cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hearing voices of the past: Comments on Toews and Zolberg

We heard two ghost stories at the Davis conference. As John Toews and Vera Zolberg have eloquently demonstrated, the ghosts of the past are restless wraiths that we conjure at our peril, and yet they are essential to the creation of our individual and collective identities. For Toews, the recent ` historic turn'' in the human sciences provides the possibility for a mutually harmonious, and indeed therapeutic, relationship with these ghosts, in which initial resistance and transference might be overcome, resulting in edifying dialogues between the living and the dead. Zolberg, on the other hand, shows how memorials and commemorations intended for public uni¢cation can inadvertently invoke unappeased spirits of the past, who refuse to rest until their claims have been recognized. Both speakers emphasize the di¤culties in reconciling the heterogeneities of the past with the heterogeneities of the present. Toews's article, however, presents the ideal possibility of historical inclusiveness, whereas Zolberg's article documents the very real di¤culties in attaining this ideal, particularly when it comes to the creation of ``public memory'' as embodied in museums and monuments. Yet I think the two articles are complementary rather than contradictory. Toews relates the possibilities inherent within provisional, historicized narratives, whereas Zolberg reminds us of the complex politics of these narratives. Neither the theoretical possibilities nor the social politics can be overlooked in the construction of memory ^ or, in terms of this conference's theme, Theory and Society are inextricable.
Airborne Chemical Communication in the Wolf Spider Pardosa milvina

Most studies involving chemical communication in spiders focus on contact pheromones attached to spider silk. Here we tested if males of the wolf spider Pardosa milvina use airborne pheromones to identify, locate, and follow females. Using a two-choice olfactometer, we tested the response of adult male P. milvina to a number of potential chemical cues while controlling for concomitant visual and vibratory stimuli. An airborne chemical cue from adult virgin female P. milvina elicited a positive taxis response from the male. We also tested adult male responses to penultimate instar female P. milvina, one adult male P. milvina, and two adult males together. In each case, test males showed no attraction to the stimuli. Additional experiments were run with pitfall traps baited with adult virgin female P. milvina as attractants. Again, we controlled for visual and vibratory cues from females. Pitfall traps containing virgin females captured significantly more males than control traps. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate evidence of an airborne sex pheromone in P. milvina.
Molecular Ionization Rates and Ultracompact Dark Matter Minihalos

Molecular ionization in the central molecular zone of our Galaxy is enhanced over the typical galactic value by an order of magnitude or more. This cannot be easily explained for dense Galactic center molecular complexes in the absence of embedded sources of low energy cosmic rays. We provide such a source in the form of ultracompact minihalos of self-annihilating dark matter for a variety of annihilation channels that depend on the particle mass and model. Such sources are motivated for plausible inflationary power spectrum parameters, and while possibly subdominant in terms of the total dark matter mass within the Galactic bulge, might also account for, or at least not be in tension with, the Fermi Galactic center $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray excess.
Reliability Analysis Using Adaptive Kriging Surrogates with Multimodel Inference

AbstractThis work addresses the issue of model selection in adaptive kriging-based Monte Carlo reliability analysis. It is shown that arbitrary model selection (kriging trend and correlation) can l...
Preparing Students for Medical Device Innovation: Notes from BME-IDEA 2018

On Wednesday, October 17, 2018, I attended the BME-IDEA (Biomedical Engineering Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship Alliance) meeting in Atlanta, GA, USA. It was the 12th convening of this meeting which was first held in 2003 and precedes the annual BME Society meeting on alternate years. BME-IDEA provides a forum for faculty teaching BME design, innovation, and entrepreneurship to share best practices in training inventors and innovators, discuss common challenges, and create new initiatives in BME design education. The goals of the meeting were to [1] :
The Infected Child

The new science of bacteriology engendered optimism that childhood’s deadly diseases could be conquered. However, the same public health measures that the regular medical community regarded as essential for controlling outbreaks of childhood diseases represented the worst sort of folly to Christian Scientists. The church’s healers soon found themselves running afoul of the law by refusing to report cases of infectious disease. An expansion of the concept of child neglect led several states to require parents to seek the services of licensed medical practitioners for conditions now regarded as medically treatable. Parents who refused medical attendance for their dying children on the basis of their religious beliefs faced the threat of criminal prosecution.
Which One is Correct, The Map or The GPS Trace

GPS data is noisy by nature. A typical location-based service would start by filtering out the noise from the raw GPS points that are generated by moving objects. Once the locations of the objects are identified, the location-based service is provided. In this paper, we decide not to throw away the noise. Instead, we consider the noise as an asset. We analyze the various noise patterns under different conditions and region characteristics. More specifically, we focus on one example where a lot of GPS noise is experienced; which is urban canyons. We believe that learning the GPS noise patterns in a supervised environment enables us to discover knowledge about new areas or areas where we have little knowledge. This paper is based on the analysis of GPS traces that are collected from the shuttle service within the Microsoft campuses around Seattle, Washington.
Effects of Atomic-Layer-Deposition Alumina on Proton Transmission through Single-Layer Graphene in Electrochemical Hydrogen Pump Cells

Fifty atomic layer deposition (ALD) cycles of trimethylaluminum and water were applied to single-layer graphene on copper and graphene on Nafion membranes that result in alumina coatings that fully...
Out of Band Performance Monitoring of Server Workloads: Leveraging RESTful API to monitor compute resource utilization and performance related metrics for server performance analysis.

Performance monitoring is a useful tool to leverage when additional insight is needed or warranted when evaluating the performance results of a compute solution or benchmark. More often it seems, the use of performance monitoring is an afterthought and is utilized only when unexpected results are encountered. Given that most methods for implementing performance monitoring require running additional applications or kernel code in parallel with the application or benchmark itself, it is understandable that there may be a bias against or a reluctance to leverage performance monitoring capabilities throughout the performance evaluation period as well as extending its use into a production environment. In our paper, we'll introduce a performance monitoring architecture that leverages an out of band (OOB) approach for measuring key server resource performance metrics. We will demonstrate that this approach has zero impact to the performance of the workload running on the server itself and is suitable for use in a production environment. Although the out of band approach inherently has limits to the amount of information that can be gathered for performance analysis, we will demonstrate the usefulness of the information that is available today in debugging performance related issues.
Saving Jewish Girls: A Case Study in Lidingö, Sweden

After the war in Europe, the Jewish community in America and elsewhere was deeply concerned about the fate of surviving Jewish children. They not only represented a miraculous triumph over Hitler; they also were the very future of European Jewry. Yet efforts to reclaim child survivors, particularly orphans, were often at odds. Competing groups clashed over the reclamation of these children ranging from Zionists who wanted bodies to build a national homeland to religious factions seeking to restore Torah Judaism by returning young souls to their fold. This chapter considers an ultra-orthodox effort to rescue and rehabilitate Jewish girls. Created by orthodox rabbis to “save” the girls for Judaism, the Lidingo school, nestled in a seaside town near Stockholm, was designed as a therapeutic environment for young female survivors plucked from DP camps. This study examines how religious ideology framed efforts to save child survivors of the Holocaust and illuminates tensions within the Jewish community over reclaiming orphans. Drawing on survivors’ oral histories and on archives of the Agudat Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Rescue Children, Inc., and the USC Shoah Foundation, this analysis explores the complexities of the rescue and rehabilitation of surviving orphans from a gendered perspective.
Optimal minimal-perturbation university timetabling with faculty preferences.

In the university timetabling problem, sometimes additions or cancellations of course sections occur shortly before the beginning of the academic term, necessitating last-minute teaching staffing changes. We present a decision-making framework that both minimizes the number of course swaps, which are inconvenient to faculty members, and maximizes faculty members' preferences for times they wish to teach. The model is formulated as an integer linear program (ILP). Numerical simulations for a hypothetical mid-sized academic department are presented.
Lessons learned in academic libraries

This column muses on topics and issues not covered during a Master of Library Science program and offers advice that would be useful for a recent graduate with little experience in libraries entering the field.
Under the Spell of Deadlines

Deadlines are constitutional aspects of research life that the CHI community frequently observes. Despite their importance, deadlines are understudied. Here we bring a mixed art and science perspective on deadlines, which may find broader applications as a starter methodology. In a field study, we monitored four academics at the office, two days before a deadline and two regular days, after the deadline had passed. Based on face video, questionnaire, and interview data we constructed their profiles. We added a dose of fictionalization to these profiles, composing anonymized comic stories that are as humorous as they are enlightening. In the stressful and lonely days towards deadlines, the only common presence in all cases is the researchers’ computer. Accordingly, this work aspires to prompt an effort for a deeper understanding of “deadline users’’, in support of designing much needed affective interfaces.
Lipid-Lowering Therapy and Hemorrhagic Stroke Risk: Comparative Meta-Analysis of Statins and PCSK9 Inhibitors.

Background and Purpose: Statins were shown to increase hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in patients with a first cerebrovascular event in 2006 (SPARCL), likely due to off-target antithrombotic effects, but ...
Global Experience with Rotavirus Vaccines.

Rotavirus is a major cause of severe pediatric diarrhea worldwide. In 2006, two live, oral rotavirus vaccines, Rotarix and RotaTeq, were licensed for use in infants and were rapidly adopted in many high- and middle-income settings where efficacy had been demonstrated in clinical trials. Following completion of additional successful trials in low-income settings, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended rotavirus vaccination for all infants globally in 2009. In 2018, two new rotavirus vaccines, Rotasiil and Rotavac, were prequalified by WHO, further expanding global availability. As of March 2021, rotavirus vaccines have been introduced nationally in 106 countries. Since introduction, rotavirus vaccines have demonstrated effectiveness against severe disease and mortality, even among age groups not eligible for vaccination. Cross-genotypic protection has also been demonstrated, and the favorable benefit-risk profile of these vaccines continues to be confirmed via post-marketing surveillance. Ongoing research seeks to better understand reasons for the lower effectiveness observed in lower-resource settings, and to use these findings to optimize vaccine strategies worldwide.
Non-Invasive Skin Sampling Detects Systemically Administered Drugs in Humans

Clinical testing typically relies on invasive blood draws and biopsies. Alternative methods of sample collection are continually being developed to improve patient experience; swabbing the skin is one of the least invasive sampling methods possible. To show that skin swabs in combination with untargeted mass spectrometry (metabolomics) can be used for non-invasive monitoring of an oral drug, we report the kinetics and metabolism of diphenhydramine in healthy volunteers (n=10) over the course of 24 hours in blood and three regions of the skin. Diphenhydramine and its metabolites were observed on the skin after peak plasma levels, varying by compound and skin location, and is an illustrative example of how systemically administered molecules can be detected on the skin surface. The observation of diphenhydramine directly from the skin supports the hypothesis that both parent drug and metabolites can be qualitatively measured from a simple non-invasive swab of the skin surface. The mechanism of the drug and metabolites pathway to the skins surface remains unknown.
A cost-effective technique for cardiac sparing with deep inspiration-breath hold (DIBH).

Abstract Deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) is an effective technique to reduce cardiac and pulmonary dose during breast radiotherapy (RT). However, as a result of expense and the technical challenges of program implementation, DIBH has not been widely adopted in clinical practice. This report describes a program for DIBH this is relatively inexpensive to implement and has little impact on patient throughput. Multiple redundant mechanisms are incorporated to assure accurate and safe delivery of RT during DIBH. Laser alignment verifies that chest wall excursion is reliably reproduced and maintained during treatment. Chest wall excursion is also monitored independently using an infrared camera trained on a reflective marker on the chest wall. This system automatically triggers “beam off” in the event of movement of the target beyond pre-determined thresholds. Finally, physician review of cine imaging obtained during treatment provides an off-line verification of accurate RT delivery. The approach described herein lowers the investment necessary for implementation of DIBH and may facilitate broader adoption of this valuable technique.
Stability of Minute Virus of Mice to Chemical and Physical Agents

Minute virus of mice (MVM), a single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid Parvovirus, was subjected to various inactivation procedures, including chemical disinfectants, heat, and ultraviolet radiation. MVM was found to be less stable than has been reported for other Parvoviruses. This virus was readily inactivated by a variety of chemical disinfectants, including alcohols, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and chloroform. MVM was more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation than was Kilham's rat virus. MVM was more sensitive to heating at temperatures of 35 to 100 C than has been reported for other Parvoviruses. More than 95% of MVM infectivity was inactivated by heating (45, 60, or 100 C) for 60 min, acid (pH 2.0) treatment, or ultraviolet radiation treatment, although a small percentage (less than 2%) of the virus preparation was found to be resistant to these treatments. In addition, more than 99% of the infectivity of MVM was lost after storage at 4C for 10 weeks, although the virus was stable on storage in liquid nitrogen.
Stephen Rumph, Mozart and Enlightenment Semiotics

He: Why not go back to the beginning? What is a melody? I: I confess the question is beyond me . . . in our memories we have nothing but words that we think we understand through the frequent use a...
Estimates of Repeat Victimization Using the National Crime Victimization Survey

Many crime victims experience multiple victimizations over time. Estimating the rate of repeat victimization from a longitudinal survey, however, is difficult because individuals often have missing data for some of the interviews. We use data from the 1996–98 U.S. National Crime Victimization Survey to explore potential effects of missing data on estimated rates of repeat violent victimizations in individuals. We introduce two algorithms for estimating repeat victimization rates, using logistic models to impute values for individuals who have partial data. These models are applied to estimate rates of repeat victimization for all violent crimes, and separately for crimes of domestic violence. Estimates show substantial sensitivity to the form of the model used.
Nitric Oxide in Astrocyte-Neuron Signaling

Astrocytes, a subtype of glial cell, have recently been shown to exhibit Ca{sup 2+} elevations in response to neurotransmitters. A Ca{sup 2+} elevation can propagate to adjacent astrocytes as a Ca{sup 2+} wave, which allows an astrocyte to communicate with its neighbors. Additionally, glutamate can be released from astrocytes via a Ca{sup 2+}-dependent mechanism, thus modulating neuronal activity and synaptic transmission. In this dissertation, the author investigated the roles of another endogenous signal, nitric oxide (NO), in astrocyte-neuron signaling. First the author tested if NO is generated during astrocytic Ca{sup 2+} signaling by imaging NO in purified murine cortical astrocyte cultures. Physiological concentrations of a natural messenger, ATP, caused a Ca{sup 2+}-dependent NO production. To test the roles of NO in astrocytic Ca{sup 2+} signaling, the author applied NO to astrocyte cultures via addition of a NO donor, S-nitrosol-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP). NO induced an influx of external Ca{sup 2+}, possibly through store-operated Ca{sup 2+} channels. The NO-induced Ca{sup 2+} signaling is cGMP-independent since 8-Br-cGMP, an agonistic analog of cGMP, did not induce a detectable Ca{sup 2+} change. The consequence of this NO-induced Ca{sup 2+} influx was assessed by simultaneously monitoring of cytosolic and internal store Ca{sup 2+} using fluorescent Ca{sup 2+} indicators x-rhod-1 and mag-fluo-4. Blockage of NO signaling with the NO scavenger PTIO significantly reduced the refilling percentage of internal stores following ATP-induced Ca{sup 2+} release, suggesting that NO modulates internal store refilling. Furthermore, locally photo-release of NO to a single astrocyte led to a Ca{sup 2+} elevation in the stimulated astrocyte and a subsequent Ca{sup 2+} wave to neighbors. Finally, the author tested the role of NO inglutamate-mediated astrocyte-neuron signaling by recording the astrocyte-evoked glutamate-dependent neuronal slow inward current (SIC). Although NO is not required for the SIC,PTIO reduced SIC amplitude, suggesting that NO modulates glutamate release from astrocytes or glutamate receptor sensitivity of neurons.
Heterogeneous Data Access in a Mobile Environment – Issues and Solutions

Abstract A mobile computing environment involves accessing information through a wireless network connection. The mobile unit may be stationary, in motion, and/or intermittently connected to a fixed (wired) network. As technology advances are made in software and hardware, the feasibility of accessing information “anytime, anywhere” is becoming a reality. Furthermore, the diversity and amount of information available to a given user is increasing at a rapid rate. Current distributed and multidatabase systems are designed to allow timely and reliable access to large amounts of data from different data sources. Issues such as autonomy, heterogeneity, transaction management, concurrency control, transparency, and query resolution have been addressed by researchers for multidatabase systems. These issues are similar to many of the issues involved in accessing information in a mobile environment. However, in a mobile environment, additional complexities are introduced due to network bandwidth, processing power, energy, and display restrictions inherent in mobile devices. This chapter discusses the fundamental issues involved with mobile data access, the physical environment of mobile systems, and currently implemented mobile solutions. Furthermore, the issues involved in accessing information in a multidatabase environment and mobile computing environment share similarities. Therefore, we propose to superimpose a wireless-mobile computing environment on a multidatabase system in order to realize a system capable of effectively accessing a large amount of data over a wireless medium. We show how one can easily map solutions from one environment to another. This new system is called a mobile data access system (MDAS), which is capable of accessing heterogeneous data sources through both fixed and wireless connections. We will show the feasibility of mapping solutions from one environment to another. Within the scope of this new environment, a new hierarchical concurrency control algorithm is introduced that allows a potentially large number of users to simultaneously access the available data. Current multidatabase concurrency control schemes do not efficiently manage these accesses because they do not address the limited bandwidth and frequent disconnection associated with wireless networks. The proposed concurrency control algorithm—v-lock—uses global locking tables created with semantic information contained within the hierarchy. The locking tables are subsequently used to serialize global transactions, and detect and remove global deadlocks. The performance of the new algorithm is simulated and the results are presented.
Transparent stakeholder engagement in practice: Lessons learned from applying comprehensive environmental assessment to research planning for nanomaterials

As efforts to develop new applications of engineered nanoscale materials (ENMs) continue to grow, so too has interest in the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) implications of these materials. However, thorough evaluation and interpretation of such implications could require substantial resources (e.g., estimated as >$120 million per year in federal funding 2013–2017). A structured, strategic approach for transparently planning research would support improved linkages between ENM research and risk assessments, and thereby enhance the utility of financial and other resources for EHS studies of ENMs. For this reason, we applied Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) as an approach to provide transparent input into research planning for 2 types of ENMs: nanoscale titanium dioxide and nanoscale silver. For each of these CEA applications, we employed a collective judgment method known as Nominal Group Technique (NGT) in 2 workshops sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The objective of this paper is to present the outcomes of these CEA applications in the context of how our methodology can inform future efforts to identify collective goals in science (e.g., research priorities) through structured decision support approaches. Outcomes include clear lists of research priorities for each ENM developed through transparently engaging stakeholders having diverse technical and sector perspectives. In addition, we identified several procedural aspects that could be refined, including emphasizing breakout group interactions, identifying broad information priorities before more detailed research questions, and using rating rather than ranking prioritization methods. Beyond the research directions identified for specific ENMs, lessons learned about engaging stakeholders in research planning are expected to inform future research planning efforts for ENMs and other emerging materials across the scientific community. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:498–510. © 2014 SETAC
A practical animation language for software development

A practical language for creating real-time, two-dimensional, smooth, color animations is described. Animation can be a valuable component in a variety of domains, such as user interface design, on-line help information, and computer-aided instruction. The animation language produces aesthetically pleasing, smooth imagery, and is easy to learn and use. The language is based on four abstract data types: locations, images, paths, and transitions. Animation designers create and modify objects of these types in order to produce animation sequences. In addition, a precise specification and semantics are provided for all the data type operations. This rigorous definition helps simplify animation design by formalizing the actions resulting from the operations. A prototype algorithm animation system that utilizes this design language as its basis has been implemented. >
Two-stage, multi-product production/inventory systems

Abstract A production/inventory system consisting of two single-stage facilities with a finite capacity buffer in between and a warehouse at the downstream end, producing multiple product types is considered. The demand process for each product is assumed to follow a Poisson distribution and the excess demand is backordered. Products have a priority structure and the processor is shared according to a switching rule. ( R , r ) continuous-review inventory control policy is used to start and stop production of each product at the second facility and a slightly modified version of it is used at the first facility. Production of a product continues until its target level is reached. Then, a switch-over takes place to the highest priority product amongst the ones that need the processor's attention. A set-up takes place every time a switch-over occurs. Both processing and set-up times are assumed to have exponential distributions. Our objective is to obtain the steady-state average inventory and backorder levels for each product. We have developed an approximation procedure to characterize the delay each product type experiences in receiving the processor's attention.
Temperature Dependence of Chiral Discrimination in Langmuir Monolayers of N-Acyl Amino Acids As Inferred from Π/A Measurements and Infrared Reflection−Absorption Spectroscopy

N-Hexadecanoylalanine monolayers were investigated on pure aqueous subphases and in the presence of 1 mM solutions of CaCl2 and ZnCl2, respectively, in the temperature range between 293 and 308 K using Langmuir trough measurements and IR reflection−absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). The overwhelming importance of the temperature for chiral recognition processes was particularly clearly shown in the presence of Zn2+ in the subphase, where a change from homo- to heterochiral preference was observed by IRRAS measurements within a temperature range of 5 deg only. This change was not reflected by corresponding changes in Langmuir curves. This result implies that chiral interactions on a molecular scale inferred from IRRAS and on a macroscopic scale (Langmuir curves) may be at variance because of a different importance of hydrogen bond and complex formation at these scales. Calcium ions exert strong expanding effects, thus weakening the homochiral effect on the macroscopic level and even inducing a heterochiral e...
Strategies to finance your higher education: Strategies include cost reduction and academic planning, but the most important involves identifying, evaluating, and selecting financial aid

Students can employ many strategies to finance their higher education, including cost reduction, academic planning, and direct financial aid. We will not discuss cost reduction here, for it is subject enough for a separate article. It is sufficient to state that cost-reduction decisions often have farreaching implications, and the choices students make in this area reflect personal lifestyle and sacrifice. We will, however, address specific strategies in the areas of academic planning and direct student aid. Using strategies in both these areas will enhance any college student's pursuit of higher education.
17α-Methyl testosterone is a competitive inhibitor of aromatase activity in Jar choriocarcinoma cells and macrophage-like THP-1 cells in culture

17alpha-methyl testosterone is a synthetic androgen with affinity for the androgen receptor. 17alpha-methyl testosterone is used widely as a component of hormone replacement therapy. Previous reports have indicated that contrary to testosterone, 17alpha-methyl testosterone is not aromatized. However, 17alpha-methyl testosterone still could affect local estrogen formation by regulating aromatase expression or by inhibiting aromatase action. Both possibilities have important clinical implications. To evaluate the effect of 17alpha-methyl testosterone on the expression and activity of aromatase, we tested the choriocarcinoma Jar cell line, a cell line that express high levels of P450 aromatase, and the macrophage-like THP-1 cells, which express aromatase only after undergoing differentiation. We found that in both cell lines, 17alpha-methyl testosterone inhibits aromatase activity in a dose-related manner. The curve of inhibition parallels that of letrozole and gives complete inhibition at 10(-4) M 17alpha-methyl testosterone, determined by the tritium release assay. 17alpha-methyl testosterone does not have detectable effects on aromatase RNA and protein expression by Jar cells. Undifferentiated THP-1 cells had no aromatase activity and showed no effect of 17alpha-methyl testosterone, but differentiated THP-1 (macrophage-like) cells had a similar inhibition of aromatase activity by 17alpha-methyl testosterone to that seen in Jar cells. The Lineweaver-Burke plot shows 17alpha-methyl testosterone to be a competitive aromatase inhibitor. Our results show for the first time that 17alpha-methyl testosterone acts as an aromatase inhibitor. These findings are relevant for understanding the effects of 17alpha-methyl testosterone as a component of hormone replacement therapy. 17alpha-methyl testosterone may, as a functional androgen and orally active steroidal inhibitor of endogenous estrogen production, also offer special possibilities for the prevention/treatment of hormone-sensitive cancers.
Incidental Thyroid Nodules and Thyroid Cancer: Considerations Before Determining Management

The worldwide incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing substantially, almost exclusively attributable to small papillary thyroid cancers. Increased use of diagnostic imaging is considered the most likely explanation for this reported rise, but other factors may also be contributing. The increase in health care expenditures related to managing these presumably low-risk cancers, without a clear patient benefit, has resulted in a backlash against the early detection of thyroid cancer. Currently, there is no way to confidently predict which incidentally detected thyroid nodule may be the precursor to a more aggressive process. Predictions such as these would require more accurate characterization of the biology of individual thyroid cancers than is currently possible. With time, we might prove our ability to confidently differentiate low-risk from high-risk thyroid cancers, but until that happens, routine screening for thyroid cancer by imaging billed as a “health checkup” should not be performed. However, incidentally detected thyroid nodules should be reported, and a clear medical team management plan should be developed. Our ethical responsibility is to provide patients with objective, evidence-based information about their disease status, not to assume that we know what is best for them by selectively withholding information. In addition, providing patients with psychosocial assistance will help them process the information necessary to make informed decisions that will provide them with the most value when a small thyroid nodule or cancer is incidentally identified. Herein, we summarize the epidemiological data for disease incidence, discuss some controversies in disease management, and outline the key elements and ethical considerations of informed decision making as they apply to managing incidentally detected thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer.
Tests of microeconomic foundations of Asian common currency areas

Abstract The formation of the euro bloc sparked renewed interest in other potential common currency areas. Swofford [Swofford, J. L. (2000). Microeconomic foundations of an optimal currency area. Review of Financial Economics, 9 , 121–128] set forth some microeconomic foundations for a common currency area. In this paper, some results from tests of these microeconomic foundations for various hypothesized Asian common currency areas are presented. These results can be viewed as broadly favorable for the formation of some Asian common currency areas.
INTERACTIONS OF CHLOROFORM WITH α- AND β-LIPOVITELLIN AND OTHER EGG YOLK CONSTITUENTS

The absorption of chloroform by α- and β-lipovitellin from chloroform-saturated aqueous buffer solutions has been measured quantitatively. Absorption is rapid and reaches equilibrium values of 13 a...
Integrity of alkene stereochemistry in the Diels—Alder reaction

Abstract The Diels—Alder reaction of hexachlorocyclopentadiene and α-methylstyrene produces both exo -phenyl and endo -phenyl adducts, with the latter in preponderance. A deuterium label at the β position of the alkene provides a probe for determining whether the vicinal stereochemical relationship between groups on the alkene is retained in the adducts. From the alkene labeled 77.6±2.3% E and 22.4±2.3% Z was produced the major ( endo -phenyl) isomer with 79.4±1.1% exo-d and 20.6±1.1% endo-d and the minor ( exo -phenyl) isomer with 78.9±0.5% endo-d and 21.1±0.5% exo-d . Thus both adducts are produced with complete retention of alkene stereochemistry.
A new genus of Glyptini from India (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract Avnia indica, gen. et sp. nov. (Ichneumonidae: Banchinae: Glyptini) is described from India. It appears related to the New World genus Sphelodon Townes.
Microrefuse and Site Structure: The Hearths and Floors of the Heartbreak Hotel

This paper presents the results of a research project investigating the types, frequencies, and spatial distribution of small items of refuse on and in floors of a prehistoric structure–the Heartbreak Hotel–excavated in central Utah. Excavation and analytical procedures specifically were designed to recover microrefuse–refuse with a minimum dimension of less than .25 cm. There is strong empirical support for the proposition that microrefuse recovered from such contexts will be found in its area of production, and that patterning in its spatial distribution will, other things being equal, indicate spatial patterning in the performance of the activities that produced the microrefuse. We demonstrate that there is rather dramatic patterning in the types and frequencies of microrefuse between and within rooms of the structure and discuss possible explanations for the character of that patterning. We conclude with a discussion of the present limitations of our understanding of refuse disposal and suggest avenues of ethnoarchaeological inquiry likely to produce better archaeological and behavioral expectations relating to spatial patterning of microrefuse.
Calculation of the total electrostatic energy of a macromolecular system: Solvation energies, binding energies, and conformational analysis

In this report we describe an accurate numerical method for calculating the total electrostatic energy of molecules of arbitrary shape and charge distribution, accounting for both Coulombic and solvent polarization terms. In addition to the solvation energies of individual molecules, the method can be used to calculate the electrostatic energy associated with conformational changes in proteins as well as changes in solvation energy that accompany the binding of charged substrates. The validity of the method is examined by calculating the hydration energies of acetate, methyl ammonium, ammonium, and methanol. The method is then used to study the relationship between the depth of a charge within a protein and its interaction with the solvent. Calculations of the relative electrostatic energies of crystal and misfolded conformations of Themiste dyscritum hemerythrin and the VL domain of an antibody are also presented. The results indicate that electrostatic charge-solvent interactions strongly favor the crystal structures. More generally, it is found that charge-solvent interactions, which are frequently neglected in protein structure analysis, can make large contributions to the total energy of a macromolecular system.
Real science on show

The revamped museum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will offer the public access to science in action, as more museums should, argues director John Durant. In The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court, Jeffrey Toobin looks at the human face of the men (overwhelmingly) and women chosen by politicians to serve on the apolitical US Supreme Court since the start of the Reagan administration. They have legislated on gay rights, abortion, affirmative action, the death penalty and the Bush–Gore electoral impasse. Toobin has been praised for demystifiying the Supreme Court's workings. Though as our reviewer Henry Greely points out, its contributions on matters scientific have failed to impress.
The performance of healthy older adults on the Continuous Visual Memory Test and the Visual-Motor Integration Test: Preliminary findings

The performance of 53 healthy older adults (age 60-92) was examined on the Continuous Visual Memory Test (CVMT) and the Visual-Motor Integration Test (VMI). Subjects were divided into the following 3 groups: age 60-69, age 70-79, and age 80-92. Findings for the 60-69 and 80-92 age groups are considered tentative due to small sample size (n = 14 and 8 respectively). Preliminary data for the three age groups on the CVMT and the VMI are presented. On the CVMT, an unsatisfactorily large percentage of subjects were classified as impaired using the cutoffs provided in the CVMT manual, particularly on the delayed recognition measure and for all scores in the age 80-92 group. These preliminary findings suggest that the CVMT may not be an appropriate measure of nonverbal memory for older adults. The subjects' performance on the VMI suggests that this test is an adequate measure of graphomotor constructional ability in older adults and appears to be sensitive to aging effects. The VMI shows promise as an objective measure of graphomotor constructional ability in healthy older adults, and potentially, for individuals with neurological disease.
Tetrahydrofuranyl and tetrahydropyranyl protection of amino acid side-chains enables synthesis of a hydroxamate-containing aminoacylated tRNA

The ability to specifically engineer metal binding sites into target proteins has far-reaching consequences ranging from the development of new biocatalysts and imaging reagents to the production of proteins with increased stability. We report the efficient tRNA-mediated incorporation of the hydroxamate containing amino acid, Ne-acetyl-Ne-hydroxy-L-lysine, into a transcription factor (TFIIIA). Because this amino acid is compact, hydrophilic, and uncharged at physiological pH, it should have little or no effect on protein folding or solubility. The Ne-hydroxy group of the hydroxamate is refractory to photodeprotection and required the identification of reagents for O-protection that are compatible with the synthesis of acylated tRNA. Tetrahydrofuranyl and tetrahydropyranyl O-protecting groups can be removed using mild acid conditions and allowed for an orthogonal protection strategy in which deprotection of the amino acid side chain precedes ligation of an acylated dinucleotide to a truncated suppressor tRNA. These protecting groups will provide a valuable alternative for O-protection, especially in cases where photodeprotection cannot be used.
Preconditioning against myocardial dysfunction after ischemia and reperfusion by an alpha 1-adrenergic mechanism.

Preconditioning may find ready applicability in humans facing scheduled global cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) during bypass or transplantation, where such a maneuver is feasible before arrest. Our objective was to delineate and exploit the endogenous preconditioning mechanism triggered by transient ischemia (TI) and thereby attenuate myocardial postischemic mechanical dysfunction by clinically acceptable means. Preconditioning by 2 minutes of TI followed by 10 minutes of normal perfusion protected isolated rat left ventricle function assessed after 20 minutes of global, 37 degrees C ischemia and 40 minutes of reperfusion. Final recovery of developed pressure (DP) was improved (91.5 +/- 1.9% of equilibration DP versus unconditioned IR control, 57.4 +/- 2.4%, P < .01) and was accompanied by increased contractility (+/- dP/dt). Norepinephrine release increased after TI, and reserpine pretreatment abolished TI preconditioning. This suggests that endogenous norepinephrine mediates functional preconditioning in rat. Brief pretreatment (2 minutes) with exogenous norepinephrine reproduced the protection (89.1 +/- 1.4%) of postischemic function. Functional protection persisted after the hemodynamic effects had resolved. Norepinephrine-induced preconditioning was simulated by phenylephrine and blocked by alpha 1-adrenergic receptor antagonist. TI preconditioning was similarly lost after selective alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blockade. We conclude that transient ischemic preconditioning is mediated by the sympathetic neurotransmitter release and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor stimulation. Although the postreceptor mechanism remains unclear, functional protection after IR does not seem related to the magnitude of ATP depletion and elevation of resting pressure during ischemia. Rather, the endogenous mechanisms facilitate both recovery of mechanical function and ATP repletion during reperfusion.
SOST Is a Ligand for LRP5/LRP6 and a Wnt Signaling Inhibitor

Sclerosteosis is an autosomal recessive disease that is characterized by overgrowth of bone tissue and is linked to mutations in the gene encoding the secreted protein SOST. Sclerosteosis shares remarkable similarities with "high bone mass" diseases caused by "gain-of-function" mutations in the LRP5 gene, which encodes a coreceptor for Wnt signaling proteins. We show here that SOST antagonizes Wnt signaling in Xenopus embryos and mammalian cells by binding to the extracellular domain of the Wnt coreceptors LRP5 and LRP6 and disrupting Wnt-induced Frizzled-LRP complex formation. Our findings suggest that SOST is an antagonist for Wnt signaling and that the loss of SOST function likely leads to the hyperactivation of Wnt signaling that underlies bone overgrowth seen in sclerosteosis patients.
Effect of Renormalization on Meson-Nucleon S -Scattering

Renormalization prescriptions are given for the covariant integral equations of meson-nucleon scattering, taking into account the difficulties of overlapping divergences. The covariant wave equations, corresponding to the iteration of second-order irreducible processes, are solved approximately and renormalized in closed form (in the case of the pseudoscalar theory with pseudoscalar coupling). The $S$-phase shifts corresponding to the states of isotopic spin \textonehalf{} and $\frac{3}{2}$ are computed, and their variation with energy is compared with experiment. The only parameter which can be adjusted is the meson-nucleon coupling constant $G$. It is found that a good agreement with experiment is obtained when $\frac{{G}^{2}}{4\ensuremath{\pi}}=7.5$. The possibility of this agreement being purely coincidental cannot be ruled out, but other interpretations of this result are discussed.
Black–white wage differentials: duration and probability unemployment effects in a multiple of sample selection bias model

The extent to which probability and duration of unemployment affect the black–white wage differentials is examined in this paper. The paper simultaneously incorporates in the wage equation the multiple sample selection bias that occurs as a result of individuals’ propensity to be in the labor force, and the firm’s hiring decisions. The results reveal a substantial contribution of the duration of unemployment variable to the black–white wage differential, but a small portion of the differential is explained by the probability of unemployment. The results also indicate a sizeable difference between the contribution of the duration of unemployment variable to the male’s wage differentials (26%) and to the female’s (35%). The study finds that an individual’s labor force decision as well as a firm’s hiring decision are important in the wage determination process and that failure to account for the sample selectivity bias due to these two decisions will result in either underestimating or overestimating the wag...
Micro-Hall position sensing of magnetic nanowires

The Hall voltage output of a micro-Hall magnetic sensor depends on the relative position of a magnetic nanowire with respect to its sensing area. Following this idea, we performed analytical calculations which show that, under certain conditions, these devices can track the position of a magnetic nanowire with subnanometer resolution. Our results suggest that micro-Hall sensors can be utilized to provide a direct electronic readout of the position of magnetic nanowires in their applications as biomolecular manipulators or dynamic components in micro- and nanoscale devices.
Thoria-Based Cermet Nuclear Fuel: Neutronics Fuel Design and Fuel Cycle Analysis

Cermet nuclear fuel has been demonstrated to have significant potential to enhance fuel performance because of low internal fuel temperatures and low stored energy. The combination of these benefits with the inherent proliferation resistance, high burnup capability, and favorable neutronic properties of the thorium fuel cycle produces intriguing options for advanced nuclear fuel cycles. This paper describes aspects of a Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) project with two primary goals: (1) Evaluate the feasibility of implementing the thorium fuel cycle in existing or advanced reactors using a zirconium-matrix cermet fuel, and (2) Develop enabling technologies required for the economic application of this new fuel form. This paper will first describes the fuel thermal performance model developed for the analysis of dispersion metal matrix fuels. The model is then applied to the design and analysis of thorium/uranium/zirconium metal-matrix fuel pins for light-water reactors using neutronic simulation methods.
BRIT1 regulates early DNA damage response, chromosomal integrity,and cancer

BRIT1, initially identified as an hTERT repressor, has additional functions at DNA damage checkpoints. Here, we demonstrate that BRIT1 formed nuclear foci minutes after irradiation. The foci of BRIT1 colocalized with 53BP1, MDC1, NBS1, ATM, RPA, and ATR. BRIT1 was required for activation of these elements, indicating that BRIT1 is a proximal factor in the DNA damage response pathway. Depletion of BRIT1 increased the accumulation of chromosomal aberrations. In addition, decreased levels of BRIT1 were detected in several types of human cancer, with BRIT1 expression being inversely correlated with genomic instability and metastasis. These results identify BRIT1 as a crucial DNA damage regulator in the ATM/ATR pathways and suggest that it functions as a tumor suppressor gene.
CRT-118 Gender Differences in Patients Undergoing PCI for Acute Myocardial Infarction

Previous studies suggest that women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) experience increased complications (bleeding) and mortality compared to men. The Los Angeles County+USC and Keck Hospital PCI Database were queried from January, 2008 to