cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the insensitivity of single field planar dosimetry to IMRT inaccuracies

Purpose: To report on the sensitivity of single field planar measurements in identifying IMRT plans with poor calculational accuracy. Methods: Three IMRT plans for head and neck cancer were subjected to extensive quality assurance. The plans were recalculated on a cylindrical phantom and between eight and 18 low gradient points were measured in each plan with an ion chamber. Every point measured in these plans agreed to within 4% of the dose predicted by the planning system and the plans were judged acceptable for clinical use. Each plan was then reoptimized with aggressive dose constraints so that the new treatment fields were more highly modulated than the ones from the original plans. Very complex fields can be calculated less accurately and ion chamber measurements of these plans in the cylindrical phantom confirmed significant dosimetric errors—Several of the measured points in each plan differed from the calculated dose by more than 4%, with a maximum single deviation of 10.6%. These three plans were judged unacceptable for clinical use. All six plans (three acceptable, three unacceptable) were then analyzed with two means of individual field planar dosimetry: Portal imaging with an electronic portal imaging device(EPID) and an ion chamber array. Gamma analysis was performed on each set of planar measurements with 2%/2 mm distance to agreement (DTA) and 3%/3 mm DTA criteria to try to determine a gamma analysis threshold which would differentiate the flawed plans from the acceptable ones. Results: With the EPID and 2%/2 mm DTA criteria, between 88.2% and 92.8% of pixels from the acceptable IMRT plans passed the gamma analysis, and between 87.5% and 91.9% passed for the unacceptable IMRT plans. With the ion chamber array and 2%/2 mm DTA criteria, between 92.4% and 94.9% of points in the acceptable plans passed the gamma analysis, while 86.8% to 98.3% of the points in the unacceptable plans passed the gamma analysis. The difference between acceptable and unacceptable plans was diminished further when gamma criteria were expanded to 3%/3 mm DTA. A fraction of pixels passing the gamma analysis was found to be a poor predictor of dosimetric accuracy with both planar dosimeters, as well as both sets of gamma criteria. Conclusions: Deconstruction of an IMRT plan for field-by-field QA requires complex analysis methods such as the gamma function. Distance to agreement, a component of the gamma function, has clinical relevance in a composite plan but when applied to individual, highly modulated fields, it can mask important dosimetric errors. While single field planar dosimetry may comprise one facet of an effective QA protocol, gamma analysis of single field measurements is insensitive to important dosimetric inaccuracies of the overall plan.
Alkylmercury species in the equatorial Pacific

HIGH levels of mercury in piscivorous fish constitute a long-standing health hazard1–6. Monomethyl mercury, the main form of mercury in fish, is more toxic than inorganic mercury. But although something is known of the ability of organisms to methylate mercury7,8, the sources, synthesis and fate of methyl mercury in aquatic waters are not well understood. Inorganic and alkylated mercury has been studied in natural waters9–11, precipitation and the atmosphere12,13. We now report evidence of monomethyl and dimethyl mercury in the low-oxygen waters of the equatorial Pacific. The presence of these species has important implications for our understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of mercury in the marine environment. Although the source of monomethyl mercury in open-ocean fish is still unknown, our data show that a pathway exists for the accumulation of methylated mercury in marine pelagic fish.
An Examination of Changes in Work Group Communication Behaviors Following Installation of a Gainsharing Plan

This article reports the results of a study of a self-designed gainsharing plan adopted by a Fortune Service 500 firm in the priority package delivery industry. The study focused on changes in work group communication behaviors following installation of a gainsharing plan. The significant results indicate that during the early stages (first 6 months) of a successful gainsharing program, the occurrence of positive, job-related communication and idea communication increased among gainsharing participants. This is the first reported gainshanng study to use control groups and pre- and posttests in a quasi-experimental field study. A major conclusion of the study is that a fruitful approach to gainsharing research is to focus on the intervening effects of gainsharing as the process operates to produce economic outcomes for employers and employees.
Global emergency medicine initiative: Advancing emergency medical care in the developing nation of Honduras

Study objectives: Honduras is a Spanish-speaking country located in Central America, with a population of approximately 6.5 million. It is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere and was severely affected by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed approximately 5,600 people and cost $1 billion in damage. Shortly thereafter, Global Emergency Medicine Initiative (GEMINI), sponsored by Rotary International, developed a program to advance emergency medicine and disaster response in Honduras. I describe 3 years of emergency medical training experience in the developing nation of Honduras. Methods: A team of 10 US health care providers and support staff traveled to Tocoa, Honduras, and surrounding communities on 3 occasions during 2002 to 2004 to provide basic health education and emergency medicine training to all levels of health care providers during a 3-day period. Course participants included physicians, nurses, midwives, first responders, administrative staff, and community health workers. Each year, a written survey was conducted to ascertain the health concerns and needs of the community. Subsequent curricula were adjusted according to the survey results. Topics included triage, splinting and immobilization, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, prenatal care and childbirth, cardiovascular emergencies, respiratory illnesses, hypertension, diabetes, HIV, malaria, and preventative medicine. Hands-on sessions for physicians included ECG training, intubation skills, and intravenous access. A woodworker taught the local firefighters how to make their own backboards. Geographically isolated community health workers were provided with Where There Is No Doctor books and instruction in basic health care. Results: Approximately 750 participants were trained during a 3-year period. They were provided with resources to train others in their community with the hope of instituting a "train the trainer" program. The major health concerns in the communities include HIV (especially among the Afro-Honduran Garifuna population), malaria, diabetes, hypertension, diarrhea, and respiratory illnesses. Conclusion: Emergency medicine skills can be taught in developing nations incorporating out-of-community and local educators and resources.
Sensitivity of Vertebral Compressive Strength to Endplate Loading Distribution

For a prescribed set of resultant loads, there is uncertainty in vertebral strength due to the unknown nature of the boundary conditions imposed by the disc along the bony endplate. Patient-specific techniques for predicting vertebral strength do not include information regarding the disc-vertebral body interaction since the physical condition of the disc is difficult to diagnose using conventional radiographic techniques, such as CT or MRI. It is unknown whether this omission introduces a large source of error in strength predictions. Thus, quantifying the uncertainty associated with the nature of these boundary conditions is essential for the development of more accurate techniques for in vivo fracture risk prediction.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Anderson model out of equilibrium: Noncrossing-approximation approach to transport through a quantum dot.

The infinite-U Anderson model is applied to transport through a quantum dot. The current and density of states are obtained via the noncrossing approximation for two spin-degenerate levels weakly coupled to two leads. At low temperatures, the Kondo peak in the equilibrium density of states strongly enhances the linear-response conductance. Application of a finite voltage bias reduces the conductance and splits the peak in the density of states. The split peaks, one at each chemical potential, are suppressed in amplitude by a finite dissipative lifetime. We estimate this lifetime perturbatively as the time to transfer an electron from the higher-chemical-potential lead to the lower-chemical-potential one. At zero magnetic field, the clearest signatures of the Kondo effect in transport through a quantum dot are the broadening, shift, and enhancement of the linear-response conductance peaks at low temperatures, and a peak in the nonlinear differential conductance around zero bias.
GROWTH IN READING PERFORMANCE DURING THE FIRST FOUR YEARS IN SCHOOL

This study addressed concerns about the potential for differential gains in reading during the first 2 years of formal schooling (K-1) versus the next 2 years of schooling (1s-3rd grade). A multilevel piecewise regression with a node at spring 1st grade was used in order to define separate regressions for the two time periods. Empirical Bayes estimates of individual growth curves were developed, and smoothed estimates were plotted for selected demographic groups.
Precision measurement of the Stark shift in the 6S1/2-->6P3/2 cesium transition using a frequency-stabilized laser diode.

We employ crossed-beam laser spectroscopy with a frequency-stabilized laser diode to measure the Stark shift of the 6${P}_{3/2}$ state relative to the ground state of atomic cesium. The scalar and tensor polarizabilities are determined from the measured Stark shifts in the transitions 6${S}_{1/2}$ F=4\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6${P}_{3/2}$ F'=5, ${M}_{F}$=5 and 4. Our results are ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{0}$(6${\mathit{P}}_{3/2}$)+${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{2}$(6${\mathit{P}}_{3/2}$)-${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{0}$(6${\mathit{S}}_{1/2}$)= 977.8(19)${\mathit{a}}_{0}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{2}$(6${\mathit{P}}_{3/2}$)=-262.4(15)${\mathit{a}}_{0}^{3}$.
Guyon Canal: The Evolution of Clinical Anatomy

Guyon canal refers to the ulnar tunnel at the wrist named for the French surgeon Jean Casimir Felix Guyon, who described this space in 1861. After Guyon's description, clinicians have focused their interest on symptoms caused by compression of structures occupying this canal (later named ulnar tunnel syndrome or Guyon syndrome ). However, disagreement and confusion persisted over the correct anatomical boundaries and terminology used to describe the ulnar tunnel. Through anatomical investigation and evolving clinical case studies, the current understanding of the anatomy of the ulnar tunnel was established. This article examines the evolution of the anatomical description of the ulnar tunnel and its relevant clinical associations and casts light on the life and contributions of Guyon.
LONG-TERM OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH LEFT VENTRICULAR NONCOMPACTION AND IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER-DEFIBRILLATORS

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare, genetic cardiomyopathy associated with heart failure, stroke, and fatal arrhythmias. It is characterized by prominent trabeculations in the myocardium. Due to its recent establishment as a diagnosis, there is little consensus regarding best
Rupture of Hydrophobic Microcontacts in Water: Correlation of Pull-Off Force with AFM Tip Radius

The purpose of this work was to investigate the functional dependence of the adhesion (pull-off) force on probe radius in AFM force measurements. Pull-off forces for hydrophobic AFM probes in contact with hydrophobic substrates were measured in water. Chemical functionalization of probes and substrates was accomplished by self-assembly of octadecanethiol on Au. Average pull-off forces for 10 SAM/Au-coated probes were measured and found to depend linearly on the probe tip radii, which were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using the JKR contact mechanics model, the thermodynamic work of adhesion (Wad) determined from the pull-off forces was 110 ± 10 mJ/m2 which compares favorably with estimates of Wad based on reported interfacial energies. These results verify the linear dependence of the adhesive force on probe radius, as expected from contact mechanics models. They also verify that SEM can provide self-consistent and reproducible estimates of the probe radius.
The Use of Ceramic Orthodontic Brackets as Rest Seats for Removable Partial Dentures

Ceramic orthodontic brackets were developed for the purpose of esthetics and increased tooth-to-bracket strength. An alternative method of preparing a rest seat on the lingual surface of lower canine teeth without violating the entemel integrity is offered. Ceramic orthodontic brackets were bonded to the lingual surfaces of mandibular canines and shaped into rest seats using diamond burs. Because the rest seats are not cut into the tooth structure, sensitivity and potential caries complications are avoided. The bracket is adhered to the tooth surface with a dimethacrylate bonding material. The brackets are bonded with either a no-mix or a two-part adhesive system. The strength of this bond will easily support the forces of a partial denture framework. The advantage over metal acid–etched retained rests is that this method avoids a time-consuming laboratory step. The greatest advantage over the use of composite resins that are shaped into rest seats is the much higher bond strength. After ceramic brackets were bonded to the lingual surfaces of mandibular canines and shaped into rest seats, an impression was obtained for the fabrication of a conventional partial denture framework.
Quantitative trace analysis by reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract In order to overcome difficulties in spraying aqueous solvents into the vacuum of a mass spectrometer, an ultrasonic spraying device has been constructed. The vibration is achieved by means of magnetostriction in the nickel inlet tube itself. Applications to aliphatic acid determination in a shale oil process water and to determination of valproic acid, an anti-convulsant, in human serum (SRM 1599) are presented.
Symmetrical infantile thalamic degeneration with focal cytoplasmic calcification

Infantile thalamic degeneration is a rare clinico-pathological entity. Restricted location of the lesion and peculiar cytopathological changes serve to distinguish this disorder from other common encephalopathies. Optical and ultrastructural studies demonstrate cytoplasmic calcopherules in previously viable cells. According to current concepts of acute cellular reactions to injury and mechanism of intracellular calcification, the cytological changes cannot be attributed to either hypoxic ischemic cell change or dystrophic calcification. By analogy to other human and pathological material, the most likely basis for nondystrophic calcopherule formation is toxic or infectious injury with local synthesis, or autophagic or phagolysosomal degradation of cellular debris of specific chemical composition favoring calcium deposition.
A scanning tunneling microscope with a wide sampling range

Construction of a simple scanning tunneling microscope (STM) is described. This STM is suitable for atmospheric, controlled atmosphere, and high vacuum (but not UHV) work. This STM is especially well suited for determining surface topography on the 0.1 nm scale when images must be obtained over a wide sampling region (mm). Interchangeable piezo heads allow the STM to be used either for atomic resolution or for large (800×800 nm) area scans. Atomic resolution pictures of the graphite surface demonstrate that this design is suitable for use with structures smaller than 0.1 nm. An image of a thin film of Au, deposited on pyrex, is also presented.
Cultural Ways of Learning: Individual Traits or Repertoires of Practice:

This article addresses a challenge faced by those who study cultural variation in approaches to learning: how to characterize regularities of individuals’ approaches according to their cultural background. We argue against the common approach of assuming that regularities are static, and that general traits of individuals are attributable categorically to ethnic group membership. We suggest that a cultural-historical approach can be used to help move beyond this assumption by focusing researchers’ and practitioners’ attention on variations in individuals’ and groups’ histories of engagement in cultural practices because the variations reside not as traits of individuals or collections of individuals, but as proclivities of people with certain histories of engagement with specific cultural activities. Thus, individuals’ and groups’ experience in activities—not their traits—becomes the focus. Also, we note that cultural-historical work needs to devote more attention to researching regularities in the variat...
The preparation of p-thymotic acid and its derivatives.

p -Thymotic acid is related structurally to p -hydroxybenzoic acid. Alternative methods of preparing the former were studied and derivatives of the acid were analysed.
Using Semantic Treemaps to categorize and visualize bookmark files

As more and more information is available on the Internet, search engines and bookmark tools become very popular. However, most search tools are based on character -level matching without any semantic analysis, and users have to manually organize their bookmarks or favorite collections without any convenient tool to help them identify the subjects of the Web pages. In this paper, we introduce an interactive tool that automatically analyzes, categorizes, and visualizes the semantic relationships of web pages in personal bookmark or favorites collections based on their semantic similarity. Sophisticated data analysis methods are applied to retrieve and analyze the full text of the Web pages. The Web pages are clustered hierarchically based on their semantic similarities. A utility measure is recursively applied to determine the best partitions that are visualized by what we call the Semantic Treemap. Various interaction methods such as scrolling, zooming, expanding, selecting, searching, filtering etc. are provided to facilitate viewing and querying for information. Furthermore, the hierarchical organization as well as the semantic similarities among Web pages can be exported and visualized in a collaborative 3D environment, allowing a group of people to compare and share each other’s bookmarks.
Electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometry as a field monitoring method for the detection of atrazine in natural water

Electrospray ionization-ion mobility spec- trometry (ESI-IMS) was used to detect atrazine in a syn- thetic water sample that contained and water 0.01 M KCl that was collected from a natural cranberry bog. The bog water contained humic substances and had a dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of There 16 mg/l. was no interference from these matrices observed in ESI- IMS measurements. The analytical merits of ESI-IMS for direct water sampling and detection are reported. A dy- namic response range of more than 2 orders of magni- tude and a limit of detection in the nanomolar range were obtained. In addition, results of the ESI-IMS method were compared with conventional spectra obtained by HPLC with UV detection. Concentration measurements for atra- zine in bog water determined with ESI-IMS matched those obtained by HPLC. Successful detection of the target compound in a complex water matrix indicated that ESI- IMS could be used as a fast screening technique for so- lution-phase environmental samples. Results from this study provide fundamental information necessary for constructing a field-monitoring device based on the ESI- IMS technique. Q Q 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field An- alyt Chem Technol 2: 155-161, 1998
SYNONYM EQUIVALENCE AMONG NAMES USED FOR OBLIQUE RADIOGRAPHIC VIEWS OF DISTAL LIMBS

This paper matches official names of oblique radiographic projections of limbs with their obsolete synonyms.
Fifteen years of problem gambling prevalence research: What do we know? Where do we go?

This paper charts the rapid growth of problem gambling prevalence research in North America and internationally. Looking beyond the overall prevalence of problem gambling in the general population, the results of these studies support the notion of a link between the expansion of legal gambling opportunities and the prevalence of problem gambling as well as the notion that the characteristics of problem gamblers change in response to changes in the availability of specific types of gambling. The results of these studies also challenge existing concepts and definitions of problem gambling. In the future, it will be important to improve how problem gambling prevalence research is done. Such work is likely to include changes in how we measure gambling problems as well as requiring us to take steps to overcome obstacles in achieving representative samples of the population and obtaining valid and accurate information.
Compact high-repetition-rate pseudospark pulse generator

A pseudospark-based high-repetition-rate pulse generator is presented. The pulse generator is developed for research on transient plasma ignition of aircraft engines, plasma assisted combustion. The design incorporates a lumped element Blumlein pulse forming network switched by a commercial pseudospark device into an output pulse transformer with a METGLAS core. Pulse amplitudes from 15 kV to 90 kV, with duration from 60 ns to 200 ns can be generated at 2.6 kHz maximum repetition rate into a 200-ohm load. Methods to suppress electro magnetic interference (EMI) and ground noise will also be discussed in some detail
Social identity and applicant attraction: Exploring the role of multiple levels of self

Summary Applicant attraction is a critical objective of recruitment. Common predictor variables of applicant attraction are limited in that they do not provide a comprehensive understanding of the process that shapes the perceptions and beliefs of job applicants about the firms for which they aspire to work for. Because individuals have the inherent desire to expand and enhance their social identities (e.g., personal, relational, and collective identities), they are likely to be attracted to organizations that allow them to do so. Building on recent work on levels of self, our paper suggests that social identities mediate the relation between currently established predictor variables of applicant attraction (e.g., compensation, type of work, and organizational image) and important applicant attraction outcomes. Common predictor variables of applicant attraction can lead to the activation, evaluation, and identification processes described by social identity theory. A theoretical framework is presented that illustrates the mediating influence of social identity on the relations between common predictor variables and applicant attraction outcomes. This framework may lead to more effective recruitment strategies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Internal Turkey Egg Anomalies

Abstract Chicken egg anomalies of many kinds were described and pictured in drawings by Romanoff and Romanoff (1949). Numerous references are included in their review of anomalies. One reference to an abnormal turkey egg dealt with calcium deposits on the shell. Hixson and Godfrey (1949) described an elongated two egg like structure laid by a turkey and found on the dropping board. The anomalies were found inside of separate, normal appearing, Broad Breasted White turkey eggs which had been opened to macroscopically determine fertility after seven days of incubation. Both eggs were normal inside except for the abnormalities herein described. The one on the left (Figure 1) had a hard shell while the one on the right was soft and crinkled. Both were unusual to the writer who had broken a large number of turkey eggs over several years. The anomaly on the left had a thin hard shell. The size . . .
Processing of Sugar-Coated Red Kidney Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris): Fate of Oligosaccharides and Phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and Evaluation of Sensory Quality

The present study was undertaken to expand the uses of red kidney beans beyond traditional products such as sugar-coated beans-a popular snack food in many Asian countries. Beans were soaked for 12 h (initial temperature 77 °C, end temperature 24 ± 1°C) and then cooked in in boiling water (approximately 99.3 °C) for 14 min. Finally, the cooked beans were sugar-coated by dipping in 20%, 35%, or 50% sugar syrup (w/w) for 45 min at 70 °C and excess syrup was drained at the end of the process. Beans were analysed for oilgosaccharldes (ratfinose and stachyose) and lectins, as phytohemagglutinating (PHA) activity, at predetermined intervals during processing. 105-member consumer panel evaluated bean quality for texture, color, sweetness, flavor, and overall acceptability. Most of the weight (81.1% of total) was gained during the 1sth of soaking. There was a significant reduction in raffinose (80.8%) and stachyose (83.4%) after 12 h of soaking. Cooking, which further reduced raffinose for a combined total of 95.8%, had no effect on stachyose. The lectins decreased by about 90% in cooked beans, with over half of inactivation occurring during soaking. On a hedonic scale of 1 to 9(1= dislike extremely, 9 = like extremely), all 3 bean samples scored above 5 for all the sensory attributes tested. Beans coated with 50% sugar syrup were rated best overall, with a score of 6.1. Frequency distribution of overall acceptability scores showed that 59% to 70% of the panelists rated different bean samples at a score of 6 or higher. bean, lectins, raffinose, sensory evaluation, stachyose, sugar-coated.
At the Gates of Realism

Enlightenment Orientalism rewrites the history of the novel by restoring consideration of a range of texts (and overlooked aspects of oft-read works) systematically excluded because they failed to fit existing notions of domestic realism. Aravamudan anchors his alternative genealogy in more capacious conceptions of the novel and inverts the usual understanding of Orientalism as restrictive stereotype to instead ask why Orientalism was so productive of cultural products in European literature. The subgenre of enlightenment Orientalism evinces a heteroglossia that exceeds national realism, and recuperating this broader fictional landscape allows readers to recognize a range of texts otherwise taken to be strange because it falls between genres (transgeneric) or between national spaces (intercultural). Taking the novel to be a cultural transportation device, Aravamudan describes this broader fictional ensemble as an investigative tool that is an alternative to the nation-centered novel after the mid-eighteenth century.
In This Issue: Cervical Cancer Screening

In this issue of the Annals are a cluster of articles that use a variety of methods to address clinical questions about Papanicolaou (Pap) smears, among the most common screening tests performed in family practice. How could understanding women’s experiences change our ways of communicating with
Third Sector Organization A Needed Look at the Artistic-Cultural Organization

The article discusses management of cultural organizations and the abstruse goals such as artistic performance or fund raising that can be difficult to evaluate in terms of organizational profitability. Suggestions for improved operation of third sector organizations include communicating goals to the smaller organizational units, making public goals the operative goals in departments, using constraints in the assessment phase, resolving the difference between desired and feasible goals, adding weighting to various goals, accepting input from the staff, and maintaining flexibility in the whole organization.
Preliminary Study of the Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET).

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a new measure, the Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET) for its dimensionality, internal consistency, and construct validity derived in a sample of special education teachers (N = 44) of students with autism. Results indicate that all items reflect one dominant factor, teachers’ responses to items were internally consistent within the sample, and compared to a 100-point scale, a 6-point response scale is adequate. ASSET scores were found to be negatively correlated with scores on two subscale measures of teacher stress (i.e., self-doubt/need for support and disruption of the teaching process) but uncorrelated with teacher burnout scores. The ASSET is a promising tool that requires replication with larger samples.
Memory scanning for words versus categories

Two groups of Ss compared a target word with a memory set consisting of from one to four words (Group W) or from one to four semantic categories (Group C). The Ss made a positive or a negative response to indicate whether or not a target word matched one of the words in the memory set for Group W, or whether or not the target word was an exemplar of one of the categories in the memory set for Group C. Reaction times for negative responses were linear functions of the memory set size for both groups, but the slope of the function for Group C was about four times the slope for Group W. The results were discussed in terms of alternatwe memory search mechanisms and the possible serial and parallel scanning models that were consistent with the data. Landauer and Freedman (1968) studied information retrieval from long-term memory in an experiment designed to test the effects of category size on classification time. The Ss were shown single words and identified them as belonging (positive response) or not belonging (negative response) to well-known semantic categories. It was shown that latencies for both positive and negative responses were greater for large categories than for small ones. Two of the explanations offered for the
Methamphetamine toxicity and messengers of death

Methamphetamine (METH) is an illicit psychostimulant that is widely abused in the world. Several lines of evidence suggest that chronic METH abuse leads to neurodegenerative changes in the human brain. These include damage to dopamine and serotonin axons, loss of gray matter accompanied by hypertrophy of the white matter and microgliosis in different brain areas. In the present review, we summarize data on the animal models of METH neurotoxicity which include degeneration of monoaminergic terminals and neuronal apoptosis. In addition, we discuss molecular and cellular bases of METH-induced neuropathologies. The accumulated evidence indicates that multiple events, including oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, hyperthermia, neuroinflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endoplasmic reticulum stress converge to mediate METH-induced terminal degeneration and neuronal apoptosis. When taken together, these findings suggest that pharmacological strategies geared towards the prevention and treatment of the deleterious effects of this drug will need to attack the various pathways that form the substrates of METH toxicity.
Changes in Sympathetic Tone Associated with Different Forms of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Healthy Subjects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of four different forms of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on sympathetic tone in healthy subjects. Twelve subjects received high frequency, low frequency, burst frequency, and placebo stimulation to one upper extremity. Treatments were given on different days. Ipsilateral and contralateral fingertip skin temperatures were measured at three intervals for each treatment: 1) after a 25-minute rest period before stimulation, 2) after a 25-minute treatment, and 3) 25-minutes posttreatment. High, low, and burst frequency TENS significantly increased sympathetic activity in the ipsilateral extremity immediately after treatment. Similar trends in temperature change were seen on the contralateral side. The effects of the three nonplacebo treatments did not differ from each other. Further research is needed to assess sympathetic effects of TENS on patient groups. The results suggest that monitoring skin temperature as part of a TENS assessment may be warranted, especially in patients with distal vascular impairments.
Synthesizing Citizenship in Modern China1

This article reviews the recent scholarship on citizenship in early twentieth-century China and presents a conceptual framework for analyzing citizenship, there and elsewhere, as a complex formation of ideas and practices. The article asks why citizenship became so important in late Qing and early Republican China and why Euro-American scholars have been so attentive to it during the last two decades. It then draws on the rich historical literature to characterize four distinct dimensions of modern Chinese citizenship. In discussing national identity, political participation and civil rights, cultural citizenship, and social membership, the author reflects on possible axes of comparison between Chinese and Euro-American approaches to citizenship. Finally, the article argues that these four aspects can be viewed as part of a composite whole that identified Chinese citizenship with active participation in concrete tasks to contribute to national welfare.
Porphyrin-sensitized photoreactions in the presence of ascorbate: oxidation of cell membrane lipids and hydroxyl radical traps.

— Photooxidation reactions in ascorbate (AH)-containing erythrocyte membrane suspensions have been studied in broad perspective by simultaneously monitoring lipid peroxidation in the membrane compartment and formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical (OH) in the aqueous compartment. Non-bound uroporphyrin (UP) and membrane-bound protoporphyrin (PP) were used as sensitizers. Photoreduction of UP to the radical anion (UP-) was detected by electron spin resonance when UP/AH/membrane mixtures were irradiated anaerobically. Aerobic irradiation resulted in a strong AH--stimulation of lipid peroxidation, H2O2 formation, and OH- generation (detected with 2-deoxyribose (DOR) and the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-l-pyrroline-N-oxide). Use of diagnostic agents (e.g. catalase, desferrioxamine, mannitol) revealed that OH- is involved in light-stimulated DOR oxidation, but not in lipid peroxidation. Similar irradiation in the presence of PP resulted in far greater lipid peroxidation than observed with UP, but less DOR oxidation, and insignificant accumulation of H2O2. This suggests that photoreduction of membrane-bound PP is less efficient, possibly due to hindered access of AH-.
Efficient charge transport in DNA diblock oligomers.

The realization of highly efficient photoinduced charge separation across the π-stacked base pairs in duplex DNA remains elusive. The low efficiencies (<5%) typically observed for charge separation over a dozen or more base pairs are a consequence of slow charge transport and rapid charge recombination. We report here a significant (5-fold or greater) enhancement in the efficiency of charge separation in diblock purine oligomers consisting of two or three adenines followed by several guanines, when compared to oligomers consisting of a single purine or alternating base sequences. This approach to wire-like behavior is attributed to both slower charge recombination and faster charge transport once the charge reaches the G-block in these diblock systems.
Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Modeling Network Traffic Using Game Theory

Among the initial examples in our discussion of game theory in Chapter 6, we noted that traveling through a transportation network, or sending packets through the Internet, involves fundamentally game-theoretic reasoning: rather than simply choosing a route in isolation, individuals must evaluate routes in the presence of the congestion resulting from the decisions made by themselves and everyone else. In this chapter, we develop models for network traffic using the game-theoretic ideas developed thus far. In the process, we will discover a rather unexpected result – known as Braess's Paradox [76] – which shows that adding capacity to a network can sometimes actually slow down the traffic. Traffic at Equilibrium Let's begin by developing a model of a transportation network and how it responds to traffic congestion; with this model in place, we can then introduce the game-theoretic aspects of the problem. We represent a transportation network by a directed graph: we consider the edges to be highways, and the nodes to be exits where you can get on or off a particular highway. There are two particular nodes, which we call A and B, and we assume everyone wants to drive from A to B. For example, we can imagine that A is an exit in the suburbs, B is an exit downtown, and we're looking at a large collection of morning commuters. Finally, each edge has a designated travel time that depends on the amount of traffic it contains.
The Global Business of Chemistry: Prospects and Challenges

The global business of chemistry has faced numerous challenges in recent years. This article addresses the near-term business environment in which the industry will operate as well as the implications for the global business of chemistry during 2006 and 2007.
Monocyte aggregates and intermediate (CD14++CD16+) cells that are associated with cardiac events are increased in human psoriatic blood and CD11b +Ly6C high cells and aggregates are increased in the KC-Tie2 psoriasiform mouse model (HUM1P.307)

Psoriasis confers an increased risk for developing and dying of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We found increased circulating CD14++CD16+ intermediate monocytes (IntMo), a cell type associated with increased cardiovascular risk, in psoriasis patients compared to healthy controls (N=42, 16.5%±2.7 vs. 11.9%±1.4, P=.056). Amnis imaging flow cytometry of the psoriatic IntMo cells revealed increased doublets and aggregates. Overall, CD14++ doublets are increased in psoriasis patients compared to controls (2.72%±0.58 vs. 1.09%±0.20; P=0.006). Murine psoriasiform skin models (KC-Tie2) exhibit increased vascular thrombosis and monocyte doublets, indicating a skin inflammation-driven process. KC-Tie2 mice are pro-thrombotic, develop aortic root vascular lesions, and have increased splenic CD11b +Ly6C high (Ly6Chigh) monocytes (33.8%±3.8, n=7) compared to controls (8.05%±0.55, n=9; P=0.0002), suggesting that chronic skin inflammation generates Ly6Chighcells which mediate vascular inflammation. KC-Tie2 mice also show an increase in Ly6Chighcells in skin-draining lymph nodes compared to controls (8.83%±0.77, n=18, vs. 1.94%±0.8, n=3, P=.002). Crossing IL-6 KO mice with KC-Tie2 decreases these splenic Ly6Chighcells, reverses thrombosis and aortic root vascular lesions, and eliminates skin inflammation. Psoriasis-driven accumulation, increase, and aggregation of monocytes in circulation suggests a novel mechanistic linkage between psoriatic skin disease and its CVD comorbidity.
News classifications with labeled LDA

Automatically categorizing news articles with high accuracy is an important task in an automated quick news system. We present two classifiers to classify news articles based on Labeled Latent Dirichlet Allocation, called LLDA-C and SLLDA-C. To verify classification accuracy we compare classification results obtained by the classifiers with those by trained professionals. We show that, through extensive experiments, both LLDA-C and SLLDA-C outperform SVM (Support Vector Machine, our baseline classifier) on precisions, particularly when only a small training dataset is available. SSLDA-C is also much more efficient than SVM. In terms of recalls, we show that LLDA-C is better than SVM. In terms of average Macro-F1 and Micro-F1 scores, we show that LLDA classifiers are superior over SVM. To further explore classifications of news articles we introduce the notion of content complexity, and study how content complexity would affect classifications.
Reactions to Iodinated Contrast Media

The exact mechanism responsible for adverse reactions to iodinated contrast administered intravenously during radiologic evaluation is not known. However, through work that has been performed both in the laboratory and in clinical trials, we do know that the types of reactions are variable and the underlying etiologies multifactorial. Moreover, reactions can be prevented in many cases through careful choice of contrast agent and pretreatment with corticosteroids and antihistamines. Adverse contrast reactions can be separated into two broad categories: chemotoxic and anaphylactoid. Chemotoxic reactions are dose-dependent and related to direct chemical effects of the contrast medium. Pain at the injection site and flushing belong in this category; a combination of hypertonicity and calcium binding results in vasodilatation.
Improved Formulations of the Heliothis Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus

New formulations of the Heliothis nuclear polyhedrosis virus were made by incorporating the pathogen with UV light screening agents in a capsule bound together with digestible, water-insoluble polymers. Bioassays demonstrated that two of these, one made with titanium dioxide and the other with carbon black, were remarkably tolerant of the UV irradiation of germicidal lamps in the laboratory and of sunlight in the field; effective biological activity was preserved for periods well in excess of those of commercial virus formulations used for comparisons. In field tests against moderate populations of Heliothis spp. in cotton, yields of plots treated with these formulations were statistically identical to those of plots treated with the insecticide mixture commonly used in commercial production; yields of all treated plots were significantly greater than those of untreated plots.
War and Society in Afghanistan: From the Mughals to the Americans, 1500–2013

As the war in Afghanistan continues to occupy a prominent place in daily reporting, Kaushik Roy examines military conflict and insurgencies in Afghanistan for the past five centuries. With focus on...
Bounded Abstract Interpretation

In practice, software engineers are only able to spend a limited amount of resources on statically analyzing their code. Such resources may refer to their available time or their tolerance for imprecision, and usually depend on when in their workflow a static analysis is run. To serve these different needs, we propose a technique that enables engineers to interactively bound a static analysis based on the available resources. When all resources are exhausted, our technique soundly records the achieved verification results with a program instrumentation. Consequently, as more resources become available, any static analysis may continue from where the previous analysis left off. Our technique is applicable to any abstract interpreter, and we have implemented it for the .NET static analyzer Clousot. Our experiments show that bounded abstract interpretation can significantly increase the performance of the analysis (by up to 8x) while also increasing the quality of the reported warnings (more definite warnings that detect genuine bugs).
The Problem of the Rate of Adjustment

This chapter addresses the possibility that a nation will incur unnecessarily large social costs in undergoing adjustment to a permanent disturbance at the speed dictated by a laissez-faire policy. Adjustment is defined as the reallocation of resources from one industry to another, and may obviously involve spatial relocation as well as inter-sectoral transfer. No country can or should want to completely avoid the social costs of adjustment. When change comes at a measured pace, the costs of adjustment are small relative to the benefits of the growth which they facilitate, and the vitality which adaptability can impart to an economic system. Change is the inevitable companion of economic progress. Even when the disturbance is adverse to the interests of the nation, acceptance of the new international trading conditions will lead to a better long-run economic performance than the suppression, by commercial policy, of the needed adjustment. The international aspect of measured change is best exemplified by the change in comparative advantage of marginal industries as they die out in rich countries and relocate themselves in developing countries (Akamatsu, 1962). Kojima (1973) stresses the role of technology transfer under the aegis of multinational corporations in facilitating this kind of adjustment by enhancing the efficiency of the new exporting nation, but this may not eliminate social costs in the rich country as workers find relocation difficult (Gray, 1972, pp. 201–4).
Designing Proof of Human-Work Puzzles for Cryptocurrency and Beyond

We introduce the novel notion of a Proof of Human-work PoH and present the first distributed consensus protocol from hard Artificial Intelligence problems. As the name suggests, a PoH is a proof that a human invested a moderate amount of effort to solve some challenge. A PoH puzzle should be moderately hard for a human to solve. However, a PoH puzzle must be hard for a computer to solve, including the computer that generated the puzzle, without sufficient assistance from a human. By contrast, CAPTCHAs are only difficult for other computers to solve -- not for the computer that generated the puzzle. We also require that a PoH be publicly verifiable by a computer without any human assistance and without ever interacting with the agent who generated the proof of human-work. We show how to construct PoH puzzles from indistinguishability obfuscation and from CAPTCHAs. We motivate our ideas with two applications: HumanCoin and passwords. We use PoH puzzles to construct HumanCoin, the first cryptocurrency system with human miners. Second, we use proofs of human work to develop a password authentication scheme which provably protects users against offline attacks.
Chemotherapy delay after primary debulking surgery for ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective To determine the association of chemotherapy delay with overall survival (OS) and investigate predictors of delay among a population-representative American ovarian cancer cohort. Methods An observational retrospective cohort analysis of women with ovarian cancer who received National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline-consistent care was performed with the 1998–2011 National Cancer Data Base. Chemotherapy delay was defined as initiation of multiagent chemotherapy >28days from primary debulking surgery. Associations of patient and disease characteristics with chemotherapy delay were tested with multivariate logistic regression. Survival analyses for women diagnosed from 2003 to 2006 approximated a 21-daycycle intravenous platinum-taxane chemotherapy cohort. Overall survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional-hazards regressions, with sensitivity analyses using matched cohorts. Results 58.1% (26,149/45,001) of women experienced chemotherapy delay. Race, insurance status, cancer center type, and community median income were significantly associated with chemotherapy delay ( P P 35days from surgery was associated with a 7% (95% confidence interval, 2–13%) increased hazard of death ( P =0.01). Relative hazard of death was lowest between 25 and 29days after surgery but was not significantly different within the longer two-week interval from 21 to 35days. Conclusion A survival benefit may be achieved by consistently starting chemotherapy between 21 and 35days from primary debulking surgery. Women at higher risk for chemotherapy delay may be targeted for close follow-up.