cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GEOMAG: A Geomagnetic Field Program

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has made available a new computer service for obtaining model values of the geomagnetic elements, such as declination and total field intensity. The service is part of the on-line information system of the USGS Branch of Global Seismology and Geomagnetism and is based on an interactive program called GEOMAG. The system is accessible with a computer terminal and modem over the commercial telephone network or (from outside Colorado only) a toll-free WATS line.
Myocardial infarctions involving acute left circumflex occlusion: are all occlusions created equally?

Compared with the right coronary and left anterior descending arteries, myocardial infarctions (MI) involving the left circumflex artery (LCx) have not been well described. Studies show an inconsistency in presentation of acute LCx occlusions leading to MI, which is thought to be due to electrocardiogram (ECG) insensitivity in this field. Acute occlusions of the LCx present as non-ST elevation MI (NSTEMI) as often as STEMI, but few studies have compared these presentations to determine whether ECG changes have an effect on outcomes and infarct size. While ECG insensitivity may play a role in the presentation of acute LCx occlusion, other factors such as myocardium at risk and overlapping blood supply also may be of importance.
Fermentation production of keratinase from Bacillus licheniformisPWD-1 and a recombinant B. subtilis FDB-29.

PWD-1, the parent strain, and B. subtilis FDB-29, a recombinant strain. In both strains, keratinase was induced by proteinaceous media, and repressed by carbohydrates. A seed culture of B. licheniformis PWD-1 at early age, 6–10 h, is crucial to keratinase production during fermentation, but B. subtilis FDB-29 is insensitive to the seed culture age. During the batch fermentation by both strains, the pH changed from 7.0 to 8.5 while the keratinase activity and productivity stayed at high levels. Control of pH, therefore, is not necessary. The temperature for maximum keratinase production is 37°C for both strains, though B. licheniformis is thermophilic and grows best at 50°C. Optimal levels of dissolved oxygen are 10% and 20% for B. licheniformis and B. subtilis respectively. A scale-up procedure using constant temperature at 37°C was adopted for B. subtilis. On the other hand, a temperature-shift procedure by which an 8-h fermentation at 50°C for growth followed by a shift to 37°C for enzyme production was used for B. licheniformis to shorten the fermentation time and increase enzyme productivity. Production of keratinase by B. licheniformis increased by ten-fold following this new procedure. After respective optimization of fermentation conditions, keratinase production by B. licheniformis PWD-1 is approximately 40% higher than that by B. subtilis FDB-29.
AIR INFILTRATION MEASUREMENTS IN A HOME USING A CONVENIENT PERFLUOROCARBON TRACER TECHNIQUE

Abstract Using miniature perfluorocarbon tracer (PFT) sources and miniature passive samplers, both about the size of a cigarette, tests conducted in the laboratory and in a typical home successfully demonstrated the utility of the PFT kit as a means for implementing wide-scale infiltration measurements in homes. The PFT diffusion plug source, an elastomer containing a dissolved perfluorocarbon compound, was shown to emit vapors at the rate of about 0.1 to 5 nL/min, providing steady-state concentrations in a home of about 1 to 10 pL/L, i.e., parts per trillion by volume, when one source is deployed for each 300–500 ft 2 (28–46 m 2 ) of living space. The emission rate from the diffusion source was predictable, but its dependence on both temperature and time suggested the development of alternative approaches. One such alternative, a liquid PFT permeation source, had emission rates which could be tailored over the range 10–20 nL/min, were independent of age for as long as the liquid remained (∼ 5 yr), and had significantly lower temperature dependence. A number of passive adsorption tube samplers performed reproducibly and identically (to within ±2%–3%) in laboratory tests. Together with a programmable tracer sampler, the miniature diffusion sources and samplers were deployed in a typical home; six PFT sources were uniformly deployed, three on each level of a two-story house. Multiple location sampling, as well as sampling in rooms with and without a miniature source, demonstrated that even in a house without forced-air circulation, a well-mixed modeling approach is justified. Analyses of the tracer samplers were performed back in the laboratory with an automatic electron-capture gas-chromatography system. The effects of the inside/outside temperature differential, as well as that of an open fireplace compared with a wood-burning stove, on the measured air infiltration rates were clearly demonstrated. Comparisons of the PFT tracer method with that of the SF 6 tracer decay approach showed the results of the two methods to be identical within experimental precision. With this miniature source and sampling tracer kit, infiltration rates in the range 0.2–5 air changes per hour can be measured over time-averaged periods of as little as 1 day up to several years.
Structure-function analysis of the cloned opiate receptors: peptide and small molecule interactions

Opiate receptors mediate the physiological actions of opioid peptides and the clinical effects of the synthetic opioid agonists and antagonists. Site-directed mutagenesis studies have revealed regions of opiate receptors that are essential for ligand recognition, and this could aid the design of more selective opioid ligands.
Nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy secondary to severe ocular hypertension masked by interface fluid in a post-LASIK eye

We report a case of ischemic optic neuropathy arising from elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) masked by interface fluid in a post-laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye. A 51-year-old man, who had had LASIK 6 years prior to presentation, sustained blunt trauma to the left eye that resulted in a hyphema and ocular hypertension. Elevated IOP resulted in accumulation of fluid in the stromal bed–LASIK flap interface, leading to underestimation of IOP when measured centrally over the flap. After days of unrecognized ocular hypertension, ischemic optic neuropathy developed. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ischemic optic neuropathy resulting from underestimated IOP measurements in a post-LASIK patient. It highlights the inaccuracy of IOP measurements in post-LASIK eyes and a vision-threatening potential complication. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Unique Names and Naming Practices among African American Families

Using a detailed case description of unique names, their meaning, and the naming process among five African American families, the author discusses the application of a culturally competent practice framework. The histoncal significance of names in African American culture is highlighted, and issues surrounding practitioner-based research in the African American community are discussed.
Further laboratory studies and stratospheric flight of a mass spectrometer beam system.

A gas expansion system combined with a mass spectrometer has been tested and flown successfully in the stratosphere. Through a sequence of orifices and high speed pumping, gas particles were formed into a molecular beam and analyzed by a sensitive mass spectrometer. During two balloon flights, vertical profiles of all major atmospheric constituents as well as O3, CO2, H2O and others were obtained. Gases such as 38Ar and 16O17O provided in‐flight calibration standards. The sensitivity of the system was such that gases with mixing ratios of 10 ppb at an ambient pressure of about 10 mbar were detectable.
Wireless device identification in MIMO channels

A data-aided iterative algorithm to estimate the nonlinearities of wireless emitters for Specific emitter Identification (SEI) is presented. To achieve robust estimation, Inter Symbol Interference (ISI) is removed by iteratively estimating the channel coefficients and nonlinear transmit symbols to achieve asymptotically unbiased estimation. The complexity of the iteration procedure is further reduced by increasing the step size of the iteration result. The algorithm is applicable to various communication systems where multiple amplitude level schemes are used such as QAM, OFDM, and PAM in Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) channels. Numerical results are shown which achieve nonlinearity estimation and radio emitter identification over empirical channel models using an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) MIMO system.
Feeding rates of the ctenophore,Mnemiopsis leidyi

Rates of feeding by the ctenophoreMnemiopsis leidyi were measured in order to evaluate the importance of predation by ctenophores on populations of zooplankton. Copepods, mostlyAcartia tonsa, and ctenophores from the Patuxent River and the harbor at Solomons, Maryland, were used. Rates of feeding were correlated with the experimental containers and the size of the ctenophores. A prediction equation, based on this relationship, was used to estimate the rates of feeding by the population of ctenophores in the Patuxent River. According to the predicted value, ctenophores eat 31% of the population ofA. tonsa daily in the Patuxent River. This value accounts for 52% of the daily summer mortality amongA. tonsa.
Reversible modification of tissue-type plasminogen activator by methylphosphonate esters.

In spite of their rapid aqueous hydrolysis, 4-nitrophenyl 4-X-phenacyl methylphosphonates (X = H, (PMN) CH3, CH3O, Cl and NO2) inactivate many serine proteases of the pancreatic and blood coagulation systems efficiently. The rate constants, ki/Ki for the inactivation of tissue-type plasminogen activator enzyme (t-PA) are 470–750 M−1 s−1 with PMN, 4-CH3-PMN, and 4-CH3O-PMN in pH 7.8, 0.05 M Tris buffer at 7.0 ± 0.5°C, but t-PA cannot be inhibited with the 4-Cl and NO2 derivatives due to rapid competing hydrolysis. Enzyme activity returns from each enzyme-adduct at a characteristic rate, due to a self-catalyzed intramolecular reactivation process. The rate constants for spontaneous reactivation of t-PA from the adducts formed with the three inhibitors are k = 0.25−12.3 × 10−2 min−1 at pH 7.4 and 25.0 ± 0.1 °C and pH-dependent with an apparent pK ≈ 8.3. The recovery of t-PA activity from the adducts in 40% human plasma buffered at pH 7.4 is the same or twice that in plain buffer. The presence of fibrin has a slight effect on inactivation but not on reactivation. The modulation of enzyme activity by reversible generation of the phosphonylated adducts has potential for medical application.
Early results with faceted classification of "alternate uses" test responses

Generating ideas is central to creativity. To improve understanding of the idea generation process, measurements are needed that go beyond the typical indices of fluency, originality, elaboration, and flexibility. Faceted classification, which puts each idea into several conceptually orthogonal hierarchies, is suggested as an alternative. A distance metric over faceted classifications is defined. When applied to adjacent ideas on alternate uses tests, it correlates highly with time between responses. This demonstrates faceted classification's promise as a high-resolution (though also time intensive) way to characterize ideation.
Evolutionary based feature extraction with dynamic mutation

Determining a good feature set is critical to the performance of learning algorithms such as classifiers. Recently, researchers have proposed evolutionary-based feature extraction methods that aim to find a good feature set by combining the original features with new features generated by mathematical transformations of the original features. In this paper, we propose dynamically collecting past performance information on promising features and operators to use in our mutation method. We consider how to make our evolutionary algorithm more efficient and reliable by reducing overfitting. Preliminary results using UCI data show that our dynamic mutation method only slightly enhances the classification accuracy but it produces more reliable results.
Nonlinear analysis of generalized tracking systems

This paper sets forth a rather general analysis pertaining to the performance and synthesis of generalized tracking systems. The analysis is based upon the theory of continuous Markov processes, in particular, the Fokker-Planck equation. We point out the interconnection between the theory of continuous Markov processes and Maxwell's wave equations by interpreting the charge density as a transition probability density function (pdf). These topics presently go under the name of probabilistic potential theory. Although the theory is valid for (N+1)-order tracking systems with an arbitrary, memoryless, periodic nonlinearity, we study in detail the case of greatest practical interest, viz., a second-order tracking system with sinusoidal nonlinearity. In general we show that the transition pdf p(y, t|y 0 , t 0 ) is the solution to an (N+1)-dimensional Fokker-Planck equation. The vector (y, t)=(φ, y 1 ,..., y N , t) is Markov and φ represents the system phase error. According to the theory the transition pdf's {p(φ, t|φ 0 , t 0 ), P(y k , t 0 |y k0 , t 0 ); k=1,..., N} of the state variables satisfy a set of second-order partial differential equations which represent equations of flow taking place in each direction of (N+1)-space. Each equation, and solution, is characterized by a potential function U k (y k , t); which is related to the nonlinear restoring force h k (y k , t)=-∇U k (y k , t); k=0, 1,..., N. In turn the potential functions are completely determined by the set of conditional expectations {E(y k , t|φ), E(g(φ), t|y); k=1, 2,..., N}. It is conjectured that the potential functions represent the projections of the system Lyapunov function which characterizes system stability. This paper explores these relationships in detail.
Cystoscopic fistulography: a new technique for the diagnosis of vesicocervical fistula.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Most fistulas communicating with the bladder are large enough to be diagnosed easily, or small enough to close spontaneously without clinical sequel. A vesicocervical fistula is an uncommon event and may be difficult to diagnose. TECHNIQUE: During an operative cystourethroscopy procedure, suspicious areas of the bladder can be probed with a cone tip catheter and injected with contrast dye to visualize the suspected fistula communicating with the bladder. EXPERIENCE: This technique was employed when a double dye test, an intravenous urogram, a cystogram, a computed tomography scan, and a hysterogram failed to localize the fistulous tract in a patient who was 3 weeks postpartum after a repeat cesarean with complaint of persistent urinary incontinence. CONCLUSION: Cystoscopic catherization of suspicious lesions in the bladder may visualize an otherwise elusive fistulous tract.
A P-band radar mission to Mars

Large regions of Mars are covered by dust that obscures geological evidence for fluvial channels, the extent of volcanic flows, and features associated with near-surface ground ice. We describe a Mars orbiting mission carrying a P-band SAR to map these hidden surface features. Mapping would be carried out in HH and VV polarizations, with the comparison of the two expected to yield a distinction between surface echoes and subsurface features beneath up to 5 m of dust. Repeat-pass interferometry data would also be collected to characterize volatile migration at the poles, aeolian shifting of the dust mantle, and possible volcanic deformation. This work describes the technical design of a P-band SAR for global mapping of Mars, and the characteristics of the proposed mission.
Narcissism and celebrity

We used the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) to assess the degree of narcissism among celebrities. Results indicate that celebrities are signiWcantly more narcissistic than MBA students and the general population. Contrary to Wndings in the population at large, in which men are more narcissistic than women, female celebrities were found to be signiWcantly more narcissistic than their male counterparts. Reality television personalities had the highest overall scores on the NPI, followed by comedians, actors, and musicians. Further, our analyses fail to show any relationship between NPI scores and years of experience in the entertainment industry, suggesting that celebrities may have narcissistic tendencies prior to entering the industry.
Oxidative Stress as a Screening Metric of Potential Toxicity by Nanoparticles and Ariborne Particulate Matter

Inhalation Toxicology International Forum for Respiratory Research Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713657711 Oxidative Stress as a Screening Metric of Potential Toxicity by Nanoparticles and Ariborne Particulate Matter Eugene J. Rogers a; Dhimiter Bello a; ShuFeng Hsieh a a Department of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Science and NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center for High Rate Nanomanufacturing, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Screening for Suicidality in the Emergency Department: When Must Researchers Act to Protect Subjects' Interests?

The emergency department (ED) is a key site in preventing suicide. Yet there has been very little research on ED screening and interventions targeting the suicidal patient. Conducting research on interventions for preventing suicidal behavior in the ED population may evoke the dilemma of how to fulfill ethical obligations to protect research subjects when doing so can impair the validity of the study. In this paper we present a case study of a research protocol on the utility of routine screening with a brief intervention for suicidal ideation that raised issues regarding researchers' obligation to disclose information about subjects' suicidality to ED staff. After exploring the imperfect relationship between suicidal ideation and completed suicide (i.e., many people with ideation never attempt or commit suicide), we present an analysis of the causal relationship between these phenomena. This leads us to suggest that it should not be mandatory for researchers to disclose to ED staff when a subject reveals suicide ideation in a screening questionnaire-although other preventive measures may be called for. In general, the extent of the duty placed on researchers to intervene on behalf of their subjects should be proportional to the likelihood and magnitude of risk presented to subjects by the underlying condition, and should be balanced against the importance of the research question.
Geomorphic comparison of two Atlantic coastal rivers: Toward an understanding of physical controls on Atlantic salmon habitat

Substrate size and mobility are important to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) spawning and rearing success. Channel geometry is a control on bedload mobility in streams. It is believed that channel morphology in many Maine rivers has been altered by land use practices, creating wider and shallower channels, and lowering stream competence. If correct, these changes may be partially responsible for the limited number of returning salmon currently observed in Maine coastal rivers. To evaluate the magnitude of these changes, I performed a statistical comparison of channel morphology between two Atlantic coastal streams: the Narraguagus River in Downeast Maine and the Jacquet River in northern New Brunswick, Canada. Compared to the Narraguagus River, the Jacquet River has relatively healthy returns of adult salmon. Both watersheds have similar drainage areas (Narraguagus 588 km²; Jacquet 510 km²;) and mean annual precipitation (1244 mm; 1200 mm), but differing average channel gradients (0.16%; 0.51%) and longitudinal profiles. During the summer of 2007, I surveyed a 13.6-km section of the Narraguagus with a drainage area range of 129-247 km², and a 10.4-km section of the Jacquet with a drainage area range of 94-265 km². I made measurements of active and bankfull width and depth, and channel gradient at 100-m intervals, and performed grain-size counts at 200-m intervals. I also measured gradient and width in a GIS-based analysis. Results of my analysis show that channel gradient is likely the most influential factor on Atlantic salmon habitat as it relates to sediment size. The two rivers exhibit no significant difference in width-to-depth ratio, when low-gradient outliers in the Narraguagus River are removed. Predicted median riverbed grain sizes were calculated using two methods: (1) from the empirical relationship between basal shear stress and measured grain size; and (2) using the Shields parameter and remote sensing data only. Measured and predicted grain sizes reveal finer river-bed sediments on the Narraguagus River, however, Shields parameter calculations show that sediment should be mobile in both streams. I compare these predictions to field-based habitat mapping on the Narraguagus River. Based on predicted grain sizes, I expect nearly continuous Atlantic salmon spawning (28-95%) and rearing (95-100%) habitat on the Jacquet, and much less spawning (47-62%) and rearing (57-68%) habitat on the Narraguagus. This is likely because the Narraguagus River is segmented into reaches of steeper gradient (S < 0.002) with potentially good habitat, and flatter reaches (S < 0.0005) of poor habitat. The long flat reaches (several km) likely act as sediment sinks, preventing the continuity of downstream sediment transport and causing sediment to be sourced from localized glacial deposits.
Soluble amyloid β-protein dimers isolated from Alzheimer cortex directly induce Tau hyperphosphorylation and neuritic degeneration

Alzheimer disease is a major cause of cognitive failure, and a pathogenically related but more subtle process accounts for many cases of mild memory symptoms in older humans. Insoluble fibrillar plaques of amyloid β-proteins (Aβ) and neurofibrillary deposits of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins are the diagnostic lesions of AD, but their temporal mechanistic relationship has long been debated. The recent recognition that small, diffusible oligomers may be the principal bioactive form of Aβ raises the key question of whether these are sufficient to initiate cytoskeletal change and neurite degeneration. A few studies have examined the effects of oligomers of synthetic Aβ peptides of one defined length at supraphysiological concentrations, but the existence of such assemblies in the AD brain is not established. Here, we isolated Aβ dimers, the most abundant form of soluble oligomer detectable in the human brain, from the cortices of typical AD subjects and found that at subnanomolar concentrations, they first induced hyperphosphorylation of tau at AD-relevant epitopes in hippocampal neurons and then disrupted the microtubule cytoskeleton and caused neuritic degeneration, all in the absence of amyloid fibrils. Application of pure, synthetic dimers confirmed the effects of the natural AD dimers, although the former were far less potent. Knocking down endogenous tau fully prevented the neuritic changes, whereas overexpressing human tau accelerated them. Coadministering Aβ N-terminal antibodies neutralized the cytoskeletal disruption. We conclude that natural dimers isolated from the AD brain are sufficient to potently induce AD-type tau phosphorylation and then neuritic dystrophy, but passive immunotherapy mitigates this.
Nonessential Sequences, Genes, and the Polytene Chromosome Bands of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER.

From earlier work, there appears to be an underlying one-to-one correspondence of polytene chromosome bands and complementation groups within a sizeable, continuous X-chromosome segment, 3A1–3C7 ( Judd, Shen and Kaufman 1972; Lefevre and Green 1972). However, most of the data supporting this one-to-one relation of bands and genes were gathered from mutants that upset vital functional units, thus leading to lethality. Among this series of mutants, only four loci, zeste, white, roughest and verticals, have no known lethal alleles. If phenotypic changes less drastic than lethality result from the loss of other chromosomal segments, they probably would not have been recognized in the earlier studies.—We report here some chromosomal sequences localized in 3A, 3B, and 3C whose loss effects no lethal change in the development of the animal. A portion of the 3A3–3A4 region can be disrupted in a nonlethal fashion, yet this sequence does not seem to be a part of either the zeste locus or l(1)zw1, which are known to be located in these bands. Two more complementation groups have been discovered that have no lethal alleles and map to 3B4–3B6; a third falls within 3B1–2. The loss of a sequence in 3C2–3 is tolerated without any genetically observable effect. Between 3C7 and the boundary of 3D there is at least one more sequence that behaves in this manner.—The discovery of these units, which are not allelic to any of the loci previously known, makes it clear that division 3B contains more genes (i.e., complementation groups) than polytene chromosome bands, while portions of 3A and 3C seem to have no functional significance. Accordingly many polytene chromosome bands may be composites of several complementing functional units. This investigation also indicates that there are chromosomal segments that are seemingly dispensible and thus function in a manner that is difficult or impossible to define with available methods.
Levels of agreement between parents' and children's reports of near work

purpose To assess whether parents and children report the same information regarding children's near vision activities when given similar questionnaires. methods Data from questionnaires administered to 406 children and their parents were analyzed to evaluate the agreement between parent and child reports. The questionnaires were completed during the 1994 testing of the Orinda Longitudinal Study of Myopia. Each child and parent was asked to categorize how often the child reads for pleasure. In addition, each subject was asked to estimate how many hours per week were spent in each of five visual activities. The weighted kappa statistic, paired t-tests, and polytomous logistic regression were used for analyses. results A weighted kappa = 0.42 (moderate agreement) was found in the comparison of child-reported vs. parent-reported classification of reading. Agreement between parent- and child-reported number of hours spent doing homework (0.21), reading for pleasure (0.31), watching television (0.31), playing ...
Boyer's Model of Scholarly Nursing Applied to Professional Development

Scholarship in nursing often is difficult to define and identify, but it is an important element in nursing. Scholars are needed in every practice setting to question the status quo and pursue fresh approaches to issues. This article examines Boyer's revised model of scholarship, which uses paradigms of discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Knowledge dissemination is emphasized as an important component for sharing information with fellow nurses and the public. Boyer's model of nursing scholarship provides institutions and OR nurse managers with a scholarly method for evaluating employee efforts. Strategies offered include professional development plans and employee portfolios. These applications encourage scholarly activities.
Structural, functional, and evolutionary analysis of moeZ, a gene encoding an enzyme required for the synthesis of the Pseudomonas metabolite, pyridine-2,6-bis(thiocarboxylic acid)

Pyridine-2,6-bis(thiocarboxylic acid) (pdtc) is a small secreted metabolite that has a high affinity for transition metals, increases iron uptake efficiency by 20% in Pseudomonas stutzeri, has the ability to reduce both soluble and mineral forms of iron, and has antimicrobial activity towards several species of bacteria. Six GenBank sequences code for proteins similar in structure to MoeZ, a P. stutzeri protein necessary for the synthesis of pdtc. Analysis of sequences similar to P. stutzeri MoeZ revealed that it is a member of a superfamily consisting of related but structurally distinct proteins that are members of pathways involved in the transfer of sulfur-containing moieties to metabolites. Members of this family of enzymes are referred to here as MoeB, MoeBR, MoeZ, and MoeZdR. MoeB, the molybdopterin synthase activating enzyme in the molybdopterin cofactor biosynthesis pathway, is the most characterized protein from this family. Remarkably, lengths of greater than 73% nucleic acid homology ranging from 35 to 486 bp exist between Pseudomonas stutzeri moeZ and genomic sequences found in some Mycobacterium, Mesorhizobium, Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, and cyanobacteria species. The phylogenetic relationship among moeZ sequences suggests that P. stutzeri may have acquired moeZ through lateral gene transfer from a donor more closely related to mycobacteria and cyanobacteria than to proteobacteria. The importance of this relationship lies in the fact that pdtc, the product of the P. stutzeri pathway that includes moeZ, has an impressive set of capabilities, some of which could make it a potent pathogenicity factor.
Medical examiner and medical toxicologist agreement on cause of death

Poisoning is a significant public health threat as the second leading cause of injury-related death in the US. Disagreements on cause of death determination may have widespread implications across several realms of public health including policy and prevention efforts, interpretation of the poisoning literature, epidemiologic data analysis, medical-legal case outcomes, and individualized autopsy interpretation. We aimed to test agreement between the cause of death determined by the medical examiner (ME) and a medical toxicologist (MT) adjudication panel (MTAP) in cases of poisoning. This retrospective 7-year study evaluated all deaths attributed to poisoning in one large urban catchment area. Cross-matched data were obtained from Department of Vital Statistics and the Poison Control Center (PCC). Out of >380,000 deaths in the catchment area over the study period, there were 7050 poisonings in the Vital Statistics database and 414 deaths reported to PCC. Cross-matching yielded 321 cases for analysis. The ME and MTAP concurred on cause of death in 66%, which was only fair agreement (κ 0.25, CI 0.14-0.38). Factors associated with the likelihood of agreement were peri-mortem fire exposures, prehospital cardiac arrest, and timing of drug toxicity (chronic versus acute). In conclusion, agreement for poisoning cause of death between specialties was much lower than expected. We recommend an improved formal process of information sharing and consultation between specialties to assure that all existing information is analyzed thoroughly to enhance cause of death certainty.
Influence of resistance exercise volume on recovery energy expenditure in women

The acute effects of resistance exercise on energy expenditure in the post-exercise period have not been well studied in women, even though they are at high risk for weight gain and so would benefi...
Leukemia cutis in acute promyelocytic leukemia: Report of three cases after treatment with all-trans retinoic acid

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct form of acute myelogenous leukemia characterized by an abundant number of abnormal progranulocytes, a severe coagulopathy and a distinct chromosomal abnormality t(15;17). Recently all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been shown to induce complete remissions in APL. We report three patients with APL treated with ATRA, who at the time of relapse had leukemic infiltration of the skin (leukemia cutis), a manifestation which we had not seen previously in over 60 patients with APL treated with chemotherapy alone and has only rarely been reported in the literature.We hypothesize that ATRA treatment for APL may be associated with an increased incidence of extramedullary disease at the time of relapse, which may be mediated through an increase in expression of adhesion molecules. Careful observation for extramedullary relapses in patients treated with ATRA for APL will be needed to confirm our observation.
A test of the self-medication hypothesis for anting behavior in blue jays

Abstract. Anting is a curious behavior that has been recorded in over 200 species of songbirds. While anting, a bird will wipe several ants throughout its plumage. It has been proposed that birds select ants for their ability to spray formic acid, a chemical that is known to have antibacterial properties at high enough concentrations that may help to limit the growth of feather bacteria. To test this hypothesis, two blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) were provided with daily rations of either ants capable of ejecting formic acid (black carpenter ants, Camponotus pennsylvanicus) or ants incapable of ejecting formic acid (Western harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis). After 26 daily sessions, it was found that a significantly higher percentage of black carpenter ants were used for anting when compared to the percentage of Western harvester ants. In the second part of the study, feathers inoculated with the common feather bacterium Bacillus licheniformis were treated with black carpenter ants to determine ...
Lotteries and Probability Theory

Abstract: A variety of decisions seem to require resort to a coin toss, die roll, or the drawing of straws—in other words, a fair lottery. This raises the question of what features distinguish fair lotteries from alternative procedures. The intuitive answer is that a fair lottery generates each of its possible outcomes with equal probability. But probability is a contentious term. There are a variety of conceptions of probability, and it may be the case that equiprobable lotteries are useful for decision-making under some conceptions but not others. This paper considers four of the leading conceptions of probability—the frequentist, objective, subjective, and logical conceptions. It argues that unless the logical conception is adopted, it is impossible to make sense of the contribution that lotteries can make to decision-making.
TIG: a utility for generating course web pages and a case study for teaching data structures

In this paper, we discuss a web page generation tool called TIG for academic professionals in general and Computer Scientists in particular. TIG has been designed to (i) minimize the time it takes to create aesthetically pleasing and calendar based course pages that effectively disseminate instructional material, and to (ii) allow the instructor to focus on the arrangement of this material on his/her computer rather than the storage space of a courseware system. After an outline of the basic operation and significant features of the program, we overview the use of its implementation as a case study in our Data Structures and Algorithms courses.
In Closing/On the web

Don't let dummy codes get the better of you, says Andrew D. Althouse, a biostatistician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Medical Knowledge and Preparedness of Climbers on Colorado’s 14,000-Foot Peaks

Objective To assess the medical knowledge and preparedness of mountain climbers on Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks and to compare differences in knowledge and preparedness based on demographics, training, and difficulty of the climb. Methods Mountain climbers from 11 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado were surveyed at the time of summiting. These peaks represented every major mountain range and class of difficulty in Colorado. Marijuana use and demographic information including age, gender, state of residence, and income level was collected in the survey. In addition, participants were scored on medical knowledge and preparedness using a novel assessment tool. Scores were then compared and statistically analyzed. Results Mountain climbers scored 2.84 ± 1.25 and 3.92 ± 1.20 out of 6.00 on medical knowledge and preparedness, respectively. Medical training was shown to be the only significant predictor of medical knowledge, whereas age, race, income, and group status were all shown to be significant predictors of preparedness. It was shown that 9.4% of participants were using marijuana. Only 25% of individuals climbing class 3 mountains elected to wear helmets. Conclusions Most mountain climbers had no formal wilderness medicine training and did worse on the medical knowledge assessment than those who did have training. Consistent with previous studies, participants performed poorly on the medical knowledge assessment. As such, ways to improve wilderness medical knowledge among outdoor recreationalists should be sought. The low rate of helmet use on Colorado's technical peaks represents an important area for education and injury prevention.
Corner Store Inventories, Purchases, and Strategies for Intervention: A Review of the Literature.

Introduction: An increasingly popular strategy to improve the food retail environment and promote healthy eating in low-income and minority communities is the corner store conversion. This approach involves partnering with small ‘corner’ food stores to expand access to high-quality fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Methods: We conducted a structured review of the literature to assess inventories and sales in corner stores, as well as to identify intervention strategies employed by corner store conversions. Results: Our review returned eight descriptive studies that discussed corner store inventories and sales, as well as ten intervention studies discussing six unique corner store conversion interventions in the United States, the Marshall Islands, and Canada. Common intervention strategies included: 1) partnering with an existing store, 2) stocking healthy foods, and 3) social marketing and nutrition education. We summarize each strategy and review the effectiveness of overall corner store conversions at changing peoples’ food purchasing, preparation, and consumption behaviors. Conclusions: Consumption of fresh, healthy, affordable foods could be improved by supporting existing retailers to expand their selection of healthy foods and promoting healthy eating at the neighborhood level. Additional corner store conversions should be conducted to determine the effectiveness and importance of specific intervention strategies.
Induction of necrosis in mouse mammary carcinoma by cortisone.

ConclusionsIn mice bearing spontaneous and transplanted mammary carcinoma it is possible by treatment with cortisone to induce a high frequency of massive necrosis with or without hemorrhage in the tumors. Cortisone administration in necrotizing doses is also followed by inflammatory lesions in lungs, liver and kidneys, which are usually fatal. Terramycin treatment before and during cortisone administration resulted in an abolition of the above-mentioned generalized reactions. It has not been possible with cortisone alone or with terramycin to obtain complete tumor destruction. It is pointed out that cortisone necrotizing treatment in conjunction with some other agent having differential damaging effects upon tumor .and host respectively, may yield better results.
Life History and Behavior of Polydesma umbricola in Hawaii

Studies of the monkey pod moth, Polydesma umbricola Boisduval, were conducted in the laboratory and field. This pest is a serious defoliator of the monkey pod tree, Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merrill, in Hawaii. The imagos of Polydesma laid eggs near the tips of the terminal twigs. Newly emerged larvae fed on the tender foliage of these twigs. There were 6 larval instars. Beginning with the 3rd instar, larvae spent daylight hours hiding under bark. The distribution and abundance of larvae depended mainly on the quantity of bark on the trunks and the amount of new foliage. Young larvae secreted silk threads from their spinnerets and suspended themselves from twigs by them. This habit, and the discharge of a fluid from a saclike, eversible gland on the prothoracic sternum, seemed to be their only means of defense. Pupation occured in cracks and crevices in the bark. The total duration of the immature stages averaged 36.2±8.3 days. Each female laid 391±89 eggs. Older larvae and imagos were nocturnal. Larvae came out of their hiding places after sunset and crawled upward to the terminal twigs, where they fed until just before sunrise, when they moved down the trees. Experiments conducted in the laboratory and field showed that 3rd- to 6th-instar larvae and imagos were negatively phototactic.
Energy Storage Device Locating and Sizing for Distribution Network Based on Improved Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimizer

An optimization model for energy storage locating and sizing was established. It was based on a fully consideration of the voltage fluctuations of system node, load fluctuation, and the total capacity of energy storage system. And an improved multi-objective particle swarm optimizer(IMOPSO) was proposed. In the algorithm, the value of inertia weight was directed by the distance between the particle and the global optimal particle, crossover and mutation operations were introduced to avoid falling into local optimal solution. Also, dynamic crowding distance was used to update the Pareto solution set and guide the selection of global optimal solution, making solution more evenly distributed while maintaining the size of the solution set. To avoid the influence on the final result from decision makers, the TOPSIS(technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution) based on the entropy was adopted to choose the optimal solution from Pareto solution set. The proposed algorithm has been applied to IEEE-33 nodes distribution system. Simulation results show that the method has rapid convergence speed and superb global search ability.
The Association Between Physician Empathy and Variation in Imaging Use.

Background Variation in emergency physician computed tomography (CT) imaging utilization is well described, but little is known about what drives it. Physician empathy has been proposed as a potential characteristic affecting CT utilization. Objectives The objective was to describe empathy in a cohort of emergency physicians and evaluate its association with CT utilization. We also sought to compare emergency physician performance on an empathy psychometric test with performance on other psychometric tests previously proposed as predictors of CT utilization. Methods This cross-sectional study included two parts: 1) a secondary analysis of emergency department (ED) CT imaging utilization data in a large health system from July 2013 to June 2014 and 2) a survey study of the cohort of physicians responsible for this imaging using four psychometric scales: the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), a risk-taking subset of the Jackson Personality Index (RTS), the Stress from Uncertainty Scale (SUS), and the Malpractice Fear Scale (MFS). The study included data and physicians from four EDs: one urban, academic ED, two community, and one free-standing. A hierarchical, mixed-effects regression model was used to evaluate the association between emergency physician performance on the four scales and risk-adjusted CT imaging utilization. The model incorporated physician-specific CT utilization rates adjusted for propensity scores that were calculated using over 500 patient-level variables via random forest methods, physician demographics, and a random provider effect to account for the clustering of observations. Results CT variation analysis included 113,517 patients seen during the study period by the 74 eligible emergency physician survey respondents; 20,972 (18.5%) of these patients had at least one CT. The survey response rate was 74 of 82 (90.2%). Correlation coefficients between JSE and the other scales were not statistically significant. In subset analysis, there was a trend toward a physician's number of years in practice and RTS score contributing to CT utilization for traumatic head CT. There were no significant associations between performance on any of the psychometric scales and CT utilization. Conclusions Performance on the JSE, RTS, SUS, or MFS was not predictive of risk-adjusted CT utilization in the ED. The underlying physician-based factors that mediate interphysician variation remain to be clearly identified.
Understanding Diversity In The European Integration Project

European integration efforts have long envisioned the creation of unity out of diversity. The preamble to the Treaty of Rome famously set out the determination of the signatories “to establish the foundations of an ever closer union among the European peoples.” The creation of unity has entailed the building of common policies, but increasingly also of a com- mon culture and identity. Thus, since the end of the Cold War, moves to create a European market also have become attempts to construct a European society, and efforts toward unity have been accompanied by a new valuing of diversity. Since the 1990s, mobilizations against the ratification of various treaties have raised sensitivity among politicians toward the opinions of diverse interest groups in the European Union (EU) and have led politicians to address a perceived “democratic deficit” in European decision-making processes. In addition, the enlargement of the Union to 27 member states gave rise to unprecedented societal and political diversity and new demands for rights and recognition.
Differential geometric treewidth estimation in adiabatic quantum computation

The D-Wave adiabatic quantum computing platform is designed to solve a particular class of problems--the Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) problems. Due to the particular "Chimera" physical architecture of the D-Wave chip, the logical problem graph at hand needs an extra process called minor embedding in order to be solvable on the D-Wave architecture. The latter problem is itself NP-hard. In this paper, we propose a novel polynomial-time approximation to the closely related treewidth based on the differential geometric concept of Ollivier---Ricci curvature. The latter runs in polynomial time and thus could significantly reduce the overall complexity of determining whether a QUBO problem is minor embeddable, and thus solvable on the D-Wave architecture.
Comic books in the American college classroom: a study of student critical thinking

American college literature classes often have objectives and outcomes to address needed real-world skills, such as critical thinking, but the methods to teach and measure these skills has been considered outdated. Comic books, as a type of multimodal literature, are perceived to connect to real-world reading and writing better than traditional ‘text-only’ literature; furthermore, comic books are gaining educational merit as their use in the classroom has increased in the twenty-first century. Using a mixed-method embedded design, this study explored how comic books engage critical thinking in a group (N = 17) of American college literature students and how this critical thinking compared to critical thinking engagement in traditional (no images) literature. The study suggests that comic books engage student critical thinking at levels equal to or greater than traditional (no images) literature.