cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimizing the Science of Quality Improvement

domized Evaluation of Recurrent Stroke Comparing PFO Closure to Established Current Standard of Care Treatment. Available at: http://www.strokecenter.org /trials/TrialDetail.asp?ref=482b 79:79-88. 15. Krumsdorf U, Ostermayer S, Billinger K, et al. Incidence and clinical course of thrombus formation on atrial septal defect and patent foramen ovale closure devices in 1,000 consecutive patients. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2004;43:302-309. 16. Schwerzmann M, Windecker S, Wahl A, et al. Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale: impact of device design on safety and efficacy. Heart. 2004;90:186190. 17. Maisel WH. Medical device regulation: an introduction for the practicing physician. Ann Intern Med. 2004;140:296-302. 18. US Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Web site. Center for Devices and Radiologic Health. Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) Regulation: Questions and Answers: Final Guidance for Industry July 12, 2001. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ode/guidance/1381 .pdf. Accessed May 15, 2005. 19. Humanitarian Use Devices, 21 CFR §814 (H) (2004).. 20. US Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Web site. Center for Devices and Radiologic Health. H000007–Amplatzer PFO Occluder. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ode/H000007sum.html. Accessed January 20, 2005. 21. US Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Web site. Center for Devices and Radiologic Health. H990011 – CardioSEAL Septal Occlusion System. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ode/H990011sum .html. Accessed on January 20, 2005. 22. NMT Medical Inc. US Securities and Exchange Commission, Form 10-K. Annual Report for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2004. Available at: http: //www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1017259/000119312505058674/d10k .htm. Accessed May 15, 2005. 23. Landzberg MJ, Khairy P. Indications for the closure of patent foramen ovale. Heart. 2004;90:219-224. 24. Sievert H, Taaffe M. Patent foramen ovale: the jury is still out. Eur Heart J. 2004;25:361-362. 25. Donnan GA, Davis SM. Patent foramen ovale and recurrent stroke: closure is the best option: yes. Stroke. 2004;35:803-804. 26. Windhover Information Inc. Start-Up: Windhover’s review of emerging medical ventures. Stroke Prevention. the newest frontier in interventional cardiology. October 2002. Available at: http://www.windhoverinfo.com/contents/monthly /exex/e_2002900164.htm. Accessed May 11, 2005. 27. Medicare program: revisions to payment policies under the physician fee schedule for calendar year 2005; final rule. Fed Regist. 2004;69:66235-66915. 28. Baker SS, O’Laughlin MP, Jollis JG, Harrison JK, Sanders SP, Li JS. Cost implications of closure of atrial septal defect. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2002;55:8387. 29. CIMIT Regulatory Affairs Newsletter. AGA Medical anticipates full PMA approval of its Amplatzer system by the third quarter. May 2002. Available at: http: //www.cimit.org/rap_newsletters/ra_0502.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2005. 30. Williams DO, Fahrenbach MC. Directional coronary atherectomy: but wait, there’s more. Circulation. 1998;97:309-311.
CHANGING ATTITUDES OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO OLD PEOPLE

The Psychology of Aging course at the University of Oregon focuses on experiential techniques of learning. In the first class each student is matched with an older person (over 60) who acts as a “consultant” to the student during the term. The student and consultant attend each class session together, and meet for at least one hour per week outside the classroom. Classes are structured to foster interpersonal discussion and small group interaction. A 17‐item semantic differential attitudinal measure was completed by 30 students and 22 consultants enrolled in the course during the first and last class meetings. Items consisted of positive and negative adjective responses to the object, “old people”, and “young people”. Positive changes in attitudes about old people were found for almost all pairs of items including: beautiful versus ugly, sensitive versus insensitive, active versus passive, successful versus unsuccessful, and negative versus positive. T tests run on the pre‐ and posttest attitudinal means ...
Is the ``nuclear winter'' real?

The discussion on the so-called “nuclear winter” is continued here, with further contributions to come in future issues of Nature.
Direct-reaction plus statistical-model analysis of the 52Cr(d,2n)52Mng,m reaction.

Recent experimental cross sections for the reaction $^{52}\mathrm{Cr}$(d,2n${)}^{52}$${\mathrm{Mn}}^{\mathrm{g}}$,m are in marked disagreement with the standard statistical-model analysis. We have, therefore, analyzed the data with an approach that emphasizes direct-reaction contribution to the cross section. This is done in two steps. In the first step, the compound-nucleus formation cross section is defined such that only the internal part of the target nucleus is allowed to absorb the deuteron, thus leading to the formation of $^{54}\mathrm{Mn}^{\mathrm{*}}$. The contribution of the external part is interpreted as going to direct reaction. The calculation of the internal part then proceeds by statistical evaporation of two neutrons to produce $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$. In the second step, the dominant part of the direct reaction, i.e., the deuteron breakup, followed by the capture of the proton, is considered. This quantum mechanical, breakup fusion process forms $^{53}\mathrm{Mn}^{\mathrm{*}}$, which then evaporates one neutron to produce $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$. The sum of the cross sections from these two processes fits the data quite well. The consistency of this twofold treatment is confirmed by our finding that the total reaction cross section for the deuteron is accounted for by summing the above two fusion cross sections with the additional direct-reaction cross sections that do not contribute to the production of $^{52}\mathrm{Mn}$.
A review on coping mechanisms against obesity bias in physical activity/education settings

Obesity bias such as teasing or weight criticism during physical activity can lead to psychological or emotional damage for overweight or obese individuals. The literature indicates that the adverse effects of stigmatization on overweight or obese individuals can be mediated by coping mechanisms. However, little is known about how overweight or obese children and adolescents cope with weight stigma in physical activity/education settings. This paper provides a conceptual analysis of coping mechanisms through reviewing work on weight stigma in psychology literature and discusses the future research directions. The most promising areas for future research include conducting an in-depth qualitative exploration of overweight or obese individuals' coping mechanisms against obesity bias and studying potential individual and situational factors as moderating variables in physical activity/education settings.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Escherichia coli adenylate kinase.

Abstract Adenylate kinase has been purified from Escherichia coli and crystallized. The gene for adenylate kinase has been cloned, and the cell can be made to overproduce the enzyme. The method of free interface diffusion has been used to grow crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis. Preliminary X-ray measurements show diffraction to a resolution of 2.3 A, and reveal an orthorhombic unit cell with dimensions: a = 73.2 A , b = 85.0 A , c = 79.2 A (1 A = 0.l nm) . Systematic absences define the space group to be P21212.
Discontinuous Finite-Element Phase-Field Modeling of Polycrystalline Grain Growth with Convection

This paper presents a discontinuous finite-element computational framework for the numerical modeling of polycrystalline microstructure formation during solidification processing, taking into account the effect of convection. An important aspect of the discontinuous formulation is that the interelement continuity is relaxed for all the field variables or more precisely the continuity across the elements is weakly enforced, rather than strongly enforced as done in conventional finite-element methods. Because of this local nature, the discontinuous finite-element method enjoys certain advantages over the traditional finite difference and finite-element methods, in particular, for large scale numerical simulations of physical phenomena in thermal and fluids systems. The solution procedure involves an element-by-element iterative sweep. The discontinuous finite-element formulation is presented for a fully coupled set of nonlinear equations including the Navier-Stokes equations, the phase-field equation, the thermal equation, and the crystal orientation equation, which describe the physical phenomena associated with solidification processing. Both single grain and polygrain models are considered. Numerical results are presented that illustrate the effect of convection on the microstructure formation during polycrystalline solidification.
Understanding cultural preferences of Arab communication patterns

Abstract This study focuses on how American public relations practitioners and scholars can incorporate the dynamics of intercultural communication into their work with Arab clients in the U.S. The study examines how two cultures—the Arab and the American culture—have two distinct perspectives for viewing the role of language, for structuring persuasive messages, and for communicating effectively with their audiences. Several frameworks for viewing cultural variations were used to develop a chart on “cultural communication preference” for Americans and Arabs. For the Arab culture, emphasis is on form over function, affect over accuracy, and image over meaning. An awareness of these cultural differences can help American practitioners deal more effectively with their Arab clients in developing written and oral communication, in public relations programming and in understanding professional ethics.
Deposition of Flowborne Materials on Vessel Walls

An air stream saturated with acetic acid vapor was blown through a tube made of agar which contained sodium hydroxide and phenolphthalein. Where flow was laminar, transfer of acid from the stream to the wall and decoloration of the indicator were of limited degree. Deposition of flowborne material was increased wherever the streamlines were disturbed, as at discontinuities and narrowings. Deposition was minimal slightly beyond the nozzle of the venturi tube, at the site where the momentum of the stream deviates it from the wall. These patterns of deposition by the stream are discussed in terms of their potential effects on the nutrition of the vessel wall, with particular reference to the localization of atheromatous and endocarditic lesions.
UARS Microwave Limb Sounder observations of upper atmosphere ozone and chlorine monoxide

UARS MLS observations of stratospheric ozone and chlorine monoxide are described. Enhanced concentrations of ClO, the predominant form of reactive chlorine responsible for ozone depletion, are seen within both the northern and southern winter polar vortices. In the southern hemisphere, this leads directly to the development of the annual Antarctic ozone hole. While ozone depletion is also observed in the north, it is less severe and there is considerable interannual variability. >
Advancing New Theory Development in the Field of International Management: Contributing Factors, Investigative Approach, and Proposed Topics

This paper seeks to re-engage international management (IM) scholars in conducting research that aims to develop breakthrough knowledge for major advancement. A “phenomenon-motivated, existing-theory informed, and interdisciplinary-based” investigative approach is proposed based on an analysis of the new theory development process with illustrations from the influential works of a select group of pioneering researchers in IM and related fields. Five emerging IM phenomena resulting from recent changes in the global business environment are recommended for study using the proposed investigative approach to create new theories that have both scholarly and practical significance.
SMALL AND LARGE IDEALS OF AN ASSOCIATIVE RING

Let R be an associative ring with identity, and let I be an (left, right, two-sided) ideal of R. Say that I is small if |I| < |R| and large if |R/I| < |R|. In this paper, we present results on small and large ideals. In particular, we study their interdependence and how they influence the structure of R. Conversely, we investigate how the ideal structure of R determines the existence of small and large ideals.
FDG-PET sensitivity for melanoma lymph node metastases is dependent on tumor volume

Background and Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine the tumor volume threshold for successful positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of melanoma nodal metastases. Methods Review of a clinical series of patients who had FDG–PET imaging of regional lymph node basins followed by lymphadenectomy. Lymph node tumor volumes were calculated from direct measurements of metastatic nodule(s) in formalin fixed specimens. PET scan interpretations were correlated with histology to determine sensitivity. Sensitivity was correlated with the aggregate lymph node tumor volume in the nodal basin and with AJCC stage group. Results Forty-five patients with 49 pathologically positive regional nodal basins comprised the study group. Median total basin tumor volume was 28.3 mm3(range 0.004–22,879 mm3). FDG–PET sensitivity for detection of all tumor volumes was 0.49. The observed 90% sensitivity threshold for detection of nodal metastases was ≥ 78 mm3. PET sensitivity was 0.14 for detection of tumor volumes < 78 mm3. PET sensitivity differed by prescan AJCC stage: I—0.0; II—0.24; III—0.81; IV—1.0 (P < 0.001). Conclusions FDG–PET reliably detects lymph node tumor deposits greater than approximately 80 mm3 volume, but sensitivity falls rapidly below this. This amount of tumor is most likely to occur in patients with AJCC stage III or IV disease. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;77:237–242. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fatty acid composition of component lipides from human plasma and atheromas.

The mounting evidence within the past few years that suggests the important role which dietary fats may play in renal-cardiovascular diseases has stimulated an unprecedented interest in almost every aspect of lipide metabolism, as indicated by the great increase in publications in this field. Unfortunately, owing to lack of satisfactory micro- or semimicromethods for separating lipide components and determining their fatty acid composition, little has been published on the effect of dietary fatty acids on the fatty acid composition of the various body tissue lipides, although the need for these comprehensive studies has certainly been recognized. Considerable attention is being given to the development of improved methods for the purpose, and recent advancements in lipide fractionation and analysis offer promise of useful application in lipide metabolism research: elution chromatography on silicic acid columns for separating extracted lipides into their components, i.e. sterol esters, glycerides, free sterols, and phospholipides (l-3) ; reverse phase partition chromatography for fractionating mg. quantities of fatty acids (4); gas liquid partition chromatography for analytical separation and determination of mg. quantities of fatty acids (5); and a spectrophotometric micromethod for determining polyunsaturated fatty acids in mg. sized samples (6). These methods should still be considered in the developmental state, but, at least, attempts are being made to improve them. For example, Lipsky et al. (7) recently reported a modification of Borgstrom’s silicic acid column technique, Crombie
Fast converging adaptive filter with modified SPR condition

A two-stage adaptive stochastic algorithm is introduced which modifies the strict positive real (SPR) condition used as a sufficient condition for convergence by existing algorithms. This algorithm uses a white-noise dither signal and a debiasing parameter to guarantee the convergence when the passivity condition fails and to reduce the bias in the estimated parameters without a priori information about the unknown model. The proposed algorithm is then applied to the problems of sinusoidal detection, adaptive line enhancement, and spectral estimation. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm compares favorably with several previously published algorithms. >
High vitamin B12 levels are not associated with increased mortality risk for ICU patients after adjusting for liver function: a cohort study.

Summary Background and aims Recent research has suggested that high vitamin B12 levels may be associated with increased mortality after ICU admission. However, it is known that impaired liver function may lead to elevated B12 since B12 is metabolized through the liver, and therefore high B12 levels may serve as a proxy for poor liver function. The aim of this study is to assess the impact that liver function and liver disease have on the relationship between high vitamin B12 levels and mortality in the ICU. Methods We performed an observational cohort study using ICU data that were collected from patients admitted to four ICU types (medical, surgical, cardiac care and cardiac surgery recovery) in one large urban hospital from 2001 to 2008. We analyzed the medical records of 1684 adult patients (age ≥18 years) who had vitamin B12 and liver function measurements up to 14 days prior to ICU admission or within 24 h after admission. Results While we found an association between high B12 and mortality when we did not control for any potential confounders, after we adjusted for liver function and liver disease, no significant association existed between B12 and mortality using multivariable logistic regression (30-day mortality: OR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.72, p = 0.3890; 90-day mortality: OR = 1.20, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.71, p = 0.3077). Conclusions Elevated B12 levels are not a significant predictor of mortality after ICU admission when liver function is controlled for, and may instead be a proxy for poor liver function.
The Role of Context in the Inhibitory Conditioning of Honeybees

Conditioned inhibition or CI training (A+/AB-) was compared with S- training (A+/B-) in three experiments on proboscis-extension conditioning in harnessed honeybees. The purpose was to test the Rescorla-Wagner assumption, widely credited in the vertebrate literature, that a nonreinforced stimulus acquires inhibitory properties in proportion to the excitatory value of the context in which it is presented. In prior work with free-flying honeybees pretrained with sucrose to come of their own accord to the experimental situation, no differences were found in the consequences of CI and S- training, perhaps because A added little to the excitatory value of the context (already very high) in which B occurred. In the new experiments, with harnessed subjects brought involuntarily into the training situation, negative results again were obtained. The possibility is considered that inhibitory conditioning in honeybees is independent of the excitatory value of the context.
Impact of Splenectomy on Thrombocytopenia, Chemotherapy, and Survival in Patients with Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer (PDAC) or endocrine tumors (PET) often develop splenic vein thrombosis, hypersplenism, and thrombocytopenia which limits the administration of chemotherapy. From 2001 to 2009, 15 patients with recurrent or unresectable PDAC or PET underwent splenectomy for hypersplenism and thrombocytopenia. The clinical variables of this group of patients were analyzed. The overall survival of patients with PDAC was compared to historical controls. Of the 15 total patients, 13 (87%) had PDAC and 2 (13%) had PET. All tumors were either locally advanced (n = 6, 40%) or metastatic (n = 9, 60%). The platelet counts significantly increased after splenectomy (p < 0.01). All patients were able to resume chemotherapy within a median of 11.5 days (range 6–27). The patients with PDAC had a median survival of 20 months (range 4–67) from the time of diagnosis and 10.6 months (range 0.6–39.8) from the time of splenectomy. Splenectomy for patients with unresectable PDAC or PET who developed hypersplenism and thrombocytopenia that limited the administration of chemotherapy, significantly increased platelet counts, and led to resumption of treatment in all patients. Patients with PDAC had better disease-specific survival as compared to historical controls.
Towards NIC-based intrusion detection

We present and evaluate a NIC-based network intrusion detection system. Intrusion detection at the NIC makes the system potentially tamper-proof and is naturally extensible to work in a distributed setting. Simple anomaly detection and signature detection based models have been implemented on the NIC firmware, which has its own processor and memory. We empirically evaluate such systems from the perspective of quality and performance (bandwidth of acceptable messages) under varying conditions of host load. The preliminary results we obtain are very encouraging and lead us to believe that such NIC-based security schemes could very well be a crucial part of next generation network security systems.
TRANSIENT CONDUCTION FROM A FINITE CYLINDER WITH TIME-VARYING INTERNAL HEAT GENERATION

The problem of transient conduction from a heated cylinder to its surroundings is reviewed, and methods for calculating the transient temperature field are summarized. Three spatially uniform heat sources in the cylinder are studied: the impulse, step, and ramp sources. Both transform and finite-difference methods are examined, and results obtained with these methods are presented for a wide range of conductivities appropriate for most gases and liquids surrounding a conductive cylinder of varying length-to-diameter ratio.
Mammalian cells with defective mitochondrial functions: a Chinese hamster mutant cell line lacking succinate dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract A mutant cell line derived from Chinese hamster fibroblasts is described which is defective in oxidative energy metabolism. Glucose is continuously required in the medium. As a result of a block in the Krebs cycle, these cells are auxotrophs for carbon dioxide and asparagine. Several experiments support our conclusion that the mutant cells lack appreciable levels of succinate dehydrogenase activity. Other components of the electron transport chain appear to be fully functional, although there is the possibility that electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation are uncoupled.
An error estimator for the moment method in electromagnetic scattering

An error estimator is proposed for the moment method in 3D electromagnetic scattering analysis. The error in the surface currents is estimated by the difference between a given solution and an approximate higher-order solution on the same mesh. The approximate higher-order solution is obtained by solving local higher-order problems relating to each surface element, by using hierarchical basis functions. The efficiency and accuracy of the error estimator are evaluated by considering some test problems. The application of the error estimator within a simple h-adaptive analysis scheme is also demonstrated, which shows that it can be used to improve the convergence of the moment method. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 44: 320–326, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20623
A new maleimide‐bound acid‐cleavable solid‐support reagent for profiling phosphorylation

A new chemical strategy for phosphopeptide profiling is reported in this study. Phosphorylation represents one of the most important classes of posttranslational modifications of proteins. Here we report a generalized strategy that employs solid-phase capture and mass-encoding steps to selectively enrich phosphopeptides from complex mixtures. This method exploits conversion of phosphates into thiols and reactive compounds to selectively isolate products of phosphorylation. Selective isolation of phosphopeptides is achieved with a simple, novel, acid-cleavable, solid-support-bound maleimide reagent. Our chemistry efforts have focused on minimization of linker size and simplification of reagent production with incorporation of common solid-phase peptide synthesis steps. Relative quantitation was demonstrated by modifying phosphopeptides with incorporation of ethanedithiol and propanedithiol. We observed that appropriate normalization is necessary to utilize mass tag strategies for relative quantitation of posttranslational modifications. The utility of solid-phase capture was determined with model phosphopeptides, and the method was demonstrated with enriching phosphopeptides from beta-casein, alpha-casein and ovalbumin. The solid-phase capture and release methods were also demonstrated with unfractionated whole histone protein mixtures to show this compound applicability in real biological samples. The new chemical strategy will ultimately be utilized for high-throughput profiling of phosphorylation and possibly other posttranslational modifications.
Multipath fading effects on wide-band DS/CDMA signals: analysis, simulation, and measurements

Transmitting signals over multipath fading channels causes distortions and variations at the receiver. For narrow-band signals, the envelope of the received signal is well characterized by a Rayleigh random process. Rayleigh fading causes large variations in the signal envelope. For wide-band signals, the effect of Rayleigh fading is mitigated. The paper considers the effect of receiver processing on the mitigation effect for wide-band DS/CDMA signals. The mitigation effect is shown by a reduction of the coefficient of variation of the received power as a function of bandwidth spreading. The parameters chip rate, processing gain, and the number of multipath components tracked are investigated for their effect upon the mitigation-the mitigation effect is sensitive to combinations of these parameters. >
Correlations between polycrystalline fabric and the polarization of transmitted light.

Strong correlations have been found in the polarization of light transmitted through a polycrystalline material and the grain sizes and orientations of that material. Experiments and supporting simulations with irregularly shaped single quartz crystals show that linear polarization is lost more rapidly as grain sizes decrease and the angular spread of the crystal orientations increase. A quantitative method using Stokes matrices to predict such changes is described and experimentally verified using an apparatus to vary the orientation of irregular quartz crystals. Grain sizes are varied between 1mm and 4mm, and the angular spreads in the crystal orientation are varied between 9° and 27°. This technique has applications to identify changes in crystal structure of transparent uniaxial polycrystalline materials, especially in the nondestructive characterization of glacial ice.
Clinicians' perception of sonogram indication for mifepristone abortion up to 63 days.

Abstract One barrier in the US to wider acceptance of mifepristone for abortion is the additional cost of the routine use of two sonograms, that is, for pregnancy dating and confirmation of a complete abortion. The purpose of this study is to document how the accuracy of medical abortion clinicians experienced with pelvic exams and dating pregnancies in assessing gestational age at the first visit compared with sonograms, and to identify the factors influencing whether they perceive that sonograms are desired or indicated at the first and follow-up visits. This was a prospective study of 1016 women wanting to participate in a medical abortion trial. After informed consent, clinicians (1) dated the pregnancy before routine sonography and (2) determined whether a sonogram was indicated. Women with sonographic pregnancies of less than 63 days were eligible for mifepristone followed by misoprostol 48 h later. Women returned on Day 4 to Day 8, and clinicians performed a clinical assessment of whether the abortion was complete and determined whether a sonogram was indicated. Fifteen sites participated. Advanced-level providers performed 56% of the assessments. When clinicians assessed a pregnancy under 43 days gestation, they perceived that a sonogram was “not indicated” in 60% of these women. This percentage increased to 66% at 43–49 days gestation, and declined to 46% of women assessed at more than 49 days. Clinicians correctly assessed gestational age as no more than 63 days in 87% of women. In only 1% (14/1013) of their assessments did clinicians underestimate gestational age. In 7/24 (29%) women with a persistent gestational sac, clinicians did not indicate the need for sonography when it was likely indicated. We conclude that the clinicians in our study felt confident in not using sonography in most cases. If clinicians monitor hCG levels to identify any ectopic or continuing pregnancies, medical abortion can be safely performed without sonography.
Context-Specific Locus of Control Scales: Poor Psychometrics and Cluttered Theory?1:

Abstract Due to modest predictability by Rotter's I-E generalized locus of control scale in some situations, a plethora of domain-specific scales have been developed. Although providing high predictability of unique behaviors in unique domains, these specific locus of control scales, using idiosyncratic independent variables and developing inconsistent dimensions, may not serve the field of psychology well.
Stock Markets and Tax Revenue

Many developing countries struggle to raise taxes. The present work considers the financial sector ‐ specifically the stock market sector ‐ as a boon for tax revenue. Historically I find that higher stock market total value traded sectors are associated with more tax revenue. Using a panel data set of 96 countries over the period 1990-2008 I find that stock markets positively influence government’s ability to raise tax revenue.
The Inequity In The Current Tax System: Does The Alternative Minimum Tax Create Additional Problems In The System?

Historically, the Alternative Minimum Tax was enacted to correct the inadequacies and deficiencies in the IRS tax code. Today it creates unfairness. The AMT is complex and has been recognized as the most serious problem faced by taxpayers. Could this be a consequence of bi-partisan neglect? The amount of AMT victims may double in 2006 as tax cut solutions expire. AMT will become the de-facto tax liability for the middle income taxpayer. AMT was not instituted for revenue generating purposes, but rather as a symbolic gesture denoting fairness. Unfortunately, it has created a social injustice for the working middle class.
Ion-Directed Synthesis of Indium-Derived 2,5-Thiophenedicarboxylate Metal–Organic Frameworks: Tuning Framework Dimensionality

Template directed synthesis of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) is of increasing interest. Herein we report the synthesis of six new MOFs synthesized from 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid (TDC) and InCl3. The new frameworks are formally two- (YCM-21) and one-dimensional (YCM-22) anionic, as well as three-dimensional neutral (YCM-23). YCM-22 contains an unprecedented dianionic [InCl3(κ2-O2CAr)2]2– node. The structural diversity represented by these materials is entirely controlled by addition of organic ammonium salts during the synthesis process. The role of the additives is briefly discussed with observed correlations of (1) hydrogen bonding and cation−π interactions influencing MOF dimensionality and (2) the presence of anionic chlorides creating a chlorine-rich metal center leading to a one-dimensional framework.
Molybdenum Substituted Vanadyl Phosphate ε-VOPO4 with Enhanced Two-Electron Transfer Reversibility and Kinetics for Lithium-Ion Batteries

We have investigated the possibility of molybdenum substitution into e-VOPO4 structure and its effects on the electrochemical performance of this material as a cathode in Li-ion battery. We have found that up to 5% of Mo can substitute V upon hydrothermal synthesis at 180 °C with further annealing at 550 °C. The substitution is confirmed by the increase of the unit cell volume with Mo content. A combination of X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopy, magnetic studies, and density functional theory calculations indicates an Mo6+ oxidation state which is charge compensated by reduction of the same amount of V to 4+. Mo-substituted samples show much smaller particle size as compared to unsubstituted e-VOPO4 and significantly improved electrochemical behavior. e-V0.95Mo0.05OPO4 shows the initial reversible capacity ∼250 mAh/g (∼1.6 Li) and ∼80% retention for up to 20 cycles at C/25. Sloping voltage profile, faster kinetics, and lower voltage hysteresis of Mo substituted VOPO4 are demonstrated by the g...
Wayfinder: a federated information sharing and management system

The decreasing costs of computing devices, increases in connectivity, and improved performance are altering the computing environments of users in fundamental ways. Users are no longer restricted to operating single devices in isolation but rather distribute and access information across many devices and develop complex sharing patterns among groups of users. Unfortunately, while these trends are significantly enriching the user’s computing experience, they are also increasing the data management overhead as users must explicitly reason about data placement and replication across multiple devices and logical sharing groups. In this thesis, we present the Wayfinder file system, which was designed to simplify the management of information in federate systems. Wayfinder focuses on three critical management deficiencies present in most current federated environments: (1) the lack of a consistent view for stored information across devices, (2) the required manual management of replicated information, and (3) the limited search/ranking capability for finding relevant information. The Wayfinder file system addresses these deficiencies by providing three synergistic abstractions: (1) a global namespace that is uniformly accessible across connected and disconnected operation, (2) a user-centric automatic availability management to ensure continuous access to information based on data-centric availability policies, and (3) a multi-dimensional fuzzy search framework that significantly improves relevance ranking. We will show that these abstractions simplify the management burden by requiring users to reason only about the data and its properties while ignoring the underlying physical complexities of the system. Underlying all three abstractions is a common implementation layer that adheres to three principles. First, any subset of nodes in a Wayfinder community can interact normally when they are interconnected, regardless of the membership of the subset. Second, all protocols and interactions are tolerant of a weakly consistent model allowing them to suffer unexpected devices departures. Finally, devices are assumed to be owned by specific users and so should prioritize the needs of their owners in the presence of resource constraints, while using excess resources to benefit the community as a whole.
New Quality Measure Core Sets Provide Continuity for Measuring Quality Improvement Concerns Raised About Conflicting Blood Pressure Measures

For more than a year, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have participated in the Core Quality Measures Collaborative, an important national effort convened by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and America’s Health Insurance Plans. The Collaborative is made up of representatives from private health plans, the National Quality Forum (NQF), physician specialty societies, employers, consumers, and other groups with an interest in improving the quality of health care. The goal of this Collaborative is to achieve broad consensus on core measure sets that are aligned across public and private payers and will reduce the burden of reporting, while contributing to improved quality of care and providing meaningful information for consumers. After much work, the Collaborative has released its first 6 core quality measure sets, addressing a number of areas of clinical practice including cardiology.1 The release of these initial core measure sets is a significant achievement, and we commend the Collaborative for its success in uniting numerous stakeholders behind a common cause. The hard work of Collaborative members to reach consensus is a testament to their commitment to improving the reporting of health care quality information for the benefit of patients. However, consensus is not unanimity, and there is 1 major decision with which the AHA and ACC strongly disagree because of its potential to …
The Developing Microbiome of the Preterm Infant

Abstract Purpose To determine the importance of the neonatal microbiome in intestinal and overall health. Method A review of existing literature. Findings and Implications The microbiome is increasingly understood to have a significant role in health and disease. However, the microbiome of the preterm infant is unique, with simple microbial communities exposed to a consistent diet in a regulated environment, and development from naive to stable under the influence of the neonatal intensive care unit. This early microbiome encounters a still developing host and thus has the potential to program fundamental pathways with implications for neonatal and later outcomes.
Opiate Withdrawal Induces Narp in the Extended Amygdala

The negative affective states associated with drug withdrawal produce long-lasting behavioral effects thought to play a central role in the development and maintenance of dependence. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms mediating the long-term effects of drug withdrawal. Neuronal activity-regulated pentraxin (Narp) is a secreted neuronal immediate early gene (IEG) product that regulates AMPA receptor clustering at synapses. As both IEGs and changes in AMPA receptor trafficking mediate enduring forms of neuronal plasticity, we have assessed whether Narp could be involved in the molecular adaptations accompanying drug withdrawal. To this end, we checked the effect of opiate withdrawal on Narp expression in the extended amygdala, a brain region closely linked to the aversive effects of drug withdrawal. We found a marked increase in the number of Narp-positive cells in this region following opiate withdrawal triggered by either low doses of opiate antagonists or by ‘natural withdrawal’, removal of the morphine pellets used to induce dependence. In contrast, Arc, another ‘effector’ IEG, was not induced by opiate withdrawal. As expected, pretreatment of animals with clonidine, which blocks opiate withdrawal, suppresses Narp induction in this paradigm. These results implicate Narp in mediating the long-term, aversive behavioral effects induced by opiate withdrawal.
Attentional biases in illness anxiety: Null findings from the dot probe paradigm

Abstract Consistent research using a variety of computer-based tasks demonstrates that individuals with anxiety symptoms exhibit attentional biases towards threatening stimuli. Whether or not attentional biases contribute to the development and maintenance of illness anxiety (IA), however, remains unclear given inconsistent findings in previous studies. The present study used the dot-probe paradigm to investigate the association between IA and selective attention to illness-relevant threat words. Contrary to hypotheses, higher levels of IA were not associated with preferential attention (i.e., faster reaction times for trials with short stimulus duration and longer reaction times for trials with long stimulus duration) to illness-specific threat words (e.g., “cancer”) more so than to general-threat or neutral words. Given the variety of methodologies and mixed findings regarding attentional biases in individuals with IA, such reporting of null findings is important to elucidate where true relationships exist.
On Security Administration of Computer Centre

A summary of influential factor on security administration of computer centre and tactics of its solution.
Responsibility of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Food Safety

The direct responsibility of Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)is to perform sanitary treatment and epidemiological investigation,and the indirect responsibility is to provide entrustment and technical support service.To clearly define the responsibility of CDC on food safety according to the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China.It is strongly recommended to setup a specialized Foodborne Diseases Department and setup a Center for Food Safety Assessment in some conditional places.
Der gegenwärtige Stand der Psychoanalyse

In einem gedrangten Uberblick skizziert der Autor den derzeitigen Stand der Psychoanalyse in den USA und untersucht ihren wissenschaftlichen Status, ihre Organisationsform und ihre Ausbildungsstrukturen. Im ersten Teil setzt Kernberg sich mit der im Psychoanalytic Quarterly 1989 gefuhrten Debatte zur Zukunft der Psychoanalyse auseinander. Im zweiten Teil tragt der Autor seine eigene Sicht vor und diskutiert die Psychoanalyse als Wissenschaft, ihre Theorienvielfalt, die psychoanalytische Behandlung, die Ausbildung zum Psychoanalytiker, die Psychoanalyse als Beruf sowie ihre internationale Situation. Obwohl vorrangig die amerikanische Lage der Psychoanalyse thematisiert ist, lassen sich Kernbergs Ausfuhrungen als eine verallgemeinerbare, auch auf europaische Verhaltnisse zutreffende Bestandsaufnahme lesen.
Cardiovascular operations for Loeys-Dietz syndrome: Intermediate-term results

Abstract Objectives Early experience with Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) suggested an aggressive aortopathy with high risk of aneurysm dissection and rupture at young ages and at smaller aortic diameters than in other connective tissue disorders. We reviewed our experience with LDS to re-examine our indications and outcomes of surgical management. Methods We reviewed all patients with a diagnosis of LDS who underwent cardiovascular surgery at our institution. The primary endpoint was mortality, and secondary endpoints included postoperative complications and need for reintervention. Results Seventy-nine operated patients with LDS were identified. Mean age at first operation was 25 years, 39 (49%) were female, and 38 (48%) were children (age Conclusions Growing experience with LDS has confirmed early impressions of its aggressive nature and proclivity toward aortic catastrophe. Surgical outcomes are favorable, but reintervention rates are high. Meticulous follow-up with cardiovascular surveillance imaging remain important for management, particularly as clinical LDS subtypes are characterized and more tailored treatment is developed.
Henry Wilson: Cobbler of the Frayed Constitution, Strategist of the Thirteenth Amendment

This article explores the extraordinary but rarely recognized contribution of Senator Henry Wilson in accomplishing the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, motivated as he was by free labor ideology. Wilson played a key role in directing the strategic moves made by Congress to prepare the ground for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment and for its implementation. Born into poverty, Wilson worked his way up as a cobbler, developing along the way a strong commitment to the work ethic and the Republican ‘free labor’ ideology. Free labor ideology informed his opposition to slavery and advocacy on behalf of oppressed workers. Understanding Wilson’s free labor ideology has important implications for understanding the Thirteenth Amendment as a broader and more profound enactment designed to eliminate caste, class, and racial distinctions beyond simply banning chattel slavery. A deeper understanding of Wilson’s thoughts and deeds is valuable to our contemporary debates regarding the amendment and its continuing role in our republic.
Food security is related to adult type 2 diabetes control over time in a United States safety net primary care clinic population

Successful Type 2 diabetes management requires adopting a high nutrient-density diet made up of food items that both meet dietary needs and preferences and can be feasibly obtained on a regular basis. However, access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods often is lacking in poorer neighbourhoods. Therefore, low food security should directly impair glucose control, even when patients have full access to and utilize comprehensive medical management. The present study sought to determine whether food security is related longitudinally to glucose control, over-and-above ongoing medication management, among Type 2 diabetes patients receiving comprehensive care at a Midwestern multi-site federally qualified health centre (FQHC). In this longitudinal observational study, we completed a baseline assessment of patients’ food security (using the US Household Food Security Module), demographics (via Census items), and diabetes history/management (using a structured clinical encounter form) when patients began receiving diabetes care at the health centre. We then recorded those patients’ A1C levels several times during a 24-month follow-up period. Three hundred and ninety-nine patients (56% with low food security) had a baseline A1c measurement; a subsample of 336 (median age=52 years; 56% female; 60% Hispanic, 27% African American, and 9% White) also had at least one follow-up A1c measurement. Patients with lower (vs higher) food security were more likely to be on insulin and have higher A1c levels at baseline. Moreover, the disparity in glucose control by food security status persisted throughout the next 2 years. Although results were based on one multi-site FQHC, potentially limiting their generalizability, they seem to suggest that among Type 2 diabetes patients, low food security directly impairs glucose control—even when patients receive full access to comprehensive medical management—thereby increasing their long-term risks of high morbidity, early mortality, and high health-care utilization and cost.
Constraint normalization and parameterized caching for quantitative program analysis

Symbolic program analysis techniques rely on satisfiability-checking constraint solvers, while quantitative program analysis techniques rely on model-counting constraint solvers. Hence, the efficiency of satisfiability checking and model counting is crucial for efficiency of modern program analysis techniques. In this paper, we present a constraint caching framework to expedite potentially expensive satisfiability and model-counting queries. Integral to this framework is our new constraint normalization procedure under which the cardinality of the solution set of a constraint, but not necessarily the solution set itself, is preserved. We extend these constraint normalization techniques to string constraints in order to support analysis of string-manipulating code. A group-theoretic framework which generalizes earlier results on constraint normalization is used to express our normalization techniques. We also present a parameterized caching approach where, in addition to storing the result of a model-counting query, we also store a model-counter object in the constraint store that allows us to efficiently recount the number of satisfying models for different maximum bounds. We implement our caching framework in our tool Cashew, which is built as an extension of the Green caching framework, and integrate it with the symbolic execution tool Symbolic PathFinder (SPF) and the model-counting constraint solver ABC. Our experiments show that constraint caching can significantly improve the performance of symbolic and quantitative program analyses. For instance, Cashew can normalize the 10,104 unique constraints in the SMC/Kaluza benchmark down to 394 normal forms, achieve a 10x speedup on the SMC/Kaluza-Big dataset, and an average 3x speedup in our SPF-based side-channel analysis experiments.