cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative ultrasound facilitates surgery for early breast cancer.

Mammogram-directed wire localization for nonpalpable cancer requires surgeon’s time and coordination and some patient discomfort. Up to half of these nonpalpable lesions can be visualized by ultrasound. Use of intraoperative ultrasound streamlines the process of image-guided surgery. We prospectively visualized 69 nonpalpable breast cancers between January 1998 and July 2001. Ultrasound localization was performed in the operating room immediately before definitive surgery. Breast cancers were localized using either blue dye or a guide wire. Ultrasound correctly localized all lesions at surgery. Negative margins for invasive carcinoma were found in 97% (67 of 69) of patients. Re-excisions were performed in only 6% (4 of 69) of patients. Overall negative margins were found in 90% (62 of 69) of patients. Most positive margins (71%) were due to the presence of noncalcified ductal carcinoma in situ. Mastectomy was necessary in 4% of patients, usually due to multifocal invasive carcinoma. Increased familiarity with ultrasound has allowed the surgeon to localize breast cancer in the operating room, improving the process of image-guided surgery. Ultrasound localization is accurate, time efficient, technically feasible, and easier for the patient. The re-excision rate is very low and is similar to that for mammographic localization. Intraoperative ultrasound localization should be considered whenever a breast cancer needs image-guided excision.
The Relationships Among Masculine Appearance Norm Violations, Childhood Harassment for Gender Nonconformity, and Body Image Concerns Among Sexual Minority Men

INTRODUCTION: This study tested the degree to which objectification based on masculine appearance norm violations and childhood harassment for gender nonconformity contributed to body image concerns (i.e., body shame and body surveillance) among sexual minority men. METHODS: A total of 216 sexual minority men living in the United States completed an online survey, with an average age of 29.92 (SD = 10.61). RESULTS: Body surveillance significantly mediated the relationship between masculine appearance norm violations and body shame. Body surveillance did not significantly mediate the relationship between childhood harassment for gender nonconformity and body shame; rather, childhood harassment for gender nonconformity directly predicted body shame. It was hypothesized that childhood harassment for gender nonconformity would moderate the following relationships: masculine appearance norm violations and body surveillance, masculine appearance norm violations and body shame, and body surveillance and body sha...
Presenting hypothesis testing by analogy

Abstract Auditing students often have difficulty with hypothesis testing. In this article, a concise approach for presenting hypothesis testing is discussed. Specifically, the author shows that the construction of an hypothesis test for the mean per-unit estimator is analogous to the formulation of such a test for auxiliary estimators. Because these tests are comparable, the approach encompasses a logical progression from the mean per-unit estimator to the auxiliary estimators. This approach enables students to perceive the similarities among these estimators and to better understand and assimilate the subject matter.
Micro free-flow electrophoresis: theory and applications

Free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) is a technique that performs an electrophoretic separation on a continuous stream of analyte as it flows through a planar flow channel. The electric field is applied perpendicularly to the flow to deflect analytes laterally according to their mobility as they flow through the separation channel. Miniaturization of FFE (μFFE) over the past 15 years has allowed analytical and preparative separation of small volume samples. Advances in chip design have improved separations by reducing interference from bubbles generated by electrolysis. Mechanisms of band broadening have been examined theoretically and experimentally to improve resolution in μFFE. Separations using various modes such as zone electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, isotachophoresis, and field-step electrophoresis have been demonstrated.
Masked Thresholds and Predicting the Audibility of Auditory Displays: An Example for Long-Haul Trucks

Noise is an unfortunate by-product of our modern industrial society, with effects ranging from minor annoyance, to major risk of hearing damage, to inability to hear warnings and other signals. This paper presents an extensive observational study of the methodology aimed at predicting the audibility of auditory displays and warnings. While the details of the discussion relate specifically to long-haul truck-cab environments, the procedures are generally applicable to any instance where it is necessary for an individual to hear intentional or incidental sounds. The discussion includes spectral measurements of both the background noise and signals, calculation of masked threshold per ISO 7731:1986(E), and analytical comparison of signal spectra to masked thresholds to determine signal audibility. A specific example calculating the audibility of train horns in the truck cab environment is then presented. Recommendations for improving the audibility of signals in noisy environments are also provided.
Syntheses and structures of N-phenylmaleimidetriazoles and by-products

The syntheses, properties, and structures of N-phenylmaleimidetriazole derivatives are described. Intermediates and by-products are also discussed. 1b. a = 43.997(7) A, 5.7610(9) A, 8.245(1) A, β = 99.339(4)∘, C2/c; 2a. a = 13.646(4) A, b = 7.744(2) A, c = 10.612(3) A, β = 91.979(6)∘, P21/c. 3a. a = 22.245(1) A, b = 22.245(1) A, 10.010(1) A, P42/n. 3a′. a = 11.727(2) A, b = 14.075(3) A, c = 16.080(3) A, α = 105.859(3)∘, β = 105.331(3)∘, γ = 98.187(3)∘, P-1. 3b. a = 8.561(3) A, b = 14.755(5) A, c = 22.771(7) A, β = 97.006(5)∘, P21/c. 3c. a = 10.500(2) A, b = 12.189(2) A, c = 13.040(2) A, α = 109.091(3)∘, β = 106.089(3)∘, γ = 101.022(3)∘, P-1. 8a. a = 16.389(8) A, b = 5.749(3) A, c = 19.316(3) A, β = 97.467(9)∘, P21/n. 8b. a = 5.822(2) A, b = 10.114(3) A, c = 16.705(4) A, α = 84.681(5)∘, β = 82.840(5)∘, γ = 75.769(4)∘, P-1. 9b. a = 11.251(1) A, 13.335(3) A, 13.376(3) A, β = 102.456(4)∘, P21/n. 9c. a = 15.836(3) A, b = 8.236(2) A, c = 5.447(3) A, β = 92.551(3)∘, P21/c. 10a. a = 13.177(2) A, b = 14.597(2) A, c = 5.5505(8) A, β = 110.979(2)∘, Cc. 11a. a = 14.720(2) A, b = 13.995(2) A, c = 38.245(6) A, β = 94.430(3)∘, P21/n. 12b. a = 15.067(5) A, b = 20.378(6) A, c = 8.669(5) A, α = 99.16(4)∘, β = 99.32(3)∘, γ = 105.23(3)∘, P-1. 13b. a = 8.2824(6) A, b = 10.5245(7) A, c = 15.518(1) A, α = 92.305(1)∘, β = 100.473(1)∘, γ = 100.124(1)∘, P-1. 15a. a = 15.357(3) A, b = 7.778(2) A, c = 22.957(2) A, Pbca. 16b. a = 18.0384(4) A, b = 12.474(3) A, c = 20.078(5) A, Pbca.
A review of the genus Scaponopselaphus Scheerpeltz (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae).

BACKGROUND The genus Scaponopselaphus Scheerpeltz was originally described to accommodate the species Trigonopselaphusmutator Sharp. NEW INFORMATION In this paper, I review Scaponopselaphus and describe a new species from Colombia as Scaponopselaphusdiaspartos n. sp. Illustrations are provided for the identification of specimens and the presence of spatulate setae on first mesotarsomere is shown to be a unique characteristic of Scaponopselaphus within Xanthopygina.
blm3-1 is an allele of UBP3, a ubiquitin protease that appears to act during transcription of damaged DNA.

Abstract Yeast Blm10 and mammalian PA200 proteins share significant sequence similarity and both cap the ends of 20 S proteasomes and enhance degradation of some peptide substrates. Blm10 was identified as a suppressor of the yeast blm3-1 mutation, and initially was thought to be the Blm3 protein. Both the blm3-1 and blm10-Δ mutations were reported to cause sensitivity to bleomycin and other forms of DNA damage, suggesting a role for Blm10/PA200–proteasome complexes in DNA repair. We have been unable to observe significant DNA damage sensitivity in blm10-Δ mutants in several genetic backgrounds, and we have therefore further investigated the relationship between BLM10 and blm3-1. We find that blm3-1 is a nonsense mutation in the ubiquitin protease gene UBP3. Deleting UBP3 causes phenotypes similar to those caused by blm3-1, but neither causes a general defect in DNA repair. Ubp3 has several known functions, and genetic interaction data presented here suggest an additional role in transcriptional elongation. The phenotypes caused by blm3-1 and ubp3-Δ mutations are not suppressed by over-expression of BLM10, nor are they affected by deletion of BLM10. These results remove key components of the previously reported connection between Blm10/PA200–proteasome complexes and DNA repair, and they suggest a novel way to interpret sensitivity to bleomycin as resulting from defects in transcription elongation.
Towards a Manager′s Model for Initiating Change Projects

Two related issues are offered. One discusses and outlines a focused model from the point of view of the practitioner, i.e. a “manager′s model”. Secondly, the model′s focus is concerned with how a manager can go about initiating a “change project”, i.e. it describes the process of selecting an appropriate way to begin to solve a perceived problem.
The Ternary Yttrium Sulfides, CaY2S4, SrY2S4, and BaY2S4: Structures and Properties

X-ray single-crystal structure determinations have confirmed that CaY{sub 2}S{sub 4} crystallizes in the orthorhombic [Yb{sub 3}S{sub 4}]-type structure whereas SrY{sub 2}S{sub 4} and BaY{sub 2}S{sub 4} adopt the orthorhombic [CaFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}] structure. Both structure types feature three-dimensional frameworks build of edge- and corner-sharing [YS{sub 6}] octahedra. CaY{sub 2}S{sub 4}, in space group Pnma, has cell dimensions a = 12.953(3) {angstrom}, b = 3.8835(5) {angstrom}, c = 13.081(3) {angstrom}, Vol = 658.0(2) {angstrom}{sup 3}, Z = 4, and D{sub x} = 3.494 g/cm{sup 3} (M{sub f} = 346.1). SrY{sub 2}S{sub 4}, in Pmnb, has a = 3.9775(6), b = 11.974(2), c = 14.294(2) {angstrom}, Vol = 680.8(2) {angstrom}{sup 3}, Z = 4, and D{sub x} = 3.841 g/cm{sup 3} for M{sub F} = 393.7; BaY{sub 2}S{sub 4}, in Pmnb, has a = 4.0263(2), b = 12.2134(8), c = 14.484(1) {angstrom}, Vol = 712.23(9) {angstrom}{sup 3}, Z = 4, and D{sub x} = 4.135 g/cm{sup 3} for M{sub f} = 443.4. Room temperature X-ray powder diffraction data for all three compounds and high-temperature unit cells for CaY{sub 2}S{sub 4} are also reported. The overall average linear thermal expansion of CaY{sub 2}S{sub 4}f are also reported. The overall average linear thermal expansionmore » of CaY{sub 2}S{sub 4} upon heating was found to be approximately 11.9 x 10{sup {minus}6}/{degrees}K as compared to that of 7.2 x 10{sup {minus}6}{degrees}K found for ZnS. The onset oxidative decomposition temperatures for CaY{sub 2}S{sub 4}, SrY{sub 2}S{sub 4}, and BaY{sub 2}S{sub 4} were observed to be 545, 565, and 590{degrees}C, respectively, as compared to 530{degrees}C for ZnS. The properties of these compounds indicate that they are potentially useful as infrared window materials.« less
Ventricular Rate Control by Selective Vagal Stimulation Is Superior to Rhythm Regularization by Atrioventricular Nodal Ablation and Pacing During Atrial Fibrillation

Background— Selective atrioventricular nodal (AVN) vagal stimulation (AVN-VS) has emerged as a novel strategy for ventricular rate (VR) control in atrial fibrillation (AF). Although AVN-VS preserves the physiological ventricular activation sequence, the resulting rate is slow but irregular. In contrast, AVN ablation with pacemaker implantation produces retrograde activation (starting at the apex), with regular ventricular rhythm. We tested the hypothesis that, at comparable levels of VR slowing, AVN-VS provides hemodynamic benefits similar to those of ablation with pacemaker implantation. Methods and Results— AVN-VS was delivered to the epicardial fat pad that projects parasympathetic nerve fibers to the AVN in 12 dogs during AF. A computer-controlled algorithm adjusted AVN-VS beat by beat to achieve a mean ventricular RR interval of 75%, 100%, 125%, or 150% of spontaneous sinus cycle length. The AVN was then ablated, and the right ventricular (RV) apex was paced either irregularly (i-RVP) using the RR in...
The Impact of the Americans With Disabilities Act Upon Rehabilitation Research

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) establishes "a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability." The impact of the ADA upon rehabilitation research is explored in relation to employment outcomes for persons with psychiatric disability. The ADA makes it imperative that we develop valid and reliable instruments to measure impairment and functional incapacity, work and social integration, and quality of life and empowerment. Techniques of ecological assessment in the workplace and consensus on measures of employment success are also imperative. Investigation of facility-based vocational rehabilitation, supported employment and disability management models of service, and reasonable accommodation will be needed, as will an investigation of the impact of the ADA upon Social Security benefits for persons with psychiatric disability. Finally, critical to the successful implementation of the ADA will be a better understanding of stigma and methods of changing the negativ...
Application of wireless sensor networks in forest fire detection under uncertainty

This paper proposes a soft computing approach to manage uncertainty and rule discovery by reasoning over inconsistent, incomplete and fragmentary information using dominance-based rough set theories. A methodological and computational basis is illustrated in a sensor network application scenario of a forest fire detection system.
Differential effects of acute amphetamine and phencyclidine treatment and withdrawal from repeated amphetamine or phencyclidine treatment on social interaction and social memory in rats.

Although animal models based on amphetamine (AMPH) or phencyclidine (PCP) treatment have been used extensively to study the neurobiological and behavioral characteristics of schizophrenia, there are conflicting reports regarding their validity in modeling the negative symptoms and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia. The present study examined how acute AMPH or PCP treatment (Experiment 1) and withdrawal from repeated AMPH treatment (Experiment 2) or PCP treatment (Experiment 3) affects social behavior and social recognition memory in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Each subject was tested on two consecutive days. On the first day, the rats were tested four times (5 min/each) at 10-min intervals with the same partner rat (termed "AAAA" day). One day later, the rats were tested with the previous partner in the first three sessions and with a new partner rat in the final session (termed "AAAB" day). The results show that acute AMPH treatment (1.5 mg/kg, sc) significantly reduced the time spent on social interaction, but did not affect social recognition on the first day. Acute AMPH only disrupted social recognition on the second day of drug testing. In contrast, acute PCP treatment (2.0 mg/kg, sc) had no effect on time spent on social interaction, but did significantly disrupt social recognition on both days. Withdrawal from repeated AMPH (3.0 mg/kg/day for 7 days, ip) or PCP (5.0 mg/kg/twice daily for 7 days, ip) treatment did not affect social interaction or social recognition, indicating a lack of long-term detrimental effect of repeated AMPH or PCP treatment. These results suggest that acute AMPH treatment at a low dose (1.5 mg/kg) may be useful in modeling social withdrawal symptoms of schizophrenia, whereas acute PCP treatment at a similar dose range (2.0 mg/kg) may be useful in modeling the social cognitive deficit of schizophrenia.
A reconfigurable multi-function computing cache architecture

A considerable portion of a chip is dedicated to a cache memory in a modern microprocessor chip. However, some applications may not actively need all the cache storage, especially the computing bandwidth limited applications. Instead, such applications may be able to use some additional computing resources. If the unused portion of the cache could serve these computation needs, the on-chip resources would be utilized more efficiently. This presents an opportunity to explore the reconfiguration of a part of the cache memory for computing. In this paper, we present a cache architecture to convert a cache into a computing unit for either of the following two structured computations, FIR and DCT/IDCT. In order to convert a cache memory to a function unit, we include additional logic to embed multi-bit output LUTs into the cache structure. Therefore, the cache can perform computations when it is reconfigured as a function unit. The experimental results show that the reconfigurable module improves the execution time of applications with a large number of data elements by a large factor (as high as 50 and 60). In addition, the area overhead of the reconfigurable cache module for FIR and DCT/IDCT is less than the core area of those functions. Our simulations indicate that a reconfigurable cache does not take a significant delay penalty compared with a dedicated cache memory. The concept of reconfigurable cache modules can be applied at Level-2 caches instead of Level-1 caches to provide an active-Level-2 cache similar to active memories.
Ascertaining cause of death among men in the Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial

Background The Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial (PIVOT) randomized 731 men with localized prostate cancer to radical prostatectomy or observation. Purpose We describe the methods and results for cause-of-death assignments in PIVOT, and compare them to alternative strategies for ascertaining prostate cancer-specific mortality, as well as to the methods and results in the similar Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group Study 4 (SPCG-4) trial. Methods Three PIVOT Endpoints Committee members, blinded to randomized treatment assignments, reviewed medical records and death certificates when available to assign a cause of death using a primary and a secondary adjudication question. Initial disagreements were resolved through discussion. The level of initial agreement among committee members was examined, as well as guesses at randomized treatment assignments for a convenience sample of cases. Final cause of death determinations were compared to death certificates. Results Complete agreement on cause of death by all three committee members before any discussion was achieved in 200/354 (56%) cases on the primary and 209/354 (59%) cases on the secondary. However, complete agreement on the primary rose to 306/354 (86%) when 'definite' and 'probably' categories were collapsed, as planned a priori. The three committee members' proportions of correct guesses of randomized treatment assignment were 82/121 (68%), 113/148 (76%), and 99/134 (74%). Using the committee's final adjudications as a gold standard, death certificates had suboptimal sensitivities, specificities, or predictive values depending on how they were used to determine cause of death. Limitations There was no separate 'gold standard' by which to judge the accuracy of the final endpoints committee adjudications, and useful death certificates could not be obtained on about a third of PIVOT participants who died. Conclusions The low level of initial agreement on cause of death among endpoint committee members and the potential for biased determinations due to partial unblinding to treatment assignment raise methodologic concerns about using prostate cancer mortality as an endpoint in clinical trials like PIVOT.
European Integration and Political Conflict

European Integration and Political Conflict. Edited by Gary Marks and Marco R. Steenbergen. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2004. 294p. $75.00 cloth, $26.99 paper. In the study of European Union politics, it is commonplace to deplore the absence of electoral mobilization across national boundaries. One of the reasons the EU suffers from a democratic deficit, the argument goes, is that elections to the European Parliament serve as a projection screen for fundamentally domestic debates. The purpose of Gary Marks's and Marco Steenbergen's volume is to subject this common assumption to systematic empirical scrutiny. The central question the editors pose concerns what features shape the contestation over European integration. Specifically, can such contestation be captured by a small number of dimensions? And how do these dimensions relate to the domestic left/right cleavage over the role of the state in the economy?
The future for early-stage tuberculosis drug discovery

There is an urgent need for new and better drugs to treat tuberculosis due to lengthy and complex treatment regimens and a rising problem of drug resistance. Drug discovery efforts have increased over the past few years, with a larger focus on modern high-throughput screening technologies. A combination of target-based approaches, with the traditional empirical means of drug identification, has been complemented by the use of target-based phenotypic screens only recently made possibly with newer genetic tools. Using these approaches, a number of promising compound series have been discovered. However, significant problems remain in developing these into drugs. This review highlights recent advances in TB drug discovery, including an overview of screening campaigns, lessons learned and future directions.
Brain Penetration and Efficacy of Different Mebendazole Polymorphs in a Mouse Brain Tumor Model

Purpose: Mebendazole (MBZ), first used as an antiparasitic drug, shows preclinical efficacy in models of glioblastoma and medulloblastoma. Three different mebendazole polymorphs (A, B, and C) exist, and a detailed assessment of the brain penetration, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor properties of each individual mebendazole polymorph is necessary to improve mebendazole-based brain cancer therapy. Experimental Design and Results: In this study, various marketed and custom-formulated mebendazole tablets were analyzed for their polymorph content by IR spectroscopy and subsequently tested in an orthotopic GL261 mouse glioma model for efficacy and tolerability. The pharmacokinetics and brain concentration of mebendazole polymorphs and two main metabolites were analyzed by LC/MS. We found that polymorph B and C both increased survival in a GL261 glioma model, as B exhibited greater toxicity. Polymorph A showed no benefit. Polymorph B and C both reached concentrations in the brain that exceeded the IC 50 in GL261 cells 29-fold. In addition, polymorph C demonstrated an AUC 0–24h brain-to-plasma (B/P) ratio of 0.82, whereas B showed higher plasma AUC and lower B/P ratio. In contrast, polymorph A presented markedly lower levels in the plasma and brain. Furthermore, the combination with elacridar was able to significantly improve the efficacy of polymorph C in GL261 glioma and D425 medulloblastoma models in mice. Conclusions: Among mebendazole polymorphs, C reaches therapeutically effective concentrations in the brain tissue and tumor with fewer side effects, and is the better choice for brain cancer therapy. Its efficacy can be further enhanced by combination with elacridar. Clin Cancer Res; 21(15); 3462–70. ©2015 AACR .
The search for an on-line dynamic security index

The implementation of a power system dynamic security index (DSI) for contingency selection in an online dynamic security analysis environment is addressed. This DSI is based on a stochastic measure of the power system's stability in the presence of various disturbances. This stochastic measure is the mean first passage time (MFPT) of a power system to reach the boundary of its dynamic security region. In other words, the MFPT is a measure of the average time a power system will eventually take to reach its dynamic security limits when affected by a contingency. One of the main advantages of the application of such a measure is the incorporation of not only the dynamic effects but also the steady-state effects of various power system disturbances. >
Factors Influencing In Vitro Killing of Bacteria by Hemocytes of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

A tetrazolium dye reduction assay was used to study factors governing the killing of bacteria by oyster hemocytes. In vitro tests were performed on bacterial strains by using hemocytes from oysters collected from the same location in winter and summer. Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains, altered in motility or colonial morphology (opaque and translucent), and Listeria monocytogenes mutants lacking catalase, superoxide dismutase, hemolysin, and phospholipase activities were examined in winter and summer. Vibrio vulnificus strains, opaque and translucent (with and without capsules), were examined only in summer. Among V. parahaemolyticus and L. monocytogenes, significantly (P 0.05) in killing by hemocytes were observed between opaque (encapsulated) and translucent (nonencapsulated) pairs of V. vulnificus. Activities of 19 hydrolytic enzymes were measured in oyster hemolymph collected in winter and summer. Only one enzyme, esterase (C4), showed a seasonal difference in activity (higher in winter than in summer). These results suggest that differences existed between bacterial genera in their ability to evade killing by oyster hemocytes, that a trait(s) associated with the opaque phenotype may have enabled V. parahaemolyticus to evade killing by the oyster’s cellular defense, and that bactericidal activity of hemocytes was greater in summer than in winter.
Community Nurse Executives’Psychologic Weil‐Being: Relationships Among Stressors, Social Support, Coping, and Optimism

The purposes of this study were to (1) determine the occupational stressors, coping strategies, and sources and types of social support of nurse executives; (2) compare the sample's level of psychologic symptomatology with norms; and (3) examine the effects of stress, social support, and optimism in predicting psychologic well-being. Public health nursing directors located throughout California participated in the study. Mailed questionnaire booklets were used to collect data from the target population. A subset of the sample participated in face-to-face, taped, structured interviews that elicited additional data on nurse executives' work stress, coping strategies, and social support dimensions. Several significant findings emerged. The mean psychologic symptom score for the subjects was greater than the published norm, suggesting psychologic distress. In regression analysis, total number of years in nursing accounted for 14.8% of the variance in psychologic symptoms, the dependent variable. Level of optimism accounted for an additional 29.8% of the variance. Total hassles and co-worker social support together accounted for 6.57% of the variance in the last step, but were not statistically significant. Interview data identified the major occupational stressors, coping strategies, and sources and types of social support for this group of nursing directors.
Multi-Layer Perceptrons with B-Spline Receptive Field Functions

Multi-layer perceptrons are often slow to learn nonlinear functions with complex local structure due to the global nature of their function approximations. It is shown that standard multi-layer perceptrons are actually a special case of a more general network formulation that incorporates B-splines into the node computations. This allows novel spline network architectures to be developed that can combine the generalization capabilities and scaling properties of global multi-layer feedforward networks with the computational efficiency and learning speed of local computational paradigms. Simulation results are presented for the well known spiral problem of Weiland and of Lang and Witbrock to show the effectiveness of the Spline Net approach.
How low can we go?: validation and verification of a decision support system for safe shipboard manning

The development of a robust and adequate shipboard-manning decision support system, including its validation and verification with two sets of shipboard data, is discussed. It is argued that the need for such a system has arisen since maritime shipping has undergone dramatic changes in recent years. Substantial increases in operating costs in the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s caused shipping operators to focus on adopting more efficient operating practices and reducing shipboard crew sizes. Manning levels on most modern vessels have decreased-from crews of 30-40 in the 1960s and 1970s to crews of 20-30 in the United States and down to 9-14 in Western Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan. >
Risk-Based Targeting: Identifying Disproportionalities in the Sources and Effects of Industrial Pollution

Objectives. I assessed the distribution of relative health risk from industrial air pollution in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the extent to which risk was disproportionately attributable to a minority of facilities.Methods. I spatially linked data on airborne emissions, health risk, and sociodemographics by census tract, coupling disproportionality measurements from 2 perspectives: the health risk borne by communities and the harms produced by individual polluters.Results. Of Milwaukee's 307 census tracts, 90 warranted the highest environmental justice concern. Striking variations in risk production existed between industrial polluters. Of 299 facilities with reported emissions, 30 (10%) contributed 90% of all health risk.Conclusions. This research adds to an emerging body of work connecting environmental health risk, environmental justice, and corporate responsibility. Findings support the hypothesis that relatively few heavy polluters create most environmental health risk. Environmental policy often devote...
Acoustic MEMS transducers for biomedical applications

A recent acoustic MEMS transducer, a mass sensor based on FBAR (film bulk acoustic resonator), is shown to detect addition of a single DNA base. As the FBAR sensor can detect minute amount of DNA (and/or RNA) markers without the need for optical imaging, it will enable us to develop an “easy to use” and reliable system to detect the presence of pathogen's nucleic acids in non-invasive fluids, such as urine and saliva, when arrayed on a small chip and coupled with a simple sample preparation and an “on-chip” isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques. Another recent acoustic MEMS, self-focusing acoustic transducers (SFATs) are ideally suited for on-chip DNA and protein synthesis, high frequency ultrasonic imaging, cell lysis or high-intensity ultrasonic treatment with excellent localization on particular cells over a micron-sized area. The focused acoustic beam generated by SFAT is strong and precise enough to eject micron-sized droplets at any desired direction, activate cell-detaching cavitation, and/or lyse cells.
Evaluator's Role in Accountability Relationships Measurement Technician, Capacity Builder or Risk Manager?

While evaluators have considered accountability pressures and examined the consequences of performance measurement for organizations, they have paid less attention to the accountability relationship in which their work is used. Drawing on theoretical literature and empirical data, this article shows how these accountability relationships drive the use of evaluative frameworks, like performance measurement, and shape the consequences for the organizations involved.The article argues that in settings permeated by accountability concerns, evaluators need to understand these accountability relationships that so significantly shape their work, especially if they hope to improve accountability systems or create the space for evaluation to serve other important purposes.This article provides evaluators with a set of questions and points of analysis that they can use to examine accountability relationships and expand what is possible for evaluation in settings where accountability is the dominant concern.
The Regulation and Control of Bail Recovery Agents: An Exploratory Study

This article explores the current status of the licensing and regulation of bail recovery agents in the United States. By reviewing state legislative and administrative codes in all the 50 states, this study found that 24 states control bail recovery agents through licensure or the imposition of other occupational regulations. These state controls include age, criminal history, and pretraining and educational requirements; some states also require continuing education and training for licensure and/or regulation. In contrast, 18 states have no licensing or other occupational requirements for bail recovery agents. These findings raise questions about the actual utility and function of these laws, suggesting that states place minimal controls on this sector of the bail industry, oftentimes, relying upon voluntary self-regulation and governance of recovery agents. As such, the civil liberties of the public and criminal defendants may be at risk from this underregulated profession.
Compensating for beamsplitter asymmetries in quantum interference experiments

The visibility of the quantum interference “dip” seen in the Hong-Ou-Mandel experiment is optimized when a symmetric 50/50 beamsplitter is used in the interferometer. Here we show that the reduction in visibility caused by an asymmetric beamsplitter can be compensated by manipulating the polarization states of the two input photons. We experimentally demonstrate this by using a highly asymmetric 10/90 beamsplitter, and converting an initial dip visibility of 22% to a compensated value of 99%.
Preembryo Personhood: an assessment of the President's Council arguments.

The President’s Council on Bioethics has addressed the moral status of human preembryos in its reports on stem cell research and human therapeutic cloning. Although the Council has been criticized for being hand-picked to favor the right-to-life viewpoint concerning human preembryos, it has embraced the idea that the right-to-life position should be defended in secular terms. This is an important feature of the Council’s work, and it demonstrates a recognition of the need for genuine engagement between opposing sides in the debate over stem cell research. To promote this engagement, the Council has stated in secular terms several arguments for the personhood of human preembryos. This essay presents and critiques those arguments, and it concludes that they are unsuccessful. If the best arguments in support of the personhood of human preembryos have been presented by the Council, then there are no reasonable secular arguments in support of that view.
The Structure of the Public Accounting Industry – Why Existing Market Models Fail

The structure of the public accounting industry has been the subject of debate for decades. Both empirical and theoretical research has reached contradictory results and conflicting conclusions regarding which model of industrial organization describes the structure of the public accounting industry. Some research has concluded the industry is competitive and other research found it is oligopolistic. Obviously it cannot be both. This paper compares the structure of the public accounting industry with the economic models of industrial organization and discusses the reasons why current models fail to describe the structure of the industry. Previous research has failed to consider that the market for audit services was created by the government which was then subsequently subjected to the simultaneous regulation of both the supply and demand for audit services. The simultaneous regulation of both supply and demand distorts the market thereby rendering current models incapable describing the structure of the public accounting industry.
Comparison of Selected Pulse Frequencies from Two Different Electrical Stimulators on Blood Flow in Healthy Subjects

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of selected frequencies from two different pulsed electrical stimulators on blood flow, blood pressure, and heart rate. Each of 30 healthy subjects attended 10 study sessions: 1 torque-testing session, 1 control session consisting of no electrical stimulation (ES), and 8 sessions of ES. All subjects received ES at an intensity sufficient to produce torque equal to 15% of the predetermined maximal voluntary contraction of their right quadriceps femoris muscle. The results of a multivariate analysis of variance showed that changes in blood flow during and after ES were dependent on pulse frequency but independent of stimulator type. Further analysis showed significant increases in blood flow with ES using 10, 20, and 50 pulses per second compared with 1 pulse per second. Inconsistent changes in blood pressure and heart rate were produced by ES. Based on the results of this study, effective clinical use of ES for promoting arterial blood flow to muscle would involve pulsed frequencies of 10 to 50 pulses per second.
Molecular and Developmental Biology Aspects of Fibroblast Growth Factor

Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are two closely related peptides of Mr =16000 that act as potent mitogens and differentiation factors or a wide variety of mesoderm and neuroectoderm derived cells. Basic FGF (bFGF pI 9.6) was first identified by its ability to cause the proliferation and phenotypic transformation of BALB-C 3T3 fibroblasts (Gospodarowicz,1974;Gospodarowicz and Moran,1974), while acidic FGF (aFGF, pI 5.6) was first identified by its ability to cause the proliferation and delayed differentiation of myoblasts (Gospodarowicz et al.,1975). It was later rediscovered on the basis of its ability to stimulate endothelial cell proliferation (Lemmon et al.,1982; Maciag et al.,1978).
Hybrid Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery Transvaginal Nephrectomy in a Low-Resource Setting

Abstract Introduction: Hybrid natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES®; American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy [Oak Brook, IL] and Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons [Los Angeles, CA]) reduces the invasiveness of conventional laparoscopic surgery and overcomes the limitation of pure NOTES, especially in the absence of angulated instruments. Patients and Methods: The patients were 66-, 69-, and 32-year-old women with complaints of recurrent flank pain and urinary tract infection due to an obstructed nonfunctioning kidney. Materials used were standard laparoscopic instruments and a 30° 10-mm high-definition laparoscope. Under general anesthesia, each patient was placed in a lithotomy position with the affected side up at 45°. A Veress needle was initially inserted through the umbilicus and was later replaced with a 10-mm laparoscopic port, with an additional 5-mm port also inserted at the affected lower quadrant site. The patient was then positioned in a ste...
Research challenges in future multi-domain network performance measurement and monitoring

The perfSONAR-based Multi-domain Network Performance Measurement and Monitoring Workshop was held on February 20-21, 2014 in Arlington, VA. The goal of the workshop was to review the state of the perfSONAR effort and catalyze future directions by cross-fertilizing ideas, and distilling common themes among the diverse perfSONAR stakeholders that include: network operators and managers, end-users and network researchers. The timing and organization for the second workshop is significant because there are an increasing number of groups within NSF supported data-intensive computing and networking programs that are dealing with measurement, monitoring and troubleshooting of multi-domain issues. These groups are forming explicit measurement federations using perfSONAR to address a wide range of issues. In addition, the emergence and wide-adoption of new paradigms such as software-defined networking are taking shape to aid in traffic management needs of scientific communities and network operators. Consequently, there are new challenges that need to be addressed for extensible and programmable instrumentation, measurement data analysis, visualization and middleware security features in perfSONAR. This report summarizes the workshop efforts to bring together diverse groups for delivering targeted short/long talks, sharing latest advances, and identifying gaps that exist in the community for solving end-to-end performance problems in an effective, scalable fashion.
Integrated Collaborative Departure Traffic Management

In today’s departure traffic management operation, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) face numerous challenges allocating the “right route to the right flight at the right time”, especially when thunderstorms are present. The lack of integrated traffic, weather, and airspace resource information leads to inefficient, reactive operations, and the lack of common understanding of the situation creates mistrust among decision makers. The point of action (the air traffic control tower) is too far removed from the point of decision making (the air traffic control center), producing departure queues where the wrong flight is in the wrong place at the wrong time. This paper discusses these challenges in today’s departure traffic management operation, how these challenges can be mitigated with the help of the right decision support tool(s), and how to truly realize the goal of having the right route for the right flight at the right time.
A Case of Complication of BCG Vaccination

A 6-year-old chinese boy had initial skin findings at the site of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG) vaccination in his infancy.The manifestation of lesions was well-demarcated reddish ulcerated plaque.The lesions had continued for 6 years and PPD was strongly positive.Pathology revealed granulomatous inflammation.Diagnosis:complication of BCG vaccination.The patient was cured with isoniazid and rifampicin for 6 months.
Atmospheric Modelling on a SIMD Computer

As technical limits are approached on the speed of processors used in super-computers, we may expect that greater parallelism will be sought to enhance their power. The parallel execution of varied tasks is to some degree used in all modern mainframes. In the new class of parallel machines, however, parallelism is a central design concept, and its presence is much more apparent to the user. Efficient use of a two processor XMP, for example, to run a single, large task such as an atmospheric GCM, is a very different problem than that of running the same task on its predecessor, the CRAY-1. As the number of processors increases from two to say eight or sixteen, we cannot expect the total computing power to increase proportionally, but the difficulty of programming probably will. Furthermore, the increase in computational speed we get from additional processors will depend both on our task (and how we organise it) and on the organisation of the machine itself. It thus behooves us at these early stages in the development of parallel super-computers to consider how well our models could be made to perform on various computer organisations. At Goddard Space Flight Center we started a project to explore the possibilities of using machines like Goddard’s Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) in atmospheric modelling.
Development and Implementation of Expected Practices to Reduce Inappropriate Variations in Clinical Practice.

This Viewpoint describes approaches taken by the Los Angeles Department of Health Services to reduce clinical practice variaton across the system.
A Novel Rapamycin-Polymer Conjugate Based on a New Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Multiblock Copolymer

Purpose Rapamycin has demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity in preclinical and clinical studies. However, the clinical development of its formulations was hampered due to its poor solubility and undesirable distribution in vivo. Chemical modification of rapamycin presents an opportunity for overcoming the obstacles and improving its therapeutic index. The objective of this study is to develop a drug-polymer conjugate to increase the solubility and cellular uptake of rapamycin.
Elements of News Literacy A Focus Group Study of How Teenagers Define News and Why They Consume It

Focus groups with teenagers (ages 15–18) were conducted to understand how they define news; what motivates them to consume news; what news sources they use; and how much knowledge about the news media industry, content, and effects they bring to the task of consuming and thinking critically about the news. Findings suggested exposure to news came largely incidentally via social media and/or parents; participants expressed the sense that news would find them. These teens saw news as depressing, conflict-ridden, and something that, although important, was of less value to them than to adults. Considered in light of a media literacy model adapted for news, these focus group participants exhibited a basic sense of news literacy but lacked the kind of knowledge about news industries, content, and effects that could better direct their own exposure, understanding, and subsequent civic engagement.
Casual Sex and College Students: Sex Differences and the Impact of Father Absence

Recently, much attention has been focused on understanding casual sex, or hooking up, among college students. The current study uses an adaptationist approach to investigate sex differences in casual sex behavior, emotional reactions, and the influence of father absence. If males and females possess different emotional mechanisms designed to evaluate the consequences of sexual behavior, we would expect sex differences in emotional reactions following that behavior. A sub-theory of life history strategy, psychosocial acceleration theory, predicts that stressful childhood environments will result in accelerated puberty and increased adult promiscuity. This study examines the impact of one childhood stressor, father absence, on casual sex, along with the previously mentioned sex differences in college students. Results indicate that (1) while there was no significant difference in the number of overall sex partners in the last 12 months, males had significantly more casual sex than did females, (2) females had significantly more negative emotional reactions to casual sex than did males, and (3) males and females who grew up in stressful childhood environments (indexed by father absence) were more likely to engage in casual sexual behavior. These results are discussed in light of sexual strategies theory.
Prevalence of Tic Disorders: a Meta-Analysis

Researchers at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Dublin, Ireland evaluated the prevalence of tic disorders by using MEDLINE and Embase databases to perform a meta-analysis of reports published 1985- 2011.