cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intelligent Office Lighting: Demand-Responsive Conditioning and Increased User Satisfaction

AbstractCommercial daylighting systems have been shown to save up to 45 percent in electricity consumption when properly commissioned, and installed in areas with significant amounts of daylight. In practice however, these systems are greatly under leveraged. This paper details the development of an intelligent commercial lighting system designed to overcome user dissatisfaction, lost energy savings due to simple control algorithms, and high retrofit costs. An influence diagram decision framework is used to optimize demand responsive actuation decisions, resulting in improvements in user satisfaction and energy efficiency compared to existing daylighting systems. Further, the system utilizes wireless sensing and actuating technology to relieve much of the expense associated with retrofitting.
A novel forklift safety system utilizing Xbees and directional Microstrip Patch Antennas

A forklift safety system has been designed, manufactured, and tested. The system utilizes Microstrip Patch Antennas, Arduino microcontrollers, and Xbee wireless communication modules to notify forklift operators to the general location of nearby pedestrians.
Burning mechanisms of fibers

Abstract: Burning of solid materials is often described as a cycle, where a solid is decomposed into flammable vapor which is oxidized by oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere, producing heat to promote further decomposition. The general outline of this cycle is presented along with some of the fundamentals that either increase or decrease the rate of burning.
Teaching Neuro Images: Wallerian degeneration in evolving pediatric stroke

An 8-year-old girl presented with acute hemiparesis and facial palsy. MRI demonstrated right middle cerebral artery territory infarction (figure, A and B), secondary to traumatic dissection. Following discharge, multiple visits for nonspecific neurologic symptoms prompted repeat short-term imaging, initially concerning for right midbrain infarction (figure, C–H).
People’s Geography

People's geography is an orientation toward the production and use of geographical knowledge. As a way of organizing and communicating research, as well as a political project, it has its roots in the rise of radical geography in the 1960s. It seeks to draw on the theoretical ferment and advances of the past 40 years while also confronting directly the depoliticization of progressive geography that has accompanied the rise of ‘critical geography’. The People's Geography Project (PGP) is one institutional center for the development of people's geographies. While the PGP has accomplished few of its stated aims, its goals and ideas have been picked up by others who are moving the project forward.
The Radiographic Effects of Surgical Approach and Use of Retractors on the Brain After Anterior Cranial Fossa Meningioma Resection.

Objective There is an increasing trend toward skull base (SB) approaches and retractorless surgery to minimize brain manipulation during surgery. We evaluated the radiographic changes over time after surgical resection of anterior cranial fossa meningiomas with and without both SB approaches and/or fixed retractor systems. Methods All adults undergoing primary resection of an anterior cranial fossa World Health Organization grade I meningioma through a craniotomy at a single academic tertiary-care institution from 2010 to 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Magnetic resonance imaging scans were reviewed and contrast-enhanced tumor and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) volumes were measured. Matched-pair analyses between patients who underwent SB and non-SB approaches, as well as retractorless and retractor-assisted (RA) surgery, were made. Results Of the 136 total patients, 20 (15%), 12 (9%), 46 (34%), and 58 (43%) underwent SB/retractorless, SB/RA, non-SB/retractorless, and non-SB/RA surgery, respectively. Patients who underwent non-SB and RA surgery each independently had longer times to FLAIR resolution than those who underwent SB (20.9 vs. 5 months; P = 0.04) and retractorless (12 vs. 5.2 months; P = 0.02) surgery, respectively. Patients who underwent both non-SB and RA surgery had the longest median time to FLAIR resolution (30 months vs. 4 months in SB/retractorless, 3.6 months in SB/RA, and 3 months in non-SB/retractorless; P Conclusions The use of SB approaches in combination with retractorless surgery may decrease the duration needed for FLAIR resolution after surgery. The results from this study therefore advocate SB approaches and retractorless surgery along the anterior SB when possible.
Learning Music Literacies Across Transnational School Settings

This article examines an adolescent’s music literacy education across Caribbean and U.S. schools using qualitative research methods and theories of multimodality, transnationalism, and global cultu...
Preparation of electrocatalysts using a thiol-amine solution processing method.

Solution processing has emerged as a promising option for the preparation of functional materials with methods that tend to be cheap, less energy intensive, and allow for high throughput and large area deposition. A recently developed method, whereby a binary thiol–amine solvent mixture is used to dissolve bulk oxides, chalcogenides, or elemental materials to yield molecular precursor inks for the deposition of phase pure chalcogenide materials, has recently garnered attention for applications in optoelectronics, thermoelectrics, and electrocatalysis. Presented here is a summary of reports on the application of this “alkahest” method for the deposition of electrocatalytic materials. Ink formulations drawing on the vast library of bulk precursor solutes have already resulted in a large collection of synthesized functional materials, with room still to explore new, or less studied, materials. Additionally, as is seen for the electrocatalysts, engineering of inks and deposition procedures can lead to higher performance through optimized morphology and form factors.
Pharmacology and toxicology of axoplasmic transport

The organized movement of cytoplasmic constituents is now recognized as a physiological process vital to the normal functioning of all cells. The importance of the ‘flow of nutrients’ for the well being of neurons and their innervated tissues was inferred as early as the mid-18th century (see quote from Prochaska, title heading). By the close of the 19th century Ramon y Cajal (1928) had set the scene for the concept of axoplasmic transport. In the years that followed the concept of an on-going supply of vital materials which moved out into the neuronal ramifications from the neuronal cell body, was put forth with increasing frequency. But it was the demonstration by Weiss and Hiscoe (1948) that materials accumulated in axons at the cell body side of ligated nerves which initiated extensive studies of the intracellular movements in neurons. Momentum was provided by the development of ‘markers’, probes and instrumentation so that today there is a large literature on the phenomenon termed ‘axoplasmic transport’ or ‘axonal transport’ — more correctly called ‘neuroplasmic transport’ since it is not limited to axons.
The Arctic Frontier of Norse Greenland

Publisher Summary Recent research into the calculation of optimal foraging strategies and the investigation of observed deviations from optimal balances of efficiency, uncertainty, and hazard has tended to concentrate upon hunter–gatherers only loosely tied to larger world systems. It may prove useful to also investigate archaeologically the extent to which asymmetric political and economic relationships may induce noticeably suboptimal balances of cost and benefit in the subsistence of peripheral populations. This chapter focuses on the arctic frontier of Norse Greenland. Like contemporary Iceland, Norse Greenland seems to have undergone a transition from chiefly oligarchy to provincial status in an increasingly stratified medieval state in the period 1000–1264. The initial settlement was made by aristocratic Landnamsmen (first or pioneer settlers) like Eirik the Red, who took the best pastureland for themselves and parceled out lesser farm sites among followers and later arrivals. Many of the surviving place names, for example, Einarsfjord, Eiriksfjord, Hrafnsfjord, Eiriksey, reflect this initially broad division of land and resources.
Semantics — Mathematics or Psychology?

My goal in this paper is to argue that the question in the title is one that urgently needs attention from both linguists and philosophers, although I do not have an answer for it. I believe that we will not be able to find an adequate account of the semantics of propositional attitudes without a theory which reconciles the conflicting demands of the two kinds of views of what semantics is.
Low-Cost Ultrasound Thermometry for HIFU Therapy Using CNN

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)is a noninvasive thermal therapy used for hyperthermia and ablation treatments. Temperature monitoring is important for those procedures to induce a necessary amount of thermal dose to the target area without damaging the surrounding healthy tissues. To this end, various medical imaging techniques have been proposed. Magnetic resonance imaging provides a high accuracy temperature monitoring feature. Ultrasound is a favorable medical imaging modality for thermal monitoring due to its cost-effectiveness, accessibility and non-ionizing radiation. The speed of sound and attenuation of ultrasound waves varies with the temperature, so temperature can be measured using those ultrasound physical properties. In the previous work, we developed an ultrasound thermal monitoring method for HIFU using an external ultrasound element. The system only requires simple hardware additions such as the external ultrasound sensor and computation units, providing a temperature monitoring method at a reduced cost. However, since we use only few external ultrasound sensors, the collected time of flight information is sparse. Moreover, the thermal image reconstruction highly depends on the ultrasound element locations and its accuracy could be highly deteriorated with certain sensor locations. In this paper, we propose to reconstruct thermal images using a neural network. As this method can learn the heat evolution from a large amount of data set, it could be less sensitive to the ultrasound element location. We validated the temperature image reconstruction method on a phantom study. Promising results show the feasibility of a thermal monitoring method using an external ultrasound element and deep learning reconstruction.
Surveillance Recommendations after Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair Should Be Based on Initial Indication for Repair.

Background Current surveillance recommendations after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) include contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans at 1-, 2-, 6-, and 12-month intervals, with annual scans thereafter. Patient compliance with such schedules remains inconsistent for all etiologies of aortic disease. It remains unclear which boundaries prevent compliance and whether compliance is associated with improved aorta-specific outcomes. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of a multicenter health-care system's electronic medical records to include all patients who underwent TEVAR from July 1, 2011 to April 1, 2016. Patients were assigned a compliance score of 0 through 4 based on the number of images received at the recommended time intervals. Whether patients underwent any postoperative imaging within 1 year of discharge was also recorded. Patients who died within 12 months of discharge were excluded. Aorta-specific complications included postoperative sac expansion, rupture, or need for additional aortic intervention. Results A total of 262 patients were included; of whom, 203 (77.5%) received at least one postoperative contrast-enhanced CT scan. Race, insurance status, and distance to hospital were not associated with 12-month compliance or compliance score (all P > 0.05). Regarding 12-month compliance, 76.2% of aneurysm patients, 81.6% of dissection patients, 72.2% of transection patients, and 72.2% of penetrating aortic ulcer patients underwent at least 1 CT scan within the first year (all P > 0.05). There were no differences in compliance score based on indication for repair. The overall aorta-related complication rate was 34.7%. TEVAR for dissection was associated with increased long-term aorta-specific complications (49.5%, P Conclusions In this large, multihospital analysis of TEVAR outcomes, there was no difference in compliance among patients undergoing TEVAR for major indications, but patients with dissection who required TEVAR had a significant difference in aorta-specific complication rates. TEVAR for dissection should be subject to stricter surveillance guidelines than TEVAR for other indications.
Statecraft, capital and the politics of difference

Hanchard’s Spectre of Race is an important and far-reaching piece of scholarship that makes important contributions to the field of poltiical science and to our understandings of democracy, statecr...
How I Do It: ICE-Guided Technique for Percutaneous PFO Closure

Abstract Closing a patent foramen ovale (PFO) under guidance with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) affords multiple advantages compared to guidance with transesophageal echocardiography. These include patient comfort with same-day discharge and avoidance of general anesthesia or deep sedation. A good understanding of the anatomy and troubleshooting techniques is important to avoid causing injury or performing inadequate device closure due to limited visualization or unusual septal configurations. This chapter presents an overview of ICE imaging and the relevant PFO anatomy, as well as catheter manipulation techniques used for the percutaneous closure procedure. In addition, this chapter will present several cases to showcase different methods that can be used to manage a challenging anatomy.
Designing Surgical Education Programs

Designing new residencies, fellowships, CME programs, or reentry programs can initially appear an overwhelming task, but identifying its major points makes this a manageable and worthwhile endeavor. In this chapter we explore surgical program design from the perspective of the ACGME General Surgery Residency Program. This framework can then be applied broadly to any surgical education program. Aspects considered in this chapter include choosing and developing faculty and administration; choosing the trainees; developing curriculum that is comprehensive in its approach to technical skills, medical knowledge, and nontechnical skills; and finally program evaluation and improvement.
VI – Wavelet zoom

Publisher Summary This chapter shows that the local signal regularity is characterized by the decay of the wavelet transform amplitude across scales. A wavelet transform can focus on localized signal structures with a zooming procedure that progressively reduces the scale parameter. Singularities and irregular structures often carry essential information in a signal. Discontinuities in the intensity of an image indicate the presence of edges in the scene. In electrocardiograms or radar signals, interesting information also lies in sharp transitions. Singularities and edges are detected by following the wavelet transform local maxima at fine scales. Non-isolated singularities appear in complex signals such as multifractals. In recent years, Mandelbrot led a broad search for multifractals showing that they are hidden in almost every corner of nature and science. The wavelet transform takes advantage of multifractal self-similarities in order to compute the distribution of their singularities. This singularity spectrum is used to analyze multifractal properties.
The association between quantity, frequency and duration of cocaine use during the heaviest use period and DSM-5 cocaine use disorder.

Abstract Background Quantity (Q), frequency (F), and duration (D) of cocaine use during a person’s heaviest use period are important aspects of cocaine use patterns that associated with cocaine use disorder (CocUD). Methods A total 2988 lifetime cocaine users who met CocUD after the onset of cocaine heaviest use were identified from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III). QFD were each categorized into four levels. Hierarchical regressions were used to examine the association between QFD of cocaine use and CocUD. Two-way interactions between QFD were also examined. Results As the level of cocaine use increased from low to very high, the prevalence of CocUD increased. Compared to people with low F, cocaine users with very high F were 12.09 times (95 %CI 6.33, 23.07) as likely to meet criteria for CocUD. Similarly, Q was associated with 4.84 (95 %CI 2.55, 9.18) times the risk of CocUD. D was not significantly associated with the risk of CocUD. Significant additive interaction was identified between Q*F on CocUD prevalence. Approximately one-third of the excess risk associated with having high Q & high F was due to the interactive effect. Conclusion Of these three cocaine use patterns, F had the strongest association with CocUD, followed by the Q. High Q and high F was a very dangerous pattern of cocaine use as the combination had as a synergistic effect on the risk of CocUD. It is important for intervention programs to focus on the reduction of both Q and F.
Some Observations on Claims That Rising Market Power Is Responsible for US Economy Ills and That Lax Antitrust Is the Villain

This paper evaluates the recent literature claiming that the US economy has generally become less competitive causing the US economy to perform poorly and that lax antitrust policy is one important reason for the decline in economic performance. Although there certainly are empirical facts requiring further study, I conclude that the evidence does not support calls for dramatic changes in antitrust policy.
Real-Time Single-Polymer Growth towards Single-Monomer Resolution

Synthetic polymers are heterogeneous; a significant contributor is the asynchronous and nonequilibrium kinetics of multistep polymerization reactions. Understanding the polymerization mechanism and associated kinetic dispersion is important fundamentally and for applications; this necessitates real-time monitoring of the single-chain growth of synthetic polymers, which faces challenges distinct from biopolymerizations for which many single-molecule studies exist. Here, we review the latest advances in single-molecule studies of real-time polymer growth. We describe the principles of available methods, illustrating them with earlier applications in biopolymerizations, and highlight the breakthroughs in studying single synthetic polymers and the unique insights inaccessible from bulk studies. We discuss the strengths and limitations of each method and the challenges and opportunities in the emerging field of single-polymer growth studies.
The Sobering Effects of Jailhouse Informant Testimony on Perceptions of an Intoxicated Rape Victim

This study investigated the impact of jailhouse informant (JI) testimony on mock-jurors’ perceptions of an alcohol-facilitated rape trial. Male and female participants (N = 186) read a rape trial s...
Mental Health Special Issue Introduction

Our call for proposals for this issue on “Mental Health in the Classroom” came before COVID, when mental health was a looming concern that the global pandemic only exacerbated. At that time, I had ...
Empirical Study of Named Entity Recognition Performance Using Distribution-aware Word Embedding.

With the fast development of Deep Learning techniques, Named Entity Recognition (NER) is becoming more and more important in the information extraction task. The greatest difficulty that the NER task faces is to keep the detectability even when types of NE and documents are unfamiliar. Realizing that the specificity information may contain potential meanings of a word and generate semantic-related features for word embedding, we develop a distribution-aware word embedding and implement three different methods to make use of the distribution information in a NER framework. And the result shows that the performance of NER will be improved if the word specificity is incorporated into existing NER methods.
Experiment and Manufacturing Considerations

The proper construction of an oscillating heat pipe is crucial to achieve a long operating life and optimal performance. Manufacturing an OHP has many considerations. These include material selection, working fluid selection, channel design, charging method, and sealing method. For instance, the OHP envelope must maintain structural integrity when the interior fluid is under vacuum or pressure. This is balanced against optimizing the envelope structure to reduce the overall thermal resistance. OHP materials must also be properly selected so that they do not leak or outgas and are compatible with their working fluid and the exterior environment. If they are not compatible, corrosion can occur and noncondensable gases can be generated, which can interfere with heat transfer. Once the OHP is built it must be accurately tested to verify its performance. The experimental operation of an OHP must account for the effects of gravitational orientation, condensing temperature, evaporator temperature, and heat flux.
Multivariate analysis and development behavioral genetics: developmental change as well as continuity.

Longitudinal behavioral genetic studies provide an opportunity to analyze both developmental change and continuity, the two essential issues addressed by developmental behavioral genetics. Longitudinal analysis can be viewed as multivariate analysis, thus profiting from recent advances made in that area. Moreover, the major multivariate concepts of genetic correlation and bivariate heritability assume added significance in longitudinal analyses: They connote age-to-age genetic continuity and change. In this paper, the relationship between multivariate and longitudinal analyses is discussed, the meaning of age-to-age genetic change is examined at the level of molecular genetics as well as quantitative genetics, and the implications of age-to-age genetic change for familial resemblance are considered in the context of parent—offspring data from the Colorado Adoption Project, which can be viewed as an “instant” longitudinal study from infancy to adulthood.
Evaluating the Psychometric Qualities of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' Assessments: A Methodological Accounting.

In 1991 the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards established a Technical Analysis Group (TAG) with responsibility for conducting research on the measurement quality of its innovative performance assessments of classroom teachers. The TAG's measurement research agenda focused on four principal areas of inquiry and development—(1) validation of the Board's assessments, (2) characterizing the reliability of the Board's assessments, (3) establishing standards of performance for awarding candidate teachers National Board Certification, and (4) investigation of the presence and degree of adverse impact and bias in the Board's assessments. Because the National Board's assessments differed materially from conventional tests that had been used in the past for assessing teachers' knowledge and skills (for example, the National Teacher Examinations), textbook approaches to evaluation of their measurement properties were largely inapplicable. New measurement methodology was thus required. This article contains a summary of the measurement strategies developed and employed by the TAG. Because investigations of the degree of adverse impact and bias in the National Board's assessments are described in another contribution to this journal issue, the article considers only the first three issues mentioned above. The article begins with a brief description of the structure of the National Board's assessments. A final section of the article identifies some remaining measurement dilemmas and provides suggestions for additional inquiry.
An intuitive Hamiltonian for quantum search

We present new intuition behind Grover's quantum search algorithm by means of a Hamiltonian. Given a black-box Boolean function f mapping strings of length n into {0,1} such that f(w) = 1 for exactly one string w, L. K. Grover describes a quantum algorithm that finds w in O(2^{n/2}) time. Farhi & Gutmann show that w can also be found in the same amount time by letting the quantum system evolve according to a simple Hamiltonian depending only on f. Their system evolves along a path far from that taken by Grover's original algorithm, however. The current paper presents an equally simple Hamiltonian matching Grover's algorithm step for step. The new Hamiltonian is similar in appearance from that of Farhi & Gutmann, but has some important differences, and provides new intuition for Grover's algorithm itself. This intuition both contrasts with and supplements other explanations of Grover's algorithm as a rotation in two dimensions, and suggests that the Hamiltonian-based approach to quantum algorithms can provide a useful heuristic for discovering new quantum algorithms.
Cephalon, Inc. Taking Risk Management Theory Seriously

We study a firm that justifies its novel use of equity derivatives as a cash-flow hedging strategy. Our purpose is to understand the challenge of translating risk management theory into managerial action. Cephalon Inc., a biotech firm, bought a large block of call options on its own stock. If the FDA approved the firm's new drug, the firm would have large cash needs, which the options were designed to meet. We analyze this stated rationale for the firm's choice, applying the cash flow hedging concepts articulated by Froot, Scharfstein and Stein (1993). In applying the theory to practice, there are lessons for both managers and theorists. Managers consider deadweight costs of financing and of risk management, whereas theory tends to ignore the latter costs. While theory is driven by costs of external financing, managers must measure these costs to arrive at decisions and this measurement problem is severe. Cephalon's risk management decisions seem motivated as much by fluctuations in the availability and cost of external financing and by accounting considerations as by fluctuations in operating cash flows or desired investment. Finally, even a field-based examination of this strategy cannot reject the conclusion that the transaction was motivated by goals other than risk management.
Metal hydride differential scanning calorimetry as an approach to compositional determination of mixtures of hydrogen isotopologues and helium

Abstract Gaseous mixtures of diatomic hydrogen isotopologues and helium are often encountered in the nuclear energy industry and in analytical chemistry. Compositions of stored mixtures can vary due to interactions with storage and handling materials. When tritium is present, it decays to form ions and helium-3, both of which can lead to further compositional variation. Monitoring of composition is typically achieved by mass spectrometry, a method that is bulky and energy-intensive. Mass spectrometers disperse sample material through vacuum pumps, which is especially troublesome if tritium is present. Our ultimate goal is to create a compact, fast, low-power sensor that can determine composition with minimal gas consumption and waste generation, as a complement to mass spectrometry that can be instantiated more widely. We propose calorimetry of metal hydrides as an approach to this, due to the strong isotope effect on gas absorption, and demonstrate the sensitivity of measured heat flow to atomic composition of the gas. Peak shifts are discernible when mole fractions change by at least 1%. A mass flow restriction results in a unique dependence of the measurement on helium concentration. A mathematical model is presented as a first step toward prediction of the peak shapes and positions. The model includes a useful method to compute estimates of phase diagrams for palladium in the presence of arbitrary mixtures of hydrogen isotopologues. We expect that this approach can be used to deduce unknown atomic compositions from measured calorimetric data over a useful range of partial pressures of each component.
Parasocial consensus sampling: combining multiple perspectives to learn virtual human behavior

Virtual humans are embodied software agents that should not only be realistic looking but also have natural and realistic behaviors. Traditional virtual human systems learn these interaction behaviors by observing how individuals respond in face-to-face situations (i.e., dir ect interaction). In contrast, this paper introduces a novel methodological approach called paras ocial consensus sampling (PCS) which allows multiple individuals to vicariously experience the same situation to gain insight on the typical (i.e., consensus view) of human responses in social interaction. This approach can help tease a part what is idiosyncratic from what is essential and help reveal the strength of cues that elicit social responses. Our PCS approach has several advantages over traditional methods: (1) it integrates data from multiple independent listeners interacting with the same speaker, (2) it associates probability of how likely feedback will be given over time, (3) it can be used as a prior to analyze and understand the face-to-face interaction data, (4) it facilitates much quicker and cheaper data collection. In this paper, we apply our PCS approach to learn a predictive model of listener backchannel feedback. Our experiments demonstrate that a virtual human driven by our PCS approach creates significantly more rapport and is perceived as more believable than the virtual human driven by face-to-face interaction data.
From Wartime Friend to Cold War Fiend: The Abduction of Kaji Wataru and U.S.-Japan Relations at Occupation's End

This article examines archival evidence related to the abduction and interrogation of the leftwing Japanese writer Kaji Wataru by U.S. military intelligence operatives in Tokyo in the early 1950s. The detention of Kaji became a cause celebre in December 1952 when he publicly claimed that he had been seized in November 1951 and held against his will until late 1952, some seven months beyond the formal end of the U.S. occupation. Kaji said that U.S. officials had accused him of being a Soviet spy, but he denied those charges vehemently. As both sides presented vastly different versions of what had transpired during Kaji's captivity, the truth of the case became enshrouded within the politics of the early Cold War in East Asia. By exploring the Kaji affair through available archival sources, including two important documents released in 2013 in response to a Freedom of Information Act petition, this article casts new light on the incident and connects it to broader interpretive themes in early postwar U.S-Ja...
Hemodynamic variations measured with near-infrared spectroscopy in human forearm muscles in response to venous occlusion: an electrical model

We present data collected with near-infrared spectroscopy on the human forearm (brachioradialis muscle) to characterize the hemodynamic response to venous occlusion in muscle. Venous occlusion was achieved in the upper arm by inflating a pneumatic cuff to a pressure of 60 mmHg. We performed absolute measurements of concentration and oxygen saturation of hemoglobin on six healthy adult human subjects. On all six subjects, we consistently found that during a 40-s venous occlusion the hemoglobin concentration increases (by 5.6±2.3 μM), while the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin decreases (by 2.1±0.7%). This accumulation and desaturation of blood in the forearm in response to the upper arm occlusion can be described with an electrical model in which the charge stored by a capacitor represents the local blood volume, and the electrical current represents blood flow.
Photocrosslinkable polymers with stable second-order optical nonlinearity

Abstract Linear and nonlinear optical properties of photocrosslinkable polymers are reported. These polymers exhibit relatively stable second order nonlinearity. Electro-optic and second harmonic generation coefficients are reported for these new materials.
Classifying hazardous events

Classification is an information management technique that helps achieve the goals of scientific and applied research by simplifying and ordering complex and varied observations. This paper is intended as a guide to the use and application of classifications of hazardous events. Proposed classifications are reviewed and evaluated in terms of their purposes, methods, supportive evidence and the scientific and applied goals of classification. The review is structured according to the metaphor of the natural life history of a hazard that distinguishes three stages of human-environment interaction: (a) hazard causes, (b) physical and psychosocial characteristics of hazards, and (c) individual and aggregate responses to hazards. The life history perspective has the advantage of being multidimensional and transactional. The structure highlights the relationship between proposed classifications, identifies needed areas of conceptual and empirical development, and provides a general guideline for the selection and use of classifications for hazard management.
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Modifies Glucocorticoid Receptor Subcellular Distribution in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Impairs Frontal Cortex-Dependent Learning

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been shown to impair learning, memory and executive functioning in children. Perseveration, or the failure to respond adaptively to changing contingencies, is a hallmark on neurobehavioral assessment tasks for human fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Adaptive responding is predominantly a product of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and is regulated by corticosteroids. In our mouse model of PAE we recently reported deficits in hippocampal formation-dependent learning and memory and a dysregulation of hippocampal formation glucocorticoid receptor (GR) subcellular distribution. Here, we examined the effect of PAE on frontal cortical-dependent behavior, as well as mPFC GR subcellular distribution and the levels of regulators of intracellular GR transport. PAE mice displayed significantly reduced response flexibility in a Y-maze reversal learning task. While the levels of total nuclear GR were reduced in PAE mPFC, levels of GR phosphorylated at serines 203, 211 and 226 were not significantly changed. Cytosolic, but not nuclear, MR levels were elevated in the PAE mPFC. The levels of critical GR trafficking proteins, FKBP51, Hsp90, cyclophilin 40, dynamitin and dynein intermediate chain, were altered in PAE mice, in favor of the exclusion of GR from the nucleus, indicating dysregulation of GR trafficking. Our findings suggest that there may be a link between a deficit in GR nuclear localization and frontal cortical learning deficits in prenatal alcohol-exposed mice.
Basal cell carcinoma: treatment by the Mohs technique.

A basal cell epithelioma presents a therapeutic problem when it recurs or when it is located in difficult to treat head and neck regions. Mohs' chemosurgery is a useful and highly effective technique for dealing with these cases. This is a staged procedure which utilizes application of a chemical fixative agent, scalpel excision, and microscopic study of the tissue. In addition to accuracy, the Mohs technique offers the advantage of conservation of valuable tissues. The chemosurgical technique is described and illustrated in detail with presentation of three typical cases.
The Effect of Herpes Virus Infection on the Membrane Potential of Parotid Acinar Cells

Monolayers of feline parotid acinar cells were infected with feline rhinotracheitis herpes virus. Membrane potentials and input resistances were measured before and during infection. Uninfected acinar cells had an average membrane potential of -51 m V and resistances from 6 to 120 mega-ohms; cells infected for more than 18 h had an average membrane potential of -19 mV and resistances from 30 to 100 mega-ohms. The time course of the decrease in membrane potential was studied and was found to commence about ten to 14 h after infection.
The Vitamin E Potency of Alfalfa as Measured by the Tocopherol Content of the Liver of the Chick

Abstract IN a study concerning the effect of the antioxidant diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and of fish oil on the vitamin E metabolism of the chick, it was noted that the liver tocopherol stores of the chick appeared to be a sensitive indicator of the vitamin E intake (Bunnell et al., 1956). Consequently, it was decided to determine the feasibility of using the tocopherol liver storage of the chick as a method for the biological assay of feedstuffs for their content of vitamin E available to the chick. The storage of vitamin A in the liver of the rat has been used by others for the bioassay of vitamin A (e.g. Foy and Morgareidge, 1948). The principle method for the bioassay of vitamin E, however, has been the prevention of sterility in the female rat (Mason, 1942). This method is rather time consuming and for assay of feedstuffs gives values not necessarily applicable to …
Moral Standards and the Application of the Term “God”: A Response to Kai Nielsen's Ethics Without God

N his recent book Ethics Without God' Kai Nielsen does not rest with developing an ethic that has no theistic basis or assumptions. He argues that those who have contended that morality is based in religion have the matter backwards. To the contrary, in Nielsen's words "A moral understanding must be logically prior to any religious assent" (p. 21). Or, "Christianity, Judaism and theistic religions of that sort could not exist if people did not have a moral understanding that was, logically speaking, quite independent of such religions" (p. 10). His contention is that the logic of the term "God" and the logic of moral language is such that even a devout religious believer must already have at his disposal some moral conceptions and standards, and must know how to use them to make moral judgments, in order for him even to assert that there is a God in the first place and in order for anything about God to pose any moral obligations for him. I want to examine Nielsen's contentions and the reasons he offers in support of them, because I am convinced that they involve a serious misrepresentation of the relation between a believer and what he considers to be his/her God so far as this involves anything in the way of moral standards. And further, I believe that, by his concentration on God's will as a moral standard, Nielsen misinterprets the most important sense in which God is a moral standard for Christians. Nielsen's argument has three main parts which can be summarized as follows. [This line of argument is based upon the assumption that "God is good" is analytic, a truth of language. Nielsen says that he regards this as more plausible than the assumption that it is a synthetic, substantive statement (p. 7).] (1) The evaluative character of the application of the term "God": in deciding whether or not there is a God, a person decides whether there exists (or could conceivably exist) something Z, described in some manner, such that Z is worthy of worship (pp. 12, 17).
historical perspectives on frontier agriculture as an adaptive strategy1

This paper examines the ecological and economic factors which result in resource depletion on one type of agricultural frontier: those devoted to cash crops. It argues that the adaptive strategies of frontier cultivators are analogous to the “fugitive strategies” characteristic of some non-human species. These strategies account for the exploitative nature of frontier agriculture which leads to partial resource depletion or long-term ecological destruction.
The Effects of Early Parenteral Amino Acids on Sick Premature Infants

Objectives To study the effects of early parenteral amino acid administration on body weight, fluid compartments and metabolic parameters during the first week of life in sick premature infants.
How changing the focus of attention affects performance, kinematics, and electromyography in dart throwing

Research has found an advantage for an external focus of attention in motor control and learning; instructing subjects to focus on the effects of their actions, rather than on body movements, can improve performance during training and retention testing. Previous research has mostly concentrated on movement outcomes, not on the quality of the movement itself. Thus, this study combined surface electromyography (EMG) with motion analysis and outcome measures in a dart throwing task, making this the first study that includes a comprehensive analysis of changes in motor performance as a function of attentional focus. An external focus of attention led to better performance (less absolute error), decreased preparation time between throws, and reduced EMG activity in the triceps brachii. There was also some evidence of increased variability for kinematic measures of the shoulder joint under an external focus relative to an internal focus. These results suggest improved movement economy with an external focus of attention.
The influence of philosophical versus theological education on the moral development of clinical medical ethicists

PURPOSE. Because of the increasing involvement of clinical medical ethicists in patient care and the resultant controversy over the appropriate background, training, and certification of clinical ethicists, this study was designed to investigate whether different educational backgrounds (philosophical versus theological) affected the moral reasoning of clinical ethicists and their orientations toward justice or care. METHOD. From 1987 through 1990, extensive oral interviews were conducted with 50 clinical medical ethicists (26 philosophers and 24 theologians) who were at 32 medical centers in 14 states from all sections of the United States. The interviews were used to gather selected demographic characteristics about the ethicists (age, gender, and educational background) as well as to determine the ethicists' scores for stages of moral reasoning and for moral orientation. Polyserial correlations and multivariant analyses were then performed between the demographic characteristics and the data on moral reasoning and moral orientation. RESULTS. The philosophers and theologians were found not to be significantly different (p > .05) in their moral reasoning skills in terms of either moral stage score or weighted average score. Similarly, the philosophers and theologians were found not to be significantly different in their moral orientations toward justice or care in terms of recognition, predominance, or alignment. No significant relationship was found between age or gender and moral reasoning or moral orientation. CONCLUSION. Based on the results of this study, it appears that clinical medical ethicists, whether philosophers or theologians, are a fairly homogeneous group with regard to their moral development, in terms of both their stages of moral reasoning and their moral orientations toward justice and care.
The effects of estradiol and mestranol on alpha-adrenoceptors in select regions of the rat brain.

Abstract The role of estrogens in modulating the concentration of CNS alpha-adrenoceptors has not been elucidated nor has it been determined how different estrogenic compounds affect these receptors. In this study brain alpha-1 and alpha-2-adrenoceptor binding was measured in female rats treated with estradiol and/or the synthetic estrogen mestranol. Rats treated biweekly for 12 weeks with mestranol (50 μg/100 g b.wt.) had a significant reduction in the apparent number of alpha-2-adrenoceptors in the frontal cortex and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), while apparent numbers of both alpha-1 and alpha-2-adrenoceptors were depressed in the locus coeruleus. Estradiol treatment (50 μg/100 g b.wt.) caused a significant elevation in apparent alpha-1-adrenoceptor numbers in the NTS relative to control. Alpha-adrenoceptor numbers in the rostral and caudal hypothalamus were not affected by either steroid treatment. These results suggest that regulation of apparent numbers of alpha-1 and alpha-2-adrenoceptors in the CNS depends on the type of estrogen used for treatment.
Precision or Reductionism: Whence Myth Studies?

Of the whole field of religious studies, one area of consistent interest and activity has been the study of myth; and if any one area has represented the wide variety of approaches scholars of religion have utilized, it is this one. Students of language and literature (e.g. F. Max Muller and J. Campbell), psychology (e.g. S. Freud and C. Jung), sociology (e.g. E. Durkheim and P. Berger), social anthropology (e.g. B. Malinowski, V. Turner and C. Levi-Strauss) as well as religion (e.g. M. Eliade and G. La Rue) have all offered interpretations of myth. An investigation of these various approaches to understanding myth seems to point to the conclusion that the history of the study of myth is a history of reductionism. That is, the heritage transmitted to scholars who would attempt to understand the nature and function of myth within a single discipline is one which most often limits the essential nature or function of myth to that discipline's underlying assumptions alone. Hence, myth is usually linked either to the social or the psychological dimension of human experience exclusively. However, even those theories of myth which combine social and psychological methods and assumptions have usually resulted in truncated conclusions which give pause to those of us who seek their application.
Blunt thoracic aortic trauma. A cost-utility approach for injury detection.

Objective: To evaluate the influences of patient preference and treatment costs on the diagnostic approach to blunt aortic trauma. Methods: Decision and cost-utility analysis. Data Sources: A MEDLINE search of all literature dealing with the diagnosis and management of blunt aortic injury was used to establish assumptions and assign baseline probability estimates. Utility assignments were made from published data and our own assignments. We obtained institution-specific cost data. Study Selection: Only randomized, prospective trials that used aortography as the gold standard test were used to assign baseline accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography and dynamic chest computed tomography. Other baseline estimates were taken from class II and class III published data. Data Synthesis: A decision tree compared 4 diagnostic approaches for blunt chest trauma after an initial normal chest radiograph: observation with follow-up chest radiography, aortography, transesophageal echocardiography, and dynamic chest computed tomography. Utility (a quality-of-life measure) was assigned to ultimate health states to incorporate patient preference. Chest radiography and aortography had similar utility. Aortography gained 1 quality-adjusted life year for minimal cost. Transesophageal echocardiography and dynamic chest computed tomography lose quality-adjusted life-years at increased cost. No variable changed the relative cost-utility of the screening methods in 2-way sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Aortography gains additional quality life at minimal cost when used as a screening method for all patients with blunt chest trauma regardless of the results of the initial chest radiograph. With a normal initial chest radiograph, transesophageal echocardiography and dynamic chest computed tomography are associated with increased cost and loss of quality-adjusted life. (Arch Surg. 1996;131:619-626)