cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unfair Advantages for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Listed for Liver Transplant in Short-Wait Regions Following 2015 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Policy Change

For patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) listed for liver transplantation (LT), United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) enacted policy changes in 2015 to improve equity between HCC and non-HCC patients. We evaluated the impact of these changes on regional disparities in wait-list dropout and LT. We included patients in the UNOS database listed with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease HCC exceptions in long-wait regions (LWRs), mid-wait regions (MWRs), and short-wait regions (SWRs) before these policy changes (era 1, January 1 to December 31, 2013) and after (era 2, October 7, 2015, to October 7, 2016). Cumulative incidence of wait-list dropout and LT were evaluated using competing risk regression. Median time to LT increased by 3.6 months (3.1 to 6.7 months) in SWRs and 1.3 months (6.9 to 8.2 months) in MWRs (P < 0.001), with a slight decrease in LWRs (13.4 to 12.9 months; P = 0.02). The 2-year cumulative incidence of dropout increased from 9.7% to 14.8% in SWRs (P = 0.03) and from 18.9% to 22.6% in MWRs (P = 0.18) but decreased in LWRs from 26.7% to 24.8% (P = 0.31). Factors predicting wait-list dropout included listing in era 2 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.17), in LWRs (HR, 2.56), and in MWRs (HR, 1.91). Regional differences in wait-list outcomes decreased with policy changes, but HCC patients in SWRs remain advantaged. Recent policy change may narrow these disparities.
Competitive opinion maximization in social networks

Influence maximization in social networks has been intensively studied in recent years, where the goal is to find a small set of seed nodes in a social network that maximizes the spread of influence according to a diffusion model. Recent research on influence maximization mainly focuses on incorporating either user opinions or competitive settings in the influence diffusion model. In many real-world applications, however, the influence diffusion process often involves both real-valued opinions from users and multiple parties that are competing with each other. In this paper, we study the problem of competitive opinion maximization, where the game of influence diffusion includes multiple competing products and the goal is to maximize the total opinions of activated users by each product. This problem is very challenging because it is #P-hard and no longer keeps the property of submodularity. We propose a novel model, called ICOM (Iterative Competitive Opinion Maximization), that can effectively and efficiently maximize the total opinions in competitive games by taking user opinions as well as the competitor's strategy into account. Different from existing influence maximization methods, we inhibit the spread of negative opinions and search for the optimal response to opponents' choices of seed nodes. We apply iterative inference based on a greedy algorithm to reduce the computational complexity. Empirical studies on real-world datasets demonstrate that comparing with several baseline methods, our approach can effectively and efficiently improve the total opinions achieved by the promoted product in the competitive network.
LDMS Monitoring of EDR InfiniBand Networks

We introduce a new HPC system high-speed network fabric production monitoring tool, the ibnet sampler plugin for LDMS version 4. Large-scale testing of this tool is our work in progress. When deployed appropriately, the ibnet sampler plugin can provide extensive counter data, at frequencies up to 1 Hz. This allows the LDMS monitoring system to be useful for tracking the impact of new network features on production systems. We present preliminary results concerning reliability, performance impact, and usability of the sampler.
Synthesis, characterization, and single-crystal growth of a high-entropy rare-earth pyrochlore oxide

The synthesis and single-crystal growth of a rare-earth high-entropy oxide ${({\mathrm{Yb}}_{0.2}{\mathrm{Tb}}_{0.2}{\mathrm{Gd}}_{0.2}{\mathrm{Dy}}_{0.2}{\mathrm{Er}}_{0.2})}_{2}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ in the cubic pyrochlore phase $Fd\overline{3}m$ are achieved by solid-state reaction and optical floating-zone growth techniques. X-ray diffraction and a structure refinement analysis confirm a single-phase pyrochlore structure and lattice parameter of $a=10.1152(3)\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\AA{}$. Additional characterization techniques, including scanning transmission electron microscopy and nanoscale electron-energy loss spectroscopy mapping, support a single-phase pyrochlore structure with a homogeneous mixture down to \ensuremath{\sim}2.3 nm. Magnetization measurements on a single crystal reveal antiferromagnetic correlations with a spin-glass ground state. These results show that it is possible to grow large single crystals of a high entropy pyrochlore oxide, expanding the avenues for future high-entropy oxide research.
Simultaneous multimodal optical coherence and three-photon microscopy of the mouse brain in the 1700 nm optical window in vivo

Multimodal imaging combining various imaging approaches can provide complementary information about tissue in a single imaging session. Here, we introduce a multimodal approach combining three-photon microscopy (3PM) and spectral-domain optical coherence microscopy (SD-OCM) for the first time. We demonstrate the use of an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) laser source, commonly used for three-photon fluorescence excitation and thirdharmonic generation (THG), for simultaneous OCM and three-photon (3P) imaging. We validated the system in deep mouse brain in vivo with neuronal imaging. We visualized small structures such as myelinated axons, neurons, and large fiber tracts in white matter with high spatial resolution in a fast and non-invasive manner using linear and nonlinear contrast in the deep mouse brain (>1 mm) with an OPCPA source operating at 1620 nm central wavelength. Our method demonstrates the potential of the system for simultaneous OCM and 3PM with the same laser source.
Issues for LGBTQ Elderly

LGBTQ elders have faced several eras of social and political changes that entail minority stress, psychosocial stressors, and resilience. Although LGBTQ research and psychological practice has increased dramatically in the last two decades, researchers from a myriad of disciplines are distinctly paying attention to LGBTQ elders, older adults, and gerontology. This alarming gap has been rendered more visible through the concurrent forces of ageism within the broader experiences of LGBTQ communities. Ageism generally influences several social determinants of health, including discrimination, barriers to seeking help, housing, and financial concerns. Combined with the lens of intersectionality, structural forces of oppression considerably conflate with ageism, including racism, classism, genderism, and heterosexism. This chapter addresses three main goals: (a) an overview of contemporary research involving LGBTQ elders, aging, and gerontology; (b) theoretical underpinnings of intersectionality to reflect LGBTQ elders with other dimensions of culture and forces of oppression; and (c) considerations for practice and research areas with LGBTQ elders.
Chapter 17. Molecular Mechanisms and Pharmacological Modulation in Psoriasis

Publisher Summary Psoriasis is a skin disease that occurs in separated patches over the body. Its causes are probably multiple genetic and environmental factors acting in concert. The clinical lesion of psoriasis has several compartments such as dermal, vascular, inflammatory, immunologic, nervous, and others. The epidermal compartment is the only one that is surgically obtained in sufficient quantity, with reasonable homogeneity, and with minimal scarring of the patient. Epidermal research in psoriasis is reasonable and justifiable, because without abnormal epidermal homeostasis, the psoriatic lesion could not exist or at least would not pose a significant clinical problem. In psoriasis the lesional epidermal cell surface is reduced by ultrastructural analysis. This is a general feature of a stimulated epidermis, thus being nonspecific for psoriasis. Because normal epidermal growth regulation is impossible without a normal cell surface, such potential nonspecificity should not diminish the importance of this observation. The abnormal HL-A psoriatic phenotype could alter cell adhesion-mediated growth control in the epidermis. The abnormal HL-A phenotype could alternatively interfere with the potential physiological regulation of the epidermal cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) content by endogenous beta catecholamine. Cyclic AMP is certainly but one possible regulator of proliferation and differentiation in epidermis. However, in several systems cyclic AMP appears to play a major role in growth and differentiation.
Free‐Electron Lasers

Free-electron lasers (FELs) are radiation sources, based on the coherent emission of synchrotron radiation of relativistic electrons within an undulator or wiggler. The resonant radiation wavelength depends on the electron beam energy and can be tuned over the entire spectrum from micrometer to X-ray radiation. The emission level of FELs is several orders of magnitude larger than the emission level of spontaneous synchrotron radiation, because the interaction between the electron beam and the radiation field modulates the beam current with the periodicity of the resonant radiation wavelength. The high brightness and the spectral range of this kind of radiation source facilitate the study of physical and chemical process on a femtosecond scale with angstrom resolution. Keywords: free-electron laser; undulator; microbunching; SASE FEL; FEL oscillator; FEL amplifier; FEL parameter; gain length
Expression of Thrombospondin in TGFβ-Treated APCs and Its Relevance to Their Immune Deviation-Promoting Properties

APCs deployed within iris/ciliary body are responsible for promoting anterior chamber-associated immune deviation following injection of Ag into the eye. TGFbeta-2, a constituent of the ocular microenvironment, converts conventional APCs that are pulsed with Ag into cells that induce immune deviation when injected into naive mice. TGFbeta-2-treated APCs under-express IL-12 and CD40, and over-express active TGFbeta. We have examined transcriptional changes within macrophage hybridoma no. 59, which promotes Th1 cell differentiation, and TGFbeta-2-treated no. 59 as well as macrophage hybridoma no. 63, both of which induce immune deviation similar to anterior chamber-associated immune deviation. Immune deviation-inducing hybridomas up-regulated expression of thrombospondin, TGFbeta, IFN-alpha and beta, murine macrophage elastase, and macrophage-inflammatory protein-2 genes, while down-regulating expression of the genes for NF-kappaB and CD40. Based on the known properties of these gene products, a model is proposed in which these gene products, alone and through interacting signaling pathways, confer upon conventional APCs the capacity to create and surround themselves with an immunomodulatory microenvironment. The model proposes that the pleiotropic effects of thrombospondin are primarily responsible for creating this microenvironment that is stabile, rich in active TGFbeta and IFN-alpha and beta, deficient in IL-12, and chemoattractant via macrophage-inflammatory protein-2 for NK T cells. It is further proposed that presentation of Ag to T cells in this microenvironment leads to their differentiation into regulatory cells that suppress Th1 cell-dependent immunogenic inflammation.
Elements Related to Teaching Pilots Aeronautical Decision Making

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has placed increasing emphasis on aeronautical decision making (ADM) instruction, and it is critical that flight training schools ensure that their students are meeting and exceeding these requirements, especially since it has been shown that training in ADM can reduce the amount of errors caused by poor decision making (Berlin et al., 1982; Buch & Diehl, 1984; Buch, Lawton, & Livack, 1987; Connolly & Blackwell, 1989; Telfer, 1989). The goal of this study was to determine the status of ADM training at a collegiate flight training school and if there was any need for program improvement. Two surveys were used to define the ADM training environment. One survey was designed to determine the methods that professors believe should be used to teach ADM and the elements of ADM that should be included in instruction. A second survey focused on identifying methods and elements that were currently being used by flight instructors. The results of the surveys were then compared to determine if there were significant differences between what professors of aviation believed should be taught and what flight instructors were actually teaching in regards to ADM. The findings suggest that instructors were not consistently using the types of situations that allow students to practice decision making, nor were they consistently emphasizing the different types of elements that contribute to good decision making. Recommendations based on this research included: (a) analyzing the nature of ADM-related instruction at other collegiate flight training schools using similar methodology, (b) providing additional ADM-related ground and flight instruction, (c) determining the students’ perceptions of ADM instruction in the aircraft, and (d) adapting lesson plans to provide additional/more effective opportunities for students to practice ADM.
Ligand-induced internalization and increased cell calcium are mediated via distinct structural elements in the carboxyl terminus of the epidermal growth factor receptor.

Abstract Signals that can mediate ligand-induced receptor internalization and calcium regulation are present in a 48-amino acid "calcium-internalization" domain in the C' terminus of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. The basis of calcium and internalization regulation signalled by this 48-amino acid sequence was analyzed using deletion and substitution mutant receptors. Cells expressing truncated receptors containing either the NH2- or COOH-terminal portion of the 48-residue domain displayed high affinity EGF-dependent endocytosis and receptor down-regulation. These endocytosis-competent EGF receptor mutants that lacked any autophosphorylation site were unable to increase the concentration of intracellular calcium. To investigate the role of self-phosphorylation in EGF-induced calcium mobilization, phenylalanine was substituted for the single autophosphorylated tyrosine residue in this region of an internalization-competent truncated receptor. The receptor-mediated calcium response was abolished, while ligand-dependent receptor internalization was unimpaired. These results demonstrate that EGF-dependent receptor endocytosis and calcium mobilization are separate events. Tyrosine self-phosphorylation is required for increased [Ca2+]i, while structural features distinct from autophosphorylation are required for receptor internalization.
Energy Transmission Access Across Wild and Scenic Rivers: Balancing Increased Access to Nontraditional Power Sources with Environmental Protection Policies

Increases in the level of renewable energy production, spurred by climate change mitigation goals and regulatory programs such as state renewable energy portfolio standards, and in the level of fossil fuels extraction spurred by technological developments allowing access to previously unavailable natural gas supplies, have created a need for new energy transmission facilities. The new supplies are often located far from centers of high energy demand, requiring transportation over long distances. Some of the routes chosen for the new electric transmission lines and natural gas pipelines have already come into conflict with the environmental protections provided by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA). Other, similar conflicts are sure to follow. This article explores the clash between the policies that support increased production of and access to renewable energy and unconventional natural gas supplies and the preservationist impulse reflected in the WSRA. The parameters of this clash are difficult to discern, given the frustrating, obtuse, and rarely construed provisions of the Act that constrain federal assistance to and approval of energy-related facilities. This article identifies unresolved questions concerning the proper interpretation of these provisions and suggests how they should be resolved. Using the WSRA’s application to energy transmission facilities as an example of traditional conflicts between energy and environmental policies, it suggests an approach to accommodation. That approach involves avoidance, mitigation, and careful creation of exemptions from WSRA constraints that promise to serve energy policy goals and contribute to climate change mitigation, while retaining key protections for the nation’s most treasured river habitats.
Abstract P329: High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein is Associated With Incident Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among African-Americans: The Jackson Heart Study

Introduction: Previous studies on the association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among African-Americans have been inconclusive. We assess the association between hs-CRP and incident T2DM in the Jackson Heart Study, a large African-American cohort. Methods: The study included 3,340 participants without T2DM at baseline (2000-2004). Incident T2DM was defined as fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl, physician diagnosis, use of diabetes drugs, or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% at one of two follow-up exams. Hs-CRP was measured by CRP-Latex assay. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for incident T2DM, adjusting for age, sex, education, alcohol, BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, physical activity, HOMA IR , HDL, and triglycerides. Results: Participants were aged 53.3 ± 12.5 years (63% women). After a median follow-up of 7.5 years, 17.4% (581 of 3,340) developed T2DM (23.1/1000 person-years, 95%CI: 21.3 - 25.1). Hs-CRP levels were 3.5 and 2.3 mg/l in those who developed T2DM and those who did not, respectively (p IR , the association was no longer statistically significant. In adjusted obesity-stratified analysis, the hs-CRP-T2DM association appeared stronger in non-obese (BMI -2 ) compared to obese (BMI ≥ 30 kgm -2 ) participants (P interaction = 0.01) (Figure 1). A similar pattern was observed in analysis stratified by waist circumference. Conclusions: In this study, the association between hs-CRP and incident T2DM is largely explained by obesity and insulin resistance measures. Our findings also suggest that hs-CRP may have an important role in T2DM development among non-obese African-Americans.
Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and testing the phylogenetic position of turtles (Testudines)

Morphological and molecular studies have inferred multiple hypotheses for the phylogenetic relationships of Testudines. The hypothesis that Testudines are the only extant anapsid amniotes and the sister taxon of diapsid amniotes is corroborated by morphological studies, while the hypothesis that Testudines are diapsid amniotes is corroborated by more recent molecular and morphological studies. In this study, the placement of Testudines is tested using the full length cDNA sequence of the polypeptide hormone precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Because only extant taxa have been used, the hypotheses being tested are limited to the following (1) Testudines as the sister taxon of Archosauria, (2) Testudines included in Archosauria and the sister taxon of Crocodilia, (3) Testudines as the sister taxon of Lepidosauria, (4) Testudines as the sister taxon of Sauria, and (5) Testudines as the sister taxon of a monophyletic Mammalia–Sauria clade. Neither Maximum likelihood, Bayesian, or maximum parsimony analyses are able to falsify the hypothesis of (Archosauria (Lepidosauria, Testudines)) and as such is the preferred inference from the POMC data. Zusammenfassung Morphologische und molekluargenetische Untersuchungen haben zu verschiedenen Hypothesen uber die Verwandtschaftsverhaltnisse der Testudines gefuhrt. Die Hypothese, dass Testudines die einzigen noch lebenden anapsiden Amnioten und das Schwestertaxon der diapsiden Amnioten sind, wird durch morphologische Untersuchungen bekraftigt, wahrend neuere morphologische und molekulargenetische Studien eher die Hypothese stutzen, dass Testudines diapside Amnioten sind. In dieser Studie untersuchen wir die Stellung der Testudines mittels vollstandiger cDNA-Sequenzen des polypeptiden Prohormons Proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Da nur lebende Taxa verwendet werden, konnen nur folgende Hypothesen getestet werden: 1) Testudines ist das Schwestertaxon der Archosauria, 2) Testudines sind in Archosauria enthalten und somit das Schwestertaxon der Crocodilia, 3) Testudines sind das Schwestertaxon der Lepidosauria, 4) Testudines sind das Schwestertaxon der Sauria und 5) Testudines sind das Schwestertaxon einer monophyletischen Mammalia–Sauria Gruppe. Weder Maximum-Likelihood, Bayesian oder Maximale Parsimony Analysen waren in der Lage, die Hypothese (Archosauria (Lepidosauria, Testudines)) zu falsifizieren, sodass diese die bevorzugte Folgerung aus den POMC Daten darstellt.
Electromagnetic transport measurements of the Florida current

The measurement of cross-stream potential (voltage difference) using a submarine cable that makes seawater contact at opposite sides of the stream is an inexpensive method for monitoring transport of the Florida Current. Theory, techniques, and certain experiments applied to this type of current measurement for eliminating the geomagnetic noise, a major obstacle to this method in the past, and for estimating the effect of electric current flow are presented here in summary.
Imitative Learning of Actions on Objects by Children, Chimpanzees, and Enculturated Chimpanzees

In this study we compared the abilities of chimpanzees and human children to imitatively learn novel actions on objects. Of particular interest were possible differences between chimpanzees raised mostly with conspecifics (mother-reared) and chimpanzees raised in a human-like cultural environment (enculturated). Subjects were thus 3 enculturated and 3 mother-reared chimpanzees, along with 8 18-month-old and 8 30-month-old human children. Each subject was tested over a 2-day period with 16 novel objects. The introduction of each object was preceded by a baseline period in which the subject's natural proclivities toward the object were determined. For 12 objects, a human experimenter demonstrated first a simple and then a complex novel action, instructing the subject in each case to "Do what I do" (chimpanzees were prepared for the task behaviorally as well). For the other 4 objects, demonstration of a single action took place on the first day and the subject's opportunity to imitate was delayed until the second day, 48 hours later. Actions that a subject produced in baseline were excluded from further analysis. For each analyzed action, the subject's behavior was scored as to whether it successfully reproduced (1) the end result of the demonstrated action, and (2) the behavioral means used by the demonstrator. Results showed that in immediate imitation the mother-reared chimpanzees were much poorer imitators than the enculturated chimpanzees and the human children, who did not differ from one another. Surprisingly, on the delay trials, the enculturated chimpanzees significantly outperformed the other 3 groups. We conclude from these results that a human-like sociocultural environment is an essential component in the development of human-like social-cognitive and imitative learning skills for chimpanzees, and perhaps for human beings as well.
A direct manipulation language for explaining algorithms

Instructors typically explain algorithms in computer science by tracing their behavior, often on blackboards, sometimes with algorithm visualizations. Using blackboards can be tedious because they do not facilitate manipulation of the drawing, while visualizations often operate at the wrong level of abstraction or must be laboriously hand-coded for each algorithm. In response, we present a direct manipulation (DM) language for explaining algorithms by manipulating visualized data structures. The language maps DM gestures onto primitive program behaviors that occur in commonly taught algorithms. We performed an initial evaluation of the DM language on teaching assistants of an undergraduate algorithms class, who found the language easier to use and more helpful for explaining algorithms than a standard drawing application (GIMP).
Amniotic fluid-AFP in Down syndrome and other chromosome abnormalities

80.2 Per cent of 111 Down syndrome pregnancies had anmiotic fluid (AF) alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels on or below the median and 10.8 per cent at or below 0.5 MoM compared with 41.9 and 1.4 per cent of controls. These differences were even more striking when the gestational age was less than 18 weeks compared with greater than or equal to 18 weeks. No such association was seen for other chromosome abnormalities including trisomy 18,45,X and mosaics, 47,XXY,47,XXX, and other structural abnormalities and triploidy, even when high levels due to defects such as omphalocele and cystic hygroma were excluded. All cases of trisomy 13 and 80 per cent with 47,XYY had AF-AFP levels above the median. Selection of cases for karyotyping by a low level of AF-AFP would clearly fail to detect aneuploidies other than Down syndrome and is not recommended. A possible weak association between low maternal serum (MS) and AF-AFPs in Down syndrome was most evident at less than 18 weeks, suggesting that MS screening between 16 and 18 weeks may be the most informative time.
Videoendoscopic diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders

Abstract Background: Esophageal motility disorders are usually diagnosed by manometry. We evaluated videoendoscopy as a diagnostic test. Methods: In this study, 20 patients with achalasia, 13 with scleroderma, and 33 control subjects had a standard endoscopic examination followed by protocol videotaping of swallows to observe contractions in the esophagus and in the lower esophageal sphincter. Tapes were later reviewed by 2 blinded observers who recorded their motility findings and diagnoses. Results: In the mid esophagus at 25 cm, lumen-occluding peristaltic contractions were identified in 26 of 33 control subjects versus 1 of 20 achalasia ( p p p p p Conclusions: Achalasia and esophageal scleroderma can be identified by endoscopic observation of motility. This procedure may represent an adjunctive diagnostic test to manometry. (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;49:62-9.)
The Last Suffrage Movement: Voting Rights for Persons with Cognitive and Emotional Disabilities

Although voting is recognized as afundamental right, constitutional and legislative reforms have been necessary to prevent states from excluding certain individuals from voting based on their race, previous servitude, class, and gender Most states, however, still excludefrom voting one group of citizensthose who have cognitive and emotional impairments. This article addresses the political and legal argumentsfor suffragefor these individuals. Itfurther argues that these provisions are unconstitutional, and proposes reforms consistent with constitutional requirements for protecting basic rights.
Effect of cholesterol and charge on pore formation in bilayer vesicles by a pH-sensitive peptide

The effect of cholesterol on the bilayer partitioning of the peptide GALA (WEAALAEALAEALAEHLAEALAEALEALAA) and its assembly into a pore in large unilamellar vesicles composed of neutral and negatively charged phospholipids has been determined. GALA undergoes a conformational change from a random coil to an amphipathic alpha-helix when the pH is reduced from 7.0 to 5.0, inducing at low pH leakage of contents from vesicles. Leakage from neutral or negatively charged vesicles at pH 5.0 was similar and could be adequately explained by the mathematical model (Parente, R. A., S. Nir, and F. C. Szoka, Jr., 1990. Mechanism of leakage of phospholipid vesicle contents induced by the peptide GALA. Biochemistry. 29:8720–8728) which assumed that GALA becomes incorporated into the vesicle bilayer and irreversibly aggregates to form a pore consisting of 10 +/- 2 peptides. Increasing cholesterol content in the membranes resulted in a reduced efficiency of the peptide to induce leakage. Part of the cholesterol effect was due to reduced binding of the peptide to cholesterol-containing membranes. An additional effect of cholesterol was to increase reversibility of surface aggregation of the peptide in the membrane. Results could be explained and predicted with a model that retains the same pore size, i.e., 10 +/- 2 peptides, but includes reversible aggregation of the monomers to form the pore. Resonance energy transfer experiments using fluorescently labeled peptides confirmed that the degree of reversibility of surface aggregation of GALA was significantly larger in cholesterol-containing liposomes, thus reducing the efficiency of pore formation.
RECOVERING RINGS FROM ZERO-DIVISOR GRAPHS

Suppose G is the zero-divisor graph of some commutative ring with 1. When G has four or more vertices, a method is presented to find a specific commutative ring R with 1 such that Γ(R) ≅ G. Furthermore, this ring R can be written as R ≅ R1 × R2 × ⋯ × Rn, where each Ri is local and this representation of R is unique up to factors Ri with isomorphic zero-divisor graphs. It is also shown that for graphs on four or more vertices, no local ring has the same zero-divisor graph as a non-local ring and no reduced ring has the same zero-divisor graph as a non-reduced ring.
Using optical coherence tomography to evaluate glaucoma implant healing response in rabbit eyes

Glaucoma is a set of diseases that cause optic nerve damage and visual field loss. The most important risk factor for the development of glaucoma is elevated intraocular pressure. One approach used to alleviate the pressure increase is to surgically install glaucoma implants. Two standard Ahmed and ten experimental ePTFE implants were evaluated in this study in rabbit eyes. The implants were imaged with optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 0, 7, 15, 30, and 90 days after implantation. Histology was collected at days 7, 15, 30, and 90 and compared to the OCT images. Preliminary analysis of images indicates that OCT can visualize the development of fibrous encapsulation of the implant, tissue erosion, fibrin accumulation in the implant tube, and tube position in the anterior chamber. A new OCT handheld probe was developed to facilitate in vivo imaging in rabbit eye studies. The OCT probe consists of a mechanical scaffold designed to allow the imaging fiber to be held in a fixed position with respect to the rabbit eye, with minimal anesthesia. A piezo electric lateral scanning device allows the imaging fiber to be scanned across the tissue so that 2D images may be acquired.
A Mathematical Model for Predicting the Internal Parameters of Ball Mill

The internal parameters of ball mill are very important in the grinding process and have significant impact on the grinding results. Accurate measurement of the internal parameters of ball mill is crucial and indispensable for optimization and control of grinding process. In this paper, a novel tri-sensor measurement method was used to measure the external signals (i.e., bearing pressure, sound intensity and power consumption) of ball mill. Mathematical models, which link the external signals of ball mill with its internal parameters, were established to predict the internal parameters of ball mill. Experimental results showed that the mathematical models could directly predict the internal parameters of ball mill once the external signals were obtained. The tri-sensor measurement method and the mathematical models proposed in this paper provided a new way and solid basis for optimization and control of ball milling.
Flow preferences of individual blacknose dace ( Rhinichthys atratulus ); influence of swimming ability and environmental history

Fish from lotic environments generally have a variety of flow velocities available to them in their immediate environment. Other than prey availability or predator presence, little is known about what factors determine where in this mosaic of flows an individual fish will choose to locate. Since individuals of a species can have substantially different swimming abilities, and interspecific differences in flow velocity selection have been related to differential swimming abilities, one possibility is that an animal’s physical condition constrains the flow environments it chooses to occupy. Additionally, since the flow in an animal’s environment can contribute to swimming ability, there could also be environmental control over flow selection behavior. This study examined whether flow velocity selection by individual blacknose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus) is a repeatable trait in the laboratory, and whether it is a function of either the animal’s swimming ability or the magnitude of flow in their home stream reach. Blacknose dace from two populations, collected from each of two separate reaches with substantially different flows from within their home streams, exhibited significantly repeatable flow velocity selection over the course of 1 day in the laboratory. The flow velocity selected by the fish varied significantly among individual dace. Some of this variance was accounted for by fish from the slower stream reaches choosing significantly faster flows than did those from faster reaches. There were no significant differences in flow selection behavior between populations. There was also no relationship between sprinting ability and the flow velocity selected by a fish.
Effective quark-antiquark potential for the constituent quark model.

We use Dual QCD to derive an effective potential to order (quark mass)-2 for a constituent quark and antiquark. This is done by expanding the dual QCD Lagrangian to second order in the qq¯ spins and velocities around the static central potential, in which the quarks are both spinless and stationary. The field equations are then used to eliminate the dual gluon fields and the Higgs fields of dual QCD in favor of quark variables for an arbitrary but slowly moving qq¯ pair with a Dirac string of arbitrary shape connecting them. The result is a Lagrangian, and therefore, a potential, which depends only on the qq¯ positions, velocities, and spins. Dual QCD contains only three parameters, which can be determined from the vacuum energy density, the string tension, and the strength of the Coulomb singularity of the central potential. The only free parameters in the spin- and velocity-dependent part of the effective potential are, therefore, the masses of the c and b quarks. When inserted into a Schrodinger equation these potentials provide a complete effective constituent quark theory which can be used to calculate qq¯ energy levels in terms of the masses and the masses can thereby be fixed (agreement with experiment is excellent). The various potential, spin-spin, spin-orbit, and spinless velocity dependent, can also in principle be compared to lattice calculations of the same quantities. For the spin-orbit case, for example, the agreement is good, although lattice results are not yet precise enough for a real comparison to be made. For the potentials proportional to the velocity squared lattice results do not yet exist. We also attempt to extend the use of these potentials to heavy-light quark-antiquark systems through use of the Salpeter equation and the Dirac equation. The results of this effort are described in two Appendices.
Meaningful texts: the extraction of semantic information from monolingual and multilingual corpora

Meaningful texts: the extraction of semantic information from monolingual and multilingual corpora, edited by Geoff Barnbrook, Pernilla Danielsson, and Michaela Mahlberg, London, UK, Continuum, 200...
The effect of radiation on the response of dental pulp to operative and endodontic procedures: An experimental study

Thirty-six 56-day-old male Sprague-Dawley albino rats served as two groups of experimental animals. Group 1 was irradiated with 400 rads delivered as total-body radiation from a cesium source. Group 2 served as the control group and was not irradiated. Three weeks later, the dental microscope was used to facilitate various dental procedures in both groups of animals (cavity preparation filled with zinc oxide-eugenol, pulp exposure capped with zinc oxide-eugenol, and pulp exposure left open). Two animals for each procedure from Groups 1 and 2 were killed at time intervals of 2, 4, and 8 weeks. The results showed that (1) radiation at this dose resulted in a depression of the normal response of the dental pulp to the trauma and infection induced by pulpal exposure, (2) there were no pathologic changes in the untreated molars of the irradiated animals, and (3) the use of the dental microscope greatly facilitated cavity preparation in the molars of rats.
Anisotropy of building blocks and their assembly into complex structures

A revolution in novel nanoparticles and colloidal building blocks has been enabled by recent breakthroughs in particle synthesis. These new particles are poised to become the ‘atoms’ and ‘molecules’ of tomorrow’s materials if they can be successfully assembled into useful structures. Here, we discuss the recent progress made in the synthesis of nanocrystals and colloidal particles and draw analogies between these new particulate building blocks and better-studied molecules and supramolecular objects. We argue for a conceptual framework for these new building blocks based on anisotropy attributes and discuss the prognosis for future progress in exploiting anisotropy for materials design and assembly.
Determination of Irradiation and Primary Production Using a Time-Dependent Attenuation Coefficient

A time-dependent vertical irradiance attenuation coefficient kv(θr) is utilized in conjunction with the Vollenweider-Fee primary production model to determine the effect of the diurnal variation of solar zenith angle on estimations of primary production and irradiation. Such effects are considered as a function of both geographic latitude (northern hemisphere) and time of year. It is shown that the effect of solar zenith angle dependence of the vertical irradiance attenuation coefficient on the determination of daily primary production is small (< ± 15%) for any latitude or time of year. The effect of solar zenith angle dependence of the vertical irradiance attenuation coefficient on the determination of irradiation at a given depth, however, can be quite significant. Examples of this impact on irradiation determinations in Lakes Superior, Ontario, and Erie are presented, as is the fact that such inaccuracies in both irradiation and primary production estimates may be dramatically minimized by a judicious selection of solar zenith angle at which to determine a single value of kv. For the Great Lakes latitudes, this solar zenith angle range is 36°–70° depending upon location and time of year.
Asymptotic behaviour of estimates of link probability in random networks

We consider the asymptotic behaviour of likelihood estimates of link probability in classical random networks. We prove the estimates tend to the critical value of the phase transition of giant component. As an application, a description of epidemic spreading is given.
A brief marijuana intervention for non-treatment-seeking young adult women

We randomized 332 women, 18-24 years old, who were not explicitly seeking treatment for their marijuana use to either a two-session motivationally focused intervention or an assessment-only condition. Assessed by timeline follow-back methodology, participants reported using marijuana 57% of days in the 3 months prior to study entry. Intervention effects on the likelihood of marijuana use were not statistically significant at 1 month (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, p = .17), significant at 3 months (OR = 0.53, p = .01), and no longer significant at 6 months (OR = 0.74, p = .20). Among the 61% of participants endorsing any desire to quit using marijuana at baseline, significant intervention effects on the likelihood of marijuana use days were observed at 1 month (OR = 0.42, p = .03), 3 months (OR = 0.31, p = .02), and 6 months (OR = 0.35, p = .03). A two-session brief motivational intervention reduced marijuana use among young women not seeking treatment. Women with a desire to quit showed a greater and more durable response.
Elastic scattering in nucleon-nucleon collisions

Recently, E811 has measured[1] the total cross section for pp scattering at √s = 1800 GeV. In this paper, we refit the experimental data for σtot, ϱ and B for both pp and pp to a QCD-inspired eikonal model, including the new σtot measurement.
Controlled Production of Molecule Corrals Using Cesium Ion Bombardment: A TOF−SIMS, XPS, and STM Study

The surface chemistry of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) bombarded with energetic Cs+ ions was studied using the combined surface analysis techniques of TOF−SIMS (time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and STM (scanning tunneling microscopy). Controlled surface modification of HOPG was achieved by bombardment of HOPG with Cs+ ions at various energies ranging from 0.24 to 10 keV and at various dose densities. The experimental findings suggest that cesium implanted into HOPG exists in an oxidized state, i.e., in a form of cesium oxide. The Cs+ bombardment of HOPG enhances oxygen adsorption due to both the dissociative adsorption of oxygen at HOPG defect sites produced by Cs+ ions, and by the formation of cesium oxide. The surface coverage of cesium on HOPG increases linearly with increasing Cs+ dose density at low bombardment energies (≤ 1 keV) and is independent of Cs+ dose density at high energies (≥ 3 keV). The surface coverage of cesium decreas...
Back pain prevalence in US industry and estimates of lost workdays.

OBJECTIVES: Back pain is the most common reason for filing workers' compensation claims and often causes lost workdays. Data from the 1988 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed to identify high-risk industries and to estimate the prevalence of work-related back pain and number of workdays lost. METHODS: Analyses included 30074 respondents who worked during the 12 months before the interview. A case patient was defined as a respondent who had back pain every day for a week or more during that period. RESULTS: The prevalence of lost-workday back pain was 4.6%, and individuals with work-related cases lost 101.8 million workdays owing to back pain. Male and female case patients lost about the same number of workdays. Industries in high-risk categories were also identified for future research and intervention, including those seldom studied. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides statistically reliable national estimates of the prevalence of back pain among workers and the enormous effect of this condition ...
Transforming growth factor‐β: An important mediator of immunoregulation

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is synthesized and secreted by a wide variety of cells, including cells of the immune system. Lymphocytes and monocytes possess high affinity TGF-beta receptors and the addition of TGF-beta to in vitro cell cultures results in significant modulation of immune function. TGF-beta inhibits the proliferation of thymocytes, T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells. Additionally, it inhibits certain differentiative functions of lymphocytes including a marked inhibition of immunoglobulin production by human B lymphocytes. TGF-beta has dichotomous actions on monocytes. It is a potent chemoattractant for monocytes and induces interleukin 1 mRNA expression while inhibiting generation of reactive oxygen intermediates and monocyte killing. Evidence is accumulating that TGF-beta regulates immune function in vivo and that overproduction of TGF-beta may be associated with immunosuppression.
A systems‐based approach to implementing a pain management agreement system in primary care

Managing chronic non-malignant pain is a common and difficult issue for primary care physicians who seek to provide appropriate pain management while minimizing the potential for drug abuse. One promising approach is the use of opioid agreements or contracts with patients being treated with opioids for chronic pain. Despite the increasingly common use of such agreements, little has been written about their development and use in primary care settings. This article describes the initial implementation of a pain management agreement system in a primary care setting that reflects a systems-based approach to practice development. Lessons learned and plans for future studies of outcomes are described. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Feminist Theology and Curriculum Theory

There seems to come a time (perhaps more than once) both in individual history and in the sharing of individual histories when established rules, forms and even perspectives no longer seem relevant, no longer seem to express the lived experience of those who follow the rules, use the forms, view from the perspectives. This seems to be such a time for me, for feminist theology and for curriculum theory. This process and its pattern in history is described by Isaiah Berlin: The history of thought and culture is, as Hegel showed with great brilliance, a changing pattern of great liberating ideas which inevitably turn into suffocating straightjackets, and so stimulate their own destruction by new emancipating, and at the same time, enslaving conceptions. The first step to understanding of men [sic] is the bringing to consciousness of the model or models that dominate and penetrate their thought and action. Like all attempts to make men aware of the categories in which they think, it is a difficult and sometimes painful activity, likely to produce deeply disquieting results. The second task is to analyze the model itself, and this commits the analyst to accepting or modifying or rejecting it, and in the last case, to providing a more adequate one in its stead (quoted in Bernstein, p. 57). 1 This analysis and its accompanying turmoil does not usually occur in the mainstream—there, things tend to continue in the conventional manner. But there is a place, at the outer edges, a time-space where people are pressing against established intellectual boundaries. It seems to me that this is the place from which feminist theologians and reconceptualist curriculum theorists are working. There is a common focus on experience—not any experience, but individual experience, what I have lived. In the case of feminist theology, this is the experience of what is commonly called God. In the case of curriculum theorists, this is the experience of education. As theorists struggle to give voice to this experience, they have become aware that the language available to express their experience is not adequate. Words like 'God', 'education', 'theology', and 'theory' become like old wineskins into which new wine is poured—they do not hold. So the struggle becomes one of creating new language which will give more adequate form to this experience. It is in this struggle to examine experience and give it expression that theology and theory are created. Because this is a constant dialogue, these writers no longer speak of 'a theology' or 'a
An experimental study and inextensional analysis of vibrations of free-free conical shells

Resonant frequencies compared with associated mode shapes of truncated conical shells with both edges free