cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Focus on Microbiome Completeness and Optimized Colonization Resistance in Neonatology

The human microbiome contributes a majority of genes and significant metabolic capacity to the newborn. The infant’s bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi are also critical for immune maturation and neurologic development. Because a microbiota is highly malleable, it is an ideal target for improving infant health. Yet, management of this major biological resource to reduce health risk for the infant has been comparatively neglected to date. This review discusses the opportunities for a more holistic, ecological approach to infant health with an emphasis on the microbiome, which includes 1) the benefits of microbiome completeness (microbial seeding and feeding), as well as 2) optimized colonization resistance. The latter can better protect against infectious as well as noncommunicable diseases by shifting pathogen load requirements for producing disease, protecting mucosal barriers, and optimizing immune homeostasis.
Obstacles to prediction of outcome in pediatric cardiomyopathy

Abstract The 4th International Conference on Cardiomyopathy in Children (4th ICCC), held May 18-19th, 2017, in Bethesda, Maryland, included a session titled "Current Controversies in Diagnosis and Management" which focused on three presentations concerning management issues that represent persistent sources of disagreement within the field: "Management and Indications for Transplant in Restrictive Cardiomyopathy" presented by Dr. Elizabeth Blume, "Evidence Concerning Efficacy of Exercise Restriction in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy" presented by Dr. Mark Friedberg, and "Indications for Primary Prevention ICD Implantation in Children with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy" presented by Dr. Dominic Abrams. These presentations centered on decision making intending to avert poorly predictable outcomes in rare disorders and, as such, are exemplary of the obstacles encountered when providing care to patients with rare diseases. The principle observation is that rare outcomes, in general, require predictors with very high sensitivity and specificity in order to provide a significant improvement in care, and each of the clinical situations described here is lacking in this regard.
Unblurring the lines of sexual consent with a college student-driven sexual consent education campaign

Objective: To test the effectiveness of a college student-driven sexual consent education campaign to improve college students' sexual consent understanding. Participants: Undergraduate students (N...
Cadmium Solid State NMR Studies of Cadmium-Exchanged Zeolites

Cadmium-113 NMR spectra of several hydrated and dehydrated ion-exchanged zeolites are reported. The spectra are nearly featureless and have linewidths dominated by chemical shift dispersion, chemical shift anisotropy and/or dipolar coupling to other ions. Dehydration produces increased broadening. In two zeolites, however, a second 113Cd peak is observed upon dehydration, which is deshielded relative to the original peak. Cadmium--aluminum dipolar recoupling experiments show that the new peak is sited closer to the zeolite framework. The appearance of this new peak is accompanied by a change in sample color; in one case this was monitored quantitatively via optical absorption spectroscopy. The color changes, closer proximity to the zeolite lattice, and the magnitude of the deshielding are consistent with dehydration producing low-lying electronic states deriving from overlap of metal 5s electrons and the oxygen π orbitals.
Surgical Pathology of Melanocytic Neoplasms

Melanocytic neoplasms are clonal proliferative growths of melanocytes forming benign and malignant tumors designated nevus and melanoma, respectively. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is thought to be a critical player in the development of melanocytic neoplasms. Established risk factors for developing melanocytic neoplasms are fair skin, light-colored eyes, sunburns – particularly during childhood – and indoor tanning salon use. Melanocytic neoplasms are frequently biopsied by dermatologists and general practitioners, thus constituting a common specimen in surgical pathology and dermatopathology services. Although the majority of melanocytic neoplasms can be classified accurately – clinically and histopathologically – some cases are difficult to precisely classify and remain a significant challenge, constituting a major proportion of referral consults to experts (e.g., spindle and epithelioid cell tumors known as Spitz tumors). What follows is an overview of the surgical pathology of the melanocytic nevus, representative nevus variants, and melanoma using clinical–pathological correlation to balance the technical details of surgical pathology.
Use of donors at age extremes for simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant

Introduction: There is a shortage of optimal pancreatic donors for simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant (SPKT), as such there is interest in utilizing donors at extremes of age to expand the donor pool. We sought to evaluate outcomes in SPKT from pediatric donors (PDs) to older donors (ODs). Patients and Methods: We identified patients who underwent simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant at a single, high-volume institution from 1988–2013. We evaluated for differences in transplant organ function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [GFR], serum glucose, and urine amylase), early (technical) graft loss, and patient and graft survival. Results: A total of 729 SPKT were performed during the study, with 32 PDs, 652 standard donors (SDs), and 45 ODs. Renal function was slightly worse in OD. Otherwise, graft function was similar between all three groups at up to 5 years. There was no difference in censored survival analyses for both kidney and pancreas allografts. There was comparable short-term and long-term patient survival among all groups. Conclusions: Overall, the use of pancreas from pediatric and ODs for SPKT has comparable outcome to SDs. Kidneys from donors above 50 may have lower GFR, but otherwise, have comparable long-term patient and graft survival.
Comparative efficacy and safety of immunotherapies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 pathway for previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Bayesian network meta-analysis.

e21012Background: Two PD-1 (pembrolizumab, nivolumab) and one PDL-1 (atezolizumab) inhibitors are FDA approved for previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer. In the absence of head-to-...
Annual Under-Vine Cover Crops Mitigate Vine Vigor in a Mature and Vigorous Cabernet franc Vineyard

Excessive vine vegetative growth in wet, cool climates increases management costs and compromises grape quality. The standard practice of bare soil under vines exacerbates the vigor problem. This study examined the ability of under-vine cover crops to mitigate excessive vigor in a mature vineyard. A three-year study was conducted in a mature Cabernet franc vineyard in Ovid, NY. Under-vine cover crops of chicory (CHI), tall fescue (FES), tillage radish (TR), alfalfa (ALF), or natural vegetation (NV) were established annually since 2014 to compare with a control of glyphosate-maintained bare soil (GLY). Pruning weight was reduced 64% by CHI and 54% by FES or TR compared to GLY in 2015. Primary and lateral shoot growth was suppressed by CHI in 2016. Fruiting zone leaf layer number was reduced by all of the under-vine cover crops in 2015, and by CHI and FES in 2016. Yield per vine was not reduced by any of the under-vine cover crops in any year of the study. Under-vine cover crops had little impact on harvest parameters including soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, or yeast assimilable nitrogen. Soil properties such as aggregate stability, microbial respiration rate, and carbon mineralizability were improved by some cover crops. Although NV, FES, and TR showed little, and ALF showed neutral, effect on vine growth or yield components, CHI effectively alleviated mature vine vigor without reducing yield in a cool climate. Since water or nutrient competition alone did not fully explain the mitigating effect of under-vine cover crops on vine vigor, other mechanisms such as microbial or allelopathic effects of under-vine cover crops should be examined.
Patterns in Outpatient Benzodiazepine Prescribing in the United States

Importance Benzodiazepines are implicated in a growing number of overdose-related deaths. Objectives To quantify patterns in outpatient benzodiazepine prescribing and to compare them across specialties and indications. Design, Setting, and Participants This serial cross-sectional study (January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2015) used nationally representative National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. The yearly population-based sample of outpatient visits among adults, ranging from 20 884 visits in 2003 (representing 737 million visits) to 24 273 visits in 2015 (representing 841 million visits) was analyzed. Prescribing patterns were examined by specialty and indication and used to calculate the annual coprescribing rate of benzodiazepines with other sedating medications. Data were analyzed from July 1, 2017, through November 30, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Annual benzodiazepine visit rate. Results Among the 386 457 ambulatory care visits from 2003 through 2015, a total of 919 benzodiazepine visits occurred in 2003 and 1672 in 2015, nationally representing 27.6 million and 62.6 million visits, respectively. The benzodiazepine visit rate doubled from 3.8% (95% CI, 3.2%-4.4%) to 7.4% (95% CI, 6.4%-8.6%;P Conclusions and Relevance The outpatient use of benzodiazepines has increased substantially. In light of increasing rates of overdose deaths involving benzodiazepines, understanding and addressing prescribing patterns may help curb the growing use of benzodiazepines.
Between free movement and confinement: overcoming boundaries in Simon Schwartz’s drüben! and Colleen Frakes’s Prison Island

This paper presents a comparative analysis of Simon Schwartz’s druben! and Colleen Frakes’s Prison Island, two graphic memoirs that thematise the significance of border crossing and the overcoming ...
ASR-based dictation practice for second language pronunciation improvement

Abstract In pronunciation learning, there is a need for resources and tools that help students monitor their speech or provide feedback on errors. While researchers have seen ASR-based technologies as potential tools, little attention has been paid to dictation programs, which have been criticized for low levels of recognition, but offer advantages such as accessibility and flexibility. This study examines two groups of learners in a pronunciation workshop: CONV, which had fully face-to-face instruction, and HYBRID, which had half of the instruction face-to-face and half using the computer, practicing production using a dictation program, Windows Speech Recognition. Results show that both groups improved from pre- to post-test and that there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Results indicate that dictation programs may be useful as a complement to face-to-face pronunciation teaching, especially if in-class time for pronunciation teaching is limited.
Dynamically linked MSHRs for adaptive miss handling in GPUs

Supporting a large number of outstanding memory requests in miss handling architecture (MHA) is critical for throughput processors such as GPUs to achieve high memory level parallelism. Conventional MHA is static in sense that it provides a fixed number of MSHR entries to track primary misses, and a fixed number of slots within each entry to track secondary misses. This leads to severe entry or slot under-utilization and poor match to practical workloads, as the number of memory requests to different cache lines can vary significantly. In this paper, we propose Dynamically Linked MSHR (DL-MSHR), a novel approach that dynamically forms MSHR entries from a pool of available slots. This approach can self-adapt to primary-miss-predominant applications by forming more entries with fewer slots, and self-adapt to secondary-miss-predominant applications by having fewer entries but more slots per entry. Evaluation results show that, compared with the conventional MSHRs, the proposed DL-MSHR is able to reduce reservation fails in MSHRs by 88.1%, improve MSHR utilization by 53.7% and increase the overall IPC of a wide range of workloads by 19.2%, on average, with only 0.6% and 0.1% area overhead on L1D and L2 cache, respectively.
Sodium-ion concentration flow cell stacks for salinity gradient energy recovery: Power generation of series and parallel configurations

Abstract Salinity gradient (SG) energy is a renewable and clean energy resource that exists worldwide from the change in Gibbs free energy when two solutions with different salinities are mixed. More recently, concentration flow cells (CFCs) have been introduced as a new technology for SG energy recovery with the highest reported power density output to date as a result of the utilization of both the electrode potential and Donnan potential. In this study, multiple CFCs are connected to form a consecutive number of stacks, and systematic analysis is conducted to investigate the influence of both parallel and series electrical wire connections on the overall performance. For both wire connections, an effective increase in the overall power output with an increase in stack size is observed. The power densities normalized to the membrane area are however lower (3.7 W m −2 in series and 5.8 W m −2 in parallel, for 5-stacks) than that of the individual cell unit (8.9 W m −2 ) because the back of the stack experiences cumulative mixing. Additionally, as a result of an ionic cross-conduction causing a parasitic current in the series cell, the parallel wire configuration is demonstrated to be more successful in the CFC stack than the series.
Brief of Amicus Curiae National Association of Scholars in Support of Appellants, Sander and First Amendment Coalition v. State Bar of California, 1st Civil No. A150625 (Cal. Ct. App. filed Jan. 26, 2018)

The public good often depends on social science research that employs personal data. Volumes of scientific breakthroughs based on data accumulated through access to public information demonstrate the importance and feasibility of enabling research in the public interest while still respecting data privacy. For decades, reliable and routine technical methods have ensured protection for personal privacy by de-identifying personal data. Social science research into legal education and admission to the bar is presently a matter of urgent public interest and importance, requiring solid empirical analysis of anonymized personal data that government authorities possess. Social science research of the very kind proposed by Appellants Sander and The First Amendment Coalition represents standard, indeed commonplace, research practice furthering the public interest, while employing established methodologies that minimize the risk to privacy.
Exploring the Feasibility of Using Commercially Available Vertically Pointing Wind Profiling Lidars to Acquire Thunderstorm Wind Profiles

While multiple types of remote sensing instruments have been used to investigate wind profiles associated with thunderstorms, the use of profiling Lidars (LIght Detection And Ranging) has been mostly limited to the wind energy sector. Using data from a wind energy company, this study explores the feasibility of profiling lidar data to obtain low-level (<150 m) wind profile information in and near thunderstorms. Two case studies were analyzed in which strong thunderstorms passed over the lidar while the remote sensor was operational and collecting wind speed, wind direction, and vertical velocity profiles at sub-minute resolution. Wind time histories at different levels of the wind profiles revealed that the lidar was able to collect data through the entirety of each event. The time histories also displayed a very typical thunderstorm outflow wind structure that has frequently been observed with in situ anemometry and radar remote sensing. As expected, vertical velocity data were mostly negative (indicating downdraft) during both events and exceeded – 6 m s-1 in one event. A comparison of the lidar data with in situ sonic and cup anemometers was also performed. While only 10-minute anemometer data were available, the limited comparison suggested a high degree of similarity in the mean sense, but standard deviations associated with the 10-minute lidar data were much lower than those of the anemometer data. Though this latter result was not entirely unexpected, it serves to demonstrate some of the issues that should be addressed prior to using profiling lidars in thunderstorms.
Prestige Television and Prison in the Age of Mass Incarceration: A Wall Rise Up

Television shows that we might call ‘prestige television’ represent prison in ways that are sometimes reductive, sometimes powerful, and sometimes exceedingly complex. This book examines various programmes across the genres of drama, comedy and horror that utilize prison or places of incarceration as a central theme or setting to show how they conform to or challenge the standard conversation about the prison industrial complex and the common understanding of prisons as violent spaces where we house the worst among us. Drawing on the work of Angela Davis, Doran Larson, Dylan Rodriguez, Michelle Alexander, and Lisa Guenther, the author presents focused studies of Orange Is the New Black, Rectify, American Horror Story and The Walking Dead (along with briefer discussions of The 100, police procedurals, and popular sitcoms) to explore the responsibility of television to represent prison in as authentic a fashion as possible, the exploitation of the incarcerated in reductive representations of prison, and the shifting nature of the national conversation about prison as it is depicted on screen. As such, the book will appeal to scholars of cultural and media studies, criminology and sociology with interests in incarceration and representations of prison in popular culture.
5-GHz Band LTE-LAA Signal Selection for Use as the Unintended Signal in ANSI C63.27 Wireless Coexistence Testing

This article details the experimental work conducted at the Electromagnetic Compatibility and Wireless Laboratory, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to investigate the use of Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) signals for wireless coexistence testing. A software-defined radio platform was deployed to generate realistic LAA signals and measure the wireless coexistence impact on the LAA communication link. The equipment under test (EUT) used IEEE 802.11ac as an example of incumbent technology in the 5-GHz band. The standardized radiated anechoic chamber method was used for testing. Results highlight the mutual coexistence impact of LAA in the 5-GHz band and suggest that selecting an LAA signal with the maximum possible channel time occupancy and the highest possible modulation and coding scheme yields the most impactful coexistence situation on both the EUT and the LAA system. Additionally, an analysis of the internal LAA system states during coexistence testing is presented to document the inverse relationship between LAA transmit and wait times during coexistence and the adverse impact of challenging coexistence scenarios on successful channel access. Finally, the risk management process of wireless coexistence for medical devices is summarized and associated with coexistence testing.
The Sense of Agency and the Epistemology of Thinking

This paper motivates a constraint on how to explain the “sense of agency” for conscious thinking. It argues that a prominent model fails to satisfy the constraint before sketching an alternative that does. On the alternative, punctate acts of conscious thinking, such as episodes of inner speech, are recognizable as our deeds because they are recognizable as parts of complex cognitive activities, which we know non-observationally in virtue of holding intentions to perform them.
Magnetic resonance neurography findings in three critically ill COVID-19 patients with new onset of extremity peripheral neuropathy

Purpose Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) is most commonly associated with respiratory syndromes, although patients are presenting more frequently with neurological symptoms. When they occur, neurological conditions most commonly involve the central nervous system, and peripheral nervous system effects, particularly in the extremities, have been less commonly described. The mechanisms of peripheral neuropathy in critically ill patients with COVID-19 are likely to be multifactorial, and extremity peripheral nerve imaging in these cases has not been well described. Case presentation In this case series, we describe the magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) findings in 3 critically ill patients who presented with new onset of peripheral neuropathies in the extremities, and we discuss possible common mechanisms of nerve injury, including the role of position-related nerve injury. Conclusions MRN can be useful in identifying and localizing peripheral nerve abnormalities in the extremities of COVID-19 patients, and patients who are placed in the prone position during ventilation may be more susceptible to these injuries.
CrossedWires: A Dataset of Syntactically Equivalent but Semantically Disparate Deep Learning Models

The training of neural networks using different deep learning frameworks may lead to drastically differing accuracy levels despite the use of the same neural network architecture and identical training hyperparameters such as learning rate and choice of optimization algorithms. Currently, our ability to build standardized deep learning models is limited by the availability of a suite of neural network and corresponding training hyperparameter benchmarks that expose differences between existing deep learning frameworks. In this paper, we present a living dataset of models and hyperparameters, called CrossedWires, that exposes semantic differences between two popular deep learning frameworks: PyTorch and Tensorflow. The CrossedWires dataset currently consists of models trained on CIFAR10 images using three different computer vision architectures: VGG16, ResNet50 and DenseNet121 across a large hyperparameter space. Using hyperparameter optimization, each of the three models was trained on 400 sets of hyperparameters suggested by the HyperSpace search algorithm. The CrossedWires dataset includes PyTorch and Tensforflow models with test accuracies as different as 0.681 on syntactically equivalent models and identical hyperparameter choices. The 340 GB dataset and benchmarks presented here include the performance statistics, training curves, and model weights for all 1200 hyperparameter choices, resulting in 2400 total models. The CrossedWires dataset provides an opportunity to study semantic differences between syntactically equivalent models across popular deep learning frameworks. Further, the insights obtained from this study can enable the development of algorithms and tools that improve reliability and reproducibility of deep learning frameworks. The dataset is freely available at this https URL through a Python API and direct download link.
K and L Shell Particle Parameters of the 84.2-keV E2 Transition in Yb170

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the measurement of K and L shell particle parameters for the 84.2-keV transition. Momentum selection of the conversion electrons is accomplished with a magnetic lens spectrometer constructed for electron-electron and electron-gamma directional correlation measurements. The gamma-ray detector is free to move through 180° about the source. A special source cup allows electrons to be energy analyzed in an external beta-detector consisting of Ne-2 plastic crystal coupled to RCA 6342A phototube. Electrons emerge from the cup through exit ports of Mylar and aluminium foils at the 90° and 180° positions. The chapter discusses the L-conversion-electron-beta-ray directional-correlation for the 84.2-keV transition in the decay of Tm+ are measured and reported to be isotropic. An experiment similar to the beta-ray-K-conversion-electron directional correlation is performed for the L conversion electron. An uncertainty in the measurements is the beta-gamma directional correlation. The error in the ratio is considerably better than for either of the two individual measurements.
A Procedural Approach to the Fast Display and Analysis of Multi-Million Simulation Models in 3-D

The need to visualize huge geological models demands solutions with in-expensive display hardware since it is economically impractical to furnish a large number of high-end workstations to all engineers. The model files in these cases exceed the 2 gigabyte limit on most PC hardware and are harder to handle without the use of high-end workstations or software solutions. The use of intelligent disk caching, the object oriented interpretive programming language Python and Open Source software resulted in an efficient, fast rendering application. The compact code size for the reusable source libraries enabled an in-house solution while ensuring fewer support issues while providing necessary building blocks for leveraging more applications.
Regulation of Muscle Contraction by Tropomyosin and Troponin: How Structure Illuminates Function

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a brief description of tropomyosin's periodic and aperiodic structural features related to their function. The chapter describes the structure of troponin and provides information on F-actin. The thin filaments of vertebrate striated muscle are periodic structures composed of three proteins with different designs that function together for the regulation of contraction. Tropomyosin displays two types of periodicity. In addition to a long-range ∼40-residue repeat, tropomyosin is the paradigm of the α-helical coiled-coil class of proteins. The seven distinct amino acid positions and associated interactions that are produced from the α-helical coiled-coil provide the basic structural unit of tropomyosin. These elements superimpose on the longer, roughly 40-residue, functional unit of tropomyosin and patterns of residues found both in the core of the coiled-coil and on its surface are repeated seven times in a full-length tropomyosin molecule; and they play a role in the periodic binding of tropomyosin to actin.
The discovery of the CCR5 receptor antagonist, UK-427,857, a new agent for the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.

Publisher Summary The CCR5 receptor is a member of the family of G-protein coupled receptors and is predicted to have a typical seven transmembrane structure. This class of proteins is heavily represented in the druggable genome, which gives some encouragement that a drug-like ligand should be identifiable. This chapter describes the drug discovery program that led to the identification of UK-427,857, a prototype CCR5 antagonist with excellent potency against lab-adapted and primary HIV-1 isolates, as a clinical candidate for the treatment of HIV. UK-427,857 (54) possessed excellent antiviral potency and reasonable microsomal stability combined with good selectivity over potential ion channel effects. The potency of UK-427,857 (54) was encouraging when tested against HIV BaL in peripheral blood monocytes where the receptor is expressed under its native conformations (IC 90 = 6 nM) but was even more exciting when extensively tested against primary origin HIV isolates. The chapter also deals with the strategies for minimizing cardiac toxicity, while maintaining ADME properties commensurate with low dose.
Sequential use of wireless sensors for target estimation and tracking

In this paper we discuss the use of sensors sequentially for the purpose of target estimation and tracking. Such problems are motivated by scenarios where many of the sensors are inactive under normal situations with only a few active sensors "on guard". Upon the detection of a stationary or moving object of interest by an active sensor, this sensor subsequently triggers/wakes up/activates the inactive/sleeping sensors sequentially to get more measurement readings of the object (e.g., location, speed, temperature). Each activation of a sensor and the sensing and communication that follow will incur a cost. This process terminates when the error of the estimate based on the sequence of observations is satisfactory (relative to its cost), or when the moving object is out of range, or when the time period of interest has elapsed, and so on. The questions we are interested in answering are when to stop, when to use a sensor and when not to, and what is the optimal sequence of sensors to use for a given objective function. In this paper we present a framework with which the above problems are formulated into optimal sequential decision problems with energy constraints. Optimal results can then be obtained either through numerical methods or analytical derivation. Our preliminary results show that at least for some instances of such a formulation we can obtain well structured solutions as well as properties of these solutions that describe the sequential selection of sensors.
The Flayed and Exquisite Self of Travelers: Managing Face and Emotions in Strange Places

Travelers who cross cultural and linguistic borders encounter recurrent failures of social competence. People routinely violate the linguistic and nonlinguistic normative order, and have few means at their disposal for repair work. These episodes lead to the experience of a flayed self: a temporary, painful identity born of one's inability to display competence, combined with heightened, exquisite self-consciousness. Using interactionist scaffolding and travelers' accounts, I examine this self, its commitments, and resources. I examine four techniques used to avoid flayed and exquisite selfhood: denying negative experience, externalizing the causes of that experience, engaging in the mind cure, and doing time work.
A self routing crossbar switch for multiple channel delta networks

The architecture and operation of a self-routing crossbar switch with multiple channels per input and output port are described. The crossbar is the building block for an asynchronous transfer mode switch fabric using delta networks with multiple links and shared output buffers. Each crossbar switch concurrently processes bit-serial packets, using the packet headers for path setup and arbitration. The architecture consists of a pipeline of sorting and routing cells which permits high speed routing of the packets. A prototype 4*4 crossbar with two channels per port has been designed in 2- mu m double-metal single-poly CMOS and simulations indicated an operating speed of 50 MHz. The design and implementation of the sorting and routing cells and the switch architecture that accommodates them are described in detail. >
Evaluation of semiempirical VMAT dose reconstruction on a patient dataset based on biplanar diode array measurements.

We report the results of a preclinical evaluation of recently introduced commercial tools for 3D patient IMRT/VMAT dose reconstruction, the Delta4 Anatomy calculation algorithm. Based on the same initial measurement, volumetric dose can be reconstructed in two ways. Three-dimensional dose on the Delta4 phantom can be obtained by renormalizing the planned dose distribution by the measurement values (D4 Interpolation). Alternatively, incident fluence can be approximated from the phantom measurement and used for volumetric dose calculation on an arbitrary (patient) dataset with a pencil beam algorithm (Delta4 PB). The primary basis for comparison was 3D dose obtained by previously validated measurement-guided planned dose perturbation method (ACPDP), based on the ArcCHECK dosimeter with 3DVH software. For five clinical VMAT plans, D4 Interpolation agreed well with ACPDP on a homogeneous cylindrical phantom according to gamma analysis with local dose-error normalization. The average agreement rates were 98.2% ± 1.3% (1 SD), (range 97.0%–100%) and 92.8% ± 3.9% (89.5%–99.2%), for the 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm criteria, respectively. On a similar geometric phantom, D4 PB demonstrated substantially lower agreement rates with ACPDP: 88.6% ± 6.8% (81.2%–96.1%) and 72.4% ± 8.4% (62.1%–81.1%), for 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm, respectively. The average agreement rates on the heterogeneous patients’ CT datasets are lower yet: 81.2% ± 8.6% (70.4%–90.4%) and 64.6% ± 8.4% (56.5%–74.7%), respectively, for the same two criteria sets. For both threshold combinations, matched analysis of variance (ANOVA) multiple comparisons showed statistically significant differences in mean agreement rates ( p < 0.05) for D4 Interpolation versus ACPDP on one hand, and D4 PB versus ACPDP on either cylindrical or patient dataset on the other hand. Based on the favorable D4 Interpolation results for VMAT plans, the resolution of the reconstruction method rather than hardware design is likely to be responsible for D4 PB limitations.
ANGULAR DEPENDENCE OF METAMAGNETIC TRANSITIONS IN DYAGSB2

Measurements of the magnetization of DyAgSb{sub 2} reveal a complex system of up to 11 well-defined metamagnetic states for the field applied within the basal plane. Measurements of the magnetization vs the angle the applied field makes with respect to the [110] axis show the Dy{sup 3+} moments are constrained to lie along one of the four [110] directions within the basal plane. From the angular dependence of the critical fields and plateau magnetizations, the net distribution of the moments may be deduced for each state. Finally, the coupling constants are calculated within the framework of the {open_quotes}four-position clock model.{close_quotes} {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Holism vs. Reductionism in Environmental Science

There are various scientific approaches to agricultural sustainability. Research can be holistic, reductionistic, statistical, or systematic. Philosophical beliefs often guide the choice. Each approach has strengths and weaknesses, and solutions are often gained by a combination. Nevertheless, the reductionistic approach is the one most favored by scientists, granting agencies, and journal editors, because in the past, reductionistic science was the driving force for the tremendous gains in farm yield that improved the lives and economy of farmers and city dwellers alike. However, the critical goal now is not increasing yield, but producing yield sustainably, that is, in a manner that does not pollute the environment and at a price that is affordable. There is enough yield to feed everyone in the world (but getting the yield to the people who need it is another matter). Reductionistic science can propose mechanisms for increasing sustainability, but the holistic approach can determine which mechanisms will solve the problem.
Graphical Displays for Alternate Regression Fits

Regression is probably the single most widely used technique of data analysis. Multiple linear regression, where y is fitted by Σc j x j , is its most widely used special case. Techniques of robust regression, where fitting is to be effective in a more or less wide variety of uncomfortable circumstances, including the too-frequent occurence of large deviations, have been explored over the last few decades. Attention may also be needed to: (a) variability that depends systematically upon y and the x’s; (b) re-expression (transformation) of either y or one or more x’s; (c) data that can be divided into two or more portions, each of which can be much better fitted separately than together.
Litigation Risk and Audit Fees: The Impact of Qualitative Factors

Using D&O insurance premia from the 2001-2004 Tillinghast D&O insurance surveys as a proxy for litigation risk, we show that audit fees are positively associated with litigation risk even after controlling for several quantitative risk factors known to influence both the insurance premium and audit fee. We attribute this positive association to the parallel development of risk assessment expertise by both D&O insurers and auditors and to their overlapping sources of qualitative risk information. The significant association between D&O premia and audit fees also provides external validation for the auditor’s risk assessment process. Finally, we partition accounting firms based on their audit methodologies and find that the audit fees charged by risk-based auditors are more strongly associated with litigation risk than those charged by firms using more traditional audit approaches.
Job retention strategies for individuals with multiple sclerosis

The onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) often occurs during individuals' prime working years. Although the majority of people with MS are employed at the time of diagnosis, premature departure from the workforce is an all too common response to the significant challenges posed by this disease. The purpose of this article is to examine job retention barriers frequently encountered by people with MS and to describe vocational rehabilitation (VR) strategies designed to ameliorate these barriers so that these individuals can continue working. The authors summarize research findings on illness-related, demographic, and work- environmental barriers to job retention and career advancement. The authors then provide examples of job retention strategies and interventions that can be implemented by VR professionals to improve the employment outcomes of people with MS.
Interaction between dietary selenium and 2-acetylaminofluorene in the rat.

The effect of dietary selenium on the metabolism of 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) and on its interaction with hepatic DNA was studied in male, Charles River rats. All studies were commenced at least 3 weeks after placing weanling rats on a tomla yeastbased Se-deficient diet or the same diet supplemented with 0.5 ppm Se as Na2SeO3. Analysis of radioactive metabolites generated during in vitro incubation of [9-14C]-AAF with hepatic microsomes showed that Se-supplemented rats produced greater amounts of noncarcinogenic, phenolic metabolites than did Se-deficient animals. No significant difference was noted between the two dietary groups with respect to the production of the proximate carcinogenic metabolite,N-hydroxy-AAF. Analysis of urinary metabolites excreted during a 24-h period following a single ip injection of [9-14C]-AAF showed that Se-deficient animals produced 2–3 times as much N-hydroxy-AAF as did the supplemented rats. The increased excretion of the proximate carcinogenic metabolite by Se-deficient rats occurred both as the free and glucuronic acid conjugated forms. In contrast, Se-deficient rats excreted lower amounts of noncarcinogenic AAF metabolites. Taken together, these results suggest that dietary Se alters AAF biotransformation so as to decrease metabolic activation while enhancing detoxification pathways. The effect of dietary Se on AAF-DNA interactions was assessed in two ways. First, it was found that Se had no effect on the total amount of AAF residues covalently bound to hepatic DNA in vivo. This lack of effect was observed both at early (1-24 h) and late (4-7 d) intervals after administering a single ip injection of [9-14C]-AAF to rats from both dietary groups. In contrast, alkaline sucrose gradient analysis revealed a marked protective.effect of Se against AAF-induced DNA single-strand breaks. Further studies showed that the protective effect of Se was not mediated by a more rapid rate of repair of DNA damage. Accordingly, in addition to its favorable actions on carcinogen metabolism, the ability of Se to protect DNA against reactive metabolites may play a role in its reported anticarcinogenic activity.
The Impact of Process Observers on Interpersonal Group Therapy

Abstract The impact of including process observers (all master's-level trainees) and their notes on the outcome of interpersonal group therapy at a university counseling center was investigated. For a total of four groups, one method per group of delivering the notes to the participants was designated and assessed for perceived differences. A self-report survey was designed and used to measure how the process observer might have enhanced or detracted from intra and interpersonal factors of group therapy. This survey was tailored for group participants, process observers, and leaders. At a rate of 92%, group members mildly, moderately, or strongly agreed that the process notes (regardless of delivery method) were helpful toward their overall group experience. A categorization procedure was used to identify participants' themes of what was liked and disliked regarding the process observer experience.
Development of the zebrafish nervous system: genetic analysis and manipulation

The accessibility and simplicity of the zebrafish embryo have led to fruitful examinations of how vertebrate embryos develop, at the cellular level. Recently, several groups have initiated large-scale mutagenesis in zebrafish and begun to generate transgenic zebrafish. The goals of these endeavors are to identify developmentally important genes and to delineate their in vivo function. If successful, the two approaches should significantly enhance our understanding of how genes control development in a vertebrate embryo.
Congruences for Ramanujan’s ω ( q )

Recently, Bruinier and Ono investigated the arithmetic of the coefficients of Ramanujan’s mock theta function ω(q). In Ramanujan J. (submitted) they obtained congruences with respect to the modulus 512. Here we show that ω(q) modulo 5 is dictated by an elliptic curve.
Conception Rates. 2. Economic Value of Unit Differences In Percentages of Sire Conception Rates

The objectives of this research were to estimate 1) the annual increase in profitability and 2) the value of a unit of semen because of an increase of 1 in percentage of AI conception rate. Factors contributing to increased annual profit per cow included more milk production, less semen purchased, more calvings, and fewer reproductive cullings. With a 7% average monthly rate of decline in milk production between peak and end of lactation, $ .24/kg of milk net income over feed cost, $ 20/unit of semen, $ 150 per calving, and $ 400 per reproductive culling, values for increased annual profitability per cow ranged from $ .88 to $ 7.36, and increased value per unit of semen ranged from $ .60 to $ 5.01, when estrus detection and AI conception were each constrained to minima of 30% and maxima of 70%. Additional probability of concept was worth less at high rates of estrus detection and of AI conception. Within-herd variation can be attributed to differences between cows in milk production, asset value of the cow based on future expectations of milk production, and seasonal differences in milk price and rates of estrus detection. Further differences between herds can be expected as producers vary in discounting values for uncertainty of information. Therefore, generalizations from a single set of assumptions may be limited, and application of methods to specific cows and producers may be desirable.
Scaling laws for testing airfoils under heavy rainfall

Subscale test data have shown that airfoils operating in a simulated heavy-rain environment can experience significant performance penalties. The physical mechanism resulting in this performance penalty has yet to be conclusively identified. Therefore, the extrapolation of subscale data to full-scale conditions must be undertaken with extreme caution since complete scaling laws are unknown. This paper discusses some of the technical issues that must be addressed and resolved prior to extrapolating the performance of full-scale airfoils from subscale test data. A set of scaling laws is suggested based on the neglect of thermodynamic interactions between the droplets and the air/water vapor phase.
Energetics of negatively curved graphitic carbon

BY analogy with the positively curved carbon networks that comprise the fullerenes1–3, it has been suggested4 that negative curvature might be possible in graphitic carbon sheets, giving rise to extended structures corresponding to periodic minimal surfaces5 that divide space into two disjoint labyrinths. Whereas the positive curvature of fullerenes results from the presence of five-membered rings, negative curvature would derive from seven-membered rings. Here we present calculations of the cohesive energy and bulk moduli of two such hypothetical, negatively curved carbon networks. We find that both have a cohesive energy smaller than that of graphite but significantly greater than that of C60, even though the proportion of odd-membered rings is comparable. We therefore suggest that it is worth scrutinizing the insoluble residue generated in the carbon-arc preparation of fullerenes6 for possible evidence of fragments of negatively curved graphitic carbon.
A Personalized Mathematical Model of the Human Body

NALYSIS of man's ability to perform maintenance, supply, rescue, and operational tasks in a weightless environment is essential for effective exploration and utilization of space. Outside of a spacecraft, this mobility can be provided by a personal propulsion device. Knowledge of the inertial properties of the human body in any body position is necessary to determine the optimum design for such a unit. Barter1 derived a set of regression equations for the weight of the body segments. Santschi, Du Bois, and Omoto2 determined the center of gravity and moments of inertia of 66 living subjects in 8 body positions. Whitsett3 designed a mathematical model of the human body to analyze dynamic response characteristics of weightless man, and Kulwicki4 used a mathematical model to investigate self-rotation techniques for astronauts. This note presents a personalized mathematical model to predict the inertial properties of the human body in any fixed body position.
HOME RANGE, TIME, AND BODY SIZE IN MAMMALS'

The relationship between home range area and body size of terrestrial mammals is reconsidered in light of the concept of biological time. Biological time is an internal, body—mass—dependent, time scale to which the durations (of rates) of biological events are entrained. These events range from purely physiological (e.g., muscle contraction time) to purely ecological (e.g., time to traverse home range). Evidence is presented that home range size scales linearly to body mass for carnivores as it does for herbivores. This scaling supports the hypothesis that animals select their home range areas to meet metabolic demands integrated over biologically critical periods. Confounding variables in the home range—body mass regression include habitat productivity and methods of location. Data on home ranges derived from telemetry studies of terrestrial carnivores are presented and used to derive allometric equations for home range area. The exponents of these equations are shown to approximate 1.0, although intercept values vary with latitude and, presumably, habitat productivity. Social organization and behavior may also influence the relationship of home range area to metabolic needs for different sex and age categories within a species.
Effects of perceived sophistication and test validity on acceptance of generalized feedback

Forty-eight undergraduate females completed a psychological test after they had received instructions that concerned the validity of the test and their sophistication as test takers. Subjects were told that the test was either valuable or worthless in assessing personalities. Subjects also were told that they were either experienced or naive with regard to tests and psychology. Subjects received identical Barnum interpretations, which they rated for accuracy. While the high sophistication subjects rated the interpretation as accurate across validity conditions, the low sophistication subjects rated the interpretation according to the validity instructions they received. These results run counter to previous assertions that validity and sophistication have little or no effect on acceptance of generalized personality feedback.