cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pattern discovery in intrusion chains and adversarial movement

Capturing the patterns in adversarial movement can present crucial insight into team dynamics and organization of cybercrimes. This information can be used for additional assessment and comparison of decision making approaches during cyberattacks. In this study, we propose a data-driven analysis based on time series analysis and social networks to identify patterns and alterations in time allocated to intrusion stages and adversarial movements. The results of this analysis on two case studies of collegiate cybersecurity exercises is provided as well as an analytical comparison of their behavioral trends and characteristics. This paper presents preliminary insight into complexities of individual and group level adversarial movement and decision-making as cyberattacks unfold.
Impact of CYP2C9-Interacting Drugs on Warfarin Pharmacogenomics

Precise dosing of warfarin is important to achieve therapeutic benefit without adverse effects. Pharmacogenomics explains some interindividual variability in warfarin response, but less attention has been paid to drug-drug interactions in the context of genetic factors. We investigated retrospectively the combined effects of cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C9 and vitamin K epoxide reductase complex (VKORC)1 genotypes and concurrent exposure to CYP2C9-interacting drugs on long-term measures of warfarin anticoagulation. Study participants predicted to be sensitive responders to warfarin based on CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genotypes, had significantly greater international normalized ratio (INR) variability over time. Participants who were concurrently taking CYP2C9-interacting drugs were found to have greater INR variability and lesser time in therapeutic range. The associations of INR variability with genotype were driven by the subgroup not exposed to interacting drugs, whereas the effect of interacting drug exposure was driven by the subgroup categorized as normal responders. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering drug interactions in pharmacogenomic studies.
A Psychobiography of John F. Kennedy, Jr.: Understanding his Inner Life, Achievements, Struggles, and Courage: by Joseph G. Ponterotto, Springfield, IL, Charles C Thomas Publisher LTD, 2018, 212 pp, $36.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-0253031556

How does someone grow up in the shadows of a famous father and a generational family legacy? How does someone grow up when his famous father has been assassinated in front of him and for the world ...
Autonomic Testing Profiles in Scans without Evidence of Dopaminergic Deficit (SWEDD).

Background Scans without evidence of dopaminergic deficit (SWEDDS) on 123I-FP-CIT SPECT (DAT) can occur in patients with clinical evidence of Parkinsonism. In this patient population, autonomic function testing may elucidate the underlying clinical disorder. Objective To evaluate SWEDD patients undergoing autonomic testing and determine the severity and pattern of autonomic dysfunction. Methods All patients with a diagnosis of SWEDD and formal autonomic function testing at Mayo Clinic, MN were retrospectively reviewed. Autonomic failure was quantified using composite autonomic severity score (CASS). The Modified Hoehn and Yahr score (HYS) determined Parkinsonism severity. Results Of 1,874 patients with DAT imaging at Mayo Clinic, 13 met diagnostic criteria of SWEDD. The median age of symptom onset was 56.0 (IQR 40.5-75.5). Autonomic dysfunction was present in 12/13 on ARS and/or TST. The median CASS was 2.50 (IQR 1.00-3.00). Distal anhidrosis was most common (7/13) while 3/13 had widespread anhidrosis on TST and/or QSART testing. Patients with a distal pattern of anhidrosis had a median score of 3.0 (IQR 2.38-4.25) on the HYS versus 2.0 (IQR 1.00-2.00) for those with a diffuse pattern (p = 0.048). Patients with more advanced Parkinsonism were more likely to respond to L-Dopa, with higher HYS in the dopa-responsive versus non-Dopa-responsive (p = 0.026). No correlation existed between severity of Parkinsonism, and CASS (p = 0.39). Conclusion Autonomic function testing may detect autonomic dysfunction in most patients with SWEDD. The pattern of dysfunction is suggestive of the degree of clinical Parkinsonism, and autonomic testing may predict whether patients with SWEDD respond to L-Dopa.
Pain Status as a Predictor of Smoking Cessation Initiation, Lapse, and Relapse.

INTRODUCTION Pain and cigarette smoking are highly prevalent and frequently co-occurring conditions that interact in the manner of a positive feedback loop. Despite initial evidence that smokers with co-occurring pain may experience greater difficulty quitting, we are unaware of previous research that has tested prospective associations between pain status and the attainment of smoking cessation milestones. AIMS AND METHODS This study examined past 2-week pain status as a predictor of cessation milestones among current smokers who were motivated to quit (Sample 1; N = 301) and smokers who recently initiated a cessation attempt (Sample 2; N = 242). Cessation milestones included initiation of a quit attempt and 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA; Sample 1), lapse/relapse (Sample 2), and 7-day PPA at 2-month follow-up (both samples). Indirect associations between pain status and cessation milestones via confidence in quitting and nicotine withdrawal were also examined. RESULTS Smokers with pain (vs. no pain) were as follows: less likely to initiate a quit attempt and achieve 7-day PPA; more likely to lapse and/or relapse; and less likely to report 7-day PPA at follow-up. Pain status was indirectly associated with latency cessation milestones via confidence in quitting and with latency to lapse via withdrawal severity. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that pain status can predict smoking cessation outcomes. Clinical implications include the need to assess pain in the context of quitting and that smokers with co-occurring pain may benefit from tailored/integrated cessation interventions. IMPLICATIONS A growing empirical literature indicates that the presence of co-occurring pain probably contributes to the maintenance of cigarette dependence. The current results provide novel evidence that smokers with co-occurring past 2-week pain are less likely to initiate a quit attempt and maintain smoking abstinence than smokers without co-occurring pain. These findings suggest that smokers with pain face unique barriers to quitting and underscore the utility of assessing and addressing pain among all smokers who are planning a smoking cessation attempt.
Influence of fine-scale B2 precipitation on dynamic compression and wear properties in hypo-eutectic Al0.5CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy

Abstract The near equi-atomic high-entropy alloys based on Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni have provided a novel microstructural template for alloy design. The face centered cubic (FCC) matrix strengthened by body centered cubic (BCC) based ordered B2 precipitates can be used to develop new generation of precipitation strengthened alloys. The present study focuses on an Al0.5CoCrFeNi hypo-eutectic alloy consisting of an as-solidified FCC + B2 microstructure. Guided by solution thermodynamic modeling, this alloy has been isothermally aged for solid-state precipitation of a high fraction of fine scale intragranular B2 particles. While, the positive influence of B2 on tensile strength, and work hardenability have been published earlier, the current work presents effect of fine scale B2 phase on sliding wear and dynamic compression properties. The flow stress at 0.02% true strain increased from ∼670 MPa to ∼1350 (102%) MPa, the ultimate compressive strength increased from ∼1160 MPa to 1500 MPa (20%), and the wear resistance increased more than 5 times with progressively increasing phase fraction of B2 precipitates.
Inventory Lot-Size Models Under Trade Credits: A Review

Since the publication of the Goyal model in 1985, research on the modeling of inventory lot-size under trade credits has resulted in a body of literature. In this paper, we present a review of the advances in inventory literature under conditions of permissible delay in payments since 1985. We classify all related previous articles into five categories based on: (a) without deterioration, (b) with deterioration, (c) with allowable shortage, (d) linked to order quantity, and (e) with inflation. The motivations, extensions and weaknesses of various previous models have been discussed in brief to bring out pertinent information regarding model developments in the past two decades.
Use of failure modes and effects analysis to mitigate potential risks prior to implementation of an intravenous compounding technology.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify potential failure points in a new chemotherapy preparation technology and to implement changes that prevent or minimize the consequences of those failures before they occur using the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) approach. Methods An FMEA was conducted by a team of medication safety pharmacists, oncology pharmacists and technicians, leadership from informatics, investigational drug, and medication safety services, and representatives from the technology vendor. Failure modes were scored using both Risk Priority Number (RPN) and Risk Hazard Index (RHI) scores. Results The chemotherapy preparation workflow was defined in a 41-step process with 16 failure modes. The RPN and RHI scores were identical for each failure mode because all failure modes were considered detectable. Five failure modes, all attributable to user error, were deemed to pose the highest risk. Mitigation strategies and system changes were identified for 2 failure modes, with subsequent system modifications resulting in reduced risk. Conclusion The FMEA was a useful tool for risk mitigation and workflow optimization prior to implementation of an intravenous compounding technology. The process of conducting this study served as a collaborative and proactive approach to reducing the potential for medication errors upon adoption of new technology into the chemotherapy preparation process.
Optimization of Antibiotic Prophylaxis Delivery for Pediatric Surgical Procedures.

OBJECTIVES To optimize prophylactic antibiotic timing and delivery across all surgeries performed at a single large pediatric tertiary care center. METHODS A multidisciplinary surgical quality team conducted a quality improvement initiative from July 2015 to December 2019 by using the A3 problem-solving method to identify and evaluate interventions for appropriate antibiotic administration. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of surgical encounters for pediatric patients with appropriate timing of antibiotic administration before surgical incision. Surgical site infection rates was the secondary outcome. Intervention effectiveness was assessed by using statistical process control. RESULTS A total of 32 192 eligible surgical cases for pediatric patients were completed during the study period. Identified barriers to timely perioperative antibiotic administration included failure to order antibiotics before the surgical date and lack of antibiotic availability in the operating room at the time of administration. Resulting sequential interventions included updating institutional guidelines to reflect procedure-specific antibiotic choices and clarifying timing of administration to optimize pharmacokinetics, creating a hard-stop antibiotic order within electronic health record case requests, optimizing pharmacy and nursing workflow, and implementing an automatic antibiotic prophylaxis timer in the operating room. Administration of prophylactic antibiotics during the recommended preincision time window significantly improved; the correct timing was recorded in 38.6% of preintervention cases versus 94.0% at the conclusion of rollout of the sequential interventions (P CONCLUSIONS Here we demonstrate utility of the A3 problem-solving schematic to successfully optimize prophylactic antibiotic timing and delivery in the surgical setting for pediatric patients by implementing systems-based interventions.
Foreword — Police Misconduct and Kibbe v. City of Springfield

The Law Review’s 2017 symposium, “Perspectives on Racial Justice in the Era of #BlackLivesMatter,” appropriately opened with a panel that addressed the ongoing challenge of combatting police misconduct, as seen through the lens of Kibbe v. City of Springfield, a civil rights case that unfolded in Western Massachusetts and reached the United States Supreme Court thirty years ago. Kibbe presented the Court with the question of what the proper standard of liability should be for a municipality accused of a civil rights violation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for inadequately training a police officer who violates a person’s civil rights.
DSS-induced inflammation in the colon drives a pro-inflammatory signature in the brain that is ameliorated by prophylactic treatment with the S100A9 inhibitor paquinimod

Abstract Background Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is established to drive pathological sequelae in organ systems outside the intestine, including the central nervous system (CNS). Many patients exhibit cognitive deficits, particularly during disease flare. The connection between colonic inflammation and neuroinflammation remains unclear and characterization of the neuroinflammatory phenotype in the brain during colitis is ill-defined. Methods Transgenic mice expressing a bioluminescent reporter of active caspase-1 were treated with 2% Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS) for 7 days to induce acute colitis, and colonic, systemic and neuroinflammation were assessed. In some experiments, mice were prophylactically treated with paquinimod (ABR-215757) to inhibit S100A9 inflammatory signaling. As a positive control for peripheral-induced neuroinflammation, mice were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Colonic, systemic and brain inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were measured by cytokine bead array (CBA) and Proteome profiler mouse cytokine array. Bioluminescence was quantified in the brain and caspase activation was confirmed by immunoblot. Immune cell infiltration into the CNS was measured by flow cytometry, while light sheet microscopy was used to monitor changes in resident microglia localization in intact brains during DSS or LPS-induced neuroinflammation. RNA sequencing was performed to identify transcriptomic changes occurring in the CNS of DSS-treated mice. Expression of inflammatory biomarkers were quantified in the brain and serum by qRT-PCR, ELISA and WB. Results DSS-treated mice exhibited clinical hallmarks of colitis, including weight loss, colonic shortening and inflammation in the colon. We also detected a significant increase in inflammatory cytokines in the serum and brain, as well as caspase and microglia activation in the brain of mice with ongoing colitis. RNA sequencing of brains isolated from DSS-treated mice revealed differential expression of genes involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses. This inflammatory phenotype was similar to the signature detected in LPS-treated mice, albeit less robust and transient, as inflammatory gene expression returned to baseline following cessation of DSS. Pharmacological inhibition of S100A9, one of the transcripts identified by RNA sequencing, attenuated colitis severity and systemic and neuroinflammation. Conclusions Our findings suggest that local inflammation in the colon drives systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation, and this can be ameliorated by inhibition of the S100 alarmin, S100A9.
Utilization of an emotional intelligence workshop to enhance student pharmacists' self-awareness.

Abstract Background and purpose This study evaluated the impact of an emotional intelligence (EI) workshop as a tool to improve student pharmacists' self-awareness. The primary objectives were to assess the change in student pharmacists' self-awareness as measured by the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire (SAOQ) and identify trends in their self-reflection. Educational activity and setting A four-hour EI workshop was delivered in a first-year required student pharmacist leadership course. The components of the workshop included: an EI assessment via the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i 2.0) administered to student pharmacists outside of class, active learning class time that applied the principles of EI to leadership and group dynamics, and peer-to-peer discussions. Personal results of the EQ-i 2.0 were reviewed individually and in small groups. Student pharmacists completed a self-reflection and EI action plan outside of class. The SAOQ was completed before and after the workshop and the aggregated Likert scales were analyzed by paired t-tests. Findings After two consecutive course offerings of the workshop (N = 100), there was a significant increase in the total SAOQ score as well as a significant increase for the three positive subscales: reflective self-development, acceptance, and proactivity. There was no change in the negative subscale: emotional costs. Student pharmacists positively perceived the workshop and reported that the activities motivated students to improve their interpersonal skills and increase extracurricular involvement. Discussion Implementing an EI workshop is an effective curricular method to improve the affective domain of student development, specifically self-awareness.
Exploring Suicidality on Social Media: Qualitative Analysis of Twitter

This study qualitatively examines the major themes of suicidality expressed on Twitter and the overarching relationships between categories. We collected suicide related tweets using 4 sets of key terms provided in 5 previous studies, followed by qualitative analysis of 8,000 randomly selected tweets. We found a total of 30 categories, which were grouped into three major themes: issues that are related to personal, interpersonal, and societal. Everyday issues, including emotions and relationships were most abundantly discussed through the lens of personal (36%) and interpersonal (14%) perspectives. Individuals also expressed suicidality when discussing diverse societal issues (50%), such as health and politics, and show the importance of the well-being of the general public to suicidality at the individual level.
Advice for Writing a Successful Research Proposal

In this presentation I will describe the tools and methods that I have learned from several mentors and also from experience to write successful grant applications. I will refer to examples of grants I have submitted. From the reviewer’s perspective, almost all grants received by panels are very good and worthy of funding. Not being funded is not an indication that the grant proposal is bad. The challenge is to make the proposal as clear and compelling as possible to make the proposal the top or amongst the top of the competing applications, and therefore funded.
Reconstructing Jewish Identity in Croatia: Towards a Refined Symbolic Ethnicity

This paper has two aims. To begin, it examines whether the symbolic ethnicity model is relevant to identity negotiation among Croatian Jews. In symbolic ethnicity, individuals are not so much interested in the maintenance of traditional lifestyles as they are with choosing how to express cultural identity. In the past, scholars have either employed the model to discuss identity negotiation among ethnics in the United States and other core societies, or they have dismissed it altogether. The second aim describes the existing tension between the self-images of the Croatian Jews and those projected on them by others. Both Croatian "cultural diversity campaigns" and international Jewish support organizations consider Jewish identity to have an essentially religious core. Programs sponsored by these constituencies have constructed pronounced cultural differences between Croatian Jews and non-Jewish Croatians.
Methods of Southern blotting and hybridization

At present, the technique that remains central to RFLP analysis is Southern blotting and hybridization [15]. Briefly, the procedure involves the enzymatic cleavage of DNA with restriction endonucleases, the separation of the resultant fragments by electrophoresis through an agarose gel and the transfer of the fragments from the gel to a membrane that binds nucleic acids. The fragments are transferred in a single-stranded state by treating the gel with alkali which disrupts the hydrogen bonding between the native double-stranded DNA. The membrane-bound DNA is then hybridized in solution to specific radio labelled DNA sequences (probes) that anneal to complementary sequences on the membrane. Through autoradiography, one or a few fragments can be visualized separately from the very large number of fragments that make up a complex genome.
Fatigue delamination onset prediction in unidirectional tapered laminates

Tapered (0 deg) laminates of S2/CE9000 and S2/SP250 glass/epoxies, and IM6/1827I graphite/epoxy were tested in cyclic tension. The specimens usually showed some initial stable delaminations in the tapered region, but these did not affect the stiffness of the specimens, and loading was continued until the specimens either delaminated unstably, or reached 10(exp 6) to 2 x 10 (exp 7) million cycles with no unstable delamination. The final unstable delamination originated at the junction of the thin and tapered regions. A finite-element model was developed for the tapered laminate with and without the initial stable delaminations observed in the tests. The analysis showed that for both cases the most likely place for an opening (Mode I) delamination to originate is at the junction of the taper and thin regions. For each material type, the models were used to calculate the strain energy release rate, G, associated with delaminations originating at that junction and growing either into the thin region or tapered region. For the materials tested, cyclic G(sub Imax) values from DCB tests were used with the maximum strain energy release rates calculated from the finite-element analysis to predict the onset of unstable delamination at the junction as a function of fatigue cycles. The predictions were compared to experimental values of maximum cyclic load as a function of cycles to unstable delamination from fatigue tests in tapered laminates. For the IM6/1827I and S2/SP250 laminates, the predictions agreed very well with the test data. Predicted values for the S2/CE9000 were conservative compared to the test data.
Characterization of a gene cluster for exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and virulence in Erwinia stewartii.

We have previously cloned the genes for synthesis of capsular polysaccharide (cps) and slime from Erwinia stewartii in cosmid pES2144. In this study, pES2144 was shown to complement 14 spontaneous cps mutants. These mutants were characterized by probing Southern blots of mutant genomic DNA with pES2144; insertions were detected in four mutants and deletions in six mutants. Genetic and physical maps of the pES2144 cps region were constructed by subcloning, restriction analysis, and transposon mutagenesis with Tn5, Tn5lac, and Tn3HoHo1. Mutations affecting the ability of pES2144 to restore mucoidy to cps deletion mutants were located in five regions, designated cpsA to cpsE. None of the cps mutants were able to cause systemic wilting of corn plants, and mutations in cps regions B to E further abolished the ability of the bacterium to cause watersoaked lesions on seedlings. The gene for uridine-59-diphosphogalactose 4-epimerase (galE) was linked to the cps genes on pES2144. In E. stewartii, galE was constitutively expressed, whereas the genes for galactokinase (galK) and galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (galT) were inducible and not linked to galE. Thus, galE does not appear to be part of the gal operon in this species. Images
Modulation of radiative heating by the Madden-Julian Oscillation and convectively coupled Kelvin waves as observed by CloudSat

[1] The vertical distribution of radiative heating affects the moist static energy budget and potentially the maintenance and propagation of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). This paper uses CloudSat data to examine the radiative heating climatology in the tropics and the vertical structure of its modulation by the MJO and convectively coupled Kelvin Waves (KWs). Composites of active regions of the MJO and KW both show positive radiative heating anomaly in the middle and lower troposphere and slightly negative radiative heating anomaly in upper troposphere. Such bottom-heavy profiles can help to strengthen the MJO while weaken the KWs. Another finding is that cloud condensate anomalies associated with the MJO are significantly more bottom-heavy than those of the KWs, while the radiative heating anomalies associated with the MJO are only very slightly more bottom-heavy.
Regularized Knowledge-Based Kernel Machine

This paper presents a knowledge-based kernel classification model for binary classification of sets or objects with prior knowledge. The prior knowledge is in the form of multiple polyhedral sets belonging to one or two classes, and it is introduced as additional constraints into a regularized knowledge-based optimization problem. The resulting formulation leads to a least squares problem that can be solved using matrix or iterative methods. To evaluate the model, the experimental laminar & turbulent flow data and the Reynolds number equation used as prior knowledge were used to train and test the proposed model.
Clinical utility of endorectal MRI-guided prostate biopsy: Preliminary experience

Purpose To investigate the potential clinical utility of endorectal MRI-guided biopsy in patients with known or suspected prostate cancer.
Experimentally induced complement and immunoglobulin deposition along the basement membrane zone (BMZ) and in dermal blood vessels

SUMMARY Clinically normal forearm skin often subjects was abraded and biopsied at 24 h and at 5 and 10 day intervals. Biopsy specimens were processed for routine histology and direct immunofluorescence. All ten subjects showed deposition of complement either in the blood vessels and/or along the basement membrane zone 24 h after injury. IgM deposition was found along the BMZ in two patients and in the blood vessels of the papillary dermis in one patient. This immunofluorescence staining was considered a non-specific reaction pattern to injury.
American ginseng preferentially suppresses STAT/iNOS signaling in activated macrophages

Aim of the study Ginseng has been used as general tonic for thousands of years in Asia and becomes a popular herbal medicine all over the world. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its benefit effects are less explored. Thus, we investigated the effect of a crude extract from Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) on suppression of pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages with a focus on signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling.
Exchange of plasminogen activator between solution and intima

Abstract Intimal plasminogen activator depleted by mechanical injury can be restored by soaking the damaged vein in urine plasminogen activator (urokinase). This restoration occurs with little or no change in the urokinase soaking solution's other activities, vasodilation and fibrinolysis. There is some transfer of intimal plasminogen activator into solution enhancing its vasodilation and fibrinolysis. These exchanges between intimal and urine plasminogen activator activities may indicate biological and even molecular similarities between these plasminogen activators. Restoration of depleted intimal plasminogen activator may be important in clinical medicine.
The precision of an estimator due to ryan

Ryan (1974) presents a method of estimating the mean of a symmetric distribution when observations are recorded in classes of common width h, and when some of the observations may be repeats of earlier observations (the extent of which is unknown). (In other words, if a class contains two observations, the investigator is unsure as to whether they arose from two distinct subjects or the same subject twice.) Ryan’s results, as presented, do not permit one to construct asymptotic confidence intervals for the mean. In this note, we solve this problem.
Study of a floating fraction obtained during preparation of myelin from degenerating goldfish optic tract.

A floating fraction that layers on top of 0.25 sucrose has been obtained during the preparation of myelin from intact and 9 day degenerating goldfish optic tracts. The proportion of total tract protein isolated in floating fraction rises from 6.6% to 11.0% during degeneration. This increase is paralleled by a morphologically observed splitting of myelin lamellae. Floating fraction contains all of the major myelin proteins but shows a 40% increase in the proportion of basic protein and a 2–3 fold decrease in the proportion of IP proteins (intermediate molecular weight glycoproteins) and a 36 Kd (X) protein. The lipid to protein ratio is slightly higher in floating fraction than myelin. Lipid composition is characterized by 1/2–1/3 the myelin levels of galactolipids and twofold increased levels of triglycerides and cholesterol esters. Electron microscopy of floating fraction shows a mixture of myelin fragments with few lamellae and single membrane fragments. Taken together the results indicate that floating fraction in the degenerating goldfish optic tract is at least partially derived from the breakdown of myelin.
Pulmonary embolism and Takotsubo syndrome in tandem: an interplay of pathologies needing our vigilance.

transient right heart failure due to pulmonary embolism (PE), followed by left heart failure due to Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) within 48 h, after the patient was informed about her colon cancer, is intriguing and thought provoking. The authors appropriately ascribed the emergence of TTS to the patient’s PE and/or emotional distress upon learning about her associated metastatic to the liver colon cancer. Similarly there are currently reports of patients suffering TTS after admission with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). 2 Clinicians should be vigilant to detect TTS in patients with well established afflictions, involving both the left and right ventricles, instead of only being consumed by efforts to differentiate TTS from ACS, or other morbidities. Both emotional stress related to the diagnoses of various diseases and/or the nonspecifi cp hysical disstress underlying such diseases, can conspire to result in TTS. It is conceivable that this tandem occurrence of various cardiac pathologies with TTS may be quite frequent, and currently underdiagnosed, particularly when the associated TTS is of a milder form. In addition one wonders whether in cases of PE and ACS there is a “secondary” TTS component, superimposed on the “primary” pathology. Accordingly, is it possible that some transient unexplainable left ventricular wall motion abnormalities involving the contralateral territories impacted by the “primary” pathology in patients with ACS, or a portion of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with PE, is due to TTS. We all should be evaluating our patients along this line of thought, employing frequent serial echocardiography.
Power-efficient and fault-tolerant circuits and systems

As devices become smaller, circuits and systems are more vulnerable to soft errors caused by radiation and other environmental upsets. Fault tolerance measured by mean time to failure (MTTF) is desired, especially if no extra area, power and delay and little change of the existing design flow are introduced. Using FPGA as a testbed, this paper first presents fault tolerance techniques applying (1) logic don't care and path re-convergence (ROSE) and (2) in-place logic re-writing (IPR). Both increase MTTF by 2X with little or no overhead. Particularly, IPR does not change circuit placement and routing, and can be readily used with the existing industrial design flow. It also leads to a self evolution method to enhance fault tolerance for FPGA based circuits and systems. The ideas presented in the paper can be extend to handle regular logic fabrics, which are natural to nano-technologies and are also preferred by design for manufacturability (DFM) in scaled CMOS technologies1.
Problem‐based learning in medicine and beyond: A brief overview

This chapter reviews the motivation for the change to problem-based learning, its definition, and the educational objectives it can serve. It discusses changing an established curriculum to problem-based learning and asks whether problem-based learning is worth the trouble.
Synthetic time and space resolved spectra including doppler splitting from simulations of stainless steel and argon pinches on Z

A two-dimensional radiation MHD model that includes a self-consistent calculation for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium kinetics and ray-trace radiation transport1 is employed to simulate 65 mm diameter stainless steel double wire array Z machine experiments of 5.0 mg - shot Z1859 and 2.5 mg - shot Z1860 as well as 8 cm diameter, 2.5 mg, argon gas-puff experiments, shots Z2259 - Z2261. Temporal and spatial knowledge of the atomic populations, ion temperatures, and velocities obtained from these calculations allows us to then apply (post-process) detailed multifrequency ray-trace radiation transport, including Doppler effects, to construct time- and axially- or radially-resolved synthetic spectra. Calculated spectra, with and without Doppler effects, for He-like iron and H-like argon near the time of peak emission are compared with experimental data in order to better understand and illustrate time dependent Doppler effects influence on observed spectra.
A Local Poisson Graphical Model for Inferring Networks From Sequencing Data

Gaussian graphical models, a class of undirected graphs or Markov Networks, are often used to infer gene networks based on microarray expression data. Many scientists, however, have begun using high-throughput sequencing technologies such as RNA-sequencing or next generation sequencing to measure gene expression. As the resulting data consists of counts of sequencing reads for each gene, Gaussian graphical models are not optimal for this discrete data. In this paper, we propose a novel method for inferring gene networks from sequencing data: the Local Poisson Graphical Model. Our model assumes a Local Markov property where each variable conditional on all other variables is Poisson distributed. We develop a neighborhood selection algorithm to fit our model locally by performing a series of l1 penalized Poisson, or log-linear, regressions. This yields a fast parallel algorithm for estimating networks from next generation sequencing data. In simulations, we illustrate the effectiveness of our methods for recovering network structure from count data. A case study on breast cancer microRNAs (miRNAs), a novel application of graphical models, finds known regulators of breast cancer genes and discovers novel miRNA clusters and hubs that are targets for future research.
Mechanical failure mechanisms in ceramic sliding and rolling contacts

In aiding engineers and material scientists to develop more wear resistant ceramics, the wear properties, wear characteristics, and modes of failure must be better understood. The purpose of this paper is to examine fundamentals of the wear of ceramics, to present methodology needed to describe wear mechanisms in ceramics, and to point out where experimental research is needed to guide theoretical work. The stresses at asperities and pores, and the stresses due to thermal gradients are briefly explored to show the complexity of developing wear models. Definitions of wear modes are proposed to clarify usage of terminology. Finally, research recommendations are given to aid present and future researchers who are presently investigating and planning on entering this field. Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California May 11–14, 1987
Discriminatory buckpassing: Delegating transmission of bad news☆

Abstract Subjects were assigned the role of personnel manager while a confederate served as their assistant in an experiment having implications for organizational hierarchies. Their task was to test a job applicant (confederate) and, based on his (rigged) passing/failing performance, to inform him of whether he would be hired for a (bogus) USDA position. Managers also had to decide whether to tell the good or bad news directly to the applicant or to delegate (buckpass) the telling to their assistant. After the first candidate left, a second arrived unexpectedly. It was predicted that managers would initially adopt the preferred role of discriminatory buckpassing (telling good news directly, buckpassing on bad news), but would see the second candidate's arrival as an opportunity to achieve equity with their assistant. There was no evidence of equitable behavior. Instead, discriminatory buckpassing occurred to a nonsignificant extent on the first candidate and to a significant extent on the second.
Optimal choice of monetary policy instruments when policymaking is costly

Poole's analysis of the optimal choice of monetary policy instruments assumes that stochastic disturbances are temporary, that a monetary authority determines instrument settings each period, and that policymaking is a costless activity. This paper considers an environment in which shocks are cumulative, the monetary authority precommits to instrument settings for an interval of its own choosing, and the authority incurs costs when it adjusts its instrument settings. The key result that arises in this framework is that costs of policymaking generally induce a monetary authority either to choose a socially suboptimal policy instrument or to adjust its policy instrument settings over time in a manner that appears to be inefficient.
Out-of-body experiences and the mind-body problem

Abstract It is widely assumed: (1) that out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are a species of dissociative hallucination (the thesis of Internalism); (2) that any evidence for actual out-of-body ventures (the thesis of Externalism) would support a bankrupt philosophy of mind, namely, Cartesian Dualism; and that, consequently, (3) OBEs are no more relevant for the mind-body problem than are dreams. I argue that all three assumptions are false. In particular, I show that the case for Internalism has not been made, the case for Externalism can be made (OBEs are testable), and that any empirical evidence for Externalism is not only logically incompatible with metaphysical dualism but also suggests the need for an expanded naturalistic theory of mind. Consequently, OBEs are relevant to the mind-body problem in a significant way.
Self-reported hand symptoms: a role in monitoring health care workers for latex sensitization?

Abstract Background The use of powdered natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves increased greatly in the 1980s because of concerns about transmission of blood-borne infections and the subsequent implementation of universal precautions. The most common clinical reactions to glove use are irritant and T-cell–mediated contact dermatitis. However, IgE-mediated immediate reactions to latex have become a serious concern for health care workers (HCWs). The diagnosis of latex allergy requires a comprehensive medical history and diagnostic tests. The skin prick test is the preferred diagnostic method, although it can be time-consuming. Objective To determine the role of hand symptoms reported on questionnaires in monitoring HCWs for latex sensitization. Methods Questionnaires were completed by 804 HCWs at 2 hospitals. Using a positive skin prick test (SPT) result as a criterion standard of latex sensitization, the diagnostic performance of hand symptoms was evaluated. Results Increasing latex glove use was strongly related to increasing reports of hand symptoms. Hand symptoms were highly associated with glove-related respiratory and systemic symptoms. A positive SPT result was seen in 5% of HCWs and increased with the number of hand symptoms: 0 (1.6%), 1 to 2 (3.4%), and 3 to 7 (19.0%). Participants reporting more than 2 hand symptoms were 11 times more likely to have positive SPT results compared with those with 2 or fewer hand symptoms. Conclusion Hand symptoms are closely associated with latex sensitization. Questionnaires should be useful in health monitoring for HCWs who use latex gloves.
Arthroscopic repair of the torn triangular fibrocartilage complex

Abstract Triangular fibrocartilage (TFC) tears of the wrist can cause significant pain and functional limitation. Arthroscopic repair of peripheral tears is an appealing option. An inside-out Tuohy needle technique is described for peripheral ulnar-sided TFC tears. A meniscal needle technique is described for radial-sided TFC tears. These two operative techniques provide a minimally invasive approach to a problem which has traditionally been addressed with an open procedure.
Critical analysis of complications after robotic-assisted radical cystectomy with identification of preoperative and operative risk factors

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To better characterize short- and long-term complications in patients after robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RRC) using standardized complications-reporting systems, and to identify preoperative and operative risk factors predicting their occurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS Data were collected for 79 consecutive patients with bladder cancer undergoing RRC with extracorporeal urinary diversion by one surgeon at our institution. Complications occurring ≤90 days after RRC were graded according to two standardized reporting methods (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Modified Clavien), and additionally stratified by organ system. Nineteen preoperative and operative variables were tested by univariate analysis for association with the occurrence of one or more postoperative complications. Variables with a significant (P < 0.05) or near-significant (P < 0.20) association on univariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis to identify independent risk factors. RESULTS Patients were of relatively poor health, with 58% having an American Society of Anesthesiology class or Charlson Index score of ≥3. Advanced bladder disease was frequent (41% had pT3/pT4). After RRC, one or more complications occurred within 90 days of surgery for 39/79 (49%) patients. The vast majority of complications were low grade (79%), and mostly infectious (41%) or gastrointestinal (27%). Sixteen high-grade complications occurred in 13/79 (16%) patients. Urinary obstruction, abscess, enteric fistula, gastrointestinal bleeding and thromboembolism constituted most of the high-grade complications, nearly half (seven of 16) of which occurred 31–90 days after RRC. On multivariate analysis, only preoperative renal insufficiency and intraoperative intravenous (i.v.) fluids of >5000 mL were significantly associated with postoperative complications of any grade, with respective odds ratios (ORs) of 4.2 and 4.1. For high-grade complications, significant independent risk factors included an age of ≥65 years, operative blood loss of ≥500 mL and intraoperative i.v. fluids of >5000 mL, with respective ORs of 12.7, 9.7 and 42.1. CONCLUSION Even among relatively sick patients with frequent advanced disease, the vast majority of complications after RRC are low grade. High-grade complications are infrequent and similar in nature to high-grade events after open RC, and a notable proportion may occur at >30 days after RRC underscoring the importance of longer reporting intervals. The surgeon’s ability to limit blood loss and i.v. fluids during RRC may provide effective risk reduction, particularly for high-grade events.
STUDIES ON FLOWDYNAMICS OF FALLING FILMS OF WATER AND ITS EFFECT ON CLEANING OF STAINLESS STEEL

SUMMARY— Factors such as inclination angle of the test surface, flow rate and temperature and composition of cleaning solutions were examined for their influence on cleaning an 18-in.-wide sheet of No. 4 finish stainless steel by gravity flow of falling films of water and detergent solutions. A suspension of B. subtilis spores was used to contaminate the test surface. After a cleaning treatment, the percentage of spores remaining as measured by a direct surface agar plate method IDSAPI was used to calculate cleaning efficiency. Flows of water and cleaning solutions ranged from 50 to 250 lb/min. After detergent solutions, a post-rinse with water at 100°F for 5 min was used. Another setup with a smaller plate and a constant flow rate of 45 lb/min was used to study the effect on cleaning of varying plate angle between the limits of 60 degrees either side of vertical. Washing time was standardized at 10 min for the large plate and 15 min for the smaller one. Results indicated that cleaning improved with temperature, flow rate and with the presence of acid or alkaline cleaning agents. Cleaning was most effective when the plates were in the vertical position.
The Effects of Videogame Playing on Neuropsychological Performance of Elderly Individuals

To determine the effects of sensory-perceptual stimulation (videogame playing) on neuropsychological performance, measures of reaction time (RT), visual sensitivity, cognition, and affect were obtained from 60 healthy 60- to 79-year-old individuals before and after their 11-week participation in videogame (VG) playing, movie viewing, or as controls. Only RT demonstrated an activity specific change, being significantly faster at posttesting for the VG subjects. The RT results indicate that the central nervous system of elderly people can be modified by activation procedures. We speculate that VG playing may improve efficiency of cell assemblies stimulated by visuomotor activities common to both VG playing and RT.
An Efficient Adaptive Channel Estimation Algorithm for MIMO OFDM Systems--Study of Doppler Spread Tolerance

In this paper we develop an adaptive MIMO channel estimation algorithm for space---time block coded OFDM systems. The presented algorithm is based on Expectation Maximization (EM) technique by decomposing the superimposed received signals into their signal components, and estimating the channel parameters of each signal component separately. We also study and compare our proposed EM-based algorithm with a previously introduced recursive-least-squares based algorithm for MIMO OFDM systems. At each iteration the EM algorithm decomposes the problem of multi-channel estimation into channel estimation for each transmit---receive link. In this paper we also study the Doppler spread tolerance of our proposed algorithm in a fast fading environment, and investigate how it affects the system BER performance.
A 50-year retrospective: cell-mediated immunity and the major histocompatibility complex.

HE AREA in which I was most involved in transplantation is best summarized by focusing on the cellmediated immune responses to antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Many of these reminiscences are discussed in the text of my Medawar Lecture, which is also included in this volume. In the period around 1960, one could appreciate from the work of Gowans, Brent, Medawar and others that lymphocytes were both the cells that expressed the transplantation antigens and that responded to those antigens. Thus, in an attempt to develop an in vitro model of the then-called homograft (now, allograft) reaction, I mixed lymphocytes of two individuals in the hope that the antigens on the cells of each would stimulate the lymphocytes of the other to form blasts and divide. This was the result obtained and was the initiation of the mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) test, 1 from which we then developed a one-way MLC test, 2 in which the stimulating cells of the potential donor were treated with either mitomycin-C or x-irradiation. 3 The one-way MLC test has been used as a histocompatibility test to match donor and recipient and has become the basis for in vitro studies of alloimmunity since. I found that one of four sibling pairs failed to stimulate each other in MLC, and there was a single polymorphic locus that controlled reactivity in MLC. 4 With Bernard Amos, we were able to show that the MLC test was controlled by the same locus that controlled the serologically defined antigens being studied by Amos, Payne, van Rood, Dausset, and others. We suggested that this was the major histocompatibility complex in humans based on skin graft experiments that each of us had performed and on the observations that in other species the MHC controlled