cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Applicability of Multiple Intelligence Theory in Pilot Assessment and Training

This investigative paper and research explores the Theory of Multiple Intelligence (MI) as defined by Gardner (1983, 1999) and its applicability in the assessment and education of commercial pilots. Multiple intelligence theory proposes that individuals have eight distinct intelligences with strengths in one or more of the intellects. The authors suggest that MI theory is more useful in describing cognitive processes in aviators than singular (IQ score) or general intellect theories. Beyond just describing cognitions, MI theory could be used to improve pilot training by expanding on educational methods suggested by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Currently, most instructional methods for pilots are traditional in nature, which utilize lectures, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and one-on-one tutorial lessons. MI theory has rarely been applied to the design of aviation education (Craig & Garcia, 2001). To determine a pilot’s intelligence profile, the Multiple Intelligence Developmental Assessment Scale (MIDAS) was utilized in this investigation. From a sample of 31 professional aviators and 55 college flight students a common MI profile became evident. A descriptive analysis of the MIDAS scores indicated that both professional pilots and flight students scored high on Intrapersonal and Spatial Intelligence. The “pilot profile” found in this investigation replicates past research in the development of the MIDAS. Because most pilots in this study have similar profiles, educational programs could capitalize on these intellectual strengths. Furthermore, if a flight student scores low on important intellectual strengths for flight, instructional and learning strategies could be implemented to match the student’s intellectual strengths.
Randomized trial assessing the impact of survivorship care plans on the quality of care for childhood cancer survivors.

10007Background: The American College of Surgeons will soon mandate that all cancer survivors receive a survivorship care plan (SCP) to guide surveillance for late effects of therapy. However, the ...
Whither anonymity? Journalism and unnamed sources in a changing media environment

The relationship between journalists and their sources has been a cornerstone of journalism research, yet less attention has been focused on the special case of unnamed sources in which journalists promise sources anonymity in exchange for information. Within the literature on sourcing, the dearth of attention to such arrangements has led to a blind spot not only in our understanding of news sources, but of journalism more broadly. How journalists pursue-and are pursued by-unnamed sources, the reporting that results, and challenges to this practice matter given the pervasive use of unnamed sources to dispense incompletely attributed information to the public. In assuming a particular professional position, journalists justify their need for special rights to protect source confi dentiality by invoking a normative argument that encompasses the public interest while passing along rights to themselves and their sources. However, this practice also creates stress between journalists and their audiences by masking unseen alliances and hidden source motives. What emerges is a view of unnamed sources as complex and contradictory. That unnamed sources both assist and impede the ability of the public to know what is happening in its major institutions is evident in the journalistic triumphs and humiliations that result.
Novel Materials and Processes in Replacement Metal Gate for Advanced CMOS Technology

This paper addresses novel approaches at material and integration fronts for gate applications. Material wise, new n work function metal (WFM) material is explored to address the need for reducing gate resistance and maintaining proper Vt at 20A or less WFM thickness. Integration wise, next generation dipole is tested with various process sequences to address the need in lowering overall thermal budget at the gate level for advanced architectures, such as scaled FinFET and Nanosheets.
Observability Measures for Nonlinear Systems

In this paper, the nonlinear observability problem is revisited and studied in a novel framework that is particularly well-suited for the consideration of different practical aspects of the corresponding state estimation problem. In establishing this framework, we highlight connections between fundamental theoretical aspects of the general observability problem with more quantitative considerations similar to those encountered in numerical analysis. A key result of our novel analysis of the observability problem is the introduction of quantitative observability measures for nonlinear systems as a generalization of the notion of observability gramians for linear systems.
Synthesis and molecular structure of biologically significant bis(1,3-dimesityl-4,5-naphthoquinoimidazol-2-ylidene)gold(I) complexes with chloride and dichloridoaurate counter-ions.

Diffraction-quality single crystals of two gold(I) complexes, namely bis­(1,3-di­mesityl-4,5-naphtho­quinoimidazol-2-yl­idene)gold(I) chloride benzene monosolvate, [Au(C29H26N2O2)2]Cl·C6H6 or [(NQMes)2Au]Cl·C6H6, 2, and bis­(1,3-dimesityl-4,5-naphtho­quino­imid­azol-2-yl­idene)gold(I) dichloridoaurate(I) di­chloro­methane disolvate, [Au(C29H26N2O2)2][AuCl2]·2CH2Cl2 or [(NQMes)2Au][AuCl2]·2CH2Cl2, 4, were isolated and studied with the aid of single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 2 crystallizes in a monoclinic space group C2/c with eight mol­ecules in the unit cell, while compound 4 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P\overline{1} with two mol­ecules in the unit cell. The crystal lattice of compound 2 reveals C—H⋯Cl− inter­actions that are present throughout the entire structure representing head-to-tail contacts between the aromatic (C—H) hydrogens of naphtho­quinone and Cl− counter-ions. Compound 4 stacks with the aid of short inter­actions between a naphtho­quinone O atom of one mol­ecule and the mesityl methyl group of another molecule along the a axis, leading to a one-dimensional strand that is held together by strong π–η2 inter­actions between the imidazolium backbone and the [AuCl2]− counter-ion. The bond angles defined by the AuI atom and two carbene C atoms [C(carbene)—Au—C(carbene)] in compounds 2 and 4 are nearly rectilinear, with an average value of ∼174.1 [2]°. Though 2 and 4 share the same cation, they differ in their counter-anion, which alters the crystal lattice of the two compounds. The knowledge gleaned from these studies is expected to be useful in understanding the mol­ecular inter­actions of 2 and 4 under physiological conditions.
Ulnar head replacement and sigmoid notch resurfacing arthroplasty with minimum 12-month follow-up:

Our study aimed to report the short-term outcomes of patients who underwent partial ulnar head replacement and distal radial ulnar joint interposition arthroplasty. From 2012 to 2016, nine patients...
Characteristics of 30-day readmission in spontaneous pneumothorax in the United States: a nationwide retrospective study

Objective: Our study aimed to determine the national estimates of the 30-day all-cause readmission rate among patients with spontaneous pneumothorax and to investigate the burden of these readmissions in terms of mortality, length of stay and hospitalization costs in the USA. Methods: We utilized the Nationwide Readmission Database for 2013-2014 and identified adults with a primary diagnosis of spontaneous pneumothorax. We analyzed and reported patient- and hospital-level variables of the study cohort. Our primary outcome was 30-day readmission rate, including the reasons for readmission. Our secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, resources utilization and predictors of readmissions. Results: We identified 47,108 index admissions with spontaneous pneumothorax. The 30-day readmission rate was 13.6%. The most common reason for admission was recurrent pneumothorax. In index admissions, the in-hospital mortality rate was 3.1%; whereas, in readmissions, the mortality was higher (4.6%, p < 0.001). Both age group 45-64 (HR: 1.31, 95% CI: [1.15-1.49], p < 0.001) and history of cancer (HR: 1.34, 95% CI: [1.17-1.53], p < 0.001) were found to predict the risk of 30-day readmission. Conclusion: The 30-day readmission rate in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax was 13.6%, and a recurrent event was the most likely cause. The 30-day readmissions were associated with higher mortality and hospitalization charges. Middle age and history of cancer increase likelihood of 30-day readmission.
Teaching curiosity in public affairs programs

Through practicing curiosity by asking questions in the hopes of seeking answers, public administrators may practice empathy, build knowledge about how the world works, and in doing so, dispel igno...
Accomplishing Impact by Performing Our Theories: It Can Be Done, Though Not Easily:

The expectation that scholarly research should have some impact on practice is being increasingly embraced, though how much this should be and what form impact should take are not often considered ...
Effect of paramagnetic mineral content and distribution on nuclear magnetic resonance surface relaxivity in organic-rich Niobrara and Haynesville shales

Abstract Surface relaxivity is required to convert nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation times to pore size distributions (PSD). In current practice, a constant value of surface relaxivity is used for an entire well, formation, or rock type, regardless of compositional and textural variations. The presence and distribution of paramagnetic minerals can affect surface relaxivity and, in turn, result in significant errors in PSD calculations. We present surface relaxivity calculations for two organic-rich formations, namely the Niobrara and the Haynesville formations. Surface relaxivity was calculated from surface to volume ratio and comparison of average pore radius measurements. We measured the transverse (T2) relaxation time with a low field (2 MHz) NMR instrument, porosity and PSD using nitrogen adsorption (N2) data, total specific surface area from N2 data and from cation exchange capacity (CEC), and mineralogy from X-ray diffraction (XRD). We find that surface relaxivity is linearly correlated with paramagnetic clay content, specifically chlorite and illite-smectite distributed in the matrix. The presence of smectite clay minerals increases uncertainty in surface to volume ratio and consequently in surface relaxivity calculations. Our surface relaxivity – clay correlations could be applied for surface relaxivity calculations from mineralogy and to invert NMR logs and laboratory data to PSD.
Gain-induced switching in metal-dielectric-metal plasmonic waveguides

The authors show that the incorporation of gain media in only a selected device area can annul the effect of material loss, and enhance the performance of loss-limited plasmonic devices. In addition, they demonstrate that optical gain provides a mechanism for on/off switching in metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) plasmonic waveguides. The proposed gain-assisted plasmonic switch consists of a subwavelength MDM plasmonic waveguide side-coupled to a cavity filled with semiconductor material. In the absence of optical gain in the semiconductor material filling the cavity, an incident optical wave in the plasmonic waveguide remains essentially undisturbed by the presence of the cavity. Thus, there is almost complete transmission of the incident optical wave through the plasmonic waveguide. In contrast, in the presence of optical gain in the semiconductor material filling the cavity, the incident optical wave is completely reflected. They show that the principle of operation of such gain-assisted plasmonic devices can be explained using a temporal coupled-mode theory. They also show that the required gain coefficients are within the limits of currently available semiconductor-based optical gain media.
The development of communication behavior over the newlywed years

Communication behavior occupies a fundamental role in basic and applied relationship science, yet we know very little about how this important process develops over time, and how the natural developmental process is linked with relationship outcomes. The present study aims to examine the development of naturally occurring trajectories of couple communication behavior across three domains, examined concurrently; positive affect, negative affect, and effective problem solving. A large sample of newlywed couples recruited from low-income neighborhoods (N = 431) completed observational discussion tasks at 4 time points, spanning 2.5 years, and provided data on marital status 4.5 years into marriage. Results from multivariate group-based trajectory modeling indicate that three groups of couples can be distinguished, with the best communicators demonstrating high levels of positivity and effectiveness and low levels of negativity, the worst communicators demonstrating low levels of positivity and effectiveness and high levels of negativity, and the middle group demonstrating low levels of all three dimensions. Trajectory group membership was significantly associated with demographic and relationship characteristics, such that the best communicators had more adaptive relationship characteristics and less demographic risk. Wives' trajectory group membership was significantly associated with divorce rates such that the best communicators had the lowest divorce rate (9%), and the worst communicators had the highest divorce rate (22%). Overall, communication behavior is quite consistent over time, indicating that early interaction dynamics tend to be enduring and predictive of relationship outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
“’Mirarse mirar, mirarse mirando’: Exílio, nostalgia e estranhamento em Alejandra Pizarnik e Cristina Peri Rossi.”

O presente trabalho e uma tentativa de ler a obra de Alejandra Pizarnik e Cristina Peri Rossi de forma a analisar suas poeticas em relacao aos conflitos e contextos culturais e territoriais que as perpassam, tanto no que tange as construcoes subjetivas de cada uma quanto dos imaginarios urbanos em que estao inseridas. Para tal abordagem, iremos focar em tres principais conceitos, que de forma por vezes semelhante e por outras vertiginosamente distinta parecem indissociaveis da poetica construida por ambas Pizarnik e Peri Rossi: o estranhamento (de si e do outro), o exilio e a nostalgia. Esses tres elementos parecem chaves para se compreender a condicao de ser no mundo das autoras, sua escrita e a metaforizacao espacial constitutiva de ambas, alem de se relacionarem tambem com parte da formacao subjetiva e historico-geografica das cidades de Buenos Aires e Montevideu e da regiao do Rio da Prata de forma geral.
Characterization data of N-doped biochars using different external nitrogen precursors.

Abstract The development of waste-derived functional materials for environmental and energy applications is a sustainable approach to fight global warming, and address energy and materials challenges. In this regard, many scientists are interested in the supercapacitor, adsorbent, and catalyst applications of nitrogen-doped biochars. In this article, we report the data that was collected as a part of our research on the effects of different external nitrogenous sources on the properties of biochar [1] . The data on infrared spectra of the modified samples at various temperatures is valuable to study the changes in functional groups on biochar as a function of temperature as well as nitrogen precursors. Raw data from Time-of-flight Secondary ion mass spectroscopy, surface profilometry, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are also provided. We expect that the data will benefit researchers around the world working in the field of nitrogen modifications of biochar.
Examining the longitudinal influences of age and sources of religious doubt on wellbeing

Latent growth curve models tested associations among age, four sources of religious doubt and emotional wellbeing. Adults (N = 179, men age = 37.9 yrs) completed three waves of data collection over...
Twitter Surveillance at the Intersection of the Triangulum.

Introduction A holistic public health surveillance approach can help capture the public's tobacco and marijuana-related attitudes and behaviors. Using publicly available data from Twitter, this is one of the first studies to describe key topics of discussions related to each intersection (e-cigarette, combustible tobacco, and marijuana) of the Triangulum framework. Method Twitter posts (n=999,447) containing marijuana, e-cigarette and combustible tobacco terms were collected from January 1, 2018, to December 23, 2019. Posts to Twitter with co-occurring mentions of keywords associated with the Triangulum were defined as an intersection (e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco, combustible tobacco and marijuana, e-cigarettes and marijuana, and marijuana, e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco). Text classifiers and unsupervised machine learning was used to identify predominant topics in posts. Results Product Features and Cartridges were commonly referenced at the intersection of e-cigarette and marijuana-related conversations. Blunts and Cigars and Drugs and Alcohol were commonly referenced at the intersection of combustible tobacco and marijuana-related discussions. Flavors and Health Risks were discussed at the intersection of e-cigarette and combustible-related conversations, while discussions about Illicit products and Health risks were key topics of discussion when e-cigarettes, combustible tobacco, and marijuana were referenced all together in a single post. Conclusion By examining intersections of marijuana and tobacco products, this study offers inputs for designing comprehensive FDA regulations including regulating product features associated with appeal, improving enforcement to curb sales of illicit products, and informing the FDA's product review and standards procedures for tobacco products that can be used with marijuana. Implications This study is the first to leverage the Triangulum framework and Twitter data to describe key topics of discussions at the intersection of e-cigarette, combustible tobacco, and marijuana. Real-time health communication interventions can identify Twitter users posting in the context of e-cigarettes, combustible tobacco, and marijuana by automated methods and deliver tailored messages. This study also demonstrates the utility of Twitter data for surveillance of complex and evolving health behaviors.
A Finite-temperature Phase Transition for the Ising Spin-glass in $d\geq 2$

It is believed that the $\pm J$ Ising spin-glass does not order at finite temperatures in dimension $d=2$. However, using a graphical representation and a contour argument, we prove rigorously the existence of a finite-temperature phase transition in $d\geq 2$ with $T_c \geq 0.4$. In the graphical representation, the low-temperature phase allows for the coexistence of multiple infinite clusters each with a rigidly aligned spin-overlap state. These clusters correlate negatively with each other, and are entropically stable without breaking any global symmetry. They can emerge in most graph structures and disorder measures.
Financial Crises and Legislation

Scholars frequently assert that financial legislation in the U.S. is primarily driven by financial crises. This ‘crisis legislation hypothesis’ is often cited as an explanation for various supposed shortcomings of US financial legislation, including that it is ill-conceived and inadequate to the problems it aims to address. Other scholars embrace the hypothesis, but from the perspective that financial crises are the needed impetus to prompt constructive reforms. Despite the prevalence of this hypothesis, however, its threshold assumption—that Congress passes major financial legislation only when financial crises arise—has never been analyzed empirically. This article provides that analysis. We first devise a new system for systematically assessing legislative importance based on the notion of citation indexing, the principal at the heart of algorithms used by modern search engines such as Google. Using a suite of legislative importance metrics, we show that the crisis legislation hypothesis fits strongly for securities laws, but far less so for banking legislation. We conclude, therefore, that reformers would be ill-advised to only push for government interventions in the banking system post-crises, and that those seeking to understand dysfunctions in U.S. bank regulation will need to seek fuller explanations.
Deep Learning-Based Automatic Detection of Ellipsoid Zone Loss in Spectral-Domain OCT for Hydroxychloroquine Retinal Toxicity Screening

Purpose Retinal toxicity resulting from hydroxychloroquine use manifests photoreceptor loss and disruption of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) reflectivity band detectable on spectral-domain (SD) OCT imaging. This study investigated whether an automatic deep learning-based algorithm can detect and quantitate EZ loss on SD OCT images with an accuracy comparable with that of human annotations. Design Retrospective analysis of data acquired in a prospective, single-center, case-control study. Participants Eighty-five patients (168 eyes) who were long-term hydroxychloroquine users (average exposure time, 14 ± 7.2 years). Methods A mask region-based convolutional neural network (M-RCNN) was implemented and trained on individual OCT B-scans. Scan-by-scan detections were aggregated to produce an en face map of EZ loss per 3-dimensional SD OCT volume image. To improve the accuracy and robustness of the EZ loss map, a dual network architecture was proposed that learns to detect EZ loss in parallel using horizontal (horizontal mask region-based convolutional neural network [M-RCNNH]) and vertical (vertical mask region-based convolutional neural network [M-RCNNV]) B-scans independently. To quantify accuracy, 10-fold cross-validation was performed. Main Outcome Measures Precision, recall, intersection over union (IOU), F1-score metrics, and measured total EZ loss area were compared against human grader annotations and with the determination of toxicity based on the recommended screening guidelines. Results The combined projection network demonstrated the best overall performance: precision, 0.90 ± 0.09; recall, 0.88 ± 0.08; and F1 score, 0.89 ± 0.07. The combined model performed superiorly to the M-RCNNH only model (precision, 0.79 ± 0.17; recall, 0.96 ± 0.04; IOU, 0.78 ± 0.15; and F1 score, 0.86 ± 0.12) and M-RCNNV only model (precision, 0.71 ± 0.21; recall, 0.94 ± 0.06; IOU, 0.69 ± 0.21; and F1 score, 0.79 ± 0.16). The accuracy was comparable with the variability of human experts: precision, 0.85 ± 0.09; recall, 0.98 ± 0.01; IOU, 0.82 ± 0.12; and F1 score, 0.91 ± 0.06. Automatically generated en face EZ loss maps provide quantitative SD OCT metrics for accurate toxicity determination combined with other functional testing. Conclusions The algorithm can provide a fast, objective, automatic method for measuring areas with EZ loss and can serve as a quantitative assistance tool to screen patients for the presence and extent of toxicity.
Superlatives in news articles reporting non-FDA approved indications for use of cannabis and cannabis products with a focus on psychiatric disorders: a cross-sectional analysis

The exaggerated language used in news articles to describe the benefits of cannabis for conditions without FDA indications may mislead the public and healthcare providers. Thus, this study's objective was to investigate the use of exaggerated language in news articles focused on cannabis and cannabis-derived products. Using a cross-sectional study design, we searched Google News from March 3, 2020, and September 3, 2019 for 11 prespecified superlative terms along with the search terms "cannabis," "cannabidiol," "pot," "marijuana," "weed," and "CBD." Articles were evaluated for these exaggerative terms describing cannabis and cannabis-derived products along with additional news article characteristics. Screening and data extraction occurred in a masked, duplicate fashion. We identified 612 superlative terms in 374 different news articles focused on cannabis and cannabis-derived products from 262 news outlets. Only 26 (of 374, 7.0%) news articles provided clinical data. In total, superlative terms were used to describe cannabis and cannabis-derived products for the treatment of 91 medical conditions, of which only 2 are FDA approved. The most common psychiatric disorder indicated was anxiety disorder appearing in 88 news articles. Superlatives in news articles covering the treatment of psychiatric illnesses with cannabis and cannabis-derived products are common.
Regulation of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and hydrogenase in Rhodospirillum rubrum: effects of CO and oxygen on synthesis and activity.

Exposure of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum to carbon monoxide led to increased carbon monoxide dehydrogenase and hydrogenase activities due to de novo protein synthesis of both enzymes. Two-dimensional gels of [35S]methionine-pulse-labeled cells showed that induction of CO dehydrogenase synthesis was rapidly initiated (less than 5 min upon exposure to CO) and was inhibited by oxygen. Both CO dehydrogenase and the CO-induced hydrogenase were inactivated by oxygen in vivo and in vitro. In contrast to CO dehydrogenase, the CO-induced hydrogenase was 95% inactivated by heating at 70 degrees C for 5 min. Unlike other hydrogenases, this CO-induced hydrogenase was inhibited only 60% by a 100% CO gas phase. Images
DNA fingerprinting by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping to distinguish Pseudomonas cepacia isolates from a nosocomial outbreak.

We typed 40 isolates of Pseudomonas cepacia obtained from patients involved in a single outbreak using pulsed field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping. All isolates from the majority of the patients, 16 of 18 (89%), were included in a single group. These typing methods should aid in the clarification of the epidemiology of infection with P. cepacia. Images
Nutritional and hormonal regulation of expression of the gene for malic enzyme.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on two lipogenic enzymes: malic enzyme and fatty-acid synthase. Malic enzyme catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of malate to pyruvate, simultaneously generating NADPH from NADP + . Fatty-acid synthase is a multifunctional polypeptide that catalyzes the final reactions in the synthesis of long-chain fatty acids. Macronutrients in the diet, or the products of their digestion in the gut, regulate the secretion of hormones that, in turn, regulate metabolic function in the liver and other organs. The humoral factors that regulate hepatic malic-enzyme activity during the transition between starved and fed states are identified in the chapter. Insulin stimulates and glucagon inhibits fatty-acid synthesis both in vivo and in isolated liver preparations. The activity of hepatic malic enzyme and hepatic lipogenesis are elevated in hyperthyroid animals and decreased in hypothyroid animals. The activity of an enzyme can be regulated by controlling the catalytic efficiency of that enzyme, for example, by allosteric mechanisms or covalent modifications.
Differential Development of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in NZM 2328 Mice Deficient in Discrete Pairs of BAFF Receptors.

Objective To determine the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in NZM 2328 (NZM) mice deficient in 2 BAFF receptors. Methods NZM.BR-3(-/-) .BCMA(-/-) , NZM.BR-3(-/-) .TACI(-/-) , and NZM.BCMA(-/-) .TACI(-/-) mice were evaluated on the clinical, pathologic, serologic, and cellular levels. BAFF receptor expression and lymphocyte phenotype were assessed by flow cytometry, IgG-secreting cells by enzyme-linked immunospot assay, B cell responsiveness to BAFF and generation of Treg cells by in vitro culture, serum BAFF and total IgG and IgG autoantibody levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, renal immunopathology by immunofluorescence and histologic analyses, and clinical disease by assessment of proteinuria and mortality. Results Renal immunopathology and clinical disease were attenuated in NZM.BR-3(-/-) .BCMA(-/-) and NZM.BR-3(-/-) .TACI(-/-) mice but were accelerated in NZM.BCMA(-/-) .TACI(-/-) mice. Accelerated disease was associated with increases in B cells, IgG-secreting cells, serum autoantibody levels, and T cells (especially CD4+ activated memory cells), whereas attenuated disease was associated with reductions in many of these parameters. Serum BAFF levels were increased in all double-deficient NZM mice. Exogenous BAFF promoted the in vitro survival of B cells from NZM.BCMA(-/-) .TACI(-/-) or NZM wild-type mice but not those from NZM.BR-3(-/-) .BCMA(-/-) or NZM.BR-3(-/-) .TACI(-/-) mice. In vitro generation of Treg cells was reduced in NZM.BCMA(-/-) .TACI(-/-) mice, but not in NZM.BR-3(-/-) .BCMA(-/-) or NZM.BR-3(-/-) .TACI(-/-) mice. Conclusion Elimination of B lymphocyte stimulator receptor 3 (BR-3) and TACI or BR-3 and BCMA inhibits the development of SLE in NZM mice. Selective targeting of BR-3 plus TACI or BR-3 plus BCMA may be an efficacious therapeutic approach in human SLE.
Clinical staging of acute bacterial salpingitis and its therapeutic ramifications

The use of single-drug therapy results in an overall 13% to 17% failure rate, and even this figure is misleading, because of the high prevalence of patients with uncomplicated disease. In patients with polymicrobial peritonitis, the failure rate varies between 30% and 60%, depending upon whether Neisseria gonorrhoeae can be concomitantly isolated from the cul-de-sac and the criteria used to define therapeutic cure. THe complexity of disease as we now understand it requires a corresponding degree of therapeutic individualization. In the Gainesville staging, acute salpingitis is subdivided into five stages. Stage I is acute endometritis-salpingitis without peritonitis. Stage II is salpingitis with peritonitis. Stage III is acute salpingitis with superimposed tubal occlusion or tuboovarian complex. Stage IV is where a tuboovarian abscess has ruptured. Stage V is a repository category for different etiologic agents which may emulate acute salpingitis, i.e., Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Each stage of disease differs by virtue of its therapeutic goal and the means by which this goal is achieved.
Enhancing the Pre- and Postcondition Technique for More Expressive Specifications

We describe enhancements to the pre- and postcondition technique that help specifications convey information more effectively. Some enhancements allow one to specify redundant information that can be used in "debugging" specifications. For instance, adding examples to a specification gives redundant information that may aid some readers, and can also be used to help ensure that the specification says what is intended. Other enhancements allow improvements in frame axioms for object-oriented (OO) procedures, better treatments of exceptions and inheritance, and improved support for incompletely-specified types. Many of these enhancements were invented by other authors, but are not widely known. They have all been integrated into Larch/C++, a Larch-style behavioral interface specification language for C++. However, such enhancements could also be used to make other specification languages more effective tools for communication.
Neutron Stars, X-Rays, and Gravitational Waves

Bright X-ray sources in our galaxy include ~100 accreting neutron star binaries. Accretion torque models explain spinup observed in binary pulsars (with magnetic fields 1012–1013 gauss) and predict that the shortest spin period reached by this process decreases as the magnetic field decreases. Systems where no pulses have been seen are candidates for millisecond binary X-ray pulsars. Period searches have set limits on millisecond pulsed flux in the range of 0.1% – 1%. Current upper limits can be interpreted in terms of known effects that minimize pulsed fraction and reduce detectability, but residual pulsation at lower levels is still expected. The way to reach these levels is with a proposed 100 m2 instrument, called XLA, that could be mounted on the NASA Space Station. XLA is a general purpose instrument having many applications besides pulsar searching. In some binaries the limit on the spin period of the star may not be set by the magnetic field but by the physics of rotating equilibrium configurations. A gravitational radiation reaction instability can produce a X-ray/gravitational wave pulsar. Discovering the X-ray pulsar with XLA would permit a gravitational wave antenna to be tuned resonantly to the frequency found in X-rays.
30-Day Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes of Prolonged Minimally Invasive Kidney Procedures Compared with Shorter Open Procedures: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Analysis

Abstract Background and Purpose: Prolonged operative time (ORT) is often considered a drawback to minimally invasive surgery (MIS) because of increased morbidity. Limited data exist comparing long laparoscopic ORT with similar or shorter open ORT. This study aims to identify ORT when a minimally invasive procedure becomes inferior to its open counterpart. Methods: Minimally invasive and open total and partial nephrectomies and nephroureterectomies were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) from 2005 to 2012. Procedures were split into open and minimally invasive nephrectomy and then stratified into four ORT groups: 0 to 90 minutes, 91 minutes to 3 hours, 3 to 6 hours, and ≥6 hours. Thirty-day mortality and morbidity were analyzed. Univariate analysis was performed using chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Significant univariate results were then tested using stepwise logistic regression, controlling for demographics, comorbidities, and preoperative treatments. Results: The...
The Natural Environment as a Spiritual Resource: A Theory of Regional Variation in Religious Adherence

A region’s natural environment has profound social effects for an area. Previous work has connected the environment to tourism, migration rates, community attachment, and economic outcomes. In this article, we explore how nature may impact the religious structuring of a region. Specifically, we investigate if beautiful landscapes and good weather—what scholars call “natural amenities”—could be spiritual resources used by the population to connect with the sacred. We hypothesize that the environment, as a spiritual resource, would compete with more traditional religious organizations. Thus, we expect that regions with higher levels of natural amenities would experience lower rates of religious adherence. To test our hypothesis, we use spatial econometric modeling techniques to analyze data from the Religious Congregations and Membership Study, United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. County Business Patterns, and the Census. Results show that counties with higher levels of natural amenities have lower rates of adherence to traditional religious organizations.
A new competitor for the West's scarce water

Environmental factors have become key considerations in the scramble for scarce water supplies in the western U.S., alongside traditional users such as agriculture, municipalities, and industry. “In the last few years, the environmental demand for water for wildlife maintenance, fisheries, and water quality has been strengthened by a series of court rulings, legal interpretations, and societal pressure reflecting a renewed commitment to environmental quality,” according to David Brookshire, economist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
When kids' toys breach mobile phone security

Touch-based verification --- the use of touch gestures (e.g., swiping, zooming, etc.) to authenticate users of touch screen devices --- has recently been widely evaluated for its potential to serve as a second layer of defense to the PIN lock mechanism. In all performance evaluations of touch-based authentication systems however, researchers have assumed naive (zero-effort) forgeries in which the attacker makes no effort to mimic a given gesture pattern.In this paper we demonstrate that a simple "Lego" robot driven by input gleaned from general population swiping statistics can generate forgeries that achieve alarmingly high penetration rates against touch-based authentication systems. Using the best classification algorithms in touch-based authentication, we rigorously explore the effect of the attack, finding that it increases the Equal Error Rates of the classifiers by between 339% and 1004% depending on parameters such as the failure-to-enroll threshold and the type of touch stroke generated by the robot. The paper calls into question the zero-effort impostor testing approach used to benchmark the performance of touch-based authentication systems.
Gap junction protein tissue distribution and abundance in the adult brain in drosophila

The distribution of gap junction (GJ) protein in Drosophila tissues and developmental stages was determined by probing immuno-blots with an anti-Drosophila GJ protein antibody (R2AP18). All tissues and developmental stages examined contained 18, 24 or 72 kD GJ protein. GJ protein was notably abundant in immuno-blots of homogenates of adult brain tissue. This was confirmed by the direct visualization of GJs in thin sections of adult brain by electron microscopy. GJs were particularly large and numerous between glial cells in the optic lobes and peripheral glial sheath. R2AP18 reactivity was used to identify GJ protein in immunoblots of cell fractions from isolated adult heads. The final GJ-enriched pellets, derived by extracting crude membrane fractions with urea and N-lauroyl sarcosine, contained GJs with reduced profile widths (13-15 nm vs 16-18 nm for native GJs) and which, unlike native GJs in the crude membrane fractions, were immuno-labelled by R2AP18. Immuno-blots of the urea-sarcosine extracted GJ pellets and supernatant contained higher molecular weight R2AP18 immuno-reactive proteins in addition to the 18 kD form which was present in the tissue homogenate and crude membrane fractions. The results confirm previous observations that urea-sarcosine causes alterations in GJ structure and suggest that urea-sarcosine treatment exposes antigenic determinant(s) which are unavailable for R2AP18 binding in non-extracted native GJs. The abundance of GJs in the adult brain and the relatively simple R2AP18 staining patterns in immuno-blots of GJ-enriched fractions from isolated adult heads suggest that this tissue will be useful for further biochemical and molecular studies of GJs in Drosophila.
Focal-Plane Tomography Image Reconstruction

Two different tomographic scanning instruments have been interfaced to a digital computer. Digital backprojection is used to produce multiple tomographic images of radioactive distributions. Backprojection results in blur artifacts due to off-plane contributions which obscures the detail in images. The method of Chang, Macdonald, and Perez-Mendez has been applied to phantom data from both instruments, resulting in substantial blur removal and improved signal-to-noise ratios. Clinical images derived from digital back-projection of data from the Searle PHO/CON-192 Multiplane Imager are presented and compared with images from the Searle Microdot imager.
Canonical models for a class of polynomially convex hulls

We use holomorphic motions and Beltrami equation to study a class of polynomially convex hulls in ℂ2 with Jordan fibers over the disc D. It is shown that every such hull is biholomorphically equivalent to a unique (up to suitable normalisation) canonical model. These models are the hulls whose complements in D×ℂmacr; are biholomorphic to a bidisc and are further characterized in terms of capacity of the fibers, Green’s function, pseudoconcavity and approximability by (very) special analytic polyhedra.
Self-segregating materials for immersion lithography

In this paper, we employ the self-segregating materials approach used in topcoat-free resists for water immersion lithography to extend the performance of topcoat materials for water immersion and to increase the contact angles of organic fluids on topcoat-free resists for high index immersion lithography. By tailoring polymers that segregate to the air and resist interfaces of the topcoat, high contact angle topcoats with relatively low fluorine content are achieved. While graded topcoats may extend the performance and/or reduce the cost of topcoat materials, the large amount of unprotected acidic groups necessary for TMAH development prevent them from achieving the high contact angles and low hysteresis exhibited by topcoat-free resists. Another application of this self-segregating approach is tailoring resist surfaces for high index immersion. Due to the low surface tension and higher viscosities of organic fluids relative to water and their lower contact angles on most surfaces, film pulling cannot be prevented without dramatically reducing wafer scan rates; however, tuning the surface energy of the resist may be important to control stain morphology and facilitate fluid removal from the wafer. By tailoring fluoropolymer additives for high contact angles with second generation organic high index immersion fluids, we show herein that topcoat-free resists can be developed specifically for high index immersion lithography with good contact angles and lithographic imaging performance.
Subgridding with domain overriding for FDTD

The numerical simulation of electromagnetic problems often requires the use of meshes of varying sizes to capture fine geometric details locally, especially when it is computationally prohibitive to use an overall fine grid. This strategy, when based upon structured meshes, is often referred to as subgridding. We present a new methodology based on overlapped grids and domain overriding to study and optimize the reflection properties and stability of subgridding schemes. We override the subgridding region using embedded perfectly matched layers (PML) to control the direction of wave propagation. We show that subgridded interfaces have reflection properties which are analogous to the reflection of the embedded PMLs, thus it is explicitly controllable by changing the PML parameters.
Physical Examination of the Diaphragm by the Speech-Language Pathologist

A protocol is presented for use by the speech-language pathologist in conducting a physical examination of the diaphragm. Five clusters of performance activities are used to reveal the nature and d...
Possibilities and challenges in occupational injury surveillance of day laborers.

BACKGROUND: Day laborers in the US, comprised largely of undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America, suffer high rates of occupational injury according to recent estimates. Adequate surveillance methods for this highly transient, largely unregulated group do not currently exist. This study explores chart abstraction of hospital-based trauma registry records as a potential injury surveillance method for contingent workers and day laborers. We sought to determine the degree of completeness of work information in the medical records, and to identify day laborers and contingent workers to the extent possible. METHODS: Work-related injury cases from a hospital-based trauma registry (2001-2006) were divided by ethnicity (Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic origin) and presence of social security number (SSN: yes, no), resulting in four groups of cases. Medical records were abstracted for 40 cases from each group; each case was assigned values for the variables "day labor status" (yes, no, probably not, probable, unknown) and "employment type" (contingent, formal, unknown). RESULTS: Work information was missing for 60% of Hispanic cases lacking SSN, as compared with 33-47% of the other three groups. One "probable" day laborer was identified from the same group. Non-Hispanics with SSN were less frequently identified as contingent workers (5% as compared with 15-19%). CONCLUSIONS: This method revealed severe limitations, including incomplete and inconsistent information in the trauma registry and medical records. Approaches to improve existing resources for use in surveillance systems are identified. The potential of an active surveillance approach at day labor hiring centers is also briefly discussed. Language: en
Selective attention to specific location cues: the peak and center of a patch are equally accessible as location cues.

Asymmetric patterns have several spatially distinct cues for spatial localization. These cues include the peak of the luminance distribution, the centroid of the contrast distribution, zero-crossings in the second derivative of the luminance profile, and the midpoint of the visible area. If these cues are represented as primitives in the visual system, the observer should be able to access them at will. To examine whether observers can selectively attend to particular cues, we measured perceived alignment for an asymmetric pattern with two distinct instructions: “align the peak”, and “align the center”. We found that observers could align the patterns in accord with the instructions with identical precision, suggesting that the peak and the center cues were equally accessible by the observer. We conclude that multiple localization cues are represented in and can be selectively accessed by the visual system.
Efficient transaction support for dynamic information retrieval systems

To properly handle concurrent accesses to documents by updates and queries in information retrieval (IR) systems, efforts are on to integrate IR features with database management system (DBMS) features. However, initial research has revealed that DBMS features optimized for traditional databases, display degraded performance while handling text databases. Since efficiency is critical in IR systems, infrastructural extensions are necessary for several DBMS features, transaction support being one of them. This paper focuses on developing efficient transaction support for IR systems where updates and queries arrive $dynamically$, by exploiting the data characteristics of the indexes as well as of the queries and updates that access the indexes. Results of performance tests on a prototype system demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithms.
A conceptual framework for the development of theories-in-action with open-ended learning environments

Open-ended learning involves learning processes that are mediated by the unique intentions and purposes of individuals. Open-ended learning environments (OELEs) have been touted to support the building and evolving processes associated with self-directed learning. OELEs provide technological tools and resources for manipulating and exploring concepts. Whereas previous research has provided descriptions of OELE designs and case studies, little insight exists as to the processes used by learners to build and evolve their understanding. This paper describes a rationale for, and conceptual framework of, learning via open-ended environments.
The failure of stimulus-reinforcement spatial discontiguity to influence performance under optimal conditions of stimulus sampling

Under physical conditions which optimize the S’s visual sampling of color discriminanda, monkeys appear to be little influenced by varying degrees of stimulus-reinforcement spatial discontiguity. These results are interpreted as supporting and extending the stimulus sampling explanation of spatial discontiguity effects first proposed for the observed indirect relationship between performance and stimulus-response spatial contiguity.