cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Catalytic conversion of cyanobacteria-derived fatty acids to alkanes for biorenewable synthetic paraffinic kerosene

A two-step catalytic process for converting cyanobacteria-derived fatty acids (CBFAs) to linear and branched alkanes for biorenewable synthetic paraffinic kerosene was demonstrated. Fatty acids synthesized and secreted into the growth medium by an engineered strain of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 were recovered from 20 liter photobioreactor cultures by adsorption on hydrophobic resin beads. By design, lauric acid (LA, C12:0, ∼80% w/w) was the main CBFA constituent; however, myristic acid (MA, C14:0, 6–10% w/w), palmitic acid (PA, C16:0, 2–6% w/w), and β-hydroxymyristic acid (BHMA, 2–3% w/w) also were produced. LA and MA model compounds were deoxygenated over a 5 wt% Pd/C catalyst to n-undecane and n-tridecane, respectively, with high yields and CO2 selectivities. Major products of BHMA deoxygenation over Pd/C were n-tridecane and 2-tridecanone. BHMA concentrations typical of the CBFA samples were found to inhibit LA deoxygenation. Because Pd sites responsible for fatty acid decarboxylation are poisoned at sulfur concentrations [S] typical of crude CBFA samples (100–150 ppm), post-recovery purification procedures were developed and evaluated based on their efficacy in reducing S-containing impurities. Deoxygenation of CBFAs was most effective when purification procedures limited [S] to 80% n-alkane yield and ∼90% CO2 selectivity. The n-alkane products of CBFA deoxygenation were hydroisomerized in the liquid phase (with added n-dodecane) over a 0.70 wt% Pt/CaY catalyst. The resultant mixtures had isoalkane/normal alkane ratios of 0.25–0.50.
612 A freely-available tuberculosis screening tool for adult workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica

Introduction Exposure to respirable crystalline silica is known to increase the risk of progression to active tuberculosis (TB) disease in those who have latent TB infection. Both latent TB infection and active TB disease are relevant components of screening examinations in silica-exposed workers. Methods Health care providers screening silica-exposed workers for TB must generally: identify for further evaluation and treatment any employees with suspected active TB disease adhere to safety and health regulatory requirements, when applicable even when regulations do not require screening, exercise sound screening practices in workers who stand to benefit from medical evaluations be familiar with current peer–reviewed publications; specialty society recommendations; national and state public health policy approaches coordinate with local approaches to TB screening incorporate both occupational and non–occupational health indications into screening decisions. Using a publicly-funded, transparent, and democratic process, the Department of Labour and Industries has developed a TB risk assessment and testing algorithm for adult workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica. The screening tool integrates these varied needs and resources into a cohesive document for use at the point of health care delivery. Result The tool is a clinical adjunct that helps health care providers make two key decisions when evaluating patients with exposure to respirable crystalline silica: Which workers should undergo a comprehensive evaluation for active tuberculosis disease? Which workers should receive testing for latent TB infection? Discussion Widespread availability of the risk assessment and testing algorithm is assured through direct inclusion in Washington State regulatory documents. The tool integrates medical content and public policy for clinicians performing the TB screening in silica-exposed workers through a single, accessible form. As a freely-available clinical aid, it is available to clinicians performing TB screening in silica-exposed workers throughout the United States, and worldwide.
Physiological Factors at Bioceramic Interfaces

The objective of this chapter is to review the current state of understanding of the variables that can influence the behavior of ceramic materials when exposed to a physiological environment. The physiologic-ceramics interface is extraordinarily complex. The interface varies with time, location, species, and age of animal, and is subject to the presence of external stresses of various types as well as being influenced by pharmeceutical treatments.
Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations

This chapter reviews relevant issues in conducting fitness for duty evaluations. The perspectives of treating clinicians as well as independent forensic evaluators are both considered. Treating clinicians should consider whether they have the requisite experience and training to perform the evaluation; referral to an independent evaluator is often necessary in these evaluations. After obtaining relevant history and conducting one or more clinical interviews, independent mental health fitness for duty evaluators should focus upon specific functional deficits regarding the evaluee’s work. Evaluators should be familiar with relevant professional ethics principles pertinent to conducting fitness for duty evaluations, including informed consent, confidentiality, honesty, objectivity, respect for persons, and professionalism.
Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of Protease-Coding Genes in Pineapple

Pineapple proteases, commonly known as bromelains, have been used for many years. In this work we identified and analyzed the protease-coding genes and their products in pineapple. A total of 512 genes encoding putative proteases in pineapple were identified. The encoded proteases are predicted to be distributed in different subcellular compartments, with 152 secreted into extracellular space, 74 localized in cytosol, 67 in nucleus, 60 in chloroplast, 18 in mitochondria, and the remaining in other subcellular locations. The proteases are classified using the conserved domain and protein family database as well as the MEROPS protease classification method. The top large protease families in pineapple were papain family cysteine protease (62 genes), peptidase S8 family (56 genes), aspartyl protease family (38 genes), and serine carboxypeptidase (33 genes). Gene expression analysis revealed that among 512 protease genes, 432 were expressed in various tissues and 72 genes were differentially expressed. Papain family protease (cysteine proteases, bromelain) genes were among the highly expressed genes. Phylogenetic analysis of cysteine proteases showed four large clusters formed among them. The information of identified protease genes with their gene expression profiles along with the predicted subcellular locations of the protease proteins will facilitate the community to further examine their biological roles of proteases in pineapple growth and development and to explore the potential for expressing the recombinant proteases for medical use.
The Use of Social Media in Interprofessional Education: Systematic Review.

Background: The implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) activities into health care education is a challenge for many training programs owing to time and location constraints of both faculty and learners. The integration of social media into these IPE activities may provide a solution to these problems. Objective: This review of the published literature aims to identify health care IPE activities using social media. Methods: The authors searched 5 databases (from the beginning coverage date to May 27, 2017) using keywords related to IPE and social media. Teams of 2 authors independently reviewed the search results to identify peer-reviewed, English language papers reporting on IPE activities using social media. They assessed the study quality of identified papers using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. Results: A total of 8 studies met the review’s inclusion criteria. Of these 8 papers, 3 had single-group, posttest-only study design; 4 had single-group, pre- and posttest design; and 1 had nonrandomized 3-group design. Qualitative and quantitative outcome measures showed mixed results with the majority of student feedback being positive. Conclusions: Despite a need for additional research, this review suggests that the use of social media may aid the implementation of health care IPE.
Water and elevation are more important than burn severity in predicting bat activity at multiple scales in a post-wildfire landscape

Bats are among the most widespread mammals on Earth, and are subject to habitat change, loss, and other disturbances such as fire. Wildfire causes rapid changes in vegetation that affect habitat use. However, the spatial scale at which these changes affect bats depends on their use of habitat elements. Three years post wildfire, we assessed how burn severity, water, landform type, elevation, vegetation type, and roads affected use by bats of a forest landscape at multiple spatial scales. We deployed acoustic detectors at randomly selected locations within a 217,712 ha wildfire boundary in Arizona. We classified echolocation calls to species or group and calculated an activity index by adjusting the calls per hour. We conducted a multi-scale analysis of landscape structure and composition around each location from a 90 to 5760 m radius. No scale was selected preferentially by any species or group. Stream density and elevation range were more important predictors for species groups than burn severity. When burn severity was a predictor, agile species had higher activity in areas that were unburned or had low severity burn. A heterogeneous landscape composed of high, medium, and low burn severity patches within a forest altered by large wildfires provided habitat for different bat species, but water density and range in elevation were more important for predicting bat habitat use than fire severity in this arid landscape. More than one spatial scale, representing local to landscape levels, should be considered in managing habitat for bats. In arid areas, such as the western United States, maintaining reliable water sources is important for bats. Managing these factors at multiple spatial scales will benefit bat species with different wing morphologies, echolocation call types, and habitat selections.
Deep learning-enabled computational cytometer using magnetically-modulated coherent imaging

We present a cost-effective and high-throughput computational cytometer using a magnetically-modulated lensless imaging technique and deep learning-based classification, to rapidly detect rare cells in whole blood, achieving a detection limit of 10 cells/mL.
Abstract 4877: Discovery of paralog-specific SUMO1 and SUMO2 functions using human cancer knockout cells

Small ubiquitin-related modifiers (SUMOs) are ∼100-amino acid polypeptides that function as posttranslational protein modifications and thereby regulate many essential cellular processes, many of which are relevant to cancer. Vertebrates express five SUMO paralogs (SUMO1-5), of which, SUMO1 and SUMO2 are the most widely studied. Biochemical and in vivo studies suggest that SUMO1 and SUMO2 have non-redundant functions, however, the full range of their distinct activities are not fully understood. Understanding these unqiue functions and their molecular bases could lead to more precise therapeutic interventions that target the SUMO pathway. To help define SUMO paralog-specific functions, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to knockout (KO) individual SUMO genes in osteosarcoma U2OS cells. We observed that SUMO2 KO cells were unique in exhibiting a change in cell morphology, changing from epithelial-like to fibroblast-like, thus revealing a potential role for SUMO2 in affecting cell shape. To test the hypothesis that the observed change in morphology is driven in part by changes in gene expression, we sequenced the transcriptome of the parental and SUMO KO cell lines. In alignment with the observed change in SUMO2 KO cell shape, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the extracellular matrix, basement membrane and epithelial to mesenchymal transition were uniquely enriched in SUMO2 KO cells. Further consistent with SUMO1 and SUMO2 having unique effects on transcription, we found a significantly greater number of unique DEGs in SUMO2 KO cells as compared to SUMO1 KO cells. Furthermore, an overwhelming number of DEGs were down-regulated in the SUMO1 KO cells, suggesting a specific role for SUMO1 in activating, or maintaining, gene expression. In contrast, DEGs in SUMO2 KOs were equally up and down regulated. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that SUMO1 and SUMO2 have unique biological roles and we look forward to better characterizing these paralog-specific functions in future studies. Citation Format: Danielle Bouchard, Wei-Chih Yang, Michael J. Matunis. Discovery of paralog-specific SUMO1 and SUMO2 functions using human cancer knockout cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4877.
A scoping review of social and behavioral science research to translate genomic discoveries into population health impact

Since the completion of the Human Genome Project, progress toward translating genomic research discoveries to address population health issues has been limited. Several meetings of social and behavioral scientists have outlined priority research areas where advancement of translational research could increase population health benefits of genomic discoveries. In this review, we track the pace of progress, study size and design, and focus of genomics translational research from 2012 to 2018 and its concordance with five social and behavioral science recommended priorities. We conducted a review of the literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Guidelines for Scoping Reviews. Steps involved completing a search in five databases and a hand search of bibliographies of relevant literature. Our search (from 2012 to 2018) yielded 4,538 unique studies; 117 were included in the final analyses. Two coders extracted data including items from the PICOTS framework. Analysis included descriptive statistics to help identify trends in pace, study size and design, and translational priority area. Among the 117 studies included in our final sample, nearly half focused on genomics applications that have evidence to support translation or implementation into practice (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tier 1 applications). Common study designs were cross-sectional (40.2%) and qualitative (24.8%), with average sample sizes of 716 across all studies. Most often, studies addressed public understanding of genetics and genomics (33.3%), risk communication (29.1%), and intervention development and testing of interventions to promote behavior change (19.7%). The number of studies that address social and behavioral science priority areas is extremely limited and the pace of this research continues to lag behind basic science advances. Much of the research identified in this review is descriptive and related to public understanding, risk communication, and intervention development and testing of interventions to promote behavior change. The field has been slow to develop and evaluate public health-friendly interventions and test implementation approaches that could enable health benefits and equitable access to genomic discoveries. As the completion of the human genome approaches its 20th anniversary, full engagement of transdisciplinary efforts to address translation challenges will be required to close this gap.
VDAC—A Primal Perspective

The evolution of the eukaryotic cell from the primal endosymbiotic event involved a complex series of adaptations driven primarily by energy optimization. Transfer of genes from endosymbiont to host and concomitant expansion (by infolding) of the endosymbiont’s chemiosmotic membrane greatly increased output of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and placed selective pressure on the membrane at the host–endosymbiont interface to sustain the energy advantage. It is hypothesized that critical functions at this interface (metabolite exchange, polypeptide import, barrier integrity to proteins and DNA) were managed by a precursor β-barrel protein (“pβB”) from which the voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) descended. VDAC’s role as hub for disparate and increasingly complex processes suggests an adaptability that likely springs from a feature inherited from pβB, retained because of important advantages conferred. It is proposed that this property is the remarkable structural flexibility evidenced in VDAC’s gating mechanism, a possible origin of which is discussed.
New Players on the Colorado River — the Tribes

Traditionally, decision making in the Colorado River Basin has been the province of the seven basin states and the federal government. Increasingly, the tribes with reservations in the basin has been asserting their own interests. Most recently, tribes have begun insisting they receive the water to which they are legally entitled under the reserved rights doctrine.
Evolution of the optical properties in atomically thin plasmonic titanium nitride

In this study, we present a joint theoretical and experimental study on the dielectric permittivity of ultra-thin TiN films of varying thicknesses. We perform both ex situ and in situ ellipsometry to decouple the effects of thickness and oxidation. Our results indicate a remarkably persistent plasmonic character as the thickness is reduced. The effects of thickness and oxidation on their plasmonic properties are analyzed as fundamental parameters to optimize the optical response. Atomically thin plasmonic materials display great potential for the realization of tailorable and dynamically tunable metasurfaces because of their large sensitivity to structural parameters and external perturbations.
Systematic review of financial burden assessment in cancer: Evaluation of measures and utility among adolescents and young adults and caregivers

The cost of cancer care is rising and represents a stressor that has significant and lasting effects on quality of life for many patients and caregivers. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are particularly vulnerable. Financial burden measures exist but have varying evidence for their validity and reliability. The goal of this systematic review is to summarize and evaluate measures of financial burden in cancer and describe their potential utility among AYAs and their caregivers. To this end, the authors searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for concepts involving financial burden, cancer, and self-reported questionnaires and limited the results to the English language. They discarded meeting abstracts, editorials, letters, and case reports. The authors used standard screening and evaluation procedures for selecting and coding studies, including consensus-based standards for documenting measurement properties and study quality. In all, they screened 7250 abstracts and 720 full-text articles to identify relevant articles on financial burden. Eighty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction revealed 64 unique measures for assessing financial burden across material, psychosocial, or behavioral domains. One measure was developed specifically for AYAs, and none were developed for their caregivers. The psychometric evidence and study qualities revealed mixed evidence of methodological rigor. In conclusion, several measures assess the financial burden of cancer. Measures were primarily designed and evaluated in adult patient populations with little focus on AYAs or caregivers despite their increased risk of financial burden. These findings highlight opportunities to adapt and test existing measures of financial burden for AYAs and their caregivers.
Theory and Best Practices in Science Communication Training

In Theory and Best Practices in Science Communication Training, scholars and trainers examine the rhetorical context of science communication, including audience engagement and communication object...
Constituting Intersectional Politics of Reinscription: Women Entrepreneurs’ Resistance Practices in China, Denmark, and the United States:

Guided by feminist politics of reinscription and intersectionality theory, this study theorized how women entrepreneurs from China, Denmark, and the United States depicted their situated struggles ...
Guideline-Recommended Lung Cancer Screening Adherence Is Superior With a Centralized Approach.

Background To recognize fully the benefit of lung cancer screening (LCS), annual adherence must approach the high levels seen in the National Lung Screening Trial. Emerging data suggest that annual adherence is poor and that a centralized approach to screening improves adherence. Research Questions Do differences in adherence exist between a centralized and decentralized approach to LCS within a hybrid program and what are predictors of adherence? Study Design A retrospective evaluation of a single-center hybrid LCS program was conducted to compare outcomes including patient eligibility and adherence between the centralized and decentralized approaches. Methods Patient demographics and outcomes were compared between those screened with a centralized and decentralized approach and between adherent and nonadherent patients using two-sample t tests, χ 2 tests, or analyses of variance, as appropriate. Annual adherence analysis was conducted using data from patients who remained eligible for screening with a baseline Lung CT Screening Reporting and Data System (Lung-RADS) score of 1 or 2. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between adherence and the primary exposure, adjusting for potential confounders. Results A cohort of 1,117 patients underwent baseline low-dose CT imaging. Two hundred eleven patients (19%) were ineligible by United States Preventative Services Task Force criteria and most (90%) were screened with the decentralized approach. After exclusions, 765 patients with Lung-RADS score of 1 or 2 remained eligible for annual screening. Overall adherence was 56%; however, adherence in the centralized program was 70%, compared with 41% with the decentralized approach (P Interpretation Those screened using a centralized approach were more likely to meet eligibility criteria for LCS and more likely to return for annual screening than those screened using a decentralized approach.
Addressing ‘biodiversity naivety’ through project-based learning using iNaturalist

Abstract Conservation and education outreach programs often highlight charismatic species or species of economic or ecological importance. However, without appreciable connections to nature, the foundation necessary to empathize with these programs is insufficient. While many students are familiar with charismatic organisms, such as large mammals or sea turtles, there are countless other species of conservation concern that many students are entirely unaware of. As species loss is expedited, it is imperative to counter biodiversity naivety, particularly as public education and awareness are central to successful conservation efforts. The most impactful educational experiences foster direct engagement with biodiversity by students. We highlight the use of project-based learning to nurture student exposure and understanding of biodiversity in undergraduate- and graduate-level courses through the use of iNaturalist. In these courses, students were required to document observations from class field experiences as well as personal explorations. These projects transformed the learning of biodiversity from passive in nature to a meaningful and active process allowing students to connect with species observed while concurrently participating in citizen science initiatives. We share recommendations for successful implementation of iNaturalist projects by educators as well as challenges and issues based on our experiences.
Simulations of Englacial Radiostratigraphy from ICE Core Measurements

Englacial layering is a ubiquitous feature of ice penetrating radar images of continental ice sheets. These reflections occur at subsurface interfaces of changing density, conductivity, or crystal orientation fabric and can record the past atmospheric conditions and flow history of a region. As a result, both the physical cause of this layering and its geometry are of scientific interest. We develop a method for simulating englacial radio stratigraphy using measurements of density and conductivity from deep ice cores and show that it can reproduce coincident radar measurements. We then extend this method to two dimensions to simulate physically realistic synthetic radargrams. Our model incorporates both geophysical parameters and radar system parameters including center frequency, bandwidth, impulse response, aircraft attitude, and post-processing. As a result, our model can be used to generate labeled training data for machine learning layer tracking algorithms, connect layers observed by different radar systems to ice core stratigraphy, or as a forward model for testing hypotheses for the formation and evolution of the geometric and chemical properties of englacial layers away from deep drilling sites.
Spiritual Maturity as a Moderator of the Relationship between Christian Fundamentalism and Shame

The current study examined spiritual maturity as a moderator of the relation between Christian fundamentalism and shame. One hundred sixty four Christian-identified participants (141 women) were re...
Single level dual rank SVD algorithm for volume integral equations of electromagnetic scattering

Electromagnetic scattering from arbitrarily shaped inhomogeneous dielectric bodies has been an interesting topic due to its importance in problems that include propagation through inhomogeneities. This paper presents a novel single level dual rank SVD algorithm that efficiently compresses the system matrix to reduce the memory requirement and CPU time for both matrix assembly and matrix-vector multiplication to O(N/sup N2/). The dual rank SVD algorithm is based on the rank deficiency feature of the integral equation for well-separated groups of basis functions. The algorithm forms the Q-R factorization of rank deficient local matrices due to non-self group interactions by ranking the most linearly independent basis functions in the transmitting (source) group and the most significant ones in the receiving (observation) group.
Fiber Optic Sensors

Fiber optic sensors have become indispensable tools for biomedical study because of their unique features such as (1) high sensitivity, (2) small footprint and endoscopic compatibility, (3) multiple agent distributive sensing capability, and (4) immunity from electromagnetic interference. In this chapter, we will provide a brief overview on the basic principle of fiber optic sensors, types of fiber optic sensors, and their applications to biomedical sensing. As a result of the page limitation, important work in this area may not be included in this chapter. Readers may find those contents in the listed reference material. Keywords: fiber optic sensors; light; sensing mechanism; biomedical sensing
Multiple output domino logic (MODL) in SOI

MODL may be used to reduce area, power and delay. However, many of the design practices used to alleviate the bipolar leakage problem in SOI domino logic gates cannot be applied to MODL. Predischarge of internal nodes is incompatible with the MODL requirement that internal nodes be precharged. It is advised that the widest set of parallel transistors be placed at the bottom of the logic block (i.e., near ground) in an SOI domino gate, but reordering may modify intermediate output functions in MODL. In this paper, we examine how to implement MODL in SOI while minimizing the risk of upset due to bipolar leakage.
Cerebral Dynamics of Autoregulation and Hypoperfusion

To the Editor: The article by Zaharchuk et al1 raises a series of questions. First, the authors are careful to delineate many problems concerning interpretation of data gathered with the BOLD technique and the variations they employ. These limitations might help explain some of the difference between the microvascular versus the global cerebral blood volume changes they observe during hypoperfusion. However, the authors never call our attention to a much more glaring problem: In their Figure 3, there is no decrease in either total cerebral blood volume (CBV) or microvascular volume over the whole autoregulatory “plateau.” This is impossible. There must be an increase in resistance—a decrease in diameter—somewhere to account for the good autoregulation over the plateau. Until we have a reasonable explanation for their finding, it seems premature to trust their techniques and accept their conclusion that “CBV changes during hemorrhagic hypotension are far less than … [those] … reported by some previous studies.” Second, the authors talk about cessation of autoregulation as the pressure falls below the so-called lower limit of autoregulation. This way of expressing matters is the one usually used, but it is highly misleading. Beyond each end of the “plateau” the vessels continue to autoregulate—ie, to relax as pressure falls and to constrict as pressure rises. Thus, the resistance continues to go up at pressure above the high end of the “plateau” and to fall at pressure below the low end. However, these autoregulatory changes in tone are no longer sufficiently larger to compensate for the changes in pressure, and the flow changes more markedly for each change in pressure than it did for …
Advances in the study of polyploidy since Plant speciation

Summary Enormous strides have been made in the study of polyploidy over the last 20 yr. Here, we highlight some of these discoveries and note where our understanding of polyploid evolution has changed. Genetic and genomic studies have dramatically altered the polyploidy paradigm. The estimated frequency of polyploidy has increased, and it is now recognized that multiple origins are the rule for most polyploids. Likewise, autopolyploidy is much more common than traditionally maintained. Rapid genomic rearrangements, genomic downsizing, movement of genetic elements across genomes, and the movement of foreign genetic materials into the polyploid genome illustrate the complex dynamics of polyploid genomes. Following polyploidization, both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms may play an important role in altering gene expression. Ecological studies reveal that plant polyploidy can have profound effects on interactions with animal herbivores and pollinators and that polyploidy may trigger changes in the reproductive biology of a species. Despite the recent advances in our understanding of polyploid evolution, many exciting aspects remain under-investigated. Some of these include the consequences of genetic and genomic changes in natural polyploid populations, the physiological and ecological effects of polyploidy, and whether recurrent polyploidy prompts evolution to repeat itself.
Recognizing and Regulating Home Schooling in California: Balancing Parental and State Interests in Education

INTRODUCTION: THE RACHEL L. AND JONATHAN L. DECISIONS On February 28, 2008, the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District caused alarm on a national level1 by ruling that home schooling2 in California is illegal unless the parent has a teaching credential.3 In reaching this conclusion, the court of appeal relied almost exclusively on a fifty-five year old California superior court appellate department case and a forty-seven year old California court of appeal case.4 Both cases had held that statutory predecessors to the private school exemption5 to California’s compulsory school attendance statute6 were inapplicable to home schooling.7
Kindt's paper epitomizes the problems in gambling research

For many readers, the casino gambling issue of Managerial and Decision Economics1 will be their first exposure to economic research on casino gambling. Based solely on a reading of the MDE issue, one might get the impression there is overwhelming evidence that legal casino gambling is ‘bad.’ But readers should be skeptical of what they read, as there is no such consensus in the literature. Indeed, the literature is fraught with methodological problems and inconsistencies. Professor Kindt's article (2001), in particular,2 exemplifies some of the problems that have been plaguing gambling research since the mid-1990s. Ordinarily, a reaction to an article like Kindt's would be unwarranted, since many of his arguments are supported only by newspaper articles. However, it is perhaps worthwhile to point out a few of the problems with Kindt's work, and with gambling research in general, so that research can advance, instead of digressing, as it has with the publication of the special issue of MDE. My comments focus on three issues in Kindt's paper. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inviscid interaction of vortex rings: approach to singularity?

The interaction of two vortex rings in an inviscid fluid is investigated numerically using a Lagrangian vorticity method. This method uses interpolation based on Delaunay triangulation of the computational points. The calculational results indicate that this method is well-suited to the computation of these and similar cases. In particular, one of the most useful features of the method in this context is the ability to refine the resolution of the flow as vorticity is concentrated onto increasingly small scales. Such concentration, along with increase in the maximum norm of the vorticity, is a prominent feature of the computed interaction. Two cases are presented. Analysis of the results from one case shows that through the first 80% of the interaction, the growth in the maximum norm is approximately exponential. Later the flow appears to undergo a transition to a new regime not inconsistent with a growth proportional to 1/(t c - t). However, the present calculations are not sufficiently long to confirm this behavior.
Maufacturing supply chain applications 1: capacity and backlog management in queuing-based supply chains

In this paper, we model and analyze a type of two-stage serial supply chain often found in service sector and make-to-order manufacturing industries. The chain holds no finished goods inventory at either stage. Rather, processing occurs only after an order is received and backlogs are managed solely by adjusting capacity. We model this supply chain using a tandem queuing model. Our analysis considers the impact of changes in first stage lead-time and capacity adjustment time on backlog, waiting time, and capacity variances at both stages. The results can be used to support the argument for better coordination across stages in these types of supply chains.
Microwave Ferrites for Cryogenic Applications

Recent advances in microwave ferrite device technology have seen the introduction of superconductivity that virtually eliminates insertion losses due to electrical conduction in microstrip circuits. The conventional ferrimagnetic spinel and garnet compositions, however, are not generally optimized for temperatures in the vicinity of 77 K and may require chemical redesign in order to realize the full potential of these devices. For microwave transmission, absorption losses may be reduced by a natural lengthening of the spin-lattice relaxation time and the suppression of hopping electron activity at low temperatures. However, these properties could be degraded by fast-relaxing impurities that broaden ferrimagnetic resonance lines. At low temperatures, saturation magnetizations increase according to the Brillouin-Weiss function behavior that is characteristic of most magnetic materials. Increased magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies will produce greater coercive fields that will lead directly to higher hysteresis loop switching energies. Other parameters that are influenced adversely by reduced temperatures are the magnetostriction constants, which can cause significant deterioration in the stability of the remanence ratios of hysteresis loops. To modify room temperature ferrites for devices that use high-T c superconductors, magnetochemistry must be applied to obtain the desired parameter values, which in turn must be chosen through design tradeoffs and are set by the performance requirements of particular device applications.
Transsphinctericanorectal reconstruction of ambiguous genitalia: an innovative approach to neovaginoplasty, pioneer in Brazil

The authors, based upon previous experience in the treatment of ten children with cloacal abnormalities, among which two with female pseudohermaphroditism with cloaca, hereby present a pioneer experience in Brazil, with the "posterior sagittal transsphinctericanorectalurethrovaginoplasty" a surgical approach to neovaginoplasty described by "Cripps/Pena", which was utilized for the reconstruction of the genitalia of three intersexuated adolescents with protective colostomy, who presented an urogenital sinus, high vaginal implantation and a normal rectum. One patient was an adrenal female pseudohermaphrodite and two were male pseudohermaphrodites. The authors present a brief report on the three cases, describe the surgical procedure, relate on the anatomy of the urogenital sinus and discuss surgical indications, diagnosis and results, comparing them to the reviewed international literature.
He/Ar ratio: Earthquake harbinger

Helium and argon, squeezed out of the earth through fissures by deep internal pressures, may signal an imminent earthquake. There has been little evidence, however, directly linking stress with gas emissions. Ryuichi Sugisaki of the earth sciences department at Nagoya University in Japan reports in the June 12 Science that the variations of the He/Ar ratio of gas bubbles in a mineral spring coincide with underground stresses caused by the earth tide. ‘A comparison of the variation of strain in the ground resulting from the earth tide with the observed fluctuation of the ratio shows a good correlation,’ Sugisaki wrote. In addition, he says that the ratio fluctuation is more closely tied to the tidal strain than to atmospheric pressure or temperature.
Coarse-graining in simulations of multicomponent polymer systems

We investigate the mapping required between the interaction parameters of two different coarse-grained simulation models to ensure a match of the long-range structural characteristics of multicomponent polymeric system. The basis for our studies is the recent work of Morse and workers, which demonstrated the existence of a mapping between the interaction parameters of different coarse-grained simulation models which allow for a matching of the peak of the disordered state structure factor in symmetric diblock copolymers. We investigate the extensibility of their results to other polymeric systems by studying a variety of systems, including, asymmetric diblock copolymers, symmetric triblock copolymers, and diblock copolymer-solvent mixtures. By using the mapping deduced in the context of symmetric diblock copolymers, we observe excellent agreement for peak in the inverse structure between both two popular coarse grained models for all sets of polymeric melt systems investigated, thus showing that the mapping function proposed for diblock copolymer melts is transferable to other polymer melts irrespective of the blockiness or overall composition. Interestingly, for the limited parameter range of polymer-solvent systems investigated in this article, the mapping functions developed for polymer melts are shown to be equally effective in mapping the structure factor of the coarse-grained simulation models. We use our findings to propose a methodology to create ordered morphologies in simulations involving hard repulsive potentials in a computationally efficient manner. We demonstrate the outcomes of methodology by creating lamellar and cylindrical phases of diblock copolymers of long chains in the popularly used Kremer-Grest simulation model.
On the Formalization of Theories

We propose that the set theory ZFC slightly modified to allow for urelements, and extended with appropriate definitional schemata, constitutes a complete description of natural human logic and that it constitutes a lingua characterica and a calculus ratiocinator in the sense of Leibniz.
Planetary science: a planet that blinks.

Infrared radiation from two extrasolar planets has been measured from the dip in total light as the planets pass behind their parent stars — a milestone on the road to the direct imaging of such planets. For the first time, light from a planet outside our Solar System has been detected on Earth. The planet is HD 209458b, previously identified by the wobble its gravity induces in its host star's orbit. It is slightly larger than Jupiter, but orbits its star at less than a twentieth of the distance between the Earth and the Sun, making it a so-called ‘hot Jupiter’ planet. As HD 209458b passes behind the star, the amount of infrared light coming from the area drops slightly: that drop represents the planet's light contribution.
Al2O3 and TiO2 atomic layer deposition on copper for water corrosion resistance.

Al2O3 and TiO2 atomic layer deposition (ALD) were employed to develop an ultrathin barrier film on copper to prevent water corrosion. The strategy was to utilize Al2O3 ALD as a pinhole-free barrier and to protect the Al2O3 ALD using TiO2 ALD. An initial set of experiments was performed at 177 °C to establish that Al2O3 ALD could nucleate on copper and produce a high-quality Al2O3 film. In situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements verified that Al2O3 ALD nucleated and grew efficiently on copper-plated quartz crystals at 177 °C using trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water as the reactants. An electroplating technique also established that the Al2O3 ALD films had a low defect density. A second set of experiments was performed for ALD at 120 °C to study the ability of ALD films to prevent copper corrosion. These experiments revealed that an Al2O3 ALD film alone was insufficient to prevent copper corrosion because of the dissolution of the Al2O3 film in water. Subsequently, TiO2 ALD was explored on copper...
The effects of amount of information in the Stroop color word test

The processing time of the relevant (color) and irrelevant (word) stimulus dimensions in a Stroop color word test were each varied by manipulating the amount of information in the color and word sets from which the stimuli were obtained. Interference in the Stroop task was found to increase with increases in relevant and irrelevant stimulus information. It was concluded that the findings of increased interference with increases in both word and color processing time supported a perceptual conflict interpretation of Stroop task interference.
Object-oriented analysis of network flows at pore and reservoir scales

Abstract Procedural languages, such as FORTRAN, are still the dominate languages in scientific and engineering community. However, as the complexity of the research projects have elevated to a new level, the traditional programming paradigm can no longer satisfy the modern demands. In this study, the Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) paradigm is introduced. Several generic classes are developed to tackle subsurface flow problems. OOP approach has the advantage of better modularity, reusability, flexibility and extensibility.
Local equations for the toric Hilbert scheme

We obtain local equations for the toric Hilbert scheme, which parametrizes all ideals with the same multigraded Hilbert function as a given toric ideal. We also prove a conjecture of Sturmfels' providing a criterion for an ideal to have such a Hilbert function.
Long-term access to cystic brain stem lesions using the Ommaya reservoir: technical case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE : Unresectable cystic brain stem lesions are often responsible for neurological dysfunction. Stereotactic aspiration of such lesions can lead to clinical improvement, but cyst recurrence is common and multiple aspirations may be necessary. CLINICAL PRESENTATION : Three children with unresectable cystic brain stem lesions were treated at the University of Florida. Two patients initially underwent stereotactic biopsy and cystic aspiration, both improving after cystic decompression. Both patients returned 3 months later with symptomatic cyst recurrences requiring further intervention. Six years after surgical resection of a posterior fossa medulloblastoma, the third patient presented with a dorsal midbrain cyst. INTERVENTION : All three patients had catheters placed into the cyst cavities under stereotactic guidance. A subcutaneous Ommaya reservoir was attached to the existing catheter. In the event of symptomatic cyst recurrence, the Ommaya reservoir can be tapped in an outpatient setting. CONCLUSION : Cystic decompression resulted in clinical improvement in all three children. Multiple aspirations were necessary in two patients for symptomatic cyst recurrences. The Ommaya reservoir allows for cyst aspiration in an outpatient setting and avoids multiple stereotactic manipulations. This system may also be used to instill radioisotopes or it may be converted to a cyst-peritoneal shunt if multiple aspirations fail to achieve cystic control.
Survival probability of H2(v=1,J=1) scattered from Cu(110).

We have measured the survival probability of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ in a single rovibrational state $(v\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1,J\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1)$ scattering from a Cu(110) surface at 78 meV translational energy, using molecular beam and laser state preparation techniques. The integrated survival probability is found to be only $0.74\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13$, compared with 1.00 for the $(v\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0,J\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1)$ state. Possible loss channels for the vibrationally excited ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, including dissociation and inelastic scattering, are discussed.