cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ESTABLISHING GLOBAL MEDICAL INFORMATION SERVICES: PRACTICES AND PITFALLS

Medical information groups are searching for innovative ways to support their business. For some companies, globalization may provide just the right opportunity to streamline business process, ensure consistency, and reduce duplication of effort. This article will present various options for globalizing medical information practices, discuss technology-related issues and solutions in general, and identify three potential pitfalls related to globalization.
Breath test for altered bile-acid metabolism

Summary Increased bacterial deconjugation of bile acids was agsessed by measuring 14 CO 2 specific activity of breath samples taken at intervals after a meal containing cholyl-glycine-l- 14 C (glycocholic acid). In all of 5 patients with conditions associated with stasis and bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, and in 17 of 19 patients with ileal resection and documented severe bile acid malabsorption, 14 CO 2 specific activity was strikingly higher at two or four hours than in eighteen healthy control subjects. Measurement of fecal 14 C, in addition to breath 14 CO 2 , permitted complete separation of bile-acid malabsorption from bacterial overgrowth and also identified the 2 false-negatives who had a negative breath test despite severe bile-acid malabsorption. The breath test is a rapid, simple, tubeless outpatient procedure for detecting increased deconjugation of bile acids in intestinal disease.
Reexploration after treatment for ovarian carcinoma.

Abstract Sixty-five patients with documented ovarian carcinoma who underwent a second exploratory celiotomy between 1969 and 1978 are presented. In 50 patients the second surgery followed appropriate staging, reduction surgery, and appropriate therapy. These patients could be divided into two groups: The first group consists of 24 patients who had no clinical or radiographic evidence of residual disease after appropriate therapy; the second group consists of patients explored after regression of disease, but with suspected or known residual (26 patients). No evidence of tumor was found in 21 of the 24 (27.5%) patients in the first group. Only one patient with a negative second-look operation developed a recurrence, and represents the only death from disease in the group. In the second group only 27% of the patients explored and found to have residual disease are alive. There were no surgical deaths or major surgical complications in either group. Indications and the operative technique for a second-look procedure are discussed.
Intercorrelations Among White Space Responses on Rorschach, Ego Strength, Conformity, and Self-Esteem

The present study was undertaken to determine the magnitude of relationship between the white space responses (S) on the Rorschach and ego strength, as determined by Barron's Ego Strength Scale. Correlations between the white space response (S) and conformity, as measured by the conformity scale of the Jackson Personality Inventory, and S and self-esteem, as measured by the self-esteem scale of the Jackson Personality Inventory, were also investigated. For 44 female and 12 male undergraduates the correlation between white space responses and ego strength was non-significant, as were correlations between white space responses and ego strength, conformity, and self-esteem. Intercorrelations among ego strength, conformity, and self-esteem were significant. Also, white space responses (S) and the total number of responses (R) were significantly correlated.
New gas-hydrate phase: Synthesis and stability of clay–methane hydrate intercalate

Intercalated Na-rich montmorillonite-methane hydrate was synthesized for the first time. The upper limit of stability for the intercalate in pressure and temperature is parallel to that of methane hydrate but at temperatures that are ∼0.5-1 °C lower than for methane hydrate. The low-temperature stability of the intercalate is at -11.5 ′ 3 °C at ∼40 bar, where methane and some H 2 O are expelled from the region between the silicate layers (interlayer). In contrast, methane hydrates do not dissociate at these low temperatures. We conclude that at conditions similar to where methane hydrate is stable, smectite may intercalate with methane hydrate and provide additional sinks for methane. The limitation in the stability of smectite-methane hydrate intercalate at low temperatures suggests that, if present in large quantities, it may release at decreasing temperatures sufficient methane to ameliorate a planetary cooling event.
The kinetics of dissolution of calcium sulfate dihydrate

Abstract The dissolution of calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals into subsaturated solutions of the salt has been studied at various temperatures between 10° and 30°C using a calcium ion electrode. The process follows an equation first order in relative subsaturation and is sensitive to changes in the rate of stirring indicating film diffusion control. The rate of dissolution is considerably faster than that for barium, strontium and lead sulfates for which a surface controlled reaction has been suggested. The activation energy for dissolution of CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O is 10 ± 1·5 kcal/mole.
Paired kidney donor exchanges and antibody reduction therapy: novel methods to ameliorate disparate access to living donor kidney transplantation in ethnic minorities.

Background Currently ethnic minority patients comprise 60% of patients listed for kidney transplantation in the US; however, they receive only 55% of deceased donor renal transplants and 25% of living donor renal transplants. Ethnic disparities in access to kidney transplantation result in increased morbidity and mortality for minority patients with end-stage renal disease. Because these patients remain dialysis dependent for longer durations, they are more prone to the development of HLA antibodies that further delay the possibility of receiving a successful kidney transplant. Study Design Two to 4 pretransplant and post-transplant plasma exchanges and IV immunoglobulin were used to lower donor-specific antibody levels to less than 1:16 dilution; cell lytic therapy was used additionally in some cases. Match pairing by virtual cross-matching was performed to identify the maximal exchange benefit. Sixty candidates for renal transplantation were placed into 4 paired kidney exchanges and/or underwent antibody reduction therapy. Results Sixty living donor renal transplants were performed by paired exchange pools and/or antibody reduction therapy in recipients whose original intended donors had ABO or HLA incompatibilities or both (24 desensitization and 36 paired kidney exchanges). Successful transplants were performed in 38 ethnic minorities, of which 33 were African American. Twenty-two recipients were white. Graft and patient survival was 100% at 6 months; graft function (mean serum creatinine 1.4 g/dL) and acute rejection rates (20%) have been comparable to traditional live donor kidney transplantation. Conclusions Paired kidney donor exchange pools with antibody reduction therapy can allow successful transplant in difficult to match recipients. This approach can address kidney transplant disparities.
Trait shyness, actual-ought self-discrepancy and discomfort in social interaction.

A trait approach was compared to a social cognition approach in predicting discomfort in a laboratory social interaction. The relationships of trait shyness and actual-own/ought-other (AOO) self-discrepancy with multiple aspects of discomfort were evaluated. Results from a canonical correlation analysis showed that the overall relationship between these two predictors of shyness and criteria of discomfort was significant. Partialled multivariate tests of trait shyness and AOO discrepancy revealed that both predictors of shyness were uniquely related to discomfort criteria. A comparison of these analyses revealed that subjective anxiety and negative self-statements made the strongest contribution to trait shyness, while positive self-statements made no contribution. In contrast, both positive and negative self-statements made moderately strong contributions to AOO discrepancy as did the other measures of discomfort. The findings suggest that a social cognition approach is viable in predicting discomfort related to social interaction. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
Understanding disability in Parkinson's disease

Even with optimal therapy, it is inevitable that the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) progress and gradually result in disability in the performance of daily activities. Delay and prevention of disability is among the highest priorities in the clinical management of PD. Understanding the association between the diverse symptoms of PD and the emerging disability is fundamental to minimizing functional limitations. This article differentiates disability from impairment and quality of life and explores the relationship between the specific impairments of PD and resulting disability. Identifying appropriate tools for outcomes measurement and impediments to accurate assessment of disability are also reviewed.
LISA Optics Model: Computational Steps

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) optics model is used to simulate the propagation of a laser beam inside and between widely, five million kilometers, separated spacecraft moving in orbits about the sun. Numerical beam propagation models have been around for a long time. However, because of the somewhat extreme requirements on the model, namely very large distances while still requiring sub-picometer accuracies, a detailed exposition of the computational steps is necessary to ensure that the results are understood.
Outcome—more than just operative mortality

Historical reviews of outcome following major operations for cancer have focused on the readily measurable, operative mortality. The interrelationship of surgeon and institutional volume to improved perioperative outcome has been confirmed. More current studies now relate long term cancer survival to other issues of specialization, volume, payor and institution. The challenge is to determine what volume thresholds are sufficient for acceptable outcomes. J. Surg. Oncol. 2009;99:470–477. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Expected earnings of invested overflow strategies for M/M/1 queue with constrained workload

Abstract In the case of M / M / 1 queue with constrained workload (finite dam), we consider two strategies for investing overflow of the dam. Expected value of the present value of each strategy is computed using restricted Laplace transforms and properties of M / M / 1 queues.
AurF from Streptomyces thioluteus and a Possible New Family of Manganese/Iron Oxygenases†

We recently reported that the R2 subunit of class Ic ribonucleotide reductase from Chlamydia trachomatis contains a heterodinuclear Mn/Fe redox cofactor [Jiang, W., Yun, D., Saleh, L., Barr, E. W., Xing, G., Hoffart, L. M., Maslak, M.-A., Krebs, C., and Bollinger, J. M., Jr. (2007) Science 316, 1188−1191]. The N-oxygenase, AurF, from Streptomyces thioluteus catalyzes the six-electron oxidation of p-aminobenzoate to p-nitrobenzoate and contains the EX2HX60-180EX2H sequence motif previously used to identify proteins with non-heme diiron clusters. Two research groups independently obtained evidence for the presence of iron and manganese in preparations of AurF. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of purified, resting AurF presented in one of these studies is markedly similar to the spectrum of the MnIII/FeIII form of C. trachomatis R2. We propose that S. thioluteus AurF also may harbor a heterodinuclear Mn/Fe cofactor, which it may use to activate O2 for oxidation of the aryl amine to the nitr...
Clinicians' attitudes about prolonged use of opioids and the issue of patient heterogeneity

Despite advances in medical knowledge, sophisticated imaging procedures, and treatment approaches, a significant number of chronic pain patients continue to suffer from unremitting pain. Recently, it has been suggested that opioid analgesics should be used more extensively with this population. This suggestion has resulted in considerable controversy. The preliminary research upon which opioid use for chronic pain patients is based is reviewed and demonstrated to be equivocal. The results of two recent surveys that have addressed physicians' attitudes and prescribing practices for chronic pain patients are discussed. Proposed guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain patients are examined.
Refereed article: An axiomatic theory of trust in secure communication protocols

Computing systems are evolving into large networks interconnecting organizations and even countries. The relationships among these organizations are characterized by the need for competition and cooperation without a common trusted agent. Trust arises primarily in establishing channels for secure communication. This paper presents an axiometric theory of trust in secure communication protocols. The paper introduces basic notions about developing a logic or a theory, and shows that logics of belief are appropriate for basing a theory of trust on. A theory of trust has many applications, such as design of authentication servers based on trust relationships, and design of protocols that are tolerant to security failures. We present methods for reasoning about the trust properties of secure protocols. The protocols can be implemented in an iterative or a recursive manner. Surprisingly, these two classes of protocols have different trust requirements, and exhibit interesting duality properties.
Chemical comparison of a mexican soybean variety with a us variety

The proximate analysis, protein, amino acid, and fatty acid composition and flavor evaluation of mature seeds of a commercial variety soybeans grown in Mexico and of one grown in the United States were compared. The study indicated very little difference between the two varieties.
Cosmetic Outcomes and Complications Reported by Patients Having Undergone Breast-Conserving Treatment

Purpose Over the past 30 years, much work in treatment of breast cancer has contributed to improvement of cosmetic and functional outcomes. The goal of breast-conservation treatment (BCT) is avoidance of mastectomy through use of lumpectomy and adjuvant radiation. Modern data demonstrate "excellent" or "good" cosmesis in >90% of patients treated with BCT. Methods and Materials Patient-reported data were gathered via a convenience sample frame from breast cancer survivors using a publically available, free, Internet-based tool for creation of survivorship care plans. During use of the tool, breast cancer survivors are queried as to the cosmetic appearance of the treated breast, as well as perceived late effects. All data have been maintained anonymously with internal review board approval. Results Three hundred fifty-four breast cancer survivors having undergone BCT and voluntarily using this tool were queried with regard to breast cosmesis and perceived late effects. Median diagnosis age was 48 years, and median current age 52 years. "Excellent" cosmesis was reported by 27% ( n = 88), "Good" by 44% ( n = 144), "Fair" by 24% ( n = 81), and "Poor" by 5% ( n = 18). Of the queries posted to survivors after BCT, late effects most commonly reported were cognitive changes (62%); sexual concerns (52%); changes in texture and color of irradiated skin (48%); chronic pain, numbness, or tingling (35%); and loss of flexibility in the irradiated area (30%). Survivors also described osteopenia/osteoporosis (35%), cardiopulmonary problems (12%), and lymphedema (19%). Conclusions This anonymous tool uses a convenience sample frame to gather patient reported assessments of cosmesis and complications after breast cancer. Among the BCT population, cosmetic assessment by survivors appears less likely to be "excellent" or "good" than would be expected, with 30% of BCT survivors reporting "fair" or "poor" cosmesis. Patient reported incidence of chronic pain, as well as cognitive and sexual changes, also appears higher than expected.
Nanobelt Formation of Magnesium Hydroxide Sulfate Hydrate via a Soft Chemistry Process

The nanobelt formation of magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate (MHSH) via a soft chemistry approach using carbonate salt and magnesium sulfate as reactants was successfully demonstrated. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersion X-ray spectra (EDS), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that the MHSH nanobelts possessed a thin belt structure (∼50 nm in thickness) and a rectangular cross profile (∼200 nm in width). The MHSH nanobelts suffered decomposition under electron beam irradiation during TEM observation and formed MgO with the pristine nanobelt morphology preserved. The formation process of the MHSH nanobelts was studied by tracking the morphology of the MHSH nanobelts during the reaction. A possible chemical reaction mechanism is proposed.
Seismic quiescence before the 2003 Tokachi‐oki earthquake

Some studies have found evidence of seismic quiescence, periods with fewer small earthquakes than normal, before the occurrence of some large earthquakes. In a new case study, Katsumata reexamined data from an earthquake catalog to study seismic activity preceding the magnitude 8 Tokachi-oki earthquake that occurred on 26 September 2003 off the Pacific coast of Hokkaido. The author's statistical analysis showed that there was a clear, significant decrease in seismic activity in the region during the 4 years leading up to the Tokachi-oki earthquake. This period of quiescence was similar in length to several other quiescence periods reported before other earthquakes. Further studies and improved seismic monitoring will be needed to determine how common precursory seismic quiescence is. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth, doi:10.1029/2010JB007964, 2011)
Hypersensitivity to Hymenoptera Stings

A 29-year-old man reports that he has been stung by a bee or wasp outside his door, where he had previously noted a nest. Skin itching, diffuse hives, swelling of his arms and legs, tightness in his throat, dizziness, and difficulty talking developed immediately, and he was taken to a local clinic where he received epinephrine and antihistamines. He was observed for two hours, and all symptoms resolved. How should his case be managed subsequently?
Tuber Blight Development in Potato Cultivars in Response to Different Genotypes of Phytophthora infestans

Migrations or introduction of new genotypes of Phytophthora infestans to a specific region imposes a different perspective for potato production. During 2009–2010, a late blight epidemic affected the Northeastern United States, which quickly spread through several states. The epidemic was characterized by the appearance of a new genotype of P. infestans designated US-22, which was isolated from tomato and potato. Potato tubers are an essential component of late blight epidemics where the pathogen cannot overwinter on Solanaceous plants. Six potato cultivars were inoculated with 12 isolates of P. infestans (five different genotypes), including isolates of the genotype US-22. Tuber blight development was characterized in terms of tissue darkening expressed as area under the disease progress curve values and lenticel infection. The responses indicated that US-8 was more aggressive than US-22, but US-22 isolates obtained from potato were more aggressive on potato than those acquired from tomato. Tuber periderm responses to infection were limited, yet US-8 isolates infected the periderm more often than US-22 isolates. There were significant differences among the cultivars tested but cv. Jacqueline Lee was the most resistant overall. Although isolates of P. infestans genotype US-22 were less aggressive in comparison with US-8 isolates, US-22 isolates still infected potato tubers and were as aggressive us US-8 isolates on some cultivars. Management of late blight caused by isolates of US-22 through host resistance may be feasible but imposes a different set of criteria for consideration from those that US-8 imposed.
Distinguishing hospital complications of care from pre-existing conditions

Objective. To compare cases identified through the Complications Screening Program (CSP) as complications with cases using the same ICD-9 secondary diagnosis codes, where the identifying diagnosis is also indicated as not present at admission. Design. Observational study comparing two sources of potential hospital complications: published computer algorithms applied to coded diagnosis data versus a secondary diagnosis indicator, which distinguishes pre-existing from hospital-developed conditions. Setting. All patients discharged from Mayo Clinic Rochester hospitals during 1998 and 1999. The Mayo Clinic is a large integrated delivery system in southeastern Minnesota, USA, providing services ranging from local, primary care to tertiary care for referral patients. Approximately 35% of Mayo patients travel >200 km for medical care. Study participants. Hospital patients (total = 84 436). The numbers of cases with complications ranged from 0 to 2444 per algorithm. Main outcome measures. Percent of algorithm complication cases indicated as developing in the hospital, and percent of acquired conditions of that type detected by the computer algorithms. Incremental hospital charges, length of stay (LOS) and mortality associated with acquired complications. Results. The percent of cases identified through the computer algorithm that were also coded as acquired varied from 8.8% to 100%. The ability of the computer algorithms to detect acquired conditions of that type also varied greatly, from 2% to 99%. Incremental charges and LOS were significant for patients with acquired complications except for hip fracture/falls. Many acquired complications also increased hospital mortality. Conclusions. Complication rates based strictly on standard discharge abstracts have limited use for inter-hospital comparisons due to large variability in coding across hospitals and the insensitivity of existing computer algorithms to exclude conditions present on admission from true complications. However, complications do carry high costs, including extended stays and increased hospital mortality. Enhancing secondary diagnoses with a simple indicator identifying which diagnoses were present on admission greatly increases the accurate identification of complications for internal quality and patient safety improvements.
Early Childhood Experiences and Women's Achievement Motives

Research findings in child development are reviewed to shed light on female achievement motives. It is suggested that females have high needs for affiliation which influence their achievement motives and behavior, sometimes enhancing and sometimes blocking them. Since girls as compared to boys have less encouragement for independence, more parental protectiveness, less pressure for establishing an identity separate from the mother, and less mother-child conflict which highlights this separation, they engage in less independent exploration of their environments. As a result they develop neither adequate skills nor confidence but continue to be dependent upon others. Thus while boys learn effectance through mastery, the effectiveness of girls is contingent on elicting the help of others. Affective relationships are paramount in females and much of their achievement behavior is motivated by a desire to please. If achievement threatens affiliation, performance may be sacrificed or anxiety may result.
The influence of small weld cracks on the fatigue life of steel pipe for nuclear service

Abstract An experimental program was carried out to determine the effect of small weld cracks on the fatigue strength of steel pipe. Direct and bending load tests of both innate and artificial flaws were carried out with special hydrostatic pressurization and vibratory fatigue machines. Values of notch sensitivity of the base, weld and heat affected zone materials were found to be similar, ranging between 0.1 and 0.2. The results showed that no appreciable reduction in specimen life occurred when small (to 4% wall thickness) cracks were tested in the presence of ordinary manufacturing discontinuities such as surface roughness and weld notches. A semi-empirical method for computing the influence of small pipe wall cracks on pipe life is suggested and compared with the test results.
Racial differences in poststroke rehabilitation utilization and functional outcomes.

Abstract Objective To examine racial differences in poststroke rehabilitation utilization and functional outcomes. Design Observational follow-up study. Setting Designated stroke center. Participants Stroke survivors (N=162; 106 whites and 56 blacks) surveyed at 1 year poststroke. Intervention Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Twenty-question measure of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) performance, life participation, and driving. One-year follow-up data collected from stroke survivors as part of the Stroke Education and Prevention-South Carolina Project were examined for racial disparities in rehabilitation utilization and functional outcomes. Results Analyses revealed no significant differences between blacks and whites for rehabilitation utilization. In multivariate comparisons controlling for stroke severity, blacks were less likely to report independence in overall functional performance and domain-specific measures of toileting, walking, transportation, laundry, and shopping. Blacks also reported less independence in driving at 1-year follow-up. Conclusions Blacks were less likely to report independence in performing ADL and IADL at 1 year poststroke after controlling for stroke severity. Racial disparities were reported in ADL and IADL performance despite a lack of racial differences in rehabilitation utilization. Future studies are needed to further understand the reason for this disparity in reported functional independence.
The Limits of Out-Migration for the Black Middle Class

Certain developments contributed to disinterest in research on the environs of the black middle class in favor of intensive study of the black urban poor. One example is the theory that civil right...
Tracking and prediction of mobility without physical distance measurements in sensor networks

Existing methods for detection and tracking of mobile nodes and objects via sensor networks depend on physical localization of sensor nodes. Consequently, they suffer from disadvantages associated with localization, which is often costly, error prone, and in some cases even infeasible. Tracking mobile nodes in a topological coordinate domain is proposed as an alternative to that in geographic coordinate domain. Topological coordinates (TCs), the basis of recent developments in Topology Preserving Maps (TPMs), are derived from hop distances from each node to a small subset of nodes. A technique is presented to reduce the distortion closer to the edges of principal component based TPMs, thereby enhancing its accuracy, which in turn facilitates accurate mobility tracking. Topological Coordinate based Tracking and Prediction (TCTP) algorithm is proposed for tracking and predicting the position of mobile nodes in the TC domain. Simulation results presented show that tracking and detecting performance of TCTP is competitive with geographic coordinate based algorithms despite the fact that it relies only on hop distances to a subset of nodes.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Transition in a Swept-Wing Boundary Layer

Direct numerical simulation (DNS) is performed to examine laminar to turbulent transition due to high-frequency secondary instability of stationary crossflow vortices in a subsonic swept-wing boundary layer for a realistic natural-laminar-flow airfoil configuration. The secondary instability is introduced via inflow forcing derived from a two-dimensional, partial-differential-equation based eigenvalue computation; and the mode selected for forcing corresponds to the most amplified secondary instability mode which, in this case, derives a majority of its growth from energy production mechanisms associated with the wall-normal shear of the stationary basic state. Both the growth of the secondary instability wave and the resulting onset of laminar-turbulent transition are captured within the DNS computations. The growth of the secondary instability wave in the DNS solution compares well with linear secondary instability theory when the amplitude is small; the linear growth is followed by a region of reduced growth resulting from nonlinear effects before an explosive onset of laminar breakdown to turbulence. The peak fluctuations are concentrated near the boundary layer edge during the initial stage of transition, but rapidly propagates towards the surface during the process of laminar breakdown. Both time-averaged statistics and flow visualization based on the DNS reveal a sawtooth transition pattern that is analogous to previously documented surface flow visualizations of transition due to stationary crossflow instability. The memory of the stationary crossflow vortex is found to persist through the transition zone and well beyond the location of the maximum skin friction.
Humanitarianism, Responsibility, Links, Knots

The doctrine of the ‘responsibility to protect’ (R2P), adopted as a guiding principle by the United Nations at the World Summit in 2005, was initially conceived as a way to resolve the state sovereignty–universal rights bind and to rectify the failures of humanitarian intervention in cases such as Somalia, Rwanda and Kosovo. While R2P has not exactly succeeded in these aims, the debates surrounding it point to an urgent need to reimagine both the ethics of humanitarian intervention and the meaning of the term ‘responsibility’. This essay poses Nuruddin Farah's Links (2003) and Knots (2007) – the first two novels of his Past Imperfect trilogy – as texts that take up this challenge. Along with offering an important critique of the US-led UN intervention in Somalia in 1992, these novels represent modes of humanitarian action where responsibility is conceived outside of hierarchical moral terms. Ultimately, they reveal the links that oblige humans to help each other as reciprocal knots, and suggest that produ...
The womanization of rhetoric

Synopsis However the art of public speaking is taught—whether under the auspices of language and literature, media studies, special tutelage, or within separate Departments of Speech or Rhetoric or Speech Communication as in the United States—still the assumption is and has been through the centuries that the concern of rhetoric is persuasion, that in fact the two terms are virtually synonymous. The recent emergence within the discipline of the word ‘communication≐ as a substitute for or as an additional concern of ‘rhetoric≐ represents, I believe, a fortunate shift in perspective which is best described as a ‘womanization≐ of rhetoric. This paper suggests that those of us who have been studying the theory/practice/criticism of public discourse—from Plato and Aristotle to modern advertising's motivational researchers have been advocates and mentors of violence. It further suggests that a female model of communication is not only the antidote to such violence but the necessary alternative to our self-destruction as a species.
Downscaling projections of Indian monsoon rainfall using a non‐homogeneous hidden Markov model

Downscaled rainfall projections for the Indian summer monsoon are generated using a non-homogeneous hidden Markov model (NHMM) and information from both a dense observational dataset and an ensemble of general circulation models (GCMs). The projections are conditioned on two types of GCM information, corresponding approximately to dynamic and thermodynamic components of precipitation change. These have opposing effects, with a weakening circulation compensating not quite half of the regional precipitation increase that might otherwise be expected. GCM information is taken at the largest spatial scales consistent with regional physics and modelling constraints, while the NHMM produces a disaggregation consistent with the observed fine-scale spatiotemporal variability. Projections are generated using multimodel mean predictors, with intermodel dispersion providing a measure of the uncertainty due to GCM differences. The downscaled simulations exhibit small increases in the number of dry days, in the average length of dry spells, in mean daily intensity and in the exceedance frequency of nearly all daily rainfall percentiles. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Dependent Health Insurance Laws and College Enrollment: Is There Evidence of College Lock?

For many years, the tax code gave an incentive for employers to offer dependent coverage for full-time students up to the age of 24. Recently, a provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 mandated that the definition of a dependent include young adults up to age 26, regardless of student status. Many states have passed similar mandates. The newly-acquired dependent status of non-students may encourage some young adults to avoid college. I compared a state that made the largest changes to its definition of a dependent (New Jersey) to a neighboring state that made no change (Pennsylvania). This study estimated that New Jersey’s law reduced college enrollment by 15–24 % in New Jersey relative to Pennsylvania.
Image segmentation using a genetic algorithm and hierarchical local search

This paper proposes a hybrid genetic algorithm to perform image segmentation based on applying the q-state Potts spin glass model to a grayscale image. First, the image is converted to a set of weights for a q-state spin glass and then a steady-state genetic algorithm is used to evolve candidate segmented images until a suitable candidate solution is found. To speed up the convergence to an adequate solution, hierarchical local search is used on each evaluated solution. The results show that the hybrid genetic algorithm with hierarchical local search is able to efficiently perform image segmentation. The necessity of hierarchical search for these types of problems is also clearly demonstrated.
Health status and health-related quality of life in long-term adult survivors of pediatric solid tumors.

We have examined the influence of selected factors (gender, marital status, socio-economic status, co-morbid conditions, access to medical care, age at diagnosis, intensity of therapy and time since diagnosis) on subsequent health status and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of long-term survivors of pediatric solid tumors. Two hundred and twenty individuals who had survived a pediatric solid tumor 15 years or longer completed telephone and written assessments of their current status. Health status was assessed using the Late Effects of Normal Tissues toxicity scale. HRQL was investigated using the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index–Cancer (QLIC) and the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (QLQ-C30). Results indicated that health status and HRQL were better in survivors treated with low-intensity therapy. One hundred and thirty respondents (59.1%) reported at least 1 serious toxicity. Dyspnea and fatigue were commonly reported in survivors of Hodgkin's disease. Correlational analyses showed that predictors of health status included socio-economic status, marital status and the presence of co-morbid factors. Mean HRQL scores for the 4 domains of the Ferrans and Powers QLIC and the functional scales of the EORTC QLQ-C30 indicated that most of the survivors were experiencing moderately good to excellent HRQL. One-third of survivors reported that their history of cancer had an adverse impact on their current financial status. Prediction models constructed for 3 of the domains from the 2 HRQL instruments are presented (health and functioning, global HRQL and financial impact). Within these 3 models, consistent predictors of HRQL outcomes included health status, presence of dyspnea or pain, marital status and socio-economic status. Int. J. Cancer Suppl. 12:25–31, 1999. ©1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Diurnal variability of regional cloud and clear-sky radiative parameters derived from GOES data. Part II : November 1978 cloud distributions.

Abstract Regional (250 × 250 km2) diurnal cloud variability is examined using mean hourly cloud amounts derived from November 1978 GOES-East visible and infrared data with a hybrid bispectral threshold technique. A wide variety of diurnal variations in cloud cover is presented. A morning maximum in low cloudiness is found over much of the eastern Pacific. Many regions in the western Atlantic have peak low-cloud cover near noon. Low clouds reach a maximum most often near noon over most of South America and in the morning over North America. Midlevel clouds are most frequent in the evening over oceans and in the early morning over land. High-cloud maxima are found mainly in the late afternoon over land and in the midafternoon over the oceans. An early morning minimum in high-cloud-top temperature is observed over marine areas. The amplitude of the semidiurnal component of cloudiness is generally much less than that of the diurnal component. The largest diurnal cloud variations occur over the southeastern Pa...
The Pharmaco –, Population and Evolutionary Dynamics of Multi-drug Therapy: Experiments with S. aureus and E. coli and Computer Simulations

There are both pharmacodynamic and evolutionary reasons to use multiple rather than single antibiotics to treat bacterial infections; in combination antibiotics can be more effective in killing target bacteria as well as in preventing the emergence of resistance. Nevertheless, with few exceptions like tuberculosis, combination therapy is rarely used for bacterial infections. One reason for this is a relative dearth of the pharmaco-, population- and evolutionary dynamic information needed for the rational design of multi-drug treatment protocols. Here, we use in vitro pharmacodynamic experiments, mathematical models and computer simulations to explore the relative efficacies of different two-drug regimens in clearing bacterial infections and the conditions under which multi-drug therapy will prevent the ascent of resistance. We estimate the parameters and explore the fit of Hill functions to compare the pharmacodynamics of antibiotics of four different classes individually and in pairs during cidal experiments with pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. We also consider the relative efficacy of these antibiotics and antibiotic pairs in reducing the level of phenotypically resistant but genetically susceptible, persister, subpopulations. Our results provide compelling support for the proposition that the nature and form of the interactions between drugs of different classes, synergy, antagonism, suppression and additivity, has to be determined empirically and cannot be inferred from what is known about the pharmacodynamics or mode of action of these drugs individually. Monte Carlo simulations of within-host treatment incorporating these pharmacodynamic results and clinically relevant refuge subpopulations of bacteria indicate that: (i) the form of drug-drug interactions can profoundly affect the rate at which infections are cleared, (ii) two-drug therapy can prevent treatment failure even when bacteria resistant to single drugs are present at the onset of therapy, and (iii) this evolutionary virtue of two-drug therapy is manifest even when the antibiotics suppress each other's activity.
Subjective Adaptation to Loss of the Work Role: A Longitudinal Study

Both social psychologists and social gerontologists have expressed considerable interest in adaptation to the loss of central life roles. The relationship between retirement and morale, where morale is viewed as an indicator of adaptation, is an example of research within this theoretical framework. In this study, longitudinal data for a select sample of 58 male subjects were used to examine intensively the process of adaptation to retirement. The strongest finding was evidence of high levels of adaptation in the sample as reflected in the overwhelming stability of morale over time. Multiple regression analysis indicated that social resources, particularly marital status and socioeconomic status, condition the relationship between adaptation and retirement. In summary, our analysis supports current suggestions that retirement be viewed as an event which occasions a complex social process of adaptation conditioned by a variety of resource and temporal variables.
Synthesis and X-ray structures of silver and gold guanidinate-like complexes. A Au(II) complex with a 2.47 A Au-Au distance.

The structures of the tetranuclear silver(I), [Ag4(hpp)4], and the dinuclear gold(II), [Au2(hpp)2Cl2], (hpp = 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidinate) guanidinate-like bases are reported and show a silver–silver distance of 2.8614(6) A and a gold–gold distance of 2.4752(9) A, the shortest Au–Au bond heretofore reported.
Systematic investigation of effects of heavy particles via factorized local operators and the renormalization group. I. General formulation in quantum electrodynamics

In any renormalizable theory without spontaneously broken symmetry, where there are both heavy ($M$) and light ($m$) particles, we can show that when $M$ is larger than any scale, then all the $O(\frac{1}{{M}^{2}})$ heavy-particle effects in the general $n$-point proper amputated light Green's functions can be written as ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\mathrm{full}\mathrm{theory}}^{n}={\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\mathrm{light}\mathrm{theory}}^{n}+(\frac{1}{{M}^{2}}){\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{N}{C}_{N}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}^{n}{({O}_{N})}_{\mathrm{light}\mathrm{theory}}$, where ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\mathrm{light}\mathrm{theory}}^{n}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}^{n}{({O}_{N})}_{\mathrm{light}\mathrm{theory}}$ are Green's functions and the corresponding operator inserted ones, calculated within the same theory without the heavy particles. ${O}_{N}$ are a finite set of operators with densities of dimensions \ensuremath{\le} 6. The universal coefficient functions ${C}_{N}$ have all the dependence on heavy particles, such as coupling constants and $\mathrm{ln}(\frac{M}{m})$, and are calculable via a set of Callan-Symanzik-type equations. In this article we specialize to a general formulation in QED and in an ensuing article we shall solve the scaling equations with the relevant anomalous dimensions explicitly evaluated to one-loop order.
Radiation evaluation of an advanced 64 Mb 3.3 V DRAM and insights into the effects of scaling on radiation hardness

In this paper, total ionizing dose radiation evaluations of the Micron 64 Mb 3.3 V, fast page mode DRAM and the IBM LUNA-ES 16 Mb DRAM are presented. The effects of scaling on total ionizing dose radiation hardness are studied utilizing test structures and a series of 16 Mb DRAMs with different feature sizes from the same manufacturing line. General agreement was found between the threshold voltage shifts of 16 Mb DRAM test structures and the threshold voltage measured on complete circuits using retention time measurements. Retention time measurement data from early radiation doses are shown that allow internal failure modes to be distinguished.
Tables of Attenuation Coefficients for Angular Distribution of Gamma Rays from Partially Aligned Nuclei

Abstract A set of attenuation coefficients has been calculated to be used in the interpretation of angular distributions of gamma radiations from partially aligned nuclei. To facilitate the use of these tables, the angular-distribution functions appropriate for totally aligned nuclei, as calculated by Yamazaki, have been extended to higher spins.
LFA-1 blockade induces effector and regulatory T-cell enrichment in lymph nodes and synergizes with CTLA-4Ig to inhibit effector function

Despite encouraging results using lymphocyte function antigen-1 (LFA-1) blockade to inhibit BM and solid organ transplantation rejection in nonhuman primates and humans, the precise mechanisms underlying its therapeutic potential are still poorly understood. Using a fully allogeneic murine transplantation model, we assessed the relative distribution of total lymphocyte subsets in untreated versus anti–LFA-1–treated animals. Our results demonstrated a striking loss of naive T cells from peripheral lymph nodes, a concomitant gain in blood after LFA-1 blockade, and a shift in phenotype of the cells remaining in the node to a CD62LloCD44hi profile. We determined that this change was due to a specific enrichment of activated, graft-specific effectors in the peripheral lymph nodes of anti–LFA-1–treated mice compared with untreated controls, and not to a direct effect of anti–LFA-1 on CD62L expression. LFA-1 blockade also resulted in a dramatic increase in the frequency of CD4+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in graft-draining nodes. Our results suggest that the differential impact of LFA-1 blockade on the distribution of naive versus effector and regulatory T cells may underlie its ability to inhibit alloreactive T-cell responses after transplantation.
Calculation of Circulating Current Losses in Cable Conductors

Conductors for power cable of large cross section are commonly built up from concentrically stranded bundles, which may be compacted to trapezoidal or sector shape. Concentric stranding does not constitute perfect transposition relative to the non-uniform self-field of the cable. While not normally significant at room temperature, the imperfect transposition can lead to large losses in cryogenic cables.
An Intervention Framework for Collaboration

This paper provides an intervention framework for collaboration to improve services. When collaboration is an intervention, its development and effectiveness depend on intervention logic. Intervention logic requires a precise conceptualization of collaboration. This conceptualization emphasizes its vital and unique components. It includes a developmental progression in which collaboration is contrasted with companion concepts. It also includes progress benchmarks, outcome measures, and logic models. These models depict relations among the benchmarks and outcomes, and they identify the mediating and moderating variables that account for collaboration’s development and effectiveness. These models are designed to improve planning, evaluation, and their relations. This intervention framework for collaboration contrasts sharply with other conceptualizations and strategies. Although its aim is to unify and improve collaboration policy and practice, its inherent selectivity is an obvious limitation.
A model for biological winner-take-all neural competition employing inhibitory modulation of NMDA-mediated excitatory gain

Abstract In this paper, we consider competitive neural networks with lateral inhibitory feedback. In the feline LGN, lateral inhibition is known to modulate the gain of NMDA-mediated excitation. We formulate a population model for this behaviour in which the excitatory gain of each neuron is modulated as a function of the ratio between current activity and an inhibitory feedback signal. This arrangement gives rise to a highly flexible network capable of contrast independent spatial processing, pattern sparsification, and, in the limit, winner-take-all decision making.
The Economics of Disequilibrium Price

I. Introduction, 199. — II. Market-determined and code-established prices, 201. — III. The market-determined price in pure oligopoly, 202. — IV. The code-established price in pure oligopoly, 205. — V. Price discrimination, 208. — VI. Differentiated oligopoly, 210. — VII. The demand curve as an analytic concept, 212. — VIII. Code-established prices in pure competition, 215. — IX. The indeterminacy of purely market-determined pricing, 218. — X. Monopolistic conspiracy versus cutthroat competition, 220. — XI. The shapes of demand and cost curves, 222. — XII. Excess capacity, 226. — XIII. The structure of the code-established price, 228. — XIV. Behavior codes, 230. — XV. Conclusion, 232.
Biosynthetic studies of the Y base in yeast phenylalanine tRNA. Incorporation of guanine.

Abstract Biosynthetic studies of the Y base in yeast phenylalanine tRNA employing a guanine requiring yeast mutant have shown that the main building block of this base is derived from guanine.