cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endoscopy Unit Considerations

Gastrointestinal endoscopy has an important role in the evaluation and management of obese and bariatric patients. Endoscopy unit considerations for the bariatric patient include aspects of access, space, facilities, equipment, staff, and patient safety and dignity. In addition to ordinary considerations, facilities catering to obese patients should comply with the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Endoscopy units must address these special design and equipment needs in both short- and long-range planning.
Why Liberalism Failed

Patrick J. Deneen holds the David A. Potenziani Memorial College Chair of Constitutional Studies at the University of Notre Dame. His previous books include The Odyssey of Political Theory (2000) a...
Quasi-two-dimensional β-Ga 2 O 3 field effect transistors with large drain current density and low contact resistance via controlled formation of interfacial oxygen vacancies

Quasi-two-dimensional (2D) β-Ga2O3 is a rediscovered metal-oxide semiconductor with an ultra-wide bandgap of 4.6–4.9 eV. It has been reported to be a promising material for next-generation power and radio frequency electronics. Field effect transistors (FETs) that can switch at high voltage are key components in power and radio frequency devices, and reliable Ohmic contacts are essential for high FET performance. However, obtaining low contact resistance on β-Ga2O3 FETs is difficult since reactions between β-Ga2O3 and metal contacts are not fully understood. Herein, we experimentally demonstrate the importance of reactions at the metal/β-Ga2O3 interface and the corresponding effects of these reactions on FET performance. When Ti is employed as the metal contact, annealing of β-Ga2O3 FETs in argon can effectively transform Schottky contacts into Ohmic contacts and permit a large drain current density of ~ 3.1 mA/μm. The contact resistance (Rcontact) between the Ti electrodes and β-Ga2O3 decreased from ~ 430 to ~ 0.387 Ω·mm after annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the formation of oxygen vacancies at the Ti/β-Ga2O3 interface after annealing, which is believed to cause the improved FET performance. The results of this study pave the way for greater application of β-Ga2O3 in electronics.
Choice of Entity by Reason of Tax Rates

Johnson argues that looking at rates alone, owners subject to the new 29.6 percent rates for qualified business income should organize as passthroughs unless they will accumulate business earnings for at least 23 years, and that the C corporation form should be chosen for post-death sales and entities subject to 37 percent tax rates. He warns that the recent instability of entity choice will likely continue.
Flaviviruses Hit a Moving Target

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is central to intestinal motility and a candidate target for the heterogeneous spectrum of dysmotility diseases. White et al. reveal that relapsing intestinal dysmotility occurs when partial ENS depletion by enteric neurotropic viruses is followed by functional impairment due to intermittent nonspecific intestinal inflammation.
A Place for Death in Health Care

When President Obama signed the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010, the word “death” appeared in the 903 pages of Public Law 111-148 a mere fifteen times. However, the concept of death plays an integral role in defining the institution of health care in the United States, often in the form of increased funding from or on behalf of a health care provider to forestall its inevitable arrival. At the same time, health care has an abundance of codified rules and regulations, and hospitals and providers must adhere to a stringent standard of care governing the provider-patient encounter. Within this equation, death is a total wild card, and the inestimable stress it places upon our health care system remains completely unpredictable.
Investigation of adhesion and interface bond strength for pavements underlying chip-seal: Effect of asphalt-aggregate combinations and freeze-thaw cycles on chip-seal

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the asphalt-aggregate combination and freeze-thaw cycle on the durability of chip-seal. The Vialit test was applied to investigate the adhesion of asphalt-emulsion and aggregate at low-temperatures. Tests were performed at −10, −22, and −26 °C for asphalt-emulsion based chip-seal. In addition, the Michigan Tech’s Interface Bond Test (IBT) was also employed to assess the interface bond strength between the chip-seal layer and asphalt pavement under varying temperatures and under a number of freeze-thaw cycles. Both tests indicated that the asphalt-aggregate combinations and freeze-thaw cycle had significant impact on the durability of chip-seal. The combination between asphalt-emulsion and aggregate cannot be ignored in chip-seal application. Such results suggest that the premature failure of the chip-seal is in part due to the raw materials used and the multiple freeze-thaw cycles suffered. Therefore, it is essential to select the appropriate combination of aggregate and asphalt-emulsion when considering the use of chip-seal, especially in cold weather areas.
Part per quadrillion quantitation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate vapor using online sampling gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Abstract The development of an online sampling method using programmable temperature vaporization gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer detector (PTV-GC/MS) for the analysis of trace pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) vapor is presented. PETN degradation was minimized by optimizing the temperature and flow rates of the vapor sampling infrastructure. Validation of the online method was done using a previously published technique, vapor sampling with Tenax-TA thermal desorption tubes followed by analysis with a thermal desorption system coupled to a programmable temperature vaporization gas chromatograph with a micro-electron capture detector (TDS-PTV-GC/μECD). Trace PETN vapor was generated using state-of-the-art instrumentation known as the TESTbed, located at the US Naval Research Laboratory. For PETN vapor concentrations in the parts per trillionvolume (pptv) range, quantitative results from the TDS-PTV-GC/μECD consistently showed concentrations approximately double that measured by the online PTV-GC/MS method, indicating that sample loss due to additional exposure to the vapor sampling infrastructure occurs when using online sampling. Further utilization of the online PTV-GC/MS system allowed for the quantitation/semi-quantitation of PETN vapor concentrations as low as 260 parts per quadrillionvolume (ppqv) with only 10 min of sampling time.
Sticky Surfaces: Sphere-Sphere Adhesion Dynamics

We present a multi-scale model to study the attachment of spherical particles with a rigid core, coated with binding ligands and in equilibrium with the surrounding, quiescent fluid medium. This class of fluid-immersed adhesion is widespread in many natural and engineering settings. Our theory highlights how the micro-scale binding kinetics of these ligands, as well as the attractive / repulsive surface potential in an ionic medium effects the eventual macro-scale size distribution of the particle aggregates (flocs). The results suggest that the presence of elastic ligands on the particle surface allow large floc aggregates by inducing efficient inter-floc collisions (i.e., a large, non-zero collision factor). Strong electrolytic composition of the surrounding fluid favors large floc formation as well.
Model transfer of QoT prediction in optical networks based on artificial neural networks

An artificial neural network (ANN) based transfer learning model is built for quality of transmission (QoT) prediction in optical systems feasible with different modulation formats. Knowledge learned from one optical system can be transferred to a similar optical system by adjusting weights in ANN hidden layers with a few additional training samples, where highly related information from both systems is integrated and redundant information is discarded. Homogeneous and heterogeneous ANN structures are implemented to achieve accurate $Q$-factor-based QoT prediction with low root-mean-square error. The transfer learning accuracy under different modulation formats, transmission distances, and fiber types is evaluated. Using transfer learning, the number of retraining samples is reduced from 1000 to as low as 20, and the training time is reduced by up to four times.
From Heartburn to Lung Fibrosis and Beyond

The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and end-stage lung disease (ESLD) is complex. This relationship remains a challenge to both the clinician and the patients. It is also a target for significant research. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the role of GERD in lung pathology that results in ESLD. This chapter will also review the pathophysiology resulting in chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) and its relationship to post-lung transplant GERD and the role of early anti-reflux surgery in patients with ESLD and after lung transplant.
NF-κB signaling promotes castration-resistant prostate cancer initiation and progression

Prostate Cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men. Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is primarily composed of Androgen Receptor-positive (AR+) luminal cells that require AR transcriptional activity for survival and proliferation. As a consequence, androgen deprivation and anti-androgens are used to treat PCa patients whose disease progresses following attempted surgical or radiation interventions. Unfortunately, patients with advanced PCa can develop incurable castration-resistant PCa (CRPCa) due to mutated, variant, or overexpressed AR. Conversely, low or no AR accumulation or activity can also underlie castration resistance. Whether CRPCa is due to aberrant AR activity or AR independence, NF-κB signaling is also implicated in the initiation and maintenance of CRPCa and, thus, the NF-κB pathway may be a promising alternative therapeutic target. In this review, we present evidence that NF-κB signaling promotes CRPCa initiation and progression, describe the dichotomic role of NF-κB in the regulation of AR expression and activity and outline studies that explore NF-κB inhibitors as PCa therapies.
Nutrition Transition and Health Outcomes Among Indigenous Populations of Chile.

Background Over the past several decades, rural and indigenous populations in Latin America have experienced abrupt and profound transformations in their lifestyles and economies, many having remarkable health consequences. Yet, these changes have had heterogeneous effects on the population's biology in different local contexts. Objectives The primary goal was to characterize the nutrition transition and biomarkers of noncommunicable diseases (NCD) risk in 2 Chilean indigenous populations that have had divergent histories of subsistence strategies (agropastoralism compared with hunter-gathering) in the last few millennia and live in contrasting environments, and to identify context-specific factors driving the nutrition and epidemiological transitions. Methods One-hundred-and-ninety (90 Pehuenche and 100 Atacameno) participants aged 18-87 y completed demographic, food-frequency, and physical activity questionnaires as well as measurements of some NCD risk biomarkers: blood pressure, weight, height, body fat percentage, waist circumference, blood total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose. Framingham risk scores (FRSs) were calculated based on age, sex, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, smoking, diabetes status, and hypertension medication. Results Few differences in dietary composition and physical activity patterns were observed between the 2 populations. Multivariate analyses showed no differences between the 2 populations in any of the individual NCD risk biomarkers or FRSs after adjusting for age, sex, time since last meal, food insecurity in childhood, ultraprocessed food consumption, and physical activity. Conclusions Despite contrasting ecological and historical contexts, the 2 groups are converging into similar processes of market and wage-labor integration and transitioning to a Western diet high in processed and nonlocal foods, although some aspects of their "traditional" foodways are still in practice. The frequency of individuals exhibiting NCD biomarkers "at-risk" is relatively high and corresponds to other populations that have gone through nutrition transition. Furthermore, none of these biomarkers or FRSs differed between the 2 populations, suggesting a homogenization in the NCD risk factors.
Energy values of copra meal and cornstarch for broiler chickens.

Abstract Two studies were conducted with broiler chickens to determine the ileal digestible energy (IDE), ME, and MEn in copra meal (CM) and cornstarch using the regression method. On day 15 and 16 for experiments 1 and 2, respectively, 192 male birds were individually weighed and allotted into 3 dietary treatments with 8 replicate cages and 8 birds per cage in a randomized complete block design with the BW as a blocking factor in each experiment. Dietary treatments consisted of 3 inclusion levels of test ingredients (i.e., 0, 100, or 200 g/kg) in corn-soybean meal–based diets using CM or cornstarch as test ingredients for experiment 1 or 2, respectively. Titanium dioxide was added as an indigestible marker to determine the ileal digestibility and utilization of energy by the index method. Experiments lasted 5 d, and excreta collection was conducted during the last 3 d of each experiment. At the end of experiments, birds were euthanized by CO2 asphyxiation, and ileal digesta samples were collected. Data were analyzed by the ANOVA using the GLM procedure. In experiment 1, the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of DM and gross energy (GE) and IDE in test diets linearly decreased (P
Effects of obesity on the oxygen cost of breathing in children.

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of obesity on the oxygen (O2) cost of breathing using the eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea (EVH) technique in 10- and 11-year-old children. Seventeen children (8 without and 9 with obesity) underwent EVH trials at two levels of ventilation for assessing the O2 cost of breathing (slope of oxygen uptake, V ˙ O 2 vs. minute ventilation) and a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan. Resting and EVH V ˙ O 2 was higher in children with obesity when compared with children without obesity (P = 0.0096). The O2 cost of breathing did not statistically differ between children without (2.09 ± 0.46 mL/L) and with obesity (2.08 ± 0.64 mL/L, P = 0.99), but the intercept was significantly greater in children with obesity. Chest mass explained 85 % of the variance in resting V ˙ O 2 in children with obesity. Higher resting energy requirements, attributable to increased chest mass, can increase the absolute metabolic costs of exercise and hyperpnea in children with obesity.
Evaluation of Peri-operative Outcomes Associated With Resident Involvement on Tumor Resection and Renorrhaphy During Robotic-assisted Partial Nephrectomy.

Abstract Objective To evaluate perioperative outcomes of resident trainee involvement in tumor resection and renorrhaphy during robotic assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). Materials and Methods We analyzed 500 consecutive RAPN in a single surgeon prospectively maintained database. Cases with resident performed tumor resection and renorrhaphy (N = 71) were case matched on R.E.N.A.L. score and RAPN year using a greedy matching algorithm. Perioperative variables were compared to attending cases. Results There were no statistically significant differences in high grade postoperative complications (resident: 3% vs attending: 6%, P = .68), positive margins (resident: 1% vs attending: 3%, P = .31), length of stay (resident: 2.0 vs attending: 2.0 days, P = .73), and 30 day readmission (resident: 7% vs attending: 11%, P = .56). However, residents had a statistically significant longer warm ischemia time (median 21 vs 15 minutes, P Conclusion Supervised resident console involvement in tumor resection and renorrhaphy during RAPN is safe and does not increase rates of complications. Residents have longer median warm ischemia time compared to attending only cases, but this does not appear to impact post-operative renal function.
Common risk segment mapping: Streamlining exploration for carbon storage sites, with application to coastal Texas and Louisiana

Abstract Large-scale deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) will require a commensurately large number of sites. Efficient screening methods are needed to create investment assurance and focus efforts on the most promising sites. The problem is similar to petroleum exploration, for which there are well-developed (though seldom published) workflows, including Common Risk Segment (CRS) mapping. In brief, the process requires 1) defining the key play elements; 2) identifying candidate geologic intervals for each; 3) creating fact-based maps for those intervals; 4) determining minimum criteria for the success of each element; 5) reinterpreting the fact-based maps in terms of chance of success; and 6) combining the individual maps to form a composite, basin-scale view of prospectivity. In this paper, we adapt the CRS process to screening for CO2 storage sites. Critically, we redefine the process in terms of cost of characterization and development, rather than chance of success. For illustration, we apply the process to the example of the Lower Miocene on the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. We show that the predictions are consistent with historic hydrocarbon production volumes and rates. The power of the CRS method is that it creates a systematic approach to geologic evaluation and translates complex, multidimensional analysis into clear, graphical and easily comprehended business inputs. The result highlights sweet spots and identifies critical risks, suggesting a focus for further data collection and analysis. The method developed here can be applied to both surface and subsurface factors anywhere that there is interest in geologic storage of CO2.
Higher Molecular Mass Forms of TGFα in Human Milk

Transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) has been identified in human milk by various methods, including Western blot analysis (Peptrides et al. 1984; Okada et al. 1991; Connolly & Rose 1988; Wagner et al. 1995). Human milk has been reported to contain higher molecular mass moieties of TGFα (Okada et al. 1991; Wagner et al. 1995), well above the 22-kD form that is predicted from primary translational production (Qian et al. 1993). Okada et al. (1991), in their study of TGFa fractions in human milk, reported that the majority of TGFα in aqueous samples eluted by Sephadex G-50 gel chromatography was of higher molecular mass than the -6-kD mature form. There are numerous reports in other organ systems of higher molecular mass bands appearing that are immuno-reactive with TGFα. In the past, these higher molecular mass bands have been attributed to nonspecific binding (Humphreys-Beher et al. 1994). To verify the existence of higher molecular mass TGFa moieties in human milk, a series of experiments were performed in our laboratory.
Chapter 53 Equilibrium Convergence in Normal Form Games

Publisher Summary For all three types of one-dimensional games and their two-dimensional analogues, the states reliably achieve a loose behavioral equilibrium (BE) even within the first half-run of 5 periods. Most of the loose BE are also tight BE, the main exceptions occurring in two-dimensional games with unique Nash equilibria (NE). Most BE coincide with NE, and most of the observed NE are indeed evolutionary equilibria (EE). In general, the “evolutionary” treatments of mean-matching (MM) and feedback (Hist) appear to improve convergence to EE. Thus the main tendencies of the data are consistent with evolutionary game theory. All treatments are held constant within a run to test for convergence. Runs are separated by obvious changes in the player population and/or the payoff matrix, and the history box is erased at the beginning of a new run.
Pulmonary hypertension in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is increasingly recognized as a complication of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure. Despite many recent clinical advances, pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) remains an important contributor to poor outcomes in BPD. Understanding the relationship between BPD and PH and identifying optimal therapies may help minimize morbidity and improve outcomes.
MTSF: a fast mesh scatternet formation algorithm for Bluetooth networks

Bluetooth is a short range technology that enables the formation of wireless personal area networks (WPAN). Although a Bluetooth node can form a network, called a piconet, with other nodes within its radio range, the technology can be better exploited if multiple piconets can be interconnected to form a large overlay network called a scatternet. We propose a mesh topology scatternet formation (MTSF) algorithm for Bluetooth networks. The algorithm has short delays for new node acceptance and scatternet formation while localizing the impact of node additions and deletions. Using extensive simulations based on the ns-2 simulator we demonstrate that MTSF is well suited for scatternet formation over a large area as it is distributed and scalable both in terms of the number of nodes and in the area spanned by the scatternet.
FiG: Automatic Fingerprint Generation

Fingerprinting is a widely used technique among the networking and security communities for identifying different implementations of the same piece of networking software running on a remote host. A ﬁngerprint is essentially a set of queries and a classiﬁcation function that can be applied on the responses to the queries in order to classify the software into classes. So far, identifying ﬁngerprints remains largely an arduous and manual process. This paper proposes a novel approach for automatic ﬁngerprint generation, that automatically explores a set of candidate queries and applies machine learning techniques to identify the set of valid queries and to learn an adequate classiﬁcation function. Our results show that such an automatic process can generate accurate ﬁngerprints that classify each piece of software into its proper class and that the search space for query exploration remains largely unexploited, with many new such queries awaiting discovery. With a preliminary exploration, we are able to identify new queries not previously used for ﬁngerprinting.
Ethnic differences in parents' coresidence with adult children in peninsular Malaysia.

In this paper we use data from the Second Malaysian Family Life Survey (MFLS-2) to examine the extent to which ethnic differences in the living arrangements of the older population in Peninsular Malaysia can be explained by ethnic differences in demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. We also investigate whether the three main ethnic groups of Malaysia differ in the extent to which their living arrangements are influenced by these factors. For the married, the higher incidence of remarriage and lower housing costs for Malays each contribute importantly to their lower coresidence rates. The relatively poorer health of Indians and better health of Malays also contribute to the ethnic differences in coresidence rates for the married, as does the higher incidence of daughter-only families among Malays. The explanatory variables considered here explain less of the ethnic differences in coresidence rates for the unmarried.
B.W. Higman and Kathleen E.A. Monteith, eds. 2010. West Indian Business History: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press. 236 pp. ISBN: 976640240X. Eric Armstrong. 2010. A History of Money and Banking in Barbados, 1627-1973. Kingston, Jamaica: University of West Indies Press. 160pp. ISBN: 1461906849.

Business and banking history are relatively underdeveloped fields within the English-speaking Caribbean and many of the books published on particular business and banking institutions are of dubious merit. A good number of these monographs are little more than vanity publications issued to commemorate a marketing milestone or a corporate birthday. Often, these texts are lavishly illustrated, expensively bound, and, given their privileged access to archives, well sourced. Generally published to serve an audience of shareholders and staff members, they are rarely critical. Similarly, histories of foreign business and banking institutions operating in the West Indies often have the veneer of academic legitimacy (established scholars are commissioned to write them, reputable university presses are enlisted to publish them) but their authors are constrained by the needs of their patrons and the histories they recount are often deployed for the strategic aims of the institution. With little work to constitute a scholarly tradition of business and banking history in the English-speaking Caribbean, it is no wonder that two recent texts-West Indian Business History: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, edited by historians Barry Higman and Kathleen E.A. Monteith, and A History of Money and Banking in Barbados, 16271973, authored by economist Eric Armstrong-both begin by noting that the field is neglected. Both works are attempts at redressing this neglect and developing a tradition of scholarship on Caribbean business and banking history.
Elimination beam-forming in downlink multi-user MIMO systems

Downlink Multi-User MIMO Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) transmission scheme is proposed. It is based on an OFDM system and deployment of a large number of antennas at LTE Evolved NodeB transmitter (eNB). The developed scheme efficiently utilizes the transmitted power distribution by the adaptive elimination of the coverage zones where no users are to be served. Hence, more directed CSI-RS beamforming and higher received Signal To Noise and Interference Ratios (SINRs) are achieved for both uniform and clustered user distributions. In addition, Zero Forcing (ZF) beamforming is employed on top of the developed scheme for MU-MIMO data transmissions. Proposed scheme shows significant performance improvement than the conventional standard LTE-A dual codebook while drastically reducing the needed Downlink feedback overhead regardless of the number of physical antennas at eNB.
The Folly Of Making EPS Comparisons Across Companies: Do Accounting Textbooks Send The Correct Message?

This paper demonstrates why EPS comparisons across companies are meaningless. An example is provided showing how a company with a higher ROE than another company may have a lower EPS simply from having a lower book value per share (and more shares outstanding) than the comparison company. While ROE comparisons across companies can be useful, cross-company EPS comparisons are meaningless due to the arbitrary number of shares outstanding across companies. The authors review the EPS discussion of 31 financial and intermediate accounting textbooks aimed at US students and find that six of these textbooks incorrectly assert or imply that cross-company EPS comparisons are meaningful. Over 50% of the textbooks reviewed provide no warning that cross-company EPS comparisons should be avoided.
Early detection of high‐grade prostate cancer using digital rectal examination (DRE) in men with a prostate‐specific antigen level of <2.5 ng/mL and the risk of death

Study Type – Prognosis (inception cohort) Level of Evidence 2a What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? There is little data on the utility of digital rectal examination (DRE) as a diagnostic tool in the era of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. Using a population-based database, we found that detection of prostate cancer while still localized among men with high-grade PSA-occult disease may result in survival benefit. OBJECTIVE • To determine whether detection of high-grade prostate cancer while still clinically localised on digital rectal examination (DRE) can improve survival in men with a normal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. PATIENTS AND METHODS • From the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database, 166 104 men with prostate cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2007 were identified. • Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the occurrence of palpable, PSA-occult (PSA level of <2.5 ng/mL), Gleason score 8–10 prostate cancer. • Fine and Gray's and Cox multivariable regressions were used to analyse whether demographic, treatment, and clinicopathological factors were associated with the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) and all-cause mortality (ACM), respectively. RESULTS • Both increasing age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.03; P < 0.001) and White race (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03–1.54; P= 0.027) were associated with palpable, Gleason 8–10 prostate cancer. Of 166 104 men, 685 (0.4%) had this subset of prostate cancer. • Significant factors associated with risk of PCSM included PSA level (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.51–0.99; P= 0.04), higher Gleason score (aHR 2.20, 95% CI 1.25–3.87; P= 0.006), and T3–T4 vs T2 disease (aHR 3.11, 95% CI 1.79–5.41; P < 0.001). • Significant factors associated with risk of ACM included age (aHR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06; P= 0.006), higher Gleason score (aHR 2.05, 95% CI 1.36–3.09; P < 0.001), and T3–T4 vs T2 disease (aHR 2.11, 95% CI 1.38–3.25, P < 0.001) CONCLUSIONS • Clinically localised disease on DRE among men with PSA-occult high-grade prostate cancer was associated with improved PCSM and ACM, suggesting that DRE in this cohort (older age and White race) may have the potential to improve survival.
Design of Nafion actuator with enhanced displacement

A new actuator system has been developed. This actuator uses Nafion, a solid electrolyte, in combination with Platinum Copper (Pt-Cu) electrodes and mobile ions of Cu2+ to create much larger actuation displacement at smaller levels of applied voltage (1V or less). This actuator provides bending deformation. Large deformation is provided by electrode reaction of copper. Since this reaction is reversible, Cu electrode is not consumed by using polarity change of applied voltage. This actuation mechanism is different from others. Because the induction of the large deflection of Nafion, the large number of the mobile cations is essential. Although it is possible to induce a large deflection by applying a higher electric field as alternative way, this would introduce the electrolysis of water that is not desired unless the device is always submerged in water. To convert bending deformation to liner actuation, we designed a device using a pair of Nafion actuator, which is termed as loop actuator. This loop actuator can be designed into the device with large force by making parallel array. Solid polymer electrolyte-metal composite actuator contains water inside. Therefore coating that prevents water from evaporation is needed for its use in dry condition.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Fast calculation of synaptic conductances

The drawback of these solutions is that one must keep track of the times of occurrences of each spike that initiated the synaptic potentials, and recalculate each exponential in the summation at each time step. This creates a large storage and computational overhead. Since both these equations represent the impulse response of a second-order differential equation, another approach is to numerically integrate additional differential equations for each synapse in the network (Wilson and Bower 1989). We have developed an improved method for computing synaptic conductances that separates equations 1 and 2 into two components: one that is a function of the current time of the simulation and one that accumulates the contributions of previous spike events to the synaptic conductance. We demonstrate that this method requires only the storage of two running sums and the time constants for each synapse, and that it is mathematically equivalent to equations 1 and 2. We will then demonstrate that it is also faster for a given level of precision than numerically integrating differential equations for each synapse. We will first describe our algorithm for equation 1, and then for equation 2.
Social media for sustainable engineering communication

This paper provides an overview of current research on social media applications, including user demographics and how social media websites define themselves. The paper also describes user activities using social media and suggests known strengths and weaknesses of social media, and concludes by outlining several recommendations for developing strong online communities.
The possibility of a pluralist cognitive science

A case for a pluralistic approach to cognitive science is sketched. It is argued that cognitive scientists should take seriously the possibility that a single, unified framework for all of cognition is an unrealistic expectation for its diverse interdisciplinary goals and subject matter. A pluralistic approach instead seeks ways of integrating the multiple perspectives that have provided explanatory success in loosely interconnected sub-domains of cognitive phenomena. Research strategies recommended by this approach are discussed, with review of research currently carrying out such strategies and others that may hold promise for the future. The article ends with a discussion of seeking closer integration of the inquirer into consideration of which explanatory framework to choose. A systematic exploration of this transactional approach to cognitive science may grant coherence to pluralism even as it embraces diverse schemes of explanation.
An Informatics Approach to Integrating Genetic and Neurological Data in Speech and Language Neuroscience

A number of heritable disorders impair the normal development of speech and language processes and occur in large numbers within the general population. While candidate genes and loci have been identified, the gap between genotype and phenotype is vast, limiting current understanding of the biology of normal and disordered processes. This gap exists not only in our scientific knowledge, but also in our research communities, where genetics researchers and speech, language, and cognitive scientists tend to operate independently. Here we describe a web-based, domain-specific, curated database that represents information about genotype-phenotype relations specific to speech and language disorders, as well as neuroimaging results demonstrating focal brain differences in relevant patients versus controls. Bringing these two distinct data types into a common database ( http://neurospeech.org/sldb ) is a first step toward bringing molecular level information into cognitive and computational theories of speech and language function. One bridge between these data types is provided by densely sampled profiles of gene expression in the brain, such as those provided by the Allen Brain Atlases. Here we present results from exploratory analyses of human brain gene expression profiles for genes implicated in speech and language disorders, which are annotated in our database. We then discuss how such datasets can be useful in the development of computational models that bridge levels of analysis, necessary to provide a mechanistic understanding of heritable language disorders. We further describe our general approach to information integration, discuss important caveats and considerations, and offer a specific but speculative example based on genes implicated in stuttering and basal ganglia function in speech motor control.
ABSOLUTE TRIPLY DIFFERENTIAL CROSS SECTIONS FOR DOUBLE PHOTOIONIZATION OF HELIUM AT 10, 20, AND 52.9 EV ABOVE THRESHOLD

We have calculated the coplanar triply differential cross section (TDCS) for double ionization of helium by one photon at total energies of 10, 20, and 52.9 eV above threshold. Our results agree very well with recently measured and calculated angular distributions [O. Schwarzkopf, B. Kr\"assig, J. Elmiger, and V. Schmidt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 3008 (1993); O. Schwarzkopf, B. Kr\"assig, V. Schmidt, F. Maulbetsch, and J. S. Briggs, J. Phys. B 27, L347 (1994); F. Maulbetsch and J. S. Briggs, ibid. 26, L647 (1993)] for the cases of equal energy sharing (photoelectron energies ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$ and ${\mathit{E}}_{2}$, such that ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$=${\mathit{E}}_{2}$=5 eV and ${\mathit{E}}_{1}$=${\mathit{E}}_{2}$=10 eV) and unequal energy sharing (${\mathit{E}}_{1}$=5 eV, ${\mathit{E}}_{2}$=47.9 eV). In contrast to previous calculations of the TDCS, our calculation is based on a basis-set method that is, in principle, exact, and we obtain absolute values of the TDCS that are fairly well converged with respect to the basis size.
Introduction of nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors into a medulloblastoma cell line results in expression of high- And low-affinity NGF receptors but not NGF-mediated differentiation

Abstract Expression of the cloned human nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) cDNA in cell lines can generate both high- and low-affinity binding sites. Since the inability to respond appropriately to differentiation factors such as NGF may contribute to determining the malignant phenotype of neuroblastomas, we sought to determine whether the same is true of medulloblastomas. To generate a human central nervous system neuronal cell line that would respond to NGF, we infected the medulloblastoma cell line D283 MED with a defective retrovirus carrying the cDNA coding for the human NGFR. The resultant cells (MED-NGFR) expressed abundant low- and high-affinity NGFRs, and NGF treatment induced a rapid transient increase of c-fos mRNA in the NGFR-expressing cells but not in the parent line or in cells infected with virus lacking the cDNA insert. However, the MED-NGFR cells did not internalize the NGFR at high efficiency, nor did they differentiate in response to NGF. Three important conclusions emerge from this study: (i) internalization of NGFRs is not necessary for some early rapid transcriptional effects of NGF; (ii) an unknown factor(s) that cooperates with the cloned NGFR in allowing high-affinity NGF binding is found in a primitive central nervous system cell line; and (iii) NGFRs introduced into and expressed by D283 MED (i.e., MED-NGFR) cells are partially functional but are unable to induce differentiation in these primitive neuron-like tumor cells, implying that high-efficiency receptor-mediated endocytosis of NGF and its receptor may be a necessary step in the cascade of events leading to NGF-mediated differentiation.
Plasma cell granuloma of the thyroid.

Plasma cell infiltrates in the thyroid are rare. They may represent several processes, such as localized plasmacytoma, multiple myeloma, or plasma cell granuloma (PCG). It may be difficult to distinguish these disorders on the basis of morphologic features in sections stained with hematoxylin—eosin. All may be composed of mature plasma cells, without admixed macrophages or lymphocytes, that infiltrate the thyroid and adjacent connective tissue. The identification of the uncommon, but benign, PCG is facilitated by immunohistochemical staining to demonstrate an admixture of plasma cells with cytoplasmic к and λ light chains. The polyclonal nature of the plasma cell infiltrate distinguishes PCG from neoplastic plasma cell proliferation.
The limits of crisis data: analytical and ethical challenges of using social and mobile data to understand disasters

Social media platforms and mobile phone data are commonly mined to produce accounts of how people are responding in the aftermath of crisis events. Yet social and mobile datasets have limitations that, if not sufficiently understood and accounted for, can produce specific kinds of analytical and ethical oversights. In this paper, we analyze some of the problems that emerge from the reliance on particular forms of crisis data, and we suggest ways forward through a deeper engagement with ethical frameworks and a more critical questioning of what crisis data actually represents. In particular, the use of Twitter data and crowdsourced text messages during crisis events such as Hurricane Sandy and the Haiti Earthquake raised questions about the ways in which crisis data act as a system of knowledge. We analyze these events from ontological, epistemological, and ethical perspectives and assess the challenges of data collection, analysis and deployment. While privacy concerns are often dismissed when data is scraped from public-facing platforms such as Twitter, we suggest that the kinds of personal information shared during a crisis—often as a way to find assistance and support—present ongoing risks. We argue for a deeper integration of critical data studies into crisis research, and for researchers to acknowledge their role in shaping norms of privacy and consent in data use.
A projection method for solving nonsymmetric linear systems on multiprocessors

Abstract We consider the iterative solution of large sparse linear systems of equations arising from elliptic and parabolic partial differential equations in two or three space dimensions. Specifically, we focus our attention on nonsymmetric systems of equations whose eigenvalues lie on both sides of the imaginary axis, or whose symmetric part is not positive definite. This system of equation is solved using a block Kaczmarz projection method with conjugate gradient acceleration. The algorithm has been designed with special emphasis on its suitability for multiprocessors. In the first part of the paper, we study the numerical properties of the algorithm and compare its performance with other algorithms such as the conjugate gradient method on the normal equations, and conjugate gradient-like schemes such as ORTHOMIN(k), GCR(k) and GMRES(k). We also study the effect of using various preconditioners with these methods. In the second part of the paper, we describe the implementation of our algorithm on the CRAY X-MP/48 multiprocessor, and study its behavior as the number of processors is increased.
Novel roles of aquaporins revealed by phenotype analysis of knockout mice

The aquaporins (AQPs) are small integral membrane proteins that transport water and in some cases small solutes such as glycerol. Physiological roles of the ten or more mammalian AQPs have been proposed based on their expression in epithelial, endothelial and other tissues, their regulation, and in some cases the existence of humans with AQP mutation. Here, the role of AQPs in mammalian physiology is reviewed, based on phenotype analysis of transgenic mouse models of AQP deletion/mutation. Phenotype studies support the predicted roles of AQPs in kidney tubule and microvessel fluid transport for urinary concentrating function, and in fluid-secreting glandular epithelia. The phenotype studies have also shown unexpected roles of AQPs in brain and corneal swelling, in neural signal transduction, in regulation of intracranial and intraocular pressure, and in tumor angiogenesis and cell migration. The water/glycerol-transporting AQPs were found to play unexpected roles in skin hydration and in fat metabolism. However, many phenotype studies were negative, such as normal airway/lung and skeletal muscle function, despite AQP expression, indicating that tissue-specific AQP expression does not indicate physiological significance. The mouse phenotype data suggest that modulators of AQP expression/function may have such wide-ranging clinical applications as diuretics and in the treatment of brain swelling, glaucoma, epilepsy, obesity, and cancer.
A pump for rapid, reliable, secure communication

Communication from a low- to a high-level system without acknowledgements will be unreliable; with acknowledgements, it can be insecure. We propose to provide quantifiable security, acceptable reliability, and minimal performance penalties by interposing a device (called the Pump) to push messages to the high system and provide a controlled stream of acknowledgements to the low system.This paper describes how the Pump supports the transmission of messages upward and limits the capacity of the covert timing channel in the acknowledgement stream without affecting the average acknowledgement delay seen by the low system or the message delivery delay seen by the high system in the absence of actual Trojan horses. By adding random delays to the acknowledgment stream, we show how to further reduce the covert channel capacity even in the presence of cooperating Trojan horses in both the high and low systems. We also discuss engineering trade-offs relevant to practical use of the Pump.
Synthesis of biodegradable poly(propylene fumarate) networks with poly(propylene fumarate)–diacrylate macromers as crosslinking agents and characterization of their degradation products

Abstract New biodegradable poly(propylene fumarate)-based polymer networks have been prepared by radical polymerization using poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) and poly(propylene fumarate)–diacrylate (PPF–DA) macromers. Two PPF–DAs were synthesized incorporating one (m=1) and two (m=2) fumarate units, and were employed in the synthesis of the polymer networks. The PPF/PPF–DA double bond ratio and the molecular weight of PPF–DA were varied to assess their effects on the mechanical properties of the resulting polymer networks as well as on their equilibrium water content. The compressive strength at fracture of PPF/PPF–DA (m=1) polymer networks increased from 11.2±1.8 to 66.2±5.5 MPa as the double bond ratio of PPF/PPF–DA (m=1) decreased from 4 to 0.5. An increase in compressive modulus was also observed from 19.4±1.8 to 340.2±30.7 MPa for the same range of the double bond ratio of PPF/PPF–DA. Increasing the molecular weight of PPF–DA (m=2) caused both the compressive strength at fracture and modulus of the corresponding polymer networks to increase to the ranges of 14.4±4.2 to 88.2±6.1 MPa and 28.0±2.4 to 480.4±35.9 MPa , respectively. Similarly, both were increased as the PPF/PPF–DA (m=2) double bond ratio decreased from 4 to 0.5. The PPF/PPF–DA crosslinked polymer networks showed negligible equilibrium water content for all 10 formulations tested in this study. The degradation reaction of the PPF/PPF–DA polymer networks under basic conditions was investigated. The degradation products were isolated and characterized by NMR and GC/MS as fumaric acid, propylene glycol, and poly(acrylic acid-co-fumaric acid) of weight average molecular weight of 5080. These data demonstrate that biodegradable PPF/PPF–DA polymer networks should have great potential as polymer scaffolds for orthopedic applications in tissue engineering.
Progressive quantized projection watermarking scheme

In this paper we present a new watermarking technique for digital images. Our approach modifies blocks of the image after projecting them onto certain directions. By quantizing the projected blocks to even and odd values we can represent the hidden information properly. The proposed algorithm does the modification progressively to ensure successful data extraction without any prior information being sent to the receiver side. In order to increase the robustness of our watermark to scaling and rotation attacks we also present a solution to recover the original size and orientation based on a training sequence which is inserted as part of the watermark.