cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactive content-based image retrieval (CBIR) computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) system for ultrasound breast masses using relevance feedback

We designed a Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CADx) system to assist radiologists in characterizing masses on ultrasound images. The CADx system retrieves masses that are similar to a query mass from a reference library based on computer-extracted features that describe texture, width-to-height ratio, and posterior shadowing of a mass. Retrieval is performed with k nearest neighbor (k-NN) method using Euclidean distance similarity measure and Rocchio relevance feedback algorithm (RRF). In this study, we evaluated the similarity between the query and the retrieved masses with relevance feedback using our interactive CBIR CADx system. The similarity assessment and feedback were provided by experienced radiologists' visual judgment. For training the RRF parameters, similarities of 1891 image pairs obtained from 62 masses were rated by 3 MQSA radiologists using a 9-point scale (9=most similar). A leave-one-out method was used in training. For each query mass, 5 most similar masses were retrieved from the reference library using radiologists' similarity ratings, which were then used by RRF to retrieve another 5 masses for the same query. The best RRF parameters were chosen based on three simulated observer experiments, each of which used one of the radiologists' ratings for retrieval and relevance feedback. For testing, 100 independent query masses on 100 images and 121 reference masses on 230 images were collected. Three radiologists rated the similarity between the query and the computer-retrieved masses. Average similarity ratings without and with RRF were 5.39 and 5.64 on the training set and 5.78 and 6.02 on the test set, respectively. The average Az values without and with RRF were 0.86±0.03 and 0.87±0.03 on the training set and 0.91±0.03 and 0.90±0.03 on the test set, respectively. This study demonstrated that RRF improved the similarity of the retrieved masses.
Exemplar and prototype models revisited: response strategies, selective attention, and stimulus generalization.

J. D. Smith and colleagues (J. P. Minda & J. D. Smith, 2001; J. D. Smith & J. P. Minda, 1998, 2000; J. D. Smith, M. J. Murray, & J. P. Minda, 1997) presented evidence that they claimed challenged the predictions of exemplar models and that supported prototype models. In the authors’ view, this evidence confounded the issue of the nature of the category representation with the type of response rule (probabilistic vs. deterministic) that was used. Also, their designs did not test whether the prototype models correctly predicted generalization performance. The present work demonstrates that an exemplar model that includes a response-scaling mechanism provides a natural account of all of Smith et al.’s experimental results. Furthermore, the exemplar model predicts classification performance better than the prototype models when novel transfer stimuli are included in the experimental designs. A classic issue in cognitive psychology concerns the manner in which people represent categories in memory. According to prototype models (Homa, 1984; Posner & Keele, 1968; Reed, 1972), people represent categories by forming a summary representation that is a central tendency of all of the experienced members of a category. Classification decisions are based on the similarity of an item to the alternative prototypes. By contrast, according to exemplar models (Hintzman, 1986; Medin & Schaffer, 1978; Nosofsky, 1986), people represent categories by storing the individual members or exemplars of a category as separate traces and classify items based on their similarity to these stored exemplars.
Activation of nuclear receptor coactivator PGC-1α by arginine methylation

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha), a tissue-specific and inducible transcriptional coactivator for several nuclear receptors, plays a key role in energy metabolism. We report here that PGC-1alpha coactivator activity is potentiated by arginine methylation by protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1), another nuclear receptor coactivator. Mutation of three substrate arginines in the C-terminal region of PGC-1alpha abolished the cooperative coactivator function of PGC-1alpha and PRMT1, and compromised the ability of PGC-1alpha to induce endogenous target genes. Finally, endogenous PRMT1 contributes to PGC-1alpha coactivator activity, and to the induction of genes important for mitochondrial biogenesis.
Feasibility Study of Respiratory Questionnaire and Peak Flow Recordings in Autobody Shop Workers Exposed to Isocyanate-containing Spray Paint: Observations and Limitations

Diisocyanates, highly reactive monomers which cross-link polyurethane, are the most widely recognized causes of occupational asthma. Many exposed workers are end-users, including autobody spray painters who form a large population at risk. Neither the factors which determine incidence rate nor strategies for control have been adequately studied in this setting. We have conducted a cross-sectional survey of 23 (about one in five)' autobody shops in the New Haven area to determine the feasibility of clinical epidemiological studies in this population. Among 102 workers, there was a high rate of airway symptoms consistent with occupational asthma (19.6%). Symptoms were most prevalent among those with the greatest opportunity for exposure (dedicated spray painters) and least among office workers; part-time painters had intermediate rates. Atopy was not associated with risk while smoking seemed to correlate with symptoms. Regular use of air-supplied respirators appeared to be associated with lower risk among workers who painted part- or full-time. We were unable to validate the questionnaire responses with peak expiratory flow record data attempted on a 1/3 sample of the workers. Despite intensive training and effort, subject compliance was limited. Among those who provided adequate data (24 of 38), only two demonstrated unequivocal evidence of labile airways; two others demonstrated lesser changes consistent with an occupational effect on flow rates. There was no clear association between these findings and either questionnaire responses or exposure classification. Overall, the survey suggests that there is a high prevalence of airway symptoms among workers in autobody shops, at least in part due to work-related asthma. However, there is need for both methodological and substantive research in this setting to document rates of occupational asthma and to develop a scientific basis for its effective control.
Explanation-based manipulator learning: Acquisition of planning ability through observation

This paper describes a robot manipulator system currently under development which learns from observation. The system improves its problem-solving capabilities through the acquisition of task-related concepts. The system observes manipulator command sequences that solve problems currently beyond its own panning abilities. General problem-solving schemata are automatically constructed via a knowledge-based analysis of how the observed command sequence achieved the goal. This learning technique is based on explanatory schema acquisition. It is a knowledge-based approach, requiring sufficient background knowledge to understand the observed sequence. The acquired schemata serve two purposes: they allow the system to solve problems that were previously unsolvable, and they aid in the understanding of later observations.
Buna Oromo Women Gathering for Coffee

Coffee, indigenous to Oromo lands in Ethiopia, is an essential cultural and spiritual element in people’s lives. Oromo who resettled in the United States have adapted ancient coffee traditions in i...
Who's Got the Coupon? Estimating Consumer Preferences and Coupon Usage from Aggregate Information

Abstract Most researchers in marketing have typically relied on disaggregate data (e.g., consumer panels) to estimate the behavioral and managerial implications of coupon promotions. In this article, the authors propose the use of individual-level Bayesian methods for studying this problem when only aggregate data on consumer choices (market share) and coupon usage (number of distributed coupons and/or number of redeemed coupons) are available. The methodology is based on augmenting the aggregate data with unobserved (simulated) sequences of choices and coupon usage consistent with the aggregate data. The authors analyze various marketing scenarios that differ in terms of their assumptions about consumer choices, coupon availability, and coupon redemption. They illustrate the proposed methods using both simulated data and a real data set for which an extensive set of posterior predictive checks helps validate the aggregate-level estimation. In addition, the authors relate the empirical results to some of ...
Modeling the growth of PECVD silicon nitride films for solar cell applications using neural networks

Silicon nitride films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are useful for a variety of applications, including anti-reflection coatings in solar cells, passivation layers, dielectric layers in metal/insulator structures, and diffusion masks, PECVD nitride films are known to contain hydrogen, and defect passivation by hydrogenation enhances efficiency in polycrystalline silicon solar cells. PECVD systems are controlled by many operating variables, including RF power, pressure, gas flow rate, reactant composition, and substrate temperature. The wide variety of processing conditions, as well as the complex nature of particle dynamics within a plasma, makes tailoring Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ film properties very challenging, since it is difficult to determine the exact relationship between desired film properties and controllable deposition conditions. In this study, silicon nitride PECVD modeling using neural networks has been investigated. The deposition of Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ was characterized via a central composite experimental design, and data from this experiment was used to train optimized feed-forward neural networks using the back-propagation algorithm. From these neural process models, the effect of deposition conditions on film properties has been studied. It was found that the process parameters critical to increasing hydrogenation and therefore enhancing carrier lifetime in polysilicon solar cells are temperature, silane, and ammonia flow rate. The deposition experiments were carried out in a Plasma Therm 700 series PECVD system.
Bcl-2 heterodimerizes in vivo with a conserved homolog, Bax, that accelerates programed cell death

Bcl-2 protein is able to repress a number of apoptotic death programs. To investigate the mechanism of Bcl-2's effect, we examined whether Bcl-2 interacted with other proteins. We identified an associated 21 kd protein partner, Bax, that has extensive amino acid homology with Bcl-2, focused within highly conserved domains I and II. Bax is encoded by six exons and demonstrates a complex pattern of alternative RNA splicing that predicts a 21 kd membrane (alpha) and two forms of cytosolic protein (beta and gamma). Bax homodimerizes and forms heterodimers with Bcl-2 in vivo. Overexpressed Bax accelerates apoptotic death induced by cytokine deprivation in an IL-3-dependent cell line. Overexpressed Bax also counters the death repressor activity of Bcl-2. These data suggest a model in which the ratio of Bcl-2 to Bax determines survival or death following an apoptotic stimulus.
Fractures of the calcaneus: A review with emphasis on CT

The calcaneus is the most commonly fractured tarsal bone and accounts for about 2% of all fractures. Advances in cross-sectional imaging, particularly in computed tomography (CT), have given this modality an important role in identifying and characterizing calcaneal fractures. Fracture characterization is essential to guide the management of these injuries. Calcaneal fractures have characteristic appearances based on the mechanism of injury and are divided into two major groups, intraarticular and extraarticular. Most calcaneal fractures (70%-75%) are intraarticular and result from axial loading that produces shear and compression fracture lines. Of the two major systems for classifying intraarticular fractures-Hannover and Sanders-the latter is used most often and is helpful in treatment planning and determining prognosis. Extraarticular fractures account for about 25%-30% of calcaneal fractures and include all fractures that do not involve the posterior facet. The article describes in detail calcaneal anatomy, mechanism of calcaneal injuries and their associated fracture patterns, CT features of intra- and extraarticular fractures, and management implications. Familiarity with calcaneal anatomy and fracture patterns is essential for radiologists to guide the treating physicians.
Learning about the world through long-term query logs

In this article, we demonstrate the value of long-term query logs. Most work on query logs to date considers only short-term (within-session) query information. In contrast, we show that long-term query logs can be used to learn about the world we live in. There are many applications of this that lead not only to improving the search engine for its users, but also potentially to advances in other disciplines such as medicine, sociology, economics, and more. In this article, we will show how long-term query logs can be used for these purposes, and that their potential is severely reduced if the logs are limited to short time horizons. We show that query effects are long-lasting, provide valuable information, and might be used to automatically make medical discoveries, build concept hierarchies, and generally learn about the sociological behavior of users. We believe these applications are only the beginning of what can be done with the information contained in long-term query logs, and see this work as a step toward unlocking their potential.
Sampled Based Estimation of Network Traffic Flow Characteristics

In this paper, we consider the problem of non-parametric estimation of network flow characteristics, namely packet lengths and byte sizes, based on sampled flow data. We propose two different approaches to deal with the problem at hand. The first one is based on single stage Bernoulli sampling of packets and their corresponding byte sizes. Subsequently, the flow length distribution is estimated by an adaptive expectation- maximization (EM) algorithm that in addition provides an estimate for the number of active flows. The estimation of the flow sizes (in bytes) is accomplished through a random effects regression model that utilizes the flow length information previously obtained. A variation of this approach, particularly suited for mixture distributions that appear in real network traces, is also considered. The second approach relies on a two-stage sampling procedure, which in the first stage samples flows amongst the active ones, while in the second stage samples packets from the sampled flows. Subsequently, the flow length distribution is estimated using another EM algorithm and the flow byte sizes based on a regression model. The proposed approaches are illustrated and compared on a number of synthetic and real data sets.
Using attribute certificates with mobile policies in electronic commerce applications

Many electronic commerce applications, including those developed for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) uses, require operations in computing environments that are truly distributed. That is, users can request data access from multiple locations within a distributed computing system. To complicate this type of operation, however, data can be distributed and represented in multiple forms. As a result, system administrators are encountering increasing difficulty in developing and managing application-specific policies for users and data. A multi-tier (N-tier) architecture can provide a powerful solution for meeting the diverse needs of the electronic commerce applications. However, a drawback to multi-tier architectures is that they require that a user's credentials and the policy-to-data mapping context must be available in the middle tier of the system architecture. This paper addresses the management of users and data by presenting a framework for combining attribute certificates with a mobile policy for effective application-specific control specification and administration in a distributed computing environment. Attribute certificates provide mobility to credentials and also provide fine-grained information about security principles. A mobile policy allows application-specific policies to move along with the data to other elements of the distributed computing system. We propose a high-level definition language to specify policies that are application-specific and mobile, and present an algorithm for enforcing attribute-based mobile policies.
Increased Size and Stability of CA1 and CA3 Place Fields in HCN1 Knockout Mice

SUMMARY Hippocampal CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neuron place cells encode the spatial location of an animal through localized firing patterns called ‘‘place fields.’’ To explore the mechanisms that control place cell firing and their relationship to spatial memory, we studied mice with enhanced spatial memory resulting from forebrain-specific knockout of the HCN1 hyperpolarization-activated cation channel. HCN1 is strongly expressed in CA1 neurons and in entorhinal cortex grid cells, which provide spatial information to the hippocampus. Both CA1 and CA3 place fields were larger but more stable in the knockout mice, with the effect greater in CA1 than CA3. As HCN1 is only weakly expressed in CA3 place cells, their altered activity likely reflects loss of HCN1 in grid cells. The more pronounced changes in CA1 likely reflect the intrinsic contribution of HCN1. The enhanced place field stability may underlie the effect of HCN1 deletion to facilitate spatial learning and memory.
Substrate masking: binding of RNA by EGTA-inactivated micrococcal nuclease results in artifactual inhibition of RNA processing reactions

Inhibition of an RNA processing reaction after treatment with the Ca2(+)-dependent micrococcal nuclease (MN) is often used as a criterion for the presence of a required RNA or ribonucleoprotein component in the system. Following MN digestion, the nuclease is inactivated with EGTA and radiolabeled substrate is added to assay for remaining RNA processing activity. We found previously that inhibition of RNA processing by MN need not involve RNA hydrolysis: EGTA-inactivated MN can suppress RNA processing if the assay is performed in the absence of carrier RNA. We now demonstrate both by native gel electrophoresis and by nitrocellulose filter retention that EGTA-inactivated MN forms a complex with free RNA which can be dissociated by addition of synthetic polynucleotides or heparin. In the absence of Ca2+, nuclease binds to precursor tRNA with an apparent KD congruent to 1.4 x 10(-6) M, comparable to its reported affinity for DNA. In an assay for endonucleolytic tRNA maturation, inactivated MN bound to radiolabeled pre-tRNA physically blocks the sites of endonuclease cleavage and prevents tRNA processing. We call this phenomenon 'substrate masking'. Addition of excess carrier RNA competes with pre-tRNA for MN binding and restores normal processing.
River: an infrastructure for context dependent, reactive communication primitives

Applications and services in ubiquitous computing systems often interact in a context-dependent, reactive manner. How information flows, and what services communicate when, is determined by the context of the physical space, the context of users, and the services that are available. Existing discovery systems provide basic facilities for finding services based on their static descriptions in the form of attributes. Context-dependent attributes are not included in the service advertisements as they may in turn be computed and stored in other services. We propose an infrastructure, called River that provides various context-dependent, reactive communication primitives. These primitives are implemented using a single underlying technique called relational query based dispatching (RQD), which views the set of services in the system as a federation of databases, the discovery service as a distributed query processor for these databases, and communication as a combination of query processing and dispatching. We describe the design and implementation of the River infrastructure. We also show that the context-dependent query processing within the discovery service can actually reduce the lookup latency with little effect on overall throughput.
Configural association theory and the hippocampal formation: an appraisal and reconfiguration.

Sutherland and Rudy ([1989] Psychobiology 17:129–144) proposed that the hippocampal system is critical to normal learning and memory because of its function as the central part of a configural association system. This system constructs a unique representation of the joint occurrence of the independent elements of a compund. There is evidence consistent with the theory's predictions, however, there also are data that unambiguously demonstrate that, under some conditions, animals lacking an intact hippocampal system acquire configural associations. Thus, Sutherland and Rudy's fundamental assumption cannot be correct. To integrate the supporting and contradictory data, we propose two simple modifications of our position: (1) The critical neural system for configural associations is in cortical circuitry outside the hippocampus, and (2) the output from the hippocampal formation contributes to configural processing by selectively enhancing, thereby making more salient, cortical units representing stimulus conjunctions. This enhancement has two important effects: (1) It decreases the similarity between the configural units representing the co-occurrence of cues and the units representing the cues, and (2) it increases the rate at which the configural units can acquire associative strength. The modified theory explains why damage to the hippocampal formation only impairs learning on a subset of nonlinear discrimination problems. It also integrates recent data on the effects of hippocampal formation damage on conditioning involving context cues and makes novel predictions about performance on nonlinear discrimination problems and place learning. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
When it's better to ask forgiveness than get permission: attribution mechanisms for smartphone resources

Smartphone applications pose interesting security problems because the same resources they use to enhance the user experience may also be used in ways that users might find objectionable. We performed a set of experiments to study whether attribution mechanisms could help users understand how smartphone applications access device resources. First, we performed an online survey and found that, as attribution mechanisms have become available on the Android platform, users notice and use them. Second, we designed new attribution mechanisms; a qualitative experiment suggested that our proposed mechanisms are intuitive to understand. Finally, we performed a laboratory experiment in which we simulated application misbehaviors to observe whether users equipped with our attribution mechanisms were able to identify the offending applications. Our results show that, for users who notice application misbehaviors, these attribution mechanisms are significantly more effective than the status quo.
CD10 Expression in Cutaneous Adnexal Neoplasms and a Potential Role for Differentiating Cutaneous Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract Context.—Recent investigations have demonstrated the utility of CD10 as a marker for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Cutaneous metastases occur in up to 11% of patients with RCC and may be the presenting sign of widespread disease. The differential diagnosis in histopathologic evaluation of these cases includes cutaneous adnexal neoplasms, and describing the expression of CD10 in these tumors may be helpful in delineating the differential diagnosis. Objective.—To determine CD10 expression in a variety of adnexal lesions and to determine the diagnostic utility of CD10 in an immunohistochemical panel differentiating metastatic cutaneous renal cell carcinoma from cutaneous adnexal neoplasms. Design.—We studied 57 primary adnexal neoplasms of eccrine (n = 31), apocrine (n = 16), and sebaceous (n = 10) differentiation as well as normal skin (n = 3) and RCC metastatic to the skin (n = 4). A CD10 monoclonal antibody was applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Specimens were randomized and categ...
The Dual of H(G)

We want to prove, as in the case of the disk, that H(G)* = H0(ℂ \ G). We first study the dual of C(G). We change our notation here and write L(f) = ∫ fdμ when L ∈ C(G)*. (For the reader unfamiliar with integration theory this is simply a change in notation: The left-hand side defines the right-hand side. There are two advantages to this notation. First, it is the notation in which research papers are written. Second, the reader can call upon her experience with integration for intuition. For the mathematically advanced reader: we are invoking the Riesz Representation Theorem for C(G) * .) We call μ the “measure” associated with L, and we may identify μ and L. The collection of all such μ is denoted M0(G), so that M0(G) = C(G)*. We also write L(f) = ∫ f(z)dμ(z) when it is necessary to indicate the independent variable. “Measures” have the same properties as continuous linear functionals (which is what they are); for reinforcement, we list them here. Given μ ∈ M0(G): i) ∫ (f + g)dμ = ∫ fdμ + ∫ gdμ, f, g ∈ C(G). ii) ∫ afdμ = a ∫ fdμ, f ∈ C(G), a ∈ ℂ. iii) If fn → f in C(G) then ∫ fndμ → ∫ fdμ. iv) There is a compact set K ⊆ G such that | ∫ fdμ | ≤ C‖f‖K for all f ∈ C(G).
Tissue ingrowth and differentiation in the bone-harvest chamber in the presence of cobalt-chromium-alloy and high-density-polyethylene particles.

ABSTRACTParticulate wear debris from joint replacements has been implicated in the etiology of periprosthetic bone resorption. However, the effect of high-density-polyethylene or cobalt-chromium-alloy particles on osteoclastic bone resorption in vivo has not been studied previously, to our knowledge
Machine safety: proper safeguarding techniques

1. OSHA mandates certain safeguarding of machinery to prevent accidents and protect machine operators. OSHA specifies moving parts that must be guarded and sets criteria for the guards. 2. A 1989 OSHA standard for lockout/tagout requires locking the energy source during maintenance, periodically inspecting for power transmission, and training maintenance workers. 3. In an amputation emergency, first aid for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, shock, and bleeding are the first considerations. The amputated part should be wrapped in moist gauze, placed in a sealed plastic bag, and placed in a container of 50% water and 50% ice for transport. 4. The role of the occupational health nurse in machine safety is to conduct worksite analyses to identify proper safeguarding and to communicate deficiencies to appropriate personnel; to train workers in safe work practices and observe compliance in the use of machine guards; to provide care to workers injured by machines; and to reinforce safe work practices among machine operators. Language: en
Thermophoretic Force Measurements using a nano-Newton Thrust Stand

Thermophoresis is a rarefied gas phenomenon characterized by the migration of particles in a fluid with a macro level temperature gradient. This particle migration occurs in the direction of the heat flow, meaning an object immersed in a gas with a macro-scale temperature gradient experiences a force acting from hot to cold. Applications for this thermophoretic force include commercial precipitators, micro-contamination control, particle extraction from a flow for sampling, and particle manipulation in vapor deposition processes. The thermophoretic force on a sphere was experimentally measured across a wide range of Knudsen numbers with a rotational, nano-Newton thrust stand using an experimental setup similar to Crookes in 1873. Argon was used as the carrier gas for the experiment. Results indicate that the highest force experienced by the sphere occurs at a Knudsen number of 0.3 based on the sphere diameter. Experimental evidence of negative thermophoresis, where the force acts from cold to hot, is also presented.
Biology of the Cabbage Looper on Tobacco In North Carolina

Two noctuid loopers, the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) and Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), were observed seasonally on tobacco. The former is an occasional pest. Cabbage loopers appeared in eastern North Carolina about May 1 and had 5-6 generations. Many more eggs were laid on crucifers than on tobacco in the field and laboratory, although preference was affected by succulence and age of the host plant. Collard was superior to tobacco as a host for the cabbage looper on the basis of comparative data on larval development, survival, and pupal weight. The cabbage looper was able to adapt much better to tobacco as a 3rd than as a 1st or 2nd instar. Mortality of early instars on tobacco was related to trichomes and gum production, being greater on intact leaves than on leaves with trichomes removed and greater on gummier varieties.
FEEDBACK CONTROL OF A CIRCULAR CYLINDER WAKE IN A WATER TUNNEL EXPERIMENT

The effect of feedback flow control on the wake of a circular cylinder at a Reynolds numbers of 100 is investigated in a water tunnel experiment. Our control approach uses a low dimensional model based on proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). The controller applies linear proportional and differential feedback to the estimate of the first POD mode. A 7 Sensor configuration implemented in Real Time PIV is used to measure flow velocity. Mode amplitudes are estimated in real time using Linear Stochastic Estimation (LSE). The accuracy of the LSE estimate of the mode amplitudes is explored in detail. In the context of this application, actuation is implemented as displacement of the cylinder normal to the flow. Using transient open loop forcing we demonstrate that there is a threshold peak amplitude below which the control actuation ceases to be effective. This threshold is identical to the threshold as determined by 2D CFD simulations. The closed loop feedback experiments are conducted to confirm findings of two-dimensional CFD simulations which showed the ability of feedback flow control to reduce both unsteady lift and drag. While neither of these quantities is easily measured in our experiment, we compare the global effect of feedback control in both CFD simulation and PIV measurements in the water tunnel on the flow field and find good agreement. The closed loop experiments using a fixed gain strategy show good agreement to CFD simulations. While the amplitudes of the POD modes can be temporarily reduced with appropriate controller gains, both experiment and simulation are not able to stabilize the flow field in this state for extended periods of time.
Epidemiology of environmental tobacco smoke exposure.

The health hazards due to exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are increasingly established. ETS contains thousands of chemicals including 43 known carcinogens. One of the most important known health effects of ETS exposure is lung cancer in non-smokers, based on epidemiologic evidence and knowledge of the uptake and metabolism of ETS. Epidemiologic studies need to carefully take into account confounding and potential errors in exposure assessment. More research is needed to understand the genetic factors that influence ETS-induced lung cancer. Studies of the patterns of ETS exposure suggest higher rates of exposure in people employed as blue collar workers, in service occupations, earning lower incomes, and among the less educated. Certain racial/ethnic groups (e.g. Blacks, American Indians) may be at higher risk of ETS exposure. Despite substantial progress in protecting individuals from ETS exposure, additional efforts are needed in improving and enforcing policies to reduce exposure.
Multisource feedback in professionalism for anesthesia residents.

Abstract Study objective To assess professionalism in anesthesiology residents, it is important to obtain evaluations from people with whom they interact on daily basis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a Multisource feedback (MSF) on resident's professional behavior and to assess the effect of faculty feedback on resident performance. Design This study was a two-group randomized clinical trial. Setting Residents were recruited from Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital. Patients Participants included twenty eight residents doing a two-month rotation in Pediatric Anesthesia. Interventions Multisource feedback questionnaires were developed and then validated using face and content validity. Residents were randomly assigned to a feedback group or a control group. Both groups received the MSF evaluation. Only the group assigned to feedback had a ‘coaching meeting' every month creating strategies for improvement. Measurements MSF questionnaires were validated using a face validation and expert content validity. The effect of MSF on a professionalism questionnaire was assessed using analysis of covariance and linear mixed effects regression models. Main results Observed test–retest agreement was greater than 0.90 for all items, with more than half of kappa statistics greater than 0.50. Cronbach's alpha was 0.71.The MSF increased the self-assessment score with an estimated effect of 0.21 (95% CI 0.06, 0.37), P=.015. There was no detected effect on patient family evaluation, with mean difference (CI) in change from baseline of 0.03 (−0.15, 0.21), P=.77, faculty evaluation, 0.21 (−0.02, 0.44), P=.08, or coworker evaluation 0.13 (−0.11, 0.37). Conclusions Our new multi-source feedback questionnaire to assess professionalism had good reliability and internal consistency. Using our validated questionnaire we assessed the effect of a monthly feedback to improve professionalism in anesthesia residents. While we did see improvement in anesthesiology residents' self-assessment, we did not see a similar effect on patient family, faculty or coworker evaluations.
Enhancing wastewater reuse by forward osmosis with self-diluted commercial fertilizers as draw solutes

Abstract Using fertilizers as draw solutes in forward osmosis (FO) can accomplish wastewater reuse with elimination of recycling draw solute. In this study, three commercial fast-release all-purpose solid fertilizers (F1, F2 and F3) were examined as draw solutes in a submerged FO system for water extraction from either deionized (DI) water or the treated wastewater. Systematic optimizations were conducted to enhance water extraction performance, including operation modes, initial draw concentrations and in-situ chemical fouling control. In the mode of the active layer facing the feed (AL-F or FO), a maximum of 324 mL water was harvested using 1-M F1, which provided 41% of the water need for fertilizer dilution for irrigation. Among the three fertilizers, F1 containing a lower urea content was the most favored because of a higher water extraction and a lower reverse solute flux (RSF) of major nutrients. Using the treated wastewater as a feed solution resulted in a comparable water extraction performance (317 mL) to that of DI water in 72 h and a maximum water flux of 4.2 LMH. Phosphorus accumulation on the feed side was mainly due to the FO membrane solute rejection while total nitrogen and potassium accumulation was mainly due to RSF from the draw solute. Reducing recirculation intensity from 100 to 10 mL min−1 did not obviously decrease water flux but significantly reduced the energy consumption from 1.86 to 0.02 kWh m−3. These results have demonstrated the feasibility of using commercial solid fertilizers as draw solutes for extracting reusable water from wastewater, and challenges such as reverse solute flux will need to be further addressed.
Posttranscriptional Regulation of Gcr1 Expression and Activity Is Crucial for Metabolic Adjustment in Response to Glucose Availability

The transcription factor Gcr1 controls expression of over 75% of the genes in actively growing yeast. Yet despite its widespread effects, regulation of Gcr1 itself remains poorly understood. Here, we show that posttranscriptional Gcr1 regulation is nutrient dependent. Moreover, GCR1 RNA contains a long, highly conserved intron, which allows the cell to generate multiple RNA and protein isoforms whose levels change upon glucose depletion. Intriguingly, an isoform generated by intron retention is exported from the nucleus, and its translation is initiated from a conserved, intronic translation start site. Expression of gene products from both the spliced and unspliced RNAs is essential, as cells expressing only one isoform cannot adjust their metabolic program in response to environmental changes. Finally, we show that the Gcr1 proteins form dimers, providing an elegant mechanism by which this one gene, through its regulation, can perform the repertoire of transcriptional activities necessary for fine-tuned environmental response.
Healthcare Providers' Knowledge of Diets and Dietary Advice.

OBJECTIVES Little is known about healthcare providers' knowledge of dietary evidence or about what dietary advice providers offer to patients. The objective of our study was to determine which diets providers recommended to patients and providers' beliefs about the evidence behind those recommendations. METHODS This was a 22-question cross-sectional survey conducted between February 2013 and September 2013, in 45 ambulatory practices within two health systems. Attending physicians, housestaff, and advanced practitioners in internal medicine, medicine-pediatrics, family medicine, cardiology, and endocrinology practices were audited. Providers' attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs about diet modification were collected. Knowledge scores were constructed based on the number of correct responses to specific questions. RESULTS Of 343 provider responses, largely from primary care specialties (n = 3027, 90%), the top dietary recommendations were low-salt diet (71%) for hypertension, low-carbohydrate diet (64%) for uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, low saturated fat diet (73%) for dyslipidemia, low-calorie diet (72%) for obesity, and low saturated fat diet (63%) for coronary heart disease. Providers believed that 51% of diet recommendations were supported by randomized trial evidence when they were not. Respondents' overall knowledge of randomized trial evidence for dietary interventions was low (mean [standard deviation] knowledge score 44.3% [22.4%], range 0.0%-100.0%). The survey study from two health systems, using a nonvalidated survey tool limits external and internal validity. CONCLUSIONS Providers report recommending different diets depending on specific risk factors and generally believe that their recommendations are evidence based. Substantial gaps between their knowledge and the randomized trial evidence regarding diet for disease prevention remain.
“Hit the Bricks, Buddy”: Nepotism and the Dark Side of Reinventing Government

The Reinventing Government (ReGo) movement that was popularized during the 1990's by Osborne and Gaebler’s 1992 book of the same title is founded on the concept of “managerialism,” which has “management rights” as its core theme (Shafritz & Russell, 2005). The principle of management rights advocates wideranging discretion for administrators in the decision-making process that can possibly circumvent the constitutional value of due process in the public sector. With this questionable allowance, unscrupulous public administrators have the opportunity to employ patronage practices beyond acceptable limits that allows a “spoils system” of favoritism to prevail over merit practices. In this article, the concept of “spoils in government” is linked to reinventing government precepts that allow corruption to become ingrained within an organization’s culture. As a consequence, opportunities for ethical violations of office increase relative to the degree of discretionary authority afforded to public administrators. Should a corruptible individual assume office in such an environment, the likelihood of unethical behavior becomes relatively certain. A case study of nepotism from the same decade of reinventing government is documented that illustrates how the implementation of an employment pool in the hiring process of a municipal fire department permitted unethical violations of due process by its fire chief. The discretional authority afforded to a corruptible fire chief in the name of managerialism reinstated a culture of favoritism prevalent within the department from earlier days. The resulting public scandal was sensational but shortlived and was ineffectual in redressing the wrongs brought about by the misuse of authority. The discretionary hiring process not only continues in the department to this day but has been expanded to include promotions.
Highly Aggressive Women in a Forensic Psychiatric Hospital

In this study, we compared three groups of women admitted to a public forensic inpatient facility over the course of a two-year period. Detailed and systematic examination of social and psychiatric histories revealed that the group with the most persistent levels of aggression differed from the other two groups with respect to frequency of self-harming behavior, intellectual impairment, hypothyroidism, a childhood diagnosis of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and age of onset of psychiatric and behavioral symptoms. The high-aggression group also had the highest rate of childhood physical and sexual abuse, but the difference between that group and the two lower aggression groups did not achieve statistical significance. From the standpoint of childhood adversity, 94 percent of those in the high-aggression group had been placed outside of the original home by age 11. Eighty-nine percent were intellectually impaired. At admission, physical examinations revealed that 50 percent had a history of hypothyroidism and two-thirds were obese. Before admission, most had manifested severe aggression and emotional dysregulation, as evinced by high levels of self-harm, suicide attempts, and aggressive behavior in previous institutional settings that was both frequent and intense. Patients who share these characteristics are currently placed on a ward at the hospital with a milieu and individual therapy programs that are based on a dialectical behavior therapy approach that targets key symptoms of emotional and behavioral dysregulation.
Rethinking identity, national sovereignty, and the state: reviewing some critical contributions

In what he terms ‘the dialectics of imperialism’ Harvey (2006, pp. 411–451) points to a ‘crisis’ stemming from ‘overaccumulation’ in the global north that creates a perpetual need for new markets, ...
Cardiovascular complications in patients with massive middle cerebral artery infarction

P242 Background: Patients with cerebral infarction have a high frequency of underlying cardiac diseases. Acute cardiac events may be observed in patients with massive middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction due to the severity of neurological insult. We performed this study to determine the frequency of acute cardiac events in this patient population and their impact on outcome and management. Methods: Patients with massive MCA infarction were identified at five university affiliated medical centers using ICD-9 codes or local stroke registries. The medical and neuroimaging records were reviewed at each center by a neurointensivist or stroke neurologist. Only patients who underwent neurological deterioration, defined as a decline in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of ≥2, attributable to cerebral edema were included. All cardiac events and treatment required during hospitalization were recorded. Outcome was determined at 1 month using Glasgow outcome scores and modified Rankin scale. Results: A total of 54 patients (mean age 62.5±18.0 years; 26 were men) were studied. Underlying cardiac diseases included myocardial infarction (24%), congestive heart failure (20%), and dysrythmias (24%). A total of 16 patients had new cardiac events during hospitalization. These included atrial fibrillation (n=8), atrial flutter (n=1), ventricular fibrillation (n=1), ventricular tachycardia (n=2), myocardial infarction (n=2), and pulmonary edema (n=5); 3 patients had more than one event. Treatment was required for 10 of 16 (62%) events; 3 (19%) were fatal. Overall mortality was higher in patients who developed acute cardiac events during hospitalization (69%) compared to those who did not (40%, p Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the relatively high frequency of acute cardiac events in patients with massive MCA infarction and their impact on outcome. Patients with massive MCA infarctions should be managed in settings suited for effective monitoring and management of cardiovascular emergencies.
Gender Differences in Obesity-Associated Cardiac Remodeling

Abstract The prevalence of obesity has been increasing globally, with important implications for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obesity is linked to changes in cardiac morphology that coll...
PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION (PCI) OUTCOMES AND HOSPITAL OUTLIERS IN CALIFORNIA

Background: Although statewide and individual hospital PCI outcome variation is known in the 3 PCI Public Reporting States, this complete information is not available in Non-Reporting states. Methods: To evaluate statewide and individual PCI outcomes in the largest Non-Reporting state, we obtained
Dream Lens: Exploration and Visualization of Large-Scale Generative Design Datasets

This paper presents Dream Lens, an interactive visual analysis tool for exploring and visualizing large-scale generative design datasets. Unlike traditional computer aided design, where users create a single model, with generative design, users specify high-level goals and constraints, and the system automatically generates hundreds or thousands of candidates all meeting the design criteria. Once a large collection of design variations is created, the designer is left with the task of finding the design, or set of designs, which best meets their requirements. This is a complicated task which could require analyzing the structural characteristics and visual aesthetics of the designs. Two studies are conducted which demonstrate the usability and usefulness of the Dream Lens system, and a generatively designed dataset of 16,800 designs for a sample design problem is described and publicly released to encourage advancement in this area.
On Limit Reliability Functions of Large Systems. Part II

Reliability functions of particular components have an influence on the form of limit reliability functions of the system. This problem is strictly related to the domains of attraction. In the paper the theorems about domains of attraction of limit reliability functions of series-parallel systems are given. Moreover, limit reliability functions of series-“k out of n” systems are discussed, as a generalization of previously solved problem for series and “k out of n” systems separately. The class of possible limit reliability functions for these systems is given. Next, the class of limit reliability functions for the systems being a generalization of series-parallel and parallel-series systems discussed in part 1 is presented. Namely, the partial solution of this problem for hierarchical series-parallel homogeneous regular systems is given.