cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Assessment of Oxidation Behavior in Co-Based γ/γ′ Alloys

A high-throughput, non-destructive photostimulated luminescence spectroscopy (PSLS) technique was used to analyze fifty oxidized Co-based γ/γ′ alloy samples for the presence of α-Al2O3. Alloys were produced by combinatorial ion-plasma deposition, and oxidation was performed at 1100 °C for 1 h in air. PSLS measurements are compared with microscopy of oxides in cross-section to relate the presence of the luminescence signal of α-Al2O3 with the thickness of the oxide scale. Analysis of the current dataset validates the use of PSLS as a rapid screening technique of oxidation behavior for the present materials system.
Research on Purchasing Strategy of 110 kV Cable Accessories based on Life Cycle Cost Management

Cable accessories, as an important part of cable system, we often only focus on its initial acquisition costs and ignore the late costs in its life cycle. In order to maximize the economic benefits and to play the use of cable accessories, we need to introduce an equipment life cycle cost management (LCC) for 110kV cable accessories. In this paper, a life cycle cost management of 110kV cable accessories is studied, and an evaluation model of cable accessories purchase based on LCC is established. The LCC theory is applied to the bidding and purchasing of cable accessories, which can make the purchased and managed reasonably, and save the social resources effectively.
Co-logic programming: extending logic programming with coinduction

In this paper we present the theory and practice of co-logic programming (co-LP for brevity), a paradigm that combines both inductive and coinductive logic programming. Co-LP is a natural generalization of logic programming and coinductive logic programming, which in turn generalizes other extensions of logic programming, such as infinite trees, lazy predicates, and concurrent communicating predicates. Co-LP has applications to rational trees, verifying infinitary properties, lazy evaluation, concurrent LP, model checking, bisimilarity proofs, etc.
Gamma-ray heating measurements in zero-power fast reactors with thermoluminescent dosimeters

The use of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) to determine gamma-ray heating in a zero-power fast-reactor environment is considered. Generalized cavity-ionization theory is used to determine the relationship between the gamma- ray heating in the medium and the energy deposited in a TLD placed within the medium. The relationship is a function of the composition of the TLD and the surrounding medium, the size of the TLD, and the gamma-ray spectrum in the medium. Calculations are presented for several combinations of these variables. Data on the response of TLD materials to fast neutrons are reviewed. The fast-neutron- induced contribution to the thermoluminescent output relative to the gamma-ray- induced contribution is investigated. The relationship between the thermoluminescent response and the energy deposited in the dosimeter is also discussed. (auth)
Fossil fuel share in the energy mix and economic growth

Abstract After the Paris Agreement in 2016 fossil fuel share in the energy mix has become a debatable issue within the policy-circles of different countries as they start rolling out their plans to meet the requirements and targets of the agreement. In this paper, we examine the relationship between fossil fuel share in the energy mix and real income using a panel of 151 countries from 1971 to 2013. A cursory examination of the data suggests that there may exist a polynomial relationship between fossil fuel share and income, a phenomenon that we coin as energy mix Kuznets curve (EMKC). Although our parametric estimates provide evidence in support of this hypothesis, the results are sensitive to polynomial model specification. The results from nonparametric analysis, which places no restrictions on the functional form, provide support in favor of the EMKC.
More Than a Tumor Marker…A Potential Role for Alpha-Feto Protein in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND Human alpha-fetoprotein (hAFP) is a glycoprotein derived from the gut entoderm and expressed sequentially by cells of the yolk sac, fetal liver, and gastrointestinal tract. By adulthood, serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are undetectable in healthy, nonpregnant adults. Despite the clinical utilities of AFP monitoring in pregnancy and malignancy, much remains to be determined regarding its potential physiological functions. METHODS We focused on literature related to AFP's immunoregulatory role and its ability to modulate disease activity both in animal models of autoimmune disorders and in human clinical studies. RESULTS Evidence suggests that AFP plays an important role in immunoregulation by inducing T-cell suppressor activity, downregulating dendritic-like cell antigen expression, and impairing the function of macrophages. Studies evaluating AFP and its effects in rodent models of autoimmune diseases have shown that AFP is associated with downregulation of inflammation. Observations in studies of pregnant patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases have also described potential correlations between AFP expression and disease activity during different stages of pregnancy and postpartum. CONCLUSIONS We propose further prospective evaluations of AFP expression during pregnancy in inflammatory bowel disease patients to further correlate with disease activity and consider the potential of AFP as a novel therapeutic agent.
SEVERE COMPRESSION OF THE LEFT CIRCUMFLEX CORONARY ARTERY BY A LARGE SINUS OF VALSALVA ANEURYSM

Sinus of Valsava (SoV) aneurysms most commonly arise from the right coronary sinus (65-85% of cases). They may also arise from the non-coronary sinus (10-30%) and rarely from the left sinus (1-5%). 75-year-old female with hypertension and hyperlipidemia underwent nuclear stress testing for
Pulmonary Health and Healthy Aging

Lung function declines with age. Decreased elastic recoil of the lungs, impaired mucociliary clearance, and skeletal muscle weakness all contribute to decreased lung function and compromised airway function and clearance. As a result of these changes, cough and dyspnea become increasingly common in older adults. Between these changes to the airway and scarring processes in the lung from conditions like pneumonia, chronic lung diseases increase with age. Importantly, multimorbidity from cardiac, gastrointestinal, and nasopharyngeal causes is more prevalent with age and complicates elucidating the exact cause of respiratory symptoms. While many of the changes are inevitable with time, healthy pulmonary aging depends on physical activity, proper diet and weight management, avoidance of smoking and environmental exposures, and guideline-based lung cancer screening. This chapter will discuss the pathophysiology of lung diseases in older adults while also considering strategies for optimizing lung health with age.
Self-assembly and optoelectronic properties of isoreticular MOF nanocrystals

Abstract Self-assembly behaviour and optoelectronic properties of IRMOF-8 nanocrystals have been studied for the first time. Utilizing a rapid and simple self-assembly directed solvothermal process, microstructures of an interpenetrated analogue of IRMOF-8 was prepared and fully characterized. The elemental composition analysis reveals that the structural formula is to be Zn4O(NDC)3, confirming the original IRMOF-8 structural formula. The powder XRD analysis along with simulated XRD traces of two known IRMOF-8 analogues (IRMOF-8 and INT-IRMOF-8 A) reveals that the crystal structure of IRMOF-8 microstructures follows the primitive cubic (pcu) unit cell topology as the two-fold interpenetrated IRMOF-8. The selective area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern further supports the interpenetrating network with off-sets layer-by-layer arrangement of NDC units. The UV–vis spectra of nanostructures show the naphthalene absorption with a pronounced excitonic transition absorption at 374 nm and 380 nm for Zn4O clusters in solution and thin films, respectively. The optical band gap of 2.84 eV and the characteristic linker-based luminescence evidence that microstructures show excellent semiconducting properties. The thin films of microstructures exhibit an electrical conductivity of 3.98 × 10−2 S/cm at room temperature.
“If I Can Change, So Can You”: The Growth Mindset at Work and Daily Prosocial Behavior

We integrate research on the growth mindset (e.g., Dweck, 2006) and motivated information processing (Kunda, 1990; Nickerson, 1998) to examine the benefits of embracing a growth mindset at work. We...
Acute Kidney Injury and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Premature Neonates Born Less than 32 Weeks' Gestation.

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in infants born Study Design Present study is a secondary analysis of premature infants born at Results Moderate or severe BPD occurred in 214 of 546 (39%) infants, while death occurred in 32 of 546 (6%); the composite of moderate or severe BPD/death occurred in 246 of 546 (45%). For infants born ≤29 weeks of gestation, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of AKI and the primary outcome was 1.15 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.47–2.86; p = 0.76). Infants born between 29 and 32 weeks of gestation with AKI had four-fold higher odds of moderate or severe BPD/death that remained after controlling for multiple factors (adjusted OR = 4.21, 95% CI: 2.07–8.61; p Conclusion Neonates born between 29 and 32 weeks who develop AKI had a higher likelihood of moderate or severe BPD/death than those without AKI. Further studies are needed to validate our findings and evaluate mechanisms of multiorgan injury.
The Parameter-Fitness Landscape of lexA Autoregulation in Escherichia coli

Feedback mechanisms are fundamental to the control of physiological responses. One important example in gene regulation, termed negative autoregulation (NAR), occurs when a transcription factor (TF) inhibits its own production through transcriptional repression. This enables more-rapid homeostatic control of gene expression. NAR circuits presumably evolve to limit the fitness costs of gratuitous gene expression. The key biochemical reactions of NAR can be parameterized using a mathematical model of promoter activity; however, this model of NAR has been studied mostly in the context of synthetic NAR circuits that are disconnected from the target genes of the TFs. Thus, it remains unclear how constrained NAR parameters are in a native circuit context, where the TF target genes can have fitness effects on the cell. To quantify these constraints, we created a panel of Escherichia coli strains with different lexA-NAR circuit parameters and analyzed the effect on SOS response function and bacterial fitness. Using a mathematical model for NAR, these experimental data were used to calculate NAR parameter values and derive a parameter-fitness landscape. Without feedback, survival of DNA damage was decreased due to high LexA concentrations and slower SOS "turn-on" kinetics. However, we show that, even in the absence of DNA damage, the lexA promoter is strong enough that, without feedback, high levels of lexA expression result in a fitness cost to the cell. Conversely, hyperfeedback can mimic lexA deletion, which is also costly. This work elucidates the lexA-NAR parameter values capable of balancing the cell's requirement for rapid SOS response activation with limiting its toxicity.IMPORTANCE Feedback mechanisms are critical to control physiological responses. In gene regulation, one important example, termed negative autoregulation (NAR), occurs when a transcription factor (TF) inhibits its own production. NAR is common across the tree of life, enabling rapid homeostatic control of gene expression. NAR behavior can be described in accordance with its core biochemical parameters, but how constrained these parameters are by evolution is unclear. Here, we describe a model genetic network controlled by an NAR circuit within the bacterium Escherichia coli and elucidate these constraints by experimentally changing a key parameter and measuring its effect on circuit response and fitness. This analysis yielded a parameter-fitness landscape representing the genetic network, providing a window into what gene-environment conditions favor evolution of this regulatory strategy.
Contraceptive Use Among Women With End-Stage Kidney Disease on Dialysis in the United States.

Rationale & Objective Although end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) adversely affects fertility, pregnancies can occur among women receiving dialysis. ESKD increases the risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes and little is known about contraceptive use in women undergoing dialysis. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting & Participants Using the US Renal Data System covering January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2014, we evaluated for each calendar year women who for the entire year were aged 15 to 44 years, receiving dialysis, and with Medicare as the primary payer. Predictors Age, race/ethnicity, and calendar year of prevalent ESKD. Outcome Contraceptive use. Analytic Approach We determined rates of contraceptive use and used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with contraceptive use. Results The study cohort included 35,732 women and represented 115,713 person-years. The rate of contraceptive use was 5.30% of person-years (95% CI, 5.17%-5.42%). Overall, contraceptive use increased from 2005 to 2014 (4.21%; 95% CI, 3.84%-4.59% vs 6.54%, 95% CI, 6.10%-6.99%). Compared with women aged 25 to 29 years, contraceptive use was higher in women aged 15 to 24 years (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.43) and lower in women aged 30 to 34 years (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.68-0.81), 35 to 39 years (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.42-0.50), and 40 to 44 years (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.27-0.34). Compared with White women, contraceptive use was higher in Black (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.24) and Native American women (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.25-2.05). Women with ESKD due to glomerulonephritis had a higher likelihood of contraceptive use than women with ESKD due to diabetes (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.06-1.42). Women receiving peritoneal dialysis had a lower likelihood of contraceptive use than women receiving hemodialysis (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93). Compared with women without predialysis nephrology care, contraceptive use was higher in women who received predialysis nephrology care for 12 or fewer months (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09-1.37) and more than 12 months (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.20-1.47). Limitations Retrospective design and use of administrative data. Conclusions Among women with ESKD undergoing dialysis, contraceptive use remains low at 5.30%. Younger age, Native American and Black race/ethnicity, ESKD due to glomerulonephritis, hemodialysis, and predialysis nephrology care are associated with a higher likelihood of contraceptive use. The study highlights the importance of prepregnancy counseling for contraceptive use in women receiving dialysis.
Abstract 17173: Association of Acute Gout Flares and Colchicine Use With Clinical Outcomes During Admission for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Introduction: Gout is a common comorbidity in heart failure (HF) patients, and is often exacerbated by diuretic use. The impact of gout or the treatment of gout on HF outcomes is unknown. The purpo...
A lightweight method for evaluating in situ workflow efficiency

Abstract Performance evaluation is crucial to understanding the behavior of scientific workflows. In this study, we target an emerging type of workflow, called in situ workflows. These workflows tightly couple components such as simulation and analysis to improve overall workflow performance. To understand the tradeoffs of various configurable parameters for coupling these heterogeneous tasks, namely simulation stride, and component placement, separately monitoring each component is insufficient to gain insights into the entire workflow behavior. Through an analysis of the state-of-the-art research, we propose a lightweight metric, derived from a defined in situ step, for assessing resource usage efficiency of an in situ workflow execution. By applying this metric to a synthetic workflow, which is parameterized to emulate behaviors of a molecular dynamics simulation, we explore two possible scenarios (Idle Simulation and Idle Analyzer) for the characterization of in situ workflow execution. In addition to preliminary results from a recently published study [11] , we further exploit the proposed metric to evaluate a practical in situ workflow with a real molecular dynamics application, i.e., GROMACS. Experimental results show that the in transit placement (analytics on dedicated nodes) sustains a higher frequency for performing in situ analysis compared to the helper-core configuration (analytics co-allocated with simulation).
Coordination in the unfolded protein response during aging in outbred deer mice.

Abstract Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been linked to various metabolic pathologies, neurodegeneration and aging. Although various mechanistic aspects of the resulting unfolded protein response (UPR) have been elucidated, its regulation in genetically diverse populations remains elusive. In the present study we evaluated the expression of chaperones BiP/GRP78, GRP94 and calnexin (CANX) in the lungs, liver and brain of 7 months old and 2–3 years old outbred deer mice P. maniculatus and P. leucopus. Chaperones' expression was highly variable between species, tissues and ages suggesting that levels of expression of individual chaperones do not change consistently during aging. Despite this variation, a high degree of coordination was maintained between chaperones' expression indicating the tight regulation of the UPR which is consistent with its adaptive activity to maintain homeostasis. In the brain though of older P. maniculatus, at which neurodegenerative changes were detected, loss of coordination was revealed, especially between BiP and either of GRP94 or calnexin which indicates that de-coordination rather than aberrant expression is linked to deregulation of the UPR in aging. These findings underscore the involvement of UPR in the onset of aging-related pathologies and suggest that beyond levels of expression, concerted activation may be of significance to attain homeostasis. These findings emphasize the value of genetically diverse models and suggest that beyond levels of expression of individual targets the coordination of transcriptional networks should be considered when links to pathology are explored.
Radiation Therapy for Low Grade Meningiomas

Radiation therapy (RT) has been used to treat benign meningioma in many forms and capacities over the decades, with goals of definitive, adjuvant, salvage, and/or palliative treatment. In selected patient cohorts, definitive radiotherapy has a local control rate comparable to surgery. Although surgical resection is often the preferred treatment option if available, benign meningioma frequently grows in confined spaces such as the base of skull, cavernous sinus, and around the optic sheath, limiting resectability. For asymptomatic and inoperable patients with small tumors that are not abutting critical structures, stereotactic radiosurgery can be considered. In patients with large or symptomatic lesions, surgical debulking with postoperative radiosurgery or fractionated radiation therapy is delivered to residual disease. The RT treatment modality choice is dependent on multiple clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic features. This chapter will explore the indications and appropriate patient selection for definitive radiation for benign meningioma and detail the factors one should consider when choosing fractionated therapy versus radiosurgery. Additionally, the available techniques and treatment planning logistics will be outlined. Lastly, radiation side effects will be detailed, along with special considerations such as radiation in the setting of autoimmune disease, radiation-induced meningioma, and radiation in patients with genetic disorders such as neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2).
Population Growth and Fertility Patterns in an Old Order Amish Settlement: A 21-Year Follow-Up Study

This report describes population growth and fertility patterns in the Amish settlement centered in Geauga County, Ohio, and in particular, evaluates whether its fertility behavior is that of a natural fertility population. The dates of birth and death, location of household inside or outside the Geauga Settlement, and church status of all household members for the period up to January 1, 2014, were used to estimate population size, population structure, and various measures of fertility behavior. The results based on the 2014 directory were compared with similar data from the 1993 directory (Greksa, 2002) in order to estimate population growth rates and to determine if there has been change over time in population structure and fertility patterns. The settlement consisted of 15,579 individuals distributed in 3,016 households in 107 districts as of January 1, 2014. The average annual growth rate between 1993 and 2014 was 3.0%, with a doubling time of 23.0 years. Mean completed marital fertility was 6.9 live births, ranging from 0 to 17 births. There is a consistent pattern of decreasing total fertility rates (TFR) between 1924 and 2014. In particular, bivariate linear regression indicated that TFR decreased by about 1.7 births during this period. Despite the decrease in fertility over time, which is consistent with the use of birth control measures, the decrease in fertility appears to be independent of parity, suggesting that the Amish in the Geauga Settlement are still a natural fertility population.
Characterization of Strokes in Children on Ventricular Assist Devices: An Action Collaborative Analysis

Purpose We sought to characterize strokes in children supported with ventricular assist devices (VADs) in the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION). Methods All patients entered in the ACTION registry (4/1/2018-6/8/2020) were included. Stroke was defined by pre-specified criteria and categorized as hemorrhagic or ischemic in etiology. All strokes were adjudicated by the data coordinating center and the adjudication committee which is comprised of members from multiple sites. Results Of 270 patients in the ACTION registry, 26 patients (9.6%) experienced 28 strokes (25 ischemic and 3 hemorrhagic). Of these 26 patients, 12 (46%) were ≤1yo, 12 (46%) had congenital heart disease, 8 (26%) had preimplant ECMO use, 23 (88%) were on paracorporeal VADs and 3 (15%) had intracorporeal VADs. The median time to stroke was 17.5 days. There were 11 (39%) and 17 (60%) strokes that occurred within 7 and 30 days, respectively, and all strokes occurring ≤30 days post-implant were ischemic. On paracorporeal VADs, there were 23 ischemic (EXCOR=9, Centrimag=6, Pedimag=6, Rotaflow=2) and 2 hemorrhagic (EXCOR=1, Centrimag=1) strokes. With intracorporeal support there were 2 ischemic (HVAD=1, HM3=1) and 1 hemorrhagic (HVAD=1) strokes. The overall stroke rate was 145.4 per 10,000 patient-days. Mortality rates were significantly higher for patients who did (10/26; 38.5%) vs. those who did not (32/144; 13.1%) experience a stroke (p Conclusion Although the stroke rate in children on VADs has decreased over time, strokes still occur in 1/10 patients and are associated with significantly increased mortality. The large majority of strokes are ischemic in nature, associated with paracorporeal VADs, and occur within the first 30 days after implant. About half of the children experiencing strokes on a VAD are ≤1yo and/or have congenital heart disease. Based on these data, ACTION is focusing ongoing quality improvement projects on decreasing strokes for children on paracorporeal devices with particular attention to the early post-implant period.
A Comparison of Short- and Long-Term Soy Protein Isolate Intake and Its Ability to Reduce Liver Steatosis in Obese Zucker Rats Through Modifications of Genes Involved in Inflammation and Lipid Transport.

Obesity can lead to several health disorders including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the aggregation of lipids within hepatocytes, and consequent inflammation of the liver tissue. Previ...
Systems Biology Modeling of the Complement System Under Immune Susceptible Pathogens

The complement system is assembled from a network of proteins that function to bring about the body’s first line of defense against invading pathogens. However, complement deficiencies or invasive pathogens can hijack complement to subsequently increase the body’s susceptibility to infections. What’s more, invasive pathogens are increasingly becoming resistant to the currently available therapies. Hence, it is important to gain insights into the highly dynamic interaction between complement and invading microbes in the frontlines of immunity. Here, we developed a computational model of the complement system composed of 670 ordinary differential equations with 328 kinetic parameters, which describes all three complement pathways (alternative, classical, and lectin) and includes description of mannose-binding lectin, collectins, ficolins, factor H-related proteins, immunoglobulin M, and pentraxins. Additionally, we incorporate two pathogens: (type 1) complement susceptible pathogen, (type 2) Neisseria meningitidis located in either nasopharynx or bloodstream. In both cases, we generate time profiles of the pathogen surface occupied by complement components and the membrane attack complex (MAC). Our model shows both pathogen types in bloodstream are saturated by complement proteins whereas MACs occupy <<1.0% of the pathogen surface. Conversely, MAC production in nasopharynx occupies about 1.5% to 10% of the total Neisseria meningitidis surface, thus making nasal MAC levels at least about eight orders of magnitude higher. As a result, the predicted complement-imbalance is associated with nasopharynx homeostasis, while the complement-balance may cause disruption to the nasopharynx homeostasis. This predicts rising nasal levels of complement regulators as early infection biomarkers for the Neisseria meningitidis disease. In summary, building on experimental literature data and available kinetic parameters, the model introduced here provides the basis for the computational prediction of the complement function under immune susceptible pathogens, and calls now for further application and for experimental validation.
Writing science for the general public

Abstract In this exercise, you will practice communicating a scientific study to a general audience by taking a recent primary scientific journal article in animal behavior and translating it into a compelling science news story. First, you will need to develop a deep understanding of the study itself to gain insight into what is the “big picture”. As you develop your story, you will find that writing for the public is very different from the careful, calculated manner in which you are taught to report your findings for other scientists. In the second part of the exercise, you will have the opportunity to receive and provide peer feedback to help you learn the balance between jargon-heavy overly detailed reports and oversimplified stories that diminish or misrepresent the importance of the study.
Adolescent Intergenerational Cohesiveness and Young Adult Proximity to Mothers

We consider how mother–child cohesion in adolescence relates to geographic proximity in young adulthood. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (N = 3,985), ordered probit models the association between adolescents’ emotional closeness to mother and subsequent residential distance, controlling for key factors. Young people “at risk” of living at a distance (i.e., who have left the parental home) may be characterized by poorer relationships with parents. To take account of potential selection bias, two-stage Heckit models address spatial proximity as it relates to the choice to live with parents. The results suggest that emotional closeness to mother is robustly associated with later spatial proximity. The finding holds controlling for family structure, which is often taken as proxy for relationship quality. Although emotional closeness figures in the decision to leave home and move away, we do not find that selection out of coresidence biases the results for geographic proximity.
Insurance coverage for massive weight loss panniculectomy: a national survey and implications for policy.

Abstract Background Current panniculectomy coverage guidelines are developed by insurance companies, and surgeons have limited input as to what policies are fair to physicians and patients. In this study, for the first time, plastic surgeons were surveyed nationally to determine their opinions on which coverage criteria are clear, reasonable, and accessible. Objectives The objective of this study was to compare how frequently insurance companies use panniculectomy coverage criteria versus how favorably plastic surgeons assess these criteria. Setting United States plastic surgery practices. Methods Panniculectomy coverage criteria were compiled from third-party payors nationally. A survey using these criteria to assess the clarity, accessibility, and reasonability of each criterion was created and distributed to all members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Results According to survey responses from plastic surgeons, the highest ranking criteria for panniculectomy coverage were "Patient is weight stable for at least 6 months" and "Patient must be at least 18 months post–bariatric surgery." These criteria were required by only 41.3% and 39.7% of insurance providers, respectively. The most common requirement for insurance coverage was "Chronic maceration of skin folds with failure to respond to at least 3 months of treatment with oral or topical medication." This was necessary for coverage by 81% of insurance providers, yet plastic surgeons ranked this criterion 12th of 17 criteria. Conclusions Here we present a physician assessment of insurance criteria for the coverage of panniculectomy. Given the discrepancy between how favorably a criterion is scored by plastic surgeons and how frequently it is required by third-party payors for coverage, we conclude that more physician involvement in the development of insurance coverage guidelines would be beneficial.
Immersive integration for virtual and human-centered environments

Summary form only given. We envision future work and play environments that are more effectively human-centered with the user's computing interface being more closely integrated with the physical surroundings than today's conventional computer display screens and keyboards. We are working toward realizable versions of such environments, in which multiple video projectors and digital cameras enable every visible surface to be both measured in 3D and used for display. If the 3D surface positions are transmitted to a distant location, they may also enable distant collaborations to become more like working in adjacent offices connected by large windows. In one prototype, depth maps are calculated from streams of video images and the resulting 3D surface points are displayed to the user in head-tracked stereo. Another prototype allows direct "painting" onto movable objects - a dollhouse, for example. One long-term goal is advanced training for trauma surgeons by immersive replay of recorded procedures. More generally, we hope to demonstrate that the principal interface of a future computing environment need not be limited to a screen the size of one or two sheets of paper. Just as a useful physical environment is all around us, so too can the increasingly ubiquitous computing environment be all around us - becoming more effectively human-centered and integrated into our physical surroundings.
Pain, Philosophical Issues about

There is no consistent philosophical view concerning the nature of pain, how to understand it, or what an understanding of pain might mean for philosophy of mind. Keywords: content; dualism; eliminativism; identity theory; mental causation; physicalism
THE MEASUREMENT AND DECOMPOSITION OF COST-INEFFICIENCY: THE TRANSLOG COST SYSTEM*

Using a flexible translog cost function, this paper introduces an error specification to incorporate costs of technical and allocative inefficiencies. First, the maximum likelihood method is developed to obtain consistent parameter estimates of the cost function. These estimates are then used to measure costs of technical and allocative inefficiencies. The proposed methodology is illustrated using ten U.S. airlines observed over 1970-84. Copyright 1991 by Royal Economic Society.
Development of Musical Schemata in Children's Spontaneous Singing

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the general pattern of development of children's singing, and then presents an analysis of the spontaneous songs of two children illustrating schematic control over the melodic and rhythmic contours of the phrases used in the songs. A brief study of the children's memory for some of their own songs is presented. The major points of the early development of the child's singing and of what typical songs are like around the age of two years are tabulated. Musical development investigations is carried out in the context of existing theory and data indicating that the child develops the cognitive components of adult auditory information processing piece by piece over the first 8 years of life. The chapter analyses the contour control in spontaneous songs in age range from 1:0 to 3:6 years. Dimension involved in the characterization of schemata is that of the level of psychological reality they are thought to have.
Bayesian Preference Elicitation for Multiobjective Engineering Design Optimization

Many engineering optimization problems have more than one objective. Although there are methods for identifying the Pareto front of a design space, these methods can be computationally prohibitive, and it is still left to the designer to choose which design on the front to build. Consequently, multiobjective optimization often involves specifying a scalar utility function and then optimizing with respect to this utility function. Preference elicitation algorithms can aid the designer in constructing this utility function. In preference elicitation for engineering design optimization, the ideal algorithm would converge to an accurate utility function with as few preference queries to the designer as possible. This paper extends a prior method for preference realization and tailors it for use in engineering design optimization by deriving a less restrictive inference technique and applying an entropy-based method for posing queries that converges faster to the true global utility function than existing algo...
A new DMA registration strategy for pinning-based high performance networks

This paper proposes anew memory registration strategy for supporting Remote DMA (RDMA) operations over pinning-based networks, as existing approaches are insufficient for efficiently implementing Global Address Space (GAS) languages. Although existing approaches often maximize bandwidth, they require levels of synchronization that discourage one-sided communication, and can have significant latency costs for small messages. The proposed Firehose algorithm attempts to expose one-sided, zero-copy communication as a common case, while minimizing the number of host-level synchronizations required to support remote memory operations. The basic idea is to reap the performance benefits of a pin-everything approach in the common case (without the drawbacks) and revert to a rendezvous-based approach to handle the uncommon case. In all cases, the algorithm attempts to amortize the cost of synchronization and pinning over multiple remote memory operations, improving performance over rendezvous by avoiding many handshaking messages and the cost of re-pinning recently used pages. Performance results are presented which demonstrate that the cost of two-sided handshaking and memory registration is negligible when the set of remotely referenced memory pages on a given node is smaller than the physical memory (where the entire working set can remain pinned), and for applications with larger working sets the performance degrades gracefully and consistently outperforms conventional approaches.
U.S. Adolescent Religious Identity, the Media, and the “Funky” Side of Religion

Television, film, and other forms of narrative fiction have often been understood as direct competitors to the traditional beliefs and values of organized religion. Not all people experience the media in this way, however. This article analyzes several cases in which stories of the afterlife, supernatural, and paranormal in the entertainment media become an important context through which contemporary teens understand religious beliefs. The study employed research from a multiyear ethnographic study to examine narratives of young people with various backgrounds and levels of interest in religion. The article discusses five different ways in which stories from the entertainment media are either rejected or incorporated into what young people claim are their religious beliefs. Building upon cultural studies perspectives, the article demonstrates that entertainment media are one element of a culture that shapes and constrains religious identity construction for contemporary teens and an especially important one for those with few ties to formal religion.
Rheological Characterization of a Novel Functional Food: Tomato Juice with Soy Germ

The rheological properties of tomato juice containing 1.5% soy germ were compared to plain tomato juice with and without soy protein isolate. This novel product was developed to provide a delivery system of carotenoids, soy protein, and significant isoflavone content without compromising the perceived juice characteristics of tomato product. Rheological tests depicted physical gel characteristics for all three products. Dynamic tests as a function of temperature showed that the stability and the compatibility between tomato juice and soy germ were higher as compared to soy protein isolate. The hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between pectin and protein in the tomato soy protein isolate system were weakened as the temperature was increased. In the case of tomato juice with soy germ, the viscosity did not change during heating. The addition of soy germ increased the viscosity of tomato juice reinforcing the entire system without major qualitative effects on the rheological properties of plain tomato juice.
Functional group characterization of homoserine kinase from Escherichia coli.

Abstract Homoserine kinase (EC 2.7.1.39), a key enzyme in the aspartate pathway of amino acid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli, catalyzes the phosphorylation of l -homoserine to form l -homoserine phosphate. The ThrB gene coding for this enzyme has been cloned, and the enzyme has been overexpressed and purified to homogeneity with a simplified purification scheme. An examination of the pH dependence of the V/K profile for l -homoserine shows that the enzyme loses activity upon protonation of a single functional group and upon deprotonation of a second functional group, with both groups appearing to be of the cationic acid type. Incubation of the enzyme with diethylpyrocarbonate leads to the complete loss of enzyme activity. Spectral and chemical characterization of the derivatized enzyme has shown that this activity loss is caused by the modification of a histidine residue. Treatment of the enzyme with pyridoxal-5′-phosphate also results in enzyme inactivation. The spectra evidence for the formation of a Schiff base, and the complete protection afforded by substrates and inhibitors, indicate that homoserine kinase also contains a lysine that is essential for catalytic activity.
Unsettling Politics, Locating Ethics: Representations of Reciprocity in Postpositivist Inquiry

This article traces the concept of reciprocity in historical and contemporary constructions of qualitative research methodology. It demonstrates how a particular construct—even if designed to serve...
An Evaluation of Industrial/Organizational Psychology Teaching Modules for Use in Introductory Psychology

Industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology has typically been neglected in introductory psychology textbooks and courses. The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) recently developed a series of teaching modules for introducing I/O psychology. We evaluated 4 modules with 12 samples (N = 333) for student learning and intentions and for student and instructor reactions. Overall, student knowledge of I/O concepts increased after presentation of the modules. Additionally, students were more likely to want to take a course in I/O psychology after the presentation. Finally, students found the presentations interesting and easy to understand. All instructors reported that the modules made presenting a lecture on I/O easy and that they were considering the use of the modules for future sections.
NON-ENZYMATIC INTERACTIONS OF REDUCED COENZYME I WITH INORGANIC PHOSPHATE AND CERTAIN OTHER ANIONS.

WE previously reported1 changes of the absorption spectrum of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (coenzyme I, abbreviated NAD+) in solutions containing orthophosphate. In an extension of those investigations2, it has been observed that dihydronicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (reduced coenzyme I, abbreviated NADH) also reacts with orthophosphate, but in an entirely different manner. Similar changes were observed with dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced coenzyme II, abbreviated NADPH) and certain other NADH-analogues. This is a preliminary report of our findings3.
Some co-ordination compounds of the 2,2-diaminomethyl-1,3-diaminopropane moiety☆

Abstract Complexes of 2,2-diaminomethyl-1,3-diaminopropane with cobalt (III), copper (II), nickel (II) and platinum (II) have been isolated. Analytical, magnetic and spectral data indicate that these compounds are polyelectrolytes. In addition, the Schiff base derivative tetra(salicylideneaminomethyl) methane, as well as its nickel (II), copper (II), cobalt (II) and zinc (II) complexes, has been isolated. Analytical, magnetic, spectral, and X-ray diffraction data are presented which support a square planar arrangement for the copper (II) and nickel (II) complexes and a tetrahedral one for the cobalt (II) and zinc (II) complexes.
ADVANCES IN DISTRIBUTED OPTIMIZATION USING PROBABILITY COLLECTIVES

Recent work has shown how information theory extends conventional full-rationality game theory to allow bounded rational agents. The associated mathematical framework can be used to solve distributed optimization and control problems. This is done by translating the distributed problem into an iterated game, where each agent's mixed strategy (i.e. its stochastically determined move) sets a different variable of the problem. So the expected value of the objective function of the distributed problem is determined by the joint probability distribution across the moves of the agents. The mixed strategies of the agents are updated from one game iteration to the next so as to converge on a joint distribution that optimizes that expected value of the objective function. Here, a set of new techniques for this updating is presented. These and older techniques are then extended to apply to uncountable move spaces. We also present an extension of the approach to include (in)equality constraints over the underlying variables. Another contribution is that we show how to extend the Monte Carlo version of the approach to cases where some agents have no Monte Carlo samples for some of their moves, and derive an "automatic annealing schedule".
The Development of the Electro-Magnetic Blood Flowmeter

Electromagnetic blood flowmeters were first constructed and used by Kolin in 1936 and, independently, by Wetterer in 1937. These early instruments consisted essentially of a large dc electromagnet, a pair of electrodes, and a string galvanometer; they made possible the recording of flow in exposed, large arteries of anesthetized animals under stringent experimental conditions. Modern electromagnetic flowmeters, using tiny, surgically implantable magnet-electrode assemblies and complex-electronic circuits, permit the recording of instantaneous and mean flows in large and small arteries in unanesthetized animals engaged in ordinary activities, as well as in anesthetized human patients whose vessels are exposed during surgical operations. Major steps in the development of the modern flowmeter include: 1) the early use of a sinusoidal ac-excited magnet to obviate the use of direct-coupled amplifiers and cumbersome, nonpolarizable electrodes; 2) the development of demodulation techniques for eliminating from the ac signal those induced voltages unrelated to flow: 3) the introduction of the squarewave and triangular-wave excited magnet to facilitate such signal-from-noise separation; 4) the miniaturization of magnetelectrode assemblies suitable for surgical implantation; and 5) improvements in circuitry resulting in greater electrical stability and freedom from noise.
On-Chip Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Biosensor Arrays

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a powerful tool for characterizing biological materials, including lipid bilayers and many membrane proteins. However, traditional EIS methods are very slow at low frequencies, where these materials respond in biosensor applications. To enable dense arrays of biosensors based on tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLM), a new approach for EIS has been developed. This paper introduces a methodology and circuit that can rapidly perform EIS in the 1 mHz to 100 kHz frequency range. A circuit implementing this new approach has been realized in 0.5 mum CMOS technology with 3.3 voltage power supply. In the sub-hertz range where membrane protein biosensor response is most critical, the circuit can measure impedance with 8 bit resolution in 20 ms, three orders of magnitude faster than traditional integrator-based circuits. Though tailored for the low frequency spectrum in biosensor applications, the EIS circuit can be used to measure impedance in a wide range of sensory materials.
Influence of Prosodic Boundaries on Comprehension of Spoken English Sentences

Three experiments investigated the role of prosody in the comprehension of auditory sentences. In Exp. 1 an analysis of three novice talkers and one expert talker verified the production parameters of one type of syntactic ambiguity and showed that pitch cues were more prominent than duration cues. In Exp. 2, 16 listeners used prosodic information to make consistent decisions reliably about phrase boundaries. In Exp. 3, 40 participants listened to sentences in which prosody was inconsistent with later morphosyntactic information, indicated their understanding, and then judged whether a visual target was related to the meaning of the sentence. Inconsistent prosody slowed comprehension and contributed to slower, less accurate judgments of sentence meaning. This suggests that prosodic information contributes to the perception of spoken language and can affect comprehension even when the syntactic structure indicated by prosody is contradicted by subsequent morphosyntactic information.
Scan grammars: parallel attribute evaluation via data-parallelism

This paper concerns the problem of how to exploit parallelism during the phases of compilation involving syntaxdirected analysis and translation. In particular, we address the problem of how to exploit parallelism during the evaluation of the attributes of a derivation tree of a non-circular attribute grammar. What distinguishes the ideas presented in this paper from earlier work on parallel attribute evaluation is the use of a data-parallel model: We define a new variant of attribute grammars, called scan grammars, that incorporates a data-parallel attribution construct.
Limiting law for distinct diffusion coefficients in ionic solutions

The limiting laws for the distinct diffusion coefficient and the corresponding Onsager phenomenological coefficient are obtained from the cluster theory of electrolyte conductance. Results are given for single electrolytes and common-ion mixtures with unrestricted charges and friction coefficients in both cases.