cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mixed heuristic search for sketch prediction on chemical structure drawing

Sketching is a natural way to input chemical structures that can be used to query information from a large chemical structure database. Based on a user's incomplete sketch of a chemical structure, sketch prediction becomes a challenging problem not only due to arbitrary drawings orders among users but also similarities among chemical structure layouts. In this paper, we present a graph-based approach to handle the sketch prediction problem. We use multisets as the data representation of hand-drawn chemical structures and create an undirected graph to handle data in all multisets. This approach transforms the sketch prediction problem into a search problem to find a hamiltonian path in the corresponding sub-graph with polynomial time complexity. We introduce mixed heuristics to guide the search procedure. Through an initial experiment on a hand-drawn chemical structure dataset, we demonstrate that in comparison with a baseline method, the proposed approach improves the prediction accuracy and efficiently predicts chemical structures from only partially sketched drawings.
Radiative mean life measurements using low energy beam-foil excitation

Radiative mean life measurements by low energy beam foil excitation, considering branching ratio of transition probabilities equal to unity
Implications of Piaget's Constructivist Theory for Character Education

Abstract Character education from the constructivist perspective is outlined, drawing on Piaget's research on children's reasoning about moral rules, such as telling the truth. Piaget's distinction between two types of morality offers a framework for thinking about education. Parallel to the two types of morality are two types of teacher-child relationships, one that promotes children's moral development and one that hinders it. The first principle of constructivist education is to establish a socio-moral atmosphere in which mutual respect is continually practiced. Examples are given about what teachers can do to create a cooperative interpersonal atmosphere in the classroom. Research is described that shows that children from a constructivist kindergarten were more advanced in their interpersonal interactions than children from DISTAR and eclectic classrooms. Implications for teacher education are discussed.
FAINT UBVRI STANDARD STAR FIELDS

High-quality CCD-based UBVRI photometry is presented for ∼45, 000 stars distributed among 60 different fields centered on the celestial equator and at δ ≈ –50°. This photometry has been calibrated to the standard Johnson UBV and Kron-Cousins RI systems via observations of the UBVRI standard stars presented in the works of Landolt. The majority of the stars in our photometric catalog fall in the magnitude range 12 ∼< V ∼< 22 and in the color range –0.3 ∼< (B – V) ∼< 1.8. Each star averages 67 measures in each UBVRI filter from data taken on 250 different photometric nights over a period of ∼6.5 yr from two different telescopes. Our final photometric database effectively extends the UBVRI standard star network defined by Landolt to much fainter magnitudes and increases the number density of stars within pre-existing standard fields. Hence, these new, fainter standards serve as suitable calibrators for investigators who employ either small or large-aperture telescopes for their observational projects.
Gender and Health Among the Colonial Maya of Tipu, Belize

The health of the Colonial-period Maya from Tipu, Belize, was evaluated using a skeletal series to explore differential effects of European contact by sex. Variables addressed were nutrition and disease patterns, reproductive patterns, and occupational stress. Results suggest that females enjoyed fewer childhood health disruptions, likely as a result of greater genetic buffering. No evidence of male preferential treatment was observed. Frequencies of indicators were similar to those reported for precontact Maya. Markers of adult activity patterns, including timing of parity, were also comparable to those of earlier groups. These findings support the cultural continuity with the Postclassic suggested by the archaeological and ethnohistorical records at Tipu.
From voicing your opinion to politicised voice: a youth-led social justice class at an urban continuation high school

This article examines the work of three urban youths as they designed and taught a social justice class at an urban continuation high school in California, USA. Drawing from a two-year ethnographic study of the project, it shows that youth participants constructed a set of imagined binaries to frame teachers, schoolwork and coercion in opposition to students, voice and liberation. The article examines how the youths distinguished ordinary coercive teaching from their own liberatory teaching, creating a coercive/liberatory binary that served as metaphor for a series of binaries shaping their approach to social justice education: teacher/student, adult/youth and schoolwork/voice. It concludes that although the social justice class accomplished many important aims, the reconstruction of and reliance on a coercive/liberatory binary within the project ultimately limited its effectiveness as a social justice education effort.
Laryngeal paraganglioma in a patient with multiple head and neck paragangliomas

Paragangliomas of the larynx are rare neuroendocrine tumors, with fewer than 70 cases reported in the literature.1 Typically, laryngeal paragangliomas are not found in patients with multicentric or familial paragangliomas. Only 1 case of laryngeal paraganglioma has been reported in a patient with a synchronous lesion elsewhere (carotid body tumor).2 We report an additional case of a patient with a laryngeal and multiple other paragangliomas.
Mutation spectra of complex mixtures.

Mutation spectra of complex mixtures or simple binary mixtures have been determined thus far only in Salmonella. This review summarizes these studies, which have involved a variety of complex mixtures, chemical fractions of the mixtures, and single compounds that are representative of the primary chemical classes within the mixtures. For the particulate organics from urban air and municipal waste incinerator emissions, cigarette smoke condensate, and organic extracts of chlorinated drinking water, the mutation spectrum of the mixture reflected the dominance of one or a few chemical classes within the mixture. The mutation spectra of sunlight and cigarette smoke in Salmonella were similar to those found in the p53 gene of skin or lung tumors in people associated with exposure to these two mutagens. These data provide possible mechanistic links between the types of mutations induced by complex environmental mutagens in an experimental organism (Salmonella) and the types of mutations found in humans exposed to the same environmental mutagens. The primary class of mutation produced by many mutagens within a chemical class (and even among different classes) is frequently the same. These studies indicate that, to some extent, complex mixture-induced mutation spectra can be modeled by the predominant mutagenic chemical class in that mixture and even by a single model compound in that chemical class. Such information should be useful in the interpretation of mutation spectra in molecular epidemiological studies where the exposure is primarily to a complex mixture.
Multinationals and public policy in Korea

It is now accepted that multinational enterprises (MNEs) are the key institutions driving globalization. The world’s 500 largest MNEs account for about 90 per cent of the world’s stock of foreign direct investment (FDI). In this paper, we explore the Korean data on both inward and outward FDI (1990–2004), and suggest firm-level explanations of foreign investment decisions of MNEs. The main findings are twofold: (1) both inward and outward FDI of Korea is regional in nature and (2) three main shifts in the MNE–host government relationships have contributed to the symmetry of FDI in Korea.
The Politics of Identity Negotiation in Cameroon

`Ethnic' identity does not just happen. It is processed and developed in a context of identity negotiation by culture brokers acting as self-proclaimed representatives of their respective groups. These brokers have shaped the politics of identity negotiation in Cameroon around two issues: fair access to state resources along presumably ethnic lines and protection by each group of its share of the national pie from more politically aggressive ethnic groups. In this context, identity negotiation follows an integrative approach that provides culture brokers, turned political entrepreneurs, with open options and flexible positions to address the issues. Sometimes, they play the ethnic majority card, using a language couched in terms of kinship ideology to recruit allies from neighboring groups, producing, through a process of incremental expansion, a larger ethnic group that displays a negotiated common cultural identity. In other cases, they withdraw from the larger group to play the alternative card of a minority group, using village and autochthon rhetoric to emphasize their authenticity and claim special treatments. In all cases, the bottom line of the political entrepreneurs is to negotiate with the regime for a share of the national pie.
COLLABORATIVE FILTERING FOR MULTI-CLASS DATA USING BAYESIAN NETWORKS

As one of the most successful recommender systems, collaborative filtering (CF) algorithms are required to deal with high sparsity and high requirement of scalability amongst other challenges. Bayesian networks (BNs), one of the most frequently used classifiers, can be used for CF tasks. Previous works on applying BNs to CF tasks were mainly focused on binary-class data, and used simple or basic Bayesian classifiers.1,2 In this work, we apply advanced BNs models to CF tasks instead of simple ones, and work on real-world multi-class CF data instead of synthetic binary-class data. Empirical results show that with their ability to deal with incomplete data, the extended logistic regression on tree augmented naive Bayes (TAN-ELR)3 CF model consistently performs better than the traditional Pearson correlation-based CF algorithm for the rating data that have few items or high missing rates. In addition, the ELR-optimized BNs CF models are robust in terms of the ability to make predictions, while the robustness of the Pearson correlation-based CF algorithm degrades as the sparseness of the data increases.
Heat transfer at a stagnation point when the free-stream temperature is suddenly increased

An analysis is presented of the transient heating of a solid wall in the neighborhood of the stagnation point of an air stream impinging at right angles to the wall, when the free-stream temperature of the air is suddenly raised. The two-dimensional air flow is assumed to be incompressible. The temperature of the surface of the wall is obtained by an analysis which includes the variation with time of the air temperature in the boundary layer. The results indicate that for reasonable values of the thermal properties of the air and the wall, one may neglect the unsteady heating of the air and simply use the Nusselt number for steady forced convection in order to analyze the unsteady heat conduction in the wall.
A comparison of cranial base growth in Class I and Class II skeletal patterns

Abstract The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal study was to compare 7 cephalometric measurements of the cranial base in subjects with Class I and Class II skeletal patterns at ages 1 month, 2 years, and 14 years. A sample of 22 Class I and 21 Class II subjects was selected; the inclusion criteria were overjet, ANB, and Harvold unit difference. Analyses of head circumference, crown-rump length, and weight revealed no significant ( P >.15) differences between the Class I and Class II infant subjects at the initial age (1 month). One angular and 6 linear measurements were first compared with a multivariate analysis of variance, which revealed significant effects for age ( P P =.0266) but not for skeletal pattern ( P =.3705). Analyses of variance showed significant ( P P >.10). The anterior cranial base measurement of nasion to sphenoethmoidal suture was the only variable found to have a significant age by skeletal pattern interaction ( P
The Environment and International Trade

This article examines the increasingly important and often contentious relationship between international trade and environmental regulation in the United States. It begins by explaining why these two policy areas have recently become more interdependent and then explores some of the specific controversies surrounding the contemporary linkages between trade policy and environmental regulation. The article concludes by analyzing the long-term political and economic impact of the relationship between trade and environmental policy.
The Resilience of the Spanish Monarchy 1665–1700 – By Christopher Storrs

The years 1665–1700 have been customarily seen as the low point in the so‐called “Decline of Spain.” The author has marshaled ample resources to show that Spain still had to be reckoned with on the...
The influence of boron additions on the microstructure of stoichiometric NiAl

In the present paper, conventional transmission electron microscope (CTEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to study the influence of boron additions on the microstructure of polycrystalline and single crystal NiAl alloys. The local chemistry of precipitate particles observed in boron-doped NiAl was investigated by scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). During the course of this research, microstructural changes induced in the NiAl by the high energy electron beam were observed. Plate-like precipitates are present in NiAl single crystals and polycrystals doped with boron. Since these precipitates were not seen in boron-free NiAl alloys, they may be a boride compound containing Fe in the NiAl single crystals and Ti, V, Cr, Mn and Fe in the polycrystalline NiAl. The high energy electron beam stimulates a phase transformation which is manifested by the appearance of tweed structure and extra diffuse scattering in the electron diffraction patterns.
An Investigative Peptide–Acyclovir Combination to Control Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Ocular Infection

PURPOSE. To investigate the efficacy of a combination treatment composed of the cationic, membrane-penetrating peptide G2, and acyclovir (ACV) in both in vitro and ex vivo models of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) ocular infection. METHODS. The antiviral activity of a combined G2 peptide and ACV therapy (G2-ACV) was assessed in various treatment models. Viral entry, spread, and plaque assays were performed in vitro to assess the prophylactic efficacy of G2, G2-ACV, and ACV treatments. In the ex vivo model of HSV-1 infection, the level of viral inhibition was also compared among the three treatment groups via Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. The potential change in expression of the target receptor for G2 was also assessed using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. RESULTS. Statistically significant effects against HSV-1 infection were seen in all treatment groups in the viral entry, spread, and plaque assays. The greatest effects against HSV-1 infection in vitro were seen in the G2-ACV group. In the ex vivo model, statistically significant anti–HSV-1 effects were also noted in all control groups. At 24 hours, the greatest inhibitory effect against HSV-1 infection was seen in the ACV group. At 48 hours, however, the G2-ACV– treated group demonstrated the greatest antiviral activity. Syndecan-1, a target of G2, was found to be upregulated at 12-hours postinfection. CONCLUSIONS. This study shows that G2-ACV may be an effective antiviral against HSV-1 (KOS) strain when applied as single prophylactic applications with or without continuous doses postinfection.
Bladder cancer in 2014: From the genomic frontier to immunotherapeutics.

Publications in 2014 advanced our therapeutic armamentarium for bladder cancer. Molecular characterization might propel us into an era of targeted therapy, and immunotherapeutics might expand our options for patients with metastatic disease. We were also reminded that outcomes are inextricably linked to the quality of the transurethral resections we perform.
International development of the Columbia River

Development of upstream storage projects in the Columbia River basin will redound to the advantage of both the United States and Canada in the form of flood control and increased benefits. The general physical characteristics of the basin, its hydrologic regime, Canadian storage projects selected, and the United States “base system” of projects for determining benefits from these storage developments are described
A Fully Polynomial Approximation Scheme for Single-Product Scheduling in a Finite Capacity Facility

This paper considers a version of the economic lot sizing problem for a single product produced in a facility of finite capacity over a finite time horizon with specifiable start and end conditions. A set of algorithms is presented that will approximate the optimal production schedule to a given allowable error e. Algorithms with computation time bounds of O1/e2 are presented which allow for setups of finite length, setups with or without direct cash flow, quite general cost and demand functions, and a wide variety of production policy constraints. The procedures make no a priori assumptions about the form of the optimal solution. Numerical results are included.
Microscale material testing of single crystalline silicon: process effects on surface morphology and tensile strength

Abstract The mechanical properties of single-crystalline silicon are measured by uniaxial tension tests from microscale beam specimens patterned by four different common silicon etchants — KOH, EDP, TMAH and XeF2. SOI wafers are used to prepare test samples, which are 3–5 μm thick, 20–100 μm wide, and 6 mm long beam specimens; these are monolithically mounted on a temporary frame. A uniaxial tension test has been designed to accommodate microscale test requirements such as sample handling, sample alignment, and friction elimination. Stress and strain are measured using a commercial load cell and a laser interferometry system, respectively. Young's modulus of silicon in the 〈110〉 direction is measured to be 169.2±3.5 GPa, very close to the widely accepted value of 168.9 GPa obtained from a macroscale sample by an ultrasonic method. The fracture strength in the 〈110〉 direction is measured to vary from 0.6 to 1.2 GPa, and is apparently affected by the etching process employed to make the microscale specimen. As surface defects are expected to be the main factor determining the strength of the specimen, surface morphology is examined not only as a function of etchants but also as a function of mask-to-crystal direction misalignment after KOH etching. In the case of samples prepared by KOH etching, measured fracture strengths are 0.94 and 0.72 GPa from samples with 0° and 2° misalignments, respectively.
A new secretary problem with rank-based selection and cardinal payoffs

Abstract We present an extension of the secretary problem in which the decision maker (DM) sequentially observes up to n applicants whose values are random variables X 1 , X 2 , … , X n drawn i.i.d. from a uniform distribution on [ 0 , 1 ] . The DM must select exactly one applicant, cannot recall released applicants, and receives a payoff of x t , the realization of X t , for selecting the t th applicant. For each encountered applicant, the DM only learns whether the applicant is the best so far. We prove that the optimal policy dictates skipping the first sqrt( n )-1 applicants, and then selecting the next encountered applicant whose value is a maximum.
Human Tumor Xenografts: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

There has been a robust discussion for many years now on the utility, or lack thereof, of mouse tumor xenograft models in the study of human cell and gene therapies.1,2,3,4 Of course, the reality is that the value of a model depends on what the modeler is trying to accomplish. A good use of human tumor xenograft models would be to support an experimental hypothesis, a bad use would be to present animal data that add little to the value of in vitro data, and an ugly use of tumor xenografts would be to facilitate publication of a manuscript or give a false sense of safety or efficacy.
Estimating the variability of the Stein estimator by bootstrap

Abstract Theoretical and empirical results indicate that the bootstrap method provides a viable alternative in estimating the scale parameters of Stein-like estimators.
Impact of radiation therapy on survival in patients with triple‑negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a poorer prognosis compared with other sub-groups. In the current study, survival associated with locoregional treat- ment of females with TNBC was investigated. Specifically, 468 patients with stage I-III TNBC treated between 2002 and 2009 were identified. Data included patient and tumor characteristics, treatment received and survival. Data were compared using χ 2 and Fisher's exact tests, as well as MANOVA. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated. The study cohort had a mean age of 54±13 years old with a mean follow-up period of 51±21 months. Of 468 patients, 249 (53%) underwent lumpectomy, 63 (14%) underwent simple mastectomy (SM) and 156 (33%) underwent modified radical mastectomy (MRM). Overall, 263 (56%) received adjuvant radiation, including 178/249 (71%) following lumpectomy, 13/63 (21%) following SM and 72/156 (46%) following MRM (P<0.0001). Following control for poten- tial confounders in univariate tests, adjuvant radiation was associated with improved overall survival in the total cohort (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.31-0.68; P=0.0001). When comparing survival by surgical type, receipt of adjuvant radiation signif- icantly improved survival in the lumpectomy group (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.16-0.58; P=0.0004), but was not associated with improved survival in the SM group (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.05-3.04; P=0.36) or in the MRM group (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.46‑1.34; P=0.38). The survival benefit of adjuvant radia - tion in these TNBC patients is attributed to those undergoing breast‑conserving therapy. There was no benefit in either mastectomy group. These data warrant validation from prospective trials, in order to develop tailored locoregional treatment for patients with TNBC.
Census and consensus in bacterial ecosystems: the LuxR-LuxI family of quorum-sensing transcriptional regulators.

▪ Abstract The importance of accurate demographic information is reflected in the United States Constitution, Article 1, which provides for a decennial census of this country's human population. Bacteria also conduct a census of their population and do so more frequently, more efficiently, and as far we know, with little if any of the political contentiousness caused by human demographers. Many examples have been found of particular bacterial genes, operons, or regulons that are expressed preferentially at high cell densities. Many of these are regulated by proteins related to the LuxR and LuxI proteins of Vibrio fischeri, and by a diffusible pheromone called an autoinducer. LuxR and LuxI and their cognate autoinducer (3-oxohexanoyl homoserine lactone, designated VAI-1) provide an important model to describe the functions of this family of proteins. LuxR is a VAI-1 receptor and a VAI-1–dependent transcriptional activator, and LuxI directs the synthesis of VAI-1. VAI-1 diffuses across the bacterial envelop...
Interleukin-6 Induces Keratin Expression in Intestinal Epithelial Cells POTENTIAL ROLE OF KERATIN-8 IN INTERLEUKIN-6-INDUCED BARRIER FUNCTION ALTERATIONS

Keratin 8 (K8) and keratin-18 (K18) are the major intermediate filament proteins in the intestinal epithelia. The regulation and function of keratin in the intestinal epithelia is largely unknown. In this study we addressed the role and regulation of K8 and K18 expression by interleukin 6 (IL-6). Caco2-BBE cell line and IL-6 null mice were used to study the effect of IL-6 on keratin expression. Keratin expression was studied by Northern blot, Western blot, and confocal microscopy. Paracellular permeability was assessed by apical-to-basal transport of a fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran probe (FD-4). K8 was silenced using the small interfering RNA approach. IL-6 significantly up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of K8 and K18. Confocal microscopy showed a reticular pattern of intracellular keratin localized to the subapical region after IL-6 treatment. IL-6 also induced serine phosphorylation of K8. IL-6 decreased paracellular flux of FD-4 compared with vehicle-treated monolayers. K8 silencing abolished the decrease in paracellular permeability induced by IL-6. Administration of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) significantly increased intestinal permeability in IL-6-/- mice compared with wild type mice given DSS. Collectively, our data demonstrate that IL-6 regulates the colonic expression of K8 and K18, and K8/K18 mediates barrier protection by IL-6 under conditions where intestinal barrier is compromised. Thus, our data uncover a novel function of these abundant cytoskeletal proteins, which may have implications in intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease wherein barrier dysfunction underlies the inflammatory response.
Global behavior of neural error correction

Neural information coding is often characterized as noisy and unreliable, typically because spike trains are irregular in appearance and experimental stimuli presented at different times produce different responses. This paper describes ongoing work investigating the effects and significance of errors in spike trains. More specifically, here we test the dependence of error correction in neural coding on a postsynaptic neuron's extant behavior, described in nonlinear dynamical terms. We show that the time for a neuron to recover from an error varies significantly, depending on its preceding stationary behavior and that behavior's position within the cell's global bifurcation structure. This implies a model of neural computation based not solely on attractors or motion within a state space, but rather motion within a global response space.
NeuronBank: a tool for cataloging neuronal circuitry

The basic unit of any nervous system is the neuron. Therefore, understanding the operation of nervous systems ultimately requires an inventory of their constituent neurons and synaptic connectivity, which form neural circuits. The presence of uniquely identifiable neurons or classes of neurons in many invertebrates has facilitated the construction of cellular-level connectivity diagrams that can be generalized across individuals within a species. Homologous neurons can also be recognized across species. Here we describe NeuronBank.org, a web-based tool that we are developing for cataloging, searching, and analyzing neuronal circuitry within and across species. Information from a single species is represented in an individual branch of NeuronBank. Users can search within a branch or perform queries across branches to look for similarities in neuronal circuits across species. The branches allow for an extensible ontology so that additional characteristics can be added as knowledge grows. Each entry in NeuronBank generates a unique accession ID, allowing it to be easily cited. There is also an automatic link to a Wiki page allowing an encyclopedic explanation of the entry. All of the 44 previously published neurons plus one previously unpublished neuron from the mollusc, Tritonia diomedea, have been entered into a branch of NeuronBank as have 4 previously published neurons from the mollusc, Melibe leonina. The ability to organize information about neuronal circuits will make this information more accessible, ultimately aiding research on these important models.
Acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is designated M3 in the French-American-British (FAB) classification. Because of its unique clinical features and unique response to certain differentiation-inducing agents, and because of our advanced understanding of the molecular biology and treatment of this leukemia, APL deserves to be presented and discussed in detail, apart from the other acute myeloid leukemias.
New Species of Halenia from Colombia and Venezuela

Halenia phyllophora, sp, nov. / Halenia Garcia-Barrigae, sp. nov. / Halenia insignis, sp. nov. / Halenia nivalis, sp, nov. / Halenia venezuelensis, sp. nov.
Evaluating pollination deficits in pumpkin production in New York

Potential decreases in crop yield from reductions in bee-mediated pollination services threaten food production demands of a growing population. Many fruit and vegetable growers supplement their fields with bee colonies during crop bloom. The extent to which crop production requires supplementary pollination services beyond those provided by wild bees is not well documented. Pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo L., requires bee-mediated pollination for fruit development. Previous research identified the common eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens (Cresson), as the most efficient pumpkin pollinator. Two concomitant studies were conducted to examine pollination deficits in New York pumpkin fields from 2011 to 2013. In the first study, fruit weight, seed set, and B. impatiens visits to pumpkin flowers were compared across fields supplemented with B. impatiens colonies at a recommended stocking density of five colonies per hectare, a high density of 15 colonies per hectare, or not supplemented with bees. In the second study, fruit weight and seed set of pumpkins that received supplemental pollen through hand-pollination were compared with those that were open-pollinated by wild bees. Results indicated that supplementing pumpkin fields with B. impatiens colonies, regardless of stocking density, did not increase fruit weight, seed set, or B. impatiens visits to pumpkin flowers. Fruit weight and seed set did not differ between hand- and open-pollinated treatments. In general, we conclude that pumpkin production in central New York is not limited by inadequate pollination services provided by wild bees and that on average, supplementation with B. impatiens colonies did not improve pumpkin yield.
Endoscopic diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a commonly used tool in the evaluation of patients with chronic pancreatitis or symptoms suggestive of this disease. Characteristic of all diagnostic tests, ERCP can be informative and accurate, but can also mislead clinicians. This article focuses on the diagnostic capability of ERCP in the evaluation of chronic pancreatitis, with an emphasis on both the strengths and the limitations of the test. Understanding these strengths and limitations allows ERCP to be used in a strategy that maximizes yield and minimizes the risk of unnecessary ERCP.
The development of definitional skill.

Giving good definitions requires controlling both word meaning and definitional form. Definitions from 137 second to fifth graders (i.e. aged seven to eleven) were scored to reflect conformity to the classic Aristotelian form and quality of information provided. Comparisons among children with different backgrounds indicated that school exposure to English was strongly related to per cent formal definitions given and their quality. 63 children were also tested in French, their foreign language. Performance in French was lower than in English; exposure to French at home related to the amount of information the children provided in informal definitions, not to quality of formal definitions. The results suggest that performance on definitions is most strongly affected by opportunities to practise the required form.
The Oxidation State and Magnetic Behaviour of Tb in High-Tc Related Materials

L3-x-ray absorption spectroscopy is used together with inelastic neutron scattering and magnetic susceptibility measurements to characterize the Tb oxidation state and bonding in the high-Tc related materials Y1-xTbxBa2Cu3O7 and Pb2Sr2TbCu3O8. The Tb is found to be essentially trivalent in both compounds with no indications of significant hybridization. However, there is evidence of significant Tb-Tb magnetic interactions in Pb2Sr2TbCu3O8 that persist to temperatures much higher than the Tb long-range ordering temperature.
The Myth Regarding the High Cost of End-of-Life Care

Health care reform debate in the United States is largely focused on the highly concentrated health care costs among a small proportion of the population and policy proposals to identify and target this "high-cost" group. To better understand this population, we conducted an analysis for the Institute of Medicine Committee on Approaching Death using existing national data sets, peer-reviewed literature, and published reports. We estimated that in 2011, among those with the highest costs, only 11% were in their last year of life, and approximately 13% of the $1.6 trillion spent on personal health care costs in the United States was devoted to care of individuals in their last year of life. Public health interventions to reduce health care costs should target those with long-term chronic conditions and functional limitations.
Assessing Condition-dependence of Male Flash Signals in Photinus Fireflies

Females often show a preference for exaggerated male sexual traits or courtship behaviors. Such preferences can benefit females if trait expression is correlated with male genetic quality or phenotypic condition. Previous studies of several Photinus fireflies have revealed considerable intraspecific variation in the bioluminescent courtship signals emitted by males, and have also demonstrated that females prefer more conspicuous male signals. Thus, females might gain information about male phenotypic quality if courtship signals reflect male condition. We examined possible condition-dependence of Photinus male courtship signals using two complementary approaches. First we experimentally manipulated male mating status, which is expected to affect male condition by depleting resources required for nuptial gift formation, and looked at how individual male flash signals changed with mating status and over time. We used an additional approach to assess condition-dependence by examining whether a relationship exists between flash signal parameters and measures of male condition and body shape. We found that the pulse rate of P. greeni courtship signals was not altered by male mating status or age, and that the pulse duration of P. ignitus signals was also not affected by male mating status. In P. pyralis fireflies, males showed a non-significant trend toward reduced signal pulse duration with age. When we examined the relationship between male flash signals and condition measures, we found no effect of male condition or body shape on courtship signals in P. greeni or P. ignitus; in P. pyralis, males with wider body shapes produced longer duration flash signals. On the other hand, we found no evidence in P. pyralis that condition predicted flash duration. Taken together, these results indicate that Photinus males’ flash signals do not reflect adult male condition, and suggest that females are unlikely to use courtship signals as an indicator of male phenotypic quality.
Web application fault classification - an exploratory study

Controlled experiments in web application testing use seeded faults to evaluate the effectiveness of the testing technique. However, the classes of seeded faults are not always experimentally supported by real-world fault data. In this paper, we conduct an exploratory study on two large open source web systems to identify a fault classification that is representative of and supported by real world faults. Through our study we provide support to several categories of an existing web application fault classification, and identify one new fault category and six new sub-categories. Researchers and experimenters will find the proposed fault classification useful when evaluating techniques for testing web applications.
Semiautomated method for noise reduction and background phase error correction in MR phase velocity data.

Background phase distortion and random noise can adversely affect the quality of magnetic resonance (MR) phase velocity measurements. A semiauto-mated method has been developed that substantially reduces both effects. To remove the background phase distortion, the following steps were taken: The time standard deviations of the phase velocity images over a cardiac cycle were calculated. Static regions were identified as those in which the standard deviation was low. A flat surface representing an approximation to the background distortion was fitted to the static regions and subtracted from the phase velocity images to give corrected phase images. Random noise was removed by setting to zero those regions in which the standard deviation was high. The technique is demonstrated with a sample set of data in which the in-plane velocities have been measured in an imaging section showing the left ventricular outflow tract of a human left ventricle. The results are presented in vector and contour form, superimposed on the conventional MR angiographic images.
Bayesian detection of router configuration anomalies

Problems arising from router misconfigurations cost time and money. The first step in fixing such misconfigurations is finding them. In this paper, we propose a method for detecting misconfigurations that does not depend on an a priori model of what constitutes a correct configuration. Our hypothesis is that uncommon or unexpected misconfigurations in router data can be identified as statistical anomalies within a Bayesian framework. We present a detection algorithm based on this framework, and show that it is able to detect errors in the router configuration files of a university network.
A new hydrostatic pressure apparatus for studies of marine zooplankton

A new design of hydrostatic pressure apparatus for studying marine zooplankton is described. Zooplankton occur throughout the water column and are exposed to a range of hydrostatic pressures throughout their lifetime. The hydrostatic pressure apparatus developed in this study makes it possible to (i) increase pressure gradually from 1 to 200 atm, (ii) prevent corrosion of the pressure chamber by introducing a specimen holder that separates the pressure chamber from the surrounding seawater, and (iii) observe a wide size range of zooplankton including eggs (100-10 000 μm size range). The new apparatus is useful for the study ofmesozooplankton throughout their life history from egg to adult.The effects of hydrostatic, pressure on the eggs of the calanoid copepod, Calanus sinicus, were examined using the new hydrostatic pressure apparatus. Hydrostatic pressure did not affect C. sinicus egg development time, but egg-hatching success decreased significantly with increasing pressure. Most of the nauplii that hatched under high-pressure conditions (10, 50, and 100 atm) were deformed. Eggs of C. sinicus did tolerate pressures of 10 atm. This implies that eggs would not survive if they did not hatch within the upper 100 m.
Assessing a Self-Report Health Measure for Non-English-Speaking Elders: Issues in Using the SF-36 Health Survey

Objective: Approved versions of the SF-36 Version 1.0 are used for limited-English-speaking individuals whose primary languages are Korean, Chinese, and Spanish to test the respective translations ...
Public Opinion as a Domestic Constraint in International Negotiations: Two‐Level Games in the Anglo‐Irish Peace Process

This article aims to broaden the theoretical foundations of the two-level games approach to understanding international negotiations by considering the conditions under which public opinion can act as a domestic constraint on the ability of international negotiators to reach agreement. In determining the role that public opinion plays, three factors are of central importance: (1) the preferences of the public relative to those of decision makers and other domestic constituents; (2) the intensity of the issue under negotiation; and (3) the power of the public to ratify a potential agreement. Evidence from the last decade of Anglo-Irish negotiations over the future and status of Northern Ireland shows that public opinion acts as a constraint on negotiators when the public has the power to directly ratify an international agreement. When the public's power to ratify an agreement is indirect, the intensity of the issue under negotiation will play a critical role in determining whether public preferences serve as a constraint on decision makers.
Analysis: Interpreting Method Evaluations

623 THE EVALUATION OF POINT-OF-CARE TESTING (POCT) devices plays a critical role in quality assurance. Verifying device performance provides documentation of accuracy and baseline statistics for future reference. As patients move through a complex health system from emergency and operating rooms to intensive care, general medical units, outpatient clinics, and home healthcare, the harmonization of POCT with central laboratory results is key to the continuity of patient care and management. Device evaluations can detect potential problems and interferences when devices are tested on the target patient population in a manner in which they are intended to be used in practice. Most importantly, an evaluation ensures device performance within a manufacturer’s specifications by an institution’s own operators, thus confirming staff training, competency, and proper device operation. Devices should be evaluated prior to use in patient care to ensure that medical treatment is being based on test results that can be trusted. The importance of device evaluation is substantiated by the number of international guidelines recommending documentation of method evaluation prior to implementation. The number of method comparisons found in the POCT literature also demonstrates the importance of method evaluation to ensuring quality results. Indeed, method evaluations far outweigh other types of studies in the peer-reviewed POCT literature. Despite this emphasis on the performance characteristics of devices, there is a general lack of universal consensus regarding the definition of “acceptable” performance for blood glucose monitoring systems. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has recommended the minimum acceptable performance for glucose monitoring systems as:
Limits of NbTi and ${\rm Nb}_{3}{\rm Sn}$ , and Development of W&R Bi–2212 High Field Accelerator Magnets

NbTi accelerator dipoles are limited to magnetic fields (H) of about 10 T, due to an intrinsic upper critical field (Hc2) limitation of 14 T. To surpass this restriction, prototype Nb3Sn magnets are being developed which have reached 16 T. We show that Nb3Sn dipole technology is practically limited to 17 to 18 T due to insufficient high field pinning, and intrinsically to 20 to 22 T due to Hc2 limitations. Therefore, to obtain magnetic fields approaching 20 T and higher, a material is required with a higher Hc2 and sufficient high field pinning capacity. A realistic candidate for this purpose is Bi-2212, which is available in round wires and sufficient lengths for the fabrication of coils based on Rutherford-type cables. We initiated a program to develop the required technology to construct accelerator magnets from 'wind-and-react' (W&R) Bi-2212 coils. We outline the complications that arise through the use of Bi-2212, describe the development paths to address these issues, and conclude with the design of W&R Bi-2212 sub-scale magnets.
Social network analysis for predicting emerging researchers

Finding rising stars in academia early in their careers has many implications when hiring new faculty, applying for promotion, and/or requesting grants. Typically, the impact and productivity of a researcher are assessed by a popular measurement called the h-index that grows linearly with the academic age of a researcher. Therefore, h-indices of researchers in the early stages of their careers are almost uniformly low, making it difficult to identify those who will, in future, emerge as influential leaders in their field. To overcome this problem, we make use of social network analysis to identify young researchers most likely to become successful as measured by their h-index. We assume that the co-authorship graph reveals a great deal of information about the potential of young researchers. We built a social network of 62,886 researchers using the data available in CiteSeerx. We then designed and trained a linear SVM classifier to identify emerging authors based on their personal attributes and/or their networks of co-authors. We evaluated our classifier's ability to predict the future research impact of a set of 26,170 young researchers, those with an h-index of less than or equal to two in 2005. By examining their actual impact six years later, we demonstrate that the success of young researchers can be predicted more accurately based on their professional network than their established track records.
Inhibitory Effect of Ascorbic Acid on the Acute Toxicity of Dimethylamine Plus Nitrite in the Rat

SummaryGastric intubation of 1500 mg dimethylamine·HCl (DMA·HCl) plus 125 mg NaNO2/kg produced severe liver necrosis and an elevation of serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase levels. These effects, which are attributed to in vivo formation of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), were completely prevented by simultaneous intubation of sodium ascorbate at doses of 90-720 mg/kg. A dose–response study on DMN indicated that apparent DMN yield in the DMA plus nitrite experiment was at least 40 mg/kg, and that the ascorbate reduced this yield to at most 10 mg/kg. Ascorbate (360 mg/kg) had no effect on the action of DMN itself and did not react in vitro with DMA, so that its effect was probably due to reaction with the nitrite. The results support our suggestion that ascorbate might be administered together with readily nitrosatable drugs, to inhibit possible in vivo formation of N-nitroso compounds.We thank Drs. P. Issenberg and L. Wallcave for useful discussions and Miss Kay Devish for ...
Abstract 3219: DrIMS-3DCC: Drug imaging mass spectrometry of 3D cell culture systems.

3D cell cultures have increased complexity compared to simple monolayer and suspension cultures, recapitulating the cellular architecture in the body. For example, many colon cancer cell lines form rounded heterogeneous spheroid structures that mimic the pathophysiological properties of tumors when grown under appropriate cell culture conditions. Classical imaging methodologies, like immunohistochemistry, are commonly used to examine the distribution of specific species within the spheroids. However, there is a need for an unbiased discovery-based methodology that would allow examination of protein/peptide distributions in 3D culture systems, without a need for prior knowledge of the analytes. We have developed a MALDI imaging mass spectrometry approach to examine protein distributions in 3D culture models (MALDI IMS-3DCC), allowing us to map the spatiotemporal dynamics of proteins in these valuable model systems. We are currently expanding our approach to image the distribution of drugs within 3D cell cultures. We are using our MALDI IMS-3DCC to analyze the penetration of drugs within 3D cell cultures. With our mass-spectrometric based approach, we have the ability to map the distribution of the 1) the drug, 2) the metabolites produced from the drug, and 3) the spatiotemporal changes in proteins following treatment. Thus far, we have successfully evaluated the effects of two clinically relevant species, oxaliplatin and Irinotecan, on spheroids. In the future, we will expand our approach to evaluate new therapeutic compounds. We believe that our novel imaging strategy will drastically alter how new therapeutic compounds are evaluated, reducing the need for animal models in the early stages of drug development, thereby speeding up the drug evaluation process. Citation Format: Xin Liu, Eric Weaver, Amanda B. Hummon. DrIMS-3DCC: Drug imaging mass spectrometry of 3D cell culture systems. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3219. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3219