cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consensus, Division, and the Future of Graduate Education in the Chemical Sciences

A panel comprising expert members of the chemistry academy, chemical industry, and the government produced a report in 2012 with 32 recommendations to advance graduate education in the chemical sciences. Until now, the target recipients of the study, students, faculty, and administrators, have not been asked if they agree with the recommendations. A survey of the beneficiaries of the 2012 ACS study reveals areas of consensus but also sharp differences in opinion regarding some of the recommendations. Many of these differences in opinion may be attributed to the natural needs and values of the different stakeholder groups. Some of the divisive issues could represent impediments to improving graduate education. The results of the survey are detailed and interpretation is provided. A path forward to advancing graduate education in the chemical sciences is also outlined.
Stochastic Inference and Learning Enabled by Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

Neuromorphic computational paradigms that exploit the stochastic switching behavior of devices in the presence of thermal noise is bringing about a wave of change in the way we perceive brain-inspired computing. In this article, we present proposals of spintronics enabled neuromorphic computing systems that perform probabilistic inference and online learning. Such stochastic neuromimetic hardware has the potential of enabling a new generation of state-compressed, low-power computing platforms, which can be significantly more efficient and scalable than their deterministic counterparts.
Alignment- and metallic-obstacle-insensitive contactless power transmission system utilizing surface-guided mode

A key limitation inherent in wireless power transmission (WPT) systems using coils is a high sensitivity to the alignment between the transmitting and receiving coils. Moreover, the physical separation of the transmitting and receiving coils or any metallic barrier between them can notably reduce the efficiency. To overcome these limitations, a practical WPT system that is insensitive to the alignment between coils and metallic obstacles is proposed. It uses a printed circuit board-type antenna fabricated by reducing the structure of an antenna used in previous research and is designed to resonate at the target frequency through impedance matching. The proposed system uses surface-guided-mode resonance at the metal–air interface and transmits uniform power within 1.3 m. In addition, the proposed system satisfies the electromagnetic field international standard that is the electric field and magnetic field reference values are 152.5 V/m and 0.4 A/m, respectively at 4 MHz.
Enhanced Dynamic Discretization Discovery for the Continuous Time Load Plan Design Problem

For less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation carriers, as shipment sizes are small relative to trailer capacity, profitability is driven by the ability to load trailers with shipments from ...
Rational strategies to stabilize the morphology of non-fullerene organic solar cells (Conference Presentation)

Rational Strategies to Stabilize the Morphology of Non-Fullerene Organic Solar Cells Huawei Hu, Long Ye, Masoud Ghasemi, Nrup Balar, Jeromy James Rech, Samuel J. Stuard , Wei You, Brendon O'Connor, Harald Ade* E-mail: hwade@ncsu.edu Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are considered one of the most promising cost-effective options for utilizing solar energy. Recently, the OPV field has been revolutionized by the development of novel non-fullerene small molecular acceptors. With efficiencies now reaching 14% in many systems, the device stability and mechanical durability of non-fullerene OPVs have received less attention. Developing devices with both high performance and long-term stability remains challenging, particularly if the material choice is restricted by roll-to-roll and benign solvent processing requirements and desirable mechanical durability. Furthermore, many reports of OPV blends focus primarily on the device performance aspect of the solar cell and ignore the mechanical durability, which is an important consideration for OPV commercialization. Here we report a rational strategy to design nonfullerene OPVs that exhibit excellent thermal stability and storage stability while retaining high ductility with a two-donor polymer, non-halogenated ink. As a result, a highly efficient, stable, and ductile ternary nonfullerene OPV is achieved. The results indicate that synergistic enhancements can be achieved in more than one parameter. Our study indicates that improved stability and performance can be achieved in a synergistic way without significant embrittlement, which will accelerate the future development and application of non-fullerene OPVs. Reference H. Hu, L. Ye, M. Ghasemi, N. Balar, J. Rech, S. J. Stuard, W. You, B. O'Connor, H. Ade, Adv. Mater. 2019, Under review.
Resolutions, salient reasons, and weakness of will

Traditionally, weakness of will (WOW) has been identified with an agent acting contrary to her better judgment, or akrasia. Recent empirical findings, however, have led many to conclude that the folk concept of WOW is not amenable to necessary and sufficient conditions. To this end, it has been argued that WOW attributions point to a cluster concept (May and Holton in Philos Stud 157(3):341–360, 2012), a disjunctive account of WOW as either judgment or resolution violation (Mele in Philos Stud 150(3):391–404, 2010), and a two-tiered account including both failures to adhere to commitments as well as failures to commit (Doucet and Turri in Synthese 191(16):3935–3954, 2014). Contrary to these views, I argue that there is indeed an underlying unifying feature of the folk concept of WOW. In particular, I argue that WOW is a matter of violating one’s salient reasons for action. I develop and defend this account in three stages. First, I introduce the theory philosophically, by critiquing the traditional view, i.e. judgment violation, as well as its initial competitor, Holton’s (J Philos 96(5):241–262, 1999; Willing, wanting, waiting, Oxford University Press, New York, 2009) view of resolution violation. I then turn to the empirical case for Salient Reasons Violation, arguing that the view best fits the data concerning folk attributions of WOW. Importantly, I argue that folk attributions unsurprisingly include violations of reasons that the attributor finds salient, even when the agent in the case may not. Finally, I turn to an explanatory account of Salient Reasons Violation, which moves beyond establishing the contours of our concept, by providing an explanation as to why the concept functions as it does.
The Extended Manifold for Diversely Polarized Antenna Arrays

The paper investigates a general parametric model for the manifold of polarization sensitive arrays based on representing each antenna by a collection of short dipoles. The manifold has a simple form consisting of an extended isotropic manifold, vertical and horizontal direction vectors and a constant non-square coupling matrix. The resulting manifold captures the effects of coupling, polarization and antenna characteristics. It provides an arbitrarily accurate representation of the analytic manifold which is based on electromagnetic theory. The Coupling Matrix can be determined from the current distributions in the antennas or calculated by other means such as the least-squares fit of the analytic and extended manifolds. The accuracy of the extended manifold is illustrated by numerical examples.
Realignment and Intramedullary Rodding of the Humerus and Forearm in Children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Effect on Fracture Rate

Purpose Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a genotypically and phenotypically heterogeneous group of inherited disorders characterized by brittle bones, fractures and skeletal deformity. Surgical intervention in the form of intramedullary rodding is indicated for the long bone segments of the extremities to manage deformity and help treat recurrent fractures. Historically, the focus of long bone surgery for children with OI has been the lower extremity. A recent pair of studies has described the functional improvements in children with OI undergoing upper extremity procedures. The purpose of this study is to report …
Utilizing Culturally Relevant Leisure as an Experiential Learning Tool: Implications for Leisure Studies and Recreation Education

Study abroad provides a unique context in which opportunities for culturally relevant leisure are extremely abundant. These programs provide varying levels of cultural immersion, and culture is inh...
Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Scholastic Performance in Preadolescent Children: A Data-Driven Multivoxel Pattern Analysis (MVPA).

Scholastic performance is the key metric by which schools measure student’s academic success, and it is important to understand the neural-correlates associated with greater scholastic performance. This study examines resting-state functional connectivity (RsFc) associated with scholastic performance (reading and mathematics) in preadolescent children (7–9 years) using an unbiased whole-brain connectome-wide multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA). MVPA revealed four clusters associated with reading composite score, these clusters were then used for whole-brain seed-based RsFc analysis. However, no such clusters were found for mathematics composite score. Post hoc analysis found robust associations between reading and RsFc dynamics with areas involved with the somatomotor, dorsal attention, ventral attention, limbic, frontoparietal, and default mode networks. These findings indicate that reading ability may be associated with a wide range of RsFc networks. Of particular interest, anticorrelations were observed between the default mode network and the somatomotor, dorsal attention, ventral attention, and frontoparietal networks. Previous research has demonstrated the importance of anticorrelations between the default mode network and frontoparietal network associated with cognition. These results extend the current literature exploring the role of network connectivity in scholastic performance of children.
Planar Lens for GHz Fourier Ultrasonics

The Fourier transform is a widely used mathematical algorithm that decomposes a time-domain function into its component frequencies. A highly efficient ultraSonic Fast Fourier Transform (SFFT) [1] hardware accelerator will drastically improve the computational speed needed in real-time image recognition and signal processing. The planar GHz frequency compatible ultrasonic lens presented in this paper is necessary to realize a compact ( 2 posts embedded into a silicon substrate, fabricated using DRIE processing of silicon wafers. The spatial density of the posts generates a varying phase shift for waves passing through the lens, as shown by FEM simulations. The FEM simulations and the devices provide a pathway to verify lens operation experimentally.
Age of initiation of cigarillos, filtered cigars and/or traditional cigars among youth: Findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, 2013-2017.

Significance Early age of initiation of tobacco use is associated with sustained tobacco use and lower rates of smoking cessation. Although much is known about age of initiation of cigarette use, much less is known about the age of initiation of cigar product use among youth. Methods Survival analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health youth annual datasets (ages 12-17) from 2013 to 2017 were conducted for any cigar product use, cigarillos or filtered cigars, and traditional cigars across four cigar use outcomes, age of initiation of: susceptibility to use, ever use, past 30-day use and "fairly regular" use. An interval censoring survival method was implemented to estimate the probability of each outcome for age of initiation of each cigar product overall. Differences in age of initiation by sex and race/ethnicity were assessed using weighted Cox proportional hazards models for interval-censored data. Results For each outcome across the three cigar products, striking increases in the probability of initiation begin before 17 years old. For cigarillo or filtered cigars, males had a higher risk of onset of susceptibility to use, initiating ever use, and initiating past 30-day use at earlier ages than females. Compared to Non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Other had lower risk of initiating ever use and past 30-day use at earlier ages. Non-Hispanic Black youth had higher risk of initiating past 30-day use and "fairly regular" use than Non-Hispanic White youth at earlier ages. Similar findings are reported for any cigar use and traditional cigar use. Conclusion Developmentally and culturally appropriate cigar use interventions and communication campaigns should be provided to youth before 17 years of age to prevent the onset and progression of cigar products. Regulatory policies that reduce appeal of all cigar products should be implemented to curb cigar initiation among youth.
U.S. IMET Participation and the Outcome and Duration of Insurgencies

The United States has provides international military education and training (U.S. IMET) to military personnel from more than 100 countries annually. In spite of this, the effects of such training ...
Teachers and Language Outcomes of Young Bilinguals: A Scoping Review.

Purpose The present scoping review seeks to fill an important need in the bilingual research and education community by analyzing the recent research literature on how teacher factors potentially i...
Frontier poetry: new adventures in contemporary French horror cinema

Until the twenty-first century, the horror genre was a relatively marginal factor in French filmmaking. But in recent years the format has permeated the French media ecosystem. This article studies...
REDUCTION OF MAINTENANCE BY PROPER ORIENTATION OF SHIP CHANNELS THROUGH TIDAL INLETS

The inherited courses of some hay-port ship channels take them through tidal inlets along courses running across dominant directions of strong current movement and scour, or on courses that upset the natural tidal regimes. Such discordance may make necessary excessive maintenance dredging. Geological study of a section of the Texas coast shows that, in a unit coastal environment, there may he a predictable stahle position of a tidal inlet and a common stahle orientation for its channel which might better have been used for the ship channel outlet. Among probable damages to the natural environment resulting from a wrong orientation is excessive sedimentation in the inlet channel. Engineering studies are needed to determine the economics of reorientation and relocation of misfit channels of the type described. The tidal inlet or "pass" is the central channel of a tidal delta. The delta is an enlargement of a barrier sand island at a gap where tidal and other flow into and out of large inland water bodies forms a strong local field of force with a longshore sediment drift and current. Engineering works in this field of force should utilize its characteristics, not fight them. As the coastal section studied here is only one of many, extension of the geologic study, with accompanying engineering studies, should be made to permit general laws of inlets, tidal deltas and barrier islands to be set up for both geology and engineering.
Green tea extract and (-) epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibit hypoxia- and serum-induced HIF-1 α protein accumulation and VEGF expression in HeLa and HepG2cells

2257 Green tea extract (GTE) and its major component (-)epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) have been shown to have antiangiogenic effects in various experimental tumor models. A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α-mediated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression plays a critical role in tumor angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effect of GTE and EGCG on HIF-1α and VEGF expressions induced by hypoxia or serum in human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) and hepatoma (HepG2) cells. Our results showed that GTE and EGCG significantly inhibited hypoxia- and serum-induced HIF-1α protein accumulation in the cancer cells, but had no effects on HIF-1α mRNA expression. Meanwhile, GTE and EGCG also drastically inhibited VEGF expressions at both mRNA and protein levels in HeLa and HepG2 cells in response to hypoxia or serum stimulation. Mechanistically, we found that GTE and EGCG inhibited hypoxia- induced HIF-1α protein accumulation via blocking the activation of PI-3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways and substantially promoting HIF-1α protein degradation through the proteasome system. In addition, we demonstrated that GTE and EGCG inhibited serum- induced HIF-1α protein expression through the inhibition of AKT activation and the phosphorylation of two protein translational regulators, Mr 70,000 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). Our data suggested that HIF-1α/VEGF may serve as a promising target for GTE and EGCG in the context of cancer chemoprevention and anticancer therapy.
1 – Historical Perspective

Publisher Summary This chapter briefly reviews the historical development of the idea of intermolecular forces starting from the ancient Greeks to the present day. The Greeks were first to consider forces in a nonreligious way. The notion of doing experiments to find out how nature works was an unknown concept until Galileo demonstrated its power in his classic experiments on gravity, the motion of bodies, optics, astronomy, and proving the existence of a vacuum. The first half of the nineteenth century saw a continuation of the controversy about whether matter was a continuum or made up of molecules with the balance slowly tilting toward the continuum picture. The latter half of the nineteenth century saw the return of molecules, with successes of the new kinetic theory and the Van der Waals equation of state, both of which were based on attraction of molecules. By the early twentieth century, it was recognized that intermolecular forces are not of a simple nature, and the pursuit of one basic force law gave way to a less ambitious search for semiempirical expressions that could account for specific phenomena. Today, the origin of intermolecular forces is known, and it is established that all intermolecular forces are essentially electrostatic in origin.
Designing intelligence: a framework for smart systems

PART I: PRELUDE: Introduction Overview of framework PART II: FACTORS: Purpose Space Structure Time Process Efficiency PART III: INTERFACTOR TRADE-OFFS: Space vs. time Mechanism vs. process PART IV: APPLICATIONS: Autonomous robot Flexible factory Organizational design PART V: POSTLUDE: Conclusion.
Development of Coronary Vessels

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the development in coronary vessels. Formation of the coronary vessels occurs through an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation of proepicardial cells, followed by vasculogenesis in the subepicardial layer, assembly and remodeling of a primitive coronary plexus, and recruitment of a smooth-muscle coating. This chapter reviews the current understanding of the origins and development of the coronary vasculature, with an emphasis on formation of coronary smooth muscle. Progenitors for the coronary vasculature are found in the proepicardium. Proepicardial cells arise independently of the heart itself and provide epicardial cells to the outer surface of the looped heart tube during cardiac development. Fate-mapping studies show that proepicardial cells are forerunners for the endothelium and smooth muscle of the coronary vasculature, and the connective tissue cells that form the coronary adventitia and interstitial matrix of the myocardium.
Behaviour Genetics – Human

Many studies have shown that genes contribute to at least 50% of most behavioural traits and disorders, and in some cases as much as 90%. In the coming years genetic testing will be used to assist in the diagnosis and choice of treatment of most behavioural problems. Keywords: polygenic inheritance; twin studies; molecular genetics
Martha Stewart, Normal Investor

We listen to investors brag about their winning stocks and want to ask "May I have a list of all the stocks in your portfolio?" Polite people resist the urge but prosecutors need not be polite. The portfolio that Martha Stewart revealed to prosecutors and the jury at her trial is a portfolio of normal investors, containing both winners and losers, and the investment behavior she revealed is normal behavior, affected by cognitive biases and emotions. Nothing illustrates these better than the cognitive bias of hindsight and the accompanying emotion of regret. Martha Stewart surely wishes, in hindsight, that she had not bought the many stocks she sold at a loss in December 2001. Martha Stewart surely wishes, in hindsight, that she had accepted the prosecutors' offer of a plea bargain. Last, and most ironic, Martha Stewart surely wishes, in hindsight, that she had held on to her ImClone stock. The shares she sold for less than $60 in December 2001 could have been sold for more than $85 at the end of June 2004.
Meteorites, Ice, and Antarctica: ANSMET pays off: field results and their consequences

I am lucky to have induced my colleague, Bob Fudali, to review early drafts of each chapter of this book. One of Bob's major talents is a fine critical faculty. Another is a mindset that allows him to speak without fear or favor. I recently received the following note from him (tucked into a Christmas card). On several occasions I've gently tried to tell you that you are seriously overestimating the importance of the vast majority of the meteorites found in Antarctica. That is not to say we shouldn't continue to collect them only that we should not become overly enamored of our own importance (as reflected by the ‘lsingular importance’ of the antarctic meteorites). I will, of course, continue to bring this to your attention. A characteristic typical of most of us is to be overly impressed with the value of our own research, and I do not claim immunity from this failing. If I give an impression of excessive pride in the following chapters, even after Bob's stern admonition, then I apologize, but let me also point out to the reader that he/she has been warned … The total of all meteorite specimens recovered from Antarctica by US, Japanese and European teams now numbers somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 000. Among these are a few lunar samples that fell as meteorites after being blasted off the moon as a result of collisions with asteroids.
Functional expression of heterologous UDP-galactose-4-epimerase in Agrobacterium sp. via a broad host-range expression vector

We report here the first functional expression of a heterologous protein in an Agrobacterium sp. strain (LTU261). A 1014 bp gene coding for the dimeric 79 kDa UDP-galactose-4-epimerase from E. coli was successfully cloned into a 11 kb broad host-range expression vector. Both expression level and activity level in Agrobacterium sp. LTU 261 were about one-tenth of the level obtained in E. coli from the same plasmid. The success of the heterologous expression in Agrobacterium sp. opens up possibilities for introducing new products into this organism and offers opportunities for improvement in production and modification of the existing bioproducts from this organism.
Multiple-Soliton Solutions for Extended Shallow Water Wave Equations

Four extended shallow water wave equations are introduced and studied for complete integrability. We show that the additional terms do not kill the integrability of the typical equations. The Hereman’s simplified method and the Cole-Hopf transformation method are used to show this goal. Multiple soliton solutions will be derived for each model. The analysis highlights the effects of the extension terms on the structures of the obtained solutions. KeyWords: Shallow Water Wave Equations; Complete Integrability; Multiple-Soliton Solutions
A study of procedures for the identification of heroin.

For forensic purposes, it is essential for the chemist to identify drugs correctly. The method or combination of methods chosen must be able to differentiate the drug present from all other compounds, regardless of structural similarities. The proper choice of method can be achieved only with a thorough understanding of the limitations and specificity of each analytical technique available to the chemist. Virtually no literature is available on the specificity of the many procedures used for the identification of heroin (diacetylmorphine). Indeed, it has been shown [1] that even pyramiding certain analytical tests may not be adequate.
A cost-evaluation of glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition in adult bone marrow transplant patients

Abstract Objective In a randomized, double-blind, prospective clinical trial, we evaluated the metabolic effect of glutamine-supplemented parenteral nutrition in patients with bone marrow transplants. We compared hospital charge and cost data for the two groups of patients in the trial. Design Retrospective review. Setting Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass. Subjects Forty-three patients admitted to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit were assigned randomly to receive either standard parenteral nutrition or an isocaloric, isonitrogenous parenteral nutrition solution containing glutamine starting on day 1 after bone marrow transplant. The two groups were well matched for diagnosis, antineoplastic treatment, and sex. Measures The primary clinical end points evaluated were nitrogen balance, length of hospitalization, incidence of infection, and results of microbial culture. After completion of the study, we compared the hospital charges for the categories of room and board, surgery, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology, ancillary, and miscellaneous between the two groups of patients. Statistical analysis performed The two groups were compared using the unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney test for nonparametric measurements. A P value of Results Nitrogen balance improved in the glutamine-supplemented group compared with control subjects (−1.4±0.5 g/day vs 4.2±1.2 g/day, respectively; P = .002). Length of hospitalization was significantly shorter in the glutamine-supplemented group than in the control group (29±1 day vs 36±2 days, respectively; P = .017). The incidence of positive microbial cultures and clinical infection was also significantly lower with glutamine supplementation. Hospital charges were $21.095 per patient less in the glutamine-supplemented group compared with charges for patients who received standard therapy. Room and board charges were significantly different: $51,484±2,647 for the glutamine-supplemented group vs $61,591±3,588 in the control group ( P = .02). Conclusion This intervention study using a new therapy demonstrated clinical and nutritional benefits to patients and cost savings to the hospital. J Am Diet Assoc. 1994; 1263–1266.
Is link signature dependable for wireless security

A fundamental assumption of link signature based security mechanisms is that the wireless signals received at two locations separated by more than half a wavelength are essentially uncorrelated. However, it has been observed that in certain circumstances (e.g., with poor scattering and/or a strong line-of-sight (LOS) component), this assumption is invalid. In this paper, a Correlation ATtack (CAT) is proposed to demonstrate the potential vulnerability of the link signature based security mechanisms in such circumstances. Based on statistical inference, CAT explicitly exploits the spatial correlations to reconstruct the legitimate link signature from the observations of multiple adversary receivers deployed in vicinity. Our findings are verified through theoretical analysis, well-known channel correlation models, and experiments on USRP platforms and GNURadio.
Tests of a new basis for signal processing

The Jacobi group G is a semidirect product of SL(2, R) and the three-dimensional Heisenberg group. This group acts on functions on the space H x C, where H is the upper half plane. The action includes both the windowed Fourier transform and the wavelet transform. As a result, Wallace [1] proposed using the Jacobi group for a signal processing scheme. In this paper, the action of the Jacobi group is used to produce small bases of functions of one variable. Some properties of the basis functions are examined. The bases are then used to reconstruct Chebyshev polynomials and sinc functions in order to test the effectiveness of using G for a signal processing algorithm.
Price Levels and Economic Growth: Making Sense of Revisions to Data on Real Incomes

The price surveys from the latest (2005) International Comparison Program (ICP) imply substantially lower levels of GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) for many developing countries than prior estimates. In a dramatic example, Chinas GDP at PPP for 2005 was adjusted downward by 40%. While some observers have questioned the data, this paper argues that the pattern of changes in PPPs between ICP rounds makes sense. Consistently with the original Balassa-Samuelson model, more rapidly growing economies experienced steeper increases in their PPPs relative to market exchange rates. This effect was even stronger for initially-poorer countries. Taking account of this effect would reduce the need for such large data revisions when new ICP data become available.
Relativistic calculation of the width of the Θ + (1540) pentaquark

We calculate the width of the ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}^{+}(1540)$ pentaquark in a relativistic model in which the pentaquark is considered to be composed of a scalar diquark and a spin 1/2 triquark. We consider both positive and negative parity for the pentaquark. There is a single parameter in our model which we vary and which describes the size of the pentaquark. If the pentaquark size is somewhat smaller than that of the nucleon, we find quite small widths for the pentaquark of about 1 MeV or less. Our model of confinement plays an important role in our analysis and makes it possible to use Feynman diagrams to describe the decay of the pentaquark.
A 3-Stage Model for Assessing the Probable Economic Effects of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals

Abstract Background: The pharmaceutical industry employs a variety of marketing strategies that have previously been directed primarily toward physicians. However, mass media direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs has emerged as a ubiquitous promotional strategy. Objective: This article explores the economics of DTC advertising in greater depth than has been done in the past by using a 3-stage economic model to assess the pertinent literature and to show the probable effects of DTC advertising in the United States. Methods: Economics literature on the subject was searched using the Journal of Economic Literature . Health services literature was searched using computer callback devices. Results: Spending on DTC advertising in the United States increased from $17 million in 1985 to $2.5 billion in 2000. Proponents of DTC advertising claim that it provides valuable product-related information to health care professionals and patients, may contribute to better use of medications, and helps patients take charge of their own health care. Opponents argue that DTC advertising provides misleading messages rather than well-balanced, evidence-based information. The literature is replete with opinions about the effects of prescription drug advertising on pharmaceutical drug prices and physician-prescribing patterns, but few studies have addressed the issues beyond opinion surveys. The economic literature on advertising effects in other markets, however, may provide insight. Conclusion: DTC advertising indirectly affects the price and the quantity of production of pharmaceuticals via its effect on changes in consumer demand.
Electron microscopy renders the diagnostic capabilities of cytopathology more precise: an approach to everyday practice.

Cytology is a powerful diagnostic tool but to make definitive diagnoses, the use of ancillary techniques is imperative. By combining immunohistochemistry (IHC) and electron microscopy (EM), cytologic diagnoses can be as precise as those of surgical pathology. In the authors' daily practice of cytopathology they use all ancillary techniques available to them: histochemistry, IHC, EM, flow cytometry, and molecular pathology. IHC is frequently used as an ancillary technique in their daily practice but EM is many times their technique of choice. By the use of EM the authors can make specific final diagnoses, make the diagnosis more definitive, narrow the differential diagnosis, or determine the origin of a neoplasm with unknown primary site. Specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration as well as all body fluids are suitable for EM. The limiting factor is to obtain the appropriate material with the diagnostic cells for ultrastructural examination. The common diagnostic dilemmas in the everyday practice of cyt...
The rate-dependent deformation of a tungsten heavy alloy

Abstract The rate-dependent deformation of a liquid-phase-sintered WNiFe (90%W7%Ni3%Fe) heavy alloy was investigated. The results of high strain rate tests (obtained using a compression Kolsky bar) combined with quasi-static data indicate that the compressive flow stress of this tungsten heavy alloy increases by perhaps 25% over a range of strain rates from 10−4s−1 up to about 7.0 × 103 s−1. The material appears to exhibit little or no strain hardening during these dynamic compressive deformations. Microhardness tests were performed on the two phases (the tungsten grains and the matrix) of the material both in the virgin state and after deformation at high strain rates to various levels of strain. The results from the microhardness measurements appear to indicate a greater hardening of the matrix phase than of the tungsten grains with increasing deformation.
He2-36 - A planetary nebula with a high velocity jet?

The ultraviolet spectrum of the planetary nebula He2-36 was observed in the low-dispersion mode of the IUE. Strong emission lines of semiforbidden C III, He II, and C IV are observed, as well as some weak line and a moderately strong stellar continuum, suggesting a hot companion to the visual A2 III central star. The extinction to He2-36 was determined from the He II I (1640)/I (4686) ratio. The C IV line has an unusual split structure. If the 1545 component is due to a blueshifted component from the 'jet' emanating from the nebula, its velocity would be -600 km/s, which is unique for a planetary nebula.
Implementation of effective policies for the prevention of unintentional injuries: a feasibility study in European countries

Aim The study objective was to assess the feasibility for injury prevention-related policy transfer among European countries.
Current methods of bowel-sparing surgery in Crohn's disease.

The recurrent nature of Crohn’s disease may require repeated surgical procedures and, potentially, intestinal resections over time. Up to 30% of patients require at least 2 surgical procedures in their lifetime.1,2 Patients subjected to multiple intestinal resections are at risk of diarrhea, chronic malnutrition, electrolyte derangements, vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies, chronic anemia, and short gut syndrome severe enough to require temporary or permanent parenteral nutrition.3 In an effort to minimize the occurrence of short gut syndrome, several bowel-sparing surgical techniques (i.e., strictureplasty) have been described in the last 20 years. They all address Crohn’s-related complication without, as the name implies, sacrificing bowel.4–6 Data accrued during the course of the past 2 decades suggest that, with appropriate selection of patients, bowel-sparing surgical techniques are safe and effective.7–9 Morbidity is low, and reoperative rates seem to be comparable to those obtained after resection and anastomosis. In addition, several recent studies have provided compelling evidence that active Crohn’s disease regresses to quiescent disease at the site of a strictureplasty.10–13 These observations provide further support for bowel-sparing procedures in Crohn’s disease and offer hope that regression from active to quiescent disease may translate in return of intestinal absorptive function. This chapter reviews current indications and contraindications, preoperative evaluation, operative techniques, postoperative complications, and long-term results of strictureplasty in Crohn’s disease.
Preservation of lower extremity amputation length using muscle perforator free flaps.

Coverage of any lower extremity amputation stump must be durable to resist external forces, well contoured, and thin enough for proper shoewear or prothesis fitting. Preservation of bone length to maximise the ability to ambulate is also of paramount importance. If local soft tissues are inadequate to fulfil these prerequisites, consideration of a microsurgical tissue transfer is a reasonable option, especially to cover bone or save a major joint. Muscle perforator free flaps, as shown in this series of eight patients using four different donor sites, are a versatile alternative for the necessary soft tissue augmentation. Multiple choices are available and often even from the involved lower extremity to minimise further morbidity. The vascular pedicles of this genre of flaps are relatively exceedingly long and of respectable calibre to facilitate reaching an appropriate recipient site. They can be sensate if desired. Of course, muscle function is by definition preserved. Complications are minimal and usually related to the reason for the amputation in the first place.
A course director's perspectives on problem-based learning curricula in biochemistry.

ABSTRACT Knowledge of the applications of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics in the practice of medicine has been and continues to be a vital part of medical students' and continuing education. The technical background and the rapid expansion of information and new applications have made it an arduous task to learn and teach this material within the already crowded medical school curriculum. Problem-based learning (PBL) formats are rapidly being adopted at all levels of education as not only a major paradigm shift in education but also a solution for the instruction of biochemistry in medical school. Designing an effective biochemistry curriculum with PBL-based or lecture-based formats requires an appreciation for their strengths and weakness. The author's experiences in the Double Helix Curriculum at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (which employs PBL cases and complementing lectures) has shown that students are excited about learning in the PBL environment and explore in depth ways of integrating biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and molecular biology into the practice of medicine. At the same time, complementary lectures greatly enhance uniformity in the quality and, importantly, the accuracy of the students' learning.
Gapped-Duplex Structure to Label-Free Mismatch Detection of Pathogen DNA on Solid Substrate

Abstract A label-free platform for DNA mismatch detection, that has the potential to overcome the major drawbacks of conventional microarrays, is proposed. We have designed a gapped-duplex-based approach for achieving horizontally aligned probe-DNA on a solid substrate that offers low steric hindrance with excellent mismatch discrimination capability, enhanced association constant, and a much faster response time (less than 15 min). The electron transfer characteristics of DNA sequences immobilized by proposed method on electrode surface are compared with those from conventional immobilization method. The potential of the method in discriminating single nucleotide polymorphism variants among Cryptosporidium parvum genotypes (e.g., human and bovine) is experimentally appraised.
FREQUENCY OF REPLANNING IN A ROLLING HORIZON MASTER PRODUCTION SCHEDULE FOR A PROCESS INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY

This study addresses the problem of replanning frequency for a rolling horizon master production schedule (MPS) in a process industry environment under demand certainty. The major contribution of this paper is the demonstration of how the appropriate replanning frequency for a MPS can be determined under the conditions of minimum batch-size production restrictions in a rolling planning horizon setting. In addition, the problem environment for this study is an actual MPS operation that includes features such as multiple production lines, multiple products, capacity constraints, minimum inventory requirements, and multiple goals. Actual data from a paint company are used to determine the appropriate replanning frequency for a rolling horizon MPS. Results indicate that a 2-month replanning frequency was the best at this firm because of the significant cost savings it provided when compared to actual company performance and the other replanning intervals.
Model Estimation and Classification Via Model Structure Determination

In model estimation, we often face problems with unknown parameters in the candidate models. This paper proposes the model structure determination (MSD) for model estimation with unknown parameters. We start with the problem of model order selection and decompose the probability density function (PDF) into the information provided by the data about the model parameters and that of the model structure. The factor that depends on the model parameters is approximated using a minimax procedure, and the MSD depends on the model structure only. It is shown that the MSD is equivalent to the exponentially embedded family (EEF) for model order selection under some conditions. Finally, we apply the MSD to a classification problem where we have partial knowledge about the parameters, and simulation results show that it outperforms the pseudo-maximum-likelihood (pseudo-ML) rule.
Adaptive Sky sensor web: Novel multi-instrument, multi-satellite observations of volcanic ash clouds

In this paper, selected Adaptive Sky components are combined to identify, track, and reacquire volcanic ash clouds generated by the October 2007 eruption of Bezymianny in Kamchatka. The basic strategy leverages the wide area coverage/high temporal sampling of NOAA's geostationary GOES-West satellite and the high spatial resolution/specialty instruments of NASA's polar orbiting satellites. Using GOES brightness temperature difference (BTD) image sequences to track features over time, we are able to unambiguously associate measurements made in mid-ocean by the MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRa- diometer) instrument on Terra and by the CALIOP (Cloud- Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) instrument on CALIPSO with volcanic ash clouds from Bezymianny despite a time separation of ≈ 30 hours and a spatial separation of ≈ 400 km from the eruption event. To our knowledge, this marks the first ever unambiguous daytime observation of a tropospheric volcanic ash cloud with CALIOP and the first joint observation by both MISR and CALIOP of the same volcanic ash cloud. In the absence of the feature correspondence and data fusion capabilities provided by Adaptive Sky, these returns likely would have been attributed to cirrus clouds. (8 pages)
A CAD-based model for site planning

This paper presents a computer-aided design (CAD)-based site layout model designed to account for the diverse nature of construction sites. In the proposed model, the site layout problem is represented by a flexible object-based model. The model allows the configuration of physical objects and their encapsulated attributes to suit the unique demands of each project. This feature facilitates the transfer of experts' knowledge to a set of libraries imbedded in the developed model. The paper describes the structure of the proposed model and its four components: (i) user interface; (ii) database; (iii) project; and (iv) layout control modules. The functionality of these four components and their interconnectivity are also discussed. The developed model is implemented in a computer system that operates in CAD environment and makes use of object-based design concepts. Two numerical examples, drawn from the literature, are analyzed and the results are compared with those reported by other earlier. The examples demonstrate the use of the developed model and illustrate its essential features.
Congenital malformations induced by infusion of sodium cyanide in the golden hamster

Abstract The teratogenic potential of sodium cyanide was evaluated in the golden hamster. Cyanide was administered continuously by slow infusion to pregnant hamsters of known gestational age. Infusion was by means of subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps between Days 6 and 9 of gestation. Infusion of sodium cyanide at dose rates of 0.126, 0.1275, and 0.1295 mmol/kg/hr produced high incidences of malformations and resorptions in the offspring. The most common anomalies seen were neural tube defects, including exencephaly and encephalocoele. Other defects occurred less frequently and included hydropericardium and crooked tail. Fetal crown-rump length was significantly smaller in offspring of cyanide-treated dams than in offspring of control animals. A total dose equivalent to 30 to 40 times the acute sc LD50 dose was administered by infusion to these animals before signs of maternal toxicity appeared. Although signs of toxicity (e.g., weight loss, ataxia, dyspnea) were apparent in some animals, the occurrence of malformations in the offspring was not statistically correlated either with weight loss or with poor health of the dams. Contemporaneous infusion of cyanide and sodium thiosulfate, the classic cyanide antagonist, protected both against the toxic and the teratogenic effects of cyanide. In the presence of thiosulfate, malformations were rarely seen in the offspring, and fetal crown-rump length was similar to controls. Urinary excretion of thiocyanate was not significantly increased in animals treated with thiosulfate; however, concentrations of cyanide and thiocyanate in whole blood were higher in animals receiving only cyanide as compared with hamsters given both agents. The mean whole blood cyanide concentration in hamsters infused with 0.126 mmol/kg/hr sodium cyanide was 25 μ m measured 45 hr after infusion began. Malformations produced by cyanide were similar to those produced by a variety of cyanogenic compounds including aliphatic nitriles and amygdalin. The use of osmotic minipumps adds a new dimension to studies of teratogenic effects. We conclude that cyanide is teratogenic over a narrow range of dose rates.
Agonistic versus amicable targets of attack and defense: Consequences for the origin, function, and descriptive classification of play-fighting.

Play-fighting appears to involve the behavior patterns of attack and defense otherwise seen in serious fighting. The degree of similarity, however, depends on the body targets attacked and defended during these forms of fighting. For many taxa, including diverse mammalian families and some birds, the same targets are attacked and defended during both play-fighting and serious fighting. However, for several species of muroid rodents, the targets of play-fighting are not the same as those of serious fighting. In these cases, the tactics of attack and defense are also different. It is argued that for these muroid species the playful targets have arisen from amicable behavior (e.g., social investigation, greeting, allogrooming) rather than, as appears to be the case in so many other taxa, from agonistic behavior. These data strongly suggest that “play-fighting” has evolved from different precursors in different taxa and thus has multiple origins. Furthermore, these data have an important bearing on the universal applicability of many of the suggested functions of play-fighting and also on how such behavior is to be described and classified.