cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mega-dose vitamin and mineral therapy in breast cancer: a clinician's perspective.

The exploration of high-dose vitamin and mineral therapy in cancer has, as should be clear from our staff article, a long and contentious history. Vitamin C is certainly the best-studied of the vitamins that have been advocated for cancer treatment, and it plays a large role in the practice of Abram Hoffer, whose regimen formed the basis of the study by Lesperance and colleagues in British Columbia. The controversies about vitamin C have continued for years, in spite of— or perhaps because of—2 randomized trials that found no effect of vitamin C. Controversies on the details of the randomized studies and the protocols that they used have been left unresolved in the alternative cancer community, and several institutions continue to use high-dose vitamin C protocols. We very much appreciate Dr David Golde’s perspective on the findings about vitamin C that have come out of his laboratory and out of other current research, which certainly provides a counterpoint to the continuing interest in vitamin C in alternative treatment. His findings on the uptake of vitamin C (in the form of dehydroascorbic acid) do need to be considered seriously, as does the evidence that the in vitro cytotoxicity of vitamin C in cancer is an artifact of the experimental setting. His enthusiasm for use of vitamin C in the treatment of various conditions, and in the prevention of cancer, is quite interesting and encouraging—but he does make the point, which other investigators have also made, that clinical studies with antioxidants in cancer prevention are proving difficult to conduct, with a resultant lack of evidence. The study by Lesperance et al represents a substantial contribution to the evaluation of complementary medicine regimens. 1
Modelling of the liquid phase polymerization of olefins in loop reactors

Abstract In this work a new model for the polymerization of olefins in a loop reactor is presented. The reactor is modelled as two tubular reactors interconnected. In contrast to the traditional equivalent CSTR approach, this model allows important effects such as recycle rate, axial dispersion and heat transfer to be investigated. Some simulation results are presented.
Multiview coding and error correction coding for 3D video over noisy channels

We consider the joint source-channel coding problem of stereo video transmitted over AWGN and flat Rayleigh fading channels. Multiview coding (MVC) is used to encode the source, as well as a type of spatial scalable MVC. Our goal is to minimize the total number of bits, which is the sum of the number of source bits and the number of forward error correction bits, under the constraints that the quality of the left and right views must each be greater than predetermined PSNR thresholds at the receiver. We first consider symmetric coding, for which the quality thresholds are equal. Following binocular suppression theory, we also consider asymmetric coding, for which the quality thresholds are unequal. The optimization problem is solved using both equal error protection (EEP) and a proposed unequal error protection (UEP) scheme. An estimate of the expected end-to-end distortion of the two views is formulated for a packetized MVC bitstream over a noisy channel. The UEP algorithm uses these estimates for packet rate allocation. Results for various scenarios, including non-scalable/scalable MVC, symmetric/asymmetric coding, and UEP/EEP, are provided for both AWGN and flat Rayleigh fading channels. The UEP bit savings compared to EEP are given, and the performances of different scenarios are compared for a set of stereo video sequences. HighlightsWe address the joint source-channel coding problem of a 3D video.Goal is to minimize number of transmitted bits subject to video quality constraints.We consider non-scalable/spatial-scalable MVC, and symmetric/asymmetric coding.The JSCC problem is solved using EEP and a proposed UEP approach.Proposed UEP approach is efficient at achieving the goal when compared to EEP.
Measuring Motor Skill Learning—A Practical Application

(2008). Measuring Motor Skill Learning—A Practical Application. Strategies: Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 25-29.
Optimization of Gaussian surface calculations and extension to solvent-accessible surface areas.

We explored the use of several breadth-first and depth-first algorithms for the computation of Gaussian atomic and molecular surface areas. Our results for whole-molecule van der Waals surface areas (vdWSAs) were 10 times more accurate in relative error, relative to actual hard-sphere areas, than those reported by earlier workers. We were also able to extend the method to the computation of solvent-accessible surface areas (SASAs). This was made possible by an appropriate combination of algorithms, parameters, and preprocessing steps. For united-atom 3app, a 2366-atom protein, we obtained an average absolute atomic error of 1.16 A2 with respect to the hard-sphere atomic SASA results in 7 s of CPU time on an R10000/194 MHz processor. Speed and accuracy were both optimized for SASA by the use of neighbor-list reduction (NLR), buried-atom elimination (BAE), and a depth-first search of the tree of atomic intersections. Accuracy was further optimized by the application of atom type specific parameters to the raw Gaussian results. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 20: 688–703, 1999
Pararadicular cementum deposition as a criterion for age estimation in human beings.

The purpose of this article is to ascertain if pararadicular cementum can be used as a reliable criterion for age estimation in human beings. Fifty-two nonrestorable teeth were extracted from 42 patients at the Veterans Administration Medical Center at Ann Arbor, Mich. The specimens were prepared to a thickness of 500 microns with a Buehler Isomet bone saw (Bronwell Scientific, Inc., Rochester, N.Y.). Longitudinal sections were cleaned of artifacts in an ultrasonic cleaner and stained with 1% alizarin red. Photomicrographs were taken of each prepared section. The cementum was composed of multiple light and dark bands that were counted on the photograph and added to the average eruption time of the individual tooth. There was an overall Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient of r = 0.93 between the patient's predicted age with the use of cementum annulations as compared with the actual chronologic age of the person. Predicted age counts showed greater divergence from actual age in persons older than 55 years. A formula is presented to adjust for this discrepancy. The data indicate that quantitation of cementum annuli is a moderately reliable means for age estimation in humans.
Effect of protein lubrication on the wear properties of materials for prosthetic joints.

The effects of pre-dilution and other modifications of bovine serum lubricants on the wear properties of UHMW polyethylene acetabular cups were evaluated in a hip joint simulator. The wear rate increased, and a nonphysiological type of surface-pitting occurred, when the serum was pre-diluted to 40% or lower concentration. During the wear test, the equilibrium temperature and the precipitation of proteins were substantially greater with zirconia balls than with cobalt-chromium. Protein precipitation, a potential modulator of in vitro wear, was shown to be temperature, concentration, and time-dependent in water-bath tests, which indicated that ball-cup interface temperatures in the simulator must be above 60 degrees C, i.e., well above the bulk lubricant temperature, to account for wear test protein precipitation. Several modifications of serum that were, in part, intended to decrease the tendency for protein precipitation were found to markedly affect the wear properties of the two combinations of materials. In particular, modified serum, which lacked some of the higher molecular weight proteins, produced a much higher wear rate than a control serum with the same initial protein concentration. The results indicated directions for further research to clarify the lubricating properties of serum, and for developing a universal standard test lubricant.
Cu(II) Binding to Monomeric, Oligomeric, and Fibrillar Forms of the Alzheimer’s Disease Amyloid-β Peptide†

Copper has been proposed to play a role in Alzheimer's disease through interactions with the amyoid-beta (Abeta) peptide. The coordination environment of bound copper as a function of Cu:Abeta stoichiometry and Abeta oligomerization state are particularly contentious. Using low-temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, we spectroscopically distinguish two Cu(II) binding sites on both soluble and fibrillar Abeta (for site 1, A parallel = 168 +/- 1 G and g parallel = 2.268; for site 2, A parallel = 157 +/- 2 G and g parallel = 2.303). When fibrils that have been incubated with more than 1 equiv of Cu(II) are washed, the second Cu(II) ion is removed, indicating that it is only weakly bound to the fibrils. No change in the Cu(II) coordination environment is detected by EPR spectroscopy of Cu(II) with Abeta (1:1 ratio) collected as a function of Abeta fibrillization time, which indicates that the Cu(II) environment is independent of Abeta oligomeric state. The initial Cu(II)-Abeta complexes go on to form Cu(II)-containing Abeta fibrils. Transmission electron microscopy images of Abeta fibrils before and after Cu(II) addition are the same, showing that once incorporated, Cu(II) does not affect fibrillar structure; however, the presence of Cu(II) appears to induce fibril-fibril association. On the basis of our results, we propose a model for Cu(II) binding to Abeta during fibrillization that is independent of peptide oligomeric state.
Fecal steroids and bacterial flora in patients with polyposis coli.

Abstract Fecal neutral and acid steroids and bacterial flora have been studied in a series of patients with polyposis coli and normal controls. The patients with polyposis coli showed a higher concentration of cholesterol and primary bile acids, which increased still more after ileorectostomy. The bacterial flora of the patients with polyposis coli showed an anaerobe/aerobe ratio of 2.7 1 with a relative increase in clostridia and bifidobacteria and decrease in eubacteria and bacteroides. After ileorectostomy clostridia disappear, as do rumenococcus, peptostreptococcus, and fusobacteria, whereas eubacteria and lactobacilli decrease and bifidobacteria and bacteroides increase. Eubacteria showed a decrease from normal in the pre- and postoperative patients with polyposis coli and paralleled the reduction of cholesterol to coprostanol.
HANDEDNESS, HOLDING AND ITS POSSIBLE TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE IN GRASSQUITS, TIARIS SPP

Summary The use of the foot to hold down nest material or food items was studied in two species of grass-quits. Two Cuban Olive Finches used only their left foot, and seven others used predominantly or exclusively their right foot. An Olive Finch from Costa Rica used mostly its left foot. Cuban Melodious Finches infrequently used the foot to hold down items. This difference in behaviour probably reflects differences in feeding ecology. The incidence of holding supports arguments for affinity between Tiaris spp. and geospizines.
Cardiovascular effects of procaine and lidocaine (xylocaine) during general anesthesia.

SUMMARY The cardiovascular effects of intravenous procaine and lidocaine were compared in two series of patients under nitrous-oxide-thiobarbiturate anesthesia. The arterial blood pressure and electrocardiogram of these patients were continuously monitored while standarized doses of 2.2 mg/kg and 1.1 mg/kg of the test drug were administered. It was found that procaine administration was followed by cardiovascular depression in 50 % of the doses administered, while a blood pressure increase was noted following 47 % of the lidocaine injections. The lack of vasomotor depression with the administration of lidocaine is advantageous when this agent is used to supplement general anesthesia.
Characterization of a needle hydrophone array for acoustic feedback during ultrasound hyperthermia treatments

A prototype 16-element needle hydrophone array has been designed, fabricated, and characterized. The primary use of this array is to provide acoustic feedback during ultrasound hyperthermia treatments. This feedback is necessary to compensate phase array heating patterns for patient motion and tissue inhomogeneities in real time. The array consists of a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) covered silicon substrate carrier which contains the signal electrodes of the individual acoustic sensors. Tests show that the array is sensitive to both pulsed and continuous ultrasound (943-kHz) excitation and can be used in tissue media. A complete description of the needle array, element cross-coupling measurements, beam profile measurements, calibration procedures, and sensitivity analyses in both water and tissue is presented. >
On the Importance of Image Gating for the Assay of Left Ventricular Mechanical Dyssynchrony Using SPECT

The potential of SPECT for quantifying left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony is increasingly appreciated. We sought to examine the incidence and impact of image gating errors on this quantification and to test a possible solution for affected studies. Methods: First, to establish whether and how gating error alone could affect the measurement of dyssynchrony, we performed a prospective study in which patients with pacemakers were studied twice: during normal rhythm without gating error and with gating error caused by pacemaker-induced dysrhythmia. Second, to understand the pattern and magnitude of gating error during our typical imaging practice, we retrospectively examined studies from a separate cohort of 64 patients who were referred for dyssynchrony evaluation. Third, to understand whether studies with gating error could be repaired for the purpose of quantifying dyssynchrony, we tested a correction algorithm on the pacemaker-induced dysrhythmia image set to see whether it repaired this set so as to approximate the patients’ normal rhythm image data. We subsequently applied this algorithm to the 64-patient cohort. Results: Pacemaker-induced gating error caused a spurious decrease in dyssynchrony magnitude. Among the 64-patient cohort, similar gating errors were common, and an inverse exponential relationship between gating-error magnitude and dyssynchrony magnitude was observed. The correction algorithm accurately repaired the pacemaker-induced dysrhythmia image set; when it was applied to the 64-patient cohort, the magnitude of the postcorrection increase in dyssynchrony magnitude was proportional to the magnitude of the gating error. Conclusion: Gating errors cause a spurious reduction in SPECT assay of dyssynchrony magnitude. In our standard imaging practice, gating errors were common. Post hoc correction appears to be feasible.
Molecular Targets of Nutraceuticals Derived from Dietary Spices: Potential Role in Suppression of Inflammation and Tumorigenesis

Despite the fact cancer is primarily a preventable disease, recent statistics indicate cancer will become the number one killer worldwide in 2010. Since certain cancers are more prevalent in the people of some countries than others, suggests the role of lifestyle. For instance cancer incidence among people from the Indian subcontinent, where most spices are consumed, is much lower than that in the Western World. Spices have been consumed for centuries for a variety of purposes-as flavoring agents, colorants, and preservatives. However, there is increasing evidence for the importance of plant-based foods in regular diet to lowering the risk of most chronic diseases, so spices are now emerging as more than just flavor aids, but as agents that can not only prevent but may even treat disease. In this article, we discuss the role of 41 common dietary spices with over 182 spice-derived nutraceuticals for their effects against different stages of tumorigenesis. Besides suppressing inflammatory pathways, spice-derived nutraceuticals can suppress survival, proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis of tumor cells. We discuss how spice-derived nutraceuticals mediate such diverse effects and what their molecular targets are. Overall our review suggests "adding spice to your life" may serve as a healthy and delicious way to ward off cancer and other chronic diseases.
Maintenance and operating experiences ¿ Diesel-electric locomotives

This paper outlines certain difficulties experienced with diesel-electric locomotives on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad since the first road service units were placed in operation during 1947. With four different makes of locomotives, totalling 197 units operating on 3,242 miles of railroad, furnishing the basis for the observations outlined, it can be assumed that similar difficulties have been prevalent on other railroads of comparable or greater size and diesel ownership. Any criticism offered should be considered constructive as it is given sincerely and with a hope that it may be of some benefit to manufacturers and users alike.
Investigation of Geographic Routing Metric in Sensor Networks

The design of efficient routing protocols for dynamically changing network topologies is a crucial part of building power-efficient and scalable ad hoc/sensor wireless networks. Using the position information of wireless nodes, a promising approach is given by geographic routing algorithms, where each forwarding decision is localized and is based on the positions of source node, destination node, and one-hop neighboring nodes. The characteristics of geographic routing algorithms depend on the optimization metric applied to each forwarding decision. In this paper, we develop a very simple analytical modeling for studying the optimization metrics used in geographic routing and compare it to previously analyzed metrics for large scalable ad hoc/sensor networks. We also propose a novel method of generating new metrics to include many other factors that affect the routing decision.
Typhlitis: A neutropenic complication

‘Typhlitis’ describes enterocolitis of the ileocaecal region seen commonly in neutropenic patients. As compared with other malignant conditions, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is most often associated with typhlitis.1 The pathogenesis of typhlitis probably involves a combination of factors, including mucosal injury by cytotoxic drugs, profound neutropenia and impaired host defence to invasion by microorganisms.2 The most common chemotherapeutics associated with typhlitis are cytarabine and daunorubicin.1 Peritonitis and perforation are …
Strong regularizing effect of integrable systems

Many time evolution problems have the so-called strong regularization effect, that is, with any irregular initial data, as soon as becomes greater than 0, the solution becomes C{sup {infinity}} for both spacial and temporal variables. This paper studies 1 x 1 dimension integrable systems for such regularizing effect. In the work by Sachs, Kappler [S][K], (see also earlier works [KFJ] and [Ka]), strong regularizing effect is proved for KdV with rapidly decaying irregular initial data, using the inverse scattering method. There are two equivalent Gel`fand-Levitan-Marchenko (GLM) equations associated to an inverse scattering problem, one is normalized at x = {infinity} and another at x = {infinity}. The method of [S][K] relies on the fact that the KdV waves propagate only in one direction and therefore one of the two GLM equations remains normalized and can be differentiated infinitely many times. 15 refs.
On definitions and assumptions in the dislocation theory for solid solutions

A recent paper criticized the standard treatment of Cottrell atmospheres, relevant to solid-solution hardening. We show that the treatment in current texts is correct within the standard assumptions of dislocation theory. Nonlinear treatments of the atmosphere are discussed. We also show that no current theory of such atmospheres includes complete nonlinear screening of the dislocation strain field.
MEASURING MAIL: NEW ANALYSES OF E-MAIL DATA FOR THE STUDY OF CROSS-DIVISIONAL INNOVATION.

Most large firms fail to take advantage of the opportunity to create new businesses that combine resources from disparate parts of the firm. Although research on incentives and on formal organizati...
Tacrolimus-induced encephalopathy and polyneuropathy in a renal transplant recipient

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressant frequently used following solid organ transplantation, including renal transplantation. Peripheral neuropathy is an uncommon neurological side effect of tacrolimus and has rarely been reported in renal transplantation. We report a patient who received a living-related donor kidney transplant and presented with altered mental status and new-onset bilateral foot drop. Laboratory tests including cerebrospinal fluid tests excluded infection, and MRI of the brain showed chronic microvascular ischaemic changes. Electromyography and nerve conduction study confirmed bilateral common peroneal nerve demyelination. He was also found to have inadvertently overdosed on tacrolimus at home. After switching from tacrolimus to cyclosporine, the patient's symptoms improved within 5 months. His renal function was maintained with an immunosuppressant regimen of cyclosporine, prednisone and mycophenolic acid. The prompt recognition of tacrolimus as a potential neurotoxic drug in a patient with renal transplant and substituting tacrolimus with a different immunosuppressant may prevent permanent neurological damage.
Mott electron polarimetry

Abstract Electron spin polarization analysis adds a valuable dimension to studies involving synchrotron radiation. Electron polarimeters based on Mott scattering are particularly attractive for use in this application because they provide good efficiency and analyzing power, they are relatively simple to implement experimentally and the physical basis of their operation is well understood. A number of different Mott polarimeter designs are described that illustrate the wide range of operating energies (∼ 150 eV to 150 keV) and geometries that can be used in such instruments. Potential sources of systematic error that can limit measurement accuracies are addressed together with techniques for polarimeter calibration.
Performance evaluation of the time-stamp ordering algorithm in a distributed database

Time-stamp ordering is one of the consistency preserving algorithms that is used in distributed databases. F. Baccelli (1987) has introduced a queueing model that incorporates the fork-join and resequencing synchronization constraints to analyze the algorithm's performance. The power of interpolation approximation technique is illustrated by obtaining extremely good approximations for this rather complex model. The heavy traffic approximations are obtained by showing that this model has the same diffusion limit as a system of parallel fork-join queues. The light traffic limits are obtained by applying the light traffic theory developed by M.I. Reiman and B. Simon (1989). The heavy traffic limits are computed for general arrival and service distributions, but the light traffic limits are restricted to Markovian systems. >
Rapid Decreases in Adrenal and Plasma Corticosterone Concentrations after Drinking Are Not Mediated by Changes in Plasma Adrenocorticotropin Concentration

Rats given water to drink only during a brief daily period respond to water presentation with a rapid decline in plasma corticosterone concentration. To determine whether this response is consequent to a decrease in plasma ACTH concentration or whether it reflects a sudden reduction in adrenal responsiveness to ACTH, we allowed rats access to water for 2 h/day at lights on and measured plasma ACTH and adrenal and plasma corticosterone concentrations at 3- or 5-min intervals after the onset of drinking. Adrenal and plasma corticosterone concentrations decreased significantly within 2–3 min after water presentation in the absence of concomitant changes in plasma ACTH concentration. The effect was apparent by 5 days after initiating the restricted drinking schedule and became stronger with time up to 21 days. Further characterization of the response showed that the in vitro corticosterone secretion of adrenals removed at intervals after water presentation followed the same pattern as the in vivo concentratio...
Compositional real-time scheduling framework with periodic model

It is desirable to develop large complex systems using components based on systematic abstraction and composition. Our goal is to develop a compositional real-time scheduling framework to support abstraction and composition techniques for real-time aspects of components. In this paper, we present a formal description of compositional real-time scheduling problems, which are the component abstraction and composition problems. We identify issues that need be addressed by solutions and provide our framework for the solutions, which is based on the periodic interface. Specifically, we introduce the periodic resource model to characterize resource allocations provided to a single component. We present exact schedulability conditions for the standard Liu and Layland periodic task model and the proposed periodic resource model under EDF and RM scheduling, and we show that the component abstraction and composition problems can be addressed with periodic interfaces through the exact schedulability conditions. We also provide the utilization bounds of a periodic task set over the periodic resource model and the abstraction bounds of periodic interfaces for a periodic task set under EDF and RM scheduling. We finally present the analytical bounds of overheads that our solution incurs in terms of resource utilization increase and evaluate the overheads through simulations.
Allergy-Associated FcRβ Is a Molecular Amplifier of IgE- and IgG-Mediated In Vivo Responses

A role for the Fc receptor beta chain (FcRbeta) in the pathogenesis of allergy has been suggested by genetic studies. FcRbeta is a subunit common to the high-affinity IgE (FcepsilonRI) and low-affinity IgG (FcgammaRIII) receptors, both of which contribute to the initiation of allergic reactions. Current in vitro data suggest that FcRbeta can function as either a positive or negative regulator, leaving a mechanistic explanation for its association with the development of atopy unclear. To address this controversy, we have generated novel mouse models relevant to human Fc receptor function. Analysis of FcepsilonRI- and FcgammaRIII-dependent responses in these mice provides unequivocal genetic evidence that FcRbeta functions as an amplifier of early and late mast cell responses and, remarkably, in vivo anaphylactic responses.
Governmental Employees and the Right to Strike

It is not suggested that the question of color was *ignored by all of the students. The men and women who were faculty members and students in the University Training Center, while they were a part of the Army and subject to its directives, were nevertheless individuals with cultural backgrounds. They could not forget the differentiations of their civilian experience. Yet for the time the question was faced and resolved. Whatever the reasons, the immediate cultural situation, even though quite temporary, was favorable. Outward manifestations of racism were not "stylish." In a sense they were "color-blind." Color remained a fact, but not the determining factor in social interaction. Finally, it might be suggested that racism seems to develop in a favorable cultural climate. One person or a few persons cannot accomplish much unless there are favorable cultural conditions and receptive attitudes which lead to prejudice and conflict. Racial distinctions have a history and must have principals who seek to promote their doctrines. Perhaps the experience reported herein indicates what can happen under favorable cultural conditions. Perhaps the problems arising out of race relations need not await solution through some natural process. Intelligent implementation may be a po sibility.
Pharmacodynamics of Dimethyl Fumarate Are Tissue Specific and Involve NRF2-Dependent and -Independent Mechanisms.

Abstract Aims: Gastro-resistant dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an oral therapeutic indicated for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis. Recent data suggest that a primary pharmacodynamic response to DMF treatment is activation of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) pathway; however, the gene targets modulated downstream of NRF2 that contribute to DMF-dependent effects are poorly understood. Results: Using wild-type and NRF2 knockout mice, we characterized DMF transcriptional responses throughout the brain and periphery to understand DMF effects in vivo and to explore the necessity of NRF2 in this process. Our findings identified tissue-specific expression of NRF2 target genes as well as NRF2-dependent and -independent gene regulation after DMF administration. Furthermore, using gene ontology, we identified common biological pathways that may be regulated by DMF and contribute to in vivo functional effects. Innovation: Together, these data suggest that DMF modulates transcription thr...
Foundation and Estimate of Well Bore Hydraulics Models

Water flooding is an essential part of many modern oilfield development plans to achieve steady and high production rate. Water from its sources is injected into the reservoir formation through water flooding pipe network on the surface and the injection string under the surface. The throttles in the injection allocator control the flux injected into the different reservoir formation. Rational design for the structure of injection strings is the precondition of multi-layer injection production. Traditional method of design is inefficient with a long design period; moreover, it mainly depends on designers’ professional culture and experiences to accomplish the design job, and some necessary quantitative analysis is omitted during the course of design. A method was given to found a mathematical model, using finite element method. On the basis of structural characteristic of injection strings and the requirement of production technics, the mathematical model for hydraulics analysis and computing was put forward. All of these are very useful for knowing the match flooding and selecting the throttles.
The Effect of Precommitment on Student Achievement Within a Technology-Rich Project-Based Learning Environment

This study investigated the effects of precommitment on college students’ goal setting and academic performance, and students’ attitude towards precommitment-related activities. Precommitment refers to a procedure in which students set up learning goals, possibly with a time limit at the beginning of a learning phase, then report the comparison between their goals and actual learning progress to their peers and teachers by the end of the learning phase. This study used a single-group repeated-measures design. 41 students from a large university in the southeastern United States participated in the study. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that precommitment was significantly effective in optimizing students’ goals and improving their academic performance, but the attitude survey result indicated that students could not fully recognize the value of precommitment-related activities.
The health condition of the Roma population in the context of primary and secondary care

Abstract In the Czech Republic the Roma belong to one of the most numerous groups. The health condition of this minority is a sphere requiring more research studies and especially follow-up measures including illness prevention. The given paper tries to map studies considering the health condition of the Roma in the Czech Republic and other European states. It also deals with the approach of the Roma minority to health care in the Czech Republic. The database EBSCO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, etc., were used in order to map this subject. As the analysis of the available source shows, the Roma population in Europe generally has a worse health condition than the majority society. This was also pointed out by the European Commission. The socio-cultural determinants of health and especially the fact that the Roma population remains at the periphery of the majority society seem to be the main reasons. Although these problems are the subject of many studies on a local as well as European level, it can be stated there is only minimal progress, and not only in relation to the improvement of the health condition of this minority. In view of the above stated results it becomes more important to create specific preventive programmes reflecting the specific requirements and needs of the target group, and to support the active cooperation of the Roma population in caring for their health.
Theory of light detection in the presence of feedback

The usual formulations of the quantum and semiclassical theories of photodetection presume open-loop configurations, i.e., that there are no feedback paths leading from the output of the photodetector to the light beam impinging on that detector. In such configurations, the qualitative and quantitative distinctions between the quantum and semiclassical theories are well understood. In the quantum theory, photocurrent and photocount randomness arises from the quantum noise in the illumination beam, whereas in the semiclassical theory the fundamental source of randomness is associated with the excitations of the atoms forming the detector. Nevertheless, the quantum theory subsumes the semiclassical theory in a natural way.1
Future Experimental Methods Needed to Verify Composite Life-cycle Simulations

The future experimental methods needed for composite life-cycle are identified by computationally simulating the fracture of an integrally stiffened composite structure. The simulation describes events occurring during the fracture progression at all composite structure scales, the fracture modes that contribute to those events and the respective local failure mechanisms. The fracture modes in their respective scales provide opportunities to suggest future testing techniques to measure them. For example, energies emitted can be calibrated to identify non-destructive techniques to measure corresponding energies such as acoustic, thermal and even optical. Successful testing methods can then be used to implement monitoring systems for in-service structural life-cycles.
PHENIX Results on Heavy-Flavor Yields at Forward Rapidity

Abstract The PHENIX collaboration is actively pursuing a physics program to make precision open and closed heavy flavor measurements over a large rapidity range ( − 2.2 y 2.2 ). With the addition of silicon vertex tracking covering the full rapidity range of the central and forward detectors, we are now able to cleanly separate J/ψ and ψ' production at all rapidities and are expanding our measurements of inclusive open heavy flavor to separated charm and beauty measurements carried out via single lepton measurements and through the separation of prompt and B → J / ψ + X production. We present the current status of these measurements.
Altruism, Selfishness and So Much In-Between

The theory of inclusive fitness — that natural selection can favor altruistic behavior directed at relatives — has dominated the landscape on the subject of social behavior since it was devised by W. D. Hamilton (1964). But a controversy is now brewing over the scope and merit of this theory in relation to its intended applications, urging a reconsideration of the role of groups in evolution (Nowak, et al 2010). One conciliatory voice urges that: “kin and multi-level selection are not alternative theories; they simply offer different takes on the question of how social behaviour evolved… These explanations may seem different, but mathematical models show that they are in fact equivalent” (Okasha 2010). This paper argues that the reconciliation project is misguided: the competing theoretical models on which they are based (and the corresponding game-theoretical models) are incompatible, however much their predictions on a handful of cases might converge. As will be clarified here, inclusive fitness models are premised fatally upon a flawed two-part distinction between altruism and selfishness. The philosophical analysis here will show that behavior that fails to qualify as altruism may also fail to qualify as selfishness. This insight requires a move to a tripartite distinction, which takes seriously the middle space between selfishness and altruism — the space where consideration of the role of groups belongs. The tripartite distinction is as important to biology as to the human sciences of psychology, economics and political science, because it can help resolve long-standing problems with handling the major transitions in evolution as well as the role of niche construction in evolutionary explanations. In this paper, a suite of philosophical distinctions are developed and organized for use by a range of scientific disciplines.
Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres and Loss of DAXX/ATRX Expression Predicts Metastatic Disease and Poor Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

Purpose: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with increasing incidence and unpredictable behavior. Whole-exome sequencing has identified recurrent mutations in the genes DAXX and ATRX, which correlate with loss of protein expression and alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Both ALT and DAXX/ATRX loss were initially reported to be associated with a favorable prognosis; however, recent studies suggest the contrary. Our aims were to assess the prevalence and prognostic significance of ALT and DAXX/ATRX in both primary and metastatic PanNETs. Experimental Design: Telomere-specific FISH and DAXX/ATRX IHC was performed on a multi-institutional cohort of 321 patients with resected PanNET and 191 distant metastases from 52 patients. These results were correlated with clinicopathologic features, including disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Results: The prevalence of ALT and DAXX/ATRX loss in resected PanNETs was 31% and 26%, respectively, and associated with larger tumor size, higher WHO grade, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis (P Conclusions: ALT and DAXX/ATRX loss in PanNETs was associated with shorter DFS and DSS and likely plays a significant role in driving metastatic disease. Clin Cancer Res; 23(2); 600–9. ©2016 AACR.
Howled out of the Country: Wilkie Collins and H.G. Wells Retry David Ferrier

On 17 November 1881, physiologist David Ferrier appeared in Bow Street Police Court, charged with “perform[ing] experiments, calculated to give pain to two monkeys, in violation of the restrictions imposed by the Vivisection Act.”2 Since 1873, Ferrier had been stimulating the brains of live animals, noting any correlation between the cortical area to which he applied electricity and the resulting movement of the animal. In 1876, Ferrier’s maps of dogs’ motor cortices had won him election to the Royal Society.3 But according to the Home Secretary, Ferrier had broken the law. He had experimented on monkeys—displaying them at a major scientific conference—after they had recovered from anesthesia, but he had not applied for a Certificate B.
Osteonecrosis of the Jaw in the Absence of Antiresorptive or Antiangiogenic Exposure: A Series of 6 Cases

Purpose Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) is a well-described complication of antiresorptive and antiangiogenic medications. Although osteonecrosis can be associated with other inciting events and medications, such as trauma, infection, steroids, chemotherapy, and coagulation disorders, these are rarely reported in the literature. Materials and Methods This is a six case series of MRONJ associated with medications other than antiresorptive or antiangiogenic drugs. Results Patient demographics, inciting event, location, stage, imaging findings, and outcome are reported. Conclusion With the continued development and clinical use of new biologic medications for diseases such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, it is important to continue to evaluate their effects on the oral cavity. The degree of risk for osteonecrosis in patients taking these new classes of drugs is uncertain but warrants awareness and monitoring.
‘I am a porn star!’ Sex and Sunny Leone unlimited in Bollywood

ABSTRACTLocated at the intersections of international porn studies, celebrity studies, gender, sex and globalization, this article looks at the recent and unusual case of Sunny Leone, an Indo-Canadian bisexual pornographic actress who successfully crossed over to Bollywood. By examining her many lives and avatars – as an international porn star, a reality TV contestant, a Bollywood celebrity and now a show host on MTV India, who maintains an active presence on social and digital media – I suggest that the unprecedented situation Sunny Leone has engendered in India presents us with a form of transnational onscenity: in other words, it brings to the fore the centrality of porn in the economies of global cross-cultural exchange and forces us to rethink previous paradigms of both ‘pornography’ and stardom, two domains that have more or less remained mutually exclusive of each other in the sub-continent. Leone’s case brings to the fore economic, social and cultural exchanges between two mammoth entertainment i...
Cloud detection algorithm comparison and validation for operational Landsat data products

Abstract Clouds are a pervasive and unavoidable issue in satellite-borne optical imagery. Accurate, well-documented, and automated cloud detection algorithms are necessary to effectively leverage large collections of remotely sensed data. The Landsat project is uniquely suited for comparative validation of cloud assessment algorithms because the modular architecture of the Landsat ground system allows for quick evaluation of new code, and because Landsat has the most comprehensive manual truth masks of any current satellite data archive. Currently, the Landsat Level-1 Product Generation System (LPGS) uses separate algorithms for determining clouds, cirrus clouds, and snow and/or ice probability on a per-pixel basis. With more bands onboard the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)/Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) satellite, and a greater number of cloud masking algorithms, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is replacing the current cloud masking workflow with a more robust algorithm that is capable of working across multiple Landsat sensors with minimal modification. Because of the inherent error from stray light and intermittent data availability of TIRS, these algorithms need to operate both with and without thermal data. In this study, we created a workflow to evaluate cloud and cloud shadow masking algorithms using cloud validation masks manually derived from both Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM +) and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS data. We created a new validation dataset consisting of 96 Landsat 8 scenes, representing different biomes and proportions of cloud cover. We evaluated algorithm performance by overall accuracy, omission error, and commission error for both cloud and cloud shadow. We found that CFMask, C code based on the Function of Mask (Fmask) algorithm, and its confidence bands have the best overall accuracy among the many algorithms tested using our validation data. The Artificial Thermal-Automated Cloud Cover Algorithm (AT-ACCA) is the most accurate nonthermal-based algorithm. We give preference to CFMask for operational cloud and cloud shadow detection, as it is derived from a priori knowledge of physical phenomena and is operable without geographic restriction, making it useful for current and future land imaging missions without having to be retrained in a machine-learning environment.
Visual Impairment in Preschool Children in the United States: Demographic and Geographic Variations From 2015 to 2060.

Importance Visual impairment (VI) in early childhood can significantly impair development. Objective To determine demographic and geographic variations in VI in children aged 3 to 5 years in the United States in 2015 and to estimate projected prevalence through 2060. Design, Setting, and Participants Descriptive study reporting statistics estimated based on prevalence data from 2 major population-based studies conducted in the United States between 2003 and 2011. Using US census projections, prevalence of VI and cause-specific VI in the better eye were reported by race/ethnicity, state and region, and per capita prevalence of VI by state. The study included preschool children in the United States. Analyses for this study were conducted between February 2016 and March 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence of VI among children aged 3 to 5 years in the United States. Results In 2015, more than 174 000 children aged 3 to 5 years in the United States were visually impaired. Almost 121 000 of these cases (69%) arose from simple uncorrected refractive error, and 43 000 (25%) from bilateral amblyopia. By 2060, the number of children aged 3 to 5 years with VI is projected to increase by 26%. In 2015, Hispanic white children accounted for the highest number of VI cases (66 000); this group will remain the most affected through 2060, with an increasingly large proportion of cases (37.7% in 2015 and 43.6% in 2060). The racial/ethnic group with the second most VI is projected to shift from non-Hispanic white children (26.3% in 2015 decreasing to 16.5% in 2060) to African American children (24.5% in 2015 and 22.0% in 2060). From 2015 to 2060, the states projected to have the most children with VI are California (26 600 in 2015 and 38 000 in 2060), Texas (21 500 in 2015 and 29 100 in 2060), and Florida (10 900 in 2015 and 13 900 in 2060). Conclusions and Relevance These data suggest that the number of preschool children with VI is projected to increase disproportionally, especially among minority populations. Vision screening for refractive error and related eye diseases may prevent a high proportion of preschool children from experiencing unnecessary VI and associated developmental delays.
The Benefits and Risks of Energy Drinks in Young Adults and Military Service Members.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Energy drinks (EDs) have become an integral part of the young adult, athletic, and military culture. Many athletes are convinced that EDs enhance performance, and service members as well as college students frequently use EDs as stimulants to counter sleep deprivation, or to improve academic performance. However, concerns have been raised by some military leaders about potential adverse effects of EDs. Materials and Methods: A needs assessment survey of a convenience sample of military health care providers was conducted and identified EDs as a top knowledge need for those providers working in the area of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The instrument demonstrated high interitem consistency (Cronbach's α > .80). To further explore the state of knowledge on EDs, and to prompt further discussion of ED use and how it may related to military treatment protocols and supporting educational products, we conducted a literature review of English language publications listed in the National Lib...
Metasurfaces: From quantum cascade lasers to flat optics

Metasurfaces based on sub-wavelength patterning have major potential for arbitrary control of the wavefront of light by achieving local control of the phase, amplitude and polarization and allowing greater functionality and more compact devices. The resulting “flat” optical components hold promise to replace refractive and diffractive optics in a large number of applications ranging from camera modules for cell phones and laptops to displays including wearable optics and virtual reality. One lithographic mask is sufficient to generate an arbitrary phase profile and can be used to integrate on the same surface multiple optical components; the fabrication can be performed using CMOS compatible processes such as deep UV lithography.
Degree Models in Biomedical Engineering

In this paper, the authors have carried out a systematic study and review of a set of researches and publications, regarding the theme of how to improve training programs in biomedical engineering, and make a contribution to the specialization in the area of clinic engineering.