cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring officers' acceptance of community policing: Implications for policy implementation

Organizations interested in implementing community policing should be cognizant of the attitudes of line officers toward this policy due to the fact line officers are responsible for implementing community policing on the street level. Successful implementation of organizational change may rely on identifying individuals who are most supportive of community policing. What remains unclear is what factors are related to officers' acceptance of community policing. This research examined the factors related to acceptance of the community policing philosophy. Surveys were administered at roll calls by researchers to a total of 445 officers of all departmental ranks. It was found that officers who supported informal problem-solving tactics perhaps involving agencies outside the police department, and officers who were non-White were more likely to support concepts of community policing. At the same time, several factors, which presumed to be related to community policing, did not materialize, including previous work on structured problem-solving projects, rank, education, and desire for autonomy. Explanations and policy implications are discussed.
Fiber optic SERS sensor for environmental monitoring

The development of fiberoptic sensors for remote in-situ environmental monitoring using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is described. The approach to sensor development includes the initial development of SERS-active media on nanoparticle-based solid-surface substrates. These media are generally metal-coated nanoparticles that can be further modified for enhanced chemical selectivity, longevity and ruggedness. One example of surface modification is the application of a permeability-selective polymer, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). For remote environmental sensing applications, the planar solid SERS substrates have been successfully incorporated in a two-fiber probe design. We have also applied SERS-active media directly to an optical fiber as an integrated single-fiber design. Such sensors occupy much less volume and promote non intrusive monitoring systems. Linear response of the integrated sensor monitoring systems for various environmental chemicals with excellent correlation (greater than 0.99) has been observed in the part-per-billion (ppb) range.
Population burden of long-term survivorship after severe sepsis in older Americans.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain the absolute number of Medicare beneficiaries surviving at least 3 years after severe sepsis and to estimate their burden of cognitive dysfunction and disability. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis of Medicare data. SETTING: All short-stay inpatient hospitals in the United States, 1996 to 2008. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: Severe sepsis was detected using a standard administrative definition. Case-fatality, prevalence, and incidence rates were calculated. RESULTS: Six hundred thirty-seven thousand eight hundred sixty-seven Medicare beneficiaries were alive at the end of 2008 who had survived severe sepsis 3 or more years earlier. An estimated 476,862 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 455,026–498,698) had functional disability, with 106,311 (95% CI = 79,692–133,930) survivors having moderate to severe cognitive impairment. The annual number of new 3-year survivors after severe sepsis rose 119% during 1998 to 2008. The increase in survivorship resulted from more new diagnoses of severe sepsis rather than a change in case-fatality rates; severe sepsis rates rose from 13.0 per 1,000 Medicare beneficiary-years to 25.8 (P < .001), whereas 3-year case fatality rates changed much less, from 73.5% to 71.3% (P < .001) for the same cohort. Increasing rates of organ dysfunction in hospitalized individuals drove the increase in severe sepsis incidence, with an additional small contribution from population aging. CONCLUSIONS: Sepsis survivorship, which has substantial long-term morbidity, is a common and rapidly growing public health problem for older Americans. There has been little change in long-term case-fatality, despite changes in practice. Clinicians should anticipate more-frequent sequelae of severe sepsis in their patient populations. J Am Geriatr Soc 60:1070–1077, 2012.
Towards content-based relevance ranking for video search

Most existing web video search engines index videos by file names, URLs, and surrounding texts. These types of video metadata roughly describe the whole video in an abstract level without taking the rich content, such as semantic content descriptions and speech within the video, into consideration. Therefore the relevance ranking of the video search results is not satisfactory as the details of video contents are ignored. In this paper we propose a novel relevance ranking approach for Web-based video search using both video metadata and the rich content contained in the videos. To leverage real content into ranking, the videos are segmented into shots, which are smaller and more semantic-meaningful retrievable units, and then more detailed information of video content such as semantic descriptions and speech of each shots are used to improve the retrieval and ranking performance. With video metadata and content information of shots, we developed an integrated ranking approach, which achieves improved ranking performance. We also introduce machine learning into the ranking system, and compare them with IR-model (information retrieval model) based method. The evaluation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed ranking methods.
ROLE OF MYCORRHIZAL FUNGUS ORIGIN IN GROWTH AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY GERANIUM ROBERTIANUM.

Prior field studies have shown that populations of forest herbs on relatively nutrient poor soils have higher vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) infection intensity than plants on rich soils. However, the growth responses and ability to take up P against the soil nutrient gradient are often not linearly related to infection intensity. To determine if intraspecific differences among populations of the common VAM fungus Glomus occultum could differentially affect growth and nutrient uptake, Geranium robertianum seedlings were inoculated with Glomus occultum isolated from four forest types along a gradient of soil fertility, and grown in a greenhouse at P levels typical of the extremes of that gradient. Plants given inoculum from relatively infertile forest sites generally produced greater root, shoot, and total mass than plants given inoculum from fertile sites or uninoculated plants, especially at the low P supply rate. Total P uptake and both P and N uptake efficiency were also highest in plants given inocula from low fertility sites. These results indicate that local adaptation and intraspecific variations in the ability of VAM fungi to induce growth and nutrient uptake effects on host plants may be as important as interspecific differences among VAM fungus species.
Mixed explicit‐implicit iterative finite element scheme for diffusion‐type problems: II. Solution strategy and examples

In Part I1 of this paper we have established local stability and convergence criteria for the mixed explicit-implicit finite element scheme and have shown that the proposed iterative method converges under certain conditions. Part II describes various practical aspects of the solution strategy such as convergence criteria for terminating the iterations, automatic control of time step size, reclassification of nodes from explicit to implicit during execution, estimation of time derivatives, and automatic adjustment of the implicit weight factor. Several examples are included to demonstrate certain aspects of the theory and illustrate the capabilities of the new approach.
Ergonomic interventions for the reduction of low back stress in framing carpenters in the home building industry

Abstract Framing carpenters in the residential sector of the construction industry have exposure to many of the documented risk factors for low back disorders. On-site exposure data were collected from a sample of residential framing carpentry subcontractors and these were summarized using the continuous assessment of back stress (CABS) methodology. From these analyses those tasks placing the greatest stress on the low back were identified and prototype interventions were developed that reduced exposures to the specific risk factors. These prototypes were then evaluated in the field and their effects on the low back stress and productivity were quantified. The results of this analysis for three of these prototypes (a pneumatic wall lift, an extension handle for a pneumatic nail gun and a vertical lumber handling system) are presented in this paper. The pneumatic wall lift reduced peak spine compression by 63% and had mixed effects on productivity depending on the characteristics of the wall being erected. The extension handle for the pneumatic nail gun had a marked decrease in the average spine compression (73%) and also had mixed effects on the productivity depending on the characteristics of the support structures under the subflooring. The vertical lumber handling system created significant reductions in both the peak (70%) and average (32%) spine compression forces as well as a significant improvement in productivity (increase of up to 77%). Several of these interventions had positive effects in other body regions (primarily shoulder loading) but these were not quantified in the rigorous way that the low back stress was evaluated. Finally, subjective assessments by the workers varied across the interventions and were heavily weighted by their effects on productivity. Relevance to industry Engineering controls are the most effective methods for controlling work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a set of engineering controls for the prevention of back injury/illness in framing carpenters.
The crayfish second antennae. I—muscles, innervation patterns and movements of antennal segments

Abstract 1. 1. The musculature and innervation patterns of the second antennae of several species of North American crayfish were investigated using an Eosin-Fast Green-Naphthol Yellow stain. In addition, voluntary movements of the antennal segments, along with imposed movements, were utilized to study the movements of the antennal joints in live animals. 2. 2. The antennal circulatory system was observed by injecting India ink into the heart of a live animal. 3. 3. Five previously undescribed antennal motor nerves and their innervation patterns are described. Three of these nerves are distinctly separate from the antennal nerve. 4. 4. All the movements of individual antennal segments are detailed, with emphasis on rotations of the meropodite, carpopodite and flagellum caused by movements of more proximal antennal segments. 5. 5. Vessels of the circulatory system ramify extensively throughout both the antennal endopodite and exopodite.
The tolerance of a modular protein to duplication and deletion of internal repeats

Ankyrin repeat polypeptides contain repeated structural elements that pack to produce modular architectures lacking in close contacts between distant segments of the polypeptide chain. Despite this lack of sequence-distant contacts, ankyrin repeat polypeptides have been shown to fold in a cooperative manner. To determine the distance over which cooperative interactions can be propagated in a repeat protein, and to investigate the tolerance to internal duplication and deletion of modules, we have constructed a series of ankyrin repeat variants of the Notch ankyrin domain in which repeat number is varied by duplication and deletion of internal repeats. A construct with two copies of the fifth ankyrin repeat shows a modest increase in stability compared to the parent construct and retains apparent two-state unfolding behavior. Although constructs containing three and four copies of the fifth repeat retain this increased resistance to urea, they exhibit broad, multi-state unfolding transitions compared to the parent construct. For the Notch ankyrin domain, these larger constructs may represent a limit beyond which full cooperativity cannot be maintained. Deletions of internal repeats from the Notch ankyrin domain significantly destabilize the domain. This severe destabilization, which is larger than that resulting from end-repeat deletion, may arise from unfavorable interactions within the new non-native interfaces produced by internal repeat deletion. These results demonstrate both an asymmetry between the duplication and deletion of internal repeats, and a difference between deletion of internal and end-repeats, suggesting preferred mechanisms for evolution of repeat proteins.
Avoiding and Minimizing Construction Delay Claim Disputes in Relational Contracting

Delays on construction projects, and the claims which emanate from such delays, are an integral part of the modern construction process. The overwhelming amount of time, energy, and cost devoted to delay claims does not begin when a claim is initially submitted at or near the completion of a job, rather, the construction delay claim process commences at project inception. A discussion is provided relative to how claims are generated during a construction project, the various types of delay, contract provisions which may trigger construction delay claims, methods of solidifying a party’s position, presentation, substantiation and justification of a claim, formal and informal methods to resolve claims and, most importantly, mechanisms by which to cut down on the incidence of delay claims.
Motion estimation with integrated motion models

Conventional motion estimation algorithms rely on motion vectors characterizing translations and thus have limitations in capturing transformations of objects in video scenes such as scaling, rotations and deformations. In this paper, we introduce integrated motion models based on the Lie derivatives to improve the motion estimation accuracy. Our simulations on two standard video sequences show that an average improvement of 0.7dB in PSNR (peak signal-to-noise ratio) can be achieved in motion estimation.
The epoxidation of pregn-4, 16-diene-3, 20-dione by sow ovary

Abstract Incubation of pregn-4, 16-diene-3, 20-dione-3H had led to the formation of 16α, 17-epoxy-pregn-4-ene-3, 20-dione-3H and 17-hydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3, 20-dione-3H. The mechanism of epoxide opening is discussed in terms of the 17α-hydroxylated product and the lack of production of the 16α-hydroxylated compound. The synthesis of tritiated pregn-4, 16-diene-3, 20-dione is also presented.
Behavior of OH and NO^ in a Mixing-Influenced Jet-Stirred Reactor

Measurements of OH and NO^ in a premixed jet-stirred reactor are reviewed and interpreted in order to discern the influence of finite mixing and the formation of pollutants. The reactor conditions were P = 93 kPa, 4<r, < 12ms, and 1400 <T< 1950 K. Reactor fuels were CH4and C3H8 for the OH measurements, and H2/CO, CH4C3H8, andC2H2 for the NOX measurements. Absolute OH was determined from the measured integrated absorption of resolved spectral lines in the OH 2 irE + (0,0) band. Gas sampling and chemiluminescent analysis gave NOX. The OH measurements were indicative of a stirred reactor operated under the influence of a finite mixing rate. This was found by extending the established simple theories for a mixinginfluenced reactor to the case of OH behavior. With respect to NO*, its concentration was uniform in the reactor at fuel-lean conditions. At fuel-rich conditions, however, the NO^ concentration was nonuniform. The amount of NO^. formed depended on fuel type, increasing substantially as the fuel was switched from H2/CO to C2H2.
Case study: saturday cognitive habilitation program for children with prenatal alcohol exposure

case study describes the outcomes of a Saturday community intervention program for children suspected of or affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol who exhibited learning deficits. Five children participated in the program and received individualized interventions designed to address learning and academic deficits in either reading or mathematics. Often children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure exhibit deficits with executive processes, including metacognitive functioning, that interfere with learning. Instruction to improve metacognitive skills was incorporated into the intervention programs. The metacognitive training was adapted from the Math Interactive Learning Experience (MILE) and targeted the children's skills to plan, organize, shift, and evaluate problem solving strategies. Standardized tests of nonverbal reasoning and academic achievement were administered before and after the children received interventions to measure progress. The results indicated that four of the five children who participated in the program showed clinically significant gains with scores increasing from the borderline or low average to the average range on measures of nonverbal reasoning, reading comprehension, or mathematics reasoning. One child showed no gains on measures of nonverbal reasoning and reading. A variety of factors including age, cognitive profile, session attendance, and access to special education and other intervention services may have influenced the child's progress. Overall, the case reviews suggest that the interventions show promise to remediate learning problems of children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure in a community setting.
Short-term reactogenicity and gender effect of anthrax vaccine: analysis of a 1967-1972 study and review of the 1955-2005 medical literature.

Purpose In the 1960s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held the investigational new drug (IND) application for the anthrax vaccine and collected short-term safety data from approximately 16 000 doses administered to almost 7000 individuals. While some recent anthrax vaccine safety studies have suggested that women experience more injection site reactions (ISRs), to our knowledge the IND safety data were not previously examined for a gender-specific difference. Methods We identified and analyzed a subset of the IND study data representing a total of 1749 persons who received 3592 doses from 1967 to 1972. Original data collection forms were located and information extracted, including: vaccine recipient's name, age at vaccination, gender, dose number, date of vaccination, lot number, grading of ISR, presence and type of systemic reactions. Overall and gender-specific rates for adverse reactions to anthrax vaccine were calculated and we performed a multivariable analysis. Results We found an ISR was associated with 28% of anthrax vaccine doses; however, 87% of these were considered mild. Systemic reactions were uncommon (<1%) and most (70%) accompanied an ISR. Our dose-specific analysis by gender found women had at least twice the risk of having a vaccine reaction compared to men. Our age-adjusted relative risk for ISR in women compared to men was 2.78 (95%CI: 2.29, 3.38). Conclusions Our results for both overall and gender-specific reactogenicity are consistent with other anthrax safety studies. To date, possible implications of these gender differences observed for anthrax and other vaccines are unknown and deserve further study. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acetylcholine and memory

Acetylcholine may set the dynamics of cortical networks to those appropriate for learning of new information, while decreased cholinergic modulation may set the appropriate dynamics for recall. In slice preparations of the olfactory cortex, acetylcholine selectively suppresses intrinsic but not afferent fiber synaptic transmission, while decreasing the adaptation of pyramidal cells. In biologically realistic models of this region, the selective suppression of synaptic transmission prevents recall of previously learned memories from interfering with the learning of new memories, while the decrease in adaptation enhances the response to afferent input and the modification of synapses. This theoretical framework may serve to guide future studies linking neuromodulators to cortical memory function.
Immunosuppressant Therapy for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is associated with progressive respiratory failure and is usually fatal. Corticosteroid therapy is effective in less than half of the patients in whom it is tried.
Screening for colon cancer and evaluation of chemoprevention with coxibs.

Abstract Although colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable forms of visceral cancer, it remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Most colorectal cancers are believed to arise from adenomatous polyps, premalignant mucosal masses that account for up to two thirds of colorectal polyps. Early identification and removal of adenomas prevent the development of colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy has emerged as the dominant method for evaluating symptomatic patients with colorectal cancer and for surveillance of patients with previous colon polyps or cancer. In the United States, fecal occult blood testing and flexible sigmoidoscopy are the most commonly used screening methods in average-risk persons, although there is an emerging trend toward the use of colonoscopy. For both screening and surveillance, the type of screening test used and the intervals at which it is performed are based on risk stratification, which also serves as the basis for selecting potential candidates for chemoprevention. Because colonoscopy, like most screening procedures, has several disadvantages, including risk of perforation and bleeding and an inherent "miss rate," alternative methods of prevention are being explored. A variety of agents with potential chemopreventive benefits have been identified, including cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-specific inhibitors (coxibs) even though these agents have not been approved for this use in the United States. COX-2 is overexpressed in colonic adenomas and cancers, and its inhibition has been shown to produce regression of polyps in familial adenomatous polyposis. Nonselective COX inhibition with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been consistently associated with reductions in the risk of mortality and the incidence of colorectal adenomas and cancers in case-control studies. Thus, selective COX-2 inhibition is a potential method of risk reduction in high-risk screening and surveillance groups, and large-scale trials of coxibs for the prevention of recurrence of adenomas after polypectomy are currently underway.
Biotransformations of organosulphur compounds in sediments via 3-mercaptopropionate

3-Mercaptopropionate (3-MPA) is a major organic sulphur compound (thiol) recently detected in the anoxic pore waters of coastal marine sediments1. A chemical mechanism for the formation of 3-MPA has been identified as the abiotic addition of H2S to the double bond of acrylate2. A natural source of acrylate (for the addition reaction) is dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) which yields dimethylsulphide (DMS) and acrylate upon enzymatic cleavage3,4. DMSP occurs in plants, particularly those in saline environments where it fulfils an osmotic function5. Here we present evidence that 3-MPA is generated from the biotransformations of DMSP as well as the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine and homocysteine. Additionally, 3-MPA is metabolized in sediments. In view of these findings we suggest that 3-MPA is a central metabolite in both catabolic and assimilatory sulphur metabolism in general.
Effects of Aortopulmonary Collaterals on Cerebral Cooling and Cerebral Metabolic Recovery After Circulatory Arrest

Background Aortopulmonary collaterals (APC) have been associated with an increased risk of choreoathetosis after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). To study the effects of APC on cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism before and after DHCA, a piglet model was developed. Methods and Results Protocol 1: Eight 4- to 6-week-old piglets underwent placement of a left subclavian–to–main pulmonary artery shunt. Control shunts (n=4) were ligated, APC shunts (n=4) were left patent. All animals were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cooled in identical fashion for 20 minutes. Temperature probes were placed in the nasopharynx, cortex, and deep brain. Control animals achieved significantly lower temperatures in all three areas by the end of cooling (17.5°C versus 20.1°C, 19.0°C versus 22.3°C, and 17.5°C versus 21.0°C, respectively, P<.005). Protocol 2: Six control and six APC animals were instrumented as described. All were placed on CPB, cooled to 18°C, arrested for 90 minutes, and rewarmed to 37°C. C...
Cocaine abuse and sensitization of striatal dopamine transmission: A critical review of the preclinical and clinical imaging literature

Much effort has been devoted in the preclinical addiction literature to understanding the phenomenon of sensitization, an enhanced dopaminergic response in the nucleus accumbens that occurs after repeated exposure to psychostimulant drugs. Although sensitization has been reported in preclinical studies, studies of sensitization in humans measuring behavioral and physiological responses have been mixed and inconclusive. However, imaging studies with positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using a stimulant challenge to induce dopamine (DA) release provide a unique opportunity to probe DA transmission in cocaine dependent human subjects. In contrast to the basic science literature that predicted sensitization, three independent cohorts have shown a blunted DA response, or the opposite of sensitization, in human cocaine dependent subjects. This article reviews the methodological differences between the preclinical and clinical PET studies that have investigated DA sensitization in order to address the discrepancy between the human and animal literature.
Regulation of the G1→S phase transition in chick embryo fibroblasts with α-keto acids and L-alanine

Temporal inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide prevents subsequent insulin, but not serum-stimulated DNA synthesis in G1-arrested chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF). The inhibition is measured by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into acid insoluble material and confirmed by chemical estimate of the DNA content of inhibited and uninhibited cells. Cycloheximide treatment is without effect if the cell cultures are maintained at 4 degrees C while exposed to the drug. Several alpha-keto acids (pyruvate, oxaloacetate, alpha-ketobutyrate) at 0.5-1 mM concentrations restore DNA synthesis in previously inhibited cells when combined with insulin. L-alanine (D-alanine is inert) is even more effective than the keto acids in stimulating DNA synthesis after cycloheximide treatment. Glucose transport was unaffected by cycloheximide treatment while lactate levels in medium from inhibited, insulin-stimulated CEF were reduced 70% compared to uninhibited counterparts. We speculate that cycloheximide treatment may lead to the decay of a glycolytic enzyme which compromises the ability of inhibited cells to synthesize pyruvate from glucose, and thus induces an exogenous requirement for alpha-keto acid or L-alanine. A serum component(s) with a molecular weight of about 100 permitted insulin-stimulated DNA synthesis in inhibited cells.
Behavioral and physiological habituation to an ultrasonic stimulus

The present report examines the use of a 50-kHz ultrasonic tone in producing both behavioral and physiological responses in rats and assessed the effectiveness of an ear-plugging procedure in blocking these responses. In addition, the habituation of these responses to the tone was investigated. The presentation of the tone resulted in reliable barpress unconditioned suppression and bradycardia, in separate experiments. In both situations, the ear plugs sufficiently attenuated the signal such that neither behavioral nor physiological responses were found.
The structure of kidney mitochondria in low denaturation embedded and in freeze-fractured material

The structure of mitochondria in tubule cells in the rat kidney was analyzed in material that had been prepared either according to one low denaturation embedding technique Sjostrand, F. S., and Barajas, L. (1968)J. Ultrastruct. Res. 25, 121.) or had been freeze fractured. A particulate structure was observed in the crista membranes in material prepared according to either method. The cristae could be shown to connect to the inner of the two membranes at the surface of the mitochondria through stalk-like connections confirming earlier observations. This “innermost” surface membrane differs structurally from the crista membrane. Stained areas in the center of the cristae were found to be arranged in a nonrandom fashion and to consist of the superpositioning of 40 to 70 A large, opaquely stained areas in the crista membranes. These areas were interpreted to reflect a dense arrangement of charged sites in the membrane which are available for binding the stain. The relationship between observations made on low denaturation embedded or freeze-fractured material and those made on negatively stained or embedded ruptured mitochondria (Telford, J. N., and Racker, E. (1973)J. Cell Biol., 57, 580.) is discussed and the appearance of inner membrane spheres is explained.
N-thiolated β-lactams: Studies on the mode of action and identification of a primary cellular target in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract This study focuses on the mechanism of action of N -alkylthio β-lactams, a new family of antibacterial compounds that show promising activity against Staphylococcus and Bacillus microbes. Previous investigations have determined that these compounds are highly selective towards these bacteria, and possess completely unprecedented structure–activity profiles for a β-lactam antibiotic. Unlike penicillin, which inhibits cell wall crosslinking proteins and affords a broad spectrum of bacteriocidal activity, these N-thiolated lactams are bacteriostatic in their behavior and act through a different mechanistic mode. Our current findings indicate that the compounds react rapidly within the bacterial cell with coenzyme A (CoA) through in vivo transfer of the N -thio group to produce an alkyl-CoA mixed disulfide species, which then interferes with fatty acid biosynthesis. Our studies on coenzyme A disulfide reductase show that the CoA thiol-redox buffer is not perturbed by these compounds; however, the lactams appear to act as prodrugs. The experimental evidence that these β-lactams inhibit fatty acid biosynthesis in bacteria, and the elucidation of coenzyme A as a primary cellular target, offers opportunities for the discovery of other small organic compounds that can be developed as therapeutics for MRSA and anthrax infections.
WLCp1-16: Capacity of Opportunistic Space Division Multiple Access with Beam Selection

In this paper, a novel transmission technique for the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) broadcast channel is proposed that allows simultaneous transmission to multiple users under a limited feedback requirement. During a training phase, the base station modulates a training sequence on multiple sets of randomly generated orthogonal beamforming vectors. Then, based on the users' feedback, the base station opportunistically selects the users and corresponding orthogonal vectors that maximize the sum capacity. From theoretical analysis, the optimal amount of training to maximize the sum capacity is derived as a function of the system parameters. The main advantage of the proposed system is that it provides throughput gains for the MIMO broadcast channel with a small feedback overhead, and provides these gains even with a small number of active users. Numerical simulations show that a 20% gain in sum capacity is achieved (for a small number of users) over conventional opportunistic space division multiple access, and a 100% gain (for a large number of users) over conventional opportunistic beamforming.
Does cardiac resynchronization therapy benefit patients with ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy similarly?

[1] Musunuru K, Pirruccello JP, Do R, et al. Exome sequencing, ANGPTL3 mutations, and familial combined hypolipidemia. N Engl J Med 2010;363:2220–7. [2] Pisciotta L, Favari E, Magnolo AL, et al. Characterization of three kindred with familial combined hypolipidemia due to loss of function mutations of ANGPTL3. Cardiovasc Genet 2012;5:42–50. [3] Noto D, Cefalu AB, Valenti V, et al. Prevalence of ANGPTL3 and APOB gene mutations in subjects with combined hypolipidemia. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2012;32:805–9. [4] Martin-Campos JM, Roig R, Mayoral C, et al. Identification of a novel mutation in the ANGPTL3 gene in two families diagnosed of familial hypobetalipoproteinemia without APOB mutation. Clin Chim Acta 2012;413:552–5. [5] Minicocci I, Montali A, Robciuc MR, et al. Mutations in the ANGPTL3 gene and familial combined hypolipidemia: a clinical and biochemical characterization. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012;97:E1266–75. [6] Ando Y, Shimizugawa T, Takeshita S, et al. A decreased expression of angiopoietin-like 3 is protective against atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice. J Lipid Res 2003;44:1216–23. [7] Pacifico L, Cantisani V, Ricci P, et al. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and carotid atherosclerosis in children. Pediatr Res 2008;63:423–7. [8] Pacifico L, AnaniaC,Martino F, et al. Functional andmorphological vascular changes in pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology 2010;52:1643–51. [9] Gearing AJ, Newman W. Circulating adhesion molecules in disease. Immunol Today 1993;14:506–12. [10] AdorniMP, Zimetti F, PuntoniM, et al. Cellular cholesterol efflux and cholesterol loading capacity of serum: effects of LDL-apheresis. J Lipid Res 2012;53:984–9. [11] KangS,WuY, LiX. Effects of statin therapyon theprogressionof carotid atherosclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Atherosclerosis 2004;177:433–42. [12] Khera AV, Cuchel M, de la Liera-Moya M, et al. Cholesterol efflux capacity, high-density lipoprotein function, and atherosclerosis. N Engl J Med 2011;364:127–35. [13] Rosenson RS, Brewer Jr HB, Davidson WS, et al. Cholesterol efflux and atheroprotection: advancing the concept of reverse cholesterol transport. Circulation 2012;125:1905–19. [14] FlemingRM.Thepathogenesisof vasculardisease. In: Chang JC, editor. The textbookof angiology. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag; 1999. p. 787–98. [15] Prosser HC, Ng MK, Bursill CA. The role of cholesterol efflux in mechanisms of endothelial protection by HDL. Curr Opin Lipidol 2012;23:182–9. [16] Ronda N, Favari E, Borghi MO, et al. Impaired serum cholesterol efflux capacity in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Rheum Dis, http:// dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202914.
Effect on stuttering of changes in audition.

This article presents an analysis of the ameliorative effect on stuttering known to be associated with different conditions affecting auditory reception. An integral explanation for the salutary ef...
The new (system) balance of power and opportunities for optimizations

Power and energy are key design considerations across a spectrum of computing solutions, from large-scale data centers and supercomputers to mobile phones and wearable computers. Correspondingly, all these systems need to focus on efficiency: achieving higher performance and functionality at improved resource and energy usage. At the same time, emerging workload and technology trends provide additional unique challenges and opportunities for future efficient system designs. In this talk, I will discuss these trends and summarize common, and not-so-common, design practices to address efficiency. I will discuss the opportunities for "balanced" system designs where all the different resources in the system are used equally efficiently, and building on the original Amdahl-Case rules for system balance from the 1960s, show how updating and rethinking the definitions for system balance can provide opportunities for significant improvements.
Strong electron acceleration in the Earth's magnetosphere

Abstract Electron data are examined over long periods in the outer zone of electron trapping (L ≳ 3). Energetic particle detectors at geostationary orbit and onboard the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) satellite show evidence of strong electron acceleration in Earth's outer radiation belts. Data are studied according to L-value and are compared with concurrent solar wind and geomagnetic conditions. Evidence is presented of a strong correlation between high-speed solar wind speeds and the occurrence of high energy electrons in the Earth's outer radiation belts. Thus, high-speed solar wind streams apparently drive the acceleration of electrons throughout the outer zone on time scales of days. The processes by which electrons are accelerated to high energies (E>1 MeV) are found to consist of two temporally distinct steps. The first involves prompt, relatively modest, acceleration of many electrons during magnetospheric substorms. The second step involves higher energy acceleration of a portion of the substorm electrons throughouth the outer trapping region on a time scale of days.
A data-centric introduction to computer science for non-majors

Relational databases and other collections of data are increasingly prevalent across a wide range of professions and disciplines. However, most courses on databases and data mining are designed for computer science majors, and students who wish to familiarize themselves with these topics must first take several prerequisite courses. This paper presents the design and implementation of a course for non-majors that provides a data-centric introduction to computer science. The course covers the basics of databases and data mining, and it also offers an introduction to programming and data visualization. By teaching a variety of computational methods for processing collections of data, the course provides students with tools they can use in their fields of study and future professions, while also exposing them to key concepts from computer science. The course has been well received by students from a variety of majors, and survey results suggest that it has had a positive impact on their perceptions of computer science.
Incentives for truthful reporting in crowdsourcing

A challenge with the programmatic access of human talent via crowdsourcing platforms is the specification of incentives and the checking of the quality of contributions. Methodologies for checking quality include providing a payment if the work is approved by the task owner and hiring additional workers to evaluate contributors' work. Both of these approaches place a burden on people and on the organizations commissioning tasks, and may be susceptible to manipulation by workers and task owners. Moreover, neither a task owner nor the task market may know the task well enough to be able to evaluate worker reports. Methodologies for incentivizing workers without external quality checking include rewards based on agreement with a peer worker or with the final output of the system. These approaches are vulnerable to strategic manipulations by workers. Recent experiments on Mechanical Turk have demonstrated the negative influence of manipulations by workers and task owners on crowdsourcing systems [3]. We address this central challenge by introducing incentive mechanisms that promote truthful reporting in crowdsourcing and discourage manipulation by workers and task owners without introducing additional overhead.
Prevalence of potentially neuropathic Campylobacter jejuni strains on commercial broiler chicken products

Abstract Campylobacteriosis is the most common antecedent infection leading to the development of inflammatory neuropathies including Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), with alterations in surface proteins and genetic polymorphisms conferring increased risk. Poultry is the most common source of C. jejuni infection in industrialized countries, including the US. There are no data on the prevalence on consumer poultry products of various strains of C. jejuni , including those hypothesized to be associated with neuropathy. To study this, C. jejuni was isolated from fresh broiler chicken products purchased from grocery stores in the Baltimore area. LOS subtypes and specific genetic polymorphisms were determined by PCR and DNA sequencing. The observed relative proportions of LOS subtypes and genetic polymorphisms in the cstII gene (encoding bacterial sialyltransferases involved in LOS synthesis in C. jejuni ) were characterized and compared to those reported in published studies of patients with GBS, MFS and uncomplicated enteritis. Commercial poultry products carry a relatively high prevalence of C. jejuni strains that have been associated with neuropathic sequelae. The relative proportions of LOS classes in poultry isolates were similar to those reported in isolates from human enteritis cases, and in some instances also similar to isolates from patients diagnosed with neuropathic disease. In terms of cstII polymorphisms, there were also similarities between isolates from poultry and those from patients with GBS and MFS.
Public or Private Religiosity: Which Is Protective for Adolescent Substance Use and by What Pathways?:

While it is well understood that adolescent religiosity is associated with the use and abuse of licit and illicit substances, few studies have revealed the pathways through which religiosity buffer...
Promote the general welfare to ourselves and our posterity: the founding documents of the United States and the nation’s health care debate

A recent on-line discussion asked whether healthcare for Americans is a constitutional right or a privilege. One can debate whether one can extract a legal right to healthcare from the Declaration of Independence depending on whether one sees it is a philosophical or as a legal document. The Constitution of the United States of America lists “promote the general welfare” and protect “ourselves and our posterity” as some of its aims. Perhaps this would demand the inclusion of certain basic health services such as immunizations and antimicrobial therapy for every citizen; even for illegal immigrants, in order to protect the public. America must decide whether health care is a privilege or a right! If it is a privilege, one must accept the exclusion of some individuals and the unintended consequences of epidemics. If it is a constitutional right, one must accept paying for that right with increased taxes and the unintended consequences on the economy. But who should pay, how much and for what?
From the Sociology of Intellectuals to the Sociology of Interventions

This review suggests that the sociology of intellectuals is being converted into a sociology of interventions, i.e., instead of focusing on a certain social type, it analyzes the movement by which knowledge and expertise are mobilized to inform a value-laden intervention in the public sphere. We first demonstrate that the classical sociology of intellectuals was centered on a problematic of allegiance that no longer seems productive. In addition, we show that by focusing on a particular social type it remained limited to only one mode of intervention into the public sphere. We then review two literatures that distance themselves from the classical problematic and that could be integrated under the common rubric of a sociology of interventions: The first literature analyzes intellectual fields and markets. It moves away from the sociology of intellectuals by multiplying the relevant actors and depersonalizing the term “intellectual” so that it no longer stands for a social type but for the capacity to make...
Informed-consent issues with adolescent health behavior research.

OBJECTIVE To identify the informed-consent issues when conducting adolescent health behavior research. METHODS A literature review was conducted across diverse academic fields about the informed-consent issues that were relevant to adolescent health behavior research. RESULTS Issues included defining consent, assent and permission, minimal risk, risk assessment; legal issues; adolescent capacity to participate in research, and parental permission. CONCLUSIONS Integrity in research means doing the right thing. Obtaining adolescent informed consent must be obtained every time data are collected. There seem to be occasions in which waiver of parental permission in some adolescent health behavior research is warranted.
A common fungus, an unusual (and deadly) infection.

h i r r n h PRESENTATION We describe a case in which an immunocompetent patient with several comorbid conditions ultimately died of an uncommon infection. A 64-year-old woman with a history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus type II and chronic alcohol abuse was transferred to our facility for a hepatology evaluation for severe hepatic encephalopathy and fulminant liver failure. Shortly after arrival, she was intubated for airway protection, and a nasogastric tube was placed for gastric decompression. Laboratory studies and a liver biopsy performed shortly after her arrival confirmed a diagnosis of hemochromatosis, with iron deposition noted on the specimen (Figure 1). Within 24 hours of the placement of the nasogastric tube, the patient developed a small area of necrosis at the right nare. Despite immediate removal of the tube, the necrotic area rapidly worsened (Figure 2).
Why homicide clearance rates decrease: evidence from the Caribbean

Police agencies and researchers have devoted significant attention to understanding and improving homicide clearance rates, which often serve as an overall barometer of police performance. Using quantitative and qualitative data, this study examines the factors that contributed to a rapid decline in homicide clearances in the developing island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. A variety of explanations are explored, including characteristics of homicide incidents, the communities where they occur, and the agencies that process these cases. The findings indicate that substantial changes in the nature of homicides, combined with insufficient organisational capacity within the criminal justice system to detect and respond to these changes, explain the declining homicide clearance rate. Theoretical explanations for homicide clearances must represent a blend of insights from criminology and organisational science to account for both the offence itself, as well as how it is processed by the police and other agencies.
Constraints for using IDDQ testing to detect CMOS bridging faults

Detecting CMOS bridging faults (BFs) using IDDQ testing, or the current supply monitoring method (CSM), has recently received much attention. One fundamental question that needs to be answered for this technique is 'what circuits does it apply to'. Previously the authors presented a set of constraints on circuits and their test environment that formed a sufficient condition for using CSM to detect all single and multiple irredundant BFs. In this paper they show that if any of these constraints are removed then circuits exist for which CSM cannot give correct results. Two special classes of circuits, domino logic and synchronous sequential circuits, are discussed in detail. >
Optimal control of a broadcasting server

A stochastic control problem motivated by broadcast applications is considered in this paper. A natural queueing model abstraction in which each service to a queue clears all the customers at once is adopted, which can also be considered as a batch processing queueing model with infinite batch size. Each broadcast can be charged a non-negative cost. In addition, there is a cost whose rate is given as a function of the number of customers waiting in the system at any point. For any cost rate which is a convex function in the number of customers, it is shown that the optimal control is of the threshold type in order to minimize the infinite horizon discounted cost. This result complements the existing literature on batch processing queueing models that have typically only considered monotone costs. For a system with two classes of customers where each service can clear all customers of any given class, with monotone waiting costs and zero service costs, we show that the optimal control can be represented as a double-switch curve in the two dimensional state space. The structure of the optimal policy for multiple queues is a natural next question, and an interesting future direction is to explore the performance of simple index policies.