cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementing visual search in human-model observers for emission tomography

Human observers have been described as statistical ideal observers with internal noise, but the reliance on prior statistical information for these model observers creates several difficulties. We present initial tests of a human-model framework for emission tomography that attempts to overcome these issues with prior information by considering specific features of the given test images. This framework is based on models of visual search (VS) for radiology, in which readings occur as a sequence involving fast scanning to identify candidate abnormalities followed by a lengthier focused analysis of these candidates. The identification of suspicious sites by the model observer is directed by the blob morphology of the given test image. Blob proximity to the boundaries of the region(s) of interest was an additional factor. A channelized NPW observer was used for the subsequent analysis of the suspicious locations. The VS model observer was compared against human observers in forced-choice studies with PET and SPECT images. Overall performances showed good model correlation, although comparisons of image-by-image responses show substantial differences between the human and VS observers.
Amortizing Secure Computation with Penalties

Motivated by the impossibility of achieving fairness in secure computation [Cleve, STOC 1986], recent works study a model of fairness in which an adversarial party that aborts on receiving output is forced to pay a mutually predefined monetary penalty to every other party that did not receive the output. These works show how to design protocols for secure computation with penalties that guarantees that either fairness is guaranteed or that each honest party obtains a monetary penalty from the adversary. Protocols for this task are typically designed in an hybrid model where parties have access to a "claim-or-refund" transaction functionality denote FCR*. In this work, we obtain improvements on the efficiency of these constructions by amortizing the cost over multiple executions of secure computation with penalties. More precisely, for computational security parameter λ, we design a protocol that implements l = poly}(λ) instances of secure computation with penalties where the total number of calls to FCR* is independent of l.
Negotiating Femininity: Gender-Relevant Primes Improve Women’s Economic Performance in Gender Role Incongruent Negotiations

According to gender role congruity theory, women, compared to men, underperform in masculine negotiations because these negotiations are incongruent with women’s gender role. Based on this framewor...
Design of energy dissipating elastoplastic structures under cyclic loads using topology optimization

A topology optimization approach for designing structures with maximum energy absorption capacity under cyclic loads is proposed. To simulate the Bauschinger effect in materials under cyclic loads, Prager and the Armstrong-Frederick kinematic hardening rules are considered together with the von Mises plasticity in the optimization process. Path-dependent sensitivities are derived analytically using the adjoint method, which are further verified by the central difference method. Effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated on several examples. Results show that the optimized designs with kinematic hardening are remarkably different from the ones obtained with isotropic hardening and are highly dependent on the loading patterns.
Fronteras íntimas y geopolítica cotidiana en la zona fronteriza entre Estados Unidos-México

espanolEste articulo centra su atencion en las fronteras intimas de la geopolitica para analizar como se disenan y disputan las fronteras politicas a nivel cotidiano. El analisis se basa en los encuentros intimos entre ciudadanos estadounidenses y objetos dejados por migrantes no documentados en la zona fronteriza de los Estados Unidos y Mexico. Dichos objetos incluyen documentos de identidad, recuerdos personales y tambien bienes necesarios para sobrevivir, como botellas de agua, mochilas, medicamentos, zapatos y prendas de ropa. Se sugiere que los encuentros intimos con estos elementos se tornan sitios significativos en la comprension de las demarcaciones cotidianas de pertenencia que tienen lugar en las zonas fronterizas de Estados Unidos. A partir de un trabajo de campo en Arizona, el articulo ilustra el modo en que las normas culturales respecto a la relacion entre comportamiento corporeo y objetos participan en la produccion y desestabilizacion de las demarcaciones de los "estadounidenses" o de "aquellos que no pertenecen a Estados Unidos". De esta manera, se demuestra el rol que juegan los objetos en la genesis y transformacion del poder geopolitico. EnglishThis paper draws attention to the intimate frontiers of geopolitics to analyze how quotidian political boundaries are delineated and disputed through mundane discursive practices. My empirical focus is the USA-Mexico borderlands wherein US citizens frequently encounter material evidence of undocumented immigrants and their (unauthorized) border crossings. The materials encountered include identity documents and personal mementos as well as objects needed for survival like water bottles, backpacks, medication, shoes, and clothes. Close encounters with these intimate objects, I argue, have become primary sites wherein everyday framings of belonging are constituted in the borderlands. Drawing on field research in Arizona, I illustrate how cultural prescriptions for bodily comportment in relation to these objects are enlisted in the production and disruption of quotidian framings of 'American' or 'those who don't belong in America. In this way, I demonstrate the role of objets in the generation and transformation of geopolitical power.
Financing Social Enterprise: Is the Crowd the Answer?

How does a business that wants “do good” while doing well finance its operations? In particular, how does a business of that kind find investors who understand and are committed to both its nonfinancial and financial objectives? This chapter addresses issues at the intersection of corporate governance and corporate finance with those questions in mind. Specifically, the pages that follow assess common foundational elements of social enterprise and crowdfunding and whether crowdfunding may be a promising (or even suitable) source of funding for social enterprise businesses. As young popular and populist corporate governance and corporate finance adventures, social enterprise and crowdfunding hold some attraction for and traction with each other. Yet, the envisioned public benefits of crowdfunded social enterprise may be illusory or infrequently realized in practice, and even if real and realized, the benefits of social enterprise crowdfunding may not outweigh financial, reputational, opportunity, and other risks and costs. In particular, crowdfunded securities offerings for social enterprises present a number of significant challenges. Of course, both social enterprise (including especially benefit corporations and other new mission-driven statutory forms of entity) and crowdfunding (including especially securities crowdfunding) are to a great extent early-stage experiments. The results of these experiments are yet to be revealed. Even if the outcome is that the potential for mutual benefit is not realized or realizable (at all or in certain cases), we no doubt will learn much from the experimental process.
Effects of Auxin Concentration and Medium Temperature on Four Woody Plant Taxa Propagated by Stem Cuttings using Recirculating Subirrigation in a Growth Chamber

®maple) were propagated from softwood stem cuttings in a recirculating subirrigation propagation system to evaluate the effect on adventitious root formation of three auxin (Dip-n-Grow ® ) concentrations [0 (water), 20:1, or 10:1] and three medium temperatures [20C (68F), 23C (74F), or 26C (79F)]. All taxa showed a positive rooting response to auxin treatment. Compared to cuttings treated with water, root number of all taxa doubled when treated with the highest auxin concentration (10:1 Dip-n-Grow ® dilution). Length of the longest root of rooted cuttings increased with auxin treatment of two taxa. Medium temperature also affected rooting of all taxa. The intermediate temperature evaluated, 23C (74F), was optimal for all rooting parameters on cuttings of ‘Mariesii’ viburnum, and for root length and percentage rooting on cuttings of ‘Shasta’ viburnum and Red Sunset ® maple. A propagation medium temperature of 26C (79F) resulted in the greatest root number on cuttings of ‘Shasta’ viburnum, while 20C (68F) was optimal for root number on cuttings of Red Sunset ® maple. Root numbers on cuttings of ‘Mariesii’ viburnum were reduced at 20C (68F) and 26C (79F), which appeared to be sub- and supra-optimal temperatures, respectively, for root initiation. All rooting parameters on cuttings of ‘Sparkleberry’ holly increased with propagation medium temperature. Temperature-auxin interactions were apparent for root number and length on cuttings of ‘Mariesii’ and ‘Shasta’ viburnum. The recirculating subirrigation system was useful for evaluating the basal temperature and auxin dose interactions and was effective for rooting softwood stem cuttings without intermittent mist irrigation. Index words: indole-3-butyric acid, 1-napthaleneacetic acid, rooting environment, propagation medium temperature. Species used in this study: red maple (Acer rubrum L. ‘Franksred’); Sparkleberry holly (Ilex ‘Sparkleberry’); Japanese snowball viburnum (Viburnum plicatum Thunb. var. tomentosum (Thunb.) Rehd. ‘Mariesii’); Japanese snowball viburnum (Viburnum plicatum Thunb. var. tomentosum (Thunb.) Rehd. ‘Shasta’).
Accurate Assessment of Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia

Behavioral variant Frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by profound changes in personality and behavior, including social disinhibition, loss of empathy, apathy and compulsive behaviors. While cognitive decline does occur (typically beginning with executive dysfunction), these issues tend to emerge mid-disease course, rather than early on. Onset is insidious, typically beginning between ages 45-65 and prevalence is equal to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in individuals under the age of 65. Despite significant advancements in our understanding of bvFTD over the past 12 years, misdiagnosis remains common. For example, a significant subset of individuals with bvFTD initially receive a diagnosis of early-onset AD, or late life psychiatric disturbance. Given their expertise in the assessment of cognition, behavior and emotion, neuropsychologists can play an important role in the differential diagnosis and management of this disease. This chapter begins with an up-to-date discussion of the clinical, neuropathological and genetic features of the disease, and then moves into a review of the neuropsychological literature. A structured discussion of key aspects to cover in a neuropsychological assessment is provided, and a case example of a ‘typical’ bvFTD patient is presented.
Three faces of responsibility? Comments on responsibility from the margins

This rich and wide-ranging book defends a “tripartite theory” of responsibility. The general thesis is that responsibility-responses (understood as families of sentimental reactions to others in their capacity as actors or holders of particular attitudes) fall into three overlapping categories, each of which presumes distinct agential capacities. On the basis of a close examination of various sorts of marginal agency, these capacities are said to be independent and ground what deserves to be called distinct types or “faces” of responsibility. The first face, attributability, depends on a capacity for character, answerability on a capacity for judgment, and accountability on a capacity for “regard”. This commentary questions the theory’s account of the relations among the types of responsibility, and its attempt to ground responsibility-responses in qualities of “will”.
External Regulation of Cobalt-Catalyzed Cycloaddition Polymerization with Visible Light

Coordination polymerizations have been extensively used in commercial plastic and rubber industries since 1956, because of their ability to produce polymeric material with well-defined structure, tunable molecular weight (Mn), narrow dispersity (Đ), and useful chain ends. Typically, these processes are initiated by chemical reagents that sacrifice temporal and spatial control of catalysis. Recent advances in photoredox catalysis have sparked an emergence of photocontrolled ionic and radical polymerizations; meanwhile, photocontrolled coordination polymerizations remain relatively unexplored. Herein, we report a light-regulated cobalt-catalyzed [2+2+2] cycloaddition polymerization. Using this methodology, block copolymers are generated while regulating their Mn with visible light.
Accretion flows in high-mass star formation

We compare observed and simulated images of the accretion flows associated with high mass star formation in the regions G10.6-0.4 and DR21. We describe, as a result of the comparison, the temperature, density, and velocity fields. Our results indicate that the G10.6-0.4 cloud core is strongly condensed and has approximately equal velocities in rotation and infall at its current evolutionary state. The rapid collapse and lack of rotational support suggests that significant angular momentum transfer is occuring over scales at least as large as those observed (0.5 pc). A milligauss magnetic field would have sufficient energy to supply the required braking torque of 1047 ergs. The DR21 core shows approximately spherically symmetric radial accretion with no detectable rotation. Unlike the G10.6-0.4 core, the DR21 core does not contain an embedded HII region. Thus this core may represent a molecular cloud condensation undergoing gravitational collapse and accretion just prior to the formation of massive stars.
Auxin and H+-Excretion: The State of Our Knowledge

For more than 50 years scientists have been attempting to explain how auxin induces cell elongation in stem and coleoptile cells. Many mechanisms have been proposed only to be discarded with amazing rapidity. The theory receiving the most attention at present is the acid-growth theory which states (1) that auxin causes cells to excrete protons and that the resulting lowered pH of the wall solution activates some enzyme capable of cleaving load-bearing bonds in the cell wall. Since this theory was first formulated in 1970–71 (2,3), a large body of papers have appeared, both attacking and supporting this theory, with the result that considerable confusion exists. The purpose of this article is to summarize some of the conflicting information, and attempt to show why problems have arisen and how they can be overcome.
Probing Striatal Function in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Our research team has sought to develop neuroimaging probes of striatal function, to investigate the pathophysiology of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related diseases. Functional neuroimaging studies have indicated reliable striatal recruitment during a variety of implicit sequence learning and procedural learning tasks. A series of experiments involving the serial reaction time task (SRT) — an implicit sequence learning paradigm— will be reviewed. Experiments employing positron emission tomography (PET) as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have demonstrated striatal activation associated with implicit learning during the SRT. Moreover, a modified version of the SRT was used to explore temporal aspects of thalamic activity associated with striatal recruitment. Finally, initial findings in OCD and Tourette syndrome will also be discussed.
Foodways, 'Foodism,' or 'Foodscapes': Navigating the Local/Global and Food/Culture Divides

The term foodways has emerged from the intersection of popular and scholarly literature about cuisine to account for everything about eating, including what we consume, how we acquire it, who prepares it, and who is at the table. In the words of Patricia Harris, David Lyon, and Sue McLaughlin, foodways, as a concept, summons to mind “[o]ur attitudes, practices, and rituals around food” and offers a “window onto our most basic beliefs about the world and ourselves.” Robert Blair St. George has described foodways as a form of vernacular expression with autoethnographic dimensions.This essay uses the term “foodways” primarily as a critical lens to explore trans-cultural, trans-national, and trans-regional mobility, locality, and local embeddedness of foodstuffs. Our focus on global foodways explores local dynamics of global food and drink production, consumption, and mobility in a more expansive trans-locational context. The food and drink subjects are broadly representative of a variety of cultural and social movements around the globe, namely migration, settlement, colonization, imperialism, race and identity, consumption, distribution, governmentality, and globalization. Sites and processes include the transplanting and importation of food crops and animals from one region of the world to another; the hybridization of foodstuffs; the dissemination of technologies of food production; the creation of recipes and beverages for a global market; the shift in consumption patterns as echoes of modernity and post-modernity; and the relationship between food, drink, and political change.
Wearable technology and mobile platform for wearable antennas for human health monitoring

Health and long-term care is a growth area for wearable heath monitoring systems. Wearable diagnostic and therapeutic systems can contribute to timely point-of-care (POC) for patients with chronic health conditions, especially chronic neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases and strokes that are leading causes of mortality worldwide. Diagnostics and therapeutics for patients under timely POC can save thousands of lives. However, lack of access to minimally intrusive monitoring systems makes timely diagnosis difficult and sometimes impossible. Existing ambulatory recording equipment is incapable of performing continuous remote patient monitoring (RPM) because of the inability for conventional silver-silver-chloride-gel-electrodes to perform long-term monitoring, non-reusability, lack of scalable-standardized wireless communication platforms, and user-friendly design. Recent progress in nanotextile biosensors and mobile platforms has resulted in novel wearable health monitoring systems for neurological and cardiovascular disorders. This chapter discusses nanostructured-textile-based dry electrodes that are better suited for long-term measurement of electrocardiography (ECG), electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG), electromyography (EMG), and bioimpedance with very low baseline noise, improved sensitivity, and seamless integration into garments of daily use. It discusses bioelectromagnetic principles of origination and propagation of bioelectric signals and nanosensor functioning, which provide a unique perspective on the development of novel wearable systems that harness their potential. Combined with state-of-the-art embedded wireless network devices and printable fractal antenna to communicate with smartphone, laptop, or directly to remote server through mobile network (GSM, 4G-LTE, GPRS), they can function as wearable wireless health diagnostic systems that are more intuitive to use.
Disparities in utilization of treatment for clinical stage I-II pancreatic adenocarcinoma by area socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity.

Background Utilization of multimodality therapy for clinical stage I-II pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is associated with meaningful prolongation of survival. Although the qualitative existence of disparities in treatment utilization by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity is well documented, the absolute magnitudes of these disparities have not been previously quantified. Methods The exposures in this retrospective cohort study of the 2010–2015 National Cancer Database were a 7-value area-level socioeconomic status index and race/ethnicity. Main outcomes were surgery, chemotherapy, and multimodality therapy (surgery and chemotherapy). Adjusted rate differences were calculated after logistic regression. Models excluded intermediate variables. Overall survival was evaluated in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Results Of 43,760 patients, 63.4% underwent surgery. Of 39,808 patients without chemotherapy contraindications, refusal, or missing data, 75.1% received chemotherapy and 51.4% received multimodality therapy. Adjusted rate differences for utilization of surgery, chemotherapy, and multimodality therapy in the lowest socioeconomic status patients were –10.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] –12.4 to –7.5), –12.7 (95% CI –16.3 to –9.1), and –15.4 (95% CI –18.8 to –12.0), respectively, versus the highest socioeconomic status patients. Adjusted rate differences for multimodality therapy utilization in non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic patients were –10.1 (95% CI –13.6 to –6.7) and –11.8 (95% CI –14.3 to –9.2), respectively, versus non-Hispanic White patients. Median overall survival increased in a graded fashion from 14.1 (95% CI 13.4–14.8) months in the lowest socioeconomic status patients to 20.2 months (95% CI 19.6–20.8) in the highest socioeconomic status patients. Survival differences were attenuated but not eliminated in multivariable Cox models. Conclusion Socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity are more powerful determinants of whether patients receive treatment for clinical stage I-II pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma than previously appreciated. Nationwide quality improvement efforts aimed at addressing these inequities are warranted.
Terror Queues

This article presents the first models developed specifically for understanding the infiltration and interdiction of ongoing terror plots by undercover intelligence agents, and does so via novel application of ideas from queueing theory and Markov population processes. The resulting “terror queue” models predict the number of undetected terror threats in an area from agent activity/utilization data, and also estimate the rate with which such threats can be detected and interdicted. The models treat terror plots as customers and intelligence agents as servers. Agents spend all of their time either detecting and infiltrating new terror plots (in which case they are “available”), or interdicting already detected terror plots (in which case they are “busy”). Initially we examine a Markov model assuming that intelligence agents, while unable to detect all plots, never err by falsely detecting fake plots. While this model can be solved numerically, a simpler Ornstein-Uhlenbeck diffusion approximation yields some results in closed form while providing nearly identical numerical performance. The transient behavior of the terror queue model is discussed briefly along with a sample sensitivity analysis to study how model predictions compare to simulated results when using estimated versus known terror plot arrival rates. The diffusion model is then extended to allow for the false detection of fake plots. Such false detection is a real feature of counterterror intelligence given that intelligence agents or informants can make mistakes, as well as the proclivity of terrorists to deliberately broadcast false information. The false detection model is illustrated using suicide bombing data from Israel.
Embracing diversity in the 5-HT neuronal system.

Neurons that synthesize and release 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) express a core set of genes that establish and maintain this neurotransmitter phenotype and distinguish these neurons from other brain cells. Beyond a shared 5-HTergic phenotype, these neurons display divergent cellular properties in relation to anatomy, morphology, hodology, electrophysiology and gene expression, including differential expression of molecules supporting co-transmission of additional neurotransmitters. This diversity suggests that functionally heterogeneous subtypes of 5-HT neurons exist, but linking subsets of these neurons to particular functions has been technically challenging. We discuss recent data from molecular genetic, genomic and functional methods that, when coupled with classical findings, yield a reframing of the 5-HT neuronal system as a conglomeration of diverse subsystems with potential to inspire novel, more targeted therapies for clinically distinct 5-HT-related disorders. Much of the mammalian nervous system is innervated by neurons that express and release 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). In this Review, Okaty, Commons and Dymecki explore the diversity in the properties and function of the 5-HT neuronal system.
Identifying Factors Predicting Prolonged Opioid Use After Mastectomy

Women who undergo mastectomy for breast cancer may be prone to prolonged opioid use (POU). However, risk factors for long-term opioid use after mastectomy remain unclear. This study seeks to identify risk factors for POU after mastectomy. A single-institution database was queried for women who underwent mastectomy for breast cancer between January 2016 and December 2017. Patients were stratified based on opioid use < 90 or ≥ 90 days after mastectomy or completion of their reconstruction. Clinicopathologic and operative parameters as well as preoperative and postoperative opioid usage were compared. Patients with opioid use ≥ 90 days after last procedure (POU) had a history of preoperative opioid use (29.3% vs 8.2%, p = 0.002), were more likely to have concomitant psychiatric illness (70% vs 35.6%, p < 0.001), and had received adjuvant chemotherapy (43.1% vs 24.7%, p = 0.03). Patients with POU also had greater daily opioid doses prescribed upon discharge (59.6 mg vs 44.6 mg, p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, preoperative opioid use (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.16–11.22, p = 0.03), daily oral morphine equivalents prescribed at discharge (OME-D) (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01–1.05, p = 0.003), and psychiatric illness (OR 4.48, 95% CI 1.85–10.89, p < 0.001) were independently associated with POU. Among opioid-naive patients, 37% were found to have POU. Among these patients, OME at discharge (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.003–1.04, p = 0.02) and psychiatric illness (OR 3.23, 95% CI 1.25–8.31, p = 0.02) independently predicted POU. Preoperative opioid use, psychiatric illness, and daily OME at discharge independently predict POU after mastectomy.
Fisher information for big and disparate data

The extraction of useful information from large, disparate, and heterogeneous data sets requires a good set of theoretical and computational tools. The methods based on the ideas of Information Geometry (IG) offer an understanding of the hidden patterns inherent in the data as well as help in their visualization. Fisher Information is such a tool. It has been used widely in many areas of social and economic research leading to an improved understand of trends and hidden patterns. Here we outline its usefulness in understanding large and disparate data sets.
Insights, challenges and recommendations for research on sustainability in marketing

Sustainability has become an important topic for businesses and scholars. They have debated and implemented different approaches to the challenges of sustainability that the world faces. Previous r...
Intraday Price Formation in U.S. Equity Index Markets

The market for U.S. equity indexes presently comprises floor-traded index futures contracts, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), electronically traded, small-denomination futures contracts (E-minis), and sector ETFs that decompose the S&P 500 index into component industry portfolios. This paper empirically investigates price discovery in this environment. For the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 indexes, most of the price discovery occurs in the E-mini market. For the S&P 400 MidCap index, price discovery is shared between the regular futures contract and the ETF. The S&P 500 ETF contributes markedly to price discovery in the sector ETFs, but there are only minor effects in the reverse direction
Hedge Funds and Their Prime Brokers: Favorable IPO Allocations

Do hedge funds receive special treatment from their prime brokers in initial public offering (IPO) allocations? Using a comprehensive dataset, the authors examine investment banks’ allocations of IPOs to their hedge fund clients. They find that investment banks/prime brokers that have business relationships with hedge funds tend to allocate more IPOs to those hedge funds when the banks are the lead underwriters. Moreover, the size of allocation to hedge funds is larger when IPOs are underpriced, and allocations are larger during bear equity markets. The authors document that younger funds or funds with recent poor performance tend to receive relatively larger allocations of underpriced IPOs. The size of these allocations is determined by the strength of the funds’ relationships with their prime brokers, rather than by the level of their managers’ skill. This is supported by the finding that, even after receiving relatively large allocations of underpriced IPOs, these funds fail to generate significant alphas. TOPICS:Security analysis and valuation, exchanges/markets/clearinghouses, real assets/alternative investments/private equity, performance measurement Key Findings ▪ Investment banks that act as prime brokers for hedge funds and are lead underwriters of IPOs tend to allocate larger amounts of underpriced IPOs to their hedge fund clients. ▪ Investment banks tend to allocate a larger amount to their clients during bear equity markets, with younger funds and those with poor recent performance receiving relatively larger allocations. ▪ Investment banks reward those clients that have stronger relationship with them. The skills of hedge fund managers do not drive the favorable allocations.
The Evolution of “Competition”: Lessons for 21st Century Telecommunications Policy

For over a century, assessments of competition or the lack thereof have been central to how public policy treats the telecommunications industry. This centrality continues today. Yet, numerous foundational questions about this concept persist. In this paper, we chronicle how the definition of “competition” has evolved in economics and has been applied in the communications arena. The academic literature on competition hits an important inflection point in the mid-20th century with the development of “workable competition”: a term that is equated to “effective competition.” We find that while the concept of “effective competition” is central to policy formation at the FCC, the Commission’s own applications of “effective competition” are inconsistent. Given the centrality of this concept, and its inconsistent applications to date, we draw upon the seminal contributions to the development of the notion of “effective competition” to offer a modern definition suitable for application in 21st century communications markets.
Probing nanoparticle substrate interactions with synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy: Coupling gold nanorod Fabry-Pérot resonances with SiO 2 and h − BN phonons

Author(s): Liberko, JJ; Busche, JA; Seils, R; Bechtel, HA; Rack, PD; Masiello, DJ; Camden, JP | Abstract: Spectroscopic interrogation of materials in the midinfrared with nanometer spatial resolution is inherently difficult due to the long wavelengths involved, reduced detector efficiencies, and limited availability of spectrally bright, coherent light sources. Technological advances are driving techniques that overcome these challenges, enabling material characterization in this relatively unexplored spectral regime. Synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy (SINS) is an imaging technique that provides local sample information of nanoscale target specimens in an experimental energy window between 330 and 5000 cm-1. Using SINS, we analyzed a series of individual gold nanorods patterned on a SiO2 substrate and on a flake of hexagonal boron nitride. The SINS spectra reveal interactions between the nanorod photonic Fabry-Perot resonances and the surface phonon polaritons of each substrate, which are characterized as avoided crossings. A coupled oscillator model of the hybrid system provides a deeper understanding of the coupling and provides a theoretical framework for future exploration.
Incidence and risk factors for near-fatal and fatal outcomes after perioperative and periprocedural anaphylaxis in the USA, 2005-2014.

Abstract Background The incidence of fatal and near-fatal outcomes after perioperative anaphylaxis is unknown in the USA. Previously identified risk factors of neuromuscular-blocker-induced fatal perioperative anaphylaxis include male sex, obesity, and use of beta blockers. We examined the incidence of fatal and near-fatal outcomes after perioperative anaphylaxis in the USA and the underlying risk factors using a large national database. Methods Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2014, we identified cases of fatal and near-fatal perioperative anaphylaxis, defined as perioperative anaphylaxis cases complicated by respiratory or cardiac arrest, using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Results Amongst 5223 perioperative anaphylaxis cases, the proportion of near-fatal or fatal cases attributable to perioperative anaphylaxis was 7.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.2–7.7), with near-fatal perioperative anaphylaxis cases accounting for 5.0% (95% CI: 4.4–5.6%) and fatal cases accounting for 2.0% (95% CI: 1.5–2.5%) of cases overall. Thus, the incidence of fatal or near-fatal perioperative anaphylaxis is 1.26 in 100 000 procedures. Risk factors for fatal or near-fatal perioperative anaphylaxis include age (≥65 yr); undergoing a cardiac procedure; and comorbid conditions of weight loss, non-metastatic solid tumours, metastatic cancer, paralysis, coagulopathy, renal failure, congestive heart failure, fluid and electrolyte disorder, and neurological disorders. Individuals with near-fatal or fatal perioperative anaphylaxis reactions had increased lengths of stay and hospital costs compared with controls. Conclusions The incidence of fatal or near-fatal perioperative anaphylaxis in the USA was 1.26 in 100 000 procedures. Risk factors for fatal or near-fatal outcomes include older age, cardiac procedures, and specific comorbidities.
Continental Flood Basalt Provinces

Since the start of the Mesozoic Era about 230 million years ago, large volumes of tholeiite basalt have been erupted through fissures on all of the continents. In several cases, the extrusion of these lavas occurred in conjunction with the break-up of the supercontinents of Gondwana and Pangea. Therefore, these basalt plateaus are now situated on the passive margins of the present continents on opposite sides of ocean basins that have opened between them. Typical examples of this phenomenon are the complementary basalts of Scotland and Greenland, as well as the basalt plateaus in Namibia (southwest Africa) and in the state of Parana (Brazil). Fissures can also form in back-arc basins behind subduction zones located off the continental coast, causing basalt magma to form by decompression melting of lithospheric mantle. The standard model of flood-basalt petrogenesis developed by White and McKenzie (1989) and by McKenzie and Bickle (1988) is based on the conclusion that flood basalts are erupted thorough continental rifts caused by the interaction of asthenospheric plumes with the lithospheric mantle and with the overlying continental crust (Milanovskiy 1976). The arrival of an asthenospheric plume at the base of the continental lithosphere causes extension and rifting before large-scale decompression melting in the head of the plume can occur (Kent et al. 1992a).
Involvement of ROS generation and induction of NADPH oxidases in decitabine-induced apoptosis in leukemia cells

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 12-16, 2008; San Diego, CA 2268 Decitabine (DAC) is currently FDA approved for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome and clinical trials demonstrated its efficacy in the treatment of different leukemias. However, the exact mechanism behind its clinical efficacy is still unclear. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction may contribute to the clinical efficacy of DAC and therefore understanding its mechanisms of cytotoxicity will be important for predicting patients’ response and for optimal combination with other cytotoxic drugs. We previously reported the decrease in DAC-induced apoptosis in leukemia cells upon co-treatment with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger; N-acetylcysteine (NAC), indicating ROS involvement in apoptosis induction. ROS generation was assessed by the fluorescent dye CM-H2DCFDA in 3 leukemia cell lines after DAC treatment for different time points (1, 3, 6, 24 and 48h); ROS generation was delayed, detectable after 24 and 48 h only. Superoxide anion generation was also detected by the fluorescent dye dihydroethidium, after 24 and 48 h but not at earlier time points. To investigate the significance of this ROS generation in DAC-induced apoptosis, NAC significantly decreased the loss in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) after DAC treatment, indicating the involvement of ROS in MMP loss. Inhibition of JNK, a downstream target of ROS, by the specific JNK inhibitor SP600125 also decreased the loss in MMP. Moreover, glutathione depletion by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) significantly increased apoptosis induction by DAC. NADPH oxidases (NOX) are a family of enzymes responsible for the generation of superoxide anion. DAC induced mRNA expression of NOX2 and NOX4 (semi-quantitative RT-PCR), although NOX2 possesses no putative CpG island around its promoter region. In conclusion, DAC-induced ROS generation in leukemia cells leads to MMP disruption and subsequent apoptosis. This feature is potentially independent of DNA methyltransferase inhibition and needs to be considered when evaluating the mechanism of clinical efficacy and planning rational drug combinations.
Introduction to Phenomenology: Three Formal Structures in Phenomenology

There are three structural forms that appear constantly in the analyses done in phenomenology. If we are aware of these forms, it will be easier to understand what is going on in a particular passage or the development of a particular theme. The three forms are (a) the structure of parts and wholes , (b) the structure of identity in a manifold , and (c) the structure of presence and absence . The three are interrelated, but they cannot be reduced to one another. The first two of these structures are themes that have been developed by many earlier philosophers; Aristotle has much to say about parts and wholes in the Metaphysics , for example, and Plato and the Neoplatonic thinkers, as well as the scholastics, explore the idea of the identity within differences, the one in many. However, the theme of presence and absence has not been worked out, in an explicit and systematic way, by earlier philosophers. This issue is original in Husserl and in phenomenology. Presences and absences can be blended in remarkable ways, and the exploration of such blends can serve as a valuable theme in philosophy. I believe that phenomenology worked out this new philosophical dimension precisely because it was trying to counteract the epistemological problems of modern thought, the egocentric predicament initiated by Descartes. Phenomenology made a positive advance by responding to a philosophical confusion, much as Plato worked out his understanding of unity and form in response to the challenge of Sophistic skepticism.
Cadmium suppresses apoptosis induced by chromium

Cadmium and chromium are both well-known human carcinogens, and common exposures to these metals are not infrequent. Recent studies have shown that hexavalent chromium induces apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, suggesting an association of apoptosis with carcinogenesis. In contrast, induction of apoptosis by cadmium has been inconsistently observed. The present study was designed to determine if cadmium could induce apoptosis in CHO cells and if common exposure to cadmium and chromium would modify any apoptotic response. Apoptosis was evaluated by both agarose gel and in situ end-labeling methods. Apoptosis was observed at 48 h after treatment with 300 mu M chromium (Na2CrO4) for 2 h. Cadmium alone at concentrations of 1, 5, or 10 mu M (as CdCl2) did not induce apoptosis in these cells even at times up to 72 h after treatment. However, when CHO cells were concurrently exposed to cadmium and chromium, chromium-induced apoptosis was markedly suppressed in a cadmium concentration-related fashion...
Generic adaptation mechanism for the support of flexible service provision in 3G networks

The forthcoming era of 3rd generation (3G) mobile communications is heralded to change the wireless telecommunication experience dramatically. User expectations are raised to a significantly higher level, towards the demand for terminal-, network- and location-aware provision of ubiquitous, personalized multimedia services. Under this perspective, the need for adaptability of services and systems to largely diverse contexts is clearly identified. Generic, dynamically extensible adaptation mechanisms that are independent of the subject and criteria of adaptation can be a significant step towards this direction. In the present paper, we introduce a mechanism aiming to fulfill these requirements. The proposed adaptation system has been designed, implemented and successfully integrated and tested in a distributed software platform for provision of value added services to 3G mobile users.
Geometry of orientation and ocular dominance columns in monkey striate cortex

In addition to showing that ocular dominance is organized in slabs and that orientation preferences are organized in linear sequences likely to reflect slabs, Hubel and Wiesel (1974a) discussed the intriguing possibility that slabs of orientation might intersect slabs of ocular dominance at some consistent angle. Advances in optical imaging now make it possible to test this possibility directly. When maps of orientation are analyzed quantitatively, they appear to arise from a combination of at least two competing themes: one where orientation preferences change linearly along straight axes, remaining constant along perpendicular axes and forming iso-orientation slabs along the way, and one where orientation preferences change continuously along circular axes, remaining constant along radial axes and forming singularities at the centers of the spaces enclosed. When orientation patterns are compared with ocular dominance patterns from the same cortical regions, quantitative measures reveal (1) that singularities tend to lie at the centers of ocular dominance columns, (2) that linear zones (arising where orientation preferences change along straight axes) tend to lie at the edges of ocular dominance columns, and (3) that the short iso-orientation bands within each linear zone tend to intersect the borders of ocular dominance slabs at angles of approximately 90 degrees.
DOSE FORMULATION AFFECTS ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY OF ISONIAZID (INH)

Children too young to ingest an intact tablet of INH are frequently given untested formulations of the drug, since the commercial liquid syrup (P-I-N Forte, Lannett: INH 50 mg & pyridoxine HCL 2.5 mg in 5 ml) (SYR) is neither widely available nor frequently mentioned in pediatric literature. INH has been orally administered after mixing crushed tablets with foodstuffs, or placing the parenteral dosage form (a clear solution) in a vehicle of fruit juice. The oral bioavailability of these formulations has not been previously studied. We examined 4 children (5-20 months) with tuberculosis. Each received 10 mg/kg test doses of different INH preparations on successive days:1)IM injection(IM,N=4); 2)Oral syrup(SYR, N=3); 3)Crushed tablet mixed with applesauce(TAB,N=4); 4)parenteral solution in applejuice(SOL,N=3). The serum concentration of INH was determined at several intervals after the test doses. For each formulation, the range and means (x) of peak concentrations (ug/ml) were: 1)IM 5.8-11.4 x=7.7; 2)SYR 5.6-8.3, x=6.9; 3)TAB 0.9-3.7, x=2.1; 4)SOL 2.5-3.3, x=3.0. After TAB, peak concentration occurred later (about 2 hours) than after SYR (1 hour or less). The mean area under time-concentration curve (AUC) was lower after TAB (12 ug/ml· hrs)than after IM (21 ug/ml· hrs), indicating limited absorption of this preparation.
Conversion of nitroxyl (HNO) to nitric oxide (NO) in biological systems: the role of physiological oxidants and relevance to the biological activity of HNO

Nitroxyl (HNO) and nitric oxide (NO) are chemically related compounds in that NO is the one-electron oxidation product of HNO. Previous studies from this laboratory indicated that HNO elicits pharmacological effects that are similar to those elicited by NO, namely, vascular smooth muscle relaxation and stimulation of cyclic GMP formation. The objective of the present study was to determine whether HNO could be converted to NO under physiological conditions and thereby account for the pharmacological actions of HNO. Utilizing the method of chemiluminescence detection, HNO was found to be readily converted to NO by a variety of ubiquitous biological oxidants including oxygen, superoxide dismutase, methemoglobin and flavins. The potency of HNO as a vasorelaxant using isolated rabbit aortic rings was markedly increased 30-fold by superoxide dismutase, whereas the potency of the NO-donor compound, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), was increased only 2-fold. These data indicate that the ready conversion of HNO to NO may account for the biological activity of HNO. Thus, HNO and HNO-donor compounds represent good sources of NO.
Resolving eolian, volcanogenic, and authigenic components in pelagic sediment from the Pacific Ocean

Abstract We measured major and trace element concentrations in the operationally defined, chemically extracted, residual aluminosilicate component of sediment from Ocean Drilling Program Sites 1215 and 1256 in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and found that this residual component contains volcanogenic and authigenic aluminosilicates in addition to inferred eolian material. While the residual component younger than 20 Ma from the central Pacific (ODP Site 1215) is similar compositionally to upper continental crust and suggests an increase in the delivery of Asian dust material since 20 Ma, the residual in sediment older than 20 Ma indicates significant amounts of volcanogenic and authigenic materials. Volcanogenic debris comprises as much as ∼ 40% of the residual between 23–40 Ma, which coincides with the mid-Tertiary “ignimbrite flare-up” that occurred in much of western North America. The residual component extracted from the 50 Ma biogenic sediment reflects authigenic signatures (seawater-like negative cerium anomalies and elevated Fe/Si ratios). The previously interpreted increase in an andesitic detrital source in North Pacific locations may instead be authigenic material, presenting significant challenges for many paleoclimate proxies. Additionally, in the eastern Pacific (ODP Site 1256), the residual component contains ∼ 70% of volcanogenic material, most likely originating from Central America, and also includes refractory barite. The ability to separately identify eolian, volcanogenic, and authigenic materials in the aluminosilicate component of pelagic sediment allows resolution, respectively, of the climatic, geologic, and chemical processes contributing to the paleoceanographic archive in this critical oceanic region.
Organ transplantation and paranoid schizophrenia.

We describe two actively psychotic patients with DSM-III-R diagnoses of chronic paranoid schizophrenia who were successfully transplanted (bone marrow and liver)