cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conductive Inkjet Printed Passive 2D TrackPad for VR Interaction

Mobile virtual reality (VR) headsets, such as Google Cardboard and Samsung GearVR, can reuse a smartphone as near-eye display to create immersive experience. But such devices barely support any user interaction, even for simple tasks such as menu selection and single-character input. In this paper, we design Inkput, a simple passive interface attached to the unexploited backside of the headset to enable touch sensing. Inkput is a piece of paper substrate with carbon ink patterns printed atop. It leverages the column of electrodes near the edge of the smartphone touchscreen to sense multi-touch on the 2D space, and is even able to locate finger hovering. Our experiments demonstrate that Inkput can precisely detect touch positions with mm-level precision. Our case studies in actual VR applications also verify that Inkput can support common VR interactions and can even outperform high-end handheld controllers in terms of efficiency.
Pediatric HIV Infection and Decreased Prevalence of OPV Point Mutations Linked to Vaccine-associated Paralytic Poliomyelitis

Background Mutations associated with prolonged replication of the attenuated polioviruses found in oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) can lead to vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) and cause paralysis indistinguishable from that caused by wild poliovirus. In response, the World Health Organization has initiated the transition to exclusive use of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), with OPV administration in cases of outbreak. However, it is currently unclear how IPV-only vaccination, well known to provide humoral but not mucosal immunity, will impact the development of paralysis causing OPV variants. Children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been documented to show decreased mucosal immunity following OPV vaccination. Thus, HIV-infected children vaccinated with OPV may serve as proxy for children with IPV-only vaccination. Methods We conducted a prospective study of Zimbabwean infants receiving OPV as part of their routine vaccination schedule. Stool samples collected from OPV-vaccinated children serially until age 24 months were tested for OPV serotypes using a real-time polymerase chain reaction protocol that quantifies the amount of mutant OPV variants found in each sample. Results Out of 2130 stool samples collected from 402 infants 365 stool samples were OPV positive: 313 from 212 HIV-noninfected (HIV-) infants and 52 from 34 HIV-infected (HIV+) infants. HIV- infants showed significantly higher proportions of OPV mutants when compared to HIV+ infants. Conclusions HIV infection is associated with a reduced proportion of OPV vaccine associated paralytic polio mutants. These results suggest that OPV administered to individuals previously vaccinated only with IPV will show decreased propensity for OPV mutations.
Dental Students' Use of Student-Managed Google Docs and Other Technologies in Collaborative Learning.

Textbooks, once the standard of education, now have competition when students prefer the Internet and digital technology. The aim of this research study was to survey dental students at one dental school about their use of student-managed Google Docs and other online technologies in collaborative e-learning. All dental students in all four classes at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona were invited to participate in online surveys in 2015 and 2017. The average class size was 140 (n=560 for all four years) for each survey. The 2015 survey focused on the emerging use of Google Docs in collaborative learning. The 2017 study asked not only about Google Docs but how students were using other e-learning technologies and textbooks. In 2015, 282 students responded, for a 50.4% response rate; in 2017, 129 students responded, for a 23% response rate. The 2017 survey showed a 36% increase (p
Performance Prediction of Parallel CPU and GPU Applications Using Fractals

Accurate estimates of parallel application runtimes can be used for better job scheduling and utilization of high performance computing resources, application code finetuning, power consumption, and improved response time. We present a performance model using the theory of fractals to estimate the runtimes of parallel CPU and GPU applications. The fractal model is suitable for applications whose major computational phases' runtimes can approximated by polynomials of the form aNc, for input size N and some constants a and c. Our approach requires only a few small-scale runs of the target application and the analysis of the corresponding runtimes to predict the application runtime for a larger input. Our method avoids more laborious approaches, such as static analysis of source code or capturing and analyzing detailed execution trace logs, proposed in the literature. Our experimental results for 21 well-known parallel scientific applications on CPUs and GPUs show that this method has good prediction accuracy with errors of less than 12% in most cases.
The Structures of CO, NO and Benzene on Various Transition Metal Surfaces: Overview of LEED and HREELS Results

Recent results are summarized concerning the adsorption structures of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NO) chemisorbed on various transition metal surfaces, and of benzene (C6H6) on Pd, Rh and Pt(111). These results were for the most part obtained with intensity analysis of low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS).
Incorporating inherent safety during the conceptual process design stage: A literature review

Abstract This paper reviews principal concepts, tools, and metrics for risk management and Inherently Safer Design (ISD) during the conceptual stage of process design. Even though there has been a profusion of papers regarding ISD, the targeted audience has typically been safety engineers, not process engineers. Thus, the goal of this paper is to enable process engineers to use all the available design degrees of freedom to mitigate risk early enough in the design process. Mainly, this paper analyzes ISD and inherent safety assessment tools (ISATs) from the perspective of inclusion in conceptual process design. The paper also highlights the need to consider safety as a major component of process sustainability. In this paper, 73 ISATs were selected, and these tools were categorized into three groups: hazard-based inherent safety assessment tools (H-ISATs) for 22 tools, risk-based inherent safety assessment tools (R-ISATs) for 33 tools, and cost-optimal inherent safety assessment tools (CO-ISATs) for 18 tools. This paper also introduces an integrated framework for coordinating the conventional process design workflow with safety analysis at various levels of detail.
BCI-Mediated Action, Blame, and Responsibility

Rainey et al. (2020) discuss the complications that arise with assigning responsibility for brain computer interface (BCI)-mediated actions. Because BCI-mediated actions can differ from non-BCI-med...
A Novel Graphic Medicine Curriculum for Resident Physicians: Boosting Empathy and Communication through Comics

Curricular design that addresses residency physician competencies in communication skills and professionalism remains a challenge. Graphic Medicine (GM) uses comics, a medium combining text and images, to communicate healthcare concepts. Narrative Medicine, in undergraduate medical education, has limited reported usage in Graduate Medical Education (GME). Given the time constraints and intensity of GME, we hypothesized that comics as a form of narrative medicine would be an efficient medium to engage residents.The authors created a novel curriculum to promote effective communication and professionalism, focusing on empathy, compassion and cultural competency. A four-week curriculum was delivered in a neurology residency program. Excerpts from non-fiction graphic memoirs about neurological conditions were read, discussed, and paired with prompt-driven drawing exercises. Qualitative surveys were used to assess acceptability of comics, usefulness of comics to convey patient illness experience, and perception of patient needs for physician-patient communication.Ninety-seven percent of residents reported the sessions were a good use of their time. Residents identified new symptoms of neurologic disorders, articulated patient communication needs, and expressed increased empathy after participation. Residents participated in drawing exercises, but these were not formally analyzed. Graphic medicine is a well received format that may build communication skills and increase empathy.
A molecular dynamics study of grain boundary diffusion in MgO

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out on polycystalline periclase (MgO) to determine the structure and diffusivity at grain boundaries for pressures and temperatures relevant to Earth’s mantle. As temperature increases, the grain boundary structure becomes more disordered, with more ions having incomplete coordination and the system occupying regions of the energy landscape with shallower energy mimima. In contrast, as pressure increases the grain boundary structure becomes more ordered. The grain boundary diffusivity as a function of temperature and pressure can be understood in terms of these structural changes. At atmospheric pressure, the grain boundary diffusion coefficients for Mg and O extrapolate with increasing temperature to the values for the melt, indicating that the dynamics in the grain boundary are similar to those of a supercooled liquid. Just as in a supercooled liquid, diffusion in the grain boundary slows down with decreasing temperature for two reasons: there is less energy to surmount energy barriers, and the barriers are larger due to the more ordered structure. As pressure increases from zero pressure, the diffusivities first decrease sharply, due to the increase in energy barriers associated with the more ordered system, and then more gradually as pressure increases beyond ∼4 GPa. At conditions relevant to Earth’s core-mantle boundary region (135 GPa, 3500 °C), no diffusion is observed on the timescale of ∼50 ns, and the diffusion coefficients are thus constrained to be
Critically Ill Patients with Variable Heart Failure in Severe COVID-19 Disease: A Case Series

COVID-19 disease, while primarily a respiratory disease, has proven itself a multi-system disorder with profound cardiovascular sequelae. In patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, effective early diagnosis and management of concomitant cardiovascular manifestations of the disease are key to favorable outcomes. Here we present a case series of three patients with varied cardiovascular presentations of severe COVID-19 illness: cardiogenic shock from Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia in a patient with suspected hydroxychloroquine-associated cardiomyopathy, and right-sided heart failure with obstructive shock in the setting of massive pulmonary embolism. Through our experience, we aim to provide a better understanding of the unique spectrum of the cardiovascular effects of severe COVID-19 disease to guide management of the critically ill.
Effect of liquid addition on the bulk and flow properties of cohesive powders

In this work, the effect of water on the packing and flow properties of cohesive powders was experimentally investigated. Two cohesive powders with small particle sizes were studied with weight per...
Avoiding, obliging, asserting, or integrating? A survey experiment on municipal managers’ choice of conflict management strategies

The factors influencing a municipal manager’s choice of approaches to coping with a disagreement with their city council are not completely understood. This research examines two contextual factors...
Dose Finding Study of Ibrutinib and Venetoclax in Relapsed or Refractory Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Relapsed Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is often treated with Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (BTKi); however, post-BTKi relapse can be challenging. Adding venetoclax (VEN) to ibrutinib(IBR) has shown synergy in pre-clinical MCL models. Prior MCL studies of the combination report promising efficacy but have conducted limited dose finding. We sought to identify the optimal dosing combination, based on efficacy and toxicity, utilizing a continual re-assessment method of 6 combinations of IBR (280mg, 420 mg, and 560mg PO daily) and VEN (max dose of 200mg and 400mg PO daily). Eligible participants were not previously exposed to BTKi's and not high risk for Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS). VEN, initiated first at 100mg, then at 20mg PO daily after a TLS event, was started prior to adding IBR and ramped-up based on the dose level. Combination treatment continued for six 28 day cycles. 35 participants were enrolled and treated. One TLS event occurred with starting dose of 100mg VEN; no TLS was seen with 20mg. The optimal dosing combination was considered to be VEN 200mg and IBR 420mg with an ORR of 93.8% (95% CI: 73.6-99.7%) and DLT incidence of 6.2% (95% CI: 0.3-26.4%). Overall response for all arms was 82.3% (28/34; 95% CI: 65.5-93.2%) with a CR rate of 42.4% (14/33; 95% CI: 25.5-60.8%). A participant was not allocated to IBR 560mg and VEN 400mg. ORR benefit was not seen with higher dosing combinations and toxicity was higer; a comparison made within the limitations of small cohorts. Resistance was seen in nearly all arms. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov #NCT02419560.
Dismantling the Chinese Room with linguistic tools: a framework for elucidating concept-application disputes

Imagine advanced computers that could, by virtue merely of being programmed in the right ways, act, react, communicate, and otherwise behave like humans. Might such computers be capable of understanding, thinking, believing, and the like? The framework developed in this paper for tackling challenging questions of concept application (in any realm of discourse) answers in the affirmative, contrary to Searle’s famous ‘Chinese Room’ thought experiment, which purports to prove that ascribing such mental processes to computers like these would be necessarily incorrect. The paper begins by arguing that the core issue concerns language, specifically the discourse-community-guided mapping of phenomena onto linguistic categories. It then offers a model of how people adapt language to deal with novel states of affairs and thereby lend generality to their words, employing processes of assimilation, lexemic creation, and accommodation (in intersense and intrasense varieties). Attributions of understanding to some computers lie in the middle range on a spectrum of acceptability and are thus reasonable. Possible objections deriving from Searle’s writings require supplementing the model with distinctions between present and future acceptability, and between contemplated and uncontemplated word uses, as well as a literal-figurative distinction that is more sensitive than Searle’s to actual linguistic practice and the multiplicity of subsenses possible within a single literal sense. The paper then critiques two misleading rhetorical features of Searle’s Chinese Room presentation, and addresses a contemporary defense of Searle that seems to confront the sociolinguistic issue, but fails to allow for intrasense accommodation. It concludes with a brief consideration of the proper course for productive future discussion.
A Review of Topical Imiquimod in the Management of Basal Cell Carcinoma, Actinic Keratoses, and Other Skin Lesions

Imiquimod (trade name Aldara™) is a small molecule of the imidazoquinoline family, a group of nucleoside analogs that were first synthesized as potential antiviral agents. It has since been discovered to activate both innate and adaptive immunity, as well as apoptosis. Clinically, it has been approved for three indications thus far: external genital warts, actinic keratosis, and superficial basal cell carcinoma. In addition to these applications, a number of off-label uses have been reported in the literature. In this review, we summarize and discuss the literature describing imiquimod’s mechanism of action, its approved and off-label clinical uses, and its safety and tolerability.
Analyzing STEM Faculty Demographics and Faculty Climate Survey

The purpose of this chapter is to describe our data collection procedures in gathering institutional faculty demographics and faculty survey data for ADVANCE-PAID grant. This chapter also brings to light the challenges encountered by the Alliance for the Advancement of Florida’s Academic Women in Chemistry and Engineering (AAFAWCE) team during the collection, organization, analysis, and dissemination of both of these types of data.
Keeping in Touch: Microbial Life on Soil Particle Surfaces

Abstract Microorganisms in unsaturated soil live in a world dominated by the presence of extensive surfaces, both solid and gas–liquid interfacial surfaces. Particle attachment in soils is similar to particle attachment in aquatic systems, which, because of the high abundance of suspended populations has been widely studied. Although there seems to be a general advantage to the microbes living at the interfaces in terms of enhanced nutrient concentrations and the potential to use many of the physical substrata themselves as energy or nutrient sources, the thickness of the water films in unsaturated conditions leaves the microbes little option except to adhere to the surfaces. Initial attachment to the surfaces appears to be dominated by electrostatic and hydrophobic effects that are described by Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory for negatively charged cells and particles. These effects result in reversible attachment and the cells are subject to rapid detachment with slight changes in solution chemistry and removal by hydraulic shear. Coatings play an important role in attachment, with metal oxide coatings conferring a positive charge to the particle surface resulting in a much tighter adhesion of the microbial cells to the surface. Attachment of the organisms to the particles by direct surface contact through appendages such as fimbriae or deposition of polysaccharidic slime results in irreversible attachment that can lead to buildup of colonies and biofilms. In this chapter, considerations of theory are presented as they pertain to soil organisms, and abundant use of examples from aquatic habitats exemplifies principles and ideas not easily studied in unsaturated soil. The importance of attachment to the gas–liquid interface is also highlighted.
Impaired insulin-mediated vasodilation may contribute to hyperglycemia following high fat intake (1030.1)

Impaired insulin-mediated vasodilation may contribute to hyperglycemia following high fat intake Ricklefs Ka, Simperova Ab, Reaven Pc, Sands Mc, Sweazea KLa,b aSchool of Nutrition and Health Promot...
A Review of “Green to gold: how smart companies use environmental strategy to innovate, create value, and build competitive advantage”

Many business leaders have recognized the importance of integrating sustainable development with environmental strategies. More and more companies are focusing on social responsibility and the bene...
On the /spl Lscr//sub 1/ norm of uncertain linear systems

In this paper we present an algorithm for computing the l/sub /spl infin//-induced norm of linear systems described by time-varying difference equations with uncertain system matrices. The approach is based on ideas from convex analysis. The convergence of the algorithm is studied, and vertex-type results related to the stabilization and /spl Lscr//sub 1/-control of uncertain discrete-time systems are established. >
Improving genome rearrangement phylogeny using sequence-style parsimony

The study of genome rearrangements, the evolutionary events that change the order and strandedness of genes within genomes, presents new opportunities for discoveries about deep evolutionary events. The best software so far, GRAPPA, solves breakpoint and inversion phylogenies by scoring each tree topology through iterative improvements of internal node gene orders. We find that the greedy hill-climbing approach means the accuracy is limited because of multiple local optima. To address this problem, we propose integration GRAPPA with MPME, a string encoding of gene adjacency relationships whose optimal internal node assignments can be determined globally in polynomial time, to provide better initializations for GRAPPA. In simulation studies, the new algorithm yields shorter tree lengths and better accuracy in phylogeny reconstruction.
Ethnography through Thick and Thin

Ethnography through Thick and Thin, George E. Marcus. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998. 275 pp.
Convergence of expectations: an essential component for successful hypnotherapy.

Abstract The major thesis of this paper is that the convergence of expectations of the hypnotherapist and patient is an essential parameter of hypnotherapy, especially as it relates to the quality and intensity of emotional interaction. The issue of initial and later resistances to hypnosis and therapy and their deeper meanings are examined in the light of the necessary convergence of expectations and of the ways in which transference and countertransference tend to impede or enhance the hypnotherapeutic relationship. The changing levels of convergence are observed and analyzed as the process of hypnotherapy develops within sessions and across sessions. Brief examples illustrate some of the problems that the hypnotherapist must often solve almost instantly if he is to maintain and enhance the necessary convergence. 2 clinical cases are presented in detail: One, an example of hypnotherapeutic intervention with protracted convergence and deep involvement of therapist and patient; the other, an example of co...
Kidney development and gene expression in the HIF2α knockout mouse

The hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-2 (HIF2), a heterodimer composed of HIF2α and HIF1β subunits, drives expression of genes essential for vascularization, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2, Flk-1). Here, we used a HIF2α/LacZ transgenic mouse to define patterns of HIF2α transcription during kidney development and maturation. Our results from embryonic heterozygotes showed HIF2α/LacZ expression by apparently all renal endothelial cells. At 4 weeks of age, glomerular mesangial and vascular smooth muscle cells were also positive together with endothelial cells. These expression patterns were confirmed by electron microscopy using Bluo-gal as a β-galactosidase substrate. Small numbers of glomerular and tubular epithelial cells were also positive at all stages examined. Light and electron microscopic examination of kidneys from HIF2α null embryos showed no defects in renal vascular development or nephrogenesis. Similarly, the same amounts of Flk-1 protein were seen on Western blots of kidney extracts from homozygous and heterozygous HIF2α mutants. To examine responsiveness of HIF2α null kidneys to hypoxia, embryonic day 13.5 metanephroi were cultured in room air or in mild (5% O2) hypoxia. For both heterozygous and null samples, VEGF mRNA levels doubled when metanephroi were cultured in mild hypoxia. Anterior chamber grafts of embryonic HIF2α knockouts were morphologically indistinguishable from heterozygous grafts. Endothelial markers, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule and BsLB4, as well as glomerular epithelial markers, GLEPP1 and WT-1, were all expressed appropriately. Finally, we undertook quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of kidneys from HIF2α null embryos and wild-type siblings and found no compensatory up-regulation of HIF1α or -3α. Our results show that, although HIF2α was widely transcribed by kidney endothelium and vascular smooth muscle, knockouts displayed no detectable deficits in vessel development or VEGF or Flk-1 expression. Developmental Dynamics 236:1115–1125, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Tactics for minimal interference from class loading in real-time Java™

Class loading within a Java™ virtual machine can result in undesirable long interruptions, preventing real-time deterministic behaviour. Development of real-time software tasks and applications may call for constraints and fine-tuned control of the class loading activity within the virtual machine when running time-sensitive applications. This paper presents various alternative approaches aimed towards reducing the burden of class loading in a real-time Java VM, all of which avoid revisiting the application design.Amongst these alternatives is a novel class flow analysis algorithm allowing for the elimination of unused items in an application, a novel bytecode alteration technique for reducing class loads induced by the Java verifier, a novel class file splitting technique for more distributed class loading behaviour, and various other technologies that are available to achieve better performance and more precise control of class loading in real-time Java applications.
A Three Year Study of the Effects of Low Income on SAT Scores among the Academically Able.

This study reports on the incidence of economically disadvantaged gifted learners in the midwest and the differential effects of low income on their SAT scores when compared to higher income studen...
Extraction of bismuth iodide complexes as a spot test for bismuth

Abstract The extraction of bismuth iodide in the presence of excess iodide ions by methyl iso butyl ketone has been studied as a spot test for bismuth. Interferences have been prevented through the use of hypophosphorous acid and oxalic acid, or by preliminary treatments. The test, as performed in the extraction pipet, is sensitive to 1 γ of bismuth, with platinum and palladium constituting the only interferences.
Site-specific accumulation of the cancer preventive dietary polyphenol ellagic acid in epithelial cells of the aerodigestive tract

Ellagic acid (EA), a polyphenol present in berries, has been demonstrated to prevent oesophageal and colon cancer in animals. To better understand the site-specificity of these effects, we studied the accumulation and transport of [ 14 C]EA in rat aerodigestive epithelial cells in-vivo and in cultured human cells. When [ 14 C]EA was administered to rats by gavage, a high content of EA was found in the oesophagus and small intestine at 0.5 h after oral administration and in the colon at 12 h, with very low amounts in plasma and peripheral tissues. Studies in human intestinal Caco-2 and human oesophageal HET-1A cells found very limited transcellular transport (Caco-2) of EA but high accumulation (Caco-2 and HET-1A) in the cells. In more detailed studies in the Caco-2 cells, accumulation of EA displayed ATP- and Na + -dependency. Multiple interventions permitted the exclusion of a number of transporters as mediators of this uptake. A dramatically reduced transport of EA at low pH (5.5) compared with high pH (7.4) suggested an important role for the negative charge of EA. This was supported by the organic anion transport inhibitors 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid and bromosulfophthalein. The latter produced as much as 78% inhibition at the 100 μM concentration. Finally, Caco-2 cells were shown to express organic anion transporter 4 (OAT4) mRNA, as was the human large intestine. EA appears to be accumulated along the aerodigestive tract using OAT-like transporters, one of which might be OAT4.
Orthogonal arrays obtainable as solutions to linear equations over finite fields

Abstract Let T(n x N) be a matrix with elements from the set of s integers {0,1…, s −1} Then T is said to be an orthogonal array (OA) with s symbols, n rows, N columns, strength p, and index λ(=Ns−p) if and only if, for every p x N submatrix T0 of T, each of the sp possible p x 1 column vectors occur as a column of T0 exactly λ times. Now, let s be a prime number or a power of a prime number, and let GF(s) be the finite field with s elements. Consider the equation A t = c i (i = 1,…, f) over GF(s), where A (r x n) is a matrix of rank r, and ci(r x 1) are vectors (not necessarily distinct). For i = 1,…,f let Ti (n x sn−r) be a matrix whose columns represent the sn−r distinct solutions of the equation A t = c i . Let T be the (n x fsn−r) matrix given by T = [T1:T2:⋯:Tf]. In this paper, we study necessary and sufficient conditions on the pair (A, C) (where C = [c1,…,cf]) for T to be an orthogonal array of strength p.
Cellular alterations preceding neoplasia in Pseudopleuronectes americanus from Boston Harbor

Abstract Dysplastic and neoplastic liver disease has been described in adult winter flounder from Boston Harbor. In this study we examined the pathogenesis of the disease. Early changes, in fish of 100–300 mm, included biliary proliferation, abnormal vacuolation of biliary pre-ductular epithelial cells and macrophage aggregation. The identification of biliary pre-ductular epithelial cells was based on nuclear morphology, numerous cellular junctions with adjacent hepatocyte apices, lack of contiguity with sinusoidal structures and central location in the hepatic tubule. Fish longer than 300 mm had progressively worsening pan-tubular changes in cholangiocytes and hepatocytes which culminated in grossly visible foci of vacuolation and associated neoplasia. Flounder from less contaminated sites showed occasional macrophage aggregations, but none of the other changes noted above. We suggest that the initial vacuolar change in Boston flounder occurs predominantly in pre-ductular cells, which may be stem cells, extending later to fill entire hepatic tubules and intrahepatic portions of the biliary system. The involvement of the vacuolation process in the development of neoplasia is a question we are currently addressing.
The effect of perceived duration of physical disability on attitudes of school children toward friendship and helping.

(2000). The Effect of Perceived Duration of Physical Disability on Attitudes of School Children Toward Friendship and Helping. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 134, No. 3, pp. 343-345.
Research and barbaric medicine

Science fiction characters who get "time-warped" back into the late 20th century often remark that "what they call medicine is pure butchery." The response from 20th-century physicians hearing or reading this commentary on their practices has not been kind. But rather than taking offense at such remarks, perhaps we should seriously consider their validity. And if they are valid, what does it mean for us and for our patients? Let's admit it. We do not know everything about medi- cine-and we never will. If our patients knew how little we really do know about many illnesses and injuries, especially about how to treat those with the greatest morbidity and mortality, they would be much more frightened than they are now, While we do the best we can with the limited knowledge and equipment the medical field now possesses, we can and should improve both of these. We will continue to generate new medical knowledge and improve patient care if we continue to pursue the unknown, question our routine practices, and think about how we practice medicine. Our respect for patients' (or surrogates') autonomous decisions, including informed consent for procedures or research, in part stems from a recognition that our medical knowledge is incomplete, making us more fallible than we sometimes want to appear. To significantly advance medical knowledge in emergency medicine and critical care areas such as resuscitation, emergency medical systems, brain injuries, and massive trauma, we need in-depth, massive research. This will not be accomplished through the agreed- upon bureaucratic exceptions to the federal informed-
Duloxetine 60 mg once daily dosing versus placebo in the acute treatment of major depression

Existing therapies for major depressive disorder (MDD) have either limited efficacy and/or poor tolerability. The present study examined the effects of duloxetine, a potent and balanced dual reuptake inhibitor of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE), in patients with MDD. Adult patients (N = 267) with MDD were randomly assigned to receive duloxetine (60 mg/day) or placebo in this 9-week, multi-center, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. Efficacy was evaluated using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD(17)), Visual Analog Scales (VAS) for pain, Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI-S), Patient's Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), and Quality of Life in Depression Scale (QLDS). Safety was evaluated by assessing discontinuation rates, adverse event rates, vital signs, and laboratory tests. Duloxetine (60 mg QD) significantly reduced the HAMD(17) total score compared with placebo at the end of 9-week therapy. Estimated probabilities of response and remission were 65 and 43%, respectively, for duloxetine compared with 42 and 28% for placebo. Duloxetine also reduced overall pain, back pain, shoulder pain and time in pain while awake significantly more than placebo. Global measures of improvement, including PGI-I and QLDS, were significantly improved by duloxetine compared with placebo. Discontinuations due to adverse events were more frequent for duloxetine-treated patients (12.5%) than for placebo-treated patients (4.3%). Nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and constipation were more frequent for duloxetine than placebo. There was no significant incidence of hypertension, nor any other safety issues. Duloxetine 60 mg administered once daily appears to be a safe and effective treatment for MDD.
Effect of Basis Set Superposition Error (BSSE) upon ab Initio Calculations of Organic Transition States

The transition states (TSs) for several organic reactions (concerted Diels−Alder, 1,2-H-atom shift in ethyl radical, and H-atom transfers from methane and propene to methyl radical) have been optimized on potential energy surfaces that include the counterpoise (CP) correction for basis set superposition error (BSSE). Various molecular orbit methods were used (Hartree−Fock (HF), second order Moller−Plesset, and density functional theory (DFT)) using basis sets varying in size from 3-21G to 6-311++G**. We show that the CP-optimized TSs obtained using small basis sets resemble those obtained using the larger basis sets both in energies and geometries. The geometry of the concerted Diels−Alder TS for ethylene and butadiene becomes more compact upon CP-correction, whereas the apparent TS for the 1,2-H-atom shift in ethyl radical is shown to be an artifact of BSSE (at least at the HF and DFT levels). The TSs for the radical abstraction reactions are shown to move toward product upon CP-optimization. The choice ...
Generation of Composite Plants in Medicago truncatula used for Nodulation Assays

Similar to Agrobacterium tumerfaciens, Agrobacterium rhizogenes can transfer foreign DNAs into plant cells based on the autonomous root-inducing (Ri) plasmid. A. rhizogenes can cause hairy root formation on plant tissues and form composite plants after transformation. On these composite plants, some of the regenerated roots are transgenic, carrying the wild type T-DNA and the engineered binary vector; while the shoots are still non-transgenic, serving to provide energy and growth support. These hairy root composite plants will not produce transgenic seeds, but there are a number of important features that make these composite plants very useful in plant research. First, with a broad host range,A. rhizogenes can transform many plant species, especially dicots, allowing genetic engineering in a variety of species. Second, A. rhizogenes infect tissues and explants directly; no tissue cultures prior to transformation is necessary to obtain composite plants, making them ideal for transforming recalcitrant plant species. Moreover, transgenic root tissues can be generated in a matter of weeks. For Medicago truncatula, we can obtain transgenic roots in as short as three weeks, faster than normal floral dip Arabidopsis transformation. Overall, the hairy root composite plant technology is a versatile and useful tool to study gene functions and root related-phenotypes. Here we demonstrate how hairy root composite plants can be used to study plant-rhizobium interactions and nodulation in the difficult-to-transform species M. truncatula.
Modeling of the Free-Radical Copolymerization Kinetics with Cross Linking of Vinyl/Divinyl Monomers in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

A mathematical model for free-radical copolymerization kinetics with cross linking of vinyl/divinyl monomers in carbon dioxide at supercritical conditions was developed. The copolymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene is analyzed as a case study. The effects of the kinetic and physical parameters on monomer conversion, molecular-weight development, copolymer composition, appearance of the gelation point, gel fraction, and average cross-link density are studied. Model predictions show the expected trends, although the system is quite sensitive to pressure, which provides an interesting and promising way to tailor some of the polymer properties.
Machine learning for the automatic identification of terrorist incidents in worldwide news media

The RAND Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents (RDWTI) seeks to index information about all terrorist incidents that occur and are mentioned in worldwide news media, providing a useful resource for policy researchers and decision makers. We examined automated classification methods that could be used to identify news articles about terrorist incidents, thus enabling analysts to read a smaller number of news articles and maintain the database with less effort and cost. The support vector machine (SVM) and Lasso methods were only modestly successful, but a classifier based on the gradient boosting method (GBM) appeared to be very successful, correctly ranking 80% of the relevant articles at the “top of the pile” for examination by a human analyst.
Economics of Antihypertensive Therapy in the Elderly

Because of the high incidence of morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension in the elderly, the treatment of hypertension in this patient group must involve consideration of clinical, humanistic and economic outcomes. The most frequently used method of pharmacoeconomic analysis for antihypertensive therapy involves cost-effectiveness analysis, although several other methods are available. Current evidence reveals a trend toward cost effectiveness of antihypertensive treatment in elderly patients. However, these formal analyses are limited by the need for extrapolation of data regarding efficacy and level of risk from epidemiological and randomised trials, information which is often lacking. To incorporate economic factors into clinical decision making, other measures of economic impact should be explored. The economic impact of antihypertensive therapy is affected by the level of risk for the patient and the efficacy of the treatment. Data indicate that the risk of morbidity and mortality related to hypertension increases with age and that current antihypertensive drugs reduce this risk. When choosing an antihypertensive agent, the following parameters should be considered: acquisition cost, likelihood of adverse effects and other determinants of treatment adherence, and individual predictors of response. The economic outcomes will be maximised if prudent drug selection is supplemented by appropriate diagnostic and classification procedures and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors other than hypertension. The accumulation of data addressing the risks and benefits of therapy for the very old and the comparative efficacy of newer antihypertensive therapies will further clarify the decision-making process.
Medical Error Theory

Some errors in health care are inevitable because of human fallibility and system complexity. To improve patient safety we must develop three strategies. First, prevent errors with forcing functions, reducing complexity and providing reminders at the point of care. Second, everyone working in health care should be alert to identify and eliminate latent (potential) errors before patients are harmed. Finally, we must establish defensive barriers that will intercept those errors that still occur and prevent them from causing patient injury. Only in this way can health care fulfill its potential and significantly reduce iatrogenic harm.
A stochastic risk-analysis model for the spread of bovine viral diarrhea virus after introduction to naïve cow-calf herds.

A stochastic SIR model was developed to simulate the spread of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) through a cow–calf herd and estimate the effect of the virus on the herd, including abortions, calf morbidity, and calf mortality. The model was applied with three herd sizes (400, 100, and 50 head) and four control strategies (no intervention, vaccination of breeding stock, testing all calves pre-breeding and culling of persistently infected calves, and both vaccination of adults and testing and culling of calves). When no control strategy was implemented the BVDV reproductive rate (RE-PI) of persistently infected calves (PI's), vertical transmission rate from cows to calves and the mortality rate of PI's were influential in the number of PI's produced in the herd. When a vaccination program alone was implemented the vaccine efficacy was influential in the number of PI's produced in the herd. All control strategies decreased the effects of BVDV on the herd at both 1 and 10 years compared to no control. In most cases the combination of adult vaccination and calf testing and culling resulted in the largest decrease in the both the median and 95% prediction interval for the range of effects from BVDV. The effect of control strategies was most apparent in the 400 head herds. All control strategies increased the probability of early clearance of PI's from the herd for all herd sizes. Fifty and 100 head herds cleared infection by 4 and 9 years respectively even without a control program but 400 head herds did not always clear infection after 10 years unless a testing program was implemented. The model presented is valuable in assessing the effect of control strategies and the effects of disease parameters on BVDV spread in beef herds.
Variations in relaxation labeling techniques

Several issues concerning the behavior of relaxation labeling processes are examined in this paper. The performance of region relaxation is shown to be affected by the form of compatibility coefficients and the configuration of local neighborhoods. Three variants of the algorithm are explored on an artificially generated test image: relaxation with simple unary compatibility coefficients, probabilistic relaxation with piecewise-linear compatibility coefficients derived from conditional probabilities, and a form of discrete relaxation without compatibility coefficients. The compatibilities based upon conditional probabilities yield the only version that preserves image detail associated with spatially thin structures.
We Have Problems

Robert W. McChesney. (2004). The Problem of the Media: U.S. Communication Politicsin the 21st Century. New York: Monthly Review Press. 367 pp., ISBN 1-5836-7105-6.$16.95.A few weeks ago, I was reading Robert McChesney’s The Problem of the Media whilehaving lunch at a local restaurant. My waitress glanced at the cover, quoted the title, andthen said, ‘‘it should be a bigger book.’’ I laughed at her joke, but I silently wondered ifthe problems that she perceived in the media were the same ones addressed byMcChesney. I imagined that they might not be and considered that unfortunate,because the problems that he identifies are extremely important. In addition,McChesney suggest that his purpose in The Problem with the Media is to extend thediscussion about media beyond the walls of the academy. To this end, he has composeda very accessible book, one that marshals an impressive amount of evidence to supporthis claims. Although, in the preface, he debates whether the book is the work of an‘‘historian’’ or a ‘‘lawyer,’’ in the end it becomes the work of both because a good deal ofthe evidence that he uses is culled from the historical record. In other words,McChesney draws from the past to explain the present in a useful way.For example, McChesney provides a very detailed historical account of howprofessional journalism rose as a practice to counter the interests of cooperate mediaownership. Although he is critical of professional journalism as a practice, he alsoacknowledges its value and how it resulted in some exceptional reporting in the 1950sthrough the 1970s. He also argues that the potential of professional journalism hasbeen significantly eroded over the years by commercialization and corporateconsolidation. I have learned that many scholars in journalism share McChesney’sconcern. Recently, I have begun attending conferences held by scholars in mediamanagement and media economics. Many of the people that attend these conferenceswere trained in journalism programs, and many of them still teach in journalism andmass communication departments. I have seen several presentations at theseconferences bemoaning the erosion of professional journalism by corporate
Antibiotic Dosing in Patients With Acute Kidney Injury: “Enough But Not Too Much”

Increasing evidence suggests that antibiotic dosing in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) often does not achieve pharmacodynamic goals, and the continued high mortality rate due to infectious causes appears to confirm these findings. Although there are compelling reasons why clinicians should use more aggressive antibiotic dosing, particularly in patients receiving aggressive renal replacement therapies, concerns for toxicity associated with higher doses are real. The presence of multisystem organ failure and polypharmacy predispose these patients to drug toxicity. This article examines the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic consequences of critical illness, AKI, and renal replacement therapy and describes potential solutions to help clinicians give "enough but not too much" in these very complicated patients.
AN EVOLUTIONARY CONSERVED ELEMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR SOMITE AND ADJACENT MESENCHYMAL EXPRESSION OF THE HOXA1 GENE

The murine Hoxa1 gene is a member of the vertebrate Hox complex and plays a role in defining the body plan during development. At day 8.0-9.0 post coitus, Hoxa1 transcripts are detected extensively throughout the embryo in the neural tube, adjacent mesenchyme, paraxial mesoderm, somites and gut epithelium; expression extends from the most caudal region of the embryo to the rhombomere 3/4 border. This spatiotemporal expression of Hoxa1 mRNA is critical for normal embryonic development. We have previously identified a 10 bp element, called CE2, which is located approximately 3 kilobases 3' of the Hoxa1 coding region in the RAIDR5 enhancer, and which binds to an approximately 170 kd protein in retinoic acid treated P19 embryonal carcinoma cells. CE2 elements were also identified 3' of the murine Hoxb1 gene, the chicken Hoxb1 gene and the human Hoxa1 gene. To examine the role of this CE2 element in regulating Hoxa1 expression in vivo, transgenic mice were generated which express a Hoxa1 beta-galactosidase reporter gene that contains a mutation in the CE2 element. Relative to transgenic mice bearing a wild type CE2 element, the mutant CE2 construct recapitulated rhombomeric, neural, and gut epithelium expression but failed to show beta-galactosidase expression in somites and adjacent mesenchymal tissue. Gel shift analysis showed that binding activity similar to that detected in extracts prepared from retinoic acid treated P19 cells was present in nuclear extracts prepared from day 9.0 embryos. However, an additional binding complex not detected in P19 cells was also observed. These results indicate that in transgenic animals, the evolutionary conserved CE2 element is a somite and adjacent mesenchymal enhancer of Hoxa1 expression.