cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leukemia incidence by occupation in the portland‐vancouver metropolitan area

During a 15-year period in an urban area with over a million inhabitants, we identified 1,678 cases of leukemia among residents aged 16 or older. Case finding was done according to the methods of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) SEER program. Usual occupation was coded by a system based on the U.S. Census Bureau classification. According to age-standardized incidence rates for persons aged 16-67, significant excess leukemia risks were found for 14 male and 8 female occupation categories, with the larger number of male excess risk situations due to nonlymphatic leukemia. Lymphatic leukemia risks were significantly elevated among dentists, school teachers of both sexes, auto mechanics, gas station attendants, female assembly workers, and female laundry and dry cleaning workers. Nonlymphatic leukemia risks were significantly elevated among machinists, other metal tradesmen, heavy equipment operators, textile operatives, meat cutters, cannery workers, construction laborers, freight and stock handlers, policemen, and firemen. Risks of both types of leukemia were significantly elevated among registered and practical nurses and lumber mill workers. This study has not identified specific etiologic agents and exposures, but applied investigations aimed at disease control by prevention of cases are now possible in this community. Nationwide surveillance and control are recommended.
Field patterns of TM0 modes in a shielded dielectric resonator

The resonant modes in a cylindrical dielectric resonator located within a cylindrical shielding cavity are studied by means of the finite integral technique. The field patterns of five lowest transverse-magnetic modes are presented, and the controversies of the mode designations are discussed.
The Relation between Risk and Optimal Debt Maturity and the Value of Leverage

This paper considers the capital structure and debt maturity choice for a value-maximizing corporation. In the model, interest expense is tax deductible, bankruptcy is costly, and debt is fairly priced at issue. In contrast to the results of Kane, Marcus, and McDonald (1985), optimal debt maturity does not always approach zero in the absence of transaction costs, and is increasing in the volatility of the assets of the firm. The model predicts a positive association between the value of leverage and total risk in some circumstances.
Integral method of analysis of fischer-tropsch synthesis reactions in a catalyst pellet

A generalized integral method is developed to analyze complex reactions in a catalyst pellet. This method is valid for any kinetics and takes into account both internal and external heat and mass transfer effects. The integral equations are solved for a Fischer-Tropsch kinetic model to obtain effectiveness factors. Isothermal multiplicities are observed for low values of the surface coverage parameter α(α = 1/K1pco,0), and low values of the parameter σ21 (ratio of Thiele moduli for H2 and CO). The effectiveness factor is mildly sensitive to the external resistances.
Capturing judgment policy on customers' creditworthiness : A lens model and SDT approach

Abstract Designing an intervention program to train human operator's decision-making process and subsequently to improve their performance requires a thorough understanding of the relationships between the environment, the human operator, and cues on which decisions are based. Understanding these relationships provides opportunities to make better decisions when human operators encounter novel situations. This study investigated the operator's decision-making process from the lens model perspective and signal detection approach, in which operators make judgments on customers’ creditworthiness using three types of information such as (1) days that accounts were unpaid, (2) probability of the customers damaging the institution based on the customers’ credit histories, and (3) case-based reasoning (CBR) scores. Results showed that the operators were conservative, which resulted in extremely low performance while maintaining a good level of domain knowledge. Analyses of the relative cue weights also showed that the aggregated judgment strategy represented by the cue weights was similar to the validity of the cues to the ecology, reflected in the high level of policy matching ( r m ). Specifically, the probability and the days cues were more and equally emphasized over the CBR score. Relevance to industry Capturing the human operator's judgment policy can be used to identify and develop customized training needs for individual operator to make better judgments on customers’ creditworthiness or the environment of interest in general.
Intravenous self-injection of methcathinone in the baboon.

Abstract Methcathinone is a phenylisopropylamine that has been produced by clandestine laboratories and identified in illicit drug traffic. The present study evaluated the intravenous self-administration of methcathinone in three baboons using a cocaine substitution procedure. Intravenous self-injections were available 24 h/day according to a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule with a 3-h timeout following each injection. Doses of racemic methcathinone HCl (0.01–1.0 mg/kg/injection) and its vehicle were substituted for cocaine for 15 or more days. A concurrent FR schedule of food pellet delivery allowed evaluation of any changes in food intake. Self-injection of methcathinone was dose dependent. The lower doses of methcathinone, 0.01 and 0.032, maintained low and intermediate rates of self-injection, respectively, while the higher doses, 0.1, 0.32, and 1.0, maintained rates above vehicle control and comparable to those maintained by cocaine. Acute administration of 3.2 mg/kg to two baboons produced signs of psychomotor stimulant toxicity. Systematic changes in food intake were not observed. The present data indicate that methcathinone functions as a positive reinforcer in baboons and suggests that methcathinone may have abuse potential.
A power metric for mobile systems

The advent of mobile computing has made power consumption a critical design factor. There has been little systematic consideration of the power sources for mobile computing systems. This paper presents a class of system-level metrics intended to make a systematic study more feasible and to more accurately reflect the trade-off between battery life and performance. An example involving the clock frequency of a CPU shows the possible impact of the nonlinearity, an impact not predicted by existing metrics. Results of an initial attempt to verify the example are presented and explained. The paper concludes with drawbacks of the metric and possible extensions to overcome these drawbacks.
The Challenge of Cooperative Regulatory Relations after Enlargement

This paper conceptualises European governance as a continuous series of collective action games among national regulators. European administration is theorized as a set of mutually beneficial relations among independent regulators, rather than as a hierarchy of supranational institutions, courts, and national administrators. The collective action approach highlights the importance of certain factors in fostering regulatory cooperation and enabling the common market to become an administrative reality: repeated interactions, monitoring and sanctioning by the Commission and the courts, reciprocity norms, and trust. It also suggests that one of the most significant challenges of enlargement will be to establish cooperative regulatory exchanges among old and new regulators. Regulators in the existing member states do not always trust the capacity of Central and Eastern European regulators to administer the acquis communautaire. Cooperation and trust among old and new regulators will also prove difficult because, after enlargement, their relations will gradually shift from ones of power to ones of mutually beneficial exchanges among equals. The solution lies in self-awareness of the structure of the collective action game, a more active role for the Commission and the Court in monitoring compliance, and strict adherence to a strategy of reciprocity in retaliating for non-compliance.
Remineralization of Demineralized Enamel via Calcium Phosphate Nanocomposite

Secondary caries remains the main problem limiting the longevity of composite restorations. The objective of this study was to investigate the remineralization of demineralized human enamel in vitro via a nanocomposite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP). NACP were synthesized by a spray-drying technique and incorporated into a dental resin. First, caries-like subsurface enamel lesions were created via an acidic solution. Then, NACP nanocomposite or a commercial fluoride-releasing control composite was placed on the demineralized enamel, along with control enamel without a composite. These specimens were then treated with a cyclic demineralization/remineralization regimen for 30 days. Quantitative microradiography showed typical enamel subsurface demineralization before cyclic demineralization/remineralization treatment, and significant remineralization in enamel under the NACP nanocomposite after the demineralization/remineralization treatment. The NACP nanocomposite had the highest enamel remineralization (mean ± SD; n = 6) of 21.8 ± 3.7%, significantly higher than the 5.7 ± 6.9% for fluoride-releasing composite (p < 0.05). The enamel group without composite had further demineralization of -26.1 ± 16.2%. In conclusion, a novel NACP nanocomposite was effective in remineralizing enamel lesions in vitro. Its enamel remineralization was 4-fold that of a fluoride-releasing composite control. Combined with the good mechanical and acid-neutralization properties reported earlier, the new NACP nanocomposite is promising for remineralization of demineralized tooth structures.
Caught in the Middle: The State, NGOs, and the Limits to Grassroots Organizing Along the US–Mexico Border

NGOs across the world work on a daily basis to assist marginalized and working poor communities to meet their most basic needs. As NGOs take on the provision of many services that previously existed in the domain of the state, they enter into a contradictory relationship. As they work to improve these communities abandoned by the state, they can become the conduit whereby neoliberal state policy enters marginalized communities. Growing numbers of NGOs find that their primary sources of income come from donors and state agencies that share a propensity for neoliberal forms of governance. In the colonias, working poor Mexican communities, of the US Southwest, the triumvirate relationship among the state, NGOs, and grassroots leaders can create a disabling situation. I examine these cases, in which the neoliberal preference for self-help projects and a focus on the fulfilment of individual needs can overshadow more collective forms of social change.
Ethical implications of democratic theory for U.S. public participation in environmental impact assessment

Abstract Traditional mechanisms for public participation in environmental impact assessment under U.S. federal law have been criticized as ineffective and unable to resolve conflict. As these mechanisms are modified and new approaches developed, we argue that participation should be designed and evaluated not only on practical grounds of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, but also on ethical grounds based on democratic ideals. In this paper, we review and synthesize modern democratic theory to develop and justify four ethical principles for public participation: equal opportunity to participate, equal access to information, genuine deliberation, and shared commitment. We then explore several tensions that are inherent in applying these ethical principles to public participation in EIA. We next examine traditional NEPA processes and newer collaborative approaches in light of these principles. Finally, we explore the circumstances that argue for more in-depth participatory processes. While improved EIA participatory processes do not guarantee improved outcomes in environmental management, processes informed by these four ethical principles derived from democratic theory may lead to increased public engagement and satisfaction with government agency decisions.
SEMI-MARKOV DECISION MODELS FOR REAL-TIME SCHEDULING

Abstract We first present a class of real-time scheduling problems and show that these can be formulated as semi-Markov decision problems. Then we discuss two practical difficulties in solving such problems. The first is that the resulting model requires a large amount of data that is difficult to obtain; the second is that the resulting model usually has a state space that is too large for analytic consideration. Finally, we present a non-intrusive ‘knowledge acquisition’ method that identifies the states and transition probabilities that an expert uses in solving these problems. This information is then used in the semi-Markov optimization problem. A circuit board production line is used to demonstrate the feasibility of this method. The size of the state space is reduced from 2035 states to 308 by an empirical procedure. An ‘optimal’ solution is derived based on the model with the reduced state space and estimated transition probabilities. The resulting schedule is significantly better than the one use...
Color image processing in a cellular neural-network environment

When low-level hardware simulations of cellular neural networks (CNNs) are very costly for exploring new applications, the use of a behavioral simulator becomes indispensable. This paper presents a software prototype capable of performing image processing applications using CNNs. The software is based on a CNN multilayer structure in which each primary color is assigned to a unique layer. This allows an added flexibility as different processing applications can be performed in parallel. To be able to handle a full range of color tones, two novel color mapping schemes were derived. In the proposed schemes the color information is obtained from the cell's state rather than from its output. This modification is necessary because for many templates CNN has only binary stable outputs from which only either a fully saturated or a black color can be obtained. Additionally, a postprocessor capable of performing pixelwise logical operations among color layers was developed to enhance the results obtained from CNN. Examples in the areas of medical image processing, image restoration, and weather forecasting are provided to demonstrate the robustness of the software and the vast potential of CNN.
Resolving postglacial phylogeography using high-throughput sequencing

The distinction between model and nonmodel organisms is becoming increasingly blurred. High-throughput, second-generation sequencing approaches are being applied to organisms based on their interesting ecological, physiological, developmental, or evolutionary properties and not on the depth of genetic information available for them. Here, we illustrate this point using a low-cost, efficient technique to determine the fine-scale phylogenetic relationships among recently diverged populations in a species. This application of restriction site-associated DNA tags (RAD tags) reveals previously unresolved genetic structure and direction of evolution in the pitcher plant mosquito, Wyeomyia smithii, from a southern Appalachian Mountain refugium following recession of the Laurentide Ice Sheet at 22,000–19,000 B.P. The RAD tag method can be used to identify detailed patterns of phylogeography in any organism regardless of existing genomic data, and, more broadly, to identify incipient speciation and genome-wide variation in natural populations in general.
Temperature Dependence of Interfacial Shear Strength in SiC‐Fiber‐Reinforced Reaction‐Bonded Silicon Nitride

The interfacial shear strength of AVCO SCS-6 SiC-fiber-reinforced reaction-bonded Si3N4 (RBSN) composites was studied as a function of temperature. Fiber “push-through” experiments were conducted with a diamond indenter and a high-temperature microhardness tester. The interfacial shear strength was variable and depended mostly on interfacial bonding at low temperatures (5 to 18 MPa at room temperature) and frictional forces at high temperatures (12 to 32 MPa at 1300°C). The frictional component is attributed to the surface roughness of the fibers. The interfacial shear strength increased with temperature, because of the relief of residual stresses arising from the thermal expansion mismatch between fiber and matrix. Because of the composite nature of these fibers, a number of interfaces were tested in each experiment. The interface which debonded and slid was not always the same. Interfacial fracture took place either between the two outermost carbon layers of the SCS-6 fibers, or between the SiC core and the innermost of the two outer carbon layers. The outermost carbon layer of the fiber always stayed bonded to the Si3N4 matrix.
Effectiveness of shield termination techniques tested with TEM cell and bulk current injection

This paper presents experimental results of the effectiveness of various shield termination techniques. Each termination technique is evaluated by two independent noise injection methods; transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell operated from 3 MHz–400 MHz, and bulk current injection (BCI) operated from 50 kHz–400 MHz. Both single carrier and broadband injection tests were investigated. Recommendations as to how to achieve the best shield transfer impedance (i.e. reduced coupled noise) are made based on the empirical data. Finally, the noise injection techniques themselves are indirectly evaluated by comparing the results obtained from the TEM Cell to those from BCI.
The inward rectifier potassium channel Kir2.1 is expressed in mouse neutrophils from bone marrow and liver

Neutrophils are phagocytic cells that play a critical role in innate immunity by destroying bacterial pathogens. Channels belonging to the inward rectifier potassium channel subfamily 2 (Kir2 channels) have been described in other phagocytes (monocytes/macrophages and eosinophils) and in hematopoietic precursors of phagocytes. Their physiological function in these cells remains unclear, but some evidence suggests a role in growth factor-dependent proliferation and development. Expression of functional Kir2 channels has not been definitively demonstrated in mammalian neutrophils. Here, we show by RT-PCR that neutrophils from mouse bone marrow and liver express mRNA for the Kir2 subunit Kir2.1 but not for other subunits (Kir2.2, Kir2.3, and Kir2.4). In electrophysiological experiments, resting (unstimulated) neutrophils from mouse bone marrow and liver exhibit a constitutively active, external K+-dependent, strong inwardly rectifying current that constitutes the dominant current. The reversal potential is dependent on the external K+ concentration in a Nernstian fashion, as expected for a K+-selective current. The current is not altered by changes in external or internal pH, and it is blocked by Ba2+, Cs+, and the Kir2-selective inhibitor ML133. The single-channel conductance is in agreement with previously reported values for Kir2.1 channels. These properties are characteristic of homomeric Kir2.1 channels. Current density in short-term cultures of bone marrow neutrophils is decreased in the absence of growth factors that are important for neutrophil proliferation [granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and stem cell factor (SCF)]. These results demonstrate that mouse neutrophils express functional Kir2.1 channels and suggest that these channels may be important for neutrophil function, possibly in a growth factor-dependent manner.
The energy expenditure of using a “walk‐and‐work” desk for office workers with obesity

Objective: For many people, most of the working day is spent sitting in front of a computer screen. Approaches for obesity treatment and prevention are being sought to increase workplace physical activity because low levels of physical activity are associated with obesity. Our hypothesis was that a vertical workstation that allows an obese individual to work while walking would be associated with significant and substantial increases in energy expenditure over seated work. Methods: The vertical workstation is a workstation that allows an office worker to use a standard personal computer while walking on a treadmill at a self-selected velocity. 15 sedentary individuals with obesity (14 women, one man; 43 (7.5) years, 86 (9.6) kg; body mass index 32 (2.6) kg/m 2 ) underwent measurements of energy expenditure at rest, seated working in an office chair, standing and while walking at a self-selected speed using the vertical workstation. Body composition was measured using dual x ray absorptiometry. Results: The mean (SD) energy expenditure while seated at work in an office chair was 72 (10) kcal/h, whereas the energy expenditure while walking and working at a self-selected velocity of 1.1 (0.4) mph was 191 (29) kcal/h. The mean (SD) increase in energy expenditure for walking-and-working over sitting was 119 (25) kcal/h. Conclusions: If sitting computer-time were replaced by walking-and-working, energy expenditure could increase by 100 kcal/h. Thus, if obese individuals were to replace time spent sitting at the computer with walking computer time by 2-3 h/day, and if other components of energy balance were constant, a weight loss of 20-30 kg/year could occur.
Performance Capability Modeling And Optimization Of RF/Millimeter Wave Integrated Functions And Modules Using A Hybrid Statistical/Electromagnetic Technique That Includes Process Variations

Various uses of statistical tools combined with deterministic electromagnetic simulators in the analysis, design and optimization of RF and microwave systems are presented. First, the statistical methods are introduced, showing the advantages over the conventional techniques. The statistical tools used in the methodology include sources of variation tools such as ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), SPC (Statistical Process Control), and MC (Monte Carlo) simulation, to account for the process variability. Using this methodology, the developed transfer functions predict both the nominal values and the variation expected for system performance. This is of great value for complex 3D RF integrated modules, RF MEMS and reconfigurable systems, especially at high frequencies where the fabrication tolerances affect the system more due to the smaller circuit features. The methodology can be extended to predict performance of multi-level systems, for which the outputs of the lower-level system become the inputs of the higher-level system. The presented methodology is applied for the analysis, design and optimization of a benchmarking geometry of 60 GHz cavity filters in LTCC (low temperature cofired ceramic) technology.
Coordinate accumulation of antifungal proteins and hexoses constitutes a developmentally controlled defense response during fruit ripening in grape

During ripening of grape (Vitis labruscana L. cv Concord) berries, abundance of several proteins increased, coordinately with hexoses, to the extent that these became the predominant proteins in the ovary. These proteins have been identified by N-terminal amino acid-sequence analysis and/or function to be a thaumatin-like protein (grape osmotin), a lipid-transfer protein, and a basic and an acidic chitinase. The basic chitinase and grape osmotin exhibited activities against the principal grape fungal pathogens Guignardia bidwellii and Botrytis cinerea based on in vitro growth assays. The growth-inhibiting activity of the antifungal proteins was substantial at levels comparable to those that accumulate in the ripening fruit, and these activities were enhanced by as much as 70% in the presence of 1 M glucose, a physiological hexose concentration in berries. The simultaneous accumulation of the antifungal proteins and sugars during berry ripening was correlated with the characteristic development of pathogen resistance that occurs in fruits during ripening. Taken together, accumulation of these proteins, in combination with sugars, appears to constitute a novel, developmentally regulated defense mechanism against phytopathogens in the maturing fruit.
Perceptual sampling of orthogonal straight line features

Among mathematical models of visual confusion of letters and similar material, those that posit a feature detection process have been especially popular. The present study provides direct tests of several of the central assumptions of such models with feature-stimuli composed of the blank, one of two straight line features, or both line features positioned at a right angle. In one condition, the two features were connected when they appeared together, whereas in the other condition they were separated by a gap. A model which makes the strong assumptions that the features are sampled (‘detected’) independently and then reported in a direct, unbiased fashion, performed acceptably in both conditions. Feature dependency models and those positing a biased decision process were ruled out on the basis of poor fits or lack of parsimony. The perceptibility (d′) of a specific feature depended on the stimulus that contained it in the Gap condition but not in the Connected condition. The relative perceptibility of the horizontal vs in the vertical features was also different in the Gap vs Connected conditions. The results were compared with other recent studies, including ones in which sampling independence was falsified, apparently because of greater stimulus complexity, and employing a stimulus set that did not contain all possible combinations of features.
The IbeA Invasin of Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli Mediates Interaction with Intestinal Epithelia and Macrophages

Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) pathogroup isolates are a group of isolates from the intestinal mucosa of Crohn's disease patients that can invade intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) or macrophages and survive and/or replicate within. We have identified the ibeA gene in the genome of AIEC strain NRG857c and report the contribution of IbeA to the interaction of AIEC with IECs and macrophages and colonization of the mouse intestine. An ibeA deletion mutant strain (NRG857cΔibeA) was constructed, and the in vitro effect on AIEC adhesion and invasion of nonpolarized and polarized Caco-2 cells, the adhesion and transcytosis of M-like cells, the intracellular survival in THP-1 macrophages, and the contribution to intestinal colonization of the CD-1 murine model of infection were evaluated. A significant reduction in invasion was observed with the ibeA mutant in Caco-2 and M-like cells, whereas adhesion was not affected. Complementation of the mutant reestablished Caco-2 invasive phenotype to wild-type levels. Reduction in invasion did not significantly affect transcytosis through M-like cells at early time points. The absence of ibeA significantly affected AIEC intramacrophage survival up to 24 h postinfection. No significant changes associated with IbeA were found in AIEC colonization across the murine gastrointestinal tract, but a slight reduction of gamma interferon was observed in the ceca of mice infected with the ibeA mutant. In addition, a decrease in the pathology scores was observed in the ilea and ceca of mice infected with the ibeA mutant. Our data support the function of IbeA in the AIEC invasion process, macrophage survival, and inflammatory response in the murine intestine.
A horizontal stratified gas–liquid two-phase flow model for the two-fluid model in the WCOBRA/TRAC-TF2 PWR safety analysis code

Abstract For the two-phase flow in a horizontal pipe, individual phases may separate because of gravity. This horizontal stratification significantly impacts interfacial drag, interfacial heat transfer and wall drag of the two-phase flow. Due to the low interfacial drag and the low interfacial heat transfer, the horizontal stratification in reactor coolant systems is a highly important phenomenon during a postulated loss-of-coolant accident in PWR. The horizontal stratification also impacts other SBLOCA phenomena such as the offtake phenomenon and the cold leg direct contact condensation phenomenon. For the two-fluid model in the W COBRA/TRAC-TF2 LOCA safety analysis computer code, a horizontal stratification criterion was developed following the inviscid Kelvin–Helmholtz neutral stability analysis. The horizontal stratification criterion combines the Taitel–Dukler model and the Wallis–Dobson model and captures the test data better. The stratification criterion was assessed against various experimental data with a wide range of pressures and pipe sizes. The stratification criterion also matches well with the transition boundaries predicted by the viscous Kelvin–Helmholtz model. The adequacy of the horizontal stratification model is confirmed by examining the predicted flow regime in a horizontal pipe with the measured data of the high pressure TPTF two-phase flow experiments. The void fractions for the horizontal flow are predicted with a good accuracy, which indicates that the interfacial drag and the wall drag in the two-fluid model are properly modeled and the two-fluid momentum equations with the hydraulic slope term reasonably capture the influence of inlet and outlet boundary conditions expected in the PWR LOCA simulation.
Understanding resistance to hormonal therapy in estrogen avid breast cancer

566 Background: The estrogen receptor (ER) is an essential target for endocrine therapy in breast cancer. We, and others, have tested an in vivo assay of ER function, [F-18]-16α-fluoroestradiol (FE...
Laryngofissure and Cordectomy for Early Cordal Carcinoma: Outcome in 182 Patients

At the Mayo Clinic from 1962 to 1974, 182 patients with early squamous cell cancer of the true vocal cord were treated by laryngofissure and cordectomy. Seven patients (4%) had recurrences: four in the larynx and three in the neck (although the larynx was free of disease). The case histories of these patients are reported. Only three (2%) of the patients died as a consequence of their laryngeal cancer. The data substantiate our belief that the laryngofissure and cordectomy operation, and its minor variations, is an expeditious and highly successful means of eradicating glottic cancers.
The Use of Transparent Cellulose Films in Life History Studies

Cellophane, a transparent cellulose film, of a permeable nature appears to be very adaptable to the life history study of insects on their host plants. The chief disadvantage in its use out-of-doors is that, when wet, Cellophane becomes flabby and upon drying out has a tendency to crack. Some tests were made to determine the actual conditions of temperature and humidity within Cellophane cages. The results show that the atmospheric temperature and humidity with their hourly fluctuations are rather closely approximated—much more so in the case of temperature than humidity.
Fluid Networks Assembled from Endoskeletal Droplets

Anisotropic endoskeletal droplets are produced continuously in a microfluidic device. The device temperature is controlled such that droplets are formed in a fluid state and subsequently cooled to crystallize an internal network that retains an anisotropic shape. Droplets that are forced to collide after crystallizing partially coalesce to form linear droplet superstructures with tunable rigidity. Superstructure filaments can be folded into larger, three-dimensional percolating fluid networks with tunable porosity and size, which can be further controlled by temperature. The results of this work provide a means of generating hierarchical porous structures with continuous liquid interfaces on demand in a process similar to three-dimensional printing.
The quantification of planar scintigraphy using three dimensional modelling of organ shadows.

A method to define biodistribution from planar scintigraphic data is presented. Sampling regions or regions of interest (ROI's) are first defined as the projection contour of organs. From anatomical knowledge the three dimensional volume of the organ whose shadow has been traced is reconstructed. When the relevant organ volumes including the whole body or relevant whole body part have been defined, the count rate density in each pixel is assumed to represent the sum of the product of the projecting organ partial volumes times the tracer concentrations in the underlying organs. The solution (the definition of organ concentrations) is found by a matrix inversion. Validation is obtained in two ways. The first method is illustrative: an image is reconstructed from the defined volumes modulated by the computed concentrations. This image, if the method is correct, should be a crisp equivalent of the original data and closely similar to it following blurring with a convolution kernel equal to the imaging system's point spread function. The second is analytical: from reconstructed S.P.E.C.T. data in which voxel values are directly proportional to organ concentrations, a planar image is reconstructed. Organ average voxel values are computed in the S.P.E.C.T. image with volumetric ROI's and in the reprojected planar image using the method described here. The methods should yield the same concentration data but for a scaling factor. The method has the advantage that it yields volumetric and concentration data which are directly applicable to MIRD type analysis. In effect, the standard man assumptions in MIRD analysis have been incorporated in the calculation of the concentrations.
Mechanistic Insight into Sulfide-Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction Activity and Stability of Commercial Pt Black: An in Situ Raman Spectroscopic Study

Adsorption of sulfur-containing species on a catalyst surface has long been treated as an unwelcoming process in catalysis because it is frequently related to poisoning of the catalyst. However, we reported recently that sulfide adsorption of moderate coverage on commercial carbon-supported Pt electrocatalyst could substantially enhance the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we not only reproduced the sulfide-adsorption-enhanced ORR on a different type of commercial Pt electrocatalyst, Pt black, but we also discovered that the sulfide adsorption enhanced the stability of the Pt black as well. In situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) studies of a roughened Pt surface in a flow cell strongly suggest that the enhanced ORR activity and stability was most likely due to the fact that the sulfide adsorption made the Pt surface more oxidation resistant.
On the Optimal Pre-Computation of Window $\tau$ NAF for Koblitz Curves

Koblitz curves have been an important subject of consideration for both theoretical andpractical interests. The window $\tau$ -adic algorithm of Solinas (window $\tau$ NAF) is the most powerful method for computing point multiplication for Koblitz curves.Pre-computation plays an important role in improving the performance of point multiplication. In this paper, the concept of optimal pre-computation for window $\tau$ NAF is formulated. In this setting, an optimal pre-computation has some mathematically natural and clean forms, and requires $2^{w-2}-1$ point additions and two evaluations of the Frobenius map $\tau$ , where $w$ is the window width. One of the main results of this paper is to construct an optimal pre-computation scheme for each window width $w$ from $4$ to $15$ (more than practical needs).These pre-computations can be easily incorporated into implementations of window $\tau$ NAF. The ideas in the paper can also be used to construct other suitable pre-computations. This paper includes a discussion of coefficient sets for window $\tau$ NAF and the divisibility by powers of $\tau$ through different approaches. Some issues of implementation are also discussed.
A taxonomy for digital badge design in medical technologies

This paper discusses gamification as an emerging area of research in medical health application development. It then defines digital badges as an example of gamification, explains their purpose and functionality, and outlines their primary advantages as well as ten different challenges impacting their use. This background is framed both generally and within the context of medical games and applications. The paper then reviews how digital badges and achievements are currently being used in medical games and healthcare applications. It concludes by synthesizing prior literature on effective game design and serious game design taxonomies with prior guidelines for effective digital badge design. The result is an interdisciplinary taxonomy combining research from serious games development, psychology, economics, user experience design, and education. This taxonomy can be reviewed to help researchers and developers consider a wide range of relevant issues when designing procedures for effective digital badge design and development in medical games and applications.
Dietary Management Software for Chronic Kidney Disease: Current Status and Open Issues

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about 10 % of the population worldwide. Millions of people die prematurely from CKD each year. Dietary restrictions can slow the progression of CKD and improve outcomes. In recent years, introduction of new technologies has enabled patients to better manage their own dietary intake and health. Several dietary management software tools are currently available providing personalized nutrition and diet management advice for CKD patients. In this paper, we provide an overview of these software tools and discuss some open issues and possible solutions, in hope of stimulating future research in consumer health informatics for CKD.
Embodying Spectral Vision in The Eye

Siddique argues for a tactile and scopic reading of The Eye (Pang Brothers, 2002). At the heart of this sensorial engagement is Bakhtin’s grotesque body, constituted by Mun, the central protagonist and her spectral counterpart, Ling. This grotesque body offers a rich allegorical meditation on the position of transnational Chinese in Southeast Asia, specifically Thailand.
A new iterative method for solving non-square systems of linear equations

This technical note presents a new iterative procedure for solving systems of m linear equations in n variables under a sufficient condition that is practical. We show how this procedure may utilize elementary row operations to meet its sufficient condition. In this iterative procedure, the approximate solution obtained in each iteration is a convex combination of some l-norm projections of the previous approximate solution. Under a regularity condition, this procedure converges quadratically. Application examples are given that show how this procedure can generate desired non-basic solutions and how it can aid FourierMotzkin elimination method in solving linear programming problems.
Being Better Than My Dad: A Qualitative Case Study of One African American Father’s Journey With Parenthood and Intergenerational Change

Fatherhood is a turning point in the life of many men, but for men who lacked a father figure while growing up, the birth of a child may be the catalyst for a fresh start. Researchers have called for qualitative investigations into African American fathers’ parenting beliefs and practices that consider their social contexts within the broader research discourse on parenthood. Such investigations can inform the way we frame African American fathers in research, thereby improving theoretical suggestions for better supporting Black men in their roles as caretakers. The present case study details the experiences of a young African American man, Tron, who was participating in a larger church-based intervention program focused on strengthening father–child relationships among African American families. Findings highlight how Tron’s story serves as a positive counternarrative against the prevailing negative stereotype of African American men as absentee parents. Thematic coding analysis revealed several major th...
Application of Electrochemical Devices to Characterize the Dynamic Actions of Helicases on DNA

Much remains to be understood about the kinetics and thermodynamics of DNA helicase binding and activity. Here, we utilize probe-modified DNA monolayers on multiplexed gold electrodes as a sensitive recognition element and morphologically responsive transducer of helicase-DNA interactions. The electrochemical signals from these devices are highly sensitive to structural distortion of the DNA produced by the helicases. We used this DNA electrochemistry to distinguish the details of the DNA interactions of three distinct XPB helicases, which belong to the superfamily-2 of helicases. Clear changes in DNA melting temperature and duplex stability were observed upon helicase binding, shifts that could not be observed with conventional UV-visible absorption measurements. Binding dissociation constants were estimated in the range from 10 to 50 nM and correlated with observations of activity. ATP-stimulated DNA unwinding activity was also followed, revealing exponential time scales and distinct time constants associated with conventional and molecular wrench modes of operation further confirmed by crystal structures. These devices thus provide a sensitive measure of the structural thermodynamics and kinetics of helicase-DNA interactions.
Biased Random Walk Using Stochastic Switching of Nanomagnets: Application to SAT Solver

Random walk (RW)-based local search algorithms are highly popular for solving combinatorial optimization problems such as the satisfiability (SAT) problem. The RW algorithm tries to solve the SAT problem by flipping a randomly chosen variable to minimize the number of unsatisfied clauses for a given problem. In this paper, we propose a biased RW (BRW) based on stochastic magnetization switching dynamics of nanomagnets in the presence of thermal noise. The controllable stochastic switching behavior of nanomagnets is used to flip the current state of the variable of interest based on the assigned probability. Here, the flipping probabilities are assigned to the variables responsible for unsatisfied clauses (instead of deterministic flipping in traditional algorithms). The stochasticity of individual units of the proposed hardware SAT solver based on a magnetic tunnel junction lying on top of a heavy metal layer enables parallel search of the solution space, which results in rapid convergence in comparison to the baseline RW algorithm. A device-circuit-algorithm cosimulation framework (benchmarked to experimental measurements of a magnetic stack) is used to assess the efficiency of the proposal. In comparison to the baseline RW algorithm, stochastic magnetization switching-driven BRW achieves ~94% reduction in search time while consuming ~30 pJ energy per iteration.
Complicated Infective Endocarditis Limited to a Chiari Network.

Introduction. The Chiari network is an uncommon vestigial structure of the heart that is often clinically insignificant. We present an unusual case of infective endocarditis affecting only the Chiari network in a patient who presented with septic emboli to the lungs and brain. Case summary. A 61-year-old man was admitted with a 2-month history of hemoptysis, pleuritic chest pain, and right upper extremity numbness and weakness. He was found to have multifocal bilateral pulmonary opacities and an abscess collection in the brain. Blood cultures grew Streptococcus intermedius and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) was normal. Subsequent transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) revealed an 8.3 × 4.6 mm vegetation arising from the Chiari network, close to the right atrial appendage, without involvement of the tricuspid valve or any of the other valves. There were no atrial or ventricular septal defects. He was treated with appropriate antibiotics with improvement of symptoms. Repeat imaging showed improvement of the lung opacities, but not the brain abscess, warranting transfer to another hospital for neurosurgical intervention. Conclusion. The diagnosis and management of isolated Chiari network endocarditis require a high index of clinical suspicion. A multidisciplinary approach incorporating both medical and surgical approaches where necessary is essential for optimal outcome.
Multimedia Applications and Services

This paper describes the technical and business context for multimedia communications, summarizes the broader technical capabilities that support advanced applications and services, and outlines a brief overview of the multimedia applications and services that are either commercially available today or likely to be made available in the near future.
Endoplasmic Reticulum: Rough and Smooth

Publisher Summary This chapter discuses the morphology, biochemistry, and function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in a variety of cell types. The ER maintains and generates its own membrane complex in addition to providing the components of membranes for other cellular compartments including plasma membrane, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and nuclear envelope. The location of the ER corresponds to the basophilic regions of the cell seen in the light microscope. The earliest observations of this organelle in thin sections described it as a continuous three-dimensional reticulum made up of a network of membrane-enclosed spaces in the form of tubules that were in continuity with the layers of flattened cisternae. The tubular elements free of ribosomes are referred to as smooth endoplasmic reticulum and the ribosome-studded component is called rough endoplasmic reticulum. Molecular genetics, monoclonal antibodies, in situ immunocytochemistry, complementary cDNA probes, as well as refinements in and development of new ultrastructural techniques, biochemical analyses, and laboratory equipment promise to greatly enhance current knowledge about the ER.
Intermediary Funding Cost and Short-Term Risk Premia

We build a theory of short-term risk premia dynamics based on funding costs. The theory builds on a framework of intermediary asset pricing in a market microstructure setting. Financial intermediaries facilitate trading by market making. To fund these trading activities, intermediaries earn a risk premium. This risk premium increases in intermediary leverage and asset idiosyncratic risks. We test our theory across multiple asset classes, including equities, bonds, and currencies. Conditional on a large price shock, high intermediary leverage and asset idiosyncratic risk raise short-term risk premia by about 100 to 170 basis points. We also find evidence of risk sharing and capacity constraints among intermediaries. Intermediary leverage and asset idiosyncratic volatility are important factors in explaining the time series of risk premia in equities, bonds, and currencies.