cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Female Representation in the Academic Oncology Physician Workforce: Radiation Oncology Losing Ground to Hematology Oncology.

Purpose Our purpose was to assess comparative female representation trends for trainees and full-time faculty in the academic radiation oncology and hematology oncology workforce of the United States over 3 decades. Methods and Materials Simple linear regression models with year as the independent variable were used to determine changes in female percentage representation per year and associated 95% confidence intervals for trainees and full-time faculty in each specialty. Results Peak representation was 48.4% (801/1654) in 2013 for hematology oncology trainees, 39.0% (585/1499) in 2014 for hematology oncology full-time faculty, 34.8% (202/581) in 2007 for radiation oncology trainees, and 27.7% (439/1584) in 2015 for radiation oncology full-time faculty. Representation significantly increased for trainees and full-time faculty in both specialties at approximately 1% per year for hematology oncology trainees and full-time faculty and 0.3% per year for radiation oncology trainees and full-time faculty. Compared with radiation oncology, the rates were 3.84 and 2.94 times greater for hematology oncology trainees and full-time faculty, respectively. Conclusion Despite increased female trainee and full-time faculty representation over time in the academic oncology physician workforce, radiation oncology is lagging behind hematology oncology, with trainees declining in recent years in radiation oncology; this suggests a de facto ceiling in female representation. Whether such issues as delayed or insufficient exposure, inadequate mentorship, or specialty competitiveness disparately affect female representation in radiation oncology compared to hematology oncology are underexplored and require continued investigation to ensure that the future oncologic physician workforce reflects the diversity of the population it serves.
Quantitative and Atomic-Scale View of CO-Induced Pt Nanoparticle Surface Reconstruction at Saturation Coverage via DFT Calculations Coupled with in Situ TEM and IR

Atomic-scale insights into how supported metal nanoparticles catalyze chemical reactions are critical for the optimization of chemical conversion processes. It is well-known that different geometric configurations of surface atoms on supported metal nanoparticles have different catalytic reactivity and that the adsorption of reactive species can cause reconstruction of metal surfaces. Thus, characterizing metallic surface structures under reaction conditions at atomic scale is critical for understanding reactivity. Elucidation of such insights on high surface area oxide supported metal nanoparticles has been limited by less than atomic resolution typically achieved by environmental transmission electron microscopy (TEM) when operated under realistic conditions and a lack of correlated experimental measurements providing quantitative information about the distribution of exposed surface atoms under relevant reaction conditions. We overcome these limitations by correlating density functional theory predicti...
Stroke is a global epidemic: new developments in clinical and translational cerebrovascular diseases research.

Despite decades of research, stroke remains the fifth leading cause of mortality and a major cause of morbidity in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Last year, approximately 6....
Biochemistry of Soluble Guanylate Cyclase

Nitric oxide (NO) functions in biology as both a critical cytotoxic agent and an essential signaling molecule. The toxicity of the diatomic gas has long been accepted; however, it was not known to be a signaling molecule until it was identified as the endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). Since this discovery, the physiological signaling pathways that are regulated by NO have been the focus of numerous studies. Many of the cellular responses that NO modulates are mediated by the heme protein soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). NO binds to sGC at a diffusion controlled rate, and leads to a several 100-fold increase in the synthesis of the second messenger cGMP from GTP. Other diatomic gases either do not bind (dioxygen), or do not significantly activate (carbon monoxide) sGC. This provides selectivity and efficiency for NO even in an aerobic environment, which is critical due to the high reactivity of NO. Several biochemical studies have focused on elucidating the mechanism of NO activation and O2 discrimination. Significant advances in our understanding of these topics have occurred with the identification and characterization of the sGC-like homologues termed Heme-Nitric oxide and OXygen binding (H-NOX) proteins.
The role of APC in mitosis and in chromosome instability.

The established role of APC in regulating microtubules and actin in polarized epithelia naturally raises the possibility that APC similarly influences the mitotic cytoskeleton. The recent accumulation of experimental evidence in mitotic cells supports this supposition. APC associates with mitotic spindle microtubules, most notably at the plus-ends of microtubules that interact with kinetochores. Genetic experiments implicate APC in the regulation of spindle microtubule dynamics, probably through its interaction with the microtubule plus-end binding protein, EB1. Moreover, functional data show that APC modulates kinetochore-microtubule attachments and is required for the spindle checkpoint to detect transiently misaligned chromosomes. Together this evidence points to a role for APC in maintaining mitotic fidelity. Such a role is particularly significant when considered in the context of the chromosome instability observed in colorectal tumors bearing mutations in APC. The prevalence of APC truncation mutants in colorectal tumors and the ability ofthese alleles to act dominantly to inhibit the mitotic spindle place chromosome instability at the earliest stage of colorectal cancer progression (Le., prior to deregulation of β-catenin). This may contribute to the autosomal dominant predisposition of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis to develop colon cancer. In this chapter, we will review the literature linking APC to regulation of mitotic fidelity and discuss the implications for dividing epithelial cells in the intestine.
Cardiac Disease in Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophies: The Dystrophinopathies

The muscular dystrophies are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of skeletal muscle wasting diseases that differ widely in their frequency and pattern of cardiac involvement. Clinically, muscular dystrophies are characterized by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Pathologically, muscle histology reveals fiber size variability, central nuclei, as well as muscle necrosis with fatty replacement and fibrosis (1,2). Their pattern of muscle involvement, severity, mode of inheritance, unique clinical features, and primary gene defect distinguish individual types of muscular dystrophy (3).
Introduction: Moore and Metaphysics

In the course of this book I will make frequent use of the word ‘metaphysics’. Indeed I will maintain that that word rightly can be used to classify a significant part of Moore’s philosophical work. Some clarification in advance may be needed.
Is there room for Darwinian medicine and the hygiene hypothesis in Alzheimer pathogenesis

Improvements in modern hygiene and public health have resulted in decreased human contact with organisms associated with so-called ‘dirtier’ environs. These changes, in turn have led to an appreciation of the potential importance of such ‘friendly’ organisms toward proper development of the human immune system. Based on this, a novel hypothesis (the hygiene hypothesis) has been formulated. This idea suggests that a paucity of exposure to environmental pathogens retards proper immune system development, and consequently decreases its ability to effectively thwart a variety of effectors with degenerative consequences, such as those associated with chronic inflammatory responses in diseases as seemingly diverse as those of the gut and the brain. In this chapter, we review current information, including the potential contribution of inheritance to development of hypotheses regarding the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease. We further explore ways in which the hygiene hypothesis and ideas in Darwinian medicine may play a role in the neuropathogenesis of these diseases.
The Language of Stigma and Addiction

Language can be used intentionally or unintentionally to communicate a message about a person or group of people as being “other” and to perpetuate stigma. Historical examples, such as with HIV or many psychiatric illnesses, show how language has been used to ostracize and also how changing language can help reduce stigma toward people suffering from these diseases. The language used toward people who use drugs or alcohol and people with addiction includes many stigmatizing terms, which have been shown to increase negative attitudes among the public and clinicians. Examples include words like “abuse,” “abuser,” “addict,” and “dirty.” There are also more subtle ways that language can be used to frame issues related to addiction or substance use, which can enhance stigma. Nationally there has been growing awareness around the importance of language and the need to use medically appropriate, person-first terminology. Changing our language is a crucial component of reducing stigma to improve the lives and health of people who use drugs or alcohol and people with addiction.
Iterative Weighted Nuclear Norm Minimization-Based Channel Estimation for Massive Multi-User MIMO Systems

The channel estimation problem for massive MIMO systems is a critical issue due to the large dimensions of channel matrix to be estimated within the limited coherence time interval. In this paper, iterative weighted nuclear norm minimization (IWNNM) method based on compressive sensing (CS) technique is proposed for massive multi-user (MU-MIMO) channel estimation problem. Consequently, the regularization parameter of this optimization problem is selected based on cross-validation (CV) curve method. The convergence time of the iterative algorithm is also studied. The simulation results show that the IWNNM estimation method outperforms the standard nuclear norm minimization (NNM) and conventional least square (LS) estimation.
Increasing community-level social support for physical activity in the rural Southwestern United States

This study reports on a community-university partnership in a rural New Mexico community that aims to increase physical activity (PA) by translating research into practice. The Guide recommendations include community-wide campaigns, increasing and enhancing access to places for PA, social support, street and community-scale design and policy, and individually adapted programs for PA. This article reports on the ways in which social support was integrated into each of these community guide recommendations as well as changing the social context to make individuals’ default decisions healthy. Qualitative research methods included conducting and analyzing interviews with community members, walking and hiking group members, local news articles, and meeting notes of the community-university partnership. Participants reported social support challenges around the cultural context and gender norms related to PA, weather, the built environment, safety, and policy. The community-university partnership addressed these challenges by enlisting walking champions who served as role models in the community and began to change social norms around walking; challenging environmental and safety conditions were addressed through community campaign efforts and changes in the built environment. Using a multi-pronged, multi-level approach to address barriers to PA at the community level may result in increases in social support for PA that go beyond efforts that focus on the individual level and provide integrated, holistic strategies to address health disparities in rural communities.
An omnibus approach to assess covariate balance in observational studies using the distance covariance.

Adequate baseline covariate balance among groups is critical in observational studies designed to estimate causal effects. Propensity score-based methods are popular ways to achieve covariate balan...
Analyzing the Impact of Filter Bubbles on Social Network Polarization

While social networks have increased the diversity of ideas and information available to users, they are also blamed for increasing the polarization of user opinions. Eli Pariser's "filter bubble" hypothesis [55] explains this counterintuitive phenomenon by linking user polarization to algorithmic filtering: to increase user engagement, social media companies connect users with ideas they are already likely to agree with, thus creating echo chambers of users with very similar beliefs. In this paper, we introduce a mathematical framework to assess the impact of this popular, yet unverified, hypothesis. We augment the classical Friedkin-Johnsen opinion dynamics model to include algorithmic filtering by introducing a network administrator --- an external actor that models social media companies by dynamically adjusting the strength of edges in a social network graph. When the network administrator is incentivized to reduce disagreement among interacting users, we experimentally demonstrate on networks from Reddit and Twitter that even small changes by the administrator to social network graphs can increase user polarization. We support our experiments with theoretical results by showing that social networks generated from the stochastic block model are provably sensitive to algorithmic filtering. Finally, we propose a simple modification to the incentives of the network administrator that limits the filter bubble effect without significantly affecting user engagement.
Comparing three approaches for involving patients in research prioritization: a qualitative study of participant experiences

By participating in priority-setting activities in research, patients and members of the public help ensure that important questions are incorporated into future research agendas. Surveys, focus groups, and online crowdsourcing are increasingly used to obtain input, yet little is known about how they compare for prioritizing research topics. To address this gap, the Study of Methods for Assessing Research Topic Elicitation and pRioritization (SMARTER) evaluated participant satisfaction with the engagement experience across three prioritization activities. Respondents from Back pain Outcomes using Longitudinal Data (BOLD), a registry of patients 65 years and older with low back pain (LBP), were randomly assigned to one of three interactive prioritization activities: online crowd-voting, in-person focus groups using nominal group technique, and two rounds of a mailed survey (Delphi). To assess quality of experience, participants completed a brief survey; a subset were subsequently interviewed. We used descriptive statistics to characterize participants, and we analyzed responses to the evaluation using a mixed-methods approach, tabulating responses to Likert-scale questions and using thematic analysis of interviews to explore participant understanding of the activity and perceptions of experience. The crowd-voting activity had 38 participants, focus groups 39, and the Delphi survey 74. Women outnumbered men in the focus groups and Delphi survey; otherwise, demographics among groups were similar, with participants being predominantly white, non-Hispanic, and college educated. Activities generated similar lists of research priorities, including causes of LBP, improving physician-patient communication, and self-care strategies. The evaluation survey was completed by 123 participants. Of these, 31 across all activities were interviewed about motivations to participate, understanding of activity goals, logistics, clarity of instructions, and the role of patients in research. Focus group participants rated their experience highest, in both the evaluation and interviews. Common methods for research prioritization yielded similar priorities but differing perceptions of experience. Such comparative studies are rare but important in understanding methods to involve patients and the public in research. Preferences for different methods may vary across stakeholder groups; this warrants future study. NICHSR, HSRP20152274. Registered 19 February 2015.
Hartman, Eric, Kiely, Richard, Boettcher, Christopher, and Friedrichs, Jessica. (2018). Community-Based Global Learning: The Theory and Practice of Ethical Engagement at Home and Abroad. Sterling, VA: Stylus. 275 pages.

This is a book review of the text: Hartman, Eric, Kiely, Richard, Boettcher, Christopher, and Friedrichs, Jessica. (2018). Community-Based Global Learning: The Theory and Practice of Ethical Engagement at Home and Abroad. Sterling, VA: Stylus. 275 pages.
Parameter Measurements and Modeling of a Novel Hybrid Variable Flux Machine with Series Rare-Earth and AlNiCo Magnets

High accuracy machine emulations require a highly accurate behavioral model of an electric machine. This paper present the parameter measurements of a novel hybrid variable flux Machine (VFM) with series rare-earth and AlNiCo magnets. A current control based method is used to measure the machine flux linkages and inductances including cross-saturation at different magnetization states. The same current controller is used to obtain the magnetization and demagnetization characteristics of the test VFM. Based on the experimentally measured magnetization curves and flux linkages, a look-up table based model of the prototyped VFM is built in MATLAB Simulink considering the conditions that affect the magnetization state, which is useful for machine emulation applications. The developed model is validated with the experimental test results for steady state and transient operations.
Intraoperative Urinary Biomarkers and Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives To evaluate the association of intraoperative urinary biomarker excretion during cardiac surgery and the subsequent development of acute kidney injury (AKI). Design Prospective, nonrandomized, observational study. Setting Single tertiary-level, university-affiliated hospital. Participants Ninety patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Urinary samples were collected every 30 minutes intraoperatively and then at four, 12, and 24 hours after CPB. Samples were measured for interleukin 18 (IL-18), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM1), and creatinine concentrations. Urinary biomarker excretion (raw and indexed to creatinine) for four intraoperative and three postoperative points were compared between patients with and those without subsequent AKI defined by increased serum creatinine concentration ≥0.3 mg/dL within the first 48 hours or ≥1.5 times baseline within seven days. Raw and indexed median IL-18 values were similar between AKI groups at all intraoperative points, but became significantly different at 12 hours after CPB. Raw and indexed median KIM1 values were significantly different between AKI groups at multiple intraoperative points and at four and 12 hours after CPB. During intraoperative and postoperative points, patients in the fourth quartile of KIM1 excretion had greater AKI incidence and longer intensive care and hospital lengths of stay than those in the first quartile. Only postoperatively did the differences in these outcomes between the fourth and first quartile of IL-18 excretion occur. Conclusions Intraoperative KIM1 but not IL-18 excretion was associated with postoperative development of AKI.
Eligibility in Cancer Clinical Research: The Intersection of Discovery, Generalizability, Beneficence, and Justice.

Eligibility criteria in clinical trials limit the study population for safety and scientific purposes. The American Society of Clinical Oncology and The Friends of Cancer Research collaboration reconsidered common eligibility criteria in cancer trials and found many to be unnecessarily restrictive. The current recommendations further their efforts to facilitate accrual and improve the generalizability of research results to practice. See related articles, p. 2394, 2400, 2408, 2416, 2424, and 2430
Reconsidering the frieze on the Arch of Constantine

This article proposes that nearly all of the sculpted frieze of the Arch of Constantine in Rome, generally regarded as Constantinian, derives from a triumphal monument of Diocletian commissioned shortly after his Vicennalia in 303 CE. The basis of the argument is the sculptural technique evinced by the frieze, especially the separately-worked heads of the emperor in four of the frieze slabs, together with the missing legs and feet of several of the other figures. These anomalies suggest that much of the frieze was spoliated from another monument that had honored a different man; Diocletian is the only emperor whose career fits the iconography. A Diocletianic date for most of the frieze blocks necessitates a reconsideration of long-standing interpretations of the spolia on the arch and, in turn, its historiography.
Associations between weight-based teasing and disordered eating behaviors among youth.

Abstract Weight-based teasing (WBT) is commonly reported among youth and is associated with disinhibited and disordered eating. Specifically, youth who experience WBT may engage in disordered eating behaviors to cope with the resultant negative affect. Therefore, we examined associations between WBT and disordered eating behaviors among youth and assessed whether negative affect mediated these relationships. Two hundred one non-treatment seeking youth (8-17y) completed questionnaires assessing WBT, disinhibited eating, depression, and anxiety. Disordered eating and loss-of-control (LOC) eating were assessed via semi-structured interview. Analyses of covariance were conducted to examine relationships between WBT and eating-related variables, and bootstrapping mediation models were used to evaluate negative affect (a composite of depressive and anxiety symptoms) as a mediator of these associations. All models were adjusted for sex, race, age, and adiposity. Among 201 participants (13.1 ± 2.8y; 54.2% female; 30.3% Black; 32.8% with overweight/obesity), WBT was associated with emotional eating, eating in the absence of hunger, and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors (ps ≤ 0.02). These associations were all mediated by negative affect. WBT was also associated with a threefold greater likelihood of reporting a recent LOC eating episode (p = .049). Among boys and girls across weight strata, WBT was associated with multiple aspects of disordered eating and these relationships were mediated by negative affect. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the directionality of these associations and to identify subgroups of youth that may be particularly vulnerable to WBT and its sequelae.
Cognitive Heterogeneity in Alzheimer Clinical Trials: Harnessing Noise to Achieve Meaningfulness.

Jutten et al.1 in this issue of Neurology ® examine the implications of the intrinsic variability in the measurement of cognitive and behavioral functions for designing and interpreting Alzheimer disease (AD) clinical trials. They first identified participant data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative that matched inclusion criteria from 2 trials of aducanumab.2 Using longitudinal cognitive data, they estimated cognitive change from baseline over 18 months using common clinical trial endpoints, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes, and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive (ADAS-cog). With these estimates, they performed thousands of simulations to determine the distribution of treatment-placebo group differences, or average treatment effects that could be expected given that no treatment was administered. In other words, within the context of their inclusion criteria, they sought to define a range of change over time that represented noisy measurement. With the exception of the Phase 3 Study of Aducanumab (BIIB037) in Early Alzheimer's Disease (EMERGE) trial, the average treatment effects of all of the other recent AD trials1 fell within the 95% boundaries of random variation.
A Non-Negative Tensor Factorization Approach to Deconvolute Epigenetic Microenvironment in Breast Cancer

An in-depth understanding of epithelial breast cell response to growth-promoting ligands is required to elucidate how signals from the microenvironment affect cell-intrinsic regulatory networks and their resultant cellular phenotypes, such as cell growth, progression, and differentiation. Understanding the cellular response to these signals is particularly important in understanding the mechanisms of breast cancer initiation and progression. There is increasing evidence that aberrant epigenetic marks are present in cells of the breast tumor microenvironment and are known to affect primary cellular processes like proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the current mechanisms by which epigenetic microenvironment signals influence these cellular phenotypes are not well established. We developed a high-order correlation method using proteomics data to reveal the regulatory dynamics among signaling proteins, histones, and growth-promoting ligands in the breast epithelial cells. In the proposed method, the protein-ligand and histone-ligand correlations at multiple time points are first encoded in two three-way tensors. Then, a non-negative tensor factorization (NTF) model is used to capture and quantify the protein-ligand and histone-ligand correlations spanning all time points, followed by a correlation analysis to reveal the pairwise correlations between histones and proteins. Our method revealed the onset of specific protein-histone signatures in response to growth ligands contributing to distinct cellular phenotypes that are indicative of breast cancer initiation and progression. Furthermore, the differential and enrichment analyses of transcriptomic data corroborated with the correlations found between ligands and signaling proteins by the NTF-based model.
A virtual tile approach to raster-based calculations of large digital elevation models in a shared-memory system

Grid digital elevation models (DEMs) are commonly used in hydrology to derive information related to topographically driven flow. Advances in technology for creating DEMs have increased their resolution and data size with the result that algorithms for processing them are frequently memory limited. This paper presents a new approach to the management of memory in the parallel solution of hydrologic terrain processing using a user-level virtual memory system for shared-memory multithreaded systems. The method includes tailored virtual memory management of raster-based calculations for datasets that are larger than available memory and a novel order-of-calculations approach to parallel hydrologic terrain analysis applications. The method is illustrated for the pit filling algorithm used first in most hydrologic terrain analysis workflows. HighlightsWe presented a tiled virtual memory system to process large DEM datasets on a machine with limited memoryEfficiencies were achieved using algorithm refinements such as multi-threading, load balancing and the pre-fetching approaches.We found optimal tile sizes for the cases of best performance and better memory usage efficiency.
Modeling and simulation of time-varying delays

This paper presents the numerical methods for modeling and simulation of fundamental continuous time-varying delays. Continuous time-varying delays are categorized as variable time delay and variable transport delay. These two fundamental delays are formulated and implemented as two Simulink® built-in blocks. The difference between these two delays are discussed. With these two fundamental time varying delays, physical system such as convey belt, control system with delayed control signals, delay differential equations, can be easily modeled and simulated.
Animation and Visualization of Water Quality in Distribution Systems

Water may undergo a number of changes in the distribution system, making the quality of the water at the customer's tap different from the quality of the water that leaves the treatment plant. Such changes in quality may be caused by chemical or biological variations or by a loss of system integrity. A computer-visualization technique, coupled with a dynamic water quality model for analyzing spatial and temporal water quality variations, was studied at two systems
On Some Methods for Unconditionally Secure Key Distributionand Broadcast Encryption

This paper provides an exposition of methods by which a trusted authority can distribute keys and/or broadcast a message over a network, so that each member of a privileged subset of users can compute a specified key or decrypt the broadcast message. Moreover, this is done in such a way that no coalition is able to recover any information on a key or broadcast message they are not supposed to know. The problems are studied using the tools of information theory, so the security provided is unconditional (i.e., not based on any computational assumption). We begin by surveying some useful schemes for key distribution that have been presented in the literature, giving background and examples (but not too many proofs). In particular, we look more closely at the attractive concept of key distribution patterns, and present a new method for making these schemes more efficient through the use of resilient functions. Then we present a general approach to the construction of broadcast schemes that combines key predistribution schemes with secret sharing schemes. We discuss the Fiat-Naor Broadcast Scheme, as well as other, new schemes that can be constructed using this approach.
Moment-derived Object Models for Vectorization.

Various methods for the vectorization of line drawings have been developed in the past. The predominant ones are based on skeletonization/ thinning, edge detection and sparse pixel techniques. This paper describes a new approach to vectorization based on using spatial moment analysis of gray levels in k x k regions around each pixel to generate parameters for object models. The line model, in particular, consists of a core and two wing regions which are initially determined by a principal component analysis of the moments. The model is refi ned by fi tting to the pixel gray levels, minimizing the sum of the core and wing errors. This study uses two evaluation procedures: In the fi rst, vector parameters from a ground truth model are compared to the fi tted models; in the second, pixel statistics for the difference between the images of the ground truth model and the fi tted model are evaluated. The results show that our approach can produce excellent results for the vector-derived diagrams common in scientifi c papers, the class of diagrams our group works on. the resulting objects, producing a syntactic analysis (Futrelle, 1998; Futrelle & Nikolakis, 1995) and fi nally, produce a semantic analysis that will allow the diagram content to be stored and indexed for conceptual retrieval and related tasks. This paper introduces a vectorization technique which goes beyond previous approaches. There are a number of factors that lead to our new approach, including: Moore s Law Going beyond the 1 bit per pixel approaches that originated in a time when systems were much smaller and slower. Open Source We plan to make our Java-based system available to all. The Scientifi c Literature Unlike most vectorization research, our work focuses on the Biomedical literature which produces about 5 million distinct fi gures each year. New Algorithms The desire to explore new algorithms and compare them with existing techniques. We evaluate the vectorization (lines only) of a typical diagram from the Biology literature demonstrating that our method performs well, in some cases with sub-pixel accuracy. We discuss the challenges of Biology diagrams that lie beyond our successful approach to line vectorization, e.g., separating occluding elements. The system is built using Java, Java Swing, and Java 2D and runs without recompilation on Sun Solaris, Linux (Intel) and Mac OS X. 2. The Vectorization Process Sections 2.1-2.4 fi rst describe the class of images we analyze. Then the moment analysis of local pixel distributions and how it leads to line models are discussed. The line models are then fi tted to the full gray-level image through optimization and extension procedures. The line models have natural ways of dealing with line intersections. 2.1 Images in scientifi c papers When the author of a scientifi c paper creates a diagram, she/he creates it in a vector-based drawing application (Xfi g, MATLAB, Adobe Illustrator). Then the fi gure is saved in a vector-derived raster format for transmission to the publisher, or the conversion is done by the publisher. Such raster
Competitive science and technology intelligence

As industrial economies head irreversibly towards globalization, access to and applications of, new technological information from worldwide sources become critical. The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has carried out an experiment to determine whether researchers from a national scientific institution can make a contribution to accessing technological information from foreign sources, analyzing that information, generating competitive intelligence and selectively disseminating that intelligence to Canadian firms. A trial copy of an S&T intelligence bulletin was prepared by NRC in order to determine the essential features of a competitive S&T intelligence service. The intelligence in the bulletin was generated from information gathered from worldwide sources by NRC researchers in the course of their normal activities. The bulletin was sent to a small number of technology–intensive firms and the usefulness of the bulletin was evaluated by follow–up interviews. A description of the process of generation and dissemination of intelligence and the formal evaluation of that experiment is presented.
A four-vector formalism for anisotropic media

An electromagnetic four-vector formalism for anisotropic media is presented and compared to the six-vector formalism. It is shown that, if the material property tensors have a certain form, the four-vector approach significantly reduces mathematical complexity and enhances physical insight due to the more compact formulation and reduced dimensionality. The Green's function for an electric current immersed in a uniaxial media is presented to show the effectiveness of the four-vector formalism and thus demonstrate its usefulness in the radiation and scattering analysis of antennas embedded in complex media environments.
Development of chip scale packages (CSP) for center pad devices

Memory chip scale package (MCSP) has been developed for center pad memory devices. The MCSP is classified into two designs, tapeless lead on chip (LOC) and flexible substrate, respectively. The MCSP with a tapeless LOC design consists of a polyimide-deposited chip which is bonded to a lead frame and then encapsulated with a molding compound. The MCSP made with a flexible substrate consists of a polyimide-deposited chip which is bonded to the flexible substrate with a thermoplastic polyimide and subsequently encapsulated with a liquid epoxy compound. Wire bonding technology was used for both of MCSPs. A 52 ball package are composed of solder balls (1.0 mm in diameter on a 1.27 mm pitch) attached to either the lead frame or the flexible substrate. The optimum material properties, the wafer fabrication and packaging process parameters, and the experimental and simulated reliability and performance results of the MCSPs are presented.
Effect of grapefruit juice on cytochrome P450 2A6 and nicotine renal clearance

Background and Objective Grapefruit juice is an inhibitor of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 enzyme and transporters such as P-glycoprotein and organic anion transporting polypeptides, leading to clinically important interactions. Our objective was to study the effect of grapefruit juice on the pharmacokinetics of nicotine, which is primarily metabolized by the CYP2A6 enzyme. Methods Ten volunteers were given a 2-mg oral dose of deuterium-labeled nicotine on 3 occasions together with 1 L of water, full-strength grapefruit juice, or half-strength grapefruit juice. Concentrations of nicotine and its metabolites were analyzed in plasma and urine for 8 hours. Results Grapefruit juice inhibited the formation of cotinine from nicotine (area under the plasma cotinine concentration-time curve from 0 to 8 hours of 6807 min · ng/mL, 7805 min · ng/mL, and 8007 min · ng/mL for full-strength grapefruit juice, half-strength grapefruit juice, and water, respectively; repeated-measures ANOVA, P = .009). The time to peak plasma concentration of cotinine was delayed (216 minutes, 159 minutes, and 147 minutes, respectively; ANOVA, P = .011), and the peak plasma concentration was lower with grapefruit juice compared with water (18 ng/mL, 21 ng/mL, and 22 ng/mL, respectively; ANOVA, P = .010). Oral clearance, peak plasma concentration, and time to peak plasma concentration of nicotine were not affected. Grapefruit juice increased the renal clearance of nicotine (231 mL/min, 219 mL/min, and 123 mL/min, respectively; ANOVA, P = .045) and cotinine (19 mL/min, 14 mL/min, and 16 mL/min, respectively; ANOVA, P = .002). Conclusions Grapefruit juice inhibits the metabolism of nicotine to cotinine, a pathway mediated by CYP2A6, and increases the renal clearance of nicotine and cotinine. Nicotine oral clearance is not affected by grapefruit juice because the inhibition of hepatic metabolism is offset by the increase in the renal clearance of nicotine. However, other compounds metabolized by CYP2A6, as well as other drugs excreted via renal clearance mechanisms similar to those of nicotine, may be susceptible to significant pharmacokinetic grapefruit juice interactions. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2006) 80, 522–530; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2006.08.006
A generalization of group difference sets and the matrix equationA m =dI+λJ

LetG be a finite group. In this paper, we will study theα-group matrices forG which satisfy the matrixA m =dI+λJ and we will show that the existence of such a solution is equivalent to the existence of a combinatorial structure inG which is a generalization of group difference sets.
Kinetics and mechanism of the mercury(II)-catalyzed hydration—isomerization of 2-butyn-1-ol

Abstract The hydration and isomerization of 2-butyn-1-ol to form 4-hydroxy- 2-butanone and 3-buten-2-one, respectively, is catalyzed by the ions HgR+ where R = —C(CH2)COCH3 and —CH2 CHCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 O . The kinetic behavior, −d[2-butyn-1-ol]/dt = k[H3O+][HgR+][2-butyn-1-ol]0, is consistent with the mechanism CH3CCCH2OH + HgR+ → RHgC(CH2)COCH3 + H+ (fast); H+ + H2O + RHgC(CH2)COCH3 → products (rate-determining). The 3-buten-2-one is subsequently hydrated to form 4-hydroxy-2-butanone. The reactive intermediate, Hg(C(CH2)COCH3)2 was isolated and characterized.
The role of user capability and incentives in group and individual decision support systems: an economics perspective

Abstract We model the decision making processes in decision support systems and programs as sequential information acquisition processes and compare their usefulness. A Bayesian decision maker is shown to be indifferent between the two approaches. In contrast, a decision maker with bounded rationality prefers the decision support systems approach. The model is extended to group decision support systems where the interaction between the decision makers and the group facilitator is modelled as a non-cooperative economics game. We show that in some instances the group facilitator would prefer precommitment to an interaction plan rather than allow evolutionary planning of the interaction. This planning is similar to that in a program and may take the form of an organization chart.
Large-Eddy Simulation of a Turbulent Compressible Round Jet

A large-eddy simulation (LES) of a high-Reynolds-number jet was performed. A numerical scheme that is uniformly fourth-order accurate in time and space was used to solve the Favre-e ltered Navier ‐Stokes equations. The subgrid-scale stresses were computed using a compressible form of Smagorinsky’ s model. A cold Mach 1.4 nozzlewithaReynoldsnumberof1 :2 ££ 106 wassimulated.Incontrasttosimilarstudies,theentirenozzlegeometry including the nozzle lip was modeled. The LES simulation accurately captures the physics of the turbulent e ow. The agreement with experimental data is relatively good and improves on results in the current literature. This improvement can be attributed to the numerical scheme and the modeling of the nozzle. In addition, a twopoint correlation technique was used to quantify the turbulent structures in the jet mixing layer and showed that computational techniques can be used to characterize such structures for application to Lighthill’ s acoustic analogy. Two-point space correlations were used to obtain a measure of the integral length scale, which proved to be approximately 1 Dj. Two-point space-time correlations were used to estimate the convection velocity for the turbulent structures. This velocity estimates ranged from 0.57 to 0.71 Uj and is in agreement with theory.
Converted phase elastic migration velocity analysis

ConocoPhillips (Firm); Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory (Founding Members Consortium)
Mineral and phytochemical influences on foliage selection by the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus)

Primate diets may be influenced by the phytochemical composition of potential food resources. This study examined the protein, fiber, and mineral content of leaves from plant species used as food resources by the proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) in Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. In addition, leaf samples were collected from nonfood resources based upon relative density in previously established vegetation plots. Higher concentrations of crude protein, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc were found in young leaves. Mature leaves had higher levels of magnesium, manganese and calcium compared to young leaves. Leaves from species used as food resources were significantly higher in protein (9.9% vs. 8.5%) and lower in fiber (30.5% vs. 40.0% acid detergent fiber) than the leaves from species not used as food sources. Food resources also contained higher concentrations of phosphorus and potassium; nonfood resources contained higher concentrations of calcium and manganese. Proboscis monkeys appear to follow the typical colobine trend: a diet relatively high in protein and low in digestion inhibitors (fiber). Little previous work has examined mineral content as a selection factor in primate food choices. Leaves from species used as food resources contained less calcium (0.35%), iron (34 mg/kg) and phosphorus (0.15%) than dietary standards established for captive nonhuman primates, but values were similar to those established for ruminant herbivores. Other mineral concentrations (potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, and zinc) met or exceeded recommended levels for both primates and ruminants. Comparison of diverse nutrients in native diets may provide insight into suitability of domestic animals models for providing adequate diets in captive feeding situations, as well as help define resource limitations in natural environments.
Volumizing the Brow With Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Background Aging eyes often are treated by excision of apparent excess skin and fat and, in some instances, by elevation of the brow. The result of these traditional approaches is increased definition of the orbit, which is not of benefit for all patients. In some cases, the addition of volume in the periorbital area may provide a better-looking result than traditional surgical alternatives. Objective The author describes the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers for improvement of the periorbital region. Methods Using local anesthetic, patients are provided with a preview of the aesthetic result of treatment with HA fillers to add volume to the brow. Most treatments are performed using HA fillers, which have the benefit of results that are both reversible and long-lasting. The author uses a fanning technique to inject small quantities of material. Results The use of these techniques results in a high degree of patient satisfaction. Occasional minor irregularities may occur, but these can be smoothed out by massage or blended by further injection. Results lasting two years are common and we have observed longevity of three years or more in some patients. Some brow configurations that falsely project emotional states, such as anxiety, may also be corrected. Conclusions As in other types of cosmetic surgery, patient selection is key. In properly selected patients, increased fullness of the upper lids is preferable to the greater definition of the lids resulting from traditional surgical techniques. The longevity of treatment and reversibility of changes to the upper lids with HA fillers render this approach both cost-effective and safe. (Aesthetic Surg J 2009;29:177–179.)
A bright and photostable photoconvertible fluorescent protein

Photoconvertible fluorescent proteins are potential tools for investigating dynamic processes in living cells and for emerging super-resolution microscopy techniques. Unfortunately, most probes in this class are hampered by oligomerization, small photon budgets or poor photostability. Here we report an EosFP variant that functions well in a broad range of protein fusions for dynamic investigations, exhibits high photostability and preserves the approximately 10-nm localization precision of its parent.
The evolution of exchange

Abstract Stochastic stability is applied to the problem of exchange. We analyze the stochastic stability of two dynamic trading processes in a simple housing market. In both models, traders meet in pairs at random and exchange their houses when trade is mutually beneficial, but occasionally they make mistakes. The models differ in the probability of mistakes. When all mistakes are equally likely, the set of stochastically stable allocations contains the set of efficient allocations. When more serious mistakes are less likely, the stochastically stable states are those allocations, always efficient, with the lowest envy level.
The Indianapolis ‘Fortune 500’: Lilly and Regional Renaissance

The reasons for and consequences of the location of a flourishing industrial anomaly ouside the predominant region of concentration is of continuing geographic interest. This paper is an examination of both structural and agency factors for the historical establishment and consistent success of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company. Along with its recent medical device spinoff, Lilly is the only ‘Fortune 500’ firm in Indianapolis, and one of few outside the Mid-Atlantic states cluster. Industry-locational exceptionalism is sustained by a cross-sectoral concentration of related manufacturing and service companies to create a health ensemble. A consciously constructed local metropolitan and state sociopolitical niche further nurtures industry-specific and mutually beneficial growth. Theories on agglomeration-sustaining patterns are considered in light of this empirical study.