cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of dosimetric properties of Plastic Water and Solid Water in brachytherapy applications

In this study the dosimetricproperties of Plastic WaterT M and Solid WaterT M phantom materials are evaluated using Monte Carlophotontransport simulations. In particular, their water‐equivalence with respect to absorption and attenuation of photons in the brachytherapy energy range are examined. For the given chemical compositions of the materials, the linear attenuation coefficients were calculated for photons of 1 keV–2 MeV. Moreover, absorbed doses to water in each phantom material were calculated at distances of 0.5–12.0 cm from point sources of 20 keV to 60Co gamma rays. These results show that at low photon energies (below 100 keV), there are substantial differences (up to a factor of 5) between the absorbed dose in Plastic Water and that in liquid water. The differences decrease as photon energy increases, and they become insignificant at 60Co gamma rays, as claimed by the manufacturer. In contrast, calculations show that the difference in absorbed dose in Solid Water from that in liquid water, over the entire range of photon energies employed in this study, is less than 25%. The results of this study demonstrate the necessity of careful dosimetric evaluation of a new phantom material, before its clinical application, particularly in energy ranges outside those referred to by the manufacturer.
Predictors of outcome in the behavioral treatment of urinary incontinence in women.

Abstract Objective To identify predictors of outcome of a multicomponent behavioral training program for urge and stress incontinence in women. Methods This report is a secondary analysis of data from three prospective, randomized, clinical trials testing behavioral interventions for urinary incontinence. Participants were a volunteer sample of 258 ambulatory, nondemented, community-dwelling women, aged 40–92 years, with stress, urge, or mixed urinary incontinence. Participants received 8 weeks (four visits) of multicomponent behavioral training in each study. The relationship between a number of variables and treatment success were explored by univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results Successful treatment of predominantly urge incontinence (75% reduction of incontinent episodes as recorded on bladder diary) was associated with not wearing any form of protection for incontinence ( P = .045; 95% confidence interval [CI] .282, .987). Achieving total continence (100% reduction) was associated with fewer incontinent episodes at baseline ( P P = .021; 95% CI 1.169, 6.543), and lower education level ( P = .022; 95% CI .175, .871). Successful treatment of predominantly stress incontinence (75% reduction) was related to not having previous evaluation or treatment for incontinence ( P = .001; 95% CI .026, .415), and fewer incontinent episodes on baseline bladder diary ( P = .026; 95% CI .210, .907). Outcomes were not associated with age, race, type of incontinence, or a number of other variables reflecting medical history, obstetric history, medications, pelvic examination, body mass index, urodynamic parameters, or psychological distress. Conclusion Aside from indicators of severity and previous treatment, there were few associations between baseline clinical variables and outcome of behavioral treatment.
The Centre of Nature: Baron Johann Otto von Hellwig between a Global Network and a Universal Republic

A large network of alchemical agents spread from the tiny, land-locked duchy of Saxe- Gotha-Altenburg outward across Europe. At its centre, Duke Friedrich I (1646–1691) meticulously documented his interactions with many alchemical personalities during the 1670s and 1680s. The story of one such personality illustrates the changing meanings of distant alchemical knowledge both to the inner circle of courtly alchemists and to a larger alchemical republic. Born near Gotha, Johann Otto von Hellwig (1654–1698) built his pan-European career on a youthful stay on Java. To some, this indicated his access to exotic naturalia which might be imported to a centre of collection, such as Gotha. For others, Hellwig could access a wisdom hidden abroad since ancient Egypt, which should be disseminated among widely dispersed adepts. These viewpoints indicate different functions for distant knowledge, as well as differing desired trajectories for this knowledge.
Modern versus Relict Sediment on the Continental Shelf

Sediment (deposits of unconsolidated material) on the continental shelf is affected by two groups of sedimentary processes that differ in nature and disposition with time. One of these groups of processes supplies particles to the shelf, and if it does so at present, we may say that the particles are now being supplied; otherwise the particles were supplied in the past. The other group of processes distributes the particles on the shelf to form them into sedimentary deposits; if this group is operating at present, we may say that the resulting deposits are modern; otherwise they are relict. The interrelations of these two groups of processes are used to classify shelf sediment into five classes of sediment process-age: Neoteric sediment is a modern deposit that consists of particles now being supplied to the shelf. Proteric sediment is a modern deposit that consists of particles supplied to the shelf before the present. Amphoteric sediment is a modern deposit that consists not only of particles now being supplied to the shelf but also of particles that were supplied to the shelf before the present. Palimpsest sediment is a relict deposit that mainly contains particles supplied to the shelf before the present but also includes some particles now being supplied to the shelf. And relict sediment is a relict deposit that consists solely of particles supplied to the shelf before the present. At a given locality, the duration of present conditions varies with the intensity of the sedimentary processes; between localities, the duration varies inversely with the rate of sediment accumulation. This classification can be used in conjunction with measurements of sedimentary processes on the shelf. For example, measurements of processes that distribute sediment to form deposits may be of direct use in explaining neoteric, proteric, or amphoteric sediment but of no use in explaining palimpsest or relict sediment. And measurements of processes that supply particles to the shelf may be of direct use in explaining the presence of particles in neoteric sediment and of some but not all particles in amphoteric or palimpsest sediment but of no use in explaining particles in proteric or relict sediment. These expanded concepts that concern modern and relict sediments are aimed at assisting the extrapolation of measurements of sedimentary processes into unmonitored areas of the shelf.
A Comparison of Continuum, DSMC and Free Molecular Modeling Techniques for Physical Vapor Deposition

Advanced Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques are available that produce thin-film coatings with adaptive nano-structure and nano-chemistry. However, such components are manufactured through trial-and-error methods or in repeated small increments due to a lack of adequate knowledge of the underlying physics. Successful computational modeling of PVD technologies would allow coatings to be designed before fabrication, substantially improving manufacturing potential and efficiency.Previous PVD modeling efforts have utilized three different physical models depending on the expected manufacturing pressure: continuum mechanics for high pressure flows, Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) modeling for intermediate pressure flows or free-molecular (FM) dynamics for low pressure flows. However, preliminary calculations of the evaporation process have shown that a multi-physics fluidic solver that includes all three models may be required to accurately simulate PVD coating processes. This is due to the high vacuum and intermolecular forces present in vapor metals which cause a dense continuum region to form immediately after evaporation and expands to a rarefied region before depositing on the target surface.This paper seeks to understand the effect flow regime selection has on the predicted deposition profile of PVD processes. The model is based on experiments performed at the Electron-Beam PVD (EB-PVD) laboratory at the Applied Research Lab at Penn State. CFD, DSMC and FM models are separately used to simulate a coating process and the deposition profiles are compared. The mass deposition rates and overall flow fields of each model are compared to determine if the underlying physics significantly alter the predicted coating profile. Conclusions are drawn on the appropriate selection of fluid physics for future PVD simulations.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Long-term treatment of the MRL/lpr mouse with methotrexate and 10-deazaaminopterin.

Female MRL/lpr mice were treated with I.P. doses of methotrexate (MTX) and 10-deazaaminopterin (DAAM) in the range of 1 to 100 mg/kg body weight/week, in two equally divided doses. Treatment began at 7 weeks of age and continued to 30 weeks of age. Joint histopathology scores were tightly correlated with skin lesion-proteinuria scores at 30 weeks of age. MTX at levels of 5, 25, and 100 mg/kg body weight/week and DAAM at a level of 25 mg/kg body weight/week significantly reduced skin lesion-proteinuria scores below controls in a dose dependent manner. Animals receiving MTX at 25 mg/kg body weight/week had a significantly longer median life span and animals receiving MTX at 100 mg/kg body weight/week had a greater than 15% suppression of growth when compared with cottrols. Longevity and skin lesion-proteinuria scores appeared to be good indicators of drug efficacy while growth suppression appeared to be a good indicator of drug toxicity.
Pancreaticoduodenectomy: volume is not associated with outcome within an academic health care system.

Hypothesis. Smaller and lower-volume hospitals can attain surgical outcomes similar to high-volume centers if they incorporate the expertise and health care pathways of high-volume centers. Setting. The academic tertiary care center, Moffit-Long Hospital (ML); the community-based Mount Zion Hospital (ZION); the San Francisco County General Hospital (SFGH); and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of San Francisco (VAMC). Patients. 369 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy between October 1989 and June 2003 at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) affiliated hospitals. Interventions. Pancreaticoduodenectomy. Design. Retrospective chart review. To correct for the potentially confounding effect of small case volumes and event rates, data for SFGH, VAMC, and ZION was combined (Small Volume Hospital Group; SVHG) and compared against data for ML. Main Outcome Measures. Complication rates; three-year and five-year survival rates. Results. The average patient age and health, as determined by ASA score, were similar between ML and the SVHG. The postoperative complication rate did not differ significantly between ML and the SVGH (58.8% versus 63.1%). Patients that experienced a complication averaged 2.5 complications in both groups. The perioperative mortality rate was 4% for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy at either ML or the SVGH. Although the 3-year survival rate for patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas was nearly twice as high at ML (31.2% versus 18.3% at SVHG), there was no significant difference in the 5-year survival rates (19% at ML versus 18.3% at SVHG). Conclusions. Low-volume hospitals can achieve similar outcomes to high-volume tertiary care centers provided they import the expertise and care pathways necessary for improved results.
Linear Richardson plots from non-fractal data sets

Richardson analysis, one of the principal methods of fractal analysis, is performed by measuring the perimeter of a curve with strides of varying length and constructing a log-log plot of perimeter against stride length. Certain simple geometrical forms can produce linear plots that mimic fractal behavior, and two smooth curves have been discovered that produce linear Richardson plots for strides varying by two orders of magnitude or more. The existence of such curves was not suspected before this study. Richardson analyses that suggest fractal geometry of low dimension or over a limited range of stride length should be checked against the source data for independent evidence of self-similarity.
Vitamin D, race, and experimental pain sensitivity in older adults with knee osteoarthritis.

Objective Low levels of serum circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D have been correlated with many health conditions, including chronic pain. Recent clinical practice guidelines define vitamin D levels < 20 ng/mL as deficient and values of 21–29 ng/mL as insufficient. Vitamin D insufficiency, including the most severe levels of deficiency, is more prevalent in black Americans. Ethnic and race group differences have been reported in both clinical and experimental pain, with black Americans reporting increased pain. The purpose of this study was to examine whether variation in vitamin D levels contribute to race differences in knee osteoarthritic pain.
Effects of ozone on apoplast/cytoplasm partitioning of ascorbic acid in snap bean

Apoplast/cytoplasm partitioning of ascorbic acid (AA) was examined in four genotypes of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) known to differ in ozone sensitivity. Plants were grown in pots under field conditions using open-top chambers to establish charcoal-filtered (CF) air (36 nmol mol -1 ozone) or elevated ozone (77 nmol mol -1 ozone) treatments. AA in fully expanded leaves of 36-day-old plants was separated into apoplast and cytoplasm fractions by vacuum infiltration methods using glucose 6-phosphate as a marker for cytoplasm contamination. Apoplast ascorbate levels ranged from 30 to 150 nmol g -1 fresh weight. Ozone-sensitive genotypes partitioned 1-2% of total AA into the apoplast under CF conditions and up to 7% following a 7-day ozone exposure. In contrast, an ozone-tolerant genotype partitioned 3-4% of total leaf AA into the leaf apoplast in both CF and ozone-treated plants. The results suggest that genetic background and ozone stress are factors that affect AA levels in the extracellular space. For all genotypes, the fraction of AA in the oxidized form was higher in the apoplast compared to the cytoplasm, indicative of a more oxidizing environment within the cell wall.
Balance between Fluorescence Enhancement and Association Affinity in Fluorescent Heteroditopic Indicators for Imaging Zinc Ion in Living Cells

A fluorescent heteroditopic indicator for the zinc(II) ion possesses two different zinc(II) binding sites. The sequential coordination of zinc(II) at the two sites can be transmitted into distinct fluorescence changes. In the heteroditopic ligand system that our group developed, the formations of mono- and dizinc(II) complexes along an increasing gradient of zinc(II) concentration lead to fluorescence enhancement and an emission bathochromic shift, respectively. The extents of these two changes determine the sensitivity and, ultimately, the effectiveness of the heteroditopic indicator in quantifying zinc(II) ion over a large concentration range. In this work, a strategy to increase the degree of fluorescence enhancement upon the formation of the monozinc(II) complex of a heteroditopic ligand under simulated physiological conditions is demonstrated. Fluorination of the pyridyl groups in the pentadentate N,N,N′-tris(pyridylmethyl)ethyleneamino group reduces the apparent pKa value of the high-affinity site, ...
Some psycholinguistic constraints on the construction and interpretation of definite descriptions

It is a curious and important fact about natural languages that they can be and often are used nonliterally. Whereas in artificial languages it is normally impossible to distinguish between the meaning of an expression on the one hand, and the intended meaning the user wishes to convey with that expression on the other (the two are identical), in natural languages a parallel distinction between sentence meaning and speaker meaning (see, for example, Searle, 1975, in press) underlies all nonliteral uses. One of the central concepts in the analysis of nonliteral uses of language is that of indirectness. It is a notion that has begun to attract the attention of linguists, philosophers, psychologists, and computer scientists in their various efforts to come to a better understanding of natural languages and of human linguistic performance. One of my purposes in this paper is to show how central a concept indirectness is with respect to the production and comprehension of definite descriptions.
Declaring a New Year’s Resolution

Innovations and changes in courses are discussed and readers are encouraged to adopt evidence-based standards in their decision making.
Treatment of acute postoperative pain

Summary Although postoperative pain remains incompletely controlled in some settings, increased understanding of its mechanisms and the development of several therapeutic approaches have substantially improved pain control in past years. Advances in our understanding of the process of nociception have led to insight into gene-based pain therapy, the development of acute opioid-induced hyperalgesia, and persistent postsurgical pain. Use of specific analgesic techniques such as regional analgesia could improve patient outcomes. We also examine the development of new analgesic agents and treatment modalities and regimens for acute postoperative pain.
A general model for preferential and triadic choice in terms of centralF distribution functions

A model for preferential and triadic choice is derived in terms of weighted sums of centralF distribution functions. This model is a probabilistic generalization of Coombs' (1964) unfolding model and special cases, such as the model of Zinnes and Griggs (1974), can be derived easily from it. This new form extends previous work by Mullen and Ennis (1991) and provides more insight into the same problem that they discussed.
Head Growth in Infants With Infantile Spasms May Be Temporarily Reduced

Epileptic activity, as a component of epileptic encephalopathies, can interfere with brain growth and development. Infantile spasms as a syndrome represent such epileptic activity during the period of spasms and hypsarrhythmia. The rate of head growth in infants with infantile spasms during the period of spasms has not been studied previously. A retrospective study of head growth in 38 infants with infantile spasms and no other cause of abnormal head growth is presented. Mental outcome was assessed at follow-up. The mean head circumference of infants with infantile spasms was not significantly smaller than in the normal population, but the proportion of head circumference below the tenth percentile in the infantile spasms group was higher (27%). Head circumference below the tenth percentile in the fourth and fifth month after the onset of infantile spasms was significantly associated with later mental retardation (P = 0.004). There was no correlation with specific treatment of infantile spasms. Transiently diminished head growth in infants with infantile spasms coincides temporally with the onset of infantile spasms and "catches up" during remission of infantile spasms in favorable cases. This pattern can reflect the negative influence of epileptic activity on brain growth during the sensitive period. Head circumference can provide a reliable predictive value of mental outcome in children with infantile spasms.
Surface phonons and dimer ordering transitions on Si(001) surfaces

A theory of the orientational ordering transition for the dimer-based reconstruction of the Si(001) surface is developed and used to study the temperature dependence of the surface phonons through the ordering transition. In mean field theory the order of this transition can be first or second order for the situations in which the intra- and inter-cell interactions, respectively, are dominant on the surface. For both limits strong temperature dependent effects in the phonon spectra are found, and experimental observation of these can be used to identify the microscopic dynamics underlying this ordering transition.
Cell line-specific translation of two laminin 5 β3 chain isoforms

Abstract In sequencing the β3 chain of laminin 5 mRNA from LNCaP cells, we observed three different human cDNA clones (XM_001716, NM_000228 and L25541) in the GenBank that identified different sequences in the untranslated regions (UTR). XM_001716 and NM_000228 are almost identical cDNA clones with approximately 99% homology. However, they are quite different from L25541 in both the 5′UTR and the 3′UTR. Development of a PCR assay to specifically detect two of these different forms of the message led to the observation that they were differentially expressed in various cell lines. The message designated B3A (NM_000228, and XM_001716) was absent in LNCaP and MCF7 and greatly reduced in PC3-N, but was present in eight other epithelial cell lines. B3B (L25541) was present in all cell lines studied. The cell lines that failed to express the B3A form also failed to express the protein based on both immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analysis. It appears from this data that there are two isoforms of the β3 mRNA, and that the 5′UTRs of the mRNAs play an important role in regulating translation of the β3 protein. Since laminin 5 is lost in prostate carcinoma, the mechanism of control that results in the translation of the two forms of message may be important in tumorigenesis.
Crashworthiness of Automotive Composite Material Systems

The energy absorption capability of a com- posite material is important in developing improved human safety in an automotive crash. In passenger vehicles, the ability to absorb impact energy and be survivable for the occupant is called the crashworthiness of the structure. The crashworthiness in terms of the specific energy absorption (SEA) of a chopped carbon fiber (CCF) composite material system was compared with that of other fiber resin systems such as graphite/epoxy cross-ply laminates (CP#1 and CP#2), a graphite/epoxy-braided material system (O), and a glass-reinforced continuous-strand mat (CSM). The quantity of these material systems needed to ensure passenger safety in a midsize car traveling at various velocities was calcu- lated and compared. The SEA of the chopped carbon fiber composite material was the highest compared to that of all the other composites investigated. It was calculated that only 4.27 kg of it would need to be placed at specific places in the car to ensure passenger safety in the event of a crash at 15.5 m/s (35 mph). This clearly led to an important practical conclusion that only a reasonable amount of this composite material is required to meet the necessary impact performance standard. The CCF composite tested at 5 mm/ min crushing speed met both the criteria that need to be satisfied before a material is deemed highly crashworthy: A high magnitude of energy absorption and a safe allowable rate of this energy absorption.© 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 3218 -3225, 2004
Psychological factors predicting outcome after traumatic injury: the role of resilience

Abstract Background Increasingly, studies have examined the psychological impact on individuals who survive a traumatic physical injury. The primary aim of this study was to determine the stability of resilience and its association with depressive symptoms. Methods This study included 110 adults admitted to a Level I trauma center. Resilience and depression were measured at baseline and 12 months. Injury-related variables included Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, etiology of injury, and type of injury. Results Analysis revealed that resilience remained stable over 12 months regardless of injury severity, etiology, or type. Negative correlations were found between baseline resilience and 12-month depression ( P P = .001). Conclusions Injured individuals with low resilience are more likely to be depressed at 12 months. Assessing resilience at the time of injury may be useful in identifying those at risk for depression 1 year later.
Energy-aware joint scheduling of tasks and messages in wireless sensor networks

We consider the problem of energy-aware joint scheduling of tasks and messages with real-time constraints in wireless networked embedded systems specifically wireless sensor networks. We use the mixed tree coloring approach in order to model the constraints and show that k-coloring of a mixed tree can be mapped to a non-conflicting schedule consisting of k time slots. Also, we propose to conduct testbed evaluation to quantify the performance of combined implementation of energy management techniques such as Dynamic Modulation Scaling (DMS) along with Dynamic Voltage Scaling (DVS).
Ozagrel reverses streptozotocin-induced constriction of arterioles in rat retina

Retinal blood flow decreases early in the progression of diabetic retinopathy; however, the mediators and mechanisms responsible for this decrease have yet to be determined. In this study, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin in rats, and retinal blood flow was measured via intravital microscopy 1 or 3 weeks following the induction of hyperglycemia. Additionally, retinal arteriolar diameters and flow were measured prior to and following acute administration of the thromboxane synthase inhibitor ozagrel to investigate the potential role of thromboxane in the observed constriction. Minimal changes in the retinal diameters and flow were observed at 1 week of diabetes; however, at 3 weeks of diabetes, arteriolar constriction and decreases in blood flow were significant. Notably, the constriction occurred only in the arterioles that were in closer proximity to the venules draining the retina. Acute administration of ozagrel reversed the constriction of the closely venule-paired arterioles. In summary, the results suggest that thromboxane mediates localized, venule-dependent arteriolar constriction induced by streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.
Crossover gene selection by spatial location

Spatial based gene selection for division of chromosomes used by crossover operators is proposed for three-dimensional problems. This spatial selection is shown to preserve more genetic material and reduce the disruptive effects of crossover. The disruptive effects of crossover can be quantified by counting the destruction of subgraphs that represent strong linkages between genes. The spatial operator is compared to simple crossover on a practical class of molecular clustering searches. This comparison shows that the spatial crossover significantly out performs simple crossover. Consistent good performance for spatial crossover is demonstrated on the molecular cluster conformation problem [9].
Exploring a Research Agenda of the Feminization of the Legal Profession: Theories of Gender and Social Change

This essay suggests that recent work in feminist theory should reorient the questions that are asked about the role of gender in the legal profession. Some use gender as a category of analysis to explore differences that reinforce conventional gendered stereotypes, such as the conceptualization of work and family in lawyering as a “women's issue.” Others use conventional sociology of the professions analysis, such as stratification, to measure women's “success” and “satisfaction” in the context of the traditional law firm. By focusing on some recent historical and sociological research on women in the legal and medical professions, the author illustrates how we might ask different questions, not to reify gender differences but to more fully examine the role that gender difference, as socially constructed, might play in the transformation of law practice.
A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RUSSIAN LITERATURE IN RADIO OCEANOGRAPHY

As in the English literature, Russian research on radio oceanography is scattered among a number of journals, mainly those catering to radio science on the one hand and oceanography on the other. Recent sources available in English translation are emphasized. The year of publication refers to the Russian original and a letter ‘E’ following the year indicates that the reference is to an English translation. However, some of the other papers may in fact have been translated. These translations are usually available through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Va., U.S.A. In locating a periodical reference, it is often useful to consult the Union List of Serials for the library at hand since translation journals sometimes change name and could be catalogued under either the Russian or English title. It is also useful to note that there are often small variations in the way a Russian word is transliterated from the Russian Cryllic alphabet into the Roman alphabet, e.g., I. M. Fuchs could also be rendered as I. M. Fuks.
The Voltage-Dependent Chloride Channel of Torpedo Electroplax

Our intention in this chapter is to describe the remarkable functional properties—some would say the eccentric behavior—of an anion transport protein found in the electric organ of electric rays, such as Torpedo and Narke. This is a Cl−-specific ion channel, commonly called the “Torpedo Cl− channel.” Like all ion channels, this protein catalyzes the electrodiffusive, thermodynamically downhill flow of ions across the membrane in which it resides, and thus should be classed as a membrane “leak.” Lest this term be considered pejorative by those familiar with active transporters which work to build up transmembrane ion gradients, we should point out that cells have good reasons to maintain specific leaks across their membranes; for instance, a leak for Cl−, in combination with a Cl− concentration gradient, can give rise to a transmembrane voltage, as is, we imagine, the purpose of the Torpedo Cl− channel.
The Flesh-Eating Bacterium: What's Next?

Since the 1980s, there has been a marked increase in the recognition and reporting of highly invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) infections associated with shock and organ failure, with or without necrotizing fasciitis. Such dramatic cases have been defined as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (StrepTSS). Strains of GAS isolated from patients with invasive disease have been predominantly M types 1 and 3, which produce either pyrogenic exotoxin A or B or both. The clinical and demographic features of streptococcal bacteremia, myositis, and necrotizing fasciitis are presented and compared with those of StrepTSS. Current concepts in the pathogenesis of invasive streptococcal infection will be presented, with emphasis on the interaction between GAS virulence factors and host defense mechanisms. Finally, new concepts in the treatment of StrepTSS will be discussed.
AN INTEGRATED INSTANCE-BASED LEARNING ALGORITHM

The basic nearest-neighbor rule generalizes well in many domains but has several shortcomings, including inappropriate distance functions, large storage requirements, slow execution time, sensitivity to noise, and an inability to adjust its decision boundaries after storing the training data. This paper proposes methods for overcoming each of these weaknesses and combines the methods into a comprehensive learning system called the Integrated Decremental Instance-Based Learning Algorithm (IDIBL) that seeks to reduce storage, improve execution speed, and increase generalization accuracy, when compared to the basic nearest neighbor algorithm and other learning models. IDIBL tunes its own parameters using a new measure of fitness that combines confidence and cross-validation accuracy in order to avoid discretization problems with more traditional leave-one-out cross-validation. In our experiments IDIBL achieves higher generalization accuracy than other less comprehensive instance-based learning algorithms, while requiring less than one-fourth the storage of the nearest neighbor algorithm and improving execution speed by a corresponding factor. In experiments on twenty-one data sets, IDIBL also achieves higher generalization accuracy than that reported for sixteen major machine learning and neural network models.
Preparation and metabolism of a cisplatin/serum protein complex

Abstract 195mPt-cis-Dichlorodiammine platinum(II) (195mPt-cisplatin) binds in vitro essentially irreversibly to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and rat plasma proteins at a 195mPt-cisplatin/protein molar ratio of 1 : 1 or less. The binding to rat serum proteins shows no apparent specificity, with albumin retaining the greatest fraction of the label (40–55%). The binding is neither instantaneous nor linear with time. Upon intravenous administration to rats of a rat serum protein bound 195mPt-cisplatin, the label remains bound to the proteins while in the blood. The label is cleared from the blood faster than a relatively native 131I-labeled human serum albumin (HSA) and accumulates primarily in the liver. The blood d isappearance and organ distribution of the rat serum protein bound 195mPt-cisplatin is consistent with a modified protein. Approx. 11% of the injected dose was excreted via the urine in 24 h in a form which has a different chromatographic mobility than free 195mPt-cisplatin. Since little intact protein is lost in the urine, the excreted label probably represents the product(s) of metabolism of the rat serum bound 195mPt-cisplatin. Due to the apparent irreversibility (both in vivo and in vitro) of the protein/195mPt-cisplatin complex, it is unlikely that the protein bound fraction of the administered ‘free’ drug will serve as a therapeutically useful ‘drug resevoir’.
The Importance Of Transitional Care In Achieving Health Reform

Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, a variety of transitional care programs and services have been established to improve quality and reduce costs. These programs help hospitalized patients with complex chronic conditions—often the most vulnerable—transfer in a safe and timely manner from one level of care to another or from one type of care setting to another. We conducted a systematic review of the research literature and summarized twenty-one randomized clinical trials of transitional care interventions targeting chronically ill adults. We identified nine interventions that demonstrated positive effects on measures related to hospital readmissions—a key focus of health reform. Most of the interventions led to reductions in readmissions through at least thirty days after discharge. Many of the successful interventions shared similar features, such as assigning a nurse as the clinical manager or leader of care and including in-person home visits to discharged patients. Based on these findings, we reco...
Effect of Nerve Cuff Electrode Geometry on Onset Response Firing in High-Frequency Nerve Conduction Block

The delivery of high-frequency alternating currents has been shown to produce a focal and reversible conduction block in whole nerve and is a potential therapeutic option for various diseases and disorders involving pathological or undesired neurological activity. However, delivery of high-frequency alternating current to a nerve produces a finite burst of neuronal firing, called the onset response, before the nerve is blocked. Reduction or elimination of the onset response is very important to moving this type of nerve block into clinical applications since the onset response is likely to result in undesired muscle contraction and pain. This paper describes a study of the effect of nerve cuff electrode geometry (specifically, bipolar contact separation distance), and waveform amplitude on the magnitude and duration of the onset response. Electrode geometry and waveform amplitude were both found to affect these measures. The magnitude and duration of the onset response showed a monotonic relationship with bipolar separation distance and amplitude. The duration of the onset response varied by as much as 820% on average for combinations of different electrode geometries and waveform amplitudes. Bipolar electrodes with a contact separation distance of 0.5 mm resulted in the briefest onset response on average. Furthermore, the data presented in this study provide some insight into a biophysical explanation for the onset response. These data suggest that the onset response consists of two different phases: one phase which is responsive to experimental variables such as electrode geometry and waveform amplitude, and one which is not and appears to be inherent to the transition to the blocked state. This study has implications for nerve block electrode and stimulation parameter selection for clinical therapy systems and basic neurophysiology studies.
The impact of rare taxa on a fish index of biotic integrity

The index of biotic integrity (IBI) is a commonly used bioassessment tool that integrates abundance and richness measures to assess water quality. In developing IBIs that are both responsive to human disturbance and resistant to natural variability and sampling error, water managers must decide how to weigh information about rare and abundant taxa, which in turn requires an understanding of the sensitivity of indices to rare taxa. Herein, we investigated the influence of rare fish taxa (within the lower 5% of rank abundance curves) on IBI metric and total scores for stream sites in two of Minnesota’s major river basins, the St. Croix (n = 293 site visits) and Upper Mississippi (n = 210 site visits). We artificially removed rare taxa from biological samples by (1) separately excluding each individual taxon that fell within the lower 5% of rank abundance curves; (2) simultaneously excluding all taxa that had an abundance of one (singletons) or two (doubletons); and (3) simultaneously excluding all taxa that fell within the lower 5% of rank abundance curves. We then compared IBI metric and total scores before and after removal of rare taxa using the normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) and regression analysis. The difference in IBI metric and total scores increased as more taxa were removed. Moreover, when multiple rare taxa were removed, the nRMSE was related to sample abundance and to total taxa richness, with greater nRMSE observed in samples with a larger number of taxa or sample abundance. Metrics based on relative abundance of fish taxa were less sensitive to the loss of rare taxa, whereas those based on taxa richness were more sensitive, because taxa richness metrics give more weight to rare taxa compared to the relative abundance metrics.
Inflation dynamics and the parallel market for foreign exchange

Abstract Pinto (1990) in World Bank Economic Review 3, 321–338, showed that unification of official and ‘parallel’ market exchange rates may lead to an increase in steady-state inflation, because of the fiscal impact of real official exchange rate changes. This paper shows how this, and other comparative static and stability results in Pinto (1990), are reversed under the assumption that official exchange rate devaluation reduces money creation in the economy. It is argued that this was the case for Uganda in the 1980s, and we give a simple rule of thumb for estimating when unification will increase or decrease steady-state inflation.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE CRETACEOUS/PALEOGENE MASS EXTINCTION FOR MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

▪ Abstract One of the greatest mass extinctions in Earth's history occurred at the end of the Cretaceous era, sixty-five million years (Myr) ago. Considerable evidence indicates that the impact of a large asteroid or comet was the ultimate cause of this extraordinary event. At the time of mass extinction, the organic flux to the deep sea collapsed, and production of calcium carbonate by marine plankton radically declined. These biogeochemical processes did not fully recover for a few million years. The drastic decline and long lag in final recovery of these processes are most simply explained as consequences of open-ocean ecosystem alteration by the mass extinction. If this explanation is correct, the extent and timing of marine biogeochemical recovery from the end-Cretaceous event was ultimately contingent on the extent and timing of open-ocean ecosystem recovery. The biogeochemical recovery may in turn have created new evolutionary opportunities for a diverse array of marine organisms.
Natural target localization from activity waves in the turtle visual cortex

Estimating natural targets in the visual space is an important problem in neuroscience primarily because animals have to negotiate targets in order to accomplish a task. In freshwater turtles, it is believed that the visual cortex plays a role in accomplishing the task of predicting target location. In this paper, we consider a set of 'fish-images' and represent these images with a sparse and an over-complete set of spatial basis functions. The associated coefficient signals are further compressed, along every column, using principal components. This provides an appropriate input to the model of the visual cortex, and the associated cortical response of a large number of pyramidal cells is generated. We estimate the cortical input from the associated neural response by constructing an autoregressive and moving average (ARMA) model. The input to the model is the neuronal response suitably smoothed by a low pass filter. The output of the ARMA model is precisely the prediction of the cortical inputs. This paper illustrates the role of natural scene reconstruction from the activity waves of a set of pyramidal neurons.
Intracoronary thrombus in nontransmural myocardial infarction and in unstable angina pectoris

Although intracoronary thrombus formation plays a major role in acute transmural myocardial infarction (MI), its occurrence in unstable angina (UA) and nontransmural MI has not clearly been established. To determine whether intracoronary thrombus does occur in these syndromes, coronary arteriography was performed before, during, and after intracoronary nitroglycerin and streptokinase infusion in 17 patients. None of the 8 patients with nontransmural MI and 1 of the 9 patients with UA responded to intracoronary nitroglycerin. Seven of 8 patients with nontransmural MI and 4 of 9 patients with UA responded to streptokinase infusion with opening of an occluded vessel, an increase in stenotic diameter, dissolution of an intracoronary filling defect, or a combination of these. Serial opening and closing of ischemia-related vessels occurred spontaneously and in response to streptokinase in some patients in whom thrombolysis was demonstrated. Evidence of thrombolysis was not seen in any patient studied longer than 1 week from the onset of the rest pain syndrome. The finding of thrombolysis in several patients with nontransmural MI and UA suggests that intracoronary thrombus formation plays a pathogenetic role in some patients with these ischemic syndromes.
Factors influencing infant sleep position: decisions do not differ by SES in African-American families

Objective To investigate factors influencing African-American parents’ knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding infant sleep position and determine if these differ by socioeconomic status (SES). Methods A cross-sectional sample of 412 parents with infants ≤6 months of age participated in a validated survey of knowledge, attitudes and practice. Results There was no significant difference in attitudes or practice, and knowledge was similar regarding infant sleep position between African-American parents of higher and lower SES. The healthcare provider recommendation of exclusive supine sleep position use was associated with increased knowledge, overall decreased use of the side position (5.0% vs 16.8%, p Conclusions Sleep position practices in African-American families do not differ by SES. Improved attitudes toward positioning and increased use of supine positioning may result if healthcare providers address common concerns and misconceptions about sleep position.
Cochlear Implant Connections: A Biopsychosocial Audiologic Rehabilitation Program for Late-Deafened Adults With Cochlear Implants

In this article, the authors describe a biopsychosocial approach to group audiologic/aural rehabilitation (AR) for late deafened adults with cochlear implants. A detailed account of Cochlear Implan...
Information Processing in Joined and Severed Trials

The present study was conducted to determine the process by which jurors reach verdicts in trials in which multiple charges are joined in one indictment. The experiment was designed to test the impact of joinder of affenses, similarity of offenses, and evidentiary strength of jurors' ability to process trial evidence. The results gathered from 220 male and female subjects indicated, as previous research has shown, that joined trials lead to more guilty verdicts than severed trials; that the first charge in a joined trial accounts for this “joinder effect,” receiving significantly more guilty verdicts than its severed counterpart. When joined trials are composed of similar categories of crimes, guilt verdicts increase and jurors tend to confuse evidence-as shown by a high rate of antidefendant intrusions from case two to case one. More antidefendant cognitions were also found when the cases were similar. Furthermore, case similarity interacted with the evidentiary strength of the charges in joined trials.
The pervasive influence of conflicts of interest A personal perspective

# {#article-title-2} To the Editor: In his article, Dr. Martin1 focuses on physicians and physician researchers working in large academic institutions. The author does not mention the conflicts occurring in daily inpatient and office settings. As neurologists, our days are spent taking histories, examining patients, and determining required tests. We should feel comfortable making a diagnosis of radiculopathy without resorting to an EMG study. Imaging should be requested only if surgery is anticipated. A neurologist who performs electrophysiologic studies is more likely to do an EMG because he or she has to support the equipment's expense. An electroencephalographer with his or her own equipment is more likely to request an EEG or a prolonged EEG study even after an isolated seizure. A carotid study is done more often for something other than suspected pathology. A cardiologist must do echocardiograms and in Medicare patients these are repeated at 18-month intervals because they are covered. This type of conflict is constant and omnipresent. All in-house tests also prompt conflicts for physicians and there are few who …
Assessment of Older Adults' Knowledge of and Preferences for Medication Management Tools and Support Systems

BackgroundA variety of strategies are available to assist older adults who have difficulties managing medications. Little is known about older adults' knowledge of or willingness to use these strategies.ObjectiveTo assess older adults' current use of, knowledge of, and preferences for medication management tools and supports.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at a continuing care retirement community. All 152 independent-living residents were approached for participation. We developed a 6-page survey to gather information about knowledge of and preferences for medication management tools (eg, medi-sets, bubble-packs) and supports (eg, family, caregivers, regimen simplification). Information on demographic variables, medication management capacity, cognition, self-reported difficulty taking medications, and medication use were collected along with survey answers during an in-home interview. χ2 and t-tests were used to compare knowledge and preferences by complexity and organizer use.ResultsOur sa...