cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-Efficient Geo-Obfuscation to Protect Worker Location Privacy over Road Networks in Spatial Crowdsourcing

To promote cost-effective task assignment in Spatial Crowdsourcing (SC), workers are required to report their location to servers, which raises serious privacy concerns. As a solution, geo-obfuscation has been widely used to protect the location privacy of SC workers, where workers are allowed to report perturbed location instead of the true location. Yet, most existing geo-obfuscation methods consider workers? mobility on a 2 dimensional (2D) plane, wherein workers can move in arbitrary directions. Unfortunately, 2D-based geo-obfuscation is likely to generate high traveling cost for task assignment over roads, as it cannot accurately estimate the traveling costs distortion caused by location obfuscation. In this paper, we tackle the SC worker location privacy problem over road networks. Considering the network-constrained mobility features of workers, we describe workers? mobility by a weighted directed graph, which considers the dynamic traffic condition and road network topology. Based on the graph model, we design a geo-obfuscation (GO) function for workers to maximize the workers? overall location privacy without compromising the task assignment efficiency. We formulate the problem of deriving the optimal GO function as a linear programming (LP) problem. By using the angular block structure of the LP's constraint matrix, we apply Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition to improve the time-efficiency of the GO function generation. Our experimental results in the real-trace driven simulation and the real-world experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in terms of both privacy and task assignment efficiency.
Learning From Those who Learned: A Survey of Fellowship Trained HoLEP Surgeons and Their Current Practice Patterns.

ABSTRACT Objective To gain insight from the experience of learning Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), teaching HoLEP, and the current HoLEP practice patterns of fellowship-trained endourologists. Methods Surveys were electronically distributed to United States (U.S.) practicing urologists who completed American Endourology fellowships (that included HoLEP) within the past 6 years. Questions focused on HoLEP training and current practice patterns. Results As of September 2019, 12% (6/49) of U.S. endourology fellowships reported including HoLEP as a component of training. With a 73% response rate (16 of 22), 81% participated in over 20 cases during training, while 50% participated in over 50. A total of 25% independently completed over 50 cases from start to finish. At training completion, most (80%) felt comfortable/somewhat comfortable completing an entire HoLEP independently and managing post-op complications. Seventy-five percent practice HoLEP currently, and 25% teach to trainees. When asked “What is most challenging about HoLEP in current practice?” common responses were: efficiency/profitability concerns, poor reimbursement, educating OR/hospital staff, establishing case volume, minimizing sphincter trauma, and large glands (>200gm). Conclusion With diverse exposure in fellowship, most incorporate HoLEP into their practice after training. Aspects of the procedure remain challenging after several years of experience. Profitability/reimbursement concerns should be further explored to increase HoLEP adoption.
What is a face worth? Facial attractiveness biases experience-based monetary decision-making

There is ample evidence that attractive individuals, across diverse domains, are judged more favourably. But most research has focused on single/one-shot decisions, where decision-makers receive no feedback following their decisions, and outcomes of their judgements are inconsequential to the self. Would attractive individuals still be judged favourably in experience-based decision-making where people make iterative decisions and receive consequential feedback (money gained/lost) following each decision? To investigate this question, participants viewed headshots of four financial partners presented side-by-side and repeatedly (over 50-100 trials) selected partners that would help maximize their profits. Following every partner-selection, participants received feedback about the net monetary gains/losses the partner had conferred. Unbeknownst to participants, two partners (one attractive, one unattractive) were equally advantageous (conferred net-gains overtime) and two partners (one attractive and one unattractive) were equally disadvantageous (conferred net-losses overtime). Even though attractive and unattractive partners were equally profitable and despite receiving feedback, participants selected attractive partners more throughout the task were quicker to reselect them even when they conferred losses and judged them as more helpful. Indeed, attractive-disadvantageous partners were preferred to the same extent (or more) as unattractive-advantageous partners. Importantly, the effect of attractiveness on decision-making was fully explained by the perceived trustworthiness of the financial partners.
Redundant Information and Predictable Intraday Returns

This paper examines how well investors distinguish between genuinely novel private information and information that already is priced (labeled "redundant information"). We derive a structural model of stock price returns that identifies investors’ non-Bayesian weighting of redundant information distinctly from information asymmetry, transaction costs, and serially correlated liquidity trader demand. We estimate this model using five-minute, 12-minute, and 30-minute returns and find that, on average, investors behave as if over 47 percent of the information content in the immediately prior price change is private information. These results suggest an information-processing mechanism that drives momentum and mean reversion in intraday returns.
Azithromycin Versus Erythromycin Infusions in Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background: Intravenous erythromycin prior to endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) improves outcomes but requires immediate preparation delaying administration in emergency cases. Azithromycin is readily available and does not require prolonged preparation. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of azithromycin in improving the quality of endoscopic visualization in upper GIB compared to erythromycin. Methods: Patients admitted with upper GIB who received erythromycin or azithromycin before urgent endoscopy were included. Primary outcome of the quality of visualization was assessed by two gastroenterologists, blinded to the choice of infusion, using a scoring system ranging from 0 to 8, with a maximum of 2 points assigned to the fundus, body, antrum and bulb. Results: Sixty-six patients were included; 25 received azithromycin and 41 received erythromycin. Mean total visualization score was significantly higher with azithromycin compared to that with erythromycin (6.8 ± 1.4 vs 5.5 ± 2.2, respectively; P=0.01) and remained significant after adjusting for confounders (Diff: 0.01, 1.88; P=0.05). Secondary outcomes analyses showed a shorter LOS when given azithromycin compared to erythromycin {6 (3-9) vs 8 (7-16) days, respectively, CI: 1.03, 3.89; P = 0.04}. Time between initiating the infusion and endoscopy was longer with azithromycin (Diff = 40.64 min; 95% CI: 7.23, 74.05; P=0.02). Need for second look endoscopy, procedure time, blood transfusion requirements and procedure-related complications did not differ between the groups. Conclusions: Azithromycin infusion before endoscopy for upper GIB was associated with better visualization than that of erythromycin. Randomized trials are needed to validate these findings. Funding: None. Declaration of Interest: All authors report no conflict of interest in relation to this study. Ethical Approval: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Virginia Commonwealth University.
Latency Aware Transmission Scheduling for Steerable Free Space Optics

Free space optics (FSO) has been demonstrated as a secure and high-speed solution for long distance and line-of-sight wireless communications. Applying FSO as fronthaul/backhaul communications between base stations (BSs) and the gateway can significantly increase the fronthaul/backhaul link capacity. Traditionally, the gateway has to be equipped with multiple FSO transceivers, each of which is used to communicate with a BS by establishing a dedicated FSO. In this paper, we propose to use a steerable FSO system, where the gateway is equipped with a steerable FSO transceiver to communicate with multiple FSO transceivers at different BSs in a time division multiplexing manner. Applying the steerable FSO system can reduce the number of FSO transceivers at the gateway, and thus reduce the capital cost of implementing an FSO based fronthaul/backhaul network. We formulate the transmission scheduling problem in the steerable FSO system to optimize the active time for each FSO link associated with the steerable FSO transceiver such that the overall delay of transmitting a packet from geo-distributed BSs to the steerable FSO transceiver at the gateway is minimized, while the latency requirements of the BSs are met. We propose the laTency aWare transmIssion Scheduling for sTeerable FSO (TWIST) algorithm to efficiently solve the proposed problem.
Mac Revisited: Mechanised Algebraic Operations on Fourth Generation Computers

Via the facilities provided by PL/I, the operating system is extended to allow automatic manipulations of Poisson series in literal form.
Removal of dissolved brown algal phlorotannins using insoluble polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP).

Tannins, a large and diverse group of phenolic secondary metabolites, are common in terrestrial plants and marine brown algae. It is sometimes desirable to remove the tannins from plant or algal extracts, e.g., when isolating enzymes and nucleic acids, when using certain colorimetric methods to quantify the tannin content, or to create reliable controls when using tannins in experimental studies. Insoluble polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) can be used to specifically remove tannins from solution. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of different factors (amount of PVPP, number of PVPP treatments, type of solvent, pH, and incubation time) on the PVPP removal of dissolved brown algal phlorotannins. Our results imply that there is a limited amount of phlorotannins that can bind to a given amount of PVPP, and that it is preferable to use low quantities of PVPP repeatedly, compared to using fewer treatments with a high amount of PVPP. Furthermore, we found no consistent effect on the removal of phlorotannins due to solvent type (acetone, methanol, distilled water or filtered seawater). There was a slight decrease in the amount of phlorotannins removed from extracts with increasing pH when repeatedly treated with PVPP. All phlorotannins were removed from extracts with pH ≤6.2, and 89% of the initial phlorotannin content was removed at pH 9.7. These results are compared with previous methodological studies on tannin removal with PVPP. Furthermore, the implications of phlorotannin removal in analytical and ecological investigations are discussed.
Immunizing Capacity of Viable and Killed Attenuated Mycobacterial Cells Against Experimental Tuberculous Infection

The relationship of the dose of vaccine to the immune response was determined in CF-1 mice vaccinated intraperitoneally with viable cells of the attenuated H37Ra strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and in mice vaccinated with cells of the same strain killed by autoclaving at 121 C for 15 min. The results showed, in terms of increased resistance to tuberculous infection, that the immune response with both living and killed cells was dependent upon the dose of vaccine, whereas only the living cells were dependent upon the time of challenge after vaccination. The dose response curves show dramatically that viable cells, which do not multiply in vivo, are several hundred times more effective immunizing agents against tuberculous infection than are autoclaved cells. Viable 2-week-old H37Ra cells were far more immunogenic than viable 4-week-old cells. Autoclaved 2-week-old cells, however, were no more immunogenic than autoclaved 4-week-old cells. H37Ra cells killed by boiling (98 C), exposure to 65 C for 30 min, treating with 2% phenol, or by being dried with acetone also lost most of their capacity to immunize mice. The effect of adjuvant on the immune response of mice to tuberculous infection was tested by incorporating both viable and autoclaved cells in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. We found that this vehicle had little or no effect on the immunizing capacity of either viable or heat-killed mycobacterial cells. The relationship of all the findings to the specificity of the immune response to tuberculosis is discussed.
Meconium passage: A new classification for risk assessment during labor

The significance of MSAL as a sign of fetal distress is controversial. To better assess this condition, we present a classification of MSAL based on the timing and quantity of meconium passed and divided into early light, early heavy, and late passage of MSAL. By means of this classification with a problem-oriented risk assessment system, 2,933 pregnancies were prospectively evaluated during labor. The incidence of meconium passage was 22 per cent, of which early light constituted 53.6 per cent, early heavy 25.2 per cent, and late passage 21.2 per cent. Early heavy MSAL is associated with increased fetal and neonatal morbidity and death, and with a number of antecedent obstetric problems. Late passage of MSAL encountered no perinatal losses, but is associated with increased neonatal morbidity occurring late in labor. Early light MSAL, constituting over half of all our meconium group of patients, is not associated with any increased intrapartum or neonatal morbidity or death. This classification of MSAL is an effective tool for risk assessment during labor.
Circulatory response to systemic infusion of norepinephrine in the pregnant ewe.

Abstract Seven pregnant ewes from 100 to 137 days of gestation were infused with systemic doses of norepinephrine and uterine arterial flow dose-response curves were determined. A constant infusion of norepinephrine at a mean rate of 0.24 μg per minute per kilogram led to a 39.3 per cent decrease in total uterine arterial blood flow as measured with isotope-labeled microspheres while systemic pressure was unaltered. At this dose the reduction in endometrial blood flow (−64 per cent) was significantly greater than that in either the myometrium (−45 per cent) or placental cotyledons (−31 per cent) (p
The series of organic metals (TSeF) x (TTF) 1-x -TCNQ — A systematic review

We review the experimental work on the alloy series (TSeF)x(TTF)1−x-TCNQ and its interpretation, emphasizing expecially those results that give information about TTF-TCNQ itself. We consider the systematic behavior of the lattice parameters, do conductivity, thermoelectric power, spin susceptibility, EPR g shift and linewidth, and diffuse X-ray scattering. We discuss the implications of this behavior for the individual roles of the two kinds of stacks, the importance of Coulomb correlations, the nature of the phase transitions, and the dimensionality of the electronic motions.
A CRISPR/Cas9 System Based Targeted Disruption of a Novel Rat Long Non-coding RNA in a Rat Genetic Model of Hypertension

High resolution mapping of a human cardiovascular locus (QT-interval) in the homologous genomic segment spanning <42.5 kb on rat chromosome 10 was previously reported as a validation study. The cri...
Tracing ancestry with methylation patterns: most crypts appear distantly related in normal adult human colon

Background The ability to discern ancestral relationships between individual human colon crypts is limited. Widely separated crypts likely trace their common ancestors to a time around birth, but closely spaced adult crypts may share more recent common ancestors if they frequently divide by fission to form clonal patches. Alternatively, adult crypts may be long-lived structures that infrequently divide or die.
Outcomes of the treatment climate in psychiatric and substance abuse programs

This study examines how key aspects of the treatment climate are related to program differences in the aggregate behaviors of patients residing in 89 psychiatric or substance abuse facilities. More active support, personal expression, and practical orientation were related to better patient functioning, more patient activity in the facility and in the community, and more use by patients of the program's health-treatment services and social-recreational activities. These results held for both patients' and staff members' consensual perceptions of the treatment climate. On the whole, these aspects of the treatment milieu were especially beneficial for groups of patients with greater psychiatric impairment.
The influence of starting state on neutron induced density changes observed in Nb-1Zr and Mo-41Re at high exposures

Abstract Both Nb-1Zr and Mo-41Re were irradiated in FFTF at five temperatures between 420 and 730°C, reaching maximum exposure levels of 58 to 111 dpa, depending on the irradiation temperature. Each alloy was irradiated in two starting conditions, cold-worked and aged or annealed and aged. The neutron-induced swelling behavior in response to starting condition was quite different for the two alloys and appeared to reflect a strong role of precipitation in each. While transmutation does not play a major role in the response of Nb-1Zr, it plays a significant role in the behavior of Mo-41Re, which becomes a heavily-precipitated Mo-Re-Os-Tc-Ru alloy. This strong response may preclude the use of Mo-Re alloys for fusion application.
Effects of using different wavelengths in wave-front sensing and correction

Adaptive-optics systems that use a return-wave concept for compensating for atmospheric turbulence distortions on a transmitted laser beam usually assume that the phase profile of the sensed radiation equals the appropriate phase profile for the laser wavelength. Certainly geometrical optics would predict this to within a scale factor directly related to the index of refraction of the air at the different wavelengths. Diffraction manifests itself in an interference phenomenon and amplitude modulation. Shorter wavelengths are more quickly affected than the longer wavelengths. When amplitude scintillation becomes important, the geometrical-optics-predicted wave-front distortions may differ from the real diffracted beam. The problem reduces to considering the phase difference measured at two different wavelengths after propagating through the same turbulence, and this paper describes these differences.
Fungal peritonitis in children on peritoneal dialysis

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis are extensively used in the management of children with end-stage renal disease and offer many advantages in comparison with hemodialysis. 1 However, peritonitis is a major complication of such therapy. Bacterial organisms are the most common causes of peritonitis, but a small percentage of the cases are of fungal origin. 2 The best treatment program for fungal peritonitis remains somewhat controversial. This is a report of our experience with nine children in whom fungal peritonitis developed during PD.
Immunofluorescent and ultrastructural studies of "sarcomeric" units in stress fibers of cultured non-muscle cells.

Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy were used to study the organization of actin, myosin and α-actinin in the “sarcomeric” units of the stress fibers of a selected non-muscle cell type. The results of indirect immunofluorescence confirm that myosin and α-actinin are periodically distributed in discrete units along stress fibers and demonstrate that they are alternately spaced. This relationship is required by a sarcomere model of stress fiber construction. A comparison between immunofluorescent and EM images of stress fibers confirms that α-actinin is confined to Z line-like dense bodies, myosin to the spaces in between. The most intriguing result is that by immunofluorescence a periodic distribution of actin can be detected in some fibers. This may indicate that even actin is periodically distributed in non-muscle “sarcomeres”.
Farm Women, Work, and Fertility

The author examines fertility among U.S. farm families in light of the economic theory of fertility. "I shall provide new evidence regarding the negative effect of female earning ability on fertility. I shall demonstrate that state-level population density an exogenous measure of the value of female time in the farm sector increases the value of the farm wifes time in off-farm market work and reduces fertility. After a review of farm family fertility I shall present estimates of fertility in the farm sector for 1980. The estimates will be discussed in a concluding section." (EXCERPT)
Buoyant plume rise in atmospheric inversions

Abstract The rise of a buoyant plume into atmospheric inversions is investigated analytically for a range of inversion rates. The analysis assumes gaussian distribution of velocity and temperature. The results show that maximum plume rise decreases with inversion intensity, and the ratio of maximum rise to the height at which zero buoyancy occurs is a function of the densimetric froude number and the inversion intensity.
Recognizing linear systems

Much research has been generated concerning the problem of finding necessary and sufficient conditions that a nonlinear system be equivalent to a linear system. In this paper we take a nonlinear control system with output and examine certain Lie derivatives. Necessary and sufficient conditions (which can be tested in a finite number of steps) that we actually have a linear system with linear output are determined.
Review and simplification of calculations in15N tracer studies

Calculations in nitrogen (N) balance research using15N involve several steps that require care to avoid errors. The objective of this paper is to provide examples of these calculations using established procedures and to present shortened alternative calculations that give the same result. The calculations examined include determination of the amount of N to apply, determination of the atom %15N abundance needed in the labeled fertilizer, preparation of the labeled fertilizer, and calculation of the fertilizer N recovered. Calculations needed in the preparation of the labeled fertilizer using established procedures include the determination of the mean atomic weight of the enriched source from which the labeled fertilizer is prepared. This determination is not needed in the shortened alternative calculations, because the procedure places the calculations on a mole basis rather than a mass basis.
Root cation exchange capacity of cotton cultivars in relation to aluminum toxicity

Abstract Root cation exchange capacity (CEC) was analyzed for four cotton cultivars (Pima S‐5, Stoneville 825, Deltapine 41 and Auburn 56) within tvo species (Gossypium barbadense and G. hirsutum) grown in control (O Al) and Al (1.5 mg/l) solution. Pima S‐5, a G. barbadense variety, had significantly (P < 0.10) lower root CEC than G. hirsutum cultivars in control (O Al) solution. Root CEC of Stoneville 825 was numerically but not significantly lower than Auburn 56 and Deltapine Al in control solution. Root CEC was significantly reduced in all cultivars when grown in Al solution. Compared to controls, Pima S‐5 and Stoneville 825 had either numerically or significantly less reduction in root CEC than Auburn 56 or Deltapine 41 in Al solution. Aluminum content of roots after CEC analysis was numerically greater in the former cultivars than the latter. The lower root CEC of Pima S‐5 and Stoneville 825 in non‐toxic conditions could provide an initially greater Al tolerance when roots grow into marginally Al tox...
Numerical modeling of slot-jet impingement cooling of a constant heat flux surface confined by a parallel wall

Abstract The flow and heat transfer characteristics in the jet impingement cooling of a constant heat flux surface have been investigated numerically. Computations are done for vertically downward directed two-dimensional confined slot jets impinging on a constant heat flux surface at the bottom. The principal objective of this study is to investigate the associated heat transfer process in the mixed convection regime. The computed flow patterns and isotherms for various domain aspect ratios and for a range of jet exit Reynolds numbers (100–500) and Richardson numbers (0–10) are analysed to understand the mixed convection heat transfer phenomena. The local and average Nusselt numbers and skin friction coefficients at the hot surface for various conditions are presented. It is observed that for a given domain aspect ratio and Richardson number, the average Nusselt number at the heat flux surface increases with increasing jet exit Reynolds number. On the other hand, for a given aspect ratio and Reynolds number the average Nusselt number does not change significantly with Richardson number indicating that the buoyancy effects are not very significant on the overall heat transfer process for the range of jet Reynolds number considered in this study.
LEPTIN TREATMENT RESCUES THE STERILITY OF GENETICALLY OBESE OB/OB MALES

Leptin, a hormone secreted from white adipose tissue, has been shown to normalize the body weight of ob/ob but not db/db mice as postulated by Coleman in his classical parabiosis experiments. The major effect of leptin is therefore to decrease food intake, thus resulting in a breakdown of fat stores. Recently, we have suggested that leptin plays a role in reproductive physiology based on the observation that leptin treatment but not food restriction rescues the sterility of ob/ob females. In the present communication, we treated sterile ob/ob males with leptin and asked whether fertility could be induced, thus selecting their reproductive ability as the endpoint of the experiment. Our results show that all food-restricted ob/ob males are unable to impregnate normal C57BL/6J females. However, all leptin-treated ob/ob males fertilized normal females mice that carried out normal pregnancies and deliveries, demonstrating that the reproductive capacity of ob/ob males was corrected only with leptin treatment. Furthermore, reproductive indices such as testicular weight and histology are normalized in leptin-treated animals. Therefore, as in ob/ob females, leptin plays a significant role in the male mouse reproductive pathways.
Acetone as a selective solvent for vegetable oils

It has been shown that useful fractionations of soyabean and linseed oils can be made, using a selective solvent consisting of 3 to 7 parts of water per 100 parts acetone. Equilibrium diagrams were determined for soybean oil, using 3.5 and 6 parts water per 100 parts acetone, and for linseed, using 5 parts water per 100 parts acetone. Operation of a packed column, 2-in. in diameter, 20 ft. high, showed that consistent H.E.T.S. values were obtained, using the above diagrams, and gave an average H.E.T.S. of 3.1 ft. for 1/4-in. berl saddles and 5.9 ft. for 1/2-in. raschig rings. The use of the equilibrium diagrams is illustrated by application to a hypothetical separation.
Augmented potassium current is a shared phenotype for two genetic defects associated with familial atrial fibrillation

Mutations in multiple genes have been implicated in familial atrial fibrillation (AF), but the underlying mechanisms, and thus implications for therapy, remain ill-defined. Among 231 participants in the Vanderbilt AF Registry, we found a mutation in KCNQ1 (encoding the alpha-subunit of slow delayed rectifier potassium current [I(Ks)]) and separately a mutation in natriuretic peptide precursor A (NPPA) gene (encoding atrial natriuretic peptide, ANP), both segregating with early onset lone AF in different kindreds. The functional effects of these mutations yielded strikingly similar I(Ks) "gain-of-function." In Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, coexpression of mutant KCNQ1 with its ancillary subunit KCNE1 generated approximately 3-fold larger currents that activated much faster than wild-type (WT)-I(Ks). Application of the WT NPPA peptide fragment produced similar changes in WT-I(Ks), and these were exaggerated with the mutant NPPA S64R peptide fragment. Anantin, a competitive ANP receptor antagonist, completely inhibited the changes in I(Ks) gating observed with NPPA S64R. Computational simulations identified accelerated transitions into open states as the mechanism for variant I(Ks) gating. Incorporating these I(Ks) changes into computed human atrial action potentials (AP) resulted in 37% shortening (120 vs. 192 ms at 300 ms cycle length), reflecting loss of the phase II dome which is dependent on L-type calcium channel current. We found striking functional similarities due to mutations in KCNQ1 and NPPA genes which led to I(Ks) "gain-of-function", atrial AP shortening, and consequently altered calcium current as a common mechanism between diverse familial AF syndromes.
Modeling Thermal Stress in Asphalt Mixtures Undergoing Glass Transition and Physical Hardening

Asphalt binders have been shown to undergo significant time-dependent stiffening when stored at low temperatures. This physical hardening has a significant effect on the laboratory performance of a...
Hypermedia and network reliability

Abstract A simple algorithm utilizing the factoring theorem and other elementary network reductions is available to determine network reliability in a number of different forms. This paper describes a computer-based implementation of such an algorithm housed in a hypermedia environment. The environment can provide for both the formulation and the solution of reliability problems. In our treatment the user draws the network interactively on the computer screen and clicks an on-screen button to perform the reliability analysis. This provides an alternative to manual calculations that become tedious or impossible with networks which are neither series-parallel nor extremely small.
The management of spastic equinovarus deformity following stroke and head injury.

Spastic equinovarus (SEV) foot deformity is common in patients with upper motor neuron syndrome (UMNS) following stroke and traumatic brain injury. UMNS is characterized by muscle weakness, spasticity...
Quantitative Studies on the Growth of Allogromia laticollaris (Foraminifera)

SYNOPSIS. The growth and reproduction of Allogromia laticollaris was studied. More schizozoites were generally produced in mixtures of food organisms than on single algal foods. In the presence of moderate numbers of bacteria, cultures with Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Chlorococcum sp., Nannochloris sp., and an unidentified chlorophyte (BL-1), added singly, were also highly productive. Schizogony was the dominant asexual form of reproduction. Binary fission and cytotomy also occurred in bacterized otherwise unfed controls. 35S and 32P are convenient labels for measuring growth of A. laticollaris when introduced into the system in the range of 1 × 104 - 1 × 105 dpm/ml (32P specific activity ∼ 2.03 MCi/g; 35S specific activity ∼ 95 μCi/g). Small allogromiids grew faster than did larger ones. By means of the Taylor series modification of the classical least-squares method, a continuous life-cycle representation was calculated for A. laticollaris for the conditions of the experiment. Four points of cell volume growth were maxima for reproduction: 1.0 × 107μ per organism for curve I; 2.2 × 107μ3 and 1.2 × 107μ3 for curve II; and 6.7 × 107μ3 for curve III.
Primary intracranial ependymoblastoma presenting as spinal cord compression due to metastasis

A primary intracranial ependymoblastoma presented only with symptoms of spinal cord compression due to metastatic spread of the tumor via the leptomeninges. Such a presentation is very rare among primary neoplasms of the central nervous system (CNS) and unique among the 12 previously reported ependymoblastomas. The previous cases all arose as primary brain tumors and several were remarkable for extensive leptomeningeal spread of the tumor. These observations and the presentation of our patient suggest that a histological diagnosis of ependymoblastoma of the spinal cord, with or without symptoms of intracranial tumor, should suggest that an intracranial primary lesion might be present.
Proportional division in a planning procedure

Abstract A public good is produced by a firm using a private good owned by potential consumers. The firm's technology and the consumers' preferences are unobservable to the Central Planning Board (CPB). The CPB's objective is to design a planning procedure that (a) converges to a Pareto-efficient and individually rational allocation and (b) taxes each consumer in proportion to his/her true marginal benefits and re-distributes the dividend generated in proportion to the taxes he/she pays. We refer to such a division of the tax burden and the dividend as the proportional division rule. Given the simultaneous requirements of (a) and (b), there is a crucial incentive problem to be resolved. We show the existence of a planning procedure that retains the convergence properties and implements the proportional rule in myopic Nash equilibrium.
Routes to metallodendrimers of the [Re6(μ3-Se)8]2+ core-containing clusters

The reaction of [Re6(μ3-Se)8(PEt3)5(MeCN)](SbF6)2 with an excess of 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (L1) and (E)-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene (L2) produced [Re6(μ3-Se)8(PEt3)5(L1)](SbF6)2 and [Re6(μ3-Se)8(PEt3)5(L2)](SbF6)2, respectively, each bearing an accessible pyridyl N atom capable of further metal coordination. Reacting these cluster complex-based ligands with [Re6(μ3-Se)8(MeCN)6](SbF6)2 afforded two heptacluster metallodendrimers, each featuring a central [Re6(μ3-Se)8]2+ cluster core surrounded by six units of [Re6(μ3-Se)8(PEt3)5]2+ via the bridging interactions of its respective dipyridyl-based ligands. Their identity and stereochemistry have been established, with the most convincing evidence furnished by a unique 77Se NMR spectroscopic study. Electrochemical studies suggest very interesting electronic properties of these novel metallodendrimers.
Delay-sensitive data gathering in wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we study data gathering in wireless sensor networks where intermediary nodes perform data aggregation with total fusion. We focus on gathering tree construction (from a general network topology) and transmission scheduling in order to minimize gathering delay. We first propose an algorithm that calculates an optimal transmission schedule and the minimal delay, for any given gathering tree. Then, we prove a lower bound, in terms of the number of nodes in the network, on the optimal gathering delay for any graph. After analyzing the gathering trees formed by several popular tree constructing algorithms, we propose an algorithm that constructs the optimal gathering tree for a complete graph. We then conduct extensive simulations to show that the proposed algorithm is also a promising approximation algorithm for arbitrary graphs. We also propose an approximation algorithm that constructs a gathering tree that achieves a maximum-degree-optimal solution.
Dynamic changes in size distribution of emulsion droplets during ethyl acetate-based microencapsulation process

This study investigated the dynamic effect of the emulsification process on emulsion droplet size in manufacturing microspheres using ethyl acetate as an organic solvent. A dispersed phase consisting of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and ethyl acetate was emulsified in a poly(vinyl alcohol) aqueous solution for a predetermined time ranging from 2 to 9, 16, 23, 30, 40, 50, or 60 minutes. Ethyl acetate was then quickly extracted to transform emulsion droplets into solidified microspheres, and their size distribution was determined. This experimental design allowed quantification of the size distribution of emulsion droplets over the course of emulsification. When emulsification time was extended from 2 to 60 minutes, the emulsion droplets decreased in size from 98.1 to 50.3 μ m and their surface area increased from 0.07 to 0.29 m2/g. Overall, prolonging emulsification time up to 60 minutes resulted in the progressive evolution of smaller emulsion droplets (1–60 μ m) and the simultaneous disappearance of larger ones (>81 μ m). Increases in the total number of microspheres and their surface area were caused mainly by continuous fragmentation of emulsion droplets before ethyl acetate extraction. The increase in the smaller microsphere population might also be due in part to shrinkage of microspheres. These results show that the onset of ethyl acetate extraction influenced the kinetics of the breakup and formation of emulsion droplets, thereby affecting to a great extent the size distribution of microspheres.
Using GIS for law enforcement.

To support traffic safety, developing a relationship between where police officers are spending their time (citation locations) and where the public is exhibiting unsafe driving behavior (crash locations) is beneficial. This short paper, from the Traffic Records Forum, held in Buffalo, NY in 2005, describes the use of geographical information systems (GIS) to map vehicle crash and traffic citation locations. With the resulting information, officers can access numerous safety-related variables; Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data is also incorporated into the database. The online portal allows officers to view tickets written, statistically analyze crash and ticket data, and with the GIS, map citation and crash location data. The author focuses on the use of these techniques in Alabama, commenting on the benefits of law enforcement officials having access to a wide range of data, including drivers license data, vehicle registrations, driver citation history, and previous jail records. The author concludes that the integration of these technologies is having a positive impact on traffic safety in Alabama.
A HYPOTHESIS FOR CONFORMATIONAL RESTRICTION IN COMPLEXES OF FORMYL COMPOUNDS WITH BORON LEWIS ACIDS. EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FOR FORMYL CH--O AND CH--F HYDROGEN BONDS

X-ray crystallographic analysis of six complexes of formyl compounds with BF or BO containing boron Lewis acids reveals in every case a geometric preference for a conformation in which the formyl group and the BF or BO bond are coplanar, or nearly so.
Medication errors in paediatric care: a systematic review of epidemiology and an evaluation of evidence supporting reduction strategy recommendations

Background: Although children are at the greatest risk for medication errors, little is known about the overall epidemiology of these errors, where the gaps are in our knowledge, and to what extent national medication error reduction strategies focus on children. Objective: To synthesise peer reviewed knowledge on children’s medication errors and on recommendations to improve paediatric medication safety by a systematic literature review. Data sources: PubMed, Embase and Cinahl from 1 January 2000 to 30 April 2005, and 11 national entities that have disseminated recommendations to improve medication safety. Study selection: Inclusion criteria were peer reviewed original data in English language. Studies that did not separately report paediatric data were excluded. Data extraction: Two reviewers screened articles for eligibility and for data extraction, and screened all national medication error reduction strategies for relevance to children. Data synthesis: From 358 articles identified, 31 were included for data extraction. The definition of medication error was non-uniform across the studies. Dispensing and administering errors were the most poorly and non-uniformly evaluated. Overall, the distributional epidemiological estimates of the relative percentages of paediatric error types were: prescribing 3–37%, dispensing 5–58%, administering 72–75%, and documentation 17–21%. 26 unique recommendations for strategies to reduce medication errors were identified; none were based on paediatric evidence. Conclusions: Medication errors occur across the entire spectrum of prescribing, dispensing, and administering, are common, and have a myriad of non-evidence based potential reduction strategies. Further research in this area needs a firmer standardisation for items such as dose ranges and definitions of medication errors, broader scope beyond inpatient prescribing errors, and prioritisation of implementation of medication error reduction strategies.
Influence of Secondary Functionalities on the Reaction Behavior of Monovinyl (Meth)Acrylates

It was observed that the incorporation of secondary functionalities in a (meth)acrylic monomer causes up to 3 orders of magnitude enhancement in the Michael addition reaction rates for amine-catalyzed Michael addition with thiols. Further, a distinct correlation between reactivity to photopolymerization and Michael addition reaction rates has been observed.
A Boundedly Rational Decision Algorithm

Cognition requires scarce inputs, including time and concentration. Since cognition is costly, sophisticated decision-makers should use mental shortcuts, or heuristics, to reduce cognitive burdens. A model is proposed and tested that is motivated by these principles. It is believed this model achieves four goals. First, the model makes quantitative behavioral predictions and, hence, provides a precise alternative to the rational-actor hypothesis. Second, the model is psychologically plausible because it is based on the actual decisions algorithms that subjects claim to use. Third, the model is empirically testable; such a test is provided in this paper. Fourth, the model is broadly applicable, because it can be used to analyze decision problems that can be represented in tree form.
Selection of patients for laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy prior to radical prostatectomy: A decision analysis

Abstract Indications for laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy prior to radical prostatectomy have not been established. Criteria to predict lymph node metastases were derived from the preoperative evaluations of 164 prostate cancer patients undergoing pelvic lymphadenectomy. Decision analysis was used to determine which criteria would be optimal indicators for laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy prior to intended radical prostatectomy. Besides a digital rectal examination suggesting uncontained tumor, which was the best indication for laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy, the most useful criteria were sonographic tumor volume ≥ 3 cc and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 20 ng/mL. If either parameter was met, the sensitivity for identifying patients with pelvic lymph node metastases was 88 percent and the positive predictive value was 42 percent. When both were met, the sensitivity fell to 47 percent but the positive predictive value increased to 67 percent. A combination of Gleason biopsy score and PSA was the best criterion that was independent of transrectal ultrasonography. Using a PSA ≥ 15 ng/mL for tumors with Gleason biopsy score ≥ 7 or a PSA ≥ 25 ng/mL for tumors with a Gleason biopsy score of 5–6 had a sensitivity of 71 percent and positive predictive value of 48 percent for identifying patients with pelvic lymph node metastases. In selecting patients for laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy prior to radical retropubic prostatectomy, criteria with a positive predictive value greater than 39 percent maximize the utility of laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy. Prior to radical perineal prostatectomy, laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy will identify pelvic lymph node metastases that would otherwise be undetected by prostatectomy alone. The sensitivity of selection criteria, therefore, should be increased, as long as the positive predictive value remains above 20 percent.
Multicolor quantum dots for molecular diagnostics of cancer

In the pursuit of sensitive and quantitative methods to detect and diagnose cancer, nanotechnology has been identified as a field of great promise. Semiconductor quantum dots are nanoparticles with intense, stable fluorescence, and could enable the detection of tens to hundreds of cancer biomarkers in blood assays, on cancer tissue biopsies, or as contrast agents for medical imaging. With the emergence of gene and protein profiling and microarray technology, high-throughput screening of biomarkers has generated databases of genomic and expression data for certain cancer types, and has identified new cancer-specific markers. Quantum dots have the potential to expand this in vitro analysis, and extend it to cellular, tissue and whole-body multiplexed cancer biomarker imaging.
Report of a new patient with transposition of the great arteries with deletion of 22q11.2

We report on a new patient with d-transposition of the great arteries who was found to have deletion of 22q11.2. He had minor facial anomalies, normal T- and B-cell subsets, and transient hypocalcemia. Similar to rare previous reports, our patient's extracardiac manifestations were relatively mild.
Diffraction Limited Imaging Using Incoherently Illuminated Holographic Masks

Experimental results of a high-resolution holographic imaging system using wave-front conjugation are demon-strated. Using an Argon laser operating at 488 nm with a coherence length of one meter, a hologram is formed from the information on a master mask that is imaged onto a high-resolution recording material with a photographic quality multi-element lens. The hologram is illuminated with a spatially and temporally filtered beam of light centered at 488 nm from a Hg arc lamp to construct the image of the master mask. The aberrations introduced by the imaging lens are eliminated through the process of reverse ray tracing back-through the original lens. The use of a spectrally-broad construction source reduces the effects of optical noise generated in the optical train during the construction of the image. Diffraction limited images are experimentally observed throughout the illuminated field.
Ultra‐High Capacitance Nitride Films Utilizing Surface Passivation on Rugged Polysilicon

This paper describes high performance capacitors formed with silicon nitride dielectrics which meet the requirements for advanced stacked storage structures in 64 Mbit DRAM and beyond. A novel combination of a rugged polysilicon bottom electrode and an ultra-thin nitride deposited with a surface passivation technique was used. We show that these structures can achieve up to 12 fF/μm 2 for 3.3 V applications. We demonstrate that 4-nm thick nitride films which feature low leakage, high capacitance, and excellent reliability can be fabricated
PDAC: a data parallel algorithm for the performance analysis of closed queueing networks

Abstract A parallel distribution analysis by chain algorithm (PDAC) is presented for the performance analysis of closed, multiple class queueing networks. The PDAC algorithm uses data parallel computation of the summation indices needed to compute the joint queue length probabilities. The computational cost of the PDAC algorithm is shown to be of polynomial order with a lower degree than the cost of the serial implementation of the DAC algorithm. Examples are presented comparing the PDAC algorithm with the DAC algorithm to illustrate its advantages and limitations.