cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomechnical senstivity of the knee joint after ACL-reconstruction surgery

A computational framework was used to simulate the anterior Cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgeries, by virtually removing the ACL and then modeling the surgical preparation, tunnel architecture, graft pre-tensioning and fixation angle of a bone-patellar-tendon-bone autograft. To evaluate the relative influence of these surgical factors on the intraoperative joint response a global sensitivity analyses were performed with 48 models. The sensitivity results indicated that the combined variation in tunnel architecture and graft pre-tension at the time of fixation accounts for most of the estimated variance of the two outcomes. Data derived from the 48 ACL reconstructed models indicated that the anatomic surgical design may not be the only design that recovers the healthy joint laxity. In the context of the design of prospective studies, our findings highlight the need to include the graft tension at the time of fixation as a variable in the evaluation of the surgery.
Effective Laparoscopic Management Lymph Node Dissection for Gallbladder Cancer.

Part of optimal prognostication of gallbladder cancer is optimal lymph node staging. 1,2 Accurate laparoscopic lymph node staging is dependent on a systematic approach to sampling N1 and N2 lymph node stations. 3 Stations with the highest risk of involvement are 12a, b, p and c, 13 and 16, as well as 8 and 9. 4 A 59-year-old man underwent stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia. Thirty-nine days later he developed acute cholecystitis, which was managed with a cholecystostomy tube. Two months later, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed where a T2 well- to moderately-differentiated gallbladder cancer was detected, along with an uninvolved lymph node in station 12c, and cystic duct stump negative for cancer. With the patient in the French position, wide kocherization allowed for sampling of lymph node stations 13 (retropancreatic) and 16 (aortocaval). Thereafter, a portal lymphadenectomy of stations 12a, b, c and p was performed. A partial resection of segments 4b and 5, as well as sampling of the cystic duct stump, completed the procedure. Accurate prognostication is one of the major goals of oncologic re-resection of incidentally discovered gallbladder cancer. This can be achieved via a systematic and complete dissection of portal, aortocaval and retropancreatic lymph node stations. Targeting of stations 16 and 13 requires wide kocherization, and complete portal lymphadenectomy of stations 12a, c, p, and b necessitates safe, minimally invasive dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament.
Subcutaneous Implants of a Cholesterol-Triglyceride-Buprenorphine Suspension in Rats

A Target Animal Safety protocol was used to examine adverse events in male and female Fischer F344/NTac rats treated with increasing doses of a subcutaneous implant of a lipid suspension of buprenorphine. A single injection of 0.65 mg/kg afforded clinically significant blood levels of drug for 3 days. Chemistry, hematology, coagulation, and urinalysis values with 2- to 10-fold excess doses of the drug-lipid suspension were within normal limits. Histopathology findings were unremarkable. The skin and underlying tissue surrounding the drug injection were unremarkable. Approximately 25% of a cohort of rats given the excess doses of 1.3, 3.9, and 6.5 mg/kg displayed nausea-related behavior consisting of intermittent and limited excess grooming and self-gnawing. These results confirm the safety of cholesterol-triglyceride carrier systems for subcutaneous drug delivery of buprenorphine in laboratory animals and further demonstrate the utility of lipid-based carriers as scaffolds for subcutaneous, long-acting drug therapy.
Identification of Continuous Time Systems - An Application of Ljung's Corrected Extended Kalman Filter

Abstract The extended Kalman filter (EKF) has often been used as a parameter identifier for linear systems. Ljung has proposed a correction to the EKF that would allow the algorithm to asymptotically converge to unbiased parameter estimates. In this paper a continuous-discrete version of the algorithm is presented and found to have similar convergence properties. Discussion of the advantages of using continuous time models follows. Also included is a discussion of the computer methods used to propagate the differential equations found in the algorithm.
The association between maternal cortisol and depression during pregnancy, a systematic review

Timing of cortisol collection during pregnancy is an important factor within studies reporting on the association between maternal cortisol and depression during pregnancy. Our objective was to further examine the extent to which reported associations differed across studies according to time of maternal cortisol collection during pregnancy. On December 15, 2016, records were identified using PubMed/MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine), EMBASE (Elsevier; 1974-), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), and Web of Science Core Collection (Thomson Reuters). Unique abstracts were screened using the following inclusion criteria: (1) maternal cortisol assessed during pregnancy; (2) antepartum depression assessed during pregnancy using a screening instrument; (3) reports on the association between maternal cortisol and antepartum depression; (4) provides information on timing of cortisol assessment during pregnancy, including time of day and gestation; and (5) not a review article or a case study. One thousand three hundred seventy-five records were identified, resulting in 826 unique abstracts. Twenty-nine articles met all inclusion criteria. On balance, most studies reported no association between maternal cortisol and antepartum depression (N = 17), and saliva and blood were the most common reported matrices. Morning and second and third trimesters were the most common times of collection during pregnancy. Among studies reporting an association (N = 12), second-trimester and third-trimester cortisol assessments more consistently reported an association and elevated cortisol concentrations were observed in expected recovery periods. Our review adds to the existing literature on the topic, highlighting gaps and strategic next steps.
CHANGES IN THE DEMAND FOR PUBLIC LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES: The Use of Panel Datasets

This study illustrates how to conduct a panel data study of the initial student interest or demand for specific sets of colleges and universities. There are 3 major distinguishing features of this study. First, time-series data for the 6 states are combined into a panel dataset, and fixed-effects and random-effects models are used to estimate how selected factors affect the demand for public, land-grant universities (PLGUs) in the region. Second, rather than focusing on enrollment behavior, this study utilizes data on the proportion of seniors in each state who have taken the SAT and had their test scores sent to particular PLGUs within the region as a measure of demand. This formulation also has the benefit of avoiding the supply constraint problem that could possibly affect enrollment figures. Finally, student demand models are estimated for their own in-state PLGU, and for one particular institution (the University of New Hampshire) among non-New Hampshire seniors in the region who have taken the SAT. The results show that most of the decline in student interest in attending PGLUs in the region during the 1990s is attributed to the rising educational aspirations of college-bound seniors, falling (real) family incomes, and falling private-to-public tuition rates.
Microclimate Effects on the Temporal/Spatial Distribution of Beef Cows Grazing Cool-Season Grass Pastures by Different Management Practices

Presence of cattle near pasture streams may increase the probability of bare ground and feces on streambanks and increase the risks of sediment, phosphorus, and fecal pathogen loading of water resources through direct deposition or transport in precipitation runoff. Management techniques such as providing off-stream water sources or managing cattle access to pasture streams through rotational stocking or use of stabilized stream access sites may limit the amount of time that the cattle spend near the stream, decreasing the risks of non-point source pollution. Six 30- acre cool-season grass pastures, bisected by a stream, were split into two blocks with three treatments per block. Treatments were: continuous stocking with unrestricted stream access (CSU), continuous stocking with access to the stream restricted to a 16-foot wide stabilized stream crossing (CSR), and rotational stocking (RS). Each pasture was stocked with 15 fall-calving Angus cows. For two weeks in each month from May through September, at least one cow in each pasture was fitted with a GPS collar programmed to record cow position at 10 minute intervals. Off-stream water was made available to cows in pastures with the CSU and CSR treatments for one week of the twoweek position measurement period in each month., Each pasture was divided into four zones to analyze position data; in the stream or on the streambank (stream zone), 0 to 110 feet from the streambank (110 zone), 110 to 220 feet from the streambank (220 zone), and greater than 220 feet from the streambank (upland zone). The combination of the stream and 110 zones were defined as the streamside zone. Cattle in both RS and CSR pastures spent (P < 0.10) less time within the stream and 110 zones than CSU pastures in June and May, and July, respectively. Off-stream water availability had no meaningful effect on cattle distribution in the CSU and CSR pastures. With increasing temperatures, the probability that cattle were present in the streamside zone of CSU pastures increased more rapidly than CSR pastures.
Description of a Naphthoquinonic Crystal Produced by the Fungus Scytalidium cuboideum

Intarsia was an art form popular between the 15th⁻18th centuries that used wood pigmented by spalting fungi to create detailed landscapes, portraits, and other imagery. These fungi are still used today in art but are also finding relevance in material science as elements of solar cells, textile dyes, and paint colorants. Here we show that the spalting fungus Scytalidium cuboideum (Sacc. and Ellis) Sigler and Kang produces a red/pink pigment that forms two distinct colors of crystals (red and orange)-a very rare occurrence. In addition, a second structure of the crystal is proved through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This is only the second instance of a stable, naphthoquinone crystal produced by a fungus. Its discovery is particularly valuable for solar cell development, as crystalline materials have a higher electrical conductivity. Other fungi in this order have shown strong potential as thin films for solar cells.
Ecofeminism and Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern, 2nd ed., by Ariel Salleh

If Karl Marx brought about an interruption of thought and politics in the nineteenth century, perhaps Ariel Salleh’s Ecofeminism and Politics: Nature, Marx, and the Postmodern desires a similar int...
Juxtatumoral perinephric fat analysis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of using contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT)-based texture analysis (CTTA) metrics to differentiate between juxtatumoral perinephric fat (JPF) surrounding low-grade (ISUP 1–2) versus high-grade (ISUP 3–4) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In this IRB-approved study, we retrospectively queried the surgical database between June 2009 and April 2016 and identified 83 patients with pathologically confirmed ccRCC (low grade: n = 54, mean age = 61.5 years, 18F/35M; high grade n = 30, mean age = 61.7 years, 8F/22M) who also had pre-operative multiphase CT acquisitions. CT images were transferred to a 3D workstation, and nephrographic phase JPF regions were manually segmented. Using an in-house developed Matlab program, a CTTA panel comprising of texture metrics extracted using six different methods, histogram, 2D- and 3D-Gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and Gray-level difference matrix (GLDM), and 2D-Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analyses, was applied to the segmented images to assess JPF textural heterogeneity in low- versus high-grade ccRCC. Univariate analysis and receiver-operator characteristics (ROC) analysis were used to assess interclass differences in texture metrics and their prediction accuracy, respectively. All methods except GLCM consistently revealed increased heterogeneity in the JPF surrounding high- versus low-grade ccRCC. FFT showed increased complexity index (p < 0.01). Histogram analysis showed increased kurtosis and positive skewness in (p < 0.03), and GLDM analysis showed decreased measure of correlation coefficient (MCC) (p < 0.04). Several of the GLCM metrics showed statistically significant (p < 0.04) textural differences between the two groups, but with no consistent trend. ROC analysis showed that MCC in GLCM analysis had an area under the curve of 0.75. Our study suggests that CTTA of ccRCC shows statistically significant textural differences in JPF surrounding high- versus low-grade ccRCC.
Algorithm for the layout of a piezoelectric element in an elastic medium providing the maximal piezoelectric effect within a specified frequency range

ABSTRACTAn algorithm for the layout of a piezoelectric that provides the most efficient performance within a specified range of vibration frequencies is proposed in this paper. This algorithm is ba...
Early-Literacy Intervention Conducted by Caregivers of Children with Language Impairment: Implementation Patterns Using Survival Analysis

This study examined implementation of an evidence-based home reading program by caregivers of children with language impairment. Caregivers received materials and supports to read with their children for 15 weeks, four times weekly; in total, 128 caregivers were enrolled. Survival analysis showed that 55% of caregivers completed the program, and the majority of dropouts did so early in the intervention. Mulitnominal logistic regression results showed that dropout was associated with household income, child literacy skills, and receipt of behavior-change techniques by caregivers, especially financial incentives (50 cents per book reading). Results may advance the science of implementation in the area of early childhood disability and could provide suggestions to improve caregivers' effectiveness in implementing interventions to their children.
It’s only rock ‘n roll (but I like it): Chord perception and rock’s liberal harmonic palette:

Both music-theoretic accounts and corpus analyses indicate that rock routinely employs chords that deviate from the norms of common-practice music. Yet we know little about how listeners experience...
Comparing bleeding patterns for the levonorgestrel 52 mg, 19.5 mg, and 13.5 mg intrauterine systems.

Abstract Objective Compare bleeding patterns for levonorgestrel 52 mg, 19.5 mg, and 13.5 mg intrauterine system (IUS) products using the World Health Organization Belsey definitions. Study design We extracted available data on bleeding patterns from published sources. Lower dose products had published data at 1 and 3 years; the 52 mg IUS had available data for 1, 2 and 3 years for amenorrhea and 1 and 2 years for other bleeding patterns. We interpolated 2-year data for the lower dose products based on 1- and 3-year data and compared bleeding pattern rates using Fisher exact testing. Results The studies evaluated bleeding patterns in 1700, 1566 and 1531 women using levonorgestrel 52 mg, 19.5 mg and 13.5 mg products, respectively. Amenorrhea rates were greater by 180 days after insertion for 52 mg IUS users (11%) as compared to 19.5 mg (5%, p Conclusions Levonorgestrel 52 mg IUS users have more amenorrhea and infrequent bleeding and less irregular bleeding compared to women using lower dose levonorgestrel IUS products. Implications Statement All women considering levonorgestrel IUS placement should receive counseling on the differences in bleeding patterns related to the various available doses. Women who are interested in maximizing the likelihood of favorable bleeding should consider a levonorgestrel 52 mg IUS over the lower dose alternatives.
Solute Drag on Grain Boundary in Ionic Solids—the Space Charge Effect

Solute drag involving space charge interactions between aliovalent dopants and counterions near a grain boundary is evaluated. We use a lattice model to describe site competition between solutes and host ions, which naturally leads to saturated solute segregation at the grain boundary at higher concentrations. In such a limit, the screening distance is nearly concentration independent, and the grain boundary mobility goes through a minimum at an intermediate concentration. In the dilute limit, the mobility decreases monotonically with solute concentration, and a slower diffusing cation dopant of a larger effective charge provides a larger drag. Recent grain growth data of ZrO2 and CeO2 are in support of the above model.
U.S. Beliefs about the Causes of Terrorism: An Application of Attribution Theory

This study examined what U.S. residents perceived to be the causes of terrorism and the influence of news media exposure on those beliefs. Examination was guided by Attribution Theory. Data were co...
Theoretical and Computational Analysis of the Falling Ladder Problem

A comprehensive study of the falling ladder problem is presented. The ladder may fall naturally under the influence of gravity alone and at some point lose its contact with the wall or it may be kept in contact with the wall by a physical constraint. Several scenarios about the way the point of contact with the floor is moved are also considered. While solutions for the case of moving this point at constant velocity exist, generating such a motion requires implementation of an actuator. Here, the more general case of moving this point by an actuator at constant acceleration is presented and the required varying actuator force is calculated. Furthermore, computer simulations using MATLAB and the motion analysis tool of SolidWorks are generated to verify the theoretical results. Computer simulations are also used to display a comprehensive set of the findings. The theoretical results given in this paper can be used as benchmarks (in applications like robotics) for generating more realistic computer simulations and animations where elements behaving like the ladder discussed here are part of a mechanism.
Micro-magnetic simulations of correlated switching in touching circular nano-magnetic elements

Past studies have demonstrated that logic states can be represented using the rotation of the magnetization at flux-closed remanence in individual ferromagnetic disks. In this work, we present the results of micro-magnetic simulations of touching circular elements that can be used for room operable magnetic quantum cellular automata. Like gears in a mechanical system, the chirality of the magnetization alternates from element to element, as determined through interaction with neighbors. The switching of touching symmetric elements occurred when the applied field was removed, meaning minimal energy loss during the process. Maintaining coherence of opposite chirality in chains of elements could be achieved with the introduction of a biasing element to eliminate the bidirectionality of interaction.
Recurrent Neural Networks Analysis Application Effect of Economy Sentiment on Car Manufacturing.

The objective in this research is to apply the recurrence neural network for car manufacturing with economy sentiment. The process applies two parallel mathematical methods from matrix approach and graph representation. First the randomly changes in production lines are studied regardless of economy sentiment. Secondly the change of production lines is considered in the case of changing economy sentiment. Thirdly the combination of the two processes in matrix form and graph form is constructed. It is seen that the graph, nodes and recursive process approach will lead to the recurrent neural network as timely sequence process. The development of the matrix conversion to graph representation is done and explained in figures in detail.
Prevention and treatment of recurrent viral-induced wheezing in the preschool child.

Abstract Objective To summarize the recent evidence in the treatment of viral-induced wheezing in the infant and preschool aged child. Data Sources Published literature obtained through PubMed database searches. Study Selections Studies relevant to phenotypes and treatment of wheezing illnesses in infants and preschool children were included. Results Recurrent wheezing in preschool children is common and is frequently triggered by viral respiratory tract infections. Certain phenotypes may respond to treatments differently, depending on the risk factors identified. Inhaled corticosteroids, administered continuously or intermittently, reduce the risk of virus-induced wheezing episodes. The use of leukotriene modifying agents may have a role in wheezing episodes in a select group of preschool children. Early administration of azithromycin reduces the risk of severe lower respiratory tract illnesses in children. The effect of oral corticosteroids on wheezing episodes in young children varies by degree of episode severity. Conclusion Recurrent viral-induced wheezing illnesses has been the focus of many clinical trials, which now provide an increasingly robust evidence base for management. Additional research is needed to define optimal strategies, to best match therapies to specific phenotypes and endotypes, and will eventually begin to include therapies directed specifically at the viral triggers.
Female vulnerability to the effects of smoking on health outcomes in older people.

Cigarette smoking is among the leading risk factors for mortality and morbidity. While men have a higher smoking prevalence, mechanistic experiments suggest that women are at higher risk for health problems due to smoking. Moreover, the comparison of smoking effects on multiple conditions and mortality for men and women has not yet been done in a population-based group with race/ethnic diversity. We used proportional hazards models and restricted mean survival time to assess differences in smoking effects by sex for multiple health outcomes using data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a population-representative cohort of individuals aged 50+ (n = 22,708, 1992–2014). Men had experienced more smoking pack-years than women (22.0 vs 15.6 average pack-years). Age of death, onset of lung disorders, heart disease, stroke, and cancer showed dose-dependent effects of smoking for both sexes. Among heavy smokers (>28 pack-years) women had higher risk of earlier age of death (HR = 1.3, 95%CI:1.03–1.65) and stroke (HR = 1.37, 95%CI:1.02–1.83). Risk of cancer and heart disease did not differ by sex for smokers. Women had earlier age of onset for lung disorders (HR = 2.83, 95%CI:1.74–4.6), but men risk due to smoking were higher (Smoking-Sex interaction P<0.02) than women. Passive smoke exposure increased risk of earlier heart disease (HR = 1.33, 95%CI:1.07–1.65) and stroke (HR:1.54, 95%CI:1.07–2.22) for non-smokers, mainly in men. Smoking cessation after 15 years partially attenuated the deleterious smoking effects for all health outcomes. In sum, our results suggest that women are more vulnerable to ever smoking for earlier death and risk of stroke, but less vulnerable for lung disorders. From an epidemiological perspective, sex differences in smoking effects are important considerations that could underlie sex differences in health outcomes. These findings also encourage future mechanistic experiments to resolve potential mechanisms of sex-specific cigarette smoke toxicity.
Neuromuscular timing modification in responses to increased speed and proportional resistance while pushing a sled in young adults

Introduction: The XPO Sled Trainer used in this research is a novel device that provides low rolling resistance at low speeds with an instant and automatic equivalent increment in resistance with increased speed. Purpose: To examine the impact of using the XPO Trainer on neuromuscular activation time at low and high speeds in young, seemingly healthy adults. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of 36 healthy adults (age: 24.6±3.9 years). Each participant wore surface electromyography (EMG) electrodes on their dominant leg over the anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius (GA). The four tasks examined in this work were, walk, run, walk pushing (WP) and run pushing (RP). Participants were asked to walk on their self-selected speed. To execute the tasks, participants walked and ran a distance of 40 feet both with and without the XPO Trainer sled. Subjects completed a total of 3 trials per task (total of 12) with one-minute breaks between tasks to reduce fatigue. Results: Neuromuscular time for activation was significantly modified while pushing the sled in both self-selected speeds, particularly in GA muscle. WP and RP exhibited an inverted relationship in neuromuscular timing patterns. Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: We suggest using the sled while walking to provoke endurance and running to work on strengthening of lower leg musculature. The sled proved to be a useful adjunct tool for neuromuscular training in different alterations of the lower limb muscles, especially the extensor musculature.
Fair-y Tales: An analysis of children's books about sun safety.

Introduction Skin cancer prevention should ideally begin with healthy sun protection habits during childhood. Children's books can be effective tools to introduce healthy habits early in life and should be targeted toward all children regardless of skin tone. This study examined sun protection guidelines and the representation of skin tones in commercial children's books. Methods We performed internet searches for children's books about sun protection. We compared content from these books to current sun protection guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). We assessed books for reading level, author profession, and skin tone representation. Results Seventeen books met study criteria. Of 19 factors surrounding sun protection provided by the AAD, the median number of factors mentioned within children's books was nine (range 3-13). Of the 13 books with color illustrations of people, one (7.6%) book depicted people with dark skin tones on the cover, and three (23.1%) books depicted people with dark skin tones within the story. Conclusion Commercial children's books about sun protection incorporate some, but not all, of the AAD guidelines, and there is an inadequate representation of darker skin tones within and on the cover of these books.
Social Representations Theory and young Africans' creative narratives about human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome, 1997–2014

Research on social representations (SRs) has often focused more on categorical than narrative-based representations. However, narratives are considered to play a key role in the organization of social representations. This paper describes an empirical study of some 2,000 creative narratives about HIV written by young Africans from five countries between 1997 and 2014 and examines the theoretical, methodological and applied relevance of SRT for this study and the implications of the study for the intersection between narrative and SRT. The study is unusual within the SR paradigm: it is temporal and cross-national; addresses a subject whose science has evolved over time; and uses creative narratives as its data source. A narrative perspective foregrounds holistic understandings of SRs as systems of thought. Creative narratives fit well within an SR framework. Our triangulating methodologies foreground categorical or narrative dimensions depending on the objectives of specific sub-studies. Central Core Theory provides a framework to articulate stability and change within narrative representations. In creative narrative, objectification also happens at the level of plot and characters, such that dominant cultural narratives can be viewed as a form of hegemonic SR. We link with health communication and embrace more critical streams within SR research.
Optimistic Bias and Consumer Prescription Drug Decisions: Influences of Direct to Consumer Advertising and Perceived Susceptibility.

This study examines how optimistic bias moderates the association of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DTCA) exposure with consumers’ responses to DTCA. We propose and test a model ...
Break dancing: low overhead, architecture neutral software branch tracing

Sampling-based Feedback Directed Optimization (FDO) methods like AutoFDO and BOLT that employ profiles collected in live production environments, are commonly used in datacenter applications to attain significant performance benefits without the toil of maintaining representative load tests. Sampled profiles rely on hardware facilities like Intel’s Last Branch Record (LBR) which are not currently available even on popular CPUs from ARM or AMD. Since not all architectures include a hardware LBR feature, we present an architecture neutral approach to collect LBR-like data. We use sampling and limited program tracing to capture LBR-like data from optimized and unmodified applications binaries. Since the implementation is in user space, we can collect arbitrarily long LBR buffers, and by varying the sampling rate, we can adjust the runtime overhead to arbitrarily low values. We target runtime overheads of
Monte Carlo study of the mechanism of proton-boron fusion therapy.

GOAL Proton beam therapy has been found to have enhanced biological effectiveness in targets that contain the boron isotope 11 B, with the alpha particles resulting from the p + 11 B → 3α reaction being hypothesized as the mechanism; in this study, we aimed to elucidate the causes of the enhanced biological effectiveness of proton-boron fusion therapy by performing a detailed Monte Carlo study of the p + 11 B → 3α reaction in a phantom geometry. METHODS We utilized the Geant4 toolkit to create Monte Carlo particle physics simulations. These simulations consisted of a proton beam with a range 30 mm, creating a Spread-Out Bragg Peak with a modulation width of 10 mm, directed into a water phantom containing a region of boron material. Energy deposition, particle energy, and particle fluence were scored along the path of the beam and grouped by particle species. The scoring was performed using a series of cylindrical volumes with a radius of 2.5 mm and depth of 0.1 mm, constructed such that the depth was parallel to the proton beam. Root was then used to perform the data analysis. RESULTS Our simulations showed that the dose delivered by alpha particles produced by p + 11 B → 3α was several orders of magnitude lower than the dose delivered directly by protons, even when the boron uptake region was comprised entirely of natural boron or pure 11 B. CONCLUSIONS Our findings do not support the theory that an alpha particle-based mechanism is responsible for the enhanced biological effectiveness of proton-boron fusion therapy. We conclude that any enhanced biological effect seen in experimental studies was not caused by fusion reactions between protons and 11 B nuclei. However, it is necessary to reproduce the past experiments that indicated significant dose enhancement. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Plebiscitary Bargain

This Article explores whether public participation could be used to enhance the fairness and democratic legitimacy of plea bargaining in the United States. In particular, the Article focuses on a proposal made by Jason Mazzone for the use of grand jury-like panels to evaluate plea bargains. Although some scholars have praised Mazzone’s proposal, neither they nor Mazzone has argued that citizen review of plea bargains would be feasible. This Article defends the proposal of citizen review panels and offers practical ways to implement this proposal to avoid plea bargaining excesses and to render plea bargaining more democratically legitimate.
40 – Bacterial and Fungal Infections of the Nervous System

The comprehension of bacterial and fungal infections of nervous system first requires knowledge of anatomy because the consequences of infection vary both with the anatomical spaces involved and the functions of the tissues located within them. Although a few organisms are notable for their ability to cross tissue planes, most infections, initially manifest in one or two spaces. Epidural infections are typically excluded from either direct extension into or immunological effects compromising the central nervous system (CNS) structures. The manifestations of these infections are primarily due to compression of adjacent tissues. The brain or spinal cord themselves may become infected, initially in the form of cerebritis or myelitis, which then evolve into a parenchymal abscess. The blood vessels may also become infected; producing either an arteritis (also termed vasculitis). When veins or venous sinuses are involved, the pathophysiological consequences are typically due to thrombosis, so the terms septic venous thrombosis or sinus thrombosis are often employed. Bacteria and fungi, by virtue of their intrinsic properties and the host responses they incite, tend to produce specific clinical syndromes when they infect the nervous system. Because the host's defenses play such a critical part in shaping the signs and symptoms, abnormalities of host response may cause different syndromes in different patients infected with the same organism.
Towards a leaner geo-distributed cloud infrastructure

Modern cloud infrastructures are geo-distributed. Geodistribution offers many advantages but can increase the total cloud capacity required. To achieve low latency, geo-distribution forfeits statistical multiplexing of demand that a single data center could benefit from. Geo-distribution also complicates software design due to storage consistency issues. On the other hand, geodistribution can lower costs through eliminating redundancies at individual sites or exploiting regional differences in energy prices. We discuss several factors that influence geo-distributed capacity provisioning, and quantify latency, availability, and capacity trade-offs that emerge. We describe open research challenges in designing software that efficiently uses cloud capacity.
Fixed Point Roundoff Effects in Frequency Sampling Filters

Abstract Under certain conditions, frequency sampling filters can implement linear phase filters more efficiently than direct convolution filters. Unlike a direct convolution filter, a frequency sampling filter uses a recursive structure which requires exact pole zero cancellation on the unit circle. When implemented with special purpose digital hardware or as a program on a digital computer, errors due to finite length registers and finite precision arithmetic prevent exact pole zero cancellation making the filter unstable. To stabilize the filter, the poles and zeros on the unit circle are moved to a circle of radius r where 0 r 1. The errors due to finite length registers and finite precision arithmetic also degrade the performance of frequency sampling filters. In this chapter, the effects that finite precision fixed point arithmetic have on frequency sampling filters are analyzed. These effects, represented as output noise levels, are determined as a function of register length, time and the value of r.
Digital Forensics as a Surreal Narrative

Digital forensics is traditionally approached either as a computer science problem or as an investigative problem. In both cases, the goal is usually the same: attempt to locate discrete pieces of information that are probative. In the computer science approach, characteristics of the data are utilized to include or exclude objects, data or metadata. The investigative approach reviews the content of the evidence to interpret the data in the light of known facts and elements of the crime in order to determine probative information or information of lead value. This paper explores two literary theories, narrative theory and surrealism, for potential application to the digital forensic process. Narrative theory focuses on the “story” that is represented by text. At some level, a storage device may be viewed as a series of interweaving, possibly multi-dimensional, narratives. Furthermore, the narratives themselves, coupled with the metadata from the file system and applications, may form a meta-narrative. The literary theory of surrealism, the notion of disjointed elements, can be utilized to derive meaning from forensic evidence. This paper uses a technique known as surrealist games to illustrate the point.
A Metacompatibilist Account of Free Will: Making Compatibilists and Incompatibilists More Compatible

The debate over free will has pittedlibertarian insistence on open alternativesagainst the compatibilist view that authenticcommitments can preserve free will in adetermined world. A second schism in the freewill debate sets rationalist belief in thecentrality of reason against nonrationalistswho regard reason as inessential or even animpediment to free will. By looking deeperinto what motivates each of these perspectivesit is possible to find common ground thataccommodates insights from all those competingviews. The resulting metacompatibilist view offree will bridges some of the differencesbetween compatibilists and incompatibilists aswell as between rationalists andnonrationalists, and results in a free willtheory that is both more philosophicallyinclusive and more firmly connected tocontemporary research in psychology andbiology.
Soil Capacity for Supporting Deep Foundation Members in Clay

A review and evaluation of the commonly used (state-of-practice) methods for analysis of ultimate capacity, load-deflection behavior, and driveability for driven piles in clay is presented. The evaluation suggests that significant progress has been made in modeling those portions of the problem amenable to conventional methods for structural analysis, but that remarkably little progress has been made toward realistically modeling soil behavior. A general effective stress method (state-of-art) for estimation of ultimate pile capacity is also presented and evaluated. The evaluation suggests that the general effective stress method has promise but is still in the process of development.
Polarization stable 1.3 /spl mu/m InP based VCSELs grown on [311]A substrates

After optimization of the growth conditions, 1.3-m AlGaInAs/InP VCSELs were grown on (311)A substrates and lasing operation was successfully demonstrated for the first time. Growth and device results are presented. Polarization stability was achieved
Sociocultural Heterogeneity and the Commons

The effect of social and cultural heterogeneity on collective action and the management of natural resources is disputed. Some researchers have claimed that there are broadly negative effects, largely due to reduced levels of trust. Others have argued that there are specific positive effects; political entrepreneurs may appear who instigate collective action. Here, alternative predictions derived from these competing claims are tested against data on 40 fisheries and 54 irrigation cases contained in the Commonpool Resource Database. Results do not support the hypothesis that sociocultural heterogeneity is associated with positive outcomes, and in fact, among the irrigation cases, more entrepreneurial activity is observed when there is homogeneity. However, there is good support for the argument that trust is required for successful outcomes and that heterogeneity can limit levels of trust. In this respect, it is notable that differences in cultural view of the resource are salient in fisheries whereas dif...
Quality of web-based information on alcohol dependence

Aims: To evaluate the quality of web-based information on alcohol dependence and to assess particular content quality indicators.Methods: Three keywords, ‘alcohol addiction’, ‘alcohol dependence’ and ‘alcohol abuse’ were entered into three popular World Wide Web search engines. Websites were assessed with a standardized proforma designed to rate sites on the basis of accountability, presentation, interactivity, readability and content quality. ‘Health on the Net’ (HON) quality label, and DISCERN scale scores aimed to assist persons without content expertise to assess quality of written health publication and were used to verify their efficiency as quality indicators.Results: Of the 180 websites identified, 104 were included. Based on outcome measures, the overall quality of the sites turned-out to be poor. The global scores appeared as good content quality indicators.Conclusions: While alcohol education web sites for patients are widespread, their educational material highly varies in quality and content.
Remarkable progress in thin-film silicon solar cells using high-efficiency triple-junction technology

Abstract Despite the many advantages of thin-film silicon (Si) solar cells, their low efficiencies remain a challenge that must be overcome. Efficient light utilization across the solar spectrum is required to achieve efficiencies over 15%, allowing them to be competitive with other solar cell technologies. To produce high-efficiency thin-film Si solar cells, we have developed triple-junction solar cell structures to enhance solar spectrum utilization. To maximize the light management, in-house ZnO:Al layers with high haze ratios and high transmittances were developed. In addition, novel doping layers, such as n-type microcrystalline silicon oxide (µc-SiO x :H), which has a very low refractive index, and p-type microcrystalline silicon oxide (µc-SiO x :H), which has a wide bandgap, were successfully applied to the optical reflector and the window layer, respectively. Thin-film quality control techniques for the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) in the top cell, hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium (a-SiGe:H) or hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) in the middle cell, and hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) in the bottom cell were also important factors leading to the production of high-efficiency triple-junction solar cells. As a result of this work, an initial efficiency of 16.1% (in-house measurement) in the a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H/μc-Si:H stack and a stabilized efficiency of 13.4% (confirmed by NREL) in the a-Si:H/μc-Si:H/μc-Si:H stack were successfully achieved in a small-area triple-junction solar cell with dimensions of 1 cm×1 cm.
Changes in Intracranial Arterial Blood Flow Velocities during Surgical Ligation of the Patent Ductus Arteriosus

A combined continuous and range-gated Doppler instrument was used to assess intracranial arterial blood flow velocity changes in infants and neonates undergoing surgical ligation of the Ductus Arteriosus (DA). Continuous recordings during DA closure in six infants (3.5-10 months old), showed an abrupt increase in diastolic blood flow velocity simultaneous with an increase in systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure. In five infants, these changes were followed by a rapid fall in systolic and diastolic blood pressure without a concomitant change in blood flow velocity, which may be secondary to a rapid fall in intracranial vascular resistance. The mean blood flow velocity increase following DA closure was 27% (8-43%) and the changes in diastolic and mean blood flow velocity were significant (p less than 0.01). In seven preterm neonates (24-28 weeks) studied before and after surgery, a mean blood flow velocity increase of 50% (14-115%) (p less than 0.01), mainly due to an increase in diastolic blood flow velocity (p less than 0.01), was recorded. These rapid intracranial hemodynamic changes during surgical DA closure should be taken into consideration when selecting techniques for DA closure.
NMDA and opioid receptors: their interactions in antinociception, tolerance and neuroplasticity.

Over the last several years, significant progress has been made in our understanding of interactions between the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and opioid receptors. Such interactions have been demonstrated at two distinct sites: (1) modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated electrophysiological events by opioids; and (2) intracellular events involving interactions between NMDA and opioid receptors. Furthermore, a considerable number of studies have shown the involvement of such interactions in neural mechanisms of nociceptive transmission, antinociception in acute and chronic pain states, opioid tolerance/dependence, and neuroplasticity. Importantly, emerging evidence indicates that activation of NMDA receptors may differentially modulate functions mediated by distinct opioid receptor subtypes, namely μ, δ, and κ receptors. These studies have greatly enriched our knowledge regarding both NMDA and opioid receptor systems and have shed light on neurobiology of both acute and chronic pain. The advancement of such knowledge also promotes new strategies for better clinical management of pain patients.
Uniform transmission line response to independent distributed sources

Uniform transmission line response to independent distributed sources is examined on the basis of recently reported results. To indicate the applicability of these results to actively coupled transmission line analysis, the traveling-wave transistor is analyzed.
The Family Forum: Directions for the Implementation of Family Psychoeducation for Severe Mental Illness

It is well documented that family psychoeducation decreases relapse rates of individuals with schizophrenia. Despite the evidence, surveys indicate that families have minimal contact with their relative's treatment team, let alone participate in the evidence-based practice of family psychoeducation. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sponsored a conference, the Family Forum, to assess the state of the art regarding family psychoeducation and to form a consensus regarding the next steps to increase family involvement. The forum reached consensus on these issues: family psychoeducation treatment models should be optimized by efforts to identify the factors mediating their success in order to maximize dissemination; leadership support, training in family psychoeducation models for managers and clinicians, and adequate resources are necessary to successfully implement family psychoeducation; because family psychoeducation may not be appropriate, indicated, or acceptable for all families, additional complementary strategies are needed that involve families in the mental health care of the patient; and work is required to develop and validate instruments that appropriately assess the intervention process and consumer and family outcomes. A treatment heuristic for working with families of persons with severe mental illness is also offered and provides a match of interventions at varying levels of intensity, tailored to family and consumer needs and circumstances. The article describes opportunities for the research and clinical communities to expand the proportion of families served.