cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A random access algorithm for capture environments

The authors consider packet radio environments with capture, such that, given simultaneous transmission of k packets, a single packet is captured with probability pq/sup k-1/, where 1/3 >
Ray Casting With &#8220;On-the-Fly&#8221; Region Growing: 3-D Navigation Into Cardiac MSCT Volume

This paper describes an extended ray casting scheme for three-dimensional (3-D) navigation into the heart cavities for preoperative planning using multislice X-ray computed tomography data. The key benefit is that artifacts due to contrast inhomogeneities can be eliminated during volume traversal, thus improving the visual perception of the endocardial wall
Receiver design - Tutorial

Numerous interrelated trade-offs are undertaken for any receiver or receive chain design, which must be jointly optimized for the intended operational environment. Some of the requirements resulting from this environment are: noise figure (NF), input 3rd order intercept point (IP3), input 1dB compression point (P 1dB ), dynamic range, input desensitization level, non-damage input power, out-of-band (OOB) interference rejection, gain and output power. This paper focuses on these requirements and the subtleties associated with achieving them.
Belief Elicitation in the Laboratory

One constraint we face as economists is not being able to observe all the relevant variables required to test our theories or make policy prescriptions. Laboratory techniques allow us to convert many variables (such as beliefs) that are unobservable in the field into observables. This article presents a survey of the literature on belief elicitation in laboratory experimental economics. We discuss several techniques available to elicit beliefs in an incentive-compatible manner and the problems involved in their use. We then look at how successful these techniques have been when employed in laboratory studies. We find that despite some problems, beliefs elicited in the laboratory are meaningful (i.e., they are generally used as the basis for behavior), and the process of eliciting beliefs seems not to be too intrusive. One hope for the future is that by eliciting beliefs, we may be able to develop better theories of belief formation.
Effects of Beauveria bassiana on Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae) feeding and oviposition.

Effects of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin infection on feeding and ovipositional behavior of Lygus hesperus Knight were investigated in the laboratory. In the feeding experiment, bugs were inoculated with different concentrations (LC10, LC50, LC90) of B. bassiana conidia and feeding damage was measured on flower buds of Wisconsin fast plants, Brassica rapa L., after 5 d. We detected greater feeding damage by inoculated bugs compared with noninoculated bugs, particularly bugs that died during the experiment. In the oviposition experiment, bugs were inoculated with a high concentration of conidia (LC90 at 25°C) and incubated for 6 d at 25 or 35°C, temperatures that are optimal and suboptimal, respectively, for B. bassiana growth. Most inoculated bugs died at 25°C but survived at 35°C during the 6-d experiment. Incubation temperature did not significantly affect L. hesperus oviposition. B. bassiana inoculation reduced the oviposition rate of lygus bug, particularly in bugs that did not show sporulation at the end of the experiment. If B. bassiana is used for lygus bug control in seed crop fields, the behavioral changes of infected bugs are unlikely to contribute to a reduction in seed damage.
Cell-mediated immunotherapy: a new approach to the treatment of malignant glioma.

Background The dismal prognosis for patients harboring intracranial gliomas has prompted an intensive search for effective treatment alternatives such as immunotherapy. Our increased knowledge in basic immunology, glioma immunobiology, and molecular biology may lead to the development of effective, rational immunotherapy approaches. Methods The authors reviewed the literature on glioma immunology, the status of tumor vaccine therapy and on novel techniques to monitor the tumor-specific immune response. Results Experimental conditions currently exist whereby potent antitumor cell-mediated immune responses can be generated. However, clinically, no therapeutic regimen has proven effective. Obstacles to establishing an effective immunotherapy regimen are the lack of a well-defined glioma-specific antigen, the heterogeneity of tumor cells in gliomas, and the modulating effect of the glioma itself on the immune system. Unique strategies to overcome these barriers are being developed. Conclusions Novel strategies to generate an anti-glioma immune response through use of dendritic cell vaccination, directed cytokine delivery, gene-based immunotherapy, and reversal of tumor-induced immunosuppression are promising. These strategies carry the potential of overcoming the resistance of gliomas to immunotherapeutic manipulation and, undoubtedly, will become a part of our future therapeutic armamentarium.
Twelve Principles for Green Energy Storage in Grid Applications

The introduction of energy storage technologies to the grid could enable greater integration of renewables, improve system resilience and reliability, and offer cost effective alternatives to transmission and distribution upgrades. The integration of energy storage systems into the electrical grid can lead to different environmental outcomes based on the grid application, the existing generation mix, and the demand. Given this complexity, a framework is needed to systematically inform design and technology selection about the environmental impacts that emerge when considering energy storage options to improve sustainability performance of the grid. To achieve this, 12 fundamental principles specific to the design and grid application of energy storage systems are developed to inform policy makers, designers, and operators. The principles are grouped into three categories: (1) system integration for grid applications, (2) the maintenance and operation of energy storage, and (3) the design of energy storage systems. We illustrate the application of each principle through examples published in the academic literature, illustrative calculations, and a case study with an off-grid application of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). In addition, trade-offs that can emerge between principles are highlighted.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and distant site metastasis is the main cause of death in breast cancer patients. There is increasing evidence supporting the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in tumor cell progression, invasion, and metastasis. During the process of EMT, epithelial cancer cells acquire molecular alternations that facilitate the loss of epithelial features and gain of mesenchymal phenotype. Such transformation promotes cancer cell migration and invasion. Moreover, emerging evidence suggests that EMT is associated with the increased enrichment of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and these CSCs display mesenchymal characteristics that are resistant to chemotherapy and target therapy. However, the clinical relevance of EMT in human cancer is still under debate. This review will provide an overview of current evidence of EMT from studies using clinical human breast cancer tissues and its associated challenges.
Effect of Metal Ions on the Enzymatic Activity of Lactobacillus reuteri Growing in a Sweet Potato Medium

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of metal ions on α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and phytase activity of L. reuteri. In the control group, L. reuteri MF14-C, MM2-3, SD2112, and DSM20016 produced the highest α-glucosidase (40.06 ± 2.80 Glu U/mL), β-glucosidase (17.82 ± 1.45 Glu U/mL), acid phosphatase (20.55 ± 0.74 Ph U/mL), and phytase (0.90 ± 0.05 Ph U/mL) respectively. The addition of Mg2+ and Mn2+ led to an increase in α-glucosidase activity of L. reuteri MM2-3 by 23.46 and 20.77 Glu U/mL respectively. The β-glucosidase activity of MM7 and SD2112 increased in the presence of Ca2+ by 9.65 and 9.85 and Fe2+ by 11.4 and 9.62 Glu U/mL respectively. Acid phosphatase produced by L. reuteri CF2-7F and MM2-3 increased in the presence of Mg2+, Ca2+, and Mn2+ by 13.53, 6.17, and 10.01 and 5.54, 5.92, and 3.98 Ph U/mL respectively. Phytase produced by L. reuteri MM2-3 increased in the presence of Mg2+ and Mn2+ by 0.26 and 0.38 Ph U/mL respectively. On average, Mg2+ and Mn2+ followed by Ca2+ led to the highest enhancement of tested enzymes. The effect of metal ions on the enzymatic activity of L. reuteri was found to be strain dependent. Thus, the enzymatic activity of L. reuteri could be enhanced by the addition of metal ions, with the specific selection of metal ions being necessary to maximize the level of the target enzyme.
Introduction: Feminist Advocacy, Constitutions and Law

The programs and projects of the last few decades of feminist advocacy have been applauded, resisted, and vilified. Despite these divergent responses, there is no doubt that in societies across the globe women’s voices in the legal and political realm are no longer muted. Organizing and lobbying on all five continents, aided and abetted by the liberating possibilities of the innovative communications technology, especially the internet, women advocates have created the discursive space in the political, legal, social, and economic realm to influence governmental policies, law and practice. Developments in the last few decades have illustrated the concerted efforts by women activists and scholars from across the globe to bring women’s issues from the margins of political and legal discourse to a place where women’s concerns and priorities are at least recognized. The contributors to this volume of the International Review of Constitutionalism explore some contemporary feminist legal issues.
Carotid Sinus Pressor Reflexes in Anoxia.

ConclusionsDuring inhalation of 7-9% oxygen the pressor reflexes of the carotid sinus are greatly reduced. This is shown, (1) by a greater fall of blood pressure in the carotid artery upon changing from the horizontal to the vertical (feet down) position than is obtained under control conditions before and after the administration of low oxygen; (2) by a diminished response of the blood pressure under low oxygen to a given increase in pressure in the carotid sinus.
HURRICANE TIDE FREQUENCIES ON THE ATLANTIC COAST

Hurricane surge Is a serious and not uncommon event along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts of the United States. The most disastrous display of hurricane forces in recent decades was by Camille, which struck the Mississippi coast in 1969. The storm tide reached 24.6 ft MSL„ Reported storm tides on the Atlantic coast have reached elevations of 15 to 20 ft in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and New England. One of the latest coordinated efforts to alleviate losses from hurricanes — supplementing warning services, community preparedness, and evacuation plans— is the Flood Insurance Program.
Investigation of epidemic factors and protective efficacy of vaccine in an outbreak of chickenpox in school

Objective To investigate the epidemic factors and protective efficacy of vaccine in an outbreak of chickenpox in school.Methods The 1 ∶ 1 frequency matching case-control study was performed.Thirty-two students with chickenpox were served as case group,while 32 healthy students without history of chickenpox as control group.The students in two groups were inquired by self-designed questionnaires of chickenpox risk factors.Results A total of 32 cases were found in the outbreak,with an overall attack rate of 0.80%.The cases were found in four classes,including 23 in grade two and 9 in grade five.The attack rates were significantly different in various classes(P 0.05).The disease course of cases vaccinated(at a median of 5 d)was shorter than those unvaccinated(at a median of 10 d).The infectious risk of chickenpox of students who usually played with other students from different classes or grades was 10.71 times of that of students who did not.However,the infectious risk of students contacting cases in class was 41.89 times of that of students without containing.The protective efficacy of vaccine was 6.76%(95% CI:10.00~ 83.51).The attack rate of students inoculated with imported vaccine was significantly lower than that with domestic vaccine(P 0.05).Conclusion The main risk factors of this outbreak of chickenpox in a school included usually playing with other students from different classes or grades and unsatisfactory protective efficacy of chickenpox vaccine.
Parameters of interferon action: II. Immunological effects of recombinant leukocyte interferon (IFN-alpha 2) in phase I-II trials.

Twenty-nine patients receiving recombinant interferon (IFN-alpha 2; Schering Plough Corp., Bloomfield, NJ) were studied for changes in natural killer (NK) activity measured by a 4-h 51Cr release assay against K562 cells, and T-cell subsets were determined by indirect immunofluorescence of Leu series monoclonal antibodies (Becton-Dickinson, Mountain View, CA). Seventeen cancer patients received daily i.m. injections of IFN-alpha 2 from 3 to 100 x 10(6) U/day for 28 consecutive days or to tolerance. Twelve of an anticipated 16 melanoma patients have been studied during a phase I trial using the i.v. route with the same recombinant IFN-alpha 2. NK activity rose during the first week of i.m. therapy from 49 +/- 6.5 to 67 +/- 6.2 (mean +/- SE, day 8) at both high (greater than or equal to 30 x 10(6) U/day) and low (less than or equal to 10 x 10(6) U/day) doses. This trend was not observed during therapy by the i.v. route at similar doses, in which NK activity tended to decrease in patients receiving 30 x 10(6) U/day or more. Changes in T-cell subsets were observed in both trials; Leu 3a/2a (helper phenotype/suppressor phenotype) ratio rose twofold in patients receiving i.m. IFN-alpha 2 at higher doses. A rise in Leu-3a+ and a fall in Leu 2a+ T cells account for the change. No change in T-cell subsets was seen in patients treated at low doses (less than or equal to 10(7) U/day) by the i.m. route. By contrast, the Leu 3a/2a ratio fell by 50% in patients who received 30 x 10(6) U/day or more of IFN-alpha 2 by the i.v. route, reflecting a fall in Leu 3a+ cells and a rise in Leu 2a+ cells. Thus, opposite changes in several parameters of immune competence occurred during treatment of patients with melanoma and other cancers, with a single recombinant IFN subspecies given by two different routes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Turbulence alteration due to shock motion

Research within the past five years (e.g., References 1 to 5) identified a multitude of mechanisms whereby shock interactions can affect turbulence. These mechanisms include: (1) direct vorticity amplification, (2) production of vorticity from incident sound and entropy modes, (3) bulk compression and (4) shock-induced streamline curvature as “extra rates of strain,” (5) instantaneous shock focusing, and (6) direct effects of shock motion/dynamics/instability. The present paper addresses three facets of this last issue, the effects of shock motion upon turbulence/“unsteady vorticity.”
Transformations of Digraphs Viewed as Intersection Digraphs

The intersection number of a digraph D is the minimum size of a set U, such that D is the intersection digraph of ordered pairs of subsets of U. The paper describes much of the work done in the area of intersection graphs and digraphs, and proves two main results: Theorem 1 The intersection number of the line digraph of D equals the number of vertices of D that are neither sources nor sinks. Theorem 2 If D contains no loops, the intersection numbers of total digraph, middle digraph and subdivision digraph of D are all equal to the number of vertices of D that are not sources, added to the number of vertices of D that are not sinks.
Children with medical complexity: creating a framework for care based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Children with medical complexity (CMC) comprise a growing sector of the pediatric population. They are characterized by having severe chronic multiple system conditions, functional limitations, and family needs. While CMC comprise 0.4% to 0.7% of children, they have high healthcare costs and resource utilization, and are thus a key population of interest in health reform efforts. Despite the growth in the development of complex care delivery models, there is little available information to guide the training of diverse professionals in the provision of care that CMC and their families need. We propose a new framework for analysis and discussion based on the components of the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health, with augmentation of further areas of common need identified in this unique population of children. This framework can be used to delineate necessary professional team areas of expertise, guide improvement in care and provider training, and, potentially, to reduce cost as best practices for care are developed and researched.
Social survey reportage: Context, narrative, and information visualization in early 20th century American journalism:

This article takes a historical approach to the analysis of changes in the gathering and display of documents and data by journalists. It stands as an attempt to tease out the underlying epistemolo...
Rituale des Trauerns als Sinnstiftung und ethische Transformation des eigenen Daseins im agonalen Raum der höfischen und postheroischen Welt

By analyzing two, heretofore rather neglected thirteenth-century literary texts, Mai und Beaflor und Diu Klage, some of the central theses developed by recent scholarship on rituals can be examined more closely, leading to important corrections. Both texts demonstrate that the ritual, presented in public as a performance, is not simply limited to this public act by itself; instead, the performative ritual allows the protagonists to externalize their almost suicidal emotions and to deal with them communicatively. By presenting their mourning and suffering to their friends and relatives, even to the entire society, through a physical performance, they manage to cope with their experience of pain and to compensate them constructively. This teaches us that neither rituals nor emotions can be regarded separately and that they are always complementary in their social functions. Otherwise the public display of specific rituals would collapse and would expose itself as nothing but a treacherous strategy.
Mutualism: Effects of Ants on Aphids, Their Predators, and Host Plants

Aphids extract sap from plant stems, specifically the phloem tissue. They excrete “honeydew” which still contains plant sugars. Ants collect this honeydew, often by “milking” the aphids, and use it as food. In return, they protect the aphids against predators. Ants prey on predators of aphids such as ladybird beetles (coccinellids), thus defending the aphids. Ants also shelter aphids by taking them or their eggs into their nests during inclement seasons. In a sense, ants herd aphids like cows. Furthermore, without removal of honeydew, aphid colonies become fouled.
Commonsense Psychology and Psychology page

EXPLAINING THE BEHAVIOR OF TRIANGLES In 1944 Fritz Heider and Marianne Simmel published the results of a novel experiment conducted at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. In “An experimental study of apparent behavior” Heider and Simmel (1944) prepared a brief film depicting the movements of a two triangles and a circle in and around a shape made to look like a room with a door. The film was shown to 114 undergraduate women at Smith College divided into three experimental groups. In the first, subjects were given the general instruction to “write down what happened in the picture.” In the second, subjects were instructed to interpret the movements of the figures as actions of persons and to answer ten questions in a written questionnaire. The third group was shown the film in reverse, by running the filmstrip backwards through the projector, and asked a subset of the same questions. The Heider–Simmel film, which is today readily viewable on online video websites, is not particularly remarkable as a piece of animated cinematography. Compared to Walt Disney's films of the same era, including Pinocchio , Fantasia , and Bambi , the film must have appeared anachronistic even to the original Smith College subjects. Each frame in the film was produced as a photo of geometric shapes cut from cardboard and placed on a horizontal translucent-glass plate illuminated from above. The careful placement of the shapes in each frame created a narrative stream of events, evidenced only by the silent trajectories of each shape and its position in relation to the others. As expected, the subjects in the three experimental groups interpreted these events as a coherent narrative and described them in terms of the interrelated behaviors of three intentional characters, in and around a room defined by four walls and a door. Somewhat surprising is the degree to which these descriptions attributed mental states to these nondescript shapes. Heider and Simmel provide the following as representative of the descriptions produced by the first experimental group: A man has planned to meet a girl and the girl comes along with another man. The first man tells the second to go; the second tells the first, and he shakes his head. Then the two men have a fight, and the girl starts to go into the room to get out of the way and hesitates and finally goes in.
The Social Dimension of Sustainable Neighborhood Design: Comparing Two Neighborhoods in Freiburg, Germany

The study presented in this article adds to the body of research on the socio-cultural dimension of sustainable cit-ies by looking at the efforts of the City of Freiburg, Germany to create neighborhoods that acknowledge the im-portance of the social dimension of sustainable development. The research in this article is centered on evaluating the social responses of living in Freiburg’s two recognized sustainable neighborhoods Rieselfeld and Vauban. The study focuses on the motivational factors that prompted todays residents of the two neighborhoods to move there in the first place, their level of satisfaction living there now, and their perceived social interactions and level of community engagement. Result show that satisfaction with living in a place and reinforcing its assets through so-cial resiliency or livability can result in long-term community staying power. In general, there were few differences in preferences ratings of physical and social assets between the two communities. The levels of importance of so-cial factors contributing to place satisfaction and staying power were not significantly different in both neighbor-hoods. Having a “cluster” of social factors present that were important to residents contributed significantly to place satisfaction. In fact, survey results showed that it was these social factors that were seen as more important to place satisfaction than the physical attributes of sustainable developments.
Patient-Centered Bedside Rounds and the Clinical Examination

Bedside hospital rounds promote patient-centered care in teaching and nonteaching settings. Patients and families prefer bedside rounds and provider acceptance is increasing. Efficient bedside rounds with an interprofessional team or with learners requires preparation of the patient and the rounding team. Bedside "choreography" provides structure and sets expectations for time spent in the room. By using relationship-centered communication, rounds can be both patient proximate and patient centered. The clinical examination can be integrated into the flow of the presentation and case discussion. Patient and provider experience can be enhanced through investing time at the bedside.
Aggregation patterns of two corallivorous snails and consequences for coral dynamics

Spatial heterogeneity plays an important role in consumer–resource interactions. It arises from variability in the underlying distribution of the resource and/or the consumer, as well as the habitat in which the consumer–resource interaction occurs. In some cases, the resource is the habitat, especially when the habitat is biogenic (e.g., kelp, corals, seagrasses). In these systems, the resulting dynamics can be particularly rich because the consumer–resource interactions are coupled with changes in the habitat (i.e., resource) that are due to the consumer–resource interaction. In Moorea, French Polynesia, two corallivorous snails, Coralliophila violacea and Drupella cornus, feed and live on massive Porites corals. Here, I (1) document the spatial patterns of the snails among sites, within sites, and on corals; (2) examine the drivers of small-scale aggregations by testing the attraction of the snails to chemical cues coming from conspecifics and corals; (3) test the effects of aggregations of snails on coral growth by manipulating snail density. The distributions of both snails were highly heterogeneous among sites across the island, and both species were spatially aggregated both among and within corals. The source of chemical attraction that caused the small-scale clustering differed between the two snails. D. cornus was attracted to conspecifics and to corals damaged by conspecifics, whereas C. violacea was attracted to damaged corals (regardless of the cause). Increasing snail density caused a linear decline in coral growth that was similar for the two snail species. The combination of the clustered spatial pattern of both snail species and their negative effects on coral growth could lead to important feedbacks in which high densities of snails reduce coral cover in localized areas and create spatial dynamics that affect the spatial distributions of both corals and snails across the reef.
Evolution of the clonal man: inventing science unfiction.

From carrots to frogs to sheep and finally to humans, the history of cloning is a fascinating study of the interplay between science and popular culture. Imagination and discovery provide mutual impetus in the evolving science and cultural phenomenon of cloning. Its history is a paradigm of science unfiction: What once belonged unequivocally on the pages of science fiction is now emerging in flesh and blood. Writers, movie producers, ethicists, and all manner of social commentators, no less than scientists, have all participated in the creation of the human clone as an idea and as a biological entity. While the clone stands apart as having only one genetic parent, it truly is a brainchild of multifarious origins.
Basic and Intermediate Complexity Nail Procedures

Nail surgery allows practitioners to diagnose or treat the majority of nail conditions. Successful nail surgery requires knowledge of anatomy and pathology, which have been detailed in prior chapters. This chapter reviews reliable approaches to common office-based procedures, including plate, bed, and matrix surgery, with punch, shave, and fusiform techniques. With a strong foundation of nail anatomy and pathology, surgeons can use these basic and intermediate surgical techniques to diagnose or treat a wide array of nail conditions.
Extracting implicit programming rules: comparing static and dynamic approaches

Programs often follow implicit programming rules, such as, function call A must be followed by function call B. Rules of such kinds are rarely documented by developers. Nevertheless, programming rules play an important role in software testing and maintenance. For example, the rules can be used as test oracles to detect violations. If a programmer can be notified of these rules before updating the source code, the chances of generating defects due to rule violations might be minimized. Prior works have used static and dynamic analysis techniques to extract implicit programming rules, but none compares the effectiveness of the two techniques. In this paper, we have undertaken an empirical study to compare the two techniques when they are being used for extracting programming rules. Our results indicate that the performance of the dynamic analysis technique depends on the number and the diversity of the traces. Moreover, the dynamic analysis technique generates more precise rules than the static analysis technique if a diverse and sufficient number of test cases are provided.
Evidence for altered excitatory and inhibitory tone in the post-mortem substantia nigra in schizophrenia.

Objectives: The substantia nigra (SN) receives glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs that regulate dopaminergic neuronal activity. Imaging studies have shown hyperactivity of the SN in schizophrenia (...
Accelerometer-Measured Sleep Duration and Clinical Cardiovascular Risk Factor Scores in Older Women.

BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that short and long sleep durations are potential lifestyle factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Research on sleep duration and CVD risk is limited by use of self-report sleep measures, homogeneous populations, and studies on individual CVD risk factors. For women, risk of CVD and inadequate sleep duration increases with age. We hypothesized that accelerometer-measured sleep duration was associated with 10-year predicted probability of future CVD risk in a cohort of aging women. METHODS This cross-sectional analysis included 3,367 older women (mean age 78.9 years; 53.3% White), from the Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health Study, ancillary study to the Women's Health Initiative. Women wore ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers on the hip for 24 hours/7 days. A 10-year predicted probability of future CVD risk, the Reynolds Risk Score (RRS), was computed using age, systolic blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), total and HDL cholesterol, diabetes mellitus status, smoking status, and family history of CVD. Average nightly sleep duration was derived from accelerometer data. Adjusted linear regression models investigated the association between sleep duration and RRS. RESULTS Results suggested a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and RRS, with both short and long sleep associated with higher RRS (p < .001). The association remained significant after adjustments for race/ethnicity, education, lifestyle factors, and health status indicators. CONCLUSION In older women, actigraphy-ascertained sleep duration was associated with a 10-year predicted probability of future CVD risk. This study supports sleep duration as a modifiable risk factor for CVD in older women.
Explaining New Firm Survival: Is the Firm, Owner, or Agglomeration at Fault?

This paper empirically estimates the effect of several sources of agglomeration on new firm survival while controlling for firm, entrepreneur, and regional variables using a discrete-time hazard model. We utilize the longitudinal Kauffman Firm Survey of almost 5000 US startups from 2004 to 2011. Unlike previous studies, we find that the overall hazard of entrepreneurs shutting down their new firms is not significantly affected by regional agglomeration factors, but instead firm and entrepreneur variables. However, we find suggestive evidence that location does matter for particular groups of entrepreneurs such as high-tech startups and those firms not based out of their homes.
Young children's narrative retell in response to static and animated stories.

Background The format of narrative prompts used within language assessment has remained relatively constant; however, the use of animated video prompts deserves exploration given the increase in access to technology. Aims To investigate the effect of story presentation format (static picture book versus animated video) on preschool children's narrative retells. It was hypothesized that children would produce more advanced narrative language elements in response to an animated video than a book. Methods & procedures A total of 73 children between the ages of 3 and 5 years completed two narrative retells. One of these retells was in response to a 3-min animated video presented on a computer; the other retell was in response to static pictures presented in a book format. Children's stories were then transcribed and coded for linguistic and narrative elements. Outcomes & results Paired sample t-tests revealed that children produced significantly longer stories, greater syntactic complexity and lexical variety, and more action verbs when retelling an animated story compared with a book. Furthermore, a post-hoc analysis revealed that examiners provided significantly fewer prompts when eliciting the retell with animation. Conclusions & implications Typically developing children demonstrated higher quantity and quality of language within a story retell in response to an animated video than after viewing images from the video presented in a static picture book. Although the extent to which these findings may be similar for children with language disorder has yet to be determined, researchers or clinicians should consider the effect of elicitation procedures on children's retells.
Methods for the defining mechanisms of anterior vaginal wall descent (DEMAND) study.

The protocol and analysis methods for the Defining Mechanisms of Anterior Vaginal Wall Descent (DEMAND) study are presented. DEMAND was designed to identify mechanisms and contributors of prolapse recurrence after two transvaginal apical suspension procedures for uterovaginal prolapse. DEMAND is a supplementary cohort study of a clinical trial in which women with uterovaginal prolapse randomized to (1) vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension or (2) vaginal mesh hysteropexy underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 30–42 months post-surgery. Standardized protocols have been developed to systematize MRI examinations across multiple sites and to improve reliability of MRI measurements. Anatomical failure, based on MRI, is defined as prolapse beyond the hymen. Anatomic measures from co-registered rest, maximal strain, and post-strain rest (recovery) sequences are obtained from the “true mid-sagittal” plane defined by a 3D pelvic coordinate system. The primary outcome is the mechanism of failure (apical descent versus anterior vaginal wall elongation). Secondary outcomes include displacement of the vaginal apex and perineal body and elongation of the anterior wall, posterior wall, perimeter, and introitus of the vagina between (1) rest and strain and (2) rest and recovery. Recruitment and MRI trials of 94 participants were completed by May 2018. Methods papers which detail studies designed to evaluate anatomic outcomes of prolapse surgeries are few. We describe a systematic, standardized approach to define and quantitatively assess mechanisms of anatomic failure following prolapse repair. This study will provide a better understanding of how apical prolapse repairs fail anatomically.
Secured IC Provisioning Using Advanced Memory Devices

In this paper, we will discuss the implications of using advanced memory devices on integrated circuit provisioning. We will also show the impact that this will have on the security of the device and how this device can help combat some forms of counterfeiting throughout the supply chain. Considerations will be made as to which advanced memory device will need to be used to achieve the goals set forth in this paper such as provisioning integrated circuits using logic obfuscation methods. The solution simulated in this paper will combine these methods of logic obfuscation, advanced memory devices, and time decay to show that an integrated circuit can be provisioned for different users, testing, and/or security.
Ion Mobility Lipoprotein Analysis

Measurement of plasma levels of lipoprotein particles, particularly low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and their particle size subfractions, can provide assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk beyond that provided by standard lipid profiles. Ion mobility is a novel technology that directly measures concentration of lipoprotein particles as a function of particle diameter across the entire spectrum of plasma lipoproteins, from small high-density lipoproteins to larger very-low-density lipoproteins. This technique is based on counting individual lipoprotein particles generated by electrospray and separated by size across a differential voltage gradient. In several clinical studies, lipoprotein particle subfraction levels determined by ion mobility have been associated with CVD events as well as measures of atherosclerotic burden. The findings have corroborated studies using other methods that point to the CVD risk associated with increased levels of small LDL particles and other features of the atherogenic dyslipidemia that is characteristic of individuals with abdominal adiposity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hence, ion mobility has the potential to enhance CVD risk assessment, to detect residual risk for patients who are being treated with lipid-lowering therapies, and to further dissect the complex role of lipoproteins in the pathogenesis of CVD.
Robust Road Region Extraction in Video Under Various Illumination and Weather Conditions

Robust road region extraction plays a crucial role in many computer vision applications, such as automated driving and traffic video analytics. Various weather and illumination conditions like snow, fog, dawn, daytime, and nighttime often pose serious challenges to automated road region detection. This paper presents a new real-time road recognition method that is able to accurately extract the road region in traffic videos under adverse weather and illumination conditions. Specifically, the novel global foreground modeling (GFM) method is first applied to subtract the ever-changing background in the traffic video frames and robustly detect the moving vehicles which are assumed to drive in the road region. The initial road samples are then obtained from the subtracted background model in the location of the moving vehicles. The integrated features extracted from both the grayscale and the RGB and HSV color spaces are further applied to construct a probability map based on the standardized Euclidean distance between the feature vectors. Finally, the robust road mask is derived by integrating the initially estimated road region and the regions located by the flood-fill algorithm. Experimental results using a dataset of real traffic videos demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method for automated road recognition in real-time.
Examining the Factor Structure of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Toddler (CLASS-T) in Early Head Start and Subsidized Child Care Classrooms

Research Findings: The Classroom Assessment Scoring System Toddler (CLASS-T) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess the quality of teacher-child interactions in toddler classrooms. Des...
A Systematic Review and Quality Appraisal of Applications of Direct Instruction with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Developed by Siegfried ("Zig") Engelmann and colleagues, direct instruction (DI) has been recognized as an effective and replicable teaching model for decades. Although rooted in many principles of learning that behavior analysts utilize in daily practice, DI is not a common a component of behavior analytic services for learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This may be attributed to behavior analysts' unfamiliarity with research evaluating the efficacy of DI with learners with ASD. This article synthesizes findings across studies evaluating DI with learners with ASD. The review addresses the contributions of the studies to date and identifies additional areas of research that may lead to more learners with ASD benefitting from DI.
Acquired pulmonary vein stenosis resulting in haemoptysis: a case series.

Background Acquired pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is an infrequent complication of atrial fibrillation ablation that is often misdiagnosed due to predominant respiratory symptoms. It can result in pulmonary venous hypertension, with varying presentations, ranging from shortness of breath to haemoptysis. Case summary We report two patients with a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation treated with radiofrequency ablation and pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, who subsequently developed PVS. Case 1 initially presented with indolent symptoms of shortness of breath and cough. He was initially diagnosed with and treated for pneumonia. In contrast, Case 2 presented with massive haemoptysis, requiring intubation and intensive care unit admission. Both patients were eventually diagnosed with PVS by computed tomography. They were treated with PV angioplasty and stenting. Discussion While previously limited to the congenital heart disease population, PVS is occurring more frequently now in adult patients as a complication of ablation procedures. It is most effectively treated with angioplasty and stent implantation but has a high rate of recurrence.
Demonstration of Spectrally Recycled Space-Time Wave Packets

By spectrally recycling the spatial spectrum of a space-time wave packet, we circumvent the intrinsic correlation between the spatial and temporal bandwidths, thereby enabling ultra-low group velocities in free space at low numerical aperture.
Picosecond Photoemission Probing

The rapid evolution of advanced VLSI and VHSIC technologies, with advanced devices switching on time scales of less than 10psec creates new demands on high-speed diagnostic and testing instruments. The most important demands are the capability of contactless and noninvasive measurement of switching times and voltage states on internal nodes of VLSI ICs with a high time resolution (1–5 psec), a high voltage resolution (1–10 mV) in conjunction with a short measurement time, and a spatial resolution in the submicron range. It should be emphasized that these requirements have to be achieved simultaneously. In addition, it is desirable to have a diagnostic technique that is applicable to all semiconductor technologies rather than being limited to exclusively silicon- (Si) or gallium-arsenide- (GaAs) based circuitry.
Gene Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular gene therapy applications began about 25 years ago. Since then, an in-depth understanding has accumulated on the underlying mechanisms of molecular structure as well as the development and function of the cardiovascular system in normal and disease states. In accordance with this, gene-based approaches have undergone substantial changes. Cardiovascular gene therapy should ideally deliver the genetic material to a specific target and reach a level of expression sufficient for therapeutic action. To achieve this, one needs to select a strategy with gene overexpression or gene silencing, suitable vectors and promoters, specific molecular targets known to be involved in a certain cardiovascular disease, and organ-targeted delivery techniques. Pharmacologic intervention has substantially increased survival and decreased morbidity in acquired and congenital cardiovascular diseases but still has multiple limitations including the targeting of symptoms rather than the pathological mechanism, difficulty in achieving efficacy, large variation between dose and concentration-dependent pharmacokinetics, and side effects. The progress in molecular biology and pharmacogenomics technology could allow for the development of gene containing drugs, which have the potential in the near future to momentously improve the management of a variety of clinical cardiovascular problems.
Comparison of six strains of Trichomonas foetus: II. Gel-diffusion precipitin studies of soluble antigens

Abstract Soluble antigens extracted from six strains of Trichomonas foetus was reacted by double-diffusion in agar gel with rabbit antisera against the six strains. Initial reactions revealed as many as 12–15 precipitins in some antisera, but 1–5 precipitins were formed against medium ingredients engulfed by the inoculated trichomonads. Removal by adsorption of these precipitins left 4, 4, 5, 8, 8, and 10 precipitins in the six strains as determined in homologous reactions with the soluble antigens. Four precipitins in all antisera were due to antigens common to all T. foetus strains and there was extensive cross reacting among the remaining antigens. The ability of the strains to elicit precipitin formation in the rabbit varied considerably as evidenced by the fact that strains producing only four and five precipitin lines in homologous reactions produced more in heterologous situations where the reactant antisera had more precipitins. Trichomonads which are generally classed as poor antigens are highly complex in their soluble-antigen content.
HeartMate II left ventricular assist device implantation in patients with advanced hepatic dysfunction.

Background We sought to determine the outcomes for patients with advanced hepatic dysfunction undergoing HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Methods Between November 1, 2003 and December 1, 2012, we implanted the HeartMate II continuous-flow LVAD in 338 patients, either for bridging to heart transplantation or for destination therapy. Twenty-three of these patients (19 men and 4 women; mean age, 47 ± 16 years) had advanced hepatic dysfunction, as characterized by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate transaminase (AST) levels five times normal; serum total bilirubin levels three times normal; and/or necessity for a liver biopsy before or during device implantation. Of this group, 17 patients received the LVAD as a bridge to transplantation, and six patients received it for destination therapy. Results Nine of the 23 patients required either a transjugular or a core liver biopsy during LVAD implantation. Three patients died within the first postoperative month; the 20 surviving patients had significant improvements in their hepatic parameters. The ALT decreased from 238 ± 296 to 27 ± 13 U/L (p = 0.022), AST decreased from 209 ± 199 to 29 ± 8 U/L (p = 0.009), and total bilirubin level decreased from 6.9 ± 6.0 to 0.6 ± 0.1 mg/dL (p = 0.044). The serum albumin level increased from 3.2 ± 0.6 to 4.3 ± 0.3 g/dL (p = 0.003), and creatinine clearance increased from 77.6 ± 35.2 to 110.2 ± 35.7 mL/min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.101). Conclusion Continuous-flow LVAD support may significantly improve hepatic function, allowing patients with poor preimplant liver function to become better candidates for heart transplantation. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12318 (J Card Surg 2014;29:419–423)
NEWS CONSUMPTION ACROSS MULTIPLE MEDIA PLATFORMS: A repertoire approach

The recent trend of media convergence poses serious challenges to existing theoretical frameworks, such as uses and gratifications and the agenda-setting theories, for media choice and effects. This study adopts a repertoire approach to news consumption in the complex contemporary media environment. This approach emphasizes patterns of multiple media use, rather than single media selection, for accessing the news. A computer-aided telephone survey with representative samples from three advanced media markets in China shows that a majority of the survey respondents employ multiple media platforms for news consumption. Users' interest in and availability to news affects the size of their repertoires. Their perceptions of news source credibility influence their news media choice that results in different compositions of the repertoires. An exploratory factor analysis identifies both complementary and converging patterns of media use by the respondents. Finally, the difference in the internal architecture of ...
Applications of Control to Semiconductor Manufacturing: Reactive Ion Etching

This paper describes the development of real-time control technology for the improvement of manufacturing characteristics of reactive ion etchers. A general control strategy is presented as well as supporting experimental results.