cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Frontal sinus "mega-trephination" in a tertiary rhinology practice.

Background Frontal sinus trephination is traditionally performed through a small cutaneous incision and osteotomy, allowing irrigation of the frontal sinus. Utilizing the trephination osteotomy for endoscopic visualization and surgical manipulation requires a larger opening. This "mega-trephination" is thought to carry an increased risk of cosmetic deformity given the increased bony removal at the anterior table. The purpose of our study was to clarify the risks of frontal sinus mega-trephination and examine how this technique is incorporated into a modern, tertiary care rhinology practice. Methods Patients were identified through billing records and confirmed by retrospective chart review. All patients underwent frontal sinus mega-trephination, which is defined as an osteotomy large enough for insertion of a 4-mm endoscope and an operative instrument simultaneously. All patients had at least 2 years of follow-up. The primary outcome was complication rate, including cosmetic deformity. Results Sixty-four patients underwent frontal sinus mega-trephination from 2006 to 2016. The most common surgical indications were chronic sinusitis (34%), mucocele (19%), osteoma (17%), acute sinusitis (11%), and inverting papilloma (9%). Ten patients (16%) underwent mega-trephination alone, whereas the others had mega-trephination with endoscopic sinus surgery. Twenty-one patients (33%) had minor complications. The most common complications were self-limited paresthesia (11%), infection (8%), and epistaxis (3%). No patient complained of permanent cosmetic deformity or required revision surgery for cosmesis. Conclusion Frontal sinus mega-trephination is a useful tool to augment the rhinologist's armamentarium in complex frontal sinus anatomy and pathology. This procedure is well tolerated, safe, and not associated with long-term cosmetic deformity.
A factorial power variation of Fermat's equation

We consider a variant of Fermat’s well-known equation xn + yn = zn. This variant replaces the usual powers with the factorial powers defined by xn = x(x − 1) · · · (x − (n − 1)). For n = 2 we characterize all possible integer solutions of the equation. For n = 3 we show that there exist infinitely many non-trivial solutions to the equation. Finally we show there exists no maximum n for which xn + yn = zn has a non-trivial solution. Acknowledgements: The author would like to thank Dr. A. Kolesnikov for his support and guidance during this research, as well as Dr. A. Kumchev and the anonymous referee for their review and ideas which helped increase the quality of this paper. Page 44 RHIT Undergrad. Math. J., Vol. 13, No. 1
High Order Approximations for LQR Control and LQG Estimation of Convection Diffusion Systems

Abstract In this paper we discuss higher order methods for approximating linear control systems governed by convection diffusion equations. In particular, we employ a hp - finite element method to construct low order approximations of the Riccati equations that arise in linear quadratic control and optimal state estimation. The method is based on using high order piecewise polynomial approximations that achieves accuracy by combining mesh refinement (h → 0) with high order polynomials (p → +∞). By employing high order methods one can obtain accuracy with fewer degrees of freedom than can be achieved with mesh refinement alone. These methods are well known in the simulation community and can be used to achieve high order simulations, but hp – methods have not been investigated as potential methods for approximating control systems governed by partial differential equations. We employ the hp – finite element method to develop approximations of the infinite dimensional Riccati operators that define optimal LQR and LQG controllers. Convergence and rates of convergence are presented. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the convergence rates for the hp – method and we close with a discussion of how such methods might be used to enhance the development of reduced order models.
Sociocultural Factors of Wellbeing

Surgeon burnout is a public health concern, with adverse effects on patients, the workforce, and physician health. Advancing understanding of the drivers of burnout is critical to implement effective solutions. Multiple external factors influence wellbeing, including a complex political environment, changes in healthcare delivery systems and reimbursement, and rising costs of healthcare. These impact workload, efficiency, and physician control on the work environment. Sensational medical headlines, an emphasis on physician and healthcare system flaws, and popular depiction of physicians on television shows have shaped public perceptions of the profession and affected the traditional doctor-patient relationship. Surgeon-level factors also play significant roles in wellness as the workforce diversifies, with women experiencing more work-life conflict, disparities in promotion and salary, and unconscious bias compared to their male counterparts. Underrepresented minority groups are similarly affected by differences in career opportunities and mentorship. Although the rapidly changing sociocultural climate presents complex challenges to surgeon wellness, the need to sustain our workforce requires us to create robust support systems and to identify barriers against development. These efforts will be most successful with shared responsibility between organizations and surgeons.
Surgery associated with increased survival compared to radiation in clinically localized Gleason 9–10 prostate cancer: a SEER analysis

Men with Gleason score 9–10 prostate cancer have worse outcomes compared to those with Gleason 8 disease. Upfront treatments remain controversial for these patients. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we evaluated the impact of initial treatment with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), external beam radiation therapy with brachytherapy (EBRT + BT), or surgery on prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) and overall mortality (OM) in Gleason 9–10 disease. The SEER database was queried for men diagnosed with biopsy Gleason 9–10 prostate cancer from 2005 to 2014. Gathered data included demographic, pathologic, therapy received, and survival outcomes. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and crude and multivariate analyses were generated for initial therapy with EBRT, EBRT + BT, or surgery. A total of 7877 men were included, 4465 (56.7%) who underwent upfront treatment with EBRT alone, 623 (7.9%) with EBRT + BT, and 2789 (35.4%) with surgery. The 7 year PCSM rates were 29.2, 15.0, and 14.6% for EBRT, EBRT + BT, and surgery respectively (p < 0.001). The 7 year OM rates were 43.8, 27.2, and 20.0% for EBRT, EBRT + BT, and surgery, respectively (p < 0.001).When controlling for age, year of diagnosis, Gleason score, clinical T stage, and PSA level on multivariate analysis, EBRT had greater PCSM and OM than surgery (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.28–0.61, p < 0.001 and HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.34–0.57, p < 0.001 respectively), but the mortality differences was not statistically significant between EBRT and EBRT + BT. Among men with localized Gleason 9–10 disease, surgery was associated with statistically significant improved survival outcomes compared to EBRT alone.
Univ. of Illinois’ Chippe / Slicer / Splicer System

The University of Illinois’ synthesis system consists of three parts: Chippe, Slicer, and Splicer. Chippe controls the synthesis process, Slicer is the scheduler, and Splicer is the data path allocator. Chippe was Brewer’s thesis work, and Slicer / Splicer was Pangrle’s thesis work, both at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Path Sensitive Signatures for Control Flow Error Detection

Transistors' performance has been improving by shrinking feature sizes, lowering voltage levels, and reducing noise margins. However, these changes also make transistors more vulnerable and susceptible to transient faults. As a result, transient fault protection has become a crucial aspect of designing reliable systems. According to previous research, it is about 2.5x harder to mask control flow errors than data flow errors, making control flow protection critical. In this paper, we present Path Sensitive Signatures (PaSS), a low overhead and high fault coverage software method to detect illegal control flows. PaSS targets off-the-shelf embedded systems and combines two different methods to detect control flow errors that incorrectly jump to both nearby and faraway locations. In addition, it provides a lightweight technique to protect inter-procedural control flow transfers including calls and returns. PaSS is evaluated on the SPEC2006 benchmarks. The experimental results demonstrate that with the same level of fault coverage, PaSS only incurs 15.5% average performance overhead compared to 64.7% overhead incurred by the traditional signature-based technique. PaSS can also further extend fault coverage by providing inter-procedural protection at an additional 3.6% performance penalty.
Cellular Engineering – An Approach to Treatment of Genetically Determined Disease

Summary Immunodeficiency diseases are infrequent but not rare diseases which present major problems for diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Since Bruton originally described agammaglobulinemia we in Minneapolis have discovered and studied more than 500 cases of immunodeficiency disease. Most of the patients with these diseases appear to be suffering from disorders of development of the lymphoid apparatus which are genetically determined. Correction of some of these immunodeficiency diseases has been possible. The immunodeficiency associated congenital absence of thymus often associated with failure of development of parathyroid glands and abnormalities of great vessels and outflow tracts of the heart (DiGeorge syndrome) has been corrected by transplantation of allogeneic thymus. This procedure now has a strong experimental basis from work carried out by Biggar et al. in our laboratories. Severe dual system immunodeficiency (Swiss type agammaglobulinemia) of both autosomal recessive and x-linked recessive types has repeatedly been completely corrected by bone marrow transplantation using matched sibling donors. Efforts to overcome the HL-A barrier in marrow transplantation have regularly been frustrated by the production, with this therapeutic approach, of fatal graft-versus-host reactions. Efforts to overcome this immunogenetic barrier will be described. The successful marrow transplants that overcome weaker immunogenetic barriers are associated with the development of blocking antibodies capable of inhibiting a killer effect of circulating sensitized lymphocytes on cells of the recipient host. The approach to establishing lymphoid cell lines from such patients is discussed.
Monitoring Atsttrin-Mediated Inhibition of TNFα/NF-κβ Activation Through In Vivo Bioluminescence Imaging

The NF-κβ transcription factor is a molecular mediator crucial to many biological functions and a central regulator of inflammatory and immune responses. NF-κβ is activated by multiple immunologically relevant stimuli, including members of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily, and targeting TNF/NFκβ activity is a therapeutic objective in many inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Here, we describe the generation of a transgenic reporter mouse model, expressing the human tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) transgene (TNF-tg) and carrying the luciferase gene under control of the NFκB-responsive element (NF-κB-Luc). Bioluminescence imaging shows that overexpression of TNF-α effectively activates NF-κB luciferase in vivo. To evaluate this system as a screen for potential therapeutics targeting the TNF/NFκβ signaling pathway, we treated double mutant mice with PGRN-derived Atsttrin, an engineered molecule comprising the minimal progranulin (PGRN):TNFR binding fragments previously demonstrated as therapeutic in multiple models of TNF/NFκβ-driven disease. Administration of Atsttrin could effectively inhibit luciferase activity in TNF-tg:NF-κB-Luc double mutant mice and demonstrates that this transgenic model can be used to non-invasively monitor the in vivo efficacy of modulators of TNF-activated NF-κB signaling pathway.
Outcomes of transjugular liver biopsies for liver transplant recipients with bicaval and piggyback hepatic vein anastomoses.

BackgroundLiver transplant hepatic venous anastomoses are usually created using “bicaval” or “piggyback” techniques, which may result in unfavorable angulation between the inferior vena cava and he...
The role of pulse width manipulation compared to program changes alone for unsatisfactory sacral neuromodulation therapy: A retrospective matched-cohort analysis.

AIM Pulse width (PW) influences neuromodulation by its impact on nerve fiber recruitment. A paucity of data regarding the manipulation of PW in sacral neuromodulation (SNM) exists. This study describes the clinical features and outcomes of PW manipulation for unsatisfactory SNM therapy. METHODS A retrospective, single-institution review was performed of reprogrammed SNM patients between 2010 and 2019. Two cohorts were created: those with PW changes ± program changes and age-matched controls with program changes alone. Patients lacking follow-up and non-InterStim II models were excluded. RESULTS Out of 710 SNM interrogations, 147 (20.7%) had PW changes and 80 met inclusion criteria. Most PW changes were shortened (61/80, 76.3%). Clinical features did not differ between cohorts except by indication for reprogramming. The most common indication for PW change was painful stimulation (34/80, 43%), whereas in controls it was suboptimal efficacy (76/80, 95%). Clinical success was stratified by indication. There was a higher improvement in efficacy in the PW cohort (61%, 17/28 vs. 36%, 27/76, p = .02). PW manipulation successfully relieved painful stimulation in 50% (17/34 vs. 0/3, p = .23), which was more likely with a shortened compared to extended PW (14/15, 93.3% vs. 0/6, 0%, p < .01). PW resulted in improvement in localization of the stimulus in 94% (17/18 vs. 0/1, p = .10). The subsequent lead revision or explant was significantly higher in the PW cohort (43% vs. 25%, p = .03). CONCLUSION PW manipulation may aid the salvage of unsatisfactory SNM therapy. These findings represent an initial assessment of the role of PW in SNM, particularly regarding the efficacy and painful stimuli. The further prospective investigation is warranted.
Effect of alkyl chain length on the antioxidant activity of alkylresorcinol homologues in bulk oils and oil-in-water emulsions.

Abstract The antioxidant cut-off theory details the importance of fine-tuning antioxidant hydrophobicity to optimize antioxidant effectiveness for a given food system; however, previous research has utilized synthetic antioxidant homologues which fail to align with the food industry’s demand for natural ingredients. Alkylresorcinols represent a natural homologous series of phenolipid antioxidants. The antioxidant activities of individual alkylresorcinol homologues were investigated in bulk oils and oil-in-water emulsions. In oils, antioxidant activity decreased as alkyl chain length increased and there was no effect on rate of loss. In emulsions, optimum antioxidant activity was observed at intermediate alkyl chain length (C21:0) and longer homologues were lost more rapidly. Radical scavenging capacity decreased as alkyl chain length increased but alkylresorcinols were unable to chelate iron. This suggests that intrinsic properties (e.g. radical scavenging capacity) are responsible for the antioxidant activity of alkylresorcinols in oils while physicochemical phenomena (e.g. partitioning) drive antioxidant activity of alkylresorcinols in emulsions.
Rethinking Economic Indicators with Data-Informed Insights

The leading indicator first emerged in the 1920s brought the modern concept of “economy.” Since then, economic indicators were invented even more with the rage for hard data and statistics. The indicators invented before 1945 aiming to deal with the twin crises of depression and war, and after that year was marked by how to measure affluence rather than a crisis. With the advent of big data, the need to rethink these oversimplified economic indicators in the broader environment should be discussed. A brief history of economic indicators is reviewed; namely, from mathematics and the census, vibrant statistics based leading indicators, and the concept of “economy” under physics envy. This chapter then considers the existing and future avatars of these indicators with data-informed insights, including unemployment, gross domestic product, and inflation rate.
How the Supreme Court Lost its Reason

This is a short essay on the U.S. Supreme Court's opinion in Kahler v. Kansas, in which the Court held that the right/wrong M'Naghten test of insanity is insufficiently fundamental to be required by Due Process. I argue that the holding is, in part, the symptom of a deep and pernicious positivism and moral cynicism that is itself a kind of "not knowing" of the difference between right and wrong.
Real-time acoustic modeling in the New England Shelf Break Experiment

During the New England Shelf Break Acoustics Experiment (NESBA) in May of 2021, signals emitted and received by instruments on deployed moorings were successfully modeled while at sea. Using a combination of physical oceanography models and data collected from CTD measurements to determine the sound speed, both parabolic equation (PE) and ray tracing methods were used to model signals received by hydrophones as part of the experiment. Qualitative comparison between model output and hydrophone data was used to inform model adjustments to better represent the acoustic data, ultimately producing a promising data/model agreement during the cruise. Post-cruise research involved incorporation of additional data from the NESBA cruises and model adjustments to more adequately reflect the environmental properties of the experiment site. The success of the initial real-time modeling tests and subsequent improvements to the techniques support their use in future field experiments. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Making Sense of the Sacred

In this note I examine the concept of sacred values. Some commentators have recommended avoiding the question or postponing negotiations until other issues have been settled, whereas others have suggested that few sacred values cannot be rendered into some form of trade-off (i.e., they are pseudosacred). Here, I follow Scott Atran and Robert Axelrod and argue that ritual and the sacred can be an important component of negotiation and, when addressed effectively, have great potential to break impasse. I first examine the notion of the sacred and its near synonyms, the priceless and the intrinsically valuable. I then look at the issue of valuing life and show that although society places limits on lives as a matter of policy, it paradoxically funds heroic acts, such as mine rescues, which defy economic justification. These acts turn out to fulfill an important symbolic and ritualistic function. Finally, I draw out three implications of the framework for negotiators: negotiators should engage in some form of values clarification among the parties, material compromise by one party does not necessarily indicate that that party's values were not ultimate or that these have been relinquished, and considerable weight should be placed on ritualistic and symbolic gestures with regard to values.
Censuses: History and Methods

A census is a complete count of a population, generally a nation, conducted by government, as of a fixed date. The periodic, national population census became a common function of Western governments around 1800 and is now routine throughout the world. Government agencies contact households to provide information for each member on a small number of questions such as age, sex, relationship to head. The agency tabulates responses and publishes the results. Data serve a variety of functions, including political apportionment, program planning, funds allocation, marketing and forecasting analyses. Censuses are expensive, logistically and technologically complex public activities, and serve to focus public attention on demographic patterns and change.
Preparation and Testing of Polyvalent Conjugates for Fluorescent-Antibody Detection of Salmonellae

A polyvalent OH conjugate for Salmonella O groups A through I, K, L, and O was prepared and tested against pure cultures of salmonellae, nonsalmonellae, and a variety of food, fecal, and environmental specimens. Examination of pure cultures revealed that the conjugate gave negligible staining with representative strains of Shigella, Proteus, Providence, Serratia, and Pseudomonas. However, it stained 12% of the Escherichia coli and Citrobacter freundii strains and 36% of the Arizona strains. Over 1,200 specimens of various types were examined by both fluorescent-antibody (FA) and cultural procedures. Results indicate that, when used with discretion, FA screening can be a useful tool for rapid presumptive indication of the presence of salmonellae. The need for careful selection of strains used for preparing antisera and the importance of adequate evaluation of Salmonella FA reagents are discussed.
Reconsidering emissions of ammonia from chemical fertilizer usage in Midwest USA

We present alternative methods for estimating spatial surrogates and temporal factors for ammonia (NH3) emissions from chemical fertilizer usage (CFU), in the USA, at spatial and temporal scales used to simulate regional air quality and deposition of reactive nitrogen to ecosystems. The newly developed Improved Spatial Surrogate (ISS) method incorporates year-specific fertilizer sales data, high resolution and year-specific crop maps, and local crop nitrogen demands to allocate NH3 emissions at 4 km × 4 km grid cells. Results are compared with the commonly used gridded emission estimates by the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) preprocessor. NH3 emissions over Central Illinois in the USA, estimated at the 4 km × 4 km grid level in SMOKE and ISS methods, exhibit differences between −10% and 120%, with 58% of the grid cells exhibiting more than ±10% difference. Application of the ISS method for a larger domain over the Midwest USA, at 4 km × 4 km, reflected similar differences. We also employed the Denitrification Decomposition (DNDC) model to develop daily temporal factors of NH3 emissions from CFU using multi-site and multi-year analyses. Ratio of temporal factors estimated by SMOKE and DNDC methods is 0.54 ± 2.35, with DNDC identifying daily emission peaks 2.5–8 times greater than SMOKE. Identified emission peaks will be useful for future air quality modeling efforts to understand particulate matter episodes, as well as trends in regional particulate matter formation and nitrogen deposition for Midwest USA, using the proposed NH3 emissions inventory.
The Effect of Economic Integration on Accounting Comparability: Evidence from the Adoption of the Euro

We examine the effect of economic integration on accounting comparability. Using the adoption of the euro as a shock to economic integration, we document two effects. First, we show a direct effect around the adoption of the euro – accounting comparability increases among industries in adopting countries relative to those in non-adopting ones and this effect is driven by increases in arm’s length financing. Second, economic integration also has an interactive effect, by influencing the effect of accounting standards harmonization (proxied by IFRS adoption) on accounting comparability. Specifically, the effect of IFRS adoption on accounting comparability is approximately three times larger for euro members than it is for non-euro members. Our paper highlights the role of economic integration and its interplay with accounting standards harmonization in shaping accounting comparability.
Temporary use of a new fully-covered self-expanding metal stent for the management of post-esophagectomy strictures.

Perioperative morbidity rates following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer remain quite high (26–41%) even at high-volume centers. Complications may include stricture at the esophagogastric (EG) anastomosis, as well as tracheo-esophageal or tracheo-gastric fistula formation. Fully-covered self-expanding metal stents (FCSEMS) have only recently been described for use in benign esophageal disease. The use of FCSEMS for the management of postoperative complications following esophagectomy has not been well studied. We report our observations in three consecutive patients that underwent placement and subsequent removal of a new, fully-covered metal stent (Wallflex® esophageal stent) for treatment of dysphagia due to a persistent stricture at the EG anastomosis.
THE ROLE OF CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND ETHICS IN GLOBAL BUSINESS

Global business is the key to creating a better economy. Businesses across the globe need to work together in order to survive. Businesses need an understanding of other countries through research and implementation. Companies which devote time and effort to adapt to the countries they plan to do business in will be successful. Businesses need to realize that it takes more than a good speaker or savvy manager in order to compete in global business. Companies need to successfully understand three important aspects of business before they enter a foreign market. The three aspects are culture, ethics, and language. Understanding other countries culture, ethics and language are invaluable to creating a successful business internationally. These three aspects are the learning foundation of entering a foreign market and without them there will be no way to succeed. It takes time and commitment for a company to learn and understand the culture, ethics, and language of a potential country. No amount of studying and research will be able to show the company the rules and norms a certain country lives by. These aspects of culture, language, and ethics can only fully be understood through firsthand experience. All the training and education a company injects into their employees is useless unless there is total commitment from the managers and employees to prepare for conducting business abroad. Some aspects of global business are similar to taking a class abroad. The reason you take a class in another country is to broaden your skills and improve your understanding of other places. The traditions of a countries culture are essential to the student’s success in studying in that particular county. This is similar to the norms and cultural quirks which businesses must understand in order to be successful in other countries.
The Production of Strange Nuclear Systems

It sometimes seems unfortunate that physics is taught from an axiomatic perspective. Which is to say that in the classroom, physical phenomena are derived from a set of axioms, leaving the impression that nature had no other choice in the matter. While this emphasizes mathematical beauty, it hardly does justice to the way physics actually proceeds to discover these postulates. The subject of strangeness in nuclear systems will be introduced with the encouragement that all students review this field from a historical perspective in order to obtain a clearer understanding of the inductive reasoning process that is crucial to the development of natural science. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s the concept of a strangeness quantum number was not understood [1]. “Strange” particles were observed when an emulsion was exposed to cosmic rays, and these particles seemed to be produced with high probability, yet had long lifetimes (≈ 10−10 s). Thus one could infer that production and decay occurred by different mechanisms, but evidence that these particles were produced as pairs was mixed, so that explanations involving associated production, requiring a new, conserved quantum number were not generally accepted. It was also at this time, 1952, that a serendipitous event, Fig. 1, was seen in a cosmic ray interaction with an emulsion nucleus [2]. The event resulted in a heavy remnant that traveled a long distance before it decayed, releasing substantial energy. At first, it was thought that the remnant contained a bound pion in a nucleus which eventually annihilated. However, when that explanation was found untenable, it was proposed that this remnant contained one of the new “strange” particles. This inductive leap may seem obvious now, but at that time it was a seminal proposal. It occurred because minds were prepared to accept the idea of another baryon having a new, conserved quantum number [3]. After the discovery of the first hypernuclear event, investigators began to explore this new field, although scanning of emulsion detectors was quite
Two Automated Methods in Implementation Proofs

We sketch the theory of mapping between levels and composition of state transitions, two important components in proofs of implementation. We show how they are automated in the State Delta Verification System and give examples of their use.
The effect of ionizing radiation on parasites, or destruction of trichina in pork carcasses.

Measures are discussed for the elimination of trichanal and ultimately trichinosis by irradiation of pork. (C.H.)
Fungal carbon sources in a pine forest: evidence from a 13C-labeled global change experiment

We used natural abundance 13C:12C (δ13C) and 8 yr of labeling with 13C-depleted CO2 in a Pinus taeda Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment to investigate carbon sources of saprotrophic fungi, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and fungi of uncertain life history. Sporocarp δ13C identified Sistotrema confluens as ectomycorrhizal, as suspected previously from morphological characteristics. Saprotrophic δ13C declined by 2 ‰–13 ‰ between ambient to elevated CO2 treatments and corresponded to different carbon sources, including surface litter (Rhodocollybia, Mycena), pine cones (Baeospora), wood (Gymnopilus, Pholiota), and soil (Ramariopsis). Ectomycorrhizal fungi, foliage, and surficial litter declined 12 ‰ in δ13C between ambient and elevated treatments, confirming that these fungi depend on recent photosynthate. The δ13C of ectomycorrhizal genera correlated between treatments with a slope (4.3 ± 1.2) greater than the expected value of one. This suggested that Inocybe and Cortinarius incorporated some pre-treatment, soil-derived carbon (presumably from amino acids) whereas Lactarius and Russula only incorporated current-year photosynthate or recent, litter-derived carbon. Combining natural abundance and tracer 13C measurements proved a powerful technique to examine carbon sources of different fungi.
Cholesterol, Reactive Oxygen Species, and the Formation of Biologically Active Mediators

Ch2 is a major lipid component in eukaryotic cells and can attain levels as high as 50% (on a molar basis) of all lipids present in the plasma membrane of certain cells (1). The pathways responsible for Ch accumulation at this site are a consequence of gene regulation largely worked out by Brown and Goldstein (2). The very high concentration of this unique and singular lipid at the plasma membrane of cells places it in a position to encounter ROS that cross this permeability barrier. Ch can be oxidized in membranes even when polyunsaturated fatty acyl groups are not. Also, some unique products can serve as markers of certain ROS. The structure of Ch makes it susceptible to a variety of radical as well as nonradical oxidation reactions due to the 5,6-double bond and the concomitant vinylic methylene group at C-7 in the B ring. The isooctyl side chain at C-17 is a site for enzymatic oxidation largely by P450 cytochromes to form a series of biochemically active oxysterols, but this site of oxidation is typically not a target for ROS relevant to cellular biochemistry (3). Oxysterols are clearly formed in cells, but considerable evidence exists for a dietary origin of some oxysterols transported to cells by chylomicrons (4). Various mechanisms, including heating of foods in air, can lead to formation of oxysterols that can be ingested. Several excellent reviews by Smith (3, 5) have covered this area, and although somewhat older literature, they are a wealth of information about Ch autoxidation.
A hidden Markov model detection of malicious Android applications at runtime

A hidden Markov model approach is leveraged to detect potentially malicious Android applications at runtime based on analyzing the Intents passing through the binder. Real world applications are emulated, their Intents are parsed, and, after appropriate discretization of the Intent action fields, they train the hidden Markov models for recognizing anomalous and benign Android application behaviors. The inferred stochastic processes can probabilistically estimate whether an application is performing a malicious or benign action as it is running on the device. Such a decision is realized through a maximum likelihood estimation. The results show that the method is capable of detecting malicious Android applications as they run on the platform.
Low-noise fiber optics receiver with super-beta bipolar transistors

Abstract A low-noise wideband optical fiber receiver has been successfully designed using super-beta bipolar transistors (BJTs) at the front end. Even with commercially available super-beta devices, which are not optimized for our application, the obtainable input sensitivity for medium- and high-bandwidth optical receivers is comparable or superior to the best FET design. To demonstrate this concept, a 10-MHz analog receiver was built with a super-beta BJT at the input stage. This receiver achieved an expected average input noise current density of less than 0.4 PA/√Hz over the full bandwidth for a transresistance of 500 kΩ. Detailed design procedures are given in this paper. The noise characteristics of a 50-MHz receiver using super-beta BJTs are also obtained.
A New Adjacency Matrix for Finite Graphs

This paper expands on the graph-theoretic content of my contributed talk at the Seventh International Conference on Clifford Algebras and Their Applications. A well-known result in graph theory states that when A is the adjacency matrix of a finite graph G, the entries of Ak represent numbers of k-step walks existing in G. However, the adjacency matrix fails to distinguish between walks and “self-avoiding” walks (i.e., walks without repeated vertices). Utilizing elements of abelian, nilpotent-generated algebras, a “new” adjacency matrix is associated with a finite graph on n vertices. By considering entries of \({\mathcal{A}}^k\), where \({\mathcal{A}}\) is an appropriate nilpotent adjacency matrix, one is able to recover the self-avoiding k-walks in any finite graph. In particular, a graph’s Hamiltonian cycles are enumerated by the top-form coefficient in the trace of \({\mathcal{A}}^n\) when n is the number of vertices in the graph. By considering the lth power of the trace of \({\mathcal{A}}^k\), l-tuples of pairwise-disjoint k-cycles are recovered. By defining a nilpotent transition matrix associated with a time-homogeneous Markov chain, a method of computing probabilities of self-avoiding random walks on finite graphs is developed. Expected hitting times of specific states in Markov chains and expected times of first self-intersection of random walks are also recovered using these methods. The algebra used to define the nilpotent adjacency matrix of a graph on n vertices is not itself a Clifford algebra, but it can be constructed within the 2n-particle fermion algebra \({\mathcal{C}}\ell_{2n,2n}\), indicating potential connections to quantum computing.
Legal and ethical aspects of technical communication: A special issue

AS a teacher of technical and professional writing, I have in recent years become acutely aware of what practicing technical communicators have always known: all communication has effects both intended and unintended. We communicate in dynamic and multidimensional environments and, no matter how hard we try, we sometimes cannot anticipate the consequences of our communications. Two powerful dimensions that we must try to be aware of are the legal and ethical aspects of our communicative activities.
Articulatory inversion and synthesis: Towards articulatory-based modification of speech

Certain speech modifications, such as changes in foreign/regional accents or articulatory styles, are performed more effectively in the articulatory domain than in the acoustic domain. Though measuring articulators is cumbersome, articulatory parameters may be estimated from acoustics through inversion. In this paper, we study the impact on synthesis quality when articulators predicted from acoustics are used in articulatory synthesis. For this purpose, we trained a GMM articulatory synthesizer and drove it with articulators predicted with an RBF-based inversion model. Using inverted instead of measured articulators degraded synthesis quality, as measured through Mel cepstral distortion and subjective tests. However, retraining the synthesizer with predicted articulators not only reversed the effect of errors introduced during inversion but also improved synthesis quality relative to using measured articulators. These results suggest that inverted articulators do not compromise synthesis quality, and open up the possibility of performing speech modification in the articulatory domain through inversion.
Packet size optimization for increased throughput in multi-level security wireless networks

In wireless networks, the limited available bandwidth combined with varying signal propagation conditions make it necessary to pursue optimization across all layers of the protocol stack in order to boost the achievable throughput. One of the optimization strategies that is deemed to be effective is to dynamically adjust the packet size either to better suit the channel conditions or to minimize the number of overhead bits in the individual packets. However, contemporary packet-size optimization schemes may become ineffective when the system is subject to specific security requirements. This paper addresses the packet optimization problem in multi-level security wireless data networks for which strict confidentiality requirements and access restriction policies have to be observed. We propose a novel scheme that leverages the classification of data in minimizing the number of packet transmissions as well as the overhead within the individual packets. First, the security goals are categorized and appropriate and efficient encryption methodologies are identified. Then, an algorithm is developed to combine the transmission of packets based on the time sensitivity and security attributes of the data in the payload.
Surface erosion in the plasma-edge of ISX-B☆

Abstract Surface erosion of thin Au films has been directly observed for samples exposed to H2 and D2 discharges at various locations and orientations in the plasma-edge of ISX-B. The erosion of Au as well as the accumulation of D, O and Fe on the samples was determined using ion scattering, channeling and nuclear reaction techniques. Erosion rates varied from ~0.1 nm/discharge at 2 cm behind the limiter to near zero as the wall was approached. Comparable erosion rates were observed for H2 and D2 plasmas. The results are consistent with a dominant role for O sputtering (in the absence of arcing) for erosion at the limiter radius in ISX-B with negligible erosion at the wall.
The Ring Laser

The use of the laser for the measurement of inertial rotation was recognized by Adolf Rosenthal in August 1961, only a few months after Javan's announcement of the first cw laser. Rosenthal showed that the sensitivity of the Sagnac rotation interferometer could be improved by many orders of magnitude by the use of laser principles to convert path length changes to frequency changes. He proposed a ring-type laser resonator which can support two counter rotating laser beams; any path difference between the clockwise and counter-clockwise cavity length introduced by inertial rotation would cause a frequency difference between the counter-rotating laser beams that is proportional to the rate of rotation.
Development of private speech among preschool children

This study compared theoretical predictions of Piaget (1926) and Vygotsky (1962) about the development of children's private speech by extending earlier work of Kohlberg et al. (1968) and Berk & Garvin (1984) focusing on elementary school children downward to preschool children. 93 3-to 5-year olds attending 5 nursery school and day care programs were each observed for 12 10-minute segments distributed over the morning session of the school day, totaling 2 hours of observation per child. Berk & Garvin's (1984) category system, enabling a direct comparison of Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories, was used to code the observations. Results supported the Kohlberg et al. developmental sequence and Vygotsky's theory about the social origins of private speech. Piaget's explanation of private speech as indicator of the child's cognitive inability to take the perspective of others was not supported. In agreement with previous reserch, girls and middle class children showed more mature forms of private speech than boy...
Polypyrrole Thin Films Formed by Admicellar Polymerization Support the Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

The objective of this study was to evaluate the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) toward the osteoblastic phenotype seeded on polypyrrole (PPy) thin films made by admicellar polymerization. Three different concentrations of pyrrole (Py) monomer (20, 35, and 50 x 10(-3) M) were used with the PPy films deposited on tissue culture polystyrene dishes (TCP). Regular TCP dishes and PPy polymerized on TCP by chemical polymerization without surfactant using 5 x 10(-3) M Py, were used as controls. Rat MSC were seeded on these surfaces and cultured for up to 20 d in osteogenic media. Surface topography was characterized by atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and static contact angle. Cell attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and calcium content were measured to evaluate the ability of MSC to adhere and differentiate on PPy-coated TCP. Increased monomer concentrations resulted in PPy films of increased thickness and surface roughness. PPy films generated by different monomer concentrations induced drastically different cellular events. A wide spectrum of cell attachment characteristics (from excellent cell attachment to the complete inability to adhere) were obtained by varying the monomer concentration from 20 m to 50 x 10(-3) M. In particular the 20 x 10(-3) M PPy thin films demonstrated superior induction of MSC osteogenicity, which was comparable to standard TCP dishes, unlike PPy films of similar thickness prepared by chemical polymerization without surfactant. Adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells on tissue culture plates (TCP) coated with polypyrrole thin films made by admicellar polymerization.
Applying Principles to Cases and the Problem of Judgment

We sometimes decide what to do by applying moral principles to cases, but this is harder than it looks. Principles are more general than cases, and sometimes it is hard to tell whether and how a principle applies to a given case. Sometimes two conflicting principles seem to apply to the same case. To handle these problems, we use a kind of judgment to ascertain whether and how a principle applies to a given case, or which principle to follow when two principles seem to conflict. But what do we discern when we make such judgments—that is, what makes such judgments correct? The obvious answer is that they are made correct by whatever makes other moral judgments correct. However, that cannot be right, for a principle can be inconsistent with morality yet still apply in a particular way to a given case. If the principle is inconsistent with morality, then morality cannot be what we discern when we judge whether and how that principle applies to a given case. I offer an alternative account of what makes such judgments correct.
Effects of municipal sludge and fertilizer on heavy metal accumulation in earthworms

Abstract Comparisons were made of heavy metal concentrations of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in Lumbricus rubellus collected from a three-year-old field community in which replicate plots were treated five times annually for four years with either fertilizer, sewage sludge, or left untreated as controls. Concentrations of all four metals were significantly higher (P ≦ 0·05) in the soil from sludge-treated plots than from fertilizer or control plots. Cadmium concentration was approximately nine times greater in earthworms from sludge plots than in those from control or fertilizer plots. Although amounts of copper ( x = 20·7 μg g −1 ) and lead (8·75 μg g−1) were also significantly higher in earthworm tissue from sludge-amended communities as compared to fertilizer or control treatments, concentration factors were relatively low, suggesting possible biological regulation of these metals. No significant differences were found between treatments for zinc concentrations in earthworm tissue. Lumbricus rubellus appears to be an ideal indicator species for investigating rates of heavy metal uptake within terrestrial ecosystems.
Areal inhomogeneities in MIS solar cells

The effects of the areal inhomogeneities, particularily oxide thickness variations, on minMIS solar cell performance are examined using an equivalent circuit approach. The presence of thinner regions in an oxide of optimum thickness leads to a reduction in the open-circuit voltage and efficiency and an increase in the dark current. Cells with an excessively thick oxide inhibit tunneling, but with sufficient thin oxide portions can exhibit acceptable performance though control of the thin oxide area is likely to be difficult. For such cells too small a fraction of the cell area of the thin oxide results in reduction in J sc , FF, and η; too large a thin oxide area can result in V OC reduction if the regions are Schottky-like. The results clarify observed degradations in actual MIS solar cells.
Iterative method for the computation of unbalanced fault in m-phase power systems

Abstract The symmetrical components transformation used in 3-phase systems is extended to the use in m -phase systems. It has been shown that to be decoupled by the transformation, an impedance or admittance matrix must possess a group property put forth in this paper. This property is also proved to be sufficient. An iterative method that determined fault currents in a general type of unbalanced fault is presented. The method that requires replacements of matrix elements, is particularly suitable for programming via the digital computer.