cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical value of transoral robotic surgery: Nationwide results from the first 5 years of adoption.

OBJECTIVES To compare long-term oncologic outcomes and adjuvant therapies for patients treated with transoral robotic surgery (TORS), nonrobotic surgery, or transoral laser microsurgery (TLM). STUDY DESIGN A retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (2010-2014). METHODS Patients with clinical tumor (T)1 and T2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) were classified into those receiving TORS versus nonrobotic surgery versus TLM. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were conducted with chi-square tests; Kaplan-Meier log-rank test; and Cox multivariate, logistic regression, and multinomial regression modeling. RESULTS We identified 2,224 OPSCC TORS patients; 6,697 nonrobotic surgery patients; and 333 TLM patients. The majority of patients were white males with a mean age of approximately 59 years. No significant difference was noted between the cohorts in tumor stage; however, TORS patients were more likely to have nodal (N)1 to N3 disease than nonrobotic surgery and TLM patients, respectively (69.8% vs. 62.0% vs. 59.7%, P < 0.001). TORS was associated with a lower likelihood of positive margins when compared to nonrobotic surgery, although not TLM (nonrobotic surgery: hazard ratio [HR] 1.51, P < 0.001, TLM: HR 1.13, P = 0.582). TORS was associated with lower likelihood of postsurgical chemoradiotherapy (TLM: HR 2.07, P < 0.001, nonrobotic surgery: 1.65, P < 0.001) but not adjuvant radiotherapy alone (TLM: HR 1.06, P = 0.569, nonrobotic surgery: 0.96, P = 0.655). On multivariate Cox analysis of overall survival, the use of TORS was not associated with increased survival (TLM: HR 1.31, P = 0.233, nonrobotic surgery: HR 1.12, P < 0.303). CONCLUSION The advantages of TORS for early-stage OPSCC may be a lower likelihood of postsurgical positive margins and subsequent need for adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 129:1844-1855, 2019.
Detection of the carrier state for classic hemophilia using an enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

A high proportion of carriers of classic hemophilia can be identified in the laboratory because, in comparison to normal women, the concentration of antigens related to antihemophilic factor (AHF, factor VIII) that are detected in their plasma by heterologous antiserum (factor VIIIR:Ag) is relatively higher than the titer of AHF that is measured in clotting assays (factor VIII:C). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) appears to overcome some of the technical difficulties associated with measurement of AHF-like antigens. The results of ELISA correlated closely with those obtained by semiquantitative immunoelectrophoresis, except in patients with von Willebrand's disease. In which ELISA appeared to provide a more quantitative estimate of AHF-like antigen. Utilizing the ELISA technique and a revised method of logarithmic discriminant analysis, we were able to distinguish all of 37 obligate carriers of hemophilia at the level of certainty that would have misclassified 5% of normal women as carriers. The relative simplicity of ELISA suggests its utility in the diagnosis of the carrier state in the female relatives of hemophiliacs.
Berry’s lesson for Lamb

A demonstration that Michael Berry’s legacy can inform our understanding of Lamb waves in stratified fluids serves as a reminder of the reach of topological thinking — as well as its potential utility.
Abstract 649: Alpha -Santalol, a component of sandalwood oil inhibits migration of breast cancer cells by targeting beta-catenin pathway

Alpha-santalol, a terpenoid found in sandalwood oil has been shown to inhibit breast cancer cell growth in vitro by inducing apoptosis but the mechanisms underlying the growth inhibitory effects of alpha-santalol are not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that alpha-santalol treatment targets Wnt/beta-catenin pathway to inhibit migration of cultured breast cancer cells. Exposure of MDA-MB 231 and MCF-7 cells to alpha-santalol resulted in a significant reduction in their migratory potential and wound healing ability. In addition alpha-santalol affected the localization of beta-catenin from cytosol to nucleus in MDA-MB 231 cells. In conclusion, the present study indicates that alpha-santalol inhibited migration of breast cancer cells may be mediated in part by targeting Wnt//β-catenin pathway, and that beta-catenin represents an important target of alpha-santalol’s response for future pre-clinical studies. Citation Format: Ajay Bommareddy, Kacey Knapp, Abigail Nemeth, Chandradhar Dwivedi. Alpha -Santalol, a component of sandalwood oil inhibits migration of breast cancer cells by targeting beta-catenin pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 649.
University and Department Influences on Scientists' Occupational Outcomes.

Over 50,000 Ph.D. degrees in Science and Engineering (S&E) are awarded annually by United States (U.S.) universities, but few studies have systematically considered how the various aspects of doctoral training can influence the occupational outcomes of S&E doctoral graduates. This inquiry draws from the National Science Foundation’s Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System to investigate how the characteristics of U.S. degree-granting departments and institutions are associated with doctoral graduates’ entrance into different career sectors (i.e., academia, industry, government). The conceptual framework is based on the Scientific and Technical Human Capital theory (Bozeman et al. in Int J Technol Manag 22(7–8):716–740, 2001) as well as Berger and Milem’s (Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research, Agathon Press, New York, 2000) model of college impact. We find that a number of university and department factors are associated with the career choice of S&E doctoral graduates after finishing their Ph.D including: (a) structural characteristics, such as geographic location and faculty composition, (b) organizational behaviors, such as those symbolizing a program’s relative emphasis on traditional academic work versus activities valued in industry, and (c) peer group characteristics such as a department’s proportion of female and minority Ph.D. students. These results will be particularly informative for policy makers, faculty and administrators in S&E programs, and prospective doctoral students.
Describing and Controlling Multivariate Dynamical Systems: A Boolean Network Method

Dynamical systems methods have been instrumental in explaining mechanisms of change in psychological systems and predicting future trajectories (Chow, Ferrer, & Hsieh, 2010). The next step is to de...
Design and Construction of a Focused DNA-Encoded Library for Multivalent Chromatin Reader Proteins

Chromatin structure and function, and consequently cellular phenotype, is regulated in part by a network of chromatin-modifying enzymes that place post-translational modifications (PTMs) on histone tails. These marks serve as recruitment sites for other chromatin regulatory complexes that ‘read’ these PTMs. High-quality chemical probes that can block reader functions of proteins involved in chromatin regulation are important tools to improve our understanding of pathways involved in chromatin dynamics. Insight into the intricate system of chromatin PTMs and their context within the epigenome is also therapeutically important as misregulation of this complex system is implicated in numerous human diseases. Using computational methods, along with structure-based knowledge, we have designed and constructed a focused DNA-Encoded Library (DEL) containing approximately 60,000 compounds targeting bi-valent methyl-lysine (Kme) reader domains. Additionally, we have constructed DNA-barcoded control compounds to allow optimization of selection conditions using a model Kme reader domain. We anticipate that this target-class focused approach will serve as a new method for rapid discovery of inhibitors for multivalent chromatin reader domains.
Mechanism of negative membrane curvature generation by the IRSP53 I-BAR domain

Abstract The membrane sculpting ability of BAR domains has been attributed to the intrinsic curvature of their banana-shaped dimeric structure. However, there is often a mismatch between this intrinsic curvature and the diameter of the membrane tubules generated. For example, I-BAR domains are almost flat but generate much higher membrane curvature. Furthermore, F-BAR and I-BAR domains are quite similar, but the former generates positive curvature and the latter negative curvature. Here, we use implicit-solvent computer modeling to show that the membrane bending of the IRSP53 I-BAR domain is dictated by its oligomeric structure, whose curvature is completely unrelated to the intrinsic curvature of the dimer. We find that I-BAR dimers undergo lateral and end-to-end interactions to form higher oligomers. The lateral interactions, which can occur with varying register, are stronger and give a curved shape that has the membrane binding interface on its convex surface. Two other I-BARs (MIM and I-BARa) gave similar results, whereas a flat F-BAR sheet curved to make its membrane binding interface concave, consistent with positive membrane curvature generation. Individual dimers orient parallel to the tube axis when the tube radius is small, whereas perpendicular orientation is preferred for larger diameter tubes. This orientational preference exists even in the higher oligomeric form. Helical spirals on tube interiors are stable at a density comparable to experimental measurements. The sorting ratio computed from our membrane binding energies is also consistent with experimental measurements. Significance Statement Changes in membrane shape are required in numerous biological processes, such as endocytosis/exocytosis, viral budding, filopodia formation, etc. The BAR domains are one protein family that mediates these changes, but their mechanism of action is not entirely clear. The BAR domains possess an intrinsic curvature but this curvature often does not match the curvature of the membranes generated.This is especially true of the I-BAR domains which are known to generate negative curvature. Here, we show that a well-studied I-BAR domain forms oligomers that possess a curvature unrelated to the intrinsic curvature of individual dimers and matches the membrane curvatures generated. This resolves a long-standing mystery about the mechanism of negative membrane curvature generation.
Health-Related Quality of Life and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Radiation Oncology Clinical Trials.

The importance of assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is now well recognized as an essential measure when evaluating the effectiveness of new cancer therapies. Quality of life measures provide for a multi-dimensional understanding of the impact of cancer treatment on measures ranging from functional, psychological, and social aspects of a patient’s health. Patient-reported outcomes provide for an assessment of physical and functional symptoms that are directly elicited from patients. Collection of PROs and HRQoL data has been shown to not only be feasible but also provide for reliable measures that correlate with established outcome measures better than clinician-scored toxicities. The importance of HRQoL measures has been emphasized by both patients and clinicians, as well as policy makers and regulatory bodies. Given the benefits associated with measuring HRQoL and PROs in oncology clinical trials, it is increasingly important to establish methods to effectively incorporate PROs and HRQoL measures into routine clinical practice.
Ab Initio Thermodynamics and Kinetics of the Lattice Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Iridium Oxides

Iridium-oxide-based catalysts are among the most active and stable materials for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic media, but even their longevity represents an important issue. ...
Social Network Analysis

The tendency of humans to connect with one another is a deep-rooted social need that precedes the advent of the Web and Internet technologies. In the past, social interactions were achieved through face-to-face contact, postal mail, and telecommunication technologies. The last of these is also relatively recent when compared with the history of mankind. However, the popularization of the Web and Internet technologies has opened up entirely new avenues for enabling the seamless interaction of geographically distributed participants. This extraordinary potential of the Web was observed during its infancy by its visionary founders. However, it required a decade before the true social potential of the Web could be realized. Even today, Web-based social applications continue to evolve and create an ever-increasing amount of data. This data is a treasure trove of information about user preferences, their connections, and their influences on others. Therefore, it is natural to leverage this data for analytical insights.
Teaching Ethics: See One, Do One, … Teach One?

All faculty members should have a general understanding of the field of ethics, regardless of any formal training, since instruction and training in ethical decision-making is an accreditation expectation. Additionally, whether they recognize it or not, pharmacy faculty members are involved in ethical decision-making on an almost daily basis. The aims of the current commentary are to expand on a basic approach to ethical decision-making using examples involving students or faculty members in each of the triad areas of teaching, research, and service, and serve as a starting point to enable all faculty to teach students how to work through an ethical dilemma. In particular, this commentary will focus on the initial steps involved in determining if an ethical dilemma exists, determining the facts related to the dilemma by identifying technical facts and legal constraints, and identifying the principles and values that play a role in the situation decide which are in conflict. References are provided for more in-depth review of ethics subject matter beyond the scope of this commentary.
Impact of Demand Response on Flexibility Services and Transmission Investment

This paper reports on an ongoing project to determine the effect of demand response growth on flexibility services and transmission investment within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. We describe two aspects of the work: (a) characterization of demand in terms of ability and willingness to provide flexibility services; (b) modeling approach for the MISO system and market to assess effectiveness of demand response portfolios in providing flexibility services. We conclude the paper with a summary of project next steps and a description of expected results of the project at its conclusion.
Integration of HIV Prevention With Sexual and Reproductive Health Services: Evidence for Contraceptive Options and HIV Outcomes Study Experience of Integrating Oral Pre-exposure HIV Prophylaxis in Family Planning Services in Lusaka, Zambia

The WHO guideline on integration of family planning (FP) and pre-exposure HIV prophylaxis (PrEP) to enhance the health of women and adolescent girls is reflected in the Zambia Consolidated Guidelines for Treatment and Prevention of HIV Infection 2020. There is however dearth of data on integration of PrEP and FP in Zambia. We describe the integration of oral PrEP in FP services using the ECHO study experience at Kamwala District Health Centre in Lusaka, Zambia. The provision of oral PrEP at Kamwala started in October 2017, lasting for approximately 11 months and utilized the model where initial processes to offer PrEP were on- site followed by off-site referral to laboratory and PrEP provider services. The characteristics of 658 women who enrolled in ECHO at Kamwala are representative of women accessing FP services in Lusaka. 644 of the enrollees were offered oral PrEP. The proportion of women accepting PrEP was low at 1.08% and the proportion of study visits at which PrEP was requested was also low at 0.57%. Those who accepted PrEP were above 20 years old, married, with at least primary education; sexual behavior and risk comparable to decliners. The ECHO study experience indicates that set up and integration of oral PrEP and FP services is feasible in our setting. However, uptake of PrEP was very low. Possible contributory factors were: 1) Timing of introduction of PrEP mid-way in the study, 2) PrEP being a new intervention, 3) Challenges of autonomy of young women to include a daily pill into their lives and anticipated challenges to adherence because of fear of adverse events, 4) Possible under determined risk due to use of an unvalidated risk assessment tool and assessment by health care provider versus self-assessment and 5) Extra layer of challenges to negotiate due to need for off-site referrals. Following these findings our conclusion is that further research through demonstration projects of integration of oral PrEP and FP may provide solutions to low uptake. This information is critical for scaling up of integration HIV prevention services and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services.
Soundscape manipulation enhances larval recruitment of a reef-building mollusk

Marine seafloor ecosystems, and efforts to restore them, depend critically on the influx and settlement of larvae following their pelagic dispersal period. Larval dispersal and settlement patterns are driven by a combination of physical oceanography and behavioral responses of larvae to a suite of sensory cues both in the water column and at settlement sites. There is growing evidence that the biological and physical sounds associated with adult habitats (i.e., the “soundscape”) influence larval settlement and habitat selection; however, the significance of acoustic cues is rarely tested. Here we show in a field experiment that the free-swimming larvae of an estuarine invertebrate, the eastern oyster, respond to the addition of replayed habitat-related sounds. Oyster larval recruitment was significantly higher on larval collectors exposed to oyster reef sounds compared to no-sound controls. These results provide the first field evidence that soundscape cues may attract the larval settlers of a reef-building estuarine invertebrate.
Magnetic properties of Gd x Y 1-x Fe 2 Zn 20 : Dilute, large- S moments in a nearly ferromagnetic Fermi liquid

Single crystals of the dilute, rare earth bearing, pseudo-ternary series, Gd_xY_{1-x}Fe_2Zn_{20} were grown out of Zn-rich solution. Measurements of magnetization, resistivity and heat capacity on Gd_xY_{1-x}Fe_2Zn_{20} samples reveal ferromagnetic order of Gd^{3+} local moments across virtually the whole series ($x \geq 0.02$). The magnetic properties of this series, including the ferromagnetic ordering, the reduced saturated moments at base temperature, the deviation of the susceptibilities from Curie-Weiss law and the anomalies in the resistivity, are understood within the frame work of dilute, $\textbf {S}$ moments (Gd^{3+}) embedded in a nearly ferromagnetic Fermi liquid (YFe_2Zn_{20}). The s-d model is employed to further explain the variation of $T_{\mathrm{C}}$ with x as well as the temperature dependences of of the susceptibilities.
Sporulation of Clostridium cylindrosporum on a Defined, Low-Manganese Medium

Clostridium cylindrosporum HC-1 grew and sporulated well on a defined medium. This is the first demonstration of sporulation of a purinolytic clostridium on a defined medium; manganese levels were below those considered essential for sporulation of most Bacillus species. Sporulation appeared to be initiated before exhaustion of the purine substrate.
Regulation of Aromatic Amino Acid Biosynthesis in Phenazine-Producing Strains of Pseudomonas

Regulation of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP) synthetase was studied in eight strains of Pseudomonas which synthesize phenazine compounds. Repression studies with individual aromatic amino acids led to the finding that enzyme synthesis was repressed in only one strain, P. aureofaciens B1543p, and by only one amino acid, l-tyrosine. Feedback inhibition by the aromatic amino acids varied from strain to strain in terms of the type of inhibitory control, and the particular acid or acids which inhibited. Prephenate and chorismate, as well as a number of naturally occurring phenazine compounds, inhibited the DAHP synthetase activity to varying degrees.
Role Conflict in Teacher/Coaches

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the extent and intensity of selected role conflicts encountered by teacher/coaches, the degree to which teacher/coaches share conflicts common among classroom teachers, and the degree to which selected variables are associated with the occurrence of conflict. The subjects, 201 men and women employed in the dual roles of teaching and coaching at the college, secondary, and middle/elementary levels, responded to a 10-item inventory designed to record perceived and experienced occupational conflicts in five areas. Conflicts related to Role-Overload were the most commonly perceived and most intensely experienced. Female teacher/coaches perceived more, and often experienced as much, role-related conflict as their male counterparts. Sex, years of experience, noncoaching assignment, undergraduate major, school socioeconomic status, and level of career aspiration were significant determiners of perceived and experienced conflict between the teaching and coaching roles.
Assessing the power of tag SNPs in the mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) with extremal and random samples

Recent studies have indicated that the human genome could be divided into regions with low haplotype diversity interspersed with regions of high haplotype diversity. In regions of low haplotype diversity, a small fraction of SNPs (tag SNPs) are sufficient to account for most of the haplotype diversity of the human genome. These tag SNPs can be extremely useful for testing the association of a marker locus with a qualitative or quantitative trait locus in that it may not be necessary to genotype all the SNPs. When tag SNPs are used to reduce the genotyping effort in association studies, it is important to know how much power is lost. It is also important to know how much power is gained when tag SNPs instead of the same number of randomly chosen SNPs are used. We design a simulation study to tackle these problems for a variety of quantitative association tests using either case-parent samples or unrelated population samples. First, the samples are generated based on the quantitative trait model with the assumption of either an extremal sampling scheme or a random sampling scheme. Second, a small number of samples are selected to determine the haplotype blocks and the tag SNPs. Third, the statistical power of the tests is evaluated using four kinds of data: (1) all the SNPs and the corresponding haplotypes, (2) the tag SNPs and the corresponding haplotypes, (3) the same number of evenly spaced SNPs with minor allele frequency greater than a threshold and the corresponding haplotypes, (4) the same number of randomly chosen SNPs and their corresponding haplotypes. Our results suggest that in most situations genotyping efforts can be significantly reduced by using tag SNPs for mapping the QTL in association studies without much loss of power, which is consistent with previous studies on association mapping of qualitative traits. For all situations considered, two-locus haplotype analysis using tag SNPs are more powerful than those using the same number of randomly selected SNPs, but the degree of such power differences depends upon the sampling scheme and the population history.
Targeting Transcription Factors in Cancer

Transcription factors (TFs) are commonly deregulated in the pathogenesis of human cancer and are a major class of cancer cell dependencies. Consequently, targeting of TFs can be highly effective in treating particular malignancies, as highlighted by the clinical efficacy of agents that target nuclear hormone receptors. In this review we discuss recent advances in our understanding of TFs as drug targets in oncology, with an emphasis on the emerging chemical approaches to modulate TF function. The remarkable diversity and potency of TFs as drivers of cell transformation justifies a continued pursuit of TFs as therapeutic targets for drug discovery.
A hemagglutinin of uropathogenic Escherichia coli recognizes the Dr blood group antigen.

A receptor moiety and blood group substance recognized by the O75X adhesin was studied. Well-defined erythrocytes representing different blood group systems and bacterial derivatives carrying plasmid pBJN406 encoding the adhesin were used in a direct hemagglutination assay. We showed that Dr blood group antigen, a component of the IFC blood group complex, is the receptor for the O75X fimbrialike adhesin (Dr hemagglutinin) of uropathogenic Escherichia coli. The molecule recognized by the Dr hemagglutinin on Dr blood group substance is a chloramphenicol-like structure. The inhibitory effect of the active compounds indicates that a tyrosine-containing molecule could be a natural receptor for the Dr hemagglutinin. Dr blood group substance was found in tubular basement membrane and Bowman9s capsule of the human kidney. Specific attachment of a Dr hemagglutinin-positive bacterial strain to the kidney substructures was inhibited by chloramphenicol. Images
A 64Mb SRAM in 22nm SOI technology featuring fine-granularity power gating and low-energy power-supply-partition techniques for 37% leakage reduction

A 64Mb SRAM is fabricated in a 22nm high-performance SOI technology [1]. The ever-increasing integration needs of complex SoC are driving the reduction of SRAM leakage power and increase in memory density. While the area and leakage power benefits of eDRAM continue to be leveraged in applications with large contiguous memory blocks [2], SRAM leakage remains a significant portion of the total SoC power. This work describes an SRAM that is optimized for leakage and performance as top priorities over density. The SRAM features a new bitcell (BC) implemented with a fine-granularity power-gating (FGPG) technique to reduce BC leakage by 37%. FGPG improves leakage reduction by 2× compared to bank-based power-gating (PG) techniques [3-4]. Periphery leakage is also reduced by 40% from the previous design [5] with a low-energy power-supply-partition design that leverages higher Vt devices operating at a higher supply voltage. This scheme alone provides an 8% improvement in performance with a small compromise to the AC power.
Strategy, Economic Relations, and the Definition of National Interests

This article addresses the ways that economic incentives shape national interests and foreign policies, applying arguments that are derived from Albert Hirschman's National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade (Albert O. Hirschman, National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade (1945; Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980). Hirschman's focus was on the political consequences of asymmetric economic relationships, and he illustrated these with a study of German trade strategy in the interwar period. National Power also illustrated how the pattern of economic relations can profoundly affect international politics by shaping the way governments define their interests. Although states must always provide for their own security, different domestic political actors typically have competing visions of their country's best interests. Basic foreign policy choices often result from domestic political struggles, and the foreign economic policies of other states affect the outcomes of those internal political contests.
Photosynthetic recovery of the resurrection plant Selaginella lepidophylla (Hook. and Grev.) Spring: effects of prior desiccation rate and mechanisms of desiccation damage

The effects of desiccation rate on photosynthetic recovery of the resurrection plant Selaginella lepidophylla (Hook. and Grev.) Spring were examined. Gas exchange over a 24 h rehydration period, ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase conservation in desiccated fronds, de novo protein synthesis rate during rehydration, and frond leakage rate during rehydration were measured following desiccation at various rates. Seven-day hydrated, fully recovered plants were dried at four rates. The initial decline in tissue fresh weight/dry weight ratio was essentially linear to a ratio value of 1.35, the point at which frond curling occurred, but slowed thereafter. Frond curling required 5.5, 52, 94, and 175 h of desiccation, respectively, for the four treatments.The rate of net photosynthesis after 24 h of rehydration was greatest for the two intermediate drying speeds; both very rapid and very slow drying were associated with significantly reduced rates. Electrolyte leakage was greatest following very rapid drying and de novo protein synthesis was impaired following very slow drying. Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase conservation was not significantly affected by drying speed. These results support the hypothesis that desiccation injury is multicausal and that specific components of the photosynthetic recovery process respond differently to desiccation rate. However, in spite of these significant desiccation rate effects, overall photosynthetic recovery in S. lepidophylla appears to be relatively tolerant of widely varying rates of desiccation.
Librarians as providers of “legendary” customer service

Purpose – There has been a great deal of emphasis on the concept of “Legendary” customer service in the private sector these days. This concept has been reaching into more public sector organizations in recent years. Loosely defined as the pinnacle of outstanding service presently demonstrated by only a handful of recognized companies, when one examines many of the attributes of this model of service, many libraries have already adopted their own versions of it. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the environment in which librarians are providing the “Legendary” customer service model as emphasized in the private sector as a best practice, thus validating the profession's continued relevance.Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of a literature review and commentary on this topic that is now being addressed by colleagues.Findings – With the increase in patron expectations fulfilled by librarians daily, the “Legendary” service model becomes even more important to validate the exampl...
Acute Insulin Response to Leucine: A Diagnostic Tool for the Hyperinsulinism/Hyperammonemia Syndrome

Acute Insulin Response to Leucine: A Diagnostic Tool for the Hyperinsulinism/Hyperammonemia Syndrome
Comparison of morphological and conventional edge detectors in medical imaging applications

Recently, mathematical morphology has been used to develop efficient image analysis tools. This paper compares the performance of morphological and conventional edge detectors applied to radiological images. Two morphological edge detectors including the dilation residue found by subtracting the original signal from its dilation by a small structuring element, and the blur-minimization edge detector which is defined as the minimum of erosion and dilation residues of the blurred image version, are compared with the linear Laplacian and Sobel and the non-linear Robert edge detectors. Various structuring elements were used in this study: regular 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional. We utilized two criterions for edge detector's performance classification: edge point connectivity and the sensitivity to the noise. CT/MR and chest radiograph images have been used as test data. Comparison results show that the blur-minimization edge detector, with a rolling ball-like structuring element outperforms other standard linear and nonlinear edge detectors. It is less noise sensitive, and performs the most closed contours.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Exchange Rates and Relative Wages: Evidence from Mexico."

Abstract Several recent studies find significant effects of real exchange rate movements on relative wages in developed countries. Few studies focus on developing countries. In Mexico, real rate movements are closely linked to monetary expansion paired with exchange market intervention. This paper finds significant positive correlation between real exchange rates and real wages in Mexico, with the relationship weaker in industries and regions that are more exposed to foreign competition. The effects also vary by education and gender.
TDMA cluster-based MAC for VANETs (TC-MAC)

One of the challenges for Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) is the design of the Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol. When exchanging messages between vehicles, there are network issues that must be addressed, including the hidden terminal problem, high density, high node mobility, and data rate limitations. A cluster-based MAC scheme is needed in VANETs to overcome the lack of specialized hardware for infrastructure and the mobility to support network stability and channel utilization. This paper presents a MAC algorithm for vehicular ad-hoc networks using a new method for TDMA slot reservation based on clustering of vehicles. Our algorithm aims to decrease collisions and packet drops in the channel, as well as provide fairness in sharing the wireless medium and minimizing the effect of hidden terminals.
Slit-Function Corrections Applied to Laser-Excited Raman Bands of Liquids

The use of small spectral slitwidths complicates Raman intensity measurements of laser-excited spectra. The nature of the slit-function correction in medium-resolution laser-Raman instruments is discussed and some effects of asymmetric slit functions on asymmetric and symmetric Raman bands are explored. Corrections to bandwidth and band shape for nonideal slit functions are obtained from the concept of an intermediate standard which represents the pure slit function at some limiting spectral slitwidth. The corrections are applied to the contours of the Raman bands of CCl4 at 458 cm−1 and CH3OH at 1028 cm−1, and the corrected contour of the 1028-cm−1 band is compared to that obtained for the same band on a high-resolution laser-Raman spectrometer. A codification of Raman band shapes by means of two shape parameters is discussed.
Toward Design of Regulations for the Built Environment

Regulations for the built environment are as old as civilization, but we still lack a theory about how to design them. Regulations are artifacts, composed of rules that are self-reflexive, leading ...
Improved supersonic performance for the F-16 inlet modified for the J79 engine

The F-16 inlet modified for the J79-GE-119 engine, the integration of a new inlet incorporated into the F16A/B airframe, a new inlet bleed system, the design philosophy, development tests, and performance of the inlet throughout the flight and maneuver envelope are reviewed. Model data are included which show the performance of the inlet in terms of pressure recovery, distortion, and turbulence. An engine bypass sytem was developed for providing cooling air for the hot engine case and exhaust nozzle, to provide good ejector exhaust nozzle performance, and to maintain stable inlet operation at high Mach numbers. The F-16/79 inlet retains the same location, capture area, cross-sectional shape, and duct length. The additions are a longer compression ramp composed of a fixed and curved ramp surface for improved high Mach number performance and a throat slot boundary-layer control for reduced shock interaction. These improvements provide a 20% increase in pressure recovery and 60% decrease in spill drag at Mach 2.0.
LM Tests for Functional Form and Spatial Error Correlation

This paper derives Lagrangian multiplier (LM) tests to jointly test for functional form and spatial error correlation. In particular, this paper tests for linear and log-linear models with no spatial error dependence against a more general Box-Cox model with spatial error correlation. Conditional LM tests and modified Rao score tests that guard against local misspecification are also derived. These tests are easy to implement and are illustrated using Anselin’s crime data. The performance of these tests is also compared using Monte Carlo experiments.
Velocity distributions of sputtered excited potassium atoms

Abstract We measured the Doppler broadened line profiles of the K I doublet (766.49 and 769.90 nm) emitted by excited K atoms sputtered from KCl and KI single crystal surfaces undergoing energetic Ar+ and Kr+ ion bombardment. The Doppler profiles were analyzed within the framework of the Thompson-Sigmund collision cascade theory. Our results show that (i) the velocity distributions are broader than those given by the Thompson-Sigmund model, (ii) the kinetic energies of the sputtered excited atoms determined through the linewidths are generally low and typically less than 40 eV, and (iii) there is substantial cascade repopulation of the K I doublet transitions.
Remarks on the travelling wave decomposition

SUMMARY In elastic wave propagation on a spherically symmetric earth model, a normal mode sum is converted into a sum of equivalent travelling waves by means of a travelling wave decomposition (TWD). For two decades, seismologists have assumed that each travelling wave in the TWD is associated with only real phase velocities, that is, no evanescent waves travel on a spherically symmetric earth model. In this paper, this assumption is proven false. By including a countably infinite set of waves travelling as evanescent waves, several conceptual difficulties confronting the TWD are resolved.
IX—Conflicting Appearances, Necessity and the Irreducibility of Propositions about Colours

Parts I and II of ‘Conflicting Appearances’ Necessity and the Irreducibility of Propositions about Colours’ review the argument from ‘conflicting appearances’ for the view that nothing has any one colour. I take further a well-known criticism of the argument made by Austin and Burnyeat. In Part III I undertake the task of positive construction, offering a theory of what it is that all things coloured a particular colour have in common. I end, in Part IV, by arguing that the resulting ‘colour phenomenalism’, rather than physicalism, is required to give a satisfactory account of the necessity of Wittgenstein's ‘puzzle propositions’ about colour.
Evolution of marrow regeneration as revealed by transplantation studies.

Abstract This study is concerned with the regeneration of bone marrow as an organized tissue. It is addressed specifically to the time in the regenerative program when the emerging tissue acquires the potential to reconstitute marrow. The evolution of this potential was investigated in rabbits by making autologous subcutaneous implants of tissue obtained at intervals after evacuation of a femur shaft. Analysis of 140 implant sites (89 of regenerating tissue and 51 of normal marrow) reveals a striking similarity in development of implants of a 2 to 4 day regenerating tissue and of normal marrow. New marrow encapsulated by bone can be seen in each instance 5 weeks after implantation. This property of regenerating tissue is uncovered before there are any obvious hemic elements. Significantly, the likelihood of a take is greatly increased when the implant contains a connective tissue. Marrow was always found in the implantation site when an ossicle was forming. It never occurred in the absence of bone. We conclude from this study that the appearance of modulated mesenchymal elements in the early regenerating tissue imparts the quality of normal marrow.
Modulation of Muscle Force by Recruitment During Intramuscular Stimulation

The input?output relationships for modulation of force by recruitment during intramuscular electrical stimulation were examined for cat sleus muscles and human finger and thumb muscles. Recruitment was modulated by varying either the pulsewidth or amplitude of a monophasic, rectangular, cathodal current pulse train. Force was a nonlinear function of either pulsewidth or amplitude, and the shape of the nonlinearity was the same regardless of which parameter was modulated. The charge per stimulus pulse was lowest if pulsewidth was modulated with a fixed, high amplitude stimulus. The shape of the nonlinear relationship between pulsewidth and force (recruitment characteristic) depended on stimulus amplitude, electrode location in the muscle and muscle length. In most applications the amplitude and location would be fixed, so force would be a two-dimensional nonlinear function of pulsewidth and muscle length. The results are discussed with respect to possible mechanisns of recruitment during intramuscular stimulation, and the implications of the nonlinearities on the proportional control of orthoses employing electrically stimulated muscles.
Matrix rules: microfibrillar protein controls vascular development

Comment on Chen et al, page [4364][1] In this issue, Chen and colleagues describe how a component of the extracellular matrix, microfibril-associated glycoprotein-1 (MAGP-1), plays a critical role in the vascular development of zebrafish by regulating blood vessel wall integrity and function via
Drug combinations and interactions with class III agents.

Drug combinations with class III antiarrhythmic agents have not been studied systematically. There are data indicating that enhanced efficacy as evaluated by electrophysiologic studies can be obtained by combining sotalol and a type Ia drug or amiodarone with low-dose β-blocking drugs. Combining amiodarone with a type Ia or Ic drug or with a β-blocking drug can slow the rate of ventricular tachycardia to make the ventricular tachycardia hemodynamically well tolerated. Pharmacokinetic drug interactions with amiodarone are extensive
Ethics Education for Information Professionals

Originally called the ethics of information in society, Information Ethics (IE) has received increased attention in the LIS profession and education. Several LIS programs have incorporated IE into their curricula, both as stand-alone courses and as part of other courses. Because most LIS students entering programs have little experience in libraries or in management, LIS programs must focus on introducing students to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for the profession. Building on the author's earlier writings and experience in LIS, this paper provides an overview of IE education, using the University of Pittsburgh as a case study, and addresses the questions of what IE content should be included in LIS programs, how the content should be taught, and by whom.
Quality of Life for Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The caregivers of 61 eligible children (6 months to 12 years old) completed a 20-item (OSA-20) health-related quality-of-life survey after polysomnography was performed to psychometrically validate the OSA-20. Excellent test-retest reliability was obtained for the individual survey items (R>0.74). Construct validity was shown by significant correlation of the mean survey score with the respiratory distress index (R = 0.43) and adenoid size (R = 0.43). Two items with poor validity were dropped, reducing the survey to 18 items (OSA-18). The relationship between the OSA-18 summary score and respiratory distress index remained significant when adjusted for tonsil size, adenoid size, body mass index, and child age. On the basis of the total survey score, the impact of OSAS on quality of life was small for 20 children (33%), moderate for 19 (31%), and large for 22 (36%). The OSA-18 is a practical means of office-based determination of quality-of-life impact for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children.
Perceptions of Weight Loss Experience Between African-Americans and Caucasians: A Pilot Study

Background Obesity is a growing epidemic in the USA, which leads to comorbidities associated with diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, cancer, gallbladder disease, and dyslipidemia. The purpose of this study is to identify perceptions of weight loss experience between African-American (AA) and Caucasian patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Blinkered Visions: Islamic Identity, Hui Ethnicity, and the Panthay Rebellion in Southwest China, 1856—1873

On 19 may 1856, qing officials in kunming, the capital of the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan, systematically carried out a three-day massacre of the city's Hui (Muslim Yunnanese). Han townspeople, the local militia, and imperial officials methodically slaughtered between four and seven thousand Yunnan Hui—men, women, and children—burned the city's mosques to the ground, and posted orders to exterminate the Hui in every prefecture, department, and district in Yunnan (QPHF 1968, 6:20a, 8:4a; Gui 1953, 73). This massacre and the widespread attacks that followed signaled the beginning of the eighteen-year Hui-led Panthay Rebellion (1856–73).
A cross-interval spike train analysis: the correlation between spike generation and temporal integration of doublets

A stochastic spike train analysis technique is introduced to reveal the correlation between the firing of the next spike and the temporal integration period of two consecutive spikes (i.e., a doublet). Statistics of spike firing times between neurons are established to obtain the conditional probability of spike firing in relation to the integration period. The existence of a temporal integration period is deduced from the time interval between two consecutive spikes fired in a reference neuron as a precondition to the generation of the next spike in a compared neuron. This analysis can show whether the coupled spike firing in the compared neuron is correlated with the last or the second-to-last spike in the reference neuron. Analysis of simulated and experimentally recorded biological spike trains shows that the effects of excitatory and inhibitory temporal integration are extracted by this method without relying on any subthreshold potential recordings. The analysis also shows that, with temporal integration, a neuron driven by random firing patterns can produce fairly regular firing patterns under appropriate conditions. This regularity in firing can be enhanced by temporal integration of spikes in a chain of polysynaptically connected neurons. The bandpass filtering of spike firings by temporal integration is discussed. The results also reveal that signal transmission delays may be attributed not just to conduction and synaptic delays, but also to the delay time needed for temporal integration.