency requirements for three- and four-attribute criteria matrices are suggested.
Dispatching in a multistage job shop where machine capacities are unbalanced

Abstract In the multistage job shop, several parts are assembled to form sub-assemblies which are then assembled into final products. Job delays may occur due to the lack of capacity and also due to the lack of component parts necessary to form a subassembly. Previous research of similar systems have assumed a balanced capacity. A more realistic assumption is one in which machine capacities are not balanced such that one machine can be identified as a bottleneck. In this paper, the performance of selected dispatching rules in an unbalanced multistage job shop is evaluated to-determine whether the performance is consistent for jobs which are routed through the bottleneck and for jobs which by-pass the bottleneck.
Time-optimal trajectories with bounded curvature in anisotropic media

This paper characterizes time-optimal trajectories in anisotropic (direction-dependent) environments where path curvatures are bounded by the inverse of the minimum-turning radius of a mobile agent. Such problems are often faced in the navigation of aerial, ground and naval vehicles when a mobile agent cannot instantaneously change its heading angle. The work presented is a generalization of the Dubins car problem, which considers the fastest paths with bounded curvature while assuming constant speed and minimum-turning radius. We relax this assumption and discuss fastest-path finding problems for the generalized direction-dependent speed and minimum-turning radius functions, to account for the effects of waves, winds and slope of the terrain on the agent's motions. We establish that there exists an optimal path such that it is a portion of a path of the type CSCSC where C denotes a sharpest-turn curve and S a straight-line segment. We further analyze a special case wherein the speed polar plot is convex, and show that in that case there exists an optimal path with the same structure as for the Dubins problem: CCC or CSC. An algorithm that implements our results for the convex speed polar plot is also presented.
Magnetic resonance microscopy analysis of transport in a novel Tape-Cast porous ceramic

Freeze-tape-cast porous ceramics allow for tailored pore structures. The impact on transport dynamics of pore structures which vary as a function of spatial depth within a ceramic is an important consideration in designing pore structures for particular applications. In this article, the application of nuclear magnetic resonance microscopy and 1 H NMR techniques to characterize the transport in a novel tape-cast ceramic is presented.
The Use of Nonnatural Nucleotides to Probe the Contributions of Shape Complementarity and π-Electron Surface Area during DNA Polymerization†

It is widely accepted that the dynamic behavior of DNA polymerases during translesion DNA synthesis is dependent upon the nature of the DNA lesion and the incoming dNTP destined to be the complementary partner. We previously demonstrated that 5-nitro-1-indolyl-2‘-deoxyribose-5‘-triphosphate, a nonnatural nucleobase possessing enhanced base-stacking abilities, can be selectively incorporated opposite an abasic site (Reineks, E. Z., and Berdis, A. J. (2004) Biochemistry 43, 393−404.). While the enhancement in insertion presumably reflected the contributions of the π-electrons present in the nitro group, other physical parameters such as solvation capabilities, dipole moment, surface area, and shape could also contribute. To evaluate these possibilities, a series of 5-substituted indole triphosphates were synthesized and tested for enzymatic incorporation into normal and damaged DNA by the bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase. The overall catalytic efficiency for the insertion of the 5-phenyl-indole derivative op...
External Freedom in Kant’s Rechtslehre: Political, Metaphysical

External freedom is the central good protected in Kant's legal and political philosophy. But external freedom is perplexing, being at once freedom of spatio-temporal movement and a form of noumenal or ‘intelligible’freedom. Moreover, it turns out that identifying impairments to external freedom nearly always involves recourse to an elaborated system of positive law, which seems to compromise external freedom's status as a prior, organizing good. Drawing heavily on Kant's understanding of the role of empirical ‘anthropological’information in constructing a Doctrine of Right, or Rechtslehre, this essay offers an interpretation of external freedom that makes sense of its simultaneous spatio-temporality, dependence on positive law, intelligibility (or ‘noumenality’), and a priority. The essay suggests that this account of Kantian external freedom has implications both for politics and for the metaphysics of everyday objects and institutions.
Design and implementation of DIRK integrators for stiff systems

This paper presents new four-stage diagonally implicit Runge-Kutta integration formulas for stiff initial value problems, designed to be L-stable and have optimal order of accuracy. The design makes estimation of local error and interpolation of the solution possible without additional stages. It also enables improved prediction of stage values in a software implementation. Correctly monitoring the convergence rate of simplified Newton iterations improves the implementation too, by providing a sound basis for deciding on Jacobian updates.
Atomic hydrogen in a uniform magnetic field: Low-lying energy levels for fields above 10 9 G

The wave function for an electron in combined Coulomb and uniform magnetic fields is expanded in oblate-spheroidal angle functions. The resulting Schroedinger equation for the radial function is solved for the energy levels by means of two different adiabatic approximations, which yield rigorous lower and upper bounds on the lowest exact energy levels for each symmetry state of the system. Results are presented for the level and binding energies of hydrogenic 1s, 2s, and 2p levels for magnetic fields in the range 10/sup 7/ < or = B < or approx. = 10/sup 11/ G and compared with results of other authors. These results indicate that the present adiabatic approximation methods employing spherical symmetry may be expected to give reliable results for energies of low-lying hydrogenic levels for magnetic fields in the range 0 < or = B < or approx. = 10/sup 9/ G.
Web Research and Genres in Online Databases: When the Glossy Page Disappears

Abstract This article details the impact of online databases, proquest in particular, on composition research. When distinguishing different online texts, students often encounter research and documentation difficulties, indicating a need for more instruction that addresses new literacies emerging from the current transitional age of electronic and print cultures. I present new evaluative methods for online documents that utilize knowledge of online genres, information retrieval processes, and metaphoric imagery. As students research, they are not equipped with adequate knowledge of Web genres and need a metaphorical framework with which they can understand the ways different texts operate in virtual spaces.
Solar wind electron densities from Viking dual-frequency radio measurements

Simultaneous phase coherent, two-frequency measurements of the time delay between the earth station and the Viking spacecraft have been analyzed in terms of the electron density profiles from 4 solar radii to 200 solar radii. The measurements were made during a period of solar activity minimum (1976-1977) and show a strong solar latitude effect. The data were analyzed with both a model independent, direct numerical inversion technique and with model fitting, yielding essentially the same results. It is shown that the solar wind density can be represented by two power laws near the solar equator proportional to r exp -2.7 and r exp -2.04. However, the more rapidly falling term quickly disappears at moderate latitudes (approximately 20 deg) leaving only the inverse-square behavior.
A novel technique for assessing the case-specific reliability of decisions made by CAD tools

We present a novel technique that provides a case-specific confidence measure for artificial neural network (ANN) based computer-assisted diagnostic (CAD) decisions. The technique relies on the analysis of the feature space neighborhood for each query case and dynamically creates a validation set that allows estimation of a local accuracy of the decisions made by the network. Then a case-specific reliability measure is assigned to each system's response, which can be used to stratify network's predictions according to the acceptable validation error value. The study was performed using a database containing 1,337 mammographic regions of interest (ROIs) with biopsy-proven diagnosis (681 with masses, 656 with normal parenchyma). Two types of neural networks (1) a feed forward network with error back propagation (BPNN) and (2) a generalized regression neural network with RBF nodes (GRNN) were developed to detect masses based on 8 morphological features automatically extracted from each ROI. The performance of the networks was evaluated with Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis. The study shows that as the threshold on the acceptable validation error declines, the technique rejects more CAD decisions as not reliable enough. However, the ROC performance for the reliable results steadily improves (from A z = 0.88 to A z = 0.98 for BPNN, from A z = 0.86 to A z = 0.97 for GRNN). The proposed technique provides a stratification strategy for predictions made by CAD tools and can be applied to any type of decision algorithms.
A 600-MS/s 5-bit pipeline A/D converter using digital reference calibration

The design of a 600-MS/s 5-bit analog-to-digital (A/D) converter for serial-link receivers has been investigated. The A/D converter uses a closed-loop pipeline architecture. The input capacitance is only 170 fF, making it suitable for interleaving. To maintain low power consumption and increase the sampling rate beyond the amplifier settling limit, the paper proposes a calibration technique that digitally adjusts the reference voltage of each pipeline stage. Differential input swing is 400 mV/sub p-p/ at 1.8-V supply. Measured performance includes 25.6 dB and 19 dB of SNDR for 0.3-GHz and 2.4-GHz input frequencies at 600 MS/s for the calibrated A/D converter. The suggested calibration method improves SNDR by 4.4 dB at 600 MS/s with /spl plusmn/0.35 LSB of DNL and /spl plusmn/0.15 LSB of INL. The 180 /spl times/ 1500 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ chip is fabricated in a 0.18-/spl mu/m standard CMOS technology and consumes 70 mW of power at 600 MS/s.
Increased Regional Fractional Anisotropy in Highly Screened Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Diffusion tensor imaging data were collected at 3.0 Tesla from 16 children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 16 typically developing controls, ages 9 to 14 years. Fractional anisotropy images were calculated and normalized by linear transformation. Voxel-wise and atlas-based region-of-interest analyses were performed. Using voxel-wise analysis, fractional anisotropy was found to be significantly increased in the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder group in the right superior frontal gyrus and posterior thalamic radiation, and left dorsal posterior cingulate gyrus, lingual gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus. No regions showed significantly decreased fractional anisotropy in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Region-of-interest analysis revealed increased fractional anisotropy in the left sagittal stratum, that is, white matter that connects the temporal lobe to distant cortical regions. Only fractional anisotropy in the left sagittal stratum was significantly associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom severity. Several recent studies have reported pathological increases in fractional anisotropy in other conditions, highlighting the relevance of diffusion tensor imaging in identifying atypical white matter structure associated with neurodevelopmental processes.
Validation of the lipbalm tube assay for evaluation of fungicide sensitivity in field isolates of Monilinia fructicola.

Simple and rapid techniques for monitoring fungicide sensitivity of pathogen populations can be helpful to optimize spray programs. In this study, a lipbalm tube assay developed previously in our laboratory was investigated for shelf life duration, ability to differentiate M. fructicola from fungal contaminants, and ability to accurately determine the sensitivity offield isolates of Monilinia fructicola to sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI), benzimidazole (BZI), and quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides. The sensitivity of isolates with different DMI, BZI, and QoI sensitivity phenotypes to the above-mentioned fungicide classes was not altered on agar disks sliced from 30-day-old, fungicide-amended potato dextrose agar (PDA) tubes stored at 4°C compared to disks from freshly prepared fungicide-amended PDA. At the storage temperature of 22°C, however, the sensitivity started to decrease after 10 days. Colony growth of M. fructicola on PDA disks was visually distinguishable from Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium herbarum, Gilbertella persicaria, Penicillium expansum, and Rhizopus stolonifer but not Colletotrichum acutatum after 72 h of incubation at 22°C. The sensitivity of 40 M. fructicola field isolates to DMI, BZI, and QoI fungicides was determined by direct inoculation of lipbalm tube disks with conidia from field-derived peach fruit with toothpicks under semi-sterile conditions and by the traditional Petri dish assay. A strong correlation was observed between the two assays in determining fungicide sensitivity of M. fructicola field isolates. Because of its simplicity and reliability, the lipbalm tube assay will be a useful tool for trained crop consultants to determine orchard-specific resistance profiles outside a research laboratory for precision brown rot management.