cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sr–Pb–Nd–Hf isotopes and 40Ar/39Ar ages reveal a Hawaii–Emperor-style bend in the Rurutu hotspot

Abstract Current Pacific absolute plate motion (APM) models include two major, long-lived hotspot tracks: the ∼80 Ma Hawaii–Emperor and ∼79 Ma Louisville seamount tracks. Prior to ∼50 Ma, these two tracks show significant inter-hotspot drift, most likely due to a strong southern motion of the Hawaiian plume. With the addition of a third long-lived Pacific hotspot track, featuring a well-constrained hotspot location and a Hawaii–Emperor-style bend, we can achieve a more robust evaluation of the relationship between APM models and inter-hotspot drift. Such a candidate exists in the Rurutu hotspot track. The youngest volcanism (∼10 to 0.2 Ma) associated with the Rurutu hotspot is located in the Cook-Austral Islands and is known as the “Atiu” or “Young Rurutu” trend. Here we show with 40Ar/39Ar ages and Sr–Pb–Nd–Hf “isotopic fingerprints” that islands and seamounts ranging between ∼70 to 40 Ma fit the compositional trend and APM model-predicted locations of the Rurutu hotspot. The Rurutu hotspot has a distinctive HIMU- to FOZO-like composition, characterized by high 206Pb/204Pb (≥20.0) and low 87Sr/86Sr (≤0.704) ratios. HIMU is a rare composition, found in only two other hotspots worldwide. Uniquely, elevated Rurutu 208Pb/204Pb ratios relative to 206Pb/204Pb define a steeper regression that more closely reproduces the Northern Hemisphere Reference Line than the shallower regression defined by traditional HIMU. Rurutu also is the only HIMU-type hotspot known to continue into the West Pacific, allowing its unique composition to effectively be used as a fingerprint. The Rurutu signature can be traced through non-Samoan “interloper seamounts” in the Samoan region, to a hotspot bend in the southern Tuvalu Islands, continuing through the ∼74 to 63 Ma Gilbert Ridge and the ∼120 to 78 Ma Wake seamounts. However, precisely locating the Hawaii–Emperor style bend in Rurutu is complicated by the younger Samoan hotspot partially overlapping the Rurutu hotspot track, and Cretaceous volcanic structures predating regional Rurutu volcanism. Therefore, we present a computational method that tests a range of preexisting APM models, all generating Hawaii–Emperor style bend locations for Rurutu within error of each other. Our results confirm the presence of a third major hotspot track in the Pacific as originally proposed by W.J. Morgan (1972) , with a ∼50.5–49.0 Ma bend at 178.48°E and 8.56°S. Paleomagnetic data for Hawaii indicate that changes in southern hotspot motion may explain its bend, while negligible latitudinal motion in Louisville and an unchanging distance to Rurutu ( Tarduno et al., 2003 , Koppers et al., 2012 , Konrad et al., 2018 ) are consistent with subduction-driven plume motion explaining the Hawaii–Emperor bend. The presence of a defined ∼135° bend in the Rurutu hotspot track, coupled with minimal inferred latitudinal motion at that time ( Konrad et al., 2018 ), leaves room for a small change in Pacific plate motion at ∼50 Ma.
High-Speed ADC Quantization with Overlapping Metastability Zones

This paper presents a new ADC quantization method. Instead of using digitally valid comparator outputs as the basis for quantization, the proposed approach uses comparator metastability zones as the basis for quantization. Since the proposed quantization method does not rely on digitally valid comparator outputs, the required comparator regeneration time is significantly reduced to improve the ADC speed. Meanwhile, using overlapping metastability zones reduces the number of required reference levels to about half, leading to a lower ADC power consumption. Simulation results of a 2GS/s 6b flash ADC with the proposed quantization method in 0.13 μ m CMOS show 25%-50% improvement in ADC bandwidth, while using about half the power compared with flash ADCs of the same resolution and in the same technologies.
Abstract P277: Short Sleep Duration is Associated With Greater Arterial Stiffness Independent of Sleep Quality

Introduction: Sleep duration is commonly associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Surprisingly, though, relatively few studies have examined the association between sleep duration and arterial ...
Electron extraction efficiency study for dual-phase xenon dark matter experiments

Dual-phase xenon detectors are widely used in dark matter direct detection experiments, and have demonstrated the highest sensitivities to a variety of dark matter interactions. However, a key component of the dual-phase detector technology---the efficiency of charge extraction from liquid xenon into gas---has not been well characterized. In this paper, we report a new measurement of the electron extraction efficiency (EEE) in a small xenon detector using two monoenergetic decay features of $^{37}\mathrm{Ar}$. By achieving stable operation at very high voltages, we measured the EEE values at the highest extraction electric field strength reported to date. For the first time, an apparent saturation of the EEE is observed over a large range of electric field; between 7.5 and $10.4\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{kV}/\mathrm{cm}$ extraction field in the liquid xenon the EEE stays stable at the level of 1% $(\mathrm{kV}/\mathrm{cm}{)}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. In the context of electron transport models developed for xenon, we discuss how the observed saturation may help calibrate this relative EEE measurement to the absolute EEE values. In addition, we present the implications of this result not only to current and future xenon-based dark matter searches, but also to xenon-based searches for coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scatters.
GeneSurrounder: network-based identification of disease genes in expression data

A key challenge of identifying disease–associated genes is analyzing transcriptomic data in the context of regulatory networks that control cellular processes in order to capture multi-gene interactions and yield mechanistically interpretable results. One existing category of analysis techniques identifies groups of related genes using interaction networks, but these gene sets often comprise tens or hundreds of genes, making experimental follow-up challenging. A more recent category of methods identifies precise gene targets while incorporating systems-level information, but these techniques do not determine whether a gene is a driving source of changes in its network, an important characteristic when looking for potential drug targets. We introduce GeneSurrounder, an analysis method that integrates expression data and network information in a novel procedure to detect genes that are sources of dysregulation on the network. The key idea of our method is to score genes based on the evidence that they influence the dysregulation of their neighbors on the network in a manner that impacts cell function. Applying GeneSurrounder to real expression data, we show that our method is able to identify biologically relevant genes, integrate pathway and expression data, and yield more reproducible results across multiple studies of the same phenotype than competing methods. Together these findings suggest that GeneSurrounder provides a new avenue for identifying individual genes that can be targeted therapeutically. The key innovation of GeneSurrounder is the combination of pathway network information with gene expression data to determine the degree to which a gene is a source of dysregulation on the network. By prioritizing genes in this way, our method provides insights into disease mechanisms and suggests diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Our method can be used to help biologists select among tens or hundreds of genes for further validation. The implementation in R is available at github.com/sahildshah1/gene-surrounder.
Functional characterization of somatic nonsense mutations of p53

4554 We used publicly available information from the IARC TP53 database and experimental validation to characterize the functional consequences of somatic nonsense mutations of p53. Of 21,587 mutations reported in p53, 1571 (7.4%) are nonsense mutations the majority of which occurred at CpG sites (59%) or resulted from a transition event (61%). The distribution of nonsense mutations showed a significant correlation with the predicted ability to trigger Nonsense Mediated Decay (NMD) in that they occurred in NMD-competent regions of the p53 coding sequence more frequently than expected due to chance (p
Does the COVID-19 outbreak mark the onset of a sustainable consumption transition?

For nearly 30 years, since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, sustainability proponents have sought in various ways to foster a “sustainable con...
Overview of optical 4D signal detection in turbid water by multi-dimensional integral imaging using spatially distributed and temporally encoded multiple light sources

We overview our recently published multi-dimensional integral imaging-based system for underwater optical signal detection. For robust signal detection, an optical signal propagating through the turbid water is encoded using multiple light sources and coded with spread spectrum techniques. An array of optical sensors captures video sequences of elemental images, which are reconstructed using multi-dimensional integral imaging followed by a 4D correlation to detect the transmitted signal. The area under the curve (AUC) and the number of detection errors were used as metrics to assess the performance of the system. The overviewed system successfully detects an optical signal under higher turbidity conditions than possible using conventional sensing and detection approaches.
A Three-Step Technique for Optimal Nipple Position in Transgender Chest Masculinization.

BACKGROUND The ideal position of the nipple-areola complex (NAC) in the transgender population can be a challenge to determine. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to determine the best location and aesthetics of the female to male NAC. METHODS Patients who underwent female to male mastectomy with free nipple grafting were included. NAC position is confirmed utilizing a vertical coordinate at the level of the 4th rib near the border of the pectoralis muscle and a horizontal coordinate determined by dividing each unilateral chest into vertical thirds from midline to anterior axillary line laterally. The NAC position is confirmed at the junction of the middle and lateral third. Symmetry is ensured bilaterally by creating a triangle and transposing it side to side; the base lies from sternal notch to inframammary fold in the midline and the apex is adjusted to the NAC. A 24-question survey utilizing a 5-point Likert scale was distributed postoperatively to assess the patient's thoughts about their chest, nipples, scar, and overall experience with the gender affirmation process. RESULTS Thirty-one patients were included in this study. Eighteen patients responded to the postmastectomy survey, all of whom were highly satisfied with the aesthetic result postoperatively. All patients felt comfortable with their exposed chest. Nipple location was particularly highly received with 100% satisfaction rate (mean Likert score, 4.72). Nipple size and shape received a mean Likert score of 4.17 and 3.89, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The triple confirmation technique is an easy, reproducible method to guide the surgeon in relocation of the NAC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4
Individual disaster communication in the Latinx community after Hurricane Harvey: The role of disaster exposure, perceived discrimination stress, and social trust

This study examined how socio-cultural factors explain the relationship between hurricane exposure and frequency of individual disaster communication among Latinx individuals in Texas communities i...
Blackamerican Muslim Scholars and Leaders in New York City: Sidelining American Islamophobia and Misrepresentations

Recent work has drawn attention to the state-led and media-driven discourse of "good" and "bad" Muslims. It is a flexible discourse, with benchmarks and shifting appraisals, that aims to mold American Muslims into "good" secular Muslims. Drawing on old Orientalist representations, this American Islamophobic framework strives to produce "good" Blackamerican Muslims through rendering them as invisible, voiceless, or under the control of allies of the U.S. secular power. The three ethnographic vignettes—a masjid fundraiser, two chaplains, and a political collective—demonstrate that Blackamerican Muslims scholars and leaders are not only disrupting this discursive project, but also undermining negative portrayals of Muslims and Islam more broadly. In addition, through their practice and discourse, these Blackamerican Muslim figures are formulating an emergent American Muslim religious identity.
Drained Shear Displacement Rates in Fully Softened Strength Torsional Ring Shear Testing

To measure the fully softened strength, the normally consolidated and reconstituted specimen must be drained, i.e., no development of shear-induced pore-water pressures, during shearing. This article investigates (1) typical shear displacement rates in torsional ring shear tests that yield drained shearing conditions for a range of fine-grained soils and (2) the problems that can develop if the porous discs in a torsional ring shear device are not clean and saturated prior to placement of the reconstituted soil paste in the specimen container. The data presented herein show that using a clogged or unsaturated porous disc will require a drained shear displacement rate that is one to two orders of magnitude slower than required, e.g., 0.018 mm/min, if the porous discs are clean, maintained, and saturated as recommended by the original equipment manufacturer and the ASTM D7608, Standard Test Method for Torsional Ring Shear Test to Measure Drained Fully Softened Shear Strength and Stress Dependent Strength Envelope of Fine-Grained Soils.
The Cognitive & Leisure Activity Scale (CLAS): A new measure to quantify cognitive activities in older adults with and without cognitive impairment.

Introduction Potentially modifiable dementia risk factors include diet and physical and cognitive activity. However, there is a paucity of scales to quantify cognitive activities. To address this, we developed the Cognitive & Leisure Activity Scale (CLAS). Methods The CLAS was validated in 318 consecutive individuals with and without cognitive impairment. Psychometric properties were compared with sample characteristics, disease stage, and etiology. Results The CLAS has very good data quality (Cronbach alpha: 0.731; 95% confidence interval: 0.67-0.78). CLAS scores correlated with gold standard measures of cognition, function, physical functionality, behavior, and caregiver burden. CLAS scores were positively correlated with other resilience factors (eg, diet, physical activity) and negatively correlated with vulnerability factors (eg, older age, frailty). Discussion The CLAS is a brief inventory to estimate dosage of participation in cognitive activities. The CLAS could be used in clinical care to enhance cognitive activity or in research to estimate dosage of activities prior to an intervention.
Remote Concurrent Engineering: Team X Studies in the Virtual World

Team-X was born from a need to perform rapid space mission design for principal investigator-led competed proposals in the mid-1990s. Throughout the last 25 years, Team-X at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has expanded its application of the collaborative, concurrent study approach into every facet necessary to win competed proposals. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 created an immediate and new constraint on these studies - the need to conduct them with remote participants, both on the client side requesting the study, but also on the provider side producing the study. This paper provides lessons learned from dozens of design studies run by Team-X at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory during the COVID-19 pandemic. These lessons span all aspects of the information infrastructure: the people, processes, procedures, methods, tools, and “facilities”. These lessons learned will have applicability post-pandemic, as they have shown how best to incorporate participants, both on the provider side, and on the client side, who cannot travel or otherwise be co-located during collaborative, concurrent study sessions.
Diet Quality and Bone Density in Youth with Healthy Weight, Obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose: To assess relationships between diet quality and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in youth with healthy weight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from youth (55% African American, 70% female) ages 10–23 years with T2D (n = 90), obesity (BMI > 95th; n = 128), or healthy weight (BMI < 85th; n = 197). Whole body (less head) areal bone mineral density (aBMD) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). aBMD was expressed as age-, sex-, and ancestry-specific standard deviation scores (Z-scores). Whole body aBMD Z-scores were adjusted for height-for-age Z-score. Diet was assessed via three-day diaries, and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was computed. Total HEI score and HEI subcomponent scores were compared across groups, and associations with aBMD Z-scores were assessed via linear regression adjusted for group, age, sex, and ancestry. Results: Mean HEI was similar between the healthy weight, obesity, and T2D groups. Several HEI sub-components differed between groups, including meats and beans, total vegetables, milk, saturated fat, sodium, oils, and empty calories. The obesity and T2D group had significantly greater aBMD Z-scores compared to the healthy weight group. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed a significant positive association between HEI and aBMD Z-score (p < 0.05). The HEI sub-components for whole grains (p = 0.052) and empty calories (p < 0.05) were positively associated with aBMD Z-score. Conclusions: Individuals that followed a dietary pattern more closely aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans had greater bone density. Since few studies have investigated the role of diet on bone in youth with obesity-related conditions, additional research is required among these populations.
Chapel unblocked: recent communication optimizations in Chapel

This talk will highlight communication optimizations made to the Chapel compiler and runtime over the past year. It will focus on improvements to core benchmarks that have benefited from fine-grained and bulk communication optimizations as well as remote task-spawning improvements. Several benchmarks including HPC Challenge (HPCC) RandomAccess, HPCC Stream Triad, and an integer sort code ISx will be briefly introduced, and a relevant performance optimization will be showcased. These benchmarks represent core idioms that are common in many HPC applications. Performance results on up to 1,024 nodes (25,000 cores) will demonstrate that with each release Chapel is becoming more competitive against hand tuned MPI+OpenMP, SHMEM, and UPC.
Differential-FORMULA: towards a semantic backplane for incremental modeling

This paper presents our preliminary results developing an incremental query and transformation engine for our modeling framework. Our prior framework combined WebGME, a cloud-based collaborative modeling tool, with FORMULA, a language and tool for specifying and analyzing domain-specific modeling languages. While this arrangement has been successful for defining non-trivial languages in domains like CPS, one ongoing challenge is the scalability of executing model queries and transformations on large models. The inherent incremental nature of the modeling process exacerbates this scalability issue: model queries and transformations are repeatedly performed on incrementally updated models. To address this issue, we are developing an incremental version of FORMULA that can perform efficient model queries and transformations in the face of continual model updates. This paper describes our experiences designing this incremental version, including the challenges we faced and design decisions. We also report encouraging benchmark results.
Ganzheitliche Unternehmenskultur am Fallbeispiel Hewlett-Packard

Das Unternehmen Hewlett-Packard (HP) reprasentiert ein Beispiel einer Unternehmenskonzeption, die auf einer ganzheitlichen und gewachsenen Unternehmenskultur basiert. Dieses Beispiel erhebt weder einen Anspruch auf Exklusivitat noch auf einfache Ubertragbarkeit auf andere Unternehmen.
Understanding Community Benefit Agreements: Opportunities and Traps for Developers, Municipalities and Community Organizations

A Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is a private contract negotiated between a prospective developer and community representatives. In essence, the CBA specifies the benefits that the developer will provide to the community in exchange for the community's support of its proposed development. The validity and enforceability of CBAs has yet to be tested in court, but some have expressed concerns that the agreements will not hold up. Chief among the questions as to the validity of CBAs is whether community groups provide any real consideration for these contracts. Questions have also been raised as to who can enforce a CBA's provisions. Enforceability questions may also concern which parties are bound by developers' promises. Because the process of negotiating CBAs often involves local governments or elected officials, CBAs may also raise legal issues related to the propriety of planning process. While CBAs represent an opportunity to accomplish redevelopment projects in a manner that achieves social equity and engages all community stakeholders in the project with an eye towards designing a process and product that can be win-win for communities, myriad legal issues are present for all involved participants. This paper provides an overview of legal and policy implications of CBAs, highlighting how this new tool is currently utilized in a number of communities across the country.
Metabolic interrelations of sulfur in proteins, thiosulfate, and cystine.

Abstract Examination of the reactions of protein disulfide sulfur led to the implication of three mechanisms in the removal of sulfur from cystinyl residues. (a) Persulfide formation in alkali with subsequent loss of the reactive persulfide sulfur; (b) organic thiocyanate formation by direct attack of CN-, followed by elimination of SCN- by OH- or by appropriately located intraprotein nucleophiles; and (c) sulfite reduction of disulfide bonds with formation of S-sulfocysteinyl residues, followed by elimination of thiosulfate. Spectral as well as kinetic evidence was obtained for persulfide formation from a variety of disulfide compounds. The ease of persulfide formation correlated with the ability of base to abstract a proton from the carbon atom β to the disulfide bond. Evidence was obtained indicating that sulfur eliminated from cystine or cystinyl residues in vivo occupies a metabolic branch point. Incorporation into cystine of the labeled outer sulfur atom of thiosulfate, the corresponding labeled sulfur in the form of tetrathionate, and labeled elemental sulfur occurred in vivo. Unlabeled sulfide failed to suppress the level of radioactivity incorporated and the inner atom of thiosulfate failed to be incorporated. Evaluation of the time course of incorporation as well as the chemical reactivities of the various sulfur species led to the proposal of protein-coated elemental sulfur as a retained intermediate in mammalian sulfur metabolism.
The Morphologic Identification of Common Organisms That May Look Alike in the General Pathology Practice: A Brief Review

Surgical Pathologists often rely on morphologic features in identifying organisms in their general practice. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief practical and illustrated reference, comparing the morphologic features of organisms commonly encountered in the general practice of pathology. This comparison will focus on pairs of organisms that may look alike, resulting in diagnostic difficulties. These paired look–alike organisms include: Histoplasma Capsulatum versus Pneumocystis, Falciparum Malaria versus Babesia Microti, Pseudohyphae (of Candida) versus True Fungal Hyphae (of Aspergillus), Septate Hyphae (as in Aspergillus) versus Aseptate Hyphae (as in Mucor), Fungal Hyphae versus Artifact, and Antibiotic-Altered Bacteria versus Other organisms. Key distinguishing morphologic features are compared to help avoid diagnostic pitfalls.
Clinical utility of the soluble transferrin receptor and comparison with serum ferritin in several populations

Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and ferritin concentrations were measured in a variety of clinical settings to compare the ability of these two tests to identify iron deficiency. Among 62 anemic patients who either had a bone marrow aspirate performed or had a documented response to iron therapy, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of sTfR (at a diagnostic cutoff of >2.8 mg/L) were 92% and 84%, respectively, with a positive predictive value of 42% in this population. Ferritin (≤12 μg/L) had a sensitivity of 25% and a specificity of 98%. However, the sensitivity and specificity of ferritin could be improved to 92% and 98%, respectively, by using a diagnostic cutoff value of ≤30 μg/L, resulting in a positive predictive value of 92%. Ferritin and sTfR were also measured in 267 outpatient samples and 112 medical students. In the outpatient group, the two tests agreed in 73% of the samples; however, 25% of the samples had ferritin values >12 μg/L and increased sTfR. Among the medical students, there was 91% agreement between the two tests, but 7% of the samples had ferritin ≤12 μg/L and normal sTfR. Together, these data suggest that measurement of sTfR does not provide sufficient additional information to ferritin to warrant routine use. However, sTfR may be useful as an adjunct in the evaluation of anemic patients, whose ferritin values may be increased as the result of an acute-phase reaction.
Long-term psychological distress associated with marital rape and aggravated assault: A comparison to other crime victims

This study compared four groups of women who reported being the victims of a single violent crime (total N = 47) and a group of non-victimized women (N = 96). Victims were divided into groups based on the type of assault (rape vs. aggravated assault) and the identity of their assailant (husband vs. stranger). The groups were compared on measures of psychological functioning and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Crime victims reported higher levels of psychological distress than did the non-victimized women across a variety of symptom areas. There were no group differences among the four victim groups on any of the measures. Women assaulted by their husbands were more likely to report that the assault was one of a series of similar attacks. Victims of aggravated assault were more likely than rape victims to report that they feared for their lives during the assault. Results are discussed with respect to societal views on the comparative severity of marital and stranger assaults.
THE PARADOX OF THE CONTENTED FEMALE WORKER IN A TRADITIONALLY FEMALE INDUSTRY

ABSTRACT Women hold jobs in which they consistently experience less pay, fewer promotions, and less favorable working conditions than men. Despite these differences, studies show that women report comparable levels of job satisfaction. Crosby (1982) referred to this as the paradox of the contented female worker. Previous work has investigated the paradox in predominantly male settings. A random sample of 359 employees at a predominantly female organization is examined. Results confirm a gender paradox of job satisfaction. Surprisingly, pay is positively associated with job satisfaction for women, but not for men. Also contributing to the paradox is a weaker negative association of workload and satisfaction for women. Findings also suggest women referring to other women are more satisfied. Context is presented as a tool for assessing existing theoretical perspectives.
Understanding Unfamiliar Literary Aesthetics: White Preservice Teachers Examine Race Through Story

Reading and reflecting upon ethnically unfamiliar literature can provide opportunities for teacher candidates to critically examine assumptions of self and other relative to racial, cultural, and linguistic identities. However, ethnically unfamiliar literatures can be difficult for readers to understand and appreciate due to the aesthetics they embody. This study addresses the struggles White preservice English teachers’ experience in making sense of unfamiliar ethnicities in narrative forms and how this frustration might be mediated through explicit attention to and study of the aesthetic elements of ethnically unfamiliar texts. Findings reveal a keen interest in understanding and engaging with multicultural literature among participants coupled with a persistent hesitation to include it and related conversations of race in their instruction. Participants opened themselves to learning more about others but struggled to implicate themselves in the transfer of new knowledge to teaching practice. The study’...
Cardiac Munchausen syndrome.

Objective To examine the reports on cardiac Munchausen syndrome for clinical characteristics. Methods Cases, case series, and related articles on the subject in all languages were identified through a comprehensive literature search. Results Fifty-eight cases of cardiac Munchausen syndrome were identified. Mean ŷ SD patient age was 44 ŷ 12 years (range, 23 to 71 years). Fifty-four patients (93%) were men. The most common presenting complaint was chest pain simulating acute coronary syndrome (86%). Syncope and dyspnea were also reported. Mostly, these patients were admitted directly from the emergency department to the coronary care unit. Acute myocardial infarction was the most common admitting diagnosis. The other admitting diagnoses were cardiac arrest and arrhythmia. The average number of hospital admissions for cardiac symptoms was 6 per patient (range, 1 to > 29 admissions). Numerous procedures including cardiac catheterization, coronary angiography, peripheral arteriography, permanent pacemaker placement, electrophysiological studies, intra-aortic balloon insertion, pulmonary artery catheter insertion, and electrical cardioversion have been performed in these patients. Twenty-four patients (41%) had history of undergoing prior multiple invasive procedures, but only 10 of these patients admitted having undergone these procedures. Ninety-five percent of patients altered their stories, with many leaving the hospital against medical advice when confronted with possibility of cardiac Munchausen syndrome as the correct unifying diagnosis. None of the patients reported for follow-up. Conclusion Cardiac Munchausen syndrome results in unnecessary investigations and organ damage from unneeded aggressive procedures. There is scarce information available on the prognosis of these patients, especially in the long term.
Stage of the organizational life cycle and competition as mediators of problem perception for small businesses

An empirical study based upon a sample of 645 small businesses assesses the relationship that life cycle stage and level of competition exhibit with the problems perceived to constrain small business strategic planning. Problems have been identified as either internal (cash flow) or external (competition); they have further been classified as either situational or core problems. Among the most prevalent problems reported by decision makers are customer contact, market knowledge, marketing planning, location, and adequacy of capital. A total of 16 problem areas were identified. Traditional wisdom offers the scenario where problems faced will vary as the organization progresses through the life cycle. Much of this research refutes conventional wisdom in that level of competition was determined to have more of an impact on problem perception.
Belief, knowledge, and uncertainty: A cognitive perspective on subjective probability

Abstract This paper presents a cognitive analysis of subjective probability judgments and proposes that these are assessments of belief-processing activities. The analysis is motivated by an investigation of the concepts of belief, knowledge, and uncertainty. Judgment and reasoning are differentiated, Toulmin's (1958) theory of argument being used to explicate the latter. The paper discusses a belief-processing model in which reasoning is used to translate data into conclusions, while judgmental processes qualify those conclusions with degrees of belief. The model sheds light on traditional interpretations of probability and suggests that different characteristics of belief—likelihood and support—are addressed by different representational systems. In concluding, the paper identifies new lines of research implied by its analysis.
Review of oleoresin capsicum (pepper) sprays for self‐defense against captive wildlife

Pepper (oleoresin capsicum) sprays appear to be a “less-than-lethal” option for repelling attacks by captive wildlife. These products may also deter wildlife from approaching, before an attack occurs. Such products should only be used when human life or severe injury is at stake. These products work by causing irritation of the ocular and respiratory membranes that distracts or debilitates the attacker. In humans, inflammation of the mucous membranes that restricts respiration and causes eyelid swelling, along with variable responses to pain, can debilitate aggressive people long enough to allow escape or application of restraint. However, some highly motivated animals may not be sufficiently incapacitated by the physiological effects of pepper spray on mucous membranes, and may also be able to override any sensations of pain. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has registered pepper spray products that appear to be effective against dogs and bears. However, little data are available to justify the registration of some products. It is important to consider effective spray distance, spray pattern, duration of spray, quantity of content, canister size, and safety features when selecting a product. A training program and policies for the use of pepper sprays should be in place before providing the product to staff. Safety and decontamination protocols need to be included as a part of training procedures. Local law enforcement agencies may be able to assist with training programs and for addressing liability issues. Zoo Biol 20:389–398, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Pharmacokinetics of digoxin: Relationship between response intensity and predicted compartmental drug levels in man

A study designed to investigate the relationship between the pharmacokinetics of digoxin and a measure of its pharmacological effect has been conducted. Serum digoxin concentrations and systolic time intervals were measured concurrently in 12 normal male volunteers following a 1.0 mg i.v. bolus injection. The averaged serum digoxin concentration--time and response--time data were analyzed pharmacokinetically using a three-compartment open model and nonlinear least-squares fitting. When only the serum level--time data were analyzed, a close relationship was found between calculated digoxin levels in the slowly distributing (deep) peripheral compartment and response of the heart to digoxin, as measured by changes in the QS2 index (delta QS2I). Although it was not possible to distinguish clearly a linear from a nonlinear relationship between digoxin levels in the deep compartment and delta QS2I, the nonlinear relationship gave the best overall fit when both serum digoxin and delta QS2I data were fitted simultaneously. The simultaneous fit yielded a total body clearance of digoxin of 3.6 ml/min/kg and a terminal t1/2 of 42 hr.
Parameter uncertainty and sensitivity in a liquid-effluent dose model.

Radioactive materials which are released into streams on the Savannah River Site (SRS) eventually flow into the Savannah River. Tritium, 90Sr, 137Cs, and 239Pu account for the majority of the radiation dose received by users of the Savannah River. This paper focuses on the dose uncertainties originating from variability in parameters describing the transport and uptake of these nuclides. Parameter sensitivity has also been determined for each liquid pathway exposure model. The models used here to estimate radiation dose to an exposed individual provide a range of possible dose estimates that span approximately one order of magnitude. A pathway analysis reveals that aquatic food and water consumption account for more than 95% of the total dose to an individual.
A Reexamination of the Effects of Just‐In‐Time on Inbound Logistics

Just‐In‐Time (JIT) manufacturing remains an important issue and research efforts are beginning to examine its impact on other business functions. This paper proposes a theoretical model that relates the extent of JIT implementation to changes in inbound logistics practices and outcomes. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to responses from a large‐scale survey. Six underlying constructs were identified and retained, and eleven hypotheses concerning the causal relationships between these constructs were tested using LISREL. Analysis indicates that JIT: (1) improves supplier operations, (2) enhances transportation operations with respect to inbound carriers, (3) reduces the level and improves the management of inventories, (4) does not cause overall inbound logistics costs to increase, and (5) increases the quality and performance of inbound logistics.
Energy filtered Lorentz microscopy

Abstract Energy-filtered Lorentz microscopy (EFLM) combines a post-column energy filter with a high-resolution TEM, operated with the main objective lens switched off. In this paper we use a magnetostrictive material, Terfenol-D (Tb0.73Dy0.27Fe1.95), to illustrate the benefits of zero-loss filtering on both standard and coherent Fresnel and Foucault modes. It is shown that the signal-to-noise ratio of Foucault images is improved by an order of magnitude. We present a detailed study of magnetic domain configurations in the vicinity of growth twins and show that the magnetic resolution of the system is better than 5 nm. Our observations compare favorably with micromagnetic models. We also show that magnetic induction mapping becomes a viable technique in thicker regions when the inelastically scattered electrons have been removed from the images. Finally, we present simulations of Fresnel and Foucault images, assuming two-dimensional periodic boundary conditions for the computation of the Aharonov-Bohm phase shift.
THE INHIBITION BY CORTISONE OF THE CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF PPD ON TUBERCULIN-HYPERSENSITIVE CELLS IN TISSUE CULTURE

Using the roller tube method of tissue culture, it has been shown that cortisone and compound F inhibit the cytotoxic action of PPD upon macrophages from the splenic tissue of tuberculous guinea pigs. Pretreatment of the cells for 24 hours with hormones before exposure to PPD was found to be essential. Estrone and desoxycorticosterone glucoside had no protective activity. Certain advantages of the tissue culture method in studies of tuberculin hypersensitivity and possible mechanisms and implications of this protective action of cortisone are discussed.
Modeling time-series count data: the unique challenges facing political communication studies

This paper demonstrates the importance of proper model specification when analyzing time-series count data in political communication studies. It is common for scholars of media and politics to investigate counts of coverage of an issue as it evolves over time. Many scholars rightly consider the issues of time dependence and dynamic causality to be the most important when crafting a model. However, to ignore the count features of the outcome variable overlooks an important feature of the data. This is particularly the case when modeling data with a low number of counts. In this paper, we argue that the Poisson autoregressive model (Brandt and Williams, 2001) accurately meets the needs of many media studies. We replicate the analyses of Flemming et al. (1997), Peake and Eshbaugh-Soha (2008), and Ura (2009) and demonstrate that models missing some of the assumptions of the Poisson autoregressive model often yield invalid inferences. We also demonstrate that the effect of any of these models can be illustrated dynamically with estimates of uncertainty through a simulation procedure. The paper concludes with implications of these findings for the practical researcher.
Armored phased array design

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has performed modeling, analysis, and testing of array face armoring as a survivability enhancement feature for a forward acquisition radar. This paper describes array face armoring technology developed by GTRI, including: (1) materials testing, (2) array element design, (3) waveguide simulator tests, and (4) armor mounting options. Results show that the array face can be protected against the simulated tactical threat while achieving acceptable electrical performance. The armoring consists of a layer of Spectra Shield (a proprietary material) approximately 2.54 cm thick covering the face of the array. It is noted that the array face armoring must be developed from the point of view of integrating the armor with the aperture/element design rather than designing the aperture then adding the armor.
Breaking the LSD1/KDM1A Addiction: Therapeutic Targeting of the Epigenetic Modifier in AML

KDM1A/LSD1, a histone H3K4/K9 demethylase and epigenetic regulator with roles in both gene activation and repression, has increased expression in multiple cancer types. Harris et al., in this issue of Cancer Cell, and Schenk et al. show that KDM1A may be a viable therapeutic target in treating AML.
Speech Discrimination in Sensori-Neural Hearing Loss: Two Experiments on the Role of Intensity

Speech discrimination was investigated in subjects with sensori-neural dysacousis. Maximum discrimination for speech in the population studied generally occurred at intensity levels below those at ...
An endonuclease from Caenorhabditis elegans: partial purification and characterization.

A deoxyribonuclease was partially purified from the free-living nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans. The DNase functioned as an endonuclease and introduced both single-strand nicks and double-strand breaks into DNA. The enzyme hydrolyzed double-stranded DNA seven times more rapidly than single-stranded DNA. DNase activity was not affected by the addition of divalent cations below 1mm but was inhibited at higher ionic concentrations. In addition, the enzyme was not inhibited in the presence of 10mm EDTA. The enzyme was inhibited by salt concentrations greater than 20mm. Three independent mutations in thenuc-1 gene were shown to reduce nuclease activity to less than 1% of that seen in wild-type organisms.
Defect-Mediated Emulsification in Two Dimensions

We consider two-dimensional dispersions of droplets of isotropic phase in a liquid with an XY -like order parameter, tilt, nematic, and hexatic symmetries being included. Strong anchoring boundary conditions are assumed. Textures for a single droplet and a pair of droplets are calculated and a universal droplet-droplet pair potential is obtained. The interaction of dispersed droplets via the ordered phase is attractive at large distances and repulsive at short distances, which results in a well defined preferred separation for two droplets and topological stabilization of the emulsion. This interaction also drives self-assembly into chains. Preferred separations and energy barriers to coalescence are calculated, and the effects of thermal fluctuations and film thickness are discussed.
Atomic resolution mapping of the excited-state electronic structure of Cu2O with time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy

We have used time-resolved soft x-ray spectroscopy to investigate the electronic structure of optically excited cuprous oxide at the $\text{O}\text{ }K$ edge and the $\text{Cu}\text{ }{L}_{3}$ edge. The 400 nm optical excitation shifts the Cu and O absorptions to lower energy, but does not change the integrated x-ray absorption significantly for either edge. The constant integrated x-ray absorption cross-section indicates that the conduction-band and valence-band edges have very similar $\text{Cu}\text{ }3d$ and $\text{O}\text{ }2p$ orbital contributions. The 2.1 eV optical band gap of ${\text{Cu}}_{2}\text{O}$ significantly exceeds the one eV shift in the $\text{Cu}\text{ }{L}_{3}$- and $\text{O}\text{ }K$-edges absorption edges induced by optical excitation, demonstrating the importance of core-hole excitonic effects and valence electron screening in the x-ray absorption process.
Comparison of the physically complete model with a simple dipole model for UXO detection and discrimination

The physically complete Normalized Surface Magnetic Source (NSMS) model and a variant of the simple dipole model are applied to new-generation electromagnetic induction (EMI) data. The main objective is to assess the NSMS and dipole models' capabilities to discriminate between UXO and clutter starting from scattered EMI signals. The discrimination contains two sets of parameters: (1) intrinsic parameters associated with the size, shape, and material composition of the target; and (2) extrinsic parameters related to the orientation and location of the anomaly. To discriminate UXO from clutter a mathematical model is fit to the geophysical data, after which both intrinsic and extrinsic parameters are extracted using an optimization technique. The inverted intrinsic parameters thus found are used to isolate objects of interest from non-hazardous items. The discrimination performance depends significantly on the mathematical model. In this work we present results of applying the single dipole, multi-dipole, and NSMS models to single- and multi-axis sensor data produced by new-generation EMI instruments such as MPV, TEMTADS, and MetalMapper, all of which are are time-domain systems. The MPV has a single transmitter and five tri-axial receivers, the TEMTADS array is a towed system featuring 25 transmitter/receiver pairs, and MetalMapper contains three rectangular transmitters and five tri-axial receivers distributed on a plane. The inversion and discrimination performance of the NSMS and single-dipole models are illustrated for the high-quality, well-located EMI data produced by these instruments. Specifically, we present comparisons between inverted intrinsic and extrinsic parameters, as determined from each model and compared with the ground truth.
Opening Switch Utilizing Shock Wave Induced Conduction in PMMA and PVC

Summary form only given. The feasibility of utilizing shock loaded and unloaded dielectrics as a true closing/opening switch as part of an explosive-driven pulse power system is addressed. While it is known that shock wave compressed PVC and PMMA become conductive, the details of the material's recovery from the conducting back to the insulating state are much less known. To be effective as an opening switch, the recovery time has to be minimized, i.e., for instance, heating of the material must be minimized. The two primary sources of heat in the switch are shock induced heating and switch loss heating. These sources must be balanced for optimal results. Furthermore, it is also important to determine if the observed temporal behavior is due to finite shock unloading or intrinsic material relaxation properties. In the extreme case, bulk breakdown may occur during recovery as voltage increases across the switch. Previous work, performed primarily with a C-4 packed compression rod, has achieved a switch on-state resistance of less than 1 ohm, with an average on-state duration of 80 microseconds. It was also shown that PMMA appears to have a much sharper transition time than PVC, between both insulator to conductor, and conductor to insulator. The results presented here use a timed explosion to more carefully control the intensity and duration of the shock wave. This allows for more control over shock induced heating of the sample. We will present recent experimental data and discuss results as they relate to the development of an opening switch.