cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation dose uncertainty and correction for a mouse orthotopic and xenograft irradiation model

AbstractPurpose In animal irradiation models, reported dose can vary significantly from the actual doses delivered. We describe an effective method for in vivo dose verification.Materials and methods Mice bearing commercially-available cell line or patient-derived tumor cell orthotopic or flank xenografts were irradiated using a 160 kVp, 25 mA X-ray source. Entrance dose was evaluated using optically-stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLD) and exit dose was assessed using radiochromic film dosimetry.Results Tumor position within the irradiation field was validated using external fiducial markers. The average entrance dose in orthotopic tumors from 10 OSLDs placed on two different animal irradiation days was 514 ± 37 cGy (range: 437–545). Exit dose measurements taken from seven radiochromic films on two separate days were 341 ± 21 cGy (a 34% attenuation). Flank tumor irradiation doses measured by OSLD were 368 ± 9 cGy compared to exit doses of 330 cGy measured by radiochromic film.Conclusion Variations r...
Mesoscale Simulation of Proton Transport in Proton Exchange Membranes

Previous efforts to model proton transport through fuel cell membranes have largely focused on disparate length scales: molecular dynamics at the atomistic level and fuel cell stack engineering app...
Of Smart Phones and Facebook: Social Media’s Changing Legal Landscape Provides Cautionary Tales of “Pinterest” for Sport Organizations

Due to the prevalence with which today’s consumers access and utilize social media, sport organizations are increasingly devoting more financial and personnel resources to marketing through these platforms, and are seemingly getting a return on their investment. The benefits of using social media platforms must, however, be mitigated by the hurdles that can arise from careless and potentially unlawful usage. As evidenced by our discussion of recent social media lawsuits, administrative decisions by federal regulators, and the rules and regulations governing promotions and contests, we show that potential legal troubles can be mitigated through the thoughtful crafting of internal social media policies as well as continued monitoring of social media platform policies.
A Proof of a Conjecture on Hermite Polynomials

Wang Jun-yu and Kong Ling-bin gave a conjecture on Hermite polynomial as follows Hek(s)∑m0(-1)mdmHek-m(s)dsm+Hek+1(s)∑m1(-1)mdm-1Hek-m(s)dsm-1=k!. A proof for this conjecture was given in present paper.
Teaching life cycle assessment in environmental engineering: a disinfection case study for students

To help educators increase the extent and effectiveness of integrating sustainability into undergraduate education, a case study in life cycle assessment (LCA) is developed and presented using the context of disinfection of wastewater. Design and operating parameters are presented for three alternatives: chlorine/sulfur dioxide, ultraviolet (UV) light, and sodium hypochlorite/sodium sulfite. The case study includes student learning objectives, design assumptions, system boundaries, supporting calculation files, descriptions of LCA simulation scenarios, expected simulation results, and interpretation. LCA simulations, using the ISO methodology approach, are performed with varying assumptions about design flows, study duration, electricity fuel mixes, an alternative LCIA methodology, and weighting scenarios. Results are presented primarily at the midpoint level, and the effects of weighting are illustrated using a ternary plot. Life cycle costing is performed by calculating net present worth cost of construction materials and selected ongoing operation and maintenance costs. After interpreting simulation results, students should be able understand and apply several LCA skills including identifying significant impact categories, describing tradeoffs between different life stages, identifying “hot-spots” in the life cycles, illustrating the impacts and limitations of weighting, and observing differences across LCIA methodologies. Using the assumptions herein, chlorine disinfection results in larger initial impacts due to the larger basin required for hydraulic retention time (HRT), but operating impacts associated with electricity consumption cause the UV impacts to overtake those of the chlorine alternative. The results are sensitive to the LCIA method, the electricity grid’s fuel mix, and the electricity consumed per unit of wastewater disinfected. Finally, consideration of non-environmental and non-cost factors (risk, safety) provide students with an opportunity to reflect on broader societal impacts. Adaptable for various audiences and to provide differing levels of technical rigor, the case study should aid students in understanding and becoming proficient in performing LCA to facilitate life cycle thinking. It is the author’s hope that by providing a transparent, comprehensive LCA case study comparing engineering alternatives, educators can better integrate life cycle thinking and systems thinking into engineering curricula.
Iterative Solvers Based on Domain Decomposition

This chapter concerns iterative solution techniques for linear systems of equations arising from the discretization of elliptic boundary value problems. Very often huge systems are obtained, with condition numbers which depend on the meshsize h of the triangulation, which typically grow in proportion to h-2. Then, classical iteration schemes like Jacobi-, Gaus-Seidel or SOR-type methods result in very slow convergence rates. Fig. 2.1 shows the convergence rates and the number of iteration steps versus the number of unknowns, for a simple model problem in 2D. In the left, the convergence rates are given, and in the right the number of iteration steps to obtain an error reduction of 10-6 are shown. For the Jacobi and the Gaus-Seidel method, the asymptotic convergence rates are 1 — O(h2). The optimal SOR-method is asymptotically better and tends with O(h) to one. However, the optimal damping parameter is, in general, unknown. The number of required iteration steps reflects the order of the method. For the Gaus-Seidel and the Jacobi method, the number of required iteration steps grows quadratically with one over the meshsize. In case of the optimal SOR-method, the increase is linear. Moreover, the numerical results show that the Jacobi method requires two times the number of Gaus-Seidel iteration steps.
Expectant Management of Clinically Localized Prostatic Cancer

AbstractAmong approximately 4,000 prostatic cancer registrations 75 patients with clinical stage B histologically proved prostatic cancer receiving no therapy for at least 1 year after diagnosis were identified and managed expectantly. Of the patients 29 had stage B1, 37 stage B2 and 9 stage B3 lesions. Eight patients ultimately elected definitive radiation treatment. First evidence of tumor progression was local in more than 90% of the cases. Overall median intervals were 78 months to local progression, 186 months to metastasis, 108 months to initiation of any treatment and 156 months to death. The rate of tumor progression was often consistent with protracted survival. Prostatic cancer and co-morbidity were each significant forces of mortality.
A Cervical Cancer Screening Trainer for Use in Low-Resource Settings

Each year, cervical cancer causes the death of over 275,000 women worldwide with eighty percent of these cases occurring in low or lower-middle income countries. Cervical cancer screening programs reduce cervical cancer occurrence by identifying and treating pre-cancerous cervical abnormalities before they develop to malignant stages. Standard methods of screening are inappropriate for use in low-resource settings and therefore screening is very limited. Based on a design ethnography studyperformed over a two-month period in Ghana, a need was identified for a low-fidelity model to assist in training healthcare providers to screen for cervical cancer using visual inspection with acetic acid. The design presented in this paper is a box trainer with a simulated vaginal cavity that allows a user to insert cervical images displayed on plastic tabs or cards from the Jhpiego Visual Inspection of the Cervix Flash Card Set © . A modular electronic feedback mechanism trains the user to properly complete the steps of the screening procedure and to track the successes of their diagnoses. This paper describes the need for a cervical cancer screening trainer, the process used to design a trainer to support visual inspection with acetic acid, and the results of prototyping and preliminary usability tests.
Compute Models and System Architectures

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the models and organizational styles for large-scale, highly parallel computing resources and emphasizes how they can be used in the organization of reconfigurable computers. The restrictions and stylizations in some compute models may limit the freedom in expressing an algorithm. However, limiting expressive freedom that would lead to poor reconfigurable solutions is one of the ways that a good compute model provides assistance and guidance. If the limitations make a solution hard to express, that can be a good indication that the solution approach is not well suited to a reconfigurable platform or that the compute model is not the natural choice for the task. A good compute model helps in decomposing a problem into components that can be designed and validated independently. This helps in avoiding the quadratic explosion in complexity arising from potentially interacting resources and avoids the linear cost necessary to program each resource independently. One of the most important tools provided by each compute model is a way to reason about correctness, which ultimately facilitates scaling, implementation adaptation, and optimization because it defines what transformations are possible without impacting correctness. As the compute model helps in understanding the natural composition and parallelism in the application, the system architecture deals with how to organize the implementation. The choice of architecture depends on technology costs and resource availability compared to the application resource and performance requirements.
Explanatory Exclusion and the Context of Explanation

It is shown in the present chapter how causal contextualism can be applied to the problem of the causal exclusion of mental states. This problem is also considered as a way of approaching the problem of overdetermination. Andre Fuhrmann’s characterisation of causal exclusion and explanatory exclusion as two distinct arguments is presented. Assuming particularly different contexts of explanation, the explanatory exclusion argument is not problematic and overdetermination with regard to explanation is not really generated.
Bilateral Striatal Syndromes

The clinical manifestations and outcome in 13 patients with bilateral basal ganglia lesions and neurological dysfunction are reported from the Child Neurology Unit, Vall D’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t: The Stigma of Weight Loss Surgery

Willpower, as demonstrated through diet and exercise, is constructed as the only acceptable strategy for losing weight. While weight loss surgery (WLS) is an option for morbidly obese individuals, ...
Environmentally Sustainable Water Use for Sustainable Development and Enhancing Security in Central Asia

This chapter outlines the relationship between environmentally sustainable water use, sustainable development and regional security in Central Asia. Environmentally sustainable freshwater use is argued to be an essential component of sustainable development, including poverty reduction. It is also argued to be important for reducing the potential for insecurity in Central Asia, in the context of transboundary waters in the region. The chapter sets out key elements for environmentally sustainable water use and successful transboundary waters management.
Regional Acidification Trends in Florida Shellfish Estuaries: a 20+ Year Look at pH, Oxygen, Temperature, and Salinity

Increasing global CO2 and local land use changes coupled with increased nutrient pollution are threatening estuaries worldwide. Local changes of estuarine chemistry have been documented, but regional associations and trends comparing multiple estuaries latitudinally have not been evaluated. Rapid climate change has impacted the annual and decadal chemical trends in estuaries, with local ecosystem processes enhancing or mitigating the responses. Here, we compare pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity data from 10 Florida shellfish estuaries and hundreds of shellfish bed stations. Over 80,000 measurements, spanning from 1980 to 2008, taken on Atlantic Ocean and West Florida coast showed significant regional trends of consistent pH decreases in 8 out of the 10 estuaries, with an average rate of decrease on the Gulf of Mexico side estuaries of Florida of 7.3 × 10−4 pH units year−1, and average decrease on the Atlantic Coast estuaries of 5.0 × 10−4 pH units year−1. The rates are approximately 2–3.4 times slower than observed in pH decreases associated with ocean acidification in the Atlantic and Pacific. Other significant trends observed include decreasing dissolved oxygen in 9 out of the 10 estuaries, increasing salinity in 6 out of the 10, and temperature increases in 3 out of the 10 estuaries. The data provide a synoptic regional view of Florida estuary trends which reflect the complexity of changing climate and coastal ocean acidification superimposed on local conditions. These data provide context for understanding, and interpreting the past and predicting future of regional water quality health of shellfish and other organisms of commercial and ecological significance along Florida’s coasts.
Polyelectrolyte Chain Structure and Solution Phase Behavior

Using a recently developed renormalized Gaussian fluctuation (RGF) field theory that self-consistently accounts for the concentration-dependent coupling between chain structure and electrostatic correlations, we study the phase behavior of polyelectrolyte solutions, with a focus on the effects of added salts and chain structure. For solutions of a single polyelectrolyte species plus salt, the RGF theory predicts the existence of a loop in the phase boundary at Bjerrum lengths (inverse temperature) below (above) the critical value of the salt-free system. This loop behavior can occur at electrostatic interaction strengths lb/b at which the loop no longer exists for the TPT-1 theory, and at fixed lb/b the loop can persist for infinitely long chains, in contrast to theories using a fixed-Gaussian structure (fg-RPA). For systems of oppositely charged (but otherwise symmetric) chains, we again find that the fg-RPA greatly overpredicts the driving force for phase separation, especially at higher charge fraction...
Letter by Reiffel Regarding Article, "Treatment of Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation: Does One Plus One Always Equal Two?"

I read with great interest Dr Michael Gold’s1 article regarding treatment of subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF). His comments were balanced, timely, and appropriately conservative, given our current state of trial data. However, I am not as certain as he that follow-up studies of subclinical AF “raise even more confusion regarding optimal care” with respect to (1) the lack of a clear temporal association between AF and embolic stroke events or (2) how to best use the duration of device-detected AF with respect to anticoagulation decisions. Although several reports have suggested that stroke/systemic embolism is not temporally associated with the presence of AF in patients with intermittent AF,1 underlying atrial pathology caused by AF …
Baclofen, motion sickness susceptibility and the neural basis for velocity storage.

Abstract: Reduction of the dominant time constant ( T VOR ) of the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (aVOR) by habituation is associated with a decrease in motion sickness susceptibility. Baclofen, a GABA b agonist, reduces the time constant of the velocity storage integrator in the aVOR in a dose-dependent manner. The high frequency aVOR gain is unaltered by baclofen. Here we demonstrate that the reduction in T VOR produced by oral administration of 20 mg of baclofen causes a significant reduction in motion sickness susceptibility, tested with roll while rotating (RWR). These data show that motion sickness susceptibility can be pharmacologically manipulated with a GABA b agonist and support our conclusion that motion sickness is generated through velocity storage. We also show how baclofen acts on velocity storage at the neural level. A vestibular-plus-saccade (VPS) neuron was recorded in the rostral medial vestibular nucleus (rMVN) of a cynomolgus monkey, an area where we postulate that velocity storage is generated. The cell had a time constant during steps of velocity that was close to that of the T VOR . After parenteral administration of baclofen, there was a similar decrease in the time constants of the VPS neuron and the T VOR . This is the first demonstration of the concurrence of unit and aVOR time constants before and after baclofen. The data support the hypothesis that the velocity storage integrator is generated through activity of vestibular-only (VO) and VPS neurons in rMVN and suggest that GABA b synapses on VO and VPS neurons are likely to be involved in the baclofen-induced reduction in motion sickness susceptibility.
Interactions Between Lung Mechanics And Gas Transport

Lung mechanics, in the broadest sense, encompasses both the behavior of solid tissue and the dynamics of gas and liquid flow within the tissue. Gas transport, which refers to the simultaneous bulk flow and diffusion of gases between the airway opening and the alveolar membranes, interacts with lung mechanics in two ways: the movement of gas molecules within each airway branch and airspace is affected by local velocity fields; and the blending of molecules at airway branch points depends on the distribution of flow imposed by the tidal deformation of elastic tissue. Nearly 100 years ago, in a classic paper that set the stage for comtemporary studies of these processes, Bohr (1) postulated that transport of respiratory gases could be modeled in a lung consisting of a proximal dead space compartment terminating in a blind-ended alveolar compartment. Gas was assumed to translate through the rigid dead space by bulk flow in the absence of gas mixing, while gas in the distensible alveolar compartment was perfectly mixed. This simple two-compartment model has become an incredibly important tool in the conceptualization of lung function, and is the underlying basis of routine clinical tests such as the single-breath nitrogen washout and the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity tests.
Some Aspects of the Pharmacology of Adrenal Steroids and the Central Nervous System

The pharmacology and biochemistry of adrenal steroids as they relate to the central nervous system (CNS) have been extensively reviewed by Woodbury [76, 77]. In order to reduce redundancy, the present review has been limited to aspects of steroid pharmacology pertinent to their use in the therapy of brain edema. First, the uptake, distribution, exit and metabolism of glucorticoids have been discussed in detail. Second, the effects of both glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids on CNS electrolyte metabolism in normal and pathological states have been summarized.
The Development and Use of a Theory of Change to Align Programs and Evaluation in a Complex, National Initiative:

In a complex, multisite initiative, a well-developed theory of change can help an organization’s leadership make strategic decisions about program elements, organizational direction and priorities,...
Trends in Elevated Blood Lead Levels Using 5 and 10 µg/dL Levels of Concern Among Refugee Children Resettled in Massachusetts, 1998-2015:

Objectives:Refugee children are known to have a high prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs). We sought to determine trends in EBLLs among refugee children during an 18-year period and exa...
Case study: Does PM2.5 contribute to the incidence of lung and bronchial cancers in the United States?

Abstract Air quality has been long known to be strongly related to human health. Many studies have assessed the impact of air pollution on human health. This case study illustrates how to conduct a statistical study related to air pollution and health issues using the statistical methods introduced in the previous chapter. This case study is to examine if PM2.5 contributes to the incidence of lung and bronchial cancers in the United States. Statistical analyses, such as descriptive statistics, scatter plots, time series analyses, generalized linear regression models, and lagged regression, are used to explore the relationship between the lung and bronchial cancer annual rates and PM2.5 values at both national and state levels.
Auditory Perception and Ultrasound Biofeedback Treatment Outcomes for Children With Residual /ɹ/ Distortions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose This study evaluated whether outcomes from treatment, which includes ultrasound visual feedback (UVF), would be more or less effective when combined with auditory perception training for ch...
Research Data Management Services and Strategic Planning in Libraries Today: A Longitudinal Study

INTRODUCTION Research data services have been adopted by many academic libraries. This study tracked the changes in research data management services and staffing among Association of American Universities (AAU) libraries over the past 5 years and compared them to the libraries’ goals for research data management (RDM) in their strategic plan. METHODS This quantitative study examined libraries at the 60 U.S. AAU institutions. In order to examine longitudinal changes, portions of Briney et.al. (2015a) were used as a basis for measuring data librarian staffing and services. These trends were compared to the contemporary strategic priorities of libraries interviewed by Meier (2016), as well as against strategic plans of 2014 and 2019 available online. RESULTS & DISCUSSION While there have been modest increases in libraries in the sample population offering data services, most of those gains have been among the libraries that did not consider RDM a priority in 2014. Interestingly, some of the libraries that mentioned RDM as a priority in 2014 have lost data librarian positions. Over half of the libraries in this study now provide or support a data repository. Many library strategic plans that mentioned RDM as an explicit goal 5 years ago now no longer mention it. CONCLUSION Data librarian positions, data services, and data repositories have now become common features of large research university libraries. However, research data services are no longer as prominent in many library strategic plans at institutions where such services are more established, and libraries instead seem to be moving on to the work of rethinking the nature of the services or expanding them. Data: https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/concern/generic_works/t1g05ff42r
Increasing CNN Representational Power Using Absolute Cosine Value Regularization

The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a mathematical model designed to distill input information into a more useful representation. This distillation process removes information over time through a series of dimensionality reductions, which ultimately, grant the model the ability to resist noise and generalize effectively. However, CNNs often contain elements that are ineffective at contributing towards useful representations. This paper aims at providing a remedy for this problem by introducing Absolute Cosine Value Regularization (ACVR). This is a regularization technique hypothesized to increase the representational power of CNNs by using a Gradient Descent Orthogonalization algorithm to force the vectors that constitute their filters at any given convolutional layer to occupy unique positions in ℝn. This method should in theory, lead to a more effective balance between information loss and representational power, ultimately, increasing network performance. The following paper examines the mathematics and intuition behind this Regularizer, as well as its effects on the filters of a low-dimensional CNN.
Non-convex chance-constrained optimization for blending recipe design under uncertainties

Abstract A global optimization algorithm is proposed to design blending recipes for gasoline production with nonlinear mixing law and parameter uncertainty. Important fuels, such as gasoline, are produced by mixing several intermediate feedstocks in such a way that all quality specifications are met, and total profit is maximized. Conventional blending design approaches that rely on linear models and deterministic optimization may generate a suboptimal or infeasible solution due to model inaccuracy and failure to account for parameter uncertainty. The proposed work designs the blending recipe subject to chance constraints with normally distributed uncertain parameters and nonlinear mixing rule. The resulting non-convex joint chance-constrained program is solved to a near-global optimum through second-order cone relaxation, branch-and-bound, optimality-based bound tightening, and reformulate-linearization techniques. A case study involving nine feedstocks and two grades of gasoline is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Divergence in Timing and Magnitude of Testosterone Levels Between Male and Female Youths

This study uses national survey data to describe testosterone levels by age in youths aged 6 to 20 years and the onset and magnitude of divergence in levels between boys and girls.
A study on students' views toward K-12 computer science teaching career

The national STEM teacher shortage in public schools is no secret. A recent expansion and adoption Computer Science (CS) Education in the K-12 curriculum exacerbates the shortage. Many states have formed CS Education committees in charge of creating standards and regulations. Universities are creating CS teacher preparation programs to meet the demand. The success of these K-12 CS Education efforts requires a comprehensive understanding of all stakeholders' expectations. In this study, we attempt to identify factors that university students consider most in considering a CS teaching career, along with analyses of gender, major, and degree level, among others. Our results show that CS and Math majors should be the first target group for recruiting efforts as they express the highest interest in CS teaching careers, with males indicating more interest than females.
Optogenetic suppression of corticogeniculate feedback in anesthetized ferrets is overridden by visual stimulation

The feedforward projection from the retina shapes the spatial receptive field properties of neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (LGN). Corticogeniculate feedback from the visual cortex appears to exert a more subtle, modulatory influence on LGN responses. Studies involving manipulations of corticogeniculate feedback have yielded inconsistent findings, but the reasons for these inconsistencies are not known. To examine the functional contributions of corticogeniculate feedback, and to resolve past inconsistencies, we examined the effects of selective optogenetic suppression of corticogeniculate neurons in anesthetized ferrets. In particular, we examined the responses of LGN and V1 neurons during optogenetic suppression of corticogeniculate feedback in the presence and absence of visual stimulation and across conditions in which the frequency of LED illumination varied. Optogenetic suppression of corticogeniculate feedback decreased activity among LGN neurons in the absence of visual stimulation, dispelling the notion that anesthesia causes a floor effect. In contrast, suppressing corticogeniculate feedback did not affect the visual responses of LGN neurons, suggesting that feedforward visual stimulus drive overrides weak corticogeniculate influence. Optogenetic effects on LGN and V1 neuronal responses depended on the frequency of LED illumination, with higher frequency illumination inducing slow oscillations in V1, dis-inhibiting V1 neurons locally, and producing more suppression among LGN neurons. These results demonstrate that corticogeniculate influence depends on stimulation parameters including visual stimulus conditions and frequency of inactivation. Furthermore, weak corticogeniculate influence is overridden by strong feedforward visual stimulus drive; this attribute is the most likely source of inconsistencies in past studies.
Associations between pre-adolescents' cognitive responses to alcohol-related cues, maternal drinking, and direct exposure to alcohol.

Abstract The current study investigated pre-adolescent children's (N = 140, Mage = 10.11 years, SD = 1.48, 59.5% girls) implicit evaluations of and explicit expectancies about alcohol-related cues as a function of their mothers' drinking behaviors and their exposure to alcohol. Children's implicit evaluative responses were measured using the Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP), which consisted of trials that depicted pictures of either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, half of which were presented alone (inactive) and half of which were presented with a human interacting with the beverage (active). In addition, children's explicit expectancies, whether they had ever tasted alcohol, and their mothers' alcohol dependency and escape drinking motivations were measured. Results indicated that overall children's implicit evaluations were less positive for alcohol- than for non-alcohol-related cues, and those whose mothers reported higher alcohol dependency evaluated inactive alcohol-related cues more negatively. Moreover, those who had previously tasted alcohol endorsed positive expectancies more than negative expectancies. These findings contribute to our understanding of the processes through which implicit associations are learned in the context of addiction. Understanding cognitive as well as other potential biological and environmental factors that may predict drinking behaviors in youth will aid in the development of more effective evidence-based strategies for the prevention of alcoholism.
Unshackling Imagination: How Philosophical Pragmatism can Liberate Entrepreneurial Decision-Making

Despite the evident importance of imagination in both ethical decision-making and entrepreneurship, significant gaps remain in our understanding of its actual role in these processes. As a result, scholars have called for a deeper understanding of how imagination impacts value creation in society and how this critical human faculty might more profoundly connect our theories of ethics and business decision-making. In this paper, we attempt to fill one of these gaps by scrutinizing the underlying philosophical foundations of imagination and applying them to the challenges facing entrepreneurs attempting to create new value in an increasingly unpredictable and kaleidic world. Accordingly, we apply a view of imagination developed by the pragmatist philosopher John Dewey to the radically subjective economic philosophy of G.L.S Shackle. As a result, we develop a concept of imagination which we believe can be both significant and hopeful for research at the intersection of business ethics and new value creation.
The Infrastructure of Peace: Civil–Military Urban Planning in Mali

In the context of the current UN-led stabilization efforts in Mali, the United Nations peacekeeping mission undertakes significant investments in small-scale infrastructure development. The project...
Cellular Ubc2/Rad6 E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme facilitates tombusvirus replication in yeast and plants

Mono- and multi-ubiquitination alters the functions and subcellular localization of many cellular and viral proteins. Viruses can co-opt or actively manipulate the ubiquitin network to support viral processes or suppress innate immunity. Using yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) model host, we show that the yeast Rad6p (radiation sensitive 6) E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme and its plant ortholog, AtUbc2, interact with two tombusviral replication proteins and these E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes could be co-purified with the tombusvirus replicase. We demonstrate that TBSV RNA replication and the mono- and bi-ubiquitination level of p33 is decreased in rad6Δ yeast. However, plasmid-based expression of AtUbc2p could complement both defects in rad6Δ yeast. Knockdown of UBC2 expression in plants also decreases tombusvirus accumulation and reduces symptom severity, suggesting that Ubc2p is critical for virus replication in plants. We provide evidence that Rad6p is involved in promoting the subversion of Vps23p and Vps4p ESCRT proteins for viral replicase complex assembly.
Computerized Nutritional Assessment: How We Do It

(1982). Computerized Nutritional Assessment: How We Do It. Health Education: Vol. 13, No. 5, pp. 29-29.
Regulation of lipid synthesis by the RNA helicase Mov10 controls Wnt5a production

Expression of the Wnt ligand Wnt5a is frequently elevated in melanoma and is thought to be a critical regulator of cell movement during metastasis. However, the mechanisms regulating its expression are unknown. We find that the level of secreted Wnt5a varies by as much as 10-fold between cell lines and correlates more strongly with invasion than total cellular levels. Our results indicate that the RNA helicase Mov10 plays a role in Wnt5a synthesis and secretion. Inhibition of Mov10 increases secreted Wnt5a levels in melanoma cells by increasing Wnt5a synthesis and acylation. This is achieved by increasing fatty acid synthase (FASN) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase expression, leading to elevated levels of palmitoleoyl-CoA, required for Wnt ligand lipid modification and secretion. Melanoma tumors exhibit reduced expression of Mov10 compared with benign nevi and Mov10 levels inversely correlate with FASN levels in primary tumors. These results reveal a previously unappreciated role for aberrant lipid metabolism in regulating Wnt5a signaling that may be a critical step in melanoma progression.
Provably-secure schemes for basic query support in outsourced databases

In this paper, we take a closer look at the security of out-sourced databases (aka Database-as-the-Service or DAS), a topic of emerging importance. DAS allows users to store sensitive data on a remote, untrusted server and retrieve desired parts of it on request. At first we focus on basic, exact-match query functionality, and then extend our treatment to prefix-matching and, to a more limited extent, range queries as well. We propose several searchable encryption schemes that are not only practical enough for use in DAS in terms of query-processing efficiency but also provably-provide privacy and authenticity of data under new definitions of security that we introduce. The schemes are easy to implement and are based on standard cryptographic primitives such as block ciphers, symmetric encryption schemes, and message authentication codes. As we are some of the first to apply the provable-security framework of modern cryptography to this context, we believe our work will help to properly analyze future schemes and facilitate further research on the subject in general.
Soft drugs. XX. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of ultra-short acting beta-blockers.

A new type of ultra-short acting β-blocker which might prove advantageous in treating acute arrhythmias was designed, synthesized and investigated. Based on the soft drug “inactive metabolite approach,” the inactive phenylacetic acid metabolite of both metoprolol and atenolol was reactivated by esterification with sulfur-containing aliphatic alcohols. Since the sulfur-containing moieties are labile to the ubiquitous esterases, the new compounds should be inactivated by a one step enzymatic cleavage back to the inactive phenylacetic acid derivative. Pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles of the new compounds were evaluated in rats and rabbits. Isoproterenol-induced tachycardia was inhibited with short-term infusion of each compound. This tachycardia blocking effect rapidly disappeared upon termination of infusion, while β-blocking activity was 2–4-fold longer after comparable doses of the short-acting β-blocker, esmolol. The rapid recovery from the β-receptor blockade is believed due to fast hydrolysis of the soft drugs in the body. This is supported from in vitro results showing the tl/2 of esmolol is about 10-fold longer than the new soft drugs in rat, rabbit, dog and human blood. Hydrolysis studies in phosphate buffered solutions indicated that the esters are labile to base-catalyzed hydrolysis. However, the relative t1/2 values measured in biological media compared to phosphate buffered solution clearly support rapid enzymatic cleavage of the soft drugs. Interestingly, one of the soft β-blockers, the sulfonyl ester derivative, showed a unique property of exhibiting good β-receptor blocking activity without significant hypotensive action.
SOI devices and circuits

Different types of Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) devices are described and their respective properties are compared. SOI technology is currently becoming mainstream in the field of low-voltage, low-power electronics, where supply voltages as low as 0.5 volt are used. SOI devices and substrates can be optimized to operate at gigahertz frequencies, which makes them a technology of choice for portable telecommunication systems. Some advanced SOI devices are discussed as well.
Data Entry Performance as a Function of Method and Instructional Strategy

In Experiment 1, a response-sensitive instructional strategy was compared to three traditional, linear, instructional strategies for use in an embedded training program designed for manual data entry operators in the Army Tactical Operations System command and control system. Results showed that using a response-sensitive strategy can reduce training time without reducing inputting accuracy in a post-training test given in an operational setting. Experiment 2 examined the relative efficiency of [our different manual data entry methods: typing; typing with an error corrector; selecting from menus; and typing with autocompletion and an English option. Results show that selecting from menus is the most accurate inputting method. No differences were found in entry times among the methods, although participants may not have had sufficient practice for such differences to materialize. Results also showed little agreement between preference and performance for the methods.
Barium Fluoride (BaF2)

Publisher Summary Barium fluoride (BaF2) is a general-purpose optical window material that offers a wide range of transparency, from the ultraviolet to the long-wave infrared, with low reflectance loss and low dispersion. It is noted that this combination of broad transparency and low dispersion is rare in optical window materials used in infrared systems. Thus, it allows experimenters to conveniently perform initial system alignment in the visible and then switch to the infrared with only minor correction of the optical components. BaF2 exhibits good surface hardness and it is not attacked by the water vapors. It is very brittle and generally requires careful handling. BaF2 is essentially a cubic crystal with the fluorite structure, space group Fm3m, with four formula units per unit cell. The atomic arrangement is barium atoms occupy the 4(a) sites and the fluorine atoms occupy the 8(c) sites. Ultraviolet reflectance of bulk BaF2 is measured by Ganin et al up to 20 eV at the room temperature and liquid-helium temperature.
Health Educators as Environmental Policy Advocates

Abstract In recent years, health educators and other researchers have identified an increase in the prevalence of discomfort and disease induced or aggravated by the physical environment. This alarming increase calls for immediate action from health professionals and policy makers. The complex etiology of environmental threats to well-being (such as air pollution and toxic waste) challenge health educators to look beyond voluntary, personal behavior change to more fundamental changes in public policy. By supporting social-level change, health educators can promote both individual and community well-being. By endorsing public policies which promote environmental quality, health educators can substantially reduce environmental threats to health.
Amino Acid Composition of Certain Bacterial Cell-Wall Proteins

Analyses were made to determine the amino acid composition of the cell-wall proteins of Salmonella pullorum, S. senftenberg 775W, S. derby, and Escherichia coli. These proteins consist of the usual 18 amino acids found in most proteins with diaminopimelic acid in addition. Quantitative determination of these amino acids showed that their amounts were similar.
Evaluation of body fat in fatter and leaner 10-y-old African American and white children: the Baton Rouge Children's Study

Background: Only a few published studies in children used several methods to compare body fat in large groups of fatter and leaner multiethnic children. We hypothesized that the preferred methods of determining body fat may differ in children with larger compared with smaller amounts of body fat, in boys compared with girls, and in African Americans compared with whites. Objective: Our objective was to evaluate several methods of predicting body fat in 10-12-y-old white and African American boys and girls. Design: The body fat of 129 African American and white boys and girls aged 10-12 y, distributed equally by sex and race, was measured with use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), underwater weighing (densitometry), isotope dilution (H 2 18 O), bioelectrical impedance, skinfold thicknesses, corporal diameters, and circumferences. Results: With use of DXA as the criterion variable, body fat was bimodally distributed in the boys and skewed to higher values in the girls. Biceps skinfold thickness had the highest predictive value of any single skinfold thickness compared with DXA fat. All formulas for estimating body fat from skinfold thicknesses, body density, or impedance performed better in the children in the upper one-half of the fat distribution (the fatter children) than in those in the lower one-half (the leaner children). Body mass index was highly correlated with body fat (R 2 = 0.77); there was a good correlation for the fatter children (R 2 = 0.66) and no correlation for the leaner children (R 2 = 0.09). The hydration of the fat-free mass was significantly higher in the fatter children than in the leaner ones (79.2% compared with 76.7%). Conclusions: These data are consistent with the hypothesis that all methods of estimating body fat work better in children with larger amounts of body fat. The best formulas use skinfold thicknesses, bioelectrical impedance, and a 4-compartment model.
Partial Coherence In Imaging Systems

An improved method of measuring spatial coherence is described and some sources of measurement errors are discussed. Partial coherence in the image plane of an optical system is discussed and results of coherence measurements are given that demonstrate the scaling of the coherence function for coherence intervals large compared to the diameter of the Airy disk and the limiting value for the coherence interval equal to the diameter of the Airy disk. The application of these results to microdensitometry is discussed and results of coherence measurements in the source plane of currently-used classical microdensitometers are given.
Through pitch intensity balancing and phase error analysis of 193-nm alternating phase shift masks

An investigation of the predominant industry approaches to transmission balance and phase error through pitch of Alternating Aperture Phase-Shifting Mask manufacturing approaches has been conducted. Previous theoretical studies have shown both clear pattern bias and phase error changes through pitch. These variations are significant for the Low K1 applications. Several approaches have been proposed and discussed in previous papers, including undercut, asymmetric pattern biasing, mask phase-only, dual trench, SCAA, and others. Although much of the discussion has focused on lithographic process performance, some of the constraints in the mask making infrastructure may differentiate between processes of similar performance. Two manufacturable approaches, wet etch undercut and asymmetric pattern biasing, have been studied by electromagnetic field simulation to explore the across pitch performance at 193nm. This has been compared to experimental measurement of photomasks measured with a 193 Zeiss AIMS (Aerial Image Microscope System). Both mask fabrication approaches are compared to the simulations. The performance of both mask approaches to pattern bias and phase error was evaluated, and the feasibility of through pitch correction and its impact on design and manufacturability of the photomask is discussed.
Bedside diagnosis of coronary artery disease: A systematic review

Purpose To assess the accuracy of bedside findings for diagnosing coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction. Methods A MEDLINE search was performed to retrieve articles published from January 1966 to January 2003 that were relevant to the bedside diagnosis of coronary disease in adults. Results In patients with stable, intermittent chest pain, the most useful bedside predictors for a diagnosis of coronary disease were found to be the presence of typical angina (likelihood ratio [LR] = 5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.2 to 7.8), serum cholesterol level >300 mg/dL (LR = 4.0; 95% CI: 2.5 to 6.3), history of prior myocardial infarction (LR = 3.8; 95% CI: 2.1 to 6.8), and age >70 years (LR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.8 to 4.0). Nonanginal chest pain (LR = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.2), pain duration >30 minutes (LR = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.0 to 0.9), and intermittent dysphagia (LR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.8) argued against a diagnosis of coronary disease. In patients with acute chest pain, the most important bedside predictors for a diagnosis of myocardial infarction were new ST elevation (LR = 22; 95% CI: 16 to 30), new Q waves (LR = 22; 95% CI: 7.6 to 62), and new ST depression (LR = 4.5; 95% CI: 3.6 to 5.6). A normal electrocardiogram (LR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.3), chest wall tenderness (LR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.4), and pain that was pleuritic (LR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.3), sharp (LR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.5), or positional (LR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.5) argued against the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Conclusion The accuracy of bedside predictors depends on the clinical setting. In the evaluation of stable, intermittent chest pain, a patient's description of pain was found to be the most important predictor of underlying coronary disease. In the evaluation of acute chest pain, the electrocardiogram was the most useful bedside predictor for a diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Aside from the extremes in cholesterol values, the analysis of traditional risk factors changed the probability of coronary disease or myocardial infarction very little or not at all.