cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Defining Features of The Upper Extremity in Holt-Oram Syndrome

Purpose To investigate the distinguishing morphological characteristics of children with radial longitudinal deficiency (RLD) in Holt-Oram syndrome (HOS). Methods One hundred fourteen involved extremities in 62 patients with a diagnosis of HOS were identified at 3 institutions. Medical records and radiographs were evaluated. Radial longitudinal deficiency and thumb hypoplasia were classified according to the modified Bayne and Klug classification and Blauth classifications, respectively, when possible. Other unusual or distinguishing characteristics were catalogued. Results There was bilateral involvement in 84% of patients. The forearm was involved in 81% of the extremities and a shortened distal radius (Bayne and Klug type I RLD) was the most commonly identified forearm anomaly (40%). Radioulnar synostosis was present in 15% of the extremities, all in the proximal forearms with reduced radial heads. Thumb aplasia (Blauth type V hypoplastic thumb) was the most common type of classifiable thumb abnormality and occurred in 35% of involved thumbs. Twenty-seven percent of abnormal thumbs affected were not classifiable according to the Blauth classification, and 19% of involved thumbs (hypoplastic or absent) had first-web syndactyly. Conclusions The upper extremity in HOS differs from the typical presentation of RLD. The forearm is more often involved and may demonstrate radioulnar synostosis. The thumb is frequently unclassifiable by the Blauth classification and has first-web syndactyly. The presence of radioulnar synostosis and syndactyly of the radial 2 digits in RLD should prompt the hand surgeon to obtain a cardiac evaluation and consider genetic testing for HOS. Type of study/level of evidence Diagnostic III.
Developmental and regional expression of multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase isoforms in rat brain

Multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaM kinase) participates in diverse calcium signaling pathways in neurons. The alpha- and beta-CaM kinase isoforms are neuron-specific and highly abundant in rat brain. The variable domain of CaM kinase is a potential site for the generation of isoform diversity by alternative spicing of its N- and/or C-terminal segments. We used specific PCR primers which span the variable domain of either alpha- or beta-CaM kinase and isolated three new isoforms from rat brain, namely alpha B-, beta e- and beta'e-CaM kinase. alpha beta-CaM kinase contains 11 amino acids, likely inserted by alternative splicing, at the C-terminal segment of the variable domain. This insertion introduces a nuclear localization signal (NLS) that targets alpha B-CaM kinase to the nucleus of transfected cells; alpha-CaM kinase is excluded from the nucleus. The mRNA and the protein corresponding to this isoform are detected only in the diencephalon/midbrain regions. We have also identified two alternatively spliced isoforms of beta-CaM kinase that lack the 24 amino acid sequence at the N-terminal segment of the variable domain. Alternative splicing of these two isoforms occurs with a three base pair shift of the 3′-splice site. Our analysis shows that these new beta-CaM kinase isoforms are expressed primarily in early developmental stages, and we therefore term them beta e - (embryonic) and beta' e-CaM kinase. Recombinant alpha B-, beta e and beta' e-CaM kinase expressed in COS-7 cells exhibit characteristic Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity and autophosphorylation.
The View from Madisonville: Protohistoric Western Fort Ancient Interaction Patterns.

The View from Madisonville: Protohistoric Western Fort Ancient Interaction Patterns. Penelope Ballard Drooker. Memoirs of the Museum of Anthropology. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1997.390 pp.
Evaluating rater credibility for reputation assessment of web services

This paper investigates the problem of establishing trust in service-oriented environments. We focus on providing an infrastructure for evaluating the credibility of raters in a reputation-based framework that would enable trust-based Web services interactions. The techniques we develop would aid a service consumer in assigning an appropriate weight to the testimonies of different raters regarding a prospective service provider. The experimental analysis show that the proposed techniques successfully dilute the effects of malicious ratings.
Changing patterns of ultrasound-related litigation: a historical survey.

he earliest litigation related to diagnostic ultrasound that I am aware of dates to 1974 and involved obstetric measurements. Before 1974, images were so difficult to interpret that ultrasound was considered of little value apart from obstetric measurement data and for characterizing masses as cysts (Fig. 1). Gray scale sonography came in 1974, and, abruptly, referrals for ultrasound became more widespread as clinicians began to understand the images. With understanding came greatly increased clinical use, and, as night follows day, then came lawsuits. A personal suit for missing a case of spina bifida in 1981 sparked my interest in litigation related to ultrasound. Little information was available because legal monitoring and archiving systems at that time only documented cases that went to court and were not settled out of court (≈98% of cases are settled out of court). A survey of members of the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound, at that time a select group limited to 50 members who performed ultrasound examinations full time, was conducted. Details of 32 cases were obtained. Meanwhile, Charles W. Hohler, MD, an obstetrician who was involved in ultrasound in the late 1970s and early 1980s, became interested in litigation related to ultrasound. He had access to a survey of 10% of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists members, which included 1 question about legal suits related to ultrasound. To our astonishment, this survey yielded crude information about 62 cases.1 There was obviously a considerable amount of litigation going on. Because about 98% of all medical malpractice cases are settled out of court, this was new information. For the next 19 years, I tracked litigation related to ultrasound by asking for information about cases from expert witnesses, tabulating my own cases, and getting information about cases when I spoke at meetings. During the 6 years that I sat on the American College of Radiology Litigation Committee, I had access to a journal of settled cases in which trial lawyers reported their successful cases. Articles reviewing the series were published 5 times with updated statistics on 4 occasions.1–5 A comparison of the different case series is shown in the tables below. In the columns labeled “2002” are the cases that I have seen as an expert witness since 1997. This group is biased toward obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound because I have not performed abdominal ultrasound since 1998. My cases are equally split between plaintiffs and defendants. The tables include information about dropped legal cases, settled Abbreviations IUD, intrauterine device; IUGR, intrauterine growth restriction
Constructed Second Control Groups and Attenuation of Unmeasured Biases

ABSTRACTThe informal folklore of observational studies claims that if an irrelevant observed covariate is left uncontrolled, say unmatched, then it will influence treatment assignment in haphazard ways, thereby diminishing the biases from unmeasured covariates. We prove a result along these lines: it is true, in a certain sense, to a limited degree, under certain conditions. Alas, the conditions are neither inconsequential nor easy to check in empirical work; indeed, they are often dubious, more often implausible. We suggest the result is most useful in the computerized construction of a second control group, where the investigator can see more in available data without necessarily believing the required conditions. One of the two control groups controls for the possibly irrelevant observed covariate, the other control group either leaves it uncontrolled or forces separation; therefore, the investigator views one situation from two angles under different assumptions. A pair of sensitivity analyses for the...
Relative contributions of radiation and cisplatin-based chemotherapy to sensorineural hearing loss in head-and-neck cancer patients.

Purpose To investigate the risk of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in patients with head-and-neck cancer and treated with radiation therapy (RT) or concomitant cisplatin-based chemoradiation, the relationship among SNHL and radiation dose to the cochlea, the use of two common cisplatin dose regimens. Methods and Materials A total of 62 head-and-neck cancer patients treated with curative intent were included in this prospective study. Of the patients, 21 received RT alone, 27 received 40 mg/m 2 weekly cisplatin, 13 received 100 mg/m 2 every 3 weeks during RT, and 1 received RT with weekly epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor antibody. The effect of chemotherapy and RT dose on hearing was determined using a model that accounted for the age and variability between each ear for each patient. Results We constructed a model to predict dose-dependent hearing loss for RT or cisplatin-based chemotherapy either alone or in combination. For patients only receiving RT, no significant hearing loss was found at doses to the cochlea of less than 40 Gy. Patients receiving 100 mg/m 2 or 40 mg/m 2 of cisplatin chemotherapy had an estimated +21.5 dB and +9.5 dB hearing loss at 8,000 Hz with low radiation doses (10 Gy), which rose to +38.4 dB and +18.9 dB for high radiation doses (40 Gy). Conclusions Use of RT alone with doses of less than 40 Gy did not result in clinically significant hearing loss. High-frequency SNHL was profoundly damaged in patients who received concomitant cisplatin when doses of 100 mg/m 2 were used. The threshold cochlear dose for hearing loss with cisplatin-based chemotherapy and RT was predicted to be 10 Gy. The inner ear radiation dose constraints and cisplatin dose intensity should be considered in the treatment of advanced head-and-neck cancer.
Allergy to isosulfan blue

Abstract Rationale Isosulfan is a triphenylmethane dye commonly used to color textiles, cosmetics, detergents, paints, and medications. Isosulfan blue is also frequently used for lymphangiography in sentinel node biopsy in patients with melanoma and breast cancer. We are reporting two patients who had anaphylaxis after subcutaneous injections of isosulfan blue. Methods Two female patients with breast cancer were referred for further evaluation of allergy to isusulfan blue. Both patients had recent histories of intraoperative anaphylaxis to isosulfan blue during sentinel node biopsies. Neither patient had prior exposure to isosulfan blue. Both patients were skin tested with isosulfan blue. Results The first patient had a positive prick skin test to full strength isosulfan blue. The second patient had a negative immediate prick skin test to full strength isosulfan blue test and to intradermal skin tests with 1:100 and 1:10 dilutions. However, this patient developed a large late phase local reaction three hours after the 1:10 dilution of isosulfan blue which was similar to the delayed time course of her intraoperative isosulfan blue induced anaphylaxis. Conclusions Isosulfan blue can cause immediate and delayed anaphylactic reactions and skin test responses. The fact that these patients had positive skin tests and intraoperative anaphylaxis suggests that these episodes may be mediated by IgE. It is possible that cross sensitization may have occurred from exposure to related dyes found in common household items.
Facilitated micromethod for measurement of metabolically generated 14CO2, with application to measurement of ornithine decarboxylase

A modified microassay for the determination of metabolically generated 14CO2 is described and is applied to the measurement of ornithine decarboxylase in animal tissue preparations. In this technique, the reaction takes place in a microcentrifuge tube inside a 20-ml scintillation vial that also contains a center well with a CO2-trapping agent. The vial is sealed with a silicone septum-lined plastic screw cap. After the initial incubation period during which the enzymatic reaction occurs, acid is injected through the septum into the reaction tube, and 14CO2 is released during a second incubation period. The reaction vial is then removed, counting solution is added to the scintillation vial, and radioactivity is measured. Linearity is present with respect to both increasing amounts of tissue and incubation time. Recovery of evolved 14CO2 was greater (97.5 vs 91.5%) and variation between replicate samples was less (coefficient of variation 2.7 vs 8.5%) when the modified microassay was compared with an assay system that requires removal of the screw cap from the vial before acid injection. The modification allows greater safety and facilitated assays, which could result in savings of both time and laboratory personnel. Special precautions for the use of NaH14CO3 as the recovery marker are noted.
A fast APL algorithm for logic minimization

This paper presents an algorithm for logic reduction which exploits APL's array and Boolean processing capabilities. The traditional algorithm, the Quine-McCluskey method, requires extensive looping and hence is very slow when implemented in an interpretive language. The APL algorithm accomplishes the same function as the Quine-McCluskey method, but in a totally different way and much faster.
Orientation and Communication in the Neotropical Ant Odontomachus bauri Emery (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae)

The Neotropical species Odontomachus bauri employs canopy orientation during foraging and homing. An artificial canopy pattern above the ants is much more effective as an orientation cue than horizontal landmarks or chemical marks. However, both horizontal visual cues and chemical marks on the ground can serve in localizing the nest entrance. Successful O. bauri foragers recruit nestmates to leave the nest and search for food. However, the recruitment signals do not contain directional information. Antennation bouts and pheromones from the pygidial gland most likely serve as stimulating recruitment signals. Secretions from the mandibular and poison gland elicit alarm and attack behavior.
Asian American adolescents' first sexual intercourse: gender and acculturation differences.

Interventions aimed at adolescents need to be culturally specific. The dearth of data on Asian American adolescents has made it difficult to meet their needs. Data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used with a sample of 323 Asian American female adolescents and 366 Asian American male adolescents. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between acculturation at Wave 1 (1995) and sexual experience at Wave 2 (1996) controlling for demographic psychosocial and family variables. Overall 24% of young women and 20% of young men had had sexual intercourse. Among young women the most acculturated were more likely to have had sexual intercourse than the least acculturated (odds ratio 4.9); acculturation was not associated with sexual intercourse for young men. Medium and high levels of parental attachment were associated with decreased odds of sexual experience for young women (0.4 and 0.2) but not for young men. Binge drinking was associated with an increased risk of sexual experience for young women (6.4) and tobacco use was associated with increased risk for young men (3.0). Like all adolescents Asian Americans are at high risk for the consequences of sexual activity. For this fast-growing population there is a crucial need for preventive programs that are culturally sensitive inclusive of family and gender-specific. (authors)
Pricing in Ride-Sharing Platforms: A Queueing-Theoretic Approach

We study optimal pricing strategies for ride-sharing platforms, using a queueing-theoretic economic model. Analysis of pricing in such settings is complex: On one hand these platforms are two-sided - this requires economic models that capture the incentives of both drivers and passengers. On the other hand, these platforms support very high temporal-resolution for data collection and pricing - this requires stochastic models that capture the dynamics of drivers and passengers in the system. We focus our attention on the value of dynamic pricing: where prices can react to instantaneous imbalances between available supply and incoming demand. We find two main results: We first show that profit under any dynamic pricing strategy cannot exceed profit under the optimal static pricing policy (i.e., one which is agnostic of stochastic fluctuations in the system load). This result belies the prevalence of dynamic pricing in practice. Our second result explains the apparent paradox: we show that dynamic pricing is much more robust to fluctuations in system parameters compared to static pricing. Moreover, these results hold even if the monopolist maximizes welfare or throughput. Thus dynamic pricing does not necessarily yield higher performance than static pricing - however, it lets platforms realize the benefits of optimal static pricing, even with imperfect knowledge of system parameters.
A micromechanical derivation of Fick's law for interfacial diffusion of surfactant molecules

Abstract A theory is presented for the diffusion of surfactant molecules, modeled as noninteracting Brownian spheres in proximity to, or straddling, the interface between two immiscible fluids. The spheres are assumed to be physicochemically inert except for the existence of short-range forces, which may be attractive and/or repulsive with respect to the interface. The number density of such particles is assumed small. Two alternative views of the diffusion process are presented; one, termed microscopic, in which variations in concentration are resolvable down to the scale l imposed by the short-range attractive or repulsive forces between the particles and the interface, and the other, termed macroscopic, in which variations are only discernible at the much larger scale, L , of gradients in the bulk surfactant concentration distribution, which are assumed to exist parallel to the interface. It is demonstrated that a rigorous theory can be developed, at the microscale , for prediction of the concentration profiles and diffusive flux of surfactant molecules parallel to the interface using only the well-established Stokes-Einstein theory of bulk-phase Brownian diffusion, and low Reynolds number hydrodynamics for the motion of a torque-free particle in close proximity, or straddling, a fluid-fluid interface. On the other hand, a macroscopic description of the same phenomena requires the introduction of new concepts, such as “adsorption” and “surface diffusion,” which are specifically associated with the interface, as seen from the macroscale of O ( L ). In the present paper, constitutive relationships for these macrosurface processes are derived in a rigorous manner from the more fundamental and complete microscopic description of the system. It is shown that Fick's law is applicable to surface diffusion, with the driving gradient based on a surface-excess concentration for surfactant particles. Furthermore, the surface diffusion coefficient is found to depend upon the Stokesian hydrodynamic resistance of a torque-free sphere translating parallel to the interface, as a function of the distance of its center from the interface, and upon the “adsorptive-potential” energy function which tends to cause the particles to accumulate there. Numerical values await the solution of the low Reynolds number hydrodynamics problem thereby posed, as well as the acquisition of knowledge relating to the potential energy function. Two examples of such potential energy functions are discussed for Brownian particles , one based upon a difference in area-specific, surface-free energies (i.e., solid/liquid interfacial tensions) for the two fluids, and the other on a simple density differential between the particle and the two fluids. Simple geometric models of surfactant molecules are also discussed in the context of potential energy functions for interaction between the molecules and the interface. The possibility of using such models in the analysis of other equilibrium and surface transport phenomena is pointed out.
Chronic regional enteritis occurring in three siblings

Three siblings, two sisters and a brother, have been found to exhibit various manifestations characteristic of regional enteritis. The occurrence of this disease in three members of one family is uncommon. The great difficulties that may arise in the management of this disease are illustrated by the cases of the sisters. In the light of present knowledge, resection of the diseased portion is the therapeutic procedure of choice but a better understanding of this unusual disease may, in the future, offer a less radical treatment. We feel that enterocolitis is a late stage in the progress of regional enteritis.
Deconvolution of concentration recordings at live cell preparations via shape error optimization.

In many fields of science and engineering including several areas in analytical chemistry, deconvolution needs to be performed on measured data to extract meaningful information. This situation arises when a variable of interest has to be indirectly estimated from a measurable quantity that depends on this variable in some known manner. This dependence, called the “forward problem”, has to be computationally undone to obtain the information sought from the experimental results. Solving this “inverse problem” requires deconvolution whenever the forward problem involves convolution. Despite its ubiquitous importance, however, performance of the methodologies used for deconvolution remains often unsatisfactory. An example is in bioanalytical applications where microsensing at live preparations is performed to obtain information on biological transport. It is in this context that a novel approach to solve inverse problems, shape error optimization, is proposed and tested in this work. The experimental paradig...
Stability of a finite-difference discretization of a singular perturbation problem

Abstract A new higher-order finite-difference scheme is proposed for a linear singularly perturbed convection–diffusion problem in one dimension. It is shown how the theory of inverse-monotone matrices, the Lorenz decomposition in particular, can be applied to the stability analysis of the resulting linear system.
Acceptability and Effectiveness of Group Contingencies for Improving Spelling Achievement.

Abstract This 12-week study of fifth-grade students used a pretest-posttest control group design to assess how varying task structures (individual or group) and incentive structures (interdependent, dependent, or no-incentive) affected three major dependent variables: (a) spelling achievement, (b) peer-nominated social status, and (c) treatment acceptability. The spelling performances of all teams increased significantly from pretreatment to posttreatment on the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised and a curriculum spelling test. No significant increases in weekly spelling achievement, however, were found in any of the treatment teams as a result of either the incentive structure or the task structure. The results of the study indicated that all of the treatment teams, except the dependent individual team, rated their treatment significantly less acceptable at posttreatment than they had at pretreatment. The various incentive structures and task structures did not lead to systematically significant changes in social status ratings based on peer nominations.
Polarization, Ideology, and Vote Choice in U.S. Congressional Elections

Despite the debate about mass polarization, most scholars agree that parties in Congress have become increasingly polarized over time. Scholars have sought to connect party polarization to the beliefs and perceptions of individual citizens, but little work exists on the relationship between polarization and the vote choices made by ordinary citizens. In this article, I examine the link between party polarization at the elite level, the use of ideology by citizens, and their vote choices in Congressional elections. I argue that the increased polarization that has occurred over time has led people to place more weight on ideology when casting their votes in U.S. House elections. My hypothesis stems from work on group conflict theory, which suggests that when people sense a high degree of conflict between two groups, a cue from elites, they will be more likely to rely on their own relevant characteristics or attitudes when making choices. This study differs from previous work on Congressional elections in th...
International Capital Markets and Structural Adjustment in U.S. Agriculture

Sixty-one years after Professor Cassel addressed the Harris Foundation about problems of trade and foreign investments, we again find international capital movements at the center of international trade discussions. The objectives of this paper are to place recent experience-in which the effects of trade and capital flows on agriculture have been widely recognized-in historical context and to draw on this review to offer some conclusions about the current U.S. trade deficits and agriculture.
The incorporation of 32P-labelled orthophosphate into nucleotides.

Abstract 1. 2. Chemical fractionation, column and paper chromatographic methods have beee employed to study the short-term incorporation of 32P-orthophosphate into various nucleotides and other phosphorylated compounds in respiring rabbit liver homogenates. 2. 2. No evidence could be obtained for the labelling of flavin or pyridine nucleotides. AMP does not appear to be labelled, in contrast to ADP and ATP which are labelled. CoA, or one of its derivatives, is probably labelled. 3. 3. An unidentified compound, possibly an adenosine polyphosphate, is labelled.
With the Grain of the Universe: Reexamining the Alleged Nonviolent Rejection of Natural Law

This essay challenges the prevailing presumptions concerning the antithetical relationship between nonviolence and natural law. In conversation with the representative natural law positions offered by J. Daryl Charles and Jean Porter, I turn to the framing of the relationship between the new law and the natural law in Aquinas’s “Treatise on Law” and appeal to the writings of John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas (sometimes against themselves) in order to argue that nonviolence can and should affirm natural law in some form if it intends to claim to represent “the grain of the universe.”
Upper-Intermediate-Level ESL Students' Summarizing in English

This qualitative instrumental case study explores various factors that might influence upper-intermediate-level English as a second language (ESL) students' summarizing from a socio-cultural perspective. The study was conducted in a formal classroom setting, during a reading and writing class in the English Language Institute at a university in the southeastern United States. Seven international ESL students provided information through questionnaires and interviews. Additional data were gathered through classroom observation. The findings of the study provide evidence that such personal factors as culturally influenced thinking patterns, content knowledge, motivation and attitude, and native language and second language literacy skills, as well as textual factors, writing style, vocabulary, and grammar, have an effect on ESL students' summarizing.
Starvation effects on the ultrastructure of amoeba mitochondria.

Mitochondria in non-starved giant amoebae, Pelomyxa carolinensis, contain tubules lying at random in the matrix. Many mitochondria in starved amoebae have enlarged tubules aligned in a zigzag pattern. Tubules within the zigzag region are separated by very little matrix material. Some of these altered mitochondria are found in 70% of amoebae starved for only 24 hours, and in nearly all P. carolinensis starved for 8 days or longer. The percentage of such altered mitochondria increases from zero in most well-fed amoebae, to about 60% after two weeks of continuous starvation. Most P. carolinensis starved at 25° C survive less than three weeks. Microfilament bundles are observed in the matrix of some mitochondria in amoebae starved for more than two days.
Carbon monoxide exposures in parking garages.

Twenty five days of hourly air sampling at seven parking garages of the enclosed type indicated a mean carbon monoxide concentration of 58.1 ppm (S.D. ± 23.15, and S.E. ± 4.63). This degree of exposure for eight hours each day poses a potential occupational hazard to those already having some degree of impairment of tissue oxygenation.
Photogenerated high-density electron-hole plasma energy relaxation and experimental evidence for rapid expansion of the electron-hole plasma in CdSe.

The kinetics of the nonequilibrium photogenerated electron-hole plasma in CdSe is investigated using picosecond time-resolved spectroscopy at room temperature. Based on the fact that the polar optical-phonon emission rate is reduced due to screening by the high density of the e-h plasma, the remaining dominant mechanism for hot-carrier cooling is the nonpolar optical-phonon emission even though CdSe is a highly polar semiconductor. It has been observed that the photogenerated carrier density is much lower than the estimated carrier density using known values of the absorption coefficient, reflectivity, and photon fluence. Rapid plasma expansion has been proposed as a possible explanation on the grounds of the observed larger spatial width of the photoluminescence relative to the laser spatial width, moderate change of Auger recombination rate with the excitation fluence, the absence of an observed change in the Fermi level with increased excitation intensity, and earlier formation of excitons after the picosecond pulse (5 psec) excitation at a low temperature (12 K). The observed carrier density \ensuremath{\approxeq}35 psec after excitation is limited to 1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ within the excitation photon fluence of 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{15}$\char21{}7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{16}$ photons/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ at room temperature. Large values of the diffusion constant are explained in terms of a screened electron-phonon interaction. The possibility of saturation of the available states in explaining small carrier densities is eliminated by the observed faster cooling rate at low-excitation intensity and the sublinear change in the luminescence spatial width with excitation fluence.
Environment selection, training, and implementation in high-level expert systems environments: experiences and guidelines

Abstract An inverse relationship seems to exist between the demand for complex software and developer productivity. Expert systems have been suggested as a potential technology to close this gap, and high-level expert systems development environments are emerging to aid this effort. However, much of the conventional expert systems development literature does not address issues such as selection of high-level environments, developer training, and strategies for implementation. After a year-long development effort within a high-level expert systems environment, we have identified a series of guidelines to address these issues. Overall, our experiences indicate that developers should use familiar development tools for projects involving firm deadlines and deliverables, and new environments should be investigated only when time pressure for product deliveries will not inhibit unbiased evaluation.
Visual OS: design and implementation of a visual framework for learning operating system concepts

An operating system can be described as software composed of numerous components providing a distinct functionality, such as CPU scheduling, disk scheduling, virtual memory and paging, while working together to efficiently manage the hardware and resources of a computer system. Understanding their features and interplay can be a non-trivial task, in particular, for undergraduate students in Computer Science studying operating systems. To aid in their understanding of the OS dynamics, a number of aids including textbooks, journals and simulators exist. Although these aids suffice to understand simple OS concepts, some algorithms, such as paging, synchronization and process control, and their interactions are too complex to understand without a way to visualize these interactions and operations.This paper provides three contributions to the R&D on visualizing the dynamics of operating systems. First, we describe the design architecture of Visual OS, which is our OS visualization engine. Second, we describe how we used software design patterns to make our framework extensible to accommodate a variety of OS features that cater to different domains, such as generic computing, real-time systems and embedded systems. Finally, we describe how we have used Visual OS for a programming assignment in a senior level OS class at Vanderbilt University.
Noninvasive bulk dielectric testing

The complex dielectric properties can be quite unique for different substances. Non-invasive microwave imaging which recovers the associated properties of commercial products could prove useful in numerous settings such as assessing the integrity of solids and testing for spoilage of food stuffs. We have adapted our microwave breast imaging system for testing arbitrarily shaped targets with varying properties. This exploits a new soft prior regularization strategy which only requires spatial geometry information along with the measured field data to reconstruct accurate property measurements of the target under test (TUT). Refining the target interface and optimizing the reconstruction code for this specific application could facilitate near real-time assessment for a range of targets.
Dynamic shear modulus of a semiflexible polymer network

We construct a model for the dynamic shear modulus $G(\ensuremath{\omega})$ of entangled or crosslinked networks of semiflexible polymer that can account for the high-frequency scaling behavior, $G(\ensuremath{\omega})\ensuremath{\sim}{\ensuremath{\omega}}^{3/4},$ that has recently been observed in solutions of the biopolymer $F$-actin. As we argue, this behavior should not be unique to F-actin, but rather should be a clear characteristic of semiflexible polymers in general. We also report molecular dynamics simulations that support the single filament response that is the basis of our model for the network shear modulus.
Vibrational normal-mode spectrum of globular proteins.

Slow vibrational modes of proteins (in the 5-psec range) have been the focus of numerous recent studies. Nevertheless, no attempt has yet been made to ascertain the general properties of these vibrational spectra. Comparing the spectra of several globular proteins, it is found that the density of states follows a characteristic, universal curve, which reflects the main structural similarities between proteins. The spectral (or fracton) dimension is ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{s}}$=2: for the slower modes, the density of states increases linearly with the frequency, as opposed to the regular increase with the square of the frequency, as in crystals. This is relevant to the kinetics of the mechanical transport of signals in proteins and to the function of proteins as catalysts.
The effects of continuous-flow washing on stored red blood cells.

Whole blood and packed cells stored up to 21 days prior to being washed by a continuous-flow (CF) technic or by batch washing (BW) were found to have an average posttransfusion survival of greater than 70 per cent. CF-washed red blood cells stored in 5 per cent dextrose and 0.9 per cent saline (5% D&S) wash solution for 24 hours had an average survival of 86 per cent. An average plasma protein dilution of 1:25,000 was obtained with the CF technic as compared to 1:600 with the conventional BW technic. A series of bloods were inoculated either with plasma containing hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA), cytomegalovirus (CMV) or poliovirus (PVS) and then washed. CMV could not be detected by plaque assay in the washed red blood cells nor could HAA by immunodiffusion, counterimmunoelectrophoresis or radio-immune assay. The poliovirus-inoculated washed red blood cells had a marked reduction of the virus when washed by the CF technic as compared to the BW cells. Red blood cells washed by the CF technic did not induce a rise in an AHF inhibitor when transfused into a hemophilic patient with a circulating inhibitor.
Introduction: Varieties of Comparative Analysis in the World of Medical Care Policy

The world of medical care is no stranger to cross-national commentary. Scientific claims, data, and concerns about new drugs, devices, and procedures fly around the world literally with electronic ...
Evaluation and treatment of rage in children and adolescents

Rage is characterized by an unpredictable and primitive display of violence that is out of proportion to the provoking event and often threatens serious self-injury or harm to others. New insight into the pathogenesis of unpredictable violent behavior has been gained largely as a result of neurochemical, neuropsychological and brain imaging studies. This article examines episodic rage from a neuropsychiatric perspective. Three cases illustrating the evaluation and treatment of rage in childhood and adolescence are presented.
Understanding Wald's Test for Exponential Families

Abstract Anomalous behavior of Ward's test for exponential families is explained on the basis of the use of parameter estimates rather than null values in the variance part of the Wald expression. Illustration of the difficulty is made through use of single-parameter situations, albeit multiparameter situations were first cited to bring out the difficulty. Situations had been claimed in which statistical significance disappeared as data became more inconsistent with the null hypothesis. It is shown here that with use of the Wald test, according to the parameterization employed, the same data can be both consistent with all possible null values for the parameter and inconsistent with all possible values.
Fetal environment, epigenetics, and pediatric renal disease.

The notion that some adult diseases may have their origins in utero has recently captured scientists’ attention. Some of these effects persist across generations and may involve epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetic modifications, DNA methylation together with covalent modifications of histones, alter chromatin density and accessibility of DNA to cellular machinery, modulating the transcriptional potential of the underlying DNA sequence. Here, we will discuss the different epigenetic modifications and their potential role in and contribution to renal disease development.
SU‐E‐J‐238: Monitoring Lymph Node Volumes During Radiotherapy Using Semi‐Automatic Segmentation of MRI Images

Purpose: Identification and image-based monitoring of lymph nodes growing due to disease, could be an attractive alternative to prophylactic head and neck irradiation. We evaluated the accuracy of the user-interactive Grow Cut algorithm for volumetric segmentation of radiotherapy relevant lymph nodes from MRI taken weekly during radiotherapy. Method: The algorithm employs user drawn strokes in the image to volumetrically segment multiple structures of interest. We used a 3D T2-wturbo spin echo images with an isotropic resolution of 1 mm3 and FOV of 492×492×300 mm3 of head and neck cancer patients who underwent weekly MR imaging during the course of radiotherapy. Various lymph node (LN) levels (N2, N3, N4'5) were individually contoured on the weekly MR images by an expert physician and used as ground truth in our study. The segmentation results were compared with the physician drawn lymph nodes based on DICE similarity score. Results: Three head and neck patients with 6 weekly MR images were evaluated. Two patients had level 2 LN drawn and one patient had level N2, N3 and N4'5 drawn on each MR image. The algorithm took an average of a minute to segment the entire volume (512×512×300 mm3). The algorithm achieved an overall DICE similarity score of 0.78. The time taken for initializing and obtaining the volumetric mask was about 5 mins for cases with only N2 LN and about 15 mins for the case with N2,N3 and N4'5 level nodes. The longer initialization time for the latter case was due to the need for accurate user inputs to separate overlapping portions of the different LN. The standard deviation in segmentation accuracy at different time points was utmost 0.05. Conclusions: Our initial evaluation of the grow cut segmentation shows reasonably accurate and consistent volumetric segmentations of LN with minimal user effort and time.
Genetics of radionuclide-contaminated mosquitofish populations and homology between Gambusia affinis and G. holbrooki

†Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas AM Accepted 6 February 1998)Abstract—The effects of radionuclide contamination on genetic structure of eastern mosquitoﬁsh (Gambusia holbrooki)populationsfrom the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site (SRS) were investigated to develop methods of assessing ecologicalrisk of chronic exposures to xenobiotics. Fish from two contaminated and two reference sites were examined by the randomlyampliﬁed polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique, which revealed that the frequency of three markers was greater in the contaminatedthan the reference sites and that the frequency of two markers was greater in the reference than in the contaminated sites. A previousstudy examined populations of western mosquitoﬁsh (G. afﬁnis) from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and found thatcertain RAPD markers were present in radionuclide-contaminated ORNL populations at a higher frequency than in referencepopulations. The ‘‘contaminant-indicative’’ markers observed in the SRS populations were the same size and ampliﬁed by the samepolymerase chain reaction primers used in the ORNL study. Southern blot analysis revealed that the SRSG. holbrooki contaminant-indicative markers were homologous to the ORNL G. afﬁniscontaminant-indicative markers. The observation that two speciesshow similar patterns of band frequency shifts at two separate localities is consistent with the hypothesis that these DNA markersmay originate from genetic elements that provide a selective advantage in contaminated habitats. Thus, the methodology used inthese studies may prove to be useful to indicate population-level effects of environmental contamination.Keywords—Population genetics Gambusia Radiation Evolutionary toxicology Randomly ampliﬁed polymorphicDNAINTRODUCTION
Symptoms, Bother, and Treatment-Seeking Behaviors

For years, clinicians have used terms for urologic syndromes that imply definitive understanding of etiology; evaluation thereof; progression and natural history; and, very importantly, impact of the symptomatic components of the specific syndrome in question on the individual patient. One of the most important urologic syndromes is the one now known as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). LUTS are increasingly noted to be highly prevalent in epidemiologic assessments of large populations, but varying definition of LUTS and assessments thereof have shown variable rates of bother and, presumably, of treatmentseeking behaviors [1,2]. Given the fact the LUTS is a syndrome construct consisting of multiple constituent components, symptom and symptom cluster impact have been evaluated as independent predictors of treatmentseeking behaviors [3–5]. Long-term longitudinal studies, such as the Boston Area Community Health Survey (BACH), have provided insight not only into the natural history and evolution (progression and regression) of symptoms but also into the incremental impact of these symptoms on the unique individual with LUTS, especially those LUTS presentations with predominant storage disorder. Those patients with relatively more severe storage symptoms experience more disruption of their daily cycle, and both genders appear to be at relatively similar risk for thesemore severe symptom groupings. Gender-specific data have demonstrated the magnitude of the effect of LUTS influencing behaviors, especially in women [6]. Comparative gender data between women and men, however, are still lacking when considering the effects of bother and quality of life (QoL) on health care–use behaviors. Additionally, cultural variability has been shown to influence response, as do certain comorbidities. Apostolidis et al report on a very interesting assessment of symptomatic impact as counterpoised by bother
Temporal and spectral studies of large χ 2 in fused silica

A temperature/static electric field poling process for inducing a second-order nonlinearity in fused silica is discussed. Time-resolved measurements support a model of sodium migration leading to a large internal electric field in the bulk fused silica. In addition, UV- photoluminescence studies suggest dipole orientation as another possible mechanism.
SU-E-T-43: The Impact of Gantry Rotations On the Accuracy of IMRT Dose Measurements Using EPIDs

Purpose: The use of electronic portal imaging device (EPID) in IMRT QA has recently gained popularity. This study is to investigate the effect of gantry rotations on the accuracy of measured dose distributions. Methods: Two Varian LINACs (Clinac‐iX and Trilogy) were used to collect EPID data daily over 3‐week period. Energy fluencies were measured at gantry angles separated 45° apart (0°,45°,…270°,315°)for both static fields defined by asymmetric jaws and dynamic fields from patient treatment plans. The measured fluencies were converted to 2D dose distributions by EPIDoseTM. The dose distributions obtained at zero gantry angle were used as base lines (BL) for comparison with those measured at non‐zero gantry angles. The differences generated from static asymmetric fields were used to identify the mechanical misalignment between the center of EPID and beam axis. These differences were applied as the “shifts” to correct the corresponding IMRT fields. The modified dose distributions were then compared with their BL for error analysis using Gamma Index (1mm/1%). Results: The rotations of gantry and their associated “sagging” have various effects over the accuracy of measured dose distributions. The un‐shifted Gamma passing rates were between 34.5% and 100%, dependent on the gantry angles. For both machines, the errors were consistently larger for dose comparisons made between gantry angles 135° −225°,with the lowest average of 44.2% at angle 225°. There have also been consistently high passing rates (>95%) between angles 315°−45°(clockwise). Once the pre‐determined “shifts” were applied, all the matching statistics were improved to over 90%. Conclusion: Gantry rotation can exert effect on the accuracy of measured dose distributions. Proper shifts should be used, especially for gantry angles 135° −225°, to reduce the effect caused by the misalignment between EPID/beam axis. Blindly use of “best fit” available from QA software would Result in hiding true errors.
Global Health Equity and Advocacy: The roles of international Non-Governmental Organizations

International health equity and community empowerment are promoted through local and global collaborations with non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). Civil society organizations and inter-agency partnerships assume central roles in addressing global health inequity, within the context of national health and social systems, local realities and priorities. Community health promotion through public-private collaboration by NGO’s on health needs assessments and fund-raising is designed to increase support for local programs in the United States. This paper compares health promotion and advocacy roles of an international non-governmental organization in global and local arenas, based on community case studies by the author in rural Hungary and North Texas from 2009 to 2011, using ethnographic and qualitative research methods. Findings confirm the need for systematic evaluation of the effects of complex socioeconomic, political and multi-ethnic contexts, and the impacts of prevention programs and healthcare on health equity.