cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations between positive emotional well-being and stress-induced myocardial ischemia: Well-being scores predict exercise-induced ischemia

Abstract Objective Depressive symptoms have been associated with myocardial ischemia induced by mental (MSIMI) and exercise (ESIMI) stress in clinically stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients, but the association between positive emotions and inducible ischemia is less well characterized. The objective of this study was to examine the associations between ratings of well-being and stress-induced ischemia. Methods Subjects were adult patients with documented IHD underwent mental and exercise stress testing for the Responses of Myocardial Ischemia to Escitalopram Treatment (REMIT) trial. The General Well-Being Schedule (GWBS), with higher scores reflecting greater subjective well-being, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) were obtained from the REMIT participants. Echocardiography was used to measure ischemic responses to mental stress and Bruce protocol treadmill exercise testing. Data were analyzed using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, resting left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and resting wall motion score index, as well as health-related behaviors. Results GWBS scores were obtained for 210 individuals, with MSIMI present in 92 (43.8%) and ESIMI present in 64 (30.5%). There was a significant inverse correlation between GWBS-PE (Positive Emotion subscale) scores and probability of ESIMI (OR = 0.55 (95%CI 0.36–0.83), p = 0.005). This association persisted after additional control for CESD subscales measuring negative and positive emotions and for variables reflecting health-related behaviors. A similar inverse correlation between GWBS-PE and MSIMI was observed, but did not reach statistical significance (OR = 0.81 (95%CI 0.54–1.20), p = 0.28). Conclusion This is, to our knowledge, the first study demonstrating that greater levels of self-reported positive emotions are associated with a lower likelihood of ESIMI among patients with known IHD. Our results highlight the important interface functions of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems and underscore areas for future investigation.
Effects of Spray Surfactant and Particle Charge on Respirable Coal Dust Capture

Abstract Background Surfactant-containing water sprays are commonly used in coal mines to collect dust. This study investigates the dust collection performance of different surfactant types for a range of coal dust particle sizes and charges. Methods Bituminous coal dust aerosol was generated in a wind tunnel. The charge of the aerosol was either left unaltered, charge-neutralized with a neutralizer, or positively- or negatively-charged using a diffusion charger after the particles were neutralized. An anionic, cationic, or nonionic surfactant spray or a plain water spray was used to remove the particles from the air flow. Some particles were captured while passing through spray section, whereas remaining particles were charge-separated using an electrostatic classifier. Particle size and concentration of the charge-separated particles were measured using an aerodynamic particle sizer. Measurements were made with the spray on and off to calculate overall collection efficiencies (integrated across all charge levels) and efficiencies of particles with specific charge levels. Results The diameter of the tested coal dust aerosol was 0.89 μm ± 1.45 [geometric mean ± geometric standard deviations (SD)]. Respirable particle mass was collected with 75.5 ± 5.9% (mean ± SD) efficiency overall. Collection efficiency was correlated with particle size. Surfactant type significantly impacted collection efficiency: charged particle collection by nonionic surfactant sprays was greater than or equal to collection by other sprays, especially for weakly-charged aerosols. Particle charge strength was significantly correlated with collection efficiency. Conclusion Surfactant type affects charged particle spray collection efficiency. Nonionic surfactant sprays performed well in coal dust capture in many of the tested conditions.
Pain after Percutaneous Irreversible Electroporation of Renal Tumors Is Not Dependent on Tumor Location

Abstract Introduction: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal minimally invasive technique that is used to treat small renal masses (SRMs). Prior work has demonstrated greater narcotic requirements after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for tumors that are closer to body-wall musculature. We hypothesized that pain after IRE is not dependent on tumor location due to the athermal mechanistic action. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 50 consecutive percutaneous IRE and RFA cases was performed from 2013 to 2014. Eight patients were excluded from analysis due to incomplete anesthesia record and/or multiple ablations per session, leaving 21 patients in each group. Data collected included patient age, sex, body mass index, nephrometry score, shortest distance to the closest body-wall muscle, perioperative narcotic use, and patient-reported pain score. Pearson correlation test and multivariable linear regression were used to identify predictors of postoperative pain, with significance set...
Addressing the Challenges of Palliative Care for Homeless Veterans

Background:Veterans who nearing the end of life (EOL) in unstable housing are not adequately served by current palliative care or homeless programs.Methods:Multidisciplinary focus groups, interviews with community and Veterans Affairs (VA) leaders and with 29 homeless veterans were conducted in five cities. A forum of national palliative and homelessness care leaders (n=5) and representatives from each focus group (n=10), then convened. The forum used Nominal Group Process to suggest improvements in EOL care for veterans without homes. Modified Delphi Process was used to consolidate and prioritize recommendations during two subsequent tele-video conferences. Qualitative content analysis drew on meeting transcripts and field notes.Results:The Forum developed 12 recommendations to address the following barriers: (1) Declining health often makes independent living or plans to abstain impossible, but housing programs usually require functional independence and sobriety. (2) Managing symptoms within the homele...
The relationship between burden of childhood disease and foreign aid for child health.

We sought to examine the relationship between child specific health aid (CHA) and burden of disease. Based on existing evidence, we hypothesized that foreign aid for child health would not be proportional to burden of disease. In order to examine CHA and burden of disease, we obtained estimates of these parameters from established sources. Estimates of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in children (0–5 years) were obtained from the World Health Organization for 2000 and 2012. The 10 most burdensome disease categories in each continent, excluding high-income countries, were identified for study. Descriptions of all foreign aid commitments between 1996 and 2009 were obtained from AidData, and an algorithm to designate the target diseases of the commitments was constructed. Data were examined in scatterplots for trends. The most burdensome childhood diseases varied by continent. In all continents, newborn diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases (lower respiratory diseases, measles, meningitis, tetanus, and pertussis), and diarrheal diseases ranked within the four most burdensome diseases. Infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV were also among the ten most burdensome diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, and non-communicable diseases were associated with much of the burden in the other continents. CHA grew from $7.4 billion in 1996 to $17.7 billion in 2009 for our study diseases. Diarrheal diseases and malnutrition received the most CHA as well as the most CHA per DALY. CHA directed at HIV increased dramatically over our study period, from $227,000 in 1996 to $3.4 billion in 2008. Little aid was directed at injuries such as drowning, car accidents, and fires, as well as complex medical diseases such as leukemia and endocrine disorders. CHA has grown significantly over the last two decades. There is no clear relationship between CHA and burden of disease. This report provides a description of foreign aid for child health, and hopes to inform policy and decision-making regarding foreign aid.
Notes on Paleozoic Acritarchs from the Atlantic Margins

Abstract Stratigraphically useful acritarch assemblages of Atlantic margins have been described from Ordovician rocks of Europe and North Africa; Silurian of Europe, North Africa, and North America; Devonian of Europe, North and South America; Carboniferous of North America, Europe, and North Africa; and Permian of Europe, North Africa, and North America.
Designing for Collocated Couples

Though the design of technologies for couples has been thriving for well over a decade now, the products made for and the needs of couples examined in HCI research are surprisingly narrow. Overwhelmingly they are for partners at a distance and lightweight interactions that can best be described as abstracted presence. Towards moving couples technologies into broader waters and guiding exploration of the many other facets of couplehood, we propose an expanded couples design space that includes technologies for local partners and deep interpersonal sharing—hitherto underexplored design concerns. We then show that the creation of these new spaces can be motivated by the needs of couples as characterized by couples experts and present an example of a new technology that embodies these. Finally, we draw from experience with couples in the field to identify research and design considerations regarding gender, power, values, and ethics.
A Survey of the Amphibians of Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina and Georgia

From 2004 to 2006, we used a variety of sampling techniques to survey the amphibians of Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR), a large protected area straddling the lower portions of the Savannah River on the border between South Carolina and Georgia. We documented 22 amphibian species—15 frogs and 7 salamanders—with a possible 23rd species present. Species richness was lower than what might be expected from amphibian field guides of species inhabiting the adjacent Coastal Plain, likely due to a lack of specialized habitats, such as temporary ponds and upland pine forest. Amphibians occupied a variety of habitats and appeared tolerant of the mildly acidic and low-oxygen conditions of many of the wetlands. Although additional species may be found at SNWR, this initial survey provides a historic baseline for monitoring amphibian populations as areas adjacent to the refuge are disturbed, the climate changes, and multi-use management objectives are implemented within refuge boundaries.
Novel Therapeutics in Bipolar Disorder

Existing pharmacological treatments for bipolar disorder have demonstrated insufficient efficacy, delayed onset of action, and significant side effects. Emerging evidence suggest that rapid antidepressant activity can be achieved in humans, and findings from the use of glutamatergic and anticholinergic drugs, for instance, reveal promising results. In the present article, we review evidence supporting the use of novel therapies in bipolar disorder, with focus on drugs acting in the glutamatergic system. In addition, anticholinergic drugs, melatonergic agonists, glucocorticoid modulators, and mechanistically diverse anti-inflammatory agents will be briefly discussed. While preliminary findings on novel therapies for bipolar disorder are encouraging, current evidence is still insufficient to support extensive use of these drugs routinely. Long-term safety, tolerability, and efficacy remain unclear; several clinical trials are underway and may add clarity to these questions. Early detection and prompt intervention have the potential to decelerate illness progression and lessen the burden associated with bipolar disorder; thus, novel therapies with rapid and sustained clinical benefits are urgent.
Optical quantification of placenta oxygenation with ultrasound integrated frequency-domain NIRS

We built a heterodyne frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) instrument integrated with ultrasound for investigation of placenta physiology. The instrument was characterized and first measurements quantified placenta vascular oxygenation in healthy human subjects.
A theory for Log-Space and NLIN versus coNLIN

The use of Nepomnjasciǐ's Theorem in the proofs of independence results for bounded arithmetic theories is investigated. Using this result and similar ideas, it is shown that at least one of S 1 or TLS does not prove the Matiyasevich-Robinson-Davis-Putnam Theorem. It is also established that TLS does not prove a statement that roughly means nondeterministic linear time is equal to co-nondeterministic linear time. Here S 1 is a conservative extension of the well-studied theory I Δ 0 and TLS is a theory for LOGSPACE reasoning.
Rape Typology and the Coping Behavior of Rape Victims

To understand rape from the victim’s point of view, we spent a year talking with all rape victims admitted to the emergency floors of the Boston City Hospital. It became clear in our conversations that rape is an act initiated by the assailant, and that it is not primarily a sexual act but an act of violence. We learned that it was very important to the victims how their assailants gained access to them, that is, the mode of attack. We therefore analyzed all these cases, whether adult, adolescent, or child victims, and we developed a typology of rape based on the assailant’s method of attack. The two main styles were (1) the blitz rape and (2) the confidence rape.
Celebrating the Challenge of Cardiac Arrhythmias

The field of cardiac arrhythmias has matured dramatically over the past 15 years, initially spurred on by the studies performed on the genetics of arrhythmia disorders. Once the genetic basis of disorders such as the long QT syndrome (LQTS) and Brugada syndrome (BrS) was discovered to occur due to disruption in ion channel encoding genes, basic electrophysiologists joined the fray, opening up a new area of study with significant clinical relevance. This book is a result of such bedside-to-bench collaboration.
Design of a δ opioid peptide mimetic based on a topographically constrained cyclic enkephalin

A major goal in modern drug research is the ability to design de novo a non-peptide mimetic of the pharmacophore of a conformationally constrained receptor selective peptide hormone or neurotransmitter agonist for a 7-transmembrane G-linked receptor with high potency, selectivity and agonist efficacy. Thus far success has been very limited, since there is still much to learn about the structure, conformation, topography, and dynamics related to agonist activity at receptors [1]. For example, it is not clear that any of the many putative non-peptide structure mimetics or scaffolds [e.g. 2, 3] for peptide secondary structure (β-sheets, β-turns, etc.) actually can mimic the specific stereoelectronic, topographic and dynamic (e.g. α-helix-coil-β-sheet interconversion) properties of a peptide that may be critical in their agonist biological activities. On the other hand, a great deal of success has been realized in designing peptidomimetics that, although greatly modified structurally and topographically from the natural peptide agonist ligand, nonetheless retain many of the stereoelectronic and functional groups of peptides [e.g. 4, 5], as well as their agonist activities. Indeed, it is not clear what kinds of non-peptide scaffolds can be used to design ligands that can mimic the secondary structure, topography, and stereoelectronic properties of a peptide necessary for agonist activity. To help evaluate which conformationally flexible scaffolds may be used to mimic peptide agonist pharmacophores, we have used a highly potent, receptor selective, conformationally and topographically constrained peptidomimetic, computational chemistry and molecular modeling to design a non-peptide ligand that could mimic the major proposed pharmacophore elements. Based on these studies we have designed and synthesized a non-peptide mimetic of a δ receptor selective opioid ligand with high potency and selectivity similar to the peptide ligand on which it was based, but with low efficacy.
Deconstructive diversification of cyclic amines

Deconstructive functionalization involves carbon-carbon (C-C) bond cleavage followed by bond construction on one or more of the constituent carbons. For example, ozonolysis1 and olefin metathesis2,3 have allowed each carbon in C=C double bonds to be viewed as a functional group. Despite the substantial advances in deconstructive functionalization involving the scission of C=C double bonds, there are very few methods that achieve C(sp3)-C(sp3) single-bond cleavage and functionalization, especially in relatively unstrained cyclic systems. Here we report a deconstructive strategy to transform saturated nitrogen heterocycles such as piperidines and pyrrolidines, which are important moieties in bioactive molecules, into halogen-containing acyclic amine derivatives through sequential C(sp3)-N and C(sp3)-C(sp3) single-bond cleavage followed by C(sp3)-halogen bond formation. The resulting acyclic haloamines are versatile intermediates that can be transformed into various structural motifs through substitution reactions. In this way we achieve the skeletal remodelling of cyclic amines, an example of scaffold hopping. We demonstrate this deconstructive strategy by the late-stage diversification of proline-containing peptides.
Metaethical Agnosticism: Practical Reasons for Acting When Agnostic About the Existence of Moral Reasons

There has been little discussion about how to act when uncertain about the existence of moral reasons in general. In this paper I will argue that despite being uncertain about the existence of moral reasons, someone can still have a practical reason to act in a particular way (under certain conditions). This practical reason is morally relevant because it will have an impact on whether we’re making the correct moral decision (if there is a correct moral decision). This practical reason will result from a principle of decision-making that can be used when someone is agnostic about the existence of moral reasons (‘metaethical agnosticism’). The aims of this paper include explicitly beginning the discussion about this topic and advocating for a principle of moral decision-making that can be used despite being metaethically agnostic.
Morphological and Behavioral Correlates of Long-Term Bird Survival in Selectively Logged Forest

The response of biodiversity to land-use change has been a central focus in applied ecological research for close to half a century. However, despite a vast body of literature, our understanding of how species traits influence demographic vital rates in anthropogenically-modified habitats is remarkably scant. Such an understanding is crucial because vital rates determine population viability in modified habitats, and underlie emergent occupancy, abundance and community-level patterns. I use 5,298 captures of 3,310 individuals of 20 species across seven years to test how four traits—(a) inherent survival, (b) body size, (c) social behaviour, and (d) migratory strategy—influence annual survival in selectively logged versus intact forest in tropical montane eastern Himalayan birds. In general, variation in body mass and alternative behavioural strategies (e.g., mixed-species flocking versus solitary behaviour) were not associated with survival differences in intact forest. However, species with high inherent survival, year-round residents, and species that did not participate in mixed-species flocks had appreciably lower survival in logged forest compared with intact forest. Solitary foragers, for instance, faced a 30% decline in survival in logged forest compared with intact forest. Non-migratory habit and solitary foraging behaviour might make species vulnerable to extinction in logged forest through reduced survival, an especially important process in influencing population viability. Identifying how species’ traits modulate their response to land-use change by altering survival rates is crucial to predict species responses to forest modification, and to better plan and manage biodiversity-friendly forest use.
Genetic testing patterns for homologous recombination repair (HRR) alterations in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC): An assessment at the University of Rochester (UR).

322Background: Germline and somatic HRR alterations are present in 12% and 20% of patients with mPC, respectively, and can have treatment implications. NCCN guidelines recommend offering genetic te...
»Mimesiseffekt« oder »Was-Gehalt des Dargestellten«? Zur Funktion des Mimesis-Begriffs bei Gadamer und Genette

The article explores the interrelationship between Hans-Georg Gadamer’s and Gerard Genette’s application of Plato’s concept of mimesis. At first sight, Gadamer’s hermeneutical aesthetics and Genette’s structuralist narratology seem to have nothing in common. Whereas Gadamer believes in an ontological foundation of aesthetic experience, Genette only pays attention to the linguistic structure of a text. Even the way in which they approach Plato’s theory of mimesis could not be more different. Gadamer denies Plato’s notion of mimesis as bad imitation and defines mimesis as representation; in contrast to this, Genette acknowledges Platos’s distinction between diegesis as narrative and mimesis as imitation. Nevertheless, both theoretical approaches share a rather vague and metaphorical usage of mimesis that is mainly concerned with the relationship between the form and the content of mimetic representation. I will argue that Gadamer’s and Genette’s concepts of mimesis can be read as reciprocal commentaries on each other which illuminate their own rhetorical strategies.
Data Analytics Enabled Smart Manufacturing Business Model Transformation – A Product-Service Systems Perspective

Smart manufacturing is developed mostly in technology-driven engineering fields. Data analytics transforms many data-driven and digital industries. This chapter studies the role of data analytics in smart manufacturing business model transformation based on product-service systems perspective.
Asymmetrically Arranged 8-Core Fibers with Center Core Suitable for Side-View Alignment in Datacenter Networks

Eight-core multicore fiber with the center core and a cladding diameter of 125 μm is designed and fabricated. Side-view alignment with core identification is realized owing to asymmetrically core arrangement for the first time.
Transitions from State “Socialism” in Southeast Asia

This chapter explains the way Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam underwent transitions from state socialism following the Cold War, and why this has involved only very limited economic and political liberalisation. It shows that the privatisation of public land, natural resources and state-owned enterprises and the opening of closed economies to foreign investment provided opportunities for elite coalitions of state, business and military actors to sustain authoritarian regimes. Thanks to Cold War legacies and ongoing authoritarian repression, civil society has proved unable to effectively contest this. Where protests have occurred, they have been relatively feeble, with slogans recalling the nationalist rhetoric of the past. However, widening inequality, ongoing disruptive infrastructure schemes, and a burgeoning young population are long-term trends that portend future legitimacy struggles.
Bistable PiezoMEMS Energy Harvester with varying Magnetic Configurations

Bistable energy harvesting devices using magnetic repulsive forces have demonstrated the capability of widening the bandwidth, but at the expense of decreasing power. This paper reports on experimental results combining repulsive and attractive magnetic force configurations on a PiezoMEMS cantilever device. The goal of the study was to determine if varying magnetic configuration could enhance power density while widening the bandwidth. The paper investigates both in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic configuration using an AlN-based PiezoMEMS device with an embedded powdered NdFeB magnet as the mass. Results for the out-of-plane configuration using combination of attractive and repulsive forces demonstrated a significant power increase from (0.56 $\mu$ W to 0.93 $\mu$ W) without significant loss in bandwidth compared to repulsive force configuration. Attractive force configuration demonstrated a significant increase in power (3.73 $\mu$ W) but with significant bandwidth reduction. Thus, controlling magnetic polarization can be used to tailor the bandwidth and power density requirements.
“Church Is Important to Our Clients”: Autonomy, Community, and Religious Expression within a Long-term Care Organization:

Autonomy and selfhood are primary concerns for scholars of long-term care. Previous work has shown how organizational routines threaten client autonomy and disrupt access to the material and symbol...
HIV Stigma: A Clinical Provider Sample in the Southern U.S

Abstract Purpose Dimensions of HIV Stigma perceptions have not been examined in medical providers in the southern U.S. This study examined the prediction of HIV knowledge on multiple dimensions of stigma beliefs. Methods We assessed clinical staff (N = 153) in rural clinics (2017) HIV stigma beliefs and knowledge. Using multiple regression, we examined the ability of knowledge to predict stigma beliefs organized into meaningful dimensions. Results There was high variability in HIV knowledge among the medical professionals surveyed with a score of 70/100 (i.e., a ‘C’). Of the five stigma factors explored, only two had a score greater than 80 (ie., a ‘B’ score on the ‘test’). Controlling for demographic factors, there was a significant effect of HIV Knowledge on Discrimination (F (4,146) = 2.02, p = 0.03), Prejudice (F (4,146) = 2.13, p = 0.04), Service Provision (F (4,145) = 2.30. p = 0.02), and Perceived Risk in Practice (F (4,91) = 5.75, p Conclusions The relatively low knowledge score and link between knowledge and stigma beliefs indicated a need for continued basic HIV education. Increased education around HIV risk is critical in the eradication of HIV given the link between high stereotyping beliefs and low testing rate.
Hands-on Undergraduate Labs on Anonymity Cryptographic Algorithms

This is an innovative practice full paper. In past projects, we have successfully used a private TOR (anonymity network) platform that enabled our students to explore the end-to-end inner workings of the TOR anonymity network through a number of controlled hands-on lab assignments. These have saisfied the needs of curriculum focusing on networking functions and algorithms. To be able to extend the use and application of the private TOR platform into cryptography courses, there is a desperate need to enhance the platform to allow the development of hands-on lab assignments on the cryptographic algorithms and methods utilized in the creation of TOR secure connections and end-to-end circuits for anonymity.In tackling this challenge, and since TOR is open source software, we identify the cryptographic functions called by the TOR algorithms in the process of establishing TLS connections and creating end-to-end TOR circuits as well tearing them down. We instrumented these functions with the appropriate code to log the cryptographic keys dynamically created at all nodes involved in the creation of the end to end circuit between the Client and the exit relay (connected to the target server).We implemented a set of pedagogical lab assignments on a private TOR platform and present them in this paper. Using these assignments, students are able to investigate and validate the cryptographic procedures applied in the establishment of the initial TLS connection, the creation of the first leg of a TOR circuit, as well as extending the circuit through additional relays (at least two relays). More advanced assignments are created to challenge the students to unwrap the traffic sent from the Client to the exit relay at all onion skin layers and compare it with the actual traffic delivered to the target server.
Could Minecraft Be a School

Traditional criterion-referenced assessment scores have stayed flat for decades in the USA. This flies in the face of decades’ worth of work to rewrite and reinvigorate pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment. Naturally, educators and policymakers continue the push for not only higher test scores but also meaningful work for students. The following words are commonly used when discussing school: engaged, interested, passionate, student-centered, inquiry-driven, project-based, game-based, critical-minded, collaborative, globally conscious, and constructivist. These words come from decades of research and development of best practices focused on making schools for students rather than for educators. Many plans for successful pilot programs exist for how to create the best alternative schools for students, yet traditional schools and assessments dominate the options available. Since 2009, Minecraft has dominated the imagination and interest of students and educators alike, for its unique immersive environment enables educators to employ a variety of internationally recognized best practices. Minecraft is likely incorrectly categorized as a video game. Rather, it is an open sandbox computer-based platform where players can think and build in three dimensions, combine traditionally segregated content areas, collaborate in real time with many people, explore concepts found in traditional curricula, learn and use programming, and freely develop ideas guided by creative imagination and academic inquiry. Lately, a surge of interest in Minecraft: Education Edition has led to new globally spread efforts to once again rewrite and reinvigorate pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment. But what would happen if these efforts pushed even further beyond the lesson, the unit, or the classroom to think of Minecraft as a school? This revision could disrupt many reliable fixtures: class rosters created by subject matter, student age, student achievement level; class time usage and meetings; summative assessments; and the use of last year’s worksheet. With a multitiered simultaneous focus on critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity when engaged in Minecraft, what could school become? What are the transdisciplinary implications of this game-based learning environment?
On Generalized Inverses and Operator Ranges

Aspects of the theory of operator ranges, factorization and range inclusion are brought to bear on some operator and approximation-theoretic problems for generalized inverses on infinite dimensional Banach and Hilbert spaces. Several criteria are given for an operator to have a bounded outer inverse with infinite rank. It is also shown using one of these criteria that the set of all bounded linear operators with a bounded outer inverse is open. The set of all bounded linear operators with a bounded inner inverse is dense in the space of all bounded linear operators. Comments on related topics in generalized inverse operator theory and some open problems are given.
Dosimetric assessment of rigid setup error by CBCT for HN-IMRT

Dose distributions in HN-IMRT are complex and may be sensitive to the treatment uncertainties. The goals of this study were to evaluate: 1) dose differences between plan and actual delivery and implications on margin requirement for HN-IMRT with rigid setup errors; 2) dose distribution complexity on setup error sensitivity; and 3) agreement between average dose and cumulative dose in fractionated radiotherapy. Rigid setup errors for HN-IMRT patients were measured using cone-beam CT (CBCT) for 30 patients and 896 fractions. These were applied to plans for 12HN patients who underwent simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) IMRT treatment. Dose distributions were recalculated at each fraction and summed into cumulative dose. Measured setup errors were scaled by factors of 2-4 to investigate margin adequacy. Two plans, direct machine parameter optimization (DMPO) and fluence only (FO), were available for each patient to represent plans of different complexity. Normalized dosimetric indices, conformity index (CI) and conformation number (CN) were used in the evaluation. It was found that current 5 mm margins are more than adequate to compensate for rigid setup errors, and that standard margin recipes overestimate margins for rigid setup error in SIB HN-IMRT because of differences in acceptance criteria used in margin evaluation. The CTV-to-PTV margins can be effectively reduced to 1.9 mm and 1.5 mm for CTV1 and CTV2. Plans of higher complexity and sharper dose gradients are more sensitive to setup error and require larger margins. The CI and CN are not recommended for cumulative dose evaluation because of inconsistent definition of target volumes used. For fractionated radiotherapy in HN-IMRT, the average fractional dose does not represent the true cumulative dose received by the patient through voxel-by-voxel summation, primarily due to the setup error characteristics, where the random component is larger than systematic and different target regions get underdosed at each fraction.
Oxide Defect Density, Failue Rate and Screen Yield

The concepts of "weakness factor", w, and defect density, D(w), are introduced for thin oxide study. The defect density is sensitive to silicon material qualities and process conditions and can be characterized by simple time-to-breakdown or ramp-breakdown field measurements (see Figure 1). We present an experimentally verified method of predicting the time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) behavior for different oxide area and field using D(w). We also demonstrate a method for determining the stress time and stress field required for screening to meet a given failure rate for any oxide area and operating field, and the yield loss due to screening. Based on this study, there appears to be a large window between adequate screen and over-screen.
Pregnancy in a Polluted World

Having Faith An Ecologist's Journey to Motherhood. Sandra Steingraber. Perseus, Cambridge, MA, 2001. 351 pp. $26, C$39.50. ISBN 0-7382-0467-6. Steingraber uses a chronicle of her pregnancy to discuss the potential influences of toxic contamination on human reproduction.
Peptide mapping of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography: II. A two-dimensional technique for determination of disulfide pairings using a continuous-flow disulfide-detection system

Abstract A procedure, developed for the cleavage and reversible blocking of disulfide bonds of proteins by S-sulfonation in preparation for peptide mapping, was applied to ribonuclease A. The complete peptide maps of sulforibonuclease A using limited Staphylococcus aureus protease digestion, tryptic digestion, and tryptic followed by chymotryptic digestion are presented. A description is given of an adaptation of the sulfonation procedure which forms the basis of a sensitive (5-pmol detection limit) and quantitative (±5%) disulfide-detection system for the continuous monitoring of HPLC column effluents for disulfide-containing compounds. The sulfonation procedure, peptide maps, and disulfide-detection system are the key ingredients in a two-dimensional reverse-phase HPLC technique for the determination of disulfide pairings. The applicability of this technique is demonstrated by determining the known disulfide pairings of ribonuclease A. It is also shown that there is no disulfide interchange under the digestion conditions used. This technique is suitable for determining the distributions of disulfide pairings in the intermediates present in the oxidative folding of disulfide-containing proteins.
Rocking in the real world

Dr. Samantha Nutt cringes when she recalls a news report she heard following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the US. “It was a streeter [interview] and this woman was saying, ‘I don’t care who pays, just as long as someone does big time.' ” That type of attitude horrifies Nutt. “People
Arms control and disarmament in space: the rough road to Vienna 1984: Part II

Abstract This article examines the international legal and diplomatic questions relating to arms control and disarmament, focusing on space-based activities. These relate importantly to the development of anti-satellite satellites (ASATs) and ballistic missile defence systems (BMDs). Part I of the article examines the goal of ‘peaceful uses’ of outer space as elaborated in national policies and in international fora, the debate that has has taken place at the international level over the meaning and definition of peaceful purposes, legal manoeuvres, particularly in the UN, and US responses, and recent Soviet initiatives relating to space militarization. Part II will appear in the next issue, and will consider the US Presidential-Congressional dialogue on these questions and recent Presidential initiatives.
Telecommunications technology applications and standards: A new role for the user

Abstract Telecommunications is at a critical juncture in the development of technology, policy and industry structure. The industry is becoming increasingly global and competitive; technology is developing faster than it can be implemented; and telecommunications is becoming strategically important to user organizations. Regulatory bodies and standards organizations are struggling with these developments. Public policy that encourages both competition in the telecommunications industry as well as the organized participation of users in the development of new technology applications, technical standards and industry regulations is essential for realizing the prospective benefits of the information age.
Pubertal endocrinology of the baboon: adrenarche

The concentration of the adrenal steroids dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHA-S) was measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma of 134 baboons (Papio cynocephalus) from 0 to 17 yr of age. Plasma androstenedione (delta 4-A) was also measured in 289 baboons encompassing the same age range. The concentration of DHA was persistently high from birth to adulthood, exceeding 700 ng/dl at all ages. This differs markedly from the human pattern in which DHA concentrations fall below 50 ng/dl following regression of the fetal adrenal. Plasma DHA-S declined rapidly during the first 2 yr of life, causing a significant age-related decline in the ratio of DHA-S:DHA, a pattern not seen in man. Plasma delta 4-A declined during the first 3 yr, but remained greater than 100 ng/dl. delta 4-A then rose sharply at age 4, the time of gonadal maturation in the baboon. Thus, the baboon differs from man primarily in the persistent elevation of plasma DHA and delta 4-A prior to puberty. It remains to be determined whether this difference reflects fundamentally different mechanisms regulating adrenal androgen secretion or merely the closer temporal juxtaposition of fetal adrenal regression and adrenarche due to the more rapid sexual maturation of the baboon.
Exposure to West Nile Virus Increases Bacterial Diversity and Immune Gene Expression in Culex pipiens

Complex interactions between microbial residents of mosquitoes and arboviruses are likely to influence many aspects of vectorial capacity and could potentially have profound effects on patterns of arbovirus transmission. Such interactions have not been well studied for West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae, Flavivirus) and Culex spp. mosquitoes. We utilized next-generation sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA bacterial genes derived from Culex pipiens Linnaeus following WNV exposure and/or infection and compared bacterial populations and broad immune responses to unexposed mosquitoes. Our results demonstrate that WNV infection increases the diversity of bacterial populations and is associated with up-regulation of classical invertebrate immune pathways including RNA interference (RNAi), Toll, and Jak-STAT (Janus kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription). In addition, WNV exposure alone, without the establishment of infection, results in similar alterations to microbial and immune signatures, although to a lesser extent. Multiple bacterial genera were found in greater abundance inWNV-exposed and/or infected mosquitoes, yet the most consistent and notable was the genus Serratia.
Dual effect of glycine on NMDA-induced neurotoxicity in rat cortical cultures

To examine the roles of glycine in neurotoxicity caused by NMDA, primary rat cortical cultures were exposed to 100–300 microM NMDA plus glycine (0–3000 microM) or other glycine analogs in a simple saline solution, and toxicity was assessed by the amount of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released from the cultures. NMDA-induced neurotoxicity was abolished by 100 microM D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (D-APV), phencyclidine (IC50, 4.1 microM), and Mg (IC50, 7.5 mM), or by reducing [Ca]0 to 0.1 mM. NMDA-induced neurotoxicity could also be abolished by 7-chlorokynurenic acid (IC50, 8.6 microM), suggesting the presence of residual glycine in the culture medium (confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography measurement). Moreover, in the presence of 30 microM 7-chlorokynurenic acid, glycine, D-serine, D- alanine, beta-fluoro-D-alanine, and 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid could restore the neurotoxic action of NMDA, and their relative potencies and relative efficacies were the same as measured in electrophysiological assays in Xenopus oocytes or cultured neurons. The addition of greater than 100 microM glycine doubled the excitotoxic effect of NMDA. The potency of glycine was low (EC50, 27 microM), and this effect was not due to a direct action on the NMDA receptor. The above-mentioned agonists were unable to substitute for glycine, even at high concentrations (1 mM). On the other hand, beta-alanine, taurine, and GABA (1 mM) did potentiate NMDA neurotoxicity, and strychnine (IC50, 550 nM) could greatly reduce neurotoxicity in the presence of 1 mM glycine plus 300 microM NMDA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Variation and evaluation of coastal salt marshes

Ten intertidal salt marshes along the Rhode Island coast were sampled and compared in terms of the relative standing crop and height of tallSpartina alterniflora, density of shoots, seed production and size, fish populations, and the abundance of grass shrimp, fiddler crabs, insects, and birds. The marshes ranged from 0.49 to 52.61 hectares (1.2 to 130 acres) and included fringe marsh in dense urban developments as well as unspoiled waterfowl preserves in rural isolation. Large variation in most parameters made it impossible to separate the sites with statistical significance using either univariate or multivariate techniques. Moreover, there was little meaningful intercorrelation among the parameters. Although more intensive sampling might make it possible to separate individual marshes with statistical rigor, these results suggest that the necessary effort may be too great to allow comparative field sampling to play a practical part in wetlands evaluation programs. The results also indicate that there is little, if any, correlation between visual esthetic perceptions of a marsh and its ecological characteristics. This work suggests that the development of ecological rating systems will not provide a reliable tool for the management of coastal wetlands.
Stark effects on the low energy electronic states of p-benzoquinone single crystals

Abstract The Stark effect on the visible absorption spectra of p -benzoquinone single crystals has been measured using modulation techniques. The measurements of second order Stark effects confirm the presence of at least two close lying electronic nπ * states in both the singlet and triplet systems. Both the origin of the first singlet-singlet and singlet—triplet transition appear as doublets separated by 3.5 and 18 cm −1 , respectively. For the triplet state the low energy component is Stark induced and has not been observed previously in absorption. The doublet components are mixed in the electric field showing that they are of different parity. They are tentatively assigned as inversion doublets of a symmetric double well potential produced by the vibronic interaction of two different electronic nπ * states.
Production performance of a Sigma7300 DUV mask writer

SLM-based DUV laser writers are gaining acceptance for 2 nd level PSM and binary mask patterning. These writers can use an e-beam compatible resist enabling tool and process sharing. For binary mask patterning, critical metrics include: critical dimension uniformity (CDU), CD targeting, mask registration, defect performance and inspectability. For PSM applications, pattern fidelity matching to 1 st level and PSM overlay are also important. A Sigma7300 is being integrated into 65nm and 45nm production. Binary and PSM mask performance data will be presented. Tool self metrics to characterize SLM health will also be presented. Data conversion, data preparation and production write times will be discussed.
A Windows program to aid in MMPI-2 interpretation

Abstract The MMPI-2 Assistant is designed and distributed to respond to certain criticisms of commercially available interpretation programs. The Assistant is intended for adult psychiatric patient profiles only. The Assistant does not send output directly to a printer, but rather writes output to a rich text format disk file, to encourage editing and inclusion of additional information. The rules for each interpretive hypothesis precede that hypothesis both on the screen and in the output file. The program is available only upon certification that the requestor meets the author’s rules for its use, including professional licensure, appropriate training and target population. Finally, research is encouraged by making the program available to qualified psychologists at no charge.
Development of manufacturing control strategies using unsupervised machine learning

This research considers the control of manufacturing systems that support job routing and process sequence flexibility. A machine learning system is presented that uses a simulation model of the target manufacturing system to discover opportunistic control rules. Learning is unsupervised and is driven by a genetic algorithm. The learning method requires very little a priori control knowledge. For this presentation, the decision-making agents are the part types being processed. Part types evolve cooperative strategies for selecting the best route through the manufacturing system based on simulated real-time information that describes the state of the system. Results are presented that demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.
Business ethics, stakeholder theory, and the ethics of healthcare organizations.

Until recently (before managed care), business issues in healthcare organizations (HCOs) were relatively insulated from clinical issues, for several reasons. The hospital at earlier stages of its development operated on a combination of charitable and equitable premises, allowing for providing care to be separated from financial support. Physicians, who were primarily responsible for clinical care, constituted an independent power nexus within the hospital and were governed by their own professional codes of ethics. In exchange for a great deal of control over their conditions of practice, they took almost complete responsibility for patient care. Thus clinical and professional ethics could to some extent be compartmentalized from the business issues—a much easier feat when, as in much of the last few decades, virtually all care was reimbursed from some source or other. In addition, many HCOs were not categorized or treated as businesses, although of course they were presumed to be governed by the same expectation for good management as any other organization.