cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementing a New Constitution in a Competitive Authoritarian Context: The Case of Kenya

In 2010, a new Constitution inspired by the came into force after an overwhelming endorsement in a referendum. This chapter argues that following the 2017 Presidential elections,Kenya's 2010 Constitution entered its second period. Unlike many Constitutions that die in period one, within a year to five years after coming into force, the 2010 Kenyan Constitution is now in its eighth year. The second period of the 2010 Constitution commenced with a major constitutional crisis. The August 2017 Presidential elections were nullified by the Supreme Court for failing to conform to the 2010 Constitution’s requirements of a free and fair election. The Supreme Court upheld the repeat election notwithstanding the fact that the main opposition coalition boycotted it. The opposition coalition saw the Supreme Court’s endorsement of a flawed election as exacerbating rather than resolving the lack of integrity in the electoral system. A central claim in this chapter is that instead of ensuring the liberal guarantees of the 2010 Constitution are ensured, protected and safeguarded, successive governments have undermined them as part of their strategy of maintaining party and political dominance in the country. In particular, the Jubilee party’s acquisition of political party dominance from 2013 until March 2018 gave it a platform to de-legitimate, harass and weaken the opposition. Other independent institutions have also been deliberately weakened to undermine their ability to provide checks on the government in power. In this sense, this chapter shows how the establishment of legal institutions such as Madisonian vision of checks and balances that can withstand authoritarian leaders tends to come after, rather than to precede the establishment of democracies. The chapter first examines how patronage politics have stymied Parliament’s role to check the Executive as envisaged in the 2010 Constitution and how these politics have undermined its Madisonian design. In part two, the chapter examines how the dominant and opposition parties in Kenya have resorted to the Judiciary to resolve election related cases. This part of the paper also assesses why the Judiciary established under the 2010 Constitution has remained relatively resilient in its independence from the Parliament and the Executive.
High Resolution Diffuse Optical Tomography using Short Range Indirect Subsurface Imaging

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is an approach to recover subsurface structures beneath the skin by measuring light propagation beneath the surface. The method is based on optimizing the difference between the images collected and a forward model that accurately represents diffuse photon propagation within a heterogeneous scattering medium. However, to date, most works have used a few source-detector pairs and recover the medium at only a very low resolution. And increasing the resolution requires prohibitive computations/storage. In this work, we present a fast imaging and algorithm for high resolution diffuse optical tomography with a line imaging and illumination system. Key to our approach is a convolution approximation of the forward heterogeneous scattering model that can be inverted to produce deeper than ever before structured beneath the surface. We show that our proposed method can detect reasonably accurate boundaries and relative depth of heterogeneous structures up to a depth of 8 mm below highly scattering medium such as milk. This work can extend the potential of DOT to recover more intricate structures (vessels, tissue, tumors, etc.) beneath the skin for diagnosing many dermatological and cardio-vascular conditions.
Presentation and Outcome of Arrhythmic Mitral Valve Prolapse

Abstract Background Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is often considered benign but recent suggestion of an arrhythmic MVP (AMVP) form remains incompletely defined and uncertain. Objectives This study d...
Future Prospects In Balanced Scorecard Research: Sustainability Perspective

This paper reviews the state of the research on a balanced scorecard (BSC) and sustainability balanced scorecard (SBSC) from 1990 to 2020. It aims to address the research question, “What are the future prospects in the BSC research from the perspective of sustainability?” using an integrative literature review method with bibliometric analysis. This study also reports the evolution and synthesis of published materials, citation analysis, themes, theories, and the literature gap and future research agenda, including the post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sustainability crisis. The findings of this study, which aim to advance the knowledge in the field, include the developed future research framework matrix and the proposed research questions regarding the research gap in the multi­dimensional, multi-disciplinary, and multi-cultural empirical research. This study is considered unique owing to its comprehensive, holistic, and up-to-date structure. Furthermore, such a research design facilitates interdisciplinary, theory-driven research with the review in multiple disciplines, which is new to the accounting literature. One limitation of this study is that it is a conceptual study; however, it can pave the way for future empirical and mixed-method studies in this field.
Convex Solution to a Joint Attitude and Spin-Rate Estimation Problem

This paper considers the problem of jointly estimating the attitude and spin rate of a spinning spacecraft. Psiaki has formulated a family of optimization problems that generalize the classical least-squares attitude-estimation problem, known as Wahba’s problem, to the case of a spinning spacecraft. In the special case where the rotation axis and the fundamental sampling period are fixed and known, but the spin rate is unknown (such as for nutation-damped spin-stabilized spacecraft), Psiaki’s problem can be reformulated exactly as a type of tractable convex optimization problem called a semidefinite optimization problem. This reformulation allows the problem to be globally solved using standard numerical routines for semidefinite optimization.
Utility of Total Cardiac and Right Ventricular Mass Ratios in Recipients with Pulmonary Hypertension: A UNOS Database Analysis

Purpose Cardiac mass ratio (CMR) is validated for donor-recipient sizing, and as a predictor of transplant outcomes. However, there is a lack of data reviewing the role CMR plays in transplant recipients with pulmonary hypertension (pHTN). In particular, the right ventricular (RV) mass ratio (RVMR) is a component of CMR not yet studied separately for this purpose. We aimed to review the relationship of CMR and RVMR with pHTN in terms of development of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) and overall survival. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried for primary heart transplant patients from 1987 to 2020. Missing data was imputed using a Bayesian network. Left ventricular (LV), RV, total cardiac mass (CM), and their ratios were calculated for donors and recipients. Relevant hemodynamic variables were included in logistic regression and cox proportional-hazards models to evaluate a relationship to PGD and overall survival. A stepwise regression created parsimonious models. Covariates with statistically significant relationships to the outcomes were included in tensor product spline models. Results 62,169 patients were identified. A parsimonious logistic model for odds of PGD included RVMR (OR 0.99, p Conclusion In patients with pHTN, RVMR is significantly associated with odds of developing PGD, and CMR is with overall survival. Some RV oversizing may be beneficial to mitigate the risk of PGD.
Treatment for alzheimer's disease: The present and future

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a growing global health crisis, however, there are currently very few effective treatments for it. All existent treatments serve only to ameliorate the symptoms of AD instead of curing it. With the deepening of the disease pathology in recent years, there have been many studies and clinical trials that aim to discover new disease-modifying therapies. Nanoparticle drug delivery platform is a promising path for its high penetration rate across the blood brain barrier, while heat shock proteins provide a new strategy to target the mutant proteins that cause AD. These novel therapies may help us better treat and potentially cure AD, but many of them are still in their early stage of development and their side effects are still unknown. A truly effective treatment for AD is still years ahead.
Identification and Optimization of a Minor Allele-Specific siRNA to Prevent PNPLA3 I148M-Driven Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Human genome wide association studies confirm the association of the rs738409 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the gene encoding protein patatin like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA...
Percutaneous Cholecystostomy Tubes versus Medical Management for Acute Cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND Cholecystitis is one of the most common infections treated surgically in the United States. Surgical risk is prohibitive in some patients, leading to alternative therapeutic strategies, including medical management (antibiotics) with or without percutaneous cholecystostomy tube (PCT) drainage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) National Readmission Database (NRD), we performed a retrospective review to compare medically managed patients with or without PCT placement by evaluating 60-day readmissions rates, health care costs, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Both study groups were matched using the Elixhauser comorbidity index, age, and sex. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed using STATA. RESULTS 776,766 patients were included in the analysis. The population receiving PCT placement was on average 16 years older (69.9 vs 53.6 years; P < .01), less likely to be female (40.7% vs 59.3%; P < .01), and had almost twice as many comorbidities (3.36 vs 1.81; P < .01) compared to the population receiving medical management. After matching our data to account for these incongruities, PCT patients were still 10.4 times more likely to be readmitted, had a 11.6% increase in the cost of care, and a 37.6% increase in LOS compared to those managed medically. DISCUSSION Percutaneous cholecystostomy tube placement for cholecystitis is associated with a higher readmission rate, increased charges, and increased LOS compared to antibiotic therapy alone, even after correcting for age, sex, and comorbidities.
Punishment: A Comparative Historical Perspective

List of figures List of tables Preface and acknowledgements 1. Introduction: the punishment response 2. Punishment philosophies and types of sanctions 3. Contemporary punishments in comparative perspective 4. Punishment in American history 5. The history of punishment in China 6. Punishment under Islamic law 7. Issues in the sociology of punishments.
TH-AB-BRA-06: Independent Automatic Catheter Digitization Algorithm for High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy Quality Improvement (QI) and Quality Assurance (QA)

Purpose: Individual-user and inter-user variability during manual catheter digitization for interstitial HDR brachytherapy can be significant since the process can time consuming and error prone. We present an algorithm and workflow for catheter digitization that can be used for independent verification of manual digitization (QA) or automatic digitization (QI). Methods: After DICOM CT images are imported into the TPS, this proximal end of each catheter is located and numbered on a single slice near the needle template. The DICOM RP and CT files are then exported for digitization. Each transverse CT slice is smoothed with a Gaussian filter, then a convolution kernel finds the Laplacian of the CT image. This process highlights regions of rapid density change. A sliding window filter is applied to the image afterwards to locate each catheter center. The catheter is traced and geometry digitized from the needle template to the tip slice by slice, similar to the manual procedure. All the contour points are written into the original DICOM RP file and imported back into the TPS for planning. The difference between the manual digitization and the automatic digitization was quantified with a RMS calculation of the deviation between the manual and automatic catheter geometries for 11 clinical cases. Results: The RMS difference between the automatic and manual digitization was 0.50±0.04mm. Execution time for automatic digitization is ∼3 minutes (analysis ∼2 min; DICOM export/import ∼1 minute). Conclusion: This automatic catheter digitization method can be used as both a QA and QI tool. As a QI it is executed instead of manual catheter digitization. The algorithmic nature ensures reduced individual- and intra-user variability and reduces digitization time. As a QA tool, the algorithm can be used to validate the manually generated catheter pattern to ensure digitization integrity.
Parallel implementation and scalability of cloud resolving EULAG model

Progress in the development of the PetaScale implementation of the anelastic EULAG model combined with the warm-rain bulk and bin microphysics schemes, as well its application to multiscale cloud modeling, are presented. A new three-dimensional (3D) model domain decomposition is implemented to increase model performance and scalability. We investigate performance of the code on IBM BlueGene/L and Cray XT4/XE6 architectures. The scalability results show significant improvement of the new domain decomposition over the previous 2D decomposition used as the standard in many geophysical fluid flow models.
The induction of premature labor by means of pitocin in patients with toxemia of pregnancy

Abstract All obstetricians are faced at some time with the necessity for interrupting a pregnancy complicated by toxemia between the twenty-eighth and the thirty-fourth week. When the toxemia fails to respond to treatment, termination of the pregnancy is advisable for the sake of both mother and child. Once the decision has been made, with full knowledge that prematurity is a factor to be considered, the next question is what method to use. The majority of these mothers show no sign of impending labor such as engagement of the head or effacement and dilatation of the cervix. They have what is described so often in the literature as the “long, closed cervix.” It is this type of patient, primigravida or multigravida, who is usually subjected to cesarean section. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method of induction which permits vaginal delivery in such cases. We believe that the technique, because it achieves a normal birth, is preferable to the surgical approach, as it not only increases the infant's chances for survival, but also improves the outlook for future childbearing on the part of the mother.
Fate of DNA targeted to the liver by asialoglycoprotein receptor-mediated endocytosis in vivo : prolonged persistence in cytoplasmic vesicles after partial hepatectomy

After intravenous injection, DNA complexed with asialoglycoprotein-polylysine conjugates is endocytosed by hepatocytes via asialoglycoprotein receptors and is expressed transiently. Long term persistence and expression occurs when partial hepatectomy is performed after gene delivery. To determine the intracellular location of the persisting DNA, we transferred a plasmid expressing bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase into the liver of rats in vivo by asialoglycoprotein receptor-mediated endocytosis. The internalized DNA was measured by Southern blot. Twenty min after administration, 80-85% of the plasmid appeared in the liver, 80% of which was within hepatocytes (12,000-18,000 copies/hepatocyte). In sham-operated control rats, the transgene concentration decreased to 8-12 and 2-4% of the initial levels in 4 and 24 h, respectively, and became undetectable at 7 days. In rats subjected to 66% hepatectomy 20 min after DNA administration, 20, 9, and 7% of the plasmid in the residual liver persisted at 4 h, 24 h, and 7 days, respectively. Liver homogenates were fractionated by differential centrifugation and Percoll gradient centrifugation. In 66% hepatectomized rats, the plasmid persisted in an undegraded, transfection-competent form in plasma membrane/endosome-enriched fractions throughout the duration of the experiment (7 days), indicating that cytoplasmic vesicles are the main site of persistence of the endocytosed DNA.
The mechanism of expansion of late erythroid progenitors during erythroid regeneration: target cells and effects of erythropoietin and interleukin-3

Through immunologic means we have been able to separate primate bone marrow cells into populations containing late erythroid progenitors (colony forming units [CFUe] and e-clusters) but depleted of early erythroid progenitors (burst-forming units [BFUe]) or populations enriched in BFUe in relation to late progenitors. We used these fractionated populations in a two stage liquid/semisolid culture system and have assessed the effect of erythropoietin (Epo) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) on the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitors in the presence or absence of early progenitors. We found that populations that contained CFUe but were depleted of BFUe failed to show any amplification of CFUe or e-clusters in the presence of Epo (or Epo plus IL-3). In contrast, populations containing BFUe yielded a striking (sixfold for CFUe; 23-fold for e-clusters) expansion of late progenitors in the presence of Epo. Maximum amplification (15-fold for CFUe; 32-fold for e-clusters) was achieved when both IL-3 and Epo were present in culture. Our results imply that CFUe and e-clusters lack the capacity to amplify their numbers and suggests that the expansion of late erythroid progenitors during rapid erythroid regeneration is accomplished by influx of BFUe rather than amplification of CFUe. These data are of relevance to models of acute marrow expansion and to the mechanism of activation of fetal hemoglobin production during rapid erythroid regeneration.
Decision-making for preradiation dental extractions is based primarily on experience and opinion

Decision-making for preradiation dental extractions is based primarily on experience and opinion
Endothelin induction of inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, sarcomere assembly, and cardiac gene expression in ventricular myocytes. A paracrine mechanism for myocardial cell hypertrophy.

The present study examined the effects of endothelin-1 on phosphoinositide hydrolysis, diacylglycerol formation, and the induction of myocardial cell hypertrophy utilizing a well characterized cultured neonatal rat myocardial cell model. In this system, a hypertrophic response can be assessed by increases in myocardial cell size, an increase in the assembly of an individual contractile protein (myosin light chain-2) into organized contractile units, accumulation of contractile proteins, the activation of a program of immediate early gene expression, and the induction of genes encoding contractile and embryonic proteins (Iwaki, K., Sukhatme, V., Shubeita, H.E., Chien, K.R., (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 13809-13817). Utilizing these criteria, the present study documents that stimulation with endothelin-1 can produce myocardial cell hypertrophy, induce the expression and release of ANF in ventricular cells, and can activate the transcription of cardiac-specific genes. In addition, endothelin-1 stimulates phosphoinositide hydrolysis and the accumulation of diacylglycerol. It is proposed that endothelin-1 stimulation may represent an important paracrine mechanism for the in vivo regulation of cardiac growth and hypertrophy.
Charge optimized many-body (COMB) potential for Al2O3 materials, interfaces, and nanostructures.

This work presents the development and applications of a new empirical, variable charge potential for Al2O3 systems within the charge optimized many-body (COMB) potential framework. The potential can describe the fundamental physical properties of Al2O3, including cohesive energy, elastic constants, defect formation energies, surface energies and phonon properties of α-Al2O3 comparable to that obtained from experiments and first-principles calculations. The potential is further employed in classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to validate and predict the properties of the Al (1 1 1)–Al2O3 (0 0 0 1) interface, tensile properties of Al nanowires, Al2O3 nanowires, Al2O3-covered Al nanowires, and defective Al2O3 nanowires. The results demonstrate that the potential is well-suited to model heterogeneous material systems involving Al and Al2O3. Most importantly, the parameters can be seamlessly coupled with COMB3 parameters for other materials to enable MD simulations of a wide range of heterogeneous material systems.
Imaging in NDE

The ultimate objective of most nondestructive evaluation (NDE) studies is to develop a capability for predetermining the inservice failure probabilities of a structural component with the best possible confidence. The role that ultrasonic imaging can be expected to play in the failure prediction process is reviewed. Included are discussions of the basic concepts of imaging in NDE, a survey of types of NDE imaging systems, and some key problem areas which need to be addressed in the future.
Phosphorylation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase by One-Trial and Multi-Trial Classical Conditioning

The pathway supporting the conditioned stimulus (CS) is one site of plasticity that has been studied extensively in conditioned Hermissenda . Several signal transduction pathways have been implicated in classical conditioning of this preparation, although the major emphasis has been on protein kinase C. Here we provide evidence for the activation and phosphorylation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway by one-trial and multi-trial conditioning. A one-trial in vitro conditioning procedure consisting of light (CS) paired with the application of 5-HT results in the increased incorporation of 32PO4into proteins detected with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Two of the phosphoproteins have molecular weights of 44 and 42 kDa, consistent with extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK1 and ERK2). Phosphorylation of the 44 and 42 kDa proteins by one-trial conditioning was inhibited by pretreatment with PD098059, A MEK1 (ERK-Activating kinase) inhibitor. Assays of ERK activity with brain myelin basic protein as a substrate revealed greater ERK activity for the group that received one-trial conditioning compared with an unpaired control group. Western blot analysis of phosphorylated ERK using antibodies recognizing the dually phosphorylated forms of ERK1 and ERK2 showed an increase in phosphorylation after one-trial conditioning compared with unpaired controls. The increased phosphorylation of ERK after one-trial conditioning was blocked by pretreatment with PD098059. Hermissenda that received 10 or 15 conditioning trials showed significant behavioral suppression compared with pseudo-random controls. After conditioning and behavioral testing, the conditioned animals showed significantly greater phosphorylation of ERK compared with the pseudo-random controls. These results show that the ERK–MAPK signaling pathway is activated in Pavlovian conditioning of Hermissenda .
Trajectories of fear of recurrence in women with breast cancer.

Although fear of recurrence (FCR) is common among cancer survivors, it remains unclear what factors predict initial levels (e.g., prior to surgery) or changes in FCR in the post-treatment period. Among women treated for breast cancer, this study evaluated the effects of demographic, clinical, symptom, and psychosocial adjustment characteristics on the initial (preoperative) levels of FCR and trajectories of FCR over 6 months following surgery. Prior to and for 6 months following breast cancer surgery, 396 women were assessed for demographic and clinical (disease and treatment) characteristics, symptoms, psychological adjustment characteristics, and quality of life (QOL). FCR was assessed using a four-item subscale from the QOL instrument. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine changes in FCR scores and to identify predictors of inter-individual differences in preoperative FCR levels and trajectories over 6 months. From before surgery to 6 months post-operatively, women with breast cancer showed a high degree of inter-individual variability in FCR. Preoperatively, women who lived with someone, experienced greater changes in spiritual life, had higher state anxiety, had more difficulty coping, or experienced more distress due to diagnosis or distress to family members reported higher FCR scores. Patients who reported better overall physical health and higher FCR scores at enrollment demonstrated a steeper decrease in FCR scores over time. These findings highlight inter-individual heterogeneity in initial levels and changes in FCR over time among women undergoing breast cancer surgery. Further work is needed to identify and provide interventions for women experiencing FCR during and after breast cancer treatment.
Poverty, Gender, and Life-Cycle under the English Poor Law, 1760–1834. By Samantha Williams. (Woodbridge, England: Royal Historical Society, 2011, Pp. 190. $90.00.)

Samantha Williams's title is only peripherally connected to her study, for though it promises an analysis of huge swathes of material under the general topic of the English poor laws, the author ac...
Validating hospital admission criteria for decision support in pneumonia.

We evaluated our previously derived admission criteria for agreement with physician decisions and outpatient failure among patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with pneumonia. Among patients presenting to seven Intermountain EDs in the urban region of Utah with pneumonia December 1 2009-December 1 2010, we measured hospital admission rates and outpatient failure, defined as either 7-day secondary hospitalization or death in 30 days for patients initially discharged home from the ED. We measured our admission criteria’s ability to predict hospital admission and its hypothetical rates of admission and outpatient failure with strict adherence to the criteria. We compared our admission criteria to other electronically calculable criteria, CURB-65 and A-DROP. In 2,308 patients, admission rate was 57%, 30-day mortality 6.1%, 7-day secondary hospitalization 5.8%, and outpatient failure rate 6.4%. Our admission criteria predicted hospital admission with an AUC of 0.77, compared to 0.73 for CURB-65 ≥ 2 and 0.78 for A-DROP≥ 2. Hypothetical 100% concordance with our admission criteria decreased the hospitalization rate to 52% and reduced the outpatient failure rate to 3.9%, slightly better than A-DROP ≥ 2 (54% and 4.3%) and CURB-65 ≥ 2 (49% and 5.1%). Our admission criteria agreed acceptably with overall observed admission decisions for patients presenting to EDs with pneumonia, but may safely reduce hospital admission rates and increase recognition of patients at risk for outpatient failure compared to CURB-65 ≥ 2 or A-DROP ≥ 2.
Combining Geometric Constraints With Physics Modeling for Virtual Assembly Using SHARP

This research combines physics-based and constraint-based approaches for virtual assembly simulations where geometric constraints are created or deleted within the virtual environment at runtime. In addition, this research provides a solution to low clearance assembly by utilizing B-Rep data representation of complex CAD models for accurate collision/physics results. These techniques are demonstrated in the SHARP software (System for Haptic Assembly and Realistic Prototyping). Combining physics-based and constraint-based techniques and operating on accurate B-rep data, SHARP can now assemble parts with 0.001% clearance and can accurately detect collision responses with 0.0001mm accuracy. Case studies are presented which can be used to identify the suitable combination of methods capable of best simulating intricate interactions and environment behavior during manual assembly.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
SU-E-J-121: Assess Interfractional Tumor Motion in SBRT Lung Treatment Using 4D Cone-Beam CT

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess interfractional tumor motion in SBRT lung treatment using 4D cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) to check if tumor motion changes during treatment course. Methods: 4D CBCT scans of eight SBRT lung patients were studied. Each patient had 3‐6 fraction treatments. The patients were scanned on an Elekta XVI cone‐beam imaging system with 4D acquisition module before each fraction treatment. Reconstructed 4D CBCT images were binned into 10 phases (frames). Tumor motion was assessed on the XVI system by measuring the maximum displacements of tumor border positions among 10 frame images, in superior‐inferior (SI), anterior‐posterior (AP), and lateral (LAT) directions. Interfactional tumor motion change was determined by calculating the difference of tumor motion of each fraction and that measured on planning 4DCT. Results: The tumor motion changes were in the ranges of −0.5∼0.4 cm, −0.3∼0.2 cm, and −0.3∼0.2 cm, in the SI, AP, and LAT directions, respectively. Conclusion: 4D CBCT was used to assess interfractional tumor motions. The results showed that the tumor motion changes were clinically insignificant, with respect to the 1‐cm margin used to generate planning target volume from internal target volume.
Effects of nitrogen doping of ZnO during or after deposition

Effects of nitrogen doping of ZnO (ZnO:N) during deposition and after postdeposition annealing have been studied by optical techniques, electronic properties, and the application to metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors (MSM-PDs). Films of ZnO, nitrogen doped during rf sputtering, show larger grain size, narrower full width at half maximum, band gap emission shift in photoluminescence, and higher conductivity. Postannealing has been studied using tube furnace and rapid thermal annealing in nitrogen. These annealing methods not only reconstruct the lattice structure but also activate the nitrogen in the film to improve the conductivity of the film. The MSM-PDs having high photo to dark current ratio of 104 and responsive (R) of 1.79 A/W have been fabricated with those films.
CO 2 dial transmitter/receiver noise characterization and related correlated noise issues

Our approach concerning the development of hard target return CO{sub 2} DIAL transmitter/receiver systems is two phased- (i) through analysis and experiment, develop a fundamental understanding of the transmitter/receiver physics specific to DIAL systems and (ii) apply these fundamentals in the development of optimal performance DIAL transmitter/receiver systems. We present our progress and results towards these objectives with the following topics addressed: A general overview of the DIAL transmitter/receiver system characterization effort with a focus on transceiver noise processes. The effects of correlated noise on DIAL performance, especially those effecting statistical convergence over long sample structures, is , introduced. And, preliminary measurements of a low-noise, ``white`` receiver prototype are presented.
PingPongPlus: augmentation and transformation of athletic interpersonal interaction

PingPongPlus (PP+) is a digitally enhanced version of the classic ping-pong game. We have designed a digital layer of audio/visual augmentation on top of a conventional pingpong table using a newly developed ball tracking system and video projection. The “reactive table” displays patterns of light and shadow as a game is played, and the rhythm and style of play drives accompanying sound. In the process, this project explores new ways to couple athletic recreation and social interaction with engaging digital enhancements. This paper describes the basic idea, research agenda, several applications, technical implementation, and initial experiences.
Minor depressive disorder and subsyndromal depressive symptoms: functional impairment and response to treatment

Abstract Background: This study quantifies functional impairment and depressive symptomatology in patients with minor depressive disorder (MinD) and subsyndromal depressive symptomatology (SSD) before and after 8 weeks of treatment with fluvoxamine. Study patients were compared and contrasted with archival data from a sample of the general population measured by the Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36. Method: Fifteen patients with MinD and 15 patients with SSD were identified from primary care clinics, referrals and newspaper advertisements. Patients signed informed consent and were offered open label treatment with fluvoxamine 25–100 mg/day. Patients were seen biweekly and measures of functional impairment and depressive symptomatology were gathered systematically. Results: MinD and SSD were associated with dysfunction and disability when compared to archival normative data from the general population. Eight week treatment with fluvoxamine was associated with a substantial decrease in depressive symptomatology and a normalization of psychosocial functioning. Conclusion: This is the first study to quantify functional impairment and the severity of depressive symptomatology in a clinical sample of patients with MinD and SSD, and to demonstrate that treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor decreases depressive symptomatology and improves psychosocial functioning. Placebo-controlled double-blind confirmation of these preliminary observations seems warranted.
The EAS-E application development system: principles and language summary

EAS-E is based on the entity-attribute-set view of system description—a useful formalism for system modeling and planning even when programming is done in languages other than EAS-E.
The onset of adaptive immunity in the mouse model of tuberculosis and the factors that compromise its expression

Summary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has been evolving with its human host for over 50 000 years and is an exquisite manipulator of the human immune response. It induces both a strong inflammatory and a strong acquired immune response, and Mtb then actively regulates these responses to create an infectious lesion in the lung while maintaining a relatively ambulatory host. The CD4+ T cell plays a critical yet contradictory role in this process by both controlling disseminated disease while promoting the development of the lesion in the lung that mediates transmission. In light of this manipulative relationship between Mtb and the human immune response, it is not surprising that our ability to vaccinate against tuberculosis (TB) has not been totally successful. To overcome the current impasse in vaccine development, we need to define the phenotype of CD4+ T cells that mediate protection and to determine those bacterial and host factors that regulate the effective function of these cells. In this review, we describe the initiation and expression of T cells during TB as well as the fulminant inflammatory response that can compromise T-cell function and survival.
Maudlin and modal mystery

(1996). Maudlin and modal mystery. Australasian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 74, No. 4, pp. 683-684.
High energy astronomy program at UCSD

Abstract The High Energy Astronomy program at UCSD consists of several elements, including laboratory development of detector systems, balloon flights to test detector concepts and to make basic observations of cosmic sources, space flights to make extended observations at high sensitivity, and data analysis. Since the start of the group in 1962, over 70 balloon flights have been made, mostly through the U.S. National Scientific Balloon Facility. Many of these flights were determine detector properties and background in the radiation environment at about 130,000 ft (40 km or 3 gm/cm 2 depth), which is essentially the same as on a spacecraft in low earth orbit. Many fundamental observations have also been obtained, including spectral and time variations of X-ray sources over the 25–200 keV range, imaging of the Crab Nebula in hard X-rays, and detection of an extremely hot component in solar flares. More recently, efforts have been concentrated on obtaining high resolution (E/ Δ E ≈ 300) observations of solar and cosmic gamma-rays in the 20 keV to 10 MeV range. The program, which involves faculty and research staff, graduate students, and technical support personnel will be described.
Multidimensional predictors of success or failure with early weaning from mechanical ventilation after cardiac surgery.

The purpose of this study was to determine the contributions of pulmonary mechanics, gas exchange, and hemodynamic function to prediction of success or failure with early weaning from mechanical ventilation after cardiac surgery. More than 40 physiologic measurements were determined on 162 patients at two time points in the early postoperative period: during full-support mechanical ventilation and during a trial of spontaneous ventilation. Discriminant analysis was used to analyze the differences between the success group (n = 134) and the failure group (n = 28) and to predict group membership of individual cases. A moderately strong relationship (canonical correlation = 0.733) was found between the groups and the discriminating variables. The discriminant function contained variables from all three dimensions of weaning criteria, with dimensions of hemodynamic function and pulmonary mechanics having greater import. The predictor set had a sensitivity of .98, specificity of .71, positive predictive value of .94, and negative predictive value of .87. Routine bedside measurements had a predictive performance equal or superior to variables previously studied.
Kremasmata, Kabadion, Klibanion: Some aspects of middle Byzantine military equipment reconsidered

AbstractThe material aspect of the Byzantine army is a field which has always been the poor relation of scholarship on its organisation and logistics, and publications of the last decade have unfortunately confused the issue as much as elucidated it. Byzantium had a rich tradition of military literature, in unbroken continuity with the already sophisticated practice of the western empire of Rome. Manuals from late Antiquity to the tenth century provide considerable detail of the equipment a Byzantine soldier should ideally have, and in doing so show in the armed forces of the empire a pragmatic willingness to absorb useful equipment, as much as effective tactics, from its neighbours and enemies. The quality of its equipment must also have been a factor in the remarkable success of the army and navy in preserving the empire as much as they did against so many foes for a thousand years. In view of this, the relationship between the ideals of the manuals and the reality is an important issue, one which deman...
Selection of delivery method in pregnancies complicated by autoimmune thrombocytopenia: a decision analysis.

Abstract Objective: To compare three common strategies for selecting delivery methods in term pregnancies complicated by immune thrombocytopenia by contrasting their effects on the number of severely thrombocytopenic neonates delivered vaginally and total cesarean rates. Methods: We used decision analysis to compare three strategies to select delivery method in women with autoimmune thrombocytopenia, funipuncture at term, intrapartum fetal scalp platelet sampling with delivery mode decisions based on platelet count in the first two strategies, and no testing of fetal platelets with delivery mode determined by standard obstetric criteria. We assumed that the goal of each strategy was to minimize the number of severely thrombocytopenic neonates delivered vaginally while maintaining an acceptable cesarean rate. Severe thrombocytopenia was defined as under 50,000 platelets per μL. Probabilities with ranges (used in sensitivity analyses) were derived from the medical literature. Results: Of the two testing strategies, funipuncture was clearly preferable. Funipuncture resulted in zero cases of severely thrombocytopenic neonates delivered vaginally (as did scalp sampling), with a lower overall cesarean rate compared with fetal scalp sampling (36.6% versus 69.1%). Compared with the no-testing strategy, the funipuncture strategy reduced the number of severely thrombocytopenic neonates delivered vaginally (0 versus 82 per 1000) with a modest increase in the cesarean rate (1.9 cesareans to prevent vaginal delivery of one severely thrombocytopenic neonate). Conclusion: Fetal scalp sampling should be abandoned in favor of funipuncture when testing for thrombocytopenia.
Varieties of update

This paper discusses three potential varieties of update: updates to the common ground, structuring updates, and updates that introduce discourse referents. These different types of update are used to model different aspects of natural language phenomena. Not-at-issue information directly updates the common ground. The illocutionary mood of a sentence structures the context. Other updates introduce discourse referents of various types, including propositional discourse referents for at-issue information. Distinguishing these types of update allows a unified treatment of a broad range of phenomena, including the grammatical evidentials found in Cheyenne (Algonquian) as well as English evidential parentheticals, appositives, and mood marking. An update semantics that can formalize all of these varieties of update is given, integrating the different kinds of semantic contributions into a single representation of meaning. http://dx.doi.org/10.3765/sp.7.2 BibTeX info
Pten-less Dentate Granule Cells Make Fits

Hippocampal dentate granule cell abnormalities are thought to play a causative role in temporal lobe epilepsy, but their precise contribution has not been dissociated from coexisting pathological changes. In this issue of Neuron, Pun et al. (2012) show, for the first time, that inducing proexcitatory changes in a subset of DGCs in isolation is sufficient to cause epilepsy in a rodent.
What Marketers Can Learn from the Tin Man

Customer contact personnel (CCP) play a significant role in the success of any industrial or consumer service organization. A key task of CCP is to be attentive, respectful, empathic, and civil toward customers. Many service organizations, however, seemingly overlook this critical, yet low‐cost, approach for enhancing customer satisfaction and favorable word‐of‐mouth promotion. Using The Wizard of Oz as an allegory, discusses the importance of CCP displaying appropriate behavior toward customers and offers a process for fostering such behavior within an organization.
Temperature selection and activity in the crayfish,Orconectes immunis

Selected temperature and activity were continuously monitored from crayfish (Orconectes immunis) placed in a thermal gradient exposed to the natural photoperiod. The crayfish avoided temperature extremes in the gradient, but did not prefer a particular temperature (Fig. 2). During the night the crayfish were active, and selected a mean water temperature of about 22° C. During the day the crayfish were inactive, and selected a mean water temperature of about 18°C (Figs. 3, 4).
Mass effect in the renal sinus: An anatomic classification

Abstract Before the advent of modern imaging techniques, pathologic processes in the renal sinus were diagnostic enigmas. Many of the conditions created nonspecific deformities of the contrast-filled collecting system. In the past, the discovery of these abnormalities often led to unnecessary exploration. Modern imaging techniques usually allow a specific diagnosis to be made, but because a number of the pathologic conditions affecting the renal sinus have similar appearances on a single type of imaging study, complete delineation may require correlation of a number of diagnostic techniques. An understanding of the normal sinus anatomy allows classification of pathologic processes that occur in this region and ensures an orderly imaging investigation. The anatomic classification is based on the structure from which the mass arises. The source of the mass may be any structure within the renal sinus (intrinsic), the enveloping renal parenchyma (adjacent), or a source outside the kidney itself with subsequent sinus involvement (extrinsic). This classification will be used to review a number of pathologic processes that occur in the renal sinus and pertinent imaging features.
Dynamic Response of Voltage-Driven Induction Machines

Abstract When operated at rated frequency, typical induction machines exhibit simple first or second order dynamic response depending upon machine size and load inertia and damping. At reduced frequency much more complex behavior can occur including the possiblity of small signal instability. This paper presents a general analysis of small signal dynamic behavior and introduces non-dimensional quantities which allow easy estimation of the region of poor dynamic response for specific machines. Graphical results which illustrate the regions of instability and poor damping are presented. The influence of machine parameters is described and the trends to be expected for different size and types of machines are discussed. In particular, 1t 1s shown that all machines pass through a minimum damping region as the frequency 1s reduced and that larger, more efficient machines will often exhibit small signal instability. An important result of the analysis is that all of the modifications made 1n producing “high eff...
Politics and the Olympic Transaction: Measuring China's Accomplishments

Any country that hosts the Olympic Games must contend with the ‘Olympic transaction,' or the costs and benefits of the international attention that the Games attract. The ‘Olympic transaction' for China was that it wanted the chance to showcase its greatness and importance as an international player to the world, but at the same time, the Olympic limelight brought intensified international pressure for political change and greater global responsibility in China. While the 2008 Beijing Olympiad is generally believed to have been one of the most successful and impressive Games in modern history, it remains unclear exactly what effect the ‘Olympic transaction' had on China. It is obvious, however, that the Beijing Games planted that seeds of political change in China, and the world now awaits to see how well these seeds will grow.
Acute and chronic interstitial cryotherapy of the adrenal as a treatment modality.

Adrenalectomy is indicated for patients with large adrenal lesions or functional tumors. Cryoablation is currently used as a surgical alternative for the treatment of prostate, lung, brain, pharynx, and liver tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine if cryosurgery could be delivered to small areas in the adrenal gland in a controllable and reproducible manner such that tissue could heal in a nonpathologic way. A total of 14 female mongrel dogs underwent acute (n = 8) or chronic (4 weeks, n = 6) cryoablation using the Cryounit. In the acute study using an open transabdominal approach a 2-mm cryoprobe was placed interstitially into the adrenal tissue, whereas 0.032-inch thermocouples were cannulated into the ipsilateral adrenal artery and vein. Adrenal parenchymal temperature changes were measured using 0.032-inch thermocouples placed at 0.4- and 0.8-cm intervals from the cryoprobe. In the chronic study, cryoablation was achieved by transperitoneal laparoscopic access using a standard laparoscopic technique. Interstitial cryoprobe temperatures decreased from 33.1 ± 1.9 °C to −148 ± 1.2 °C following 15 min of freezing in the acute study. Cryoablation of adrenal tissue achieved temperatures of −41.8 ± 5.7 °C and −21.8 ± 1 °C at distances of 0.4 and 0.8 cm from the cryoprobe, respectively. There was no significant change in adrenazl artery or vein temperatures during cryoablation. Histologically there is a clear demarcation between viable and nonviable tissue characterized by areas of multifocal hemorrhage and pyknosis. After 4 weeks of healing a well-defined line of necrotic and viable tissue is visible. Cryoablation of the adrenal can be delivered in an effective, controllable, and reproducible manner. This controllable energy form may provide a new treatment modality for tissue destruction where adrenal gland preservation is necessary and can be performed by the laparoscopic approach. Understanding the effect of adrenal cryoablation may allow us to treat selected patients with small tumors where organ preservation is necessary.