cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near Surface Crack Initiation Under Contact Fatigue

The present paper extends the dislocation dipole accumulation model to describe crack initiation in contact fatigue. The fatigue life under contact loading is calculated from an elastic solution. The plastic deformation may be taken into account by considering multi-slip layers. The present calculations show a qualitative consistency with experimental observations, although some additional parameters, such as the reversibility of dislocation pileup, are needed to make the theoretical prediction more comparable to the experimental data. Presented at the 46th Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada April 29–May 2, 1991
A space-time analysis of knowledge production

Regional growth models often emphasize the importance of research and development activities leading to technological progress. The role of knowledge production and spatiotemporal spillover effects is investigated using a space-time panel data set covering 49 US states over the period 1994–2005. The aim is to test for the existence of regional knowledge spillovers in the context of a space-time dynamic suggested by the knowledge production function. A space-time specification is set forth that can be applied to panel data models that include random effects. We compare alternative models that have been proposed in the panel data literature to provide a better understanding of how new ideas diffuse across space and time. The results indicate that the space-time panel data set is consistent with the presence of strong spatiotemporal regional spillovers of knowledge. The empirical findings are interpreted in light of the existing theoretical and empirical literature on endogenous growth.
On the cytotaxonomy of phasmids (Phasmatodea)

A wide diversity in chromosome complement is found in two species of phasmids of the primitive group Prisopini—Prisopus ariadne Hebard and Prisopus berosus Westwood. P. ariadne has a diploid male complement of 28, comprising 13 pairs of relatively large mediokinetic autosomes and Neo XY sex chromosomes. P. berosus, 2n ♂=49, has relatively small autosomes most of which are mediokinetic, and retains the XO—XX sex mechanism. Chromosomal polymorphism in this species is suggested by the presence of an unequal pair of autosomes and a structural differentiation in the X in one of two males studied. The relative amount of DNA per nucleus in male germ cells (Peulgen cytophotometry) shows a significant difference in total chromosomal content between the complements of the two species. These data are discussed with reference to the cytotaxonomy of phasmids.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae ubiquitin-like protein Rub1 conjugates to cullin proteins Rtt101 and Cul3 in vivo

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the ubiquitin-like protein Rub1p (related to ubiquitin 1 protein) covalently attaches to the cullin protein Cdc53p (cell division cycle 53 protein), a subunit of a class of ubiquitin E3 ligases named SCF (Skp1-Cdc53-F-box protein) complex. We identified Rtt101p (regulator of Ty transposition 101 protein, where Ty stands for transposon of yeast), initially found during a screen for proteins to confer retrotransposition suppression, and Cul3p (cullin 3 protein), a protein encoded by the previously uncharacterized open reading frame YGR003w, as two new in vivo targets for Rub1p conjugation. These proteins show significant identity with Cdc53p and, therefore, are cullin proteins. Modification of Cul3p is eliminated by deletion of the Rub1p pathway through disruption of either RUB1 or its activating enzyme ENR2 / ULA1. The same disruptions in the Rub pathway decreased the percentage of total Rtt101p that is modified from approx. 60 to 30%. This suggests that Rtt101p has an additional RUB1 - and ENR2 -independent modification. All modified forms of Rtt101p and Cul3p were lost when a single lysine residue in a conserved region near the C-terminus was replaced by an arginine residue. These results suggest that this lysine residue is the site of Rub1p-dependent and -independent modifications in Rtt101p and of Rub1p-dependent modification in Cul3p. An rtt101 Delta strain was hypersensitive to thiabendazole, isopropyl ( N -3-chlorophenyl) carbamate and methyl methanesulphonate, but rub1 Delta strains were not. Whereas rtt101 Delta strains exhibited a 14-fold increase in Ty1 transposition, isogenic rub1 Delta strains did not show statistically significant increases. Rtt101K791Rp, which cannot be modified, complemented for Rtt101p function in a transposition assay. Altogether, these results suggest that neither the RUB1 -dependent nor the RUB1 -independent form of Rtt101p is required for Rtt101p function. The identification of additional Rub1p targets in S. cerevisiae suggests an expanded role for Rub in this organism.
Structural mechanisms of cyclophilin D-dependent control of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore.

Abstract Background Opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore is the underlying cause of cellular dysfunction during diverse pathological situations. Although this bioenergetic entity has been studied extensively, its molecular componentry is constantly debated. Cyclophilin D is the only universally accepted modulator of this channel and its selective ligands have been proposed as therapeutic agents with the potential to regulate pore opening during disease. Scope of review This review aims to recapitulate known molecular determinants necessary for Cyclophilin D activity regulation and binding to proposed pore constituents thereby regulating the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Major conclusions While the main target of Cyclophilin D is still a matter of further research, permeability transition is finely regulated by post-translational modifications of this isomerase and its catalytic activity facilitates pore opening. General significance Complete elucidation of the molecular determinants required for Cyclophilin D-mediated control of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore will allow the rational design of therapies aiming to control disease phenotypes associated with the occurrence of this unselective channel. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Proline-directed Foldases: Cell Signaling Catalysts and Drug Targets.
Interleukin-13 augments transforming growth factor-β1-induced tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 expression in primary human airway fibroblasts

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 is a potent inhibitor of activated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as gelatinases and collagenases. TIMP-1 is induced by transforming growth fac...
Frontlighting for a virtual cinema

We describe a novel optical architecture for a LCoS binocular virtual display which, for the first time, meets or exceeds market leading pSi headset performance. A key component of the optical system is the frontlight illumination, which affords system specifications such a 36 degree field of view, a contrast of 80:1, and no IPD adjustment necessary (12 mm pupil). We detail the frontlight design and development, and its interaction with the complete electro-optical module.
SU-FF-T-153: Correlation of ICRU Reference Dose and PTV Dose Descriptors in Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy

Objective: The application of IMRT in clinical trials has been hindered by a lack of internationally accepted standards for prescribing dose as in 2D and 3DCRT external beam planning. We aimed to study the relationship of ICRU reference dose to mean, median, and modal PTV doses for IMRT applied to diverse targets. Materials and Methods: DMLC‐IMRT plans for 70 patients treated for prostate (14), gynecological (19), head and neck (19), lung (4), rectal/anal (8), brain (4) and abdominal disease (2) were randomly selected and analyzed. The ICRU reference point was located in each plan following ICRU report 50 and 62 guidelines. The ICRU reference dose, PTV mean, median, and modal doses, and DVHs were calculated with an Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian). PTV range was 50 – 1937 cc. Median PTV was 508 cc. Results: In general, ICRU reference dose was > PTV mean dose (in 82% of the cases studied). The difference between the PTV mean and the ICRU reference doses was 2% or less in 77% of the cases studied (mean difference ‐0.73%, range ‐4.2% to +3.6%). The ICRU reference dose and the PTV median and modal doses were not significantly different (p = 0.3 and 0.15 respectively). Conclusion: The ICRU reference point dose for the IMRT described herein appears to be reflective of PTV median or modal doses but does not represent PTV mean dose. New dose specification standards for IMRT, consistent with methods used to accredit facilities to apply IMRT in clinical trials, may enhance the quality of these trials and of other trials using rapidly emerging radiation planning and delivery techniques.
Zooplankton proportion estimates from non-uniform sample volumes

The relative abundance of organisms from different taxa provides information about ecosystem health and diversity. When the numbers of sampled organisms are modelled as Poisson counts, and the sample volumes are not uniform, variance for the proportion attributable to each taxon is difficult to compute. We present a method for computing approximate variances for this situation. The point estimates and their standard errors reduce to the standard multinomial maximum likelihood results when sample volumes are uniform. Further, given initial estimates of population densities for the taxa of interest, optimal sample volumes can be computed. The methods are illustrated for zooplankton counts from Andrus Lake, Michigan.
Does International Normalized Ratio Level Predict Pulmonary Embolism

Background Preventing pulmonary embolism is a priority after major musculoskeletal surgery. The literature contains discrepant data regarding the influence of anticoagulation on the incidence of pulmonary embolism after joint arthroplasty. The American College of Chest Physicians guidelines recommend administration of oral anticoagulants (warfarin), aiming for an international normalized ratio (INR) level between 2 and 3. However, recent studies show aggressive anticoagulation (INR > 2) can lead to hematoma formation and increased risk of subsequent infection.
Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with bipolar disorder: a 1-year open trial.

Objective: To describe an adapted version of dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with bipolar disorder. Method: The dialectical behavior therapy intervention is delivered over 1 year and consists of two modalities: family skills training (conducted with individual family units) and individual therapy. The acute treatment period (6 months) includes 24 weekly sessions; sessions alternate between the two treatment modalities. Continuation treatment consists of 12 additional sessions tapering in frequency through 1 year. We conducted an open pilot trial of the treatment, designed as an adjunct to pharmacological management, to establish feasibility and acceptability of the treatment for this population. Participants included 10 patients (mean age 15.8 T 1.5 years, range 14Y18) receiving treatment in an outpatient pediatric bipolar specialty clinic. Symptom severity and functioning were assessed quarterly by an independent evaluator. Consumer satisfaction was also assessed posttreatment. Results: Feasibility and acceptability of the intervention were high, with 9 of 10 patients completing treatment, 90% of scheduled sessions attended, and high treatment satisfaction ratings. Patients exhibited significant improvement from pre- to posttreatment in suicidality, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior, emotional dysregulation, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Dialectical behavior therapy may offer promise as an approach to the psychosocial treatment of adolescent bipolar disorder. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2007;46(7):820Y830.
Temporal and sequential patterns of agonistic behavior: effects of alcohol, anxiolytics and psychomotor stimulants.

Social and agonistic interactions are composed of a range of species-typical acts, postures, displays and other communicative signals that follow characteristics patterns. Descriptive and analytic methods permit an assessment of the temporal and sequential features of highly probable patterns of agonistic interactions. Analysis of the intervals that separate consecutive attacks by a resident mouse or rat toward an intruder identifies bursts or epochs of attacks. Amphetamine (1.25, 2.5 mg/kg), but not diazepam or alcohol, alters the burst pattern of attack behavior. Higher doses of alcohol, but not diazepam, in either resident male rats or in lactating rats confronting an intruder, reduce the sequences of aggressive acts and postures with high transition probabilities as identified by lag sequential analysis. These results suggest that temporal and sequential patterning mechanisms may be differentially altered by amphetamine- and alcohol-type substances. These neural mechanisms for behavioral patterning appear to be relevant for many types of behavior.
A single apparatus for the defatting, drying, storage, and extraction of many antigenic substances

Abstract 1.1. A single apparatus is described for the defatting, drying, storage, and extraction of many antigenic substances. 2.2. The apparatus eliminates transfers and handling of antigens and needs very little storage space. 3.3. Data presented indicate that more protein nitrogen is extracted by use of this apparatus, when preparing extracts from antigenic materials, than when the regular mixture method is employed.
Water deprivation increases angiotensin-converting enzyme but not AT1 receptor expression in brainstem and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of the rat

Abstract The rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is critical to the maintenance of blood pressure. It has been proposed that blood-borne Ang II can influence the RVLM via a neural connection between the circumventricular organs and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) and that a component of this pathway is angiotensinergic. A period of water deprivation leads to increased ability of angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonists to reduce blood pressure when administered into the RVLM and PVH. We studied the differences in AT1 receptor and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) expression in these and other brain regions involved in blood pressure regulation and water intake following dehydration. AT1 receptor and ACE expression in brains of rats deprived of water for 48 h were compared to that of water-replete rats by quantitative receptor autoradiography. AT1 receptor expression was increased in the subfornical organ and periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, but not in other brain regions measured. ACE expression was increased in the RVLM, PVH, choroid plexus, median preoptic nucleus, and organosum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis. These findings suggest that increased Ang II production but not increased receptor expression in the PVH and RVLM is the mechanism by which Ang II in the brain helps to sustain systemic blood pressure during periods of water deprivation.
Determination of the Peltier coefficient for gallium arsenide in a vertical Bridgman furnace

Abstract The Peltier coefficient for gallium arsenide solid in contact with its melt was experimentally determined. Selenium doped gallium arsenide samples were hermetically sealed in a fused quartz ampoule and processed in a vertical Bridgman furnace. During the translation period seven sequences of current-on and current-off periods were processed into the solidifying crystal. An axial slice was mechanochemically polished and then etched. Photomicrographs of the slice were taken with differential interference contrast microscopy and were used to measure the thickness of the current-on and current-off layers. These results were used to calculate growth rates from which the Peltier coefficient was calculated. An average value of 0.107±0.015 V was determined. The values calculated from the different sequences were in excellent agreement with each other even though the sequences had different current densities, current-on durations, and current-on to current-off ratios.
High Viral Burden Restricts Short-Lived Effector Cell Number at Late Times Postinfection through Increased Natural Regulatory T Cell Expansion

Generating and maintaining a robust CD8 + T cell response in the face of high viral burden is vital for host survival. Further, balancing the differentiation of effectors along the memory precursor effector cell pathway versus the short-lived effector cell (SLEC) pathway may be critical in controlling the outcome of virus infection with regard to clearance and establishing protection. Although recent studies have identified several factors that have the capacity to regulate effector CD8 + T cell differentiation—for example, inflammatory cytokines—we are far from a complete understanding of how cells choose the memory precursor effector cell versus SLEC fate following infection. In this study, we have modulated the infectious dose of the poxvirus vaccinia virus as an approach to modulate the environment present during activation and expansion of virus-specific effector cells. Surprisingly, in the face of a high virus burden, the number of SLECs was decreased. This decrease was the result of increased natural regulatory T cells (Tregs) generated by high viral burden, as depletion of these cells restored SLECs. Our data suggest Treg modulation of differentiation occurs via competition for IL-2 during the late expansion period, as opposed to the time of T cell priming. These findings support a novel model wherein modulation of the Treg response as a result of high viral burden regulates late-stage SLEC number.
Normative Methods for Lawyers

How can we defend arguments about what the law should be based on considerations of morality, justice, fairness, liberty, rights, or human values? Are such arguments anything more than assertions of personal preferences? In this article, I argue that normative arguments are crucial for the rule of law and that both lawyers (and law students) need to know how to make and defend claims of morality and justice. In recent years, cost/benefit and efficiency analysis appear to have taken over most legal scholarship and many law school classroom discussions. Such analysis suggests that the sole goal of the legal system should be to maximize human welfare and that we can best accomplish this goal by deferring to individual preferences, whatever they happen to be, valuing the relative strength of those preferences by reference to market values, and then choosing results whose social benefits outweigh their social costs. In contrast, I argue that such analysis is wholly without any normative weight unless it occurs within a framework of institutions, laws, and practices that are consistent with minimum standards for social and economic relationships in a free and democratic society. Normative arguments are designed to define that legitimate framework. Moreover, such arguments are not merely expressions of personal preference but are evaluative assertions and moral demands we are entitled to make of each other. Moral and political theory provide resources to help lawyers make evaluative assertions about human values that the legal system should respect. At the same time, lawyers possess substantial expertise in analyzing, shaping, and defending normative claims and the methods used by lawyers should be of interest to moral and political theorists.Because there are better and worse ways of making normative arguments and because both lawyers and law students need to know how to make such arguments, this article explains four basic tasks of normative argument and outlines a number of different ways lawyers accomplish those tasks. It then applies these various normative methods to a basic property law case. Bringing to consciousness these methods will help lawyers improve them and develop the skills needed to use them. Articulating and exploring the contours of the methods used by lawyers to make and defend normative arguments will help all participants in the legal system to articulate normative reasons that can justify legal rights and institutions in a manner appropriate to a free and democratic society.
Acute and Subacute Awake Injection Laryngoplasty for Thoracic Surgery Patients

Summary The rehabilitation of glottic incompetence by injection laryngoplasty is important in the management of thoracic surgery patients with vocal cord paralysis. This group of patients presents special considerations that favor injection under local anesthesia. The objective of this study is to characterize our experience with this minimally invasive approach in both the acute and subacute settings. The study was conducted using a retrospective chart review. From a database of 108 patients who received awake percutaneous injection laryngoplasty over a 3-year period, 15 cases were identified that underwent augmentation shortly following thoracic surgery. These records were reviewed for patient demographics, clinical characteristics, complications, and short-term outcomes. Fifteen patients were identified (12 male, 3 female); the age range for the group was 18–91 years (median = 55 years). All the patients reported vocal improvement following injection; all 15 also were improved by perceptual assessment. Five of six dysphagic patients improved following injection. One patient's injection was aborted due to vocal fold edema; no significant bleeding or airway embarrassment was observed. No procedures were terminated because of patient discomfort. Awake percutaneous injection laryngoplasty for vocal paralysis can be performed safely in the postoperative thoracic surgery patient. Swallowing and voice complaints were almost universally improved following treatment. For patients who cannot tolerate or choose not to have open thyroplasty or vocal fold injection under general anesthesia, this procedure may offer a safe and effective alternative.
Occurrence of a Transient Leucocytosis During the Jarisch-Herx-heimer Reaction.

Summary1. In 10 of 15 patients having febrile Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions there was a definite leucocytosis occurring before or at the same time as the temperature spike. Some degree of leucocytosis occurred in the other 5 cases but was not considered significant.2. The average percentage increase in leucocytes was 89%.3. As shown by differential counts the increase in cells was predominantly in the polymorphonuclear series.4. There was also a lymphopenia with an average percentage drop in total lymphocyte counts of 55%.5. The causative factor in the leucocytosis and the causative factor of the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction are felt to be the same.
LEAN PRODUCTION IN THE JAPANESE SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY

The adoption of "lean" automobile manufacturing concepts developed by Toyota has been advocated as a means to achieve large improvements in the performance of various other industries, including shipbuilding. The basic goal of lean production is cost reduction via elimination of unnecessary operations, waiting times, and inventories. This goal is self-evidently applicable to any business environment. However, there are specific mechanisms associated with lean production, and their applicability to shipbuilding is not as clear. Has lean production been a significant influence in Japanese shipbuilding? Are Japanese shipbuilders "lean producers"? And is the lean production automobile model the appropriate approach to shipbuilding, or is some other package of best practices more applicable? We approach these questions in two ways. First, we consider the relation of lean principles to production processes in the Japanese shipbuilding industry. Then we describe two recent cases of process improvement in a Japanese shipyard and we discuss the extent to which these reflect lean principles. We propose that if lean production is considered as a general philosophy or set of goals, then the Japanese shipbuilding industry would likely rank ahead of Toyota in terms of achievement. On the other hand, considering the specifically "lean" mechanisms derived from the automobile industry experience, it appears that not all have been applicable to Japanese shipyards.
Differentiation of Neuromyelitis Optica from Multiple Sclerosis on Spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging

In order to examine the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) versus multiple sclerosis (MS), we performed a retrospective, rater-blinded review of 29 cases of NMO and 30 cases of MS using the criteria of long (more than three vertebral levels), continuous lesions with a central cord location for NMO and more peripheral and patchy lesions for MS. Using these criteria, two raters were able to distinguish the two conditions with a good degree of confidence, particularly when the imaging was performed at the time of an acute cord attack. The sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of NMO were 86.2% and 93.3%, respectively, for Rater A and 96.4% and 78.6%, respectively, for Rater B, with a kappa value of 0.72. Thus there are significant differences in lesion characteristics that allow the distinction on spinal cord imaging between MS and NMO with a moderately high degree of confidence. The location of the lesion as evident on MRI of the spine can be regarded as a distinguishing diagnostic feature between MS and NMO.
A Review of the Bender Gestalt Test as a Screening Instrument for Brain Damage With School-Aged Children of Normal Intelligence Since 1970

The authors review recent literature regarding the effectiveness of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test in screening for brain damage in school-aged children of normal intelligence who display learning problems. Problems with research of this type and various administrations and scoring methods are discussed. All methods reviewed significantly discriminate between groups of brain-damaged and unimpaired children. No method, however, provides successful predictive rates high enough to warrant the use of the Bender as the sole diagnostic instrument in individual cases.
Construct Evaluation of the Tennessee Self Concept Scale

Fitts' (1965) Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS) has been a commonly used test of "self-concept" over the past 15 years. However, no studies have conducted a systematic evaluation of the empirical...
Participation of the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II in exon definition during pre-mRNA splicing.

Interaction between transcription and pre-mRNA processing via binding of polymerase II (Pol II) to factors involved in capping, splicing, and polyadenylation has recently been demonstrated. The C-terminal domain (CTD), a highly phosphorylated repeat sequence of the largest subunit of Pol II, has been implicated in this interaction because deletion of this domain affects downstream RNA processing events and because it is the binding site for numerous processing factors. Here we show that recombinant CTD, free of other components of Pol II, activated in vitro splicing and assembly of the spliceosome in nuclear extracts if, and only if, the assayed precursor RNA was recognized via exon definition, i.e., if the substrates contained complete exons with both 3' and 5' splice sites. Furthermore, depletion of intact Pol II inactivated splicing of this set of precursor RNAs and addition of recombinant CTD restored activity. The added recombinant CTD was quickly hyper- and hypophosphorylated in extract, became associated with the precursor RNA, and stimulated the association of U1 snRNPs but not ASF/SF2 with substrate RNA. These observations suggest that the mode of interaction between the CTD and splicing factors is integrally tied to exon definition and the mechanism whereby distal exons can be recognized and brought into juxtaposition during assembly of the spliceosome.
Kinetcis and mechanism of HCN‐evolution from the oxidation of polyurethanes

The oxidative degradation of aliphatic, aromatic, and secondary polyurethanes was investigated over a range of temperatures of 440–1000°C as a function of time and oxygen concentration. The degradation was studied with special emphasis on HCN-evolution; its rate constants and Arrhenius equations were determined. In some of the temperature ranges reactions were diffusion controlled. At relatively low temperatures the oxidative rate constant was a linear function of oxygen concentration, whereas at higher temperatures oxidation of the evolved HCN took place in passage through the hot zone of the furnace; in addition, at these higher temperatures thermal degradation of the polymers and thermal decomposition of HCN in the hot zone occurred simultaneously with oxidation to an appreciable extent. The kinetics and mechanism proposed and quantitatively evaluated account well for the experimental results.
A new modular schema for the control of tumbling robots

Tumbling is an exciting new area of robotic locomotion that takes advantage of ground-body interactions to achieve rich motions with minimal hardware complexity. The increased mobility of tumbling robots, however, comes at the price of increased control complexity. In this paper, we propose a novel method to handle the issues of tumbling locomotion which takes the problem and separates into locally independent subproblems. Our approach provides an intuitive geometric solution to the tumbling control problem without sacrificing performance. We provide a running example throughout the paper to help solidify the ideas presented.
Left ventricular approach to multiple ventricular septal defects.

Abstract Multiple muscular ventricular septal defects were closed through an apical left ventriculotomy in 11 patients. The patients were divided into two groups: Group 1, 8 patients who had transposition of the great arteries, and group 2, 3 patients without transposition. There were 4 deaths in Group 1 and none in Group 2. Two of the deaths were caused by a hypoplastic right ventricle, 1 by airway obstruction, and 1 by heart failure and pulmonary edema in a patient who had additional unrecognized muscular defects. An apical left ventriculotomy provides excellent exposure of the septum. The field is not obscured by trabecular bands or papillary muscles. Although 1 patient died because of residual VSDs, this approach, compared with previously described methods, minimizes the risk of unrecognized defects.
CTTE: support for developing and analyzing task models for interactive system design

While task modeling and task-based design are entering into current practice in the design of interactive software applications, there is still a lack of tools supporting the development and analysis of task models. Such tools should provide developers with ways to represent tasks, including their attributes and objects and their temporal and semantic relationships, to easily create, analyze, and modify such representations and to simulate their dynamic behavior. In this paper, we present a tool, CTTE, that provides thorough support for developing and analyzing task models of cooperative applications, which can then be used to improve the design and evaluation of interactive software applications. We discuss how we have designed this environment and report on trials of its use.
The Anti‐Androgen Transfer

Objectives: Financial and nonfinancial barriers affect the care of prostate cancer patients. In this study, we evaluated whether financial considerations were a primary reason for lower income veterans with prostate cancer to transfer their care to Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospitals, and if so, which aspects of medical care were most affected by these considerations. Materials and Methods: Interviews with 106 veterans with prostate cancer were undertaken after the transfer of their care to the VA medical system. Respondents provided information about the primary reasons they shifted their care. Results: Although 64.2% of the patients had private health insurance before their initial visit to the VA, only 26.4% retained their private health insurance at the time of the interview, and 53.8 % transferred their entire medical care to the VA after the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Reasons for transferring care to the VA included the costs of oral anti-androgen therapy (34.9%), copayment costs for physician visits (30.2%), a feeling that medical care would be better in the VA system (26.4%), and copayment costs of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs (8.5%). Reasons for transfer varied with stage of disease at diagnosis (p < 0.05). The most common reasons for transfer were anti-androgen therapy costs among metastatic patients and, among patients with localized cancer, physician copayments and a feeling that care would be of higher quality in the VA system. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there is a phenomenon, termed the “anti-androgen transfer,” that leads veterans with metastatic prostate cancer to transfer to the VA setting. The enactment of a comprehensive pharmaceutical benefit to the Medicare program will affect transfers of metastatic prostate cancer patients to the VA medical system.
Lineage pathway of human brain progenitor cells identified by JC virus susceptability

Multipotential human central nervous system progenitor cells, isolated from human fetal brain tissue by selective growth conditions, were cultured as undifferentiated, attached cell layers. Selective differentiation yielded highly purified populations of neurons or astrocytes. This report describes the novel use of this cell culture model to study cell type-specific recognition of a human neurotropic virus, JC virus. Infection by either JC virions or a plasmid encoding the JC genome demonstrated susceptibility in astrocytes and, to a lesser degree, progenitor cells, whereas neurons remained nonpermissive. JC virus susceptibility correlated with significantly higher expression of the NFI-X transcription factor in astrocytes than in neurons. Furthermore, transfection of an NFI-X expression vector into progenitor-derived neuronal cells before infection resulted in viral protein production. These results indicate that susceptibility to JC virus infection occurs at the molecular level and also suggest that differential recognition of the viral promoter sequences can predict lineage pathways of multipotential progenitor cells in the human central nervous system.
What Is Next for Retinal Gene Therapy

The field of gene therapy for retinal blinding disorders is experiencing incredible momentum, justified by hopeful results in early stage clinical trials for inherited retinal degenerations. The premise of the use of the gene as a drug has come a long way, and may have found its niche in the treatment of retinal disease. Indeed, with only limited treatment options available for retinal indications, gene therapy has been proven feasible, safe, and effective and may lead to durable effects following a single injection. Here, we aim at putting into context the promise and potential, the technical, clinical, and economic boundaries limiting its application and development, and speculate on a future in which gene therapy is an integral component of ophthalmic clinical care.
The ZCache: Decoupling Ways and Associativity

The ever-increasing importance of main memory latency and bandwidth is pushing CMPs towards caches with higher capacity and associativity. Associativity is typically improved by increasing the number of ways. This reduces conflict misses, but increases hit latency and energy, placing a stringent trade-off on cache design. We present the zcache, a cache design that allows much higher associativity than the number of physical ways (e.g. a 64-associative cache with 4 ways). The zcache draws on previous research on skew-associative caches and cuckoo hashing. Hits, the common case, require a single lookup, incurring the latency and energy costs of a cache with a very low number of ways. On a miss, additional tag lookups happen off the critical path, yielding an arbitrarily large number of replacement candidates for the incoming block. Unlike conventional designs, the zcache provides associativity by increasing the number of replacement candidates, but not the number of cache ways. To understand the implications of this approach, we develop a general analysis framework that allows to compare associativity across different cache designs (e.g. a set-associative cache and a zcache) by representing associativity as a probability distribution. We use this framework to show that for zcaches, associativity depends only on the number of replacement candidates, and is independent of other factors (such as the number of cache ways or the workload). We also show that, for the same number of replacement candidates, the associativity of a zcache is superior than that of a set-associative cache for most workloads. Finally, we perform detailed simulations of multithreaded and multiprogrammed workloads on a large-scale CMP with zcache as the last-level cache. We show that zcaches provide higher performance and better energy efficiency than conventional caches without incurring the overheads of designs with a large number of ways.
Accepting the post-colonial challenge: Theorizing a Khaldûnian approach to the Marian apparition at Medjugorje

This article seeks to expand the sociology of religion’s conceptual toolkit beyond the focus on religious belief and on organizational structures inherited from Western Christianity. After criticizing these origins, I use Ibn Khaldun’s notion of al ‘assabiyyah or “group-feeling” to analyze the events surrounding the Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, Bosnia, in the 1980s and the later events in the same region during the 1990s Bosnian wars. This concept’s strength is its ability to treat religious and ethnic solidarity as part of the same phenomenon—something that previous literature on Medjugorje and the Bosnian war failed to do. Its weakness (for this case) is its focus on centripetal (attractive) solidarity rather than solidarity created by heightened social boundaries. The solidarities at Medjugorje were more often of the latter kind.
Digging Deep for Ancient Relics: A Survey of Protein Motifs in the Intergenic Sequences of Four Eukaryotic Genomes

We have examined conserved protein motifs in the non-coding, intergenic regions (“pseudomotif patterns”) and surveyed their occurrence in the fly, worm, yeast and human genomes (chromosomes 21 and 22 only). To identify these patterns, we masked out annotated genes, pseudogenes and repeat regions from the raw genomic sequence and then compared the remaining sequence, in six-frame translation, against 1319 patterns from the PROSITE database. For each pseudomotif pattern, the absolute number of occurrences is not very informative unless compared against a statistical expectation; consequently, we calculated the expected occurrence of each pattern using a Poisson model and verified this with simulations. Using a p-value cut-off of 0.01, we found 67 pseudomotif patterns over-represented in fly intergenic regions, 34 in worm, 21 in human and six in yeast. These include the zinc finger, leucine zipper, nucleotide-binding motif and EGF domain. Many of the over-represented patterns were common to two or more organisms, but there were a few that were unique to specific ones. Furthermore, we found more overrepresented patterns in the fly than in the worm, although the fly has fewer pseudogenes. This puzzling observation can be explained by a higher deletion rate in the fly genome. We also surveyed under-represented patterns, finding 23 in the fly, 12 in the worm, 18 in human and two in yeast. If intergenic sequences were truly random, we would expect an equal number of over and under-represented patterns. The fact that for each organism the number of over-represented patterns is greater than the number of under-represented ones implies that a fraction of the intergenic regions consist of ancient protein fragments that, due to accumulated disablements, have become unrecognizable by conventional techniques for gene and pseudogene identification. Moreover, we find that in aggregate the over-represented pseudomotif patterns occupy a substantial fraction of the intergenic regions. Further information is available at
Home Ranges, Habitat Selection and Mortality of Ring-necked Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) in North-central Maryland

Abstract Between 4 January and 15 May 1988, we captured 16 female and 10 male ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) in north-central Maryland at the southern edge of their North American range and fitted them with radiotransmitters. We monitored their movements on an agricultural landscape encompassing 2002 ha from the day of capture until death, transmitter failure or 15 December 1988. Eight of 16 females and seven of 10 males survived to the nesting season. Predation accounted for 61% of the mortality of adult pheasants. Seven males and 12 females, each with ≥30 fixes per analytical time period (winter, nesting, postnesting or maximum), were used in analysis of home and core ranges, seasonal movements and habitat selection and use. Home range sizes did not differ significantly between sexes or among seasons. Pheasants had significantly larger core ranges during the nesting season than during winter or postnesting seasons. Pheasants selected home ranges with a higher proportion of shrublands and we...
Mechanical Characterization of an Additively Manufactured Inconel 718 Theta-Shaped Specimen

Two sets of “theta”-shaped specimens were additively manufactured with Inconel 718 powders using an electron beam melting technique with two distinct scan strategies. Light optical microscopy, mechanical testing coupled with a digital image correlation (DIC) technique, finite element modeling, and neutron diffraction with in situ loading characterizations were conducted. The cross-members of the specimens were the focus. Light optical micrographs revealed that different microstructures were formed with different scan strategies. Ex situ mechanical testing revealed each build to be stable under load until ductility was observed on the cross-members before failure. The elastic moduli were determined by forming a correlation between the elastic tensile stresses determined from FEM, and the elastic strains obtained from DIC. The lattice strains were mapped with neutron diffraction during in situ elastic loading; and a good correlation between the average axial lattice strains on the cross-member and those determined from the DIC analysis was found. The spatially resolved stresses in the elastic deformation regime are derived from the lattice strains and increased with applied load, showing a consistent distribution along the cross-member.
Why Do Parents Grant or Deny Consent for Adolescent Participation in Sexuality Research

To date, there is limited knowledge about how parents make decisions about adolescents' participation in sexuality research. This gap was addressed in the present study, which explored parents' reasons for providing or denying consent and their suggestions for improving the likelihood of consent. 151 parents responded through anonymous internet surveys (85.3 % mothers; 87 % European American). Those who would likely consent were largely motivated by potential benefits and limited risks of participating in the study. Those unlikely to consent expressed discomfort with sexual content, which they viewed as inappropriate for sexually-naive adolescents. Most were somewhat more likely to consent if researchers engaged in ethical research practices (e.g., protecting confidentiality). As in other adolescent life domains, parents' decisions strongly reflected their desire to protect their teenagers' wellbeing, though respondents' means of pursuing this goal varied. The discussion centers on the findings' implications for theory development and recruitment efforts.
osteoporosis: Medical prevention and treatment

Osteoporosis is a bone disorder characterized by deficient bone mass and fragility fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine. The therapeutic strategies for treating osteoporosis are designed to maximize peak bone mass through proper nutrition, appropriate intake of calcium and vitamin D, maintenance of physiologic menstrual cycles, and a program of weight bearing and strengthening exercises. For the conditions of high bone turn-over - osteoporosis in which osteoclastic resorption is increased - efficacious treatment options include hormone repiacement therapy, calcitonin, and bisphosphonates. Osteoporosis with low bone turnover results from deficient osteoblastic bone formation and responds to the experimental drug programs of fluoride, parathyroid hormone, and parathyroid hormone related peptide analogues. Determination of bone density defines the patient's current condition, measurement oi the level of N-telopeptides (collagen breakdown products) predicts the patient's future regarding osteoporotic fractures, and the presence of risk factors for hip fracture establish the therapeutic window for treatment.
Measuring Propensity of Individual Anti-Government Protest Behavior in Autocracies

Although the measurement of individual propensity to participate in anti-government protests in autocracies is strategically consequential for both the government and the opposition, its prediction by scholars remains a challenging task. Individual responses about intention to participate in anti-government protests can be vastly polluted by measurement error, namely social desirability bias, preventing respondents from openly revealing their preferences. Amplifying this problem is the fact that individuals tend to condition their own participation in protests on the perceived magnitude. Our research attempts to bypass these problems by offering a set of list experiments adopted to the study of protests, preserving full anonymity for the respondent. The use of two experiments allows us to manipulate the size of the protests the respondents are exposed to. Together, these factors mitigate social desirability bias. A set of auxiliary follow-up questions helps us to measure the contributions an individual is willing to make when deciding to participate in the anti-government protest. The empirical data analysis is based on the data sample collected by VCIOM, a national polling agency in Russia, in Winter 2016.
Survey on Medical Robotics

Robotics in medical have made giant strides in past several decades with its widely use in various aspects.According to it's function and usage,medical robots are classified into 7 types: neurosurgery robot,orthopedics robot,laparoscopic robot,vascular interventional robot,prosthetics and exoskeleton robot,assistive and rehabilitation robot and capsule robot.The functions,specifications,advantages and disadvantages of present typical commercially available medical robotics are surveyed.The current research foci,key technology and future trends of medical robotics are also discussed.
Must insurance payments made in error be returned

Healthcare organizations sometimes receive payments made in error from insurance companies. Such payments may occur when insurance companies do not determine that a person receiving care was not covered until after the care has been provided and the bill has been paid. A review of pertinent cases in this area suggests that a legal precedent exists for viewing a healthcare organization as an innocent third-party creditor, thus absolving it of the responsibility to return the mistaken payment.