cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonviolent communication: A dialogical retrieval of the ethic of authenticity:

Charles Taylor called for a retrieval of the ethic of authenticity that has been distorted in modern notions of autonomy and self-fulfillment. Via exchanges with others who matter to us, he proposed that human identities develop through the use of rich language draped in shared horizons of significance. The fostering of these dialogical ties beyond purely instrumental purposes, along with the recognition of the human dignity in all, may avert the fallen ideal of authenticity. Nonviolent communication affords the skillful dialogue with others cradled in a shared sense of significance and supports the development of a meaningful identity—one that is formed through the realization of what exists beyond the self. The purpose of this article is to argue that nonviolent communication facilitates the retrieval of the ethic of authenticity. Narratives from nursing students’ journals on the use of nonviolent communication skills will be used to support the argument.
Investigations on the applicability of fuzzy interference

Abstract This paper investigates the applicability of some fuzzy implication operators which were evaluated in the literature and are considered to be very good operators. We show that (∧, iin(1, 1 − μ A ( a ) + μ B ( b ))) has the best performance in the cases examined. Some new fuzzy implication operators are also investigated and found comparable in all cases to the operator given above.
AntSens: An Ant Routing Protocol for Large Scale Wireless Sensor Networks

Large scale wireless sensor networks, consisting of thousands of nodes spread over a large geographical area, are being planned for a number of monitoring and control applications. The individual nodes in such networks would be severely limited in their capabilities - they will have limited memory and CPU resources and would typically run on batteries. A suitable routing protocol for large wireless sensor networks should scale well with the size of the network in terms of the control packet, memory and processing overhead. Dynamic link/node characteristics, such as PHY/MAC loss rates and battery levels, in such networks require continuous monitoring of the quality of existing routes and frequent discovery of new routes. The routing protocol should allow distribution of traffic load through out the network to avoid artificial congestion, and hence high MAC level loss rates, in parts of the network. The existing routing protocols do not meet all the criteria mentioned above. Hence, we propose a new routing protocol meeting the criteria mentioned above. The proposed protocol, called AntSens, may be considered as belonging to the category of ant routing protocols that are based on the manner ants discover and remember the best routes to the food location.
Localized construction of low weighted structure and its applications in wireless ad hoc networks

We consider a wireless network composed of a set of n wireless nodes distributed in a two dimensional plane. The signal sent by every node can be received by all nodes within its transmission range, which is uniform and normalized to one unit. We present the first distributed method to construct a bounded degree planar connected structure LRNG, whose total link length is within a constant factor of the minimum spanning tree1 using total O(n) messages under the broadcast communication model. Moreover, in our method, every node only uses its two-hop information to construct such structure, i.e., it is localized method. We show that some two-hop information is necessary to construct any low-weighted structure. We also study the application of this structure in efficient broadcasting in wireless ad hoc networks. We prove that, for broadcasting, the relative neighborhood graph (RNG), which is the previously best-known sparse structure that can be constructed locally, could use energy O(n) times the total energy used by our structure LRNG. Our simulations show that the broadcasting based on LRNG consumes energy about 36% more than that by MST, and broadcasting based on RNG consumes energy about 64% more than that by MST. We also show that no localized method can construct a structure for broadcasting with total power consumption asymptotically better than LRNG.
Representing functionally the two-dimensional conformal group

Abstract Projective representations of the two-dimensional conformal group are explicitly constructed in terms of propagation kernels. The representation functionals are then used to study the effect of conformal transformations on the states of a free massless scalar field theory.
The Evolution of Functionally Novel Proteins after Gene Duplication

A widely cited model of the evolution of functionally novel proteins (here called the model of mutation during non-functionality (MDN model)) holds that, after gene duplication, one gene copy is redundant and free to accumulate substitutions at random. By chance, some of these substitutions may suit the protein encoded by such a non-functional gene to a new function, which it can subsequently assume. Several lines of evidence contradict this hypothesis: (i) comparison of expressed duplicate genes from the tetraploid frog Xenopus laevis suggests that such genes are subject to purifying selection and are thus not free to accumulate substitutions at random; (ii) in a number of multi-gene families, there is now evidence that functionally distinct proteins have arisen not as a result of chance fixation of neutral variants but rather as a result of positive Darwinian selection; and (iii) the phenomenon of gene sharing, in which a single gene encodes a protein having two distinct functions, shows that gene duplication is not a necessary prerequisite to the evolution of a new protein function. A model for the evolution of new protein is proposed under which a period of gene sharing ordinarily precedes the evolution of functionally distinct proteins. Gene duplication then allows each daughter gene to specialize for one of the functions of the ancestral gene. However, if the ancestral gene is not bifunctional, either of the following two outcomes is expected to follow gene duplication: (i) one copy will be silenced by a mutation preventing expression; or (ii) if both copies continue to be expressed, both will be subject to purifying selection, as a high proportion of nonsynonymous mutations will have a completely or partly dominant deleterious effect.
Moisture and viscoelastic effects on the dimensional stability of composites

Dimensional stability is the time dependent strain response to mechanical thermal chemical or physical loads whether internal or externally applied. This paper presents recent work on moisture induced strains and viscoelastic behavior of polymer matrix composite materials. Topics covered include determination of lamina coefficients of moisture expansion (CME) or /11 and P22 and the microyield strength (MYS). It is shown that the creep recovery part of a MYS test can be a sensitive indicator of moisture level and/or matrix damage. 1.
Comprehensive genomic profiling in diabetic nephropathy reveals the predominance of proinflammatory pathways

Despite advances in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN), currently available therapies have not prevented the epidemic of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD). The morbidity of CKD, and the inexorable increase in the prevalence of end-stage renal disease, demands more effective approaches to prevent and treat progressive CKD. We undertook next-generation sequencing in a rat model of diabetic nephropathy to study in depth the pathogenic alterations involved in DN with progressive CKD. We employed the obese, diabetic ZS rat, a model that develops diabetic nephropathy, characterized by progressive CKD, inflammation, and fibrosis, the hallmarks of human disease. We then used RNA-seq to examine the combined effects of renal cells and infiltrating inflammatory cells acting as a pathophysiological unit. The comprehensive systems biology analysis of progressive CKD revealed multiple interactions of altered genes that were integrated into morbid networks. These pathological gene assemblies lead to renal inflammation and promote apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in progressive CKD. Moreover, in what is clearly a major therapeutic challenge, multiple and redundant pathways were found to be linked to renal fibrosis, a major cause of kidney loss. We conclude that systems biology applied to progressive CKD in DN can be used to develop novel therapeutic strategies directed to restore critical anomalies in affected gene networks.
A comparison of ampicillin plus sulbactam versus clindamycin and gentamicin for treatment of postpartum infection.

Abstract Thirty-six hospitalized patients, 18 in each of two groups, with postpartum upper genital tract infection were enrolled in a randomized, prospective study comparing treatment with sulbactam/ampicillin, to treatment with clindamycin/gentamicin. One (5.5%) clinical failure was reported in each group. Side effects were minimal in both groups and did not warrant discontinuation of treatment. The in vitro activity of ampicillin versus sulbactam/ampicillin (1: 2) was evaluated and these data were compared with data from other drugs commonly used for aerobic and anaerobic infections. Sulbactam eliminated resistance to ampicillin in all anaerobic and most aerobic isolates.
Yield and Quality of Soymilk Processed by Steam‐Infusion Cooking

Traditional soymilk is boiled for approximately 60 min at 99°C pH 6.7, which reduces trypsin inhibitor (TI) activity by more than 90% to improve nutritional value. We evaluated continuous, direct steam-infusion cooking that facilitated higher temperatures (99-154°C) than that traditionally used for cooking soymilk. At temperatures above 120°C in steam-infusion cooking we observed consistent temperature-dependent patterns in yields of soymilk, solids, and protein, characterized by an initial decrease, followed by a rise to maximum recovery, then by a final decrease. At 154°C, pH 6.7, maximum recovery occurred at the same point as did adequate in-activation of TI. As much as 90% of the slurry, 86% of the soybean solids, and 90% of the protein were recovered as soymilk after centrifuging at 1050 × G for 5 min. Under optimum conditions for steam-infusion cooking the soymilk also retained less than 8% residual TI activity, and less chemical browning. Using traditional cooking methods, about 72% of the slurry, 61% of soybean solids, and 73% of the protein are recovered.
A systematic method of dynamics for flexible robot manipulators

In this article, a systematic method to derive dynamic equations of motion for flexible robot manipulators is developed by using the Lagrangian assumed modes method. The proposed method can be applied to dynamic simulation and control system design for flexible robot manipulators. In the proposed method, the link deflection is described by a truncated modal expansion. The operations of only 3x3 matrices and/or 3 × 1 vectors exist in the method. All the dynamics computations are performed in the link coordinate systems, where the kinematics informations are computed with the forward recursion from the base to the hand tip and the dynamics informations are computed with the return recursion. As generally compared with other existing methods, the method proposed in this article is, computationally, more simple, systematic, and efficient. A computational simulation for a single-link flexible robot manipulator is presented to verify the proposed method. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Atorvastatin protects renal function in the rat with acute unilateral ureteral obstruction.

OBJECTIVES To examine the effects of atorvastatin on renal hemodynamics and urinary microalbumin levels in rats with acute unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Previous studies have demonstrated that treatment with statins attenuated renal structural damages in rodents with chronic UUO. However, it is not known whether statins afford protection of renal function. METHODS UUO was created by ligation of the left ureter in rats maintained on a regular diet or the same diet but supplemented with atorvastatin (50 mg/kg/d) for 2 weeks. Renal clearance experiments were performed after release of UUO at 1 hour, 6 hours, or 12 hours. RESULTS Atorvastatin treatment lowered plasma triglyceride but not cholesterol levels. Both glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow were significantly greater in atorvastatintreated rats after release of UUO at 1 hour, 6 hours, and 12 hours. Significant reduction of urinary microalbumin to creatinine ratios occurred in the atorvastatin-treated group at 12 hours but not earlier. CONCLUSIONS Atorvastatin treatment affords protection of renal function in acute UUO and reduces urinary microalbumin levels without lowering cholesterol levels. This pleiotropic action of atorvastatin on preservation of renal hemodynamics may be important in attenuating subsequent renal structural injury in chronic UUO.
Spectral Stability of Ideal-Gas Shock Layers

Extending recent results in the isentropic case, we use a combination of asymptotic ODE estimates and numerical Evans-function computations to examine the spectral stability of shock-wave solutions of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations with ideal gas equation of state. Our main results are that, in appropriately rescaled coordinates, the Evans function associated with the linearized operator about the wave (i) converges in the large-amplitude limit to the Evans function for a limiting shock profile of the same equations, for which internal energy vanishes at one end state; and (ii) has no unstable (positive real part) zeros outside a uniform ball |λ| ≦ Λ. Thus, the rescaled eigenvalue ODE for the set of all shock waves, augmented with the (nonphysical) limiting case, form a compact family of boundary-value problems that can be conveniently investigated numerically. An extensive numerical Evans-function study yields one-dimensional spectral stability, independent of amplitude, for gas constant γ in [1.2, 3] and ratio ν/μ of heat conduction to viscosity coefficient within [0.2, 5] (γ ≈ 1.4, ν/μ ≈ 1.47 for air). Other values may be treated similarly but were not considered. The method of analysis extends also to the multi-dimensional case, a direction that we shall pursue in a future work.
Pressure‐induced phase transition of HgS

The high pressure phase transition of cinnabar (alpha-HgS) was studied by energy dispersive X-ray diffraction using a synchrotron X-ray source. The cinnabar crystal structure was found to transform to the sodium-chloride structure at about 130 kbar. The lattice parameter of the new phase was determined to be 5.070 + or - 0.005 A at 300 kbar. No further phase transition was observed up to 400 kbar.
Vitreous Hemorrhage Nontoxic to Retina as a Stimulator of Glial and Fibrous Proliferation

To test the belief that blood is toxic to the retina, we developed an experimental model of vitreous hemorrhage in rabbits by injecting various amounts of autologous, uncoagulated, whole blood into their vitreous cavities, with the vitreous humor either intact or previously compressed by an expanding perfluoropropane gas bubble. Blood in the eyes with compressed vitreous cleared in half the time required for the same volume injected into eyes with intact vitreous (75.6 days vs 39.2 days). Large volumes of intravitreal blood (0.25 to 0.50 ml) were never toxic to the retina by ganzfeld and bright-flash electroretinography throughout a four-month observation period. The results indicated that massive vitreous hemorrhage has a dense filtering effect that can extinguish the ganzfeld but not the bright-flash electroretinogram. Blood caused moderate hemoglobin staining of the retina, without signficant iron staining (confirmed by X-ray microprobe analysis). Hemoglobin residues accumulated within cells of the inner retina, especially Muller's cells. Blood clot retraction after the injection of large volumes of fresh blood (1 ml) produced traction retinal detachment, hole formation, and subretinal accumulation of blood. This correlated with a complete and persistent extinction of the ganzfeld and bright-flash electroretinograms throughout the four-month observation period. A striking finding was that almost all eyes developed glial membranes on the peripheral retina. Fibrous membranes, causing local retinal contraction, were found over the medullary wings and optic disk in eyes with vitreous compression.
Femtocell-assisted location authentication

Location-based applications (e.g., foursquare, Groupon) rely on each client's assertion of his or her location (e.g., uploaded GPS coordinates). Yet these service providers seek methods to authenticate the location of clients to enhance targeted service delivery and support their advertisers. We propose an intelligent infrastructure-based solution that provides spontaneous, transaction-oriented, collusion-resistant mobile device location authentication to a remote party via an integrated 802.11× wireless access point and 3G femtocell access system.
Crossed molecular beam‐tunable laser determination of velocity dependence of intramultiplet mixing: K(4p2P1/2)+He →K(4p2P3/2)+He

The velocity dependence of intramultiplet mixing, K(4p2P1/2) +He→K(4p2P3/2)+He, has been measured over the relative velocity range v=1.3–3.4 km/sec. The cross section appears to fit a linear function Q (v) =A (v−v0), where a=6.3×10−4 A2 and v0= 7.9×104 cm/sec. The value of A is obtained by normalization to the literature thermal average cross section. The intramultiplet mixing theory of Nikitin is modified to yield Q (v) for the process. The modified theory correctly exhibits detailed balancing, and it is normalized to provide a very good fit to the observed Q (v). The magnitude of the normalization factor, however, is larger than that predicted from recent pseudopotential calculations of the excited state potentials. The temperature dependence of intramultiplet mixing is predicted. The use of laser polarization to determine the mj dependence of the process K(4p2P3/2+He→K(4p2P1/2)+He and other collision processes of excited 2P3/2 states is examined.
In vitro and in vivo inhibition of nuclear type II estrogen binding sites in the dorsolateral prostate of noble rats

Abstract Competition analyses with a number of known bioflavonoids and related compounds revealed that three of them competed effectively for type II [3H]estradiol-17β ([3H]E2) binding sites (type II sites) in the nuclei of rat dorsolateral prostate (DLP). Amongst the bioflavonoids tested, quercetin was the most effect, exhibiting approx. a 50% inhibition at 3000-fold molar excess concentration. In contrast, rutin and hesperitin were both not effective. Methyl p-hydroxyphenyllactate (MeHPLA), a suspected “endogenous” ligand for uterine type II sites [1; J. Biol. Chem.263, 1988, 7203–7210], competed as well as estradiol-17β (E2) for prostatic type II sites (50% inhibition at 30-fold molar excess), whereas its demethylated product, HPLA, did not. 4,4'Dihydroxybenzylidene acetophenone, an esterase-stable MeHPLA analog, was also found to be a good competitor, exhibiting a 50% inhibition at 100-fold molar excess concentration. In a preliminary in vivo study, quercetin, administered either orally or subcutaneously, was found to be effective in preventing a joint testosterone (T) and E2 treatment-induced elevation of type II sites in rat DLP. Quercetin treatments also caused a small but significant reduction (17–18%) in DLP relative gland weights (gland wt/body wt) in T + E2-treated animals. Taken together, these data suggest that bioflavonoids and related compounds may influence prostatic function via interactions with prostatic type II sites.
The benefit and cost of prostate cancer early detection

Cost-effectiveness calculations of prostate cancer early detection have not been possible due to the lack of any data demonstrating reduction in mortality from any test or procedure. Prior analyses focused only on cost assessments without consideration of any possible benefits. We used current data from three consecutive years of the American Cancer Society-National Prostate Cancer Detection Project to assess different economic perspectives of test performance, marginal costs, and benefit-cost analysis. The marginal cost, or cost per cancer, of digital rectal examination (DRE) markedly increased by the third year relative to several proposed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) scenarios. Sensitivity analysis for average cost showed that at 4 ng/ml, pricing PSA below $30 would be the most potent factor in potentially lowering costs. Analysis of receiver operator characteristic curves suggested that optimal performance for PSA may be at 3 ng/ml when combined with DRE or between 2 to 3 ng/ml when used alone. Benefit-cost calculations demonstrated that DRE when performed by highly skilled examiners had the lowest cost. However, DRE became one of the most costly detection scenarios when a minor decrease in performance was assumed. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the three most determinant parameters of net benefit, in decreasing order, are: specificity, benefits from earlier therapy, and prevalence. If a slightly more specific PSA assay is developed, the higher prevalence of clinically detectable prostate cancer could also make screening less costly than breast cancer screening. Under the assumptions of these analyses, the combination of PSA and DRE appears to represent an ethical and economical detection choice for individual patients in consultation with their physicians. Additional research is needed to quantify the significance of differences between different screening strategies.
Transition from laminar to three-dimensional growth mode in pulsed laser deposited BiFeO3 film on (001) SrTiO3

Real-time specular x-ray reflectivity of pulsed laser deposited BiFeO3 films exhibits unit-cell oscillations, with diffuse scattering intensity out-of-phase with the specular intensity. The growth mode is thus identified as nucleation and coalescence of unit-cell height islands. The growth rate is insensitive to the deposition rate, suggesting self-limiting growth. Beyond several monolayers the diffuse intensity increases abruptly, signaling a transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional growth. Ex situ atomic force microscopy shows that mounds merge after a few more deposited layers, leaving arrays of mesas with some holes due to incomplete coalescence.
Mouse xenograft models vs GEM models for human cancer therapeutics

> If one wants to know whether a patient’s tumor will respond to a specific therapeutic regime, one must examine the response of that human tumor, not a mouse tumor, to the therapy Numerous murine models have been developed to study human cancer. These models are used to investigate the factors
Emerging Conflicts in the Doctrines of Public Administration

As a self-conscious discipline among the cluster of specialties or “fields” encompassed by political science, public administration came late and grew fast. Its recent arrival and rapid growth sometimes obscure the fact that its origins are to be found in a process of experimentation with governmental structure that long preceded the appearance of public administration as a subject of systematic study and is likely to continue as long as the nation exists. This process of experimentation goes on vigorously today, and the development of new forms is generating discord more profound and far-reaching than any that has ever hitherto divided students of public administration. It is with the sources and significance of that discord that this paper is concerned. The central thesis of this paper is that an examination of the administrative institutions of this country suggests that they have been organized and operated in pursuit successively of three values, here designated representativeness, neutral competence, and executive leadership.
Do expirations of Hang Seng Index derivatives affect stock market volatility

High volatility in the stock market is often attributed to index derivative expirations. Such has been the case in the US, Japan, Australia, and, most recently, Hong Kong. Investigations of the US, Japanese, and Australian markets, however, fail to establish a direct link. The empirical evidence indicates that, while trading volume is higher than normal on index futures and option expiration days, stock market volatility is no different. This paper examines price and volume data in days surrounding the expirations of the Hong . Kong Futures Exchange's Hang Seng Index HSI derivative contracts and finds no evidence of increased stock market volatility. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Using Single-Subject Research to Establish the Evidence Base of Special Education:

Research in the field of special education often incorporates single-subject designs to investigate the effectiveness of educational practices for students with disabilities. As such, it is important that educators and educational professionals understand the characteristics of single-subject research methodologies and how those characteristics allow conclusions to be drawn about effectiveness of practices. Because conclusions about whether an intervention causes changes in student outcomes can be derived from single-subject research, it has much to offer to discussion of evidence-based practice and the ultimate identification of evidence-based practices for students with disabilities.
Visual Fixation Patterns during Reciprocal Social Interaction Distinguish a Subgroup of 6-Month-Old Infants At-Risk for Autism from Comparison Infants

Thirty-one infant siblings of children with autism and 24 comparison infants were tested at 6 months of age during social interaction with a caregiver, using a modified Still Face paradigm conducted via a closed-circuit TV-video system. In the Still Face paradigm, the mother interacts with the infant, then freezes and displays a neutral, expressionless face, then resumes interaction. Eye tracking data on infant visual fixation patterns were recorded during the three episodes of the experiment. Using a hierarchical cluster analysis, we identified a subgroup of infants demonstrating diminished gaze to the mother's eyes relative to her mouth during the Still Face episode. Ten out of the 11 infants in this subgroup had an older sibling with autism.
Secular Victims, Religious Aggressors: Liudmila Ulitskaia's Muslims, Radical Islam, and the Russian Intelligentsia

Several novels by contemporary author Liudmila Ulitskaia sympathize with oppressed Muslims (whether Crimean Tatars or Palestinians), yet her nonfiction attacks radical Islam as unthinking and brutal. Such a critique links Islamic extremists to intolerance, ignorance, and violence; these three traits are anathema to the intelligenty who dominate her writing. What results is a paradoxical image of victimized Muslims and their aggressive religion. This scenario is shaped by the intelligentsia's belief that literature can resolve society's crises, an assumption conceptualizing conflicts between Russia and Islam in alarmist terms inherited from the Soviet experience. Ulitskaia's portrayal of Muslims and their faith likewise unwittingly draws on Orientalist misconceptions and the increasing xenophobia of the Putin and Medvedev years.
Somatotopic mapping of the human primary motor cortex with functional magnetic resonance imaging

We applied functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) to map the somatotopic organization of the primary motor cortex using voluntary movements of the hand, arm, and foot. Eight right-handed healthy subjects performed self-paced, repetitive, flexion/extension movements of the limbs while undergoing echo-planar imaging. Four subjects performed movements of the right fingers and toes, while the remaining subjects performed movements of the right fingers and elbow joint. There was statistically significant functional activity in the left primary motor cortex in all subjects. The pattern of functional activity followed a topographic representation: finger movements resulted in signal intensity changes over the convexity of the left motor cortex, whereas toe movements produced changes either at the interhemispheric fissure or on the dorsolateral surface adjacent to the interhemispheric fissure. Elbow movements overlapped the more medial signal intensity changes observed with finger movements. Functionally active regions were confined to the cortical ribbon and followed the gyral anatomy closely. These findings indicate that FMRI is capable of generating somatotopic maps of the primary motor cortex in individual subjects.
Building the Foundation for Development on the Semantic Web

Finally, with what you have learned from this book, you are now ready to start your own development on the Semantic Web. To better prepare you for this work, we present an overview in this chapter that covers two major topics. With the knowledge presented in this chapter, your future development work will start with a solid foundation.
What season is it anyway? Circadian tracking vs. photoperiodic anticipation in insects.

The daily rhythm of 24 h and the annual rhythm of 12 mo constitute the 2 major, highly predictable rhythms of the biosphere. The internal circadian clock enables organisms to track daily changes in their environment; the photoperiodic timer, alone or in concert with a circannual clock, enables organisms to anticipate and prepare in advance for seasonal changes in their environment. The circadian clock entrains to dawn and dusk and tracks light and temperature on a day-to-day basis, while the photoperiodic timer serves as a long-term, physiological go/no-go switch that commits an animal to development, reproduction, dormancy, or migration on a seasonal or even lifetime basis. In 1936, Erwin Bunning proposed that circadian rhythms formed the basis (Grundlage) for photoperiodic response to day length. Historical inertia generated by correlative evidence from early physiological studies and a proliferating number of descriptive models has resulted in the widespread assumption that the circadian clock constitutes the necessary, causal basis of photoperiodism in general. This historical inertia has also restricted the search for genes involved in insect photoperiodism to genes central to the circadian clock in Drosophila and has led investigators to conclude that any behavior, process, or gene expression that varies with day length represents photoperiodism or a gene involved in photoperiodism. The authors discuss how blinders imposed by the circadian imperative have retarded progress toward identifying the genetic basis of photoperiodism and how the insights gained from geographic variation in photoperiodic response have been used to show the independent evolution of the circadian clock and photoperiodism. When geographic variation is found in circadian genes, the most immediate and parsimonious search for adaptive significance should be in circadian function, not in extrapolation to photoperiodism. Finally, the authors propose that circadian-unbiased, forward genetic approaches should be used to identify genes involved in photoperiodism within extant populations and among populations over evolutionary time.
A Study and Performance Evaluation of the Multi-Tenant Data Tier Design Patterns for Service Oriented Computing

Multi-tenancy is one of key characteristics of the service oriented computing especially for Software as a Service (SaaS) to leverage economy of scale to drive down total cost of ownership for both service consumer and provider. This paper aims to study the technologies to build a cost-effective, secure and scalable multi-tenant infrastructure, especially in data tier. We first explore all the key implementation patterns of data tier multi-tenancy on aspects of isolation, security, customization & scalability etc. Furthermore, we mainly evaluate the performance of these design patterns on aspects of isolation and security via a series of experiments and simulations. This paper also identifies the potential performance bottlenecks, summarizes corresponding optimization approaches and best implementation practices for different multi-tenant business usage models.
Solid-State MAS NMR Studies of Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized SBA-15

Solid-state magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to characterize propylsulfonic acid-functionalized SBA-15 materials prepared by the cocondensation method. The propylsulfonic acid-group concentration and distribution was systematically varied from 2.5 to 10%. As a way of coupling two acid sites and controlling the acid site spatial distribution, tethered propylsulfonic acid groups were incorporated into SBA-15. 13C, 29Si and 1H MAS NMR were used to determine the extent of functionalization. Probe molecules, such as triethylphosphine oxide and diphenyldiphosphines were used to evaluate acid site strength and acid site distributions, respectively.
Local Constraints Satisfied by Realizable Correlation Functions

The Wiener-Khintchine theorem dictates that the correlation function of any stationary, stochastic signal y(t) has as its Fourier transform a function that is necessarily both real and non-negative. In this paper, I explore the real-space, geometric consequences of this reciprocal-space non-negativity constraint. I review prior results addressing this issue, and I also introduce a family of new, local constraints—each a consequence of the reciprocal-space non-negativity constraint—that are satisfied by the differentiable correlation functions.
Prenatal diagnosis of cleft lip: what the sonologist needs to tell the surgeon.

igh-resolution ultrasonography enables the detection and characterization of many types of fetal facial anomalies. Although the fetal face is still not part of the basic sonographic structural survey recommended by the American Institute of Ultrasound and Medicine, accurate evaluation of craniofacial malformations is usually possible. After the sonologist makes the diagnosis of a fetal cleft lip/palate (and chromosomal aberrations are excluded), consultation with an appropriate surgeon is essential. The parents need to be educated about the severity of the deformity and the predicted outcome of repair. A recent survey of parents showed that only one third thought they were given adequate information about antenatally diagnosed cleft lip by the physician supervising the ultrasonographic examination or by the obstetrician.1 The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the importance of the report from the sonologist to the surgeon. We underscore the anatomic findings that a surgeon needs to know to present a plan of management to the parents. As in any communication between physicians, there must be common terminology and understanding of the role that each plays. Thus, the surgeon must be aware of the difficulties in ultrasonographic diagnosis of cleft lip and palate, whereas the sonologist should have basic knowledge about the repair of various types of cleft lip and palate. Prenatal ultrasonography permits visualization of the midfacial structures that are formed by 4 to 6 weeks, i.e., the nose, lip, alveolus, and hard palate anterior to the incisive foramen. Embryologists call this the primary palate. The secondary palate (defined as posterior to the incisive foramen) fuses between 8 and 12 weeks’ gestation. Isolated cleft palate is rarely identified antenatally. The sonologist’s report to the surgeon who will counsel the parents should include the specific type of cleft lip and details about the extent of the anomaly. Figure 1 is a data form that we have used to compose such a report.
New Method For Spectral Modulation

A new method for modulating spectra by correlating source fluctuations is discussed. Potential advantages and limitations of this method are considered for both scalar and electromagnetic sources.
Diverse roles of STING-dependent signaling on the development of cancer

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a cellular sensor that controls cytosolic DNA-activated innate immune signaling. We have previously demonstrated that STING-deficient mice are resistant to carcinogen-induced skin cancer, similar to myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) deficient mice, since the production of STING-dependent DNA-damage-induced proinflammatory cytokines, that likely require MyD88 signaling to exert their growth-promoting activity, are prevented. In contrast, MyD88-deficient mice are sensitive to colitis-associated cancer (CAC), since selected cytokines generated following DNA-damage also activate repair pathways, which can help prevent tumor development. Here, we demonstrate that STING signaling facilitates wound repair processes and that analogous to MyD88-deficient mice, STING-deficient mice (SKO) are prone to CAC induced by DNA-damaging agents. SKO mice harboring tumors exhibited low levels of tumor-suppressive interleukin-22 binding protein (IL-22BP) compared to normal mice, a cytokine considered critical for preventing colon-related cancer. Our data indicate that STING constitutes a critical component of the host early response to intestinal damage and is essential for invigorating tissue repair pathways that may help prevent tumorigenesis.
Post Walrasian Macroeconomics: Agent-Based Financial Markets: Matching Stylized Facts with Style

Empirical facts from financial data pose some of the most dicult puzzles for equilibrium macroeconomic modeling. Features such as volatility, excess kurtosis, and conditional heteroscedasticity are not easily replicated by any single representative agent model. Most agent-based financial markets are able to match a good subset of these features quite easily. This paper will summarize some of the results from an agent-based model. It will be argued that agent-based approaches also make more sense economically then their representative agent competition. They will also be compared and contrasted with approaches coming from the behavioral finance perspective as well.
Elastic modulus imaging (EMI) for visualizing thermal ablation zone: Initial experience in a porcine model

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is the most common minimally invasive therapy used in the United States to treat primary (hepatocellular carcinoma) and metastatic liver cancers. The ability to accurately evaluate the thermal ablation zone while a patient is undergoing radiofrequency ablation may help reduce the high recurrence rates (as high as 55%) following radiofrequency ablation therapy. In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility of performing ultrasound-based elastic modulus imaging (EMI) to evaluate thermal ablation zones in a porcine model.
Costs and Benefits of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems

A picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is an electronic and ideally filmless information system for acquiring, sorting, transporting, storing, and electronically displaying medical images. PACS have developed rapidly and are in operation in a number of hospitals. Before widespread adoption of PACSs can occur, however, their cost-effectiveness must be proven. This article introduces the basic components of a PACS. The current PACS cost-analysis literature is reviewed. Some authors conclude that the PACS would pay for itself, while others find the PACS much more expensive. Explanations for these differences are explored. Almost all of these studies focus on direct costs and ignore indirect costs and benefits. The literature characterizing the indirect costs of PACS is reviewed. The authors conclude that there is a need for uniform, well-defined criteria for the calculation of the costs and savings of PACSs.
Cochlear fluid space dimensions for six species derived from reconstructions of three-dimensional magnetic resonance images.

Objectives: To establish the dimensions and volumes of the cochlear fluid spaces. Study Design: Fluid space volumes, lengths, and cross-sectional areas were derived for the cochleas from six species: human, guinea pig, bat, rat, mouse, and gerbil. Methods: Three-dimensional reconstructions of the fluid spaces were made from magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) images. Consecutive serial slices composed of isotropic voxels (25 μm3) representing the entire volume of fixed, isolated cochleas were obtained. The boundaries delineating the fluid spaces, including Reissner's membrane, were resolved for all specimens, except for the human, in which Reissner's membrane was not consistently resolved. Three-dimensional reconstructions of the endolymphatic and perilymphatic fluid spaces were generated. Fluid space length and variation of cross-sectional area with distance were derived by an algorithm that followed the midpoint of the space along the length of the spiral. The total volume of each fluid space was derived from a voxel count for each specimen. Results: Length, volume, and cross-sectional areas are provided for six species. In all cases, the length of the endolymphatic fluid space was consistently longer than that of either perilymphatic scala, primarily as a result of a greater radius of curvature. For guinea pig specimens, the measured volumes of the fluid spaces were considerably lower than those suggested by previous reports based on histological data. Conclusions: The quantification of cochlear fluid spaces provided by this study will enable the more accurate calculation of drug and other solute movements in fluids of the inner ear during experimental or clinical manipulations.
Expanded carrier screening in reproductive healthcare: perspectives from genetics professionals

STUDY QUESTION How do genetics professionals assess the potential benefits and challenges of expanded carrier screening (ECS) in reproductive healthcare? SUMMARY ANSWER Genetics professionals believe that current ECS products have major limitations and are not ready for routine use in reproductive healthcare. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Non-targeted approaches to carrier screening have been met with uneven enthusiasm from relevant professional organizations. With declining genotyping costs, it is reasonable to expect that the number of genetic conditions evaluated by carrier-screening products will continue to increase. Reproductive healthcare providers will play a critical role in the adoption of ECS and need to be prepared for the potential challenges that lie ahead. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Focus groups were convened at six academic medical centers in the USA in March 2011 to examine genetics professionals' views on ECS. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Forty genetic professionals participated in six focus groups for this study. A clinical case report was presented to each focus group to examine participants' opinions about the use of highly multiplexed forms of carrier screening in reproductive healthcare. Focus group transcripts were analyzed for major themes and thematic density across sites using qualitative data analysis software (ATLAS.ti v5.8). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Participants believed that current ECS products have major limitations pertaining to the analysis of select alleles and genetic mutations. Participants highlighted multiple interpretive and counseling challenges that reproductive healthcare providers may face in communicating ECS results to patients. Participants stressed the importance of communicating these and other limitations to patients before recommending ECS. Participants recommended collaboration with genetic counselors and medical geneticists in providing ECS. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION To the extent that ECS products have not been widely used to date, participants may have had limited familiarity and direct clinical experience with these products. Given that this study was conducted with genetic professionals from academic medical centers in the USA, participant perspectives may not be representative of professional practices and norms in other healthcare settings. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS In considering the use of ECS products in their practices, reproductive healthcare providers may find it helpful to consider the perspectives of genetics professionals. These specialists have considerable experience with diverse forms of genetic testing and can provide valuable insights regarding new genomic risk assessment tools such as ECS.
Internal Wave Induced Fluctuations in the Oceanic Density and Sound Speed Fields

Internal waves distort the sound speed field in the sea. The time variation associated with this distortion results in fluctuations in acoustic intensity and phase in forward transmission experiments. The effort to predict the spectrum of internal wave induced phase fluctuations experienced initial success. Corresponding success was not achieved in the prediction of acoustic intensity, which is sensitive to much smaller vertical scales than phase.
Needle biopsy of the testes in boys with leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

One hundred and one out of 102 needle biopsies of the testes of boys with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) produced adequate material for histological examination. The initial biopsies revealed lymphoblastic infiltration in 12 of the 14 boys with enlarged testes and in 2 boys of 22 who were not suspected clinically to have testicular relapse. Two boys whose testicular biopsies did not show leukaemic infiltration prior to stopping maintenance chemotherapy subsequently developed isolated testicular leukaemic relapse 8 and 9 months later. The advantages of needle biopsy were that the procedure was performed on an outpatient basis, was safe, caused little discomfort, no complications and gave results similar to those obtained elsewhere by open wedge biopsy.
Measurement of Foveal Avascular Zone Dimensions and its Reliability in Healthy Eyes Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose To measure foveal avascular zone (FAZ) dimensions in healthy eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and calculate interobserver variability. Design Reliability analysis. Methods Thirty-four eyes of 17 healthy subjects underwent OCTA at the Retina Service of Wills Eye Hospital. Two masked graders performed measurements of FAZ dimensions including area, perimeter, and maximum horizontal and vertical diameters using ImageJ. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between graders was calculated. Results Mean area (mm 2 ), perimeter (mm), and maximum horizontal and vertical diameters (mm) were 0.27 ± 0.101, 2.21 ± 0.451, 0.59 ± 0.126, and 0.56 ± 0.118, respectively, at the superficial and 0.34 ± 0.116, 2.50 ± 0.462, 0.69 ± 0.123, and 0.63 ± 0.110 at the deep network. Interobserver agreement was high for all superficial FAZ measurements (ICC ≥0.90) but did not meet the lowest acceptable grader agreement for the deep vascular network (ICC P > .05). Conclusion Manual measurement of FAZ dimensions using OCTA is a noninvasive and reliable method for quantifying FAZ at the superficial vascular network. Assessing FAZ alterations in the deep vascular network may be subject to greater interobserver variability.
Connectivity of radiotracers to vasodilators is thallium the missing link

In clinical practice, when new radiotracers receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, there is a tendency to presume that comparable sensitivity and specificity for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) between radiotracers, for example, thallium and sestamibi, extends to other
Consensus and Controversy in Foetal and Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia

Foetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (AIT) is a disease in which there are a number of important controversies. These range from which neonates the diagnosis should be entertained in to what testing the laboratory should perform (especially if the first round of testing is not clearly diagnostic) to what treatment should be given. Increasingly there is consensus in broad areas but considerable variability in the details and in certain specific situations. Prior to discussing the controversies, it would be appropriate to first summarize the areas of consensus.