cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Logical Treatment of Religious Propositions

N the history of thought, reason and faith stand against each other as opposite and contradictory ways of solving man's problem of meaning and purpose. This opposition appears even in such a synthesis as that of St. Thomas in which each, having a different role to play, leads to truths the other can only accept but cannot evaluate. In our own day the battle lines are more clearly drawn. Our demand for "scientific demon-
Optimizing the early parent-child relationship: windows of opportunity for parents and pediatricians.

This article explores child and parent risk factors that can affect the early parent–child relationship and highlights how a relational approach can be used in pediatric primary care to optimize early social–emotional development in the context of family-centered care. Risk factors, such as prematurity, parental mental illness, and a history of adverse care-giving experiences, can affect the parent–child relationship and influence later infant social–emotional development. The pediatrician, because of the ongoing relationship with the family, is in an optimal position to identify concerns, initiate interventions, and provide support and services to support the development of the early parent–child relationship.
The identification and some functions of GABAergic neurons in the proximal retina of the catfish

Abstract Putative GABAergic neurons in the inner retina of the Texas channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus , were studied using autoradiographic, biochemical and electrophysiological techniques. A pyriform amacrine cell, ramifying predominantly in sublamina b of the inner plexiform layer, was found to accumulate exogenous GABA in the dark. GABA could be released from these cells with high K + Ringers solution and the release was blocked by Co 2+ . These data suggest that a class of catfish amacrine cells are GABAergic. To substantiate this, extracellular recordings were made from ganglion cells during the superfusion of the GABA blocking agent bicuculline methochloride. This agent modified the responses of ganglion cells in a manner consistant with the notion that GABAergic amacrine cells are a major source of input to on-center ganglion cells. There also appeared to be an indirect GABAergic influence on a subclass of off-center ganglion cell.
Effect of pH alteration on growth and glucose oxidation in myoblast cultures.

Abstract The growth of chick heart cells in culture declines when the cells reach confluency. The decline in growth rate is associated with both a decrease in the pH of the bicarbonate-CO2 buffered medium and a reduced capacity for glucose oxidation by the pentose phosphate pathway. The pH of proliferating cultures supplemented with either 14 mM NaHCO3 or with a mixture of organic buffers (pK 7.4) was increased by 0.3 pH unit over that of the controls. The rate of glucose oxidation by the pentose phosphate pathway in confluent cultures supplemented with NaHCO3 or organic buffer increased by 60% 24 h after pH correction. This was associated with an increase in glucose uptake from the medium. We conclude that pH elevation in confluent heart cell cultures stimulates both growth and the capacity for glucose oxidation by the pentose phosphate pathway. The data also provide further evidence for a relationship between activity of the pentose phosphate pathway and cell growth.
Canon and Culture: Realistic Possibilities for the Biblical Canon:

The biblical canon, upon which biblical theology is based, is necessarily tied in signification to its historical context. As scriptural canon for Christians and Jews, modern interpreters require care in distinguishing between the meanings its historical authors and audiences gave and received, and those developed over time through the dynamics of the Jewish and Christian traditions. The article reasons that a reading of the biblical texts as a complex of signified symbols enables modem interpreters to determine what those symbols stood for in their historical setting and to continue the longstanding practice of conscientiously resignifying that meaning for substantially different social contexts.
Risk factors for conversion of laparoscopic colorectal surgery to open surgery: does conversion worsen outcome?

The utilization of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery is increasing. However, conversion to open surgery remains relatively high. We evaluated (1) conversion rates in laparoscopic colorectal surgery; (2) the outcomes of converted cases compared with successful laparoscopic and open colorectal operations; (3) predictive risk factors of conversion of laparoscopic colorectal surgery to open surgery. Using the National Inpatient Sample database, we examined the clinical data of patients who underwent colon and rectal resection from 2009 to 2010. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors predictive for conversion of laparoscopic to open operation. A total of 207,311 patients underwent intended laparoscopic colorectal resection during this period. The conversion rate was 16.6 %. Considering resection type and pathology, the highest conversion rates were observed in proctectomy (31.4 %) and Crohn’s disease (20.2 %). Using multivariate regression analysis, Crohn’s disease (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.80), prior abdominal surgery (AOR, 2.45), proctectomy (AOR, 2.42), malignant pathology (AOR, 1.90), emergent surgery (AOR, 1.82), obesity (AOR, 1.63), and ulcerative colitis (AOR, 1.60) significantly impacted the risk of conversion. Compared with patients who were successfully completed laparoscopically, converted patients had a significantly higher complication rate (laparoscopic: 23 %; vs. converted: 35.2 % vs. open: 35.3 %), a higher in-hospital mortality rate (laparoscopic: 0.5 %; vs. converted: 0.6 %; vs. open: 1.7 %) and a longer mean hospital stay (laparoscopic: 5.4 days; vs. converted: 8.1 days; vs. open: 8.4 days); however, converted patients had better outcomes compared with the open group. The conversion rate in colorectal surgery was 16.6 %. Converted patients had significantly higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared to successfully completed laparoscopic cases, although lower than open cases. Crohn’s disease, prior abdominal surgery, and proctectomy are the strongest predictors for conversion of laparoscopic to open in colorectal operations.
The Effect of Topical PGF2x on Uveoscleral Outflow and Outflow Facility in the Rabbit Eye

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) is a powerful ocular hypotensive agent in rabbit, cat, dog, monkey and human. In cynomolgus monkeys, the intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering is due to increased uveoscleral outflow (Fu). Because the anatomy of the rabbit outflow apparatus differs significantly from that of the primate, we sought to determine whether the mechanism of the PGF2 alpha-induced IOP fall was the same. PGF2 alpha tromethamine salt (PGF2 alpha-TS) (50 micrograms) applied to one eye of 14 conscious rabbits produced a significant IOP fall of 7.4 +/- 0.9 mmHg (P less than 0.001). In untreated control eyes, Fu determined from the quantity of intracamerally perfused [125I]albumin found in the ocular and periocular tissues accounted for 5-8% of total aqueous outflow. In 15 unilaterally PGF2 alpha-treated rabbits, after 4-6 hr dosing Fu was 49 +/- 14% higher in the treated than in the contralateral control eyes. Total outflow facility of outflow from the anterior chamber to the general circulation were measured concurrently in 11 rabbits using a two-level constant pressure perfusion and isotope accumulation technique. Both facilities tended to be higher in the treated eyes than in the controls, with a strong correlation between drug-induced changes in total facility and changes in facility of flow to blood (r = 0.85, P less than 0.001). In eight rabbits treated unilaterally with 50 micrograms PGF2 alpha-TS, the fluorophotometrically determined aqueous formation rate was probably not decreased relative to control eyes. Protein levels in the aqueous humor were approximately eight-fold higher in PG-treated vs. control eyes, suggesting a drug-induced compromise of the blood-aqueous barrier.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
BEYOND THE LIBERAL-CONSERVATIVE DIVIDE: AN APPRECIATIVE REJOINDER TO ALLAN ANDERSON

ABSTRACT Allan Anderson's review of my recent book is sympathetic but nevertheless suggests that my project is 'decidedly "liberal"' for pentecostal theology today. In response, I wish to trouble the distinctions between 'liberal' and 'conservative' in large part because I am convinced that Pentecostalism fits easily into neither category. The way forward, I suggest, is for Pentecostal theology to resist being pigeonholed into either camp but to follow out the renewal intuitions, ethos, and commitments derived by the distinctive piety and spirituality of Pentecostal experience.
Interactions between 1-MCP concentration, treatment interval and storage time for 'Bartlett' pears

Storage trials were carried out over two seasons to determine a suitable treatment protocol for the use 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) with ‘Bartlett’ (Williams) pears. In the 2000 season, pears were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 ll −1 1-MCP at 0 ◦ C, then stored at −1 ◦ C for up to 24 weeks before ripening at 20 ◦ C. The effects of the lower concentrations dissipated after a time, allowing fruit to reach eating ripeness. Superficial scald development was delayed, but not prevented, in these fruit. Although 1.0 ll −1 effectively prevented scald, these fruit failed to soften. Overall, concentrations of 0.1–0.5 ll −1 1-MCP appeared to have the most potential as storage treatments. In the 2001 season, fruit were exposed to 0, 0.2 or 0.4 ll −1 1-MCP at 0 ◦ C. After 4 or 6 weeks at −1 ◦ C, half the fruit were re-treated at 0 ◦ C and stored at −1 ◦ C for a further 4 or 6 weeks. Re-treatment after 4 weeks had a greater effect on color development and softening after storage than did the initial 1-MCP application. In contrast, fruit re-treated after 6 weeks showed little response to the additional 1-MCP exposure. These results suggest that green fruit recover ethylene sensitivity more slowly when re-treated with 1-MCP after a period of storage. However, if fruit have started to ripen they are relatively insensitive to additional 1-MCP. Treatment with 1-MCP reduced fruit sensitivity to handling damage, even after ripening. The results are discussed in terms of the practical difficulties with application of 1-MCP to ‘Bartlett’ pears as well as potential commercial benefits. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Transforming Leadership: Matching Diagnostics to Leader Behaviors

Executive Summary Critics of transformational leadership theory have criticized Bass' (1985) construct as to its practical implementation for everyday, frontline managers. This article proposes a n...
The Tail that Wags the Economy: Belief-Driven Business Cycles and Persistent Stagnation

The "Great Recession" was a deep downturn with long-lasting effects on credit markets, labor markets and output. We explore a simple explanation: This recession has been more persistent than others because it was perceived as an extremely unlikely event before 2007. Observing such an episode led all agents to re-assess macro risk, in particular, the probability of tail events. Since changes in beliefs endure long after the event itself has passed and through its effects on prices and choices, it produces long-lasting effects on investment, employment and output. To model this idea, we study a production economy with agents who use standard econometric tools to estimate the distribution of aggregate shocks. When they observe a new shock, they re-estimate the distribution from which it was drawn. Even transitory shocks have persistent effects because, once observed, they stay forever in the agents' data set. We feed a time-series of US macro data into our model and show that our belief revision mechanism can explain the 12% downward shift in US trend output.
Myelin and traumatic brain injury: The copper deficiency hypothesis

Nearly two million people suffer traumatic brain injury in the US each year. These injuries alter adversely the metabolism of myelin, a major lipid material in brain, both in people and in experimental injuries of animals. A newly discovered and severe human neuropathy from copper deficiency provides evidence that some people in the US are malnourished in copper. As it is well known among copper cognoscenti that it is impossible to synthesize myelin if copper nutriture is inadequate, it seems reasonable to assume that repair will be poor in this situation. Copper status of patients should be evaluated and experiments with injured animals should be repeated with graded doses of copper to determine if copper metabolism is important in this illness.
Walker-assisted gait in rehabilitation: a study of biomechanics and instrumentation

While walkers are commonly prescribed to improve patient stability and ambulatory ability, quantitative study of the biomechanical and functional requirements for effective walker use is limited. To date no one has addressed the changes in upper extremity kinetics that occur with the use of a standard walker, which was the objective of this study. A strain gauge-based walker instrumentation system was developed for the six degree-of-freedom measurement of resultant subject hand loads. The walker dynamometer was integrated with an upper extremity biomechanical model. Preliminary system data were collected for seven healthy, right-handed young adults following informed consent. Bilateral upper extremity kinematic data were acquired with a six camera Vicon motion analysis system using a Micro-VAX workstation. Internal joint moments at the wrist, elbow, and shoulder were determined in the three clinical planes using the inverse dynamics method. The walker dynamometer system allowed characterization of upper extremity loading demands. Significantly differing upper extremity loading patterns were Identified for three walker usage methods. Complete description of upper extremity kinetics and kinematics during walker-assisted gait may provide insight into walker design parameters and rehabilitative strategies.
Erbium-doped silicon light-emitting devices

Research in erbium-doped silicon (Si:Er) is discussed in light of our effort to improve the luminescence performance of our LEDs and to demonstrate an integration scheme for a microphotonic clock distribution system. Excitation from Si:Er can occur int ow ways: (1) direct excitation of an Er ion by high energy electrons or (2) energy transfer from an injected electron-hole pair to an Er ion in the lattice. In an LED the first excitation mechanism corresponds to operation in reverse bias, and the latter corresponds to operation in forward bias. We have studied the forward bias case, and we use an energy pathway model to describe the excitation and de-excitation processes. The competing, nonradiative processes against excitation and spontaneous emission are discussed. Maximization of light output can be approached in three ways: (1) decreasing the number of nonradiative energy pathways, (2) enhancing the probability of the radiative pathway, or (3) simply increasing the concentration of active Er sties. We report specific methods that address these issues, and we discuss more device structures that can be used as emitters, optical waveguides, and optical switches in a fully integrated microphotonic system.
AGAINST LEWIS's NEW THEORY OF CAUSATION: A STORY WITH THREE MORALS

A recent paper by David Lewis, “Causation as Influence”, provides a new theory of causation. This paper presents an argument against the theory, using a series of counterexamples that are, I think, of independent interest to philosophers of causation. I argue that (a) the relation asserted by a claim of the form “C was a cause of E” is distinct from the relation of causal influence, (b) the former relation depends very much, contra Lewis, on the individuation conditions for the event E, and (c) Lewis’s account is unsatisfactory as an analysis of either kind of relation. The counterexamples presented here provide, I suggest, some insight into the reasons for the failure of counterfactual accounts of causal relations. David Lewis’s new account of causation (Lewis 2000) is, I believe, mistaken, but it is mistaken in instructive ways. In what follows, I present an argument against the account, based on a scenario that I claim constitutes a simple counterexample to all three of Lewis’s counterfactual accounts of causation, and I draw several broad morals for the study of the truth conditions of claims of the form “C is a cause of E”.
Embryo-derived teratocarcinoma. II. Teratocarcinogenesis depends on the type of embryonic graft

Early post-implantation mouse embryos or their embryonic and extraembryonic portions were transplanted under the kidney capsule of adult isogenic recipients in order to test the tumor-producing potential of various grafts and to establish the optimal conditions for teratocarcinoma production. The highest yield of malignant tumors was obtained from 7-day embryos transplanted in toto. Severing the extraembryonic portion of 7-day egg cylinders prior to transplantation of the embryonic part reduced the number of teratocarcinomas to values comparable with those obtained from transplanted 6-day embryos. The extraembryonic portion of 7-day embryos produced no tumors. These data suggest that extraembryonic portions of the 7-day egg cylinder do not have tumorigenic potential alone, but may increase the yield of teratocarcinomas from the embryonic portion of the egg cylinder.
The Chemokine Receptor CXCR3 Is Degraded following Internalization and Is Replenished at the Cell Surface by De Novo Synthesis of Receptor

The chemokine receptor CXCR3 is expressed on the surface of both resting and activated T lymphocytes. We describe in this study the endocytosis of CXCR3 using T lymphocytes and CXCR3 transfectants. Chemokine-induced CXCR3 down-regulation occurred in a rapid, dose-dependent manner, with CXCL11 the most potent and efficacious ligand. Endocytosis was mediated in part by arrestins, but appeared to occur independently of clathrin and caveolae. In contrast to other chemokine receptors, which are largely recycled to the cell surface within an hour, cell surface replenishment of CXCR3 occurred over several hours and was dependent upon mRNA transcription, de novo protein synthesis, and transport through the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. Confocal microscopy and Western blotting confirmed the fate of endocytosed CXCR3 to be degradation, mediated in part by lysosomes and proteosomes. Site-directed mutagenesis of the CXCR3 C terminus revealed that internalization and degradation were independent of phosphorylation, ubiquitination, or a conserved LL motif. CXCR3 was found to be efficiently internalized in the absence of ligand, a process involving a YXXL motif at the extreme of the C terminus. Although freshly isolated T lymphocytes expressed moderate cell surface levels of CXCR3, they were only responsive to CXCL11 with CXCL9 and CXCL10 only having significant activity on activated T lymphocytes. Thus, the activities of CXCR3 are tightly controlled following mRNA translation. Because CXCR3(+) cells are themselves a source of IFN-gamma, which potently induces the expression of CXCR3 ligands, such tight regulation of CXCR3 may serve as a control to avoid the unnecessary amplification of activated T lymphocyte recruitment.
The Year in Review Anesthesia for Congenital Heart Disease 2014

Congenital cardiac anesthesiology is a rapidly expanding field at both ends of the life spectrum. The care of the unborn child with congenital heart disease is becoming highly specialized in regional centers that offer advanced imaging techniques, coordinated specialist care, and potentially fetal interventions. As more children with congenital heart disease survive to adulthood, patients and their health care providers are facing new challenges. The growing volume of publications reflects this expanding field of congenital cardiac anesthesiology. This year in review article highlights some developing trends in the literature.
Krein space approach to H/sup /spl infin// mixed sensitivity minimization for a class of infinite dimensional systems

Motivated by the computation of the H/sup /spl infin// optimal performance and optimal mixed sensitivity for a class of infinite dimensional systems, the author considers the explicit computation of the norm and minimal symbols of a class of "Hankel plus Toeplitz" type operators with irrational symbols using the Krein space approach. The author shows how to explicitly compute the norm and parameterize all the minimal symbols. The results are used to obtain a complete solution to the H/sup /spl infin// optimal mixed sensitivity synthesis problem for a class of infinite dimensional systems: an explicit formula for computing the H/sup /spl infin// optimal performance and explicit parameterization of all optimal and suboptimal mixed sensitivities. An illustrative example is given. >
Physical Examination is a Poor Screening Test for Abdominal-Pelvic Injury in Adult Blunt Trauma Patients

Background To determine if physical examination can reliably detect or exclude abdominal or pelvic injury in adult trauma activation patients. Methods Trauma registry and medical record data were retrospectively reviewed for all adult blunt trauma patients with Glasgow coma scale score > 8, from 6/30/05 to 12/31/06. Attending surgeons' dictated admission history and physical examination reports were individually reviewed. Patients' subjective reports of abdominal pain were recorded as present or absent. Exam findings of the lower ribs, abdomen, and pelvis were each separately recorded as positive or negative, and were compared with findings on a subsequent objective evaluation of the abdomen (OEA). “Clinically significant” injuries were defined as those that would change patient management. Results One thousand six hundred sixty-three patients were studied. Of patients with a negative abdominal exam, 10% had a positive OEA. When abdominal pain was absent, and exam of the lower ribs, abdomen, and pelvis was normal, OEA was positive in 7.6%, and 5.7% had a clinically significant injury. While a positive abdominal exam was predictive of a positive OEA ( P Conclusion Ten percent of trauma activation patients with a negative abdominal exam have occult abdominal/pelvic injuries. Even when exam of the lower ribs, abdomen, and pelvis are all negative and abdominal pain is absent, 5.7% have occult injuries that would change management. OEA should be used liberally for adult blunt trauma activation patients regardless of physical exam findings, to avoid missing clinically significant injuries.
Femoral neck modularity: A bridge too far

Abstract Modular femoral neck use in total hip arthroplasty (THA) affords the operating surgeon increased intra-operative flexibility with regard to offset, version, and leg length. Proponents also advocate a reduced dislocation rate, reduced impingement issues, and ease of revision of acetabular component, head, or neck. However, the increased intra-operative flexibility and potential postoperative advantages come at a significant price. Adverse events and complications associated with modular femoral neck usage are being reported with increasing frequency. Modular femoral neck fractures as a result of patient- and implant-related factors are prevalent. Corrosion at the neck–stem interface is associated with a number of sequelae, including osteolysis, synovitis, adverse local tissue reactions (ALTRs), and aseptic lymphocyte-laminated vascular-associated lesions (ALVAL). Systemic complications of metallosis are also pertinent following corrosion at the neck–stem junction. Failure to disassemble the neck from the stem due to corrosion and cold welding is a documented complication and obviates a potential benefit of modularity at the time of revision. Modular femoral necks have a twofold increase in overall revision rate in the Australian registry data as compared to fixed-neck stems. Lastly, modular femoral necks add significant cost to each THA. The purpose of this review article is to discuss the current state of femoral neck modularity and provide the readership with pause prior to the continued use of modular femoral neck THA. Given the current and emerging literature, the modular femoral neck is a bridge too far.
Interactions of Actinide Analogues with Naturally Occurring Organic Matter

We have studied the interaction of a low molecular weight alginic acid (ca. 7, 000 daltons) with Ca2+, Mg2+, Eu3+ and La3+, using lanthanide luminescence spectroscopy (LLS) and13C NMR. LLS results imply that nine-coordinate lanthanide ions lose six water molecules upon complexation with alginate, forming inner-sphere alginate complexes. In general, the13C resonances in the NMR studies decreased in intensity as metal ion concentration increased, but the preference of a cation for repeating mannuronate and guluronate units (MM and GG blocks) varied greatly. The La3+ ion binds preferentially to the GG blocks, though some binding to the MM blocks is evident, while Eu3+ binds equally well to GG and MM blocks. Ca2+ shows a strong preference for the GG blocks only, while Mg2+ shows no evidence of binding to alginate at all. These preferences may be explained in terms of cation size, charge and coordination number. The diequatorial linkage pattern of sequential mannuronate residues leads to a flat ribbon-like structure with shallow cavities for the metal ions while the diaxial linkages of the guluronates allow a deeper, more size-specific cavity. Calcium has the optimum ionic radius for the GG cavities compared to the larger Eu3+ and La3+ ions. The smaller Mg2+ ion does not bind at all over the concentration range studied. This could be due to its large charge density to coordination number ratio that would make dehydration of this ion and subsequent complexation by alginate thermodynamically unfavorable.
Lack of induced increase in sister chromatid exchanges in human lymphocytes exposed to in vivo therapeutic ultrasound.

In 1984 Stella et al. reported that each of 10 patients exposed to therapeutic ultrasound had a statistically significant increase in sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) at mid- and end of therapy; there was a wide range of clinical symptoms (e.g., elbow epicondylitis to knee arthrosis) in this set of patients. In the present study, a set of 4 patients each with some diagnosis recommending therapeutic ultrasound was similarly tested for SCE induction; an additional set of 4 healthy persons underwent sham-therapeutic ultrasound exposures. For both sets of subjects (patients, nonpatients) there was no increase in the frequency of SCEs.
Microwave dielectric properties of marine DNA based polymers

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based polymer thin-films are characterized at microwave frequencies. The dielectric properties of the films are extracted from comparison of the propagation constants of the co-planar waveguide (CPW) lines on bare MgO substrates and the DNA-based films on MgO substrates. The insertion loss introduced by an undoped DNA-based polymer film is only 0.1 dB at 10 GHz and 0.5 dB at 30 GHz. A red-dye-doped DNA polymer film exhibited higher losses. The relative dielectric constant of the undoped DNA-based film averages to 4 at microwave frequencies, and the loss-tangent is below 0.1 up to 30 GHz. The dielectric properties of a 5% red-dye-doped DNA polymer film is compared to that of the pure DNA film. The DR1 doped DNA film exhibits 0.4-dB higher loss at 10 GHz and 0.9-dB higher loss at 30 GHz. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 46: 278–282, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20965
An on-chip ramp generator for single-slope look ahead ramp (SSLAR) ADC

An on-chip ramp generator was developed for single-slope look-ahead ramp (SSLAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) integrated in a column-parallel CMOS image sensor. Ramp generator is the central part of a new ADC algorithm which uses modified single-slope ramp (SSR) ADC timing. Ramp block designed such a way that it allows wide output voltage ranges as well as code hopping, code fall back and look-ahead operations in column-parallel ramp ADC. Ramp generator was fabricated using 0.5µm, 2P3M CMOS technology. Ramp generator composes of 10-bit synchronous counter, switched-capacitor based voltage steering circuits, output buffer and logic circuits. Effective layout area of ramp generator is 0.3mm2.
Social Norm Design for Information Exchange Systems with Limited Observations

Information exchange systems, such as BitTorrent, Yahoo Answers, Yelp, Amazon Mechanical Turk, differ in many ways, but all share a common vulnerability to selfish behavior and free-riding. In this paper, we build incentives schemes based on social norms. Social norms prescribe a social strategy for the agents in the system to follow and deploy reputation schemes to reward or penalize agents depending on whether they follow or deviate from the prescribed strategy when selecting actions. Because agents in these systems often have only limited capability to observe the global system information, e.g. the reputation distribution of the agents participating in the system, their beliefs about the reputation distribution are heterogeneous and biased. Such belief heterogeneity causes a positive fraction of agents to not follow the social strategy. In such practical scenarios, the standard equilibrium analysis deployed in the economics literature is no longer directly applicable and hence, the system design needs to consider these differences. To investigate how the system designs need to change, we focus on a simple social norm with binary reputation labels but allow adjusting the punishment severity through randomization. First, we model the belief heterogeneity using a suitable Bayesian belief function. Next, we formalize the agents' optimal decision problems and derive in which scenarios they follow the prescribed social strategy. Then we study how the system state is determined by the agents' strategic behavior. We are particularly interested in the robust equilibrium where the system state becomes invariant when all agents strategically optimize their decisions. By rigorously studying two specific cases where agents' belief distribution is constant or is linearly influenced by the true reputation distribution, we prove that the optimal reputation update rule is to choose the mildest possible punishment. This result is further confirmed for more sophisticated belief influences in simulations. In conclusion, our proposed design framework enables the development of optimal social norms for various deployment scenarios with limited observations.
Class discovery and classification of tumor samples using mixture modeling of gene expression data---a unified approach

Motivation: The DNA microarray technology has been increasingly used in cancer research. In the literature, discovery of putative classes and classification to known classes based on gene expression data have been largely treated as separate problems. This paper offers a unified approach to class discovery and classification, which we believe is more appropriate, and has greater applicability, in practical situations. Results: We model the gene expression profile of a tumor sample as from a finite mixture distribution, with each component characterizing the gene expression levels in a class. The proposed method was applied to a leukemia dataset, and good results are obtained. With appropriate choices of genes and preprocessing method, the number of leukemia types and subtypes is correctly inferred, and all the tumor samples are correctly classified into their respective type/subtype. Further evaluation of the method was carried out on other variants of the leukemia data and a colon dataset. Supplementary information: The program implementing the method and additional details and figures are at http://www.stat.ohio-state.edu/~statgen/PAPERS/DNC-MIX.html.
Variations in the RBE for Cell Killing Along the Depth-Dose Profile of a Modulated Proton Therapy Beam

Considerable evidence now exists to show that that the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) changes considerably along the proton depth-dose distribution, with progressively higher RBE values at the distal part of the modulated, or spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) and in the distal dose fall-off (DDF). However, the highly variable nature of the existing studies (with regards to cell lines, and to the physical properties and dosimetry of the various proton beams) precludes any consensus regarding the RBE weighting factor at any position in the depth-dose profile. We have thus conducted a systematic study on the variation in RBE for cell killing for two clinical modulated proton beams at Indiana University and have determined the relationship between the RBE and the dose-averaged linear energy transfer (LETd) of the protons at various positions along the depth-dose profiles. Clonogenic assays were performed on human Hep2 laryngeal cancer cells and V79 cells at various positions along the SOBPs of beams with incident energies of 87 and 200 MeV. There was a marked variation in the radiosensitivity of both cell lines along the SOBP depth-dose profile of the 87 MeV proton beam. Using Hep2 cells, the D(0.1) isoeffect dose RBE values (normalized against (60)Co) were 1.46 at the middle of SOBP, 2.1 at the distal end of the SOBP and 2.3 in the DDF. For V79 cells, the D(0.1) isoeffect RBE for the 87 MEV beam were 1.23 for the proximal end of the SOBP: 1.46 for the distal SOBP and 1.78 for the DDF. Similar D(0.1) isoeffect RBE values were found for Hep2 cells irradiated at various positions along the depth-dose profile of the 200 MeV beam. Our experimentally derived RBE values were significantly correlated (P = 0.001) with the mean LETd of the protons at the various depths, which confirmed that proton RBE is highly dependent on LETd. These in vitro data suggest that the RBE of the proton beam at certain depths is greater than 1.1, a value currently used in most treatment planning algorithms. Thus, the potential for increased cell killing and normal tissue damage in the distal regions of the proton SOBP may be greater than originally thought.
Delay testing of partially depleted silicon-on-insulator (PD-SOI) circuits

Partially depleted silicon-on-insulator (PD-SOI) technology has garnered more attention recently with regards to replacing traditional bulk-silicon technology as the mainstream technology of choice for high-performance/low-power digital applications. The increase in performance is due to the buried oxide layer, which provides a dramatic decrease in the source and drain junction capacitance, as well as a reduction in the traditional back biasing resulting from the body effect. The reported performance increases have been between 20% and 35%. However, this increase in performance comes at a cost of complexity from a performance measurement and delay testing perspective. Where the SOI transistor is faster than the bulk transistor, there exists a variation in delay caused by threshold voltage shifts that must be accounted for during manufacturing test. This paper explores these issues and proposes new test techniques for this promising technology
Effects of lighting conditions on sleep and wakefulness in albino Lewis and pigmented Brown Norway rats.

Study Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated that albino but not pigmented rats show acute increases in REM sleep following light-to-dark transitions. Light and dark have also been shown to have direct effects on NREM sleep and wakefulness in albino rats. Little is known, however, about the direct light-dark effects on sleep patterns in pigmented animals. The purpose of the present study was to compare the direct effects of light and dark on REM sleep, NREM sleep, and waking in albino Lewis and pigmented Brown Norway (BN) rats. Design: Groups of albino Lewis and pigmented Brown Norway (BN) rats were exposed to various light-dark (LD) schedules. In the first experiment, the lighting schedules were LD 12:12 and LD 3:3. The second experiment compared LD 12:12 with an irregular schedule consisting of short light and dark periods of unequal length. Measurements and Results: Both Lewis and BN rats slept more during the light and were awake more during the dark on all schedules. REM sleep patterns in light and dark periods were opposite, however. Lewis rats spent more of their sleep in REM sleep during dark than the light, whereas BN rats had a higher proportion of REM sleep in the light. Conclusions: The results suggest that there are substantial direct effects of light and dark on sleep in pigmented as well as in albino rats, although these effects are not always the same in magnitude or even in direction.
Integration of Insect Parasitic Nematodes (Rhabditida Steinernematidae) with Insecticides for Control of Pest Mole Crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae: Scapteriscus spp.)

To develop a successful integrated pest management program for pest mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae: Scapteriscus spp.), it is important to ascertain the compatibility of infective juveniles of insect parasitic nematodes and chemical insecticides. Aqueous solutions of five pesticides (acephate, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, fipronil, and imidacloprid) used in turfgrass to control mole crickets were tested for compatibility with Steinernema scapterisci Nguyen & Smart (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) in the laboratory. Survival of S. scapterisci was >95% in solutions of acephate, bifenthrin, and imidacloprid. Infectivity of S. scapterisci in adult Scapteriscus vicinus Scudder was >60% in acephate and bifenthrin; however, infectivity was <40% in imidacloprid. The entomopathogenic nematode was compatible with most insecticides tested without significantly reduced survival or infectivity.
The Real Effects of Military Spending on Security

The indirect effects of military spending on security are stronger and more important than its direct effects, and its long run impact more telling than its short run impact. In the short run, military spending can be a source of both physical security and economic stimulus. In the long run, it can be counterproductive in terms of physical security and will be a dead weight on the economy. How a society’s productive resources are deployed, as between military spending and more economically productive activities, sets it on a long-term course with powerful implications for the ability of its economy to do what it is supposed to do – provide for the material well-being of the population as a whole. The mechanism by which the extensive and extended diversion of productive economic resources to economically unproductive military spending drags an economy down is analyzed. Furthermore, it is possible to use properly structured international and domestic economic relationships in place of threats or use of military force to increase national and international security, while at the same time enhancing, rather than degrading, economic wellbeing. Three principles for structuring such a “peacekeeping economy” are set forth.
Breaking Bad News in obstetrics: a randomized trial of simulation followed by debriefing or lecture

AbstractObjective: Although communication skills represent an increasingly important aspect of medical care, little has been done to assess the best method of teaching these skills. Our study was designed to assess simulation-debriefing compared to lecture in teaching skills for Breaking Bad News (BBN) in obstetrics.Methods: This is a randomized prospective trial of house staff from a large academic medical center. Subjects initially underwent baseline simulation, followed by evaluation on BBN skills by themselves, a faculty observer, and the standardized patient (SP). The subjects were then immediately randomized to a debriefing session by faculty or to a lecture about BBN. Subsequently, both groups underwent a second simulation with the same three assessments, yielding post-intervention data.Results: 35 subjects completed both simulations. Both debriefing and lecture curricula showed improvement in scores by self (p = 0.010) and faculty (p < 0.001). The debriefing group improved significantly more than ...
Accelerated partial breast irradiation: advances and controversies

The management of localized breast cancer has changed dramatically over the past three to four decades. Breast-conserving therapy, which involved lumpectomy followed by adjuvant irradiation, is now widely considered the standard of care in women with early-stage breast cancer. Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), which involves focal irradiation of the lumpectomy cavity over a short period of time, has developed over the past two decades as an alternative to whole breast irradiation (WBI). Multiple APBI modalities have been developed including brachytherapy, external beam irradiation, and intraoperative irradiation. These new techniques have provided early-stage breast cancer patients with shorter treatment duration and more focused irradiation, delivering very high biological doses to the region at a high risk of failures over a much shorter treatment course as compared with conventional radiotherapy. However, the advantages of APBI over conventional radiotherapy are controversial, including a higher risk of complications reported in retrospective literature and shorter follow-up duration in the intraoperative APBI trials. Nevertheless, APBI presents a valuable alternative to WBI for a selected population of women with early-stage breast cancer.
Materials for advanced optical amplifiers

Fiber optic communications have been aided considerably by the coincidence at roughly 1550 nm of the minimum in the loss curve of Ge-doped silica and the peak of the emission spectrum of the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 electronic transition of the trivalent erbium ion, Er3+. It has enabled large numbers of wavelength-multiplexed channels to be transmitted over considerable distances, boosted along the way by comparatively inexpensive erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) with excellent signal-to-noise characteristics. The pre-eminent fiber host in practical applications is alumina- and germania-doped silica (Al/Si), which offers a potent combination of low loss, high power-conversion efficiency, compatibility with 980 nm pump, mature fabrication technology, high fiber strength and reliability, and compatibility with a preferred fiber joining technology, arc-fusion splice.
Free-Space Optical Interconnect Using Flip-Chip Bonded, Microlensed Arrays of Monolithic Vertical Cavity Lasers and Resonant Photodetectors

A free-space optical link is demonstrated using monolithically integrated vertical-cavity lasers (VCLs) and resonant photodetectors. The devices have been integrated using a novel epitaxial structure that makes it possible to fabricate devices with through-the-substrate emission and detection using only post-growth processing [1].
A Generalization of the Partition Problem

AbstractThe problem of partitioning with respect to a control or a standard is an important statistical problem in the area of selection and ranking. In the last 60 + years a number of formulations have been proposed for this problem utilizing the two-stage sampling strategy of Stein (1945) and other multistage sampling strategies. One such formulation, which had generalized many other formulations, was proposed in Tong (1969) for the normally distributed populations. Since then the formulation in Tong (1969) has been used by a multitude of researchers and practitioners. The indifference zone in Tong's (1969) formulation is a region in which the experimenter is indifferent to differentiate any treatment mean from the control treatment mean. However, this indifference zone also serves the additional role of defining the boundaries for “bad” and “good” treatments compared to the control treatment. Though the formulation in Tong (1969) is straightforward and easy to implement, this additional role that the i...
Influence of central air conditioning system on indoor air quality and human health

The influence of cleaning central air conditioning system on indoor air quality and human health are summarized in this paper,along with several methods of pollution control are listed. The using of central air conditioning system has both positive and negative aspects of their role on indoor air quality,however cleaning effect of central air conditioning system on indoor air quality and human health is not clear.
A new simplified approach to the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma.

Abstract Blood catecholamine assays have been used for diagnosis and computerized axial tomography for localization of proved pheochromocytomas in a series of 16 patients. Blood catecholamine assays were obtained in 15 of the patients and were significantly elevated in every instance. Successful localization of the tumor was accomplished by excretory urography in only 40 per cent of the cases, by selective angiography in 84 per cent of the cases and by abdominal computerized axial tomography in 84 per cent of the cases studied. In 4 patients preoperative identification and localization of tumor were correctly determined by computerized axial tomography alone. Data in this series suggest that the diagnosis and localization of pheochromocytoma usually can be accomplished by a simple blood test and body scan. More elaborate and sometimes hazardous studies should be necessary only in exceptional cases, usually with tumors less than 3 cm. in diameter.
Inflammatory diseases of the sinuses:physiology. Clinical applications.

In this article, the physiology of the nose and the paranasal sinuses is reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on clinically relevant physiology and how this impacts upon therapy. A working understanding of nasal and sinus physiology can greatly aid the physician in therapeutic decision making and can guide the surgeon in operative management of nasal and sinus disease.
Lassa Virus Hepatitis: a Study of Fatal Lassa Fever in Humans

In order to explore the significance of a previous observation that the most important pathologic changes in fatal Lassa fever are hepatic, we have studied postmortem liver biopsies from 19 patients with fatal Lassa fever. We observed a vigorous macrophage response to cellular damage, but we found no evidence of lymphocyte infiltration in infected hepatic tissues. Using semi-quantitative estimates of liver cell damage, we found a wide range in the severity and progression of Lassa virus hepatitis in our fatal cases. We have classified for descriptive purposes three general nosopoeitic phases: active hepatocellular injury (less than 20% necrosis), continued damage and early recovery, and mitotic activity representing hepatic recovery. We conclude that the liver goes through cellular injury, necrosis and regeneration and any or all may be present at death. In no instance was the degree of hepatic damage sufficient to implicate hepatic failure, and all three phases were represented among our cases. We conclude that the hepatitis of Lassa fever in humans is not the primary cause of death.
Studies of the Role of Dopamine in the Control of Prolactin and Gonadotropin Secretion in Humans

The participation of the catechol aminergic system of the brain in the central regulation of gonadotropin (FSH and LH) and prolactin (PRL) release is now established in all mammalian soecies studied except in humans (39). That the tuberoinfundibuiar dopamine (DA) system functions as a hypothalamic PRL inhibitor by a direct action of the DA-receptor of the lactotrope, delivered by way of the hypophyseal portal system is unequivocally demonstrated (8,13,20,37,38, 53,54). By contrast, catecholamines which influence gonadotropin secretion appear to operate by way of a central site(s), affecting the peptidergic neuron that produces LRF (19,21,22,25,35,41,48,51). Through the use of immunohistochemistry, Fuxe and associate and Lofstrom et al. have demonstrated a morphological relationship which serves as a basis for the interaction between DA, norepinephrine (NE), and LRF nerve terminals in the median eminence of the rat (18,19,35). Recently, axo-axonic contact of LRF and DA terminals was demonstrated in close proximity to the portal vessels of the rat median eminence suggesting the synaptic influence of DA on the release of LRF into the portal system (1a, 40).