cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A multicenter clinical trial to evaluate the topical hemostatic efficacy of fibrin sealant in burn patients.

Current surgical management of deep partial-thickness and full-thickness burn wounds involves early excision and grafting. Blood loss during these procedures can be profound, thus prompting the use of topical hemostatic agents to control and minimize hemorrhage during grafting. The primary endpoint of this multicenter trial was to evaluate the efficacy of fibrin sealant as a topical hemostatic agent during skin grafting. The secondary endpoint was to obtain data to support the existing safety profile of a human fibrin sealant (FS) in participating patients as indicated by the type, severity, and frequency of any adverse events within the 24-hour postoperative period. A multicenter prospective, open label, Phase III multicenter, randomized, comparative clinical trial evaluated the use of fibrin sealant in burn patients undergoing skin graft procedures. Each patient served as his or her own control in this randomized, unblinded study of the effect on time to hemostasis in donor sites treated with the investigational FS product. At operation, 1 contiguous donor skin harvest site was bisected into 2 equal halves, 1 of which was then randomly selected and treated with fibrin sealant. At the end of the fibrin sealant application, the time to hemostasis in each of the donor site halves was identified by the operating surgeon and recorded by the research coordinator. The use of any other topical hemostatic agents was prohibited. A significant difference (P < .001) was demonstrated in the mean time to hemostasis between the fibrin sealant treated donor sites when compared painwise to the control sites. The significant difference was consistent across the 6 participating study centers. There were no adverse events associated with the use of fibrin sealant. The investigational FS product was shown to be efficacious, because it significantly decreases the time to hemostasis at the donor skin harvest site in patients undergoing skin grafting and was noted not to cause any adverse reactions.
Spine Fractures in the Elderly

Spinal fractures in geriatric patients present a challenging set of problems for the treating surgeon. Issues of osteoporosis, pre-existing degenerative change and difficulties with imaging, make diagnosis challenging. Furthermore, elderly patients do not tolerate prolonged immobilization or extensive surgical procedures. Mechanical complications of internal fixation are frequent. This paper will review the challenges of caring for vertebral fractures in the elderly with particular focus on odontoid fractures, central cord syndrome, fractures in the previously ankylosed spine and internal fixation in osteoporotic bone.
The Use of Core Areas in Comprehensive Mitigation Strategies

Buchanan et al. (this issue) express two main concerns regarding our recent paper on mitigation of habitat "take" (Bingham & Noon 1997). First, they state that we failed to adequately discuss the appropriate use of core areas as part of an overall mitigation strategy. Specifically, they were concerned that implementation of the core area concept would lead to insufficient amounts of habitat for the conservation of Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina and S. o. occidentalis). Second, they believe that our method of calculating core areas-rules for excluding some birds from the data set-may not provide adequate representation of the habitat-area needs for a sizable proportion of the species' population. These concerns, when considered in the context of our entire paper and not in isolation, can be easily addressed. Our incentive for revisiting the core area concept was not to propose a comprehensive mitigation strategy, as suggested by Buchanan et al. Rather, our goal was to offer, in the context of habitat conservation plans (HCPs), a "defensible, repeatable, and empirical" method of estimating mitigation areas that would be a clear improvement over current, ad hoc approaches. We emphasized the biological significance of core areas, proposed an objective method for their estimation, and highlighted their potential for use in partially mitigating against the loss of habitat. In response to the concerns raised by Buchanan et al., we point out that we purposely avoided detailed discussion of the applications of the method to the mitigation of habitat take for the Spotted Owl; our paper was not meant to be an inclusive conservation strategy for this species. A comprehensive conservation strategy for the Spotted Owl, or any other species, would need to account for many additional factors (Thomas et al. 1990; Murphy & Noon 1992). Our goal was simple: to offer the core area approach as an improvement over current methods of estimating the areal requirements of terres-
Charge fluctuations, spin fluctuations, and superconductivity in the Anderson lattice model of heavy-fermion systems

We determine the quasiparticle-quasiparticle interaction within the U\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty} Anderson lattice model via an auxiliary boson (1/N) expansion to order (1/N${)}^{2}$. At leading order the interaction which is mediated by the exchange of a single zero-frequency fluctuation of the Bose field is repulsive in the p channel and attractive in the d channel. The dominant contribution to the interaction at order (1/N${)}^{2}$, which is due to spin fluctuations involving high-frequency, \ensuremath{\omega}g${T}_{K}$, fluctuations of the Bose field, is attractive in both p and d channels. The strength of this term relative to the charge fluctuation contribution is of order (${m}^{\mathrm{*}}$/m)${\mathrm{ln}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}2}$(${\mathrm{Nm}}^{\mathrm{*}}$/m), where ${m}^{\mathrm{*}}$ is the heavy-fermion mass. Thus, for parameters corresponding to the majority of systems of interest, pairing in this model is allowed in both p and d channels; the origin of the attractive interaction, as in $^{3}\mathrm{He}$, is in the exchange of spin fluctuations.
Quantum corrections in an antiferromagnet: A systematic diagrammatical treatment of the Hubbard model.

A generalized scrN-orbital Hubbard model, with scrN orbitals per site, is used to develop a systematic perturbation-theoretic expansion in powers of 1/scrN which preserves spin-rotational symmetry, and hence the Goldstone mode, order by order. This systematic approach is illustrated with a study of quantum spin fluctuations in the half-filled-band Hubbard model in the strong-coupling limit. Quantum corrections are obtained for spin-wave amplitude, its velocity, and the uniform perpendicular susceptibility to O(1/scrN), and for the sublattice magnetization to O(1/scrN${)}^{2}$. Order by order these corrections are in exact agreement with spin-wave theory, due to an equivalence between the generalized scrN-orbital Hubbard model in the strong-coupling limit and the spin-S Heisenberg model when scrN=2S. The O(1/scrN${)}^{2}$ correction to sublattice magnetization is shown to vanish due to an exact cancellation in bipartite, hypercubic lattices, and the correction (${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{c}}$-1) to spin-wave velocity is small (even in two dimensions) due to a partial cancellation. These quantum corrections appear in the exponential temperature dependence of spin-correlation length in 2D and, for the coefficient of the J/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$T term in the exponent, we obtain M(0)${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\pi}/2=1.20, in excellent agreement with recent Monte Carlo studies.
Human retinal pigment epithelium proteome changes in early diabetes

Aims/hypothesis Diabetic retinopathy is the most common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. Anatomical and functional changes occur in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) prior to clinical symptoms of the disease. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these early changes, particularly in the RPE, remain unclear. To begin defining the molecular changes associated with pre-retinopathic diabetes, we conducted a comparative proteomics study of human donor RPE.
Hypoparathyroidism with T-cell deficiency and hypoimmunoglobulinemia: Response to thymosin therapy

Abstract An infant with hypoparathyroidism, severe T-cell deficiency, and hypoimmunoglobulinemia with increased number of B cells was treated with thymosin. The initial proportion of lymphocytes forming spontaneous rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (E+) was 12% and lymphocyte phytohemagglutinin (PHA) responsiveness was absent. Two months following thymosin treatment, E+ cell proportion was 68% and PHA responsiveness approached normal. B-Cell differentiation was assayed by direct immunofluorescence after stimulation with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), irradiated allogeneic T cells and PWM, and irradiated allogeneic T cells alone. This patient's peripheral blood lymphocytes failed to produce cytoplasmic immunoglobulin positive (CIg+) plasma cells with PWM stimulation alone. Addition of irradiated allogeneic T cells to the patient's cells with PWM resulted in 3.7% plasma cell production and 1.3% without PWM. An allogeneic B-enriched cell fraction cocultured with the patient's macrophage-depleted, mononuclear cells (MDMNC), and PWM failed to induce significant plasma cell production. The patient achieved normal immunoglobulin levels following 5 months of thymosin therapy, 3 months after the restoration of T-cell number and lymphocyte PHA responsiveness. Neither antigen specific antibody nor lymphocyte responsiveness to tetanus toxoid could be demonstrated after the restoration of normal immunoglobulin levels and PHA responsiveness, despite this patient's repeated immunization with tetanus toxoid. Immunoglobulin levels, T-cell number, and lymphocyte PHA responsiveness fell to pre-treatment levels following discontinuation of thymosin therapy. The patient represents a T-cell-dependent B-cell dysfunction, correctible in vitro by the addition of allogeneic T cells and partially correctible in vivo with thymosin therapy.
Batch steeping of corn: Effects of adding lactic acid and sulfur dioxide at different times on starch yields, protein contents, and starch pasting properties

ABSTRACT The effect of adding lactic acid and sulfur dioxide at different times from the start of batch steeping on corn starch yields was studied. Five commercial hybrids were steeped with 0.5% lactic acid or 0.2% sulfur dioxide added over the first 15 hr of steeping and wet-milled following a 100-g corn wet-milling procedure. No significant differences were observed in starch yields when lactic acid was added to the steep solution (SO2 and water) from 0 hr (start of steeping) to 15 hr. Addition of SO2 to the steep solution (lactic acid and water) resulted in significantly higher average starch yields when SO2 was added between 5 and 15 hr compared with addition at 0 hr (SO2 and lactic acid for full 24 hr of steeping). Based on the results of the first experiment, a second experiment was done in which one of five original hybrids was steeped for 24 hr, during which lactic acid or SO2 was added until 23.9 hr (i.e., 5 min before milling) after the start of steeping. Similar results were found in the second...
Social Categorization and Stereotyping In vivo: The VUCA Challenge

A substantial literature has examined the nature of social categorization, a fundamental process having important implications for a wide variety of social phenomena. The great majority of this research has focused on the role of particular, clearly identified social categories (e.g. race, nationality, etc.) while ignoring or holding constant other identity dimensions. This approach has afforded considerable leverage for understanding how salient social identities influence perception, judgment, and behavior. However, it leaves unaddressed many questions about how particular social identities become salient and how (and whether) identities might be inferred when category membership is ambiguous or unknown. Everyday social perception often occurs under conditions of volatility (dynamic contexts), uncertainty (missing information), complexity (multiple bases for categorization), and ambiguity (unclear meaning of available cues). As a consequence, research must address how these factors might qualify basic processes of social categorization. Available evidence is reviewed, and directions for future research are discussed. The central importance of social categorization in shaping perception, judgment, and behavior has long been recognized. The writings of seminal theorists such as Allport (1954), Sherif (1948), and Tajfel (1974) emphasized the significance of the psychological borderlines that define membership in particular social groups, and countless studies have examined the consequences of salient category memberships on social functioning (for reviews, see Brewer & Brown, 1985; Macrae & Bodenhausen, 2000). In this article, we focus on research examining the role played by social categories in basic processes of social perception and cognition. The dominant research strategy in this domain has been straightforward and powerful: manipulate the identity of a target in a manner that makes membership in a given category salient and clear, while holding constant all else that is known about the target. Goldberg’s (1968) classic study of sex discrimination provides a prototypic example. In this research, participants evaluated the quality of written essays; essay content was held constant, but the name of the ostensible author was manipulated in a manner clearly
Oral microbiome link to neurodegeneration in glaucoma.

Background Glaucoma is a progressive optic nerve degenerative disease that often leads to blindness. Local inflammatory responses are implicated in the pathology of glaucoma. Although inflammatory episodes outside the CNS, such as those due to acute systemic infections, have been linked to central neurodegeneration, they do not appear to be relevant to glaucoma. Based on clinical observations, we hypothesized that chronic subclinical peripheral inflammation contributes to neurodegeneration in glaucoma. Methods Mouthwash specimens from patients with glaucoma and control subjects were analyzed for the amount of bacteria. To determine a possible pathogenic mechanism, low-dose subcutaneous lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was administered in two separate animal models of glaucoma. Glaucomatous neurodegeneration was assessed in the retina and optic nerve two months later. Changes in gene expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway and complement as well as changes in microglial numbers and morphology were analyzed in the retina and optic nerve. The effect of pharmacologic blockade of TLR4 with naloxone was determined. Findings Patients with glaucoma had higher bacterial oral counts compared to control subjects (p<0.017). Low-dose LPS administration in glaucoma animal models resulted in enhancement of axonal degeneration and neuronal loss. Microglial activation in the optic nerve and retina as well as upregulation of TLR4 signaling and complement system were observed. Pharmacologic blockade of TLR4 partially ameliorated the enhanced damage. Conclusions The above findings suggest that the oral microbiome contributes to glaucoma pathophysiology. A plausible mechanism by which increased bacterial loads can lead to neurodegeneration is provided by experiments in animal models of the disease and involves activation of microglia in the retina and optic nerve, mediated through TLR4 signaling and complement upregulation. The finding that commensal bacteria may play a role in the development and/or progression of glaucomatous pathology may also be relevant to other chronic neurodegenerative disorders.
Optical beamforming in receive mode of two independent simultaneous RF beams

We propose and demonstrate a novel architecture for a programmable dispersion matrix (PDM) able to process two simultaneous independent RF beams with a resolution of 3 bits. The processor takes advantage of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) encoding. In our two-channel approach, four adjacent ITU optical WDM channels are used as optical carriers. The odd and even optical carriers are independently modulated with each received RF-beam using electro-optic modulators. Thus, each pair of optical carriers directs RF information of one beam. The PDM is programmed to introduce independent true-time delays for even and odd optical channels. The PDM is based on three optical delay lines, arranged in a binary configuration. Each delay line consists of four fiber-Bragg gratings (FBG), with each FBG having a center-wavelength at one of the optical WDM channels. Beampatterns are characterized in receive mode for RF signals in 0.5-1.5 GHz frequency range obtained for target angles of 0° to 70°. The measurement results demonstrate the simultaneous processing of two received RF-beams and the squint free nature of the beamformer.
Hesitance towards voluntary medical male circumcision in Lesotho: Reconfiguring global health governance

Drawing on work examining HIV prevention initiatives in Lesotho, this paper considers the hesitation of national state actors towards the new strategy for HIV prevention – voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). Lesotho offers a representative case study on global health governance, given the country's high HIV burden and heavy dependence on foreign donor nations to implement local HIV prevention initiatives. In this paper, I use the case of VMMC opposition in Lesotho to examine how the new era of ‘partnerships’ has shifted the architecture of contemporary global health, specifically considering how global agreements are translated or negotiated into local practice. I argue that Lesotho's domestic policy-makers, in employing national statistics to assess if VMMC is an effective approach to addressing the local epidemic, are asserting a claim of expertise. In doing so, they challenge the traditional structures of global health politics, which have largely been managed by experts and funders from and in...
The effects of self-regulation on concurrent cognitive processing

Self-regulation and self-control methods have been developed primarily in laboratory situations in which subjects are passive or engage in low-demand tasks. In clinical settings self-control techniques are often advocated for handling highly demanding situations. The present study examined the effects of self-regulatory processes on a primary task that requires focused attention and cognitive rehearsal. Ninety-four subjects in a 3(CPAT difficulty) ×3(type of secondary task) factorial design worked on a Continuous Paired Associate Task (CPAT). At regular intervals subjects were given either a selfregulatory task or simple math problems, or a 10-second delay was introduced. After 60 minutes, subjects could continue or quit. CPAT accuracy immediately following the secondary task or the delay decreased significantly in comparison to the preceding or subsequent intervals. Subjects who worked on the easiest CPAT or with the Delay interruption showed significantly smaller decrements in performance. Subjects who were given a self-regulation task completed the fewest trial blocks voluntarily. The detrimental effects of the secondary self-regulation task on a complex cognitive task suggest that the beneficial effects of self-regulatory techniques may be limited. They caution against their therapeutic use in stressful situations that require concurrent performance on a cognitively demanding task.
Response of oceanic hydrate-bearing sediments to thermalstresses

In this study, we evaluate the response of oceanicsubsurface systems to thermal stresses caused by the flow of warm fluidsthrough noninsulated well systems crossing hydrate-bearing sediments.Heat transport from warm fluids, originating from deeper reservoirs underproduction, into the geologic media can cause dissociation of the gashydrates. The objective of this study is to determine whether gasevolution from hydrate dissociation can lead to excessive pressurebuildup, and possibly to fracturing of hydrate-bearing formations andtheir confining layers, with potentially adverse consequences on thestability of the suboceanic subsurface. This study also aims to determinewhether the loss of the hydrate--known to have a strong cementing effecton the porous media--in the vicinity of the well, coupled with thesignificant pressure increases, can undermine the structural stability ofthe well assembly.Scoping 1D simulations indicated that the formationintrinsic permeability, the pore compressibility, the temperature of theproduced fluids andthe initial hydrate saturation are the most importantfactors affecting the system response, while the thermal conductivity andporosity (above a certain level) appear to have a secondary effect.Large-scale simulations of realistic systems were also conducted,involving complex well designs and multilayered geologic media withnonuniform distribution of properties and initial hydrate saturationsthat are typical of those expected in natural oceanic systems. Theresults of the 2D study indicatemore » that although the dissociation radiusremains rather limited even after long-term production, low intrinsicpermeability and/or high hydrate saturation can lead to the evolution ofhigh pressures that can threaten the formation and its boundaries withfracturing. Although lower maximum pressures are observed in the absenceof bottom confining layers and in deeper (and thus warmer and morepressurized) systems, the reduction is limited. Wellbore designs withgravel packs that allow gas venting and pressure relief result insubstantially lower pressures.« less
Combined inguinal hernia repair with prosthetic mesh during transperitoneal robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a 4-year experience.

Purpose: Inguinal hernias are detected in 20% to 30% of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. We report our experience with concomitant transperitoneal robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and intraperitoneal inguinal herniorrhaphy using prosthetic mesh.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed of the medical records of 533 consecutive robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomies performed by 1 surgeon from June 2002 to April 2007. All cases that included combined herniorrhaphy were recorded in a prospective database, reviewed and compared against a cohort of patients matched for body mass index and age who underwent robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy alone.Results: A total of 49 concurrent herniorrhaphy procedures were performed in 40 patients for 31 unilateral (left side in 30 and right side in 19) and 9 bilateral inguinal hernias. Five patients underwent prior ipsilateral inguinal herniorrhaphy, and 3 each underwent contralateral and prior bilat...
Linkage disequilibrium between loci with unknown phase

Linkage disequilibrium is often measured by two statistics, D and r, which can be interpreted as the covariance and the correlation between loci and across gametes. When data consist of diploid genotypes, however, gametes cannot be identified. A variety of iterative statistical methods are used in such cases, all of which assume random mating. Previous work has shown that D and r can be expressed as covariances and correlations across diploid genotypes, provided that mating is random. We show here that this result also holds approximately when mating is nonrandom. This provides a means of estimating these parameters without iteration and without assuming random mating. This estimator is nearly as accurate as the widely used EM estimator and is many times faster.
BACK DISORDER INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR MASS TRANSIT OPERATORS EXPOSED TO WHOLE-BODY VIBRATION—COMPARISON OF TWO TRANSIT SYSTEM APPROACHES AND PRACTICES

Abstract Occupational long-term whole-body vibration (WBV) has been recognized as a major risk factor for low back disorders, one of the most important reasons for medical impairment and early permanent disability among mass transit operators. Although no firm health and safety vibration exposure threshold limits have been established, the available data suggests that rail vehicle operators would probably fall under the proposed WBV “action levels” of the EU directive provisions for protection from physical hazards. This provision calls for technical, administrative and medical controls. This paper examines and compares the current conditions, provisions and plans of two major mass transit systems, the New Yorker MTA and the Munich MVV. The available data, information and publications (English/German) on working conditions, vibration exposure, epidemiology and intervention strategies (primary and secondary prevention) for rail bound mass transit workers were reviewed. Results strongly suggest that the MTA transit system has currently and in the near future no effective and meaningful controls in place to significantly reduce the WBV exposure of subway operators. It appears that the MVV system has more and better control measures in place to reduce harmful effects of WBV. Results of a scientific evaluation of a participatory, collaborative project in the MVV system suggest that the MVV may have developed a successful method of a “condition prevention” (Verhaltnispravention)—and “behavioral prevention” (Verhaltenspravention) intervention strategy, which appears beneficial for WBV exposed workers with existing low back pain. Long-term outcomes and benefits need to be assessed further.
Engineering poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) copolymer composition in E. coli

A strain of Escherichia coli was metabolically engineered to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) of specified composition between 5% and 18% HV. A gene encoding propionyl-CoA synthetase (prpE from S. enterica) was placed under the control of the IPTG-inducible tac promoter (PtaclacUV5) while the polyhydroxyalkanoate synthesis operon (phaBCA) from R. eutropha was expressed constitutively. A strain of E. coli harboring both plasmids was grown in defined medium and PHBV was produced with specified hydroxyvalerate (HV) molar content between 5% and 18%. The molecular weight of the copolymer was ∼700,000 across various HV contents, and average polydispersity was ∼ 1.3. The majority of the PHBV production occurred during the late exponential/stationary phase. The HV content of the copolymer generally peaked early in the incubation before falling to its final value. We found that the time profiles of PrpE activity, propionyl-CoA, and acetyl-CoA were well correlated to the HV content time profile. Despite an abundance of propionyl-CoA, incorporation of HV into the copolymer was inefficient. Therefore, both the PHA operon and conditions affecting the availability of propionyl-CoA must be chosen carefully to achieve the desired HV content. The ability to engineer copolymer composition control into an E. coli strain would be useful in cases where the feedstock composition is not adjustable. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 919–928. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Thr300Ala variant in ATG16L1 is associated with improved survival in human colorectal cancer and enhanced production of type I interferon

Objective ATG16L1 is an autophagy gene known to control host immune responses to viruses and bacteria. Recently, a non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism in ATG16L1 (Thr300Ala), previously identified as a risk factor in Crohn9s disease (CD), was associated with more favourable clinical outcomes in thyroid cancer. Mechanisms underlying this observation have not been proposed, nor is it clear whether an association between Thr300Ala and clinical outcomes will be observed in other cancers. We hypothesised that Thr300Ala influences clinical outcome in human colorectal cancer (CRC) and controls innate antiviral pathways in colon cancer cells. Design We genotyped 460 patients with CRC and assessed for an association between ATG16L1 Thr300Ala and overall survival and clinical stage. Human CRC cell lines were targeted by homologous recombination to examine the functional consequence of loss of ATG16L1, or introduction of the Thr300Ala variant. Results We found an association between longer overall survival, reduced metastasis and the ATG16L1 Ala/Ala genotype. Tumour sections from ATG16L1 Ala/Ala patients expressed elevated type I interferons (IFN-I)-inducible, MxA, suggesting that differences in cytokine production may influence disease progression. When introduced into human CRC cells by homologous recombination, the Thr300Ala variant did not affect bulk autophagy, but increased basal production of type I IFN. Introduction of Thr300Ala resulted in increased sensitivity to the dsRNA mimic poly(I:C) through a mitochondrial antiviral signalling (MAVS)-dependent pathway. Conclusions The CD-risk allele, Thr300Ala, in ATG16L1 is associated with improved overall survival in human CRC, generating a rationale to genotype ATG16L1 Thr300Ala in patients with CRC. We found that Thr300A alters production of MAVS-dependent type I IFN in CRC cells, providing a mechanism that may influence clinical outcomes.
Loss-Sensitive Discriminative Training of Machine Transliteration Models

In machine transliteration we transcribe a name across languages while maintaining its phonetic information. In this paper, we present a novel sequence transduction algorithm for the problem of machine transliteration. Our model is discriminatively trained by the MIRA algorithm, which improves the traditional Perceptron training in three ways: (1) It allows us to consider k-best transliterations instead of the best one. (2) It is trained based on the ranking of these transliterations according to user-specified loss function (Levenshtein edit distance). (3) It enables the user to tune a built-in parameter to cope with noisy non-separable data during training. On an Arabic-English name transliteration task, our model achieves a relative error reduction of 2.2% over a perceptron-based model with similar features, and an error reduction of 7.2% over a statistical machine translation model with more complex features.
The Relationship Between Delivery Processes and Transportation Projects Performance

Close collaboration among stakeholders has long been recognized as an important factor of a successful project. In today’s climate of heightened focus on sustainability, collaboration needs to be taken to a new level in the design and construction process. This research investigates the issue of collaboration in light of project delivery system for transportation projects. The research tested three different methods (i.e., multi-regression, generic algorithm, and step-wise method) to identify relationship between project delivery process and project outcomes. Taking into account r-square and p-value the authors concluded that the step-wise method with significant variables provided reliable results on environments and community results. The expertise and alignment of objectives among project delivery process factors were the most significant input variables for a successful Environmental outcome in this model. The analysis also shows that contractor’s involvement and information sharing are important for successful community projects. Researchers developed best practices with associated factors and outcomes using above-mentioned qualitative as well as quantitative analysis. The best practices are (1) Alignment of cultures amongst organizations is key to achieving environmental goals and (2) Engaging stakeholders, particularly the General Contractor, early in the project process results in effectively managed projects. The associated factors used in the quantitative analysis with relevant project outcomes were identified on each of two important practices identified in the qualitative analysis. Through the research findings, researchers learned that some factors and associated best practices have statistical relations with project outcomes (i.e., environments and community results). The research results may provide clients of public transportation projects an insight on practices and areas to be improved and enriched toward more environmental-friendly as well as community-friendly projects.
Neural temporal dynamics of stress in comorbid major depressive disorder and social anxiety disorder

Despite advances in neurobiological research on Major Depressive Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder, little is known about the neural functioning of individuals with comorbid depression/social anxiety. We examined the timing of neural responses to social stress in individuals with major depression and/or social anxiety. We hypothesized that having social anxiety would be associated with earlier responses to stress, having major depression would be associated with sustained responses to stress, and that comorbid participants would exhibit both of these response patterns. Participants were females diagnosed with pure depression (n = 12), pure social anxiety (n = 16), comorbid depression/social anxiety (n = 17), or as never having had any Axis-I disorder (control; n = 17). Blood oxygenation-level dependent activity (BOLD) was assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). To induce social stress, participants prepared a speech that was ostensibly to be evaluated by a third party. Whereas being diagnosed with depression was associated with a resurgence of activation in the medial frontal cortex late in the stressor, having social anxiety was associated with a vigilance-avoidance activation pattern in the occipital cortex and insula. Comorbid participants exhibited activation patterns that generally overlapped with the non-comorbid groups, with the exception of an intermediate level of activation, between the level of activation of the pure depression and social anxiety groups, in the middle and posterior cingulate cortex. These findings advance our understanding of the neural underpinnings of major depression and social anxiety, and of their comorbidity. Future research should elucidate more precisely the behavioral correlates of these patterns of brain activation.
Context-enhanced interaction techniques for more accessible mobile phones

Modern mobile phones enable users to access a wide variety of information and communication services anytime and anywhere. In order for people with disabilities to benefit from these services, mobile devices must provide accessible user interfaces. Currently, users with motor and visual impairments often have difficulty using mobile devices due to issues such as screen readability and small controls. These problems may be exacerbated when attempting to use such devices in crowded, noisy or otherwise distracting environments. We are developing accessible mobile interaction techniques that adapt the mobile device interface to the user by leveraging information about the user's current location, activity, and level of ability.
Patterns of Psychiatric Consultation in Two General Hospitals

The data presented in this paper reflect five years' experience of the Psychiatric Consultation-Liaison Service in two general hospitals of a large medical teaching center. The frequency of consultations shows that the more liaison time spent teaching on the wards, the more consultations generated. The decrease in consultations observed over the course of the academic year may indicate that the nonpsychiatric house staff which has a liaison with psychiatry becomes more competent in handling cases with psychiatric problems. Liaison psychiatry provides the most varied training experience possible for the psychiatric resident, making him more conscious of the interrelationships between psychiatry and other clinical specialties.
Filamin A links sphingosine kinase 1 and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 at lamellipodia to orchestrate cell migration.

Sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) catalyzes the phosphorylation of sphingosine to produce the potent lipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which plays a critical role in cell motility via its cell surface receptors. Here, we have identified filamin A (FLNa), an actin-cross-linking protein involved in cell movement, as a bona fide SphK1-interacting protein. Heregulin stimulated SphK1 activity only in FLNa-expressing A7 melanoma cells but not in FLNa-deficient cells and induced its translocation and colocalization with FLNa at lamellipodia. SphK1 was required for heregulin-induced migration, lamellipodia formation, activation of PAK1, and subsequent FLNa phosphorylation. S1P directly stimulated PAK1 kinase, suggesting that it may be a target of intracellularly generated S1P. Heregulin also induced colocalization of S1P1 (promotility S1P receptor) but not S1P2, with SphK1 and FLNa at membrane ruffles. Moreover, an S1P1 antagonist inhibited the lamellipodia formation induced by heregulin. Hence, FLNa links SphK1 and S1P1 to locally influence the dynamics of actin cytoskeletal structures by orchestrating the concerted actions of the triumvirate of SphK1, FLNa, and PAK1, each of which requires and/or regulates the actions of the others, at lamellipodia to promote cell movement.
Genetic characterization of the Pacific sheath-tailed bat (Emballonura semicaudata rotensis) using mitochondrial DNA sequence data

Emballonura semicaudata occurs in the southwestern Pacific and populations on many islands have declined or disappeared. One subspecies (E. semicaudata rotensis) occurs in the Northern Mariana Islands, where it has been extirpated from all but 1 island (Aguiguan). We assessed genetic similarity between the last population of E. s. rotensis and 2 other subspecies, and examined genetic diversity on Aguiguan. We sampled 12 E. s. rotensis, sequenced them at 3 mitochondrial loci, and compared them with published sequences from 2 other subspecies. All 12 E. s. rotensis had identical sequences in each of the 3 regions. Using cytochrome-b (Cytb) data E. s. rotensis was sister to E. s. palauensis in a clade separate from E. s. semicaudata. 12S ribosomal RNA (12S) sequences grouped all E. s. semicaudata in 1 clade with E. s. rotensis in a clade by itself. Genetic distances among the 3 subspecies at Cytb were smallest between E. s. palauensis and E. s. rotensis. Distance between E. s. semicaudata and the other 2 subspecies was not different from the distance between E. s. semicaudata and the full species E. raffrayana. A similar relationship was found using the 12S data. These distances are larger than those typically reported for mammalian subspecies using Cytb sequence and within the range of sister species.
239Pu neutron resonance parameters revisited and covariance matrix in the neutron energy range from thermal to 2.5 keV

To obtain the resonance parameters in a single energy range up to 2.5keV neutron energy and the corresponding covariance matrix, a reevaluation of 239 Pu was performed with the analysis code SAMMY. The most recent experimental data were analyzed in the energy range thermal to 2.5keV. The experimental data were renormalized, aligned on a common energy scale, and corrected for residual background. Average neutron transmission and cross sections calculated with the new resonance parameters were compared to the corresponding experimental data and to ENDF/B-VI.
Immunofluorescent analysis of creatine kinase in cultured astrocytes by conventional and confocal microscopy: a nuclear localization.

The subcellular localization of creatine kinase (CK) was examined in primary cultures of astrocytes with immunofluorescent labeling methods and detection by both standard fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser-scanning microscopy. With conventional microscopy, the pattern of CK staining was uniform throughout the cell cytoplasm and appeared to stain the nuclear region intensely. Staining of CK in the nuclear region co-localized with the DNA-specific Hoechst nuclear stain. CK produced a diffuse cytoplasmic staining pattern that was different from the staining pattern produced by the cytoskeletal proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein and tubulin, both of which showed a filamentous cytoskeletal network that excluded the nucleus. To examine the structural details of CK in the nuclear region, serial optical sections were taken through the cell monolayer with a confocal microscope. The cells were immunostained for CK, and the CK-staining pattern was compared with the staining pattern produced by propidium iodide, which is specific for DNA in RNase-treated samples and stains total nucleic acid in untreated samples. CK staining was present within the nucleus in each section taken through the monolayer. The nucleolus did not stain for CK. The pattern of CK staining in the nucleus (and cytoplasm) was distinctly different from the staining pattern of either DNA or total nucleic acid. Nuclear CK appeared to have a granular, particulate pattern, which is suggestive of a nucleoplasmic distribution. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A transistor reordering technique for gate matrix layout

An algorithm is introduced which uses logic equations to determine a gate sequence and a set of nets which optimize the gate matrix layout area. Using logic equations allows the reordering of transistors in a completely general manner. Previous works using net-lists and the concept of delayed binding performed only a small subset of the reordering possible with the proposed algorithm. The algorithm has a time complexity of O(E log E) for a design with E equations. The experimental results show a considerable reduction in layout area. >
Family and Fertility in Rural Ohio: Wood County, Oiuo in 1860

One of the lacunae in research on nineteenth-century American households is the relative scarcity of systematic studies on individual-level census data of rural populations. This essay uses individual-level data from the 1860 federal manuscript census of Wood County Ohio to provide base-line data for comparison with similar studies by other scholars whose focus has been on regions other than the rural Midwest. The questions that were asked and the methods and techniques that were used to analyze the data in this essay were selected to increase comparability with other works. The variables analyzed are wealth age sex ethnicity structural type of household fertility rural-urban residence and the occupation of married household heads. The findings are for the most part supportive of other research on the same subjects. Females were more likely than males to head nonfamily households and less likely to head extended family households. The likelihood of heading an extended family household decreased with the age of the head. 34.6% of female household heads had no real wealth compared with only 18.9% of the men. Women were also much less likely than males to own real estate with a value of US$3000 or more: 5.8% of the women fell into the high wealth category compared with 15.7% of the men. For both sexes the likelihood of heading an extended family increased with real wealth. Foreign-born women had higher fertility levels than native women; rural women had higher fertility than town dwelling women in every age group and 19% greater fertility. The differences between rural and urban foreign-born women were smaller and less consistent. Rural foreign-born women ages 30-39 and 45-49 had lower fertility than their urban counterparts. The overall fertility rate of rural foreign-born women however was 4% higher than that of foreign-born townswomen. A larger number of the husbands of foreign-born women had unskilled occupations; the occupations of native and foreign-born women with husbands with farm or skilled occupations was approximately the same. For both groups the lower or less skilled the occupation the higher the fertility.
Consistency and regularity in past-tense verb generation in healthy ageing, Alzheimer's disease, and semantic dementia

Older adults, individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), and individuals with semantic dementia (SD) produced the past tense of verbs based on present-tense carrier sentences (e.g., Everyday I ding the bell. Yesterday I_____the bell). Both regularity (i.e., whether or not -ed is used for the past tense) and consistency (i.e., the degree to which verbs of similar orthography and phonology in the present tense have similar past tenses to the target) were manipulated. Participants received regular consistent (e.g., land–landed), regular inconsistent (e.g., weed–weeded), irregular consistent (e.g., sting–stung), and irregular inconsistent (e.g., light–lit) verbs. The dependent measures were overall accuracy rates and error rate types (e.g., regularizations, analogies, and other errors). Both consistency and regularity influenced performance. In addition, individuals with DAT showed a disproportionate deficit for inconsistent verbs associated with a high summed frequency of enemies, whereas SD in...
A Reciprocity Theorem for Monomer-Dimer Coverings

The problem of counting monomer-dimer coverings of a lattice is a longstanding problem in statistical mechanics.It has only been exactly solved for the special case of dimer coverings in two dimensions ([Ka61], [TF61]). In earlier work, Stanley [St85] proved a reciprocity principle governing the number $N(m,n)$ of dimer coverings of an $m$ by $n$ rectangular grid (also known as perfect matchings), where $m$ is fixed and $n$ is allowed to vary. As reinterpreted by Propp [P01], Stanley's result concerns the unique way of extending $N(m,n)$ to $n<0$ so that the resulting bi-infinite sequence, $N(m,n)$ for $n \in \mathbb{Z}$, satisfies a linear recurrence relation with constant coefficients. In particular, Stanley shows that $N(m,n)$ is always an integer satisfying the relation $N(m,-2-n) = \varepsilon_{m,n} N(m,n)$ where $\varepsilon_{m,n}=1$ unless $m \equiv 2(\mod 4)$ and $n$ is odd, in which case $\varepsilon_{m,n}=-1$. Furthermore, Propp's method was applicable to higher-dimensional cases.This paper discusses similar investigations of the numbers $M(m,n)$, of monomer-dimer coverings, or equivalently (not necessarily perfect) matchings of an $m$ by $n$ rectangular grid. We show that for each fixed $m$ there is a unique way of extending $M(m,n)$ to $n<0$ so that the resulting bi-infinite sequence, $M(m,n)$ for $n \in \mathbb{Z}$, satisfies a linear recurrence relation with constant coefficients.We show that $M(m,n)$, a priori a rational number, is always an integer, using a generalization of the combinatorial model offered by Propp. Lastly, we give a new statement of reciprocity in terms of multivariate generating functions from which Stanley's result follows.
Predestined Migrations: Undocumented Peruvians in South Korean Churches

This article explores how undocumented Peruvian laborers have established a significant presence within some of Korea's powerful evangelical churches through their identification of respuestas (answers or signs) from God. Many Peruvians arrived in Korea in the early 1990s on their way to more profitable labor destinations, such as Japan or Europe, but stayed after finding factory work. Through their conversions to Protestantism in Korea, they have begun to identify events such as unplanned pregnancies or their ability to evade deportation as signs that their migration to Korea was predestined. Through promoting their respuestas to various audiences, Peruvians not only recast their unlikely migration as predestined but change their own status from being economic laborers to recognized leaders within Korean churches. Korean church leaders embrace Peruvians and respuestas as a way to promote their church's own cosmopolitan image and desires for launching global missions to locations such as Peru. As such, respuestas are a common framework through which migrants and church leaders co-create their global aspirations and experiences.