cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wide-Area Gigabit Networking: Los Alamos HIPPI-SONET Gateway

This paper describes a HIPPI-SONET Gateway which has been designed by members of the Computer Network Engineering Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Gateway has been used in the CASA Gigabit Testbed at Caltech, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the San Diego Supercomputer Center to provide communications between the sites. This paper will also make some qualitative statements as to lessons learned during the deployment and maintenance of this wide area network. We report record throughput for transmission of data across a wide area network. We have sustained data rates using the TCP/IP protocol of 550 Mbits/second and the rate of 792 Mbits/second for raw HIPPI data transfer over the 2,000 kilometers from the San Diego Supercomputer Center to the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Efficient Replication by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Involves Activation of the IκB Kinase-IκB-p65 Pathway

Infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) induces a persistent nuclear translocation of NFκB. To identify upstream effectors of NFκB and their effect on virus replication, we employed mouse embryo fibroblast (MEF)-derived cell lines with deletions of either IKK1 or IKK2, the catalytic subunits of the IκB kinase (IKK) complex. Infected MEFs were assayed for virus yield, loss of IκBα, nuclear translocation of p65, and NFκB DNA-binding activity. Absence of either IKK1 or IKK2 resulted in an 86 to 94% loss of virus yield compared to that of normal MEFs, little or no loss of IκBα, and greatly reduced NFκB nuclear translocation. Consistent with reduced virus yield, accumulation of the late proteins VP16 and gC was severely depressed. Infection of normal MEFs, Hep2, or A549 cells with an adenovirus vector expressing a dominant-negative (DN) IκBα, followed by superinfection with HSV, resulted in a 98% drop in virus yield. These results indicate that the IKK-IκB-p65 pathway activates NFκB after virus infection. Analysis of NFκB activation and virus replication in control and double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase-null MEFs indicated that this kinase plays no role in the NFκB activation pathway. Finally, in cells where NFκB was blocked because of DNIκB expression, HSV failed to suppress two markers of apoptosis, cell surface Annexin V staining and PARP cleavage. These results support a model in which activation of NFκB promotes efficient replication by HSV, at least in part by suppressing a host innate response to virus infection.
Long term speech outcomes following late cleft palate repair using the modified Furlow technique

Abstract Objectives Published reports and previous studies from our institution have reported worse overall speech results, including significantly higher rates of persistent articulation errors, in patients undergoing palatoplasty at age >18 months. This study further investigates the effects of late repair on long term speech outcomes. Methods A retrospective review was performed of non-syndromic patients undergoing primary palatoplasty at age >18 months between 1980 and 2006 at our institution. Longitudinal speech results were compared based on reason for late repair and age at repair. Results Forty-one patients were greater than 18 months of age at the time of palatoplasty, and 24 fit criteria for longitudinal data analysis. There was a statistically significant improvement in nasality scores at Time Point 1 for international adoptees compared to the non-adopted population (p = 0.04). Patients with submucosal clefts were found to have significantly less severe nasal emission scores at Time Point 1 compared to those with overt clefts (p = 0.04), but not at Time Point 2. There were no significant differences between scores if repair was performed between 18 and 36 months or >36 months, nor any difference in incidence of articulation errors between subgroups of patients with late repair at either Time Point. Conclusion Our experience demonstrates that cleft palate repair after 18 months of age is associated with a significantly increased incidence of articulation errors associated with VPI, irrespective of reason for late repair, highlighting the persistence of learned compensatory behaviors in speech and the importance of proceeding with early repair.
FANCD2 Activates Transcription of TAp63 and Suppresses Tumorigenesis

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by an increased susceptibility to squamous cell cancers. Fifteen FA genes are known, and the encoded proteins cooperate in a common DNA repair pathway. A critical step is the monoubiquitination of the FANCD2 protein, and cells from most FA patients are deficient in this step. How monoubiquitinated FANCD2 suppresses squamous cell cancers is unknown. Here we show that Fancd2-deficient mice are prone to Ras-oncogene-driven skin carcinogenesis, while Usp1-deficient mice, expressing elevated cellular levels of Fancd2-Ub, are resistant to skin tumors. Moreover, Fancd2-Ub activates the transcription of the tumor suppressor TAp63, thereby promoting cellular senescence and blocking skin tumorigenesis. For FA patients, the reduction of FANCD2-Ub and TAp63 protein levels may account for their susceptibility to squamous cell neoplasia. Taken together, Usp1 inhibition may be a useful strategy for upregulating TAp63 and preventing or treating squamous cell cancers in the general non-FA population.
Context-US learning in Aplysia californica

Two experiments explored learning about the relation between an unconditioned stimulus (US) and the context in which that US was delivered in Aplysia californica. Subjects were exposed to 2 different contexts. They received a series of moderate electric shock USs in one context but not in the other. Experiment 1 revealed that the context- shock pairings were sufficient to establish an association between that context and the shock. That association was demonstrated by the ability of the reinforced context to enhance a defensive reflex and to reduce learning about a conditioned stimulus (CS) that was subsequently paired with the shock US. Experiment 2 provided evidence that the context-US association could be extinguished by simple nonreinforced exposure to the reinforced context. These results show that context conditioning is not unique to vertebrate learning. We argue that this learning is difficult to accommodate within current contiguity-based neuronal models of learning.
A comparison of reinforcement schedules to increase independent responding in individuals with intellectual disabilities

We compared the effects of varying reinforcement schedules on independent responding with 3 individuals with intellectual disabilities. Independent responding was always reinforced, and responding after a vocal response was either (a) always reinforced, (b) never reinforced, or (c) reinforced on a fixed-ratio 3 schedule. Results showed that for 2 of the 3 participants, independent responding was higher when responding after the vocal prompt was never reinforced. These data suggest that altering the reinforcement schedule to favor independent responding may lead to increased independent responding.
Erratum: `` Analysis of a Drum Input/Output Queue Under Scheduled Operation in a Paged Computer System''

Properly scheduling the usage of input output devices is an important aspect of the design of modern multiprogramming systems featuring a paged environment. In this paper magnetic drums in the role of auxiliary memories are studied in the context of these systems. It is the nature of the drum, its usage by the system, and the organization of information on the drum are discussed in the light of current system designs. Mathematical models are then defined such that two extremes in scheduling disciplines are represented in a system in which page requests are assumed to arrive singly and at random. The analysis leads to results for a measure of drum utilization, a generating function for the queue length probabilities in equilibrium, the mean queue length, and the mean waiting time. Finally, the significance of the results is discussed along with some examples.
Atypical Syncope in a Child Due to a Colloid Cyst of the Third Ventricle

A 10-year-old girl presented to an emergency room with acute-onset, brief, repetitive episodes of loss of consciousness. Computed tomography indicated a 0.6 cm colloid cyst of the anterior third ventricle, adjacent to the foramen of Monro. This finding was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. The patient underwent transcallosal surgical resection of the cyst without major complications or neurologic sequelae, and remains symptom-free after more than 18 months. Syncope is quite common in children. In contrast, colloid cysts are relatively uncommon in children, with only 100 cases reported in the literature. Colloid cysts are a known cause of sudden death. The possibility of colloid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of syncope that presents in an atypical fashion, and such cases warrant emergent evaluation via neuroimaging.
Neonatology in the 1990's: Surfactant Replacement Therapy Becomes a Reality

It has been more than 35 years since the lung was discovered to be lined with a layer of surface-active material that is important in lung stability and mechanics of respiration. 1-4 The absence of this "anti-atelectasis" factor2,3 was proposed by Avery and Mead in 1959 to be the cause of hyaline membrane disease of premature infants.5 An indepth historical review of pulmonary surfactant by Tierney 6 was recently published. In the years since 1959, there has been an exhaustive amount of research aimed at elucidating the structure and function of pulmonary surfactant, the ultimate goal being a safe and effective exogenous surfactant for the treatment of the Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). The days of surfactant research are far from over, but the era of surfactant replacement therapy is now upon us. The practitioner needs to be knowledgeable about surfactant and aware of his or her role in surfactant therapy for premature infants. The following is intended to clarify some of the important issues of su...
The Dorsal Columellar Strut: Innovative Use of Dorsal Hump Removal for a Columellar Strut

Background: Dorsal hump reduction is a common complaint among primary cosmetic rhinoplasty patients. Newer techniques for addressing the dorsal hump focus on the preservation, reinforcement, or modification of existing structures. Objectives: The authors describe their technique of a “dorsal columellar strut,” an innovative use of dorsal nasal cartilage from hump removal for a columellar strut. Combined with other cartilage-conserving techniques, this forgoes the morbidity and operative time of a septal cartilage harvest while preserving—and possibly increasing—tip support. Methods: Candidates for this procedure are selected based on a number of criteria. Ideally, the patient is one who requires 3 mm or more of dorsal hump reduction with tip reshaping and refinement. Each patient is treated using the open technique with a stair-step columellar incision, combined with an infracartilaginous incision. Results: With the addition of the authors’ cartilage-conserving techniques (autospreader flap, lower lateral turnover, and tip suturing), patients experience successful reshaping of the middle vault and nasal tip. Conclusions: In well-selected patients, the authors have found their technique to be efficient, effective, and aesthetic. The precise dorsal reduction allows surgeons to use the cartilage fragment as a dorsal columellar strut, foregoing the standard septal harvest and reducing operative time and patient morbidity.
Acrylonitrile and tissue glutathione: Differential effect of acute and chronic interactions

Abstract Acrylonitrile (vinyl cyanide) is a reactive chemical extensively used in the synthesis of buna rubber and polymerized plastics (e.g., disposable bottles). A single dose of the chemical causes adrenal hemorrhage, while chronic ingesting results in adrenocortical hypofunction. Present acute experiments in rats show a rapid time- and dose-dependent decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) in the liver, lung, kidney and adrenal. The diminution of cerebral GSH concentration is gradual and seems to correlate with the occurrence of mortality in acute experiments. Chronic ingestion of acrylonitrile in drinking water results in a dose dependent increase of hepatic GSH concentration, similar to that caused by chemical carcinogens.
Theoretical Diversity Improvement in Multiple Frequency Shift Keying

Multiple frequency shift keying (MFSK) is a modulation suitable for transmitting digital data under fading conditions. A quantitative analysis of MFSK-with-diversity is presented. The MFSK signals on the several diversity channels are presumed to be perturbed independently by Rayleigh fading and additive white Gaussian noise. Also, it is assumed that fading is slow and that envelope, cross-correlation (matched filter) detection is used. The diversity combining method is chosen so that the receiver performs a likelihood-ratio test in deciding which one of K frequencies was transmitted. This optimum comibining method is to square and add the detected outputs of corresponding filters from each diversity channel. Theoretical error probability as a function of signal-energy-per-bit received is derived, and curves are plotted for two-, four-, and eight-frequency MFSK-with-diversity. Bandwidth requirements, as a function of type and order of diversity, are determined. Eight-frequency MFSK with triple diversity has a 21.8-db advantage over simple FSK for transmitting 6-bit characters with a 0.001 error probability.
Upregulation of Renal and Vascular Nitric Oxide Synthase in Young Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The available data on the role of the L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO) pathway in the genesis of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are limited and contradictory. In an attempt to address this issue, male SHR were studied during the early phase of evolution of hypertension (age 8 to 12 weeks) to distinguish the primary changes of NO metabolism from those caused by advanced hypertension, vasculopathy, and aging late in the course of the disease. A group of age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) served as controls. The SHR exhibited a marked rise in arterial blood pressure and a significant increase in urinary excretion and plasma concentration of NO metabolites (nitrite/nitrate [NOx]). Likewise, the SHR showed a significant elevation of thoracic aorta NO synthase (NOS) activity coupled with significant increases of kidney, aorta, inducible NOS (iNOS), and endothelial NOS (eNOS) proteins. In an attempt to determine whether the enhanced L-arginine/NO pathway is a consequence of hypertension, studies were repeated using 3-week-old animals before the onset of hypertension. The study revealed significant increases in urinary NOx excretion as well as vascular eNOS and renal iNOS proteins. In conclusion, the L-arginine/NO pathway is upregulated in young SHR both before and after the onset of hypertension. Thus, development of hypertension is not due to a primary impairment of NO production in SHR. On the contrary, NO production is increased in young SHR both before and after the onset of hypertension.
Utility of routine postoperative visit after appendectomy and cholecystectomy with evaluation of mobile technology access in an urban safety net population.

Abstract Background The value of routine postoperative visits after general surgery remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of routine postoperative visits after appendectomy and cholecystectomy and to determine access to mobile technology as an alternative platform for follow-up. Methods Retrospective review of 219 appendectomies and 200 cholecystectomies performed at a safety net hospital. One patient underwent both surgeries. Patient demographics, duration of clinic visit, and need for additional imaging, tests or readmissions were recorded. Access to mobile technology was surveyed by a validated questionnaire. Results Of 418 patients, 84% percent completed a postoperative visit. At follow-up, 58 patients (14%) required 70 interventions, including staple removal (16, 23%), suture removal (4, 6%), drain removal (8, 11%), additional follow-up (20, 28%), medication action (16, 21%), additional imaging (3, 4%), and readmission (1, 1%). Occupational paperwork (62) and nonsurgical clinic referrals (28) were also performed. Average check-in to check-out time was 100 ± 54 min per patient. One intervention was performed for every 7.8 h of time in the clinic. Additionally, 88% of the surveyed population reported access to cell phone technology, and 69% of patients Conclusions Routine in-person follow-up after surgery consumes significant time and resources for patients and healthcare systems but has little impact on patient care. Most of the work done in the clinic is administrative and could be completed using mobile technology, which is pervasive in our population.
Covariations of Sea Surface Temperature and Wind over the Kuroshio and Its Extension: Evidence for Ocean-to-Atmosphere Feedback(.

Abstract Satellite microwave measurements are analyzed, revealing robust covariability in sea surface temperature (SST) and wind speed over the Kuroshio Extension (KE) east of Japan. Ocean hydrodynamic instabilities cause the KE to meander and result in large SST variations. Increased (reduced) wind speeds are found to be associated with warm (cold) SST anomalies. This positive SST–wind correlation in KE is confirmed by in situ buoy measurements and is consistent with a vertical shear adjustment mechanism. Namely, an increase in SST reduces the static stability of the near-surface atmosphere, intensifying the vertical turbulence mixing and bringing fast-moving air from aloft to the sea surface. South of Japan, the Kuroshio is known to vary between nearshore and offshore paths. These paths are very persistent and can last for months to years. As the Kuroshio shifts its path, coherent wind changes are detected from satellite data. In particular, winds are high south of Tokyo when the Kuroshio takes the near...
E-Learning as a Career Path in Information Systems Curricula: A Blue Ocean Opportunity.

E-learning is a rapidly growing industry with emerging career opportunities that require expertise in business, information technology, and instructional design. However, most academic institutions lack cohesive programs for preparing students for e-learning careers. We argue that information systems (IS) programs have a unique, “blue ocean” opportunity to prepare students for e-learning careers with nominal curricular adjustment. This paper builds on the MSIS 2006 model curriculum to describe an approach for incorporating e-learning as a career track in information systems (IS) graduate programs. An example e-learning curriculum from a large, public university in the western United States is also presented. We believe that an e-learning IS career track can enhance the appeal of the IS major by providing students with access to a multibillion dollar industry and opening additional employment opportunities as they prepare for a career in business.
Dose-Dependent Cortical Thinning After Partial Brain Irradiation in High-Grade Glioma.

Purpose Radiation-induced cognitive deficits may be mediated by tissue damage to cortical regions. Volumetric changes in cortex can be reliably measured using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We used these methods to study the association between radiation therapy (RT) dose and change in cortical thickness in high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. Methods and Materials We performed a voxel-wise analysis of MRI from 15 HGG patients who underwent fractionated partial brain RT. Three-dimensional MRI was acquired pre- and 1 year post RT. Cortex was parceled with well-validated segmentation software. Surgical cavities were censored. Each cortical voxel was assigned a change in cortical thickness between time points, RT dose value, and neuroanatomic label by lobe. Effects of dose, neuroanatomic location, age, and chemotherapy on cortical thickness were tested using linear mixed effects (LME) modeling. Results Cortical atrophy was seen after 1 year post RT with greater effects at higher doses. Estimates from LME modeling showed that cortical thickness decreased by −0.0033 mm ( P P Conclusions We found dose-dependent thinning of the cerebral cortex, with varying neuroanatomical regional sensitivity, 1 year after fractionated partial brain RT. The magnitude of thinning parallels 1-year atrophy rates seen in neurodegenerative diseases and may contribute to cognitive decline following high-dose RT.
Approximating planar, morphing curves with rigid-body linkages

This paper presents a procedure to synthesize planar linkages, composed of rigid links and revolute joints, that approximate a shape change defined by a set of curves. These “morphing curves” differ from each other by a combination of rigid-body displacement and shape change. Rigid link geometry is determined through analysis of piecewise linear curves, and increasing the number of links improves the shape-change approximation. The framework is applied to an open-chain example.
The Duke Employee Weight Loss Program: Report of a Duke Diet and Fitness Center Pilot Study

Background: Obesity is increasingly prevalent in the industrialized world. Obese workers have two times the number of workers’ compensation claims as those of non-obese workers. Worksite interventions may be especially effective because employees spend a large part of their day in the work environment, and both employee and employer have incentives to improve the employees’ health. Objective: To assess the impact of a 4 week employee intervention in participant’s weight, body fat and blood pressure. Methods: This was a pilot study. We assessed feasibility and impact compared to baseline at 4 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post-program. The primary outcomes were weight and body mass index. Secondary outcomes included percent body fat and blood pressure. Results: Forty participants consented to be part of the study. Baseline weight was 97.8 kg [SD ± 17.05]. Twelve months post-intervention weight loss averaged 2.7 kg [SD ± 6.35]. One-way repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant effect of participation on weight, body mass index, and percent body fat. Conclusion: Significant improvements in the primary outcomes were observed in participants completing our worksite pilot study, indicating that a worksite weight loss intervention is potentially effective. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 4 No 2 (2014) 44– 50
Preparation of SiCx Films by Sputtering of Graphite/SiC Target

SiCx alloy films were prepared by r.f. magnetron sputtering of graphite/SiC target in a pure Ar atmosphere. The films prepared on various deposition parameters, such as position of the substrate, r.f. power, and sputtering pressure were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and IR transmission spectroscopy as well as Knoop hardness measurements. Microhardness of the films decreased with decreasing r.f. power, and with increasing sputtering pressure. On the contrary oxgen content of the films increased with decreasing r.f. power, and with increasing sputtering pressure. Based on these results and IR spectra the dependence of the microhardness on Si-C bonds was discussed.
A technique for multi-dimensional optimization of radiation dose, contrast dose, and image quality in CT imaging

The purpose of this study was to substantiate the interdependency of image quality, radiation dose, and contrast material dose in CT towards the patient-specific optimization of the imaging protocols. The study deployed two phantom platforms. First, a variable sized phantom containing an iodinated insert was imaged on a representative CT scanner at multiple CTDI values. The contrast and noise were measured from the reconstructed images for each phantom diameter. Linearly related to iodine-concentration, contrast to noise ratio (CNR), was calculated for different iodine-concentration levels. Second, the analysis was extended to a recently developed suit of 58 virtual human models (5D-XCAT) with added contrast dynamics. Emulating a contrast-enhanced abdominal image procedure and targeting a peak-enhancement in aorta, each XCAT phantom was “imaged” using a CT simulation platform. 3D surfaces for each patient/size established the relationship between iodine-concentration, dose, and CNR. The Sensitivity of Ratio (SR), defined as ratio of change in iodine-concentration versus dose to yield a constant change in CNR was calculated and compared at high and low radiation dose for both phantom platforms. The results show that sensitivity of CNR to iodine concentration is larger at high radiation dose (up to 73%). The SR results were highly affected by radiation dose metric; CTDI or organ dose. Furthermore, results showed that the presence of contrast material could have a profound impact on optimization results (up to 45%).
Assessing the effects of climate change policy on the volatility of carbon prices in reference to the Great Recession

This paper examines the effects of having or not having a climate change policy on the behaviour of carbon price volatility before, within and after the 2008/09 global recession. Our Markov-regime switching model analysis shows that the voluntary carbon market at the Chicago Climate Exchange was in a high-volatile regime within, and two years before, this recession. The mandatory carbon market in the European Climate Exchange was relatively in stable and low-volatile regime over these periods, except at the end of the recession. The voluntary market exhibited more price volatility features than the mandatory one. After the recession, both markets experienced high probabilities of being at low-volatile regimes. Our results suggest that high-volatile regimes were not caused by the recession per se. However, statistical tests show that there were distinct low-and high-volatile regimes during the recession period, indicating that the recession aggravated price volatility of both markets.
A co-crystal of nona-hydrated disodium(II) with mixed anions from m-chloro-benzoic acid and furosemide.

In the title compound, [Na2(H2O)9](C7H4ClO2)(C12H10ClN2O5S) {systematic name: catena-poly[[[triaquasodium(I)]-di-μ-aqua-[triaquasodium(I)]-μ-aqua] 3-chlorobenzoate 4-chloro-2-[(furan-2-ylmethyl)amino]-5-sulfamoylbenzoate]}, both the original m-chloro­benzoic acid and furosemide exist with deprotonated carboxyl­ates, and the sodium cations and water mol­ecules exist in chains with stoichiometry [Na2(OH2)9]2+ that propagate in the [-110] direction. Each of the two independent Na+ ions is coordinated by three monodentate water mol­ecules, two double-water bridges, and one single-water bridge. There is considerable cross-linking between the [Na2(OH2)9]2+ chains and to furosemide sulfonamide and carboxyl­ate by inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. All hydrogen-bond donors participate in a complex two-dimensional array parallel to the ab plane. The furosemide NH group donates an intra­molecular hydrogen bond to the carboxyl­ate group, and the furosemide NH2 group donates an intra­molecular hydrogen bond to the Cl atom and an inter­molecular one to the m-chloro­benzoate O atom. The plethora of hydrogen-bond donors on the cation/water chain leads to many large rings, up to graph set R44(24), involving two chains and two furosemide anions. The chloro­benzoate is involved in only one R22(8) ring, with two water mol­ecules cis-coordinated to Na. The furan O atom is not hydrogen bonded.
Angiotensin II Potentiates the Arterial Pressure Response to Volume Loading in Humans

Angiotensin II (AII) has many potential effects on blood pressure regulation in addition to direct vasoconstriction. This study tested the hypothesis that minimally pressor infusions of AII, which themselves exert minimal effects on blood pressure, might significantly perturb the pressure response to hypertonic volume expansion in healthy humans. Accordingly, 3% saline was infused at 0.1 mL/kg/min in 13 healthy volunteers, both with and without concomitant AII infusion (2 ng/kg/min) on separate days. On a third day, AII was infused alone for 2 h in eight of these subjects. Eight subjects also were studied with 3% saline plus concomitant phenylephrine infusion as a "positive control." AII and phenylephrine exerted similar, small effects on mean arterial pressure (3.3 +/- 1.5 v 3.0 +/- 1.0 mm Hg, P = NS) before the infusion of AII. When 3% saline was infused alone, mean arterial pressure did not rise significantly. In the presence of AII, mean arterial pressure rose from 89 +/- 10 to 97 +/- 11 mm Hg (P < .01 v control; P < .05 v 3% saline alone). In the presence of phenylephrine, the mean arterial pressure did not increase during 3% saline infusion, similar to the results during 3% saline infusion alone. Plasma osmolality and arginine vasopressin levels were not different during 3% saline infusions with and without AII or with phenylephrine. Thus, a minimally pressor infusion of AII significantly potentiated the response of mean arterial pressure to hypertonic volume expansion in healthy humans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Multi-core parallelism for plane sweep algorithms as a foundation for GIS operations

The plane sweep algorithm is a foundational algorithm for many geometric and spatial computations; thus, improvements in the algorithm have far reaching effects in many applications. In this paper, we examine the performance of the serial plane sweep algorithm, and introduce a parallelization technique for the algorithm that is suitable to multi-core computers. The parallelization technique is described in detail and shown to be correct. Finally, experiments are performed using multiple data sets on computers with varying numbers of processing cores. We show that our algorithm achieves significant speedups over the serial plane sweep algorithm using a wide range of input parameters; thus, our algorithm achieves good performance without the need to tune the input parameters for specific input cases.
High-accuracy, model-based near-field beam shaping

Model-based optimization via direct binary search is performed for binary pixelated beam shapers used in high-energy lasers, yielding significant reduction of beam modulation and higher resilience to fabrication errors.
Carvedilol and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approval Process: The FDA Paradigm and Reflections on Hypothesis Testing

Carvedilol (Coreg), a beta- and alpha-blocker and an antioxidant drug, was evaluated for moderate to severe heart failure patients in a program containing four United States and one Australia/New Zealand study. The data were evaluated twice by the Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These meetings resulted in opposite decisions by the advisory committee. The crux of the argumentation was the two-positive-trial FDA paradigm. Carvedilol did not meet the usual paradigm because an exercise end point was not statistically different from placebo in three U.S. trials. Most other end points were highly significant, and death, which was monitored across the U.S. program, was different with p < 0.0001. Here we argue that the usual paradigm is very useful but not an absolute principle, that the usual paradigm can sometimes miss the strength of evidence even in the primary end points, and that rational decision making requires on occasion that other evidence must lead to approval. Control of the type I error rate should be taken very seriously, should rarely be violated, and serves the biomedical community well. It is not an absolute principle, however, but rather must be considered in context.
Head Injuries and Changes in Delinquency from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood: The Importance of Self-control as a Mediating Influence

Objectives:The current study examines whether head injuries suffered earlier in the life course are associated with subsequent changes in self-control and delinquency.Methods:Latent growth curve models and path analysis are used to analyze the developmental trajectories of self-control and delinquency as well as the potential associations between head injury, self-control, and delinquency among a sample of youth offenders from the pathways to desistance study.Results:The results revealed significant associations between head injuries and short-term changes in self-control and subsequent increases in aggressive delinquency. Indirect pathway models revealed that lower levels of self-control significantly mediated the association between head injuries and starting levels in aggressive delinquency. The association between head injuries and changes in aggressive delinquency was also significantly mediated by self-control, but the association was negative, indicating that youth who previously suffered head inju...
A Review of Aerobic and Psychrotrophic Plate Count Procedures for Fresh Meat and Poultry Products

This is a review of reports that employed aerobic plate counts on fresh meat and poultry products since 1985; it lists synopses of 100 applications. A total of 15 different plating media were used, with 48 (48%) being either plate count agar (PCA) or tryptone glucose yeast extract agar. The temperature-time relations ranged from a low temperature of 20 degrees C for 120 h to 37 degrees C for 24 h. Some 29 different temperature-time combinations were used among the total of 109, with 21 (19.3%) being 35 degrees C/48 h, followed by 12 (11.0%) at 32 degrees C/48 h, 11 (10.1%) at 25 degrees C/48 h, and 9 (8.3%) at 25 degrees C/72 h. Fifty-four (49.5%) plate count applications employed incubation temperatures of 30 degrees C and below. From the 26 reports that employed psychrotrophic counts, 16 (61.5%) used PCA; 18 different temperature-time combinations were used, with 7 degrees C/10 d employed by only four. Twenty-one (80.8%) employed an incubation temperature at or 10 degrees C. There is a serious need for some consensus on methodologies for aerobic and psychrotrophic counts on fresh meat and poultry products.
Theatrum Œconomicum: Anders Berch and the Dramatization of the Swedish Improvement Discourse

As Sweden emerged from the 30 Years’ War, it was clear to the nation’s elites that Sweden had to generate substantially more material wealth to take advantage of its newfound geopolitical power. Knowledge about how to best transform nature took center stage. While improvers, such as Christopher Polhem, Carl Linnaeus, and Anders Berch, valued new discoveries, they were equally concerned with the thorough dissemination of useful natural knowledge. Sweden’s first professor of Political Economy, Berch, developed a new pedagogical approach to teach the practice of improvement. Convinced that useful natural knowledge could not be taught by words alone, or even by illustrations, Berch assembled a large collection of materials, commodities, and mechanical devices in his Theatrum Ekonomicum, to be used in his teaching. By seeing the transformation of nature performed in front of their eyes, students came to understand the principles and properties of nature and realized both the potential and the limitations of existing knowledge to facilitate the improvement of the nation.
Suppressing the Mosquitoes’ Coughs: An Introduction to Holy Envy

This chapter opens the volume by introducing Krister Stendahl’s call to “always leave room for holy envy” in the face of interreligious encounters. In so doing, Gustafson provides examples of holy envy from his own experience. These include the Jewish mourning tradition of Shiva, a reflection on Daoism’s principle of wu wei (non-doing), and a reflection from Rabbi Anson Laytner on Chinese Judaism in China. This chapter also introduces the chapters in this volume, their authors, and their foci.
Perceptions of agricultural extension educators regarding livestock waste management education in the North Central Region

Livestock production in the United States yields large quantities of livestock waste annually. The North Central region of the United States produces a variety of livestock including swine, cattle and poultry. Livestock waste is a rich source of plant nutrients and organic matter. The environmental risks of pollution associated with livestock waste raises major concerns of agricultural educators, researchers and policy makers. Best management practices have been developed for livestock waste management. There is limited research information regarding livestock waste management education. The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of county extension educators in the North Central region of the United Sates regarding livestock waste management education and its related educational processes. This study was descriptive and used survey questionnaires to gather research information. A simple random sampling technique was used to draw 360 county extension educators form the North Central region to participate in the study. The findings of this study were based on 201 completed survey questionnaires and generalized over the study population based on controlling non-response error. This study revealed that county extension educators in the North Central region were predominantly middle-aged males with master’s degrees. County extension educators in this study maintained that livestock waste management was a controversial issue and meant different things to different people. Overall, county extension educators indicated positive perceptions regarding livestock waste management; livestock waste management education and the effectiveness of teaching methods used in livestock waste management education.
Wildfire Ecology and Management at Grand Canyon, USA: Tree-Ring Applications in Forest Fire History and Modeling

Wildland fire has been a key selective force through evolutionary time, influencing the development of characteristic adaptations of forest trees ranging from the serotinous cones of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) to the vigorous sprouting of Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) (Keeley and Zedler 1998). In the semi-arid southwestern United States, forest fires play complex ecological and social roles. Ecologically, the southwestern U.S. encompass forests adapted to severe, stand-replacing fires, those adapted to frequent surface fires, and forests with a mixture of fire intensities. Overlaid on this natural mosaic, however, modern industrial society has consistently sought to suppress fire (Pyne 1982). An unintended consequence of fire exclusion, however, is the accumulation of fuel horizontally across contiguous tree canopies and vertically through the crowns of small understory trees. Coupled with warming climate, more droughts, less snow, and longer fire seasons, there is little doubt that severe fires will increase (Westerling et al. 2006). For forest ecosystems not adapted to severe burning and already stressed by non-native species, human impacts, and climate change, the likelihood of substantial irreversible degradation appears high (Savage and Mast 2005; Strom and Fule 2007). Early proponents of taking an ecological approach to fire, such as Leopold (1924) and Weaver (1951), were lonely voices in their time. Today, however, the attention of scientists and forest managers is focused on the restoring of the naturally fire-resilient characteristics of native ecosystems (Falk 2006). In order to have a chance to accomplish this goal, it is vital that we have the best possible understanding of historical forest characteristics: fire regimes, forest structure, species composition, and dynamics.
Testing For Genetic Compatibility between Rhizobia and Legumes

The occurrence of nodulation, and whether it is effective or ineffective, depends on the genetic compatibility between the rhizobia and the legume. In this chapter, symbiotic promiscuity and specificity for nodulation are demonstrated using inoculated legumes grown in Leonard jars and seedling-agar tubes. The disadvantages of the cross-inoculation concept in classifying rhizobia are demonstrated. However, the practical significance of the cross-inoculation concept in the correct practice of seed inoculation is highlighted.
Genetics of Autoimmune Myocarditis

Autoimmune heart diseases in humans are multifactorial and genetically complex. Fortunately a great deal has been learned from animal models. They have established that a variety of infectious or toxic insults can lead to autoimmune heart disease in genetically susceptible animals. These animal models suggest that autoimmune heart disease has multiple etiologies, with differing mechanisms but overlapping genetic determinants culminating in the same end stage inflammatory heart disease. In this review we will focus on autoimmune heart disease caused by two different infectious agents, Trypanosoma cruzi and Coxsackievirus B3. Both pathogens are known to infect the heart and are largely cleared after a brief illness. In certain susceptible individuals, however, a chronic, putative autoimmune attack is initiated. We review the evidence that post infectious chronic myocarditis is indeed autoimmune in nature and discuss our recent findings about the common genetic elements that may predispose to autoimmunity and autoimmune disease.
Measuring Water Quality Benefits: An Introduction

Benefit-cost analysis in the United States has evolved into a practical method for measuring the worth of public spending programs.* While most discussions usually identify the Flood Control Act of 1936 as the origin of benefit-cost analysis of Federal programs, the report of Thomas Jefferson’s Treasury Secretary on proposals to improve waterways provides some evidence of its application over a century earlier.† Nonetheless, the Flood Control Act marks a milestone because it required that the benefits from water resource development projects must exceed the costs. The Act establishes a legal basis for using the benefit-cost criterion in evaluating water projects. By stating that the benefits and costs must be measured “to whomsoever they may accrue,” the Act applies the Kaldor-Hicks compensation principle before it had been formally stated in the literature (Kaldor [1939] and Hicks [1940]).‡
How I use molecular genetic tests to evaluate patients who have or may have myelodysplastic syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) can be difficult to diagnose, especially when morphological changes in blood and marrow cells are minimal, myeloblast proportion is not increased, and the karyotype is normal. The discovery of >40 genes that are recurrently somatically mutated in MDS patients raised hope that molecular genetic testing for these mutations might help clarify the diagnosis in ambiguous cases where patients present with cytopenias and nondiagnostic marrow morphological findings. However, many older healthy individuals also harbor somatic mutations in leukemia-associated driver genes, especially in DNMT3A, TET2, and ASXL1, and detection of common aging-associated mutations in a cytopenic patient can cause diagnostic uncertainty. Despite this potential confounding factor, certain somatic mutation patterns when observed in cytopenic patients confer a high likelihood of disease progression and may allow a provisional diagnosis of MDS even if morphologic dysplasia and other diagnostic criteria are absent. A subset of acquired mutations also influences risk stratification of patients with an established MDS diagnosis and can inform treatment selection. Many unanswered questions remain about the implications of specific mutations, and clinicians also vary widely in their comfort with interpreting sequencing results. Here, I review the use of molecular genetic assays in patients with possible MDS or diagnosed MDS.
HIV status does not worsen oral health outcomes.

Last January 31st, Journal of Clinical Periodontology just made available the report titled "A Retrospective Analysis of Dental Implant Survival in HIV Patients," which concluded that "implants placed in HIV-positive patients had similar survival rates as HIV-negative patients." These data support our hypothesis that infection by HIV does not lead to worse oral health outcomes, including worse periodontitis. We looked 6,092 individuals and selected all HIV-positive subjects (N = 73) and matched them by age, sex, ethnicity, and smoking habits with 261 HIV-negative control subjects. Based on these 334 total individuals, several dental conditions, including the need for root canal treatment, gingivitis, periodontitis, hairy leukoplakia, and dental caries were compared between the two groups. Overall, there was no difference in dental disease between the HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups. In our data, it was found that the prevalence of periodontitis in HIV-positive patients was 16.4% and in HIV-negative patients 19.2%.
A Decentralized Heterogeneous Control Strategy for a Class of Infinitesimally Shape-Similar Formations

The sensing modalities available to individual agents in a multi-robot team have a significant effect on what the team can accomplish. Previous work on infinitesimal shape-similarity has shown that maintaining relative angles between robots equipped with bearing-only sensors can render a formation of these robots invariant to translation, rotation, and uniform scaling; however, previous work has not proposed decentralized control strategies for exploiting this invariance. To address this deficiency, this paper proposes a decentralized formation control strategy for assembled triangulations, a class of infinitesimally shape-similar formations. Heterogeneous in terms of sensing and control, a decentralized formation control strategy is developed in which one robot sets the position of the formation, a robot capable of measuring bearings and distances controls the scale and heading, and the remaining robots maintain the assembled triangulation. The asymptotic controllers that compose the formation control strategy of this work are implemented on a team of differential-drive robots.
Non-Invasive Cardiac Output Monitoring in Cardiogenic Shock: The NICOM Study.

Abstract Background The bioreactance technique is a relatively new, totally noninvasive technique that is used to measure cardiac output (CO) and is easy to use. The Non-Invasive Cardiac Output Monitor (NICOM) is 1 such system. Although approved by the Food and Drug Administration for measurement of stroke volume, there is a paucity of literature validating this technology in decompensated heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Methods and Results Fifty patients admitted to our cardiac intensive care unit for cardiogenic shock and Swan-Ganz catheter-guided therapy were prospectively enrolled in the study after informed consent. Simultaneous measurements of CO were obtained using NICOM, indirect Fick and bolus thermodilution. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the precision of NICOM for CO using the 3 repeated measurements of CO over the pooled data. The agreement of the NICOM device in the defined clinical population, compared to indirect Fick and thermodilution, was evaluated by comparing the Pearson correlation coefficient, the Bland-Altman plot and the Lin concordance correlation coefficient. The ICC for cardiac output measured by NICOM showed excellent repeatability (ICC = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.92–0.94, n = 262) in the pooled data. The Pearson correlation coefficient for cardiac output measured by NICOM was poor when compared to indirect Fick (n = 263, r = 0.132, P = 0.033) and TD (n = 258, r = 0.275, P Conclusions NICOM technology is not a reliable method of measuring CO in patients with decompensated heart failure and cardiogenic shock.