cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of hypoxia on the capillarity of guinea pig skeletal muscle.

SummaryCapillarity and fiber composition were studied by the ATPase technique in frozen muscle samples of mongrel guinea pigs from sea level (SL)(body weight: 200-637 g) and from the Peruvian Andes at 3900 m (HA)(body weight: 350-795 g). Capillary density (CD), capillary to fiber ratio (C:F), fiber cross sectional area (FCSA) and fiber composition were measured in the soleus and the central portion of the medial head of the gastrocnemius. CD was always higher in the gastrocnemius (718/mm2 SL, 757/mm2 HA) than in the soleus (600/mm2 SL, 657/mm2 HA). No correlation between CD and body weight (BW) was found. Mean FCSA was linearly related to BW. At a given BW, FCSA was greater in the HA than in the SL animals. C:F increased linearly with FCSA in the SL and the HA groups, but the relationships were different in the two muscles: C:F = 7.04 × 10−4 FCSA + 0.064, r = .94 in the gastrocnemius, C:F = 5.54 × 10−4 FCSA + 0.048, r = .97, in the soleus. The soleus had only slow twitch oxidative fibers, the gastrocnemiu...
Is there a specific fracture 'cascade'?

Different kinds of epidemiologic data provide varying views of the relationships among the main osteoporotic fractures. Descriptive incidence data indicate that distal forearm fractures typically occur earlier than vertebral fractures that, in turn, precede hip fractures late in life. In addition, relative risk estimates document the fact that one osteoporotic fracture increases the risk of subsequent ones. These two observations support the notion of a ‘fracture cascade' and justify the recent emphasis on secondary prevention, that is, more aggressive treatment of patients presenting with a fracture in order to prevent recurrences. However, the absolute risk of a subsequent fracture given an initial one is modest, and the degree to which the second fracture can be attributed to the first one is unclear. Moreover, the osteoporotic fractures encountered in the majority of patients are the first one experienced, and even these initial fractures lead to substantial morbidity and cost. These latter points reemphasize the importance of primary prevention, that is, the management of bone loss and other risk factors to prevent the first fracture. Continued efforts are needed to refine risk assessment algorithms so that candidates for such fracture prophylaxis can be identified more accurately and efficiently.
New Procedures for Rearing Cabbage Loopers and Other Lepidopterous Larvae for Propagation of Nuclear Polyhedrosis Viruses

Paraffin-coated paper bags were used successfully to rear Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) for use as hosts of entomogenous viruses. They also reduced the cost of producing 100 pupae at least 10-fold and may make it easier to handle the pupae. Three new diets were acceptable, and one drastically reduced the cost of the rearing medium. The new techniques greatly reduced the cost of producing a nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolated from Autographa californica (Speyer) using larvae of T. ni or Spodoptera exigua (Hubner).
Two Distinct Concepts Party Competition in Government and Electoral Competition in the American States

American state politics scholars have generally relied on Ranney’s measure of the partisan composition of state legislatures and governors’ offices to evaluate competition between parties for contr...
Response of metastatic mucosal melanoma to immunotherapy: It can get worse before it gets better:

Immune therapy with checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized the management of metastatic melanoma. Ipilimumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab are all FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat metastatic melanoma. Responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors are usually delayed. An interim progression on restaging computed tomography scans "pseudo-progression" may be observed before response to treatment occur. In this case, we report a significant interim progression of metastatic mucosal melanoma before meaningful responses to immunotherapy occurred. The patient developed significant immune therapy-related colitis and new onset vitiligo. Further restaging computed tomography scans showed sustained tumor response despite stopping the immune therapy.
Analysis and Disposal of Transverse Cracks in Weld Between Intermediate Pressure Main Stop Valve and Reheating Pipe

Aiming at the transverse crack in the weld between intermediate pressure main stop valve and reheating pipe of supercritical power generation unit found before its installation,the cause of the cracks was analyzed from the aspects of weld performance of materials,welding stress condition and environment factors.The reasonable welding repair process was designed.
Measurement of medullation in wool and mohair using an Optical Fibre Diameter Analyser.

We conducted three experiments to evaluate the Optical Fibre Diameter Analyser (OFDA) for estimating medullation (med [M], kemp [K], and total [T] medullated fiber content) in mohair and wool produced by Angora goats and sheep, respectively. Medullation can be a beneficial characteristic in certain types of wool, but it is highly undesirable in mohair and apparel wools. Current techniques for evaluating medullation in animal fibers are laborious, slow, and expensive. The OFDA had been modified by the manufacturer to measure fiber opacity distribution, a characteristic known to be indicative of medullation in white fibers, and was capable of providing such measurements in a very short time. Measurements made on magnified fiber images produced with a projection microscope (PM) were used as a reference for M, K, and T in fiber samples. An initial experiment with 124 mohair samples (T = .10 to 9.10%) seemed to indicate that OFDA estimates of M, K, and T were only poorly correlated with corresponding PM values (r2 = .5409, .1401, and .5576, respectively). However, a second experiment using wool and mohair samples containing a wider range of medullation (T = .58 to 26.54%) revealed that OFDA estimates of M, K, and T for wool were highly correlated with PM measurements (r2 = .9853, .9307, and .9728, respectively). Evidence was also obtained indicating that the low r2 values associated with mohair relationships were likely due to a combination of factors: 1) high variation among the standard PM measurements and 2) the relatively low M, K, and T contents of the mohair samples compared with wool. In a third experiment, greater accuracy was obtained in the PM measurements by evaluating many more individual fibers per sample (10,000). In this case, OFDA estimates of M, K, and T for mohair were highly correlated with corresponding PM measurements (r2 = .8601, .9939, and .9696, respectively). However, the two sets of linear regression equations obtained for wool and mohair were somewhat different, indicating that separate calculations should be used to estimate PM measurements from OFDA data. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the OFDA instrument is capable of providing relatively fast, accurate, and potentially less expensive estimates of medullated fiber characteristics in mohair and wool.
The synthesis of potential antimalarials; derivatives of α, γ-dihydroxy-β, β-dimethyl-N-ethylbutyramide

In 1943 it became known (1) that pantoyltaurylamide (SN 3279) showed antimalarial activity when administered intravenously to chicks infected with Plasmodium gallinaceum. When subsequently phenyl pantothenone (I) (SN 12610), prepared by Woolley and Collyer (2), was tested and shown to possess activity when given orally, it was decided to examine compounds which might be regarded as sulfur analogues of I. Accordingly l-pantolactone was condensed with a series of amines to give the five derivatives of butyramide II to VI.
Process Evaluation of a Retreat for Scholars in the First Cohort: The NIH Mixed Methods Research Training Program for the Health Sciences:

The Mixed Methods Research Training Program for the Health Sciences aims to enlarge the national pool of trained investigators in mixed methods and improve the quality of grant applications to the NIH. Selected scholars are assigned a consulting team, participate in webinars, and attend an annual "retreat" focused on learning mixed methods through application to their research. Our paper summarizes the process evaluation of the retreat. Scholars identified strengths in small interactive groups to discuss individual projects and the opportunity to apply learning. Scholars wanted further opportunity to discuss individual projects, understanding interventions and mixed methods, and finding collaborators. Our findings will be useful to leaders developing workshops or similar programs at the faculty level.
Use of Arsenic Trioxide in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Leads to Cardiotoxicity in African-American Patients.

Abstract Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an effective therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), but cardiac side effects have been described. We reviewed the charts of all 77 patients given ATO at M.D. Anderson from 1998 to present. Our objectives were to: (1) identify patients at relatively high risk of developing arrhythmias after receiving ATO and (2) evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the electrocardiographic QTc interval in predicting subsequent arrhythmias. The median age of the patients was 54 years. 5% were African-American. 70% received ATO for treatment of APL, 18% for myelodysplastic syndrome, and 12% for other hematological malignancies. The dose of ATO was 0.15 mg/kg daily for 60 days. If, after this time, response was observed ATO was given for an additional 6 months, on a 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off schedule. The dose was lowered from 0.15 mg/kg in the event of acute toxicity, however the African-American patients discussed below were on the standard 0.15 mg/kg dose when they experienced arrhythmias. Arrhythmias were observed in 4 of the 77 patients (5%, exact 95% CI 1– 13%). Of these 4 patients, 2 developed ventricular tachycardia and 2 atrial tachycardia. In 3 of the 4 patients, these arrhythmias led to discontinuation of ATO and its replacement by mylotarg. Three of the 4 African-Americans given ATO developed arrhythmias vs. only 1/73 non African-Americans (Fisher exact p value, 0.002). The patients who developed arrhythmias were younger (median age = 32) than those who did not (median age = 57) and had no history of cardiac disease, electrolyte abnormalities, or use of medications that would alter their response to ATO relative to the other patients. African-Americans tended to be younger than non African-Americans: 3/4 were age 430 ms) was not observed in the patients who developed serious cardiac arrhythmias. None of the 3 patients with QTc prolongation had a documented arrhythmia. Thus, QTc monitoring had zero sensitivity and zero specificity for eventual arrhythmia development. Despite uncertainty as to mechanism, physicians should be aware that ATO may cause arrhythmias in young African Americans. Our data also calls into question the value of QTc monitoring, at least in patients given ATO.
Wideband RF Filters Using Medium-Scale Integration of Lithium Niobate Laterally Vibrating Resonators

This letter presents wideband spurious-free microelectromechanical systems (MEMSs) filters based on shear horizontal (SH0) mode Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) laterally vibrating resonators. The filters, monolithically fabricated on the same chip, have center frequencies at 400 and 750 MHz. The measured performance exhibits in-band ripple-free response, a low insertion loss (IL) of 1.7 dB, a 30-dB shape factor of 1.41, and a 3-dB fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 9.6 %-the largest reported for MEMS-resonator-based filters. The high performance was collaboratively enabled by the LiNbO3 material and filter design. The excellent piezoelectric coupling and low acoustic loss in LiNbO3 thin film ensure the low IL and large FBW, while the medium-scale integration of 200 spurious mode-free resonators fully harnesses the potential of LiNbO3 material without introducing spurious response. The filters have a device footprint less than $360 \times 350\,\,\mu \text{m}^{2}$ , thus suitable for RF frontends in handheld wireless devices.
Retraumatization Mediates the Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Clinical Training-Related Secondary Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Previous research (Butler, Carello, & Maguin, 2016) has found that exposure to trauma-related material in graduate clinical coursework and field training can put students at risk for reactivations of feelings/memories from negative past experiences (retraumatization) and for secondary traumatic stress (STS) symptoms. The present report sought to examine the role, if any, of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in these outcomes. Using the Butler et al. (2016) sample, we examined: (1) rates of ACEs in 195 graduate social work students, (2) whether the total number of ACEs was associated with training-related retraumatization (TRT) and/or STS symptoms, and (3) if TRT mediated the relationship between ACEs and STS symptoms. The results indicate that more than three quarters of the sample had experienced one or more ACEs before age 18 and almost one third endorsed 4 or more. The most commonly reported ACEs were household mental illness, parental separation/divorce, household alcohol/substance abuse, and emotional abuse or neglect by a parent or household member. Higher ACE scores were associated with increased likelihood of TRT experiences and STS symptoms during training. A mediation analysis confirmed that TRT mediated the effect of ACE scores on STS symptoms; this finding also provides support for the role of proximal emotional reactions in mediating the effects of distal adverse experiences on the development of trauma symptoms. In summary, despite the evident resilience of this graduate student sample, those with ACE histories were at heightened risk for training-related distress. These results underscore the need for a trauma-informed approach to clinical training.
Decreasing racial disparity with the combination of ledipasvir–sofosbuvir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C

African Americans (AA) in the US are twice as likely to be infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) compared to the non-Hispanic-white US population (Cau). They are also more likely to be infected with HCV genotype 1, more likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma, and, in addition, have a lower response rate to interferon-based therapies. With the increase in response rates reported for combinations of direct-acting antivirals, the possibility that racial disparity would be eliminated by agents that directly inhibit virus replication has become a reality. The objective of this review is to evaluate the literature from clinical studies and retrospective analysis with respect to the response of AA to the most prescribed antiviral combination sofosbuvir plus ledipasvir. While few studies have focused on AA patients, sufficient information is availed from the literature and studies in our predominately AA clinic population to confirm that ledipasvir-sofosbuvir has a similar effectiveness in AA as compared to Cau.
The Voice of Surrogate Decision-Makers. Family Responses to Prognostic Information in Chronic Critical Illness

Rationale: Information from clinicians about the expected course of the patient’s illness is relevant and important for decision-making by surrogates for chronically critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation.Objectives: To observe how surrogates of chronically critically ill patients respond to information about prognosis from palliative care clinicians.Methods: This was a qualitative analysis of a consecutive sample of audio-recorded meetings from a larger, multisite, randomized trial of structured informational and supportive meetings led by a palliative care physician and nurse practitioner for surrogates of patients in medical intensive care units with chronic critical illness (i.e., adults mechanically ventilated for ≥7 days and expected to remain ventilated and survive for ≥72 h).Measurements and Main Results: A total of 66 audio-recorded meetings involving 51 intervention group surrogates for 43 patients were analyzed using grounded theory. Six main categories of surrogate responses to prog...
THE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF SMALL AND LIGHT WEAPON USAGE: A STUDY OF AWKA ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

The proliferation of small arms and light weapons is one of the major security challenges currently facing Nigeria, Africa and indeed the world in general. The trafficking and wide availability of these weapons fuel communal conflict, political instability and pose a threat, not only to national security, but also to sustainable development. The lack of control of small arms usage is contributing to alarming levels of armed crime, and militancy. Therefore, the trust of this project dwell on scanning the role of government and policy makers, in checking the control and management of SALW in Nigeria and to ascertain the level of insecurity this menace had incurred in the Nigerian state. It was revealed that inability of the Nigeria government and the law enforcement agencies to check the supply and the demand factors of the proliferation of SALW in Nigeria has heightened and worsened the security situations in parts of the country. The project further asserts that availability of small arms have direct influence on the escalation and sustenance of insecurity and therefore, drew a conclusion on the basis of which the recommendations were made.
Conceptualizing a mentoring program for American Indian/Alaska Native students in the STEM fields: a review of the literature

AbstractIn order to address the disparity of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) doctorates in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), culturally congruent mentorship program development is needed. Because traditional Western academic paradigms are typically constrained to a non-Indigenous perspective, the authors question how American Indian graduate students in STEM can successfully navigate graduate education with their cultural identity intact. Our review and synthesis of the literature addresses this question by considering 60 data sources that include peer-reviewed articles, personal communication with professionals working in the field of AI/AN academic success, and professional training literature. Our synthesis demonstrates that there is a dearth of Indigenous participation in the STEM fields that needs to be addressed by instituting a bicultural paradigm. This paradigm includes incorporating traditional academic mentoring into Indigenous values and kinship structures. A conceptual m...
Estimating Effects of Dynamic Treatment Strategies in Pharmacoepidemiologic Studies with Time-varying Confounding: A Primer.

Pharmacoepidemiologists are often interested in estimating the effects of dynamic treatment strategies, where treatments are modified based on patients’ evolving characteristics. For such problems, appropriate control of both baseline and time-varying confounders is critical. Conventional methods that control confounding by including time-varying treatments and confounders in an outcome regression model may not have a causal interpretation, even when all baseline and time-varying confounders are measured. This problem occurs when time-varying confounders are, themselves, affected by past treatment. We review alternative analytic approaches that can produce valid inferences in the presence of such confounding. We focus on the parametric g-formula and inverse probability weighting of marginal structural models, two examples of Robins’ g-methods. Unlike standard outcome regression methods, the parametric g-formula and inverse probability weighting of marginal structural models can estimate the effects of dynamic treatment strategies and appropriately control for measured time-varying confounders affected by prior treatment. Few applications of g-methods exist in the pharmacoepidemiology literature, primarily due to the common use of administrative claims data, which typically lack detailed measurements of time-varying information, and the limited availability of or familiarity with tools to help perform the relatively complex analysis. These barriers may be overcome with the increasing availability of data sources containing more detailed time-varying information and more accessible learning tools and software. With appropriate data and study design, g-methods can improve our ability to make causal inferences on dynamic treatment strategies from observational data in pharmacoepidemiology.
Flux pinning in high-current-carrying superconductors

For most magnetic applications of superconducting wire materials (e.g., superconducting power machines, tokamak coils, etc.), it is desirable for these wires to carry high current densities in high magnetic fields, H. It is well known, however, that an upper limit, the critical current density, Jc, exists, which depends strongly on the metallurgical microstructure of the wire as well as on H and temperature. The basic mechanism underlying the microstructure sensitivity of Jc is known in general terms to be the pinning of the flux line lattice, FLL, of the mixed state by defects in the crystal lattice of the superconductor.1–5 There continues to be considerable controversy, however, about two questions: 1) What is the nature of the elementary interaction pinning force, fp, between the FLL and a single lattice defect? and 2) How should these elementary interactions be summed to find the volume pinning force, Fp, which is the fundamental quantity that determines Jc since Fp = Jc × B? In what follows, recent evidence bearing on these questions is reviewed, with special attention given to applications of these ideas to high-field high-current superconductors, such as niobium-titanium alloys and the A15 compounds.
Exploring Research-Methods Blogs in Psychology: Who Posts What About Whom, and With What Effect?

During the methods crisis in psychology and other sciences, much discussion developed online in forums such as blogs and other social media. Hence, this increasingly popular channel of scientific d...
Cardiac Biomarkers in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR or implantation (TAVI)) has become the standard of care for patients with severe aortic stenosis who require aortic valve replacement and are at increased risk for surgical aortic vavel replacement (SAVR). Essential to the management of such patients is the ability to accurately assess this risk and predict who among those undergoing TAVR are particularly vulnerable to adverse outcomes. Cardiac biomarkers have been studied in a variety of cardiac conditions with varying utility in predicting outcomes in patients who are undergoing or have undergone cardiac procedures. Important to the appropriate clinical application of these biomarkers is a comprehension of the mechanism of their release and an understanding of the cardiac physiologic and hemodynamic alterations associated with TAVR. In this chapter, we discuss the definitions of myocardial injury and infarction as they pertain to cardiac procedures, most specifically TAVR. We also explore mechanisms of cardiac biomarker release and the changes in cardiac physiology during TAVR that may lead to myocardial injury. Finally, we discuss novel markers under investigation with incipient and evolving application in the clinical sphere of aortic stenosis management.
Leveraging Disparate Parcel-Level Data to Improve Classification and Analysis of Urban Nonresidential Water Demand

AbstractThis study details a novel procedure for analyzing water demands in the nonresidential sector (i.e., commercial, industrial, and institutional users). Nonresidential customers are classifie...
Surgical Removal of a Calcified Right Atrial Mass Related to Venous Access Port: A Case Report.

Abstract Introduction Intracardiac masses pose a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Indwelling catheters can lead to thrombus calcification causing untoward sequelae. Case presentation We report on a patient who presented after computed tomography identified a large calcified right atrial mass. Her history included treatment for rectal cancer and breast cancer, thus we feared the mass could represent metastasis. The intracardiac mass was successfully resected via a right atriotomy. Her postoperative course was uneventful and the histopathology revealed a calcified thrombus. Discussion In this report we discuss our findings and pre- and intraoperative considerations, as well as suggestions for management of implantable venous catheters. This is a rare complication of an indwelling catheter. Conclusion Operative management of intracardiac lesions is the standard of care. When related to implantable catheters, the best patient care would be prevention of such lesions. This would include routine flushing of the indwelling catheters and prompt removal once not in use.
Why the Promotion of Family Planning Makes More Sense Now Than Ever Before

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented scenarios and challenges for programme managers. Health systems have been overwhelmed with the increasing number of cases, and the focus has shifted to ...
Mealtime caregiving knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors for persons living with dementia: A systematic review of psychometric properties of instruments.

Abstract Background Using valid instruments to assess caregiving knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors in mealtime care for people living with dementia is critical to evaluate the process and effects of mealtime assistance interventions. Yet, the quantity and psychometric quality of such instruments are unknown. Objectives This systematic review described and evaluated psychometric properties of instruments that were developed and used to assess mealtime caregiving knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors for people with dementia. Methods We searched Pubmed, CINAHL, AgeLine, PsychINFO, and Cochrane Library for records published between January 1st, 1980 and June 31st, 2019, with follow-up searches by December 20th, 2019. Records were eligible if they included any instrument developed, tested, and/or used to measure the concepts of interest, including mealtime caregiving knowledge, attitudes, skills, and/or behaviors. After eligible records were identified, instruments that were reported in the eligible records were identified and extracted. Instruments were eligible if they were originally developed to measure the concepts of interest or developed in non-mealtime activities and later used or tested to measure the concepts of interest. From eligible records, eight characteristics of eligible instruments were extracted: (1) development process, (2) the concept/construct the instrument operationalizes, (3) sample and setting the instrument was used/tested in, (4) administration method, (5) description of items, (6) scoring format/interpretation, (7) reliability, and (8) validity. The psychometric quality of eligible instruments was evaluated using a newly developed psychometric quality assessment tool. Results A total of 9438 records were retrieved and 19 eligible instruments were identified. Ten instruments assessed mealtime caregiving skills or behaviors; 5 assessed attitudes, intention, self-efficacy, empathy; and 4 assessed knowledge. All instruments were scored as having low psychometric quality, except for Mealtime Engagement Scale with moderate psychometric quality in assessing mealtime engagement toward people with dementia. Reasons for low psychometric quality included limited psychometric testing, inadequate estimates of psychometric properties, and use of small sample size. Conclusions While all instruments warrant further testing, Mealtime Engagement Scale demonstrated moderate psychometric quality with preliminary evidence of reliability and validity to assess mealtime engagement toward people with dementia. Future testing of Mealtime Engagement Scale is needed in larger diverse samples in different care settings to accumulate psychometric evidence and expand the use.
Ancillary Tethering Influences σ3-P vs σ5-P Speciation and Enables Intermolecular S–H Oxidative Addition to Nontrigonal Phosphorus Compounds

The design and synthesis of a nontrigonal phosphorus(III) triamide (2) bearing a peripheral ethylene bridge is described. By comparison to a compound lacking the ethylene bridge (1, (P{N[o-NMe-C6H4...
Incentives, Institutions, and the Challenges to Research on Authoritarian Politics

In this essay, I discuss how differences between authoritarian and democratic politics shape and limit our efforts to map and explain the world authoritarian politics. I suggest that authoritarian politics is distinctive in two key ways: first, in dictatorships, no independent authority has the power to enforce agreements among key actors; and second, in authoritarian politics, violence is the ultimate arbiter of political conflicts. These features result in a number of challenges to theory building, inference, and measurement in the study of authoritarianism.
The Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in Cholangiocarcinoma

The role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has grown in recent years due to the suboptimal endoscopic methods in obtaining tissue diagnosis. The current chapter focuses on the role of EUS in the diagnosis and staging of CCA. While EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the primary CCA tumor is strongly discouraged due to risk of tumor seeding, EUS-FNA plays an essential role in evaluating CCA-associated lymphadenopathy and has a significant impact on prognosis and guiding management. Regardless of cross-sectional imaging (unless unresectable disease is identified), EUS can be useful in providing enhanced staging data, primarily via improved nodal assessment. Although primary sclerosing cholangitis and the presence of biliary stents can hinder EUS performance, their impact is greatly minimized by adopting careful examination techniques.
Dual Adaptive Model Predictive Control with Disturbances

Abstract Model-based control requires good accuracy of model parameters to achieve high performance. Controller design under parametric uncertainties is therefore a challenging topic in control system engineering. One well known control design for uncertain systems is adaptive control. An adaptive controller has two tasks: process regulation and parameter learning. Dual control explores the trade-off between the two seemingly conflicting tasks. The control structure in an adaptive system consists of a model-based controller and a recursive update rule for parameter estimation. In this paper, the adaptive control framework consists of model predictive control for system regulation and recursive least squares for parameter estimation. The requirement for persistent excitation is shown to be necessary for systems with high-dimensional parameter space. Then, a dual formulation is proposed in an attempt to generate excitation signals while maintaining control performance in the adaptive control scheme. The algorithm is implemented and tested on a simulated SISO system.
When Good Leaders Lose Their Way

When you go to work today, imagine having a tape recorder attached to your body, a second one in your briefcase, and a third one in a special notebook, knowing that you will be secretly taping your supervisors, coworkers, and in some cases, your friends. Now imagine doing that every day for three years. That is exactly what I did, from 1992 to 1995, when I was an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) in the largest price-fixing scandal (at the time), in U.S. history.1 I was, and still am, the highest-ranked Fortune 500 executive ever to become an FBI whistleblower in U.S. history.2
Recovery of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin in Multiple Phase Foods

Lipids are soluble in organic solvents and staphylococcal enterotoxins are water-soluble. This recognized feature can assist in the recovery of these toxins. Partitioning studies were conducted using a toxin-insoluble organic solvent (CHCl3) treatment for the extraction of toxins from the lipid portion of the tested food products. Enterotoxin serotypes A, B and D were added at toxin concentrations of 2 ng/mL to five brands each of whole milk, 1% low fat milk, half and half, eggs, and two kinds of salad dressings. Pre-partition and post-partition extracts from the foods were assayed for toxin recovery using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based serological method. While the toxin was detected by traditional extraction procedures, toxin levels were retained in the precipitate of the food products. This study demonstrates that CHCl3 treatment in conjunction with concentrating the extract is beneficial when low levels of enterotoxin need to be identified. Practical Applications Traditional extraction methods work well in most low-fat containing foods; however, multiple CHCl3 extractions are advantageous when testing high-lipid containing foods or foods that may contain small traces of enterotoxin. This method proved valuable when extracting small quantities of staphylococcal enterotoxin from the lipid fraction of foods.
Combining SVM classifiers using genetic fuzzy systems based on AUC for gene expression data analysis

Recently, the use of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve and the area under the ROC Curve (AUC) has been receiving much attention as a measure of the performance of machine learning algorithms. In this paper, we propose a SVM classifier fusion model using genetic fuzzy system. Genetic algorithms are applied to tune the optimal fuzzy membership functions. The performance of SVM classifiers are evaluated by their AUCs. Our experiments show that AUC-based genetic fuzzy SVM fusion model produces not only better AUC but also better accuracy than individual SVM classifiers.
Fractafolds based on the Sierpinski gasket and their spectra

We introduce the notion of fractafold, which is to a fractal what a manifold is to a Euclidean half-space. We specialize to the case when the fractal is the Sierpinski gasket SG. We show that each such compact fractafold can be given by a cellular construction based on a finite cell graph G, which is 3-regular in the case that the fractafold has no boundary. We show explicitly how to obtain the spectrum of the fractafold from the spectrum of the graph, using the spectral decimation method of Fukushima and Shima. This enables us to obtain isospectral pairs of nonhomeomorphic fractafolds. We also show that although SG is topologically rigid, there are fractafolds based on SG that are not topologically rigid.
The Effects of Tensile Preloads on the Impact Response of Carbon/Epoxy Laminates

Low-velocity instrumented dropweight impact tests were performed on carbon/ epoxy laminates. The composite plates were 8-ply (+45, 0, -45, 90) s laminates supported in a clamped-clamped/free-free configuration with varying amounts of in-plane load, N x , applied. The amount of damage induced into the specimen was evaluated using the instrumented impact data and X-ray inspection. Results showed that for a given impact energy level, more damage was induced into the specimen as the external in-plane load, N x , was increased. The majority of damage observed consisted of backface splitting of the matrix parallel to the fibers in that ply, associated with delaminations emanating from these splits. A free-edge delamination model was used to explain the type and extent of the major delaminations caused by the preload/ impact combinations.
Implementing Reflective Access Control in SQL

Reflective Database Access Control (RDBAC) is a model in which a database privilege is expressed as a database query itself, rather than as a static privilege in an access control matrix. RDBAC aids the management of database access controls by improving the expressiveness of policies. The Transaction Datalog language provides a powerful syntax and semantics for expressing RDBAC policies, however there is no efficient implementation of this language for practical database systems. We demonstrate a strategy for compiling policies in Transaction Datalog into standard SQL views that enforce the policies, including overcoming significant differences in semantics between the languages in handling side-effects and evaluation order. We also report the results of evaluating the performance of these views compared to policies enforced by access control matrices. This implementation demonstrates the practical feasibility of RDBAC, and suggests a rich field of further research.
A Flow-System Multiangle Light-Scattering Instrument for Cell Characterization

A flow-system cell-analysis instrument is described in which cells from a heterogeneous population are characterized by their light-scatter patterns alone. As the cells pass at high speed through a focused helium/neon laser beam, the scatter pattern from each cell is sampled simultaneously at up to 32 angles between 0° and 30° with respect to the laser beam axis, and the scatter pattern for each cell is transferred to a computer. A mathematical clustering algorithm is used to determine the number of classes into which the cells can be divided, and a linear separation algorithm is used to find the boundaries between the classes. Preliminary results on exfoliated cells from gynecological specimens are presented. This technique may be useful for automated prescreening of gynecological specimens.
Revaluing Science: Starting from the Practices of Women

Work in the social studies of science in the last twenty years has undermined the belief common to positivist models of science that value-neutrality is both a hallmark and goal of scientific knowledge. The ideal of a value-free science was linked to the tenet that neither the individual beliefs or desires of a scientist nor the social values of a scientific community are relevant to the production of knowledge, and models of scientific method were constructed with the goal of factoring out such contaminating influences. The rapid militarization of science in the United States since the 1970s and the current rise of influence of venture capital in charting the direction of scientific research have made it increasingly difficult to draw any clear lines between a “pure,” disinterested science, and a goal-oriented, transformative “applied” science. Questions in the philosophy of science have shifted from the “pure” epistemological question “How do we know?” to questions that reflect the locations of science within society and the relationships between power and knowledge: “Why do we know what we know?” “Why don’t we know what we don’t know?” “Who benefits or is disadvantaged from knowing what we know?” “Who benefits or is disadvantaged from what we don’t know?” “Why is science practiced in the way that it is and who is advantaged or disadvantaged by this approach?” “How might the practice of science be different?”
The I Domain Is Required for Efficient Plasma Membrane Binding of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Pr55Gag

The interaction of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Pr55Gag molecule with the plasma membrane of an infected cell is an essential step of the viral life cycle. Myristic acid and positively charged residues within the N-terminal portion of MA constitute the membrane-binding domain of Pr55Gag. A separate assembly domain, termed the interaction (I) domain, is located nearer the C-terminal end of the molecule. The I domain is required for production of dense retroviral particles, but has not previously been described to influence the efficiency of membrane binding or the subcellular distribution of Gag. This study used a series of Gag-green fluorescent protein fusion constructs to define a region outside of MA which determines efficient plasma membrane interaction. This function was mapped to the nucleocapsid (NC) region of Gag. The minimal region in a series of C-terminally truncated Gag proteins conferring plasma membrane fluorescence was identified as the N-terminal 14 amino acids of NC. This same region was sufficient to create a density shift in released retrovirus-like particles from 1.13 to 1.17 g/ml. The functional assembly domain previously termed the I domain is thus required for the efficient plasma membrane binding of Gag, in addition to its role in determining the density of released particles. We propose a model in which the I domain facilitates the interaction of the N-terminal membrane-binding domain of Pr55Gag with the plasma membrane.
Evolution of flightless land birds on southern continents: transferrin comparison shows monophyletic origin of ratites.

A biochemical approach was used to study the evolution of ratite birds, i.e., the ostriches, rheas, cassowaries, emus, and kiwis. Quantitative immunological comparison of transferrin from ratites, tinamous, and other flying birds indicates that all the ratites and tinamous are allied phylogenetically and that they are of monophyletic origin relative to other birds. To explain the current geographic distribution of ratites and the magnitude of the transferrin distances, it is supposed that the ancestors of these flightless birds walked across land bridges between the southern continents during Cretaceous times.
Wing size vs radome compensation in aerodynamically controlled radar homing missiles

The aerodynamic configuration of a homing missile is usually based on aerodynamic studies against the spectrum of threats to be engaged. The most "aerodynamically efficient" missile is often selected from single fly-out studies not specifically related to guidance. This paper delineates a tradeoff related to guidance system performance that can affect the aerodynamic configuration. This tradeoff is between radome compensation and wing size. It is shown that radome compensation can be used to reduce wing size, and thereby a missile's drag and weight. A quantitative example is presented for a representative design.
Synthesis of ABA Triblock Copolymers by a Tandem ROMP−RAFT Strategy

A symmetric, acyclic olefin possessing trithiocarbonate moieties, available in two synthetic steps from commercially available starting materials, is demonstrated to act as a chain transfer agent (CTA) in ring opening metathesis polymerizations (ROMP). The synthetic efficiency of the ruthenium-catalyzed ROMP of 1,5-cyclooctadiene in the presence of this new CTA is investigated as a means of producing telechelic polybutadienes bearing trithiocarbonate endgroups. Telechelic polymers thus synthesized are macromolecular chain transfer agents in the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of styrene and acrylate monomers, enabling the synthesis of ABA-type triblock copolymers of varying compositions possessing monomodal molecular weight distributions.
Peltier and Thomson Effects for Bismuth Crystals

The Peltier and Thomson effects are directly measured (the former against copper) in single crystal rods almost covering the entire orientation range. For the first effect the Voigt-Thomson symmetry relation is definitely not substantiated, while for the latter the data do not provide an adequate test, though it appears likely that there is a deviation here also.The following values are found: at a temperature of 27\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, $\ensuremath{\pi}(\ensuremath{\parallel}\mathrm{vs}.\ensuremath{\perp})=13.8$, $\ensuremath{\pi}(45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{vs}.\ensuremath{\perp})=8.6$ microvolts; at a temperature of 48.5\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=43$, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{45}\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=26.5$ microvolts/\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. These values are all in fair agreement with values deduced from thermal e.m.f. temperature data of the writers and of previous observers.
IMPROVED ACCURACY OF MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION SPECT FOR DETECTION OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE BY MACHINE LEARNING IN A LARGE POPULATION

We aimed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) by integrating clinical data and quantitative image features by machine learning (ML). 1183 rest/stress 99mTechnetium MPS studies (715 consecutive cases with correlating invasive angiography and 468 with low likelihood
Form-factor ratio measurement in the decay Lambda/c --> Lambda e+ nu

The hadronic current of the matrix element for the transition Λc→Λ e+ ν within the framework of HQET is parameterized in terms of two form factors. By studying the decay rate distribution in the space of the decay kinematic variables one can extract the ratio of the form factors. The first measurement1 of R was made by the CLEO collaboration in 1995. In this note we describe the study of the statistical and systematic errors for a 4.5 times larger data sample. The central value for R will be presented shortly.
A preganglionic autonomic nucleus in the dorsal gray commissure of the lumbar spinal cord of the rat

The distribution in the spinal cord of the rat of preganglionic neurons sending fibers into the hypogastric nerve was determined with the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Labeled cells were present in the intermediate gray matter of spinal segments L1-L2. The majority (81%) of HRP-filled cells formed a continuous column along the midline in the dorsal gray commissure. This cell column was termed the dorsal commissural nucleus (DCN). The remainder of HRP-labeled cells were present bilaterally in the middle and lateral regions of the intermediate gray; the majority of the latter cells were located along the lateral border of the intermediate gray. The present finding of a midline preganglionic autonomic cell column in the spinal cord of a mammal is contrary to previous reports, in which sympathetic preganglionic neurons have been localized primarily in the lateral intermediate gray. The DCN may be species-specific and related to the system of short adrenergic neurons present in the pelvis.
FC‐50 Results of repeat intradermal testing in 135 dogs

The usefulness of repeat intradermal testing (IDT) was assessed in 135 dogs in which initial IDT results were inconsistent with the history or when response to treatment was unsatisfactory. The interval between repeat IDT ranged from 8 days to 7 years. Repeat IDT was pursued: when a seasonal history was inconsistent with initial IDT results (45); response to immunotherapy (18) or flea treatment (3) was unsatisfactory; an elimination diet was unsuccessful (66); or for miscellaneous reasons (3). Fifteen dogs that had no reaction on first or second IDT were diagnosed with cutaneous food reaction (9), idiopathic seborrheic dermatitis (2), scabies (1), hypothyroidism (1), or an unidentified seasonal pruritus (1). The signs of the final dog in this group resolved with long-term antibiotic therapy. Twenty-two dogs that had negative initial IDT results developed one or more positive reactions on the repeat IDT and of these, 14 were started on immunotherapy. Forty-four dogs with initial positive IDT results developed at least one additional significant reaction on repeat IDT leading to initiation or reformulation of immunotherapy in 34 dogs. Thirty-three dogs with initial positive IDT results had the same number of reactions on repeat IDT, but reactions were not identical and prompted reformulation of immunotherapy. Twenty-one dogs with initial positive results had fewer reactions on repeat IDT. In conclusion, these results provide evidence that repeat IDT is worthy of consideration in dogs with atopic dermatitis when initial IDT is negative, a seasonal history is inconsistent, or response to treatment has been suboptimal. Funding: Self-funded.
Preparation of metal multilayer TEM cross‐sections using ultramicrotomy

Summary Ultramicrotomy is an effective method of sample preparation for TEM of metal multilayer thin-films. Large, thin, cross-sectional areas can be obtained for TEM observations from a small amount of thin-film which has been mechanically removed from its substrate. An example of a TEM cross-section made from an AuFe0.03/a-silicon multilayer used in the study of metallic spin-glass properties illustrates the usefulness of ultramicrotomy in preparing samples that are largely free of the deleterious effects associated with ion-milling such as irradiation damage, differential thinning and variable thickness.