cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanochemical Conversions Between Crystalline Polymorphs of a Complex Organic Solid

We report the conversion between three crystalline polymorphs of a capped amino acid, N-acetyl-l-phenylalanyl-NH2, using mechanochemistry, with conversion between the α and γ polymorphs being reversible, depending on the milling conditions used. Solvent drop grinding of the α and β polymorphs with water yields the γ polymorph, whereas dry grinding of the β or γ polymorph yields the α polymorph. The α and β polymorphs are also accessible from solution (from methanol and water, respectively), and their structures were solved from single crystal diffraction data. The γ polymorph, so far only accessible mechanochemically, was solved and refined from powder X-ray diffraction data. The polymorphs show various degrees of crystallographic disorder, and the numbers of crystallographically independent molecules vary. These observations are supported by 13C and 15N magic angle spinning solid-state NMR data. Possible reasons for the formation of multiple polymorphs and their respective stability as a function of Z′, ...
Polymer-Ceramic Composites for Conformal Multilayer Antenna/RF Systems

Future commercial and military communication systems require a new class of antennas and radio frequency (RF) front-ends that are small, light-weight, conformal, and multi-functional. This dissertation is dedicated to the development and application of the novel polymer-ceramic composites for future compact multilayer antennas and RF systems. The first half of the dissertation deals with the fabrication and characterization of the polymer-ceramic composites. Also, carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets are introduced for the first time to overcome the issues of reliable printing on polymers. The second half of the dissertation focuses on the application of the polymer-ceramic composites with carbon nanotube sheet printing. Two practical application examples are elaborated, namely (1) a compact anti-jamming GPS array and (2) a cylindrically conformal microstrip array. Both applications demonstrate the potentials of the polymer-ceramic composites for three-dimensional fabrication and multilayer packaging.
Efficient no-regret multiagent learning

We present new results on the efficiency of no-regret algorithmsin the context of multiagent learning. We use a known approach to augment a large class of no-regret algorithms to allow stochastic sampling of actions and observation of scalar reward of only the action played. We show that the average actual payoffs of the resulting learner gets (1) close to the best response against (eventually) stationary opponents. (2) close to the asymptotic optimal payoff against opponents that playa converging sequence of policies. and (3) close to at least a dynamic variant of minimax payoff against arbitrary opponents. with a high probability in polynomial time. In addition the polynomial bounds are shown to be significantly better than previously known bounds. Furthermore, we do not need to assume that the learner knows the game matrices and can observe the opponents' actions, unlike previous work.
Social Media as a Personnel Selection and Hiring Resource: Reservations and Recommendations

Employers are often using Internet searches, social networking websites, and social media to examine detailed public information about job candidates, and sometimes private information about these job candidates as well. Such social media prescreening and human resource (HR) selection practices may have the potential to offer value-added information above and beyond that which is assessed using more traditional HR selection methods. However, details concerning the legality and the appropriateness or inappropriateness of these social media screening methods are only now emerging. Here we examine the legality, standardization, reliability, and job-relevance (i.e., validity) of job candidate data obtained via social media, along with reservations regarding this practice. We also provide recommendations for HR practitioners in using social media for selection purposes, should they choose to do so and hopefully with an awareness of the caveats that we provide. Suggestions for future research on social media HR selection practices are also discussed.
The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies, Edited by Pashaura Singh and Louis E. Fenech

The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies is a major undertaking and makes very significant contributions to its field. The editors recruited 43 other leading scholars of Sikh and Punjabi studies: the 45...
Use of Lean and CAHPS Surgical Care Survey to Improve Patients’ Experiences with Surgical Care

Objectives(1) Measure patients’ experiences with surgical care using the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Surgical Care Survey. (2) Use lean thinking to analyze and improve quality of patient care.Study DesignA prospective quality improvement study.SettingHospital-based otolaryngology clinic.Subjects and MethodsThe CAHPS Surgical Care Survey was distributed to 17 surgical patients to determine their perception of the current state of care. Survey results were analyzed with lean thinking, and changes were made to improve critical areas. A second set of surveys was distributed to 10 patients to assess the success of the interventions immediately and 2 months later. The data were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test.ResultsSeventeen patients completed the CAHPS Surgical Care Survey to determine the initial state. A3 Thinking was used to analyze the results and design an improvement. Overall positive patient experience was 57% at the postoperative visit with 3 key aspects of ca...
Nonlinear optimization for partially coherent phase recovery with Abbe’s method

We extend our previous nonlinear optimization method for partially coherent phase retrieval from through-focus intensity images. The forward model is formulated as an Abbe extended source method, where each source point incurs different pupil filtering. The proposed method gives more accurate phase results beyond the coherent diffraction limit.
Chapter 7 – Details, Details, Details—Nonscored Items, Formatting, and the Cover Letter

Several components of the application package are considered “nonscored” items. These sections contain information that will be used by the NIH for public information purposes should your grant be funded (Project Summary and Project Narrative) or to ensure that your training will be in compliance with NIH guidelines (Responsible Conduct of Research). Although these items do not contribute to the overall score of your grant application, it is still essential that the utmost care be used in writing each of these sections. In addition, this chapter discusses formatting of the grant, which if not followed may result in administrative return of the application without review, and construction of the cover letter, to direct the assignment of the application to the most appropriate study section.
Multi-sensor data fusion for improved measurement accuracy in injection molding

Data fusion enables the integration of multiple sensing data associated with the same physical process for more comprehensive process representation, thereby improving quality control in manufacturing. Based on a correlation analysis of measurement data, the effectiveness of data fusion has been investigated, using precision injection moulding as an application context and the predicted weight of moulded parts as a criterion. The study systematically explains why a multivariate sensor that quantifies four parameters at the same sensor location has consistently outperformed multiple single-parameter commercial sensors under various operation conditions, thereby contributing to the theory of data fusion for measurement enhancement.
Cardioskeletal Muscle Disease Associated With Chromosomal Disorders

Abstract Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common birth defects, affecting 3–6 per 1000 live born infants. Despite its recognized burden on public health, the etiology of the vast majority of cases is unknown. CHD can occur in conjunction with abnormal craniofacial features, multiple congenital anomalies, developmental abnormalities, and/or growth deficits. In such instances, individuals are categorized as having a syndromic form of CHD. Chromosomal abnormalities constitute a major category of the syndromic form of CHD and occur in one of eight infants with congenital cardiac malformations. Our understanding of the genetic basis of CHD has increased exponentially in recent years with the escalating use of diagnostic technologies to identify smaller submicroscopic genomic imbalances at the level of coding exons in human diseases. Genetic assessment is an integral aspect of cardiology, and it is important for physicians to recognize when genetic evaluation is imperative in children and adults with CHD.
Assimilating in-situ observations over Southern California for improved solar forecasting

Integration of forecasting of solar energy feed-in to the electric network is becoming essential because of its continually increasing penetration level. Three-dimensional numerical weather prediction (NWP) models predict the weather based on the current weather conditions (called initialization) and simulate of the ensuing atmospheric processes. The accuracy of forecasts therefore depend, in part, on the accuracy of the model initializations. Data assimilation is recognized as the most widely used technique to improve the initialization into NWP models. In specific, meteorological observations from the surface and upper-air in-situ networks over the southern California coast are assimilated into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. It is found that the global horizontal irradiance (GHI) produced by WRF data assimilation experiments are significantly closer to the observations as compared to the standard WRF forecast. Especially, the GHI biases are reduced significantly during the morning hours.
Quantum illumination: From enhanced target detection to Gbps quantum key distribution

We review theory and experiments for quantum illumination-entanglement-based protocols for enhanced target detection and secure classical communication-and show that its unentangled descendant, floodlight quantum key distribution, affords Gbps secret-key rates over metropolitan-area distances.
Radon-induced lung cancer deaths may be overestimated due to failure to account for confounding by exposure to diesel engine exhaust in BEIR VI miner studies

Background EPA reported that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, killing 21,100 people per year. EPA relies on the BEIR VI models, based on an evaluation of radon exposure and lung cancer risk in studies of miners. But these models did not account for co-exposure to diesel exhaust, a known human carcinogen recently classified by IARC. It is probable then that a portion of the lung cancer deaths in the miner cohorts are originally attributable to the exposure to diesel rather than radon. Objective To re-evaluate EPA’s radon attributable lung cancer estimates accounting for diesel exposure information in the miner cohorts. Methods We used estimates of historical diesel concentrations, combined with diesel exposure-response functions, to estimate the risks of lung cancer attributable to diesel engine exhaust (DEE) exposure in the miner studies. We re-calculated the fatal lung cancer risk attributable to radon after accounting for risk from diesel and re-estimated the number of U.S. deaths associated with radon in the U.S. using EPA’s methodology. Results Considering the probable confounding with DEE exposure and using the same estimate of baseline mortality from 1989–91 that the EPA currently uses in their calculations, we estimate that radon-induced lung cancer deaths per year are 15,600 (95% CI: 14,300, 17,000)– 19,300 (95% CI: 18,800, 20,000) in the U.S. population, a reduction of 9%–26%. The death estimates would be 12,900–15,900 using 2014 baseline vital statistics. Conclusions We recommend further research on re-evaluating the health effects of exposure to radon that accounts for new information on diesel exhaust carcinogenicity in BEIR VI models, up-to-date vital statistics and new epidemiological evidence from residential studies.
Experimental Evidence of Structural Representation of Hands in Early Infancy.

Hands convey important social information, such as an individual’s emotions, goals, and desires, are used to direct attention through pointing, and are a major organ for haptic perception. However,...
Assay for galactose-deficient IgA1 enables mechanistic studies with primary cells from IgA nephropathy patients.

Aims: IgA nephropathy, the most common primary glomerulonephritis worldwide, is characterized by glomerular deposition of galactose-deficient IgA1 and elevated serum levels of this IgA1 glycoform. ...
SCRaaPS: X.509 Certificate Revocation Using the Blockchain-based Scrybe Secure Provenance System

X.509 certificates underpin the security of the Internet economy, notably secure web servers, and they need to be revoked promptly and reliably once they are compromised. The original revocation method specified in the X.509 standard, to distribute certificate revocation lists (CRLs), is both old and untrustworthy. CRLs are susceptible to attacks such as Man-in-the-Middle and Denial of Service. The newer Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) and OCSP-stapling approaches have well-known drawbacks as well.The primary contribution of this paper is Secure Revocation as a Peer Service (SCRaaPS). SCRaaPS is an alternative, reliable way to support X.509 certificate revocation via the Scrybe secure provenance system. The blockchain support of Scrybe enables the creation of a durable, reliable revocation service that can withstand Denial-of-Service attacks and ensures non-repudiation of certificates revoked. We provide cross-CA-revocation information and address the additional problem of intermediate-certificate revocation with the knock-on effects on certificates derived thereof.A Cuckoo filter provides quick, communication-free testing by servers and browsers against our current revocation list (with no false negatives). A further contribution of this work is that the revocation service can fit in as a drop-in replacement for OCSP-stapling with superior performance and coverage both for servers and browsers. Potential revocation indicated by our Cuckoo filter is backed up by rigorous service query to eliminate false positives. Cuckoo filter parameters are also stored in our blockchain to provide open access to this algorithmic option for detection.We describe the advantages of using a blockchain-based system and, in particular, the approach to distributed ledger technology and lightweight mining enabled by Scrybe, which was designed with secure provenance in mind.
Homenaje a Eliseo Verón, en asociación.

espanolLa figura y la obra de Eliseo Veron son centrales en la constitucion del CIM (Centro de Investigaciones en Mediatizaciones), fundado en 2011 en la Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina. Su objeto de estudio es el campo de las “mediatizaciones” bajo el supuesto de la creciente complejidad de los procesos comunicativos que involucran tecnologias mediaticas. El abordaje epistemologico, teorico y metodologico de los fenomenos bajo estudio en las distintas investigaciones radicadas en el CIM se funda en la perspectiva socio-semiotica de Eliseo Veron, en dialogo transdisciplinar con otros enfoques provenientes de las Ciencias Sociales y Humanas. EnglishThe work of Eliseo Veron is central in the constitution of the CIM (Centro de Investigaciones en Mediatizaciones), founded in 2011 at the National University of Rosario, Argentina. Its object of study is the field of “mediatizations” under the assumption of the increasing complexity of the communicative processes that involve media technologies. The epistemological, theoretical and methodological approaches of the phenomena under study in the different researchs of the CIM are based on the socio-semiotic perspective of Eliseo Veron, in a transdisciplinary dialogue with Social and Human Sciences
Could hepatic ablation promote development of colon cancer hepatic metastases

Colon cancer is currently the third most common cancer and cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Approximately 35–55% of patients with colorectal cancer present with metastatic disease; of these, 10–20% of patients have resectable disease, with the liver being the most common site of metastasis (1). Surgical resection is considered the gold standard curative option for metastatic disease, with overall 5-yr survival of 35–55% after successful resection (1). Many patients with surgically unresectable disease, however, are candidates for microwave (MW) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatic metastases or other liver-directed therapies. While ablation can often be performed minimally invasively or percutaneously and is generally well tolerated with effective local tumor control, it is not without limitations.
Tomographic Image Reconstruction based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Techniques

A new approach for tomographic image reconstruction from projections using Arti fi cial Neural Network (ANN) techniques is presented in this work. The design of the proposed reconstruction system is based on a simple but e ffi cient network architecture, which best utilizes all available input information. Due to the computational complexity, which grows quadratically with the image size, the training phase of the system is characterized by relatively large CPU times. The trained network, on the contrary, is able to provide all necessary information in a quick and e ffi cient way giving results comparable to other time consuming iterative reconstruction algorithms. The performance of the network studied with a large number of software phantoms is directly compared to the well known Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (ART). For a given image and projections size, the role of the hidden layers in the network architecture is examined and the quality dependence of the reconstructed image on the size of the geometrical patterns used in the training phase is also investigated.
Thermodynamic constraints on the geochemistry of low-temperature, continental, serpentinization-generated fluids

The hydrous alteration of ultramafic rocks, known as serpentinization, generates fluids that can fuel microbial communities and enable the synthesis of simple organic compounds. Serpentinization reactions can proceed even at the ambient, low-temperature conditions present in continental aquifers raising questions about the limits of life deep in the Earth9s subsurface. Through thermodynamic calculations, we investigate various reactions that facilitate the transformation of oxic, slightly acidic rainwater into reduced, hyperalkaline fluids during low-temperature serpentinization. We explore a suite of factors (variabilities in temperature, host-rock compositions, fluid salinity, and the buffering capacity of various serpentinization-relevant minerals) that offer broad insights into the chemical environments formed through low-temperature serpentinization. Results of calculations show that alteration of olivine-rich lithologies will lead to fluids constrained by the chrysotile-brucite-diopside equilibrium assemblage, close in pH to those measured from the most alkaline fluids hosted in ultramafic rocks. Variabilities in the compositions of fluids hosted by continental serpentinizing systems can be attributed to a shift from being in equilibrium with diopside to calcite, among other reactions. Results of calculations also show that it would be difficult to distinguish fluids reacting with either fresh or altered ultramafic rocks based solely on their pH, and total dissolved Ca, Mg and Si content. Our models also account for Fe incorporation into solid solutions of serpentine and brucite and show that the global H2 flux from continental serpentinization could be considerably lower than estimates based on iron oxidation to magnetite only. Lastly, we present the energetic landscape available to subsurface microorganisms by focusing on two microbial process using H2: methanogenesis and hydrogen oxidation. Limited but available energy (0.2–1.7 calories/kg fluid) can be exploited by methanogens, permitting the possibility of deep communities in serpentinizing aquifers. More energy is available for methanogenesis (0.2–6 calories/kg fluid) and hydrogen oxidation (0–17 calories/kg fluid) when upwelling, deep-seated, serpentinization-generated fluids mix with shallow groundwater. Ultimately, predictions set forth in this study provide a framework for testing ideas that can explain the compositions of fluids and microbial communities sampled at ultramafic environments here on Earth and perhaps in the near future, on ocean worlds in our solar system.
Deep multi-agent reinforcement learning for dynamic and stochastic vehicle routing problems

Routing delivery vehicles in dynamic and uncertain environments like dense city centers is a challenging task, which requires robustness and flexibility. Such logistic problems are usually formalized as Dynamic and Stochastic Vehicle Routing Problems (DS-VRPs) with a variety of additional operational constraints, such as Capacitated vehicles or Time Windows (DS-CVRPTWs). Main heuristic approaches to dynamic and stochastic problems simply consist in restarting the optimization process on a frozen (static and deterministic) version of the problem given the new information. Instead, Reinforcement Learning (RL) offers models such as Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) which naturally describe the evolution of stochastic and dynamic systems. Their application to more complex problems has been facilitated by recent progresses in Deep Neural Networks, which can learn to represent a large class of functions in high dimensional spaces to approximate solutions with high performances. Finding a compact and sufficiently expressive state representation is the key challenge in applying RL to VRPs. Recent work exploring this novel approach demonstrated the capabilities of Attention Mechanisms to represent sets of customers and learn policies generalizing to different configurations of customers. However, all existing work using DNNs reframe the VRP as a single-vehicle problem and cannot provide online decision rules for a fleet of vehicles.In this thesis, we study how to apply Deep RL methods to rich DS-VRPs as multi-agent systems. We first explore the class of policy-based approaches in Multi-Agent RL and Actor-Critic methods for Decentralized, Partially Observable MDPs in the Centralized Training for Decentralized Control (CTDC) paradigm. To address DS-VRPs, we then introduce a new sequential multi-agent model we call sMMDP. This fully observable model is designed to capture the fact that consequences of decisions can be predicted in isolation. Afterwards, we use it to model a rich DS-VRP and propose a new modular policy network to represent the state of the customers and the vehicles in this new model, called MARDAM. It provides online decision rules adapted to the information contained in the state and takes advantage of the structural properties of the model. Finally, we develop a set of artificial benchmarks to evaluate the flexibility, the robustness and the generalization capabilities of MARDAM. We report promising results in the dynamic and stochastic case, which demonstrate the capacity of MARDAM to address varying scenarios with no re-optimization, adapting to new customers and unexpected delays caused by stochastic travel times. We also implement an additional benchmark based on micro-traffic simulation to better capture the dynamics of a real city and its road infrastructures. We report preliminary results as a proof of concept that MARDAM can learn to represent different scenarios, handle varying traffic conditions, and customers configurations.
BAINITIC TRANSFORMATION IN LOW CARBON Mn-Nb-V AND Mn-Mo-Nb-V STEELS

Isothermal transformation of austenite to bainite of different merphologies in some low carbon Mn-Nb-V and Mn-Mo-Nb-V steels was investigated.The experimentel results showed that both granular and featherlike bainite formed over the bainitic transformation temperature range and did not contain carbide. The granular bainite with non-directional islands formed in the high temperature range of bainitic transformation, the granular bainite with directional islands formed in the medium temperature range. The bainite which formed in the lower temperature range is typically featherlike. But it was found that the carbon-rich austenite islands, Present between ferrite laths, transformed to martensite on cooling. Acicular lower bainite was not observed in the steels.
Ictal Lid Movements: Blinks and Lid Saccades

Two types of lid movements, blinks and lid saccades, have discrete kinematic properties and physiology. These differences are reflected in distinct phenomenology of disorders affecting their neural substrate. Proof of this principle was seen in two patients, one with parietal lobe epilepsy and the other with temporal lobe epilepsy. The lid movements in the patient with parietal lobe epilepsy were rhythmic, yoked, and had a rapid upward component that instantaneously followed a slow downward drift. These cyclic movements strikingly resembled nystagmus, but unlike typical eye nystagmus, the rapid upward component was pathological and seemed to involve a saccadic mechanism. We suggest the terms "ictal lid saccades" or "ictal lid nystagmus" to describe such a phenomenon. In contrast, the patient with temporal lobe epilepsy had ipsilateral lid movements with rapid downward trajectories resembling reflex or spontaneous blinks. The term "ictal blink" is appropriate for this phenomenon.
An Evaluation of Post-Concussion Return to School Guidelines: A Survey of Massachusetts School Nurses.

Although all states have legislation pertaining to youth sports concussion, most of these laws focus on return-to-play procedures; only a few address return-to-learn (RTL) accommodations for studen...
Prevalence and associated characteristics of youth who trade sex in a representative sample of high school students.

Abstract Introduction Our understanding of youths’ sex trading predominantly stems from non-representative studies with high-risk populations (e.g. homeless/runaway youth). The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence and associated characteristics of youth who report sex trading (compared to those who do not) in a representative sample of high school students. Methods Data comes from the 2018 Youth Assessment, a cross-sectional survey administered to 9th through 12th graders across 24 high schools in Dane County, a predominantly urban area in Wisconsin, U.S.A. All youth who answered the question, “have you ever had sexual contact in order to stay safe or to get something like a place to stay, money, gifts, alcohol or drugs?” were included for secondary data analysis (n = 13,714). Participants were 70% White, 50% female/47% male, and 90% minors. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results 2.47% of youth reported sex trading, of whom 91% were minors. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences across demographics, economic instability, behavioral health and substance use, delinquency, and romantic/sexual behaviors. Multivariate results suggested that students who reported substance use, cutting class, 3 or more out-of-school suspensions, knowing a friend involved in a gang, dating violence, foster care involvement, or identifying as LGBTQ+ were more likely to report sex trading. Conclusions Although the causal order of characteristics analyzed in relation to the sex trading is not known, these findings have important implications for sex trading prevention, assessments, and intervention, particularly among youth with marginalized identities and adverse experiences.
Collegiate Male Athletes Exhibit Conditions of the Male Athlete Triad.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of the Male Athlete Triad (MAT) conditions: low energy availability (EA), low bone mineral density (BMD), and low testosterone in male collegiate athletes from different sports. Participants included 44 collegiate male athletes (age, 20.4 ± 0.2 yr; BMI, 25.3 ± 1.3 kg/m2) from seven sports (cross country, soccer, basketball, wrestling, track, golf, and baseball). Resting metabolic rate, three-day food intake, seven-day exercise energy expenditure, body composition, and reproductive and metabolic hormones were assessed. Of the total participants, 15% had low EA, 0% had low BMD, 28% had low total testosterone (TT), and 80% had low calculated free testosterone (cFT). There were no significant correlations between EA, BMD, TT, and cFT. Insulin and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were below and on the upper end of the reference range for healthy male adults, respectively. Insulin was negatively correlated with total (r = -0.330, p = 0.043) and lumbar spine BMD z-scores (r = -0.413, p = 0.010). Low TT and low cFT were the most prevalent MAT conditions among all athletes. Further research should investigate the relationship between insulin and SHBG and the role of these hormones in the MAT. Novelty Bullets • Assessment of energy availability alone is not sufficient to identify physiological disturbances in collegiate male athletes. • Low total and/or free testosterone may be present in some collegiate male athletes, regardless of BMD status. • Low insulin and high SHBG concentration may portray the presence of conditions of the MAT in male collegiate athletes.
Evidence for Companion-induced Secular Changes in the Turbulent Disk of a Be Star in the Large Magellanic Cloud?MACHO?Database

The light curve of a blue variable in the MACHO LMC database (FTS ID 78.5979.72) appeared nearly unvarying for about 4 yr (the quasi-flat segment) but then rapidly changed to become periodic with noisy minima for the remaining 4 yr (the periodic segment); there are no antecedent indications of a gradual approach to this change. Lomb periodogram analyses indicate the presence of two distinct periods of ~61 and 8 days in both the quasi-flat and the periodic segments. Minima of the periodic segment cover at least 50% of the orbital period and contain spikes of light with the 8 day period; maxima do not show this short period. The system typically shows maxima to be redder than minima. The most recent OGLE-III light curve shows only a 30 day periodicity. The variable's V and R magnitudes and color are those of a Be star, and recent sets of near-infrared spectra 4 days apart, secured during the time of the OGLE-III data, show H? emission near and at a maximum, confirming its Be star characteristics. The model that best fits the photometric behavior consists of a thin ringlike circumstellar disk of low mass with four obscuring sectors orbiting the central B star in unison at the 61 day period. The central star peers through the three equispaced separations between the four sectors producing the 8 day period. These sectors could be dusty vortices comprised of particles larger than typical interstellar dust grains that dim but selectively scatter the central star's light, while the remainder of the disk contains hydrogen in emission, making maxima appear redder. A companion star of lower mass in an inclined and highly eccentric orbit produces an impulsive perturbation near its periastron to change the disk's orientation, changing eclipses from partial to complete within ~10 days. The most recent change to a 30 day period observed in the OGLE-III data may be caused by obscuring sectors that have coalesced into larger ones and spread out along the disk.
Homogenous (Tight) Culture

One of the cultural dimensions that Hofstede (1980) identified was uncertainty avoidance, which stimulated research on the differences between tight and loose cultures. Homogenous or “tight” cultures have strong values and strict rules regarding what they consider to be acceptable or unacceptable behavior. Moreover, tight cultures tend to punish members who do not adhere to the norms. The opposite of a homogenous or tight culture is a heterogeneous or loose culture. However, cultures differ in the extent to which they are tight or loose. In cultures that are extremely tight, members may be punished with death for disobeying a norm while in cultures that are not as tight, members may be criticized for not following a rule. Additionally, some cultures are characterized as being tight in certain contexts (e.g., religious beliefs, child-rearing practices) and loose in other contexts (e.g., education, political orientation). Keywords: collectivism; individualism
Mitral valve incompetence due to flail anterior leaflet: A new physical sign

Abstract A new physical sign, a systolic thrill over the middle thoracic part of the vertebral column and just to the left of it, is described in patients with mitral valve incompetence secondary to a flail anterior mitral leaflet. This systolic thrill was noted in 7 patients, 6 of whom had ruptured chordae tendineae of the anterior mitral leaflet; the seventh patient had marked elongation of the chordae tendineae to the anterior mitral leaflet which gave rise to a similar pathophysiologic disturbance.
Vincent as a Negligence Case: A Justificational Analysis

In a recent symposium, Professor Sugarman asks whether any account of Vincent v. Lake Erie Steamship Company provides a justification for the outcome that avoids doctrinal, conceptual question-begging or unexplained inconsistencies within tort doctrine. This Article takes that challenge seriously by providing a justification for the decision that specifies the source of the defendant's obligation to compensate the plaintiff. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the outcome in Vincent v. Lake Erie Steamship Company is based on fault, not strict liability. Although the decision to stay at the dock was socially appropriate, the ship owner acted unreasonably by making that decision without simultaneously agreeing (implicitly) to compensate the dock owner for the damage. Negligence law says that an actor must pay for the cost of reasonable precautions, and the damage to the dock was the precaution that was needed to save the ship. Negligence law internalizes that cost for the same reason that negligence law internalizes the cost of harm when an actor has not invested in reasonable precautions - to make sure that the actor making the decisions matches social costs and benefits. In the normal negligence case, the defendant is required to internalize the cost of excessive harm so that the actor appropriately balances her interest in avoiding the time and effort of precautions against potential harm to others. In Vincent the cost is internalized so that the actor who avoids the harm appropriately balances the harm to others against the cost savings to herself. In both instances, the internalization conserves judicial resources by allowing private decision-making to maximize social value with a minimum of judicial intervention. By integrating our understanding of Vincent into the law of fault and by using the tools of both law and economics and corrective justice to do so, this Article demonstrates how justificational analysis can deepen our understanding of the law.
Screening nature (and the nature of the screen)

‘Screening nature (and the nature of the screen)’, as the title suggests, is not confined to contemporary screen cultures or screen technologies, but offers a larger panorama of screen practices that go back to pre-modern cultures, and perhaps even into the animal kingdom. My idea is to place the contemporary emphasis on an ‘archaeology of the screen’ (following Foucault) within the framework of a ‘paleontology of the screen’, one that tries to establish a fundamental ontology of the screen alongside some elementary concepts for describing and understanding the variety of screen practices.
Eta Carinae and Other Luminous Blue Variables

Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs) are believed to be evolved, extremely massive stars close to the Eddington Limit and hence prone to bouts of large-scale, unstable mass loss. I discuss current understanding of the evolutionary state of these objects, the role duplicity may play and known physical characteristics of these stars using the X-ray luminous LBVs Eta Carinae and HD 5980 as test cases.
Tests for time‐invariant correlation of longitudinally measured biomarkers

Our work is motivated by a study that longitudinally measured serum biomarkers and levels of bacterial pathogens in the oral cavity with the intent of testing if the correlation between each biomarker and each pathogen is homogeneous over time. To address this question, we propose a model for the joint distribution of the serial biomarker measures and the serial pathogen measures and use the variance of this distribution to derive the asymptotic distribution of the sample correlation coefficient of a biomarker and a pathogen at each time point. We use both a Wald test based upon Fisher's Z-transformation and an F-test with an estimated degrees of freedom in order to produce a test with valid size. We examine the performance of both tests via Monte Carlo simulation in a variety of settings defined by the number of subjects, the number of time points, and the range of the true correlation coefficients.
Trace Gas Chromatographic Techniques Below The Part-Per-Billion Level

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the trace gas chromatographic techniques below the part-per-billion level. Difficulties are frequently encountered in attempting to analyze directly organic compounds of interest, which are often below the part per billion level. Despite the use of highly sensitive instruments, detection of trace amounts of substances in this range presents a technical challenge. A good example is the isolation and identification of compounds which have profound physiological effects at very low concentrations. Another area of interest is the analysis of volatiles from biological fluids to seek distinctive differences between "normals" and those afflicted by disease. More recently, the awareness has grown that minute concentrations of chemical pollutants can have far-reaching effects as health hazards, further underscoring the need for reliable analytical techniques. Flavor and odorant studies are also areas of interest in this analytical region.
Lake Assessment Program: A Cooperative Lake Study Program

ABSTRACT The Lake Assessment Program is a cooperative lake study program involving Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) staff and local citizens. It was initiated in 1985 as a pilot program to fill the gap between the Citizen Lake Monitoring Program (Secchi disk monitoring) and intensive studies by MPCA and the Clean Lakes Program. Citizen involvement is the principal focus of the Lake Assessment Program. Citizens participate in sampling, watershed and lake review, defining the lake's history, and setting lake water quality goals. The Lake Assessment Program provides valuable information for the local citizens, MPCA, and others interested in protecting or improving the quality of a lake. Fifteen Lake Assessment Program studies have been completed. The Lake Assessment Program will be an integral part of Minnesota's Clean Water Partnership Program and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Lakes Program in Minnesota, providing information necessary to select projects and to communicate idea...
Isoflurane reduces K+ current in single smooth muscle cells of guinea pig portal vein.

Volatile anesthetics vasodilate in part by direct action on vascular smooth muscle. Isoflurane-induced relaxation of portal vein smooth muscle involves alteration of membrane ionic currents that control cell excitability and contraction. Whole cell voltage clamp technique was used to examine outward Ca 2+ -activated K + current (I K,Ca ) in guinea pig portal vein cells. Isoflurane caused a concentration-dependent reduction in I K,Ca at steady-state conditions but had no significant effect on resting potential. Isoflurane transiently potentiated I K,Ca by a mechanism that may partly involve Ca 2+ release from intracellular storage sites. The depression of I K,Ca by isoflurane may occur by direct action on the channel protein or on the lipid environment of the channel to alter conductance or kinetic properties. Since isoflurane reduces I K,Ca coincident with suppression of Ca 2+ channel current, it was concluded that the depression of I K,Ca by isoflurane is of secondary importance to reduction in inward Ca 2+ channel current. Potentiation of I K,Ca may preclude significant membrane activation during the onset of isoflurane's action.
Advanced technology and truth in advertising

Abstract Most proposals for new technological approaches fail, and that is reasonable. Despite that, most of the technological proposals arising from basic science are promoted unhesitantly, with little attention to critical appraisal, even little opportunity for the presentation of criticism. We discuss several case histories related to devices intended to displace the transistor in computer logic. Our list includes devices using control of quantum mechanically coherent electron transmission, devices operating at a molecular level, and devices using nonlinear electromagnetic interaction. Neural networks are placed in a different category; something seems to be coming out of this field after several decades of effort.
Denture mold separators as a cause of staining around porcelain denture teeth

Abstract The existence of a film is responsible for the presence of the stain between the porcelain teeth and the denture base. When this film was not deposited on the teeth, staining did not occur. No staining occurred when tinfoil was used as a separating medium and negligible staining occurred with the silicone insulating paste. When tinfoil substitutes are used, care must be exercised to prevent contact of the separating medium with the denture teeth. More work is needed to determine whether the space containing the stained alginate film might also serve as an incubator for bacterial growth.
The Quantitative Determination of Osmium Tetroxide in Fixatives

This rapid spectrophotometric method for determining the OsO4 concentration in fixative and stock solutions is based on the reduction of OsO4 by acidified KI to the blue species of OsI6 =, which is then determined at 649 mµ. The salt K2OsI6 has been isolated from the reaction mixture and characterized. Method: A I ml aliquot of the solution, containing up to 3% OsO4, is diluted to 100 ml with distilled water. To 1 ml of the diluted solution is added, in order: distilled water, 2 ml; 1 M HCI, 1 ml; and 1 M KI, 1 ml. Optical density at 649 mµ is read from 10-120 min thereafter. OsO4 concentration is calculated from the measured molecular extinction coefficient of OsI6 =, 4400 liter/mole cm.
The 1996 performance assessment for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is under development by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the geologic disposal of transuranic (TRU) waste that has been generated at government defense installations in the United States. The WIPP is located in an area of low population density in southeastern New Mexico. Waste disposal will take place in excavated chambers in a bedded salt formation approximately 655 m below the land surface. This presentation describes a performance assessment (PA) carried out at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to support the Compliance Certification Application (CCA) made by the DOE to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October, 1996, for the certification of the WIPP for the disposal of TRU waste. Based on the CCA supported by the PA described in this presentation, the EPA has issued a preliminary decision to certify the WIPP for the disposal of TRU waste. At present (April 1998), it appears likely that the WIPP will be in operation by the end of 1998.
Redox manipulation of NMDA receptors in vivo: alteration of acute pain transmission and dynorphin-induced allodynia

The redox modulatory site of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor directly regulates NMDA receptor function. Sulfhydryl reducing agents, such as dithiothreitol (DTT), potentiate NMDA receptor-evoked currents in vitro, whereas oxidizing agents, such as 5,5′-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), attenuate these currents. In this study, we examined the effect of this redox manipulations on nociceptive spinal cord signaling in mice. Intrathecal (i.t.) administration of DTT (0.1–30 nmol), presumably reducing the NMDA receptor, dose-dependently enhanced NMDA-induced nociceptive behaviors, and this enhancement was blocked by the oxidizing agent, DTNB. Pretreatment with DTT (10 nmol, i.t.) enhanced NMDA-induced tail-flick thermal hyperalgesia and intraplantar formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors. Finally, DTT pretreatment enhanced the long lasting allodynia induced by i.t. administration of dynorphin, whereas post-treatment with DTNB reduced the permanent allodynia induced by dynorphin for 5 days. Potentiation of all four of these NMDA-dependent nociceptive behaviors by DTT suggests that the reduction of the NMDA receptor by endogenous reducing agents may contribute to augmented pain transmission in response to activation by endogenous glutamate. Moreover, blockade of in vivo NMDA receptor reducing agents or oxidation of the NMDA receptor redox site may prove therapeutically useful in the treatment of chronic pain.
On the Desirability of Own-Group Preference

This article reviews and critiques the ethnic preference research that views minorities'own-group preference behavior as indicative of self-esteem and identity achievement. The assumption that own-group preference is ideal, normative, or healthy is called into question and an alternative conceptualization is advanced. It is argued that with age and maturity individuals should find themselves less prone to accept or reject ethnically salient stimuli solely on the basis of the surface features of those stimuli and more on the basis of whether such stimuli reflect personal interests, inner experiences, values, and intrapsychic needs.
Combined pharmacotherapy: pitfalls of treatment.

Combined pharmacotherapy (Wilens et al., 1995) has become an important and innovative component in the therapeutic armamentarium in child and adolescent psychiatry. Published reports (Conner et al., 1997; Kaplan et al., 1994) indicate that a substantial proportion of seriously disturbed children are treated simultaneously with several psychotropic medications. Despite this clinical enthusiasm for combined pharmacotherapy and despite the publications of rational algorithms for its use (Spencer et al., 1995; Vitiello, 1997; Walkup, 1995), there is a growing body of literature on adverse drug reactions to single and combined psychotropics in children (Bhatara et al., 1996; Cantwell et al., 1997; Fenicel, 1995; Popper et al., 1995). In addition to the caveats implicit in these adverse drug reaction reports, several published letters (Behr, 1998; Budman et al., 1995; Markowitz and Patrick, 1996; Preda et al., 1998) indicate that some children are being treated with irrational, ineffective, and potentially dangerous combinations of psychotropic medications. This article will offer a clinical perspective on the potential pitfalls associated with combined pharmacotherapy. Possible risks of, and reasons for, inappropriate combined pharmacotherapy include a number of possible causative factors (Jellinek, 1998; Woolston and Caracansi, 1999), several of which will be enumerated in this article. As with any complex phenomenon, any one of these factors may be relatively benign alone, but when they occur simultaneously, they can produce an effect that is considerably more deleterious than the simple sum of their contributions. Perhaps most important, pitfalls in pharmacotherapy are likely to occur in clusters because they are the result of systematic, rather than idiosyncratic, practice forces.