cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Price Promotions Among U.S. Adults Who Use Electronic Vapor Products.

Introduction Sales of electronic vapor products have increased in recent years. This increase in use may be related to manufacturer price promotions. This study assessed the use of price-related promotions among current electronic vapor product users. Methods Data from the 2015 and 2016 Summer Styles, an Internet survey of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years, were analyzed in 2017. Current electronic vapor product users (n=300) were those who reported past 30-day electronic vapor product use. Price-related promotion use was defined as reported use of coupons, rebates, discount codes, or other special price-related promotions when purchasing electronic vapor products (e.g., electronic cigarettes [e-cigarettes], electronic hookah [e-hookah], or vape pens). Associations between price-related promotion use and sex, age, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, U.S. region, cigarette smoking status, electronic vapor product use frequency, place electronic vapor products were obtained, and survey year were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Results Among current electronic vapor product users, 15.0% reported using price-related promotions. The adjusted odds of using price-related promotions was significantly higher among respondents who obtained electronic vapor products from a gas station, grocery or drug store, or the Internet (AOR=2.65, 95% CI=1.22, 5.74) versus anywhere else (i.e., mall kiosks, vape shop, friends/family) and among those who used electronic vapor products ≥15 days in the past 30 days (AOR=2.57, 95% CI=1.18, 5.56) versus ≤14 days. Conclusions Nearly one in seven current U.S. adult electronic vapor product users reported using price promotions during 2015–2016, and variations in price promotion use existed by electronic vapor product use frequency and where electronic vapor products were obtained. Continued monitoring of the use of price-related promotions could help inform public health policy, planning, and practice.
Understanding the bag the cat is in: Father and son in richard wright’s

This article argues that a fuller understanding of Richard Wright’s father arrives from locating him in his specific social, cultural, and economic setting. Because Wright fails to do this, critics have seen Nathan Wright as an irresponsible black man, rather than as an individual struggling with his peculiar Jim Crow environment. Nowhere in his autobiography, Black Boy, in fact, does Wright present a “positive” image of black men, save an uncle, who is murdered when he steps too far outside his “place” in Southern organic society.
A Critique of the Anti-Pornography Syllogism

Does pornography cause rape? Intuition leads to two dramatically different answers to that question. One might imagine that by portraying women as sexual objects, pornography might cause men with a tendency to rape to feel justified in acting out their fantasies. On the other hand, one might imagine that men with rape tendencies derive enough satisfaction through the fantasy world of pornography that they would be less likely to rape. Whether a causal link exists between rape and pornography is ultimately an empirical question, and this article seeks to answer that empirical question. By drawing on recently-available measures of the consumption of pornography, the article is able to seek a correlation between rape rates and pornography. The article concludes that, nationwide, no statistically significant correlation exists between rape rates and pornography consumption between 1970 and 1990. The article also concludes that previous correlations between rape rates and pornography consumption were likely spurious. Introducing a variable for greater percentage of males in population and for sexual liberalism reduces the correlation between rape and pornography to 55% random chance where 5% random chance is the standard for statistical significance.
Relaxation Dynamics of Electronically Coupled Au20(SC8H9)15-n-glyme-Au20(SC8H9)15 Monolayer-Protected Cluster Dimers

The electronic relaxation dynamics of photoexcited Au20(SC8H9)15-n-glyme and Au20(SC8H9)15-n-glyme-Au20(SC8H9)15 (n- = di-, tri-, and tetra-) dimers, where glyme refers to n-ethylene glycol dimethyl ether bridging molecules, were studied using pump–probe femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy (fsTAS). The utilization of n-glyme molecular bridging linkers provided a method to prepare Au20(SC8H9)15-n-glyme-Au20(SC8H9)15 dimers with control over intercluster spatial separation. A dimer-specific electronic absorption resonance was observed at 2.6 eV. Analysis of fsTAS differential spectra for dimer species revealed a pump–probe waiting time-dependent blue shift of the low energy excited-state absorption (ESA) feature, suggesting electronic relaxation into a dimer-specific excited-state. Single probe-energy differential signal amplitude analysis of the ESA feature yielded a distance-dependent growth component for the electronic relaxation dynamics with time constants of 130 ± 20, 60 ± 8, a...
White Matter Integrity and Early Outcomes After Acute Ischemic Stroke

Chronic white matter structural injury is a risk factor for poor long-term outcomes after acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, it is unclear how white matter structural injury predisposes to poor outcomes after AIS. To explore this question, in 42 AIS patients with moderate to severe white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden, we characterized WMH and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) diffusivity anisotropy metrics in the hemisphere contralateral to acute ischemia in relation to ischemic tissue and early functional outcomes. All patients underwent brain MRI with dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion and diffusion tensor imaging within 12 h and at day 3–5 post stroke. Early neurological outcomes were measured as the change in NIH Stroke Scale score from admission to day 3–5 post stroke. Target mismatch profile, percent mismatch lost, infarct growth, and rates of good perfusion were measured to assess ischemic tissue outcomes. NAWM mean diffusivity was significantly lower in the group with early neurological improvement (ENI, 0.79 vs. 0.82 × 10−3, mm2/s; P = 0.02). In multivariable logistic regression, NAWM mean diffusivity was an independent radiographic predictor of ENI (β = − 17.6, P = 0.037). Median infarct growth was 118% (IQR 26.8–221.9%) despite good reperfusion being observed in 65.6% of the cohort. NAWM and WMH diffusivity metrics were not associated with target mismatch profile, percent mismatch lost, or infarct growth. Our results suggest that, in AIS patients, white matter structural integrity is associated with poor early neurological outcomes independent of ischemic tissue outcomes.
Association of Emotional Intelligence With Malpractice Claims: A Review.

Importance Approximately 8% of physicians experience a malpractice claim annually. Most malpractice claims are a result of adverse events, which may or may not be a result of medical errors. However, not all medicolegal cases are the result of medical errors or negligence, but rather, may be associated with the individual nature of the patient-physician relationship. The strength of this relationship may be partially determined by a physician’s emotional intelligence (EI), or his or her ability to monitor and regulate his or her emotions as well as the emotions of others. This review evaluates the role of EI in developing the patient-physician relationship and how EI may influence patient decisions to pursue medicolegal action. Observations Several physician characteristics are associated with increased medicolegal risk. Some of these traits, such as sex, age, level of experience, and specialty, are inherent. Other characteristics, such as patient interaction, patient satisfaction, and prior legal history, appear to be related to physicians themselves, yet they are modifiable if such physicians can be identified. Numerous tools exist that provide general measures of different aspects of EI. Furthermore, identification of those with lower EI and intervention with specific training has been shown to improve both EI and patient satisfaction. Conclusions and Relevance The study and effect of EI within medicine offers great opportunity to investigate how physician characteristics may influence one’s EI, as well as medicolegal risk. This review suggests an indirect negative correlation between a physician’s level of EI and his or her risk of litigation. Studies directly linking physicians with low EI to a higher risk of litigation are lacking and may provide valuable insight. Demonstrating such a correlation should prompt the development of interventions that may enhance a physician’s level of EI early in his or her career and may limit future legal action.
Optimizing a sustainable logistics problem in a renewable energy network using a genetic algorithm

Renewable energy sources, including bio-energy technologies, have been introduced to overcome sustainability challenges, such as negative environmental impacts and energy insecurity due to reliance on fossil fuels. Logistics activities have a significant effect on the cost and environmental impacts of renewable energy supply chains. Understanding and reducing the carbon footprint of renewable energy supply chains can aid in mitigating environmental impacts. Thus, this research presents a mathematical model that can be used to optimize renewable energy supply chain logistics costs and carbon footprint. The proposed model considers a biomass-to-bio-oil supply chain, including harvesting and collection sites, bio-refineries, and distribution centers. It is assumed that mobile and fixed refineries will be used to produce bio-oil. The model considers the mass of biomass and bio-oil, number of mobile and fixed refineries, and number of truck trips to minimize total cost, where a carbon tax is used to represent carbon footprint in the mathematical cost model. A genetic algorithm is designed to obtain a near-optimal solution. Six scenarios for mobile and fixed refinery capacity are tested in performing sensitivity analysis of the model. The results indicate that the mathematical model of the bio-oil supply chain has reasonable relationships between input and output variables. The model is able to incorporate the impact of carbon emissions in a mixed-refinery bio-oil supply chain as a cost parameter. It was also found that increasing mobile refinery capacity has the greater effect on reducing total cost and carbon emissions than increasing fixed refinery capacity.
Facilitating or foiling flow: the role of momentary perceptions of feedback

When presented with opportunities for action that are optimally challenging in relation to one’s skills combined with clearly defined goals, and feedback regarding how well one is doing, an individ...
Impact of Physical Function on 1-Year Kidney Transplant Outcomes:

End-stage renal disease patients who have impaired physical function are denied for transplantation by clinicians concerned about graft/survival outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of physical function on graft/survival outcomes at 1-year post-kidney transplantation. Data were analyzed from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients regarding kidney transplantation patients (N = 218,657) between January 1, 2000 and September 2, 2014. The hazard ratio of 1-year graft failure for deceased donor transplantation recipients needing total assistance was 1.60 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.303, 1.965], p < .01). Patients needing none or some assistance did not demonstrate a significant difference in 1-year graft failure in either deceased or living donor transplantation. The hazard ratio of 1-year death for those needing total assistance was 2.52 (95% CI = [2.087, 3.045], p < .001) in deceased donor kidney transplantation.
Pudendal Nerve Block in the Greater Sciatic Foramen A New Technique for Transurethral Surgery

Although previously it appeared that multiple needle sticks would be required to anesthetize the somatic and visceral pathways that transmit pain during transurethral surgery, the authors9 experience indicates that this may be accomplished with a single injection bilaterally. Injection near the pudendal nerve, as it courses through the greater sciatic foramen, can provide anesthesia of the glans penis, urethra, prostate, and bladder. Block of the pudendal nerve in the greater sciatic foramen is herein described as a new regional anesthetic technique for surgical procedures of the lower genitourinary tract. After routine premedication, bilateral block provided adequate anesthesia for 15 of 30 male patients who had transurethral surgery. Supplementation with dorsal nerve block and intravenous fentanyl (50-150 μg) resulted in adequate conditions in 11 of the remaining 15 patients. The technique may be a valuable alternative in certain settings; however, it does not offer the speed and reliability of major conduction anesthesia.
Calling Star Alleles With Stargazer in 28 Pharmacogenes With Whole Genome Sequences.

Variation in the enzymatic activity of pharmacogenes is defined by star alleles (haplotypes) comprised of single-nucleotide variants, small insertion-deletions, and large structural variants. We recently developed Stargazer, a next-generation sequencing-based tool to call star alleles for the clinically important CYP2D6 gene. Here, we present the utility of extending Stargazer to call star alleles for 28 pharmacogenes using whole genome sequencing (WGS) data. We applied Stargazer to WGS data from 70 ethnically diverse samples from the Genetic Testing Reference Materials Coordination Program (GeT-RM). These reference samples were extensively characterized by GeT-RM using multiple pharmacogenetic testing assays. In all 28 genes, Stargazer recalled 100% of star alleles (N = 92) present in GeT-RM's consensus genotypes (N = 1,559). Stargazer also detected star alleles not previously reported by GeT-RM, including complex structural variants. Our results demonstrate that combining WGS data and Stargazer enables automated, accurate, and comprehensive genotyping of pharmacogenes in the human genome.
Proceedings of the 2016 annual meeting of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group

The 2016 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG) meeting was titled "Rehabilitation in FASD: Potential Interventions and Challenges". During the previous decades, studies with human subjects and animal models have improved much of our understanding of the mechanisms underlying FASD, putting the scientific community in a good position to test hypotheses that can lead to potential therapeutic interventions. During the conference, two keynote speakers addressed potential interventions used in different fields and their applicability to FASD research. The conference also included updates from several government agencies, short presentations by junior and senior investigators that showcased the latest in FASD research, and award presentations. The conference was closed by a talk by Dr. Charles Goodlett, the recipient of the 2016 Henry Rosett award.
Customer for life: marketing oral health care to older adults.

Respect for and awareness of the needs of older patients from dental office staff will help such patients feel welcome in a practice. Marketing to older patients is built upon this foundation. In addition, there are other strategies for internal and external marketing aimed at older people. This article addresses the concept of turning aging patients into "customers for life."
Economic implications of localization strategies for cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea.

BACKGROUND The direct costs associated with different diagnostic algorithms to localize cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea have not been described. METHODS A decision-tree analysis of imaging modalities used to localize CSF rhinorrhea was performed to compare associated direct costs. The primary outcome was cost, which was determined based on reimbursement data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2018. The model was parameterized after a literature review of published studies was performed from 1990 to 2018 to estimate the sensitivity CSF rhinorrhea localization of the following radiographic modalities: high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), magnetic resonance cisternography (MRC), and CT cisternography (CTC). In addition to base case analysis, 1-way sensitivity analyses were also performed to evaluate the robustness of results to changes in model parameters. RESULTS Among patients with a high suspicion for CSF rhinorrhea, use of HRCT followed by exploration in the operating room if preliminary HRCT was negative was found to be the optimal localization modality from a cost perspective ($172.25). The next least costly algorithm was HRCT followed by MRC ($294.10). Imaging algorithms beginning with CTC were the next least costly modality ($727.37). Sensitivity analyses generally supported HRCT to be the optimal initial radiographic strategy over a wide range of parameter values. CONCLUSION This work advocates HRCT as first-line modality to localize CSF rhinorrhea from a cost perspective. Although algorithms beginning with MRC were on average $35 more expensive than those starting with CTC, associated risks of CTC were not modeled and may play a role in decision making.
Discriminating Underground Nuclear Explosions Leading To Late‐Time Radionuclide Gas Seeps

Utilizing historical data from the U.S. nuclear test program and freely available barometric pressure data, we performed an analytical barometric-pumping efficiency analysis to determine factors re...
Does BERT need domain adaptation for clinical negation detection

Introduction Classifying whether concepts in an unstructured clinical text are negated is an important unsolved task. New domain adaptation and transfer learning methods can potentially address this issue. Objective We examine neural unsupervised domain adaptation methods, introducing a novel combination of domain adaptation with transformer-based transfer learning methods to improve negation detection. We also want to better understand the interaction between the widely used bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) system and domain adaptation methods. Materials and methods We use 4 clinical text datasets that are annotated with negation status. We evaluate a neural unsupervised domain adaptation algorithm and BERT, a transformer-based model that is pretrained on massive general text datasets. We develop an extension to BERT that uses domain adversarial training, a neural domain adaptation method that adds an objective to the negation task, that the classifier should not be able to distinguish between instances from 2 different domains. Results The domain adaptation methods we describe show positive results, but, on average, the best performance is obtained by plain BERT (without the extension). We provide evidence that the gains from BERT are likely not additive with the gains from domain adaptation. Discussion Our results suggest that, at least for the task of clinical negation detection, BERT subsumes domain adaptation, implying that BERT is already learning very general representations of negation phenomena such that fine-tuning even on a specific corpus does not lead to much overfitting. Conclusion Despite being trained on nonclinical text, the large training sets of models like BERT lead to large gains in performance for the clinical negation detection task.
Phenology affects differentiation of crop and weed species using hyperspectral remote sensing

The effect of plant phenology and canopy structure of four crops and four weed species on reflectance spectra were evaluated in 2016 and 2017 using in situ spectroscopy. Leaf-level and canopy-level reflectance were collected at multiple phenologic time points in each growing season. Reflectance values at 2 wk after planting (WAP) in both years indicated strong spectral differences between species across the visible (VIS; 350–700 nm), near-infrared (NIR; 701–1,300 nm), shortwave-infrared I (SWIR1; 1,301–1,900 nm), and shortwave-infrared II (SWIR2; 1,901–2,500 nm) regions. Results from this study indicate that plant spectral reflectance changes with plant phenology and is influenced by plant biophysical characteristics. Canopy-level differences were detected in both years across all dates except for 1 WAP in 2017. Species with similar canopy types (e.g., broadleaf prostrate, broadleaf erect, or grass/sedge) were more readily discriminated from species with different canopy types. Asynchronous phenology between species also resulted in spectral differences between species. SWIR1 and SWIR2 wavelengths are often not included in multispectral sensors but should be considered for species differentiation. Results from this research indicate that wavelengths in SWIR1 and SWIR2 in conjunction with VIS and NIR reflectance can provide differentiation across plant phenologies and, therefore should be considered for use in future sensor technologies for species differentiation.
Case of Displaced Glenoid Fracture After Fall: Subtle Findings with Significant Implications for Trauma Patients.

Author(s): Sebt, Solomon; Barden, Mathias; Leroux, Eric | Abstract: Case Presentation: A 64-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of left shoulder pain after a mechanical fall from standing. Plain radiography revealed a displaced fracture of the inferior glenoid rim. A computed tomography further characterized the fracture and the patient was taken emergently by an orthopedic surgeon for open reduction and internal fixation.Discussion: Scapula fractures, especially isolated glenoid rim fractures, are rare and most typical of high-energy mechanism traumas. A missed or delayed diagnosis can result in long-term suffering and disability. Awareness of radiographic as well as physical findings and the subsequent classification system described below can optimize outcomes for trauma patients with glenoid fractures.
Neocortical Localization and Thalamocortical Modulation of Neuronal Hyperexcitability in Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a monogenetic form of intellectual disability and autism in which well-established knockout (KO) animal models point to neuronal hyperexcitability and abnormal gamma-frequency physiology as a basis for key illness features. Translating these findings into patients may identify tractable treatment targets. Using a minimum norm estimate of resting state electroencephalography data, we report novel findings in FXS including: 1) increases in gamma activity across functional networks, 2) pervasive changes of theta/alpha activity, indicative of disrupted thalamocortical modulation coupled with elevated gamma power, 3) stepwise moderation of these abnormalities based on female sex and genetic mosaicism, and 4) relationship of this physiology to intellectual disability and anxiety. Our observations extend findings in Fmr1-/- KO mice to patients with FXS and raise a key role for disrupted thalamocortical modulation in local hyperexcitability, a mechanism that has received limited preclinical attention, but has significant implications for understanding fundamental disease mechanisms.
Malignant Hypertension and Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: False Friends

Background Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare hematologic disorder resulting in hemolysis of red blood cells, consumption of platelets, and occlusion of microvasculature. Malignant hypertension is the clinical syndrome of severe elevations in blood pressure and funduscopic hypertensive retinopathy, including bilateral flame-shaped hemorrhage and papilledema. Case report We describe the case of a 63-year-old man who presented with features of TTP and malignant hypertension treated with plasma exchange and developing end-stage renal disease. Conclusions Given the diagnostic uncertainty at presentation, clinicians should quickly intervene to control hypertension and institute plasma exchange as needed.
Experimental philosophy of actual and counterfactual free will intuitions.

Abstract Five experiments suggested that everyday free will and moral responsibility judgments about some hypothetical thought examples differed from free will and moral responsibility judgments about the actual world. Experiment 1 ( N = 106) showed that free will intuitions about the actual world measured by the FAD-Plus poorly predicted free will intuitions about a hypothetical person performing a determined action ( r = .13). Experiments 2–5 replicated this result and found the relations between actual free will judgments and free will judgments about hypothetical determined or fated actions ( rs = .22–.35) were much smaller than the differences between them ( η p 2 = .2–.55). These results put some pressure on theoretical accounts of everyday intuitions about freedom and moral responsibility.
Elderly Poverty and Supppplemental Security Income, 2002–2005

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is the nation’s safety net for the aged, blind, and disabled. SSI receipt is often not reported by individuals interviewed in the Current Population Survey (CPS), the statistical base for the Census Bureau’s annual estimates of poverty rates. In an earlier article, we explored the effect on estimated poverty rates in 2002 of adjusting CPS income reports using administrative data on earnings and benefits from the SSI and Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance programs. We assessed poverty using both the official standard and a “relative” standard based on half of median pretax, posttransfer income. This article extends that work through 2005. We find that including administrative data presents challenges, but under the methodology we adopt, such adjustments lower estimated official poverty overall and increase estimated poverty rates for elderly SSI recipients. Relative poverty rates are much higher than official poverty rates. By any of the applied standards and procedures for income adjustment, poverty changed little over the 2002-2005 interval.
Enterprise Resource Planning Systems: ERP and Electronic Commerce

Electronic commerce has emerged as a critical aspect of doing business. For many firms there is no separating electronic commerce from regular commerce; the two have become increasingly intertwined. For Cisco, orders over the web have increased from less than 10% in 1996 to roughly 85% in 1999. As a result of these dramatic shifts, there has been an equally dramatic set of changes in the way business is done using electronic commerce. Increasingly, firms such as Cisco are using electronic commerce to simplify their business processes and improve customer relationships (Riggs 1999). The electronic commerce phenomenon has occurred at roughly the same time as the ERP phenomenon. Further, both are highly dependent on changes in processes to accommodate the new technology, which leads us to ask: “What are some of the relationships between the two?” This chapter explores that question by first establishing ERP as one of the primary building blocks of electronic commerce and then eliciting the role of ERP in each of a number of major electronic commerce initiatives: order tracing, order configuration, order placing, vendor-managed inventories, build to order, and merge in transit. Building Blocks for Electronic Commerce What are some of the building blocks for electronic commerce? ERP provides a repository for the information. Communication networks facilitate access to the information. Wide availability and easy-to-use access make it possible to get ERP information over the Internet.
Latin squares and their defining sets

A Latin square $L(n,k)$ is a square of order $n$ with its entries colored with $k$ colors so that all the entries in a row or column have different colors. Let $d(L(n,k))$ be the minimal number of colored entries of an $n \times n$ square such that there is a unique way of coloring of the yet uncolored entries in order to obtain a Latin square $L(n, k)$. In this paper we discuss the properties of $d(L(n,k))$ for $k=2n-1$ and $k=2n-2$. We give an alternate proof of the identity $d(L(n, 2n-1))=n^2-n$, which holds for even $n$, and we establish the new result $d(L(n, 2n-2)) \geq n^2-\lfloor\frac{8n}{5}\rfloor$ and show that this bound is tight for $n$ divisible by 10.
Comment on Eggertsson, \"What fiscal policy is effective at zero interest rates?\"

Gauti B. Eggertsson's paper (published in NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2010) represents an important contribution to the analysis of fiscal policy in the New Keynesian model when the zero lower bound on the nominal interest rate is binding. The paper accomplishes a great deal. It analyzes two types of taxes on capital and labor, the investment tax credit, a sales tax, and two types of government spending. It deserves to be an important reference on fiscal policy in a binding zero lower bound. In my discussion, I focus on the subset of Eggertsson's results that initially surprised me and that I think will surprise many other readers too.
Object-Oriented Programming: Regaining the Excitement

This paper is based on a speech delivered at the ECOOP'98 Conference Banquet. It is not a literal transcription of my talk, since no recording was made, but has been reconstructed ex post facto based upon my speaker's notes and my memory. I have also taken the opportunity to add some headings and references.
Limited variation across two chloroplast genomes with finishing chloroplast genome of Capsella grandiflora

The complete chloroplast genome of Capsella grandiflora is finished in this study, which consists of 154 638 base pairs (bp) in size containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) of 26 462 bp each and a small and large single-copies (SSC and LSC) of 17 835 and 83 879 bp, respectively. The overall GC content is 36.54% and the GC contents of LSC, IRs, and SSC are 34.34%, 42.38%, and 29.61% separately. The gene contents and numbers are the same with other two published species in genus Capsella with 112 annotated unique genes including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Among these, 16 are duplicated in the inverted repeat regions, 15 genes contained one intron, and three genes (rps12, clpP, and ycf3) comprising two introns. Based on the whole genome comparison, only 28 SNPs and 16 Indels (insertion and deletion) are detected between two closed relatives' chloroplast genomes.
Bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase. Complete amino acid sequence.

Abstract The complete primary structure of reduced and S-carboxy-methylated bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase has been derived through analysis of peptides from peptic, plasmin, and hydroxylamine digests of the intact polypeptide chain, and from chymotryptic, subtilisin, and dilute acid digests of derived peptides. From these data, the following unique amino acid sequence of 151 residues was deduced, corresponding to a molecular weight of 15,600, in each of the 2 apparently identical subunits of the protein molecule. (Cmc denotes S-carboxymethylcysteine.) [see PDF for equation]
A hybrid watermark for tamper detection in digital images

A new hybrid image authentication watermark obtained as a combination of a fragile and a robust watermark is presented. The fragile watermark has good localization and security properties but cannot be used to distinguish malicious changes, such as feature adding or removal, from innocent image processing operations. The hybrid watermark can be used to accurately pinpoint changes as well as distinguish malicious tamper from innocent operations. The authentication can be done without accessing any information about the original image. Examples of tamper detection on real imagery are given. Powerful publicly available image processing software packages such as Adobe PhotoShop or PaintShop Pro make digital forgeries a reality. Feathered cropping enables replacing or adding features without causing detectable edges. It is also possible to carefully cut out portions of several images and combine them together while leaving barely detectable traces. Thus, the classical forensic techniques are not readily applicable to digital imagery.
Plasma Proteomic Signature in Overweight Girls Closely Correlates with Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA), an Objective Measure of Insulin Resistance.

Obesity is known to be associated with a large number of long-term morbidities, and while in some cases the relationship of obesity and the consequences is clear (for example, excess weight and lower extremity orthopedic problems) in others the mechanism is not as clear. One common system of categorizing overweight in terms of the likelihood of negative consequences involves using the concept of “metabolic syndrome”. We hypothesized that the development of a plasma protein profile of overweight adolescents with and without the metabolic syndrome might give a more precise and informative picture of the disease process than the current clinical categorization and permit early targeted intervention. For this paper, we used antibody microarrays to analyze the plasma proteome of a group of 15 overweight female adolescent patients. Upon analysis of the proteome, the overweight patients diverged from the nonoverweight female controls. Furthermore, the overweight patients were divided by the analysis into two population clusters, each with distinctive protein expression patterns. Interestingly, the clusters were characterized by differences in insulin resistance, as measured by HOMA. Categorization according to the presence or absence of the metabolic syndrome did not yield such clusters.
Termination detection for dynamically distributed systems with non-first-in-first-out communication

Abstract We propose a new algorithm for detecting termination of distributed systems. The algorithm works correctly whether the system is static or dynamic, whether the interprocess communication is synchronous or asynchronous, and whether the communication channels are first-in-first-out or not. The algorithm requires, in the worst case, O ( nm ) control messages in all, where n is the number of processes in the system and m is the total number of messages transmitted during the operation of the system. After the system terminates, the algorithm is able to detect the termination using only O ( n ) control messages; it is optimal if the system concerned is static.
Nitric oxide synthases: Roles, tolls, and controls

Carl Nathan and Qiao-wen Xie Beatrice and Samuel Seaver Laboratory Department of Medicine Cornell University Medical College New York, New York 10021 Imagine it’s 1985. You’ve joined an environmentally con- scious friend at a sidewalk cafe. Your companion is irked that traffic has fouled the air with nitric oxide (NO). Be- cause your imagination was piqued by a paper in the Pro- ceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reporting inorganic nitrite production by activated macrophages (StuehrandMarietta, 1985),youcounteryourfriend’scom- plaint with a prediction that the next ten years will bring forth evidence that NO is produced in slime molds, locusts, beetles, horseshoe crabs, mollusks, chickens, mice, rats, cows, and humans (Eiphick et al., 1993; Geiperin, 1994; Lee et al., 1994; Nathan and Xie, 1994; Werner-Feimayer et al., 1994). if so, your friend retorts, this would be no more than eukaryotic smog, a waste product of L-arginine metabolism. You concede that L-arginine-derived NO and its oxidation products will be excreted in people’s saliva, breath, and urine, but you insist NO is an autacoid, not a byproduct. Its physiologic roles will be at least as protean as those discovered for corticosteroids in the 194Os- 1980s and eicosanoids in the 196Os-198Os- ail three the products of hemecontaining oxygenases. You speculate that NO will regulate the following: tran- scription factor activation; translation of mRNAs controi- ling Fe metabolism; mutagenesis; apoptosis; giycolysis and mitochondriai electron transport; protein acyiation; deoxynucieotide synthesis; fusion of myObiaSt8; adhesion of platelets and neutrophiis; proliferation of myeloid pro- genitors T cells, keratinocytes, and tumor ceils; release of pituitary hormones; the tone of bronchi and sphincters; the contractions of
Ubiquitous and pervasive application design

The design and development of ubiquitous and pervasive applications require new operational models that can permit an efficient use of resources and services and a reduction of the need for the administration effort typical in client-to-server networks. In ubiquitous computing, the main objective is to provide users the ability to access services and resources all the time and irrespective to their location, while in pervasive computing, the main objective is to provide spontaneous emergent services created on the fly by mobiles that interact by ad hoc connections. Service discovery and composition in ubiquitous and pervasive environments requires dealing with several issues such as service matching and selection, coordination and management, scalability, fault tolerance, and adaptive approaches to users' contexts and network conditions. Gabers' classification of interaction paradigms emphasizes two alternative paradigms to the traditional client-to-server paradigm (CSP) to design and implement Ubiquitous and Pervasive applications, which are the Adaptive Services-to-Client Paradigm (SCP) and the Spontaneous Service Emergence Paradigm (SEP). These paradigms involve context awareness, auto-adaptive and emergence principles that could be implemented by self-organizing and reactive intelligent networks.This talk will survey the service discovery and composition methods. We will present the service-oriented architecture principles with service description languages, in particular, syntactic and semantic description languages and ontologies. We will demonstrate how to develop applications that suit ubiquitous and pervasive environments. We will also highlight new research directions that can leverage the tremendous potential of this new category of applications.
Iodine Deficiency Disorders in the Iodine-Replete Environment

Abstract Background Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) constitute significant public health problems in parts of the world with poor iodine nutrition, but have been eradicated in North America and other regions. We herein report 3 cases of IDD, which occurred in women living in iodine-replete environments. Methods The clinical presentation, biochemical findings, and radiological features of the patients were analyzed and presented in 3 case reports. The radiological features are illustrated in sonographic and scintigraphic images. A literature review and discussion, which highlight the risk factors, pathogenesis, ancillary investigations, and rational treatment of iodine deficiency goiter and hypothyroidism are provided. Results All 3 patients were young women, aged 24 to 38 years, who had goiter. Two of them presented with goitrous hypothyroidism. Radioactive iodine scintigraphy showed a characteristic finding of diffusely increased uptake (in the absence of clinical and biochemical evidence of hyperthyroidism). This scintigraphic pattern was found to be pathognomonic. Dietary iodine supplementation alone resulted in complete remission of IDD in the subjects, including the 2 patients with hypothyroidism. Conclusion IDD can occur in iodine-replete environments. A high index of suspicion is needed to recognize these cases. It is pertinent that the correct diagnosis be made to avoid unwarranted life-long thyroxine therapy in patients presenting with goiter and hypothyroidism, which is easily treatable with iodized salt. These cases underscore the need for considering iodine deficiency in the etiologic diagnosis of goiter and hypothyroidism, even in iodine-sufficient regions.
A Multidisciplinary Study to Monitor Mycotoxins in Egypt

AbstractIn the last few years, an increase in the number of human liver and kidney diseases in Egypt has been reported. This initiated a multidisciplinary study to disclose the possible role of aflatoxins and ochratoxins in the high incidence of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in Egypt.The first phase of this study was to establish a protocol to detect mycotoxins in foods and animal feeds. In four independent studies, the following results have been accomplished:1. Aflatoxins screening in over 1500 mixed animal feeds throughout Egypt.2. Ochratoxins screening in over 200 animal feeds in Mansoura.3. Multimycotoxin detection and quantification of Egyptian foods and feeds.4. Local survey for aflatoxins in over 150 food samples from Mansoura, Egypt.In the first study, a total of 1503 of commercially mixed feeds, cereal grains, milk replacers, protein concentrates and processed animal feeds were collected during the years 1991–1994 from commercial mills and animal feeding stores located throughout Egypt. Afla...
Peripheral occlusive disease may provide the highest hospital margins despite rising costs

Objective The objective of this study was to review vascular surgical financial trends in a tertiary care setting and to evaluate the impact of a vascular program within a health care system in the face of lower reimbursements and rising costs. Methods With use of Current Procedural Terminology codes and diagnosis-related groups, vascular categories of aortic disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral occlusive disease (POCD) were identified at an academic tertiary health care center. Hospital margins were calculated for each of the defined categories by Health Quest cost accounting data cross-walked with Current Procedural Terminology codes, date of service, and admitting physician for each year from 2010 to 2012. Results All categories realized volume growth and a positive margin for the hospital. In comparison of 2010 and 2012, aortic cases showed an overall volume growth of 19%, revenue increase of 31%, and cost increase of 54%, resulting in an overall margin decrease of 7%. Cerebrovascular cases showed a 30% increase in volume growth, revenue increase of 13%, and cost increase of 5%, resulting in a margin increase of 18%. POCD cases showed overall volume growth of 35%, revenue increase of 37%, cost increase of 54%, and a margin increase of 15%. The margin for POCD exceeded the margin for aortic and cerebrovascular cases combined by 77%. Conclusions In evaluating a vascular program's fiscal viability, volume-driven POCD was the only category producing growing hospital margins in the face of significant cost increases.
Fabrication of guided mode resonance filters on conformal surfaces

The guided mode resonance (GMR) phenomena has been studied and exploited for applications in sensors, polarizers, dichroic laser mirrors, and more. These micro-optical structures serve as highly functional devices capable of narrowband spectral filtering. Their relatively simple design includes a subwavelength periodically modulated index layer and a waveguiding layer. This configuration yields efficient and easily tunable devices over a broad range of wavelengths. Currently GMR filters have been fabricated exclusively on flat surfaces. In this paper, we demonstrate fabrication of GMR filters on conformal surfaces using non-traditional techniques. Flexible molds are used as replication templates in a micro-transfer molding process. SU-8 negative photoresist serves as the molded polymer with good thermal characteristics compatible with subsequent deposition of dielectric layers. Fabrication procedures for GMR filters at near-IR wavelengths on concave lens surfaces are discussed, and initial experimental results are presented.
A dynamic spatial gradient of Hebbian learning in dendrites.

Backpropagating action potentials (bAPs) are an important signal for associative synaptic plasticity in many neurons, but they often fail to fully invade distal dendrites. In this issue of Neuron, Sjostrom and Hausser show that distal propagation failure leads to a spatial gradient of Hebbian plasticity in neocortical pyramidal cells. This gradient can be overcome by cooperative distal synaptic input, leading to fundamentally distinct Hebbian learning rules for distal versus proximal synapses.
Mass Transfer in the Neighborhood of Jets Entering a Crossflow

The mass-transfer coefficient in the neighborhood of a row of jets entering a cross flow is determined by measuring the local sublimation rate from a naphthalene surface. This mass transfer relates directly to the heat transfer that would occur on a film-cooled wall. The experiments indicate that jets significantly increase the transfer coefficient in the neighborhood of the holes through which the jets emanate—in particular, immediately adjacent to the holes and also some distance downstream of the centerlines of the holes.
Impossible nativizations as phonological evidence and the explanation of constraints on phonological structure

It has been argued in a number of studies that the facts of loan phonology in Japanese and in Miami Cuban Spanish provide strong support for David Stampe's theory (see especially Stampe, 1973, Donegan & Stampe, 1979) of ‘natural phonology’ (cf. Ohso, 1971 Lovins, 1973, 1974; Bjarkman, 1976). To the evidence adduced in these studies, I would like to add some evidence from English. The English evidence is especially compelling, since it involves not only actual nativizations, but (intuitions about) IMPOSSIBLE nativizations.
Design and energy characteristics of a multisegment glass-disk amplifier

Multi-segment disk amplifiers (MSA) are of particular interest in fusion laser systems because of the improved efficiency and compactness they offer compared with conventional disk amplifiers. A multisegment amplifier consists of two or more conventional disk amplifiers which share one or more common flash-lamp arrays. Each 'segment' amplifies one 'beamlet.' A 2 x 2 MSA can therefore amplify four beamlets. The shared flash-lamp arrays, lacking large reflectors, pump the disks more efficiently because of reduced lamp self-absorption. Furthermore, the reduction of reflector surface area per unit disk area reduces absorptive losses of pump light. The authors have constructed a 2 x 2 MSA with individual beamlet apertures of 24 cm. Each aperture contains five phosphate glass disks. This device is designed to be angularly double-passed by a 20-cm beam. Design details and rationale are presented. The energy transport performance of the amplifier was measured in both small- and large-signal regimes. A nominal small-signal gain of 11.8 was measured. The storage efficiency exceeded 3.5% at the nominal operating point. The amplifier was deployed as a booster for one beamline of the OMEGA laser system at the University of Rochester. In that configuration, 950 J of focusable energy was obtained from a single segment in a 800-ps pulse at 130-J drive. Details of these measurements are presented.
The Time Variable in Phonological Change.

One of the perennial problems in diachronic linguistics is how to reconcile, on the one hand, the Neogrammarian postulate of sound laws operating without exception, and, on the other hand, the embarrassingly numerous irregularities we observe in many languages. On most occasions linguists have attempted to solve the problem by positing interdialectal borrowing or analogical levelling and have largely overlooked the possibility of the gradual diffusion of phonological changes across the lexicon. As a result of the lexical gradualness of sound changes, exceptions may be created either through the incompletion of a sound change, or owing to the conflict of two sound changes overlapping along the time dimension. It is the latter concept that we will attempt to elaborate and illustrate with two sets of data, both from Peking dialect. We have chosen Chinese as a case study for an obvious reason: it is possible in the case of Chinese, like few other cases, to follow sound changes step by step through the phonological dictionaries, rhyme charts and other records compiled at various stages of history. The columns on Tables 1 and 2 contain information taken from the various datable phonological dictionaries.