cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neutralizing sexual victimization: A typology of victims’ non-reporting accounts

Drawing its examples from National Crime Victimization Survey narratives, this article proposes a theoretical framework for elucidating victims’ non-reporting accounts, the rationales that victims ...
WE‐A‐BRB‐09: Dosimetric Effects of Needle Tip Localization Errors in Prostate Brachytherapy

Purpose: In prostate seed implantation, beveled tip needles are used for convenience of steering. However, needle tip localization and seed deposition errors can occur due to the bevel tip orientation. Purpose of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric consequences of needle tip localization errors due to transrectal ultrasound(TRUS) elevation beamwidth artifacts and beveled needle tip orientation in prostate seed implantation cases. Methods: Using VariSeed brachytherapy seed planning software (Varian, version 8.0), 15 clinical cases were evaluated for dosimetry (145Gy prescription, I–125 seed each of 0.375mCi). Seed positions were adjusted to represent the localization errors of 0.8mm–6.5mm (combined errors due to elevation beamwidth artifacts (2.5mm) and needle tip orientation (4mm)) for an ultrasound setting of 50% gain, and 0.9mm‐8.5mm for 100% gain. Each plan had a corresponding reference plan for comparison purposes. Plan parameters were compared using the AAPM TG‐137 guidelines for the prostate, prostatic urethra, and rectum. Results: Compared to the reference plans, due to needle tip localization errors, prostate dosimetric parameters V100, V150, and V200 deviated by −2.8%, −2.4%, and −3.6%, respectively for TRUS setting of 50% gain. D90 was decreased by 7.3Gy. Observed rectal dose increased in V100, D2cc, and D0.1cc by 0.13%, 0.96Gy, and 2.78Gy, respectively. Urethral doses D30 and D10 changed by −0.85Gy and −0.44Gy respectively. For TRUS of 100% gain, prostate V100, V150, and V200 were decreased by 2.8%, 3.0%, and 3.8%, respectively. D90 was lowered by 6.7Gy. Rectal dose increased in V100, D2cc, and D0.1cc by 0.05%, 0.37Gy and 1.44Gy, respectively. Urethral doses D30 and D10 decreased by 1.03Gy and 1.37Gy, respectively. Conclusions: Seed deposition based on the erroneous needle tip localization can cause considerable dose deviation of the prostate, rectum, and urethra. These results may be prostate volume and shape dependent. Further investigation is warranted in this regard.
Additional flavanoids in Gliricidia sepium

Abstract A chromatographic examination of the acetone extractives of the moderately marine bore resistant Panamanian wood Gliricidia sepium has resulted in the isolation and characterization of three new flavanoid constituents: an isoflavone, a dihydroflavonol and a β-hydroxydihydrochalcone. These new flavanoids are not related to the marine bore resistance of the wood.
A note concerning the L1convergence of a class of games which become fairer with time

Throughout this note, let be a probability space with an increasing sequence of sub σ-fields of whose union generates . Let be a sequence of random variables adapted to (see [3], p. 65) and henceforth be referred to as a game. As in [1], the game will be said to become fairer with time if, for every e > e, as n, m → ∞ with n ≧ m
Disasters, Lessons Learned, and Fantasy Documents

This article develops a general theory of why post-disaster ‘lessons learned’ documents are often ‘fantasy documents’. The article describes the political and organizational barriers to effective learning from disasters, and builds on general theory building on learning from extreme events to explain this phenomenon. Fantasy documents are not generally about the ‘real’ causes and solutions to disasters; rather, they are generated to prove that some authoritative actor has ‘done something’ about a disaster. Because it is difficult to test whether learning happened after an extreme event, these post-disaster documents are generally ignored after they are published.
Biodegradability: An assessment of commercial polymers according to the Canadian method for anaerobic conditions

The degradation of several “biodegradable” polymers was measured as a result of exposure to an anaerobic medium. The polymers investigated included materials based upon polylactic acid, polylactone, and poly(hydroxy butyrate/valerate) as well as those incorporating starch-based materials. The degradation was monitored by methane and carbon dioxide evolution. In addition, the physical and chemical changes were noted as a result of exposure. These measurements included changes in mass, dimension, and molecular weight. FTIR, UV-vis, proton, and13C NMR spectra were also recorded prior to and after exposure. The results clearly indicated that several biological and chemical degradation processes were occurring with the “biodegradable” polymers studied.
Interference with orthophosphate analysis by ATP and phosphorylcreatine.

Abstract 1. 1. Phosphorylcreatine and ATP can interfere with orthophosphate analysis by forming complexes with molybdic acid. Once recognized, this problem is overcome by adding extra molybdate to the analysis mixture so that this reagent is present in sufficient excess. 2. 2. Phosphorylcreatine was found to be hydrolyzed at a low but measurable rate during the rapid analysis at 0°C described by Wahler and Wollenberger.
The Slave Boson Approach for Strongly Correlated Systems. A Direct Integration of the Double Occupancy

Using the slave boson method for the 1-band Hubbard model, we derive an effective Hamiltonian in terms of charge and spin variables. For large values of the Hubbard U we recover the standard t-J model. For smaller values of U the range of interaction between the spin and charge variables is increased. We also consider the effect of an onsite electron-phonon interaction and show that the effect of integrating the double occupancy and the integration of phonons is in general not additive.
Pruritus of unknown origin: a retrospective study.

Abstract Background: Pruritus of unknown origin is a common complaint, and systemic causes must be considered. However, there is little data on how frequently systemic causes are responsible or whether any patient characteristics make a systemic cause more likely. Objective: We attempted to determine how frequently pruritus of unknown origin had a systemic etiology in an outpatient population seen in a university dermatology department and whether any patient characteristics made a systemic explanation more likely. Methods: This is a retrospective study using chart reviews and telephone interviews to collect data. Results: Of 50 patients, 11 had a systemic cause of pruritus. Pruritus was the initial symptom of systemic disease in 7 of these patients. No patient characteristics were statistically associated with systemic causes of pruritus. Conclusion: Pruritus of unknown origin was the initial symptom of a systemic disease in 7 of 50 patients presenting to a dermatology clinic with this complaint. The underlying diseases included hypothyroidism, gastric adenocarcinoma, hepatitis C, HIV, laryngeal carcinoma, graft-versus-host disease, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45:892-6.)
Service-Oriented Sensor-Actuator Networks [Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks]

Most approaches developed to query sensor-actuator networks (SANETs) are either application-specific or generic. Application-specific SANETs provide limited reusability, are not cost effective, and may require extensive reprogramming efforts to make the network able to serve new applications. Generic SANETs usually require that a sizeable code be deployed on the nodes regardless of the specific requirements of the application at hand. More important, they may not be optimized to fully exploit the specific characteristics and query patterns of a given application. In this article we introduce service-oriented SANETs (SOSANETs) as a novel approach to building customizable SANETs. SOSANETs provide the benefits of both application-specific SANETs (e.g., energy efficiency, scalability) and generic SANETs (e.g., reusability) and avoid most of their limitations. We implemented our approach in TinySOA, a SOSANET developed on top of TinyOS. We conducted an evaluation of TinySOA that included a comparison with TinyDB, an established query processing system for sensor networks. The obtained empirical results show that TinySOA outperforms TinyDB in many aspects including energy consumption, scalability, and response time.
Cosolute paramagnetic relaxation enhancements detect transient conformations of human uracil DNA glycosylase (hUNG)

The human DNA repair enzyme uracil DNA glycosylase (hUNG) locates and excises rare uracil bases that arise in DNA from cytosine deamination or through dUTP incorporation by DNA polymerases. Previous NMR studies of hUNG have revealed millisecond time scale dynamic transitions in the enzyme-nonspecific DNA complex, but not the free enzyme, that were ascribed to a reversible clamping motion of the enzyme as it scans along short regions of duplex DNA in its search for uracil. Here we further probe the properties of the nonspecific DNA binding surface of {2H12C}{15N}-labeled hUNG using a neutral chelate of a paramagnetic Gd3+ cosolute (Gd(HP-DO3A)). Overall, the measured paramagnetic relaxation enhancements (PREs) on R2 of the backbone amide protons for free hUNG and its DNA complex were in good agreement with those calculated based on their relative exposure observed in the crystal structures of both enzyme forms. However, the calculated PREs systematically underestimated the experimental PREs by large amount...
Biography in environmental history: consolidating the cultural turn

Recent literature promotes the idea that environmental history could consolidate its “cultural turn” (White 2004) by focusing on individuals who were significant in human-environment interactions. An approach based on Margadant’s notion of biography is suggested, and recent papers in environmental history using a biographical approach are noted.
Intrinsic and Environmental Characteristics of Juvenile Murderers

Abstract The biopsychosocial characteristics of a sample of 13 juvenile murderers, evaluated after committing homicide, were compared with those of 14 violent, incarcerated delinquents and those of 18 nonviolent incarcerated delinquents. The juvenile murderers did not differ significantly from other very violent but nonhomicidal delinquents. A constellation of neuropsychiatric and family characteristics, however, distinguished the murderers from the nonviolent delinquents. The 13 juvenile murderers evaluated after their homicidal acts were also compared with nine juvenile murderers evaluated before committing homicide. Differences between these groups are described in relation to the timing of their evaluations.
Ultrastructural evidence for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neuronal control of estrogen responsive neurons in the preoptic area.

Both estrogen receptor (ER) immunoreactive (ir) and LHRH-ir neurons and processes are present in the preoptic area of the guinea pig. This experiment was conducted to determine if LHRH-ir terminals interact synaptically with ER-ir cells. A light microscopic dual chromogen immunocytochemical technique employing diaminobenzidine (DAB) and nickel-enhanced DAB for LHRH and ER localization, respectively, revealed that many varicose LHRH-ir fibers coursed in close proximity to ER-ir cells in the anterior part of the preoptic area at the preventricular periventricular nucleus (Pep), suggesting the likelihood of synaptic interactions. Ultrastructural analysis was performed using DAB and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for LHRH and ER localization, respectively. DAB labeling in LHRH-ir neurons appeared as a dense flocculent product dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. TMB stained ER-ir neurons contained electron dense crystalline spicules located predominantly in their nuclei. Numerous TMB labeled ER-ir neuron...
Semi-synthesis of Secologanin Analogues

Secologanin, a complex iridoid terpene natural product, was derivatized at the vinyl and ester functional groups using cross-metathesis and transesterification methodology, respectively.
Gene regulation by free heme

ヘムタンパク質から遊離するフリー・ヘムはヘム・オキシゲナーゼによって，鉄イオン，ビリベルジンIXα，COに分解される．この反応はこれまで代謝・分解反応として考えられて来たが，一方この酵素反応の結果（1）酸化的ストレスであるフリー・ヘム濃度が減少する事，（2）鉄イオンはフェリチンの誘導を介して酸化的ストレスを軽減する事，（3）ビリベルジンIXαおよびその還元体であるビリルビンIXαはいずれも重要な抗酸化作用を示す事，（4）COはストレスによる細胞死を抑制する事，などの事実も明らかになった．従ってヘムの代謝産物はいずれも酸化的組織障害に防御的貢献をしている．すなわちヘム・オキシゲナーゼ活性，およびフリー・ヘムによるヘム・オキシゲナーゼ遺伝子の活性化はいずれも生体防御反応において重要な役割を果たしている．フリー・ヘムはさらにいろいろな遺伝子の活性化機構にも関与している事も明らかになり，この章ではフリー・ヘムの遺伝子活性化に及ぼす影響を概説した．ヘムによる遺伝子活性化機構の解明は組織防御を始めとする各種の重要な生体反応の理解に極めて重要であると考えられる．
Genome-wide analysis of transcription factor binding sites based on ChIP-Seq data.

Molecular interactions between protein complexes and DNA carry out essential gene regulatory functions. Uncovering such interactions by means of chromatin-immunoprecipitation coupled with massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-Seq) has recently become the focus of intense interest. We here introduce QuEST (Quantitative Enrichment of Sequence Tags), a powerful statistical framework based on the Kernel Density Estimation approach, which utilizes ChIP-Seq data to determine positions where protein complexes come into contact with DNA. Using QuEST, we discovered several thousand binding sites for the human transcription factors SRF, GABP and NRSF at an average resolution of about 20 base-pairs. MEME-based motif analyses on the QuEST-identified sequences revealed DNA binding by cofactors of SRF, providing evidence that cofactor binding specificity can be obtained from ChIP-Seq data. By combining QuEST analyses with gene ontology (GO) annotations and expression data, we illustrate how general functions of transcription factors can be inferred.
Distribution of the standardized mean change effect size for meta-analysis on repeated measures

When conducting a meta-analysis on studies with repeated measures, a useful measure of effect size is Becker's (1988) standardized mean change. This paper examines the distributional properties of the standardized mean change, and discusses potential problems with the variance formulae given in Becker (1988). First, an error in the exact variance formula can lead to severe underestimation of the actual sampling variance. Second, Becker (1988) recommended the use of an approximation which is shown to underestimate the sampling variance when sample size is small. Using the approximation can decrease the accuracy of meta-analysis results; however, the degree of error is generally small.
SUBSTANCE USE AND SUICIDALITY: SPECIFICITY OF SUBSTANCE USE BY INJECTION TO SUICIDE ATTEMPTS IN A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF ADULTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION.

BACKGROUND: Although several risk factors for suicidal ideation (SI) have been identified in the research literature, there is a pressing need for studies evaluating markers of risk differentiating ideators from people who have attempted. According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, habituation to painful or provocative experiences increases one's acquired capability for suicide, a necessary component for the transition from SI to attempts. This theory further posits that the acquired capability for suicide should be unrelated to risk for SI. This study tested this theory by examining injection drug use, relative to less painful means of drug use, in relation to SI, suicide plans, and suicide attempts. METHODS: Data were drawn from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a nationally representative survey conducted annually. Participants included 10,203 adults with a history of injectable drug use and major depression. RESULTS: Injection drug use was positively associated with suicide attempts (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.18-2.34), but not SI or suicide plans in the full sample. Injection drug use was also associated with suicide attempts (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.14-2.35), but not plans, among ideators. Lastly, injection drug use was associated with the suicide attempts among suicide planners (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.01-3.06). All analyses included sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income, substance use disorder symptom severity for injectable drugs, and depressive symptom severity as covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the interpersonal theory of suicide, injection drug use was associated with specific risk for suicide attempts but not SI or suicide plans. Language: en
Coordination of Public and Private AC a Case Study of Lake Restoration

ABSTRACT: The potential for joint public and private action for lake restoration is examined using Lake Apopka, Florida, as a case study. Initial calculations indicate that private incentives alone are inadequate to attract investment in a facility to grow and harvest water hyacinths for conversion to methane gas. However, the private externality of water quality improvement associated with harvesting water hyacinths provides a key linkage between the public's water quality objectives and the private gas producer's actions. In order to establish the potential basis for negotiation, the public's willingness-to-pay for environmental services associated with improved water quality is estimated and compared with the estimated subsidy required to induce private action. A conceptual framework is then presented for coordinating actions between private firms and public water management agencies in order to internalize the private externality of water quality improvement while simultaneously achieving the public and private objectives. Results indicate that the subsidization of water hyacinth production and harvesting compares favorably with alternative means of enhancing the water quality of Lake Apopka.
Variations of L*a*b* values among Vitapan Classical Shade Guides.

PURPOSE To measure the variations in L*a*b* values of a group of 25 guides and to assess whether shade guides are indeed interchangeable. MATERIALS AND METHODS The L*a*b* values of individual shade tabs were measured with a LabScan(tm) XE scanning spectrocolorimeter (SSC) with a special attachment for reproducibly positioning shade tabs. Each shade guide (Vitapan Classical, Vident) contained 16 shade tabs. Absolute calibration of the SSC was performed with color tiles traceable to NIST. One shade guide was used to determine the reproducibility of the experimental method by measuring and then removing each shade tab of the standard 10 times. This assessed the variations in observed values induced by the measurement method and the geometry of the specimens. The entire sample consisted of 25 shade guides. The tabs of each of the 25 shade guides were read five times in the SSC, without moving the specimen. Measurements and calculations of E, L*, a*, and b* were performed using Universal Software V4.10 (Hunter Associates Laboratory). The mean, standard deviation, and range were determined of the E, L*, a*, and b* values for each one of the 16 shades in the shade guides. Differences in color are expressed as DeltaE in color science. The standard deviation of E (E(sd)) and the range of E (E(r)) for each of the shades were used as a DeltaE value to assess color differences. RESULTS For the reproducibility measurements, the shades had values for E(r) varying from 0.08 to 0.69, and E(sd) between 0.02 and 0.22. This established the detection limit for our method for each of the shades. For the group of 25 shade guides, E(r) varied from 0.75 to 3.05, and E(sd) from 0.22 to 0.54. The difference in value of E(r) obtained from the reproducibility test and the E(r) of the group of 25 guides is significant at p < 0.05. The same was found for E(sd). The largest reproducible E(r) observed was 3.05 for shade C1. CONCLUSIONS The differences observed between shade guides are larger than the variations induced by the experimental method. The difference in E values for the shades C1 and C2 is 2.19; hence the observed E(r) of 3.05 between shade tabs of the same shade (C1) is larger than the changes in color between shades. This large a variation in what are claimed as identical shade tabs is deemed of clinical importance, and therefore, the shade guides should not be considered interchangeable.
Determination of cancellous bone density using low frequency acoustic measurements

In this article we offer a novel method for interrogating cancellous bone using ultra sound measurements. The problem is first modelled in terms of the acoustic pressure in the water bath surrounding the bone sample, the pore pressure and the displacement of the elastic matrix describing the cancellous bone specimen. The fluid pressure in the water tank is represented in terms of a boundary integral equation. Source points are placed on a parallel line on one side of the bone; whereas, receivers are placed on the other side of the bone. Sensitivity tests are run for two frequencies which show that the corresponding inverse problem leads to reasonable good results.
Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States

Context While young racial/ethnic groups are the fastest growing population in the United States, data about substance-related disorders among adolescents of various racial/ethnic backgrounds are lacking. Objective To examine the magnitude of past-year DSM-IV substance-related disorders (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, analgesic opioids, stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers) among adolescents of white, Hispanic, African American, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander, and multiple race/ethnicity. Design The 2005 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Setting Academic research. Participants Noninstitutionalized household adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. Main Outcome Measures Substance-related disorders were assessed by standardized survey questions administered using the audio computer–assisted self-interviewing method. Results Of 72 561 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 37.0% used alcohol or drugs in the past year; 7.9% met criteria for a substance-related disorder, with Native Americans having the highest prevalence of use (47.5%) and disorder (15.0%). Analgesic opioids were the second most commonly used illegal drugs, following marijuana, in all racial/ethnic groups; analgesic opioid use was comparatively prevalent among adolescents of Native American (9.7%) and multiple race/ethnicity (8.8%). Among 27 705 past-year alcohol or drug users, Native Americans (31.5%), adolescents of multiple race/ethnicity (25.2%), adolescents of white race/ethnicity (22.9%), and Hispanics (21.0%) had the highest rates of substance-related disorders. Adolescents used marijuana more frequently than alcohol or other drugs, and 25.9% of marijuana users met criteria for marijuana abuse or dependence. After controlling for adolescents' age, socioeconomic variables, population density of residence, self-rated health, and survey year, adjusted analyses of adolescent substance users indicated elevated odds of substance-related disorders among Native Americans, adolescents of multiple race/ethnicity, adolescents of white race/ethnicity, and Hispanics compared with African Americans; African Americans did not differ from Asians or Pacific Islanders. Conclusions Substance use is widespread among adolescents of Native American, white, Hispanic, and multiple race/ethnicity. These groups also are disproportionately affected by substance-related disorders.
Anomaly prediction in network traffic using adaptive Wiener filtering and ARMA modeling

Fast and efficient detection of anomalies is essential for maintaining a robust and secure network. This research presents a method of anomaly detection based on adaptive Wiener filtering of noise followed by ARMA modeling of network flow data. We dynamically calculate noise and traffic signal statistics using network-monitoring metrics for traffic features such as average port, high port, server ports, and peered ports. The underlying approach is tested on near-real-time Internet traffic in the wide-area network (WAN) of Ohio University. The average port feature is determined to be the most informative measure in the estimation process. High port, server ports, and peered ports are used for confirmation of the anomaly detection result. We empirically determine that most of the network features obey Gaussian-like distributions. Experiments reveal that the method is highly effective in predicting anomalies in network traffic flow and preventing any hazard that they may cause.
Electromyography of the anterior temporalis and masseter muscles of owl monkeys (Aotus trivirgatus) and the function of the postorbital septum.

Anthropoids and tarsiers are distinguished from all other vertebrates by the possession of a postorbital septum, which is formed by the frontal, alisphenoid, and zygomatic bones. Cartmill [(1980) In: Evolutionary Biology of the New World Monkeys and Continental Drift. New York: Plenum, p 243-274] suggested that the postorbital septum evolved in the stem lineage of tarsiers and anthropoids to insulate the eye from movements arising in the temporal fossa. Ross [(1996) Am J Phys Anthropol 91:305-324] suggested that the septum insulates the orbital contents from incursions by the line of action of the anterior temporal muscles caused by the unique combination of high degrees of orbital frontation and convergence. Both of these hypotheses must explain why insulation of the orbital contents could not be achieved by decreasing the size of the anterior temporal musculature with a corresponding increase in size of the remaining jaw adductors, rather than evolving a postorbital septum. One possibility is that the anterior temporalis is an important contributor to vertically directed bite forces during all biting and chewing activities. Another possibility is that reduction in anterior temporal musculature would compromise the ability to produce powerful bite forces, either at the incisors or along the postcanine toothrow. To evaluate these hypotheses, electromyographic (EMG) recordings were made from the masseter muscle and the anterior and posterior portions of the temporalis muscles of two owl monkeys, Aotus trivirgatus. The EMG data indicate that anterior temporalis activity relative to that of the superficial masseter is lower during incision than mastication. In addition, activity of the anterior temporalis is not consistently higher than the posterior temporalis during incision. The data indicate relatively greater activity of anterior temporalis compared to other muscles during isometric biting on the postcanine toothrow. This may be due to decreased activity in superficial masseter and posterior temporalis, rather than elevated anterior temporalis activity. The anterior temporalis is not consistently less variable in activity than the superficial masseter and posterior temporalis. The EMG data gathered here indicate no reason for suggesting that the anterior temporal muscles in anthropoids are utilized especially for incisal preparation of hard fruits. Maintenance of relatively high EMG activity in anterior temporalis across a wide range of biting behaviors is to be expected in a vertically oriented and rostrally positioned muscle such as this because, compared to the posterior temporalis, superficial masseter and medial pterygoid, it can contribute relatively larger vertical components of force to bites along the postcanine toothrow. The in vivo data do not support this hypothesis, possibly because of effects of bite point and bite force orientation.
Effects of housing and rearing on age at puberty and libido in boars

The effects of type of housing (outdoors on earth v. confinement on concrete) and system of rearing (single v. group) on age at puberty and expression of libido in boars were examined. Boars kept on earth lots and reared in groups reached puberty earlier and demonstrated greater sexual aggressiveness compared with contemporary boars maintained under other treatment combinations. Additionally, the effect of rearing boars either in all-male groups or withprepubertal gilts was examined. Age at puberty was not affected by the presence of females, but boars reared without females attained a higher libido score.
Adaptive and fault tolerant medical vest for life-critical medical monitoring

In recent years, exciting technological advances have been made in development of flexible electronics. These technologies offer the opportunity to weave computation, communication and storage into the fabric of the every clothing that we wear, therefore, creating intelligent fabric. This paper presents a medical vest which has sensors for physiological readings and software-controlled, electrically-actuated trans-dermal drug delivery elements. Furthermore, computational elements are embedded in the vest for collecting data from sensors, processing them and driving actuation elements. Since this vest will be used for medical, life-critical applications, the single most critical requirement of such a vest is an extremely high level of robustness and fault tolerance. Meantime, the key technological constraint for these mobile systems is their power consumption. Our target application for our medical vest is the detection of possibly fatal heart problems, specifically unstable angina pectoris or ischemia. We illustrate the design stages of our medical vest as well as the technical details of both software and network reconfiguration schemes (to enhance the robustness and the performance of our system). We also discuss the details of ischemia detection algorithm employed in our vest. Moreover, we evaluate the robustness of our system with existence of various faults. Finally we measure the performance of our algorithm as well the power consumption of several configurations of our vest.
Preparation and Diels‐Alder reaction of a 2‐Amido Substituted Furan: tert‐Butyl 3a‐Methyl‐5‐Oxo‐2,3,3a,4,5,6‐Hexahydroindole‐1‐Carboxylate

tert-Butyl 3a-methyl-5-oxo-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydroindole-1-carboxylate R 2-Furoylchloride I Furan-2-ylcarbamic acid tert-butyl ester tert-Butyl N-(3-methyl-3-butenyl)-N-(2furyl)carbamate P tert-Butyl 3a-methyl-5-oxo-2,3,3a,4,5,6-hexahydroindole-1-carboxylate Keywords: amines (and salts), carbamates; heterocycles, five-membered, one oxygen; rearrangements; halogen compounds, bromo compounds; replacement reactions, hydroxy by halogen; amines (and salts), carbamates; heterocycles, five-membered, one oxygen; alkylation, n-alkylation; shield, protective; amines (and salts), carbamates; heterocycles, five-membered, one nitrogen; ketones, amino and acylamino ketones; annulation, carbocyclic[>6]; cyclization, cycloaddition; Diels-Alder reactions (including ene reactions); rearrangements; ring opening reactions; sodium azide; shield, protective; 2-amidofurans as diels-alder dienes; intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions; hexahydroindolinones, preparation
Amplitude and phase of a pulsed second-harmonic signal

The equations for the amplitude and phase of the second-harmonic signal generated in a nonlinear quadratic medium by an exciting ultrashort primary pulse are derived. These equations are approximately solved for the case of negligible dispersion effects. Explicit expressions for the shape and phase functions of the second-harmonic pulse are obtained.
Reporting surgical outcomes.

he treatment of spinal fractures is one of the fundamental clinical competencies of neurosurgical and T orthopedic spine training. For surgeons working at tertiary referral centers, these injuries constitute a significant component of trauma calls. Traumatic spinal fractures are frequently accompanied by other visceral injuries, making their management complex at times. Spinal reconstruction is performed to decompress neural elements in an effort to maintain or improve neurologic function and alleviate pain and restore biomechanical stability to the spine when necessary. These patients often require complex medical and surgical care, and it is vital to be comfortable with the treatment of such injuries, particularly when surgery is required. In this issue of WORLD NEUROSURGERY, Williams et al. examined all surgical cases from 2004e2007 from the Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality database. All cases of traumatic spinal fractures were identified and assessed for complication rates associated with surgical treatment. In addition, the authors evaluated cases for factors associated with the occurrence of complications. With 6706 cases, this likely represents the largest retrospective analysis of surgically treated traumatic spinal fractures in the literature.
Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: a review

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) is a blood clot that arises in the brain parenchyma in the absence of trauma or surgery. This entity accounts for 10 to 15% of all strokes and is associated with a higher mortality rate than either ischemic stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Common causes include hypertension, amyloid angiopathy, coagulopathy, vascular anomalies, tumors, and various drugs. Hypertension, however, remains the single greatest modifiable risk factor for SICH. Computerized tomography scanning is the initial diagnostic modality of choice in SICH, and angiography should be considered in all cases except those involving older patients with preexisting hypertension in thalamic, putaminal, or cerebellar hemorrhage. Medical management includes venous thrombosis prophylaxis, gastric cytoprotection, and aggressive rehabilitation. Anticonvulsant agents should be prescribed in supratentorial SICH, whereas the management of hypertension is controversial. To date, nine prospective randomized controlled studies have been conducted to compare surgical and medical management of SICH. Although definitive evidence favoring surgical intervention is lacking, there is good theoretical rationale for early surgical intervention. Surgery should be considered in patients with moderate to large lobar or basal ganglia hemorrhages and those suffering progressive neurological deterioration. Elderly patients in whom the Glasgow Coma Scale score is less than 5, those with brainstem hemorrhages, and those with small hemorrhages do not typically benefit from surgery. Patients with cerebellar hemorrhages larger than 3 cm, those with brainstem compression and hydrocephalus, or those exhibiting neurological deterioration should undergo surgical evacuation of the clot. It is hoped that the forthcoming results of the International Surgical Trial in IntraCerebral Hemorrhage will help formulate evidence-based recommendations regarding the role of surgery in SICH.
Strict Products Liability for Misrepresentation

The American Law Institute is nearing completion of a new Restatement (Third) of Torts: Products Liability. A proposed final draft was published on April 1, 1997, and awaits final approval. While most sections in this restatement address the defectiveness theories of products liability, Section 9 addresses misrepresentation theories of liability. This article reviews that section.
Recent trends in the care of patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes: insights from the CRUSADE initiative.

Background The extent to which national health quality improvement initiatives have altered reported treatment gaps among patients with non–ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS) is unknown. We sought to determine recent trends in adherence to guideline-based therapies for NSTE ACS. Methods We evaluated the treatment of patients with high-risk (positive cardiac markers and/or ischemic ST-segment changes) NSTE ACS enrolled in the Can Rapid Risk Stratification of Unstable Angina Patients Suppress Adverse Outcomes With Early Implementation of the ACC/AHA (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association) Guidelines (CRUSADE) Quality Improvement Initiative from 2002 through 2004 (a total of 113 595 patients over 11 calendar quarters). We analyzed adherence to guideline-recommended therapies, including medications used in the acute care period ( Results The use of each class I guideline recommendation, as well as overall adherence to the guidelines, improved significantly ( P Conclusions During the 4 years since the initial release of the ACC/AHA guidelines for NSTE ACS, adherence to class I recommendations has significantly improved among hospitals participating in CRUSADE. Still, further improvements are needed for optimal implementation of the these guidelines.
Common myths about electrosurgery.

The electrosurgery device market is lucrative and highly competitive. Several device manufacturers exist, and many creative techniques are used to differentiate products. Some device manufacturers make claims in marketing campaigns that are difficult to reconcile with the laws of physics or basic physiology. The variety of claims may be confusing to surgeons desiring to purchase new electrosurgical products. Understanding a few basic principles of electrosurgery physics can allow a surgeon to be a more informed consumer of electrosurgical products. This article discusses the basic physics of electrosurgery and then addresses several common misconceptions about electrosurgery and electrosurgical devices. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;123:450-5.)
Horizon crossing and inflation with large η

I examine the standard formalism of calculating curvature perturbations in inflation at horizon crossing, and derive a general relation which must be satisfied for the horizon-crossing formalism to be valid. This relation is satisfied for the usual cases of power-law and slow-roll inflation. I then consider a model for which the relation is strongly violated, and the curvature perturbation evolves rapidly on superhorizon scales. This model has Hubble slow-roll parameter $\ensuremath{\eta}=3$, but predicts a scale-invariant spectrum of density perturbations. I consider the case of hybrid inflation with large $\ensuremath{\eta}$, and show that such solutions do not solve the ``$\ensuremath{\eta}$ problem'' in supergravity. These solutions correspond to field evolution which has not yet relaxed to the inflationary attractor solution, and may make possible new, more natural models on the string landscape.
Marrow stimulating technique to augment meniscus repair.

Several techniques exist to increase the rate of healing of meniscal tears after repair. We describe a simple arthroscopic technique of microfracture to the intercondylar notch. This technique can provide marrow elements to the site of meniscus repair to aid in meniscal healing at the time of repair. Key Words: Meniscus repair—Microfracture—Marrow stimulation—Biologic augmentation.
The biological actions of dehydroepiandrosterone involves multiple receptors

Dehydroepiandrosterone has been thought to have physiological functions other than as an androgen precursor. The previous studies performed have demonstrated a number of biological effects in rodents, such as amelioration of disease in diabetic, chemical carcinogenesis, and obesity models. To date, activation of the peroxisome proliferators activated receptor alpha, pregnane X receptor, and estrogen receptor by DHEA and its metabolites have been demonstrated. Several membrane-associated receptors have also been elucidated leading to additional mechanisms by which DHEA may exert its biological effects. This review will provide an overview of the receptor multiplicity involved in the biological activity of this sterol.
Ontogeny of social skills: social complexity improves mating and competitive strategies in male brown-headed cowbirds

Social individuals require a suite of skills to outcompete groupmates and gain reproductive advantage. Recently we showed that adult male cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ) exposed to enhanced social-learning opportunities (living in ‘dynamic’ social conditions) became more reproductively successful than males living in ‘stable’ conditions ( White et al. 2010a , Animal Behaviour , 79 , 385–390). The experiment left open important questions about how subjects turned the experiences they gained in the dynamic condition into a reproductive advantage. Here, 1 year later, we examined the within-individual plasticity of the effect by exposing some of the same subjects to opposite social conditions, followed by another opportunity to measure their relative reproductive success. Again, dynamic-condition birds outcompeted stable-condition birds, reversing individuals’ performances from the year before. We investigated the constituents of the dynamic-condition birds’ advantage, and found that they succeeded by using aggression to increase dominance rank, and by focusing courtship singing on forming consortships with particular females. Stable-condition birds adhered to no discernible strategy. This work affirms that adult experience can modify reproductive success, and suggests a mechanism for that modification: individuals that experience a wider array of social environments may improve their ‘behavioural control’, the ability to modulate behaviour to suit the competitive context. Natural selection may act on groups of traits that facilitate the development of behavioural control, including faculties for expressing or inhibiting behaviours and traits that regulate individuals’ exposure and attention to social experience.
Synchronization Strategies in Digital Data Communication

The problem of joint recovery of carrier phase and symbol timing from measurements on a suppressed-carrier digital data signal is considered. Strategies based on maximum-likelihood estimation of these parameters are described and a simple method for evaluation of estimation errors is presented.
Novel Actions of Estrogen Receptor-β on Anxiety-Related Behaviors

Estrogens are reported to have both anxiogenic and anxiolytic properties. This dichotomous neurobiological response to estrogens may be mediated by the existence of two distinct estrogen receptor (ER) systems, ERalpha and ERbeta. In brain, ERalpha plays a critical role in regulating reproductive neuroendocrine function, whereas ERbeta may be more important in regulating nonreproductive functions. To determine whether estrogen's anxiolytic actions could be mediated by ERbeta, we examined anxiety-related behaviors after treatment with ER subtype-selective agonists. Ovariectomized female rats, divided into four treatment groups, were injected with the selective ERbeta agonist diarylpropionitrile (DPN), the ERalpha-selective agonist propyl-pyrazole-triol (PPT), 17beta-estradiol, or vehicle daily for 4d. After injections, behavior was monitored in the elevated plus maze or open field. Rats treated with DPN showed significantly decreased anxiety-related behaviors in both behavioral paradigms. In the elevated plus maze, DPN significantly increased the number of open arm entries and time spent on the open arms of the maze. Furthermore, DPN significantly reduced, whereas PPT increased, anxiogenic behaviors such as the number of fecal boli and time spent grooming. In the open field, DPN-treated females made more rears, interacted more with a novel object, and spent more time in the middle of the open field than did control or PPT-treated rats. To confirm that DPN's anxiolytic actions are ER mediated, the nonselective ER antagonist tamoxifen was administered alone or in combination with DPN. Tamoxifen blocked the previously identified anxiolytic actions of DPN. Taken together, these findings suggest that the anxiolytic properties of estrogens are ERbeta mediated.
Limitations of metazoan 18S rRNA sequence data: implications for reconstructing a phylogeny of the animal kingdom and inferring the reality of the Cambrian explosion.

We document the phylogenetic behavior of the 18S rRNA molecule in 67 taxa from 28 metazoan phyla and assess the effects of among-site rate variation on reconstructing phylogenies of the animal kingdom. This empirical assessment was undertaken to clarify fur- ther the limits of resolution of the 18S rRNA gene as a phylogenetic marker and to address the question of whether 18S rRNA phylogenies can be used as a source of evidence to infer the reality of a Cambrian explosion. A notable degree of among-site rate variation exists be- tween different regions of the 18S rRNA molecule, as well as within all classes of secondary structure. There is a significant negative correlation between inferred num- ber of nucleotide substitutions and phylogenetic infor- mation, as well as with the degree of substitutional satu- ration within the molecule. Base compositional differences both within and between taxa exist and, in certain lineages, may be associated with long branches and phylogenetic position. Importantly, excluding sites with different degrees of nucleotide substitution signifi- cantly influences the topology and degree of resolution of maximum-parsimony phylogenies as well as neigh- bor-joining phylogenies (corrected and uncorrected for among-site rate variation) reconstructed at the metazoan scale. Together, these data indicate that the 18S rRNA molecule is an unsuitable candidate for reconstructing the evolutionary history of all metazoan phyla, and that the polytomies, i.e., unresolved nodes within 18S rRNA phylogenies, cannot be used as a single or reliable source of evidence to support the hypothesis of a Cambrian explosion.
Mucin Secretion in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Comparison of a Macrophage-Derived Mucin Secretagogue (MMS-68) to Conventional Secretagogues

We have described a novel macrophage-derived mucin secretagogue (MMS-68) that mediates mucin secretion in colon cancer cell lines and explants of normal and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mucosa. We compared MMS-68 induced mucin release with other known intestinal mucin secretagogues in normal colon explants and in the HT-29 colon cancer cell line, and to study the effects of MMS-68 on mucin release from inflamed and uninflamed ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) mucosa. In normal colonic explants and HT-29 cells, each of the secretagogues including, MMS-68-induced mucin release two- to fivefold more than culture medium alone. In HT-29 cells, MMS-68 plus leukotriene C4 (LTC4) induced a 50% increase in mucin release over either secretagogue alone, and MMS-68 plus platelet-activating factor (PAF) markedly enhanced mucin release by eightfold over either secretagogue. In colonic explants from patients with UC and CD, the mucin release in response to MMS-68 was similar to that of normal colonic explants. Likewise, in isolated epithelial cells from CD and UC (whether involved or uninvolved), MMS-68-induced release was similar to that of epithelial cells isolated from normal colonic mucosa. The number of MMS-68-producing macrophages was lower in uninflamed UC mucosa compared with inflamed UC mucosa and CD mucosa. The mucin secretagogue activity of MMS-68 is comparable to that of other known secretagogues, and PAF can have a synergistic effect on this activity. Whole tissue explants and isolated colonic epithelial cells from patients with IBD respond at least as well as their normal counterparts to MMS-68. MMS-68 may play a role in mucin secretion in normal and inflamed colonic tissue.