cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does Neuraxial Anesthesia Decrease Transfusion Rates Following Total Hip Arthroplasty

Perioperative transfusions increase complications and cost following THA. Current series evaluating neuraxial anesthesia and blood loss following THA are small and utilize heterogeneous populations. Using the NSQIP database we compared transfusion rates following THA with neuraxial and general anesthesia. Between 2005 and 2012, 28,857 THAs (11,317 neuraxial anesthesia) were identified. Univariate analysis showed lower rates of transfusion, pneumonia, unplanned intubation, prolonged intubation, stroke, all complications, and medical complications in the neuraxial group. Operative time and length of stay were shorter with neuraxial anesthesia as well. After adjusting for patient comorbidities, a multivariate regression model showed fewer transfusions with neuraxial anesthesia. The multivariate regression model showed additional independent risk factors for transfusion including gender, operative time, elevated INR, and a history of hypertension, metastatic cancer, and renal failure.
Growth of Barium Ferrite Single Crystals

A study has been made of the growth of barium ferrite single crystals from a sodium carbonate flux. Crystals weighing up to 5.6 gm. have been grown by cooling melts slowly from about 1250°C. The phase diagram of the system BaO-Na2O-Fe2O3 has been studied in the region of the BaFe12O19 composition. The effects of variations in batch composition, heating cycle, and seeding have been studied from the point of view of crystal yield and quality.
Surgery of the canine vagina and vulva

Accurate diagnosis of canine vaginal abnormalities often requires general anesthesia, vaginoscopy, and contrast radiography. Abdominal ultrasonography, thoracic radiography, computed tomography, and histopathology may also be advised for the workup of mass lesions prior to surgery. Many procedures such as episioplasty and resection of pedunculated vaginal masses or edematous tissue are easily performed with proper planning and equipment (e.g., electrocautery). Consideration should be given to referring more complicated procedures, such as resection of large vaginal masses or vaginal stenoses, to a board certified surgeon. Finally, preoperative placement of a fentanyl patch and preor postoperative epidural analgesia are highly recommended for any vulvo-vaginal surgical procedure.
Electrical and thermoelectrical properties of gated InAs nanowires

We have investigated the electrical and thermoelectrical properties of 30-nm-thick InAs nanowires in a temperature range between T = 200 K and T = 350 K. Devices were fabricated that allow the measurement of the conductivity and Seebeck coefficient upon the application of a gate voltage. The carrier concentration in the NWs could be varied by two orders of magnitude. The dependence of the Seebeck coefficients measured on the carrier concentration is similar to bulk InAs. A temperature-dependent mobility of IL = 1200–1400 cm 2IV s of these unpassivated NWs could be determined from both the transistor characteristics and Seebeck coefficient measurements.
On the Design of Robust LQ Regulators

Sufficient conditions are obtained for global asymptotic stability of linear systems controlled by linear quadratic (LQ) regulators when nonlinearities or unmodeled linear dynamics are present in the loop. The conditions are less conservative than the standard LQ robustness results because they generally yield phase margins ≫ 60°, and tolerance to nonlinearities having gains ≪ 1/2. The conditions also provide a measure of robustness of a given LQ design to unmodeled dynamics and nonlinearities. For open-loop stable plants, it is proved that a class of LQ regulators can always be designed to have ±90° phase margin and tolerance to nonlinearities in the ([0, ?) sector.
Synthesis, structure, and electrical properties of Eu0.59Nb5Se8

Abstract The new compound Eu0.59Nb5Se8 has been prepared from a combination of the elemental powders at 1275 K. The material crystallizes with four formula units in space group C 3 2h - C2 m of the monoclinic system in a cell (at 113 K) of dimensions a = 17.95(2), b = 3.388(4), c = 19.30(2)A, β = 107.90(2)°. The structure has been solved and refined from single-crystal X-ray data. The asymmetric unit contains two independent Eu atoms, five independent Nb atoms, and eight independent Se atoms. Each Eu site is approximately 59% occupied; the Eu atoms are in an unusual distorted cube of Se atoms with EuSe interactions ranging from 3.108(6) to 3.454(6) A. Three of the independent Nb atoms are in trigonal prisms of Se atoms with NbSe interactions ranging from 2.548(6) to 2.617(6) A while the other two independent Nb atoms are in unusual distorted octahedral environments with NbSe interactions ranging from 2.526(9) to 2.718(7) A. These latter two Nb atoms show short NbNb interactions of about 2.95 A. The material exhibits excellent metallic conductivity along the needle (b) direction with σ298 K of 35 × 103 ohm−1 cm−1 and σ12 K ≈ 1.4 × 106ohm−1 cm−1.
Failure of phosphorus-32 to exchange with organic phosphorus compounds.

WHEN radioactive phosphate is used in biological experiments, the interpretation of the results depends upon the assumption that the labelled inorganic phosphate does not exchange with the phosphate of organic esters except via metabolic reactions. Evidence to support this assumption is limited. Hevesy and Aten1 were satisfied that phosphorus-32 did not exchange with the Embden ester (hexose-6-phosphate), and apparently inorganic phosphate does not exchange with glycerophosphoric acid2. Studies on human erythrocytes in this laboratory3 have made it desirable to determine whether phosphorus-32 is able to enter certain other acid-soluble phosphate esters by simple exchange.
The Risk of Enucieatlon after Proton Beam Irradiation of Uveal Melanoma

Enucleation after proton beam irradiation of uveal melanomas occurred in 64 (6.4%) of 994 eyes with a median follow-up time of 2.7 years. The median time between irradiation and enucleation in the 64 enucleated eyes was 13 months. The probability of retaining the eye was 95 and 90%, 2 and 5 years postirradiation, respectively. Three percent of eyes were enucleated during posttreatment year 1, and the yearly rate was 1% by the fourth year. No patient had enucleation later than 5 1/2 years posttreatment. The complication most likely to result in enucleation was neovascular glaucoma although this was frequently managed without enucleation. Other common reasons for enucleation were documented or suspected tumor growth and complete retinal detachment with associated loss of vision. The leading risk factors for enucleation were anterior tumor margin involving the ciliary body, tumor height greater than 8 mm, and proximity of the tumor to the fovea. Based on the presence or absence of these factors, 5-year eye retention rates were 99, 92, and 76% for low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups, respectively. Thus, the probability of eye retention after proton beam irradiation is high even among those at greatest risk of enucleation.
Modeling of Microstructure Evolution in Austenitic Stainless Steels Irradiated Under Light Water Reactor Conditions

A model for the development of microstructure during irradiation in fast reactors has been adapted for light water reactor (LWR) irradiation conditions (275 {approximately} 325 C, up to {approximately}10 dpa). The original model was based on the rate-theory, and included descriptions of the evolution of both dislocation loops and cavities. The model was modified by introducing in-cascade interstitial clustering, a term to account for the dose dependence of this clustering, and mobility of interstitial clusters. The purpose of this work was to understand microstructural development under LWR irradiation with a focus on loop nucleation and saturation of loop density. It was demonstrated that in-cascade interstitial clustering dominates loop nucleation in neutron irradiation in LWRS. Furthermore it was shown that the dose dependence of in-cascade interstitial clustering is needed to account for saturation behavior as commonly observed. Both quasi-steady-state (QSS) and non-steady-state (NSS) solutions to the rate equations were obtained. The difference between QSS and NSS treatments in the calculation of defect concentration is reduced at LWR temperature when in-cascade interstitial clustering dominates loop nucleation. The mobility of interstitial clusters was also investigated and its impact on loop density is to reduce the nucleation term. The ultimate goal of this study is to combine the evolution of microstructure and microchemistry together to account for the radiation damage in austenitic stainless steels.
Mutagenesis by 8-oxoguanine: an enemy within

Abstract The presence of reactive oxygen species in cells ensures that the oxidatively damage base 8-oxoguanine will be generated at high frequency in the DNA of all living organisms. DNA damage threatens genomic integrity: enzymes have evolved that protect prokaryotes and eukaryotes from the mutagenic effect of this ubiquitous lesion.
Rhodoferax antarcticus sp. nov., a moderately psychrophilic purple nonsulfur bacterium isolated from an Antarctic microbial mat

A new species of purple nonsulfur bacteria isolated from an Antarctic microbial mat is described. The organism, designated strain ANT.BR, was mildly psychrophilic, growing optimally at 15-18 degrees C with a growth temperature range of 0-25 degrees C. Cells of strain ANT.BR were highly motile curved rods and spirals, contained bacteriochlorophyll a, and showed a multicomponent in vivo absorption spectrum. A specific phylogenetic relationship was observed between strain ANT.BR and the purple bacterium Rhodoferax fermentans FR2T, and the two organisms shared several physiological and other phenotypic properties, with the notable exception of growth temperature optimum. Tests of genomic DNA hybridization, however, showed Rfx. fermentans FR2T and strain ANT.BR to be genetically distinct bacteria. Because of its unique set of properties, especially its requirement for low growth temperatures, we propose to recognize strain ANT.BR as a new species of the genus Rhodoferax, Rhodoferax antarcticus, named for its known habitat, the Antarctic.
Unity and Diversity in the European Iron Age: Out of the Mists, Some Clarity?

While some researchers continue to focus fruitfully on traditional issues, in recent years new perspectives, some strongly revisionist, have developed within European Iron Age archaeology, moving it from a long-static state into a rapidly changing milieu. Studies of colonialism, imperialism, and interaction have undergone sequential shifts into new territory, while topics related to sacred activity, political apparatuses, and the ruler-subject relationship have undergone substantial reworking. Perspectives absent from earlier literature have emerged: gender, age, ethnicity, and identity, and interpretations employing theories of practice, agency, landscape, and embodiment have emerged, mirroring broader disciplinary shifts. An overarching trend sees Iron Age Europe as a series of interactive societies with both broad similarities and sharp regional, even local, differences, moving through time and ever-changing relationships, influences, and trajectories. The collision of traditional and revisionist scholarship has produced debate, some heated, but has improved and invigorated the field.
Co-Artinian rings and Morita duality

A ringA is left co-Noetherian if the injective hull of each simple leftA-module is Artinian. Such rings have been studied by Vamos and Jans. Dually, callA left co-Artinian if the injective hull of each simple leftA-module is Noetherian. Left co-Artinian rings having only finitely many nonisomorphic simple left modules are studied, and such rings are shown to have nilpotent radical. Moreover, it is shown that left co-Artinian implies left co-Noetherian ifA/J is Artinian. For an injective leftA-module A Q withB=End ( A Q), andC=End (Q B ), conditions yielding a Morita duality between\(\mathfrak{W}_B \) and\({}_C\mathfrak{W}\) are obtained. In special cases, e.g. A Q a self-cogenerator, this Morita duality yields chain conditions on A Q. Specialized to commutative rings, these results give the known fact that every commutative co-Artinian ring is co-Noetherian. Finally in the case that the injective hull A E=E( A S) of a simple leftA-module A S is a self-cogenerator, chain conditions on A E are related to chain conditions onB B =End ( A E). The results obtained are analogous to results for commutative rings of Vamos, Rosenberg and Zelinsky. It is shown that ifA is a left co-Artinian ring withE( A S) a self-cogenerator for each simple A S, thenJ is nil and\({}_Q\mathfrak{W}\).
Ethyl pyruvate decreases proinflammatory gene expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated equine monocytes

Abstract Monocytes are among the initial cells that interact with circulating LPS. Binding of LPS to monocyte surface receptors triggers an intracellular signaling cascade and results in the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Ethyl pyruvate, a stable derivative of pyruvate, has been effective in mitigating LPS induced alterations in isolated human monocytes. We hypothesized that ethyl pyruvate would suppress proinflammatory gene expression in LPS-stimulated equine monocytes without affecting cell viability. Equine monocytes were isolated from whole blood using a sediment-gradient centrifugation protocol and enriched to 76% purity by adhesion to tissue culture dishes. Isolated monocytes were incubated with 0, 1, 5, 10 and 50 mM ethyl pyruvate. Cell viability, production of caspase 3/7, and caspase-3 gene expression were determined. In a separate experiment, monocytes were stimulated with LPS (0.1 ng/ml for 1 h) followed by incubation with 0, 1, 5, or 10 mM ethyl pyruvate for 1 h. Proinflammatory gene expression was determined by real-time PCR. Ethyl pyruvate at 50 mM adversely affected monocyte viability. Ethyl pyruvate at 10 mM or less had no significant effect on monocyte viability, and did not increase activity of caspase 3/7 nor caspase-3 gene expression. Incubation with LPS alone induced a significant upregulation in proinflammatory gene expression. Subsequent treatment of monocytes with ethyl pyruvate significantly reduced IL-8 expression in LPS stimulated monocytes at 5 mM, and IL-8, TNF-α and COX-2 at 10 mM. No beneficial effect on expression of IL-1β or IL-6 was detected. Overall, 10 mM ethyl pyruvate did not adversely affect monocyte viability and suppressed LPS-induced proinflammatory gene expression. Ethyl pyruvate may be a beneficial anti-inflammatory therapy in equine endotoxemia.
The daf-4 gene encodes a bone morphogenetic protein receptor controlling C. elegans dauer larva development

THE bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family is a conserved group of signalling molecules within the transforming growth fact-or-β (TGF-β) superfamily1,2. This group, including theDrosophila decapentaplegic (dpp) protein and the mammalian BMPs, mediates cellular interactions and tissue differentiation during development3,4. Here we show that a homologue of human BMPs controls a developmental switch in the life cycle of the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Starvation and overcrowding induce C. elegans to form a developmentally arrested, third-stage dauer larva5. The daf-4 gene, which acts to inhibit dauer larva formation and promote growth, encodes a receptor protein kinase similar to the daf-1, activin and TGF-β receptor serine/ threonine kinases. When expressed in monkey COS cells, thedaf-4receptor binds human BMP-2 and BMP-4. The daf-4 receptor is the first to be identified for any growth factor in the BMP family.
Toward the automatic identification of sublanguage vocabulary

Abstract A sublanguage is the language used in a restricted or specialized domain or field, such as computer science. Information about the vocabulary and structure of a sublanguage is used in any domain-related natural language processing application; however, such information is very time-consuming to gather, and much of it must be found and organized manually. Additionally, information retrieval strategies using lexical information depend on finding the appropriate dictionary entry for general and technical words. The ability to automatically identify terms belonging to a sublanguage could aid in these and other applications. In this paper, a simple but effective method is developed for automatic identification of sublanguage vocabulary words as they occur in abstracts. This procedure may significantly reduce the effort required to extract sublanguage vocabulary for sublanguage analysis and other applications, such as information retrieval. First, the sublanguage vocabulary identification procedures are described using abstracts from computer science and library and information science as the sublanguage sources. The results of the experiments are evaluated using three different criteria. Finally, the practical and theoretical significance of this research is discussed along with plans for further experiments on the vocabulary and structure of sublanguages.
Surface hardening of beryllium by ion implantation

Abstract The effectiveness of ion implantation for the production of a hard wear-resistant surface on instrument grade beryllium of high strength (HP-40) was explored. Samples of beryllium were implanted with boron and were subjected to microhardness tests in both the as-implanted state and after annealing. The implanted region was examined using Rutherford backscattering to determine the depth distribution of the implanted boron. By using ion implantation to produce a buried layer containing boron, the limitations imposed by solubility and diffusivity are avoided and much greater boron concentrations than those attainable with conventional thermal treatments are generated.
Modeling and simulation of an aquatic habitat for bioregenerative life support research

Abstract Long duration human spaceflight poses challenges for spacecraft autonomy and the regeneration of life support consumables, such as oxygen and water. Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS), which make use of biological processes to transform biological byproducts back into consumables, have the ability to recycle organic byproducts and are the preferred option for food production. A limitation in BLSS research is in the non-availability of small-scale experimental capacities that may help to better understand the challenges in system closure, integration, and control. Ground-based aquatic habitats are an option for small-scale research relevant to bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS), given that they can operate as self-contained systems enclosing a habitat composed of various species in a single volume of water. The purpose of this paper is to present the modeling and simulation of a reconfigurable aquatic habitat for experiments in regenerative life support automation; it supports the use of aquatic habitats as a small-scale approach to experiments relevant to larger-scale regenerative life support systems. It presents ground-based aquatic habitats as an option for small-scale BLSS research focusing on the process of respiration, and elaborates on the description of biological processes by introducing models of ecophysiological phenomena for consumers and producers: higher plants of the species Bacopa monnieri produce O2 for snails of the genus Pomacea; the snails consume O2 and generate CO2, which is used by the plants in combination with radiant energy to generate O2 through the process of photosynthesis. Feedback controllers are designed to regulate the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water. This paper expands the description of biological processes by introducing models of ecophysiological phenomena of the organisms involved. The model of the plants includes a description of the rate of CO2 assimilation as a function of irradiance. Simulations and validation runs with hardware show how these phenomena may act as disturbances to the control mechanisms that maintain safe concentration levels of dissolved oxygen in the habitat.
Pressurization of IV bags: A new configuration and evaluation for use

Abstract External pressure devices are often utilized to increase the flow rates of IV fluids in exsanguinating patients. However, increasing the flow rate by this method also increases the rate at which IV bags need changing. Time is lost and valuable personnel are preoccupied in maintaining the numerous hand-pumped external pressure devices and IV bags. A systematic evaluation comparing the hand-pumped device with a new, pneumatic external pressure device (Insufor-1™, Medical Innovations, Inc., Phoenix, AZ) is presented. A new multiunit configuration (Infusor-Rackl™) for the pneumatic device is also described. We found a significant decrease in 1V bag take-down/setup time with the new pneumatic pressure device. This system is faster, more reliable, and easier to use than the standard hand-pumped pressure bag and should be viewed as a practical improvement in the fluid delivery system.
Nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation for refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma complicated by interleukin-2 responsive progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

Nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation (NMASCT) can be used to exploit the graft-versus-tumor (GVT) potential of allogeneic donor cells in the setting of reduced conditioning regimen toxicity. This approach is particularly attractive for patients who have received extensive prior therapy and are poor candidates for traditional allogeneic stem cell transplantation. However, toxicity in heavily pretreated patients remains uncertain. Additional immunosuppression in already immunocompromised patients may result in unexpected toxicity. We report a case of probable progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) responsive to interleukin-2 (IL-2) following a NMASCT in a 29-year-old woman with relapsed Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient developed severe neurological symptoms approximately 6 weeks following NMASCT associated with low CD4+ cell counts and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was consistent with PML. IL-2 therapy resulted in increasing CD4+ counts and progressive resolution of neurological symptoms. Disruption of IL-2 therapy led to neurological deterioration, which responded to reinstitution of IL-2 therapy. The patient's lymphoma initially progressed following NMASCT, but has responded to donor leukocyte infusions (DLI). This case reiterates the potent GVT potential of NMASCT in patients with Hodgkin's disease. However, it demonstrates the potential for severe complications related to immunosuppression, especially in heavily pretreated patients. The toxicity after NMASCT should not be understated and will need to be explored further.
Nonparametric mean estimation using partially ordered sets

In ranked-set sampling (RSS), the ranker must give a complete ranking of the units in each set. In this paper, we consider a modification of RSS that allows the ranker to declare ties. Our sampling method is simply to break the ties at random so that we obtain a standard ranked-set sample, but also to record the tie structure for use in estimation. We propose several different nonparametric mean estimators that incorporate the tie information, and we show that the best of these estimators is substantially more efficient than estimators that ignore the ties. As part of our comparison of estimators, we develop new results about models for ties in rankings. We also show that there are settings where, to achieve more efficient estimation, ties should be declared not just when the ranker is actually unsure about how units rank, but also when the ranker is sure about the ranking, but believes that the units are close.
MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DENTAL CARE OF PATIENTS WITH ALCOHOL-RELATED LIVER DISEASE

More than 7 percent of all adults in the United States have met diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. Many of these people and even occasional users of alcohol may exhibit medical complexities, particularly liver disease, that can adversely affect provision of routine dental care. This article highlights some of the important clinical topics associated with alcoholic liver disease as it relates to dental care and provides guidelines on treatment of affected people.
A Fresh Look at State Shinto

Because of its extreme political sensitivity, the Japanese phenomenon retrospectively called State Shinto was the object of very little critical study during the "State Shinto period" itself (1868-1945). This was especially true of Japanese scholars; and among foreigners, even Daniel Holtom's excellent work focused too narrowly on the nationalistic roles of Shinto shrines. Now that more objective postwar studies are appearing, it is possible to reappraise the place of State Shinto (a) within the Shinto world; and (b) beyond the Shinto world, in the larger context of Japanese nationalism. Within the Shinto world, this essay deals particularly with the relationship between State and Shrine Shinto because of the distressing tendency of Western scholars to confuse, or virtually equate, these two types of Shinto during the pre-1945 decades. Granted, there were large areas of overlap between them, but also significant areas of divergence. Moving beyond the Shinto world as such, State Shinto is placed within the broader context of Japanese nationalism as a whole. While State Shinto did in fact serve as one major component of Japanese nationalism, it combined with extraShinto elements (e.g., Confucianistic ethics) under the larger umbrella of kokutai (national essence, characteristics). It is more comprehensively accurate, therefore, to speak of "kokutai nationalism" than of "Shinto nationalism." Until such fundamental relationships as these are clarified, research in prewar Shinto will inevitably suffer confusions and ambiguities. This article is a quest for orientation in these matters.
C/EBPα Expression Is Downregulated in Human Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers and Inactivation of C/EBPα Confers Susceptibility to UVB-Induced Skin Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Human epidermis is routinely subjected to DNA damage induced by UVB solar radiation. Cell culture studies have revealed an unexpected role for C/EBPα (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α) in the DNA damage response network, where C/EBPα is induced following UVB DNA damage, regulates the G1 checkpoint, and diminished or ablated expression of C/EBPα results in G1 checkpoint failure. In the current study we observed that C/EBPα is induced in normal human epidermal keratinocytes and in the epidermis of human subjects exposed to UVB radiation. The analysis of human skin precancerous and cancerous lesions (47 cases) for C/EBPα expression was conducted. Actinic keratoses, a precancerous benign skin growth and precursor to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), expressed levels of C/EBPα similar to normal epidermis. Strikingly, all invasive SCCs no longer expressed detectable levels of C/EBPα. To determine the significance of C/EBPα in UVB-induced skin cancer, SKH-1 mice lacking epidermal C/EBPα (CKOα) were exposed to UVB. CKOα mice were highly susceptible to UVB-induced SCCs and exhibited accelerated tumor progression. CKOα mice displayed keratinocyte cell cycle checkpoint failure in vivo in response to UVB that was characterized by abnormal entry of keratinocytes into S phase. Our results demonstrate that C/EBPα is silenced in human SCC and loss of C/EBPα confers susceptibility to UVB-induced skin SCCs involving defective cell cycle arrest in response to UVB.
Digital Control of Power Transients in a Nuclear Reactor

An integrated, closed-loop, control system for online operations in nuclear power plants has been developed and demonstrated with an LSI-ll/23 micro-processor on the 5 MWt fission reactor (NITR-II) that is operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This control system has inherent capabilities to perform online fault diagnosis, information display, sensor calibration, and measurement estimation. Recently, its scope has been extended to include the direct digital control of power changes ranging from 20-80% of the reactor's licensed limit. This controller differs from most of those discussed in theoretical and simulation studies by recognizing the non-linearity of reactor dynamics, calculating reactivity on-line, and controlling the rate of change of power by restricting both period and reactivity. The controller functions accurately using rods of non-linear worth in the presence of nonlinear feedback effects.
The Impact of the Reformation on Hessian Education

“Are we to permit none but louts and boors to rule when we can do better than that.” With these words, Martin Luther challenged the politicians of his day to educate the young, for, he wrote, it is pleasing to God that princes, lords and councilmen and others in authority be educated and qualified to perform the functions of their offices. It was necessary for those in authority to educate the young, because many parents would not do it, others were incompetent to do so, others did not have the time, and that was not to mention orphans.One of those politicians who responded to Luther's challenge was Philip the Magnanimous of Hesse. In the years 1526 to 1537, Philip organized a territorial system of public education consisting of state Latin grammar schools and a university.
Bias reduction with an adjustment for participants' intent to dropout of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background Attrition, which is virtually ubiquitous in randomized controlled clinical trials, introduces problems of increased bias and reduced statistical power. Although likelihood-based statistical models such as mixed-effects models can accommodate incomplete data, the assumption of ignorable attrition is usually required for valid inferences.Purpose In an effort to make the ignorability assumption more plausible, we consider the value of one readily obtained covariate that has been recommended by others, asking participants to rate their Intent to Attend the next assessment session.Methods Here we present a simulation study that compares the bias and coverage in mixed-effects outcome analyses that do and do not include Intent to Attend as a covariate.Results For the simulation specifications that we examined, the results are promising in the sense of reduced bias and greater precision. Specifically, if the time-varying Intent to Attend variable is associated with attrition, outcome and treatment grou...
Incomplete Lipschitz-Hankel integrals of MacDonald functions

Abstract Various representations for incomplete Lipschitz-Hankel integrals of MacDonald functions have been given in closed form using Kampe de Feriet double hypergeometric functions. In addition, reduction formulas for the Kampe de Feriet functions associated with these integrals have been derived in some cases.
Immune checkpoint modulation: Rational design of combination strategies

Immune recognition and elimination of malignant cells require a series of steps orchestrated by the innate and the adaptive arms of the immune system. The majority of tumors have evolved mechanisms that allow for successful evasion of these immune responses. Recognition of these evasive processes led to the development of immunotherapeutic antibodies targeting the co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory receptors on T cells, with the goal of enhancement of T cell activation or reversal of tumor-induced T cell inhibition. Several of these agents, such as antibodies targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) have already demonstrated significant promise in clinical trials. Clinical benefit of these antibodies as single agents, however, has been limited to a subset of patients and has not been observed in all tumor types. These limitations call for the development of rational combination strategies aiming to extend therapeutic benefit to a broader range of patients. These include: 1) modalities that enhance antigen presentation, such as radiation, cryotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted agents, vaccines, toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, type I interferon, and oncolytic viruses; 2) additional agents aiming to reverse T cell dysfunction, such as other immune checkpoint inhibitors; and 3) agents targeting other immune inhibitory mechanisms, such as inhibitors of indoleamine dioxygenase (IDO), regulatory T cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). It is becoming increasingly evident that the efficacy of specific combinations will likely not be universal and that the choice of a treatment modality may need to be tailored to fit the needs of each individual patient.
Examining nervios among immigrant male farmworkers in the MICASA Study: sociodemographics, housing conditions and psychosocial factors.

Nervios is a culturally defined condition of psychological stress with important implications for Latino health. Using epidemiological research methods, we examined the prevalence of nervios and associated risk factors, including drug and alcohol use, acculturation, and housing conditions in a population-based study of farm worker families in Mendota, CA (the MICASA Study). A household enumeration procedure was used for sampling, and 843 individuals were interviewed in 2006–2007. In this analysis, we present data on 422 men, 381 accompanied (family) males and 41 unaccompanied males. The prevalence of nervios was 22 %, with no difference in prevalence by household status. Low family incomes, drug use, medium/high acculturation, and poor housing conditions were associated with increased odds of nervios. Self-reported poor/fair health, depressive symptoms, and high perceived stress were also associated with nervios. Since nervios has been shown to be a clinical indicator of psychiatric vulnerability among Latinos, this analysis furthers public health goals of reducing health disparities.
Modelica Based Dynamic Modeling of an Air-Side Economizer

For the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for commercial buildings, the cooling coils in air handling units (AHU) account for a significant fraction of total building energy consumption and have a major impact on comfort conditions and maintenance costs. Development of cost-effective advanced control strategies will enhance the performance and efficiency of AHU. The control design process can be greatly facilitated with simulation on high-fidelity dynamic model prior to experimental validation and implementation. This paper presents a dynamic model for an air-side economizer. The model development was based on Dymola and AirConditioning Library with some revision on heat exchanger modeling. For chilled-water cooling coil modeling, the major challenges include the variation of coil surface conditions under flow rate changes and partially-dry-partially-wet operations. This study proposes a dynamic coil model that is capable of predicting cooling performances under fully dry, partially-dry-partially-wet, and fully wet conditions. Validation with experimental data from a benchmark study was conducted under both dry and wet surface conditions. The model predicted the experimental results quite well for both transient and steady-state behaviors. In addition, other moist air components, such as dampers, fans, ducts and room, were developed. Such transient model will lay a more quality foundation for controller validation at the simulation phase.© 2009 ASME
Design and synthesis of heterogeneous azeotropic distillations—I. Heterogeneous phase diagrams

A simple procedure is presented for calculating liquid—liquid—vapor phase equilibria for a restricted class of systems commonly encountered in heterogeneous azeotropic distillation. The principal restriction of the method is that the maximum number of equilibrium liquid phases allowed is two. The structure and properties of heterogeneous azeotropic phase diagrams are discussed, thus providing a foundation for the distillation studies in Part II.
Genomic views of distant-acting enhancers

In contrast to protein-coding sequences, the significance of variation in non-coding DNA in human disease has been minimally explored. A great number of recent genome-wide association studies suggest that non-coding variation is a significant risk factor for common disorders, but the mechanisms by which this variation contributes to disease remain largely obscure. Distant-acting transcriptional enhancers--a major category of functional non-coding DNA--are involved in many developmental and disease-relevant processes. Genome-wide approaches to their discovery and functional characterization are now available and provide a growing knowledge base for the systematic exploration of their role in human biology and disease susceptibility.
Comparison of lymphoblast mitochondria from normal subjects and patients with Barth syndrome using electron microscopic tomography

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is a mitochondrial disorder that is caused by mutations in the tafazzin gene, which affects phospholipid composition. To determine whether this defect leads to alterations in the internal three-dimensional organization of mitochondrial membranes, we applied electron microscopic tomography to lymphoblast mitochondria from BTHS patients and controls. Tomograms were formed from 50 and 150 nm sections of chemically fixed lymphoblasts and the data were used to manually segment volumes of relevant structural details. Normal lymphoblast mitochondria contained well-aligned, lamellar cristae with slot-like junctions to the inner boundary membrane. In BTHS, mitochondrial size was more variable and the total mitochondrial volume per cell increased mainly due to clusters of fragmented mitochondria inside nuclear invaginations. However, mitochondria showed reduced cristae density, less cristae alignment, and inhomogeneous cristae distribution. Three-dimensional reconstruction of BTHS mitochondria revealed zones of adhesion of the opposing inner membranes, causing obliteration of the intracrista space. We found small isolated patches of adhesion as well as extended adhesion zones, resulting in sheets of collapsed cristae packaged in multiple concentric layers. We also found large tubular structures (diameter 30-150 nm) that appeared to be derivatives of the adhesion zones. The data suggest that mitochondrial abnormalities of BTHS involve adhesions of inner mitochondrial membranes with subsequent collapse of the intracristae space.
Optical frequency combs for telecom and datacom applications

The state of the art parametric comb sources are capable of supporting more than a hundred lines, spanning C and L telecom bands at an arbitrary spacing, and are characterized with OSNRs surpassing 40 dB over the entire emission spectrum. We demonstrate compliance with and applicability of the new generation comb sources to telecom and data-com applications.
Election Time: Normative Implications of Temporal Properties of the Electoral Process in the United States

Elections take place at intervals, most citizens vote on the same day, and the electoral outcome is irrevocable until the next election. Each of these temporal properties—periodicity, simultaneity, and finality—is grounded in fundamental democratic values. Analyzing the properties shows how and why several anomalies in electoral theory and practice in the United States should be eliminated. Together the properties mark off electoral politics as a sphere that requires different and often more stringent standards than the rest of political life outside of government. Periodicity requires that the control of redistricting be independent of legislatures. Simultaneity opposes publishing the results of exit polls, expanding the use of early voting, and granting legislatures the authority to select presidential electors on their own schedule. Finality justifies more stringent regulation of campaign practices, such as electioneering ads.
Self-assembling peptide-lipoplexes for substrate-mediated gene delivery.

The efficiency of biomaterial-based gene delivery is determined by the interaction of the material and the vector. For lipoplexes, surface immobilization has been used to transfect cells for applications such as cell arrays and model tissue formation through patterned transfection. Further increases in the delivery efficiency are limited by cellular internalization, which may be overcome by altering the material/vector interactions. In this report, we investigated the modification of the lipoplex physical properties through self-assembly with cationic peptides, and subsequently quantified cellular association, internalization and nuclear accumulation of DNA and transfection. Relative to lipid alone, peptide–lipoplexes enhanced transfection by up to 4.6-fold. The presence of the peptide in the lipoplex increased internalization efficiency by up to 4.5-fold, decreased the percentage of lysosomal DNA by 2.1-fold and increased the efficiency of nuclear accumulation by 3.0-fold. In addition, an analysis of internalization pathways for peptide–lipoplexes indicated a greater role of clathrin and caveolae-mediated endocytosis relative to macropinocytois, which was not observed for peptide-free lipoplexes. These results demonstrate peptide-induced enhancement of gene transfer by surface immobilization due to increased cellular internalization and nuclear accumulation, which has numerous applications ranging from cell-based assays to regenerative medicine.
I—Expanding the Egalitarian Toolbox: Equality and Bureaucracy

Many problems of inequality in developing countries resist treatment by formal egalitarian policies. To deal with these problems, we must shift from a distributive to a relational conception of equality, founded on opposition to social hierarchy. Yet the production of many goods requires the coordination of wills by means of commands. In these cases, egalitarians must seek to tame rather than abolish hierarchy. I argue that bureaucracy offers important constraints on command hierarchies that help promote the equality of workers in bureaucratic organizations. Bureaucracy thus constitutes a vital if limited egalitarian tool applicable to developing and developed countries alike.
Defects in tactile directional sensitivity after forebrain commissurotomy in man.

SURGICAL transection of the cerebral commissures causes certain “deconnexion” or “split brain” symptoms in man1 which manifest themselves as unilateral agnosias2–5, aphasia6,7 or dyspraxia8 depending on the method of examination. A major reason for the symptoms is that many types of behaviour depend on a nervous afferent input available from only half of the peripheral field to each hemisphere and the field halves fail to unite in the absence of the cerebral commissures2–5. Another reason is the “lateralization” of the cerebral hemispheres with regard to language6,7,9, the perception of spatial relations10–13 and visual form14.
Role of phonon dimensionality on electron-phonon scattering rates

Electron-heating measurements were carried out to measure the electron-phonon scattering rates in CuCr thin films. We examined free-standing and supported films whose thickness and width span lengths comparable to the mean thermal-phonon wavelength. The measured scattering rate was proportional to ${\mathit{T}}^{2}$ from 0.5 to 10 K, independent of sample configuration. We observe that the quantization of the phonon spectrum required by sample dimensions has no effect on the temperature dependence of the electron-phonon scattering rate.
Synthesis and Flammability Limits of Low-Btu Gas Mixtures

Abstract Representative low-Btu gas mixtures derived from coal are presented and simplified, resulting in synthetic low-Btu gas mixtures composed of H2, CO, CH4, N2, and CO2. Mine-atmosphere flammability data are applied to the synthetic mixtures to produce flammability limits at one atmosphere and 77 °F. Two-component synthetic mixtures of CH4 and an inert gas are shown to be not suitable for certain combustion experiments requiring low-Btu gases.
Swarm optimization methods for cognitive image analysis

We describe cognitive swarms, a new method for efficient visual recognition of objects in an image or video sequence that combines feature-based object classification with search mechanisms based on swarm intelligence. Our approach utilizes the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO), a population based evolutionary algorithm, which is effective for optimization of a wide range of functions. PSO searches a multi-dimensional solution space for a global optimum using a population or swarm of "particles" that cooperate using a low overhead communication scheme to search the solution space efficiently. We use a system of local and global swarms to detect and track multiple objects in video sequences. In our implementation, each particle in the swarm consists of a cascade of classifiers that utilize wavelet and edge-symmetry features to recognize objects. PSO update equations are used to control the movement of the swarm in solution space as the particles cooperate to find objects efficiently by maximizing classification confidence. By performing this optimization, the classifier swarm finds objects in the scene, determines their size, and optimizes other classifier parameters such as the object rotation angle. Map-based attention feedback is used to further increase the efficiency of cognitive swarms. Performance results are presented for human and vehicle detection.
Vibrational energy flow rates for cis- and trans-stilbene isomers in solution.

Transient electronic absorption following excitation of the first C-H stretching overtone (2ν C H ) or a C-H stretch-bend combination (ν C H + ν b e n d ) monitors the flow of vibrational energy in cis-stilbene and in trans-stilbene. Following a rapid initial rise as energy flows into states interrogated by the probe pulse, the absorption decays with two time constants, which are about a factor of 2 longer for the cis-isomer than for the transisomer. The decay times for cis-stilbene are τ 2 c i s = (2.6 ′ 1.5) ps and τ 3 c i s = (24.1 ′ 2.1) ps, and those for trans-stilbene are τ 2 t r a n s = (1.4 ′ 0.6) ps and τ 3 t r a n s = (10.2 ′ 1.1) ps. The decay times are essentially the same in different solvents, suggesting that the relaxation is primarily intramolecular. The two decay times are consistent with the sequential flow of energy through sets of coupled states within the molecule, and the difference in the rates for the two isomers likely reflects differences in coupling among the states arising from the different structures of the isomers. The similarity of the time evolution following excitation of the first C-H overtone at 5990 cm - 1 and the stretch-bend combination at 4650 cm - 1 is consistent with a subset of states, whose structure is similar for the two vibrational excitation energies, controlling the observed flow of energy.
Resiniferatoxin for Pain Treatment: An Interventional Approach to Personalized Pain Medicine

This review examines existing preclinical and clinical studies related to resiniferatoxin (RTX) and its potential uses in pain treatment. Like capsaicin, RTX is a vanilloid receptor (TRPV1) agonist, only more potent. This increased potency confers both quantitative and qualitative advantages in terms of drug action on the TRPV1 containing nerve terminal, which result in an increased efficacy and a long duration of action. RTX can be delivered by a central route of administration through injection into the subarachnoid space around the lumbosacral spinal cord. It can also be administered peripherally into a region of skin or deep tissue where primary afferents nerves terminate, or directly into a nerve trunk or a dorsal root ganglion. The central route is currently being evaluated as a treatment for intractable pain in patients with advanced cancer. Peripheral administration offers the possibility to treat a wide diversity of pain problems because of the ability to bring the treatment to the site of the pain (the peripheral generator). While not all pain disorders are appropriate for RTX, tailoring treatment to an individual patient's needs via a selective and local intervention that chemically targets a specific population of nerve terminals provides a new capability for pain therapy and a simplified and effective approach to personalized pain medicine.