cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia: Biologic aspects and treatment with topical 5-fluorouracil and the carbon dioxide laser.

Abstract A review of 41 evaluable patients was made in order to study vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN) and to investigate new methods of treatment. Colposcopic examination of the vagina revealed white epithelium alone in 20 patients and white epithelium associated with vascular punctation in 15. No lesion had a vascular mosaic pattern. Most patients had multifocal disease located in the vaginal apex. Iodine staining was positive in six patients with negative colposcopic examinations. Twenty-four patients had severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ, and 17 had minimal or moderate dyplasia. Associated genital disease occurred in 17 patients with antecedent cervical or vulvar squamous neoplasia, and six additional patients had coexistent lesions. The chronology of vaginal disease that appeared after treatment of cervical neoplasia suggests a persistent but decreasing likelihood of the development of VAIN with the passage of time. In patients followed without therapy, six had spontaneous remission of disease. Treatment was successful in 12 of 15 patients with topical 5-fluorouracil and in nine of 10 patients with the carbon dioxide laser. The advantages of these methods of treatment for patients with VAIN relative to surgical procedures and radiation therapy are considered.
Remote, Aerial, Trans-Layer, Linear and Non-Linear Downlink Underwater Acoustic Communication

Both the linear mechanism for optical to acoustic energy conversion are explored for opto-acoustic communication from an in-air platform to a submerged vessel such as a submarine or unmanned undersea vehicle. This downlink communication can take the form of a bell ringer function for submerged platforms or for the transmission of text and/or data. The linear conversion mechanism, also known as the linear opto-acoustic regime where laser energy is converted to sound at the air-water interface, involves only the heating of the water medium. In this mode of operation, the acoustic pressure is also linearly proportional to the laser power. In contrast, the non-linear conversion mechanism, also known as the non-linear opto-acoustic regime where focused laser energy is converted to sound at the air-water interface, involves a phase change of the water medium through evaporation and vaporization which leads to the production of a plasma. In this mode of operation, the acoustic pressure is non-linearly related to the laser power. The non-linear conversion mechanism provides a more efficient, i.e. higher source level, yet less controllable method for producing underwater acoustic signals as compared to the linear mechanism. A number of conventional signals used in underwater acoustic telemetry applications as well as command and control applications are shown to be capable of being generated experimentally via the linear and nonlinear opto-acoustic regime conversion process. The communication range and data rates that can be achieved in both conversion regimes are addressed. The use of oblique laser beam incidence at the air-water interface to obtain considerable in-air range from the laser source to the in-water receiver is addressed. Also, the impact of oblique incidence on in-water range is examined. Optimum and sub-optimum linear opto-acoustic sound generation techniques for selecting the optical wavelength and signaling frequency for optimizing in-water range are addressed and discussed. Opto-acoustic communication techniques employing M-ary Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) and Multi-frequency Shift Keying (MFSK) are then compared with regard to communication parameters such as bandwidth, data rate, range coverage, and number of lasers employed. In the non-linear conversion regime, a means of deterministically controlling the spectrum of the underwater acoustic signal has been investigated and demonstrated by varying the laser-pulse repetition rate to provide M-ary Frequency Shift Keyed signaling. This physics-based conversion process provides a methodology for providing low probability of intercept signals whose information is embedded in noise-like signals. These laser generated signals can then be used in a frequency hopped spread spectrum technique with the use of the proper receiver structures to take advantage of the frequency diversity and periodicity inherent in this type of signal structure that could also be used to combat frequency selective fading in underwater acoustic channels
Rethinking the Functioning of Child Protective Services

This paper makes an argument for altering CPS decision mechanisms in a way that acknowledges and utilizes features of child and family functioning tied more directly to a research-based understanding of patterns of short- and long-term harm, as well as improvements in well-being. It is premised on the idea that specific groups or classes of families would benefit from a differentiated continuum of decision processes that can tie them more directly to the evidence-based services that would benefit them and their children more optimally. It assumes that the understanding of safety and well-being is grounded in a better evidence base than exists currently and that decision-making in CPS will become more risk based rather than being based in uncertainty. It also offers a long-term general research framework directed toward changing the CPS decisional mechanism.
Ceftriaxone susceptibility of oxacillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus from patients with prosthetic joint infection.

Abstract Ceftriaxone is used to treat oxacillin-susceptible S . aureus (OSSA) prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Susceptibility of ceftriaxone against OSSA has been questioned. Ceftriaxone susceptibility was determined against 100 PJI OSSA isolates. Ceftriaxone MIC 90 /MIC 50 were 8/4 and 4/3μg/mL by broth microdilution and Etest, respectively. Ceftriaxone susceptibility is inferable by oxacillin susceptibility.
Fully integrated power-efficient AC-to-DC converter design in inductively-powered biomedical applications

In this paper we have reviewed several types of integrated AC-to-DC converters which have been widely used for inductively-powered applications. The limitations for achieving high power conversion efficiency (PCE) in each AC-to-DC converter have been considered in order to design highly power-efficient converters for applications that are in need of higher power levels with very low heat dissipation, such as implantable microelectronic devices (IMD). In this paper, we also propose a fully integrated active voltage doubler with offset-controlled high speed comparators, which provides much lower dropout voltage and far better PCE at high frequency (HF) range compared to its passive counterparts. Our active voltage doubler was fabricated in a 0.5-µm 3M2P standard CMOS process, occupying 0.144 mm2 of chip area. With 1.72 V peak AC input at 13.56 MHz, the active voltage doubler provides 2.4 V DC output across the 1 k7 load, achieving high PCE of 78%.
Subcutaneous Immunotherapy and Sublingual Immunotherapy: Comparative Efficacy, Current and Potential Indications, and Warnings—United States Versus Europe

Subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy are effective for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma and with some support for use in selected patients with atopic dermatitis. The sequence of immunologic responses is the same, irrespective of the route of administration, and similar disease modification has been demonstrated. However, there are differences between the two approaches. The most important is the greatly reduced likelihood of sublingual immunotherapy producing systemic reactions. There are major drawbacks for sublingual immunotherapy in regard to dosing. Finally, there is the question of relative clinical efficacy, with the currently available data favoring subcutaneous immunotherapy.
The Presidential Election Dispute, the Political Question Doctrine, and the Fourteenth Amendment: A Reply to Professors Krent and Shane

In this analysis of the Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore, Professor Pushaw compares that opinion to the Court’s precedent established in Baker v. Carr. Baker set the stage for Bush, and while Professor Pushaw believes that both cases were wrongly decided, he argues that the Bush decision is more defensible because it departed less radically from the Court’s existing practice. Baker turned the political question doctrine into a prudential case-by-case judgment call. Ever since, the Court has almost always exercised this unbridled discretion in favor of intervening in heavily politicized disputes. Moreover, Baker provides a “precedent” for the Court’s Equal Protection Clause analysis in Bush.
Characterization of High Strength Cu/Ag Multilayered Composites

In this study, electrodeposition was employed to produce Cu-Ag multilayered nanocomposites using a single-bath cyanide solution. The silver and the copper layers were applied by electroless deposition and galvanostatic electrodeposition methods, respectively. The as-deposited composite showed a very high strength, which was increased upon annealing at 104°C. Annealing at 149°C caused the strength to drop to a level comparable to the strength of electrodeposited pure copper specimens. In this paper, the effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties and structure of Cu-Ag multilayered nanocomposites is discussed.
A theoretical study of the stability of anionic defects in cubic ZrO2 at extreme conditions

Using first principles density functional theory calculations, we present a study of the structure, mobility, and the thermodynamic stability of anionic defects in the high-temperature cubic phase of ZrO2. Our results suggest that the local structure of an oxygen interstitial depends on the charge state and the cubic symmetry of the anionic sublattice is unstable at 0 K. In addition, the oxygen interstitials and the vacancies exhibit symmetry breaking transitions to low-energy structures with tetragonal distortion of the oxygen sublattice at 0 K. However, the vibrational entropy stabilizes the defect structures with cubic symmetry at 2600–2980 K. The formation free energies of the anionic defects and Gibbs free energy changes associated with different defect reactions are calculated by including the vibrational free energy contributions and the effect of pressure on these defect structures. By analyzing the defect chemistry, we obtain the defect concentrations at finite temperature and pressure conditions using the zero temperature ab initio results as input and find that at low oxygen partial pressures, neutral oxygen vacancies are most dominant and at high oxygen partial pressures, doubly charged anionic defects are dominant. The relevance of the results to the thermal protective coating capabilities of zirconium-based ceramic composites is elucidated.
P.S. Majors to J.D. Jobs - How Can We Help You?: Assessing the Future of the Political Science Curriculum Vis-a-Vis the Future of Legal Education Through an Interdisciplinary Continuum

With the 2007-08 economic recession having dramatic effects on all employment sectors, including law, law schools are feeling the pressure from employers to make their graduates more “practice ready.” Problems arise when the traditional model of legal education (and its theoretical based Socratic engagement) does not keep pace fast enough with demands of these employers. As law schools around the country slowly attempt to revitalize curricula to reflect the more technical realities of new associate practice, the question becomes where does the still-important study of the theory of law go? Can the economic pressures from employers on institutions have a legitimate impact on first year law school education, where the seeds of legal analytical thinking are considered to be sown? If so and that theoretical foundation must give away to more practice-oriented pedagogy, where does that leave the still-important attribute of being able to “think like a lawyer”? As Oliver Wendell Holmes said at the end of the nineteenth century, law is not only the study of logic, but also that of “societal advantages,” history and economics; it is interdisciplinary. If the real push by the market downward on law schools is felt to shift to a more technical-based training model, does that mean that undergraduate majors will then derivatively be obliged to teach in the traditional model of the law school first year? What would be the relationship between these two institutions then? Will the three-year J.D. model remain in place or will undergraduate programs, particularly in political science, give way to a new breed of “pre-law” student? More importantly, what would these things do to the traditional political science curriculum as an antecedent for law school? This work will first briefly examine the history and current status of both the traditional political science major as a “pre-law” vehicle as well as the history of the traditional model of legal education. Then it will document the movement afoot in legal education to produce more “practice ready” J.D. graduates that have attempted to respond to a dramatic market downward shift in employment activity for J.D. graduates, with the employment rate of the class of 2011 being the lowest since 1994. It will then turn to a study of current relationships between actors involved in legal education and those in undergraduate political science education and how the latter has continuously produced highly capable and competitive participants in the former. Lastly, it will propose curricular modifications in undergraduate political science majors based on the movements occurring in law school curricula. Other proposals include a legal research component to existing research methods courses or as a stand-alone course, honors school offerings, introducing the Socratic method into the undergraduate political science classroom and experiential education curricular decisions for political science majors interested in law school.
The Fertilization And Hibernation of Queen Bumblebees Under Controlled Conditions. (Bremidae: HYM.)

The fertilization and hibernation of queen bumblebees under controlled conditions is essential if these useful insects are ever to be domesticated, or semi. domesticated, by man. Experiments of this nature were conducted during 1916, 1917, 1919 and 1920. The results prove that the fertilization and hibernation of certain species of queen bumblebees can be obtained under controlled conditions.
Protection of Dates from Injury Caused by the Apache Cicada in California

The Apache cicada, Diceroprocta apache (Davis), prior to 1961 was not an economically important pest of dates. Loss of a high percentage of the date crop during 1961 in one area of southern California was directly attributed to the oviposition habits of this cicada. Date strands are used as one of the types of sites for egg laying, and under certain conditions oviposition punctures girdle and obstruct the flow of sap in the strand, causing the dates to shrivel, dry up, and fall to the ground. Paper bunch covers, normally used by growers to protect ripening dates from rain and birds, were placed over the bunches prior to initial oviposition in a series of tests. These covers gave complete protection from cicada-induced fruit loss.
Estimating Daily Bicycle Counts in Seattle, Washington, from Seasonal and Weather Factors

This paper examines the relationship between several seasonal and weather factors and bicycle ridership from 2 years of automated bicycle counts at a location in Seattle, Washington. The authors fitted a negative binomial model and then estimated quantities of interest using counterfactual simulation. The findings confirm the significance of season (+), temperature (+), precipitation (−), as well as holidays (−), day of the week (+ for Monday through Saturday, relative to Sunday), and an overall trend (+). This paper improves on prior work by demonstrating the use of the negative binomial instead of a Poisson model, which is appropriate given the potential for overdispersion, as observed in these data. In addition to validating the significance of factors identified from the literature, this paper contributes methodologically through its intuitive visualization of effect sizes to nonstatistical audiences. The authors believe that the combination of model type and counterfactual simulation and visualizatio...
Applying Local Area Network Standards to the U. S. Army Tactical Environment

As the U. S. Army acquires a greater number and concentration of automated systems for use in tactical command posts, the use of local area networks (LANs) becomes attractive. However, the severity of the tactical environment and tactical operational scenarios gives rise to LAN requirements not usually encountered in commercial applications. Fortunately, LAN implementations that are based on IEEE 802 and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards show promise for meeting Army requirements.
Integrated Crayons for Adaptive Needs

Education is an inherent right for all individuals. In addition, all individuals no matter what their cognitive level or physical abilities, have a right to be able to experience and participate in educational activities just as their same aged peers do. It is the job of the professionals who work with these individuals to ensure that they have access to the tools that will allow them to be the most independent and experience the most joy and success when attempting these tasks. It is the goals of the Integrated Crayons for Adaptive Needs (ICAN) project to achieve this through the use of a customized adapted crayon that has been made using recycled materials. ICAN achieves not only the goal of access and inclusion for individuals with disabilities, but it integrates innovative practices in biomedical engineering, inclusive practices in education and assistive technology, and the environmental practices of recycling and community involvement.
Using neuroeconomics to understand environmental valuation

Contingent valuation, choice experiments, and other stated preference methods are frequently used to capture the nonmarket valuation of natural resources and ecosystem services. The emerging field of neuroeconomics, which assesses the neuroscience underlying decision-making, plots a promising course to explore the mechanisms underlying complex environmental valuation decisions. Neuroeconomic methods offer a unique capacity to isolate value components that contribute to willingness-to-pay (WTP), separating an individual's response to natural resource attributes that are of interest to economists from other attributes or influences on the decision process. Neuroimaging data can also aid in understanding differences in response between preference elicitation techniques and identifying the use of different decision processes and heuristics during valuation. This article surveys the benefits and limitations of using neuroeconomics methods to assess the value of environmental goods, and focuses on three examples where neuroeconomics may inform environmental valuation: protest responses, comparison of hypothetical and consequential choice contexts, and the evaluation of environmental attributes and optimization of study design in stated choice experiments. Neuroeconomics methods offer a foundation for positive collaboration between environmental economists and cognitive neuroscientists, yielding metrics that complement and augment current stated preference methods of determining environmental valuation.
Fire behaviour in masticated forest fuels: lab and prescribed fire experiments

Managers masticate fuels to reduce extreme fire hazards, but the effect on fire behaviour within the resulting compact fuelbeds is poorly understood. We burned 54 masticated fuelbeds in laboratory experiments one and two growing seasons after mastication and 75 masticated fuelbeds in prescribed fire experiments one growing season after treatment in three replicate Pinus ponderosa stands. Mastication treatments reduced density of trees >5 cm diameter by 30–72% resulting in total fuel depth of 6.9–13.7 cm and surface woody fuel loading of 1.0–16.0 kg m−2. Flame length and rate of spread were low and similar for coarse and fine mastication treatments and controls. Smouldering combustion lasted 6–22 h in prescribed fire experiments where fuelbeds included duff and were well mixed by machinery, compared with <2 h in the laboratory where fuelbeds did not include duff and had varying fuel moisture. Fuel consumption in the prescribed fires was highly variable, ranging from 0 to 20 cm in depth and was less from 2-year-old fuelbeds than 1-year-old fuelbeds in laboratory burns. Compared with fine mastication treatments, coarse treatments took less time to implement and were more cost-effective. Although laboratory experiments expand our understanding of burning masticated fuels under controlled conditions, they did not readily translate to prescribed burning conditions where fuels, weather and ignition patterns were more variable. This highlights the need for more laboratory experiments and in situ research that together can be used to develop much-needed, scalable predictive models of mastication combustion.
Ultrasonic attenuation of pure tetrahydrofuran hydrate

ABSTRACT Improved estimates of the amount of subsurface gas hydrates are needed for natural resource, geohazard, and climate impact assessments. To evaluate gas hydrate saturation from seismic methods, the properties of pure gas hydrates need to be known. Whereas the properties of sediments, specifically sands, and hydrate‐bearing sediments are well studied, the properties of pure hydrates are largely unknown. Hence, we present laboratory ultrasonic P‐wave velocity and attenuation measurements on pure tetrahydrofuran hydrates as they form with reducing temperatures from 25°C to 1°C under atmospheric pressure conditions. Tetrahydrofuran hydrates, with structure II symmetry, are considered as proxies for the structure I methane hydrates because both have similar effects on elastic properties of hydrate‐bearing sediments. We find that although velocity increased, the waveform frequency content and amplitude decreased after the hydrate formation reaction was complete, indicating an increase in P‐wave attenuation after hydrate formation. When the tetrahydrofuran hydrate was cooled below the freezing point of water, velocity and quality factor increased. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance results indicate the presence of water in the “pure hydrate” samples above the water freezing point, but none below. The presence of liquid water between hydrate grains most likely causes heightened attenuation in tetrahydrofuran hydrates above the freezing point of water. In naturally occurring hydrates, a similarly high attenuation might relate to the presence of water.
Race, gender, and genetic polymorphism contribute to variability in acetaminophen pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and protein-adduct concentrations in healthy African-American and European-American volunteers

Over 30 years ago, black Africans from Kenya and Ghana were shown to metabolize acetaminophen faster by glucuronidation and slower by oxidation compared with white Scottish Europeans. The objectives of this study were to determine whether similar differences exist between African-Americans and European-Americans, and to identify genetic polymorphisms that could explain these potential differences. Acetaminophen plasma pharmacokinetics and partial urinary metabolite clearances via glucuronidation, sulfation, and oxidation were determined in healthy African-Americans (18 men, 23 women) and European-Americans (34 men, 20 women) following a 1-g oral dose. There were no differences in acetaminophen total plasma, glucuronidation, or sulfation clearance values between African-Americans and European-Americans. However, median oxidation clearance was 37% lower in African-Americans versus European-Americans (0.57 versus 0.90 ml/min per kilogram; P = 0.0001). Although acetaminophen total or metabolite clearance values were not different between genders, shorter plasma half-life values (by 11-14%; P < 0.01) were observed for acetaminophen, acetaminophen glucuronide, and acetaminophen sulfate in women versus men. The UGT2B15*2 polymorphism was associated with variant-allele-number proportional reductions in acetaminophen total clearance (by 15-27%; P < 0.001) and glucuronidation partial clearance (by 23-48%; P < 0.001). UGT2B15 *2/*2 genotype subjects also showed higher acetaminophen protein-adduct concentrations than *1/*2 (by 42%; P = 0.003) and *1/*1 (by 41%; P = 0.003) individuals. Finally, CYP2E1 *1D/*1D genotype African-Americans had lower oxidation clearance than *1C/*1D (by 42%; P = 0.041) and *1C/*1C (by 44%; P = 0.048) African-Americans. Consequently, African-Americans oxidize acetaminophen more slowly than European-Americans, which may be partially explained by the CYP2E1*1D polymorphism. UGT2B15*2 influences acetaminophen pharmacokinetics in both African-Americans and European-Americans.
Fast Lightoff of Millisecond Reactors

We show that the partial oxidation of CH4 to produce H2 and CO can be accomplished within ∼5 s starting at ambient temperature by igniting a stoichiometric feed of CH4 and air to rapidly heat a Rh on α-alumina catalyst to a temperature where catalytic ignition occurs. By measuring the temperature of the catalyst versus time, it is shown that syngas temperatures can be attained within a few seconds, and sampling of product gases shows that H2 and CO are produced in these times. A simple lumped model of the heating process shows that the high heat generation of combustion and the small mass of the monolith catalyst should be capable of producing these heating rates. This configuration should be useful for fast lightoff in hydrogen generation in transportation and stationary applications of fuel cells for electricity generation.
Blockchain: properties and misconceptions

The purpose of this article is to clarify current and widespread misconceptions about the properties of blockchain technologies and to describe challenges and avenues for correct and trustworthy design and implementation of distributed ledger system (DLS) or Technology (DLT).,The authors contrast the properties of a blockchain with desired, however emergent, properties of a DLS, which is a complex and distributed system. They point out and justify, with facts and analysis, current misconceptions about the blockchain and DLSs. They describe challenges that these systems will need to address and possible solution avenues for achieving trustworthiness.,Many of the statements that have appeared on the internet, news and academic articles, such as immutable ledger and exact copies, may be misleading. These are desired emergent properties of a complex system, not assured properties. It is well-known within the distributed systems and critical software community that it is extremely hard to prove that a complex system correctly and completely implements emergent properties. Further research and development for trustworthy DLS design and implementation is needed, both practical and theoretical.,This is the first known published attempt at describing current misconceptions about blockchain technologies. Further collaborative work, discussions, potential solutions, evaluations, resulting publications and verified reference implementations are needed to ensure DLTs are safe, secure, and trustworthy.,Interdisciplinary teams with members from academia, business and industry, and from disciplines such as business, entrepreneurship, theoretical and practical computer science, cybersecurity, finance, mathematics and statistics, must be formed. Such teams must collaborate with the objective of developing strategies and techniques for ensuring the correctness and security of future DLSs in which our society may become dependent.,The value and originality of this article is twofold: the disproving, through fact collection and systematic analysis, of current misconceptions about the properties of the blockchain and DLSs, and the discussion of challenges to achieving adequate trustworthiness along with the proposal of general avenues for possible solutions.
ATRIOESOPHAGEAL FISTULA: A RARE COMPLICATION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION ABLATION

Esophageal injury is a rare complication of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. Undiagnosed, it can progress to ulceration, perforation and, rarely atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) formation. A 60 year old man with history of atrial fibrillation, mechanical aortic valve and warfarin intolerance
Developing an integrated, large-scale approach to the archaeological study of food: A pilot study of Iron Age and Roman Cambridgeshire

Abstract Foodways are deeply integrated into society, and, by extension, the archaeological study of foodways can be revealing of sociocultural and political features of ancient societies. This paper presents the results of a proof-of-concept trial of a new methodological approach for the study of foodways based on archaeological evidence. The aim is to enhance the quality of the conclusions that can be drawn about food in the ancient world. This approach relies on an improved system for the collection, organization, and storage of data—an extensible relational database dubbed the Roman Food Database—which facilitates the large-scale, integrated analysis of the remains of edible plants and animals. This system enables the application of novel analytical methodologies to data that would otherwise be too disparate and variable to consider holistically. The methodology was tested using evidence from Iron Age and Roman Cambridgeshire, for which there is much high-quality data available, making it possible to assemble one of the most extensive integrated datasets of archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological information to date. Preliminary analysis has allowed for the integrated exploration of topics such as production intensification and the use of wild resources. Results suggest that this approach is a productive way forward for the archaeological study of foodways.
Selfie consumerism in a narcissistic age

This paper explores the recent debate about the selfie – or spontaneous self-portraits taken with smart phones or other consumer-based devices – in terms of its connection to narcissism. Selfies ha...
Residency/Fellowship Training and the Complication

Medical errors are believed to be the third leading cause of death in the United States and can have profound socioeconomic implications within the healthcare system. The need for academic teaching hospitals to effectively train resident physicians while minimizing the incidence of medical errors and ensuing complications during patient care has proven a significant challenge. National political efforts over the past two decades have introduced several interventions which aim to reduce the incidence of medical errors at these academic medical institutions. The precise relationship between the frequencies of complications associated with resident error, however, has been poorly elucidated in the past. Here, we provide a review of the current data on the relationship between medical care administered by residents and the incidence of complications. We further examine the role of fatigue, burnout, and duty hour restrictions on complication rates and consider the legal ramifications of resident error.
Biomechanical simulations of Leptarctus primus (Leptarctinae, Carnivora), and new evidence for a badger-like feeding capability

Variations in craniodental morphology have been correlated to feeding adaptations in living organisms and used as proxies for paleodiet reconstruction. Within the mammalian order Carnivora, the Mio...
A special constant and series with zeta values and harmonic numbers

In this paper we demonstrate the importance of a mathematical constant which is the value of several interesting numerical series involving harmonic numbers, zeta values, and logarithms. We also evaluate in closed form a number of numerical and power series.
Nonossifying Fibromas: A Computed Tomography-based Criteria to Predict Fracture Risk.

Author(s): Goldin, Amanda N; Muzykewicz, David A; Mubarak, Scott J | Abstract: BackgroundNonossifying fibroma (NOF) is the most common benign osseous lesion in children; however, our understanding of which lesions progress to a fracture remains unclear. In this study, we seek to formulate a classification system for NOFs to assess for fracture risk and determine what this classification system tells us regarding fracture risk of the distal tibia and distal femur NOFs.MethodsCharts were retrospectively reviewed for patients with NOFs. A 4-point criteria was created and used to calculate fracture risk for distal tibia and distal femur NOFs. The analysis included incidence, specificity, and sensitivity.ResultsOne point was given for each of the following findings on computed tomography (CT) scan: (1) g50% width on coronal view; (2) g50% width on sagittal view; (3) any cortical breach; (4) lack of a neocortex. In total, 34 patients with NOFs of the distal tibia had CT scans, of which 14 fractured. Zero with a 0- or 1-point score fractured, 2 with a 2-point score fractured (20%), 4 with a 3-point score fractured (44%), and 8 with a 4-point score fractured (100%). Sensitivities of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-point scores were 100%, 100%, 85.7%, and 57.1%, respectively, and specificities were 71.4%, 71.4%, 80%, and 100%, respectively. A total of 41 patients with NOFs of the distal femur had CT scans, of which 5 fractured. Zero with a 0-point score fractured, 1 with a 1-point score fractured (4%), 0 with a 2-point score fractured, 1 with a 3-point score fractured (20%), and 3 with a 4-point score fractured (100%). Sensitivities of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-point scores were 100%, 80%, 80%, and 60%, respectively; and specificities were 60%, 87.8%, 90%, and 100%, respectively.ConclusionsOur 4-point CT criteria is easy to apply and identifies patients at high risk of fracture, helping surgeons make decisions regarding treatment.Level of evidenceLevel IV-prognostic study.
Illness Insight and Antipsychotic Medication Adherence

Adherence to antipsychotics is a critical prognostic factor for patients with schizophrenia. While often used, “insight into illness” is neither sufficient nor necessary for adherence. This chapter shows clinicians how to estimate a patient’s degree of likely adherence, using the construct of “drug attitude;” how to objectively assess actual adherence behavior; and how to overcome adherence barriers, including using universal (for all patients), selected (for patients at high risk for nonadherence), and indicated (for nonadherence patients) adherence-enhancing interventions. Appreciating the risk of nonadherence, including partial adherence, and identifying the reasons for it are critical tasks in caring for schizophrenia patients.
Body Modification of Minors

Body modification can take any number of forms, including immunization, body piercing, administration of human growth hormone, and genital cutting. Although opposition to female genital cutting is longstanding in many Western countries, it is only relatively recently that similar ethical arguments have been voiced against the nontherapeutic circumcision of minor males. Relatively less attention in the professional bioethics literature has been devoted to the ethical issues posed by “normalizing surgery” for intersex children and by nongenital forms of body modification of minor children’s bodies, although similar ethical issues are present.
Factions, Constituencies, and Candidates: The Republicans

This chapter turns to the regularized factions and factional struggles inside the other main party in American politics: the National Republicans, the Whigs, and then, for most of American history, the Republicans. Factions there look reliably different from the Democratic version in Chapter 3, though bringing a second major party into the picture does highlight interparty similarities and not just differences. Sometimes, Democratic and Republican nominating politics are responding to two very different internal situations and factional struggles. Other times, Democratic and Republican nominating politics are responding to the same external context, albeit in different ways. And sometimes, Democratic and Republican nominating struggles are actually a response to a counterpart politics in the other party.
Quantifying relationships between subsidence and longwall face advance using DInSAR

Abstract Surface subsidence that results from longwall mining can be large magnitude and can affect significant areas. Conventional methods for subsidence monitoring include leveling, global positioning system (GPS), and photogrammetric surveys. Remote sensing techniques including, aerial LiDAR, terrestrial laser scanning, and satellite-based Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR), are also used to measure deformation associated with subsidence. DInSAR data are different than data from conventional subsidence surveys. Images capture data over large areas (hundreds of kilometers), and each pixel (data point) in an image quantifies the average displacement over an area of square meters. DInSAR data can have fairly high time resolution; imaging periods typically range from weeks to months. DInSAR data can be useful to monitor subsidence sequentially over short periods. Regularly monitoring subsidence may help define if caving is progressing normally and can establish relationships between surface deformation and longwall face advance, which has potential to help quantify possible risks to mine stability. In this study, subsidence at a longwall trona mine is monitored over short periods, typically 12 days, as the longwall face is advanced through a panel. C-band interferometric wide swath synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images from the sentinel satellites are used to quantify the subsidence. The onset of subsidence occurs close in time to the beginning of the longwall face advance, and overall, the development of subsidence closely follows the longwall face advance.
A simulated environment for long-term interactions with episodic memory

The expansion of robots use in the domestic environment demanded the development of robotic systems with the capacity to maintain long-term interaction with human beings in the execution of everyday tasks. This need produced an increase in research in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) in particular in the area of social robotics. However, in a long-term interaction, the use of social robots requires the ability to learn users' preferences and adapt their behavior according to changes in the environment, presenting a natural and friendly interaction with human beings, generating engagement and enabling future interactions. In this article, we present a cognitive system with episodic memory for a robotic agent in a domestic environment. The cognitive system selects and stores the most important interactions with users, learning with each person's preference. The system was tested and validated using the snack and drink suggestions scenario.
Friend or Foe: Search Engine Advertising Strategies When Contracting with an Online Search Infomediary

The widespread growth of e-commerce has resulted in the proliferation of online search infomediaries (OSIs), who provide consumers with information about products and services sold by different firms (Parents), while also referring interested consumers to the Parents' website. Very often, both the Parent and the OSI advertise and compete for a spot on sponsored search results on keywords related to the Parent. This has led to an interesting conundrum where the Parent and the OSI both compete and cooperate at the same time. In this unique context, how equilibrium payment and advertising strategies are affected by factors such as traffic quality, advertising effectiveness, leakage, and the nature of the contract between the two firms, remains an open question. Using a game-theoretic model, we investigate these effects in the strategic interaction between a Parent and its OSI. We show that the novel balance between the competitive and the collaborative nature of the interaction, which itself gets affected by the choice of contract and changes in the environmental factors, alters equilibrium strategies commonly expected in the existing literature. Through this research, we provide several useful and interesting insights, which can serve as guidelines for both Parents and OSIs in efficiently navigating their relationship.
Abstract P732: Genetic Ablation of Endothelial C3a-Receptor Confers Cerebrovascular Protection Independent of the Dynamics of Reperfusion in Stroke

Background: Stroke enhances endothelial C3a Receptor (C3aREnd) expression and humoral levels of C3a which is further exacerbated by intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Therefore, it is critical to inve...
Multiband Antennas with Harmonic Suppression and Improved Bandwidth

Microstrip patch antennas have gained dominance in new technology applications because of their unique features. Although patch antennas have many advantages, they display some limitations in their responses for high frequency applications [1] . One of these drawbacks is their narrow bandwidth due to resonant characteristics. Various techniques have been proposed by researchers to improve microstrip patch antennas’ bandwidth [2] - [4] . Microstrip patch antennas also suffer from harmonic radiation. It deteriorates the efficiency of the systems. Several solution methods have been reported by the researchers to overcome this problem [5] - [7] . Most of the proposed solution method make antenna structures complicated. One of the practical methods to suppress harmonic radiation and enhanced bandwidth is reported in [8] .
Metaphysical Univocity and the Immanent Frame: Defending Religious Liberty in a Secular Age?

As the first of three installments, this article examines and appropriates concepts such as metaphysical univocity (a scheme initiated by John Duns Scotus and enriched by insights proffered by Muslim philosopher Ibn Sīnā) and then considers the immanent frame as part of my defense of religious liberty. The second installment applies my defense to current controversies in the United States. The third utilizes ideas and concepts from the first two articles as part of a comparative study of religious liberty in Turkey wherein I considers the status of religious minorities within Turkey's borders. This tri-part study is sparked by the contention that: The freedom to practice one's chosen faith is of vital importance to the United States. It was a quest for religious freedom that motivated many of America's founders, and this remains fundamental to [the United States]. Recently President Obama said: "The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in [our] country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are." Today, throughout the world and indeed even here in the [Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe] (OSCE), governments and societies are struggling with rising religious diversity even as they are called upon to protect the fundamental rights of individuals in all communities who seek to practice their own religious beliefs.As [former] Secretary Clinton put it, "religious freedom provides a cornerstone for every healthy society." The right to believe or not to believe, and to practice one's convictions without fear of government interference or restriction, is a basic human right. Today, religious freedom is restricted in ways both overt and subtle in too many countries, including participating States. [Ambassador Ian Kelly, United States Mission to the OSCE, Delivered at the OSCE (March 3, 2011).] The first installment of this project shows there are, indeed, grounds for pessimism regarding the fate of religious liberty in both the Latin West and the United States.
Pre-Design Ocean Outfall Studies

This paper is intended to provide guidance to persons in developing countries who are responsible for making ocean outfall studies but have limited resources. It consists mainly of practical suggestions based on the author's experience about what measurements are needed to obtain useful information and how to make them at minimal cost. Thoughtfulness in planning work that will produce useful answers is favored over pseudo-high-tech environmental studies. Some opinions are presented about the enhancement of marine food resources by outfalls and about collecting biological data as a defense against possible criticism. The special conditions that may exist in enclosed bays and estuaries are not specifically addressed in this paper.
Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas Mimicking Demyelinating Disease (P6.222)

OBJECTIVE: To examine a case series of patients presenting with myelopathy who were later diagnosed as having spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVF). BACKGROUND: SDAVF are an uncommon but treatable cause of myelopathy. Their diagnosis is often delayed as they can mimic other diseases, especially demyelinating disease, on imaging. DESIGN/METHODS: We recruited consecutive patients referred to an outpatient neurologist with expertise in neuroimmunology at our university medical center or referred to a tertiary academic hospital for a definitive diagnosis. We analyzed demographics, imaging, time to diagnosis, and degree of disability at follow-up. RESULTS: All patients (n=5) presented with a clinical picture of subacute to chronic myelopathy and were later diagnosed as having SDAVF. Ethnic background included three Caucasian patients, one African American patient, and one Hispanic patient. All patients were male and mean age at presentation was 70.8 years old. Mean time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 1.4 years. All patients had abnormal T2 signal on spine MRI studies in addition to T2 flow voids or an increase in number, size, and tortuosity of spinal vessels. Time to diagnosis and treatment was shorter in those individuals who received a full spinal and intracranial angiogram early in their presentation than in those who did not. All patients underwent successful embolization or surgical intervention with obliteration of the fistula, after which progression of symptoms was halted with improvement of symptoms in 80[percnt] of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of SDAVF is commonly delayed due to symptoms mimicking other spinal conditions such as demyelinating disease. Once diagnosed, the rate of successful endovascular and surgical treatment is very high. Disclosure: Dr. Tipirneni has nothing to disclose. Dr. Malik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ortega has received personal compensation for activities with Prime Therapeutics, Anenberg, and the National MS Society as a consultant. Dr. Yavagal has received personal compensation for activities with Stryker, Covidien/evV3, and Aldagen/Cytomedix.
Gerontologizing Health Care

Abstract Many professionals currently working in social service and health care settings with the elderly lack an adequate educational background in the field of aging. An effective strategy for addressing the educational needs of such professionals involves cooperation between gerontology faculty in higher educational institutions and the service providing organizations that seek to gerontologize their professional staffs. This article describes a train-the-trainer program which provided professional nurses with the opportunity to learn about aging and the aging population and learn how to train their peers in the workplace.