cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reconstruction in Pediatric Burns

The incidence of pediatric burn (<18 years old) in Taiwan according to data from Childhood Burn Foundation Taiwan ROC was about 33.4%. The incidence of reconstruction needed for this age group was also about the same. From the data presented at Singapore in the year 2006, there was an average of 36.3% (patient number: 2,833/7,795) of pediatric burn (<18 years old) in Linkou burn center (LBC), Chang Gung memorial Hospital (CGMH) from 1986 to 2004 [1]. Among these, one-third of the patients needed reconstruction. This is a large reconstruction group and is of concern.
Energy and Delay Models

This chapter introduces energy and delay metrics of digital circuits used to implement DSP algorithms. The discussion begins with energy and delay definitions for logic gates, including the analysis of various factors that contribute to energy consumption and propagation delay. Design tradeoffs with respect to tuning gate size, supply and threshold voltages are analyzed next, followed by setting up an energy-delay tradeoff analysis for use in circuit-level optimizations. The discussion of energy and delay metrics in this chapter aims to give DSP architecture designers an understanding of hardware cost for implementing their algorithms.
Selected Affine Isoperimetric Inequalities

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews sharp affine isoperimetric inequality. Affine isoperimetric inequalities have occupied a central position in the field of geometric convexity. There have been numerous applications of these inequalities to fields, such as ordinary and partial differential equations, functional analysis, the geometry of numbers, discrete geometry and polytopal approximations, stereology and stochastic geometry, and to the field of Minkowskian geometry. An attempt has been made to focus on inequalities established in the second half of this century. This chapter examines only a few sharp affine isoperimetric inequalities.
Definitions and Characteristics of the Spectrum

Autism and the pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) are highly complex and variable in their clinical presentation and manifestations. For example, symptoms and characteristics change with developmental maturity and vary with the degree of associated cognitive impairment (Filipek et al., 1999a). This evolving pattern of clinical features can make the differential diagnostic process very difficult in some cases. Nonetheless, the defining feature of autism is the presence of a distinctive impairment in the nature and quality of social and communicative development (influenced by the specific biological and environmental circumstances of the individual). It is this impairment that distinguishes autism from other neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., mental retardation, developmental language disorders, specific learning disabilities). For example, whereas mental retardation is characterized by a pervasive developmental delay, autism is characterized by a distinctive impairment in the nature of social-communicative development. The prognostic significance of this autistic social dysfunction is underscored by preliminary studies that report a negative correlation be-tween the severityof this social impairment and treatment responsiveness, at least with regard to social and linguistic growth following intensive, behaviorally based early intervention (Ingersoll, Schreibman, & Stahmer, 2001).
Systemic therapy of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL)

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous and relatively rare family of extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) that are primarily localized to the skin. Most patients present with cutaneous patches, plaques, tumors, more rarely with erythroderma. The type of skin lesions and the surface extent of skin involvement, as well as the presence of extracutaneous disease, are the most important prognostic factors in patients with CTCL. Patients with early-stage disease can be effectively treated with skin-directed therapies only. As the disease progresses, systemic therapy often becomes necessary. In this review, we will provide an overview of the systemic treatment options for CTCL, including mechanism of action, efficacy, side effects, and discuss current principles for rational combination therapy and sequential use. Systemic therapy strategies have been evolving with the recent FDA approval of new monoclonal antibodies such as brentuximab vedotin and mogamulizumab to established drugs, such as retinoids, interferons (IFNs), and HDAC inhibitors. Numerous new agents are currently being studied in clinical trials. Identifying the genetic, molecular, and immunologic features of CTCL that are associated with disease progression, drug-resistance, and immune impairment, will optimize the utilization of existing therapies, and facilitate the development of new ones.
Aerostructural Design Optimization Using a Multifidelity Quasi-Newton Method

The traditional aircraft design process relies upon low-fidelity models for expedience and resource savings. However, the reduced accuracy and reliability of low-fidelity tools often lead to the di...
Insider Threats Detection Using CNN-LSTM Model

Malicious insider activities threaten various govern-ment agencies and private organizations. This paper presents a novel approach to detect malicious behaviors. We propose the use of a granularity level to represent users' log data: textual session-based data samples. The user's behaviors are modeled using character embeddings and a deep learning model that consists of CNN and LSTM. Character embeddings are used to represent the input samples. Then, a convolution layer is used to capture local tri-gram features from the input samples, followed by an LSTM layer to consider the order of these given features (tri-grams). We conduct experiments using several variations of model architectures with no handcrafted features. The proposed model is evaluated with a subset of CERT Insider Threat dataset, r4.2. The result shows that performance improved with high precision and recall values.
Instability of an electron-plasma shear layer in an externally imposed strain flow

The E × B shear instability of a two-dimensional (2D) filament (i.e., a thin, rectangular strip perpendicular to the magnetic field) of magnetized pure electron plasma is investigated experimentally in the presence of an externally imposed strain flow. Data are acquired using a specialized Penning–Malmberg trap in which strain flows can be applied in 2D by biasing segmented electrodes surrounding the plasma. The E × B drift dynamics are well-described by the Drift-Poisson equations, which are isomorphic to the 2D Euler equations describing ideal fluids. Thus, the experimental results correspond to the Rayleigh instability of a shear layer in a 2D ideal fluid, where the electron density is analogous to the fluid vorticity. Shear layers are prepared by stretching initially axisymmetric electron vortices using a strong, applied strain flow. The data at early times are in quantitative agreement with a linear model which extends Rayleigh's work to account for the influence of an external strain flow. In the presence of weak strain, the system approximately maintains a phase relationship that corresponds to an instantaneous Rayleigh eigenmode. The instability develops into the nonlinear regime later in time and at smaller spatial scales as the strain rate is increased. A secondary vortex pairing instability is observed, but it is suppressed when the strain-to-vorticity ratio exceeds roughly 0.025. In this way, vorticity transport perpendicular to the filament is diminished due to the applied strain.
A Viable Osteochondral Allograft for Articular Cartilage Replacement of the First Metatarsal Head A Case Series.

Few reports in the literature have described the use of an osteochondral allograft for the treatment of articular cartilage damage of the 1st metatarsal phalangeal joint. We present here the clinical outcomes and detailed surgical technique of four cases in which we used a cryopreserved, viable, osteochondral allograft (CVOCA) for full cartilage replacement of the first metatarsal head to address degenerative articular cartilage damage. At 10-22 months of follow-up, patients reported clinical improvement, with VAS pain-scale scores decreasing from an average of 8.0 to 0 post-operatively, and range-of-motion improvement from an average of 4.3 degrees to 58.3 degrees dorsiflexion. Radiographic improvement was also seen, with an increase in average joint space from 1.1mm, 1.5mm, and 2.2mm from medial to lateral on dorsoplantar views pre-operatively, to 3.1mm, 2.8mm, and 3.1mm 15 months post-operatively, respectively. These results suggest that CVOCA is a desirable treatment option for end-stage degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint.
The association between plant-based content in diet and testosterone levels in US adults.

To evaluate the association between the plant-based content of diet and serum testosterone levels in men from the national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) database. Data on demographics, diet, and testosterone levels was acquired from the NHANES database. Using the food frequency questionnaire, an overall plant-based diet index (PDI) and a healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI) was developed. A higher score on PDI and hPDI indicates higher consumption of plant foods. A total of 191 participants were included, average age was 45 (30–60) years and average total testosterone level was 546.7 ± 254.7 ng/dL. The mean PDI and hPDI were 50.4 ± 6 and 50.8 ± 7.2, respectively. On multiple linear regression analysis, BMI and age significantly contribute to testosterone levels (p < 0.05); however, neither of the diet indexes significantly predicted serum testosterone levels (PDI: p = 0.446; and hPDI: p = 0.056). In a well characterized national database, the plant-based diet index is unable to predict testosterone levels. Plant-based food content in diet is not associated with serum testosterone levels.
Grand theft hydrocarbon? Post-production clauses and inequity in the US. shale gas industry

Abstract We describe the presence of post-production cost clauses (PCCs) in shale gas leases in two Northeastern Pennsylvania counties. Using a large, random sample of leases (N=1031), we demonstrate (1) how common PCCs are, (2) how frequently landowners address the risks of these clauses directly in the lease, (3) and several factors associated with greater likelihood of landowners addressing PCC risks in a lease. We find that nearly every lease contains language allowing for post-production costs to be taken out of landowner royalty payments, and that the language is often sufficiently general to allow for exploitative industry practices. However, we do find that (1) a small majority of landowners directly address these risks by inserting counter-acting lease terms, and (2) that these alternative lease terms increase over time, indicating a social learning process through which landowners are able to insulate themselves from financial risk. We find that the primary source of variation in landowner efforts to reduce risk is the firm that landowners signed with, expanding on other recent findings. While our study is geographically constrained, the results from this study inform ongoing discussions of equity in unconventional oil and gas development, particularly for landowners who lease privately owned land to the oil and gas industry.
Potential Implications of Acid Mine Drainage and Wastewater Cotreatment on Solids Handling: A Review

AbstractAcid mine drainage (AMD) is a persistent and extensive source of water pollution and ecological degradation. Cotreating municipal wastewater (MWW) with AMD using existing infrastructure at ...
New York State Rifle & Pistol v. City of New York on Gun Regulation

Following the recognition of bearing arms as a fundamental right in the 2008 Heller ruling, the question of the allowable limits of reasonable regulation has become an inevitable contest. Is the New York City regulation that limits legal gun owners from transporting firearms to any location within or outside of the city aside from a small number of designated firing ranges a permissible regulation under the Second Amendment? The New York case involves not only some of the most restrictive gun laws, but also the question of whether the Court should address a controversy that has become moot after the city removed the questionable regulations.
An artificial intelligence–enabled ECG algorithm for comprehensive ECG interpretation: Can it pass the ‘Turing test’?

Objective To develop an artificial intelligence (AI)–enabled electrocardiogram (ECG) algorithm capable of comprehensive, human-like ECG interpretation and compare its diagnostic performance against conventional ECG interpretation methods. Methods We developed a novel AI-enabled ECG (AI-ECG) algorithm capable of complete 12-lead ECG interpretation. It was trained on nearly 2.5 million standard 12-lead ECGs from over 720,000 adult patients obtained at the Mayo Clinic ECG laboratory between 2007 and 2017. We then compared the need for human over-reading edits of the reports generated by the Marquette 12SL automated computer program, AI-ECG algorithm, and final clinical interpretations on 500 randomly selected ECGs from 500 patients. In a blinded fashion, 3 cardiac electrophysiologists adjudicated each interpretation as (1) ideal (ie, no changes needed), (2) acceptable (ie, minor edits needed), or (3) unacceptable (ie, major edits needed). Results Cardiologists determined that on average 202 (13.5%), 123 (8.2%), and 90 (6.0%) of the interpretations required major edits from the computer program, AI-ECG algorithm, and final clinical interpretations, respectively. They considered 958 (63.9%), 1058 (70.5%), and 1118 (74.5%) interpretations as ideal from the computer program, AI-ECG algorithm, and final clinical interpretations, respectively. They considered 340 (22.7%), 319 (21.3%), and 292 (19.5%) interpretations as acceptable from the computer program, AI-ECG algorithm, and final clinical interpretations, respectively. Conclusion An AI-ECG algorithm outperforms an existing standard automated computer program and better approximates expert over-read for comprehensive 12-lead ECG interpretation.
Local Public Entrepreneurship and Judicial Intervention in a Euro-American and Global Perspective

Local public entrepreneurship is a concept which encompasses a variety of activities carried out by local governments to foster local economic development. The first part of this paper puts forward local public entrepreneurship as a windfall of the right to local selfgovernment. In the second part two cases are presented one from EU and one from US where local public entrepreneurship is playing a major role. However, in the EU the ECJ jurisprudence is discouraging local governments to engage in such activities thereby undermining the right to local self-government. By contrast, the US legal system actively encourages a high level of local public entrepreneurship for the production of urban services and infrastructure. In the conclusive part I suggest to have a formal recognition of the economic liberty of local governments and to implement democratic counterbalances to such liberty rather than limiting it by law or judicial intervention being this a matter of exquisitely political nature.
Bipolar Disorder

Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) often presents differently than adult onset bipolar disorder with mixed manic and depressive symptoms, higher incidence of comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, rapid cycling, and irritability. Biological factors include underactivity of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) activity and overactivity of the amygdala during emotion processing. The VLPFC underactivity and striatal overactivity is noted during response inhibition. Concordant findings are also noted with diffusion tensor imaging studies reporting compromised integrity of white matter tracts involving the fronto-striatal and fronto-limbic regions. These functional and structural findings underscore the combined affective and cognitive circuitry disturbances. Neurocognitive difficulties are common in the domains of executive function, attention, working memory, and verbal memory. There is increased fourfold genetic risk in inheriting PBD. Systematic pharmacotherapy algorithm exercises problem-solving strategies in mood stabilization and treatment of comorbidity. Family-focused and individual interventions incorporate cognitive behavioral and interpersonal psychotherapeutic techniques. These complementary multimodal treatment modules that foster resilience and avoid any perceived punitive approaches target the emotion dysregulation and reactivity that underlie the brain circuitry disturbances.
Human Impacts on the Environment and Climate

As discussed in Chap. 2, the climate system consists of five major components: the atmosphere (air), the hydrosphere (water), the cryosphere (ice), the land surface (lithosphere) and the biosphere (organisms), and the interactions between and among them.
Modeling temporal variability in the surface expression above a methane leak: The ESCAPE model

Abstract Leaks in natural gas distribution networks are often initially detected by odor and then localized during operators' walking surveys. The size of the enhancement detected and the leak's proximity to infrastructure are used to determine leak severity of the leak and how quickly it is repaired. Methane (CH4) enhancements on the surface above the leak change with atmospheric conditions, but currently the leak severity assessment is made without considering the environmental conditions and could result in misdiagnosis of the leak. This study has developed the “ESCAPE” model, a tool that can be used to estimate CH4 enhancements on the surface above a leak using meteorological and leak data as input. Surface CH4 concentrations calculated using the ESCAPE model agrees well with measurements made during controlled experiments (m = 0.95 and R2 = 0.95). This study highlights the effect of micrometeorology on gas transport from the surface to the atmosphere, where the surface and the atmospheric conditions have the largest effect on the flux. Here, recommendations are made to improve industry best practices, including recording the meteorological conditions at the time of the leak detection, avoiding walking surveys on days where there are strong winds or strong solar irradiance and that known leak locations should be revisited and measured in different conditions. Mitigating CH4 emissions from the gas distribution network is a cost-effective and economically realistic target. Distribution operators can be directed by the output of ESCAPE model to correctly identify and repair the largest distribution leaks and could reduce annual CH4 emissions by 0.69 Tg, this may go some way to reducing energy sector emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
Evaluating the Role of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy With Respect to Androgen Receptor Signaling Inhibitors for Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer

Abstract Purpose Outcomes of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with respect to androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSI) have not been characterized for oligometastatic prostate cancer. We sought to characterize prostate specific antigen (PSA) response and progression-free survival (PFS) after SBRT among men who have progressed on ARSI therapy in the oligometastatic castration-resistant setting. Methods and Materials A single-institution retrospective analysis was performed for men with ARSI-resistant, oligometastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer (omCRPC). Intervention consisted of SBRT. PSA reduction greater than 50% and median PFS (PSA or radiographic progression) as determined by routine care comprised outcome measurements. Cox regression analysis was used to determine factors influencing PFS. Results Thirty-five men with ARSI-resistant omCRPC and 65 lesions treated with SBRT were followed for a median of 17.2 months. In 63% of men PSA reduction greater than 50% was achieved. Median PFS was 9.0 months. Incomplete ablation (defined as the presence of untreated lesions after SBRT or receipt of prior palliative radiation therapy doses) was associated with worse PFS (hazard ratio 4.21 [1.74-10.19]; P Conclusions SBRT may augment the efficacy of ARSI in omCRPC, provided that all lesions receive ablative radiation doses. Future prospective study of SBRT for men receiving ARSI is warranted.
Recent Updates in Psychopharmacology for the Core and Associated Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Purpose of review Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. This article aims to review the recent literature pertaining to psychopharmacology for the core and associated symptoms of ASD including social impairment, repetitive behaviors, irritability, and language impairment. Recent findings Recent medication trials targeting social impairment in ASD have focused on neuropeptides (oxytocin and vasopressin) and memantine. None of these three medications has demonstrated consistent benefit for social impairment in ASD; however, additional studies are underway. Two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) provide evidence against the use of SSRIs for repetitive behaviors in youth with ASD. Preliminary studies have investigated cannabidiol (CBD) for irritability in ASD but further studies are needed to demonstrate safety and efficacy. Finally, three double-blind, placebo-controlled studies provide preliminary evidence for folinic acid for the treatment of verbal language deficits in children with ASD. The identification of safe and effective pharmacological treatments to ameliorate the core and associated symptoms of ASD has proven difficult.
The Spatialities of Coffee Plantations in the Yallahs River Drainage 1790–1834

During the eighteenth century, the conditions of life for the great majority of people in Jamaica, both enslaved and free, were influenced by the production and distribution of sugar. As was the case in most British colonies that relied on monocrop production, fluctuations in world markets for this commodity affected those involved in its production. In the closing decades of the eighteenth century, changes in the global logic of capitalism began to effect changes in the political economy and social landscape of Jamaica. These were decades of crisis for the plantation economy of Jamaica. Among the interesting socioeconomic phenomena that resulted from this crisis was the rapid florescence — and equally rapid abandonment — of large-scale, estate-based coffee production. This florescence was marked by a brief coffee boom that began around the turn of the century, peaked in the first decades of the century, and collapsed in the late 1830s. By the 1850s, most of Jamaica’s coffee plantations had been abandoned or transformed into some other spatial entity (Higman, 1988). The intensity and brevity of the Jamaica coffee boom produced an interesting, tightly datable data set. By examining the documentary and archaeological records of Yallahs region coffee plantations, it is possible to analyze how specific new spatial forms were designed and implemented on the physical landscape and how these forms were used to construct and reinforce new social relations of production. In this chapter I consider how these sociospatial phenomena resulted in the production of the spatial entity known as the coffee plantation in the Yallahs region, and how the social spaces of those plantations shaped the lives of those who lived them.
Some Facts a Theory Must Fit

Despite all their limitations, the criminal statistics give information which is important to our understanding of crime and delinquency and to hypotheses and theories about them. Similarities and differences in crime rates for certain categories of persons are so consistent that it can reasonably be concluded that a gross relationship between the category and crime exists in fact. In these cases, it is practical to make the assumption that if that part of an observed relationship which is due merely to the methods of collecting statistics were eliminated, a real relationship would still remain. After specifying this assumption, we can go ahead and use the statistics. Even if they are gross, relationships which consistently appear and which cannot be readily “explained away” by citing the inadequacy of crime statistics, must be taken into account in any theory of crime and criminality. There are at least six types of such consistent relationships that are of great theoretical significance to students of crime and criminality.
Thermoelectric Effects in Superconductors

The first measurements of thermoelectricity in superconductors were made by Meissner (1927) who found the Seebeck coefficient S (thermopower) in a superconducting thermocouple to be at least an order of magnitude below the equivalent normal state value. This result was subsequently verified by Borelius et al., (1931); Burton et al., (1935); Keesom and Matthijs (1938); and Casimir and Rade-maker s (1947). In 1953, Pullan showed unequivocally that the thermopower of a super-conductor decreased at Tc by at least four decades.
Campaign Finance Regulation: The Resilience of the American Model

The current term of the United States Supreme Court, which began this past October, is notable for its concentration of cases testing the permissible scope of federal regulation of business. But if this term's docket reflects the pressure faced by the American economic model a model marked by lax regulation, faith in private choices and market outcomes, and toleration of large inequalities in results then this term will likely also mark a reaffirmation of that model in the context of free expression. In September the Court held a rare off-schedule oral argument in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a case that may result in significant changes in the constitutional status of American campaign finance law. A Citizens United presents the Courts emerging conservative majority with an opportunity to deregulate corporations campaign speech by finding restrictions on that speech to violate the First Amendment. Depending on the breadth of the Courts holding, Citizens United may well result in the triumph of the American economic model in the context of the political marketplace exactly when that model is coming under severe strain on other fronts.
An Efficient Approach to Situation-Aware Service Discovery in Pervasive Service Computing Environments

Service discovery, which is an important required function for service-based systems (SBS), affects the performance of SBS, especially in pervasive service computing environments. In this paper, an efficient approach to service discovery in multi-hop pervasive service computing environments is presented. This approach is situation-aware and based on group-based service discovery protocol. In a pervasive computing environment, the situation, including available service resources, users' preferences and the physical environment, changes more dynamically. Our service discovery approach exploits the network asymmetry and incorporates situational information while keeping low network overhead. Our simulation results show that our approach discovers services efficiently.
Thin-layer chromatography of some C(19)-steroids

Thin-layer chromatography of 28 C(19)-steroids was investigated in three solvent systems with a standardized procedure. Data on chromatographic mobilities, reproducibility of measurements carried out in two laboratories, and resolution of pairs of isomeric steroids and close structural analogues that have proved difficult to separate by other chromatographic means are reported. A procedure is described, using a “marker chromatostrip”, for the isolation and purification of steroids in milligram quantity.
On the interpretation of the sign

The sign ‘⊃’ (or ‘→’ or ‘C’) functions in many logical systems in a way which precludes its interpretation as either strict or material implication. For example, in the systems of Heyting, Johansson, Fitch and Bernays (positive logic), the following are theorems:Now if ‘⊃’ were interpreted as strict implication, ⊃2 would mean ‘if p is true, then p is strictly implied by every proposition’, i.e. ‘if p is true, it is necessarily true’, which is false for contingently true p. If on the other hand ‘⊃’ were interpreted as material implication, ⊃1 would reduce to ‘~p ∨ p’, i.e. to the law of excluded middle, which is conspicuously lacking in the systems mentioned. The reader is likely in practice to veer between these two interpretations. Thus in Fitch or Heyting on realizing that ‘~p⊃▪ p⊃q’ is a theorem, one thinks of it as meaning ‘a false proposition implies everything’ and regards the implication as material; but the presence of ‘p⊃p’ as a theorem, even for choices of p which do not satisfy excluded middle, inclines one again to the strict interpretation. This vacillation, while it need not lead to the commission of any formal fallacies, tends to hamstring one's intuition and thus waste time. The purpose of this paper is to suggest an interpretation of ‘⊃’ which will prevent such havering.Let two formulae A and B be called interdeducible if A ⊢ B and B ⊢ A.
Instructional Use of Personal Computers in Human Factors Labs

With the ubiquitousness of personal computers (PCs), it is only natural that they should be utilized in human factors laboratories not only for research data collection but also as an educational tool. With large engineering classes, most labs cannot afford to have multiple meters and instruments to service several identical laboratory stations simultaneously. Instead, it is extremely helpful to have several PCs with programs depicting basic human factors principles running simultaneously with the other stations. Thus, the PC programs are not intended to eliminate hands-on experimentation, but to help alleviate loading problems and provide useful educational principles.
Simulation of space manipulators

The simulation of robot manipulators in space must satisfy many requirements. One of these requirements is the need for fast and accurate simulations. This chapter presents results on work towards the simulation of space-based manipulators. An algorithm which is order n in the number of links is presented and it includes effects such as flexible joints and motor gyroscopic forces. The approach is extended beyond single manipulators in space to the simulation of cooperating manipulators. Efficient simulation is maintained as well as producing a model for control development. Two simulation case studies are presented: a simulation of a single manipulator in space complete with the gyroscopic forces of the motors, and a simulation of two cooperating manipulators on a common base.
The Search for Structure and the Search for Meaning

Statistical approaches to classification emphasize apprehension of structure by an analyst in a group of records. but issues of meaning and semantics are important. despite the focus on structure and algorithms. If meaning and semantics guide formal approaches to classification, can an understanding of structure in a collection of records inform the development of a semantic classification scheme? Data viSualization tools can help human analysts recognize structure and pattern in text and numeric data.
Anisotropic electronic screening and damping in magnetars

We calculate the screening of the ion-ion potential due to electrons, in the presence of a large background magnetic field, at densities of relevance to neutron star crusts. Using the standard approach to incorporate electronic screening through the one-loop polarization function, we show that the magnetic field produces important corrections at both short and long distances. In extreme fields, realized in highly magnetized neutron stars called magnetars, electrons occupy only the lowest Landau levels in the relatively low-density region of the crust. Here our results show that the screening length for Coulomb interactions between ions can be smaller than the inter-ion spacing. More interestingly, we find that the screening is anisotropic, and the screened potential between two static charges exhibits long-range Friedel oscillations parallel to the magnetic field. This long-range oscillatory behavior is likely to affect the lattice structure of ions and can possibly create anisotropic structures in the magnetar crusts. We also calculate the imaginary part of the electron polarization function, which determines the spectrum of electron-hole excitations and plays a role in damping lattice phonon excitations. We demonstrate that even for modest magnetic fields this damping is highly anisotropic and will likely lead to anisotropic phonon heat transport in the outer neutron star crust.
¿Cómo se lee una lengua muerta? Utopía y exilio en la obra de María Zambrano

Definiendo la filosofia de Maria Zambrano como “espectral”, el articulo explora la centralidad de los conceptos de utopia y exilio en el pensamiento de esta escritora y filosofa, con el fin de estudiar de que manera Zambrano utiliza estos dos conceptos para reflejar una tension irreconciliable entre, por un lado, su condicion de filosofa y de mujer y, por el otro, su pertenencia a un estado-nacion concreto como es la Espana de la posguerra.
Elevated 5'-nucleotidase and alkaline phosphodiesterase activities in trout gill localize to endothelial (pillar) cells

Tissue homogenates from rainbow trout gill had three- to fivefold higher specific activity for 5'-nucleotidase (5'NT) and more than twofold greater alkaline phosphodiesterase (APD) activity than liver or kidney homogenates. In isolated plasma membranes, gill 5'NT activity was 3-5 times greater than that of the kidney or liver; gill and kidney plasma membranes had similar APD specific activities, both more than five times that of liver. 5'NT and APD activities were localized by histochemistry to the endothelial (pillar) cells of trout gill secondary lamellae. Staining was consistent with the concentration of both activities at the apical plasma membranes of pillar cells (i.e. at the lamellar microvascular surfaces). This localization may reflect a capacity for processing nucleotide metabolites circulating in the blood, perhaps relating to purinergic regulation of local lamellar hemodynamics. There was no histochemical evidence of either 5'NT or APD activity in the gill epithelial (pavement) cells that interface directly with the environment. In contrast, in trout kidney, both enzyme activities localized to the apical region of tubule epithelial cells. The absence of 5'NT and APD activity in pavement cells reinforces the unique structural and functional character of the gill-environment epithelial barrier. The results indicate that 5'NT and APD activities have particular potential application as markers in efforts to isolate and characterize specific gill plasma membrane fractions.
The Arithmetic Cube: error analysis and simulation

This paper examines the error performance and presents simulation results of the Arithmetic Cube. The Arithmetic Cube is a special purpose architecture for computing high speed convolution and the DFT. An error analysis is performed for convolution and the DFT, as computed on the Cube. An upper bound on the number of bits lost is derived. The Cube looses at most an extra two bits (four bits), while computing convolution (DFT), more than the number of bits lost if computed by the direct, limited precision convolution (DFT). A VHDL description of the Cube was written and simulations were run. Simulation results substantiate the derived upper bounds. A comparison of the Winograd Fourier-transform-algorithm (WFTA), computed by the Cube, and a rounded FFT, shows that the Cube is at least as accurate as the rounded FFT. Contrary to previous results, it is argued that the WFTA performs better, with respect to accuracy, than the Prime Factor Algorithm (PFA), if both are computed on the Cube. >
Outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention in patients previously considered "without option": a subgroup analysis of the PACIFIC Trial.

Objectives: The present study assesses clinical outcomes in patients from the Potential Angina Class Improvement From Intramyocardial Channels (PACIFIC) trial of percutaneous transmyocardial revascularization (PTMR) who had previously been considered “no-option,” but who subsequently underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for continuing symptoms. Background: Patients with advanced symptomatic coronary artery disease who are not candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or PCI comprise an important group, for which no established treatment is currently available. These patients have been described as having “no option,” and are currently targeted for various experimental therapies. One such proposed therapy, PTMR, was recently examined in the PACIFIC trial. A subgroup of patients in this trial subsequently underwent PCI, although to initially qualify for the study they had previously been considered as unsuitable for PCI and as having “no option.” The therapeutic benefit of PCI for patients of this type is unknown. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on data obtained from all subjects of the PACIFIC study who underwent PCI within the 12-month follow-up period. Results: Ten subjects originally randomized to PTMR and 11 subjects from the medical treatment group underwent PCI. Most had undergone at least one prior PCI and at least one CABG, and there was a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Despite excellent immediate procedural success, PCI resulted in only modest, statistically nonsignificant increases in mean exercise duration, small improvements in angina status, and no significant improvements in quality of life. Conclusions: These data suggest that PCI provides only marginal—if any—symptomatic benefit in these patients. (J Interven Cardiol 2004;17:87‐91)
Learning mixtures of Gaussians

Mixtures of Gaussians are among the most fundamental and widely used statistical models. Current techniques for learning such mixtures from data are local search heuristics with weak performance guarantees. We present the first provably correct algorithm for learning a mixture of Gaussians. This algorithm is very simple and returns the true centers of the Gaussians to within the precision specified by the user with high probability. It runs in time only linear in the dimension of the data and polynomial in the number of Gaussians.
Distraction osteogenesis in TNF receptor 1 deficient mice is protected from chronic ethanol exposure

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is an orthopedic protocol, which induces direct new bone formation as a result of the stimulating effects of mechanical distraction. Chronic ethanol exposure has been demonstrated to inhibit bone formation in rodent models of DO. Further, it has been demonstrated that (1) tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) blockers are protective against ethanol exposure and (2) recombinant mouse TNF (rmTNF) inhibits direct bone formation in ethanol naive mice through TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1). These results suggest that the inhibitory effects are significantly mediated by TNF signaling. Therefore, we hypothesized that direct new bone formation in TNFR1 knockout (KO) mice would be protected from ethanol exposure. We used a unique model of mouse DO combined with liquid/chow diets to compare the effects of ethanol on both a strain of TNFR1 knockout (TNFR1 KO) mice and on mice of their C57BL/6 (B6) control strain. In the B6 study, and in concordance with previous work, both radiological and histological analyses of direct bone formation in the distraction gaps demonstrated significant osteoinhibition due to ethanol compared with chow- or pair-fed mice. In the TNFR1 KO study and in support of the hypothesis, both radiological and histological analyses of distraction gap bone formation demonstrated no significant differences between the ethanol, chow fed, or pair fed. We conclude that exogenous rmTNF and ethanol-induced endogenous TNF act to inhibit new bone formation during DO by signaling primarily through TNFR1.
Polymer brushes for electrochemical biosensors

A major obstacle in the development of highly sensitive electrochemical biosensors is the issue of electrode fouling due to non-specific adsorption of biomolecules on the electrode/sensor surface. The efficacy of such systems is also limited by the need for high densities of immobilized bioactive molecules on the sensor surface. Biomolecules have a natural tendency to randomly adsorb on solid surfaces, which greatly reduces the bioefficiency and biofunctionality of sensing devices. Polymer brushes have recently attracted considerable interest for generating molecularly defined surfaces for applications in nanotechnology, molecular biology, and biomedical sciences. Two main advantages of using polymer brush systems are the ability to mitigate non-specific adsorption and the creation of tailor-made surfaces to control the immobilization of bioanalytes through specific receptor recognition interactions. The use of polymer brushes allows the formation of uniform surfaces with controlled chemical architecture that exhibits good chemical and thermal stability. In this highlight, we use recent examples to demonstrate the role of polymer brushes in the development of sensitive electrochemical biosensors with low detection limits.
Amoxicillin/clavulanate vs placebo: more exacerbation cures, fewer recurrences in mild-to-moderate COPD

Source Citation Llor C, Moragas A, Hernandez S, Bayona C, Miravitlles M. Efficacy of antibiotic therapy for acute exacerbations of mild to moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respi...
Development and implementation of a music/activity therapy intake assessment for psychiatric patients. Part I: initial standardization procedures on data from university students.

The stimulus for the Music/Activity Therapy Intake Assessment was a recent publication by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals requiring for activity services, "assessment of the patient's needs, interests, life experiences, capacities, and deficiencies" (1981, p. 126). The Assessment was written in the spring of 1982 and contains four sections: Activity Preference, Organizational involvement, Attitude Survey, and Post-Interview Observations. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Attitude Survey. The Attitude Survey was administered to 214 university students enrolled in three areas of study: human science, performance, and liberal arts. Results show that each of the three scales in the Survey is internally consistent (.63 to .74), that each scale measures a single large dimension, and that two of the three scales significantly discriminate between groups of students (p less than .05). The authors conclude that the Attitude Survey possesses adequate psychometric properties to justify its continued use as part of the Music/Activity Intake Assessment.
A program generator

We believe that the data processing needs of a major medical center do not differ fundamentally from those of government or industry. Experience in our environment is that data processing is playing an increasingly prominent role in the full spectrum of services. Not only is the number of applications increasing, but they are also becoming more diverse and imaginative as users become more directly involved in the process.
Effects of turbulent shear flow on zooplankton distribution

Abstract Dynamics of the physical environment should help regulate interactions within zooplankton communities that determine their structure and function. Using a submarine, we have made the first simultaneous measurements of turbulent dissipation rate, vertical velocity shear, temperature, salinity, and zooplankton distribution and abundance. Our results suggest that energetic turbulent regimes due to strong winds, combined with an anomalous region of high vertical shear, broaden the vertical distributions of some zooplankton species, resulting in the selective mixing together of species that are vertically separated under less energetic conditions.
Graphical tools for interactive image interpretation

This paper describes BROWSE, an interactive raster image display facility which is a major component of a larger integrated Map Assisted Photo-interpretation System (MAPS), being developed as a prototype interactive aid for photo-interpretation. Application areas for this research include image cartography, land use studies and reconnaissance, as well as image database organization, storage, and retrieval.BROWSE is a window-oriented display manager which supports raster image display, overlay of graphical data such as map descriptions and image processing segmentations, and the specification and generation of 3D shaded surface models. Digitized imagery from black and white and color aerial mapping photographs is displayed by BROWSE at multiple levels of resolution and allows for dynamic positioning, zooming, expansion or shrinking of the image window. Map data represented as vectors and polygons can be superimposed on the imagery through image-to-map registration. Access to collateral map databases and terrain models may be accomplished using the BROWSE graphical interface. Finally, the window representation gives a convenient communication mechanism for passing image fragments to image interpretation programs, which generally run as separate processes. The results of such processing can be returned to BROWSE for further processing by the user.We will discuss the rationale behind the design of BROWSE as well as its application to domains including aerial photo-interpretation and 3D cartography.
Materials science: Silicon life forms

A simple chemical reduction process has been used to replicate intricate natural networks of silica at a relatively low temperature. The equally elaborate product is made of silicon — electronics' golden boy. A low-temperature method of reducing silica (SiO2) to silicon (Si) could open up a multitude of new applications for micro-scale structures previously available only as the insulating oxide, such as diatom microshells and self-assembled structures made to order. The method converts silica to silicon at 650 °C — compared with the 2,000 °C or so needed for approaches involving molten silicon — at the same time retaining the original silica architecture. Silicon replicas, like the 14 µm-long example pictured, could find applications as sensors, and in the worlds of electronics, optics and biomedicine.
l-Isocorypalmine reduces behavioral sensitization and rewarding effects of cocaine in mice by acting on dopamine receptors☆

Background We previously reported isolation of l-isocorypalmine (l-ICP), a mono-demethylated analog of l-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP), from the plant Corydalis yanhusuo. Here we characterized its in vitro pharmacological properties and examined its effects on cocaine-induced behaviors in mice.
Models for Spatially Distributed Populations: The Effect of Within-Patch Variability

Abstract This paper studies population models which have the following three ingredients: populations are divided into local subpopulations, local population dynamics are nonlinear and random events occur locally in space. In this setting local stochastic phenomena have a systematic effect on average population density and this effect does not disappear in large populations. This result is an outcome of the interaction of the three ingredients in the models and it says that stochastic models of systems of patches can be expected to give results for average population density that differ systematically from those of deterministic models. The magnitude of these differences is related to the degree of nonlinearity of local dynamics and the magnitude of local variability. These results explain those obtained from a number of previously published models which give conclusions that differ from those of deterministic models. Results are also obtained that show how stochastic models of systems of patches may be simplified to facilitate their study.