cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A simple technique to improve calculated skin dose accuracy in a commercial treatment planning system

Radiation dermatitis during radiotherapy is correlated with skin dose and is a common clinical problem for head and neck and thoracic cancer patients. Therefore, accurate prediction of skin dose during treatment planning is clinically important. The objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of skin dose calculated by a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). We evaluated the accuracy of skin dose calculations by the anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA) implemented in Varian Eclipse (V.11) system. Skin dose is calculated as mean dose to a contoured structure of 0.5 cm thickness from the surface. The EGSnrc Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are utilized for the evaluation. The 6, 10 and 15 MV photon beams investigated are from a Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator. The accuracy of the MC dose calculations was validated by phantom measurements with optically stimulated luminescence detectors. The calculation accuracy of patient skin doses is studied by using CT based radiotherapy treatment plans including 3D conformal, static gantry IMRT, and VMAT treatment techniques. Results show the Varian Eclipse system underestimates skin doses by up to 14% of prescription dose for the patients studied when external body contour starts at the patient's skin. The external body contour is used in a treatment planning system to calculate dose distributions. The calculation accuracy of skin dose with Eclipse can be considerably improved to within 4% of target dose by extending the external body contour by 1 to 2 cm from the patient's skin. Dose delivered to deeper target volumes or organs at risk are not affected. Although Eclipse treatment planning system has its limitations in predicting patient skin dose, this study shows the calculation accuracy can be considerably improved to an acceptable level by extending the external body contour without affecting the dose calculation accuracy to the treatment target and internal organs at risk. This is achieved by moving the calculation entry point away from the skin.
Developing a hippocampal neural prosthetic to facilitate human memory encoding and recall

Objective. We demonstrate here the first successful implementation in humans of a proof-of-concept system for restoring and improving memory function via facilitation of memory encoding using the patient's own hippocampal spatiotemporal neural codes for memory. Memory in humans is subject to disruption by drugs, disease and brain injury, yet previous attempts to restore or rescue memory function in humans typically involved only nonspecific, modulation of brain areas and neural systems related to memory retrieval. Approach. We have constructed a model of processes by which the hippocampus encodes memory items via spatiotemporal firing of neural ensembles that underlie the successful encoding of short-term memory. A nonlinear multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) model of hippocampal CA3 and CA1 neural firing is computed that predicts activation patterns of CA1 neurons during the encoding (sample) phase of a delayed match-to-sample (DMS) human short-term memory task. Main results. MIMO model-derived electrical stimulation delivered to the same CA1 locations during the sample phase of DMS trials facilitated short-term/working memory by 37% during the task. Longer term memory retention was also tested in the same human subjects with a delayed recognition (DR) task that utilized images from the DMS task, along with images that were not from the task. Across the subjects, the stimulated trials exhibited significant improvement (35%) in both short-term and long-term retention of visual information. Significance. These results demonstrate the facilitation of memory encoding which is an important feature for the construction of an implantable neural prosthetic to improve human memory.
Combinatorial Problems of Experimental Design II: Factorial Designs

The designs used for statistically controlled experiments fall into two important classes: Incomplete block designs and factorial designs. The combinatorial problems arising in connection with incomplete block designs were surveyed in an earlier paper, Bose [13]. This is a companion paper which surveys the combinatorial problems of factorial designs.
Earthquake induced seismicity: evidence from the Ms7.4 landers, earthquake and the Geysers geothermal field, California

Recent definitive observations imply a causal relationship between earthquakes separated by distances greater than a thousand kilometers. These include a dramatic episode of widespread seismicity following the 1992 Ms7.4 Landers, California earthquake [Hill et al,1993] and a striking correlation between large distant earthquakes and swarm activity at The Geysers geothermal field, California [Stark and Davis, 1995] (Fig. 1). This study seeks a better understanding of the physical mechanisms underlying these observations and more generally, how strain changes may initiate (trigger) rupture and increase seismicity.
Early Detection of Encapsulant Discoloration by UV Fluorescence Imaging and Yellowness Index Measurements

The early detection of encapsulant discoloration in the indoor accelerated UV-stressed mini-modules were carried out using non-destructive methods, such as UV fluorescence (UVf) imaging, yellowness index (YI), and IV measurements. Eight labfabricated 9-cell mini-modules having glass/backsheet construction with two kinds of EVA, UV-cut EVA and UV-pass EVA, were experimented. Mini-modules with UV-cut EVA suffered from yellowing, which is clearly evident from UVf images and $\Delta$YI (not to the naked eyes), whereas mini-modules with UV-pass EVA showed the signs of delamination above the cell area without any discoloration in the UVf images. Also, the activation energy for encapsulant discoloration was determined based on %I$_{\mathbf{sc}}$drop$\Delta$YI data.
Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE international conference on Human-robot interaction

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 2nd ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI 2007). HRI is a highly selective annual conference that seeks to showcase the very best research and thinking in human-robot interaction. Human-robot interaction is inherently inter-disciplinary, and the conference sought papers from researchers in robotics, human-factors, ergonomics, human-computer interaction, cognitive psychology, and other fields. The mission of the conference is to create a common venue for this broad set of researchers.This year's conference theme is "Robot as Team Member". Robots are used in such critical domains as search and rescue, military theater, mine and bomb detection, scientific exploration, law enforcement, and hospital care. Such robots must coordinate their behaviors with human team members; they are more than mere tools but rather quasi-team members whose tasks have to be integrated with those of humans. HRI 2007 is dedicated to these and other issues in human and robot interaction, highlighting the importance of building core science and understanding the social and technical issues in human-robot interaction in the context of teams and groups.Of the 93 submissions, the program committee accepted 22 papers and 26 posters that cover a variety of topics, among them field studies of robots in public spaces, operator-robot rescue teams, attributions of robot behavior, and human-robot dialogue. The program includes paper presentations, a video session, two interactive poster sessions, panels on robots in teams and the future of HRI research, and keynote speeches by human teamwork expert, J. Richard Hackman of Harvard, and by Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University and ATR. We hope that these proceedings will serve as a valuable reference for HRI researchers and students.
Catalyst-Free Vitrimers from Vinyl Polymers

Cross-linked networks feature exceptional chemical and mechanical resilience but consequently lack recyclability. Vitrimers have emerged as a class of materials that feature the robustness of thermosets and the recyclability of thermoplastics without compromising network integrity. Most examples of vitrimers have involved new polymers with exchangeable bonds within their backbones. In pursuit of a more universal, commercially viable route, we propose a method utilizing commercially available and inexpensive reagents to prepare vitrimers from vinyl monomer-derived prepolymers that contain cross-linkable β-ketoester functional groups. Controlled radical copolymerization of methyl methracrylate and (2-acetoacetoxy)ethyl methacrylate afforded linear prepolymers that were converted into vitrimers in a single step by treatment with a trifunctional amine. These materials displayed the characteristic features and reprocessability of vitrimers over as many as six (re)processing cycles. Critically, the networks pre...
Targeted Delivery of Surface-Modified Nanoparticles: Modulation of Inflammation for Acute Lung Injury

Nanocarriers have been widely employed in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The drug release kinetics and pharmacodynamics could be adjusted by changing the materials, designs, and physicochemical properties of the carriers. Furthermore, the carrier surface could be modified to minimize the particle clearance, increase the circulation duration, escape the biological protective mechanisms, penetrate through physical barriers, and prolong the residence of the drug at the target site. Among lung diseases, acute lung injury has been considered life-threatening with approximately 190,000 cases and 74,500 deaths per year in the USA. Numerous researches have reported the efficacy of drug-encapsulated nanoparticles in the treatment of acute lung injury. The use of nanoparticles could help minimize the effect of airway defenses in the lung, thus provides a prolonged retention, sustained drug release, and targeted delivery to the lung tissues. Meanwhile, the toxicity of nanoparticles in the lungs needs to be investigated thoroughly to alleviate the safety concerns. In this chapter, we discuss the targeted pulmonary delivery of surface-modified nanocarriers to efficiently treat acute lung injury.
Assessment of Radiation Safety Knowledge Among Urology Residents in the United States

Abstract Introduction: Urologists are increasingly exposed to fluoroscopy, which can cause cellular damage. Appropriate awareness and safety precautions concerning fluoroscopy are necessary and lik...
Standing myotomy to treat fibrotic myopathy: 22 cases (2004-2016).

Objective To report the clinical and diagnostic findings associated with fibrotic myopathy, describe the surgical procedure for standing fibrotic myotomy and report postoperative outcomes. Study design Retrospective study. Sample population Twenty-two horses. Methods Records were included if a clinical diagnosis of fibrotic myopathy was based on clinical and/or ultrasonographic examination and the horse was treated with myotomy of the affected muscle. Records were reviewed for signalment, preoperative findings, perioperative complications, and outcomes. Follow-up also included a phone survey of owners. Results Quarter horses represented 14 of 22 horses in this study. Ultrasonographic examination was performed in 14 of 22 horses. The semitendinosus muscle was affected in 17 of 22 horses. Other muscles affected included the semimembranosus, gracilis, and biceps femoris. Four of the 22 horses had a diagnosis of incisional postoperative complications. Eight of 12 formerly athletic horses returned to their intended athletic use. Ten of 16 owners were satisfied with the procedure. Conclusion Prognosis for long-term comfort after standing fibrotic myotomy was fair with appropriate rehabilitation. Ultrasonographic examination was helpful in identifying the muscles affected and aided in surgical planning. Clinical impact Standing fibrotic myotomy is a technically straightforward procedure that yields a fair outcome in horses with minimal intraoperative and/or postoperative complications.
Inference of Long-Short Term Memory networks at software-equivalent accuracy using 2.5M analog Phase Change Memory devices

We report accuracy for forward inference of long-short-term-memory (LSTM) networks using weights programmed into the conductances of $> 2.5\text{M}$ phase-change memory (PCM) devices. We demonstrate strategies for software weight-mapping and programming of hardware analog conductances that provide accurate weight programming despite significant device variability. Inference accuracy very close to software-model baselines is achieved on several language modeling tasks.
The Role of Family in Youth Opioid Misuse: A Literature Review:

Objective:With the opioid epidemic reaching declared a public health emergency in recent years, a synthesis of recent knowledge outlining the impact of opioid use disorders on youth and families is...
Segmentation errors and intertest reliability in automated and manually traced hippocampal volumes.

Objective To rigorously compare automated atlas-based and manual tracing hippocampal segmentation for accuracy, repeatability, and clinical acceptability given a relevant range of imaging abnormalities in clinical epilepsy. Methods Forty-nine patients with hippocampal asymmetry were identified from our institutional radiology database, including two patients with significant anatomic deformations. Manual hippocampal tracing was performed by experienced technologists on 3T MPRAGE images, measuring hippocampal volume up to the tectal plate, excluding the hippocampal tail. The same images were processed using NeuroQuant and FreeSurfer software. Ten subjects underwent repeated manual hippocampal tracings by two additional technologists blinded to previous results to evaluate consistency. Ten patients with two clinical MRI studies had volume measurements repeated using NeuroQuant and FreeSurfer. Results FreeSurfer raw volumes were significantly lower than NeuroQuant (P 0.75) for both automated methods. Asymmetry index reproducibility was excellent (>0.75) for manual tracing and FreeSurfer segmentation and fair (0.4-0.59) for NeuroQuant segmentation. Both automatic segmentation methods failed on the two cases with anatomic deformations. Segmentation errors were visually identified in 25 NeuroQuant and 27 FreeSurfer segmentations, and nine (18%) NeuroQuant and six (12%) FreeSurfer errors were judged clinically significant. Interpretation Automated hippocampal volumes are more reproducible than hand-traced hippocampal volumes. However, these methods fail in some cases, and significant segmentation errors can occur.
Spatio-Temporal Coverage Enhancement in Drive-By Sensing Through Utility-Aware Mobile Agent Selection

In recent years, the drive-by sensing paradigm has become increasingly popular for cost-effective monitoring of urban areas. Drive-by sensing is a form of crowdsensing wherein sensor-equipped vehicles (aka, mobile agents) are the primary data gathering agents. Enhancing the efficacy of drive-by sensing poses many challenges, an important one of which is to select non-dedicated mobile agents on which a limited number of sensors are to be mounted. This problem, which we refer to as the mobile-agent selection problem, has a significant impact on the spatio-temporal coverage of the drive-by sensing platforms and the resultant datasets. The challenge here is to achieve maximum spatiotemporal coverage while taking the relative importance levels of geographical areas into account. In this paper, we address this problem in the context of the SCOUTS project, the goal of which is to map and analyze the urban heat island phenomenon accurately. Our work makes several major technical contributions. First, we delineate a model for representing the mobile agents selection problem. This model takes into account the trajectories of the vehicles (public transportation buses in our case) and the relative importance of the urban regions, and formulates it as an optimization problem. Second, we provide two algorithms that are based upon the utility (coverage) values of mobile agents, namely, a hotspot-based algorithm that limits the search space to important sub-regions and a utility-aware genetic algorithm that enables the latter algorithm to make unbiased selections. Third, we design a highly efficient coverage redundancy minimization algorithm that, at each step, chooses the mobile agent, which provides maximal improvement to the spatio-temporal coverage. This paper reports a series of experiments on a real-world dataset from Athens, GA, USA, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Chapter 13 – Forensic Toxicology

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on forensic toxicology, which is the study and practice of the application of toxicology for the purposes of the law. It demands the pursuit of scientific discovery within the rigors of the legal system to emphasize truth (accuracy), justice (impartiality), and the public good. Due to various technological and procedural advances, this field has matured into three distinct disciplines, which include postmortem forensic toxicology, human performance forensic toxicology, and forensic urine drug testing. Postmortem forensic toxicology determines the absence or presence of drugs and their metabolites, chemicals such as ethanol and other volatile substances, carbon monoxide and other gases, metals, and other toxic chemicals in human fluids and tissues, and evaluates their role as a determinant or contributory factor in the cause and manner of death. Human performance forensic toxicology, also known as behavioral toxicology, determines the absence or presence of ethanol and other drugs and chemicals in blood, breath, or other appropriate specimen(s), and evaluates their role in modifying human performance or behavior. Forensic urine drug testing determines the absence or presence of drugs and their metabolites in urine to demonstrate prior use or abuse. In forensic toxicology, each specimen is tracked by detailed documentation, from the time of its collection to the time of its disposal, and then each positive result is confirmed by a second analytical test before being reported.
Similarities in expression of territorial aggression in breeding pairs of northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis

Avian pairs that defend resources year-round may demonstrate similar territorial behavior. We examined male and female responses of northern cardinal pairs to male simulated territorial intrusions. Pair members demonstrated comparable responses towards a male ‘intruder’, as latency to respond and proximity scores were very similar between pair members in the majority of pairs examined. Similarity in territorial behavior could be important in cardinal pairs for maintaining year-round resources.
The Effects of Receiving Assistance on Participation in Online Knowledge-Sharing Communities

Online knowledge-sharing communities have become increasingly important arenas for knowledge-sharing that benefit participants and firms alike: participants receive support and assistance, while fi...
Distance education and its potential for international co-operative education

This paper summarises some of the major trends in distance education in the first decade of the 21st Century, and explores the implications of these trends for international collaboration among institutions of veterinary medicine.
The bio-sonographic index. A novel modality for early detection of acute kidney injury after complex vascular surgery. A protocol for an exploratory prospective study

Objective Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of complex aortic surgery with high mortality, morbidity and health care expense. The current definition of AKI does not allow for structural characterization of the kidneys and utilizes functional indices with substantial limitations leading to delayed diagnosis and ineffective interventions. The aim of this study is to develop a method of early detection of structural renal abnormalities that can precede and predict the occurrence of AKI in this population. We propose a novel combined index of ultrasonography (shear wave elastography), biomarkers of renal stress (urinary insulin growth factor binding protein-7, IGFBP-7 and inhibitor of tissue metalloproteinase-2, TIMP-2) and renal injury markers (urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin -NGAL)- the bio-sonographic index (BSI). Methods A prospective observational study at a tertiary referral center will be performed enrolling 80 patients undergoing elective open and endovascular repair of the visceral aorta. The BSI will be evaluated at baseline, and at 6 and 24 hours after the procedure. The primary outcome is the occurrence of AKI according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Each patient will be his/her own control. A reference group of 15 healthy volunteers who are not undergoing interventions will be enrolled to test the feasibility of and to refine the novel SWE protocol. The BSI will be tested for its predictability of the occurrence of AKI. Comparisons will be made between individual and combined components of the BSI and traditional markers used in the KDIGO definition; serum creatinine and urine output in terms of baseline status of the kidney. Correlations will be made between the BSI and conventional indices of AKI and exploratory analyses will be conducted to identify individual disease patterns using the BSI. Discussion We hypothesize that the BSI will be a sensitive index of early structural abnormalities that precede and predict the occurrence of AKI as defined by KDIGO in complex vascular surgery. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04144894. Registered 1/6/2020.
Motivating Faculty Engagement in Assurance of Learning Using the Job Characteristics Mode

This paper addresses the significant issue of low-level faculty engagement/participation in the assessment process by advocating the employment of self-managed work teams and integrating detailed motivational elements in the design of assurance of learning plans. Specifically, this article illustrates how each of the five motivational components from Hackman & Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model (1974) can be utilized in the design/redesign of a college’s assurance of learning process and attend to the issue of social loafing. Numerous prescriptive actions illustrating how the authors applied the motivational theory are presented to serve as a reference to other institutions as they too seek to improve the quality of their assurance of learning outcomes.
Recombinant expression of computationally designed peptide-bundlemers in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Computational design of fully artificial peptides is extensively researched by material scientists and engineers for the construction of novel nanostructures and biomaterials. Such design has yielded a peptide-based building block or bundlemer, a coiled coil peptide assembly that undergoes further physical-covalent interactions to form 1D, 2D and, potentially, 3D hierarchical assemblies and displays targeted and biomimetic material properties. Recombinant expression is a convenient, flexible tool to synthesize such artificial and modified peptides in large quantities while also enabling economical synthesis of isotopically labeled peptides and longer protein-like artificial peptides. This report describes the protocol for recombinant expression of a 31-amino acid, computationally designed bundlemer-forming peptide in Escherichia coli. Peptide yields of 10 mgs per liter of media were achieved which highlights complementary advantages of recombinant expression technique relative to conventional laboratory-scale synthesis, such as solid-phase peptide synthesis.
Annual Incidence of Hospitalization for Nonfatal Firearm-Related Injuries in New York From 2005 to 2016.

Importance In the US, approximately 40 000 people die due to firearm-related injuries annually. However, nonfatal firearm-related injuries are less precisely tracked. Objectives To assess the annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York and to compare the annual incidence by sex, race/ethnicity, county of residence, and calendar years. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cross-sectional study used data from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System for patients aged 15 years or older who presented to an emergency department in New York with nonfatal firearm-related injuries from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2016. Data were analyzed from January 15, 2019, to April 21, 2021. Exposure A nonfatal firearm-related injury, defined byInternational Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical ModificationandInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modificationcodes. Main Outcomes and Measures The annual incidence of nonfatal firearm-related injuries was calculated by determining the number of patients with a nonfatal firearm-related injury each year divided by the total population of New York. Results The study included 31 060 unique patients with 35 059 hospital encounters for nonfatal firearm-related injuries. The mean (SD) age at admission was 28.5 (11.9) years; most patients were male (90.6%) and non-Hispanic Black individuals (62.0%). The overall annual incidence was 18.4 per 100 000 population. Although decreasing trends of annual incidence were observed across the state during the study period, this trend was not present in all 62 counties, with 32 counties (51.6%) having an increase in the incidence of injuries between 2005 and 2010 and 29 (46.8%) having an increase in the incidence of injuries between 2010 and 2015. In 19 of the 30 counties (63.3%) that had a decrease in incidence in earlier years, the incidence increased in later years. Conclusions and Relevance The annual incidence of hospitalization for nonfatal firearm-related injuries in New York during the study period was 18.4 per 100 000 population. Reliable tracking of nonfatal firearm-related injury data may be useful for policy makers, hospital systems, community organizers, and public health officials as they consider resource allocation for trauma systems and injury prevention programs.
Building brand loyalty on social media: theories, measurements, antecedents, and consequences

As social media has developed in the past two decades, researchers have been investigating how to build brand loyalty on social media platforms. However, there is a lack of comprehensive review on the findings of studies in this area. The purpose of this study is to identify research gaps and inform future research directions by conducting a field examination on the scholarship of building brand loyalty on social media. The study reviewed a total of 86 papers on building brand loyalty using social media published between 2009 and 2020. The results revealed five clusters of theories applied in this stream of scholarship, namely consumer self-identity and consumption style theories, brand community-related theories, decision-making theories, theories focused on communication medium, and relationship-based theories. Moreover, we identified eight major antecedents and five consequences of brand loyalty in the context of social media communities. Applying Oliver’s (1999) four-phase loyalty framework, we consolidate eleven categories of brand loyalty measurements and propose a framework of loyalty dimensions and its antecedents and consequences. Researchers who intend to conduct a brand loyalty study may find the examples of the measurement items summarized in this study useful for their research.
Abstract 22: Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Activation by Nano-Polymer Polyethylene-Oxide is Dependent on Nanomolecule Size and Concentration

Background: Nanopolymers can integrate into the systemic circulation and modify characteristics of blood flow. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanopolymer reportedly affects vascular endothelium through modification of near wall shear stress. This leads to phosphorylation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase eNOS (S1177), eNOS dependent NO increase and cardioprotection from focal ischemia reperfusion injury. Aim: We investigated whether or not eNOS upregulation and phosphorylation produced by PEO nanopolymers is depedent on its molecular size and concentration. Methods: Human endothelial cells were cultured inside the silicon tubing (L200 mm ID5 mm) and perfused 2 hrs with PEO 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 kDa 50 ppm solution (vehicle in controls (CONT)) in DMEM with pulsatile flow of 300 mL/min and pulse rate of 80 bpm. Another group was perfused with 5000 kDa PEO solution at 10, 20, 50 and 100 ppm. Levels of eNOS, p-eNOS (S1177) and flow parameters were measured. Results: In cultures exposed to PEO nanopolymer under pulsatile flow we observed 1) Dose dependent increase of p-eNOS; 2) When applied at the same concentration nanopolymer of larger size produced higher increased in eNOS activation through phosphorylation; 3) p-eNOS changes in PEO experiments were significantly different from CONT. Conclusions: Nanopolymers produce additional shear stress on the vascular endothelium which stimulates upregulation and phosphorylation of eNOS which is proportional to size and concentration of PEO.These findings are important for optimisizing the clinical effects of stimulating the endothelium through nanopolymers, to improve outcomes from ischemia reperfusion injury.
Centrax® (Parke-Davis)

Prazepam is a benzodiazepine derivative with depressant effects on the central nervous system.
Glow discharge aging of Kapton film

Summary form only. Kapton film is commonly used as an electrical and thermal insulator in most spacecraft. The voltages associated with space power systems are projected to increase above the Paschens minimum voltage in the future. Coupled with the low-pressure environment around the spacecraft, a glow discharge could possibly take place in the vicinity of the conductor. Such a discharge can cause slow and gradual degradation of the insulating film possibly leading to an electrical or thermal failure. In this study, Kapton was subjected to glow discharge aging in a low-pressure environment, and changes in its electrical and morphological properties were monitored. No significant changes in the properties were found to occur in the film over a short period of time, showing that Kapton is suitable as an electrical insulator for high-voltage applications in space. >
ARCHERR: Runtime Environment Driven Program Safety

Parameters of a program’s runtime environment such as the machine architecture and operating system largely determine whether a vulnerability can be exploited. For example, the machine word size is an important factor in an integer overflow attack and likewise the memory layout of a process in a buffer or heap overflow attack. In this paper, we present an analysis of the effects of a runtime environment on a language’s data types. Based on this analysis, we have developed Archerr, an automated one-pass source-to-source transformer that derives appropriate architecture dependent runtime safety error checks and inserts them in C source programs. Our approach achieves comprehensive vulnerability coverage against a wide array of program-level exploits including integer overflows/underflows. We demonstrate the efficacy of our technique on versions of C programs with known vulnerabilities such as Sendmail. We have benchmarked our technique and the results show that it is in general less expensive than other well-known runtime techniques, and at the same time requires no extensions to the C programming language. Additional benefits include the ability to gracefully handle arbitrary pointer usage, aliasing, and typecasting.
Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical samples by two-step polymerase chain reaction and nonisotopic hybridization methods.

insertion sequence IS6110 wasamplified. Thedetection limit ofthePCRassay forcultured mycobacteria was50cells perreaction byethidium bromide-stained agarose gelelectrophoresis and5cells perreaction byhybridization withan oligonucleotide probeconjugated witheither digoxigenin oralkaline phosphatase (AP). Thissensitivity was reduced fivefold insputumspecimens seeded withM. tuberculosis. Seventy-six clinical specimens were amplified andexamined bythethree detection methods. Boththedigoxigenin andAPprocedures werefound tobemoresensitive thanagarose gelelectrophoresis, buttheywereoccasionally associated withahigh background. Anadditional 308specimens wereexamined only byagarose gelelectrophoresis andtheAP procedure. Of71specimens found tocontain M.tuberculosis, amplified products weredetected from56(79%Yo) samples byagarose gelelectrophoresis and/or theAPprocedure. Oftheadditional 313specimens that were culture negative forM.tuberculosis, 19(6%)hadamplified products detectable byagarose gelelectrophoresis and/or theAPprocedure. Compared withculture, PCRshowed sensitivities andspecificities of55and98%, respectively, foragarose gelelectrophoresis and74and95%,respectively, fortheAPprocedure. Despite this lowsensitivity, arapid positive PCRresult wasaccurate andclinically useful. Detection ofMycobacterium tuberculosis inculture is required forthedefinitive diagnosis oftuberculosis. Diagnosisoftuberculosis madeonthebasis ofclinical, radiologic, andother laboratory findings orthepresence ofacid-fast bacilli inclinical samples ispresumptive. Inrecent years, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) wasreported tobeuseful inthedirect diagnosis oftuberculosis infections directly fromavariety ofclinical specimens (2, 5,11,13,15,19,23) withadiversity ofgenetic elements usedasatarget templates. Thoseinclude rRNA(1), single-copy genesencoding
Relationship of endometrial plasminogen activator to fibrin proteolysis in the uterine cavity of rhesus monkeys

Abstract A correlation was made between uterine cavitary proteolysis of fibrin and endometrial plasminogen activator level in individual rhesus monkeys between menses. A negative correlation was determined for these factors. Although such correlation does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship, it is consistent with the possibility that tissue release of activator can produce fibrinolysis in the intrauterine environment between menses. The possible relationship of proteolytic activity to the excessive uterine bleeding associated with intrauterine contraceptive devices is discussed.
HOPE, A MODE OF FAITH: AQUINAS, LUTHER AND BENEDICT XVI ON HEBREWS 11:1

In articulating a theological account of Christian hope faithful to its objective character, Pope Benedict XVI summons the authority of Thomas Aquinas, citing his comments on faith and hope as those terms occur in Hebrews 11:1. Benedict sets off Aquinas's understanding of hope-filled faith's objectivity by placing it in contrast with Luther's apparently more subjective interpretation of faith in Hebrews 11:1 as conviction. Closer analysis of both Aquinas and Luther, however, suggests a greater overlap in their exegetical conclusions, opening the way for a more nuanced appreciation of a virtue whose living possession and exercise, as the rest of Spe Salvi confirms, involves both objective and subjective dimensions
Overnight Custody Arrangements, Attachment, and Adjustment Among Very Young Children

Large numbers of infants and toddlers have parents who live apart due to separation, divorce, or nonmarital/noncohabiting child-bearing, yet this important topic, especially the controversial issue of frequent overnights with nonresidential parents, is understudied. The authors analyzed data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal investigation of children born to primarily low-income, racial/ethnic minority parents that is representative of 20 U.S. cities with populations over 200,000. Among young children whose parents lived apart, 6.9% of infants (birth to age 1) and 5.3% of toddlers (ages 1 to 3) spent an average of at least 1 overnight per week with their nonresident parent. An additional 6.8% of toddlers spent 35% - 70% of overnights with nonresident parents. Frequent overnights were significantly associated with attachment insecurity among infants, but the relationship was less clear for toddlers. Attachment insecurity predicted adjustment problems at ages 3 and 5, but frequent overnights were not directly linked with adjustment problems at older ages.
One in Christ Who Lives Within: Dispersive Universality and the Pneuma-Somatics of Identity

This essay emerges at the intersection of theoretical and theological interrogations of Christian accounts of universality, especially as expressed in the Pauline corpus. Drawing on insurgent interpreters, Daniel Boyarin, John David Dawson, Alain Badiou, Giorgio Agamben, and Douglas Campbell, it explicates an account of dispersive universality that avoids the evacuation of difference and elimination of particularity. On the contrary, rather than requiring others to become identical to us, identity is constructed by becoming identified with others. This alternative politics of identification is announced paradigmatically in the baptismal formula of Galatians 3:26-28, and is intrinsically related to Paul’s description of the new life of the Christian in 2:19-20. The unity of Christians in Christ (3:26-28) is constituted by the actuality of Christ living in them (2:19-20). Though as embodied beings the lives of Christians remain in the flesh, such life is now lived in Christ, and by Christ living in them. Individual and social bodies (the life lived in the flesh) are pneumatologically reconfigured within a Christological paradigm (the life lived by faith). Thus, baptism identifies the baptisand with Christ, inaugurates the new life of Christ living within, and initiates ongoing identification with others. The politics of baptismal identification is performative peacemaking; a pneuma-somatics of identity that is simultaneously a body politics and a politics of bodies.
Decoupling of non-linear time-delay systems

Abstract Tho input-output decoupling problem of non-linear multivariablo systems with multiple delays in the state andsor the control vector is treated. Two examples are worked out to illustrate tho theory.
Jumping spiders in space: movement patterns, nest site fidelity and the use of beacons

We studied movement patterns and the use of navigational beacons in the jumping spider Phidippus clarus (Salticidae). Phidippus clarus does not build prey-capture webs, but does construct thick silken nests used as nighttime retreats. We measured the degree of nest site fidelity with individually marked spiders and a grid of artificial nest tubes. Females in August were most site-faithful, followed by July females and then by males. Spiders moved long distances through complexly structured habitats, suggesting that nests are likely to be out of sight of the spiders during the day, and that spiders must use cues other than their nest to navigate. We then tested whether females used beacons to find their nests. In one experiment, spiders colonized nest tubes that were either associated with beacons (orange wooden dowels) or not. They were then released near a test beacon. Spiders experienced with beacons readily approached either their own beacon or a similar, novel beacon in a different location. In contrast, spiders with no experience with beacons were significantly less likely to approach the test beacon. In a second test, spiders tested with novel beacons of the same colour as their own were significantly more likely to approach it than were spiders tested with novel beacons of a different colour. We conclude that P. clarus are likely to need navigational skills and are able to use beacons as a method of navigation. Jumping spiders provide a new and tractable model system for the study of navigation and space use.
TH-C-ValB-04: Evaluation of the Quality of 3D-3D Mutual Information (MI) Shared Between Reference and On-Board DTS Images

Purpose: Digital tomosynthesis (DTS) is a fast, low‐dose method for reconstructing 3‐D slices from 2‐D cone‐beam x‐ray projection data acquired with limited source angulation (e.g., 40°). We previously developed a method for reconstructing reference DTS (RDTS) images from a planning CT volume, for registration with on‐board DTS image data. This study examines 3D‐3D mutual information (MI) shared between RDTS and DTS volumes of an anthropomorphic chest phantom. Method and Materials: Planning CT and on‐board CBCT volumes of an anthropomorphic chest phantom were aligned by a point‐registration of 6 metal fiducials. Misregistration (+/− 5mm and +/− 5°) was simulated along each of the six possible translational and rotational dimensions of the planning CT volume. For scan angles spanning 10°–60°, RDTS images were reconstructed from each of the misregistered CT volumes and DTS image sets were computed from actual on‐board projections. 3D‐3D MI between each RDTS and DTS volume was computed for a 4cm × 10cm × 7.5cm central region of interest containing the spine. MI was plotted as a function of each of the six possible translations and rotations, for each DTS scan angle. Results: For all scan angles greater than 10°, residual error in the location of global MI maxima was less than 1.0 mm, and 0.5°. MI resolution to shifts in the depth dimension (normal to individual DTS planes) improved noticeably with increasing scan angle. MI sensitivity to all other shifts and rotations showed only minor improvement with increasing scan angle. Conclusion: MI between planning CT‐generated RDTS and actual on‐board DTS image data is sufficient to be used for rigid‐body registration purposes. The addition of an orthogonal DTS acquisition (i.e., acquiring sagittal along with coronal DTS) is probably unnecessary for rigid‐body DTS registration. Conflict of Interest: This research was supported in part by a grant from Varian Medical Systems.
Minneapolis- St. Paul in the Global Economy.

Through an analysis of foreign exports, foreign direct investment, and international migration, this paper assesses the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area's status as a world city. The data suggest that although Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities metropolitan area, is increasingly anchored to the global economy, the Twin Cities area is not a world city that facilitates international investments and trade. Instead, the increased international exposure of the Twin Cities reflects the global orientation of the United States economy as a whole.
Implications of the Empirically Supported Treatment Movement for Psychoanalysis

In this article, I critique the empirically supported treatment (EST) movement and discuss the limitations of traditional psychotherapy research from a psychoanalytic perspective. The EST movement is based on a medical model that assumes that a psychotherapeutic treatment can be conceptualized independent of the human relationship in which it takes place. Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis are, however, treatments only in a metaphorical sense and are more akin to educational processes than medical treatments. Every therapeutic dyad is unique, and research that treats therapy as a standardized, disembodied entity will not contribute to our understanding. Nevertheless, there is a real need for psychoanalysts to become more actively involved in psychotherapy research both for political and scientific reasons. Although I do not believe that “empirical validation” in the form envisaged by the American Psychological Association task force is a realistic goal, I do believe in the value of microscopic studies of th...
Views From the Margins: Creating Identities in Modern France

K. Callahan & S. Curtis (Eds), Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 2008, 277 pp, $31.95, 978 08032 15597 This collection of essays is a tribute to the late William B. Cohen (1941–2002), a histor...
Influence of Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance Values of Surfactants on Ephedrine Absorption and Release from Emulsified Systems after Oral Administration to Dogs

Ephedrine release and availability characteristics in vivo were investigated from liquid emulsion systems as they are affected by the hydrophilic-lipophilic nature of the emulsifiers present. Three control and five test groups were used; the latter were all emulsified systems made with surfactants having hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values from 10 to 14. All experiments were performed under an acidic urine control, and all urine samples were assayed by GLC to detect the excretion of unchanged drug. The urinary excretion data were best described by the two-compartment model with a zero-order absorption process. Correlations of availabilities between in vivo and in vitro data were determined, where appropriate. Correlations of ephedrine present in urine in vivo with the total amount dialyzed in vitro were significant at each HLB value. Poor correlation of absorption rate with dialysis rate was noted at an HLB of 10.
Model-Based Texture Measures

Many measures have been developed to quantify the structural properties of image texture. This correspondence explores their applicability to textures generated by several standard models.
Priming Theory and Ras Models: Toward an Integrated Perspective of Media Influence

Contemporary political science research into the effects of the mass media has focused largely on either priming theory or Receive, Accept, and Sample (RAS) models but rarely on both simultaneously. The separation of the two approaches is unfortunate because the predictions generated by the two theoretical perspectives are not mutually exclusive, and research may benefit greatly from a more integrated perspective. In the present study, we demonstrate how each perspective contributes to an understanding of changes in presidential approval during the 1992 presidential elections. We then present evidence demonstrating that both media priming and attitude change occur simultaneously. As such, research focusing solely on priming theory or research focusing solely on attitude change necessarily underestimates the total influence of the mass media on individual-level attitudes.
The development of chronic mechanical hyperalgesia, autotomy and collateral sprouting following sciatic nerve section in rat

The development of mechanical hyperalgesia over the tarsometatarsal joints subsequent to chronic sciatic section was studied in rats. Mechanical thresholds began to drop within 7 days of sciatic section and continued to decline for 2-3 weeks, resulting in significant hyperalgesia over the original saphenous and sciatic border zones lasting up to 310 days. Contralateral hyperalgesia, which is seen in tissue injury mechanical hyperalgesia, failed to develop. Collateral sprouting of high-threshold mechanoreceptors from the saphenous nerve into the denervated deep and cutaneous tissue was observed. The extent of cutaneous sprouting did not significantly correlate with the severity of hyperalgesia. The simultaneous uniform reduction of mechanical thresholds across all tarsometatarsal areas after chronic sciatic section is consistent with a central modulation of nociceptive afferent input. The severity and temporal development of the hyperalgesia strongly correlated with the extent of autotomy behavior. This animal model of chronic mechanical hyperalgesia following peripheral nerve section closely resembles a human neuropathic pain syndrome and may provide an experimental opportunity to advance our understanding of the neuropathology subserving chronic pain.
Adaptive cell-averaging CFAR detection in distributed sensor networks

The problem of adaptive cell-averaging constant false-alarm rate (CFAR) detection is considered for two distributed sensor network topologies, namely the parallel and the tandem topologies. The compressed data transmitted amongst the detectors is assumed to be in the form of decisions. The overall systems are optimized to yield the maximum probability of detection for a fixed probability of false alarm. The performance of the systems is also analyzed. >